The New York herald., 1872-12-08


the views propounded by your different CORE
spondents. Perceiving that you DO not limit the
use OF your columns to persons of any one faith
Sect am led TO ask for room to correct some OF
the views ana theories offered by your cores
pondent Of last week who styles himself an "Ameri
can Convert to Cathocity." Catholicism p BY
the word Catholic the writer obviously means
Roman Catholic, and must begin by protesting
Though myself no Pr0testanp against calling the
Roman sect Catholic. Being myself a convert to
CatholicIty' object most strenuousy to such
method OF begging the whole question as 1t stands
between the Roman See on the one hand and the
Anglican Greek and American churches the
other.
Your correspondent seems to trace his
con (s) version to seeing the name OF the Holy
Mother OF God in some missal or breviary given as
| the "Biessed Virgin" f this absurd test OF Cath
oicity is TO be applied the "cOnvert" may perhaps
be led to retrace his wandering steps by inspecting
| the Kaienders OF the Anglican American
will find the words "Puridcation OF the Blessed
| Virgin" "Annunciation OF the Blessed Virgin"
| without occupying space by following your
| correspondent into the various misconceptions
which naturally result from his adoption Of the
| cardinal error that the Roman communion is the
Catholic Church will venture, in response to
"Conyert's invitation, to offer few brief and con-
rss reason ''a' that "" GOD 'H has given give him can @
hereafter become pervert to Romanism. My first
objection to such astep IS that, to join the Roman
| Catholics, an American must leave the Catholic
| Church and JOIN foreign sect Now, the Catholic
Church in the United States Is the American
Church, known In law as the Protestant Episcopal
Church, and commonly called the Episcopal Church.
This is clearly proyable. for the Catholic Church
has branches In all Christian countries, that In
England being the Anglican; that in Russia the
Russian; that IN Greece the Greek; that here the
but Butts separated @ from It by the political cnaages Of
the American Revolution To become member
of the Roman sect, then-lor in this country it Is
an intruding sect-one must leave the Catholic
Church Of the United States, the only canontcally
apostolic body here, and join missionary organ
ization, for that is the acknowledged Roman status
in this section, under the authority or succession
of bishops the first of whom was notOrOusy ille-
gally cOnsecrated, In open defiance OF the can0ns
! of the Catholic Church.
My second reason against becoming Roman
Catholic Is, that the said Roman sect is heretical,
"Papal lnfanibllty." This dogma is false on Its
very face being in direct opposition to the de-
| Catholic Church, by which Pope Honerius was again
and again mathematical and proclaimed here
TIC Nor y THIS the only neresy to be
or two ago. The immaculate Conception OF the
Blessed Virgin" IS another in direct contradiction
OF the nallible Scriptures and the writings OF the
MY third reason is, that Romanism is an unrepub-
lican, illiberal, supersttlous system. What
ls., iass Fapsl % syllabus and approve @ its Il
OF Church and State, &C., &cs It's words
are only valuable as showing how ignorant a
pious, well-meaning. but deuded old Bishop may
be of the science OF government and the scope of
ecclesiastical authority. No. we may, perhaps, not
blame those who, educated in Romanism from in
fancy. still cling to its errors; for child can be
taught, II we only begin early enough, that the
moon is made OF green cheese, or that 1t has been
vert Vert " win hardly bring men Of mature judgment
to accept teaching which cOntradicts history, sci
ence, nay. common sense itself, and which would
bid him yield one OF the divine attributes to fee
BILE old man. The best proof we can desire that
Christ has fulfilled His promise never to desert His
Church lies in the fact that the entire Creek Ang
can and American branches of that Church have
refused to accept the late hereical decree OF the
Vatican Council AN AMERICAN CATHOLIC.
Science and ReligiOn-The Duty of the
Clergy.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HISsALD:-
trust the subject-matter OF this letter may be
OF sufficient value to compensate for the space 1t
may occupy IN your valuable paper. 1t is one OF
the blessings OF science that 1t has provided for the
people free and enlightened newspapers And it
is to the credit Of the HERALD, that it endeav0rs
always to be found in the foremost ranks of prog
ress and reform. Developments startling and pro-
found are re ewarding the efforts OF those who
diligently searching into the chaos OF the unknown
who are endeavoring to bring to light the hidden
things of darkness. enter reverently upon the
subJect-.'Science and Religion" trust may not
be misunderstood, ana If good results from
the PRONUNCIATION OF my ideas, that at
least they may not be attended with evil
results | am delighted to know that men
are becoming more and more enlightened day by
day; the dark clouds OF bigotry and superstition
are here and there being broken by the bright sun
OF truth, and inteects hitherto obscured by the
darkness Of supersttiOus reverence catching
glimpses Of the pure sky that lies beyond. An
earnest, thoughtful heroic class Of thinkers are
hf,,lIy "A
with what the human heart so longs for and ad-
vancng civilization demands-simple truth. From
land land and from pole to pole the cry is to be
heard, "Give us facts.n Men with little minds and
undeveoped brains may ask, ''What is the use Of
changing our old beliefs ? Religion has enough
good In 1t to satisfy the soul, enough truth in
it to answer the practical demands OF our
spiritual nature. Why then bother ourselves
with that which only tends to unsettle our
convictions and to destroy our present hopes ~
Now does not this appear very selfish
manner of treating vital question: If all
errors were met with this spirit where would re-
form exist? 1t is very hard to change our con-
victons, our ideal hopes; very hard indeed to
pull down our high places and to break in pieces
the idols OF our fancy. But II these convictions
are wrong, II these hopes are vain, If these idols
are worthless, Is it not best that we should know
1t, and Knowing 1t to strive after that which Is tan
ElDle, 10 investigate 'WHdJ Is tTuLuF'
The Jews are blamed and called unbeievers
dogs, prosecutors by the Christian world just be-
cause they don't see things as Christians do. In
reference to Mahommedans the same feelings ex-
ist. All outsiders enjoy the pleasing prospect Of
risking damnaion because they are settled in con-
victions that have been formed by different
and strengthened by different results from those
OF Christianity. 1t appears to me that the
relations existing between science and
gion exactly opposite to what they
should be- This is the result Of misunder-
standing more than anything else. To the truly
scientific mind religion presents many attractive
and natural features; to the religious mind
science suggests many noble claims and lofty aspi-
rations Why, then, should discOrd exist, where
cordance is desiredY What grander sight can be
desired than to see science and religion marching
on hand in hand in the noble work OF regenera-
ton and Improvement Why 1t is not lies in
1 the interference OF .'bgotry and superstitionn y
Science does not scofr at religion, does not seek to
destroy it, 1t desires to purify 1t of all that Is dross
TO cleanse IL from its secret faults, to ennobe its
character and to enable 1t to perform It's duty in