w His visible presence from us, it was eminently reasonable that He
should designate someone to expound for us the meaning of His Word.

A Protestant Bishop, in the course of a sermon against Papal
Infallibility, recently used the following language: "For my part, I have
an infallible Bible, and this is the only infallibility that I require."
This assertion, though plausible at first sight, cannot for a moment stand
the test of sound criticism.

Let us see, sir, whether an infallible Bible is sufficient for you. Either
you are infallibly certain that your interpretation of the Bible is
correct or you are not.

If you are infallibly certain, then you assert for yourself, and of course
for every reader of the Scripture, a personal infallibility which you deny
to the Pope, and which we claim only for him. You make every man his own
Pope.

If you are not infallibly certain that you understand the true meaning of
the whole Bible--and this is a privilege you do not claim--then, I ask, of
what use to you is the objective infallibility of the Bible without an
infallible interpreter?

If God, as you assert, has left no infallible interpreter of His Word, do
you not virtually accuse Him of acting unreasonably? for would it not be
most unreasonable in Him to have revealed His truth to man without leaving
him a means of ascertaining its precise import?

Do you not reduce God's word to a bundle of contradictions, like the
leaves of the Sybil, which gave forth answers suited to the wishes of
every inquirer?

Of the hundred and more Christian sects now existing in this country, does
not each take the Bible as its standard of authority, and does not each
member draw from it a meaning different from that of his neighbor? Now, in
the mind of God the Scriptures can have but one meaning. Is not this
variety of interpretations the bitter fruit of your principle: "An
infallible Bible is enough for me," and does it not proclaim the absolute
necessity of some authorized and unerring interpreter? You tell me to
drink of the water of life; but of what use is this water to my parched
lips, since you acknowledge that it may be poisoned in passing through the
medium of your interpretation?

How satisfactory, on the contrary, and how reasonable is the Catholic
teaching on this subject!

According to that system, Christ says to every Christian: Here, my child,
is the Word of God, and with it I leave you an infallible interpreter, who
will