WHY DO WE SEND MISSIONARIES TO ROMAN CATHOLIC COUNTRIES?
By William Burt
[From an article by William Burt, D. D., in Christian Advocate, of November 13.] It seems to us that one of two hypotheses must explain the tolerant attitude toward the Romish Church of to-day:— 1. Ignorance. Our friends do not know Roman Catholicism. Some think that the Roman Catholic Church is simply one of the several Christian denominations, with a ritual of a rather elaborate character. Such have known Romanism only as they have seen it in Protestant countries; but Roman Catholicism should be studied in papal lands, where the priests have power and the full apostasy is realized. Some conclude, because they have known an exceptionally good bishop or priest, that the institution must be good. There will be exceptions to every rule. Some even go so far as to concede that the adoration of Mary, the worship of Mary, the worship of saints, the sacrifice of the mass, and the doctrine of purgatory may not, after all, be incompatible with Christianity. The question is, Is the Romish Church of to-day Christian? If our answer is in the affirmative , then we may well doubt the propriety of sending missionaries to Roman Catholic countries, and still less to Italy, the seat of the pope who claims to be the successor of St. Peter, the vicegerent of Jesus Christ, and the only infallible oracle of the entire Christian world. If, however, we admit that the Romish Church is Christian, then it will be very difficult for us to conceive how the other churches can be Christian. Between the Romish Church and the different Protestant denominations there is a gulf so wide and deep that it would seem impossible for Christ and His Gospel to be on both sides at the same time. If Roman Catholicism represents the central idea of Christianity, then we should at once beseech the pope to graciously receive us into his fold and communion. Romanism, however, is pagan in its thought and practise and in its ultimate effect on the human character. It is idolatrous with its images, pictures, shrines, and relics. It is superstitious in its miracles, processions, and pilgrimages, all of pagan origin. We have taken some of our missionaries from China and India to witness scenes in Rome, the like of which they have declared never to have seen in pagan lands. Romanism does not even retain the Christian ideas. (a) Its idea of God is not the Christian idea of father, but the pagan idea of blind and inexorable destiny. The visible father of the Roman Catholic Church is the pagan pontifex maximus. The name of God does not inspire love, but fear, because Romanists know Him only as the one who punishes in wrath those who do not conform to the laws of the Roman Catholic Church. How is it possible, for instance, for an intelligent Italian to believe that God will refuse to admit into Paradise his innocent, unbaptized child, but will freely receive a wicked, old thief who had the time and the money to get extreme unction from a corrupt priest? (b) The mission of Christ, in the Romish thought, is not that of the one and only perfect Saviour. Without the priest the Roman Catholic Christ does not pardon or save a human soul. Salvation depends upon the authority of the Church or on works approved by the Church. Christ is either a babe in the arms of His mother, on whom He depends, or a corpse on the cross, unable to do anything except by consent of the priests, and that, too, on condition of prompt payment. (c) The Holy Spirit is no longer free and omnipotent, but is limited by the decisions of conclaves, councils, and synods, and personified in the infallible pope. Romanism, however, is not only pagan in its conception and practise, but also in its ultimate effect on the individual and national character. It will be quite sufficient to ask Mexico, South America, Spain, Porto Rico, and the Philippine Islands, What has Roman rule done for any country or people on the face of the globe? Again, Roman Catholicism is the greatest obstacle in the world to-day to the rapid advancement of the kingdom of God among men, not only because it has usurped that kingdom in its greed for temporal power, but especially because it makes war on the Word of God. Thinking men are being driven into infidelity, while the ignorant are being deceived, and hence both classes are kept away from the Fountain of Life. The greatest difficulties which the Bible and missionary societies encounter in their holy mission of Christian civilization come from Romish priests, who make the people believe5that the Bible is a diabolical book, and who burn it in their very presence, notwithstanding the fact that here the Jesuits pretend to counsel the people to read the Bible. Italy is the seat and center of the Roman Catholic heirarchy, which is, in turn, the center of all reactionary intrigues, political, religious, and social. Here all the dark schemes are concocted against governments and people, from the false donation of Constantine and the forged letter of St. Peter to King Pepin to the powder plot in Westminster and the trouble with the Philippine Friars. The peace of the world is being constantly disturbed by the intrigues of the Vatican. Ought we not therefore to establish and maintain missions in Roman Catholic countries? Certainly Wesley would have replied, Yes; because his first purpose was to evangelize a corrupt and spiritually dead church. The Methodists who can excuse the Roman Catholicism of to-day, a thousand times worse than the Anglicanism of Wesley's days, must belong to a degenerate race. 2. If however, the theory of ignorance does not explain the attitude of our friends toward Romanism, perhaps the explanation is to be found in the fact that they believe that missions should be planted and maintained first where they will more probably give the largest numerical returns. How much harm has been done to the cause of Christ in this world by those who have reckoned success by the cold calculation of money spent and numbers enrolled! We all know that mission work among raw pagans gives a larger numerical result than among Roman Catholics. This fact, however, ought to arrest our attention and cause us to study the nature and methods of the Romish Church. Christ did not promise to reward according to success, as we judge it, but according to faithful service. A little reflection, however, will soon show us that, after all, the success is only relative, success in numbers and not in quality. There are those, too, who are indulging the hope that in some way the Roman Catholic Church will be reformed through some inherent virtue which she possesses. But this hope was destroyed as far back as the Council of Constance, which, you will remember, was called for the purpose of reforming the church. Historians agree that it was the greatest ecclesiastical assembly ever convened. How did it end? (a) By burning John Huss. (b) The cardinals all agreed that whoever might be elected pope should not close the council until the desired reformation, if not accomplished, should be decided upon. Cardinal Colonna was elected and became Pope Martin V. His first words after his election were, “The council is closed.” This is the reply which the Papacy of to-day gives to those who are looking for an internal reform of the Roman Catholic Church. The door is closed. The Romish Church will never be reformed except through a breach made in her walls by the evangelical forces. After all, do we do right to make a distinction between Romanists, Jews, and pagans? For us there should be but two classes, those who are in Christ and those who are out of Christ. Wherever in this world we find those who know not Jesus as a personal Saviour, we should evangelize them and point them to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.