The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-27

tfsn. confirmation, Holy Euchar.st. penance. extreme unction, and holy or. ders are things spiritual, so also is christian matrimony Some denomina- lions calling themselves Christians teach there are no sacraments: others teach there are only two sacraments baptism and the last supper, and their idea of sacrament Is of an outward sign instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ only to signify grace. But the Catho. lie idea makes this a far more sacred thing. which not only signifies but aiso truly contains and confers grace. And the Catholic Church teaches that these sacred signs are not only two but enth.
 But the institution of marriage ex- isted before Christ. How then Is He said to have instituted this sacrament? !? He instituted marriage as a sacrament: as sacred sign signifying and con- l ferrfng grace. man and woman wh o are not baptized may take each other as husband and wife, and. although there is no sacrament. there is between l them. a true tie joined by God. This tie was instituted by God :n paradise. lslt Is heaven-made ring of gold Christ did not do away with this, but kept 1t and made it more perfect. He. so to | say, took this divfnely made ring of gold and covered it all over with heavenly made diamonds and wrought into 1t the image of Christ and the church, of Christ loving the church as His own body and the church obey ing Christ as her heavenly spouse. As He took natural water to signify and | produce the cleansing of the soul He took the natural marital contract to signify and produce the spiritual graces l which help husband and wife to be In their married life like Christ and the l church.
 But marriage has many evil effects. and is 1t not. therefore, subject to the power of the State7 It's civil effects ifestly absurd for the State to clain, I authority through its Supreme Courts 1 or Its Prfvy- Councils to authoritatively and judicially interpret the Word of God In the Holy Scriptures or in the ] Divine traditions on what Is a true baptism, or a true confirmation or a I true communion, or true mass, or a true absolution, or true extreme unc- ton. And it Is equally absurd for the State to claim to interpret the Scrip lures or tradition about what Is a true sacrament of matrimony. Its legisla- tors have no business to legislate about the other sacraments. and neither have they any business to legislate about | this sacrament. The Lord of State and family and church gave these powers to his church, and, therefore, the State cannot have them.
 Authority of the Church.
 State might be like Herod, who could not bear to hear that it was not right to have his living brothers wife and therefore called for the head ot the Baptist on a dish. Or 1t might be like Henry VIII. who put away his wife. Catherine of Aragon. for Anne Boleyn and other women. and who. be- cause the Pope would not sanctify his lust, by brute force cut England of from the faith. Or it might be like Napoleon I. who attempted to coercs Plus VII Into declaring null the mar. riage celebrated at Baltimore by Arch bishop Carroll between Jerome Bona parte and Elizabeth Patterson, and who. shortly after the Pope answered This would be q sacrilegious abuse oi power against that young American Protestant girl" exiied and imprisoned the Pope, took away his temporal king. dom, and did his utmost as conqueroI of Europe to disrupt the cathois, Church.
 Again. a State might profess separa ton between Government and religion or even hatred of all religion and o God. or 1t might be like the Turk. ol the Mormon, or the Pagan. St. Pau was a good Roman citizen, yet he heart and tried many eases of marriage, case of widows, eases of converts abandene, by their pagan consorts, cases 0 Christians who wished to yoke them selves with infideis. and the ceiebrat tet case of the incestuous Corinthian. Ant St. Paul in another matter appealed ti Caesar, but woe to that early Chris tian who would have appealed in { marriage case to Caesar against Paul
 Our Lord taught to render unto Cae l g~a Kat Ca AaaVa0 hfi he made marriage a sacrament and thing of God, and therefore. not thing of Caesar. How absurd to pie ture Him from whom all power de scends telling us we must go for th interpretation or the application oi His revealed word in Scripture and tra ditson on the sacrament Of marriage t a Herod. Henry VIII, Napoleon or Turk. 0 r Pagan, or Freemason because. forsooth. they represent tn State.
 Linitatiosa of Church Power
 But granting the Church's powe over this sacrament. how can it go g far as to make a condition for it's va lidity? It cannot do this for baptism
 It is true in, general that the Churel has no power to make law changini the matter or form of sacrament These are elements of the constitution l or the GnufCu H1Cu HHAily Ab tA@ OGah of the last of the Apostles. when tn extraordinary powers given by God fo founding the Church ceased, and tn deposit of Divine truth and Divine lAv contained in the written and unwFit ten word of God was closed. Gu Lord and the Holy Ghost inspiring tn Apostles were our one constitutions convention which the Church has n power to call back. Our Lord not on iy made no provision for revolution fl the Church, but not even for al amendment to it's constitution.
 The Church has many powers to reg ulate the licit administration of tn sacraments. which powers. however, d. not extend to validity In varying ages or places 1t could commend 0 forbid baptism by aspersion. infusion l or immersion. but 1t has not the powe to make baptism by sprinkling. pour ing, or dipping invalid. But the saera ments have different natures and tn 1 Church has more power over some thai over others Thus, in spite of tn Pope's prohibition. any individual cal vaiidly baptize at any time or place and any Bishop can .validly confirm O ordaIn even outside of his diocese. ant any priest can validly conseerate an' anoint But this is not true of thu sacrament of penance. The absolutiol may be made invalid by a superior Why so? Because penanc0 was mad by our Lord in the form of Judg ment. and it follows the nature of Judgment A Justice of the United States Supreme Court ls greater il dignity and power than any othe Judge of any other temporal tribuna I R