Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
NEED_DATE
NUMBER 37, PAGE 8-9

Beyond The Horizons

Wm E. Wallace, Box 407, Poteau, Oklahoma

News And Quotes

On Roman Catholic Public Relations: "They have built an image of the church in this country as a religion that believes in fairness and engages only in commendable works. They have been able to separate this image from the monarchial system centered in the Vatican and to disassociate themselves in the public mind from the atrocities committed by the church in Spain, Italy and Colombia." — Dr. George L. Ford, executive director United Evangelical Association.

On Unity of W. C. C. With Roman Catholicism: "Augustin Cardinal Bea, head of the new Vatican Secretariat for Relations with Non-Roman Catholic Christians and who is making preparations for the Council, said, 'Certainly the Catholic Church will not be able to make compromises about dogma; but for everything else, such as rites and discipline, she could and would want to take account of the traditions and wishes of the churches desirous of unity, in particular those churches forming the World Council of Churches.' " — United Evangelical Action, December 1960.

The Unity Designs of the National Council of Churches of Christ: "We look forward to the time when each member denomination, recognizing the authenticity of Christian discipleship in all the others, will entrust to any of them the care of human souls and responsibility for advancing Christ's mission in the world. And we call upon all churches to continue to pray and labor for the full unity, visible and invisible, of the people of God....The spirit and practice of interchurch cooperation have steadily increased and have found expression in the formation of many new councils of churches. In this country and elsewhere unions of formerly separated denominations have been consummated. Yet we must confess that, in relation to the urgency of the imperative, the pace of accomplishment has been glacial in its slowness. The churches still largely cling to their separateness and self-determination, failing to find ways by which their full and combined resources can be harnessed to their major tasks....The National Council must ask prayerfully what more can be done to help churches and councils to escape the illusion of self sufficiency....And all congregations in each community are called to live and act together as 'one church in one place' through active participation in councils and in other ways." — "Message to the Member Churches," of the National Council of Churches of Christ, December 8, 1960.

Appeasement and Toleration Versus The Unity For Which Christ Prayed: "The answer to this prayer does not depend upon what digressive bodies or sectarian denominations are going to do about this or that or any thing else. The prayer of Jesus had to do with the unity of those who believed on him through the word of the apostles. Wherever you find a body of people who so believe and do, who are not bound by human creed, order, or organization, there you find the unity for which Jesus prayed, in that body of Christians whether large or small. It is not a psuedo-unity, a false, counterfeit unity of compromise and affiliation, but of oneness in Jesus Christ through their word." — Foy E. Wallace in Bulwarks of Faith, Volume 1.

On The Uniting of Denominations Proposed by Eugene Carson Blake: "A plan of reunion, said Presbyterian Blake, must include elements to satisfy both the reformed and the catholic (not Roman Catholic) traditions. To be acceptable to catholics (such as the Episcopalians), who set great store by the belief that their bishops have been consecrated in an unbroken line from the Apostles, Blake would have the new church consecrate all its bishops and presbyters both in the apostolic succession (by other bishops) and out of it according to the procedure (by election) of the non-catholic churches. The catholic tradition would also require that there be a formal confession of belief in the Trinity and the administration of the two sacraments instituted by Christ — holy communion and baptism." Time magazine, December 19, 1960.

On Catholicism and Democracy: "The question is not whether Catholicism is safe for democracy, but whether democracy is safe for Catholicism." — John Courtney Murray, prominent Roman Catholic theologian.

John Courtney Murray on Government Funds For Parochial Schools: "On government funds for parochial schools, he thinks simple justice demands it, but argues that Catholic pressure for it should be confined to argument and slow persuasion." — Time, December 12, 1960.

On Legalized Gambling: "It is doubtful that any other thing will destroy a nation more quickly than legalized gambling. A certain amount of wagering will always be done regardless of prohibitory laws; but without restraints it would ruin us morally, financially, and spiritually. That is too big a price to pay for the satisfaction of a national urge, even if it is natural." — E. S. James, editor of Baptist Standard, commenting on the introduction of a bill by Rep. Paul A. Fino of New York to legalize a national lottery.

On Present Day College Students: "Most college students are still in the process of attempting to resolve the dependence-independence conflict, seeking to become independent while still financially and emotionally they are dependent to some degree upon their families. Yet, in seeking to relate to a new group at college, they merely accept the college organization as another authority figure for themselves, and give themselves to it with a new conformity and obedience which is just as rigid and stultifying as that which they are trying to cast off. There may be occasional gripes at the conformity demanded, but they continue to go through the motions in order to be accepted by the group and be a part of it, rather than run the risk of being isolated." — David K. Switzer, Chaplain, Southwestern University in Christian Advocate, November 24, 1960.

Dogmatic Definition of the Immaculate Conception of Mary: "We, by the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord, of the Beloved Apostles, Peter and Paul, and by Our Own, declare, pronounce, and define that the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the first instant of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace of the omnipotent God, in consideration of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, has been revealed by God, and therefore is to be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful." — Pope Pius IX, December 8, 1854.

Dogmatic Definition of the Dogma of The Assumption of Mary: "We, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul, and Our Own, pronounce, declare, and define it to be a dogma divinely revealed that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was run, was assumed in body and in soul to heavenly glory. Therefore, if anyone which God forbid shall willingly dare either to deny or to call into question what has been defined by Us, let him know that he has utterly abandoned divine and Catholic faith." — Pope Pius XII, Nov. 1, 1950.

On The Roman Catholic Cult of Mary: "To the Protestant Christian the cult of Mary is disquieting and perplexing. This devout and lowly maiden of Judah has become Queen of Heaven. She through whom the Son of God came to dwell among men in intimate fellowship has become the mediatrix through whom they are now to approach him and the Father. Mary in Roman Catholic devotion receives many times the prayers that are addressed to God or Christ. She is the preferred object of devotion. Mary has eclipsed her Son. There has been another eclipse, too. The devotion to Mary in its operation hides and virtually negates the warmest and most profound truth of Jesus' teaching — the Fatherhood of God." — Waldo Smith, quoted in Pulpit Digest, December 1960.