The New York herald., 1869-06-07
RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, June 9, 1859.
An unusually large gathering including President
Grant, Senator Cole, Congressman Lanin and many
digntarles OF the government was attracted to the
Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal church to-day by
an announcement that DR.. ]. P. Newman would
preach against the Popes laIe encyclica letter re-
gardlng the Ecumenical Council. Indeed, there was
scarcely standing room in the church. After tho
chanting Of some hymns by the choir and congrega-
tion and the delivery OF long PRAYER by the PASTOR
during which he invoked Divine Providence Tor at
least five minutes to grant mental and physical
vigor to President Grant, DR.. Newman proceeded
to his discourse about the Pope, which was made up
OF an argument about the true foundation of
Christianity and the infalnbillty Of the Roman
Catholic Church. His text waS:-"rnOu art Peter,
and upon this rock will build my Church, and the
gates OF he'll shall not prevail against it.n He
planned the different interpretations given to these
words and eudeavored TO show tnat the one adopted
by the Catholic Church could not be right These
words ala not mean that the Church should be
founded upon Peter, but upon Petra or the Rock or
Faith. which our Saviour himself and not a
fable human being like simon Barionah. Peter,
he contended was not in fact the mead OF the
writings to be, If not his superors, at least his
equals. James was Bishop OF Jerusalem before
Peter was Bishop n OF Rome, and seemed
Peter was poor and weak wrller, while James.
John and Luxe were men OF the mo brilliant intel
lect and able writer's Peter appeared to have been
a coward, a dissembler and liar according to the
sacred writings, and the true Church, therefore,
could not have been founded , y Christ upon such
prove that the primacy OF Peter and the miability
or the Church or OF the Pope was contended for
until four hunored or eight hundred years after the
death Of Christ; and so 1t was with every other ar
tice Of faith OF the Catholic Church These articles
Peter had been lnfalllDe why mad he denied
Christi Why had ne tried to persuade our,
not AnS 10 Sw %Sy himself that " Ss P
occasion, had Christ said to Peter Get thee behind
me, satan!" i, then, Peter, according to Christ.
was no better than Satan, then II the Popes were
Peters 1t followed logically that all the
Popes since Peters time were no better than devils.
daughter among the congregationl DR.. Newman
spent some time explaining the Hebraic mean
Ing OF the words kris" "bnd and loose" ana
other words relied upon by Catholics as their au-
thority for pardoning sins earth, and then pro-
ceeded TO pay his respects to the Popes encyclical
invitation OF the Pope, and hoped that the Protest.
ant foundation or faith which was the Bible with
out note or comment, would continue to spread its
the whole world. The Popes late proclamation OF
penary indulgence he spoke OF as ike that OF Of
the Popes of the sixteenth century who offered full
pardon for any offence, past or luture Tor certain
sum OF money. This the Pope did he said, to fill his
treasury. which had been emptled by the extrava-
gance of his court. The present Pope, he declared
like o sovereign beggar seeking aims at every
little cottage. He was begging now Tor funds to
support the Ecumenlcai Council, and mad obtained
already four millions from the Catholics OF Europe.
He expected as much from the Catholics OF this
country, and last sunday had obtained three thou
sand dollars from the poor people OF this city. II
he the preacherl could have his way he would
tear from the head OF the Pope his triple TARA strip
him OF his temporal power and send hiin with Bible
III mis- hand al through Italy to preach to the Door
deluded Catholics. He would take from the cardl-
mails their magnificent costumes, break up the
monasteries and converts, marry the monks and
nuns and place Bible. without note or comment
in the hands OF every Catholic In the universe At
this part OF The sermon OF the congregation cried
out, IN a loud voice, Amen and was seconded by
several other members. He tine preacher) was no
bigot. IT. tomorrow, he could by WORD destroy
the great Catholic Church ne would not do 80. Many
OF its teachings were sublime. IL came TO the pre-
sent period venerable IN years. IL tile most
ancient Church In the universe, and now was the
depository OF the faith OF millions. No; he wold
not destroy that old Church. but ne would reform IT,
purify ana elaborate IL.