The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-02-04
MODERNISM
1t is an Error That Tends to Destroy
All Gertrude and Leave Us
Without Truth.
1t Demands Absolute knowledge
Where Less knowledge
Will Suffice.

! From the name "Modernisin'' one
would suppose it to be very recent, yet
it is quite old in substance having re-
Gently been revived. We do not think
that it has taken hold of the people
in general: the common sense and the
experience of the people would con-
denim the sophstry Of modernism"
"Modernism' is all error that tends
to destroy all reality or gertrude. and
for truth or doctrine.
| We do not recall having seen a def
milton of modernism by any of that
cult. We doubt very much that the
adherents of modernism" would agree
us to it's theories or teachings: but we
know enough Of the state that it is not
only very vague but also a very dam
gesous heresy. "Modernism' criticises
our means of knowledge and the ex-
tent of knowledge The one and the
only test of knowledge which it pre-
s'thtS IS us own pllllOSOpnlCal COnCluS-
illusions.
+ Modernism dogmatiZes concerning
the whole field of human knowledge;
it seeks to reconstruct our conclusions
and determinations as to Faith, as to
/ Religion and as to Fact.
The child begins early to ask
/ tuhvp I,It a. l..
ask for explanation and information of
true knowledge. Modernism comes on
the scenes and says, you want to
know and yet you don't know and you
can't know"
1 Rants formula about knowledge is:
TO know a thing you must know it
as it is in itself. but we only get i'm
pressiOns through our senses, and ap-
pearances is not knowledge" We may
not and cannot accept this theory of
no certainty. Decisions in courts OF
justice prc-supposc and are based on
evidence, deeds of property are held
on security on the gertrude of the evil
dencc produced in abstracts
According to Modernism there
will inevitably be tluct,aton in our
knowledge and practices. What seemed
to be true last year or IL century ago
or eighteen centuries back must he
thrown into the scrap heap" because
VIC may know better now than we did
m in.
ernism' forms new lines Of thought as
To science and as to Religion and it's
teachings: hence according to Modern
ism. all truth is Relative, Reversible,
Provisional and PerfcctabIc. Whore.
on this theory would stand the author
ity of the church or its infallihilty?
ON these grounds a MOdcrnist could
say that he is Obliged to resist at times
the authority of the Church. because as
truth is always in the making, there
fore he would claim it would be unreal
S"llabl" and tyrannichl to nail anyone
down to any phase Of truth. That
Truth might so change that the moon
when it passes from the new moon to =
half moon, or a full moon. would NOT
/ be the moon. or the same moon.
All can see that "Modcrnism" is a
most pcrnicious. and destructive
hercsy. 1t is no wonder that the
Shepherd to whose care the flock has
been committed cries out and warns
Ct ,,e
clothing of "Modc:nism.'
This is the skcptirsm that forms the
foundation upon which Modernism has
been built. There is absolute knowl-
edge and there is sufficient knowledge
This sufficient knowledge is true and
real knowledge though limited. We
doubt that any one has an absolute
knowledge of electricity We know of
its existence. and can make use of it
in transportation, in telegraphy, in the
telephone. etc, though we do not
edge.
! The fallacy of Modernism" stands
edge when sufficient knowledge will
do. We may say that God alone has
absolute knowledge. Man has not the
capacity for absolute knowledge, be-
cause he is finite being.
| On the theory Of modernism" we
know nothing and we can know MOTH
ing. We stop at the wells, it SAYS; we
cannot penetrate beyond the appear
, ances of things. Therefore it argues
| that we have no certainty and cannot
have any certainty. modernism"
claims that certainty is always evolv-
ing and only approximates but never
arriN es.
"Modernism'' explains this doctrine
on the simile that the river is fe,i bv
StreamletS and by rails and never