The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-26
Either Illusion or Delusiop.

Either Illusion or Delusiop.--
Two weeks ago, we read in one of our city
papers, under the caption: Conservation
of Bishop Beckwith-Imposing Ceremo-
MES" an article copied from the Savannah
Republican, giving detailed account OF the
sO-called conservation of Rev. Beckwith, as
Episcopalian Bishop of Georgia, and we con-
fess that we read that article with feelings
of grief and sadness, asking ourselves all
selves bishops of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, deluded by their imagination, their
prejudices, their unwarranted assumption
of void titles, OF are they deludlng theG
followers by religious nay, sacrilegions
mimicking of the ceremonies of the Catholic
| Church, which they detest and abhor3
There is no nedius terminus between the
| two horns of this dilemma, and both are
| equally repugnant. We7are not willing
| to suppose that gentlemen could wilfully de-
lude their followers but how canw ex-
plain that men of education could be them
selves so far deluded by their own fancies 7
In order to show that all their perfOr-
mances are borrowed from the Catholic
Church, and are nothing else but an empty
imitation of the ceremonies of the Church
of Christ, from which they have seeded,
and which they call Babylon and the great
harlot we quote some curious parts of the
Rep,blican's article:
The regular service, as marked down IN the
programme, was then commenced with the In
troit, Ps. cxxxii, and following this the Kyrie
Eleison and Niceae Creed.
Bishop Wilmer, of Alabama, then arose and
delivered the conservation sermon, taking for
his text the fifteenth and sixteenth verses OF
the third chapter of st. Paul's First Epistle to
Timothy. The sermon evinced commendable
being a clear and forcible expounding Of the
doctrines of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
| The speaker claimed that that Church had
preserved, more than any other the , forms ana
denominations were formed by men, who, at
the sacrifice of Catholicity, were 80 welded to
one idea or set of ideas, that they went out
| from under the protecting Rgis of the Church
| in order that they might worship according to
their own notions. Thus. the Puritans being
illiberal, could not sacrifice their Calvinistic
| icity of the Church and had gone ont of it and
formed separate sect.
Again. the Methodists, for other reasons, had
left the Church. and so on through the whole
calendar of religious beliefs. The union meet
ings that had been held in different sections,
and the frequent interchange of pulpits by
mlnlSLerS OF OlucreHU ucnOm1uatlOIlb, Ac- iO-
garded healthy sign, as showing. that men
of truly Christian spirit were beginning to
think and to accept in oil their fullness the
glorious truths of Christianity, which had the
effect of bringing all denominations together,
and would, the speaker hoped, at last unite
them in one grand Church of Christ. The
Protestant Episcopal Church offered nucleus
for the establishment of such Church, for in
its doctrines could be found something which
would suit the peculiar views OF every Chris
tian.
The conservation services proper commenced
at the conclusion of the sermon. DIR. Beckwlth
walked forward to the door of the chancel,
where he was met by Bishop Wilmer, OF Ala,
| bama, and Atkinson, of North Carolina, and
presented to the presiding Bishop Greene, OF
Mississippi and the associate bishops, who, in
answer to the salutation of presentation, In
qnired to the testimonials Of the candidate
for office of bishop. :
Next the litany was chanted by Bishop Young,
of Florida, and responses by the choir and con
gregation. The bishop elect, in u clear, calm
voice, rccited his pledge, and he was then eY-
amined according to the rules of the Church,
by Bishop Greene. The Ieai Creator was next
choir, after which the ceremony OF "lmposltlon
of Hands was performed. The/bishop elect
received the bishops gown and surpllce, ana
knelt mt the door of the chnncel, while each OF
the five bishops placed a hand upon his head,
and Bishop Young pronounced benediction
upon him.. The>ceremony ended, he walked
forward and took his place among the BISHOPS e p
clothed in>the full majesty and dignity OF the
high and holy office. The choir next performed
1 the following anthem: .
[/Sofo-How beautiful are the feet of them that
4 preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad
titlings of good things.-Romans, X ID.
Chorus-Ther sound is gone out into all
lands, and their words unto the end OF the
world.-Psalms, xix. a. -,
After n pause of IL few minutes, to allow
those who wished to retire at this part OF the
service to go out, the holy communion service
was commenced, and the sacrament OF the
Lords Supper administered. The Sursnm Cor
da, the Sanctus Hymn xciii., with Gloria I'atri
and Gloria IN Ercelsis Gold chant) by the choir
and the benediction concluded the services
Now, it is evident that all those ceremo
f MES have been taken from that Churcl
which the Episcopalians call the Roman
+ Church. and how can man of good sense