The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-08-12
WHITES ron rir JoursM-l

j ehali hol iufkhet pursue th3 IiIoo4S
or arguments as to the authority or
validity Of those two sacramental or
symboliyal ordinances, as they are
sometimes called, bapdsm and the
Lords Supper, nor as to the different
formulas of worship in Which different
denominations OF Christians are at va
rance, and by which they are divided
INTO sects, or | may say, into religious
pclemic parties; but VIII merely oo-
serve, that as 10 forms Of public wor-
ship, ! consider The one which the
Episcopal Church has adopted is in
many respects preferable 70 most OH
er forms of open worship, as il is bet
ter calculated to draw and fix tie at.
tention of the whole audience, and
whereby they take part in the worship
and other parts Of the services but
still, think there is room and need
for some modification and improve
ment. And ] shall proceed TO remark
that / do not inveigh against or con-
demn those rites, ordinances or serv-
ices, because there il anything intrin-
sically sinful or reprehensible in their
nature, but for the motive Of their
practice; and on the ground Of their
tendency to multiplication, also TO self
Righteousness, or reliance thereupon
not only as religious duties, but as
paramount, or sine qua non means Of
justification and salvation; and still
further, to the division and distraction
Of professors Of religion into secls and
violently opposed partizans. As an
evidence Of their tendency TO multiple
cation and increase, ! refer to the Ro-
man Catholics, (through whom, it
must be remembered, that most Of
these religious rites and ceremonies
have been handed down, and from
them adopted by other creeds and de-
nominatiens,) and who have increased
what they term their sacramcnts, to
seven in number, besides their crosses,
genuaections, are marias, and other
religious acts and requirements which
1 they consider essential and TO bap-
/ tism they attach so much Importance
az saving or regcnerating ordinance,
administered in their mode, that with
out it none can be saved, and with it
all are entitled thereto; having adopt
ed the principle Of sel-righteousness,
or the merit of works, they have car
ried and are still carrying it to a rid
iculous extent; witness their late as
semblage at Rome for the beatification
and canonization Of some Of their ec-
| clesiastics who were slaughtered at
Japan more than two centuries ago,
I for their gross behavior and treason
able conduct.
And as ! said before, the tendency
Of those services is 10 incline men to
place too much reliance upon their own
external gets and seli-deyoiion for JUS
li6cation, and almost wholly exclude
sovereign grace and mercy. il they
hold, as they profess, that By nature
all mankind are corrupt and sinful,
how can they, consistently, believe
that any nets Of their own viii be
pleasing in the sight 81 pure and ho-
IL God. But still another very i'm
poTtant consideration and objection
presents against the use and spiritual
ization az those rites ard ordinances,
which Is the tendency and effect they
have to cause disruption amongst the
urofsssea followers Of Christ. and 10
disturb and destroy the peace and har-
nony Of seeieiy As mankind DO not