The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

260 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.enlightened members of the Episcopalian church aresteadily returning to the faith of their forefathersregarding prayers for the dead. An acquaintanceof mine, once a distinguished clergyman of theEpiscopal communion, but now a convert, informedme that hundreds of Protestant clergymen in thiscountry, and particularly in England, have a firmbelief in the efficacy of prayers for the dead, butfor well-known reasons they are reserved in the expression of their faith. He easily convinced me ofthe truth of his assertion, particularly as far as thechurch of England is concerned, by sending me sixdifferent works published in London, all bearing onthe subject of Purgatory. These books are printedunder the auspices of the Protestant Episcopalchurch ;they all contain prayers for the dead, andprove, from Catholic grounds, the existence of amiddle state after death, and the duty of prayingfor our deceased brethren. 1To sum up: we see the practice of praying for thedead enforced in the ancient Hebrew church, and inthe Jewish synagogue of to-day. We see itproclaimed age after age byall the Fathers of Christendom. We see itincorporated in every one of theancient Liturgies of the East and of the West*Wesee it zealously taught by the Russian church of today, and by that immense family of schismaticChristians scattered over the East. We behold it,1See Path of Holiness, Rivington s,London Treasury ofDevotion, Ibid,.Catedaism of Theology, Hasten, London.