pels. She was so thoroughly convinced of this fact that from the beginning she had the Gospels read at divine service as holy writings.

b) The Evangelists knew the truth. Matthew and John, as Apostles, had been eye-witnesses of nearly all the events they relate. Mark was a disciple and constant companion of St. Peter and wrote the Gospel as Peter had preached it. Luke, the companion of St. Paul, says of himself that he had "diligently attained to all things from the beginning from eye-witnesses and ministers of the word" (Luke 1:3).

c) The Evangelists were willing to tell the truth. This is shown by the simplicity and frankness with which they tell everything. They do not even conceal their own faults. Had they not strictly adhered to the truth, the Jews would have publicly exposed them as liars, for the teachings and works of Christ were known throughout the country. But no Jew ever dared to call the Gospels untrue.

St. Irenæus, whose teacher had been a disciple of St. John, says: "Such is the certainty in the case of the Gospels that even heretics bear witness

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thereto, because every one of them appeals to the Gospels, to prove his own doctrine from them." ("Against Heresies," III, 1.)

Even in the very first period of Christianity many men died for their faith in what the Gospels relate. Among the first Christians there were many learned men who accepted the Gospels only after careful investigation, such as SS. Justin, Aristides, and Quadratus.

2) The Gospels always remained uncorrupted, for

a) as holy books of the greatest importance for our salvation they were ever most carefully guarded by the Church against falsifications;

b) they were regularly read at divine service, which made it impossible to tamper with them, as such an alteration would have been at once noticed and rejected;

c) as they were spread everywhere, a falsification of all copies would have been impossible;

d) even now we have over 1200 manuscripts, all of which agree except in minor details.

Infidels object that there are spurious gospels; hence ours might also be spurious. To this we

answer: Spurious gospels were written by heretics, but were at once recognized as such and repudiated. Of our Gospels, however, Origen, the greatest scholar of the first Christian centuries, said: “In the whole Church, as far as the heavens reach, they are acknowledged as indisputably genuine."

Infidels furthermore call attention to contradictions in the Gospels. The answer is that these contradictions are but apparent, and can be satisfactorily explained.

Some even deny the existence of Christ, but this denial is so foolish that it need not be refuted. It might be asserted with more reason that the Emperor Napoleon never lived. If one would repudiate the Gospels and all Christian writers, and imagine the whole Church of Christ had one day suddenly fallen from heaven, even then he would have to admit that Christ lived. For even the Jewish Talmud and the pagan writers of those times bear indisputable testimony to this fact.

IV. JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUE SON OF GOD

The Gospels clearly show that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God and not merely an adopted

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child of God, like ourselves. He has given this testimony of Himself and at the same time proved that His testimony is true.

1) Jesus explicitly calls Himself "the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:16-19), and says that He "came down from heaven" (John 6: 38), that He had been with His heavenly Father "in the glory before the world was" (John 17: 5). Again He says: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). "What things soever the Father doth, these the Son also doth in like manner.

As the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life: so the Son also giveth life to whom He will. Neither doth the Father judge any man, but hath given all judgment to the Son, that all men may honor the Son as they honor the Father" (John 5: 19-23). "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28: 18).

These and similar words clearly prove that Christ claimed to be the true Son of God the Father. The Jews accused Him precisely of making such claims, and on account of them they tried to kill Him (John 8: 58, 59). But Christ did not retract by saying that they had misun

derstood Him; on the contrary, He insisted on the truth of His statement, and emphatically repeated it.

Moreover, when Peter said to Him: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16: 16), and Thomas: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20: 28), Jesus confirmed their words; and when the high priest in court adjured Him by the living God to declare whether He was the Son of God, He solemnly affirmed that He was the Christ, the Son of God, and that He would sit at the right hand of God and come in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26: 64; Mark 14: 62).

2) The testimony of Christ concerning His divinity, therefore, is perfectly clear. How, then, did He prove the truth of His testimony?

a) He proved it by His holy life, for a holy man does not falsely pretend to be God. Now Jesus was so holy that He could challenge His enemies, saying: "Which of you shall convince me of sin?" (John 8: 46).

Even infidels admit the holiness of His life, yet instead of believing in Him, they deny His divinity: "He was the best of men that ever lived, but a mere man, not God." What a foolish