The Irish standard., 1917-11-10

Are Anticipated and lnapplicable at
Present.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, we'll
known English writer, gave an inter-
view recently to representative Of
the "Pdblic Ledger" of Philadelphia
on the subject of divorce. The novel
list said so many things contradictory
of Catholic teaching that the Rev.
Hugh L. Lamb, D. D., of the Catholic
University, felt constrained to issue
reply which appeared in the Stand
ard and Times. DR.. Lamb writes:
"Sir A. Conan Doyle in describing
the deplorable conditions prevailing
among the English laboring classes,
where on account of the rigidity of
the divorce laws, there are more mis-
tresses than wives, advocates relax
alton of these laws, so that the birth
rate may he increased sufficiently to
make up for the 100000 men lost in
the present war.
The enterprising reporter ventures
to demonstrate that such a remedy
might be contrary to the teachings of
the Church regarding the sanctity of
marriage. The eminent novelist re-
plies that such an objection is entirely
theological. In 1857 when England re-
Taxed her divorce laws the churchmen
rained down texts on the heads of the
reformers. These texts might have
been all right 1000 years ago, but to-
day conditions are different and peo-
pie are different. These restrictions
of Christ and the Evangelists do not
hold good today because Christ and
the Evangelists and the early Chris.
tians all believed that the end of the
world was at hand! Therefore their
legislation does not apply to us who
live in the twentieth century.
Apart from these discredited texts,
he alleges, there is no other opposi-
ton to divorce; for divorce is not an
evil but rather a blessing, since it
would increase the number of chill
dren to fill up the places of the fallen
and thus help to populate England.
Great respect is due Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle as an authority in the
realm Of fiction, but when he enters
into the realm of facts and poses as
an authority in higher criticism and
morals his opinion is worth only what
his arguments are worth.
The Early End Of the World.
Did Christ believe that the end of
the world was at hand? If so, then
Christ was deceived. If he was de-
ceived, He was not God. If He was
not God, then His religion is not divine
and the whole fabric of Christianity
totters and falls into the dust.
Did the Evangelists teach that the
end of the world was at hand? If
so, they were mistaken. If they were
mistaken they were not inspired by
God, for God cannot be the author
of error. If they were not inspired by
God, then their writings, upon which
Christianity rests, are merely weak,
man-made and fallible documents.
Again, the great fabric of Christianity
totters and falls crumbling in the dust.
With one fell stroke of the pen, the
eminent English novelist not only re-
pudiates the Christian teaching on
divorce, but at the same time signs
the death warrant of Christianity it.
self.
Perhaps the eminent advocate of d.
vorce imagines that he has formed
theory never before dreamed of by the
opponents of the Church. Yet long ago
in the: fourth century after Christ St.
Augustine had already refuted it and
long since reputable Catholic theolo-
gians have shown it's absurdity against
the Rationalists-Renan and Loisy.
1t would be long and unnecessary
task to take up singly the texts in
question and point out their false and
distorted Interpretation. One will suf-
flee as an example (St. Matt, xvi, 28):
Amen l say to, you, there are GER
tain ones here standing who will not
taste death until they see the Son of
man coming in His kingdom.
Therefore, say the neo-critics, the
coming of Christ and the end of the
world should take place during the
lifetime of some Of those there listen
ing. But they forget the next verse,
which relates how Peter and James
and John were taken up into the noun
tain and there the Lord was trans
figured before them. Whence it is
clear that the former words apply not
to the end of the world but to the
scene on the mount of the Transfigur-
alton.
Likewise may the other texts be ex-
planned, only to confirm the words of
Christ:
Concerning that day and that hour
no one knows, not even the angels,
only the Father. (Matt. XIV, 36.)
1t is not for you to know the times
or the moments which the Father has
put in his power. (Acts of Apos. l., ~
This GOSPEL of the kingdom shall be
preached in the whole world-then
shall come the consummation. est
Matt. xiv, 40
In spite of neo-critic and nationalist
claims Christ and the EVauneiiStS did