p. 8 | Union with Christ

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 1, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 35.

Union with Christ

The “Independent Catholic Church” is the name of a recent organization started in this country, and seemingly doing its greatest work among the Poles. So we should judge from a pastoral letter written the Polish Church in Baltimore by Cardinal Gibbons. The cardinal says:—

“This is the first time in the history of your people that a pernicious religious sect has risen in your midst. . . . The ‘Independent Church’ has been condemned and solemnly anathematized by Pope Leo XIII., and is a sect all the more dangerous because its external appearance and ceremonies, so closely resembling Catholic rites, are apt to lead many unsuspecting Catholics astray.”

The earthly character of what the cardinal considers the true church is shown in the paragraph which immediately follows the above. He says:—

“You must always remember that our holy church, built upon the rock of St. Peter, does not rest upon ceremonies and rites, but upon faith and good works, obedience and union with Rome.”

But the true church rests upon faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and this is good works, obedience, and union with Him.