The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-11-01


say: To thee, Peter, to the Paul, or tc
the Cyprian, do we make the offering
So God, alone, who crowned the mar.
tyrs, is sacrificed offered in the places
where their relics rest; that the sight
of these places may excite a warmer
sentiment towards those whom we should
initiate and towards him by whose aid
it can be accomplished We venerate,
therefore. the martyrs with that venera.
tion of regard, with which holy men are
here treated upon earth, who are dis.
posed, we know, to suffer for the truth
of the gospel. When they have suffer.
ed, and have conquered, our vencration
is more devoted and more firm, as they
are translated from a state of conflict to
a state of permanent happiness.
But with that worshi p which the
Greeks call Latrciu, (adoration), and
which in Latin cannot be expressed by
one word-as it is a worship properly
due only to the Divinity-with that wor
ship we worship God alone. To this
belongs the offering of sacrifice whence
they are idolators who sacrifice to idols.
We offer no sacrifice to any martyr, nor
to any saint, nor to any angel; and
should any one fall into the error. sound
doctrine will so raise its voice that he
be corr &c ed or ccndemned, or avoided" "
In proving to you, that the saints can
hear the prayers and requests which we
address to them, and that they will in
tercede for US, 1 have presented to you
texts from the bible y; from the same
source have shown you that the invo
cation of saints is not only proper, but
that we are even directed to avail our.
selves Of their assistance and finally
have shown you, from records whose
genuineness cannot be doubted. and
from the writings of the holy fathers,
that such has been the belief and the
practice of the church from the very
earliest christianity. | have shown you,
that the prayers of the martyrs were in.
voked even immediately after their
deaths, with a confidence and fervor
which proved, that the early christians
had the frmest faith in the charitable
offices Of those who had gone before
them. And surely, no one will doubt
the testimony of Basil, Of Augustine, of
Cyprian, or of Irenaeus! Were they
not saints, and do we not owe to them
the establishment of many fundamental
doctrines of religion . And when they
invoked the saints and martyrs for assis-
tance and prayers, is it rational to be.
lieve that they would do SO, unless they
were convinced that theirrequests would
be heard !? Most assuredly not, and
think that their testimony, alone, should
be accepted as proof sufficient of the
validity, as well as of the propriety, of
the doctrine, and also, of the ability of
the saints TO hear the requests which
are made to them, and Of their willing
ness to answer such requests, by inter.
cession with Almighty God. For if we
admit that these great writers were
saints, which, indeed, we cannot deny.
we must admit their testimony, on this
point, to be not only sound but authori-
tative. And, indeed, it seems to me,
that no great length of argument is ne
cessary to prove the truth of the doc
trine of the invocation of saints, or of
their ability to hear us, The idea of our
being still in communion with those
near, and dear ones, who have departed
this lite, is SO consoling, besides being so
much in accordance with common sen Sc.
that imagine, any thinking man will,
upon mature reflection, be willing to ad-
NIT its reality, ! had intended, contin.
uing the consideration of this subject
through one or more subsequent letters,
but l feel that | have given you proofs
sufficient in verifcation OF the doctrine :;
and enough, at least, to warrant you in
investigating still farther for yourself,
in which any resources at my command
will be heartily at your service. Trust
ing that my hastily written letters may
afforded you the information which you
desired. | remain,
Very Truly Yours,
MEOICUS.