The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-03

EDITOR CLARION: There IL an sr,icle
under the above caption, in yonr paper OF
January q. over the signature of Rev. l.. /
A. Quito, Rector of 81. Peters Church. /
] ackson, Miss, which seems intended TO
show up the Methodist Episcopal Church /
South as being ignorant of grammar. and |
a. williulIy misrepresenting the Roman
Catholic Church. The article was called
forth by the Report on Education, adopted
hv the late session of the Mississippi Annu-
al Conference IN which condemnation j. eS-
pressed of .'the practice OF patronizing The
institutions of other churches, especially
those where our children are taught that
ours is 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 implied criticism was that
rites being plural required the plural
verb do constitute instead of does con
stitue. Now if rites alone was truly
and properly the subject, the crlti
cism would be just, but it is rites
modified by other words that Is the
rea! logical subject. As may be
seen by that simple method of gramma
rians for finding the subject of a verb,
that of putting tChat before the verb;
for instance, what does not constitute
true marriage?" Rites is not the proper
answer: but critics of matrimony
performed by them" is; that is, the phrase
or part of the sentence Is the subject,
and it is well established rule IN gram
mar that phrase designating one act
or thing is proper logical subject of q
verb in the singular. For instance thl'
sentence: The soldiers of the army
being weary with long marches furnish
IS mot furnisn) a good reason Tor halt
ing 10 rest 1t would be well for the
Rev. Mr. Quito to be sure he is right II
future before he enters upon gram
NAUTICAL discussion.
My reasons for writing III the rep0r
aforesaid that the Roman Catholic Churcl
teaches that "the rites of matrimony per
formed by them Methodist Minister'S doe
not constitute true marriage" are IN par
as follows, viz:
]. During my former pastorate in thi
place in the wears 1870 and 1871, attend
I'd wedding in St. Peters Church, of While
the Rev. Mr.. Quito is now the rector
and heard from the lips OF the officiatin
priest, words OF the following exact i'm
port; viz: ''The only true marriage Is tia
performed under the sanction OF tn
t Catholic Church" Doubtless there ST
other persons now living in this city, VIII
heard :he same; a gentleman SAID to III
that he distinctly remembered the impre
ion made, and he himself had often refe
a red to it.
2. A gentleman and lady in jackson
! La, had appointed day TO be MARIE
e he priest was kept away by an impassab
cree K. Alter waiting several days The pa
ties conluded To be married 10y mys Il. III
, lady was Catholic. As soon a. the prle
returned, he pronounced the marriage NJ
I, 4 true one, aud proceeded 10 unite II
: parties in matrimony according to the rat
e If bis church. | married another coup
. OF Romish faith, while living in Louislan
and they actually were persuaded 10 be r
married after they went TO New Orleau
u Now il the marriages. solemnized by Il
u were true ones, why were tine parties
i .ach case remarked? am not the on
= Protestant minister who has had such e
perience. Tor ] have heard of many SUI
cases.
= 3. In the absence of other and m ore {
p" rect Roman Catholic deliverances upon 4
subject, | give the following literal extra
u from the utlerances of The Council
= Trent: "Whoever shall say that Maria
Is not truly and properly one OF the sen
- -acraments OF the evangelical laws ms
" tuted by Christ the j ord, but that ii Is
~ vented by men in the church, and d,
:" not confer grace, let him be accursec
Now, AS marriage is regarded by
Roman Catholic Church a. a sacrame
and as no one has a right TO admin
ter sacrament by virtue of his OH
except one set apart thereto by the If
., church, the conclusion inevitably foil"
: that in the estimation of the Roman Cal
~ plics 1.-The rites of matrimony perform
y, nv Methodist ministers does not consult
b true marriage"
~ For these reasons and others viii
- might be given, have entertained
= opinion that Roman Catholics did l
a believe that Methodist ministers bad
= right to perform true matrlmony; tr
~ -. MT in the sense of mere legality or &C
u formity to civil authority, but true,
-. sanctioned by the church OF the living ti
90 For these r, asons l have thought and
still think that Melhudists who send tn
:, children to institutions where such thin
\, are taught, are grossly inconsistent.
= the Rev. Mr.. Quito really thinks Il
no. Methodist ministers are authorized TO p
~ form marriages, true, in the sense M
-, toned above, | congratulate him W
an possessing a catholicily and liberal
III which | did not think b longed TO
h. church. {. q. ANDREWS