Chapter XXII: Continuation

BUT do not read or keep in your possession a Protestant Bible or Testament. “Whoever,” says our Lord, “is not with me, is against me” (St. Matt. xii. 30). This Bible is not authorized by the holy Church, the guardian of the Scripture. That should be enough to condemn it in the eyes of Catholics; for what confidence can we have in a book that has passed out of the keeping of God’s Church into that of men who have no authority, and who do with it what their own judgment and their own light dictate?

The Protestant translation is different from the Catholic in many places, and is generally thrown out on the world without any explanation; as they say, “without note or comment.” It becomes then a book that “the unlearned and the unstable are likely to wrest to their own perdition,” as St. Peter says. If it has any explanations, they are made by Protestants, too often in order to bolster up their own false religion, by covering up and destroying the real truth. A true child of God will not, then, either keep it or read it.

Girls who are living out may find some mistresses who are all on fire to draw you away from your holy faith. They have an idea that the best way to do it is to get you first to read the Protestant Bible, and by and by they will volunteer to explain it in their own way. They come with smiling faces and coaxing words and say, “I have taken a great fancy to you, and think a great deal of you. I want to make you a little present. Here is a beautiful copy of the Bible.” Then they show it, all bound with red morocco, with gilt edges, and perhaps adorned with pictures. “Isn’t it beautiful? Take it, my dear, and read it. It cannot hurt you. It is the Word of God, and full of good things.” The poor girl is so overwhelmed at this that she does not know what to reply. She takes it and thanks the giver.

Another girl, with a little more courage, will make out to say, “I am much obliged to you, ma’am, but I would rather not take it.” “And why not? Are you afraid to read the Scripture, the Word of God? I have heard that Catholics were afraid to read the Bible, but I did not believe it. Yes, I see! the priests are afraid to let you read the Bible lest you find out the errors of your religion.” This poor girl feels abashed; she is not used to be attacked in that way, and she perhaps says, “No, ma’am, it is not as you suppose. I will take the book, much obliged to you.”

Now, this is just what the lady wanted, to make you do something contrary to your faith, to undermine its firmness, to get some kind of acknowledgment out of you that, after all, the Protestant religion has the truth as well as the Catholic. She hopes, when you begin to waver, you will keep on until you lose the faith altogether.

Let me put in your mind a reply to all such attacks. Say, “I thank you for your good intention, but I cannot accept your book.” “Why not? Are you forbid to read the Bible?” “Oh no! I am very glad to read it; but I cannot read any but the true Bible — the Catholic Bible. If you will present me with a copy of that, I will read it, and feel obliged to you for your kindness.”

And what is true of the Protestant Bible is true also of other Protestant books, treating of piety or religious doctrine. They may seem to read well and to contain good principles. I have no doubt they do contain some; it would be strange enough if they did not. But there are also evil ones concealed among the good, and the piety is of a false and injurious character. “Beware,” says the Saviour, “of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (St. Matthew vii. 15).

The mild and gentle Saviour said this because He knew how destructive false doctrine is to the soul, and He would tell the truth, whether every one liked it or not. I have no intention to offend any one, but I must tell the truth, and therefore I tell you to have nothing to do with any religious books not of God’s church, neither read them, keep them, nor give them away to anybody else.