New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-05
CONFESSION AND THE MASS
THE BISHOP OF SPRINGFIELD crvv,
HIS VIEWS AS TO THE TEACHINGS on
THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
CHURCH ON THESE POINTS. I

CHURCH ON THESE POINTS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: You courteously ask me 70 reply hr,.e.
to two questions. The first II as follows: "r.
or Is not the doctrine Of the Mass as held BY m,
advanced Catholic party Of the English Churc,
in harmony with the teaching Of the Episcop.
Church,"
reply. putting aside the extravagances OF ~. E.
tremists and fanatics. The teaching Of the al.
vanced Catholic party Of the English Church n
| understand II to be by their publications
in harmony with the formuaries Of our Church
This party teaches the doctrine NJ the Real
Presence in the Sacrament Of the Altar. II doe
not hold or teach the metaphysical explanation
OF this doctrine enjoined by the Church 81
Rome commonly called MISREPRESENTATION"
The difference in a word, is this: The Catholic
Church in her Eucharist offices has always
taught that Christ Is spiritually present in m,
Sacrament Of His Body and Blood; since A. D.
1915 the Roman Church has added to this teach
ing an alleged explanation Of the way or manner
in which Christ is there and makes this ex.
PLANTATION a matter Of faith. The Roman Church
then teaches correctly the doctrine Of the Real
Presence with the rest OF the Catholic Church
throughout the world but she goes beyond the
branches a
matter Of faith an explanation Of how Christ Is
present and in doing this she teaches false
metaphysics. since transubstantiation Is pure
w rnetaphysica question. IL is as though We all
held and taught that living man on earth IL
an entity composed OF body and spirit. and there
We stopped but some venturesome people went
beyond this statement and added an attempted
exclamation. alleging that the connecting link
which united body and spirit and made man
living being was the saline principle In the
blood and insisted that unless we accepted their
solution Of the mystery Of life they would have
no dealings with us.
The Catholic Church accepts the revealed
truth Of the Real Presence: she rejects the
Romish explanation proposed by transubstand-
alton.
The second question is this: What is the atti-
tude OF the Episcopal Church toward the doc
trine of Auricuar Confession. either enforced
or voluntary"
The Church teaches that Christ has left with
her the power to forgive sins This power she
in express words gives 10 her priests at their
ordination and they exercise 1t in pronouncing
absolutton in her public Offices. and in private
when occasion requires in sickness and IN mercy
10 sin-laden souls who ask for It. In the Epis
copal Church confession is voluntary. In the
communion office the admonition is given that
any who may so desire may come 70 the priest
and open their grief to him. It is entirely VOL
untary; no constraint is put upon them II -
Of course private. in the ear. 'auricular'
With the Church OF Rome confession is obliga-
tory: no one can receive the Sacrament or the
Body and Blood Of Christ unless he has previous
" made his confession 10 a priest With US, II
is TO be feared the compulsion is in the opposite
direction The ignorance and prejudice on
the subject are so great that men ''u
not go To confession themselves. nor allow
others who wish TO go 10 attend The
priests who hear confession made objects ~
suspicion and given evil name: and those
who feel the need Of confession for their souls
health are often held up TO ridicue and even
prosecuted.
Permit me 10 add word about the term
Mass" II is innocent Of all objection save the
association with Rome. and that must soon
wear away II we persstently appropriate II and
use IT, Mass is embedded in common speech
already It is familiar 10 our ears In Christmas,
Candlemas. etc In the West it must naturaze
itself readily, because il is a monosyllable, and
the West loves 10 make everything as short as
possible. GEORGE +. SEYMOUR
Bishop ~ Springfield.