The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-09-12
CRRIST'S CHURCH
Chrst'S Claim 70 el-He Had to Teach
- Appointed a2herS-Founded a
Church Which Was Cd Visible; ~ In
defatgable; (3) IntaIlibIe; ~ One; ~
Holy; (6) UniversaI-NeCeSSity of a
Supreme Head-Peter'S Commission.


Christ. after having thus firmly established His
divinity was fully qualified and authorized not only
10 teach, but to command man, who, if consistent
with his rational nature, should hear and obey Him.
His own testimony no longer valueess, but in
4alihe and His voice the voice of God Accord
ingly, he taught a system of doctrine and morals
the practical acceptance of which He declared to
he essential to the peace and happiness of man
here and hereafter. But as He intended to remain
on earth only short time it was necessary that He
should appoint and leave after Him some institu-
ton; some adequate means to teach mankind His
system so costly to Himself and so necessary to all
men. and to perpetuate it in all Its integrity and
purity until the end of time; and thus to fulfill
His promise-"to enlighten every man that COM
eth into this world" For this end and purpose He
established a church, this is called together and
formed into a society a body of men known as His
apostles. These He commissioned and duly author
lied to 90 forth and preach His gospel, His doc
tTnes to all mankind. To this organized body of
teachers He transferred His own mission, the self
same mission that He received from His Eternal
Father, together with all the power and authority
necessary for its proper execution. This body of
teachers were to take His place and be His agents
in all that appertains to the work of teaching,
generating and saving humanity. GAS the Father
hath sent Me | also send you; and then breathing
on them, He said, receive ye the Holy Ghost" John
20) Going therefore teach all nations whatsoever
have commanded you" CMatt. 30.
Now, a brief examination of this church founded
BY Christ and commissioned by Him in the most
express and formal manner, viii clearly show us
that He endowed it with certain properties and
marks by which 1t could be easily known and dis
tinguished from all the false Christian churches
which be foresaw and predicted would spring up in
all future ages.
l. The church of Christ was visible. The Apos-
ties were certainly such. Their office was to teach.
to reprove to baptize and to reform other similar
public functions-all which necessarily implied
their visibility. He said His church "the light
Of the world" but by what figure of speech can be
said to be invisible2
,. 1t was not indefectible 1t the work of
God and His work cannot fail nor "Hs work pass
away He himself declared that He would "bud
his church upon rock and that the gates Of hell
could not prevail against it." Matt. 49,. The
gates of hell would have prevailed against the
church the moment it failed or ceased to be what
it was when founded. St. Paul calls the church
the pillar and ground of truth" Since therefore.
the church Of Christ is the foundation, the sup
port of truth it must be- to say the least, as in
defectible and indestructible truth
3, The church founded by Christ was infalible:
that Is, 1t could not err in the discharge of its
proper official duties, in teaching matters of faith
and morals. teacher directly appointed by God
Is necessarily infalible in what he has to teach
No loving parent would place over his children
1aibe teacher when he could appoint an infallible
one. Besides, we would expect little more of God
than of man, and any common man could establish
1allble church. But Christ settled this matter
very clearly and satisfactorily by His words and
pFomlses-"I will send you another Pareclete, the
SPIRIT Of Truth to teach you all truth and to abide
with you forever" Matt. 20) HE that heareth
you heareth me, and he who despiseth you despis-
eth me-" duke 100. How or why place this strict
obligation on man unless the teachers should in
tallibly teach the truth! And again: go We into
the whole world and preach my gospel; he that be-
heveth and is baptized shall be saved, he that be-
heveth not shall be condemned" (Mark 49, His
church. therefore, should preach only truth, other
wise why condemn man for not believing error, or
what, in case the teachers fable, may be
SUCH
4. The church of Christ, comfortably to reason.
was and should be one. Truth was to be the OBJ
]ect Of its teachings and truth is and can not
be in contradiction with itself. @There is but
Lord, one faith and one baptism" says st. Paul
(Eph q. And Christ himself says, "Other sheep
l have which are not of this fold; these also must
be brought in SO that there may be one fold and
one shepherd" John 100. So important did Christ
consider this unity or oneness of His church that
lie made it the object of a special prayer to His
Eternal Father: "And not for them (His Apostles)
only do pray but for those also who through their
word shall believe in me that they also may be one
even as Thou, Father, in Me and / in Thee" (John
49, The unity or oneness here prayed for is of the
highest conceivable type, that metaphysical unity
existing between Him and His Father. 1t was not
mere spiritual or invisible unity, but one that
could be Taen and thus serve as proof to the world
Of His divine mission chat the world may believe
that Thou hast sent me-" John 49,.
o The church Of Christ was holy; holy IN It's
founder in its doctrines, sacraments and mem
bers The object Of His church to bring all