The following is the opening statement given by Catholic apologists Scott Butler (co-author of Jesus, Peter, and the Keys [Queenship, 1996]) and Robert A. Sungenis (editor and contributor to Not by Scripture Alone [Queenship, 1997]) against Robert Zins and Cecil Andrews on sola scriptura:
In light of the overwhelming evidence, biblically, historically, and logically, I am reminded of what one Catholic said to a Latter-day Saint some time ago about the bankruptcy of the Protestant faith:
A Catholic Utterance
Many years ago a learned man, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, came to Utah and spoke from the stand of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. I became well acquainted with him, and we conversed freely and frankly. A great scholar, with perhaps a dozen languages at his tongne's end, he seemed to know all about theology, law, literature, science, and philosophy. One day he said to me: "You Mormons are all ignoramuses. You don't even know the strength of your own position. It is so strong that there is only one other tenable in the whole Christian world, and that is the position of the Catholic Church. The issue is between Catholicism and Mormonism. If we are right, you are wrong; if you are right, we are wrong; and that's all there is to it. The Protestants haven't a leg to stand on. For if we are wrong, they are wrong with us, since they were a part of us and went out from us; while if we are right, they are apostates whom we cut off long ago. If we have the apostolic succession from St. Peter, as we claim, there was no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not that succession, then such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary, and Mormonism's attitude is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the Gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the Gospel in latter days." (Orson F. Whitney, The Strength of the "Mormon" Position [Independence, Mo.: Zion's Printing and Publishing Co., 1917], 9; emphasis added)
