The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-01-29
Religion and Grammar

EDITOR CLARION: There is an article
under the above caption, 10 your paper Of
January 81 over the signature OF Rev. l..
A. Dutto, Rector Of 81. Peters Church,
Jackson, Miss, which seems intended to
show mp the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, ~ being ignorant OF grammar, and
as williully incorporating the Roman
Catholic Church. The article was called
forth by the Report on Education, adopted
by the late session Of the Mississippi Annu-
al Conference. in which condemnation is ex-
pressed Of "lhe practice OF patronizing the
institutions Of other churches, especially
those where our children are taught that
ours il no true church, that our ministers
have no right TO dispense the sacraments,
that even the rites of matrimOny per.
formed by them does not constitute true
marriage"
The report on Education referred TO, is
signed, and WAS written by G. G. Andrews,
President of the Board. |, therefore, ask
that the fourteen other gentlemen, who
compose the Board Of Education of the
Mississippi Conference, be absolved from
the charge OF ignorance. The author Of
the report admits the criticism made in the
by the lesson in grammar taught to him
by the Rev. Mr.. Quito, that verb must
always agree with its subject nominative
in number and person.
Ny reasons for writing in the report
aforesaid that the Roman Catholic Church
teaches that "the rites OF matrimony per.
formed by them methodist Ministers) do
not constitute true marriage" are in part
as follows, viz;
]. During my former pastorate in this
place in the years 1870 and 1871, attend
ed wedding in st. Peters Church, OF which
the Rev. Mr.. Quito is now the rector,
and heard from the lips of the officiating
priest, words OF the following exact i'm
port, viz "The only true marriage is that
performed under the sanction of the
| Catholic Church" Doubtless there are
other persons now living in this city, who
heard the same gentleman said to me
that he distinctly remembered the impres,
sion made, and he himself had often refer
red TO III
2. A gentleman and lady in Jackson,
La, had appointed a day TO be married.
rhe priest was kept away by an impossible
creek. After waiting several days the par
| ties NDulultu 10 Ut luhIl lNh ny . 'lls Inc
lady was Catholic. As soon as the priest
returned, he pronounced the marriage not
a true one, aud proceeded to unite the
parties in matrimony according to the rites
of his church. | married another couple
OF Romish faith, while living in Louisiana,
aud they actually were persuaded to be re-
married after they went to New Orleans,
| Now if the marriages solemnized by me
were true ones, why were the parties in
each case re-married2 am not the only
Protestant minister who has had such ex
perience for | have heard Of many such
| cases.
3. In the absence Of other and m IRE di-
rect Roman Catholic deliverances upon the
subject, give the following literal extract
| from the utterances of the Council oil
Trent: "Whoever shalt say that Marriage
is not truly aud properly one of the seven
sacramento Of the evangelical laws insti.
tuted by Christ the ord, but that il is in.
vented by men in the church, and does
mt confer grace, let him be accursed, u
Now, as marriage is regarded by the
Roman Catholic Church IA sacrament
aud rs no one has a right to admins.
ter sacrament by virtue OF his office
| except Que set apart tutTtto oN the true
church, the conclusion inevitably follows
that in the estimation of the Roman Cath
olics 1.-THE rites of malrimony performed
by Methodist ministers do not constitute
true marriage"
For these reasons and others which
might be given, have entertained the
opinion that Roman Catholics did mol
believe that Methodist ministers had the
right TO perform true matrImony; true
not in the sense of mere legality or con-
formity to civil authority, but true, as
sanctioned by the church OF the living God
| For these II asons | have thought aud do
still think that Methodists who send their
children to institutions where such things
are taught, are grossly inconsistent. II
the Rev. Mr.. Quito really thinks that
Methodist ministers are authorized to per-
form marriages, true, in the sense men
toned above, congratulate him upon
possessing II catholieity and liberality
which did not think belonged to his
church. c. q. ANDREWS.