Earlier text: Death of John the BaptistLetters to Cardinal McClosky.
Some time ago we noticed these Letters written by "Father O'Connor," of the Independent Catholic Church of New York. The following is the report by a New York religious paper of a lecture given by Mr. O'Connor in that city. It is full of interest in its presentation of facts concerning his experience in, and knowledge of, the Roman Church:— At a crowded service of the Independent Catholic Church in this city, the pastor, the Rev. James A. O'Connor, preached from Acts 26:4, 5, 22, and 23. Applying the text to the subject of the discourse, which was, "My life as a Roman Catholic priest and my present position," he said that for the words Jerusalem and Jews he would substitute Ireland and the Irish, and for the word Pharisee in the fifth verse he would substitute Roman Catholic. These verses well expressed his position as a young Irishman and a Roman Catholic priest. His family and friends were of old Roman Catholic stock, and even the strictest of the adherents of that church. From his twelfth year he was destined for the priesthood by his parents as the most exalted position in life. A Roman Catholic priest was, as it were, a mediator between God and man, and the treasury of heaven could be opened only by the priest for the laity. No higher position in this world, therefore, could be conceived than that of the priest who is the only medium known in that church for the prayers of the people to reach the throne of grace. In his family was a venerable priest, the speaker's grand-uncle, Father Batt O'Connor, parish-priest of Milltown, County Kerry. The speaker's own nephew was recently ordained a Roman Catholic missionary priest, and other near relatives, male and female, were priests and nuns. Trained up amid such surroundings, his manner of life from his youth was after the strictest sect of the Roman Catholic religion. Having made the preparatory studies in the Diocesan Seminary in Killarney, the delightful home of his early life, he proceeded to France and studied philosophy and theology in the great Seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris. As a young man he was filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, and, as he considered there was an abundance of priests in Ireland, he resolved to make America the scene of his priestly labors, as his countrymen were spreading over this new land by thousands every year. That he might be more thoroughly prepared for his ministry, he spent some time in the Seminary of St. Francis, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then entered St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, which is conducted by the same society of priests who have charge of the Sulpician Seminary in Paris. He was ordained sub-deacon and deacon in the seminary chapel in Baltimore, in 1871, and six months afterwards was ordained priest in Chicago, by the late Bishop Foley. He began his priestly life in the city of Chicago, and for eight years he labored in the ministry of the Roman Catholic priesthood in that city and other parts of Illinois. He faithfully tried to fulfill his duties as a priest, offering masses for the people, hearing confessions, attending their sick calls, ministering to all their spiritual wants, and taking a kindly interest even in their temporal affairs whenever he, as pastor, could help and benefit them. Lest, while preaching to others, he should be a cast-away himself, he observed, in his own person, all the duties required of a Catholic and a priest; he said his mass every morning, went to confession every two weeks, paid daily visits to the parochial schools, and in every way was a live, active, zealous young priest. The example of older priests around him, which was not always good, had no effect upon him, and he continued for eight years, bravely working for the Irish Roman Catholic people, until he found that, as regards the moral elevation of his people and the influence of Christianity in their lives, his labors were in vain. Looking back from his present position, he thanked God that he retained his good character and reputation through all his ministry. He had seen priests around him become intemperate through sheer recklessness and despair. Many of the priests of the Chicago diocese, while he was among them, were hurried into early graves from dissipation brought on by the tyranny and despotism of this hideous ecclesiastical system,—a system which makes them slaves until their hearts are broken, and they find what they consider a relief in sensual excess. Like many other priests around him, Father O'Connor began to see that the Roman Catholic Church was not all she professed to be. His observation led him to see a lack of fruit in his ministry and in that of his brother priests. If, he asked himself, the Roman Catholic Church was the church Christ established on earth, with which he promised to abide forever, why did not the people who had such great faith in that church show in their lives more evidence of their Christian profession? As a priest, he was continually handling sacred things, and giving them to the people who had a full and perfect faith in them and in him; yet he never experienced conversion of heart in his own person, nor did he see any evidence of it in any one of the thousands to whom he ministered. He gradually lost faith in the sacraments which he was giving to the people, the mass, the confession, the eucharist, the extreme unction, and the other means of grace that the Roman Catholics so liberally used. Recognizing that he was in a false position, he resolved at all hazards to free himself from the deplorable state of hypocrisy in which he saw so many other priests spend their lives. Accordingly he went to Cincinnati in May, 1878, where he obtained literary employment, and thence to Boston. From there he came to New York and, after his conversion to Christ, organized the Independent Catholic Church, in conjunction with other priests who had also renounced the teachings of the church of Rome. The following is the opening address of the Letters to the Cardinal. We shall give further extracts from this book, the author having kindly given us permission to use as much of it as we choose. Sir: I address you in a reasonable and respectful manner, to call your attention to some matters of the deepest importance to all who believe in God and wish to serve him. You are the head in this country of an organization that claims to be the only true church of Christ. There are other religious societies that make the same claim, but you say they are heretical, and that yours is the only genuine one containing the whole truth. Until a few years ago I was an active worker in that organization, and exercised to the full capacity the power that some of our population suppose a priest to possess. You must concede that only a small proportion of the people of this country believe in such power. Yet their number is so considerable that you and 6,000 other priests find it very profitable to humor them in their delusion. It is known of all men that the class of people that believe in you and your system of religion are the least intelligent of the population. Here and there throughout the country an educated and refined man or woman will be found who believes in this system, but they are very few indeed, and they could well dispense with your ministrations. But the common people, the working people of the country, need to be uplifted by some means from the sinful lives that they are leading. You say that you and your church can do it if they will come to you. They have been coming to you and your predecessors for centuries, and why do you not do it? If you possess the power of reconciling poor sinners to their offended Creator, why do you not make good your claim by using it with effect? Address to the Young.
By Ellen G. White
SOLEMN responsibilities rest upon the young, which they lightly regard. The introduction of music into their homes, instead of inciting to holiness and spirituality, has been the means of diverting their minds from the truth. Frivolous songs and the popular sheet music of the day seem congenial to their taste. The instruments of music have taken time which should have been devoted to prayer. Music, when not abused, is a great blessing; but when put to a wrong use, it is a terrible curse. It excites, but does not impart that strength and courage which the Christian can find only at the throne of grace,113 while humbly making known his wants, and with strong cries and tears pleading for heavenly strength to be fortified against the powerful temptations of the evil one. Satan is leading the young captive. Oh, what can I say to lead them to break his power of infatuation! He is a skillful charmer, luring them on to perdition. Listen to the instructions from the inspired book of God. The sensibilities of the youth are so blunted that they regard not the injunctions of the holy apostle:-- "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." "Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." Children who dishonor and disobey their parents, and disregard their advice and instructions, can have no part in the earth made new. The purified new earth will be no place for the rebellious, the disobedient, the ungrateful son or daughter. Unless such learn obedience and submission here, they will never learn it; the peace of the ransomed will not be marred by disobedient, unruly, unsubmissive children. No commandment-breaker can inherit the kingdom of Heaven. Will all the youth please read the fifth commandment of the law spoken by Jehovah from Sinai, and engraven with his own finger upon tables of stone: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." The youth do not read the word of God enough to know its claims upon them; and yet these truths will judge them in the great day of God, when young and old will be rewarded according to the deeds done in the body. Says John: "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you; and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." This exhortation to young men extends to young women also. Their youth does not excuse them from the responsibilities resting upon them. They are strong, and are not worn down with cares and the weight of years; their affections are ardent, and if they withdraw these from the world, and place them upon Christ and Heaven, doing the will of God, they will have a hope of the better life that is enduring, and will be crowned at last with glory, honor, immortality, eternal life. If the youth live to gratify the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, they are seeking for the things of the world, pleasing their great adversary, and separating themselves from the Father. And when these things that are sought after pass away, their hopes are blasted and their expectations perish. Separated from God, they will then bitterly repent their folly in serving their own pleasure, gratifying their own desires, and, for a few frivolous enjoyments, selling a life of bliss that they might have enjoyed forever. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," says the inspired apostle. Then he adds the warning, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." It is an alarming fact that the love of the world predominates in the minds of the young. They decidedly love the world and the things that are in the world, and for this very reason the love of God finds no room in their hearts. They find their pleasures in the world and in the things of the world, and are strangers to the Father and the graces of his Spirit. God is dishonored by the frivolity and fashion, and empty, vain talking and laughing that characterize the life of the youth generally. Titus exhorts the youth to sobriety: "Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed; having no evil thing to say of you." I entreat the youth for their souls' sake to heed the exhortation of the apostle. All these gracious instructions, warnings, and reproofs will be either a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Many of the young are reckless in their conversation. They choose to forget that by their words they are to be justified or condemned. All should take heed to the words of our Saviour: "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." How little regard is paid even to the instructions of the heavenly Teacher. Many either do not study the word of God or do not heed its solemn truths, and these plain truths will rise up in judgment and condemn them. Words and acts testify plainly what is in the heart. If vanity and pride, love of self and love of dress, fill the heart, the conversation will be upon the fashions, the dress, and the appearance, but not on Christ or the kingdom of Heaven. If envious feelings dwell in the heart, they will be manifested in words and acts. Those who measure themselves by others, do as others do, and make no higher attainments, excusing themselves because of the faults and wrongs of others, are feeding on husks, and will remain spiritual dwarfs as long as they gratify Satan by thus indulging their own unconsecrated feelings. Some dwell upon what they shall eat and drink, and wherewithal they shall be clothed. These thoughts flow out from the abundance of the heart, as though temporal things were the grand aim in life, the highest attainment. These persons forget the words of Christ, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The youth have their hearts filled with the love of self. This is manifested in their desire to see their faces daguerreotyped by the artist; and they are not satisfied with being once represented, but sit again and again for their picture, each time hoping that the last will excel all their previous efforts, and appear really more beautiful than the original. Their Lord's money is squandered in this way, and what is gained? Merely their poor shadow upon paper. The hours that should have been devoted to prayer are occupied upon their own poor selves; precious hours of probation are thus wasted. Satan is gratified to have the attention of youth attracted by anything to divert their minds from God, so that the deceiver can steal a march upon them, and they, unprepared for his attacks, be ensnared. They are not aware that the great heavenly Artist is taking cognizance of every act, every word, and that their deportment, and even the thoughts and intents of the heart, stand faithfully delineated. Every defect in the moral character stands revealed to the gaze of angels, and young and old will have the faithful picture presented to them in all its deformity at the execution of the Judgment. Those vain, frivolous words are all written in the book. Those false words are written. Those deceptive acts, whose motives were concealed from human eyes, but discerned by the all-seeing eye of Jehovah, are all written in living characters. Every selfish act will be exposed. Babylon Is Fallen.
By J. B. Goodrich
AFTER the proclamation of the first angel's message, Rev. 14 : 6, 7, the second angel announces the fall of Babylon. After her fall she changes her position, and "Becomes the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Rev. 18: 2. When the application of the fall of Babylon is made to the popular churches as bodies (not as individuals), it seems as though no candid person can fail to see the correctness of the position taken. The Lord says, "Come out of her my people [then there are those in her after she falls that are recognized as God's people], that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Rev. 18 : 4. Paul describes the last days as perilous: "For men shall be lovers of their own selves;" and "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3 : 1, 5. Now note the fulfillment: Let an appointment be given for a prayer-meeting in the vestry, there to meet with Jesus, the Saviour of the world, the one that loved us so well that he laid down his own dear life for our sakes, and you may find six, eight, ten, or twelve present, out of a church numbering from fifty to two hundred or more. Some are driven with work; or they are not feeling well, and the weather is a little unfavorable, and they would be sure to get cold if they should go out in the evening, so they stay at home. But appoint a levee, where they are going to have the grab-bag, the post-office, the fish-pond, the pound cake, the cake with the gold ring, or the oyster supper, and in many cases a dance, and you will see the work will be laid one side, and the feeble ones will be on hand. If it snows or rains a little it does not stop them; they are not afraid of getting cold now; there is going to be so much fun and a good time generally that they cannot possibly afford to be absent. The vestry will be well filled and the report goes out that there were some over two hundred people present. Where are we living? Answer: "In the last days;" "Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." I was reminded of this when I read the following in one of our county papers of January 25, 1882:— "SUPPER AND SOCIABLE.—The supper and auction sale of young ladies at the Congregational church last evening was a success in every particular, there being over two hundred people present. There were thirteen young ladies on the auctioneer's block, and they sold all the way from one dollar each, to four for twenty-five cents, but seventy-five cents seemed to be about the general price. Owing to the early commencement of the sale many of the heaviest bidders on such goods were unable to reach there in season to take part, which accounts for some of the great sacrifices made. After the supper was served, the tables were removed and a grand social time was enjoyed by both old and young. "The same society are to give an oyster supper with an auction sale of twenty-five young ladies at their vestry on Tuesday evening February 7, sale to commence at 7:30 o'clock, thereby giving all who wish to bid an opportunity of being present and taking part." Teaching Singing to the Little Ones.
By Hope Ledyard
ALL primary teachers should be interested in singing; not only at Christmas time, when, all over the land, scholars are being drilled for the Christmas celebrations; nor only at anniversary time, when the little ones are expected to take part in the public exercises; but all the year round. It may not be inappropriate to give a few hints on how to teach singing to the very little ones. One great advantage of singing is that it needs so few "appliances." A good piano or organ, a blackboard, a large hymn roll, and an exquisite voice, are all delightful, but they are not essential. Some of the best teaching is done without them. You need only a correct ear, to be painstaking, and to love your work. Do not think that teaching singing is any less important than teaching the lesson. I grant you that it should never supersede or interrupt the lesson; but it is quite as much a work for God, and has as great an influence—with little children a greater influence—for good as the lesson teaching. If possible, teach the singing at a separate session; either in the afternoon, if your school meets in the morning, or on a week-day. Only one teacher is needed for a large number of children, for the singing, if interspersed, for little ones, with a march around the room, or some motion songs, does not tire them or make them restless. Get the co-operation of your pastor in your work. Let him know what hymns the children sing, and then the little ones will hear one of "their hymns" given out in church, and the sweet, childish voices will ring out, while eager little heads will twist and turn to see if they can catch "teacher’s eye." Now, as to the teaching. There are three kinds of children in every Sunday-school; the children that can sing, and delight in so doing; the children that can but don’t care to; and the children that cannot, but long to. If you devote yourself to the last class, you will carry the others along, though you will not have those touching and beautiful solo performances which do such infinite harm to the little performers. Little children should be taught hymns that tell the gospel story, that teach some lesson helpful in their every-day lives, or such as can be used as part of their morning and evening devotions. I know no better hymn to help the little folks to fight the arch-enemy than that one: "Yield not to temptation." Teach it to a hot-tempered little lad, and then, when he is in a perfect fury, take his flushed face between your hands, and, looking down into the angry eyes, sing the chorus softly. The effect is wonderful. "Glory to thee, my God, this night," is a hymn that every child should learn. I know of one case where this hymn, sung night after night by a little child after he was left alone, was the means of awakening a careless soul. In teaching a new hymn, it is best with little children to rouse their interest by talking to them and getting them to talk; sing the first verse to them, and then let them repeat the words of each line twice; they will not all have learned it perfectly, but enough will have been taught to begin the singing. That, too, must be a line at the time, and you must be thorough. Children enjoy doing a thing well, and if you are bright and good-tempered, and make them laugh a little at their own mistakes, they will enjoy thorough practice. Talk as you teach; tell a story about when you were little and learned hymns. Ask the boys to sing alone, and then call on two or three at a time. I do not advocate solo singing, for those who do it well do not need the encouragement, and those who lack confidence cannot sing alone, and grow discouraged. But get one little one with a true sweet voice to sing with half a dozen poor singers, and praise them all, without making any discrimination between the good and the poor singers; the poor ones will pluck up heart wonderfully, while the good singer is sure to appropriate all the praise she deserves—the good singers always do. Be careful the children understand what they sing, and for that reason teach them the words with regard to the punctuation. A very simple hymn sometimes becomes strangely twisted before it enters a child’s brain. My own little boy once said to me: "Mamma, baby’s a heavenly babe-u; just like Jesus, isn’t he?" I could not think what he meant; and, like all little ones, he was hurt and angry, and kept repeating: "A heavenly babe-u," with looks that said plainly I was very stupid. Suddenly I remembered. He had been learning that old carol, "Hark, the herald angels sing," and the music made the words of the second verse come in this way: "The . . . heavenly babe you . . . there shall find." So mind your stops! Be careful as to definitions. Mission children need every word explained. Do not spend your whole time on new songs. Children like to listen, and you can sometimes sing to them, letting them join in the chorus with very good effect, teaching them truths they might slur over if they were singing themselves. Do not despise the simple old favorites of childhood—"I have a Father," "Come to Jesus," and such like. These are such delightful plain sailing to children. Have you forgotten your one joy at being able to sing one of them "alone"? It is a good plan to form a choir in the school, letting the members sit near you, and help you lead. These need not be only good singers, some can be selected as models of attention. Then, get one of the older boys to turn your music if you use an instrument, and treat him as a gentleman assistant, and let two or three boys take charge of the books; you get hold of the boys in this way. Be careful to teach children, from the first, that they take God’s name in vain when they sing holy words thoughtlessly, that singing is worship or preaching. Let them regard their ability to sing as a gift from God for which they must give an account. Nothing will shield them more from the poisoned shafts of injudicious praise and fulsome flattery. Teach them that if a friend is sick, one of their Sunday-school hymns will do her good, that an aged person may be pleased by a little girl singing for her, and you give the children a new incentive to attend the practicings.—Hope Ledyard, in S. S. Times. Canon Farrar says: "Man's liberty ends, and it ought to end, when that liberty becomes the curse of his neighbors." The Beauty of Christian Character
EVERY one delights in looking upon a face that is truly beautiful, it appeals to the noble sentiment of the being; but there is a beauty of Christian character that is more delightful, and appeals to the noblest sentiments of our soul. Better a thousand times be loved for a beautiful character than for a beautiful face.—The Golden Rule. Commencement of the Sabbath.
By Editor
PETER said he wrote his second letter, not to acquaint them with the things of which he wrote, but, because they knew them and were established in the truth; his desire was to stir them up by putting them in remembrance. The truth cannot be made too plain nor be too often stated. And yet we should hardly have thought of writing on the time of the commencement of the Sabbath had we not received a request so to do. We consider that no point is better settled than this. But certain friends in a distant State have commenced the observance of the seventh day by reading; they are alone in their place, and this subject is not clear to them. When God created the heavens and the earth all was in darkness. He then called forth light, which appears to have been diffused o'er the whole extent of the earth's surface. And he separated the light from the darkness, so that the light was gathered to one side of the earth, while the darkness was on the other side, as it continues to this day. But it was not until the fourth day that the sun was constituted the bearer of light to the earth, and to this system. This order in the work of creation and formation is the basis of the declaration: "And the evening and the morning were the first day." And so of the other days. The word day is used in the record in two senses. 1. Meaning the light in distinction from the darkness, which is also called morning. 2. Meaning the period of a complete revolution of the earth, twenty-four hours, including one period of darkness and one period of light; and the period of darkness has two terms applied to it, namely, night and evening. In measuring off the day the evening naturally comes first, because when the earth was created there was darkness, and afterward light. From the very beginning the day was divided into two periods, one of darkness and one of light, the darkness coming first. And so it has continued until this day. This fixes the commencement of every day with the evening, or, with the beginning of the darkness. This is sufficient to settle the question of the time to commence the Sabbath, or, rather, the time when the Sabbath commences. But God has spoken on the subject defining the time when the observance of a day should begin. Thus, the tenth day of the seventh month was the day of atonement—the most notable of all the yearly sabbaths. Of this the Lord said in Lev. 23:32, "It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath." Of course all days commence at the same point of time; otherwise there would be constant confusion. And therefore every Sabbath must be observed "from even unto even," which indeed is equivalent to saying it must be observed from its commencement to its close. We will quote a few texts of Scripture confirming what we have drawn from Gen. 1 and Lev. 23. In Josh. 8:29 these are words:— "And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide; and as soon as the sun was down Joshua commanded that they should take his carcass down from the tree." And again, in chapter 10:26, 27, we find as follows:— "Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees." And the same language is used in the New Testament. In the first chapter of Mark there is an account of Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. After they left the synagogue he entered into the house of Simon and healed his wife's mother of a fever. But the people would not bring their sick to him on the Sabbath; they waited until the close of the day. And the record says:— "And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased." Thus the time when the day commences is clearly given in the Scriptures, namely, at even, or at the setting of the sun. The idea of commencing the day at midnight, in the middle of one of the periods into which a full day is divided, was never derived from the Bible. It originated with those who did not follow the Bible, and who cared nothing for the ways of God. We endeavor to follow the rules given by the Lord, and not to learn "the way of the heathen." Jer. 10:2. And this is a matter of importance. God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, and commanded its observance. If we rest a part of the seventh day and a part of the first day, we do not rest upon that time which God has said is holy unto himself. Ex. 31:14, 15. As the day commences at the setting of the sun or at the commencement of the evening, if we do not commence our Sabbath rest until midnight, one quarter of the sacred day (on the average) is past when we commence our rest, and then, after it is all past, we rest a quarter of another day, until the midnight following. The Bible is so plain on this subject that we shall be without excuse if we do not follow its teachings.