ved this commission
or privilege, never understood that they were by these words (men and
women together) empowered to be absolving priests. Even the very
apostles never knew that they had any such power; and it is certain they
never exercised it. They were perfectly innocent of being priests after
the Romish type, and never dreamed of offering a propitiatory sacrifice.
They simply believed that Christ had completed the work of propitiation
once for all; and that there is now no more sacrifice for sin--that
Christ only can forgive sins. Therefore in the words of St. John we are
told, that "if any man sin (apostles and people alike), we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the
propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:1, 2).

The apostles and early Christians never understood that the power of the
keys meant the exercise of mere priestly authority, neither was the
doctrine known for several centuries after their time; therefore we may
be sure that the peace which perverts have, if it professes to come from
that source, is a delusion. No true remission or peace is, or can be
given, but by direct and personal transaction with Christ Himself.

I am perfectly convinced that the Epistles to the Romans and the
Galatians are the answer to all the pretences of the Church of Rome, and
that a man who will not read and follow them deserves to be misled. God
is perfectly justified and clear on this point.

During that winter six of my friends joined the Church of Rome. One I
have already told about, who died, I am sure, from grief and
disappointment.* Another became bigoted, and with a sullen, dogged
pertinacity, set himself to work for Rome, looking very miserable all
the time, although he used once to be happy in the Lord's work. The
others, without exception, went back into the world, and made no secret
of their conformity with it, its ways, and fashions.

______________________

* See page 263.
________________________

This was a time of trouble in more respects than one. These secessions
to Rome brought great discredit upon the work, and especially on the
effort to promote Catholic truth, and higher Church life. I found my own
refuge and comfort was in working for God, and therefore went out on
mission work whenever and wherever I could.

Early in the spring of this year I went on a mission to Worcestershire,
and there the Lord vouchsafed a great blessing, which has more or less
continued