The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1885-08-15
CORRESPONDENCE.
W. 30 n,t holl ourselves responsible fer ths
o,lAieas Of oar correspondents. EB.
Ed. RUGBY GAZETTE,
Sir

Ii is somewhat strange
md speaks we'll for the purely ma
crial progress made, that our back
woods community should to-day be
ousily engaged in discussing an old
md well-worn problem-the extern,
10 which priestly pretensions are adj
MISSILE in the Protestant churches.
The historical position Of the
matter may be briefly stated thus
With the close of the old Testament |
terminates the course of the priest
hood of the sons of Levi, the one
brotherhood to whose claims all
ble-reading nations must bow. For
with the opening Of the new era there
took place under the forms Of law,
IN Mount Calvary, what was be-
!ieved at the time to be the execution
Of a malefactor, but which was seen,
as the facts became known, to have
been a Sacrifice SO colossal that no.
thing further of the kind has been
or can be needed since, while the
human race endures on earth. The
Leyitical priesthood having now be-
come superhuous, in few years the
Divine providence, by the hand OF
Rome, swept the Jews from their
ancient seat, and so completely
ubliterated the lines oftribal descent,
that to tn day no Jew has been
able TO prove himself a son OF Levi.
The new faith now entered unop-
posed on its career Of victory. But in
Italy, the Inherent onseryatism CT
mankind led to grating on the new
belief as much of the old Pagan wor-
ship as it would carry, the things
thus perpetuated being mainly two:
first, he fasts and festivals of the
old Italian deities, many of which
survive to this day, under other
names, in our Church calendar: and
secondly, the priestly power. Thus,
as the centuries rolled on, arose the
splendid structure Of the Romlsh
Church, the Woman of the Seven
Hills; venerable with All antiquity
beside which the proudest lineage
of Europe is Of yesterday; stronger
in her historical record than any
competitor; strong iii the beauty OF
her services, and the Jealous deyo-
ton Of her celibate priesthood
strong in the downright candor OF
her call to feeble souls, Give me ab-
soluto control, and | take absolute
responsibility. There she has ruled
supreme, for many generation
over the sunny latitudes of the Med
iterranean, and the prophet has moi
yet arisen that can set a term to hel
power.
But at the close of the dark ages
the printing presses of NuremburE
and of England placed the Bible, il
the mother tongue, in the hands o.
the northern races of Europe. Be.
fore this test the pretensions of thu
IIomish priesthood, unquestionec
ny the unlettered races of the South
,hrivelled and collapsed; men turned
with relief from that ancient but
heterogeneous splendor to the sim
pie, absolute equality Of brother
hood, the unqualified liberty where
with Christ has made us free. But
again the deep-seated human dislike
to change in matters of religion
came into play. The Reformers ha(
tostop short of absolute victory, and
accept a compromise. Thus it comes
that Priest and Minister stand sid,
by side i'll the rubrics OF the Pro.
testant Episcopal Church to-day
and since that time the discord o.
undecided purpose has been evel
present with her; the thorn has neyal
ceased ranking in her side. The con
test is an old one, but of late YEAR
| the disease has become acute. Thos,
who have not yet reached middl,
age can throw their memories bacl
to early church-going scenes who's
; sharp contrast with thepresentment
Of the present day raises startlin,
reflections. There is a plain, una
} dorned building: four straight wall
and fiat ceiling. But hither, Sun