Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-05-20
.Transubstnntiat -
TIE PRIMITIVE CHURCH.

Mr.. EditOT Circumstances beyond my
control have delayed until now refer
ence to points on which I am DESTROYS of
receiving "more light" from your CORES
pendent, signing himself "a CATHoIIc,"
who was so much interested as to volun-
teer an answer to a few questions which
Iput to another correspondent, writing
over the signature of "a CATHOLIC
CuURCHMAN." | will not say he has
betrayed in undue eagerness to partici-
pate in the pleasure of explaining and IL
Illustrating 1.-The faith..once delivered to the
saints" a. he understands that faith. l
will NOT say | am surprised that as ''de-
vout christian his Jealous anxiety" was
naturally excited'by the questions which
arrested his attention; but | will say that
I shall be disappointed If he gracefully
bows himself ont of the columns of the
HERALD before full, fair, and critical
TX animation is bad of the points i'll ques
ton, involving. as they do, matters of
more concern TO the people at large, than
10 any particular associate and organized
body of protesting Christians.
~ CATHOLIC says "the common con-
sent of Christian people is his authority
for calling the Lords Supper "sacra-
ment - and az giving this common con-
cent, he refers to Methodists, Presbyteri-
uu-, Papists and Protestant Epi-copalians,
and he might have added Baptists, as
most of their modern writers on the com
1uuuion question speak of the ''sacramen-
tai emhlems Experimental communion"
&c
But does this settle the question ? l
think not.
Uunless common consent is infal-
lible, men have right t. inquire into the
propriety of what is consented to and in
the exercise of this right, Melancthon,
at the opening Of the Reformation in the
10Th century, doubted the propriety Of
making use of the word sacrament" The
Quakers never had any doubt about it !;
they rejected both the idea and the name
of "a ,rament. And there is reason to be-
lieve that in no age has the use of the
term gone unchallenged. Theologians of
respectable standing, writing at late
day, have not hesitated to take the
ground that the term sacrament is not ju-
diciously chosen" 1t would have been
better either not to introduce into syste-
matte theology the term sacrament, which
is used in so many senses land does not
once occur in Holy Writ, or to use it in
the free and indefinite manner of the
earlier churches"
Used in SD many senses p What does
" common consent amount to unless it
is agreed in giving to the word sacra-
ment one and the same sense " The
Methodist Book of Discipline" uses it in
the sense which it defines SO does the
Presbyterian Confession of Faith" so
does The Romish Greed of Pope Plus
w." as drawn up by the Council OF
Trent but they all differ either as to the
signi6cation or application of the term,
or as to the utility and necessity of parti.
cipating in the ceremonies they call ga
craments. ,eu "a
A." common CONSENT where one of the
great parties to it can hurl curses upon
other great parties to ii who disagree
with its dogmas, have but little weight a.
an authority.
shall be obliged to "a Catholic" if b,
will give his views and authorities OF
these points
L. The etymslogy Of the word sacra
ment, comprehending its signi6oation ant
use in its native language