,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers ,being a ,plain ,exposition and ,vindication of the ,church ,founded by ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,by ,james ,cardinal ,gibbons ,archbishop of ,baltimore ,ninety-third ,carefully ,revised and ,enlarged ,edition ,john ,murphy ,company ,publishers ,baltimore1 ,,md4 ,new ,york ,r4 ,t4 ,washbourne1 ,ltd4 #aj ,paternoster ,row1 ,london1 and at ,manchester4 ,birmingham and ,glasgow #aiag ,,contents ,preface ,to ,the ,eleventh ,edition4 ,preface ,to ,the ,forty-,seventh ,edition4 ,preface4 ,preface ,to ,eighty-,third ,revised ,edition4 ,introduction4 ,chapter ,i4 ,the ,blessed ,trinity1 ,the ,incarnation1 ,etc4 ,chapter ,,ii4 ,the ,unity ,of ,the ,church4 ,chapter ,,iii4 ,the ,holiness ,of ,the ,church4 ,chapter ,,iv4 ,catholicity4 ,chapter ,v4 ,apostolicity4 ,chapter ,,vi4 ,perpetuity ,of ,the ,church4 ,chapter ,,vii4 ,infallible ,authority ,of ,the ,church4 ,chapter ,,viii4 ,the ,church ,and ,the ,bible4 ,chapter ,,ix4 ,the ,primacy ,of ,peter4 ,chapter ,x4 ,the ,supremacy ,of ,the ,popes4 ,chapter ,,xi4 ,infallibility ,of ,the ,popes4 ,chapter ,,xii4 ,temporal ,power ,of ,the ,popes4 ,i4 ,how ,the ,popes ,acquired ,temporal ,power4 ,,ii4 ,the ,validity ,and ,justice ,of ,their ,title4 ,,iii4 ,what ,the ,popes ,have ,done ,for ,rome4 ,chapter ,,xiii4 ,the ,invocation ,of ,saints4 ,chapter ,,xiv4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary4 ,i4 ,is ,it ,lawful ,to ,honor ,her8 ,,ii4 ,is ,it ,lawful ,to ,invoke ,her8 ,,iii4 ,is ,it ,lawful ,to ,imitate ,her ,as ,a ,model8 ,chapter ,,xv4 ,sacred ,images4 ,chapter ,,xvi4 ,purgatory ,and ,prayers ,for ,the ,dead4 ,chapter ,,xvii4 ,civil ,and ,religious ,liberty4 ,chapter ,,xviii4 ,charges of ,religious ,persecution4 ,i4 ,the ,spanish ,inquisition4 ,,ii4 ,what ,about ,the ,massacre ,of ,st4 ,bartholomew8 ,,iii4 ,mary1 ,queen of ,england4 ,chapter ,,xix4 ,grace--,the ,sacraments--,original ,sin--,baptism--,its ,necessity--,its ,effects--,manner ,of ,baptizing4 ,chapter ,,xx4 ,the ,sacrament ,of ,confirmation4 ,chapter ,,xxi4 ,the ,holy ,eucharist4 ,chapter ,,xxii4 ,communion ,under ,one ,kind4 ,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,the ,sacrifice ,of ,the ,mass4 ,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,the ,use ,of ,religious ,ceremonies ,dictated ,by ,right ,reason4 ,chapter ,,xxv4 ,ceremonials ,of ,the ,mass4 ,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,the ,sacrament ,of ,penance4 ,i4 ,the ,divine ,institution ,of ,the ,sacrament ,of ,penance4 ,,ii4 ,on ,the ,relative ,morality ,of ,catholic ,and ,protestant ,countries4 ,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,indulgences4 ,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,extreme ,unction4 ,chapter ,,xxix4 ,the ,priesthood4 ,chapter ,,xxx4 ,celibacy ,of ,the ,clergy4 ,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,matrimony4 ,index4 ,footnotes ,,dedication4 ,affectionately ,dedicated ,to ,the ,clergy and ,laity ,of ,the ,archdiocese ,and ,province ,of ,baltimore4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,eleventh ,,edition4 ,the first edition of 8,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers0 was issued in ,december1 #ahgf4 ,from that time to the present fifty thousand copies of the work have been disposed of in the ,united ,states1 ,canada1 ,great ,britain and ,ireland1 and in the ,british ,colonies of ,oceanica4 ,this gratifying result has surpassed the author's most sanguine expectations1 and is a consoling evidence that the investigation of religious truths is not wholly neglected even in this iron age1 so engrossed by material considerations4 ,besides carefully revising the book1 the author has profited by the kind suggestion of some friends1 and inserted a chapter on the prerogatives and sanctity of the ,blessed ,virgin1 which1 it is hoped1 will be not less acceptable to his readers than the other portions of the work4 ,he is also happy to announce that ,german editions have been published both in this country and in ,germany4 ,he takes this occasion to return his hearty thanks to the editors of the ,catholic periodicals1 as well as of the secular press1 for their favorable notices1 which have no doubt contributed much to the large circulation of the book4 ,,baltimore1 ,feast of ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 #ahgi4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,forty-,,seventh ,,edition4 ,it is very gratifying to the author to note the large increase in the sale of 8,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers40 ,apart from personal considerations1 it is pleasing to know that the popular interest in the ,catholic ,church and whatever pertains to her doctrines and discipline1 is growing more widespread and earnest4 ,since #ahgi1 when the eleventh revised edition was given to the public1 there have been thirty-five editions1 and the number of copies sold reaches nearly a quarter of a million4 ,this desire to understand the teachings of the ,church of our ,fathers is not confined to our own country4 ,it is manifest in other lands1 as shown by the translations that have been made of this exposition of ,catholic belief into ,french1 ,german1 ,spanish1 ,italian1 ,norwegian and ,swedish4 ,in the hope that they will add to the usefulness of the book1 several passages upon doctrinal subjects have been inserted4 ,with these few remarks1 the forty-seventh edition of 8,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers0 is presented to the sincere and earnest seeker after religious truth by ,,the ,,author ,feast of ,st4 ,anselm1 #ahie4 ,,preface4 ,the object of this little volume is to present in a plain and practical form an exposition and vindication of the principal tenets of the ,catholic ,church4 ,it was thought sufficient to devote but a brief space to such ,catholic doctrines and practices as are happily admitted by ,protestants1 while those that are controverted by them are more elaborately elucidated4 ,the work was compiled by the author during the uncertain hours which he could spare from the more active duties of the ministry4 ,it substantially embodies the instructions and discourses delivered by him before mixed congregations in ,virginia and ,north ,carolina4 ,he has often felt that the salutary influence of such instructions1 especially on the occasion of a mission in the rural districts1 would be much augmented if they were supplemented by books or tracts circulated among the people1 and which could be read and pondered at leisure4 ,as his chief aim has been to bring home the truths of the ,catholic faith to our separated brethren1 who generally accept the ,scripture as the only source of authority in religious matters1 he has endeavored to fortify his statements by abundant reference to the sacred text4 ,he has thought proper1 however1 to add frequent quotations from the early ,fathers1 whose testimony1 at least as witnesses of the faith of their times1 must be accepted even by those who call in question their personal authority4 ,though the writer has sought to be exact in all his assertions1 an occasional inaccuracy may have inadvertently crept in4 ,any emendations which the venerated ,prelates or ,clergy may deign to propose will be gratefully attended to in a subsequent edition4 ,,richmond1 ,november #bast1 #ahgf4 ,,preface ,,to ,,eighty-,,third ,,revised ,,edition4 ,the new edition of 8,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers0 has been carefully revised1 and enriched with several pages of important matter4 ,it is gratifying to note that since the first edition appeared1 in #ahgf1 up to the present time1 fourteen hundred thousand copies have been published1 and the circulation of the book is constantly increasing4 ,the work has also been translated into nearly all the languages of ,europe4 ,,baltimore1 ,may #ast1 #aiag4 ,,introduction4 ,,my ,,dear ,,reader3--,perhaps this is the first time in your life that you have handled a book in which the doctrines of the ,catholic ,church are expounded by one of her own sons4 ,you have1 no doubt1 heard and read many things regarding our ,church2 but has not your information come from teachers justly liable to suspicion8 ,you asked for bread1 and they gave you a stone4 ,you asked for fish1 and they reached you a serpent4 ,instead of the bread of truth1 they extended to you the serpent of falsehood4 ,hence1 without intending to be unjust1 is not your mind biased against us because you listened to false witnesses8 ,this1 at least1 is the case with thousands of my countrymen whom ,i have met in the brief course of my missionary career4 ,the ,catholic ,church is persistently misrepresented by the most powerful vehicles of information4 ,she is assailed in romances of the stamp of ,maria ,monk1 and in pictorial papers4 ,it is true that the falsehood of those illustrated periodicals has been fully exposed4 ,but the antidote often comes too late to counteract the poison4 ,i have seen a picture representing ,columbus trying to demonstrate the practicability of his design to discover a new ,continent before certain monks who are shaking their fists and gnashing their teeth at him4 ,it matters not to the artist that ,columbus could probably never have undertaken his voyage and discovery1 as the explorer himself avows1 were it not for the benevolent zeal of the monks1 ,antonio de ,marchena and ,juan ,perez1 and other ecclesiastics1 as well as for the munificence of ,queen ,isabella and the ,spanish ,court4 ,the ,church is misrepresented in so-called ,histories like ,foxe's ,book of ,martyrs4 ,it is true that he has been successfully refuted by ,lingard and ,gairdner4 ,but1 how many have read the fictitious narratives of ,foxe1 who have never perused a page of ,lingard or ,gairdner8 ,in a large portion of the press1 and in pamphlets1 and especially in the pulpit1 which should be consecrated to truth and charity1 she is the victim of the foulest slanders4 ,upon her fair and heavenly brow her enemies put a hideous mask1 and in that guise they exhibit her to the insults and mockery of the public2 just as ,jesus1 her ,spouse1 was treated when1 clothed with a scarlet cloak and crowned with thorns1 ,he was mocked by a thoughtless rabble4 ,they are afraid to tell the truth of her1 for 8,truth has such a face and such a mien1 ,as to be loved needs only to be seen407#a7 ,it is not uncommon for a dialogue like the following to take place between a ,protestant ,minister and a convert to the ,catholic ,church3 ,,minister4--,you cannot deny that the ,roman ,catholic ,church teaches gross errors--the worship of images1 for instance4 ,,convert4--,i admit no such charge1 for ,i have been taught no such doctrines4 ,,minister4--,but the ,priest who instructed you did not teach you all4 ,he held back some points which he knew would be objectionable to you4 ,,convert4--,he withheld nothing2 for ,i am in possession of books treating fully of all ,catholic doctrines4 ,,minister4--,deluded soul6 ,don't you know that in ,europe they are taught differently8 ,,convert4--,that cannot be1 for the ,church teaches the same creed all over the world1 and most of the doctrinal books which ,i read1 were originally published in ,europe4 ,yet ministers who make these slanderous statements are surprised if we feel indignant1 and accuse us of being too sensitive4 ,we have been vilified so long1 that they think we have no right to complain4 ,we cannot exaggerate the offense of those who thus wilfully malign the ,church4 ,there is a commandment which says3 8,thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor40 ,if it is a sin to bear false testimony against one individual1 how can we characterize the crime of those who calumniate three hundred millions of human beings1 by attributing to them doctrines and practices which they repudiate and abhor4 ,i do not wonder that the ,church is hated by those who learn what she is from her enemies4 ,it is natural for an honest man to loathe an institution whose history he believes to be marked by bloodshed1 crime and fraud4 ,had ,i been educated as they were1 and surrounded by an atmosphere hostile to the ,church1 perhaps ,i should be unfortunate enough to be breathing vengeance against her today1 instead of consecrating my life to her defence4 ,it is not of their hostility that ,i complain1 but because the judgment they have formed of her is based upon the reckless assertions of her enemies1 and not upon those of impartial witnesses4 ,suppose that ,i wanted to obtain a correct estimate of the ,southern people1 would it be fair in me to select1 as my only sources of information1 certain ,northern and ,eastern periodicals which1 during our ,civil ,war1 were bitterly opposed to the race and institutions of the ,south8 ,those papers have represented you as men who always appeal to the sword and pistol1 instead of the law1 to vindicate your private grievances4 ,they heaped accusations against you which ,i will not here repeat4 ,instead of taking these publications as the basis of my information1 it was my duty to come among you2 to live with you2 to read your life by studying your public and private character4 ,this ,i have done1 and ,i here cheerfully bear witness to your many excellent traits of mind and heart4 ,now ,i ask you to give to the ,catholic ,church the same measure of fairness which you reasonably demand of me when judging of ,southern character4 ,ask not her enemies what she is1 for they are blinded by passion2 ask not her ungrateful1 renegade children1 for you never heard a son speaking well of the mother whom he had abandoned and despised4 ,study her history in the pages of truth4 ,examine her creed4 ,read her authorized catechisms and doctrinal books4 ,you will find them everywhere on the shelves of booksellers1 in the libraries of her clergy1 on the tables of ,catholic families4 ,there is no ,freemasonry in the ,catholic ,church2 she has no secrets to keep back4 ,she has not one set of doctrines for ,bishops and ,priests1 and another for the laity4 ,she has not one creed for the initiated and another for outsiders4 ,everything in the ,catholic ,church is open and above board4 ,she has the same doctrines for all--for the ,pope and the peasant4 ,should not ,i be better qualified to present to you the ,church's creed than the unfriendly witnesses whom ,i have mentioned8 ,i have imbibed her doctrine with my mother's milk4 ,i have made her history and theology the study of my life4 ,what motive can ,i have in misleading you8 ,not temporal reward1 since ,i seek not your money1 but your soul1 for which ,jesus ,christ died4 ,i could not hope for an eternal reward by deceiving you1 for ,i would thereby purchase for myself eternal condemnation by gaining proselytes at the expense of truth4 ,this1 friendly reader1 is my only motive4 ,i feel in the depth of my heart that1 in possessing ,catholic faith1 ,i hold a treasure compared with which all things earthly are but dross4 ,instead of wishing to bury this treasure in my breast1 ,i long to share it with you1 especially as ,i lose no part of my spiritual riches by communicating them to others4 ,it is to me a duty and a labor of love to speak the truth concerning my venerable ,mother1 so much maligned in our days4 ,were a tithe of the accusations which are brought against her true1 ,i would not be attached to her ministry1 nor even to her communion1 for a single day4 ,i know these charges to be false4 ,the longer ,i know her1 the more ,i admire and venerate her4 ,every day she develops before me new spiritual charms4 ,ah6 my dear friend1 if you saw her as her children see her1 she would no longer appear to you as typified by the woman of ,babylon4 ,she would be revealed to you1 8,bright as the sun1 fair as the moon20 with the beauty of ,heaven stamped upon her brow1 glorious 8as an army in battle array40 ,you would love her1 you would cling to her and embrace her4 ,with her children1 you would rise up in reverence 8and call her blessed40 ,consider what you lose and what you gain in embracing the ,catholic religion4 ,your loss is nothing in comparison with your gain4 ,you do not surrender your manhood or your dignity or independence or reasoning powers4 ,you give up none of those revealed truths which you may possess already4 ,the only restraint imposed upon you is the restraint of the ,gospel1 and to this you will not reasonably object4 ,you gain everything that is worth having4 ,you acquire a full and connected knowledge of ,god's revelation4 ,you get possession of the whole truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,you no longer see it in fragments1 but reflected before you in all its beauty1 as in a polished mirror4 ,while others are outside criticising the architecture of the temple1 you are inside worshiping the divine ,architect and saying devoutly with the ,psalmist3 8,i have loved ,o ,lord1 the beauty of ,thy house and the place where ,thy glory dwelleth40 ,while others from without find in the stained-glass windows only blurred and confused figures without symmetry or attraction or meaning1 you from within1 are gazing with silent rapture on ,god's glorified saints1 with their outlines clearly defined on the windows1 and all illuminated with the sunlight of heaven4 ,your knowledge of the truth is not only complete and harmonious1 but it becomes fixed and steady4 ,you exchange opinion for certainty4 ,you are no longer 8tossed about by every wind of doctrine10 but you are firmly grounded on the rock of truth4 ,then you enjoy that profound peace which springs from the conscious possession of the truth4 ,in coming to the ,church1 you are not entering a strange place1 but you are returning to your ,father's home4 ,the house and furniture may look odd to you1 but it is just the same as your forefathers left it three hundred years ago4 ,in coming back to the ,church1 you worship where your fathers worshiped before you1 you kneel before the altar at which they knelt1 you receive the ,sacraments which they received1 and respect the authority of the clergy whom they venerated4 ,you come back like the ,prodigal ,son to the home of your father and mother4 ,the garment of joy is placed upon you1 the banquet of love is set before you1 and you receive the kiss of peace as a pledge of your filiation and adoption4 ,one hearty embrace of your tender ,mother will compensate you for all the sacrifices you may have made1 and you will exclaim with the penitent ,augustine3 8,too late have ,i known thee1 ,o ,beauty1 ever ancient and ever new1 too late have ,i loved thee40 ,should the perusal of this book bring one soul to the knowledge of the ,church1 my labor will be amply rewarded4 ,remember that nothing is so essential as the salvation of your immortal soul1 8for what doth it profit a man1 if he gain the whole world1 and lose his own soul8 ,or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul807#b7 ,let not1 therefore1 the fear of offending friends and relatives1 the persecution of men1 the loss of earthly possessions1 nor any other temporal calamity1 deter you from investigating and embracing the true religion4 8,for our present tribulation1 which is momentary and light1 worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory407#c7 ,may ,god give you light to see the truth1 and1 having seen it1 may ,he give you courage and strength to follow it6 ,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,blessed ,,trinity1 ,,the ,,incarnation1 ,,etc4 ,the ,catholic ,church teaches that there is but one ,god1 who is infinite in knowledge1 in power1 in goodness1 and in every other perfection2 who created all things by ,his omnipotence1 and governs them by ,his ,providence4 ,in this one ,god there are three distinct ,persons1--the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 who are perfectly equal to each other4 ,we believe that ,jesus ,christ1 the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 is perfect ,god and perfect ,man4 ,he is ,god1 for ,he 8is over all things1 ,god blessed forever407#d7 8,he is ,god of the substance of the ,father1 begotten before time2 and ,he is ,man of the substance of ,his ,mother1 born in time407#e7 ,out of love for us1 and in order to rescue us from the miseries entailed upon us by the disobedience of our first parents1 the ,divine ,word descended from heaven1 and became ,man in the womb of the ,virgin ,mary1 by the operation of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he was born on ,christmas day1 in a stable at ,bethlehem4 ,after having led a life of obscurity for about thirty years1 chiefly at ,nazareth1 ,he commenced ,his public career4 ,he associated with ,him a number of men who are named ,apostles1 whom ,he instructed in the doctrines of the religion which ,he established4 ,for three years ,he went about doing good1 giving sight to the blind1 hearing to the deaf1 healing all kinds of diseases1 raising the dead to life1 and preaching throughout ,judea the new ,gospel of peace47#f7 ,on ,good ,friday ,he was crucified on ,mount ,calvary1 and thus purchased for us redemption by ,his death4 ,hence ,jesus exclusively bears the titles of ,savior and ,redeemer1 because 8there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved407#g7 8,he was wounded for our iniquities2 ,he was bruised for our sins1 444 and by ,his bruises we are healed407#h7 ,we are commanded by ,jesus1 suffering and dying for us1 to imitate ,him by the crucifixion of our flesh1 and by acts of daily mortification4 8,if anyone10 ,he says1 8will come after ,me1 let him deny himself1 and take up his cross daily and follow ,me407#i7 ,hence we abstain from the use of flesh meat on ,friday--the day consecrated to our ,savior's sufferings--not because the eating of flesh meat is sinful in itself1 but as an act of salutary mortification4 ,loving children would be prompted by filial tenderness to commemorate the anniversary of their father's death rather by prayer and fasting than by feasting4 ,even so we abstain on ,fridays from flesh meat that we may in a small measure testify our practical sympathy for our dear ,lord by the mortification of our body1 endeavoring1 like ,st4 ,paul1 8to bear about in our body the mortification of ,jesus1 that the life also of ,jesus may be made manifest in our bodies407#aj7 ,the ,cross is held in the highest reverence by ,catholics1 because it was the instrument of our ,savior's crucifixion4 ,it surmounts our churches and adorns our sanctuaries4 ,we venerate it as the emblem of our salvation4 8,far be it from me10 says the ,apostle1 8to glory save in the cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ407#aa7 ,we do not1 of course1 attach any intrinsic virtue to the ,cross2 this would be sinful and idolatrous4 ,our veneration is referred to ,him who died upon it4 ,it is also a very ancient and pious practice for the faithful to make on their person the sign of the ,cross1 saying at the same time3 8,in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost40 ,tertullian1 who lived in the second century of the ,christian era1 says3 8,in all our actions1 when we come in or go out1 when we dress1 when we wash1 at our meals1 before retiring to sleep1 444 we form on our foreheads the sign of the cross4 ,these practices are not commanded by a formal law of ,scripture2 but tradition teaches them1 custom confirms them1 faith observes them407#ab7 ,by the sign of the cross we make a profession of our faith in the ,trinity and the ,incarnation1 and perform a most salutary act of religion4 ,we believe that on ,easter ,sunday ,jesus ,christ manifested ,his divine power by raising ,himself to life1 and that having spent forty days on earth1 after ,his resurrection1 instructing ,his disciples1 ,he ascended to heaven from the ,mount of ,olives4 ,on the ,feast of ,pentecost1 or ,whitsunday1 ten days after ,his ,ascension1 our ,savior sent1 as ,he had promised1 ,his ,holy ,spirit to ,his disciples1 while they were assembled together in prayer4 ,the ,holy ,ghost purified their hearts from sin1 and imparted to them a full knowledge of those doctrines of salvation which they were instructed to preach4 ,on the same ,feast of ,pentecost the ,apostles commenced their sublime mission1 from which day1 accordingly1 we date the active life of the ,catholic ,church4 ,our ,redeemer gave the most ample authority to the ,apostles to teach in ,his name2 commanding them to 8preach the ,gospel to every creature107#ac7 and directing all1 under the most severe penalties1 to hear and obey them3 8,he that heareth you1 heareth ,me2 and he that despiseth you1 despiseth ,me4 ,and ,he that despiseth ,me1 despiseth ,him that sent ,me407#ad7 ,and lest we should be mistaken in distinguishing between the true ,church and false sects1 which our ,lord predicted would arise1 ,he was pleased to stamp upon ,his ,church certain shining marks1 by which every sincere inquirer could easily recognize her as ,his only ,spouse4 ,the principal marks or characteristics of the true ,church are1 her ,unity1 ,sanctity1 ,catholicity1 and ,apostolicity17#ae7 to which may be added the ,infallibility of her teaching and the ,perpetuity of her existence4 ,i shall treat successively of these marks4 ,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,unity ,,of ,,the ,,church4 ,by unity is meant that the members of the true ,church must be united in the belief of the same doctrines of revelation1 and in the acknowledgment of the authority of the same pastors4 ,heresy and schism are opposed to ,christian unity4 ,by heresy1 a man rejects one or more articles of the ,christian faith4 ,by schism1 he spurns the authority of his spiritual superiors4 ,that our ,savior requires this unity of faith and government in ,his members is evident from various passages of ,holy ,writ4 ,in ,his admirable prayer immediately before ,his passion ,he says3 8,i pray for them also who through their word shall believe in ,me2 that they all may be one1 as ,thou1 ,father1 in ,me and ,i in ,thee1 that they also may be one in ,us2 that the world may believe that ,thou hast sent ,me107#af7 because the unity of the ,church is the most luminous evidence of the ,divine mission of ,christ4 ,jesus prayed that ,his followers may be united in the bond of a common faith1 as ,he and ,his ,father are united in essence1 and certainly the prayer of ,jesus is always heard4 ,st4 ,paul ranks schism and heresy with the crimes of murder and idolatry1 and he declares that the authors of sects shall not possess the ,kingdom of ,god47#ag7 ,he also addresses a letter to the ,ephesians from his prison in ,rome1 and if the words of the ,apostle should always command our homage1 with how much reverence are they to be received when he writes in chains from the ,imperial ,city6 ,in this ,epistle he insists upon unity of faith in the following emphatic language3 8,be careful to keep the unity of the ,spirit in the bond of peace2 one body and one ,spirit1 as you are called in one hope of your calling2 one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all1 who is above all1 and through all1 and in us all407#ah7 ,as you all1 he says1 worship one ,god1 and not many gods2 as you acknowledge the same ,divine ,mediator of redemption1 and not many mediators2 as you are sanctified by the same ,divine ,spirit1 and not by many spirits2 as you all hope for the same heaven1 and not different heavens1 so must you all profess the same faith4 ,unity of government is not less essential to the ,church of ,christ than unity of doctrine4 ,our ,divine ,saviour never speaks of ,his ,churches1 but of ,his ,church4 ,he does not say3 8,upon this rock ,i will build my ,churches10 but 8upon this rock ,i will build ,my ,church107#ai7 from which words we must conclude that it never was ,his intention to establish or to sanction various conflicting denominations1 but one corporate body1 with all the members united under one visible ,head2 for as the ,church is a visible body1 it must have a visible head4 ,the ,church is called a kingdom3 8,he shall reign over the house of ,jacob forever1 and of ,his kingdom there shall be no end407#bj7 ,now in every well-regulated kingdom there is but one king1 one form of government1 one uniform body of laws1 which all are obliged to observe4 ,in like manner1 in ,christ's spiritual kingdom1 there must be one ,chief to whom all owe spiritual allegiance2 one form of ecclesiastical government2 one uniform body of laws which all ,christians are bound to observe2 for1 8every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate407#ba7 ,our ,savior calls ,his ,church a sheepfold4 8,and there shall be made one fold and one shepherd407#bb7 ,what more beautiful or fitting illustration of unity can we have than that which is suggested by a sheepfold8 ,all the sheep of a flock cling together4 ,if they are momentarily separated1 they are impatient till reunited4 ,they follow in the same path4 ,they feed on the same pastures4 ,they obey the same shepherd1 and fly from the voice of strangers4 ,so did our ,lord intend that all the sheep of ,his fold should be nourished by the same sacraments and the same bread of life2 that they should follow the same rule of faith as their guide to heaven2 that they should listen to the voice of one ,chief ,pastor1 and that they should carefully shun false teachers4 ,his ,church is compared to a human body4 8,as in one body we have many members1 but all the members have not the same office2 so we1 being many1 are one body in ,christ1 and every one members one of the other407#bc7 ,in one body there are many members1 all inseparably connected with the head4 ,the head commands and the foot instantly moves1 the hand is raised and the lips open4 ,even so our ,lord ordained that ,his ,church1 composed of many members1 should be all united to one supreme visible ,head1 whom they are bound to obey4 ,the ,church is compared to a vine4 8,i am the ,vine1 ye the branches2 he that abideth in ,me and ,i in him1 the same beareth much fruit1 for without ,me ye can do nothing407#bd7 ,all the branches of a vine1 though spreading far and wide1 are necessarily connected with the main stem1 and from its sap they are nourished4 ,in like manner1 our ,saviour will have all the saplings of ,his ,vineyard connected with the main stem1 and all draw their nourishment from the parent stock4 ,the ,church1 in fine1 is called in ,scripture by the beautiful title of bride or spouse of ,christ17#be7 and the ,christian law admits only of one wife4 ,in fact1 our common sense alone1 apart from revelation1 is sufficient to convince us that ,god could not be the author of various opposing systems of religion4 ,god is essentially one4 ,he is ,truth itself4 ,how could the ,god of truth affirm1 for instance1 to one body of ,christians that there are three persons in ,god1 and to another there is only one person in ,god8 ,how could ,he say to one individual that ,jesus ,christ is ,god1 and to another that ,he is only man8 ,how can ,he tell me that the punishments of the wicked are eternal1 and tell another that they are not eternal8 ,one of these contradictory statements must be false4 8,god is not the ,god of dissension1 but of peace407#bf7 ,i see perfect harmony in the laws which govern the physical world that we inhabit4 ,i see a marvelous unity in our planetary system4 ,each planet moves in its own sphere1 and all are controlled by the central ,sun4 ,why should there not be also harmony and concord in that spiritual world1 the ,church of ,god1 the grandest conception of ,his omnipotence1 and the most bounteous manifestation of ,his goodness and love for mankind6 ,hence1 it is clear that ,jesus ,christ intended that ,his ,church should have one common doctrine which all ,christians are bound to believe1 and one uniform government to which all should be loyally attached4 ,with all due respect for my dissenting brethren1 truth compels me to say that this unity of doctrine and government is not to be found in the ,protestant sects1 taken collectively or separately4 ,that the various ,protestant denominations differ from one another not only in minor details1 but in most essential principles of faith1 is evident to every one conversant with the doctrines of the different ,creeds4 ,the multiplicity of sects in this country1 with their mutual recriminations1 is the scandal of ,christianity1 and the greatest obstacle to the conversion of the heathen4 ,not only does sect differ from sect1 but each particular denomination is divided into two or more independent or conflicting branches4 ,in the ,state of ,north ,carolina we have several ,baptist denominations1 each having its own distinctive appellation4 ,there is also the ,methodist ,church ,north and the ,methodist ,church ,south4 ,there was the ,old and the ,new ,school ,presbyterian ,church4 ,and even in the ,episcopal ,communion1 which is the most conservative body outside the ,catholic ,church1 there is the ritualistic1 or high church1 and the low church4 ,nay1 if you question closely the individual members composing any one fraction of these denominations1 you will not rarely find them giving a contradictory view of their tenets of religion4 ,protestants differ from one another not only in doctrine1 but in the form of ecclesiastical government and discipline4 ,the church of ,england acknowledges the reigning ,sovereign as its ,spiritual ,head4 ,some denominations recognize ,deacons1 ,priests1 and ,bishops as an essential part of their hierarchy2 while the great majority of ,protestants reject such titles altogether4 ,where1 then1 shall we find this essential unity of faith and government8 ,i answer1 confidently1 nowhere save in the ,catholic ,church4 ,the number of ,catholics in the world is computed at three hundred millions4 ,they have all 8one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism10 one creed4 ,they receive the same sacraments1 they worship at the same altar1 and pay spiritual allegiance to one common ,head4 ,should a ,catholic be so unfortunate as contumaciously to deny a single article of faith1 or withdraw from the communion of his legitimate pastors1 he ceases to be a member of the ,church1 and is cut off like a withered branch4 ,the ,church had rather sever her right hand than allow any member to corrode her vitals4 ,it was thus she excommunicated ,henry ,,viii4 because he persisted in violating the sacred law of marriage1 although she foresaw that the lustful monarch would involve a nation in his spiritual ruin4 ,she anathematized1 more recently1 ,dr4 ,dllinger1 though the prestige of his name threatened to engender a schism in ,germany4 ,she says to her children3 8,you may espouse any political party you choose2 with this ,i have no concern40 ,but as soon as they trench on matters of faith she cries out3 8,hitherto thou shalt come1 and shalt go no farther2 and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves07#bg7 of discord4 ,the temple of faith is the asylum of peace1 concord and unity4 ,how sublime and consoling is the thought that whithersoever a ,catholic goes over the broad world1 whether he enters his ,church in ,pekin or in ,melbourne1 in ,london1 or ,dublin1 or ,paris1 or ,rome1 or ,new ,york1 or ,san ,francisco1 he is sure to hear the self-same doctrine preached1 to assist at the same sacrifice1 and to partake of the same sacraments4 ,this is not all4 ,her ,creed is now identical with what it was in past ages4 ,the same ,gospel of peace that ,jesus ,christ preached on the ,mount2 the same doctrine that ,st4 ,peter preached at ,antioch and ,rome2 ,st4 ,paul at ,ephesus2 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom at ,constantinople2 ,st4 ,augustine in ,hippo2 ,st4 ,ambrose in ,milan2 ,st4 ,remigius in ,france2 ,st4 ,boniface in ,germany2 ,st4 ,athanasius in ,alexandria2 the same doctrine that ,st4 ,patrick introduced into ,ireland2 that ,st4 ,augustine brought into ,england1 and ,st4 ,pelagius into ,scotland1 and that ,columbus brought to this ,american ,continent1 and this is the doctrine that is ever preached in the ,catholic ,church throughout the globe1 from ,january till ,december--8,jesus ,christ yesterday1 and today1 and the same forever407#bh7 ,the same admirable unity that exists in matters of faith is also established in the government of the ,church4 ,all the members of the vast body of ,catholic ,christians are as intimately united to one visible ,chief as the members of the human body are joined to the head4 ,the faithful of each ,parish are subject to their immediate ,pastor4 ,each ,pastor is subordinate to his ,bishop1 and each ,bishop of ,christendom acknowledges the jurisdiction of the ,bishop of ,rome1 the successor of ,st4 ,peter1 and ,head of the ,catholic ,church4 ,but it may be asked1 is not this unity of faith impaired by those doctrinal definitions which the ,church has promulgated from time to time8 ,we answer3 ,no new dogma1 unknown to the ,apostles1 not contained in the primitive ,christian revelation1 can be admitted4 7,john xiv4 #bf2 xv4 #ae2 xvi4 #ac47 ,for the ,apostles received the whole deposit of ,god's word1 according to the promise of our ,lord3 8,when ,he shall come1 the ,spirit of truth1 ,he shall teach you all truth40 ,and so the ,church proposes the doctrines of faith1 such as came from the lips of ,christ1 and as the ,holy ,spirit taught them to the ,apostles at the birth of the ,christian law--doctrines which know neither variation nor decay4 ,hence1 whenever it has been defined that any point of doctrine pertained to the ,catholic faith1 it was always understood that this was equivalent to the declaration that the doctrine in question had been revealed to the ,apostles1 and had come down to us from them1 either by ,scripture or tradition4 ,and as the acts of all the ,councils1 and the history of every definition of faith evidently show1 it was never contended that a new revelation had been made1 but every inquiry was directed to this one point--whether the doctrine in question was contained in the ,sacred ,scriptures or in the ,apostolic traditions4 ,a revealed truth frequently has a very extensive scope1 and is directed against error under its many changing forms4 ,nor is it necessary that those who receive this revelation in the first instance should be explicitly acquainted with its full import1 or cognizant of all its bearings4 ,truth never changes2 it is the same now1 yesterday1 and forever1 in itself2 but our relations towards truth may change1 for that which is hidden from us today may become known to us tomorrow4 8,it often happens10 says ,st4 ,augustine1 8that when it becomes necessary to defend certain points of ,catholic doctrine against the insidious attacks of heretics they are more carefully studied1 they become more clearly understood1 they are more earnestly inculcated2 and so the very questions raised by heretics give occasion to a more thorough knowledge of the subject in question407#bi7 ,let us illustrate this4 ,in the ,apostolic revelation and preaching some truths might have been contained implicitly1 e4g41 in the doctrine that grace is necessary for every salutary work1 it is implicitly asserted that the assistance of grace is required for the inception of every good and salutary work4 ,this was denied by the semi-,pelagians1 and their error was condemned by an explicit definition4 ,and so in other matters1 as the rising controversies or new errors gave occasion for it1 there were more explicit declarations of what was formerly implicitly believed4 ,in the doctrine of the supreme power of ,peter1 as the visible foundation of the ,church1 we have the implied assertion of many rights and duties which belong to the centre of unity4 ,in the revelation of the super-eminent dignity and purity of the ,blessed ,virgin there is implied her exemption from original sin1 etc41 etc4 ,so1 too1 in the beginning many truths might have been proposed somewhat obscurely or less clearly2 they might have been less urgently insisted upon1 because there was no heresy1 no contrary teaching to render a more explicit declaration necessary4 ,now1 a doctrine which is implicitly1 less clearly1 not so earnestly proposed1 may be overlooked1 misunderstood1 called in question2 consequently1 it may happen that some articles are now universally believed in the ,church1 in regard to which doubts and controversies existed in former ages1 even within the bosom of the ,church4 8,those who err in belief do but serve to bring out more clearly the soundness of those who believe rightly4 ,for there are many things which lay hidden in the ,scriptures1 and when heretics were cut off they vexed the ,church of ,god with disputes2 then the hidden things were brought to light1 and the will of ,god was made known40 7,st4 ,augustine on the #edth ,psalm1 ,no4 #bb47 ,this kind of progress in faith we can and do admit2 but the truth is not changed thereby4 ,as ,albertus ,magnus says3 8,it would be more correct to style this the progress of the believer in the faith than of the faith in the believer40 ,to show that this kind of progress is to be admitted only two things are to be proved3 #a3 ,that some divinely revealed truths should be contained in the ,apostolic teaching implicitly1 less clearly explained1 less urgently pressed4 ,and this can be denied only by those who hold that the ,bible is the only rule of ,faith1 that it is clear in every part1 and could be readily understood by all from the beginning4 ,this point ,i shall consider farther on in this work4 #b4 ,that the ,church can1 in process of time1 as occasions arise1 declare1 explain1 urge4 ,this is proved not only from the ,scriptures and the ,fathers1 but even from the conduct of ,protestants themselves1 who often boast of the care and assiduity with which they 8search the ,scriptures10 and study out their meaning1 even now that so many ,commentaries on the sacred ,text have been published4 ,and why8 ,to obtain more light2 to understand better what is revealed4 ,it would appear from this that the only question which could arise on this point is1 not about the possibility of arriving by degrees at a clearer understanding of the true sense of revelation1 as circumstances may call for successive developments1 but about the authority of the ,church to propose and to determine that sense4 ,so that1 after all1 we are always brought back to the only real point of division and dispute between those who are not ,catholics and ourselves1 namely1 to the authority of the ,church1 of which ,i shall have more to say hereafter4 ,i cannot conclude better than by quoting the words of ,st4 ,vincent of ,lerins3 8,let us take care that it be with us in matters of religion1 which affect our souls1 as it is with material bodies1 which1 as time goes on1 pass through successive phases of growth and development and multiply their years1 but yet remain always the same individual bodies as they were in the beginning4444 ,it very properly follows from the nature of things that1 with a perfect agreement and consistency between the beginnings and the final results1 when we reap the harvest of dogmatic truth which has sprung from the seeds of doctrine sown in the spring-time of the ,church's existence1 we should find no substantial difference between the grain which was first planted and that which we now gather4 ,for though the germs of the early faith have in some respects been evolved in the course of time1 and still receive nourishment and culture1 yet nothing in them that is substantial can ever suffer change4 ,the ,church of ,christ is a faithful and ever watchful guardian of the dogmas which have been committed to her charge4 ,in this sacred deposit she changes nothing1 she takes nothing from it1 she adds nothing to it40 ,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,holiness ,,of ,,the ,,church4 ,holiness is also a mark of the true ,church2 for in the ,creed we say1 8,i believe in the holy ,catholic ,church40 ,every society is founded for a special object4 ,one society is formed with the view of cultivating social intercourse among its members2 a second is organized to advance their temporal interests2 and a third for the purpose of promoting literary pursuits4 ,the ,catholic ,church is a society founded by our ,lord ,jesus ,christ for the sanctification of its members2 hence1 ,st4 ,peter calls the ,christians of his time 8a chosen generation1 a royal priesthood1 a holy nation1 a purchased people407#cj7 ,the example of our ,divine ,founder1 ,jesus ,christ1 the sublime moral lessons ,he has taught us1 the ,sacraments ,he has instituted--all tend to our sanctification4 ,they all concentre themselves in our soul1 like so many heavenly rays1 to enlighten and inflame it with the fire of devotion4 ,when the ,church speaks to us of the attributes of our ,lord1 of ,his justice and mercy and sanctity and truth1 her object is not merely to extol the ,divine perfections1 but also to exhort us to imitate them1 and to be like ,him1 just and merciful1 holy and truthful4 ,behold the sublime ,model that is placed before us6 ,it is not man1 nor angel1 nor archangel1 but ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 8who is the brightness of ,his glory1 and the figure of ,his substance407#ca7 ,the ,church places ,his image over our altars1 admonishing us to 8look and do according to the pattern shown on the ,mount407#cb7 ,and from that height ,he seems to say to us3 8,be ye holy1 for ,i the ,lord your ,god am holy407#cc7 8,be ye perfect1 even as your heavenly ,father is perfect407#cd7 8,be ye followers of ,god as most dear children407#ce7 ,we are invited to lead holy lives1 not only because our ,divine ,founder1 ,jesus ,christ1 was holy1 but also because we bear ,his sweet and venerable name4 ,we are called ,christians4 ,that is a name we would not exchange for all the high-sounding titles of ,prince or ,emperor4 ,we are justly proud of this appellation of ,christian2 but we are reminded that it has annexed to it a corresponding obligation4 ,it is not an idle name1 but one full of solemn significance2 for a ,christian1 as the very name implies1 is a follower or disciple of ,christ--one who walks in the footsteps of his ,master by observing ,his precepts2 who reproduces in his own life the character and virtues of his ,divine ,model4 ,in a word1 a ,christian is another ,christ4 ,it would1 therefore1 be a contradiction in terms1 if a ,christian had nothing in common with his ,lord except the name4 ,the disciple should imitate his ,master1 the soldier should imitate his ,commander1 and the members should be like the ,head4 ,the ,church constantly allures her children to holiness by placing before their minds the ,incarnation1 life and death of our ,savior4 ,what appeals more forcibly to a life of piety than the contemplation of ,jesus born in a stable1 living an humble life in ,nazareth1 dying on a cross1 that ,his blood might purify us8 ,if ,he sent forth ,apostles to preach the ,gospel to the whole world2 if in ,his name temples are built in every nation1 and missionaries are sent to the extremities of the globe1 all this is done that we may be ,saints4 8,god10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8gave some ,apostles1 and some ,prophets1 and others ,evangelists1 and others ,pastors and ,doctors1 for the perfecting of the ,saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the building up of the body of ,christ1 until we all meet unto the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god unto a perfect man407#cf7 ,the moral law which the ,catholic ,church inculcates on her children is the highest and holiest standard of perfection ever presented to any people1 and furnishes the strongest incentives to virtue4 ,the same ,divine precepts delivered through ,moses to the ,jews1 on ,mount ,sinai1 the same salutary warnings which the ,prophets uttered throughout ,judea1 the same sublime and consoling lessons of morality which ,jesus gave on the ,mount--these are the lessons which the ,church teaches from ,january till ,december4 ,the ,catholic preacher does not amuse his audience with speculative topics or political harangues1 or any other subjects of a transitory nature4 ,he preaches only 8,christ1 and ,him crucified40 ,this code of ,divine precepts is enforced with as much zeal by the ,church as was the ,decalogue of old by ,moses1 when he said3 8,these words1 which ,i command thee this day1 shall be in thy heart2 and thou shalt tell them to thy children2 and thou shalt meditate upon them1 sitting in thy house1 and walking on thy journey1 sleeping and rising407#cg7 ,the first lesson taught to children in our ,sunday-schools is their duty to know1 love and serve ,god1 and thus to be ,saints2 for if they know1 love and serve ,god aright they shall be ,saints indeed4 ,their tender minds are instructed in this great truth that though they had the riches of ,dives1 and the glory and pleasures of ,solomon1 and yet fail to be righteous1 they have missed their vocation1 and are 8wretched1 and miserable1 and poor1 and blind1 and naked407#ch7 8,for1 what doth it profit a man1 if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul807#ci7 ,on the contrary though they are as poor as ,lazarus1 and as miserable as ,job in the days of his adversity1 they are assured that their condition is a happy one in the sight of ,god1 if they live up to the maxims of the ,gospel4 ,the ,church quickens the zeal of her children for holiness of life by impressing on their minds the rigor of ,god's judgments1 who 8will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and make manifest the counsels of the hearts10 by reminding them of the terrors of ,hell and of the sweet joys of ,heaven4 ,not only are ,catholics instructed in church on ,sundays but they are exhorted to peruse the ,word of ,god1 and manuals of devotion1 at home4 ,the saints whose lives are there recorded serve like bright stars to guide them over the stormy ocean of life to the shores of eternity2 while the history of those who have fallen from grace stands like a beacon light1 warning them to shun the rocks against which a ,solomon and a ,judas made shipwreck of their souls4 ,our books of piety are adapted to every want of the human soul1 and are a fruitful source of sanctification4 ,who can read without spiritual profit such works as the almost inspired ,following of ,christ by ,thomas ,kempis2 the ,christian ,perfection of ,rodriguez2 the ,spiritual ,combat of ,scupoli2 the writings of ,st4 ,francis de ,sales1 and a countless host of other ascetical authors8 ,you will search in vain outside the ,catholic ,church for writers comparable in unction and healthy piety to such as ,i have mentioned4 ,compare1 for instance1 ,kempis with ,bunyan's ,pilgrim's ,progress1 or ,butler's ,lives of the ,saints with ,foxe's ,book of ,martyrs4 ,you lay down ,butler with a sweet and tranquil devotion1 and with a profound admiration for the ,christian heroes whose lives he records2 while you put aside ,foxe with a troubled mind and a sense of vindictive bitterness4 ,i do not speak of the ,book of ,common ,prayer1 because the best part of it is a translation from our ,missal4 ,protestants also publish ,kempis1 though sometimes in a mutilated form2 every passage in the original being carefully omitted which alludes to ,catholic doctrines and practices4 ,a distinguished ,episcopal clergyman of ,baltimore once avowed to me that his favorite books of devotion were our standard works of piety4 ,in saying this1 he paid a merited and graceful tribute to the superiority of ,catholic spiritual literature4 ,the ,church gives us not only the most pressing motives1 but also the most potent means for our sanctification4 ,these means are furnished by prayer and the ,sacraments4 ,she exhorts us to frequent communion with ,god by prayer and meditation1 and so imperative is this obligation in our eyes that we would justly hold ourselves guilty of grave dereliction of duty if we neglected for a considerable time the practice of morning and evening prayer4 ,the most abundant source of graces is also found in the seven ,sacraments of the ,church4 ,our soul is bathed in the ,precious ,blood of ,jesus ,christ at the font of ,baptism1 from which we come forth 8new creatures40 ,we are then and there incorporated with ,christ1 becoming 8bone of ,his bone and flesh of ,his flesh20 8for as many of you10 says the ,apostle1 8as have been baptized in ,christ have put on ,christ407#dj7 ,and as the ,holy ,ghost is inseparable from ,christ1 our bodies are made the temples of the ,spirit of ,god and our souls ,his ,sanctuary4 8,christ loved the ,church and delivered ,himself up for it1 that ,he might sanctify it1 cleansing it by the laver of water1 in the word of life2 that ,he might present it to ,himself a glorious ,church1 not having spot or wrinkle1 or any such thing1 but that it should be holy and without blemish407#da7 ,in ,confirmation we receive new graces and new strength to battle against the temptations of life4 ,in the ,eucharist we are fed with the living ,bread which cometh down from ,heaven4 ,in ,penance are washed away the stains we have contracted after ,baptism4 ,are we called to the ,sacred ,ministry1 or to the married state1 we find in the ,sacraments of ,orders and ,matrimony ample graces corresponding with the condition of life which we have embraced4 ,and our last illness is consoled by ,extreme ,unction1 wherein we receive the ,divine succor necessary to fortify and purify us before departing from this world4 ,in a word1 the ,church1 like a watchful mother1 accompanies us from the cradle to the grave1 supplying us at each step with the medicine of life and immortality4 ,as the ,church offers to her children the strongest motives and the most powerful means for attaining to sanctity of life1 so does she reap among them the most abundant fruits of holiness4 ,in every age and country she is the fruitful mother of saints4 ,our ,ecclesiastical calendar is not confined to the names of the twelve ,apostles4 ,it is emblazoned with the lists of heroic ,martyrs who 8were stoned1 and cut asunder1 and put to death by the sword207#db7 of innumerable ,confessors and ,hermits who left all things and followed ,christ2 of spotless virgins who preserved their chastity for the ,kingdom of ,heaven's sake4 ,every day in the year is consecrated in our ,martyrology to a large number of ,saints4 ,and in our own times1 in every quarter of the globe and in every department of life1 the ,church continues to raise up ,saints worthy of the primitive days of ,christianity4 ,if we seek for ,apostles1 we find them conspicuously among the ,bishops of ,germany1 who are now displaying in prison and in exile a serene heroism worthy of ,peter and ,paul4 ,every year records the tortures of ,catholic missioners who die ,martyrs to the ,faith in ,china1 ,corea1 and other ,pagan countries4 ,among her confessors are numbered those devoted priests who1 abandoning home and family ties1 annually go forth to preach the ,gospel in foreign lands4 ,their worldly possessions are often confined to a few books of devotion and their modest apparel4 ,and who is a stranger to her consecrated virgins1 those sisters of various ,orders who in every large city of ,christendom are daily reclaiming degraded women from a life of shame1 and bringing them back to the sweet influences of religion2 who snatch the abandoned offspring of sin from temporal and spiritual death1 and make them pious and useful members of society1 becoming more than mothers to them2 who rescue children from ignorance1 and instill into their minds the knowledge and love of ,god4 ,we can point to numberless saints also among the laity4 ,i dare assert that in almost every congregation in the ,catholic world1 men and women are to be found who exhibit a fervent piety and a zeal for religion which render them worthy of being named after the ,annas1 the ,aquilas and the ,priscillas of the ,new ,testament4 ,they attract not indeed the admiration of the public1 because true piety is unostentatious and seeks a 8life hidden with ,christ in ,god407#dc7 ,it must not be imagined that1 in proclaiming the sanctity of the ,church1 ,i am attempting to prove that all ,catholics are holy4 ,i am sorry to confess that corruption of morals is too often found among professing ,catholics4 ,we cannot close our eyes to the painful fact that too many of them1 far from living up to the teachings of their ,church1 are sources of melancholy scandal4 8,it must be that scandals come1 but woe to him by whom the scandal cometh40 ,i also admit that the sin of ,catholics is more heinous in the sight of ,god than that of their separated brethren1 because they abuse more grace4 ,but it should be borne in mind that neither ,god nor ,his ,church forces any man's conscience4 ,to all ,he says by the mouth of ,his ,prophet3 8,behold ,i set before you the way of life and the way of death40 7,jer4 xxi4 #h47 ,the choice rests with yourselves4 ,it is easy to explain why so many disedifying members are always found clinging to the robes of the ,church1 their spiritual ,mother1 and why she never shakes them off nor disowns them as her children4 ,the ,church is animated by the spirit of her ,founder1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,he 8came into this world to save sinners407#dd7 ,he 8came not to call the just but sinners to repentance40 ,he was the ,friend of ,publicans and ,sinners that ,he might make them the friends of ,god4 ,and they clung to ,him1 knowing ,his compassion for them4 ,the ,church1 walking in the footsteps of her ,divine ,spouse1 never repudiates sinners nor cuts them off from her fold1 no matter how grievous or notorious may be their moral delinquencies2 not because she connives at their sin1 but because she wishes to reclaim them4 ,she bids them never to despair1 and tries1 at least1 to weaken their passions1 if she cannot altogether reform their lives4 ,mindful also of the words of our ,lord3 8,the poor have the ,gospel preached to them107#de7 the ,church has a tender compassion for the victims of poverty1 which has its train of peculiar temptations and infirmities4 ,hence1 the poor and the sinners cling to the ,church1 as they clung to our ,lord during ,his mortal life4 ,we know1 on the other hand1 that sinners who are guilty of gross crimes which shock public decency are virtually excommunicated from ,protestant ,communions4 ,and as for the poor1 the public press often complains that little or no provision is made for them in ,protestant ,churches4 ,a gentleman informed me that he never saw a poor person enter an ,episcopal ,church which was contiguous to his residence4 ,these excluded sinners and victims of penury either abandon ,christianity altogether1 or find refuge in the bosom of their true ,mother1 the ,catholic ,church1 who1 like her ,divine ,spouse1 claims the afflicted as her most cherished inheritance4 ,the parables descriptive of this ,church which our ,lord employed also clearly teach us that the good and bad shall be joined together in the ,church as long as her earthly mission lasts4 ,the kingdom of ,god is like a field in which the cockle is allowed to grow up with the good seed until the harvest-time27#df7 it is like a net which encloses good fish and bad until the hour of separation comes47#dg7 ,so1 too1 the ,church is that great house7#dh7 in which there are not only vessels of gold and silver1 but also of wood and clay4 ,the ,fathers repeat the teaching of ,scripture4 ,st4 ,jerome says3 8,the ark of ,noah was a type of the ,church4 ,as every kind of animal was in that1 so in this there are men of every race and character4 ,as in that were the leopard and the kids1 the wolf and the lambs1 so in this there are to be found the just and the sinful--that is1 vessels of gold and silver along with those of wood and clay407#di7 ,st4 ,gregory the ,great writes3 8,because in it 7the ,church7 the good are mingled with the bad1 the reprobate with the elect1 it is rightly declared to be similar to the wise and the foolish virgins407#ej7 ,listen to ,st4 ,augustine3 8,let the mind recall the threshing-floor containing straw and wheat2 the nets in which are inclosed good and bad fish2 the ark of ,noah in which were clean and unclean animals1 and you will see that the ,church from now until the judgment day contains not only sheep and oxen--that is1 saintly laymen and holy ministers--but also the beasts of the field4444 ,for the beasts of the field are men who take delight in carnal pleasures1 the field being that broad way which leads to perdition407#ea7 ,the occasional scandals existing among members of the ,church do not invalidate or impair her claim to the title of sanctity4 ,the spots on the sun do not mar his brightness4 ,neither do the moral stains of some members sully the brilliancy of her 8who cometh forth as the morning star1 fair as the moon1 bright as the sun407#eb7 ,the cockle that grows amidst the wheat does not destroy the beauty of the ripened harvest4 ,the sanctity of ,jesus was not sullied by the presence of ,judas in the ,apostolic ,college4 ,neither can the moral corruption of a few disciples tarnish the holiness of the ,church4 ,st4 ,paul calls the ,church of ,corinth a congregation of ,saints17#ec7 though he reproves some scandalous members among them47#ed7 ,it cannot be denied that corruption of morals prevailed in the sixteenth century to such an extent as to call for a sweeping reformation1 and that laxity of discipline invaded even the sanctuary4 ,but how was this reformation of morals to be effected8 ,was it to be accomplished by a force operating inside the ,church1 or outside8 ,i answer that the proper way of carrying out this reformation was by battling against iniquity within the ,church2 for there was not a single weapon which men could use in waging war with vice outside the ,church1 which they could not wield with more effective power when fighting under the authority of the ,church4 ,the true weapons of an ,apostle1 at all times1 have been personal virtue1 prayer1 preaching1 and the ,sacraments4 ,every genuine reformer had those weapons at his disposal within the ,church4 ,she possesses1 at all times1 not only the principle of undying vitality1 but1 besides1 all the elements of reformation1 and all the means of sanctification4 ,with the weapons ,i have named she purified morals in the first century1 and with the same weapons she went to work with a right good will1 and effected a moral reformation in the sixteenth century4 ,she was the only effectual spiritual reformer of that age4 ,what was the ,council of ,trent but a great reforming tribunal8 ,most of its decrees are directed to the reformation of abuses among the clergy and the laity1 and the salutary fruits of its legislation are reaped even to this day4 ,st4 ,charles ,borromeo1 the nephew of a reigning ,pope1 was the greatest reformer of his time4 ,his whole ,episcopal career was spent in elevating the morals of his clergy and people4 ,bartholomew1 ,archbishop of ,braga1 in ,portugal1 preached an incessant crusade against iniquity in high and low places4 ,st4 ,ignatius of ,loyola and ,st4 ,alphonsus1 with their companions1 were conspicuous and successful reformers throughout ,europe4 ,st4 ,philip ,neri was called the modern ,apostle of ,rome because of his happy efforts in dethroning vice in that city4 ,all these ,catholic ,apostles preach by example as well as by word4 ,how do ,luther and ,calvin1 and ,zuinglius and ,knox1 and ,henry ,,viii4 compare with these genuine and saintly reformers1 both as to their moral character and the fruit or their labors8 ,the private lives of these pseudo-reformers were stained by cruelty1 rapine1 and licentiousness2 and as the result of their propagandism1 history records civil wars1 and bloodshed1 and bitter religious strife1 and the dismemberment of ,christianity into a thousand sects4 ,instead of co-operating with the lawful authorities in extinguishing the flames which the passions of men had enkindled in the city of ,god1 these faithless citizens fly from the citadel which they had vowed to defend2 then joining the enemy1 they hasten back to fan the conflagration1 and to increase the commotion4 ,and they overturn the very altars before which they previously sacrificed as consecrated priests47#ee7 ,they sanctioned rebellion by undermining the principle of authority4 ,what a noble opportunity they lost of earning for themselves immortal honors from ,god and man6 ,if1 instead of raising the standard of revolt1 they had waged war upon their own passions1 and fought with the ,catholic reformers against impiety1 they would be hailed as true soldiers of the cross4 ,they would be welcomed by the ,pope1 the ,bishops and clergy1 and by all good men4 ,they might be honored today on our altars1 and might have a niche in our temples1 side by side with those of ,charles ,borromeo and ,ignatius ,loyola2 and instead of a divided army of ,christians1 we should behold today a united ,christendom1 spreading itself irresistibly from nation to nation1 and bringing all kingdoms to the knowledge of ,jesus ,christ4 ,chapter ,,iv4 ,,catholicity4 ,that ,catholicity is a prominent note of the ,church is evident from the ,apostles' ,creed1 which says3 8,i believe in the ,holy ,catholic ,church40 ,the word ,catholic1 or ,universal1 signifies that the true ,church is not circumscribed in its extent1 like human empires1 nor confined to one race of people1 like the ,jewish ,church1 but that she is diffused over every nation of the globe1 and counts her children among all tribes and peoples and tongues of the earth4 ,this glorious ,church is foreshadowed by the ,psalmist1 when he sings3 8,all the ends of the earth shall be converted to the ,lord1 and all the kindreds of the ,gentiles shall adore in ,his sight2 for the kingdom is the ,lord's1 and ,he shall have dominion over the nations407#ef7 ,the ,prophet ,malachy saw in the distant future this world-wide ,church1 when he wrote3 8,from the rising of the sun1 to the going down1 ,my name is great among the ,gentiles2 and in every place there is sacrifice1 and there is offered to ,my name a clean oblation2 for ,my name is great among the ,gentiles1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts407#eg7 ,when our ,savior gave commission to his ,apostles ,he assigned to them the whole world as the theatre of their labors1 and the entire human race1 without regard to language1 color1 or nationality1 as the audience to whom they were to preach4 ,unlike the religion of the ,jewish people1 which was national1 or that of the ,mohammedans1 which is local1 the ,catholic religion was to be cosmopolitan1 embracing all nations and all countries4 ,this is evident from the following passages3 8,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations407#eh7 8,go ye into the whole world1 and preach the ,gospel to every creature407#ei7 8,ye shall be witnesses unto ,me in ,jerusalem1 and in all ,judea1 and ,samaria1 and even to the uttermost part of the earth407#fj7 ,these prophecies declaring that the ,church was to be world-wide and to embrace even the ,gentile nations may not strike us today as especially remarkable1 accustomed as we are now to meet with ,christian civilization everywhere1 and to see the nations of the world bound so closely together by social and commercial relations4 ,but we must remember that when they were uttered the true ,god was known and adored only in an obscure1 almost isolated1 corner of the earth1 while triumphant idolatry was the otherwise universal religion of the world4 ,the prophecies were fulfilled4 ,the ,apostles scattered themselves over the surface of the earth1 preaching the ,gospel of ,christ4 8,their sound10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8went over all the earth and their words unto the ends of the whole world407#fa7 ,within thirty years after our ,savior's ,crucifixion the ,apostle of the ,gentiles was able to say to the ,romans3 8,i give thanks to my ,god through ,jesus ,christ because your faith is spoken of in the entire world07#fb7--spoken of assuredly by those who were in sympathy and communion with the faith of the ,romans4 ,st4 ,justin1 ,martyr1 was able to say1 about one hundred years after ,christ1 that there was no race of men1 whether ,barbarians or ,greeks1 or any other people of what name soever1 among whom the name of ,jesus ,christ was not invoked4 ,st4 ,irenaeus1 writing at the end of the second century1 tells us that the religion so marvelously propagated throughout the whole world was not a vague1 ever-changing form of ,christianity1 but that 8this faith and doctrine and tradition preached throughout the globe is as uniform as if the ,church consisted of one family1 possessing one soul1 one heart1 and as if she had but one mouth4 ,for1 though the languages of the world are dissimilar1 her doctrine is the same4 ,the churches founded in ,germany1 in the ,celtic nations1 in the ,east in ,egypt1 in ,lybia1 and in the centres of civilization1 do not differ from each other2 but as the sun gives the same light throughout the world1 so does the light of faith shine everywhere the same and enlighten all men who wish to come to the knowledge of the truth407#fc7 8,we are but of yesterday10 says ,tertullian1 8and already have we filled your cities1 towns1 islands1 your council halls and camps 444 the palace1 senate1 forum2 we have left you only the temples407#fd7 ,clement of ,alexandria1 at the end of the second century1 writes3 8,the word of our ,master did not remain in ,judea1 as philosophy remained in ,greece1 but has been poured out over the whole world1 persuading ,greeks and ,barbarians alike1 race by race1 village by village1 every city1 whole houses and hearers one by one--nay1 not a few of the philosophers themselves40 ,and ,origen1 in the early part of the next century1 observes3 8,in all ,greece1 and in all barbarous races within our world1 there are tens of thousands who have left their national law and customary gods for the law of ,moses and the ,word of ,jesus ,christ1 though to adhere to that law is to incur the hatred of idolaters and the risk of death besides to have embraced that ,word2 and considering how1 in so few years1 in spite of the attack made on us1 even to the loss of life or property1 and with no great store of teachers1 the preaching of that ,word has found its way into every part of the world1 so that ,greek and ,barbarian1 wise and unwise1 adhere to the religion of ,jesus1 doubtless it is a work greater than any work of man40 ,this ,catholicity1 or universality1 is not to be found in any1 or in all1 of the combined communions separated from the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,the ,schismatic churches of the ,east have no claim to this title because they are confined within the ,turkish and ,russian dominions1 and number not more than sixty million souls4 ,the ,protestant churches1 even taken collectively1 7as separate communions they are a mere handful7 are too insignificant in point of numbers1 and too circumscribed in their territorial extent1 to have any pretensions to the title of ,catholic4 ,all the ,protestant denominations are estimated at sixty-five million1 or less than one-fifth of those who bear the ,christian name4 ,they repudiate1 moreover1 and protest against the name of ,catholic1 though they continue to say in the ,apostles' ,creed 8,i believe in the ,holy ,catholic ,church40 ,that the ,roman ,catholic ,church alone deserves the name of ,catholic is so evident that it is ridiculous to deny it4 ,ours is the only ,church which adopts this name as her official title4 ,we have possession1 which is nine-tenths of the law4 ,we have exclusively borne this glorious appellation in troubled times1 when the assumption of this venerable title exposed us to insult1 persecution and death2 and to attempt to deprive us of it at this late hour1 would be as fruitless as the efforts of the ,french ,revolutionists who sought to uproot all traces of the old civilization by assigning new names to the days and seasons of the year4 ,passion and prejudice and bad manners may affix to us the epithets of ,romish and ,papist and ,ultramontane1 but the calm1 dispassionate mind1 of whatever faith1 all the world1 over1 knows us only by the name of ,catholic4 ,there is a power in this name and an enthusiasm aroused by it akin to the patriotism awakened by the flag of one's country4 ,so great is the charm attached to the name of ,catholic that a portion of the ,episcopal body sometimes usurp the title of ,catholic1 though in their official books they are named ,protestant ,episcopalians4 ,if they think that they have any just claim to the name of ,catholic1 why not come out openly and write it on the title-pages of their ,bibles and ,prayer-,books8 ,afraid of going so far1 they gratify their vanity by privately calling themselves ,catholic4 ,but the delusion is so transparent that the attempt must provoke a smile even among themselves4 ,should a stranger ask them to direct him to the ,catholic ,church they would instinctively point out to him the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,the sectarians of the fourth and fifth centuries1 as ,st4 ,augustine tells us1 used to attempt the same pious fraud1 but signally failed3 8,we must hold fast to the ,christian religion and to the communion of that ,church which is ,catholic1 and which is called ,catholic not only by those who belong to her1 but also by all her enemies4 ,whether they will it or not the very heretics themselves and followers of schism1 when they converse1 not with their own but with outsiders1 call that only ,catholic which is really ,catholic4 ,for they cannot be understood unless they distinguish her by that name1 by which she is known throughout the whole earth407#fe7 ,we possess not only the name1 but also the reality4 ,a single illustration will suffice to exhibit in a strong light the widespread dominion of the ,catholic ,church and her just claims to the title of ,catholic4 ,take the ,ecumenical ,council of the ,vatican1 opened in #ahfi and presided over by ,pope ,pius ,,ix4 ,of the thousand ,bishops and upwards now comprising the hierarchy of the ,catholic ,church1 nearly eight hundred attended the opening session1 the rest being unavoidably absent4 ,all parts of the habitable globe were represented at the ,council4 ,the ,bishops assembled from ,great ,britain1 ,ireland1 ,france1 ,germany1 ,switzerland and from almost every nation and principality in ,europe4 ,they met from ,canada1 the ,united ,states1 ,mexico and ,south ,america1 and from the islands of the ,atlantic and the ,pacific4 ,they were gathered together from different parts of ,africa and ,oceanica4 ,they went from the banks of the ,tigris and ,euphrates1 the cradle of the human race1 and from the banks of the ,jordan1 the cradle of ,christianity4 ,they traveled to ,rome from ,mossul1 built near ancient ,nineveh1 and from ,bagdad1 founded on the ruins of ,babylon4 ,they flocked from ,damascus and ,mount ,libanus and from the ,holy ,land1 sanctified by the footprints of our blessed ,redeemer4 ,those ,bishops belonged to every form of government1 from the republic to the most absolute monarchy47#ff7 ,their faces were marked by almost every shade and color that distinguished the human family4 ,they spoke every civilized language under the sun4 ,kneeling together in the same great ,council-,hall1 truly could those ,prelates exclaim1 in the language of the ,apocalypse3 8,thou hast redeemed us1 ,o ,lord1 to ,god in ,thy blood1 out of every tribe1 and tongue1 and people1 and nation407#fg7 ,what the ,catholic ,church lost by the religious revolution of the sixteenth century in the old world she has more than regained by the immense accessions to her ranks in the ,east and ,west ,indies1 in ,north and ,south ,america4 ,never1 in her long history1 was she numerically so strong as she is at the present moment1 when her children amount to about three hundred millions1 or double the number of those who bear the name of ,christians outside of her communion4 ,in her alone is literally fulfilled the magnificent prophecy of ,malachy2 for in every clime1 and in every nation under the sun1 are erected thousands of ,catholic altars upon which the 8clean oblation07#fh7 is daily offered up to the ,most ,high4 ,it is said1 with truth1 that the sun never sets on ,british dominions4 ,it may also be affirmed1 with equal assurance1 that wherever the ,british drum-beat sounds1 aye1 and wherever the ,english language is spoken1 there you will find the ,english-speaking ,catholic ,missionary planting the cross--the symbol of salvation--side by side with the banner of ,st4 ,george4 ,quite recently a number of ,european emigrants arrived in ,richmond4 ,they were strangers to our country1 to our customs and to our language4 ,every object that met their eye sadly reminded them that they were far from their own sunny ,italy4 ,but when they saw the cross surmounting our ,cathedral they hastened to it with a joyful step4 ,i saw and heard a group of them giving earnest expression to their deep emotions4 ,entering this sacred temple1 they felt that they had found an oasis in the desert4 ,once more they were at home4 ,they found one familiar spot in a strange land4 ,they stood in the church of their fathers1 in the home of their childhood2 and they seemed to say in their hearts1 as a tear trickled down their sun-burnt cheeks1 8,how lovely are thy tabernacles1 ,o ,lord of ,hosts6 ,my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the ,lord4 ,my heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living ,god407#fi7 ,they saw around them the paintings of familiar ,saints whom they had been accustomed to reverence from their youth4 ,they saw the baptismal font and the confessionals4 ,they beheld the altar and the altar-rails where they received their ,maker4 ,they observed the ,priest at the altar in his sacred vestments4 ,they saw a multitude of worshipers kneeling around them1 and they felt in their heart of hearts that they were once more among brothers and sisters1 with whom they had 8one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism1 one ,god and ,father of all40 ,everywhere a ,catholic is at home4 ,secret societies1 of whatever name1 form but a weak and counterfeit bond of union compared with the genuine fellowship created by ,catholic faith1 hope and charity4 ,the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 then1 exclusively merits the title of ,catholic1 because her children abound in every part of the globe and comprise the vast majority of the ,christian family4 ,god forbid that ,i should write these lines1 or that my ,catholic readers should peruse them in a boasting and vaunting spirit4 ,god estimates men not by their numbers1 but by their intrinsic worth4 ,it is no credit to us to belong to the body of the ,church ,catholic if we are not united to the soul of the ,church by a life of faith1 hope and charity4 ,it will avail us nothing to be citizens of that ,kingdom of ,christ which encircles the globe1 unless the ,kingdom of ,god is within us by the reign of the ,holy ,spirit in our hearts4 ,one righteous soul that reflects the beauty and perfections of the ,lord1 is more precious in ,his sight than the mass of humanity that has no spiritual life1 and is dead to the inspirations of grace4 ,the ,patriarch ,abraham was dearer to ,jehovah than all the inhabitants of the corrupt city of ,sodom4 ,elias was of greater worth before the ,almighty than the four hundred prophets of ,baal who ate at the table of ,jezabel4 ,the ,apostles with the little band of disciples that were assembled in ,jerusalem after our ,lord's ascension1 were more esteemed by ,him than the great ,roman ,empire1 which was seated in darkness and the shadow of death4 ,while we rejoice1 then1 in the inestimable blessing of being incorporated in the visible body of the ,catholic ,church1 whose spiritual treasures are inexhaustible1 let us rejoice still more that we have not received that blessing in vain4 ,chapter ,v4 ,,apostolicity4 ,the true ,church must be ,apostolical4 ,hence in the ,creed framed in the first ,ecumenical ,council of ,nica1 in the year #cbe1 we find these words3 8,i believe in the ,one1 ,holy1 ,catholic and ,apostolic ,church40 ,this attribute or note of the ,church implies that the true ,church must always teach the identical doctrines once delivered by the ,apostles1 and that her ministers must derive their powers from the ,apostles by an uninterrupted succession4 ,consequently1 no church can claim to be the true one whose doctrines differ from those of the ,apostles1 or whose ministers are unable to trace1 by an unbroken chain1 their authority to an ,apostolic source2 just as our ,minister to ,england can exercise no authority in that country unless he is duly commissioned by our ,government and represents its views4 ,the ,church1 says ,st4 ,paul1 is 8built upon the foundation of the ,apostles107#gj7 so that the doctrine which it propagates must be based on ,apostolic teachings4 ,hence ,st4 ,paul says to the ,galatians3 8,though an angel from heaven preach a ,gospel to you beside that which we have preached to you1 let him be anathema407#ga7 ,the same ,apostle gives this admonition to ,timothy3 8,the things which thou hast heard from me before many witnesses the same commend to faithful men who shall be fit to teach others also407#gb7 ,timothy must transmit to his disciples only such doctrines as he heard from the lips of his ,master4 ,not only is it required that ministers of the ,gospel should conform their teaching to the doctrine of the ,apostles1 but also that these ministers should be ordained and commissioned by the ,apostles or their legitimate successors4 8,neither doth any man10 says the ,apostle1 8take the honor to himself1 but he that is called by ,god1 as ,aaron was407#gc7 ,this text evidently condemns all self-constituted preachers and reformers2 for1 8how shall they preach1 unless they be sent807#gd7 ,sent1 of course1 by legitimate authority1 and not directed by their own caprice4 ,hence1 we find that those who succeeded the ,apostles were ordained and commissioned by them to preach1 and that no others were permitted to exercise this function4 ,thus we are told that ,paul and ,barnabas 8had ordained for them priests in every church407#ge7 ,and the ,apostle says to ,titus3 8,for this cause ,i left thee in ,crete1 444 that thou shouldst ordain ,priests in every city1 as ,i also appointed thee407#gf7 ,even ,st4 ,paul himself1 though miraculously called and instructed by ,god1 had hands imposed on him17#gg7 lest others should be tempted by his example to preach without ,apostolic warrant4 ,to discover1 therefore1 the ,church of ,christ among the various conflicting claimants we have to inquire1 first1 which church teaches whole and entire those doctrines that were taught by the ,apostles2 second1 what ministers can trace back1 in an unbroken line1 their missionary powers to the ,apostles4 ,the ,catholic ,church alone teaches doctrines which are in all respects identical with those of the first teachers of the ,gospel4 ,the following parallel lines exhibit some examples of the departure of the ,protestant bodies from the primitive teachings of ,christianity1 and the faithful adhesion of the ,catholic ,church to them4 ,apostolic ,church4 ,catholic ,church4 ,protestant ,churches4 #a4 ,our ,savior gives ,the ,catholic ,church ,all other ,christian pre-eminence to ,peter gives the primacy of communions practically over the other honor and jurisdiction deny ,peter's supremacy ,apostles3 8,i will give to ,peter and to his over the other to thee the keys of the successors4 ,apostles4 kingdom of heaven407#gh7 8,confirm thy brethren407#gi7 8,feed ,my lambs2 feed ,my sheep407#hj7 #b4 ,the ,apostolic ,church ,the ,catholic ,church ,all the ,protestant claimed to be alone1 of all the churches repudiate the infallible in her ,christian communions1 claim of infallibility4 teachings4 ,hence the claims to exercise the ,they deny that such a ,apostles spoke with prerogative of gift is possessed by unerring authority1 and infallibility in her any teachers of their words were teaching4 ,her ministers religion4 ,the ministers received not as human always speak from the pronounce no opinions1 but as ,divine pulpit as having authoritative truths4 8,when you have authority1 and the doctrines1 but advance received from us the faithful receive with opinions as embodying word of ,god1 you implicit confidence their private received it not as the what the ,church interpretation of the word of men1 but 7as it teaches1 without once ,scripture4 ,and their is indeed7 the word of questioning her hearers are never ,god407#ha7 8,it hath veracity4 required to believe seemed good to the ,holy them1 but are expected ,ghost and to us10 say to draw their own the assembled ,apostles1 conclusions from the 8to lay no further ,bible4 burden upon you than these necessary things407#hb7 8,though an angel from heaven preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you1 let him be anathema407#hc7 #c4 ,our ,savior enjoins ,the ,church prescribes ,protestants have no law and prescribes rules fasting to the faithful prescribing fasts1 for fasting3 8,when thou at stated seasons1 though some may fast fastest1 anoint thy particularly during from private devotion4 head and wash thy face1 ,lent4 ,a ,catholic priest ,they even try to cast that thou appear not to is always fasting when ridicule on fasting as men to fast 444 and thy he officiates at the a work of ,father1 who seeth in altar4 ,he breaks his supererogation1 secret1 will repay fast only after he says detracting from the thee407#hd7 ,the ,apostles ,mass4 ,when ,bishops merits of ,christ4 fasted before engaging ordain ,priests they are ,neither candidates for in sacred functions3 always fasting1 as well ordination1 nor the 8,they ministered to the as the candidates for ministers who ordain ,lord1 and fasted407#he7 ordination4 them1 ever fast on such 8,and when they ordained occasions4 ,priests in every city1 they prayed with fasting407#hf7 #d4 8,let women10 says ,the ,catholic ,church ,women1 especially in the ,apostle1 8keep never permits women to this country1 publicly silence in the preach in the house of preach in ,methodist and churches4 ,for1 it is ,god4 other churches with the not permitted them to sanction of the church speak 444 ,it is a shame elders4 for a woman to speak in the church407#hg7 #e4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,every ,catholic ,bishop1 ,no denomination ,john confirmed the as a successor of the performs the ceremony newly baptized in ,apostles1 likewise of imposing hands in ,samaria3 8,they laid imposes hands on this country except hands on them and they baptized persons in the ,episcopalians1 and even received the ,holy ,sacrament of they do not recognize ,ghost407#hh7 ,confirmation1 by which ,confirmation as a they receive the ,holy ,sacrament4 ,ghost4 #f4 ,our ,savior and ,his ,the ,catholic ,church ,the ,protestant churches ,apostles taught that teaches1 with our ,lord 7except1 perhaps1 a few the ,eucharist contains and ,his ,apostles1 that ,ritualists7 condemn the the ,body and ,blood of the ,eucharist contains doctrine of the ,real ,christ3 8,take ye1 and really and indeed the ,presence as idolatrous1 eat2 this is ,my ,body and ,blood of ,jesus and say that1 in ,body4444 ,drink ye all ,christ under the partaking of the of this1 for this is my appearance of bread and communion1 we receive a ,blood407#hi7 8,the wine4 memorial of ,christ4 chalice of benediction which we bless1 is it not the communion of the ,blood of ,christ2 and the bread which we break1 is it not the participation of the ,body of the ,lord807#ij7 #g4 ,the ,apostles were ,the ,bishops and ,priests ,protestants affirm1 on empowered by our ,savior of the ,catholic ,church1 the contrary1 that ,god to forgive sins3--8,whose as the inheritors of delegates to no man the sins ye shall forgive1 ,apostolic prerogatives1 power of pardoning sin4 they are forgiven407#ia7 profess to exercise the 8,god10 says ,st4 ,paul1 ministry of 8hath given to us the reconciliation1 and to ministry of forgive sins in the reconciliation407#ib7 name of ,christ4 #h4 ,regarding the sick1 ,one of the most ,no such ceremony as ,st4 ,james gives this ordinary duties of a that of anointing the instruction3 8,is any ,catholic ,priest is to sick is practised by man sick among you1 let anoint the sick in the any ,protestant him bring in the ,sacrament of ,extreme denomination1 priests of the ,church1 ,unction4 ,if a man is notwithstanding the and let them pray over sick among us he is ,apostle's injunction4 him1 anointing him with careful to call in the oil in the name of the ,priest of the ,church1 ,lord407#ic7 that he may anoint him with oil in the name of the ,lord4 #i4 ,of marriage our ,literally following the ,the ,protestant ,savior says3 8,whoever ,apostle's injunction1 churches1 as is well shall put away his wife the ,catholic ,church known1 have so far and marry another forbids the husband and relaxed this rigorous committeth adultery wife to separate from law of the ,gospel as to against her4 ,and if the one another2 or1 if allow divorced persons wife shall put away her they separate1 neither to remarry4 ,and divorce husband and be married of them can marry again a vinculo is granted to another she during the life of the on various and even committeth other4 trifling pretenses4 adultery407#id7 ,and again ,st4 ,paul says3 8,to them that are married 444 the ,lord commandeth that the wife depart not from her husband1 and if she depart that she remain unmarried4444 ,and let not the husband put away his wife407#ie7 #aj4 ,our ,lord recommends ,like the ,apostle and ,all the ministers of not only by word1 but his ,master1 the other denominations1 by ,his example1 to ,catholic clergy bind with very rare souls aiming at themselves to a life of exceptions1 marry4 ,and perfection1 the state perpetual chastity4 ,the far from inculcating of perpetual virginity4 inmates of our convents the ,apostolic counsel ,st4 ,paul also exhorts of men and women of celibacy to any of the ,corinthians by voluntarily consecrate their flock1 they more counsel and his own their virginity to ,god4 than insinuate that the example to the same virtue of perpetual angelic virtue3 8,he chastity1 though that giveth his virgin recommended by ,st4 in marriage10 he says1 ,paul1 is impracticable4 8doeth well4 ,and he that giveth her not doeth better407#if7 ,we now leave the reader to judge for himself which ,church enforces the doctrines of the ,apostles in all their pristine vigor4 ,to show that the ,catholic ,church is the only lineal descendant of the ,apostles it is sufficient to demonstrate that she alone can trace her pedigree1 generation after generation1 to the ,apostles1 while the origin of all other ,christian communities can be referred to a comparatively modern date4 ,the most influential ,christian sects existing in this country at the present time are the ,lutherans1 ,episcopalians1 ,methodists1 ,presbyterians and ,baptists4 ,the other ,protestant denominations are comparatively insignificant in point of numbers1 and are for the most part offshoots from the ,christian communities just named4 ,martin ,luther1 a ,saxon monk1 was the founder of the church which bears his name4 ,he was born at ,eisleben1 in ,saxony1 in #adhc1 and died in #aedf4 ,the ,anglican or ,episcopal ,church owes its origin to ,henry ,,viii4 of ,england4 ,the immediate cause of his renunciation of the ,roman ,church was the refusal of ,pope ,clement to grant him a divorce from his lawful wife1 ,catharine of ,aragon1 that he might be free to be joined in wedlock to ,anne ,boleyn4 ,in order to legalize his divorce from his virtuous queen the licentious monarch divorced himself and his kingdom from the spiritual supremacy of the ,pope4 8,there is a close relationship10 says ,d',aubign1 8between these two divorces10 meaning ,henry's divorce from his wife and ,england's divorce from the ,church4 ,yes1 there is the relationship of cause and effect4 ,bishop ,short1 an ,anglican historian1 candidly admits that 8the existence of the ,church of ,england as a distinct body1 and her final separation from ,rome1 may be dated from the period of the divorce407#ig7 ,the ,book of ,homilies1 in the language of fulsome praise1 calls ,henry 8the true and faithful minister10 and gives him the credit for having abolished in ,england the ,papal supremacy and established the new order of things47#ih7 ,john ,wesley is the acknowledged founder of the ,methodist ,church4 ,methodism dates from the year #agbi1 and its cradle was the ,oxford ,university in ,england4 ,john and ,charles ,wesley were students at ,oxford4 ,they gathered around them a number of young men who devoted themselves to the frequent reading of the ,holy ,scriptures and to prayer4 ,their methodical and exact mode of life obtained for them the name of ,methodists4 ,the ,methodist ,church in this country is the offspring of a colony sent hither from ,england4 ,as it would be tedious to give even a succinct history of each sect1 ,i shall content myself with presenting a tabular statement exhibiting the name and founder of each denomination1 the place and date of its origin1 and the names of the authors from whom ,i quote4 ,my authorities in every instance are ,protestants4 ,name of ,place ,founder4 ,year4 ,authority ,sect4 of ,quoted4 ,origin4 ,anabaptists ,germany ,nicolas #aeba ,vincent ,stork ,l4 ,milner1 8,religious ,denominations40 ,baptists ,rhode ,roger #afci 8,the ,book of ,island ,williams ,religions0 by ,john ,hayward4 ,free-,will ,new ,benj4 #aghj ,ibid4 ,baptists ,hampshire ,randall ,free ,new ,york ,benijah ,close ,rev4 ,a4 ,d4 ,communion ,corp of ,williams in ,baptists #ahth 8,history of all century ,denominations40 ,seventh-,day ,united ,general #ahcc ,w4 ,b4 ,gillett1 ,baptists ,states ,conference ,ibid4 ,campbellites1 ,virginia ,alex4 #ahac 8,book of or ,campbell ,religions40 ,christians ,methodist ,england ,john #agci ,rev4 ,nathan ,episcopal ,wesley ,bangs in 8,history of all ,denominations40 ,reformed ,vermont ,branch of #ahad ,ibid4 ,methodist the ,meth4 ,episcopal ,church ,methodist ,new ,york ,do4 #ahbj ,rev4 ,w4 ,m4 ,society ,stilwell1 ,ibid4 ,methodist ,baltimore ,do4 #ahcj ,james ,r4 ,protestant ,williams1 ,ibid4 ,true ,wesleyan ,new ,york ,delegates #ahdc ,j4 ,timberman1 ,methodist from ,ibid4 ,methodist denominations ,presbyterian ,scotland ,general #aefj ,john ,m4 ,krebs1 7,old ,school7 ,assembly ,ibid4 ,presbyterian ,philadelphia ,general #ahdj ,joel ,parker1 ,d4 7,new ,school7 ,assembly ,d41 ,ibid4 ,episcopalian ,england ,henry ,,viii #aecd ,macaulay and other ,english ,historians4 ,lutheran ,germany ,martin ,luther #aebd ,s4 ,s4 ,schmucker in 8,history of all ,denominations40 ,unitarian ,germany ,celatius ,about ,alvan ,lamson1 ,congrega- #aedj ,ibid4 tionalists ,congrega- ,england ,robert ,browne #aehc ,e4 ,w4 ,andrews1 tionalists ,ibid4 ,quakers ,england ,george ,fox #afdg ,english ,historians4 ,do ,america ,william ,penn #afha ,american ,historians4 ,catholic ,jerusalem ,jesus #cc ,new ,testament4 ,church ,from this brief historical tableau we find that all the ,christian sects now existing in the ,united ,states had their origin since the year #aejj4 ,consequently1 the oldest body of ,christians among us1 outside the ,catholic ,church1 is not yet four centuries old4 ,they all1 therefore1 come fifteen centuries too late to have any pretensions to be called the ,apostolic ,church4 ,but ,i may be told3 8,though our public history as ,protestants dates from the ,reformation1 we can trace our origin back to the ,apostles40 ,this ,i say is impossible4 ,first of all1 the very name you bear betrays your recent birth2 for who ever heard of a ,baptist or an ,episcopal1 or any other ,protestant church1 prior to the ,reformation8 ,nor can you say3 8,we existed in every age as an invisible church40 ,your concealment1 indeed1 was so complete that no man can tell1 to this day1 where you lay hid for sixteen centuries4 ,but even if you did exist you could not claim to be the ,church of ,christ2 for our ,lord predicted that ,his ,church should ever be as a city placed upon the mountain top1 that all might see it1 and that its ministers should preach the truths of salvation from the watch-towers thereof1 that all might hear them4 ,it is equally in vain to tell me that you were allied in faith to the various ,christian sects that went out from the ,catholic ,church from age to age2 for these sects proclaimed doctrines diametrically opposed to one another1 and the true ,church must be one in faith4 ,and besides1 the less relationship you claim with many of these seceders the better for you1 as they all advocated errors against ,christian truth1 and some of them disseminated principles at variance with decency and morality4 ,the ,catholic ,church1 on the contrary1 can easily vindicate the title of ,apostolic1 because she derives her origin from the ,apostles4 ,every ,priest and ,bishop can trace his genealogy to the first disciples of ,christ with as much facility as the most remote branch of a vine can be traced to the main stem4 ,all the ,catholic ,clergy in the ,united ,states1 for instance1 were ordained only by ,bishops who are in active communion with the ,see of ,rome4 ,these ,bishops themselves received their commissions from the ,bishop of ,rome4 ,the present ,bishop of ,rome1 ,pius ,,ix41 is the successor of ,gregory ,,xvi41 who succeeded ,pius ,,viii41 who was the successor of ,leo ,,xii4 ,and thus we go back from century to century till we come to ,peter1 the first ,bishop of ,rome1 ,prince of the ,apostles and ,vicar of ,christ4 ,like the ,evangelist ,luke1 who traces the genealogy of our ,savior back to ,adam and to ,god1 we can trace the pedigree of ,pius ,,ix4 to ,peter and to ,christ4 ,there is not a link wanting in the chain which binds the humblest ,priest in the land to the ,prince of the ,apostles4 ,and although on a few occasions there happened to be two or even three claimants for the chair of ,peter1 these counter-claims could no more affect the validity of the legitimate ,pope than the struggle of two contestants for the ,presidency could invalidate the title of the recognized ,chief ,magistrate4 ,it was by pursuing this line of argument that the early ,fathers demonstrated the ,apostolicity of the ,catholic ,church1 and refuted the pretensions of contemporary sectaries4 ,st4 ,irenus1 ,tertullian and ,st4 ,augustine give catalogues of the ,bishops of ,rome who flourished up to their respective times1 with whom it was their happiness to be in communion1 and then they challenged their opponents to trace their lineage to the ,apostolic ,see4 8,let them10 says ,tertullian1 in the second century1 8produce the origin of their church4 ,let them exhibit the succession of their ,bishops1 so that the first of them may appear to have been ordained by an ,apostle1 or by an apostolic man who was in communion with the ,apostles407#ii7 ,and if the ,fathers of the fifth century considered it a powerful argument in their favor that they could refer to an uninterrupted line of fifty ,bishops who occupied the ,see of ,rome1 how much stronger is the argument to us who can now exhibit five times that number of ,roman ,pontiffs who have sat in the chair of ,peter6 ,i would affectionately repeat to my separated brethren what ,augustine said to the ,donatists of his time3 8,come to us1 brethren if you wish to be engrafted in the vine4 ,we are afflicted in beholding you lying cut off from it4 ,count over the ,bishops from the very ,see of ,st4 ,peter1 and mark1 in this list of ,fathers1 how one succeeded the other4 ,this is the rock against which the proud gates of hell do not prevail407#ajj7 ,chapter ,,vi4 ,,perpetuity ,,of ,,the ,,church4 ,perpetuity1 or duration till the end of time1 is one of the most striking marks of the ,church4 ,by perpetuity is not meant merely that ,christianity in one form or another was always to exist1 but that the ,church was to remain forever in its integrity1 clothed with all those attributes which ,god gave it in the beginning4 ,for1 if the ,church lost any of her essential characteristics1 such as her unity and sanctity1 which our ,lord imparted to her at the commencement of her existence1 she could not be said to be perpetual because she would not be the same ,institution4 ,the unceasing duration of the ,church of ,christ is frequently foretold in ,sacred ,scripture4 ,the ,angel ,gabriel announces to ,mary that ,christ 8shall reign over the house of ,jacob forever1 and of his kingdom there shall be no end407#aja7 ,our ,savior said to ,peter3 8,thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock ,i will build ,my ,church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it407#ajb7 ,our blessed ,lord clearly intimates here that the ,church is destined to be assailed always1 but to be overcome1 never4 ,in the last words recorded of our ,redeemer in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew the same prediction is strongly repeated1 and the reason of the ,church's indefectibility is fully expressed3 8,go ye1 teach all nations1 444 and behold ,i am with you all days1 even to the consummation of the world407#ajc7 ,this sentence contains three important declarations3 ,first--,the presence of ,christ with ,his ,church--8,behold1 ,i am with you40 ,second--,his constant presence1 without an interval of one day's absence--8,i am with you all days40 ,third--,his perpetual presence to the end of the world1 and consequently the perpetual duration of the ,church--8,even to the consummation of the world40 ,hence it follows that the true ,church must have existed from the beginning2 it must have had not one day's interval of suspended animation1 or separation from ,christ1 and must live to the end of time4 ,none of the ,christian ,communions outside the ,catholic ,church can have any reasonable claim to ,perpetuity1 since1 as we have seen in the preceding chapter1 they are all7#ajd7 of recent origin4 ,the indestructibility of the ,catholic ,church is truly marvellous and well calculated to excite the admiration of every reflecting mind1 when we consider the number and variety1 and the formidable power of the enemies with whom she had to contend from her very birth to the present time2 this fact alone stamps divinity on her brow4 ,the ,church has been constantly engaged in a double warfare1 one foreign1 the other domestic--in foreign war against ,paganism and infidelity2 in civil strife against heresy and schism fomented by her own rebellious children4 ,from the day of ,pentecost till the victory of ,constantine the ,great over ,maxentius1 embracing a period of about two hundred and eighty years1 the ,church underwent a series of ten persecutions unparalleled for atrocity in the annals of history4 ,every torture that malice could invent was resorted to1 that every vestige of ,christianity might be eradicated4 8,christianos ad leones10 the ,christians to the lions1 was the popular war-cry4 ,they were clothed in the skins of wild beasts1 and thus exposed to be devoured by dogs4 ,they were covered with pitch and set on fire to serve as lamp-posts to the streets of ,rome4 ,to justify such atrocities1 and to smother all sentiments of compassion1 these persecutors accused their innocent victims of the most appalling crimes4 ,for three centuries the ,christians were obliged to worship ,god in the secrecy of their chambers1 or in the ,roman catacombs1 which are still preserved to attest the undying fortitude of the martyrs and the enormity of their sufferings4 ,and yet ,pagan ,rome1 before whose standard the mightiest nations quailed1 was unable to crush the infant ,church or arrest her progress4 ,in a short time we find this colossal ,empire going to pieces1 and the ,head of the ,catholic ,church dispensing laws to ,christendom in the very city from which the imperial ,csars had promulgated their edicts against ,christianity6 ,during the fifth and sixth centuries the ,goths and ,vandals1 the ,huns1 ,visigoths1 ,lombards and other immense tribes of ,barbarians came down like a torrent from the ,north1 invading the fairest portions of ,southern ,europe4 ,they dismembered the ,roman ,empire and swept away nearly every trace of the old ,roman civilization4 ,they plundered cities1 leveled churches and left ruin and desolation after them4 ,yet1 though conquering for awhile1 they were conquered in turn by submitting to the sweet yoke of the ,gospel4 ,and thus1 as even the infidel ,gibbon observes1 8,the progress of ,christianity has been marked by two glorious and decisive victories over the learned and luxurious citizens of the ,roman ,empire and over the warlike ,barbarians of ,scythia and ,germany1 who subverted the empire and embraced the religion of the ,romans407#aje7 ,mohamedanism took its rise in the seventh century in ,arabia1 and made rapid conquests in ,asia4 ,in the fifteenth century ,constantinople was captured by the followers of the false prophet1 who even threatened to subject all ,europe to their sway4 ,for nine centuries ,mohamedanism continued to be a standing menace to christendom1 till the final issue came when it was to be decided once for all whether ,christianity and civilization on the one hand1 or ,mohamedanism and infidelity on the other1 should rule the destinies of ,europe and the world4 ,at the earnest solicitation of the ,pope1 the kingdom of ,spain and the republic of ,venice formed an offensive league against the ,turks1 who were signally defeated in the battle of ,lepanto1 in #aega4 ,and if the ,cross1 instead of the ,crescent1 surmounts the cities of ,europe today1 it is indebted for this priceless blessing to the vigilance of the ,roman ,pontiffs4 ,another adversary more formidable and dangerous than those ,i have mentioned threatened the overthrow of the ,church in the fourth and fifth centuries4 ,i speak of the great heresy of ,arius1 which was followed by those of ,nestorius and ,eutyches4 ,the ,arian schism1 soon after its rise1 spread rapidly through ,europe1 ,northern ,africa and portions of ,asia4 ,it received the support of immense multitudes1 and flourished for awhile under the fostering care of several successive emperors4 ,catholic ,bishops were banished from their sees1 and their places were filled by ,arian intruders4 ,the ,church which survived the sword of ,paganism seemed for awhile to yield to the poison of ,arianism4 ,but after a short career of prosperity this gigantic sect became weakened by intestine divisions1 and was finally swept away by other errors which came following in its footsteps4 ,you are already familiar with the great religious revolution of the sixteenth century1 which spread like a tornado over ,northern ,europe and threatened1 if that were possible1 to engulf the bark of ,peter4 ,more than half of ,germany followed the new ,gospel of ,martin ,luther4 ,switzerland submitted to the doctrines of ,zuinglius4 ,the faith was lost in ,sweden through the influence of its king1 ,gustavus ,vasa4 ,denmark conformed to the new creed through the intrigues of ,king ,christian ,,ii4 ,catholicity was also crushed out in ,norway1 ,england and ,scotland4 ,calvinism in the sixteenth century and ,voltaireism in the eighteenth had gained such a foothold in ,france that the faith of that glorious ,catholic nation twice trembled in the balance4 ,ireland alone1 of all the nations of ,northern ,europe1 remained faithful to the ancient ,church4 ,let us now calmly survey the field after the din and smoke of battle have passed away4 ,let us examine the condition of the old ,church after having passed through those deadly conflicts4 ,we see her numerically stronger today than at any previous period of her history4 ,the losses she sustained in the old world are more than compensated by her acquisitions in the new4 ,she has already recovered a good portion of the ground wrested from her in the sixteenth century4 ,she numbers now about three hundred million adherents4 ,she exists today not an effete institution1 but in all the integrity and fulness of life1 with her organism unimpaired1 more united1 more compact and more vigorous than ever she was before4 ,the so-called ,reformation of the sixteenth century bears many points of resemblance to the great ,arian heresy4 ,both schisms originated with ,priests impatient of the yoke of the ,gospel1 fond of novelty and ambitious for notoriety4 ,both were nursed and sustained by the reigning ,powers1 and were augmented by large accessions of proselytes4 ,both spread for awhile with the irresistible force of a violent hurricane1 till its fury was spent4 ,both subsequently became subdivided into various bodies4 ,the extinction of ,protestantism would complete the parallel4 ,in this connection a remark of ,de ,maistre is worth quoting3 8,if ,protestantism bears always the same name1 though its belief has been perpetually shifting1 it is because its name is purely negative and means only the denial of ,catholicity1 so that the less it believes1 and the more it protests1 the more consistently ,protestant it will be4 ,since1 then1 its name becomes continually truer1 it must subsist until it perishes1 just as an ulcer disappears with the last atom of the flesh which it has been eating away407#ajf7 ,but similar causes will produce similar results4 ,as both revolutions were the offspring of rebellion2 as both have been marked by the same vigorous youth1 the same precocious manhood1 the same premature decay and dismemberment of parts2 so we are not rash in predicting that the dissolution which long since visited the former is destined1 sooner or later1 to overtake the latter4 ,but the ,catholic ,church1 because she is the work of ,god1 is always 8renewing her strength1 like the eagle's407#ajg7 ,you ask for a miracle1 as the ,jews asked our ,saviour for a sign4 ,you ask the ,church to prove her divine mission by a miraculous agency4 ,is not her very survival the greatest of prodigies8 ,if you beheld some fair bride with all the weakness of humanity upon her1 cast into a prison and starved and trampled upon1 hacked and tortured1 her blood sprinkled upon her dungeon walls1 and if you saw her again emerging from her prison1 in all the bloom and freshness of youth1 and surviving for years and centuries beyond the span of human life1 continuing to be the joyful mother of children1 would you not call that scene a miracle8 ,and is not this a picture of our ,mother1 the ,church8 ,has she not passed through all these vicissitudes8 ,has she not tasted the bitterness of prison in every age8 ,has not her blood been shed in every clime8 ,and yet in her latter days1 she is as fair as ever1 and the nursing mother of children4 ,are not civil governments and institutions mortal as well as men8 ,why should the ,republic of the ,church be an exception to the law of decay and death8 ,if this is not a miracle1 ,i know not what a miracle is4 ,if ,augustin1 that profound ,christian philosopher1 could employ this argument in the fifth century1 with how much more force may it be used today1 fifteen hundred years after his time6 ,but far be it from us to ascribe to any human cause this marvelous survival of the ,church4 ,her indestructibility is not due1 as some suppose1 to her wonderful organization1 or to the far-reaching policy of her ,pontiffs1 or to the learning and wisdom of her teachers4 ,if she has survived1 it is not because of human wisdom1 but often in spite of human folly4 ,her permanence is due not to the arm of the flesh1 but to the finger of ,god4 8,not to us1 ,o ,lord1 not to us1 but to ,thy name give glory40 ,i would now ask this question of all that are hostile to the ,catholic ,church and that are plotting her destruction3 ,how can you hope to overturn an institution which for more than nineteen centuries has successfully resisted all the combined assaults of the world1 of men1 and of the powers of darkness8 ,what means will you employ to encompass her ruin8 ,i4 ,is it the power of ,kings1 and ,emperors1 and ,prime ,ministers8 ,they have tried in vain to crush her1 from the days of the ,roman ,csars to those of the former ,chancellor of ,germany4 ,many persons labor under the erroneous impression that the crowned heads of ,europe have been the unvarying supporters of the ,church1 and that if their protection were withdrawn she would soon collapse4 ,so far from the ,church being sheltered behind earthly thrones1 her worst enemies have been1 with some honorable exceptions1 so-called ,christian ,princes who were nominal children of the ,church4 ,they chafed under her salutary discipline2 they wished to be rid of her yoke1 because she alone1 in time of oppression1 had the power and the courage to stand by the rights of the people1 and place her breast as a wall of brass against the encroachments of their rulers4 ,with calm confidence we can say with the ,psalmist3 8,why have the ,gentiles raged1 and the people devised vain things8 ,the kings of the earth stood up1 and the princes met together1 against the ,lord1 and against his ,christ4 ,let us break their bonds asunder1 and let us cast away their yoke from us4 ,he that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them and the ,lord shall deride them407#ajh7 ,,ii4 ,can the immense resources and organized power of rival religious bodies succeed in absorbing her and in bringing her to naught8 ,i am not disposed to undervalue this power4 ,against any human force it would be irresistible4 ,but if the colossal strength1 and incomparable machinery of the ,roman ,empire could not prevent the establishment of the ,church2 if ,arianism1 ,nestorianism1 ,eutychianism could not check her development1 how can modern organizations stop her progress now1 when in the fulness of her strength8 ,it is easier to preserve what is created1 than to create anew4 ,,iii4 ,but we have been told3 8,take from the ,pope his ,temporal power and the ,church is doomed to destruction4 ,this is the secret of her strength2 strip her of this1 and1 like ,samson shorn of his hair1 she will betray all the weakness of a poor mortal4 ,then this brilliant luminary will wax pale and she will sink below the horizon1 never more to rise again40 ,for more than seven centuries after the establishment of the ,church the ,popes had no sovereign territorial jurisdiction4 ,how could she have outlived that period1 if the temporal power were essential to her perpetuity8 ,and even since #ahgj the ,pope has been deprived of his temporalities4 ,this loss1 however1 does not bring a wrinkle on the fair brow of the ,church1 nor does it retard one inch her onward march4 ,,iv4 ,is she unable to cope with modern inventions and the mechanical progress of the nineteenth century8 ,we are often told so2 but far from hiding our head1 like the ostrich in the sand1 at the approach of these inventions we hail them as messengers of ,god1 and will use them as ,providential instruments for the further propagation of the faith4 ,if we succeeded so well before1 when we had no ships but frail canoes1 no compass but our eyes2 when we had no roads but eternal snows1 virgin forests and trackless deserts2 when we had no guide save faith1 and hope1 and ,god--if even then we succeeded so well in carrying the ,gospel to the confines of the earth1 how much more can we do now by the aid of telegraph1 steamships and railroads8 ,yes1 ,o men of genius1 we bless your inventions2 we bless you1 ye modern discoveries2 and we will impress you into the service of the ,church and say3 8,fire and heat bless the ,lord4 ,lightnings and clouds bless the ,lord2 all ye works of the ,lord bless the ,lord2 praise and exalt him above all forever407#aji7 ,the utility of modern inventions to the ,church has lately been manifested in a conspicuous manner4 ,the ,pope called a council of all the ,bishops of the world4 ,without the aid of steam it would have been almost impossible for them to assemble2 by its aid they were able to meet from the uttermost bounds of the earth4 ,v4 ,but may not the light of the ,church grow pale and be extinguished before the intellectual blaze of the nineteenth century8 ,has she not much to fear from literature1 the arts and sciences8 ,she has always been the ,patroness of literature1 and the fostering ,mother of the arts and sciences4 ,she founded and endowed nearly all the great universities of ,europe4 ,not to mention those of the continent1 a bare catalogue of which would cover a large space1 ,i may allude to the ,universities of ,oxford and ,cambridge1 the two most famous seats of learning in ,england1 which were established under ,catholic auspices centuries before the ,reformation4 ,the ,church also founded three of the four universities now existing in ,scotland1 viz3 ,st4 ,andrew's in #adaa1 ,glasgow in #adej and ,aberdeen in #adid4 ,without her we should be deprived to-day of the priceless treasures of ancient literature2 for1 in preserving the languages of ,greece and ,rome from destruction1 she rescued classical writers of those countries from oblivion4 ,hallam justly observes that1 were it not for the diligent labors of the monks in the ,middle ,ages1 our knowledge of the history of ancient ,greece and ,rome would be as vague today as our information regarding the ,pyramids of ,egypt4 ,and as for works of art1 there are more valuable monuments of art contained in the single museum of the ,vatican than are to be found in all our country4 ,artists are obliged to go to ,rome to consult their best models4 ,our churches are not only temples of worship1 but depositories of sacred art4 ,for our intellectual progress we are in no small measure indebted to the much-abused ,middle ,ages4 ,tyndall has the candor to observe that 8,the nineteenth century strikes its roots into the centuries gone by and draws nutriment from them407#aaj7 ,,vi4 ,is it liberty that will destroy the ,church8 ,the ,church breathes freely and expands with giant growth1 where true liberty is found4 ,she is always cramped in her operations wherever despotism casts its dark shadow4 ,nowhere does she enjoy more independence than here2 nowhere is she more vigorous and more prosperous4 ,children of the ,church1 fear nothing1 happen what will to her4 ,christ is with her and therefore she cannot sink4 ,csar1 in crossing the ,adriatic1 said to the troubled oarsman3 8,quid times8 ,csarem vehis40 ,what ,csar said in presumption ,jesus says with truth3 ,what fearest thou8 ,christ is in the ship4 ,are we not positive that the sun will rise tomorrow and next day1 and so on to the end of the world8 ,why8 ,because ,god so ordained when ,he established it in the heavens2 and because it has never failed to run its course from the beginning4 ,has not ,christ promised that the ,church should always enlighten the world8 ,has ,he not1 so far1 fulfilled ,his promise concerning ,his ,church8 ,has she not gone steadily on her course amid storm and sunshine8 ,the fulfilment of the past is the best security for the future4 ,amid the continual changes in human institutions she is the one ,institution that never changes4 ,amid the universal ruins of earthly monuments she is the one monument that stands proudly pre-eminent4 ,not a stone in this building falls to the ground4 ,amid the general destruction of kingdoms her kingdom is never destroyed4 ,ever ancient and ever new1 time writes no wrinkles on her ,divine brow4 ,the ,church has seen the birth of every government of ,europe1 and it is not at all improbable that she shall also witness the death of them all and chant their requiem4 ,she was more than fourteen hundred years old when ,columbus discovered our continent1 and the foundation of our ,republic is but as yesterday to her4 ,she calmly looked on while the ,goths and the ,visigoths1 the ,huns and the ,saxons swept like a torrent over ,europe1 subverting dynasties4 ,she has seen monarchies changed into republics1 and republics consolidated into empires--all this has she witnessed1 while her own ,divine ,constitution has remained unaltered4 ,of ,her we can truly say in the words of the ,psalmist3 8,they shall perish1 but thou remainest2 and all of them shall grow old as a garment4 ,and as a vesture ,thou shalt change them1 and they shall be changed4 ,but thou art always the self-same1 and thy years shalt not fail4 ,the children of thy servants shall continue1 and their seed shall be directed forever407#aaa7 ,god forbid that we should ascribe to any human cause this marvellous survival of the ,church4 ,her indestructibility is not due1 as some suppose1 to her wonderful organization1 or to the far-reaching policy of her ,pontiffs1 or to the learning and wisdom of her teachers4 ,if she has survived1 it is not because of human wisdom1 but often in spite of human folly4 ,her permanence is due not to the arm of the flesh1 but to the finger of ,god4 ,in the brightest days of the ,republic of ,pagan ,rome the ,roman said with pride3 8,i am a ,roman citizen40 ,this was his noblest title4 ,he was proud of the ,republic1 because it was venerable in years1 powerful in the number of its citizens1 and distinguished for the wisdom of its statesmen4 ,what a subject of greater glory to be a citizen of the ,republic of the ,church which has lasted for nineteen centuries1 and will continue till time shall be no more2 which counts her millions of children in every clime2 which numbers her heroes and her martyrs by the thousand2 which associates you with the ,apostles and ,saints4 8,you are no more strangers and foreigners1 but you are fellow-citizens with the ,saints and the domestics of ,god1 built upon the foundation of the ,prophets and ,apostles1 ,jesus ,christ ,himself being the chief cornerstone407#aab7 ,though separated from earthly relatives and parents1 you need never be separated from her4 ,she is ever with us to comfort us4 ,she says to us what her ,divine ,spouse said to ,his ,apostles3 8,behold1 ,i am with you all days1 even to the consummation of the world407#aac7 ,chapter ,,vii4 ,,infallible ,,authority ,,of ,,the ,,church4 ,the ,church has authority from ,god to teach regarding faith and morals1 and in her teaching she is preserved from error by the special guidance of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the prerogative of infallibility is clearly deduced from the attributes of the ,church already mentioned4 ,the ,church is ,one1 ,holy1 ,catholic1 and ,apostolic4 ,preaching the same creed everywhere and at all times2 teaching holiness and truth1 she is1 of course1 essentially unerring in her doctrine2 for what is one1 holy or unchangeable must be infallibly true4 ,that the ,church was infallible in the ,apostolic age is denied by no ,christian4 ,we never question the truth of the ,apostles' declarations27#aad7 they were1 in fact1 the only authority in the ,church for the first century4 ,the ,new ,testament was not completed till the close of the first century4 ,there is no just ground for denying to the ,apostolic teachers of the nineteenth century in which we live a prerogative clearly possessed by those of the first1 especially as the ,divine ,word nowhere intimates that this unerring guidance was to die with the ,apostles4 ,on the contrary1 as the ,apostles transmitted to their successors their power to preach1 to baptize1 to ordain1 to confirm1 etc41 they must also have handed down to them the no less essential gift of infallibility4 ,god loves us as much as ,he loved the primitive ,christians2 ,christ died for us as well as for them and we have as much need of unerring teachers as they had4 ,it will not suffice to tell me3 8,we have an infallible ,scripture as a substitute for an infallible apostolate of the first century10 for an infallible book is of no use to me without an infallible interpreter1 as the history of ,protestantism too clearly demonstrates4 ,but besides these presumptive arguments1 we have positive evidence from ,scripture that the ,church cannot err in her teachings4 ,our blessed ,lord1 in constituting ,st4 ,peter ,prince of ,his ,apostles1 says to him3 8,thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock ,i will build ,my ,church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it407#aae7 ,christ makes here a solemn prediction that no error shall ever invade ,his ,church1 and if she fell into error the gates of hell have certainly prevailed against her4 ,the ,reformers of the sixteenth century affirm that the ,church did fall into error2 that the gates of hell did prevail against her2 that from the sixth to the sixteenth century she was a sink of iniquity4 ,the ,book of ,homilies of the ,church of ,england says that the ,church 8lay buried in damnable idolatry for eight hundred years or more40 ,the personal veracity of our ,savior and of the ,reformers is here at issue1 for our ,lord makes a statement which they contradict4 ,who is to be believed1 ,jesus or the ,reformers8 ,if the prediction of our ,savior about the preservation of ,his ,church from error be false1 then ,jesus ,christ is not ,god1 since ,god cannot lie4 ,he is not even a prophet1 since ,he predicted falsehood4 ,nay1 ,he is an impostor1 and all ,christianity is a miserable failure and a huge deception1 since it rests on a false ,prophet4 ,but if ,jesus predicted the truth when ,he declared that the gates of hell should not prevail against ,his ,church--and who dare deny it8--then the ,church never has and never could have fallen from the truth2 then the ,catholic ,church is infallible1 for she alone claims that prerogative1 and she is the only ,church that is acknowledged to have existed from the beginning4 ,truly is ,jesus that wise ,architect mentioned in the ,gospel1 8who built his house upon a rock2 and the rain fell1 and the floods came1 and the winds blew1 and they beat upon that house1 and it fell not1 for it was founded upon a rock407#aaf7 ,jesus sends forth the ,apostles with plenipotentiary powers to preach the ,gospel4 8,as the ,father10 ,he says1 8hath sent ,me1 ,i also send you407#aag7 8,going therefore1 teach all nations1 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you407#aah7 8,preach the ,gospel to every creature407#aai7 8,ye shall be witnesses unto ,me in ,jerusalem1 and in all ,judea1 and ,samaria1 and even to the uttermost part of the earth407#abj7 ,this commission evidently applies not to the ,apostles only1 but also to their successors1 to the end of time1 since it was utterly impossible for the ,apostles personally to preach to the whole world4 ,not only does our ,lord empower ,his ,apostles to preach the ,gospel1 but ,he commands1 and under the most severe penalties1 those to whom they preach to listen and obey4 8,whosoever will not receive you1 nor hear your words1 going forth from that house or city1 shake the dust from your feet4 ,amen1 ,i say to you1 it shall be more tolerable for the land of ,sodom and ,gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city407#aba7 8,if he will not hear the ,church1 let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican407#abb7 8,he that believeth shall be saved2 he that believeth not shall be condemned407#abc7 8,he that heareth you heareth ,me2 he that despiseth you despiseth ,me2 and he that despiseth ,me despiseth ,him that sent ,me407#abd7 ,from these passages we see1 on the one hand1 that the ,apostles and their successors have received full powers to announce the ,gospel2 and on the other1 that their hearers are obliged to listen with docility and to obey not merely by an external compliance1 but also by an internal assent of the intellect4 ,if1 therefore1 the ,catholic ,church could preach error1 would not ,god ,himself be responsible for the error8 ,and could not the faithful soul say to ,god with all reverence and truth3 ,thou hast commanded me1 ,o ,lord1 to hear ,thy ,church2 if ,i am deceived by obeying her1 ,thou art the cause of my error8 ,but we may rest assured that an all-wise ,providence who commands ,his ,church to speak in ,his name will so guide her in the path of truth that she shall never lead into error those that follow her teachings4 ,but as this privilege of ,infallibility was a very extraordinary favor1 our ,savior confers it on the rulers of ,his ,church in language which removes all doubt from the sincere inquirer1 and under circumstances which add to the majesty of ,his word4 ,shortly before ,his death ,jesus consoles ,his disciples by this promise3 8,i will ask the ,father1 and ,he shall give you another ,paraclete1 that ,he may abide with you forever4444 ,but when ,he1 the ,spirit of truth1 shall come1 ,he will teach you all truth407#abe7 ,the following text of the same import forms the concluding words recorded of our ,savior in ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel3 8,all power is given to ,me in heaven and on earth4 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 444 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4 ,and behold ,i am with you all days1 even to the consummation of the world407#abf7 ,he begins by asserting ,his own ,divine authority and mission4 8,all power is given10 etc4 ,that power ,he then delegates to ,his ,apostles and to their successors3 8,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations10 etc4 ,he does not instruct them to scatter ,bibles broadcast over the earth1 but to teach by word of mouth4 8,and behold60 ,our ,savior never arrests the attention of ,his hearers by using the interjection1 behold1 unless when ,he has something unusually solemn and extraordinary to communicate4 ,an important announcement is sure to follow this word4 8,behold1 ,i am with you40 ,these words1 8,i am with you10 are frequently addressed in ,sacred ,scripture by the ,almighty to ,his ,prophets and ,patriarchs1 and they always imply a special presence and a particular supervision of the ,deity47#abg7 ,they convey the same meaning in the present instance4 ,christ says equivalently ,i who 8am the way1 the truth and the life10 will protect you from error and will guide you in your speech4 ,i will be with you1 not merely during your natural lives1 not for a century only1 but all days1 at all times1 without intermission1 even to the end of the world4 ,these words of ,jesus ,christ establish two important facts3 ,first--,a promise to guard ,his ,church from error4 ,second--,a promise that ,his presence with the ,church will be continuous1 without any interval of absence1 to the consummation of the world4 ,and this is also the sentiment of the ,apostle of the ,gentiles writing to the ,ephesians3 ,god 8gave some indeed ,apostles1 and some ,prophets1 and some ,evangelists1 and others ,pastors and ,teachers1 for the perfecting of the ,saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the building up of the body of ,christ1 until we all meet in the unity of faith1 444 that we may no more be children1 tossed to and fro1 and carried about with every wind of doctrine1 by the wickedness of men1 in craft1 by which they lie in wait to deceive407#abh7 ,notwithstanding these plain declarations of ,scripture1 some persons think it an unwarrantable assumption for the ,church to claim infallibility4 ,but mark the consequences that follow from denying it4 ,if your church is not infallible it is liable to err1 for there is no medium between infallibility and liability to error4 ,if your church and her ministers are fallible in their doctrinal teachings1 as they admit1 they may be preaching falsehood to you1 instead of truth4 ,if so1 you are in doubt whether you are listening to truth or falsehood4 ,if you are in doubt you can have no faith1 for faith excludes doubt1 and in that state you displease ,god1 for 8without faith it is impossible to please ,god407#abi7 ,faith and infallibility must go hand in hand4 ,the one cannot exist without the other4 ,there can be no faith in the hearer unless there is unerring authority in the speaker--an authority founded upon such certain knowledge as precludes the possibility of falling into error on his part1 and including such unquestioned veracity as to prevent his deceiving him who accepts his word4 ,you admit infallible certainty in the physical sciences2 why should you deny it in the science of salvation8 ,the astronomer can predict with accuracy a hundred years beforehand an eclipse of the sun or moon4 ,he can tell what point in the heavens a planet will reach on a given day4 ,the mariner1 guided by his compass1 knows1 amid the raging storm and the darkness of the night1 that he is steering his course directly to the city of his destination2 and is not an infallible guide as necessary to conduct you to the city of ,god in heaven8 ,is it not1 moreover1 a blessing and a consolation that1 amid the ever-changing views of men1 amid the conflict of human opinion and the tumultuous waves of human passion1 there is one voice heard above the din and uproar1 crying in clear1 unerring tones3 8,thus saith the ,lord80 ,it is very strange that the ,catholic ,church must apologize to the world for simply declaring that she speaks the truth1 the whole truth1 and nothing but the truth4 ,the ,roman ,pantheon was dedicated to all the gods of the ,empire1 and their name was legion4 ,formidable also in numbers are the ,founders of the religious sects existing in our country4 ,a ,pantheon as vast as ,westminster ,abbey would hardly be spacious enough to contain life-sized statues for their accommodation4 ,if you were to confront those figures1 and to ask them1 one by one1 to give an account of the faith they had professed1 and if they were endowed with the gift of speech1 you would find that no two of them were in entire accord1 but that they all differed among themselves on some fundamental principle of revelation4 ,would you not be acting very unwisely and be hazarding your soul's salvation in submitting to the teachings of so many discordant and conflicting oracles4 ,children of the ,catholic ,church1 give thanks to ,god that you are members of that ,communion1 which proclaims year after year the one same and unalterable message of truth1 peace and love1 and that you are preserved from all errors in faith1 and from all illusion in the practice of virtue4 ,you are happily strangers to those interior conflicts1 to those perplexing doubts and to that frightful uncertainty which distracts the souls of those whose private judgment is their only guide1 who are 8ever learning and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth407#acj7 ,you are not1 like others1 drifting helplessly over the ocean of uncertainty and 8carried about by every wind of doctrine40 ,you are not as 8blind men led by blind guides40 ,you are not like those who are in the midst of a spiritual desert intersected by various by-paths1 not knowing which to pursue2 but you are on that high road spoken of by the prophet ,isaiah1 which is so 8straight a way that fools shall not err therein407#aca7 ,you are a part of that universal ,communion which has no 8,high ,church0 and 8,low ,church20 no 8,new ,school0 and 8,old ,school10 for you all belong to that ,school which is 8ever ancient and ever new40 ,you enjoy that profound peace and tranquillity which springs from the conscious possession of the whole truth4 ,well may you exclaim3 8,behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity407#acb7 ,give thanks1 moreover1 to ,god that you belong to a ,church which has also a keen sense to detect and expose those moral shams1 those pious frauds1 those socialistic schemes which are so often undertaken in this country ostensibly in the name of religion and morality1 but which1 in reality1 are subversive of morality and order1 which are the offspring of fanaticism1 and serve as a mask to hide the most debasing passions4 ,neither ,mormons nor ,millerites1 nor the advocates of free love or of women's rights1 so called1 find any recruits in the ,catholic ,church4 ,she will never suffer her children to be ensnared by these impostures1 how specious soever they may be4 ,from what has been said in the preceding pages1 it follows that the ,catholic ,church cannot be reformed4 ,i do not mean1 of course1 that the ,pastors of the ,church are personally impeccable or not subject to sin4 ,every teacher in the ,church1 from the ,pope down to the humblest ,priest1 is liable at any moment1 like any of the faithful1 to fall from grace and to stand in need of moral reformation4 ,we all carry 8this treasure 7of innocence7 in earthen vessels40 ,my meaning is that the ,church is not susceptible of being reformed in her doctrines4 ,the ,church is the work of an ,incarnate ,god4 ,like all ,god's works1 it is perfect4 ,it is1 therefore1 incapable of reform4 ,is it not the height of presumption for men to attempt to improve upon the work of ,god8 ,is it not ridiculous for the ,luthers1 the ,calvins1 the ,knoxes and the ,henries and a thousand lesser lights to be offering their amendments to the ,constitution of the ,church1 as if it were a human ,institution8 ,our ,lord ,himself has never ceased to rule personally over ,his ,church4 ,it is time enough for little men to take charge of the ,ship when the great ,captain abandons the helm4 ,a ,protestant gentleman of very liberal education remarked to me1 before the opening of the late ,ecumenical ,council3 8,i am assured1 sir1 by a friend1 in confidence1 that1 at a secret ,conclave of ,bishops recently held in ,rome it was resolved that the ,dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception would be reconsidered and abolished at the approaching ,general ,council2 in fact1 that the definition was a mistake1 and that the blunder of #ahed would be repaired in #ahfi40 ,i told him1 of course1 that no such question could be entertained in the ,council2 that the doctrinal decrees of the ,church were irrevocable1 and that the dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception was defined once and forever4 ,if only one instance could be given in which the ,church ceased to teach a doctrine of faith which had been previously held1 that single instance would be the death blow of her claim to infallibility4 ,but it is a marvelous fact worthy of record that in the whole history of the ,church1 from the nineteenth century to the first1 no solitary example can be adduced to show that any ,pope or ,general ,council ever revoked a decree of faith or morals enacted by any preceding ,pontiff or ,council4 ,her record in the past ought to be a sufficient warrant that she will tolerate no doctrinal variations in the future4 ,if1 as we have seen1 the ,church has authority from ,god to teach1 and if she teaches nothing but the truth1 is it not the duty of all ,christians to hear her voice and obey her commands8 ,she is the organ of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,she is the ,representative of ,jesus ,christ1 who has said to her3 8,he that heareth you heareth ,me2 he that despiseth you despiseth ,me40 ,she is the ,mistress of truth4 ,it is the property of the human mind to embrace truth wherever it finds it4 ,it would1 therefore1 be not only an act of irreverence1 but of sheer folly1 to disobey the voice of this ever-truthful ,mother4 ,if a citizen is bound to obey the laws of his country1 though these laws may not in all respects be conformable to strict justice2 if a child is bound by natural and divine law to obey his mother1 though she may sometimes err in her judgments1 how much more strictly are not we obliged to be docile to the teachings of the ,catholic ,church1 our ,mother1 whose admonitions are always just1 whose precepts are immutable6 8,for twenty years10 observed a recently converted ,minister of the ,protestant ,church1 8,i fought and struggled against the ,church with all the energy of my will4 ,but when ,i became a ,catholic all my doubts ended1 my inquiries ceased4 ,i became as a little child1 and rushed like a lisping babe into the arms of my mother40 ,by ,baptism ,christians become children of the ,church1 no matter who pours upon them the regenerating waters4 ,if she is our ,mother1 where is our love and obedience8 ,when the infant seeks nourishment at its mother's breast it does not analyze its food4 ,when it receives instructions from its mother's lips it never doubts1 but instinctively believes4 ,when the mother stretches forth her hand the child follows unhesitatingly4 ,the ,christian should have for his spiritual ,mother all the simplicity1 all the credulity1 ,i might say1 of a child1 guided by the instincts of faith4 8,unless ye become10 says our ,lord1 8as little children1 ye shall not enter into the ,kingdom of ,heaven407#acc7 8,as new-born babes1 desire the rational milk without guile2 that thereby you may grow unto salvation407#acd7 ,in her nourishment there is no poison2 in her doctrines there is no guile4 ,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,church ,,and ,,the ,,bible4 ,the ,church1 as we have just seen1 is the only ,divinely constituted teacher of ,revelation4 ,now1 the ,scripture is the great depository of the ,word of ,god4 ,therefore1 the ,church is the divinely appointed ,custodian and ,interpreter of the ,bible4 ,for1 her office of infallible ,guide were superfluous if each individual could interpret the ,bible for himself4 ,that ,god never intended the ,bible to be the ,christian's rule of faith1 independently of the living authority of the ,church1 will be the subject of this chapter4 ,no nation ever had a greater veneration for the ,bible than the ,jewish people4 ,the ,holy ,scripture was their pride and their glory4 ,it was their national song in time of peace2 it was their meditation and solace in time of tribulation and exile4 ,and yet the ,jews never dreamed of settling their religious controversies by a private appeal to the ,word of ,god4 ,whenever any religious dispute arose among the people it was decided by the ,high ,priest and the ,sanhedrim1 which was a council consisting of seventy-two civil and ecclesiastical judges4 ,the sentence of the ,high ,priest and of his associate judges was to be obeyed under penalty of death4 8,if thou perceive10 says the ,book of ,deuteronomy1 8that there be among you a hard and doubtful matter in judgment1 444 thou shalt come to the ,priests of the ,levitical race and to the judge1 444 and they shall show thee the truth of the judgment4444 ,and thou shalt follow their sentence2 neither shalt thou decline to the right hand1 nor to the left4444 ,but he that will 444 refuse to obey the commandment of the ,priest1 444 that man shall die1 and thou shalt take away the evil from ,israel407#ace7 ,from this clear sentence you perceive that ,god does not refer the ,jews for the settlement of their controversies to the letter of the law1 but to the living authority of the ecclesiastical tribunal which ,he had expressly established for that purpose4 ,hence1 the ,priests were required to be intimately acquainted with the ,sacred ,scripture1 because they were the depositaries of ,god's law1 and were its expounders to the people4 8,the lips of the ,priest shall keep knowledge1 and they 7the people7 shall seek the law at his mouth1 because he is the angel 7or messenger7 of the ,lord of hosts407#acf7 ,and1 in fact1 very few of the children of ,israel1 except the ,priests1 were in possession of the ,divine ,books4 ,the holy manuscript was rare and precious4 ,and what provision did ,god make that all the people might have an opportunity of hearing the ,scriptures8 ,did ,he command the sacred volume to be multiplied8 ,no2 but ,he ordered the ,priests and the ,levites to be distributed through the different tribes1 that they might always be at hand to instruct the people in the knowledge of the law4 ,the ,jews were even forbidden to read certain portions of the ,scripture till they had reached the age of thirty years4 ,does our ,savior reverse this state of things when ,he comes on earth8 ,does ,he tell the ,jews to be their own guides in the study of the ,scriptures8 ,by no means2 but ,he commands them to obey their constituted teachers1 no matter how disedifying might be their private lives4 8,then said ,jesus to the multitudes and to ,his disciples3 ,the ,scribes and ,pharisees sit upon the chair of ,moses4 ,all things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you1 observe and do407#acg7 ,it is true our ,lord said on one occasion 8,search the ,scriptures1 for you think in them to have life everlasting1 and the same are they that give testimony to ,me407#ach7 ,this passage is triumphantly quoted as an argument in favor of private interpretation4 ,but it proves nothing of the kind4 ,many learned commentators1 ancient and modern1 express the verb in the indicative mood3 8,ye search the ,scriptures40 ,at all events1 our ,savior speaks here only of the ,old ,testament because the ,new ,testament was not yet written4 ,he addresses not the multitude1 but the ,pharisees1 who were the teachers of the law1 and reproaches them for not admitting ,his ,divinity4 8,you have10 ,he says1 8the ,scriptures in your hands2 why then do you not recognize ,me as the ,messiah1 since they give testimony that ,i am the ,son of ,god80 ,he refers them to the ,scriptures for a proof of ,his ,divinity1 not as to a source from which they were to derive all knowledge in regard to the truths of revelation4 ,besides1 ,he did not rest the proof of ,his ,divinity upon the sole testimony of ,scripture4 ,for ,he showed it ,first--,by the testimony of ,john the ,baptist 7v4 #cc71 who had said1 8,behold the ,lamb of ,god2 behold ,him who taketh away the sins of the world40 ,see also ,john i4 #cd4 ,second--,by the miracles which ,he wrought 7v4 #cf74 ,third--,by the testimony of the ,father 7v4 #cg71 when ,he said3 8,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased2 hear ye ,him40 ,matt4 iii4 #af2 ,luke ix4 #ce4 ,fourth--,by the ,scriptures of the ,old ,testament2 as if ,he were to say1 8,if you are unwilling to receive these three proofs1 though they are most cogent1 at least you cannot reject the testimony of the ,scriptures1 of which you boast so much40 ,finally1 in this very passage our ,lord is explaining the sense of ,holy ,writ2 therefore1 its true meaning is not left to the private interpretation of every chance reader4 ,it is1 therefore1 a grave perversion of the sacred text to adduce these words in vindication of private interpretation of the ,scriptures4 ,but when our ,redeemer abolished the ,old ,law and established ,his ,church1 did ,he intend that ,his ,gospel should be disseminated by the circulation of the ,bible1 or by the living voice of ,his disciples8 ,this is a vital question4 ,i answer most emphatically1 that it was by preaching alone that ,he intended to convert the nations1 and by preaching alone they were converted4 ,no nation has ever yet been converted by the agency of ,bible ,associations4 ,jesus ,himself never wrote a line of ,scripture4 ,he never once commanded ,his ,apostles to write a word17#aci7 or even to circulate the ,scriptures already existing4 ,when ,he sends them on their ,apostolic errand1 ,he says3 8,go teach all nations407#adj7 8,preach the ,gospel to every creature407#ada7 8,he that heareth you heareth ,me407#adb7 ,and we find the ,apostles acting in strict accordance with these instructions4 ,of the twelve ,apostles1 the seventy-two disciples1 and early followers of our ,lord only eight have left us any of their sacred writings4 ,and the ,gospels and ,epistles were addressed to particular persons or particular churches4 ,they were written on the occasion of some emergency1 just as ,bishops issue ,pastoral letters to correct abuses which may spring up in the ,church1 or to lay down some rules of conduct for the faithful4 ,the ,apostles are never reported to have circulated a single volume of the ,holy ,scripture1 but 8they going forth1 preached everywhere1 the ,lord co-operating with them407#adc7 ,thus we see that in the ,old and the ,new ,dispensation the people were to be guided by a living authority1 and not by their private interpretation of the ,scriptures4 ,indeed1 until the religious revolution of the sixteenth century1 it was a thing unheard of from the beginning of the world1 that people should be governed by the dead letter of the law either in civil or ecclesiastical affairs4 ,how are your civil affairs regulated in this ,state1 for instance8 ,certainly not in accordance with your personal interpretation of the laws of ,virginia1 but in accordance with decisions which are rendered by the constituted judges of the ,state4 ,now what the civil code is to the citizen1 the ,scripture is to the ,christian4 ,the ,word of ,god1 as well as the civil law1 must have an interpreter1 by whose decision we are obliged to abide4 ,we often hear the shibboleth3 8,the ,bible1 and the ,bible only1 must be your guide40 ,why1 then1 do you go to the useless expense of building fine churches and ,sabbath-schools8 ,what is the use of your preaching sermons and catechizing the young1 if the ,bible at home is a sufficient guide for your people8 ,the fact is1 you reverend gentlemen contradict in practice what you so vehemently advance in theory4 ,do not tell me that the ,bible is all-sufficient2 or1 if you believe it is self-sufficient1 cease your instructions4 ,stand not between the people and the ,scriptures4 ,i will address myself now in a friendly spirit to a non-,catholic1 and will proceed to show him that he cannot consistently accept the silent ,book of ,scripture as his sufficient guide4 ,a copy of the sacred volume is handed to you by your minister1 who says3 8,take this book2 you will find it all-sufficient for your salvation40 ,but here a serious difficulty awaits you at the very threshold of your investigations4 ,what assurance have you that the book he hands you is the inspired ,word of ,god2 for every part of the ,bible is far from possessing intrinsic evidences of inspiration8 ,it may1 for ought you know1 contain more than the ,word of ,god1 or it may not contain all the ,word of ,god4 ,we must not suppose that the ,bible was always1 as it is now1 a compact book1 bound in a neat form4 ,it was for several centuries in scattered fragments1 spread over different parts of ,christendom4 ,meanwhile1 many spurious books1 under the name of ,scripture1 were circulated among the faithful4 ,there was1 for instance1 the spurious ,gospel of ,st4 ,peter2 there was also the ,gospel of ,st4 ,james and of ,st4 ,matthias4 ,the ,catholic ,church1 in the plenitude of her authority1 in the third ,council of ,carthage1 7,a4 ,d4 #cig17 separated the chaff from the wheat1 and declared what ,books were ,canonical1 and what were apocryphal4 ,even to this day the ,christian sects do not agree among themselves as to what books are to be accepted as genuine4 ,some ,christians of continental ,europe do not recognize the ,gospels of ,st4 ,mark and ,st4 ,luke because these ,evangelists were not among the ,apostles4 ,luther used to call the ,epistle of ,st4 ,james a letter of straw4 ,but even when you are assured that the ,bible contains the ,word of ,god1 and nothing but the ,word of ,god1 how do you know that the translation is faithful8 ,the ,books of ,scripture were originally written in ,hebrew and ,greek1 and you have only the translation4 ,before you are certain that the translation is faithful you must study the ,hebrew and ,greek languages1 and then compare the translation with the original4 ,how few are capable of this gigantic undertaking6 ,indeed1 when you accept the ,bible as the ,word of ,god1 you are obliged to receive it on the authority of the ,catholic ,church1 who was the sole ,guardian of the ,scriptures for fifteen hundred years4 ,but after having ascertained to your satisfaction that the translation is faithful1 still the ,scriptures can never serve as a complete ,rule of ,faith and a complete guide to heaven independently of an authorized1 living interpreter4 ,a competent guide1 such as our ,lord intended for us1 must have three characteristics4 ,it must be within the reach of everyone2 it must be clear and intelligible2 it must be able to satisfy us on all questions relating to faith and morals4 ,first--,a complete guide of salvation must be within the reach of every inquirer after truth2 for1 ,god 8wishes all men to be saved1 and to come to the knowledge of the truth207#add7 and therefore ,he must have placed within the reach of everyone the means of arriving at the truth4 ,now1 it is clear that the ,scriptures could not at any period have been accessible to everyone4 ,they could not have been accessible to the primitive ,christians1 because they were not all written for a long time after the establishment of ,christianity4 ,the ,christian religion was founded in the year #cc4 ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel1 the first part of the ,new ,testament ever written1 did not appear till eight years after4 ,the ,church was established about twenty years when ,st4 ,luke wrote his ,gospel4 ,and ,st4 ,john's ,gospel did not come to light till toward the end of the first century4 ,for many years after the ,gospels and ,epistles were written the knowledge of them was confined to the churches to which they were addressed4 ,it was not till the close of the fourth century that the ,church framed her ,canon of ,scripture and declared the ,bible1 as we now possess it1 to be the genuine ,word of ,god4 ,and this was the golden age of ,christianity6 ,the most perfect ,christians lived and died and went to heaven before the most important parts of the ,scriptures were written4 ,and what would have become of them if the ,bible alone had been their guide8 ,the art of printing was not invented till the fifteenth century 7#addj74 ,how utterly impossible it was to supply everyone with a copy of the ,scriptures from the fourth to the fifteenth century6 ,during that long period ,bibles had to be copied with the pen4 ,there were but a few hundred of them in the ,christian world1 and these were in the hands of the clergy and the learned4 8,according to the ,protestant system1 the art of printing would have been much more necessary to the ,apostles than the gift of tongues4 ,it was well for ,luther that he did not come into the world until a century after the immortal invention of ,guttenberg4 ,a hundred years earlier his idea of directing two hundred and fifty million men to read the ,bible would have been received with shouts of laughter1 and would inevitably have caused his removal from the pulpit of ,wittenberg to a hospital for the insane407#ade7 ,and even at the present day1 with all the aid of steam printing presses1 with all the ,bible ,associations extending through this country and ,england1 and supported at enormous expense1 it taxes all their energies to supply every missionary country with ,bibles printed in the languages of the tribes and peoples for whom they are intended4 ,but even if the ,bible were at all times accessible to everyone1 how many millions exist in every age and country1 not excepting our own age of boasted enlightenment1 who are not accessible to the ,bible because they are incapable of reading the ,word of ,god6 ,hence1 the doctrine of private interpretation would render many men's salvation not only difficult1 but impossible4 ,second--,a competent religious guide must be clear and intelligible to all1 so that everyone may fully understand the true meaning of the instructions it contains4 ,is the ,bible a book intelligible to all8 ,far from it2 it is full of obscurities and difficulties not only for the illiterate1 but even for the learned4 ,st4 ,peter himself informs us that in the ,epistles of ,st4 ,paul there are 8certain things hard to be understood1 which the unlearned and the unstable wrest1 as they do also the other ,scriptures1 to their own destruction407#adf7 ,and consequently he tells us elsewhere 8that no prophecy of ,scripture is made by private interpretation407#adg7 ,we read in the ,acts of the ,apostles that a certain man was riding in his chariot1 reading the ,book of ,isaiah1 and being asked by ,st4 ,philip whether he understood the meaning of the prophecy he replied3 8,how can ,i understand unless some man show me807#adh7 admitting1 by these modest words1 that he did not pretend of himself to interpret the ,scriptures4 ,the ,fathers of the ,church1 though many of them spent their whole lives in the study of the ,scriptures1 are unanimous in pronouncing the ,bible a book full of knotty difficulties4 ,and yet we find in our days pedants1 with a mere smattering of ,biblical knowledge1 who see no obscurity at all in the ,word of ,god1 and who presume to expound it from ,genesis to ,revelation4 8,fools rush in where angels fear to tread40 ,does not the conduct of the ,reformers conclusively show the utter folly of interpreting the ,scriptures by private judgment8 ,as soon as they rejected the oracle of the ,church1 and set up their own private judgment as the highest standard of authority1 they could hardly agree among themselves on the meaning of a single important text4 ,the ,bible became in their hands a complete ,babel4 ,the sons of ,noe attempted in their pride to ascend to heaven by building the tower of ,babel1 and their scheme ended in the confusion and multiplication of tongues4 ,the children of the ,reformation endeavored in their conceit to lead men to heaven by the private interpretation of the ,bible1 and their efforts led to the confusion and the multiplication of religions4 ,let me give you one example out of a thousand4 ,these words of the ,gospel1 8,this is ,my ,body10 were understood only in one sense before the ,reformation4 ,the new lights of the sixteenth century gave no fewer than eighty different meanings to these four simple words1 and since their time the number of interpretations has increased to over a hundred4 ,no one will deny that in our days there exists a vast multitude of sects1 which are daily multiplying4 ,no one will deny7#adi7 that this multiplying of creeds is a crying scandal1 and a great stumbling-block in the way of the conversion of heathen nations4 ,no one can deny that these divisions in the ,christian family are traceable to the assumption of the right of private judgment4 ,every new-fledged divine1 with a superficial education1 imagines that he has received a call from heaven to inaugurate a new religion1 and he is ambitious of handing down his fame to posterity by stamping his name on a new sect4 ,and every one of these champions of modern creeds appeals to the unchanging ,bible in support of his ever-changing doctrines4 ,thus1 one body of ,christians will prove from the ,bible that there is but one ,person in ,god1 while the rest will prove from the same source that a ,trinity of ,persons is a clear article of ,divine ,revelation4 ,one will prove from the ,holy ,book that ,jesus ,christ is not ,god4 ,others will appeal to the same text to attest ,his ,divinity4 ,one denomination will assert on the authority of ,scripture that infant baptism is not necessary for salvation1 while others will hold that it is4 ,some ,christians1 with ,bible in hand1 will teach that there are no sacraments4 ,others will say that there are only two4 ,some will declare that the inspired ,word does not preach the eternity of punishments4 ,others will say that the ,bible distinctly vindicates that dogma4 ,do not clergymen appear every day in the pulpit1 and on the authority of the ,book of ,revelation point out to us with painful accuracy the year and the day on which this world is to come to an end8 ,and when their prophecy fails of execution they coolly put off our destruction to another time4 ,very recently several hundred ,mormon women presented a petition to the government at ,washington protesting against any interference with their abominable polygamy and they insist that their cherished system is sustained by the ,word of ,god4 ,such is the legitimate fruit of private interpretation6 ,our civil government is run not by private judgment1 but by the constituted authorities4 ,no one in his senses would allow our laws to be interpreted1 and war to be declared by sensational journals1 or by any private individuals4 ,why not apply the same principle to the interpretation of the ,bible and the government of the ,church8 ,would it not be extremely hazardous to make a long voyage in a ship in which the officers and crew are fiercely contending among themselves about the manner of explaining the compass and of steering their course8 ,how much more dangerous is it to trust to contending captains in the journey to heaven6 ,nothing short of an infallible authority should satisfy you when it is a question of steering your course to eternity4 ,on this vital point there should be no conflict of opinion among those that guide you4 ,there should be no conjecture4 ,but there must be always someone at the helm whose voice gives assurance amid the fiercest storms that all is well4 ,third--,a rule of faith1 or a competent guide to heaven1 must be able to instruct in all the truths necessary for salvation4 ,now the ,scriptures alone do not contain all the truths which a ,christian is bound to believe1 nor do they explicitly enjoin all the duties which he is obliged to practice4 ,not to mention other examples1 is not every ,christian obliged to sanctify ,sunday and to abstain on that day from unnecessary servile work8 ,is not the observance of this law among the most prominent of our sacred duties8 ,but you may read the ,bible from ,genesis to ,revelation1 and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of ,sunday4 ,the ,scriptures enforce the religious observance of ,saturday1 a day which we never sanctify4 ,the ,catholic ,church correctly teaches that our ,lord and ,his ,apostles inculcated certain important duties of religion which are not recorded by the inspired writers47#aej7 ,for instance1 most ,christians pray to the ,holy ,ghost1 a practice which is nowhere found in the ,bible4 ,we must1 therefore1 conclude that the ,scriptures alone cannot be a sufficient guide and rule of faith because they cannot1 at any time1 be within the reach of every inquirer2 because they are not of themselves clear and intelligible even in matters of the highest importance1 and because they do not contain all the truths necessary for salvation4 ,god forbid that any of my readers should be tempted to conclude from what ,i have said that the ,catholic ,church is opposed to the reading of the ,scriptures1 or that she is the enemy of the ,bible4 ,the ,catholic ,church the enemy of the ,bible6 ,good ,god6 ,what monstrous ingratitude6 ,what base calumny is contained in that assertion6 ,as well might you accuse the ,virgin ,mother of trying to crush the ,infant ,savior at her breast as to accuse the ,church1 our ,mother1 of attempting to crush out of existence the ,word of ,god4 ,as well might you charge the patriotic statesman with attempting to destroy the constitution of his country1 while he strove to protect it from being mutilated by unprincipled demagogues4 ,for fifteen centuries the ,church was the sole guardian and depository of the ,bible1 and if she really feared that sacred ,book1 who was to prevent her1 during that long period1 from tearing it in shreds and scattering it to the winds8 ,she could have thrown it into the sea1 as the unnatural mother would have thrown away her off-spring1 and who would have been the wiser8 ,what has become of those millions of once famous books written in past ages8 ,they have nearly all perished4 ,but amid this wreck of ancient literature1 the ,bible stands almost a solitary monument like the ,pyramids of ,egypt amid the surrounding wastes4 ,that venerable ,volume has survived the wars and revolutions and the barbaric invasions of fifteen centuries4 ,who rescued it from destruction8 ,the ,catholic ,church4 ,without her fostering care the ,new ,testament would probably be as little known today as 8the ,book of the days of the kings of ,israel407#aea7 ,little do we imagine1 in our age of steam printing1 how much labor it cost the ,church to preserve and perpetuate the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,learned monks1 who are now abused in their graves by thoughtless men1 were constantly employed in copying with the pen the ,holy ,bible4 ,when one monk died at his post another took his place1 watching like a faithful sentinel over the treasure of ,god's ,word4 ,let me give you a few plain facts to show the pains which the ,church has taken to perpetuate the ,scriptures4 ,the ,canon of the ,bible1 as we have seen1 was framed in the fourth century4 ,in that same century ,pope ,damasus commanded a new and complete translation of the ,scriptures to be made into the ,latin language1 which was then the living tongue not only of ,rome and ,italy1 but of the civilized world4 ,if the ,popes were afraid that the ,bible should see the light1 this was a singular way of manifesting their fear4 ,the task of preparing a new edition of the ,scriptures was assigned to ,st4 ,jerome1 the most learned ,hebrew scholar of his time4 ,this new translation was disseminated throughout ,christendom1 and on that account was called the ,vulgate1 or popular edition4 ,in the sixth and seventh centuries the modern languages of ,europe began to spring up like so many shoots from the parent ,latin stock4 ,the ,scriptures1 also1 soon found their way into these languages4 ,the ,venerable ,bede1 who lived in ,england in the eighth century1 and whose name is profoundly reverenced in that country1 translated the ,sacred ,scriptures into ,saxon1 which was then the language of ,england4 ,he died while dictating the last verses of ,st4 ,john's ,gospel4 ,thomas ,arundel1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 in a funeral discourse on ,queen ,anne1 consort of ,richard ,,ii41 pronounced in #acid1 praises her for her diligence in reading the four ,gospels4 ,the ,head of the ,church of ,england could not condemn in others what he commended in the queen4 ,sir ,thomas ,more affirms that1 before the days of ,wycliffe1 there was an ,english version of the ,scriptures1 8by good and godly people with devotion and soberness well and reverently read407#aeb7 ,if partial restrictions began to be placed on the circulation of the ,bible in ,england in the fifteenth century1 these restrictions were occasioned by the conduct of ,wycliffe and his followers1 who not only issued a new translation1 on which they engrafted their novelties of doctrine1 but also sought to explain the sacred text in a sense foreign to the received interpretation of tradition4 ,while laboring to diffuse the ,word of ,god it is the duty1 as well as the right of the ,church1 as the guardian of faith1 to see that the faithful are not misled by unsound editions4 ,printing was invented in the fifteenth century1 and almost a hundred years later came the ,reformation4 ,it is often triumphantly said1 and ,i suppose there are some who1 even at the present day1 are ignorant enough to believe the assertion1 that the first edition of the ,bible ever published after the invention of printing was the edition of ,martin ,luther4 ,the fact is1 that before ,luther put his pen to paper1 no fewer than fifty-six editions of the ,scriptures had appeared on the continent of ,europe1 not to speak of those printed in ,great ,britain4 ,of those editions1 twenty-one were published in ,german1 one in ,spanish1 four in ,french1 twenty-one in ,italian1 five in ,flemish and four in ,bohemian4 ,coming down to our own times1 if you open an ,english ,catholic ,bible you will find in the preface a letter of ,pope ,pius ,,vi41 in which he strongly recommends the pious reading of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,a ,pope's letter is the most weighty authority in the ,church4 ,you will also find in ,haydock's ,bible the letters of the ,bishops of the ,united ,states1 in which they express the hope that this splendid edition would have a wide circulation among their flocks4 ,these facts ought1 ,i think1 to convince every candid mind that the ,church1 far from being opposed to the reading of the ,scriptures1 does all she can to encourage their perusal4 ,a gentleman of ,north ,carolina lately informed me that the first time he entered a ,catholic bookstore he was surprised at witnessing on the shelves an imposing array of ,bibles for sale4 ,up to that moment he had believed the unfounded charge that ,catholics were forbidden to read the ,scriptures4 ,he has since embraced the ,catholic faith4 ,and perhaps ,i may be permitted here to record my personal experiences during a long course of study4 ,i speak of myself1 not because my case is exceptional1 but1 on the contrary1 because my example will serve to illustrate the system pursued toward ecclesiastical students in all colleges throughout the ,catholic world in reference to the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,in our course of ,humanities we listened every day to the reading of the ,bible4 ,when we were advanced to the higher branches of ,philosophy and ,theology the study of the ,sacred ,scriptures formed an important part of our education4 ,we read1 besides1 every day a chapter of the ,new ,testament1 not standing or sitting1 but on our knees1 and then reverently kissed the inspired page4 ,we listened at our meals each day to selections from the ,bible1 and we always carried about with us a copy of the ,new ,testament4 ,so familiar1 indeed1 were the students with the sacred ,volume that many of them1 on listening to a few verses1 could tell from what portion of the ,scriptures you were reading4 ,the only dread we were taught to have of the ,scriptures was that of reading them without fear and reverence4 ,and after his ordination every ,priest is obliged in conscience to devote upwards of an hour each day to the perusal of the ,word of ,god4 ,i am not aware that clergymen of other denominations are bound by the same duty4 ,what is good for the clergy must be good1 also1 for the laity4 ,be assured that if you become a ,catholic you will never be forbidden to read the ,bible4 ,it is our earnest wish that every word of the ,gospel may be imprinted on your memory and on your heart4 ,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,primacy ,,of ,,peter4 ,the ,catholic ,church teaches also1 that our ,lord conferred on ,st4 ,peter the first place of honor and jurisdiction in the government of ,his whole ,church1 and that the same spiritual supremacy has always resided in the ,popes1 or ,bishops of ,rome1 as being the successors of ,st4 ,peter4 ,consequently1 to be true followers of ,christ all ,christians1 both among the clergy and the laity1 must be in communion with the ,see of ,rome1 where ,peter rules in the person of his successor4 ,before coming to any direct proofs on this subject ,i may state that1 in the ,old ,law1 the ,high ,priest appointed by ,almighty ,god filled an office analogous to that of ,pope in the ,new ,law4 ,in the ,jewish ,church there were ,priests and ,levites ordained to minister at the altar2 and there was1 also1 a supreme ecclesiastical tribunal1 with the ,high ,priest at its head4 ,all matters of religious controversy were referred to this tribunal and in the last resort to the ,high ,priest1 whose decision was enforced under pain of death4 8,if there be a hard matter in judgment between blood and blood1 cause and cause1 leprosy and leprosy1 444 thou shalt come to the ,priests of the ,levitical race and to the judge1 444 and they shall show thee true judgment4 ,and thou shalt do whatever they say who preside in the place which the ,lord shall choose1 and thou shalt follow their sentence4 ,and thou shalt not decline to the right hand1 or to the left4444 ,but he that 444 will refuse to obey the commandment of the ,priest1 who ministereth at the time1 444 that man shall die1 and thou shalt take away the evil from ,israel407#aec7 ,from this passage it is evident that in the ,hebrew ,church the ,high ,priest had the highest jurisdiction in religious matters4 ,by this means unity of faith and worship was preserved among the people of ,god4 ,now the ,jewish synagogue1 as ,st4 ,paul testifies1 was the type and figure of the ,christian ,church2 for 8all these things happened to them 7the ,jews7 in figure407#aed7 ,we must1 therefore1 find in the ,church of ,christ a spiritual judge1 exercising the same supreme authority as the ,high ,priest wielded in the ,old ,law4 ,for if a supreme ,pontiff was necessary1 in the ,mosaic dispensation1 to maintain purity and uniformity of worship1 the same dignitary is equally necessary now to preserve unity of faith4 ,every well-regulated civil government has an acknowledged head4 ,the ,president is the head of the ,united ,states ,government4 ,queen ,victoria is the ruler of ,great ,britain4 ,the ,sultan sways the ,turkish ,empire4 ,if these nations had no authorized leader to govern them they would be reduced to the condition of a mere mob1 and anarchy1 confusion and civil war would inevitably follow1 as recently happened to ,france after the fall of ,napoleon ,,iii4 ,even in every well-ordered family1 domestic peace requires that someone preside4 ,now1 the ,church of ,christ is a visible society--that is1 a society composed of human beings4 ,she has1 it is true1 a spiritual end in view2 but having to deal with men1 she must have a government as well as every other organized society4 ,this government1 at least in its essential elements1 our ,lord must have established for ,his ,church4 ,for was ,he not as wise as human legislators8 ,and shall we suppose that1 of all lawgivers1 the ,wisdom ,incarnate alone left ,his ,kingdom on earth to be governed without a head8 ,but someone will tell me3 8,we do not deny that the ,church has a head4 ,god himself is its ,ruler40 ,this is evading the real question4 ,is not ,god the ,ruler of all governments8 8,by ,me10 ,he says1 8kings reign1 and lawgivers decree just things407#aee7 ,he is the recognized ,head of our ,republic1 and of every ,christian family in the land2 but1 nevertheless1 there is always presiding over the country a visible chief1 who represents ,god on earth4 ,in like manner the ,church1 besides an invisible ,head in heaven1 must have a visible head on earth4 ,the body and members of the ,church are visible2 why not also the ,head8 ,the ,church without a supreme ,ruler would be like an army without a general1 a navy without an admiral1 a sheep-fold without a shepherd1 or like a human body without a head4 ,the ,christian communities separated from the ,catholic ,church deny that ,peter received any authority over the other ,apostles1 and hence they reject the supremacy of the ,pope4 ,the absence from the ,protestant communions of a ,divinely appointed1 visible ,head is to them an endless source of weakness and dissension4 ,it is an insuperable barrier against any hope of a permanent reunion among themselves1 because they are left without a common rallying centre or basis of union and are placed in an unhappy state of schism4 ,the existence1 on the contrary1 of a supreme judge of controversy in the ,catholic ,church is the secret of her admirable unity4 ,this is the keystone that binds together and strengthens the imperishable arch of faith4 ,from the very fact1 then1 of the existence of a supreme ,head in the ,jewish ,church2 from the fact that a ,head is always necessary for civil government1 for families and corporations2 from the fact1 especially1 that a visible ,head is essential to the maintenance of unity in the ,church1 while the absence of a ,head necessarily leads to anarchy1 we are forced to conclude1 even though positive evidence were wanting1 that1 in the establishment of ,his ,church1 it must have entered into the mind of the ,divine ,lawgiver to place over it a primate invested with superior judicial powers4 ,but have we any positive proof that ,christ did appoint a supreme ,ruler over ,his ,church8 ,to those1 indeed1 who read the ,scriptures with the single eye of pure intention the most abundant evidence of this fact is furnished4 ,to my mind the ,new ,testament establishes no doctrine1 unless it satisfies every candid reader that our ,lord gave plenipotentiary powers to ,peter to govern the whole ,church4 ,in this chapter ,i shall speak of the ,promise1 the ,institution1 and the exercise of ,peter's ,primacy1 as recorded in the ,new ,testament4 ,the next chapter shall be devoted to its perpetuity in the ,popes4 ,promise of the ,primacy4 ,our ,saviour1 on a certain occasion1 asked ,his disciples1 saying3 8,whom do men say that the ,son of ,man is8 ,and they said3 ,some say that ,thou art ,john the ,baptist2 and others1 ,elias2 and others1 ,jeremiah1 or one of the ,prophets4 ,jesus saith to them3 ,but whom do ye say that ,i am80 ,peter1 as usual1 is the leader and spokesman4 8,simon ,peter answering1 said3 ,thou art ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,and ,jesus answering said to him3 ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,bar-,jona3 because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee1 but ,my ,father who is in heaven4 ,and ,i say to thee3 that thou art ,peter1 and upon this rock ,i will build ,my ,church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,and ,i will give to thee the keys of the ,kingdom of ,heaven3 and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven2 and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also heaven407#aef7 ,here we find ,peter confessing the ,divinity of ,christ1 and in reward for that confession he is honored with the promise of the ,primacy4 ,our ,savior1 by the words 8thou art ,peter10 clearly alludes to the new name which ,he ,himself had conferred upon ,simon1 when ,he received him into the number of ,his followers 7,john i4 #db72 and ,he now reveals the reason for the change of name1 which was to insinuate the honor ,he was to confer on him1 by appointing him ,president of the ,christian ,republic2 just as ,god1 in the ,old ,law1 changed ,abram's name to ,abraham1 when ,he chose him to be the father of a mighty nation4 ,the word ,peter1 in the ,syro-,chaldaic tongue1 which our ,savior spoke1 means a rock4 ,the sentence runs thus in that language3 8,thou art a rock1 and on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church40 ,indeed1 all respectable ,protestant commentators have now abandoned1 and even ridicule1 the absurdity of applying the word rock to anyone but to ,peter2 as the sentence can bear no other construction1 unless our ,lord's good grammar and common sense are called in question4 ,jesus1 our ,lord1 founded but one ,church1 which ,he was pleased to build on ,peter4 ,therefore1 any church that does not recognize ,peter as its foundation stone is not the ,church of ,christ1 and therefore cannot stand1 for it is not the work of ,god4 ,this is plain4 ,would to ,god that all would see it aright and with eyes free from prejudice4 ,he continues3 8,and ,i will give to thee the keys of the ,kingdom of ,heaven10 etc4 ,in ancient times1 and particularly among the ,hebrew people1 keys were an emblem of jurisdiction4 ,to affirm that a man had received the keys of a city was equivalent to the assertion that he had been appointed its governor4 ,in the ,book of ,revelation our ,savior says that ,he has 8the keys of death and of hell107#aeg7 which means that ,he is endowed with power over death and hell4 ,in fact1 even to this day does not the presentation of keys convey among ourselves the idea of authority8 ,if the proprietor of a house1 on leaving it for the summer1 says to any friend3 8,here are the keys of my house10 would not this simple declaration1 without a word of explanation1 convey the idea1 8,i give you full control of my house2 you may admit or exclude whom you please2 you represent me in my absence80 ,let us now apply this interpretation to our ,redeemer's words4 ,when ,he says to ,peter3 8,i will give to thee the keys10 etc41 ,he evidently means3 ,i will give the supreme authority over ,my ,church1 which is the citadel of faith1 ,my earthly ,jerusalem4 ,thou and thy successors shall be ,my visible representatives to the end of time4 ,and be it remembered that to ,peter alone1 and to no other ,apostle1 were these solemn words addressed4 ,fulfillment of the ,promise4 ,the promise which our ,redeemer made of creating ,peter the supreme ruler of ,his ,church is fulfilled in the following passage3 8,jesus saith to ,simon ,peter3 ,simon1 son of ,john1 lovest thou ,me more than these8 ,he saith to ,him3 ,yea1 ,lord1 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee4 ,he saith to him3 ,feed ,my lambs4 ,he saith to him again3 ,simon1 son of ,john1 lovest thou ,me8 ,he saith to ,him3 ,yea1 ,lord1 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee4 ,he saith to him3 ,feed ,my lambs4 ,he saith to him the third time3 ,simon1 son of ,john1 lovest thou ,me8 ,peter was grieved because ,he had said to him the third time3 ,lovest thou ,me8 ,and he said to ,him3 ,lord1 ,thou knowest all things4 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee4 ,he said to him3 ,feed ,my sheep407#aeh7 ,these words were addressed by our ,lord to ,peter after ,his resurrection4 ,the whole sheep-fold of ,christ is confided to him1 without any exception or limitation4 ,peter has jurisdiction not only over the lambs--the weak and tender portion of the flock--by which are understood the faithful2 but also over the sheep1 i4e41 the ,pastors themselves1 who hold the same relations to their congregations that the sheep hold to the lambs1 because they bring forth unto ,jesus ,christ1 and nourish the spiritual lambs of the fold4 ,to other ,pastors a certain portion of the flock is assigned2 to ,peter the entire fold2 for1 never did ,jesus say to any other ,apostle or ,bishop what ,he said to ,peter3 ,feed ,my whole flock4 ,candid reader1 do you not profess to be a member of ,christ's flock8 ,yes1 you answer4 ,do you take your spiritual food from ,peter and his successor1 and do you hear the voice of ,peter1 or have you wandered into the fold of strangers who spurn ,peter's voice8 ,ponder well this momentous question4 ,for if ,peter is authorized to feed the lambs of ,christ's flock1 the lambs should hear ,peter's voice4 ,exercise of the ,primacy4 ,in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 which contain almost the only ,scripture narrative that exists of the ,apostles subsequent to our ,lord's ascension1 ,st4 ,peter appears before us1 like ,saul among the tribes1 standing head and shoulders over his brethren by the prominent part he takes in every ministerial duty4 ,the first twelve chapters of the ,acts are devoted to ,peter and to some of the other ,apostles1 the remaining chapters being chiefly occupied with the labors of the ,apostles of the ,gentiles4 ,in that brief historical fragment1 as well as in the ,gospels1 the name of ,peter is everywhere pre-eminent4 ,peter's name always stands first in the list of the ,apostles1 while ,judas ,iscariot is invariably mentioned last47#aei7 ,peter is even called by ,st4 ,matthew the first ,apostle4 ,now ,peter was first neither in age nor in priority of election1 his elder brother ,andrew having been chosen before him4 ,the meaning1 therefore1 of the expression must be that ,peter was first not only in rank and honor1 but also in authority4 ,peter is the first ,apostle who performed a miracle47#afj7 ,he is the first to address the ,jews in ,jerusalem while his ,apostolic brethren stand respectfully around him1 upon which occasion he converts three thousand souls47#afa7 ,peter is the first to make converts from the ,gentile world in the persons of ,cornelius and his friends47#afb7 ,when there is question of electing a successor to ,judas ,peter alone speaks4 ,he points out to the ,apostles and disciples the duty of choosing another to succeed the traitor4 ,the ,apostles silently acquiesce in the instructions of their leader47#afc7 ,in the ,apostolic ,council of ,jerusalem ,peter is the first whose sentiments are recorded4 ,before his discourse 8there was much disputing40 ,but when he had ceased to speak 8all the multitude held their peace407#afd7 ,st4 ,james and the other ,apostles concur in the sentiments of ,peter without a single dissenting voice4 ,st4 ,james is cast into prison by ,herod and afterward beheaded4 ,he was one of the three most favored ,apostles4 ,he was the cousin of our ,lord and brother of ,st4 ,john4 ,he was most dear to the faithful4 ,yet no extraordinary efforts are made by the faithful to rescue him from death4 ,peter is imprisoned about the same time4 ,the whole ,church is aroused4 ,prayers for his deliverance ascend to heaven1 not only from ,jerusalem but also from every ,christian family in the land47#afe7 ,the army of the ,lord can afford to lose a chieftain in the person of ,james1 but it cannot yet spare the commander-in-chief4 ,the enemies of the ,church had hoped that the destruction of the chief shepherd would involve the dispersion of the whole flock2 therefore they redoubled their fury against the ,prince of the ,apostles1 just as her modern enemies concentrate their shafts against the ,pope1 his successor4 ,does not this incident eloquently proclaim ,peter's superior authority8 ,in fact ,peter figures so conspicuously in every page that his ,primacy is not only admissible1 but is forced on the judgment of the impartial reader4 ,what are the principal objections advanced against the ,primacy of ,peter8 ,they are chiefly1 ,i may say exclusively1 confined to the three following3 ,first--,that our ,lord rebuked ,peter4 ,second--,that ,st4 ,paul criticised his conduct on a point not affecting doctrine1 but discipline4 ,the ,apostle of the ,gentiles blames ,st4 ,peter because he withdrew for a time from the society of the ,gentile converts1 for fear of scandalizing the newly-converted ,jews47#aff7 ,third--,that the supremacy of ,peter conflicts with the supreme dominion of ,christ4 ,for my part ,i cannot see how these objections can invalidate the claims of ,peter4 ,was not ,jesus ,peter's superior8 ,may not a superior rebuke his servant without infringing on the servant's prerogatives8 ,and why could not ,st4 ,paul censure the conduct of ,st4 ,peter without questioning that superior's authority8 ,it is not a very uncommon thing for ecclesiastics occupying an inferior position in the ,church to admonish even the ,pope4 ,st4 ,bernard1 though only a monk1 wrote a work in which1 with ,apostolic freedom1 he administers counsel to ,pope ,eugenius ,,iii41 and cautions him against the dangers to which his eminent position exposes him4 ,yet no man had more reverence for any ,pope than ,bernard had for this great ,pontiff4 ,cannot our ,governor animadvert upon the ,president's conduct without impairing the ,president's jurisdiction8 ,nay1 from this very circumstance1 ,i draw a confirming evidence of ,peter's supremacy4 ,st4 ,paul mentions it as a fact worthy of record that he actually withstood ,peter to his face4 ,do you think it would be worth recording if ,paul had rebuked ,james or ,john or ,barnabas8 ,by no means4 ,if one brother rebukes another1 the matter excites no special attention4 ,but if a son rebukes his father1 or if a ,priest rebukes his ,bishop to his face1 we understand why he would consider it a fact worth relating4 ,hence1 when ,st4 ,paul goes to the trouble of telling us that he took exception to ,peter's conduct1 he mentions it as an extraordinary exercise of ,apostolic freedom1 and leaves on our mind the obvious inference that ,peter was his superior4 ,in the very same ,epistle to the ,galatians ,st4 ,paul plainly insinuates ,st4 ,peter's superior rank4 8,i went10 he says1 8to ,jerusalem to see ,peter1 and ,i tarried with him fifteen days407#afg7 ,saints ,chrysostom and ,ambrose tell us that this was not an idle visit of ceremony1 but that the object of ,st4 ,paul in making the journey was to testify his respect and honor for the chief of the ,apostles4 ,st4 ,jerome observes in a humorous vein that 8,paul went not to behold ,peter's eyes1 his cheeks or his countenance1 whether he was thin or stout1 with nose straight or twisted1 covered with hair or bald1 not to observe the outward man1 but to show honor to the first ,apostle40 ,there are others who pretend1 in spite of our ,lord's declaration to the contrary1 that loyalty to ,peter is disloyalty to ,christ1 and that1 by acknowledging ,peter as the rock on which the ,church is built1 we set our ,savior aside4 ,so far from this being the case1 we acknowledge ,jesus ,christ as the 8chief cornerstone10 as well as the ,divine ,architect of the building4 ,the true test of loyalty to ,jesus is not only to worship ,him1 but to venerate even the representatives whom ,he has chosen4 ,will anyone pretend to say that my obedience to the ,governor's appointee is a mark of disrespect to the ,governor himself8 ,i think our ,state ,executive would have little faith in the allegiance of any citizen who would say to him3 8,governor1 ,i honor you personally1 but your official's order ,i shall disregard40 ,st4 ,peter is called the first ,bishop of ,rome because he transferred his see from ,antioch to ,rome1 where he suffered martyrdom with ,st4 ,paul4 ,we are not surprised that modern skepticism1 which rejects the ,divinity of ,christ and denies even the existence of ,god1 should call in question the fact that ,st4 ,peter lived and died in ,rome4 ,the reason commonly alleged for disputing this well-attested event is that the ,acts of the ,apostles make no mention of ,peter's labors and martyrdom in ,rome4 ,for the same reason we might deny that ,st4 ,paul was beheaded in ,rome2 that ,st4 ,john died in ,ephesus1 and that ,st4 ,andrew was crucified4 ,the ,scripture is silent regarding these historical records1 and yet they are denied by no one4 ,the intrinsic evidence of ,st4 ,peter's first ,epistle1 the testimony of his immediate successors in the ministry1 as well as the avowal of eminent ,protestant commentators1 all concur in fixing the ,see of ,peter in ,rome4 8,babylon10 from which ,peter addresses his first ,epistle1 is understood by learned annotators1 ,protestant and ,catholic1 to refer to ,rome--the word ,babylon being symbolical of the corruption then prevailing in the city of the ,csars4 ,clement1 the fourth ,bishop of ,rome1 who is mentioned in terms of praise by ,st4 ,paul2 ,st4 ,ignatius1 ,bishop of ,antioch1 who died in #aje2 ,irenus1 ,origen1 ,st4 ,jerome1 ,eusebius1 the great historian1 and other eminent writers testify to ,st4 ,peter's residence in ,rome1 while no ancient ecclesiastical writer has ever contradicted the statement4 ,john ,calvin1 a witness above suspicion2 ,cave1 an able ,anglican critic2 ,grotius and other distinguished ,protestant writers1 do not hesitate to re-echo the unanimous voice of ,catholic tradition4 ,indeed1 no historical fact will escape the shafts of incredulity1 if ,st4 ,peter's residence and glorious martyrdom in ,rome are called in question4 ,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,supremacy ,,of ,,the ,,popes4 ,the ,church did not die with ,peter4 ,it was destined to continue till the end of time2 consequently1 whatever official prerogatives were conferred on ,peter were not to cease at his death1 but were to be handed down to his successors from generation to generation4 ,the ,church is in all ages as much in need of a ,supreme ,ruler as it was in the days of the ,apostles4 ,nay1 more2 as the ,church is now more widely diffused than it was then1 and is ruled by frailer men1 it is more than ever in need of a central power to preserve its unity of faith and uniformity of discipline4 ,whatever privileges1 therefore1 were conferred on ,peter which may be considered essential to the government of the ,church are inherited by the ,bishops of ,rome1 as successors of the ,prince of the ,apostles2 just as the constitutional powers given to ,george ,washington have devolved on the present incumbent of the ,presidential chair4 ,peter1 it is true1 besides the prerogatives inherent in his office1 possessed also the gift of inspiration and the power of working miracles4 ,these two latter gifts are not claimed by the ,pope1 as they were personal to ,peter and by no means essential to the government of the ,church4 ,god acts toward ,his ,church as we deal with a tender sapling4 ,when we first plant it we water it and soften the clay about its roots4 ,but when it takes deep root we leave it to the care of ,nature's laws4 ,in like manner1 when ,christ first planted ,his ,church ,he nourished its infancy by miraculous agency2 but when it grew to be a tree of fair proportions ,he left it to be governed by the general laws of ,his ,providence4 ,from what ,i have said you can easily infer that the arguments in favor of ,peter's ,primacy have equal weight in demonstrating the supremacy of the ,popes4 ,as the present question1 however1 is a subject of vast importance1 ,i shall endeavor to show1 from incontestable historical evidence1 that the ,popes have always1 from the days of the ,apostles1 continued to exercise supreme jurisdiction not only in the ,western ,church till the ,reformation1 but also throughout the ,eastern ,church till the great schism of the ninth century4 ,first--,take the question of appeals4 ,an appeal is never made from a superior to an inferior court1 nor even from one court to another of co-ordinate jurisdiction4 ,we do not appeal from ,washington to ,richmond1 but from ,richmond to ,washington4 ,now1 if we find the ,see of ,rome from the foundation of ,christianity entertaining and deciding cases of appeal from the ,oriental churches2 if we find that her decision was final and irrevocable1 we must conclude that the supremacy of ,rome over all the churches is an undeniable fact4 ,let me give you a few illustrations3 ,to begin with ,pope ,st4 ,clement1 who was the third successor of ,st4 ,peter1 and who is laudably mentioned by ,st4 ,paul in one of his ,epistles4 ,some dissension and scandal having occurred in the church of ,corinth1 the matter is brought to the notice of ,pope ,clement4 ,he at once exercises his supreme authority by writing letters of remonstrance and admonition to the ,corinthians4 ,and so great was the reverence entertained for these ,epistles by the faithful of ,corinth that1 for a century later1 it was customary to have them publicly read in their churches4 ,why did the ,corinthians appeal to ,rome1 far away in the ,west1 and not to ,ephesus1 so near home in the ,east1 where the ,apostle ,st4 ,john still lived8 ,evidently because the jurisdiction of ,ephesus was local1 while that of ,rome was universal4 ,about the year #aij the question regarding the proper day for celebrating ,easter was agitated in the ,east1 and referred to ,pope ,st4 ,victor ,i4 ,the ,eastern ,church generally celebrated ,easter on the day on which the ,jews kept the ,passover1 while in the ,west it was observed then1 as it is now1 on the first ,sunday after the full moon of the vernal equinox4 ,st4 ,victor directs the ,eastern churches1 for the sake of uniformity1 to conform to the practice of the ,west1 and his instructions are universally followed4 ,st4 ,cyprian1 ,bishop of ,carthage1 was martyred in #beh4 ,from his appeals to ,pope ,st4 ,cornelius and to ,pope ,st4 ,stephen1 especially on the subject of baptism1 from his writings and correspondence1 as well as from the whole tenor of his administration1 it is quite evident that ,cyprian1 as well as the ,african ,episcopate1 upheld the supremacy of the ,bishop of ,rome4 ,dionysius1 ,bishop of ,rome1 about the middle of the third century1 having heard that the ,patriarch of ,alexandria erred on some points of faith1 demands an explanation of the suspected ,prelate1 who1 in obedience to his superior1 promptly vindicates his own orthodoxy4 ,st4 ,athanasius1 the great patriarch of ,alexandria1 appeals in the fourth century to ,pope ,julius ,i4 from an unjust decision rendered against him by the ,oriental ,bishops1 and the ,pope7#afh7 reverses the sentence of the ,eastern ,council4 ,st4 ,basil1 ,archbishop of ,csarea1 in the same century has recourse in his afflictions to the protection of ,pope ,damasus4 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 ,patriarch of ,constantinople1 appeals in the beginning of the fifth century to ,pope ,innocent ,i4 for a redress of grievances inflicted on him by several ,eastern ,prelates1 and by the ,empress ,eudoxia of ,constantinople4 ,st4 ,cyril appeals to ,pope ,celestine against ,nestorius2 ,nestorius1 also1 appeals to the same ,pontiff1 who takes the side of ,cyril4 ,in a ,synod held in #ddd1 ,st4 ,hilary1 ,archbishop of ,arles1 in ,gaul1 deposed ,celidonius1 ,bishop of ,besancon1 on the ground of an alleged canonical impediment to his consecration4 ,the ,bishop appealed to the ,holy ,see1 and both he and the ,metropolitan personally repaired to ,rome1 to submit their cause to the judgment of ,pope ,leo the ,great4 ,after a careful investigation1 the ,pontiff declared the sentence of the ,synod invalid1 revoked the censure1 and restored the deposed ,prelate to his ,see4 ,the same ,pontiff also rebuked ,hilary for having irregularly deposed ,projectus from his ,see4 ,the judicial authority of the ,pope is emphasized from the circumstance that ,hilary was not an arrogant or a rebellious churchman1 but an edifying and a zealous ,prelate4 ,he is revered by the whole ,church as a canonized ,saint1 and after his death1 ,leo refers to him as ,hilary of happy memory4 ,theodoret1 the illustrious historian and ,bishop of ,cyrrhus1 is condemned by the pseudo-council of ,ephesus in #ddi1 and appeals to ,pope ,leo in the following touching language3 8,i await the decision of your ,apostolic ,see1 and ,i supplicate your ,holiness to succor me1 who invoke your righteous and just tribunal2 and to order me to hasten to you1 and to explain to you my teaching1 which follows the steps of the ,apostles4444 ,i beseech you not to scorn my application4 ,do not slight my gray hairs4444 ,above all1 ,i entreat you to teach me whether to put up with this unjust deposition or not2 for ,i await your sentence4 ,if you bid me rest in what has been determined against me1 ,i will rest1 and will trouble no man more4 ,i will look for the righteous judgment of our ,god and ,savior4 ,to me1 as ,almighty ,god is my ,judge1 honor and glory are no object1 but only the scandal that has been caused2 for many of the simpler sort1 especially those whom ,i have rescued from diverse heresies1 considering the ,see which has condemned me1 suspect that perhaps ,i really am a heretic1 being incapable themselves of distinguishing accuracy of doctrine407#afi7 ,leo declared the deposition invalid and ,theodoret was restored to his ,see4 ,john1 ,abbot of ,constantinople1 appeals from the decision of the ,patriarch of that city to ,pope ,st4 ,gregory ,i41 who reverses the sentence of the ,patriarch4 ,in #hei ,photius addressed a letter to ,pope ,nicholas ,i41 asking the ,pontiff to confirm his election to the ,patriarchate of ,constantinople4 ,in consequence of the ,pope's conscientious refusal ,photius broke off from the communion of the ,catholic ,church and became the author of the ,greek schism4 ,here are a few examples taken at random from ,church ,history4 ,we see ,prelates most eminent for their sanctity and learning occupying the highest position in the ,eastern ,church1 and consequently far removed from the local influences of ,rome1 appealing in every period of the early ,church from the decisions of their own ,bishops and their ,councils to the supreme arbitration of the ,holy ,see4 ,if this does not constitute superior jurisdiction1 ,i have yet to learn what superior authority means4 ,second--,christians of every denomination admit the orthodoxy of the ,fathers of the first five centuries of the ,church4 ,no one has ever called in question the faith of such men as ,basil1 ,chrysostom1 ,cyprian1 ,augustine1 ,jerome1 ,ambrose and ,leo4 ,they were the acknowledged guardians of pure doctrine1 and the living representatives 8of the faith once delivered to the ,saints40 ,they were to the ,church in their generation what ,peter and ,paul and ,james were to the ,church in its infancy4 ,we instinctively consult them about the faith of those times2 for1 to whom shall we go for the ,words of eternal life1 if not to them8 ,now1 the ,fathers of the ,church1 with one voice1 pay homage to the ,bishops of ,rome as their superiors4 ,the limited space ,i have allowed myself in this little volume will not permit me to give any extracts from their writings4 ,the reader who may be unacquainted with the original language of the ,fathers1 or who has not their writings at hand1 is referred to a work entitled1 8,faith of ,catholics10 where he will find1 in an ,english translation1 copious extracts from their writings vindicating the ,primacy of the ,popes4 ,third--,ecumenical ,councils afford another eloquent vindication of ,papal supremacy4 ,an ,ecumenical or ,general ,council is an assemblage of ,prelates representing the whole ,catholic ,church4 ,a ,general ,council is to the ,church what the ,executive and ,legislative bodies in ,washington are to the ,united ,states4 ,up to the present time nineteen ,ecumenical ,councils have been convened1 including the ,council of the ,vatican4 ,the last eleven were held in the ,west1 and the first eight in the ,east4 ,i shall pass over the ,western ,councils1 as no one denies that they were subject to the authority of the ,pope4 ,i shall speak briefly of the important influence which the ,holy ,see exercised in the eight ,oriental ,councils4 ,the first ,general ,council was held in ,nica1 in #cbe2 the second1 in ,constantinople1 #cha2 the third1 in ,ephesus1 in #dca2 the fourth1 in ,chalcedon1 in #dea2 the fifth1 in ,constantinople1 in #eec2 the sixth in the same city1 in #fhj2 the seventh1 in ,nica1 in #ghg1 and the eighth1 in ,constantinople1 in #hfi4 ,the ,bishops of ,rome convoked these assemblages1 or at least consented to their convocation2 they presided by their legates over all of them1 except the first and second ,councils of ,constantinople1 and they confirmed all these eight by their authority4 ,before becoming a law the ,acts of the ,councils required the ,pope's signature1 just as our ,congressional proceedings require the ,president's signature before they acquire the force of law4 ,is not this a striking illustration of the ,primacy8 ,the ,pope convenes1 rules and sanctions the ,synods1 not by courtesy1 but by right4 ,a dignitary who calls an assembly together1 who presides over its deliberations1 whose signature is essential for confirming its ,acts has surely a higher authority than the other members4 ,fourth--,i shall refer to one more historical point in support of the ,pope's jurisdiction over the whole ,church4 ,it is a most remarkable fact that every nation hitherto converted from ,paganism to ,christianity since the days of the ,apostles1 has received the light of faith from missionaries who were either especially commissioned by the ,see of ,rome1 or sent by ,bishops in open communion with that ,see4 ,this historical fact admits of no exception4 ,let me particularize4 ,ireland's ,apostle is ,st4 ,patrick4 ,who commissioned him8 ,pope ,st4 ,celestine1 in the fifth century4 ,st4 ,palladius is the ,apostle of ,scotland4 ,who sent him8 ,the same ,pontiff1 ,celestine4 ,the ,anglo-,saxons received the faith from ,st4 ,augustine1 a ,benedictine monk1 as all historians1 ,catholic and non-,catholic1 testify4 ,who empowered ,augustine to preach8 ,pope ,gregory ,i41 at the end of the sixth century4 ,st4 ,remigius established the faith in ,france1 at the close of the fifth century4 ,he was in active communion with the ,see of ,peter4 ,flanders received the ,gospel in the seventh century from ,st4 ,eligius1 who acknowledged the supremacy of the reigning ,pope4 ,germany and ,bavaria venerate as their ,apostle ,st4 ,boniface1 who is popularly known in his native ,england by his baptismal name of ,winfrid4 ,he was commissioned by ,pope ,gregory ,,ii41 in the beginning of the eighth century1 and was consecrated ,bishop by the same ,pontiff4 ,in the ninth century two saintly brothers1 ,cyril and ,methodius1 evangelized ,russia1 ,sclavonia1 ,moravia and other parts of ,northern ,europe4 ,they recognized the supreme authority of ,pope ,nicholas ,i4 and of his successors1 ,adrian ,,ii4 and ,john ,,viii4 ,in the eleventh century ,norway was converted by missionaries introduced from ,england by the ,norwegian ,king1 ,st4 ,olave4 ,the conversion of ,sweden was consummated in the same century by the ,british ,apostles ,saints ,ulfrid and ,eskill4 ,both of these nations immediately after their conversion commenced to pay ,romescot1 or a small annual tribute to the ,holy ,see--a clear evidence that they were in communion with the ,chair of ,peter47#agj7 ,all the other nations of ,europe1 having been converted before the ,reformation1 received likewise the light of faith from ,roman ,catholic ,missionaries1 because ,europe then recognized only one ,christian ,chief4 ,passing from ,europe to ,asia and ,america1 it is undeniable that ,st4 ,francis ,xavier and the other ,evangelists who1 in the sixteenth century1 extended the ,kingdom of ,jesus ,christ through ,india and ,japan1 were in communion with the ,holy ,see2 and that those ,apostles who1 in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries1 converted the aboriginal tribes of ,south ,america and ,mexico received their commission from the ,chair of ,peter4 ,but you will say3 ,the people of the ,united ,states profess to be a ,christian nation4 ,do you also claim them8 ,most certainly2 for1 even those ,american ,christians who are unhappily severed from the ,catholic ,church are primarily indebted for their knowledge of the ,gospel to missionaries in communion with the ,holy ,see4 ,the white races of ,north ,america are descended from ,england1 ,ireland1 ,scotland and the nations of ,continental ,europe4 ,those ,european nations having been converted by missionaries in subjection to the ,holy ,see1 it follows that1 from whatever part of ,europe you are descended1 whatever may be your particular creed1 you are indebted to the ,church of ,rome for your knowledge of ,christianity4 ,do not these facts demonstrate the ,primacy of the ,pope8 ,the ,apostles of ,europe and of other countries received their authority from ,rome4 ,is not the power that sends an ambassador greater than he who is sent8 ,thus we see that the name of the ,pope is indelibly marked on every page of ecclesiastical history4 ,the ,sovereign ,pontiff ever stands before us as commander-in-chief in the grand army of the ,church4 ,do the bishops of the ,east feel themselves aggrieved at home by their ,patriarchs or civil ,rulers8 ,they look for redress to ,rome1 as to the star of their hope4 ,are the ,fathers and ,doctors of the early ,church consulted8 ,with one voice they all pay homage to the ,bishop of ,rome as to their spiritual ,prince4 ,is an ,ecumenical ,council to be convened in the ,east or ,west8 ,the ,pope is its leading spirit4 ,are new nations to be converted to the faith8 ,there is the ,holy ,father clothing the missionaries with authority1 and giving his blessing to the work4 ,are new errors to be condemned in any part of the globe8 ,all eyes turn toward the oracle of ,rome to await his anathema1 and his solemn judgment reverberates throughout the length and breath of the ,christian world4 ,you might as well shut out the light of day and the air of heaven from your daily walks as exclude the ,pope from his legitimate sphere in the hierarchy of the ,church4 ,the history of the ,united ,states with the ,presidents left out would be more intelligible than the history of the ,church to the exclusion of the ,vicar of ,christ4 ,how1 ,i ask1 could such authority endure so long if it were a usurpation8 ,but you will tell me3 8,the supremacy of the ,pope has been disputed in many ages40 ,so has the authority of ,god been called in question--nay1 ,his very existence has been denied2 for1 8the fool hath said in his heart there is no ,god407#aga7 ,does this denial destroy the existence and dominion of ,god8 ,has not parental authority been impugned from the beginning8 ,but by whom8 ,by unruly children4 ,was ,david no longer king because ,absalom said so8 ,it is thus also with the ,popes4 ,their parental sway has been opposed only by their undutiful sons who grew impatient of the ,gospel yoke4 ,photius1 the leader of the ,greek schism1 was an obedient son of the ,pope until ,nicholas refused to recognize his usurped authority4 ,henry ,,viii4 was a stout defender of the ,pope's supremacy until ,clement ,,vii4 refused to legalize his adultery4 ,luther professed a most abject submission to the ,pope till ,leo ,x4 condemned him4 ,you cannot1 my dear reader1 be a loyal citizen of the ,united ,states while you deny the constitutional authority of the ,president4 ,you have seen that the ,bishop of ,rome is appointed not by man1 but by ,jesus ,christ1 ,president of the ,christian commonwealth4 ,you cannot1 therefore1 be a true citizen of the ,republic of the ,church so long as you spurn the legitimate supremacy of its ,divinely constituted ,chief4 8,he that is not with ,me is against ,me10 says our ,lord1 8and he that gathereth not with ,me scattereth40 ,how can you be with ,christ if you are against ,his ,vicar8 ,the great evil of our times is the unhappy division existing among the professors of ,christianity1 and from thousands of hearts a yearning cry goes forth for unity of faith and union of churches4 ,it was1 no doubt1 with this laudable view that the ,evangelical ,alliance assembled in ,new ,york in the fall of #ahgc4 ,the representatives of the different religious communions hoped to effect a reunion4 ,but they signally and lamentably failed4 ,indeed1 the only result which followed from the alliance was the creation of a new sect under the auspices of ,dr4 ,cummins4 ,that reverend gentleman1 with the characteristic modesty of all religious reformers1 was determined to have a hand in improving the work of ,jesus ,christ2 and1 like the other reformers1 he said1 with those who built the tower of ,babel3 8,let us make our name famous before07#agb7 our dust is scattered to the wind4 ,the ,alliance failed1 because its members had no common platform to stand on4 ,there was no voice in that assembly that could say with authority3 8,thus saith the ,lord40 ,i heartily join in this prayer for ,christian unity1 and gladly would surrender my life for such a consummation4 ,but ,i tell you that ,jesus ,christ has pointed out the only means by which this unity can be maintained1 viz3 the recognition of ,peter and his successors as the ,head of the ,church4 ,build upon this foundation and you will not erect a tower of ,babel1 nor build upon sand4 ,if all ,christian sects were united with the centre of unity1 then the scattered hosts of ,christendom would form an army which atheism and infidelity could not long withstand4 ,then1 indeed1 all could exclaim with ,balaam3 8,how beautiful are thy tabernacles1 ,o ,jacob1 and thy tents1 ,o ,israel607#agc7 ,let us pray that the day may be hastened when religious dissensions will cease2 when all ,christians will advance with united front1 under one common leader1 to plant the cross in every region and win new kingdoms to ,jesus ,christ4 ,chapter ,,xi4 ,,infallibility ,,of ,,the ,,popes4 ,as the doctrine of ,papal ,infallibility is strangely misapprehended by our separated brethren1 because it is grievously misrepresented by those who profess to be enlightened ministers of the ,gospel1 ,i shall begin by stating what ,infallibility does not mean1 and shall then explain what it really is4 ,first--,the infallibility of the ,popes does not signify that they are inspired4 ,the ,apostles were endowed with the gift of inspiration1 and we accept their writings as the revealed ,word of ,god4 ,no ,catholic1 on the contrary1 claims that the ,pope is inspired or endowed with ,divine revelation properly so called4 8,for the ,holy ,spirit was not promised to the successors of ,peter in order that they might spread abroad new doctrine which ,he reveals1 but that1 under ,his assistance1 they might guard inviolably1 and with fidelity explain1 the revelation or deposit of faith handed down by the ,apostles407#agd7 ,second--,infallibility does not mean that the ,pope is impeccable or specially exempt from liability to sin4 ,the ,popes have been1 indeed1 with few exceptions1 men of virtuous lives4 ,many of them are honored as martyrs4 ,seventy-nine out of the two hundred and fifty-nine that sat on the chair of ,peter are invoked upon our altars as saints eminent for their holiness4 ,the avowed enemies of the ,church charge only five or six ,popes with immorality4 ,thus1 even admitting the truth of the accusations brought against them1 we have forty-three virtuous to one bad ,pope1 while there was a ,judas ,iscariot among the twelve ,apostles4 ,but although a vast majority of the ,sovereign ,pontiffs should have been so unfortunate as to lead vicious lives1 this circumstance would not of itself impair the validity of their prerogatives1 which are given not for the preservation of their morals1 but for the guidance of their judgment2 for1 there was a ,balaam among the ,prophets1 and a ,caiphas among the ,high ,priests of the ,old ,law4 ,the present illustrious ,pontiff is a man of no ordinary sanctity4 ,he has already filled the highest position in the ,church for upwards of thirty years1 8a spectacle to the world1 to angels and to men10 and no man can point out a stain upon his moral character4 ,and yet ,pius ,,ix41 like his predecessors1 confesses his sins every week4 ,each morning1 at the beginning of ,mass1 he says at the foot of the altar1 8,i confess to ,almighty ,god1 and to ,his ,saints1 that ,i have sinned exceedingly in thought1 word and deed40 ,and at the ,offertory of the ,mass he says3 8,receive1 ,o ,holy ,father1 almighty1 everlasting ,god1 this oblation which ,i1 ,thy unworthy servant1 offer for my innumerable sins1 offences and negligences40 ,with these facts before their eyes1 ,i cannot comprehend how ministers of the ,gospel betray so much ignorance1 or are guilty of so much malice1 as to proclaim from their pulpits1 which ought to be consecrated to truth1 that ,infallibility means exemption from sin4 ,i do not see how they can benefit their cause by so flagrant perversions of truth4 ,third--,bear in mind1 also1 that this ,divine assistance is guaranteed to the ,pope not in his capacity as private teacher1 but only in his official capacity1 when he judges of faith and morals as ,head of the ,church4 ,if a ,pope1 for instance1 like ,benedict ,,xiv4 were to write a treatise on ,canon ,law his book would be as much open to criticism as that of any ,doctor of the ,church4 ,fourth--,finally1 the inerrability of the ,popes1 being restricted to questions of faith and morals1 does not extend to the natural sciences1 such as astronomy or geology1 unless where error is presented under the false name of science1 and arrays itself against revealed truth47#age7 ,it does not1 therefore1 concern itself about the nature and motions of the planets4 ,nor does it regard purely political questions1 such as the form of government a nation ought to adopt1 or for what candidates we ought to vote4 ,the ,pope's ,infallibility1 therefore1 does not in any way trespass on civil authority2 for the ,pope's jurisdiction belongs to spiritual matters1 while the duty of the ,state is to provide for the temporal welfare of its subjects4 ,what1 then1 is the real doctrine of ,infallibility8 ,it simply means that the ,pope1 as successor of ,st4 ,peter1 ,prince of the ,apostles1 by virtue of the promises of ,jesus ,christ1 is preserved from error of judgment when he promulgates to the ,church a decision on faith or morals4 ,the ,pope1 therefore1 be it known1 is not the maker of the ,divine law2 he is only its expounder4 ,he is not the author of revelation1 but only its interpreter4 ,all revelation came from ,god alone through ,his inspired ministers1 and it was complete in the beginning of the ,church4 ,the ,holy ,father has no more authority than you or ,i to break one iota of the ,scripture1 and he is equally with us the servant of the ,divine law4 ,in a word1 the ,sovereign ,pontiff is to the ,church1 though in a more eminent degree1 what the ,supreme ,court is to the ,united ,states4 ,we have an instrument called the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 which is the charter of our civil rights and liberties4 ,if a controversy arise regarding a constitutional clause1 the question is referred in the last resort1 to the ,supreme ,court at ,washington4 ,the ,chief ,justice1 with his associate judges1 examines into the case and then pronounces judgment upon it2 and this decision is final1 irrevocable and practically infallible4 ,if there were no such court to settle constitutional questions1 the ,constitution itself would soon become a dead letter4 ,every litigant would conscientiously decide the dispute in his own favor and anarchy1 separation and civil war would soon follow4 ,but by means of this ,supreme ,court disputes are ended1 and the political union of the ,states is perpetuated4 ,there would have been no civil war in #ahfa had our domestic quarrel been submitted to the legitimate action of our highest court of judicature1 instead of being left to the arbitrament of the sword4 ,the revealed ,word of ,god is the constitution of the ,church4 ,this is the ,magna ,charta of our ,christian liberties4 ,the ,pope is the official guardian of our religious constitution1 as the ,chief ,justice is the guardian of our civil constitution4 ,when a dispute arises in the ,church regarding the sense of ,scripture the subject is referred to the ,pope for final adjudication4 ,the ,sovereign ,pontiff1 before deciding the case1 gathers around him his venerable colleagues1 the ,cardinals of the ,church2 or he calls a council of his associate judges of faith1 the ,bishops of ,christendom2 or he has recourse to other lights which the ,holy ,ghost may suggest to him4 ,then1 after mature and prayerful deliberation1 he pronounces judgment and his sentence is final1 irrevocable and infallible4 ,if the ,catholic ,church were not fortified by this ,divinely-established supreme tribunal1 she would be broken up1 like the sects around her1 into a thousand fragments and religious anarchy would soon follow4 ,but by means of this infallible court her marvellous unity is preserved throughout the world4 ,this doctrine is the keystone in the arch of ,catholic faith1 and1 far from arousing opposition1 it ought to command the unqualified admiration of every reflecting mind4 ,these explanations being premised1 let us now briefly consider the grounds of the doctrine itself4 ,the following passages of the ,gospel1 spoken at different times1 were addressed exclusively to ,peter3 8,thou art ,peter2 and on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it407#agf7 8,i1 the ,supreme ,architect of the universe10 says our ,savior1 8will establish a ,church which is to last till the end of time4 ,i will lay the foundation of this ,church so deep and strong on the rock of truth that the winds and storms of error shall not prevail against it4 ,thou1 ,o ,peter1 shalt be the foundation of this ,church4 ,it shall never fall1 because thou shalt never be shaken2 and thou shalt never be shaken1 because thou shalt rest on ,me1 the rock of truth40 ,the ,church1 of which ,peter is the foundation1 is declared to be impregnable--that is1 proof against error4 ,how can you suppose an immovable edifice built on a tottering foundation8 ,for it is not the building that sustains the foundation1 but it is the foundation that supports the building4 8,and ,i will give to thee the keys of the ,kingdom of ,heaven407#agg7 ,thou shalt hold the keys of truth with which to open to the faithful the treasures of heavenly science4 8,whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in ,heaven407#agh7 ,the judgment which thou shalt pronounce on earth ,i will ratify in heaven4 ,surely the ,god of ,truth is incapable of sanctioning an untruthful judgment4 8,behold1 ,satan hath desired to have you 7,my ,apostles71 that he may sift you as wheat4 ,but ,i have prayed for thee 7,peter7 that thy faith fail not2 and thou1 being once converted1 confirm thy brethren407#agi7 ,it is worthy of note that ,jesus prays only for ,peter4 ,and why for ,peter in particular8 ,because on his shoulders was to rest the burden of the ,church4 ,our ,lord prays for two things3 ,first--,that the faith of ,peter and of his successors might not fail4 ,second--,that ,peter would confirm his brethren in the faith1 8in order10 as ,st4 ,leo says1 8that the strength given by ,christ to ,peter should descend on the ,apostles40 ,we know that the prayer of ,jesus is always heard4 ,therefore the faith of ,peter will always be firm4 ,he was destined to be the oracle which all were to consult4 ,hence we always find him the prominent figure among the ,apostles1 the first to speak1 the first to act on every occasion4 ,he was to be the guiding star that was to lead the rest of the faithful in the path of truth4 ,he was to be in the hierarchy of the ,church what the sun is in the planetary system--the centre around which all would revolve4 ,and is it not a beautiful spectacle1 in harmony with our ideas of ,god's providence1 to behold in ,his ,church a counterpart of the starry system above us8 ,there every planet moves in obedience to a uniform law1 all are regulated by one great luminary4 ,so1 in the spiritual order1 we see every member of the ,church governed by one law1 controlled by one voice1 and that voice subject to ,god4 8,feed ,my lambs2 feed ,my sheep407#ahj7 ,peter is appointed by our ,lord the universal shepherd of ,his flock--of the sheep and of the lambs--that is1 shepherd of the ,bishops and ,priests as well as of the people4 ,the ,bishops are shepherds1 in reference to their flocks2 they are sheep1 in reference to the ,pope1 who is the shepherd of shepherds4 ,the ,pope1 as shepherd1 must feed the flock not with the poison of error1 but with the healthy food of sound doctrine2 for he is not a shepherd1 but a hireling1 who administers pernicious food to his flock4 ,among the ,general ,councils of the ,church already held ,i shall mention only three1 as the acts of these ,councils are amply sufficient to vindicate the unerring character of the ,see of ,rome and the ,roman ,pontiffs4 ,i wish also to call your attention to three facts3 ,first--,that none of these ,councils were held in ,rome2 ,second--,that one of them assembled in the ,east1 viz3 in ,constantinople2 and1 ,third--,that in every one of them the ,oriental and the ,western ,bishops met for the purpose of reunion4 ,the ,eighth ,general ,council1 held in ,constantinople in #hfi1 contains the following solemn profession of faith3 8,salvation primarily depends upon guarding the rule of right faith4 ,and since we cannot pass over the words of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who says1 #8,thou art ,peter1 and on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church1' what was said is confirmed by facts1 because in the ,apostolic ,see the ,catholic religion has always been preserved immaculate1 and holy doctrine has been proclaimed4 ,not wishing1 then1 to be separated from this faith and doctrine1 we hope to merit to be in the one communion which the ,apostolic ,see preaches1 in which ,see is the full and true solidity of the ,christian religion40 ,this ,council clearly declares that immaculate doctrine has always been preserved and preached in the ,roman ,see4 ,but how could this be said of her1 if the ,roman ,see ever fell into error1 and how could that ,see be preserved from error1 if the ,roman ,pontiffs presiding over it ever erred in faith8 ,in the ,second ,general ,council of ,lyons 7#abgd71 the ,greek ,bishops made the following profession of faith3 8,the holy ,roman ,church possesses full primacy and principality over the universal ,catholic ,church1 which primacy1 with the plenitude of power1 she truly and humbly acknowledges to have received from our ,lord ,himself1 in the person of ,blessed ,peter1 ,prince or ,head of the ,apostles1 whose successor the ,roman ,pontiff is2 and as the ,roman ,see1 above all others1 is bound to defend the truth of faith1 so1 also1 if any questions on faith arise1 they ought to be defined by her judgment40 ,here the ,council of ,lyons avows that the ,roman ,pontiffs have the power to determine definitely1 and without appeal1 any questions of faith which may arise in the ,church2 in other words1 the ,council acknowledges them to be the supreme and infallible arbiters of faith4 8,we define10 says the ,council of ,florence 7#adci71 at which also were present the ,bishops of the ,greek and the ,latin ,church1 8we define that the ,roman ,pontiff is the successor of the ,blessed ,peter1 ,prince of the ,apostles1 and the true ,vicar of ,christ1 the ,head of the whole ,church1 the ,father and ,doctor of all ,christians1 and we declare that to him1 in the person of ,blessed ,peter1 was given1 by ,jesus ,christ our ,savior1 full power to feed1 rule and govern the universal ,church40 ,the ,pope is here called the true ,vicar or representative of ,christ in this lower kingdom of ,his ,church militant--that is1 the ,pope is the organ of our ,savior1 and speaks ,his sentiments in faith and morals4 ,but if the ,pope erred in faith and morals he would no longer be ,christ's ,vicar and true representative4 ,our minister in ,england1 for instance1 would not truly represent our ,government if he was not the organ of its sentiments4 ,the ,roman ,pontiff is called the ,head of the whole ,church--that is1 the visible ,head4 ,now the ,church1 which is the ,body of ,christ1 is infallible4 ,it is1 as ,st4 ,paul says1 8without spot or wrinkle1 or any such thing40 ,but how can you suppose an infallible body with a fallible head8 ,how can an erring head conduct a body in the unerring ways of truth and justice8 ,he is declared by the same ,council to be the ,father and ,doctor of all ,christians4 ,how can you expect an unerring family under an erring ,father8 ,the ,pope is called the universal teacher or doctor4 ,teacher of what8 ,of truth1 not of error4 ,error is to the mind what poison is to the body4 ,you do not call poison food2 neither can you call error doctrine4 ,the ,pope1 as universal teacher1 must always give to the faithful not the poisonous food of error1 but the sound aliment of pure doctrine4 ,in fine1 the ,pope is also styled the ,chief ,pilot of the ,church4 ,it was not without a mysterious significance that our ,lord entered ,peter's bark instead of that of any of the other ,apostles4 ,this bark1 our ,lord has pledged ,himself1 shall never sink nor depart from her true course4 ,how can you imagine a stormproof1 never-varying bark under the charge of a fallible ,pilot8 ,but did not the ,vatican ,council in promulgating the definition of ,papal ,infallibility in #ahgj1 create a new doctrine of revelation8 ,and did not the ,church thereby forfeit her glorious distinction of being always unchangeable in her teaching8 ,the ,council did not create a new creed1 but rather confirmed the old one4 ,it formulated into an article of faith a truth which in every age had been accepted by the ,catholic world because it had been implicitly contained in the deposit of revelation4 ,i may illustrate this point by referring again to our ,supreme ,court4 ,when the ,chief ,justice1 with his colleagues1 decides a constitutional question1 his decision1 though presented in a new shape1 cannot be called a new doctrine1 because it is based on the letter and spirit of the ,constitution4 ,in like manner1 when the ,church issues a new dogma of faith1 that decree is nothing more than a new form of expressing an old doctrine1 because the decision must be drawn from the revealed ,word of ,god4 ,the course pursued by the ,church1 regarding the infallibility of the ,pope was practiced by her in reference to the ,divinity of ,jesus ,christ4 ,our ,savior was acknowledged to be ,god from the beginning of the ,church4 ,yet ,his ,divinity was not formally defined till the ,council of ,nica in the fourth century1 and it would not have been defined even then had it not been denied by ,arius4 ,and who will have the presumption to say that the belief in the ,divinity of our ,lord had its origin in the fourth century8 ,the following has always been the practice prevailing in the ,church of ,god from the beginning of her history4 ,whenever ,bishops or ,national ,councils promulgated doctrines or condemned errors they always transmitted their decrees to ,rome for confirmation or rejection4 ,what ,rome approved1 the universal ,church approved2 what ,rome condemned1 the ,church condemned4 ,thus1 in the third century1 ,pope ,st4 ,stephen reverses the decision of ,st4 ,cyprian1 of ,carthage1 and of a council of ,african bishops regarding a question of baptism4 ,pope ,st4 ,innocent ,i41 in the fifth century1 condemns the ,pelagian heresy1 in reference to which ,st4 ,augustine wrote this memorable sentence3 8,the acts of two councils were sent to the ,apostolic ,see1 whence an answer was returned4 ,the question is ended4 ,would to ,god that the error also had ceased40 ,in the fourteenth century ,gregory ,,xi4 condemns the heresy of ,wycliffe4 ,pope ,leo ,x41 in the sixteenth1 anathematizes ,luther4 ,innocent ,x41 in the seventeenth1 at the solicitation of the ,french ,episcopate1 condemns the subtle errors of the ,jansenists1 and in the nineteenth century ,pius ,,ix4 promulgates the doctrine of the ,immaculate ,conception4 ,here we find the ,popes in various ages condemning heresies and proclaiming doctrines of faith2 and they could not in a stronger manner assert their infallibility than by so defining doctrines of faith and condemning errors4 ,we also behold the ,church of ,christendom ever saying ,amen to the decisions of the ,bishops of ,rome4 ,hence it is evident that1 in every age1 the ,church recognized the ,popes as infallible teachers4 ,every independent government must have a supreme tribunal regularly sitting to interpret its laws1 and to decide cases of controversy likely to arise4 ,thus we have in ,washington the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states4 ,now the ,catholic ,church is a complete and independent organization1 as complete in its spiritual sphere as the ,united ,states ,government is in the temporal order4 ,the ,church has its own laws1 its own autonomy and government4 ,the ,church1 therefore1 like civil powers1 must have a permanent and stationary supreme tribunal to interpret its laws and to determine cases of religious controversy4 ,what constitutes this permanent supreme court of the ,church8 ,does it consist of the ,bishops assembled in ,general ,council8 ,no2 because this is not an ordinary but an extraordinary tribunal which meets1 on an average1 only once in a hundred years4 ,is it composed of the ,bishops scattered throughout the world8 ,by no means1 because it would be impracticable to consult all the ,bishops of ,christendom upon every issue that might arise in the ,church4 ,the poison of error would easily spread through the body of the ,church before a decision could be rendered by the ,prelates dispersed throughout the globe4 ,the ,pope1 then1 as ,head of the ,catholic ,church1 constitutes1 with just reason1 this supreme tribunal4 ,and as the office of the ,church is to guide men into all truth1 and to preserve them from all error1 it follows that he who is appointed to watch over the constitution of the ,church must be infallible1 or exempt from error in his official capacity as judge of faith and morals4 ,the prerogatives of the ,pope must be commensurate with the nature of the constitution which he has to uphold4 ,the constitution is ,divine and must have a ,divinely protected interpreter4 ,but you will tell me that infallibility is too great a prerogative to be conferred on man4 ,i answer3 ,has not ,god1 in former times1 clothed ,his ,apostles with powers far more exalted8 ,they were endowed with the gifts of working miracles1 of prophecy and inspiration2 they were the mouth-piece communicating ,god's revelation1 of which the ,popes are merely the custodians4 ,if ,god could make man the organ of ,his revealed ,word1 is it impossible for ,him to make man its infallible guardian and interpreter8 ,for1 surely1 greater is the ,apostle who gives us the inspired ,word than the ,pope who preserves it from error4 ,if1 indeed1 our ,saviour had visibly remained among us1 no interpreter would be needed1 since ,he would explain ,his ,gospel to us2 but as ,he withdrew ,his visible presence from us1 it was eminently reasonable that ,he should designate someone to expound for us the meaning of ,his ,word4 ,a ,protestant ,bishop1 in the course of a sermon against ,papal ,infallibility1 recently used the following language3 8,for my part1 ,i have an infallible ,bible1 and this is the only infallibility that ,i require40 ,this assertion1 though plausible at first sight1 cannot for a moment stand the test of sound criticism4 ,let us see1 sir1 whether an infallible ,bible is sufficient for you4 ,either you are infallibly certain that your interpretation of the ,bible is correct or you are not4 ,if you are infallibly certain1 then you assert for yourself1 and of course for every reader of the ,scripture1 a personal infallibility which you deny to the ,pope1 and which we claim only for him4 ,you make every man his own ,pope4 ,if you are not infallibly certain that you understand the true meaning of the whole ,bible--and this is a privilege you do not claim--then1 ,i ask1 of what use to you is the objective infallibility of the ,bible without an infallible interpreter8 ,if ,god1 as you assert1 has left no infallible interpreter of ,his ,word1 do you not virtually accuse ,him of acting unreasonably8 for would it not be most unreasonable in ,him to have revealed ,his truth to man without leaving him a means of ascertaining its precise import8 ,do you not reduce ,god's word to a bundle of contradictions1 like the leaves of the ,sybil1 which gave forth answers suited to the wishes of every inquirer8 ,of the hundred and more ,christian sects now existing in this country1 does not each take the ,bible as its standard of authority1 and does not each member draw from it a meaning different from that of his neighbor8 ,now1 in the mind of ,god the ,scriptures can have but one meaning4 ,is not this variety of interpretations the bitter fruit of your principle3 8,an infallible ,bible is enough for me10 and does it not proclaim the absolute necessity of some authorized and unerring interpreter8 ,you tell me to drink of the water of life2 but of what use is this water to my parched lips1 since you acknowledge that it may be poisoned in passing through the medium of your interpretation8 ,how satisfactory1 on the contrary1 and how reasonable is the ,catholic teaching on this subject6 ,according to that system1 ,christ says to every ,christian3 ,here1 my child1 is the ,word of ,god1 and with it ,i leave you an infallible interpreter1 who will expound for you its hidden meaning and make clear all its difficulties4 ,here are the waters of eternal life1 but ,i have created a channel that will communicate these waters to you in all their sweetness without sediment of error4 ,here is the written ,constitution of ,my ,church4 ,but ,i have appointed over it a ,supreme ,tribunal1 in the person of one 8to whom ,i have given the keys of the ,kingdom of ,heaven10 who will preserve that ,constitution inviolate1 and will not permit it to be torn into shreds by the conflicting opinions of men4 ,and thus my children will be one1 as ,i and the ,father are one4 ,chapter ,,xii4 ,,temporal ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,popes4 ,i4 ,how ,the ,popes ,acquired ,temporal ,power4 ,for the clearer understanding of the origin and the gradual growth of the ,temporal ,power of the ,popes1 we may divide the history of the ,church into three great epochs4 ,the first embraces the period which elapsed from the establishment of the ,church to the days of ,constantine the ,great1 in the fourth century2 the second1 from ,constantine to ,charlemagne1 who was crowned ,emperor in the year #hjj2 the third1 from ,charlemagne to the present time4 ,when ,st4 ,peter1 the first ,pope in the long1 unbroken line of ,sovereign ,pontiffs1 entered ,italy and ,rome he did not possess a foot of ground which he could call his own4 ,he could say with his ,divine ,master3 8,the foxes have holes and the birds of the air nests1 but the ,son of ,man hath not whereon to lay his head407#aha7 ,the ,apostle died as he had lived1 a poor man1 having nothing at his death save the affections of a grateful people4 ,but1 although the ,prince of the ,apostles owned nothing that he could call his personal property1 he received from the faithful large donations to be distributed among the needy4 ,for in the ,acts of the ,apostles we are told that 8neither was anyone among them 7the faithful7 needy2 for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them1 and brought the prices of the things which they sold and laid them before the feet of the ,apostles1 and distribution was made to everyone according as he had need407#ahb7 ,such was the filial attachment of the early ,christians towards the ,pontiffs of the ,church2 such was the confidence reposed in their personal integrity1 and in their discretion in dispensing the charity of the faithful4 ,during the first three hundred years the ,pastors of the ,church were generally incapable of holding real estate in ,rome2 for ,christianity was yet a proscribed religion1 and the faithful were exposed to the most violent and unrelenting persecutions that have ever darkened the annals of history4 ,the ,christians of ,rome worshiped for the most part in the catacombs4 ,these catacombs are subterranean chambers and passages under the city of ,rome4 ,they extend for miles in different directions1 and are visited to this day by thousands of strangers4 ,here the primitive ,christians prayed together1 here they encouraged one another to martyrdom1 here they died and were buried2 so that these caverns served at the same time as temples of worship for the living and as tombs for the dead4 ,at last ,constantine the ,great brought peace to the ,church4 ,the long night of ,pagan persecution was succeeded by the bright dawn of religious liberty1 and as our ,blessed ,savior rose triumphant from the grave1 after having lain there for three days1 so did our early brethren in the faith emerge from the tombs of the catacombs1 after having been buried1 as it were1 in the bowels of the earth for three centuries4 ,constantine gave to the ,roman ,church munificent donations of money and real estate1 which were augmented by additional grants contributed by subsequent emperors4 ,hence the patrimony of the ,roman ,pontiffs soon became very considerable4 ,voltaire himself tells us that the wealth which the ,popes acquired was spent not in satisfying their own avarice and ambition1 but in the most laudable works of charity and religion4 ,they expended their patrimony1 he says1 in sending missionaries to evangelize ,pagan ,europe1 in giving hospitality to exiled ,bishops at ,rome and in feeding the poor4 ,and ,i may here add that succeeding ,popes have generously imitated the munificence of the early ,pontiffs4 ,an event occurred in the reign of ,constantine which paved the way for the partial jurisdiction which the ,roman ,pontiffs commenced to enjoy over ,rome1 and which they continued to exercise till they obtained full sovereignty in the days of ,king ,pepin of ,france4 ,in the year #cbg the ,emperor ,constantine transferred the seat of empire from ,rome to ,constantinople1 the present capital of ,turkey4 ,the city was named after ,constantine1 who founded it4 ,a subsequent emperor appointed a governor1 or exarch1 to rule ,italy1 who resided in the city of ,ravenna4 ,this new system1 as is manifest1 did not work well4 ,the ,emperor of ,constantinople referred all matters to his deputy in ,ravenna1 and the deputy was more anxious to conciliate the ,emperor than to satisfy the people of ,rome4 ,italy and ,rome were then in a political condition analogous to that in which the ,irish were placed for several centuries4 ,abandoned to itself1 ,rome became a tempting prey to those numerous hordes of ,barbarians from the ,north that then devastated ,italy4 ,the city was successively attacked by the ,goths under ,alaric1 and by the ,vandals under ,genseric1 and was threatened by the ,huns under ,attila4 ,unable to obtain assistance from the ,emperor in the ,east1 or the ,governor at ,ravenna1 the citizens of ,rome looked up to the ,popes as their only ,governors and protectors1 and their only salvation in the dangers which threatened them4 ,the confidence which they reposed in the ,pontiffs was not misplaced4 ,the ,popes were not only devoted spiritual ,fathers1 but firm and valiant civil ,governors4 ,when ,attila1 who was surnamed 8the ,scourge of ,god10 approached the city with an army of #ejj1jjj men1 ,pope ,leo the ,great went out to meet him unattended by troops4 ,his mild eloquence disarmed the indomitable chieftain and induced him to retrace his steps4 ,thus he saved the city from pillage and the people from destruction4 ,the same ,pope ,leo also confronted ,genseric1 the leader of the ,vandals2 and although he could not this time protect ,rome from the plunder of the soldiers he saved the lives of the citizens from slaughter4 ,such acts as these were naturally calculated to bind the ,roman people more strongly to the ,popes and to alienate them from their nominal rulers4 ,in the early part of the eighth century ,leo ,isauricus1 one of the successors of ,constantine on the imperial throne1 not content with his civil authority1 endeavored1 like ,henry ,,viii41 to usurp spiritual jurisdiction1 and1 like the same ,english monarch1 sought to rob the people of their time-honored sacred traditions4 ,a civil ruler dabbling in religion is as reprehensible as a clergyman dabbling in politics4 ,both render themselves odious as well as ridiculous4 ,the ,emperor commanded all paintings of our ,savior and ,his saints to be removed from the churches on the assumption that such an exhibition was an act of idolatry4 ,pope ,gregory ,,ii4 wrote to the ,emperor an energetic remonstrance1 reminding him that 8dogmas of faith are to be interpreted by the ,pontiffs of the ,church and not by emperors10 and begging him to spare the sacred paintings4 ,but the ,pope's remonstrance and entreaties were in vain4 ,this conduct of the ,emperor tended to widen still more the breach between himself and the ,roman people4 ,soon after an event occurred which abolished forever the authority of the ,byzantine ,emperors in ,italy1 and established on a sure and lasting basis the temporal sovereignty of the ,popes4 ,in #ged ,astolphus1 ,king of the ,lombards1 invaded ,italy1 captured some ,italian cities and threatened to advance on ,rome4 ,pope ,stephen ,,iii417#ahc7 who then ruled the ,church1 sent an urgent appeal to the ,emperor ,constantine ,copronymus1 successor of ,leo the ,isaurian1 imploring him to come to the relief of ,rome and his ,italian provinces4 ,the ,emperor manifested his usual apathy and indifference and received the message with coldness and neglect4 ,in this emergency ,stephen1 who sees that no time is to be lost1 crosses the ,alps in person1 approaches ,pepin1 ,king of ,france1 and begs that powerful monarch to protect the ,italian people1 who were utterly abandoned by those that ought to be their defenders4 ,the pious ,king1 after paying his homage to the ,pope1 sets out for ,italy with his army1 defeats the invading ,lombards and places the ,pope at the head of the conquered provinces4 ,charlemagne1 the successor of ,pepin1 not only confirms the grant of his father1 but increases the temporal domain of the ,pope by donating him some additional provinces4 ,this small piece of territory the ,roman ,pontiffs continued to govern from that time till #ahgj1 with the exception of brief intervals of foreign usurpation4 ,and certainly1 if ever any ,prince merited the appellation of legitimate sovereign1 that title is eminently deserved by the ,bishops of ,rome4 ,,ii4 ,the ,validity ,and ,justice ,of ,their ,title4 ,there are three titles which render the tenure of a ,prince honest and incontestable1 viz41 long possession1 legitimate acquisition and a just use of the original grant confided to him4 ,the ,bishop of ,rome possessed his temporality by all these titles4 ,first--,the temporal dominion of the ,pope is most ancient in point of time4 ,he commenced1 as we have seen1 to enjoy full sovereignty about the middle of the eighth century4 ,the ,pope was1 consequently1 a temporal ruler for upwards of #a1ajj years4 ,the ,papal dynasty is1 therefore1 the oldest in ,europe1 and probably in the world4 ,the ,pope was the temporal ruler of ,rome four hundred years before ,england subjugated ,ireland1 and seven hundred before the first ,european pressed his foot on the ,american continent4 ,second--,his civil authority was established not by the sword of conquest1 nor the violence of usurpation4 ,he did not mount the throne upon the ruins of outraged liberties or violated treaties2 but he was called to rule by the unanimous voice of a grateful people4 ,always the devoted spiritual ,father of ,rome1 he providentially became its civil defender2 and the temporal power he had possessed already by popular suffrage was ratified and sanctioned by the sovereign act of the ,frankish monarch4 ,in a word1 the ship of state was in danger of being engulfed beneath the fierce waves of foreign invasion4 ,the captain1 meantime1 folded his arms and abandoned the ship to her fate4 ,the ,pope was called to the helm in the emergency1 and he saved the vessel from shipwreck and the people from destruction4 ,hence1 even ,gibbon1 the ,english historian1 who cannot be suspected of partiality1 has the candor to use the following language in discussing this subject3 8,their 7the ,pope's7 temporal dominion is now confirmed by the reverence of a thousand years1 and their noblest title is the free choice of a people whom they had redeemed from slavery40 ,third--,what is the use or advantage of the temporal power8 ,this is well worth considering1 as many have erroneous notions on the subject4 ,the object is not to aggrandize or enrich the ,pope4 ,he ascends the ,papal chair generally an old man1 when human passion and human ambition1 if any did exist1 are on the wane4 ,his personal expenses do not exceed a few dollars a day4 ,he eats alone and very abstemiously4 ,he has no wife1 no children to enrich with the spoils of office1 as he is an unmarried man4 ,the ,popedom is not hereditary1 like the sovereignty of ,england1 but elective1 like the office of our ,president1 and the ,holy ,father is succeeded by a ,pontiff to whom he was bound by no family ties4 ,what personal motive1 therefore1 can he have in desiring temporal sovereignty8 ,i am sure1 indeed1 that if the ,holy ,father were to consult his own taste and feelings1 he would much rather be free from the trammels of civil government4 ,but he has higher interests to subserve4 ,he must vindicate the eternal laws of justice which have been violated in his own person4 ,as the ,popes were not actuated by a love of gain in possessing temporal dominion1 neither had they any desire to enlarge their territory1 small as it was4 ,the temporalities of the ,pope were not much larger than the ,state of ,maryland before he was deprived of them by ,victor ,emmanuel a few years ago4 ,and this is the little slice of land which ,victor ,emmanuel wrested from the ,holy ,father4 ,this is the vineyard which the modern ,king ,achab wrung from the unoffending ,naboth4 ,but the ,pontiff answers1 like ,naboth of old3 8,the ,lord be merciful to me1 and not let me give thee the inheritance of my fathers407#ahd7 ,this is the little ewe-lamb which the modern ,david has snatched from ,uriah1 its legitimate owner4 ,the royal shepherd of ,piedmont had already seized all the other lambs and sheep of his neighbors2 but he was not satisfied till he added to his fold the solitary1 tender lamb of the ,pope4 ,let him take care1 however1 that the prophecy denounced by ,nathan against ,david fall not upon himself and his posterity3 8,why1 therefore1 hast thou despised the word of the ,lord1 to do evil in ,my sight8 ,therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house1 because thou hast despised ,me4 ,behold1 ,i will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house407#ahe7 ,while the patrimony of the ,pope was large enough to secure his independence1 it was too small to provoke the fear and jealousy of foreign powers4 ,the authority of the ,roman ,pontiffs in the ,middle ,ages was almost unbounded4 ,had they wished then1 they could easily have increased their territory2 yet they were content with what ,providence placed originally in their hands47#ahf7 ,the sole end of the temporal power has been to secure for the ,pope independence and freedom in the government of the ,church4 ,the ,holy ,father must be either a sovereign or a subject4 ,there is no medium4 ,if a subject1 he might become either the pliant creature1 if ,god would so permit1 of his royal master1 like the schismatic ,patriarch of ,constantinople1 who1 as ,gibbon observed1 was 8a domestic slave under the eye of his master1 at whose nod he passed from the convent to the throne1 and from the throne to the convent40 ,and1 indeed1 the ,oriental schismatic ,bishops are as subservient now as they were then to their temporal rulers4 ,or1 what is far more probable1 the ,pope might become a virtual prisoner in his own house1 as the present illustrious ,pontiff is at this moment4 ,the ,pope is the representative of ,christ on earth4 ,his office requires him to be in constant communication with prelates in every country in the world4 ,should the kingdom of ,italy be embroiled in a war with any ,european ,power--with ,germany1 for instance--it would be difficult1 if not impossible1 for the ,holy ,father and the ,german ,bishops to confer with each other1 and religion would suffer from the interruption of intercourse between the ,head and the members4 ,the interests of ,christianity demand that the ,vicar of the ,prince of ,peace should possess one spot of territory which would be held inviolable1 so that all nations and peoples could at all times1 in war1 as well as in peace1 freely correspond with him4 ,nothing can be more revolting to our feelings than that the spiritual government of the ,church should be constantly hampered by the hostile aggressions of ambitious rulers1 an eventuality always likely to occur so long as the ,pope remains the subject of any earthly potentate47#ahg7 ,but we are told that the ,roman people1 by a plebiscitum1 or popular vote1 expressed their desire to be annexed to the ,piedmontese ,government4 ,to this ,i answer1 in the first place1 that we ought to know what importance to attach to elections held under the shadow of the bayonet4 ,it is well known that the ,roman plebiscitum was undertaken by the authority and guided by the inspiration of the ,italian troops4 ,it is equally notorious that the numerous stragglers who accompanied the ,italian army to ,rome legalized the gigantic fraud of their master1 as well as their own petty thefts1 by voting in favor of annexation4 ,in the second place1 the ,roman people1 even had they so desired1 had no right to transfer1 by their suffrage1 the ,patrimony of ,st4 ,peter to ,victor ,emmanuel4 ,they could not give what did not belong to them4 ,the ,papal territory was granted to the ,popes in trust1 for the use and benefit of the ,church--that is1 for the use and benefit of the ,catholics of ,christendom4 ,the ,catholic world1 therefore1 and not merely a handful of ,roman subjects1 must give its consent before such a transfer can be declared legitimate4 ,rome is to ,catholic ,christendom what ,washington is to the ,united ,states4 ,as the citizens of ,washington have no power1 without the concurrence of the ,united ,states1 to annex their city to ,maryland or ,virginia1 neither can the citizens of ,rome hand over their city to the ,kingdom of ,piedmont without the acquiescence of the faithful dispersed throughout the world4 ,we protest1 therefore1 against the occupation of ,rome by foreign troops as a high-handed act of injustice1 and a gross violation of the ,commandment1 8,thou shalt not steal40 ,we protest against it as a royal outrage1 calculated to shock the public sense of honesty1 and to weaken the sacred right of public and private property4 ,we protest against it as an unjustifiable violation of solemn treaties4 ,we protest1 in fine1 against the spoliation as an impious sacrilege1 because it is an unholy seizure of ecclesiastical property1 and an attempt1 as far as human agencies can accomplish it1 to trammel and embarrass the free action of the ,head of the ,church4 ,,iii4 ,what ,the ,popes ,have ,done ,for ,rome4 ,although the temporal power of the ,pope is a subject which concerns the universal ,church1 no nation has more reason to lament the loss of the ,holy ,father's temporalities than the ,italians themselves1 and particularly the inhabitants of ,rome4 ,it is the residence of the ,popes in ,rome that has contributed to her material and religious grandeur4 ,the ,pontiffs have made her the ,centre of ,christendom1 the ,queen of religion1 the ,mistress of arts and sciences1 the ,depository of sacred learning4 ,by their creative and conservative spirit they have saved the illustrious monuments of the past1 and1 side by side with these1 they have raised up ,christian temples which surpass those of ,pagan antiquity4 ,in looking today at these old ,roman monuments we know not which to admire more--the genius of those who designed and erected them1 or the fostering care of the ,popes who have preserved from destruction the venerable ruins4 ,the residence of the ,popes in ,rome has made her what she is truly called1 8,the ,eternal ,city40 ,let the ,popes leave ,rome forever1 and in five years grass will be growing on its streets4 ,such was the case at the return of the ,pope1 in #adah1 from ,avignon1 which had been the seat of the ,sovereign ,pontiffs during the preceding century4 ,on the ,pope's return the city of ,rome had a population of only #ag1jjj7ahh7 and ,avignon1 which1 during the residence of the ,popes in the fourteenth century contained a population of #ajj1jjj1 has now a population of only #cf1djg inhabitants4 ,such1 also1 was the case in the beginning of the present century1 when ,pius ,,vii4 was an exile for four years from ,rome1 and a prisoner of the first ,napoleon1 in ,grenoble1 ,savona and ,fontainebleau4 ,grass then grew on the streets of ,rome1 and the city lost one-half of its population4 ,rome has naturally no commercial attractions4 ,it is only the presence of the ,pope that keeps up her trade4 ,let the ,popes abandon ,rome1 and her churches will soon be without worshipers2 her artists without employment4 ,her glorious monuments will perish4 ,science and art and sacred literature will take their flight and perch upon some more favored spot4 ,the hundred thousand and more strangers who annually flock to ,rome from different parts of the world will shake off the dust from their feet and seek more congenial cities4 ,let the ,popes withdraw from ,rome1 and it may become almost as desolate as ,jerusalem and ,antioch are today4 ,peter preached his first sermons in ,jerusalem1 but he did not select it as his ,see2 and ,jerusalem is today a ,mahometan city1 with its sacred places profaned by the foot of the ,mussulman4 ,peter occupied for a time the city of ,antioch as his first ,see4 ,but1 in the mysterious providence of ,god1 he abandoned ,antioch and repaired to ,rome2 and now1 little remains of the ancient ,antioch of ,peter's day except colossal ruins4 ,had the ,popes remained in ,antioch1 ,syria would now very probably be1 instead of ,europe1 the centre of ,christianity and civilization4 ,the immortal ,dome of ,st4 ,peter's would1 doubtless1 overshadow the banks of the ,orontes instead of the ,tiber2 and ,antioch1 not ,rome1 would be the focus of art1 science1 and sacred literature1 and would be called today 8,the ,eternal ,city40 ,our present7#ahi7 beloved ,pontiff1 ,pius ,,ix41 ,i need not inform you1 is now treated with indignity in his own city4 ,in his declining years1 as well as in the early days of his ,pontificate1 he is made to drink deep of the chalice of affliction4 ,his name is dear to us all4 ,to many of us it is a name familiar from our youth2 for thirty-one years have now elapsed since he first assumed the reins of government2 and it is a noteworthy fact that1 since the days of ,peter1 no ,pope has ever reigned so long as ,pius ,,ix4 ,the ,pope in every age1 like his ,divine ,master1 has his period of persecution and his period of peace4 ,like ,him1 he has his days of sorrow and his days of joy1 his days of humiliation and death1 his days of exaltation and glory4 ,like ,jesus ,christ1 he is one day greeted with acclamations as king1 and another day crucified by his enemies4 ,but never does the ,holy ,father exhibit his title as ,vicar of ,christ more strikingly than in the midst of tribulations4 ,if he did not suffer1 he would bear no resemblance to his ,divine ,model and ,master2 and never does he more worthily deserve the filial homage of his children than when he is heavily laden with the cross4 ,i envy neither the heart nor the head of those men who are now gloating with fiendish joy over the calamities of the ,pope2 who are heaping insults and calumnies on his venerable head1 while he is in the hands of his enemies17#aij7 and who are confidently predicting the downfall of the ,papacy1 from the present situation of the ,head of the ,church1 as if the temporary privation of his dominions involved their irrevocable loss2 or1 as if even the perpetual destruction of the temporal power involved the destruction of the spiritual supremacy itself4 8,the ,papacy10 they say1 8is gone4 ,its glory is vanished4 ,its sun is set4 ,it is sunk below the horizon1 never to rise again40 ,ill-boding prophets1 will you never profit by the lessons of history8 ,have not numbers of ,popes before ,pius ,,ix4 been forcibly ejected from their ,see1 and have they not been reinstated in their temporal authority8 ,what has happened so often before may and will happen again4 ,for our part we have every confidence that ere long the clouds which now overshadow the civil throne of the ,pope will be removed by the breath of a righteous ,god1 and that his temporal power will be re-established on a more permanent basis than ever4 ,but whatever be the fate of the ,pope's temporalities1 we have no fears for the spiritual throne of the ,papacy4 ,the ,pontiffs have received their earthly dominion from man1 and what man gives man may take away4 ,but the spiritual supremacy the ,bishops of ,rome have from ,god1 and no man can destroy it4 ,that ,divine charter of their prerogatives1 8,thou art ,peter1 and on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it107#aia7 will ever shine forth as brightly as the sun1 and it is as far as the sun above the reach of human aggression4 ,the ,holy ,father may live and die in the catacombs1 as the early ,pontiffs did for the first three centuries4 ,he may be dragged from his ,see and perish in exile1 like the ,martins1 the ,gregories and the ,piuses4 ,he may wander a penniless pilgrim1 like ,peter himself4 ,rome itself may sink beneath the ,mediterranean2 but the chair of ,peter will stand1 and ,peter will live in his successors4 ,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,invocation ,,of ,,saints4 ,christians of most denominations are accustomed to recite the following article contained in the ,apostles' ,creed3 8,i believe in the communion of ,saints40 ,there are many1 ,i fear1 who have these words frequently on their lips1 without an adequate knowledge of the precious meaning which they convey4 ,the true and obvious sense of the words quoted from the ,creed is1 that between the children of ,god1 whether reigning in heaven or sojourning on earth1 there exists an intercommunion1 or spiritual communication by prayer2 and1 consequently1 that our friends who have entered into their rest are mindful of us in their petitions to ,god4 ,in the exposition of her ,creed the ,catholic ,church weighs her words in the scales of the sanctuary with as much precision as a banker weighs his gold4 ,with regard to the ,invocation of ,saints the ,church simply declares that it is 8useful and salutary0 to ask their prayers4 ,there are expressions addressed to the ,saints in some popular books of devotion which1 to critical readers1 may seem extravagant4 ,but they are only the warm language of affection and poetry1 to be regulated by our standard of faith2 and notice that all the prayers of the ,church end with the formula3 8,through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ10 sufficiently indicating her belief that ,christ is the ,mediator of salvation4 ,a heart tenderly attached to the ,saints will give vent to its feelings in the language of hyperbole1 just as an enthusiastic lover will call his future bride his adorable queen1 without any intention of worshiping her as a goddess4 ,this reflection should be borne in mind while reading such passages4 ,i might easily show1 by voluminous quotations from ecclesiastical writers of the first ages of the ,church1 how conformable to the teaching of antiquity is the ,catholic practice of invoking the intercession of the ,saints4 ,but as you1 dear reader1 may not be disposed to attach adequate importance to the writings of the ,fathers1 ,i shall confine myself to the testimony of ,holy ,scripture4 ,you will readily admit that it is a salutary custom to ask the prayers of the blessed in heaven1 provided you have no doubt that they can hear your prayers1 and that they have the power and the will to assist you4 ,now the ,scriptures amply demonstrate the knowledge1 the influence and the love of the ,saints in our regard4 ,first--,it would be a great mistake to suppose that the ,angels and ,saints reigning with ,god see and hear in the same manner that we see and hear on earth1 or that knowledge is communicated to them as it is communicated to us4 ,while we are confined in the prison of the body1 we see only with our eyes and hear with our ears2 hence our faculties of vision and hearing are very limited4 ,compared with the heavenly inhabitants1 we are like a man in a darksome cell through which a dim ray of light penetrates4 ,he observes but few objects1 and these very obscurely4 ,but as soon as our soul is freed from the body1 soaring heavenward like a bird released from its cage1 its vision is at once marvelously enlarged4 ,it requires neither eyes to see nor ears to hear1 but beholds all things in ,god as in a mirror4 8,we now10 says the ,apostle1 8see through a glass darkly2 but then face to face4 ,now1 ,i know in part2 but then ,i shall know even as ,i am known407#aib7 ,in our day we know what wonderful facility we have in communicating with our friends at a distance4 ,a message to ,berlin or ,rome with the answer1 which a century ago would require sixty days in transmission1 can now be accomplished in sixty minutes4 ,i can hold a conversation with an acquaintance in ,san ,francisco1 three thousand miles away1 and can talk to him as easily and expeditiously as if he were closeted with me here in ,baltimore4 ,nay more1 we can distinctly recognize one another by the sound of our voice4 ,if a scientist had predicted such events1 a hundred years past1 he would be regarded as demented4 ,and yet he would not be a visionary1 but a prophet4 ,let us not be unwise in measuring ,divine power by our finite reason4 ,if such revelations are made in the natural order1 what may we not expect in the supernatural world8 ,if science gives us such rapid and easy means of corresponding with our fellow beings on foreign shores1 what methods may not the ,god of ,sciences employ to enable us to communicate with our brethren on the shores of eternity8 8,there are more things in heaven and earth1 ,horatio1 than are dreamt of in your philosophy40 ,that the spirits of the just in heaven are clearly conversant with our affairs on earth is manifest from the following passages of ,holy ,writ4 ,the venerable ,patriarch ,jacob1 when on his deathbed1 prayed thus for his two grandchildren3 8,may the angel that delivereth me from all evils bless these boys607#aic7 ,here we see a holy ,patriarch--one singularly favored by ,almighty ,god1 and enlightened by many supernatural visions1 the father of ,jehovah's chosen people--asking the angel in heaven to obtain a blessing for his grandchildren4 ,and surely we cannot suppose that he would be so ignorant as to pray to one that could not hear him4 ,the angel ,raphael1 after having disclosed himself to ,tobias1 said to him3 8,when thou didst pray with tears1 and didst bury the dead1 and didst leave thy dinner1 ,i offered thy prayer to the ,lord407#aid7 ,how could the angel1 if he were ignorant of these petitions1 have presented to ,god the prayers of ,tobias8 ,to pass from the ,old to the ,new ,testament1 our ,savior declares that 8there shall be joy before the angels of ,god upon one sinner doing penance407#aie7 ,then the angels are glad whenever you repent of your sins4 ,now1 what is repentance8 ,it is a change of heart4 ,it is an interior operation of the will4 ,the saints1 therefore1 are acquainted--we know not how--not only with your actions and words1 but even with your very thoughts4 ,and when ,st4 ,paul says that 8we are made a spectacle to the world1 to angels1 and to men107#aif7 what does he mean1 unless that as our actions are seen by men even so they are visible to the angels in heaven8 ,the examples ,i have quoted refer1 it is true1 to the angels4 ,but our ,lord declares that the saints in heaven shall be like the angelic spirits1 by possessing the same knowledge1 enjoying the same happiness47#aig7 ,we read in the ,gospel that ,dives1 while suffering in the place of the reprobates1 earnestly besought ,abraham to cool his burning thirst4 ,and ,abraham1 in his abode of rest after death1 was able to listen and reply to him4 ,now1 if communication could exist between the souls of the just and of the reprobate1 how much easier is it to suppose that interchange of thought can exist between the saints in heaven and their brethren on earth8 ,these few instances are sufficient to convince you that the spirits in heaven hear our prayers4 ,second--,we have1 also1 abundant testimony from ,scripture to show that the saints assist us by their prayers4 ,almighty ,god threatened the inhabitants of ,sodom and ,gomorrha with utter destruction on account of their crimes and abominations4 ,abraham interposes in their behalf and1 in response to his prayer1 ,god consents to spare those cities if only ten just men are found therein4 ,here the avenging hand of ,god is suspended and the fire of ,his wrath withheld1 through the efficacy of the prayers of a single man47#aih7 ,we read in the ,book of ,exodus that when the ,amalekites were about to wage war on the children of ,israel ,moses1 the great servant and ,prophet of the ,lord1 went upon a mountain to pray for the success of his people2 and the ,scriptures inform us that whenever ,moses raised his hands in prayer the ,israelites were victorious1 but when he ceased to pray ,amalek conquered4 ,could the power of intercessory prayer be manifested in a more striking manner8 ,the silent prayer of ,moses on the mountain was more formidable to the ,amalekites than the sword of ,josue and his armed hosts fighting in the valley47#aii7 ,when the same ,hebrew people were banished from their native country and carried into exile in ,babylon1 so great was their confidence in the prayers of their brethren in ,jerusalem that they sent them the following message1 together with a sum of money1 that sacrifice might be offered up for them in the holy city3 8,pray ye for us to the ,lord our ,god1 for we have sinned against the ,lord our ,god407#bjj7 ,when the friends of ,job had excited the indignation of the ,almighty in consequence of their vain speech1 ,god1 instead of directly granting them the pardon which they sought1 commanded them to invoke the intercession of ,job3 8,go10 ,he says1 8to ,my servant ,job and offer for yourselves a holocaust1 and ,my servant ,job will pray for you and his face will ,i accept407#bja7 ,nor did they appeal to ,job in vain2 for1 8the ,lord was turned at the penance of ,job when he prayed for his friends407#bjb7 ,in this instance we not only see the value of intercessory prayer1 but we find ,god sanctioning it by ,his own authority4 ,but of all the sacred writers there is none that reposes greater confidence in the prayers of his brethren than ,st4 ,paul1 although no one had a better knowledge than he of the infinite merits of our ,savior's ,passion1 and no one could have more endeared himself to ,god by his personal labors4 ,in his ,epistles ,st4 ,paul repeatedly asks for himself the prayers of his disciples4 ,if he wishes to be delivered from the hands of the unbelievers of ,judea1 and his ministry to be successful in ,jerusalem1 he asks the ,romans to obtain these favors for him4 ,if he desires the grace of preaching with profit the ,gospel to the ,gentiles1 he invokes the intercession of the ,ephesians4 ,nay1 is it not a common practice among ourselves1 and even among our dissenting brethren1 to ask the prayers of one another8 ,when a father is about to leave his house on a long journey the instinct of piety prompts him to say to his wife and children3 8,remember me in your prayers40 ,now ,i ask you1 if our friends1 though sinners1 can aid us by their prayers1 why cannot our friends1 the saints of ,god1 be able to assist us also8 ,if ,abraham and ,moses and ,job exercised so much influence with the ,almighty while they lived in the flesh1 is their power with ,god diminished now that they reign with ,him in heaven8 ,we are moved by the children of ,israel sending their pious petitions to their brethren in ,jerusalem4 ,they recalled to mind1 no doubt1 what the ,lord said to ,solomon after he had completed the temple3 8,my eyes shall be open and ,my ears attentive to the prayer of him that shall pray in this place407#bjc7 ,if the supplications of those that prayed in the earthly ,jerusalem were so efficacious1 what will ,god refuse to those who pray to ,him face to face in the heavenly ,jerusalem8 ,third--,but you will ask1 are the saints in heaven so interested in our welfare as to be mindful of us in their prayers8 ,or1 are they so much absorbed in the contemplation of ,god1 and in the enjoyment of celestial bliss1 as to be altogether regardless of their friends on earth8 ,far from us the suspicion that the saints reigning with ,god ever forget us4 ,in heaven1 charity is triumphant4 ,and how can the saints have love1 and yet be unmindful of their brethren on earth8 ,if they have one desire greater than another1 it is to see us one day wearing the crowns that await us in heaven4 ,if they were capable of experiencing sorrow1 their grief would spring from the consideration that we do not always walk in their footsteps here1 so as to make sure our election to eternal glory hereafter4 ,the ,hebrew people believed1 like us1 that the saints after death were occupied in praying for us4 ,we read in the ,book of ,maccabees that ,judas ,maccabeus1 the night before he engaged in battle with the army of the impious ,nicanor1 had a supernatural dream1 or vision1 in which he beheld ,onias1 the ,high-,priest1 and the prophet ,jeremiah1 both of whom had been long dead4 ,onias appeared to him with outstretched arms1 praying for the people of ,god4 ,pointing to ,jeremiah1 he said to ,judas ,maccabeus3 8,this is a lover of his brethren and the people of ,israel4 ,this is he that prayeth much for the people and for all the holy city1 ,jeremiah1 the ,prophet of ,god407#bjd7 ,then ,jeremiah1 as is related in the sequel of the vision1 handed a sword to ,judas1 with which the prophet predicted that ,judas would conquer his enemies4 ,the soldiers1 animated by the relation of ,judas1 fought with invincible courage and overcame the enemy4 ,the ,book of ,maccabees1 though not admitted by our dissenting brethren to be inspired1 must1 at least1 be acknowledged by them to be a faithful historical record4 ,it is manifest1 therefore1 from this narrative that the ,hebrew people believed that the saints in heaven pray for their brethren on earth4 ,st4 ,john in his ,revelation describes the ,saints before the throne of ,god praying for their earthly brethren3 8,the four and twenty ancients fell down before the ,lamb1 having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors1 which are the prayers of the saints407#bje7 ,the prophet ,zachariah records a prayer that was offered by the angel for the people of ,god1 and the favorable answer which came from heaven3 8,how long1 ,o ,lord1 wilt ,thou not have mercy on ,jerusalem1 and on the cities of ,juda1 with which ,thou hast been angry8444 ,and the ,lord answered the angel 444 good words1 comfortable words407#bjf7 ,nor can we be surprised to learn that the angels labor for our salvation1 since we are told by ,st4 ,peter that 8the devil goeth about like a roaring lion1 seeking whom he may devour20 for1 if hate impels the demons to ruin us1 surely love must inspire the angels to help us in securing the crown of glory4 ,and if the angels1 though of a different nature from ours1 are so mindful of us1 how much more interest do the saints manifest in our welfare1 who are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh8 ,to ask the prayers of our brethren in heaven is not only conformable to ,holy ,scripture1 but is prompted by the instincts of our nature4 ,the ,catholic doctrine of the ,communion of ,saints robs death of its terrors1 while the ,reformers of the sixteenth century1 in denying the ,communion of ,saints1 not only inflicted a deadly wound on the ,creed1 but also severed the tenderest chords of the human heart4 ,they broke asunder the holy ties that unite earth with heaven--the soul in the flesh with the soul released from the flesh4 ,if my brother leaves me to cross the seas ,i believe that he continues to pray for me4 ,and when he crosses the narrow sea of death and lands on the shores of eternity1 why should he not pray for me still8 ,what does death destroy8 ,the body4 ,the soul still lives and moves and has its being4 ,it thinks and wills and remembers and loves4 ,the dross of sin and selfishness and hatred are burned by the salutary fires of contrition1 and nothing remains but the pure gold of charity4 ,o far be from us the dreary thought that death cuts off our friends entirely from us6 ,far be from us the heartless creed which declares a perpetual divorce between us and the just in heaven6 ,do not imagine when you lose a father or mother1 a tender sister or brother1 who die in the peace of ,christ1 that they are forgetful of you4 ,the love they bore you on earth is purified and intensified in heaven4 ,or if your innocent child1 regenerated in the waters of baptism1 is snatched from you by death1 be assured that1 though separated from you in body1 that child is with you in spirit and is repaying you a thousand-fold for the natural life it received from you4 ,be convinced that the golden link of prayer binds you to that angelic infant1 and that it is continually offering its fervent petitions at the throne of ,god for you1 that you may both be reunited in heaven4 ,but ,i hear men cry out with ,pharisaical assurance1 8,you dishonor ,god1 sir1 in praying to the saints4 ,you make void the mediatorship of ,jesus ,christ4 ,you put the creature above the ,creator40 ,how utterly groundless is this objection6 ,we do not dishonor ,god in praying to the saints4 ,we should1 indeed1 dishonor ,him if we consulted the saints independently of ,god4 ,but such is not our practice4 ,the ,catholic ,church teaches1 on the contrary1 that ,god alone is the ,giver of all good gifts2 that ,he is the ,source of all blessings1 the ,fountain of all goodness4 ,she teaches that whatever happiness or glory or influence the saints possess1 all comes from ,god4 ,as the moon borrows her light from the sun1 so do the blessed borrow their light from ,jesus1 8the ,sun of ,justice1 the one ,mediator 7of redemption7 of ,god and men407#bjg7 ,hence1 when we address the saints1 we beg them to pray for us through the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 while we ask ,jesus to help up through ,his own merits4 ,but what is the use of praying to the saints1 since ,god can hear us4 ,if it is vain and useless to pray to the saints because ,god can hear us1 then ,jacob was wrong in praying to the angel2 the friends of ,job were wrong in asking him to pray for them1 though ,god commanded them to invoke ,job's intercession2 the ,jews exiled in ,babylon were wrong in asking their brethren in ,jerusalem to pray for them2 ,st4 ,paul was wrong in beseeching his friends to pray for him2 then we are all wrong in praying for each other4 ,you deem it useful and pious to ask your pastor to pray for you4 ,is it not1 at least1 equally useful for me to invoke the prayers of ,st4 ,paul1 since ,i am convinced that he can hear me8 ,god forbid that our supplications to our ,father in heaven should diminish in proportion as our prayers to the ,saints increase2 for1 after all1 we must remember that1 while the ,church declares it necessary for salvation to pray to ,god1 she merely asserts that it is 8good and useful to invoke the saints407#bjh7 ,to ask the prayers of the saints1 far from being useless1 is most profitable4 ,by invoking their intercession1 instead of one we have many praying for us4 ,to our own tepid petitions we unite the fervent supplications of the blessed and 8the ,lord will hear the prayers of the just407#bji7 ,to the petitions of us1 poor pilgrims in this vale of tears1 are united those of the citizens of heaven4 ,we ask them to pray to their ,god and to our ,god1 to their ,father and to our ,father1 that we may one day share their delights in that blessed country in company with our common ,redeemer1 ,jesus ,christ1 with whom to live is to reign4 ,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,is ,,it ,,lawful ,,to ,,honor ,,the ,,blessed ,,virgin ,,mary ,,as ,a ,,saint1 ,,to ,,invoke ,,her ,,as ,,an ,,intercessor1 ,,and ,,to ,,imitate ,,her ,,as ,a ,,model4 ,i4 ,is ,it ,lawful ,to ,honor ,her8 ,the sincere adorers and lovers of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ look with reverence on every object with which ,he was associated1 and they conceive an affection for every person that was near and dear to ,him on earth4 ,the closer the intimacy of those persons with our ,savior1 the holier do they appear in our estimation1 just as those planets which revolve the nearest around the sun partake most of its light and heat4 ,there is something hallowed to the eye of the ,christian in the very soil of ,judea1 because it was pressed by the footprints of our ,blessed ,redeemer4 ,with what reverent steps we would enter the cave of ,bethlehem because there was born the ,savior of the world4 ,with what religious demeanor we would tread the streets of ,nazareth when we remembered that there were spent the days of ,his boyhood4 ,what profound religious awe would fill our hearts on ascending ,mount ,calvary1 where ,he paid by his blood the ransom of our souls4 ,but if the lifeless soil claims so much reverence1 how much more veneration would be enkindled in our hearts for the living persons who were the friends and associates of our ,savior on earth6 ,we know that ,he exercised a certain salutary and magnetic influence on those whom ,he approached4 8,all the multitude sought to touch ,him1 for virtue went out from ,him and healed all107#baj7 as happened to the woman who had been troubled with an issue of blood47#baa7 ,we would seem1 indeed1 to draw near to ,jesus1 if we had the happiness of only conversing with the ,samaritan woman1 or of eating at the table of ,zaccheus1 or of being entertained by ,nicodemus4 ,but if we were admitted into the inner circle of ,his friends--of ,lazarus1 ,mary and ,martha1 for instance--the ,baptist or the ,apostles1 we would be conscious that in their company we were drawing still nearer to ,jesus and imbibing somewhat of that spirit which they must have largely received from their familiar relations with ,him4 ,now1 if the land of ,judea is looked upon as hallowed ground because ,jesus dwelt there2 if the ,apostles were considered as models of holiness because they were the chosen companions and pupils of our ,lord in ,his latter years1 how peerless must have been the sanctity of ,mary1 who gave ,him birth1 whose breast was ,his pillow1 who nursed and clothed ,him in infancy1 who guided ,his early steps1 who accompanied ,him in ,his exile to ,egypt and back1 who abode with ,him from infancy to boyhood1 from boyhood to manhood1 who during all that time listened to the words of wisdom which fell from ,his lips1 who was the first to embrace ,him at ,his birth1 and the last to receive ,his dying breath on ,calvary4 ,this sentiment is so natural to us that we find it bursting forth spontaneously from the lips of the woman of the ,gospel1 who1 hearing the words of ,jesus full of wisdom and sanctity1 lifted up her voice and said to ,him3 8,blessed is the womb that bore ,thee and the paps that gave ,thee suck40 ,it is in accordance with the economy of ,divine ,providence that1 whenever ,god designs any person for some important work1 ,he bestows on that person the graces and dispositions necessary for faithfully discharging it4 ,when ,moses was called by heaven to be the leader of the ,hebrew people he hesitated to assume the formidable office on the plea of 8impediment and slowness of tongue40 ,but ,jehovah reassured him by promising to qualify him for the sublime functions assigned to him3 8,i will be in thy mouth1 and ,i will teach thee what thou shalt speak407#bab7 ,the ,prophet ,jeremiah was sanctified from his very birth because he was destined to be the herald of ,god's law to the children of ,israel3 8,before ,i formed thee in the bowels of thy mother ,i knew thee1 and before thou camest forth out of the womb ,i sanctified thee407#bac7 8,elizabeth was filled with the ,holy ,ghost107#bad7 that she might be worthy to be the hostess of our ,lord during the three months that ,mary dwelt under her roof4 ,john the ,baptist was 8filled with the ,holy ,ghost even from his mother's womb407#bae7 8,he was a burning and a shining light07#baf7 because he was chosen to prepare the way of the ,lord4 ,the ,apostles received the plenitude of grace2 they were endowed with the gift of tongue and other privileges7#bag7 before they commenced the work of the ministry4 ,hence ,st4 ,paul says3 8,our sufficiency is from ,god1 who hath made us fit ministers of the ,new ,testament407#bah7 ,now of all who have participated in the ministry of the ,redemption there is none who filled any position so exalted1 so sacred1 as is the incommunicable office of ,mother of ,jesus2 and there is no one1 consequently1 that needed so high a degree of holiness as she did4 ,for1 if ,god thus sanctified ,his ,prophets and ,apostles as being destined to be the bearers of the ,word of life1 how much more sanctified must ,mary have been1 who was to bear the ,lord and 8,author of life407#bai7 ,if ,john was so holy because he was chosen as the pioneer to prepare the way of the ,lord1 how much more holy was she who ushered ,him into the world4 ,if holiness became ,john's mother1 surely a greater holiness became the mother of ,john's ,master4 ,if ,god said to ,his ,priests of old3 8,be ye clean1 you that carry the vessels of the ,lord207#bbj7 nay1 if the vessels themselves used in the divine service and churches are set apart by special consecration1 we cannot conceive ,mary to have been ever profaned by sin1 who was the chosen vessel of election1 even the ,mother of ,god4 ,when we call the ,blessed ,virgin the ,mother of ,god1 we assert our belief in two things3 ,first--,that her ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 is true man1 else she were not a mother4 ,second--,that ,he is true ,god1 else she were not the ,mother of ,god4 ,in other words1 we affirm that the ,second ,person of the ,blessed ,trinity1 the ,word of ,god1 who in ,his divine nature is from all eternity begotten of the ,father1 consubstantial with ,him1 was in the fulness of time again begotten1 by being born of the ,virgin1 thus taking to ,himself1 from her maternal womb1 a human nature of the same substance with hers4 ,but it may be said the ,blessed ,virgin is not the ,mother of the ,divinity4 ,she had not1 and she could not have1 any part in the generation of the ,word of ,god1 for that generation is eternal2 her maternity is temporal4 ,he is her ,creator2 she is ,his creature4 ,style her1 if you will1 the ,mother of the man ,jesus or even of the human nature of the ,son of ,god1 but not the ,mother of ,god4 ,i shall answer this objection by putting a question4 ,did the mother who bore us have any part in the production of our soul8 ,was not this nobler part of our being the work of ,god alone8 ,and yet who would for a moment dream of saying 8the mother of my body10 and not 8my mother80 ,the comparison teaches us that the terms parent and child1 mother and son1 refer to the persons and not to the parts or elements of which the persons are composed4 ,hence no one says3 8,the mother of my body10 8the mother of my soul20 but in all propriety 8my mother10 the mother of me who live and breathe1 think and act1 one in my personality1 though uniting in it a soul directly created by ,god1 and a material body directly derived from the maternal womb4 ,in like manner1 as far as the sublime mystery of the ,incarnation can be reflected in the natural order1 the ,blessed ,virgin1 under the overshadowing of the ,holy ,ghost1 by communicating to the ,second ,person of the ,adorable ,trinity1 as mothers do1 a true human nature of the same substance with her own1 is thereby really and truly ,his ,mother4 ,it is in this sense that the title of ,mother of ,god1 denied by ,nestorius1 was vindicated to her by the ,general ,council of ,ephesus1 in #dca2 in this sense1 and in no other1 has the ,church called her by that title4 ,hence1 by immediate and necessary consequence1 follow her surpassing dignity and excellence1 and her special relationship and affinity1 not only with her ,divine ,son1 but also with the ,father and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,mary1 as ,wordsworth beautifully expressed it1 united in her person 8a mother's love with maiden purity40 ,the ,church teaches us that she was always a ,virgin--a ,virgin before her espousals1 during her married life and after her spouse's death4 8,the ,angel ,gabriel was sent from ,god 444 to a ,virgin espoused to a man whose name was ,joseph1 444 and the ,virgin's name was ,mary407#bba7 ,that she remained a ,virgin till after the birth of ,jesus is expressly stated in the ,gospel47#bbb7 ,it is not less certain that she continued in the same state during the remainder of her days2 for in the ,apostles' and the ,nicene ,creed she is called a ,virgin1 and that epithet cannot be restricted to the time of our ,saviour's birth4 ,it must be referred to her whole life1 inasmuch as both creeds were compiled long after she had passed away4 ,the ,canon of the ,mass1 which is very probably of ,apostolic antiquity1 speaks of her as the 8glorious ever ,virgin10 and in this sentiment all ,catholic tradition concurs4 ,there is a propriety which suggests itself to every ,christian in ,mary's remaining a ,virgin after the birth of ,jesus1 for1 as ,bishop ,bull of the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church of ,england remarks1 8,it cannot with decency be imagined that the most holy vessel which was once consecrated to be a receptacle of the ,deity should be afterwards desecrated and profaned by human use40 ,the learned ,grotius1 ,calvin and other eminent ,protestant writers hold the same view4 ,the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of ,mary is now combated by ,protestants1 as it was in the early days of the ,church by ,helvidius and ,jovinian1 on the following grounds3 ,first--,the ,evangelist says that 8,joseph took unto him his wife1 and he knew her not till she brought forth her first-born son407#bbc7 ,this sentence suggests to dissenters that other children besides ,jesus were born to ,mary4 ,but the qualifying word till by no means implies that the chaste union which had subsisted between ,mary and ,joseph up to the birth of our ,lord was subsequently altered4 ,the ,protestant ,hooker justly complains of the early heretics as having 8abused greatly these words of ,matthew1 gathering against the honor of the ,blessed ,virgin1 that a thing denied with special circumstance doth import an opposite affirmation when once that circumstance is expired407#bbd7 ,to express ,hooker's idea in plainer words1 when a thing is said not to have occurred until another event had happened1 it does not necessarily follow that it did occur after that event took place4 ,the ,scripture says that the raven went forth from the ark1 8and did not return till the waters were dried up upon the earth07#bbe7--that is1 it never returned4 8,samuel saw ,saul no more till the day of his death407#bbf7 ,he did not1 of course1 see him after death4 8,the ,lord said to my ,lord3 ,sit thou at my right hand until ,i make thy enemies thy footstool407#bbg7 ,these words apply to our ,savior1 who did not cease to sit at the right of ,god after ,his enemies were subdued4 ,second--,but ,jesus is called ,mary's first-born ,son1 and does not a first-born always imply the subsequent birth of other children to the same mother8 ,by no means2 for the name of first-born was given to the first son of every ,jewish mother1 whether other children followed or not4 ,we find this epithet applied to ,machir1 for instance1 who was the only son of ,manasses47#bbh7 ,third--,but is not mention frequently made of the brethren of ,jesus87#bbi7 ,fortunately the ,gospels themselves will enable us to trace the maternity of those who are called ,his brothers1 not to the ,blessed ,virgin1 but to another ,mary4 ,st4 ,matthew mentions1 by name1 ,james and ,joseph among the brethren of ,jesus27#bcj7 and the same ,evangelist and also ,st4 ,mark tell us that among those who were present at the ,crucifixion were ,mary ,magdalen and ,mary the mother of ,james and ,joseph47#bca7 ,and ,st4 ,john1 who narrates with more detail the circumstances of the ,crucifixion1 informs us who this second ,mary was1 for he says that there stood by the cross of ,jesus ,his mother and ,his ,mother's sister1 ,mary of ,cleophas1 and ,mary ,magdalen47#bcb7 ,there is no doubt that ,mary of ,cleophas is identical with ,mary1 who is called by ,matthew and ,mark the mother of ,james and ,joseph4 ,and as ,mary of ,cleophas was the kinswoman of the ,blessed ,virgin1 ,james and ,joseph are called the brothers of ,jesus1 in conformity with the ,hebrew practice of giving that appellation to cousins or near relations4 ,abraham1 for instance1 was the uncle of ,lot1 yet he calls him brother47#bcc7 ,mary is exalted above all other women1 not only because she united 8a mother's love with maiden purity10 but also because she was conceived without original sin4 ,the dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception is thus expressed by the ,church3 8,we define that the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary in the first moment of her conception1 by the singular grace and privilege of ,almighty ,god1 in virtue of the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,savior of the human race1 was preserved free from every stain of original sin407#bcd7 ,unlike the rest of the children of ,adam1 the soul of ,mary was never subject to sin1 even in the first moment of its infusion into the body4 ,she alone was exempt from the original taint4 ,this immunity of ,mary from original sin is exclusively due to the merits of ,christ1 as the ,church expressly declares4 ,she needed a ,redeemer as well as the rest of the human race and therefore was 8redeemed1 but in a more sublime manner407#bce7 ,mary is as much indebted to the precious blood of ,jesus for having been preserved as we are for having been cleansed from original sin4 ,although the ,immaculate ,conception was not formulated into a dogma of faith till #ahed1 it is at least implied in ,holy ,scripture4 ,it is in strict harmony with the place which ,mary holds in the economy of ,redemption1 and has virtually received the pious assent of the faithful from the earliest days of the ,church4 ,in ,genesis we read3 8,i will put enmities between thee and the woman1 and thy seed and her seed2 she shall crush thy head407#bcf7 ,all ,catholic commentators1 ancient and modern1 recognize in the ,seed1 the ,woman and the serpent types of our ,savior1 of ,mary and the devil4 ,god here declares that the enmity of the ,seed and that of the ,woman toward the tempter were to be identical4 ,now the enmity of ,christ1 or the ,seed1 toward the evil one was absolute and perpetual4 ,therefore the enmity of ,mary1 or the ,woman1 toward the devil never admitted of any momentary reconciliation which would have existed if she were ever subject to original sin4 ,it is worthy of note that as three characters appear on the scene of our fall--,adam1 ,eve and the rebellious ,angel--so three corresponding personages figure in our redemption--,jesus ,christ1 who is the second ,adam27#bcg7 ,mary1 the second ,eve1 and the ,archangel ,gabriel4 ,the second ,adam was immeasurably superior to the first1 ,gabriel was superior to the fallen ,angel1 and hence we are warranted by analogy to conclude that ,mary was superior to ,eve4 ,but if she had been created in original sin1 instead of being superior1 she would be inferior to ,eve1 who was certainly created immaculate4 ,we cannot conceive that the mother of ,cain was created superior to the mother of ,jesus4 ,it would have been unworthy of a ,god of infinite purity to have been born of a woman that was even for an instant under the dominion of ,satan4 ,the liturgies of the ,church1 being the established formularies of her public worship1 are among the most authoritative documents that can be adduced in favor of any religious practice4 ,in the liturgy ascribed to ,st4 ,james1 ,mary is commemorated as 8our most holy1 immaculate and most glorious ,lady1 ,mother of ,god and ever ,virgin ,mary407#bch7 ,in the ,maronite ,ritual she is invoked as 8our holy1 praiseworthy and immaculate ,lady407#bci7 ,in the ,alexandrian liturgy of ,st4 ,basil1 she is addressed as 8most holy1 most glorious1 immaculate407#bdj7 ,the ,feast of ,mary's ,conception commenced to be celebrated in the ,east in the fifth1 and in the ,west in the seventh centuries4 ,it was not introduced into ,rome till probably towards the end of the fourteenth century4 ,though ,rome is always the first that is called on to sanction a new festival1 she is often the last to take part in it4 ,she is the first that is expected to give the key-note1 but frequently the last to join in the festive song4 ,while she is silent1 the notes are faint and uncertain2 when her voice joins in the chant1 the song of praise becomes constant and universal4 ,it is scarcely necessary for me to add that the introduction of the festival of the ,conception after the lapse of so many centuries from the foundation of ,christianity no more implies a novelty of doctrine than the erection of a monument in #ahge to ,arminius1 the ,german hero who flourished in the first century1 would be an evidence of his recent exploits4 ,the ,feast of the ,blessed ,trinity was not introduced till the fifth century1 though it commemorates a fundamental mystery of the ,christian religion4 ,it is interesting to us to know that the ,immaculate ,conception of ,mary has been interwoven in the earliest history of our own country4 ,the ship that first bore ,columbus to ,america was named ,mary of the ,conception4 ,this celebrated navigator gave the same name to the second island which he discovered4 ,the first chapel erected in ,quebec1 when that city was founded in the early part of the seventeenth century was dedicated to ,god under the invocation of ,mary ,immaculate4 ,in view of these three great prerogatives of ,mary--her divine maternity1 her perpetual virginity and her ,immaculate ,conception--we are prepared to find her blessedness often and expressly declared in ,holy ,scripture4 ,the ,archangel ,gabriel is sent to her from heaven to announce to her the happy tidings that she was destined to be the mother of the world's ,redeemer4 ,no greater favor was ever before or since conferred on woman1 whether we consider the dignity of the messenger1 or the momentous character of the message1 or the terms of respect in which it is conveyed4 8,the ,angel ,gabriel was sent from ,god into a city of ,galilee called ,nazareth to a virgin 444 and the virgin's name was ,mary4 ,and the ,angel being come in said unto her3 ,hail1 full of grace1 the ,lord is with thee2 blessed art thou among women4 ,who1 having heard1 was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be4 ,and the ,angel said to her3 ,fear not1 ,mary1 for thou hast found grace with ,god4 ,behold1 thou shalt conceive in thy womb1 and shalt bring forth a son1 and thou shalt call his name ,jesus4444 ,the ,holy ,ghost shall come upon thee1 and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee1 and therefore1 also1 the ,holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the ,son of ,god407#bda7 ,the ,almighty does not send to ,mary1 a prophet or priest1 or any other earthly ambassador1 nor even one of the lower choirs of angels1 but ,he commissions an ,archangel to confer with her4 8,hail full of grace60 ,gabriel does not congratulate her on her personal charms1 though she is the fairest daughter of ,israel4 ,he does not praise her for her exalted ancestry1 though she is descended from the ,kings of ,juda4 ,but he commends her because she is the chosen child of benediction4 ,he admires the hidden virtues of her soul1 brighter than the sun1 fairer than the moon1 purer than angels1 he sees before him1 8,our tainted nature's solitary boast10 one that alone escaped the taint of ,adam's disobedience4 ,as the precious diamond reflects various colors according as it is exposed to the sun's rays1 so did the soul of ,mary1 from the moment that the 8,sun of ,justice0 shone upon her1 exhibit every grace that was prompted by the occasion4 ,st4 ,stephen and the ,apostles were also said to be full of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,by this1 however1 we are not to understand that the same measure of grace was imparted to them which was given to ,mary4 ,on each one it is bestowed according to his merits and needs4 8,one is the glory of the sun1 another the glory of the moon1 and another the glory of the stars1 for star differeth from star in glory207#bdb7 and as ,mary's office of ,mother of ,god immeasurably surpassed in dignity that of the proto-martyr and of the ,apostles1 so did her grace superabound over theirs4 8,the ,lord is with thee40 8,he exists in ,his creatures in different ways2 in those that are endowed with reason in one way1 in irrational creatures in another4 ,his irrational creatures have no means of apprehending or possessing ,him4 ,all rational creatures may indeed apprehend ,him by knowledge1 but only the good by love4 ,only in the good does ,he so exist as to be with them as well as in them2 with them by a certain harmony and agreement of will1 and in this way ,god is with all ,his ,saints4 ,but ,he is with ,mary in a yet more special manner1 for in her there was so great an agreement and union with ,god that not her will only1 but her very flesh was to be united to him407#bdc7 8,blessed art ,thou among women40 ,the same expression is applied to two other women in the ,holy ,scripture--viz41 to ,jahel and ,judith4 ,the former was called blessed after she had slain ,sisara17#bdd7 and the latter after she had slain ,holofernes17#bde7 both of whom had been enemies of ,god's people4 ,in this respect these two women are true types of ,mary1 who was chosen by ,god to crush the head of the serpent1 the infernal enemy of mankind4 ,and if they deserved the title of blessed for being the instruments of ,god in rescuing ,israel from temporal calamities1 how much more does ,mary merit that appellation1 who co-operated so actively in the salvation of the human race6 ,the ,evangelist proceeds3 8,and ,mary1 rising up in those days1 went 444 into a city of ,juda2 and she entered into the house of ,zachary and saluted ,elizabeth4 ,and it came to pass that when ,elizabeth heard the salutation of ,mary the infant leapt in her womb4 ,and ,elizabeth was filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and she cried out with a loud voice and said3 ,blessed art thou among women1 and blessed is the fruit of thy womb4 ,and whence is this to me that the mother of my ,lord should come to me8 ,for behold1 as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears1 the infant in my womb leaped for joy4 ,and blessed art thou that hast believed1 because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the ,lord407#bdf7 ,there is joy in ,mary's heart in being chosen to become the mother of the world's ,redeemer4 ,she wishes by her visit to communicate that joy to her cousin4 ,the ,sun of ,justice is shining within her4 ,she desires to diffuse ,his rays through ,elizabeth's household4 ,she is laden with spiritual treasures4 ,she must share them with her kinswoman1 especially as she is none the poorer in making others richer4 ,the usual order of salutation is here reversed4 ,age pays reverence to youth4 ,a lady who is revered by the whole community honors a lowly maiden4 ,an inspired matron expresses her astonishment that her young kinswoman should deign to visit her4 ,she extols ,mary's faith and calls her blessed4 ,she blends the praise of ,mary with the praise of ,mary's ,son1 and even the infant ,john testifies his reverential joy by leaping in his mother's womb4 ,and we are informed that during this interview ,elizabeth was filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 to remind us that the veneration she paid to her cousin was not prompted by her own feelings1 but was dictated by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,then ,mary breaks out into that sublime canticle1 the ,magnificat3 8,my soul doth magnify the ,lord1 and my spirit hath rejoiced in ,god my ,savior1 because ,he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid1 for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed407#bdg7 ,on these words ,i shall pause to make one reflection4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 through the organ of ,mary's chaste lips1 prophesies that all generations shall call her blessed1 with evident approval of the praise she should receive4 ,what a daring prophecy is this6 ,among the wonderful predictions recorded in ,holy ,scripture1 ,i can recall none that more strongly commands my admiration4 ,here is a modest1 retiring maiden1 living in an obscure village in a remote quarter of the civilized world1 openly announcing that every age till the end of time1 should pronounce her hallowed4 ,we have no reason to question this prophecy1 for it is recorded in the inspired pages of the ,gospel4 ,and we know also without the shadow of a doubt that the prophecy has been literally fulfilled4 ,for1 in every epoch1 and in every ,christian land from the rising to the setting sun1 her ,magnificat has daily resounded4 ,now the ,catholic is the only ,church whose children1 generation after generation1 from the first to the present century1 have pronounced her blessed2 of all ,christians in this land1 they alone contribute to the fulfilment of the prophecy4 ,therefore1 it is only ,catholics that earn the approval of ,heaven by fulfilling the prediction of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,protestants not only concede that we bless the name of ,mary1 but they even reproach us with being too lavish in our praises of her4 ,on the other hand1 they are careful to exclude themselves from the 8generations0 that were destined to call her blessed1 for1 in speaking of her1 they almost invariably withhold from her the title of blessed1 prefering to call her the ,virgin1 or ,mary the ,virgin1 or the ,mother of ,jesus4 ,and while ,protestant churches will resound with the praises of ,sarah and ,rebecca and ,rachel1 of ,miriam and ,ruth1 of ,esther and ,judith of the ,old ,testament1 and of ,elizabeth and ,anna1 of ,magdalen and ,martha of the ,new1 the name of ,mary the ,mother of ,jesus is uttered with bated breath1 lest the sound of her name should make the preacher liable to the charge of superstition4 ,the piety of a mother usually sheds additional lustre on the son1 and the halo that encircles her brow is reflected upon his4 ,the more the mother is extolled1 the greater honor redounds to the son4 ,and if this is true of all men who do not choose their mothers1 how much more strictly may it be affirmed of ,him who chose ,his own ,mother1 and made her ,himself such as ,he would have her1 so that all the glories of ,his ,mother are essentially ,his own4 ,and yet we daily see ministers of the ,gospel ignoring ,mary's exalted virtues and unexampled privileges and parading her alleged imperfections2 nay1 sinfulness1 as if her ,son were dishonored by the piety1 and took delight in the defamation of ,his ,mother4 ,such defamers might learn a lesson from one who made little profession of ,christianity4 8,is thy name ,mary1 maiden fair8 ,such should1 methinks1 its music be4 ,the sweetest name that mortals bear1 ,were best befitting thee4 ,and she to whom it once was given ,was half of earth and half of heaven407#bdh7 ,once more the title of blessed1 is given to ,mary4 ,on one occasion a certain woman1 lifting up her voice1 said to ,jesus3 8,blessed is the womb that bore thee and the paps that gave thee suck407#bdi7 ,it is true that our ,lord replied3 8,yea1 rather 7or yea1 likewise71 blessed are they who hear the word of ,god and keep it40 ,it would be an unwarrantable perversion of the sacred text to infer from this reply that ,jesus intended to detract from the praise bestowed on ,his ,mother4 ,his words may be thus correctly paraphrased3 ,she is blessed indeed in being the chosen instrument of ,my incarnation1 but more blessed in keeping ,my word4 ,let others be comforted in knowing that though they cannot share with ,my ,mother in the privilege of her maternity1 they can participate with her in the blessed reward of them who hear ,my word and keep it4 ,in the preceding passages we have seen ,mary declared blessed on four different occasions1 and hence1 in proclaiming her blessedness1 far from paying her unmerited honor1 we are but re-echoing the ,gospel verdict of saint and angel and of the ,spirit of ,god ,himself4 ,wordsworth1 though not nurtured within the bosom of the ,catholic ,church1 conceives a true appreciation of ,mary's incomparable holiness in the following beautiful lines3 8,mother6 whose virgin bosom was uncrossed ,with the least shade of thought to sin allied2 ,woman6 above all women glorified1 ,our tainted nature's solitary boast2 ,purer than foam on central ocean tost1 ,brighter than eastern skies at daybreak strewn ,with fancied roses1 than the unblemished moon ,before her wane begins on heaven's blue coast1 ,thy image falls to earth4 ,yet some1 ,i ween1 ,not unforgiven1 the suppliant knee might bend ,as to a visible power1 in which did blend ,all that was mixed and reconciled in thee ,of mother's love with maiden purity1 ,of high with low1 celestial with serene40 ,to honor one who has been the subject of divine1 angelic and saintly panegyric is to use a privilege1 and the privilege is heightened into a sacred duty when we remember that the spirit of prophecy foretold that she should ever be the unceasing theme of ,christian eulogy as long as ,christianity itself would exist4 8,honor he is worthy of1 whom the king hath a mind to honor407#bej7 ,the ,king of kings hath honored ,mary2 ,his divine ,son did not disdain to be subject to her1 therefore should we honor her1 especially as the honor we pay to her redounds to ,god1 the source of all glory4 ,the ,royal ,prophet1 than whom no man paid higher praise to ,god1 esteemed the friends of ,god worthy of all honor3 8,to me ,thy friends1 ,o ,god1 are made exceedingly honorable407#bea7 ,now the dearest friends of ,god are they who most faithfully keep ,his precepts3 8,you are ,my friends1 if you do the things that ,i command you407#beb7 ,who fulfilled the divine precepts better than ,mary1 who kept all the words of her ,son1 pondering them in her heart8 8,if any man minister to me10 says our ,savior1 8him will ,my ,father honor407#bec7 ,who ministered more constantly to ,jesus than ,mary1 who discharged towards ,him all the offices of a tender mother8 ,heroes and statesmen may receive the highest military and civic honors which a nation can bestow without being suspected of invading the domain of the glory which is due to ,god4 ,now is not heroic sanctity more worthy of admiration than civil service and military exploits1 inasmuch as religion ranks higher than patriotism and valor8 ,and yet the admirers of ,mary's exalted virtues can scarcely celebrate her praises without being accused in certain quarters of ,mariolatry4 ,when a nation wishes to celebrate the memory of its distinguished men its admiration is not confined to words1 but vents itself in a thousand different shapes4 ,see in how many ways we honor the memory of ,washington4 ,monuments on which his good deeds are recorded are erected to his name4 ,the grounds in which his remains repose on the banks of the ,potomac are kept in order by a volunteer band of devoted ladies1 who adorn the place with flowers4 ,and this cherished spot is annually visited by thousands of pilgrims from the most remote sections of the country4 ,these visitors will eagerly snatch a flower or a leaf from a shrub growing near ,washington's tomb1 or will strive even to clip off a little shred from one of his garments1 still preserved in the old mansion1 to bear home with them as precious relics4 ,i have always observed when traveling on the missions up and down the ,potomac1 that whenever the steamer came to the point opposite ,mount ,vernon the bell was tolled1 and every eye was directed toward ,washington's grave4 ,the #bbnd of ,february1 ,washington's birthday1 is kept as a national holiday1 at least in certain portions of the country4 ,i well remember that formerly military and fire companies paraded the streets1 and that patriotic speeches recounting the heroic deeds of the first ,president were delivered1 the festivities of the day closing with a social banquet4 ,as the citizens of the ,united ,states manifest in divers ways their admiration for ,washington1 so do the citizens of the republic of the ,church love to exhibit in corresponding forms their veneration for the ,mother of ,jesus4 ,monuments and statues are erected to her4 ,thrice each day--at morn1 noon and even--the ,angelus bells are rung1 to recall to our mind the ,incarnation of our ,lord1 and the participation of ,mary in this great mystery of love4 ,her shrines are tastefully adorned by pious hands and visited by devoted children1 who wear her relics or any object which bears her image1 or which is associated with her name4 ,her natal day and other days of the year1 sacred to her memory1 are appropriately commemorated by processions1 by participation in the banquet of the ,eucharist1 and by sermons enlarging on her virtues and prerogatives4 ,as no one was ever suspected of loving his country and her institutions less because of his revering ,washington1 so no one can reasonably suppose that our homage to ,god is diminished by our fostering reverence for ,mary4 ,as our object in eulogizing ,washington is not so much to honor the man as to vindicate those principles of which he was the champion and exponent1 and to express our gratitude to ,god for the blessings bestowed on our country through him1 even so our motive in commemorating ,mary's name is not merely to praise her1 but still more to keep us in perpetual remembrance of our ,lord's ,incarnation1 and to show our thankfulness to ,him for the blessings wrought through that great mystery in which she was so prominent a figure4 ,there is not a grain of incense offered to ,mary which does not ascend to the throne of ,god ,himself4 ,experience sufficiently demonstrates that the better we understand the part which ,mary has taken in the work of redemption1 the more enlightened becomes our knowledge of our ,redeemer ,himself1 and that the greater our love for her1 the deeper and broader is our devotion to ,him2 while experience also testifies that our ,savior's attributes become more confused and warped in the minds of a people in proportion as they ignore ,mary's relations to ,him4 ,the defender of a beleaguered citadel concentrates his forces on the outer fortifications and towers1 knowing well that the capture of these outworks would endanger the citadel itself1 and that their safety involves its security4 ,jesus ,christ is the citadel of our faith1 the stronghold of our soul's affections4 ,mary is called the 8,tower of ,david10 and the gate of ,sion which the ,lord loveth more than all the tabernacles of ,jacob17#bed7 and which ,he entered at ,his ,incarnation4 ,so intimately is this living gate of ,sion connected with ,jesus1 the ,temple of our faith1 that no one has ever assailed the former without invading the latter4 ,the ,nestorian would have ,mary to be only an ordinary mother because he would have ,christ to be a mere man4 ,hence1 if we rush to the defence of the gate of ,sion1 it is because we are more zealous for the city of ,god4 ,if we stand as sentinels around the tower of ,david1 it is because we are more earnest in protecting ,jerusalem from invasion4 ,if we forbid profane hands to touch the ark of the covenant1 it is because we are anxious to guard from profanation the ,lord of the ark4 ,if we are so solicitous about ,mary's honor1 it is because 8the love of ,christ0 presseth us4 ,if we will not permit a single wreath to be snatched from her fair brow1 it is because we are unwilling that a single feature of ,christ's sacred humanity should be obscured1 and because we wish that ,he should ever shine forth in all the splendor of ,his glory1 and clothed in all the panoply of ,his perfections4 ,but you will ask3 ,why do you so often blend together the worship of ,god and the veneration of the ,blessed ,virgin8 ,why such exclamations as ,blessed be ,jesus and ,mary8 ,why do you so often repeat in succession the ,lord's prayer and the ,angelical salutation8 ,is not this practice calculated to level all distinctions between the ,creator and ,his creature1 and to excite the displeasure of a ,god ever jealous of ,his glory8 ,those who make this objection should remember that the praises of the ,lord and of ,his ,saints are frequently combined in ,holy ,scripture itself4 ,witness ,judith4 ,on returning from the tent of ,holofernes1 she sang3 8,praise ye the ,lord1 our ,god1 who hath not forsaken them that hope in ,him1 and by me ,his handmaid1 ,he hath fulfilled ,his mercy which ,he promised to the house of ,israel4444 ,and ,ozias1 the prince of the people of ,israel1 said to her3 ,blessed art thou1 ,o daughter1 by the ,lord the ,most ,high ,god1 above all women upon the earth1 ,blessed be the ,lord who made heaven and earth 444 because ,he hath so magnified thy name this day1 that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men407#bee7 ,witness ,ecclesiasticus4 ,after glorifying ,god for ,his mighty works1 he immediately sounds the praises of ,enoch and ,noe1 of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob1 of ,moses and ,aaron1 of ,samuel and ,nathan1 of ,david and ,josias1 of ,isaiah and ,jeremiah1 and other kings and prophets of ,israel47#bef7 ,elizabeth1 in the same breath1 exclaims3 8,blessed art thou among women1 and blessed is the fruit of thy womb407#beg7 ,and ,mary herself1 under the inspiration of ,heaven1 cries out3 8,my soul doth magnify the ,lord1 and my spirit hath rejoiced in ,god my ,savior4444 ,for1 behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed407#beh7 ,here are the names of ,creator and creature interwoven like threads of gold and silver in the same woof1 without provoking the jealousy of ,god4 ,god jealous of the honor paid to ,mary6 ,will a father be jealous of the honor paid to his child1 especially of a child who reflects his own image and likeness1 and exhibits those virtues which he had inculcated on her tender mind8 ,and is not ,mary ,god's child of predilection8 ,will an architect be envious of the praise bestowed on a magnificent temple which his genius planned and reared8 ,is not the living temple of ,mary's heart the work of the ,supreme ,architect8 ,must she not say with all of ,god's creatures3 8,thy hands 7,o ,lord7 have made me and formed me40 ,is it not ,he who has adorned that living temple with those rare beauties which we so much admire8 ,has she not declared so when she exclaimed3 8,he that is mighty hath done great things to me1 and holy is ,his name607#bei7 ,god jealous of the honor paid to ,mary6 ,as well might we imagine that the sun1 if endowed with intelligence1 would be jealous of the mellow1 golden cloud which encircles him1 which reflects his brightness and presents in bolder light his inaccessible splendor4 ,as well imagine that the same luminary would be jealous of our admiration for the beautiful rose1 whose opening petals and rich color and delicious fragrance are the fruit of his beneficent rays4 ,hence in uniting ,mary's praise with that of ,jesus we are strictly imitating the sacred ,text4 ,we are imitating ,joachim1 the ,high ,priest1 and the people of ,god in ,bethulia1 who unite the praises of ,judith with the praises of ,jehovah4 ,we are imitating the sacred writer of ,ecclesiasticus who1 after extolling ,god for ,his mighty works1 sounds the praises of ,enoch and ,noe1 of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob1 of ,david and ,josiah1 of ,isaiah and ,jeremiah1 and other ,kings and ,prophets of ,israel4 ,we are imitating ,elizabeth1 who exclaimed in one breath3 8,blessed art thou 7,mary7 among women and blessed is 7,jesus7 the fruit of thy womb40 ,and as no one ever suspected that the encomiums pronounced on ,judith and the virtuous ,kings and ,prophets of ,israel detracted from ,god's honor1 so neither do we lessen ,his glory in exalting the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,i find ,jesus and ,mary together at the manger1 together in ,egypt1 together in ,nazareth1 together in the temple1 together at the cross4 ,i find their names side by side in the ,apostles' and the ,nicene ,creed4 ,it is fitting that both should find a place in my heart1 and that both names should often flow successively from my lips4 ,inseparable in life and in death1 they should not be divorced in my prayer4 8,what ,god hath joined together1 let not man put asunder40 ,,ii4 ,is ,it ,lawful ,to ,invoke ,her8 ,the ,church exhorts her children not only to honor the ,blessed ,virgin1 but also to invoke her intercession4 ,it is evident from ,scripture that the ,angels and ,saints in heaven can hear our prayers and that they have the power and the will to help us47#bfj7 ,now1 if the angels are conversant with what happens on earth2 if the ,prophets1 even while clothed in the flesh1 had a clear vision of things which were transpiring at a great distance from them2 if they could penetrate into the future and fortell events which were then hidden in the womb of time1 shall we believe that ,god withholds a knowledge of our prayers from ,mary1 who is justly styled the ,queen of ,angels and ,saints8 ,for1 as ,mary's sanctity surpasses that of all other mortals1 her knowledge must be proportionately greater than theirs1 since knowledge constitutes one of the sources of celestial bliss4 ,if ,stephen1 while his soul was still in the prison of the body1 8saw the glory of ,god1 and ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god207#bfa7 if ,paul 8heard secret words07#bfb7 spoken in paradise1 is it surprising that ,mary hears and sees us1 now that she is elevated to heaven and stands 8face to face0 before ,god1 the perfect ,mirror of all knowledge8 ,it is as easy for ,god to enable ,his ,saints to see things terrestrial from heaven as things celestial from earth4 ,the influence of ,mary's intercession exceeds that of the angels1 patriarchs and prophets in the same degree that her sanctity surpasses theirs4 ,if our heavenly ,father listens so propitiously to the voice of ,his servants1 what will ,he refuse to her who is ,his chosen daughter of predilection1 chosen among thousands to be the ,mother of ,his beloved ,son8 ,if we ourselves1 though sinners1 can help one another by our prayers1 how irresistible must be the intercession of ,mary1 who never grieved ,almighty ,god by sin1 who never tarnished her white robe of innocence by the least defilement1 from the first moment of her existence till she was received by triumphant angels into heaven4 ,in speaking of the patronage of the ,blessed ,virgin1 we must never lose sight of her title of ,mother of our ,redeemer nor of the great privileges which that prerogative implies4 ,mary was the ,mother of ,jesus4 ,she exercised toward ,him all the influence that a prudent mother has over an affectionate child4 8,jesus10 says the ,gospel1 8was subject to them07#bfc7--that is1 to ,mary and ,joseph4 ,we find this obedience of our ,lord toward ,his ,mother forcibly exemplified at the marriage feast of ,cana4 ,her wishes are delicately expressed in these words3 8,they have no wine40 ,he instantly obeys her by changing water into wine1 though the time for exercising ,his public ministry and for working wonders had not yet arrived4 ,now1 ,mary has never forfeited in heaven the title of ,mother of ,jesus4 ,she is still ,his ,mother1 and while adoring ,him as her ,god she still retains her maternal relations1 and ,he exercises toward her that loving willingness to grant her request which the best of sons entertains for the best of mothers4 ,never does ,jesus appear to us so amiable and endearing as when we see ,him nestled in the arms of ,his ,mother4 ,we love to contemplate ,him1 and artists love to represent ,him1 in that situation4 ,it appears to me that had we lived in ,jerusalem in ,his day and recognized1 like ,simeon1 the ,lord of majesty in the form of an ,infant1 and had we a favor to ask ,him1 we would present it through ,mary's hands while the ,divine eyes of the ,babe were gazing on her sweet countenance4 ,and even so now4 ,never will our prayers find a readier acceptance than when offered through her4 ,in invoking ,our ,lady's patronage we are actuated by a triple sense of the majesty of ,god1 our own unworthiness and of ,mary's incomparable influence with her ,heavenly ,father4 ,conscious of our natural lowliness and sins1 we have frequent recourse to her intercession in the assured hope of being more favorably heard4 8,and even as children who have much offended ,a too indulgent father1 in great shame1 ,penitent1 and yet not daring unattended ,to go into his presence1 at the gate ,speak to their sister and confiding wait ,till she goes in before and intercedes2 ,so men1 repenting of their evil deeds1 ,and yet not venturing rashly to draw near ,with their requests1 an angry ,father's ear1 ,offer to her their prayers and their confession1 ,and she in heaven for them makes intercession407#bfd7 ,do you ask me1 is ,mary willing to assist you8 ,does she really take an interest in your welfare8 ,or is she so much absorbed by the fruition of ,god as to be indifferent to our miseries8 8,can a woman forget her infant so as not to have pity on the fruit of her womb807#bfe7 ,even so ,mary will not forget us4 ,the love she bears us1 her children by adoption1 can be estimated only by her love for her ,son by nature4 ,it was ,mary that nursed the ,infant ,savior4 ,it was her hands that clothed ,him4 ,it was her breast that sheltered ,him from the rude storm and from the persecution of ,herod4 ,she it was that wiped the stains from ,his brow when taken down from the cross4 ,now we are the brothers of ,jesus4 ,he is not ashamed1 says the ,apostle1 to call us ,his brethren47#bff7 ,neither is ,mary ashamed to call us her children by adoption4 ,at the foot of the cross she adopted us in the person of ,st4 ,john4 ,she is anxious to minister to our souls as she ministered to the corporal wants of her ,son4 ,she would be the instrument of ,god in feeding us with ,divine grace1 in clothing us with the garments of innocence1 in sheltering us from the storms of temptations1 in wiping away the stains of sin from our soul4 ,if the angels1 though of a different nature from ours1 have so much sympathy for us as to rejoice in our conversion17#bfg7 how great must be the interest manifested toward us by ,mary1 who is of a common nature with us1 descended from the same primitive parents1 being bone of our bone1 and flesh of our flesh1 and who once trod the thorny path of life that we now tread6 ,though not of the household of the faith1 ,edgar ,a4 ,poe did not disdain to invoke ,our ,lady's intercession1 and to acknowledge the influence of her patronage in heaven4 8,at morn--at noon--at twilight dim-- ,maria6 thou hast heard my hymn2 ,in joy and woe--in good and ill-- ,mother of ,god1 be with me still6 ,when the hours flew brightly by1 ,and not a cloud obscured the sky1 ,my soul1 lest it should truant be1 ,thy grace did guide to thine and thee2 ,now1 when storms of fate o'ercast ,darkly my present and my past1 ,let my future radiant shine1 ,with sweet hopes of thee and thine40 ,some persons not only object to the invocation of ,mary as being unprofitable1 but they even affect to be scandalized at the confidence we repose in her intercession1 on the groundless assumption that by praying to her we ignore and dishonor ,god1 and that we put the creature on a level with the ,creator4 ,every ,catholic child knows from the catechism that to give to any creature the supreme honor due to ,god alone is idolatry4 ,how can we be said to dishonor ,god1 or bring ,him down to a level with ,his creature by invoking ,mary1 since we acknowledge her to be a pure creature indebted like ourselves to ,him for every gift and influence that she possesses8 ,this is implied in the very form of our petitions4 ,when we address our prayers to her we say3 ,pray for us sinners1 implying by these words that she herself is a petitioner at the throne of ,divine mercy4 ,to ,god we say3 ,give us our daily bread1 thereby acknowledging ,him to be the source of all bounty4 ,this principle being kept in view1 how can we be justly accused of slighting ,god's majesty by invoking the intercession of ,his handmaid8 ,if a beggar asks and receives alms from me through my servant1 should ,i be offended at the blessings which he invokes upon her8 ,far from it4 ,i accept them as intended for myself1 because she bestowed what was mine1 and with my consent4 ,our ,lord says to ,his ,apostles3 8,i dispose to you a kingdom1 that you may eat and drink at ,my table in ,my kingdom and may sit upon thrones1 judging the twelve tribes of ,israel407#bfh7 ,and ,st4 ,paul says3 8,know you not that we shall judge angels1 how much more things of this world807#bfi7 ,if the ,apostles may sit at the table of the ,lord in heaven without prejudice to ,his majesty1 surely ,our ,lady can stand as an advocate before ,him without infringing on ,his rights4 ,if they can exercise the dread prerogative of judges of angels and of men without trespassing on the ,divine judgeship of ,jesus1 surely ,mary can fulfill the more modest function of intercessor with her ,son without intruding on ,his supreme mediatorship1 for higher is the office of judge than that of advocate4 ,and yet1 while no one is ever startled at the power given to the ,apostles1 many are impatient of the lesser privilege claimed for ,mary4 ,,iii4 ,is ,it ,lawful ,to ,imitate ,her ,as ,a ,model8 ,but while the exalted privileges of ,mary render her worthy of our veneration1 while her saintly influence renders her worthy of our invocation1 her personal life is constantly held up to us as a pattern worthy of our imitation4 ,if she occupies so prominent a place in our pulpits1 this prominence is less due to her prerogatives as a mother1 or to her intercession as a patroness1 than to her example as a ,saint4 ,after our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 no one has ever exercised so salutary and so dominant an influence as the ,blessed ,virgin on society1 on the family and on the individual4 ,the ,mother of ,jesus exercises throughout the ,christian commonwealth that hallowing influence which a good mother wields over the ,christian family4 ,what temple or chapel1 how rude soever it may be1 is not adorned with a painting or a statue of the ,madonna8 ,what house is not embellished with an image of ,mary8 ,what ,catholic child is a stranger to her familiar face8 ,the priest and the layman1 the scholar and the illiterate1 the prince and the peasant1 the mother and the maid1 acknowledge her benign sway4 ,and if ,christianity is so fruitful in comparison with ,paganism1 in conjugal fidelity1 in female purity and in the respect paid to womanhood1 these blessings are in no small measure due to the force of ,mary's all-pervading influence and example4 ,ever since the ,son of ,god chose a woman to be ,his mother man looks up to woman with a homage akin to veneration4 ,the poet ,longfellow pays the following tribute to ,mary's sanctifying influence3 8,this is indeed the blessed ,mary's land1 ,virgin and mother of our dear ,redeemer6 ,all hearts are touched and softened at her name ,alike the bandit with the bloody hand1 ,the priest1 the prince1 the scholar and the peasant ,the man of deeds1 the visionary dreamer ,pay homage to her as one ever present6 ,and if our faith had given us nothing more ,than this example of all womanhood1 ,so mild1 so merciful1 so strong1 so good1 ,so patient1 peaceful1 loyal1 loving1 pure1 ,this were enough to prove it higher and truer ,than all the creeds the world had known before407#bgj7 ,st4 ,ambrose gives us the following beautiful picture of ,mary's life before her espousals3 8,let the life10 he says1 8of the ,blessed ,mary be ever present to you in which1 as in a mirror1 the beauty of chastity and the form of virtue shine forth4 ,she was a virgin not only in body1 but in mind1 who never sullied the pure affection of her heart by unworthy feelings4 ,she was humble of heart1 serious in her conversation1 fonder of reading than of speaking4 ,she placed her confidence rather in the prayer of the poor than in the uncertain riches of this world4 ,she was ever intent on her occupation1 444 and accustomed to make ,god rather than man the witness of her thoughts4 ,she injured no one1 wished well to all1 reverenced age1 yielded not to envy1 avoided all boasting1 followed the dictates of reason and loved virtue4 ,when did she sadden her parents even by a look8444 ,there was nothing forward in her looks1 bold in her words or unbecoming in her actions4 ,her carriage was not abrupt1 her gait not indolent1 her voice not petulant1 so that her very appearance was the picture of her mind and the figure of piety40 ,her life as a spouse and as a mother was a counterpart of her earlier years4 ,the ,gospel relates one little circumstance which amply suffices to demonstrate ,mary's super-eminent holiness of life1 and to exhibit her as a beautiful pattern to those who are called to rule a household4 ,the ,evangelist tells us that ,jesus 8was subject to them07#bga7--that is1 to ,mary and ,joseph4 ,he obeyed all her commands1 fulfilled her behests1 complied with her smallest injunctions2 in a word1 ,he discharged toward her all the filial observances which a dutiful son exercises toward a prudent mother4 ,these relations continued from ,his childhood to ,his public life1 nor did they cease even then4 ,now ,jesus being the ,son of ,god1 8the brightness of ,his glory and the figure of ,his substance107#bgb7 could not sin4 ,he was incapable of fulfilling an unrighteous precept4 ,the obvious conclusion to be drawn from these facts is1 that ,mary never sinned by commanding1 as ,jesus could not sin by obeying2 that all her precepts and counsels were stamped with the seal of ,divine approbation1 and that the ,son never fulfilled any injunction of ,his earthly ,mother which was not ratified by ,his ,eternal ,father in heaven4 ,such is the beautiful portrait which the ,church holds up to the contemplation of her children1 that studying it they may admire the original1 admiring they may love1 loving they may imitate1 and thus become more dear to ,god by being made 8conformable to the image of ,his ,son107#bgc7 of whom ,mary is the most perfect mirror4 ,chapter ,,xv4 ,,sacred ,,images4 ,the veneration of the images of ,christ and ,his ,saints is a cherished devotion in the ,catholic ,church1 and this practice will be vindicated in the following lines4 ,it is true1 indeed1 that the making of holy images was not so general among the ,jews as it is among us1 because the ,hebrews themselves were prone to idolatry1 and because they were surrounded by idolatrous people1 who might misconstrue the purpose for which the images were intended4 ,for the same prudential reasons the primitive ,christians were very cautious in making images1 and very circumspect in exposing them to the gaze of the heathen among whom they lived1 lest ,christian images should be confounded with ,pagan idols4 ,the catacombs of ,rome1 to which the faithful alone were admitted1 abounded1 however1 in sacred emblems and pious representations1 which are preserved even to this day and attest the practice of the early ,christian ,church4 ,we see there painted on the walls or on vases of glass the ,dove1 the emblem of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,christ carrying ,his cross1 or bearing on ,his shoulders the lost sheep4 ,we meet also the ,lamb1 an anchor and a ship--appropriate types of our ,lord1 of hope and of the ,church4 ,the first crusade against images was waged in the eighth century by ,leo the ,isaurian1 ,emperor of ,constantinople4 ,he commanded the paintings of our ,lord and ,his ,saints to be torn down from the church walls and burned4 ,he even invaded the sanctuary of home1 and snatched thence the sacred emblems which adorned private residences4 ,he caused statues of bronze1 silver and gold to be melted down and conveniently converted them into coins1 upon which his own image was stamped4 ,like ,henry ,,viii4 and ,cromwell1 this royal ,iconoclast affected to be moved by a zeal for purity of worship1 while avarice was the real motive of his action4 ,the ,emperor commanded the learned librarians of his imperial library to give public approbation to his decrees against images1 and when those conscientious men refused to endorse his course they were all confined in the imperial library1 the building was set on fire and thirty thousand volumes1 the splendid basilica which contained them1 innumerable paintings and the librarians themselves were involved in one common destruction4 ,constantine ,copronymus prosecuted the vandalism of ,leo1 his predecessor4 ,stephen1 an intrepid monk1 presented to the ,emperor a coin bearing that tyrant's effigy1 with these words3 8,sire1 whose image is this80 8,it is mine10 replied the ,emperor4 ,the monk then threw down the piece of money and trampled it4 ,he was instantly seized by the imperial attendants and soon after put to a painful death4 8,alas60 cried the holy man to the ,emperor1 8if ,i am punished for dishonoring the image of a mortal monarch1 what punishment do they deserve who burn the image of ,jesus ,christ80 ,the demolition of images was revived by the ,reformers of the sixteenth century4 ,paintings and statues were ruthlessly destroyed1 chiefly in the ,british ,isles1 ,germany and ,holland1 under the pretext that the making of them was idolatrous4 ,but as the ,iconoclasts of the eighth century had no scruple about appropriating to their own use the gold and silver of the statues which they melted1 neither had the ,iconoclasts of the sixteenth century any hesitation in confiscating and worshiping in the idolatrous churches whose statues and paintings they broke and disfigured4 ,a stranger who visits some of the desecrated ,catholic churches of ,great ,britain and the ,continent which are now used as ,protestant temples cannot fail to notice the mutilated statues of the ,saints still standing in their niches4 ,this barbaric warfare against religious memorials was not only a grievous sacrilege1 but an outrage against the fine arts2 and had the destroying angels extended their ravages over ,europe the immortal works of ,michael ,angelo and ,raphael would be lost to us today4 ,the doctrine of the ,catholic ,church regarding the use of sacred images is clearly and fully expressed by the ,general ,council of ,trent in the following words3 8,the images of ,christ1 and of ,his ,virgin ,mother1 and of other ,saints1 are to be had and retained1 especially in churches2 and a due honor and veneration is to be given to them2 not that any divinity or virtue is believed to be in them for which they are to be honored1 or that any prayer is to be made to them1 or that any confidence is to be placed in them1 as was formerly done by the heathens1 who placed their hopes in idols2 but because the honor which is given them is referred to the originals which they represent1 so that by the images which we kiss1 and before which we uncover our heads or kneel1 we adore ,christ and venerate ,his ,saints1 whose likeness they represent407#bgd7 ,every ,catholic child clearly comprehends the essential difference which exists between a ,pagan idol and a ,christian image4 ,the ,pagans looked upon an idol as a god endowed with intelligence and the other attributes of the ,deity4 ,they were therefore idolaters1 or image worshipers4 ,catholic ,christians know that a holy image has no intelligence or power to hear and help them4 ,they pay it a relative respect--that is1 their reverence for the copy is proportioned to the veneration which they entertain for the heavenly original to which it is also referred4 ,for the sake of my ,protestant readers ,i may here quote their own great ,leibnitz on the reverence paid to sacred images4 ,he says1 in his ,systema ,theologicum1 p4 #adb3 8,though we speak of the honor paid to images1 yet this is only a manner of speaking1 which really means that we honor not the senseless thing which is incapable of understanding such honor1 but the prototype1 which receives honor through its representation1 according to the teaching of the ,council of ,trent4 ,it is in this sense1 ,i take it1 that scholastic writers have spoken of the same worship being paid to images of ,christ as to ,christ our ,lord ,himself2 for the act which is called the worship of an image is really the worship of ,christ ,himself1 through and in the presence of the image and by occasion of it2 by the inclination of the body toward it as to ,christ ,himself1 as rendering ,him more manifestly present1 and raising the mind more actively to the contemplation of ,him4 ,certainly1 no sane man thinks1 under such circumstances1 of praying in this wise3 #8,give me1 ,o image1 what ,i ask2 to thee1 ,o marble or wood1 ,i give thanks2' but #8,thee1 ,o ,lord1 ,i adore2 to ,thee ,i give thanks and sing songs of praise4' ,given1 then1 that there is no other veneration of images than that which means veneration of their prototype1 there is surely no more idolatry in it than there is in the respect shown in the utterance of the ,most ,holy ,names of ,god and ,christ2 for1 after all1 names are but signs or symbols1 and even as such inferior to images1 for they represent much less vividly4 ,so that when there is question of honoring images1 this is to be understood in the same way as when it is said that at the name of ,jesus every knee shall bend1 or that the name of the ,lord is blessed1 or that glory be given to ,his ,name4 ,thus1 the bowing before an image outside of us is no more to be reprehended than the worshiping before an external image in our own minds2 for the external image does but serve the purpose of expressing visibly that which is internal40 ,in the ,book of ,exodus we read3 8,thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing1 nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above1 or in the earth beneath1 nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth4 ,thou shalt not adore them nor serve them407#bge7 ,protestants contend that these words contain an absolute prohibition against the making of images1 while the ,catholic ,church insists that the commandment referred to merely prohibits us from worshiping them as gods4 ,the text cannot mean the absolute prohibition of making images2 for in that case ,god would contradict ,himself by commanding in one part of ,scripture what ,he condemns in another4 ,in ,exodus 7xxv4 #ah71 for instance1 ,he commands two cherubim of beaten gold to be made and placed on each side of the oracle2 and in ,numbers 7xxi4 #h7 ,he commands ,moses to make a brazen serpent1 and to set it up for a sign1 that 8whosoever being struck by the fiery serpents shall look upon it1 shall live40 ,are not cherubim and serpents the likenesses of creatures in heaven above1 in the earth beneath and in the waters under the earth8 for cherubim dwell in heaven and serpents are found on land and sea4 ,we should all1 without exception1 break the commandment were we to take it in the ,protestant sense4 ,have you not at home the portraits of living and departed relatives8 ,and are not these the likenesses of persons in heaven above and on the earth beneath8 ,westminster ,abbey1 though once a ,catholic ,cathedral1 is now a ,protestant house of worship4 ,it is filled with the statues of illustrious men2 yet no one will accuse the ,english church of idolatry in allowing those statues to remain there4 ,but you will say3 ,the worshipers in ,westminster have no intention of adoring these statues4 ,neither have we any intention of worshiping the statues of the ,saints4 ,an ,english parson once remarked to a ,catholic friend3 8,tom1 don't you pray to images80 8,we pray before them10 replied ,tom2 8but we have no intention of praying to them40 8,who cares for your intention10 retorted the parson4 8,don't you pray at night80 observed ,tom4 8,yes10 said the parson2 8,i pray at my bed40 8,yes2 you pray to the bed-post40 8,oh1 no60 said the reverend gentleman2 8,i have no intention of doing that40 8,who cares10 replied ,tom1 8for your intention40 ,the moral rectitude or depravity of our actions cannot be determined without taking into account the intention4 ,there are many persons who have been taught in the nursery tales1 that ,catholics worship idols4 ,these persons1 if they visit ,europe and see an old man praying before an image of our ,lord or a ,madonna which is placed along the wayside1 are at once confirmed in their prejudices4 ,their zeal against idols takes fire and they write home1 adding one more proof of idolatry against the benighted ,romanists4 ,if these superficial travelers had only the patience to question the old man he would tell them1 with simplicity of faith1 that the statue had no life to hear or help him1 but that its contemplation inspired him with greater reverence for the original4 ,as ,i am writing for the information of ,protestants1 ,i quote with pleasure the following passage1 written by one of their own theologians1 in the ,encyclopdie 7,edit4 d',yverdun1 tom4 #a1 art4 ,adorer73 8,when ,lot prostrates himself before the two angels it is an act of courtesy towards honored guests2 when ,jacob bows down before ,esau it is an act of deference from a younger to an elder brother2 when ,solomon bows low before ,bethsabee it is the honor which a son pays to his mother2 when ,nathan1 coming in before ,david1 #8had worshiped1 bowing down to the ground1' it is the homage of a subject to his prince4 ,but when a man prostrates himself in prayer to ,god it is the creature adoring the ,creator4 ,and if these various actions are expressed--sometimes by the word adore1 sometimes by worship or prostration--it is not the bare meaning of the word which has guided interpreters in rendering it1 but the nature of the case4 ,when an ,israelite prostrated himself before the king no one thought of charging him with idolatry4 ,if he had done the same thing in the presence of an idol1 the very same bodily act would have been called idolatry4 ,and why8 ,because all men would have judged by his action that he regarded the idol as a real ,divinity and that he would express1 in respect to it1 the sentiments manifested by adoration in the limited sense which we give to the word4 ,what shall we think1 then1 of what ,catholics do to show honor to ,saints1 to relics1 to the wood of the cross8 ,they will not deny that their acts of reverence1 in such cases1 are very much like those by which they pay outward honor to ,god4 ,but have they the same ideas about the ,saints1 the relics and the cross as they have about ,god8 ,i believe that we cannot fairly accuse them of it40 ,a gentleman who was present at the unveiling of ,clay's statue in the city of ,richmond informed me that as soon as the curtain was uplifted1 and the noble form of the ,kentucky statesman appeared in full view1 the immense concourse of spectators instinctively uncovered their heads4 8,why do you take off your hat80 playfully remarked my friend to an acquaintance who stood by4 8,in honor1 of course1 of ,henry ,clay10 he replied4 8,but ,henry is not there in the flesh4 ,you see nothing but clay40 8,but my intention1 sir10 he continued1 8is to do honor to the original40 ,he answered correctly4 ,and yet how many of the same people would be shocked if they saw a man take off his hat in the presence of a statue of ,st4 ,peter6 ,it is not1 therefore1 the making of the image1 but its worship1 that is condemned by the ,decalogue4 ,having seen the lawfulness of sacred images1 let us now consider the advantages to be derived from their use4 ,first--,religious paintings embellish the house of ,god4 ,what is more becoming than to adorn the church1 which is the shadow of the heavenly ,jerusalem1 so beautifully described by ,st4 ,john87#bgf7 ,solomon decorated the temple of ,god with images of cherubim and other representations4 8,and he overlaid the cherubim with gold4 ,and all the walls of the temple round about he carved with divers figures and carvings407#bgg7 ,if it was meet and proper to adorn ,solomon's temple1 which contained only the ,ark of the ,lord1 how much more fitting is it to decorate our churches1 which contain the ,lord of the ,ark8 ,when ,i see a church tastefully ornamented it is a sure sign that the ,master is at home1 and that ,his devoted subjects pay homage to ,him in ,his court4 ,what beauty1 what variety1 what charming pictures are presented to our view in this temple of nature which we inhabit6 ,look at the canopy of heaven4 ,look at the exquisite pictures painted by the ,hand of the ,divine ,artist on this earth4 8,consider the lilies of the field4444 ,i say to you that not even ,solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these40 ,if the temple of nature is so richly adorned1 should not our temples made with hands bear some resemblance to it8 ,how many professing ,christians must1 like ,david1 reproach themselves for 8dwelling in a house of cedar1 while the ark of ,god is lodged with skins407#bgh7 ,how many are there whose private apartments are adorned with exquisite paintings1 who affect to be scandalized at the sight of a single pious emblem in their house of worship8 ,on the occasion of the celebration of ,henry ,w4 ,beecher's silver wedding several wealthy members of his congregation adorned the walls of ,plymouth church with their private paintings4 ,their object1 of course1 in doing so was not to honor ,god1 but their pastor4 ,but if the portraits of men were no desecration to that church1 how can the portraits of ,saints desecrate ours87#bgi7 ,and what can be more appropriate than to surround the ,sanctuary of ,jesus ,christ with the portraits of the ,saints1 especially of ,mary and of the ,apostles1 who1 in their life1 ministered to ,his sacred person8 ,and is it not natural for children to adorn their homes with the likenesses of their ,fathers in the faith8 ,second--,religious paintings are the catechism of the ignorant4 ,in spite of all the efforts of ,church and ,state in the cause of education a great proportion of the human race will be found illiterate4 ,descriptive pictures will teach those what books make known to the learned4 ,how many thousands would have died ignorant of the ,christian faith if they had not been enlightened by paintings6 ,when ,augustine1 the ,apostle of ,england1 first appeared before ,king ,ethelbert to announce to him the ,gospel1 a silver crucifix and a painting of our ,savior were borne before the preacher1 and these images spoke more tenderly to the eyes than his words to the ears of his audience4 ,by means of religious emblems ,st4 ,francis ,xavier effected many conversions in ,india2 and by the same means ,father ,de ,smet made known the ,gospel to the savages of the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,third--,by exhibiting religious paintings in our rooms we make a silent1 though eloquent1 profession of our faith4 ,i once called on a gentleman in a distant city1 some time during our late war1 and1 on entering his library1 ,i noticed two portraits1 one of a distinguished ,general1 the other of an ,archbishop4 ,these portraits at once proclaimed to me the religious and patriotic sentiments of the proprietor of the house4 8,behold60 he said to me1 pointing to the pictures1 8my religious creed and my political creed40 ,if ,i see a crucifix in a man's room ,i am convinced at once that he is not an infidel4 ,fourth--,by the aid of sacred pictures our devotion and love for the original are intensified1 because we can concentrate our thoughts more intently on the object of our affections4 ,mark how the eye of a tender child glistens on confronting the painting of an affectionate mother4 ,what ,christian can stand unmoved when contemplating a picture of the ,mother of ,sorrows8 ,how much devotion has been fostered by the ,stations of the ,cross8 ,observe the intense sympathy depicted on the face of the humble ,christian woman as she silently passes from one station to another4 ,she follows her ,savior step by step from the ,garden to ,mount ,calvary4 ,the whole scene1 like a panoramic view1 is imprinted on her mind1 her memory and her affections4 ,never did the most pathetic sermon on the ,passion enkindle such heartfelt love1 or evoke such salutary resolutions1 as have been produced by the silent spectacle of our ,savior hanging on the cross4 ,fifth--,the portraits of the ,saints stimulate us to the imitation of their virtues2 and this is the principal aim which the ,church has in view in encouraging the use of pious representations4 ,one object1 it is true1 is to honor the ,saints2 another is to invoke them2 but the principal end is to incite us to an imitation of their holy lives4 ,we are exhorted to 8look and do according to the pattern shown us on the mount407#bhj7 ,nor do ,i know a better means for promoting piety than by example4 ,if you keep at home the likenesses of ,george ,washington1 of ,patrick ,henry1 of ,chief ,justice ,taney1 or of other distinguished men1 the copies of such eminent originals cannot fail to exercise a salutary though silent influence on the mind and heart of your child4 ,your son will ask you3 8,who are those men80 ,and when you tell him3 8,this is ,washington1 the ,father of his ,country2 this is ,patrick ,henry1 the ardent lover of civil liberty2 and this is ,taney1 the incorruptible ,judge10 your boy will imperceptibly imbibe not only a veneration for those men1 but a relish for the civic virtues for which they were conspicuous4 ,and in like manner1 when our children have constantly before their eyes the purest and most exalted models of sanctity1 they cannot fail to draw from such contemplation a taste for the virtues that marked the lives of the originals4 ,is not our country flooded with obscene pictures and immodest representations which corrupt our youths8 ,if the agents of ,satan employ means so vile for a bad end2 if they are cunning enough to pour through the senses into the hearts of the unwary the insidious poison of sin1 by placing before them lascivious portraits1 in ,god's name1 why should not we sanctify the souls of our children by means of pious emblems8 ,why should not we make the eye the instrument of edification as the enemy makes it the organ of destruction8 ,shall the pen of the artist1 the pencil of the painter and the chisel of the sculptor be prostituted to the basest purposes8 ,god forbid6 ,the arts were intended to be the handmaids of religion4 ,almost every moment of the day the eye is receiving impressions from outward objects and instantly communicating these impressions to the soul4 ,thus the soul receives every day thousands of impressions1 good or bad1 according to the character of the objects presented to its gaze4 ,we cannot1 therefore1 over-estimate the salutary effect produced upon us in a church or room adorned with sacred paintings4 ,we feel1 while in their presence1 that we are in the company of the just4 ,the contemplation of these pious portraits chastens our affections1 elevates our thoughts1 checks our levity and diffuses around us a healthy atmosphere4 ,i am happy to acknowledge that the outcry formerly raised against images has almost subsided of late4 ,the epithet of idolaters is seldom applied to us now4 ,even some of our dissenting brethren are beginning to recognize the utility of religious symbols and to regret that we have been permitted1 by the intemperate zeal of the ,reformers1 to have so long the monopoly of them4 ,crosses already surmount some of our ,protestant churches and replace the weather-cock4 ,a gentleman of ,richmond recently informed me that during the preceding ,holy ,week he adorned with twelve crosses an ,episcopal church in which1 eleven years before1 the sight of a single one was viewed with horror by the minister4 ,may the day soon come when all ,christians will join with us not only in venerating the sacred symbol of salvation1 but in worshiping at the same altar4 ,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,purgatory ,,and ,,prayers ,,for ,,the ,,dead4 ,the ,catholic ,church teaches that1 besides a place of eternal torments for the wicked and of everlasting rest for the righteous1 there exists in the next life a middle state of temporary punishment1 allotted for those who have died in venial sin1 or who have not satisfied the justice of ,god for sins already forgiven4 ,she also teaches us that1 although the souls consigned to this intermediate state1 commonly called purgatory1 cannot help themselves1 they may be aided by the suffrages of the faithful on earth4 ,the existence of purgatory naturally implies the correlative dogma--the utility of praying for the dead--for the souls consigned to this middle state have not reached the term of their journey4 ,they are still exiles from heaven and fit subjects for ,divine clemency4 ,the doctrine of an intermediate state is thus succinctly asserted by the ,council of ,trent3 8,there is a ,purgatory1 and souls there detained1 are helped by the prayers of the faithful1 and especially by the acceptable ,sacrifice of the ,altar407#bha7 ,it is to be noted that the ,council studiously abstains from specifying the nature of the expiating sufferings endured therein4 ,is it not strange that this cherished doctrine should also be called in question by the leveling innovators of the sixteenth century1 when we consider that it is clearly taught in the ,old ,testament2 that it is1 at least1 insinuated in the ,new ,testament2 that it is unanimously proclaimed by the ,fathers of the ,church2 that it is embodied in all the ancient liturgies of the ,oriental and the ,western church1 and that it is a doctrine alike consonant with our reason and eminently consoling to the human heart8 ,first--,it is a doctrine plainly contained in the ,old ,testament and piously practiced by the ,hebrew people4 ,at the close of an engagement which ,judas ,machabeus had with the enemy he ordered prayers and sacrifices to be offered up for his slain comrades4 8,and making a gathering1 he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to ,jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead1 thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection4 ,for1 if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again1 it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead4444 ,it is1 therefore1 a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead1 that they may be loosed from sins407#bhb7 ,these words are so forcible that no comment of mine could render them clearer4 ,the passage proved a great stumbling-block to the ,reformers4 ,finding that they could not by any evasion weaken the force of the text1 they impiously threw overboard the ,books of ,machabees1 like a man who assassinates a hostile witness1 or like the ,jews who sought to kill ,lazarus1 lest his resurrection should be a testimony in favor of ,christ1 and pretended that the two books of ,machabees were apocryphal4 ,and yet they have precisely the same authority as the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew or any other portion of the ,bible1 for the canonicity of the ,holy ,scriptures rests solely on the authority of the ,catholic ,church1 which proclaimed them inspired4 ,but even admitting1 for the sake of argument1 that the ,books of ,machabees were not entitled to be ranked among the canonical ,books of ,holy ,scripture1 no one1 at least1 has ever denied that they are truthful historical monuments1 and as such that they serve to demonstrate that it was a prevailing practice among the ,hebrew people1 as it is with us1 to offer up prayers and sacrifices for the dead4 ,second--,when our ,savior1 the ,founder of the ,new ,law1 appeared on earth1 ,he came to lop off those excrescences which had grown on the body of the ,jewish ecclesiastical code1 and to purify the ,jewish ,church from those human traditions which1 in the course of time1 became like tares mixed with the wheat of sound doctrine4 ,for instance1 ,he condemns the ,pharisees for prohibiting the performance of works of charity on the ,sabbath day1 and in the twenty-third chapter of ,st4 ,matthew ,he cites against them a long catalogue of innovations in doctrine and discipline4 ,but did our ,lord1 at any time1 reprove the ,jews for their belief in a middle state1 or for praying for the dead1 a practice which1 to ,his knowledge1 prevailed among the people8 ,never4 ,on the contrary1 more than once both ,he and the ,apostle of the ,gentiles insinuate the doctrine of purgatory4 ,our ,savior says3 8,whosoever shall speak a word against the ,son of man it shall be forgiven him4 ,but he that shall speak against the ,holy ,ghost it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world nor in the world to come407#bhc7 ,when our ,savior declares that a sin against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven in the next life1 ,he evidently leaves us to infer that there are some sins which will be pardoned in the life to come4 ,now in the next life1 sins cannot be forgiven in heaven1 for1 nothing defiled can enter there2 nor can they be forgiven in hell1 for1 out of hell there is no redemption4 ,they must1 therefore1 be pardoned in the intermediate state of ,purgatory4 ,st4 ,paul tells us that 8every man's work shall be manifest0 on the ,lord's day4 8,the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is4 ,if any man's work abide10 that is1 if his works are holy1 8he shall receive a reward4 ,if any man's work burn10 that is1 if his works are faulty and imperfect1 8he shall suffer loss2 but he himself shall be saved1 yet so as by fire407#bhd7 ,his soul will be ultimately saved1 but he shall suffer1 for a temporary duration1 in the purifying flames of ,purgatory4 ,this interpretation is not mine4 ,it is the unanimous voice of the ,fathers of ,christendom4 ,and who are they that have removed the time-honored landmarks of ,christian faith by rejecting the doctrine of purgatory8 ,they are discontented churchmen impatient of the religious yoke1 men who appeared on the stage sixteen hundred years after the foundation of ,christianity4 ,judge you1 reader1 whom you ought to follow4 ,if you want to know the true import of a vital question in the ,constitution1 would you not follow the decision of a ,story1 a ,jefferson1 a ,marshall1 a ,taney1 jurists and statesmen1 who were the recognized expounders of the ,constitution8 ,would you not prefer their opinion to that of political demagogues1 who have neither learning1 nor authority1 nor history to support them1 but some selfish end to further8 ,now1 the same motive which you have for rejecting the opinion of an ignorant politician and embracing that of eminent jurists1 on a constitutional question1 impels you to cast aside the novelties of religious innovators and to follow the unanimous sentiments of the ,fathers in reference to the subject of purgatory4 ,third--,i would wish to place before you extended extracts from the writings of the early ,fathers of the ,church bearing upon this subject2 but ,i must content myself with quoting a few of the most prominent lights of primitive ,christianity4 ,tertullian1 who lived in the second century1 says that 8the faithful wife will pray for the soul of her deceased husband1 particularly on the anniversary day of his falling asleep 7death74 ,and if she fail to do so she hath repudiated her husband as far as in her lies407#bhe7 ,eusebius1 the historian 7fourth century71 describing the funeral of ,constantine the ,great1 says that the body of the blessed prince was placed on a lofty bier1 and the ministers of ,god and the multitude of the people1 with tears and much lamentation1 offered up prayers and sacrifice for the repose of his soul4 ,he adds that this was done in accordance with the desires of that religious monarch1 who had erected in ,constantinople the great church in honor of the ,apostles1 so that after his death the faithful might there remember him47#bhf7 ,st4 ,cyril of ,jerusalem1 fourth century1 writes3 8,we commemorate the ,holy ,fathers1 and ,bishops1 and all who have fallen asleep from amongst us1 believing that the supplications which we present will be of great assistance to their souls1 while the holy and tremendous ,sacrifice is offered up40 ,he answers by an illustration those that might be disposed to doubt the efficacy of prayers for the dead3 8,if a king had banished certain persons who had offended him1 and their relations1 having woven a crown1 should offer it to him in behalf of those under his vengeance1 would he not grant a respite to their punishments8 ,so we1 in offering up a crown of prayers in behalf of those who have fallen asleep1 will obtain for them forgiveness through the merits of ,christ407#bhg7 ,st4 ,ephrem1 in the same century1 says3 8,i conjure you1 my brethren and friends1 in the name of that ,god who commands me to leave you1 to remember me when you assemble to pray4 ,do not bury me with perfumes4 ,give them not to me1 but to ,god4 ,me1 conceived in sorrows1 bury with lamentations1 and instead of perfumes assist me with your prayers2 for the dead are benefited by the prayers of living ,saints407#bhh7 ,st4 ,ambrose 7same century71 on the death of the ,emperors ,gratian and ,valentinian1 says3 8,blessed shall both of you be 7,gratian and ,valentinian71 if my prayers can avail anything4 ,no day shall pass you over in silence4 ,no prayer of mine shall omit to honor you4 ,no night shall hurry by without bestowing on you a mention in my prayers4 ,in every one of the oblations will ,i remember you40 ,on the death of the ,emperor ,theodosius he offers the following prayer3 8,give perfect rest to ,thy servant ,theodosius1 that rest which ,thou hast prepared for ,thy ,saints4 ,may his soul return thither whence it descended1 where it cannot feel the sting of death4444 ,i loved him and therefore will ,i follow him1 even unto the land of the living4 ,nor will ,i leave him until1 by tears and prayers1 ,i shall lead him 444 unto the holy mountain of the ,lord1 where is life undying1 where corruption is not1 nor sighing nor mourning407#bhi7 ,st4 ,jerome1 in the same century1 in a letter of condolence to ,pammachius1 on the death of his wife ,paulina1 writes3 8,other husbands strew violets and roses on the graves of their wives4 ,our ,pammachius bedews the hallowed dust of ,paulina with balsams of alms407#bij7 ,st4 ,chrysostom writes3 8,it was not without good reason ordained by the ,apostles that mention should be made of the dead in the tremendous mysteries1 because they knew well that they would receive great benefit from it407#bia7 ,st4 ,augustine1 who lived in the beginning of the fifth century1 relates that when his mother was at the point of death she made this last request of him3 8,lay this body anywhere2 let not the care of it in anyway disturb you4 ,this only ,i request of you1 that you would remember me at the altar of the ,lord1 wherever you be40 ,and that pious son prays for his mother's soul in the most impassioned language3 8,i therefore10 he says1 8,o ,god of my heart1 do now beseech ,thee for the sins of my mother4 ,hear me through the medicine of the wounds that hung upon the wood4444 ,may she1 then1 be in peace with her husband4444 ,and inspire1 my ,lord1 444 ,thy servants1 my brethren1 whom with voice and heart and pen ,i serve1 that as many as shall read these words may remember at ,thy altar1 ,monica1 ,thy servant444407#bib7 ,these are but a few specimens of the unanimous voice of the ,fathers regarding the salutary practice of praying for the dead4 ,you now perceive that this devotion is not an invention of modern times1 but a doctrine universally enforced in the first and purest ages of the ,church4 ,you see that praying for the dead was not a devotion cautiously recommended by some obscure or visionary writer1 but an act of religion preached and inculcated by all the great ,doctors and ,fathers of the ,church1 who are the recognized expounders of the ,christian religion4 ,you see them1 too1 inculcating this doctrine not as a cold and abstract principle1 but as an imperative act of daily piety1 and embodying it in their ordinary exercises of devotion4 ,they prayed for the dead in their morning and evening devotions4 ,they prayed for them in their daily office1 and in the ,sacrifice of the ,mass4 ,they asked the prayers of the congregation for the souls of the deceased in the public services of ,sunday4 ,on the monuments which were erected to the dead1 some of which are preserved even to this day1 epitaphs were inscribed1 earnestly invoking for their souls the prayers of the living4 ,how gratifying it is to our ,catholic hearts that a devotion so soothing to afflicted spirits is at the same time so firmly grounded on the tradition of ages6 ,fourth--,that the practice of praying for the dead has descended from ,apostolic times is evident also from the ,liturgies of the ,church4 ,a ,liturgy is the established formulary of public worship1 containing the authorized prayers of the ,church4 ,the ,missal1 or ,mass-book1 for instance1 which you see on our altars1 contains a portion of the ,liturgy of the ,catholic ,church4 ,the principal ,liturgies are the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,james the ,apostle1 who founded the ,church of ,jerusalem2 the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,mark the ,evangelist1 founder of the ,church of ,alexandria1 and the ,liturgy of ,st4 ,peter1 who established the ,church in ,rome4 ,these ,liturgies are called after the ,apostles who compiled them4 ,there are1 besides1 the ,liturgies of ,st4 ,chrysostom and ,st4 ,basil1 which are chiefly based on the model of that of ,st4 ,james4 ,now1 all these ,liturgies1 without exception1 have prayers for the dead1 and their providential preservation serves as another triumphant vindication of the venerable antiquity of this ,catholic doctrine4 ,the ,eastern and the ,western churches were happily united until the fourth and fifth centuries1 when the heresiarchs ,arius1 ,nestorius and ,eutyches withdrew millions of souls from the centre of unity4 ,the followers of these sects were called1 after their founders1 ,arians1 ,nestorians and ,eutychians1 and from that day to the present the two latter bodies have formed distinct communions1 being separated from the ,catholic ,church in the ,east1 just as the ,protestant churches are separated from her in the ,west4 ,the ,greek schismatic church1 of which the present ,russo-,greek church is the offspring1 severed her connection with the ,see of ,rome in the ninth century4 ,but in leaving the ,catholic ,church these ,eastern sects retained the old ,liturgies1 which they use to this day1 as ,i shall presently demonstrate4 ,during my sojourn in ,rome at the ,ecumenical ,council ,i devoted a great deal of my leisure time to the examination of the various ,liturgies of the schismatic churches of the ,east4 ,i found in all of them formulas of prayers for the dead almost identical with that of the ,roman ,missal3 8,remember1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy servants who are gone before us with the sign of faith1 and sleep in peace4 ,to these1 ,o ,lord1 and to all who rest in ,christ grant1 we beseech ,thee1 a place of refreshment1 light and peace1 through the same ,jesus ,christ our ,lord40 ,not content with studying their books1 ,i called upon the ,oriental ,patriarchs and ,bishops in communion with the ,see of ,rome1 who belong to the ,armenian1 the ,chaldean1 the ,coptic1 the ,maronite and ,syriac rites4 ,they all assured me that the schismatic ,christians of the ,east among whom they live have1 without exception1 prayers and sacrifices for the dead4 ,now1 ,i ask1 when could those ,eastern sects have commenced to adopt the ,catholic practice of praying for the dead8 ,they could not have received it from us since the ninth century1 because the ,greek church separated from us then and has had no communion with us since that time1 except at intervals1 up to the twelfth century4 ,nor could they have adopted the practice since the fourth or fifth century1 inasmuch as the ,arians1 ,nestorians and ,eutychians have had no religious communication with us since that period4 ,therefore1 in common with us1 they received this doctrine from the ,apostles4 ,if men living in different countries drink wine having the same flavor and taste and color1 the inference is that the wine was made from the same species of grape4 ,so must we conclude that this refreshing doctrine of intercession for the dead has its root in the ,apostolic tree of knowledge planted by our ,savior4 ,fifth--,i have already spoken of the devotion of the ancient ,jewish church to the souls of the departed4 ,but perhaps you are not aware that the ,jews retain to this day1 in their ,liturgy1 the pious practice of praying for the dead4 ,yet such in reality is the case4 ,amid all the wanderings and vicissitudes of life1 though dismembered and dispersed like sheep without a shepherd over the face of the globe1 the children of ,israel have never forgotten or neglected the sacred duty of praying for their deceased brethren4 ,unwilling to make this assertion without the strongest evidence1 ,i procured from a ,jewish convert an authorized ,prayer-,book of the ,hebrew church1 from which ,i extract the following formula of prayers which are prescribed for funerals3 8,departed brother6 mayest thou find open the gates of heaven1 and see the city of peace and the dwellings of safety1 and meet the ministering angels hastening joyfully toward thee4 ,and may the ,high ,priest stand to receive thee1 and go thou to the end1 rest in peace1 and rise again into life4 ,may the repose established in the celestial abode 444 be the lot1 dwelling and the resting-place of the soul of our deceased brother 7whom the ,spirit of the ,lord may guide into ,paradise71 who departed from this world1 according to the will of ,god1 the ,lord of heaven and earth4 ,may the supreme ,king of kings1 through ,his infinite mercy1 hide him under the shadow of ,his wing4 ,may ,he raise him at the end of his days and cause him to drink of the stream of ,his delights407#bic7 ,among the many-sided merits of ,shakespeare may be mentioned his happy faculty of portraying to life the manners and customs and traditional faith of the times which he describes4 ,how deep-rooted in the ,christian heart in pre-,reformation times1 was the belief in ,purgatory1 may be inferred from a passage in ,hamlet who probably lived in the early part of the eighth century4 ,thus speaks to ,hamlet the spirit of his murdered father3 8,i am thy father's spirit1 ,doom'd for a certain time to walk the night2 ,and for the day confin'd too fast in fires1 ,till the foul crimes done in my days of nature ,are burnt and purg'd away407#bid7 ,i am happy to say that the more advanced and enlightened members of the ,episcopalian church are steadily returning to the faith of their fore-fathers regarding prayers for the dead4 ,an acquaintance of mine1 once a distinguished clergyman of the ,episcopal communion1 but now a convert1 informed me that hundreds of ,protestant clergymen in this country1 and particularly in ,england1 have a firm belief in the efficacy of prayers for the dead1 but for well-known reasons they are reserved in the expression of their faith4 ,he easily convinced me of the truth of his assertion1 particularly as far as the ,church of ,england is concerned1 by sending me six different works published in ,london1 all bearing on the subject of ,purgatory4 ,these books are printed under the auspices of the ,protestant ,episcopal church2 they all contain prayers for the dead and prove1 from ,catholic grounds1 the existence of a middle state after death and the duty of praying for our deceased brethren47#bie7 ,to sum up1 we see the practice of praying for the dead enforced in the ancient ,hebrew church and in the ,jewish synagogue of today4 ,we see it proclaimed age after age by all the ,fathers of ,christendom4 ,we see it incorporated in every one of the ancient ,liturgies of the ,east and of the ,west4 ,we see it zealously taught by the ,russian church of today1 and by that immense family of schismatic ,christians scattered over the ,east4 ,we behold it1 in fine1 a cherished devotion of three hundred millions of ,catholics1 as well as of a respectable portion of the ,episcopal church4 ,would it not1 my friend1 be the height of rashness and presumption in you to prefer your private opinion to this immense weight of learning1 sanctity and authority8 ,would it not be impiety in you to stand aside with sealed lips while the ,christian world is sending up an unceasing ,de profundis for departed brethren8 ,would it not be cold and heartless in you not to pray for your deceased friends1 on account of prejudices which have no grounds in ,scripture1 tradition or reason itself8 ,if a brother leaves you to cross the broad ,atlantic1 religion and affection prompt you to pray for him during his absence4 ,and if the same brother crosses the narrow sea of death to pass to the shores of eternity1 why not pray for him then also8 ,when he crosses the ,atlantic his soul1 imprisoned in the flesh1 is absent from you2 when he passes the sea of death his soul1 released from the flesh1 has gone from you4 ,what difference does this make with regard to the duty of your intercession8 ,for what is death8 ,a mere separation of body and soul4 ,the body1 indeed1 dies1 but the soul 8lives and moves and has its being40 ,it continues after death1 as before1 to think1 to remember1 to love4 ,and do not ,god's dominion and mercy extend over that soul beyond the grave as well as as this side of it8 ,who shall place the limits to ,god's empire and say to ,him3 8,thus far ,thou shalt go and no farther80 ,two thousand years after ,abraham's death our ,lord said3 8,i am the ,god of ,abraham1 of ,isaac1 and of ,jacob4 ,he is not the ,god of the dead1 but of the living407#bif7 ,if1 then1 it is profitable for you to pray for your brother in the flesh1 why should it be useless for you to pray for him out of the flesh8 ,for while he was living you prayed not for his body1 but for his soul4 ,if this brother of yours dies with some slight stains upon his soul1 a sin of impatience1 for instance1 or an idle word1 is he fit to enter heaven with these blemishes upon his soul8 ,no2 the sanctity of ,god forbids it1 for 8nothing defiled shall enter the ,kingdom of ,heaven407#big7 ,will you consign him1 for these minor transgressions1 to eternal torments with adulterers and murderers8 ,no2 the justice and mercy of ,god forbid it4 ,therefore1 your common sense demands a middle place of expiation for the purgation of the soul before it is worthy of enjoying the companionship of ,god and ,his ,saints4 ,god 8will render to every man according to his works10--to the pure and unsullied everlasting bliss2 to the reprobate eternal damnation2 to souls stained with minor faults a place of temporary purgation4 ,i cannot recall any doctrine of the ,christian religion more consoling to the human heart than the article of faith which teaches the efficacy of prayers for the faithful departed4 ,it robs death of its sting4 ,it encircles the chamber of mourning with a rainbow of hope4 ,it assuages the bitterness of our sorrow1 and reconciles us to our loss4 ,it keeps us in touch with the departed dead as correspondence keeps us in touch with the absent living4 ,it preserves their memory fresh and green in our hearts4 ,it gives us that keen satisfaction which springs from the consciousness that we can aid those loved ones who are gone before us by alleviating their pains1 shortening their exile1 and hastening their entrance into their true country4 ,it familiarizes us with the existence of a life beyond the grave1 and with the hope of being reunited with those whom we cherished on earth1 and of dwelling with them in that home where there is no separation1 or sorrow1 or death1 but eternal joy and peace and rest4 ,i have seen a devoted daughter minister with tender solicitude at the sick-bed of a fond parent4 ,many an anxious day and sleepless night did she watch at his bedside4 ,she moistened the parched lips1 and cooled the fevered brow1 and raised the drooping head on its pillow4 ,every change in her patient for better or worse brought a corresponding sunshine or gloom to her heart4 ,it was filial love that prompted all this4 ,her father died and she followed his remains to the grave4 ,though not a ,catholic1 standing by the bier she burst those chains which a cruel religious prejudice had wrought around her heart1 and1 rising superior to her sect1 she cried out3 ,lord1 have mercy on his soul4 ,it was the voice of nature and of religion4 ,oh1 far from us a religion which would decree an eternal divorce between the living and the dead4 ,how consoling is it to the ,catholic to think that1 in praying thus for his departed friend1 his prayers are not in violation of1 but in accordance with1 the voice of the ,church2 and that as1 like ,augustine1 he watches at the pillow of a dying mother1 so like ,augustine1 he can continue the same office of piety for her soul after she is dead by praying for her6 ,how cheering the reflection that the golden link of prayer unites you still to those who 8fell asleep in the ,lord10 that you can still speak to them and pray for them6 ,tennyson grasps the ,catholic feeling when he makes his hero1 whose course is run1 thus address his surviving comrade1 ,sir ,bedivere3 8,i have lived my life1 and that which ,i have done ,may ,he within ,himself make pure2 but thou1 ,if thou shouldst never see my face again1 ,pray for my soul4 ,more things are wrought by prayer ,than this world dreams of4 ,wherefore1 let thy voice ,rise like a fountain for me night and day4 ,for what are men better than sheep or goats ,that nourish a blind life within the brain1 ,if knowing ,god they lift not hands of prayer ,both for themselves and those who call them friend8 ,for so the whole round earth is every way ,bound by gold chains about the feet of ,god407#bih7 ,oh6 it is this thought that robs death of its sting and makes the separation of friends endurable4 ,if your departed friend needs not your prayers1 they are not lost1 but1 like the rain absorbed by the sun1 and descending again in fruitful showers on our fields1 they will be gathered by the ,sun of justice1 and will fall in refreshing showers of grace upon your head3 8,cast thy bread upon the running waters2 for1 after a long time1 thou shalt find it again407#bii7 ,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,civil ,,and ,,religious ,,liberty4 ,a man enjoys religious liberty when he possesses the free right of worshiping ,god according to the dictates of a right conscience1 and of practicing a form of religion most in accordance with his duties to ,god4 ,every act infringing on his freedom of conscience is justly styled religious intolerance4 ,this religious liberty is the true right of every man because it corresponds with a most certain duty which ,god has put upon him4 ,a man enjoys civil liberty when he is exempt from the arbitrary will of others1 and when he is governed by equitable laws established for the general welfare of society4 ,so long as1 in common with his fellow-citizens1 he observes the laws of the state1 any exceptional restraint imposed upon him1 in the exercise of his rights as a citizen1 is so far an infringement on his civil liberty4 ,i here assert the proposition1 which ,i hope to confirm by historical evidence1 that the ,catholic ,church has always been the zealous promoter of religious and civil liberty2 and that whenever any encroachments on these sacred privileges of man were perpetrated by professing members of the ,catholic faith1 these wrongs1 far from being sanctioned by the ,church1 were committed in palpable violation of her authority4 ,her doctrine is1 that as man by his own free will fell from grace1 so of his own free will must he return to grace4 ,conversion and coercion are two terms that can never be reconciled4 ,it has ever been a cardinal maxim1 inculcated by sovereign ,pontiffs and other ,prelates1 that no violence or undue influence should be exercised by ,christian princes or missionaries in their efforts to convert souls to the faith of ,jesus ,christ4 ,pope ,gregory ,i4 in the latter part of the ,sixth ,century1 compelled the ,bishop of ,terracina to restore to the ,jews1 the synagogue which he had seized1 declaring that they should not be coerced into the ,church1 but should be treated with meekness and charity4 ,the great ,pontiff issued the same orders to the ,prelates of ,sardinia and ,sicily in behalf of the persecuted ,jews4 ,st4 ,augustine and his companions1 who were sent by ,pope ,gregory ,i4 to ,england for the conversion of that nation1 had the happiness of baptizing in the true faith ,king ,ethelbert and many of his subjects4 ,that monarch1 in the fervor of his zeal1 was most anxious that all his subjects should immediately follow his example2 but the missionaries admonished him that he should scrupulously abstain from violence in the conversion of his people1 for the ,christian religion should be voluntarily embraced4 ,pope ,nicholas ,i4 also warned ,michael1 king of the ,bulgarians1 against employing force or constraint in the conversion of idolaters4 ,the fourth ,council of ,toledo1 held in #fcc1 a synod of great authority in the ,church1 ordained that no one should be compelled against his will to make a profession of the ,christian faith4 ,be it remembered that this ,council was composed of all the ,bishops of ,spain1 that it was assembled in a country and at a time in which the ,church held almost unlimited sway1 and among a people who have been represented as the most fanatical and intolerant of all ,europe4 ,perhaps no man can be considered a fairer representative of the age in which he lived than ,st4 ,bernard1 the illustrious ,abbot of ,clairvaux4 ,he was the embodiment of the spirit of the ,middle ,ages4 ,his life is the key that discloses to us what degree of toleration prevailed in those days4 ,having heard that a fanatical preacher was stimulating the people to deeds of violence against the ,jews as the enemies of ,christianity1 ,st4 ,bernard raised his eloquent voice against him1 and rescued those persecuted people from the danger to which they were exposed4 ,pope ,innocent ,,iii4 in the ,thirteenth ,century promulgated the following ,decree in behalf of the ,hebrews3 8,let no ,jew be constrained to receive baptism1 and he that will not consent to be baptized1 let him not be molested4 ,let no one unjustly seize their property1 disturb their feasts1 or lay waste their cemeteries40 ,other succeeding ,pontiffs1 notably ,gregory ,,ix4 and ,innocent ,,iv41 issued similar instructions4 ,not to cite too many examples1 let me quote for you only the beautiful letter addressed by ,fenelon1 ,archbishop of ,cambray1 to the son of ,king ,james ,,ii4 of ,england4 ,this letter not only reflects the sentiments of his own heart1 but formularizes in this particular the decrees of the ,church1 of which he was a distinguished ornament4 8,above all10 he writes1 8never force your subjects to change their religion4 ,no human power can reach the impenetrable recess of the free will of the heart4 ,violence can never persuade men2 it serves only to make hypocrites4 ,grant civil liberty to all1 not in approving everything as indifferent1 but in tolerating with patience whatever ,almighty ,god tolerates1 and endeavoring to convert men by mild persuasion407#cjj7 ,it is true1 indeed1 that the ,catholic ,church spares no pains and stops at no sacrifice in order to induce mankind to embrace her faith4 ,otherwise she would be recreant to her sacred mission4 ,but she scorns to exercise any undue influence in her efforts to convert souls4 ,the only argument she would use1 is the argument of reason and persuasion2 the only tribunal to which she would summon you1 is the tribunal of conscience2 the only weapon she would wield1 is 8the ,sword of the ,spirit1 which is the ,word of ,god40 ,it is well known that the superior advantages of our female academies throughout the country lead many of our dissenting brethren to send their daughters to these institutions4 ,it is also well known that so warm is the affection which these young ladies entertain for their religious teachers1 so hallowed is the atmosphere they breathe within these seats of learning1 that they often beg to embrace a religion which fosters so much piety and which produces lilies so fragrant and so pure4 ,do the sisters take advantage of this influence in the cause of proselytism8 ,by no means4 ,so delicate is their regard for the religious conscience of their pupils1 that they rarely consent to have these young ladies baptized till1 after being thoroughly instructed in all the doctrines of the ,church1 they have obtained the free permission of their parents or guardians4 ,the ,church is1 indeed1 intolerant in this sense1 that she can never confound truth with error2 nor can she admit that any man is conscientiously free to reject the truth when its claims are convincingly brought home to the mind4 ,many ,protestants seem to be very much disturbed by some such argument as this3 ,catholics are very ready now to proclaim freedom of conscience1 because they are in the minority4 ,when they once succeed in getting the upper hand in numbers and power they will destroy this freedom1 because their faith teaches them to tolerate no doctrine other than the ,catholic4 ,it is1 then1 a matter of absolute necessity for us that they should never be allowed to get this advantage4 ,now1 in all this1 there is a great mistake1 which comes from not knowing the ,catholic doctrine in its fulness4 ,i shall not lay it down myself1 lest it seem to have been gotten up for the occasion4 ,i shall quote the great theologian ,becanus1 who taught the doctrine of the schools of ,catholic ,theology at the time when the struggle was hottest between ,catholicity and ,protestantism4 ,he says that religious liberty may be tolerated by a ruler when it would do more harm to the state or to the community to repress it4 ,the ruler may even enter into a compact in order to secure to his subjects this freedom in religious matters2 and when once a compact is made it must be observed absolutely in every point1 just as every other lawful and honest contract47#cja7 ,this is the true ,catholic teaching on this point1 according to ,becanus and all ,catholic theologians4 ,so that if ,catholics should gain the majority in a community where freedom of conscience is already secured to all by law1 their very religion obliges them to respect the rights thus acquired by their fellow-citizens4 ,what danger can there be1 then1 for ,protestants1 if ,catholics should be in the majority here8 ,their apprehensions are the result of vain fears1 which no honest mind ought any longer to harbor4 ,the ,church has not only respected the conscience of the people in embracing the religion of their choice1 but she has also defended their civil rights and liberties against the encroachments of temporal sovereigns4 ,one of the popular errors that have taken possession of some minds in our times is that in former days the ,church was leagued with princes for the oppression of the people4 ,this is a base calumny1 which a slight acquaintance with ecclesiastical history would soon dispel4 ,the truth is1 the most unrelenting enemies of the ,church have been the princes of this world1 and so-called ,christians princes1 too4 ,the conflict between ,church and ,state has never died out1 because the ,church has felt it to be her duty1 in every age1 to raise her voice against the despotic and arbitrary measures of princes4 ,many of them chafed under the salutary discipline of the ,church4 ,they wished to be rid of her yoke4 ,they desired to be governed by no law except the law of their licentious passions and boundless ambitions4 ,and as a ,protestant ,american reviewer7#cjb7 well said about forty years ago1 it was a blessing of ,providence that there was a spiritual ,power on earth that could stand like a wall of brass against the tyranny of earthly sovereigns and say to them3 8,thus far you shall go1 and no farther1 and here you shall break your swelling waves0 of passion2 a ,power that could say to them what ,john said to ,herod3 8,this thing is not lawful for thee20 a ,power that pointed the finger of reproof to them1 even when the sword was pointed to her own neck1 and that said to them what ,nathan said to ,david3 8,thou art the man40 ,she told princes that if the people have their obligations they have their rights1 too2 that if the subject must render to ,csar the things that are ,csar's1 ,csar must render to ,god the things that art ,god's4 ,yes2 the ,church1 while pursuing her ,divine mission of leading souls to ,god1 has ever been the defender of the people's rights4 ,st4 ,ambrose1 ,archbishop of ,milan1 affords us a striking instance of the strenuous efforts made by the ,catholic ,church in vindicating the interests of the citizen against the oppression of rulers4 ,a portion of the people of ,thessalonica had committed an outrage against the just authority of the ,emperor ,theodosius4 ,the offence of those citizens was indeed most reprehensible2 but the ,emperor requited the insult offered to him by a shocking and disproportioned act of retribution1 which has left an indelible stain upon his otherwise excellent character4 ,the inhabitants were assembled together for the ostensible purpose of witnessing a chariot race1 and at a given signal the soldiery fell upon the people and involved men1 women and children in an indiscriminate massacre1 to the number of about seven thousand4 ,some time after the ,emperor presented himself at the ,cathedral of ,milan2 but the intrepid ,prelate told him that his hands were dripping with the blood of his subjects1 and forbade him entrance to the church till he had made all the reparation in his power to the afflicted people of ,thessalonica4 ,people affect to be shocked at the sentence of ex-communication occasionally inflicted by the ,church on evil-doers4 ,here is an instance of this penalty4 ,who can complain of it as being too severe8 ,it was a salutary punishment and the only one that could bring rulers to a sense of duty4 ,the greatest bulwark of civil liberty is the famous ,magna ,charta4 ,it is the foundation not only of ,british1 but also of ,american constitutional freedom4 ,among other blessings contained in this instrument it establishes trial by jury and the right of ,habeas ,corpus1 and provides that there shall be no taxation without representation4 ,who were the framers of this memorable charter8 ,archbishop ,langton1 of ,canterbury1 and the ,catholic ,barons of ,england4 ,on the plains of ,runnymede1 in #abae1 they compelled ,king ,john to sign that paper which was the death-blow to his arbitrary power and the cornerstone of constitutional government4 ,turning to our own country1 it is with no small degree of satisfaction that ,i point to the ,state of ,maryland as the cradle of civil and religious liberty and the 8land of the sanctuary40 ,of the thirteen original ,american ,colonies1 ,maryland was the only one settled by ,catholics4 ,she was1 also1 the only one that raised aloft over her fair lands the banner of liberty of conscience1 and that invited the oppressed of other colonies to seek an asylum beneath its shadow4 ,lest ,i should be suspected of being too partial in my praise of ,maryland toleration1 ,i shall take most of my historical facts from ,bancroft1 a ,new ,england ,protestant clergyman4 ,,note--,the first edition of ,bancroft's ,history was published in #ahcd4 ,from that date till nearly half a century afterward upwards of twenty editions were issued1 all of which retain the passages ,i have cited on ,maryland toleration4 ,early in the #hjs a new edition was given out1 which omits or abridges some of the passages quoted in this chapter4 ,i may add that all of ,bancroft's eulogies of ,lord ,baltimore's benevolent administration are borne out by the original documents1 and by ,mc,mahon1 ,bozman and ,mc,sherry1 and other historians of ,maryland4 ,leonard ,calvert1 the brother of ,lord ,baltimore and the leader of the ,catholic colony1 having sailed from ,england in the ,ark and the ,dove1 reached his destination on the ,potomac in ,march1 #afcd4 8,the ,catholics took quiet possession of the little place1 and religious liberty obtained a home1 its only home in the wide world1 at the humble village which bore the name of ,st4 ,mary407#cjc7 8,the foundation of the colony of ,maryland was peacefully and happily laid4 ,within six months it had advanced more than ,virginia had done in as many years4444 ,but far more memorable was the character of the ,maryland institutions4 ,every other country in the world had persecuting laws2 but through the benign administration of the government of that province1 no person professing to believe in ,jesus ,christ was permitted to be molested on account of religion4 ,under the munificence and superintending mildness of ,lord ,baltimore1 a dreary wilderness was soon quickened with the swarming life and activity of prosperous settlements2 the ,roman ,catholics who were oppressed by the laws of ,england were sure to find a peaceful asylum in the quiet harbors of the ,chesapeake2 and there too1 ,protestants were sheltered against ,protestant intolerance4 ,such were the beautiful auspices under which ,maryland started into being4444 ,its history is the history of benevolence1 gratitude and toleration40 8,maryland was the abode of happiness and liberty4 ,conscience was without restraint4 ,a mild and liberal proprietary conceded every measure which the welfare of the colony required2 domestic union1 a happy concert between all the branches of government1 an increasing emigration1 a productive commerce1 a fertile soil1 which heaven had richly favored with rivers and deep bays1 united to perfect the scene of colonial felicity4 ,ever intent on advancing the interests of his colony1 ,lord ,baltimore invited the ,puritans of ,massachusetts to emigrate to ,maryland1 offering them lands and privileges and free liberty of religion2 but ,gibbons1 to whom he had forwarded the commission1 was so wholly tutored in the ,new ,england discipline1 that he would not advance the wishes of the ,irish ,peer1 and so the invitation was declined407#cjd7 ,on the #b;d of ,april1 #afdi1 the ,general ,assembly of ,maryland passed the following ,act1 which will reflect unfading glory on that ,state as long as liberty is cherished in the hearts of men4 8,whereas1 the enforcing of conscience in matters of religion hath frequently fallen out to be of dangerous consequence in those commonwealths where it has been practiced1 and for the more quiet and peaceable government of this province1 and the better to preserve mutual love and unity amongst the inhabitants1 no person whatsoever within this province professing to believe in ,jesus ,christ shall from henceforth be anyways troubled or molested for his or her religion1 nor in the free exercise thereof1 nor anyway compelled to the belief or exercise of any other religion against his or her consent407#cje7 ,upon this noble statute ,bancroft makes the following candid and judicious comment3 8,the design of the law of ,maryland was to protect freedom of conscience2 and some years after it had been confirmed the apologist of ,lord ,baltimore could assert that his government had never given disturbance to any person in ,maryland for matter of religion2 that the colonists enjoyed freedom of conscience1 not less than freedom of person and estate1 as amply as ever any people in any place of the world4 ,the disfranchised friends of ,prelacy from ,massachusetts and the ,puritans from ,virginia were welcomed to equal liberty of conscience and political rights in the ,roman ,catholic province of ,maryland407#cjf7 ,five years later1 when the ,puritans gained the ascendency in ,maryland1 they were guilty of the infamous ingratitude of disfranchising the very ,catholic settlers by whom they had been so hospitably entertained4 ,they 8had neither the gratitude to respect the rights of the government by which they had been received and fostered1 nor magnanimity to continue the toleration to which alone they were indebted for their residence in the colony4 ,an act concerning religion forbade liberty of conscience to be extended to #8,popery1' #8,prelacy1' or #8licentiousness of opinion4' 07#cjg7 ,i shall also quote from 8,maryland1 the ,history of a ,palatinate10 by ,william ,hand ,browne47#cjh7 ,mr4 ,browne was a graduate of the ,university of ,maryland4 ,for several years he was editor of the ,maryland ,archives1 and of the ,maryland ,historical ,society4 ,he became afterward ,professor of ,english ,literature in the ,johns ,hopkins ,university4 ,he devoted his long life to the ,colonial history of ,maryland1 and is justly recognized as a standard authority on that subject4 ,i may add that he cannot be suspected of undue partiality1 as he was not a member of the ,catholic ,church4 ,speaking of ,calvert1 the ,proprietary of the ,maryland ,colony1 the author remarks that 8while as yet there was no spot in ,christendom where religious belief was free1 and when even the ,commons of ,england had openly declared against toleration1 ,calvert founded a community wherein no man was to be molested for his faith4 ,at a time when absolutism had struck down representative government in ,england and it was doubtful if a ,parliament of freemen would ever meet again1 he founded a community in which no laws were to be made without the consent of the freemen4 ,the ,ark and the ,dove were names of happy omen4 ,the one saved from the general wreck the germs of political liberty2 and the other bore the olive branch of religious peace407#cji7 ,when the rule of the ,catholic ,proprietary was overthrown and the ,puritans had gained the ascendency in the ,province1 the new ,commissioners issued writs of election to a general assembly--writs of a tenor hitherto unknown in ,maryland4 ,no man of the ,roman ,catholic faith could be elected as a burgess1 or even cast a vote4 ,the ,assembly obtained by this process of selection1 justified its choice4 ,it at once repealed the ,toleration ,act of #afdi and created a new one1 more to its mind1 which also bore the title3 8,an ,act concerning ,religion10 but it was toleration with a difference4 ,it provided that none who professed the ,popish religion should be protected in the ,province1 but were to be restrained from the exercise thereof4 ,for ,protestants it provided that no one professing faith in ,christ was to be restrained from the exercise of his religion1 8provided that this liberty be not extended to ,popery1 or ,prelacy1 nor to such as under the profession of ,christ1 hold forth and practice licentiousness4 ,that is1 with the exception of the ,roman ,catholics and churchmen1 together with the ,brownists1 ,quakers1 ,anabaptists1 and other miscellaneous ,protestant sects1 all others might profess their faith without molestation407#caj7 ,after the overthrow of the ,puritan authority1 and the advent to power of the members of the ,church of ,england1 the second act of the ,assembly was to make the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church the established church of the ,province4 ,the ,act imposed an annual tax of forty pounds of tobacco per poll on all taxables for the purpose of building churches1 and maintaining the clergy4 ,in #agjb it was re-enacted with a toleration clause3 8,protestant ,dissenters and ,quakers were exempted from the penalties and disabilities1 and might have separate meeting-houses1 provided that they paid their forty pounds per poll to support the ,established ,church4 ,as for the #8,papists1' it is needless to say that there was no exemption nor license for them407#caa7 ,the author then sets before us the three kinds of toleration1 like three portraits1 so that their distinctive features appear in bold relief4 8,we may now10 he says1 8place side by side the three tolerations of ,maryland40 ,the toleration of the 7,catholic7 ,proprietaries lasted fifty years1 and under it all believers in ,christ were equal before the law1 and all support to churches or ministers was voluntary4 ,the ,puritan toleration lasted six years1 and included all but ,papists1 ,prelatists and those who held objectional doctrines4 ,the ,anglican toleration lasted eighty years1 and had glebes and churches for the ,establishment1 connivance for ,dissenters1 the penal laws for ,catholics1 and for all1 the forty per poll4 ,in fact1 an additional turn was given to the screw in this year2 the oath of 8abhorrency10 a more offensive form of the oath of supremacy1 being required1 beside the oath of allegiance1 and for one thing1 no ,catholic attorney was allowed to practise in the ,province47#cab7 ,when the members of the ,constitutional ,convention declared in #aghg1 that 8,congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion1 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof10 it is worthy of note that they were echoing the sentiments1 and even repeating the language of the ,maryland ,assembly of #afdi1 which declared that 8,no person whatsoever within this ,province1 professing to believe in ,jesus ,christ1 shall from henceforth be any ways molested for his or her religion1 nor in the free exercise thereof40 ,we may therefore affirm that ,lord ,baltimore's ,toleration ,act of #afdi was the bright dawn that ushered in the noon-day sun of freedom in #aghg4 ,and we have every reason to believe that the ,proprietary's charter of liberty with its attendant blessings1 served as an example1 an incentive1 and an inspiration to some at least of the framers of the ,constitution1 to extend over the new ,republic1 the precious boon of civil and religious liberty4 ,it is proper to also observe that the ,act of #afdi was not a new declaration of religious freedom on the part of ,lord ,baltimore's administration1 but was a solemn affirmation of the toleration granted by the ,catholic ,proprietary from the beginning of the ,settlement in #afcd4 ,i will close this subject in the words of a distinguished member of the ,maryland ,historical ,society3 8,higher than all titles and badges of honor1 and more exalted than royal nobility is the imperishable distinction which the passage of this broad and liberal ,act won for ,maryland1 and for the members of that never-to-be-forgotten session1 and sacred forever be the hallowed spot which gave it birth407#cac7 ,what shall ,i say of the prominent part that was taken by distinguished representatives of the ,catholic ,church in the cause of our ,american ,independence8 ,what shall ,i say of ,charles ,carroll of ,carrollton1 who1 at the risk of sacrificing his rich estates1 signed the ,declaration of ,independence2 of ,rev4 ,john ,carroll1 afterward the first ,archbishop of ,baltimore1 who1 with his cousin ,charles ,carroll and ,benjamin ,franklin1 was sent by ,congress to ,canada to secure the co-operation of the people of that province in the struggle for liberty2 of ,kosciusko1 ,lafayette1 ,pulaski1 ,barry and a host of other ,catholic heroes who labored so effectually in the same glorious cause8 ,american patriots without number the ,church has nursed in her bosom2 a traitor1 never4 ,the ,father of his ,country was not unmindful of these services4 ,shortly after his election to the ,presidency1 replying7#cad7 to an address of his ,catholic fellow-citizens1 he uses the following language3 8,i presume that your fellow-citizens will not forget the patriotic part which you took in the accomplishment of their revolution1 and the establishment of their government2 or the important assistance they received from a nation in which the ,roman ,catholic faith is professed40 ,and the ,catholics of our generation have nobly emulated the patriotism and the spirit of toleration exhibited by their ancestors4 ,they can neither be accused of disloyalty nor of intolerance to their dissenting brethren4 ,in more than one instance of our nation's history our churches have been desecrated and burned to the ground2 our convents have been invaded and destroyed2 our clergy have been exposed to insult and violence4 ,these injuries have been inflicted on us by incendiary mobs animated by hatred of ,catholicism4 ,yet1 in spite of these provocations1 our ,catholic citizens1 though wielding an immense numerical influence in the localities where they suffered1 have never retaliated4 ,it is in a spirit of just pride that we can affirm that hitherto in the ,united ,states no ,protestant house of worship or educational institution has been destroyed1 nor violence offered to a ,protestant minister by those who profess the ,catholic faith4 ,god grant that such may always be our record6 ,it is just because the ,church has ever resisted the tyranny of kings1 in their encroachments on the sacred rights of conscience1 that she has always been the victim of royal persecution4 ,in every age1 in the language of the ,psalmist1 8the kings of the earth rose up1 and the princes assembled together against the ,lord and against ,his ,christ407#cae7 ,the brightest and most thrilling pages of ecclesiastical history are those which record the sufferings of ,popes and ,prelates at the hands of temporal sovereigns for conscience' and for justice' sake4 ,take1 for instance1 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 the great ,archbishop of ,constantinople in the fifth century1 and the idol of the people4 ,he had the courage1 like ,john the ,baptist1 to raise his eloquent voice against the lasciviousness of the court1 and particularly against the ,empress ,eudoxia1 who ruled like another ,jezabel4 ,he was banished from his ,see1 treated with the utmost indignity by the soldiers1 and died in exile from sheer exhaustion and ill-treatment4 ,witness ,pope ,gregory ,,vii41 the fearless ,hildebrand1 in his life-long struggle with the ,german ,emperor1 ,henry ,,iv4 ,gregory directed all the energies of his great mind towards reforming the abuses which had crept into the church of ,france and ,germany in the eleventh century4 ,in those days the ,emperor of ,germany assumed the right of naming or appointing ,bishops throughout his ,empire4 ,this sacred office was commonly bestowed on very unworthy candidates1 and very often put up at auction1 to be sold to the highest bidder1 as is now the case with the schismatic ,greek church in ,turkey4 ,these ,bishops too often repaid their imperial benefactor by pandering to his passions and by the most servile flattery4 ,the intrepid ,pope partially succeeded in uprooting the evil1 though the effort cost him his life4 ,the ,emperor invaded ,rome and drove ,gregory from his ,see1 who died uttering these words with his last breath3 8,i have loved justice and hated iniquity1 and therefore ,i die in exile40 ,for the same cause ,thomas ,becket1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 was slain at the altar by the hired assassins of ,henry ,,ii41 of ,england4 ,observe how ,pius ,,vii4 was treated by the first ,napoleon in the beginning of the present century4 ,the day-dream of ,napoleon was to be master of ,europe1 and to place his brothers and friends on the thrones of the continent1 that they might revolve1 like so many satellites1 around his throne in ,france4 ,napoleon makes two demands on the venerable ,pontiff3 ,first--,that he dissolve the marriage which had been contracted between the ,emperor's brother1 ,jerome1 and ,miss ,patterson1 of ,baltimore4 ,his ostensible reason for having the marriage dissolved was because ,miss ,patterson was a ,protestant1 but his real motive was to secure a royal bride for his brother instead of an ,american lady4 ,second--,that he close his ports against the commerce of ,england1 with which nation ,napoleon was then at war1 and make common cause with the ,emperor against his enemies4 ,the ,pope rejected both demands4 ,he told the ,emperor that the ,church held all marriages performed by her as indissoluble1 even when one of the parties was not a ,catholic2 and that1 as the common father of ,christendom1 he could close his port against no ,christian power4 ,for refusing to comply with this second demand the ,pope was arrested and sent into exile1 where he lingered for years4 ,at this very moment the old conflict between the ,church and despotic governments is raging fiercely throughout ,europe4 ,the scene enacted by ,john and ,herod is today reproduced in almost every kingdom of the old world4 ,it is the old fight between brute force and the ,god-given rights of conscience4 ,in ,russia we see the ,bishop of ,plock exiled for life from his ,see to ,siberia4 ,his only offence is his refusal to acknowledge that the ,emperor ,alexander is the head of the ,christian ,church4 ,if we pass over into ,italy we see religious men and women driven from their homes2 their houses and libraries confiscated--libraries which pious and learned men had been collecting and consulting for ages4 ,the only crime of those religious is that they have not the power to resist brute force4 ,cross the ,alps into ,france and there you will see that many-headed monster1 the ,commune1 assassinating the ,archbishop of ,paris and his clergy1 solely because he and they were the representatives of law and order4 ,in the ,republic of ,switzerland ,bishop ,mermillod is expelled from ,geneva without the slightest charge adduced against his character as a citizen and a ,christian ,prelate4 ,faithful clergymen are deprived by the government of their parochial rights and renegade ,priests are intruded in their place4 ,the shepherd is driven away and wolves lay waste the fold4 ,go to ,prussia2 what do you behold there8 ,a ,prime ,minister flushed with his recent victories over ,france4 ,he is not content with seeing his master wear the imperial crown of ,germany2 he wants him to wear also the tiara of the ,pope4 ,bismarck1 like ,aman1 the minister of ,king ,assuerus1 is not satisfied with being second in the kingdom so long as ,mardochai1 that is the ,church1 refuses to bow down and worship him4 ,he fines the venerable ,archbishop of ,gnesen-,posen and other ,prussian ,prelates again and again1 sells their furniture and finally sends them to prison for a protracted period4 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom beautifully remarks that ,st4 ,paul1 elevated to the third heaven1 was glorious to contemplate2 but that far more glorious is ,paul buried in the dungeons of ,rome4 ,i can say in like manner1 of ,archbishop ,ledochowski of ,posen1 that he was conspicuous in the ,vatican ,council among his peers2 but he was still more conspicuous sitting solitary in his ,prussian prison4 ,the loyalty of the ,prussian clergy is above reproach4 ,the ,bishops are imprisoned because they insist on the right of educating students for the ministry1 ordaining and appointing clergy1 without consulting the government4 ,they are denied a right which in this country is possessed by ,free ,masons and every other human organization in the land4 ,perhaps a simple illustration will present to you in a clearer light the odious character of the penal laws to which ,i have alluded4 ,suppose the government of the ,united ,states were to issue a general order requiring the clergy of the various ,christian denominations to be educated in government establishments1 forcing them to take an oath before entering on the duties of the ministry1 and forbidding the ecclesiastical authorities to appoint or remove any clergyman without permission of the civil power at ,washington4 ,would not the ,american people rise up in their might before they would submit to have fetters so galling forged on their conscience8 ,and yet this is precisely the odious legislation which the ,prussian government is enacting against the ,church4 ,and the ,catholic ,church1 in resisting these laws1 is not only fighting her own battles1 but she is contending for the principle of freedom of conscience everywhere4 ,but1 thank ,god1 we live in a country where liberty of conscience is respected1 and where the civil constitution holds over us the gis of her protection1 without intermeddling with ecclesiastical affairs4 ,from my heart1 ,i say3 ,america1 with all thy faults1 ,i love thee still4 ,perhaps at this moment there is no nation on the face of the earth where the ,church is less trammelled1 and where she has more liberty to carry out her sublime destiny than in these ,united ,states4 ,for my part1 ,i much prefer the system which prevails in this country1 where the temporal needs of the ,church are supplied by voluntary contributions of the faithful1 to the system which obtains in some ,catholic countries of ,europe1 where the ,church is supported by the government1 thereby making feeble reparation for the gross injustice it has done to the ,church by its former wholesale confiscation of ecclesiastical property4 ,and the ,church pays dearly for this indemnity1 for she has to bear the perpetual attempts at interference and the vexatious enactments of the civil power1 which aims at making her wholly dependent upon itself4 ,some years ago1 on my return from ,rome1 in company with the late ,archbishop ,spalding ,i paid a visit to the ,bishop of ,annecy1 in ,savoy4 ,i was struck by the splendor of his palace and saw a sentinel at the door1 placed there by the ,french government as a guard of honor4 ,but the venerable ,bishop soon disabused me of my favorable impressions4 ,he told me that he was in a state of gilded slavery4 ,i cannot1 said he1 build as much as a sacristy without obtaining permission of the government4 ,i do not wish to see the day when the ,church will invoke or receive any government aid to build our churches1 or to pay the salary of our clergy1 for the government may then begin to dictate to us what doctrines we ought to preach4 ,if it is a great wrong to muzzle the press1 it is a greater wrong to muzzle the pulpit4 ,no amount of ,state subsidy would compensate for the evils resulting from the ,government censorship of the ,gospel1 and the suppression of ,apostolic freedom in proclaiming it4 ,st4 ,paul exults in the declaration that1 though he is personally in chains1 the word of ,god is not enchained47#caf7 ,and moreover1 in proportion as ,state patronage would increase1 the sympathy and aid of the faithful would diminish4 ,may the happy condition of things now existing among us always continue1 in which the relations between the clergy and the people will be direct and immediate1 in which ,bishops and ,priests will bestow upon their spiritual children their voluntary labors1 their tender solicitude1 their paternal affection1 and pour out like water their hearts' blood1 if necessary2 and in which they will receive in return the free-will offerings--the devotion and gratitude of a filial people4 ,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,charges ,,of ,,religious ,,persecution4 ,i4 ,the ,spanish ,inquisition4 ,but did not the ,spanish ,inquisition exercise enormous cruelties against heretics and ,jews8 ,i am not the apologist of the ,spanish ,inquisition1 and ,i have no desire to palliate or excuse the excesses into which that tribunal may at times have fallen4 ,from my heart ,i abhor and denounce every species of violence1 and injustice1 and persecution of which the ,spanish ,inquisition may have been guilty4 ,and in raising my voice against coercion for conscience' sake ,i am expressing not only my own sentiments1 but those of every ,catholic ,priest and layman in the land4 ,our ,catholic ancestors1 for the last three hundred years1 have suffered so much for freedom of conscience that they would rise up in judgment against us were we to become the advocates and defenders of religious persecution4 ,we would be a disgrace to our sires were we to trample on the principle of liberty which they held dearer than life4 ,when ,i denounce the cruelties of the ,inquisition ,i am not standing aloof from the ,church1 but ,i am treading in her footprints4 ,bloodshed and persecution form no part of the creed of the ,catholic ,church4 ,so much does she abhor the shedding of blood that a man becomes disqualified to serve as a minister at her altars who1 by act or counsel1 voluntarily sheds the blood of another4 ,before you can convict the ,church of intolerance you must first bring forward some authentic act of her ,popes or ,councils sanctioning the policy of vengeance4 ,in all my readings ,i have yet to find one decree of hers advocating torture or death for conscience' sake4 ,she is indeed intolerant of error2 but her only weapons against error are those pointed out by ,st4 ,paul to ,timothy3 8,preach the word2 be instant in season1 out of season2 reprove1 entreat2 rebuke with all patience and doctrine407#cag7 ,but you will tell me3 ,were not the authors of the ,inquisition children of the ,church1 and did they not exercise their enormities in her name8 ,granted4 ,but ,i ask you3 ,is it just or fair to hold the ,church responsible for those acts of her children which she disowns8 ,you do not denounce liberty as mockery because many crimes are committed in her name2 neither do you hold a father accountable for the sins of his disobedient children4 ,we should also bear in mind that the ,spaniards were not the only people who have proscribed men for the exercise of their religious belief4 ,if we calmly study the history of other nations our enmity towards ,spain will considerably relax1 and we shall have to reserve for her neighbors a portion of our indignation4 ,no impartial student of history will deny that the leaders of the reformed religions1 whenever they gained the ascendency1 exercised violence toward those who differed from them in faith4 ,i mention this not by way of recrimination1 nor in palliation of the proscriptions of the ,spanish government2 for one offence is not justified by another4 ,my object is merely to show that 8they who live in glass houses should not throw stones20 and that it is not honest to make ,spain the scapegoat1 bearing alone on her shoulders the odium of religious intolerance4 ,it should not be forgotten that ,john ,calvin burned ,michael ,servetus at the stake for heresy2 that the arch-reformer not only avowed but also justified the deed in his writings2 and that he established in ,geneva an ,inquisition for the punishment of refractory ,christians4 ,it should also be remembered that ,luther advocated the most merciless doctrine towards the ,jews4 ,according to his apologist ,seckendorf1 the ,german ,reformer said that their synagogues ought to be destroyed1 their houses pulled down1 their prayer-books1 and even the books of the ,old ,testament1 to be taken from them4 ,their rabbis ought to be forbidden to teach and be compelled to gain their livelihood by hard labor4 ,it should also be borne in mind that ,henry ,,viii4 and his successors for many generations inflicted fines1 imprisonment and death on thousands of their subjects for denying the spiritual supremacy of the temporal sovereign4 ,this galling ,inquisition lasted for nearly three hundred years1 and the severity of its decrees scarcely finds a parallel in the ,spanish ,inquisition4 ,prescott avows that the administration of ,elizabeth was 8not a whit less despotic and scarcely less sanguinary than07#cah7 that of ,isabella4 ,the clergy of ,ireland1 under ,cromwell1 were ordered1 under pain of death1 to quit their country1 and theological students were obliged to pursue their studies in foreign seminaries4 ,any ,priest who dared to return to his native country forfeited his life4 ,whoever harbored a ,priest suffered death1 and they who knew his hiding-place and did not reveal it to the ,inquisitors had both their ears cut off4 ,at this very moment not only in ,england1 but in ,ireland1 ,scotland and ,holland1 ,protestants are worshiping in some of the churches erected by the piety of our ,catholic forefathers and wrested from them by violence4 ,observe1 also1 that in all these instances the persecutions were inflicted by the express authority of the founders and heads of ,protestant churches4 ,the ,puritans of ,new ,england inflicted summary vengeance on those who were rash enough to differ from them in religion4 ,in ,massachusetts 8the ,quakers were whipped1 branded1 had their ears cut off1 their tongues bored with hot irons1 and were banished upon pain of death in case of their return and actually executed upon the gallows407#cai7 ,who is ignorant of the number of innocent creatures that suffered death in the same ,state on the ridiculous charge of witchcraft toward the end of the seventeenth century8 ,well does it become their descendants to taunt ,catholics with the horrors of the ,spanish ,inquisition6 ,in the religious riots of ,philadelphia in #ahdd ,catholic churches were burned down in the name of ,protestantism and private houses were sacked4 ,i was informed by an eyewitness that owners of houses were obliged to mark on their doors these words1 ,this house belongs to ,protestants1 in order to save their property from the infuriated incendiaries4 ,for these acts ,i never heard of any retaliation on the part of ,catholics1 and ,i hope ,i never shall1 no matter how formidable may be their numbers and tempting the provocation4 ,in spite of the boasted toleration of our times1 it cannot be denied that there still lurks a spirit of inquisition1 which does not1 indeed1 vent itself in physical violence1 but is1 nevertheless1 most galling to its victims4 ,how many persons have ,i met in the course of my ministry who were ostracized by their kindred and friends1 driven from home1 nay1 disinherited by their parents1 for the sole crime of carrying out the very shibboleth of ,protestantism--the exercise of private judgment1 and of obeying the dictates of their conscience1 by embracing the ,catholic faith6 ,is not this the most exquisite torture that can be inflicted on refined natures8 ,ah6 there is an imprisonment more lonely than the dungeon2 it is the imprisonment of our most cherished thoughts in our own hearts1 without a member of the family with whom to communicate4 ,there is a sword more keen than the executioner's knife2 it is the envenomed tongue of obloquy and abuse4 ,there is a banishment less tolerable than exile from one's country2 it is the excommunication from the parental roof and from the affections of those we love4 ,have ,i a right to hold the members of the ,episcopal1 ,lutheran1 ,presbyterian and ,congregationalist churches responsible for these proscriptive measures to which ,i have referred1 most of which have been authorized by their respective founders and leaders8 ,god forbid6 ,i know full well that these acts of cruelty form no part of the creed of the ,protestant churches4 ,i have been acquainted with ,protestants from my youth4 ,they have been among my most intimate and cherished friends1 and1 from my knowledge of them1 ,i am convinced that they would discountenance any physical violence which would be inflicted on their fellow-citizens on account of their religious convictions4 ,they would justly tell me that the persecutions of former years of which ,i have spoken should be ascribed to the peculiar and unhappy state of society in which their ancestors lived1 rather than to the inherent principles of their religion4 ,for precisely the same reasons1 and for reasons still more forcible1 ,protestants should not reproach the ,catholic ,church for the atrocities of the ,spanish ,inquisition4 ,the persecutions to which ,i have alluded were for the most part perpetrated by the founders and heads of the ,protestant churches1 while the rigors of the ,spanish tribunal were inflicted by laymen and subordinate ecclesiastics1 either without the knowledge or in spite of the protests of the ,bishops of ,rome4 ,let us now present the ,inquisition in its true light4 ,in the first place1 the number of its victims has been wildly exaggerated1 as even ,prescott is forced to admit4 ,the popular historian of the ,inquisition is ,llorente1 from whom our ,american authors generally derive their information on this subject4 ,now who was ,llorente8 ,he was a degraded ,priest1 who was dismissed from the ,board of ,inquisitors1 of which he had been ,secretary4 ,actuated by interest and revenge1 he wrote his history at the instance of ,joseph ,bonaparte1 the new ,king of ,spain1 and1 to please his royal master he did all he could to blacken the character of that institution4 ,his testimony1 therefore1 should be received with great reserve4 ,to give you one instance of his unreliability1 he quotes the historian ,mariana as his authority for saying that two thousand persons were put to death in one year in the dioceses of ,seville and ,cadiz alone4 ,by referring to the pages of ,mariana we find that author saying that two thousand were put to death in all ,spain during the entire administration of ,torquemada1 which embraced a period of fifteen years4 ,before beginning to examine the character of this tribunal it must be clearly understood that the ,spanish ,inquisition was not a purely ecclesiastical institution1 but a mixed tribunal4 ,it was conceived1 systematized1 regulated in all its procedures and judgments1 equipped with officers and powers1 and its executions1 fines and confiscations were carried out by the royal authority alone1 and not by the ,church47#cbj7 ,to understand the true character of the ,spanish ,inquisition1 and the motives which prompted ,king ,ferdinand in establishing that tribunal1 we must take a glance at the internal condition of ,spain at the close of the fifteenth century4 ,after a struggle of eight centuries the ,spanish nation succeeded in overthrowing the ,moors1 and in planting the national flag over the entire country4 ,at last the ,cross conquered the ,crescent1 and ,christianity triumphed over ,mahometanism4 ,the empire was consolidated under the joint reign of ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,but there still remained elements of discord in the nation4 ,the population was composed of three conflicting races--the ,spaniards1 ,moors and ,jews4 ,perhaps the difficulties which beset our own ,government in its efforts to harmonize the white1 the ,indian and the colored population1 will give us some idea of the formidable obstacles with which the ,spanish court had to contend in its efforts to cement into one compact nation a conquering and a conquered people of different race and religion4 ,the ,jews and the ,moors were disaffected toward the ,spanish government not only on political1 but also on religious grounds4 ,they were suspected1 and not unjustly1 of desiring to transfer their allegiance from the ,king of ,spain to the ,king of ,barbary or to the ,grand ,turk4 ,the ,spanish ,inquisition was accordingly erected by ,king ,ferdinand1 less from motives of religious zeal than from those of human policy4 ,it was established1 not so much with the view of preserving the ,catholic faith1 as of perpetuating the integrity of his kingdom4 ,the ,moors and ,jews were looked upon not only as enemies of the altar1 but chiefly as enemies of the throne4 ,catholics were upheld not for their faith alone1 but because they united faith to loyalty4 ,the baptized ,moors and ,israelites were oppressed for their heresy because their heresy was allied to sedition4 ,it must be remembered that in those days heresy1 especially if outspoken1 was regarded not only as an offence against religion1 but also as a crime against the state1 and was punished accordingly4 ,this condition of things was not confined to ,catholic ,spain1 but prevailed across the sea in ,protestant ,england4 ,we find ,henry ,,viii4 and his successors pursuing the same policy in ,great ,britain toward their ,catholic subjects and punishing ,catholicism as a crime against the state1 just as ,islamism and ,judaism were proscribed in ,spain4 ,it was1 therefore1 rather a royal and political than an ecclesiastical institution4 ,the ,king nominated the ,inquisitors1 who were equally composed of lay and clerical officials4 ,he dismissed them at will4 ,from the ,king1 and not from the ,pope1 they derived their jurisdiction1 and into the ,king's coffers1 and not into the ,pope's1 went all the emoluments accruing from fines and confiscations4 ,in a word1 the authority of the ,inquisition began and ended with the crown4 ,in confirmation of these assertions ,i shall quote from ,ranke1 a ,german ,protestant historian1 who cannot be suspected of partiality to the ,catholic ,church4 8,in the first place10 says this author1 8the ,inquisitors were royal officers4 ,the ,kings had the right of appointing and dismissing them4444 ,the courts of the ,inquisition were subject1 like other magistracies1 to royal visitors4 #8,do you not know1' said the ,king 7to ,ximenes71 #8that if this tribunal possesses jurisdiction1 it is from the ,king it derives it8' 8,in the second place1 all the profit of the confiscations by this court accrued to the ,king4 ,these were carried out in a very unsparing manner4 ,though the fueros 7privileges7 of ,aragon forbade the ,king to confiscate the property of his convicted subjects1 he deemed himself exalted above the law in matters pertaining to this court4444 ,the proceeds of these confiscations formed a sort of regular income for the royal exchequer4 ,it was even believed1 and asserted from the beginning1 that the ,kings had been moved to establish and countenance this tribunal more by their hankering after the wealth it confiscated than by motives of piety4 8,in the third place1 it was the ,inquisition1 and the ,inquisition alone1 that completely shut out all extraneous interference with the state4 ,the sovereign had now at his disposal a tribunal from which no grandee1 no ,archbishop1 could withdraw himself4 ,as ,charles knew no other means of bringing certain punishment on the ,bishops who had taken part in the insurrection of the ,communidades 7or communes who were struggling for their rights and liberties71 he chose to have them judged by the ,inquisition4444 8,it was in spirit and tendency a political institution4 ,the ,pope had an interest in thwarting it1 and he did so2 but the ,king had an interest in constantly upholding it407#cba7 ,that the ,inquisition acted independently of the ,holy ,see1 and that even the ,catholic hierarchy fell under the ban of this royal tribunal1 is also apparent from the following fact3 ,after the convening of the ,council of ,trent1 ,bartholomew ,caranza1 ,archbishop of ,toledo1 was arrested by the ,inquisition on a charge of heresy1 and his release from prison could not be obtained either by the interposition of ,pius ,,iv4 or the remonstrance of the ,council4 ,it is true that ,sixtus ,,iv41 yielding to the importunities of ,queen ,isabella1 consented to its establishment1 being advised that it was necessary for the preservation of order in the kingdom2 but in #adha1 the year following its introduction1 when the ,jews complained to him of its severity1 the same ,pontiff issued a ,bull against the ,inquisitors1 as ,prescott informs us1 in which 8he rebuked their intemperate zeal and even threatened them with deprivation40 ,he wrote to ,ferdinand and ,isabella that 8mercy towards the guilty was more pleasing to ,god than the severity which they were using40 ,when the ,pope could not eradicate the evil he encouraged the sufferers to flee to ,rome1 where they found an asylum1 and where he took the fugitives under his protection4 ,in two years he received four hundred and fifty refugees from ,spain4 ,did the ,pontiff send them back1 or did he inflict vengeance on them at home8 ,far from it2 they were restored to all the rights of citizens4 ,how can we imagine that the ,pope would encourage in ,spain the legalized murder of men whom he protected from violence in his own city1 where he might have crushed them with impunity8 ,i can find no authenticated instance of any ,pope putting to death1 in his own dominions1 a single individual for his religious belief4 ,moreover1 sometimes the ,pope1 when he could not reach the victims1 censured and excommunicated the ,inquisitor1 and protected the children of those whose property was confiscated to the crown4 ,after a struggle he succeeded in preventing the ,spanish government from establishing its ,inquisition in ,naples or ,milan1 which then belonged to ,spain1 so great was his abhorence of its cruelties4 ,to sum up3 ,i have endeavored to show that the ,church disavows all responsibility for the excesses of the ,spanish ,inquisition1 because oppression forms no part of her creed2 that these atrocities have been grossly exaggerated2 that the ,inquisition was a political tribunal2 that ,catholic ,prelates were amenable to its sentence as well as ,moors and ,jews1 and that the ,popes denounced and labored hard to abolish its sanguinary features4 ,and yet ,rome has to bear all the odium of the ,inquisition6 ,i heartily pray that religious intolerance may never take root in our favored land4 ,may the only king to force our conscience be the ,king of kings2 may the only prison erected among us for the sin of unbelief or misbelief be the prison of a troubled conscience2 and may our only motive for embracing truth be not the fear of man1 but the love of truth and of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,what ,about ,the ,massacre ,of ,st4 ,bartholomew8 ,i have no words strong enough to express my detestation of that inhuman slaughter4 ,it is true that the number of its victims has been grossly exaggerated by partisan writers1 but that is no extenuation of the crime itself4 ,i most emphatically assert that the ,church had no act or part in this atrocious butchery1 except to deplore the event and weep over its unhappy victims4 ,here are the facts briefly presented3 ,first--,in the reign of ,charles ,,ix4 of ,france the ,huguenots were a formidable power and a seditious element in that country4 ,they were under the leadership of ,admiral ,coligny1 who was plotting the overthrow of the ruling monarch4 ,the ,french ,king1 instigated by his mother1 ,catherine de ,medicis1 and fearing the influence of ,coligny1 whom he regarded as an aspirant to the throne1 compassed his assassination1 as well as that of his followers in ,paris1 ,august #bdth1 #aegb4 ,this deed of violence was followed by an indiscriminate massacre in the ,french capital and other cities of ,france by an incendiary populace1 who are easily aroused but not easily appeased4 ,second--,religion had nothing to do with the massacre4 ,coligny and his fellow ,huguenots were slain not on account of their creed1 but exclusively on account of their alleged treasonable designs4 ,if they had nothing but their ,protestant faith to render them odious to ,king ,charles1 they would never have been molested2 for1 neither did ,charles nor his mother ever manifest any special zeal for the ,catholic ,church nor any special aversion to ,protestantism1 unless when it threatened the throne4 ,third--,immediately after the massacre ,charles despatched an envoy extraordinary to each of the courts of ,europe1 conveying the startling intelligence that the ,king and royal family had narrowly escaped from a horrible conspiracy1 and that its authors had been detected and summarily punished4 ,the envoys1 in their narration1 carefully suppressed any allusion to the indiscriminate massacre which had taken place1 but announced the event in the following words3 ,on that 8memorable night1 by the destruction of a few seditious men1 the ,king had been delivered from immediate danger of death1 and the realm from the perpetual terror of civil war40 ,pope ,gregory ,,xiii41 to whom also an envoy was sent1 acting on this garbled information1 ordered a 8,te ,deum0 to be sung1 and a commemorative medal to be struck in thanksgiving to ,god1 not for the massacre1 of which he was utterly ignorant1 but for the preservation of the ,french ,king from an untimely and violent death1 and of the ,french nation from the horrors of a civil war4 ,sismondi1 a ,protestant historian1 tells us that the ,pope's nuncio in ,paris was purposely kept in ignorance of the designs of ,charles2 and ,ranke1 in his ,history of the ,civil ,wars1 informs us that ,charles and his mother suddenly left ,paris in order to avoid an interview with the ,pope's legate1 who arrived soon after the massacre2 their guilty conscience fearing1 no doubt1 a rebuke from the messenger of the ,vicar of ,christ1 from whom the real facts were not long concealed4 ,fourth--,it is scarcely necessary to vindicate the innocence of the ,bishops and clergy of ,france in this transaction1 as no author1 how hostile soever to the ,church1 has ever1 to my knowledge1 accused them of any complicity in the heinous massacre4 ,on the contrary1 they used their best efforts to arrest the progress of the assailants1 to prevent further bloodshed and to protect the lives of the fugitives4 ,more than three hundred ,calvinists were sheltered from the assassins by taking refuge in the house of the ,archbishop of ,lyons4 ,the ,bishops of ,lisieux1 ,bordeaux1 ,toulouse and of other cities offered similar protection to those who sought safety in their homes4 ,thus we see that the ,church slept in tranquil ignorance of the stormy scene until she was aroused to a knowledge of the tempest by the sudden uproar it created4 ,like her ,divine ,spouse on the troubled waters1 she presents herself only to say to them3 8,peace be still40 ,,iii4 ,mary1 ,queen of ,england4 ,i am asked3 ,must you not admit that ,mary1 ,queen of ,england1 persecuted the ,protestants of the ,british realm8 ,i ask this question in reply3 ,how is it that ,catholics are persistently reproached for the persecutions under ,mary's reign1 while scarcely a voice is raised in condemnation of the legalized fines1 confiscations and deaths inflicted on the ,catholics of ,great ,britain and ,ireland for three hundred years--from the establishment of the church of ,england1 in #aecd1 to the time of the ,catholic emancipation8 ,elizabeth's hands were steeped in the blood of ,catholics1 ,puritans and ,anabaptists4 ,why are these cruelties suppressed or glossed over1 while those of ,mary form the burden of every nursery tale8 ,is it because persecution becomes justice when ,catholics happen to be the victims1 or is it because they are expected1 from long usage1 to be insensible to torture8 ,if we weigh in the scales of impartial justice the reigns of both sisters1 we shall be compelled to bring a far more severe verdict against ,elizabeth4 ,first--,mary reigned only five years and four months4 ,elizabeth's reign lasted forty-four years and four months4 ,the younger sister1 therefore1 swayed the sceptre of authority nearly nine times longer than the elder2 and the number of ,catholics who suffered for their faith during the long administration of ,elizabeth may be safely said to exceed in the same proportion the victims of ,mary's reign4 ,hallam asserts that 8the rack seldom stood idle in the tower for all the latter part of ,elizabeth's reign207#cbb7 and its very first month was stained by an intolerant statute47#cbc7 ,second--,the most unpardonable act of ,mary's life1 in the judgment of her critics1 was the execution of ,lady ,jane ,grey4 ,but ,lady ,jane was guilty of high treason1 having usurped the throne of ,england1 which she occupied for nine days4 ,elizabeth put to death her cousin ,mary1 ,queen of ,scots1 after a long imprisonment1 on the unsustained charge of aspiring to the ,english throne4 ,third--,mary's zeal was exercised in behalf of the religion of her forefathers1 and of the faith established in ,england for nearly a thousand years4 ,elizabeth's zeal was employed in extending the new creed introduced by her father in a moment of passion1 and modified by herself4 ,surely1 the coercive enforcement of a new creed is more odious than the rigorous maintenance of the time-honored faith of a nation4 ,mary1 therefore1 insisted on perpetuating the established order of things2 ,elizabeth on subverting it4 ,fourth--,the elder sister was propagating what she believed to be the unchangeable and infallible doctrines of ,jesus ,christ2 the younger sister was propagating her own and her father's novel and more or less uncertain opinions4 ,fifth--,while ,mary had no private or personal motives in oppressing ,protestants1 ,elizabeth's hostility to the ,catholic ,church was intensified1 if not instigated1 by her hatred of the ,pope1 who had declared her illegitimate4 ,her legitimacy before the world depended on the success of the new religion1 which had legalized her father's divorce from ,catherine4 ,sixth--,hence as ,macaulay says1 ,mary was sincere in her religion2 ,elizabeth was not4 8,having no scruple about conforming to the ,romish ,church when conformity was necessary to her own safety1 retaining to the last moment of her life a fondness for much of the doctrine and much of the ceremonial of that ,church1 she yet subjected that ,church to a persecution even more odious than the persecution with which her sister had harassed the ,protestants4 ,mary 444 did nothing for her religion which she was not prepared to suffer for it4 ,she had held it firmly under persecution4 ,she fully believed it to be essential to salvation4 ,elizabeth1 in opinion1 was little more than half a ,protestant4 ,she had professed1 when it suited her1 to be wholly a ,catholic4444 ,what can be said in defence of a ruler who is at once indifferent and intolerant807#cbd7 ,an intelligent gentleman in ,north ,carolina once said to me tauntingly1 ,what do you think of bloody ,mary8 ,did you ever hear1 ,i replied1 of her sister's cruelties to ,catholics8 ,he answered that he never read of that mild woman persecuting for conscience' sake4 ,i was amazed at his words1 until he acknowledged that his historical library was comprised in one work--,d' ,aubign's ,history of the ,reformation4 ,that veracious author has prudently suppressed1 or delicately touched1 ,elizabeth's peccadilloes as not coming within the scope of his plan4 ,how many are found1 like our ,north ,carolina gentleman1 who are familiar from their childhood with the name of ,smithfield1 but who never once heard of ,tyburn6 ,chapter ,,xix4 ,,grace--,,the ,,sacraments--,,original ,,sin--,,baptism--,,its ,,necessity--,,its ,,effects--,,manner ,,of ,,baptizing4 ,the grace of ,god is that supernatural assistance which ,he imparts to us1 through the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 for our salvation4 ,it is called supernatural1 because no one by his own natural ability can acquire it4 ,without ,divine grace we can neither conceive nor accomplish anything for the sanctification of our souls4 8,not that we are sufficient10 says the ,apostle1 8to think anything of ourselves1 as of ourselves2 but our sufficiency is from ,god407#cbe7 8,for it is ,god who worketh in you1 both to will and to accomplish07#cbf7 anything conducive to your salvation4 8,without ,me10 says our ,lord1 8you can do nothing407#cbg7 ,but in order that ,divine grace may effectually aid us we must co-operate with it1 or at least we must not resist it4 ,the grace of ,god is obtained chiefly by prayer and the ,sacraments4 ,a ,sacrament is a visible sign instituted by ,christ by which grace is conveyed to our souls4 ,three things are necessary to constitute a ,sacrament1 viz4--a visible sign1 invisible grace and the institution by our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,thus1 in the ,sacrament of ,baptism1 there is the outward sign1 which consists in the pouring of water and in the formula of words which are then pronounced2 the interior grace or sanctification which is imparted to the soul3 8,be baptized1 444 and you shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost207#cbh7 and the ordinance of ,jesus ,christ1 who said3 8,teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost407#cbi7 ,our ,savior instituted seven ,sacraments1 namely1 ,baptism1 ,confirmation1 ,eucharist1 ,penance1 ,extreme ,unction1 ,orders and ,matrimony1 which ,i shall explain separately4 ,according to the teachings of ,holy ,writ1 man was created in a state of innocence and holiness1 and after having spent on this earth his allotted terms of years he was destined1 without tasting death1 to be translated to the perpetual society of ,god in heaven47#ccj7 ,but in consequence of his disobedience he fell from his high estate of righteousness2 his soul was defiled by sin2 he became subject to death and to various ills of body and soul and forfeited his heavenly inheritance4 ,adam's transgression was not confined to himself1 but was transmitted1 with its long train of dire consequences1 to all his posterity4 ,it is called original sin because it is derived from our original progenitor4 8,wherefore10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8as by one man sin entered into this world1 and by sin death1 and so death passed unto all men1 in whom all have sinned407#cca7 ,and elsewhere he tells us that 8we were by nature children of wrath407#ccb7 8,who10 says ,job1 8can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed10 or1 as the ,septuagint version expresses it3 8,there is no one free from stain1 not even though his life be of one day407#ccc7 ,as an infant one day old cannot commit an actual sin1 the stain must come from the original offense of ,adam4 8,behold10 says ,david1 8,i was conceived in iniquities1 and in sins did my mother conceive me407#ccd7 ,the ,scripture also tells us that ,jeremiah and ,john the ,baptist were sanctified before their birth1 or purified from sin1 and1 of course1 at that period of their existence they were incapable of actual sin4 ,they were cleansed1 therefore1 from the original taint4 ,these passages clearly show that we have all inherited the transgression of our first parents1 and that we are born enemies of ,god4 ,and it is equally plain that these texts apply to every member of the human family--to the infant of a day old as well as to the adult4 ,indeed1 even without the light of ,holy ,scripture1 we have only to look into ourselves to be convinced that our nature has undergone a rude shock4 ,how else can we account for the miseries and infirmities of our bodies1 the blindness of our understanding1 the perversity of our will--inclined always to evil rather than to good--the violence of our passions1 which are constantly waging war in our hearts8 ,how well does the ,catholic doctrine explain this abnormal state4 ,hence1 ,paschal truly says that man is a greater mystery to himself without original sin than is the mystery itself4 ,the ,church1 however1 declares that the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary was exempted from the stain of original sin by the merits of our ,savior ,jesus ,christ2 and that1 consequently1 she was never for an instant subject to the dominion of ,satan4 ,this is what is meant by the doctrine of the ,immaculate ,conception4 ,but ,god1 in passing sentence of condemnation on ,adam1 consoled him by the promise of a ,redeemer to come4 8,i will put enmities10 saith the ,lord1 8between thee and the woman1 and thy seed and her seed2 she shall crush thy head407#cce7 ,jesus1 the seed of ,mary1 is the chosen one who was destined to crush the head of the infernal serpent4 ,and 8when the fulness of time was come ,god sent ,his ,son1 made of a woman1 444 that ,he might redeem them that were under the law1 that we might receive the adoption of sons407#ccf7 ,jesus ,christ1 our ,redeemer1 came to wash away the defilement from our souls and to restore us to that ,divine friendship which we had lost by the sin of ,adam4 ,he is the second ,adam1 who came to repair the iniquity of the first4 ,it was our ,savior's privilege to prescribe the conditions on which our reconciliation with ,god was to be effected4 ,now ,he tells us in ,his ,gospel that ,baptism is the essential means established for washing away the stain of original sin and the door by which we find admittance into ,his ,church1 which may be called the second ,eden4 ,we must all submit to a new birth1 or regeneration1 before we can enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,water is the appropriate instrument of this new birth1 as it indicates the interior cleansing of the soul2 and the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,giver of spiritual life1 is its ,author4 ,the ,church teaches that ,baptism is necessary for all1 for infants as well as adults1 and her doctrine rests on the following grounds3 ,our ,lord says to ,nicodemus3 8,amen1 amen1 ,i say to thee1 unless a man be born again of water and the ,holy ,ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god407#ccg7 ,these words embrace the whole human family1 without regard to age or sex1 as is evident from the original ,greek text1 for 1 which is rendered man in our ,english translation1 means any one--mankind in its broadest acceptation4 ,the ,acts of the ,apostles and the ,epistles of ,st4 ,paul1 although containing only a fragmentary account of the ministry of the ,apostles1 plainly insinuate that the ,apostles baptized children as well as grown persons4 ,we are told1 for instance1 that ,lydia 8was baptized1 and her household107#cch7 by ,st4 ,paul2 and that the jailer 8was baptized1 and all his family407#cci7 ,the same ,apostle baptized also 8the household of ,stephanas407#cdj7 ,although it is not expressly stated that there were children among these baptized families1 the presumption is strongly in favor of the supposition that there were4 ,but if any doubt exists regarding the ,apostolic practice of baptizing infants it is easily removed by referring to the writings of the primitive ,fathers of the ,church1 who1 as they were the immediate successors of the ,apostles1 ought to be the best interpreters of their doctrines and practice4 ,st4 ,irenus1 a disciple of ,polycarp1 who was a disciple of ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist1 says3 8,christ came to save all through ,himself2 all1 ,i say1 who are born anew 7or baptized7 through ,him--infants and little ones1 boys and youths1 and aged persons407#cda7 ,origen1 who lived a few years later1 writes3 8,the ,church received the tradition from the ,apostles1 to give baptism even to infants407#cdb7 ,the early church of ,africa bears triumphant testimony in vindication of infant baptism4 ,st4 ,cyprian and sixty-six suffragan ,prelates held a council in the metropolitan city of ,carthage1 in the year #bec4 ,while the ,council is in session a ,prelate named ,fidus writes to the ,fathers1 asking them whether infants ought to be baptized before the eighth day succeeding their birth1 or on the eighth day1 in accordance with the practice of circumcision4 ,the ,bishops unanimously subscribe to the following reply3 8,as to what regards the baptism of infants1 444 we all judged that the mercy and grace of ,god should be denied to no human being from the moment of his birth4 ,if even to the greatest delinquents the remission of sins is granted1 how much less should the infant be repelled1 who1 being recently born according to ,adam1 has contracted at his first birth the contagion of the ancient death407#cdc7 ,the ,african ,council asserts here two prominent facts--the universal contagion of the human race through ,adam's fall1 and the universal necessity of ,baptism without distinction of age4 ,upon this decision1 ,i will make two observations3 ,first--,fidus did not inquire about the necessity of infant baptism1 which he already admitted1 but about the propriety of conferring it on the eighth day1 in imitation of the ,jewish law of circumcision4 ,second--,the ,bishops assembled in that ,council were as numerous as the whole ,episcopate of the ,united ,states1 which contains about five thousand ,priests and upwards of six millions of ,catholics4 ,we may therefore reasonably conclude that the judgment of the ,african ,council represented the faith of several thousand ,priests and several millions of ,catholics4 ,st4 ,augustine1 commenting on this decision1 justly observes that ,st4 ,cyprian and his colleagues made no new decree1 but maintained most firmly the faith of the ,church4 ,and this is the unanimous sentiment of tradition from the days of the ,apostles to our own times4 ,is it not ludicrous as well as impious to see a few ,german fanatics1 in the sixteenth century1 raising their feeble voice against the thunder tones of all ,christendom1 by decrying a practice which was universally held as sacred and essential8 ,in judging between the teachings of ,apostolical antiquity on the one hand and of the ,anabaptists on the other1 it is not hard to determine on which side lies the truth2 for1 what becomes of the ,christian ,church1 if it has erred on so vital a point as that of ,baptism during the entire period of its existence8 ,original sin1 as ,st4 ,paul has told us1 is universal4 ,every child is1 therefore1 defiled at its birth with the taint of ,adam's disobedience4 ,now1 the ,scripture says that nothing defiled can enter the kingdom of heaven47#cdd7 ,hence ,baptism1 which washes away original sin1 is as essential for the infant as for the full grown man1 in order to attain the kingdom of heaven4 ,i said that regeneration is necessary for all4 ,but it is important to observe that if a man is heartily sorry for his sins1 if he loves ,god with his whole heart1 if he desires to comply with all the ,divine ordinances1 including ,baptism1 but has no opportunity of receiving it1 or is not sufficiently instructed as to its necessity1 ,god1 in this case1 accepts the will for the deed4 ,should this man die in these dispositions1 he is saved by the baptism of desire1 as happened to the ,emperor ,valentinian who died a ,catechuman3 8,i lost him whom ,i was about to regenerate10 says ,st4 ,ambrose1 8but he did not lose that grace he sought for40 ,or1 if an unbaptized person lays down his life for ,christ1 his death is accepted as more than an equivalent for baptism2 for he dies not only sanctified1 but he will wear a martyr's crown4 ,he is baptized in his own blood4 ,but is not that a cruel and heartless doctrine which excludes from heaven so many harmless babes that have never committed any actual fault8 ,to this ,i reply3 ,has not ,god declared that ,baptism is necessary for all8 ,and is not ,god the supreme ,wisdom and ,justice and ,mercy8 ,i am sure1 then1 that there can be nothing cruel or unjust in ,god's decrees4 ,the province of reason consists in ascertaining that ,god has spoken4 ,when we know that ,he has spoken1 then our investigation ceases1 and faith and obedience begin4 ,instead of impiously criticising the ,divine decree1 we should exclaim with the ,apostle3 8,o6 the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of ,god6 how incomprehensible are ,his judgments1 and how unsearchable ,his ways6 ,for1 who hath known the mind of the ,lord8 or who hath been ,his counsellor807#cde7 ,let us remember that heaven is a place to which none of us has any inherent right or natural claim1 but that it is promised to us by the pure favor of ,god4 ,he can reject and adopt whom ,he pleases1 and can1 without injustice1 prescribe ,his own conditions for accepting ,his proffered boon4 ,if your child is deprived of heaven by being deprived of ,baptism1 ,god does it no wrong because ,he infringes no right to which your child had any inalienable title4 ,if your child obtains the grace of ,baptism be thankful for the gift4 ,it is proper here to state briefly what the ,church actually teaches regarding the future state of unbaptized infants4 ,though the ,church1 in obedience to ,god's ,word1 declares that unbaptized infants are excluded from the kingdom of heaven1 it should not hence be concluded that they are consigned to the place of the reprobate4 ,none are condemned to the torments of the damned but such as merit ,divine vengeance by their personal sins4 ,all that the ,church holds on this point is that unregenerate children are deprived of the beatific vision1 or the possession of ,god1 which constitutes the essential happiness of the blessed4 ,now1 between the supreme bliss of heaven and the torments of the reprobate1 there is a very wide margin4 ,all admit that the condition of unbaptized infants is better than non-existence4 ,there are some ,catholic writers of distinction who even assert that unbaptized infants enjoy a certain degree of natural beatitude--that is1 a happiness which is based on the natural knowledge and love of ,god4 ,from what has been said you may well judge how reprehensible is the conduct of ,catholic parents who neglect to have their children baptized at the earliest possible moment1 thereby risking their own souls1 as well as the souls of their innocent offspring4 ,how different was the practice of the early ,christians1 who1 as ,st4 ,augustine testifies1 hastened with their new-born babes to the baptismal font that they might not be deprived of the grace of regeneration4 ,if an infant is sick1 no expense is spared that its life may be preserved4 ,the physician is called in1 medicine is given to it1 and the mother will spend sleepless nights watching every movement of the infant2 she will sacrifice her repose1 her health2 nay1 she will expose even her own life that the life of her offspring may be saved4 ,and yet the supernatural happiness of the child is too often imperiled without remorse by the criminal postponement of ,baptism4 ,but if they are to be censured who are slow in having their children baptized1 what are we to think of that large body of professing ,christians who1 on principle1 deny ,baptism to little ones till they come to the age of discretion8 ,what are we to think of those who set their private opinions above ,scripture1 the early ,fathers of the ,church and the universal practice of ,christendom8 ,we may smile indeed at a theological opinion1 no matter how novel or erroneous it may be1 so long as it does not involve any dangerous consequences4 ,but when it is given in a case of life and death1 how terrible is the responsibility of those who propagate doctrines so erroneous6 ,the opposite practice of the ,catholic and the ,baptist churches1 in their treatment of the newborn infant1 may be well compared to the conduct of the true and the false mother who both claimed the child at the tribunal of ,solomon4 ,the king exclaimed3 8,divide the living child in two1 and give half to the one and half to the other40 ,the pretended mother consented1 saying3 ,let it be neither mine nor thine1 but divide it4 8,but the woman whose child was alive1 said to the king 7for her bowels were moved upon her child73 ,i beseech thee1 my lord1 give her the child alive1 and do not kill it40 ,while the ,baptist church is willing that the child should die a spiritual death1 the true mother1 the ,catholic ,church1 cries out3 ,keep the child1 provided its spiritual life is saved1 even at your hands4 ,let it be clothed with the robe of innocence even by a stranger4 ,let it be nursed at the breasts even of a step-mother4 ,better it should live without me than perish before my face4 ,i will still be its mother1 though it know me not4 ,ah6 my ,baptist friend1 you think that ,baptism is not necessary for your child's salvation4 ,the old ,church teaches the contrary4 ,you admit that you may be wrong1 and it is a question of life and death4 ,take the safe side4 ,give your child the benefit of the doubt4 ,let it be baptized4 ,baptism washes away original sin1 and also actual sins from the adult who may have contracted them4 ,the cleansing efficacy of ,baptism was clearly foreshadowed by the prophet ,ezechiel in these words3 8,i will pour upon you clean water1 and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness4 ,and ,i will give you a new heart and will put a new spirit within you407#cdf7 ,when the ,jews asked ,st4 ,peter what they should do to be saved the ,apostle replied3 8,repent1 and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of your sins407#cdg7 ,and ,ananias said to ,saul1 after his conversion3 8,rise up and be baptized1 and wash away thy sins407#cdh7 8,we were by nature10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8children of wrath10 but by our regeneration1 or new birth in ,baptism1 we become ,christians and children of ,god4 8,for1 ye are all the children of ,god by faith in ,christ ,jesus4 ,for as many of you as have been baptized in ,christ have put on ,christ407#cdi7 ,we are adopted into the same family with ,jesus ,christ4 ,what ,he is by nature we are by grace--children of ,god1 and consequently brethren of ,christ4 ,nay1 our union with ,jesus is still more close4 ,we become true members of ,his mystical body1 which is ,his ,church1 and ,his ,divine image is stamped upon our soul4 ,baptism also clothes us with the garment of sanctity1 so that our soul becomes a fit dwelling-place for the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,apostle1 after giving a fearful catalogue of the vices of the ,pagans1 says to the ,corinthians3 8,and such some of you were2 but ye are washed1 but ye are sanctified1 but ye are justified in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and in the ,spirit of ,god407#cej7 ,baptism1 in fine1 makes us heirs of heaven and co-heirs with ,jesus ,christ4 8,we ourselves also10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8were sometimes unwise1 incredulous1 erring1 slaves to divers desires and pleasures1 living in malice and envy1 hateful1 and hating one another4 ,but when the goodness and kindness of ,god our ,savior appeared1 444 ,he saved us by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the ,holy ,ghost1 whom ,he hath poured forth abundantly upon us1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,savior1 that being justified by ,his grace1 we may be heirs1 according to the hope of life everlasting407#cea7 ,here we plainly see that the forgiveness of sin1 the adoption into the family of ,god1 the sanctification of the soul and the pledge of eternal life are ascribed to the due reception of ,baptism--not1 indeed1 that water or the words of the minister have any intrinsic virtue to heal the soul1 but because ,jesus ,christ1 whose word is creative power1 is pleased to attach to this rite its wonderful efficacy of healing the soul1 as ,he imparted to the pool of ,bethsaida the power of healing the body47#ceb7 ,from what has been said1 ,i ask you candidly what are you to think of the decision rendered in #ahgb by the ,bishops of the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church1 who1 in their convention in ,baltimore1 declared that by the word regeneration we are not to understand a moral change4 ,if no moral change is effected by ,baptism1 then there is no change at all2 for certainly ,baptism produces no physical change in the soul4 ,is it no change to pass from sin to virtue1 from a 8child of wrath0 to be a 8child of ,god20 from corruption to sanctification2 from the condition of heirs of death to the inheritance of heaven8 ,if all this implies no moral change1 then these words have lost their meaning4 ,modes of baptizing4 ,the ,baptists err in asserting that ,baptism by immersion is the only valid mode4 ,baptism may be validly administered in either of three ways1 viz3 by immersion1 or by plunging the candidate into the water2 by infusion1 or by pouring the water2 and by aspersion1 or sprinkling4 ,as our ,lord nowhere prescribes any special form of administering the ,sacrament1 the ,church exercises her discretion in adopting the most convenient mode1 according to the circumstances of time and place4 ,for several centuries after the establishment of ,christianity ,baptism was usually conferred by immersion2 but since the twelfth century the practice of baptising by infusion has prevailed in the ,catholic ,church1 as this manner is attended with less inconvenience than ,baptism by immersion4 ,to prove that ,baptism by infusion or by sprinkling is as legitimate as by immersion1 it is only necessary to observe that1 though immersion was the more common practice in the ,primitive ,church1 the ,sacrament was frequently administered even then by infusion and aspersion4 ,after ,st4 ,peter's first discourse three thousand persons were baptized47#cec7 ,it is not likely that so many could have been immersed in one day1 especially when we consider the time occupied in instructing the candidates4 ,on reading the account of the ,baptism of ,st4 ,paul and the jailer the context leaves a strong impression on the mind that both received the ,sacrament by aspersion or by infusion4 ,early ecclesiastical history records a great many instances in which ,baptism was administered to sick persons in their beds1 to prisoners in their cells1 and to persons on shipboard4 ,the ,fathers of the ,church never called in question the validity or the legitimacy of such ,baptisms4 ,now1 it is almost impossible to believe that candidates in such situations could receive the rite by immersion4 ,we have seen1 moreover1 that ,baptism has always been declared necessary for salvation4 ,it is reasonable1 hence1 to believe that our ,lord would have afforded the greatest facility for the reception of so essential a ,sacrament4 ,but if ,baptism by immersion only is valid1 how many sick and delicate persons1 how many prisoners and seafaring people1 how many thousands living in the frigid zone1 or even in the temperate zone1 in the depth of an inclement winter1 though craving the grace of regeneration1 would be deprived of ,god's seal1 or would receive it at the risk of their lives6 ,surely ,god does not ordinarily impose ,his ordinances upon us under such a penalty4 ,moreover1 if immersion is the only valid form of ,baptism1 what has become of the millions of souls who1 in every age and country1 have been regenerated by the infusion or the aspersion of water in the ,christian ,church8 ,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,sacrament ,,of ,,confirmation4 ,confirmation is a ,sacrament in which1 through the imposition of the ,bishop's hands1 unction and prayer1 baptized persons receive the ,holy ,ghost1 that they may steadfastly profess their faith and lead upright lives4 ,this ,sacrament is called ,confirmation1 because it confirms or strengthens the soul by ,divine grace4 ,sometimes it is named the laying on of hands1 because the ,bishop imposes his hands on those whom he confirms4 ,it is also known by the name of ,chrism1 because the forehead of the person confirmed is anointed with chrism in the form of a cross4 ,frequent mention is made of this ,sacrament in the ,holy ,scripture4 ,in the ,acts it is written that 8,when the ,apostles who were in ,jerusalem had heard that ,samaria had received the ,word of ,god they sent unto them ,peter and ,john1 who1 when they were come1 prayed for them that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost2 for ,he was not yet come upon any of them1 but they were only baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,then they laid their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost407#ced7 ,it is also related that the disciples at ,ephesus 8were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and when ,paul had imposed his hands upon them the ,holy ,ghost came upon them and they spoke tongues and prophesied407#cee7 ,in his ,epistle to the ,hebrews ,st4 ,paul enumerates ,confirmation1 or the laying on of hands1 together with ,baptism and ,penance1 among the fundamental truths of ,christianity47#cef7 ,to the ,corinthians he writes3 8,he that confirmeth us with you in ,christ1 and that hath anointed us1 is ,god2 who also hath sealed us and given the pledge of the ,spirit in our hearts407#ceg7 ,god confirmeth us in faith2 ,he hath anointed us by spiritual unction1 typified by the sacred chrism which is marked on our foreheads4 ,he hath sealed us by the indelible character stamped on our souls1 which is indicated by the sign of the cross impressed on us4 ,he hath given the pledge of the ,holy ,ghost in our hearts1 by the testimony of a good conscience1 as an earnest of future glory4 ,the ,bishop performs the external unction1 but ,god1 8who worketh all in all10 sanctifies the soul by ,his secret operation4 ,it cannot be asserted that the laying on of hands and the graces which followed from it1 as recorded in the ,acts1 were not intended to be continued after the ,apostles' times1 for there is no warrant for such an assumption4 ,this function of imposing hands formed as regular and imperative a part of the ,apostolic ministry as the duties which they exercised in preaching1 baptizing1 ordaining1 etc4 ,hence the successors of the ,apostles in the nineteenth century have precisely the same authority and obligation to confirm as they have to preach1 to baptize or to ordain4 ,those who were confirmed by the ,apostles usually gave evidence of the grace which they received by prophecy1 the gift of tongues and the manifestation of other miraculous powers4 ,it may be asked3 ,why do not these gifts accompany now the imposition of hands8 ,i answer3 ,because they are no longer needed4 ,the grace which the ,apostolic disciples received was for their personal sanctification4 ,the gift of tongues which they exercised was intended by ,almighty ,god to edify and enlighten the spectators1 and to give ,divine sanction to the ,apostolic ministry4 ,but now that the ,church is firmly established1 and the ,divine authority of her ministry is clearly recognized1 these miracles are no longer necessary4 ,st4 ,gregory illustrates this point by a happy comparison3 ,as the sapling1 he says1 when it is first planted is regularly watered by the gardener1 who softens the earth around it1 that the sun and the moisture may nourish its roots until it takes deep root and it no longer requires any special care1 so the ,church in her infancy had to be nourished by the miraculous power of ,god4 ,but after it had taken root in the hearts of the people and spread its branches over the earth it was left to the ordinary agencies of ,providence4 ,st4 ,augustine writes also on the same subject3 8,in the first days 7of the ,church7 the ,holy ,ghost came down on believers1 and they spoke in tongues which they had not learned4444 ,these were miracles suited to the times4444 ,is it now expected that they upon whom hands are laid should speak with tongues8 ,or1 when we imposed hands on these children1 did each of you wait to see whether they would speak with tongues8444 ,if1 then1 there be not now a testimony to the presence of the ,holy ,spirit by means of these miracles1 whence is it proved that he has received the ,holy ,spirit8 ,let him ask his own heart2 if he loves his brother1 the ,spirit of ,god abides in him407#ceh7 ,following in the footsteps of the ,apostles we find the ,fathers of the ,church1 from the earliest age1 recognizing ,confirmation as a ,divine and sacramental institution and proclaiming its salutary effects4 8,the flesh10 says ,tertullian1 8is anointed1 that the soul may be consecrated2 the flesh is marked1 that the soul may be fortified2 the flesh is overshadowed by the imposition of hands1 that the soul may be enlightened with the ,spirit407#cei7 ,st4 ,cyprian1 speaking of the ,christians baptized in ,samaria1 says3 8,because they had received the legitimate baptism1 444 what was wanting1 that was done by ,peter and ,john1 that prayer being made for them and hands imposed1 the ,holy ,ghost should be invoked and poured forth upon them4 ,which now also is done amongst us1 so that they who are baptized in the ,church are presented to the ,bishops of the ,church1 and by our prayer and imposition of hands they receive the ,holy ,ghost and are perfected with the seal of the ,lord407#cfj7 ,st4 ,cyril of ,jerusalem compares the sacred ,chrism in ,confirmation to the ,eucharist3 8,you were anointed with oil1 being made sharers and partners of ,christ4 ,and see well that you regard it not as mere ointment2 for1 as the bread of the ,eucharist1 after the invocation of the ,holy ,ghost1 is no longer mere bread but the body of ,christ1 so likewise this holy ointment is no longer common ointment after the invocation1 but the gift of ,christ and of the ,holy ,ghost1 being rendered efficient by ,his ,divinity4 ,you were anointed on the forehead1 that you might be delivered from the shame which the first transgressor always experienced1 and that you might contemplate the glory of ,god with an unveiled countenance4444 ,as ,christ1 after ,his baptism and the descent of the ,holy ,ghost upon ,him1 going forth overcame the adversary1 so you likewise1 after holy baptism and the mysterious unction1 clothed with the panoply of the ,holy ,ghost1 stand against the adverse power and subdue it1 saying3 #8,i can do all things in ,christ1 who strengtheneth me4' 07#cfa7 ,st4 ,ambrose1 commenting on these words of the ,apostle1 8,god 444 hath given us the pledge of the ,spirit10 7,,ii4 ,cor4 i4 #bb7 expressly applies the text to the seal of ,confirmation4 8,remember10 he says1 8that you have received the spiritual seal1 the spirit of wisdom and understanding1 the spirit of counsel and fortitude1 the spirit of knowledge and piety1 the spirit of holy fear4 ,god the ,father hath sealed you2 ,christ the ,lord hath confirmed you1 and hath given the pledge of the ,spirit in your hearts1 as you have learned from the lesson read from the ,apostle407#cfb7 ,st4 ,ambrose here speaks of the sevenfold gifts of the ,holy ,ghost which are received in ,confirmation1 and every ,bishop in our day invokes these same gifts on those whom he is about to confirm4 8,do you know10 writes ,st4 ,jerome against the sect of ,luciferians of his time1 8that it is the practice of the churches that the imposition of hands should be performed over baptized persons and the ,holy ,ghost thus invoked8 ,do you ask where it is written8 ,in the ,acts of the ,apostles2 but were there no ,scriptural authority at hand the consent of the whole world in this regard would have the force of law407#cfc7 8,you willingly understand10 says ,st4 ,augustine1 8by this ointment the ,sacrament of ,chrism1 which1 indeed1 in the class of visible seals is as sacred as ,baptism itself407#cfd7 ,the ,oriental schismatic churches recognize ,confirmation as a ,sacrament1 and administer the rite as we do1 by the imposition of hands and the application of chrism4 ,now1 some of these churches have been separated from the ,catholic ,church since the fourth and fifth centuries4 ,this fact is an eloquent vindication of the ,apostolic antiquity of ,confirmation1 and is an ample refutation of those who would ascribe to it a more recent origin4 ,protestantism1 which made such havoc of the other ,sacraments1 did not fail to abolish ,confirmation in its sweeping revolution4 ,the ,episcopal church retains1 indeed1 the name of ,confirmation in its ritual1 and even borrows a portion of our prayers and ceremonial4 ,but1 in opposition to the uniform teaching of the ,catholic1 as well as of all the ,oriental churches1 both orthodox and schismatic1 it declares ,confirmation to be a mere rite and not a ,sacrament4 ,in violation of the practice of all antiquity it mutilates the rite by omitting the sacred unction4 ,it retains the shadow without the substance4 ,it raises1 indeed1 its hands over the candidates2 but they are not the anointed hands of ,peter or ,john1 or ,cyprian or ,augustine1 to whom it is said3 8,whatsoever thou shalt bless1 let it be blessed2 whatsoever thou shalt sanctify1 let it be sanctified407#cfe7 ,their hands were lifted up with authority and clothed with supernatural power2 but the hands of the ,episcopal ,bishops are spiritually paralyzed by the suicidal act of the ,reformers1 and they expressly disclaim any sacramental efficacy in the rite which they administer4 ,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,holy ,,eucharist4 ,among the various dogmas of the ,catholic ,church there is none which rests on stronger ,scriptural authority than the doctrine of the ,real ,presence of ,jesus ,christ in the ,holy ,eucharist4 ,so copious1 indeed1 and so clear are the passages of the ,new ,testament which treat of this subject that ,i am at a loss to determine which to select1 and find it difficult to compress them all within the compass of this short chapter4 ,the ,evangelists do not always dwell upon the same mysteries of religion4 ,their practice is rather to supplement each other1 so that one of them will mention what the others have omitted or have touched in a cursory way4 ,but in regard to the ,blessed ,eucharist the sacred writers exhibit a marked deviation from this rule4 ,we find that the four ,evangelists1 together with ,st4 ,paul1 have written so explicitly and abundantly on this subject that one of them alone would be amply sufficient to prove the dogma without taking them collectively4 ,these five inspired writers gave the weight of their individual testimony to the doctrine of the ,eucharist because they foresaw--or rather the ,holy ,ghost1 speaking through them1 foresaw--that this great mystery1 which exacts so strong an exercise of our faith1 and which bids us bow down our 8understanding unto the obedience of ,christ107#cff7 would meet with opposition in the course of time from those who would measure the infallible ,word of ,god by the erring standard of their own judgment4 ,i shall select three classes of arguments from the ,new ,testament which satisfactorily demonstrate the ,real ,presence of ,christ in the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,the first of these texts speaks of the promise of the ,eucharist1 the second of its institution and the third of its use among the faithful4 ,to begin with the words of the promise4 ,while ,jesus was once preaching near the coast of the ,sea of ,galilee ,he was followed1 as usual1 by an immense multitude of persons1 who were attracted to ,him by the miracles which ,he wrought and the words of salvation which he spoke4 ,seeing that the people had no food1 ,he multiplied five loaves and two fishes to such an extent as to supply the wants of five thousand men1 besides women and children4 ,our ,lord considered the present a favorable occasion for speaking of the ,sacrament of ,his body and blood1 which was to be distributed1 not to a few thousands1 but to millions of souls2 not in one place1 but everywhere2 not at one time1 but for all days1 to the end of the world4 8,i am10 ,he says to ,his hearers1 8the bread of life4 ,your fathers did eat manna in the desert and died4444 ,i am the living bread which came down from heaven4 ,if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever1 and the bread which ,i will give is ,my flesh for the life of the world4 ,the ,jews1 therefore1 disputed among themselves1 saying3 ,how can this man give us ,his flesh to eat8 ,then ,jesus said to them3 ,amen1 amen1 ,i say to you3 ,unless ye eat the flesh of the ,son of ,man and drink ,his blood1 ye shall not have life in you4 ,he that eateth ,my flesh and drinketh ,my blood hath everlasting life1 and ,i will raise him up on the last day4 ,for ,my flesh is meat indeed1 and ,my blood drink indeed407#cfg7 ,if these words had fallen on your ears for the first time1 and if you had been among the number of our ,savior's hearers on that occasion1 would you not have been irresistibly led1 by the noble simplicity of ,his words1 to understand ,him as speaking truly of ,his body and blood8 ,for ,his language is not susceptible of any other interpretation4 ,when our ,savior says to the ,jews3 8,your fathers did eat manna and died1 444 but he that eateth this 7,eucharistic7 bread shall live forever10 ,he evidently wishes to affirm the superiority of the food which ,he would give1 over the manna by which the children of ,israel were nourished4 ,now1 if the ,eucharist were merely commemorative bread and wine1 instead of being superior1 it would be really inferior to the manna2 for the manna was supernatural1 heavenly1 miraculous food1 while bread and wine are a natural1 earthly food4 ,but the best and the most reliable interpreters of our ,savior's words are certainly the multitude and the disciples who are listening to ,him4 ,they all understood the import of ,his language precisely as it is explained by the ,catholic ,church4 ,they believed that our ,lord spoke literally of ,his body and blood4 ,the ,evangelist tells us that the ,jews 8disputed among themselves1 saying3 ,how can this man give us ,his flesh to eat80 ,even ,his disciples1 though avoiding the disrespectful language of the multitude1 gave expression to their doubt in this milder form3 8,this saying is hard1 and who can hear it807#cfh7 ,so much were they shocked at our ,savior's promise that 8after this many of ,his disciples went back and walked no more with ,him407#cfi7 ,they evidently implied1 by their words and conduct1 that they understood ,jesus to have spoken literally of ,his flesh2 for1 had they interpreted ,his words in a figurative sense1 it would not have been a hard saying1 nor have led them to abandon their ,master4 ,but1 perhaps1 ,i shall be told that the disciples and the ,jews who heard our ,savior may have misinterpreted ,his meaning by taking ,his words in the literal acceptation1 while ,he may have spoken in a figurative sense4 ,this objection is easily disposed of4 ,it sometimes happened1 indeed1 that our ,savior was misunderstood by ,his hearers4 ,on such occasions ,he always took care to remove from their mind the wrong impression they had formed by stating ,his meaning in simpler language4 ,thus1 for instance1 having told ,nicodemus that unless a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven1 and having observed that ,his meaning was not correctly apprehended by this disciple our ,savior added3 8,unless a man be born again of water and the ,holy ,ghost he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven407#cgj7 ,and again1 when he warned ,his disciples against the leaven of the ,pharisees1 and finding that they had taken an erroneous meaning from ,his word1 ,he immediately subjoined that they should beware of the doctrine of the ,pharisees47#cga7 ,but in the present instance does our ,savior alter ,his language when ,he finds ,his words taken in the literal sense8 ,does ,he tell ,his hearers that ,he has spoken figuratively8 ,does ,he soften the tone of ,his expression8 ,far from weakening the force of ,his words ,he repeats what ,he said before1 and in language more emphatic3 8,amen1 amen1 ,i say unto you1 ,unless ye eat the flesh of the ,son of man1 and drink ,his blood1 ye shall not have life in you40 ,when our ,savior beheld the ,jews and many of ,his disciples abandoning ,him1 turning to the chosen twelve1 ,he said feelingly to them3 8,will ye also go away8 ,and ,simon ,peter answered ,him3 ,lord1 to whom shall we go8 ,thou hast the words of eternal life407#cgb7 ,you1 my dear reader1 must also take your choice4 ,will you reply with the ,jews1 or with the disciples of little faith1 or with ,peter8 ,ah6 let some say with the unbelieving ,jews3 8,how can this man give us ,his flesh to eat80 ,let others say with the unfaithful disciples3 8,this is a hard saying4 ,who can hear it80 ,but do you say with ,peter3 8,lord1 to whom shall we go8 ,thou hast the words of eternal life40 ,so far ,i have dwelt on the words of the ,promise4 ,i shall now proceed to the words of the ,institution1 which are given in almost the same expressions by ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,mark and ,st4 ,luke4 ,in the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,matthew we read the following narrative3 8,and while they were at supper1 ,jesus took bread1 and blessed and broke and gave to ,his disciples and said3 ,take ye and eat4 ,this is ,my body4 ,and taking the chalice1 ,he gave thanks and gave to them1 saying3 ,drink ye all of this2 for this is ,my blood of the ,new ,testament1 which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins407#cgc7 ,i beg you to recall to mind the former text relative to the ,promise and to compare it with this4 ,how admirably they fit together1 like two links in a chain6 ,how faithfully has ,jesus fulfilled the ,promise which ,he made6 ,could any idea be expressed in clearer terms than these3 ,this is ,my body2 this is ,my blood8 ,why is the ,catholic interpretation of these words rejected by ,protestants8 ,is it because the text is in itself obscure and ambiguous8 ,by no means2 but simply because they do not comprehend how ,god could perform so stupendous a miracle as to give ,his body and blood for our spiritual nourishment4 ,is1 then1 the power or the mercy of ,god to be measured by the narrow rule of the human understanding8 ,is the ,almighty not permitted to do anything except what we can sanction by our reason8 ,is a thing to be declared impossible because we cannot see its possibility8 ,has not ,god created the heavens and the earth out of nothing by the fiat of ,his word8 ,what a mystery is this6 ,does ,he not hold this world in the midst of space8 ,does ,he not transform the tiny blade into nutritious grain8 ,did ,he not feed upwards of five thousand persons with five loaves and two fishes8 ,what a mystery6 ,did ,he not rain down manna from heaven for forty years to feed the children of ,israel in the desert8 ,did ,he not change rivers into blood in ,egypt1 and water into wine at the wedding of ,cana8 ,does he not daily make devout souls the tabernacles of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,and shall we have the hardihood to deny1 in spite of our ,lord's plain declaration1 that ,god1 who works these wonders1 is able to change bread and wine into ,his body and blood for the food of our souls8 ,you tell me it is a mystery above your comprehension4 ,a mystery1 indeed4 ,a religion that rejects a revealed truth because it is incomprehensible contains in itself the seeds of dissolution and will end in rationalism4 ,is not everything around us a mystery8 ,are we not a mystery to ourselves8 ,explain to me how the blood circulates in your veins1 how the soul animates and permeates the whole body1 how the hand moves at the will of the soul4 ,explain to me the mystery of life and death4 ,is not the ,scripture full of incomprehensible mysteries8 ,do you not believe in the ,trinity--a mystery not only above1 but apparently contrary to1 reason8 ,do you not admit the ,incarnation--that the helpless infant in ,bethlehem was ,god8 ,i understand why ,rationalists1 who admit nothing above their reason1 reject the ,real ,presence2 but that ,bible ,christians should reject it is to me incomprehensible4 ,but do those who reject the ,catholic interpretation explain this text to their own satisfaction3 8,this is ,my body1 etc80 ,alas6 here their burden begins4 ,only a few years after the early ,reformers had rejected the ,catholic doctrine of the ,eucharist no fewer than one hundred meanings were given to these words3 8,this is ,my body40 ,it is far easier to destroy than to rebuild4 ,let me now offer you some additional reasons in favor of the ,catholic or literal sense4 ,according to a common rule observed in the interpretation of the ,holy ,scripture1 we must always take the words in their literal signification1 unless we have some special reason which obliges us to accept them in a figurative meaning4 ,now1 in the present instance1 far from being forced to employ the words above quoted in a figurative sense1 every circumstance connected with the delivery of them obliges us to interpret them in their plain and literal acceptation4 ,to whom did our ,savior address these words8 ,at what time and under what circumstances did ,he speak8 ,he was addressing ,his few chosen disciples1 to whom ,he promised to speak in future1 not in parables nor in obscure language1 but in the words of simple truth4 ,he uttered these words the night before ,his ,passion4 ,and when will a person use plainer speech than at the point of death8 ,these words3 8,this is ,my body2 this is ,my blood10 embodied a new dogma of faith which all were obliged to believe1 and a new law which all were obliged to practice4 ,they were the last will and testament of our blessed ,savior4 ,what language should be plainer than that which contains an article of faith8 ,what words should be more free from tropes and figures than those which enforce a ,divine law8 ,but1 above all1 where will you find any words more plain and unvarnished than those contained in a last will8 ,now1 if we understand these words in their plain and obvious2 that is1 in their ,catholic1 sense1 no language can be more simple and intelligible4 ,but if we depart from the ,catholic interpretation1 then it is impossible to attach to them any reasonable meaning4 ,we now arrive at the third class of ,scripture texts which have reference to the use or reception of the ,sacrament among the faithful4 ,when ,jesus1 as you remember1 instituted the ,eucharist at ,his last ,supper ,he commanded ,his disciples and their successors to renew1 till the end of time1 in remembrance of ,him1 the ceremony which ,he performed4 ,what ,i have done1 do ye also 8for a commemoration of ,me407#cgd7 ,we have a very satisfactory means of ascertaining the ,apostolic belief in the doctrine of the ,eucharist by examining what the ,apostles did in commemoration of our ,lord4 ,did they bless and distribute mere bread and wine to the faithful1 or did they consecrate1 as they believed1 the body and blood of ,jesus ,christ8 ,if they professed to give only bread and wine in memory of our ,lord's ,supper1 then the ,catholic interpretation falls to the ground4 ,if1 on the contrary1 we find the ,apostles and their successors1 from the first to the nineteenth century1 professing to consecrate and dispense the body and blood of ,christ1 and doing so by virtue of the command of their ,savior1 then the ,catholic interpretation alone is admissible4 ,let ,st4 ,paul be our first witness4 ,represent yourself as a member of the primitive ,christian congregation assembled in ,corinth4 ,about eighteen years after ,st4 ,matthew wrote his ,gospel1 a letter is read from the ,apostle ,paul1 in which the following words occur3 8,the chalice of benediction which we bless1 is it not the communion of the blood of ,christ8 and the bread which we break1 is it not the partaking of the body of the ,lord8444 ,for1 ,i have received of the ,lord that which also ,i delivered to you1 that the ,lord ,jesus1 on the night in which he was betrayed1 took bread1 and giving thanks1 brake it1 and said3 ,take and eat3 this is ,my body which shall be delivered for you4 ,this do for the commemoration of ,me4 ,in like manner also the chalice1 after the supper1 saying3 ,this cup is the ,new ,covenant in ,my blood4 ,this do ye1 as often as ye shall drink1 for the commemoration of ,me4 ,for1 as often as ye shall eat this bread1 and drink the cup1 ye shall show the death of the ,lord until ,he come4 ,therefore1 whoever shall eat this bread1 or drink the chalice of the ,lord unworthily1 shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the ,lord4 ,but let a man prove himself2 and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice4 ,for1 he who eateth and drinketh unworthily1 eateth and drinketh judgment to himself1 not discerning the body of the ,lord407#cge7 ,could ,st4 ,paul express more clearly his belief in the ,real ,presence than he has done here8 ,the ,apostle distinctly affirms that the chalice and bread which he and his fellow ,apostles bless is a participation of the body and blood of ,christ4 ,and surely no one could be said to partake of that divine food by eating ordinary bread4 ,mark these words of the ,apostle3 ,whosoever shall take the ,sacrament unworthily 8shall be guilty of the body and blood of the ,lord40 ,what a heinous crime6 ,for these words signify that he who receives the ,sacrament unworthily shall be guilty of the sin of high treason1 and of shedding the blood of his ,lord in vain4 ,but how could he be guilty of a crime so enormous1 if he had taken in the ,eucharist only a particle of bread and wine4 ,would a man be accused of homicide1 in this commonwealth1 if he were to offer violence to the statue or painting of the governor8 ,certainly not4 ,in like manner1 ,st4 ,paul would not be so unreasonable as to declare a man guilty of trampling on the blood of his ,savior by drinking in an unworthy manner a little wine in memory of ,him4 ,study also these words3 8,he who eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself1 not discerning the body of the ,lord40 ,the unworthy receiver is condemned for not recognizing or discerning in the ,eucharist the body of the ,lord4 ,how could he be blamed for not discerning the body of the ,lord1 if there were only bread and wine before him8 ,hence1 if the words of ,st4 ,paul are figuratively understood1 they are distorted1 forced and exaggerated terms1 without meaning or truth4 ,but1 if they are taken literally1 they are full of sense and of awful significance1 and an eloquent commentary on the words ,i have quoted from the ,evangelist4 ,the ,fathers of the ,church1 without an exception1 re-echo the language of the ,apostle of the ,gentiles by proclaiming the ,real ,presence of our ,lord in the ,eucharist4 ,i have counted the names of sixty-three ,fathers and eminent ,ecclesiastical writers flourishing between the first and sixth century all of whom proclaim the ,real ,presence--some by explaining the mystery1 others by thanking ,god for his inestimable gift1 and others by exhorting the faithful to its worthy reception4 ,from such a host of witnesses ,i can select here only a few at random4 ,st4 ,ignatius1 a disciple of ,st4 ,peter1 speaking of a sect called ,gnostics1 says3 8,they abstain from the ,eucharist and prayer1 because they confess not that the ,eucharist and prayer is the flesh of our ,savior ,jesus ,christ40 ,st4 ,justin ,martyr1 in an apology to the ,emperor ,antoninus1 writes in the second century3 8,we do not receive these things as common bread and drink2 but as ,jesus ,christ our ,savior was made flesh by the word of ,god1 even so we have been taught that the ,eucharist is both the flesh and the blood of the same incarnate ,jesus40 ,origen 7third century7 writes3 8,if thou wilt go up with ,christ to celebrate the ,passover1 ,he will give to thee that bread of benediction1 ,his own body1 and will vouchsafe to thee ,his own blood40 ,st4 ,cyril1 of ,jerusalem 7fourth century71 instructing the ,catechumens1 observes3 8,he ,himself having declared1 ,this is ,my body1 who shall dare to doubt henceforward8 ,and ,he having said1 ,this is ,my blood1 who shall ever doubt1 saying3 ,this is not ,his blood8 ,he once at ,cana turned water into wine1 which is akin to blood2 and is ,he undeserving of belief when ,he turned wine into blood80 ,he seems to be arguing with modern unbelief4 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 who died in the beginning of the fifth century1 preaching on the ,eucharist1 says3 8,if thou wert indeed incorporeal1 ,he would have delivered to thee those same incorporeal gifts without covering4 ,but since the soul is united to the body1 ,he delivers to thee in things perceptible to the senses the things to be apprehended by the understanding4 ,how many nowadays say3 #8,would that they could look upon ,his 7,jesus'7 form1 ,his figure1 ,his raiment1 ,his shoes4 ,lo6 thou seest ,him1 touchest ,him1 eatest ,him4' 0 ,st4 ,augustine 7fifth century71 addressing the newly-baptized1 says3 8,i promised you a discourse wherein ,i would explain the sacrament of the ,lord's table1 which sacrament you even now behold1 and of which you were last night made partakers4 ,you ought to know what you have received4 ,the bread which you see on the altar1 after being sanctified by the word of ,god1 is the body of ,christ4 ,that chalice1 after being sanctified by the word of ,god1 is the blood of ,christ407#cgf7 ,but why multiply authorities8 ,at the present day every ,christian communion throughout the world1 with the sole exception of ,protestants1 proclaim its belief in the ,real ,presence of ,christ in the ,sacrament4 ,the ,nestorians and ,eutychians1 who separated from the ,catholic ,church in the fifth century1 admit the corporeal presence of our ,lord in the ,eucharist4 ,such also is the faith of the ,greek church1 which seceded from us a thousand years ago1 of the ,present ,russian church1 of the schismatic ,copts1 the ,syrians1 ,chaldeans1 ,armenians1 and1 in short1 of all the ,oriental sects no longer in communion with the ,see of ,rome4 ,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,communion ,,under ,,one ,,kind4 ,our ,savior gave communion under both forms of bread and wine to ,his ,apostles at the last ,supper4 ,officiating ,bishops and ,priests are always required1 except on ,good ,friday1 to communicate under both kinds4 ,but even the clergy of every rank1 including the ,pope1 receive only of the consecrated bread unless when they celebrate ,mass4 ,the ,church teaches that ,christ is contained whole and entire under each species2 so that whoever communicates under the form of bread or of wine receives not a mutilated ,sacrament or a divided ,savior1 but shares in the whole ,sacrament as fully as if he participated in both forms4 ,hence1 the layman who receives the consecrated ,bread partakes as copiously of the body and blood of ,christ as the officiating ,priest who receives both consecrated elements4 ,our ,lord says3 8,i am the living bread which came down from ,heaven4 ,if any man eat of this bread1 he shall live forever2 and the bread which ,i will give is ,my flesh1 for the life of the world4444 ,he that eateth ,me the same also shall live by ,me4 ,he that eateth this bread shall live forever407#cgg7 ,from this passage it is evident that whoever partakes of the form of bread partakes of the living flesh of ,jesus ,christ1 which is inseparable from ,his blood1 and which1 being now in a glorious state1 cannot be divided2 for1 8,christ rising from the dead1 dieth now no more407#cgh7 ,our ,lord1 in ,his words quoted1 makes no reference to the sacramental cup1 but only to the ,eucharistic bread1 to which ,he ascribes all the efficacy which is attached to communion under both kinds1 viz41 union with ,him1 spiritual life1 eternal salvation4 ,st4 ,paul1 writing to the ,corinthians1 says3 8,whosoever shall eat this bread1 or drink the chalice of the ,lord unworthily1 shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the ,lord407#cgi7 ,the ,apostle here plainly declares that1 by an unworthy participation in the ,lord's ,supper1 under the form of either bread or wine1 we profane both the body and the blood of ,christ4 ,how could this be so1 unless ,christ is entirely contained under each species8 ,so forcibly1 indeed1 did the ,apostle assert the ,catholic doctrine that the ,protestant translators have perverted the text by rendering it3 8,whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the chalice10 substituting and for or1 in contradiction to the ,greek original1 of which the ,catholic version is an exact translation4 ,it is also the received doctrine of the ,fathers that the ,eucharist is contained in all its integrity either in the consecrated bread or in the chalice4 ,st4 ,augustine1 who may be taken as a sample of the rest1 says that 8each one receives ,christ the ,lord entire under each particle407#chj7 ,luther himself1 even after his revolt1 was so clearly convinced of this truth that he was an uncompromising advocate of communion under one kind4 8,if any ,council10 he says1 8should decree or permit both species1 we would by no means acquiesce2 but1 in spite of the ,council and its statute1 we would use one form1 or neither1 and never both407#cha7 ,leibnitz1 the eminent ,protestant divine1 observes3 8,it cannot be denied that ,christ is received entire by virtue of concomitance1 under each species2 nor is ,his flesh separated from ,his blood407#chb7 ,as the same virtue is contained in the ,sacrament1 whether administered in one or both forms1 the faithful gain nothing by receiving under both kinds1 and lose nothing by receiving under one form4 ,consequently1 we nowhere find our ,savior requiring the communion to be administered to the faithful under both forms2 but ,he has left this matter to be regulated by the wisdom and discretion of the ,church1 as ,he has done with regard to the manner of administering ,baptism4 ,our ,redeemer1 it is true1 has said3 8,drink ye all of this40 ,but it should be remembered that these words were addressed not to the people at large1 but only to the ,apostles1 who alone were also commanded1 on the same occasion1 to consecrate ,his body and blood in remembrance of ,him4 ,now we have no more right to infer that the faithful are obliged to drink of the cup1 because the ,apostles were commanded to drink of it1 than we have to suppose that the laity are required or allowed to consecrate the bread and wine1 because the power of doing so was at the last ,supper conferred on the ,apostles4 ,it is true also that our ,lord said to the people3 8,unless ye eat the flesh of the ,son of man1 and drink ,his blood1 ye shall not have life in you40 ,but this command is literally fulfilled by the laity when they partake of the consecrated bread1 which1 as we have seen1 contains ,christ the ,lord in all ,his integrity4 ,hence1 if our ,savior has said3 8,whoso eateth ,my flesh1 and drinketh ,my blood1 hath everlasting life10 ,he has also said3 8,the bread which ,i will give is ,my flesh1 for the life of the world40 ,it seems to me that the charge of withholding the cup comes with very bad grace from ,protestant teachers1 who destroy the whole intrinsic virtue of the ,sacrament by giving to their followers nothing but bread and wine4 ,the difference between them and us lies in this--that under one form we give the substance1 while they under two forms confessedly give only the shadow4 ,in examining the history of the ,church on the subject we find that up to the twelfth century communion was sometimes distributed in one form1 sometimes in another1 commonly in both4 ,first--,st4 ,luke tells us that the converts of ,jerusalem 8were persevering in the doctrine of the ,apostles1 and in the communion of bread 7as the ,eucharist was sometimes familiarly called71 and in prayer407#chc7 ,again he speaks of the ,christian disciples assembled at ,troas on the ,lord's day1 8to break bread407#chd7 ,we are led to conclude from these passages that the ,apostles sometimes distributed the communion in the form of bread alone1 as no reference is made to the cup4 ,it was certainly the custom to carry to the sick only the consecrated ,host4 ,surely if there is any period of life when nothing should be neglected which conduces to salvation it is the time of approaching death4 ,eusebius tells us that the aged ,serapion received only the ,sacred ,bread at the hands of the ,priest4 ,in the ,life of ,st4 ,ambrose we are told that in his last illness the consecrated ,host alone was given to ,him4 ,the ,christians in time of persecution1 confessors of the faith confined in prison1 travellers on their journey1 soldiers before engaging in battle and hermits living in the desert were permitted to keep with them and to fortify themselves with the consecrated ,bread--as ,tertullian1 ,cyprian1 ,basil1 ,ambrose and other ,fathers of the ,church testify4 ,moreover1 the ,mass of the ,presanctified1 celebrated in the ,latin church on ,good ,friday only1 and in the ,greek church on every day in ,lent1 except ,saturdays and ,sundays1 the officiating ,priest receives the consecrated ,bread alone47#che7 ,in all these instances the communicants never doubted that they received the ,lord's ,supper in its integrity4 ,surely the conscientious guides of the faith would sooner withhold altogether the ,sacred ,host from their flocks than permit them to partake of a mutilated ,sacrament4 ,second--,in the primitive days of the ,church the ,holy ,communion used to be imparted to infants1 but only in the form of wine4 ,the ,priest dipped his finger in the consecrated chalice and gave it to be sucked by the infant4 ,this custom prevails to this day among the schismatic ,christians of all ,oriental rites4 ,in some instances the ,sacred ,host1 saturated in the cup1 is given to the child47#chf7 ,third--,public ,communion was1 indeed1 usually administered in the first ages under both forms4 ,the faithful1 however1 had the privilege of dispensing with the cup and of partaking only of the bread until the time of ,pope ,gelasius1 in the fifth century1 when this general1 but hitherto optional1 practice of receiving under both kinds was enforced as a law for the following reason3 ,the ,manichean sect abstained from the cup on the erroneous assumption that the use of wine was sinful4 ,pope ,gelasius1 in order to detect and condemn the error of those sectaries1 left it no longer optional with the faithful to receive under one or both forms1 but ordained that all should communicate under both kinds4 ,this law continued in force for several ages1 but towards the thirteenth century1 for various causes1 it had gradually grown into disuse1 with the tacit approval of the ,church4 ,the ,council of ,constance1 which convened in #adad1 established a law requiring the faithful to communicate under the form of bread only2 and in taking this step1 the ,council was actuated both by reasons of propriety and of religion4 ,the wide-spread diffusion of ,christianity throughout the world had rendered it very difficult to supply all the faithful with the consecrated wine4 ,such inconvenience is scarcely felt by ,protestant communicants1 whose numbers are limited and who ordinarily communicate only on certain ,sundays of each month4 ,the ,catholics of the world1 on the contrary1 number about three hundred millions2 and as communion is administered to some of the faithful almost every day in most of our churches and chapels1 and as the annual communions in every parish church are generally at least twice as numerous as its aggregate ,catholic population1 the sum total of annual communions throughout the globe may be estimated in round numbers at not less than five hundred millions4 ,what effort would be required to procure altar-wine for such a multitude8 ,in my missionary journeys through ,north ,carolina ,i have often found it no easy task to provide for the celebration of ,mass a sufficiency of pure wine1 which is essential for the validity of the sacrifice4 ,this embarrassment would be increased beyond measure if the cup had to be extended to the laity1 and still more in the coal regions1 where the cultivation of the grape is unknown and where imported wine is exclusively used47#chg7 ,it would be very distasteful1 besides1 for so many communicants to drink successively out of the same chalice1 which would be unavoidable if the ,sacrament were administered in both forms4 ,in our larger churches1 where communion is distributed every ,sunday to hundreds1 there would be great danger of spilling a portion of the consecrated chalice and of thus exposing it to profanation4 ,but above all1 as the ,church in the fifth century1 through her chief ,pastor1 ,gelasius1 enforced the use of the cup to expose and reprobate the error of the ,manichees1 who imagined that the use of wine was sinful2 so in the fifteenth century she withdrew the cup to condemn the novelties of the ,calixtines1 who taught that the consecrated wine was necessary for a valid communion4 ,should circumstances ever justify or demand a change from the present discipline the ,church will not hesitate to restore the cup to the laity4 ,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,sacrifice ,,of ,,the ,,mass4 ,sacrifice is the oblation or offering made to ,god of some sensible object1 with the destruction or change of the object1 to denote that ,god is the ,author of life and death4 ,thus1 in the ,old ,law1 before the coming of ,christ1 when the ,hebrew people wished to offer sacrifice to ,god they took a lamb or some other animal1 which they slew and burned its flesh1 acknowledging by this act that the ,lord was the supreme ,master of life and death4 ,the ancients offered to ,god two kinds of sacrifices1 viz41 living creatures1 such as bulls1 lambs and birds2 and inanimate objects1 such as wheat and barley1 and1 in general1 the first fruits of the earth4 ,all nations--whether ,jews1 idolaters or ,christians1 except ,mahometans and modern ,protestants--have made sacrifice their principal act of worship4 ,if you go back to the very dawn of creation1 you will find the children of ,adam offering sacrifices to ,god4 ,abel offered to the ,lord the firstlings of his flock1 and ,cain offered of the fruits of the earth47#chh7 ,when ,noe and his family are rescued from the deluge which had spread over the face of the earth his first act on issuing from the ark1 when the waters disappear1 is to offer holocausts to the ,lord1 in thanksgiving for his preservation47#chi7 ,abraham1 the great father of the ,jewish race1 offered victims to the ,almighty at ,his express command47#cij7 ,we read that ,job was accustomed to offer holocausts to the ,lord1 to propitiate ,his favor in behalf of his children1 and to obtain forgiveness for the sins they might have committed47#cia7 ,when ,jehovah delivered to ,moses the written law on ,mount ,sinai ,he gave ,his servant the most minute details with regard to all the ceremonies to be observed in the sacrifices which were to be offered to ,him4 ,he prescribed the kind of victims to be immolated1 the qualifications of the ,priests who were to minister at the altar1 and the place and manner in which the victims were to be offered4 ,hence1 it was the custom of the ,jewish ,priests to slay every day two lambs as a sacrifice to ,god17#cib7 and in doing this they were prefiguring the great sacrifice of the ,new ,law1 in which we daily offer up on the altar 8the ,lamb of ,god1 who taketh away the sins of the world40 ,in a word1 in all their public calamities--whenever they were threatened by their enemies2 whenever they were about to engage in war2 whenever they were visited by any plague or pestilence--the ,jews had recourse to ,god by solemn sacrifices4 ,like the ,catholic ,church of the present day1 they had sacrifices not only for the living1 but also for the dead2 for we read in ,sacred ,scripture that ,judas ,machabeus ordered sacrifice to be offered up for the souls of his men who were slain in battle47#cic7 ,we find sacrifices existing not only among the ,jews1 who worshiped the true ,god1 but also among ,pagan and idolatrous nations4 ,no matter how confused1 imperfect or erroneous was their knowledge of the ,deity1 the ,pagan nations retained sufficient vestiges of primitive tradition to admonish them of their obligation of appeasing the anger and invoking the blessings of the ,divinity by victims and sacrifices4 ,plutarch1 an ancient writer of the second century1 says of these heathen people3 8,you may find cities without walls1 without literature and without the arts and sciences of civilized life2 but you will never find a city without ,priests and altars1 or which has not sacrifices offered to the gods40 ,the ,indians of our own country were accustomed to offer sacrifice to the ,great ,spirit1 as ,father ,jogues and other pioneer missionaries inform us4 ,but all those ancient sacrifices were only the types and figures of the great ,sacrifice of the ,new ,law1 from which they derived all their efficacy1 just as the ,old ,law itself was the type of the ,new ,law of grace4 ,since the ancient sacrifices were but figures and shadows1 they were imperfect and insufficient2 for 8it is impossible10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8that by the blood of oxen and of goats sins should be taken away4 ,wherefore1 when ,he 7,jesus7 cometh into the world1 ,he saith3 ,sacrifice and oblation ,thou wouldst not1 but a body ,thou hast fitted to me4 ,holocausts for sin did not please ,thee4 ,then said ,i3 ,behold1 ,i come407#cid7 ,as if ,he should say3 ,the blood of oxen and of goats is not sufficient to appease ,thy vengeance1 and to cleanse ,thy people from their sins2 therefore ,i come1 that ,i may offer ,myself an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the world4 ,the ,prophet ,isaiah declared that the ,jewish sacrifices had become displeasing to ,god and would be abolished4 8,to what purpose10 says the ,lord by ,his prophet1 8do you offer ,me the multitude of your victims8444 ,i desire not holocausts of rams1 444 and blood of calves and lambs and buck-goats 444 ,offer sacrifice no more in vain407#cie7 ,but did ,god1 in rejecting the ,jewish oblations1 intend to abolish sacrifices altogether8 ,by no means4 ,on the contrary1 ,he clearly predicts1 by the mouth of the ,prophet ,malachias1 that the immolations of the ,jews would be succeeded by a clean victim1 which would be offered up not on a single altar1 as was the case in ,jerusalem1 but in every part of the known world4 ,listen to the significant words addressed to the ,jews by this prophet3 8,i have no pleasure in you1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 and ,i will not receive a gift of your hand4 ,for1 from the rising of the sun1 even to the going down1 ,my name is great among the ,gentiles1 and in every place there is sacrifice1 and there is offered to ,my name a clean oblation2 for ,my ,name is great among the ,gentiles1 saith the ,lord of hosts407#cif7 ,the prophet here clearly foretells that an acceptable oblation would be offered to ,god not by ,jews1 but by ,gentiles2 not merely in ,jerusalem1 but in every place from the rising to the setting of the sun4 ,these prophetic words must have been fulfilled4 ,where shall we find the fulfilment of the prophecy8 ,we may divide the inhabitants of the world into five different classes of people1 professing different forms of religion--,pagans1 ,jews1 ,mohammedans1 ,protestants and ,catholics4 ,among which of these shall we find the clean oblation of which the prophet speaks8 ,not among the ,pagan nations2 for they worship false gods1 and consequently cannot have any sacrifice pleasing to the ,almighty4 ,not among the ,jews2 for they have ceased to sacrifice altogether1 and the words of the prophet apply not to the ,jews1 but to the ,gentiles4 ,not among the ,mohammedans2 for they also reject sacrifices4 ,not among any of the ,protestant sects2 for they all distinctly repudiate sacrifices4 ,therefore1 it is only in the ,catholic ,church that is fulfilled this glorious prophecy2 for whithersoever you go1 you will find the clean oblation offered on ,catholic altars4 ,if you travel from ,america to ,europe1 to ,oceanica1 to ,africa1 or ,asia1 you will see our altars erected1 and our ,priests daily fulfilling the words of the prophets by offering the 8clean oblation0 of the body and blood of ,christ4 ,this oblation of the ,new ,law is commonly called ,mass4 ,the word ,mass is derived by some from the ,hebrew term ,missach 7,deut4 xvi471 which means a free offering4 ,others derive it from the word ,missa1 which the ,priest uses when he announces to the congregation that ,divine ,service is over4 ,it is an expression indelibly marked on our ,english tongue from the origin of our language1 and we find it embodied in such words as ,candlemas1 ,michaelmas1 ,martin-mas and ,christmas4 ,the sacrifice of the ,mass is the consecration of the bread and wine into the body and blood of ,christ1 and the oblation of this body and blood to ,god1 by the ministry of the ,priest1 for a perpetual memorial of ,christ's sacrifice on the cross4 ,the ,sacrifice of the ,mass is identical with that of the cross1 both having the same victim and ,high ,priest--,jesus ,christ4 ,the only difference consists in the manner of the oblation4 ,christ was offered up on the cross in a bloody manner1 and in the ,mass ,he is offered up in an unbloody manner4 ,on the cross ,he purchased our ransom1 and in the ,eucharistic ,sacrifice the price of that ransom is applied to our souls4 ,hence1 all the efficacy of the ,mass is derived from the sacrifice of ,calvary4 ,it was on the night before ,he suffered that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ instituted the ,sacrifice of the ,new ,law4 8,jesus10 says ,st4 ,paul1 8the night in which ,he was betrayed took bread1 and1 giving thanks1 broke and said3 ,take ye and eat2 this is ,my body which shall be delivered for you4 ,this do for the commemoration of ,me4 ,in like manner also the chalice1 after ,he had supped1 saying3 ,this chalice is the new testament in ,my blood4 ,this do ye1 as often as you shall drink1 for the commemoration of ,me2 for as often as ye shall eat this bread1 and drink the chalice1 ye shall show the death of the ,lord until ,he come407#cig7 ,from these words we learn that the principal motive which our ,savior had in view in instituting the ,sacrifice of the ,altar was to keep us in perpetual remembrance of ,his sufferings and death4 ,he wished that the scene of ,calvary should ever appear in panoramic view before our eyes1 and that our heart1 memory and intellect should be filled with the thoughts of ,his ,passion4 ,he knew well that this would be the best means of winning our love and exciting sorrow for sin in our soul2 therefore1 ,he designed that in every church throughout the world an altar should be erected1 to serve as a monument of ,his mercies to ,his people1 as the children of ,israel erected a monument1 on crossing the ,jordan1 to commemorate ,his mercies to ,his chosen people4 ,the ,mass is truly the memorial service of ,christ's ,passion4 ,in compliance with the command of our ,lord the adorable ,sacrifice of the ,altar has been daily renewed in the ,church1 from the death of our ,savior till the present time1 and will be perpetuated till time shall be no more4 ,in the ,acts it is said that while ,saul and others were ministering 7or1 as the ,greek text expresses it1 sacrificing7 to the ,lord1 and fasting1 the ,holy ,spirit said to them3 8,set apart for ,me ,saul and ,barnabas40 ,st4 ,paul1 in his ,epistle to the ,hebrews1 frequently alludes to the ,sacrifice of the ,mass4 8,we have an altar10 he says1 8whereof they cannot eat who serve the tabernacle407#cih7 ,the ,apostle here plainly declares that the ,christian church has its altars as well as the ,jewish synagogue4 ,an altar necessarily supposes a sacrifice1 without which it has no meaning4 ,the ,apostle also observes that the priesthood of the ,new ,law was substituted for that of the ,old ,law47#cii7 ,now1 the principal office of ,priests has always been to offer sacrifice4 ,priest and sacrifice are as closely identified as judge and court4 ,st4 ,paul1 after ,david1 calls ,jesus 8a ,priest forever1 according to the order of ,melchisedech407#djj7 ,he is named a ,priest because ,he offers sacrifice2 a ,priest forever because ,his sacrifice is perpetual2 according to the order of ,melchisedech because ,he offers up consecrated bread and wine1 which were prefigured by the bread and wine offered by 8,melchisedech1 the ,priest of the ,most ,high ,god407#dja7 ,tradition1 with its hundred tongues1 proclaims the perpetual oblation of the ,sacrifice of the ,mass1 from the time of the ,apostles to our own days4 ,if we consult the ,fathers of the ,church1 who have stood like faithful sentinels on the watch-towers of ,israel1 guarding with a jealous eye the deposit of faith1 and who have been the faithful witnesses of their own times and the recorders of the past2 if we consult the ,general ,councils1 at which were assembled the venerable hierarchy of ,christendom1 they will all tell us1 with one voice1 that the ,sacrifice of the ,mass is the centre of their religion and the acknowledged institution of ,jesus ,christ4 ,another remarkable evidence in favor of the ,divine institution of the ,mass is furnished by the ,nestorians and ,eutychians1 who separated from the ,catholic ,church in the fifth century1 and who still exist in ,persia and in other parts of the ,east1 as well as by the ,greek schismatics1 who severed their connection with the ,church in the ninth century4 ,all these sects1 as well as the numerous others scattered over the ,east1 retain to this day the oblation of the ,mass in their daily service4 ,as these ,christian communities have had no communication with the ,catholic ,church since the period of their separation from her1 they could not1 of course1 have borrowed from her the doctrine of the ,eucharistic ,sacrifice2 consequently they must have received it from the same source from which the ,church derived it1 viz41 from the ,apostles themselves4 ,but of all proofs in favor of the ,apostolic origin of the ,sacrifice of the ,mass1 the most striking and the most convincing is found in the ,liturgies of the ,church4 ,the ,liturgy is the established ,ritual of the ,church4 ,it is the collection of the authorized prayers of divine worship4 ,these prayers are fixed and immovable4 ,among others we have the ,liturgy of ,jerusalem1 ascribed to the ,apostle ,st4 ,james2 the ,liturgy of ,alexandria1 attributed to ,st4 ,mark the ,evangelist1 and the ,liturgy of ,rome1 referred to ,st4 ,peter4 ,there are various other ,liturgies accredited to the ,apostles or to their immediate successors4 ,now ,i wish to call your attention to this remarkable fact1 that all these ,liturgies1 though compiled by different persons1 at different times1 in various places1 and in divers languages1 contain1 without exception1 in clear and precise language1 the prayers to be said at the celebration of ,mass2 prayers in substance the same as those found in our prayer books at the ,canon of the ,mass4 ,we cannot account for this wonderful uniformity except by supposing that the doctrine respecting the ,mass was received by the ,apostles from the common fountain of ,christianity--,jesus ,christ ,himself4 ,it was such facts as these that opened the eyes of those eminent ,english divines who1 during the present century1 have abandoned heresy and schism and rich preferments and who have embraced the ,catholic faith1 though1 by taking such a step1 they had to sacrifice all that was dear to them on earth4 ,the following passages from ,st4 ,paul's ,epistle to the ,hebrews are sometimes urged as an argument against the sacrifice of the ,mass3 8,christ1 444 neither by the blood of goats1 or of calves1 but by ,his own blood1 entered once into the ,holies1 having obtained eternal redemption40 8,nor yet that ,he should offer ,himself often1 as the ,high ,priest entereth into the ,holies every year407#djb7 ,again3 8,every ,priest standeth1 indeed1 daily ministering1 and often offering the same sacrifices1 which can never take away sins1 but this ,man1 offering one sacrifice for sin1 forever sitteth at the right hand of ,god407#djc7 ,st4 ,paul says that ,jesus was offered once4 ,how1 then1 can we offer ,him daily8 ,i answer1 that ,jesus was offered once in a bloody manner1 and it is of this sacrifice that the ,apostle speaks4 ,but in the ,sacrifice of the ,mass ,he is offered up in an unbloody manner4 ,though ,he is daily offered on ten thousand altars1 the ,sacrifice is the same as that of ,calvary1 having the same ,high ,priest and victim--,jesus ,christ4 ,the object of ,st4 ,paul is to contrast the ,sacrifice of the ,new ,law1 which has only one victim1 with the sacrifices of the ,old ,law1 where the victims were many2 and to show the insufficiency of the ancient sacrifices and the all-sufficiency of the ,sacrifice of the new dispensation4 ,but if the sacrifice of the cross is all-sufficient what need then1 you will say1 is there of a commemorative ,sacrifice of the ,mass8 ,i would ask a ,protestant in return1 ,why do you pray1 and go to church1 and why were you baptized1 and receive ,communion1 and the rite of ,confirmation8 ,what is the use of all these exercises1 if the sacrifice of the cross is all-sufficient8 ,you will tell me that in all these acts you apply to yourself the merits of ,christ's ,passion4 ,i will tell you1 in like manner1 that in the ,sacrifice of the ,mass ,i apply to myself the merits of the sacrifice of the cross1 from which the ,mass derives all its efficacy4 ,christ1 indeed1 by ,his death made full atonement for our sins1 but ,he has not released us from the obligation of co-operating with ,him by applying ,his merits to our souls4 ,what better or more efficacious way can we have of participating in ,his merits than by assisting at the ,sacrifice of the ,altar1 where we vividly recall to mind ,his sufferings1 where ,calvary is represented before us1 where 8we show the death of the ,lord until ,he come10 and where we draw abundantly to our souls the fruit of ,his ,passion by drinking of the same blood that was shed on the cross8 ,in the ,old ,law there were different kinds of sacrifices offered up for different purposes4 ,there were sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to ,god for ,his benefits1 sacrifices of propitiation to implore ,his forgiveness for the sins of the people1 and sacrifices of supplication to ask ,his blessing and protection4 ,the ,sacrifice of the ,mass fulfils all these ends4 ,it is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving1 a sacrifice of propitiation and of supplication2 hence that valued book1 the 8,following of ,christ10 says3 8,when a ,priest celebrates ,mass he honors ,god1 he rejoices the angels1 he edifies the church1 he helps the living1 he obtains rest for the dead1 and makes himself a partaker of all that is good40 ,to form an adequate idea of the efficiency of the ,divine ,sacrifice of the ,mass we have only to bear in mind the ,victim that is offered--,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,first--,the ,mass is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving4 ,if all human beings in this world1 and all living creatures1 and all inanimate objects were collected and burned as a holocaust to the ,lord1 they would not confer as much praise on the ,almighty as a single ,eucharistic sacrifice4 ,these earthly creatures--how numerous and excellent soever--are finite and imperfect2 while the offering made in the ,mass is of infinite value1 for it is our ,lord ,jesus1 the acceptable ,lamb without blemish1 the beloved ,son in whom the ,father is well pleased1 and who 8is always heard on account of ,his reverence40 ,with what awe and grateful love should we assist at this ,sacrifice6 ,the angels were present at ,calvary4 ,angels are present also at the ,mass4 ,if we cannot assist with the seraphic love and rapt attention of the angelic spirits1 let us worship1 at least1 with the simple devotion of the shepherds of ,bethlehem and the unswerving faith of the ,magi4 ,let us offer to our ,god the golden gift of a heart full of love and the incense of our praise and adoration1 repeating often during the holy oblation the words of the ,psalmist3 8,the mercies of the ,lord ,i will sing forever40 ,second--,the ,mass is also a sacrifice of propitiation4 ,jesus daily pleads our cause in this ,divine oblation before our ,heavenly ,father4 8,if any man sin10 says ,st4 ,john1 8we have an ,advocate with the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the just2 and ,he is the propitiation for our sins2 and not for ours only1 but also for those of the whole world407#djd7 ,hence the ,priest1 whenever he offers up the holy sacrifice1 recites this prayer at the offertory3 8,receive1 ,o holy ,father1 almighty1 eternal ,god1 this immaculate victim which ,i1 ,thy unworthy servant1 offer to ,thee1 my living and true ,god1 for my innumerable sins1 offences and negligences1 for all here present1 and for all the faithful living and dead1 that it may avail me and them to life everlasting40 ,whenever1 therefore1 we assist at ,mass let us unite with ,jesus ,christ in imploring the mercy of ,god for our sins4 ,let us represent to ourselves the ,mass as another ,calvary1 which it is in reality4 ,like ,mary1 let us stand in spirit beneath the cross1 and let our souls be pierced with grief for our transgressions4 ,let us acknowledge that our sins were the cause of that agony and of the shedding of that precious blood4 ,let us follow in mind and heart that crowd of weeping penitents who accompanied our ,savior to ,calvary1 striking their breasts1 and let us say3 8,spare1 ,o ,lord1 spare ,thy people40 ,or let us repeat with the publican this heartfelt prayer3 8,o ,god1 be merciful to me a sinner40 ,at the death of ,jesus the sun was darkened1 the earth trembled1 the very rocks were rent1 as if to show that even inanimate nature sympathized with the sufferings of its ,god4 ,and should not we tremble for our sins8 ,should not our hearts1 though cold and hard as rocks1 be softened at the spectacle of our ,god suffering for love of us1 and in expiation for our offences8 ,third--,the ,sacrifice of the ,mass is1 in fine1 a sacrifice of supplication3 8,for1 if the blood of goats and of oxen1 and the ashes of a heifer being sprinkled1 sanctify such as are defiled to the cleansing of the flesh1 how much more shall the blood of ,christ1 who1 through the ,holy ,ghost1 offered himself without spot to ,god1 cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living ,god807#dje7 ,if the prayers of ,moses and ,david and the ,patriarchs were so powerful in behalf of ,god's servants1 what must be the influence of ,jesus' intercession8 ,if the wounds of the ,martyrs plead so eloquently for us1 how much more eloquent is the blood of ,jesus shed daily upon our altars8 ,his blood cries louder for mercy than the blood of ,abel cried for vengeance4 ,if ,god inclines ,his ear to us miserable sinners1 how can ,he resist the pleadings in our behalf of the 8,lamb of ,god who taketh away the sins of the world40 8,let us go1 therefore1 with confidence to the throne of grace1 that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid407#djf7 ,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,religious ,,ceremonies ,,dictated ,,by ,,right ,,reason4 ,by religious ceremonies we mean certain expressive signs and actions which the ,church has ordained for the worthy celebration of the ,divine service4 ,true devotion must be interior and come from the heart1 for 8the true adorers shall adore the ,father in spirit and in truth4 ,for the ,father indeed seeketh such to worship ,him4 ,god is a spirit2 and they who worship ,him must worship ,him in spirit and in truth407#djg7 ,but we are not to infer from this that exterior worship is to be contemned because interior worship is prescribed as essential4 ,on the contrary1 the rites and ceremonies enjoined in the worship of ,god and the administration of the ,sacraments are dictated by right reason1 are sanctioned by ,almighty ,god in the ,old ,law1 and by ,christ and ,his ,apostles in the ,new4 ,the angels1 being pure spirits without a body1 render to ,god a purely spiritual worship4 ,the sun1 moon and stars of the firmament pay ,him a kind of external homage4 ,in the ,prophet ,daniel we read3 8,sun and moon bless the ,lord1 444 stars of heaven bless the ,lord1 praise and exalt ,him above all forever407#djh7 8,the heavens show forth the glory of ,god1 the firmament announces the work of ,his hands407#dji7 ,man1 by possessing a soul of spiritual substance1 partakes of the nature of angels1 and by possessing a body partakes of the nature of the heavenly bodies4 ,it is therefore1 his privilege1 as well as his duty1 to offer to ,god the twofold homage of body and soul2 in other words1 to honor ,him by internal and external worship4 ,genuine piety cannot long be concealed in the heart without manifesting itself by exterior practices of religion2 hence1 though interior and exterior worship are distinct1 they cannot be separated in the present life4 ,fire cannot burn without sending forth flame and heat4 ,neither can the fire of devotion burn in the soul without being reflected on the countenance and even in speech4 ,it is natural for man to express his sentiments by signs and ceremonies1 for 8from the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh20 and as fuel is necessary to keep fire alive1 even so the flame of piety is nourished by the outward forms of religion4 ,a devoted child will not be content with loving his father in his heart1 but will manifest that love by affectionate language1 and by the service of his body1 if necessary4 ,so will the child of ,god show his affection for his heavenly ,father not only by interior devotion1 but also by the homage of his body4 8,i beseech you10 says the ,apostle1 8by the mercy of ,god1 that you present your bodies1 a living sacrifice1 holy pleasing unto ,god1 your reasonable service407#daj7 ,the fruit of a tree does not consist in its bark1 its leaves and its branches4 ,nevertheless1 you never saw a tree bearing fruit unless when clothed with bark1 adorned with branches and covered with leaves4 ,these are necessary for the protection of the fruit4 ,in like manner1 though the fruit of piety does not consist in exterior forms1 it must1 however1 be fostered by some outward observances or it will soon decay4 ,there is as close a relation between devotion and ceremonial as exists between the bark and the fruit of a tree4 ,the man who daily bends his knee to the ,maker1 who recites or sings ,his praises1 who devoutly makes the sign of the cross1 who assists without constraint at the public services of the ,church1 who observes an exterior decorum in the house of ,god1 who gives to the needy according to his means and duly attends to the other practices and ceremonies of religion1 will generally be one whose heart is united to ,god1 and who yields to ,him a ready obedience4 ,show me1 on the contrary1 a man who habitually neglects these outward observances of religion and charity1 and ,i will show you one in whose soul the fire of devotion1 if not quite extinguished1 at least burns very faintly4 ,the ceremonies of the ,church not only render divine service more solemn1 but also rivet our attention and lift it up to ,god4 ,our mind is so active1 so volatile1 so full of distractions1 our imagination so fickle1 that we have need of some external objects on which to fix our thoughts4 ,almighty ,god considered ceremonial so indispensable to interior worship that we find ,him in the ,old ,law prescribing in minute detail the various rites1 ceremonies and ordinances to be observed by the ,jewish ,priests and people in their public worship4 ,what is the entire book of ,leviticus but an elaborate ritual of the ,jewish church4 ,not1 indeed1 that external rites are to be compared in merit with interior worship1 but because they are as necessary for nourishing internal devotion as food is necessary for our animal life4 ,our ,savior1 though ,he came to establish a more spiritual religion than that of the ,hebrew people1 did not discard the outward forms of worship4 ,he was accustomed to accompany ,his religious acts by appropriate ceremonies4 ,in the garden of ,gethsemani 8,he fell upon ,his face07#daa7 in humble supplication4 ,he went in procession to ,jerusalem1 accompanied by a great multitude1 who sang ,hosanna to the ,son of ,david47#dab7 ,at the ,last ,supper ,he invoked a blessing on the bread and wine1 and afterward chanted a hymn with ,his disciples47#dac7 ,when the deaf and dumb man was brought to ,him1 before healing ,him1 ,he put ,his fingers into his ears and touched his tongue with spittle1 8and1 looking up to heaven1 ,he groaned and said3 ,ephpheta1 which is1 ,be thou opened407#dad7 ,when ,he imparted the ,holy ,ghost to ,his disciples1 ,he breathed on them7#dae7 and the same ,apostles afterward communicated the ,holy ,ghost to others by laying hands on them47#daf7 ,the ,apostle ,st4 ,james directs that if any man is sick he shall call in the ,priest1 who will anoint him with oil47#dag7 ,now1 are not all these acts which ,i have just recorded--the prostration and procession1 the prayerful invocation1 the chanting of a hymn1 the touching of the ears1 the lifting up of the eyes to heaven1 the breathing on the ,apostles1 the laying on of hands and the unction of the sick--are not all these acts so many ceremonies serving as models to those which the ,catholic ,church employs in her public worship1 and in the administration of her ,sacraments8 ,the ceremonies now accompanying our public worship are1 indeed1 usually more impressive and elaborate than those recorded of our ,savior2 but it is quite natural that the majesty of ceremonial should keep pace with the growth and development of ,christianity4 ,but where shall we find a ritual so gorgeous as that presented to us in the ,book of ,revelation1 which is descriptive of the worship of ,god in the heavenly ,jerusalem8 ,angels with golden censers stand before the throne1 while elders cast their crowns of gold before the ,lamb once slain4 ,then that unnumbered multitude of all nations1 tongues and people1 clothed in white raiment1 bearing palms of victory4 ,virgins1 too1 with harp and canticle1 follow near the ,lamb1 singing the new song which they alone can utter47#dah7 ,how glorious the pageant6 ,how elaborate in detail6 ,surely there ought to be some analogy and resemblance1 some proportion and harmony between the public worship which is paid to ,god in the ,church militant on earth1 and that which is offered to ,him in the ,church triumphant in heaven4 ,strange would it be if ,god1 who1 in the dispensation past and that to come1 is seen delighting in external majesty1 should have deprived the ,christian ,church 7the living link between the past and the future7 of all external glory4 8,for10 as ,st4 ,paul says1 8if the ministry of condemnation is glory1 much more the ministry of justice aboundeth in glory407#dai7 ,it is true that ,god uttered this complaint against the children of ,israel3 8,this people draw near ,me with their mouth and honor ,me with their lips1 but their heart is far from ,me407#dbj7 ,it is also true that ,he was displeased with their sacrifices and religious festivals47#dba7 ,but ,he blamed them not because they praised ,him with their voice1 but because their hearts felt not what their lips uttered4 ,he rejected their sacrifices because they were not accompanied by the more precious sacrifice of a penitent spirit4 ,the same ,lord who declares that the true adorer shall adore the ,father in spirit commands also that public praise be given to ,him in ,his holy temple3 8,praise ye the ,lord10 ,he says1 8in ,his holy places4444 ,praise ,him with sound of trumpet4 ,praise ,him with psaltery and harp4 ,praise ,him with timbrel and choir4 ,praise ,him with strings and organs407#dbb7 ,if ,he says in one place3 8,rend your hearts and not your garments107#dbc7 immediately after ,he adds3 8,blow the trumpet in ,sion1 sanctify a fast1 call a solemn assembly4 ,gather together the people1 sanctify the ,church4444 ,between the porch and the altar the ,priests1 the ,lord's ministers1 shall weep and shall say3 ,spare1 ,o ,lord1 spare ,thy people607#dbd7 ,the ,prophet first points out the absolute necessity of interior sorrow and contrition of heart1 and then he insists on the duty of performing some acts of expiation1 penance and humiliation1 as you do when you have your forehead marked with ashes on ,ash ,wednesday1 and when you observe the fast and abstinence of ,lent4 ,when ,st4 ,paul says that though he speak with the tongues of angels and of men1 and distribute all his goods to feed the poor1 and deliver his body to be burned1 and have not the love of ,god1 it profiteth him nothing17#dbe7 he points out the necessity of interior worship4 ,and when he says elsewhere that 8in the name of ,jesus every knee should bend of those that are in heaven1 on earth and under the earth107#dbf7 he shows us the duty of exterior or ceremonial worship4 ,when political leaders desire to influence the masses in their favor they are not content with addressing themselves to the intellect4 ,they appeal also to the feelings and imagination4 ,they have torchlight processions1 accompanied by soul-stirring music discoursing popular airs4 ,they have flags and banners floating in the breeze4 ,they have public meetings1 at which they deliver patriotic speeches to arouse the enthusiasm of the people4 ,what these men do for political reasons the ,church performs from the higher motives of religion4 ,therefore1 she has her solemn processions4 ,she has her heavenly music to soften the heart and raise it to ,god4 ,she consecrates her sacred banners1 especially the cross1 the banner of salvation4 ,she preaches with a hundred tongues1 speaking not only to our head and heart by the ,word of ,god1 but to our feelings and imagination by her grand and imposing ceremonial4 ,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,ceremonials ,,of ,,the ,,mass4 ,let us now1 dear reader1 walk together into a ,catholic ,church in time to assist at the late ,mass1 which is the most solemn service of the ,catholic ,liturgy4 ,meantime1 ,i shall endeavor to explain to you the principal objects which attract your attention4 ,as we enter ,i dip my fingers into a vase placed at the church door1 and filled with holy water1 and ,i make the sign of the cross1 praying at the same time to be purified from all defilement1 so that with a clean heart ,i may worship in ,god's holy temple4 ,the ,church1 through her ministers1 blesses everything used in her service2 for1 ,st4 ,paul says1 that 8,every creature of ,god is good1 444 that is received with thanksgiving1 for it is sanctified by the word of ,god and by prayer407#dbg7 ,before ,mass begins the ,priest sprinkles the assembled congregation with holy water1 reciting at the same time these words of the fiftieth ,psalm3 8,thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop1 and ,i shall be cleansed2 ,thou shalt wash me1 and ,i shall be made whiter than snow40 ,the practice of using blessed water dates back to a very remote antiquity1 and is alluded to by several ,fathers of the primitive ,church4 ,as we advance up the aisle you observe lying open on the altar a large book1 which is called a ,missal1 or ,mass-book1 because it contains the prayers said at ,mass4 ,the office of the ,mass consists of selections from the ,old and the ,new ,testament1 the ,canon and other appropriate prayers4 ,the ,canon of the ,mass never varies throughout the year1 and descends to us from the first ages of the ,church with scarcely the addition of a word4 ,nearly all the collects are also very old1 many of them dating back to a period prior to the seventh century4 ,i am acquainted with no prayers that can compare with the collects of the ,missal in earnestness and vigor of language1 in conciseness of style and unction of piety4 ,it is evident that their authors were men who felt what they said and were filled with the spirit of ,god1 despising 8the persuasive words of human wisdom10 unlike so many modern prayer-composers whose rounded periods are directed rather to tickle the ears of men than to pierce the clouds4 ,you are probably familiar with the ,episcopal ,book of ,common ,prayer1 and have no doubt admired its beautiful simplicity of diction4 ,but perhaps you will be surprised when ,i inform you that this ,prayer-,book is for the most part a translation from our ,missal4 ,let us now reverently follow the officiating ,priest through the service of the ,mass4 ,you see him advance from the sacristy and stand at the foot of the altar1 where he makes an humble confession of his sins to ,god and ,his saints4 ,he then ascends the altar1 and nine times the ,divine clemency is invoked in the ,kyrie ,eleison1 ,christe ,eleison4 ,he intones the sublime doxology1 ,gloria in ,excelsis ,deo1 sings the collects of the day1 reads the ,lesson or ,epistle and chants the ,gospel1 after which the sermon is usually preached4 ,next he recites the ,nicene ,creed1 which for upwards of fifteen centuries has been resounding in the churches of ,christendom4 ,then you perceive him making the oblation of the bread and wine4 ,he washes the tips of his fingers1 reciting the words of the ,psalmist3 8,i will wash my hands among the innocent and will encompass ,thy altar1 ,o ,lord40 ,he is admonished1 by this ceremony1 to be free from the least stain1 in view of the sacred act he is going to perform4 ,the ,preface and ,canon follow1 including the solemn words of consecration1 during which the bread and wine are changed by the power of ,jesus ,christ into ,his body and blood4 ,he proceeds with other prayers1 including the best of all1 the ,our ,father1 as far as the ,communion1 when he partakes of the consecrated ,bread and chalice1 giving the ,holy ,communion afterward to such as are prepared to receive it4 ,he continues the ,mass1 gives his blessing to the kneeling congregation1 and concludes with the opening words of the sublime ,gospel of ,st4 ,john4 ,here you have not merely a number of prayers strung together1 but you witness a scene which rivets pious attention and warms the heart into fervent devotion4 ,you participate in an act of worship worthy of ,god1 to whom it is offered4 ,but you are anxious that ,i should explain to you the reason why the ,mass is said in ,latin4 ,when ,christianity was first established the ,roman ,empire ruled the destinies of the world4 ,pagan ,rome had dominion over nearly all ,europe and large portions of ,asia and ,africa4 ,the ,latin was the language of the ,empire4 ,wherever the ,roman standard was planted1 there also was spread the ,latin tongue2 just as at the present time the ,english language is spoken wherever the authority of ,great ,britain or of the ,united ,states is established4 ,the ,church naturally adopted in her ,liturgy1 or public worship1 the language which she then found prevailing among the people4 ,the ,fathers of the early ,church generally wrote in the ,latin tongue1 which thus became the depository of the treasures of sacred literature in the ,church4 ,in the fifth century came the disruption of the ,roman ,empire4 ,new kingdoms began to be formed in ,europe out of the ruins of the old empire4 ,the ,latin gradually ceased to be a living tongue among the people1 and new languages commenced to spring up like so many shoots from the parent stock4 ,the ,church1 however1 retained in her ,liturgy1 and in the administration of the ,sacraments1 the ,latin language for very wise reasons1 some of which ,i shall briefly mention3 ,first--,the ,catholic ,church has always one and the same faith1 the same form of public worship1 the same spiritual government4 ,as her doctrine and liturgy are unchangeable1 she wishes that the language of her ,liturgy should be fixed and uniform4 ,faith may be called the jewel1 and language is the casket which contains it4 ,so careful is the ,church of preserving the jewel intact that she will not disturb even the casket in which it is set4 ,living tongues1 unlike a dead language1 are continually changing in words and meaning4 ,the ,english language as written four centuries ago would be now almost as unintelligible to an ,english reader as the ,latin tongue4 ,in an old ,bible published in the fourteenth century ,st4 ,paul calls himself the villain of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the word villain in those days meant a servant1 but the term would not be complimentary now to one even less holy than the ,apostle4 ,this is but one instance1 out of many which ,i might adduce1 to show the mutations which our language has undergone4 ,but the ,latin1 being a dead language1 is not liable to these changes4 ,second--,the ,catholic ,church is spread over the whole world1 embracing in its fold children of all climes and nations1 and peoples and tongues under the sun4 ,how1 ,i ask1 could the ,bishops of these various countries communicate with one another in council if they had not one language to serve as a common medium of communication8 ,it would be simply impossible4 ,a church that is universal must have a universal tongue2 whilst a national church1 or a church whose members speak one and the same language1 and whose doctrines conveniently change to suit the times1 can safely adopt the vernacular tongue in its liturgy4 ,a few years ago a ,convocation was held in ,england1 composed of ,british and ,american ,episcopal ,bishops4 ,they had no difficulty in communicating with one another because all spoke their mother tongue4 ,but suppose they had representatives from ,spain1 ,france and ,germany4 ,the lips of those ,continental ,bishops would be sealed because they could not speak to their ,english brothers2 their ears also would be sealed because they could not comprehend what was said to them4 ,in #ahfi1 at the ,ecumenical ,council of the ,vatican1 were assembled ,bishops from all parts of the world speaking all the civilized languages of ,christendom4 ,had those ,bishops no uniform language to express their thoughts1 public debates and familiar conversation among them would have been impracticable4 ,the ,council ,chamber would have been a confused ,babel of tongues4 ,but1 thanks to the ,latin language1 which they all spoke 7except a few ,orientals71 their speeches were as plainly understood as if each had spoken in his native dialect4 ,third--,moreover1 the ,bishops and ,clergy of the ,catholic ,church are in frequent correspondence with the ,holy ,see4 ,this requires that they should communicate in one uniform language1 otherwise the ,pope would be compelled to employ secretaries speaking every language in ,christendom4 ,but if the ,priest says ,mass in an unknown tongue1 are not the people thereby kept in ignorance of what he says1 and is not their time wasted in ,church8 ,we are forced to smile at such charges1 which are flippantly repeated from year to year4 ,these assertions arise from a total ignorance of the ,mass4 ,many ,protestants imagine that the essence of public worship consists in a sermon4 ,hence1 to their minds1 the primary duty of a congregation is to listen to a discourse from the pulpit4 ,prayer1 on the contrary1 according to ,catholic teaching1 is the most essential duty of a congregation1 though they are also regularly instructed by sermons4 ,now1 what is the ,mass8 ,it is not a sermon1 but it is a sacrifice of prayer which the ,priest offers up to ,god for himself and the people4 ,when the ,priest says ,mass he is speaking not to the people1 but to ,god1 to whom all languages are equally intelligible4 ,the congregation1 indeed1 could not be expected to hear the ,priest1 even if he spoke in ,english1 since his face is turned from them1 and the greater part of what he says is pronounced in an undertone4 ,and this was the system of worship ,god ordained in the ancient dispensation1 as we learn from the ,old ,testament and from the first chapter of ,st4 ,luke4 ,the ,priest offered sacrifice and prayed for the people in the sanctuary1 while they prayed at a distance in the court4 ,in all the schismatic churches of the ,east the ,priest in the public service prays not in the vulgar1 but in a dead language4 ,such1 also1 is the practice in the ,jewish synagogues at this day4 ,the ,rabbi reads the prayers in ,hebrew1 a language with which many of the congregation are not familiar4 ,but is it true that the people do not understand what the ,priest says at ,mass8 ,not at all4 ,for1 by the aid of an ,english ,missal1 or any other ,manual1 they are able to follow the officiating clergyman from the beginning to the end of the service4 ,you also observe lighted tapers on the altar1 and you desire to know for what purpose they are used4 ,in the ,old ,law the ,almighty ,himself ordained that lighted chandeliers should adorn the tabernacle47#dbh7 ,assuredly1 that cannot be improper in the ,new ,dispensation which ,god sanctioned in the ,old4 ,the lights upon our altars have both a historical and a symbolical meaning4 ,in the primitive days of the ,church ,christianity was not tolerated by the ,pagan world4 ,the ,christians were1 consequently1 obliged to assemble for public worship in the ,catacombs of ,rome and other secret places4 ,these ,catacombs1 or subterranean rooms1 still exist1 and are objects of deep interest to the pious stranger visiting the ,eternal ,city4 ,as these hidden apartments did not admit the light of the sun1 the faithful were obliged to have lights even in open day4 ,in commemoration of the event the ,church has retained the use of lights on her altars4 ,lighted candles have also a symbolical meaning4 ,they represent our ,savior1 who is 8the light of the world10 8who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world10 without whom we should be wandering in darkness and in the shadow of death4 ,they also serve to remind us to 8let our light so shine before men 7by our good example7 that they may see our good works and glorify our ,father who is in heaven40 ,lights are used1 too1 as a sign of spiritual joy4 ,st4 ,jerome1 who lived in the fourth century1 remarks3 8,throughout all the ,churches of the ,east1 before the reading of the ,gospel1 candles are lighted at mid-day1 not to dispel darkness1 but as a sign of joy40 ,you also noticed the ,priest incensing the altar4 ,incense is a striking emblem of prayer1 which should ascend to heaven from hearts burning with love1 just as the fragrant smoke ascends from the censer4 8,let my prayer10 says the ,royal ,prophet1 8ascend like incense in ,thy sight407#dbi7 ,god enjoined in the ,old ,law the use of incense3 8,aaron shall burn sweet-smelling incense upon the altar in the morning407#dcj7 ,hence we see the ,priest ,zachariah 8offer incense on going into the temple of the ,lord4 ,and all the multitude were praying without at the hour of incense407#dca7 ,you perceive that the altar is decorated today with vases and flowers because this is a festival of the ,church4 ,there is one spot on earth which can never be too richly adorned1 and that is the sanctuary in which our ,lord vouchsafes to dwell among us4 ,nothing is too good1 nothing too beautiful1 nothing too precious for ,god4 ,he gives us all we possess1 and the least we can do in return is to ornament that spot which ,he has chosen for ,his abode upon earth4 ,the ,almighty1 it is true1 has no need of our gifts4 ,he is rich without them4 8,the earth is the ,lord's and the fulness thereof40 ,nevertheless1 ,he is pleased to accept our offerings when they are bestowed upon ,him as a mark of our affection1 just as a father joyfully receives from his child a present bought with his own means4 ,our ,savior gratefully accepted the treasures of the ,magi1 though he could have done without such gifts4 ,some persons1 when they see our sanctuary sumptuously decorated1 will exclaim3 ,would it not have been better to give to the poor the money spent in purchasing these things8 ,so complained ,judas 7though caring not for the poor7#dcb77 when ,mary poured from an alabaster vase the precious ointment on the feet of an approving ,savior4 ,why should not we imitate ,mary by placing at ,his feet1 around ,his sanctuary1 our vases with their chaste and fragrant flowers1 that the ,church may be filled with their perfume1 as ,simon's house was filled with the odor of the ointment8 ,does not the ,almighty at certain seasons adorn with lilies and flowers of every hue this earth1 which is the great temple of nature8 ,and what is more appropriate than that we should on special occasions embellish our sanctuary1 the place which ,he has chosen for ,his habitation among us8 ,it is sweet to snatch from the field its fairest treasures wherewith to beautify the temple made with hands4 ,the sacred vestments which you saw worn by the officiating ,priest must have struck you as very antique and out of fashion4 ,nor is this surprising1 for if you saw a lady enter church today with a head-dress such as worn in the days of ,queen ,elizabeth1 her appearance would look to you very singular4 ,now1 our priestly vestments are far older in style than the days of ,queen ,elizabeth2 much older even than the ,british ,empire4 ,eusebius and other writers of the fourth century speak of them as already existing in their times4 ,it is no wonder1 therefore1 that these vestments look odd to the unfamiliar eye4 ,in the ,old ,law ,god prescribed to the ,priests the vestments which they should wear while engaged in their sacred office3 8,and these shall be the vestments which they shall make 7for the ,priest73 a rational and an ephod1 a tunic and a straight linen garment1 a mitre and a girdle4 ,they shall make the holy vestments for thy brother ,aaron and his sons1 that they may do the office of priesthood unto ,me407#dcc7 ,guided by ,heaven1 the ,church also prescribes sacred garments for her ministering ,priests2 for it is eminently proper and becoming that the minister of ,god1 while engaged in the sacred mysteries1 should be arrayed in garments which would constantly impress upon him his sacred character and remind him1 as well as the congregation1 of the sublime functions he is performing4 ,the vestments worn by the ,priest while celebrating ,mass are an amict1 or white cloth around the neck2 an alb1 or white garment reaching to his ankles1 and bound around his waist by a cincture2 a maniple suspended from his left arm2 a stole1 which is placed over his shoulders and crossed at the breast2 and a chasuble1 or large outer garment4 ,the chasuble1 stole and maniple vary in color according to the occasion4 ,thus1 white vestments are used at ,christmas1 ,easter and other festivals of joy1 also on feasts of ,confessors and ,virgins2 red are used at ,pentecost and on festivals of ,apostles and ,martyrs2 green from ,trinity ,sunday to ,advent1 on days having no special feast2 purple during ,lent and ,advent1 and black in ,masses for the dead4 ,one more word on this subject4 ,only a few years ago the whole ,protestant world was united in denouncing the use of floral decorations on our altars1 incense1 sacred vestments1 and even the altar itself1 as abominations of ,popery4 ,but of late a better spirit has taken possession of a respectable portion of the ,protestant ,episcopal church4 ,after having exhausted their wrath against our vestments1 and vilified them as the rags of the wicked woman of ,babylon1 the members of the ,ritualistic church have1 with remarkable dexterity1 passed from one extreme to the other4 ,they don our vestments1 they swing our censer1 erect altars in their churches and adorn them with flowers and candle-sticks4 ,these ,ritualists are1 however1 easily discerned from the true ,priest4 ,should one of them ever appear before the ,father of the faithful in these ill-fitting robes the venerable ,pontiff would exclaim1 with the ,patriarch of old3 8,the voice indeed is the voice of ,jacob1 but the hands are the hands of ,esau40 ,i feel the garment of the ,priest1 but ,i hear the voice of the parson4 ,god grant that1 as our misguided brothers have assumed our sacerdotal garments1 they may adopt our faith1 that their speech may conform to their dress4 ,then1 having laid aside their earthly stoles1 may they deserve1 like all faithful ,priests1 to be seen 8standing before the throne1 and in sight of the ,lamb1 with white stoles and palms in their hands1 444 saying3 #8,salvation to our ,god1 who sitteth upon the throne1 and to the ,lamb4' 07#dcd7 ,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,sacrament ,,of ,,penance4 ,i4 ,the ,divine ,institution ,of ,the ,sacrament ,of ,penance4 ,the whole history of ,jesus ,christ is marked by mercy and compassion for suffering humanity4 ,from the moment of ,his incarnation till the hour of ,his death every thought and word and act of ,his ,divine life was directed toward the alleviation of the ills and miseries of fallen man4 ,as soon as ,he enters on ,his public career ,he goes about doing good to all men4 ,he gives sight to the blind1 hearing to the deaf1 vigor to paralyzed limbs2 ,he applies the salve of comfort to the bleeding heart and raises the dead to life4 ,but1 while ,jesus occupied ,himself in bringing relief to corporal infirmities1 the principal object of ,his mission was to release the soul from the bonds of sin4 ,the very name of ,jesus indicates this important truth3 8,thou shalt call ,his name ,jesus10 says the angel1 8for ,he shall save ,his people from their sins407#dce7 ,for1 if ,jesus had contented ,himself with healing the maladies of our body without attending to those of our soul1 ,he would deserve1 indeed1 to be called our ,physician1 but would not merit the more endearing titles of ,savior and ,redeemer4 ,but as sin was the greatest evil of man1 and as ,jesus came to remove from us our greatest evils1 ,he came into the world chiefly as the great ,absolver from sin4 ,magdalen seems to have a consciousness of this4 ,she casts herself at ,his feet1 which she washes with her tears and wipes with her hair1 while ,jesus pronounces over her the saving words of absolution4 ,the very demons recognized ,jesus as the enemy of sin1 for they dreaded ,his approach1 knowing that ,he would drive them out of the bodies of men4 ,our ,lord makes the healing of the body secondary to that of the soul4 ,when ,he delivers the body from its distempers ,his object is to win the confidence of the spectators by compelling them to recognize ,him as the soul's ,physician4 ,he says1 for instance1 to the palsied man1 8,thy sins are forgiven407#dcf7 ,the scribes are offended at our ,savior for presuming to forgive sins4 ,he replies1 in substance3 ,if you do not believe ,my words1 believe ,my acts2 and ,he at once heals the man of his disease4 ,after he had cured the man that had been languishing for thirty-eight years ,he whispered to him this gentle admonition1 8,sin no more1 lest some worst thing may happen to thee407#dcg7 ,as much as our spiritual substance excels the flesh that surrounds it1 so much more did our ,savior value the resurrection of a soul from the grave of sin than the resurrection of the body from that of death4 ,hence ,st4 ,augustine pointedly remarks that1 while the ,gospel relates only three resurrections of the body1 our ,lord1 during ,his mortal life1 raised thousands of souls to the life of grace4 ,as the ,church was established by ,jesus ,christ to perpetuate the work which he had begun1 it follows that the reconciliation of sinners to ,god was to be the principal office of sacred ministers4 ,but the important question here presents itself3 ,how was man to obtain forgiveness in the ,church after our ,lord's ascension8 ,was ,jesus ,christ to appear in person to every sinful soul and say to each penitent1 as ,he said to ,magdalen1 8,thy sins are forgiven thee10 or did ,he intend to delegate this power of forgiving sins to ministers appointed for that purpose8 ,we know well that our ,savior never promised to present ,himself visibly to each sinner1 nor has ,he done so4 ,his plan1 therefore1 must have been to appoint ministers of reconciliation to act in ,his name4 ,it has always1 indeed1 been the practice of ,almighty ,god1 both in the ,old and the ,new ,law1 to empower human agents to execute ,his merciful designs4 ,when ,jehovah resolved to deliver the children of ,israel from the captivity of ,egypt ,he appointed ,moses their deliverer4 ,when ,god wished them to escape from the pursuit of ,pharaoh across the ,red ,sea1 did ,he intervene directly8 ,no2 but1 by ,his instructions1 ,moses raised his hand over the waters and they were instantly divided4 ,when the people were dying from thirst in the desert1 did ,god come visibly to their rescue8 ,no2 but ,moses struck the rock1 from which the water instantly issued4 ,when ,paul1 breathing vengeance against the ,christians1 was going to ,damascus1 did our ,savior personally restore his sight1 convert and baptize him8 ,no2 ,he sent ,paul to ,his servant ,ananias1 who restored his sight and baptized him4 ,the same ,apostle beautifully describes to us in one sentence of his ,epistle to the ,corinthians the arrangement of ,divine ,providence in the reconciliation of sinners3 8,god10 he says1 8hath reconciled us to ,himself through ,christ1 and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation4444 ,for ,christ1 therefore1 we are ambassadors2 ,god1 as it were1 exhorting through us407#dch7 ,that is to say1 ,god sends ,christ to reconcile sinners2 ,christ sends us4 ,we are ,his ambassadors1 reconciling sinners in ,his name4 ,when ,i think of this tremendous power that we possess ,i congratulate the members of the ,church1 for whose benefit it is conferred2 ,i tremble for myself and my fellow-ministers1 for terrible is our responsibility1 while we have nothing to glory in4 ,christ is the living ,fountain of grace3 we are but the channels through which it is conveyed to your souls4 ,christ is the treasure2 we are but the pack-horses that carry it4 8,we bear this treasure in earthen vessels40 ,christ is the shepherd2 we are the pipe ,he uses to call ,his sheep4 ,our words sounding in the confessional are but the feeble echo of the voice of the ,spirit of ,god that purified the ,apostles in the cenacle of ,jerusalem4 ,but have we ,gospel authority to show that our ,savior did confer on the ,apostles and their successors the power to forgive sins8 ,we have the most positive testimony1 and our ,savior's words conferring this power are expressed in the plainest language which admits of no misconception4 ,in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew our ,savior thus addresses ,peter3 8,thou art ,peter1 and on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church4444 ,and ,i will give to thee the keys of the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven1 and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven407#dci7 ,and to all the ,apostles assembled together on another occasion ,he uses the same forcible language3 8,whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven1 and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven407#ddj7 ,the soul is enchained by sin4 ,i give you power1 says our ,lord1 to release the penitent soul from its galling fetters1 and to restore it to the liberty of a child of ,god4 ,in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john we have a still more striking declaration of the absolving power given by our ,savior to ,his ,apostles4 ,jesus1 after ,his resurrection1 thus addresses ,his disciples3 8,peace be to you4 ,as the ,father hath sent ,me1 ,i also send you4444 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost2 whose sins ye shall forgive1 they are forgiven them1 and whose sins ye shall retain1 they are retained407#dda7 ,that peace which ,i give to you you will impart to repentant souls as a pledge of their reconciliation with ,god4 ,the absolving power ,i have from ,my ,father1 the same ,i communicate to you4 ,receive the ,holy ,ghost1 that you may impart this ,holy ,spirit to souls possessed by the spirit of evil4 8,if their sins are as scarlet1 they shall be made as white as snow2 and if they be red as crimson1 they shall be white as wool407#ddb7 ,if they are as numerous as the sands on the seashore1 they shall be blotted out1 provided they come to you with contrite hearts4 ,the sentence of mercy which you shall pronounce on earth ,i will ratify in heaven4 ,from these words of ,st4 ,john ,i draw three important conclusions3 ,it follows1 first1 that the forgiving power was not restricted to the ,apostles1 but extended to their successors in the ministry unto all times and places4 ,the forgiveness of sin was to continue while sin lasted in the world2 and as sin1 alas6 will always be in the world1 so will the remedy for sin be always in the ,church4 ,the medicine will co-exist with the disease4 ,the power which our ,lord gave the ,apostles to preach1 to baptize1 to confirm1 to ordain1 etc41 was transmitted by them to their successors4 ,why not also the power which they had received to forgive sins1 since man's greatest need is his reconciliation with ,god by the forgiveness of his offences8 ,it follows1 secondly that forgiveness of sin was ordinarily to be obtained only through the ministry of the ,apostles and their successors1 just as it was from them that the people were to receive the word of ,god and the grace of ,baptism4 ,the pardoning power was a great prerogative conferred on the ,apostles4 ,but what kind of prerogative would it be if people could always obtain forgiveness by confessing to ,god secretly in their rooms8 ,how few would have recourse to the ,apostles if they could obtain forgiveness on easier terms6 ,god says to ,his chosen ministers3 ,i give you the keys of ,my kingdom1 that you may dispense the treasures of mercy to repenting sinners4 ,but of what use would it be to give the ,apostles the keys of ,god's treasures for the ransom of sinners1 if every sinner could obtain his ransom without applying to the ,apostles8 ,if ,i gave you1 dear reader1 the keys of my house1 authorizing you to admit whom you please1 that they might partake of the good things contained in it1 you would conclude that ,i had done you a small favor if you discovered that every one was possessed of a private key1 and could enter when he pleased without consulting you4 ,i have said that forgiveness of sins is ordinarily to be obtained through the ministry of the ,apostles and of their successors1 because it may sometimes happen that the services of ,god's minister cannot be obtained4 ,a merciful ,lord will not require in this conjuncture more than a hearty sorrow for sin joined with a desire of having recourse as soon as practicable1 to the tribunal of ,penance2 for ,god's ordinances bind only such as are able to fulfil them4 ,it follows1 in the third place1 that the power of forgiving sins1 on the part of ,god's minister1 involves the obligation of confessing them on the part of the sinner4 ,the ,priest is not empowered to give absolution to every one indiscriminately4 ,he must exercise the power with judgment and discretion4 ,he must reject the impenitent and absolve the penitent4 ,but how will he judge of the disposition of the sinner unless he knows his sins1 and how will the ,priest know his sins unless they are confessed8 ,hence1 we are not surprised when we read in the ,acts that 8,many of them who believed came confessing and declaring their deeds07#ddc7 to the ,apostles4 ,why did they confess their sins unless they were bound to do so8 ,hence1 also1 we understand why ,st4 ,john says3 8,if we confess our sins1 ,he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity407#ddd7 ,the strength of these texts of ,scripture will appear to you much more forcible when you are told that all the ,fathers of the ,church1 from the first to the last1 insist upon the necessity of ,sacramental ,confession as a ,divine institution4 ,we are not unfrequently told by those who are little acquainted with the doctrine and history of the ,church1 that ,sacramental ,confession was not introduced into the ,church until #a1bjj years after the time of our ,savior4 ,in vindication of their bold assertion they even introduce quotations from ,,ss4 ,basil1 ,ambrose1 ,augustine1 ,jerome and ,chrysostom4 ,these quotations are utterly irrelevant2 but1 if seen in the context1 they will tend to prove1 instead of disproving1 the ,catholic doctrine of ,confession4 ,for the sake of brevity ,i shall cite only a few passages from the ,fathers referred to4 ,these citations ,i take1 almost at random1 from the copious writings of these ,fathers on ,confession4 ,from these extracts you can judge of the sentiments of all the ,fathers on the subject of ,confession4 8,ab uno disce omnes40 ,st4 ,basil writes3 8,in the confession of sins the same method must be observed as in laying open the infirmities of the body2 for as these are not rashly communicated to every one1 but to those only who understand by what method they may be cured1 so the confession of sins must be made to such persons as have the power to apply a remedy407#dde7 ,later on he tells us who those persons are4 8,necessarily1 our sins must be confessed to those to whom has been committed the dispensation of the mysteries of ,god4 ,thus1 also1 are they found to have acted who did penance of old in regard of the saints4 ,it is written in the ,acts1 they confessed to the ,apostles1 by whom also they were baptized407#ddf7 ,two conclusions obviously follow from these passages of ,st4 ,basil3 ,first1 the necessity of confession4 ,second1 the obligation of declaring our sins to a ,priest to whom in the ,new ,law is committed 8the dispensation of the mysteries of ,god40 ,st4 ,ambrose1 of ,milan1 writes3 8,the poison is sin2 the remedy1 the accusation of one's crime3 the poison is iniquity2 confession is the remedy of the relapse4 ,and1 therefore1 it is truly a remedy against poison1 if thou declare thine iniquities1 that thou mayest be justified4 ,art thou ashamed8 ,this shame will avail thee little at the judgment seat of ,god407#ddg7 ,the following passage clearly shows that the great ,light of the ,church of ,milan is speaking of confession to ,priests3 8,there are some10 continues ,st4 ,ambrose1 8who ask for penance that they may at once be restored to ,communion4 ,these do not so much desire to be loosed as to bind the ,priest2 for they do not unburden their conscience1 but they burden his1 who is commanded not to give holy things unto dogs--that is1 not easily to admit impure souls to the ,holy ,communion407#ddh7 ,paulinus1 the secretary of ,st4 ,ambrose1 in his life of that great ,bishop relates that he used to weep over the penitents whose confessions he heard4 ,st4 ,augustine writes3 8,our merciful ,god wills us to confess in this world that we may not be confounded in the other407#ddi7 ,and again3 8,let no one say to himself1 ,i do penance to ,god in private1 ,i do it before ,god4 ,is it then in vain that ,christ hath said1 #8,whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven8' ,is it in vain that the keys have been given to the ,church8 ,do we make void the ,gospel1 void the words of ,christ807#dej7 ,in this extract how well doth the great ,doctor meet the sophistry of those who1 in our times1 say that it is sufficient to confess to ,god6 ,st4 ,chrysostom1 in his thirtieth ,homily1 says3 8,lo6 we have now1 at length1 reached the close of ,holy ,lent2 now especially we must press forward in the career of fasting1 444 and exhibit a full and accurate confession of our sins1 444 that with these good works1 having come to the day of ,easter1 we may enjoy the bounty of the ,lord4444 ,for1 as the enemy knows that having confessed our sins and shown our wounds to the physician we attain to an abundant cure1 he in an especial manner opposes us40 ,again he says3 8,do not confess to me only of fornication1 nor of those things that are manifest among all men1 but bring together also thy secret calumnies and evil speakings1 444 and all such things407#dea7 ,the great ,doctor plainly enjoins here a detailed and specific confession of our sins not to ,god1 but to ,his minister1 as the whole context evidently shows4 ,the same ,father1 in an eloquent treatise on the power of the sacred ministry1 uses the following words3 8,to the ,priests is given a power which ,god would not grant either to angels or archangels2 inasmuch that what the ,priests do below ,god ratifies above1 and the ,master confirms the sentence of ,his servants4 ,for1 ,he says1 #8,whose sins you shall retain1 they are retained4' 8,what power1 ,i ask1 can be greater than this8 ,the ,father hath given all power to the ,son2 and ,i see all this same power delivered to them by ,god the ,son4 8,to cleanse the leprosy of the body1 or rather to pronounce it cleansed1 was given to the ,jewish ,priests alone4 ,but to our ,priests is granted the power not of declaring healed the leprosy of the body1 but of absolutely cleansing the defilements of the soul407#deb7 ,and again3 8,if a sinner1 as becomes him2 would use the aid of his conscience1 and hasten to confess his crimes and disclose his ulcer to his physician1 who may heal and not reproach1 and receive remedies from him2 if he would speak to him alone1 without the knowledge of any one1 and with care lay all before him1 easily would he amend his failings2 for the confession of sins is the absolution of crimes407#dec7 ,st4 ,jerome writes3 8,if the serpent1 the devil1 secretly bite a man and thus infect him with the poison of sin1 and this man shall remain silent1 and do not penance1 nor be willing to make known his wound to his brother and master2 the master1 who has a tongue that can heal1 cannot easily serve him4 ,for if the ailing man be ashamed to open his case to the physician no cure can be expected2 for medicine does not cure that of which it knows nothing407#ded7 ,elsewhere he says3 8,with us the ,bishop or ,priest binds or looses--not them who are merely innocent or guilty--but having heard1 as his duty requires1 the various qualities of sin he understands who should be bound and who loosed407#dee7 ,could the ,catholic doctrine regarding the power of the ,priests and the obligation of confession be expressed in stronger language than this8 ,and yet these are the very ,fathers who are represented to be opposed to ,sacramental ,confession6 ,with a reckless disregard of the unanimous voice of antiquity our adversaries have the hardihood to assert that private or ,sacramental ,confession was introduced at a period subsequent to the twelfth century4 ,they do not1 however1 vouchsafe to inform us by what ,pope or ,bishop or ,father of the ,church1 or by what ,council1 or in what country1 this monstrous innovation was foisted on the ,christian ,republic4 ,surely1 an institution which1 in their estimation1 has been fraught with such dire calamity to ,christendom1 ought to have its origin marked with more precision4 ,it is sometimes prudent1 however1 not to be too particular in fixing dates4 ,i shall now1 ,i trust1 show to the satisfaction of the reader3 ,first--,that ,sacramental ,confession was not introduced4 ,second--,that it could not have been introduced into the ,church since the days of the ,apostles1 and consequently that it is ,apostolic in its origin4 ,that ,confession was not invented since the days of the ,apostles is manifest as soon as we attempt to fix the period of its first establishment4 ,let us go back1 step1 by step1 from the nineteenth to the first century4 ,it had not its origin in the present century1 as everybody will admit4 ,nor did it arise in the sixteenth century1 since the ,general ,council of ,trent1 held in that age1 speaks of it as an established and venerable institution and ,luther says that 8auricular ,confession1 as now in vogue1 is useful1 nay1 necessary2 nor would ,i10 he adds1 8have it abolished1 since it is the remedy of afflicted consciences407#def7 ,even ,henry ,,viii41 before he founded a new sect1 wrote a treatise in defence of the ,sacraments1 including ,penance and ,confession4 ,it was not introduced in the thirteenth century1 for the ,fourth ,council of ,lateran passed a decree in #abae obliging the faithful to confess their sins at least once a year4 ,this decree1 of course1 supposes ,confession to be already an established fact4 ,some ,protestant writers fall into a common error in interpreting the decree of the ,lateran ,council by saying 8,sacramental ,confession was never required in the ,church of ,rome until the thirteenth century40 ,the ,council simply prescribed a limit beyond which the faithful should not defer their confession4 ,these writers seem incapable of distinguishing between a law obliging us to a certain duty and a statute fixing the time for fulfilling it4 ,they might as well suppose that the revenue officer creates the law regarding the payment of taxes when he issues a notice requiring the revenue to be paid within a given time4 ,going back to the ninth century we find that ,confession could not have had its rise then4 ,it was at that period that the ,greek schism took its rise1 under the leadership of ,photius4 ,the ,greek schismatic church has remained since then a communion separate from the ,catholic ,church1 having no spiritual relations with us4 ,now1 the ,greek church is as tenaciously attached to private ,confession as we are4 ,for the same reasons ,confession could not date its origin from the fifth or fourth century4 ,the ,arians revolted from the ,church in the fourth century1 and the ,nestorians and ,eutychians in the fifth4 ,the two last-named sects still exist in large numbers in ,persia1 ,abyssinia and along the coast of ,malabar1 and retain ,confession as one of their most sacred and cherished practices4 ,in fine1 no human agency could succeed in instituting ,confession between the first and fourth century1 for the teachings of our ,divine ,redeemer and of ,his disciples had made too vivid an impression on the ,christian community to be easily effaced2 and the worst enemies of the ,church admit that no spot or wrinkle had yet deformed her fair visage in this1 the golden age of her existence4 ,these remarks suffice to convince us that ,sacramental ,confession was not instituted since the time of the ,apostles4 ,i shall now endeavor to prove to your satisfaction that its introduction into the ,church1 since the ,apostolic age1 was absolutely impossible4 ,there are two ways in which we may suppose that error might insinuate itself into the ,church1 viz43 suddenly1 or by slow process4 ,now1 the introduction of ,confession in either of those ways was simply impossible4 ,first1 nothing can be more absurd than to suppose that ,confession was immediately forced upon the ,christian world4 ,for experience demonstrates with what slowness and difficulty men are divested of their religious impressions1 whether true or false4 ,if such is the case with individuals1 how ridiculous would it seem for whole nations to adopt in a single day some article of belief which they had never admitted before4 ,hence1 we cannot imagine1 without doing violence to our good sense1 that all the good people of ,christendom went to rest one night ignorant of the ,sacrament of ,penance1 and rose next morning firm believers in the ,catholic doctrine of auricular ,confession4 ,as well might we suppose that the citizens of the ,united ,states would retire to rest believing they were living under a ,republic1 and awake impressed with the conviction that they were under the rule of ,queen ,victoria4 ,nor is it less absurd to suppose that the practice of ,confession was introduced by degrees4 ,how can we imagine that the ,fathers of the ,church--the ,clements1 the ,leos1 the ,gregories1 the ,chrysostoms1 the ,jeromes1 the ,basils and ,augustines1 those intrepid ,high ,priests of the ,lord1 who1 in every age1 at the risk of persecution1 exile and death have stood like faithful sentinels on the watch-towers of ,israel1 defending with sleepless eyes the outskirts of the city of ,god from the slightest attack--how can we imagine1 ,i say1 that they would suffer the enemy of truth to invade the very sanctuary of ,god's temple8 ,if they were so vigilant in cutting off the least withered branch of error1 how would they tamely submit to see so monstrous an exotic engrafted on the fruitful tree of the ,church8 ,what gives additional weight to these remarks is the reflection that ,confession is not a speculative doctrine1 but a doctrine of the most practical kind1 influencing our daily actions1 words and thoughts--a ,sacrament to which thousands of ,christians have constant recourse in every part of the world4 ,it is a doctrine1 moreover1 hard to flesh and blood1 and which no human power1 even if it had the will1 could impose on the human race4 ,it is only a ,god that1 in such a case1 could exact the homage of our assent4 ,in whatever light1 therefore1 we view the present question--whether we consider the circumstances of time1 place1 manner of its introduction--the same inevitable conclusion stares us in the face3 that ,sacramental confession is not the invention of man1 but the institution of ,jesus ,christ4 ,but the doctrine of priestly absolution and the private confession of sins is not confined to the ,roman ,catholic and ,oriental schismatic churches4 ,the same doctrine is also taught by a large and influential portion of the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church of ,england4 ,the ,rev4 ,c4 ,s4 ,grueber1 a clergyman of the ,church of ,england1 has recently published a catechism in which the absolving power of the minister of ,god1 and the necessity and advantage of confession1 are plainly set forth4 ,i will quote from the ,rev4 gentleman's book his identical words3 ,question4 ,what do you mean by absolution8 ,answer4 ,the pardon or forgiveness of sin4 ,q4 ,by what special ordinance of ,christ are sins committed after ,baptism to be pardoned8 ,a4 ,by the sacrament of absolution4 ,q4 ,who is the minister of absolution8 ,a4 ,a ,priest4 ,q4 ,do you mean that a ,priest can really absolve8 ,a4 ,yes4 ,q4 ,in what place of the ,holy ,scripture is it recorded that ,christ gave this power to the priesthood8 ,a4 ,in ,john xx4 #bc2 see also ,matt4 xviii4 #ah4 ,q4 ,what does the prayer-book 7or ,book of ,common ,prayer7 say8 ,a4 ,in the office for the ordaining of ,priests the ,bishop is directed to say1 8,receive the ,holy ,ghost for the office and work of a ,priest in the ,church of ,god4 ,whose sins thou dost forgive1 they are forgiven40 ,in the office for the visitation of the sick it is said1 8,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ hath left in ,his ,church power to absolve all sinners that truly repent and believe in ,him40 ,in the order for morning and evening prayer we say again1 8,almighty ,god hath given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to ,his people1 being penitent1 the absolution and remission of their sins40 ,q4 ,for what purpose hath ,christ given this power to ,priests to pronounce absolution in ,his name8 ,a4 ,for the consolation of the penitent2 the quieting of his conscience4 ,q4 ,what must precede the absolution of the penitent8 ,a4 ,confession4444 ,before absolution privately given1 confession must be made to a ,priest privately4 ,q4 ,in what case does the ,church of ,england order her ministers to move people to private1 or1 as it is called1 to auricular confession8 ,a4 ,when they feel their conscience troubled with any weighty matter4 ,q4 ,what is weighty matter8 ,a4 ,mortal sin certainly is weighty2 sins of omission or commission of any kind that press upon the mind are so1 too4 ,anything may be weighty that causes scruple or doubtfulness4 ,q4 ,at what times in particular does the ,church so order8 ,a4 ,in the time of sickness1 and before coming to the ,holy ,communion4 ,q4 ,is there any other class of persons to whom confession is profitable8 ,a4 ,yes2 to those who desire to lead a saintly life4 ,these1 indeed1 are the persons who most frequently resort to it4 ,q4 ,is there any other object in confession1 besides the seeking absolution for past sin and the quieting of the penitent's conscience8 ,a4 ,yes2 the practice of confessing each single sin is a great check upon the commission of sin and a preservative of purity of life47#deg7 ,here we have the ,divine institution of priestly absolution and the necessity and advantage of ,sacramental confession plainly taught1 not in a speculative treatise1 but in a practical catechism1 by a distinguished minister of the ,church of ,england2 taught by a minister who draws his salary from the funds of the ,protestant ,episcopal church2 who preaches and administers in a church edifice recognized as a ,protestant ,episcopal church1 and who is in strict communion with a ,bishop of the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church of ,england4 ,and these doctrines are upheld1 not by one eminent ,divine only1 but by hundreds of clergymen1 as well as by thousands of the ,protestant ,episcopalians of ,england4 ,what a strange spectacle to behold the same church teaching diametrically opposite doctrines6 ,what is orthodox in the diocese of ,bath and ,wells is decidedly heterodox in the diocese of ,north ,carolina4 ,an ordinance which ,rev4 ,mr4 ,grueber proclaims to be of ,divine faith is characterized by ,rt4 ,rev4 ,bishop ,atkinson7#deh7 as the invention of men4 ,what ,dr4 ,grueber inculcates as a most salutary practice ,dr4 ,atkinson anathematizes as pernicious to religion4 ,confession1 which1 in the judgment of the former1 is a great 8check upon the commission of sin10 is stigmatized by the latter as an incentive to sin4 8,behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity407#dei7 ,suppose that the venerable ,protestant ,episcopal ,bishop of ,north ,carolina1 in passing through ,england1 were invited by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,grueber to preach in his church in the morning1 and that the ,rt4 ,rev4 ,prelate chose for his subject a sermon on confession2 and suppose that the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,grueber selected in the evening1 as the subject of his discourse1 the doctrine advanced by him in his catechism4 ,let us imagine some benighted dissenter attending ,mr4 ,grueber's church at the morning and evening service1 with the view to being enlightened in the teachings of the ,protestant church4 ,would not our dissenter be sorely perplexed1 on returning home at night1 as to what the ,protestant ,episcopal church really did teach8 ,some ,episcopalians are pleased to admit that confession may be resorted to with spiritual profit in certain abnormal cases--for instance1 in time of sickness4 ,so that1 in their judgment1 a religious observance which is salutary to a sick man is pernicious to him in good health4 ,for the life of me1 ,i cannot see how the circumstances of bodily health can affect the moral character of a religious act4 ,that a minister of the ,baptist or the ,methodist church should deny the power of priestly absolution ,i readily understand1 since these churches disclaim1 in their confessions of faith1 any such prerogative for their clergy4 ,but ,i cannot well conceive why a ,protestant ,episcopalian should repudiate the pardoning power1 which is plainly asserted in his standard prayer-book4 ,whenever an ,episcopalian ,bishop imposes hands on candidates for the ministry he employs the following words1 which are found in the ,book of ,common ,prayer3 8,receive the ,holy ,ghost for the office and work of a ,priest in the ,church of ,god1 now committed unto thee by the imposition of our hands4 ,whose sins thou dost forgive1 they are forgiven2 and whose sins thou dost retain1 they are retained407#dfj7 ,if these words do not mean that the minister receives by the imposition of the ,bishop's hands the power of forgiving sin1 they mean nothing at all4 ,when the ,bishop pronounces this sentence1 either he intends to convey this power of absolution1 or he does not4 ,if he intended to confer this power1 he could not employ more clear and precise language to express his idea2 if he did not intend to confer this power1 then his language is calculated to mislead4 ,just imagine that prelate addressing a candidate for ,holy ,orders1 in the morning1 with the words3 8,whose sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven20 and after ,divine service saying to the young minister3 8,remember1 sir1 you have no power to forgive sins4 ,the words of ordination are a mere figure of speech40 ,when a ,catholic ,bishop ordains ,priests he uses the precise words which ,i have quoted1 because the ,book of ,common ,prayer borrows them from our ,pontifical4 ,but he means exactly what he says1 viz3 ,that the ,priest receives through the ministration of the ,bishop the power of forgiving sins4 ,to sum up3 ,we have seen that the ,sacrament of ,penance and absolution by the ,priest is taught in ,scripture1 proclaimed by the ,fathers1 upheld not only by ,roman ,catholics throughout the world1 but also by all the schismatic ,christians of the ,east4 ,it is inculcated in those old and genuine editions of the ,book of ,common ,prayer1 which have not been enervated by being subjected to the pruning-knife in this country1 and the same practice is encouraged by an influential portion of the ,protestant ,episcopal church in ,england1 and ,i will add1 also1 in the ,united ,states4 ,again1 some object to priestly absolution on the assumption that the exercise of such a function would be a usurpation of an incommunicable prerogative of ,god1 who alone can forgive sins4 ,this was precisely the language addressed by the ,scribes to our ,savior4 ,they exclaimed3 8,he blasphemeth6 who can forgive sins but ,god only807#dfa7 ,my answer1 therefore1 will be equally applicable to old and modern objectors4 ,it is not blasphemy for a ,priest to claim the power of forgiving sins1 since he acts as the delegate of the ,most ,high4 ,it would1 indeed1 be blasphemous if a ,priest pretended to absolve in his own name and by virtue of his own authority4 ,but when the ,priest absolves the penitent sinner he acts in the name1 and by the express authority1 of ,jesus ,christ2 for he says3 8,i absolve thee in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost40 ,let it be understood once for all that the ,priest arrogates to himself no ,divine powers4 ,he is but a feeble voice4 ,it is the ,holy ,spirit that operates sanctity in the soul of the penitent4 ,not a few ,protestant ,episcopalians1 ,i believe1 still admit that original sin is washed away in the ,sacrament of ,baptism4 ,if the minister is not guilty of blasphemy in being the instrument of ,god's mercy1 in forgiving sins by ,baptism1 how can a ,priest blaspheme in being the instrument of ,divine mercy1 in absolving sinners in the ,sacrament of ,penance8 ,the same ,lord who instituted ,baptism for the remission of original sin established ,penance for the forgiveness of sins committed after ,baptism4 ,did not the ,apostles exercise ,divine power in raising dead bodies to life1 and in raising souls that were dead to the life of grace8 ,and yet no one but ,scribes and ,pharisees accused them of usurping ,god's powers4 ,cannot the ,almighty1 without derogating from ,his own glory1 give to men in the nineteenth century privileges which ,he accorded to them in the first age of the ,church8 ,far1 then1 from dishonoring1 we honor ,god by having recourse to the earthly physician whom ,he has appointed for us1 and1 like the multitude in the ,gospel1 we 8glorify ,god1 who hath given such power to men407#dfb7 ,others object thus3 ,why confess to a ,priest1 when you may confess to ,god in secret4 ,i will retort by asking1 why do you build fine temples when you can worship ,god in the great temple of nature8 ,why pray in church when you can pray in your chamber8 ,why listen to a minister expounding the ,word of ,god when you can read the ,gospel at your leisure at home4 ,you answer that the ,lord authorizes these things4 ,so does ,he authorize priestly absolution4 ,this objection is not new4 ,it is very old4 ,st4 ,augustine1 who lived fourteen hundred years ago1 will answer the objection for me3 8,let no one10 remarks this illustrious ,doctor1 8say to himself1 ,i do penance to ,god in private2 ,i do it before ,god4 ,is it1 then1 in vain that ,christ has said3 #8,whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven'8 ,is it in vain that the keys have been given to the ,church80 ,the question for us is not what ,god is able to do1 but what ,he has willed to do4 ,god might have adopted other means for the justification of the sinner1 as ,he might have created a world different from the present one4 ,but it is our business to take our ,father at ,his word1 and to have recourse with gratitude to the system ,he has actually established for our justification4 ,now1 we are assured by ,his infallible word that it is by having recourse to ,his consecrated ministers that our sins will be forgiven us47#dfc7 ,it is related in the ,book of ,kings that ,naaman1 the ,syrian1 was afflicted with a grievous leprosy1 which baffled the skill of the physicians of his country4 ,he had in his household a ,jewish maid-servant4 ,she spoke to her master of the great prophet ,eliseus1 who lived in her native country1 to whom the ,lord had given the power of performing miracles4 ,she besought her master to consult the prophet4 ,naaman1 accordingly1 set out for the country of ,israel and begged ,eliseus to heal him4 ,the prophet told him to go and wash seven times in the ,jordan2 but ,naaman1 instead of doing as he was directed1 became very angry1 and said3 8,i thought he would have come out to me1 444 and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy1 and healed me4 ,are not the ,abana and the ,pharfar rivers of ,damascus1 better than all the waters of ,israel1 that ,i may wash in them1 and be made clean807#dfd7 ,but the servants of ,naaman remonstrated with him1 and besought him to comply with the prophet's injunction1 telling him that the conditions were easy and the ,jordan was at hand4 ,naaman went and washed and was cleansed4 ,our opponents1 like ,naaman1 cry out3 8,why should you go to a ,priest1 a sinner like yourself1 when secretly1 in your own room1 you can approach ,god1 the pure fountain of grace1 to be washed from your sins80 ,i answer1 because ,jesus ,christ1 a prophet1 and more than a prophet1 has commanded you to do so4 ,the last charge that ,i will notice is the most serious and the most offensive4 ,we are told that private confession is lawless2 that the conscience soon becomes 8enfeebled and chained and starved0 by it1 and1 worse and worse1 that sins are more readily committed1 if followed by an absolution conveying pardon--in other words1 that the more attached ,catholics are to the practice of their holy religion the more depraved and corrupt they become4 ,or1 if they remain faithful to ,god1 this is not by reason of1 but in spite of1 their religious exercises4 ,surely1 this was not the sentiment of the late ,dr4 ,ives1 once ,protestant ,bishop of ,north ,carolina1 and of many other illustrious converts1 who1 from the day of their conversion to the hour of their death never failed to receive consolation and strength from the sacred tribunal4 ,nor is it the sentiment of ,rev4 ,father ,lyman1 a ,catholic ,priest1 of ,baltimore1 and brother of the assistant ,protestant ,bishop of ,north ,carolina1 nor of the present ,archbishops of ,baltimore and ,philadelphia1 of the ,bishops of ,wilmington1 ,cleveland1 ,columbus and ,ogdensburg1 and a host of others1 both of the ,protestant clergy and laity1 who within the last fifty years have entered the ,catholic ,church4 ,if we compare the ,protestant and ,catholic systems for the forgiveness of sins1 the ,catholic system will not suffer by the comparison4 ,according to the ,protestant system1 repentance is necessary and sufficient for justification4 ,the ,catholic system also requires repentance on the part of the sinner as an indispensable prerequisite for the forgiveness of sin4 ,but it requires much more than this4 ,before the penitent receives absolution he must carefully examine his conscience and confess his sins1 according to their number and kind4 ,he is obliged to have a firm purpose of amendment1 to promise restitution1 if he has defrauded his neighbor1 to repair any injury done his neighbor's character1 to be reconciled with his enemies and to avoid the occasions of sin4 ,do not these obligations afford a better safeguard against a relapse into sin than a simple internal act of contrition8 ,many most eminent ,protestant1 and even infidel writers1 who were conversant with the practical workings of the confessional in the countries in which they lived1 bear testimony to the moral reformation produced by it4 ,the famous ,german philosopher1 ,leibnitz1 admits that it is a great benefit conferred on men by ,god that ,he left in ,his ,church the power of forgiving sins47#dfe7 ,voltaire1 certainly no friend of ,christianity1 avows 8that there is not perhaps a more useful institution than confession407#dff7 ,rousseau1 not less hostile to the ,church1 exclaims3 8,how many restitutions and reparations does not confession cause among ,catholics607#dfg7 ,the ,protestant authorities of ,nuremberg1 in ,germany1 shortly after the establishment of the reformed doctrines in that city1 were so much alarmed at the laxity of morals which succeeded after the abolition of confession that they petitioned their ,emperor1 ,charles ,v41 to have it restored4 ,it is a favorite custom for the adversaries of the ,catholic ,church to refer to the alleged loose morals prevailing in ,france and in other ,catholic countries as a proof of the inferior standard of ,catholic morality4 ,this is a safe1 and at the same time not the most honorable1 mode of attack1 as the people of those nations are too far off to defend themselves4 ,for my part1 ,i have spent a considerable time in various portions of ,france1 and more edifying ,christians ,i have never witnessed than those ,i met in that country4 ,for six years ,i had for my professors ,french ,priests1 whose exemplary lives were a daily sermon to all around them4 ,i submit that the cosmopolitan city of ,paris 7waiving1 for the present1 the enormities of which it is accused71 is not to be adduced as a fair criterion of ,french morality4 ,let us stay at home and judge of ,catholic morals by the examples furnished under our eyes4 ,the influence of the confessional has been fairly tested in this country since the foundation of our ,republic4 ,are practical ,catholics enfeebled in conscience8 ,is their conscience chained and starved8 ,has the absolution they received whetted their appetites for more sin8 ,are they monsters of immorality8 ,i think that an enlightened ,protestant public will pronounce a contrary verdict4 ,i feel that ,i can say1 with truth1 that ,catholics who frequent the confessional are generally virtuous in their private lives1 just and honorable in their dealings with others1 and that they cultivate charity and good-will toward their fellow-citizens4 ,it will not do to reply that it is the system1 not the individual1 that is attacked4 ,how can we judge of a system unless by its practical working in the individual8 8,by their fruits ye shall know them10 says our ,redeemer4 ,vices1 indeed1 we have to deplore among certain classes of our people1 which are often superinduced by their migratory habits and irregular mode of life4 ,but they are commonly sins of frailty1 and these are not the persons that are accustomed to approach the confessional4 ,if they did their lives would be very different from what they are4 ,the best of us1 alas6 are not what we ought to be1 considering the graces we receive4 ,but if you seek for canting hypocrites1 or colossal defaulters1 or perpetrators of well-laid schemes of forgery1 or of systematic licentiousness1 or of premeditated violence1 you will seek for such in vain among those who frequent the confessional4 ,there is another objection which it is difficult to kill4 ,it dies hard and1 like ,banquo's ghost1 it will not down4 ,if you drive it from the city1 it will fly to the town4 ,if you expel it from the town1 it will take refuge in the village4 ,if you eject it from the village1 it will hide itself like some noxious animal1 in some desert place until it makes its rounds again4 ,i allude to the charge that a price has to be paid for remitting sins4 8,you have only 7say these slanderers7 to pay a certain toll at the confessional gate1 and you can pass the biggest load of sin40 ,it is hard to treat these objections seriously4 ,i have been hearing confessions for fifty years1 and of all who have come to me1 not one has had the sense of duty to offer me any compensation for absolving them1 and this is true of every ,priest with whom ,i have been acquainted4 ,the truth is1 the ,priest who would solicit a fee for absolution knows that he would be guilty of simony1 and would be liable to suspension4 ,but we are told that confession is an intolerable yoke1 that it makes its votaries the slaves of the ,priests4 ,before answering this objection1 let me call your attention to the inconsistency of our adversaries1 who blow hot and cold in the same breath4 ,they denounce confession as being too hard a remedy for sin and condemn it1 at the same time1 as being a smooth road to heaven4 ,in one sentence they style it a bed of roses2 in the next a bed of thorns4 ,in a preceding objection it was charged that the votaries of confession had no moral constraint at all4 ,now it is said that their conscience is bound in chains of slavery4 ,surely1 confession cannot be hard and easy at the same time4 ,i have already refuted1 ,i trust1 the former charge4 ,i shall now answer the second4 ,i am not aware in what sense our people are less independent than those of any other class of the community4 ,the only restraint1 as far as ,i know1 imposed on ,catholics by their ,priests is the yoke of the ,gospel1 and to this restraint no ,christian ought to object4 ,in my estimation1 no body of ,christians enjoys more ,apostolic freedom than those of the ,catholic communion1 because they are guided in their conduct1 not by the ever-changing ipse dixit of any minister1 but by the unchangeable teachings of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ4 ,but if to love their ,priest1 to reverence his sacred character1 to obey his voice as the voice of ,god2 if to be willing to make any sacrifice for their spiritual father2 if1 ,i say1 you call this slavery1 then our ,catholic people are slaves1 indeed1 and1 what is more1 they are content with their chains4 ,even our ,manuals of ,devotion have not escaped the lash of wanton criticism4 ,they have excited the pious horror of some modern ,pharisees because they contain a table of sins for the use of those preparing for confession4 ,the same flower that furnishes honey to the bee supplies poison to the wasp2 and1 in like manner1 the same book that gives only the honey of consolation to the devout reader has nothing but moral poison for those that search its pages for nothing else4 ,how can anyone object to the table of sins in our prayer-books and consistently advocate the circulation of the ,bible1 which contains incomparably plainer and more palpable allusions to gross crimes than are found in our books of devotion8 ,let us not forget the adage1 8,honi soit qui mal y pense40 ,i may be permitted1 in concluding this subject1 to add the testimony of my own experience on the beneficent influence of the confessional2 for1 like my brethren in the ministry1 ,i am1 in the language of ,dryden1 8,one bred apart from worldly noise1 ,to study souls1 their cures1 and their diseases40 ,since the time of my ordination up to the present hour ,i have been accustomed to hear confessions almost every day4 ,i have1 therefore1 had a fair opportunity of ascertaining the value of the 8system40 ,the impressions forced upon my mind1 far from being peculiar to myself1 are shared by every ,catholic ,priest throughout the world charged with the care of souls4 ,the testimony of ten experienced confessors ought1 in my estimation1 to have more weight in enabling men to judge of the moral tendencies of the confessional than the gratuitous assertions of a thousand individuals who have no personal experience of it1 but who draw on their heated imaginations or on the pages of sensational novels for the statements they offer4 ,my experience is that the confessional is the most powerful lever ever erected by a merciful ,god for raising men from the mire of sin4 ,it has more weight in withdrawing people from vice than even the pulpit4 ,in public sermons we scatter the seed of the ,word of ,god2 in the confessional we reap the harvest4 ,in sermons1 to use a military phrase1 the fire is at random1 but in confession it is a dead shot4 ,the words of the ,priest go home to the heart of the penitent4 ,in a public discourse the ,priest addresses all in general1 and his words of admonition may be applicable to very few of his hearers4 ,but his words spoken in the confessional are directed exclusively to the penitent1 whose heart is open to receive the ,word of ,god4 ,the confessor exhorts the penitent according to his spiritual wants4 ,he cautions him against the frequentation of dangerous company and other occasions of sin1 or he recommends special practices of piety suited to the penitent's wants4 ,hence missionaries are accustomed to estimate the fruit of a mission more by the number of penitents who have approached the sacred tribunal than by the number of persons who have listened to their sermons4 ,of all the labors that our sacred ministry imposes on us1 there is none more arduous or more irksome than that of hearing confessions4 ,if ,i may make a revelation of my own life1 ,i deferred receiving ,holy ,orders for two years1 from a sense of the dread responsibility connected with the confessional4 ,it is no trifling task to sit for six or eight consecutive hours on a hot summer day1 listening to stories of sin and sorrow and misery4 ,it is only the consciousness of the immense good he is doing that sustains the confessor in the sacred tribunal4 ,he is one 8who can have compassion on the ignorant and erring1 because he himself is also encompassed with infirmity407#dfh7 ,i have seen the man whose conscience was weighed down by the accumulated sins of twenty winters4 ,upon his face were branded guilt and shame1 remorse and confusion4 ,there he stood by the confessional1 with downcast countenance1 ashamed1 like the ,publican1 to look up to heaven4 ,he glided into the little mercy-seat4 ,no human ear will ever learn what there transpired4 ,the revelations of the confessional are a sealed book4 ,but during the brief time spent in the confessional a resurrection occurred more miraculous than the raising of ,lazarus from the tomb--it was the resurrection from the grave of sin of a soul that had long lain worm-eaten4 ,during those precious moments a ray from heaven dispelled the darkness and gloom from that self-accuser's mind4 ,the genial warmth of the ,holy ,spirit melted his frozen heart1 and the purifying influence of the same ,spirit that came on the ,apostles1 8like a mighty wind from heaven10 scattered the poisonous atmosphere in which he lived and filled his soul with ,divine grace4 ,when he came out there was quickness in his step1 joy on his countenance1 a new light in his eye4 ,had you asked him why1 he would have answered3 8,because ,i was lost1 and am found4 ,having been dead1 ,i am come to life again407#dfi7 ,,ii4 ,on ,the ,relative ,morality ,of ,catholic ,and ,protestant ,countries4 ,it has been gravely asserted that the confession of sin and the doctrine of absolution tend to the spread of crime and immorality4 ,statistics are produced to show that murder and illegitimate births are largely in excess in countries under ,catholic influence1 and that this prevalence of wickedness is the result of confession and easy absolution4 ,if our system of absolving those only who both repent and confess leads to laxity of morals1 how much more must the ,protestant system1 which omits that which is most humiliating and admits the sinner to reconciliation on condition of mere interior dispositions8 ,as all our catechisms teach1 and as every ,catholic knows1 there is no pardon of sin without sorrow of heart and purpose of amendment4 ,it is a great mistake to suppose that the most ignorant ,catholic believes he can procure the pardon of his sins by simply confessing them without being truly sorry for them4 ,the estimate which so many ,protestants set on the virtue of even the lower classes of ,roman ,catholics is clearly enough evinced in the preference which they constantly manifest in their employment of ,catholics--practical ,catholics--,catholics who go to confession4 ,i maintain1 therefore1 that confession1 far from being an incentive to sin1 as our adversaries have the hardihood to affirm1 is a most powerful check on the depravity of men and a most effectual preventive of their criminal excesses4 ,but is it true that crimes1 especially murder and illegitimacy1 are more prevalent in ,catholic than in ,protestant countries8 ,i utterly deny the assertion1 and also appeal to statistics in support of the denial4 ,whence do our opponents derive their information8 ,forsooth1 from ,rev4 ,m4 ,hobart ,seymour's 8,nights ,among ,romanists0 and similar absolutely unreliable compilations1 the false statements of which have been again and again refuted4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,seymour gives the following list of the number of murders in ,england1 ,france and ,ireland3 ,ireland3 #ai homicides to the million of inhabitants ,france3 #ca ,england3 #d ,the reader of the above might well draw back in astonishment and exclaim1 8,truly moral atmosphere of ,england60 ,but how do these statements compare with the official records which ,i submit to the unprejudiced reader8 ,recent returns from the 8,hand-,book0 for ,france1 and 8,thom's ,official ,directory for ,england and ,ireland1 #ahfi10 are as follows3 ,convictions 7and ,executions4 sentences to death74 #ahfd4--;,france #i #e #ahfg4--;,england and #bg #aj ,wales ,ireland #c #j ,these figures1 which are from authenticated sources1 do not bear out our accusers in their assertion that murders are more prevalent in ,catholic than in ,protestant countries4 ,the statistics of this crime are limited1 or they are not in very general circulation4 ,but we have more extensive information in reference to the other great crime which1 it is charged1 prevails to a much more alarming extent in countries under ,catholic influence1 viz41 illegitimacy4 ,here again we shall meet statistics with counter-statistics to refute unjust declarations4 ,we do not wish to be understood as advocating the immaculateness of ,catholic communities4 ,we frankly admit and heartily deplore the disorders which ,catholics commit1 but we deny that they are worse than their ,protestant neighbors2 and still more emphatically do we deny that the ,church is responsible for their disorders4 ,the ,journal of the ,statistical ,society of ,london1 of the years #ahfj1 '#fb1 '#fe1 '#fg1 gives the number of illegitimate births in ,england and ,wales as #f-a_/b in every hundred1 whilst in the ,catholic kingdom of ,sardinia the number is slightly over two in the hundred1 and in ,ireland three in every hundred4 ,if the test of illegitimacy is a correct index of the morality of a country1 how refreshing to pass from ,protestant ,england across to ,catholic ,ireland or to the ,continent and visit ,sardinia6 ,the moral atmosphere of these countries1 compared with ,england1 must be as a healthful breeze to a pestilential marsh4 ,that we may see at a glance the real condition of ,european countries in reference to this species of crime1 ,i will here insert as correct a table as can be made from the latest reports4 7,vid4 ,catholic ,world1 ,vol4 ,,xi41 p4 #aab47 ,percentage ,of ,illegitimacy ,in ,protestant ,and ,catholic ,countries ,of ,europe4 ,protestant4 ,per cent4 ,holland #d4j ,switzerland #e4e ,prussia 7,protestant7 #aj4j ,england and ,wales #f4e ,sweden and ,norway #i4f ,scotland #aj4a ,denmark #aa4j ,german ,states #ad4h ,wurtemburg #af4d ,catholic4 ,italy #e4a ,spain #e4e ,france #g4b ,prussia 7,catholic7 #f4e ,belgium #g4b ,austria #aa4a ,ireland #c4j ,we have divided ,prussia into ,protestant and ,catholic because statistics are kept according to the religious creed of the people2 and we discover that1 whilst among the ,catholic portion of the empire there is but a percentage of six and a half of illegitimate births1 among the ,protestants it runs up to ten per cent4 ,and the same remark is applicable to ,ireland4 ,the ,scotman1 whose statements are based on the report of the ,british ,registrar-,general1 publishes the following statistics3 8,the proportion of illegitimate births to the total number of births is in ,ireland #c4h per cent42 in ,england the proportion is #f4d2 in ,scotland #i4i2 in other words1 ,england is nearly twice1 and ,scotland nearly thrice worse1 than ,ireland4 ,something worse has to be added1 from which no consolation can be derived4 ,the proportion of illegitimacy is very unequally distributed over ,ireland1 and the inequality rather humbling to us as ,protestants1 and still more as ,presbyterians and ,scotchmen4 ,taking ,ireland according to the registration divisions1 the proportion of illegitimate births varies from #f4b to #a4c4 ,the division showing this lowest figure is the western1 being substantially the ,province of ,connaught1 where about nineteen-twentieths of the population are ,celtic and ,roman ,catholic4 ,the division showing the highest proportion of illegitimacy is the north-eastern1 which comprises1 or almost consists of1 the ,province of ,ulster1 where the population is almost equally divided between ,protestants and ,roman ,catholics1 and where the great majority of ,protestants are of ,scotch blood and of the ,presbyterian church4 ,the sum of the whole matter is1 that semi-,presbyterian and semi-,scotch ,ulster is fully three times more immoral than wholly ,popish and wholly ,irish ,connaught--which corresponds with wonderful accuracy to the more general fact that ,scotland1 as a whole1 is three times more immoral than ,ireland as a whole40 ,it is worthy1 too1 of notice1 that in the tabular statement above presented the percentage of illegitimacy in ,holland and ,switzerland1 where there are large ,catholic minorities1 is lower than in any other ,protestant country4 ,we have at hand evidences1 furnished by ,protestant writers1 of the hideous immoralities of certain ,european nations that are more thoroughly ,protestantized than ,england itself4 ,thus1 ,mr4 ,laing writes3 8,of the #b1gad children born in ,stockholm1 #a1egg were legitimate1 #a1acg illegitimate2 making only a balance of #ddj chaste mothers out of #b1gad2 and the proportion of illegitimate to legitimate children not as one to two and three-tenths1 but as one to one and a half40--,a ,tour in ,sweden in #ahch4 ,but we are not disposed to parade these monstrous vices1 no matter by whom committed4 ,we allude to them with feelings of shame1 not of pleasure2 and give them a passing notice merely in self-defence against the gratuitous assertions of our adversaries4 ,we certainly do not wish to excuse or palliate the evil deeds of ,catholics1 who1 with all the blessed aids which their religion affords1 ought to be much better than they are4 ,yet we will add1 quoting the words of the ,catholic ,world3 8,if we are not very much better than our neighbors1 we are not any worse2 and are not to be hounded down with the cry of vice and immorality by a set of ,pharisees who are constantly lauding their own superiority and thanking ,god they are so much better than we poor ,catholics40 ,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,indulgences4 ,there are few tenets of the ,catholic ,church so little understood1 or so grossly misrepresented by her adversaries1 as her doctrine regarding ,indulgences4 ,one of the reasons of the popular misapprehension of an ,indulgence may be ascribed to the change which the meaning of that term has gradually undergone4 ,the word ,indulgence originally signified favor1 remission or forgiveness4 ,now1 it is commonly used in the sense of unlawful gratification1 and of free scope to the passions4 ,hence1 when some ignorant or prejudiced persons hear of the ,church granting an ,indulgence the idea of license to sin is at once presented to their minds4 ,an ,indulgence is simply a remission in whole or in part1 through the superabundant merits of ,jesus ,christ and ,his saints1 of the temporal punishment due to ,god on account of sin after the guilt and eternal punishment have been remitted4 ,it should be borne in mind that1 even after our guilt is removed1 there often remains some temporal punishment to be undergone1 either in this life or the next1 as an expiation to ,divine sanctity and justice4 ,the ,holy ,scripture furnishes us with many examples of this truth4 ,mary1 the sister of ,moses1 was pardoned the sin which she had committed by murmuring against her brother4 ,nevertheless1 ,god inflicted on her the penalty of leprosy and of seven days' separation from the people47#dgj7 ,nathan1 the prophet1 announced to ,david that his crimes were forgiven1 but that he should suffer many chastisements from the hand of ,god47#dga7 ,that our ,lord has given to the ,church the power of granting ,indulgences is clearly deduced from the ,sacred ,text4 ,to the ,prince of the ,apostles ,he said3 8,whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven2 and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven407#dgb7 ,and to all the ,apostles assembled together ,he made the same solemn declaration47#dgc7 ,by these words our ,savior empowered ,his ,church to deliver her children 7if properly disposed7 from every obstacle that might retard them from the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,now there are two impediments that withhold a man from the heavenly kingdom--sin and the temporal punishment incurred by it4 ,and the ,church having power to remit the greater obstacle1 which is sin1 has power also to remove the smaller obstacle1 which is the temporal punishment due on account of it4 ,the prerogative of granting ,indulgence has been exercised by the teachers of the ,church from the beginning of her existence4 ,st4 ,paul exercised it in behalf of the incestuous ,corinthian whom he had condemned to a severe penance proportioned to his guilt1 8that his spirit might be saved in the day of the ,lord407#dgd7 ,and having learned afterwards of the ,corinthian's fervent contrition the ,apostle absolves him from the penance which he had imposed3 8,to him1 that is such a one1 this rebuke is sufficient1 which is given by many4 ,so that contrariwise you should rather pardon and comfort him1 lest1 perhaps1 such a one be swallowed up with over-much sorrow4444 ,and to whom you have pardoned anything1 ,i also4 ,for1 what ,i have pardoned1 if ,i have pardoned anything1 for your sakes ,i have done it in the person of ,christ407#dge7 ,here we have all the elements that constitute an ,indulgence4 ,first--,a penance1 or temporal punishment proportioned to the gravity of the offence1 is imposed on the transgressor4 ,second--,the penitent is truly contrite for his crime4 ,third--,this determines the ,apostle to remit the penalty4 ,fourth--,the ,apostle considers the relaxation of the penance ratified by ,jesus ,christ1 in whose name it is imparted4 ,we find the ,bishops of the ,church1 after the ,apostle1 wielding this same power4 ,no one disputes the right1 which they claimed from the very first ages1 of inflicting canonical penances on grievous criminals1 who were subjected to long fasts1 severe abstinences and other mortifications for a period extending from a few days to five or ten years and even to a lifetime1 according to the gravity of the offence4 ,these penalties were1 in several instances1 mitigated or cancelled by the ,church1 according to her discretion2 for a society that can inflict a punishment can also remit it4 ,our ,lord gave ,his ,church power not only to bind1 but also to loose4 ,this discretionary prerogative was often exercised by the ,church at the intercession of those who were condemned to martyrdom1 when the penitents themselves gave strong marks of fervent sorrow1 as we learn from the writings of ,tertullian and ,cyprian4 ,the ,general ,council of ,nice and other ,synods authorize ,bishops to mitigate1 or even to remit altogether1 public penances1 whenever1 in their judgment1 the penitent manifested special marks of repentance4 ,now1 in relaxing the canonical penances1 or in substituting for them a milder satisfaction1 the ,bishops granted what we call an ,indulgence4 ,this sentence of remission on the part of the ,bishops was valid not only in the sight of the ,church1 but also in the sight of ,god4 ,although the ,church imposes canonical penances no longer1 ,god has never ceased to inflict temporal punishment for sin4 ,hence ,indulgences continue to be necessary now1 if not as substitute for canonical penances1 at least as a mild and merciful payment of the temporal debt due to ,god4 ,an ,indulgence is called plenary or partial1 according as it remits the whole or a part of the temporal punishment due to sin4 ,an ,indulgence1 for instance1 of forty days remits1 before ,god1 so much of the temporal punishment as would have been expiated in the primitive ,church by a canonical penance of forty days4 ,although the very name of ,indulgence is now so repugnant to our dissenting brethren1 there was a time when the ,protestant ,church professed to grant them4 ,in the canons of the ,church of ,england reference is made to ,indulgences1 and to the disposition to be made of the money paid for them47#dgf7 ,from what ,i have said you may judge for yourself what to think of those who say that an ,indulgence is the remission of past sins1 or a license to commit sin granted by the ,pope as a spiritual compensation to the faithful for pecuniary offerings made him4 ,i need not inform you that an ,indulgence is neither the one nor the other4 ,it is not a remission of sin1 since no one can gain an ,indulgence until he is already free from sin4 ,it is still less a license to commit sin2 for every ,catholic child knows that neither ,priest nor ,bishop nor ,pope nor even ,god ,himself--with all reverence be it said--can give license to commit the smallest fault4 ,but are not ,indulgences at variance with the spirit of the ,gospel1 since they appear to be a mild and feeble substitute for alms-giving1 fasts1 abstinences and other penitential austerities1 which ,jesus ,christ inculcated and practised1 and which the primitive ,church enforced8 ,the ,church1 as every one must know who is acquainted with her history1 never exempts her children from the obligation of doing works of penance4 ,no one can deny that the practices of mortification are more frequent among ,catholics than among ,protestants4 ,where will you find the evangelical duty of fasting enforced1 if not from the ,catholic pulpit8 ,it is well known that1 among the members of the ,catholic ,church1 those who avail themselves of the boon of ,indulgences are usually her most practical1 edifying and fervent children4 ,their spiritual growth far from being retarded1 is quickened by the aid of ,indulgences1 which are usually accompanied by acts of contrition1 devotion1 self-denial and the reception of the ,sacraments4 ,but1 do what we will1 we cannot please our opponents4 ,if we fast and give alms2 if we crucify our flesh1 and make pilgrimages and perform other works of penance1 we are accused of clinging to the rags of dead works1 instead of holding on to ,jesus by faith4 ,if1 on the other hand1 we enrich our souls with the treasures of ,indulgences we are charged with relying on the vicarious merits of others and of lightening too much the salutary burden of the cross4 ,but how can ,protestants consistently find fault with the ,church for mitigating the austerities of penance1 since their own fundamental principle rests on faith alone without good works8 ,but have not ,indulgences been the occasion of many abuses at various times1 particularly in the sixteenth century8 ,i will not deny that ,indulgences have been abused2 but are not the most sacred things liable to be perverted8 ,this is a proper place to refer briefly to the ,bull of ,pope ,leo ,x4 proclaiming the ,indulgence which afforded ,luther a pretext for his apostasy4 ,leo determined to bring to completion the magnificent ,church of ,st4 ,peter1 commenced by his predecessor1 ,julius ,,ii4 ,with that view he issued a ,bull promulgating an ,indulgence to such as would contribute some voluntary offering toward the erection of the grand cathedral4 ,those1 however1 who contributed nothing shared equally in the treasury of the ,church1 provided they complied with the essential conditions for gaining the ,indulgence4 ,the only indispensable conditions enjoined by the ,papal ,bull were sincere repentance and confession of sins4 ,d',aubigne admits this truth1 though in a faltering manner1 when he observes that 8in the ,pope's ,bull something was said of the repentance of the heart and the confession of the lips407#dgg7 ,the applicants for the ,indulgence knew well that1 no matter how munificent were their offerings1 these would avail them nothing without true contrition of heart4 ,no traffic or sale of ,indulgences was1 consequently1 authorized or countenanced by the ,head of the ,church1 since the contributions were understood to be voluntary4 ,in order to check any sordid love of gain in those charged with preaching the ,indulgence1 8the hand that delivered the ,indulgence10 as ,d',aubigne testifies1 8could not receive the money3 that was forbidden under the severest penalties407#dgh7 ,wherein1 then1 was the conduct of the ,pope reprehensible8 ,certainly not in soliciting the donations of the faithful for the purpose of erecting a temple of worship1 a temple which today stands unrivalled in majesty and beauty6 8,but thou of temples old1 or altars new1 ,standest alone1 with nothing like to thee2 ,worthiest of ,god1 the holy and the true1 ,since ,sion's desolation1 when that ,he ,forsook ,his former city1 what could be ,of earthly structures1 in ,his honor piled1 ,of a sublimer aspect8 ,majesty1 ,power1 ,glory1 ,strength1 and ,beauty1 all are aisled ,in this eternal ark of worship undefiled407#dgi7 ,if ,moses was justified in appealing to the ,hebrew people1 in the ,old ,law1 for offerings to adorn the tabernacle1 why should not the ,pope be equally justified in appealing for similar offerings to the ,christian people1 among whom he exercises supreme authority1 as ,moses did among the ,israelites8 ,nor did the ,pope exceed his legitimate powers in promising to the pious donors spiritual favors in exchange for their donations4 ,for if our sins can be redeemed by alms to the poor17#dhj7 as the ,scripture tells us1 why not as well by offerings in the cause of religion8 ,when ,protestant ministers appeal to their congregations in behalf of themselves and their children1 or in support of a church1 they do not fail to hold out to their hearers spiritual blessings in reward for their gifts4 ,it is not long since a ,methodist parson of ,new ,york addressed these sacred words to ,cornelius ,vanderbilt1 the millionaire1 who had endowed a ,methodist college3 8,cornelius1 thy prayer is heard1 and thy alms are had in remembrance in the sight of ,god407#dha7 ,the minister is more indulgent than even the ,pope1 to whom were given the keys of the ,kingdom of ,heaven2 for the minister declares ,cornelius absolved without the preliminary of confession or contrition1 while even1 according to ,d',aubigne1 the inflexible ,pope insisted on the necessity of 8repentance of the heart and confession of the lips0 before the donor's offering could avail him to salvation4 ,john ,tetzel1 a ,dominican monk1 who had been appointed the chief preacher to announce the ,indulgence in ,germany1 was accused by ,luther of exceeding his powers by making them subservient to his own private ends4 ,tetzel's conduct was disavowed and condemned by the representative of the ,holy ,see4 ,the ,council of ,trent1 held some time after1 took effectual measures to put a stop to all irregularities regarding ,indulgences and issued the following decree3 8,wishing to correct and amend the abuses which have crept into them1 and on occasion of which this signal name of ,indulgences is blasphemed by heretics1 the ,holy ,synod enjoins in general1 by the present decree1 that all wicked traffic for obtaining them1 which has been the fruitful source of many abuses among the ,christian people1 should be wholly abolished407#dhb7 ,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,extreme ,,unction4 ,extreme ,unction is a ,sacrament in which the sick1 by the anointing with holy oil and the prayers of the ,priests1 receive spiritual succor and even corporal strength when such is conducive to their salvation4 ,this unction is called ,extreme1 because it is usually the last of the holy unctions administered by the ,church4 ,the ,apostle ,st4 ,james clearly refers to this ,sacrament and points out its efficacy in the following words3 8,is any man sick among you2 let him bring in the ,priests of the ,church1 and let them pray over him1 anointing him with oil in the name of the ,lord1 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man2 and the ,lord shall raise him up2 and if he be in sins1 they shall be forgiven him407#dhc7 ,several of the ancient ,fathers allude to this ,sacrament4 ,origen 7third century7 writes3 8,there is also a remission of sins through penitence1 when the sinner 444 is not ashamed to declare his sin to the ,priest of the ,lord1 and to seek a remedy 444 wherein that also is fulfilled which the ,apostle ,james saith3 #8,but if any be sick among you1 let him call in the ,priests of the ,church1 and let them impose hands on him1 anointing him with oil in the name of the ,lord4' 07#dhd7 ,st4 ,chrysostom 7fourth century7 says3 8,not only when they 7the ,priests7 regenerate us1 but they have also power to forgive sins committed afterward2 for he says3 #8,is any man sick among you2 let him call in the ,priests of the ,church1 and let them pray over him1 anointing him with oil in the name of the ,lord4' 07#dhe7 ,pope ,innocent ,i4 7fifth century71 in a letter to a ,bishop named ,decentius1 after quoting the words of ,st4 ,james1 proceeds3 8,these words1 there is no doubt1 ought to be understood of the faithful who are sick1 who can be anointed with the holy oil1 which1 having been prepared by a ,bishop1 may be used1 not only for ,priests1 but for all ,christians407#dhf7 ,the ,sacramentary1 or ancient ,roman ,ritual1 revised by ,pope ,st4 ,gregory in the sixth century1 prescribes the blessing of oil by the ,bishop1 and the prayers to be recited in the anointing of the sick4 ,the venerable ,bede of ,england1 who lived in the eighth century1 referring to the words of ,st4 ,james1 writes3 8,the custom of the ,church requires that the sick be anointed by the ,priests with consecrated oil and be sanctified by the prayer which accompanies it407#dhg7 ,the ,greek ,church1 which separated from the ,roman ,catholic ,church in the ninth century1 says in its profession of faith3 8,the seventh ,sacrament is ,extreme ,unction1 prescribed by ,christ2 for1 after ,he had begun to send ,his disciples two and two 7,mark vi4 #g-ac71 they anointed and healed many1 which unction the ,church has since maintained by pious usage1 as we learn from the ,epistle of ,st4 ,james3 #8,is any man sick among you1' etc4 ,the fruits proper to this ,sacrament1 as ,st4 ,james declares1 are the remission of sins1 health of soul1 strength--in fine1 of body4 ,but though it does not always produce this last result1 it always1 at least1 restores the soul to a better state by the forgiveness of sins40 ,this is precisely the ,catholic teaching on this subject4 ,all the other ,oriental churches1 some of which separated from ,rome in the fifth century1 likewise enumerate ,extreme ,unction among their ,sacraments4 ,such identity of doctrine proclaimed during so many ages by churches so wide apart can have no other than an ,apostolic origin4 ,the eminent ,protestant ,leibnitz makes this candid admission3 8,there is no room for much discussion regarding the unction of the sick4 ,it is supported by the words of ,scripture1 the interpretation of the ,church1 in which pious and ,catholic men safely confide4 ,nor do ,i see what any one can find reprehensible in that practice which the ,church accepts407#dhh7 ,protestants1 though professing to be guided by the ,holy ,scripture1 entirely disregard the admonition of ,st4 ,james4 ,luther acted with more consistency4 ,finding that the injunction of the ,apostle was too plain to be explained away by subtlety of words1 he boldly rejected the entire ,epistle1 which he contemptuously styled 8a letter of straw407#dhi7 ,it is sad to think that our separated brethren discard this consoling instrument of grace1 though pressed upon them by an ,apostle of ,jesus ,christ2 for1 surely1 a spiritual medicine which diminishes the terrors of death1 comforts the dying ,christian1 fortifies the soul in its final struggle1 and purifies it for its passage from time to eternity1 should be gratefully and eagerly made use of1 especially when prescribed by an inspired ,physician4 ,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,the ,,priesthood4 ,the ,apostles were clothed with the powers of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,priest1 as the successor of the ,apostles1 is clothed with their power4 ,this fact reveals to us the eminent dignity of the priestly character4 ,the exalted dignity of the ,priest is derived not from the personal merits for which he may be conspicuous1 but from the sublime functions which he is charged to perform4 ,to the carnal eye the ,priest looks like other men1 but to the eye of faith he is exalted above the angels1 because he exercises powers not given even to angels4 ,the ,priest is the ambassador of ,god1 appointed to vindicate ,his honor and to proclaim ,his glory4 8,we are ambassadors for ,christ10 says the ,apostle2 8,god1 as it were1 exhorting by us407#dij7 ,if it is esteemed a great privilege for a citizen of the ,united ,states to represent our country in any of the courts of ,europe1 how much greater is the prerogative to represent the court of heaven among the nations of the earth6 8,as the ,father hath sent ,me10 says our ,lord to ,his ,apostles1 8,i also send you407#dia7 8,going1 therefore1 teach ye all nations1 444 teaching them to observe all things1 whatsoever ,i have commanded you4 ,and1 behold1 ,i am with you all days1 even to the consummation of the world407#dib7 ,the jurisdiction of earthly representatives is limited1 but the authority of the ministers of ,god extends over the whole earth4 8,go ye into the whole world and preach the ,gospel10 says ,christ1 8to every creature407#dic7 ,not only does ,jesus empower ,his ministers to preach in ,his name1 but he commands their hearers to listen and obey4 8,whosoever will not receive you1 nor hear your words1 going forth from that house or city1 shake off the dust from your feet4 ,amen1 ,i say to you1 it shall be more tolerable for the land of ,sodom and ,gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city407#did7 8,he that heareth you heareth ,me2 and he that despiseth you despiseth ,me2 and he that despiseth ,me despiseth ,him that sent ,me407#die7 ,god requires not only that ,his ,gospel should be heard with reverence1 but that the persons of ,his ,apostles should be honored4 ,as no greater insult can be offered to a nation than to insult its representative at a foreign court1 so no greater injury can be offered to our ,lord than to do violence to ,his representatives1 the ,priests of ,his ,church4 8,touch not ,my anointed1 and do no evil to ,my prophets407#dif7 ,god avenged the crime of two and forty boys who mocked the prophet ,eliseus by sending wild beasts to tear them in pieces4 ,the frightful death of ,maria ,monk1 the caluminator of consecrated ,priests and ,virgins1 who ended her life a drunken maniac on ,blackwell's ,island1 proves that our religious institutions are not to be mocked with impunity4 ,when an ambassador is accredited from this country to a foreign court1 he is honored with the confidence of the ,president1 from whom he receives private instructions4 ,so does ,jesus honor ,his ambassadors with ,his friendship and communicate to them the secrets of heaven3 8,i will not now call you servants2 for1 the servant knoweth not what his ,lord doeth4 ,but ,i have called you friends1 because all things whatsoever ,i have heard of ,my ,father ,i have made known to you407#dig7 ,what a privilege to be the herald of ,god's law to the nations of the earth6 8,how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings and that preacheth peace3 of him that showeth forth good1 that preacheth salvation1 that saith to ,sion3 ,thy ,god shall reign407#dih7 ,how cherished a favor to be the bearer of the olive branch of peace to a world deluged by sin2 to be appointed by ,heaven to proclaim a ,gospel which brings glory to ,god1 and peace to men2 that ,gospel which strengthens the weak1 converts the sinner1 reconciles enemies1 consoles the afflicted heart and holds out to all the hope of eternal salvation6 ,i have often reflected on a remark made to me by ,senator ,bayard of ,delaware3 8,you of the clergy10 he said1 8have a great advantage as public speakers over us political men4 ,you enjoy the confidence of your hearers4 ,you can speak as long as you please1 you can admonish and rebuke as much as you please1 without any fear of contradiction2 while we are constantly liable to interruption40 ,o6 what a tremendous power is wielded by the ,catholic preacher6 ,hundreds of souls are hanging on his words2 hundreds are sustained by him in spiritual life1 and leave the ,church depending on him whether they go forth fortified with the ,bread of life1 or famished and disappointed4 ,i can say of every ,priest what ,simeon said of our ,lord1 8,this man is set for the fall and the resurrection of many in ,israel40 ,not only are ,priests the ambassadors of ,god1 but they are also the dispensers of ,his graces and the almoners of ,his mercy4 8,let a man so regard us10 says the ,apostle1 8as ministers of ,christ and dispensers of the mysteries of ,god407#dii7 ,how can he be called a dispenser of ,god's mysteries whose labors are confined to preaching8 ,but he is truly a dispenser of ,divine mysteries who distributes to the faithful the ,sacraments1 the mysterious symbols and efficient causes of grace4 ,as ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom observes1 it was not to angels or archangels1 but to the ,priests of the ,new ,law that ,christ said3 8,whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven2 and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven40 ,to them alone ,he gave the power to forgive sins1 saying3 8,whose sins you shall forgive1 they are forgiven40 ,to them alone ,he gave the power of consecrating ,his ,body and ,blood and dispensing the same to the faithful4 ,he has empowered the ,priests of the ,new ,law to impart the grace of regeneration in ,baptism4 ,he has assigned to them the solemn duty of preparing the dying ,christian for his final journey to eternity3 8,is any man sick among you8 ,let him bring in the priests of the ,church1 and let them pray over him1 anointing him with oil1 in the name of the ,lord407#ejj7 ,as far as heaven is above earth1 as eternity is above time1 and the soul is above the body1 so far are the prerogatives vested in ,god's ministers higher than those of any earthly potentate4 ,an earthly prince can cast into prison or release therefrom4 ,but his power is over the body4 ,he cannot penetrate into the sanctuary of the soul2 whereas the minister of ,god can release the soul from the prison of sin1 and restore it to the liberty of a child of ,god4 ,to sum up in a few brief sentences the titles of a ,catholic ,priest3 ,he is a king1 reigning not over unwilling subjects1 but over the hearts and affections of his people4 ,his spiritual children pay him not only the tribute of their money1 but also the tribute of their love which royalty can neither purchase nor exact4 ,he is a shepherd1 because he leads his flock into the delicious pastures of the ,sacraments and shelters them from the wolves that lie in wait for their souls4 ,he is a father1 because he breaks the bread of life to his spiritual children1 whom he has begotten in ,christ ,jesus through the ,gospel47#eja7 ,he is a judge1 whose office it is to pass sentence of pardon on self-accusing criminals4 ,he is a physician1 because he heals their souls from the loathsome distempers of sin4 ,st4 ,john1 in his ,apocalypse1 represents the ,church under the figure of a city4 8,i saw the holy city1 the new ,jerusalem1 coming down from heaven1 from ,god1 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband407#ejb7 ,our ,savior is the ,architect and ,founder of this celestial city4 ,the ,apostles are its foundation4 ,the faithful are the living stones of the edifice4 ,the anointed ministers of the ,lord are the workmen chosen to adjust and polish these stones1 that they may reflect the beauty and glory of the sun of justice that perpetually illumines this city4 ,the ,priests are engaged in adorning the interior of the heavenly ,jerusalem by enriching1 with virtue1 the precious souls entrusted to their charge4 8,god gave some1 indeed1 ,apostles1 and some ,prophets1 and others ,evangelists1 and others ,pastors and ,doctors1 for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the building up of the body of ,christ107#ejc7 which is ,his ,church4 ,what an honor is this to the ,priest of the ,new ,law6 ,surely ,god 8hath not done alike to every nation1 and ,his judgments ,he hath not made manifest to them407#ejd7 ,with how much more force may we apply to the successors of the ,apostles the words which ,god spoke to the ,priests of the ,old ,law3 8,hear1 ye sons of ,levi4 ,is it a small thing unto you1 that the ,god of ,israel hath separated you from all the people and joined you to ,himself1 that ye should serve ,him in the service of the tabernacle1 and should stand before the congregation of the people and minister unto ,him80 ,our ,savior affectionately puts this question three times to ,peter3 8,simon1 lovest thou ,me80 ,and three times ,peter answers ,him1 8,lord1 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee40 ,what proof of love1 then1 does ,jesus exact of ,peter8 ,does ,he say3 ,if thou lovest ,me1 chastise thy body by fasting and stripes1 prophesy1 work miracles1 lay down thy life for ,me8 ,no1 but 8feed ,my lambs10 8feed ,my sheep40 ,this was to be the closest bond of ,peter's devotion to his ,master1 and of the ,master's affection for ,his disciple4 ,and our ,lord declares that the reward of ,his disciples would be commensurate with the dignity of their ministry3 8,behold10 says ,peter1 8we have left all things and have followed ,thee4 ,what1 therefore1 shall we have8 ,and ,jesus said to them1 ,amen1 ,i say to you that you who have followed ,me1 in the regeneration1 when the ,son of man shall sit on the seat of ,his majesty1 you shall also sit on twelve seats1 judging the twelve tribes of ,israel40 ,and immediately after ,he adds that the worthy successors of the ,apostles shall share in their felicity3 8,and every one that hath left house1 or brethren1 or sisters1 or father1 or mother1 or wife1 or children1 or lands for my name's sake shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting407#eje7 ,i know that there are many in our days who deny that ,priests possess any spiritual power--as if ,god could not communicate such power to men4 ,i understand why atheists and rationalists1 who reject all revelation1 should deny all supernatural authority to the ministers of ,god4 ,but that professing ,christians who accept the testimony of ,scripture should share in this unbelief passes my comprehension4 ,has not the ,almighty1 in numberless instances recorded in ,holy ,writ1 made man the instrument of ,his power8 ,did not ,moses convert the rivers of ,egypt into blood8 ,did he not cause water to issue from the barren rock8 ,did not the prophets predict future events8 ,did not the sun stand still in the heavens at the command of ,josue8 ,did not ,eliseus1 the prophet1 raise the dead to life8 ,why do we believe all these prodigies8 ,because the ,scriptures record them4 ,does not the same ,word of ,god declare that the ,apostles received power to confer the ,holy ,ghost by the imposition of hands1 to forgive sins1 to consecrate the ,body and ,blood of ,christ1 etc4 ,is not the ,new ,testament as worthy of belief as the ,old8 ,has not ,jesus ,christ solemnly promised to be always with the ministers of ,his ,church1 8even to the consummation of the world10 strengthening them to repeat those miracles of mercy that were wrought by ,his first disciples8 ,can the ,god of truth be unfaithful to ,his promises8 ,is ,he not as strong and merciful now as ,he was in days of the ,prophets and ,apostles1 and are not we as much in need of the ,holy ,ghost as the primitive ,christians were8 ,if ,god could make feeble men the ministers of ,his mercy then1 why not now8 ,but should a ,priest consider himself greater than other men because he exercises such authority8 ,far from it4 ,he ought to humble himself beneath others when he reflects to what weak hands ,god assigns power so tremendous4 ,he should remember what our ,savior said to the seventy-two disciples1 who1 returning with joy from their first mission1 cried out to ,him3 8,lord1 even the devils are subject to us in ,thy name40 ,but ,jesus checked their vain-glory1 saying3 8,i saw ,satan like lightning fall from heaven4 ,behold1 ,i have given you power 444 but rejoice not in this1 that spirits are subject to you2 but rejoice in this1 that your names are written in heaven407#ejf7 ,the ,priest does not forget that 8the most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule107#ejg7 and that 8judgment should begin at the house of ,god407#ejh7 ,the words of the ,apostle are present to his mind3 8,what hast thou that thou hast not received8 ,and if thou hast received1 why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it807#eji7 ,as well might the vessel that is filled with precious liquor boast of being superior to the vessel that is filled with water4 ,the ,priest knows full well that the powers he has received from ,god are given to him not to feed his own vanity1 but to enrich the hearts of the faithful2 and that1 though instrumental in pointing out to others the way to heaven1 he himself1 unless adorned with personal virtues1 will become a reprobate1 like those unhappy ,priests of ,jerusalem who directed the ,magi to ,jesus in ,bethlehem1 but did not go thither themselves4 8,i have planted10 says the ,apostle1 8,apollo watered1 but ,god gave the increase4 ,therefore1 neither he that planteth is anything1 nor he that watereth1 but ,god that giveth the increase407#eaj7 ,we perform the outward ceremony2 ,god alone supplies the grace4 ,the obligations of the minister of ,god are1 therefore commensurate with his exalted dignity4 ,the ,priest is required to be a man of profound learning and of solid piety4 8,the lips of the ,priest shall keep knowledge1 and they 7the people7 shall seek the law at his mouth407#eaa7 ,the ,lord denounces the ,priests of the ,old ,law because they neglected to study the ,sacred ,sciences3 8,because thou hast rejected knowledge1 ,i will reject thee1 that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood for ,me1 and thou hast forgotten the law of thy ,god1 ,i will also forget thy children407#eab7 8,to you10 says our ,lord to ,his ,apostles1 8it is given to know the mystery of the ,kingdom of ,god1 to the rest1 in parables40 ,the ,priests of the ,new ,law1 like the ,apostles1 are the custodians of the mysteries of religion4 ,now we know that the knowledge of ,god's ,kingdom is not imparted to us by inspiration or revelation4 ,christ does not personally teach us as ,he taught ,his ,apostles4 ,it is by hard study that the knowledge of ,his law is acquired by us4 ,he does not lift us up on ,angels' wings to the spiritual ,parnassus4 ,it is only by the royal road of earnest labor that we can attain those heights which will enable us to contemplate the ,kingdom of heaven and describe it to others4 ,as physician of the soul1 he must be conversant with its various distempers and must know what remedy is to be applied in each particular case4 ,if society justly holds the unskilful physician responsible for the fatal consequences of his malpractice1 surely ,god will call to a strict account the spiritual physician who1 through criminal ignorance1 prescribes injudicious remedies to the souls of the patients committed to his charge4 ,as judge of souls1 he must know when to bind and when to loose1 when to defer and when to pronounce sentence of absolution4 ,if nothing is so disastrous to the ,republic as an incompetent judge1 whose decisions1 though involving life and death1 are rendered at hap-hazard and not in accordance with the merits of the case1 so nothing is more detrimental to the ,christian commonwealth than an ignorant priesthood1 whose decisions injuriously affect the salvation of souls4 ,the advocate in our courts of justice feels bound in conscience and in honor to study the case of his client with the utmost diligence1 and to defend him before the jury with all the eloquence he can master4 ,and yet the suit may not involve more than a brief imprisonment or even a limited fine4 ,but the ,priest1 like ,moses1 stands before ,god to intercede for ,his people1 and before the people to advocate the cause of ,god4 ,he not only ascends daily the altar to plead for the people and to cry out with the prophet1 8,spare1 ,o ,lord1 spare ,thy people1 and give not ,thy inheritance to reproach20 but every ,sunday he mounts the pulpit to vindicate the claims which ,god has on ,his subjects4 ,certainly1 if an attorney is bound to study his client's cause before he defends it1 no matter how trifling the issue1 how much more imperative is the obligation of the ,priest to study well his case1 when he reflects that an immortal soul is on trial1 and before men who are often the worst enemies of their own soul4 ,he has to convince the people that the narrow road1 which their inclinations abhor1 is to be followed2 and that the broad road1 which their self-love and their passions tend to pursue1 is to be abandoned4 ,conviction in this case requires rare tact as well as eloquence and learning4 ,but the minister of religion has to defend the soul not only against the corruptions of the heart1 but also against those doctrinal errors that are daily springing up in every direction1 and which are plausibly preached by false teachers1 who bring to their support the most specious arguments1 couched in the most attractive language4 ,to refute these errors often requires the most consummate skill and a profound knowledge of history and the ,holy ,scripture4 ,it is no wonder1 then1 that the ,church insists that her clergy be educated men4 ,hence our ecclesiastical students are usually obliged to devote from ten to fourteen years to the diligent study of the modern and ancient languages1 of history and philosophy1 of the great science of theology and ,holy ,scripture1 before they are elevated to the sacred ministry4 ,it is true1 indeed1 that1 owing to the rapidly-increasing demand for clergy in the ,united ,states1 our ,bishops have hitherto been sometimes compelled to abridge the course of studies of the candidates for the ministry2 but now that the ,church is more thoroughly organized1 and that seminaries are multiplied among us1 they are happily enabled to extend to their young levites the advantages of a full term of literary and theological training4 ,if the ,priest should be eminent for his learning1 he should be still more conspicuous for his virtues1 for he is expected to preach more by example than by precept4 ,if in the ,old ,law ,god charged ,his ,priests with the admonition3 8,be sanctified1 ye that carry the vessels of the ,lord107#eac7 how much more strictly is holiness of life enjoined on the ,priests of the ,new ,dispensation1 who not only touch the sacred vessels1 but drink from them the ,precious ,blood of the ,lord8 8,purer10 says ,st4 ,chrysostom1 8than any solar ray should that hand be which divides that flesh1 that mouth which is filled with spiritual fire1 that tongue which is purpled with that most awful blood40 ,in order to foster in us the spirit of personal piety1 we are constantly admonished by the ,church to be men of prayer4 ,the ,priest should be like those angels whom ,jacob saw in a vision1 ascending to heaven and descending therefrom on the mystical ladder4 ,he is expected to ascend by prayer and to descend by preaching4 ,he ascends to heaven to receive light from ,god2 he descends to communicate that light to his hearers4 ,he ascends to draw at the ,fountain of ,divine grace1 he descends to diffuse those living waters among the faithful1 that their hearts may be refreshed4 ,he ascends to light his torch at the ever-burning furnace of ,divine love2 he descends to communicate the flame to the souls of his people4 ,the ,church1 indeed1 considers prayer so indispensable to her clergy that1 besides the voluntary exercises of piety which their private devotion may suggest1 she requires them to devote at least an hour each day to the recitation of the ,divine ,office1 which chiefly consists of the ,psalms and other portions of ,holy ,scripture1 the ,homilies of the early ,fathers and prayers of marvelous force and unction4 ,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,celibacy ,,of ,,the ,,clergy4 ,the ,church requires her ,priests to be pure in body as well as in soul1 and to 8present their bodies a living victim1 holy1 well-pleasing unto ,god407#ead7 ,our ,savior and ,his ,apostles1 though recognizing matrimony as a holy state1 have proclaimed the superior merits of voluntary continency1 particularly for those who consecrate their lives to the sacred ministry4 8,there are eunuchs who have made themselves such for the ,kingdom of ,heaven's sake4 ,he who can take it1 let him take it407#eae7 ,our ,lord evidently recommends here the state of celibacy to such as feel themselves called to embrace it1 in order to attain greater perfection4 ,st4 ,paul gives the reason why our ,savior declares continency to be a more suitable state for ,his ministers than that of matrimony3 8,he who is unmarried careth for the things of the ,lord--how he may please ,god4 ,but he who is married is solicitous about the things of the world--how he may please his wife--and he is divided407#eaf7 ,jesus ,christ manifestly showed ,his predilection for virginity1 not only by always remaining a virgin1 but by selecting a ,virgin-,mother and a virgin-precursor in the person of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 and by exhibiting a special effection for ,john the ,evangelist1 because1 as ,st4 ,augustine testifies1 that ,apostle was chosen a virgin and such he always remained4 ,not only did our ,lord thus manifest while on earth a marked predilection for virgins1 but ,he exhibits the same preference for them in heaven2 for the hundred and forty-four thousand who are chosen to sing the ,new ,canticle and who follow the ,lamb whithersoever ,he goeth are all virgins1 as ,st4 ,john testifies4 7,apoc4 xiv47 ,the ,apostle of the ,gentiles assures us that he led a single life1 and he commends that state to others3 8,i say to the unmarried1 and to the widows it is good for them if they so continue1 even as ,i407#eag7 ,there is no evidence from ,scripture that any of the ,apostles were married except ,st4 ,peter4 ,st4 ,jerome says that if any were married they certainly separated from their wives after they were called to the ,apostolate4 ,even ,st4 ,peter1 after his vocation1 did not continue with his wife1 as may be inferred from his own words3 8,behold1 we have left all things1 and followed ,thee407#eah7 ,among 8all things0 must be reckoned the fellowship of his wife1 for he could hardly say with truth that he had left all things if he had not left his wife4 ,our ,savior immediately after enumerates the wife among those cherished objects1 the renunciation of which1 for ,his sake1 will have its reward47#eai7 ,st4 ,paul declares that 8a ,bishop must be sober1 just1 holy1 continent407#ebj7 ,and writing to ,timothy1 whom he had consecrated ,bishop1 he says3 8,be thou an example to the faithful 444 in charity1 in faith1 in chastity407#eba7 ,in another place1 he enumerates chastity among the virtues that should adorn the ,christian minister3 8,in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of ,god in much patience1 444 in chastity407#ebb7 ,although celibacy is not expressly enforced by our ,savior1 it is1 however1 commended so strongly by ,himself and ,his ,apostles1 both by word and example1 that the ,church felt it her duty to lay it down as a law4 ,the discipline of the ,church has been exerted from the beginning in prohibiting ,priests to marry after their ordination4 ,st4 ,jerome observes that 8,bishops1 ,priests and ,deacons are chosen from virgins or widowers1 or1 at least1 they remain perpetually chaste after being elevated to the priesthood407#ebc7 ,to ,jovinian he writes3 8,you certainly admit that he cannot remain a ,bishop who begets children in the episcopacy2 for1 if convicted1 he will not be esteemed as a husband1 but condemned as an adulterer407#ebd7 ,again he says3 8,what will the churches of the ,east1 of ,egypt and of the ,apostolic ,see do1 which adopt their clergy from among virgins1 or if they have wives1 they cease to live as married men407#ebe7 ,st4 ,epiphanius declares that 8he who leads a married life is not admitted by the ,church to the order of ,deacon1 ,priest1 ,bishop or sub-,deacon407#ebf7 ,in the primitive days of the ,church1 owing to the scarcity of vocations among the unmarried1 married men were admitted to sacred orders1 but they were enjoined1 as we learn from various canons1 to live separated from their wives after their ordination4 ,this discipline1 it is true1 was relaxed to some extent in favor of a portion of the clergy of the ,oriental ,church1 who were permitted to live with their wives if they happened to espouse them before ordination2 but1 like the ,priests of the ,western ,church1 the ,eastern clergy were forbidden to contract marriage after their ordination4 ,it is important also to observe that the unmarried clergy of the ,east are held in much higher esteem by the people than the married ,priests4 ,it cannot1 indeed1 be denied that at certain epochs of the ,church's history1 especially in periods of disordered society1 there were too many instances of the violation of clerical celibacy4 ,but the repeated violations of a law are no evidence of its non-existence4 ,whenever the voice of the ,church could be heard it always spoke in vindication of the law of priestly chastity4 ,let me now call your attention to the propriety and advantages of clerical celibacy4 ,first--,the ,priest is the representative of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he continues the work begun by his ,divine ,master4 ,it is his duty to preach the word1 to administer the ,sacraments1 and1 above all1 to consecrate the ,body and ,blood of ,christ and to distribute the same to the faithful4 ,is it not becoming that a chaste ,lord should be served by chaste ministers8 ,if the ,jewish ,priests1 while engaged in their turn in offering the sacrifice of animals in the ,temple1 were obliged to keep apart from their wives1 should not the ,priests of the ,new ,law1 who offer daily the sacrifice of the ,immaculate ,lamb1 practise continual chastity8 ,if ,david and his friends were not permitted to eat the bread of ,proposition till he had avowed that for the three preceding days they had refrained from women17#ebg7 how pure in body and soul should be the ,priest who daily partakes of that living ,bread of which the bread of ,proposition was but the type2 and if the people at ,mount ,sinai were forbidden to come near their wives for three days before receiving the ,law17#ebh7 should not they whose office it is to preach the ,law at all times abstain altogether8 ,thorndyke1 an eminent ,protestant ,divine1 in his work entitled1 ,just ,weights and ,measures1 makes the following observation3 8,the reason for single life for the clergy is firmly grounded1 by the ,fathers and canons of the ,church1 upon the precept of ,st4 ,paul1 forbidding man and wife to depart unless for a time1 to attend unto prayer 7,i4 ,cor4 vii4 #e74 ,for1 ,priests and ,deacons being continually to attend upon occasions of celebrating the ,eucharist1 which ought continually to be frequented2 if others be to abstain from the use of marriage for a time1 then they always407#ebi7 ,second--,writers frequently discuss the secret cause of the marvelous success which marks the growth of the ,catholic ,church everywhere in spite of the most formidable opposition4 ,some ascribe this progress to her thorough organization2 others to the far-seeing wisdom of her chief pastors4 ,without undervaluing these and other auxiliaries1 ,i incline to the belief that1 under ,god1 the ,church has no tower of strength more potent than the celibacy of her clergy4 ,the unmarried ,priest1 as ,st4 ,paul observes 7#a ,cor4 vii471 is free to give his whole time undivided to the ,lord1 and can devote his attention not to one or two children1 but to the entire flock whom he has begotten in ,christ ,jesus1 through the ,gospel2 while the married minister is divided between the cares of his family and his duties to the congregation4 8,a single life10 says ,bacon1 8doth well with churchmen2 for1 charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool407#ecj7 ,third--,the world has hitherto been converted by unmarried clergymen1 and only by them will it continue to be converted4 ,st4 ,francis ,xavier and ,st4 ,francis de ,sales could not have planted the faith in so many thousands of souls if they were accompanied on their journeys by their wives and children4 ,of all the gems that adorn the priestly diadem1 none is so precious and indispensable in the eyes of the people as the peerless jewel of chastity4 ,without this pearl the voice of a ,hyacinthe 8becomes as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal20 with it1 the humblest missioner gains the hearts of multitudes4 ,everybody is aware of the numerous conversions to ,christianity effected by ,st4 ,francis ,xavier in ,japan in the sixteenth century4 ,after the lapse of many years from the death of ,st4 ,francis1 when a ,french squadron was permitted to enter the ,japanese ports1 a native ,christian1 named ,peter1 having learned that ,french ,priests were on board1 put their faith to the test by proposing to them these three questions3 8,are you followers of the great ,father in ,rome8 ,do you honor ,mary1 the ,blessed ,virgin8 ,have you wives80 ,the ,french priests having satisfied their interrogator on these points1 and especially on the last1 ,peter and his companions fell at the missioners' feet1 exclaiming with delight 8,thanks1 thanks6 they are virgins and true disciples of our ,apostle ,francis407#eca7 ,a contemporary writer has wittily remarked that 8perhaps the most ardent admirer of hymeneal rites would cheerfully admit that he could not conceive ,st4 ,paul or ,st4 ,john starting on a nuptial tour1 accompanied by the latest fashions from ,athens or ,ephesus1 and the graceful brides whom they were destined to adorn4 ,they would feel that ,christianity itself could not survive such a vision as that4 ,nor could the imagination1 in its wildest moods1 picture the majestic adversary of the ,arian ,emperor attended in his flight up the ,nile by ,mistress ,athanasius1 nor ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom escorted in his wanderings through ,phrygia by the wife of his bosom arrayed in a wreath of orange-blossoms4 ,would ,ethelbert have become a ,christian if ,st4 ,augustine had introduced to him his lady and her bridesmaids807#ecb7 ,we frequently hear of unmarried ,bishops and ,priests laying down their lives for the faith in ,china and ,corea and imprisoned in ,germany4 ,heroic sacrifices such as these are1 however1 too much to be expected from men enjoying the domestic luxury and engrossed by the responsibility of a wife and children4 ,but does not ,st4 ,paul authorize the marriage of the clergy when he says3 8,have we not power to carry about a woman1 a sister1 as well as the rest of the ,apostles807#ecc7 ,the ,protestant text mis-translates this passage by substituting the word wife for woman4 ,it is evident that ,st4 ,paul does not speak here of his wife1 since he had none2 but he alludes to those pious women who voluntarily waited on the ,apostles1 and ministered to them in their missionary journeys4 ,it is also objected that the ,apostle seems to require that a ,bishop be 8the husband of one wife407#ecd7 ,the context certainly cannot mean that a ,bishop must be a married man1 for the reason already given1 that ,st4 ,paul himself was never married4 ,the sense of the text1 as all tradition testifies1 is that no candidate should be elected to the office of ,bishop who had been married more than once4 ,it was not possible in those days always to select single men for the ,episcopal office4 ,hence the ,church was often compelled to choose married persons1 but always with this restriction1 that they had never contracted nuptials a second time4 ,they were obliged1 moreover1 if not widowers1 to live separated from their wives4 ,others adduce against clerical celibacy these words of ,st4 ,paul3 8,in the last times some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to spirits of error1 444 forbidding to marry407#ece7 ,this passage1 however1 alludes to the ,ebionites1 ,gnostics and ,manicheans1 who positively taught that marriage is sinful4 ,the ,catholic ,church1 on the contrary1 holds that matrimony is not only a lawful state1 for those who are called to embrace it1 but that it is also a ,sacrament1 and that the highest degree of holiness is attainable in conjugal life4 ,some go so far as to declare continency impracticable4 ,our dissenting brethren in the ministry are so uxoriously inclined that1 perhaps1 for this reason they dispute the possibility1 as well as the privilege1 of ,priests to remain single4 ,but in making this assertion they impugn the wisdom of ,jesus ,christ and ,his ,apostle1 who lived in this state and recommended it to others2 they slander consecrated ,priests and nuns1 and they unwittingly question the purity of their own unmarried sisters1 daughters and sons4 ,how many men and women are there in the world who spend years1 nay1 their whole lives1 in the single state8 ,and who shall dare to accuse such a multitude of incontinency8 ,nor should any one complain of the severity of the law of clerical celibacy1 since the candidate voluntarily accepts the obligations after mature consideration4 ,finally1 it cannot be urged against celibacy that it violates the ,divine precept to 8increase and multiply20 for this command surely cannot require all marriageable persons to be united in wedlock4 ,otherwise1 bachelors and spinsters would also be guilty of violating the law4 ,the number of men and women consecrated to ,god by vows of chastity forms but an imperceptible fraction of the human family1 their proportion in the ,united ,states1 for instance1 being only one individual to about every four thousand4 ,moreover1 it is an incontrovertible fact that the population increases most in those countries in which the ,catholic clergy exercise the strongest influence2 for there married people are impressed with the idea that marriage was instituted not for the gratification of the flesh1 but for the procreation and ,christian education of children4 ,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,matrimony4 ,matrimony is not only a natural contract between husband and wife1 but it has been elevated for ,christians1 by ,jesus ,christ1 to the dignity of a ,sacrament3 8,husbands10 says the ,apostle1 8love your wives1 as ,christ also loved the ,church and delivered ,himself up for it1 444 so also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies4444 ,for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother1 and shall adhere to his wife and they shall be one flesh4 ,this is a great sacrament3 but ,i speak in ,christ and in the ,church407#ecf7 ,in these words the ,apostle declares that the union of ,christ with ,his ,church is the type or model of the bond subsisting between man and wife4 ,now the union between ,christ and ,his ,church is supernatural and sealed by ,divine grace4 ,hence1 also1 is the fellowship of a ,christian husband and wife cemented by the grace of ,god4 ,the wedded couple are bound to love one another during their whole lives1 as ,christ has loved ,his ,church1 and to discharge the virtues proper to the married state4 ,in order to fulfil these duties special graces of our ,savior are required4 ,the ,fathers1 ,councils and ,liturgies of the ,western and the ,oriental ,churches1 including the ,coptic1 ,jacobite1 ,syriac1 ,nestorian and other schismatic bodies1 which for upwards of fourteen centuries have been separated from the ,catholic communion1 all agree in recognizing ,christian marriage as a ,sacrament4 ,hence the ,council of ,trent1 speaking of ,matrimony1 says3 8,christ ,himself1 the ,institutor and ,perfector of the venerable sacraments1 merited for us by ,his passion the grace which might perfect that natural love1 and confirm that indissoluble union1 and sanctify the married2 as the ,apostle ,paul intimates1 saying3 #8,husbands1 love your wives1 as ,christ also loved the ,church1 and delivered ,himself for it2' adding shortly after3 #8,this is a great sacrament1 but ,i speak in ,christ and in the ,church4' 7,ephes4 v47 ,whereas1 therefore matrimony1 in the evangelical law1 excels in grace1 through ,christ1 the ancient marriages2 with reason have our holy ,fathers and ,councils and the tradition of the universal ,church always taught that it is to be numbered among the sacraments of the new law407#ecg7 ,the ,gospel forbids a man to have more than one wife1 and a wife to have more than one husband4 8,have you not read10 says our ,savior1 8that ,he who made man in the beginning made them male and female8 ,and ,he said1 for this cause shall a man leave father and mother1 and shall cleave unto his wife1 and they two shall be in one flesh4 ,wherefore they are no more two1 but one flesh407#ech7 ,our ,lord recalls marriage to its primitive institution as it was ordained by ,almighty ,god4 7,gen4 ii47 ,now1 marriage in its primitive ordinance was the union of one man with one woman1 for ,jehovah created but one helpmate to ,adam4 ,he would have created more1 if ,his design had been to establish polygamy4 ,the ,scripture says that 8man shall adhere to his wife10--not his wives4 ,it does not declare that they shall be three or more1 but that 8they shall be two in one flesh40 ,hence ,mormonism1 unhappily so prevalent in the ,united ,states1 is at variance with the plain teachings of the ,gospel1 and is consequently condemned by the ,catholic ,church4 ,polygamy1 wherever it exists1 cannot fail to be a perpetual source of family discord and feuds4 ,it fosters deadly jealousy and hate among the wives of the same household2 it deranges the laws of succession and primogeniture and breeds rivalry among the children1 each endeavoring to supplant the other in the affections and the inheritance of their common father4 ,marriage is the most inviolable and irrevocable of all contracts that were ever formed4 ,every human compact may be lawfully dissolved but this4 ,nations may be justified in abrogating treaties with each other2 merchants may dissolve partnerships2 brothers will eventually leave the paternal roof1 and1 like ,jacob and ,esau1 separate from one another4 ,friends1 like ,abraham and ,lot1 may be obliged to part company4 ,but by the law of ,god the bond uniting husband and wife can be dissolved only by death4 ,no earthly sword can sever the nuptial knot which the ,lord has tied2 for1 8what ,god hath joined together1 let no man put asunder40 ,it is worthy of remark that three of the ,evangelists1 as well as the ,apostle of the ,gentiles1 proclaim the indissolubility of marriage and forbid a wedded person to engage in second wedlock during the life of his spouse4 ,there is1 indeed1 scarcely a moral precept more strongly enforced in the ,gospel than the indissoluble character of marriage validly contracted4 8,the ,pharisees came to ,jesus1 tempting ,him and saying3 ,is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause8 ,who1 answering1 said to them3 ,have ye not read that ,he who made man from the beginning made them male and female8 ,and ,he said3 ,for this cause shall a man leave father and mother1 and shall cleave to his wife1 and they two shall be one flesh4 ,therefore now they are not two1 but one flesh4 ,what1 therefore1 ,god hath joined together let no man put asunder4 ,they say to ,him3 ,why1 then1 did ,moses command to give a bill of divorce and to put away8 ,he said to them3 ,because ,moses1 by reason of the hardness of your heart1 permitted you to put away your wives2 but from the beginning it was not so4 ,and ,i say to you1 that whosoever shall put away his wife1 except it be for fornication1 and shall marry another committeth adultery3 and he that shall marry her that is put away committeth adultery407#eci7 ,our ,savior here emphatically declares that the nuptial bond is ratified by ,god ,himself1 and hence that no man1 nor any legislation framed by men1 can validly dissolve the contract4 ,to the ,pharisees interposing this objection1 if marriage is not to be dissolved1 why then did ,moses command to give a divorce1 our ,lord replies that ,moses did not command1 but simply permitted the separation1 and that in tolerating this indulgence the great lawgiver had regard to the violent passion of the ,jewish people1 who would fall into a greater excess if their desire to be divorced and to form a new alliance were refused4 ,but our ,savior reminded them that in the primitive times no such license was granted4 ,he then plainly affirms that such a privilege would not be conceded in the ,new ,dispensation1 for ,he adds3 8,i say to you3 whosoever shall put away his wife and shall marry another committeth adultery40 ,protestant commentators erroneously assert that the text justifies an injured husband in separating from his adulterous wife and in marrying again4 ,but the ,catholic ,church explains the ,gospel in the sense that1 while the offended consort may obtain a divorce from bed and board from his unfaithful wife1 he is not allowed a divorce a vinculo matrimonii1 so as to have the privilege of marrying another4 ,this interpretation is confirmed by the concurrent testimony of the ,evangelists ,mark and ,luke and by ,st4 ,paul1 all of whom prohibit divorce a vinculo without any qualification whatever4 ,in ,st4 ,mark we read3 8,whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her4 ,and if the wife shall put away her husband and be married to another she committeth adultery407#edj7 ,the same unqualified declaration is made by ,st4 ,luke3 8,every one that putteth away his wife and marrieth another committeth adultery2 and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery407#eda7 ,both of these ,evangelists forbid either husband or wife to enter into second wedlock1 how aggravating soever may be the cause of their separation4 ,and surely1 if the case of adultery authorized the aggrieved husband to marry another wife1 those inspired penmen would not have failed to mention that qualifying circumstance4 ,passing from the ,gospels to the ,epistle of ,st4 ,paul to the ,corinthians1 we find there also an absolute prohibition of divorce4 ,the ,apostle is writing to a city newly converted to the ,christian religion4 ,among other topics he inculcates the doctrine of the ,church respecting ,matrimony4 ,we must suppose that as an inspired writer and a faithful minister of the ,word he discharges his duty conscientiously1 without suppressing or extenuating one iota of the law4 ,he addresses the ,corinthians as follows3 8,to them that are married not ,i1 but the ,lord1 commandeth that the wife depart not from her husband4 ,and if she depart that she remain unmarried1 or be reconciled to her husband4 ,and let not the husband put away his wife407#edb7 ,here we find the ,apostle1 in his ,master's name1 commanding the separated couple to remain unmarried1 without any reference to the case of adultery4 ,if so important an exception existed1 ,st4 ,paul would not have omitted to mention it2 otherwise he would have rendered the ,gospel yoke more grievous than its ,founder intended4 ,we must1 therefore1 admit that1 according to the religion of ,jesus ,christ1 conjugal infidelity does not warrant either party to marry again1 or we are forced to the conclusion that the vast number of ,christians whose knowledge of ,christianity was derived solely from the teachings of ,saints ,mark1 ,luke and ,paul were imperfectly instructed in their faith4 ,nor can we suppose that ,st4 ,matthew gave to the married ,christians of ,palestine a privilege which ,st4 ,paul withheld from the ,corinthians2 for then the early ,christian ,church might have witnessed the disedifying spectacle of aggrieved husbands seeking in ,judea for a divorce from their adulterous wives which they could not obtain in ,corinth1 just as discontented spouses1 in our times1 sue in a neighboring ,state for a legal separation which is denied them in their own4 ,christ is not divided1 nor do the ,apostles contradict one another4 ,the ,catholic ,church1 following the light of the ,gospel1 forbids a divorced man to enter into second espousals during the life of his former partner4 ,this is the inflexible law she first proclaimed in the face of ,pagan ,emperors and people and which she has ever upheld1 in spite of the passions and voluptuousness of her own rebellious children4 ,henry ,,viii41 once an obedient son and defender of the ,church1 conceived in an evil hour1 a criminal attachment for ,anne ,boleyn1 a lady of the queen's household1 whom he desired to marry after being divorced from his lawful consort1 ,catherine of ,arragon4 ,but ,pope ,clement ,,vii41 whose sanction he solicited1 sternly refused to ratify the separation1 though the ,pontiff could have easily forseen that his determined action would involve the ,church in persecution1 and a whole nation in the unhappy schism of its ruler4 ,had the ,pope acquiesced in the repudiation of ,catherine1 and in the marriage of ,anne ,boleyn1 ,england would1 indeed1 have been spared to the ,church1 but the ,church herself would have surrendered her peerless title of ,mistress of ,truth4 ,when ,napoleon ,i4 repudiated his devoted wife1 ,josephine1 and married ,marie ,louise1 of ,austria1 so well assured was he of the fruitlessness of his attempt to obtain from the ,holy ,see the sanction of his divorce and subsequent marriage that he did not even consult the ,holy ,father on the subject4 ,a few years previously ,napoleon appealed to ,pius ,,vii4 to annul the marriage which his brother ,jerome had contracted with ,miss ,patterson of ,baltimore4 ,the ,pope sent the following reply to the ,emperor3 8,your majesty will understand that upon the information thus far received by us it is not in our power to pronounce a sentence of nullity4 ,we cannot utter a judgment in opposition to the rules of the ,church1 and we could not1 without laying aside those rules1 decree the invalidity of a union which1 according to the ,word of ,god1 no human power can sunder40 ,christian wives and mothers1 what gratitude you owe to the ,catholic ,church for the honorable position you now hold in society6 ,if you are no longer regarded as the slave1 but the equal of your husband2 if you are no longer the toy of his caprice and liable to be discarded at any moment1 like the women of ,turkey and the ,mormon wives of ,utah2 but if you are recognized as the mistress and queen of your household1 you owe your emancipation to the ,church4 ,you are especially indebted for your liberty to the ,popes who rose up in all the majesty of their spiritual power to vindicate the rights of injured wives against the lustful tyranny of their husbands4 ,how opposite is the conduct of the fathers of the so-called ,reformation1 who1 with the cry of religious reform on their lips1 deformed religion and society by sanctioning divorce4 ,henry ,,viii4 was divorced from his wife1 ,catherine1 by ,cranmer1 the first ,reformed ,primate of ,england4 ,luther and his colleagues1 ,melanchthon and ,bucer1 permitted ,philip1 ,landgrave of ,hesse1 to have two wives at the same time47#edc7 ,karlstadt1 another ,german ,reformer1 justified polygamy47#edd7 ,modern ,prussia is now reaping the bitter fruits of the seeds that were then sown within its borders4 ,seventy-five per cent4 of the marriages now contracted outside of the ,catholic ,church in ,berlin are performed without any religious ceremony whatever4 ,a union not bound by the strong ties of religion is easily dissolved4 ,this subject excites a painful interest in our own country1 in consequence of the facility with which divorce from the marriage bond is obtained in many of our ,states4 ,we have here another exemplification of the dangerous consequences attending a private interpretation of the sacred text4 ,when ,luther and ,calvin proclaimed to the world that 8it was not wise to prohibit the divorced adulterer from marrying again107#ede7 they little dreamed of the fruitful progeny which was destined before long to spring from this isolated monster of their creation4 ,there are already about thirty causes which allow the conjugal tie to be broken1 some of which are of so trifling a nature as to provoke merriment were it not for the gravity of the subject1 which is well calculated to excite alarm for the moral and social welfare of our country4 ,persons are divorced by the courts not only for infidelity1 but also without even the shadow of ,scripture authority--for alleged cruelty1 intemperance1 desertion1 prolonged absence1 mental incapacity1 sentence to the penitentiary1 incompatibility of temper and such other causes as the court1 in its discretion1 may deem sufficient4 ,for the year ending ,june1 #ahgd1 seventeen hundred and forty-two applications for divorce were presented in the ,state of ,ohio4 ,if such is ,ohio's record1 what must be the matrimonial condition of ,indiana1 which is called the paradise of discontented spouses4 ,in ,connecticut there were1 in #ahge1 four thousand three hundred and eighty-five marriages1 and four hundred and sixty-six divorces from the marriage bond4 ,the number of divorces obtained in the same ,state during the last fifteen years has reached five thousand three hundred and ninety-one4 ,this is the record of a ,state whose public school system is considered the most thorough and perfect in the country4 ,the statistics given of ,ohio and ,connecticut will enable us to form some idea of the fearful catalogue of divorces annually obtained in the ,united ,states4 ,there are some who regard the ,catholic ,church as too severe in proclaiming the absolute indissolubility of marriage4 ,but it should be borne in mind that it is not the ,church1 but the ,divine ,founder of the ,christian religion1 that has given us the law4 ,she merely enforces its observance4 ,the law1 how rigorous soever1 is mercy itself1 when compared with the cruel consequences which follow from the easy concession of divorce4 ,the facility with which marriage is annulled is most injurious to the morals of individuals1 of the family and of society4 ,it leads to ill-assorted and hasty marriages1 because persons are less circumspect in making a compact which may be afterwards dissolved almost at will4 ,it stimulates a discontented and unprincipled husband or wife to lawlessness1 quarrels and even adultery1 well knowing that the very crime will afford a pretext and legal grounds for a separation4 ,it engenders between husband and wife fierce litigations about the custody of their offspring4 ,it deprives the children of the protecting arm of a father1 or of the gentle care of a mother1 and too frequently consigns them to the cold charity of the world2 for the married couple who are wanting in conjugal love for one another are too often destitute also of parental affection4 ,in a word1 it brings into the household a blight and desolation which neither wealth nor luxury can repair4 ,there is but one remedy to this social distemper1 and that is an absolute prohibition of divorce a vinculo1 in accordance with the inflexible rule of the ,gospel and of the ancient ,church4 ,in ,catholic countries divorces are exceedingly rare1 and are obtained only by such as have thrown off the yoke of the ,church4 ,if the sacred laws of ,matrimony are still happily observed by so large a portion of the ,protestant community1 the purity of morals is in no small measure due to the presence among them of the ,catholic religion1 which exercises a beneficial influence even over those who are outside the pale of her communion1 like the sun1 whose benignant light and heat are felt even in those secluded spots which his rays can but obliquely and dimly penetrate4 ,,index4 ,abraham1 dear to ,jehovah1 #cg4 ,abstinence on ,friday explained1 #b4 ,adoration and reverence compared1 #bjb4 ,a',kempis compared with ,bunyan1 #bj4 ,a',kempis' 8,following of ,christ0 recommended1 #bj2 ,protestant edition mutilated1 #bj4 ,albertus ,magnus on ,faith quoted1 #ae4 ,american ,independence and ,catholic ,church1 #bdj4 ,angel ,raphael and young ,tobias1 #aee4 ,angels labor for man's salvation1 #afj4 ,anglican ,church began with ,henry ,,viii41 #dd4 ,anne1 ,queen1 praised by ,thomas ,arundel1 #ib4 ,apostolate of ,sisterhoods--,consecrated ,virgins1 #bc4 ,appeals1 a proof of ,papal ,supremacy1 #aji4 ,apostles commissioned to teach1 #bi2 transmit infallibility to successors1 #fe2 not commanded to write1 #hj2 ordered to teach and to preach1 #ha2 received power to forgive sins1 #cdb4 ,apostolic teaching was infallible1 #fe2 weapons1 #bf2 missionaries sent by ,popes1 #aae4 ,apostolicity defined1 #ch2 a note of the true ,church1 #ci2 claims of tested1 #dj1 et seq4 ,articles of ,faith--consequences of denial of1 #aj4 ,arian heresy and the ,church1 #ec1 et seq4 ,arianism and ,protestantism paralleled1 #ee1 et seq4 ,astolphus1 ,king1 threatens ,rome1 #adj4 ,attila and ,pope ,leo the ,great1 #aci4 ,attributes of ,christ--objects of ,church's teaching1 #af4 ,attributes or ,notes of the ,church imply infallibility1 #fe4 ,authority of the ,church derived from ,god1 #fe2 absence of1 causes dissensions1 #ig2 authorized versus private interpretation1 #ha2 of the ,book of ,machabees1 #bad4 ,barbarians attack ,rome1 #aci4 ,bancroft's ,history cited1 #bcc4 ,baptism essential for remission of original sin1 #bfh2 necessary for all1 #bfh2 must not be delayed1 #bgc2 effects1 #ba2 remits all sin1 #bge2 makes us heirs of heaven1 #bgf4 ,baptism of desire or martyrdom substitutes for ,baptism1 #bgb4 ,baptizing1 modes of1 #bgg4 ,bartholomew1 ,archbishop of ,braga1 directs crusade1 #bg4 ,becanus teaches value of religious liberty1 #bcj4 ,bede1 ,venerable1 translated ,bible into ,saxon1 #ia4 ,bible1 venerated by the ,jews1 #gg2 requires the living authority of the ,church1 #gg2 interpreted by the ,sanhedrim1 #gg2 expounded by the priests1 #gh2 a babel among reformers1 #hf2 itself unchanging1 it causes ever-changing tenets1 #hg2 guardian and depository of1 is the ,catholic ,church1 #ij2 translated into ,saxon by ,venerable ,bede1 #ia2 in ,english1 ,sir ,thomas ,more on1 #ib2 editions prior to ,luther1 #ib2 early editions in ,english1 #ib2 use of1 recommended by ,pope ,pius ,,vi1 #ic2 in seminary1 #ic1 et seq42 basis of ,papal ,infallibility1 #abe1 et seq42 infallible1 not sufficient1 #acc1 et seq42 not ordered to be multiplied1 #gh4 ,biblical interpretation on ,deuteronomy1 quoted1 #gh2 associations never converted nation1 #hj2 authorization claimed by ,mormons1 #hh2 restrictions as to garbled versions1 #ib4 ,bishops1 priests and deacons among ,protestants1 #aj2 first bishop of ,rome1 was ,st4 ,peter1 #ajf2 of ,rome1 heirs to ,st4 ,peter's supremacy1 #ajh2 convoked councils1 #aad2 presided at councils1 #aad4 ,bishop ,short on ,anglicanism1 #dd4 ,bond of ,union--,catholic1 compared to that of secret orders1 #cf4 ,bond--,nuptial1 ratified by ,god1 #daa4 ,books of ,piety adapted to wants1 #ai2 of ,machabees1 same authority as other ,scriptures1 #bad4 ,bride or ,spouse of ,christ1 applied to the ,church1 #h4 ,brownson1 ,dr41 appreciates stand of ,church on civil liberty1 #bca4 ,bunyan compared with ,a',kempis1 #bj4 ,butler's 8,lives of the ,saints0 and ,foxe's 8,book of ,martyrs0 compared1 #bj4 ,byron1 ,lord1 lauds ,st4 ,peter's ,church in ,rome1 #cha4 ,caranza ,bartholomew arrested by the ,inquisition1 #beg4 ,carroll1 ,charles1 in ,american ,independence1 #bdj4 ,carroll1 ,rev4 ,john1 in ,american ,independence1 #bdj4 ,catacombs abound in sacred images1 #aif2 earliest churches1 #acg4 ,catechism1 ,episcopal1 treats of ,absolution1 #ced1 et seq4 ,catholic bond of union and that of the secret orders compared1 #cf2 barons and ,archbishop ,langton1 #bcc2 idea of infallibility reasonable and satisfactory1 #ace2 priest obliged to read ,scriptures1 #id2 priest preaches ,christ and ,him crucified1 #ah2 literature favored by ,episcopal clergyman1 #bj2 missionaries wherever ,english is spoken1 #ce2 churches burned by ,protestants1 #bea4 ,catholics number three hundred millions1 #aj2 exhorted to study the ,word of ,god in their homes1 #ai2 not all holy1 #bc2 sometimes are sources of scandal1 #bc2 and free will1 #bc2 consciences not forced1 #bc2 ,washington addresses1 #bda2 persecuted by ,henry ,,viii4 and ,elizabeth1 #bej1 by the ,puritans1 #bea4 ,catholicity--prominent attribute of the ,church1 #bi2 evidences of1 in ,apostles' ,creed1 #bi2 defined1 #bi2 foreshadowed by the ,psalmist1 #bi2 foreseen by ,prophet ,malachy1 #bi2 not found in the separate sects1 #cb4 ,ceremonial of the ,mass1 #cbh1 et seq4 ,ceremonies--religious1 defined1 #cbj2 described1 #cbg2 prescribed by ,god1 #ccb2 necessary1 #cbb4 ,christ's life portrayed1 #ag1 et seq42 teachings versus ,book of ,homilies1 #fg1 et seq2 words and private interpretation1 #gi2 divinity not proved solely by ,scripture1 #gi1 et seq42 honored virgins in a special manner1 #djj2 instituted matrimony1 #dji2 contained entire under each form1 #cjj4 ,christian--a title of nobility1 #ag2 obligations it imposes1 #ag2 defined as another ,christ1 #ag2 communions claim perpetuity1 #ea2 unity endorsed1 #aai4 ,church teaches one ,god1 #a2 unity of1 #e2 government requires unity1 #f2 needs visible head1 #f2 a kingdom1 #f2 ,christ founded only one1 #f2 ,christ's spiritual kingdom1 #g2 government compared to that of state1 #g2 of ,christ1 a sheepfold1 #g2 likened to the sheepfold1 #g2 one chief pastor1 one chief shepherd1 #g2 likened to human body1 #g2 compared to a vine1 #h2 bride or spouse of ,christ1 #h2 unity as taught by common sense1 #h2 harmony1 #h2 needs common doctrine1 #i2 uniform government1 #i2 of ,england ruled by sovereign1 #i2 alone possesses unity1 #aj2 temple of faith1 #aj2 her creed identical with past ages1 #aa2 faith and government similar1 #aa2 does not meddle with political tenets1 #aj2 teaches one faith everywhere1 #aj2 explains and declares truths implicitly believed1 #ae2 authority to decide disputes1 #ae2 holiness an attribute of1 #af2 a society1 #af2 established for man's sanctification1 #af2 only one founded by ,christ1 #f2 inculcates valuable lessons of divine perfection1 #af2 invites to a holy life1 #ag2 enforces the inculcation of divine precepts1 #ah2 affords motives and means of sanctification1 #bj2 encourages communion with ,god1 #bj2 a watchful mother--supplies us at each step1 #ba2 fruitful in saints1 #bb2 still produces saints and apostles1 #bb2 has her martyrs in our day1 #bb2 still numbers confessors in her ranks1 #bb2 saves sinners1 #bd2 refuge of the poor1 #bd2 her inheritance--the afflicted1 #be2 possesses means of reform1 #bg2 cosmopolitan1 #cj2 ,catholic in name and reality1 #cd2 gaining numerically at present1 #ce2 apostolical1 #ch2 built upon foundation of the ,apostles1 #ch2 derives her origin from the ,apostles1 #dh2 indestructible1 #ea2 and the barbarous hordes1 #ec2 and ,mohammedanism1 #ec2 and the ,arian heresy1 #ec1 et seq42 and the ,irish people1 #ed2 and state1 #eg2 her relation to other religious bodies1 #eh2 does not need temporal power for preservation1 #eh2 and modern progress1 #ei2 benefited by scientific appliances and inventions1 #ei2 fosters intellectual progress1 #fj2 encourages scientific investigation1 #fj2 science indebted to her--has no fear from human liberty1 #fa2 outlasts all other governments1 #fa1 et seq42 authority comes from ,god1 #fe2 her teaching directed by the ,holy ,ghost1 #fe2 her infallibility proved from ,scripture1 #ff1 et seq42 ,christ's promise in favor of the1 #gj1 #gc2 her doctrines incapable of reform1 #gc2 her doctrinal decrees irrevocable1 #gf2 divinely appointed teacher of revelation1 #gf1 #gg2 guardian and depository of the ,bible1 #ij2 requires a head1 #ig2 unity maintained by supreme head1 #gg2 only one founded by ,christ1 #ajj2 built on ,peter1 #ajj2 revealed ,word of ,god her ,magna ,charta1 #abd2 exhorts all to honor ,mary1 #ahg2 her practice proves existence of purgatory1 #bad1 et seq42 ,fathers of the--unanimous in praying for the dead1 #bag2 has always promoted civil liberty1 #bbf2 defends civil rights and liberties1 #bca2 conflict with state1 #bca2 and ,american ,independence1 #bdj2 desires no governmental aid1 #bdf2 does not sanction persecution or bloodshed1 #bdi2 disavows the excesses of the ,spanish ,inquisition1 #beh2 her practice and the procedure of the ,supreme ,court compared1 #acj2 organization--,american system of1 #bdf2 her doctrine on unbaptized infants1 #bgc2 perpetuates ,christ's work1 #cda2 grants indulgences1 #cgf4 ,churches--earliest ,christian were ,catacombs1 #acg2 fallible--consequences1 #gj4 ,clement of ,alexandria bears witness to spread of ,christianity1 #ca4 ,clerical celibacy--necessity1 #cii2 propriety and advantages of1 #djb4 ,clement ,,vii1 ,pope1 refused to sanction divorce of ,henry ,,viii1 #dad4 ,communion with ,god encouraged by ,church1 #bj4 ,communion under both forms given by ,christ1 #cjj4 ,communion under form of bread1 #cjc1 et seq4 ,communion of ,saints--a comforting thought1 #afj4 ,confession of sins obligatory1 #cde2 various views1 #cff2 sacramental1 of divine institution1 #cdf1 et seq4 ,confirmation--graces of1 #ba2 defined1 #bhj2 signs that follow1 #bhb2 described by ,st4 ,augustine1 #bhb2 abolished by the ,protestants1 #bhe4 ,constantine gives peace to the ,church1 #acg4 ,continence--voluntary1 superior to matrimony1 #cii4 ,cross--held in reverence1 #c2 instrument of the crucifixion1 #c2 adorns our sanctuaries1 #c2 surmounts our ,churches1 #c2 emblem of salvation1 #c4 ,cross--sign of the1 ancient and pious practice1 #c2 how made1 #c2 taught by tradition1 #c2 profession of faith1 #c2 salutary act of religion1 #c4 ,d',aubigne on ,protestant ,reformation1 #bfd--;comments on divorce of ,henry ,,viii4 ,david and ,nathan1 #cgf4 ,deacons1 priests and bishops in ,protestant sects1 #aj4 ,death does not dissever love among friends1 #afa4 ,decrees in doctrinal matters irrevocable1 #gg4 ,de ,maistre quoted on name ,protestant1 #ee4 ,deuteronomy quoted on ,biblical interpretation1 #gh4 ,devotion--true1 is interior1 #cbj2 manuals of1 criticised1 #cff4 ,divine perfections sources of valuable lessons1 #af4 ,divine power manifested on ,easter ,sunday1 #c4 ,divinity of ,christ not proved solely by ,scripture1 #gi1 et seq4 ,divorce never allowed--separation sometimes1 #dab4 ,divorce prohibited by ,st4 ,paul1 #dac4 ,divorced man may not marry during wife's lifetime1 #dad4 ,divorce--legal1 causes1 #daf2 cruel consequences of1 #dag4 ,doctrinal decrees of the ,church are irrevocable1 #gf4 ,doctrines of the ,church cannot be reformed1 #gc2 the same everywhere1 #aj2 new definitions do not impair unity of faith1 #aa1 et seq4 ,dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception formulated1 #aga4 ,dllinger1 ,dr41 anathematized1 #aj4 ,duties to ,god--first lessons taught us1 #ah4 ,eastern churches allow a married clergy1 #djb4 ,ecumenical councils vindicate papal supremacy1 #aac2 defined1 #aad4 ,elias dear to ,jehovah1 #cg4 ,elizabeth1 ,queen1 and ,henry ,,viii4 persecuted ,catholics1 #bej4 ,elizabethan and ,marian persecutions compared1 #bfb1 et seq4 ,episcopal clergyman favors ,catholic books1 #bj4 ,evangelical ,alliance failed--had no common platform1 #aai4 ,exodus1 ,book of1 and sacred images1 #bjj4 ,extreme ,unction defined1 #chd2 effects1 #ba2 supported by ancient authority1 #chf4 ,faith1 hope and charity necessary for ,catholics1 #cg4 ,faith1 temple of1 the ,church1 #aj2 ,albertus ,magnus quoted1 #ae4 ,faith1 unity of1 required1 #e2 progress in1 does not change truth1 #ae4 ,fathers of the ,church on ,confirmation1 #bhc2 echo the words of ,st4 ,paul on the ,eucharist1 #big2 they are unanimous on praying for the dead1 #bag4 ,fenelon favors liberty of conscience1 #bbh4 ,founders of various religious denominations1 #df4 ,foxe's ,book of ,martyrs and the ,lives of the ,saints contrasted1 #bj4 ,free-will--,catholics enjoy1 #bc4 ,garbled versions of the ,bible restricted1 #ib4 ,gibbon quoted on triumphs of the ,church1 #ec4 ,god--infinite in knowledge1 power and goodness1 #a2 governs by ,his ,providence1 #a2 created all things by ,his ,omnipotence1 #a2 three persons in ,one1 #a2 persons equal1 #a4 ,god commands the making of images1 #cja4 ,god requires that ,his ministers be respected1 #chh4 ,god works through his representatives1 #cda1 et seq4 ,god's judgment impressed on the child mind1 #ai4 ,gospel ministers are ordained and commissioned1 #ci4 ,government--state and church compared1 #g4 ,governmental aid not desired for ,church1 #bdf4 ,grace defined1 #bfe2 necessary for sanctification1 #bfe4 ,graces imparted by ,holy ,orders and ,matrimony1 #ba4 ,graces needed by married couple1 special1 #djh4 ,great ,spirit worshiped by ,american ,indians1 #cji4 ,gregory ,,ii1 ,pope1 writes about images1 #adj4 ,habeas ,corpus1 #bbc4 ,hail ,mary explained1 #agd1 et seq4 ,hamlet1 ,shakespeare's1 advised by the dead1 #bba4 ,hebrews believed in intercessory prayer1 #aei4 ,henry ,,viii4 excommunicated1 #aj2 divorce refused1 #dd4 ,henry ,,viii and ,elizabeth persecuted ,catholics1 #bej4 ,heresy and schism opposed to unity1 #e2 likened to murder and idolatry1 #e2 heresy defined1 #e2 and the ,church1 #ed2 a crime against church and state1 #bee4 ,holy ,eucharist--,st4 ,paul's testimony on1 #bie4 ,holiness a mark of the ,church1 #af4 ,holmes1 ,oliver ,wendell1 praises ,mary1 #agi4 ,holy ,ghost sent by ,christ1 #c2 on ,pentecost1 #c2 guides the ,church's teaching1 #fe4 ,holy ,scripture--depository of ,god's ,word1 #gg4 ,holy ,orders and ,matrimony--graces of1 #ba4 ,image--,making commanded by ,god1 #bja4 ,images1 ,sacred--advantages of1 #bjd1 et seq42 and the ,reformers1 #aih2 and the ,council of ,trent1 #aih1 et seq42 and the ,book of ,exodus1 #bjj2 veneration of1 #aif2 ,catacombs abound in1 #aif4 ,immaculate ,conception implied in ,scripture1 #aga2 in our earliest history1 #agc2 dogma formulated in #ahed1 #aga4 ,indestructibility of the ,church due to finger of ,god1 #eg4 ,infallible ,bible not sufficient #acc1 et seq4 ,infallibility a special guidance of the ,holy ,ghost1 #fe2 implied in the attributes of the ,church1 #fe2 of ,apostolic teaching1 #fe2 proved from ,scripture1 #ff1 et seq42 transmitted by ,apostles to successors1 #fe2 blessings attendant on--for the faithful1 #gb2 ,catholic idea of1 reasonable and satisfactory1 #ace2 misapprehended1 #aba2 what it does not mean1 #aba1 et seq42 what it is1 #abc2 founded on ,bible1 #abe1 et seq42 not a new doctrine1 #acj4 ,incense1 its use1 #ccd4 ,indians1 ,american--worshiped the ,great ,spirit1 #cji4 ,indulgence defined1 #cge2 granted by the ,church1 #cgf2 elements required1 #cgg2 classes1 #cgh2 does not exempt from doing penance1 #cgi2 abused1 #chj4 ,infant ,baptism proved from early ,doctors1 #bgj2 and the ,council of ,carthage1 #bgj2 not to be delayed1 #bgc4 ,inquisition1 ,spanish--cruelties1 #bdh2 its true character1 #bed2 explained1 #bed2 excesses disavowed by the ,church1 #beh4 ,inventions and scientific appliances beneficial to ,church1 #ei4 ,invocation of the ,saints defined1 #aeb4 ,ireland and the ,ancient ,church1 #ed4 ,irish clergy persecuted by ,cromwell1 #bej4 ,jeremiah1 after death1 prays for ,jewish people1 #aei4 ,jesus ,christ1 second person of ,blessed ,trinity1 #a2 perfect ,god and perfect man1 #a2 assumes human nature1 #a2 born on ,christmas ,day1 #a2 led a life of obscurity at ,nazareth1 #a2 commences public career1 #a2 associates with his ,apostles1 #b2 doing good1 #b2 preaches new gospel1 #b2 crucified on ,mount ,calvary1 #b2 purchases our redemption1 #b2 is our ,saviour and ,redeemer1 #b2 example to be imitated1 #b2 manifested ,divine power on ,easter ,sunday1 #c2 raised ,himself to life1 #c2 ascended into heaven1 #c2 spends forty days on earth1 #c2 sends ,holy ,ghost1 #c2 requires unity of faith1 #e2 prays for unity1 #e2 mission evidenced in unity of ,church1 #e2 speaks of ,his ,church1 not churches1 #f2 our model1 #ag2 wrote no line of ,scripture1 #hj2 established supreme head of the ,church1 #ih1 et seq42 founded but one ,church1 #ajj2 the one ,mediator1 #afa2 came on earth to wash away sins1 #bfh2 our ,victim in the ,mass1 #cag2 a ,physician and ,savior1 #cdj4 ,jesus' prayer is always heard1 #abf2 name implies ,his mission1 #cci2 example a means of sanctification1 #af2 moral lessons tend to sanctification1 #af4 ,jews ordered by ,christ to obey constituted teachers1 #gi2 pray for their dead1 #bbj2 venerate the ,bible1 #gg2 were released from religious persecution by ,st4 ,bernard1 #bbh2 appealed to the ,sanhedrim for the settlement of disputes1 #gg2 their priests expounded ,bible1 #gh2 their ,high ,priest and the ,roman ,pontiff compared1 #ie4 ,job intercedes for his friends1 #aeg4 ,john1 ,abbot of ,constantinople1 appeals to ,pope ,gregory ,i1 #aab4 ,judea a hallowed soil1 #afd4 ,jurisdiction of ,god's ministers unlimited1 #chh4 ,laity contain many ,saints1 #bc4 ,langton1 ,archbishop1 and ,catholic barons1 #bcc4 ,leibnitz taught that ,christ is entire under each species1 #cjb4 ,leo the ,great1 ,pope1 and ,attila1 #aci4 ,leo the ,isaurian desires spiritual jurisdiction1 #aci2 destroys paintings1 #adj2 wars on images1 #aig4 ,lepanto--victory of #aega1 #ec4 ,liberty1 religious1 explained1 #bbf2 ever promoted by the ,catholic ,church1 #bbf2 taught by ,becanus1 #bcj2 favored by ,fenelon1 #bbh2 and civil rights defended by the ,church1 #bca2 human not feared1 #fa4 ,lights on the altar--meaning1 #ccc4 ,literature1 ,catholic1 favored by ,episcopal clergyman1 #bj4 ,llorente1 historian of ,spanish ,inquisition1 #bec2 who he was1 #bec1 et seq4 ,longfellow refers to ,mary's influence and intercession1 #ahi4 ,loyalty to ,christ implies veneration of ,his representative1 #ajf4 ,luther advocated ,communion under one form1 #cja2 accused ,john ,tetzel1 #chb4 ,lutheranism founded by ,luther1 #dd2 rise and progress of1 #ed4 ,magna ,charta--great bulwark of liberty1 #bcc4 ,magna ,charta1 the ,church's--the revealed ,word of ,god1 #abd4 ,marriage law violated by ,henry ,,viii1 #aj2 indissoluble1 #daj2 contract--most inviolable and irrevocable1 #daj2 forbidden to priests after ordination1 #djj4 ,married couple need special graces1 #djh4 ,mary singularly honored by ,jesus ,christ1 #afe2 ,mother of ,god--meaning1 #aff2 not mother of divinity--,mother of ,god1 #afg2 truly and really ,mother of ,god1 #afg2 of surpassing dignity and excellence1 #afh2 always a virgin1 #afh2 loves men1 #aij2 exempted from original sin1 #bfg4 ,mary's soul never subject to sin1 #aga2 her soul needed a redeemer1 #aga2 prerogatives1 #agd2 honor redounds to ,god1 #aha2 honor founded on ,scriptural sanction1 #ahf2 honor encouraged by the ,church1 #ahg2 intercession superior to that of the ,angels and the ,saints1 #ahh2 influence and intercession referred to by ,longfellow1 #ahi-aic2 invoked by ,edgar ,allan ,poe1 #aia4 ,mary ,magdalen experienced the mercy of ,jesus1 #cdj4 ,maryland--cradle of civil and religious liberty1 #bcc2 land of the ,sanctuary1 #bcc2 religious toleration explained1 #bcd1 et seq42 changes effected by ,puritans1 #bcg2 tolerations--three1 #bch1 et seq4 ,mass is identical with the ,sacrifice of the ,cross1 #caa2 instituted1 #cab2 a perpetual oblation1 #cac1 et seq42 of ,apostolic origin1 #cad2 its ceremonial1 #cbh1 et seq42 why said in ,latin1 #cbi1 et seq4 ,matrimony defined1 #djh2 instituted by ,christ1 #dji2 imparts ample and suitable graces1 #ba4 ,missionaries1 ,catholic1 wherever ,english is spoken1 #ce2 ,apostolic--sent by ,popes1 #aae4 ,mohammedanism1 rise and conquests1 #ec2 and the ,church1 #ec4 ,monica1 ,st41 requests prayers for the repose of her soul1 #baf4 ,morality of ,catholic and ,protestant countries contrasted1 #cfi2 lax among ,catholics--accusation answered1 #cfd2 ,christ's lessons tend to sanctification1 #af2 inculcated by the ,church1 #ah2 moral law standard of perfection1 #ah4 ,more1 ,sir ,thomas1 quoted on ,bible in ,english1 #ib4 ,mormons claim ,biblical authorization for polygamy1 #hh4 ,mormonism at variance with ,gospel1 #daj4 ,mysteries1 principal1 incentive to holiness1 #ag2 proposed by the ,church1 #ag2 surround us everywhere1 #bic4 ,naaman the ,syrian cured1 #cfa4 ,napoleon's demands on ,pope ,pius ,,vii1 #bdb1 et seq4 ,nathan and ,david1 #cgf4 ,nuptial bond ratified by ,god1 #daa4 ,onias1 after death1 prays for the people of ,god1 #aei4 ,oracles1 rashness of following discordant1 #gb4 ,origen bears witness to the spread of ,christianity1 #ca4 ,original sin1 all men born in1 #bfg2 ,blessed ,virgin alone exempted1 #bfg2 universal1 #bgb4 ,pagans retained primitive traditions about sacrifices1 #cji4 ,papal ,jurisdiction--examples1 #aji1 et seq4 ,papal states a convenience for the ,holy ,father1 #ade4 ,paul1 ,st4 on heresy and schism1 #e1 et seq42 asks intercession1 #aeh4 ,penance--effects of ,sacrament1 #ba4 ,pentecost--,christ sends ,holy ,ghost1 #c4 ,perpetuity of the ,church1 #ej2 defined1 #ej2 foretold in the ,scriptures1 #ej4 ,persecutions lasted #bhj years1 #eb4 ,persecution and bloodshed not sanctioned by the ,church1 #bdi4 ,persecutions by ,queen ,mary of ,england1 #bfa2 compared with those under ,elizabeth1 #bfb1 et seq4 ,pepin1 ,king of the ,franks1 defeats ,lombards1 #ada4 ,peter1 ,st41 primacy of1 #ie2 foundation of the ,church1 #ajj2 first ,bishop of ,rome1 #ajf2 supremacy handed down1 #ajh2 and ,washington compared1 #ajh2 oracle of the ,apostles1 #abf1 et seq4 ,photius appeals to ,pope ,nicholas ,i to confirm his election to the ,patriarchate of ,constantinople1 #aab4 ,plebescitum1 ,roman1 explained1 #adf4 ,plutarch declares3 8,no nations without priests and altars10 #cji4 ,poe1 ,edgar ,allan1 invokes ,mary1 #aia4 ,pontiff1 ,supreme1 is commander-in-chief of the ,church1 #aag4 ,pope is ,vicar of ,christ1 #abi2 father and doctor of ,christians1 chief pastor of the ,church1 #acj2 confirms or rejects decrees of councils1 #aca2 a prisoner in his own house1 #ade4 ,popes succeed to ,peter's supremacy1 #ajh2 send ,apostolic missionaries1 #aae2 go to confession regularly1 #abb2 oracles of the early ,church1 #abh1 et seq41 recognized in all ages as infallible teachers1 #acb4 ,prayer for unity1 #e2 and ,sacraments--means of sanctification1 #bj2 a duty binding in conscience #bj2 of ,jesus ,christ1 always heard #abf2 for the dead1 consoling1 #bbe4 ,priest1 ,catholic obliged to read word of ,god1 #id2 ambassador of ,god1 #chg2 dispenser of ,god's graces1 #cij2 titles1 #cia2 physician of souls1 #cif2 must be man of prayer1 #cih4 ,priestly obligations1 #cie2 stands before ,god1 intercessor for his people1 #cif2 experience in sacred ministry1 #cfg1 et seq4 ,primacy of ,st4 ,peter1 #ie2 promised1 #ih1 et seq42 and supremacy similarly demonstrated1 #aji4 ,progress1 ,modern1 and the ,church1 #ei2 intellectual fostered by the ,church1 #fj2 cannot destroy the ,church1 #ei4 ,prophecies of ,christ fulfilled by spread of ,christianity1 #cj4 ,protestant sects make no claim to ,catholicity1 #cb2 ,episcopalians sometimes usurp the title of ,catholic1 #cc2 inconsistency between teaching and practice1 #hb1 et seq4 ,protestantism not traceable to ,apostolic times1 #dg2 and ,arianism paralleled1 #ee1 et seq4 ,protestants differ in belief among themselves1 #i2 sects do not possess unity1 #i2 combat the perpetual virginity of ,mary1 #afi1 et seq42 their objections answered1 #afi1 et seq42 burned ,catholic churches1 #bea2 abolished confirmation1 #bhe4 ,puritans effected changes in ,maryland1 #bcg2 persecuted others for conscience's sake1 #bea4 ,ranke quoted on ,spanish ,inquisition1 #bef4 ,raphael ,archangel and young ,tobias1 #aee4 ,real presence founded on scripture1 #bhh2 proved from the ,new ,testament1 #bhh1 et seq4 ,reformation of morals effected1 #bf4 ,reformers made a babel of the ,bible1 #hf2 and sacred images1 #aih2 guilty of violence towards others1 #bej4 ,regeneration1 necessary to all1 #bgb4 ,religious denominations and their founders1 #df4 ,repentance--,catholic and ,protestant systems contrasted1 #cfb4 ,revelation--church divinely appointed teacher of1 #gf4 ,reverence for the ,cross1 #c2 and adoration compared1 #bjb4 ,rites and ceremonies prescribed by ,god1 #cbb4 ,ritual described in ,revelation1 #cbd4 ,rodriguez1 8,christian ,perfection0 recommended1 #bj4 ,roman ,pontiff and ,jewish ,high ,priest1 compared1 #ie4 ,roman ,plebescitum explained1 #adf4 ,rome1 ,st4 ,peter1 first ,bishop of1 #ajf4 ,rome1 ,st4 ,peter's residence in1 proved1 #ajg2 testified by eminent writers1 #ajg4 ,sacramental confession of divine institution1 #cdf1 et seq4 ,sacraments and prayers are means of grace1 #bfe2 defined1 #bfe2 constituent elements1 #bfe2 seven1 instituted by ,christ1 #bff4 ,sacred images--advantages1 #bjd1 et seq42 and the ,reformers1 #aih2 and the council of ,trent1 #aih1 et seq4 ,sacrifices1 defined1 #cjg2 offered by all peoples1 #cjg2 early1 #cjg1 et seq42 various1 in ,old ,law1 #cag4 ,st4 ,alphonsus1 a distinguished reformer1 #bg4 ,st4 ,ambrose describes ,mary's life1 #aid2 confronts the ,emperor ,theodosius1 the ,great1 #bcb2 on the sevenfold gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 #bhd4 ,st4 ,athanasius appeals to ,pope ,julius ,i against a ,decree of the ,eastern ,bishops1 #aaa4 ,st4 ,augustine quoted about truth1 #ab2 on false claims to ,catholicity1 #cc2 on ,apostolicity1 #di1 #ef2 describes confirmation1 #bhb2 on ,chrism ointment1 #bhe2 on secret confession1 #cfj4 ,st4 ,basil of ,cserea has recourse to ,pope ,damasus1 #aaa4 ,st4 ,bartholomew's ,day--massacre1 #bei2 church not interested in1 #bei2 facts stated1 #bei1 et seq4 ,st4 ,bernard released ,jews from religious persecution1 #bbh4 ,st4 ,charles ,borromeo1 the reformer1 #bg4 ,st4 ,cyril appeals to ,pope ,celestine1 #aaa4 ,st4 ,francis de ,sales' writings recommended1 #bj4 ,st4 ,hilary of ,arles and papal supremacy1 #aaa4 ,st4 ,ignatius ,loyola1 conspicuous reformer1 #bg4 ,st4 ,irenus bears witness to the spread of ,christianity1 #ca4 ,st4 ,jerome's edition of the ,scriptures1 #ia2 edits the vulgate1 #ia4 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom appeals to ,pope ,innocent ,i1 #aaa4 ,st4 ,justin1 martyr1 witness of ,catholicity in second century1 #ca4 ,st4 ,paul invokes intercession of the ,ephesians1 #aeh2 testimony on the ,holy ,eucharist1 #bie2 granted indulgences1 #cgf2 prohibited divorce1 #dac4 ,st4 ,peter's primacy1 #ie2 first bishop of ,rome1 #ajf2 residence in ,rome proved1 #ajg2 supremacy handed down1 #ajh2 ,oracle of the ,apostles1 #abf1 et seq4 ,st4 ,philip ,neri1 apostle of modern ,rome1 #bg4 ,st4 ,vincent of ,lerins on doctrine and practice1 #ae4 ,saints--many among laity1 #bc4 ,sanctity--examples witnessed1 #bc4 ,sanhedrim settled disputes for the ,jews1 #gg2 explained ,bible1 #gg4 ,scandals do not invalidate ,church's claims to sanctify1 #bf4 ,schism and heresy oppose unity1 #e2 schism defined1 #e4 ,schismatic ,churches have no claims to ,catholicity1 #cb4 ,scripture1 ,holy1 depository of1 ,god's ,word1 #gg2 no line of1 written by ,christ1 #hj2 does not contain all truth1 #hi2 alone1 not sufficient guide and rule of faith1 #hi2 perpetuated by the ,church1 #ia1 et seq42 ,st4 ,jerome translates1 #ia4 ,sects--conflicting in ,north ,carolina1 #i2 ,protestant do not possess unity1 #i4 ,sign of the ,cross--ancient and pious practice1 #c2 how made1 #c2 ,tertullian quoted on1 #c2 taught by tradition1 #c2 profession of faith1 #c2 salutary act of religion1 #c4 ,signs following confirmation1 #ag4 ,sin includes guilt and punishment1 #cge2 original--all men born in1 #bfg2 ,most ,blessed ,virgin alone excepted1 #bfg4 ,smithfield and ,tyburn compared1 #bfd4 ,socrates quoted on papal supremacy1 #aaa4 ,solomon and ,judas as warnings1 #ai4 ,spain--condition of1 during the ,inquisition1 #bee4 ,spanish ,inquisition--cruelties1 #bdh2 ,llorente1 historian1 #bec2 excesses disavowed by the ,church1 #beh4 ,spiritual ,combat recommended1 #bj4 ,supremacy of ,st4 ,peter--,popes succeed to1 #ajh2 ,socrates quoted on1 #aaa2 and ,primacy similarly demonstrated1 #aji4 ,supreme ,court procedure and ,church practice compared1 #acj4 ,supreme ,head of the ,church maintains unity1 #ih2 established by ,christ1 #ih2 is commander-in-chief of the ,church1 #aag4 ,teachers--constituted1 to be obeyed1 #gi4 ,teaching of ,christ versus ,book of ,homilies1 #fg1 et seq4 ,teaching of ,apostles infallible1 #fe4 ,teaching of the ,church guided by the ,holy ,ghost1 #fe4 ,temporal power--end and aim1 #add2 not necessary to ,church's preservation1 #eh4 ,tennyson's ,sir ,belvidere asks prayers for his soul1 #bbe4 ,testament1 ,old--teaches existence of ,purgatory1 #baa1 et seq4 ,testimony of ,st4 ,paul on the ,holy ,eucharist1 #bie4 ,tertullian bears witness to the spread of ,christianity1 #ca2 treats of the ,apostolicity of the ,church1 #di4 ,tetzel1 ,john1 accused by ,luther1 #chb4 ,theodoret appeals to ,st4 ,leo1 ,pope1 #aab4 ,theodosius the ,great confronted by ,st4 ,ambrose1 #bcb4 ,thomas ,arundel praised ,queen ,anne1 #ib4 ,titles of the ,catholic priest1 #cia4 ,tobias1 ,young1 and the ,archangel ,raphael1 #aee4 ,toleration1 ,religious1 in ,maryland1 #bcd1 et seq4 ,transubstantiation a mystery1 #bib4 ,triumphs of the ,church according to ,gibbon1 #ec4 ,trent1 ,council of--great reformatory tribunal1 #bg2 on sacred images1 #aih1 et seq42 asserts doctrine of ,purgatory1 #baj4 ,truth unchangeable1 #ab4 ,tyburn and ,smithfield compared1 #bfd4 ,tyndall on debt of science to the ,church1 #fj4 ,unity of the ,church1 #e2 heresy and schism opposed to1 #e2 required by ,jesus ,christ1 #e2 of faith required1 #e2 ,jesus ,christ prays for it1 #e2 prayer of ,christ for1 #e2 an evidence of ,christ's mission1 #e2 in government it is essential1 #f2 not found in ,protestant sects1 #i2 found in ,catholic ,church alone1 #aj2 ,catholic1 in what it consists1 #aj2 of government and faith1 #aa2 safeguard of government1 #aa2 of faith not impaired by new doctrinal definitions1 #aa2 of the ,church maintained by supreme head1 #ih2 ,christian1 endorsed1 #aai2 implies recognition of pope's headship1 #aai4 ,unbaptized ,infants--,church's teaching regarding1 #bgc4 ,validity of the ,pope's title to the papal states1 #ada4 ,variation in ,biblical interpretation1 #hg4 ,vatican ,council assembled from all nations1 #ccb2 ,ecumenical1 #cd2 all countries represented1 #cd2 all systems represented1 #cd4 ,veneration of images1 #aif4 ,vestments--their meaning1 #cce2 their colors symbolical1 #ccg4 ,vicar of ,christ is the ,pope1 #abi4 ,victim in the ,mass is ,jesus ,christ1 #cag4 ,victor ,emmanuel1 the modern ,achab1 #add4 ,virgins1 ,consecrated--,apostolate of ,sisterhoods1 #bc4 ,virgins especially honored by ,christ1 #djj4 ,virginity1 ,perpetual--of ,mary1 combated by ,protestants1 #afi1 et seq4 ,voltaire bears testimony to the good use of ,church temporalities1 #ach4 ,vulgate--edited by ,st4 ,jerome1 #ia4 ,warfare on ,church--foreign and domestic1 #ea4 ,washington and ,st4 ,peter compared1 #ajh4 ,washington's ,address to the ,catholics1 #bda4 ,wesley1 ,john1 founds ,methodist ,church1 #dd4 ,westminster ,abbey has many statues of heroes1 #bja4 ,wordsworth on 8,mother's ,love and ,maiden ,purity10 #afh1 #ahj2 tribute to ,mary1 #age4 ,,footnotes #a ,dryden1 ,hind and ,panther4 #b ,matt4 xvi4 #bf4 #c ,,ii4 ,cor4 iv4 #ag4 #d ,rom4 ix4 #e4 #e ,athanasian ,creed4 #f ,matt4 xi4 #g ,acts iv4 #ab4 #h ,isaiah liii4 #e4 #i ,luke ix4 #bc4 #aj ,,ii4 ,cor4 iv4 #aj4 #aa ,gal4 vi4 #ad4 #ab ,de ,corona1 ,c4 iii4 #ac ,mark xvi4 #ae4 #ad ,luke x4 #af4 #ae ,symb4 ,constantinop4 #af ,john xvii4 #bj1 #ba4 #ag ,gal4 v4 #bj1 #ba4 #ah ,ephes4 iv4 #c-f4 #ai ,matt4 xvi4 #ah4 #bj ,luke i4 #cb1 #cc4 #ba ,matt4 xii4 #be4 #bb ,john x4 #af4 #bc ,rom4 xii4 #d1 #e4 #bd ,john xv4 #e4 #be ,apoc4 xxi4 #i4 #bf ,i4 ,cor4 xiv4 #cc4 #bg ,job xxxviii4 #aa4 #bh ,heb4 xiii4 #h4 #bi ,de ,civitate ,dei1 ,lib4 #af1 ,cap4 ii41 ,no4 #a4 #cj ,i4 ,pet4 ii4 #i4 #ca ,heb4 i4 #c4 #cb ,exod4 xxv4 #dj4 #cc ,lev4 xix4 #b4 #cd ,matt4 v4 #dh4 #ce ,eph4 v4 #a4 #cf ,ephes4 iv4 #aa1 #ac4 #cg ,deut4 vi4 #f1 #g4 #ch ,apoc4 iii4 #g4 #ci ,matt4 xvi4 #bf4 #dj ,gal4 iii4 #bg4 #da ,eph4 v4 #be-bg4 #db ,heb4 xi4 #cg4 #dc ,coloss4 iii4 #c4 #dd ,i4 ,tim4 i4 #ae4 #de ,matt4 xi4 #e4 #df ,matt4 xiii4 #bd-cg4 #dg ,ibid4 xiii4 #dg4 #dh ,,ii4 ,tim4 ii4 #bj4 #di ,dial4 contra ,lucif4 #ej ,hom4 #ab1 in ,evang4 #ea ,in ,ps4 viii41 ii4 #ac4 #eb ,cant4 vi4 #i4 #ec ,i4 ,cor4 i4 #ed ,i4 ,cor4 v4 #ee ,luther1 ,zuinglius1 and ,knox had been ordained priests4 ,calvin had studied for the priesthood1 but did not receive ,orders4 #ef ,ps4 xii4 #eg ,mal4 i4 #aa4 #eh ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai4 #ei ,mark xvi4 #ae4 #fj ,acts i4 #h4 #fa ,rom4 x4 #ah4 #fb ,rom4 i4 #ah4 #fc ,adv4 ,hr41 i4 #a4 #fd ,apologet4 c4 #cg4 #fe ,st4 ,aug4 de ,ver4 ,rel41 c4 #g4 n4 #ab4 #ff ,does not this fact conclusively demonstrate the truth that the ,catholic ,church can subsist under every form of government8 ,and is it not an eloquent refutation of the oft repeated calumny that a republic is not a favorable soil for her development8 #fg ,apoc4 v4 #i4 #fh ,malachy i4 #aa4 #fi ,ps4 lxxxiii4 #gj ,eph4 ii4 #bj4 #ga ,gal4 i4 #h4 #gb ,,ii4 ,tim4 ii4 #b4 #gc ,heb4 v4 #d4 #gd ,rom4 x4 #ae4 #ge ,acts xiv4 #bb4 #gf ,tit4 i4 #e4 #gg ,acts xiii4 #b1 #c4 #gh ,matt4 xvi4 #ah4 #gi ,luke xxii4 #cb4 #hj ,john xxi4 #ae4 #ha ,thess4 ii4 #ac4 #hb ,acts xv4 #bh4 #hc ,gal4 i4 #h4 #hd ,matt4 vi4 #ag4 #he ,acts xiii4 #b4 #hf ,acts xiv4 #bb4 #hg ,i4 ,cor4 xiv4 #cd1 #ce4 #hh ,acts viii4 #ag4 #hi ,matt4 xxvi4 #bf-bh4 #ij ,i4 ,cor4 x4 #af4 #ia ,john xx4 #bh4 #ib ,,ii4 ,cor4 v4 #ah4 #ic ,james v4 #ad4 #id ,mark x4 #aa1 #ab4 #ie ,i4 ,cor4 vii1 #aj1 #aa4 #if ,i4 ,cor4 vii4 #ig ,history of the ,church of ,england1 by ,thomas4 ,v4 ,short1 ,bishop of ,st4 ,asaph's1 p4 #dd4 #ih ,book of ,homilies4 #ii ,lib4 de ,prscrip41 c4 #cb4 #ajj ,psal4 contra part ,donati4 #aja ,luke i4 #cb1 #cc4 #ajb ,matt4 xvi4 #ah4 #ajc ,matt4 xxviii4 #bj4 #ajd ,except some ,oriental sects dating back to the fifth and ninth centuries4 #aje ,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire1 ch4 xxxvii1 p4 #dej4 #ajf ,du ,pape1 #a1 #b1 c4 #e4 #ajg ,psalm cii4 #e4 #ajh ,psalm ii4 #a-d4 #aji ,daniel1 iii4 #aaj ,tyndall1 ,study of ,physics4 #aaa ,psalm ci4 #bg-bi4 #aab ,eph4 ii4 #ai1 #bj4 #aac ,matt4 xxviii4 #bj4 #aad ,see ,gal4 iv4 #ad2 #a ,thess4 ii4 #ac4 #aae ,matt4 xvi4 #ah4 #aaf ,matt4 vii4 #bd1 et seq4 #aag ,john xx4 #ba4 #aah ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai1 #bj4 #aai ,mark xvi4 #ae4 #abj ,acts i4 #h4 #aba ,matt4 x4 #ad1 #ae4 #abb ,matt4 xviii4 #ag4 #abc ,mark xvi4 #af4 #abd ,luke x4 #af4 #abe ,john xiv4 #af2 xvi4 #ac4 #abf ,matt4 xxviii4 #ah-bj4 #abg ,ex4 iii4 #ab2 ,jer4 xv4 #bj1 etc4 #abh ,eph4 iv4 #aa-ad4 #abi ,heb4 xi4 #f4 #acj ,tim4 iii4 #g4 #aca ,isaiah xxxv4 #h4 #acb ,ps4 cxxxii4 #acc ,matt4 xviii4 #c4 #acd ,pet4 ii4 #b4 #ace ,deut4 xvii4 #h1 et seq4 #acf ,mal4 ii4 #g4 #acg ,matt4 xxiii4 #b1 #c4 #ach ,john v4 #ci4 #aci ,except when ,he directed ,st4 ,john to write the ,apocalypse1 i4 #aa4 #adj ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai4 #ada ,mark xvi4 #ae4 #adb ,luke x4 #af4 #adc ,mark xvi4 #bj4 #add ,i4 ,tim41 ii4 #d4 #ade ,martinet1 ,religion in ,society1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 c4 #aj4 #adf ,,ii4 ,pet41 iii4 #af4 #adg ,ibid41 i4 #bj4 #adh ,acts1 viii4 #ca4 #adi ,except1 perhaps1 ,rev4 ,h4 ,w4 ,beecher4 who thinks that ,god is glorified by the variety of sects4 #aej ,see ,john xxi4 #be2 ,,ii4 ,thess4 ii4 #ad4 #aea ,,iii4 ,kings xiv4 #ai4 #aeb ,dialog4 #c1 #ad4 #aec ,deut4 xvii4 #aed ,i4 ,cor4 x4 #aa4 #aee ,prov4 viii4 #ae4 #aef ,matt4 xvi4 #ac-ai4 #aeg ,rev4 i4 #ah4 #aeh ,john xxi4 #ae-ag4 #aei ,matt4 x4 #b2 ,mark iii4 #af2 ,luke vi4 #ad2 ,acts i4 #ad4 #afj ,acts iii4 #afa ,acts ii4 #afb ,acts x4 #afc ,acts i4 #afd ,acts xv4 #afe ,acts xii4 #aff ,gal4 ii4 #aa4 #afg ,gal4 i4 #ah4 #afh ,socrates' ,ecclesiastical ,history1 ,b4 ,,ii41 c4 xv4 #afi ,epist4 #aac4 #agj ,see ,butler's ,lives of the ,saints--,st4 ,olave1 ,july #bith4 #aga ,ps4 lii4 #agb ,gen4 xi4 #d4 #agc ,numb4 xxiv4 #e4 #agd ,conc4 ,vat4 ,const4 ,pastor ternus1 c4 #d4 #age ,conc4 ,vat4 ,const4 ,dei ,filius1 cap4 #d2 ,coloss4 ii4 #h4 #agf ,matt4 xvi4 #agg ,matt4 xvi4 #agh ,ibid4 #agi ,luke xxii4 #ca1 #cb4 #ahj ,john xxi4 #af1 #ag4 #aha ,matt4 viii4 #bj4 #ahb ,acts iv4 #cd1 #ce4 #ahc ,sometimes called ,stephen ,,ii41 as ,stephen1 his predecessor1 died three days after his election1 whose name is omitted in some calendars4 #ahd ,,iii4 ,kings xxi4 #c4 #ahe ,,ii4 ,kings xii4 #ahf ,i dare say you could have found1 a few years since1 some persons in the ,united ,states who entertained a holy fear lest the ,pope should one morning land upon our shores1 and take forcible possession of our country4 ,a venerable clergyman once informed me that when he went to pay his respects to ,president ,pierce1 who then occupied the ,white ,house1 his ,excellency remarked to him3 8,i had a visit from a nervous gentleman1 who asked me whether ,i was making any preparations to resist the approach of the ,pope4 ,i replied that so far ,i had taken no steps1 but that no doubt ,i would be prepared to meet the enemy when he arrived4 ,the man retired more composed1 though not fully satisfied40 #ahg ,some of the evils that were predicted to follow from the occupation of ,rome by a foreign power have been too speedily realized4 ,already several convents and other ecclesiastical institutions have been seized and sold1 and their inmates sent adrift4 ,a number of colleges founded and endowed by the piety of foreign ,catholics have been confiscated4 ,public religious processions through the streets of ,rome have been prohibited4 ,these and other outrages are perpetrated by a government which solemnly pledged itself to maintain inviolate the sovereign rights of the ,holy ,father when it took forcible possession of his city in #ahgj4 ,from the events that have already transpired1 we shall not be surprised to see the ,pope still more seriously hampered by a monarch who has unscrupulously violated his former guarantees4 #ahh ,memoir of ,pope ,sixtus ,v41 by ,baron ,hbner1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 ch4 #a4 #ahi ,when these lines were written1 ,pius ,,ix4 was the reigning ,pontiff4 ,he died ,february #g1 #ahgh4 #aij ,some time ago1 my attention was called to a certain excommunication or 8curse10 then widely circulated by the press of ,north ,carolina4 ,the 8curse0 is attributed to the ,holy ,father1 and is fulminated against ,victor ,emmanuel4 ,in this anathema1 cursing and damning are heaped up in wild confusion4 ,when this base forgery appeared1 an article exposing the falsehood of the production was published4 ,we fear1 however1 that many who read the slanderous charge did not read its refutation4 #aia ,matt4 xvi4 #ah4 #aib ,i4 ,cor4 xiii4 #ab4 #aic ,gen4 xlviii4 #af4 #aid ,tobias xii4 #ab4 #aie ,luke xv4 #aj4 #aif ,i4 ,cor4 iv4 #i4 #aig ,matt4 xxii4 #cj4 #aih ,gen4 xxviii4 #aii ,exod4 xvii4 #bjj ,baruch i4 #ac4 #bja ,job xlii4 #bjb ,ibid4 #bjc ,,ii4 ,paralip4 vii4 #ae4 #bjd ,,ii4 ,mac4 xv4 #ad4 #bje ,revel4 v4 #h4 #bjf ,zach4 i4 #ab1 #ac4 #bjg ,i4 ,tim4 ii4 #e4 #bjh ,council of ,trent1 ,sess4 xxv4 #bji ,prov4 xv4 #bj4 #baj ,luke vi4 #ai4 #baa ,matt4 ix4 #bj4 #bab ,exod4 iv4 #ab4 #bac ,jer4 i4 #e4 #bad ,luke i4 #da4 #bae ,ibid4 i4 #ae4 #baf ,john v4 #ce4 #bag ,acts ii4 #bah ,,ii ,cor4 iii4 #f4 #bai ,acts iii4 #ae4 #bbj ,isaiah iii4 #aa4 #bba ,luke i4 #bf1 #bg4 #bbb ,matt4 i4 #be4 #bbc ,matt4 i4 #be4 #bbd ,book ,v41 ch4 xlv4 #bbe ,gen4 viii4 #g4 #bbf ,kings xv4 #ce4 #bbg ,ps4 cix4 #bbh ,josue xvii4 #a4 #bbi ,matt4 xii4 #df2 xiii4 #ee1 #ef4 #bcj ,ibid4 #bca ,matt xxvii42 ,mark xv4 #bcb ,john xix4 #be4 #bcc ,gen4 xiii4 #h4 #bcd ,bulla ,dogmat4 ,pii ,pap ,,ix4 #bce ,ibid4 #bcf ,gen4 iii4 #ae4 #bcg ,i4 ,cor4 xv4 #de4 #bch ,bibliotheca ,max4 ,patrum1 t4 #b1 p4 #c4 #bci ,de sac4 ordinat41 p4 #cac4 #bdj ,renaudot4 ,lit4 ,orient4 #bda ,luke i4 #bf-ce4 #bdb ,i4 ,cor4 xv4 #da4 #bdc ,st4 ,bernard4 #bdd ,judges1 v4 #bde ,judith1 xiii4 #bdf ,luke i4 #ci-de4 #bdg ,luke i4 #df-dh4 #bdh ,oliver ,w4 ,holmes4 #bdi ,luke xi4 #bg4 #bej ,esther vi4 #aa4 #bea ,ps4 cxxxviii4 7,in ,protestant version1 ,ps4 cxxxix47 #beb ,john xv4 #ad4 #bec ,john xii4 #bf4 #bed ,ps4 lxxxvi4 #bee ,judith xiii4 #bef ,eccles4 xliii4 et seq4 #beg ,luke i4 #beh ,ibid4 #bei ,luke i4 #di4 #bfj ,gen4 xlviii4 #af2 ,tobias xii4 #ab2 ,luke xv4 #aj2 ,zach4 i4 #ab1 #ac4 #bfa ,acts vii4 #ee4 #bfb ,,ii4 ,cor4 xii4 #d4 #bfc ,luke ii4 #ea4 #bfd ,longfellow's 8,golden ,legend40 #bfe ,isaiah xlix4 #ae4 #bff ,heb4 ii #aa4 #bfg ,luke xv4 #g4 #bfh ,luke xxii4 #bi1 #cj4 #bfi ,i4 ,cor4 vi4 #bgj ,longfellow's 8,golden ,legend40 #bga ,luke ii4 #ea4 #bgb ,heb4 i4 #c4 #bgc ,rom4 viii4 #bi4 #bgd ,sess4 xxv4 #bge ,chap4 xx4 #bgf ,apoc4 xxi4 #bgg ,,iii4 ,kings vi4 #bgh ,,ii4 ,kings vii4 #b4 #bgi ,at the ,washington and ,lee ,university1 ,lexington1 ,va41 in the sanctuary of the chapel1 the portrait of an opulent benefactor holds a conspicuous place4 #bhj ,exod4 xxv4 #dj4 #bha ,sess4 xxv4 #bhb ,,ii4 ,mach4 xii4 #dc-df4 #bhc ,matt4 xii4 #cb4 #bhd ,i4 ,cor4 iii4 #ac-ae4 #bhe ,de ,monogam41 n4 x4 #bhf ,euseb41 ,b4 iv41 c4 #ga4 #bhg ,catech41 n4 #i1 #aj1 p4 #cbh4 #bhh ,apud ,faith of ,catholics1 ,vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #afb and seq4 #bhi ,see ,faith of ,catholics1 ,vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #agf4 #bij ,ibid41 p4 #agg4 #bia ,ibid41 ,vol4 ,,ii4 #bib ,confessions1 ,book ix4 #bic ,jewish ,prayer ,book4 ,edited by ,isaac ,leeser1 published by ,slote ,mooney1 ,philadelphia4 #bid ,act4 ,i4 #bie ,see ,path of ,holiness1 ,rivington's1 ,london4 ,treasury of ,devotion1 ,ibid4 ,catechism of ,theology1 ,masten1 ,london4 #bif ,mark xii4 #bf1 #bg4 #big ,apoc4 xxi4 #bg4 #bih ,morte ,d',arthur4 #bii ,eccles4 xi4 #a4 #cjj ,vie de ,fenelon4 #cja ,becanus1 de ,virtutibus ,theologicis1 c4 #af1 qust4 #d1 ,no4 #b4 #cjb ,dr4 ,brownson1 who was then a ,protestant4 #cjc ,bancroft's 8,history of the ,united ,states10 ,vol4 ,i41 ch4 vii4 #bjth ,edition1 #ahfd4 #cjd ,bancroft's 8,history of the ,united ,states10 ,vol4 ,i41 ch4 vii4 #cje ,bancroft's 8,history of the ,united ,states10 ,vol4 ,i41 ch4 vii4 ,vide ,bacon's ,laws4 #cjf ,ibid4 #cjg ,bancroft's 8,history of the ,united ,states10 ,vol4 ,i41 ch4 vii4 ,vide ,bacon's ,laws4 #cjh ,boston1 ,houghton1 ,mifflin ,co41 #ahhd4 #cji ,ibid41 ,chapter iii4 #caj ,ibid41 ,chap4 v4 #caa ,ibid41 ,chap4 xi4 #cab ,ibid4 ,chap4 xi4 #cac ,james ,walter ,thomas4 #cad ,the original of ,washington's reply is still preserved in the ,archives of the ,baltimore ,cathedral4 #cae ,ps4 ii4 #caf ,,ii4 ,tim4 ii4 #i4 #cag ,,ii4 ,tim4 iv4 #b4 #cah 8,ferdinand and ,isabella10 ,vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #bjb4 #cai ,blue ,laws4 #cbj ,for an impartial account of the ,inquisition1 the reader is referred to the 8,letters on the ,spanish ,inquisition10 by the ,count de ,maistre4 #cba 8,the ,ottoman and ,spanish ,empires10 by ,leopold ,ranke4 #cbb ,constitutional ,history2 ,elizabeth1 ,chap4 ,,iii4 #cbc ,see ,lingard1 ,vol4 ,,vii41 pp4 #bdd-e4 #cbd ,macaulay's ,essays1 8,review of ,nares' ,memoirs of ,lord ,burleigh40 #cbe ,,ii4 ,cor4 iii4 #e4 #cbf ,phil4 ii4 #ac4 #cbg ,john xv4 #e4 #cbh ,acts ii4 #ch4 #cbi ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai4 #ccj ,see ,wisdom ii4 #bc4 #cca ,rom4 v4 #ab4 #ccb ,eph4 ii4 #c4 #ccc ,job xiv4 #d4 #ccd ,ps4 l4 #g4 #cce ,gen4 iii4 #ae4 #ccf ,gal4 iv4 #d1 #e4 #ccg ,john iii4 #e4 #cch ,acts xvi4 #ae4 #cci ,ibid4 xvi4 #cc4 #cdj ,i4 ,cor4 i4 #af4 #cda ,lib4 ,,ii4 adr4 ,hr4 #cdb ,in ,ep4 ad ,rom4 #cdc ,epis4 ad ,fidum4 #cdd ,apoc4 xxi4 #bg4 #cde ,rom4 xi4 #cc1 #cd4 #cdf ,ezech4 xxxvi4 #be1 #bf4 #cdg ,acts ii4 #ch4 #cdh ,ibid4 xxii4 #af4 #cdi ,gal4 iii4 #bf1 #bg4 #cej ,i4 ,cor4 vi4 #aa4 #cea ,tit4 iii4 #c-g4 #ceb ,john v4 #cec ,acts ii4 #da4 #ced ,acts viii4 #ad-ag4 #cee ,acts xix4 #e1 #f4 #cef ,heb4 vi4 #a1 #b4 #ceg ,,ii4 ,cor4 i4 #ba4 #ceh ,tract ,,vi4 in ,ep4 ,joan4 #cei ,de ,resur4 car4 #cfj ,epist4 lxxiii4 #cfa ,cat4 xxi4 ,mys4 iii4 ,de ,s4 ,chrism4 #cfb ,de ,myst4 cvii4 n4 #db4 #cfc ,dial4 adv4 ,lucifer4 #cfd ,l4 ,,ii41 contra lit4 ,petil4 #cfe ,roman ,pontifical4 #cff ,,ii4 ,cor4 x4 #e4 #cfg ,john vi4 #dh-ef4 #cfh ,john vi4 #fa4 #cfi ,ibid4 vi4 #fg4 #cgj ,john iii4 #cga ,matt4 xvi4 #cgb ,john vi4 #fh1 #fi4 #cgc ,matt4 xxvi4 #bf-bh4 #cgd ,luke xxii4 #ai4 #cge ,i4 ,cor4 x4 #af1 and xi4 #bc-bi4 #cgf ,see 8,faith of ,catholics40 ,vol4 ,,ii4 #cgg ,john vi4 #ea1 and seq4 #cgh ,rom4 vi4 #i4 #cgi ,i4 ,cor4 xi4 #bg4 #chj ,aug4 ,de consec4 dist4 #cha ,de formula ,miss4 #chb ,systema ,theol41 p4 #bej4 #chc ,acts ii4 #db4 #chd ,ibid4 xx4 #g4 #che ,alzog's ,hist41 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #gba4 #chf ,denziger1 ,rit4 ,orientales4 #chg ,while ,protestants consider the cup as an indispensable part of the communion service1 they do not seem1 in many instances1 to be very particular as to what the cup will contain4 ,and the ,new ,york ,independent1 of ,september #ba1 #ahgf1 relates the following incident3 8,a late ,english traveler found a ,baptist mission church1 in far-off ,burmah1 using for the communion service ,bass's pale ale instead of wine4 ,the opening of the frothing bottle on the communion table seemed not quite decorous to the visitor1 who presented the pastor with a half-dozen bottles of claret for sacramental use40 #chh ,gen4 iv4 #chi ,gen4 viii4 #cij ,ibid4 xv4 #cia ,job4 i4 #cib ,numb4 xxviii4 #cic ,,ii4 ,mac4 xii4 #dc-df4 #cid ,heb4 x4 #d1 #g4 #cie ,isaiah i4 #aa-ac4 #cif ,mal4 i4 #aj1 #aa4 #cig ,i4 ,cor4 xi4 #bc-bf4 #cih ,heb4 xiii4 #aj4 #cii ,ibid4 vii4 #ab4 #djj ,ps4 cix4 #d2 ,heb4 v4 #f4 #dja ,gen4 xiv4 #ah4 #djb ,heb4 ix4 #be4 #djc ,ibid4 x4 #aa1 #ab4 #djd ,i4 ,john ii4 #a1 #b4 #dje ,heb4 ix4 #ac1 #ad4 #djf ,heb4 iv4 #af4 #djg ,john iv4 #bc1 #bd4 #djh ,dan4 iii4 #fb1 #fc4 ,though this passage is omitted in the ,protestant ,bible1 it is retained in the ,book of ,common ,prayer4 #dji ,psalm4 xviii4 #a4 #daj ,rom4 xii4 #a4 #daa ,matt4 xxvi4 #dab ,ibid4 xxi4 #dac ,ibid4 xxvi4 #dad ,mark vii4 #dae ,john xx4 #daf ,acts viii4 #dag ,james v4 #dah ,apocalypse1 passim4 #dai ,,ii4 ,cor4 iii4 #i4 #dbj ,isaiah xxix4 #ac4 #dba ,ibid4 i4 #gb4 #dbb ,ps4 cl4 #dbc ,joel ii4 #ac4 #dbd ,ibid4 ii4 #ae-ag4 #dbe ,i4 ,cor4 xiii4 #dbf ,phil4 ii4 #aj4 #dbg ,i4 ,tim4 iv4 #d4 #dbh ,exod4 xxv4 #ca1 and seq4 #dbi ,ps4 cxl4 #dcj ,exod4 xxx4 #g4 #dca ,luke i4 #i1 #aj4 #dcb ,john xii4 #f4 #dcc ,exod4 xxviii4 #d4 #dcd ,apoc4 vii4 #i1 #aj4 #dce ,matt4 i4 #ba4 #dcf ,matt4 ix4 #b4 #dcg ,john v4 #ad4 #dch ,,ii4 ,cor4 v4 #ah-bj4 #dci ,matt4 xvi4 #ah1 #ai4 #ddj ,matt4 xviii4 #ah4 #dda ,john xx4 #ba-bc4 #ddb ,isaiah i4 #ah4 #ddc ,acts xix4 #ah4 #ddd ,i4 ,john i4 #i4 #dde ,in ,reg4 ,brev41 qust1 ccxxix41 ,t4 ,,ii41 p4 #dib4 #ddf ,ibid41 cclxxxviii41 p4 #eaf4 #ddg ,see ,faith of ,catholics1 ,vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #gd and seq4 #ddh ,apud ,wiseman's ,doctrines of the ,church4 #ddi ,hom4 xx4 #dej ,sermo cccxcii4 #dea ,tom4 vii4 ,comm4 in ,matt4 #deb ,lib4 iii41 ,de ,sacerdotio4 #dec ,ibid41 ,hom4 xx4 #ded ,comment in ,eccles4 #dee ,comm4 in ,matt4 #def ,lib4 de ,capt4 ,babyl4 cap de ,pnit4 #deg ,see 8,a ,catechism on the ,church40 ,by the ,rev4 ,c4 ,s4 ,grueber1 ,hambridge1 ,diocese of ,bath and ,wells4 ,london3 ,palmer1 #ahgj4 #deh ,the ,protestant ,episcopal ,bishop of ,north ,carolina4 #dei ,ps4 cxxxii4 #dfj ,the ,ordering of ,priests4 #dfa ,mark ii4 #g4 #dfb ,matt4 ix4 #h4 #dfc ,john xx4 #dfd ,,iv4 ,kings v4 #dfe ,systema ,theol4 #dff ,remarques sur l',olympe4 #dfg ,emile4 #dfh ,heb4 v4 #b4 #dfi ,luke xv4 #cb4 #dgj ,num4 xii4 #dga ,,ii4 ,kings xii4 #dgb ,matt4 xvi4 #ai4 #dgc ,ibid41 xviii4 #ah4 #dgd ,i4 ,cor4 v4 #e4 #dge ,,ii4 ,cor4 ii4 #f-aj4 #dgf ,articuli pro ,clero1 ,a4,d4 #aehd4 ,sparrow1 #aid4 ,i admit1 indeed1 that ,protestant canons have but a fleeting and ephemeral authority even among themselves1 and that the canons must yield to the spirit of the times1 not the times to the canons4 ,i dare say that even few ,protestant theologians are familiar with the canons to which ,i have referred4 ,some people have a convenient faculty of forgetting unpleasant traditions4 #dgg ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #bad4 #dgh ,ibid4 #dgi ,byron4 #dhj ,daniel iv4 #bd4 #dha ,acts x4 #ca4 #dhb ,sess4 xxv4 ,dec4 de ,indulgentia4 #dhc ,james v4 #ad1 #ae4 #dhd ,homil4 ii4 in ,levit4 #dhe ,lib4 iii4 de ,sacred4 #dhf ,epist4 xxv4 ad ,decentum4 #dhg ,comment in locum4 #dhh ,systema ,theol41 p4 #bhj4 #dhi ,lib4 de ,captiv4 ,babyl4 #dij ,,ii4 ,cor4 v4 #bj4 #dia ,john xx4 #ba4 #dib ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai1 #bj4 #dic ,mark xvi4 #ae4 #did ,matt4 x4 #ad1 #ae4 #die ,luke x4 #af4 #dif ,paralip1 xvi4 #bb4 #dig ,john xv4 #ae4 #dih ,isaiah lii4 #g4 #dii ,i4 ,cor4 iv4 #a4 #ejj ,james v4 #ad4 #eja ,i4 ,cor4 iv4 #ae4 #ejb ,apoc4 xxi4 #b4 #ejc ,eph4 iv4 #aa1 #ab4 #ejd ,ps4 cxlvii4 #bj4 #eje ,matt4 xix4 #bg-bi4 #ejf ,luke x4 #ah1 #bj4 #ejg ,wisd4 vi4 #f4 #ejh ,i4 ,pet4 iv4 #ag4 #eji ,i4 ,cor4 iv4 #g4 #eaj ,cor4 iii4 #f1 #g4 #eaa ,malach4 ii4 #g4 #eab ,osee4 iv4 #f4 #eac ,isaiah lii4 #aa4 #ead ,rom4 xii4 #a4 #eae ,matt4 xix4 #ab4 #eaf ,i4 ,cor4 vii4 #cb1 #cc4 #eag ,i4 ,cor4 vii4 #h4 #eah ,matt4 xix4 #bg4 #eai ,ibid41 xix4 #bi4 #ebj ,tit4 i4 #h4 #eba ,i4 ,tim4 iv4 #ab4 #ebb ,,ii4 ,cor4 vi4 #df4 #ebc ,ep4 ad ,pammach4 #ebd ,adv4 ,jovin41 lib4 #a4 #ebe ,adv4 ,vigilantium4 #ebf ,hres4 #ei1 c4 #d4 #ebg ,i4 ,kings xxi4 #ebh ,exod4 xix4 #ebi ,page #bci4 #ecj ,essays1 p4 #ag4 #eca ,annals of the ,propagation of the ,faith1 ,march1 #ahfh4 #ecb ,marshall1 ,comedy of ,convocation4 #ecc ,i4 ,cor4 ix4 #e4 #ecd ,i4 ,tim4 iii4 #b4 #ece ,i4 ,tim4 iv4 #a-c4 #ecf ,ephes4 v4 #be-cb4 #ecg ,sess4 xxiv4 #ech ,matt4 xix4 #d-f4 #eci ,matt4 xix4 #c-i4 #edj ,mark x4 #aa1 #ab4 #eda ,luke xvi4 #ah4 #edb ,i4 ,cor4 vii4 #aj1 #aa4 #edc ,bossuet1 ,variations1 ,vol4 #a4 #edd ,audin1 p4 #cci4 #ede ,american ,cyclop41 art ,divorce4 ,our ,savior declares that he who marrieth an adulteress committeth adultery4 ,yet ,luther and ,calvin declare that it is unwise to oppose such a marriage4 ,but 8the foolishness of ,god is wiser than men40 ,and ,wisdom has said3 8,i will destroy the wisdom of the wise40 7,i4 ,cor4 i47