The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-03-28
THE CHURCH AND HER MEMBERS.

In answer to the common query, "Why does the
Catholic Church keep in such close touch with
he members ~ we gave the chief reason for the
more frequent attendance of Catholics at the vari
Gus services than is practced in churches of the
various nom Catholic denominations. The Catho
lie Church, in addition enters more closely into the
daily life of her children and influences them more
strongly through those very which have
been made the basis of attack on her Philosoph-
ically the Catholic Church represents to the high
est possible degree Unity and Stability, the two
qualities of success preemnent in all human enter
prises. Unity of ideas, unity of purpose and unity
of action at every epoch of her life; and stability
through all the successive periods of her existence.
Without these all effort is cratic confused weak
and ephemeral. The great geniuses that have
moved humanity in the paths appointed by their
ambition have achieved success by adopting and
adhering to these means They saw clearly the
goal of their ambition and marched directly to il
with single thought and unwaverng effort.
The great mass of mankind is ever restless, un-
certain and wavering, intellectually and morally
and yet ever anxious to attach itself to something
steady and fixed. Genius drew it. held it and car
red it along with itself as magnet does the loose
copper filings strewn within range of its attraction.
1t is characteristic of genius because genius if not
morally, at least intellectually partakes of the ma
.ture of the Creator who made man to his image and
likeness. The mind of the Creator is eternal
therefore Interchangeable, and the divine will is eter
naly persistent, and is finally realized in its perfec
ton through seeming vicissitudes which drive from
tbn ol,c+o TOD H., H.
But the Creator is ever triumphant in his plans and
purposes. The Church of God. divine in its origin
and divnely guided, must partaEe pre-eminently of
this spirit, and therefore has marched and will
march composedly and uniformly to the attainment
of her great object, the salvation of the world I'M
til the end of time. She, instinct with divine
genius, may be hampered and INSTRUCTED but she
ever fills want in the limited imperfect and CON
sequently wavering mind of humanity that not
wlthstandng its vagaries, is ever breaking trails to
safe and direct road; notwithstanding its child
like excursions into darkness is ever seeking the
bright and steady light. And particularly is this
true, In a matter serious as mans destiny. his
fate in an eternal hereafter The world is TODAY
nervously wading through loose and tickle. ever
moving ideas, on ever-shifting sands of religious
principles and TREMENDOUSLY looking for firm roc,
on which to stand in safety The various religious
sects OF the day have been founded on the princi
pie OF opposition. on the privilege of objection and
nave found the very cause of their existence in the
spirit OF protest They are consequently full of dis
quletude and are afflicted with the very disease
which they claim they are commissioned to cura
They cannot meet the want of humanity: itself
wandering and crying for guide to the great
highway, since all their cleared paths are trails
leading OBVIOUSLY, with ever new confusing ones
opening on the march. In the Catholic Church her
members find rest and security They NAV orop,
careless and peevish sometimes not tolerate 1va,-
wardness, but when they return to serious mood
ana dangers counsel docility and sane obedience
they again take refuge behind her divine protect
ing influence. The Catholic Church and the nor
sonailty OF the minister is mere human instrr-
ment OF her hands, who though he be undoubtadIr
offensive can never affect the ultimate result And
SO the priest IN the Catholic Church. though he
may temporarily be unwecome. is NOT indir;d,.
ally the chief cause of progress but in final resort i
the Ambassador of Christ and his ideas and his
life though personally unstable eventually sink
INTO lnsignifcance in comparison with final ro
suits
In sects which depend private interpretation
OF the word OF God the personality of the exnourd
er OF religious thought is the center of attraction
When he fails religion fails; when men tire Of him
tneS IRE OF his teachings and tire of his church
When his individuality is unpleasant his doctrine
Is unpleasant. 1t his opinions secular subjects