First, Bro. Harbord says, that the Cath
olic church dates back to the Ist century,
while Protestantism is 1,500 years younger.
That’s a queer statement for a Disciple of
Alexander Campbell to make. It is my un-
derstanding that the Christian Church — one
of the youngest organizations— prides itself
in deriving its creed from the fountain that
is 1917 years old.
Is Roman Catholicism more ancient?
Bro. Harbord has evidently never under
stood the true meaning of “the Protestant re
ligion.”
Will he please try to grasp the-idea, that
all Protestant churches are the same, in their
main purpose, which is, the restoration of the
religion of Jesus Christ?
AV hen Pope Leo X. sent his Cardinal Caje
tan to argue with Martin Luther, and to con
vince the young German monk of his errors,
these two Catholics found themselves unable
to debate.
Why was this?
Luther claimed that the Bible was the
highest authority, while Cajetan claimed that
papal decrees were supreme: hence, there was
no common ground upon which they could
meet in argument.
(See ; Michelet's “Luther,” page 50 et seg.
Kostlin s “Luther, 5 p. 115 et seg. Every
work on the subject is to the same effect. All
the historians agree on this point.)
Secondly, Bro. Harbord says, that the Ro
man Church has always “been one of unity
of faith and doctrine, while Protestantism has
bred division, strife, contention, and un
rest.”
1 his is the impression which Rome con
. and eagerly seeks to make, and sho
succeeds with men who won't investigate.
