The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-10-26
Just Among. Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or lneonsidersts

Passing Comment Considered or lneonsidersts
Out in Waterloo, Iowa the civil courts are try
ing to decide whether there is such thing as an
acceptable legal definition of "A Christian" The
point is important for the settlement of will case.
A physician named Small died while back,
leaving an estate of $4,000 for the support of his
wife, and stipulating that upon her death the in
come should "be given to persons who believe In
the fundamental principles of the Christian religion
and in the Bible, and who are endeavorIng to
promulgste the same"
-Four trustees were named by Dr. Small These
we're given full power TO decide upon the persons
and purposes to benefit by the bequest. But out
Of the woods there suddenly emerged flock of
relatives of the deceased doctor to challenge the
competence OF the trustees. For said the relatives,
there is no common agreement as to what constitu-
tes 'the fundamental principles of Christianity"
and therefore no board of trustees, however wise
and devoted, can decide on legal evidence that
such and such persons believe in these principles.
In word the relatives are most Christiany
concerned over the ALLEGATION of $4,000, and, un-
less they get their cut they are prepared to stir
up Christian trouble to the extent of denying that
there is any such thing as a Christian identifiabe
IN terms Of legally acceptable evidence. 81"
Well, maybe the relatives have point OF
course, their position would be quite strong if
it were taken against bequest in favor Of persons
who believe in the fundamental principles OF
American democracy, or persons who believe Ia
The fundamental principles OF the Republican party"
or persons who believe in the fundamental prin
eiples OF private enterprise" 1t is quite as difficult
to present legally acceptable definition of "an
American or "a Republican" or "a rugged indi
vdualist' as II is to present legally acceptable
definition of "a Christian.
The tricky point Of the business lies in that
phrase legally acceptable" To define a person In
terms of his belief, social political, ethical or
religious r. is to define HIM in terms of his own
profession with no possibility of adducing evidence
acceptable IN a court OF law. True, such evidence
may be had in matters of the persons external al
iations, but there is no legal evidence for the
terror state OF mans mind or soul
The newspaper account of the Dr. Small affair
adds this comment Last week three Methodists tes
titled that Christians can be defined those who be-
leve In the Apostles Creed, the Holy Trinity in
God, in the divinity of Christ, and in a confession
of faith" Yet there are millions of persons who
call themselves Christians, many of them Metho.
distS, who fail to meet the requirements OF the
proposed definition
man may call himself a. Christian because he
regards Christ as the worlds greatest teacher, but
still merely man. Another calls himself Christ
ian because he believes in the divinity of Christ.
And one who believes in the divinity of Christ be-
leveS that Christ is actually God Almighty; another
processes divinity of Christ that is no more than
divine quality in His teachings, kind of divine
approval which raises Christ above the common run
of mankind
People are vague and foggy IN their use of
language. Yet where eternal issues are involved
perfect accuracy is required That is why the
Catholic refuses to be vague or foggy. He knows
what he believes as clearly and as accurately as he
knows the letters OF the alphabet the elementary
multiplication tables That is why he understands
the authentic definitions of religious truth, -
the dogmaS of his faith, as things that enlighien
and berate the mind, not as things that confine
and enslsve IT. Daylight does not confne or enslave
the traveller; fog does.
The Catholic knows the meaning of Christian"
lie does not pause to quarrel with the many who
claim the name without having the reality which
the name really represents But he knows that
Christ is God made Man, that He died for mankind
that he from the dead by His own power and
ascended into heaven; that He founded His one
Church on earth guaranteeing it to the end of time
and giving it His own voice and authority in mat
ters religious and moral The Catholic knows that
the Church cannot deceive him or lead him astray
He has Christs word for that. And so he has Ger
tainty and security In his belief. He is in no fog
"He that foloweth me. walkeh not in darkness,
says Our Lord.
Meanwhile the Iowa courts battling Will
the question of defining Christian in legal.
acceptable terms. To be sure, this elevated am
ahstruse discussion is only the chip over The bug
The real issue is the decision Of the extremely prae
tical question of who gets the $4,000
The newspaper fills out small corner left afte
the Iowa story with this gem: Trans Minister o
Railways is reported in the market for larg
quantity of barbed wire Culture and civilizstio
sweep forward. No one pauses TO inject acaden
e discussion on the possibility of legally aecep
able definition of barbed wire.