ORIGINS 41 



in that. But we do find it necessary to divorce 

 from that belief the assumption that the sinless- 

 ness of Jesus depends upon it. For such a con- 

 clusion it is an entirely illogical premise and is 

 utterly inadequate. From the point of view of 

 transmissible hereditary sin, if Mary is the sole 

 human parent of Jesus, for such a sequence she 

 must be removed from the class of the sinful. 

 Eoman Catholic theologians were entirely logical 

 in seeing the necessity of the doctrine of the Im- 

 maculate Conception of Mary, and then of her 

 mother Anna, and all down the line of her an- 

 cestry, if they would be thorough. If the doctrine 

 of Original sin makes the virgin birth a necessity 

 to faith, there will be exactly the same necessity 

 for the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of 

 Mary and her ancestry. 



