INFIDELITY, HERESY, AND PUBLIC WRONG THE SOURCE OF CIVIL DISORDER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 52, 25 April 1874, Page 9

INFIDELITY, HERESY, AND PUBLIC WRONG THE SOURCE OF CIVIL DISORDER.

San little time ago I took the liberty to call the attention of the Protestant "leaders of public opinion" in Dunedin, and the literary and religious public generally in that intellectual city, to a passage in Lord Macaulay's writings, in which he strongly urged the necessity of studying the history of the Papacy or Roman Catholic Church — of course studying it candidly and fallj~ In his opinion there is not now and never has existed on this earth' ray one thing more deserving the study of scholars and philosophers than the Papacy, or Roman Catholic Church. More recently, another English Protestant historian of greater repute even than Lord Macaulay has expressed himself much to the same purpose, or rather, if possible,, more strongly. I mean Mr Froude. He is of opinion that nothing more grand, more beautiful, or more useful and beneficent, has eter been known td man out of himself than the Roman Catholic Church as it " once was." He, learned and clever as he is, does not seem to see that what the Papacy and Roman Catholic Church once were, they are still the same now, aid ever will be in all essential points. Her principles and her aims now are the satae a? they were GOO years ago, when Mr Froude says she conquered, by the sheer force of her spiritual power and " goodness," the hearts of the noblest and the bravest champions, of freedom whom the world has ever seen. A like work she is now engaged in, for she is striving — and successfully striving— to conquer, or rather re-conquer and bring under her spiritual dominion again the noblest and the bravest people whom the world has ever known in modern times — " the imperial race " of England, as Archbishop Manning calls them— men whose passion for liberty no one doubca any more than he doubts their many other great virtues. Could any one truthfully say of any Church calling itself Protestant what Mr Froude has said of the Roman Catholic Church as it " once was." True the love of many Catholics has waxed cold in later times. The instances of heroic charity are not so frequent and conspicuous among the Catholic clergy or laity now as there were 600 years ago, when, as Mr Froude tells us, the Roman Catholic Church was so grand, so beautiful, useful, and powerful. But the Catholic fervor of these early times it beginning to revive fast in ours. Even in the worst of times the Church has always contained some few men and women eminent for their sanctity, though their names may never be heard of by the public. It is they who nurse Catholic piety and charity, and keep them warm in secret till the time comes when they shall openly show themselves to the world, and spread like fire. If the history of the Papacy be a profitable and interesting story to literary and religious men, the history of heresy is equally bo. A» the Roman Catholic Church is the sole defence of Christian faith and best support of civil order, so heresy is the worst enemy of both. The object of all hereßy is to undermine the authority and even destroy the existence of the Reman Catholic Church. It consequently renders all constituted authority in every country, Catholic or Protestant, insecure, and dependent on mere popular caprice. Among heretics and bad Catholics tbe law of the strongest is the only law. Right and justice are of littl account to them. Witness the treatment of Roman Catholics by the Presbyterians of Otago in tbe matter of schools, and, indeed, by Pri'tedtaLts generally. The worst enemies of Christ — the Gibbons, the Humee, aud Voltaires, and Tom Paynei — are ever the deadly enemies of the Pope und the Catholic Church, and they fraternise with Protestants in muny ways. Heresy, infidelity, tyranny, and treason are birds of one feather. Heresy is usually the first step to the rejection of all revealed religion. Jt is producing the fruit of infidelity plentifully in these times, and, as the natural consequence, a lax morality. Botli Mr Froude and Lord Macavilay have said much to confirm the prejudices of the prejudiced against the Roman Catholic Church, but they have also said much in her favor— more than appears quite consistent with their position as her obvious, if not avowed enemies. On the whole, they have done her more good than havm most probably. The wonder is how they and such as they, have seen so much of Catholic truth without seeing it all ; but such is the force of early prejudice and intellectual pride. However, the Protestant readers of the works of these great writers may be often more caaidii a«d just in their way of viewing Catholic affairs than the j/ritera themselves, and may profit accordingly. Lord Macaulay and ilr Froude must have been at times rather bewildered at the thought of their having to say sc much in favor of the Catholic Church whi'e they were its open enemies, and laboring to hold it up to public odium and execiation. Were all that they have both written as to the abu&es and immorality in the Catholic Church true, and not exaggerated or nii&rtpreseiited, that would not in the least affect her claim to be the sole and the infallible teacher of Christian doctrine. The Jews the lay and ecclesiastical portion of them both — sinned as no other people have sinned ; yet they were the sole possessors of the ■whole truth of God. lheir ems did not invalidate their claim to be the true children of promise. All the sins of Catholic priests and laymen, were they tenfold greater than their wonst enemies have represented them to be, would not prove that the Catholic Church ought to be rejected. By its fruits the tree is known, is a sound and indeed divine maxim or rule of judgment ; but it is papable of a wrong application. It is surely misapplied when used to prove that the Catholjc Church cannot be the true Church because of the multitude pf bad Catholics in all ages. Faith is one thing, practice is another, and we know from the highest authority that, though many be culled into the true Church, yet few in it are chosen for eternal reward and that through their own fault they shall perish. The melancholy exhibition of Catholic depravity which Buch writers as Macaulftj and Froude make in then* works, by no means establishes the position which the enemies of tbe Catholic Church are so eager to maintain against her. Many Catholics in eyery age have exhibited, among laity and clergy, and in every condition of life, such degrees of piety self-denial, and heroic charity as the best of Protestants have scarcely ever dreamt of, and certainly never attempted to imitate. Mr Froude himaelt tells us as much. Bad Catholics abuse God's grace as

no other man can abuse it. It is natural to suppose, then, that when Catholics are indifferent about their spiritual interests, or out-and-out bad, they must be bad indeed — worse than any other claM of men, or even pagans. Experience proves that such is the case. It is because the Catholic religion is so, pure and severe, and so much opposed to everything worldly, that «o many of its tepid professor* are so remarkable for their irreligious and immoral habits. If the Catholic religion were mere lax and accommodating, many of its adherents might be outwardly more decent and respectable in a worldly seme. Luc.