Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/66

 tion of the sixteenth century, have striven to show, and they have done it successfully, that the Protestant theory of Antichrist was contrary not only to the whole teaching of the Catholic Church in all ages, and the tradition both of East and West, but utterly at variance with the statements of prophecy itself, and that if true, it would do more than annihilate the claims of Catholicity, it would overthrow those of Christianity itself; for what becomes of that religion, as a fact of any practical importance to mankind, if you entirely separate it from the Church, if you make it a mere theory, that has never been properly carried out or realized upon earth? Of course, in saying this, Catholics are far from denying or overlooking the fearful abuses that have, alas! ever existed in the Christian Church. Our Lord and Master prepared us for these. He tells us, that these abuses and scandals must of necessity arise even within His own kingdom, the Church, and that they will never be entirely rooted out until His second coming to judge the living and the dead. But Catholics, while they admit this, and deplore it, are surely right in saying that the Protestant theory goes much further. It passes beyond the corruption of individual members and individual pastors, and affirms that the whole