A Strange Medley | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 32.

A Strange Medley.

THE latest “Official Year Book of the Church of England,” which is issued “under the function of the archbishops and bishops of the Church of England,” whatever that may mean, gives a short record of the “church literature published during the past year.” A correspondent of an English church paper calls attention to the list, of which he disapproves, containing, as it does, the works of Father Benson, the head of the Cowley Fathers, the late Dr. Neale, founder and confessor of the East Grinstead Sisterhood, and the Roman Catholic Abbé Duquesne.

One of the books mentioned is the “Priests’ Prayer Book,” which contains forms for blessing holy salt, holy water, and holy ashes, in addition to which forms are supplied for blessing crosses, crucifixes, medals, monastic dresses, and many other articles.

An examination of many volumes on the list reveals that they teach nearly every false doctrine of the Church of Rome, including “auricular confession,” “priestly absolution,” the “real and objective presence,” the “sacrifice of the mass,” and “prayers for the dead.”

Of the “guilds,” which are said to be one of the modern developments of renewed spiritual activity within the church, there is a list, including a guild of all souls, which has for its special object the offering of masses and prayers for the dead.

Such a state of affairs as this signifies must be grievous indeed to the many hundreds of soundly evangelical clergymen and thousands of evangelical lay members of the Church of England. The church seems to be a great tree, large enough for all the birds of the air, which it appears to invite to build their nests upon its boughs.—Observer.