MARIOLATRY NOT CHRISTIANITY.
By Editor
WE have great respect for the servants of God. We love to honor those whom God honors. For some characters we have especial regard. Enoch was a pattern of purity. Abraham was a rare example of a faithful man. David was noted for his piety, and his humility, manifested particularly in his confessions of his sins. A contrite spirit is acceptable to God. And so we might specify. But they were only human; they were our fellow-creatures and fellow-mortals. Though Abraham was worthy to be called "the father of all them that believe," and as such worthy of high regard, he was but a man, and is to be honored only as a man. We have respect for Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. She was highly favored of God. But we have no more reason to pay her divine honors than we have Enoch or Abraham. We consider it wrong to pay such honors to any one beside God the Father of all, and Jesus Christ the glorious and exalted Son of God. And of him, the Father did not think it enough to reveal to us his divine nature, but gave very particular commands respecting his worship. "Let all the angels of God worship him," was commanded. And it was revealed that men shall honor the Son even as they honor the Father. To him we are placed under infinite obligation as our Saviour. The Father appointed him and gave him to be a Redeemer of fallen man, and "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. But another name—another person—has been exalted to occupy this place, without any authority from God, and contrary to his holy will concerning his Son as revealed in his word. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is regarded by millions in the Catholic church as a Saviour, not only equal to, but superior to the Son of God as a Saviour; to her divine honors are paid. And as this is not only without authority from God, but contrary to his word concerning his Son, we have no hesitation in designating such worship idolatry. We consider ourselves fully justified in asserting that Mariolatry is not Christianity. But it has been denied that such honors are paid to Mary, and we have been deeply blamed for publishing it as a fact. By full and sufficient proofs we shall set this question at rest. We do not profess to understand the motives of those who have denied it. They may possibly be ignorant of the truth on the subject. If so we shall place them under obligation to us by enlightening them concerning it. To show that we are not pursuing a phantom—that we have good reason to examine the subject in this manner, we will state the case as follows:— Last March we made mention of a sermon we heard by "Father Gavazzi," in which we ascribed to him the following words:— "In Italy, in Como, Jesus Christ has one shrine, with a wooden crucifix, while the Virgin Mary has three thousand, many of them costly, with thousands of devotees. To the Catholics two ladders are represented as reaching up to Heaven; at the top of one stands Jesus Christ; at the top of the other the Virgin Mary. They who attempt to reach Heaven by the first ladder, where Christ stands, mostly fall and fail in their attempt; while all who try to reach Heaven by the ladder headed by the Virgin Mary succeed and are saved." Among the letters received from those professing to be Catholics is the following, which we publish entire, as it censures us in very severe terms, and is more direct in its statements than any other:— "REVERE HOUSE, NAPA CITY, Sunday, June 26, 1881.
"EDITOR SIGNS OF THE TIMES, OAKLAND—Sir: On the last page of your issue of June 23, you state as a fact that the Roman Catholic church exalts the worship of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and the worship of images, above that of Christ. Now as a man assuming to teach others through the columns of your paper you ought to be able to give the proof of what you state, or failing to do it, to be branded as an untruthful man and unfaithful guide. In all the works published for the instruction of the Catholic laity, in the Catechisms in use in all the church of the United States, in all the prayer-books published for the use of the faithful, the worship or adoration of images is expressly forbidden. That supreme honor or adoration is due to God alone, that our requests are to be preferred through Christ alone, and that any other doctrine is false and damnable. If you really ask to know the truth you can find a prayer-book or catechism in any Catholic church in Oakland, and having found it, I demand of you that you take back your assertion, or be considered a man that willfully shuts his eyes to the light of truth. Gavazzi is known as a willful perverter of truth, and his statements unworthy of credence.
"Respectfully Yours,
"JOHN McDONALD." The use of images in Catholic worship is too well known to require a word in respect to it. Bishop Ryan, of St. Louis, not long since lectured in justification of it. And it is well known that miraculous power has often been ascribed to images of Mary, and that terrible judgments are said to have fallen upon those who dishonored such images. We shall turn our attention especially to the worship of Mary, and to the fact that, as a medium of salvation, she is exalted above Jesus Christ. And on this subject we propose to give more than sufficient proof, as we have reason to believe that few of our readers have a just idea of the full truth on this subject; that they are not aware of the extent to which this idolatry is carried on in the Catholic church. And when we have abundantly proved it, then we shall ask Mr. McDonald, as a well-meaning, honorable man, to withdraw his charges, and confess that he has been mistaken as to the teachings of the Catholic church. And first, as to our authority. We shall quote from an authenticated Catholic work, entitled "The Glories of Mary." We have other works on the same subject, but this is the most complete, and when we have done with this, we imagine that our readers will desire nothing further. The entire title page of this book reads as follows:— "The Glories of Mary, translated from the Italian of St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer; First American Edition, New York: P. J. Kennedy, Excelsior Catholic Publishing House, 5 Barclay street." It was copyrighted by Edward Dunigan and brother, the well-known Catholic book dealers; and it bears the sanction of Archbishop Hughes, in the following words:— "This new and improved translation of 'The Glories of Mary,' having been duly examined, is hereby approved of.
"†JOHN.
"Archbishop of New York."
"New York, Jan. 21, 1852." The following is the preface to the American Edition:— "The edition of the 'Glories of Mary' now presented to the Catholic public of America, is the first complete translation of the work ever made into the English language. We trust that it will have to retain the spirit of the learned and saintly author, and that it will be welcomed by the faithful in this country, with the same delight which it has universally called forth in Catholic Europe." This book has eight hundred pages, and must contain nearly or quite as much reading as the entire Bible. In the Introduction, which the author says, "ought to be read," is shown that the views of Mary herein presented are those of the entire Catholic church. Thus he speaks:— "I know that there are many books, both great and small, which treat of the glories of Mary; but as these are rare or voluminous, and not according to my plan, I have endeavored to collect in a small space, from all the authors at my command, the most select and pithy sentences of the Fathers and theologians, in order to give devout persons an opportunity, with little effort or expense, to inflame their ardor by reading of the love of Mary, and especially to present materials to priests which may enable them to excite by their sermons devotion to the divine mother." In another place in the Introduction he gives the gist of the whole matter in speaking of the advantages of "discourses in praise of Mary," in these words:— "If the assertion is true and incontrovertible, as I believe it to be, and as I shall prove, in the fifth chapter of this book, that all graces are dispensed by the hand of Mary alone, and that all who are saved, are saved solely by means of this divine mother, it may be said, as a necessary consequence, that the salvation of all depends upon preaching Mary, and confidence in her intercessions." Chapter I. considers Mary as "Queen of Mercy" and our mother. According to his stated purpose he has constantly quoted from the Fathers and theologians, and in our quotations we shall give his authorities. "Says St. Bernardine of Sienna, all creatures who serve God ought also to serve Mary; for all angels and men, and all things that are in Heaven and on earth, being subject to the dominion of God, are also subject to the dominion of the glorious Virgin." Page 26. That she alone, and not Jesus Christ, is the sole dispenser of mercies to fallen man, is constantly asserted by the best Catholic authority:— "The High Chancellor of Paris, John Gerson, says that the kingdom of God consisting of justice and mercy, the Lord has divided it; he has reserved the kingdom of justice for himself, and has granted the kingdom of mercy to Mary, ordaining that all the mercies which are dispensed to men should pass through the hands of Mary, and should be bestowed according to her good pleasure." Page 28. "Ernest, Archbishop of Prague, also says, that the eternal Father has given to the Son the office of judging and punishing, and to the mother the office of compassionating and relieving the wretched. . . St. Bonaventure says: O Mary, so full of the unction of mercy and the oil of pity, that God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness." Page 29. She, and not Jesus Christ, is the all-powerful mediator and intercessor:— "Is there any one who does not know the power of Mary's prayers with God? The law of clemency is on her tongue. Every prayer of hers is as a law established by our Lord, that mercy shall be exercised towards those for whom Mary intercedes. St. Bernard asks, Why does the church name Mary Queen of Mercy? and answers, Because we believe that she opens the depths of the mercy of God, to whom she will, when she will, and as she will; so that not even the vilest sinner is lost, if Mary protects him." Page 31. This is but the beginning.