The Blackpool Herald. — 1880-06-25 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. TO THE EDITOR. , ..  SI R, —Your correlip-ondeni,-;;A-Looker on, "states, amongst other erroneous statements, that "The Church of England is venerable, as having existed through every epoch of English history since A.D. 694, to say nothing of a period still earlier than that." This is his statement; but where is his proof? He gives none. Nor is this to be wondered at, since he could not give any. I have read of the Archbishop of Canterbury delivering himself of such staff, and perhaps your correspondent makes his statements on Dr. Tait's authority. However, history tells a different tale. From ancient monuments, from history,and from constant tradition, it is certain that Pope Eleutherius sent over to England, at the request of King Lucius, the priests Fugatius and Damianus and others, by whose preaching an almost general conversion of the island was effected, and a hetrarchy established. But let me give you my authorities, which are unquestionable. Fuller says "It cannot be denied but Elentherius, Bishop of Rome, at the request of Lucius, sent," dee. (priests). Collier says "This account (of the pope sending misaioners) seems to have been the original tradition of the British Church, and that there were British bishops in Lucius's time is without question." Upon which statement Tierney remarks :--`• The facts remain undisputed—lst, that King Lucius, applied not to the neighbouring prelates of Gaul, but to the more distant Bishop of Rome. 2nd, that he obtained his spiritual instructions from the Roman See ; and 3rd, that of course, the religion which he embraced was the religion taught and practised among the Christians of the Roman capital." These quotations, sir, abundantly prove that the early church was Catholic, and not Protestant,—they prove your correspondent's stataitlents to be false. Such a thing as Protestantism was not known previous to the so-called Reformation in the 15th century, however much it may be displeasing to "A Looker On," and, instead of advising "those who rejoice in the spread of sectarianism to study history," it would be as well, perhaps, if he himself would read and inwardly digest a few pages of impartial history, which would, perhaps, save him from appearing before the public in his present position, and would teach him that his sect of many schools was the tiret to fall away from the true Church. Yet, the probability is that such reading would be entirely thrown away upon such a diseased mind. I take no exception to yonr coarespondent's statement that the funds of the Church "were derived at first from private benefactors," which is all very true, but he forgets, or probably never knew, that the benefactors , were Catholics Who left money for masses to be said fer the repose of their souls and for the good of the Church, but which was seized by that good and holy (?) wife murderer, Henry VIII, who first established the law-establishment out of the spoils of the Catholic Church which had served the English nation as her religion far so hundreds of years, and would still be serving hod it not been for the lustful desires of the monarch I have named. There are other questions which might be replied to, but I must bring this already too long letpr to a close. No doubt "A Sunday School Teach‘r " will do him justice in this respect, whose letter I thought a very good one—though I did not approve.of the term priestly" in the way it was wrote, for I hold the noun priest in very high esteem indeed. Craving your indulgence, 1 1,411 &O.  I E.