Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-03-31
CHRIST THE ONLY HEAD OF
THE CHURCH.
Synopsis of a Sermon Delivered
Yesterday by Rev. Samuel
Steel at North Street Church,
Wheeling.

loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat. xvi, 10.
This is one of several texts quoted in
support of the inf lllibility OF Peer and
then of his so-called successors the
Bishops OF Rome. 1t would occupy too
much time and space to go over the
entire documents containing the reasons
for papal iniallibility anditS definition
by the late Pope Plus IN. | will give
the definition ~ translated by DIR. Rule,
OF London, author of a. History Of the
Inquisition. The definition is, THAT
the Roman Pontif when he
speaks az cdtRsdrG, that is 10 say,
when diScharsing the Office OF pastor
and teacher OF all Christians by his SUI
prcmc Apostolic authority, he defines a
doctrine concerning faith or morals to
be held by the universal church, with
the divine assistance promised To bless
"a Peter, is in possession Of that lnlalll-
bilitv with which the Divine Redeemer
wiiied His church to be furnished when
defining a doctrine Of faith or manners;
and therefore such definitions of the
Roman POntitf, because given by HIM
self and not from the consent OF the
church, are not 10 be reformed or are
irrciormable. Now in this there Is not Il
reference 10 the Holy Spirit, not Il rec
ignition of His office and work. Ii Is
true that there are two references made
10 Him, one on the appointing OF Bishop
and the other that the Holy Spirit is not
not given even 10 the successors ot
Peter % discover new doctrine. !
confess il looks 10 me ike an
effort 10 deity Peter and his so called
successors at tho expense with reyer-
encp We speak III Of the Blessed spirit.
The Pope refers 10 several Councils
where he says this doctrine was iormu-
lated. | have not the means oil verify
ing this statement, but supPoS" 1t Is
true. Yet let us look ut the dates On
which these Councils were held, and We
will see the novelty of the doctrine. The
earliest Council mentioned iSthe Eighth
General Council, which mCtin COnstan-
tinOplp I'm $50. The next in order
OF time is the Second Council
of LYONS, which met in l2I4.
The General Council 0t Florence
81, rne next convened February ., li39;
and the next and last the Vatican tpun-
ell convened December :. 1869. From
these statements Of the Pope, we learn
that no General Council for $50 years
made any reference To this doctrine OF
papal iniallibility. twas, We may safely
saw, unknown To- the Christian Church
uD to that time. aud our friends OF the
Roman Catholic Church must aCknowl-
r,lsr that il took long time 10 develop
and formulate this doctrine. But surely
the Council Oi Trent SAYS something
about this dogma Ii SAYS February /,
l546. wherefore il (tho Council has tie
ridcd % have set forth in the very same
words rs those wherein it il read IN all
churches. the symbol of fact 10 which
the Holy Roman Church uses, aS that
first principal wherein all who profess
the Christian faith necessarily agree,
and the firm and only foundation against
which the gates of hell shall never pre-
vail. which is of this sort, IL believe IN
one God. &C., the Nlccnc creed being
uuntrd i'm iull And earlier still, the
teachings ui the iOur great SynodS ol
ancient chrstcndom, embodied IN the
Roman canon law, SAYS: us the iuul
books of the Holy Gospel 50 | acknOwl
r,ll,, that receive and VCnCratc the TOM
councils, to-wit: the Niccnc, the Con
,tautinopolitan; further, the first al
| Ephesus. AMI alSn Ch1ldclun. ! cmbrac,
| them with entire devotion. | main
| tam them with the fullest approval, be
! cause upon these. - ona squared stone
| this building ui the Holy aIth arises
| and i'm them consists the rule FOR cacI
| mans lie audcouduCt. See C'ntcmpo
| rlrv Rev. for Nov. 1873. PAGE Npi. Now
am not justified 10y their own teach
/ inrs I'M asserting that the doctrine Is
| novel ONE The ancient church knew
| nothing ui IL. Without Scriptures L
sustain IL 20 the ground II must fall. II
| has been forced upon the Roman Cath
/ ollie church bv the JrSuits, who contro
/ the teaching power ot the churcl
| through their organization. LOOK u
Jesus. fellow citizens, and you VIII h'
freed frum this law of >n and death
/ Tn. saviour Himself will free You.
Ietu look at the Scripture they pre-
| sent o. favor their view, Il will give
! thee the KEYS of the Kingdom @
Heaven" The Kingdom OF HEAVIER
mean, the reign of Christ IN the hear
! af man. 10 means the kingdom "i whlcl
| Daniel speaks in his own visions an,
! the Interpretation az NchuchadnczzU 4
dream. Its a spiritual kingdom,
| spiritual reign. IL does not come wits
! outward pomp AMI ceremony. 1t Is I'M
| Eiur,l1m oi God within Us, righteous
ness. peace and JOY in the Holy Ghost
Rom. IA. This il not the Kingdom u
| Glory. IL was about this king tOm join
the Blptist preached when he said
, Repent. Tor the Kingdom OF Heaven l.
M hand" Matt. ;, - And our Savlo
likewise took IN the same theme. lie
pant. for the Kingdom OF Heaven l. a
hand" Matt. !, Il, IN Mars l, LI-I'
and in Luke 10, @
But what i meant by the keys OF TIN
kiuclom' Rv the KEYS We are 20 under
sand the honor conferred upon Pet
f,r his confession III Christ, that b.
should ~ the trstto preach the Gn>pe
10 the Jews Acts H., and the hrsi I
preach the Gospel 10 the Gentlles Act
ISD. He was the firSt 10 deciar
after the descent OF the Holy spirit
tIe conditions oisllvatiOn, and 10 asSur
sinners II they would epent aht pt
lieys they would be saved. In LuS
our Saviour Addresses all the apostles u
the following language: ana tnat ',
pentance and remission OF sins shout
be preached in His name among all ms
mons. beginning at Jerusalem, Lux
xxiy. A.. Here are the conditions
salvation with which Peter and al ~
anosfles were entrusted. and Peter Ia
the honor of opening thedOor OF faith
nth lew and Gentle. We find that !
Acts xiv. ~, Paul and Barnabas relate
10 the Church at Antioch the success
their mission, and stated that God In
opened the door Of faith unto the Gel
.6S-.Tr CT wi Q; II. Cor, H., Il