LECTURE I. (Continued).

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 29, 13 November 1896, Page 4

LECTURE I. ( Continued ).

V. APPROXIMATION TOWAKDb HAMS ()]' REUNION. The Bishop ot Ripon is here more misty than ever. Hoar \\ hat he says : "It is not reasonable to expect identity ot custom or identity of teaching in all Churches " (p. 2C>), '■ Christianity must be reduced to its first principles, and a limit assigned to those article*, in which, as worthy belief in matters of faith, the Christian community ought to acquiesce " (p 27). Would it be too much to say that the Churches are water-logged with dogmas. Water will extinguish fire, but there should be a limit in pouring on the water. for the water may sink the ship after it has extinguished the flame" (p. 2S). '-If the Church, by declaring an article can make that to be necessary, which before was not necessary, I do not see how it can stand with the charity of the Church so to do. tor by so doing, she makes the narrow way to heaven narrower, and chalks out one path more to the devil than hi; had before, and yet the way was broad enough when it was at the narrowest '" (Jeremy Taylor, quoted by Bishop W. Boyd Carpenter, p. 30). '• lam much more sensible than ever of the necessity of living upon the principles of religion, which we are all agreed in, and uniting these, the (/'reed. the Lord's prayer, the Te 1 Commandments" (Richard Baxter, quoted by Dr. W. Boyd Carpenter p. 31.) REPLY. It is most reasonable to expect identity of faith, purity of morals and unity of government. The teaching about defined points of revelation must also be identical, because the truth ne\er Ranges. In doubtful questions prudence demands that we should conform to the opinion of the most approved doctors , in other matters, one may follow his own opinion, provided it rests on solid proofs ; no sensible person would adhere to an opinion completely destitute of proofs. The limit to the articles of faith which may b 3 defined is commensurate with Christian revelation itself and various accidental necessities, which may require such a definition. in order to solve some difficulty or confute some erroneous system : whenever a supernatural or moral truth is attacked, at must he defended. The articles defined by the Church are comparatively few and most carefully worded. It is not necessary that all should know them, but all should believe them implicitly by admitting, in a general way, whatever the Church teaches, and being \\ illing to acquiesce in others when clearly made known. Each should know •what is necessary for his station in life ; theologians, doctors. bishops and those who have to defend our holy faith are expected to have a fairly complete knowledge of what they have to speak or write about, or what is neccessary for the guidance ot those entrusted to their care. The articles necessary to be known by all

the faithful are very limited and may be mastered in a very short time. The Christian community cannot be water-logged with dogmas since nothing can be added to the revelation of Jesus Christ and His Apostles : new definitions, as the word implies, are only explanations or affirmations of what always was, is and ever will be the teaching of the Church. It is nonsensical, from a Catholic point of view, to speak of new dogmas. When some forget, deny or doubt a point of revelation or a moral obligation, the Church tolerates for a while freedom of expression and when things go too far and there would be a danger to remain silent, she investigates the matter and settles the dispute by a dogmatical definition, which must in every case be certainly contained in the Apostolical tradition whether written or unwritten or both. Only moral certainty of Apostolicity can justify a definition either by an eeccumenical council or a definition /.r eatludva. Now definitions give more lucidity to the Catholic teaching and enable us to perceive more distinctly the doctrine of Our Blessed Lord but they in no way change or alter it. Our separated friends have, on this subject, the most incorrect notions. Water may sink a vessel, Divine Truth ; the more clearly it is unfolded to our gaze, the more it fills our intellect with delight and enables us to rapidly advance in our journey towards our heavenly country, instead of making the way to heaven narrower, new definitions make it more smooth and agreeable by removing dangerous obstacles which might impede or stop entirely our progress. An artist, a scientist can never know too much about their profession, neither can a Christian about religion. The more every article of religion is defined, the more easy it is for us to know it accurately and practise it carefully. There is no principle of religion in which all are agreed, not even the existence and attributes of the Deity ; to speak ot a reunion of Christendom based on such articles in which all may and are willing to agree in foollish and idle talk. You say : "Xo Church is infallible." How do you prove it / Is this a proposition so clear that it requires no demonstration .' Try, if you are able, to disprove the solid reasons which demonstrate the infallibility of the Catholic Church : no one yet as been able to do it but by falsifying or misinterpreting biblical and historical evidence. If you speak of the reformed Churches, you are perfectly right ; none of them can lay a reasonable claim to infallibility, but the Catholic Church is and ever will be infallible, on matter what you may say to the contrary. You quote Bishop' Hall. Jeremy Taylor, Richard Baxter, Bishop Ken, Dr. Dollinger in favour of your opinion of a Reunion of Christendom based on first principles such as the Apostle's Creed, the Commandments, the Lord's Prayer. But how is the Creed to be interpreted ? How are the commandments to be kept ? Without an infallible authority every error might be propagated under the cloak of religion. You forget also, my Lord, that the Apostles' Creed professes the belief in the Catholic Church, and this implies her supremacy of honour and her infallibility. Who could believe in a fallible Church which might lead us into error and plunge us into an abyss I The commandments, as well as the creed, require clear and precise definitions and explanations, in order to be properly understood by all in the same manner and have that unity of faith and practice you so beautifully advocated at the commencement of your lecture, but which you very badly defended because you want unity without infallibility, which is impossible.