CONTENTS.

Manning's remarkable letter to Pusey-Manning's visit to Rome in 1848-Kneels in the street before the Pope-His double dealing in the Church of England-The Roman Catholic Rambler on the Oxford Movement.

xlvii

• 307

The Association for the Promotion of the Unity of Christendom -Sermons and Essays on Reunion-Denunciation of Protestantism -Treasonable letter in the Union Review-The A. P. U. C. denounced by the Inquisition-Degrading Reply of 198 Church of England Dignitaries and Clergy-Archbishop Manning's opinion of the Romeward Movement-The Society of the Holy Cross Petition for Reunion with Rome-Signed by 1212 clergymenThe English Church Union-Its work for Union with RomeApproves Dr. Pusey's Eirenicon-Pusey writes that there is nothing in the Pope's "Supremacy" in itself to which he would object-The Catholic Union for Prayer-A Colonial Priest on Reunion with Rome-The "levelling up" process-The real Objects of the English Church Union-The Lord's Day and the Holy Eucharist-Lord Halifax wants Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament-E. C. U. members find fault with the Book of Common Prayer-E. C. U. Petitions the Lambeth Conference for Reunion-Reunion asked for under "The Bishop of Old Rome" -Lord Halifax prefers Leo XIII. to the Privy Council-Dean Hook in favour of the Privy Council-Mr. Mackonochie's Evidence before the Ecclesiastical Courts' Commission-Asserts there has been no "Ecclesiastical Court" since the Reformation-A Ritualistic Curate supplies the "Kernel" to Roman Ritual-He preaches the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary-Lord Halifax and "Explanations' of the Pope's Infallibility-The Homilies on the Church of Rome-Rome has already reaped an harvest from Ritualistic labours-Secession as well as union a Scriptural duty-Objections to Reunion with Rome.

APPENDIX.-WHAT THE RITUALISTS TEACH

The Bible-The Book of Common Prayer-The Thirty-nine Articles-Reunion with Rome-The Pope's Infallibility, Primacy and Supremacy-The Reformers and the Reformation-Some Ritualistic "Ornaments of the Church "-The Real PresenceThe Power and Dignity of Sacrificing Priests-The Sacrifice of the Mass-The Ceremonies of Low Mass-Some Cautions for Mass Priests-Purgatory-Auricular Confession and Priestly Absolution-Invocation of Saints-The Virtues of Holy Salt, Holy Water, and Holy Oil-Monastic Institutions-Protestantism -The Importance of Ritual-Dissent.

INDEX

see

373

THE SECRET HISTORY

OF

THE OXFORD MOVEMENT.

CHAPTER I.

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE OXFORD
MOVEMENT.

Birth of the Movement-Its Secret Teaching-Promoters dislike their names being known to the Public-Tract "On Reserve"-Newman writes against Popery-"Eats his dirty words "-Ward on EquivocationNewman Establishes a Monastery-Pusey gives his approval-Newman's double dealing about it-Lockhart's experience in this Monastery-Mark Pattison's experience-" Stealing to Mass at the Catholic Church "— Faber's visit to Rome-Faber kisses the Pope's foot-Desanctis on Jesuits in Disguise-Midnight secret Meetings at Elton-Dr. Pusey privately orders a "Discipline with five knots "-Dr. Pusey secretly wears hair shirts—Ritualistic Sisters of Mercy to take the "Discipline "—A Ritualistic Sister whipped most cruelly-Romanists sell articles of "Discipline" to Ritualists-Maskell's Testimony as to Tractarian evasions and trickery.

TH

HE late Cardinal Newman, the first leader of the Tractarians, has stated in his Apologia that he ever considered and kept July 14th, 1833, as the start of the Tractarian Movement. Within three months from that date he published his work on the Arians of the Fourth Century, in which the "Disciplina Arcani," or the "secret teaching," which found such favour with a few of the early Fathers, was held up to the admiration of English churchmen of the nineteenth century. It was most appropriate that a religious movement in which secrecy has played so important a part should be inaugurated by the publication of such a work. It has served as a seed from which many a noxious weed has grown. Closely connected with the "Disciplina Arcani" is what is termed the "Economical" mode of teaching and arguing. The difference between the

--

two is thus defined by Newman himself. "If," he writes, "it is necessary to contrast the two with each other, the one may be considered as withholding the truth, and the other as setting it out to advantage." As an illustration of this "Economy" he quotes with approval the very objectionable advice of Clement of Alexandria:

"The Alexandrian Father," he affirms, "who has already been quoted, accurately describes the rules which should guide the Christian in speaking and writing economically. Being fully persuaded of the omnipresence of God,' says Clement, and ashamed to come short of the truth, he is satisfied with the approval of God, and of his own conscience. Whatever is in his mind, is also on his tongue; towards those who are fit recipients, both in speaking and living, he harmonizes his profession with his thoughts. He both thinks and speaks the truth; except when careful treatment is necessary, and then, as a physician for the good of his patients, he will LIE, or rather utter a LIE, as the Sophists say. Nothing, however, but his neighbour's good will lead him to do this. He gives himself up for the Church.'"'*

As to the "Disciplina Arcani," Newman justifies it on several grounds, and affirms that in the Church of Alexandria the Catechumens were not taught all the doctrines of the Christian Faith. Many of these were treated by their teachers as secret doctrines to be held in reserve. "Even to the last," he asserts, "they were granted nothing beyond a formal and general account of the articles of the Christian Faith; the exact and fully developed doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, and still more, the doctrine of the Atonement, as once made upon the Cross, and commemorated and appropriated in the Eucharist, being the exclusive possession of the serious and practised Christian."3 It is worthy of note that Newman affirmed that these secret doctrines were not learnt from the Scriptures. "Now first," he writes, "it may be asked, How was any secrecy practicable, seeing that the Scriptures were open to everyone who chose to consult them? It may startle those who are but acquainted with the 1 Newman's Arians, p. 65. Seventh edition.

2 Ibid., pp. 73, 74.

3 Ibid.,

P. 45.

popular writings of this day, yet, I believe, the most accurate consideration of the subject will lead us to acquiesce in the statement, as a general truth, that the doctrines in question [i.e., the secret doctrines of the early Church] have never been learnt merely from Scripture." And then he adds:-"Surely the Sacred Volume was never intended, and is not adapted, to teach us our Creed."+ Thus early in the Tractarian Movement were its disciples taught not to look to the Bible only for what they should believe. The traditions of men were set up as of equal value with the Written Word. No wonder that such a Movement led to many and grievous departures from Christian truth. Teaching like this was eagerly imbibed by the disciples of Newman, who very naturally, though without sufficient reason, inferred that, if the Alexandrian Fathers were justified in hiding certain doctrines of Christianity from the popular gaze, as secrets to be made known only to the initiated whom they could trust, the Tractarians of the nineteenth century might lawfully imitate their example. Accordingly, they, at first, from their pulpits preached the ordinary doctrines of the Church of England, as they had been taught for nearly three hundred years; while secretly, and to those only who could be trusted, they taught those Romish doctrines and practices which they dared not then expose to the light of publicity.

There was a measure of secrecy observed even in the formation of the Tractarian Movement. As early as September 3rd, 1833, one of the party-the late Professor Mozley-writing to his sister, after announcing that with his letter she would "receive a considerable number of Tracts, the first production of the Society established for the dissemination of High Church principles," proceeds to give particulars of the plans of the party; but finds it necessary, before closing his letter, to add this caution for her guidance:-"But for the present you must remember all

• Ibid., p. 50.