to profess oneself a good and obedient Catholic. I could not do so. I could not preach doctrines which I did not believe, profess, as divinely revealed, dogmas which I knew to be human inventions; defend customs, rites, and usages which I held to be superstitious; finally, I could not accept the claims of the Papacy, which my studies had shown me to be not primitive, but unscriptural and maintained in opposition to half the world. My duty to God and my conscience was clear: I protested against the Roman Church and left her fold. This book contains the substance and the conclusions of a few of those momentous questionings which for ten long years occupied my thoughts. It does not pretend to much theology. In fact, I wrote it rather to clear up my own ideas than to be read by others. But friends for whom I have much regard suggested to me that I should print it, as it might do some good to souls who were in the same spiritual difficulties as my own. I comply with their advice, and present it in an English dress to the indulgent reader, who, I am sure, will see for himself that, with my actual Evangelical faith, I could not honestly remain any longer pledged to obey the Pope. I acknowledge here a debt of deep gratitude to the Rev. Donald Matheson, of Oxford. But for him this book could not have seen the light of day in its English vesture. GIORGIO BArtoli. Florence CHAPTER I THE TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST Η αλήθεια ελευθερώσει ὑμᾶς.—Ιωαν. viii. 32 ABOUT five hundred and fifty millions of the human race profess Christianity. Of those five hundred and fifty millions all that can think for themselves and are truly Christians, not only nominally so, admit the following Christian doctrines: They recognise the divinity of Christ. They hold that Christ established a religious society which is called a Church. They recognise that Christ left certain truths or doctrines to that Society or Church. Finally, they admit that the acceptance of Christ's doctrines and the practice of the Christian life are the bonds which unite the members into one society, one Church, one body formed by Him. One fact, however, stares them in the face. They cannot close their eyes to the stern |