The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-01-26

LENT.-The paragraph in our paper
yesterday morning, in reference to
Lent, was clipped from one of our ex-
changes, rs its phraseolOgy indicated.
That mistake was made in ascribing
the directions to be observed as ena-
mating from Bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, is made evident by
the following communication which wo
cheerfully place before our readers:
Editors Intcliigcuccr:
Your issue OF this morning contains
some directions upon the subject OF
fasting" which are attributed through
mistake TO Protestant Episcopal
Bishop. ] recognize at ance the usual
document put forth on that subject
yearly, by the Bishops OF the Church
OF Rome, and should feel obliged by
your making the correction.
The error Is probably due to the fact
that both Churches set apart certain
days AS fast days, that they set apart
the same number, that they do so at the
same time of the year, and give to the
period the same name. so that, how
ever absurd, the mistake Is not perhaps
entirely unnatural in persons whose
duties have not led them TO know either
Church well, or the gulf of distinction
between them. Among all the follow
erS of our Lord there is, as you are
aware, much similarity in terms, be-
hind which there is frequently
very great dissimilarity III doc
trine. The language of the Apostles
Creed receives universal assent; but the
doctrine as to the ''Nirgin Mary" as to
the "Holy Catholic Church." and upon
the subject OF the forgiveness of
sins" held in the first three centuries,
aud by the Reformed Churches. is wide
ly remote from those unhappy aCcre-
lions of belief which characterized the
interval. The words of the Greed re-
manned the same; but dOImas about
them were in the meantime issued,
which the PrOtestants think to be trace
able without difficulty TO the reflex in
tluence upon her OF the Paganism
which the church labored to convert,
and 10 that ambition of power which
the possession eff power naturally pro-
duces; as, certainly, the definition" OF
these doctrines, IN successive dates
proves that, like that of the "Immacu-
late Conception" defined Il few years
ago there was time when they were
not.
Inthe same manner "LenL" has been
retained in The usages OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church, but between the doc
tribes OF the Two churches upon the
subject, there is, first, the perVadlng
difference of the systems, that OF merit
claimed for religious acts on the one
hand, and OF no merit claimed upon
the Observation-Disclosures by works, and
Justification by Falkland further,
what is more to the purpose of this com
munication, the important distinction,
that we do dot, alter the manner of
Rome, legislate Hs TO details. Meat,
fish, hogs lard and butter are not with
US subjects of church enactment. Fast
ing is commanded among us, because
Christ commanded it. MAT. 6: lG, is;
Mark 2: Is, 20), because the Apostles
practiced 1t (Acts xiii, 2, 8, and xiv, 2,
81; and because St. Paul enjOined it.
Il Cor. vii, 81, but no iDjunctiOns are
given i'll this church as To the mode OF
fasting, because none such are contain.
ed in the New Testament, which fur
nlshes general principles of worship,
rather than trivial maxims. Our posi-
ton hardly needs such support, yet, if
it did, II may be added that neither in
doctrine nor in practice do we differ in
this matter from the other leading Re-
formed Churches-nOt in d ctrine. See,
xxi, 5, and the larger Presbyterian
ed among those required in the Second
Commandment, and is enforced in
common with the others. Not in prac-
tice; tor these Churches-l mean the
older ofthem,-like ourselves, set apart
days for the purpose, and the biOgra-
phles of their more eminent men re-
cord how faithfully these days have
been observed.
1 am, dear sir,
Yours truly,
January % go G, GEO, CUKRIE,