QUACKERY OP CEREMONIALISM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1241, 11 September 1875, Page 4

QUACKERY OP CEREMONIALISM.

Dr. Ceremonial has patented a lotion io? producing regeDeiation in little chilf.'ucß t»y the application of a few drops to ti.eir svrohead. He puts his hands on the hc*da of boy* and girli, aad by what he c'lls ecouit influence, confirms them in gr.ico. He piftjfeeae* to be able to make a pince of a loaf and a oup of wine to be acually divine, and in themselves a chancel <-f grace to the souls of men. The sub-lance and material — a mouse may aibble at the one, a bottle will hold the •oUter ; you can touch them, taste them, smell them, and yet foola adore them as divine, and imagine that material subtsf,snce «a:i be fond for soolb. Surely IV s Dr Ceremonial flourishes all the m ire because <& the monstrotu absurdity ot his teachisgs; his pi«» are huge, Wt men have wlie swallows, and can *ewive anything. Wiy, think for a tniimte und then wonder war an hour ; ■men aw to be aaoctißed by «jwng at ■genuflexions, milliner?, andcandleai^he East is seid to ba a more gracious quarter at the heftveou than the West; *m sweas

repeated with the head in that direction possesses a peculiar efficacy. It appears that in spiritual operation certain colours are peculiarly efficacious ; prayers said or sung in white are far more prevalent than in black, and according to the age of the year, and the condition of the moon, puce, violet, scarlet, and blue are more acceptable to God. I have no patience with these things ; it is hardly good enough sport for laughter ; but so long as fools abound, knaves will flourish ; and this Dr. Ceremonial will get men to spend their substance in abundance, and laugh in his sleeve to think that rational beings should be his silly dupes. I trust there are none sxich here. I hope none of you are so befooled. What can there be in crossings, bowings, and uttering over and over the same words 1 What is any worship, unless the reason and heart enter into it? What can there be in one material substance to give it sanctity ? Is it not as absurd as the fetishism of the Bushman to believe that bricks and mortar, and slates and boarding could make a holy place ? That, indeed, any one place could be a jot holier than another ; that any plot of ground can be holier than common ground ; or that any man, because certain words have been said over his godless, graceless head, can be made a dispenser of the grace of God, and a pardoner of sins ! We are not so befooled, but still this quack drives a good trade, and is held- in very high repute. — Rev. C. H. Spurgeon.