Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE STRONG CONTRAST.

gone, whatever the senses may assert to the contrary,—and that what they eat, is not bread, but Christ Himself in His human and divine person; that Christ, of whom an apostle declared, "though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more."

The two sentences which accompany the reception of the elements, are so decisive on the simply spiritual and commemorative nature of the sacrament, that we cannot but marvel at the dishonesty of the Tractarians, who have attempted to graft upon them the worst features of the carnal and sacrificial system of Rome.

Familiar as are the words, we may be pardoned for quoting them here, giving our own italics to shew the strong contrast which our Church presents to the grossly sensual and unscriptural doctrine of Rome.

"The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life.

"Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on Him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving."

"The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life.

"Drink this in remembrance that Christ's blood was shed for thee, and be thankful."

It is obvious that the first paragraph means nothing more than a direct appeal to the communicant to lift up his heart to that Saviour who was slain for his ransom, who bore his sins in His own body on the tree, and who poured out His blood as a sacrifice for his sins. The latter

387

offers the Saviour's own appointed symbols of both His body and His blood, and directs the faithful participator to eat and drink in remembrance of Him, "whom the heavens have received;" and while doing so, to seek earnestly to have their souls quickened in the spiritual life, by that spiritual meat and drink, of which the bread and wine are earthly, but divinely appointed, emblems.

It were well to stop here, and content ourselves with venturing to picture what must be the satisfaction with which a convert from Rome to Protestant Christianity must receive the statement of Divine truths, and participate in ordinances, when stripped of the errors and inventions of men, and unencumbered with the gaudy trappings and ceremonials with which Rome has disguised the pure Christianity of the Scriptures.

We turn, however, to reflect upon a painful contrast to the scene at the parish church of Arundel.

We are told that our late" Archdeacon" Manning has celebrated his first mass, and has thus fully assumed the office and performed the functions of the Romish priesthood.

Our readers know well the perfectly unscriptural character of the office itself, as also the purely idolatrous nature of the functions it professes to discharge. In a former number we briefly referred to the character of the ordination which the priests of Rome received, and quoted from the Ordinal, quite sufficient to shew that such priests had no scriptural claim to be considered ministers of Christ, since the very charge they receive, upon the imposition of hands, separates them to the office and work of doing that which is directly contrary, both to the letter and spirit of the New

Testament declarations, of the character and duties of the christian ministry. Surely, a man that boldly claims to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, and teaches his people to receive with their mouths, as really God, and not as creatures, what are palpable to the senses of sight, touch, and smell, as bread and wine, cannot be regarded as the servant of Him who commissioned His ministers to preach the Gospel to every creature; but who gave no commandment for their doing that which is repulsive to every feeling of the mind as well as opposed to the very circumstances of His own institution. We have been tempted, however, again to look at the details of the rite in which this poor pervert Manning was an actor, and this time we have consulted a little work printed by a Roman Catholic publisher, called "The Stranger's Guide at High Mass," and which has confessedly been printed with the view of instructing Protestants, who may be casually or otherwise present at High Mass, in the mysteries of that rite. We have ourselves been present at such a misrepresentation of the Lord's Supper, as Priest Manning has now himself performed; but with all our knowledge of the various explanations which Romanists offer for every ceremonial, observance, dress of the priest, and other attendant details, we could never retire without feeling shocked, that men calling themselves ministers of Christ should so crucify Him afresh, and put Him to open shame. We could not but be deeply humiliated by the thought that our fellow-men should be so fearfully deluded; while we feignedly thankful that we ourselves should have been preserved from such

were un

puerile superstitions and gross idolatries.

In the preface to this explanatory key of the High Mass, we are told, that "on reading Catholic Works, and on conversing with Catholics, we shall be struck to find, that on every point of controversy, the Catholic has reason, Scripture, and tradition, on his side." We shall give from the Canon of the Mass,—that very Mass which our poor perverted Archdeacon celebrated,,-some few of the ceremonies and words of administration, which we think that it would sorely puzzle the Catholic to reconcile with the reasoning faculties of man, or with the plain statements even of their Catholic Bible. With tradition, Christians have nothing to do, except in so far as its lessons go to strengthen and corroborate those of scriptural revelation, and how far the traditions of Rome do this, let Romanists themselves be judges.

Let us now imagine Mr. Manning emerging from the sacristry as

[ocr errors]

"The Celebrant, or officiating Priest, without the chasuble or upper vestment,* entering the chapel, accompanied by two acolytes bearing a vessel of holy water and an asperges, or brush for sprinkling it, after a genuflection, commences the service by intoning aloud the anthem, 'Asperges me,' or (if it be Easter) 'Vidi aquam,' which, after these two words, is immediately taken up and sung by the choir, the congregation standing, whilst the Priest, passing down the chapel, sprinkles them with holy (or blessed) water. Here the service pauses, while the Priest retires into the sacristy to vest himself for the celebration of the Mass.

[ocr errors]

Romanists pretend that every article of dress of the priest, as well as the colour of the vestments, and every posture and act, have a particular meaning.

THE STRONG CONTRAST.

"BEGINNING OF THE MASS. "The Celebrant returns to the altar with the Deacon and Subdeacon, preceded by acolytes bearing lighted wax candles and the thurible of incense; the congregation kneel down, and the choir sing alternately,

Lord have mercy on us,

Christ have mercy on us, while the Celebrant, with the Deacon and Sub-deacon, at the foot of the altar, sign themselves with the sign of the cross, saying, and continuing responsively, in a low voice,

"In the name of the Father, &c.

66

Then, bowing before the altar, and kissing it, he says:

"We beseech thee, O Lord, by the merits of thy saints, whose relics are here, and of all the saints, that thou wouldst vouchsafe to forgive me all my sins. Amen.

"The Celebrant now, after blessing the incense and fuming the altar by the sign of the cross, with the following words :-' Mayest thou be blessed by him in whose honour thou shalt be burned,' turns to the book on the right, and reads the Introit,' or Entrance to the Mass,' he waits there till the choir concludes the same. At the conclusion of the Kyrie,' the Celebrant, spreading his hands, intones aloud the Gloria in excelsis Deo.' These four words having been sung by the Celebrant, he continues the Gloria' in a low voice to the end, and retires to his seat, until this canticle, taken up by the choir after having been intoned by him, is concluded.

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

389

"Then the Epistle is chaunted by the Sub-deacon on the right of the altar; it differs, like the Gospel, every day.

"At the chaunting of the Gospel, both Priest and congregation, standing, make the sign of the cross upon their foreheads, mouths, and breasts.

"Here the Preacher ascends the pulpit, and previous to his sermon recites a prayer, and reads the Epistle and Gospel of the day in the vernacular tongue.

"At the conclusion of the sermon, the Celebrant, with attendants, returns to the altar, and intones aloud the Nicene Creed Credo in unum Deum,' when it is taken up and sung by the choir; the Priest and congregation (standing) continue the same in secret, and, having finished, resume their seats.

66

The Creed having been sung, the Celebrant and his attendants return to the altar, and, turning towards the people, he chaunts aloud :

The Lord be with you, &c.

"The choir now sing some anthem, hymn, or verse from scripture adapted to the occasion, whilst (the congregation kneeling) the Celebrant commences the sacrifice,

"With the oblation of the Host.

"After this the Priest puts the wine and water into the chalice.

"Then follows the Oblation of the Chalice.

"After which the Priest bows before the Altar.

"He then blesses the Bread and Wine.
"Here he blesses the Incense.
"He incenses the Bread and Wine.
"He next incenses the Altar.
"The Censer is then given to the Dea-

con.

"The Priest then washes his hands. "He then bows in the middle of the Altar.

"Then turning towards the people, he says:

"Brethren, pray that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father almighty.

"R. May the Lord receive the sacrifice from thy hands, to the praise and glory of his own name, and to our benefit, and that of all his holy church.

"SECRET. Sanctify, we beseech thee, O Lord our God, by the invocation of thy holy name, the victim of this oblation; and by it make us ourselves an eternal offering to thee.

"Here a little bell is rung to announce to the faithful that the Priest has arrived at the Canon,' or most solemn part of the Mass, the choir beginning the 'Ter Sanctus,' &c.

"Here the choir pause until after the elevation of the chalice, when the bell is again rung, after which the choir continue the anthem.

"The bell is now rung, the Priest proceeds to the consecration of the Bread and Wine, and, spreading his hands over the oblation, says in secret:

"We therefore beseech thee, O Lord, graciously to accept this oblation of our servitude, as also of thy whole family; and to dispose our days in thy peace, preserve us from eternal damnation, and rank us in the number of thine elect. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Which oblation do thou, O God, vouchsafe in all respects to bless, approve, ratify, and accept; that it may be made for us the body and blood of thy most beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

"Who the day before he suffered took bread into his holy and venerable hands, and with his eyes lifted up towards heaven, giving thanks to thee, Almighty God, his Father, he blessed it, brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat ye all of this, FOR THIS IS MY

BODY.

"In like manner after he had supped, taking also this excellent chalice into his holy and venerable hands, giving thee also thanks, he blessed, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and drink ye all of this, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL TESTHE TAMENT, MYSTERY OF FAITH;

WHICH SHALL BE SHED FOR YOU, AND FOR MANY, TO THE REMISSION OF SINS.

"As often as ye do these things, ye shall do them in remembrance of me.

"Wherefore, O Lord, we, thy servants, as also thy holy people, calling to mind the blessed passion of the same Christ thy Son our Lord, his resurrection from the dead, and admirable ascension into heaven, offer unto thy most excellent Majesty of thy gifts bestowed upon us, a pure Host, a holy Host, an unspotted Host, the holy bread of eternal life, and chalice of everlasting salvation.

"Upon which vouchsafe to look, with a propitious and serene countenance, and to accept them, as thou wert graciously pleased to accept the gifts of thy just servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham, and that which thy high-priest Melchisedech offered to thee, a holy sacrifice and unspotted victim.

"We most humbly beseech thee, almighty God, to command these things to be carried by the hands of thy holy angels to thy altar on high, in the sight of thy divine Majesty, that as many as shall partake of the most sacred body and blood of thy Son at this altar, may be filled with every heavenly grace and blessing. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Breaking the Host, in remembrance of Christ's body being broken for us upon the cross, he puts a particle thereof into the Chalice, saying,

"May this mixture and consecration of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, be to us that receive it effectual to

eternal life. Amen.

"Taking the second Ablution, he says: "May thy Body, O Lord, which I have received, and thy Blood which I have drunk, cleave to my bowels; and grant that no stain of sin may remain in me, who have been fed with this pure and holy sacrament. Who livest," &c.

From another work we quote the mode in which the priest receives and the people partake of the Communion:

THE STRONG CONTRAST.

"The priest swallows the wafer as the people do, without biting it, and drinks the wine. Ablution, the cleansing or washing of the chalice, then takes place, with the drinking of the water thus employed; prayers are offered, and the last Gospel is read, which is the first part of the first chapter of St. John's Gospel.

"The form of administering the sacrament, which must be received fasting, is invariable. The consecrated wafers are placed by the priest in the chalice, or in the paten, when he is about to distribute to the laity, each of whom kneels in the front of the sanctuary. The clerks, in the name of the communicants, say the Confiteor, and the priest gives them absolution. A long towel is placed in front of the sanctuary, which each communicant takes in his hand, and places under his chin; he then throws back his head a little, opens his mouth, and protrudes his tongue; on doing which, the priest takes a wafer between his thumb and finger, and carefully places it on the tongue of

the communicant.

"A mind familiar with the New Testa

ment, and aware of the simplicity of the institutes of the Gospel, is not a little revolted by these various ceremonies."

We have merely given short extracts from the multiplied ceremonies used by the priests, with a sample of the words which contain Rome's poisonous admixture of error. In the whole service for the celebration of the mass, there is much which is strikingly beautiful, and in perfect harmony with Scripture; but it is so altogether obscured by the dark stain of the fatal error of transubstantiation,

391

and its natural consequence of foul idolatry of the creatures of bread and wine, besides being accompanied with scenic and pantomimic art,—that the only effect of the present truth and beauty, is the greater condemnation of the accompanying error and departure from the simplicity of Christ's holy institution.

Still more striking is this contrast shewn in the celebration of High Mass by a Romish bishop; a short anatomy of which our readers may peruse with interest in that brief but admirable dissection of Popery, called "Essays on Romanism,"*

417.

pp. 408

Here, however, we must stop; we have suggested matter enough for meditation, on the strong contrast which has been presented to our own minds on the two respective incidents of an exchange of the Mass for the Lord's Supper, and vice versa. Let us, who through God's mercy are preserved stedfast in the faith, be more and more abounding in prayer, for our own preservation from error, and for the real spiritual conversion of our Romanist fellow countrymen of every rank. Let us not forget also to pray for the rescue from apostacy of those who have either gone out from us, or who yet may be tempted to embrace a system which is the master-piece of Satan, the very mockery and counterfeit of genuine Christianity.

By a Layman. Seeleys, London.

H.

« PreviousContinue »