The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-10-22

sor Toynbees historical lore complete with oozy
depths of inpenetrable Interpretation, is available
in the bookmart for the pittance of $685. lot of i'm
pressionable people going to feel that they
enlightened Thirtyfiye dollars worth of philoso-
phico-historcoguff is enough to impress any man
or kill him.
Professor Toynbee, who seems To be sort Of
Christian with kind of Sian towards Mohammed-
anism with a tinge of Buddhism and perhaps soup
con of Zoroastrianism Marxsm is, like nearly all
modern serious writer's, deeply concerned with
modern mans need Of religion.
The trouble with the serious people who pant
for religion is chiefly that they have conception
Of what religion u.s. and no notion of the need of
objective truth in what men are religiously TO be
eve. The lads who are full of heavy and ominous
thoughts,-if that is the word for their mental
Witters-aiways start with the conviction that Chris
tanity has failed and that some new amalgam Of old
sentimental errors is what the world requires. The
ponderous thinkers are ever prepared to dish out
their own brand of the mess and glad to do il in
thousands of words al the current rate OF bookroy
alties.
II takes good deal of self.assurance, in addition
10 turgid movement of the tides of mental confus-
ion, to equip modern social critic for the solemn
pronouncement that Christianity has failed Not
only does this foggy but fluent gentleman fail TO
grasp the meaning of Christianity; apparently he is
also IN the ddrk ABOUT the detlnluOn OF failure.
The turmoil of the modern world which began
10 be publicly recognized aft tr the upheaval OF the
first world war and which has been destructivelp
developing ever since, like Hurricane Hazel is no
evidence at all that Christianity has failed. 1t is
evidence that millions Of have failed TO be Chris
tans The current distress born of irreligon is not
as Chesterton wisely remarked a proof that Chris
tlanty has been tried and found wanting, it is
proof that Christianity has been found difficult, and
has not been tried.
Men Of the Toynbee type with an air of humility
which is the quintessence of pride, not only
superhuman but super-divine position, and pro-
ceed 10 instruct God and man on the current needs
of the universe. They know. These deep fellows who
have read books, and have written books too pour
out their opaque streams of ostensible thought as
the Super-Divine Revelation which will save the
world.
One dscernble item of the revelation is always
seemingly reverent revaluaion Of Christ With
humble mien and admiring words they proceed TO
deny His divinity. Master, we know that thou art
true speaker and teachest the way of God in TRUTH
neither carest thou for any man for thou dost
not regard the person OF men" The reverent ap-
proach; then the trick and the denial.
An amusing story is told of man reporting
dispute between two of his acquaintances during
hell" The modern professional and critical Seers
who deal in world-vews and cosmic pronouncements
always tell Christ IN a nice rody that He is liar.
There is another item commonly found among
the modern world-critics vaporings, an item so old
and shabby. and decrepit piece of shysterism that
one is astonished to find il BADLY stated by so
capable master of the shifty phrase as Professor
Toynbee. II is the declaration that neither Chris
tianity any other system of religion rightly
claim monopoly of truth"
The phrase, of course denies that there is one
true religion. 1t denies that any system of religion
IS divine II implies that every system of religion is
man'made, fallible, and defective. Only the silly
amalgam of historic religious systems suggested
The critic has never enough perspicacty to under
stand how neatly he contradcts himself, and makes
his own position untenable
Truth is not like a commodity in which person
can corner the market The fact that man has a
truth does not prevent his neghbor from having
II too; nor is the first man deprived when his
neighbor comes into possession. The phrase about
is inept. But il no man can have call the
answers" how shall the critic who picks out and
untes various sets Of answers say that the person
who accepts his hodge-podge has "al the snswers?"
Well whatever the critic thinks or SAYS. God
has monopoly of truth" And God has set up His
one Church to teach and guide men in His name
and by His authority. This Church alone is what
troubled mankind requires TO get into this di0iaelg
established Church, to know its teachings thoroughly:
To live up to its requirements faithfully-this, and
This only, points the way TO earthly we'll hesv-
eny peace and salvation,
man who regards all churches, and all reg-
ions. as merely human institutions and systems,
IS naturally resentful Of a claim on the part of any
one of them to be the exclusive teacher of truth But
all churches and all religions are not merely human
works One of them is a divine work. Mans business
is TO find that one, if he is not now in possession
of it, 1t is definitely not mans business to deny its
existence, and then try to make up something TO sup
ply its place II is merely silly to complain that
human system hold monopoly of truth, and
then propose composite system that purports to
hold such monopoly To try to do this silly thing is
simply TO walk treadmiIt You not back TO the
point from which you started, because you didn't even
start.
Thrty.five dollars worth Of printed pages make
poor purchase If they only tend to make confusion
worse confounded, and blind men TO the duty off,
seeking the one thing necessary, and of raising
their eyes TO the Hill whence eometh their help the
hill on which appears in shining beauty the City