A Letter to Lord Fielding. Suggested by the late proceedings at the New Church at Pantasa

SUGGESTED BY THE LATE PROCEEDINGS AT THE NEW CHURCH AT PANTASA.
THE REV. G. L. STONE, A.B.
INCUMBENT OF ROSSETT, DENBIGHSHIRE.
LONDON: WHITTAKER AND CO.; CHESTER, PRICHARD; MOLD, PRING AND PRICE; HOLYWELL, MORRIS; WREXHAM, PAINTER.
My Lord;—
The first of the “chief points” is: “the Canon of the sacred Scriptures.”
The next “point” upon our list is the Celibacy of the Clergy . It is very true that St. Paul said that he would that all men were even as he—that is single. But this was during a time of persecution when families would have been irksome and injurious to Christian Missionaries. But the same Apostle when giving permanent instructions concerning the Clerical body directs—“a Bishop must be blameless the husband of one wife.” 1 Tim. iii. 2. “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.” v. 4. And again v. 12—“let the Deacons be the husband of one wife.” Indeed, my Lord, did your fallen Church labour to be identified in Apostacy with the heretics of the first centuries, how could she have better succeeded than in “ forbidding to marry ?” 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3. And now, hear, from your own authors, the fearful consequences of a celibate Clergy.
Claud D’Expence a very celebrated Parisian divine, writes thus—“Shameful to relate they give permission to Priests to have concubines, and to live with their harlots, who have children by them, upon paying an annual tribute, and in some places they oblige Priests to pay this tax saying they may keep a concubine if they please.” Espen: Com: ad Cap. 1. ad Tit. Dig: 2.
Hear again, how your Cardinal Baronius writes—“What then was the face of the Roman Church? How very filthy when the most powerful and sordid harlots then ruled at Rome, at whose pleasure Sees were changed, and Bishopricks were given, and what is horrible to hear and most abominable—their gallants were obtruded into the See of Peter, and made false Popes; for who can say they could have been lawful Popes who were intruded by such harlots without law? There was no mention of the election or consent of Clergy, the Canons were silent; the decrees of Popes suppressed; the ancient traditions proscribed,—lust, armed with the secular power, challenged all things to itself.” Bar: Ann: A.D. 912.