Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-04-06


that you can find company for your
soul aud fitting words for your lips
among the treasures Of this book of
common prayer.
In all time Of our tribuiafion in the
hour OF death and in the day Of judy.
meHt in all the time Of our prosperity.
Good Lord, deiiver as.
As consequence of the prayer
book aud its use note -
2. The Episcopal church preserves
a very high grade of dignity, decency,
property and pcrmanence in all her
public Offices
In nearly every newspaper you
may read some funny story based up
on the ignorance or eecontricity or
blasphemous familiarity of some ex.
ter.rorising prayor-maker. All Of
you here present have been at some
time shocked or bored by public de-
votional performances Nothing OF
this sort ever occurs in the Episcopal
church. All things arc done and
spoken decently and in order.
And so, too, of performance and
its accumulating worth Of holy as
sociation,-no transient observer can
adequately value this treasure of birth.
right churchmen.
TO be using to-day the self.same
words that have through the centuries
declared the faith or made known the
prayer Of that mighty multitude, who
being now delivered from the burden
of the flesh, are in joy and felicity -
To be babtised in early infancy, and
never to know a time when we were
not recognized and welcome among
the millions who have entered by the
same door -
To DO confirmed in due time, in u
faith that has sustained a noble army
of coniessors, approving its worth
through prosecutions and prosperities,
a strength TO the tried and a chasten-
ing TO the worldly minded -
TO be married, by an authority be-
fore which kings and peasants bow
alike, asking benediction upon the
covenant that without respect Of per-
sons binds up the same words of duty
the highest and the lowest
To bring our newborn children, as
we were brought, TO begin where we
began, and TO grow up TO fill our
places:
To die in the faith and almost hear
the gospel words soon TO be spoken
over ones own grave, as over the
thousand times ten thousand of them
who have slept in Jesus.
In short,to be adcyoutand consistent
churchman brings man through
aislcs of fragrant association and ac-
companied by long procession ofthe
good, chanting as they march unison
Of piety and hope until they come to
the holy place where shining saints
sing the new song OF the redeemed.
And they sing with them.
Another cycollonoo l note:
3. The Episcopal church furnishes
(to all who need such comfort) the as
surancc Of an organic and unbrokon
unity and succession from Jesus Christ,
through the apostles, by n line Of au.
thentic bishops down to Bishop Hunt.
ington, of this Diocese.
King Henry VIII, and Queen Eliza.
beth with their proclamations and
pariamcnts are so conspicuous and filI
so much space in the merely political
history OF the English church that
many able writers deny that the river
of apostolic succession so damed by
them, could ever get around the dam
aud flow along again pure and uncon
taminated. ] cannot decide this qucs
tion absolutely.
What say is this: The apostolic
succession in the Episcopal church
can 10 traced back so macy hundred
years into the dim past, that It is nc
shame TO any man. 81 believe it "a
extend back to Peter, Paul and John !
and he who verify believes that the
ordaioing or confirming hand of the
bishop of this diocese, is electric with
the spiritual life that proceeds from
Jesus from Galilee, will find il hand
of virtue and worth. He who doubt,
will ind it hand Of form and eerc
mony
Aud so with stopping to decide tht
question whether our bishop is really
a SUCCESSOR of Paul or John, | say
that The Episcopal church affords Sc
much evidence that she has in he
Episopate the true succession, that
il is 10 shame TO any common man L
believe here. And if man believes
in his bishop he will get from him al
the benefit that can come from bishops
Brethren, many needy souls arc no
able TO lay hold upon God one by one
They cannot appreciate Gospe
promise TO themselves, Like job o
old they: If ! had called and he hat
answered me yet would | not believ,
that he had hardened 10 my voice =
viii 10.
Such extreme and exemplary hu
mility asks for and needs churcl
ark and the humble place and priv
lege Of a private passenger. The arl
Of God that shall out .ridet the deluged
| The Church Of Christ, in which ]
found salvation.
say then that the claims Of III
Episcopal Church of Christ, endowe,
with saoraments, absoluiionsand prof
table authority for all practical pur
poses is valid.
! leave historians and ecclesiastic
to their endless words, and assert tina
the poor spirit who seek comfort an
} salvation through the Office of th
Episcopal Church, are as well or !
her as they can be in any church. =
And since many arc profoundly pr,
JUDGED against the church Of Rome,
am happy to point all such TO a sur
welcome in the Episcopal Churcl
with sacraments, successions and al
thority as good as the best
, 4 The Episcopal Church is exec
, lent in her provisions for Christai
, education and pious drill.
Chnrrhes that nvowodlv rccciv