In thus taking a review of the respective creeds of our own Church and of Rome, I trust it will appear, Sir, to all your readers, that reunion with Rome, would be communion of light with darkness, and fellowship between Christ and Belial.

ANCIENT CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS.

No. II.

To the Editor of the Christian's Monthly Magazine and Universal Review.

SIR,

I proceed with my projected plan: and, in doing so, I shall consider it unnecessary always to mention the names of authors to whom I may be indebted; inasmuch as I confine myself to historical facts, well authenticated by ancient ecclesiastical historians. In availing myself, therefore, of the labours of others, I incur no danger of being stigmatised as a plagiarist, since in no other way could I derive that information which I seek to make more generally known in a condensed form. I am not often among the number of those who despise tradition, when confined within its proper boundary.

Although in the apostolic age there were "many Antichrists," and various were the errors in doctrine and in practice which abounded on every side, yet it was not until the beginning of the second century that we find any account of ancient customs subsequently abused to superstitious and idolatrous uses. Having chosen the topic of ancient ceremonies, it will not be expected that I shall depart from the unity of my subject, to consider the varieties of wood, hay, and stubble, in doctrine, which many have built on the one foundation of Christ crucified. I am obliged to confine myself to those Jewish-Pagan rites and ceremonies which have been introduced into the Christian Church. Many of the Jewish converts continued to adhere to legal ordinances; and the Gentile Christians were not less tenacious of their Pagan ceremonies. On this Jewish-Pagan foundation Popery has been built. Jewish shadows have been made to obscure the substance. Pagan fables and ceremonies have been canonised. Romish priests affect celibacy, in imitation of the Pagan priests appointed to particular goddesses. Nuns and sisters of charity have succeeded to the Vestal virgins. The Lustral gave rise to the holy water. The infernal regions, as described by Virgil, seem to have suggested a future purgatory. Images of saints have been substituted in the place of Pagan idols; and they have not even forgotten the addition of burning lamps and lighted tapers. Thus has the great enemy of souls endeavoured to retransform Christians into Jews and Pagans.

But to return to my historical relation. I am to show in what way, and by what degrees, the Christian Church became degenerate; the ceremonies and superstitions which were gradually introduced; and on what foundations the various practices of the Popish Churca have been built. The taxes, which were sown in the apostolic age, made rapid growth in that immediately succeeding. The tower of Babel, of which the foundation was laid in the first century, began to show its walls of confusion soon after the apostles were removed to a better country. The Christian Church, though at first presenting a front of pure gold, gradually, in succeeding ages, assumed a form resembling the statue of Nebuchadnezzar: the head of gold, the arms and breast of silver, the thighs of brass, and the legs and feet of iron and of earth. As we descend to succeeding ages, we find a gradual degeneracy, until the gold and silver are concealed by the protuberance of the iron and clay. At first various innovations were viewed as things either indifferent or expedient; but these were gradually advanced to superstition. And now to commence with such as arose within the second century.

1st. The origin of the custom of carrying offerings into the Church.

It is well known that the Jews on their solemn feast-days were wont to present to GOD some of the fruits of the earth as a token of gratitude and of homage. The Jewish converts among the ancient Christians retained this custom; and, when they assembled for the public worship of GOD, brought with them either corn and grapes, or bread and wine; and these offerings were consecrated to GOD by prayer. Afterwards a part of this bread and wine was taken for the Lord's Supper, while another portion was allotted for the "love-feasts," which were continued after the apostolic

age; and what remained was either retained for the use of those who ministered, or else distributed among the poor. (On this subject vide “Cyprian, lib. de Oper. et Eleemos," and Ireneus, lib. iv., cap. 32.")

2d. The reason of the name of" sacrifice" given to the Eucharist.

These gifts, presented to GOD, were called "offerings;" and since they were made at the time of the celebration of the Holy Communion, the Eucharist was called an "oblation," or a "sacrifice," in allusion to the bread and wine "offered" to God. Nothing, at this time, was further from their intention than the idea of an expiatory sacrifice. It was altogether eucharistical. "They offered unto God the first-fruits of His creatures." (Vide again Iren., lib. iv., cap. 32.)

3d. The mixture of water with the wine.

This custom must be included among the innovations of the second century. It seemed, at that time, to have been tolerated as a matter of indifference; and none ever attempted to support it by apostolic ordinance and practice, or to consider it as authorised by the original institution of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. (Vide Justin. Martyr. defens. ad Antonin.)

4th. The custom of carrying about the consecrated elements of bread and wine. At this period, also, the custom was introduced of carrying the sacramental bread and wine to the sick, and to those who were prevented from being present in the public assembly. The consecrated bread and wine was also used as a symbol of friendship, and as such it was presented to visiters from distant provinces. (Iren. Apud. Euseb., lib. v., cap. 23 and 26.)

5th. About the same time the interchange of a holy kiss, or a kiss of charity, was generally practised at the conclusion of public worship. This kiss of peace has been changed by the Romanists into a most absurd and ridiculous ceremony. (Justin. Martyr., defens. ad Antonin. Tertullian, lib. de Oratione.)

6th. To this period must also be assigned the introduction of fasts by individuals; but without any public authority. Indeed, had any attempted to enforce on the Church, as a body, certain times and seasons for fasting, or abstinence from certain meats, there can be no doubt, from the treatment experienced by Montanus, that such an infringement of Christian liberty would have then been resisted. (Iren. Apud. Euseb., lib. v., cap. 24; Ignat. ad Her.; Iren. ad Uctor.)

It would appear to have been the custom of most churches, not long afterwards, to hold their public assemblies on Wednesdays and Fridays, for the administration of the sacraments, as well as for public prayer; and, as a preparation for these services, the practice of fasting on those days prevailed among many. There was also an anniversary fast established before Easter, from which the Quadragesimal time took its origin. This was, however, never designed by the ancient Church as an imitation of the miraculous fast of our Lord, which was full six months previous to the Passover. Had such been the case, the time would have been made to correspond. It is clear that the fast preceding Easter was principally designed for those who were excommunicated for a season, until they had afforded evidence of repentance, in order that they might be again received into communion at that feast. Moreover, many might have considered fasting and prayer a proper preparation before the time of baptising the Catechumenes, which was fixed for that season of the year. Others, probably, considered fasting a good preparation for the other sacrament, which was also administered on Easter day. Still, it is certain, from ecclesiastical history, that this practice of fasting depended on private judgement, and not on any imposed law by the Church collective; since in some churches this fast was lengthened to three weeks, while in cthers it was restricted to seven days only. Others, again, extended it to forty days; and from this originated our Quadragesimal, or Lent. (Vide Clem. Alexandr. Stromet., lib. v.; Euseb., lib. i., cap. 24, ex. Iren.; and Theophil. Euseb., ex. Iren.)

7th. The origin of Saints' days comes next in order, which may be assigned to a period between A.D. 160 to 190.

This was a time of persecution and of martyrdom; and the very sepulchres of the martyrs suffered from the malice of the enemies of the Gospel. The faithful of those days, in order to encourage believers to follow the example of these martyrs, intro

duced the custom of an annual commemoration, which was clearly an imitation of the solemnities around the tombs of the Grecian heroes. These Saints' days were called the days of their nativity; and these were kept around their graves. Hence, burying-grounds became the ordinary places for public assemblies. At the conclusion of prayer, and the exposition of the Scriptures, the names were rehearsed of those who had been put to death on the day of their assembly. On such occasions a kind of funeral oration was delivered in praise of the martyred saints. The day's service was closed with the celebration of the Lord's Supper. (Iren., lib. iii., cap. 4; Euseb., lib. v., cap. 9 and 15, &c.)

8th. About the same time Church discipline was introduced in respect to those who were convicted of crime. Both confession and satisfaction were required. The latter was not considered as expiatory, but simply as a proof of sincerity—not as a satisfaction to GOD, but to the Church and to the injured member. (Iren., lib. i., cap. 9.)

9th. About the year 195 the controversy commenced respecting the Feast of Easter, between the Asiatic and the European Churches. It is clear, from ecclesiastical writers, that no observance of feast days, any more than of fast days, was enjoined by the apostles. Even the Feast of Easter was voluntarily introduced by individual Christians, and subsequently established by prescription. This is apparent from the diversity of practice which then prevailed in the churches of Asia Minor, when compared with that of the European Christians: the former celebrated the Feast of Easter on the 14th of March, after the manner of the Jews in respect to the Passover; whereas, the churches in Europe kept the Feast of Easter on the following Lord's day. About the year 195 this diversity of practice was made the subject of several councils, held in mutual opposition between the eastern and the western churches and so warm was this controversy, that Victor, Bishop of Rome, ventured to excommunicate all the Asiatic churches. This was the first assumption of judicial power by a Bishop of Rome; and the conduct of Victor was severely censured by Ireneus, and others, who maintained that such observances were altogether matters of indifference, on which different churches and individuals might justly exercise their private judgement.

Trusting that there may be no providential hindrance to the continuance of these letters,