led them. They had as many gods as they had vices, while the virtues were as little known as was the unknown God. Their gods were criminals, worshipped with crime — Venus, with adultery; Apollo, with theft; and Jupiter, with the sacrifice of human victims. Mothers inhumanly slaughtered their babes. Among the young, murder and rape were daily occurrences. Wives were but slavish prostitutes, and the very best of the men were so bad, that, did they live to-day, they would be considered fit subjects for the gallows. These are some of the conclusions of rationalism. Are they rational — are they reasonable?
Brethren, we are all pilgrims in the desert of life, journeying onward to eternity; and revelation is to us a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, guiding us to the promised land. It is the star leading us to the Christ. Hence, we believe every truth of the Bible, every truth Christ taught, every truth taught by His Church — not because we understand them, but because we know they are the teachings of a God who can neither deceive nor be deceived. And when in doubt about any vital truth, ill-content with the judgment of fallible reason, we seek the decision of our infallible Church. Nor is this an insult to our reason. For to admit an ever so incomprehensible truth on the word of an infallible witness is itself an act of reason — to deny it would be unreasonable. The light of reason is perfected by the light of faith as is the candle by the electric light — and faith is perfected by glory as is the electric light
