The daily gazette., 1878-11-04
SECOND EDITION
CATHOLIC vs. PROTESTANT.
REPLY OF BISHOP BECKER TO BISHOP
LEES CHARGES AGAINST THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH.

CATHOLIC CHURCA.
On Sunday, October 9th during a
sermon the Ri. Rev. Bishop Lee, charged
the Catholic Church, as being despotic,
and soul blighting, also being idolatrous.
The charges being learned of by the
Ri. Rev. Bishop Becker, OF the catholic
Church, he gave notice that he would
reply to them, yesterday afternoon.
Accordingly long before The hour ap-
pointed, 3 clock, the vicinity of st.
Peters Church was crowded with per-
sons Of all denominations eager TO, gain
admi tauce bat the Bishop had stated
that he desired that proJestants should
be admitted first, aud his desires were
compiled with as near as possible.
AT 2.30 O'Clock the church was crowd
ed with an eager congi CATION who pa
tiently awaited the coming of the Bisl
op. AT 3 O'Clock precisely he appear
ed, and read his address, or reply to the
charges that had been made. The res
ply was well written and showed that
Bishop Becker, was thoroughly versed
| IN his subject. and had given the matter
deep thought.
He commenced by saying that no one
should be condemned without fair
hearing, and tue testimony of an enemy
is hart:ly ever free from bias, and there
! f0le we find ourselves obliged to repel
that which we know to be calumDy, act
ing in the capacity OF Bishop and pastor.
Iu sermon delivered by the Rev.
Alfred ID. Lee, Bishop of the Anglican
Church, he charges the Catholic Church
with being despotic and soul blghting,
also that It is ruled and governed by the
pope, a Roman Pontiii. The Bishop then
read an extract from the report aud said
these are the words we presume to be
| correctly reported. The gauntlet was
with the whole world.
We now come to those who profess
| to pe followers of the Lord Jesus Christ
Our attention ia the hrst place is Gale d
| to that immense body which is under
the guidance of the Roman Pontiff; a
body which comprises nearly one halt of
the christian world.
The first charge made against the
Roman church by Bishop Lee is 81
cannot but characterize the Church of
Rome, as a soul crushing and soul blight
| ing despotism." In order to repel the
attack, let us reason somewhat in this
wise No one denies that Jesus Christ
founded church or body of TO lowers,
who were first known at Antioch, Chris
tians, but who were in reality the disci-
| Piles of our Lord Jesus Christ. The
church which was founded by Jesus
Christ for the benefit of mankind must
have continuous history from the time
ofits foundation to the present time.
She must be able to show her perpetual
visible unity as a permanent body from
the present time, going back through
centuries to the time of such alleged
foundation. The only church Oh the
earth to-day that can show such con-
tinous history is the Roman Church,
and therefore she must be the church
of Christ. That church which for the
past sixteen centuries has been the only
real possessor of Sacraments and juris-
J diction, faith and authority must neces-
sarily be the Church of Christ. The
Roman Catholic Church has had all
these, and she must therefore be the
/ Church founded by Jesus Christ, and
being so she cannot be soul blighting
despotism.
Jesus Christ founded body or cor
poraLion of men, whom he called apostles.
We know who they were, where they
came from and what became of them.
They were visible body of men, twelve
in number, having distinct names, and
much of their natural inclinations is
pictured to us in Holy Writ. To one
of these, S mon, son of Iona, He made
the promise when lie first saw him =
"Tbou shalt be called rock" Notice
the tact that the Lord used the future
tense. "Thou shalt be called Cephas"
/ which is interpreted Peter, that is rock.
The Lord FOR the space of three years
taught this body OF men, in his own
school, performing miracles to prove his
Divinity teaching them his doctrines !;
maniesting his authority.
! There were body of men taught for
the purpose Of continuing His work.
Let us take any corporation, cannot 1t
show its credentials at any given time,
its workings, in fact continuous historv
from the time of its first iucorpora-
tiun, although the fist members of
it NAV be dead. Take for instance the
first Board of Trustees Ct this Church
though now dead we can tell either one
by one who they were, and what they
did, but we can and do eXer else their
authority their authority never oies,
therefore the Catholic Church can never
ule, SDe is Tue uOuy mysJlC VI Jesus
Chris. "who is YESTERDAY, to-day and
forever, and 50 will she remain always as
she has pleged her.elfto do so.
This church has an undying principal
embodied in her; she is a government
given TO the world by Jesus Christ for its
salvation. She is not government
which rules by the secular sword. but a
power which rules men by the Holy
Ghost. Where then is the despotism
Her priests are chosen from among the
poor and when deemed fit are ordained
by the Bishop. Her Bishops are chosen
fronf among her priests, and the success
sors of st. Pc er are elected by Cardinals
chosen for that purpose. Where theI
can be the despotism? ~.
. Does the Catholic church compel 9
man to believe in her doctrines? Doesi
compel him to partake of her sacramentsi
Where then is the soul blighting despot
ism? Only he that believes undonbting
" in every article of her creed is, admit
ted. Should any of her members, lay o.
cleric, cease to believe in her doctrines
or doubt the truth of them, he is cut ol
: from the church by his own acts, an,
, cannot nartake of her benefits" until Ii