The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-10-29

name she gives herself, or BY some Of the |
names with which some other nembers call
her.~ In fact Ills hard to tell whether abe |
IL herself or somebody else. And what
confuses matters more, IL the fact that some \
of her members, in this country and in
Europe, are borrowing, without asking her
permission. many Of the rites and cere-
monies and not few Of the beliefs Of the
Roman Catholic church while others OF
her members, as lately, two Bishops In
England and not . few ministers in this |
country, are harmonixing, as If there were
NO essential differences between them, with
Presbyterian and Methodist churches. And
yet both these classes Of ministers and1
those they minister to, though they, each,
follow practices at variance with those Of
their church, though they, each, teach
tenets contradicting one another, still
claim to be members Of the one same Epis-
copal church land that church recognizes
both their membership and their minister
ship.
church are contradictory. IT'S PITY
pity for itself and pity for its members.
When mother has great many children
1t il quite serious thing If they fall to
quarrelllng about her name, for the very
next thing will be . quarrel about her iden-
tity. Now-sad to say,-such is precisely
the difficulty with the Episcopal church ).
and how she can claim as her children
those who call themselves by names differ
emit from that which she claims as her own,
is a puzzle to US. For if the identity Of the
mother be doubtful,-the identity of the
children becdmes equally so.
We do not pretend to discuss the question
as to the real name of that church. 1t is
none of our business; though we have our
opinion on the subject, and feel, besides,
sincere sympathy for those children who
do not know the real name of their own
dear mother.
Their churches present the same difficult
ty. Ithas never been our pleasure to enter
an Episcopal church, save once. But, If
what We hear DO true, the churches are far
from having family -resemblance. Some
look like Roman Catholic churches. They
have altars, candlesticks, crucifixes, pic
lures, and other appurtenances essentially
Roman Catholic.
Others look like Presbyterian or Metho-
dist churches, without all these, and pre-
senting to the gaze of the worshipers
nothing more mysterious or symbolic than
the preachers desk. In some churches
looking awkwardly out Of place aud as if
it were ashamed Of itself, there is found a
Confessional. And in other churches OF
the same Church is heard awful denuncia-
ton of that poor Confessional.
So the contradiction of name extends to
contradiction in ceremonies and practice a.
we'll as to the more serious contradiction in
faith. And all these contradictions consti-
tute the one Episcopal church and this ID
; the strangest contradiction of all for in
logic contradictions are destructive of one
another their net result is-Nothing =
while, here, contradictions are CONF truct.
ive,-and their net result is Gods greatest
Thipg,-a Church. Logic, from the Epis
copal standpoint, needs reconstruction,-ol
their church does.
However, in the extract preceding thil
article we find the cause Of all these con
tradictions. We find it to certainty. L
is not a matter of guess work. The Bishops
of that church have answered it;-and W,
take them as gentlemen at their word. B,
their declaration, they officially declare
that they do not declare anything NOR
, serious than their "opinion." This decla
! ration is made for "the quieting of con
l sciences." T"-y claim it as their right ant
3 accept it IA their duty to "quiet the con
s sciences" of their church members AN,
, they do it hs declaring-an "opinion.
a Gentlemen are you of "opinion" tina
your "opinion" will quiet consciences. 1
l.. you are of such an "opinion," We are o
: "opinion that your mere " opinion" will
= diequiet consciences all the more.
0 You declare your "opinion." In wha
s and how is your "opinion," better tina,
q any one else'sf You claim Apostolic sue
t cession. Do Jou claim Apostolic authority
t II you do, why not teach, govern, rule a
Q they did, Did they give the faithful onl,