W h y W e Are Protestants
By I. B. ROWELL, D.D.*
I F you were asked why you were a Protestant, what would your answer be? Is it immaterial whether we are Protestants or Romanists? Is it simply a matter of opinion, or are there prin ciples involved so profound and basic as to render it an issue of vast and serious importance? These questions are always timely, because the differences between Protestantism and Romanism are always before us. Rome's Denial to Protestants of Religious Liberty The principle of predominance reigns supreme in the Roman Church. She does not ask for a place among other churches, but insists that it is her right to be the only church to the exclusion of all others. This is not Protestant opinion. It is the authoritative teaching of the Roman Church, as set forth in the Syllabus of Pope Pius IX, in terms which one cannot mistake: “ It is neces sary, even in the present day, that the Catholic religion shall be held as the only religion of the state to the exclu sion of all other forms of worship” (Article 77). Another brief statement from Christian Apologetics, by the Jes uit writer Devivier: “ This Church alone has, by the will of God, the right to establish herself, to spread herself, and to exact belief and obedience from all men” (Vol. II; pp. 533, 534). But while it is true that the Roman Church, in her history and in her literature, has always denied liberty of conscience and worship to Protestants, this is not the reason we are Protestants. Rome's Political Intrigue Against the State Veuillot, a distinguished member of the Roman Church, enunciated this prin ciple, as addressed to Protestants: “ When you are masters, we claim per fect liberty for ourselves, as your prin ciples require it: when we are masters, we refuse it to you, as it is contrary to our principles.” This policy naturally leads to intrigue against any state which does not readily accede to the behests of the Roman Church. Speaking of the interference of Popes in state affairs, Isaac J. Lansing, M.A., says of the Pope: “ He would have all Romanists, under pain and penalty, admit and affirm that he is as much a domestic Imperial ruler in the United States of America, as he formerly was in the Roman States of Italv. Nor has he hesitated, nor have ♦President, Victoria, B. C., Branch of the Canadian Protestant League. Page Twelve
sword, this Romish Canonist states: “Nevertheless it is a Catholic tenet that the Church may justly inflict on heretics the penalty of death.” “ Since the State has the power of punishing its subjects and inflicting a penalty proportionate to the severity of the offence, and there is no graver of fence than heresy owing to the harm it does to the Christian State/—and, there fore, it must be rooted out with fire and sword.” This Canon Law is fully endorsed by the Jesuit Order, and approval given by “ Francisus M. Carini, Provincial of the Roman Province, S.J.” “ Dated at Rome on the sacred days of Saints Peter and Paul in the year of Jubilee, 1900.” While statements could be multiplied stating the willingness of the Roman Church to put Protestants to death with fire and sword, this is not the reason we are Protestants. Why Are W e Protestants? We are Protestants for the very same reason that our forefathers died at the stake. Thousands suffered themselves to be put to death by torture, by rack, or burned alive, rather than deny the Lord Jesus Christ and the faith once for all delivered to the saints. They counted not their lives dear unto themselves. They refused to save themselves from a fear ful death by recantation. To give one instance: Margaret Lach- lison, 63 years of age, and Margaret Wilson, 18 years of age, were sentenced to be “ty’d to palisados fixed in the sand, within the floodmark, and there to stand till the flood overflowed them and drowned them.” After being forced to watch her older companion drown in the Solway, Margaret Wilson was offered her freedom on the denial of her faith, but her ready answer was typical of thousands, “ I’ll ne’er deny my Lord; I’ll ne’er deny my Lord.” The Sacrifice of the Mass The Roman Church, in the Canons of the Council of Trent, teaches, “ If anyone shall deny, that in the Sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, are verily, really, and substantially con tained the Body and Blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ; but shall say He is only therein as in a sign, or in a figure, or virtue: let him be anathema.” (Canon 1.) Not only has Rome cursed those who do not believe her doctrines, but, in the past, she frequently made the Mass and Transubstantiation the test of faith. If T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Popes for a thousand years hesitated, to interfere with the civil governments of various countries, endeavoring to stir up seditions, absolving subjects from their allegiance, deposing princes, and affirm ing absolute supremacy” (Romanism and the Republic, p. 69). While almost limitless proof from his tory could be produced to demonstrate Rome’s interference in state affairs in the various countries; and while we know that centers of national govern ment the world over are hotbeds of papal intrigue; this is not the reason we are Protestants. Rome's Aggression for the Throne of the World The modern Jesuit writer, Dr. F. X. Weninger, Missionary of the Society of Jesus, speaks freely of the Pope of Rome as “the Vicar of Christ and the Supreme Arbiter of all on earth.” Cardinal Vaughan declared: “ To the Apostles and their successors, not to the people, Christ gave legislative and judicial, administrative and coercive jurisdiction. Politics is a part of morals. We cannot separate politics from religion, from Catholicity. Catholics must throw over party if Catholic prin ciples require.” (Quoted by A. Stuart McNairn, in World Dominion.) A Professor of the Canonical Law of the Roman Church, Dr. G. F. Von Schulte, of Prague, after outlining the Pope’s power over the world, said: “ It has been proved that the Popes, according to their own teaching, have full and unlimited power over the world —countries, nations, oceans, reigns of all kinds, emperors, kings and all authori ties.” (Power of the Roman Popes, etc.) While we know these are the claims of the Roman Church, and that within recent years, her spokesmen, in their own periodicals, have demanded that the Pope be accorded the place of world leadership in the discussion of the terms of peace among the nations; and while we know all this would be to the serious disadvantage of Protestants; this is not the reason we are Protestants. Rome's Willingness To Burn Protestants The up-to-date laws of the Roman Church are given by a modern Canonist of the Roman Church, viz., Father Marianus de Luca, S.J., Professor of the Text of the Decretals in the Gregorian University, in his Institutions of Public Ecclesiastical Law. bearing the full ap proval of Pope Leo XIII. Showing that heresy is to be rooted out with fire and
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