Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-28

youT TeCenC statement II Goa is the
father of men, the Church is their
mother?"
never attend church and I advise
others not to do so. It's a WORKOUT
institution.
What are the reasons for your state
ment?
A. The statement you quote was not
| coined by me. 1t was originally made
by one of the mightiest and wisest minds
of the race-St. Augustine the Illus
trious Bishop of Hippo, the saint, phi
| losopher, theologian and statesman Of
God, who transformed Western civili
cation. 1 believe st. Augustine was
right. for the following reasons:
The church brings an authentic mes
sage concerning God, which leads to the
secret of all worthwhile living. 1t
recognizes the universal hunger for God
and the possibility of communion with
Him. 1t reveals God as a living, per-
sonal force and offers partnership
Tr,uith Him in the completion of the task
OF perfecting the world.
The church confers acquaintanceship
with the great spirits of the past. In
the lives of prophets and heroes and in
the life of Jesus Christ the church
holds up the ideals by which character
and achievement may be measured. In
the call to build the kingdom of God on
earth, the church presents the basic
purpose which gives deeper meaning to
everything men do. 1t releases through
human lives the Transforming power of
God. It gives men a long and balanced
perspective of life-from the great civil
izations of the past to the great eterni-
ties beyond.
the great host of believers throughout
the world, thus affording it an oppor-
tunity to work with other men for the
cultivation of the spiritual life and for
increasing the stock of goodness in the
world through membership in an or
ganization which thinks in terms of
world relations 1t is the oldest and most
honorable institution in existence. There
is no government, business, society or
alliance of interests that touches so
many people in so many ways as or
ganized religion.
In spite of its acknowledged weak
nesses the church is the noblest insti-
tuition that has ever been founded upon
this earth for the PRONUNCIATION of
spiritual ideals and their application to
life. No other institution of any char
acter whatsoever can compete with it
in the earnest and inspiring loyalty it
has created and sustained in its men,
bers.
The church produces a comradeship
OF Worshipers. While it urges private
devotion, it brings men together so that
they may receive the inspiration which
comes from their united petitions, and
TO this END 1t provides a vast store
house of aids, SO that they may "prac-
tice the presence of God" This COM
radeship is the most universal brother
hood in existence. 1t embraces all
classes of men, from the humblest
penitent to the most gifted saint, and
includes all humanity, regardless of
rank, creed, color or economic condi-
ton.
The church gives to men the most
inspiring task in the world, by placing
before them a view of life which lifts
them out of themselves and relates
them to vast purposes, based on world
VIDE program of social adjustment,
sanctioned and empowered by religion.
1t offers modern men a fighting chance
In the great struggle to improve the
conditions of life here on earth, and
urges them to devote their best talents,
keenest wisdom and highest genius to
making this world what it ought to be.
The church thus offers the greatest
moral adventure in human experience,
because 1t gives men a program for per-
sonal living, social passion that will
bulid a new social order, vital contact
with the inspiring elements of culture.
faith that destroys all fear, a source
OF power unparalleled, place of leader
snip Tor every man who possesses real
ability and an assurance of ultimate
victory. ...
The church is the medium Of fel-
loWship with Christ in all the affairs
OF lie, giving men a clearer under
standing Of His mind, for it is through
Christ that they come to know God,
ana by her discipline become more like
Him.
The church offers to men a solution
OF the problem of sin and gives com
fort and strength when trials come
and sorrows weigh upon the heart,
an enlargement Of life's meaning and
guidance in life'S endeavors. The mes
sage OF courage and hope, the gift of
wisdom in times of perplexity. the
promise of spiritual peace and OF
emancipation from ignorance through
the truth which makes all men free,
are the blessings she confers upon the
righteous.
Q. Where do st. Matthew and st.
Luke get authority for the doctrine of
the virgin birth and the immaculate
conception? None of the other apostles
even mention these matters.
A The doctrine of the immaculate
~SAASNPOAOA
evangelists. 1t is formulated doctrine
OF the Roman Catholic Church, defined
as OF faith by Pope Plus TX on
December 8, 1854 For its terms. con-
suit the fourteenth volume of the eleV-
enth edition of the Encyclopaedia
britannica at pages 334-335. You
should also mark the careful distinc-
ton there drawn between original or
CURED sin
The doctrine itself was not explicitly
suggested before the twelfth century.
But the fathers of the church seem
10 nave favored the Sinlessness of our
Lords mother. st. Augustine, strongly
as he emphasized sin, declared: GAS
regards the Mother of God, I will nor
allow any question whatever of sim"
Here he is speaking. however. offactuaI
or personal sin, and not of the original
faint derived from our first parents.
He adds that he does not know but
that Mary may have had sufficient
grace to overcome sin of every sort.
There have been men and women who
protessed entire deliverance from sin
and their manner of living went far
to establish the reality of their pro-
fession.
The doctrine Of the sinlessness of the
virgin in and from birth was not uni
versally accepted by the scholars of the
church and was even opposed by such
great doctors as st. Thomas and st.
Bonaventura. 1t gradually prevailed,
however, in Western Catholicism.
The virgin birth was not a part Of
the Gospel of St. Mark, but it is re-
lated in the Gospels of st. Matthew
and st. Luke. 1t is the orthodox faith
OF the church, and those who affirm it
insist that the ultimate authority for
the fact has been the virgin herself. !
Since the written narratives of the
birth we're m circulation. within the |
lifetime of members of our Lords house /
hold, it is a fair inference that had the |
account been erroneous they would have