New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-07
DOCTRINE AND RITUAL.

DOCTRINE AND RITUAL.
BY ne Ker Hugh MNler Thompson.
The Church of God is trustee for the
Christian faith She is not it's author. She has received
from its author under His appointment. and deals
with il solely administrator. This faith is also
complete in itself 1t is not process OF being per-
fected is not thing that grows or develops In her
hands, An inspired apostle, angel from Heaven is
not to be received preaching sDyother than the old
Gospel, the faith for all delivered tolhe saints.
This principle OF truseeshp, that the Gospel Is de
pos-that which is committed o. Timothy, to thy trust
and that the Church is the recipient OF this deposit
Protestant Liberalism equally. The Gospel Is the ever
lasting Gospel, something from the hand Of God and
like all Gods works, complete, perfect, flushed But
faith IL matter OF dogma 1t Is something which can
be stated in precise propositions and moreover those
of authority do not say they are unreasonable be
Reasonable Tue But they do not stand upon
deductions from reasonng,sfor their acceptance.
@ are H@ heea H and Is tHcrcuey be-
lievable they received. We say: believe In God
the Father Amghy maker Oh heaven anu
have reasoned out even that first utterance OF the
because it is commonly thought to be the simple
and easily deducibe from reason of them all And yet
authority that even that proposition little scien
tc deduction that our best science affords no hint In
it's favor. indeed, seems rather to contradict It.
am far from accepting such science myself only
speak OF what that first dogma of the Faith Is
Tie Faith then Is matter OF dogma doctrine. IL is
thing be taught authority and the Church is he
dvineIy appointed authority to teach It, She is forever
ITS witness and keeper, the pillar and ground OF the
TRUTH herself in her existence her saeramens and wor
ship the perpetual testimony before the OF all men
the Faith she teaches. And in tins too we IND an
argument or Illustration OF bne ma. hs aSe ber
She here therefore the Gospel true Her existence
witness to dogma younger than herself The existence
OF the Church. her history her hturgles her worship
arena her testimony ItO the incarnation life. death,
resurrection and ascension OF the LORD lnese iacts
But on the other hand the dogma of the Immaculate
Conception Blessed Virgin or that Of the Personal
ence AT all Her whole history is inexplainabe, con-
sistent without Indeed, that history conradicts
based upon them martyrs die for them no apostles
preached them when declaring the whole no, counsel Of
therefore the Churchs existence Is no testimony for
But this fl xed and completed dogma with which the
Church sinrusted aud winch she is 10 guard and teach
all the world and for al time is Entrusted win aus
and teaching and speaking OF that truth must Do accord
ing to the Cnurchs wisdom IN the changes OF Times ana
ramac But the necessity OF the case required 1t to be
very early nodded into Grecian expression It MAD
speech. 1t early told IN Etmopic phrases, ana
indeed before many years had TO nnd expression IN me
nayian, and German. Tue drapery which clothed the
dogma would be as various as the fashions OF anman
element underneath Under all forms and disgnises OF
tbe ontwaId guise must be hat would be required by
the exigencies OF the Churchs work
In This fact of the differences Decessitated at once by
language we the law of the fixed and the variant
which barmonizes the faith with all Gods works in
nature Everywhere there is change, and everywhere
there is fxedness beneath the change there Is the
play OF circumstance the yielding to force and yet the
more variable the sea 1t is the very name for
caprice unrest changefulness Aud yet nothing 50
grim gray sea and the wrinkle evershfting sands Of
lis shore Whoever has the Lords Prayer printed
in ba hundred different languages the uncOuh let
ters and the strange sylabes, from Russian to NAH
rata from sanscrit to Chippewa has seen parable OF
the changeess faith in the changing forms-these
strange letters syllabes, babel Of bewiderment.
utter familiar Our Father IN the language Oh the
angels and in the ears OF God
For the method of making known the Faith Of bring
ing 1t to bear on men, was left and IN the nature Of
things have been left to the wisdom OF the Church
in every age. Her duty clearly pointed The
manner and method Of its doing must be left largely to
her own discretion. Hence comes the distinction so ad-
mirabiy laid down IN the preface TO the American
Prayerbook between doctrine and discipline, and the
plain and principle that whatever does not belong
to one must be OF other The nterchangng thing
the doctrine the Faith itself, the Dogma tue divine
trust and deposit The rest, ritual Worship ceremonial
method of administration are all Of the discipline, all
changeable all in the discretion Of the Church. accord
ing 10 the various exigencies of times and occasions
Speaking TO churchmen shall not enter Into argu-
ment to prove that the upchanging and utterly un-
bishops patarchs or popes have no authority s frst
the Faith set forth in the Catholic Greed secondly,
the Sacraments and, thirdly, the Divine constitution
of the Church herself All these are OF the deposition
of the Lords making and not mans Human hands
cannot NEEDLE with them. Beyond these believe all
other things-matters which the Prayer Book Preface
caIls Dscipne, method and the manner or prOpO-
eating defending, teaching and spreading tese-are In
tine absolute OF the living Church. and absolutely
committed to her discretion.
With these preminaries understood II Ia easy for
IN sfate what consider the limits Of legislation doc
tIine and ritual. 40 -
uphold aud defend the Faith Indeed, every priest and
bishop makes OATH in immemora phrase and fashion, to
do as much In HIM lies, TO Danish and drive away all
erroneous and strange doctrine. Church that could
rrecton Forgiveness Of SINS the Divinity and Per-
sonaity OF the Holy Spirit any such like doctrine
would commit high treason TO God aud She must
leglslate terms OF Implying sternDess against
ANY denial OF these verlties. Hesitation here
is untruth 70 her existence No
popular cry, no camor Of the mob, ignorant intel
gent must hold her back from guarding. as with
sword of fame the citadel Of Divine Truth. These
Jewels the mines of heaven these splendors from
the eternal forests OF light and fire, are intrusted to
her. penalty of the last awful woe TO guard for men
given. In that high duty Gods Church Is an armed
champion, helmer sworder and the sword always
drawn, aud is dyed both sides, and she knows
hattery and no pity In Its terrible use.
BY all legislation necessary, precise unmistakabie.
hold must hedge round her trust. IL Is the ARK OF
the Covenant. No rash hand must touch II. Neither
deacon priest bishop can be allowed to rife
with the grant divine. Every door OF unreverent
proach must be barred. and from the highest seat OF
office or the authoritative OF learning Catholic
church will fopple down the whose lips faer In
the OF the mighty words that have changed
The world, the souls OF men.
And here let say that now especially In our own
time and land, this duty which may seem TO some
the unamiabe and harsh VI duties, - more than
nlAt and