Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-11-12

And II IS at all times open to improve
ment. Rome claims apparently with
much force to have divine authority, de-
rived through an unbroken chain OF sue
cession from the first Apostles OF our
Lord. Rome has a cult which, with its
gorgeously attired clergy, imposing cere-
monies of alleged worship, its magniii.
Gently ornamented sacred buildings ana
lis splendid~musical exercises appeals TO
the outward senses OF rs devotees, more
than any other Christian religion. Rome
takes in everything, makes use of every
thing for her own purposes. Through
her benevolent Institutions, the poor are
reached. The wealthy are appealed TO
through the luxuries OF the services.
The philosopher is given some OF the
proloundcst problems to solve IN her
theology. The civilized state is inilu'
enced by her subtle statesmen, and the
savage tribes, by her missionaries. All
br0 Dee II stfiSfI
In almost every one OF these partlc-
ulars, the protestants are found wanting.
As far as their theology goes, II Is delec-
tive, even in its logic. The different
parts do not fit. tact which IS best
illustrated by the existence Of broadly
speaking--countless factions. Protes-
tantism Is really nothing but Romanism.
broken to pieces, scattered, resolved
into a chaotic condition, by the mighty
forces which, at the time Of the relor-
nation, convulsed the northern parts OF
Europe. II i the result OF mighty
social eruption, more destructive than
creative, although necessary for the
completion Of the history OF the world
and the development OF truth. Should
il therefore come to comparison-were
Professionalism and Catholicism placed
side by side, il would become apparent
TO any intelligent observer, that the
former resembles the latter about just
as much as Charleston after the Garth
quake resembled itself before the
catastrophe.
This Is perhaps more clearly visible in
the ritual and the ordinances OF Protes-
tlntic denominations than in the doc
trinal systems. What a striking SINH
larity there is In the divine services, the
formulated prayers, the confessions Of
faith, the administration OF the sacra-
ments, the uniforms Of the clergy, and a
dozen other things. And yet, how abso'
lutely poor do the protestants look com
paredto Rome. In some churches there
Us absolutely nothing to satisfy the DIST
tetic taste Of the cultivated mind.
Eloquence Is an exception in many
dusty pulpits, or what Is worse, they are
occupied by political demagogs. Music
is represented by a discordant volume
of sound competing with roaring organ
| pipes, unless, as in some churches, there
is no attempt at music at all. Sculpture
is baniShed as suggestive OF idolatTy,
and painting is scanty, Il tolerated at
all. The whole makeup Is suggestive
Of the eagerness with which somebody
tore things down without ability to
build up, a comparison cannot fail to
reveal this.
But where Professionalism Is weakest, Is
| in It's utter disregard of divine authority.
\ The position OF the seccders from Rome
in this regard is utterly absurd. Luther,
himself, used to feel keenly, that he had
undertaken a work for which he had no
direct divine authority. But he consoled
| himself with the thought, that he had
been regularly appointed 10 his eccle,
siastical Office by the church OF Rome
which had the right to appoint. lie
tried to argue that this authority once
conferred upon him could not be taker
away, and that he, consequently, al
ways had II. But at other times, he
saw that the same church that had con
terred the priesthood on him had tn,
right to take it, and that this haC