The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23

In the prayer following the application Of
water in baptism is said to be mystical
washing away of sin" and not q real, as the
ritualsts declare. And in another prayer in
the same ceremony the Holy Spirit is asked
to be given to the child, that it may be born
again, 80 that the non-r egenerating influences
of water in baptism are both implied and de-
clared. And furthermore. as infants cannot
understand the nature of the ceremony nor its
consequences, proxies or god-parents make
the promises for it and receive the cody admo-
nitions of the bishop or presbyter. But who
ever heard of regeneration by proxy9 After
the child has been baptized the minister
declares that ''this child being now regene-
rate and grated into the body of CArist's
Church" the congregation ought to give
thanks to God. In the Catechism OF the
Church the second and fourth ques-
tions positively declare that baptism or
the application of water to the person
in the sacrament is an outward sign of some
thing invisible or yet to come. But the true
motive and active spring of ritualism is JUS
ti6ation by works and not by faith in Jesus
Christ, as we have before pointed out in these
columns. Aud this is maintained by them,
too, in contravention of the Articles Of Reli-
gion, XII and XIV. of which ascribe our justif
cation, and hence our regeneration, to
Christ and the efficacy of His spirit upon our
hearts, albeit Article XVII. declares that
baptism sis a sign of regeneration, or the new
t~;.&1,v o;,1u ho tod
of infants who have no knowledge either of
good or evil, and, consequently, no power to
choose the one or reject the other, which
knowledge and act are necessary to consti-
.tute moral guilt or the contrary. And yet,
for the rejection of the word regeneration In
the Book of Common Prayer, and the I'M
scriptural doctrine based upon it by ritual
lists, the Rev. Mr.. Cheney has been ecclesias-
itically ostracizad. According to our reading
of the Bible and the Prayer Book he is right,
and his aocusers and oppressors are wrong.
OF the doctrine of transubstantiation, or the
literal conversion of bread and wine in the
Lords Supper, into the body and blood Of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Book of Common
Prayer, as well as the Bible, is silent, save
where it speaks In condemnation. Article
XIV. of the Articles of Religion declares that
the sacraments ordained by Christ are not
only badges or tokens Of Christian mems pro-
fession, but they ara also sure witnesses an d
'effectual signs of grace and of Gods good will
toward us; that the sacraments were not
ordained to be gazed upon or carried about,
H,,,k 10 To Al, IL
which relates especially to the Lords Supper,
declares that characterization in that sacra-
ment cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is
contrary to the plain words of Scripture and
to the nature of sacrament. The body of
Christ, it further adds, is given, taken and
eaten only after heavenly and spiritual man.
ner by faith, and it (the sacrament) was not
by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about,
lifted up or worshipped. The beautiful COM
munion service Of the Church is also opposed
to the ritualists' idea of transubstantiation and
alteration, and an explanatory foot note in the
English prayer books, while recommending
that the Lords Supper be received kneeling,
yet, lest this attitude should by any possibility
be misconstrued and dspraved, it is declared
THAT thereby no alteration is intended, or
ought to be done, either unto the sacramental
bread or wine there bodily received or unto
any corporal presence of Christ's natural ssh
and blood for the sacramental bread and wine
remain still in their very natural substances,
and the natural body and blood of our Saviour
Christ are in heaven, and not here; it being
H. IzIx 20 r.,
at one time In more places than one." Article
Nv. of the Thirty-nine Articles substantially
asserts the same thing, Notwithstanding which
the ritualsts teach and practice the contrary
and prosecute those who oppose them.
The next doctrinal point in dispute is the
assumed 10y the ritualists) gift Of the Holy
Ghost TO the bishops by the imp osition of
hands, and the consequent right and power to
absolve the people from their sins. This right
is not declared in the Prayer Book to belong to
deacons or elders, but 1t is acknowledged in
the conservation of bishops, and it is assumed
by the ritualistio presbyters for themselves.
We read in the Acts of the Apostles of O
certain Simon, sorcerer, who tried to
purchase that power by the imposition
of hands from the Apostles, but, after re-
ceiving sharp rebuke from st. Peter, he
was glad to ask their and Gods forgiveness.
There is in the incident an important lesson for
ritualists. The Holy Ghost is declared in the
Bible and in the Prayer Book to be the gift of
God, aud not to be purchased with money The
power of abso!u.ion goes along with this and
this, again, necessitates a confessional. 1t il
against these false doctrines and unscriptural
assumptions which have appeared in the Pro-
testant Episcopal Church within the past few
years that the evangelical or Low Church"
party protest and fight. Aud, as Mr.. Tying
very pertinently said in his sermon last Sun