The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-04-03
teaching Of divine tradition III. rhess.

ii. 10, 14>. -
Let us not mistake the point at
issue. Many write and talk as If there
were question of the dignity or sacred
character Of the Bible; as. If, forsooth,
Professionalism had flor the. first time
s;iven 1t its due place Of honor.
But history is the witness how well
the Catholic Church has ever defended
the integrity, historical value, cam
onicity, and inspiration of the Script
ures, and their helpfulness and worth
to. the Christian people. The real ques-
ton is: Is the Bible and the Bible alono
the way to fino out the gospel OF
Christ? ---
THE Catholic answers this question
in a decided negative; for, First, If
this fundamental principle Of Protest
antism were true. the Bible should rec
o!d 1t somewhere. On the contrary,
there is not one text in the Old Testse-
lnent or the New which declares any
such principle. e-
Second. Let us ask whether Pro-
tcstantism has been consistent? AS a
matter of fact, how many Protestants
have learned the doctrines of Christ
by independent Bible-reading? In
coed, from the very beginning, in. the
endeavor to save themselves from the
inevitable destruction that follows
every protest against divine truth,
they have gone directly counter to their
first principle. and have trusted to
human deeds, confessions, catech.srns,
teachings from the pulpit and lessons
in the Bible class. Each denomination
has drawn up its own Interpretation Of
''he Bible, emphasizing some texts and
ignoring others. and has made the &C.
ceptance Of this human, fallible inter-
rretation condition of church. men,
bership.
Third. It is only by. the divine au-
t:lority of the Catholic Church that
Christians know that the Scripture is
The Word Of God. and what books GER
tainly belong to the Bible.
The Bible was not written in Eng.
fish. How can a Protestant Of today
learned or ignorant-know whether his
version is correct translation, or a
human travesty of Gods word?
The Bible nowhere points out the
number of books on the canon, and
critical arguments can never afford the
divine certainly that rational men de-
rahd before believing with divine
faith. . >:
1.-The Protestant starts with the UNI
proved assumption that the Bible is
the inspired word Of God. How we
ask, Independently of divine authority
outside the Bible, can any, one prove
the internal, supernatural fact Of d.
vine Inspiration?
: TN a word, the Bible Is not it's own
witness. tt is like a will without q
signature or probate Especially in
our own day.. when the modern Higher
Criticism has made sad havoc with the
old Protestant estimate OF the Bible:
Deny the Church's infallible witness,
and 10! the Bible is reduced to the
level of mere Oriental literature, full
OF errors and utterly devoid of divine
inspiration. The Catholic Church alone
guarantees infallibly the authenticity
Of the Latin Vulgate. the contents of
tine Canon, and. the inspiration of all
tine seventytwo books of Holy Writ.
'The Catholic Church gives the world
the Bible. SO that st. Augustine could
rightly say in the fifth century: I
would not believe the gospel unless
moved thereto by the authority of the
Church.
"Fourth. The Bible does not pretend
20 be a fornulary of belief, as is
creed or catechism. There is nowhere
in the New Testament a clear, method
iraF statement of tho teachings of
Christ. 1t was never intended as such.
'rhe Epistlcs Of st. Paul, for instance,
were written as occasion arose to diff
ferent local Churches. to settle disputes
about dogma, to insist on certain
Christian principles of morality, to
protest against pagan philosophy and.
pagan crimes. and to warn the first
against Judaizevs.
The Bible was never intended to
take. the place of the living, infallible
the Church, but was. written
to explain or to insist upon a doctrine
already preached.
How indeed could dead and
speechless book, that cannot be cross
questioned to settle doubts or decide
controversies. be the exclusive and ALL
sufficient teacher Of Gods revelation.
Fifth. The very nature of the Bible
ought to prove to any thinking man
the impossibility Of its being the OF. )
safe method to find out what the Saw