CATHOLIC DOCTRINE

Evening Post, Volume 105, Issue 4, 6 January 1928, Page 6

CATHOLIC DOCTRINE

(To the Editor.) Sir,—For every person who hears a good address, or an able sermon, there are hundreds who read newspapers, and so it v that a well-wisher of the nation rejoice* to find flourishing a newspaper whose editorial columns are as guiltless of the jargon of the advertising department as they are free from the cramping influence of ita commercial spirit. In these days when journalese so often passes for English, and wall-eyed boosting takes the place of judicial survey, an appreciation of correct functioning as a newspaper (as displayed in the breadth of "The Post's" leaders, ana in their literary quality) ought not tb be repudiated as mere "flattery." But while I refuse to allow "The Post* modest rejection of my encomium, I have to say my thanks for the courtesy which permitted the printing of my letter of 28th ult. Of the innocence of "The Post's' nomenclator I had no doubt; but of hie "perfect-accuracy" I beg leave to hold an-. other opinion until he assures me that bit choice of nam* h% recognised as sufficient by a clergyman of the church in question. While the newspaper to whose editor I am writing (for instance) uses the title "Evening Post," that editor would certainly find a flavour of contempt in a nomenclature which substituted "the organ of Willis street"! Similarly a member of the Church of England would justly object to a nomenclature which, however "inno. cent aud perfectly accurate," referred to tho Church of England under the title of "London," or "Durham" or "Birmingham," or "Calcutta," or the name of any of the episcopal cities from which doctrinal announcements arc being made by. a Protestant bishop. To the invitation to supply what I regard as a correct statement" ol Catholic doctrine concerning tho Blessed Eucharist, I hope. Sir, that you will allow me to gay that thcro is no question of what any person "regards" as a correct statement. The simple fact is that no statement of Catholic doctrine can be regarded as correct which is not made precisely in those terms which the Church uses in defining a particular truth. The cheapest and handiest work in which to find the definition in question is tho penny Catechism. I cordially recommend the purchase. Leader* writers will find, I am sure, that metaphrastic severity is the only certain way of avoiding the dubious interpretation into which we all fall when we allow ourselves the freedom of paraphrasing.—l am, etc., HUGH M'HAIGH. 3rd January.