The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-09
THE FOURTH LECTURE
OF Bishop Kaln's Lonton Series Delivered
Last Night.

vi klAlAA0R AAAAAAA 1890
Last Night.
In his fourth lecture, delivered last
evening to very large and interested
congregation, BiBhop Kaln's exposition
Of the subject OF church ceremonial was
In tho nature Of aFefntation Of one OF
the most commonly alleged objections.
He began BY asking II 1t were indeed
trne. Al some maintained, that symbolic
teaching as exhibited in the services OF
the Catholic Church Is contrary 70 the
letter or the spirit OF the New Tesla.
ment. BE replied in the negative and
proceeded 10 the proof Of his position. /,
he first examined the argument based
on the absence OF any positive, system.
attic ceremonial book like Leviticus In
the New Testament, and referred his
hearers to the refutation Of this argu-
nent given in previous lectures. First,
such a code would have been an impoest-
hility in the early days Of persecution
second, such code was unnecessary tor
4 church gifted as the Christian church
is with the ever.abiding presence ana
guidance Of the Holy Ghost, and third
such code, in great measure prophetic,
would demand q special revelation. But,
he continued, the charge ia made that the
New Testament does not only withhold
It's sanction Of such symbolic rites, but
that II even explicitedly condemns them.
Is this true? Where is this condemna'
ton found? In the severe denuncia.
tions, we are told, in which our blessed
Lord 30 frequently uttera against the
external observances and human tradi-
tons OF the Pharisees. But, said the
Bishop, strong as were the Saviour's de-
nuuciations Of the Pharisees and their
hypocrisy, he never blamed them fol-
their scrupulous exsctneRs in any OIL
their religious and traditional practices
but for their non.obaervance Of the
WeiChtier matters OF the law. "These
things you ought TO have DONE" Chris
said 10 them, land not leave the other
undone." This attempt to identity
Pharisesis n and ritualism Is maniiestly
unfair. No Christian would condemn
more severely than Catholics Phari
seeical reliance on mere external prac
tices, and especially in those who woult
sacrifice Interior piety for mere outward
show, But II may be well to remembe
that the humble publican, who is con
tras.ad in Holy Writ with the vain glori
GUS Phrrisee, accompanied his prayer II
the temple with many external cere
monies. "He stood afar Of, she woult
not go much as lift his eyesto heaven,
and she struck his breast"-all Of which
external tigns were very striking sym
bols OF his interior dispositions.
It has been boldly asserted, said tn
Bishop, that Our Lords life furnishes u
no justification for the symbolic cere
monies which are OF so frequent use II
the Catholic church. This assertion Il
not true. Apart from the sacred rite
connected with baptism and the Eucha
rist, some Of which are surely OF Christ
own institution, the Savior made con
slant use OF symbolic ceremonies. Her
the Bishop enumerated quite long list
showing how in prayer He knelt, fell t
tho ground. raised His eyes; how II
working miracles, BE touched the eicl
or dead, put spittle on the eyes Of thu
blind, groaned and lifted up His eyes t,
heaven; how He washed His disCiplet
feet, and how He praised the taitt
and piety Of others who worshippet
Him with external ceremonies. Wher
He would blees little children
he imposes His hands upon them
when He would communicate Hit
Holy SPIRIT to the apostles, He breathet
upon them; when He would heal the
sick through the ministry Of His apos
ties, these are told to anoint them will
oil. MARX. vi, 10 All these, said the
Bishop, and many others that might be
enumerated were symbolic signs; and
as Christ, himself, made use Of such
symbolic ceremonies, so too did Hi
apostles as may be seen Ia many places
in the Acts. Nowhere is 1t stated in thu
New Testament; nowhere is it there i'm
piled that symbolic teaching was L
have no place in the religion of Jesul
Christ. It would be strange indeed If {
principle so universally admitted
should be bauished from the Christian
religion. Surely the great Apostle o
the Gentiles recognized that principle
when for deep, mystical reasons, he for
babe women to pray with uncovered
head. (Cor. xi.
The conclusion then, argued thu
Bishop, which We are fully justified II
drawing, is, that the scriptures Of thu
New Testament not only do not con
demu, but expressly teach by the exam
pie Of Christ and His apostles the law
lulness and utility of symbolical cere.
monies. This conclusion, he remarked
may be confirmed by what we read in
the book OF Revelations OF the heavenly
worship. The inspired description O
that worship displays before US q gor'
geous pageant before WHICH all oul
church ceremonial becomes indeed most
insignificant. Ii st. John used mo-
words alone, butsymbolic objects to con
vsy heavenly truths, why may not the
church do the same? Why find fault
with her for following Gods OWE
method OF teachipg2 Perhaps some
may admit the principle Of symbolic
teaching, who deny that the pomp and
splender OF Catholic ceremonial are in
keeping with either the letter or the
spirit Of the New Testament. To this
class the Bishop promised to devote his
next lecture, which will be the last one
otthis course, as the Bishop has an en-
gagement in Parkersburg next Sunday
week