ipated
and met this accusation which is so vigorously and persistently urged by
the false science of the day. Let us quote from its "Constitution:"
"Although faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy
between faith and reason, since the same God who reveals mysteries and
infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, and
cannot deny Himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth. The false
appearance of such a contradiction is mainly due, either to the dogmas of
faith not having been understood and expounded according to the mind of
the church, or to the inventions of opinion having been taken for the
verdicts of reason. And not only can faith and reason never be opposed to
one another, but they are of mutual aid the one to the other. For right
reason demonstrates the foundations of faith, and, enlightened by its
light, cultivates the science of things divine; while faith frees and
guards reason from errors, and furnishes it with manifold knowledge.

"So far, therefore, is the church from opposing the cultivation of human
arts and sciences, that it, in many ways, helps and promotes it. For the
Church neither ignores nor despises the benefits to human life which
result from the arts and sciences, but confesses that, as they came from
God, the Lord of all science, so, if they be rightly used, they lead to
God by the help of His grace. Nor does the Church forbid that each of
these sciences, in its sphere, should make use of its own principle and
its own method. But while recognizing this just liberty, it stands
watchfully on guard, lest the sciences, setting themselves against the
Divine teaching, or transgressing their own limits, should invade and
disturb the domain of faith."

FOURTH PUBLIC SESSION.

There was only one point in the discussions on the Church of Christ in
which the outside world appeared to take an interest, and it is one which
the council did not at first contemplate taking into consideration. The
Fathers appear to have resolved to limit themselves, in treating of the
Church, and consequently of the Head of the Church on earth, to the
discussion of the primacy of the Supreme Pastor and of his temporalities.
The commission of one hundred and two cardinals, and other learned
theologians, had even set aside the question of infallibility when it came
before them, one of their number pronouncing a decision on it as
inopportune. A great majority of the bishops, however, w