WHEN professed Protestants so far depart from Protestantism as to clasp hands with Roman Catholicism, and to recognize the church of Rome as a "branch of the Christian church," it is time to remind them that in so doing they rule out their own claims. If the Roman system is Christian, if there is any true foundation for her claims as a Christian church, then Protestantism has no such claim, and no Protestant can be saved. Here is an extract from Rome's instruction on this point:—
Every one is obliged, under pain of eternal damnation, to become a member of the Catholic Church, to believe her doctrine, to use her means of grace, and to submit to her authority. . . . Hence the Catholic Church is justly called the only saving church. To despise her is the same as to despise Christ; namely, His doctrine, His means of grace, and His powers; to separate from her is the same as to separate from Christ, and to forfeit eternal salvation. Therefore St. Augustine and the other bishops of Africa pronounced, A. D. 412, at the council of Zirta, this decision: "Whosoever is separated from the Catholic Church, however commendable in his own opinion his life may be, he shall for this very reason, that he is at the same time separated from the unity of Christ, not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."
If such teaching is in any sense Christian, then Protestantism is not, and Protestants are therefore out of the ark of safety. But if Protestantism is Christian, then Catholicism is not; then Protestants can not affiliate with Catholicism for any purpose whatever. This is not to say that they may not affiliate with Catholics in the ordinary walks of life as with other men. The Lord has children in their ranks, even as in the rest of the world, who are there because the light of the truth has not reached them yet. When it does reach them, they will, as many of them have already done, obey the divine exhortation, "Come out of her, My people."