07 Dec




















be used about them. Of course, to the theologian there is no confusion whatever ; he knows perfectly well, for example, that the Church's faith on the subject of relics has nothing whatever to do with the authenticity of any particular relic, and that the evidence for the latter rests upon completely different grounds from those on which she invokes the saints and honours their bones ; he knows quite well that expressions used in popular devotion, even though tolerated by authority, are not necessarily exact, scientifically, and may even be mis- leading to some minds. He knows, that is to say, that the Infallibility of the Church is one thing, her explicit authority another, and her tolerating power (so to say) is a third that these bind in varying degrees and for different reasons and in different directions. But all are not theologians; and it is perfectly possible for those who are not, even with the best intentions, to become confused as to what is "of faith" of the character and mind of the Church, so to say and what is of mere atmosphere or popular assumption. It is for the clearing of some of these issues that the author has compiled this admirable book not to draw false oppositions, as has been done in the past, between the " official " Church and the Infallible, but rather to distinguish some of those beliefs which, tolerated by the Church, are found devoutly useful to some minds, though not to all, from those imperishable and unchangeable truths which, expressed more and more fully as times go by, remain for ever the substance of that Divine Revelation, by the knowledge of which, and by correspondence

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