The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-12-01
Bishop Becker Answers the SIanders of
Protestant Bishop.
DISCOURSE WORTH READ.NG 80
fKESEEvTNG.
lRcrnb,Ished by snscial /

lRepubiishcd by special request
One OF the most widely received principles c
COMMON jostice demands that no one should b,
condemned without a fair hearing, and equal
~ as obvious is the principle tn at the testt
mony of an enemy 10 hardly ever free from bia,
atising possibly in many cases almost unwit
tirg'y, yetsore to present itself when COCA.
sion oders. On this account We find ourselves
obliged to repel what we know to be calumnies
| against that Church Of which we are however
unworthy Of the dignity, Bishop and pastor.
In sermon, or discourse delivered last Sun
dey by the Protestant Episcopal Bishop Of
Delaware, Rt. Rev. Alfred Lee, Bishop of the
Anglican Church, we were pained to read the
following words:
Then, when we come to those who profess
| to be the followers of the Lord Jeaus Christ
our attention is, In the first place, arrested BY
| that immense body which owes allegiance 10
the RomaA Pontift; body which comprehepd ds
perhaps nearly one half of the nominal Chris.
tisn world. Now would not say o word to
hurt the feelings of sincere follower Of
The Romtsh faith, yet in speaking of the
subject from this point Of view, cannot but
| characterize the Chnrch of Rome as o eoul-
crushing and soul-blight!ng despotism, as
something which substitutes for the filth of
the Lord Jesus Christ q spurious and unchris.
t!an faith; paganism, ostensibly IN the name
OF Christ, with the Virgin Mother, saints eId
angels SO bst itutrd in His place, with COZ ,ience
denied its IiEhtfol place in the breast, because
men aFs t55 d-tiud thB gudIUCe OF thCTr CON
sciences. / will not dwell at this time nDy
further upon the peculiar features aud charCc- |
tef's'icS of the Roman delueion, but call your
attention to those Oriental chCrchCR which to |
greater or less degree Involved in mach |
OF igaorauce and superstitiGp, but whiCh, un-
like the Church OF Rome, have never declared
themselves tnfallible, which have never taken |
up position ont of which they cannot rt ttek
and have never Rnatht u 4tiz ID all those WHO
differ with them"
In advance, however, of taking irs1e with
each and every assertion or proposition herein
Elade against the "Roman Cturch," we beg to
be understood as distinctly Gvowing the fact
thbt no personal feelings are herein evolved,
on the contrary "As much as in us lies " sh
to live at peace with all men," (ROmaus, xii.
80 While We willingly accord TO our veper-
able opponent that regard for bis sincefity
which he grants us, yet We are by 10 mearS
lo6th to
RKPEL ASSERTION By ARGUMENT,
ignorance by knowledge and falsehood by
truta. The first charge made against the Ro-
man Church by Bishop Lee, is Il cannot bat
the Church tf Rome as a soul-
order to repei this attack, let as reason some
what on the principles at stake; and the con-
sequences flowing from such false premises, ,
and to commence; no one denies that Jesus
Christ founded Church, a body of follow ,
BIS known for the first time at Antioch, by the
name Of Christians, (Aots, II. 20,) but who q
7
His apostles. We hear all those who now call =
he mselves Christians speaking fteq uently and :
With great respect of the Church. Now, that :
Church which Jesus Christ funded for the
Aviation Of mankind must necessarily have O 7
ontinuous history; must be able to show her ,
er erpetu8l, visible unity q permanent body Il
iom the present time going back through the q
enturies to the time Of such alleged foundA- v
ion.
Bot the only Church which can sand this p
est Historically is oopfessedly the Roman II
hurch. Therefore she is the Church of Christ. y
hat Church VIII ch can Historically provo her G,
osseEsion of the name of Catholic from the .,
arliest period OF the recitation OF the Apostles
reed, is the Church of Christ. Bot the Ro- o.
ian Church has not only from the time Of st. ~
erome and st. Augustine the posse ssion of y
lis title (of which they boasted as full proof p
apostolic origip) bat from the earliest time. "
herefore she Is the Church of Christ. That ),
hurch which for the space ofsxteen centuries a sI
as confessedly the real and true possessor Of i "
ornaments and jurisdiction, faith and Authori. ~
:, must necessarily be the Church Of Christ. 70 70
ut the Roman Catholic Church was the pos S Sl
ssor of juTi diction, legitimate sAcrRments tS
ID true orders for sixteen centuries, even by CI
e confession or admission Of cur adVeTsaries. ~ ~
lerefore she is the va
CHURCH FOUNDED ny JESUS CHRIST. M,
Now, the Ch hurch having the title which can co
1t be refused her, the Mother Church Of de
ing OEe, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, is the ly
oman Church. She cannot be, she could not nj
como q despotism. Consider briefly that no -
10 who believes the Scriptures OF the New lei
,stament can deny that Jesus ChriBt founded tn
corporation OF men whom lie called apostles. ev
dy Of men, twelve in number, having dis be-
lct names, and uoh Of their nAtarai incli- on
tioDs is pictured to ne In Holy Witt. To Onei prC