The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-19
LOGIC As 4 FACTOR IN
'sECEssI0Ns" TO ROME


HONEST REAsoNERs, LOOKING
FOR THE SIGN PROMISED BY
CHRIST, FIND IT AND ARE LED
BY IT.
In a series of articles contributed
to the Catholic Universe and
Weekly" of London, by Bishop John
s. Vaughan, that learned prelate
points out (D that man who is gen.
erous minded and ready to deny him
self in all things is much more likely
than another to become Catholic,
for the simple reason that convert
is called upon to make many sacri-
fees; (2) that one who is truly humble
will feel drawn towards the true
Church much more forcibly than one
who is proud and self-willed, because
the Church of God rests upon foun-
dalton of humility and obedience and
the complete remuneration of personal
and private views, and it's very atmo-
sphere demands humility in those who
breathe it.
In the third place, Bishop Vaughan
essays to make quite clear that a per-
son of logical temperament will feel
himself far more strongly urged to
become a Catholic than will one who
can never get himself to follow out
any connected process of close reason
ing.
I'm fact" says the Bishop, logic
(aided, of course, by Gods grace) has
led vast numbers into the Church, and
is largely accountable for the numer-
GUS 'secessions' to Rome, of which we
have been treating" Continuing, he
says:
"A few examples will not be out of
place. Thus a logical mind, contem-
plating the four hundred and sixty
four religions officially registered, will
see at a glance that four hundred and
sixty-three must necessarily be wrong,
and that only one can possibly be
wholly and completely right. Oh
course, all might be wrong except fol
the solemn guarantee given by ou1
Lord. One must be right, because
Christ, who is God, promised that His
Church should (a) remain for ever
and should (b) teach all truth, and (c)
be guarded from all error. But, since
every other differs from it, every other
must be wrong. The vital question
is Which is the one solitary Church
that is wholly right?
Perhaps the inquirer, having got
so far, will strive to relieve the diff
cult situation by fiattering himself
that it really does not very much mat
| ter which is true and which is false
and that it is enough to know thai
there is some good in every sect.
But true logician will not be able
to rest there. He will soon correct
such an outrageously false notion by
recalling the divine words of our Lore
Himself, who declared in the most EN-
phatic manner and on the mos
solemn occasion that Of all things
truth is the most important and the
most vitality necessary. For this was
I born He says, and for this came
into the world, that l might beal
testimony to the truth John xviii
3D. What could be stronger thar
that?
Having pondered over these words
and weighed them well, he will per
ceive that it is of the utmost impor
lance that he should enter-not an!
Church-but the one and only Church
that possesses the whole and perfect
truth; that truth, in short, which Coo
Incarnate esteemed so highly anG
deemed so essential that He actually
came down from heaven to bear wit
ness to it.
"a logical mind will not stay there
Having realized the vital Importance
of arriving at knowledge of the alb
solute truth, and having seen that the
whole truth cannot be the possession
of more than one Church, among the
hundreds of contradictory churches
he will conclude, firstly, from the i'm
portance of truth, indicated by Christ's
own words, and secondly, from the ex
IRENE difficulty of discovering truth
amid such host of claimants, tha
Christ must have given some mark
or pointed to some character, by which
His Church might be known and rec
ognized, and readily differentiated
from all the rest.
what is more, he will discover thai
this inference is abundantly justified
and that Christ did, most undoubtedly
give such a sign.
what is it? The answer is Unity
Any one carefully reading Christ's
words will acknowledge that He vir
tually says to every sincere inquirer;
In order that you may know MY
Church, and be able to distinguish it
without difficulty, from all others,
have set My own seal upon it; have
attached to it sign, by which al
may recognize it. And that sign il
Unity. All you have to do is to notice
where true unity of doctrine exists
So soon as ever you discover Church
in which all the members are abso
lutely agreed in doctrine and abso
1utely one in faith, you need seek nc
further. You have already found My
Church. If, on the contrary, the mem
bers are divided; if there are parties
such as high" and '1ow" and broad" /;
if there are different doctrines held
by different members, then leave it