The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-17


prejudicial effect on the uueducated,
may have answered them, but it does
not follow therefore it was ever under
the slightest shadow of doubt. Now
Jet me show you ST. Peter was in
Rome, though entirely outside the
points L called you to account for, and
therefore / need not, nay should not,
in well conducted discussion, touch
on. But the Rev. Gentleman has
touched on-merely touched on--so
many subjects thaT ii would take
volumes to follow him and do justice
to each subject. In this mode of pro-
cedure he shows his utter want of
philosophical training of mind, and
lack of the first principles of an honest
and learned discussionist. For the en-
lightenment of the public, however,
! shall give few proofs as to whether
st. Peter was ever in Rome. Moth
ing can be more incontestable in
history than that st. Peter was the
founder and first Bishop of the See
of Rome. In this the cOncurring
testimony of all ancient Christian
writers, down from st. Jgnatus, his
disciple, is unanimous, Eusebius, The
parent of church history, st. jerome,
and the old Roman Calendar, pub
lished by Bucherius, say that st.
Peter held the See of Rome twenty
five years, though often absent upon
his Apostolic functions in other
coutries, where lie visited the faithful,
"lilSe unto a general who makes his
rounds" says st. John Chrysostom,
''to see If all things are everywhere in
good order" Eusebius and Rufinus
assure us at is not TO be doubted but
he preached the gospel over all Italy"
1t was from Rome that st. Peter
wrote his two epi3tles TO the converts
he had made during the seven years
that he was bishop Of Antioch. He
indeed calls that city Babylon, as st.
John does in the Apocalypse, because
| Rome was then the chief scat both OF
the Empire and of Pagan idOlatry,
as formerly Babylon had been, but as
Babylon in Chaldea was at that time
nothing but heap Of ashes, the best
Interpreters by "Babylonn under
stand heatheniBh Rome, It was also
from this city that st. Peter sent his
disciple, St Mark-the Evangelist. to
| found the great church OF Alexandria,
the Capital Of Egypt, then second in
| the world, with several other
churches in Libya and pentapoIis,
| Origen (in "Euscbn hist. ece!., III.
u and Tertuliiam de praescript haer ,
c. 36) say that he, together with ST.
| Paul, fell victim to the persecution
OF Nero at Rome "a. D. 81 or G8) and
was crucitied on the Vatican Hill, in
the Jewish quarter of the city, with
his head downward, as tradition says,
at his own request, not deeming him
self worthy to die as did his divine
MASTER 'and," says the American
cyc!Opedia mo early writer discred-
its the tradition" DO you now know
Mr.. Gillette, that st. Peter was first
Pope and was in Rome? DO not for
get to tell your audience in your next
sermon that you falsified when you
said the Papal Power commenced in
606 and inyour communication to the
Democrat wherein you deny st
Peter was ever Pope, or in Rome
Justice demands you should do so, you
know you are u caluminator and |
have proved yOu to be such, and, un-
less such retract and do penunce "they
shall never see Godn says st. Paul.
! The Rev. Preachers ailusiOn to the
singular spectacle the honest fisher
man would present living i'll one OF
the most magnificent palaces in the
world and being carried on the
shoulders of four men into the most
magnificent church in the world to
bless the people, holding two fingers
in sign Ofbenedictionn is too much OF
the billings-gute style Of reasoning tC
notice. But, readers, observe the
display OF history made in that child
lsh statement. He speaks of the
palace Of the vatican, and st. Peters
church in Rome, rs though built and
completed i'll the days OF lhe fisher
man--SSt. Peter" Were it not that |
think there are some in RidgWay
who might possibly believe your as.
sertions, Mr.. Gillette, (but ! hope fol
the sake of Intelligence there are
nono) and wishing TO enlighten The
public on some OF the many subjects
you misrepresent, l should no NOR,
notice what you would say then, anC
consider it of as little importanc, a,
the utterances of the insane. [ hay,
never found you stating truth yet
even i'll facts self evidently so.
must, ere ] close this paper, dissec
one more of the false assertions of tn,
Rev Preacher, and that is the saying
he ascribes to, and fathers on. Lafay
ette. that, 'It ever the liberties of thc
United states be destroyed, it will bt
by Romish priests" Some years age
this question was fixed, and proved t.
be false, i'll discussion between Pro
fessor Morse and the late Bishol
Spalding, of happy memory, whicl
was extensively published in tht
newspapers at the time, many
of them, conducted by protestants a
| tha R7ItaIO Dejn0crucu and ,So1JfI