The Facts In The Case - Catholic Misrepresentations
The following quotation is taken from an article which appeared in "The Catholic Messenger" August 21, 1952, under the heading, "Ex-Klan Stronghold Becomes Fertile Land for Converts." This article concerns one James O.Mahoney, Dunlap, Tennessee, who was converted to the Catholic faith and accounts for his conversion as follows: "Hearing of the Catholic Church from his Marine son, Mr. Mahoney's first question was: 'But did Jesus Christ establish that church?' In his search for this answer, Mr. Mahoney brought the church of Christ preacher to dinner one evening, and across the dinner table asked the preacher point blank: 'Which is the church which goes back to the time of Jesus Christ?' The preacher answered 'Why everyone knows from history that it is the Catholic Church, but .. . . '.' That's all I'm wanting to know," the white-haired mill owner said."
This account has been reproduced repeatedly in Catholic papers, one of the more recent being in "Our Sunday Visitor" Huntington, Indiana, September 13, 1953, under the heading, "Our Weekly Chat With You." I have a letter from the church of Christ minister at Dunlap, Brother B. J. Jones, dated February 9, informing me of this recent quotation and that Mr. Mahoney tells him that I am the "church of Christ preacher" that gave him this answer. Brother Jones requests that I make proper answer to these published falsehoods through our gospel papers.
The most deceptive of all lies are those which are embedded in some truth. I did appear in Mr. Mahoney's home for a meal about the middle of October, 1950, while in a meeting in that section, and the subject under consideration was discussed. Also Mr. Mahoney asked the question as stated in the quotation, but the answer was not as Mr. Mahoney says. I was very careful to point out to Mr. Mahoney that the church of Christ is the only one that could offer complete and unadulterated New Testament Christianity. In discussing the question of continued church succession I stated that among all the denominations of man the Catholic Church could go back further than any other false religion, for she is the "Mother of Harlots." At no time would any gospel preacher intimate that the Catholic Church could trace her existence back to Jesus Christ, and I am of the firm conviction that Mr. Mahoney, and those who published his statements, were aware of this when they gave such false quotations. No doctrine that is peculiar to the Catholic Church can be proved to originate with Jesus Christ, his apostles, or an inspired writer. My brethren and I stand ready to defend that statement, and I challenge any Catholic anywhere to dare attempt to deny such in public discussion.
Our Sunday Visitor goes further in giving Mr. Mahoney's reasoning by saying that "Since he knew that if the Catholic Church was the original church of Christ, it must still be His church, for a divine work could not possibly fail, or drift into error. In fact Christ had made very solemn promises to be with the church 'all days even unto the end of the world.' He had promised to that church His Holy Spirit who 'would abide with it forever.' He had said that 'the gates of hell will not prevail' against this church." This statement contains four glaring misrepresentations of Bible Truth.
1. "A divine work could not possibly fail, or drift into error." The Apostle Paul plainly states that the Lord will not come "except there come a falling away first, and that the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thess. 2:3, 4) The true church not only did "drift into error" as this passage so clearly prophesied, but the Roman Catholic ' Church as she is today stands as undisputable evidence of this "falling away." The seven churches of Asia as revealed in the second and third chapters of Revelation were "divine" in their work, but five of them drifted into error. Thus we see that a divine work can fail, and drift into error.
2. Christ "promises to be with the church always even unto the end of the world." Christ gave this promise upon condition that they "observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:20) When the church drifted into Roman Catholicism she ceased to observe the Lord's commands. He is not with the church that will not do His will.
3. "He had promised to that church His Holy Spirit who would abide with it forever." Again this promise is given upon condition that they "keep my commandments." (John 14:15, 16) The Holy Spirit will not abide with the church that does not keep His commandments. (Rev. 2:5) When the church "fell away" into Roman Catholicism she ceased to keep His commandments, thus she does not have the Spirit today.
4. "He said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church." Jesus spake these words in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He states an avowed purpose of building His church, and that the Hadean realm shall not prevail against His accomplishment of that purpose. He later died and went into the Hadean realm but "the gates of hell" could not hold him. Thus he came forth and built His church as He had proposed. We can see then that this is not a promise that "the church could not possibly fail, or drift into error."
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth." (1 Tim. 4:1-3) Who will dare deny that the Roman Catholic Church fulfills to the letter this prophecy of the Holy Spirit.