Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1842-09-13
The POPE'S CORNER.
[From Nspins, TNonehis On Popern.l
Image Worship.

way, with scarcely any discrimination. The value
OF worship with them to depend on the yarie-
ty Of objects worshipped. What a pity it is they
cannot confne their worship within narrower bounds!
VIII. pity they are not satisfied with one object of
religious veneration-the great, glorious God But
no. BESIDES HIM they must have host of creatures,
angels, saints, and what not, objects OF alteration
N or are they satisfied with these things themselves
They must have visible representations of these
thing, to bow down unto and worship. They want
somei ing 10 worship which they can see. In the
profession Of faith which l find in the little book
published in Baltimore under the sanction of the
archbishop, from which have quoted so freely al
ready, and TO which l love to appeal, seeing it is
published 50 near home and there can be no dis
pute about its authority, find this paragraph among
others;
81 most solemny assert that the images of Christ,
the mother OF God, ever Virgin, and also of the
saints, ought to be had and retained and that due
honor and veneration is TO be given them"
This doctrine sounds little different from that
promulgated from Sinai and written with the finger
of God on the tables Of stone. They look to be at
variance, TO say the least; and l think shall be
able to show presently that they have that aspect
to Catholics we'll as Protestants. The voice that
shook the earth, after saying "Thou shalt have no
other gods before me-" said "Thou shalt not make
unto thee any craven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above" &c. Now, Christ
tue Virgin, and the saints are in heaven above un-
less any choose to surmse that some of those reck-
onsd saints are elsewhere. Consequently, no like
ness OF them may be made. The law proceeds
"Ihou shalt not 6ow dO,on myself to them nor serve
them" But do not Catholics bow own before the
hkenesses of saints and others! ask the question
know they used to do so, and suppose it may be
inferred that they do 50 now since it is their boast
that their religion is every Where altcays The same
The doctrine delivered from Sinai is the old notion
on the subject, and it would seem TO be against ev-
cry kind and degree Of image worship But saws
this Catholic book, called '''The Guide to Heaven"
"the images of Christ, the Mother of God, and also
OF the saints, ought to be had and retained and due
honor and veneraton given them" Here are Bal
timore Uhe birth place of the book) and the Council
Of Trent on the one side, and Sinai on the other
My readers must range themselves on either 81 de as
they see fit.
But cannot the two things be reconciled some
how Can they not be so explained as to remove
all inconsistency Perhaps they cam il one of them
be explained dUGy-that is, be made so clear tina,
you cannot sec it any longer. This is new way
some have of reconciling things; but l. as an ndi-
vidual, do not think much Of it. like the old way
playing things along side of each other, and then
shedding as much light as possible on them both.
If this is done with the two things in question: fear
there is no hope of reconciling them. To this con-
clusion our Catholic brethren themselves seem &c
have come; and seeing that the two things could moi
he 80 explained as to appear in harmony, they have
most e7ectually explained one of them away. They
have suppressed it. The end CO nmandm m has
be'n brown out of the Decalogue, as have here
'ofore shown This is part of the Catholic.
"shc.t and easy method with the Protestants" i
beat "Leslie's Short nd EFsy Method with the
Des 81 all TO nothing. Whether it be as honest anC
correct method as it is short and easy refer Il
the Judgment of my readers. One thing is yer,
certain the Catholics must think that the old schoo
commandment is, at least looks very much agains
them, otherwise they would not have medded with
II Can any other reason be given for the suppress
sion OF he second commandment, but that it seem.
TO forbid that use which the Catholics make of i'm
ages III their churches! If any body can imagine
another reason will thank him to state it, Now
where there can be but one motive mpelling to ar
act, suppose it is not uncharitable to refer that ac
10 that motive.
believe the reader is aware that even in the lit
tie modern Baltimore book, 'the Guide to Heaven ;
the I'd commandment is suppressed. Why SHOULD
be the same here that it is in Ireland or Italy! WI,
should American Catholics be bound to keep on,
more commandment than the European Catholics
Why should they of the old world have greater lib
erty of action than we Of the new world The cir
cunsances under which the second commandment
is omitted in "The Guide" are these An examin
alton, preparatory TO confession, is recommended t.
the deSout Catholic, on the ten commandments
that he may see, before he poes 10 the nries ~ re
forgiveness, wherein he has transgressed any o
them. Now, he is not directed to examine himsel
on the second, but thrice oUer to do it on thu
tenth, so as to make out the full number. Now,
acknowledge it would have been awkward to hav,
set the person TO examining himself in reference t,
the second commandment. 1t might have led to
conviction OF sins not recognized by his conlessor
II he had asked himself, "s there anv craven image
or likeness of any thing in heaven above, or in thu
earth beneath, to which l bow down! I" himsel
would have been apt to answer, "Why yes, there i
that image of Christ l kneel beforehand there i
that likeness Of the Virgin bow down to and ador