Acts of the Diocesan Synod Held by Henry, Lord Bishop of Exeter on June 25, 26, 27 1851.[2 Copies]. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1851 Excerpt: ... "our faith are at stake; we look to our natural leaders; we call upon "them for help; we call upon our Bishops as a body; we call upon "our Universities as a body; we call upon our Capitular bodies, whose "very office it is to act as counsel to their Bishop, and as defenders "of the integrity of the faith, we call upon them to help us; we call "from morning to night; we look for the least indication of the fire "of zeal falling from them, but there is no voice, no answer." "Our natural leaders," said they, "lead us not; but God is our leader; "we are sworn soldiers of the Cross, and if we may not fight as a regular "army under our regular leaders against the enemy, pro aris et fock, "let us have a guerilla warfare pro Deo et pro Ecclesid." This is, my Lord, I humbly submit, the strictly true history of those anomalous, but necessary, bodies; and I would put it to this meeting, to this sacred assembly, --sacred in character and in object, --whether it be not in the very highest degree lamentable, that the Church that we have loved, and (God willing) will love until we die, should give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme, and to her friends to blush and tremble for her honour 1 Now, my Lord, I have but one word more The last and greatest attacks upon her have been made in the point of faith. I think we heard yesterday more than enough to convince us, if we are capable of conviction, that this Declaration, in point of doctrine, is accordant with the voice of Scripture--with the voice of God. I enter not, therefore, into the doctrinal merits of the case; but I say, upon that question, touching, evidently, the very centre of the faith, even here there was no voice to lead or to guide us; and I may say it is not Church Unions, neither is it the Clergy alone, who hav...