In the year 1520 — 368 years ago — the first Protestant came into the world. Before that one there was not a Protestant in the world, not one on the face of the whole earth; and that one, as all history tells us, was Martin Luther, who was a Catholic priest, who fell away from the Church through pride, and married a nun. He was excommunicated from the Church, cut off, banished, and made a new religion of his own.
Before Martin Luther there was not a Protestant in the world; he was the first to raise the standard of rebellion and revolt against the Church of God. He said to his disciples that they should take the Bible for their guide, and they did so. But they soon quarreled with him, Zuingli, and a number of others, and everyone of them started a new religion of his own.
After the disciples of Martin Luther came John Calvin, who in Geneva established the Presbyterian religion, and hence, almost all of those religions go by the name of their founder.
I ask the Protestant, “Why are you a Lutheran, my friend?”
“Well,” says he, “because I believe in the doctrine of good Martin Luther.”
Hence, not of Christ, but of man — Martin Luther. And what kind of a man was he? A man who had broken the solemn oath he had made at the altar of God, at his ordination, ever to lead a pure, single, and virginal life. He broke that solemn oath, and married a Sister Catharine, who had also taken the same oath of chastity and virtue. And this is the first founder of Protestantism in the world. The very name by which they are known tells you they came from Martin Luther.
So the Presbyterians are sometimes called Calvinists, because they come from, or profess to believe in John Calvin.
After them came Henry VIII. He was a Catholic, and defended the Catholic religion; he wrote a book against Martin Luther in defense of the Catholic doctrine. That book I have myself seen in the library of the Vatican at Rome a few years ago. Henry VIII defended the religion, and for so doing was titled by the Pope “Defender of the Faith.” It came down with his successors, and Queen Victoria inherits it today. He was married to Catharine of Aragon; but there was at his court a maid of honor to the Queen, named Ann Boleyn, who was a beautiful woman, and captivating in appearance. Henry was determined to have her. But he was a married man. He put in a petition to the Pope to be allowed to marry her — and a foolish petition it was, for the Pope had no power to grant the prayer of it. The Pope and all the bishops in the world cannot go against the will of God. Christ says: “If a man puts away his wife, and marries another, he commits adultery, and he that marries her who is put away committeth adultery also.”
As the Pope would not grant the prayer of Henry’s petition he took Ann Boleyn anyhow, and was excommunicated from the Church.
After a while there was another maid of honor, prettier than the first, more beautiful and charming in the eyes of Henry, and he said he must have her, too. He took the third wife, and a fourth, fifth and sixth followed. Now this is the founder of the Anglican Church, the Church of England; and, therefore, it is that it goes by the name of the Church of England.
Our Episcopalian friends are making great efforts nowadays to call themselves Catholic, but they shall never come to it. They own that the name Catholic is a glorious one, and they would like to possess it. The Apostles said: “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church” — they never said, in the Anglican Church. The Anglicans deny their religion, for they say they believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church. Ask them are they Catholics, and they say, “Yes, but not Born an Catholics; we are English Catholics.”
What is the meaning of word Catholic? It comes from the Greek word Catholicus — universal — spread all over the earth, and everywhere the same. Now, first of all, the Anglican Church is not spread all over the earth; it only exists in a few countries, and chiefly only where the English language is spoken. Secondly, they are not the same all over the earth, for they are now four different Anglican churches: The Low Church, the High Church, the Ritualist Church and the Puseyite Church. Catholicus means more than this, not only spread all over the earth and everywhere the same, but it means moreover, at all times the same, from Christ up to the present day. Now, then, they have not been in existence from the time of Christ. There never was an Episcopalian Church or an Anglican Church before Henry VIII. The Catholic Church had already existed 1,500 years before the Episcopal came into the world.
After Episcopalianism, different other churches sprang up. Next came the Methodist, about one hundred and fifty years ago. It was started by John Wesley, who was at first a member of the Episcopalian Church; subsequently, he joined the Moravian Brethren, but not liking them. He made a religion of his own—the Methodist Church.
After John Wesley, several other sprang up; and finally came the Cambellites, about sixty years go. This Church was established by Alexander Campbell, a Scotchman.
Christ had established His Church and given His solemn oath that His Church should stand to the end of time; promised that He had built it on rock, and that the gates of hell should never prevail against it—hence, my dear people, all those different denominations of religion are the invention of man; and I ask you, can man save the soul of his fellow-man by any institution he can make? Must religion come from God?
And, therefore, my dearly beloved separated brethren, think t over seriously. You have a soul to be saved. And that soul must be saved or be damned; either one or the other, it will dwell with God in heaven or with the devil in hell; therefore, seriously meditate upon it.
We are sure of our faith in the Catholic Church, and if our faith is not true, Christ has deceived us. I would, therefore, beg you, my separated brethren, to procure yourselves Catholic books. You have read a great deal against the Catholic Church, now read something in favor of it. You can never pass an impartial sentence if you do not hear both sides of the question.
Well, say my Protestant friends, “if a man thinks he is right would not he be right?” Let us suppose now a man in Ottawa, who wants to go to Chicago but takes a car for New York; the conductor asks for his ticket; and he at once says: “You are in the wrong car, your ticket is for Chicago, but you are going to New York.” “Well, what of that?” says the passenger. “I mean well.” “Your meaning will not go well with you in the end.” says the conductor, “for you will come out at New York instead of Chicago.”
You say you mean well; my dear friends, your meaning will not take you to heaven; you must do well also. “He that doeth the will of my father,” says Jesus, “he alone shall be saved.” There are millions in hell who meant well.
You must do well and be sure you are doing well, to be saved.
Taken from Catholic Truth, by Rev. Arnold Damen, S.J. – Imprimatur 1897.