Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-20
LENTEN LECTURES
INAUGURArED BY RI. REV. BISHOP KAHN,
LAST EVENING,
At The CathsdrL-Hs Topic q Most Interesting
Ons 10 Christians Of all
Denominations

"why has Professionalism rejected The doctrine
of he real presence OF Christs body and blood
in the Holy Communion
The discussion Of the above named ques-
tioa was commenced last evening at The
Cathedral, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Kahn. 10
its thorough development, the Bishop Will
devote the six Sunday evening lectures OF
bis Lenten course
He, last evening, introduced his sub
jeet by an allusion to the numberless sects
into which Professionalism is divided. The
contradicting tenets Of these numerous
sects cannot all be true. Revealed truth
must necessarily be n and the same
This the in6del and the heather under
stand, and hence to both, the discordsnt
doctrines Of Protestant christianity are q
srisyous scandal. This result alone is q
convincing proc; that tia work Of the So
called Reformers was not heayen-inspiFed-
God is not the author Of discussions.
To-day the children Of the Reformation
are Taught 10 kelieye that the religions
revolution of the sixteenth century was
necessary to purify the church from the
many errors and superstiioDs introduced
under Papal domination. How few ser
iously examine whether this assertion is
! we'll founded. Yet this is too grave a
question FOR any intelligent and con-
scientious Christian to take for granted.
Christ most emphatically declared that
even the gates of hell shopld not prevail
agsinas His Church, and that with the
teachers appointed by Him, the Holy
Ghost, the Spirit OF Truth, should
abide forersr, and teach them all
truth. 1t is a serious matter
10 maintain that Christ has
fa;IsS 10 keep His promise. and that the
Holy Spirit OF trutn lac been gnfaltniul 10
| His office. Hence in the first ontoreak
against the church's authority, Luther
confirmed bis ienunciations TO matters OF
ecclesiastical Discipline, in which all ad-
nit great abuses a. sted; but he did not
asssif any point Of dngmatie teaching, YET
The prevailing opinion among Ffotestants
ia that his chief purpose vas TO paFSe out
crave doctrinal errors. Among these, 1t Is
now-a-dsys assumed IS beyond contradic-
ti.a that the grossest OF all tne
Popish erro.s against "me Lu'nea
protested, wa the u1clits2 o! tue
presencs of Christ's body and biooa ~
the sacrament OF the Lords Supper. But
70 Gar Is this from being true, that no doc'
tr;ne ssemed 10 Luther nlo.a clearly con
tsinsJ in the Word Of God than ihat o.
the real prsssncs. This doctrine, tnfte-
Eors he upheld most a~trsGnously al Gis
life and no epithet was to5 stfoss ny
which 10 denouDce those VINO asnieu ~
This point the Bishop established Dy lei S,
| erenee to Luther's own winnings anu VI.
Confession of Ausburg. Later on, the ternla
in which Luther Eopii hsre this doctrine
enpneiatsd. were made even stronger Iof at
Smslcsla the bread and Yi4e were qectaiso
10 be the body and blood OF Christ. sach
continued for many years nftaf tGiBe' !
death TO be the belief Of most lcI!owefs u
the Reformation. But the very reverse IL
now almost universally held among them
To recognize in L Sacrament Vi Tue
Lords Supper the true bocy c%d nioOo
of Christ is regarded Us cnarsc'e'
istic OF Catholics: and We all know
with what contempt this beliel
ia wont TO be treated by Protestants. Il
ia branded as absurd, superstitious, idol
s,rons If the doctrine deserves to be 30
branded. bow came Luther to teach and
n~ropsgsts it so zsslopsly? Is he not con
! stantly eulogized as o maa CT God, especl-
ally raised up 10 bring the church baas tq
its primitive purity? Is he not PRAISED
for unlocking the sserGd treasures which
an long Law hid 10 the Word al God2 Does
he not boast Of his knowledge
of the Scriptures? And YET
God allowed this 'chosen vessel oil
election to continue even to the hour OF
his destb, immersed in the grossest OF
all Rome's prstenaed superstitions! All
this modern Protestauts must admIt, IL
thew themselves are not mistaken la taei.
Interpretation of these words OF Christ;
"TRis Is any body" For assurediy, II
Luther was right. they are wrong anu ''ee
rerSd.
Why Professionalism has discarded me
| doctrine ofthe real presence, is the ques'
ton to which we are seeking a solution.
Is il because this doctrine Is lncompreheh-
sible to human reasOn1 ny tollowipg
this ~grationalistic tendency Ia reject
the doctrines of divine revelation, because
the intrinsic nature of these doctrines
transcsnds the powers Of u reason, we
should be led logically to the rejection CT
dOgmas which all Christians regard as es-
genital articles Of their creed.
Oh nszt Sunday evening the Bishop Nni
explain fully the teaching Of his Church
concerning the corporal presence OF Carist
in the Eucharist, and will give q brief
summary OF tue views Of those who reject
the ChuIch's teaching.