Protestantism and infidelity. An appeal to candid Americans

Front matter

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Preface

I HAVE now been in this country for upwards of fifteen years, during which time I have labored as a Catholic missionary throughout thp United States. I have traveled from place to place giving Missions, .with scarcely any interruption, and have repeatedly traversed the country in every direction from Virginia to the Mexican boundaries of Texas, from New York to Minnesota. I know America, and know it far better than my own native country.

In the course of my Missions, it has often happened that Americans expressed a desire to hear me in their own language. Whenever 1 addressed them, I was struck with the profound attention with which they honored my extem-

V

VI PREFACE.

porary efforts. I noticed on such occasions, and, indeed, in all my intercourse with the native inhabitants, so many excellent qualities of mind and heart, that I could not but view, with the sii^cerest feelings of compassion, so noble and intelligent a people seduced by religious error, when it would be so easy for them, by a little candid inquir}^ to overcome the, prejudices of education and habit, and discover that the Catholic Church is the only means of salvation, for- men. .Americans, I do-not mean to flatter you ; but I may safely assert that there is no nation upon which the Catholic Church looks with more

^ tender spijicitude than upon yours.; none more worthy'jthe lat)ors of priests and people for

. their conversion.. (t,-My vocation as a Missionary among the Ger-

, man and the, French population has seldom

.•allowed me.^,t;Q address you from the pulpit. Urged o'n by ^;, deep feeling of duty to aid 'a\ disabusing ydti of: the prejudices of your Protestant educa,tton, I have thought of fulfilling this important duty of Chrisstiaa an<l brotherly

PREFACE. Vll

afTection through the press. I hope, with the bler^sing of God, that my argument, if examined dispassionately and meditated on with candor, will prove amply sufficient to induce every candid man among you to acknowledge the truth of the Catholic Church.

All that is needed to test a man's sincerity, is to place before him those first principles which, like the sun in heaven, are evident by their own light. « For him who closes his eyes against such evidence, whole libraries of controversial works would prove insufficient : he deliberatel}' adheres to error, because he is unwilling to make the sacrifices which conversion to the Catholic faith would impose upon him. The mists that rise from sin exclude the sunbeams of the truth. I fear, indeed, that not a few are guilty of deliberately rejecting the well-known truth, particularly among those who find it for their worldly interests and convenience to remain Protestants.

It is not for such men these pages are written, but for that larger class who are Protestants only because they were born and via PREFACE.

brought up in Protestantism ; who are sincere, willing to examine, and determined to follow their convictions. To this class it is my earnest wish that all my readers may belong.

Throughout the whole of this appeal, I mean to be plain spok€n; this I owe to the importance of the subject, .and to the honesty of your character ; I am prompted to it by my own disposition, I am authorized in it by your example, and still more so by the plainness of the Gospel. The Gospel calls everything by its own name, and makes use of no more circumlocution in characterizing a lie, than in testifying to the truth. Disguising none of my convictions, I will tell you the truth^ and even unpleasant truths expressed in the plainest language. A physician is guilt}' of no wrong in calling his friend's sickness by its real name, and prescribing for him the best remedies whether palatable or not : should he act otherwise, he is not a true friend. I am your friend, Glod knows. Never have I harbored or experienced any bitterness of feeling towards Protestants or Infidels. My only S6ntime«

PREFACE. IX

towards you, is that of love and compass'on ; my only wish, to extend to you a brother's hand, and to help to save you. Your salvation is my only object in offering you these pages ; and 1 have no doubt that, before laying down the book, you will be fully convinced of it.

My arguments,' I hope, will be solid ; but in order to give to the work the character of a friendly conversation, rather than of a dry polemical discussion, I stiall occasionally introduce some incidents of my missionary life. While such incidents will serve to illustrate m;y proofs, they will, perhaps, also enable you to read the work with less fatigue and more interest.

Americans, read, reflect, and decide for yourselves.

THE AUTHOR.

Xll CONTENTS.

PAGE.

Extreme Unction 58

Holy Orders '. 62

Matrimony 6G

Good Works • 68

Purgatory • '12

The Communion' orStiiutb •.• » 76

SECTION n.

Consequences. .s^JS^v.*.;...: .8a

Ulierior Uousequences 88

C II A P T E R II.

The rRixciPLE ok Protestantism 104

Section I

Strf.xotft ok the Cathomc Principle, which is, that the Tkaching op the TaiTE Chi'RCH of Christ is the true Rui.K OK Faith 104

lI:SAJifek«:KR.AiBL1£l!KOdK-,. FOUNDED ON THE MARK OF APOSTOLIC-

ity, that THii Cathomc Chl'rgh is the true Church. OK Christ 106

Th.e Other Marks of the True Church of Christ uKLONa

ONLY TO the CATHOLiC Ch.URCH 122

Holiness •.. 131

Universality 139

ladestruetibilitj 14,3

CONTI'^NTS. Xm

TAQK.

Conclusive! Pkoop op the Ikvallicility of tue Catholic

SECTION 11.

OF Faith 163

The Peiyatk Intkrpektation op thk Bible has none op

THE Requisites op a True Rule op Faith 165

The Rule of Faith inuBt be—

Clear 166

Complete • • ••• 169

As old aa the Faitla itself 171

Accessible to every one, and Final ..*.*....-.•.-..•. i .■ 174

The Protestant PtULE of Faith lacks all these Charac-

TEMBTies — The Catholic Rule op Faith possesses

CHAPTEK III.

Protestant Prejudices 181

Religious Prejudices 191

The Pope 191

The Clergy 194

Con fcssion iT^T:-i^^Vmi\ . i . . . 1 93

Iiidulgencrcs. ' -^J n-Ii^'^nri.'ii-.. . 203

XIV CONTENTS.

PAGK.

Mary 212

Celibacy 216

Holy Mass 220

Communion • 221

Use of the Latin Language 222

Ceremonies • •• • 220

Abstinence 229

Exclusive Salvation 230

SECTION 11.

Political Prkjudices* 234

Allegiance » 244

The Inquisition 244

Despotism 249

Civilization • 250

Morality 254

The Sabbath • 250

The Sovereignty of the Pope and his Civil Government. 257

Republicanism 261

Freedom of Discussion 265

CHAPTER IV.

Infidelity the Ultimate Consequence ov Protestantism - 27S

Infidelity Refutkd, Seven Conclusive Arguments

AGAINST Infidelity 280

The Undeniable Existence of Go.d' •♦• •• 280

Tha Undeniable Immortality of the Soul. 283

COiS'TENTS. XV

e

PAOB.

The Undeniable Necessity of Religion 287

The Undeniable Necessity of a Divinely Revealed Religion 288

The Undeniably Divine Mission of Christ 291

The Umleniable Superhuman Ciiaracter of the Church

of Christ 304

The Undeniable Axiom "Where Peter is, there is the Church" 306

SECTION II. Objections Answeued 309

The Incomprehensibility of Mysteries 300

Everlastiiig Punisshinent, 315

The Supposed Contradiction of Revelation withCxeology

and History, 32?

Conclusion, 333 f^

Introduction

When we examine into the real character of Protestantism, taking into consideration its starting point, and its logical tendency, we are forced to pass upon it a judgment, which may seem harsh and oflfensive, but which is nevertheless legitimately true. This judgment regards more especially the psychological characteristic of Protestantism, to which, perhaps, sufficient attention has not been hitherto called. It is the startling fact, that Protestantism, as taught by the early Reformers and as held in substance to the present day, has rejected precisely those articles of the Catholic Creed, which are best calculated to inspire consolation and hope, and has set up, instead, just such doctrines as must inevitably sadden and crush the soul, and ultimately lead to utter despair.

That characteristic if true, is, you will acknowledge, fatal to the clainA of Protestantism

2 INTKODUCTION.

considered as a Divine Religion. It is so evidently iiicoLTipatible with tiie wants of the heart and the requirements of reason, that on the supposition of Catholicity and Protestantism being both of them mere human inventions, it would be easier to explain how Protestants could have become Catholics, than to assign a valid reason why Catholics should ever have become Protestants ; for who would not choose to believe doctrines tending to cheer and console, rather than such as are only fit to crush the heart and lead a man to despair ? I consider it one of the most astonishing facts in all history, that your ancestors rejected Catholicity with all its consolations, and adopted, instead, a Religion of distress and despair. Such a choice could never have been the effect of calm reflection, but must have been, as history proves it was, the result of violence and blind passion.

To prove my assertion it is not necessary to demonstrate the divinity of the Catholic Church and her doctrines ; I shall do that, in a brief and conclusive manner, in a subsequent part of the work, when I come to the discussion of the principle of faith. Neither is it necessary that my Protestant readers should in all respects agree with the early Reformers. To establish the point at issue, it is enough to show that the early Reformers held the doctrines of distress

INTRODUCTION. 3

and despair which I ascribe to them, and that tfie doctrines of Protestantism at the present (lay are still the same in substance in rnany respects, and in principle the same in eveiy respect.

1 do not undertake to write a long and tedious polemical discussion, nor a symbolic like Moshler's or Buchmann's ; 1 simply intend to make a comparison between the doctrines of Protestants and Catholics, and to examine them in their nature and logical consequences.

I feel confident that at every step in the comparison you will find a convincing proof of my charges against Protestantism ; and the Catholic doctrine will appear to you not only consoling, but so much in harmony with all the wants of man, that it could only have proceeded from a Divine hand, bearing upon its face the evident seal of divine truth and beauty, I have as little doubt that you will discover, that Protestantism, by its rejection of Catholic doctrine has disfigured the beauty of the Christian Creed, and robbed you of the sweetest and holiest consolations of life, along with your only hope of eternal salvation.

Having reviewed the principal points controverted between Catholics and Protestants, J shall be justified in asking you with astonishment, How could your forefathers have ac-

4 INTRODUCTION.

cepted so extraordinary a Religion ? and how can their descendants cling to a religious system so void of hope and consolation ?

In the next place, I will show you, that the only obstacles to your return to the Catholic Church, are a lack of earnest examination into the principle of faith, and your adherence to unfounded anti-Catholic prejudices.

Finally, I shall briefly, yet unanswerably, refute Infidelity, the last logical consequence of Protestantism.

Accordingly the w^ork is divided into four chapters, treating successively of the Character of Protestantism, of the Principle of Protestantism, of the Prejudices of Protestants, and of the last logical consequence of Protestantism, Infidelity.

Chapter I. The Character Of Protest- Antism

By the character of Protestantism I understand that peculiar mark which stamps the whole Protestant system as a Religion of distress and despair. To prove that such is its real character, I shall review its doctrines as compared with those of the Catholic Church. In doing so, to be as brief and plain as possible, I will follow a chronological order, and compare in succession the Catholic doctrine with the opposite Protestant view, on the condition of our First Parents, the Fall, the Redemption, the Church, and the Means of Salvation given us by our Redeemer. Whatever I advance on

THE CHARACTEli

these topics, in regard to Protestantism, I shall support by quotations from the writings and approved Formularies of Faith of the early Reformers, or by referring to public facts and professions with which every well-informed man is acquainted

OF PROTESTANTISxM.

SECTION I.

CONTROVERTED DOGMAS COMPARED.

THE FIRST CONDITION, AND THE FALL OF MAN.

In the condition of our first parents, the Catholic doctrine distinguishes, in particular, two things, nature and grace, or the nature of our first parents, and their supernatural state. This doctrine is illustrated by the Fathers of the Church from the text of Genesis, " God created man after His own image and likeness." By the image here spoken of, they understand the reason and free-will of man ; and by the likeness, his state of union w-ith God by supernatural grace. The Catholic Church teaches, that by their supernatui-al state of union with God, our first parents became children of God and heirs of heaven. If they remained obedient to God, they were to be exempt from death, and, at the close of their trial on earth, to be admitted to the Beatific Vision, a state of higher supernatural union with God in heaven. They were destined to see God face to face, to be transfigured in Him, entering into His glory and His bliss, in beatific union with the blessed spirits for all eternity. There is not a heart on' earth but must feel the beauty, the sublimity, the bliss of the condition of our first parents, as taught by the Catholic Church.

In the next place, the Catholic Church teaches, that our first parents were free to remain in their blessed condition, or to forfeit it, that is, free to sin or not to sin.

Lastly, the Catholic Church teaches, that by the fall, man lost the likeness only of God, that is, his state of supernatural grace ; but that the image of God, that is, his natural reason and free-will were only impaired, not destroyed. Hence, according to the Catholic doctrine, man, after the fall, retained the ability to perform good actions, in the natural order, and remained free as he was before the fall.

This doctrine surely is most consoling, for there is a comfort even in our losses, when we feel that something yet remains, and we can look forward to the time when, with what remains, our losses may still be repaired.

Protestantism refuses you this comfort. In

OF PROTESTANTISxM. ^

its original teaching and logical tendency, it denies the Catholic doctrine of the first condition of man, as well as the Catholic doctrine of the fall. It denies the possibility of man's real restoration, and takes a most distressing view of his condition. Here are my proofs. In regard to the original condition of man, Luther, and Calvin, and their early adherents taught, that our first parents were not raised to a supernatural state, but, with all their high gifts, were left in a purely natural condition. With regard to the fall, they taught the doctrine of total depravity. According to their doctrine, the image of God was destroyed in man by the disobedience of our first parents ; man's free-will was by it lost forever, and man has retained only the power of sinning ; so that no good human action, even in the natural order, is possible in our present state, and what men deem their virtues, are merely so many sins and splendid abominations before God. Quenstedt, a Lutheran theologian of the seventeenth century, collected the opinions of Luther on this subject from the Reformer's own works. Luther's docti'ine, in his own words, is as follows : " To sin was man's nature after his fall.*' * Man himself is nothing but sin." " What 8 born of a father and mother^ is nothing but sin."* It is well known that Luther wrote a whole work, entitled ''Ds Servo Arbittio'' — ''On Slave- Will,''^ in which he labors to prove, that by the fall, man lost his free-will, so as to have become incapable of choosing deliberately between good and evil ; and that whatever he does, he does by an irresistible impulse, either good or evil, according as God or Satan overpowers his will. The original and elegant comparison he makes use of to illustrate his point, is generally known : he compares the will of man, after the fall, to — an ass. " If God rides him," says Luther, " He drives him whithersoever He will, to do good : if the devil rides him, he drives him as he wishes." " Whatever happens, happens necessarily, though to us it may appear to be done freely." This assertion Luther repeats again and again in the work just quoted. In another work, he says, " Free-will does nothing, because there is no free-will."f

V/hat is still more shocking, is that Luther views this state of total depravity with delight. He says, " Even if man could have free-will, he would not like it, for it would only disquiet

him. „But as it is, I can say and believe, I commit evil, but God does not punish me, because 1 believe. So I feel quiet. '^'

Thus IVotestantism, as taught by the fir.«t iietbrmer, plucks up by the root the higherii blessing of our lives, our consciousness of freedom.

Melanchthon, the faithful interpreter of the doctrines of Luther his master, calls the dogma of free-will •' a slanderous doctrine, which has graduall}^ insinuated itself into Christianity, and originated with the heathens." " Man," he says, " can of himself do nothing but commit sin, just as fire burns, and the magnet attracts iron. To assert the contrary, is to be a Pelagian. "t

Calvin repeats the same doctrine : " Everything in man, after his fall, is sin. The virtues of the heathens, such as those of Socrates, Xenocrates, and Zeno, were only splendid crimes. "t

If ail this is true, the fall, though we had no personal share in it, must have changed us into incarnate demons. Such, at the very outset, is the conclusion to which Protestantism logically

» De Servo Arbit. f. 236.

t Melanchth. Loc. Theol., pp. 19, 122.

X Calv. Inst. 1. ii. c. 1 et 3.

leads ; one which alone would be suffiaient to overwhelm us with distress.

The worst of it is, that this doctrine is not peculiar to the chiefs of the Reformation, but has passed into the principles of Protestantism as appears from the Formularies of Faith and the symbolical writings of the early Protestants. They do not all, in express terms, go so far as Luther, Melanchthon, Calvin, or Zwingli, but they proceed far enough to imply the whole doctrine by logical sequence. . The most important among the early Protestant symbolical writings, is the Formula of Concord, or '•'■Snllda Declaration ' of the year 1577. That Formula says expressly, " The likeness of God has disappeared in consequence of original sin, and an evil substance has penetrated into the spiritual being of man, whereby that being has become most abominable."* The Swiss, Belgian, and Scottish Confessions of Faith, contain, in substance, the very same doctrine.

In opposition to this doctrine the Council of Trent enacted the following canon : " If any one shall say, that all the works which are done before justification, in whatever manner they may be done, ' are really sins, or deserve the

♦ Solid. Declar. c. 9 and 10. De Peccat. Orig. § 2 and 22. IL Dd Lib. Arbit. § U,

OF niOTESTANTlSM. 13

hatred of God ; or, that the more a man strives to dispose himself for grace, the more grievously he sins; let hl0i be anathema."*

Calvin, Zwingli, and their adherents even gc so far as to assert that Adam could not help filling, because God had decreed that he should fail.t

Americans, are you read}'^ to admit doctrines like these, inculcating, as they do, the most blasphemous libel* on the justice and sanctity of God, and the principle best calculated to banish all const>lMtion from the soul ; leavins: man to groan helplessly under the weight of irremediable wickedness, and under the irresistible tyranny of an unjust God?

THE REDEMPTIOjS".

In misfortune we long for relief. When relief is given, we are consoled; when loss is changed into gain, and good diawn out of evil, our consolation rises in proportion to our formt^r sorrow. This, if we accept the Catholic doctrine, is an image of the nature and the ciiects of the Redemption.

* Conp. Trid. Sess. VI. can. VII.

[ Calvin. Instit. 1. i., cap. 18, ^ 2. ; 1. iii., c, 23, ? 8 and 4. Boza, Adv. Calum Geuev. 1861. Zwinglius, De Provid. a 5 and 6i

14 THE CHAilACTER

The Church teaches, that, to redeem us from original sin and its consequences, Christ the Son of God assumed our|yiature and died for us on the Cross ; that, by His merits, we are realiy freed from sin, and by the infusion of supernatural sanctifying grace into our souis, are again united to God, and become personally pieasuig in His sight. You will not deny, that it is an immense consolation for man, after having been tortured by remorse, and weighed down by the sense of un worthiness, to know that he has been really pardoned, that he is once more really free from guilt, truly pure and holy before His Maker.

The Catholic Church further teaches, that man co-operates in his justification b}^ co-operating, with perfect freedom, with the grace of Gx)d, which prompts and strengthens him to do penance and amend his life. To be allowed to co-operate with the grace of God, renders his consolation still greater, for it makes him" conscious of a meritorious personal triumph over his own passions and over the power of Satan.

Indeed, in the Redemption w-e have gained far more, infinitely more, I might almost say, than we lost in Adam : hence, the triumphal chant of the Catholic Church in the solemn service on Holy Saturday, '• O. happy fault, which has deserved so great and glorious a Redeemer." For our Saviour lias not only conquered Satan, and released us from his power; He has not only raised us to a supernatural state of grace, like that in which Adam was constituted ; but He has, besides, enabled us to practice higher virtues than Adam could have practiced in the state of unfallen nature, and prepared for us a proportionatel}* higher glory in heaven. By the union of the Divine with the human nature He has raised our nature above the angelic choirs, and communicated to us a grace far more powerful and of much higher dignity than was originally imparted to our first parents. A far higher field of virtue is opened before us in the accomplishment of the Christian law, and the keeping of the evangelical counsels. According to the Catholic doctrine, the natural consequences of the fall, concupiscence and the sufferings of life, may be turned by us, if we will, into occasions of new and most glorious merits and proportionate reward in eternity, so that our condition, after the fall, may even, in some respect, be envied by the angels, who could never, by sufferings, prove their obedience and their love of God. Thus the Catholic doctrine allows us to taste the full sweetness of the Redemption, to enjoy its efiicacy, and have a real share with our

16 THE CHARAOTSK

Saviour in His triumphant resurrection ftom the dead and complete victory over the powers of darkness.

Of this consolation Protestantism deprives you. The doctrine of Luther, Calvin, and iheir adherents, is, that no sin, whether original or personal, is ever remitted ; but is, at best, only covered by the merits of Christ.* According to their doctrine, m-an, after being justified through Christ, remains in sin as much as before, with this only difference, that, after his justification, he is not liable to be punished for his sins. For a man who loves his God it is hard to conceive a more distressing doctrine : to such a man the offence is more hateful than the punishment, and he finds the thought intolerable, that God, though unwilling to punish him, yet should allow him to be no better in His sight than a whitened sepulchre. Besides, it is a genuine Protestant doctrine, that man has no share whatsoever in thus covering his sins, because he has altogether lost his free-will, and is as passive in the act of his justification, to use one of Luther's illustrations, as the pillar of salt into which the wife of Lot was changed. f After his justification, as before it,

* Luther. Expos. Epist. ad Galat. Solid. Declar. III. | 16. Calvin. Instit. 1. III. c. ii. f Luther, in Gene?, cap. xix.

man remains completely incapable of performing any really good work, or of gaining any real merit before God.

Tims Protestantism would leave no true state of justice on earth ; it would banish the heavenly consciouj^ness of innocence regained ; it would make us believe, if possible, that the wounds inflicted by the fall are so deep, that the blood of the Redeemer cannot heal them ; our ruin so hopeless that the mercy of the Almighty cannot repair it. Such is the second stage of its distressing s^'stem. Do you think it preferable to the Catholic view ?

THE CHUECH.

In all our undertakings, and especially when great in-terests are at stake, we wish for security. In the pursuit of knowledge, we long for certainly. When some important object is to bo attained, we are glad to find that the way to attain it, is obvious and tree from danger, or, if uncertain, that we have some faithful friend to guide us.

When there is question, not merely of a temporal object, but of eternal life, it is of infinitely more importance to us to kno v with certainty the way that leads to it, and that the way should be secure. No •questions can be imagined of greater importance for us, thaji these : Am I, or am I not, in the way that leads to salvation? Am I, or am I not, in the true Religion ? Is my faith infallibly certain, or is it not? Is there any answer to be found on earth, that can satisfy my mind on these allimportant questions ? Protestants and Catholics agree that the answer is to be sought for in the true faith. Bat here another question arises. Is there any aittkority on earth, that can fully clear up all doubts, and give unerring certainty, on these momentous questions ?

The Catholic answers in the affirmative. The Catholic doctrine is, that Christ has instituted an infallible Church, to whose guardianship He has intrusted His doctrines and the means of salvation, and which He established forever. That Church is the Catholic Church. As the infallible guardian of the Word of God, whether written or unwritten, she teaches whatever Christ has taught her ; as His infallible representative, she ministers to men all the means of salvation which He has given her. The Catholic doctrine furthermore asserts, that the mission of the Catholic Church, as the infallible teacher and unerring guide of men, will remain unaltered to the end of time. Through her Christ unites the earth to heaven ; and that union, like her mission, will last as long as the world. " Behuld, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."*

In the Church we have a guide to whom we can intrust our salvation with the same security as to Christ Himself, " He that heareth you, heareth me."f " And I say to thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will, build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, it shall be bound also in heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven,"J;

Trusting to the guidance *of the Catholic Church, the lowest and the most ignorant among the faithful, is as secure of his faith, as certain of the way of salvation, as the highest and the most learned. Through his own special pa^^tor, placed over him by his bishop, every Catholic is in communion with his bishop, and, through the bishop, in communion with the legitimate successor of St. Peter, on whom

«■ Matt., xxviii. 20. .

t Luks, X. 16.

Christ Himself conferred the care and guidance of His whole flock: "Feed my lambs, ieed m.y sheep."* •' J have prayed ier ihee, t!>at thy faith fail not: and thou being once converte(i; confirm thy brethren. "j United to the succer^sor of St. Peter, every one of qs has the right to appeal confidently to the celebrated canon of St. Ambrose, " Ubi Pelrus, ibi Ecdcsia — Wliere Peter is,lher^ is the Clairch.^^

The whole history of the Catholic Church, confirms the Catholic in his faith, and in the consolation that he is unmistakably in the way of salvation. We look back through eighteen centuries, all bearing witness to the truth of our faith. At the very birth of the Catholic Church, and in the first three centuries of her •existence, we huve seventeen millions of martyrs, our elder brethren in the faith, all sealing with their blood the very same Catholic faith that we profess to-day. The tcj^timony of the first three centuries is continued through all centuries : in all ages, the divinity of the Catholic faith has been testified by the blood of true martyrs, all children of the Ca.tholic Church. In our own days, the plains and cities of Corea, China, Tonquin, Cochin-China, Syria, t Luke, xzii, 82.