American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-05-17
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
Rxr. Dn. R1cr's LrcruaE.

=
A large audience assembled at the
Seventh Presbyterian church, to hear DR..
Rice's Lecture. on Wednesday evening,
the 18th.
The Doctor commenced by referring to
the 9Th Of December last. when he remark
ed an event occurred. unimportantin itself,
but which has attracted the attention ofthe
whole civilized world. All have heard OF
the doctrine OF the Immaculate Conception;
that Plus TX, has decided that this is
doctrine Of the Church Of Rome, and not
to bedenied but on pain Of heresy. All
were taken aback by this doctiine, for
they supposed Rome sterotyped, her faith
established centuries ago, and never chang
ed,
An anticipation, by pious and learned
men, of speedy fal6llment OF prophecy
in regard to the Papal Power, had turned
che attention of many Protestants toward
her, 20 that the eyes Of large part Of the
world were at that time turned to Rome.
= This doctrine Of the Immaculate concep-
tion was. that Mary was uucontaminated
by original sin, was free from the curse OF
The fan, and her soul perfectly pure from
the momcnt 1t entered the body.
He then requested the attention OF the
audience to the following points;
He remarked, L. That the whole sub
iect was one about which the Evangelists
and inspired Apostles were profoundly ST.
lent The New Testament contained a
simple history Of facts, but not one syllable
beyond this; yet this same New Testa-
ment is scrupulous in enjoining the giving
to all their rights-in urging to ''renderto
Cesar the things that are Caesars" I" and
vet not a word about worship due to the
Virgin Mary. Why these Apostles would
certainly be pronounced heretics if they
lived in this day
His second point was, that this doctrine
not only was not found in, but was even
contrary tothe Bible. There was no in
tination in ii that Mary was free even from
actual sin. She certainly had not discoy-
cred that celibacv was a more holy state
than matrimony. or she certainly would
have never been espoused" to Joseph, or
entered into marriage, which the Church
regards as inferior in purity.
3d. We could understand how sinful
men suffer death, for ''Sin entered into the
world, and death by sin, so death hath
passed upon al men" Suffering and
death were the consequences Of sin; bui
how are they to be accounted for in hel
case? They must have been either unjus
or yicarious,
Strange as It may seem, we suddenly
end Rome moving; but the world is tnov,
ing. and the only difference is, that while
tile world is moving forward, Rome il
moving backward. Now, Rome viii have
to take one more step, that Is, to say eithel
that Mary did not suffer death at all, and
is still alive. OF that her sufierings were vi
cariods--an atonement for our sins---ant
were necessary for our salvation; and thet
Mary would be our Saviour instead o
Christ.
There are none good, no not one.'--
sAll have sinned. Such is the languag,
Of Paul, but how conld he talk so, wheI
he knew there was one conceived withou
sin! But lie didn't know it. Neither die
Mary herself know it, lf 8
4th. The history Of this doctrine serv
ed TO show how the creed Of Rome ha
~ been formed In the fifth century, the,
began to talk about the Virgin Mary; al
terward, about her being free from actpf
sin, and then about her being conceive
without sin, until at length, ip the twelft
century, feast was held at Lyons, |
France, in honor Of the Immaculate Cor
cepion, though the good st, Bernard an
many good Catholics still denied II; II
Council Of Trent left il undecided: all thl
the Church had said about il wasequiyt
cal; but tho belief went on growing, like
Y revolving snow ball " Catholics being frc
!" 10 receive or reject it7-until at length th
Pope yentured 70 declare il doctrine.
For SIX hundred and fifty years, til
point, was in agitation, believed by somi
and denied BY others, but left undecided b
the Church until the present timo. Pro
estanls want q creed that would not tai
six hundred aud fifty years to expoun'
we could not wait here on earth for that
The Council Of Trent supposed The fail
q, Il the Church full grown; but il had pro-
en- not to have been so; and here he appea
ed to Catholics. and asked them, had The
aow all their faith? Were there not no
opinions that were candidates for doctrines
: Rome. once started in this railroad ag
may make doctrines with wonderful rapi,
ity,
9Th. Asto the infallibiiity OF the Churc
! They told US they have now put the CROW
+, ION Msrys head; that she had right to tn
crown, for she was conceived without 81
but she was conceived more than eighte,
+. hundred years ago, and yet for that lor
IN period, ivalli6ility has left her without h
N Just due. Is il not wonder that she b
=, not sent some plague upon them for III
dishonoring her? Where did this negle
rest? Just where inhIlibiIity rested.
Would God have committed infallibility
unfaiyhful men?
On the morning Of the eth of Dccemb,
ifa Dominican had died denying this dc
= trine, he might have been saved. but il
had died in the afternoon denying Il,
would have been lost; for the Church NJ
declares faith In Il necessary to salyatiC
Think ofitl A Catholic getting up in I
morning orthodox, and going to be,
hereto, and yet having not changed {
Total
N The Church declared that II did
3 make doctrines. Il only announced W
~ God has said; yet Catholics mightfor Al
deny Gods doctrine, but the moment
PoD0 declares H. all must embrace X.