Newspaper Page Text
VOL. IV. RICHMOl
Commentaries on
A I ?
Assembr
10very one who studies closely Romanism
in America and who is much concerned with
i heeking its spread and national control cannot
hut rejoice greatly at the way our General
Assembly handled this matter and be gratified
by tin* resolution adopted, namely:
"Resolved, 1. That this Assembly, recognizing
the ability ami painstaking diligence with
which the Ad Interim Committee on Romanism,
a Menace to Liberty^ lias discharged its duty,
hereby tenders sincere thanks to tf)e Committee.
2. That the Assembly instruct tlfc Executive
< 'ommittee of Education
divisions of the Ad Interim Sm^mAtee's report
in pamphlet form for the information of our
people.
3. That in meeting the menace of Romanism
this Assembly woud recommend no other means
than the dissemination of knowledge and the
faithful, earnest preaching of the Gospel of
Christ."
Every one who is acquainted with the thoroughness
with which Dr. Johnson did his
valuable work and the difficulties of gathering
into concise form the information contained
in the old and the new Roman Catholic
authorities and of presenting it clearly and
forcefully will gladly endorse this part of the
resolution tendering "sincere thanks to the
l 'ommittee."
Every one who knows that Romanism has
become a "Menace to Liberty" ehieHy from
lack of sound and timely information will also
gladly endorse this part of the resolution,
"That the Assembly instruct the Executive
Committee of Education to publish the first
two divisions of the Ad Interim Committee's
report in pamphlet form for the information of
our people."
Catholics often get the best of a discussion
with Protestants in America because a great
many times the information used and the
documents quoted by Protestants though substantially
true are open to question either as
to authority or as to literal accuracy.
J am familiar enough with the tenets of tlie
Iloman Catholic Chuch to state unhesitatingly
that the doctrinal documents used by Dr.
Johnson are the most reliable and of the most
unquestionable authority and used with perfect
literal accuracy. Our ministers, elders,
deacons and the members of our beloved
church will do good if they take a copy of
this pamphlet and read it again and again.
They may rest assured that, hv aneh rwiroful
reading they will be equipped with the best
arguments for cheeking the spread of Romanism.
American people need only to know the
truth. Could such a pamphlet be placed in
the hands of millions of American citizens then^f
even many native American Catholics may
ND, NEW ORLEANS, ATLANTA, JULY
.1 r\ r i
me uecision <
y in Regard to R
By JUAN ORTS GONZALEZ
PART 1
more clearly that they have been misled atid
even imposed upon. They might at once leave
liomanism for some other form of Christianity
more in accordance with the Gospel and the
American Constitution.
Everv one. who knows that the Roman Cath
f / ~ "
olie problem has become so acute in America,
both on account of a lack of aggressiveness on
the part of Protestantism in preaching the
Gospel to the foreign element in this country,
and on account of the aggressiveness of the
American Catholic Church in gathering in foreigners,
will gladly endorse this part of the
resolution adopted: "That in meeting the
menace of Romanism, this Assembly would
recommend no other means than the dissemination
of knowledge and the faithful, earnest
preaching of the Gospel of Christ."
Rut that part of the resolution can he construed
in several ways. It may imply the rejection
of any political means, and if that he
the ease, everybody ought to rejoice since no
other blunder will advance more rapidly the
influence, strength and national control of Romanism
than to see Protestantism entangled
in politics.
Rut that part of the resolution may be con
strued in the sense of the minority report according
to which the methods devised by the
majority report would divert the Church from
its proper mission of preaching the Gospel and
precipitate it into political controversies. I
have heard some one giving that meaning to the
resolution, which view is based, I think, upon
some confusion and misunderstanding of the
words "Gospel" and "Politics."
Let my readers examine carefully the subject,
since the issues involved are vital, pressing,
and of tremendous importance. I believe
before going farther, it is honest to say that I
had nothing to do with working out the majority
report. I heard it read before it was
sent to the General Assembly, and except for
some very few unimportant suggestions. I
knew nothing about it and had nothing to do
with it. The two recommendations of the majority
report are: First, "the establishment
of a Permanent Committee on Romanism as a
Menace to Christian Liberty, to co-operate with
comnittees of a similar nature appointed by
othei evangelical denominations." Second:
ii the Assembly lay upon the Executive
CominAtee of Home Missions the duty of collei-tiri^^
disbursing a ?rnd for the support
VE&TERNPffESBYTER/Aflh
al Presbyter/an e
7YER/V PRESBYTER/ah'
' 10. 1912. NO. 28.
Our Last General
omanism
of honest converts from the priests, monks ami
nuns of the church of Home until they can be
so pleased as to take care of themselves."
When I graduated from the University o'
Madrid, one of the branches 1 had studied was
Politics, and yet I confess honestly that I cat.
not by any means see the connection between
the majority report and Politics.
When I first read the minority report, 1 consulted
several good English dictionaries to find
out whether the word politics, through its
Greek original, bears some different meaning
in English from the one it signifies in Spanish.
1 found in both languages that the word
politics unfolds just the same meaning. And
really I would kindly appreciate it if the men
011 the minority report, or if anybody else,
would point out to me the connection between
the majority report and politics. 1 repeat that
after the reading time and again the majority
report and the definitions in several dictionaries,
I feel entirely in the dark. 1 need some
one to point out to me the connecting link
which hinds together these two terms?politics
and the majority report.
Let my readers examine the question from
several standpoints. I take the first part of
the minority report, which says: "Any method
devised to execute the program contemplated
by the Painter resolution would be impracticable,
divert the church from its proper
mission of preaching the Gospel and precipitate
it into political controversies." The word
"Gospel" implies several things more or less
wide in meaning. For instance, we as Presbyterians,
do not consider it a wise policy for 11s,
as deciples of Christ, in the name of the Gos
pel, to reject all other confessions and creeds
as false and as something added to the Gospel,
hence causing division.
We believe that we are right, practical and
wise in our creed or confession of faith.
Every minister and elder and deacon when he
pronounces his oath to uphold the Presbyterian
Confession of Faith promises to uphold the
Gospel.
The words in our Confession of Faith are not
the same as those used in the Gospel, but all
the doctrines are not only consistent with the
Gospel, but are derived immedately from it as
impartial and logical deductions. Thus, our
Confession of Faith is either a condensation or
a clear explanation of the Gospel. 1 do not
believe that any sound and thoughtful Presbyterian
will accuse our church of mingling in
rvnl itlno IP A? 1 1 * 1 1
n. tMie stains puDiiciy ner position in regard
to the separation of church and state and
if she invites the other Protestant denominations
to do the same. Let me illustrate what
I mean by quoting part of Chapter 23, para