The New York herald., 1873-12-31
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF TIE EARLY
CENTURIES,

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Your correspondent who processes to be mem
ber OF the 'Holy Catholic Church, wishes TO know
III it makes any branch OF our holy Church any
purer have it return TO or adopt those religious
continents which prevailed during The fourth and
9th centuresn answer by pointing to the fruit
OF those two centuries for the Church gathered in
those times most rich harvest, In Catholic doc
trine, In consecrated life and in all good works.
The fourth and fifth centuries reject the glory of
such names as Athanasius, Chrysostom, Ambr ose,
Augustine. Jerome Basil and many others. who
lived such lives OF devotion and earnestness as but
few in this nineteenth even dream Of II was In
the fourth century that the Church set forth the
Nicene creed, and the same century little later
gave US our glorious"Te Deum.r The Lambeth Synod
in England few years ago solemnly professed its
adherence TO the first four general councils, all OF
which took place in the fourth and fifth centuries.
i think have said enough to show that nearer
approach TO the faith and practice OF the fourth
and fifth centuries would not be as detrimental to
churchmen of the present day as your correspond
have seen plant apparently almost lfeiess,
stripped OF every leaf and destitute OF all beauty
or usefulness but the vitality remained, and
under favorable circumstances and according TO
the laws ofits gr0wtht sent forth leaf and bud, and
blossom, until at last Ii stands before US beautiful
and fragrant, having fulfilled the end for which 1t
was created. Sucn is somewhat the case with the
Anglican Church. At the time OF the Reformation,
when prejudice was hot and violent and devotion
and humility were little thought OF or sought her
beautiful garments were torn away from her. her
daily sacrifice taken away, and she seemed almost
like dead branch. SO cold and torpid was she, and
so few and meagre were the fruits OF holiness
which she brought forth. But no. the life remained
within her, even the life OF Him who said, 'The
gates ofhell shall not prevail against herr and men
wonder as they see her sending forth the evidences
OF that life in increasing devotion, higher stand
ard OF spiritual life, frequent sacraments and rev.
erentIa and elaborate ritual where IT may be had !;
ior God claims the worship both OF soul and body,
and IL Is only BY outward act that we can express
what Ia In the heart; and whether mans out
ward reverence be sincere or not Is not Tor us 10
Judge, for God truly knoweth the heart, and 1t Is
out OF the abundance OF the heart that lie would
have US give to Him.
There Is a good deal OF talk about the honesty OF
those who hold advanced opinions remaining In
the Church, and not only are they hinted TO, but
are invited boldly TO leave and 70 go where they
belong, and then they are told that place is the
Roman Catholic Church. Now, the Church where
we belong Is the Church which we most firmly
believe In and perhaps we should not be as honest
as Bishop Cummns and his associates II we left
our Church for the Romish Church, with Its infal-
BILE Pope, its indulQences and mariolitry, In
which we do not belleye.
For him who at the font gives thanks that the
'scnild is regenerate,u and then declares In the
pulpit that he believes In such thing who prays
at the altar that he may be "partaker OF His most
blessed body and blood,n and afterwards says that
he does not believe the Lords body and blood are
the power OF absoui0n, and declares to his people
every time ne reads service that "God hath given
power and commandment to His ministers to de-
clare and pronounce TO His people, being pentent :,
the absolutfon and remission Of their stns,v and
yet believes and teaches that the priesthood and
the abeolvinR power are Romish corruptions--for
him to remain IN Church whose teaching Is 80
sIstent as the recent Alliance" the first fruits Of
which were the foundation Of q new sect. For ue,
We rema,p where We belong CAyHoLlC.