Daily Republican., 1878-11-18
For the Republican.
D1sls~p Deekesss l<eesuse.

8ooo~p Bee ekeg'n 1<eeeure.
| MgssRs. EDrToRs being, as trust.
sincere inquirer after truth, was
pleased to learn that Bishop Becker
would eonfute Bishop Lees assertion
that "Roman Catholicism Is a soul.
crushing hespotism," and accordingly
| attended the lecture at st. Peters
Church. in hopes OF being religiously ed.
flied and profted, but instead was
amazed at the amount Of mere assump.
tion, and want OF argum.nl exhibited
by Bishop Becker. hope II is not dis
courteous to say that il the lecture Is a
fair specimen OF the learning ard logic
OF the good Bishop, 1t is difficult to see
why the Roman Church has pnt him in
his present responsible position. To be
sure, thu task Of defending the pre-.
sumptions Of Romanism Is beset with
insrperable difficulties, but that is a
matter Of moment only to those who
champion 80 weak "A cause. The home
ly but pregnant observation Of Don
Qnixote, VIA" You eannot make a
silk purse out of sow's ear" Ia IN
point, and may serve to break the fall
Of the Bishop: but even ont Of such
poor materials much better argument
than Bishop Becker's should have been
constructed.
Indeed, any one familiar with Kir-
wan, VS.. Bishop Hughes, will 81. at
rlanc. how Lame and impotent'' in
eompari o. Is the deliverance u tie
Bishop of Wilmington. In. order that
the public may know the worth Of the
latters reasoning, let us throw some Of
his assertions into syllogistic form. The
Bishop maintains that Mary Ia the
mother Of God. lfso, we reason thus
Mary is the mother Of God. But
hiother is, Of necessity, older than her
offspring. Therefore Mary Is older than
God. II will not do for the Bishop to
call me an infdel--request mo to use
faith instead Of reason, and receive
the authority of the church." in the
face Of common sense nor refer me TO
the mystery Of the "eterbal Sonship,"
AZ that of the hnman and divin.--in a.
much AS the Scriptures, which clearly
reveal these great truths, nowhere, in
the remotest degree, conntensnce the
vulgar notion that 'God was Of wo.
man born. (Read Goth Psa.) The
Bishops admission that Mary was only
the mother of Christ's hu:nan nature
is plain declaration that Mary is not
tn. mother of,tipd, as che Ia the mother
Of but one nature, and IL requires the
] L. l. l.
W ise God. -
The same defect in the Bishops To-
gle Is seen in other positions assumet
a. for example, the bread and wine"
of the sacrament are the real flesh
and blood of Christ e., the flesh
and blood of God. But the scriptures
affirm that "God is spirit" There.
fore he has no flesh and blood to eat. II
is vain for the Bishop to reply: That a
miracle OF transu bstantiation Is sr0ugl!t
by the prayer of conservation, since If
the Pope, his cardinals, Bishops and
Priests in every land should pray ovsr
thread and wine for thou
sand years, il would bs material
and not spirtual-in the end, aud 1t Is
utterly absurd to talk about eating a
spirit: yet as "God Is spirit this
would have to be done in order to ''eat
! His flesh and drink His blood - In
short, the effort of the church OF Rome
TO interpret passages of scripture pure
| W Hquratire in literal manner, il the
occasion not only OF amending trouble,
but of reproach and shame to the cause
of pure religion"
Now, having given the Bishopa re-
spectful hint of the trouble h. has in.
volved me in as man Of plain common
sense, Ihope lie will not send me to
pureatory, but like man, aelp me out
Of it. Should he not do so 'what il
/ Bishop worth" MORE ANON.