Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 edition. Excerpt: ... herald of His truth to generation after generation until the end. The Church, then, is our living, ever-present, infallible teacher, charged by our Lord Himself to teach us in His name and with His authority all things necessary to our eternal salvation. This is our point of departure; and we shall assume without proof the truth of this proposition, because we are addressing Catholics, to whom it is a simple axiom of the faith. The task before us is to investigate six questions which spring out of it. In treating them, we shall have the opportunity of passing in review the principal characteristics of the Church's teaching office. These questions are as follows: --1. What is meant by the word infallible, when we speak of the Church as our infallible teacher? 2. What is the subject of the Church's infallibility as teacher--i. e., in what person or persons does her gift of teaching with infallibility reside? 3. What is the object-matter of her infallibility--. e., what precisely is the sphere within which she teaches infallibly? 4. In what way does she exercise her office as teacher? 5. What are the nature and character of her doctrinal condemnations? 6. What obligation does her teaching lay upon the faithful? We will consider these questions in succession, adding in conclusion a few remarks on the practical bearing and importance of the whole subject. What is meant by the word infallible, when we speak of the Church as our infallible teacher? This is the first question we have to consider; and the answer is so obvious that we almost need to apologize for dwelling upon it. To be infallible, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, is simply to be exempt from the liability to err. When, then, we say that God has made His Church infallible in..
