REPLY BY THE VICAR OF ALL SAINTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 405, 2 July 1908, Page 3

REPLY BY THE VICAR OF ALL SAINTS.

[to the editor.]

Sir. —Although so able a sermon was preached at the local Presbyterian Church last Sunday dealing with the three vital points believed by the Church of England, namely : (x) Apostolic succession, (2) the priesthood, (3) mid the belief in the “Real Presence,” the fact still remains that the Church of England, according to her Prayer Book, must hold them vital. (1) As to the apostolic succession : The preface to the Ordinal, and the Ordinal itself, is an absolute, definite, and unchangeable fact, that it is not only of the “ bene esse ” of the Church, but of the “ esse ’ of the Church übi episcopus ibi ecclesia. (2) As to the priesthood: There is no reason for argument ; the Prajer Book, from cover to cover, and especially in the service of the “Ordination of a priest,” explains itself. (3) As to the “ Real Presence ” in the Blessed Sacrament: This requires to be handled only by those whohavea knowledge of theology. Article 28, at first sight, might seem to be interpreted as by the Presbyterian divine on Sunday last, but we require to look more closely into it. Clause 3of the article reads' 11 Corpus Chnsti datur accipitur, et manducatur in ccena, tautum coelesti et spirituali ratione. Medium an tern quo corpus Christi accipitur et manducatur in coena fides est.” On the nature of the Presence, the teaching of the article is this: The Body and Blood are in no way carnally and corporeally present, i.e., after the manner of a body physically, and according to the laws which govern a local and material presence, “for the Body ot Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after an heavenly manner”; that is, it is present in a manner above sense and nature, by the power and working of God’s Holy Spirit, and for the highest spiritual ends. The “Presence ’ ’ is what is now commonly called “objective,” i.e., that it is there, in virtue of consecration as something external to ourselves, in no way dependent on our feeling or perception of it. The “ Presence” is datur, accipitur, et manducatur. It is received and eaten (accipitur et manducatur); the Presence must be there first, or it cannot be received. The mode is a mystery and the presence is real. The Body is given, but it is the Body of the glorified Risen and Ascended Lord, and so it is given, taken, and eaten, after a heavenly manner. The Presence is not less real because it is heavenly —the means is faith. The teaching of the catachism is sufficient to explain the Real Presence. What is the outward part or sign of the Lord’s Supper ? Bread and wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be received. What is the inward part or thing signified ? The body and blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in'the Lord’s supper. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby ? The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the bread and wine. It re-affirms the old recognition of the “signum,” the “res,” the the “virtus” in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. . The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the supper. Here we note that the subject of the sentence is not “ the sacrament,” but the Body of Christ, or the “inward part of the sacrament’ ’; and this is said to be not only “ taken and eaten” by the recipient, but also to be given as well. That which passes from giver to receiver has an existence, independent of both. It means that our Lord’s Body exists in the sacrament before it is imparted to the communicant. It is enough for us to know that Christ gives us Himself in the Blessed Sacrament without our defining too closely, how ? Queen Elizabeth, one of the greatest champions of the Church of England, said : Christ was the word that spake it: He took the bread and brake it: And what the word did make it, That I believe and take it. I am, etc.,

G. Y. Woodward