Vox Ecclesiae, Or the Doctrine of the Protestant Episcopal Church on Episcopacy and Apostolical Succession: Embracing a Refutation of the Work Known As Goode on Orders (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Vox Ecclesiae, or the Doctrine of the Protestant Episcopal Church on Episcopacy and Apostolical Succession: Embracing a Refutation of the Work Known as "Goode on Orders"

Hearing statements to this effect made by persons in whom he had entire confidence, and knowing well that the modes of worship and of thought, which he had come to regard as in separable from true religion, were neither used in the Church nor favored by it, he was easily led to accept those statements as substantially correct. At first, indeed, and often when harshly put, they seemed to him somewhat uncharitable; but he did not protest, for he had learned to believe that they were not unfounded. This being so, his attachment to the Communion of his fathers became little more than nominal. He could not be a hearty lover and faithful member of a Church that appeared to set greater store upon matters of order than upon vital truth. For various reasons he did not wholly abandon it; but his sym pathics were with those who were called by other names, and who worshipped in separate sanctuaries. Continuing thus for years after he had come to man's estate, he was a zealous advo cate for what he supposed to be Evangelical views. He was willing to look upon Episcopacy as an allowable system - the Bishop being no more than the Moderator of an Assemby, or the President of a Conference; but the Churchman's claim of divine right he regarded as arrogant assumption, savoring too much of Rome, while he looked upon Apostolical Succession as a mere figment - the last resort of a declining Church, ih vented for the purpose of giving it some apparent advantage over other bodies which surpassed it in spiritual life and zeal. Consequently he never hesitated to denounce as poor bigoted creatures all who said a word in behalf of such a doctrine, or who even ventured to name the sin of Schism.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.