the truth to some and keep others ever in the darkness of error? Alas! as well might you ask one why God chose you and me out of the myriads of human possibilities — why He creates one man unto election and another unto perdition. For these are mysteries beyond human ken, in the presence of which we can only exclaim with St. Paul: "O the depths of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God; how incomprehensible are His judgments and how unsearchable are His ways! "
This doctrine, my Brethren, is calculated to remove presumptuous bigotry on the one hand, and indifferentism on the other. We accuse Protestants of being bigoted, but in nine cases out of ten, theirs is only a reflection of our own unchristian intolerance. I have, for instance, a young Protestant friend — the soul of honor, and for all I know, virtuous to a degree. Will I cast him off as doomed to perdition? God forbid! For though I belong to the body of the Church I may be dead to its soul by sin, while he, being a member of its soul, stands a better chance of salvation than I. And when I hear of a Protestant being dead, will I say: Alas! another soul gone to hell? God forbid! For never a soul but one left this world for whom I cannot pray; so let me say, rather, Lord have mercy on his soul. Or when I see Protestants flocking into their churches, am I to scoff and hoot? God forbid! For there are many there that worship God with sincere and pure hearts and so work out their salvation. To whom much is given, of him much will be expected. If we, having received the truth, and
