Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-11-10
WHICH Is The CHURCH,

Dr. Francis Dillon Eagan, u profess
cd convert from Professionalism to Ro
man'sm has been telling the reason of
tEls ch0Lge in an address recently de-
uvered In the city. Permit me in
your columns TO notice q few of Tie
things contained in the report OF that
address in the Telegram Herald. The
fundamental reason which Mr.. Egan
assigns for the change OF his demon
Irational" relations is that he found
the "chi!e distinctive feature" OF Ro-
manism TO be unity and by way O!
contrast calling attention TO the num-
crows branches OF ecumenical Method.
ISM, calling attention TO the fact that
lure were twenty-ulne branches o.
tie latter represented in the recent
couIcil NJ Washington; Mr.. Egan also
asked himself concerning the other
frosestant churches. "Why is there SO
little unity in matters OF fundamental
religion" Failing TO find the kind OF
unity" which he was seeking he Join
ed the Romish church.
To Mr.. Egan's mind there are only
two kinds OF religion. one a hetero-
gcnious, disunircd mass called Pro-
testantism, the other n vast unit call
ed Romanism. Under one head are in
Guided all that cannot affiliate with
"Romarlism," under the other are all
that acknowledge the sway OF the
Pope OF Rome. This is the fundament.
al distinction. At one point DR.. Egan
aails TO satisfy us. He docs not tell us
what branch OF the Rominsh church
he Joined: The Ultre-M Montana OF Anti
Montana, or TO be more definite to
which o! the twenty-five and over
male religious orders Is the doctor at
tached? BeneGictini, Capuchin, Alex
Ian, Redcmptorish. Passionist or Jes-
ute. etc? There are nearly seventy
such orders. male and female repre-
scnted in the United States, each n
distinct sect within Romanism. i sug-
gcst bare possibility that he may
be Jesuite, aild, II SO there will be
10 means OF aseertainlnG the fact, for
should such be the case even his own
testimony would not be valid. the
tell-known policy OF that order being
secrecy both rs TO personality, pr.nci-
pies and policy. The Jesuite order h as
been called the light horse" OF the
Roman ecclesiastical army."the aword
whose hilt ia at Rome. md it's point
everywhere." Now IL cannot be sue
cessiully denied that each OF these or.
dcrs suss aims the saane relation TO the
Romish idea an do the different evan
gelical denominations TO the Protest
ant idea In what Mr.. Egnn calls
fundamental religion they have zone
Lord. one faith. one baptism, one hope.
one God and Father OF all" The Pro
testants. One Fathsr is not at Rome
but II "abovo al. through all. and in
all."-Eph. 4 sc.
The simple fundamental distinction
between Professionalism and Romanism
II that one dates back to the apostles
and the other tor Leo and Gregory
OF the 5th aud 9th centuries: one trac-
80 Its lineage and spirit back TO Jeru-
salem, the other 10 the CITY OF En-
pre-" Rome. One is the church Of
Peter and Paul, the other n system
81 ecelesiasticism which has been grad
ualiy developed out Of the Ingenuity OF
men az an apology FOR the absence of
n seriptural spirituality. To- have the
spirit ~ Peter IL 10 be the true sue
esssnr of Epter. Ore appeals 10 the
infaiihie Word. the other 80 the falihle
whims Of a succession of very old
men called Popes.
II appears that Mr.. Egan was once
. high church Protestant Episcopal
Ian and so .highs that he heard con
fssasons. etc. That fact in the light of
his subsequent perversion IL SUSPECT
oHs OF Jrsalticai peuchant 20 say
the least But che leetur gave sew
ersi reasons for his perversion 20 the
papecy The first reason he alleges TO
- the apostles and Nieen ereeds.
There are hundreds and thousands
Who have read and rs-resi tho<e an
cient instruments without detectiax
n them snv thing Eomanis1ic.
TIE apostles ereesi fs veves
into the fresFoes ~ Meth Cd
s~ ehsreh IN t'sls city Bat neither
ecntsin a tiat - Rom an8sss. And the
aifnson ~ TIE One Catholic ard
Ap-o~t Gle church eaa.ot - construed
fs.rir 20 rrsn sxctu~wefT re ehn-th
~ leo XIII ~ Of Nr. Egsn. Teat
Old illustration 81 the tree ara he
h-ereees rsed ~ NJ. Exsn ] heard
ever tweaty years ago Hssd ~ soa