The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-02-01
POPULAR APOLOGETICS
ADAPTED FROM THE GERMAN OF
REV. PETER MIKES, S. j., BY
REV. JAMES WATCHER.
So. Is Christianity the Work of God
or Man?

or Man?
Objecton: Christianity is a
grand historical event and has de-
served we'll of humanity; but it will
share the fate of all human works:
what appears in time will disappear
in time.
Answer. Christianity is Gods
work and not mans work, it is the
work of Christ, and of his kingdom
there shall be no end" duke 1881 q.
In proof of it's divine origin we will
consider its origin, it's duration, its
fruits.
Al Its Origin. Christ, the true Son
of God, built His church, and what
God builds does not fall to pieces even
if all the gates of hell storm against
it. Christ planted the tree of Chris
tianity, even if twigs or whole branch
es fall off, the stem remains and brings
forth fruit and new branches to the
end Of time
Christs messengers and instruments
for the establishment and spread of
Christianity were the Apostles, I'M
learned and simple men from the peo-
pie.
Father Rob, S. j., (11S72) says:
Rightly we admire the works of Pla-
to, Aristotle, and others. But what
did they effect with all their wisdom?
How beautifully and eXaltedly does
Plato speak of the Divinity, And
still not one city or village or the
street in which he lived did he snatch
from the degrading idolatry. How
eloquently spoke, Socrates Cicero,
Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius
speak about all virtues and duties of
men. But they were not able to ele-
Vate their people, not even their own
family, from their moral degradation.
"A few fishermen from Galilee an
nouncc in simple words the doctrine
of Christ and change the face of the
verdi Observation-Disclosures 1905
Ill p. 25).
And this change took takes place in
spite of bloody persecution of the all
powerful state, in spite of sword or
hangman, in spite Of bitter taunts and
sneers and deep-rooted vice, by the
mere power of the Cross and self-con-
quest, by the love for Christ crucified,
without temporal advantage, with sac
rifices without number, even at the
cost of life itself
The learned historian Mommsen
(f1903) wrote his monumental 'Ro-
man History. Queer, the fourth vol
nme which should have treated Of the
first centuries of the Christian era, is
wanting. Why? The learned man
PLANTATION for Christianity and it's
spread; and since he could not find
it from his infidel standpoint, he could
not write the history of that period
Christianity is the work of God not
of man.
b. Its Duration. The works of man
are perishable like man himself, and
sometimes the works perish before
their maker. The imperishableness
OF Christianity is guaranteed by the
eternal God himself: And the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it.
long is not wonderful. On the one
hand it is the religion of the flesh, and
on the other it impales it's critics
and whatever truth it possesses is
from Christianity.
Just as little can we wonder at the
duration OF heathenism. AS long as
there are men there always will be
some who rather serve their passions
than God. (P. Rob, l. c.
But we must wonder that the Chris
tian religion in spite of all storms
heresies and schisms, prosecutions by
spite of all repugnance of sensual ma
ture and human passions, which it OPP
poses, does not only exist, but gains
more and more adherents as time goes
no. That is not human but divine
work
g Its Fruits. "By their fruits you
shall know them (Matth. 7:16). The
earthly progress of culture, which
Christianity fosters, the flower of the
arts and sciences, which it has pro
duced, is only small reflection OF
the real, high and highest goods OF
humanity; truth, morality, perfection
and peace of heart and eternal heaven
ly bliss result therefrom. All these
blessings Christianity has brought TIC
each individual being to the family
to human society and the state. (Cf
p. Weiss, o. P, Apologize DIES Chris
tentums).