CHAPTER III

HOLY SCRIPTURE AND APOLOGETICS

“All Scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove,

to correct, to instruct in justice,”

2 Timothy Chapter 3:16

The above passage from Holy Scripture tells us that: A. God inspired the writers of Holy Scripture; therefore It contains no error.

B. That it is profitable to use Holy Scripture in Apologetics.

C. That this is Justice.

There are however, three differences of opinion about the Bible and Apologetics:

I. The Atheists won’t accept Its arguments because they believe It to be a work of fiction. They don’t believe in the miracles It claims happened. The Bible, according to them, is useless as a source of Truth.

II. The non-Catholic “Christians” go to the opposite extreme. They claim that Truth can be found in the Bible alone! An organized Church is therefore not needed. God inspires each individual to see the Truth in Holy Scripture.

III. The Catholic position is that Revealed Truth is found in both The Bible and Tradition. In fact The Bible can be said to be part of Tradition. The Bible is indeed the Infallible word of God. However our personal interpretation of It is not infallible. That is why Christ in His Mercy established an Infallible Church to tell us the meaning of the various passages in Holy Scripture. This is the Source of the Truth revealed to us by God.

I. Response to Atheists who claim The Bible is a work of fiction and therefore will not accept the Truths in It:

Question: Who was Caesar? Answer: A Roman Emperor who lived long ago.

Question: Who was George Washington? Answer: The first President of the United States.

Question: What is an atom made up of? Answer: Electrons, protons and neutrons.

Question: How do you know these things? You weren’t living at the time of Caesar or George Washington. You can’t see that an atom is made up of electrons, protons and neutrons. How do you know these things? Answer: I know because they are written down in books.

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Question: How do you know these are books of Truth and not books of fiction?

Answer: If these books were wrong, then people who lived then would point out the errors in the writings of the time. Physical evidence is often available to prove if they are false or true.

The Scriptures are at the very least the best of historical documents because:

1. The details of the events described in the Bible are also described in other ancient literature.

2. The details in the Bible are corroborated by archeological discoveries.

3. Whenever historical sciences have made discoveries which touched upon the Gospels, the

Gospels have been proven to be trustworthy.^[1]

4 Through the centuries, many talented critics have expended an astonishing amount of effort in attempting to disprove the Holy Scriptures. All their efforts were fruitless. In this way the enemies of the Bible aid in proving It to be a reliable Historical document.

5 His enemies, who lived at the time of Christ, did not deny His Miracles. They certainly would if they could but there were too many witnesses. Instead they claimed they were the work of Beelzebub (Satan).^[2] In this way the contemporaries of Christ, even His enemies, testify to the Truths described in Holy Scripture.

6 The Disciples of Christ died rather than deny the wonders attributed to Him. Men do not die for myths they made up.

The Bible therefore is a reliable historical document because it passes all the tests used to determine this. Those who refuse to accept the Bible as an historical document, should for the same reasons refuse to accept all that is not personally experienced.

II. Response to non-Catholics who claim the Bible alone is the sole rule of Faith and that God inspires all men to understand the Truth in Holy Scripture:

1. The false idea that The Bible is the sole rule of Faith:

Non-Catholics often ask the following question: “Where is that found in the Bible”. This question is based on Luther’s doctrine of “sola Scriptura” (Scripture only), which states that the Bible is the sole rule of Faith. That is, they will believe only what can be found in the Bible.

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The Bible itself, which they hold in such high esteem, proves the doctrine of sola Scriptura false in two ways:

(1) Nowhere absolutely nowhere, in the Bible, is this doctrine taught.?! The Bible never says that everything we need to know can be found in the Bible. Therefore those who believe in “the Bible only”, believe something not taught in the Bible - a contradiction!

(2) In fact the Bible tells us that not all is in Scripture.^[3] It tells us that we must “keep the

Ordinances given us”.^[4] It tells us we must “hold fast to Tradition”.^[5] It even tells us to

withdraw from those who discard Tradition.^[6]

History proves the doctrine of sola Scriptura is false:^[7]

(1) All the Holy Scripture was not available to the early Christians. The New Testament was not complete till St. John completed The Apocalypse (The Book of Revelation) about sixty five years after Christ left this Earth. They were taught by The Catholic Church.

(2) In fact Christians did not have a complete Bible for the first 300 years! It was not until the Fourth Century that the Holy Father called a Council of Bishops and decided which of the many writing handed down would make up the New Testament. If it weren’t for the Catholic Church, our non-Catholic friends would not have a copy of The Bible!

(3) Not only for three hundred years the world was left without a Bible, but also for one thousand four hundred years the Christian world was left without the Sacred Book. Before the art of printing was invented, Bibles were rare and costly things.

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Logic proves the doctrine of sola Scriptura is false:

(1) The early writings were in Greek or Hebrew. They needed to be translated into the various languages before they were “available” to Christians who did not understand these languages. If the Bible is so critical to salvation, how can we be sure the translation is accurate?! Surely an erroneous translation cannot be a guide to Truth. There are many “versions” of the Bible that contradict one another! Which one is true? Examples of mutilation in various versions (DRV = Douay-Rheims (Catholic) Version. MV = Mutilated Version):

1 Tim. 5:17 DRV: “Let the Priests that rule well....”

MV: “Elders who do well as leaders..”

Acts 14:22 DRV: “They ordained Priests in every Church.”

MV: “They appointed elders in each congregation.”

Matt. 26:38 DRV: “Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death.....”

MV: “Then he said to them, My heart is nearly broken with sorrow.”

Matt. 16:26 DRV: “For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer

the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for

his soul?”

MV: “What profit would a man show if he were to gain the whole world

and destroy himself in the process? What can a man offer in

exchange for his very self?”

Matt. 16:18 DRV: “And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will

build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

MV: “I for my part declare to you, you are ‘Rock’, and on this rock I will

build my Church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it.”

Luke 12:20 DRV: “But God said to him: Thou fool, this night do they require thy Soul

of thee..”

MV: “But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life shall be

required of you...”

Luke 1:28 DRV: “And the Angel being came in, said unto her: Hail, full of Grace,

the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.”

MV: “Upon arriving, the angel said to her: Rejoice O highly favored

daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”

Luke 1:46 DRV: “And Mary said: My Soul doth magnify the Lord.”

MV: “Then Mary said: My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord.”

John1:16 DRV: “...we all have received, and Grace for Grace.”

MV: “...we have all had a share - love following upon love.”

1 Cor. 16:23 DRV: “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

MV: “The favor of the Lord Jesus be with you.”

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(2) The Protestant “Bible” has many complete books missing! Their names are: Tobias, Baruch, Judith, Wisdom, Eccesiasticus, I Machabees, II Machabees, seven chapters of the Book of Ester and 66 verses of the 3^rd chapter of Daniel, commonly called “the Song of the Three Children”. These were deliberately cut out by Luther and Calvin and other “Reformers”! An incomplete translation cannot be a guide to Truth.

“For there shall be a time, when they will

not endure sound doctrine; but, according to

their own desires, they will heap to themselves

teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed

turn away their hearing from the truth, but will

be turned unto fables.” 2 Tim. 4:3-4

(3) God inspired The Catholic Church to complete the writings of the Bible, select the writing to be included in the Bible, to interpret and defend the Bible through the Centuries. It stands to reason that God would also inspire The Catholic Church to make true translations of the Bible. The Bible was translated by St. Jerome into Latin, in the Fourth Century, the language of The Catholic Church and most of the educated at the time. This version was called The Vulgate and was declared to be The Official version of Holy Scripture. In 1582, The Vulgate (New Testament) was translated into English at Rheims. In 1609, The Vulgate (Old Testament) was translated into English at Douay. This Douay-Rheims Version is then the Official English translation of Holy Scripture. It is reasonable then to conclude that only the Catholic Church whom God established to give us the Bible in the first place can also give us an accurate translation of It.

2. The false idea of private interpretation of the Bible:

Another idea of Luther was that of “private interpretation of the Bible”. The Holy Ghost inspires each individual as to the true meaning of Holy Scripture. Therefore there is no need for an organized Church to guide them.

History proves that Private Interpretation of Holy Scripture is wrong:

(1) This idea doesn’t seem to be working out. It has caused thousands of bickering sects, all claiming the Bible as their Guide, and often believing contradictory things. This proves that it is not the Holy Ghost that guides them. God could not inspire individuals to believe contradictory things.

The Bible proves that Private Interpretation of Holy Scripture is wrong:

(2) The Bible forbids private interpretation and says that it leads to destruction.^[8] “

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All of the above brings us to the final conclusion:

III. The Truth Revealed to Mankind is found in The Bible and in Tradition. Both are interpreted for us by The Catholic Church, which Almighty God established for this purpose.

²⁶. “College Apologetics” by Fr. Anthony Alexander, Ch. VII, Pg 72.

²⁷. Matt. 12:22-28.

²⁸. “Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book.” John 20:30. See also John 21:25.

²⁹. “Now I praise you, brethren, that in all things you are mindful of me: and keep my ordinances as I have delivered them to you.” 1 Cor. 11:2.

³⁰. “Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.” 2 Thess. 2:14.

³¹. “And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.” 2 Thess. 3:6.

³². “The Church Or The Bible. Which was appointed by Christ to Teach Mankind The True Religion?” by Father Arnold Damen, S.J. (Died January 1, 1890). See also “Where We Got The Bible - Our Debt to the Catholic Church” by Right Rev. Henry G. Graham.

³³. “Understand this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation”. 2Pet1:20

“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.” 2Pet3:16

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QUESTIONS

Apologetics Chapter III - Holy Scripture and Apologetics

1. Write your name so I can read it.(10 points)

2. An Atheist can conclude that The Bible is a reliable history source because (circle all that apply)(30 points):

a. Many events in The Bible are also described in other ancient literature.

b. The Catholic Church says so.

c. Details in The Bible are supported by archeological discoveries.

d. Efforts of critics of The Bible help prove its Truth.

e. Enemies of Christ during His life on earth help prove the Truth of Scripture.

f. Early martyrs prove it.

3. Circle “T” or “F” when the following statements are True or False (25 points):

T F The Bible is the sole rule of Faith.

T F The Bible tells us that It contains all the Truth Revealed to us by God and is therefore an excellent reference for teaching.

T F The Old and New Testaments in Holy Scripture has been an inspiration to the Apostles.

T F The King James Version of Holy Scripture is one of the best available.

T F St. Jerome’s Vulgate is the Official English Translation of The Bible.

4. Fill in the blanks (15 points):

Revealed Truth is found in both and .

Our personal interpretation of The Bible is not .

5. In Luke 1:28 some translations use “Hail full of Grace” as the Angel’s greeting to Mary and some use “O highly favored daughter!”. Do these mean the same thing. Give reasons for your answer. (20 points):

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THE CHURCH OR THE BIBLE

WHICH WAS APPOINTED BY CHRIST TO TEACH MANKIND

THE TRUE RELIGION?

By the REV. ARNOLD DAMEN, S.J.,

(Died January 1, 1890)

A GREAT MISSIONARY LEADER – THE FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER OF THE JESUIT INSTITUTIONS

OF CHICAGO

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned” Mark 16:16

Brief extracts from a “Tribute to His Memory,” written shortly after his death, for the Catholic Home, of Chicago, by Hon. William J. Ouahan:

“Father Damen was born in the province of North Brabant, Holland, March 20, 1815. He was admitted to the Society of Jesus, November 21, 1837, and was one of the band of devoted young novices brought over to this country by Rev. Father De Smet, the renowned Indian missionary.”

“Florissant, near St. Louis, was then, as now, the headquarters or novitiate of the western Jesuit province. It was there Father Damen commenced his career in the United States fifty years ago. It was there his remains were laid at rest, according to his own wish and request, January 4, 1890, in the presence of the honored Provincial of the Society and of many of the Fathers who at different times had been associated in his labors in Chicago or St. Louis.”

“I first saw and heard Father Damen in the year 1855, during a mission he conducted in old St. Mary’s, the then pro-cathedral, corner Wabash avenue and Madison street. His companion in the mission was Father Glaizal.”

“Young as I then was, that mission made an impression on me, and that impression was largely due to the zeal and power of Father Damen. He was then in the full vigor of manhood, of majestic presence, with a command of language and a force of eloquence which must have carried by storm all hearts in the congregation. I know he did mine.”

“Thousands in this city, tens of thousands all over the land, can testify to his zeal for souls. The ‘work of his life was his missions.’ With a chosen band of companions of the Society, he conducted great missions in nearly every principal city in the United States, and, as a consequence, twenty-five years ago Father Damen was more widely know in this country and may be said to have exercised a greater influence personally than any bishop or priest in the Catholic Church.”

“His power as a pulpit orator was everywhere recognized, and his success as a missionary surpassed anything ever before known in this or perhaps any other country. Wherein lay this marvelous and acknowledged power?”

“It was not in his polished periods or his rhetorical style. It was not in the beauty of his language nor the copiousness or felicity of his illustrations. Not a few of his associates surpassed him in the graces of oratory, as they did in learning, but Father Damen’s force and power carried everything before it. He cared nothing for applause or criticism. He was working to save souls.”

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Dearly Beloved Christians: - When our Divine Saviour sent His Apostles and His disciples throughout the whole universe to preach the Gospel to every creature, He laid down the conditions of salvation thus: “He that believeth and is baptized,” said the Son of the living God, “shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned.” Here, then, our blessed Lord laid down the conditions of salvation: two conditions—faith and baptism. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned, or is damned; hence, then, two conditions of salvation—faith and baptism. I will speak this evening on the condition of faith.

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We must have faith in order to be saved, and must have divine faith, not human faith; human faith will not save a man, but divine faith. What is divine faith: It is to believe, upon the authority of God, the truths that God has revealed; that is divine faith. To believe all that God has taught upon the authority of God, and to believe without doubting, without hesitation; for the moment you commence to doubt or hesitate, the moment you commence to mistrust the authority of God, and, therefore, insult God by doubting His word—divine faith, therefore, is to believe without doubting, without hesitating. Human faith is when we believe a thing upon the authority of men—on human authority, that is human faith; but divine faith is to believe without doubting, without hesitating, whatsoever God has revealed upon the authority of God, upon the word of God.

Therefore, my dear people, it is not a matter of indifference what religion a man professed, providing he be a good man.

You hear it said nowadays in this nineteenth century of little faith—you hear it on all sides, that it matters not what religion a men professes, providing he be a good man. That is heresy, my dear people, and AI will prove it to you to be such. If it be a matter of indifference what a man believes, providing he be a good man, why then it is useless for God to make any revelation whatever. If a man is at liberty to reject what God revealeth, what use for God to make revelation, what use for Christ to send out His Apostles and disciples to teach all nations, if those nations are at liberty to believe or reject the teachings of the Apostles of disciples: You see at once that this would be insulting God.

If God reveals a thing or teaches a thing, He means to be believed, He wants to be believed whenever He teaches or reveals a thing. Man is bound to believe whatsoever God has revealed; for my dear people, we are bound to worship God both with our reason and intellect, as well as with our heart and will. God is master of the whole man; He claims his will. God is master of the whole man; He claims his will, his heart, his reason, and his intellect.

Where is the man in his reason, no matter what denomination, church, or religion he belongs to, what will deny we are bound to believe what God has taught: I am sure there is not a Christian who will deny we are bound to believe whatsoever God has revealed; therefore it is not a matter of indifference what religion a man professes; he must profess the true religion if he would be saved.

But what is the true religion? To believe all that God has taught. I am sure even my Protestant friends will admit this is right; for, if they do not I would say they are no Christians at all.

“But what is the true faith?”

“The true faith,” say my Protestant friends, “is to believe in the Lord Jesus.”

Agreed, Catholics believe in that. Tell me what you mean by believing in the Lord Jesus?

“Why,” says my Protestant friend, “you must believe that he is the Son of the Living God.”

Agreed again; thanks be to God, we can agree on something: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God, that He is God. To this we all agree, excepting the Unitarian and Socinian, but we will leave them alone to-night. If Christ be God, then we must believe all He teaches. Is not this so, my dearly beloved Protestant brethren and sisters: And that’s right faith, isn’t it?

“Well, yes,” says my Protestant friend, “I guess that is the right faith; to believe that Jesus is the Son of the Living God we must believe all that Christ has taught.”

We Catholics say the same, and here we agree again. Christ, then, we must believe, and that is the true faith; we must believe all that Christ has taught, that God has revealed, and, without that faith there is no salvation, without that faith there is no hope of heaven, without that faith there is eternal damnation! We have the words of Christ for it: “He that believeth not shall be condemned,” says Christ.

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II. But if Christ, my dearly beloved people, commands me under pain of eternal damnation to believe all that He has taught, He must give me the means to know what He has taught, for Christ could not condemn me for believing a thing I do not know. Christ is a good and just God, loves us and desires our salvation, and will not condemn us for not doing a thing we do not know to be His will—for not believing a thing we do not know to be His teaching or revelation.

If, therefore, Christ commands me upon pain of eternal damnation, He is bound to give me the means of knowing what He has taught. And the means Christ gives us of knowing this must have been at all times within the reach of all people; for as all people have a right to salvation, so have they a right to the means of learning what God has taught, and believe it to save their souls.

Secondly, the means that God gives us to know what He has taught must be a means adapted to the capacities of all intellects—even the dullest. For even those of the dullest of understandings have a right to salvation, and consequently, they have a right to the means where by they shall learn the truths that God has taught, that they may believe them and be saved.

The means that God gives us to know what he has taught must be an infallible means, for if it be a means that can lead us astray it can be no means at all. It must be an infallible means, so that if a man makes use of that means he will infallibly, without fear of mistake or error, be brought to a knowledge of all the truths that God has taught.

I don’t think there can be any one present here—I care not what he is, a Christian or an unbeliever—can object to my premises; and these premises are the ground-work of my discourse and of all my reasoning, and, therefore, I want you to bear in mind. I will repeat it, for on these premises rest all the strength of my discourse and reasoning.

If God commands me under pain of eternal damnation to believe all that He has taught, He is bound to give me the means to know what He has taught, and the means that God gives me to know what He has taught must have been at all times within the reach of all people—must be adapted to the capacities of all intellects, must be an infallible means to us, so that if a man makes use of it he will be brought to a knowledge of all the truths God has taught.

III.Has God given us such means? “Yes,” say my Protestant friends. “He has.” And so says the Catholic, God has given us such means. What is the means God has given us whereby we shall learn the truth God has revealed? “The Bible,” say my Protestant friends, “the Bible, the whole of the Bible, and nothing but the Bible.” But we Catholics say, “No; not the Bible and its private interpretation, but the Church of God.”

I will prove the facts, and I defy all my separated brethren, and all the preachers into the bargain, to disprove what I will say to-night. I say, then, it is not the private interpretation of the Bible that has been appointed by God to be the teacher of man, but the Church of the living God.

For, my dear people, if God has intended that man should learn His religion from a book—the Bible—surely God would have given that book to man; Christ would have given that book to man. Did He do it? He did not. Christ sent His Apostles throughout the whole universe, and said: “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

Christ did not say, “Sit down and write Bibles and scatter them over the earth, and let every man read his Bible and judge for himself.” If Christ had said that, there would never have been a Christianity on the earth at all, but a Babylon and confusion instead, and never one Church, the union of one body; hence, Christ never said to His Apostles, “Go and write Bibles and distribute them, and let every one judge for himself.” That injunction was reserved for the sixteenth century, and we have seen the result of it. Ever since the sixteenth century there have been springing up religion upon religion, and churches upon churches, all fighting and quarrelling with one another, and all because of the private interpretation of the Bible.

Christ sent His Apostles with authority to teach all nations, and never gave them any command of writing the Bible, and the Apostles went forth and preached everywhere, and planted the Church of God throughout the earth, but never thought of writing.

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The first word written was by St. Matthew, and he wrote for the benefit of a few individuals. He wrote the Gospel about seven years after Christ left this earth, so that the Church of God, established by Christ, existed seven years before a line was written of the New Testament.

St. Mark wrote about ten years after Christ left this earth; St. Luke about twenty-five years, and St. John about sixty-three years after Christ had established the Church of God. St. John wrote the last portion of the Bible—the Book of Revelations—about sixty-five years after Christ had left this earth, and the Church of God had been established. The Catholic religion had existed sixty-five years before the Bible was completed, before it was written.

Now, I ask you, my dearly beloved separated brethren, were these Christian people, who lived during the period between the establishment of the “Church of Jesus and the finishing of the Bible, were they really Christians, good Christians, enlightened Christians? Did they know the religion of Jesus? Where is the man that will dare to say that those that lived from the time that Christ went up to heaven to the time the Bible was completed were not Christians? It is admitted on all sides, by all denominations, that they were the very best of Christians, the most perfect of Christians, the first fruit of the blood of Jesus Christ.

But how did they know what they had to do to save their souls? Was it from the Bible they learnt it? No, because the Bible was not written. And would our Divine Saviour have left His Church for sixty-five years without a teacher, if the Bible is the teacher of man. Most assuredly not.

Were the Apostles Christians, I ask you, my dear Protestant friends? You say, “Yes, sir; they were the very founders of Christianity.” Now, my dear friends, none of the Apostles ever read the Bible, not one of them except, per haps, St. John, for all of them had died martyrs for the faith of Jesus Christ, and never saw the cover of a Bible; and every one of them died martyrs and heroes of the Church of Jesus before the Bible was completed.

How, then, did those Christians that lived in the first sixty-five years after Christ had left this earth—how did they know what they had to do to save their souls? They know it precisely in the same way that you know it, my dear Catholic friends. You know form the teaching of the Church of God, and so did the primitive Christians know it.

IV.Not only sixty-five years did Christ leave the Church He had established without a Bible, but over three hundred years. The Church of God was established and went on spreading itself over the whole globe without the Bible for more than three hundred years. In all that time the people did not know what constituted the Bible.

In the days of the Apostles there were many false Gospels. There was the Gospel of Simon, the Gospel of Nicodemus, of Mary, of Barnabas, and the Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus; and all of these Gospels were spread among the people, and the people did not know which of these were inspired, and which false and spurious. Even the learned themselves were disputing whether preference should be given to the Gospel of Simon or that of Matthew, to the Gospel of Nicodemus or the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Mary or that of Luke, the Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus or the Gospel of St. John.

And so it was in regard to the epistles: there were many spurious epistles written, and the people were at a loss for over three hundred years to know which Gospel was false or spurious, or which inspired; and, therefore, they could not take the Bible for their guide, for they did not know what constituted the books of the Bible.

It was not until the fourth century that the Pope of Rome, the Head of the Church, the successor of St. Peter, assembled together the Bishops of the world in a council, and there in that council it was decided that the Bible, as we Catholics have it now, is the Word of God, and that the Gospels of Simon, Nicodemuus, Mary, the Infancy of Jesus, and Barnabas, and all these other epistles were spurious, or, at least, unauthentic; at least, that there was no evidence of their inspiration, and that the Gospels of St. Luke, Matthew, Mark and John, and the Book of Revelations, were inspired by the Holy Ghost.

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Up t that time the whole world, for three hundred years, did not know what the Bible was; hence, they could not take the Bible for their guide, for they did not know what constituted the Bible. Would our Divine Saviour, if He intended man to learn his religion from a book, have left the Christian world for three hundred years without that book? Most assuredly not.

V.Not only for three hundred years the world was left without the Bible, but for one thousand four hundred years the Christian world was left without the sacred book.

Before the art of printing was invented, Bibles were rare things; Bibles were costly things. Now, you must all be aware, if you have read history at all, that the art of printing was invented only a little more than four hundred years ago, about the middle of the fifteenth century, and about one hundred years before there was a Protestant in the world.

As I have said, before printing was invented books were rare and costly things. Historians tell us that in the eleventh century—eight hundred years ago—Bibles were so rare and costly that it took a fortune, and a considerable fortune, to buy one’s self a copy; it took the lifetime of a man to make one’s self a copy of the Bible! Before the art o printing, everything had to be done with the pen upon parchment or sheepskin. It was, therefore, a tedious and slow operation—a costly operation.

Now, in order t arrive at the probable cost of a Bible at that time, let us suppose that a man should work ten years to make a copy of the Bible and earn a dollar a day; well, then, the cost of that Bible would be $3,650! Now, let us suppose that a man should work at the copying of the Bible for twenty years, as historians say it would have taken him at that time, not having the conveniences and improvements to aid him that we have not; then, at a dollar a day, for twenty years, the cost of a Bible wool be nearly $8000.

Suppose I came and said to you, “My dear people, save your soul, for if you lose your soul all is lost.” You would say, “Sure enough, that is true!” You would ask, “What are we to do to save our souls?” The Protestant preacher would say to you, “You must get a Bible; you can get one at such a shop.” You would ask the cost, and be told it was $8000. You would exclaim: ” “The Lord save us! And cannot we go to heaven without that book?” The answer would be: “No; you must have the Bible and read it.” You murmur at the price, but are asked, “Is not your soul worth $8000”? Yes, of course it is, but you say you have not the money, and if you cannot get a Bible, and your salvation depends upon it, evidently you would have to remain outside the Kingdom of Heaven. This would be a hopeless condition, indeed.

For fourteen hundred years the world was left without a Bible; not one in ten thousand, not one in twenty thousand, before the art of printing was invented, had the Bible. And would our Divine Lord have left the world without that book if it was necessary to man’s salvation? Most assuredly not.

VI. But let us suppose for a moment that all had Bible, that Bibles were written from the beginning, and that every man, woman, and child had a copy, what good will that book be to people who do not know how to read it? It is a blind thing to such persons.

Even now one-half the inhabitants of the earth cannot read. Moreover, as the Bible was written in Greek and Hebrew, it would be necessary to know these languages to be able to read it.

But it is said we have it translated now in French, English, and other languages of the day. Yes, but are you sure you have a faithful translation? If not, you have not the Word of God. If you have a false translation, it is the work of Man. How shall you ascertain that? How find out that you have a faithful translation form the Greek and Hebrew?

“I do not know Greek or Hebrew,” says my separated friend; “for my translation I must depend upon the opinion of the learned—upon their decision.”

Well, then, my dear friends, suppose the learned should be divided in their opinions, and some of them should say it is good, and some false, then your faith is gone; you must commence doubting and hesitating, because you do not know the translation is good.

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Now with regard to the Protestant translation of the Bible, allow me to tell you, my respected brethren, that the most learned among Protestants tell you that your translation—King James’s edition—is a very faulty translation and full of errors. Your own learned divines, preachers, and bishops have written whole volumes to point out all the errors there in King James’s translation, and Protestants of various denominations acknowledge it.

Some years ago, when I lived in St. Louis, there was held in that city a convention of ministers; all denominations were invited to that convention, the object being to arrange for a new translation of the Bible, and give it to the world. The proceedings of the convention were published daily in the Missouri Republican. A learned, a very learned, Presbyterian, I think it was, stood up, and, urging the necessity of giving a new translation of the Bible, said that in the present Protestant translation of the “Bible there were no less than thirty thousand errors.

And you say, by dear Protestant friends, the Bible is your guide and teacher. What a teacher, with thirty thousand errors! The Lord save us from such a teacher! One error is bad enough, but thirty thousand is a little too much.

Another preacher stood up in the convention, I think he was a Baptist, and. Urging the necessity of giving a new translation of the Bible, said for thirty years past the world was without the Word of God, for the Bible we have is not the Word of God at all.

Here are your own preachers for you. You all read the newspapers, no doubt, my friends, and must know what happened in England a few years ago. A petition was sent to Parliament for an allowance of a few thousand pounds sterling for the purpose of getting up a new translation of the Bible, and that movement was headed and carried on by Protestant bishops and clergymen.

VII. But, my dear people, how can you be sure of your faith? You say the Bible is your guide, but you do not know if you have it. Let us suppose for a moment that all should have a Bible; should all read it and have a faithful translation, even then it cannot be a guide of man, because the private interpretation of the Bible is not infallible, but, on the contrary, most fallible; the source and fountain of all kinds of errors and heresies, and all kinds of blasphemous doctrines. Do not be shocked, my dear friends; just only keep calm and listen to my arguments.

There are now throughout the world three hundred and fifty different denominations or churches, and all of them say the Bible is their guide and teacher, and I suppose they are all sincere. Are all of them true churches? This is an impossibility. Truth is one as God is one, and there can be no contradiction. Every man in his senses see that everyone of them cannot be true, for they differ and contradict one another, and cannot, therefore, be all true. The Protestants say the man that reads the Bible right and prayerfully has truth, and they all say that they read it right.

Let us suppose: here is an Episcopal minister: he is a sincere, an honest, a well-meaning and prayerful man. He reads his Bible in a prayerful spirit, and from the word of the Bible, he says, it is clear and evident that must be Bishops, for without Bishops there can be no priests, without priests no Sacraments, ands without Sacraments no Church. The Presbyterian is a sincere and well –meaning man; he reads the Bible also, and deduces from it that there should be no Bishops, but only Presbyters. “Here is the Bible,” says the Episcopalian; and “here is the Bible to give you the lie,” says the Presbyterian, yet both are prayerful and well-meaning men.

Then the Baptist comes in; he is a well-meaning, honest man, and prayerful also. “Well,” says the Baptist, “have you ever been baptized?” “I was,” says the Episcopalian,” when I was a baby.”

“And so was I,” says the Presbyterian, “when I was a baby.” “But,” says the Baptist, “it was done by sprinkling, and that is no baptism at all. Unless you go down into the river, like Christ,” says the Baptist, “it is no baptism at all.” And he gives the Bible for it. “Unless you are baptized over again,” says the Baptist, “you are going to hell as sure as you live.”

Next comes the Unitarian, well-meaning, honest and sincere. “Well,” says the Unitarian, “allow me to tell you that your are a pack of idolators; you worship a man for a God who is no God at all,” and he gives several texts from the Bible to prove it, while others are stopping their ears that they may not hear the blasphemies of the Unitarian; and they all contend they have the true meaning of the Bible.

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Next comes the Methodist, and he says, “My friends, have you got any religion at all?” “Of course, we have, “say they. “Did you ever feel religion,” says the Methodist, “the Spirit of God moving within you?” “Nonsense,” says the Presbyterian, “we are guided by our reason and judgment.” “Well,” says the Methodist, “it you never felt religion, you never had it, and will go to hell for all eternity.”

The Universalist next come in, and hears them talking and threatening one another with eternal hell fire, “Why” says he, “your are a strange set of people; do not you understand the Word of God? There is no hell at all. That idea is good enough to scare old women and children, “and he proves it from the Bible.

Now comes in the Quaker; he recommends them not to be quarreling, and advises that they do not baptize at all. He is the sincerest of men, and gives the Bible for his faith.

Another come in and says: “Baptize the men and let the women alone; for the Bible says, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. So,” says he, “the women are all right, but baptize the men.”

Next comes in the Shaker, and says he: “You are a presumptuous people, a presumptuous set of people. Do you not know,” he says, “that the Bible tells you, you must work out your salvation in fear and trembling, and you do not tremble at all. My brethren, if you want to go to heaven, shake, my brethren, shake.”

VIII. I have here brought together seven or eight denominations, differing from one another, or understanding the Bible in different ways, illustrative of the fruits of private interpretation; what, then, if I brought together the three hundred and fifty different denominations, all taking the Bible for their glide and teaching, and all differing from one another. Are they all right? One says there is a hell, and another says there is no hell. Are both right? On says Christ is God, another says He is not. One says bishops are necessary, another says they are unessential. One says baptism is a requisite, and another says it is not: are both true? This is an impossibility, my friends; all cannot be true.

Who, then, is true? He that has the true meaning of the Bible, you say; but the Bible does not tell us who that is—the Bible never settles the quarrel. The Bible is not a teacher.

The Bible, my dear people, is a good book; we Catholics allow that the Bible is the Word of God, the language of inspiration, and every Catholic is exhorted to read the Bible. But good as it is, the Bible, my dear friends, does not explain itself; it is a good book, the Word of God, the language of inspiration, but your explanation of the Bible is not the language of inspiration, your understanding of the Bible is not inspired—for surely you do not pretend to be inspired!

Now, then, what is the teaching of the Church upon the subject? The Catholic Church says the Bible is the Word of God, and that God has appointed an authority to give us the true meaning.

It is with the Bible as it is with the Constitution of the United States. When George Washington and his associates wrote the Constitution and the Supreme Law of the United States, they did not say to the people of the States:

“Let every man read the Constitution and make a government to himself, let every man make his own explanation of the Constitution.” If Washington had done that, there never would have been a United States. The people would all have been divided among themselves, and the country would have been cut up into a thousand different divisions or governments.

What did Washington do? He gave them the Constitution and the Supreme Law, and appointed his Supreme Court and Supreme Judge of the Constitution; and that Supreme Court and Supreme Judge are to give the true explanation of the Constitution to all the citizens of the United States—all without exception, from the President to the beggar. All are bound to go by the decisions of the Supreme Court, and it is this and this alone that can keep the people together and preserve the Union of the United States. The moment the people take the interpretation of the Constitution into their own minds, that moment there is an end of union.

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And so it is in every government, so it is here and everywhere; there is a Constitution, a Supreme Court or Law, a Supreme Judge of that Constitution, and that Supreme Court or Church is to give us the meaning of the Constitution and the Law.

In every well-ruled country there must be such a thing as this—a Supreme Law, Supreme Court, Supreme Judge, that all the people are bound to abide by. There is in every country a Supreme Law, Supreme Court, Supreme Judge, and all are bound by decisions, and without that no government could stand. Even among the Indian tribes such a condition of affairs exists. How are they kept together”: By their chief, who is their dictator.

So our Divine Saviour also has established His Supreme Court, His Supreme Judge, that is to give us the true meaning of the Scriptures, and that is to give us the true revelation and doctrines of the Word of Jesus. The Son of the Living God has pledged His Word that that Supreme Court is infallible, and, therefore, the true Catholic never doubts.

“I believe,” says the Catholic, “because the Church teaches me so; I believe the Church because God has commanded me to believe the Church; He said: “Hear the Church, and he that does not hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican.” “He that believeth you believeth Me” said Christ, “and he that despiseth you despiseth Me.” Therefore, the Catholic believes because God has spoken, and upon the authority of God.

But our Protestant friends say, “We believe in the Bible.” Very well; how do you understand the Bible? “Well,” says the Protestant, “to the best of my opinion and judgment that is the meaning on the text.” He is not sure of it, but to the best of his opinion and judgment. This, my friends, is only the testimony of a man—it is only human faith, not Divine Faith.

It is Divine Faith alone by which we give honor and glory to God, by which we adore His infinite wisdom and veracity, and that adoration and worship is necessary for salvation.

I have now proved to you that the private interpretation of the Scripture cannot be the guide or teacher of man. In another lecture I shall prove that the Catholic Church is the only true Church of God, and that there is no other.

NOTE: See page 68 for Fr. Damen’s excellent talk on “The One True Church”

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