. But were it asked of me: Do you then believe our Lord to have been the Son of Mary by Joseph? I reply: It is a point of religion with me to have no belief one way or the other.
am in this way like St. Paul, more than content not to know Christ himself
. It is enough for me to know that the Son of God
became flesh
,
and more than this, it appears to me, was unknown to the Apostles, or, if known, not taught by them as appertaining to a saving faith in Christ.