The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-22
ANOTHER CHURCH DEPARTURE.
4 Protestant Episcopal Clergyman Goes Over
to the Roman Catholic Church.

His Church and Announces His Adoption
&ths Roman Catholic Faith-Asympa-
thising Congregation and an Affec-
tionate and Touching Parting.
The Rev. John D. Bradley, q graduate q oxford
Universlty England, where he Obtained the degree
OF Doctor Of Divinity, and who has o1iciated as
pastor OF the Protestant Episcopal church-"Oratory
Of St sacrament'-west Forty-third street, between
Ninth and Tenth avenues, made pubic recanta-
ZION OF the Protestant faith In farewell sermon to
ms late congregation yesterday morning. The con-
Rregation was quite unprepared for this avOwal OF
change Of faith, and 1t was received with tears Dy
many OF those who heard IL The congregation
desired Mr.. Bradley to reconsider his determination.
and expressed to him their great sympathy and
affection. Mr.. Bradley 10 n young man. about thirty
years OF age, with fine intellectual appearance,
with pleasing and captivating manners.
The congregation has been distinguished for It's
extremely riyuaiistic character. The church 10
ntted after the manner Of catholic ohapels-with
altar, candles. candeabras cruclhx and sacred pic
lures suspended on the walls. The rubrlc OF the
Protestant Episcopal Prayer Book has been OBJ
served, but has been always interpreted In the
spirit Of the Catholic Church. ana has been treated
closely after the formula Of the latter was
sistent with the ONCE OF priest under Protestant
Episcopacy.
While the change of faith might have been ex-
pected, from all this Its announcement yesterday
was received with great surprise on the part OF
majority OF MIR. Bradley's congregation.
THE SERMON.
"Now Peter and upon this rock win build my
CHURCH, and the gates Of hell shall not prevail
against IT,"
MY DEAREST BRETUREN-I stand up here before
you this morning to address you for the last time as
pastor Of the Anglican or Protestant Episcopal
Church. And since 1t would be an unmanly thing
for me TO turn my back on you, whom nave loved
10 sincerely, and who. know, have returned my
love with equal sincerity, without some parting
words Of explanation ana good WIN, have
forced upon myself the sad task. trusting TO Divine
grace to carry me through with It. And my breth-.
rem, throw myself upon gour generosity, inasmuch
a. have had hardly any time TO prepare the word.
Ing OF this address. and the little time have had
has been distracted with pains In the head as well
as pains in the heart. You know we have all loved
our Anglican Church very dearly-none more so
than have done. It contains in It 30 mucn that
oommends itself to our religious and natural In
s1ncts While moreover, we have always regarded 1t
o. branch, and that very pure one Of the holy
Catholic Church. we nave thought that its faith was
the latin OF the Church in every age, and that the
called Reformation was reformation not OF faith
but Of mere matters OF ecclesiastical disciplne-as
Tor example, the appeal TO Rome communion In one
kind, ceiibacy OF the clergy services said in dead
language ana such like matiers-but that the faith
remained the ancient faith, whole and unde1led as
had once for all been delivered 10 the saints. We
have been faithfully conscious that Church was
IN asylum for many and congenial spirits, the chill.
dron Of many generations Of Protestants and Puri-
tans, whom the Church was too weak to cast out
OF her pale, while she was too indifferent to insist
upon their dutlful submission In her PALE We nave
also been equally conscious that our bishops fail
very far short OF. what ideal Catholic bishop
ought 70 be. Thcy truckle to public opinion and
are the sieves rather than the lords OF their
wealthy clergy and influential laty: But
We have always believed that Coo the
Holy Ghost 10 overrucd the united action
that however diverse their sentiments might be
- private doctors or thcologians stlll God would
episcopatc or a Church. on this matter nc appealed
with confidence 70 the past and the future. decar.
should have proved itself an heresy we have not
closed our eyes the fact that the Anglican Church
STATE OF scnIsx o
that is, that oil intercommunion y sus-
Gent Roman n'' and NC Greek ' communions. But
We have thought her attitude justihable
a Ct anS s sqS
We would have been willing as body TO submit TO
We svs pr
ourselves personally culpable. Roman Catholics
and orthodox Easterns have warned Us that our
faith, and we have as confidently retorted, Thine
VA, prove" Ny brethren time has, has proved: Above
Of our order and the patent TACT that our Church. 10
Der liturgy articles and rituals undoubtedly taught
bread and wine On now rudely the mask has
been torn from our eyes The bishops Of this So
for solemn council, under the guidance OF the Holy
Ghost. They inaugurate their proceedings with the
ceebration-0i tho most divine eucharist This, at
e anS
sure on the stately procession; we listen with
beating heart 20 the ancient chant; we look with
bishop is consecrating the blessed sacrament; we
think We hear 9,, the grand Sa
bread the precious BODY Of our LORD and God and .
saviour Jesus Christ, and this chalice the precious
q S prd aSs eaOS
ascending and tue PROSTATE, adoring multitude Of
The sna ana we H s"s tine avn
The service Is over, the blessing pronounced, ard
'''''p'' VT, FULL na' or coNsRcRArEp BREAD
and chalices OF consecrated wine are laughing and
talking. and eating and drinking while the body
and confusion such is the Inauguration Of the SO.
called Catholic Synod The proceedings are on q
10 nothing less than SUICIDAL and lragicaL This
synod turns out to be an Episcopal attack on the
Supper 81 ns ne Be are sxDanea
away In order to take to the Episcopal embrace,
uOt CatnOlcS VINO are alreaoy sunlclently scandal
1ed al our ecclesiastical attitude but herecs, who
deny all those truths which distinguish Anglican
ism from other forms Of Professionalism. The bish.
ops. with That wonderful official serImportance so
inmate ~ Anglican prelates, presume TO define what
the CATHOLIC Church means or rather does not
mean, by the terms regeneration IN baptism. They
declare That baptism does effect q moral
change. Now OF course The wort 'mora," as ap.
Piled 10 The eject OF baptism. was unknown
70 the Fathers OF Trent. and by charitable bubble
tie denial III the strciest sense Of moral change
may be allowed to be not distinctly heretical. But
aasi we know Tor whose relief those words were
uttered at all Men VINO deny baptisma regeneru.
zion, and, certainly, the public In general take the
denial Of moral change TO bc an equivalent to the
denial OF the Catnolc doctrine, which declares in
the words Of the Fathers of Trent, 'By baptism we