The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1870-10-09


after the fall .0k thu 1iSst yipG3e0Q -
believed ~ ~ imcs ave bee1 s0ie *
the main eausSs 81 tho great success at
tending ohe g Catholic revival !" In the
Established ChRTch. Daring the war mon
who did troubled themselves little how the
service was performed. We are strongly
inclined to believe that should the present
terrible war last for some years (of winch,
please God, we heartily hope there is little
dapger), we should hear very little OF Ritu-
alism. For our part we believe that it is
doing great good. by calling the attention
of Protestants to religious questions, ana
Uy Introducing among them on SO many
points an imitation of Catholic practices
and Catholic teaching as to lessen existing
prejudice, and bring many persons; 3not-in-
deed to the Church THAT cannot be expect
ed from Protestants), but near enough to,
1t to feel its attractions. We fully admit,
that whether a convert becomes q priest or
not, he will most assurcdly find plenty of
crosses and rubs, many of them great, but
many more small and vexatious. And If
there either now is, or ever has been, an
Anglican who has been SO childish as to
leave the Anglican communion because he
meets with such vexations in 1t, the sooner
heNgets rid of 80 silly fancy the better.
A very large proportion of the clerical
converts are men holding an independent
position, employed in. work which they
thoroughly like, exercising a wide infiu,
ence and deeply loved and respected, and
who, being married men, know that 1T Is
simply impossible that they should become
priests. Nay, in very many cases (here we
are thinking of men who, because they are
| living, we will not nancy they are enjoying
secure and comfortable income, aud we'll
know, that by becoming Catholics they
| shall mt once reduce themselves to poverty, 4,
perhaps to literal want of food. The
strange thing is that while such cases as
these are common, Anglican writers, ana
none more surely than Rituaists, always
take for granted that the men (and women
too) who becom0 converts with the GER
tainty OF enduring all these sufferings, are
actuated by such silly motives as the Churc.
Rerie,U describes. Are Enslishmen and
Englishwomen in other calhngs ana other
ways of life commonly found to throw
their means of living and supporting the! !
families from foolish caprices such as these
Why Should we not believe such persons
when they tell us that their one only rea-
son for becoming Catholics was that they
came, very reluctantly, t" the coneiasto, i. I,
that whatever might be the case with
others in the Anglican communion, they at
least could not save their souls, becau sc
God had been pleased to open their eyes
i to see that its Sacraments were null and
void, and itself both schismatical and here
tical. This cOnvictiUn, If man really )
, holds it, would account for the step they
have taken. They assure us that 1t was then
one only motive for taking it. They are
even ready to say that they would not adj
wise any one to leave the communion il
. which he was born unless by Gods grace
he sees it as they see it. Is it not strang.
that when they say tl4s other people shoult
reply, 4" No; we know more of your motives
than you. You did not leave tue Anglican
communion because you thought that, bu
!. only because you found in it annoyance:
and vexations,' from Which you fanclet
that you should be exempt in the Roman
Church" Well, we own we do not think
it strange; because we invariably and thai
the people who make this answer are mel
who, if they consistently followed out thei
,, own principles, would themselves come tt
the same conclusion, and who, when they
accuse the converts of acting on motives
, not only childish but sinful, are really
, making an apology for themselves for fol
= lowing their example. Every, one bu
) themselves sees plainly enough that if thei
principles are true the Anglican establish
f ment is no safe place for man whose frs
object is to save his soul.