p. 2 | A NOTABLE MOVEMENT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 9, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 48.

A NOTABLE MOVEMENT.

ONE of the most notable religious movements of to-day is the formation in the Roman Catholic Church of “Catholic Truth Societies,” which had their inception, we believe, with the Paulist Fathers. A recent utterance of Archbishop Riordan thus states the purpose of this movement:—

Its work will be to make known the doctrines of the Catholic religion, such as they are taught by the church; to give the reasons upon which the doctrines of the church rest; to refute the errors and misrepresentations that are not uncommon in the minds of so many outside the pale of its organization. In a word, the object of this society will be to present Catholic truth as it is in reality taught by the Catholic Church. To this end, as I understand it, the society will publish tracts and pamphlets, scatter leaflets, give courses of lectures in public halls, and, by means independent of those that are connected with strictly parochial organizations, or parish methods, endeavor to give to the world a reason for the faith that is in it. . . .

The first object of a Catholic Truth Society will be to make known, through tracts and pamphlets and public literature, the truths in which we Catholics believe.

Altho just organized in the West, they have existed for some time in the East. The Catholic Mirror runs a department called “Catholic Truth.” The movement is an active propaganda of Catholic teaching among those outside of that church. And this is commendable. If a doctrine is worth holding, it is worth teaching to others. No charge in reason or logic can hold against the winning of others to what men hold as truth. Such work may with a sneer be called “proselyting,” but that will not crush it. We do not condemn the zeal, altho it be for an unworthy cause.

This movement comes at an opportune time for the Catholic Church. It may be expected that they will make many converts from many so-called Protestant churches, which are Protestant no longer. In many Protestant churches (thank God, not all) the Bible is but a tradition and the story of man's fall and redemption a myth. The foundations have been torn from under thousands of human souls by the ruthless hands of Higher Criticism and infidelity in the pulpit, and men and women are drifting, yet longing for a church which has a foundation.

To these bewildered souls the Roman Catholic Church comes with an assurance and confidence which bear the impress of truth and candor. She tells them that the Inquisition was justifiable, but the stories of its cruelties were lies; that the persecutions of the Dark Ages were but the execution of civil laws for which “the church” was not responsible, and that the Bible alone is not sufficient, as is shown by many Protestants themselves, who have to fall back upon the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church for some of their practises, as, for instance, Sunday observance, the practise of pedo-baptism, and the observance of Easter, Lent, Christmas, etc. To the uninstructed

Protestant such arguments seem cogent, and, to many, all-sufficient.

“Well, what have you to offer?” we are asked. We have to offer the Word of God, unperverted and undimmed by tradition or human gloss, as the all-sufficient guide of every soul, the only norm of faith, and Jesus Christ as the one only example, the complete personal Saviour of every soul who will come to him. And all may come, even to him, debarred not by a cordon of priests, or saints, or creeds. And it is the Word, the Word of God alone, preached and lived in the love of Christ, which will save souls from the State-destroying and soul-destroying errors of “Catholic Truth.”