The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-13
PRAYER FOR 7HE DEAD
The Practice Or the Greek ana usman
Churches.

Ahs TfsetHes OF the Greek ana Roman
Churches.
To the Enron Or THE suS-Sir. The subject
OF Protestant Prayer for the Dead hos
tempted another contributor. whose letter
appears In to days SuN. lie asserts that tho
Protestant Episcopal Church allows prayer
for the dead. but condemns the Romlsh doc
trine OF purgatory. which. he adds. includes
masses for the dead"
plain statement Of this "Rom!sh" doctrine
may somewhat serve to clear matters.
The Council Of Trent is admitted to have
been the most complete expression OF the
mind Of modern Catholicism. This is one OF
Its DEGREES:
There isA pnrgatory. and the souls detained there
arc aided by the SURFACES Of tho faithful and by the
smcaeious and aceeptnble sacrifice Of the altar"
That Is all: and the Roman Church. as a
teaching body. cannot be held RESPONSIBLE for
anything more than is implied In this decree.
Analicans are always protesting their 8 ver-
ance Tor what they term the Councils of I'M
divided Christendom." They seem. however.
to ignore the fact OF the formal reunion of tho
Greek and Latin Churches. at the General
Council OF Florence. in the year 1870. Then.
Tor time at least. the world again beheld IAN
undivided Christendonl." And yet. this Coun-
Gil not only confirmed the ancient doctrine OF
purgatory. but also declared that the souls
there are com:ortsd In their puins by the
SURFACES Of the living faithful. by the sacrifice
OF tho mass. by almsdeods and other works
OF piety."
The Oriental and Russian Churches teach
this doctrine and practise its logical conse-
quenccs. and the High Church Episcopalians,
who are 30 fond OF coquetting with these
Churches arc we'll aware of the absurdity Of
calling mass for tho dead "Romish" prac-
ticc. In the catechism Of the Russian Church
". 90. Blackmore) we read tho following:
ssuch souls as have departed In faith but without
having had time to bring forth fruits worthy Of re.
rentance are aided toward the attainment Of blessed
resurrection by prayers offered In their behalf. es
recaly such offered In union with the ob,stion
OF the BloodesS Sacrifice OF tho Body and Blood of
Christ and by works Of mercy done in faith for their
memory"
:, Can the Church Of tho Car be called Rom.
ish. because OF its masses for the deadp
Sun aware that masses OF f reauiein for he
dead" actually thus called are frequently
s s u t the Epseo
I;SSokins down from the reredos of the altar
reverence which Anglican divines have ever
sentuly; t MIGHT BE- Interesting to Know t What
he taught about masses for the dead
Here Is sample from his writings:
lt not to be denied that the souls Of tho dead are
relieved BY the pie,y of their living friends. when the
sacrifice Of tho Mediator is offered done In tho
Church for them" (De Eide ct Csritatc. xxx,
At the Convention OF the Protestant Episco-
pal Church. held last month in Baltimore it
was noted how persistently delegates. both lay
and clerical. referred to the Anglican FstaD.
lishment as our mother Church OF England"
In the face OF facts ike this. the appeal OF your
CORRESPONDENT to the slight variations in the
prayer books OF the respective Churches fails
TO Impress ono as an argument.
This endeavor to harmOniZe the Reformed
Church OF England with Catholic antiquity is
truly dreRry work.
=. And what the genius Of the late Cardinal
Newman and his talented colahorators failed
to accomplish half o century ago at Oxford,
can hardly expect to be achieved at this late
day by men who II as Jealous, are certainly
not more learned than they.
NO one will accuse the London Saturday Re-
r,eT OF any iiomeward tendency. 80 will con-
clude with the following parasrap oh taken from
back number OF that staid old journal:
Tie distinctive principle OF the English Reform Alton
was an appeal to Christian antiquity i-abls
and probably as imaginary period as the .Goden Age
OF the poets The era of the Protestant Reformation
was befsre the age OF accurate historical criticism
The true method Of historical criticism WAS As vet up.
created and IL not too much say that whatever
accurate knowledge we possess Of the FIRST centuries
better acquaintance with the Of antiquity
has convinced us that many of trnes and urmc
fres which have been commonly accounted To be ne
cuInTtles OF later Romansn existed the best and
purest ages OF Car!s.lanity.'
M. G. FLANNERY.