V.

Now, which is that Church?  There are now three hundred and fifty different Protestant churches in existence, and almost every year one or two more are added.  Besides this number, there is the Catholic Church.  

Now, which of all these various churches is the one true Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for all claim to be the Church of Jesus?  

But, my dear beloved people, it is evident no church can be the Church of Jesus except the one that was established by Jesus.  And when did Jesus establish His Church?  When?  When He was here upon earth.  And how long ago is it that Christ was upon earth?  You know our Christian era dates from Him.  He was born many centuries ago.  That is an historical fact admitted by all.  He lived on earth thirty-three years.  That was about nineteen centuries before our time.  That is the time Christ established His Church on earth.  Any Church, that has not existed this long, is not the Church of Jesus Christ, but is the institution or invention of some man, but not of God, not of Christ. 

Now, where is the Church and which is the Church that has existed this long?  All history informs you, it is the Catholic Church.  She, and she only, among all Christian denominations on the face of the earth, has existed so long.  All history, bears testimony to this, not only Catholic history, but Pagan history, Jewish history and Protestant history, indirectly.  

The history of all nations, of all people, bears testimony that the Catholic Church is the oldest and the first.  It is the one established by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

If there be any Protestant preacher who can prove that the Catholic Church has come into existence since that time, let him come to see me, and I will give him a thousand dollars.  My dear preachers, here is a chance of making money, a thousand dollars for you.  

Not only all history, but all the monuments of antiquity bear testimony to this, and all the nations of the earth proclaim it.  Call on one of your preachers and ask him which was the first church, the first Christian Church.  Was it the Presbyterian, the Episcopalian, the Church of England, the Methodist, the Universalist or the Unitarian?  And they will answer you, it was the Catholic Church. 

But, my dear friend, if you admit that the Catholic Church is the first and the oldest, the Church established by Christ, why are you not a Catholic?  To this they answer that the Catholic Church has become corrupted, has fallen into error, and therefore, it was necessary to establish a new church.  A new church, a new religion. 

And to this we answer, if the Catholic Church had been once the true church, then she is still true, and shall be the true Church of God to the end of time, or Jesus Christ has deceived us.  

Hear me Jesus, hear what I say!  I say, that if the Catholic Church now, in the nineteenth century, is not the true Church of God as she was 1854 years ago, then I say, Jesus, Thou hast deceived us and Thou art an impostor!  And if I do not speak the truth, Jesus, strike me dead in this pulpit.  Let me fall dead in this pulpit, for I do not want to be a preacher of a false religion!