Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-12-04


citizens;
The Approaching General Council al
Rome.
LETTER FROM DR. MEHLE AUBIGNE
TO THE
HON. ARTHUR KINNAIRD, M. P,
With reference TO the Ecumsnicdi Council at
Rome
GENEVA, May 10, 1859.
MY DEAR Mr.. KrNNA1RD-I wrote to you
some time ago about the Ecumenical Confer
ence which IT was proposed 10 hold at
Geneva on the occasion of the General Council
at Rome.
A question presented itself-Should It be
held before or after the General CouncilH
Some thought and some friends at Geneva
were among the nunIber-that 1t should be
AFTER as it is then only that we shall know
what the Council will have done, and what
can be said in reply. Our resolution Is not to
hold our Conference this year.
But is there nothing to be done before the
Council is held at Rome' Shall we say moth
ing when Rome calls us7 Do you not think
1t would be well TO have a consultation about
It in London while so many of your earnest
men are assembled there for the May meet
ingsP The subject is of great Importance.
No General Council of the Romish Church
has been held since that of Trent in the six
teenth century. On this occasion the Pope
has invited Pretestants to return to the bosom
of the Church Of which he is the head
The present crisis, which agitates more or
less all christendom, renders it important that
there should be now great manifestation of
Evangelical principles: for the doctrines thus
established are precisely those which are at
tackled by Ritualism Rationalism, and other
erroneous systems.
The work of the Reformation was arrested
in the second half of the sixteenth century 1t
is time that we should take It up and the
invitation which the Pope has addressed to us
furnishes a suitable occasion.
This manifestation of Evangelical principles,
to be useful should be made in every town,
even every village, where there is Christian life
would to God that it were everywhere!
But what should be the aim of these meet
ingsP The great doctrines of the Holy Scrip
ture should be affirmed, and the urgent neces-
sity of carrying on the work Of the Reforma-
ton should be pressed upon the Christian
public Is IT not time that the men of earnest
ness, sincerity, and noble character, now in the
: Church of Rome. should abandon a religion
of cxteriors, of forms, and rites, to receive that
which is spirit and Life?"
Gunbt 1Vp moi 10 fr,.f tn ,,olyn
lies understand that the difference between
them and us is this: that they cling to n rcli-
gion which addresses itself to the Imagination
or intellect, the essence of which is submission
to the Church, to the commandments Of men
a dead form; while we ask them to receive a
perfect and free salvation by grace to find @
living Christ-that "kingdom of God whEeh is
righteousness and peace and joy h4 rlie Holy
Ghostr
These are the questions TO be opened up
but il must be done without pride, without
bitterness, without violence it must be done
in love. When VIC consider the millions o
Roman Catholics who have been baptized in
the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost but, hindered by the vail of super
stition, human tradition, and creature media.
ton, do not know do not possess Christ, oln
feelings should he those of sorrow, not anger
and we should bcseech them, by the meekness
and gentleness Of Christ, to come to Him in
simple faith
The Council at Rome will commence on the
9Th of December, the anniversary of the pro-
mitigation of the doctrine of the Immaculate
Conception. What is to be done at this pc
riod9 win II be permitted to me to express
my thoughts, which l submit entirely to your
wisdom and to that of the brethren assembled
in London?
Would it not be well that, in every place
where there may be certain number of pious
and intelligent Christians. this day should be
devoted to Conferences TO which orthodox
Christians of different denominations should
be invitedP Would it not be well that prayers
should arise, not only in these Conferences
but in family worship and public services, to
entreat the only Head of the Church, Jesus
Christ, for the illumination and eternal saliva
ton of those who me placed under the Papal
yoke?
In these times Roman Catholics and Free
thinkers shew great boldness: shall we, the
Evangelical Christians, be the only towards 7
1t appears TO me that the proposition OF
such manifestation of Evangelical principles
in Christian parishes would come much better
from London than from n Continental town,
which does not possess the influence of your
great capital, the metropolis of Evangelical
Christendom. ...
May the great Head Of the Church Himself
direct your resolutions and give great bless
ing on every effort made for His glory
Believe me. my dear sir,
Yours most truly,
MEKLE D'AUBIGNE.
Resolution thereon, agreed to t4th July, 1859.