Newspaper Page Text
January 15, 1913] THE P ]
doctrines of Christianity, and out of the doctrines
come the duties of the Christian life.
Kewove or ignore the facts and the doctrines
disappear, lieinove or ignore the doctrines and
the duties no longer bind the conscience or
move the heart or control the will; for with
such removal goes out the basis of all duties e
which are peculiar to the Christian religion; t
such as faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and c
Lord, loyalty to him, obedience to the Golden c
Kule and the practice of daily self-denial for ?
the sake of world-wide evaneelization. and t
the gathering and perfecting of the saints.
Saint Louis, Mo.
ROMANISM AS A SYSTEM ALWAYS AND
EVERYWHERE THE SAME.
BY JUAN OKTS GONZALEZ.
1 purpose in this article to deal with a typical
case of unfairness, yea of plain injustice
and even insult of the Roman Catholic Church
against one of the leading American Protestants.
And I say typical because I shall derive my
information not from any low rate Roman
Catholic newspaper nor from any extremely
bigoted Roman Catholic writer; no, my information
comes from an American Roman G'ath
olic publication which is considered both at c
home and abroad the most tolerant and liberal; 1
a Catholic publication indeed conducted by the t
famous Paulist Fathers among whom was e
originated some twenty years ago the Komun t
Catholic system so-called "Americanism" and
which was so bitterly condemned by Leo Xlll t
in his Apostolic Letter, Testem Bcnevolentiae, t
January, 1899. t
My case is connected with what the "Cath- 1
olic World" has to say in its issue of Novem- ?
ber, about Mr. Robert E. Speer and his book e
"South American Problems." Every one who
has the privilege of knowing personally Mr. e
Robert E. Sneor ppnli'/pa at nnno tliot lio io "At r
4 MV VMVV VAAU t UV 10 iiUt v
ouly a thorough practical Christian but also a t
refined, cultured gentleman. Every one who i
has had the privilege of hearing him handle c
religious discussions sees at once that thought- a
fulness, fairness, justice and truth are always f
considered. In fact he is kind and fair to such
au extent that I have heard, more than once, c
and from reliable and learned Protestants that d
he is even over-kind and over-fair towards the e
A *
Akviuau v^auiuuc illUCnC&Q IjIlUrCIl. t
Any one who has read his book "South v
American Problems" is at once convinced that o
the book contains a set of facts either observed ii
by himself or verified by reliable eye witnesses, c
and facts presented to the reader with sober- p
ness, delicacy and gentle fairness and with c
deep respect for the Christian sense of public t
honesty. fi
But nevertheless, let my readers see what the d
"Catholic World" has to say of this Christian p
gentleman and his book. I quote from page
249 of the November isam* nf 1919- ?
. Ai
"Like a character Dickens would have loved f
to paint, Mr. Speer makes his bow to the d
American Protestant public with a most eloquent
and unctious appeal for a great many g
American dollars to win over "an unbeliev- b
ing, superstitious and immoral" continent? h
The authorities he loves to cite are infidel apos- c
tates like McCabe, drunken renegades like t<
O'Connor, professional anti-Catholics like Lea, t
and a '
ui ooum American priests whose t;
I names are wisely withheld."
Let my readers bear in mind that 0 Connor
the "drunken renegade" was the venerable r
pastor of Christ's Mission and editor of the o
"Converted Catholic" for more than thirty t
years and retained in both capacities for all < a
(Continued on page 11.) P
RESBYTERIAN OF THE SO\
The Men h
BY BEY. T. D.
Of late, there has been a great deal of disunion
in no uncertain terms, concerning tne J
nen higher up in political circles wherever i
corruption has llagrantly nourished; hut this J
ondiiion oi municiual atfaira need noL ne?*e?- i
ariiy involve all Ingii oliicials on account ol 1
lie wrong-doing of the few.
in theological spheres of activity, tne true i
bllowers ol desus (Jhrist and loyal aunerenis '
0 the W ord ol God are sorely grieved because I
1 number of the men higher up m theological
earning have gone astray, and we pray tnat <
hey may be led by the spirit of God baca into J
he fold of safety and divine care. J
iteligious systems in Europe and America 1
uay be divided into four general classes: 1
>rtnodox, heterodox, neutrodox, and omuidox; ^
>ut the neutrodox and oiiinidox iorins may be '
:onvenieutly grouped together and be termed
>aradox brauches of higher criticism. '
in tiie realm ot neutrodoxy, mere is a piiase
>i moueru learmug tuat stands neutral regardng
the creeds ot Christendom, it auopts,
:rudely speaking, the policy ot tence?stradtlmg
between tiie various creeds, it takes>
tenner a positive nor a tentative position but 1
s a sort ol air plant suspended between lieav- *
n and earth, it tells what other men say and
milk, but voices uo opinion ol its own.
Then there is the form of ouiuidoxy that ateuipis
to reconcile all heathen and Christian
Loginas into one religious system under the
>auner of democracy, or human brotherhood.
I is demo-crazy in its methods, and conglomerate
in its conclusions, lacking logical cohcrncy.
If the medical profession were to act acording
to the paradox plan, the neutrodox
loctor would tell his sick patient about the
housand and one remedies heard of, and unicard
of, and would leave him to take his
hoice; and the omnidox physician would pre
crioe a pill compounded of Mongolian, Malay,
<Jegro and Caucasian concoctions.
. i
There arc certain kinds of higher learning ,
laiming to be scientific, that upbraid ortho- j
Lox Christianity, charging it with the spirit of
xelusiveness and narrowness; but science is
he most exacting and exclusive study in the ^
yorld. Science limits its researches to facts, j
r things known; while Christianity confines ,
tself to truth or things revealed. All things
- I
onie to science from without and are interacted
in the mind, and all things likewise {
ome to Christianity from without and are .
ranslated in the soul. The errors of the mind ^
ind no permanent lodgment in science, nor (
o dogmatic discrepancies find an abiding (
lace in Christianty. (
All knowledge comes from above, from beeath
and from below. Christianity comes
rom above; science from beneath; and heathen
lemonism from below. ]
All these forms of knowledge may be distin- l
uisnea as oeing spiritual, physical and diaolical.
They all appeal to the same mind and
ave equal claims upon the mind as categorial
certainties. Spiritual knowledge appeals
o the faith instinct; scientific knowledge, to
he fact instinct; and demon knowledge to the
ate instinct.
Faith leads to love and fate breeds fear.
Tf id on ~ xl a. ' ' 1
.o uuubuiauic iruni uibi ine neatnen j
eligious contain the predominating principle
f fate and the prevailing policy of fear in
heir systems, while Christianty holds faith
s its guiding star and love as its motive 1
oVer. I
j T tt (27) 3
ligher Up
, WESLEY.
How can iaitii and iate be iused or how can
ove ana iear ue Dienueui mis is uie prooeiu
lor paradox thinning, or lor tiie inguer
learning of science, lalsely so-called. feriect
ove castetii out lear. rear hath torments, and
lorments belong to the regions below.
io attempt to solder heathenism with all its
immoralities and darkness, upon Christianity
with all its light and holiness, is like trying to
bridge the tixed gulf between heaven and hell.
'IWo tonus oi idolatry nave appeared in
jiiristenaom since tlie tune oi Ulirist. Une form
lias endeavored to pantneize God by reducing
Linn to things made by man, and the other has
Attempted to demotheize God by asserting that
nan is the only god for humanity to adore. The
latter constitutes man into a seLf-hoistiug machine,
ignoring the Divine Christ who said,
And 1, if 1 be lifted up from the earth, will
iraw all men unto me." It is a dynamite dejtroying
engine, trying to supplant the lamp
if truth by the light of reason. It is a botnbivrecking
conspiracy, striving to erect the
taverns of Babel in place of the Church of the
Living God. What man looms higher than the
nan of Galilee? What book dares to standirdize
itself above the impregnable word of
jlod? And what institution is there to take
-he place of Christ's church?
There is a wide distinction between scientific
ind spiritual phenomena, for science deals
with facts of the known world, while true spirtualism
is concerned with faith in the unseen
eternal realities.
Love is one of the manv Qualities of the snir
itual life, outside of the domain of the physical
sciences. It has no weight, no material dimensions,
nor yet can we see, hear, smell, taste,
jr touch it; but it surely exists and is a categorical
certainty. Who can measure out a pint
ef peace, or fill a jug with joy?
What shall we say of destructive rationalistic
and materialistic criticism higher up? It is
blind foolishness, for it offers to the soul no
external infallible voice of authority, no di
.rnci^ wruugu^ suivauon, and no spiritual
iome.
Every craft that sails the sea of life withmt
a competent captain; without a light, compass,
chart, and rudder; without a harbor for
its destination; will sooner or later become a
ivreck and will sink into the darkness of destruction
below. *
Paul said, "Woe is me, if I preach not the
3ospel. Herein lies the only sure religion of
Lhe future. We shall never be able to find in
Ibis world a better pilot than the Captain of
jur Salvation, a better lamp than the Word of
3od, nor a better institution than the church
)f the Living God.
SATISFIED. '
-lad I known pleasure all my life instead of pain,
Uy songs of love had held no sweetness in their
strain.
3ad I known only loy 'neath skies of endorAs'- Mn?
! had not learned life's greatest lesson, Qod is true.
3ad I known health and wealth and plucked fame's
laurels too,
t had not been content with these, had I not you.
Cnough! give me tho pain, poverty, the rue,
Tor I can trust In Ood, sweetheart, and I have you!
?John Richard Moreland.
The way to have faith sufficient for the great
:rialb when they come is to walk by faith day
>y day.