Let the words I shall say be directed and recommended to you by the following weighty principle of St. Thomas Aquinas :—

‘Excellence of the person never diminishes sin; but on the contrary increases it. Therefore a sin is not less grievous in a believer than in an unbeliever; but much more so.

‘For the sins of an unbeliever are more deserving of forgiveness, on account of their ignorance,’ according to 1 Tim. 1, 13. I obtained the mercy of God because I did it ignorantly in my unbelief; whereas the sins of believers are more grievous on account of the sacraments of grace, according to Heb. X, 29. How much more do you think he deserveth worse punishments .... who hath esteemed the blood of the testament unclean by which he was sanctified.’

The two previous speakers in dealing with Atheism and Protestantism have been happy in finding that their contributions to our Emancipation joy have not led them into even the shadow of criticism of their fellow-Catholics. Atheism is not a weed within the true fold; nor is Protestantism a mode of Catholic ill-health. Sometimes an ardent Catholic apostle or an over-logical Catholic apologist will ask in irony if his inconsequent Catholic hearers really believe in God or really reject Luther or Elizabeth. But if a speaker at this Congress was to deal with the emancipation of Catholic Atheists or of Catholic Protestants his words would raise a laugh or a protest. Those would protest who had not the wit to avoid taking his words literally; and those would laugh who saw in the speaker’s exaggeration a sally of burlesque wit.