The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

104 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHEES.The Catholic Church, in the plenitudeof her authority, in the third Council of Carthage, (A. D.397,) separated the chaff from the wheat, and declared what Books were Canonical, and what wereapocryphal. Even to this day, the Christian sectsdo not agree among themselves as to what bookaare to be accepted as genuine. Some Christiansof continental Europe do not recognize the Gospelsof St. Mark and St. Luke, because these Evangelistswere not among the Apostles. Luther used to callthe Epistle of St. James a letter of straw.But even when you are assured that the Biblecontains the Word of God, and nothing but theWord of God, how do you know that the translation is faithful? The Books of Scripture wereoriginally written in Hebrew and Greek, and youhave only the translation. Before you are certainthat the translation is faithful, you must study theHebrew and Greek languages, and then compare thetranslation with the original. How few are capable of this gigantic undertaking !Indeed, when you accept the Bible as the Wordof God, you are obliged to receive it on the authority of the Catholic Church, who was the sole Guardian of the Scriptures for fifteen hundred years.But after having ascertained to your satisfactionthat the translation is faithful, still the Scripturescan never serve as a complete Rule of Faith, and acomplete guide to heaven, independently of an authorized, living interpreter.