The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-07-28


the name OF the greatest Christian t'es
,iral. OF divine origin. apostolic obser-
vance known and approved by every
church Father is most extraordinary,
inexpiicable, and objectionable
In the very first parag raph OF his first
article Mr. Blanchard was in error in
stating that st mas IT least figured
enough in the controversies otre!iS;on.
The only question ever in dispute Was
tic date Easter has been singular
" free from ecclesiastical! disputes. It's
due right 10 be accorded the chicfeSt
place amocg Christian observanccS. its
beauty of Resurrection teaching. ard
It's essential sanctity have scarcely. II 1T
all. ever been questioned. To Mr.. Blau-
chard falls the honor (?) OF dragging the
Queen of Festivals from her unaSsai!ed
throne.
Equally unfortunate was Mr. B!aach-
ard in calling Easter Z Roman Man
date. 1t never has been: is not today:
nor even can be, . Roman Mandate. We
cannot be 100 grateful 10 remember that
it is : pure apostolic Festival OF the
early church OF Christ in its pristine
purity" ere the canker o: ciscord had
poisoned the lie. blood OF the Brother
hood. The Church OF Rome had made
20 claims OF ''papacy" or supremacy"
in those early days. Even the date
controversy was settled not by Rome.
bu, 1T Nicaea: yet Mr.. Blanchard calm
IL states ''Bv PapaI mandate these
quables were settled" The president
and chief speakers at that council! were
not Roman. but from the East: Antioch
and CaeSarea. The very creed they
agreed upon. which Mr.. Blanchard can
hear reci,ed any Sunday, was written,
no, in Latin, but IL Greek. We read
the decisions OF the council on all the
many subjects, not only Casters date, =
in the same language, not in the Ian
guage OF Rome. Every reference, With
on: exception, that Mir. Blanchard has
made TO the Roman church is absolute
" devoid OF historic foundation.
Even nearly 800 years after Nicaea's 5
council, the fac. that Easter is 20 ''Ro-
man Mandate is clearly demonstrated
by the case OF the Roman Mission 70
evaoselize Britain. When Pope Greg
ory's missionaries arrived in England.
they found church, already duly organ
lied, independent OF Rome, anu (no.icel
observing Easter, but not on the mis-.
sionaries' date. SO when in later days,
King Henry the Eighth who seems 70
particularly interest Mr. Blanchardl
:.re;ormed'' the church. he founded no
new church. but merely restored, and
reformed the old church OF the early
fourth, or late third century, hy remov-
ing tie Papal accre,ions OF the mediae-
val ages.
\ person who successfully uader.oes
an operation for appendicitis. or who
recovers from a malignant terer, is jus,
the same identity then as he vas before
his Illness Ee is thankful 10 have the
poison and disease removed from his
system, but he remains the same person,
though in healthier condition. So the
present church OF England, and cores
pondiugly the ?. E.. church Of America.
is no Roman Mandate! but the old Apes
tolic and Historic church Of lgnaciriS,
Polycarp and Ivenaeus. What induced
Mr.. Blanchard 10 style a first century
Festival, o; apostolic observance, as !
Roman Mandate is iucomprehensible.
But more unfortunate still was MIR.
Blanchard in adopting tie Encyclopae.
dia Britannica, wherew!th 10 destroy
Easter. Unknown 70 Mr.. Blanchard.
the writer OF the very article so usfd
was ar Episcopal!an clergyman, the late
Canon Venobles Of Lincoln, Eogla2d,
one who q, the solemn moment OF his
ordination, had taken the oath, impos-
ed on I'll candidates tor the ministry, &c
swear allegiance 70, and belief in, the
doctrines and practices of the church OF
England. as contained in her Prayer
Book, which Is Mr. Blanchard himsel!
knows, includes Easter. \ candidate
for the episcopal ordination. who ven.
-:u-e6 TO write Mr. Elanchard'S S original
article, would 1t once DC rejected. AS
sent, even. 10 that article. with its cpl
thetS, is an !mpossibilitv to member
Of the Episcopal church, citherin Amer
CO or England, on mora! and couScien-
tious grounds
Misfortune pursued Mr.. Blanchard !n
failing 70 understand the article I'VE
will Tot here refer 20 miSquotinS IT.
and baSins his tiery attacks on Easter
from ninety isolated words OF three quo
tations wreS,ed from their context: but
which Mr.. Blanchard will find, when he
receives mis- books from New York. all
subStantlate Easter. may state here
parenthetically. that ! forwarded Mr..
Blanchard's original article TO the Ea-
cyc:opaedia Britannica, London. Their
reply, naturally, shows Mr.. Blanchard
in error throughout and proves that ne
has never understood his subject from
the Srst-
There is absolutely 10 loop-hole o!
escape for Mr. Blanchard. Totally un-
callcG-for, and most Objectionable, was
his original article even had be been
correct in his arSumen: and premises:
but now that he IS convinced his April
editorial has utterly collapsed by an i'm
partial appeal 20 history. let him make
the ..Amende Honorable" by fully and
sincerely withdrawing ali his mos, OBJ
iectionab!e ep!;hetS as regards Easter,
and acknowledging his mistakes. Such
complete retraction we reasonably y
await
We must not close this discussion
without ii most cordial expression Ct
sincere thanks 70 the Editor OF The
MANNING TINES. who with bis char
ac,erissic sense o! fair-play. has given
an opportunity TO criticize and destroy
Mr. B!anchard's original contribution.
Had it nos been for this kind editorial
permission. and the Editors willing
cess 10 pr!n, both sides Of question "a
co,umendab!e feature OF this paper
which is shown in all :natters) the read
ers OF the frs, article would still have
been under the impression that Easter
is OF pagan origin: unscriptural: un-
known 10 the Apostles: and not approx
ed oy the early Fathers. The humble
par: | have taken in GisprovinS Mr..
Elanchard'S statements. even from his
own chosen authorities, and preserving
iutac. the Faith once delivered 10 the
Saints has been q source OF real aud
unalloyed pleasure. That my scholar
ly" defense has been 10 very many read
ers Z consolation aud renewa! OF faith
and hope for while Mr.. Blarcha-d's
original article remained unanswered
they were naturally depressedl posi-
lively know from many personal let
;ers o; thanks sen, me, also from pri-
ya,e conversations with several Chris
., p>iSss