Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1843-07-29

that has fegorted 10 low ridiculo and vile abuse,
as fit implements whcrcwiih TO destroy that sruc.
,ute which has presented unbroken 'front.' tho
assaed on oil sides by tho united warfare Uf
pegon idoatfy and the thousand different sects
which have sprung iato existence u chin tho las
three centuries.
/ But suppose VIC give him the advantage Of The
sur he attempted 70 throw upon the genealogy OF
the church by saying chat If some E-ody's finger
had slipped away from the right line, the true
genealogy would have led him right back TO the
Apostle Judas" Let me ask him whether the
genoaIogy Of his church be traced back so far,
or to less Questionable founder? Who made
Judas a Apostle and clothed him with authority
whereby he obtained part in tho ministry? Did
not our Saviour? And suppose he had received
the same authority from our Lord to ordain, which
The other Apostles subsequently received, who
would have right 10 question that authoriiye p
/, is not for US 10 Judge Of the holiness Of either
Of The Apostles, or Of the piety Of the consecu-
live bishops who have handed down TO this period
the authority which was received by the Apostles,
but 10 know the great source from whence such
authority originated; If that IS pure no human
faliibIiity shall corrupt tho link, however IN
worthy, shall snap tina, 'goten, everlasting
chain,'' which IS destined to extend throughout all
time and fasten itself to the portals Of eternl-
". II might with the same, and even with more,
! proprety be said that the authority thus handed
down is valid because it came through many
nlen that perfec. examples of piety; for as
the Lord promised Abraham that he would spare
the wicked city Of S1dom, If, peradyenture, ten
| righteous men could be found ,heren--so, even
and much more, would he spare TO all mankind
! the benefits Of that gospel winch etnanated from
HIN, if so be that 1t be occasionally purified and
cleanscd by but few Of those who love and ho-
nor Him as the great fountain from whence these
blessings now.
The Apostle Judas never had authority to
ordain any moro than pfcsbytcr; 50 Tar as he
acted no kept within the bounds OF his authority,
and his ministerial acts never iuvalidated
| but were suffered to stand-he not even sup
planted, but remained one of the chosen twelve
until his death, when Matthias appointed 10
/ fill his place. We do not read that Judas, tho
traitor US he was, assumed authority that he
had not, and ordained any onc-ho betrayed his
! Lord but produced schisIn IN the church--that
sin cannot be laid 10 hi. charge. The Episcopal
church does not make pretentIons 10 infalllbllity
or to have been free from the corrupiions of The
world, but when we take into consideration its
antiquity and gloomy periods through which it
has passed, may regard il as a miracle that it
has survived. In its early history the heather
Emperors of powerful nations resoIted 10 every
species Of savage cruelty 10 extingGIsh tho light
of The gospel which begun to illuminate the be-
nightcd regions Of the earth, and driving
heather darkness from before i,--tthen INNER.
ged into that dark night Of thousand years,
known tho middle eges, when il was surroun-
ded BY Mahometisn, ignorance and I1olatry, and
was threatened with total destruction; il escaped
! from that perIous conflict "scathed bot unsubdu-
ed' into more genial atmosphere of more en-
iightened age, and now presents itself TO the pre-
sent age as Il monument of the power Of God and
the strict fulfilling of thai promise OF eur Lord,
81 no must have seen through that long vista OF
darkened centuries in which Ills holy church was
doomed to pass, when He commanded His disci'
pies TO 60 and teach all nations, baptising them,
&c. and used these memorable aud most com[or.
table words: "Lo | am with you always even
unto the end of the world" No other sect has
ever passed through such ordeal and whilst
she may bs febuked for her sins ind corruptious,
which are 50 many blots upon her otherwise fair
oscutcheon, We should bear in mind what she he's
encountered, und ask ourselves whethc any 9TH
cr of the present denomination Of christians
could have sustained itself better under the same
circumstances. Frailty IS the portion OF I'll mans
kind, and we have reason TO believe that any
class OF christians could have preserved the rcii,
giou Of Jesus Christ, ihro' many yoaTs free
from sPo, or bIemish than have the E2iscopalians.
Ia all The schisrs and quarreis Of other churches
for tho last 300 years, have thoy manifested moro
holiness and purity than have Episcopa!ians, or
.hewn greater ability to guide the true faith thro'
The strange yicssitudcs Of fifteen centuries? But
The prophecy mus, be f1hed, and the time is
now come when we will 40. endure sound doc
rine, but after our own lust heap ourselves
teachers having itching ears: new sects Of chris