New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-07

pungenL truths IN Sympatnetlc ian
guage we'll supported by kindly tones
He speaks from the heart and carrie;
convection as respects his sincerity
lie said in part:
Every unbiased student of the Bible
surely will agree that our Redeemel
and His disciples manifested great hui
mility, in contrast with the clergy OF
our day and of centuries past None
were Reverends, Right Reverends
They knew nothing whatever about the
distinction between clergy and laity
which subsequently developed. Jesu;
indeed received the title Of Lord, OF
Master, Teacher; but with great HUI
mility He pointed out that His teach
ing was the Message of the Father
Similarly the Apostles glorifed God
and declared themselves "men of like
passions with yourselves" Jesus taught
His disciples that they should not be
self-seeking, should not seek the honor
which cometh from men, but only that
which cometh down from Above. zone
is your Master, even Christ; and all
We are brethren" was His way of fore
warning us against the error which
subsequently divided the Lords people
into clergy and laity.
Shackles of Ignorance and Superstition
II is but reasonable to assume that
many Christian ministers have neither
studied deeply nor thought carefully
on this subject, but have merely fol
lowed the beaten path of their various
denominations without inquiring for
the Divine authority of their ordina-
ton, titles and honors of men as Titled
al Dr. qxp N
not hinder us from freeing our minds
of the shackles of ignorance and super
stitions, nor from helping others 10 the
liberty wherewith Christ makes free.
The prosecutions of the Second and
Third Centuries undoubtedly tended TO
keep the Church humble and free from
hypocrites, but the prosperity dating
from the beginning of the Fourth Cen
tury had a bad effect. Many OF the
bishops, according to Church history
neglected to follow the example of the
Lord and the Apostles, and became
lords. dignitaries, in the Church, seek
ing to impress the worldly, and espe-
cially the rulers, with their Importance
In the year $50 A. D., under the
patronage of the Emperor Constantine
all Christians who acknowledged the
/
but honored, the Emperor seeking "a
strengthen his political power thereoy
By him the Bishop of Rome was
granted special honor as chiei
amongst the Bishops. In the century
following, the power OF the BISHOPS
was greatly increased by various iaise
doctrines which gradually erept IN
The doctrine of fiery He'll or torture
was one of these, followed later oy
theory that members OF the true
Church would never be sent TO II, pu'
would instead be sent to Purgatory
the tortures of which would furnlsn
them a second chance for purlhcation
and preparation for Heaven.
The clergy gradually grasped more
and more of power and money loL SCI
VICES in this world and beyond. Every
marriage not performed by them would
not be valid. Those married other"lse
would be living in sin: Inc theory u
infant damnation made the ministeIs
additionally necessary TO sprlhhie tnT
babies, to preserve them from eteina
torture. Then followed classlhcatlon /
Of sins and the fixing of penalties ana
o,.ranoino for masses for the sooner
deliverance of the culprit from Purgs,,
tory Rites and ceremonies connected
u,itb the dead were also declared neces-
sarv All of these served TO BIND tne
naonle 70 the clergy, and more ana
peOp senarated them from the SIM
ni;c;tv az the Gospel and the example
r. Jesus and the Apostles, TO when we
orc seeking to return, but are fought az
every step by Ignorance anu super S''
ton within and without.
A Point Not Generally known.
Favored by conditions prevailing, the
Rishop of Rome became more and more
continent. while the Roman Empire
GRADUALLY went to pieces. The Bishop
&c Rome took to himself the title
Pontifex Maximus, title previously
beId nv the Caesars. Another step in
the wrong direction, which thoroughly
senarated the clergy from the laity,
vas the doctrine still held by the
Church of Rome; namely, that the
clergy alone constitute the Church, and
that the common people are the chill
dren of the Church. Many Catholics
are not aware of this fact, but think
that they are members of the Catholic
Church. They forget that while they
are privileged TO call the unordaned
Students by the title Brother, all the
ordained number must be recognized
as Father. -,
The wear 500 found Pope Leo III. in
great honor, and the Church flourish
ing and making higher claims thar
ever before; namely, that the Church
became at that time the Kingdom oil
God. Catholics still hold that the Mil
lennium, or Christ's thousand-yeai
Reign, began that year They claim
that the Popes, each in turn, represent
Christ on His Throne; hence the dec
laration that the Popes are Christs
Vicegerent-reig instead OF HIM.
When the Pope represented Chris,
the Cardinals represented the hlghes'
order of the Church in glory; then
Archbishops, Bishops and the lower
clergy. ali separated from the people
nv n great gulf-the clergy, the Elect
Of God. holding the power and the
dcstinies of the laity in their control;
the laity dependent upon the clergy
for BAPTISM, marriages, funerals, holy
candles. holy water, consecrated bury
ing-ground, and, finally, an entrance
into Purgatory instead of into eternal
,orment. with the ultimate hope oil
roscue 10 glory and with assistance ny
the way obtainable through the once
of the Mass. r. De-.
am discussing the Church OF Rome
because for a time there was no
other Indeed, for a time il was dan
csrous N even suggest another. The
Pone and the College Of Cardinals, rep
resenting the Almighty, instructed tn,
neonIe who should be their kings and
ppr;nr.s, and. as a matter OF course.
thew yeA instructed to be obedient