Year: 1869

WASHINGTON, June 20, 1869.


Notwithstanding the extremely hot weather-and
to-day has been regular scorcher here-the fash
ionabe churches were well filed morning and even-
ing. Among the Catholic w0rshippers the most In
teresting event or the day was sermon by the Rev.
Dr. Charles J. White on the Papacy, at st. Mathews
Roman Catholic church. The sermon was reply 10
at Methodist church In this city by Rev. DR..
Newman DIR. White opened his discourse by the
announcement that tomorrow would be the twenty
third anniversary OF the accession of Plus the Ninth
to the Papacy, and remarked that nothing was more
appropriate at such q lime than an explanation OF
the true character Of the Sovereign Pontin and the
true doctrines OF the Catholic Church. Especially
was 1t appropriate now when the Holy Father was 50
ton with the approaching Ecumenical Council. DIR.
white then proceeded to prove the claims
OF the Pope to spiritual supremacy as the
successor OF St. Peter. He treated the subject under
three principal heads. First, the necessity for a
head; secondly the appointment OF Peter TO be that
head and thirdly the succession OF the Popes from
st, Peter visible head Of the Church on earth
transmitting from age to age the true creed and doc
trines OF the Apostles. Christianity he said must
have head like everything else, and he pointed out
the absurdty OF the Protestant claims of the right
OF private Judgment In matters OF religion. In
point Of fact the Protestant claims OF independent
opinion made such Protestant the inventor of
faith for himself, for he recognized the right OF
no one to dictate for him. From that absurd claim
sprang all the sects and contradictory religions
existing. Some believed Christ only man; some
thought Christ both God and man; some believed in
baptism; others rejected 1t as piece OF folly. How
could all these sects be in the right Surely if those
who believed Christ only man were right, then the
Others who believed him God must be wrong for
two exactly contrary things could not exist.
The errors and absurdities into which the
sects were constantly falling only demonstrate
strongly the necessity Tor authority competent
TO teach the true doctrines OF Christi 1t was more
reasonable suppose that that authority resided IN
a Church which was nearly nineteen hundred years
old than in Church born IN the fourteenth or Six
teenth century. To whom did Protestants owe the
Bible but to the Catholic Church. Was 1t not that
Church that preserved 1t from age to agef
ahe TO- groye % the a tu5Gn was S
the Bible surely its authority ought to be conceded
equally good for ITS Interpretation and calculation.
In truth, the Church was older than the Bible itself,
for 1t was established after the resurrection OF
Saviour when He commissioned His aposues TO go
and teach all nations. Not one-hundr edh one
thousandth part OF what Christ said and did
earth could be found in the Bible, and all the books
In the world would be inadequate to contain them.
The Apostles expected TO teach all nations and
what they might write could only be small
part OF what they would teach in the very nature OF
things On the second branch OF the sermon the
supremacy Of Peter, the reverend doctor dwelt at
considerable length. He proved Peters headship,
both by the unwrltten and the written word OF God
The New Testament teened with evidences OF the
appointment of Peter to be head Of the Church The
very first time Christ met Peter He gave him
promise OF great power when He told him he should
pe called Aphas, " or Rock promise afterwards
fulfilled when he sad to Peter, Thou
my church, &c. DR.. White explained that our
Saviour IN telling Peter he was the rock upon which
language, in which the same word expressed both
Peter and rock From this lie argued tnat the head
ship Of Peter indisputably established. He also
alluded to saviour telling Peter he should be the
shepherd Of His hock when He commissioned him to
"feed my lambs feed my sheep" He gave other
!. Illustrations from the Bible. Peter was always
named first among the Apostles. He was given
the keys OF Heaven; he was empowered to
bind and loose upon earth. In conclusion
Dr. White came to his last polnt-the succession Of
the POpes st. Peter. DR.. White read from the
early fathers OF the Church, and also from eminent
Protestant writer's to prove that long before the
fourth century the Bishops OF Rome were acknOw.
ledged the OF Peter and the spiritual
head of the Church. In brief sketch like this 1t
Is impossible to do justice to Dr.. Whites able and
eloquent sermon. ! have only given 1.-THE merest
skelelen. DR.. White closed by promising TO give
another discourse at no very distant day on the
same subject.


At the aristocratic Metropolitan Methodist
church the Rev. Dr. Newman preached TO a very
large audience from the text BLESSED are the pure
in heart for they shall Cod" The Doctor entered
into somewhat lengthy explanation Of the physl-
cal heart, after which he explained what meant
by purity OF heart. Purity OF heart, he said, was
purity OF life. AZ the physical heart was supposed
TO be the seat of life, 30 purity and Holiness
vital parts Of the Christian life. He closed 10y
sertng that the reward OF purity OF life seeing
God aud being with him forever. Bishop Magl,
OF Richmond, administered the rite OF Confirmation
to-day to several children at st. Marys church in
Alexandria.