PAPAL RELIGIOUS INNOVATIONS.
A.D. 135—Sixtus called the Lord's table "the Altar." A.D. 142—Festival of Lent appointed. A.D. 153—Consecration of churches instituted. A.D. 169—Tonsure of priests. A.D. 190—Festivals of Pentecost and Christmas appointed. Eight orders first introduced of clergymen—(1) Ostiarius; (2) Lector; (3) Exorcista; (4) Acolythus; (5) Sub-deacon; (6) Deacon; (7) Presbyter; (8) Bishop. A.D. 308—Fifteen persons were appointed to baptize the dying and bury the dead, who were afterwards known as Cardinals. A.D. 320—Wax candles lighted in churches. A.D. 366—Bloody contest between two bishops in one of the Roman Churches whereby 137 persons were killed. A.D. 394—Mass first adopted. A.D. 433—Palm Sunday and Ash Wednesday instituted. A.D. 527—Extreme Unction instituted. A.D. 606—The Greek usurping emperor created the pope universal bishop and head of the church. A.D. 607—The pope erects a monument in the Forum to commemorate the event, and dedicates the ancient "Pantheon" to the "Virgin Mary and all the saints," and the first of November as "All Saints' Day." A.D. 700—Image worship was first advocated. A.D. 854—A woman under the name of Joan said to be a pope. A.D. 968—First bell baptized. A.D. 1209—Kneeling at the communion first introduced. A.D. 1350—Indulgences introduced. A.D. 1415—Transubstantiation and Auricular Confession adopted. A.D. 1415—Cup taken from the laity. A.D. 1439—Immaculate Conception of the Virgin announced. A.D. 1482—Purgatory decreed. A.D. 1545—Council of Trent met, and was concluded in the year A.D. 1563. A.D. 1564—Creed of Pope Pius IV. issued. A.D. 1775—Pope Clement decreed Chinese ceremonies to be introduced into Christian worship. A.D. 1854—The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was added to the creed of Pope Pius IV. A.D. 1870—The pope declared to be infallible when defining religion and morals. Holy water, the sign of the cross, the clerical robes, surplice, stole, tunic, and other adaptations were all used by the heathen priests in their temples, and were gradually adopted by the Roman clergy to attract the heathen to their churches. Thus the full creed of the Roman Catholic Church only dates from the year 1870, when its last Article of Faith was adopted by the Vatican Council, which makes that church the most modern of ecclesiastical bodies.—Converted Catholic.