CANDLES AND CROSSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9066, 29 May 1888, Page 3

CANDLES AND CROSSES.

to the EDITOR.

Sir, — must beg for a little space in your paper to answer a few remarks of one " Jesuit." He talks of simplicity of religion, and fears that any High Church movementso-called—will endanger this simplicity. I should very much like to know in what way placing a cross upon a Christian altar, or the lighting of any amount of candles or any other ritual of the Church has obscured, or can obscure, the Divine love of our Saviour, and the redemption of mankind. People seem to me to forget in their anti-Jesuit zeal what worship is, that it does not consist in going to hear a man preach, however good his discourse may be, nor does it consist in holding prayer meetings for salvation purposes, for there is something else to be done after a soul is saved—neither is worship to be found in lighting of candles, but as an ordinance and a symbol of Christian worship, altai lights have their use. Let " Anti-Jesuit" ask himselfplacing Popery, Protestantism, and the Bible on one side for the present why should our Christian religion be denuded of forms and ceremonies, beauty, and ornament? Why leave the worship of God bare, and God's house cold and empty, when We delight to surround secular institutions and our own houses with

beautiful objects of God's creation and man's invention ? I look in the Bible and find the history of the creation of the world is contained in one short chapter, but the instructions to the Israelites as to how God was to be worshipped by them occupy several chapters,' and I see that they had those dreadful candlesticks and that further abomination of incense ! And I also read in Mnlachi that " God's name is to be great among the Gentiles" (that is, all who are not Jews), and " incense and a pure offering shall be offered unto His name in every place.". Now, the word rendered " offering" is mincha, or the bread offering, which clearly means the one offering of the Catholic Church, the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, so much neglected, and so despoiled of all beauty by professing Anglicans in Auckland and other parts of New Zealand. Thank God the Church is better at home, for both clergy and laity have awaked to a fuller realisation of the ordinances and sacraments of Christ's Church upon earth, and with this awakening, are doing a grander work in winning souls to Christ than heretofore. I know of one Church in London (St. Peter's, London Docks) that has, I think, 30 different societies and institutions in connection with it, solely for the benefit of the poor, and this church has many altar lights, and— I mention it ? —incense, too. And so it is all throughout the length and breadth of the land. Individual prejudices must give way before the whole truth of the Bible ; and if Auckland clergy would but be worthy of their priestly calling, and teach the people committed to their charge the spiritual meaning, and use and privilege of symbolism, the Church here would be in a better state than it now is. Ritual, as mere ritual, ' is indeed, useless, cold, and void; but ritual, real, living, expressive ritual in public worship, is much needed; and, whether " Anti-Jesuit" likes it or not, the English Church will bo true to her catholicity, which catholicity is founded upon the Bible. He that runs may read ; and an excellent little book for reading is "The Congregation in Church " (to be obtained at or through Messrs. Upton and Co.); and also "Plain Reasons Against Joining the Church of Rome," by Dr. Littledale, is an invaluable statement of facts, throwing much light on both Anglican and Roman doctrines. Churchmen and Churchwomen in Auckland, wake up to a sense of your calling, your profession, and your privilegesthe first of the latter being the privilege of having free and open churches ! -lam, &c, Churchman. May 26, 1888.