Corean-Anglican

NEW DIGITAL BOOKS ADDED TO OUR LIBRARY

2008-09-19T22:05:00.000+09:00

The following are Digital Books newly added to our library.

WILLIAM GEORGE WARD AND THE CATHOLIC REVIVAL BY WILFRED WARD 1893

CATHEDRAL BASIC READER II By John A, O'Brien 1931 240pp (For children)

AMERICAN HEALTH SERIES, THE 1943 By California State Series 232pp (For children)

THE UNIVERSAL BIBLE DICTIONARY PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF KOREA UNDER THE GENERAL EDITORSHIP OF THE REV. W. D/ REYNOLDS 1936 950pp [3216] (Korean language)

TEACHING OF THE CHURCH FATHERS 1966 Edited by John R. Willis 538pp

BASIC WRITINGS OF SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS 2 VOL. By Anton C. Pegis 1945 2344pp

We now have added 171 books in the Digital Book Library. Our target is 400 God willing. A list of all books available by e-mail. or s/ Francis

Apostolic Succession

2008-06-30T01:46:00.001+09:00

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION (Anglican)

1. Definition.
"The doctrine of Apostolical Succession means that according to the institution of the institution of Christ, a ministry ordained in due form by (Episcopal) succession from the Apostles and so from our Lord Himself is an integral part of that visible Church of Christ upon earth to which Christian men are to be joined. It implies. further that the ministry so ordained is not a merely external office of convenience and of outward government, but involves also the transmission of special gifts of grace, in order to the carrying on in the Chhurch of the supernatural work of Christ by His Spirit" (Haddan. AS. in the Ch. of Eng., p. 1). The above represents the older Tractarian view; a more modern statement is found in Gore, The Ministry of the Christian Church, p. 70: "It was thus intended that there should be in every Church in each generation an authoritative stewardship of the grace and truth which came by JESUS CHRIST, and a recognised power to transmit it, derived from above by apostolic descent. The men who from time to time were to hold the various offices included in the Ministry and the transmitting power necessary for its continuance might, indeed, fitly be elected by them to whom they were to minister. In this way the Ministry would express the representative principle. But their authority to minister in whatever capacity, their qualifying consecration. was to come from above in such sense that no ministerial act could be regarded as valid—that is, as having the security of the divine warrant about it—unless it was performed under the shelter of a commission, received by the transmission of the original pastoral authority which had been delegated by Christ Himself to His Apostles." And he goes on further to define his meaning (p. 72): "It is a matter of very great importance . . . to exalt the principle of the Apostolic Succession above the question of the exact form of the ministry. . . " And again (p. 73): No one of whatever part of the Church, can maintain that the existence of what may be called, for lack of a distinctive term, monepiscopacy is essential to the continuity [38b] of the Church." It will thus be seen that the later statement lays stress on the idea of succession only, the older statement emphasises also the form of the ministry. The doctrine as thus stated implies certain historical facts and a dogmatic position based upon these facts. It will be convenient therefore to treat it under two headings: (1) the historical basis of AS., (2) the doctrinal significance.

1. THE HISTORICAL BASIS OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.

2. The Rule of Episcopal Consecrations
By the 4th canon of Nicaea it is laid down that no fewer than three Bishops shall take part in the consecration of a Bishop, and since then this has been the rule of the Church.

So pelliccia, Eccles. Polity I. ii. 9:3 (Eng. Trans., 1883, p. 80): According to the statutes of ancient Councils, the consecration of a Bishop ought to be conducted by the Metropolitan, or, if he is unable to take the service himself, he must issue his mandate of consecration to all the Bishops of the Province; of these (all if possible, but if not) three at least must be present at the consecrations, according to the most ancient rule of Church discipline; and it was also the rule in some places to summon the Bishops of the neighbouring Province. The reason of this was, that, if there were not so many as three Bishops belonging to the same Province, three of the neighbouring Province were to be called in to consecrate," (See also Corpus Juris Cammici, Decret. 1 65.)

The original intention of this rule was probably to secure the presence of adequate witnesses representing the whole Church, but its effect has been to give almost complete security to the fact of succession. It has been the generally received opinion (although some scholastic divines and controversialists have doubted it) that each of the Bishops joining in the service is a consecrator, and therefore joins in giving the succession; the result is that the preservation of the succession is guarded with almost mathematical precision. There is a well-known attack on the doctrine of AS. by Macaulay in his Essay on Gladstone on Ch. and State (extending, apparently, an argument of Chillingworth's) in which he maintains that the chances against the succession having been maintained are overwhelming. He points out the danger of some consecrating bishop having received no valid baptism, and therefore no Orders or the possibility of the chain being broken by the presence of an impostor. Considering the carelessness with which Sacraments have been administered in many periods of Church History, such a contingency is not improbable. But that would not affect the continuity of succession, for the chances against any improperly consecrated bishop being associated with two others would be very remote, and the chances against the bishop thus consecrated who would have no valid orders being associated with two others without valid Orders would be so great as to be almost inconceivable. (See Gore, op. cit., pp. 107-9; Gladstone, Ch. Principles, pp. 235, 236: and a paper by Father Puller, SSJE, in The English Ch. Review I 11.) The criticism [39a] implies a purely mechanical view of succession which is probably seldom held but even on that basis it is quite valueless. It may be safely said that there is no reasonable doubt as to the historical character of the succession from the 4th cent. onwards.
[The next posting will be The Ante-Nicene Period.] [The SOURCE of the above is from The Prayer Book Dictionary. ]

Heresy, Heretics

2008-06-04T20:04:00.001+09:00

For my Sunday Starbucks friends who were debating, who in the church (or outside the church) were ‘heretics'. The source here is a quote from my Anglican Prayer Book Dictionary.

HERESY, HERETIC.
These words are not of common occurrence in the Prayer Book, but their use may be illustrated from the suffrage in the Litany which asks for deliverance "from all false doctrine, heresy; and schism," and from the 3rd Collect for Good Friday, which prays for mercy on "all Jews, Turks, Infidels and Heretics." In other passages there is a reference to the subject without any use of the word itself, e.g., in the question put to bishops and priests as to their readiness "to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's Word."

["Heresy, in law, is only that which has, before 1559, been adjudged so to be by the authority of the canonical scriptures, or by any of the first four General Councils, or by any other General Council wherein the same was declared" heresy by the express words of the canonical scriptures, or which, since 1559. may have been, or may be, determined to be heresy by Parliament with the assent of the clergy in Conv." Halsbury's Laws of Eng., 1910, 11 653, thus summarises the still valid definition in I Eliz. c. I. s. 20, and adds in n., "where a clerk is accused of heresy, the arts. of charge must distinctly state the obnoxious opinions and the exact terms in which he has uttered or published them."—G. H.]

The words "heresy" and "heretic" came into the English language from the Latin haeresis, haereticus. The former word denotes (1) choice, selection, (2) the tenets of a school or sect, or the sect itself; hence it was applied to the self-willed adoption by individual Christians of doctrines or principles divergent from those of the Church: the "heretic" is the man who adopts such opinions. Both words are found, the latter only once, in the NT (I Cor. 11:19, Gal. 5:20; Titus 3:10), but in the NT the meaning is rather factiousness than doctrinal error.

Yet the dangers to which the Church was to be exposed from Heretic Were already felt in the Apostolic age and are clearly pointed out in some of the later books of the NT. e.g., Col., Pastoral epistles, the epistles of Saint John, 2, Peter, Jude, and Rev. (see esp. Col 2:8; I Tim. 4: 1-8, 6:3, 20; 2 Tim. 2:17; I John 2:22; 2 John, v.7; Rev. 2:6, 14). Some of these Heresy were with regard to the Incarnation, amounting to a denial that JESUS CHRIST had come in the flesh (2 John, v.7); others involved a denial of future Resurrection (2 Tim. 2:18), or were connected with a perverted asceticism (1 Tim. 4:1-5). Against these and similar errors the Apostolic writings contain frequent and emphatic warnings, and in one passage (Titus 3:10) Saint Paul enjoins absolute avoidance of the "heretic" who remains deaf to expostulation.

The NT, therefore, contains plain traces of the first beginnings of the heresies—derived from various sources, such as Judaism, Oriental religions, Greek philosophy—which vexed the Church (esp. in the East) in the first centuries of her life in such forms as Docetism, Gnosticism and Manicheism. It is outside the limits of this article to describe the growth of these heresies, or of the later heresies of the 4th and 5th cents. with regard to the Person of Christ or the God-head of the Holy Spirit.

The Church was, from the first, alive to the danger, and a long succession of writers (such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Epiphanius and Augustine) devoted themselves to controverting heresy. When Provincial or General Councils became possible, conciliar action was resorted to, as in the notable instance of Arianism. The recognition of Christianity by the State soon led to the adoption of coercive methods of dealing with heretics and schismatics, and Saint Augustine in his later writings justified and advocated this course, which was, unhappily, adopted by the Church, and carried into effect for many centuries. (See also CHURCH, SCHISM. For full accounts of earlier heresies, see arts. in DCB (Biography); and for heresies in all periods. J. H. Blunt, Dictionary of Sects, Heresies. etc., 1874.) -K2
WALTER HOBHOUSE.

[NOTE:] Another subject they requested was on marriage. I'm sure they wont be pleased to see what the Church has to say on this subject. /Francis

A Sermon by Bishop Paul Lee

2008-05-24T23:33:00.001+09:00

Sermon given at the Consecration of the Reverend Paul Keun Sang Kim as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Seoul, Anglican Church of Korea on 22 May 2998 at SS. Mary and Nicholas Cathedral.

By The Rt. Rev. Lee, Chun Hwan
The 1st Bishop of The Seoul Diocese

Be faithful unto death (Revelations 2:8-11)

I would like to thank the congregation for their goodwill and the Rev'd Kim Geun-sang, our bishop elect, for inviting me to preach here at the fifth consecration of a Korean bishop for Seoul Diocese in the history of the Anglican Church of Korea.

The leading player in this holy ceremony today is the Rev'd Kim Geun-sang, a third generation Korean Anglican priest who has followed his father and grandfather in their great ministries and who has been bestowed with the grace and blessings to become the fifth Korean bishop in this diocese. I give thanks to God and congratulate the Rev'd Paul Geun-sang Kim on his ordination to the episcopate.

In the short time available to us today I would like to address you on the basis of the passage I have chosen from the 2nd Chapter of the Revelations of Saint John verses 8 to 11 under the title 'Be faithful unto death.' This section of the Book of Revelations is one of the messages to the seven churches revealed to John who was on the island of Patmos during at time of great oppression exerted by the Roman Empire. This letter is directed at the church in Smyrna which at the time was being tested by all sorts of pressures and yet did not submit and kept the faith and because of this the church receives praise from the Lord. One of the most notable names among the Bishops martyred in the early church is Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. It is to this church that the Lord says: 'Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.'

The sole object of our faithfulness is Jesus Christ. The only one to whom we should offer our fidelity is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who offered up his life' on the cross for to save us from our sins. But what has been the situation within our own Anglican Church of Korea over the last number of years? Swept up by erroneous ideologies the image of our church has been sorely damaged. We have to seriously bring ourselves to our senses so that we do not have to bear the shame of being described again by ignorant and worldly people as a training academy for officers of the left wing.

Bishops have a responsibility to look after the church and to order the growth of the church. In the early church Polycarp of Smyrna was noted as one who fought against the Gnostic heresy that was being spread at that time and he was known as a martyr bishop who defended the church.

I pray that Bishop Paul Kim will guard the church against getting bound up again with wrongful political concepts and ideologies and that he will put right the image of our distressed church.

Secondly, faithfulness has to be both devoted and positive. The first thing is to know and directly turn towards the object of one's fidelity then we have to press forward towards our objective even going through fire and water. We must propel ourselves forward. This is the Word of the Lord. You must use all your heart and mind and efforts .... that is the way we love God. However we have not put this saying into practice and at times we have seen situations where we have stopped in the middle of the road and took a lackadaisical attitude to our tasks just filling out our terms of office. If we do not start a work without a clear decision and real planning then when we face obstacles we can let go of our original intentions and simply choose to get by carelessly. The Lord has given each one of us a mission which is required to be fulfilled. But if we give up, equivocate or respond negatively to the precious charge that has been entrusted to us, then we will hear the reproach of the Lord 'you lazy and evil servants' directed towards us.

I believe that Bishop Paul Kim who is to be consecrated bishop here today will positively accomplish the vocation to which he has been called. He must be faithful to his original intention. He must rein in that which has gone wrong. In its present circumstances now more than ever the Korean Anglican Church needs the power of courageous and wise leadership. On one hand the members of the Church have to positively support the right leadership of the Bishop. The faithful must help the bishop when he has to use great strength and effort to protect the Lord's Church when it has gone on to a wrong road. The Lord requires that the bishop and all the members of the Church put their faith into practice in a devoted and positive manner. Like the Lord who goes ahead of us and leads us, the bishop should go ahead and lead the Church. If this does not happen the faithful will be lost. The bishop has to be first in carrying the cross of suffering. This is precisely the faithfulness that the Lord wants.

Finally, I want to talk about the crown of life. We are able to make a comparison between the crown of life which the world promises and the crowns which the people of the world bestow on each other. While we may be happy and proud of any prize certificates or plaques we receive in this world this is incomparable with the everlasting blessings and JOY which are bestowed with the happiness and amazement of receiving the crown of life. The prize certificates, laurels and crowns we receive in this world all cease to be effective the day we depart this earth. These are not everlasting things. However even in the church there are people who consider it to be a matter of success to attain high office and to wear the colors of a bishops robes. It is wrong to loose sight of the duties of being a leader in the church while putting on purple clothes and enjoying the advantage of being praised by the people of this world. Whatever about having visibility in the church and one's name being known for a fleeting time in this world it is certain that one can loose one's soul and the crown of life. This is not only true for bishops. For priests and laity alike our objective is to enter the kingdom of heaven and receive the crown of life, that is the blessing we can receive. Lift your eyes to heaven, consider the road to eternity. Do not become a foolish person who gets wrongfully bound up with the things of this world and loose the keys to heaven.

The Lord has told us that he wants to give the crown of life to his disciples and faithful servants. A bishop has to become a guiding light in all different areas. The bishop should be an model of one who has received the blessing of life from the Lord and who can guide others on the road to the crown of life. While we cannot see God with our naked eyes, God is able at this time to look into the hearts and intentions of each and everyone of us.

The Lord is gazing upon us and is discerning who truly faithful unto death and is due to receive the crown of life. Listen to his words: 'Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.'

I pray that this message will be a blessing to all who come here today to attend the consecration of Bishop Paul Guen-sang Kim as the fifth Korean bishop to be Bishop of Seoul in the Anglican Church of Korea.

[Please note: A MP-3 audio CD or a two Video DVD's will be available in Korean language from the Defender's library. Francis at doffrancis@gmail.com.]

New Digital Book added to the library

2008-04-26T22:08:00.000+09:00

This week we have added "Men and Movements in the Primitive Church." Studies in Early Non-Pauline Christianity. By F. F. Bruce to the Defender's Digital Library. The Contents are in four parts: (1) Peter and the Eleven (2) Stephen and Other Hellenists (3) James and the Church of Jerusalem (4) John and his Circle.

We are presently working on "The Universal Bible Dictionary" Translated into Korean by the Faculty of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of Korea under the General Editorship of the Rev. W. D. Reynolds, D.D., LL.D. and published by the Christian Literature Society of Korea, Seoul 1936.

Two other books on our Digital Book schedule are: "English Church Life" 1914 by J. Wickham Legg. A study of the Restoration to the Tractarian Movement. And "Four Mitres" Reminiscences of an irrepressible Bishop Part III Ghana to Korea. by Bishop John Daly.

A Master Index of Digital Books in the library will be available for Traditional clergy and our private Traditional Anglican study group members. For a list, please contact Francis at dof4u@icqmail.com or doffrancis@gmail.com.

The Christian's State of Life

2008-03-02T00:21:00.001+09:00

I. RELIGION AND COMMON LIFE
Job 31; Ps.15; Mt.5:48; Rom.12; 1Cor.13.

The Christian lives in two spheres--the earthly and the heavenly; that which is natural (in the true, good sense) and that which is spiritual. Human generation produces the former life, divine regeneration the letter.

Both are highly privileged states and carry great responsibilities. An ever-present danger in human life is that of 'compartmentalism,' i.e. that a man's religion should have no necessary connection with his other activities. We must insist that a man cannot be a 'good Churchman' and a bad employer, a good father and a bad workman. These are incompatibilities and foster unreality or insincerity. It will be remembered that the hypocrite first deceives himself; self-deception is terribly easy and very prevalent.

The daily events of life are the foundation of morality and character. The Christian life is all of a piece; there is no place for competing loyalties. Its wholeness is admirably set forth in the hymn:

God be in my head,
And in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes,
And in my looking
God be in my mouth,
And in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
And in my thinking;
God be at my end,
And at my departing.
(Anon.XVI Cent.)

1. Religion and Life

The Christian should learn the difficult lesson of using daily life--its occupations and pleasures--to help his religion. At the same time his religion should permeate, inspire, and direct his every action. At the Savoy Conference (1661) the Puritans endeavoured to induce the bishops to add to the Catechism paraphrase of the Fourth Commandment the words 'particularly on the Lord's day.' The Bishops resisted the suggestion: all days are for God, 'my duty is to serve him all the days of my life.'

'Many make and use their religion but as an outer garment, made in fashion; to put-on abroad, put-off at home.' The primary duty of the Christian man is to see clearly the obligations of his own 'state of life' and fulfil them. This may not pay the highest dividends, but honesty is better than any policy. 'A Christian does pretty much what other people do, but with an entirely different motive' (C.Patmore).

2. Charity--the Keyword

In all spheres of life, in all relationships, charity or love should inspire, interpenetrate, and bind together. This virtue is 'that something without which anything that we do or suffer, becomes nothing.'

A good Christian loves his family ('charity begins at home'); loves his country, not blindly but intelligently, and, if need be, self-sacrificingly; and, finally, he loves the Church, the mother of whom he was born to God, and his brethren in the Church.

'So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith' (Gal.6:10).

'Strength is entrusted to the strong that they may serve the weak. Riches are entrusted to the rich that they may serve the poor. Intelligence is entrusted to the intelligent that they may serve the simple.' (Fr. V. McNabb, Thoughts Twice-Dyed,p.21.)
[SOURCE: The Christian's State of Life By G.H. Midgley]

THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD - Christmas Day

2007-12-25T10:36:00.000+09:00

CHRISTMAS DAY 2007

WHAT OF OUR THOUGHTS —

Man is essentially a thinking being. Our mind is always acting, and we are always thinking of something. But often we take no account of our thoughts : they are not actually good or bad, but vague. Let us try to prevent this today, and fix them on the great event whose joyous anniversary we are about to keep. May we all have a HOLY CHRISTMAS. /Francis in Korea.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2007-12-25T01:06:00.000+09:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Seoul,Korea

NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR AUDIO-VISUAL DVD LIBRARY.

(1.) 8mm_1. Consecration of Bishop Simon S. Kim and Enthornment the second bishop of Seoul. 31 May 1984

(2.) 8mm_2. Twenty Days in June. (Part 1,2).

(3.) 8mm_3. Twenty Days in June. (Part 3,4).

(4.) 8mm_4. Anglican Archbishop Runcie in Korea.

(5.) 8mm_6. Ordinations at Saint Thomas Aquinas SSPX Seminary 1996. (Part 1)

(6.) 8mm_7. Ordinations at Saint Thomas Aquinas SSPX Seminary 1996. (Part 2).

(7.) 8mm_21. Episcopal Synod in U.S.A. on 1,2,3 June 1989 at Ft. Worth, Texas.

(8.) 8mm_24. Ordination of three deacons and three priests and Mass at Saint Francis Church (lepers village) and blessing the new pipe organ at SS. Mary and Nicholas Anglican Cathedral, Seoul, Korea.

(9.) 8mm_25. 100th Anniversary of the first Korean Bishop of Seoul, Korea. 30 September 1990. (Part 1).

(10.) 8mm_26. 100th Anniversary of the first Korean Bishop of Seoul, Korea. (Part 2).

(11.) 8mm_34. The Consecration of Bishop Hamlett of the Anglican Catholic Church for the bishop in the U.K.

NEW books for the library

2007-09-24T13:26:00.000+09:00

LIST of NEW BOOKS to be added to our Digital Book Library

Through the Ages by Francis E. Barker / 1966 / The Story of the Christian Church / pp.363 [403]

An Introduction to THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND / From the Earliest Times to the Present / 1927 / by Henry Offley Wakeman / .541pp [449]

The Catholic Movement in the American Episcopal Church by George E. DeMille /1950 / 220.pp
[412]

Doctrine in the Church of England / The report of the Commission on Christian Doctrine Appointed by The Archbishop of Canterbury and York -n 1922. / 250.pp [424]

English Church Life / from the Restoration to the Tractarian Movement / by J. Wickham Legg / 1914 / 430.pp

ENGLISH RITUAL Collectio Rituum Pro Dioecesibus Civitatum Foederatarum Americae Septentrionalis / 1964 / 481.pp [898]

History of the Korean Mission Presbyterian Church U.S.A. 1884-1934 / by Harry A. Rhodes / 706.pp [665]

THE LIVING GOD - A Catechism for the Christian Faith (Orthodox Church) 1989 / 470.pp

THE UNIVERSAL BIBLE DICTIONARY Translated into Korean by the Faculty of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of Korea under the General Editorship of the Rev. W. D. Reynolds, D.D., LL. D. / 1936 [3216]

[For a complete list of the Digital Books on CD's or DVD's please e-mail me at
doffrancis@gmail.com

20 August 2007

2007-08-20T23:29:00.000+09:00

Sorry, folks for being absent this past month or so, but have been very busy and away from home.

In June I past my 80th year in this wild and changing world. Since being away so often, I've fallen behind in scanning my old Anglian books. Now only have 165 books scanned, but still working for the 400 book mark. And other audio and video's of sermons, lectures, Masses, movies and news clips, are also being recorded on CDs or DVDs.

I will soon try to reach out to other TRADITIONAL Anglicans and share some of these most important books of the original Anglican Church history, especially those first published in English. [FWAR]

For C.S.A. news please visit: (1.) For notes on our Anglican roots: http://my.opera.com/doffrancis/blog.

The History of ALLELUIA

2007-04-30T07:39:00.000+09:00

ALLELUIA.
This Hebrew word Alleluia ("Praise the Lord "), which begins and sometimes ends a number of the Psalms (e.g.,Psalms. 146-150), was, like Amen and Hosanna, adopted without translation in the Christian Church. Its occurrence in the NT (Rev. 19:1, 3, 4, 6) was no doubt the cause of this. It was used as a shout of praise or victory (so in Rev.—cp. Sozomen. HE 7 15; Bede. HE 1 20). Hence it was early employed in the services of the Church. In the West and among the Copts its use was considered specially appropriate for Easter—so Augustine, Ep. 55 Ben., ad J anuanum. In the 1st PB an Alleluia was appointed to be said after the first Gloria Patri at MEP "from Easter to Trinity Sunday," and it also occurred in the Easter Anthems; in each place it was unfortunately omitted in 1552. As early as the 4th cent. Alleluia was sung after the GRADUAL on certain Festivals, and afterwards it supplanted the Gradual altogether on these occasions. From the prolongation of the last syllable of the Alleluia was derived the SEQUENCE. In the Irish PB an Alleluia is permitted to be sung after the (Gospel as an alternative to " Thanks be to thee, O Lord."
[SOURCE: Prayer Book Dictionary 1912, p.9]
[For early Anglican history please logon to http://my.opera.com/doffrancis/blog]

Rescuing The Church in England in 1536

2007-03-24T11:24:00.000+09:00

I have posted on http://my.opera.com/doffrancis 'The rescuing of The Church in England' in 1536, for those interested in our Anglican roots. FWAR.

NOTICE 28 - Feburary 2007

2007-02-28T10:08:00.000+09:00

[NOTICE: The Plainchant of The Anglican Missal Part I. The Music of Holy Week edited by Francis Burgess and published by The Society of SS. Peter and Paul, London 1922. Will be available in a few days for pick-up at the library for those living in Seoul or you may call me for an pdf copy by e-mail. There are 59 pages on B5 paper.

Also, you may logon to http://csaanglican.blogstream.com for the Manual of Christian
Doctrine, for members of the Anglican Church written and published by The society of Saints Peter and Paul, London. 1921. FWAR. doffrancis@gmail.com

Happy Lunar New Year from Korea

2007-02-19T00:53:00.000+09:00

TO THE READER, THE BOOK SPEAKETH
(And I knoweth not from whom I talketh)

Though I be small in quantity,
Yet despise me not, good reader;
For perchance thou shalt find in me
That wanteth in many greater.

Though I be without eloquence,
Rude and barbarous to behold,
Yet much true divine sapience
Have I forth brought, and here enroll'd.

No subtile logic, nor sophistry,
Shalt thou in me find and perceive;
But Christ and his doctrine plainly,
Which can no man living deceive.

To teach thee Christ is mine intent,
And all that to him do belong,
That thou mayest keep his Commandment,
And in the Christian faith be strong.

Approach, therefore, O gentle reader,
Pray to God for understanding;
So shalt thou in all things prosper,
And enjoy life everlasting.

2007-02-02T23:02:00.000+09:00

2007-01-06T09:17:00.000+09:00

[IN KOREA] At Mattins upon the following Feasts The Athanasius Creed (Quicunque Vult) shall be chanted or said: Christmas Day, the Epiphany, Saint Matthias, Easter Day, Ascension Day, Whitsunday, Saint John Baptist, Saint James, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Matthew, Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Saint Andrew, and upon Trinity Sunday. (Serving Christ in our Anglican roots. FWAR.)

QUICUNQUE VULT

(Saint Athanasius Creed)

Whosoever will be saved

* before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith.

Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled

* without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

And the Catholick Faith is this

* That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;

Neither confounding the Persons

* nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son

* and another of the Holy Ghost.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one

* the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son

* and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated

* and the Holy Ghost uncreated.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible

* and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal

* and the Holy Ghost eternal.

And yet they are not three externals

* but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensible, nor three uncreated

* but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty

* and the Holy Ghost almighty.

And yet they are not three Almighties

* but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God

* and the Holy Ghost is God.

And yet they are not three Gods

* but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord

* and the Holy Ghost Lord.

And yet not three Lords

* but one Lord.

For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity

* acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord;

So are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion

* to say there be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none

* neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone

* not made, nor created, but begotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son

* neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons

* one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.

And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other

* none is greater, or less than another;

But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.

So that in all things, as is aforesaid

* the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.

He therefore that will be saved

* must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation

* that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.

For the right Faith is that we believe and confess

* that our Lord JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God, is God and Man;

God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds

* and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;

Perfect God, and perfect Man

* of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting;

Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead

* and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although he be God and Man

* yet he is not two, but one Christ;

One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh

* but by taking of the Manhood into God;

One altogether, not by confusion of Substance

* but by unity of Person.

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man

* so God and Man is one Christ.

Who suffered for our salvation : descended into hell,

rose again the third day from the dead.

He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty
* from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies

* and shall give account for their own works.

And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting

* and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholick Faith

* which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

GLORY BE TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON,

AND TO THE HOLY GHOST;

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

* world without end. Amen.

RECOVERY OF MAN, AND THE PROMISE OF CHRIST'S ADVENT

2006-11-30T08:06:00.000+09:00

THE RECOVERY OF MAN, AND THE PROMISE OF CHRIST'S ADVENT

LORD GOD, Almighty and Merciful, Whose nature is love, Whose will is power, Whose property it is ever to have compassion, I bless Thee and give Thee thanks for Thine infinite pity and gracious goodness, with which Thou didst hasten to recall man, deceived by the guile of the devil, and prostrated by contact with deadly sin, from his manifold transgressions and defilements, by the way of penitence, to a state of well-doing. For, through the quickening promise of Thine Advent, Thou didst grant unto him the hope of pardon, Thou didst abundantly bestow upon him the comforting prospect of salvation.

And, lest man should at any time make ignorance a plea for his ill-doing, Thou hast guarded him from error by frequent admonitions, by revealing Thy Law, by inflicting plagues, by open judgments on sinners, by abundant signs, by promise of future blessings; so that all might be without excuse, who are not converted to Thy worship and to the knowledge of the Truth.

For, during the five ages of Patriarchs, Judges, Priests, Kings, and Prophets, from righteous Abel unto John the Baptist, Thy Forerunner, Thou didst not cease by signs and oracles wonderful and many to foretell, promise, and prefigure Thy desired Advent; that, by so many witnesses preceding Thee and declaring Thy mysteries, Thou mightest stir up our minds to receive the Faith, and ardently inflame our dull affections by the lively examples of so many ancient Fathers.
[Meditations on the Life of Christ by Saint Thomas a'Kempis Pt.1 Ch.3]

My CD Book LIST

2006-11-21T12:20:00.000+09:00

LIST of My Books on CDs [As of 21 NOV 2006]
[E]=English; [C]=old Corean Church; [K]= the new Church; [L]=Latin; [Gr]=Greek

1-[OTHER] The Imitation of Christ (Corean) 1924 / 132pp / [C]
2-[OTHER] Charles John Corfe 1927 (Corean) / 98pp / [E]
3-[OTHER] The World of Sacrament 1929 by R.D. Russell Cowan / 151pp / [E]
4-[OTHER] BIBLE: Selections for Services (Corean) 1905 / 322pp / [C]
5-[OTHER] English Church Mission in Corea 1917 / 90pp / [E]
6-[253] Ritual Notes 1935 by Lamburn & Whatton (Bp Cooper) / 349pp / [E]
7-[953]The Faith of an English Catholic 1926 / 124pp / [E]
8-[35] Doctrine, Duty and Devotion by G. H. Midgley 1950 / 264pp / [E]
9-[174] Instructions on the Religious Life by Richard M Benson S.S.J.E. 1951 /147pp / [E]
10-[OTHER] A Manual of Christian Doctrine by Society of SS. Peter and Paul 1920 / 203pp / [E]
11-[OTHER] TRACTS FOR THE PEOPLE 1845~1890 (Bishop Turner's book of tracts) [E]
(11-1) 10. Anglican Orders 1884 by Rev. Robert Linklater / 16pp / [E]
(11-2) Anglican Orders- a Summary of Historical Evidence 1884 / 12pp / [E]
(11-3) No. 2 A companion to the Holy Communion / 12pp / [E]
(11-4) Infant Baptism by Rev. Robert Linklater /16pp / [E]
(11-5) High Celebration by Rev. Robert Linklater /16pp / [E]
(11-6)No 4 The Real Presence of the Body & Blood of Christ by Rev. Robert Linklater /16pp [E]
(11-7) Heads of Consideration on the Case of Mr Ward by J.Keble 16 June 1845 (Turner's) /8pp / [E]
(11-8) Church Matters in 1850 1. Trial of Doctrine / 32pp / [E]
(11-9) Church Matters in MDCCCL 2. A Call to Speak Out 20 July 1850 / 33pp / [E]
(11-10) Against Profane Dealing with Holy Matrimony 1849 by John Keble / 38pp / [E]
(11-11) The Power of Suffering by Rt Rev G.H. Wilkinson 1887 / 4pp / [E]
(11-12) The Power of Weakness 1887 by Rt. Rev. Wilkinson / 20pp / [E]
(11-13) Instruction of the Devotional Life 1887 by Rt. Rev. G. H. Wilkinson / 54pp / [E]
(11-14) How to Begin a New Life by Rt Rev G.H. Wilkinson / 48pp / [E]
(11-15) Instruction in the Way of Salvation 1890 by Rt Rev G.H. Wilkinson / 41pp / [E]
12-[311] The Importance of Being Human 1974 by E.L. Mascall / 128pp / [E]
13-[OTHER] Occasional Services Corea 1959 / 178pp / [C]
14-[326] Voices in the Wilderness 1977 by John Bowden / 96pp / [E]
15-[166] Sister Henrietta C.S.M. & A.A. 1914 by Lock & Stockdale / 168pp / [E]
16-[1] The Book of Common Prayer Dictionary 1912 / 844pp / [E]
17-[1008] KOREAN Works and Days by Richard RUTT 1964 / 240pp / [E]
18-[OTHER] Things We see in Church Korean 1965 / 30pp / [K]
19-[2315] The History of the BCP 1908 / by Procter & Frere / 724pp / [E]
20-[OTHER] The Tiger Death March 1950~1953 by A Carmelite Nun / 72pp / [E]
21-[37] The Korean Liturgy English/Korean 1962 / 71pp / K-E]
22-[OTHER] In Enemy Hands by Larry Sellers 1991 / 255pp / [E]
23-[2321] Church of England and the 7th Council by C.B. Moss 1957 / 70pp / [E]
24-[277] The Brink of Mystery by Austin Farrer 1976 / 181pp / [E]
25-[146] Reflections on the Gospels 1969 by J.W.C. Wand / 191pp / [E]
26-[2342] Christ With Us by Bigham & Hardy 1952 / 141pp / 141pp / [E]
27-[OTHER] Bishop Paul Lee 1st Korean bishop 1963 / 274pp / [K]
28-[887] Counterpoint by J.F. Bridges 1878 / 88pp / [E]
29-[886] Modernism in the English Church by P. Gardner 1926 / 210pp / [E]
30-[952] Understanding Your Faith by A. Snell 1942 / 155pp / [E]
31-[OTHER] Kalendar of Saints (Korean) 1985 / 173pp / [K]
32-[3617] The Heart Hath Said by J.H.N. Taylor 1912 / 64pp / [E]
33-[1259] Sexual Problems of Today 1921 by W.J. Robinson / 351pp / [E]
34-[416] The Sacrament of the Altar by M. Sargent 1956 / 100pp / [E]
35-[DOC] Anglican Hate Campaign 1983 / 34pp / [RESTRICTED] [K]
36-[1112] Essays on the Shaking Paslsy 1817 by James Parkinson / 76pp / [E]
37-[1052] But I Am A Catholic! By Oscar Hardman 1958 / 166pp / [E]
38-[199] The Shield of Faith 1946 by Alban Winter / 203pp / [E]
39-[3136] Pictorial History of the Korean Church 1890-1964 / 273pp / [K-E]
40-[OTHER] The Church in Corea 1915 by Bp Mark N. Trollope / 133pp / [E]
41-[516] Household Hints 1967 / by Foreign Ladies Guild / 82pp / [E-K]
42-[OTHER] C of E Corean Report 1898 / 33+pp. / Local report by staff / [E]
43-[3910] Treasury of Devotion / T.T. Carter / 1904 / 336pp / [E]
44-[558] Sacraments on the Mission 1962 / Mge. John De Reeper / 555pp / [E]
45-[DOC] Christian Progress in Burma 1929 / 111pp / [E]
46-[DOC] Tern Paper-Myanmar Church History 2004 / 17pp / [E]
47-[_____] The Sacrifice We Offer 1944 / By Hubert Mc Evoy, S.J. / 115pp ? [E]
48-[OTHER] The Ritual Reason Why 1957 by Charles Walker / 244pp / [E]
49-[3750] The Imitation of Christ 1980 by Thomas a'Kempis / 362pp / [E]
50-[OTHER] Meditations and Contemplations 1747 by James Harvey / 304pp /
51-[OTHER] A Manual of Instruction 1949 / By C. B. Moss / 35pp / [E]
52-[2366] Church Facts and Principles 1827 by Rev T.T. Tracy Walsh / 234pp / [E]
53-[OTHER] Royal Asiatic Society Vol XXXII 1951 (Fr HUNT) / 107pp / [E]
54-[3662] Corean Catechism 1963 / 76pp / [K]
55-[OTHER] The Peoples Mass Book MCMXVI / 57pp / (1916) [E]
56-[OTHER] The Offices / 1866 / SPCK / [E]
57-[3662] The Religion of the Church by Charles Gore /1916 / 205pp /original edition) [E]
58-[2357] PB-1849 with Notes by A.J. Stephens Vol I / pp_____ / [E]
59-[2358] PB-1849 with Notes by A.J. Stephens Vol II / pp_____ / [E]
60-[2359] PB-1849 with Notes by A.J. Stephens Vol III / pp____ [E]
61-[OTHER] Saint Vincent for Acolytes (set) 1954 / By Order of Saint Vincent / 199pp / [E]
62-[3627] Meditations on the Life of Christ Thomas a'Kempis 1978 / 342pp / [E]
63-[2368] The Priest's Companion by G.A.C. Whatton 1960 / 400pp / [E]
64-[93] The Ritual REASON WHY by Charles Walker 1908 / 260pp / [E]
65-[DOC] Seminary CLASSIFIED [RESTRICTED USE] [E]
66-[1176] Roman Catholic Hymnal 1957 / 272pp / [E]
67-[OTHER] Graduale Triplex (1973) 1998 / 922pp / [E]
68-[OTHER] The Sacristan by T.J.D. Robertson 1992 / 62pp / [E]
69-[575] The Pilgrims Way to Heaven (Corean) 1963/69 / 137pp / [C]
70-[OTHER] The Mirrow of Pastors by C.H.N. Hodges 19__ / 69pp / [C]
71-[OTHER] Historical Introduction of NT by C.H.N.Hodges 19__ / 138pp / [C]
72-[OTHER] Corean Service book / 72pp / [C]
73-[OTHER] Corean Service book / 21pp / [C]
74-[OTHER] Corean Service book / 41pp / [C]
75-[OTHER] The Priest Book of Private Devotion 1929 / By J.F. Briscoe / 605pp / [E]
76-[OTHER] The Martyred by Richard E. Kim / 353pp / [E]
77-[OTHER] Corean Prayer Book 1928 by Bp Cooper / 142pp / [C]
78-[OTHER] Corean Ritual Notes 19__ / 88pp / [C]
79-[174] Born in Bethlehem 1964 / by H.W. van der Vaart Smit / 157pp / [E]
80-[OTHER] Corean Mass English Version 1962 / 30pp / [E]
81-[DOC] One Woman's Protest by Bonnie Ivey / 15pp / [E]
82-[544] The Catholic Religion by Vernon Staley (1893) 1983 / 139pp / [E]
83-[3526] Corean Prayer Book (1963) 1966 / 817pp / [K]
84-[OTHER] Corean Hymnal 1962 / 592pp / [K]
85-[OTHER] Corean Books 1 ~ 15 Corean Monthly Papers / ___pp / [C]
86-[1055] The Kings Highway by George D. Carleton 1956 (1924) / 296pp / [E]
87-[951] The Missionary's Foundation of Doctrine 1892 / By Edward T. Churton / 366pp / [E]
88-[1181] The Gravedigger File by Os Guinness 1983 / 246pp / [E]
89-[1999] Communist Exploitation of Religion 1982 / United States Senate / 101pp / [E]
90-[1043] Facts About the Church (pic/dic) / 64pp / [E]
91-[355] TEF-24 Jesus Christ: His life and His Church / SPCK / 154pp / [E]
92-[DOC] KT NEWSPAPER HEADLINES OCT 1979 to 31 DEC 1980 / [E]
93-[1239] PUZZLES Jesus and His Apostles 1982 / By Shirley Beegle / 63pp / [E]
94-[373] BEDE'S History of the English Nation 1958 (1910) / By Dom David Knowles / 412pp / [E]
95-[94] An Outline of the Christian Sacraments 1938 by F.E. Wilson / 125pp [E]
96-[3900] Children Corean Mass / 44pp / [K]
97-[OTHER] Should I Speak in Tongues by F.D. Taylor /64pp / [E]
98-[466] The Problems with the New Mass R.P. Coomaraswamy / 96pp / [E]
99-[956] The Christian Movement in the Japanese Empire 1915 / 720pp / [E]
100-[OTHER] Corean Series 1 / ___pp / [C]
101-[OTHER] Corean Series 2 / ___ 94pp / [C]
102-[27,28] The Rudder by D. Cummings / 1097pp / [E]
103-[3115] The Pictorial of Korean Christianity 1973 / 324pp / [K]
104-[OTHER] The Country The Revolution and I by PAK, Chung Hee 1963 / 102pp / [E]
105-[945] The Lords Prayer A STUDY by Stacy L. Roberts 1933 / 108pp / [E]
106-[OTHER] A Corean Catechism 1963 / 73pp / [K]
107-[367] Bible teaches about Tongues 1980 / By David Boyd Long / 32pp / [E]
108-[3901] The Korean Liturgy 1966 / 43pp / [E-K]
109-[OTHER] Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom 1961 / 64pp / [E]
110-[2367] Liturgical Handbook for Holy Mass 1961 / By Johannes Baur / 160pp / [E]
111-[OTHER] Hand Book of Korea 1955 / 410pp / [E]
112-[106] Bible History 1931 / By Johnson & Hannan & Dominica / 576pp / [E]
113-[754] The Witness of History to Christ 1878 / By F. W. Farrar / 217pp / [E]
114-[324] CYPRIAN 1971 / By Maurice Bevenot, S.J. / 153pp [E-L]
115-[2306] Apostolic Succession & Anglicanism 1946 / By Felix L. Cirlot / 447pp / [E]
116-[116] THEOPHILUS of Antioch 1970 / Ad Autolycum Trans. by Robert M. Grant /184pp / [E-Gr]
117-[322] ATHENAGORAS 1972 / Legatio and De Resurrectione /Trans. by W.R. Schoedel /194pp [E-Gr]
118-[325] ATHANASIUS 1971/ Trans. by R. W. Thomson /324pp /Contra Gentes & De Incarnatione [E-Gr]
119-[OTHER] House Plants Set of 3 booklets / 506 pictures / 205pp / [E]
120-[OTHER] Insect Pests / 160pp / [E]
121-[OTHER] L-44. Eight short stories / 128pp / [E]
122-[OTHER] DB-No.10 above updated / html [E]
123-[3404] SS. Mary & Nicholas ALBUM pic+ 1986 / 224pp / [K]
124-[3732] The Inns of Korea 1964 / By Harriet Mattusch / 124pp / [E]
125-[3734] The Laws of Holy Mass 1949 / By Joseph Francis / 151pp / [E]
126-[1] DB-16 UPGRADED / +two booklets / [E]
127-[DOC] The Constitution of the Republic of Korea 1948 / 40pp / [E]
128 -[OTHER] KOREA 43 Centuries 1964 / By Tae Hung HA / 316pp / [E]
129-[OTHER] Directory Missionaries 1982 / By Marlin L. Nelson / 76pp / [E]
130-[OTHER] Tales From Korea 4293 (old Corean calendar) / By Y. T. Pyun / 148pp / [E]
131-[OTHER] Selected Poems of KIM, So Wol 1964 / By KIM, Dong Sung / 110pp / [E-K]
132-[OTHER] The Koreans and their Culture 1964 / By Cornelius Osgood / 392pp / [E]
133-[OTHER] Chong Wa Dae 1976 / 85pp / [E-K]
134-[DOC] John Charles Corfe at Conference in China 1897 / (PC copy) /45pp / [E]
135-[OTHER] Poetry and Music of the classic Age 1960 / By Tae Hung HA /83pp / [E]
136-[705] The Photo Drama of Creation 1914 / By International Bible Students Assoc. / 100pp / [E]
137-[OTHER] The Book of Other Rites & Ceremonies 1993 / Bp I. L. Nicholson / NASHOTAH HOUSE /206pp / [E]
138-[OTHER] The Fathers of the Church 1875 / 353pp / Bp A.B.Turner / [E]
139-[505] China Mission Year Book 1918 / 441pp / [E]
140-[DOC] Dr. Landis LIST of BOOKS / 25pp / [E-K-C-J-F-G-L]
141. [OTHER] Neither Schismatic nor Excommunicated / SSPX / 28pp / [E]
142-[962] Henry Augustus Coit 1915 / by James Carter Knox / 163pp / [E]
143-[556] Saint Jean-Marie Vianney: Cure of Ars 1959 / by Margaret Trouncer / 270pp / [E]
144-[877] THE WOOD: Outline of Christianity 1935 (1971) by Sr. Penelope CSMV / 232pp / [E]
145-[Morning Calm] 1890-1914 __pp [E]
146-[372] Outspoken Essays 1920 by W.R. Inge / 287pp / [E]
147.[OTHER] Come to Mass 1992 / 54pp / [K]
148. [3643] Thoughts of a Korean 1970 / by Won PAK / 208pp / [E]
149. [2340] Mystic Treasures of the Holy Mass 1905 / by Rev. Charles Coppens, S.J. / 122pp / [E]
150. [305] The Episcopal Church Annual 1954 / 645pp / [E]
151. [240] The Elements of the Spiritual Life 1933 / by F. P. Harton / 358pp [E]
152-[3701] The Japanese Fortune Calendar 1965 / by Reike Chiba / 32pp [E]
153. [DOC] Sermons
154. [OTHERS] Kalendars ACC
155. [OTHERS] Grand Coulee Dam & Grant County / ___pp [E]
156. [1018] The New Spirit Movement 1979 / by Keun Hea PARK / 150pp [E]
157. [2332] Vol. I. Introduction to Dogmatic Theology 1907 / by Francis J. Hall / 321pp [E]
158. [2331] Vol. V. Creation and Man 1912 / by Francis J. Hall / 382pp [E]
159. [2333] Vol. XI. The Incarnation 1921 / by Francis J. Hall / 382pp [E]
160. [2334] Vol. X. Eschatology Indexes 1922 / by Francis J. Hall / 336pp [E]
[NOTE: About 240 books will be added God permitting] Tables of Contents upon request.
Francis W.A. Russell doffrancis@gmail.com

DOGMATIC THEOLOGY

2006-11-18T03:15:00.000+09:00

DOGMATIC THEOLOGY
By the Rev. Dr. FRANCIS J. HALL, D.D.,
Professor of Dogmatic Theology in the Western Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois.

THE LONG DESIRED ANGLICAN SUMMA OF DOCTRINE 1912

A series of ten volumes in DOGMATIC THEOLOGY, designed to constitute a connected treatment of the entire range of Catholic Doctrine.

I. INTRODUCTION (published in 1907).
II. AUTHORITY, ECCLESIASTICAL AND BIBLICAL (published in 1908).
III. THE BEING AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (published in 1909).
IV. THE TRINITY (published in 1910).
V. CREATION AND MAN.
VI. THE INCARNATION .
VII. THE REDEMPTION AND EXALTATION OF CHRIST.
VIII. THE CHURCH AND HER SACRAMENTS.
IX. THE MINOR SACRAMENTS.
X. ESCHATOLOGY AND INDEXES.

LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.
NEW YORK, LONDON, BOMBAY and CALCUTTA

HALL'S DOGMATIC THEOLOGY
Occupying a point of view which is Anglican and Catholic, the writer joyfully recognizes the value of modern advances in knowledge and thought, and seeks to coordinate the new with the old. Convinced that the ancient Catholic Faith cannot be imperilled by Truth from any quarter, he also believes that it needs to be exhibited in the terms of modern intelligence, if theology is to retain its place as the queen of sciences.

The volumes which have thus far been published have secured a favorable and encouraging reception on both sides of the Atlantic. The learning, skill in argument and clearness of exposition shown in the work; the author's success in translating ancient doctrines into modern terms, and his sympathetic understanding of new knowledge and contemporary thought, have been acknowledged by reviewers of every type—Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant alike;—and his reverent adherence to Catholic doctrine has also been noticed. The following brief extracts are selected from a considerable number of generally favorable reviews.

A 1912 REVIEW OF

Volume I. (Now in pdf format)
INTRODUCTION Pp. xlii-273.

JOURNAL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES, Oxford and Cambridge: "The author's learning and wide reading are as conspicuous throughout the book as is his fidelity to the point of view .... "

CHURCH UNION GAZETTE, London: ... "is a comparatively small book into which an immense amount of valuable fact and criticism has been compressed ... there breathes a spirit of large-mindedness, a refusal to be confined within any groove of prejudice."

CHURCH TIMES, London: "This admirable treatise should be found very useful on both sides of the Atlantic .... The book reaches a high level of excellence."

THE LIVING CHURCH, Milwaukee: "It exhibits the qualities which previous books have led us to expect from Dr. Hall, the severely restrained language, the careful accuracy of statement, the equitable judgement, and the background of knowledge .... When completed, the series wi1l undoubtedly be a monumental addition to Anglican and indeed to Catholic Theology. It may, indeed, in time be recognized as holding such a place in Anglican theology as is held by the Summa of Thomas Aquinas in the Latin communion."

CHURCH STANDARD, Philadelphia: "Dr. Hall is not Latin. He is Catholic, to be sure, very much so, but in the true Anglican spirit he continues to bring the modern into his Catholicity, and give us a modern while he is giving a Catholic theology."

EXPOSITORY TIMES: After referring to the writer's briefer outlines, "the fuller scope of the new volume reveals a new writer, a writer with a very extensive knowledge of the literature of his subject, to which he makes continual reference, and one who has manifestly mastered its literature and made his subject a real personal possession."

SCOTTISH CHRONICLE: "Its earnestness and learning are admirable."

IRISH THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY, Dublin: "Dr. Hall is eminently qualified for the task he has undertaken .... Not the least of Dr. Hall's qualifications as a theologian is his extensive acquaintance with our Catholic authors ... his style may be commended as a model of theological writing in English; it is clear; concise, direct, dignified, and elegant."

PAX, England: "That Dr. Hall possesses the necessary qualifications for the task will be apparent to those who know his theological monographs and his book on The Kenotic Theory; and this volume promises well for the success of his undertaking. "

[NOTE: Vol. I. Introduction, Vol. V. Creation and Man, Vol. VI. The Incarnation, and Vol. X. Eschatology: Indexes will be transcribed to pdf format for Korean clergy, seminarians and others if interested.]

The Path of Paradise

2006-11-12T21:52:00.000+09:00

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF OUR HEART, AND HOW IT OUGHT TO BE GOVERNED.

Your heart was created by God for this end alone, to be loved and possest by him. And with this love you can make it do whatever you wish; and every thing, however difficult it might be, will in this manner become easy to you; therefore you must in the first place fix and establish the intention of your heart, so that outward actions may flow from inward. For, although corporal penances, and all those exercises which chastise and afflict the flesh, are praiseworthy when used with discretion, and when adapted to the particular circumstances of each person, yet, if you use only such means as these, you will never gain a single virtue, but on the contrary vanity and the wind of vainglory; and all your labor will be lost, unless these outward exercises are animated and guided by right inward dispositions.

The life of man is nothing but a warfare and a continual temptation; and in consequence of this warfare, you must live in a state of watchfulness, and ever keep a guard over your heart, so that it may continue in peace and quietness. And if you should feel the movement of some sensual disquietude within you, you must be careful to quiet it instantly, stilling your heart, and not permitting it to turn aside or wander after any of these things. Do this as often as any cause of disquietude presents itself, whether in prayer, or at any other time, and know that when you have learned to act thus, then will you have learned to pray aright; but remember that all this must be done sweetly and gently. In short, the whole and principal business of your life must consist in continually quieting your heart, and never letting it go astray.

OF THE CARE WE SHOULD HAVE TO PRESERVE A PEACEFUL SPIRIT.

Therefore, above all things, you must be careful to place this sentinel of peace over all your feelings; it will lead you to great things without any toil, even with great tranquility and safety. And with this sentinel, which God has given you, you will so watch over yourself as to gain the habits of prayer, obedience, lowliness, and of bearing injuries without loss of composure.

It is very true that before you can attain to this degree of peace, you will have to, take great pains through want of practice, but afterward your soul will abide in a state of great consolation, whatever contradiction may befall it; and from day to day you will gain more and more the power of preserving a peaceful spirit. And if sometimes you feel so disturbed and troubled as to be unable to pacify yourself, have recourse at once to prayer, and persevere in it, in imitation of Christ our Lord, who prayed three times in the garden, to give you an example that prayer might be your only resource and refuge, and that, however sad and desponding you may feel, you must not leave off praying, until your will is conformed to the will of God, and therefore has become devout and calm, and also full of courage and fortitude, so that it can accept and embrace that which at first was an object of dread and abhorrence—going forth thus to greet it: "Arise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand which doth betray me."
[SOURCE: The World's Devotional Classics "The Spiritual Combat and The Path of Paradise" 1916 by Laurence (Lorenzo) Scupopi] Please visit my other BLOG at
http://my.opera.com/doffrancis

Creed

2006-10-20T23:14:00.000+09:00

I BELIEVE if I should die,
And you should kiss my eyelids when I lie
Cold, dead, and dumb to all the world contains,
The folded orbs would open at thy breath,
And, from its exile in the isles of death,
Life would come gladly back along my veins.

I believe if I were dead,
And you upon my lifeless heart should tread,
Not knowing what the poor clod chanced to be,
It would find sudden pulse beneath the touch
Of him it ever loved in life so much,
And throb again—warm, tender, true to thee.

I believe if on my grave,
Hidden in woody depths or by the wave,
Your eyes should drop some warm tears of regret,
From every salty seed of your dear grief
Some fair, sweet blossom would leap into leaf
To prove death could not make my love forget.

I believe if I should fade
Into those mystic realms where light is made,
And you should long once more my face to see,
I would come forth upon the hills of night
And gather stars, like fagots, till thy sight,
Led by their beacon blaze, fell full on me.

I believe my faith in thee,
Strong as my life, so nobly placed to be,
I would as soon expect to see the sun
Fall like a dead king from his height sublime,
His glory stricken from the throne of time,
As thee unworth the worship thou hast won.

I believe who hath not loved
Hath half the sweetness of his life unproved;
Like one who, with the grape within his grasp,
Drops it with all its crimson juice unpressed,
And all its luscious sweetness left unguessed,
Out from his careless and unheeding clasp.

I believe love, pure and true,
Is to the soul a sweet, immortal dew
That gems life's petals in its hours of dusk.
The waiting angels see and recognize
The rich crown jewel, Love, of Paradise,
When life falls from us like a withered husk.
MARY ASHLEY TOWNSEND

The Devout Life

2006-10-15T05:58:00.000+09:00

What True Devotion Is
You aim at a devout life, beloved, because as a Christian you know that such devotion is most acceptable to God's divine majesty. But seeing that the small errors people are wont to commit in the beginning of any undertaking are apt to wax greater as they advance, and to become irreparable at last, it is most important that you should thoroughly understand wherein lies the grace of true devotion; and that because while there undoubtedly is such a true devotion, there are also many spurious and idle semblances thereof; and unless you know which is real, you may mistake, and waste your energy in pursuing an empty, profitless shadow. Arellius was wont to paint all his pictures with the features and expression of the women he loved, and even so we all color devotion according to our own likings and dispositions. One man sets great value on fasting, and believes himself to be leading a very devout life so long as he fasts rigorously, although the while his heart is full of bitterness; and while he will not moisten his lips with wine, perhaps not, even with water, in his great abstinence, he does not scruple to steep them in his neighbor's blood, through slander and detraction. Another man reckons himself as devout because he repeats many prayers daily, although at the same time he does not refrain from all manner of angry, irritating, conceited, or insulting speeches among his family and neighbors. This man freely opens his purse in almsgiving, but closes his heart to all gentle and forgiving feelings toward those who are opposed to him; while that one is ready enough to forgive his enemies, but will never pay his rightful debts save under pressure. Meanwhile all these people are conventionally called religious, but nevertheless they are in no true sense really devout. When Saul's servants sought to take David, Michael induced them to suppose that the lifeless figure lying in his bed, and covered with his garments, was the man they sought; and in like manner many people dress up an exterior with the visible acts expressive of earnest devotion, and the world supposes them to be really devout and spiritually minded, while all the time they are mere "lay" figures, mere phantasms of devotion.

But, in fact, all true and living devotion presupposes the love of God; and indeed it is neither more nor less than a very real love of God," though not always of the same kind; for that love, one while shining on the soul, we call grace, which makes us acceptable to his divine majesty; when it strengthens us to do well, it is called charity; but when it attains its fullest perfection, in which it not only leads us to do well, but to act carefully, diligently, and promptly, then it is called devotion. The ostrich never flies, the hen rises with difficulty, and achieves but a brief and rare flight, but the eagle, the dove, and the swallow, are continually on the wing, and soar high; even so sinners do not rise toward God, for all their movements are earthly and earthbound. Well-meaning people, who have not as yet attained a true devotion, attempt a manner of flight by means of their good actions, but rarely, slowly, and heavily; while really devout men rise up to God frequently, and with a swift and soaring wing. In short, devotion is simply a spiritual activity and liveliness by means of which divine love works in us, and causes us to work briskly and lovingly; and just as charity leads us to a general practise of all God's commandments, so devotion leads us to practise them readily and diligently. And therefore we cannot call him who neglects to observe all God's commandments either good or devout, because in order to be good, a man must be filled with love, and to be devout, he must further be very ready and apt to perform the deeds of love. And for as much as devotion consists in a high degree of real love, it not only makes us ready, active, and diligent in following all God's commands, but it also excites us to be ready and loving in performing as many good works as possible, even such as are not enjoined upon us, but are only matters of counselor inspiration. Even as a man just recovering from illness, walks only so far as he is obliged to go, with a slow and weary step, so the converted sinner journeys along as far as God commands him, but slowly and wearily, until he attains a true spirit of devotion, and then, like a sound man, he not only gets along, but he runs and leaps in the way of God's commandments, and hastens gladly along the paths of heavenly counsels and inspirations. The difference between love and devotion is just that which exists between fire and flame; love being a spiritual fire which becomes devotion when it is fanned into a flame; and what devotion adds to the fire of love is that flame which makes it eager, energetic and diligent, hot merely in obeying God's commandments, but in fulfilling his divine counsels and inspirations.
[SOURCE: Francis of Sales, Selections from the World's Devotional Classics 1916.]
[Please visit http://my.opera.com/doffrancis for Anglican writers and the latest listings of my digital book library. doffrancis@gmail.com ]

30 September 2006

2006-09-30T21:49:00.000+09:00

The Known and Unknown Lord
Acts 1:1-11; Romans 10:9-21; Philippians 2:9-11

Lord of creation,
Lord of all,
You stand enthroned above the heavens,
Giving courage and strength to your witnesses,
To all who proclaim your Lordship from Jerusalem 'to the ends of the earth'.
Lord of creation,
Lord of all,
You stand enthroned above the heavens,
Giving wisdom and knowledge to those who know you not,
To all within 'the bounds of the inhabited world'.

Bring us together, Lord.
Let the Spirit that guides our mission join with the Spirit that works incognito and unknown in the minds of men,
'That at the name of JESUS every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess "JESUS CHRIST is Lord" to the glory of God the Father'.
[SOURCE: The Cry of the Spirit by Rex Chapman]

The Assumption of B.V.M. 15 August

2006-08-13T18:03:00.000+09:00

The Assumption of B.V.M. (Dormition of Our Lady) 15 August

Of the first three Oecumenical Councils held in the Church, the First (Nice, A.D. 325) was devoted to the Father and the Son; the Second (Constantinople,381) to the Holy Spirit; the Third (Ephesus, 432) to Christ and His Blessed Mother. This Third Council, and First Marian, having stated and proclaimed the truth of the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin, became also an indefectible source of Marian eschatology; whose force and impact is seen at the time in the East, later and more slowly in the West.

It would seem that in the Providence of God the firm Tradition of the Church, centred in Jerusalem, of the Dormition (Falling Asleep and Bodily Assumption) of our Lady had not yet been diffused throughout the whole Church. The Feast of the Dormition was celebrated prior to A.D. 500 and throughout the East in the sixth and seventh centuries; and by public decree of the Emperor Maurice (582-602), it was ordered to be celebrated everywhere on the 15th of August. This feast commemorated the Falling Asleep and the removal or departure or Translation or Assumption of the body of Mary. This is clearly evident from Eastern liturgies, not excluding those of the two schisms which had then arisen; of Nestorius and the Monophysites; as well as from the homilies of the Greek Fathers.

While the mystery of the celestial glorification, not only of the soul of the Mother of God, but also of her body, was following Ephesus clearly and explicitly taught in the East, it remained for a time in some obscurity in the West. Following Egyptian tradition it began to appear in France in the sixth century, when the Feast of our Lady was celebrated on the 18th January; and this appears in Gallican Liturgy as the Assumption. In the time of Pope Sergius (687-701), it is certain that the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God was celebrated; which soon afterwards came to be known as the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mary.

Explicit testimonies to this truth therefore begin late in the homilies of the Fathers. The first clear authoritative testimonies begin with three quasi contemporaneous witnesses of the highest order; of whom the first is Saint Modestus, Patriarch of Jerusalem ( 634). Next in importance comes Saint Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople ( 733). He composed three beautiful authoritative discourses on the Dormition of the B.V.M. Mother of God, in which the Tradition regarding Her Dormition is fully recorded, and the due praises of our Lady set forth. The third of these, which is in good part narrative, and includes much detail, is here presented. The holy Patriarch explicitly declares that the truth of the corporeal Assumption of Mary is of divine - apostolic origin; and consequently, that the absolute certainty of the belief is outside discussion. Saint Andreas, Archbishop of Crete ( 740) follows him. He also declares that the object of the Feast of the Dormition is to honour the Death and Glorious Bodily Assumption of the B.V.M.
[NOTE: This has always been a Red Letter Day in the Korean Church.] Other information about the Korean Prayer Book, the 1549 Prayer Book, and pre-1549 services you may find on

OUR DIGITAL LIBRARY

2006-07-22T22:45:00.000+09:00

DIGITAL LIBRARY NEWS: 22 JULY 2006
Digital Books Added in JUNE and JULY.

110. Liturgical Handbook for Holy Mass 1961 / 160pp / [E]
111. Hand Book of Korea 1955 / 410pp / [E]
112. Bible History for students 1937 / 577pp / [E]
113. The Witness of History to Christ 1878 / 217pp / [E]
114. CYPRIAN / 153pp [E-L]
115. Apostolic Succession & Anglicanism 1946 / 447pp [E]
116. THEOPHILUS of Antioch 1970 / Ad Autolycum Translated by Robert M. Grant /184pp / [E-Gr]
117. ATHENAGORAS 1972 / Legatio and De Resurrectione /Translated by W.R. Schoedel /194pp [E-Gr]
118. ATHANASIUS 1971/ Translated by R. W. Thomson /324pp /Contra Gentes & De Incarnatione [E-Gr]
119. House Plants Set of 3 booklets / 506 pictures / 205pp / [E]
120. Insect Pests / 160pp / [E]
121. L-44. Eight short stories / 128pp / [E]
123. SS. Mary & Nicholas ALBUM pic+ 1986 / 224pp / [K]
124. The Inns of Korea 1964 124pp / [E]
125. The Laws of Holy Mass 1949 / 151pp / [E]
127. The Constitution of the Republic of Korea 1948 / 40pp / [E]
128. KOREA: 43 Centuries 1964 / 316pp / [E]
129. Directory Missionaries 1982 / 76pp / [E]
130. Tales From Korea 4293 (old Corean calendar) / 148pp / [E]
131. Selected Poems of KIM, So Wol 1964 / 110pp / [E-K]
132. The Koreans and their Culture 1964 / 392pp / [E]
133. Chong Wa Dae 1976 / 85pp / [E-K]
134. John Charles Corfe at Conference in China 1897 / 45pp / [E]

Audio CD's recorded from cassettes in JUNE & JULY (Korean Masses, etc.)
[SS.MN= Cathedral of SS. Mary & Nicholas]
A-10 SS.MN / 8 APRIL 1982
A-11 SS.MN / 9 APRIL 1982
A-13 SS.MN / 23 MAY 1982
A-14 SS.MN / WHITSUNDAY / 7AM / 1982
A-15 SS.MN / WHITSUNDAY / 11AM / 1982
A-16 SS.MN / 6 MAY 1982
A-17 SS.MN / 10 JUNE 1982
A-18 SS.MN / 13 JUNE 1982
A-19 SS.MN / 18 JUNE 1982
A-20 SS.MN / 20 JUNE 1982
A-21 SS.MN / 27 JUNE 1982
A-22 SS.MN / 4 JULY 1982
A-23 SS.MN / 11 JULY 1982
A-24 SS.MN / 16 JULY 1982
B-2 SS.MN / 25 JULY 1982
B-3 SS.MN / 1 AUGUST 1982
B-4 SS.MN / 6 AUGUST 1982
B-5 SS.MN / 8 AUGUST 1982
B-6 SS.MN / 15 AUGUST 1982
B-7 SS.MN / 22 AUGUST 1982
B-8 SS.MN / 29 AUGUST 1982
D-3 SS.MN / 20 MARCH 1983
E-9 SS.MN / 7 AUGUST 1983
F-5 SS.MN / 27 NOVEMBER 1983 (Bp. RUTT)
H-11 SS.MN / 24 DECEMBER 1982
S-10 MUSIC OF THE 60's
S-17 ORGAN MUSIC
S-20 MUSIC
U-5 JOAN BAEZ GOLDEN PRIZE
U-22 GREEK ORTHODOX SERVICE TAPE 1
U-23 GREEK ORTHODOX SERVICE TAPE 2
V-18 GREGORIAN CHANTS FROM ASSISI
V-19 POP MUSIC
Z-19 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 1
Z-20 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 2
Z-21 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 3
Z-22 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 4
Z-23 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT ?
Z-24 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT ??
[Complete list in pdf format sent upon request. Francis at doffrancis@gmail.com]

The Age of Falsehood.

2006-07-03T15:30:00.000+09:00

Some falsehood grows up alongside of every doctrine and teaching which abides by the truth that it contains. It grows, not because it springs up naturally from some underlying source or cause inherent in the various teachings themselves, but because it is fostered by those who honour the sowing of spurious seed to the destruction of the truth.

This may be gathered first from those who long ago concerned themselves with reflections on these matters and the discord which arose between them and their predecessors and contemporaries; but also, and by no means least of all, from the confusion which characterizes the discussion of matters currently debated. Such men have left no truth free from misrepresentation—not the nature of God, not his knowledge, not his activity, nor all that logically flows from these and follows the lines of our religious teaching. Some of them simply despair of knowing the truth concerning these things; others are concerned with what seems likely to themselves; others exercise themselves in doubting even what is obvious.
[SOURCE: From De Resurrectione by Athenagoras.]

Apostolic tradition has always been regarded as a rule of faith.

2006-05-29T00:04:00.000+09:00

For everyone who does not confess that JESUS CHRIST has come in the flesh is an antichrist' (1 John 4:2,3); and whoever does not confess the witness of the Cross is of the devil; and whoever perverts the sayings of the Lord to his own evil desires and says there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that one is the first-born of Satan. Therefore, let us abandon the vanities of the crowd and their false teachings; let us return to the word which was delivered to us from the beginning. [SOURCE: Saint
Polycarp Letter to the Philippians, No. 7.]
Please join us in the search for our Anglican roots. http://my.opera.com/doffrancis

Passing of Bishop James Mote

2006-05-01T05:34:00.000+09:00

From: "Karen Kulp" Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 19:12:10 -0600

It is with heavy heart I tell you that our beloved Bishop has past into eternal life this day, Saturday April 29, 2006 at 8:42 p.m. eastern time.

O God who hast made thy servant James to flourish among the Ministers of Apostolic Succession in the honourable office of a Bishop: grant, we beseech thee, that he may also be joined with them in a perpetual fellowship. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"JESU, Son of Mary,
Fount of life alone,
Here we hail Thee present
On Thine altar-throne.
Humbly we adore Thee,
LORD of endless might,
In the mystic symbols
Veiled from earthly sight.

Think, O LORD, in mercy
On the souls of those
Who, in faith gone from us,
Now in death repose.
Here, 'mid stress and conflict,
Toils can never cease;
There, the warfare ended,
Bid them rest in peace.

Often were they wounded
In the deadly strife;
Heal them, Good Physician,
With the balm of life.
Every taint of evil,
Frailty and decay,
Good and gracious Saviour,
Cleanse and purge away.

Rest eternal grant them,
After weary fight;
Shed on them the radiance
Of Thy heavenly light.
Lead them onward, upward,
To the holy place,
Where Thy saints, made perfect,
Gaze upon Thy face."

O GOD, who didst cause thy servant Bishop James MOTE, to enjoy the Office of Bishop, in the dignity of the priesthood, after the order of thine Apostles : grant unto him, we beseech thee, finally to rejoice in the company of those thy Saints in heaven whose ministry he did sometime share on earth. Through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen

[NOTE] Father Mote (Bp. Mote) and Father Leland of Saint Mary's in Denver, will be remembered here in Korea as the good friend of Bishop Cooper before his capture and after his reparation from the North Koreans.

Saint Vincent of Lerins

2006-03-31T09:07:00.000+09:00

SAINT VINCENT OF LERINS (Comminatory, Ch. 13.)

There is one and the same Christ, God and man, the same uncreated and created, the same unchangeable and incapable of suffering, the same acquainted by experience with both change and suffering, the same equal to the Father and inferior to the Father, the same begotten of the Father before time (before the world), the same born of his mother in time ('in the world'), perfect God, perfect Man. In God supreme divinity, in man, perfect humanity. Perfect humanity, I say, forasmuch as it has both soul and flesh; the flesh, truly flesh; our flesh, his mother's flesh; the soul, intellectual, endowed with mind and reason.

There is then in Christ the Word, the soul, the flesh; but the whole is one Christ, one Son of God, and one our Saviour and Redeemer: One, not I know not what corruptible confusion of Godhead and manhood, but by a certain entire and singular unity of Person. For the conjunction has not converted and changed the one nature into the other (which is the characteristic error of the Arians), but rather has in such wise compacted both into one, that while there always remains in Christ the singularity of one and the self-same Person, there abides eternally the characteristic property of each nature; whence it follows, that neither does God (the divine nature) ever begin to be body, nor does the body ever cease to be body. This may be illustrated in human nature: for not only in the present life, but in the future also, each individual man will consist of soul and body; nor will his body ever be converted into soul, or his soul into body; but while each individual man will live for ever, the distinction between the two substances will continue in each individual man forever. So likewise in Christ each substance will for ever retain its own characteristic property, yet without prejudice to the unity of Person.

[NOTE: We have just finished the 50,000th page in our digital book library. Please logon to http://my.opera.com/doffrancis ; http://csaanglican.blogstream.com ;
http://Corean-Anglican.blogspot.com for C.S.A. Anglicans in Seoul. Thank you.
doffrancis@gmail.com ]

The Rule of Life

2006-03-12T21:15:00.000+09:00

IT should ever be remembered that a right life and a right belief should go hand in hand. Neither one is acceptable to GOD without the other. "Faith without works is dead." Christian character shows in a holy life. The members of the Church by their word and example should show the sincerity of their Faith and Worship and the power of Sacramental Grace in their lives. They should stand for high ideals in the Home, in Society, in Business and on the Stage. They should uphold the Sanctity of Marriage. They should never countenance divorced persons who enter into sinful union called "remarriage." They should condemn drunkenness, gambling and immorality, and keep themselves as "temples of the HOLY GHOST." They should take a definite stand against all manner of corruption and wrong doing, and in every way put into practice the Religion which they profess. They should cultivate: "Holiness without which no man shall see the LORD." They should stand firmly in the Holy Catholic Church; ever holding fast each and every doctrine of the: "Faith once for all delivered to the Saints," and ever having an answer for the Religion which they hold. They should ever be on their guard against the "danger of drifting," realizing that the great weapon against "false doctrine, heresy and schism" is the faithful practice of Religion.

It is impossible, however, to make any real stand for righteousness or to have the practice of religion effective against the "temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil" unless one has a "Rule of Life." Nothing worth while is ever done without order and method, or in a haphazard way. This is just as true in spiritual matters as in worldly things. There must be a Rule, definite enough to make religion a real part of one's life, flexible enough to be adaptable to differing persons and circumstances. I t should be remembered that the practice of religion is not simply the doing of certain things, as an end in themselves, but the doing of these things with a definite purpose, which is: (1) the Glory of GOD, (2) the following of CHRIST, (3) the cultivation of Christian character, (4) the preparing for an endless future. This is only possible by having and keeping a Rule of Life.

"We have two things to do: to live and die,
To win another and a longer life,
Out of the earthly change and weary strife;
To catch the hours that one by one go by,
And write the Cross upon them as they fly;
For wouldst thou rise in Christ's self-mastering school,
Thy very heart itself must beat by rule."

It may be helpful to suggest a few counsels upon what should form the main principles of a Rule of Life. It is also well to consult one's Parish Priest.
[SOURCE: Archibald Campbell Knowles 1935]

Rule of Life

15 January 2006

2006-01-15T04:40:00.000+09:00

Christian virtues versus pagan vices.[62]
SAINT AUGUSTINE LETTER TO DIOGNETUS

Christians are not different from the rest of men in nationality, speech, or customs; ... They live each in his native land-but as though they were not really at home there. They share in all duties like citizens and suffer all hardships like strangers. Every foreign land is for them a fatherland and every fatherland a foreign land. They marry like the rest of men and beget children, but they do not abandon the babies that are born. They share a common board, but not a common bed. In the flesh as they are, they do not live according to the flesh. They dwell on earth, bur they are citizens of heaven. They obey the laws that men make, but their lives are better than the laws. They love all men, but are persecuted by all. They are unknown, and yet they are condemned. They are put to death, yet are more alive than ever. They are paupers, but they make many rich. They lack all things, and yet in all things they abound. They are dishonored, yet glory in their dishonor. They are maligned, and yet are vindicated. They are reviled, and yet they bless. They suffer insult, yet they pay respect. They do good, yet are punished with the wicked. When they are punished, they rejoice, as though they were getting more of life. In a word, what the soul is to the body, Christians are to the world.
Ch.5:1

Christian Virtues vs Pagan Vices

2006-01-13T20:12:00.000+09:00

Christmas Eve

2005-12-24T19:54:00.000+09:00

O! Christians! Hail the dawn,
Your joyous tributes pay;
Its glory shines from shore to shore,
For Christ was born this day.

O dawn of wondrous truth,
God of a Virgin born;
A Son who shall our souls redeem
Is ours this Christmas morn.

Himself He sacrificed
To make us ever free;
Out of His riven side His blood
Flowed down on Calvary.

And for that cruel hurt,
For every bitter part,
He seeketh nor reward nor hire
Save to possess our heart.

Thus if His yoke we bear
Before we end our day,
We shall behold the King of Heaven
And reign with Him for aye.

No sorrow there abides,
But pow'r and love and light;
And they shall wear the victor's crown
Who triumph in His might.
DAVID EMRYS

LISTS for Downloading

2005-12-19T11:27:00.000+09:00

LIST's of items from the Defender's library are now in pdf, jpg and/or mpeg-2 files include:
Digital Book on CD's
Audio files on CD or DVD's.
Korean Masses, Ordinations, etc on DVDs.
These are now only available in Korea, but will soon be able for overseas Traditional Anglicans. Thank you. doffrancis@gmail.com

Advent II 11 December 2005

2005-12-11T15:42:00.000+09:00

THE NATURE OF MAN (Part I)

Saint Augustine prays, 'O that I might know thee: O that I might know myself.'

I. The Question
"Lord, what is man?" This is one of the really important questions that can be asked, and one that demands an answer.
Every man does in effect, though not necessarily consciously, give his own answer by the way in which he lives, by his desires, by the end he hopes to attain.

II. Some Answers
I. As man sees man
Each man has his own comparatively small circle of friends and acquaintances. Outside this familiar and friendly group there is the larger world, where he sees men as actual or potential rivals or foes whom he must fear or overcome, or, it may be, as instruments to be used or exploited for his profit or pleasure. Hence rivalries, oppression, injustice.
In line with this there is the increasing tendency to regard man as a very inconsiderable cog in the wheel of the State: man becomes a number, a cypher, a nonentity.

2. As man sees himself
It is extremely difficult for man to know himself. Self-complacency, i.e. pride, blinds man to his own faults; or, if they be brought home to him, it is easy, and common, for him to ignore or belittle them by a 'defence mechanism' of excuse and explanation.
Save by the grace of God, man secretly regards himself as a hero, or a master-mind, or a demi-god. There is no limit to his credulity as to his own excellencies. Hence the ease with which he falls victim to flatterers or rogues who play upon his vanity. Men in high position—otherwise intelligent—are often vulnerable only to this kind of approach and exploitation.

3. Man as God sees him
This is the only completely accurate view of man. Man sees the exterior; God sees the interior.
God sees:
(a) Man as he meant him to be (e.g. Adam: innocent, untried: a potential).
(b) Man as he is (a mixture of good and bad; but redeemable) ..
(e) Man as he wants him to be (a son; of the household, the city).

Conclusion
'We are not our own, any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves; we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We cannot be our own masters. We are God's property by creation, by redemption, by regeneration' (J. H. Newman).
[Part II, The Nature of Man will be our next posting.] This Sunday is Advent II and I am happy to be back to the old Korean Mattins and Vesper each day. I feel no remorse in abandoning all those other Prayer Books. No more thirty-nine Articles, no longer excluding Jesus's mother from her Godly Motherhood. Even if I feel a bit alone in this confused human world, at each days end, I somehow feel extremely good. Please pray for those who wish to return to our original Anglican state. Before kings, queens and archbishop's twisted the church into their own image. God be with you. Francis at francisinkorea@hotmail.com

Born in Bethlehem

2005-11-30T00:18:00.000+09:00

OUR NEW DIGITAL BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS ON CD

Born in Bethlehem: by H. W. van der Vaart Smit

Christmas as it really was...
Little known facts of Jesus' birth give Christmas more meaning than pious legends.

The true story of Christmas has been forgotten for a fairy tale, and at best the family, the shepherds and the magi are just plaster statues in a lavishly decorated creche. It is surely a strange and tragic thing that Christians should feel awkward or uncomfortable about the celebration of Christmas, for the first Christmas really happened, and the people in the Gospel account are real people.

This cuts away from both medieval and modern myths, and told with reverent attention to what we know and what we do not know. It is a different story from any we have heard: there is no snow, no inn keeper, and no Christmas tree. But it is believe and it is Christmas. It is the story of the first Christmas—as it really was.
[For a recent list of Anglican books on CD's please contact Francis at: csa_francis@operamail.com].

Back to Anglican Roots

2005-11-17T11:28:00.000+09:00

Returning to pre-1549 Anglican Roots

Next Sunday is Advent Sunday and the beginning of the new Christian year. And starting from next Sunday I am going back to the 1963 Korean Anglican Prayer Book which follows the 1549 Prayer Book. The Defender's English version of Mattins and Vespers is available for any one who would like a copy. It's time to get back to our roots and lay aside all those prayer books made by kings, queens and archbishops to suit their own views. This means no more 39 Articles or each province with a different version. I am lucky to have copies of these old books where I can dig into our Anglican history. It's not easy digging into these books as many are in the old style English and I have to decipher the language. I have put many of these old books on CD's for future missionary minded Anglicans that come to Korea.
If you are reading this BLOG and have a question please click-on COMMENT at the end of each entry or e-mail me at doffrancis@gmail.com.

Two Ways to Make a Priest

2005-11-10T08:42:00.000+09:00

Someone once said there are but two possible ways of putting men truly into the ministry: the one is by succession; the other by immediate revelation or appointment by God himself. Then...

Q. What reason have we to think that our own Church is a part of the Catholic Church of Christ?
A. Because we find in it the ordinances, the doctrines, and the authority of the Catholic Church.

Q. How does it preserve the authority of the Catholic Church?
A. Because it derives its authority by its succession from the Apostles.

Q. Why is succession necessary to a true Church?
A. Because none can make a Church but JESUS CHRIST himself, from whom we derive it; and without the rule of succession, any company of people, even of women, might make a Church. But the Church being the Church of God, and not a human Society, men can no more make God's Church than they can make God's world.

Vigil of Saint Luke

2005-10-17T22:01:00.000+09:00

DOES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REALLY PREPARE ME FOR THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST?

Oh my, I should hope so! A lot of this preparation depends on you, though. The Church can lead the way and set the example, but the Practice of the Faith is largely up to you.

I overheard one devout Catholic in this Parish say to another: "I have enough trouble with the first coming; never mind the second." I think that our fellow Parishioner has a point. But we are moving closer to the next millennium, and this has caused a great deal of speculation from a sizable minority who make a big fuss over this fact. Those who attempt to link the approaching millennium to the Bible and Second Coming have no basis for doing so. Even our Lord, the second Person of the Trinity did not have this knowledge. "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angles, which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mk. 13:32).

The Second Coming is not given to us to know; yet there are some so-called Christian groups who profess to be in possession of the secret The 18th (century Miehelians and 19th century Plymouth Brethren both attempted to predict the Second Coming. Their predictions came to naught, and their sects have lapsed to almost nothing. The Apostle Paul also thought the event was eminent, which is shown in his first letter to the Thessalonians. His second letter attempted to quell the disturbance that he created with the first.

The date of the Second Coming is a great mystery, and is not something that can be solved like a Perry Mason show. But we can easily believe that our Lord will come in His glory with all of the angels and sit upon His upon throne for the Judgment (Matt. 25: 31). Then neither the Sun nor Moon will give light; and stars will fall from the sky (Mk. l3:24). There will be great earthquakes, floods and famine (Lk. 21: 11). All of this is only the beginning. Christ will raise all of the people who have died in the world since the beginning of time, and judge all people from all nations. "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it: and death hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Rev. 20:12-13). All of this is summed up in one statement of the Creed, which we recite at every Mass: "And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead..."

There are many who deny the above quoted Scriptures, and believe that at the Second Coming there will only be peace and bliss for a thousand years after. This belief is called "Millenarianism." This was first found among the Gnostics and Montanists, and even amongst some of the orthodox writers. Millenarianism came to stress the carnal pleasures to be enjoyed for a thousand years; but a revulsion against the whole concept was initiated by Origen, and completed by Saint Augustine. Though Millenarianism has never been formally rejected by the Church, the subject has been treated with the greatest reserve.

Predicting the time of the Second Coming is a favorite pastime of some in the Denominations, but us Catholics we must always watch and wait. We must also keep ourselves in a state of preparedness because we realize that we have not been given the time. The time could be today, or tens of thousands of years from now. If our Lord Himself did not know, how can any amongst us believe that we can solve this great mystery ? "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come... Therefore be ve also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh (Matt. 24:42-44).

Though very little can be said with certainty about the Second Coming, we can draw some concrete conclusions. When our Lord does come, there will be no doubt that it is He. At this time we will face a judgment from Him and the Saints (Jude: l4), which will be based on our works here on Earth. We will not know when this is to take place, so we must be prepared for it. This preparation should include good works. Confession, our relationship with others and with God.
LIFE IS MEASURED BY ITS DEPTH, NOT ITS DURATION,
[SOURCE: ASK FATHER 1998 by Rt. Rev. Paul Fischer]

12 October 2005

2005-10-12T22:55:00.000+09:00

The wonderful propagation and perpetuity of Christianity prove its divine origin.

Now it is evident that no one can terrify or subdue us who have believed in JESUS over all the world. For it is plain, that though beheaded, and crucified, and thrown to wild beasts, and chains, and fire, and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our confession; but the more such things happen, the more do others and in larger numbers become faithful, and worshippers of God through the name of JESUS. For just as if one should cut away the fruit-bearing parts of a vine, it grows up again, and yields other branches flourishing and fruitful; even so the same things happen with us.
[Saint Justin Martyr DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO, Chapter 110.]

PRIEST: On The Mass

2005-09-29T04:13:00.000+09:00

PRIESTS: ON THE MASS

Priest is ordained primarily that he may offer sacrifice to Almighty God, and thereby acknowledge, on behalf of and together with his people and the whole Church of God, the sovereign rights of the Blessed Trinity the Creator and Last End of all men, indeed of all created things, and of their utter dependence upon him. In the early Church, as to-day in the Eastern churches, there was but one offering of the Holy Sacrifice a day in any given place, but the principle that each and every priest was ordained to offer the daily Sacrifice was preserved by the practice of con-celebration, in which the priests (together with the bishop as the principal celebrant) together consecrated and offered the Body and Blood of Christ; but in the West, to which the English Church historically belongs, it was the practice from the early middle ages for each priest to offer and consecrate for himself; and since con-celebration is unknown to the English Church (even at Ordinations, where it survives in the rest of the West) the Catholic-minded priest, desirous of using as often as he can the chief prerogative of his priesthood, will as far as may be offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass daily. There is, it is true, no obligation, even in the Roman Obedience, to do this the only obligation in the matter is that the parish priest (i.e., the incumbent) must celebrate on some eighty days in the year with intention for his flock, and that other priests must say Mass at least several times in the year; but the well-nigh universal custom is for each priest (unless legitimately hindered) to offer daily: and a priest who realises that priesthood and sacrifice are correlative terms, and that he is the mediator between God and man, will scarcely wish for a day to pass on which he does not plead the Sacrifice of Calvary for himself, his flock, and the whole Church.

Without entering into the various theories held as to how the Mass is a sacrifice, it may be simply said that it is a sacrifice because it is one with that of the Cross, the Priest and Victim being the same though the mode of offering differs, being transposed as it were on to the sacramental plane. It is offered therefore for the same intentions as the Sacrifice of Calvary, namely, to adore God, to give him thanks, to make satisfaction for sin, and to ask for new graces; to which must be added, since it is a commemorative sacrifice, to make a memorial before God of the "one, full, perfect, and sufficient Sacrifice," once offered on the Cross. The first four ends or purposes of the Mass follow from what has been said of sacrifice in general and of that of the Cross in particular, viz., that it is a sign of our dependence upon our Creator and his absolute dominion over us, his creatures. Our recognition of dependence in the past finds expression in gratitude for favours received and in contrition for our want of subjection. Our recognition of dependence in the future finds expression in petition for the graces of which we stand in need. Our recognition of dependence on him in the present is called adoration. But of these purposes only two, to make satisfaction for sin and to ask for further graces, are directly beneficial to us (i.e., the Church): therefore it is these which are meant by the expression "the fruit" of the Mass; and it is these which can be applied (in part) at the will of the celebrant.

A second difference between the Mass and Calvary is, that on the Cross our Lord in his very natural Body was Victim of his own Priesthood, and the Priest of his Victimhood, and offered the Sacrifice without co-operation on our behalf (though even here Our Lady standing by the Cross was the type and representative of the Church) while in the Mass he makes this offering through the mouth and hands of the ministering priest and associates with himself, both as priest and as victim, the "Whole Christ," that is his Mystical Body. The Mass is Calvary made present to us under sacramental signs, that we may take our part in it with Christ our Head. It follows, for both priest and people, that being associated with the Priest and Victim they must live in the spirit of their Liturgy; and it follows doubly in the case of the priest, because of his closer association with the Priest-Victim. It is for this reason, quite as much as for the purpose of making Communion possible with the Risen Christ through reception of him under the Sacramental veils, that Mass was instituted, namely, that he might associate his Church with himself in the offering he made as Man to the Divine Trinity in token of the subjection of the creature to the Creator and the dominion that the latter exercises over the former. For it was this dominion and this subjection of mankind to God that was repudiated by Original Sin. Of course Calvary restored communion between the Creator and the creature, and reception of the Victim of the Sacrifice of the Mass makes that union (made possible in Holy Baptism) actual in the case of each individual member of Christ; but this union between God and man, this deification of human nature, is the consequence of the debt of adoration having been paid on the Cross, and not the primary purpose of that ineffable Sacrifice.

THE APPLICATION OF MASS.
As was said above, the Mass is offered for a fourfold intention; to adore God, to thank him, to make satisfaction, and to obtain fresh graces; and of these the two last only are of direct benefit to the Church and are called the fruit of the Mass.

Theologians, however, commonly teach that this fruit when applied to the Church is capable of a threefold division:

THE GENERAL FRUIT, that is, the benefit which accrues to the whole Church-Militant, Expectant and even Triumphant (as probably increasing the "accidental glory" of the saints in whose honour and memory the Mass is offered). This fruit is in union with our Lord's self-oblation for all mankind, and the celebrant obviously cannot alter or direct it.

THE SPECIAL FRUIT, also called the ministerial fruit, that is, the benefit accruing to those who in any way co-operate in offering the particular Mass; this it is which, in the application of the priest's intention, is primarily and mainly operative.

THE MOST SPECIAL FRUIT, that is the personal share of the celebrating priest as being with Christ the offerer of the Sacrifice. Though this fruit, being personal to the celebrant, cannot be alienated and applied to others he may apply it for the acquisition of some grace of which he himself stands in need.

In order that the ministerial fruit may be, as it always should be, applied to a definite object, a priest ought never to go to the altar without first formulating a specific intention which, for the same reason, should be both explicit and formulated, at latest, before the Sacrifice is consummated by the consecration of the Chalice: though, of course, he will never wait till then to do so but will, before vesting, direct his intention as part of his preparation. Indeed it would be well to fix the intentions for Mass for some time ahead; and then, even if not subsequently adverted to, they will remain in force unless retracted by the formulation of other intentions.

THE ONLY RESTRICTION on a private (unannounced) intention is that it is not permissible to say Mass for those in heaven (the saints, the blessed, and baptised infants who die under the age of reason); nor yet for those in hell (but who shall dare to say that any particular soul is damned ?); since in neither of these cases can the souls be aided by the Eucharistic Oblation. If the Mass is offered, as it may be, for individual heathen or heretics (other than catechumens) such intention must not be made public; while in the case of living excommunicates it is only permitted to celebrate for their conversion, either individually or in general.

The Bishop, or a Superior of a religious community, may, for his own subjects, prescribe a special intention, but he should not do so very often. According to the Codex of 1917 binding upon priests of the Latin rite, diocesan bishops and incumbents of parishes are bound in justice to celebrate with intention for their flocks (the Mass pro populo)—or if unable to do so themselves to do so by deputy, who should be suitably remunerated—on all Sundays and Holidays of Obligation and Devotion. Though perhaps this rule cannot be held strictly to bind priests of the Anglican Communion, it is clearly fitting that he should frequently celebrate with intention for his flock, and may well adopt the same days for the purpose as do priests of the rest of the Western Church.

On All Souls' Day, if three Masses are said, as is permitted by recent legislation in the Latin rite, all three must be offered for the departed, with special intention of two of them as prescribed by authority; but on Christmass Day the three Masses may be applied at the discretion of the celebrant, except the one-in the case of an incumbent-which he would have to celebrate pro populo.

MASS IN A STRANGE CHURCH.
When a priest says Mass in a church other than his own, the following rules are observed:
1. ALL CELEBRANTS follow their own particular rite, if, as is the case with certain Religious Orders, it differs from the normal one;

2. BISHOPS under all circumstances follow their own kalendar; but other celebrants, even regular, observe the rules as under:-

3. IN PUBLIC CHURCHES, including public oratories and semi-public oratories, the kalendar proper to the church is to be followed. This includes permission for Votive Masses not allowed according to the celebrant's own kalendar. If in the kalendar of the church a votive is permitted, the priest may say Mass of the feast in his own kalendar, if he so chooses;

4. IN PRIVATE ORATORIES, the celebrant should follow his own kalendar.
[SOURCE:"The Priest's Companion" by G.A.C. Whatton 1960 ed.] Francis at dof1054@icqmail.com

14 September 2005

2005-09-14T22:00:00.000+09:00

IS THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST REALLY TRUE?

Of all of the attacks on the Catholic religion by non- Catholics, no one has ever seriously challenged the fact of the Resurrection of our Lord. Doubt, how-ever is the first reaction of people of all times. Incredulity was even the first reaction of the disciples themselves. His enemies taunted: "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross...If He be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. (Matt 27:40-42)." S. Joseph of Arimathea, who later founded the Catholic Church at Gladstonbury, England in the year 38, took our Lord's Body down from the Cross, wrapped him linen, and laid Him in the sepulcher; then sealed it with a great stone (Mk 15:43-47; Jn 19:38-42). If nothing else had happened, we can be sure that the Apostles, His first Bishops, would have separated, gone back to their homes and fishing boats. There would have been no Catholic Church, nor could there have been a Christian religion. But, something else did happen; this was not the end, but the beginning.

The accounts of our Lord's Resurrection are recorded in all four Gospels (Matt 28; Mk 16; Lk 24; Jn 20). Opponents to the Catholic religion may contend that our Lord's Body was removed by the Apostles in order to perpetuate a hoax, but this does not bear up. Pilate commanded that the sepulcher stone be sealed, and guards posted to prevent such an event (Matt 27:62-66). But the controversialists may yet contend that the few the Apostles were lying. Men anywhere are willing to go to their death for the truth, but no where can one assemble 12 men who are willing to go to horrible deaths for a lie. Had the Resurrection been a hoax, it would have been easy enough to refute; but our Lord also appeared to over 500 of the Brethren at one time who recognized Him, and were willing to bear witness to this central fact "And that he was buried, and that he arose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.---After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles (I Cor 15:4-7)." So. there were well over 500 people, not merely 12, who were willing to testify that the Resurrection actually took place, though they would be putting their lives in peril from the Romans.

Again, it could be said that what they saw was Jesus' Spirit, and not His Bodily Resurrection; but this is also refuted : "But they were terrified and affrightened, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones. as ye see me have (Lk 24:37-39)" Our Lord goes on to state that He is hungry, and eats fish and honeycomb to further prove His physical Resurrection. Of course there are those who do not believe that the Resurrection took place simply because they do not wish it to be true. If the Resurrection can be successfully refuted, then the Catholic Church would fall. "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (1 Cor 15: 13-15)."

The Catholic Faith meets our deepest needs, and this Resurrection of Christ points the way to our future. We too will be resurrected; not by our own power. but by His.

ALL SECTS ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY COME FROM MEN. CATHOLICISM IS EVERYWHERE THE SAME BECAUSE IT COMES FROM GOD.
[SOURCE: ASK FATHER by the Rev. Fr. Fischer] doffrancis@gmail.com

30 August 2005

2005-08-30T08:52:00.000+09:00

30 August 2005
THE PERSON AND OFFICE OF THE HOLY GHOST

74. GOD THE HOLY GHOST IS THE THIRD PERSON OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. He is not just a power, or an influence, as some people seem to think. He is God, he is a real person, just as much as God the Father and God the Son, and we should say prayers to him. He knows and sees all things, he knows all about us and loves us. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, not as from two separate sources,---for our Lord says: I and my father are one---but as from one source---he proceeds from the Father through the Son. He came down in the shape of a dove at our Lord's baptism; he first came down upon the Catholic Church at Pentecost.

75. Before our Lord went up into heaven, he gave his Apostles authority to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. But they were not to go at once. They were to return to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, i.e., for the coming of the Holy Ghost, whom our Lord had promised them: 'ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you' (Acts 1.8).

So they assembled with the Holy Virgin in the upper room at Jerusalem (probably the same upper room in which they ate the last supper) for nine days, engaging in prayer.

We still follow the example of the Apostles in this, by keeping what is called a NOVENA. That is, we keep nine successive days by saying special prayers every day and in other ways, perhaps, e.g., by hearing Mass every day. We may do this in honour of God, of our Lady, or of some Saint, to obtain some favour. It is a very commendable devotion.

76. ON THE NINTH DAY, WHICH WAS THE FEAST OF PENTECOST, at the 3rd hour of the day, i.e., at 9 o'clock in the morning, there was the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and THE HOLY GHOST CAME DOWN IN THE SHAPE OF TONGUES OF FIRE and rested on the head of each of them. Through the Holy Ghost they received that power promised to them, enabling them to fulfil the mission entrusted to them by our Lord. So they spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2.4-ff.), that is, when they spoke, people of all nations were able to understand them; and Peter, who had never preached before, now, in the power of the Holy Ghost, preached a wonderful sermon, and 10,000 people believed and were baptized. That day the Catholic Church began her course in the world. GOD THE HOLY GHOST HAS NEVER LEFT HER---HE REMAINS IN HER FOR ALL TIME. HE DWELLS IN ALL HER MEMBERS, AND COMES TO US IN THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION IN A SPECIAL WAY TO MAKE US HOLY. (See C. 32.)
[SOURCE: A Manual of Christian Doctrine, by the Society of SS. Peter and Paul, London Docks. 1921 from the Defender's Library in Seoul, Korea doffrancis@gmail.com]

6 AUGUST 2005

2005-08-07T06:41:00.000+09:00

Of Inconstancy of Heart,
and of Having Our Final Intentions Directed Unto God

1. My son, trust not to thy feeling, for it will quickly be changed into something else.

As long as thou livest, thou art subject to change, (Job 14:2) even against thy will; so that thou art at one time merry, then sad; at one time quiet, then troubled; now devout, then worldly; now diligent, then listless; now grave, and presently light-hearted.

But he that is wise and well instructed in the spirit standeth firm upon these changeable things; not heeding what he feeleth in himself, or which way the wind of instability bloweth; but that the whole intention of his mind may tend to the right and best end.

For thus he will be able to continue one and the self-same, and unshaken, in the midst of so many various events directing continually the single eye of his intention unto Me.

2. And the purer the eye of the intention is, (Saint Matthew 6:22) with so much the more constancy doth a man pass through the several kinds of storms which assail him.

But in many the eye of a pure intention grows dim, for it quickly looks upon some pleasureable object which comes in its way.

For it is rare to find one who is wholly free from all blemish of self-seeking.

So the Jews formerly came to Bethany to Martha and Mary, not for JESUS'S sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also. (Saint John 12:9)

The eye of our intention therefore is to be purified, that it may be single and right, (Saint Matthew 6:22) and is to be directed unto me, beyond all the various circumstances which may come between.

[SOURCE: The Imitation of Christ Bk.2 Ch.33.] doffrancis@gmail.com

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalen

2005-07-22T11:17:00.000+09:00

ON THE PREACHING: OF THE APOSTLES, AND PROCLAIMING: THE HOLY NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, FOR THE SALVATION OF MAN

I BLESS and give Thee thanks, O Lord Jesu Christ of Nazareth, Thou Son of the Most High God, eternally blessed above all Saints, because on this day, when the Holy Ghost, sent into the world by Thee, came in the visible form of fire, the hearts of the Faithful were invisibly inflamed with the love and praise of Thy Holy Name;

Then forthwith Thy Apostles cast away all fear, and that Name, glorified by the Father above all holy names, began to be publicly preached, praised, spread abroad, and magnified. Openly was it proclaimed before all the people of Jerusalem, and among the Gentiles, from day today to be exalted, honored, and worshipped.

At length, as the number of the disciples increased, so great a devotion and brotherly love arose among all, both men and women, that they were one in faith and holy living; and were all of one heart, and one soul, through love perfected in God.

No one sought his own, but Christ's. All private possessions were used for the common good in the Holy Primitive Church, gathered together in the Holy Ghost.

So great also was the joy, peace, and unity among them, that no one called anything his own, nor held any thing as his own; but all rejoiced to have in God all things in common, and to distribute to the needy.

And this holy and heavenly life, the blessed Apostles were first taught by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and afterwards were careful to observe it. And they retained it until the end of their days, when they died, as martyrs, for the faith of the Lord Jesus.

I praise and bless Thee, O Holy Father, Almighty Everlasting God, with Thine Only Begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, for all the lovingkindnesses and spiritual gifts, which Thou didst once vouchsafe to Thine Elect Friends, and the holy Patriarchs and Prophets; to whom, in times past, Thou didst by words and signs reveal, by the Holy Ghost, the secrets of Thy wisdom, and the judgments of Thy mouth; and more especially the mystery of Thy glorious Incarnation.

But, after Thy coming, O holy Jesu, many more hidden things of the Scriptures didst Thou Thyself reveal and expound more fully; and things, which the babes in Christ could not yet receive, Thou didst lovingly leave, till the sending down of the Holy Ghost.

And, what is still further wonderful and praiseworthy, Thou didst suddenly inflame the rude minds of the Apostles with the fire of the Holy Ghost. Those above the wise of the world, chosen out of its vanities and devoted to Thee, them Thou didst perfectly instruct within, and strengthen them to convert the whole world.

I praise and give Thee honor, O ever glorious J esu Christ, all-holy Enlightener and Restorer of all mankind, for the conversion and gathering together of multitudes, whom Thou didst assemble in the unity of the Catholic Faith and Apostolic Doctrine, from all parts of the earth, and from nations of' many languages. Theirs it was to honor Thy sweet and Holy Name, in hymns, and psalms, and spiritual songs; and so, to devoutly celebrate in all places and churches the sacred Festival of the Holy Ghost.

During which many marvellous things, that were done in those days, are recited in God's House, so that even the common people, together with the princes and nobles, hear the divine works, which, for the Salvation of believers, the Holy Ghost has wrought on earth from the beginning of the world, and will not cease to work, until the Day of Judgment.

For, if God be for us, who can be against us ? Wherefore, in the Psalm the Holy Ghost exhorts all the Faithful, saying, " Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel." There is little Ben a min, rapturously contemplating the things of Heaven, forsaking all that is earthly.

Blessed are those servants, who gladly hasten to sing the Lord's song, and, together with the Angels, rejoice to bless God.

Blessed are they who despise outward vanities, and wholly turn their hearts to God; that they may receive the grace of the Holy Ghost, by which they may overcome all carnal affections, and resist Satan.

For greater far and stronger is the power and grace of the Holy Ghost to effect good, than of the spirit of darkness to work evil.

I bless and praise Thee, dearest Jesu, for the great favor and wisdom given to Thine Apostles, empowering them to preach. Thy Word boldly, before all that dwell in Jerusalem, and Judea, and in Samaria, even unto the ends of the earth.

And especially for their constancy and perseverance. They remained true to the faith, when their citizens were persecuted; rejoicing for Thy Name's sake to suffer contempt, to be imprisoned, to be scourged, to be tormented with hunger, and tortured with punishments of divers kinds.

All these trials seemed light and of small account, in comparison with the crown of eternal Life, and the greatness of the glory to be revealed; as also the blessed Paul says, "the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory, which shall be revealed in us."

Which glory, O most loving Jesus, Thou Son of God, in Thy most gracious compassion, and by the boundless love of the Holy Ghost, do Thou, after the bitter and perilous struggles in this life, deign to grant unto me.

Who with the Father and the same Holy Spirit, livest and reignest, Three Persons and One God, co-equal in glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

[SOURCE: Meditations on the Life of Christ by Thomas a'Kempis, BOOK IV, CHAPTER VII. Defender's Library Book No. 3627.] doffrancis@gmail.com

4 JULY 2005

2005-07-04T23:06:00.000+09:00

I. Responsibilities of Parents

It is a great privilege to be a parent; it is also, and therefore, a great responsibility. This responsibility is threefold in regard to the well-being of the offspring.
(a) Physical. This is pretty well safeguarded by public
opinion, or, in the last resort, by the State.
(b) Mental This also is in the main looked after by the State: always realizing that the State cannot, or ought not to, supplant the influence and authority of the parent. A child should be educated up to its capacity for learning, but learning is not to be limited by school timetables nor by knowledge derived from books.
One asked Napoleon when the education of a child should begin; and he replied, 'Twenty years before its birth, by the education of its mother.'
(c) Spiritual. Religion is caught rather than taught. Example is indispensable. Children should not be 'sent to church,' they should be taken. Even then it does not suffice that parents be religious only on Sundays: they, like their children, are to serve God truly all the days of their life.
The primary obligation of teaching the Christian Faith belongs to godparents and to parents, and this is a duty which ought not be shirked.

II. A Few Suggestions (mostly negative and all tentative)

(a) Don't nag. 'Fathers, don't over-correct your children or make it difficult for them to obey the commandment' (Eph. 6:4). Be generous in praise and encouragement.
(b) Avoid possessiveness. This sin (mark the word) is most likely to be found in the single-child family. A parent must learn to 'let go.' A child is not a plaything: it does not belong to the parent, it belongs to God.
(c) Avoid desire to be copied by offspring. This is a not very subtle form of self-love. The term 'a chip off the old block' is not necessarily a commendation. Respect the individuality of the child.
(d) Accept the unwelcome truth—that the parents' love for children is, generally speaking, greater than the children's love for parents. A little reflection will show the reason, or inevitable-ness, of this. It is a part of the urge of the life-process.
(e) Don't tyrannize. A parent's authority is derivative from God and should be like that of God, i.e. gentle and reasonable and seen to be reasonable. Arbitrary authority is always resented, and, sooner or later, provokes a serious reaction. 'Power always tends to corrupt.'
(f) No favouritism. This is unjust, and bad both for the favoured and for the unfavoured. (Remember Isaac and Rebekah, Esau and Jacob.)
(g) Let parents co-operate in their joint vocation. There ought not to be any bidding for popularity, no playing off of parent against parent. There should be a common policy in' their high calling.

Conclusion
'Who is sufficient for these things?' 'Our sufficiency [ability] is of God.'
[SOURCE: Doctrine, Duty and Devotion 1950. Digital book #8 in the Defender's library, Seoul (doffrancis@gmail.com)] Please drive carefully as the person you kill might be a Traditional Anglican. Francis doffrancis@gmail.com

29 JUNE 2005

2005-06-29T20:09:00.000+09:00

UNITY, HOLINESS, CATHOLICITY, and APOSTOLICITY

New Testament.
The claim of the primitive Church to be an organic society rests on the belief that it was the inheritor of the promises made to Israel. Such is implied in the Lord's teaching about the Kingdom, in the choosing of the Apostles as the nucleus of its ministry, and in the institution of the Sacramental rites. F. Kattenbusch argues that the conception comes from the vision of the saints of the Most High in Dan. 7. Saint Paul conceives of the Church as Christ's Body (Col. 1:24; cf. 1 Cor. 12:27), as His Bride (2 Cor. 11:2, cr. Eph. 5:32), and as His Temple (1 Cor. 3:16,2 Cor. 6:16, Eph. 2:20-22). The NT also points to the priestly character of the Church (1 Pet. 2:9). It is the clear teaching of the NT as a whole that the Church was established by Christ as the New Israel and endowed by Him with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and is not merely a voluntary association of individual disciples.

Catholicism and the Church.
This conception of the Church was elaborated as time went on. Increasing stress was laid on the Divine constitution and corporate nature of the Church. Its essence was epitomized in the four traditional 'notes of the Church', viz. unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity. It was held that there could be only one such body founded by Christ; as being of Divine origin it must be holy; as being by Divine intention world-wide, and having in fact spread over most of the known world before it was challenged by particular and local movements, it was in purpose catholic; and as teaching the Apostles' doctrine and historically descended from them it was apostolic. Thus conceived, the Church is essentially a visible body. Its membership (at least as far as the living are concerned), its orders of ministers, and its unity are all constituted by participation in visible sacraments, viz. those of Baptism and Confirmation, of Holy Orders and of Holy Communion, respectively. In contrast with this visible Church 'Militant here in earth', there exists the invisible Church of the faithful departed, divided into the Church Expectant (undergoing purification in purgatory) and the Church Triumphant (already enjoying the beatific vision in heaven). Separation from the Church Militant is the sin of schism, and rejection of its apostolic doctrine heresy.

In early times the doctrine of the visible Unity of the Church was accepted on all sides. The schismatic bodies which arose (Melitians, Donatists, Monophysites) all considered themselves the whole Church. But a theology of the Church gradually developed, which gave precision to the status of those in schism. Against rigorist movements such as Donatism, Saint Augustine maintained that the sacraments were everywhere to be regarded as acts of the Church. Their validity was independent of the personal qualities of the minister, provided he had the necessary sacramental status and, later theologians added, intended to do what the Church had always intended. In this way the sacraments of bodies of Christians in heresy or schism could in certain instances be validated through the historical relation of these bodies to the Catholic Church.

After the schism between the East and the West, the RC and ‘Eastern' Orthodox Churches 'each maintained that the other was in schism, and that itself was the historic manifestation of the visible Church. In 1965 the mutual excommunications were withdrawn. Anglicans and others who do not accept the exclusive claim of any Church often maintain that all parts of the Church Militant, including Rome, are now to some extent in schism.
[SOURCE: The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church by F.L. Cross, 1978 edition]

In our next post we will give you the Anglican view of the Four Marks of the Church by G. H. Midgley. He will explain the Anglican viewpoint of Unity, Holiness, Catholicity, Apostolicity, with a Conclusion.
From the Defender's Library, Seoul, Korea. doffrancis@gmail.com or dof4u@hotmail.com

Necessity of Humility

2005-06-18T20:56:00.000+09:00

18 June 2005
NECESSITY OF HUMILITY

CONSIDERATION. The same is true of humility as of faith, that without it, it is impossible to please God; because without humility we worship ourselves, and thus become hateful and abominable in the sight of God. Without humility there is no solid virtue, because it is the root of all virtues. Without humility there is no grace; for God "humilibus dat gratiam," "giveth grace to the humble," (Saint James 4: 6;) without grace we can not merit, and without either virtue or merit we can not enter heaven; consequently, without humility there is no salvation. Our Lord expressly tells us this. " Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Saint Matthew 18: 3.) He said this on the occasion of a dispute having arisen amongst His Apostles as to which of them should be the greatest; He therefore especially

referred to the humility and simplicity of children. Still more evidently, without humility there can be no progress in perfection; and we are bound by our vows to aim at perfection. Without humility we are useless, or almost useless, to others, and yet we are bound to labor for their salvation. How can God bless labor in which we seek our own glory? Without humility, therefore, we can never attain the double end of our vocation; we can have no hope of persevering in it, nor can we ever find in it the peace and happiness which we sought. Is not this a true interpretation of our Saviour's words, "Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart"? (Saint Matthew 11:29.)
APPLICATION.- Are we well persuaded of the necessity of humility? What means do we adopt to acquire it? And with what success? Let us answer these questions in all sincerity, before God.
COLLOQUY with Christ, the perfect Master and admirable Model of humility, of that form of humility which is most contrary to nature, namely, the love and the practice of humiliations. Beg of Him to assist us to advance in the exercise of this virtue. Ask this grace through the indescribable humiliations which He endured for us in His birth, in His hidden life, and throughout His public life and His sorrowful Passion.
[SOURCE: New Practical Meditations by Father Bruno Vercruysse, S.J.]
(Please drive carefully the person you kill might be a Traditional Anglican). FWAR, doffrancis@gmail.com

4 June 2005

2005-06-04T21:17:00.000+09:00

Memorial Day: Let's Not Forget

2005-05-28T06:28:00.000+09:00

THE TIGER DEATH MARCH
One day from the Diary of a Carmelite Nun
Saturday 4 November 1950

It was snowing when the guards came at dawn to call us. but they forced us to continue our march in spite of the bad weather. There was a mountain pass to cross. and we were told we must hurry to get there before it was blocked with snow. Here on the foot. hill it was already ankle deep, and was falling steadily.
Now, without breakfast, we began a hurried, uphill march through the snow. Mercifully, Father Villemot and Madame Martel were allowed to ride on a supply-cart. The rest of us struggled along, panting and gasping. We could see the prisoners of war ahead of us, and it was evident that they were being pressed hard.
Mother Therese was being helped by Father Crosbie, and already they were lagging behind the rest. Sister Bernadette was toiling along through the thickening snow leading the blind Sister Marie-Madeleine. We passed by many prisoners lying on the mountainside.
"No vehicles coming?" they would ask with groans of pain. As our priests passed these men they would give them plenary indulgence. A platoon commander fired a shot at one of them who was still alive, and the Tiger kicked their bodies over a cliff.
Father Crosbie heard two shots. but thought little of it till he and Mr. Zellers, who was supporting Sister Mary Clare, saw an officer and some guards returning to the road laughing. Ahead of us more shots sounded- I, for one, remember hearing eighteen in all.
We passed one exhausted prisoner of war sitting by the roadside and then another. Beside each of them a guard was standing. As soon as we had passed round the bend two shots rang out behind us. At last we realized what was happening. Our hearts ached with helpless pity as we saw more and more prisoners of war sitting or lying helpless by the roadside, attended always by guards who waited ominously till the stragglers passed. Then, each time, we listened in dumb anguish for the sound that always came — the sound of a shot behind us on the road.
Father Crosbie goes on to tell how, while the priests were speaking words of comfort to these men, of God's mercy, His love, His forgiveness, some would nod understandingly, while one boy sang God Bless America as he waited for death by the roadside, but his voice was stilled before he reached him. It was one of the women who told him later.
Twenty-two men fell out that morning. Knowing what had been their fate we had no doubt now of what had happened to Mother Beatrix and Madame Funderat and the eighteen soldiers who had fallen out the day before, and the men who had been left on previous days.
And we now knew that in fact People's hospitals meant 'Execution Grounds' in the Tiger's language.

An ox-cart came along, but Mother Mechtilde was unable to ride it as it was already fully loaded with passengers.
Tired and unhappy children were doing their best to keep up with their parents. The sturdy and resolute Turkish and White Russian ladies, with their babies tied on their backs, crossed the rugged peak full of determination; their babies were crying with cold and hunger. How we longed to rest! But no rest came, and heavy gunfire from far behind us reminded us of the approach of the United Nations Forces.
One of the Carmelite Sisters, owing to an injury to her foot, could no longer continue to walk. She was preparing for death, confident that her fate would be the same as that of Mother Beatrix. At that time many of us awaited death almost as one would await the visit of a kind friend who would put an end to our pain.
Among our guards we occasionally found good-hearted soldiers, who showed kindness and compassion toward us. One of them came to us in the afternoon and said, "When you get back to your country after the war, please don't tell anybody how we massacred the American prisoners of war this morning."
On another occasion when a Carmelite Sister asked him to help her carry her bundle of belongings as she climbed a steep ascent, he was willing to do so, and when another asked for permission to rest for an hour on the snow-covered bank of a mountain stream, he acquiesced.
We assembled at the top of the pass, waiting for stragglers and worried about what might have happened to them. But at last they turned up, Sophia and Sultan riding on a supply-cart, and then Madame Martel and Father Villemot on another. Some others were allowed to join them for the steep descent on the other side; the tortuous route through slippery snow was difficult and dangerous and Mother Therese became faint before we reached the bottom.
We arrived at Cha-song by mid-morning about ten o'clock, and were told we need march no more that day. We were taken to a classroom of a school, where straw was laid out in bed-size lots on the floor. At last we could rest our aching bodies. That evening four trucks came to carry off the women, the children and the old men, and five very sick prisoners of war, but the able-bodied would have to continue their journey on foot the following day. Mother Mechtilde and blind Sister Marie-Madeleine and Anglican Sister Mary Clare were allowed on the first truck.
We arrived in downtown Chung-kang.jin at one in the morning. Our guards seemed to have no idea where to take us. First they took us some distance in one direction, then made us go back to our starting-point and continue in the opposite direction. Mother Mechtilde fell down and severely injured her knee. For about two hours we wandered about the dark streets here and there, until at last we reached a large school. The men on night-duty at the school were at first astonished to see us, but finally gave our guards the key of the building.

Next morning the second truck with Sister Henriette, Sister Bernadette, and Mother Eugenie arrived. We could not move around at all, for we were forced to sit in pairs in boxes of straw which were only just wide enough for us. Discipline was strictly enforced, and we were not allowed to get down from the boxes, but had to remain there throughout the day. We were also forbidden to lie down or to speak. Because one of the little children had helped himself to a few vegetables without permission, one meal was withheld from us as a punishment, and we were also deprived of the comfort of a fire.
The bitter hardship to which we had been subjected began to take its toll. Anglican Sister Mary Clare passed away from a heart attack as she lay on the straw during the night.
She had given up teaching to become an Anglican nun, and had begun her career as a missionary in Korea during World War I. There she had founded a Korean Sisterhood: she trained the novices. and became the first superior of the congregation. She was an expert in handicrafts, and taught them to her spiritual children. In her spare moments she devoted herself to the translation of prayers and spiritual books into Korean. During World War II she was forced to leave Korea, but her congregation survived under a Korean superior, to whom she returned as adviser after the war. doffrancis@gmail.com

23 MAY 2005

2005-05-23T21:41:00.000+09:00

Christ has a true body formed from the substance of Mary.

There is one and the same Christ, God and man, the same uncreated and created, the same unchangeable and incapable of suffering, the same acquainted by experience with both change and suffering, the same equal to the Father and inferior to the Father, the same begotten of the Father before time (before' the world), the same born of his mother in time ('in the world'), perfect God, perfect Man. In God supreme divinity, in man, perfect humanity. Perfect humanity, I say, forasmuch as it has both soul and flesh; the flesh, truly flesh; our flesh, his mother's flesh; the soul, intellectual, endowed with mind and reason. There is then in Christ the Word, the soul, the flesh; but the whole is one Christ, one Son of God, and one our Saviour and Redeemer: One, not I know not what corruptible confusion of Godhead and manhood, but by a certain entire and singular unity of Person. For the conjunction has not converted and changed the one nature into the other (which is the characteristic error of the Arians) , but rather has in such wise compacted both into one, that while there always remains in Christ the singularity of one and the self-same Person, there abides eternally the characteristic property of each nature; whence it follows, that neither does God (the divine nature) ever begin to be body, nor does the body ever cease to be body. This may be illustrated in human nature: for not only in the present life, but in the future also, each' individual man will consist of soul and body; nor will his body ever be converted into soul, or his soul into body; but while each individual man will live for ever, the distinction between the two substances will continue in each individual man forever. So likewise in Christ each substance will for ever retain its own characteristic property, yet without prejudice to the unity of Person.
[Source: Saint Vincent of Lerins, Commonitory, Chapter 13.] Please read The Messenger at http://www.themessenger.com.au. for Traditional Anglican news. doffrancis@gmail.com

22 MAY 2005 TRINITY SUNDAY

2005-05-22T23:01:00.000+09:00

Christ has a true body formed from the substance of Mary.
There is one and the same Christ, God and man, the same uncreated and created, the same unchangeable and incapable of suffering, the same acquainted by experience with both change and suffering, the same equal to the Father and inferior to the Father, the same begotten of the Father before time (before' the world), the same born of his mother in time ('in the world'), perfect God, perfect Man. In God supreme divinity, in man, perfect humanity. Perfect humanity, I say, forasmuch as it has both soul and flesh; the flesh, truly flesh; our flesh, his mother's flesh; the soul, intellectual, endowed with mind and reason. There is then in Christ the Word, the soul, the flesh; but the whole is one Christ, one Son of God, and one our Saviour and Redeemer: One, not I know not what corruptible confusion of Godhead and manhood, but by a certain entire and singular unity of Person. For the conjunction has not converted and changed the one nature into the other (which is the characteristic error of the Arians) , but rather has in such wise compacted both into one, that while there always remains in Christ the singularity of one and the self-same Person, there abides eternally the characteristic property of each nature; whence it follows, that neither does God (the divine nature) ever begin to be body, nor does the body ever cease to be body. This may be illustrated in human nature: for not only in the present life, but in the future also, each' individual man will consist of soul and body; nor will his body ever be converted into soul, or his soul into body; but while each individual man will live for ever, the distinction between the two substances will continue in each individual man forever. So likewise in Christ each substance will for ever retain its own characteristic property, yet without prejudice to the unity of Person.
[Source: Saint Vincent of Lerins, Commonitory, Chapter 13.] Please read The Messenger at http://www.themessenger.com.au. for Traditional Anglican news. doffrancis@gmail.com

Be not Curious Searcher into the Holy Sacrament

2005-05-12T23:51:00.000+09:00

That a Man Should Not Be a Curious Searcher Into the Holy Sacrament, But an Humble Follower of Christ, Submitting His Sense to Divine Faith'

The voice of the Beloved.

Thou must beware of curious and unprofitable searching into this most profound sacrament, if thou wilt not be plunged into the depths of doubt.
"He that is a searcher of my Majesty, shall be overpowered by the glory of it: (Prov.25:27) God is able to work more than man can understand.
A dutiful and humble inquiry after the truth is allowable, provided we be always ready to be taught, and study to walk according to the sound opinions of the Fathers.

2. It is a blessed simplicity when a man leaves the difficult ways of questions and disputings, and goes on forward in the plain and firm path of God's commandments.
Many have lost devotion while they sought to search into things too high.
Faith is required at thy hands, and a sincere life, not height of understanding, nor deep inquiry into the mysteries of God.
If thou dost not understand, nor conceive these things that are under thee, how shalt thou be able to comprehend those that are above thee?
Submit thyself unto God, and humble thy sense to faith, and the light of knowledge shall be given thee, in such degree as shall be profitable and necessary for thee.

3. Some are grievously tempted about faith and the holy sacrament, this is not to be
imputed to themselves, but rather to the enemy.
Be not thou anxious; do not dispute with thine own thoughts, nor give any answer to doubts suggested by the devil; but trust the words of God, trust his saints and prophets, and the wicked enemy will flee from thee.
It oftentimes is very profitable to the servant of God to endure such things.
For the devil tempts not unbelievers and sinners, whom he has already secure possession of, but faithful and religious devout persons he in various ways tempts and vexes.

4. Go forward therefore with simple and undoubting faith, and with the reverence of a supplicant approach thou this holy sacrament; and whatsoever thou art not able to understand, commit securely to Almighty God.
God deceiveth thee not; he "is deceived that trusteth too much to himself.
God walketh with the simple, (Ps. 19:7; 119:130; Matt. 11:29) revealeth himself to the humble, giveth understanding to the little ones, openeth the sense to pure minds, and hideth grace from the curious and proud.
Human reason is feeble and may be deceived, but true faith can not be deceived.

5. All reason and natural search ought to follow faith, not to go before it, nor to break in upon it.
For faith and love do here specially take the lead, and work in hidden ways, in this most holy, most supremely excellent sacrament.
God, who is eternal and incomprehensible, and of infinite power, doeth things great and unsearchable in heaven and in earth, and there is no tracing out of his marvellous works.
If the works of God were such, as that they might be easily comprehended by human reason, they could not be justly called marvellous or unspeakable.
[SOURCE: The Imitation of Christ, Bk.4 No.18] doffrancis@gmail.com

Let's Not Be a Curious Searcher Into the Holy Sacrament

2005-05-12T10:47:00.000+09:00

Of Bearing with the Defects of Others

2005-04-29T21:31:00.000+09:00

Those things that a man can not amend in himself or in others, he ought to suffer patiently, until God order things otherwise.
Think that perhaps it is better so for thy trial and patience, without which all our good deeds are not much to be esteemed.
Thou oughtest to pray nevertheless, when thou hast such impediments, that God would grant thee help, and that thou mayest bear them kindly. (Matt. 6:13; Luke 11:4.)

2. If one that is once or twice warned will not listen, contend not with him: but commit all to God, that his will may be fulfilled, (Matt. 6:10.) and his name honored in all his servants, who well knoweth how to turn evil into good.
Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, of what sort soever they be; for that thyself also hast many failings which must be borne with by others. (Thess. 5:14; Gal. 6:1.)
If thou canst not make thyself such a one as thou wouldest, how canst thou expect to have another fashioned to thy liking?
We would willingly have others perfect, and yet we amend not our own faults.

3. We will have others severely corrected, and will not be corrected ourselves.
The large liberty of others displeaseth us; and yet we will not have our own desires denied us.
We will have others kept under by strict laws; but in no way will ourselves be restrained.
And thus it appeareth, how seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.
If all men were perfect, what should we have to suffer of our neighbor for God?

4. But now God hath thus ordered it, that we may learn to bear one another's burdens; (Gal. 6:2.) for no man is without fault; no man but hath his burden; no man sufficient of himself; no man wise enough of himself; but we ought to bear with one another, comfort one another, help, instruct, and admonish one another. (1 thess. 5:14; 1 Cor.12:25.)
Occasions of adversity best discover how great virtue or strength each one hath.
For occasions do not make a man frail, but they reveal what he is.
[SOURCE: The Imitation of Christ Bk.1 Ch16] [doffrancis@gmail.com]
Please read The Messenger at http://www.themessenger.com.au.

The Notion of Religion

2005-04-24T16:33:00.000+09:00

From Lactantius Chapter 4.
By these things it is evident how closely connected are wisdom and religion. Wisdom relates to sons, and this relation requires love; religion to servants, and this relation requires fear. For as the former are bound to love and honor their father, so are the latter bound to respect and venerate their lord. But with respect to God, who is one only, inasmuch as He sustains the twofold character both of Father and Lord, we are bound both to love Him, inasmuch as we are sons, and to fear Him, inasmuch as we are servants. Religion, therefore, cannot be divided from wisdom, nor can wisdom be separated from religion; because it is the same God, who ought to be understood, which is the part of wisdom, and to be honored, which is the part of religion. But wisdom precedes, religion follows; for the knowledge of God comes first, His worship is the result of knowledge.

Chapter 28.
For we are created on this condition, that we pay just and due obedience to God who created us, that we should know and follow Him alone. We are bound and tied to God by this chain of piety; from which religion itself received its name, not, as Cicero explained it, from carefully gathering.
[SOURCE: The Divine Institutes, Book 4, Chapter 4, 28.]

[Defender's please read the new issue of TAC's "THE MESSENGER" at
and let me know if you would like to subscribe for delivery in Korea. (doffrancis@gmail.com)]

MAN AS A SINNER

2005-04-15T13:54:00.000+09:00

1. Man as a Sinner
Sin is not merely an offence against the laws of man; it is essentially wrong done to a Person, man's Benefactor and highest Good, to God. An individual may come into the assembly free from personal guilt; nevertheless, he takes upon his lips expressions of penitence. This may seem unreal until it be remembered that the individual does not ‘separate himself from his own flesh,' but confesses the sins of his Church, or community, or nation. 'Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers . . .' (Litany).

Man, by himself, has no standing in the sight of God. He is a miserable (i.e. pitiable) sinner, one who needs God's pardon.

Two things need to be kept in mind: a sense of the holiness and majesty of God and a realization of man's actual condition in relation to God. This twofold knowledge vindicates the use of the words with which the Church prepares her children to draw near to the throne of grace.

II. The Divine Answer
In the B.C.P. there are three forms of absolution. The one used in the divine office is not, strictly speaking, an absolution, but rather a declaration of God's attitude towards penitents, and an exhortation to prayer for true repentance and for the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The one used in the Holy Communion is authoritative, but general, as its nature demands. The third (Visitation of the Sick) is specific and personal. These meet and answer every need.

There should be neither doubt nor scruple in any man's mind as to God's willingness to forgive. 'As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. . . wherefore turn yourselves and live.'

Conclusion
In the introductory stages of the Eastern Liturgy the beatitudes are sung, reminding worshippers of the standard of life to which they are called and committed. The Anglican approach to the Sacred Mysteries is more sombre, the divine 'Thou shalt not' evoking the penitence of the 'Lord, have mercy upon us.' Indeed, the note of penitence is overstressed in the B.C.P. (a reaction to offset the decline in Church discipline in post Reformation days). Too much emphasis tends to unreality. There cannot, of course, be too much penitence; but expressions are out of place if they swamp or obscure the Eucharistic note of the Lord's Service. 'Let a man examine himself,' but let him do it at home or before the service begins.
[SOURCE: Doctrine, Duty and Devotion 1950 by G.H. Midgley, Vicar of Long Preston, Yorkshire. pp161,162.] [doffrancis@gmail.com]

The Gate to the Sacraments

2005-04-11T08:43:00.000+09:00

161. Baptism is called the

'GATE OF THE SACRAMENTS,'
because it is essential and makes us able to receive the other sacraments. If we are not baptized, we cannot receive the other sacraments. It would be useless for an unbaptized person to go to confession—he could not receive absolution. If the form of absolution were gone through it would not absolve him—he would go away as he came, with all his sins. If an unbaptized person were presented for confirmation, and the form were gone through, he would yet not be confirmed, he would not receive the Holy Ghost; and so with the other sacraments,—he would receive no grace, and the action would be a sacrilege, an offence to God, because it would be using holy things in vain, and trifling with God. We must not 'give what is holy unto dogs.'

Baptism makes us MEMBERS OF CHRIST, and able to receive the grace which flows from the divine Head to the members. It makes us CHILDREN OF GOD, and able to receive the good gifts which our Father offers us. It makes us INHERITORS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, and able to receive our inheritance. If we are not members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, we have no right to these things, and are not able to receive them or benefit by them. Baptism makes us members of the Catholic Church; if we are not, we have no right to her ministrations. When the people to whom Saint Peter had preached asked him what they should do, he said: 'Repent, and be baptized, everyone of you, in the Name of JESUS CHRIST, for the remission of sins.' (Acts 2:38). [SOURCE: A Manual of Christian Doctrine by S.S.P.P 1921. pp 125,126.]
[doffrancis@gmail.com]

What is Justice?

2005-04-05T19:56:00.000+09:00

The past few years we were often complaining about our human rights and justice in this modern society. After reading a text by an English priest I begin to realize that we might be a little confused about the subject. The following is his lesson:

WHAT IS JUSTICE?

(Ref: Wis.8: 7. Gen.18:19. Mt.5:6. Rom.13:7. Phil.2:4)
Justice is the virtue which deals with rights. All men are naturally prone to watch after, and safeguard, their own individual rights: but this virtue is meant to apply to the rights of others, i.e. to render to each his due (cf. To be true and just in all my dealings'). It is at once a virtue to be acquired and a duty to be performed.

There are three expressions of justice: towards self, others, and God.

(1) Self
The consciousness of this is innate, and highly developed, in man. Indeed, it is generally over-realized, in an inordinate degree, and becomes selfishness. Man then plays for his own hand, looks after Number One, and to that extent becomes un-social or anti-social.

Man's true duty towards himself is to make the best of himself, of his gifts and opportunities, as a rational being, living in a community; as a person made up of body, mind, and soul; and as a Christian. 'It's better to be better than to be better off.'

(2) Neighbour
'Each of you [Christians at Philippi] must study the welfare of others': the Christian must be just even before he is generous. He must respect the goods of his neighbour, neither stealing nor injuring them, be strictly honest in monetary transactions or in business arrangements, paying fair wages if he is an employer or doing fair work if an employee. The Christian must safeguard the honour and reputation of all other men: this obligation is probably more often violated than the foregoing.

It is very needful to preserve justice towards those whom we do not happen to like; people, for instance, holding different views from ourselves, in politics, religion, and so on.

(3) God
(Our duty towards God, admirably summed up in the Church Catechism.) It is necessary here to recall that man, as a created being and as a son, owes to God the duties of worship and of obedience; and that where there is no recognition of the rights of God there will soon be little or no recognition of the rights of man. In the long run, and for the majority of mankind, right living depends upon a right religion.

Conclusion
"Nay," you will say, "charity is greater than justice." Yes, it is greater; it is the summit of justice—it is the temple of which justice is the foundation. But you can't have the top without the bottom; you cannot build upon charity. You must build upon justice, for this main reason, that you pave not, at first, charity to build with. It is the last reward of good work' (J. Ruskin, Crown of Wild Olive, § 39).
[SOURCE: Doctrine, Duty and Devotion by G.H. Midgley 1950]

Pope John Paul II, our brother in Christ

2005-04-03T18:04:00.000+09:00

Pope John Paul II,
our brother in Christ. May he rest in peace.

JESUS, Son of Mary,
Fount of life alone,
Here we hail thee present
On thine altar-throne.
Humbly we adore thee,
Now in of end-less might,
In the mystic symbols
Veiled from earthly sight.

Think, O Lord, in mercy
On the souls of those Who,
in faith gone from us,
Now in death repose.
Here ‘mit stress and conflict
Toils can never cease;
There, the war-fare ended,
Bid them rest in peace.

Often, were they wounded
In the deadly strife;
Heal them, Good Physician,
With the balm of life.
Eve‘ry taint of evil, Frailty and decay,
Good and gracious Saviour,
Cleanse and purge away.

Rest eternal grant them,
After weary fight;
Shed on them the radiance
Of thy heav'nly light.
Lead them onward, upward,
To the holy place,
Where upon thy face. Amen

[Written in Swahili; Tr. Edmund S. Palmer, 1906]
[Korean MP-3 version in Defender's library. ]

JOHN KEBLE 1792~1866

2005-03-28T18:19:00.000+09:00

IN REMEMBRANCE OF (29 March 1866)
JOHN KEBLE, 1792~1866

The following was preached by Austin Farrer at Hursley Church in 1961.

John Keble appeared to his contemporaries to be a saint. Unlike, certain of his associates, he kept clear of Romish influences, and perhaps for this very reason came nearer to the traditional type of Catholic sanctity than those who were more flamboyantly Catholic and more assertively traditionalist. For sanctity of the Catholic sort flourishes in the setting of a Church whose authority is never questioned, but patiently obeyed. The saint is a man in whom a well-established Catholic life comes to perfect expression. He is too busy living his religion to question it or to change it; or (to put the same thing the other way round) his contentment with the Church in which he is, excuses him the painful disquiet of alteration, or the egoism of private choice; and so leaves him free to live out his faith in holy self-forgetfulness.

Keble is seen by us as a leader in new paths, the father of a movement. He saw himself in no such light. He was the defender of an established religion of true Anglicanism against dangerous innovation. He held the faith and followed the practices which Charles and Laud had maintained against Puritan enemies, and which High Church divines had subsequently clarified. Alas, government and prelates had gone far in laxity and Whiggism, but sound parish priests, like Keble' s own father, had kept the flame burning. Keble was the son of his father, never quite happy about any position unless he could persuade himself that it was what his father virtually or explicitly held. He was devoted to the old man, and until he was over forty, and his father died, he was virtually his father's curate. The positions he held from time to time in Oxford were episodes in the pursuit of the family business, if I may so call it, of pastoral duty in the Cotswolds.

Keble was the tutor, not the contemporary, of the restless spirits who pushed the Victorian movement forward. He was nine years older than Newman, and these nine years bring his youth back into the world of Jane Austen's novels. The gentleman-parson, who is her hero, pursues his holy calling with sober devotion in the family neighbourhood and without ever passing outside the family orbit. We are inclined to think of Keble as an academic theologian who got sidetracked into a country living. He was in fact an hereditary rural clergyman, unusually successful at the university, who lingered in academic positions longer than his education absolutely demanded. As the country gentleman of the old school took an intelligent and it might be a stubborn part in national politics, so the gentleman-incumbent of a country parish should keep abreast of the Church's affairs and declare himself inflexibly on all important issues, with a proper sense of responsibility.

Keble, then, accepted his tradition and struck his roots deep into the soil of family, country, and Church. The principle of his being was piety, as much in the old Roman as in the modern Christian sense. He was a lover and an acceptor, not a critic. The Church of Hooker and Laud was founded on scripture and the Fathers: and back, back into the Fathers, and into scripture, Keble pushed the fibres of his mind. The stuff of the good tradition was all splendour and divinity; the faces in his family background were all as bright as angels. This dear, and humble man saw Christ everywhere in his Christian relatives, his tutors, pupils, friends; only in his own heart he saw an unilluminated emptiness; and yet he knew, for all his ceaseless penitence, that he had the grace of God, and that he was forgiven.

He was, to start with, a kind son and brother, and a heavenly friend; and it was the supernatural overflow of such natural kindness onto all sorts of people, that made him the excellent pastor he was. He spent the last thirty years of his life in this parish, indefatigable in teaching the children, visiting the sick, recalling the impenitent, bearing all his parishioners in his heart, always interceding, supplying everyone's every need, answering with his own hand letters in request of religious direction, which flowed to him from every side. He was able to do all this work in company; he scarcely saw his study, except for solemn interviews. He could do his work with a pleasant smile, and many interventions in the conversation, sitting with his wife and her friends in the drawing room.

And, of course, he built his parishioners this church, with his own money —and he had no money. But there were the royalties of The Christian Year, that immensely successful and, in its time, sanctifying book of religious verse. He would sell the royalties out and build the church. His friends supplied an even better plan; they gave him the money for the church, and impounded the royalties from his book year by year until they were repaid. Still there was not enough: he wrote the Lyra lnnocentium and published that, to make up the difference.

He wrote The Christian Year anonymously, and he was always worried by its success. He could never understand how it was, that the pure and heavenly overflow of a Christian heart could be read in its pages. For he could see that his heart was hollow and full of cowardice. Surely, he thought, I must be the greatest hypocrite alive.

He died, still vicar of Hursley. God granted him the happiness to die suddenly in a full age when he was just waiting for his beloved Charlotte's death. She did not survive him many weeks. Husband and wife were buried here in one grave. We will not say, 'May they rest in peace'; but, 'Dear servants of God, pray for us'.

The Nature of Man

2005-03-28T08:02:00.000+09:00

Hi, I have just finished my 58th year of attending the Easter Mass and wondering who are all these beautiful people worshiping the Lord in His cathedral. Who are we? Why were we born? Perhaps we can find the answer in ourselves by turning to G. H. Midgley, for his comments on man...

THE NATURE OF MAN
Saint Augustine prays, 'O that I might know thee: O that I might know myself.'

The Question
'Lord, what is man?' This is one of the really important questions that can be asked, and one that demands an answer.
Every man does in effect, though not necessarily consciously, give his own answer by the way in which he lives, by his desires, by the end he hopes to attain.

Some Answers

As man sees man...
Each man has his own comparatively small circle of friends and acquaintances. Outside this familiar and friendly group there is the larger world, where he sees men as actual or potential rivals or foes whom he must fear or overcome, or, it may be, as instruments to be used or exploited for his profit or pleasure. Hence rivalries, oppression, injustice.
In line with this there is the increasing tendency to regard man as a very inconsiderable cog in the wheel of the State: man becomes a number, a cypher, a nonentity.

As man sees himself...
It is extremely difficult for man to know himself. Self-complacency, i.e. pride, blinds man to his own faults; or, if they be brought home to him, it is easy, and common, for him to ignore or belittle them by a 'defense mechanism' of excuse and explanation.
Save by the grace of God, man secretly regards himself as a hero, or a master-mind, or a demi-god. There is no limit to his credulity as to his own excellencies. Hence the ease with which he falls victim to flatterers or rogues who play upon his vanity. Men in high position—otherwise intelligent—are often vulnerable only to this kind of approach and exploitation.

Man as God sees him...
This is the only completely accurate view of man. Man sees the exterior; God sees the interior.
God sees:
(a) Man as he meant him to be (e.g. Adam: innocent, untried: a potential).
(b) Man as he is (a mixture of good and bad; but redeemable) .
(c) Man as he wants him to be (a son; of the household, the city).

Conclusion
'We are not our own, any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves; we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We cannot be our own masters. We are God's property by creation, by redemption, by regeneration' (J. H. Newman).

Back again

2005-03-27T22:24:00.000+09:00

Hi all,
Sorry, been unable to logon the past month or so, but will post something soon.

In Christ,

Francis
doffrancis@gmail.com

Back on again

2004-08-05T19:56:00.000+09:00

I'm back on again. Don't know what happened. Was off for 3 or 4 weeks, but will post more tomorrow.

2004-07-31T23:07:00.000+09:00

Greetings from Korea the "Land of the Morning Calm."
I would like to welcome any Traditional Anglican Catholic clergy or laymen to consider setting up a Traditional Anglican Catholic Mission here in Korea and other parts of East Asia. There are many jobs here for a working clergy or a young college graduate, most earning $2,000 or more per month. There are more than 11,000,000 people here in Seoul and another 9,000,000 in the suburbs. I will keep you posted on job opportunities as they appear and provide you with the daily happenings as they occur. For more information please e-mail: Francis in Korea

Who are we ?

2004-05-27T21:44:00.000+09:00

We are among a few Traditional Anglicans still using the 1966 Korean Anglican Prayer Book, the 1969 Korean Anglican Hymnal and following Traditional Anglican Doctrine.

The English-speaking Anglicans use the "Defenders of the Faith" Daily Office, which basically follows the Korean / 1549 Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer.

We agree with . . .
The doctrine of the First Seven Ecumenical Councils which were properly represented by the Roman, Greek and Anglican Churches.
The "Chicago-Lamberth Quadrilateral" of 1886-1888
The TAC "Concordat of 1990"
The "Affirmation of Saint Louis" 1977
The "Kualala Lumpur Statement"
The international "Forward in Faith" (FIF)
The "Traditional Anglican Communion" (TAC)

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF THE MORNING CALM

2004-05-19T21:15:00.000+09:00

Greetings from a Traditional Anglican living in Seoul, Korea. We want to tell you about the Traditional Anglican Church in this part of East Asia by take you back to the late 1800's. We will share with you some of our old books and documents in the Defender's Library.
Francis W.A. Russell