The New York herald., 1869-09-05
THE WAR OF TIE THEOLOG,ANs.

The Ecnmenicni Council-Tbe Catholic Faith
Changeablc.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
My antagonist tod you In last Sundays issue that
intended to reply to his 'logc' of the 18TH in my
letter OF the 22d, but can assure him that intend
ed no such thing; for the reason that die not con-
slider his ogic" he is pleased TO call IT, even in
geniously devised sophistry. Where there is no
pument there can be contradiction. / merely
noticed his letter as q pretext for setting
forth few plain truths through the widely
extended columns Of the HERALD, which are not
generally known to the great mass OF deluded
Romanists. | did not think, however, he would SO
easily betray his weakness by having recourse to 30
garng fasehood in asserting that my letter Of the
22d was mere 'relteration" Of my former one; but
upon this point well as his charge Of 'bombast"
will not say one word but will leave 1t to every in
tegent reader TO decide Subterfuge by quoting
the names OF multitude OF authors to prove q
dogma OF his Church. which Ii to no purpose what
ever, as the great majority OF the most iustrOus
men whom he mentions have not only failed to sus-
tain the doctrines OF the Romish Church, but the
contrary, have most emphatically condemned them !;
but he might have far better quoted the names Of
such men as Pythagoras, Copernicus, Plato, Cato,
Virgil and Homer with other heather poets and
philosophers, establish mauy of the false notions
Martyr, I.actanus, Chrysostom, Athanaslus,
! Ambrose &c. The audacity OF his asser-
! ton that those early fathers incucated tue
| notion Of "A purgaIOrY Is only equaied by
his declaration that tue scriptures support the same.
Now the whole tenor Of the Bible, from beginning TO
end teaches thaI this world IL exclusively the only
place OF probation. The Bible speaking OF the state OF
the departed says ho that ~ lthy let him be iilthy
stl and lie that ls holy let him be holy stIll'Reve-
! latlons Xxn.. H. Purcatory is also condemned by
Matthew XIV, 40; Luke XVI. 22-26, KILL, AZ:
Isaiah xxXviiI Is: Eccesiastes lX., g. O; Romans,
I v | > : ia n. L..
3: VIII, %: iX I42T: 10: First John, l., = Reve-
iaons, XIV, -. He has referred me TO books eyi.
| dently written by ciergyInen or his Church ana
! cnes the names oil the authors from whom they
quote. ! would inform Inn hat have read the
works OF the most eminent OF tOose authors and fnl
mat they haty contrddict that winch he declares
! ihey uphold see Archbishop usher's works
Against Romansm" lie said he w0ud not "cite
hiaay quoiations from Scripture IN supportn OF the
doctrine Of purgat0ry: the reason Is obvious iie
pfoeeeds, however to qnoie a lew vague and unin
telligibe extracts without their context, which
| prove nothing they being wholly irrelevant to the
SUBJECT of purgatOIy.
Ia tracing the history of purgatory ike othel
prominent and peculiar ceremonies OF the ROmlsi
Chutch, we hha " imported from the ragans. W.
discover II many cenurles before the birth o
Christ on the pages oi Homer, plato and Virgil. W.
discover me heatheh hctOn refer TO odyssey, lio
~, and Virgil, llb. q, where the former, th
GHOSTS Elpener uiter their sOrr0ws, and In the latte
Polinurus uttcrs his, aud where the ceremonies
to relieve tnel as described by those great poets
are remarkably similar 10 those the Catholics use'
, To relieve Tie Roman ghosts IN the improved mode
OF purgat0ry. This Pagan Hcion OF purgatory va
unknown to tne true chnrcn IN the lrst five cen
| turies aud the man is moi at all read In geuuln
history who WIZ risk hs reputation tn anirmlng tn
| contrary. AT the end OF the sixth century and q
| soon az Pope Gregory was known TO favOr this Will
| Pagan fiction, every monks cell began TO teen
wlth Visions al separations and miracles, q
deslgneu 10 give q aiyne sanction to Ia
. | tze II as q Christian reality 'Ihe flames Of Eth
ana Of ycsuyius," says Archbishop Wake In hi
"Discourse on PurgatOry." were Thought 10 be kiT
| died to torment sonis somc were seen in vision
broing on erldlrons' others roasting on spts. som