ROMAN CATHOLICISM 289 



brance — the Sign of the Cross is the beginning and ending 

 of all of them ; she puts the cross constantly before us upon 

 her churches, books and vestments, and unceasingly bids us 

 remember the crucified Saviour. In commemoration of the 

 day upon which He suffered without food or drink, she bids 

 us abstain from flesh meat on that day in each week as some 

 slight denial of pleasure to ourselves in reminder thereof. 

 By teaching and precept the Church keeps ever before us 

 the culminating act of the redemption of the world. 



It is obvious to every one that the human work of making 

 known the Incarnation and teaching of Our Lord must be 

 entrusted to some human society or organization. This so- 

 ciety or organization, if it is really to carry this knowledge to 

 all men, in all ages and in all lands, must be protected against 

 €rror and must be one in its teaching. If it be not protected 

 against error, then those who live after Christ or away from 

 the Saviour's voice and personal presence are indeed in a per- 

 ilous condition, since they have no sure means of ascertaining 

 what His teaching was. If this organization is not one in its 

 teaching, then the faith and religion of Christ become little 

 more than a philosophical school of thought or a doctrine of 

 economics, varying with each person, each age and each lo- 

 cality. 



We Catholics declare and affirm that just such a society 

 was established to effectively carry the news of the Incarna- 

 tion and teachings of Our Lord to the uttermost ends of the 

 earth and throughout all ages. Our Lord gave it an enduring 

 charter: "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. 

 Go, therefore, teach ye 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 com- 

 manded you : and behold, I am with you all days, even to the 

 consummation of the world" (Matt., xxviii, 18-20). This is 

 what we mean by the Catholic Church. Like all human so- 

 cieties, it has a human president, or chief, and Our Lord pro- 

 vided that chief in the most emphatic manner. I do not wish 

 to take up time quoting texts, but the subUme declaration of 

 Christ ought to be held in mind : 



"Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona : . . . And I say to 

 thee: That thou art Peter (a rock) ; and upon this rock I 

 will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail 



