The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-25
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CuUaCH.
Sermon by Rev. j. e. Rankin ON the Dogma
Of Papal Infallibility.

Of Papal Infallibility.
WASHINGTON, July "a, 1870.
EAT the First Congregational church the Rev. E.
Rankin preached q sermon on the following text
''For that day shall not come, except that man Of
sin be revealed, the son Of perdion, who opposeth
and exateth himself above all that Is called God, or
t1at is worshipped, 81 that he, as God,
sitteth In the temple Of God showing himself
that he is God.n This day is this Scripture
fulfilled in our ears. The doctrine of Papal Infalll-
bility, 80 long lowering over the Roman Church and
struggling for existence, actually exercised In the
PRONUNCIATION Of the immaculate conception, is at
last formally published to the world. There Is new
God In the Papal Pantheon. Not content with hav-
ing legislated the Virgin Mary into competition with
the second person OF the Trinity, we have here the
attributes and prerogatves Of the third assigned to
poor, weak shortslghted mortal II is the logical
ELIMINATION or THE INDIGNIrIEs r'''
which the inventions of the Papacy have heaped
upon the very G0dhead. 1t was NOT enough to make
the intercessions OF mere woman Complementary
to Eisenhower liveth TO intercede for those who
come to God by Him." and "Whose Is the only name
given under Heaven among men whereby We must
be saved"-to give her niche, an altar, chapel In
the prOfessed House Of Go0-to invent for her
prayer as counterpart to the Lords prayer-to use
rosary with hundred and fifty aces against fifteen
paJey AoSers-to claim that she shared In the work
OF human redemption, and deserves The tlIles q
s saSa ana n W @ w. M 3 s.s5S Sqa 5 @
the Godhead and give His glory to another. a
similar IndI2nity was IN reserve Tor the third. IL
has been copsunmated A simple mortal, elected
By By Il; t sa g t s5RRs Hae himself assumes
INFALiIBIE IN HIS DECISIONS
undertakes to determine what and how much men
shall believe-to interpret and even set aside tn
declarations OF "holy men OF old, who spoke as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost"-to DO the very
thing against which men are cautioned In REVEAL
n
is an event to be celebrated by all Papa Chrstendoln,
II an event to he measured, Analysed and pondered
ingly convenient way OF .apologizng for the
mistakes and crimes OF INC past history OF
the cnasch and its rulers, out to the tmes here
after thev not to be apoogzed for: they are to
be defended. As Protestants we would gladly have
forgotten such scenes as Milton describes III MS I'M
predatory sonnet
o Lord, avenae Thy slaughtered saints.
We would gladly have turned away forever from
the inhumanitles OF the lnquistion. 1t mas been
fond, deusive hope that Rome had become ashamed
OF her past had felt the impulse OF human progress,
and might yet be redeemed. The doggn2!
hope. It links the present and the f.
ture irretrievaby to the past All the absurdltles
co.. s ond m Of
of saints she now justides ana endorses, slsns
with her sigd manual" set TO her seal at the vatl
say the system has changed has been modernzed,
4 Z MEs1 9aapea ae4fSo6bS' tasea 10
Whole Il is to embrace past PRESENT "a and
ana forecast the future. The highest and most deli
creatures Is to reveal to them the great truths that
relate to their own welfare. This ofce is performed
lures" said the Saviour, "for they they which
TESTIFY OF Me-" The Bible speaks authortaigely and
finally upon al questions Of doctrine and duty ANY
tr-g EyALfS HIMSELF ABOVE GOD Nt
Having made this revelation and cautioned his
he has constituted the third person In the Trinity It's
eternal interpreter-"He shall take OF nine and
sSn Il paq 10 Hs s dny a1ss
up hls eyes to the hills. The. Papal priesthood, of
which the Pope Is the elimination casts this shadow
OF imperfect, falble, sinful man, upon the human
spirit. Yearnlng to commune with God is On o.
structOn, blaspbemy. IL is SAID that
PROTE5rANrISM Is NO BELIEF.
There could not be Il greater mistake. We take
Gods Word as supreme authority and His Spirit as
the only authoritative interpreter. We believe thus
has put tne Pope, and planting ourselves here, we
deny what His Word does not teach-namelv that
there are seven sacraments the doctrine Of transub
sanitation the propitary TO sacrifice the mass the
merit OF good works. penance, purgatory, interces-
sion Of saints, efficacy OF prayer for the dead. But
we believe In all That the Bible teaches-ln the pro-
ptiary TO sacrifice, once for all OF the Lord Jesus
Christ III repentance and salvation Of faith, the
Lords Supper and baptism. and in the everything
ntercessiOns of the Lord Jesus Christ. We protest
against adding to or taking from the Holy Scrip
lures; we protest against the assumption that any
aGix the meaning or the Scriptures or to decree
what is essential To salvation. 'But what care Pro-
testants what new dogmas the Council "a, at RI Rome
terests Of the human races The sylla US OF subjects
laid before tile Council clearly indicates that its
grand design was 10 put the
CHECK OF PAPAL AUTHORITY UPON INDEPENDENT
THINKING.
I admit the frequent abuses that spring from free-
dom OF thought. Luther Judged for himself, and
hence the Reformation. Other men Judge for them
selves and deny the divinity OF Christ the eternity
OF, t1 ,ln,tf rp.a1
other country but ours could President Lincoln have
S Ssys preferential body suarSi frOSssaa ;
Christ's presence and power among them proves
that theirs are, true churches. They are
linked directly 10 him. Against Papal infallibilily
they urge the errors and dsagreemenis OF Popes and
councils, from lib rius to Plus TX. But are not
Protesants guilty q the same INCONSISTENCY, against
they not claim to be infallibe in their standards Of
iaith and Christian offices Not at all. They point
author; but they leave every man to determine
whether he VIII adopt this standard. This ao-
counts for the great variety Of sects holding
the way of SALVATION they all agree while within the
Romlsh Church there are hundreds and thousands
depending upon Its last offices. and to be buried ac-
des. 1rejoice in this proclamation. 1t will be the
occasion for such men as Father Hyacinthe TO come
from Rev. Theodore Monod, says, Gle is ready. 4
new Church viii BE- formed. The material onl y
uWalCS INC spurk." IL lB concurrence
that this Europeani war has broken out pre-
clsely at the time when this. Council Is in
session, and that the thunders Of the cannon mingle
with the Illuminating words Of the
Vatican. II may be that the Pope Will be driven as
an exile to America before this struggle Ii over. All
analoges teach as that this Is 10 be the great battle
field OF the nations do not doubt that there nave
been many and eminent Christians In the Papal
Church. l see here and there Fenelon and Faber
but the rest much of 1t, Is desoae waste or super
stitlon and spiritual degradation. There Is no hope
for her whole but in intellectual and spiritual
revolution. II will come. Let come, and may the
proclamation OF this dogma hasten 1t.
rE,ETNAI rnNrRk a. TNnIAI Cnun en-