Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-05-04
PRIESTS EyPLA AIN DOGMAS.
Missionaries Tell About Catholic
Doctrines at St, Josephs.
CHURCH WAS WELL FILLED
Father a. J. vanIngeIsen Opens Mis-
sion With Discourse on Divinity
of Christ.


On Monday night st. Joseph's Cath
Ollie church was crowded with people
Of all denominations anxious to listen
to the two Catholic priests who had
announced a weeks mission to explain
and defend the teachings Of their old
historic church After few remarks
on the controversial nature OF their
lectures and the question.box, Rev
Father A. ]. Van Ingelgcm opened the
mission with talk on the Divinity On
Christ He spoke as follows:
ut is the foundation Of the Chris
tian religion. To Jesus Christ univer-
sal homage is paid, not only as TO a.
great man, but as to the infinite God
There are indeed many who ignore
Him, a few who publicly resist His
claim to be the Diety; but the vast
multitude of civilized humanity bow
down and adore Him. MY Lord and
my Cod ST. Thomas act Of tardy but
perfect faith isathe cry Of the human
race, so far as it has become enlight-
ened Nor is this momentary senti-
ment, II is the settled conviction Of
ages.
1T grows deeper and stronger with
succeeding generations. II is not a
quiscent faith, allied to limited ignor-
ance and british superstition. The
faith in Christs godhead is like the
strength of a tree growing in the op.
en- fields, tougher and more ENDURING
from resisting the storms with which
it has had TO battle. That wondrous
truth is today clearer than ever be-
fore.
1T is all the more peaceful in its
supremacy on account OF the patient
and matured meditation of humanity's
best intelligence during nearly a
score of centuries. Christ is God, be.
ing OF the divine nature as we'll as OF
the human, miraculously conceived In
His mothers womb by the Diety's ov-
ershadowing power, and born into
this world as both God and man. We
know this from personal testimony
the statements of Christ Himself
He established His veracity beyond
all question by the spotless and abso-
lutte perfection of His life, by the
greatness of His mind, the yet more
wonderful greatness of His heart, ana
the incompatible beauty of His soul
"He proved it by His miracles, by
the unrivaled perfection of His ethi-
cal and spiritual doctrine, by the Wis
able interposition of Providence in the
establishment of the Christian r.
ligion based on this belief The dis
ciples of Jesus so understood His
teaching, firmly believed in His divin-
ity and so taught the world. His en-
emies so understood His teaching and
compassed His death for that reason.
Divine Providence has made good His
claim, by maintaining Him as the re-
cipient of divine honor from first to
last of the era in which we live, and
which has been named the Christian
era from Him and His claims. Jesus
Christ is God, and it is His mind that
we shall study during the evenings
Of this week. His purpose with us,
His way of life ana His manner OF
propagating it. From His sacred
heart we shall follow the fruitful riv-
ers of love and Of wisdom which flow
into the spiritual society which is His
earthly paradise His church. fertiliz-
ed by His blood and Illuminated by
His spirit: sighting His dawning light
and finding His spirits meridian
rays, We shall hail His truths with
gladness, and seek and obey its plain
precepts.
q speak for everyone of you when
. ] proclaim Jesus Christ the only
aide of my intelligence. the king Oh
my affections, the Master of my ac-
tons. VIZ
MAY His blessed grace make the
love of Him and of His truth the one
absorbing passion of my soul"
The sermon tonight will be at s
o'clock by Father Waters. His sub.
ject will be The Pillar and Ground OF
Truth" Seats free. ....