The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-23

they wars kiysa collectively . as BODY
n which he M ~ member ard % ~,
though absent, wss lycprcseAeodsin that
body, s6we, the successors Of The apostles,
were represented, sand 10 the most distant
| ares, and received equally With s.. Thomas
the powers OF tho Divine mission.
| But how was this body TO b perpetua-
tedf Let rs apply TO the case the same
principle which guides us In the interprc-
tation Of tho Instrument by which any dele
gated power Is conveyed. If power be
given for any special purpose, and NO limb
tation Of time DO fixed, and he, who dele
gates the power recallsit not subsequently,
It remains until the object Tor which II was
originally given has been attained and
surely the mission "to teach all nations"
g to preach the gospel to every creature"
Is ever an objectpf Divine mercy, and will
be to the end of time. God wishes that
" all men shall be sayed," that " all shall
come to the knowledge Of the truth - and
as long as the human race exists on the
earth Gods command to announce the glad
tidings of salvation must have DURATION y.
Let us consider if there be any reason
for making the supposition that the COM
mission was ever to fail, as It may be said
that what is true withregard to the apostles
must not be supposed of those associated
with them in the N inistry, their contempt
raries and successors.
It cannot he objected, as in the case OF
the Jewish Church, that there may be ter
mination of that power as well as abuses OF
its privileges. There Is no analogy what
ever between the two cases. In the case
of the Jewish Church, the law was only q
type Of future good things, and, moreover,
it contained q special prediction and COM
mand that promised Messiah was to come,
and Christ, in fulfilling the prophets and
performing miracles, showed that whatever
powers were given to the jewish Church,
he was about to recall them. !.
But how is this body to be perpetuated
Who at the present day are the inheritors
of apostolic religioni Religious ministra-
ton Is not transmitted, as in the old law, by
descent from father to son, but by the i'm
position or laying on of hands by one who
has himself received the ministration-one
to whom the power has been given to dis
charge the duties of the Divine ministry.
As Paul laid hands On Timothy, so limo
thy laid hands on others, remembering
Paurs admonition to lay not hands on any
man lightly, lest he himself become par
ticipator in his errors. This laying on OF
hands is the legally appointed means by
which God secures to us faithful minis
try-proper teachers Of the Word and
there is not the slightest irreverence in
saying that without this laying on of hands
by the proper authorities there is an entire
cessation of Christian faith, and no obliga-
ton whatever to hear or believe. Il.
The Council then closed with chanting
in alternate choirs, by the clergy, Of certain
acclamations, which are profession OF
faith in the Church, an expression Of good
will towards their brethreni of their best
wishes for the peace and prosperity OF the
country, and the welfare Of their fellow
citizens. After clarifying the Most Holy
Trinity and the Blessed Virgin, unfading
prosperity and eternal memory was prayed
for his Holiness Plus TX. Manifold graces
and many years were asked for the most
illustrious apostolic delegate, Archbishop
Spalding; happy return to their hocks
were wished to the attending prelates
happiness and increase of grace to the alb
bots, theologians, and salvation and bene-
diction to the clergy and the whole flock
of Christ. The reclamation also made the
following reference to the country at large:
'~To our great and cherished republic, SUI
preme peace, full prosperity, and the over.
flowing benediction of Almighty God
Grant peace, O Lord, in our days, because
there is no one to fight for US but Thee,
our God To all the people of these
United States, unfaiing peace, indissolu-
BILE concord Confirm, 0 God, what thou
hast wrought in them, that all disturbance
being removed, we may freely serve Thee
with one heart and one soul !"
At the close of the acclamations the
apostolic bcncdiction, highly priced among
Catholics, was given by Archbishop Spald-
ing, the entire concourSe of prelates, clergy,
and laity, being upon their knees. ;.
The procession was then formed in the
same order in which it entered the church,
and passed by the same route to the Arch
bishops mansion. .T- HR1
The bishops will, it is understood, remain
in the city for q few days to finish up some
important business. The pastoral address
of the prelates to the clergy and laity Of
the Church in the United States will, it is
thought, be published on Wednesday.