The Portland daily press., 1900-05-14
WHAT Is CATHOLICISM Z
sermon by Rev. J. ID. shepherd at Sc
Paui's Church.


herd gave the eaoond sermon In the course
on the above subject. He took for his
text Aots Ii. "a. He said II the world be
searched a better definition Of Catholioity
could not be found than that which the
text contains. Amy body of,Ueiievers who
can show these. four infallible marks of
Catnolicity can claim to be part Of the
One. Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
church. Put into simple language these
doctrine, fsllo wship, breaking Of bread,
and the prayers The Apostolic ministry
is an historic fact rs fully and strongly
confirmed as any fact Of human expert
encs. It certainly involves the principle OF
succession. So far as we know all life
In nature and grace 10 continued in this
way. Whatever else be false, this must
be true. We may call the men in the
succession BY any name we please. but
the fact Of the succession remains.
What IL Apostolic dootrineS
First Of ALL the Apostles were wit
nessss Of our Lords resurrection. This
Is the great central fact around which all
elss revolves.
The essence Of Apostolic doctrine lie
to be found In the Apostles oresd. 1t
has been accepted by the vast ma jority
Of Christians in every aga. 1t seems
great pity that some Of the confessions
OF faith have included things not fonnd
In the creed.
l.Just what the Apostolic faith was tAs
been the bone OF convention. Christian
unity will be but an irridescent DIRE an
until this contention ceases.
A new ana novel kind Of Csthoiicity 10
trying to gain q foothold In the Epis,o-
pal church. It originated In the Oxford
movement In England fifty years ago
under the leadership Of such men as
Newman. Keble and Pussy. When New
man went to Rome the real tendency OF
the movement showed itself. 1t at
tempted to revive certain doctrines and
practices supposed TO be Apostolic. The
by the suspicion that IL was secret at
tempt Of Romahizs the English church.
Il had done more to prejudice the Amsri-
can people against the Episcopal church
than all other things combined. The
claim Is made that there IL such q thing
as Apostolic ritual as we'll as doctrine.
But they only 60 back to tbs Prayer
Book Of Ed. vi. to prove 1t. The preface
to our Prayer Book clearly defines the
position Of this church on the subject OF
ritual. Our standard Is the Prayer
Book. Ii q man wants more than that
Book contains let him 60 to Rome. If
he wants lefs, he will ind IL In the non
lit argic churches.
Suppose a man believes In the invoca-
tion to the saints and prayers 10 the
Virgin Mary. This man must go to
Rome for the comfort Of his soul. The
same may be said of confession rs ordi-
nariiy I'M dsrstood.
The prayer hook Of Ed. vi is valued ty
the Rituaiists because it allows, In
conse, lights and eucharist vessments.
The deciGion OF the archbishopa OF
Canterbury and York virtually prohibits
all but the vestments. Why peoplo who
wants these things do not 60 to Rome 1t
10 difficult to understand. RitualisD, Is
not the harmless fad IL appears to be. 1t
Is part of system Of theology which In
cludes prayers for the dead. invocation to
the saints, prayers to the Virgin Mary
and confession. The worst feature Of 1t
Is the fact that to all intents and pur-
poses IL is q secret society.
The attitude Of our church has been
one OF good nAtured liberation. But since
1t 10 plain that the plan is on foot to
make legal what has been tolerated, the
time has % come not only 70 protest, bus
includes obedience to Apostolic authori-
~ an acceptance OF the cresds, the ad-
mtnistrat!on OF the sanrAments according
to the Apostolic formulas adapted TO
the "various exigsnciss Of the times and
occasions"
10 nsk more than this, 10 to ask over
and above what is written In Holy Scrip
ture and the practice OF the primitive
church.