The Good in Roman Catholicism: How to Get at It

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” — 1 Thess. 5: 21.

I SHALL quote to-day from a “Catechism of Christian Doctrine,” prepared by order of the third Plenary Council of Baltimore, and signed by Archbishop Gibbons. It contains a fair summary of Roman Catholic doctrine, and in it there is much that is good, with much that is bad. The object of this sermon will be to point out, frankly, the good, and, just as frankly, the bad which counteracts the good.

On page 6 is the important question: ‘‘ What must we do to save our souls?’’ Ans. — ‘ To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope and charity; 7. e., we must believe in him, hope in him, and love him with al! our heart.’’ Good answer; a more evangelical could hardly be found.

The effort of this pulpit is to lead men to believe in God, hope in God, and love God with all their hearts. When we have done that, we are saved and happy. But the question and answer which follow neutralize the good of this:

“How are we to know the things which we are to believe?” Answer. — “We shall know the things which. we believe from the Catholic Church, through which God speaks to us.”

This shuts up the Bible, through which God really speaks to us, and commands us to listen to Popes, councils and traditions.

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days

spoken unto us by his Son.” (Heb. 1: 1.) ee “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1: 17.)

“This is my beloved Son, hear ye him,” said God, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and he speaks to us to-day through the words of his Son recorded in the Bible; and to him, and not to tradition, we are to give heed.

The Church that pretends to speak, in the place of Christ and the Bible, is a usurper. When we turn to the Roman Catholic Church, we find her not only contradicting the Scriptures, but even, through some of her infallible popes, claiming the right to correct the very teachings of Christ himself. “Wherefore know, moreover,” wrote Pope Nicholas, “if it be in my power to change times and times, to alter and abrogate laws, to dispense with all things — yea, with the precepts of Christ;” and then he goes on to name five things, which Jesus Christ taught, that he chooses to set aside, and subtsitute other things in their place.

When we try to find exactly what the Roman Catholic Church teaches, we are at a loss, for in one age it teaches one thing, and in another age it contradicts it, all the time claiming that it is the only infallibe teacher. It agrees now, however, in virtually upsetting this first good answer by dapariwe that men are not saved by faith, hope and charity; but, by baptism, penance and purgatory.

Let us ask, in the light of this Catechism, what is the Church through which God speaks to us?

On page 20 is the following answer: “The Church is the congregation of those who profess the faith of Christ, partake of the same Sacraments, and are governed by their lawful pastors, under one visible Head.”

According to this definition, the Roman Catholic Church which interprets God’s teachings, and which speaks from God to us, “is the congregation of those who profess the faith of Christ;” 7. ¢., the laity, composed of men, women and children; and yet everybody knows that the people have no more voice in deciding what ought to be taught and believed than the serfs of Russia have in controlling their government.

Practically the Church through whom God speaks is the Pope, and whomsoever he may appoint,

Our plea now is for the rights of the Roman Catholic laity, as conceded by this definition of the church.

If it be true, God speaks through you, my Roman Catholic brother or sister, as much as through the Pope, or the cardinal, or archbishop, or priest; and, if he speaks through you, you are bound to listen to him when he speaks to you; and the only place where you can hear his voice distinctly is in the audience chamber of his own Word, the Bible. God does speak through his church. “Faith cometh by hearing; hearing by the word of God;” (Rom. 10: 17), and he says to every one of us: “Go, disciple the nations, baptizing them; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”’ (Matt. 28: 18). So that, if you will enter upon the rights accorded by this definition of the church, you will study the Bible, proclaim its truth, seek the evangelization of the people, and tell them what God would have them do.

But if, on the other hand, you allow the Papacy to define the church for you as meaning simply the Pope and his officials, you destroy this definition, and put yourself in the attitude of a slave rather than a free man in Christ Jesus.

As I read on in this Catechism, I come to the ‘‘ Apostles’ Creed,’”’ every clause but one of which I accept. I do not believe the Bible teaches that “Christ descended into heil,” but “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died and was buried. The third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”

If our Roman Catholic friends are allowed to interpret this Apostles’ Creed in the light of the Apostles’ teaching, they will be truly evangelical. They will see in it the Fatherhood of God, the Sonship of Christ our Lord, implying allegiance to him only; the suffering, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and intercession of this mighty Saviour, coming by and by to judge the world; they will see in it the Holy Ghost, the living God, ever with his people, to guide them into truth, to convert the souls of men, to comfort, strengthen, to build up a truly Catholic Church, with

Jesus Clrist as its only Head; the real “communion of saints,” in a sense defined by the scriptures, saved sinners, with a common Christ, a common hope, a common destiny, common joys, common struggles. And “the forgiveness of sins,” full, complete — so complete that their sins are not to be mentioned to them forever. And they will see the “resurrection of the body, and life everlasting” which does not mean everlasting existence merely — that which is to begin after Purgatory has been endured, but a “life everlasting’ which is to know,God, to come into possession of true life by faith in Christ, who is the Life.

The teaching of Roman Catholicism as to the personality of God, is all right — Father, Son, Holy Spirit — three in one. So is the doctrine of original sin; though it has not a particle of scripture for dividing actual sins into “mortal” and “venial,”

We accept with all our heart its view of the incarnation, that Jesus Christ was human and divine, living and dying without sin within him, though our sins were upon him; but we reject, as opposed by the plain teaching of Scripture, the theory that he was kept from sin by the sinless nature of his mother. We are sorry to have to say it, but the divine nature of Jesus is obscured, and the human side degraded by other teachings of the Papacy; Mary, Joseph and scores of other human saints are called upon to intercede with Christ, as if he were hard to move — without human sympathy. The fact is, his heart is as tender as Mary’scan possibly be, and is more touched “with a feeling of our infirmities.’ We need no woman as intercessor with him, who has, in himself, all the strength of the perfect man, which includes the womanly and the manly in equal proportion. To claim that’ any human being is better fitted to sympathize with us and help us does great dishonor to the perfect humanity of our Lord.

The divinity of Christ, so clearly taught in the Catechism, is dragged in the mire by the Papal dogma of transubstantiation. Tell a man that Jesus is divine, and then tell him, in the next breath, that a priest, even of immoral character, can, by an incantation, turn a little bread and water into the soul and divinity of Christ, and you have degraded the idea of that divinity. “He that created me,” says a learned Cardinal, “gives me — if it be lawful to tell — to create himself;” and Pope Urban declared,

“The hands of the Pontiff are raised to an eminence, granted to none of the angels, of creating God, the Creator of all things — of offering him up for the salvation of the whole world.” A real God, first created and then eaten! Omnipotent power, linked with cannibalism! Who can believe, as he ought, in the divinity of Christ, and, at the same time, believe such an absurdity?

To the question, “Why did Christ suffer and die?” the Catechism gives a scriptural answer: ‘ Christ suffered and died for our sins.” Here is the glorious doctrine of substitution, so clearly taught in the Bible. In that one sentence there is enough truth to save every Roman Catholic in the world, and many, we believe, accept it, and are saved. But the Papacy covers this blessed truth with loads of rubbish. ‘ Christ died for our sins,” and yet we are told that we are not completely saved by the merit of the death of Christ. We must add our penance, our good works; and, if we should die without having added enough, we must square accounts by suffering in Purgatory. More than this, we may so accumulate

merit that we can turn over a surplus to be distributed among

others who have not done so well; and, though we may so accumulate this surplus of merit, we are not allowed to believe that the merit of the suffering Jesus is sufficient even for us.

The saddest part of it all is, that the merit of Christ’s suffering is cut off from our Roman Catholic friends. “By grace are ye saved through faith,” says the Bible, and repeats it, in substance, a thousand times. ‘By grace are ye saved,” through baptism and penance, says the Roman Catholic Church! ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleauses from all sin,” says the Bible. “Baptism is a sacrament which cleanses us from original sin, makes us Christians, children of God, and heirs of heaven,” says the Catechism.

“Justified freely by his grace through the redemption that ig in Christ Jesus,” (Rom, 3: 24), says the Bible. “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2: 9). Not so, says Romanism, we are justified by the addition of our own merit, and may even lend merit to help justify others.

The teaching that Christ suffered and died for. our sins is good, but the teaching that the merit of his sufferings is conveyed to us by baptism and penance is bad enough, if we believe it, to shut us out of heaven. The store-house of Christ’s meyit ia full, bus the Papacy furnishes the wrong key with which to get at it; so that we are just as much cut off from it as if we had no key at all, or as if the store-house were empty. The pear! of salvation is there, but it is buried fathoms deep beneath the dark waves of false teaching.

It is taught in this Catechism, too, that the Holy Spirit is truly God, and imparts gifts to us, but they take out of his hand his own word, which is “the sword of the Spirit.”

They shut up the channels through which these gifts flow to men. Jesus prayed: “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” (John 17: 17). But Roman Catholicism teaches that the channel of sanctification is the sacrament of confirmation, through which come “the fear of the Lord, piety, virtue, knowledge, counsel, understanding and wisdom.”’ The sctiptural teaching, on the contrary, is that these graces come through the revealed truth, opened and applied by the Holy Spirit.

Many Roman Catholics are noted for their good works. Many of them are strong advocates of temperance and other moral reforms. The best reply to the champion blasphemer of America yet written is from the pen of a priest. Sisters of Charity are assiduous in their attentions to the sick. They are slaves of their church. They give up their comfortable homes for a life of service. From the outside, all this is beautiful and commendable; but ask the Sisters of Charity why they do this. Are they prompted only by love for Christ and suffering humanity? So far as I have been able to learn, two motives usually influence them: first, the fear of punishment; second, the hope of saving themselves by good works. To escape hell and purgatory, they think it worth. while to suffer almost any torture here. To gain heaven, they are willing to endure any amount of hardships,

God tells no one to seek to escape hell by his own sufferings on earth, but to escape it by accepting the sufferings of Christ in his stead. He tells no one to seek to gain heaven by good works, but to believe on Jesus Christ as the sinner’s Saviour, and then, by good works, show his gratitude,

An attempt to save one’s self by good works is sure to result in destruction: “By the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified.” (Rom. 3: 20).

We find in this Catechism such a thing as forgiveness of sins.

That is good. But “when we are told that the way to get forgiveness is to seek it by confessing to the priest, that’s bad; and, when we are told again that the priest sits in the. place of God, and, judicially forgives sins, that’s worse. Peter tells us in Acts 10: 43 how we may obtain forgiveness: “Through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.” Here is a store-house of God’s forgiveness, but Romanism furnishes the wrong key again, and thus shuts out her devotees. Faith in Christ and confession to God is the true key to forgiveness of sins.

We find in the Catechism the Ten Commandments. Unlike some others that have been published, it brings in the first commandment, which says: ‘“‘ Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing; nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above or the earth beneath; nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them.”’

But the Catechism explains it away by saying that we may look upon them, and think, as we bow before them, of what they represent — the identical thing that the heathen did in Egypt at the time these commandments were given to Moses. They declared, as do all idol worshippers to-day, that they did not worship pieces of wood or stone or pictures, but simply what they represent. And this commandment was made by Jehovah against this very practice. ‘God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4: 24). He intended that his worship should not be materialistic, like the worship of the heathen deities. And this commandment, enforced to-day, teaches that for us to make or to bow down before an image of wood or stone or painting, is idolatry. Crucifixes and relics and pictures are all included.

Now we are glad that so high a tone of morality is taught to parochial school children as we find in the exposition of these Ten Commandments; but the study of theological books develops the fact that for the children under the blaze of Gospel light and public sentiment, there is one set of strict morals, while for the priest and the officials, who speak in God’s name to the people, there is quite another set; so that we find several of the commandments greatly modified in Catholic theology.

“Thou shalt not kill’ is beautifully explained in the Catechism. It includes “living in peace with our neighbor, respect for his rights, to seek his spiritual and bodily welfare, take proper care of our own life and health.” Itincludes wilful murder, fighting, anger, hatred and bad example. And yet in standard Roman Catholic authorities, we are told that there is no harm to kill heretics. Liguori, in his “Moral Theology,” says: “To strike a clergyman (ecclesiastic) is sacrilege; but it is lawful for a person to sell poison to one whom he believes will use it for bad purposes, providing the seller cannot refrain from selling without losing his customer.” Again: “If a calumniator will not cease to publish calumnies against you, you may fitly killhim, not publicly, but privately, to avoid scandal. It is lawful to kill an accuser, whose testimony may jeopardize your life and honor.” And, as Mr. Van Dyke says: ‘To make this code of infamous morals as vile as possible, it is further affirmed in all the above cases that, if a man has a right to kill any person, another may do it for him, if affection move the murderer;” so that on certain conditions, papal morality allows us to break the command, “Thou shalt not kill.” “Tell it not in Gath!” Whisper it not to the rising generation; they will learn it soon enough if they study for -orders, and decide to become the servants of the papal power!

The command, “‘ Thou shalt not steal,” is beautifully explained. “It means,” we are told, “that we are to give to all men what — belongs to them, and respect their property; it forbids all unjust taking or keeping what belongs to another; we are bound to restore ill-gotten goods, or the value of them, as far as we are able to;” all of which is good, and we would not part with a clause of it.

But some books of Catholic theology set aside this commandment, or so modify it as to make it sinless, under some circumstances, to break it. Even Cardinal Manning has recently said that every. man has a right to a living; and, if he cannot get it in any other way, he has a right to steal it.

In a Catechism approved by French bishops is this question and answer: “Is one always guilty of robbery, when he takes the property of another?” “No, it might happen. that he whose goods he takes has no right to object. For instance, when he takes in secret of his neighbor by way of compensation.”

“Servants,” we are told, “may steal from their masters as much as they judge their labor is worth more than the wages they receive.” “Ifa son has robbed his father, as a compensation, the confessor need not enforce restitution, if he has taken no more than the just recompense of his labor.” “A woman may take the property of her husband, to apply to her spiritual wants, and to act as other women act;” so that the pressure of need, or sense of injustice, or even a desire to live as other people live, according to this theology, will excuse a man for stealing.

The Eighth Commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” is just as beautifully expounded. “We should speak the truth in all things, and be careful of the honor or reputation of every one. It forbids all rash judgments, slanders and lies.” And yet we are plainly taught, by the moral code of Roman Catholic theology, that “no faith is to be kept with heretics;” and the weight of infallibility itself is given to this position. As many as four Popes have put themselves on record to that effect. Martin V. said: “Be assured thou sinnest mortally, if thou keep faith with heretics.’’ Not only is it right to break faith with heretics, but a sin not to do it!

Gregory VII., in one of the solemn councils at Rome, said: “We, following the statutes of our predecessors, do, by our apostolic authority, absolve all those from their oath of fidelity who are bound to excommunicated persons, either by duty or oath, and do loose them from every tie of obedience.”’

Gregory [X. is just as emphatic: “Be it known to all who are under the domination of heretics, that they are set free from every tie of fealty and duty to them, all oath and solemn agreement to the contrary notwithstanding.”

Pope Innocent VIII., in his bull of excommunication against the Waldenses, echoes the same sentiment, when he gives his Nuncio authority, “to absolve all who are bound by contract to assign and pay anything to them.”

The Council of Constance, though under solemn pledge to protect John Huss, condemned him as a heretic, and burnt him at the stake. The Emperor tried to interpose, pleading his plighted word of honor; but it was solemnly decreed, ‘the person who has given the safe conduct thither, shall not in this case be pledged to keep his promise.”

But, enough of the bad, which so fearfully counteracts the good.

Now, as to the question, how can we get at the good in Roman Catholicism, and escape the bad? We answer in one sentence.

TURN FROM TRADITIONS AND TEACHINGS OF COUNCILS TO THE BIBLE.

Whatever in Romanism that is good, you can find in the Bible. The bad was borrowed from the paganism that surrounded her. She took from pagan Rome her Pontifex Maximus, her Vestal Virgins, her patron saints, her canonization of heroes, her processions and candles, and Latin language, and her Purgatory. So, the best way to get rid of all the bad is to go to the fountain-head of the good. Study the best translations of the Scriptures you can find. The Douay version, recommended by the Roman Catholic Church, is better than none. Read that, without the fetters of priestly admonition and anathema. Determinethat you will know what God has said in this Book of Life. The Douay Bible contains the Apocrypha, which, beyond doubt, is not trustworthy. In selecting other books you wish the best on the subject. Let your ambition be for the best in Bible translation. The Canterbury version was made by the best scholars in the world; the manuscripts from which it was translated are the most authentic. Get that, and study it prayerfully, asking God to guide you into all its truth.

While Mr. Davies was preaching once in the presence of George III., the king and his courtiers were disorderly. Mr. Davies paused, looked toward the royal pew, and said: “I am speaking the word of God. When the lion roars, the beasts of the earth tremble; and when God speaks, let the kings of the earth keep silence.” And George honored him for his faithfulness.

God speaks through this inspired Book. Listen to his word, whatever others may say against it! Take the position that, while God is speaking, all councils and traditions must keep silence.

Are you under the burden of life’s cares? Go to this Book for the promises that cheer, and sustain, and comfort.

Are‘you in perplexity as to duty? Turn to the Book that lays down principles of truth upon which you may act!

Do you want to help others in their struggles? Open the Bible, and gather from it the treasures with which you can enrich the poor, strength for the weak, joy for the sorrowful, life for the morally dead!

Are you afflicted in body or harassed in mind? Come to this stream for healing; come to this harbor for quiet!

Have you battles to fight within and without? Come into this armory, and take the sword, and the broast-plate, and the helmet, and the shield, and the girdle of righteousness, and the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace. Going forth in God’s strength, you will conquer with these his weapons!

Have you come to death? Are the sands of time crumbling beneath your feet? Does heart and flesh fail? Put this book under your dying head, and your mind can rest upon its truth! Lay it upon your throbbing heart, and its words will quiet its beating! Look through it, and there will come light gleaming from the beyond, that shines through the valley and the shadow! It brings you into personal relation with the Saviour and Mediator, into association with guardian angels, into reconciliation with God, into perfect freedom from the guilt and penalty of every sin!

You are absent from home, a pilgrim and a stranger. Your time is but a span; and, if the breath is leaving your body, this Book tells you that you are going home, and not through the sulphurous flames of Purgatory to reach the Golden Gates, but straight up the highway of glory, unto the crown and the throne! And, as you read it, you will grow home-sick to depart, rather than shrink in terror from the portals of death. Turn from everything that is human to the Divine Word, with its Divine Saviour, its Divine Father, its Divine Spirit, its everlasting home!