“Are you not the New Protestant Stechapfel of whom we have read so much in the newspapers?” inquired Ewald, one of the councilmen.
“I am not a New Protestant, but an Old Catholic,” replied Stechapfel.
“It is really so—it is he!” exclaimed Keller. “Do you know, Herr Stechapfel, what you call ‘Old Catholic’ is understood among Catholics as ‘New Protestant’? We know also why the heretics of our day have invented the word ‘Old Catholic’: they did so to throw sand in the eyes of the people; as if they, the heretics, had remained faithful to the old Catholic doctrine, but the Pope and all the bishops and priests, as also all Catholics, had renounced the true faith. Luther, the first Protestant, did the very same thing. He accused the Pope and the bishops of having left the old doctrine, but that he, Luther, had retained it, for which reason he was an Old Catholic. The same is repeated to-day; it is deception—pure deception; therefore we do not call these deceivers ‘Old Catholics,’ but ‘New Protestants.’”
“I deplore all this confusion,” replied Stechapfel devoutly. “I have nothing to do with Luther nor with heresy of any sort. I keep firmly to the Old Catholic doctrine.”
“Please listen to me, Herr Stechapfel; I wish to ask you something,” began Keller, moving his cap on one side of his head. “Do you believe that the Pope is infallible when he explains and defines how an article of faith or of morals is to be understood?”
“No; I do not believe it, because it was never believed before,” replied Stechapfel.
“Was never believed before—only hear that!” exclaimed the villagers, laughing.
“Then let me continue—I am not through yet,” said Keller. “You believe, therefore, Herr Stechapfel, that the Pope and all the bishops erred when they maintained this doctrine in the council?”
“Of course they erred; for they invented a new article of faith,” answered Stechapfel.
“Ha! ha! That is too absurd!” cried out some of those present.