VI.

I will prove what I have said.  If the Catholic Church has been once the true Church of God, as admitted by all, then she is the true Church still, and shall be the true Church of God until the end of time.  For Christ has promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church.  He says that He has built it upon a rock, and that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.  

Now, my dear people, if the Catholic Church has fallen into error, then the gates of hell have prevailed against her.  And if the gates of hell have prevailed against her, then Christ has not kept his promise.  Then He has deceived us, and if He has deceived us, then He is an impostor!  If He be an impostor, then He is not God, and if He be not God, then all Christianity is a cheat and an imposition.  

Again, in [Matthew 28:19-20], Our Divine Savior says to His Apostles: "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 whatsoever I have commanded you.  Lo,"  says He, "I, Jesus, The Son of the Living God, I, the Infinite Wisdom, the Eternal Truth, am with you all days, even until the end of the world."  [Matt 28:20]

Christ, then, solemnly swears that He shall be with His Church all days to the end of time, to the consummation of the world.  But Christ cannot remain with the Church that teaches error, or falsehood, or corruption.  If, therefore, the Catholic Church has fallen into error and corruption, as our Protestant friends say she has, then Christ must have abandoned her.  If so, He has broken His oath.  If He has broken His oath He is a perjurer, and there is no Christianity at all.  Again, our Divine Savior [John 14th chapter] has promised that He would send to His Church the Spirit of Truth, to abide with her forever.  If, then, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, teaches the Church all truth and teaches her all truth forever, then there never has been, and never can be, one single error in the Church of God.  For where there is all truth, there is no error whatsoever. 

Christ has solemnly promised that He will send to the Church the Spirit of Truth, who shall teach all truth forever.  Therefore, there has never been a single error in the Church of God, or Christ has failed in His promises if there has.  

Again, Christ commands us to hear and believe the teachings of the Church in all things, at all times and in all places.  He does not say hear the Church for a thousand years or for fifteen hundred years, but hear the Church, without any limitation, without any reservation, or any restriction of time whatever.  That is, at all times, in all things until the end of time.  And he that does not hear the Church let him be unto thee, says Christ, as a heathen and as a publican.  Therefore, Christ says that those who refuse to hear the Church must be looked upon as heathens, and what is a heathen?  One that does not worship the true God.  And a publican is a public sinner.  This is strong language.  Could Christ command me to believe the Church if the Church could have led me astray, or could lead me into error?  If the teaching of the Church be corrupt, could He, the God of truth, command me without any restriction or limitation to hear and believe the teachings of the Church which He has established?  

Again, Our Divine Savior commands me to hear and believe the teaching of the Church in the same manner as if He Himself were to speak to us.  "He that heareth you, heareth Me,"  says He to the Apostles, "And he that despiseth you, despiseth Me." [Luke 10:16] So when I believe what the Church teaches, I believe what God teaches.  If I refuse what the Church teaches, I refuse what God teaches. 

So that Christ has made the Church the organ by which He speaks to man.  He tells us positively that we must believe the teaching of the Church as if He Himself were to speak to us.  

Therefore, says St. Paul, in his Epistle to Timothy, "The Church is the pillar", that is, the strong foundation, "and the ground of the truth."  [1 Timothy 3:15] Take the ground or foundation of this edifice away, and it crumbles down.  So with regard to these pillars, upon which the roof rests, take them away and the roof will fall in.  So St. Paul says, "The Church is the pillar and ground of truth,"  and the moment you take away the authority of the Church of God you induce all kinds of errors and blasphemous doctrines.  Do we not see it?