Church — and for that it is only necessary that one be baptized — either by baptism of water, desire or blood — and that he be in a state of grace. It matters not whether he be Protestant or infidel — Indian, Chinaman, or negro — it matters not how ignorant or savage he may be — so long as he lives up to the lights God has given, and desires to do and does all that he knows or considers necessary to secure happiness in the next life — he belongs to the soul of the Catholic Church and as such he will be saved. Hence, the good Protestant who thinks his church the true church and lives as well as he can according to her doctrine; the Pagan, groping eagerly in the darkness of error for the light of God's truth, and willing to follow it, when found, whithersoever it may lead; aye, and the poor Indian, laying him down to die in the woods and lifting up his mind and heart in one last appeal to the Great White Father to have pity on him and bring him into the happy hunting-grounds — each and all of these belong to the soul of the Catholic Church and as such are saved. Comparatively few, therefore, are so outside the Catholic Church as to be without hope of salvation. They are, first, unbaptized infants; second, persons who know the Catholic to be the true Church but neglect or refuse to join her; third, all persons whatsoever, who live and die in mortal sin. To them and them only, applies in full force the saying, that outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation.
But, you say, if every good man belongs to the soul of the Catholic Church and, as such, stands a
