Transcribed from the [1852] Whittaker and Co. edition by DavidPrice,
A
LETTER
TO
LORD FIELDING.
SUGGESTEDBY
THE LATE PROCEEDINGS AT THE NEW CHURCH
AT PANTASA.
BY
THE REV. G. L. STONE, A.B.
INCUMBENTOF
ROSSETT, DENBIGHSHIRE.
LONDON:
WHITTAKER AND CO.; CHESTER, PRICHARD;MOLD, PRING AND PRICE;
HOLYWELL, MORRIS; WREXHAM,PAINTER.
p. 3LETTER,&c.
My Lord;—
An able Prelate of the Irishsection of the Latin Church once observed—“The chiefpoints to be discussed between the Church of Rome and of Englandare—the Canon of the Sacred Scriptures, Faith,Justification, the Mass, the Sacraments, the authority oftradition, of Councils, of the Pope, the celibacy of the Clergy,language of the Liturgy, invocation of Saints, respect forimages, prayers for the dead. On most of these it appearsto me that there is no essential difference between (Roman)Catholics and Protestants; the existing diversity of opinionarises, in most cases, from certain forms of words which admit ofsatisfactory explanation, or from the ignorance or misconceptionswhich ancient prejudice and ill will produce andstrengthen,—but which could be removed; they are pride andpoints of honour which keep us divided on many subjects, not alove of christian humility, charity, and truth.” [3] Thus wrote the celebrated BishopDoyle in the year 1824. Was he right or was he wrong? Are the differences between the two Churches so veryslight that there is no material difference? If thisbe so, my Lord, permit me, with all respect for your rank as anEnglish Nobleman, to ask you on what plea you have left theCommunion of the English Church, and alienated the consecratedHouse of God at Pantasa from her service, for that of thedissenting body to which you have joined yourself? BishopDoyle wrote either truth or falsehood in the above passage. If truth, have you left the Church of your Baptism and of yourcountry for a system of foreign production, “no materialdifference, meanwhile, existing between them.” Iffalsehood, I might leave you to settle this matter with one ofthe ablest Romish Bishops of modern times. But, my Lord,there is a “material difference” between thetwo Churches—a difference as great as between light anddarkness—the difference between Scriptural verities,and the unfounded figments of Tridentine manufacture. Toprove this as briefly as may be, is my object in addressingyou—and I humbly hope that the perusal of this letter maybe blessed to your good, and that, as St. Cyprian wouldspeak—you may prove not like the raven who seduced from theCatholic faith, returned to it no more; but, like the dovedeparting from the ark of p. 4God, but finding no rest for the soleof its foot, returned to it again, with an olive branch of peacein it