The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-01-25
The "Layman''
in the Open
! ssx A,gs,ge,xe.xs.g

4 IN me open I
sesxexewexe,xex e;xe,xe,gexexe,s1
First of all I must sincerely thank
the Rev. Father Beissel for the great
moderation and patience which he dis
plays in his reply to my article in
Mondays Advertiser; and I shall also
endeavor to be somewhat moderate, so
far as consistent with the presentation
Of my points in this controversy.
Secondly, must thank him for his
kindness in likening me to the valiant
Don Quixote, Cervantes' immortal hero.
1 have to acknowledge the aptness of
the smile, particularly in the denoue-
ment of that episode of the windmill.
where the redoubtable Don was nearly
killed by the grinding wings of that
engine, to which in my turn I shall
liken the Catholic Church entire, not
solitary dogma alone. For, as 1
showed by quotations from history, the
Church is in the habit of destroying
those who differ from its precepts, and
destruction would inevitably be my lot
IL we were still in the middle ages At
present / stand a chance of escaping
with my life-like the Don-but, as
Cervantes probably would say, If he
were still alive, "Quien sabe," who
knows"
In my article of Monday I did not
attack the claim of infallibility alone,
although that point is the only one
contested by Father Beissel. did,
however, in addition, challenge his own
words, from its fruits learn the tree"
and showed a few samples from the
Catholic fruitstand, exposed by his
tory, and undisputed history at that.
But Father Beissel will explain those
things later-he says.
However, let US revert to the infal-
libility.
No amount of explanations can re-
move the fact that the Pope, OF his
own accord in a bull framed presuma-
bly, by himself, signed by his name,
and adorned with the papal seal, de-
clared himself infallible, no more nor
less.
No amount OF explanation can re-
move the fact that this dogma had been
suppressed since the time of the refor-
nation.
No amount of explanation can re-
move the fact that it was again re-
vived and promulgated in a bull of
comparatively recent date.
From this follows:
First-That there was a period before
the first PRONUNCIATION during which the
Pope was not infallible; or. perhaps,
he might have been infallible and
didn't know he was loaded"
Second-That there followed a period
of infallibility. CAT that time the in
fallibility was absolute, even in tenn
poral affairs, and included also i'm
peccability, or inability to sin, Father
Beissel to the contrary notwithstand-
ing)
Third-That this period of immunity
from sin or error was followed by an
other period of nearly 500 years. during
which time this dogma was not en-
forced. During this time the Pope
might or might not have known him
self to be infallible; but apparently he
did not care a hang whether anybody
else knew 1t or not. The fact Is, 1t
would have been very impolitic to in
sist on the Pope's sinlessness, partic-
ularly in the face of certain acts of
Paul III, Alexander w, and other
popes of the same stamp of Holiness"
who disgraced the papal throne and
tiara, and whose pretensions, excuses
and crimes gave rise to the reforma-
ton.
Fourth-That this dogma is again a
dogma, revived in recent times.
In Father Beissels brilliantly clear
calculation of the meaning of the word
dogma" in his article of Tuesdays
issue, he says: "Such a statement made
by the Pope in the affirmative is called
n dogma of the Church. 1t does not
mean new truth but means that the
said point is contained In Holy Scrip
ture, and that II has been believed in
the past generally, but not so clearly
and expressly that there have not been
heard solitary voices expressing in their
own private judgment doubts about It
or affirming the contrary. Now that
this matter has been officially exam
med and pronounced by the highest
tec ching office of the Church to be true,
L is a dogma to be believed (and be-
longs no longer to the domain of con-
troversy among the members of the
church,, under penalty OF excommuni-
cation"
Now, then, the first bull of infalli-
bility must have been dogma at the
time OF its PRONUNCIATION; 1t ceased TO
be so later. as proved by the fact that
1t had to be again published in a new
bull; and 1t is now again in force as
a fullhedged dogma.
AS, also. the Pope claims in his in
fallibility to be guided personally by
the Holy Ghost in all things relating
TO the faith, / ask:
Was 1t the Holy Ghost. or was It the
infallible Pope who did all those SOM
ersaults? 1t appears that the infal-
libility is truly, as Father Beissel says
mot teasing machine; but it seems