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Infallibility of the Popes.
51

8. It can hardly escape the observation of any one who peruses this fourth chapter of the Council thoroughly and carefully, that the reasons given for the definition and the historical account of the doctrine are of immense importance for a right understanding of the matter. It was, then, very unfair of Dr. Schulte, to say the least, to extract from the chapter on Infallibility the bare words of the definition, and by so doing to leave the readers of his pamphlet in entire ignorance of all. that important matter which, with the best intentions, the Council itself had given as the reasons for the definition, and, in order to forestall misunderstandings, had placed in close connection with the definition itself.

I have, therefore, thought it especially necessary to give my readers the words at full length which the Vatican Council made use of in declaring its mind on the infallible teaching office of the Roman Pontiff; and I beg my readers to pay particular attention to this context of the definition as regards the present controversy.

The very title of the chapter is remarkable. It runs (in order to designate precisely the subject which is under consideration), 'On the Infallible Teaching Office of the Roman Pontiff.' This expression, 'on the Infallible teaching office,' was chosen purposely, instead of the title 'On the Infallibility,' in order to forestall the erroneous deductions which might be drawn from the general term 'Infallibility' by those who are disposed to dispute the doctrine on this very ground—viz. because it was so general. Such persons would be sure to misrepresent the doctrine to others, and mis-