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i A if ' :s - A DUEL ! CATHOLICISM VS. f PROTESTANTISM. Key. It. C. Reed, Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Chnrch of Charlotte, Keplies to Rcy. Mark S. Gross, Pastor of St. Peters' Cath olic Church, Charlotte. Last Sunday night the Second Pres byterian Church was crowded to its utmost capacity to hear the sermon of Rev. Mr. Reed in reply to that de livered by the pastor of St. Peter's the Sunday previous. The audience was representative, and listened to the dis course with profound interest. The sermon far . surpassed the highest ex pectations of his audience, being a masterpiece of oratory. The style, diction, and rhetorieal finish was su perb. The following is the sermon in full : published by request. Mr. Reed, taking his text from Matthew, 23; 9. said: Tvvo we?ks ago I preached a sermon ihe design ot which was to emphasize the doc trine ol the brotherhood of believes s. There were iwo points only which I tiied to Musirate one was that our. Saviour had forbidden any follower o: his 10 exercLe lo.ciship over his feUoy Christians. This seemed to be auiiht in the le:... ' lie not ye called 'Rabbi, fur one is your Mailer Even CtniiM, and it 11 ye are bieih rcn." 1 aiiuded by way ot illura- lion to the blip-ci.icy, clmrud and exercised by the Pope of Rome. I said at the time that 1 did not allude to the Pope because I regarded him and his cou'edevtes as the only .sin ners against the Load's teachings, but because the sin of clerical pride and ambition had reached its highest development in the papacy, and ex tieme cases best i'luMrate principles. I nad no thought of provoking con troversy; and when the no'es of the Sermon were published I was utterly surprised at the startling headlines. I did not then think, however, that my allusion to he Papacy would be ng.nded by Bi-hop Haid as a mat ter of sufficient impoitance to de mand his notice It was therefore a second surprise when the pastor of St. Peter's announced that he had received orders to reply to my statements. I read the published re port of his discourse, and while I saw much there that I could by no means accept as true, I saw nothing that I thought would do any harm. I at once decided to let the matter rest, and was glad that the end was reached. Another surprise awaited me, and that was to hear that some of the Protestants who heard the dis course were so far influenced by it as to leel that perhaps alter all the Catholic Church was more sinned against than sinning. It awakened, in other words, a suspicion that I and other zealous ministers were un duly prejudiced, and were too strong in our condemnation. This, togeth er with the fact that the pastor of St. Peter,s himself invites an exposition of Catholic doctrine by insinuating that I had misquoted mutilated and misrepresented it have led me to the conclusion that I could not serve the cuse of truth better than by throw ing a little light on the matters in 'Hspnte. I shrink from public controversy 1 :th intense aversion. Two reasons :-.pecially, powerfully restrain me. Kirst, I am almost a stranger in vour midst, and I can see how easily I migh gain the unenviable reputa tionof a belligerent preacher. It is not pleasant to reflect that I have been here only a little more than 6 months, and already engaged in public controversy. Let me say by way of palliation that this is my first experience. The second considera tion is that I fear it will be impossi ble for me to state plain unvarnished facts, and draw plain unvarnished inferences from them without incur ring the charge of uncharitableness. Many persons put charity above the truth. They will censure a preacher for stating what they admit to be the truth ff it is such truth as is likely to give offense. This is not Paul's kind of charity, which "rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth." "The wisdom which cometh from above is first pure and then peaceable." This is an age of charit able speech the demand for charity between Christians is in everybody's mouth. Even that church whose pathway through the ages is stained wi'h the blood ot the saints, and lighted by the fires of their marty dom has come to talk in soft and homed phrase and to plead for charity in the conduct of controversy. I am afraid that I shall not come up to the full measure of the demanH And yet I do believe if you will apply the proper standard, I shall nc t be found less charitable towards the Catholic Church than it is to wards us. In order to prepare you for some pretty hard things which I will probably say about that church. I will give you the benefit of what that church has to say about you. The pastor of St. Peter's says truly . "the doctrines ot the Catholic Church are all printed and circulated in this country with explanations from official authorities." -I shall take pleasure in helping to a knowl edge ot these published doctrines, and i! every Protestant here will buy the books from which I quote and read them, there will never be anv necessity for me to notice the ser mons preached at St. Peter's The following quotations are from a book entitled: "Familiar Explan ation of Christian Doctrine. Adapted for the Family and More Advanced Students in Catholic Schools and Col leges. With the Approbation of the Sacred Congregation for the Propoga tion of the Faith. No. III. New York, Cincinnati, and St. Louis: Ben zeger Brothers, Printers to the Holy Apostolic See. 1877." The author is .Rev. M. Muller. The book has also the imprimatur of Archbishop J . R. Bayley: Page 87. Lesson XII. Q. Since the Roman Catholic alone is the true Church of Jesus Christ, can anyone who dies outside of the Church be saved? A. He cannot. Q. Why not? A. Because one who does not do the will of God cannot be saved. Q. Is it then the will of God that all men should be Catholics? A. Yes: because it is only in the Roman Catholic Church that they can learn the will of God : that is the full doctrine of Jesus Christ, which alone can save them. Page 88. Q. What do the Fathers of the Church say about the salvation of those who die out of the Roman Cath olic Church ? A. They all, without exception, pronounce them infallibly lost for ever. Page 91. Q. Are there any other reasons to hw that heretio, or Protestants who die out of the Roman Catholic Church are not saved ? A. There are several. They can not be saved, because: 1st They have no divine faith. 2nd. They make a liar of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and the Apostles. 3rd. They nave no faith in Christ. 4th. They fell away from the true Church of Christ. 5th. They are too proud to submit to the Pope, the vicar of Christ. 6th. They cannot perform any good works whereby they can ob tain Heaven. 7th. They do not re ceive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 8th. They die in their sins. Wth. They ridicule and blaspheme the Mother of God and His saints. 10th. They slander the spouse of Jesus Christ he Catholic Church. I will quote only one more ques tion and answer which occur further on in the hook. Q. Now, do you think the Father will admit into Heaven those who thus make liars of His Son Jesus ! Christ, of the Holy Ghost and of the Apostles ? A. No. He will let them have their portion with Lucifer in hell, who first rebelled against Christ and who is the "Father of Liars." How is this for charity? The pas tor ol St. Peter's concluded his dis course by hoping that he had said nothing uncharitable; or that would wound the feelings of his hearers. How would it have been had he said, "You Protestants make a liar of Jesus Christ, ol ihe Holy Ghost and of the Apostles and shall have your portion with Luciler in Hell?" This is what his church says, in a book published for use in the schools and convents to which Protestants send their children for cheap educa tion. This is the doctrine of that church which boasts of her unity. They all think alike. The pastor of St. Peter's thinks exactly as Rev. Mr. Muller and Archbishop J. R. Bayley. They all think just as the Pope tells them to think in all mat ters of faith and morals. Now. I think I can be as truly charitable to ward the Catholic Church as it is to us, even though I may not be able to smother my indignation when I come to speak of her corruptions and cruelties. Suppose I were to stand here and say that all Roman Catholics make Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost and the Apostles liars, and shall have their portion with Lu cifer in Hell, what would be the con sequence? My own people would denounce me, and the community would look on me with detestation. Suppose our Shorter catechism con tained such a statement. It would be scouted as a relic ot the dark ages. Can you tell me why it is that the Roman Catholics can publish such statements and awaken no in dignation? It is because they used to burn us, and we are so thankful that we are safe from the stake and fagots that we are willing lor them to vent their impotent rage as much as they please in their empty vaporing. Do you know why Protestants send their children to Catholic schools where such doctrines are taught? Because they will not purchase and read these books of Catholic doc trine. But a word more on the charity of the Catholic church. The Pope and Councils of that church claim to be vested with a spiritual power that enables them to pro nounce an anathema, or curse on heretics that shall consign them to hell. They have been very liberal with those anathemas. They, con stitute a kind ot refrain running through the deliverance of her coun cils. After laying down an article of faith which they pronounce true they are careful to add, if any re fuse to believe it, let him be ac cursed. This doesn't sound very badly to you and me if just sug gests that it is not altogether kind to be imprecating curses on those who differ from them. But look at it from their standpoint. They regard that anathema as sealing the fate of every one upon whom it falls. They know that when they couple it with the doctrine of the mass of transsub stantiation, of penance, &c, as in the deliverance of the council of Trent, that it falls on all Protestants Yet they pile up one anathema after another on our poor guilty heads because we can't prostrate our rea sons at their feet, believing that they are consigning- our sou's to evclasi ing death. Suppose I were to stand here and invoke curse after cure upon all Cai holies who deny the doctrine of Predestination, believing that in so doing I was pulling a fresh bolt in the door of heaven with each curse to bar them out of heaven. You would call that unchiiiabe That is the creed with aU it's dire hi! anal hem.is lo which the puslor of St. Peter's has sworn allegiar.ee Do you think I shall be less chari'ab'e to him and his church than thev are to us? Surely I vas not less chari' -able when I said that lheie were de vout and good people in the Romish church, deserving of praise for their labour of sell denial. But I must not linger. The p.isior of St. Peter's quotes me as saying that Christ came to de stroy Pi ieMcrab , and then defines Piiestcralt as the working of Priest hood. Surely a very inadequate definition. Worcester defines it "The arts and management of priests and ecclesiastical persons to gain power-religious fraud, or arti fice " It is hardly possible that he would object to my saying that Christ came to destroy Piiestcralt, il it were understood that I was using it in the sense of Worcester. I said nothing about Priesthood. But I am very willing 10 say a good deal about it, and especially to let you know what the Romanish doctrine of Priesthood is as taught in their books The Pastor of St. Peter's is represented as saying: "But Holy Scripture says Christ came an Eternal Priest, and he bestows this priestly office on his apostles and disciples." We do not question that Christ came an Eternal Priest; but we demand reference to the S. S , which teach that he bestows this priestly office on His Apostles and Disciples." Here is the point of divergence between the Catholics and Protestants. We believe that the Aaron ic Priesthood was typical cf Christ's, and that the bloody sac rifices of the old Jewish ritual were typical of Christ's sacrifice. The Aaronic Priests and sacrifices were shadows. Christ and His sacrifice were the substance. We further be lieve that Jesus Christ, the only real High Priest, made the only real of fering for the expiation of sin when He offered Himself on the cross; and that having made this one offering for the expiation of the sins of the world He ascended up on high to continue His priestly office by ever living to intercede for us. On the contrary, the Catholic Church's doc trine, as expounded by Rev. M. Muller, Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, Ba ti more, is that Jesus Christ died to es tablish the Romish Priesthood. I quote trom a book by Michael Muller, bearing the title: ."The Catholic Priest," published by Kreu- zer Brothers. 30 North street. 1876. Page 98. "So sublime is the dignity of the priesthood that in or der to establish it our Lord had to die. To redeem the world, it was not necessary that the Lord should die A single drop of His sacred blood, a single tear, a single, prayer of His wodd have sufficed : bnt in order to es tablish the priesthood our Lord had to die:' According to the pastor of StPeter's Christ bestows His "priestly office on His Apostles and Disciples." why he added disciples, I do not know. He could hardly mean that all the disciples are equally and in the same sense priests. There is a sense in which we teach that all be lievers are priests in the sense of I. Peter, 11: 5. But there is no use in turning aside to that. The pastor of St Peter's soon speaks of the func tions of the Romish Priesthood the offering up of the sacrifice of Christ in the Holy Sacrament. No disciple can discharge this function who has not received the grace ot orders. But all who have received this grace are priests not in any figurative sense, but in a literal sense. They claim to offer a real sacrifice to God, and by that sacrifice to expiate sin. Here is the heart and core of Romanism. It looks like a very small thing in the brief exposi tion of the pastor of St. Peter's. It will look larger when we give you a full length portait. But first let me give you a reason for believing that the Protestant view is correct. It is tire view taught in God's word, most plainly in the Epistle to the Hebrews. See Heb. 7:23, 9:24, 10:11. It is to me wonderful how the Spirit of God, through the inspired writers, antici pated all the errors of the Papacy and refuted them in advance. Nothing is more plainly taught in Scripture than that there is no further offering of sacrifice for sin. The Apostles are never once called Priests, they are never charged with any priestly du ties. Preaching was their great work and in the last commission, compre hending their whole duty, no word is said about offering sacrifices, saying masses for the living and the dead: "Go ye into all the world." &c. But let. us take a good look at the Romish Priesthood. If Priests, they must have something to offer.! What shall it be? The nearest approach to a sacrifice is the sacrament of ihe sup per. This is the starling point. They develope the doctrine of transubstan- tiation. I will give you the doctrine as defined by the Council of Trent : Q. What is the faith of the Catholic church concerning the Eucharist ? A. That the bread and wine are changed by the consecration into the body and blood of Christ. Q. Is it then the belief of the church that Jesus Christ Himself, true God, and true man, is truly, really, and substantially, pres ent in the blessed sacrament ? A. It is, for where the body and blood of Christ are, there His soul also and His Divinity must be and consequently there must be whole Christ, God and man ; there's no talk ing him pieces. Q. Is that which they receive in this sacrament, the same body as that which was born of the blessed Virgin, and which suffered on the cross ? A. It is the same body, for Christ never had but one body. I suppose it is known to you that in celebrating the Holy Sacrament, they use very small wafers. They give only the bread to the laity, and they leach that the whole Christ, body, soul and divinity, is in c ach one o! those small wafers, and is actually received and eaten by each worshi per. If there was any danger that this would be called in question, I would fortify it by Catholic authority. But this is too well known to need proof Pause a moment and think about it. A priest with a box in his hand, not larger than a lady's watch perhaps, passes from communicant to communicant, taking from the box and giving to each a wafer the s:ze of a very small coin, only not so th'ck. He lays it on the ex ended tongue. The law of the church is that it must not touch the teeth. It slowly d;s solves and is swallowed. Now what are you required to believe? Fhi. that the Priest by the words ol insti tution converted each one of t'uo-e wafers into flesh and blood. They are no longer what every sense lesli fies they are, but while still having all the properties ol bread they are flesh and blood. Not only that, but he has transformed each wafer into the Lord Jesus Christ, the very Chi ist that ascended to heaven from Beili any. You are required to believe that he is carrying in that little box two or three hundred real bodies of Christ. Each one beino the entire Christ, body, soul and divinity. You are required to believe that the Priest has made two or three hundred Gods each possessing all the attributes ol infinite Deity. You are to believe that, on the peril of your soul. Ac cording to the pastor of St. Peter's there are 250,000,000 of rational hu man beings who believe that. I de ny that so far as religion is concerned they are rational. They have renoun ced reason and like poor demented beings lie passively at the feet of the priests and say yes to all that they pro posed for belief. This doctrine wit nesses to the most remarkable tri- , umph over human nature that has ever been gained. Men not only renounce their reasons, they reject the combined testimony of all their senses. It looks like bread, tastes like it, feels like it. smells like it, digests and nourishes like it. But the Pope and Council have said it is the body and blood, the soul and divinity of Christ, and reason is re pudiated, and all the senses ignored and the Catholic receives and eats his God. It is related that James II of England, sent a priest to convert the Earl of Mulgrave to Popery. 'Sir, ' ' said he, "I have convinced myself by much reflection that God made man, but. I cannot believe that man can make God. ' ' We might reason ably expect that a Romish Priest would appreciate the greatness of his prerogatives. So he does. "The Catholic Priest," page 95. The Eternal Omnipotent God in whose presence the pillars of Heaven do tremble. That God, before whom the earth and all that dwells thereon, be fore whom the boundless universe, with all its countless sons,and planets before whom all created things are but a drop of water, as a grain of dust, as if they were not: That God of infinite majesty and glory, is subject to the Priest. He instantly descends from Heaven in obedience to the voice of His Priest. Page 96. "Th ere is a man mlin nnono .:n " utuij at Wlli Him, to give Him to whom he wills, we cannot help exclaiming fin arze-. ment : '0, wonderous Miracle I j, unheard of power ! , , : When we hear a weak, sinful man, talking in that strain, it is hard not to think that Satan has had something to do with it. Second. The Priest not only trans forms the elements, but he otters the body and blood of Christ in sacrifice for the sins of theliving andthe clead. Il we had time to digress, it would not be amiss to suggest the relation of the masses to the finances of Rome. Suffice it to say that while the Priest ran offer a true expiation for sin and thus free souls from the awful fires of purefatory, he does not perform this service for nothing. But we must turn to Rev. M. Muller once more and let him explain just what takes place when the priest offers mass for the soul in purgatory. I quote from "Purgatorian Con soler," page 57: "When he came to the moment of consecration he took the sacred Host in his hands and said: ' O, Holy and Eternal Father, let us make an exchange Thou hast the soul of my friend, who is in purgatory and I have the body of Thy Son, who is in my hands. Well do thou deliver my friend, and I offer Thee thy Son with all the merits of His death and passion Third. Romish Priests hear con Cessions and pronounce absolutions It has been said that no portion of the Papal system presents more on- ginalny tuan ihe confe-sional. The glory and the infamy of ibis inslitu lion is ail i:s own. Ihe rnesls ot the old dispensation, Patriarchs and Prophets never dreamed of it. Christ and His apostles were equally silent. It remained for Rome, unless we charitably attribute it to Satanic agency lo invent (his method of com pleting the enslavement of the human mind, and giving ihe priest absolute control over the souls of the deluded victims. The doctrine of the church is "that every Christian is bound, under pain of damnation, to confess to a priest all his moral sins, which after diligent examination he can pos sibly remember; yea, even his most secret sins; his very thoughts; ea, and all the circumstances of ihem which are of any moment." Th s applies to the people of all ages and conditions, young and old, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, virtuous and profligate. Think of the Priest making his ear a common reservoir into which the wicked secrets of hun d eds of souls are pouring like loelid st reams of depravity. His bosom is 1 be depository of all the moral filth that can be gleaned Irom his parish. H'"s system of interrogation, like so monv screws pressing on all parts of the heart, draws out all that it can yield, as if lo ensure that thelargest possible harm should come from it, the church, or the other agent, has superadded ihe celebacy of the clergy. The man who is to hear all the se crets of families, of wives and daugh ters, n an unmarried man. I admit ted that the doc: 1 ines of the Catholic were accessible to the people. I must make an exception. If you would find the subjects on which he is required to ques: ion his female pen itents you must go to the Latin ol their great theologians, Deus and L'guoi i, these subjects are too loath some and disgusting to be put into English, It is not Jong since forty nine respectable ladies of the cilv of" Montreal signed a declaration to the Lord Bishop, ot that city, protesting irom personal experience against what thev term Ihe "abominations ot liie confessional." But we must leave the subject of the Priesthood, although we have merely touched on it. Just one word more Irom M. Muller. "Since God then had placed the Priest upon the throne of His own adorable sanctity ; since he gives to the Priest the title of Savior of the world ; since He calls the Priest His co-operator in the divine work of re demption ; what wonder he com mands all to obey and honor the Priest as they honor and obey Him self ; since the Priest has been so hon ored by God, Himself, what wonder is it that he should he honored by engels and men. Wencealaus, King of Poland, would not sit down in the presence of a Priest. St. Catherine Sienna, and Mary of Oignis, kissed the ground on which a Priest had walked. St. Francis Assissium said that if he saw an angel from Heaven and a Priest, he would bow first to the Priest and then to the angel ; for the angel is the friend of God' but the Priest holds His place." (The Catholic Priest, pages 110 and 112.) We come next lo the infallibility . vaults; niai mere are a many noes oi argument to prove ine uaac!ty and absurdity of this doctrine, that I hardly know which to follow. Perhaps we had better be gin wun the illustration of the Su preme court, as this seems to have impressed some persons. Two verv patent differences on the surface. of our church ;c o ine claim of the p, . by, Cardinal Manning- uH the consciences of rnen.nf 7 that tills the field and nf that sits upon the throne '5 sole, last, supreme jud J rio-ht and wrono-" ,t&c01 high claim, if iTe s would be certainly equal nrpmp mnrr iftfo lQ I But he proceeds- net- declare, affirm rUfi Je0t , , . it to be necessary to 1 every human being to bV the Roman Pontiff." J ever the Supreme court1 C Charlotte will lose one of;? .iiLv, omits onp rpns. I shall nMt- 1 -'y ' v. live nA man crnvernmpnt tVif j nct f - " mat uetnan peril of damnation that I s judgment on all questions t morals to it. No maniSfit't independence was born it. uui wc must navejn 4c n m - r H HH M t. . i - the gates of Heaven, who SnPnK f ! yur. supreme court does not claim 10 the eternal Son of God, and at hw I , . precedents lave voice the God of Heaven descends on earth and subjects Himself to his con trol." Page 97. When we see a weak, sinful man possessing power over God, himself possessing power tohaerHim, to place much weight, but they are not held to be infallible In ihe second place, it does net try to bind the conscience! It does not say, il you dispute our ruling.we will send you right straight to hell. The 'Supreme court is just exactly what he General Assembly Which shall we take? i uiui tin cc Minpie reasoj mucn more evidence thatir Dy tne ttoiy Lrhost; 2 h sell-contradictory, and -disposed to teach one a sufTerable non-sense. Exceptions were taken to, ment ttiat the Pope claims excommunication to shut neaven against whole nations but the only answer is that' markable that a man whotw 1 . ; t uc predestination snould make statement, .but what do who makes it? The questio truer ine answer to that church never interdicts a cou is any better than Sodom morrah." I will just add one The Pope never interdicts Catholic countries, and if the bad as Sodom and Gomarr? made them so? and il they are bad as b. and u., who has si .1 -i i- t ' .1 me cnurcn Dy saying tney we But more serious exceptio to be taken to my savin? grants his dispensation a:. ceases to be vice, &c I tM power of granting dispensat::;j indulgences was undispu'e; much is made out of the far:: Pope refused to divorce h VIII. "Not even to ho::r: would he violate one tittle oJ What was the ground cf:e plea? He professed to co validity of his marriage, h married his brother's widoi marriages were held to bek How came Hen.y to enter ;;: a marriage? The Pope special dispensation. Ine 1 sued a bull which purported IL liJllC 1U1 iiiu y IU otherwise have been guit in doing. This exactly what I meant bv his trr pensation and causing vlce t n vo Rur there were reasons than scruples of co that prevented his granting vhrce Catherine was the Charles V, ihe most powerf: ror of Europe, and next dor bor to the Pope. He was mi of offending him lhan Hen: Moreover, he procrastinated ted and never did pronounce the divorce until alter the Pa- had passed the act ol separa: much for that. But let u; nearer to our own time and? zealous the Catholic church is sanctity ol marriage. Is it as man 10 marry his niece? Do laws, human and divine de such a marriaee as that me: Well, did-not Pope Leo ?ra": pensation to the Duke of Aoc King of Italy's brother 10M niece? And did not the Dukes ma.ry his niece, daugbfc' own sister, the Prince poleon? This was not dc corner. It wasdone, howe? in benighted Italv where has succeeded in keeping ' instincts of the people sti.. the face of such facts, it my, as is charged, to saj' vice ceases to be vice, then I - under the charge. Tt is fvidAnfVio T oonnOt ice to all the ooints raised 12 sonable length for a sermos rnntpnf mnsolf U..fnrp "i ine certain thino and hoW ' responsible for the prool manHpH THnirthot the' f rnr.,.n.lL ' J tUnt 7 i 11 uoiwui uiy cviaencc ih' Bishop of Rome, or that much as set set foot in the ' ntr " All i.-.,,...-!- : given tx jjiiiiiauy uvn 1 r f ties. I deny that the Cathol., nprmitc tViA 4roa U' r! T--11 Q m nnrr It t- ncnnlo 1 0 . . . ' . . , .1. llf I boasted unity of the Latn there is unity of mumn ... . J J ha perstition: unitvof uninte votion; unity in the prepsl , lii- r of a dead laneuae e livinp-neonlp." nnitv in trous worship of Mary- nravino- tr caintc .ind ' .1 . i i . i . n!l many otner things tn.u uow oi authority ironi i no unitv in that which c. the glory of a church. m supreme devotion ' Savior, in submission to
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