The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-11-11
DR.. DE COSTA GIVES REASONS
HE TELLS WHY HE LEFT THE
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
A Situation Which Cannot Be Jug
gled Away-Protestantism Riven
Different Doctrines In Same Sect.

Under the title, "A Farewell Letter
to a Member of the Protestant Episco-
pal Laity," DR.. B. f. De Costa, the IA
nous New York preacher, gave to the
press last week a statement in which
he declares his formal severance Of all
relations with the Protestant Episcopal
Church. His resignation from the min
istry of that faith had left him still in
the fold as q layman. Now even that
relation is no more
DR.. De Costa's leaving the Episcopal
Church has created profound sensa-
ton.
The letter. after pointing out the ne
cessty of celebrating some of the
points touched upon in his formal
resignation from the ministry, con-
tinues:
i have laid many difficulties con-
nected with the subject before Bishops,
clergy and laity all over the country,
through privately printed papers, but
without any of the hoped-for results.
All acknowledge the seriousness of the
situation but fail to point out any
remedy. The situation has now become
unenEGdable, and ] cannot conscien-
tiously remain. Do not fancy, however,
that | have any fears about the Bible
or Christianity. l have always well
inquiry. But criticism has come to be
uncritical. IL forms largely an agree
ment between Herod and PLATE, a case
of Tom Paine masquerading in the
garb of the rabbi.
THE SITUATION ALARMING.
Il hope that all my old friends who
can stand by in good faith may do so,
at least until they can find something
better. / could not consent to their
abandonment of the Episcopal scheme
without first having prospect of
something better One Of the most
eminent and best balanced Of your
Bishops says that the situation fills
him with alarm, while another. sadly
recognizing the truth, says, despair
ingly. There will be no Improvement
in your day or mine.
The situation is thus portrayed by
writer who is looking on, studying the
condition of the Church:
One clergyman may teach the doc
trine Of the Real Presence or assure his
flock that he possesses the power of
priestly absoution. But in the next
parish-if in large city, only a block
or two distant, perhaps-the clergy
man in charge will deny both of these
doctrines, and teach his people that
they are false and unscripturaL Yet
both these men are authorized teachers
Church. with equal official authority.
The Bishop may happen TO agree with
one or the other. He can do as he likes
in the matter
THE situation cannot be made good
with whitewash or juggled away. 1t
should rather, If you are able, be met
honestly and dealt with To put on
rich robes, assume an air of authority,
and advocate the change of name to
that Of The Catholic Church in Amer
lea, forms simply a CHASTITY farce. Null
titudes of clergy, after persevering
awhile, and preaching strongly about
our Catholic heritage have rendered
their obedience to Rome. A Catholic
heritage forms a Catholic faith, not a
collection of discordant and heretical
opinions.
RIVEN BY SECTS.
Today Professionalism is riven by
sects. The Church of England, as the
result Of Blessed Reformation be- |
came the fruitful mother of about 13O
sects, nearly all Of which have been
reproduced in this country. All areaat
war with one another, and inside the /
Episcopal denomination hot fight of /!
faction goes on, the Bishops having |
no recognized authority for regulating |
matters which distinctly belong to an !
episcopate. In truth we have no epis- |
doctrine.
Under the circumstances. does it |
appear at all strange that multitudeS |
should be asking if this body really |
forms a branch of the Catholic |
Church?
AT the same time Cranmer and Rid /
ley clubs have done their best to empty |
Anglican orders of all suspicion of /
'sacerdota1ism' and purge the sacra-
ments of the spiritual value and sig
nificance claimed for them by ritual
lists. denying that the reformers held |
or made any sacerdotaI claims in con-
nection with their Blessed Reforma-
ton and declaring that we have no |
episcopal line in accordance with the
ideas of the pre-Reformation period. !
All this is chnched by the cOnsecra-
ton of men to the American Episcopate /
like the late Dr. Brooks, who deny
the sacerdotal claim, teaching that the
office of a Congregational minister is
quite as authoritative.
STABBING THE HEART OF CHRIST
You and I know those of the clergy
and laity who frankly say that they
Will not quibble about mere words, and
that they accept the Real Presence.
Now, if the doctrine be true, it must
follow that the Mass is the greatest Of
all truths, apart from the Divine i'm
1nanence. Indeed, the Mass must form
the corporate expression of that i'm
manence. If true, TO deny it is pro-
fame. 1t constitutes a sacrilegiOuS af-
front to the glorified body of the Eter-
nal Son of God. Please notice that this
is the language of your school, and OBJ
serve that this is a stab at the heart
of Christ. So Seenly is this felt that.
as you know, guilds have been formed
one Of whose objects is to offer repara-
ton to Almighty God for indgnities
done in the whole Anglican body to
your sacrament
"Ritualists feel the ignominy and
shame Of the situation and ought to ap-
preciate the guilt they incur on their
principles. In contrast with ritualism
rationalism is strongly intrenched and
is very bold. 1t has well night destroyed
the value OF the Bible as a text book
in Sunday schools and as an authority
III sermons The Bible Of our fore
fathers has departed, and the men who
impeach it hold places of high influence
and power Spetics Of various grades
and discontented men are now being
welcomed into the Church, which prom
ises to become in due time, veritable
Cave Of Adullam.
Did OF did we not sell our heritage
at the time of the Blessed Reforna-
ton for mass of pottage? The semi
Arian and Pantheist explain awaywhat
are claimed as Catholic verities' unmo-
Tested. and advanced men tacitly re- /,
cognize that the bulk Of the clergy can
not be trusted to stand at their affairs.
SO, likewise. higher criticism will not
tolerate superstition, either in pulpit
or chancel.
REAL AND INVENTED CHRIST.
Between the various schools there
is a recognized incompatibility, an fr-
repressible conflict It is neology
arroirncf d hnnlnrrr- A. - |