The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-02

what was cogent as though it were
lnept. Not that for a moment he de-
sired the average weak mind to face
arguments against Christian faith
which might easily perplex it.
There must be, he held, body of
really cogent theological and philo-
sophical reasoning in the Catholic
schools, to fall back upon and to in
spire confidence in thoughtful men;
and this could only be elaborated by
frankly and freely testing in actual
warfare, the strength of the existing
apologize, and by discarding what was
inadequate
when l see a clever and thought
full young man. he used to say at
this time, L feel kind of awe and
even terror in thinking of his future.
How will he be able to stand against
the intellectual flood that is setting
in against Christianity
Mr.. Ward tells in the same chapter
how the Cardinal, with these ends al
way in view, once Tin 1856 sent him
memorandum in which he urged the
necessity of drawing up systematic
statement of the main points on which
there was a divergence between the
conclusions generally received among
men of science, including the biblical
and historical critics, and the general
ly-received opinions in the theological
schools. This, with view to protect
ing the faith of the young, and that
these questions should be fully and
candidly discussed among Catholic
theologians and men of science, with
the sanction of Rome itself.
Such frank debate would result in
the erection of an authority on the
subjects in question, which must in
spire general confidence The Cardinal
even thought of returning to Rome,
in order to impress his views upon
the Pope; an accident (Which frac-
tured two of his ribs) confined him
to his home, and the opportunity new
er returned.
One extremely interesting fact
(says Mr.. Ward) is recorded by Fa-
Their Neville in the same connection.
A Cardinal is eligible to the Papacy,
and Father Neville drew from New
man statement as to what he should
do in the highly improbable, yet not
impossible, event that he should one
day be called upon himself to decide
the policy of the Church on the ques-
lions of the day. Though Mr.. Ward
docs &c ir1xy h
of note that Newman declared he
would do exactly as Pope Plus x has
done in our time.
In answer to Father Neville, New
man said that his time would neces-
sarily be too brief for him to do any
thing himself But this I could do, ~
he said, appoint and organize com
missions on various subjects and thus
advance work for another to take up,
if he so willed. That would be the
work for me to do" Then he made
mention, says Father Neville, of a
Pope elected at ninety-three and dying
at ninety-six, who had done great
work at that age and in that short
time. The subjects he specified to
Father Neville as especially needing
such commissions for their considera-
ton, were Biblical Criticism and the
History of the Early Church.
His general feeling as to the neces-
sity of basing Christian thought on
that of the great masters of theology,
is shown in the draft of letter writ
ten to Leo XIII himself in the early
days of his pontificate, welcoming his
Encyclical on the Philosophy of st.
Thomas Aquinas, on the ground that
at time of new theories, it was all
important to remember the great
thinkers of OLD. -Freeman's Journal