Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-20
quer souls embrace the.universe, shall maintain by
his direction unity Of action among them.

quer souls embrace the.universe, shall maintain by
his direction unity Of action among them.
PETER EXCLUDED, NO OTHER PRINCIPLE OF UNITY
TO BE FOUND.
Then remark that II Peters supremacy is not the
principle of unity in the apostolate, no mention
whatever, not the faintest is made of another
principle. And, indeed, those who deny Peters SUI
premacy, and yet admit the apostoate are reduced
to confess that The apostles were all equal among
themselves, that the same equality holds among
their successors and that, whenever there exists
bishop with valid orders. there he is the supreme
master. The bishops of one province may by eccle-
for the churches Of that province; but the confer
ence has divine authority and divine law will
prevent the bishops from one corner of the province
to organize q conference of their own. And who
will assemble the bishops of the whole world for COR
porae action, and afterwards enforce this corporate
action? If all the successors of the apostles were
to be nfallible in faith and discipline the episcopal
theory would be supposable-not otherwise. In the
early days of the reformation, bishops separating
from the successor Of Peter and seeking some prn-
cipe Of unity which they felt to be necessary, ap-
councils anoas n as''rs &c e a
the consent sa Of princes and y, humbly
lates Is this q divine institution? And il the
bishops distribute their allegiance to their several
temporal monarchs where Is the unity Of Christ's
and which was to be to the world the proof Of his
divinity?
What remains to us but to confess that Peter was
appointed the prince the chief ruler OF the apostol-
ate the center of unity for all those who were to be-
leve in Christ? A distinction is sometimes made
between the primacy and the supremacy of St. Pc
ter-primacy being taken to mean that Peter was
first among his peers, their Espokesman and repre-
sentative but possessing no authority over them, no
perogaves over the church which they, too did not
equally enjoy-and supremacy meaning superior au-
| C.
knowledge Certain Anglican divnes are willing to
grant to Peter the primacy, they explain it, but
refuse further rights or prerogatives. Primary in
this sense would be no bond Of union,
since it, could not control the apostles.
Nor will the passages of scripture which
we have quotsd. permit such limitation Of Peters
powers He alone is the center of unity he alone
has the keys; he aloneis to strengthen the brethren
he alone is the shepherd. Peter is by divine right
the prince. the ruler of the apostles The w1rd
supremacy allows no uncertain meaning, and IN
view of the unauthorized use sometimes made OF
the word ''primacy,'' we deem it the more fitting
term.
OTHER ALLUsIoNs TO PETER.
Other passages of the gospels, without being in
themselves proofs of Peters supremacy are in such
marked harmony with it that I will be allowed to
briefly recall them. We find four full lists of the
nam ss of the apostles. Peter in the four lists is
named first; Jadas invariably last. The other
names occupy different places in the different lists
The fer putting Judas last is obvious he 1t
| is who betrayed our Lord But why Is Peter named
first? He was not the first called to the Spostleshp,
neither was he the Oldest Of the apostles. Was 1t
list he is positively called the first: "The first
| Simon who Is called Peter" The Greek
word "Protos" elsewhere in the New Tesla
ment is rendered chief. If in Matthew
| it were mere numeral, numerals would accompany
the other names on the list. There is no instance
where standing alone in an enumeration 1t can pc
The spokesman Of the apostles. Peter, answering,
said, stexpound to us this parable" Then Christ
saith to them, ''whom do men say that amp"
Peter answering sad Thou art the Christ Peter is
addressed by strangers the representative of the
apostles, the chief among them. The tax
gatherers come to Peter and say to him, "Doth not
your master pay the didrachmi?H The Lord, find
ing the apostles asleep in the garden, sad to Peter
scan you not watch one hour with me?" While the
other apostles, those with Peter, are mentioned
in general form, Peters name is specified. "Tell
with him." Our Lord marks Peter as peculiar
object Of attention. He works miracle to pay the
tax for himself and Peter-"for me and thee" he
teaches the multitude from Peters bark other
barks were in port at that time He bestows special
blessing on Peters nets, and says to Peter iudivd
ualy, while others Of the apostles were present.
"From henceforh thou shalt catch men in thy nets. "
At the Last Supper Peter was the first whose feet
| he washed After the resurrection he appeared to
Simon first, to Simon while alone, on the very day
Of his resurrection Why these marks OF special at,
tention? St. John was the beloved disciple. Did
not special rank in Peter demand from Christ spec
ial Difference?
| NOTHING DENYING PETERS SUPREMACY.
Nor is there in the gospels passage that would
contradict Peters supremacy, Or even appear to
lack harmony with his special prerogatives.
In Luke XXI it is said: "There was a strife
| among them, which of them should be the greater
and he said to them The kings Of the gentiles lord
it over themand they that have power over them are
called bene6cent. But not so you; but he who is
that is the leader as he that serveth This text is
sometimes quoted to show that the spostes did moi
recognize Peter their superior, and that Christ
did not allow to any one OF them special authority
consideration ofthe text will bear out no such
Interpretation. Most likely the apostles did not un-
derstand the full meaning of the promises made to
that Christ Intended to raise him to .. particular
dignity, and it is this very suspicion
according to st. Chrysostom, that prompted the
strife related by the evangelist. In his reply, our
Lord certainly condemns the pride and ostentation
| of power customary among worldly princes, but,
far from reducing all the apostles to level Of equal
M his words the
among Jou let him be the least and he that is the
leader, he that serveth % And Immediately after
these words he bade Simon to strengthen his breth-
had heretofore done who was to be the greatest
| among them.
1t is objected that words spoken to Peter in
Matthew were spoken afterwards to all tho apostles,
to whom Christ said, Whatsoever you shall bind on
earth shall be bound in Heaven" But to the other
apostles it was not said. "Thou art Rock, and on
| Ills llOCk i Will DullQ my CuuTCu. MOI were Tic
keys given to the apostles at large. The symbolism
of the rock and Of the keys indicates sovereign
power hence, it is applied to Peter only. Binding
and loosng belongs to the office of the aposteship,
add hence this power is given to
all Of them. The fact, however,
that it was given first to Peter singy
would show that in Lords intention it was to be
| welded by him in more universal manner than by
| the others. When the words were spoken to Peter,
there restriction. When they were spoken to
all, Peter included can suppose the restrictions
arising from the inner regulations Of the apostolic
college and the mutual relations existing between
the apostles. In no way the words to the apos-
ties at large diminish the forcs of the words pre-
viously spoken to Peter.
1t is said that in the general commission to teach
no mention is made Of Peter, and thlt the infer
ence is that all to teach with the came author-
ty. The commission, we must remember, was
given to the apostolate as body, and it does not
change the previous order instituted in the body
As formed and confirmed by Christ, was the apostle
late to teach, and not otherwise and as in the for
| nation of the college Christ had subordinated the
/ other apostles to Peter, in the same subor-
| dinaton were they to teach and convert the ma
| tons. When q charter is granted to society
for whatever purpose organized, however general
the words of the charter. 1t does not destroy the
inner organization of the society. So with the char
| ter of the church-as have formed the apos oate,
now bid it to teach and promise to be with it, the
mode of my presence to be in harmony with it's
constitution.
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