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Priesthood and clergy unknown to Christianity
Priesthood and clergy unknown to Christianity Author:George Bush Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Who that acknowledges this creed, can, for one moment, return to the dismal trumpery of the clerical caste, without utter loathing and abomination ? Who that und... more »erstands these things can take up the name of priest or prelate in his mouth without nausea ? But alas ! we have been so long accustomed to see the sow that was washed return to her wallowing in the mire, that the disgusting spectacle excites neither our surprise nor our displeasure. Now, in order to recover the privileges of which the church is lawful inheritrix, through the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our duty is to place the gospel ministry in a clear light; to bring it forth in open day ; aod not to allow it any false effect by shadowy back-grounds, and the picturesque accompaniments of antiquity. If the churches of Borne, of England, or other countries, have their Brahminical orders—if they, in perfect consistency with their system, make their priests first breathe the sacerdotal life through the indispensable handling of " prelatical fingers "—if they have their upper and lower houses of Christians, the on% called " clergy " and the other " laity "—we cannot be at a loss for the line of conduct which we are to pursue, even to avoid all they have done, not only by ceasing to imitate or tolerate their deeds, but by denouncing them as a delusion, and worse than a delusion. § 2. Sentiments of the Quakers. It is but justice to remark in this connection, that one sect, if sect it may be called, has approached perhaps nearer the truth concerning the priesthood than any other, and, entirely leveling every remnant of distinction between clergy and laity, has at last produced a system framed on the fundamental doctrine, that " the old covenant " having "decayed and waxed old," ought " to vanish...« less