Eglise Apostolique Française.--Its doctrine.--L'Abbé
Auzou.--His Sermon on "les Plaisirs Populaires."
Among the multitude of friendly injunctions to see this, and to hear
that, which have produced me so much agreeable occupation, I have more
than once been very earnestly recommended to visit the "Eglise
Apostolique Française" on the Boulevard St. Denis, for the purpose of
hearing l'Abbé Auzou, and still more, that I might have an opportunity
of observing the peculiarities of this mode of worship, or rather of
doctrine; for, in fact, the ceremonies at the altar differ but little,
as far as I can perceive, from those of the Church of Rome, excepting
that the evident poverty of the establishment precludes the splendour
which usually attends the performance of its offices. I have no very
satisfactory data by which to judge of the degree of estimation in
which this new sect is held: by some I have heard them spoken of as
apostles, and by others as a Paria caste unworthy of any notice.
Before hearing M. L'Abbé Auzou, or attending the service at his
church, I wished to read some of the publications which explain their
tenets, and accordingly called at the little bureau behind their
chapel on the Boulevard St. Denis, where we were told these
publications could be found. Having purchased several pamphlets
containing catechism, hymns, sermons, and so forth, we entered into
conversation with the young man who presided in this obscure and dark
closet, dignified by the name of "Secrétariat de l'Eglise Apostolique
Française."
He told us that he was assistant minister of the chapel, and we found
him extremely conversible and communicative.
The chief differences between this new church and those which have
preceded it in the reform of the Roman Catholic religion, appears to
consist in the preservation of the external forms of worship, which
other reformers have rejected, and also of several dogmas, purely
doctrinal, and wholly unconnected with those principles of church
power and church discipline, the abuse of which was the immediate
cause of all protestant reform.
They acknowledge the real presence. I find in the _Catéchisme_ these
questions and answers:
"Jésus-Christ est-il sous le pain, ou bien sous le vin?--Il est sous
les deux espèces à la fois.
"Et quand l'hostie est partagée?--Jésus-Christ est tout entier en
chaque partie.
"Que faut-il faire pendant le jour où l'on a communié?--Assister aux
offices, et ensuite se réjouir de son bonheur avec ses parens et ses
amis."
* * * * *
Their clergy are permitted to marry. They deny that any power of
absolution rests with the priest, allowing him only that of
intercession by prayer for the forgiveness of the penitent. Auricular
confession is not enjoined, but recommended as useful to children.
They profess entire toleration to every variety of Christian belief;
but as the "Eglise Française" refuses to acknowledge dependance upon
any _secte étrangère_,--by which phrase I conceive the Church of Rome
to be meant,--they also declare, "d'après l'Evangile, que la religion
ne doit jamais intervenir dans les gouvernemens temporels."
They recognise the seven sacraments, only modifying that of penitence,
as above mentioned. They deny the eternity of punishment, but I find
no mention of purgatory. They do not enjoin fasting. I find in the
_Catéchisme_ the following explanation of their doctrine on this head,
which appears to be extremely reasonable.
"L'Eglise Française n'impose donc pas le jeûne et l'abstinence?--Non;
l'Eglise Apostolique Française s'en rapporte pour le jeûne aux fidèles
eux-mêmes, et ne reconnaît en aucune façon le précepte de
l'abstinence; mais, plus prudente dans ses principes, elle substitue à
un jeûne de quelques jours une sobriété continuelle, et remplace une
abstinence périodique par une tempérance de chaque jour, de chaque
année, de toute la vie."
In all this there appears little in doctrine, excepting the admission
of the divine presence in the elements of the eucharist, that differs
greatly from most other reformed churches: nevertheless, the
ceremonies are entirely similar to those of the Roman Catholic
religion.
But whatever there may be either of good or of evil in this mixture,
its effect must, I think, prove absolutely nugatory on society, from
the entire absence of any church government or discipline whatever.
That this is in fact the case, is thus plainly stated in the preface
to their published Catechism:--
"L'Eglise Apostolique Française ne reconnaît aucune hiérarchie; elle
repousse en conséquence l'autorité de tout pouvoir spirituel étranger,
et de tout autre pouvoir qui en dépend ou qui s'y soumet. Elle ne
reconnaît d'autre autorité spirituelle que celle qu'exercerait la
réunion de ses fidèles; réunion qui, suivant les principes des
apôtres, constitue seule ce que de leur temps on appelait EGLISE.
"Elle n'est point salariée par l'état. L'administration de ses secours
spirituels est gratuite. Elle n'a de tarif, ni pour les baptêmes, ni
pour les mariages, ni enfin pour les inhumations. Elle vit de peu, et
s'en remet à la générosité, ou plutôt à la volonté, des fidèles.
"Ne reconnaissant pas d'hiérarchie, elle ne reconnaît pas non plus de
division de territoire, soit en arrondissement, soit en paroisse: elle
accueille donc tous les Chrétiens qui se présentent à elle pour mander
à ses prêtres l'accomplissement des fonctions de ministres de
Jésus-Christ."
* * * * *
The _décousu_ principles of the day can hardly be carried farther than
this. A rope of sand is the only fitting emblem for a congregation so
constituted; and, like a rope of sand, it must of necessity fall
asunder, for there is no principle of union to prevent it.
After I had finished my studies on the subject, I heard a sermon
preached in the church,--not, however, by M. l'Abbé Auzou, who was
ill, but by the same person with whom we had conversed at the
_Secrétariat_. His sermon was a strong exposition of the abuses
practised by the clergy of the Church of Rome,--a theme certainly more
fertile than new.
In reading some of the most celebrated discourses of the Abbé Auzou, I
was the most struck with one entitled--"Discours sur les Plaisirs
Populaires, les Bals, et les Spectacles." The text is from St.
Matthew,--"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest ... for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
In this singular discourse, among some things that are reasonable, and
more that are plausible, it is impossible to avoid seeing a spirit of
lawless uncontrol, which seems to breathe more of revolution than of
piety.
I am no advocate for a Judaical observance of the Sabbath, nor am I
ignorant of the fearful abuses which have arisen from man's daring to
arrogate to himself a power vested in God alone,--the power of
forgiving the sins of man. The undue authority assumed by the
sovereign pontiff of Rome is likewise sufficiently evident, as are
many other abuses justly reprobated in the sermons of the Abbé Auzou.
Nevertheless, education, observation, and I might say experience, have
taught me that religion requires and demands that care, protection,
and government which are so absolutely essential to the well-being of
every community of human beings who would unite together for one
general object. To talk of a self-governing church, is just as absurd
as to talk of a self-governing ship, or a self-governing family.
It should seem, by the reprobation expressed against the severity of
the Roman Catholic clergy in these sermons, as well as from anecdotes
which I have occasionally heard in society, that the Church of Rome
and the Church of Calvin are alike hostile to every kind of
dissipation, and that at the present moment they have many points of
discipline in common--at least as respects the injunctions laid upon
their congregations respecting their private conduct.