Book Description

The vision of a re-united Christendom fascinated Gerard Francis Cobb, as did many of the strong and noble spirits of that time. In pursuit of this splendid dream, he threw aside all caution, and with a noble courage gave to the world (in 1867) his chief literary work 'The Kiss of Peace, or, England and Rome at one on the Doctrine of the Holy Eucharist.' The treatise, of 172 pages, is beautifully lucid in style, and logical in form. His position was the resultant of the influence of the High Church movement and of his recent philosophical studies. 'A Christian is a traitor to his creed so long as he is content with mere sense-knowledge.' 'The denial of the real objective presence arises from a materialistic clinging to sense.' Cobb's attempt to prove that the Church of England taught transubstantiation was met with a storm of disapproval. His College Testimonial for Holy Orders was refused on the ground of want of conformity to the doctrines of the Church. He was involved in a hot controversy, which was closed by him in the Sequel, published in a second edition, together with the 'Kiss of Peace.' In this Sequel he exhaustively reviewed the teaching of the Catechism, Liturgy and Articles on the Holy Eucharist. Subsequent study appears to have led Cobb (for a while only) together with several other men of mark in the University (two of whom resigned their Orders) to negative conclusions with regard to Theology. -The Cambridge Review, Vol. 25