Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-08

APOSTLES" and that when Peter came
70 Antioch he withstood him 10 the
face. because he was to be blamed.
This certainly does not look like recog-
MIXING Peter as the Prince OF Apostles,
much less as a supreme aud infalllble
Pontiff. Besides, when Paul hrst
made his appearance at Rome, where was
the Primate? Some Of the Jews called
upon Paul, but the Primate is not
once named in this connection; and the
reasonable presumption is, that he was
not there, and never had been; and GER
tainly no word every fell from the lips
of Peter going to show, that he ever pre-
tended TO assert any such supremacy as
that which is claimed for him by the
Church of Rome. But the burden OF
proof rests with the Bishop, and We
merely throw out these suggestions Tor
his consideration. He must not sup
pose, however, that his false differences
and forced interpretations OF scripture,
his bold and reckless assertions, ana MS
dogmatic enunciations will be received
bv an intelligent public, as evidence. In
a matter of such vast importance, moth
ING short of proof positive as to the three
facts above propounded, will be salts
factory; and this proof, if found at all,
will be found in the writings OF the
Apostles.
So long as we keep within the range
of inspired truth we may feel assured
that our feet rest upon solid ground;
bu; when we get out among the IA
thers"--even the earliest OF them-thls
assurance forsakes us, and we feel we
are wading in muddy water, The Prot
estant faith il, that "Holy Scripture
contains all things necessary TO saliva
ton: so that whatever Is not read there
in, or may be proved thereby, is not to
be required Of any man that 1t should
he believed as an article OF the faith, or
To he thought requisite or necessary TO
salvation" The Oft-reiterated assertion
that we could not know what Is canon
zeal Scripture, except through the
Church of Rome, is entirely gratultous.
IL must not be forgotten that the Blsh-
op of Rome began to be usur-
perer almost from the very
tirst-as is clearly shown by early his
tory-and that the true witnesses and
conservators of the truth, were the
whole body of Christ's faithful people,
in all ages and countries. The Papacy
is a usurpation in every stage OF its ro-
gress. and could never have survived 10
the present day, except by intrigue and
persecution, fire, fagOt and sword, blood
shed and fortunes; and it lives now,
only from the fact that the judgments
and consciences of its votaries are held
hy an artful priesthood, in the most alb
icct slavery. Is this according TO Christ
and His Apostles?
IL. therefore, it be deemed requisite
and necessary TO salvation" that we
believe in the primacy Of Peter and the
infallibility Ofhis supposed Successes.
the Popes Of ROme-then let us see II
the dogma cannot be proved exclusively
from Holy Scripture. The burden OF
proof is on the Bishop, and he evident
Iv feels il. But as a sample OF the
Kind of logic used by him
and bv the way, the only attempt
which he makes to adduce direct Scrip
tural evidence of the presence of Peter
i'm Rnme-we cite his reference tn i.
Peter, 5-l3, where Peter sends the sal
walton of the church at Babylon to other
churches. Now, what ground is there
for surprising that Peter and Mark were
not actually in Babylon, on the Euphra-
ties, when this epistle was written? Why
/ should the Bishop and some of the 1t
theirs" and the "learned doctors think
! that Peter here spoke in "a mystical
sense" II the Bishop were sending 4
/ SalutatiOn from the ROmish Church IN
| tins city To his cO-rclgionists in ireland,
would he say "the church in New York
/ salutrth yOu?" tits entirely gratuitou>
/ for him to affirm that "the mvstlca.
say in 4. b. GO. The evidence Is, that
il was not well understood: otherwise
why should John Rev. ~, have eX-
planned it, some thirty or forty years
| later? If Peter was in Rome at the
/ time his first epistle was written, VT
| can see no valid reason why he should
| have concealed the fact. The opinions
/ of learned men, whether Romish OF
/ Protestant, on slrch points, must ALWAYS
bee taken with salt, or at reasonable dis
/ count. Ii Peter had fOreseen the trouble
/ that has sprung up in modern times
/ about his primacy at Rome, certainly he
/ would not have spoken, on this occa
! sion, in any mystical sense Mystery
/ is often used for the ignOble purpose oI
| cunccaling the truth. Will Bishop kain
undertake to say that this was Peters
objectP
The free exercise of private judgment
/ on all questiOns-which is the distln'
| gushing feature of Professionalism may
/ and certainly does have its drawbacks;
/ but this applies, with ten-iold more
| force, To unreasOning submission "a
/ authority. Ii we are bound to accept
/ one or the other, with all its attendant
/ evils. 10y all means give us the former
/ I'm all questions relating 10 civil and re-
| lgious rights and privileges, certainly
/ every true American will say, with
| Patrick Henry, Give me liberty, OF
| give me death" But such liberty he
/ cannot have, If he surrenders his judg.
| ment and his conscience To the DEGREES
\ of pretended infallibility. What is
such surrender but slavery OF the
/ most debasing sort? Christians are
| called to liberty-rational liberty; let
them not cast the precious boon away,
Before closing, we wish 10 ask the
| Bishop one or two question:
|. Can that which is usurpation in
its origin, become otherwise, de jurs, by
| long continuance?
>. How many fallible Bishops and
. Cardinals does ii take to make an infal-
/ lible Pope? Does not like bcget like?
II is SO in the natural world, how is it
I in the ecClcSiastical2
;. The outer garment OfJohn the Bap-
/ fist WAS a simple robe woven of camel :
hair, and girt about him with leathern
belt: that ui Christ was a simple robe
woven without seam from top 10 bot
! TOM perhaps not unlike that which
was worn by the people generally,
while the garment of the apostles were
probably similar To those of the Savior
4 now how comes il that the Nicegerent
of Christ and his subOriinates are in the
habit. nowadays, of Haunting such
magnificent robes andother parapherna-
. liza before the ewes of their people Is
not this gross departure from the
simplicity Of Apostolic times, and from
the spirit Of the Gospel" Imagine for
/ q moment. if possible, Jesus Christ ap-
pearing before the people Of his day, in
the Pontitical robes of the present
Pope, or his apostles, in those OF the
bishops The very idea of such a thing
Is calculated 10 excite not ridicule