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METHODIST 


Q* 


amulets  fax  tju  fjetfple* 


VOLUME    THIRD. 


EDITED   BY    THOMAS    0.    SUMMERS,  D.D. 


INasIjmUe,  Cenn.: 

PUBLISHED  BY  E.  STEVENSON  &  F.  A.  OWEN,  AGENTS, 

FOR  THE   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH,   SOUTH. 

185  7. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1857,  by 

E.  STEVENSON  &  F.  A.  OWEN,  Agents, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Middle  District  of  Tennessee. 


STEREOTYPED    AND   PRINTED    BY   A.   A.    STITT, 
SOUTHERN    METHODIST    PUBLISHING    HOUSE,    NASHVILLE,    TI'N'N. 


donhttts. 


No. 

Marks  of  a  true  Church 25 

The   Supremacy   of   the   Pope   without   Foundation   in   the 

Word  of  God 26 

The  Romish  Doctrine  of  Penance,  Absolution,  and  Indulg- 
ences    27 

The  Romish  Doctrine    of   Transubstantiation   contrary   to 

the  Senses,  to  Reason,  and  to  Holy  Scripture 28 

Idolatry  of  the  Church  of  Rome 29 

Immaculate  Conception  of  Mary 30 

The  Worship  of  Mary ~    31 

The   Portrait  of  Mary  in  Heaven.     From  the   French  of 

N.  Roussel 32 

The  Virgin  and  the  Saints.    From  the  French  of  N.  Roussel.  33 

"The  Most  Holy  Bambino" 34 

Jesus  and  Jesuits.     From  the  French  of  N.  Roussel 35 

The  Christian  Catholic.     From  the  French  of  N.  Roussel.  36 

Popery  injurious  to  Man 37 

Intolerant  and  persecuting  Spirit  of  Popery 38 

Protestant  Christianity  and   Romanism  contrasted,  in  re- 
spect to  their  Agreement  with  Scripture 39 

The  History  of  Mary,  an  Irish  Peasant 40 

The  Dying  Catholic  Girl.. 41 

The  Roman  Catholic  Schoolmaster 42 

The  Sick  Man  and  the  Priest 43 

Why  does  your  Priest  forbid  You  to  read  the  Bible?     From 

the  French  of  N.  Roussel 44 

The  History  of  a  Piece  of  Wood.     From  the  French  of  N. 

Roussel 45 

The  Scapular 46 

The  Genius  of  Popery  exemplified 47 

Giant  Pope 48 

(iii) 


defend  |t0t*. 


The  following  essays,  as  their  name  indicates,  were  origin- 
ally issued  in  separate  pamphlets.  They  are  called  Methodist 
Pamphlets  because  they  belong  to  a  series  bearing  that  gene- 
ral title,  though  it  is  believed  they  contain  nothing  to  which 
Protestants  of  all  the  leading  orthodox  communions  will  not 
subscribe.  They  are  written  with  no  ordinary  ability,  being 
for  the  most  part  the  productions  of  some  of  the  best  writers 
of  the  present  age.  They  will  prove  a  valuable  vade  mecum 
to  any  one  who  may  be  called  to  defend  the  faith  once  deli- 
vered unto  the  saints  against  the  novelties  of  the  Man  of  Sin, 
It  might  be  difficult  to  find  elsewhere,  in  so  small  a  compass, 
exposures  of  the  corruptions  of  Popery  so  thorough  and  varied, 
and  refutations  of  them  so  elaborate  and  yet  popular,  as  will 
be  found  in  these  admirable  papers.  The  favor  with  which 
they  have  been  received  in  their  original  form,  encourages  the 
hope  that  their  appearance  in  a  volume  will  meet  with  general 
approval,  and  that  their  career  of  usefulness  will  be  thereby 
greatly  extended — which,  it  need  scarcely  be  added,  will  be 
deemed  an  ample  compensation  for  the  labor  expended  in 
procuring  and  revising  them  by 

&\\z  (EMtor. 

Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan.  1,  1857. 


PAMPHLETS  FOR  THE  PEOPLE. 


No.  25. 


MARKS  OF  A  TRUE  CHURCH. 


There  are  four  marks  of  a  true  Church  which  Rome  claims 
as  her  own  :  I.  Unity ;  II.  Sanctity ;  III.  Catholicity ;  and 
IV   Apostolicity. 

I.  We  are  told,  by  one  of  her  recognized  writers,  "that  she 
has  always  been  one,  by  all  her  members  professing  one  faith, 
in  one  communion,  under  one  chief  pastor  succeeding  St. 
Peter,  to  whose  charge  Christ  committed  the  care  of  his  whole 
flock. "*     Let  us  examine  this  statement. 

It  is  said,  in  the  first  place,  that  all  her  members  are  one, 
and  that  they  all  profess  one  faith.  Now  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  mere  fact  of  all  the  members  of  a  particular 
communion  professing  and  receiving  one  faith,  or  adopting 
one  set  of  religious  opinions,  by  no  means  proves  that  this 
body  is  the  one  Church  of  Christ.  There  is  unity  amongst 
the  followers  of  the  fanatical  Swedenborg,  and  amongst  the 
disciples  of  Joseph  Smith,  the  Mormonite  impostor;  and  the 
votaries  of  Joanna  Southcote,  in  her  day,  were  agreed  as  to 
the  truth  of  her  statements,  and  the  Divine  authority  of  her 
claims.  So  has  it  been  with  nearly  every  sect  that  has  ever 
sprung  up.  The  leader  of  each  has  emphatically  said,  "  I 
am  the  man  :  the  true  gospel  has  never  been  preached  till 
now  :  I  come  to  set  up  the  one  standard,  and  to  rally  all  men 
beneath  its  folds/'  Nay,  if  you  go  to  heathen  nations,  the 
followers  of  Confucius,  the  votaries  of  the  Grand  Lama  of 
Thibet,  the  worshippers  of  Vishnu  and  Juggernaut,  will 
separately  claim  for  themselves  the  possession  of  the  one 
true  faith.  The  same  is  true  also  of  the  multitudes,  in  the 
east  of  Europe,  and  on  the  borders   of  Asia,  and  on   the 

*  Gother's  "Papist  Represented  and  Misrepresented." 
1* 


■II) 

C((l 


2  MARKS    OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

northern  coasts  of  Africa,  who,  at  the  rising  and  setting  of 
the  sun,  turn  their  faces  towards  Mecca,  and  cry,  "  God  ia 
God  :  there  is  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet." 
Mere  unity  of  faith,  therefore,  is  not  a  mark  of  a  true  Church. 
There  may  be  unity  in  the  belief  of  falsehood,  as  well  as 
unity  in  the  recognition  of  truth. 

In  the  second  place,  it  is  said  by  Romanists,  that  their 
unity  of  faith  consists  in  this  :  "  that  it  is  professed  and  held 

nder  one  chief  pastor,  to  whose  charge  Christ  committed  the 
e  of  the  whole  flock."  But  the  alleged  supremacy  of 
Peter,  and  the  transmission  to  the  bishops  of  Rome  by  him 
of  the  office  and  authority  of  chief  pastor  over  the  Church, 
has  no  foundation  in  the  word  of  God.  It  is  opposed  alike 
to  the  prerogatives  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  only  King  and 
Head  of  the  Church,  to  the  facts  of  history,  and  to  the 
testimony  of  the  early  fathers.  The  apostle  Peter  never 
assumed  superiority  over  his  fellows,  nor  did  they  ever  yield 
it  to  him.  The  power  of  "the  keys,"  bestowed  upon  him, 
was  equally  imparted  to  all  the  apostles  :*  Christ  himself  re- 
buked all  pretensions  to  superiority,  and  declared,  "  He  that 
is  greatest  among  you  shall  be  your  servant/'  Matt,  xxiii.  8- 
11.  When  the  apostles  and  elders  met  to  consult  concern- 
ing the  admission  of  the  Gentiles,  (as  we  find  in  Acts  xv.,) 
Peter  only  gave  his  advice  as  an  individual  member  of  the 
assembly;  and  James,  not  Peter,  suggested  the  line  of  con- 
duct which  was  unanimously  adopted. f  At  Antioch,  Paul 
"  withstood  Peter  to  the  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed," 
Gal.  ii.  11-14.  Elsewhere  Paul  declares  that  he  "was  not 
a  whit  behind  the  very  chiefest  apostles,"  2  Cor.  xi.  5.  When 

I'ct.er,  in  Ids  old  age,  wrote  his  epistles  to  the  churches,  he 
assumed  no  lordship  over  God's  heritage,  that  is,  the  Church, 
but  expressly  condemned  it,  1  Peter  v.  3.  He  addressed 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel  as  an  apostle  and  an  elder, 
(avfj,TTpeo(ivTepog,  a  co-prcsbyter.)  As  an  apostle  he  could 
have  no  successors,  because  his  commission  was  temporary  • 
it  was  received  moreover   from  Christ  himself,  was   accom- 


^*  ^ompare  Matt.  xvi.  19,  with  Matt,  xviii.  18,  and  John  xx.  21, 

f  "Wherefore  my  sentence  is,"  etc.  (Acts  xv.  19.)  Could  J:uii<>« 
have  spoken  thus,  if  Peter  were  the  divinely  appointed  prince  of  the 
npostles  und  supreme  head  of  the  Church? 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  6 

panied  with  miraculous  gifts,  and  was  wide  as  the  world ;  and 
in  the  office  of  presbyter,  all  the  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  ordinary  pastors  of  the  Church,  are  his  true  and  his  only 
successors.  Peter,  moreover,  was  not  the  founder  of  the 
Church  at  Rome.  If  he  was  ever  at  Rome  at  all,  it  is  quite 
clear  that  the  Christian  Church  there  existed  before  his  comins: ; 
and  history  gives  no  support  whatever  to  the  claim  that  he 
was  the  first  bishop  of  Rome.  Therefore  the  first  link  is 
wanting  to  this  supposed  claim  of  unity.  The  plea  is  this  : 
Peter  was  the  first  pope  :  all  the  bishops  of  Rome  were  popes 
after  him;  and  he  conveyed  to  them  the  title,  office,  and  au- 
thority of  universal  pastor.  This,  we  repeat,  is  utterly  re- 
pudiated by  the  plain  facts  of  history.  For  more  than  300 
years  the  claim  of  supremacy  by  the  bishop  of  Rome  was 
never  heard  of;  and  it  was  not  till  the  year  606,  (when  the 
"Antichrist,"  as  Gregory  the  G-reat  denounced  him  by  anti- 
cipation, was  set  up,)  that  the  Emperor  Phocas,  a  bloody 
tyrant,  placed  the  Bishop  of  Rome  in  his  position  of  unscrip- 
tural  authority,  and  gave  him  for  the  first  time  the  title  of 
"  Universal  Bishop." 

Now,  it  may  naturally  be  asked,  Why  is  the  Church  of 
Rome  so  eager  to  appropriate  to  herself  the  mark  of  visible 
unity  ?  Why  does  she  insist  upon  it  as  essential  to  the  very 
essence  of  a  Church  ?  Why  does  she  constantly  quote  Christ's 
expressions,  "  one  fold,  one  shepherd,"  and  Paul's  words, 
"  There  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in 
one  hope  of  your  calling  :  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism," 
and  then  quietly  take  it  for  granted  that  this  unity  of  the 
Church  is  realized  in  herself  ?  This  is  done,  in  order  that 
she  may  be  able  to  place  Protestants  without  the  true  fold, 
beyond  the  pale  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  that  she  may 
taunt  them  with  what  she  calls  their  "  horrible  divisions." 
On  this  point  we  crave  especial  attention  to  the  following 
observations. 

In  the  first  place,  the  existence  of  divisions  is  by  no  means 
necessarily  a  proof  that  a  Church  is  not  a  true  Church  of 
Christ.  In  the  Church  at  Corinth,  even  in  apostolic  times, 
"  Every  one  said,  I  am  of  Paul ;  and  I  of  Apollos ;  and  I 
of  Cephas ;  and  I  of  Christ."  But  while  this  spirit  of 
u  schism  in  the  body"  was  a  grievous  sin,  which  called  for 
rebuke  and   censure,  yet  still  the  apostle  Paul  did  not  un- 


•1  MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

church  the  believers  at  Corinth  :  he  addressed  them  as 
"sanctified  in  Christ/'  "called  to  be  saints,"  and  invoked 
upon  them  "  grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  our  Father 
and  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  It  was  this  argument,  drawn 
from  the  apparent  divisions  among  the  early  Christians,  which 
pagan  writers  used  against  Christianity,  in  order  to  prove  that 
it  was  not  from  God.  "  What  a  shame  !"  says  Matthew 
Poole  (in  his  "Dialogue  between  a  Romish  Priest  and  an 
English  Protestant/')  "is  it,  that  you  are  forced  to  defend 
your  cause  with  such  weapons  as  those  used  by  the  pagans, 
and  wrested  out  of  their  hands  by  the  ancient  fathers  !" 

But,  in  the  second  place,  we  hold  that  the  boasted  unity 
of  the  Romish  Church  is  not  the  result  of  intelligent  scrip- 
tural conviction,  but  of  blind,  unreasoning  credulity.  Wher- 
ever there  is  a  profession  of  faith  in  any  system,  and  submis- 
sion to  its  requirements,  by  those  who  have  never  examined  its 
claims  by  the  investigation  of  intellect,  nor  tested  its  assumed 
authority  by  an  appeal  to  the  word  of  God — wherever  there 
is  a  spirit  of  wholesale  and  negligent  acquiescence  in  the 
dicta  of  a  so-called  "infallible  Church/'  while  those  that  re- 
ceive these  dicta  "neither  know  what  they  say,  nor  whereof 
they  affirm  ; "  while  they  tell  us  "  we  believe/'  but  are  totally 
unable  to  "  give  a  reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  them/' — then, 
instead  of  dignifying  such  a  system  with  the  name  of  unity 
of  sentiment,  let  us  rather  give  to  it  the  true  title  of  a  uni- 
formity of  ignorance.  We  do  affirm,  with  regard  to  the  mass 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  laity,  that,  by  the  force  of  those  pre- 
judices which  have  been  instilled  into  their  minds  from 
childhood  against  Protestants — by  the  shameful  misrepresent- 
ation of  the  Reformation  and  its  doctrines,  of  which  their 
accredited  writers  have  been  guilty  —  by  the  denunciations 
which  they  have  heard  so  frequently  thundered  forth  against 
the  exercise  of  reason  and  private  judgment — and,  above  all, 
by  the  jealous  exclusion  from  their  hands  of  the  word  of  the 
living  God,  "the  entrance"  of  which  "givcth  light," — it  is 
come  to  pass,  that  they  take  on  trust  every  dogma  which  their 
priests  assure  them  to  be  the  truth  of  God.  There  is,  there- 
tore,  no  agreement  of  opinion  among  Romanists,  except  that 
which  (as  Lord  Raeon  powerfully  expresses  it)  is  grounded  on 
implicit  ignorance,  "  just  as  all  colors  agree  in  the  dark."  j\0 
wonder,   therefore,  that  a  Romish  bishop  (Dr.   Doyle)  com- 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  D 

mended  the  Irish  peasant  who,  instead  of  polluting  his  hands 
by  touching  a  Bible,  seized  it  with  the  tongs  and  thrust  it 
into  the  fire.  Rome  extorts  implicit  faith  from  her  votaries, 
and  declares  that  those  who  never  doubt  are  alone  the  true 
sons  of  the  Church.  No  wonder,  therefore,  that  she  boasts 
of  her  unity.  We  have  an  illustration  of  this  kind  of  unity 
in  the  well-known  anecdote  of  a  poor  ignorant  collier,  who, 
when  asked  what  he  believed,  answered,  "  I  believe  what  the 
Church  believes."  "What  then,"  it  was  again  asked,  "does 
the  Church  believe?"  He  replied  at  once,  "The  Church 
believes  what  I  believe."  But  in  order,  if  possible,  to  bring 
him  to  something  more  explicit,  he  was  once  more  interro- 
gated, "  Tell  me,  I  pray  you,  what  it  is  you  and  the  Church 
believe?"  The  only  answer  given  to  the  question,  and  that 
could  be  given  by  this  man,  was  this  :  "  Why,  sir,  I  and  the 
Church  believe  the  same  thing !" 

But,  in  the  third  place,  when  Protestants  are  taunted  with 
their  divisions,  we  both  deny  and  retort  the  charge. 

1st.  We  deny  the  charge  :  it  is  not  substantially  true.  We 
are  aware  that  the  "  Variations  of  Protestantism"  form  the 
subject  of  a  standard  work  among  Roman  Catholics,  written 
by  Bossuet,  a  bishop  of  the  Romish  Church  in  France,  who, 
with  great  ingenuity,  but  without  success,  endeavored  to  con- 
vict the  reformed  Churches  of  unnumbered  variations.  But 
the  truth  is  that  the  Protestant  Reformers  disagreed  in  a  few 
unimportant  points  only;  and  their  disagreement  was  rather 
in  matters  of  discipline,  than  of  faith  or  morality.  A  work, 
which  was  first  published  in  Latin,  at  Geneva,  in  the  year 
1581,  contains  "The  harmony  of  the  confession  of  faith  of 
the  Christian  reformed  Churches  which  purely  profess  the 
holy  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  in  the  chief  kingdoms,  nations, 
and  provinces  of  Europe."*  There  are  twelve  separate  con- 
fessions :  these  express  the  opinion  of  a  vast  population  ;  and 
if  any  evidence  were  wanting  to  prove  that  the  Reformation 
was  indeed  the  work  of  G-od,  and  that,  in  the  fundamental 
truths  of  the  gospel,  the  noble-hearted  men  of  the  sixteenth 
century  were  perfectly  joined  together  in  the  same  mind  and 
in  the  same  judgment,  we  have  that  evidence  here.     With 

"x"  This  work  was  translated  into  English  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Hallj 
A.M.,  and  is  of  the  utmost  value  in  the  present  day. 
1* 


6  MARKS   OF   A   TKUE   CHURCH. 

regard  to  the  reformers  of  England  and  Scotland,  it  is  well 
known  that  they  were  in  constant  and  affectionate  intercourse 
with  each  other,  as  well  as  with  those  of  the  continent  of 
Europe. 

In  the  year  1529,  a  friendly  conference  met  at  Marburg, 
between  Luther  and  Melancthon  on  the  one  side,  and  Zuinglius 
and  (Ev,uiampadius  on  the  other.     The  result  was  an  agree- 
ment in  thirteen  articles,  embracing  the  most  important  points. 
The  14th  article  declared,  that  while  the  German  and  Swiss 
reformers  could  not  come  to  one  mind  as  to  the  nature  of 
Christ's  presence  in  the  eucharist,  they  would  nevertheless 
maintain  brotherly  love  toward  one  another.     Melancthon,  at 
the  same  time,  in  a  letter  to  the  Waldenses,  says,  "As  we 
agree  respecting  the  chief  articles  of  Christian  doctrine,  let 
us  embrace  each  other  with  mutual  love.     Nor  ought,"  he 
adds,  "  dissimilitude  of  rites  and  ceremonies  to  disunite  our 
affections."*     Calvin,  the  great  Genevan  reformer,  wrote  to 
Cranmer,  expressing  his  "  earnest  desire  that  the  most  catholic 
union  should  subsist  among  the  Churches  of  the  Reformation 
on  scriptural  principles,  notwithstanding  the  diversity  which 
prevailed  on  subordinate  points. "f     Moreover,  when  we  ap- 
peal, not  merely  to  the  times  of  the  Reformation,  but  to  apos- 
tolic times,  while  there  was  "  one  body,"  and  one  "  household 
of  faith,"  the  practice  of  the  primitive  Churches,  as  well  as 
the  apostolic  directions  to  them,  clearly  indicate  that  a  rigid 
uniformity  was  never  recognized  nor  enforced.     The  Jewish 
believers  in  the  Church  who  observed  circumcision,  the  Gen- 
tile disciples  who  rejected  it;  the  man  who  ate  meat  which 
had  been  sold  for  sacrifices,  and  he  that  refused  to  do  so,  were 
all  commanded  to  receive  one  another  not  to  doubtful  disputa- 
tions, but  to  the  glory  of  God.   (Rom.  xiv.  L)    And  so,  "In 
the  first  and  second  century,"  (says  Lor^  King,  whose  ad- 
mirable  and    unanswerable   work,    "An    Inquiry    into    the 
Primitive  Church,"  is  of  itself  sufficient  to  put  to  shame  all 
the  modern  pretensions,  both  of  the  Tractarians  and  the  Ro- 
manists,) "  the  unity  of  the  Church  consisted  not  in  a  con- 
formity of  rites  and  customs,  for  each  particular  Church  was 
permitted  to  follow  its  own  proper  usages :  no  Church  was 
permitted  to  intrude  upon  the  rights  of  another,  but  every  one 

*  Syntagma  Confess.  f  Calvin,  Ep.  164. 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  7 

followed  its  own  peculiar  customs."  We  tell  Romanists, 
therefore,  that  they,  and  not  we,  have  been  guilty  of  rending 
the  seamless  garment  of  Christ.  It  was  Victor,  a  bishop  of 
Rome  at  the  end  of  the  second  century,  who  was  the  first  that 
endeavored  to  enforce  uniformity  of  rites  and  ceremonies  on 
the  Christians  of  the  east  and  west.  When  these  refused,  he 
fulminated  an  edict  of  excommunication,  and  that  was  the 
first  thunder  that  ever  rolled  from  the  Vatican.  The  Reforma- 
tion, which  they  call  "  the  grand  schism,"  arose  from  the 
accumulated  corruptions  and  insufferable  tyranny  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  It  was  but  a  return  to  the  unity  of  primi- 
tive faith  :  it  was  but  a  reassertion,  against  an  enforced  uni- 
formity, of  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  makes  his  people 
free. 

Lastly,  we  meet  the  charge  of  divisions  among  Protestants 
by  asserting  that  Rome's  boasted  unity  is  a  fiction,  not  a  reality. 
Bishop  Hall,  in  his  "  Serious  Dissuasive  from  Popery,"  reckons 
up,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Peace  of  Rome,"  from  the  works 
of  two  Popish  writers,  Bellarmine  and  Navarrus,  proofs  of  the 
existence  of  three  hundred  controversies  among  Papists  them- 
selves on  important  points  of  faith  and  practice.  What  schisms, 
for  instance,  have  there  been  in  the  Church  of  Rome  on  the 
subject  of  infallibility!  Some  have  claimed  this  infallibility 
for  the  pope,  others  for  a  general  council,  and  others  limit 
the  prerogative  to  a  pope  and  general  council  conjointly.  The 
Romish  Church  has  been  divided,  again,  into  predestinarians 
and  advocates  of  free  will.  There  have  been  differences  and 
controversies  on  the  question  of  penance  and  exclusive  salva- 
tion. It  has  been  conclusively  established  that  Romanists 
have  differed  in  the  interpretation  of  Scripture,  and  the  dogmas 
of  religion,  as  widely  as  any  Protestants ;  and  that  Doctors, 
Pontiffs,  and  Synods,  have  maintained  the  most  jarring  state- 
ments, and,  in  consequence,  exchanged  reciprocal  anathemas.* 

Then  as  to  the  charge  against  Protestantism,  of  fostering 
fanaticism,  and  leading  to  a  multitude  of  sects,  we  are  ready 
to  prove  that  within  the  bosom  of  the  Romish  Church  have 
sprung  up — ay,  and  have  been  fostered  and  countenanced 
by  bishops  and  clergy,  and  even  by  the  pope  himself — cases 

*  See  Edgar's  learned  and  elaborate  "work  on  "The  Variations  of 
Popery."  passim.  London,  Seeley  and  Burnside,  1838. 


6  MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

of  female  fanaticism  eclipsing  the  mania  of  Joanna  Southcote 
herself.  For  example,  Beata,  of  Cuenza  in  Spain,  declared, 
by  special  revelation,  that  her  body  was  transubstantiated  into 
the  substance  of  our  Lord's  body.  The  Spanish  priests  and 
monks,  as  well  as  many  lay  votaries,  conducted  her  in  pro- 
cession, with  prostrations  and  burning  of  incense,  through  the 
streets — and  all  this,  be  it  remembered,  under  the  sunshine 
of  an  infallible  Church.  Clara  of  Madrid  aspired  to  be  a 
prophetess.  The  infallible  Pope  Pius  VII.  recognized  her  as 
such  :  an  altar  was  erected  opposite  her  bed  :  mass  was  often 
said  in  her  chamber,  and  the  sacrament  was  left  there  as  in  a 
sacred  repository.  She  pretended  to  her  followers  that  she 
took  no  food  but  the  consecrated  bread.  This  delusion  lasted 
for  several  years.* 

II.  The  second  mark  of  the  true  Church  which  Rome 
claims  for  herself  is  that  of  sanctity,  or  holiness.  "The 
Catholic  Church  alone,"  says  Gother,  "  has  always  been  holy, 
by  teaching  holiness  to  all,  by  inviting  all  to  holiness,  by  af- 
fording all  helps  and  means  to  holiness,  and  by  having,  in  all 
ages,  innumerable  holy  ones  in  her  communion." 

In  the  first  place,  the  Church  of  Rome  professes  to  teach 
lioly  doctrines  to  all  her  people,  and  to  the  whole  world.  Now 
this  claim  may  be  summarily  disposed  of  by  distinctly  chal- 
lenging her  advocates  to  prove  that  her  doctrines  are  drawn 
from  Holy  Scripture.  As  long  as  the  book  written  by  "  holy 
men/'  who  "spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost/' 
remains  in  the  world,  it  will  furnish  a  standing  protest  against 
the  doctrines  of  Romanism.  If  to  accommodate  herself  by 
her  doctrines  to  the  desires  of  the  natural  man — if  to  natter 
the  pride  of  self-righteousness,  by  providing  pardon  and  peace 
through  something  that  man  can  do,  or  man  can  suffer,  or 
man  can  buy  with  money— -if  to  dishonor  Christ  in  all  his 
offices  of  "  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King" — if,  while  acknowledg- 
ing the  personality  and  Deity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  his  blessed 
agency  as  "  Lord  and  Giver  of  life"  is  set  aside  by  her  exclu- 
sive claim  to  renew  the  soul  by  the  opus  operatum  of  baptism, 
and  to  sanctify  it  by  penance,  extreme  unction,  and  purgatorial 
fire—-if  these  are  holy  doctrines,  then  Rome  is  a  holy  Church. 
But  if  such  abominable  doctrines  prove  her  sanctity  then  may 


Edgar's  "  Variations  of  Popery,"  pp.  10,  11. 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  9 

we  also  believe  that,  instead  of  darkness  prevailing  at  mid- 
night, there  is  the  blaze  of  the  noonday  sun. 

Further,  we  deny  the  truth  of  the  assertion — that  the 
Church  of  Rome  provides  the  means  of  holiness.  And  why  ? 
Because  she  does  not  supply  motives  from  which  alone  holy 
conduct  can  flow.  The  whole  system  is  one  of  bondage  :  it 
is  a  religion  of  trembling  solicitude,  not  of  holy  liberty  and 
love.  Regeneration  is  therein  bestowed  by  baptism ;  but  if 
"the  white  robe"  in  which  the  soul  is  then  dressed  be  stained 
by  the  commission  of  sin,  the  tribunal  of  confession  must  be 
resorted  to  ;  but  even  while  the  priest  absolves  from  the  guilt, 
he  cannot  deliver  from  the  punishment,  which  may  extend 
even  beyond  the  grave.  Besides,  when  the  prescribed  penances 
have  been  performed,  a  fresh  account  of  sin  has  in  the  mean- 
time accumulated  :  the  work  must  commence  again  ;  and  the 
fable  of  Sisyphus  rolling  a  stone  up  the  mountain-side,  which 
as  constantly  rolled  back  upon  him,  is  realized  in  the  melan- 
choly experience  of  Romanists.  Where,  we  ask,  in  all  this, 
is  the  discovery  of  "  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ?"  where  the  smiling  face  of  a  Father?  where  the  loving 
voice  of  a  compassionate  Redeemer,  saying,  "  Son,  be  of  good 
cheer :  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee  ?"  where  the  experience  of 
the  primitive  saints,  who  could  say,  "  Being  justified  by  faith, 
we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ?" 
where  the  "worshippers  once  purged"  by  the  daily  and  hourly 
resort  to  the  blood  of  atonement,  having  "  no  more  conscience 
of  sins?"  The  god  of  the  Romanists  is  not  "the  God  and 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  but,  contemplated  with  an 
eye  of  apprehension,  he  ever  seems  stern  and  awful,  vindictive 
and  severe.  The  very  Saviour  himself,  "  full  of  grace  and 
truth,"  yearning  with  compassionate  tenderness  over  the  chief 
of  sinners,  is  the  "king  of  justice,"  while  Mary  is  the 
"  queen  OF  mercy,"  who  must  soften  his  heart  towards  the 
guilty. 

Rome,  moreover,  denounces  the  doctrine  of  the  "  assurance 
of  hope."  The  possession  of  "a  good  hope  through  grace," 
the  being  "filled  with  peace  and  joy  in  believing,  and  abound- 
ing in  hope  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  the  "  wit- 
ness of  the  Spirit  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God" — all  these,  she  anathematizes  as  Protestant  heresy. 
From  first  to  last,  therefore,  her  disciple  is  never  encouraged 


10  MARKS   OP  A  TRUE  CHURCH. 

to  say,  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded 
that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him 
against  that  day."  How  different  the  true  and  holy  doctrine 
of  the  gospel,  under  which  we  are  permitted  to  say,  "  God 
hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear ;  but  of  power,  and  of 
love,  and  of  a  sound  mind."  How  blessed  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  "fear"  that  "hath  torment,"  and  the  "perfect 
love"  that  "  casteth  out  fear."  The  terror  of  the  trembling 
slave  is  exchanged  for  the  gratitude  of  the  child,  and  he  cries, 
"I  will  run  in  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  because  thou 
hast  enlarged  my  heart."  And  when  the  heart  is  thus  "  en- 
larged," the  Saviour's  yoke  is  indeed  easy,  and  his  burden  is 
light.  The  iron  of  a  cruel  bondage  no  longer  enters  the  soul ; 
and  the  gospel  coming  not  in  word  only,  but  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance,  there  is  the  cheerful  surrender 
of  devoted  hearts,  and  a  "  willing  people,"  in  the  day  of  the 
Redeemer's  power. 

The  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  alone  provides  the  motives 
to  holiness.  Paul  says,  "I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren, 
by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable 
service."  Peter  also  knew  the  power  of  this  motive,  when 
he  speaks  of  the  "precious  faith  obtained  through  the 
righteousness  of  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,"  and  of 
the  "  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises"  whereby  we  are 
made  "partakers  of  the  Divine  nature;"  and  when  he  repre- 
sents Christians  as  "a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood, 
a  holy  nation,"  to  "show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who 
hath  called  them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light." 
Without  scriptural  motives,  there  can  be  no  scriptural  holi- 
ness. Wherever  the  holy  doctrines  of  the  grace  of  God 
are  displaced  by  the  doctrines  that  appeal  to  selfish  fear,  then 
purity  of  heart  and  life  cannot  follow.  It  was  the  glory  of 
the  Reformation,  that  it  placed  on  their  deep  foundations  the 
two  grand  doctrines,  justification  by  the  merit  of  the  Son, 
and  sanctification  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit.  The  one 
presents  the  atonement  of  Christ  as  the  ground  of  a  sinner's 
acceptance  with  God:  the  other  points  to  that  omnipotent 
agency  by  which  God  works  in  the  soul  "all  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  goodness,"  and  makes  it  meet  for  "the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light."     We  bless  God,  that  even  now  we  see 


MARKS   OP   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  11 

the  power  of  these  truths,  and  that  by  the  mighty  inihience 
of  a  Saviour's  love,  and  the  glorious  "attraction  of  the 
cross,"  there  are  many  in  the  midst  of  us,  to  whom,  though 
"once  disobedient,  and  to  every  good  work  reprobate/'  it  can 
be  joyfully  said,  "Such  were  some  of  you;  but  ye  are  washed, 
but  ye  are  justified,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God." 

Again,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  "means  of  holi- 
ness." They  are  holy  ordinances,  instituted  by  Christ  him- 
self. In  baptism,  the  sign  points  to  the  washing  of  regene- 
ration and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Grhost.  In  the  Lord's 
supper,  through  the  broken  bread  and  the  poured-out  wine, 
the  believer  beholds  a  dying  Saviour,  and  looks  with  mourning 
eye  upon  Him  whom  by  his  sins  he  has  pierced.  But  are 
Rome's  seven  sacraments  of  this  character  ?  Why,  baptism 
itself  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  utterly  perverted  from  their 
original  design.  In  baptism  the  opus  opera  fum  is  every 
thing,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  only  Sanctifier,  is  not  re- 
cognized.* In  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  "  the  feast  of  com- 
memoration" is  no  longer  there,  because  the  Saviour  himself 
is  present  upon  the  altar,  in  his  body  and  blood,  soul  and 
Divinity,  and  is  thus  received  by  the  faithful.  But  when  you 
look  at  the  other  five  sacraments  of  Borne,  namely,  confirma- 
tion, matrimony,  orders,  penance,  and  extreme  unction,  need 
we  say  that  these  are  not  means  of  grace  ?  because  Christ 
never  appointed  them,  and  therefore  they  can  never  be  the 
channels  through  which  his  Spirit,  in  its  sanctifying  power, 
shall  be  permitted  to  flow.  Look,  for  example,  at  the  sacra- 
ment of  extreme  unction.  It  is  a  delusion,  and  sends  a  sinner 
into  eternity  with  a  lie  in  his  right  hand.  Look  at  the  sacra- 
ment of  "  penance."  Who  does  not  know  to  what  frightful 
abuses  it  has  led  ?  We  dare  not  quote  extracts  from  those 
polluted  and  abominable  works  which  are  put  into  the  hands 
of  the  priesthood  to  direct  them  in  the  confessional,  and  which 
a  priest  of  Borne  some  time  ago  impudently  styled,  "practical 
books  in  the  science  of  holiness."  "If  the  work  of  Liguori" 
(which   contains   these   instructions)  "could   be  seen  in  its 


*  Dr.  Wiseman,  in  his  Lectures,  in  expounding  the  Sacrament  of 
Baptism,  says,  "The  soul  can  be  cleansed  from  sin  and  placed  in  a 
state  of  grace  before  God,  by  the  bare  action  of  water  applied  with 
certain  words  to  the  body." 


12  MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

naked  hideousness,  translated  into  the  natural  tongue,  alj 
England,"  says  Cumming,  "  would  be  so  horrified  that  it  would 
not  even  tolerate  the  presence  of  a  system  that  dares  to  re- 
cognize such  atrocities." 

Next  we  arc  told,  that  Rome  is  possessed  of  the  mark  of 
holiness,  because  "  she  has  in  all  ages  had  innumerable  holy 
ones  in  her  communion."  There  was,  indeed,  a  blessed  time 
when  the  Church  at  Rome  was  holy,  when  their  "faith  was 
spoken  of  throughout  the  world,"  even  when  the  apostle  Paul 
wrote  his  epistle  "to  all  that  be  in  Rome,  beloved  of  Grod, 
called  to  be  saints,"  Rom.  i.  7,  who,  though  once  "  the  ser- 
vants of  sin,"  had  "obeyed  from  the  heart  that  form  of  doc- 
trine which  was  delivered"  to  them,  who  had  become  "free 
from  sin,"  and  "servants  to  God;"  having  their  "fruit  unto 
holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life."  But  how,  since  that 
time,  has  "the  gold  become  dim  !  the  most  fine  gold  changed !" 
When  the  "mystery  of  iniquity,"  characterized  by  "all  de- 
ceivableness  of  unrighteousness,"  began  to  prevail,  and  when, 
instead  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  the  reign  of  superstition 
and  will-worship  was  triumphant,  what  fearful  abominations 
crept  into  that  Church  !  A  vacancy  in  the  see  of  Rome  was 
commonly  signalized  by  disorders  and  crimes  of  fearful  magni- 
tude. In  the  year  of  our  Lord  353,  at  the  election  of  Libe- 
rius,  many  lives  were  sacrificed,  and  men  were  slain  even  in 
the  churches  themselves.  In  an  after  age,  simony  was  openly 
practiced,  and  murders,  robberies,  and  other  horrible  outrages 
perpetrated.  It  might  be  expected  that  the  popes,  each  of 
whom,  according  to  Romanist  teaching,  was  necessarily,  by  his 
office,  the  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  had  the  special  title 
of  "his  holiness,"  would  be  preeminently  holy  and  pure. 
But  Romish  historians  themselves  have  handed  down  the 
names  of  many  of  them  who  were  monsters.  Such  was  Vi- 
gilius,  who  was  emphatically  styled  "a  wicked  man."  Such 
was  a  Boniface,  a  Sextus,  an  Alexander,  a  Julius,  and  a  Leo 
— men  guilty  of  crimes  too  horrible  to  mention.  In  the  tenth 
century,  Baronius,  a  Romish  cardinal,  thus  writes  : — 

"What  was  then  the  face  of  the  Holy  Roman  Church? 
How  exceedingly  foul  was  it  when  powerful  and  abandoned 
women  ruled  at  Rome,  at  whose  will  sees  were  changed, 
bishops  appointed,  and  (horrible  as  it  is  to  hear,  and  unfit  to 
be  spoken)  false  pontiffs,  their  lovers,  intruded  into  the  chair 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  13 

of  Peter,  who  are  only  written  in  the  catalogue  of  Roman 
pontiffs  for  the  sake  of  marking  the  times.  Lust,  relying  on 
the  secular  power,  mad,  and  stimulated  with  the  rage  of 
dominion,  claimed  every  thing  for  itself.  Then,  as  it  seems, 
Christ  evidently  was  in  a  deep  sleep  in  the  ship,  when  by  the 
violence  of  the  winds  the  ship  itself  was  covered  by  the 
waves/' 

The  eleventh  century  presented  no  signs  of  improvement. 
Those  who  were  "bound  by  their  office  to  correct  the  sins  of 
others,  sinned  worse  than  the  rest,  being  themselves  blind 
leaders  of  the  blind :  in  morals,  Pharisees ;  in  works,  Saddu- 
cees ;  in  vileness,  Nicolaitans ;  in  avarice,  Simoniacs." 

"I  scarcely  find  any  bishops,"  said  Gregory  VII.,  "who 
are  lawful  either  in  thei  r  entrance  or  mode  of  life,  who  govern 
Christian  people  from  the  love  of  Christ,  and  not  from  worldly 
ambition  •  and  among  all  secular  princes,  I  know  of  none  who 
prefer  God's  honor  to  their  own,  and  righteousness  to  gain. 
In  short,  those  among  whom  I  dwell,  the  Romans,  namely, 
the  Lombards  and  the  Normans,  I  hold  to  be,  in  some  re- 
spects, worse  than  Jews  and  pagans,  as  I  often  tell  them." 

"The  Roman  Church,"  said  John  of  Salisbury,  A.  D. 
1179,  "which  is  the  mother  of  all  churches,  does  not  so  much 
show  herself  to  be  a  mother  to  other  churches  as  a  stepmother. 
The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  sit  in  her,  laying  intolerable  bur- 
dens upon  the  shoulders  of  men,  which  they  do  not  touch 
with  their  fingers.  They  domineer  over  the  clergy,  nor  are 
they  a  pattern  to  the  flock." 

Pope  Innocent  III.  addressed  the  general  council  of  Late- 
ran,  A.  D.  1215,  in  these  words  : — "  It  is  time,  as  the  blessed 
apostle  saith,  that  judgment  should  begin  with  the  house  of 
the  Lord  :  1  Peter  iv.  17  For  all  the  corruption  which  is  in 
the  people  chiefly  proceeds  from  the  clergy,  since  if  the 
anointed  priest  sins  he  causes  the  people  to  sin ;  for  when  the 
laity  behold  them  living  vilely  and  outrageously,  through  their 
example  they  fall  into  iniquity  and  wickedness.  And  when 
they  are  reproved  by  any  one,  they  immediately  excuse  them- 
selves, saying,  '  The  son  must  do  what  he  sees  his  father  do ; 
and  it  is  enough  if  the  disciple  resembles  his  master/  The 
saying  of  the  prophet  is  fulfilled,  'As  is  the  people,  so  is  the 
priest/  " 

These  and  many  other  testimonies  might  be  given  to  show 
2 


14  MARKS   OF  A  TRUE   CHURCH. 

the  state  of  the  Papacy,  and  the  impurity  of  the  Church  of 
Rome,  when  she  held  universal  sway  over  Europe. 

But  let  us  examine  for  a  moment  the  characteristics  of  the 
piety  or  sanctity  of  those  "innumerable  ones"  whom  she 
boasts  as  having  had  in  her  communion.  According  to  her 
standard,  the  highest  proofs  of  holiness  are  three : — first, 
chastity;  second,  voluntary  poverty;  and,  lastly,  submission 
to  the  will  of  a  superior.  In  reference  to  the  first,  by  an  en- 
forced celibacy  she  has  trampled  upon  God's  holy  institution ; 
and  it  is  enough  to  say,  that  the  history  of  the  Church  is 
stained  with  a  fearful  amount  of  its  abominations.  In  reference 
to  the  second,  voluntary  poverty,  we  may  just  mention,  that 
from  this  being  taught  as  a  duty,  many  have  been  led  to  give 
all  their  property  to  the  Church,  robbing  parents  and  others 
who  needed  their  aid,  and  which  gave  existence  to  the  order 
of  mendicant  friars,  who  have  been  often  a  disgrace  to  religion 
and  a  curse  to  Europe.  With  regard  to  the  third,  submission 
to  the  will  of  a  superior,  the  whole  of  the  Jesuit  system  is 
founded  upon  it;  and  we  know  what  the  character  of  these 
Jesuits  has  been — so  that  even  Iioman  Catholic  kingdoms 
and  countries  have  been  compelled  to  banish  them  for  their 
wickedness.  The  following,  as  given  in  the  works  of  Arch- 
bishop Usher,  is  the  oath  of  secrecy  taken  by  the  Jesuits  : — 

"I,  A.  B.,  now  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  Cod,  the 
blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  blessed  Michael  the  archangel,  the 
Messed  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  holy  apostles  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul,  and  the  saints  and  secret  hosts  of  heaven,  and  to 
you  my  ghostly  father,  do  declare  from  my  heart,  without 
mental  reservation,  that  his  Holiness  Pope  Urban  is  Christ's 
vicar-general,  and  is  the  true  and  only  head  of  the  Catholic 
or  universal  Church  throughout  the  earth;  and  that,  by  the 
virtue  of  the  keys  of  binding  and  loosing  given  to  his  holiness 
by  my  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  he  hath  power  to  depose  heretical 
kings,  princes,  states,  commonwealths,  and  governments, 
all  being  illegal  without  his  sacred  confirmation,  and  that  they 
may  be  safely  destroyed:  therefore,  to  the  utmost  of  my 
power,  I  shall  and  will  defend  this  doctrine,  and  his  holiness' s 
rights  and  customs,  against  all  usurpers  of  the  heretical  (or 
Protestant)  authority  whatsoever,  especially  against  the  now 
pretended  authority  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  all  ad- 
herents, in  regard  that  they  and  she  be  usurpal  and  heretical. 


MARKS   OP  A   TRUE   CHURCH.  It; 

opposing  the  sacred  mother  Church  of  Rome.  I  do  renounce 
and  disown  any  allegiance  as  due  to  any  heretical  king, 
prince,  or  state  named  Protestant,  or  obedience  to  any  of 
their  inferior  magistrates  or  officers.  I  do  further  declare, 
that  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  England,  of  the  Calvinists, 
Huguenots,  and  of  other  of  the  name  of  Protestants,  is  damna- 
ble; and  they  themselves  are  damned,  and  to  be  damned, 
that  will  not  forsake  the  same.  I  do  further  declare  that  I 
will  help,  assist,  and  advise  all  or  any  of  his  holiness' s  agents, 
in  any  place  wherever  I  shall  be,  in  England,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland,  or  in  any  other  territory  or  kingdom  I  shall  come  to, 
and  do  my  utmost  to  extirpate  the  heretical  Protestants'  doc- 
trine, and  to  destroy  all  their  pretended  powers,  regal  or 
otherwise.  I  do  further  promise  and  declare,  that  I  am  dis- 
pensed with  to  assume  any  religion  heretical  for  the  propaga- 
gation  of  the  mother  Church's  interests,  to  keep  secret  and 
private  all  her  agents'  counsels  from  time  to  time,'  as  they 
intrust  mej  and  not  to  divulge,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  word, 
circumstance,  or  writing  whatsoever ;  but  to  execute  all  that 
shall  be  proposed,  given  in  charge,  or  discovered  unto  me,  by 
you  my  ghostly  father,  or  any  of  this  sacred  convent.  All 
which,  I,  A.  B.,  do  swear  by  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  blessed 
sacrament  which  I  am  now  to  receive,  to  perform,  and  on  my 
part  to  keep  inviolably;  and  do  call  all  the  heavenly  and 
glorious  host  of  heaven  to  witness  these  my  real  intentions  to 
keep  this  oath.  In  testimony  hereof,  I  take  this  most  holy 
and  blessed  sacrament  of  the  eucharist;  and  witness  the  same 
further  with  my  hand  and  seal,  in  the  face  of  this  holy  con 
vent,  this day  of An.  Dom.,"  etc. 

Let  us  next  notice  the  "  good  works,"  of  which  the  Church 
of  Rome  boasts.  It  must  here  be  borne  in  mind  that  works 
apparently  good  are  unholy  in  the  sight  of  Q-od  when  the 
motives  that  prompt  them  are  impure  :  "  Man  looketh  on  the 
outward  appearance,  but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  In 
the  "  Catechism  of  Christian  Doctrine,"  drawn  up  for  the  use 
of  the  diocese  of  Limerick  by  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Young,  the 
following  questions  and  answers  are  found  : — 

"  What  is  the  foundation  of  indulgences  ? 

"  The  superabundant  satisfaction  of  Christ  and  his  saints, 
by  which  the  virtue  of  the  communion  of  saints  is  applicable 


16  MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

to  any  one  in  a  state  of  grace,  who  may  be  indebted  to  God's 
justice. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  doing  an  action  well  ? 

"  I  mean  the  doing  it  so,  or  in  such  a  manner,  that  God 
may  have  no  cause  to  find  fault  with  it. 

"Are  good  actions  of  any  other  benefit  to  a  Christian,  besides 
making  him  virtuous  ? 

"  Yes ;  for  moreover,  every  good  action  is  meritorious,  im- 
petratory,  and  satisfactory. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  a  good  action  being  meritorious  ? 

11 1  mean  that  it  deserves  to  be  rewarded  by  God. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  its  being  impetratory  ? 

"  I  mean  that  it  claims  and  solicits  God's  grace,  and  a  con- 
tinuance and  increase  of  it. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  its  being  satisfactory  ? 

"  I  mean  that  it  is  capable  of  atoning  for  the  punishment 
due  to  sin. 

"  Can  a  good  action  be  of  any  service  to  any  other  besides 
the  doer  ? 

"  Yes  :  in  consequence  of  the  communion  of  saints. 

"  How  so  ? 

"  By  a  good  action,  one  may  impetrate  and  satisfy  for  others 
as  well  as  himself. " 

Here  then  it  is  taught  that  good  works  can  satisfy  not  only 
for  our  own  sins,  but  also  make  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
others  !  Then,  again,  the  Romish  estimate  of  what  constitutes 
good  works  is  false  and  unscriptural !  If  good  works  con- 
sisted in  bodily  mortifications,  in  attending  masses,  in  con- 
fessing to  a  priest,  in  scourgings,  in  pilgrimages  to  holy  wells 
and  other  sacred  places,  in  undergoing  severe  penance,  in  the 
vain  repetition  of  prayers,  in  image-worship,  in  confidence  in 
saintly  intercessors,  in  the  observance  of  many  rites  and  cere- 
monies, in  keeping  clear  of  the  company  of  heretics,  and 
taking  care  never  to  peruse  heretical  and  forbidden  books, 
especially  the  Bible, — if  such  were  holiness,  Rome  might 
boast  of  it.  But  the  holiness  which  God's  word  requires  is, 
to  "put  off  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the 
deceitful  lusts,"  and  to  "  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness :"  it  is  to 
possess  and  exhibit  the  "  fruit  of  the  Spirit — love,  joy,  peace 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  17 

long-suffering,  meekness,  goodness,  faith,  temperance:"  it  is 
to  deny  "  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,"  and  to  "  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world :"  it  is  to  have 
"  the  word  of  Christ  dwelling  in  us  richly  in  all  wisdom ;" 
and  to  hide  it  in  our  hearts,  that  we  may  not  sin  against  God. 
Does  it  conduce  to  morality  when  the  canonized  saints  of  a 
Church  are  found  to  be  men  who  have  propounded  principles 
which  not  only  insult  the  honor  of  Christ,  but  which  teach 
every  thing  that  is  unholy  under  the  name  of  virtue  ?  What 
shall  be  said  of  St.  Bonaventura,  the  bold  blasphemer,  who 
turned  the  Psalms  into  a  psalter  for  the  Virgin,  and  unblush- 
ingly  gives  to  her  divine  worship  in  those  very  words  intended 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  for  God  alone  ?  What  of  Peter  Dens,  to 
read  whose  works,  which  form  class-books  at  Maynooth,  were 
enough  to  contaminate  the  purest  mind?  What  does  the 
reader  think  of  the  morality  and  holiness  contained  in  the 
"  Moral  Theology"  of  Alphonsus  Liguori?  Here  are  some 
of  the  principles  of  this  canonized  saint,  whose  life  has  been 
written  by  Dr.  Wiseman,  and  with  regard  to  whom  his  Church 
has  declared  that  there  is  "  not  one  word  in  his  writings  worthy 
of  censure."  He  teaches,  for  instance,  dissimulation  in  re- 
ligion :  that  a  Romanist,  interrogated  by  authority,  may  con- 
ceal the  truth  :  that  he  may  lie  concealed  among  heretics  if 
he  can  thereby  accomplish  a  greater  amount  of  good  :  that  it 
is  lawful  to  equivocate  for  a  just  cause,  and  such  a  just  cause 
is  good  in  a  spiritual  point  of  view :  that  to  equivocate  even 
without  a  just  cause,  in  swearing,  is  only  a  venial  offence : 
that  a  servant  may  assist  his  master  to  commit  sin,  yea,  gross 
sin,  if  he  is  in  fear  of  great  loss  by  his  refusal :  that  a  servant, 
if  he  is  not  sufficiently  remunerated  by  his  master,  may  re- 
munerate himself :  that  the  pope  for  a  good  cause  may  change 
the  will  of  a  testator  i  that  the  pope  can  decree  that  the 
observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  which  is  not  of  Divine  but 
ecclesiastical  appointment,  shall  only  continue  for  a  few  hours ; 
and  that  certain  servile  works  shall  be  lawful  on  that  day : 
that  a  man  who  is  afraid  to  subject  himself  to  perpetual  impri- 
sonment in  the  galleys,  or  be  led  out  to  execu».:~u.  may  commit 
suicide  in  prison  :  that  a  safe  conduct  promised  uo  heretics  in 
appearing  before  a  council  may  be  violated — 'and  the  council  oi 
Constance,  we  know,  did  violate  it  in  the  case  of  John  Huss, 
who,  after  receiving  a  safe  conduct  from  the  emperor,  was  burned 
2 


18  MARKS    OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

alive  :)  that  heresy  is  a  greater  crime  than  homicide  or  min- 
der :  that  a  child  may  be  compelled  to  denounce  his  father  foi 
heresy,  and  the  father  his  son ;  and  that  a  heretic  (that  is, 
one  who  denies  any  article  of  the  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV., 
such  as  the  supremacy  of  the  pope,  the  invocation  of  saints, 
transubstantiation,  the  mass,  or  purgatory)  may  be  tortured 
and  put  to  death  !* 

Once  more  we  are  compelled  to  demand,  whether  sanctity 
and  persecution  are  compatible  ?     The  Church  of  Rome  has 
made  herself  "  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints."     We 
have  not  space  to  detail  her  persecutions.     Let  the  reader 
remember  the  fearful  carnage  perpetrated,  under  the  autho- 
rity of  a  papal  bull,  against  the  Waldenses  and  Albigenses, 
those  faithful  witnesses  for  God  in  the  dark  ages,  and  repeated 
in   the   seventeenth    century.     Let  him  recall  the   horrible 
atrocities  of  the  inquisition  of  Spain,  the  dreadful  instruments 
of  torture,  (which  Liguori  himself  describes,)  the  burning  of 
heretics  at  the  Auto  da  Fe,  or  "Act  of  Faith,"  as  it  was 
called,  in  the  great  square  at  Madrid,  at  which  the  monarch, 
the  grandees,  and  a  vast  multitude  were  present,  looking  at 
the  expiring  heretic  with  greater  zest  than   even  now  the 
Spanish  court  and  people  gaze  on  the  brutal  bull-fight.     Re- 
member, again,  the  frightful  conduct  of  the  Duke  of  Alva,  the 
general  of  Charles  V.,  whose  wholesale  butcheries  of  the  Pro- 
testants of  Holland  extended  to  a  hundred  thousand  souls. 
Recollect  also,  in  the  days  of  Queen  Mary,  the  fires  of  Smith- 
field,  and  Oxford,  and  St.  Andrew's,  in  Great  Britain.     "VVe 
need  scarcely  remind  those  who  have  read  modern  history  of 
the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  in  Paris  and  throughout 
France.    Two  medals  were  struck  to  commemorate  this  event : 
one   by  order    of   Charles  IX.  of  France,  who,    during   the 
slaughter   had  cried,    "  Kill,  kill,  kill  !"  and  who  with  the 
queen-mother,  had   contemplated    the  butchery  with  savage 
delight.     On  one  side  of  this  medal  there  was  the  figure  of 
himself  sitting  on  a  throne,  treading  on  dead  bodies ;  and  on 
the  reverse  the  arms  of  France,  with  this  inscription  :  "Pietas 
cjcitutjustifiawi,     (Piety  excites  justice.)    The  second  medal 


;:  See  "Awful  Disclosures,"  by  the  Rev.  M.  Blakeney,  A.  B., where 
the  above-meiitiono<l  opinions  of  Liguori  are  given  in  the  original 
Latin.      London,  18G0. 


MARKS    OF   A   TRUE    CHURCH.  19 

was  struck  at  Rome  by  order  of  Gregory  XIII.  On  one  side 
was  the  figure  of  the  pope,  with  the  inscription,  "  Gregorius 
XIII.  Pont.  Max.  An.  I.  :"  on  the  other,  the  figure  of  an 
angel,  with  a  cross  in  one  hand  and  a  sword  in  the  other, 
rushing  upon  the  Protestants,  many  of  whom  lie  slain  before 
him,  with   the   inscription,   "  Ugonottorum   Strages,"    (The 


slaughter  of  the  Huguenots.)  Three  paintings,  moreover, 
were  ordered  by  this  pope  from  an  eminent  artist,  the  design 
of  which  was  to  commemorate  the  bloody  deed. 

Remember,  again,  the  frightful  massacre  of  the  Protestants 
of  Ireland  in  1641.  "A  universal  massacre/'  says  Hume, 
u  commenced  of  the  English  (Protestants),  now  defenceless, 
and  passively  resigned  to  their  inhuman  foes  :  no  age,  no  sex, 
no  condition  was  spared.  The  wife  weeping  for  her  butchered 
husband,  and  embracing  her  helpless  children,  was  pierced 
with  them,  and  perished  by  the  same  stroke  :  the  old,  the 
young,  the  vigorous,  the  infirm,  underwent  the  like  fate,  and 
were  confounded  in  one  common  ruin.  In  vain  did  flight 
save  from  the  first  assault,  destruction  was  everywhere  let 
loose,  and  met  the  hunted  victims  at  every  turn.  Amidst  all 
these  enormities,  the  sacred  name  of  religion  sounded  on  every 
side,  not  to  stop  the  hands  of  these  murderers,  but  to  enforce 
their  blows,  and  to  steel  their  hearts  against  every  movement 
of  human  or  social  sympathy.  The  English,  as  heretics 
abhorred  of  God,  and  detestable  to  all  holy  men,  were  marked 
out  by  the  priests  for  slaughter ;  and  of  all  actions,  to  rid  the 
world  of  these  declared  enemies  to  Catholic  faith  and  piety 
was  represented  as  the  most  meritorious  in  its  nature,  which 


20  MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

in  that  rude  people,  sufficiently  inclined  to  atrocious  deeds, 
was  further  stimulated  by  precepts  and  national  prejudices, 
empoisoned  by  those  aversions,  more  deadly  and  incurable, 
which  arose  from  an  enraged  superstition.  While  death 
finished  the  sufferings  of  each  victim,  the  bigoted  assassins, 
with  joy  and  exultation,  still  echoed  in  his  expiring  ears,  that 
these  agonies  were  but  the  commencement  of  torments  infinite 

and  eternal.' 

For  all  these  atrocities,  Pope  Urban  VIII.  granted  a  full 
and  plenary  indulgence,  and  absolute  remission  of  all  sins. 
And  no  wonder ;  for  what  we  call  persecution,  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Romish  doctors  is  no  persecution  at  all.  You  have 
their  opinion  in  a  note  of  the  Rhemish  translators  of  the 
Bible,  on  the  passage  in  Rev.  xvii.  6,  "  Drunken  with  the 
blood  of  the  saints."  They  say,  "  Protestants  foolishly  ex- 
pound it  of  Rome,  for  that  there  they  put  heretics  to  death, 
and  allow  of  their  punishment  in  other  countries.  But  their 
blood  is  not  called  the  blood  of  saints,  no  more  than  the 
blood  of  thieves,  man-killers,  and  other  malefactors/'' 

Peter  Dens,  who  is  a  recognized  Romish  authority,  quotes 
with  approbation  Thomas  Aquinas,  in  answer  to  the  question, 
"Are  heretics  justly  punished  with  death  V 

"Yes.  Because  forgers  of  money  and  other  disturbers  of 
the  state  are  justly  punished  with  death.  Therefore  also 
heretics,  who  are  forgers  of  the  faith,  and,  as  experience 
testifies,  grievously  disturb  the  state." 

We  ask  again,  Can  sanctity  and  persecution  be  reconciled, 
or  be  regarded  as  compatible?  Can  the  Church  that  perse- 
cutes be  what  she  claims  to  be — a  holy  Church  ?  She  may 
tell  us  of  "  the  holy  fathers,"  of  her  holy  saints,  her  holy 
bishops  and  clergy;  but  the  truth  of  history,  the  evidence  of 
ten  thousand  facts,  compels  us  to  denounce  the  assumption 
of  sanctity  as  a  fraud  ;  and  we  are  thus  led  to  say  to  her 
popes,  cardinals,  and  doctors,  in  the  words  of  Christ  to  the 

*  This  extract  from  Hume's  History  is  given  by  the  llev.  Mr. 
Graham,  as  an  introduction  to  his  interesting  work,  The  Annals  of 
Ireland.  "That  he  lias  not  heightened  the  picture  beyond  reality," 
says  the  author,  "the  writings  of  Temple,  of  Clarendon,  of  Rush- 
wortli,  ol'  Wliitlock,  contemporary  historians,  and  volumes  of  original 
depositions  taken  on  the  occasion,  and  now  extant  in  the  library  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  sufficiently  prove." 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  21 

Scribes  and  the  Pharisees,  "  Ye  are  like  unto  whited  sepul- 
chres, which  indeed  appear  beautiful  outward,  but  within  are 
full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness  :  even  so  ye 
also  outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men,  but  within  ye  are 
full  of  hypocrisy  and  iniquity." 

III.  The  third  mark  of  a  true  Church  claimed  by  Rome  is 
catholicity.  By  the  word  "catholic"  is  meant  "univer- 
sal." Dr.  Milner,  the  Roman  Catholic  writer,  in  his  "  End 
of  Controversy,"  (p.  284,)  says  : — "  The  true  Church  is  catho- 
lic, or  universal,  in  three  several  respects — as  to  persons,  as 
to  places,  and  as  to  time.  It  consists  of  the  most  numerous 
body  of  Christians;  it  is  more  or  less  diffused  wherever 
Christianity  prevails ;  and  it  has  visibly  existed  ever  since 
the  days  of  the  apostles." 

First,  it  is  argued  that  the  Romish  is  the  true  Church,  be- 
cause she  consists  of  the  most  numerous  body.  Now,  inde- 
pendently of  the  fact  that  she  is  emphatically  antichristian 
in  her  doctrine  and  her  spirit,  we  affirm  that  truth  cannot  be 
ascertained  by  a  mere  appeal  to  numbers.  If  that  were  the 
case,  the  little  company  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  in  the 
upper  chamber  at  Jerusalem  would  not  have  been  a  true 
Church  at  all,  for  they  were  but  a  fraction,  compared  with 
the  mass  of  their  fellow-countrymen,  the  Jews.  If  that  were 
the  test,  then  with  what  face  could  the  apostles  have  gone 
forth,  and  set  up  Christian  assemblies  in  opposition  to  the 
millions  of  pagan  idolaters  ?  Might  not  the  heathen  priests 
of  the  temple  of  Jupiter  or  of  Diana  have  turned  round  on 
them,  and  said,  "  Your  religion  is  not  catholic,  for  it  does  not 
comprise  the  most  numerous  body?"  In  the  present  day,  if 
mere  numbers  were  the  test  of  truth,  why  not  embrace  the 
religion  of  the  Chinese,  who  form  a  third  of  the  population 
of  the  globe  ?  If  Protestantism  were  to  prevail  a  little  more 
extensively,  and  to  embrace  one  or  two  nations  more  than  it 
does  at  the  present  time,  would  Dr.  Milner  or  his  supporters 
admit  that,  because  Protestantism  had  acquired  the  majority, 
their  Church  had  ceased  to  be  the  Catholic  Church  ?  The 
truth  is,  neither  numbers  nor  names  will  settle  the  contro- 
versy. A  man  is  called  a  Protestant,  simply  because  he  pro- 
tests against  Romish  usurpations  and  errors;  but  he  is  a 
catholic  Christian,  in  the  true  and  proper  sense  of  the  word, 
if  he  is  born  from  above,  if  he  is  a  child  of  God  by  faith  in 


22  MARKS    OP   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

Jesus  Christ,  if  he  is  a  member  of  the  family  of  the  redeemed, 
and  thus  included  in  the  blessed  company  of  "  all  that  in 
every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 
both  theirs  and  ours." 

Again,  the  fact  that  Romanists  are  the  most  numerous 
body  is  more  easily  asserted  than  proved.  How  do  they  make 
out  their  case  ?  Why,  by  putting  down  half  a  dozen  of  the 
chief  kingdoms  of  Europe — for  instance,  France,  thirty  mil- 
lions ;  Spain,  twenty  millions ;  Italy,  eighteen  millions — and 
thus  soon  running  up  an  account  on  paper  of  more  than  a 
hundred  millions  of  Romanists.  But  who  does  not  know 
that  the  whole  of  the  so-called  Catholic  countries  of  the  con- 
tinent are  overrun  with  infidelity  ?  The  great  mass  of  the 
male  population  in  France  never  enter  a  Romish  church. 
Blanco  White,  writing  in  1828,  declared,  from  personal  know- 
ledge, that  the  bulk  of  the  Spanish  priests  were  concealed 
infidels.  No  wonder,  indeed,  that  Rome  should  be  the  mo- 
ther, and  infidelity  the  daughter,  when  no  other  type  of 
Christianity  is  seen  but  hers ;  and  when  there  is  not  shown 
to  the  people  under  her  sway  that  beautiful  and  divine  por- 
trait which  is  drawn  of  her  in  the  New  Testament.  No 
wonder  that  men's  intellects  should  revolt  from  such  a  mass 
of  incredible  absurdities,  and  that,  not  knowing  the  true  re- 
fuge, they  should  plunge  into  the  gulf  of  infidelity.  No 
wonder,  also,  that  the  Jew  should  thus  be  hardened  in  his 
hatred  to  Christianity,  when  he  sees  only  the  Romish  repre- 
sentation of  it.  We  have  been  assured  by  one  who  was  not 
long  since  a  Jewish  rabbi,  but  who  now,  through  Protestant 
instrumentality,  is  a  firm  believer  in  Jesus  as  the  true  Mes- 
siah, that  had  he  remained  in  Poland,  his  native  country, 
where  the  only  form  of  the  Christian  religion  that  ever  met 
his  eye  was  Romanism,  so  thoroughly  was  he  convinced  that 
in  the  worship  of  images  there  was  a  violation  of  one  of  the 
commandments  of  the  holy  and  unchangeable  law  of  God, 
and  the  guilt  of  idolatry  contracted,  that  it  was  impossible  he 
could  ever  have  become  a  Christian. 

Resides  all  this,  how  unscriptural  and  absurd  are  the 
grounds  on  which  Rome  boasts  of  the  numbers  that  are  her 
adherents !  According  to  her,  all  baptized  persons  belong  to 
her,  and  over  them  she  claims  spiritual  jurisdiction.  But 
mors  than  this,  it  is  easy  to  add  to  the  numerous  body  of 


MARKS   OP   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  23 

u  Catholics "  by  the  wholesale  baptism  of  heathen  children. 
For  instance,  missionaries  have  gone  forth  within  the  last  few 
years  from  the  Propaganda  to  Tahiti  and  other  islands  of  the 
South  Sea,  and  while  the  converts  that  Protestant  mission- 
aries had  made  there  have  rejected  their  claims,  and,  when 
presented  with  crucifixes  and  images,  have  said,  "  Take  away 
these  things,  we  have  done  with  idols,"  yet  these  men  have 
sent  home  glowing  assurances  as  to  the  number  of  souls  they 
have  saved.  They  have  induced  heathen  mothers  to  deliver 
their  little  children  into  their  arms,  under  the  pretence  that 
they  were  about  to  sprinkle  upon  them  some  perfumed  water, 
and  have  then  used  the  consecrated  water  of  baptism ;  and 
thus  they  say,  because  many  of  these  little  ones  die  in  in- 
fancy, they  have  been  the  instruments  of  sending  many  souls 
to  heaven. 

Dr.  Milner  again  declares,  that  the  Church  is  catholic,  or 
universal,  because  she  is  not  confined  within  the  limits  of  one 
country.  "  Everywhere,"  says  Keenan,  in  his  "  Controver- 
sial Catechism "  (a  work  in  large  circulation,  which,  for  un- 
blushing misstatements,  claims  the  palm  above  all  its  rivals,) 
11  everywhere  her  incense  ascends,  everywhere  her  sacraments 
are  administered,  everywhere  her  pure  sacrifices  are  offered." 
Now  these  assertions,  in  point  of  fact,  cannot  be  proved. 
There  are  vast  regions  in  central  Africa  which  the  foot  of  a 
Christian  missionary  never  trod.  In  the  far  distant  east  of 
Asia  there  are  vast  nomadic  tribes  who,  as  we  are  assured,  have 
never  heard  the  Redeemer's  name.  Besides,  if  Romanism  is 
not  confined  to  one  country,  neither  is  Protestantism.  If  Rome 
has  six  or  eight  European  nations,  with  colonies  in  different 
parts  of  the  world,  and  carrying  on  commercial  transactions 
with  various  and  distant  regions,  is  it  any  wonder  that  the 
Romish  religion  should  be  more  or  less  practiced  ?  But  if 
this  is  to  prove  her  catholicity,  does  not  the  argument  hold 
equally  valid  as  to  Protestantism,  whose  influence  is  spread- 
ing in  the  east  and  in  the  west,  in  the  north  and  in  the 
south,  not  only  by  the  mighty  commerce  of  Britain  and 
America,  but  by  the  combined  energies  of  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries in  every  region  of  the  globe  ?  If  the  Bible  So- 
cieties have  sent  forth  the  Scriptures  in  140  dialects  and 
languages,  among  the  nations  of  the  globe — if  our  missionary 
heroes  have  scattered  the  incorruptible  seed  over  vast  conti 


24  MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

nents,  and  over  the  islands  of  every  sea — is  not  this  better 
proof,  taken  in  connection  with  the  blessed  fruits  that  have 
followed,  of  the  true  "  catholicity"  of  evangelical  Protest- 
antism than  Rome  can  possibly  furnish  ? 

There  are  two  powerful  reasons  why  we  need  not  wonder 
that  Rome  should  have  acquired  such  an  extensive  sway  : — 
1st,  Prom  the  spiritual  ignorance  which  she  has  everywhere 
fostered ;  and  2d,  Prom  the  iron  tyranny  of  persecution  which 
she  has  so  ruthlessly  exercised,  and  by  which  in  several  coun- 
tries, as  in  Spain  and  Italy,  she  extinguished  th,e  Reforma- 
tion in  blood. 

But,  in  addition  to  all  this,  the  word  of  God  itself  leads  us 
to  expect  that  there  should  arise  a  fearful  system  of  apostasy 
from   the   faith  of  Christ,  which  should  be  long  triumphant. 
It  was  expressly  foretold  that  the  second  coming  of  Christ 
■should  not  arrive,   "except  there  come  a  falling  away  first, 
and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  son  of  perdition ;  who 
opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God, 
or  that  is  worshipped ;  so  that  he  as  God  sitteth  in  the  temple 
of  God."  2  Thess.  ii.  o,  4.     We    are    further   told   by  the 
apostle  Paul,  that  this  corruption  of  Christianity  was  already 
leavening  the  Church  :   "The  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already 
work ;  only  he  who  now  letteth  (that  is,  the  pagan  empire  of 
Rome)  will  let,  (or  hinder  the  development  of  the  apostasy,) 
until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way ;  and  then  shall  that  Wicked 
be  revealed — whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan  with 
all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,"  verses  7-9.     Again 
he   says,  "Now  the   Spirit  speak eth    expressly,  that  in   the 
latter  times  some  shall  depart  (Gr.  apostatize)  from  the  faith, 
giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils,  (or 
demons;)  speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy;  having  their  conscience 
seared  with  a  hot  iron  ;  forbidding  to  marry,  and  commanding 
to  abstain  from  meats,  which  God  hath  created  to  be  received 
with    thanksgiving   of  them    which  believe   and   know   the 
truth."  1  Tim.  iv.  1-3.     To  what  community  does  this  por- 
trait apply  but  t<>  the  Church  of  Rome?     Has  she  not  incor- 
porated in  her  creed  the  doctrine  of  demons  by  declaring  that 
"the  saints  reigning  with  Christ  are  to  be  honored  andlnvo- 
eated':"    If  she  says,  that  the    "forbidding   to   marry,"  and 
*'  commanding  to   abstain  from  meats,"  refer  to  ancieut  here- 
tics, has  she  not  adopted  their  heresy?    When  the  pa^an  em- 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  25 

pire  of  Rome  was  removed,  and  when  Constantine  ascended 
the  throne,  did  not  the  "apostasy,"  under  the  sunshine  of 
prosperity,  rapidly  develop  itself?  Does  not  the  hook  of 
Daniel  tell  us  of  a  great  power  that  was  to  rise  up — the  little 
horn,  that  should  "speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High, 
and  should  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  think 
to  change  times  and  laws  ?"  Dan.  vii.  25.  Has  not  papal 
Rome  realized  the  prediction  in  her  blasphemous  usurpation 
of  the  offices  and  titles  of  Deity,  in  her  novel  and  unau- 
thorized holy  days,  in  her  spurious  sacraments,  in  her  blotting 
out  of  her  catechisms  the  second  commandment,  and  in  her 
persevering  persecutions  ?  Does  not  the  book  of  Revelation, 
ch.  xii.,  tell  us  of  "a  woman"  (which  is  the  Church)  driven 
into  the  wilderness,  1260  days  (prophetic  years) ;  and  there- 
fore we  ask,  Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  witnesses  for  Grod 
should  for  many  ages  of  prevailing  corruption  have  been  com- 
paratively few,  and  that  apostate  Rome  should  have  extensive 
sway  even  to  this  hour  ? 

IV  Lastly,  the  Church  of  Rome  claims  apostolicity. 
"Every  Church  pretending  to  be  the  Church  of  Christ/'  we 
are  told,  "  must  be  able  to  trace  her  doctrines,  her  orders,  and 
her  mission,  from  the  apostles  of  Christ."  Now,  grant- 
ing the  truth  of  this  proposition,  we  deny  that  Rome  has  re- 
ceived many  of  her  doctrines,  or  her  orders  and  mission,  from 
the  apostles.  As  to  the  question  of  mission  and  orders,  she 
falsely  assumes  that  Christ  committed  the  power  of  the  keys 
to  Peter;  that  he  transferred  this  to  the  bishops  of  Rome; 
and  that  through  the  channel  of  the  papal  see  the  orders  of 
the  Christian  priesthood  alone  can  flow.  These  statements 
have  been  already  confuted.  But  if  Rome  insists  on  the 
necessity  of  a  papal  channel  for  her  orders,  let  it  be  remem- 
bered how  polluted  .  was  that  channel.  Liberius  was  an 
Arian.  Boniface  VIII.  denied  the  Trinity,  the  incarnation, 
and  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  John  XXIII.  was  deposed 
for  his  wickedness.  Formosus  was  guilty  of  perjury.  Ste- 
phen VII.  was  a  ringleader  in  every  vice ;  and  Baronius,  the 
Romish  historian,  says  "  that  he  entered  like  a  thief,  and  died, 
as  he  deserved,  by  the  rope."  Benedict  IX.  was  created  a 
pope  at  the  age  of  ten  or  twelve,  and  spent  his  days  in  de- 
bauchery, rapine,  and  murder.  Alexander  VI.  revelled  in 
all  licentiousness,  and  died  at  last  by  poison  he  had  prepared 
2* 


26  MARKS   OP  A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

for  others,  and  wh.ch  he  drank  by  mistake.  And  yet  it  is 
through  this  channel  that  the  orders  of  the  Church  of  Rome  are 
said  to  flow.  But  this  is  not  all :  the  succession  has  been  repeat- 
edly interrupted.  In  the  year  1044,  Sylvester,  Gregory,  and 
Benedict,  assumed  at  one  and  the  same  time  the  name  and  title 
of  the  papacy.  Alexander  III.  occupied  the  chair  for  twenty- 
two  years ;  but  four  rivals  disputed  his  claims.  The  great 
western  schism  lasted  from  1378  to  1429.  Two  rival  popes 
divided  the  world  between  them  :  each  anathematized  his 
fellow :  each  ordained.  One  of  them,  therefore,  must  have 
been  a  false  pope  :  he  could  not  confer  ecclesiastical  orders : 
the  bishops  made  by  him  were  no  bishops,  and  the  priests 
ordained  by  a  false  bishop  were  no  priests :  so  that  no  Roman 
Catholic  who  trusts  to  this  doctrine  of  apostolical  succession, 
can  tell  whether  he  has  been  really  baptized  or  not,  and  pos- 
sibly many  a  Roman  Catholic  bishop  or  archbishop  does  not 
know  whether  the  bishop  that  first  made  him  a  priest  had  his 
succession  from  the  antipope  or  not.  The  succession  has 
been  corrupted,  broken,  and  lost. 

But  Rome  tells  us  that  her  doctrines  are  apostolical.  We 
ask  all  persons  who  maintain  this  position  to  take  the  New  Tes- 
tament into  their  hands,  and  prove  it.  Let  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  be  judged  by  the  language  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles.  We  ask  the  Romish  priests,  Do  you  continue 
steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrines  ?  If  so,  will  you  show 
your  doctrines  written  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  ?  Or, 
will  you  give  us  any  valid  and  plain  authority  for  them  from 
the  writings  of  Peter?  Moreover,  let  it  be  remembered, 
when  Scripture  is  appealed  to  by  Romish  doctors,  that  in 
some  cases  the  original  text  is  falsified* — yea,  it  will  be 
found,  again,  that  their  favorite  texts  can  be  turned  as  destruc- 
tive artillery  against  their  own  bulwarks;  and,  when  viewed 
in  reference  to  the  design  of  the  writer,  and  illustrated  by 
the  context,  by  the  analogy  of  Scripture,  and  sound  criticism, 
they  but  tend  to  overwhelm  the  abettors  of  Romanism  with 
confusion.     Besides,  the  very  silence  of  the  book  of  Grod  is 

*  Thus  the  Greek  word  mc/unoia  (which  indicates  a  "change  of 
mind"  —  godly  sorrow  for  sin)  is  invariably  translated  in  the  Douay 
version  "penance."  So  the  word  prrsbuteros  (that  is,  elder  or  pres- 
byter) is  six  times  translated  "  priest."  .See  the  Rev.  T.  II.  Home's 
admirable  work,  "Popery  the  Enemy  and  Falsifier  of  Scripture" 
London,  184r> 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  27 

a  powerful  argument  on  our  side,  illustrating  most  strikingly 
the  novelty  of  Romish  doctrines.  Where,  we  ask,  is  any 
mention  made  of  those  distinguishing  dogmas  which  Rome 
asserts  to  be  essential?  We  say,  then,  this  is  not  "the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints."  To  use  the  language  of  Ter- 
tullian,  one  of  the  fathers,  (JPrces.  contra  Secret,)  "Their 
very  doctrine  itself  being  compared  with  the  apostolic,  by  the 
diversity  and  contrariety  thereof,  proves  that  it  had  for  its  au- 
thor neither  any  apostle,  nor  any  man  apostolical." 

One  word  more.  The  council  of  Nice,  held  A.  D.  325, 
was  summoned  and  held  in  consequence  of  the  rise  of  the 
Arian  heresy,  by  which  the  glory  of  Christ,  as  the  co-equal 
and  eternal  Son  of  the  Father,  was  obscured  and  denied. 
"  The  Nicene  Creed,"  which  went  forth  under  the  authority 
of  this  council,  was  the  first  dogmatical  utterance  of  the  opin- 
ion of  the  Church  after  the  times  of  the  apostles.  For  many 
ages,  those  that  held  the  articles  of  this  creed  were  always 
recognized  as  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  But  take  the 
faith  of  Romanism  as  we  have  it  now,  as  it  was  stereotyped 
by  the  council  of  Trent  in  the  sixteenth  century,  as  it  is 
summed  up  in  the  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV.,  published  in  1564, 
and  which  is  regarded  by  all  Romanists  as  the  authorized 
summary  of  their  faith ;  and  see  what  a  difference  there  is 
between  the  creed  of  the  council  of  Nice,  and  the  creed  of 
modern  Rome. 

"I  believe  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  maker  of 
heaven  and  earth,  and  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible  :  and 
in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  -God ; 
born  of  the  Father  before  all  worlds ;  God  of  God ;  Light  of 
Light ;  true  God  of  true  God ;  begotten,  not  made ;  consub- 
stantial  to  the  Father,  by  whom  all  things  were  made ;  who, 
for  us  men,  and  for  our  salvation,  came  down  from  heaven, 
and  was  incarnate  by  the  Holy  Ghost  of  the  virgin  Mary, 
and  was  made  man;  was  crucified  also  for  us  under  Pontius 
Pilate,  suffered,  and  was  buried,  and  rose  again  the  third 
day  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and  ascended  into  heaven; 
sits  at  the  right  hand  of  the.  Father,  and  will  come  again 
with  glory  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead,  of  whose  king- 
dom there  will  be  no  end :  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord 
and  Life-giver,  who  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son ; 
who,  together  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  is  adored  and 


28  MARKS   OF  A  TRUE   CHURCH. 

glorified,  who  spoke  by  the  prophets :  and  one  holy  catholic 
and  apostolic  Church.  I  confess  one  baptism  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins;  and  I  expect  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  (of 
the  dead — mortuorum,)  and  the  life  of  the  world  to  come. 
Amen/' 

Pope  Pius  IV  incorporated  this  in  his  creed,  and  then  adds 
to  it  the  following : — 

"  I  most  firmly  admit  and  embrace  apostolical  and  eccle- 
siastical traditions,  and  all  other  constitutions  and  observances 
of  the  same  Church. 

"  I  also  admit  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  according  to  the  sense 
which  the  holy  mother  Church  has  held,  and  does  hold,  to 
whom  it  belongs  to  judge  of  the  true  sense  and  interpretation 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures;  nor  will  I  ever  take  or  interpret 
them  otherwise  than  according  to  the  unanimous  consent  of 
the  fathers. 

"I  profess  also,  that  there  are  truly  and  properly  seven 
sacraments  of  the  new  law,  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  and  for  the  salvation  of  mankind,  though  all  are  not 
necessary  for  every  one, — namely,  baptism,  confirmation,  eu- 
charist,  penance,  extreme  unction,  order,  and  matrimony; 
and  that  they  confer  grace ;  and  of  these,  baptism,  confirma- 
tion, and  order,  cannot  be  reiterated  without  sacrilege. 

"  I  also  receive  and  admit  the  ceremonies  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  received  and  approved  in  the  solemn  administration 
of  all  the  above  said  sacraments. 

"  I  receive  and  embrace  all  and  every  one  of  the  things 
which  have  been  defined  and  declared  in  the  holy  council  of 
Trent,  concerning  original  sin  and  justification. 

"I  profess,  likewise,  that  in  the  mass  is  offered  to  God  a 
true,  proper,  and  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  living  and  the 
dead;  and  that  in  the  most  holy  sacrifice  of  the  eucharist 
there  is  truly,  really,  and  substantially  the  body  and  blood, 
together  with  the  soul  and  Divinity,  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  that  there  is  made  a  conversion  of  the  whole  substance  of 
the  bread  into  the  body,  and  of  the  whole  substance  of  the 
wine  into  the  blood,  which  conversion  the  Catholic  Church 
calls  transubstantiation. 

'J  I  confess  also,  that  under  either  kind  alone,  whole  and 
entire,  Christ  and  a  true  sacrament  are  received. 

"  I  constantly  hold  that  there  is  a  purgatory,  and  that  the 


MARKS   OI1  A  TRUE   CHTJRCH.  29 

souls  detained  therein  are  helped  by  the  suffrages  of  the 
aithful 

"  Likewise,  that  the  saints  reigning  together  with  Christ 
ire  to  he  honored  and  invocated,  that  they  offer  prayers  to 
uod  for  us,  and  that  their  relics  are  to  be  venerated. 

"I  most  firmly  assert,  that  the  images  of  Christ,  and  of  the 
mother  of  Q-od,  ever  virgin,  and  also  of  the  other  saints,  are 
to  be  had  and  retained;  and  that  due  honor  and  veneration 
are  to  be  given  them. 

"  I  also  affirm  that  the  power  of  indulgences  was  left  by 
Christ  in  the  Church,  and  that  the  use  of  them  is  most  whole- 
some to  Christian  people. 

"I  acknowledge  one  holy  catholic  and  apostolic  Roman 
Church,  the  mother  and  mistress  of  all  churches ;  and  I  pro- 
mise and  swear  true  obedience  to  the  Roman  bishop,  the 
successor  of  St.  Peter,  the  prince  of  the  apostles,  and  vicar  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

"  I  also  profess  and  undoubtedly  receive  all  other  things 
delivered,  defined,  and  declared  by  the  sacred  canons,  and 
general  councils,  and  particularly  by  the  holy  council  of 
Trent;  and  likewise  I  also  condemn,  reject,  and  anathematize 
all  things  contrary  thereto,  and  all  heresies  whatsoever,  con- 
demned, rejected,  and  anathematized  by  the  Church. 

"  This  true  catholic  faith,  out  of  which  none  can  be  saved, 
which  I  now  freely  profess  and  truly  hold,  I,  N.,  promise, 
vow,  and  swear  most  constantly  to  hold  and  profess  the  same, 
whole  and  entire,  with  God's  assistance,  to  the  end  of  my 
life ;  and  to  procure,  as  far  as  lies  in  my  power,  that  the  same 
shall  be  held,  taught,  and  preached  by  all  who  are  under  me, 
or  are  entrusted  to  my  care,  by  virtue  of  my  office.  So  help 
me  God,  and  these  holy  Gospels  of  God/' 

Compare  this  creed  with  the  apostolic  doctrines  of  the 
Nicene  fathers,  and  it  is  evident  that  Romanists  have  not 
continued  in  the  true  faith;  and  the  statement  made  by  a 
modern  writer  will  be  allowed,  that  "if  a  member  of  the 
council  of  Nice  were  to  rise  from  the  dead,  no  Roman  Catho- 
lic priest  could  admit  him  to  communion. " 

The  following  are  the  facts  of  history  with  regard  to  the 

successive  introduction  of  some  of  the  false  doctrines  of  Rome. 

Monachism  (under  which  celibacy  was  set  up  as  a  superior 

degree  of  holiness,  accompanied  with  denunciations  of  the  im- 

3* 


30  MARKS   OP   A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

purity  of  that  marriage  state  which  is  "honorable  in  all/' 
both  clergy  and  laity)  was  established  in  the  fourth  century. 
Is  that  apostolical?  Purgatory,  and  prayers  to  the  saints, 
began  to  be  inculcated  in  the  fifth  century.  Are  they  apos- 
tolic ?  In  the  eighth  century  image-worship  prevailed  over 
opposition :  transubstantiation  was  recognized  in  the  ninth : 
indulgences  were  not  given  earlier  than  the  tenth  :  the  forced 
celibacy  of  all  the  clerical  orders  was  not  definitely  enjoined 
until  the  eleventh :  communion  in  one  kind  came  into  prac- 
tice in  the  twelfth :  auricular  confession  was  decreed  in  the 
thirteenth  :  the  sacraments  were  declared  to  be  seven  in  num- 
ber by  the  council  of  Trent  in  the  sixteenth  •  and  by  the  same 
council  many  other  unscriptural  abominations  were  sanctioned 
and  confirmed.  In  vain  will  you  look  for  these  things,  or  for 
the  doctrine  of  merit,  the  Divine  authority  of  the  Apocrypha, 
or  to  various  orders  of  the  Romish  hierarchy,  from  the  acolyte 
upwards,  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Testament.  Where, 
then,  is  the  apostolicity  of  the  Church  of  Rome  ? 

In  conclusion,  we  have  a  few  words  to  add  of  a  practical 
character.     First,  let  every  reader  remember,  that  communion 
with  the  purest  section  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  cannot 
in  itself  save  the  soul.     "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me, 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he 
that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."     If 
you  would  be  safe  for  eternity,  you  must  be  of  "  the  circum- 
cision, which  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh :"  you  must  be  "  in 
Christ"  by  a  personal  living  faith :  in  him,  as  Noah  was  in 
the  ark ;  in  him,  as  the  man-slayer  was  in  the  city  of  refuge ; 
in  him,  as  the  branch  in  the  vine ;  in  him,  as  living  stones 
upon  the  great  foundation  laid  in  Zion.     We  entreat  you, 
reader,  to  embrace  and  hold  fast  the  offers  of  a  Saviour's  grace 
and  love.     "The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come.     And  let 
him  that  hcareth  say,  Come.     And  whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  the  water  of  life  freely."     Ask  in  earnest  prayer  for  the 
indwelling  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Under  his  guidance  seek  to 
grow    in    grace:    cultivate   humility,    patience,    submission, 
spintual-mindedness,  deadness  to  the  world,  benevolence  to 
all  men,  forbearance,  and  forgiveness  to  your  enemies.     Re- 
member, you  have  spiritual  foes,  and  that  you  can  only  fi^hr 
and  overcome  them  by  watchfulness,  faith,  and  prayer.    *I>u 


MARKS   OF   A   TRUE   CHURCH.  31 

diligent  in  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace ;  and  let  the  word 
of  G-OD  be  your  only  directory,  the  Sqn  of  GrOD  be  your  only 
Saviour  and  Intercessor,  the  Spirit  of  God  your  only  Sanc- 
tifier,  and  the  glory  of  GrOD  the  great  end  of  your  existence. 
Lastly,  let  us  rejoice  that  the  true  Church  of  Christ  is  im- 
mortal in  her  nature ;  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never 
prevail  against  her.  We  have  fallen  indeed  on  "perilous 
times ;"  but,  blessed  be  Grod,  the  day  is  coming  apace,  when 
Popery,  the  greatest  barrier  to  the  final  triumphs  of  the  gos- 
pel, shall  be  swept  away  for  ever  ! 

Hark !  the  song  of  jubilee, 

Loud  as  mighty  thunders'  roar, 
Or  the  fulness  of  the  sea, 

When  it  breaks  upon  the  shore ! 
Hallelujah !  for  the  Lord 

God  omnipotent  shall  reign : 
Hallelujah  !  let  the  word 

Echo  round  the  earth  and  main. 

Hallelujah ! — hark !  the  sound, 

From  the  centre  to  the  skies, 
Wakes  above,  beneath,  around, 

All  creation's  harmonies : 
See  Jehovah's  banners  furl'd, 

Sheathed  his  sword :  he  speaks — 'tis  done 
And  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 

Are  the  kingdoms  of  his  Son ! 


THE  CHURCH  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

These  terms,  says  Dr.  Knapp,  have  come  into  use  since  the 
Reformation.  But  the  thing  itself  which  is  intended  by  these 
terms  is  well  supported,  and  is  as  ancient  as  the  Christian 
Church  itself,  and  was  acknowledged  as  true  by  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  and  the  whole  early  Church.  These  terms  came 
into  use  in  the  following  way  : — Luther  denied  that  the  Romish 
Church,  according  to  the  doctrine  and  polity  which  it  then 
professed,  is  the  true  Church.  It  was  then  asked,  Where  then 
was  the  true  Church  be/ore  him?  To  which  he  answered 
that  it  was  invisible — i.  e.,  before  the  Reformation  those 
Christians  had  constituted  the  true  Church,  and  held  the  pure 
doctrine,  who,  without  regarding  the  authority  and  command- 


32  MARKS   OF  A   TRUE   CHURCH. 

merit  of  men,  had  followed  the  Scriptures  according  to  their 
own  views,  had  lived  piously,  and  kept  themselves  free  from 
the  errors  of  the  public  religion ;  and  such  persons  there  always 
had  been,  even  at  the  most  corrupt  periods,  although  they 
had  not  always  been  known.  It  was  from  this  just  observa- 
tion that  this  division  arose.  (Cf.  Confess.  August.,  Art.  vii. 
and  viii.,  and  Apol.  A.  C)  Protestants  understand  by  the 
invisible  Church  true  Christians,  who  not  only  know  the  pre- 
cepts of  Christ,  but  from  the  heart  obey  them,  Matt.  vii.  21. 
This  Church  is  not  always  clearly  seen  :  indeed,  to  speak 
justly,  it  is  known  only  to  God,  Col.  iii.  3 ;  while  from  the 
eyes  of  men,  who  judge  only  according  to  the  external  appear- 
ance, it  is  wholly  concealed.  On  the  contrary,  the  visible 
Church  consists  of  all  who  by  profession  belong  externally  to 
the  Church — i.  e.,  attend  public  worship,  partake  of  the 
sacraments,  etc. ;  for  wherever  the  Christian  doctrine  is  pro- 
claimed, and  the  rites  prescribed  by  it  are  observed,  there  the 
visible  Church  is.  Not  every  one,  therefore,  who  belongs  to 
the  visible  Church,  even  if  it  be  one  of  the  best,  does  on  this 
account  belong  also  to  the  invisible  Church.  For  in  the  visible 
Church  there  are  often  wicked  men  and  hypocrites.  This  is 
not,  then,  a  division  generis  in  species,  but  cadem  res  di  verso 
respectu  The  same  is  true  with  respect  to  other  societies — 
e.  g.,  the  republic  of  the  learned. 


Nashville,  Tenn. ;  Published  by  E.  Slevensou  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  26. 


THE  SUPREMACY  OF  THE  POPE 

WITHOUT  FOUNDATION  IN  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


It  is  our  object  to  prove  that  the  alleged  supremacy  of  the 
pope,  and  his  claim  to  be  Christ's  vicar  on  earth,  are  without 
foundation  in  the  word  of  God. 

Roman  Catholics  tell  us  that  there  is  a  visible  head  of  the 
Church  on  earth :  that  this  dignity  was  first  delegated  by 
Christ  to  Peter,  as  the  chief  apostle  and  first  bishop  of  Rome, 
and  after  him  to  all  his  successors  in  that  see  :  that  the  bishop 
of  Rome,  or  the  pope,  has  the  whole  episcopate  vested  in  him- 
self, and  from  him  all  other  bishops  derive  their  authority : 
that  he  has  dominion  over  the  whole  Christian  world  :  that  all 
Christians  are  bound  to  submit  to  him;  and  that  those  who 
refuse  to  do  so  are  heretics,  and  are  exposed  to  damnation. 
In  the  Lateran  council  it  was  decreed,  "  That  the  Roman 
high  priest  holds  a  primacy  over  the  universal  Church,  as  suc- 
cessor of  St.  Peter,  prince  of  the  apostles  :  that  he  is  the  true 
lieutenant  of  Christ,  and  head  of  the  Church,  the  father  and 
doctor  of  all  Christians,  to  whom  all  power  is  committed  to 
feed,  direct,  and  govern  the  Catholic  Church  under  Christ." 
Every  Romish  bishop,  on  his  appointment,  swears  thus  :  "To 
be  faithful  and  obedient  to  St.  Peter  and  to  the  holy  Roman 
Church,  and  our  Lord  the  pope  his  successor,  to  receive  and 
execute  his  commands,  to  discover  all  plots  and  conspiracies 
against  him,  to  preserve  and  defend  the  royalties  of  St.  Peter 
to  the  utmost  of  my  power,  and  to  persecute  and  oppose  all 
heretics,  schismatics,  and  rebels  to  our  said  sovereign  lord  and 
his  successors."*  And  it  is  written  in  the  creed  of  Pope  Pius 
IV.,  one  of  the  acknowledged  standards  of  the  Romish  faith 

*  Pontificate  Romanum,  pp.  59-61.     Antverpiae,  1627;  and  page 
88,  Edit.  Paris,  1664. 


2  THE    SUPREMACY    OE    THE    POPE 

and  to  which  every  priest  of  Koine  swears  his  adherence — "  1 
promise  and  swear  true  obedience  to  the  Roman  bishop,  the 
successor  of  St.  Peter,  the  prince  of  the  apostles,  and  the 
vicar  of  Jesus  Christ." 

To  support  these  formidable  claims,  there  are  three  points 
assumed:  1st,  the  supremacy  of  St.  Peter;  2dly,  his  resi- 
dence at  Rome  in  the  character  of  its  bishop,  and  as  universal 
bishop  also;  and  3dly,  the  transmission  of  his  power  to  those 
who  occupied  the  same  station  after  him. 

First,  it  is  asserted,  that  there  is  scriptural  evidence  to  show 
that  Peter  was  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  and  that  Christ  gave 
him  spiritual  supremacy  over  the  Church.  The  texts  ad- 
duced in  support  of  this  opinion  are  as  follows :  (Matt.  xvi. 
18,)  "  I  say  unto  thee,  That  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  Church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it." 

"The  name  Peter  (says  Dr.  Wiseman)  signifies  a  rock,  foj 
in  the  language  spoken  on  this  occasion  by  our  Saviour  there 
is  not  the  slightest  difference  even  at  this  day  between  the 
name  whereby  the  apostle  or  any  bearing  the  name  is  known, 
and  the  most  ordinary  word  which  indicates  a  rock  or  [let  the 
reader  mark  the  admission]  stone.  Thus  the  phrase  of  the 
lledeemer  would  sound  as  follows,  to  the  ears  of  his  audience : 
'And  I  say  to  thee,  Thou  art  a  rock.'  Now  see  how  the  rp- 
maining  part  of  the  sentence  would  run  in  connection  with 
the  preamble,  'And  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church/ 
etc.  Such  is  the  first  prerogative  bestowed  upon  Peter:  he  is 
declared  to  be  the  rock  whereon  the  impregnable  Church  is 
founded."—  Lecture  viii.,  265,  266. 

Now,  the  cardinal  prelate  has  sworn,  like  all  other  ecclesi- 
astics of  his  Church,  to  interpret  Scripture  "  according  to  the 
unanimous  sense  of  the  fathers;"*  and  yet,  in  making  the 
statement  which  we  have  just  quoted,  he  actually  attacks 
what  is  the  interpretation  of  the  most  eminent  fathers.  For 
instance — 

Jerome  says,  "  The  Catholic  Church  is  founded  with  a  firm 
root  upon  the  rock  Christ." — Ad.  Princ.  Virq.,  torn.  iii.  p. 
178.  J  r 

Cyprian  says,  "Christ  himself  is  the  rock." — Krht.  03. 


*  See  Creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV. 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  3 

Chrysostom :  "  He  did  not  say,  upon  Peter,  for  he  did  not 
found  his  Church  upon  a  man,  but  upon  faith.  What,  there- 
fore, meant,  Upon  this  rock  1 — upon  the  confession  contained 
in  his  words." — Sermon  on  Pentecost,  "vol.  vi.  p.  233. 

Origen  :  "  But  if  you  think  that  the  whole  Church  is  built 
by  God  upon  Peter  only,  what  will  you  say  of  John  and  of  each 
of  the  apostles  ?  Shall  we  dare  to  say  that  the  gates  of  hell 
were  not  to  prevail  against  Peter  in  particular,  and  that  they 
should  prevail  against  the  rest  of  the  apostles  ?" — Comm.  on 
Matt.  xvi. 

Cyril  of  Alexandria:  "When  Christ  said  this,  he  called,  I 
think,  the  immovable  and  firm  faith  of  the  disciple,  the  rock 
upon  which  the  Church  of  Christ  was  founded  without  the  pos- 
sibility of  falling." — Dial.  iv.  on  Holy  Trin.,  vol.  v.  509. 

Ambrose :  "  Faith,  therefore,  is  the  foundation  of  the 
Church ;  for  it  was  not  said  of  the  flesh  of  Peter,  but  of  his 
faith,  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it." — On 
the  Incarnation,  chap.  v.  p.  711. 

Hilary :  "  The  building  of  the  Church,  therefore,  is  upon 
this  rock  of  his  confession.  This  faith  is  the  foundation  of 
the  Church." — On  the  Trinity,  book  vi. 

Augustin  :  "Jesus  said  not,  Thou  art  the  rock  ;  but,  Thou 
art  Peter.  The  rock  was  Christ,  whom  Peter  confessed." — 
Aug.  Ret.  i.  21. 

Nay,  that  the  foundation  of  the  Church  was  Christ  or  Peter's 
confession,  was  maintained  by  no  less  than  forty-four  fathers 
and  doctors  of  the  Church;  and  the  same  interpretation  was 
sanctioned  by  fifteen  popes,  and  by  the  general  councils  of 
Nice,  Constantinople,  Basil,  and  the  Lateran.*  And  yet  the 
Romish  cardinal,  though  he  condemns  private  judgment  in 
the  examination  of  Scripture  as  a  Protestant  heresy,  yet  is 
himself  guilty  of  that  heresy ;  while  he  has  sworn  to  inter- 
pret Scripture  according  to  the  unanimous  sense  of  the  fathers, 
he  contradicts  the  opinions  which  the  most  illustrious  of  them 
have  given,  and  insinuates  that  the  opinion  held  by  so  many 
of  the  fathers  is  a  Protestant  invention,  a  device,  and  subter- 
fuge, betraying  the  shifts  to  which  the  opponents  of  the  Ca- 
tholic religion  are  compelled  to  resort  !"j* 

*  Vide  Labbeus,  Hist.  Concil.  viii.  770,  1268 ;  x.  5,  29 ;  xvii.  692. 
821 ;  xx.  332.     Edgar's  Variations  of  Popery,  pp.  135,  137. 

f  Joannes  de  Ragusio  declared  before  the  Council  of  Trent,  with 


4  THE   SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

We  ask  Roman  Catholics,  Would  it  not  be  better  for  you 
to  maintain  the  right  of  reading  the  Scripture  for  yourselves, 
with  earnest  prayer  for  the  promised  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
than  to  give  yourselves  blindfold  into  the  hands  of  men  who 
tell  you  to  hear  the  Church,  and  who  give  you  the  judgment 
of  the  Church  after  such  a  fashion  as  this '( 

Moreover,  "what  saith  the  Scripture"  on  this  subject?  In 
Psalm  cxviii.  22,  23,  it  is  written,  "The  stone  which  the 
builders  refused  is  become  the  head  stone  of  the  corner.  This 
is  the  Lord's  doing:  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes."  Again, 
in  Isaiah  xxviii.  1(3,  "  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation 
a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  founda- 
tion." Now,  is  it  not  remarkable  that  Peter  should  be  the 
apostle  who  refers  to  both  these  prophecies,  and  applies  them 
not  to  himself,  but  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Thus  we  find 
that,  in  addressing  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  he  said,  "  This  is 
the  stone"  (speaking  of  Christ)  "which  was  set  at  nought 
of  you  builders,  which  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner," 
Acts  iv.  11,  evidently  referring  to  Psalm  cxviii.  22.  And  in 
his  first  Epistle,  (chap,  ii.,)  he  speaks  of  Christ  thus:  "  If  so 
be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  To  whom  com- 
ing, as  unto  a  living  stone,  disallowed,  indeed,  of  men,  but 
chosen  of  God,  and  precious,  ye  also,  as  lively  stones,  are 
built  up  a  spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spi- 
ritual sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ.  Where- 
fore also  it  is  contained  in  the  Scripture,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion 
a  chief  corner  stone,  elect,  precious  ;  and  he  that  believeth  on 
him  shall  not  be  confounded."  Surely  Peter's  testimony 
ought  to  settle  the  controversy;  and  were  he  now  upon  earth, 
he  would  reject  with  abhorrence  the  doctrine  which  dishonors 
and  robs  of  his  glory  the  Master  whom  he  loved. 

Further,  Scripture  declares  that,  "  Other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ."  (1  Cor. 
iii.  11.)  And  believers  are  described  as  "built  upon  the 
foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself 
being  the  chief  corner  stone  ;*  in  whom  all  the  building  fitly 

out  any  dissent,  that  "  the  Church  was  buildcd  on  the  living  stone  the 
Divine,  rock,"  (quoted  by  VA^-.xr,  p.  137.) 

*  '■  I'aitli  in  Christ  being  Mint  wherein  wo  are  joined  to  him,  it  may 
lie  called  by  the  same  name;  :uid  accordingly  the  Colossians  are  said 
to  be  '  grounded  (Col.  i.  1<\)  in  the  faith,'  as  \ipon  a  foundation    from 


WITHOUT    FOUNDATION.  5 

framed  together  groweth  unto  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord/' 
(Eph.  ii.  20,  21.)  And  if,  after  all  this  testimony,  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  the  supre- 
macy of  Peter  shall  still  be  maintained,  and  he  shall  still  be 
asserted  to  be  the  true  rock  on  which  the  Church  is  built,  and 
against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail,  we  can  only 
say,  in  the  words  of  Moses,  "  Their  rock  is  not  as  our  Rock, 
even  our  enemies  themselves  being  judges."  (Deut.  xxxii.  31.)* 

The  second  text,  which  is  quoted  in  this  controversy  in 
proof  of  the  papal  supremacy,  is  found  in  Matt.  xvi.  19  : 
"And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound 
in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  shall  be 
loosed  in  heaven."  Accordingly,  Dr.  Wiseman  declares  that 
"  The  second  prerogative  of  St.  Peter  is  the  holding  of  the 
keys,  and  the  power  of  making  decrees  which  shall  be  neces- 
sarily ratified  in  heaven."-!-  And  Cardinal  Bellarmine,  in 
arguing  on  this  passage  of  Scripture,  says,  "  Peter  had  spe- 
cial jurisdiction  given  him  over  the  rest;"  and  that  "to  whom 
the  keys  of  a  city  are  delivered,  he  is  appointed  the  king  or 
at  least  the  governor  of  that  city  to  admit  or  shut  out  whom 
he  pleaseth."| 

By  the  "kingdom  of  heaven,"  in  this  passage,  we  are  to 
understand,  according  to  its  general  meaning  in  the  Grospels, 
the  kingdom  of  grace  set  up  in  the  hearts  of  men,  that  dis- 
pensation which  Jesus  Christ  established  upon  earth ;  and  by 

which,  he  would  not  have  them  removed.  And  the  apostles  being  the 
preachers  of  this  faith,  and  the  instruments  whereby  men  were  brought 
to  believe  on  Christ,  and  so  joined  to  him  as  living  stones,  are  called 
by  the  name  of  foundation  in  the  place  so  mentioned.  (Eph.  ii.  20.) 
But  then  it  is  evident  that  Peter  alone  is  not  the  foundation,  but  all 
the  apostles.  For  there  are.  twelve  foundations  of  this  sort,  (as  we 
read  in  Rev.  xxi.  14,)  by  whose  ministry  the  Church  was  built  upon 
Christ,  the  sole  foundation,  in  proper  speaking,  that  was  laid  for  all 
to  build  upon."  (Bishop  Patrick's  Texts  examined  which  Papist's 
quote  out  of  the  Bible,  in  "  Gibson's  Preservative.") 

*  Those  fathers  and  Protestants  who  refer  the  "rock,"  in  Matt, 
xvi.  18,  to  Peter,  understand  by  it  the  fundamental  character  of  his 
ministry,  as  indicated  in  the  following  verse.  But  this,  in  effect, 
amounts  to  the  common  interpretation :  the  Church  is  built  upon  the 
ministry  of  Peter — not,  however,  apart  from  that  of  the  other  apostles 
—who  recognized  Christ  alone  as  the  sure  foundation. — Editor. 

f  Lect.  viii.  J  De  Pontif.  Lib.  i. 


(5  THE   SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POrE 

the  "keys"  of  this  kingdom  is  meant  the  power  of  making 
known  the  truth,  and  of  exercising  spiritual  government  and 
discipline  in  the  Church.  And  when  Christ  said  to  Peter, 
"  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  hea- 
ven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed 
in  heaven,"  he  gave  him  not  only  the  power  of  declaring,  ac- 
cording to  the  revealed  will  of  God,  the  character  of  those 
who  were  to  be  excluded  from  the  communion  of  the  saints, 
or  who  were  to  be  admitted  to  their  fellowship,  but,  in  con- 
nection with  this,  the  power  of  excommunication  from  the 
Church  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the  restoration  of  the  peni- 
tent on  the  other.  If  it  be  urged  that  this  implies  a  supre- 
macy given  to  Peter,  we  reply,  first,  that  by  the  words  ad- 
dressed to  Peter  is  implied,  not  a  superiority  over  his  brethren, 
but  a  priority  in  the  order  of  ministration :  he  being  the  per- 
son who  first,  in  point  of  time,  opened  the  kingdom  to  the 
Jews  by  preaching  to  them  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  to 
the  Gentiles  by  preaching  to  Cornelius.  Secondly,  that  what- 
ever power  of  the  keys  was  now  given  to  him  was  conferred 
also  upon  all  the  apostles  For  in  Matt,  xviii.  18,  Christ  ad- 
dressed them  thus  :  "Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  [not,  unto  thee,] 
Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven ; 
and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  hea- 
ven." And  again,  in  John  xx.  21-23,  "  Then  said  Jesus  to 
them  again,  Peace  be  unto  you  :  as  my  Father  hath  sent  me, 
oven  so  send  I  you.  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  breathed 
on  them,  and  saith  unto  them,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost. 
A V hose  soever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them;  and 
whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."  Here,  then, 
there  was  no  supremacy  given  to  Peter :  the  power  given  to 
him  was  equally  shared  by  all  the  apostles,  and  is  virtually  the 
same  which  is  to  be  exercised  in  the  Church  in  every  age  of 
the  world.  Here,  also,  the  unanimous  sense  of  the  fathers 
and  early  Church  is  completely  opposed  to  the  interpretation 
of  Dr.  AViscman  and  modern  Komanists.  "  The  keys  convey- 
ing the  power  of  binding  and  loosing,  of  remitting  and  re- 
taining sin,  were,  according  to  the  ancients  and  many  moderns, 
given  to  all  the  apostles  and  to  all  Christians  who  belong  to  the 
ecclesiastical  community.  This  has  been  shown  beyond  al) 
question  by  the  warmest  friends  of  the  papacy,  such  as  Dupin, 
Calmct,  JMaldonul,  and  Alexander.     The  proof  of  the  dona- 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  7 

tion  of  the  keys  to  the  whole  apostolic  college,  and  to  the 
whole  Christian  commonwealth,  has  been  collected  by  Dupin 
and  Maldonat.  The  Sorbonnist  and  the  Jesuit  declare  the 
unanimity  of  the  ancients  in  this  opinion.  Dupin  for  this  ex- 
position Instances  the  saints,  Cyprian,  Jerome,  Ambrosius, 
Augustin,  Leo,  Fulgentius,  and  the  fathers  Tertullian,  Op- 
tatus,  Gaudentius,  Theophylact,  Eucharius,  Beda,  Rabban, 
Hincmar,  and  Odo.  Maldonat  specifies  for  the  same  interpre- 
tation the  names  of  Chrysostom,  Ambrosius,  Origen,  and 
Theophylact.  Calmet  for  this  opinion  enumerates  Cyprian, 
Augustin,  Origen,  and  Theophylact;  while  Alexander  men- 
tions Origen,  Hilary,  Ambrosius,  and  Augustin.  The  system, 
therefore,  whj^h  is  now  deprecated  by  the  Italian  school  of 
Eomanism,  was  patronized  by  the  whole  sainthood  from  Cyprian 
to  Chrysostom/'* 

The  next  passage  quoted  in  proof  of  the  supremacy  of  St. 
Peter,  is  John  xxi.  15-17  :  "  So  when  they  had  dined,  Jesus 
saith  to  Simon  Peter,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me 
more  than  these  ?  He  saith  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord,  thou 
knowest  that  I  love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him,  Feed  my 
lambs.  He  saith  to  him  again  the  second  time,  Simon,  son 
of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me  ?  He  saith  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord, 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him,  Feed  my 
sheep.  He  saith  unto  him  the  third  time,  Simon,  son  of 
Jonas,  lovest  thou  me  ?  Peter  was  grieved  because  he  saith 
unto  him  the  third  time,  Lovest  thou  me  ?  And  he  said  unto 
him,  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things  :  thou  knowest  that  I  love 
thee.  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Feed  my  sheep/'  "  To  the  two 
ample  powers  given  here,  [referring  to  Matt.  xvi.  18,  19,  al- 
ready considered,]  we  must  add  (says  Dr.  Wiseman)  a  third 
distinguished  mission  conferred  upon  him  after  the  resurrec- 
tion, when  Jesus  three  times  asked  him  for  the  pledge  of  a 
love  superior  to  that  of  the  other  apostles,  and  three  times 
gave  him  a  charge  to  feed  his  entire  flock,  his  lambs  and  his 
sheep."*j"  Many  readers  will  be  surprised  when  they  are  told 
by  Romish  doctors  that  by  the  "  lambs''  in  this  passage  we 
are  to  understand  the  laity,  and  by  the  "sheep,"  the  clergy; 
and  that  the  office  of  feeding  both  lambs  and  sheep — both 
laity  and  clergy — was  intrusted  to  Peter  as  the  supreme  head 

*  Edgar's  Variations,  p.  140.  f  Lect.  viii.  p.  267. 


8  THE   SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

of  the  Church.  But  what  are  the  facts  of  the  case  ?  Peter 
had  denied  his  Lord  the  Christ :  he  had  fallen,  he  had  vir- 
tually excommunicated  himself,  when  with  oaths  and  curses 
he  said,  "  I  know  not  the  man/'  But  his  Lord  looked  upon 
him ;  and  his  look  of  love  melted  his  heart  into  penitence, 
and  opened  the  fountain  of  godly  sorrow.  And  now,  in  his 
tender  compassion,  his  blessed  Master  was  about  formally  to 
restore  him  to  his  office  as  pastor  of  Christ's  flock  :  hence  the 
question,  thrice  repeated,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou 
me  more  than  these  ?"  which  is  in  so  strange  a  manner  per- 
verted by  the  Romish  Church.  These  words,  "more  than 
these,"  we  are  told,  imply  that  he  was  to  have  more  power, 
and  therefore  he  was  to  have  more  love.  But,  instead  of  this, 
Christ  pointed  at  his  former  boastful  confidence,  when  he  said, 
"  Though  all  men  shall  be  offended  at  thee,  yet  will  I  never 
be  offended."  That  spirit  of  self-reliance — that  egotism  (so 
to  speak) — so  characteristic  of  Peter,  and  which  led  to  his 
fall,  required  correction  :  it  was  like  an  arrow  to  his  conscience 
when  Christ  said,  u  Lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  ?" — thou 
that  didst  say,  "  Though  all  men  shall  be  offended,  yet  will  I 
never  be  offended."  Lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  ?  "  Feed 
my  sheep,"  and  "  Feed  my  lambs."  By  the  words  "  feed," 
etc.,  he  simply  restored  to  him  that  pastoral  office  which  he 
had  lost,  with  an  affecting  allusion  to  his  fall.  Before  he  fell, 
Jesus  saw  his  danger,  and  said,  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that 
thy  faith  fail  not" — that  is,  may  not  finally  fail.  He  said, 
also,  "  When  thou  art  converted,  strengthen  thy  brethren." 
When,  therefore,  the  Lord  addresses  to  him  the  command, 
<<  Feed  my  lambs,"  it  is  just  as  if  he  had  said — "  Remember- 
ing how  thou  hast  been  tempted,  and  how  thou  hast  proved  so 
weak,  sympathize  in  thy  future  career  with  young,  and  weak, 
and  tempted,  and  afflicted  disciples,  and  comfort  the  feeblest 
of  Christ's  flock  with  the  comfort  wherewith  thou  thyself  art 
comforted  of  Cod."  And  when  he  said,  "Feed  my  sheep," 
and  "  Feed  my  lambs,"  as  a  whole  flock  is  composed  of  sheep 
and  Jambs  under  a  shepherd's  care,  so  he  tells  him,  as  a  good 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  do  the  work  of  a  pastor  to  the 
Church  of  God.  ^  For  surely  this  was  nothing  more  than  the 
ordinary  commission  given  to  the  ministers  of  the  Church,  in 
fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  "  I  will  give  you  pastors  according 
to  mine  heart,  which  shall  feed  you  with  knowledge  and  urn 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  9 

derstanding."  (Jer.  iii.  15.)  It  was  the  commission  which 
was  given  to  the  Presbyters  of  the  Church  at  Ephesus,  when 
Paul  said,  "  Take  heed  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock, 
[both  sheep  and  lambs,]  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he 
hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood."  (Acts  xx.  28.)  Nay, 
let  Peter  again  be  a  witness.  Hear  what  he  says  in  the  fifth 
chapter  of  his  first  epistle :  "  The  elders  which  are  among  you 
I  exhort,  who  am  also  an  elder,  and  a  witness  of  the  sufferings 
of  Christ,  and  also  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that  shall  be  re- 
vealed :  feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the 
oversight  thereof,  not  by  constraint,  but  willingly;  not  for 
filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind;  neither  as  being  lords 
over  God's  heritage,  but  being  ensamples  to  the  flock.  And 
when  the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  [he  does  not  call  him- 
self, but  Christ,  the  chief  Shepherd,]  ye  shall  receive  a  crown 
of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away."  And  when,  finally,  we  are 
told  that  the  "lambs"  were  the  laity,  and  the  "sheep"  were 
the  clergy,  Peter  being  constituted  governor  of  both,  surely  it 
is  impossible  to  look  at  such  an  interpretation  without  at  once 
seeing  its  absurdity.*  Does  not  every  child  know  that  a  flock 
consists  of  both  sheep  and  lambs  ?  Are  not  the  "  sheep"  evi- 
dently mature  and  advanced  believers,  "the  lambs"  the  young, 
the  feeble  disciples  ?  And  is  not  the  Christian  pastor  com- 
missioned to  feed  both?  If  the  "lambs"  mean  the  laity,  and 
the  "sheep"  the  clergy,  then  as  the  lambs  in  process  of  time 
grow  into  sheep,  so  the  laity  at  a  certain  age  must  all  be 
turned  into  clergy !  The  argument  does  not  deserve  to  be 
dealt  with  seriously :  it  only  excites  a  smile  of  pity  for  the 
system  which  attempts  to  erect  on  such  a  foundation  a  super- 
structure of  oppression  and  error. 

II.  Having  disposed  of  these  passages  so  ostentatiously  put 
forth,  and  so  constantly  quoted  and  relied  upon  by  the  abettors 
of  papal  supremacy,  let  us,  in  the  next  place,  show  that  Peter 
was  only  an  equal  among  his  brethren  the  apostles,  and  neither 
claimed  nor  exercised  any  superiority. 

First,  our  Lord's  own  supremacy  as  the  king  and  head  of 
the  Church,  standing  forth  in  solitary  grandeur  and  glory,  for- 


*  Bellarmine  gravely  declares  that  "the  bishops  are  the  ewes  or 
mothers  to  the  lambs."  (De  R.  Pontif.  cap.  16.) 
3 


10  THE   SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

bids  the  idea  of  a  second  head  of  the  Church,  whose  existence 
would  be  a  usurpation  of  the  claims  of  Him  who  is  "King  in 
Zion,"  Head  of  the  Church,  "  Head  over  all  things  to  the 
Church/'  and  who  in  all  things  must  have  the  preeminence. 
In  the  next  place,  we  read  in  Matt,  xxiii.  8-10,  "  But  be  not 
ye  called  Rabbi ;  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ  j  and 
all  ye  are  brethren.  And  call  no  man  your  father  upon  the  earth : 
for  one  is  your  Father,  which  is  in  heaven.     Neither  be  ye 
called  masters ;  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ."     We 
ask,  How  could  Christ  have  spoken  in  such  unqualified  terms 
against  the  assumption  of  preeminence  by  any  of  the  apostles, 
if,  by  the  language  of  Matthew,  chap,  xvi.,  he  had  made  Peter 
the  master  of  them   all?     Why  tell  them  to  call  no  man 
father,  when  he  had  but  a  short  time  before  made  one  man 
"  pope"  or  "  father  ?" 

When,  again,  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee  ambitiously  aspired, 
the  one  to  sit  at  the  right  hand,  and  the  other  at  the  left  hand 
of  Christ  when  he  came  into  his  kingdom,  while  the  other 
disciples  were  moved  with  indignation,  (Matt.  xx.  24,)  why 
did  not  Peter  or  his  brethren  make  reference  tohis  primacy, 
thus  presumptuously  trodden  upon  and  set  aside?  Surely 
such  pretensions  could  not  have  been  entertained  for  a  moment 
by  these  two  brethren,  had  it  been  a  recognized  fact  that  Peter, 
a  short  time  before,  had  been  made  their  pope,  their  primate, 
their  spiritual  head  !* 

Again,  we  find  that  there  was  a  dispute  amongst  the  dis- 
ciples, as  recorded  in  Mark  ix.  35,  as  to  which  of  them  should 
be  greatest ;  when  we  read,  that  Christ  "  sat  down,  and  called 
the  twelve,  and  saith  unto  them,  If  any  man  desire  to  be 
first,  the  same  shall  be  last  of  all,  and  servant  of  all."  Again, 
after  Christ  had  eaten  the  passover  with  his  disciples,  a  simi- 
lar contention  arose,  and  was  rebuked  in  the  same  spirit : 
"And  there  was  a  strife  among  them,  which  of  them  should 
be  accounted  the  greatest.  And  he  said  unto  them,  The  kings 
of  the  Gentiles  exercise  lordship  over  them ;  and  they  that 
exercise  authority  upon  them  are  called  benefactors.  But  ye 
shall  not  be  so ;  but  he  that  is  greatest  among  you,  let  him  be 

*  "  None  <>f  the  apostles  imagined  He  had  promised  the  supremacy 
to  Peter  by  these  words,  'Thou  art  Peter,'  for  then  neither  would 
these  two  persons  have  desired  it,  nor  would  the  rest  have  contended 
for  it  afterwards."     Luke  xxii.  24.   (Whitby  on  Matt.  xx.  20-28.) 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  11 

as  the  younger ;  and  lie  that  is  chief,  as  he  that  doth  serve." 
(Luke  xxii.  24-27.)  It  is  impossible  that  any  such  disputes, 
as  to  which  was  the  greatest,  could  have  arisen  amongst  the 
apostles,  if  Peter  had  been  already  invested  with  supreme 
authority.  If  Peter  had  been  previously  established  by 
Christ  as  prince  of  the  apostles,  the  language  which  he  now 
used  would  have  been  a  necessary  degradation  of  him,  his 
newly  appointed  "vicar,"  to  a  level  with  his  brethren. 

Further,  after  the  resurrection  and  ascension  of  Christ,  there 
is  no  evidence  that  any  act  of  supremacy  was  ever  exercised 
by  Peter  over  the  other  apostles.  In  the  election  of  deacons, 
as  recorded  in  Acts  vi.,  it  is  said,  "  The  twelve  [not  Peter] 
called  the  multitude  of  the  disciples  unto  them,  and  said,  It 
is  not  reason  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of  Grod,  and  serve 
tables."  The  disciples  chose  men,  "whom  they  set  before 
the  apostles ;  and  when  they  had  prayed,  they  laid  their  hands 
on  them."  In  Acts  xv.,  we  find  that  some  matters  of  dis- 
pute among  the  churches  were  referred  to  the  apostles  and 
elders  and  brethren  at  Jerusalem.  Peter  was  one  of  the 
speakers  at  this  assembly :  Paul  and  Barnabas  gave  their  sen- 
timents also ;  but  James  presided  over  the  assembly,  summed 
up  its  decision,  and  concluded  with  the  words,  "  My  sentence 
is," — and  so  on.  Now,  is  it  credible,  that  if  Peter  was  su- 
preme— if  he  was  the  pope,  the  chief  of  the  apostles — if  he 
was  the  visible  head  of  the  Church — he  should,  on  such  an 
occasion  as  this,  the  first  synod  of  the  New  Testament  Church 
which  was  constituted,  appear  there  only  as  a  member  of  the 
court,  and  that  another  apostle  should  preside,  and  should  give 
the  sentence  ?  Surely  it  follows  that  a  visible  personal  head  was 
not  necessary  for  the  settlement  of  points  of  doctrine  or  dis- 
cipline, and  that  if  such  a  head  was  required,  Peter  was  not 
that  head. 

We  find,  moreover,  that  the  primitive  Church,  in  its  treat- 
ment of  Peter,  dealt  with  him  simply  as  another  apostle,  as 
an  equal,  and  not  a  superior.  The  pope  sends  legates  to 
transact  the  business  of  the  Church,  while  he  remains  at  home, 
in  what  he  is  pleased  to  call  "  St.  Peter's  chair  ;"*  and  as  Peter, 


*  Romanists  confidently  maintain  that  the  chair  so  called  was 
really  occupied  by  St.  Peter,  as  the  prince  of  the  apostles,  and  the 
first  pope.     In  Lady  Morgan's  "Italy,"  vol.  ii.,  we  find  the  following 


12  THE    SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

the  first  of  the  popes,  would  unquestionably  be  the  greatest 
of  them  all,  is  it  not  strange  that  ho  did  not  stay  at  home  on 
his  "throne,"  and  send  his  servants,  the  other  apostles,  to 
any  part  of  the  world  which  required  their  presence,  rather 
than  be  sent  by  them  ?  But  in  Acts  viii.  14,  we  read,  "Now 
when  the  apostles  which  were  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  Samaria 
had  received  the  word  of  God,  they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and 
John."  These  facts  are  incompatible  with  the  notions  enter- 
tained by  Romanists,  that  Peter  was  the  chief  of  the  apostles, 
and  the  head  of  the  Church.  The  pope  sends,  hut  is  not  sent 
by  any. 

Again,  the  Apostle  Paul,  who  was  one  of  the  humblest  of 
men,  who  declared  that  he  was  "less  than  the  least  of  all 
saints,"  and  "the  chief"  of  sinners,  who  was  by  no  means 
disposed  unduly  to  exalt  himself,  and  strenuously  preached 
submission  to  spiritual  rulers,  emphatically  declared,  (2  Cor. 
xi.  5,)  that  he  "was  not  a  whit  behind  the  very  chiefest 
apostles."  Could  he  possibly  have  said  this,  if  it  were  not 
true  ?  And  how  could  it  be  true  if  Peter  was  his  prince  ? 
What !  the  holy,  humble  Paul,  to  declare  that  he  was  not  a 
whit  behind  the  vicar  of  Christ,  the  viceregent  of  God,  the 
supreme  ruler  of  the  Church  on  earth !  Let  Roman  Catho- 
lics only  reflect :  suppose  any  cardinal  or  bishop  to  declare,  in 
a  public  document,  that  he  was  not  a  whit  behind  the  chief 
pastor  or  pope  himself:  what  would  be  thought  of  him?  Is 
not  the  conclusion,  then,  evident  that  there  was  no  difference 


passage:  "The  sacrilegious  character  of  the  French  broke  through 
all  obstacles  to  men  seeing  the  chair  of  St.  Peter.  They  actually  re- 
moved its  superb  casket  and  discovered  the  relic.  Upon  its  moulder- 
ing and  dusty  surface  were  traced  carvings  which  bore  the  appearance 
of  letters.  The  chair  was  quickly  brought  into  another  light,  the 
dust  and  cobwebs  removed,  and  the  inscription  (for  inscription  it  was) 
faithfully  copied.  The  writing  is  in  Arabic  characters,  and  is  the 
well-known  confession  of  tho  Mohammedan  faith:  'There  is  but  one 
God,  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet.'  "  Cardinal  Wiseman  has  denied 
the  truth  of  this  statement.  Lady  Morgan  reiterates  her  statement, 
and  gives  the  authority  of  Donon  and  Champollion,  the  two  eminent 
French  naturalists.  Dcnon  declares  that  he  saw  the  chair  and  the 
inscription.  Kindred  to  this  imposture  was  the  exhibition  at  Home, 
in  the  ninth  century,  of  two  large  silver  keys,  to  which  the  people 
paid  adoration,  being  assured  they  were  the  very  keys  which  Christ 
had  given  to  St.  Peter!     (Pictet.  Theol.  Chret.  tome  ii.  p.  425.) 


WITHOUT    FOUNDATION.  13 

of  rank  among  the  apostles  ?  Observe,  Paul  does  not  say, 
"  the  chief  apostle" — using  the  singular  number — which  he 
must  have  done,  had  Peter  been  above  all  the  rest ;  but  he 
refers  to  Peter,  John,  and  James,  who,  in  Gral.  ii.  9,  are  called 
"  pillars"  of  the  Church.  Moreover,  Paul  says  (Gral.  ii.  11)  that 
he  withstood  Peter  to  the  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed. 
Here,  if  Peter  was  supreme,  we  have  one  of  the  best  of  men 
actually  at  war  with  his  master,  and  rebelling  against  his  spi- 
ritual head  and  sovereign. 

And  here,  reminded  as  we  are  of  Peter's  faults,  may  we 
not  ask,  "What  reason  was  there  why  the  Lord  Jesus  should 
bestow  a  supremacy  upon  him  rather  than  upon  any  other 
apostle?"  "I  think  (says  an  eminent  writer*)  if  deserts  be 
weighed,  Peter  deserved  no  more  than  the  rest  of  Christ's 
followers.  Nay,  I  think  the  wisdom  of  the  Spirit,  foreseeing 
the  questions  which  should  afterwards  arise  in  the  Church 
about  Peter,  hath  so  disposed  that  his  faults,  both  in  number 
more,  and  in  weight  greater,  than  any  of  the  rest,  should  be 
evidently  set  forth  in  Scripture."  Was  it  nothing  to  depre- 
cate the  Saviour's  death  upon  the  cross,  and  thereby  make 
himself  an  "adversary"  (as  the  word  "Satan"  signifies)  to 
the  redemption  of  the  Church  of  God?  (Matt.  xvi.  22,23.)  Was 
it  nothing,  when  Christ  foretold  his  fall,  that,  instead  of  trem- 
lingly  imploring  from  his  Master  grace  and  strength,  he 
should,  "  not  only  unadvisedly,  but  almost  impiously,"^  say, 
"  Though  all  men  shall  be  offended  because  of  thee,  yet  will 
I  never  be  offended  ?  (Matt.  xxvi.  33.)  And  was  not  the  sin  in- 
deed aggravated,  when  three  times,  and  within  a  brief  period, 
he  said,  with  oaths  and  curses,  "  I  know  not  the  man !"  (Matt, 
xxvi.  74.)  Grod  forbid  that  we  should  seek  to  cast  dishonor  on 
the  memory  of  one  who,  cured  of  his  besetting  sins  of  rash- 
ness and  "  the  fear  of  man  wherewith  cometh  a  snare/'  lived 
to  testify  with  great  "  boldness"  (Acts  iv.  13,  19,  20)  for  his 
Lord  and  Master,  and  who,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  died 
a  martyr  for  him.  We  only  refer  to  these  failings  of  the 
Apostle  Peter  to  check  that  preposterous  zeal  which  ascribes 
to  Peter  what  he  never  thought  of  assuming,  and  which  has 
even  dared  to  extenuate^  a  crime,  the  blackness  of  which  the 

*  Willet,  p.  157. 

f  Augustin  Tractate  25  in  Matt. 

j  "  Some  men  may  excuse  Peter  by  saying  that  he  did  nothing  1ml 


14  THE    SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

blood  of  Jesus  only  could  cleanse,  and  over  whose  enormity 
he  himself  "wept  bitterly."   (Matt.  xxvi.  75.) 

We  conclude,  then,  without  hesitation,  from  the  whole  re- 
view of  Scripture  testimony  with  regard  to  Peter  and  the 
other  apostles,  that  his  alleged  primacy  was  never  established 
by  Christ,  never  claimed  by  himself,  and  never  recognized  by 
his  contemporaries. 

And  as  to  the  "  fathers,"  (whom  Roman  Catholics  are  taught 
so  profoundly  to  reverence,)  they  assert  in  express  terms  that 
all  the  apostles  are  to  be  coordinate  in  power  and  authority. 
St.  Cyprian  says,  "  The  other  apostles  were,  that  which  Peter 
was,  invested  with  an  equality  of  honor  and  power."  St. 
Chrysostoni  says  that  St.  Paul  showeth  that  each  apostle  did 
enjoy  equal  honor  and  dignity,  Gal.  ii.  8 ;  and  comparing  St. 
Paul  to  St.  Peter,  he  calls  St.  .Paul,  "  taoTtfiog  avT(x>,"  equal 
in  honor  to  him.  St.  Cyril,  Jerome,  Dionysius,  Isidore,  and 
all  the  fathers  of  the  first  300  years,  use  the  same  language.* 

III.  In  the  next  place,  let  us  show  that  there  is  no  Scrip- 
ture evidence  that  Peter  was  bishop  of  Rome  at  all.  Roman- 
ists tell  us  that  Peter  was  first  bishop  of  Antioch :  that  he 
afterwards  removed  to  Rome,  where  he  continued  for  a  space 
of  twenty-five  years. 

We  remark,  in  the  first  place,  that  it  is  absurd  to  suppose 
an  apostle  to  have  been  a  bishop — that  is,  the  pastor,  or  over- 
seer, or  presiding  ruler  of  a  particular  church,  or  district,  or 
diocese,  because  constant  residence  in  one  place  was  contrary 
to  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles.  They  were  appointed 
to  be  "witnesses  for  Christ  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
earth."  (Acts  i.  8.)  They  were  the  property  of  the  Church 
at  large  j  and  they  would  have  been  guilty  of  a  violation  of 
their  duty  if  they  had  confined  their  labors  to  a  particular 
part  of  it.     Peter  is  degraded  by  the  supposition  that,  being 

as  Christ  forewarned  him.  What  then?  If  Peter  did  not  amiss, 
because  his  fall  was  foretold,  then  Judas  did  well,  too,  in  betraying 
Christ,  for  this,  also,  Christ  showed  before."  (Aug.  Tract,  in  Johann. 
66.)  "He  wept  bitterly,"  his  sin  was  very  great.  How,  then,  dare 
one  of  your  sect  say,  with  blasphemous  mouth,  "  Peter  denied  the  failh 
of  Christ,  but  he  denied  Christ,  his  faith  remaining  safe  and  sound?" 
(Willet,  p.  158.) 

*  Quoted  in  Neal's  Discourse,  p.  19,  in  Salter's  Hall  Lectures. 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  15 

an  apostle,  he  became  pastor  and  bishop  of  either  Antioch  or 
Rome. 

But  there  is  no  satisfactory  evidence  that  he  was  ever 
bishop  of  Rome.  Uncertain  traditions  and  doubtful  argu- 
ments will  not  here  avail.  If  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  ap- 
pointed Peter  bishop  of  Rome  and  head  of  the  Church  on 
earth,  and  if  it  was  his  intention  that  all  subsequent  bishops 
of  that  see  should  succeed  him  in  his  prerogatives,  and  that 
Christians  in  every  age  should  look  up  to  them  as  their  gover- 
nors and  guides,  we  might  reasonably  expect  that  the  fact  on 
which  such  a  mighty  superstructure  is  reared  would  be  clearly 
made  known  in  Scripture.  On  that  subject,  however,  it  pre- 
serves a  profound  silence.  Romanists  appeal,  indeed,  to  a 
verse  in  the  first  Epistle  of  Peter,  where  he  says,  "  The 
Church  which  is  at  Babylon  salute  you;"  and  affirm  that  this 
is  Rome,  because  Rome  is  called  Babylon  in  the  Revelation 
of  John,  and  that  consequently  Peter  was  there  when  he 
wrote.  But  this  is  a  miserable  shift.  In  the  book  of  Reve- 
lation, where  symbolical  names  and  language  are  employed, 
the  name  of  "Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great,"  is  given  to  papal 
Rome.*  There  were  two  Babylons  in  Peter's  day,  one  in 
Syria,  the  other  in  Egypt,  from  either  of  which  he  might  date 
his  letter.  But  the  change  of  the  name  would  be  altogether 
improper,  in  a  plain  epistle,  in  which  there  is  no  possible  rea- 
son for  concealment.  It  is,  moreover,  decisive  against  the 
idea  that  Peter  was  resident  bishop  of  Rome,  that  Paul,  in  his 
epistle  to  the  Christians  there,  fifteen  years  after  Peter's  sup- 
posed translation  from  Antioch  to  Rome,  sends  no  salutation 
to  Peter.  Could  this  be  possible,  if  he  was  in  Rome  as  its 
bishop,  and  the  Church's  universal  head?  Again,  when 
Paul  was  a  prisoner  at  Rome,  can  we  believe  he  would  have 
complained,  "At  my  first-  answer  no  man  stood  with  me,"  if 
Peter  had  been  there  ?  Others  might  charge  Peter  with  a 
repetition  of  his  act  of  cowardice,  but  far  be  it  from  us  to  do 
so.  He  was  cured  of  that  sin,  as  was  shown  by  "  the  bold- 
ness of  Peter  and  John"  before  the  council,  immortalized  in 
the  sacred  page.  (Acts  iv.  13.)  The  man  who  said,  in  the 
presence  of  danger  and  death,  "We  cannot  but  speak  the 

*  For  convincing  proof  of  this,  see  "Is  the  Church  of  Rome  the  Baby- 
lon of  the  Book  of  Revelation?"  By  C.  Wordsworth,  D.D.  London- 
Rivingtons. 


16  THE    SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

things  that  we  have  seen  and  heard" — the  man  who  sniil, 
"  It  Is  Letter  to  obey  God  rather  than  man," — that  man  would 
have  died  with  Paul  rather  than  have  forsaken  him.  "When 
Paul,  therefore,  said,  "At  my  first  answer  no  man  stood  with 
me,  but  all  men  forsook  me  :  I  pray  God  that  it  may  not  be 
laid  to  their  charge,"  we  are  persuaded  Peter  was  not  at  Rome 
at  nil.  Paul  remained  there  two  whole  years,  wrote  several 
epistles  from  that  city,  mentioned  to  the  Colossians  (iv.  10, 
11)  the  names  of  others  who  "  were  alone  his  fellow-workers/' 
but  never  Peter's  name.  In  the  epistles  of  the  apostles  James 
and  Judc,  there  is  not  a  single  allusion  to  Peter,  nor  any  that 
can  be  pressed  into,  the  service  of  his  supposed  supremacy. 
The  apostle  John  lived  forty  years  longer  than  Peter,  yet 
neither  in  his  epistles,  nor  in  "the  book  of  the  Revelation," 
do  we  find  one  word  about  the  apostolic  chair.  But  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  of  Peter's  supremacy,  the  apostle  John 
owed  allegiance  to  the  see  of  Rome.  Coupling  this  with  the 
fact  already  mentioned — that  an  apostle's  commission  was  as 
wide  as  the  world — even  though  it  may  be  true,  as  dim  tra- 
dition might  indicate,  that  towards  the  close  of  his  life  Peter 
came  to  Rome,  and  was  martyred,  there  is  no  proof  whatever 
that  he  was  bishop  of  what  is  called  the  Romish  see. 

IV  Therefore,  we  maintain,  finally,  that  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  his  supposed  plenary  authority  was  transferred  by 
Peter  to  the  bishops  of  Rome.  Even  if  it  were  granted  that 
St.  Peter  was  bishop  of  Rome,  and  the  supreme  head  of  the 
Church,  the  possession  of  that  supremacy  terminated  with 
himself.  Rut  the  office  of  an  earthly  vicar,  and  supreme 
pontiff,  was  never  claimed  by  Peter,  who  simply  called  him- 
self, when  writing  to  ministers,  "an  elder,"  or,  literally,  "a 
fellow-elder."  (1  Pet.  v.  1.)  As  an  apostle,  one  who  had 
"  seen  the  Lord,"  and  had  received  his  commission  as  well  as 
the  power  of  working  miracles  immediately  from  him,  he 
could  have  no  successor.*  How  unfounded,  therefore,  the  as- 
sertion of  the  Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  "that  it  is 
evident  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  fathers,  and  the  tra- 
ditions of  the  Church  in  all  ages,  that  the  commission  given 
to  St.  Peter  descended  to  the  popes  or  bishops  of  Rome." 
The  history  of  the  first  three  centuries  is  entirely  silent  on 

*  See  Barrow's  unanswerable  Treatise  on  "The  Supremacy." 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  17 

the  subject.  It  has  been  shown  by  Archbishop  Usher,  in  his 
celebrated  "Answer  to  a  Jesuit/'  that  documents  have  been 
actually  forged  to  support  the  cause  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
and  to  establish  the  supremacy  of  Peter.  Here  are  the  words 
of  Usher : 

" '  Before  the  Council  of  Nice/  it  hath  been  observed  by 
iEneas  Sylvius,  (who  sometime  was  pope  himself,)  '  little  re- 
spect, to  speak  of,  was  paid  to  the  Church  of  Rome/  Epist. 
288.  If  this  may  be  thought  to  prejudice  the  dignity  of  that 
Church,  which  would  be  held  to  have  sat  as  queen  among  the 
nations  from  the  very  beginning  of  Christianity,  you  shall 
have  a  crafty  merchant  (Isidorus  Mercator,  I  trow,  they  call 
him)  that  will  help  the  matter  by  counterfeiting  decretal 
epistles  in  the  name  of  the  primitive  bishops  of  Rome,  and 
bringing  in  thirty  of  them  in  a  row,  as  so  many  knights  of  the 
post,  to  bear  witness  of  that  great  authority  which  the  Church 
of  Rome  enjoyed  before  the  Nicene  fathers  were  assembled. 
If  the  Nicene  fathers  have  not  amplified  the  bounds  of  her 
jurisdiction  in  so  large  a  manner  as  she  desired,  she  hath  had 
her  well-wishers  who  have  supplied  the  council's  negligence  in 
that  respect,  and  made  canons  for  the  purpose  in  the  name  of 
the  good  fathers,  who  never  dreamed  of  such  a  business.  If 
the  power  of  judging  all  others  will  not  content  the  pope, 
unless  he  himself  may  be  exempted  from  being  judged  by  any 
other,  another  council,  as  ancient  at  least  as  that  of  Nice,  shall 
be  suborned;  wherein  shall  be  concluded  by  the  consent  of 
284  imaginary  bishops,  that — i  Nemo  enim  judicabit  primam 
sedem,'  '  No  man  may  judge  the  first  seat/  (that  is,  Rome.)" 

A  well-known  modern  writer,  distinguished  by  his  candor 
and  piety,  has  thus  summed  up  the  proof  that  the  alleged 
transference  of  Peter's  supposed  supremacy  was  utterly  un- 
known in  the  Church  in  primitive  times  :  "  From  thirty-three 
years  to  the  end  of  the  first  century,  no  heretic  scoffed  at  the 
successor  of  Peter :  no  skeptic  expressed  his  doubts :  no 
church  asked  proof  of  his  primacy  :  no  bishop  inquired  as  to 
the  nature  and  extent  of  his  jurisdiction.  The  churches 
made  no  appeal  to  Peter's  successor,  nor  did  he  issue  any  in- 
junction to  the  churches.  No  deputations  were  sent  to  ex- 
press their  homage  :  no  treatises  written  to  guide  their  loyalty. 
There  was  no  manifesto,  no  explanation — no  encyclical  letter 
3* 


18  THE    SUPREMACY   OE   THE    POPE 

from  Peter's  chair.  All  churches,  all  bishops,  all  the  world 
were  as  silent  about  Peter's  episcopate,  and  the  claims  of  his 
successor,  as  if  Peter  had  never  been  at  Rome.  The  second 
century  flowed  by,  and  this  extraordinary  silence  was  still  pro- 
found and  universal.  The  third  century  came  and  went, 
before  a  single  bishop  broke  it.  Thirty-two  bishops  of  Rome, 
from  Linus  and  Sylvester,  raised  to  be  vicars  of  Christ,  and 
spiritual  emperors  over  all  the  churches  of  the  world,  never 
once  offered  their  credentials,  nor  mentioned  the  foundation 
of  their  author.  Owing  as  they  did  to  Peter's  episcopate  a 
spiritual  empire,  compared  with  which  Cassar's  was  contempt- 
ible, they  never  proved  the  fact — never  mentioned  it — did  not 
seem  to  know  it.  Thirty-two  bishops  of  Rome,  other  bishops, 
and  thousands  of  churches  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  permitted 
about  two  centuries  to  pass  after  the  death  of  Peter  before 
they  uttered  one  syllable  to  announce  that  he  was  bishop  of 
the  Church  of  Rome. 

"  Plow  can  we  escape  from  the  conclusion  that  he  never  was 
its  bishop,  and  that  its  bishops  are  no  vicars  of  Christ  ? 

"  In  another  aspect,  the  silence  is  still  more  astonishing,  on 
the  supposition  that  Peter  was  bishop  of  Rome,  and  that  the 
pope,  as  his  successor,  is  the  vicar  of  Christ.  When  the  Al- 
mighty (who  has  numbered  the  hairs  of  our  heads,  and  orders 
all  events,  even  to  the  death  of  a  sparrow)  raised  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  he  took  care  that  a  fact  so  ma- 
terial to  us  should  bo  established  by  the  testimony  of  nume- 
rous eye-witnesses.  But  now,  when  the  episcopate  of  Peter 
at  Rome  was  to  be  determined,  (as  you  say,)  the  vicar  of 
Christ,  the  emperor  of  the  universal  Church,  he  did  not  pro- 
vide a  single  eye-witness  :  he  did  not  secure  any  competent 
testimony.  He  allowed  a  profound  silence  respecting  it  for 
two  hundred  years,  and  now  requires  men,  on  pain  of  eternal 
damnation,  to  become  subjects  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  with- 
out any  other  proof  of  their  appointment  than  that  furnished 
by  the  dicta  of  a  remote  church  in  the  fourth  century,  and  a 
monk  of  a  foreign  convent  still  later,  who  do  not  offer  the 
least  evidence  to  support  their  opinion.  To  believe  this  is  not 
faith,  nor  even  simple  credulity,  but  to  impute  to  the  holy 
God  a  neglect  of  which  no  human  government  would  have 
been  guilty,  and  a  severity  by  which  any  human  government 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  19 

would  be  disgraced.  For  myself,  I  find  it  easier  to  believe 
that  Peter  never  was  bishop  of  Rome."* 

If  the  reader  asks  how  it  was  that  the  supremacy  of  the 
pope  arose,  we  shall  proceed  briefly  to  explain  it. 

By  degrees,  the  spirit  of  "  Diotrephes,  who  loved  to  have 
the  preeminence,"  crept  in  among  the  ministers  of  the  Church, 
and  those  who  were  pastors  in  large  cities  came  to  be  regarded 
with  greater  honor,  and  to  assume  greater  authority.  For  a 
considerable  time,  the  city  of  Rome  continued  under  Pagan 
emperors ;  but,  as  is  well  known,  in  the  fourth  century,  Chris- 
tianity became  the  religion  of  the  state  under  Constantine. 
The  empire  was  divided  into  two  parts — the  eastern,  with  Con- 
stantinople as  its  capital ;  and  the  western,  with  Eome  as  its 
chief  city.  The  emperors  preferred  to  reside  in  the  eastern 
city,  and  retired  thither  with  their  court.  Accordingly,  the 
influence  of  that  eastern  capital  rose ;  and  the  patriarch  of 
Constantinople  not  only  began  to  vie  with  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
but,  by  reason  of  imperial  favor,  bade  fair  to  become  chief 
bishop  and  head  of  the  universal  Church.  Against  this  pre- 
tension and  proposal  the  bishops  of  Rome  protested ;  and  one 
of  them,  (Gregory  the  G-reat,)  in  a  letter  on  this  subject,  de- 
clared that  he  who  dared  to  assume  the  title  of  universal 
bishop  would  be  the  forerunner  of  Antichrist;  most  truly, 
that  none  of  the  apostles  assumed  it,  and  that  it  could  only  be 
thought  of  by  "one  who  wished  to  be  subject  to  none,  and 
that  all  might  be  subject  to  him.;;f 

Notwithstanding  all  such  reasoning,  however,  the  emperor 
Mauritius  appointed  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople  universal 
bishop.  But,  shortly  afterwards,  this  emperor  was  murdered 
by  Phocas :  who  became  emperor,  transferred  his  court  to 
Rome,  revoked  the  decree  constituting  the  patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople universal  bishop,  and  conferred  the  title  on  Boni- 
face III.,  bishop  of  Rome,  A.D.  607 

Such  was  the  origin  of  papal  supremacy,  and  thus  it  was, 

*  Letters  on  the  Church  of  Rome,  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Emmanuel 
Terant,  B.D.  Letter  I.  by  the  Hon.  and  Rev.  B.  W.  Noel,  M.  A. 
Nisbet&  Co.,  1851. 

j-  The  words  of  his  final  protest  were  these :  "I  tell  you  confidently 
that  he  who  styles  himself,  or  wishes  to  be  styled,  universal  priest, 
does  in  his  self-exaltation  anticipate  Antichrist,  setting  himself  in  pride 
above  his  fellows." 


20  THE   SUPREMACY   OF   THE   POPE 

that  a  colossal  power  arose  in  Europe,  which  has  again  and 
again  overtopped  the  proudest  monarchies,  released  subjects 
from  their  allegiance,  and  trodden  down  with  its  iron  heel  the 
religious  liberties  of  a  large  portion  of  mankind.  Its  unscrip- 
tural  character  and  its  growing  power  may  be  judged  of  by 
the  following  brief  statement  of  facts.  In  the  eighth  century, 
Pope  Gregory  II.  boasted  to  the  Greek  emperor,  "All  the 
kings  of  the  earth  reverence  the  pope  as  God."  The  emperor 
Charlemagne  consented  to  receive  his  titles  and  his  honors 
from  the  pope.  In  the  coronation  oath  of  the  western  em- 
perors, they  swore  they  would  be  submissive  to  the  popes  and 
their  Roman  successors.  The  emperors  Otho  and  Randolphus 
both  received  their  imperial  crowns  as  a  grant  from  the  pope. 
John  of  England  was  compelled  humbly  to  receive  his  crown  as 
the  pope's  vassal.  In  A.I).  1155,  Pope  Adrian  IV  permitted 
Henry  II.  of  England  to  subjugate  Ireland,  on  condition  of 
his  giving  a  quit-rent  to  the  pope  for  each  house  in  it.  On 
the  discovery  of  America,  Prince  Henry  of  Portugal  applied 
to  the  pope  to  grant  to  the  Portuguese  every  country  they 
might  discover.  A  bull  accordingly  was  issued,  granting  the 
petition,  on  the  ground  that  the  heathen  had  been  given  to 
Christ  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
for  his  possession.  We  find  Pope  Nicholas  I.  requiring  kings 
to  hold  the  bridle  of  his  horse.  The  Emperor  Barbarossa  and 
Louis  II.  of  France  did  so,  and  up  to  the  sixteenth  century, 
monarchs  were  wont  to  kiss  the  pope's  feet.  The  Emperoi 
Henry,  having  offended  the  pope,  (Hildebrand,)  was  com- 
pelled to  wait  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  depth  of 
winter  barefooted  and  clothed  in  sackcloth,  in  the  court-yard 
of  the  fortress  of  Canossa,  before  the  proud  pontiff  would  re- 
lent and  forgive  him.  In  the  year  1191,  Pope  Celestine  kicked 
the  crown  from  the  head  of  the  Emperor  Henry  IV.,  which 
Baronius  the  historian  says  was  a  sign  that  the  pope  had  the 
power  of  deposing,  as  he  alone  had  the  prerogative  of  making, 
kings.  In  later  times,  Pope  Pius  V  issued  a  bull  deposing 
Queen  Elizabeth,  absolving  her  subjects  from  the  oath  of  al- 
legiance, and  anathematizing  such  as  continued  in  their  obe- 
dience. In  this  bull,  the  ltomish  pontiff  is  declared  to  have 
been  appointed  prince  over  all  nations  and  over  all  kingdoms, 
to  root  out,  destroy,  disperse,  plant,  and  build. 

The  canon  law  is  the  law  of  the  liomish  Church  at  this  day, 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  21 

to  the  teaching  of  which,  (the  things  delivered,  defined,  and 
declared  by  the  sacred  canons,*  etc.)  every  popish  priest 
swears  adherence,  and  for  the  carrying  out  of  which  in  Eng- 
land Cardinal  Wiseman  has  declared  a  change  from  vicars 
apostolic  to  a  regular  hierarchy  to  be  absolutely  necessary. 

The  following  are  some  of  its  decrees :  "  The  bishop  of 
Rome  may  excommunicate  emperors  and  princes,  depose  them 
from  their  states,  and  assoil  their  subjects  from  their  oath  and 
obedience  to  them,  and  so  constrain  them  to  rebellion."  "The 
bishop  of  Rome  may  give  authority  to  arrest  men  and  im- 
prison them  in  manacles  and  fetters."  And  in  strict  accord- 
ance with  this  are  the  facts  of  history  already  alluded  to,  as 
well  as  those  cruel  persecutions  which,  under  papal  authority, 
were  waged  against  those  who,  in  different  ages,  refused  to 
recognize  the  unscriptural  claims  of  the  Romish  see.  We 
need  only  refer  to  the  bloody  crusade  against  the  Waldenses 
and  Albigenses,  and  the  establishment  of  the  inquisition, 
both  sanctioned  by  Pope  Innocent  III. ;  the  massacre  of  St. 
Bartholomew  in  Paris,  for  which  the  pope  and  his  cardinal 
gave  thanks  at  St.  Peter's;  the  massacre  of  the  Protestants 
in  Ireland,  which  Pope  Urban  VIII.  had  instigated  and  en- 
couraged by  a  bull,  offering  indulgence  to  all  who  would  assist 
in  the  work  of  exterminating  heretics.  Is  this  the  religion  of 
Him  who  "came  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  ?" 

We  find  it  clearly  taught  in  Scripture  that  the  day  of 
Christ's  second  advent  should  not  arrive,  "  except  there  come 
a  falling  away  first,  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  son 
of  perdition ;  who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that 
is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped."  (2  Thess.  ii.  3, 4.)  We 
have  already  seen  how  the  papal  power  has  exalted  itself,  in 
disposing  of  crowns  and  kingdoms.  But  besides  this,  we  find 
that  the  practical  result  of  "  the  supremacy  of  the  pope"  has 
been  to  invest  him  with  Divine  authority,  so  that  claiming  to 
rule  the  Church  of  Christ,  "  He  as  God  sitteth  in  the  temple 
of  God,"  showing  himself  that  he  is  God,  claiming  the  titles 
and  prerogatives  which  belong  to  God  alone.  The  canon  law 
accordingly  declares  "the  bishop  of  Rome  hath  authority  to 
judge  all  men,  and  specially  to  judge  the  articles  of  faith, 
and  that  without  any  council,  and  may  assoil  them  that  the 

*  Creed  of  Pius  IV. 


22  THE   SUPREMACY   OP  THE  POPE 

council  hath  damned;  but  no  man  hath  authority  to  judge 
him,  nor  to  meddle  with  any  thing  that  he  hath  judged, 
neither  emperor,  king,  the  people,  nor  the  clergy;  and  it  is  not 
lawful  for  any  man  to  dispute  of  his  power."  Again,  "  the 
bishop  of  Rome  may  be  judged  of  none  but  of  God  only;  for 
although  he  neither  regards  his  own  salvation  nor  any  man's 
else,  but  draws  down  with  himself  innumerable  people  by 
heaps  into  hell,  yet  may  no  mortal  man  in  this  world  presume 
to  reprehend  him ;  forasmuch  as  he  is  called  God,  he  may  not 
he  judged  of  men,  for  God  may  be  judged  of  no  man."  In 
the  fourth  session  of  the  Lateran  council,  the  Venetian  pre- 
late addressed  the  pope  thus  :  "  Thou  art  our  shepherd,  our 
physician,  in  short,  alter  Deus  in  terris — another  God  upon 
earth." 

In  an  account  of  the  inauguration  of  Pope  Innocent,  (pub- 
lished by  Dr.  Bancke,  in  Friesland,  A.D.  1645,  who  had  wit- 
nessed the  ceremony  at  Rome,)  it  is  stated  that  Cardinal  Co- 
lonna  thus  addressed  the  pope:   "0  most  holy  and  blessed 
father,  head  of  the   Church,  ruler  of  the  world,  thy  holi- 
ness."   A  medal  struck  at  the  mint  in  the  Vatican  represents 
Pope  Eugenius  IV.,  and  on  the  obverse  two  cardinals  putting 
the  tiara  on  the  pontiff's  head,  with  the  motto,  u  Quern  creant 
adorn  nt" — "Whom  they  create,  him  they  adore."   On  another 
medal  is  represented  Innocent  III.,  and  a  king  kneeling  at  his 
feet  with  his  crown  in  his  hand.     The  pope  is  seated  in  his 
chair  in  the  act  cf  blessing  the  discrowned  king,  and  the  in- 
scription is,  "JEcce,  sic  henedicetur  homo" — "  Thus  shall  man 
be  blessed."     In  the  sixth  session  of  the  Lateran,  A.D.  1514, 
the  bishop  of  Modrusium  called  the  pope  the  "  Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,"  and  said,  "Thou  shalt  reign  from  sea  to  sea, 
and  from  the  Tiber  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."   "Thou  art  our 
shepherd,  our  physician,  in  short,  a  second  God  upon  earth." 
In  the  ninth  session  of  the  fifth  council  of  Lateran,  Anthony 
Pucci  addressed  the  pope  thus  :  "  The  sight  of  thy  divine 
majesty  does  not  a  little  terrify  me,  for  I  am  not  ignorant  that 
all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is  given  unto  thee  :  that  pro- 
phetic saying  is  now  fulfilled,  'All  the  kings  of  the  earth  shall 
worship  him,  and  all  nations  shall  serve  him.'"     Cardinal 
Bellarmine*  declares  that  "  the  pope  is  the  father  of  the  faith- 


*  In  Pontif.  Rom.  lib.  i. 


WITHOUT   FOUNDATION.  23 

ful,  the  pontiff  of  Christians,  prince  of  priests,  vicar  of  Christ, 
head  of  the  body,  foundation  of  the  building,  bridegroom  of 
the  Church."  The  canon  law  declares  that  "  the  bishop  of 
Rome  may  open  and  shut  heaven  unto  men/' 

Now,  let  the  Roman  Catholic  reader  compare  these  titles 
given  to  the  pope  with  the  teachings  of  Holy  Scripture,  and 
then  say  whether  he  does  not  blasphemously  usurp  the  honors 
due  to  G-od  and  Christ  alone.  Is  the  pope  called  "  his  holi- 
ness," and  styled  the  "holy  father?"  these  are  the  names  given 
to  God.  (Isaiah  xliii.  15;  John  xvii.  11.)  Is  the  pope  de- 
scribed as  the  " pontifex maximus,"  the  "great  high  priest?" 
This  is  the  name  peculiar  to  Christ,  the  great  "High  Priest 
of  our  profession."  (Heb.  iii.  1.)  Is  the  pope  called  "the 
husband  of  the  Church,"  and  at  "consecration  is  a  ring  put 
on  his  finger,  to  signify  that  he  is  wedded  to  the  Church  ?" 
Then  this  is  the  usurpation  of  the  place  of  Christ,  who  is  "the 
Bridegroom;"  (John  iii.  29;)  the  Church  being  "the  Lamb's 
wife"  (Rev.  xxi.  9.)  Is  the  pope  called  "the  good  shep- 
herd"* and  "the  chief  shepherd?"  Then  both  titles  belong 
to  Christ  alone.  (John  x.  14 ;  1  Pet.  v.  4.)  Does  Bellarmine, 
a  great  Romish  authority,  tell  us  that  the  pope  is  "  The  head 
of  the  body  ?"  In  this  he  contradicts  an  apostle  who  says  of 
Christ,  "He  is  the  head  of  the  body;"  (Col.  i.  18;)  "The 
head,  even  Christ."  (Eph.  iv.  15.)  Is  the  pope  styled  the 
"foundation  of  the  building?"  This  is  in  express  opposition 
to  the  claims  of  Him  who  is  "the  Head  of  the  corner,"  and 
''the  chief  Corner  stone."  (Matt.  xxi.  42;  Eph.  ii.  20.)  And 
is  not  Christ  alone  called  "The  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah?" 
(Rev.  v.  5.)  Is  it  not  of  Him  alone  that  it  can  be  said  that 
"he  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth;  and  shutteth,  and  no 
man  openeth?"  (Rev.  iii.  7)  Is  not  Christ  the  only  one  of 
whom  it  is  declared  that  "  He  shall  have  dominion  from  sea 
to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  and 
that  "all  kings  shall  bow  down  before  him — all  nations  shall 
serve  him  ?"  (Psalm  lxxii.  8-10 ;)  and  yet,  as  we  have  seen, 
this  authority  is  ascribed  to  the  pope  of  Rome. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  such  power  has  been  delegated  to 

*  A  bull  begins,  "Ego  pastor  bonus," — "I  the  good  shepherd." 
Dr.  Wiseman,  in  announcing  a  jubilee,  March,  1851,  calls  the  pope 
"The  chief  shepherd." 


2-1   SUPREMACY  OF  THE  POPE  WITHOUT  FOUNDATION. 

him  a,s  the  "lieutenant"  or  "vicar  of  Jesus  Christ."  We 
have  already  settled  that  point,  by  demonstrating,  from  Scrip- 
ture and  primitive  antiquity,  that  such  a  delegation  was  never 
made  by  Christ  either  to  Peter  or  the  bishops  of  Rome.  A 
pope  or  "  vicar"  was  not  included  among  those  spiritual  offi- 
cers who  were  bestowed  by  him  on  his  Church  when  he  as- 
cended to  heaven.  (Eph.  iv.  11.)  And  we  find  that  without 
such  a  "  lieutenant"  or  "  vicar,"  "  the  perfecting  of  the  saints" 
is  accomplished:  all  his  people  "come  in  the  unity  of  the 
faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  Grod,  unto  a  per- 
fect man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ.  (Eph.  iv.  13.)  Christ,  the  true  and  only  Head  of  the 
Church,  is  "  the  Holy  One  and  the  Just."  (Acts  iii.  14.) 
But  many  of  the  popes  have  been  very  wicked  men,  and  all  of 
them  weak,  mortal,  and  erring  creatures  at  the  best ;  of  whom, 
in  reference  to  their  arrogant  pretensions,  and  their  falling  one 
by  one  before  the  common  stroke  of  death,  the  language  of 
Scripture  may  well  be  employed,  "  I  have  said,  Ye  are  gods ; 
but  ye  shall  die  like  men,  and  fall  like  one  of  the  princes.'' 
(Psalm  lxxxii.  6,  7.) 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  27 


THE  EOMISH  DOCTRINE  OF  PENANCE, 

ABSOLUTION,  AND  INDULGENCES. 


The  subjects  which  we  are  about  to  discuss  are  of  no 
secondary  interest  and  no  inferior  moment,  because  they 
involve  nothing  less  than  the  right  answers  to  the  questions — 
How  shall  a  man  be  just  with  God  ?  and,  What  is  the  solid 
foundation  of  a  sinner's  hope  for  eternity? 

It  is  necessary  that  we  should  clearly  ascertain,  first  of  all, 
what  is  the  gospel  method  of  a  sinner's  justification  before 
God,  in  order  that  we  may  be  better  prepared  to  contrast  with 
this  the  Romish  method  of  a  sinner's  pardon  and  acceptance 
with  God. 

I.  What  is  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  justification? 

Justification  is  a  forensic  term,  derived  from  the  practice  of 
courts  of  law;  and  when  we  examine  Scripture,  we  find 
that  it  does  not  denote  the  change  of  a  person's  disposition, 
but  a  change  of  his  state  in  relation  to  the  law,  and  in  rela- 
tion to  God  himself  as  the  lawgiver.  It  does  not  make  a 
man  righteous  by  changing  his  nature  j  but  it  declares  him 
righteous  on  valid  grounds.  So  the  Hebrew  word  pTO  and 
the  Greek  dinatoG)  are  repeatedly  used.  We  read  in  Deut. 
xxv.  1,  "  If  there  be  a  controversy  between  men,  and  they 
come  unto  judgment,  that  the  judges  may  judge  them;  then 
they  shall  justify  the  righteous,  and  condemn  the  wicked/' 
Here,  surely,  to  "  justify  the  righteous"  is  not  to  make  him 
righteous,  but  to  pronounce  him  righteous,  for  this  only  is  the 
office  of  a  judge.  So  again,  in  Prov.  xvii.  15,  we  read,  "  He 
that  justifieth  the  wicked,  and  he  that  condemneth  the  just, 
even  they  both  are  abomination  to  the  Lord."  Here  again, 
to  justify  signifies  to  pronounce  the  man  who  was  wicked  and 
chargeable,  to  be  free  from  guilt  and  charge.     In  the  same 


2  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF   PENANCE, 

sense  David  prays,  "Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  ser 
vant;  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified."  (Psa. 
cxliii.  2. )  He  thus  entreats  God,  as  his  judge,  not  to  bring 
him  to  trial,  because  neither  he  nor  any  other  person  could 
expect  a  sentence  in  his  favor.  In  the  New  Testament  the 
term  is  used  with  a  similar  meaning.  When,  for  example, 
"Wisdom"  is  said  to  be  "justified  of  her  children/'  Matt, 
xi.  19,  the  meaning  is,  that  she  is  approved  and  vindicated  by 
them,  exhibited  in  her  true  character,  and  cleared  from  the 
aspersion  of  her  enemies.  Again,  when  Christ  said  to  the 
Pharisees,  "  Ye  are  they  which  justify  yourselves  before  men," 
Luke  xvi.'  15,  he  referred  to  them  as  self-righteous,  eager  to 
prove  that  there  was  no  defect  in  their  obedience.  The  Publican, 
we  are  told,  "  went  down  to  his  house  justified,"  Luke  xviii. 
14,  that  is,  acquitted  and  pardoned  by  God  as  a  judge— that 
God  whose  mercy  he  had  humbly  implored,  and  which  (as 
the  Greek  word  IMaBr^n*  implies)  he  had  sought  through 
faith  in  a  propitiatory  sacrifice. 

But  it  settles  the  forensic  meaning  of  the  term,  in  that  we 
find  it  opposed  by  the  apostle  Paul  to  condemnation.  "  It  is 
God,"  he  says,  "that  justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemn- 
eth  ?"  (Rom.  viii.  33,  34.)  Again,  the  judgment  was  by  one 
to  condemnation,  but  the  free  gift  is  of  many  offences  unto 
justification."  (Rom.  v.  16.)  It  is,  therefore,  unnecessary  to 
multiply  proofs  in  a  matter  so  abundantly  plain.  Justification 
is  not,  as  the  Council  of  Trent  teaches,  a  change  of  nature, 
but  of  state.  We  know  indeed  that  the  sanctification  of  a 
sinner  is  inseparable  from  his  justification,  but  it  is  clear  that 
the  one  is  perfectly  distinct  from  the  other. 

Now,  every  man  being  a  sinner,  the  first  and  great  blessing 
which  he  needs  is  the  change  of  state  which  we  have  now 
described.  He  stands,  with  all  the  world,  "  guilty  before  God ;" 
and  the  remission  of  sins  is  secured  to  him  only  by  faith  id 
the  blood  of  Christ.  The  apostle  Paul  declares  that  God 
"hath  set  forth"  his  Son  "to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith 
in  his  blood."  (Rom.  iii.  25.)  Again,  in  writing  to  the  Kphe- 
sians,  chap.  i.  7,  he  says,  "  In  whom  we  have  redemption 
through  his  blood,  lite  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  grace."     The  "  righteousness  of  God"  is  "by 

*  Literally,  "be  propitious" — "bo  merciful  through  a  sacrifice." 


ABSOLUTION,    AND   INDULGENCES.  3 

faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe." 
The  merit  is  not  in  the  faith;  but  faith  is  the  hand  that 
receives  "the  gift  of  righteousness."  A  Roman  Catholic 
girl  once  expressed  her  conviction  to  the  writer  that  the 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  was  the  true  doctrine 
of  the  word  of  God;  and  when  he  asked  her  what  it 
was  which  brought  her  to  this  conviction,  she  opened  the 
New  Testament,  and  pointed  to  this  beautiful  passage,  Rom. 
iii.  19-26,  which  we  earnestly  commend  to  the  prayerful 
attention  of  every  reader. 

Abraham  himself,  "the  father  of  the  faithful,"  was  not 
justified  by  works.  "For  if  Abraham  were  justified  by 
works,  he  hath  whereof  to  glory;  but  not  before  God.  For 
what  saith  the  Scripture  ?  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it 
was  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness.  Now  to  him  that 
worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt." 
(Rom.  iv.  2-4. )  As  if  the  apostle  had  said,  If  man  obtained 
salvation  by  his  own  works,  he  has  a  title  to  heaven  which 
G-od  cannot  refuse  to  acknowledge ;  but  that  is  not  the  way 
in  which  Abraham  had  this  title;  it  is  not  thus  that  the 
sinner  gains  it  now.  "But  to  him  that  worketh  not" — that 
is,  does  not  work  in  order  to  make  himself  meritorious  in  the 
sight  of  God,  or  to  have  a  plea  to  take  in  his  hand  to  the 
gate  of  glory — "  but  believeih  on  him  that  justijieth  the  un- 
godly, his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.  Even  as  David 
also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man,  unto  whom  God 
imputeth  righteousness  without  works."  (Verses  4,  5,  6.) 
As  an  act  of  grace  on  God's  part,  and  the  result  of  personal 
reliance  on  Christ  on  our  part,  our  feet  are  placed  on  the  Rock 
of  ages,  and,  "  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Rom.  v.  1.)  Just- 
ification is  not  ours,  as  Rome  teaches,  by  a  change  of  nature, 
but  by  a  change  of  state.    We  are  "  accepted  in  the  Beloved." 

In  the  face  of  all  anathemas,  therefore — having  the  word 
of  God  as  the  standard  of  our  appeal,  and  having  an  inspired 
apostle  as  our  instructor,  we  still  maintain  that  we  "do  not 
frustrate  the  grace  of  God ;  for  if  righteousness  come  by  the 
law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain."  (Gal.  ii.  21.)  We  are 
always  ready  to  say,  "  Yea  doubtless,  and  we  count  all  things 
but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord ;"  and  we  desire  to  be  "  found  in  him,  not  having 


4  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF   PENANCE, 

our  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
Mirough  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of 
God  by  faith."  (Phil.  iii.  8,  9. )  Of  all,  therefore,  who  seek 
the  favor  of  God  by  their  own  merits,  it  must  be  said,  "  They, 
being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about 
to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  have  not  submitted 
themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God.  For  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  be- 
ticveth."     (Rom.  x.  3,  4.) 

Now  we  find  that  there  has  been  a  lamentable  perversion  of 
the  true  doctrine  of  justification  by  the  Church  of  Rome. 
She  has  pronounced  "  the  justification  of  the  sinner  to  be, 
not  only  the  remission  of  sin,  but  also  sanctification  and  the 
renovation  of  the  inward  man ;"  and  has  decreed  that  "  if 
any  man  shall  say  that  men  are  justified  solely  by  the  impu- 
tation of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  or  solely  by  the  remission 
of  sins,  to  the  exclusion  of  grace  and  love,  which  is  shed 
abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Spirit,  and  is  inherent  in  them — or 
even  that  the  grace  by  which  we  are  justified  is  only  the  favor 
of  God  :  let  him  be  accursed."* 

But  in  harmony  with  what  we  have  thus  shown  to  be  the 
doctrine  of  Scripture  are  the  teachings  of  all  evangelical  Pro- 
testant Churches,  which  are  substantially  expressed  in  the 
ninth  article  of  the  Methodist  Confession  : — 

"  We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God  only  for  the  merit  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own 
works  and  deservings.  Wherefore,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith 
only,  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and  very  full  of  comfort." 

It  is  well  known  that  the  "  fathers''  have  great  weight  and 
authority  with  the  members  of  the  Romish  Church :  let  us 
entreat  attention,  therefore,  to  the  testimony  of  one  of  the 
greatest  of  them.  Chrysostom  on  2  Cor.  v.  21 — "  He  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him" — says,  "What  mind 
can  represent  these  things  ?  He  made  the  righteous  one  a 
sinner,  that  he  might  make  the  sinners  righteous.  Rather, 
this  is  not  what  he  says,  but  something  much  greater.  He 
does  not  say  he  made  him  a  sinner,  but  sin,  that  is,  a  sin- 
offering  or  sacrifice  for  sin,  the  substitute  for  the  sinner :  not 


*  Cone.  Trident,  Sess.  VI. 


ABSOLUTION,   AND   INDULGENCES.  5 

only  him  who  had  not  sinned,  but  who  did  not  know  sin,  thai 
we  might  be  made,  not  righteous,  but  righteousness,  and  the 
righteousness  of  God.  For  this  is  the  righteousness  of  God. 
when  we  are  justified,  not  by  works,  (for  in  this  case  it  is 
necessary  that  there  should  be  no  spot  in  them,)  but  by  grace 
in  the  blotting  out  of  all  sin.  This  does  not  permit  us  to  be 
lifted  up,  because  God  freely  gives  us  all,  and  teaches  us  the 
greatness  of  the  gift ;  for  the  former  righteousness  is  that  of 
the  law  and  of  works,  but  this  is  the  righteousness  of  God/' 

II.  Having  endeavored  to  set  before  the  reader  the  gospel 
method  of  a  sinner's  justification,  we  now  proceed  to  contrast 
with  this  the  Romish  sacrament  of  penance. 

The  following  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome  on 
this  subject,  as  set  forth  by  the  Council  of  Trent : — 

"  Whoever  shall  deny  that,  in  order  to  the  full  and  perfect 
forgiveness  of  sins,  three  acts  are  required  of  the  penitent, 
constituting  as  it  were  the  matter  of  the  sacrament  of  pen- 
ance— namely,  contrition,  confession,  and  satisfaction,  which 
are  called  the  three  parts  of  penance;  or  shall  affirm  that 
there  are  only  two  parts  of  penance — namely,  terrors  where- 
with the  conscience  is  smitten  by  the  sense  of  sin,  and  faith, 
produced  by  the  gospel,  or  by  absolution,  whereby  the  person 
believes  that  his  sins  are  forgiven  him  through  Christ :  let 
him  be  accursed." 

"  Whoever  shall  affirm  that  the  words  of  the  Lord  our 
Saviour,  '  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost :  whose  soever  sins  ye 
remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them ;  and  whose  soever  sins  ye 
retain,  they  are  retained/  are  not  to  be  understood  of  the 
power  of  forgiving  and  retaining  sins  in  the  sacrament  of 
penance,  as  the  Catholic  Church  has  always  from  the  very 
first  understood  them,  but  shall  restrict  them  to  the  authority 
of  preaching  the  gospel,  in  opposition  to  the  institution  of 
this  sacrament :  let  him  be  accursed." 

"  Whoever  shall  deny  that  sacramental  confession  was 
instituted  by  Divine  command,  or  that  it  is  necessary  to  sal- 
vation '}  or  shall  affirm  that  the  practice  of  secretly  confessing 
to  the  priest  alone,  as  it  has  been  ever  observed  from  the 
beginning  by  the  Catholic  Church,  and  is  still  observed,  is 
foreign  to  the  institution  and  command  of  Christ,  and  is 
a  human  invention  :  let  him  be  accursed." 

"  Whoever  shall  affirm  that  the  priest's  sacramental  absolution 


6  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF   PENANCE, 

is  not  a  judicial  act,  but  only  a  ministry  to  pronounce  and 
declare  that  the  sins  of  the  party  confessing  are  forgiven,  so 
that  he  believes  himself  to  be  absolved,  even  though  the 
priest  should  not  absolve  seriously  but  in  jest;  or  shall  affirm 
that  the  confession  of  the  penitent  is  not  necessary  in  order 
to  obtain  absolution  from  the  priest :  let  him  be  accursed.'' 

"  Whoever  shall  affirm  that  we  can  by  no  means  make  sat- 
isfaction to  God  for  our  sins,  through  the  merits  of  Christ,  as 
far  as  the  temporal  penalty  is  concerned,  either  by  punish- 
ments inflicted  on  us  by  him,  and  patiently  borne,  or  enjoined 
by  the  priest,  though  not  undertaken  of  our  own  accord,  such 
as  fastings,  prayers,  alms,  or  other  works  of  piety;  and  there- 
fore that  the  best  penance  is  nothing  more  than  a  new  life : 
let  him  be  accursed."* 

Now  it  is  a  matter  of  history  that  the  Council  of  Trent,_  in 
the  discussion  of  this  question,  were  much  more  apt  at  citing 
the  school  doctors  and  canon  law  than  the  word  of  God;  When 
they  did  appeal  to  the  Scriptures,  the  manner  in  which  they 
used  them  showed  how  imperfectly  they  were  acquainted  with 
them;  or  rather  how,  in  order  to  support  the  traditions  of 
men,  they  handled  the  word  of  God  deceitfully.  'For  instance, 
to  prove  that  auricular  confession  was  taught  by  the  inspired 
writers,  they  collected  all  the  passages  in  which  the  words 
''confess"  and  "confession"  are  found,  and  unceremoniously 
converted  them  into  evidence  on  their  side,  regardless  alto- 
gether of  the  real  meaning  of  the  text  so  quoted ;  and  they 
busied  themselves  in  searching  the  Old  Testament  for  figures 
by  which  it  might  be  supposed  that  confession  was  typified ; 
and  he  was  accounted  the  most  skillful  who  produced  the 
greatest  number.  It  was  by  such  labors  that  the  decisions  ot 
an  infallible  council  were  framed  1 

In  the  first  place,  we  deny  that  penance  is  a  sacrament  at 
all.  In  a  sacrament,  it  is  agreed  on  all  sides,  two  things  are 
essential — the  sign,  and  the  thing  signified;  or,  as  Rome 
styles  them,  "matter"  and  "form."  The  sign  is  something 
material  and  visible — something  addressed  to  the  senses  ;  and 
by  this  a  sacrament  is  distinguished  from  other  religious  insti- 
tutions. 

Now,  as   to   the   so-called    "  sacrament  of  penance,"    the 


*  Cone.  Trid.  Sess.  XIV. 


ABSOLUTION,   AND   INDULGENCES.  7 

"  matter,"  we  are  told,  is  the  confession  to  the  priest ;  and  the 
form,  "  I  absolve  thee,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Here  both  "matter"  and 
"  form"  are  pure  inventions.  They  have  nothing  sacramental 
in  their  nature. 

Secondly,  we  maintain  that  there  is  no  authority  in  the 
word  of  God  for  Christians  confessing  their  sins  to  a  priest. 
The  Church  of  Rome,  indeed,  declares,  in  the  twenty-first 
canon  of  the  Lateran  Council,  the  absolute  necessity  of  this  : — 

"Every  person  of  years  of  discretion  is  commanded  to 
confess  his  sins  to  his  own  priest,  at  least  once  in  the  year,  or 
to  another  priest  with  the  leave  of  his  own  :  otherwise,  while 
he  is  living,  he  must  be  driven  from  entrance  into  the  Church, 
and,  when  he  is  dead,  he  must  have  no  Christian  burial." 

Now,  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  Protestants  deny  that  sins 
are  to  be  confessed ;  but  they  maintain  that  we  are  to  confess  to 
God.  It  was  in  this  way  that  David  confessed  his  sins. 
"  Iniquities,"  he  said,  "  prevail  against  me  :  as  for  our  trans- 
gressions, thou  shalt  purge  them  away."  (Psa.  lxv.  3.)  When 
he  had  committed  those  awful  sins  which  insulted  his  God 
and  have  left  a  stain  upon  his  memory,  he  poured  forth  his 
penitential  sighs,  and  groans,  and  tears,  and  lamentations,  in 
the  presence  and  into  the  ear  of  God  alone.  He  said, 
"Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in 
thy  sight :  that  thou  mightest  be  justified  when  thou  speakest, 
and  be  clear  when  thou  judgest."  (Psa.  li.  4.)  We  find  this 
was  the  habit  of  Old  Testament  saints :  in  the  confession  of 
their  sins  they  went  at  once  to  God.  Ezra,  on  behalf  of  his 
countrymen,  thus  acted :  "At  the  evening  sacrifice  I  arose 
up  from  my  heaviness ;  and  having  rent  my  garment  and  my 
mantle,  I  fell  upon  my  knees,  and  spread  out  my  hands  unto 
the  Lord  my  God,  and  said,  0  my  God,  I  am  ashamed  and 
blush  to  lift  up  my  face  to  thee,  my  God ;  for  our  iniquities 
are  increased  over  our  head,  and  our  trespass  is  grown  up  unto 
the  heavens.  (Chap.  ix.  5,  6.)  Again,  the  Old  Testament 
Church  thus  makes  confession  before  God  by  the  lips  of  the 
prophet  Isaiah :  "  We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags ;  and  we  all  do  fade  as  a 
leaf;  and  our  iniquities,  like  the  wind,  have  taken  us  away." 
(Chap.  lxiv.  6.)  Once  more:  the  prophet  Hosea  exhorts 
Israel  to   penitential   confession   and   repentance:    he   says, 


8  ROMISH  DOCTRINE  OF  PENANCE, 

"  0  Israel,  return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God ;  for  thou  hast 
fallen  by  thine  iniquity.  Take  with  you  words,  and  turn  to 
the  Lord :  say  unto  him,  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive 
us  graciously  :  so  will  we  render  the  calves  of  our  lips.  (Chap. 
xiv.  1,  2.)  Now,  in  not  one  of  these  or  other  cases  is  an 
example  of  confession  made  to  a  priest.  It  is  made  to  God 
alone.  Accordingly  David  says,  "I  acknowledged  my  sin 
unto  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  not  hid.  I  said,  I  will 
confess  my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  thou  forgavest 
the  iniquity  of  my  sin."  (Psa.  xxxii.  5.)  Here  is  direct 
confession  to  God,  and  immediate  absolution  from  him.  And 
under  the  gospel  have  we  less  encouragement  to  go  to  God  ? 
No,  we  have  "  a  Father,"  seated  on  a  throne  of  grace  :  we 
have  "  a  Spirit  of  grace  and  supplications/'  to  bring  us  near 
in  lowly  confession  and  brokenness  of  heart  to  him;  and 
exalted  at  his  right  hand  is  the  Advocate  to  plead  our  cause, 
whose  blood,  presented  on  behalf  of  the  penitent,  secures 
immediate  absolution  from  him  who  "delighteth  in  mercy;" 
from  him  whose  sole  prerogative  it  is  to  pardon — from  him  who 
says,  "I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions 
for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins.  Put  me 
in  remembrance :  let  us  plead  together :  declare  thou,  that 
thou  mayest  be  justified/'     (Isa.  xliii.  25,  26.) 

The  duty  then  of  all  sinners  is  to  confess  to  God,  and  to 
him  alone.  We  earnestly  urge  it  upon  every  reader  :  "Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts ;  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have 
mercy  upon  him ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  par- 
don." (Isa.  lv.  7.)  "If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all 
unrighteousness."  (1  John  i.  9.) 

"  But,"  says  the  Romanist,  "  the  sacrament  of  penance  is 
of  divine  authority,  because  Christ  said  to  his  apostles,  'As 
my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you.  Whose  soever 
sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them;  and  whose  soever 
sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."  (John  xx.  22,  28.)  In 
the  first  place,  we  reply,  that,  assuming  these  words  to  convey 
to  the  apostles  a  power  to  forgive  sins,  it  does  not  follow  that 
the  priests  of  Rome  have  any  claim  or  warrant  to  exercise  a 
similar  power.  Why  ?  Because  the  aposf/rs  were  not  priests. 
Christ  gave  them  no  power  to  offer  sacrifices;  and  therefore 


ABSOLUTION,   AND   INDULGENCES.  9 

when  the  Roinish  clergy  claim  the  power  of  offering  sacrifices 
for  the  sins  of  the  living  and  of  the  dead,  then  they  prove 
themselves  the  ministers  of  Antichrist,  and  not  the  "  successors 
of  the  apostles." 

Further,  there  is  not  one  example  in  the  history  of  the 
primitive  Church  of  any  man  confessing  his  sins  even  to  an 
apostle,  or  receiving  absolution  from  him 

It  is  true  that  the  contrary  is  asserted.  The  celebrated 
Thomas  Maguire,  the  great  champion  of  Romanism  in  Ire- 
land, had  the  hardihood  to  bring  forward  the  case  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  as  one  of  auricular  confession.  He  represented 
them  as  making  a  "  sacramental  confession"  to  St.  Peter,  in 
the  "  tribunal :"  that  they  "  lied  to  the  Holy  Ghost/'  because 
St.  Peter,  in  the  "  tribunal"  of  confession,  was  the  represent- 
ative of  the  Holy  G-host !  and  that  they  were  struck  dead  for 
abusing  this  holy  tribunal  !*  Now,  in  this,  as  in  the  case  of  many 
other  Romish  arguments,  there  is  a  fearful  wresting  of  the 
Scriptures  from  their  plain  meaning.  Let  any  one  read  the 
narrative  of  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  death  of 
these  persons.  Let  us  look  at  Acts  iv.  32,  34,  35,  where  it  is 
said,  "  The  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart 
and  of  one  soul :  neither  said  any  of  them  that  aught  of  the 
things  which  he  possessed  was  his  own;  but  they  had  all 
things  common.  Neither  was  there  any  among  them  that 
lacked;  for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  lands  or  houses 
sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices  of  the  things  that  were 
sold,  and  laid  them  down  at  the  apostles'  feet."  Under  the 
peculiar  and  persecuted  state  of  the  primitive  Church  at  Je- 
rusalem, there  was  a  common  fund,  formed  by  the  spirit  of 
self-sacrificing  love :  the  richer  members  voluntarily  selling 
their  property,  and  bringing  the  produce  to  the  apostles  as 
treasurers,  laying  it  thus  at  their  feet,  that  they  might  dispense 
it  as  any  of  the  poor  saints  had  need.  But  can  any  one  ima- 
gine, for  a  moment,  that  there  was  any  thing  of  auricular 
confession  here  ?  Did  these  persons  come  to  make  confession 
tc  the  apostles  ?  Assuredly,  evidently  not ;  and  if  they  did 
not  do  so,  neither  did  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  for  it  is  said  that 
they  "  sold  a  possession  and  kept  back  part  of  the  price;  and 

*  See  Keport  of  Discussion  between  Gregg  and  Maguire,  pp.  134, 
135.     Dublin,  1839. 

4 


10  ROMISH   DOCTRINE    OF   PENANCE, 

brought  a  certain  part  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet.  Not 
do  we  find  that  there  is  a  word  spoken  by  them  at  all.  They 
brought  a  part,  and  silently  indicated,  by  the  offering  of  it, 
that  they  were  doing  what  others  had  done — giving  the  whole ; 
and  their  wickedness  was,  that  they  pretended  to  do  that  which 
God  kncio  they  were  not  doing.  Peter,  speaking  by  the  Holy, 
Spirit,  said,  "Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie 
to  the  Holy  G-host?"  They  meant  to  deceive  the  apostles, 
and  therein  they  virtually  sought  to  put  a  cheat  upon  the 
Spirit  of  God,  because  under  the  influence  of  that  Spirit  the 
apostles  had  gone  forth,  and,  by  his  miraculous  powers  accom- 
panying the  gospel,  the  Church  of  Jerusalem  had  been  formed, 
and  the  gospel  dispensation  had  been  established.  This  is 
the  true  meaning  of  the  passage ;  and  it  furnishes  not  a 
shadow  of  support  to  the  idea  that  Peter  was  in  the  confess- 
ional, and  that  Ananias  and  Sapphira  were  kneeling  as  peni- 
tents before  him. 

Another  passage  brought  forward  in  support  of  auricular 
confession  is  Acts  xix.  18,  19,  where  it  is  said,  "And  many 
that  believed  came  and  confessed,  and  showed  their  deeds. 
Many  of  them  also  which  used  curious  arts  brought  their 
books  together,  and  burned  them  before  all  men ;  and  they 
counted  the  price  of  them,  and  found  it  fifty  thousand  pieces 
of  silver."  Now,  very  clearly,  this  was  not  a  case  of  auri- 
cular confession,  (whispering  into  the  ear  of  a  priestly  con- 
fessor;) for  these  transgressors  came  confessing  and  showing 
in  the  most  public  manner,  in  the  presence  of  the  apostles, 
the  Church  and  the  world,  that  they  were  truly  sorry  for  their 
past  sins ;  and  as  an  evidence  of  this,  they  brought  forth  their 
wicked  books,  and  burned  them,  even  though  valued  at  "fifty 
thousand  pieces  of  silver."  These  persons,  again,  are  not 
said  to  have  received  any  absolution ;  and  no  wonder,  for  they 
were  absolved  already.  It  is  said,  that  "many  that  believed 
came  and  confessed,  and  showed  their  deeds."  Their  "  faith" 
had  saved  them ;  and  because  that  faith  was  exercised,  Jesus, 
as  the  Lord  their  Righteousness,  had  already  said  to  each  of 
them,  "Son,  be  of  good  cheer:  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee." 

Again,  we  find  reference  made  to  James  v.  16,  where  it  is 
said,  "Confess  your  faults  one  to  another."  We  are  sur- 
prised that  any  one  should  dare  to  adduce  this  passage  in 
support  of  the  Romish  confessional.     It  is  not  said,  "  Confess 


ABSOLUTION,    AND   INDULGENCES.  11 

your  faults  to  a  priest  ;"  but  it  tells  Christians  they  are  to  con- 
fess  them  "  one  to  another."  If  a  nian,  therefore,  confess  to  a 
priest,  the  priest  is  equally  bound  to  confess  to  him  :  both  parties 
are  under  equal  obligation.  Who  does  not  clearly  perceive,  that 
here  the  beautiful  lesson  is  taught,  that  private  Christians 
should,  in  their  holy  conferences  with  one  another,  confess 
and  acknowledge  their  mutual  faults,  and  then  "  pray  one  for 
another,"  as  the  apostle  directs,  that  the  spiritual  diseases  of 
their  souls  "  may  be  healed." 

The  Church  of  Rome  also  tells  us,  that  confession  to  a 
priest  is  necessary  to  prepare  for  the  holy  communion.  The  apos- 
tle Paul  had  a  very  different  idea.  He  did  not  say  to  the  Corinth- 
ian church,  "  Come  to  me,  or  go  to  your  ministers  to  confess, 
and  afterwards  approach  the  holy  table;"  but  he  said,  "Let 
a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread, 
and  drink  of  that  cup."  (1  Cor.  xi.  28.) 

And  now,  we  ask  with  confidence,  if  the  apostles  had 
understood  Christ  as  conferring  on  them  the  power  of  hearing 
confessions  and  of  pronouncing  absolution,  how  is  it  that 
there  is  not  one  example  in  all  their  history  of  their  ever 
exercising  that  power  ?  We  challenge  Romanists  to  produce 
one. 

The  truth  is  that  the  phrases  "binding"  and  "loosing," 
and  "forgiving"  and  "retaining"  sin,  refer  to  the  declaration 
by  Christ's  ministers  of  the  wrath  of  God  on  the  impenitent 
and  unbelieving  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  his  mercy  to  all 
who  repent  and  believe  on  the  other ;  and  also  to  the  exer- 
cise of  a  scriptural  discipline  in  the  Christian  Church.  Thus 
he  "looses"  and  "binds"  in  the  former  sense,  when,  in  his 
Master's  name,  he  publicly  declares,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the 
Son  hath  everlasting  life ;  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son 
shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  Grod  abideth  on  him."  (John 
hi.  36.)  Take,  as  an  illustration  of  the  latter  sense,  the  Apostle 
Paul's  language  to  the  Corinthians,  2  Cor.  ii.  10,  "  To  whom  ye 
forgive  any  thing,  I  forgive  also."  The  apostle  is  referring  to 
the  exercise  of  discipline  in  the  church  at  Corinth.  A  mem- 
ber had  acted  unworthily,  and  had  been  punished  by  excision 
from  the  church :  the  apostle  now  urges  them  to  remit  the 
punishment,  and  no  longer  shut  out  the  man  from  Church 
fellowship,  but  to  receive  him  to  privileges  again.  Now,  this 
was  the  act  of  "loosing,"  (in  Christ's  sense  of  the  word) — 


12  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF   PENANCE. 

"the  loosing"   of  the  man  that  was  "bound:"  it  was   the 
forgiveness  of  one  whose  sins  had  been  "retained/'  in  the 
sense  that  he  had  been  hitherto  excommunicated,  cast  out  of 
the  pale  of  the  visible  Church,  and  treated  as  "a  heathen 
man  and  a  publican."     This  power  of  excommunication,  we 
know,  was  exercised  in  the  primitive  churches  in  the  sense 
which  we  have  now  described.     At  Corinth,  a  man  had  been 
guilty  of  a  flagrant  crime ;  and  St.  Paul  says,  1  Cor.  v.  4,  5, 
"  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  ye  are  gathered 
together,  and  my  spirit,"  (that  is,  as  though  I  was  present 
with  you,)  "with  the  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus   Christ,  to 
deliver  such  an  one  unto  Satan," — that  is,  to  shut  him  out  of 
the  Church,  which  is  Christ's  kingdom,  and  to  put  him  back 
into  the  world,  which  is  Satan's  kingdom — "to  deliver  such 
an  one  unto  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh,"  that  he 
may  be  brought  to  repentance,  and  to  crucify  unholy  passions, 
"  that  the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 
There   were   certain    other   parties,  of  whom  says   Paul,  in 
another  epistle,  "Whom  I  have  delivered  unto  Satan,  that 
they  may  learn  not  to  blaspheme."    1  Tim.  i.  20.     The  Christ 
ian  minister  and  the  officers  of  the  Church  are  bound  to  see 
that  the    children's  bread   be  not  given  to   the  dogs.     The 
scandalous  offender  must  be  thrust  out  of  the  Church,  until 
he  gives  evidence  of  repentance  :  he  must  thus  be  spiritually 
"bound,"  and  not  till  he  repents,  and  there  is  evidence  of  it, 
is  he  to  be  "loosed"  again.     Here,  then,  we  have  the  true 
meaning  of  that  passage ;  and  yet  Rome  founds  upon  it  the 
"  sacrament  of  penance  !"* 

*  "We  say,"  writes  Bishop  Jewell,  "that  Christ  hath  given  to  his 
ministers  power  to  bind,  to  loose,  to  open,  to  shut,  and  that  the  office 
of  loosing  consisteth    in    this:   either  (1)  that   the  minister  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  offereth  the  merits  of  Christ  and  full  pardon 
to  such  as  have  lowly,  contrite  hearts  and  do  unfeignedly  repent  them- 
selves— pronouncing  unto  the  same  a  sure  and  undoubted  forgiveness 
of  their  sins,  and  hope  of  everlasting  salvation:   or  else  (2)  that  the 
same  minister,  when  any  have  offended  their  brethren's  minds  with 
some  great  offence  or  notable  or  open  crime,  Avhereby  they  have,  as  it 
were,  banished  and  made  themselves  strangers  from  the  common  fel- 
lowship, and  from  the  body  of  Christ,  then,  after  perfect  amendment 
of  such  persons,  doth  reconcile  them  and  bring  them  home  again  and 
restart*  Hum  to  the  company  and  unity  of  the  faithful.     We  say  also 
the  minister  doth  execute  the  authority  of  binding  and  shutting:  (1)  aa 


ABSOLUTION,    AND   INDULGENCES.  18 

We  denounce,  then,  the  confessional  as  a  daring  insult  to 
Him  who  is  exalted  "  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to 
give  repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins."  (Acts  v. 
81.)  Here,  assuredly,  is  indisputable  proof  that  Romanism 
blasphemously  usurps  a  power  which  belongs  to  God  alone.* 
Away,  then,  with  this  awful  assumption — pardon  by  the  abso- 
lution of  a  priest !  It  not  only  insults  God,  but  it  establishes 
a  system  of  social  tyranny  altogether  intolerable.  Tell  us  not 
of  the  confessional  of  Rome  as  the  grand  safeguard  of  moral- 
ity! Instead  of  befriending  the  cause  of  morality,  it  has 
notoriously  proved  a  fearful  source  of  corruption,  debauchery, 
and  demoralization.  We  dare  not  outrage  the  readers'  feel- 
ings, by  translating  from  the  Latin  works  of  Dens  and  Li- 
guori  (recognized  class-books  in  the  Romish  Church)f  those 
foul  instructions  which  are  given  to  the  priests  as  to  the  ques- 
tions they  are  to  ask  of  females  in  the  confessional.  No  Pro- 
testant parent  would  permit  to  enter  his  house  some  of  those 
devotional  books  that  are  put  by  Rome  into  the  hands  of 
young  persons  as  a  preparation  for  confession.  However  holy 
the  pretence  is,  the  confessional  we  must  regard  calculated  in 
the  most  fearful  degree  to  pollute  the  mind  both  of  the  priest 
and  the  professed  penitent. 

In  another  sense,  also,  there  have  been  awfully  demoralizing 
results  from  the  confessional.  Many  a  time  and  oft  has  the 
statement  been  made  on  the  scaffold  bydhe  convicted  mur- 
derer in  Ireland  that  he  was  "innocent  as  the  child  unborn." 
And  what  shall  account  for  this,  but  the  imaginary  virtue  of 

often  as  he  shutteth  up  the  gate  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against 
unbelieving  and  stubborn  persons,  denouncing  unto  them  G'od's  ven- 
geance and  everlasting  punishment ;  or  else  (2)  when  he  doth  shut 
them  out  from  the  bosom  of  the  Church  by  open  excommunication. 
Out  of  doubt,  what  sentence  soever  the  minister  of  God  shall  give  in 
this  sort,  God  himself  doth  so  well  allow  it,  that  whatsoever  he  looseth 
or  bindeth  here  on  earth,  God  himself  will  loose  and  bind  and  confirm 
the  same  in  heaven." 

*  "In  the  minister  of  God  who  sits  in  the  tribunal  of  penance  as 
his  legitimate  judge,  he"  (the  penitent)  "venerates  the  power  and  per- 
son of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for  in  the  administration  of  this,  as  in  that 
of  the  other  sacraments,  the  priest  represents  the  character  and  discharges 
the  functions  of  Jesus  Christ." — Catechism  of  the  Council  of  Trent, 
p.  260. 

f  "  Dens'  Be  Peccatis,  and  Liguori's  Compendium  Theologies  Moralis. 
2 


14  ROMISH   DOCTRINE    OF   PENANCE, 

priestly  absolution?  The  man  has  been  taught  to  believe  that 
this  has  shrived  his  soul  from  the  stain  of  blood;  and  thus, 
with  a  lie  in  his  right  hand,  and  a  falsehood  on  his  lips,  the 
murderer  has  been  launched  into  eternity  !* 

The  second  part  in  the  sacrament  of  penance  as  a  method 
of  pardon,  is  CONTRITION.  The  Jesuit  doctors  teach  that 
"a  general  hatred  of  sin"  is  sufficient,  and  that  when  the 
"penitent  is  strongly  attached  to  any  sin/'  the  confessor 
"  should  take  care  not  to  require  regret  for  that  sin  in  parti- 
cular ;"f  that  the  priest  ought  to  absolve  the  penitent,  though 
he  suppose  that  the  penitent  will  return  to  his  sin ;"  yea,  that 
"  though  the  penitent  himself  believe  that  he  shall  soon 
repeat  his  crimes,  he  is  nevertheless  in  a  state  of  receiving 
absolution,  provided  his  sin  be  displeasing  to  him  at  the  time 
of  his  confession."}:  How,  we  ask,  can  that  repentance  be 
genuine,  which  is  not  followed  by  the  abandonment  of  sin,  by 
holiness  of  life,  by  "fruits  meet  for  repentance?" 

But  even  if  Romanists  were  correct  in  their  definition  of 
contrition,  even  if  it  were  viewed  as  that  "  godly  sorrow" 
which  is  "unto  life,"  and  which  is  always  followed  by  true 
obedience,  still  there  would  be  nothing  in  contrition  to  merit 
the  pardon  of  sin  or  the  favor  of  God.  The  merits  of  Christ 
are  the  sole  meritorious  ground  of  our  acceptance  with  God. 

As  to  the  "  works  of  satisfaction,"  which  the  priest  has 
power  to  prescribe,  the  Church  of  Rome  has  decreed  that 
"we  are  able  to  make  satisfaction  to  God  by  punishments 
voluntarily  endured,  or  imposed  at  the  pleasure  of  the  priest, 
and  by  temporal  pains  inflicted  by  God  himself,  and  by  us 
patiently  borne." 

Here  again,  in  the  most  offensive  way,  we  have  the  doctrine 
of  human  merit,  in  express  opposition  to  the  gospel  of  the 

*  A  converted  Romish  priest,  who  became  a  Protestant  clergyman 
in  Ireland,  -writes  thus:  "  Through  the  confessional  I  hare  been  fre- 
quently apprised  of  intended  assassinations  and  most  diabolical 
conspiracies ;  but  still,  from  ungodly  injunctions  of  secrecy  in  the 
Romish  creed,  lest,  as  Pctrr  Dens  says,  the  confessional  should  be- 
come odious,  I  dared  not  give  the  slightest  intimation  to  the  marked- 
out  victims  for  slaughter."  (Third  pamphlet  by  the  Rev.  J.  L. 
Nolan,  p.  122.     Dublin,  1838.) 

\  Tambourin's  Easy  Method  of  Confession,  lib.  i.  chap.  I. 

%  Pirot'a  Apology  for  the  Casuists,  p.  162. 


ABSOLUTION,   AND   INDULGENCES.  15 

grace  of  Grod.  "  Chastisements  for  sin  voluntarily  borne,'  — 
these  are  considered  meritorious;  and  of  these  there  is  an 
almost  inconceivable  variety.  There  is  the  repetition  of  "Ave- 
Marias"  and  "  Pater-Nosters," — (the  offering  of  prayers,  in  the 
Church  of  Rome,  is  a  punishment  instead  of  a  privilege  !) — 
the  endurance  of  excruciating  tortures,  and  of  the  most  pain- 
ful privations. 

Until  very  lately,  prilgrimages  were  constantly  performed 
by  multitudes,  every  year,  to  Lough  Derg,  in  the  west  of  Ire- 
land. In  one  of  the  islands  in  this  lake,  called  "  Station 
Island/'  there  are  "seven  penitential  beds,"  or  circles, 
around  which,  on  hard  and  pointed  rocks,  the  penitents  passed 
upon  their  bare  knees,  repeating  a  certain  form  of  prayer  at 
each.  This,  with  visits  to  the  chapel,  almost  entire  absti- 
nence from  food,  and  the  repetition  of  many  prayers,  con- 
tinued for  eight  days.  On  the  ninth  day,  the  prior  put  the 
pilgrims  into  a  prison,  into  which  no  light  was  permitted  to 
enter,  where  neither  refreshment  nor  sleep  was  permitted, 
and  in  which  they  were  shut  up  for  twenty-four  hours.  This 
"prison/'  with  the  chapel  in  connection  with  it,  is  called  "St. 
Patrick's  Purgatory."  In  like  manner,  until  the  power  of 
the  Protestant  press  put  down  the  practice,  crowds  of  pilgrims 
were  wont  to  repair  to  the  "holy  wells"  of  Struel,  in  the 
county  Down,  after  having  first  visited  what  is  supposed  to  be  the 
grave  of  St.  Patrick,  each  person  bearing  away  a  handful  of 
"  holy  earth,  which  was  believed  to  be  invested  with  special 
virtue  !"* 

There  are  some  astonishing  revelations  as  to  "works  of 
satisfaction."  In  the  Roman  Breviary  it  is  said  of  St.  The- 
resa, that  "  her  ardor  in  punishing  the  body  was  so  vehement 
as  to  make  her  use  hair  .shirts,  chains,  nettles,  scourges,  and 
even  roll  herself  among  thorns."  Of  St.  Rose,  that  "she 
wore  three  folds  of  an  iron  chain  round  her  waist,  a  belt  set 
with  small  needles,  and  an  iron  crown  armed  inside  with 
points ;  and  that  she  made  to  herself  a  bed  of  the  unpolished 
trunks  of  trees,  and  filled  up  the  interstices  with  broken 
pottery!" 

Of  Alphonsus  Liguori  it  is  related,  that  he  practiced  works 

*  See  «  The  Holy  Wells  of  Ireland,"  by  P.  D.  Hardy,  M.  R.  I.  A 
Dublin,  1836. 


16  ROMISH    DOCTRINE    OF    PENANCE 


of  satisfaction  to  such  a  degree,  and  so  severely  lashed  him- 
self, that  only  the  interference  of  his  friends  saved  him  from 
putting  himself  to  death  ! 

Such  are  specimens  of  the  punishments  and  works  of  satis- 
faction enjoined  and  performed  under  "the  sacrament  of 
penance. "  And  finally,  "  the  faithful"  are  also  taught  that 
"afflictions  coming  from  the  hand  of  God,  and  patiently 
borne,  are  an  abundant  source  of  satisfaction  and  merit."* 
We  shall  not  dwell  at  length  on  this  fearful  heresy.  "We 
shall  content  ourselves  with  asking,  Are  our  sufferings  and 
trials  to  be  added  to  the  atonement  of  Christ,  or  to  be 
substituted  for  the  tears,  and  agonies,  and  cries  of  Him  who, 
for  our  salvation,  was  the  "  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief/'  who  himself  "bare  our  sinS  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree/'  and  "by  whose  stripes  we  are  healed  ?"j* 

We  shall  now  conclude  by  noticing  the  Romish  doctrine  of 
indulgences.  One  would  think  that,  with  their  fastings, 
their  almsgivings,  penances,  and  works  of  satisfaction,  such 
as  we  have  described,  and  the  priestly  absolution  accompany- 
ing all  these,  Romanists  might  have  been  secure  in  the 
conviction  that  their  sins  were  remitted,  and  their  salvation 
certain.  Yet  all  these  are  found  to  be  insufficient.  The 
most  obedient  and  dutiful  son  of  the  Church  finds  still  a 
heavy  balance  against  him,  which,  if  not  discharged,  will 
lengthen  in  the  next  world  the  purifying  process  which  he  must 
undergo.  But  here  provision  is  made  for  him  by  the  Church. 
She  asserts  that  there  is  an  immense  treasure  of  unemployed 
merit,  partly  Christ's,  and  partly  accruing  from  the  works  of 
supererogation  performed  by  saints;  and  that  all  this  is  at  the 
disposal  of  the  sovereign  pontiff,  the  pope,  having  been  placed 
in  the  hands  of  Peter,  who  has  transmitted  them  to  his  suc- 
cessors !  "I  affirm/'  swears  every  Roman  Catholic  priest, 
"that  the  power  of  indulgences  was  left  by  Christ  to  his 
Church,  and  that  the  use  of  them  is  very  healthful  to  Christ- 
ian people."— Creed  of  Pnjw  Pius  IV \  We  ask,  When  and 
where  was  the  power  of  granting  indulgences  left  to  his 
Church  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'?     There  is  no  such  record 


*  Catechism  of  Council  of  Trent,  p.  2(.)2.  -j-  1  Peter  ii.  24. 

X  See  aJso   the  Catechism  of  Dr.  England,  Bishop  of  Charleston, 
S.  C,  p.  62.— Editor. 


ABSOLUTION,    AND   INDULGENCES.  17 

in  the  word  of  God.  Merit  in  the  creature  can  never  be 
recognized  by  Him  who  said,  "When  ye  shall  have  done  all 
those  things  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofit- 
able servants :  we  have  done  that  which  was  our  duty  to  do." 
(Luke  xvii.  10.)  When  the  whole  obedience  which  man 
can  render  is  here  said  to  be  "unprofitable,"  it  evidently 
means  unmeritorious,  undeserving.  The  whole  context  proves 
that  Christ's  design  was  to  teach  that  the  servant  who  does 
all  God  requires  is  entitled  to  no  thanks,  and  deserves  no 
reward,  because  he  has  only  done  his  duty.  To  come  short 
of  this,  is  sin :  to  exceed  it  in  reference  to  God,  is  impossible. 
What  could  any  man,  even  with  the  burning  love  of  a  seraph 
in  his  soul,  do  more  than  is  involved  in  that  supreme  "love" 
which  is  "the  fulfilling  of  the  law?"  And  can  we  believe 
that  the  holiest  saint  who  ever  lived,  in  whom  the  Spirit  of 
God  dwelt  continually,  who  maintained  a  constant  conflict 
with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  and  who  was  "  filled 
with  the  fruits  of  righteousness" — that  he,  "clothed  with 
humility,"  and  conscious  of  many  infirmities,  would  ever  have 
thought  of  adding  his  good  works  to  the  merit  of  Christ? 
When  the  foolish  virgins  went  to  the  wise,  and  said,  "  Give 
us  of  your  oil;  for  our  lamps  have  gone  out," — "Not  so," 
was  the  reply,  "  lest  there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you ;  but 
go  ye  rather  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves." 
(Matt.  xxv.  9.) 

The  history  of  indulgences  is  one  of  the  most  lamentable 
illustrations  of  ecclesiastical  corruption  and  avarice.  When 
the  power  of  absolution  was  conferred  on  the  clergy,  a  num- 
ber of  special  cases  were  reserved  for  the  bishops.  There  were 
penances  to  whose  severity  fresh  crimes  were  adding  every  year, 
and  it  sometimes  required  a  lifetime  to  perform  them.  There 
were  cases  also  where  a  man  had  the  prospect  of  several  hun- 
dred years  before  the  penance  or  punishment  could  be  accom- 
plished. Some  expedient  was  necessary  to  get  rid  of  this. 
This  was  done  by  bishops  remitting  penance  in  the  form  of 
indulgence :  the  penitent  commuting  for  the  punishment  by 
giving  a  sum  of  money  for  the  bishop  to  lay  out  in  building, 
or  distributing  among  the  poor,  or  to  devote-  to  any  other 
object  he  pleased,  and  also  by  going  on  a  pilgrimage  to  some 
distant  shrine.  These  indulgences,  of  course,  added  greatly 
to  the  wealth  of  the  clergy.  The  popes  at  first  did  not 
4* 


18  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF   PENANCE, 

interfere,  but  by  and  by  they  claimed  the  whole;  and  some 
of  them  scattered  them  about  profusely.  In  order,  for  in- 
stance, to  excite  the  zeal  of  Europe  at  the  time  of  the  Cru- 
sades, so  that  men  might  assume  the  cross,  and  go  forth 
against  the  infidels  who  had  possession  of  Palestine,  indul- 
gences were  proclaimed;  and  these  were  eagerly  bought, 
because  they  wiped  out  the  record  of  all  past  transgressions. 
It  was  under  Pope  Leo  X.  that  this  system  attained  its 
highest  influence.  The  habits  of  that  pope  were  voluptuous 
and  expensive :  his  treasury  was  exhausted,  and  he  sought  to 
replenish  it,  to  enable  him  to  build  the  church  of  St.  Peter, 
at  Rome.  The  signing  by  him  of  the  bull  which  authorized 
the  sale  of  indulgences,  may  be  regarded  as  the  great  crisis  of 
the  reformation  in  Europe.  The  tax  to  be  collected  was 
farmed  out  by  the  prelates  in  their  several  districts.  They 
employed  eloquent  preachers  to  magnify  the  value  of  the 
indulgences,  and,  according  to  the  pope's  bull,  all,  "whether 
living  or  dead,  were  freed  from  so  much  temporal  punishment, 
due  according  to  Divine  justice,  for  their  actual  sins,  as  is 
equivalent  to  the  value  of  the  indulgence  bestowed  and  re- 
ceived." 

"A  great  agitation,"  says  D' Aubigne,*  "  prevailed  at  this 
time  among  the  German  people.  The  Church  had  opened  a 
vast  market  on  earth.  From  the  crowds  of  purchasers,  and 
the  shouts  and  jokes  of  the  sellers,  it  might  have  been  called 
a  fair,  conducted  by  monks.  The  merchandise  which  they 
were  extolling,  and  which  they  offered  at  a  reduced  price, 
was,  said  they,  the  salvation  of  souls.  These  dealers  tra- 
versed the  country  in  a  handsome  carriage,  accompanied  by 
three  horsemen,  living  in  great  state,  and  spending  freely. 
When  the  procession  approached  a  town,  a  deputy  waited  on 
the  magistrate,  and  said,  '  The  grace  of  God  and  of  the  Holy 
Father  is  at  your  gates !'  Instantly  every  thing  was  in  mo- 
tion in  the  place.  The  clergy,  the  priests  and  nuns,  the 
councils,  the  schoolmasters  and  their  pupils,  the  trades  with 
their  banners,  men  and  women,  went  out  to  meet  those  mer- 
chants, bearing  lighted  tapers  in  their  hands,  and  advancing 
to  the  sound  of  music  and  all  the  bells :  so  that,  says  our 
historian,  they  could   not   have  received  God  himself  with 


*  History  of  the  Reformation,  Book  III.  chap.  1. 


ABSOLUTION,    AND    INDULGENCES.  19 

greater  honor  !  Salutations  being  exchanged,  the  procession 
moved  towards  the  church.  The  pontiff's  bull  of  grace  was 
carried  in  front  on  a  velvet  cushion,  or  on  cloth  of  gold.  The 
chief  of  the  indulgence  merchants  came  next,  holding  a  large 
red  wooden  cross  in  his  hand.  As  the  procession  thus  moved 
along,  amidst  ringing,  prayers,  and  the  smoke  of  incense,  the 
sound  of  the  organ  and  loud  music  welcomed  the  merchant 
monk  and  his  attendants  into  the  temple.  The  cross  which 
he  had  carried  was  placed  in  front  of  the  altar :  on  it  were 
suspended  the  arms  of  the  pope ;  and  so  long  as  it  remained 
there,  the  clergy  of  the  place  and  others  came  daily  after 
vespers,  and  before  the  salutation,  to  render  it  homage.  One 
person  in  particular  attracted  public  attention  on  these  occa- 
sions :  it  was  he  who  carried  the  red  cross,  and  played  the 
chief  part.  He  was  robed  in  the  Dominican  dress,  and  moved 
with  an  air  of  arrogance.  His  voice  was  sonorous,  and  seemed 
in  its  full  strength,  though  he  had  already  attained  his  sixty-third 
year.  This  was  the  celebrated,  or  rather  the  infamous,  Tetzel. 
When  the  cross  had  been  erected,  he  went  into  the  pulpit, 
and  in  the  presence  of  the  crowd  began  to  extol  the  value  of 
indulgences : — 

"'Indulgences  are  the  most  precious  and  most  noble  of 
God's  gifts.  This  cross  (pointing  to  the  red  cross)  has  as 
much  efficacy  as  the  very  cross  of  Jesus  Christ.  Come,  and 
I  will  give  you  letters,  all  properly  sealed,  by  which  even  the 
sins  which  you  intend  to  commit  may  be  pardoned.  I  would 
not  change  my  privileges  with  those  of  St.  Peter  in  heaven, 
for  I  have  saved  more  souls  by  my  indulgences  than  the  apos- 
tle by  his  sermons.  There  is  no  sin  so  great  that  an  indul- 
gence cannot  remit.  Keflect,  then,  that  for  every  mortal  sin 
you  must,  after  confession  and  contrition,  do  penance  for 
seven  years,  either  in  this  life  or  in  purgatory.  Now,  how 
many  mortal  sins  are  there  not  committed  in  a  day:  how 
many  in  a  month,  week,  year,  and  whole  year !  Alas  !  these 
sins  are  almost  infinite,  and  they  entail  an  infinite  penalty  in 
the  fires  of  purgatory;  and  now,  by  means  of  these  letters 
of  indulgences,  you  can  once  in  your  life,  in  every  case  except 
four,  which  are  reserved  for  the  apostolic  see,  and  afterwards 
in  the  article  of  death,  obtain  a  plenary  remission  of  all  your 
penalties  and  all  your  sins;  but,  more  than  this,  indul- 
gences avail  not  only  for  the  living,  but  for  the  dead;  for  that 


20  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF    PiiNANCE, 

repentance  is  not  even  necessary.  Priest,  noble,  merchant, 
wife,  youth,  maiden,  do  you  not  hear  your  parents  and  other 
friends,  who  are  dead,  and  who  cry  from  the  bottom  of  the 
abyss,  'We  are  suffering  horrible  torments,  a  trifling  alms 
would  deliver  us:  you  can  give  it,  and  will  not?'  At  the 
very  instant  that  the  money  rattles  at  the  bottom  of  the  chest, 
the  soul  escapes  from  purgatory,  and  it  flies  liberated  to 
heaven.  0  stupid  and  brutish  people  !  who  do  not  under- 
stand the  grace  so  richly  offered.  Now  heaven  is  everywhere 
opened,  do  you  refuse  to  enter  in?  When,  then,  will  you 
enter  ?  Now  you  can  ransom  many  souls.  Stiff-necked  and 
thoughtless  man !  with  twelve  groats  you  can  deliver  your 
father  from  purgatory,  and  you  are  ungrateful  enough  not  to 
save  him.  I  shall  be  justified  in  the  day  of  judgment ;  but 
you — you  will  be  punished  so  much  the  more  severely  for 
having  neglected  so  great  salvation.  Do  you  know  why  our 
most  holy  lord  distributes  so  rich  a  grace  ?  It  is  to  restore 
the  ruined  church  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  so  that  it  may 
not  have  its  equal  in  the  world.  Blessed  are  your  eyes,  for 
they  see ;  and  blessed  are  your  ears,  for  they  hear/  etc." 

Tetzel's  absolution  ran  as  follows  : — 

"  May  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  have  pity  on  thee,  and  ab- 
solve thee  by  the  merits  of  his  most  holy  passion ;  and  I, 
by  virtue  of  the  apostolic  power  which  has  been  confided 
to  me,  absolve  thee  from  all  ecclesiastical  censures,  judgments, 
and  penalties,  which  thou  mayest  have  incurred, — moreover, 
from  all  excesses,  sins,  and  crimes,  that  thou  mayest  have  com- 
mitted, however  great  and  enormous  they  may  be,  and  from 
whatsoever  cause,  were  they  even  reserved  for  our  most  holy 
father,  the  pope,  and  for  the  apostolic  see.  I  blot  out  all  the 
stains  of  inability,  and  all  marks  of  infamy,  that  thou  mayest 
have  drawn  on  thyself  on  this  occasion.  I  remit  the  penal- 
ties thou  shouldst  have  endured  in  purgatory.  I  restore  thee 
anew  to  the  participation  of  the  sacraments  of  the  Church. 
I  incorporate  thee  afresh  in  the  communion  of  saints,  and 
reestablish  thee  in  the  purity  and  innocence  thou  hadst  at 
thy  baptism,  so  that,  in  the  hour  of  death,  the  cate  by 
which  sinners  enter  the  place  of  torment  shall  be  closed 
against  thee,  and  the  gate  leading  to  the  paradise  of  ioy 
shall  be  open ;  and  if  thou  shouldst  not  die  for  long  years, 
this  peace  will   remain    unalterable   till   the   last   hoSr  shall 


ABSOLUTION,   AND   INDULGENCES.  21 

arrive.     In  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen." 

We  know  it  is  said  that  Tetzel  abused  the  power  which 
Leo  had  given  him;  but  the  great  question  is  this — Has 
Rome  repented  of  her  wickedness,  by  giving  up  the  system  of 
indulgences  ?  No.  The  Council  of  Trent  sanctioned  them, 
even  after  the  time  that  Luther  had  exposed  them  to  all 
Europe,  and  they  are  continued  to  this  day.  We  find  (ac- 
cording to  the  system  of  jubilees  established  in  the  year  1300, 
under  the  Pontificate  of  Boniface  VIII.)  that  a  bull  was 
issued  in  1825,  offering  to  the  faithful  a  liberal  grant  of  in- 
dulgences. The  vicar  apostolic  of  the  London  district  issued, 
in  the  same  year,  "instructions  and  directions"  for  gaining 
this  great  boon.  "  Embrace,  dearly  beloved,"  he  said,  "  the 
benefit  that  is  offered  you  by  the  indulgences  of  the  present 
jubilee.  Avail  yourselves  of  every  means  of  discharging 
your  debt  to  the  Divine  justice." 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1850,  a  document  was  issued  by 
"Nicholas  by  the  divine  mercy  of  the  holy  Boman  Church, 
by  the  title  of  St.  Pudentiana,  Cardinal  Priest,  archbishop  of 
Westminster,  and  Administrator  apostolic  of  the  diocese  of 
Southwark,"  proclaiming,  by  the  authority  of  his  "  Holiness," 
"an  extraordinary  jubilee."  "In  order  to  encourage  the 
faithful  to  partake  of  the  benefits  of  this  holy  time,  the  Church 
liberally  opens  her  precious  treasures,  and  grants  to  all  a 
plenary  indulgence  in  the  form  of  a  jubilee." 

A  modern  traveller  tells  us  that  in  the  city  of  Rome  "you 
may  buy  as  many  masses  as  will  free  your  soul  from  purga- 
tory for  twenty-nine  thousand  years  at  the  church  of  St.  John 
Lateran  on  the  festival  of  that  saint :  at  Santa  Bibiana,  on 
All  Souls'  Day,  for  seven  thousand  years." — Rome  in  the  Vdth 
Century,  vol.  ii.  pp.  267-270. 

Every  year  a  lucrative  system  of  indulgences  is  carried  on 
in  Spain.  Four  bulls  are  sent  annually  from  Bome :  the 
profits  are  divided  between  the  monarch  and  the  pope.  But 
the  great  and  awful  day  of  judgment  shall  alone  reveal  the 
frightful  amount  of  imposture  connected  with  a  system  by 
which  the  Church  of  Bome  identifies  herself  with  that  mys- 
tical "Babylon,"  of  which  John  tells  us,  in  the  book  of 
Bevelation,  that  her  "merchandise"  was  in  the  "souis  of 
men."  (Bev.  xviii.  12,  13.) 


22  ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF  PENANCE, 

Is  there  a  Roman  Catholic  reader  who  has  been  trusting  in 
confession  and  priestly  absolution,  in  fasting,  almsgiving,  and 
indulgences,  as  meriting  the  favor  of  God,  and  purchasing 
pardon  and  salvation  for  his  soul  ?  "We  beseech  you  to  flee  at 
once  from  these  refuges  of  lies  to  Jesus  Christ.  "The  remis- 
sion of  your  sins,"  to  use  the  words  of  Martin  Luther,  "is 
neither  in  the  power  of  the  pope,  nor  bishop,  nor  priest,  nor 
of  any  other  man,  but  reposes  solely  on  the  word  of  Christ, 
and  on  your  own  faith.  It  is  this  heavenly  indulgence  which 
reconciles  men  to  God."*  For  "It  is  God  that  just- 
ifiethj"  and  "being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Rom.  viii.  33 ;  v.  1.) 


WITNESS  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

BY  C.    WESLEY. 
I. 

How  can  a  sinner  know 

His  sins  on  earth  forgiven  ? 
How  can  my  Saviour  show 

My  name  inscribed  in  heaven  ? 
What  we  ourselves  have  felt  and  seen, 

With  confidence  we  tell, 
And  publish  to  the  sons  of  men 

The  signs  infallible. 

We  who  in  Christ  believe 

That  he  for  us  hath  died, 
His  unknown  peace  receive, 

And  feel  his  blood  applied  : 
Exults  for  joy  our  rising  soul, 

Disburden'd  of  her  load, 
And  swells,  unutterably  full 

Of  glory,  and  of  God. 

His  love,  surpassing  far 

The  love  of  all  beneath, 
We  find  within,  and  dare 

The  pointless  darts  of  death : 


Luther's  Sermon  on  Repentance  at  Wittemberg. 


ABSOLUTION,  AND   INDULGENCES.  28 

Stronger  than  death,  or  sin,  or  hell, 

The  mystic  power  we  prove, 
And  conquerors  of  the  world  we  dwell 

In  heaven,  who  dwell  iu  love. 

The  pledge  of  future  bliss 

He  now  to  us  imparts, 
His  gracious  Spirit  is 

The  earnest  in  our  hearts : 
We  antedate  the  joys  above, 

We  taste  th'  eternal  powers, 
And  know  that  all  those  heights  of  love 

And  all  those  heavens  are  ours. 

Till  he  our  life  reveal, 

We  rest  in  Christ  secure  : 
His  Spirit  is  the  seal 

Which  made  our  pardon  sure : 
Our  sins  his  blood  hath  blotted  out, 

And  signed  our  soul's  release  ; 
And  can  we  of  his  favor  doubt, 

Whose  blood  declares  us  his  ? 

We  by  his  Spirit  prove, 

And  know  the  things  of  God, 
The  things  which  of  his  love 

He  hath  on  us  bestow'd : 
Our  God  to  us  his  Spirit  gave, 

And  dwells  in  us,  we  know — 
The  Witness  in  ourselves  we  have, 

And  all  his  fruits  we  show. 

The  meek  and  lowly  heart 

Which  in  our  Saviour  was, 
He  doth  to  us  impart, 

And  signs  us  with  his  cross : 
Our  nature's  course  is  turn'd,  our  mind 

Transform'd  in  all  its  powers, 
And  both  the  witnesses  are  join'd, 

The  Spirit  of  God  with  ours. 

Whate'er  our  pardoning  Lord 

Commands,  we  gladly  do, 
And,  guided  by  his  word, 

We  all  his  steps  pursue  : 
His  glory  is  our  sole  design, 

We  live  our  God  to  please, 
And  rise  with  filial  fear  divine 

To  perfect  holiness. 


24  ROMISH  DOCTRINE   OP   PENANCE,   ETC. 

II. 

Ah  !  foolish  world,  forbear 

Thine  unavailing  pain, 
Nor  needlessly  declare 

Our  hope  and  labor  vain : 
Tell  us  no  more,  we  cannot  know 

On  earth  the  heavenly  powers, 
Or  taste  the  glorious  bliss  below, 

Or  feel  that  God  is  ours. 

So  ignorant  of  God, 

In  sin  brought  up  and  born, 
Ye  fools,  be  not  so  proud, 

Suspend  your  idle  scorn : 
For  us  who  have  received  our  sight 

Ye  fain  would  judges  be, 
And  make  us  think  there  is  no  light, 

Because  you  cannot  see. 

The  same  in  your  esteem, 

Falsehood  and  truth  ye  join, 
The  wild  pretender's  dream, 

And  real  work  divine  : 
Between  the  substance  and  the  show 

No  difference  you  can  find, 
For  colors  all,  full  well  we  know, 

Are  equal  to  the  blind. 

Wherefore  from  us  depart, 

And  to  each  other  tell, 
"We  cannot  on  our  heart 

The  written  pardon  feel:" 
A  stranger  to  the  living  bread 

Ye  may  beguile  and  cheat, 
But  us  you  never  can  persuade 

That  honey  is  not  sweet. 

NwhTille  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  K.  Churoh,  South. 


No.  28. 


THE   ROMISH 

DOCTRINE  OF  TEANSUBSTANTIATION 

CONTRARY  TO  THE  SENSES,  TO  REASON, 
AND  TO  HOLY  SCRIPTURE. 


The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  in  "  the  sacrifice  of  the 
mass/'  as  maintained  and  taught  by  the  Church  of  Rome, 
demands  special  attention,  involving,  as  it  does,  the  question, 
■whether  or  not  we  are  to  shut  our  eyes  to  the  testimony  of 
our  senses,  and  close  our  ears  to  the  voice  of  reason  and  of 
common  sense,  and,  above  all,  to  the  plain  and  distinct  teach- 
ings of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

That  we  may  at  once  enter  upon  the  discussion,  we  shall 
give,  from  the  accredited  standards  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
her  doctrine  on  the  subject  of  transubstantiation.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Trent : — 

"  In  the  first  place,  the  holy  council  teacheth,  and  openly 
and  plainly  professeth,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  true  God 
and  man,  is  truly,  really,  and  substantially  contained  in  the 
pure  sacrament  of  the  holy  Eucharist,  after  the  consecration 
of  the  bread  and  wine,  and  under  the  species  of  these  sensible 
objects."     Sess.  xiii.,  chap.  i. 

"  The  Church  of  God  hath  always  held,  and  the  holy  coun- 
cil doth  now  renew  the  declaration,  that,  by  the  consecration 
of  the  bread  and  wine,  the  whole  substance  of  the  bread  is 
converted  into  the  substance  of  the  body  of  Christ  our  Lord, 
and  the  whole  substance  of  the  wine  into  his  blood ;  which 
conversion  is,  by  the  holy  Catholic  Church,  fitly  and  properly 
called  Transubstantiation."     Chap.  iv. 

Further,  "  Since  it  is  not  sufficient  to  state  truth  unless 
errors  are  detected  and  exposed,  the  holy  council  has  thought 
fit  to  subjoin  the  following  canons,  that,  the  Catholic  doctrine 


2  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

boing  now  declared,  all  persons  may  understand  what  heresies 
they  ought  to  shun  and  avoid : 

"  Canon  I.  Whosoever  shall  deny  that  in  the  most  holy 
sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  there  are  truly,  really,  and  sub- 
stantially contained  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  together  with  his  soul  and  divinity,  and  consequently 
Christ  entire ;  but  shall  say  that  he  is  present  therein  only  in 
a  sign  or  figure,  or  by  his  power :  let  him  be  accursed. 

"  Canon  II.  Whoever  shall  affirm  that  in  the  most  holy 
sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  there  remains  the  substance  of 
the  bread  and  wine,  together  with  the  body  and  blood  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  shall  deny  that  wonderful  and  peculiar 
conversion  of  the  whole  substance  of  the  bread  into  his  body, 
and  of  the  whole  substance  of  the  wine  into  his  blood,  the 
species  only  of  bread  and  wine  remaining,  which  conversion 
the  Catholic  Church  most  fitly  terms  Tran substantiation  : 
let  him  be  accursed/' 

Again,  in  the  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV.,  to  which  every 
Romish  priest  swears  his  adherence,  we  read  as  follows : 

"I  profess,  likewise,  that  in  the  mass  is  offered  to  Grod  a 
true,  proper,  and  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  living  and  the 
dead ;  and  that  in  the  most  holy  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist 
there  is  truly,  really,  and  substantially  the  body  and  blood, 
together  with  the  soul  and  divinity,  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ j 
and  that  there  is  made  a  conversion  of  the  whole  substance 
of  the  bread  into  the  body,  and  of  the  whole  substance  of  the 
wine  into  the  blood:  which  conversion  the  Catholic  Church 
calls  Transubstantiation." 

Let  us  next  place  before  the  reader  the  testimony  of  the  Pro- 
testant Churches.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  declares: 

"Transubstantiation,  or  the  change  of  the  substance  of 
bread  and  wine  in  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  cannot  be  proved 
by  holy  writ,  but  is  repugnant  to  the  plain  words  of  Scripture, 
oycrthroweth  the  nature  of  a  sacrament,  and  hath  given  occa- 
sion to  many  superstitions. 

"  The  body  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and  eaten  in  the  sup- 
per, only  after  a  heavenly  and  spiritual  manner.  And  the 
means  whereby  the  body  of  Christ  is  received  and  eaten  in  the 
BUpper,  is  faith." — Art.  xviii. 

These  statements  fully  express  the  view  of  all  evangelical 
Protestants.  The  design  of  this  paper,  therefore,  is  to  establish 


OP   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  3 

the  proposition  that  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  as  taught 

by  the  Romish  Church,  contradicts  the  testimony  of  the  senses, 

is  opposed  to  reason,  and  has  no  warrant  in  the  word  of  Grod- 

I.  Transubstantiation  is  contrary  to  the  testimony  of  the 

SENSES. 

Romanists  tells  us,  that  the  moment  the  priest  has  pro- 
nounced the  words  of  consecration,  "  For  this  is  my  body/'* 
there  is  an  immediate  change  of  substance :  that  is,  the  conse- 
crated wafer  is  no  longer  wheaten  flour  and  water,  but  a  whole 
living  man,  with  all  his  flesh  and  all  his  blood — nay,  with 
Christ's  soul  and  Divinity  united  with  it ;  and  then  must  the 
people  kneel  down  to  this  transubstantiated  host  in  token  of 
the  highest  adoration,  j- 

Now  here,  confessedly,  a  great  miracle  is  said  to  be  wrought. 
How  are  we  to  test  its  reality  ?  Why,  first  of  all  by  an  appeal 
to  the  senses.  But  here  we  are  met  with  the  objection,  that  the 
senses  are  incompetent  witnesses,  because  they  often  deceive  us. 

Now  we  admit  that  in  certain  diseased  conditions  of  the 
body,  the  senses  may  deceive  us.  Thus,  a  man  with  the  jaun- 
dice perceives  a  white  object  to  be  yellow :  a  man  with  partial 
deafness  may  mistake  the  words  which  have  been  uttered  by 
another,  and  attach  to  them  a  meaning  that  was  never  in- 
tended. So,  in  sickness,  the  sense  of  taste  may  be  so  vitiated, 
that  the  palate  will  give  an  unfaithful  testimony  as  to  the 
taste  of  those  viands  that  come  in  contact  with  it.  And  so, 
when  reason  is  dethroned,  the  lunatic  may  believe  himself  a 
king :  he  may  imagine  that  the  straw  in  his  hand  is  a  sceptre, 
that  his  eyes  see  persons  filling  the  apartment,  where,  alas ! 
he  is  all  alone.  Or,  again,  when  we  employ  but  one  sense, 
such  as  the  sight,  when  we  should  employ  another,  such  as 
the  touch  or  taste ;  or  when-  we  do  not  call  in  reason  to  the 
aid  of  the  senses — in  such  cases  we  may  draw  erroneous  con- 
clusions. £  But  as,  in  logic,  u  the  exception  confirms  the  rule," 
because  there  are  special  circumstances  accounting  for  it;  so 

*  Dr.  Henry  More  calls  these  five  words,  "Hoc  enim  est  corpus 
meum,"  the  quinque-verbal  charm! 

f  The  worship  of  latria,  which  is  alleged  to  be  due  to  God  only,  is 
given  to  the  host  or  consecrated  wafer.  "  Latrice  cultum,  qui  vero  Deo 
debetur."  (Con.  Trid.,  Sess.  xiii.,  c.  v.) 

X  "  In  some  instances  our  senses  may  deceive  us,  but  no  faculty 
deceives  us  so  little  or  so  seldom.  And  when  our  senses  do  deceive  us, 
even  that  error  is  not  to  be  corrected  without  the  help  of  our  tenses"-** 
tillotson's  Sermons,  p.  278. 


4  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

with   those   apparent  exceptions  which  we  have  now  men* 
tioned,  there  is  no  instance  whatever  in  which   our  senses 
deceive  us.    Indeed,  to  say,  as  Romanists  do,  that  our  senses, 
as  such,  deceive  us,  is  just  to  say,  in  other  words,  that  God 
himself   deceives    us.     He    gave   us  these  senses  :  they  are 
essential  to  the  fully  organized  and  rightly  constituted  man, 
as  the  Creator  formed  him :  they  are  the  grand  avenues  by 
which  we  take  cognizance  of  the  external  world,  "  by  which 
the  world  comes  into  us,  and  we  walk  out  into  the  world." 
If  we  doubt  or  deny  the  testimony  of  our  senses,  then  we 
must  become  atheists,  like  the  infidel  philosopher  Hume,  who 
having  persuaded  himself  that  there  was  no  external  world, 
and  that  nothing  existed  but  impressions  or  ideas,  then  leaped 
to   the    conclusion   that   there   was   no    God  nor  devil,  and 
neither  a  heaven  nor  a  hell.     If  we  doubt  or  deny  the  testi- 
mony of  our  senses,  and  follow  the  principle  whither  it  leads 
us,  we  must  embrace  the  heathen  philosophy  of  Democritus 
and  Epicurus  in  the  days  of  old — who  maintained  that  all  the 
qualities  of  the  body,  which  the  moderns  call  secondary  quali- 
ties —  to  wit,  smell,  taste,  sound,  color,  heat,  and  cold,  are 
mere  illusions  of  sense,  and  have  no  real  existence.     In  fact, 
if   transubstantiation  be  true,  against  the  testimony  of  our 
senses,  then  we  can  believe  nothing  else.      "  If  you  leave  me 
without  the  witnesses,  by  which  alone  I  can  ascertain  and  test 
the  great  facts  of  natural  and  revealed  religion,  I  stand  alone 
in  the  universe  of  space,  surrounded  by  the  dark  void  of 
atheism  !"*     The  apostle  Paul  tells  us  of  the  great  Jehovah, 
that  "  the  invisible  things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of  the 
world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are 
made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead;  so  that  they 
(who  deny  them)  "are  without  excuse."     Rom.  i.  20. 

But  how  can  that  statement  be  just — how  can  we  know 
khat  David  speaks  truly  when  he  says  :  "  The  heavens  declare 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handi- 
work :"  how  can  we  learn  the  being,  wisdom,  power,  and 
goodness  of  God,  if  the  senses,  through  which  alone  we  can 
receive  evidence  of  these  attributes  of  the  Creator,  are  not  to 
be  credited  in  their  testimony  ?  Nay,  if  the  truth  of  tran- 
substantiation be  insisted  ou,  contradictory  to  the  senses  as  it 

*  Godkin's  "  Guide  from  the  Church  of  Rome  to  the  Church  of 
Christ." 


OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  5 

confessedly  is  :  if  four  of  the  senses  solemnly  declare  that  it 
is  false  :  if  the  eye  looks  at  the  wafer,  and  says  it  is  not  flesh, 
— at  the  cup,  and  declares  it  is  still  wine  :  if  we  apply  the 
organ  of  smell,  and  the  nostrils  unite  their  testimony  with 
that  of  the  eye,  in  declaring  that  neither  flesh  nor  blood  is 
there :  if  we  taste  the  wafer,  and  drink  from  the  cup,  and 
then  appeal  to  the  sense  of  touch,  and  taste  and  touch  unite 
with  their  two  sister  senses  in  declaring  that  bread  and  wine 
alone  are  present :  if  this  testimony  is  not  to  be  trusted,  then 
we  maintain  that  the  apostles  had  no  evidence  of  the  divine 
mission  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  Christianity  itself  cannot 
be  proved  to  be  from  God. 

For  how  was  it  that  Jesus  himself  proved  that  he  was  the 
true  Messiah  ?  Did  he  not  say  :  "  The  same  works  that  I  do  " 
(referring  to  his  miracles)  "  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the 
Father  hath  sent  me."  John  v.  36.  When  John  the  Baptist 
was  drawing  near  to  the  time  of  his  death,  and  when  he  was 
desirous  to  introduce  and  transfer  his  disciples  to  Jesus,  he 
sent  two  of  them  to  Christ,  with  this  inquiry  upon  their  lips  : 
"Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  V 
These  disciples  came  to  Jesus ;  and,  by  an  appeal  to  their 
senses,  he  convinced  them  that  he  was  indeed  that  glorious 
Prince,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  John  was  not  worthy  to 
unloose — that  he  was  indeed  that  Sun  of  righteousness,  of 
whom  John  said  :  "  He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease ;" 
in  whose  superior  glory  his  own  splendor  was  to  be  eclipsed, 
as  the  morning  star  fades  away  before  the  blaze  of  the  open- 
ing day.  "  Go,  and  show  John  again,"  says  Christ,  "  those 
things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see  :  the  blind  receive  their 
sight,  and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the 
deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the 
gospel  preached  to  them."     Matt.  xi.  4,  5. 

And  perhaps,  "while  he  speaks,  a  blind  man  comes,  led 
by  the  hand  of  a  little  child.  Into  those  sightless  eyes  the 
light  of  heaven  has  never  entered  :  to  him  the  earth  was  but 
a  place  of  stumbling,  the  glorious  heavens  one  universal  blank; 
but  Jesus  looks  in  compassion,  stretches  out  his  hand,  touches 
those  dark  eyes,  and  in  a  moment  a  world  of  beauty  around 
him  and  of  glory  above  him  starts  into  being ;  and,  like  the 
sons  of  God  in  the  morning  of  creation,  he  shouts  forth  the 
overflowings  of  gratitude  and  joy 
1* 


6  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

"  Next,  a  leper  all  diseased  draws  near,  with  pain  in  every 
step,  and  hideous  loathsomeness  in  every  feature :  the  crowd 
recede  in  sympathetic  horror  from  the  danger  of  his  infectious 
touch  ;  but  there  is  one  that  shuns  him  not — that  one  is  Jesus. 
Again  he  stretches  out  the  hand  of  power,  touches  him  whom 
not  even  a  father,  or  mother,  or  wife  would  touch,  and  in  a 
voice  of  gentlest  mercy  says  :  *  I  will,  be  thou  clean ;'  and,  as 
the  hand  of  Moses  plucked  out  of  his  bosom  on  Horeb,  as 
Naaman  emerging  from  the  waters  of  the  Jordan,  his  flesh  has 
become  as  the  flesh  of  a  little  child,  the  deformity  of  the  living 
skeleton  has  disappeared,  the  beauty  of  manhood  blooms  on 
his  countenance,  and  renovated  health  rejoices  in  every  vein. 
"  But  even  now  there  is  a  sad  procession  passing  by  this 
scene  of  joy — it  is  the  procession  of  the  dead:  mourning 
friends  are  there.  But  who  is  she,  sorrowful  above  them  all  ? 
She  is  the  lonely  widow :  the  husband  of  her  youth  is  gone : 
one  only  son  was  left,  who  was  all  the  world  to  her,  but  he  too 
is  also  dead :  his  father's  grave  is  waiting  for  him ;  and  oh ! 
that  mother  weeps  as  widowed  mothers  only  weep.  But  Jesus 
sees  her,  and  has  compassion  on  her:  he  touches  the  bier, 
and  the  bearers  stand  still :  then  he  says  :  '  Young  man,  I  say 
unto  thee,  Arise!'  The  dead  sits  up  and  begins  to  speak; 
and  Jesus  delivers  him  to  his  mother/'* 

Now  we  ask,  How  was  it  that  these  and  all  other  miracles 
of  Christ  were  substantiated  ?  Simply  by  an  appeal  to  the 
testimony  of  the  senses.  And  so  was  it  with  regard  to  the 
resurrection  of  Christ.  "  If  Christ/'  says  the  apostle  Paul, 
(1  Cor.  xv.  14,  15,)  "be  not  risen,  then  is  our  preaching 
vain,  and  your  faith  is  also  vain.  Yea,  and  we  are  found  false 
witnesses  of  God j"  because  "  we  have  testified  of  God  that 
he  hath  raised  up  Christ."  What  evidence,  we  ask,  had  these 
"  witnesses"  with  regard  to  the  resurrection  of  Christ?  The 
very  evidence,  and  no  other,  which  Boniish  doctors  tell  us  we 
must  reject  when  we  look  upon  the  host  on  the  altar !  '"  H« 
was  seen,"  says  Paul,  "of  Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve :  alter 
that,  he  was  seen  of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once : 
after  that,  he  was  seen  of  James,  then  of  all  the  apostles 
And  last  of  all  he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one  born  out  of 
due  time."  1  Cor.  xv.  5-8. 

*  Sermon  by  Dr.  II.  Cooke,  "The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,"  Belfast, 
1845. 


OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  7 

"But,"  says  the  Roman  casuist,  "did  not  Christ  say  to 
Thomas,  l  Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have 
believed  V  "  As  if  this  language  was  designed  to  teach  that 
we  are  to  believe  in  contradiction  to  our  senses  I  No,  we  dare 
not  thus  libel  the  Son  of  Glod.  The  fault  of  Thomas  lay  not 
in  refusing  to  believe  when  there  was  no  proof — that  were  no 
fault  at  all,  but  a  duty;  but  it  consisted  in  his  refusing  to  give 
credit  to  the  testimony  of  his  brethren.  He  was  not  blamed 
for  distrusting  the  senses,  but  because  he  would  not  trust  any- 
body's senses  but  his  own.  The  Lord  Jesus  condescended  to 
satisfy  his  incredulity  with  the  kind  of  evidence  which  he 
wanted :  he  said,  "  Reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into 
my  side ;  and  be  not  faithless,  but  believing."  But  his  de- 
mand was  not  less  unreasonable,  nor  less  worthy  of  rebuke. 
"  Blessed  are  they,"  said  Christ,  "  that  have  not  seen,  and 
yet  have  believed."  Few  of  Christ's  disciples  have  ever  been 
favored  with  the  evidence  of  their  senses  to  his  resurrection 
as  Thomas  was.  No  Christian  on  earth  can  say,  "  I  have  seen 
the  Lord."  But  millions  of  his  people  can  say,  "Whom  hav- 
ing not  seen,  we  love  :  in  whom,  though  now  we  see  him  not, 
yet  believing,  we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory;"  and  it  is  to  this  faith  in  an  unseen  Saviour  that  a 
blessing  was  promised  when  Jesus  said,  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed."  Mark !  Christ 
did  not  say,  "  Thomas,  because  thou  hast  sesn  my  hands  and 
feet,  because  thou  hast  put  thy  fingers  into  the  print  of  the 
nails,  thou  hast  believed;  and  blessed  shall  those  millions  be,  in 
after-times,  who  shall  give  up  their  senses  and  implicitly  be- 
lieve that  a  piece  of  bread  is  my  flesh,  and  a  cup  of  wine  is 
my  blood  !"*  Will  any  Roman  Catholic  say  that  Christ  meant 
this  ?  or  that  he  made  the  slightest  allusion,  in  the  statement 
addressed  to  Thomas,  to  transubstantiation,  or  the  sacrifice  of 
the  mass  ?  or  that  he  pronounced  a  blessing  on  those  who  re- 
ject the  testimony  of  those  senses  which  He  himself  as  the 
great  Creator  has  bestowed,  without  whose  testimony  we  could 
have  no  evidence  at  this  day  that  the  miracles  of  Christ  were 

*  "  Credulity  is  certainly  a  fault,  as  well  as  infidelity  ;  and  he  who 
said,  'Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed,' 
hath  nowhere  said,  '  Blessed  are  they  that  have  seen,  and  yet  have  not 
believed;'  much  less,  'Blessed  are  they  that  believe  directly  contrary  to 
what  they  see.'  " — Tillotson's  Sermons,  p.  279. 


8  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

ever  wrought — that  his  resurrection  is  not  an  idle  tale — that 
the  gospel  is  not  a  fable  and  a  cheat — or  that  there  is  any 
solid  foundation  on  which  a  poor  guilty,  polluted  sinner  can 
build  his  hope  for  a  heaven  of  love  and  purity,  and  an  eter- 
nity of  joy  and  glory  ? 

Transubstantiation,  then,  cannot  be  true;  otherwise 
Christianity  is  false.  If  the  credibility  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion has  its  foundation  laid  in  the  miracles  by  which  our 
Lord  appealed  to  the  senses  of  men,  then  we  must  refuse  to 
credit  transubstantiation  against  the  testimony  of  the  senses ; 
because,  if  we  do  so,  we  take  away  the  very  corner-stone  of 
the  temple  of  God's  truth 

The  consecrated  wafer,  we  are  told  by  the  council  of  Trent, 
contains  "  the  body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity,  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  Take  up  this  wafer — you  are  told  it  is  a 
man — I  ask,  can  you  hold  a  man  in  your  hand  ?  You  look 
upon  it — its  shape  is  circular  :  you  measure  it — it  may  be  a 
little  more  or  less  than  an  inch  in  diameter :  weigh  it — it 
amounts  to  a  few  grains  :  you  taste  it — it  is  comparatively 
sweet :  you  subject  it  to  chemical  analysis — it  yields  the 
ordinary  constituents  of  flour  and  water.  So  of  the  conse- 
crated cup — you  find  its  original  color,  odor,  and  quantity, 
exactly  as  they  were  before  the  asserted  transformation.  We 
have  a  choice  to  make,  a  conclusion  to  form.  Shall  we 
believe  the  senses  which  God  gave  us  ?  or,  shall  we  believe  the 
statement  which  a  man  makes  to  us  ?  Surely  your  reply 
must  be,  "  We  will  believe  God  rather  than  man."* 

What  is  transubstantiation  ?  It  is  the  change  of  one  sub- 
stance into  another.  We  ask  the  Komish  priest  to  give  us  a 
case  of  real  transubstantiation,  such  as  we  find  examples  of  in 
the  word  of  God.  The  rod  of  Moses  was  thrown  down  upon 
the  ground  before  Pharaoh,  and  became  a  serpent.  The  water 
of  theNile  was  turned  into  blood.  At  the  marriage  at  Cana, 
in  Galilee,  our  blessed  Lord  turned  water  into  wine.  Now,  in 
each  of  these  cases  there  was  a  real  instance  of  transubstan- 


*  "  It  might  well  seem  strange  if  any  man  should  write  a  book  to 
prove  that  an  egg  is  not  an  elephant,  and  that  a  musket-ball  is  not 
a  pike.  It  is  every  whit  as  hard  a  case  to  be  put  to  maintain  that 
what  we  see,  and  handle,  and  taste  to  be  bread  is  bread,  and  not  the 
body  of  a  man,  and  what  we  see  and  taste  to  be  wine  is  not  blood." 
— Tillotson's  Sermons,  p.  2(12. 


OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  9 

tiation.  But  what  effect,  in  support  of  his  divine  mission 
from  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel,  would  Moses  have  produced 
in  the  minds  of  Pharaoh  and  his  courtiers,  if  he  had  thrown 
down  his  rod  on  the  ground,  and,  while  it  still  remained  and 
appeared  a  rod,  he  had  asserted  that  it  was  a  serpent  ?  Or, 
if  no  transubstantiation  had  really  passed  upon  the  river  of 
Egypt — and  yet  Moses  had  dared  to  say  that  the  change  was 
effected,  that  the  Nile  was  turned  into  blood,  while  all  men's 
senses  rebelled  against  the  fiction,  would  he  not  have  been 
mocked  at  as  a  man  beside  himself  ?  would  he  not  have  been 
scouted  as  an  impostor?  and  would  proud  Pharaoh,  in  the 
presence  of  that  humble  man,  ever  have  trembled  on  his 
throne?  Again,  if  at  the  marriage  at  Cana  in  Galilee,  when 
our  Lord  had  said  to  the  servants,  "  Pill  the  water-pots  with 
water,"  and  "  they  filled  them  up  to  the  brim,"  and  he  again 
said  to  them,  "Draw  out  now,  and  bear  unto  the  governor  of 
the  feast,  and  they  bare  it," — can  we  believe,  if  Christ  had 
gone  in  after  these  servants  to  the  banqueting-room,  and  the 
governor  of  the  feast  had  tasted  what  was  presented,  and  with 
all  his  guests  had  found  that  it  was  water,  that  he  would  have 
been  satisfied  by  Christ's  assuring  him  it  was  wine  ?  No,  but 
because  he  knew  it  was  wine  by  the  testimony  of  his  senses, 
"  the  governor  of  the  feast  called  the  bridegroom,  and  saith 
unto  him,  Every  man  at  the  beginning  doth  set  forth  good 
wine,  and  when  men  have  well  drunk,  then  that  which  is 
worse ;  but  thou  hast  kept  the  good  wine  until  now."  Or,  can 
we  think  that  if  there  had  not  been  a  real  transubstantiation, 
attested  by  the  senses  of  all  the  guests,  and  of  the  disciples 
too,  it  would  ever  have  been  recorded,  "  This  beginning  of 
miracles  did  Jesus  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  and  manifested  forth 
his  glory;  and  his  disciples  believed  on  him?"  John  ii.  11. 

II.  We  now  proceed  to  prove  that  the  doctrine  of  transub- 
stantiation is  contrary  to  reason. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  arguments  drawn  from  reason 
are  not,  as  Romanists  would  have  us  believe,  unscriptural,  or 
without  Divine  warrant  and  authority.  Our  Lord  himself 
appealed  to  reason,  when,  in  his  sermon  on  the  Mount,  he 
taught  the  doctrine  of  a  particular  providence.  He  said  to 
his  disciples,  "  Behold  the  fowls  of  the  air  :  for  they  sow  not, 
neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns ;  yet  you*  Heavenly 
Father  feedeth  them.  Are  ye  not  much  better  than  they  ? 
5 


10  THE    ROMISH    DOCTRINE 

Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow  :  they  toil  not, 
neither  do  they  spin ;  and  yet  I  say  unto  you,  that  even 
Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these. 
Wherefore,  if  Grod/;  he  says,  again  appealing  to  their  reason, 
"  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to- 
morrow is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  much  more  clothe 
you,  0  ye  of  little  faith  ?"  Matt.  vi.  26,  28,  30.  How  many 
poor  saints  have  been  comforted  in  their  trials,  through  this 
appeal  to  their  reason  ! 

Again,  when  the  apostle  Paul  stood  on  Mars'  Hill,  preaching 
to  the  idolatrous  citizens  of  Athens,  we  find  that  he  appealed 
to  their  understandings  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  of  one  God, 
in  opposition  to  the  gods  many  and  lords  many  whom  they 
worshipped.  (Acts  xvii.  24-29.)  And  even  when  he  wrote 
to  a  Christian  church,  he  did  not  attempt  to  bear  them  down 
with  his  apostolical  authority;  but  he  said,  " I speak  as  to  wise 
men :  judge  ye  what  I  say."  1  Cor.  x.  15.  Let  it  not, 
therefore,  be  said  that  Protestants  are  ascribing  to  reason 
undue  honor,  or  appealing  to  it  as  a  judge  in  this  controversy 
contrary  to  the  will  of  Grod. 

But  it  is  said  transubstantiation  is  a  great  and  incompre- 
hensible mystery,  and  therefore  faith  must  receive  it,  as  it  is 
beyond  the  ken  of  reason.  It  is  very  true  that  there  are  some 
things;  incomprehensible,  of  whose  existence  we  cannot  have 
the  slightest  doubt.  We  cannot,  for  example,  explain  the 
nature  of  the  mysterious  connection  which  binds  body  and 
soul  together  ;  nor  disclose  the  secret  power  of  that  volition  at 
whose  promptings  we  move  our  limbs,  or  carry  our  thoughts 
from  one  subject  of  consideration  to  another.  We  cannot 
explain  the  connection  that  exists  between  the  formation  of 
the  bud  and  the  expansion  of  the  flower,  the  sowing  of  the 
seed  in  spring  and  the  golden  sheaves  of  the  harvest,  All 
these  things,  however,  we  know  as  matters  of  fact.  They  are 
beyond  the  reach  of  reason  to  explain,  but  they  are  not  con- 
tradictory to  reason.  And  this  is  the  answer  to  the  argument, 
sometimes  brought  by  Roman  Catholics,  when,  in  supporting 
the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  they  say — (and  in  doinsrso 
they  take  up  a  Socinian  weapon,  and  surrender  the  truth  of 
O-od  to  its  enemies) — "The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  con- 
trary to  reason."  We  reply,  the  Bible  reveals  the  existence 
of  the  Triune  Jehovah  as  a  great  fact;  but  the  Bible  does  not 


OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  11 

scy  that  three  are  one,  or  that  one  is  three,  in  one  and  the 
same  sense  of  the  words.  The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is 
above  reason,  but  not  contradictory  to  reason. 

Now,  apply  this  to  the  question  before  us.  We  are  told, 
that  in  every  wafer  or  consecrated  host,  a  whole  Christ,  body 
and  blood,  bones  and  sinews,  soul  and  divinity,  is  present — 
really  present,  on  a  thousand  altars,  and  received  by  tens  of 
thousands  of  communicants  throughout  the  world  at  the  same 
time.  Now,  what  does  reason  say  to  this  ?  We  answer  in  the 
words  of  Pascal :  u  If  we  shock  the  principles  of  reason,  our 
religion  will  be  absurd  and  ridiculous."  Christ  had,  and 
Christ  has,  only  one  bod}7 ;  and  if  transubstantiation  be  true, 
we  must  believe  that  a  finite  substance,  such  as  a  body  is,  can 
be  in  two  different  places  at  the  same  time.  The  body  of 
Christ  is  one  :  it  is  the  body  that  was  born  of  the  virgin,  the 
body  which  was  wearied  by  toil,  and  often  exhausted  by 
hunger  and  thirst :  the  body  which  agonized  in  the  garden, 
and  which  was  nailed  to  the  cross  :  the  body  that  lay  in  the 
grave,  .which  is  now  ascended,  and  is  glorified  at  the  Father's 
right  hand  in  heaven. 

We  may  be  told  that,  because  it  is  a  glorified  body,  it  may 
therefore  be  present  in  a  thousand  or  more  places  at  once.  Ad- 
mitting that  a  great  change  has  passed  on  the  body  of  Christ,  as 
upon  the  bodies  of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  who  were  translated  and 
glorified,  and  such  as  shall  pass  upon  the  body  of  every  saint  at 
the  morning  of  the  resurrection,  yet,  whatever  that  change 
may  be,  it  does  not  and  it  cannot  destroy  its  identity,  nor 
annihilate  the  properties  of  the  body,  as  such.  A  finite  sub- 
stance cannot  be  made  infinite  by  any  change,  nor  have  the 
power  of  being  in  different  places  at  the  same  time. 

Here  we  pause,  to  notice  an  argument  sometimes  brought 
in  support  of  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation — an  argument 
drawn  from  a  passage  where  it  is  said  that  Christ  appeared  to 
His  disciples  in  the  upper  chamber  "when  the  doors  were 
shut."  We  ask,  How  does  this  bear  upon  the  question  ?  If 
any  thing  is  to  be  proved  by  it  in  reference  to  the  subject 
under  discussion,  it  must  be  clearly  established  that  Christ's 
body  was  both  in  the  chamber  and  out  of  it  at  the  same  time; 
for  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  teaches  that  his  body 
can  be  in  heaven  and  on  earth  at  the  same  time.  At  the 
period  to  which  the  passage  just  quoted  refers,  Christ  was  on 


12  THE    ROMISH    DOCTRINE 

earth,  not  in  heaven,  nor  was  he  yet  glorified  :  there  was  no 
mass  said,  no  t ransubstantiation  pretended,  and  in  the  cham- 
ber— (which  it  is  not  said  he  entered  miraculously,  but  whose 
"doors  were  shut  for  fear  of  the  Jews") — he  showed  hia 
disciples  the  "hands  and  feet"  of  the  one  body  which  had 
been  crucified.  (John  xx.  19.) 

Again,  did  not  Christ  always  tell  his  disciples,  as  the  time 
of  his  death  and  resurrection  drew  nigh,  that  his  bodily  pre- 
sence must  ere  long  be  'withdrawn  from  them?  Did  he  not 
say,  "  In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions — I  go  to  pre- 
pare a  place  for  you  ?"  John  xiv.  2,  3.  "  It  is  expedient  for  you 
that  Igo  away  ;  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come 
unto  you;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you."  John 
xvi.  7  Did  he  not  lead  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany?  and 
whilst  he  blessed  them,  did  not  a  cloud  receive  him  {that  is, 
bodily)  out  of  their  sight  ?  Did  not  the  angels  say,  "  Ye  men 
of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  this  same 
Jesus,  who  is  taken  from  you  up  into  heaven,  shall  so  come 
in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven  V  Acts  i. 
11.  And  is  it  not  declared  by  an  inspired  apostle,  "Whom 
the  heaven  must  receive  until  the  times  of  restitution  of  all 
things  ?"  Acts  iii.  21.  Is  not  his  second  coming  announced 
in  connection  with  a  bodily  manifestation  ?  "  Behold,  he 
cometh  with  clouds ;  and  every  eye  shall  see  him  :  they  also  that 
pierced  him  shall  wail  because  of  him."  Bev.  i.  7  And,  but 
that  Christ  is  absent  from  his  Church,  would  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per ever  have  been  instituted  ?  From  age  to  age  his  disciples  eat 
and  drink  in  commemoration  of  Christ,  and  they  at  the  same 
time  continue,  and  shall  continue,  to  "  show  forth  his  death 
until  he  come," — and  no  longer ;  because,  "  when  he  appears 
a  second  time,  without  sin  unto  salvation,"  he  shall  be  with 
his  saints,  and  they  shall  be  for  "  ever  with  the  Lord."  1 
Thess.  iv.  17  Now,  if  Christ  be  on  ten  thousand  altars,  if 
his  whole  body  and  blood  be  received  by  millions  in  the  sacri- 
fice of  the  mass,  then  the  Scripture  testimony  is  not  true :  he 
is  not  absent  from  his  Church,  the  heavens  have  not  received 
him,  and  He  whose  name  is  "  the  Faithful  and  True  Witness" 
was  guilty  of  falsehood  when  He  declared  to  his  disciples, 
"The  poor  always  ye  have  with  you,  but  me  ye  Juice  not 
aha j/s  "  John  xii.  8. 

"But,"  says    the   Romanist,   " Transubstantiation    is    not 


OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  13 

impossible,  because  the  Scriptures  declare  that  l  all  things  are 
possible  with  God.'"  Now,  we  reply  (with  reverence,  but 
with  boldness)  that  this  is  a  statement  that  is  not  unlimited 
in  its  application.  Do  not  the  Scriptures  declare  that  "  it  is 
impossible  for  God  to  lie  V  So  likewise,  we  know,  God  can- 
not sin  himself,  nor  tempt  others  to  sin :  he  cannot  make  truth 
falsehood,  or  falsehood  truth  :  "  he  cannot  deny  himself." 
Truth,  as  well  as  power,  is  one  of  his  attributes.  A  contra- 
diction cannot  be  true ;  for  this  would  be  the  endorsement  of 
a  falsehood  by  Him  who  will  eternally  exclude  from  his  pre- 
sence every  one  "  that  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie.  "  God  cannot 
make  a  lie,  otherwise  he  must  hate  himself:  neither  can  he 
make  one  body  which  is  found  in  one  place  to  be  at  the  same 
time  found,  as  that  one  and  the  same  body,  in  ten  thousand 
other  places ;  for  even  were  mere  power  adequate  to  the  task, 
truth  would  not  permit  it,  as  involving  a  practical  falsehood.* 
Nor  will  it  avail  the  Romanist  to  say,  that  God  is  omni- 
present, he  is  here  and  everywhere,  and  that  therefore  the 
body  of  Christ  may  be  at  once  in  many  places.  There  is  no 
parallelism  whatever  in  the  illustration.  God  as  such  is  an 
infinite,  Spirit :  every  body  is  bounded  matter.  The  attributes 
of  the  one  bear  no  proportion  to  the  attributes  of  the 
other.  When  Christ  was  seen  by  Stephen  in  his  glorified 
humanity  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  he  could  not  at  that  time 
have  been  present  in  bodily  shape  in  any  other  place  save 
where  the  dying  martyr  saw  him,  simply  because  the  body  is 
bounded,  and  would  cease  to  be  a  body  were  it  capable  of  be- 
coming unbounded.  Let  it  be  remembered,  we  are  here 
speaking  of  the  manhood  of  Christ,  and  that  this  is  pecu- 
liarly the  question  that  bears  upon  the  subject  now  under 
discussion.  Although  Christ  has  two  natures,  they  continue 
distinct — God  and  man  in  one  person;  and  each  retains  its 
own  peculiar  attributes ;  and,  therefore,  well  and  truly  has  it- 
been  said  by  a  distinguished  theologian,  "  To  suppose  that 
divine  properties  are  communicated  to  the  human  nature  of 
Christ,  is  to  confound  the  Creator  with  the  creature ;  and  it 
may  be  confidently  affirmed  to  be  impossible  even  fcT  Omnipo- 
tence to  make  that  infinite  which  is  finite. "f 

*  Carson's  "  Transubstantiation  Impossible." 
f  Carson,  Idem. 


14  THE    ROMISH  DOCTRINE 

Again,  if  we  must  receive  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation, 
we  must  also  believe  that  a  part  is  equal  to  the  whole  ! 
According  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  the  bread, 
after  consecration,  is  the  whole  Christ,  and  the  cup  is  the 
whole  Christ — yea,  every  crumb  of  the  bread  is  the  whole 
Christ,  and  every  drop  of  the  wine  is  the  same.  The  council 
of  Trent  has  decreed  (Canon  3)  "  That  the  *  body  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  entirely  contained  in  the  sacramental  Eucharist,  under 
either  species ;  and,  after  separation,  under  every  part  of  this 
species."  Hence  it  follows,  that  if  any  one  of  the  communi- 
cants divided  the  wafer  into  ten  parts  and  swallowed  them, 
he  would  have  ten  human  bodies  at  once  in  the  stomach. 
And  aU  these  made  out  of  one  body.  And,  after  all,  there 
is  but  one  body  of  Christ.  Could  infatuation  go  farther 
than  this  ? 

Again,  we  must  believe,  if  this  declaration  be  true,  that 
that  which  exists  already  may  begin  to  exist;  and  that  it  is 
possible  to  create  that  which  has  already  been  created.  The 
body  of  Christ,  since  he  was  born  of  the  virgin,  has  existed 
upwards  of  1800  years ;  but,  according  to  the  Romish  doc- 
trine, the  priest  gives  it  existence,  forms  it  out  of  bread  and 
water,  every  time  he  says  mass  !  Thus  Pope  Urban  II.  (A.  D. 
1097)  blasphemously  spoke  of  the  priest's  hands  as  "  those 
hands  which  created  Grod  !" 

Further,  if  this  doctrine  be  true,  we  must  believe  that  a 
thing  may  exist  without  its  essential  attributes.  Christ  is 
divested  of  these  in  the  wafer :  he  has  not  the  power  of 
thought,  feeling,  and  motion,  which  Christ's  body  and  soul 
confessedly  have ;  and  yet  his  "  body  and  soul"  are  said  to 
be  in  the  wafer. 

Again,  if  we  receive  this  doctrine,  we  must  also  believe  the 
contradiction,  that  the  attributes  of  a  body  may  exist  without 
the  substance  to  which  they  naturally  adhere.  In  the  mass, 
we  are  told,  "  the  qualities"  of  the  bread  and  wine  exist  after 
the  bread  and, Wine  are  changed  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ ! 

Further/we  must  admit  that  when  Christ,  as  Rome  has  it, 
"  said  the  first ,  mass" — when  he  said,  taking  a  piece  of 
bread,  "  This  is  my  body,"  the  moment  he  uttered  the  words, 
it  was  changed  into  his  body  and  blood,  and  that  he  actually 
held  his  own  body  in  his  own  hand ;  nay,  that  the  body  which 


OF    TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  15 

sat  at  the  table  with  his  disciples,  the  hand  of  which  gave 
away  the  Eucharist  to  them — the  body  that  remained  at  the 
table  after  they  had  eaten  and  drunk,  was  the  same  body  as 
that  which  the  disciples  received. 

Surely,  after  this  review,  we  may  boldly  aver  that  no  war- 
rant for  the  dogma  of  transubstantiation  can  be  found  in  Holy 
Scripture. 

III.  We  therefore  proceed  to  show  that  transubstantiation 
is  contrary  to  the  word  of  God. 

A  Romish  author  writes  thus  : — "  I  would  then  incline  to 

say,  with  St.  Thomas  Aquinas — 

'  In  touch,  taste,  sight,  although  deceived  we  be, 
The  word  of  God  is  quite  enough  for  me  : 
What  God  declares  is  true,  I  must  believe  ; 
The  word  of  truth  itself  cannot  deceive.'  " 

Here  certainly  there  is  great  apparent  veneration  for  the 
word  of  God;  but  the  writer  takes  it  for  granted  that  the 
testimony  of  Scripture  and  the  testimony  of  the  senses 
contradict  each  other.  Now  both  these  witnesses  are  com- 
municated to  us  and  commissioned  by  the  same  God :  their 
testimony,  therefore,  cannot  be  contradictory.  "  If  the  God 
of  Scripture  be  the  God  that  made  man,  there  is  every  security 
that  he  would  not  give  one  revelation  by  the  senses  to  prove 
himself  a  liar  by  the  revelation  of  the  Bible.  Such  an  opin- 
ion is  inconsistent  with  the  supposition  that  the  God  of  nature 
is  the  God  of  grace.  A  demon,  if  he  had  power  to  make  a 
man,  and  to  communicate  any  thing  like  human  faculties  or 
human  senses,  might  be  suspected  of  giving  deceitful  senses 
and  unfaithful  faculties;  but  we  will  not  be  guilty  of  the 
blasphemy  of  ascribing  such  a  work  to  a  God  of  truth  and 
love."*  The  real  opposition,  we  say  to  the  Romanist,  is  be- 
tween your  CJJiurch  and  the  senses — not  between  Christ  and 
the  senses. 

But  the  objector  says  again,  "I  cannot  but  believe  the  doc- 
trine of  transubstantiation,  for  Christ  says,  '  This  is  my  body/ 
and  'This  is  my  blood.'  "  Dr.  Wiseman  accordingly  declares, 
in  his  published  Lectures,  "  It  is  impossible  for  me,  by  any 
commentary  or  paraphrase  that  I  can  make,  to  render  our 
Saviour's  words  more  explicit,  or  to  reduce  them  to  a  form 
more  completely  expressing  the  Catholic  doctrine,  than  they 

*  Dr.  Carson. 


16  THE    ROMISH    DOCTRINE 

do  of  themselves  :  '  This  is  my  body/  and  '  This  is  my  blood.' 
The  Catholic  doctrine  touches  that  it  was  Christ's  body,  and 
that  it  was  Christ's  blood.  It  would  consequently  appear  as 
though  all  we  had  to  do  were,  simply  and  exclusively,  to  rest 
at  once  on  these  words,  and  leave  to  others  to  show  reason 
why  we  should  depart  from  the  literal  interpretation  which  we 
give  them."  (Lect.  xv.  p.  174.)  Now  we  shall  speedily  give 
the  reader  a  "  reason  why  we  should  depart  from  this  literal 
interpretation."  We  shall  do  so  on  the  principle  elsewhere 
laid  down  by  Dr.  Wiseman  himself  as  the  very  "  groundwork 
of  the  science  of  interpretation ;"  which  is  this,  "  That  when 
we  read  any  book,  or  hear  any  discourse,  our  object  is  to 
ascertain  what  was  passing  in  the  author's  mind  when  he 
wrote  or  spoke  those  passages — that  is  to  say,  what  was  the 
meaning  he  himself  wished  to  give  to  the  expressions  he  then 
wrote  or  uttered." 

In  the  case  before  us,  Christ  is  the  author  of  the  words, 
"This  is  my  body,"  and  "  This  is  my  blood."  In  order  to 
ascertain  their  real  meaning,  Dr.  Wiseman  tells  us  we  must 
try  to  ascertain  "what  was  passing  in  the  author's  mind.'' 
To  assist  in  this,  let  us  inquire  into  Christ's  usual  mode  of 
expressing  his  thoughts,  as  illustrated  by  some  of  his  other 
discourses.  Thus,  for  instance,  in  Matthew's  Gospel,  we  find 
him  saying  to  his  apostles,  "  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate ;" 
we  find  him  warning  them  against  "  casting  pearls  before 
swine."  He  tells  them,  "  Beware  of  false  prophets,  which 
come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  arc  raven- 
ing wolves."  He  calls  himself  "the  bridegroom,"  and  his 
disciples  "children  of  the  bride-chamber."  He  speaks  of  the 
"  harvest,"  and  of  "  laborers."  He  tells  his  disciples  to  go 
to  the  "lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  Now,  does  not 
every  Romanist  admit  that  Christ  in  all  these  passages  speaks, 
not  literally,  but  figuratively  ?  It  is  not  only  true  that  he  used 
figures  when  speaking  to  the  people— that  he  spoke  always  to 
the  multitude  in  parables;  but  it  is  true  also  that  he  spoke  to 
his  disciples  in  figurative  language — yes,  to  those  very  dis- 
ciples to  whom  at  the  table  he  said,  "  This  is  my  body,"  and 
"  This  is  my  blood." 

Moreover,  if  we  grant  for  a  moment  that  the  literal  is  the 
true  interpretation,  then  the  words  of  consecration,  "  This  is 
my  body,"  would  turn  the  bread  into  the  body  only  of  Christ. 


OF    TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  17 

But  there  would  thus  be  wanting  "  the  blood,  the  soul,  and 
the  divinity  of  Christ/'  which  according  to  Home  are  present 
in  the  host.  In  like  manner,  the  words,  "  This  is  my  blood,'' 
if  they  are  to  be  taken  literally,  necessarily  exclude  the  body, 
soul,  and  divinity.  Either  the  words  are  to  be  taken  literally, 
(as  Dr.  Wiseman  demands,)  or  they  are  not.  If  they  are,  then 
"  This  is  my  body  "  means,  This  is  my  body,  and  nothing  else  ; 
and  "  This  is  my  blood  "  means,  This  is  any  bloody  and  nothing 
else.  If  Dr.  Wiseman  chooses  the  letter,  he  must  abide  by 
the  letter,  and  then  three  fourths  of  transubstantiation  arc 
wanting. 

Again,  if  the  literal  sense  is  to  be  taken,  the  wine  is  not 
transubstantiated,  but  the  cup  in  which  the  wine  is,  "This 
cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood."  1  Cor.  xi.  25.  Not 
one  word  is  said  about  the  wine,  "the  whole  substance"  of 
which,  according  to  the  Roman  doctrine,  is  changed  in  the 
act  of  consecration  by  the  priest.  To  this  it  may  be  added 
that  if  the  literal  sense  is  to  decide,  neither  the  cup  nor  the 
wine  is  turned  into  the  blood,  but  into  the  new  testament. 
"This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood."  The  literal 
interpretation,  then,  is  fatal  to  the  cause  of  the  Romish 
Church. 

Dr.  Blake,  an  Irish  Roman  Catholic  bishop,  in  a  note  on  the 
words,  "  This  is  my  body,  this  is  my  blood,"  writes  thus : — 
"  He  does  not  say,  '  This  is  the  figure  of  my  body,'  but  '  This 
is  my  body.'  Absolutely,  '  This  is  my  body,'  which  implies 
transubstantiation."*  Now,  let  us  try  Christ's  words  by  the 
canon  that  is  here  laid  down.  He  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Ye 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth;"  and  to  Peter,  (JSu  ei  petros,) 
"  Thou  art  a  stone."  He  did  not  say  to  the  one,  "  Ye  are 
like  salt,"  but,  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth;"  nor  to  the 
other,  "  Thou  art  like  a  stone,"  but,  "  Thou  art,  a  stone." 
And  if  saying  "  This  is  my  body,"  make  the  bread  his  body, 
and  "This  is  my  blood,"  make  the  wine  his  blood,  then,  when 
Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth," 
they  must  have  been  turned  into  pillars  of  salt ;  and  when  he 
said  to  Peter,  Su  ei  petros,  he  must  have  been  petrified,  tran- 
substantiated into  a  stone. 

The  same  argument  applies  still  more  strongly  to  the 
expressions,  "  I  am  the  true  Vine,"  John  xv.  1 ;  "  I  am  the 

*  Douay  Testament,  with  annotations.  Newry.  Robert  Greer,  1838. 

5* 


18  THE  ROMISH  DOCTRINE 

Way/'  John  xiv.  6 ;  "lam  the  Door,"  John  x.  9 ;  "  The 
bright  and  morning  star,"  Rev.  xxii.  16.  Was  Christ  literally 
a  vine  tree  ?  Was  he  a  way,  a  door,  a  morning  star  ?  The 
truth  is,  in  all  such  cases  the  verb  "  to  be,"  naturally  and 
obviously  means,  to  signify,  or  represent.  Therefore,  in  per- 
fect harmony  with  Christ's  own  mode  of  speaking  at  other 
times,  we  say,  that  when  he  took  bread,  and  said,  "  This  is  my 
body,"  he  meant,  "This  represents  my  body;"  and  when  he 
said,  "  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood,"  he  meant 
that  it  represented  his  blood.  The  verb  "to  be"  is  thus 
rendered  in  every  other  place  in  Scripture  where  the  form  of 
expression  is  precisely  that  used  by  our  Lord  at  the  institution 
of  the  Supper.  For  example :  "  The  seven  good  kine  are  seven 
years," — that  is,  they  represent  seven  years;  "the  seven 
good  ears  are  seven  years;"  "the  seven  empty  ears  shall  be 
seven  years  of  famine,"  Gen.  xli.  26,  27 ;  "  the  three  branches 
are  three  days,"  Gen.  xl.  12 ;  "  the  three  baskets  are  three 
days,"  Gen.  xl.  18.  In  Daniel's  vision,  "  The  fourth  beast," 
it  is  said,  "  shall  be  the  fourth  kingdom,"  Dan.  vii.  23  ;  "  the 
rough  goat  is  the  king  of  Grecia,"  and  "the  great  horn  that 
is  between  his  eyes  is  the  first  king,"  Dan.  viii.  21.  Here, 
if  we  must  take  this  as  literal  transubstantiation,  we  should 
have  branches  and  baskets  changed  into  days,  cattle  turned 
into  years,  a  beast  into  a  kingdom,  a  goat  and  a  horn  into  a 
king.  When  Paul  says,  again,  "This  Agar  is  Mount  Sinai," 
Gal.  iv.  25,  was  the  woman  transubstantiated  into  a  mountain  ? 
When  Jesus  said,  "  The  seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the 
seven  churches;  and  the  seven  candlesticks  which  thou  sawest 
are  the  seven  churches,"  Rev.  i.  20;  do  these  words  prove 
that  a  minister  is  really  a  star,  or  that  a  candlestick  has  been 
changed  into  a  church?  If  the  words,  "This  is  my  body," 
teach  the  doctrine,  all  these  other  passages  teach  it  too.  And 
yet  no  reader  would  ever  think  of  attaching  to  them  such  a 
meaning  as  this. 

Moreover,  it  is  worthy  of  observation  that  Christ's  words 
were  used  when  he  instituted  an  ordinance,  which,  like  the 
passover,  was  to  be  symbolical  in  its  character.  "  Whilst, 
therefore,  he  was  distributing  the  bread  and  wine,  the  thought 
could  not  but  rise  in  the  minds  of  his  disciples,  'What  can 
this  mean?1  They  did  not  inquire  whether  what  they  saw 
was  really  bread,  or  whether  another  body  lay  hid    in  the 


OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  19 

interstices  of  the  bread ;  but,  what  the  action  signified,  and 
of  ivhat  the  bread  and.  wine  were  the  memorials  and  repre- 
sentatives."* 

We  have  thus  examined  in  what  sense  our  Lord's  words  are 
to  be  taken,  agreeably  to  what  Dr.  Wiseman  himself  declares 
to  be  the  best  rule  of  interpretation,  namely,  the  ascertaining 
in  what  sense  the  language  in  question  must  have  been  under- 
stood by  those  to  whom  it  was  addressed.  We  are  led  therefore 
to  the  inevitable  conclusion,  that  when  the  disciples  heard 
these  words,  "This  is  my  body,' '  and  "  This  is  my  blood," 
they  could  apply  no  other  meaning  to  them  than  that  to  which 
they  had  always  been  accustomed  when  similar  language  was 
employed — that  is,  a  symbolical  and  figurative  meaning. 

The  Church  of  Rome  says,  that  after  consecration  the  fluid 
in  the  cup  is  not  wine,  but  blood.  Yet  our  Lord,  at  the  very 
time  when  he  instituted  the  holy  feast,  expressly  taught  that  it 
was  wine  :  "I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  of  this  fruit  of 
the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my 
Father's  kingdom."  Matt.  xxvi.  29.  In  like  manner,  after  the 
supposed  consecration  of  the  bread,  the  apostle  Paul  states  that 
it  is  still  bread  :  "The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  body  of  Christ?"  1  Cor.  x.  16.  And, 
again,  "We  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread,"  ver.  17. 
And,  again,  "  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and 
drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come," 
xi.  26;  and,  again,  "  Whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread  and 
drink  this  cup  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord."  ver.  27.  And,  again,  "  But  let  a  man 
examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,"  ver.  28. 
Here  the  apostle  not  once,  but  five  times  declares  the  bread 
"after  consecration"  to  be  still  bread.  The  doctrine  of  tran- 
substantiation  therefore  must  be  false.  And  yet  the  council 
of  Trent  has  decreed,  that  "  if  any  man  shall  say  that  in  the 
Eucharist  there  remains  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine 
together  with  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord,  let  him  be 
accursed." 

Let  us  add  to  all  this,  that  in  no  case  is  the  verb  "to  be" 
employed  in  Scripture  to  signify  transubstantiation.  We 
challenge  any  man  to  produce  a  sentence  from  the  Bible,  or 
any  other  book,  in  which  the  verb  to  be,  in  any  of  its  forms, 

*  Wetstein. 


20  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

indicates  a  change  of  one  substance  into  another.  It  is  not 
said  of  Moses,  for  instance,  that  he  cast  his  rod  on  the  ground, 
and  it  was  a  serpent,  but  that  it  became  a  serpent,  inasmuch 
as  there  was  a  real  change,  in  that  case,  of  one  substance  into 
another.  When  Christ  changed  the  water  into  wine,  it  is  not 
said  the  water  icas  wine,  but  the  ruler  of  the  feast  tasted  of 
the  water  "that  teas  made  wine."  Now,  where  in  the  New 
Testament  is  there  a  single  passage  in  which  the  bread  and 
wine  are  said  to  become,  or  to  be  made,  or  to  be  turned,  or 
changed  into,  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  reply  must 
be,  "There  is  none  !" 

Finally,  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  by  Romanists 
confidently  maintained  by  an  appeal  to  the  words  of  Christ, 
John  vi.  53—56 :  "  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Whoso 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life; 
and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat 
indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that  eateth  my 
flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him." 

Dr.  Wiseman  applies  this"  passage  to  the  Eucharist,  and  he 
charges  Protestants  with  "the  neglect  of  a  sovereign  com- 
mand— a  neglect,"  he  says,  "to  which  is  attached  a  fearful 
penalty,"  namely,  "  Unless  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man, 
and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you." 

In  reply  to  this,  we  say,  first,  that  these  words  have  no 
reference  to  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  discourse  was  uttered 
by  our  Lord  about  a  year  before  the  institution  of  the  Lord's 
Supper;  and  at  the  time  it  was  uttered,  none  of  his  hearers 
could  possibly  have  understood  him  to  have  referred  to  that 
sacrament.  The  reader  will  find  in  John  vi.  4,  sufficient 
evidence  that  the  passover  was  near  at  hand ;  and  the  many 
events  that  happened  between  that  and  the  death  of  Christ, 
the  space  of  time  that  was  required,  and  the  whole  facts  of 
the  history,  prove  that  it  was  not  the  same  passover  at  which 
Christ  instituted  the  Lord's  Supper. 

In  the  second  place,  if,  as  Romanists  insist,  the  words  are 
to  be  interpreted  literally,  then  they  will  prove,  not  that  bread 
is  turned  into  Christ's  body,  but  that  Christ's  body  is  turned 
into  bread.  "I  am  the  Bread  of  life;"  "I  am  the  living 
Bread  which  came  down  from  heaven;"  "For  my  flesh  is 


OF    TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  21 

meat  indeed,  and  my  Wood  is  drink  indeed."  He  is  first 
spoken  of  as  "bread,"  then  as  "flesh;"  accordingly,  the 
bread  must  have  been  turned  into  flesh:  "  which  words," 
says  Usher,  referring  to  ver.  55,  "being  the  most  forcible  of 
all  the  rest,  and  those  wherewith  the  simpler  sort  are  most 
commonly  deluded,  might  carry  some  show  of  proof  that 
Christ's  flesh  and  blood  should  be  turned  into  bread  and  wine, 
but  have  no  manner  of  color  to  prove  that  the  bread  and  wine 
are  turned  into  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ."* 

In  the  third  place,  the  eating  of  the  flesh  and  the  drinking 
of  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  man,  here  mentioned,  are  not 
carnal  eating  or  drinking,  but  the  spiritual  feeding  of  the  soul 
on  Christ  by  faith.  In  proof  of  this,  we  find  that  again  and 
again  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  are  set  forth  in  Scripture 
under  the  figure  of  meat  and  drink.  In  Proverbs  ix.  1-5, 
we  read,  "  Wisdom  hath  builded  her  house  :  she  hath  hewn 
out  her  seven  pillars :  she  hath  killed  her  beasts  :  she  hath 
mingled  her  wine :  she  hath  also  furnished  her  table.  She 
hath  sent  forth  her  maidens  :  she  crieth  upon  the  highest 
places  of  the  city,  Come,  eat  of  my  bread,  and.   drink 

of  the  wine  which  I  have  mingled."  In  Isaiah  lv.  1,  2, 
"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he 
that  hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat;  yea,  come,  buy 
wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price.  Wherefore 
do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread?  and  your 
labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  hearken  diligently  unto 
me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  delight 
itself  in  fatness."  Now,  these  passages  are  admitted  on  all 
sides  to  have  a  spiritual  reference  to  the  blessings  of  the  gos- 
pel. Again,  we  read  in  the  New  Testament,  Matt.  xxh.  2-4, 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain  king,  which 
made  a  marriage  for  his  son,  and  sent  forth  his  servants — say- 
ing, Tell  them  which  are  bidden,  Behold,  I  have  prepared  my 
dinner  :  my  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all  things  are 
ready  :  come  unto  the  marriage."  Here,  again,  all  will  admit 
that  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  are  set  forth.  So  also  when 
it  is  written,  "Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst 
after  righteousness  ;  for  they  shall  be  filled  :"  what  is  this  but 
the  provision  which  God  has  made  for  the  spiritual  nourish- 
ment of  his  people's  souls  unto  life  everlasting  ?     Now,  the 

*  "Answer  to  a  Jesuit." 


22  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

figure  in  all  these  passages  is  precisely  the  same  as  in  this 
passage  in  John  vi.  If,  therefore,  in  this  chapter  we  are  to 
understand  eating  the  flesh  and  drinking  the  blood  literally, 
we  must  interpret  the  same  expressions  literally  in  other 
passages  :  so  that  men  must  literally  eat  "beasts"  and  "fat- 
lings"  and  "oxen,"  and  drink  "wine  and  milk."  There  is  no 
limitation  in  the  one  case  more  than  in  the  other.  The  inter- 
pretation, then,  in  either  case  is  spiritual ;  and,  thus  inter- 
preted, the  language  of  Christ  is  in  beautiful  harmony  with 
the  other  kindred  revelations  of  the  word  of  God. 

When  we  look  at  the  object  and  design  of  the  passage  and 
of  Christ's  whole  discourse,  how  obvious  is  all  this  !  A  short 
time  before,  he  had  performed  the  wondrous  miracle  of  feeding 
five  thousand  with  five  loaves  and  two  small  fishes.  The 
multitude  eagerly  followed  him  :  they  asked  him  for  a  sign, 
that  they  mi«;ht  see  and  believe ;  they  said,  "Our  fathers  did 
eat  manna  in 'the  desert :  as  it  is  written,  He  gave  them  bread 
from  heaven;"  and  then  Christ  institutes  a  comparison  be- 
tween the  manna  and  himself :  the  one  was  earthly  food,  the 
other  heavenly  ;  the  one  was  for  the  body,  the  other  for  the 
soul.  "The  bread  of  God,"  he  says,  " is  He  which  cometh 
down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world."  Then 
they  said,  "Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  bread  !"  Mark  the 
reply  of  Christ :  "  I  am  the  Bread  of  life  :  he  that  cometh 
to  me  shall  never  hunger;  and  he  that  believeth  on  me 
shall  never  thirst."  What  can  be  more  evident  than  that 
coming  to  Christ  and  believing  on  Christ  are  here,  by  his  own 
interpretation,  the  very  same  as  eating  and  drinking?  There- 
fore when  it  is  said,  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you;"  and, 
"  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal 
life-"  it  is  the  same  truth  that  is  elsewhere  expressed,  "He 
that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  ;  and  he  that 
believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life :  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him."  John  iii.  36.* 

*  If  the  words  in  John  vi.,  "Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man,  and  drL>  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you,"  are  to  betaken 
literally,  the  c\  is  essential  to  salvation.  Without  the  cup  it  is 
impossible  to  drin..  His  blood.  Cardinal  Cajetan  felt  tin's  so  strongly, 
that  in  his  commenta  v  on  verse  53  he  declares  that  "these  words  do 
not  deliver  a  precept  o.   eating  and  drinking  the  sacrament  of  the 


01?   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  23 

This  is  not  a  Protestant  interpretation  invented  to  evade  a 
difficulty.  We  have  proved  it  to  be  in  strict  harmony  with 
Scripture.  But  we  go  a  step  farther  :  we  turn  round  on  Dr. 
Wiseman,  who  threatens  all  who  deny  that  this  passage  ap- 
plies to  the  Eucharist  with  "a  fearful  penalty/'  and  we  tell 
him,  that  he  is  forgetting  his  solemn  oath  to  interpret 
Scripture  only  "according  to  the  unanimous  sense  of  the 
Fathers."     The  Fathers  are  against  this  interpretation  : — 

In  commenting  on  the  words  of  Christ,  "  Doth  this  offend 
you?  What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  ascend  up 
where  he  was  before  ?  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth;  the 
flesh  profiteth  nothing  :  the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they 
are  spirit,  and  they  are  life/' — Athanasius  says,  "That  the 
Saviour  used  these  words  that  his  hearers  might  learn  that 
those  things  which  he  spake  were  not  carnal,  but  spiritual. 
For  how  many  could  his  body  have  sufficed  for  meat,  that  it 
should  be  made  the  food  of  the  whole  world?  But  therefore 
it  was  that  he  made  mention  of  the  Son  of  man's  ascension 
into  heaven,  that  he  might  draw  them  from  this  corporeal  con- 
ceit, and  that  hereafter  they  might  learn  that  the  flesh  which 
he  spake  of  was  celestial  meat  from  above,  spiritual  nourish- 
ment to  be  given  by  him." 

Tertullian  says,  "  Because  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  it 
therefore  was  to  be  desired  for  causing  of  life,  and  to  be  de- 
voured by  hearing,  and  to  be  chewed  by  understanding,  and 
to  be  digested  by  faith." 

Origen  says,  "There  is  in  the  New  Testament  also  a 
letter  which  killeth  him  that  doth  not  spiritually  conceive  the 
things  that  be  spoken.  For  if  according  to  the  letter  you  do 
follow  this  same,  which  is  said,  'Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of 
the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood/  this  letter  killeth." 

In  his  Tractates  upon  John,  Augustin  says,  "  Why  pre- 
parest  thou  thy  teeth  and  thy  belly  ?  Believe,  and  thou 
hast  eaten."  .  "  For  this  is  to  eat  the  living  bread,  to  believe 
in  him.     He  that  believeth  in  him,  eateth."* 

Clemens  Alexandrinus  regards  the  expressions  of  eating 

Eucharist." — Quoted  in  Gibson's  "Preservative,"  vol.  ii.  p.  158,  or 
vol.  ix.  p.  49,  Ed.  of  Society  for  Promoting  the  Religious  Principles 
of  the  Reformation. 

*  Arch.  Usher,  "Answer  to  a  Jesuit,"  pp.  44,  45,  where  the  origi- 
nals are  given. 


24 


THE  ROMISH  DOCTRINE 


Christ's  flesh  and  drinking  his  blood  as  equivalent  to  the 
apostle  Paul's  feeding  with  milk.  "Our  Lord '(he  says)  in 
all  these  things  is  for  the  enjoyment  of  those  who  believe  in 
Him."  Lib.  i.  c.  6.  p.  105. 

This  same  passage  in  John  has  been  understood  and  ex- 
plained in  a  figurative  sense,  as  signifying  spiritual  eating  and 
drinking,  by  other  fathers — Ignatius,  Cyril,  Chrysostom,  Bede, 
and  Theophylact.* 

Three  general  councils — Constance,  Basil,  and  Trent — give 
the  weight  of  their  authority  to  the  spiritual  meaning  of  this 
text  by  their  sanction  of  those  orators  appointed  to  express 
their  opinions  on  this  subject.  So  it  is  testified  by  Labbeus, 
the  Jesuit  historian  of  those  councils. j" 

Albertin  has  enumerated  thirty  Roman  pontiffs,  cardinals, 
Bishops,  or  commentators,  who  interpret  this  part  of  John's 
Grospel  in  a  spiritual  sense,  and  reject  the  idea  of  its  applica- 
tion to  the  sacrament.  This  was  the  explanation  of  the  two 
popes,  Innocent  and  Pius.  According  to  Innocent  III.,  "Our 
Lord,  in  this  passage,  speaks  of  spiritual  manducation.  His 
body  is  eaten  spiritually— that  is,  in  faith."  Comeditur 
spiritualiter,  id  est,  in  jide.% 

Pius  II.  concurs— and,  if  possible,  in   still  more  explicit 

language— with  Innocent:    "The  Son  of  God,"  says   this 

pope,  "treats  there  not  of  sacramental,  but  spiritual  drinking. 

The  communion  was  not  then  instituted;  and  how,  therefore, 

could  they  eat  and  drink  Jesus,  but  by  faith  ?     Those  who 

believed  in  him  were  the  persons  who  ate  his  flesh  and  drank 

his  blood;  for  faith  is  the  only  means  of  such  participation. 

Jesus,  on  the  occasion,  spoke  in  figurative  language."  § 

If  a  lingering  doubt  remain  in  the  mind  of  any  reader,  we 
ask  him  to&look°at  the  words,  and  ponder  them  again.  If  the 
words  "Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and 
drink  'his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you,"  John  vi.  53,  be 
applied  to  the  Eucharist,  then  they  absolutely  exclude  from 

*  Ignatius  ad  Trail,     Cyril.  293.    Aug.  de  Doctrin.  316;  and  Ser- 
ial    rhrvs   Horn.  47.     Bede  in  Cor.  x.     Theoph.  in  John  vi. 
1fLabbUXvi.ll41;xvii..930;xx.613. 
t  Innocent,  De  Myst.  Miss.  iv.  14 

lln  Lenfr.  ii.  211,  242.  bee  the  elaborate,  accurate,  and  able 
work  of  Edgar,  on  the  "Variations  of  Popery,"  c.  xii.  on  Transub- 
etantiation. 


OP   TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  25 

salvation  all  those  who  lived  before  it  was  instituted,  as  well 
as  all  infants  and  others  who  have  never  partaken  of  it !  And, 
further,  when  Christ  says,  "  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life,"  it  follows  that  of  the 
millions  that  have  died  in  communion  with  the  Church  of 
Rome,  every  one  has  been  saved  because  he  received  the 
Eucharist.  Romanists  will  themselves  refuse  to  believe  this, 
for  they  will  confess  that  many  a  communicant  in  the  Church 
has  died  in  "  mortal  sin,"  which  necessarily  leads  to  eternal 
damnation. 

And  now  our  argument  is  closed.  We  have  sought  to 
establish  what  we  believe  to  be  the  truth,  and  to  overthrow 
the  dogma  of  transubstantiation  by  an  appeal  to  the  senses,  to 
reason,  and  to  the  word  of  God. 

To  Roman  Catholic  readers  we  say,  We  ask  you  to  weigh 
well  the  evidence  that  has  now  been  laid  before  you.  As  you 
shall  answer  for  it  at  the  great  day  of  judgment,  we  call  upon 
you  to  reject  a  dogma  which  is  contradicted  by  the  threefold 
and  harmonious  testimony  of  the  senses,  of  reason,  and  of  the 
infallible  word  of  God.  The  true  members  of  the  incorrupt 
early  Church  at  Rome,  whose  "  faith  was  spoken  of  through- 
out the  world,"  (Rom.  i.  8,)  were  utter  strangers  to  this 
doctrine.  The  apostle  Paul,  who  wrote  an  epistle  to  them, 
never  mentions  it ;  and  as  for  Peter,  (who,  you  are  taught, 
was  their  first  bishop,  nay,  the  first  pope,)  in  none  of  his 
sermons,  nor  in  either  of  his  epistles,  does  he  make  a  single 
allusion  to  this  dogma,  which  your  Church  regards  as  a 
fundamental  article  of  faith.  Not  only  was  it  unknown  to  the 
fathers  and  Pope  Gelasius,  but.  even  among  the  growing  cor- 
ruptions of  Christendom,  it  was  not  even  broached  for  more 
than  800  years  after  Christ.*  Will  you  insist  that  "  the 
Church"  may  be  right  after  all  ?     If  so,  Christ,  the  Head  of 

*  The  author  of  this  heresy  was  Paschasius  Radbert,  who  published 
a  treatise  on  the  subject.  It  met  at  once  with  powerful  opposition 
from  Scotus,  Bertram,  and  others,  A.  D.  831.  The  celebrated  Raba- 
nus  Maurus,  Archbishop  of  Mayence,  in  writing  against  the  novel 
doctrine,  says,  '■'■Some  indeed  of  late,  not  thinking  rightly  of  the  sacra- 
ment of  our  Lord's  body  and  blood,  have  said  that  the  very  body  and 
blood  of  our  Lord,  which  was  born  of  the  virgin,  in  which  our  Lord 
suffered  on  the  cross,  and»  rose  again  out  of  the  grave,  is  the  same 
that  is  taken  from  the  altar ;  which  error  we  have  opposed  as  we  are 
able."— (Epi«t.  ad  Herib,  quoted  in  the  "Full  View,"  etc.,  p.  189.) 
3 


26  THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE 

the  Church,  and  his  apostles,  must  have  been  wrong,  and  rea- 
son and  the  senses  are  liars.     Will  you  believe  that  this  is 
the  Church  of  God,  "the  pillar  and  the  ground  of  truth/' 
which  endorses  such  a  monstrous  error,  and  says  of  every  one 
that  denies  it,  "  Let  him  be  accursed  !"      "  Consider,"  we  say 
to  Roman  Catholics,  " and  show  yourselves  men."   "Literally 
to   eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of   man,  and  to  drink  his  blood, 
St.  Austin    declared  would  be  a   great   impiety,  a   heinous 
wickedness/'  and  in  the  Eucharist,  he  says,  "We  receive  the 
likeness  of  Christ's  flesh  and  blood,  that  so,  neither  truth  may 
be  wanting  in  the  sacrament,  nor  pagans  have  occasion  to 
make  us  ridiculous,  for  drinking  the  blood  of  one  that  was 
slain."*      Cicero,    a  heathen  orator   and    philosopher,   says, 
"When   we   call  the    fruits  of   the    earth,   Ceres,  and   wine 
Bacchus,  we  use  but  the  common  language,  but  do  you  think 
any  so  mad  as  to  believe  what  we  eat  to  be  God?"^      Aver- 
roes,  an   Arabian   philosopher,  (who  lived  after  this  doctrine 
was  entertained  among  professing  Christians,)  said,  "  I  have 
travelled  over  the  world,  and  have  found  divers  sects,  but  so 
sottish  a  sect  I  never  found  as  is  the  sect  of  Christians — 
because  with  their    own   teeth    they  eat  him  whom  they  wor- 
ship."\    Arise,  then,  and  shake  off  the  fetters  of  a  juggling§ 
superstition,  and  abjure  at  once  and  for  ever  a  doctrine  which, 
above  all  others,  has  been  the  occasion  of  the  bloodiest  perse- 
cution. ||     If  a  carnal  eating  of  Christ's  body  and  blood  were 
possible,  could  this  profit  or  nourish  the  soul  ?     Come  now  to 
Jesus,  feed  on  him  hi/  faith,  and  then  shall  you   know  that 
"he  that  oateth  His  flesh,  and  drinketh  His  blood,  dwelleth 
in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  hi  in."     May  this  blessed  indwelling 
be  vouchsafed  to  you,  and  to  every  one  who  reads  these  pages ! 
"I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named,  that 
he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riehes  of  his  glory,  to 

*  De  Consocr.  (list.,  Li  sect.,  Utrum. 

f  De  Nat.  Deo.  lib.  ?>. 

%  Dion.  Carth.  4  dint.  10,  Art.  1,  quoted  by  Tillotson. 

§  "Hocus  pocus"  is  a  corruption  of  "Hoc  est  corpus,"  by  way  of 
ridicule  of  the  priests  of  Home  in  the  trick  of  transubsiantiation. 

j|  "This,"  says  Archbishop  Tillotson,  "  hath  boon  in  the  Church  of 
Rome  the  burning  article.  More  Christians  have  been  murdered  for 
the  denial  of  it,  than  perhaps  for  all  the  other  articles  of  their  reli- 
gion."—Works,  p.  277. 


OF    TRANSUBSTANTIATION.  27 

be  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man ; 
that  Christ  may  DWELL  IN  your  hearts  BY  FAITH;  that 
ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be  able  to  compre- 
hend with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and 
depth,  and  height;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which 
passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  may  be  filled  with  all  the  fullness 
of  God/'  Eph.  iii.  14-19. 


CANNIBALISM  OF  TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 

"The  popish  clergy/'  says  Dr.  Edgar,  "as  they  make,  so 
they  eat  their  god,  and  transfer  him  to  be  devoured  by  others. 
The  papist  adores  the  god  whom  he  eats,  and  eats  the  god 
whom  he  adores.  This  divinity  is  tasted,  masticated,  swallowed, 
and,  accidents  excepted,  digested.  The  partisan  of  Popery, 
in  this  manner,  worships  and  swallows  a  god  of  pastry,  which, 
if  made  big  enough,  would  furnish  a  breakfast  for  himself  or 
for  his  dog. 

"  The  manducation  of  the  sacramental  elements,  if  transub- 
stantiation  be  true,  makes  the  communicant  the  rankest  can- 
nibal. The  patron  of  the  corporeal  presence,  according  to  his 
own  system,  devours  human  flesh  and  blood ;  and,  to  show  the 
refinement  of  his  taste,  indulges  in  all  the  luxury  of  canni- 
balism. He  rivals  the  polite  Indian,  who  eats  the  quivering- 
limbs  and  drinks  the  flowing  gore  of  the  enemy.  The  Papist 
even  exceeds  the  Indian  in  grossness.  The  cannibals  of 
America  or  New  Zealand  swallow  only  the  mangled  remains 
of  an  enemy,  and  would  shudder  at  the  idea  of  devouring  any 
other  human  flesh.  But  the  partisans  of  Romanism  glut  them- 
selves with  the  flesh  and  blood  of  a  friend.  The  Indian  only 
eats  the  dead,  while  the  Papist,  with  more  shocking  ferocity, 
devours  the  living.  The  Indian  eats  man  of  mortal  mould 
on  earth.  The  Papist  devours  God-man,  as  he  exists  exalted, 
immortal,  and  glorious  in  heaven.  Papal  exceeds  even  Egyp- 
tian stupidity.  The  Egyptians  indeed  worshipped  sheep,  oxen, 
garlic,  and  onions.  But  even  these  deluded  votaries  of  idolatry 
and  superstition,  in  all  their  barbarism  and  indelicacy,  ab- 
stained from  eating  the  objects  of  their  adoration.  But  the 
believer   in    the  corporeal    presence  at   once   worships   and 


23      THE   ROMISH   DOCTRINE   OF   TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 

swallows,  adores  and  devours  his  Deity.  This  oral  manduca- 
tion  would,  shocking  to  say,  make  Jesus  more  inhuman  than 
Saturn.  Saturn,  according  to  Pagan  mythology,  devoured 
his  own  offspring.  Jesus,  according  to  the  Popish  theology, 
swallowed  his  own  flesh.  He  ate  the  consecrated  bread  and 
drank  the  hallowed  wine,  which  he  administered  to  his 
apostles.  Such  are  the  horrors  which  follow  in  the  train  of 
this  absurdity. 

"  This  is  the  light  in  which  the  corporeal  presence  has  been 
■viewed,  not  only  by  Protestants,  but  also  by  Jews,  Mahome- 
tans, and  heathens.  <  Christians/  said  Crotus,  the  Jew,  '  eat 
their  god.'  '  I  have  travelled  over  the  world,'  said  Averroes, 
the  Arabian  philosopher,  '  and  seen  many  people  ;  but  none 
so  sottish  and  ridiculous  as  Christians,  who  devour  the  god 
whom  they  worship.'  Cicero  entertained  a  similar  opinion. 
1  Whom/  said  the  Roman  orator,  '  do  you  think  so  demented 
as  to  believe  what  he  eats  to  be  God  !'  Roman  philosophy 
shames  and  confounds  Romish  theology. 

il  Aimon,  Lanfrane,  Hugo,  Durand,  Aquinas,  Bernard,  Alcuin, 
Pithou,  Faber,  Lyra,  and  the  Trentine  Catechism,  have  indeed 
endeavored  to  gild  the  Cannibalism  of  Popery.  These  admit 
the  horror  of  feeding  on  human  flesh  and  blood  in  their  own 
forms.  But  the  sacramental  elements,  say  they,  appear  under 
the  species  of  bread  and  wine,  that  conceal  the  human  sub- 
stance, which,  in  consequence,  becomes  (these  theologians 
seem  to  think)  a  great  delicacy/' 


Kmahrffle,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  P.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  29. 


IDOLATRY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 


The  Holy  Scriptures  reveal  the  existence  of  one  glorious 
Being,  self-existent,  omnipotent,  omniscient,  immutable,  and 
infinitely  holy,  just,  and  good,  to  whom  alone  men  are  to  offer 
worship  and  adoration.  "  It  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship 
the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  Luke  iv. 
8.  The  guilt  of  idolatry,  therefore,  is  contracted  when  the 
honor  and  glory  which  belong  to  God  are  given  to  a  creature : 
hence  it  is  said  of  heathen  nations  that  they  "  worshipped  and 
served  the  creature  (rather  than*)  more  than  the  Creator,  who 
is  blensed  for  ever/'     Rom.  i.  25. 

Now  the  design  of  this  paper  is  to  prove  that  the  Church 
of  Rome,  which  calls  herself  "  the  mother  and  mistress  of  all 
Churches,"  is  guilty  of  idolatry.  We  are  well  aware  that  this 
is  a  very  serious  and  awful  charge,  and  that  Romanists 
vehemently  repudiate  and  deny  it.f  We  have  no  pleasure  in 
making  it.  It  is  our  hearts'  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for 
Roman  Catholics,  that  they  may  be  saved ;  but  the  interests 
of  truth  and  the  glory  of  God  are  at  stake.  Let  the  reader 
candidly  weigh  the  evidence  and  authorities  now  to  be  laid 
before  him,  and  then  (as  before  Him  who  shall  be  final  Judge) 
say,  Is  it  not  true  that  the  Church  of  Rome  is  guilty  of  flagrant 
and  unblushing  idolatry  ? 

We  open  the  subject  by  aflirming  that  the  Romish  doctrine 
of  mediation  and  intercession,  carried  on  in  heaven  by  angels 
and  saints  on  behalf  of  sinners  upon  earth,  is  a  direct  denial 
of  a  great  fundamental  truth  set  forth  in  Holy  Scripture : 

*  Douay  Version. 

|  "Idolaters!  Know  ye,  my  brethren,  the  import  of  this  name? 
that  it  is  the  most  frightful  charge  that  can  be  laid  to  the  score  oi 
any  Christian?"     (Wiseman's  Thirteenth  Lecture,  p.  93.) 

6 


2  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OP  ROME 

£  £ » ■?  f life  v  m» — unLXtS; 

but  by  Me.       John  xiv.  6.     "Through  Him  (Christ  we 

both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."   Ephes.  if  18 

The  following  is  the  authoritative  decree  of  the  council  of 

Trent  on  the  subject  now  before  us  :-"The  holy  synod  com- 

mands  all  bishops,  and  others  whose  office  and  business  it  is 

to  teach,  that  they  diligently  instruct  the  faithful,  concerning 

the  intercession  and  invocation  of  saints ;  teaching  them  that 

the  saints  reigning  with  Christ  do  offer  up  their  prayers  to 

(rod  for  men  :  that  it  is  good  and  profitable  humbly  to  invocate 

the  saints,  and  to  fly  to  their  prayers,  help,  and  assistance,  for 

the  obtaining  of  blessings  from  God  through  his  Son  Jesus 

Christ. 

It  is  afterwards  declared  that  "if  anyone  shall  teach  or 
think  contrary  to  these  decrees,  let  him  be  accursed."* 

In  the  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV.,  to  which  every  Roman 
Catholic  priest  subscribes  and  swears  his  solemn  adherence,  is 
the  following :— "  I  do  constantly  hold  that  the  saints  reigning 
together  with  Christ  are  to  be  invocated." 

The  Church  of  Rome  has  adopted  and  made  her  own,  in 
this  matter,  one  of  the  leading  characteristics  of  ancient  Pagan 
idolatry.  It  was  the  creed  of  the  ancient  heathen  philosophers, 
that  demons,  (daimones,)  by  which  they  understood  inferior 
deities — the  spirits  of  departed  heroes  and  eminent  men- 
were  mediators  with  the  great  gods,  with  the  Pneuma,  or  Su- 
preme Deity,  the  Father  of  gods  and  men. 

"The  demons/'  says  Plato,  "are  between  God  and  man, 
interpreting  and  carrying  things  between  God  and  man; 
bringing  before  the  gods  the  prayers  and  sacrifices  of  men. 
bringing  to  men  the  orders  of  the  gods,  and  their  rewards  for 
their  sacrifices.  God  is  not  mixed  with  them,  but  through 
them  is  all  converse  and  intercourse  between  the  gods  and 
men  maintained,  whether  the  latter  are  asleep  or  awake." 

To  the  same  purpose  are  the  words  of  Apuleius,  In  Deo 
Socratis  : — "All  things  are  thought  to  be  done  by  the  power 
and  authority  of  the  celestial  gods,  but  by  the  means,  despatch, 
and  administration  of  the  demons." 

*  Cone.  Trid.,  Sess.  25. 


IDOLATRY    OF    THE    CHURCH    OF   ROME.  3 

The  apostle  Paul  (1  Tim.  iv.  1)  expressly  declares,  that 
in  the  latter  times  there  shall  be  some  that  shall  depart  or 
apostatize  from  the  faith,  "giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits  and 
doctrines — "  it  is  translated  in  our  Bibles  "  doctrines  of  devils," 
but  in  the  original  it  is  daimonion,  that  is,  doctrines  of  or 
concerning  demons.  He  indicates  that  there  would  be  the 
revival  in  the  Christian  Church  of  the  old  Pagan  doctrine 
just  described ;  and  we  charge  it  upon  the  Church  of  Rome 
that  she  is  guilty  of  this  sin  in  the  present  day. 

In  that  remarkable  work,  "Middleton's  Letters  from  Rome," 
the  entire  conformity  in  this  respect  between  the  idolatry  of 
Paganism  and  the  adoration  of  saints  is  presented  with  all  that 
force  which  the  facts  of  history  necessarily  bear  with  them. 
This  author  tells  us  that  the  noblest  heathen  temple  now  re- 
maining in  the  world  is  the  Pantheon  or  Rotunda  at  Rome, 
which  was  dedicated  byAgrippa  "To  Jove  and  all  the  gods/' 
and  was  consecrated  by  Pope  Boniface  IV  "To  the  Virgin 
and  all  the  Saints."  "  With  this  single  alteration,"  he  says, 
"it  serves  exactly  for  the  Popish  as  it  did  for  the  Pagan  wor- 
ship. For  as  in  the  old  Pagan  temple  every  one  might  find 
the  god  of  his  country,  and  address  himself  to  that  deity  whose 
religion  he  was  most  devoted  to,  so  it  is  the  same  thing  now : 
every  one  chooses  the  patron  whom  he  likes  best.  And  one 
may  see  here  different  services  going  on  at  the  same  time  at 
different  altars,  with  distinct  congregations  around  them,  just 
as  the  inclinations  of  the  people  lead  them  to  the  worship  of 
this  or  that  particular  saint.  And  as  it  is  in  the  Pantheon, 
so  it  is  in  all  the  heathen  temples  that  remain  at  Rome.  They 
have  only  pulled  down  one  idol  to  set  up  another,  changing 
rather  the  name  than  the  object  of  their  worship.  Thus,  the 
little  temple  of  Vesta,  near  the  Tiber,  is  now  possessed  by  the 
Madonna  of  the  Sun :  that  of  Fortuna  Virilis,  by  Mary  the 
Egyptian  :  that  of  Saturn,  by  St.  Adrian :  that  of  Romulus 
and  Remus,  by  two  other  brothers,  Cosmus  and  Damianus  : 
that  of  Antoninus  the  Godly,  by  Laurence  the  Saint." — Mid- 
dleton's Letters,  4:th  edit.  pp.  161,  2,  4.* 


*  Cardinals  Perron  and  Richelieu,  with  other  learned  Romish 
authors,  admit  that  the  invocation  of  saints  was  not  practiced  for  the 
first  'diree  centuries.  The  reason  they  assign  is  a  remarkable  one — 
because  praying  to  the  saints  would  have  been  too  much  like  the 


*        EOLATRY  Or  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 

Pb«JT    h  ^aDOt^er   *ekncnolJ   analogy  between  ancient 
?f™  "t1  TjdOTl  Romanism>  which^  worthy  of  notice 
W  r^f  :~In  ^  "»«ent  mythology,  as  every  classical  reader 
—  -  o  it  w*s  taught  that  there  were  gods  who  presided  oyer 
r^ciJar  conntnes  and  cities,  and  gods  who  were  the  patrons 
or  j ^rr:^ar  trades  and  professions ;  and  so  it  is  in  the  calen- 
darvi  tae  Popiih  saints.     TTe  are  all  familiar  with  the  names 
of  ^t.  (reoree  of  England,  St.  Andrew  of  Scotland,  and  St 
TatTK-  ot  Ireland.     So  there  is  St.  Sebastian  of  Portugal, 
£:.  Ja-es  ot  Spain,  St.  Denis  of  France,  and  St.  Mark  of 
\  en:ce.    _£o  with  regard  to  trades,  St.  Luke  is  the  patron  of 
peters,  fct.  Crispin  of  shoemakers,  St.  Catherine  of  scholars, 
and  st.  John  of  lawyers.     St.  Anthony  has  the  charge  of 
swine,  and  St.  (Jallus  of  geese  and  sheep. 

To  sret  rid  of  the  charge  of  idolatry,  the  doctors  of  the 
Piomiih  Church  attempt  to  make  a  threefold  distinction  as  to 
the  kinds  of  worship  which  they  offer.     The  first,  they  tell 
us.  is  latria.  the  highest  kind  of  worship,  offered  to  the  Su- 
preme Cod  alone :  the  second  is  dulia,  that  inferior  kind  of 
worship  which  they  offer  to  created  beings :  the  third  is  liy- 
perdulia,  which  is  that  higher  kind  of  worship  which  they 
offer  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  as  the  most  exalted  of  all  creatures. 
It  is  written,  "Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
him  only  shalt  thou  serve/'     True  religion,  therefore,  recog- 
nizes but  one  Deity,  and  one  service — one  kind  of  religious 
worship.     "We   do  not  refer  to   that   outward  respect  and 
reverence  to  men  which  sometimes  in  our  own  language  is 
called  worsh  ip ;  but  we  speak  of  religious  worship,  and  we 
affirm  that  there  is  but  one  kind  recognized  in  the  word  of 
God.     He  stands  before  us  august  and  awful,  unapproachable 
in  his  majesty,  and  suffering  no  rival.     He  alone  claims  our 
allegiance — '"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength."  Luke 
x.  27.     And  as  for  these  terms  latria  and  dulia,  they  are 
used  promiscuously  in  the  Greek  text  of  the  Old  Testament; 
and.  instead  of  that  distinction  being  maintained  which  Koine 
teaches,  there  are  instances  where  both  are  equally  applied  to 


Paean  idolatry,  and  so  have  obstructed  the  spreading  of  the  gospel, 
the~heathen  justifying  themselves  by  this  practice.— See  Sermons  at 
Salters'  Hall,  1735,  Dr.  Hughes'  Sermon,  p.  81. 


IDOLATRY  OF  THE    CHURCH  OF  ROME.  5 

spiritual  supreme  worship.  Deuteronomy  xxviii.  47,  48. 
When  Samuel  exhorted  Israel  "  to  prepare  their  hearts  unto 
the  Lord,  and  to  serve  Him  only/7  the  word  employed  is  not 
that  which  is  said  to  indicate  supreme  worship,  but  (as  ren- 
dered in  the  Septuagint)  is  that  which  Komanists  tell  us  be- 
longs only  to  saints  :  yet  Samuel  declares  that  it  is  to  be  given 
to  God  alone.  1  Sam.  vii.  3.*  And  when  Paul  (Rom.  xii. 
11)  urges  the  Church  at  Rome  to  be  "fervent  in  spirit,  serv- 
ing the  Lord,"  he  uses  the  Greek  word  douleuontes,  indicating 
again  that  the  service  and  worship  of  God  are  rendered  in 
that  very  way  which  Rome  says  is  but  the  inferior  worship 
that  is  to  be  given  to  the  creature.  And  we  ask,  What  can 
the  apostle  mean  in  that  sublime  and  immortal  truth  which  we 
have  already  quoted — "  There  is  one  God,  and  one  Mediator 
between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus" — what  can  he 
mean,  if,  according  to  the  Romish  doctrine,  there  are  a  great 
number  of  mediators  ?  Well  and  truly  has  it  been  said,  that 
"  when  God  was  revealed  in  ancient  times  in  the  unity  of  his 
Godhead,  the  ancient  Pagans  offended  against  him  by  feigning 
the  existence  of  and  worshipping  more  gods  than  one;  but 
that  when  he  revealed  himself  in  Christ  Jesus,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  Romanists  have  offended  against  him  by 
worshipping  more  Christs  than  one — an  almost  infinite  num- 
ber of  mediators,  who  should  plead  for  them  by  their  inter- 
cession, and  atone  for  them  by  their  merits  and  sufferings." 
And,  as  evidence  of  this,  we  find  in  the  "Abstract  of  the 
Douay  Catechism,"  taught  to  young  persons  in  the  Romish 
Church,  that  the  child,  when  questioned  as  to  the  prayers 
offered,  after  specifying  several  forms  of  devotion,  is  taught 
to  say — 

"  Then  I  conclude  by  desiring  our  Blessed  Lady  to  be  a 
mother  to  me;  and  by  recommending  myself  to  my  good 
Angel,  and  to  all  the  court  of  heaven." — p.  76. 

And  in  the  "  Catholic  School  Book"  (p.  171)  the  direction 
is  given,  "  Offer  your  prayers  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  your 
patron,  and  all  the  saints  together." 

*  Bellarmine  (de  Sanct.  Beat.  1.  1,  c.  12)  and  Vasquez  (Disp.  93) 
are  compelled  to  acknowledge  that  the  distinction  is  unscriptural,  and 
tli at  both  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  words  are  promiscuously  used.  "  It 
is  one  and  the  same  virtue  of  religion  (says  Nicholas  Serrarius,  in 
Let.  2,  9,  27)  which  containeth  both  latria  and  dulia." 


6  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   ROME. 

Now  we  know  that  arguments  are  attempted  to  be  drawn 
from  Scripture  by  Roman  Catholic  writers  to  support  this  doc- 
trine of  the  Invocation  of  Saints.  If  it  be  true  that  Scripture 
sanctions  the  practice  of  prayer  to  saints,  it  is  surely  remark- 
able that,  while  there  are  no  less  than  five  hundred  places  in 
which  we  find  prayer,  and  the  subject  of  prayer,  spoken  of  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  Dr.  Wiseman  himself,  with  all  his  learn- 
ing and  ingenuity,  can  only  find  four  passages  in  the  Old 
Testament,  and  five  in  the  New,  from  whence  he  can  possibly 
draw  an  inference  suited  to  his  views.*  A  very  brief  exami- 
nation will  show  that  not  one  of  these  lends  the  least  coun- 
tenance to  the  Romish  doctrine  of  the  invocation  of  saints  and 
angels.  The  first  four  passages  are  taken  from  the  book  of 
Daniel,  and  are  as  follows : — 

"And  I  heard  a  man's  voice  between  the  banks  of  Ulai, 
which  called,  and  said,  Gabriel,  make  this  man  to  understand 
the  vision."     Dan.  viii.  16. 

"Yea,  whiles  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  even  the  man 
Gabriel,  whom  I  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning 
being  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of  the 
evening  oblation. ,;     Dan.  ix.  21. 

"  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Fear  not,  Daniel ;  for  from  the 
first  day  that  thou  didst  set  thine  heart  to  understand,  and  to 
chasten  thyself  before  God,  thy  words  were  heard,  and  I  am 
come  for  thy  words. "     Dan.  x.  12. 

"And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people."     Dan.  xii.  1. 

Now,  independently  of  the  fact  that  Michaelf  here  men- 
tioned in  this  last  verse  is  none  other  (as  is  believed  by  some 
of  the  best  commentators)  than  Christ  himself,  it  will  be  ob- 
served it  is  not  said  that  prayer  is  offered  to  him.  With  re- 
gard to  the  first  passage,  where  one  man  is  said  to  speak  to 
another,  there  is  no  mention  of  prayer  being  addressed  to 
either.     In  reference  to  the  other  passages,  there  is  not  the 

*  Two  passages  are  quoted  by  him  from  the  books  of  Tobit  and 
the  Maccabees.  These  were  never  acknowledged  as  part  of  the 
Canon  by  the  Jewish  Church,  nor  yet  by  the  early  Christian  Church. 
The  one  book  is  full  of  childish  absurdities,  the  other  approves  of 
suicide. 

f  Augustin  says,  "  Michaelem  intelligo  Christum — "  I  understand 
Michael  to  be  Christ. — Homil.  9  in  Apocalypse. 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   ROME.  7 

least  intimation  that  prayer  had  been  addressed  to  any  other 
than  to  God  himself.  Accordingly,  we  find  in  the  sacred  re- 
cord that  the  angel  Gabriel  was  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  and 
touched  Daniel  at  the  time  of  the  evening  oblation ;  and  he 
said,  "  0  Daniel !  thy  prayer  is  heard."  But  to  whom  had 
that  prayer  been  addressed?  Why,  to  Grod  himself — that 
sublime  and  beautiful  prayer  containing  the  words,  "  O  Lord, 
hear :  0  Lord,  forgive  :  0  Lord,  hearken  and  do  :  defer  not, 
for  thine  own  sake,  0  my  God;  for  thy  city  and  thy  people 
are  called  by  thy  name."     Dan.  ix.  19. 

In  these  passages,  then,  all  that  is  taught  about  angels  is 
just  the  doctrine  that  is  more  fully  developed  in  the  New 
Testament,  and  which  is  stated  in  the  words  of  the  apostle 
Paul  to  the  Hebrews  :  "Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits, 
sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salva- 
tion ?"     Heb.  i.  14. 

But  let  us  see  what  are  the  five  texts  which  Dr.  Wiseman, 
in  his  lectures,  adduces  from  the  New  Testament.  The  first 
is — 

Luke  xv.  7  and  10,  "Likewise  I  say  unto  you,  there  is 
joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth." 

Now  we  ask  any  plain  unprejudiced  reader,  if  you  had  read 
that  sentence  for  the  first  time  in  any  book,  if  you  met  with 
it  for  the  first  time  in  the  word  of  God,  would  it  ever  enter 
into  your  mind  that  it  taught  you  the  doctrine  that  you  were 
to  pray  to  angels  ?  Angels,  it  is  argued,  know  what  is  done 
on  earth,  and  therefore  prayers  may  be  addressed  to  angels. 
But  what  is  the  substance  of  the  passage  ?  There  are  three 
beautiful  parables,  two  besides  the  prodigal  son.  The  first  is 
that  of  the  lost  sheep.  When  the  shepherd  has  brought  it 
back  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing,  he  calls  his  friends  and  neigh- 
bors, and  says,  "  Rejoice  with  me;  for  I  have  found  my  sheep 
which  was  lost."  The  second  is  that  of  the  lost  piece  of 
money ;  and  when  the  woman  has  swept  the  house  diligently 
until  she  has  found  it,  she  calls  her  friends  and  neighbors  to- 
gether, and  says,  "Rejoice  with  me;  for  I  have  found  the 
piece  which  I  had  lost."  Thus,  so  far  as  the  parable  teaches, 
as  the  shepherd  tells  his  neighbors  of  the  finding  of  the  wan- 
dering sheep,  and  as  the  woman  tells  her  neighbors  of  the 
lost  piece  of  money  restored  and  found,  so  God  reveals  to  hia 


8  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   HOME 

angels  that  another  brand  has  been  plucked  out  of  the  burn- 
ing— that  another  captive  of  Satan  has  been  set  free — that 
another  trophy  of  grace  has  been  brought  to  his  feet ;  and 
then  the  choir  of  angels  raises  the  shout  of  praise,  and  "there 
is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner 
that  repenteth." 

Again,  Dr.  Wiseman  founds  an  argument  on  Matt.  xxii. 
80,  "  For  in  the  resurrection  they  neither  marry,  nor  are 
given  in  marriage,  but  are  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven." 

Let  us  remember  what  is  the  true  meaning  of  this  passage. 
It  contains  a  statement  of  what  the  saints  shall  he  after  the 
resurrection — not  what  they  are  now,  in  their  condition  as 
disembodied  spirits.  Invocation  is  addressed  by  Romanists 
to  disembodied  spirits ;  but  this  passage  refers  only  to  saints 
when  they  shall  receive  their  glorified  bodies,  and  therefore 
does  not  bear  on  the  subject  before  us.  But  even  if  we  did 
admit  that  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect  are  now  equal 
to  angels,  we  ask,  What  has  that  to  do  with  the  assertion  that 
©ur  prayers  are  to  be  addressed  to  them  ? 

Further,  a  third  text  is  adduced — 

Matt,  xviii.  10,  "  Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of 
these  little  ones;  for  I  say  unto  you,  That  in  heaven  their 
angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  Still,  it  will  be  observed  that  there  is  not  one  word 
authorizing  prayers  to  angels.  Again,  allusion  is  made  to 
Rev.  v.  8,  "golden  vials  full  of  odors,  which  are  the  prayers 
of  saints."  Rut  the  reference  of  the  whole  verse  is  to  the 
mode  of  worship  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation, 
(Neh.  xii.  27,  Psalm  cxli.  2,)  and  the  "  vials"  evidently 
allude  to  the  prayers  offered  up  under  the  gospel  dispensation, 
through  "  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,"  by  the 
ministers  and  members  of  the  Church. 

Last  of  all,  we  are  referred  to 

Rev.  viii.  3,  4,  "And  another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the 
altar,  having  a  golden  censer;  and  there  was  given  unto  him 
much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all 
saints  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne. 
And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which  came  with  the  prayers 
of  the  saints,  ascended  up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's 
hand." 

In  the  Old  Testament,  again  and  again,  the  Lord  Jesus 


IMLATRY    OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME  § 

Christ  receives  tne  name  of  the  Angel — the  Angel  of  Grod's 
presence — the  Angel  that  spake  to  Moses  as  Grod  from  the 
burning  bush — -the  Angel  that  appeared  to  Joshua  as  the 
captain  of  the  Lord's  host— -the  Angel  that  wrestled  with 
Jacob  unto  the  breaking  of  day,  who  was  recognized  to  be 
Grod,  and  to  whom  Jacob  prayed  when  he  was  dying,  as  the 
Grod  before  whom  his  fathers  had  walked,  as  the  Angel  which 
redeemed  him  from  all  evil,  and  whom  he  asks  to  "  bless  the 
lads."*  It  is  Christ,  therefore,  who  comes  and  stands  at  the 
altar.  There  is  "  given  unto  him  much  incense  :"  as  the  great 
High  Priest,  he  has  gone  as  our  Intercessor  within  the  veil, 
that  he  should  "  offer  it  with  the  prayers"  (or  add  it  to  the 
prayers)  "  of  all  saints"  when  they  ascend  up  to  heaven,  for 
otherwise  they  would  be  rejected  of  the  Father.  Thomas 
Aquinas,  a  leading  Romish  commentator,  expressly  declares 
that  Christ  is  spoken  of  in  this  passage  as  "  the  Angel  of 
God's  presence  ;"  and  the  Jesuit  Viegas  says,  "All  interpreters 
do  confess  that  by  the  Angel  is  meant  our  Lord  Christ. "f 
And  of  the  accuracy  of  this  interpretation  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  when  we  remember  that  the  imagery  is  here  drawn 
from  the  ancient  temple  :  that  the  golden  censer  pertained  to 
the  high  priest  alone — nay,  that  at  the  golden  altar  in  the 
holiest  of  all,  the  high  priest  officiated  alone,  while  the  people 
prayed  without.  Heb.  ix.  3,  4,  7.  And,  therefore,  this 
passage  proves  the  very  opposite  of  what  it  is  adduced  by  Dr. 
Wiseman  to  establish,  even  the  blessed  truth  that  there  is  no 
advocate  and  mediator  in  heaven  but  one — the  High  Priest 
of  our  profession,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Here,  then,  are  all  the  passages  which  this  eminent  con- 
troversialist quotes  from  Scripture  in  order  to  prove  the  pro- 
priety of  addressing  invocations  and  prayers  to  saints  aod 
angels  in  heaven ;  and  not  one  of  them,  as  we  have  seen,  sup- 
ports the  doctrine.  But  has  he  never  read  those  other  pas- 
sages in  which  such  a  practice  is  either  by  implication  forbidden, 
or  in  which  it  is  explicitly  condemned  ? 

"  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble  :  I  will  deliver  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."     Psa.  1.  15. 

*  Compare  Gen.  xlviii.  16-20  with  Hosea  xii.  3-5,  and  both  with 
Mai.  iii.  1;  and  it  will  clearly  appear  that  "  The  Angel"  or  "  Messen- 
ger" was  not  a  created  being,  but  that  he  was  Christ. 

f  Apoc.  cviii.  Sect.  2. 

6* 


10  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF  ROME. 

"  0  Thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh 
come/'     Psa.  lxv.  2. 

"  In  every  thing,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  let  your  re- 
quests be  known  unto  God,"  Phil.  iv.  6. 

"  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  as7c  of  God,"  James  i.  5. 

And  has  he  never  read  those  other  passages,  (Col.  ii.  18 :) 
u  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your  reward  in  a  voluntary  hu- 
mility and  worshipping  of  angels,  intruding  into  those  things 
which  he  hath  not  seen,  vainly  puffed  up  by  his  fleshly  mind :" — 
llev.  xix.  10  :  where  the  apostle  John  says,  "I  fell  at  his  feet 
[the  feet  of  the  angel  who  had  showed  him  these  things]  to 
worship  him.  And  he  said  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not  : 
I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  :  worship  God  V 

Where,  in  the  pages  of  the  Old  Testament,  or  in  the  annals 
of  the  Jewish  people,  extending  over  a  period  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred years,  do  we  find  one  prayer  addressed  to  the  spirit  of 
the  departed  Abraham,  "  the  friend  of  God ;"  to  the  spirit  of 
Moses,  with  whom  God  talked  "face  to  face,  as  a  man 
speaketh  unto  his  friend  ;"  to  the  spirit  of  Jacob,  who,  in 
the  days  of  his  flesh  "  as  a  prince/7  had  "  power  with 
God  and  with  men,  and  prevailed  -,"  to  the  spirit  of  David, 
"a  man  after  God's  own  heart ;"  or  to  Elijah,  who,  body 
and  soul,  without  tasting  the  bitterness  of  death,  had  been 
translated,  like  Enoch,  to  the  glory  of  heaven  ?  Where, 
in  these  or  other  cases,  is  there  a  single  invocation  addressed, 
beseeching  a  departed  servant  of  God,  a  patriarch,  or  prophet, 
or  lawgiver,  to  aid  the  suppliant  on  earth  by  his  intercession 
in  heaven  ?  Again,  coming  down  to  apostolic  times,  how  is  it 
we  find  that  in  the  primitive  Church — when  there  was  a  pure 
and  uncorrupted  faith,  guarded  by  the  apostles  with  jealous 
and  holy  care — no  prayer  was  ever  addressed  to  John  the 
Baptist,  to  Stephen,  to  James,  the  brother  of  John,  each  of 
whom,  by  a  bloody  and  violent  death,  had  been  but  a  short 
time  sent  to  his  rest  in  heaven,  and  was  now  wearing  a  mar- 
tyr's crown  ?  And  in  all  the  writings  of  the  apostles  we  find 
not  one  passage  counselling  or  countenancing  that  which  is 
now  regarded  by  the  Church  of  Home  as  an  article  of  faith 
which  cannot  be  rejected  but  upon  pain  of  eternal  damnation. 

This  doctrine  of  the  invocation  of  saints  interferes  with  the 
blessed  truth,  that  the  special  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


IDOLATRY   OP   THE   CHURCH    OF   ROME.  11 

is  to  "bring  us  to  God/'  1  Pet.  iii.  18.  We  read  that  "all 
things  are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus 
Christ,"  2  Cor.  v.  18 ;  that  "  He  is  our  peace /'  and  that 
"through  him  we  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father/' 
Ephes.  ii.  18.  To  meet  all  difficulties,  Christ  has  undertaken 
our  cause :  he  has  finished  transgression,  he  has  made  an  end 
of  sin,  he  has  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  has  brought 
in  everlasting  righteousness,  Dan.  ix.  24.  And  when  the 
poor  Romanist  is  taught,  "  Christ  is  too  great,  too  awful,  too 
exalted,  too  stern  in  his  justice,  to  be  approached  by  you,  a 
guilty  sinner/'  when  Dr.  Wiseman  says,  "The  saints  look 
down  upon  you  with  sympathy :  you  may  turn  to  them  to  use 
the  influence  they  necessarily  possess  with  God  towards  assist- 
ing their  frail  and  tempted  brethren  on  earth  :"*  what,  we 
ask,  is  the  inevitable  tendency  of  such  teaching,  but  that  men 
will  be  led  to  think  that  there  are  others  in  heaven  more 
ready  to  sympathize  with  their  necessities  than  "  the  Good 
Shepherd,  who  gave  his  life  for  the  sheep  V  And  is  it  so, 
that  Jesus  is  not  a  sufficient  and  ever-compassionate  Advocate  ? 
Is  it  not  He  whom  we  hear  saying,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the 
door  and  knock :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me  V  Rev.  iii.  20.  Is  not  this  the  true  Days-man,  God  and 
man,  possessed  of  the  nature  of  Him  who  has  been  offended 
and  of  him  who  offends,  and  therefore  alone  qualified  to 
plead  ?  Is  not  this  the  true  Kinsman  Redeemer,  bone  of  our 
bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh?  And  are  we  to  be  afraid  to 
commit  our  cause  to  him  alone  ?  Must  we  go  to  others,  that 
they  may  plead  with  him  for  us  ?  Is  not  he  "  the  Mediator 
of  the  New  Testament?"  Heb.  ix.  15.  And  is  it  not  written, 
"If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father, 
Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  V  1  John  ii.  1.  Does  he  not  de- 
clare, "No  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  me?"  John 
xiv.  6.  "  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name,  I  will  do 
it  V  John  xiv.  14.  And  if  there  be  a  "  throne  of  grace"  to 
which  we  are  invited,  why  are  we  to  "  come  boldly  V  Is  it 
because  Mary,  or  Peter,  or  Paul,  or  any  saint  or  angel  is  there 
to  mediate  for  us  ?  No  :  it  is  because  "  we  have  not  an  High 
Priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirm- 

*  Thirteenth  Lecture,  p.  98. 


12        IDOLATRY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 

ities,"  but  one  who  "  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  wc  are, 
yet  without  sin."  "  Let  us  therefore,"  says  the  apostle, 
*'  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain 
mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need,"  Heb.  iv.  15, 
16.* 

Surely  this  ought  to  settle  the  question.  Not  only  does 
Scripture  testify  that  "  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
whereby  we  must  be  saved"  but  that  of  Christ ;  but  it  teaches 
that  we  need  no  other  Saviour  than  him.  No,  blessed  Jesus  ! 
be  it  thine  to  undertake  our  cause  :  Thou  art  able  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  thee  :  Thou  art 
the  "  Friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother  :  Thou  art  not 
ashamed  to  call  us  "  brethren  :" 

"  Friend  of  the  friendless  and  the  faint, 
Where  shall  I  lodge  my  deep  complaint  ? 
Where  but  with  Thee,  whose  open  door 
Invites  the  helpless  and  the  poor?" 

To  all  this  we  may  add,  that  inasmuch  as  Scripture  declares 
that  omniscience  and  omnipresence  belong  to  God  alone,  and 
as,  according  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  saints  in  heaven  can 
hear  the  prayers  addressed  to  them  by  millions  of  people  from 
different  places  at  the  same  time,  in  thus  ascribing  to  creatures 
the  incommunicable  attributes  of  Deity,  the  guilt  of  idolatry 
is  necessarily  involved. 

But  we  proceed  to  substantiate  the  charge  preferred  against 
the  Church  of  Home  by  proof  in  detail : 

I.  We  maintain  that  the  Church  of  Home  is  guilty  of  idol- 
atry in  the  worship  which  she  offers  to  the  Virgin  Mary. 
Here  let  no  Romanist  say,  Protestants  are  "the  enemies  of 
Mary,"  as  they  do  sometimes  tell  us,  "  enemies  of  the  blessed 
mother  of  God. "f     We  regard  her  as  a  holy  saint  of  God; 

*  The  subtle  distinction  framed  by  the  Romish  Church  between 
"a  mediator  of  redemption,"  and  "mediators  of  intercession,"  the 
former  character  belonging  to  Christ,  the  latter  to  angels  and  saints, 
is  not  countenanced  by  the  Scriptures.  It  is  on  his  sacrifice  that  Jus 
intercession  is  based.  Re-cause  of  the  completion  of  his  work  of  re- 
demption, he  is  now  alone  within  the  veil,  Rom.  viii.  ;.'.  1;  lleb.  x.  14, 
15.  Saints  cannot  share  in  this  work,  for  this  were  to  rob  Christ  of 
his  glory  as  a  "Priest  upon  his  throne,"  Zech.  vi.  IS. 

f  See  preface  to  "The  Glories  of  Mary,  Mother  of  God,"  translated 
from  the  Italian,  and  carefully  revised  by  a  Romish  priest.  Dublin. 
Coyne.  1837. 


IDOLATRY   Of   THE   CHtJRCH   OF   ROME.  IS 

and  know  that  she  was  indeed  "highly  favored  among  wo- 
men/' We  know  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  assuming 
the  nature  of  man,  did  "  not  despise  the  virgin's  womb ;" 
but,  we  ask,  where  is  there  a  single  passage  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  which  divine  honors  are  ascribed  to  her  ?  or  one  sen- 
tence, either  in  the  words  of  Dhrist  or  of  the  apostles,  which 
in  the  least  degree  countenances  the  notion  that  she  was  to  be 
throughout  all  ages  venerated  and  adored  as  "the  Queen  ot 
heaven  and  the  Mother  of  God  ?" 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  if  foresee- 
ing the  tendency  of  man,  under  the  corrupting  influence  of 
Satan's  temptations,  to  pay  idolatry  to  the  creature,  and  espe- 
cially to  Mary,  has  placed  on  record,  by  inspired  evangelists, 
several  incidents  in  his  life,  and  several  statements  from  his 
own  lips,  which  clearly  show  that  no  divine  honors  were  ever 
intended  to  be  paid  to  her.  At  the  marriage  at  Cana,  in  Gali- 
lee, when  she  would  have  interfered  with  his  prerogative,  and 
dictated  to  him  the  time  when  the  miracle  was  to  be  wrought, 
he  said,  "  Woman,  what  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ?  Mine  hour 
is  not  yet  come,"  John  ii.  4.  Again,  we  read  that  when  a 
certain  woman  among  those  that  listened  to  Christ  on  one 
occasion  exclaimed,  "Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bare  thee, 
and  the  paps  which  thou  hast  sucked,"  he  replied,  "  Yea, 
rather,  blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep 
it,"  Luke  xi.  27,  28.  On  another  occasion  we  find  that  he 
was  told  that  his  mother  and  his  brethren  stood  without,  de- 
siring to  speak  with  him;  and  he  stretched  forth  his  hand 
towards  his  disciples,  and  said,  "Who  is  my  mother?  and  who 
are  my  brethren  ? — Behold  my  mother  and  my  brethren  !  For 
whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother,"  Matt.  xii. 
48-50. 

Yet,  determined  to  exalt  Mary,  extravagant  legends  have 
been  invented  and  circulated  by  the  advocates  of  the  Church 
of  Borne.  The  fourth  volume  of  Duffy's  Weekly  Library  of 
Catholic  Divinity  is  entitled,  "  The  Life  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin Mary,  Mother  of  God,  with  an  exposition  of  the  Rosary, 
etc."     The  following  are  the  opening  sentences  : 

"  The  blessed  Virgin  Mary  was  born  at  Nazareth,  in  the 
province  of  Galilee.     Her  parents,  St.  Joachim  and  St.  Anna, 
were  both  of  the  tribe  of  Judah;  of  the  royal  stock  of  David. 
2 


14  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH  OF  ROME. 

It  was  a  sublime  dignity  and  a  special  favor  of  heaven  con- 
ferred on  these  holy  persons,  to  give  a  lost  world  the  Advo- 
cate of  Mercy,  and  to  be  the  parents  of  the  mother  of  God." 

In  order  to  lay  deep  the  foundation  of  this  system,  the 
writers  of  this  book  tell  us  of  St.  Anna  and  St.  Joachim,  her 
parents;  and  from  other  bocks  we  might  quote  special  prayers 
addressed  to  them,  especially  to  St.  Anna,  "  the  mother  of 
the  mother  of  Grod  !"*  But,  in  addition  to  this,  the  Church 
of  Rome  has  lately  taken  another  step.  The  present  pope  has 
decreed,  as  a  new  article  of  faith,  the  immaculate  conception 
of  the  Virgin  Mary.  Accordingly,  in  this  Life  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  to  which  we  are  now  referring,  it  is  said : 

"  Mary  was  brought  forth  into  the  world,  not  like  other 
children  of  Adam,  infected  with  the  loathsome  contagion  of 
sin,  but  pure,  holy,  beautiful,  and  glorious,  adorned  with  all 
the  most  precious  graces  that  became  her  who  was  chosen  to 
be  the  mother  of  Grod.  She  appeared,  indeed,  in  the  weak 
state  of  our  mortality,  but  in  the  eyes  of  Heaven  she  already 
transcended  the  highest  seraph  in  purity." 

Now  observe  that  it  is  here  expressly  taught  that  Mary  was 
a  stranger  to  the  taint  of  original  sin;  and  elsewhere  this 
pamphlet  teaches  that  "  she  was  a  perfect  model  of  all  vir- 
tues." Now,  is  not  this  a  blasphemous  application  to"  Mary, 
a  creature  born  in  sin  like  others,  of  that  which  is  peculiar  to 
Christ  ?  The  Church  of  Rome  virtually  says,  "  The  holy 
thing  born  of  St.  Anna  was  to  be  called  the  Mother  of  Grod." 
"  That  holy  thing,"  said  the  angel  to  Mary,  "  that  shall  be 
born  of  thee,  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  Grod."  Scripture  de- 
clares of  Jesus  alone,  that  he  was  "  holy,  harmless,  undefiled, 
separate  from  sinners  ;"  but  the  Church  of  Rome  declares  the 
perfection  of  Mary.  And  what  follows  from  this?  Why 
that,  being  sinless  in  nature  and  sinless  in  life,  she  needed  no 
Saviour — there  was  no  necessity  in  her  case  for  the  applica- 
tion of  atoning  blood,  for  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and 

*  "  She  was  the  mother  of  the  mother  of  God,  and  the  grandmother 
of  God  himself.  In  our  indigences  and  our  needs  we  must  address 

ourselves  by  St.  Ann  to  the  virgin,  and  by  the  virgin  to  Jesus  Christ, 
and  by  Jesus  Christ  to  God  the  Father,  who  can  refuse  nothing  to  his 
Son,  no  more  than  he  can  to  his  mother,  or  she  to  hers,  who  is  St. 
Ann."— "An  Abridgment  of  the  Prerogatives  of  St.  Ann,  Mother  of 
the  Mother  of  God,"  approved  by  the  doctors  (of  the  Sorbonne  at 
Paris).     London,  1688.     Chap.  2. 


IDOLATRY   OP   THE   CHURCH   OF  ROME.  15 

the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Yet  Mary  said,  "  My  soul 
doth  magnify  the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God 
my  Saviour/'  Luke  i.  46,  47.  If  Rome's  doctrines  be  true, 
Mary  is  not  a  mere  human  being :  she  is  a  goddess,  she  is 
divine :  she  is  not  among  the  palm-bearing  throng  who  have 
washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb ;  and  from  her  lips  the  song  of  the  ransomed  myriads 
does  not  proceed,  "  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,"  Rev.  vii.  10.  No,  accord- 
ing to  Rome,  she  is  not  a  sinner,  but  she  is  the  Saviour  of 
sinners )  not  a  debtor  to  mercy,  but  the  Queen  of  Mercy ; 
not  standing  "  before  the  throne  and  before  the  Lamb,"  but 
the  "  Queen  of  Heaven,"  enthroned  with  Christ :  she  is  the 
"  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet, 
and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars."  The  passage  of 
Scripture  thus  perverted  is  Rev.  xii.  1.  It  is  a  symbolical 
representation  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  "clothed  with  the 
sun  :"  that  is,  as  some  interpreters  think,  blessed  with  the 
full-orbed  glory  of  the  New  Testament  dispensation ;  with 
"  the  moon  under  her  feet,"  taking  the  place  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament dispensation,  which  was  but  shadowy,  and  shone  with 
but  a  borrowed  and  inferior  light ;  "  with  twelve  stars  upon 
her  head  :"  that  is,  illuminated  by  the  doctrine  of  the  twelve 
apostles.  And  if  Romanists  persist  in  saying  that  this  is 
Mary,  let  us  remind  them  that  in  this  very  chapter  the  mysti- 
cal woman  is  represented  as  expelled  from  heaven  by  a  great 
red  dragon  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns — driven  into 
the  wilderness,  and  nourished  there  1260  days,  that  is,  years  !* 
Is  this  a  part  of  the  creed  of  the  Romanists  with  regard  to 
the  virgin  ?  No ;  but  if  they  literally  apply  one  portion  of 
the  prophecy  to  her,  are  they  not  equally  bound  to  adopt  the 
other  ? 

Let  us  now  mention  some  of  the  blasphemous  titles  applied 
to  the  virgin,  and  contrast  them  with  scriptural  truth.  In 
the  Litany  of  our  Lady  of  Loretto  she  is  styled  "  the  ark  of 
the  covenant,"  (we  know  that  the  ark  was  an  emblem  of 
Christ;)  "The  gate  of  heaven,"  (Christ  says,  "I  am  the 
door;")  "The  morning  star,"  (Christ  says,  UI  am  the  root 

*  "  1  have  appointed  thee  each  day  for  a  year,"  Ezek.  iv.  6. 


16  IDOLATRY   OP   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME. 

and  the  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning  star;") 
"  The  health  of  the  weak/''  (u  there  is  barni  in  Gilead,"  and 
Jesus  is  "  the  physician /')  "  Refuge  of  sinners/'  (Christ  is 
the  true  city  of  refuge,  "  the  hope  set  before  us  in  the  gos- 
pel," to  which  we  flee  from  the  sword  of  avenging  justice ;) 
"The  comforter  of  the  afflicted/'  (Christ  is  declared  to  be 
"the  Consolation  of  Israel/')  "  The  help  of  Christians/'  (in 
the  Psalms  we  are  taught  to  say,  "  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes 
unto  the  hills,  from  whence  cometh  my  help.  My  help  Com- 
eth from  the  Lord,  which  made  heaven  and  earth,")  Psalm 
cxxi.  1,  2. 

In  the  "  Garden  of  the  Soul,"  by  Richard  Challoner,  D.  D., 
are  the  following  prayers  to  the  virgin  : 

"  Hail,  Holy  Queen,  Mother  of  Mercy,  our  Life,  our  Sweet- 
ness, and  our  Hope  !  To  thee  do  we  cry,  poor  banished  sons  of 
Eve :  to  thee  do  we  send  up  our  sighs,  mournings,  and  weep- 
ings, in  this  valley  of  tears.  Turn,  then,  most  gracious  Ad- 
vocate, thine  eyes  of  mercy  towards  us ;  and,  after  this  our 
exile  is  ended,  show  unto  us  the  blessed  fruit  of  thy  womb, 
Jesus,  0  most  clement,  most  pious,  and  most  sweet  Virgin 
Mary." 

"  We  fly  to  thy  patronage,  0  Holy  Mother  of  God !  De- 
spise not  our  petitions  in  our  necessities ;  but  deliver  us  from 
all  danger,  0  ever-glorious  and  blessed  Virgin." 

The  following  are  extracts  from  a  work  called  "  The 
Glories  of  Mary,"  by  St.  Alphonsus  Liguori,  who  was  canon- 
ized by  Gregory  XVI.  in  1839,  and  whose  life  has  been 
written,  in  the  warmest  terms  of  commendation,  by  Dr.  Wise- 
man : 

"  Mary  is  the  Queen  of  the  Universe,  as  Jesus  is  its  King. 
Thus,  as  St.  Bernardino  observes,  'as  many  creatures  as  obey 
God,  so  many  obey  the  glorious  Virgin.  Every  thing  in 
heaven  and  earth  which  is  subject  to  God,  is  also  under  the 
empire  of  his  Holy  Mother."'— (P  281.)  "  Pity  us,  then. 
Queen  of  Mercy !  and  think  of  our  salvation.  Say  not  that 
our  sins  render  us  unworthy  of  your  aid,  for  your  clemency 
surpasses  our  malice.  Nothing  resists  your  power,  because 
the  Creator  of  all  honors  you  as  his  Mother,  regarding  your 
glory  as  his  own."  "  Mary  owes  her  Son  an  infinite  debt  of 
gratitude  for  choosing  her  as  his  mother;  but  it  is  not  less 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  17 

true  to  say  that  Jesus  Christ  has  contracted  a  species  of  obli- 
gation towards  her,  for  the  human  existence  he  received  from 
her;  and,  in  return  for  this  benefit,  he  honors  her  by  hearing 
her  prayers." — (P.  34.)  "Let  us  go,  then,  Christians,  let 
us  go  to  this  gracious  Queen,  and  crowd  around  her  throne, 
without  being  deterred  by  our  crimes  and  abominations." — 

In  the  same  work  is  the  following  form  of  the  dedication 
of  a  family  to  the  Virgin  Mary  : 

"  Blessed  and  Immaculate  Virgin,  Our  Queen  and  our  Mo- 
ther, Refuge  and  Consolation  of  all  the  miserable  !  Prostrate 
before  thy  throne,  along  with  my  entire  family,  I  choose  thee 
for  my  Lady,  my  Mother,  and  my  Advocate  with  God.  I 
dedicate  myself  for  ever,  with  all  my  family,  to  thy  service. 
Defend  us  in  temptations,  deliver  us  from  dangers,  provide 
for  us  in  our  necessities,  direct  us  in  our  doubts,  comfort  us 
in  our  afflictions,  assist  us  in  sickness,  and  particularly  in  the 
straits  of  death." 

Did  not  Joshua  say,  "As  for  me,  and  my  house,  we  will 
serve  the  Lord  !"  But  here,  in  this  book,  the  poor  deluded 
Romanist  is  taught,  as  the  head  of  his  family,  to  say,  "I 
dedicate  myself  for  ever,  with  all  my  family,  0  Mary,  to  thy 
service." 

There  is  another  publication  sold  by  Roman  Catholic  book- 
sellers, called  "  The  Scapular  of  our  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel 
Explained."  In  the  title-page  is  the  figure  of  the  virgin, 
with  the  infant  Christ  in  her  lap  :  he  is  in  the  act  of  putting 
over  the  head  and  around  the  shoulders  of  a  kneeling  monk 
the  scapular  of  our  blessed  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel.  This 
order,  we  are  told,  was  introduced  into  England  in  the  thir- 
teenth century  by  St.  Simon  Stock,  who  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  society,  "which  bears  the  name  of  the  mother  of 
God,  and  which  boasts  of  having  erected  the  first  altar  conse- 
crated to  her  honor."  He  "  employed  every  means  to  draw 
men's  hearts  in  devotion  to  Mary."  One  day,  we  are  told, 
towards  the  close  of  his  long  life,  she  appeared  to  him  sur- 
rounded by  spirits,  with  a  scapular  in  her  hand,  which  she 
put  over  his  shoulders  with  these  words :  "  My  dearest  son, 
receive  the  scapular  of  your  order,  the  sign  of  my  confrater- 
nity, a  privilege  for  yourself  and  all  Carmelites  :  any  one  dy- 
ing in  this  shall  not  suffer  eternal  flames.  It  is  a  sign  of  sal- 
2* 


18  IDOLATRY   OF    TRY)    CHURCH    OF   ROME. 

vation,  a  safeguard  in  dangers,  a  pledge  of  peace,  and  of  an 
everlasting  covenant."* 

There  is  another  tract,  called  "The  Octave  of  the  Holy 
Souls  in  Purgatory,"  and  "  Novena  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception  of  the  Mother  of  God,"  as  practiced  in  the  oratory 
(Komish  chapel)  in  King  William  street,  Strand.  In  this 
tract  seven  prayers  are  addressed  to  Jesus,  to  have  pity  on 
the  holy  souls  in  purgatory.  Corresponding  to  these  prayers 
to  Jesus,  there  are  prayers  to  Mary,  in  which  the  notion  is 
conveyed  that  Christ  must  be  propitiated  by  her  invocation. 
This  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  seductive  form  of  verse  : 

"0,  turn  to  Jesus,  Mother!  turn, 

Ajid  call  him  by  his  tenderest  names : 
Pray  for  the  holy  souls  that  burn 

This  hour  amid  the  cleansing  flames." 

One  of  the  beautiful  titles  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
"  Star,"  the  "  Bright  and  Morning  Star,"  who  ushered  in  on 
our  benighted  world  the  dayspring  from  on  high ;  but  in  this 
book  of  the  Scapular  he  is  robbed  of  his  glory,  in  a  hymn 
addressed  to  Mary  as  the  "  Star  of  the  Sea,"  from  which  we 
select  the  following : 

"Deep  night  hath  come  down  on  this  rough-spoken  world, 
And  the  banners  of  darkness  are  boldly  unfurl'd ; 
And  the  tempest-tossed  Church — all  her  eyes  are  on  thee — 
They  look  to  thy  shining,  sweet  Star  of  the  Sea !" 

The  following  is  still  worse  : 

"  0,  blissful  and  calm  was  the  wonderful  rest 
That  thou  gavest  thy  God  in  thy  virginal  breast ; 
For  the  heaven  he  left,  he  found  heaven  in  thee, 
And  he  shines  in  thy  shining,  sweet  Star  of  the  Sea!" 

In  another  publication,  styled  "A  Devotion  to  the  Compas- 
sionate Heart  of  Mary,"  we  are  told,  among  the  objects  of  this 
devotion  are : 

"  To  honor  the  most  holy  heart  of  Mary  suffering  during 
her  whole   life,  and  particularly  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  of 

*  The  scapular  may  be  made  both  of  cloth  and  serge,  but  not  of 
silk,  though  it  may  be  lined  with  silk.  The  reason  of  this  is,  that 
the  virgin  never  wore  silk,  but  woollen,  and  that  of  the  natural  color. 
"  The  scapular  is  to  be  worn  continually  day  and  night,  and  never 
to  be  taken  off  till  death ;  also  it  is  good  to  be  buried  with  it." 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  19 

her  divine  Son,  excessive  interior  torments  for  the  salvation 
of  souls." 

Now  mark  the  scandalous  and  wicked  doctrine  that  is  here 
actually  taught  to  Roman  Catholics  :  that  while  Jesus  Christ 
was  making  an  atonement  on  the  cross,  Mary,  by  her  agony 
at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  was  making  atonement  too — was  suf- 
fering, as  this  book  expresses  it,  "  excessive  interior  torments 
for  the  salvation  of  souls  !" 

In  opposition  to  all  this,  it  is  written  of  Christ,  that  by  him- 
self'he  purged  our  sins,  that  "his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in 
his  own  body  on  the  tree,"  that  "he  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  and  by  his  stripes  we  are  healed." 

In  the  "Devotion  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  including 
the  Devotion  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary," 
(by  Dr.  Milner,  approved  by  Pope  Pius  VII.,  12th  edition, 
1821,)  Romanists  are  taught,  on  the  pretended  authority  of  the 
Virgin  herself,  to  pray  to  her  that  she  would,  "  in  the  hour  of 
death,  illustrate  and  strengthen  their  souls  with  the  know- 
ledge of  the  true  faith,  and  instil  into  them  the  sweetness  of 
divine  love."  Also  to  address  to  her  these  awful  words, 
"  Hail,  Mary,  Lady  and  Mistress  of  the  world,  to  whom  all 
power  has  been  given  in  heaven  and  in  earth." 

In  "  The  Daily  Companion,  or  little  Pocket  Manual,"  Lon- 
don, 1834,  containing  an  English  translation  of  the  prayers 
used  at  Mass,  Services  for  the  Festivals  of  the  Church,  Lit- 
anies, etc.,  in  "  The  Vespers  for  Sundays"  is  the  following 
hymn : 

"AVE    MARIA    STELLA. 

"Hail,  thou  resplendent  star, 
Which  shinest  o'er  the  main, 
Blest  mother  of  our  God, 
And  ever  Virgin-Queen. 

Hail,  happy  gate  of  bliss, 

Greeted  by  Gabriel's  tongue, 
Negotiate  our  peace, 

And  cancel  Eva's  -wrongs. 

Loosen  the  sinner's  bands, 

All  evils  drive  away, 
Bring  light  unto  the  blind, 

And  for  all  graces  pray." 


20  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME. 

Here  the  titles  and  the  works  peculiar  to  Christ  are  idol- 
atrously  ascribed  to  Mary. 

We  find  also  in  "  The  Rosary  of  our  Blessed  Lady/'  as 
ordered  by  Pope  Pius  V.,  that  "the  devotion  called  the  Ro- 
sary consists  of  fifteen  Paternosters,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  Ave  Marias  :"  that  is  to  say,  while  fifteen  prayers  are  to 
be  addressed  to  God,  one  hundred  and  fifty  are  to  be  addressed 
to  the  virgin.  Among  the  "Mysteries''  to  Jbe  contemplated 
by  the  worshipper,  we  find  that  the  fourth  is  "  The  Assump- 
tion," and'  the  fifth,  "  The  Coronation  of  the  Most  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary  in  Heaven."  In  connection  with  the  last  it  is 
said,  u  Let  us  contemplate,  in  this  mystery,  how  the  glorious 
Virgin  Mary  was,  to  the  great  jubilee  and  exultation  of  the 
whole  court  of  heaven,  and  particular  glory  of  all  saints, 
crowned  by  her  Son  with  the  brightest  diadem  of  glory."  After 
this,  "  Our  Father,"  etc.,  is  to  be  said  once  :  "  Hail,  Mary," 
etc.,  ten  times.     Then  follows  this  prayer: 

"  0,  glorious  Queen  of  all  the  heavenly  citizens,  we  be- 
seech thee,  accept  this  Rosary,  which,  as  a  crown  of  roses,  we 
offer  at  thy  feet;  and  grant,  most  gracious  Lady,  that,  by  thy 
intercession,  our  souls  may  be  inflamed  by  so  ardent  a  desire 
of  seeing  thee  gloriously  crowned,  that  it  may  never  die  in  us 
until  it  shall  be  changed  into  the  happy  fruition  of  thy  blessed 
sight.      Amen." 

Here  the  beatific  vision  is  not  the  sight  of  Jesus,  but  of 
Mary  on  the  throne. 

With  regard  to  "The  Assumption"  and  "Coronation"  of 
the  virgin,  there  is  no  foundation  for  them  whatever,  either 
in  Scripture  or  in  history  •*  and  yet  these  the  Church  of  Rome, 
by  the  mouth  of  Bonaventura,  requires  to  be  believed,  on 
pain  of  everlasting  damnation.  "  Whosoever  will  be  saved, 
before  all  things  it  is  necessary  that  he  hold  firm  the  faith 
concerning  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  except  a  man  keep  whole 
and  undefiled,  without  doubt  he  shall  perish  everlastingly. 
Whom  at  length  he  took  (assumpsit)  into  heaven,  and  she 
sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  her  Son." 

In  the  Roman  Catholic  Breviary,  which  is  the  priest's  Bible, 
so  to  speak,  and  which,  under  pain  of  anathemas,  he  must  read 

*  See  "The  Virgin  Mary  Misrepresented  by  the  Roman  Church," 
by  Bishop  Patrick,  in  3d  volume  of  "  Gibson's  Preservative  against 
Popery." 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  21 

for  an  hour  and  a  half  every  day,  we  find  a  rubric  directing 
that  the  "Gloria"  should  be  repeated  at  the  end  of  every 
Psalm,  except  when  otherwise  noted.  But  on  the  Feast  of 
the  Assumption — a  day  set  apart  to  celebrate  the  imaginary 
translation  of  Mary,  body  and  soul,  to  be  enthroned  Queen  of 
Heaven — the  Church  prescribes,  as  a  substitute  for  the  "  Glo- 
ria Patri,"  an  anthem  to  the  virgin.  Thus,  for  instance,  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  8th  Psalm,  when  otherwise  would  be 
chanted,  "  0  Lord,  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all 
the  earth  I"  the  anthem  is  : 

"  The  holy  Mother  of  God  is  exalted  above  the  choir  of 
angels  in  the  heavenly  realms.  The  gates  of  paradise  are 
opened  to  us  by  thee,  0  Virgin,  who  gloriest  this  day  tri- 
umphantly with  angels."  Rom.  Brev.  4  vol.  Norwich, 
1830. 

Next  in  authority  to  the  Breviary,  and  other  standards  and 
formularies  of  the  Church,  are  the  writings  of  the  canonized 
saints.  Among  these,  St.  Bonaventura  stands  preeminent. 
He  was  canonized  two  centuries  after  his  death  by  Pope  Sixtus 
IV.,  14th  April,  1482.  This  pope  declared  that  he  so  wrote 
on  divine  subjects,  that  "the  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  have 
spoken  in  him."  Pope  Sixtus  V.,  in  1585,  ordered  Bona- 
ventura's  works  to  be  carefully  amended,  pronounced  him  to 
be  an  acknowledged  doctor  of  the  Church,  and  directed  his 
authority  to  be  cited  and  employed  in  all  ecclesiastical  discus- 
sions and  studies.  By  this  pontiff  he  is  called  the  "  Seraphic 
Doctor."  Higher  sanction  could  not  be  given  to  any  human 
being  than  has  been  given  to  him  and  his  writings.  What  he 
teaches,  therefore,  concerning  the  attributes  and  worship  of 
Mary,  must  be  taken  as  the  teaching  of  the  Church  of  Borne. 
The  most  remarkable  of  his  works  is  the  Psalter,  that  is, 
an  edition  of  the  Psalms,  throughout  which  the  name  of 
Mary  is  substituted  for  the  name  of  God.  The  following  are 
extracts : 

Psalm  viii.  1  :  "0  Lady,  our  Lady !  how  excellent  is 
thy  name  in  all  the  earth,  who  hast  set  thy  glory  above  the 
heavens." 

Psalm  xxx.  :  "  In  thee,  0  Lady,  have  I  trusted :  let  me  not 
be  confounded  for  ever.  Into  thy  hands,  0  Lady,  I  commit 
my  spirit,  my  whole  life,  and  my  last  day." 

Psalm  xxxi.  :  "  Blessed  are  they  whose  hearts  love  thee, 


22  IDOLATRY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF  ROME. 

tLI-8"1  MarJ  :  thdr  SlnS  Sha11  be  mercifu%  blotte<l  out  by 
Now,  we  read  in  the  word  of  God,  « I  am  Jehovah  :  that  is 
my  name;  and_  my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another."  But 
here  is  a  canonized  saint,  a  "seraphic  doctor,"  who  blots  out 
an  distinctions  between  what  is  called  latria  and  dalia  and 
otters  supreme  worship,  in  the  very  language  of  the  Psalms, 
to  the  Virgin  Mary !  ' 

<   The  Te  Deum,  a  sublime  hymn  in  honor  of  the  eternal  God, 
is  also  perverted  by  him  : 

"We  praise  thee,  Maker  of  God:  we  acknowledge  thee, 
Mary  the  Virgin. 

"All  the  earth  doth  worship  thee,  Spouse  of  the  Eternal 
Father. 

_  "Tothee  all  angels  and  archangels,  thrones  and  principali- 
ties, faithfully  do  service. 

"  To  thee  the  whole  angelic  creation  with  incessant  voice 
proclaim,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Mary,  Parent  Mother  of  God,  and 
Virgin." 

Again,  a  blasphemous  power,  a  right  to  command  her  Son, 
is  ascribed  to  the  virgin  by  this  saint : 

"  Therefore,  0  Empress,  and  our  most  benign  Lady,  by  the 
right  of  a  mother,  command  thy  beloved  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  he  vouchsafe  to  raise  our  minds  from  the  love  of 
earth  to  heavenly  desires." 

This  teaching  of  Home  may  be  confirmed  by  the  testimony 
of  the  Rev.  A.  Vicary,  who  visited  Italy  in  1846.  At 
Lucca  he  saw  a  fresco  painting,  which  so  completely  repre- 
sented the  effect  and  intention  of  the  Roman  Catholic  reli- 
gion, that,  as  he  says,  "  I  cannot  forbear  to  detail  it  minutely 
here:" 

"  The  virgin  is  represented  as  inflicting  corporal  punishment 
on  the  youthful  Jesus.  She  holds  a  rod  in  one  hand,  with  the 
other  she  holds  the  garment  of  the  child.  She  is  in  the  act 
of  inflicting  punishment.  The  child  is  in  alarm,  and  its  eyes 
are  eagerly  directed  to  St.  Anna,  the  mother  of  the  virgin,  in 
the  background,  entreating  her  intercession  to  escape  the  cruel 
ordeal.  The  look  of  the  virgin  is  not  that  of  affection,  but  has 
the  stern  and  harsh  appearance  which  we  might  imagine  a 
schoolmistress  to  have  when  engaged  in  a  similar  occupation. 
Under  the  picture  is  written,  in  very  legible  characters,  '  Jure 


IDOLATRY   OP   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  23 

Matris,  Rege  Filio/  (By  the  right  of  a  mother,  though  the 
son  be  a  king.)" 

Bernardinus  de  Busti  was  the  celebrated  author  of  u  The 
Office  of  the  Immaculate  Conception/'  which  was  confirmed 
by  a  bull  of  Sixtus  IV.,  and  has  since  been  used  by  the  Church 
of  Rome  on  the  18th  December  in  each  year.  He  wrote  vari- 
ous works  on  the  virgin,  entitled  "  Mariale."  The  following 
are  specimens  of  his  teaching : 

"  Since  the  virgin  is  the  mother  of  God,  and  God  her  Son, 
and  every  son  is  naturally  inferior  to  his  mother,  and  subject 
to  her,  and  the  mother  is  preferred  above  and  is  superior  to 
her  son,  it  follows  that  the  blessed  virgin  is  herself  superior  to 
God,  and  God  himself  her  subject,  by  reason  of  the  humanity 
derived  from  her.  0,  unspeakable  dignity  of  Mary,  who  is 
worthy  to  command  the  Commander  of  all  !" — Cologne,  1607, 
part  iii.  serm.  ii.  176;  part  ix.  605;  part  xii.  serm.  ii.  816; 
quoted  by  the  Rev.  J.  Endell  Tyler,  B.  D.  "  Worship  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary  in  the  Church  of  Rome,"  p.  42 ;  Lon- 
don, 1846. 

It  is  the  same  Bernardinus  who  relates  the  vision  shown 
to  St.  Francis,  the  founder  of  the  order  that  bears  his  name  : 

"  He  saw  two  ladders  that  reached  from  earth  to  heaven, 
the  one  red,  upon  which  Christ  leaned,  from  which  many  fell 
back  and  could  not  ascend  :  the  other  white,  upon  which  the 
Holy  Virgin  leaned,  the  help  whereof  such  as  used  were  by 
her  received  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  and  so  with  facility 
ascended  into  heaven." 

"More  present  relief,"  says  St.  Anselm,  "is  sometimes 
found  by  commemorating  the  name  of  Mary,  than  by  calling 
on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  her  only  Son  :" — which,  says 
Archbishop  Usher, 

"  One  of  your  Jesuits  is  so  far  from  being  ashamed  to  de- 
fend, that  he  dareth  to  extend  it  to  the  mediation  of  other 
saints  also,  telling  us  very  peremptorily  that,  as  our  Lord 
Jesus  worketh  greater  miracles  by  his  saints  than  by  him- 
self, so,  often,  he  showeth  the  force  of  their  intercession  more 
than  his  own." — Usher's  Reply  to  a  Jesuit,  p.  495. 

In  harmony  with  all  these  teachings  of  canonized  saints,  is 
the  practice  of  Romanists  at  the  present  day. 

Dr.  Cumming,  in  his  "  Lectures  for  the  Times,"  gives  the 
following  perversion  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which  he  copied 


24  IDOLATRY   OF   THE    CHURCH   OF   ROME. 

from  the  original  illuminated  card  sold  in  the  continental 
book-shops,  the  translation  of  which  from  the  French  runs 
thus : 

"  To  Mary. — Our  Mother,  who  art  in  heaven  ;  hallowed  be 
thy  name ;  thy  kingdom  come ;  thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as 
in  heaven.  Give  us  this  day  grace  and  mercy :  give  us  the 
pardon  of  our  sins,  as  we  hope  for  thy  unbounded  goodness; 
and  suffer  us  not  to  sink  under  temptation,  but  deliver  us 
from  evil.     Amen."* 

In  a  lecture  delivered  before  the  Islington  Protestant  Insti- 
tute, on  the  15th  January,  1850,  the  Rev.  Hobart  Seymour 
declared,  from  personal  observation,  his  deep  conviction  that 
"  Mary  holds,  in  the  religion  of  Italy,  as  lofty  a  place  as  Jesus 
Christ  holds  in  the  religion  of  England."     He  says : 

"  To  Mary  the  prayers  of  the  multitude  are  addressed;  to 
Mary  the  offerings  of  money  and  treasure  are  made ;  to  Mary 
the  children  are  consecrated ;  to  Mary  is  every  heart  in  the 
hour  of  affliction  turned ;  to  Mary  all  look  for  safety  and  pro- 
tection ;*  to  Mary  is  every  blessing  from  heaven  ascribed. 
And  the  religion  of  Italy  ought  to  be  called,  not  the  religion 
of  Christ,  but  the  religion  of  Mary." 

Mr.  Seymour  expressed  this  conviction  to  a  priest  at  Rome. 
"  But  what  was  my  surprise,  when,  so  far  from  there  being 
any  feeling  of  offence  or  indignation,  he  frankly  avowed  it, 
stating  that  the  religion  of  Italy  might  very  justly  be  desig- 
nated the  religion  of  Mary,  instead  of  the  religion  of  Christ !" 

In  what  an  awful  condition,  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  word 
of  Glod,  in  what  a  fearful  spiritual  condition  must  Rome  be, 
where  a  priest  is  found  to  glory  in  the  fact  that  Rome,  instead 
of  drawing  near  to  Christ,  is  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  to 
Mary  1 

"  Few  things,"  says  Mr.  Seymour,  "  impressed  me  more 
than  the  manner  in  which  the  priesthood  are  effecting  this 
change.     They  have  elevated  their  legendary  traditions  to  a 

*  This  is  but  another  form  of  the  blasphemous  doctrine  taught  in 
Scotland,  anno  1551,  "  that  we  may  call  the  saints  our  fathers,  and 
say,  ' Hallowed  be  your  names,''  because  God  hath  made  their  names 
holy  ;  and  that  their  kingdom  may  come,  because  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  theirs  by  possession  ;  and  so  of  the  other  petitions.  Where- 
by it  appeareth  that  they  would  have  prayers  made  unto  saints  as 
unto  (Jod."     (Willet's  Synopsis,  p.  4o(i.) 


IDOLATRY   OP   THE   CHURCH    OF   ROME.  2D 

level  with  the  inspired  Scriptures  ;  and  for  every  event  in  the 
life  of  Christ,  they  have  invented  an  analogous  event  in  the 
life  of  Mary ;  so  that  she  is  represented  to  the  people  as  the 
equal  and  rival  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  there  be  a  picture  repre- 
senting an  angel  announcing  to  Mary  the  miraculous  concep- 
tion of  Christ,  there  is  another  picture  representing  an  angel 
announcing  to  Anna  the  miraculous  conception  of  Mary  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Grhost.  If  there  be  a  picture  repre- 
senting the  holy  family  of  Mary  and  Joseph,  and  the  birth 
of  Christ,  there  is  also  another  representing  the  holy  family  of 
Joachim  and  Anna,  and  the  birth  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  If 
there  be  a  picture  representing  the  circumcision  of  the  child 
Jesus  in  the  Temple,  there  is  another  representing  the  pre- 
sentation of  the  child  Mary  in  the  Temple.  If  there  be  a 
painting  portraying  the  agonies  of  our  Lord  when  nailed  to 
the  cross,  there  is  another  depicting  the  agonies  of  Mary  with 
seven  daggers  in  her  breast.  If  one  depicts  our  Lord  in  his 
death,  with  his  disciples  weeping  around  his  body,  another 
depicts  Mary  in  her  death,  and  her  disciples  sorrowing  around 
her.  If  one  picture  represents  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord 
from  the  tomb,  another  is  to  be  seen  showing  the  resurrection 
of  Mary.  If  one  describes  the  ascension  of  Christ  to  the 
glory  of  heaven,  another  is  seen  to  rival  it  on  the  ascension 
of  Mary  to  the  same  glory ;  and  if  one  picture  portrays  the 
crowning  of  Jesus  as  the  King  of  kings,  there  is  another  por- 
traying the  crowning  of  Mary  as  the  Queen  of  heaven.  What- 
ever is  attributed  to  one  is  also  attributed  to  the  other.  Mary 
is  exalted  as  a  rival  to  Jesus  in  the  prayers,  and  worship,  and 
love,  and  devotion  of  the  people  to  such  a  degree,  that  some- 
times they  are  represented  as  seated,  and  sceptred,  and 
crowned  alike  as  the  King  and  Queen  of  heaven.  So  far  have 
they  gone  in  the  idolatry  and  blasphemy,  that  not  unfrequently 
they  are  represented  a  trinity,  three  figures  on  the  same  throne 
— the  Father,  the  Son,  and  Mary  between  them.  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  only  a  little  dove  fluttering  over  the  head  of  Mary  ! 
These  pictures  are  the  real  books  of  the  people :  the  Holy 
Scriptures  are  utterly  unknown  and  unread,  and  we  need  no 
longer  wonder  that  the  religion  of  Kome  has  become  the  re- 
ligion of  Mary." 

The  Church  of  Rome  teaches  that  divine  worship,  called 
hitria,  is  due  only  to  God  and  Christ.     There  is  a  small  tract 
7 


26  IDOLATRY   OP   THE   CHURCH   OF  ROME. 

circulated  at  Home,  entitled  "A  Prayer  to  be  recited  by  who- 
ever is  desirous  to  acquire  for  himself  the  protection  of  the 
Most  Holy  Virgin,  to  obtain  some  grace,  so  that  it  may  be  ex- 
pedient for  eternal  salvation,  published  in  Rome,  1825,  with 
the  license  of  superiors."  The  service  consists  chiefly  of  four 
prayers  :  the  first  commences,  "  I  adore  you,  Eternal  Father, 
with  all  the  celestial  court,"  etc. ;  the  second,  "  I  adore  you, 
Eternal  Son,"  etc. ;  the  third,  "  I  adore  you,  most  Holy  Spirit, 
paraclete  -/'  the  fourth,  "  I  adore  you,  Most  Holy  Virgin,  Queen 
of  the  Heavens,  Lady  and  Mistress  of  the  Universe,  as  daugh- 
ter of  the  Eternal  Father,  mother  of  his  most  beloved  Son, 
and  most  gracious  spouse  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  etc. 

Here  surely  is  latria,  or  supreme  worship  :  the  Virgin  is  not 
merely  venerated  and  invoked,  but  as  to  each  person  of  the 
Trinity,  so  to  Mary  the  suppliant  says,  "Io  vi  adoro,"  I  adore 
you. — "Percy's  Romanism  at  Rome,  pp.  129,  130." 

What  can  we  say  ?  Is  it  uncharitable,  or  is  it  according  to 
the  evidence  of  facts,  when  we  find  these  things  staring  us  in 
the  face — when  we  know  that  the  present  pope  has  repeatedly 
invoked  the  Virgin  Mary  as  the  defender  of  the  city  of  Rome— 
that  the  late  pope,  Gregory  XVI.,  directed  the  people  to  lift 
up  their  hands  to  the  Most  Holy  Virgin,  "  who  alone  hath  de- 
stroyed all  heresies,  and  is  our  great  confidence,  yea,  the  whole 
cause  of  our  hope"— are  we  not  justified  in  bringing  against 
popes,  cardinals,  bishops,  and  people,  the  awful  charge  that 
they  have  "changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  worshipped 
and  served  the  creature  rather  than  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed 

for  ever  ?"*  . 

II.  We  proceed  now  to  consider  the  worship  addressed  by 
Romanists  to  angels,  and  to  other  saints  besides  the  Virgin. 

Roman  Catholics  are  taught  that  each  Christian  has  a  guard- 


*  The  following  is  the  language  of  Epiphanius,  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, in  reference  to  the  religious  honor  which  had  begun  to  be  paid 
to  the  Virgin;  and  which,  originating  with  some  Arabian  women,  was 
called  the  "heresy  of  the  women."  "Who  of  the  prophets  ever 
allowed  that  a  man  should  be  worshipped,  much  less  a  woman? 
Though  the  Virgin  be  a  chosen  vessel,  she  is  yet  but  a  woman.  The 
old  error  shall  not  reign  among  us  to  leave  the  living  God,  and  to  wor- 
ship things  that  he  has  made.  For  if  he  will  not  suffer  the  angels  to 
be  adored,  how  much  less  the  daughter  of  Joachim  and  Anna,  who  was 
born  to  them  as  other  mortals  are  born,  of  a  father  and  mother!" 
(Prptpst.  vol.  iv.  p.  37.) 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  27 

ian  angel  especially  set  over  him,  and  that  to  him  and  other 
angels  he  may  address  his  prayers  as  mediators  with  God. 
Arguments  to  support  this  opinion  are  attempted  to  be  drawn 
from  the  Scripture.  We  have  already  refuted  these  y  and  we 
have  seen  that  they  cannot  bear  a  moment's  examination.  To 
show  that  angels  are  really  invoked,  let  us  give  one  or  two  sen- 
tences from  Dr.  Challoner's  "  Garden  of  the  Soul :" 

"  St.  Michael,  pray  for  us.  St.  Gabriel,  pray  for  us.  AL 
ye  holy  orders  of  blessed  spirits,  pray  for  us."  Again,  "  0 
enflamed  seraphim,  burning  with  love :  0  ennobled  cheru 
bim,  shining  with  knowledge :  0  holy  archangels,  to  the  de- 
claring things  greater  :  0  good  angels,  exercising  constant 
care  over  men,  attend  to  your  ministry,  directing  our  thoughts, 
words,  and  actions  into  the  way  of  salvation  and  prosperity. — 
Horce  sec.  Us.  Sar  fol.  92. 

Again,  the  saints  are  thus  addressed : 

"  St.  John  the  Baptist,  St.  James,  all  ye  holy  patriarchs 
and  prophets,  pray  for  us.  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  and  all  ye 
holy  apostles  and  evangelists,  pray  for  us.  St.  Stephen,  St. 
Lawrence,  pray  for  us.  All  ye  holy  bishops  and  confessors, 
St.  Sylvester,  St.  Gregory,  pray  for  us,"  etc. 

Now,  all  such  prayers  as  these  are  a  direct  denial  of  the 
truth  of  God,  that  Christ  is  the  one  Mediator.  They  insult, 
in  the  most  awful  manner,  the  perfection  of  Christ's  office : 
they  necessarily  represent  him  as  stern  and  unrelenting  until 
the  entreaties  of  angels  or  saints  have  melted  him  into  com- 
passion ;  and  they  give  a  most  unscriptural  representation  of 
that  economy  of  grace,  throughout  the  whole  of  which  God 
is  heard  to  say,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased." 

As  a  conclusive  proof  that  the  merits  of  the  saints  are  made 
the  ground  of  appeal,  and  that  every  blessing  is  directly 
sought  from  them  with  idolatrous  homage,  take  the  following 
facts : 

"  The  Missal  for  the  Laity"  has  been  published  by  the 
Catholic  Book  Society,  by  Thomas  Richardson  &  Son,  Derby ; 
and  having  prefixed  to  it  the  episcopal  sanction  of  two  bishops, 
one  of  them  being  "  Nicholas,  Bishop  of  Melipotamus,"  (now 
Cardinal  Wiseman.) 

One  portion  of  this  book  is  called  "  The  Proper  Service  of 
Saints,"  from  which  we  select  the  following  prayers  : 


28  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME 

"  0  God,  who  by  the  teaching  and  miracles  of  the  blessed 
Francis  didst  bring  into  thy  Church  the  people  of  the  Indies, 
mercifully  grant  that  we  may  imitate  his  virtues,  whose  glori- 
ous merits  we  venerate." 

"  O  God,  who  wast  pleased  to  send  the  blessed  St.  Patrick, 
thy  bishop  and  confessor,  to  preach  thy  glory  unto  the  Gen- 
tiles, grant  that,  through  his  merits  and  intercession,  we 
may,  through  thy  grace,  be  enabled  to  keep  thy  command- 
ments. " 

In  proof  of  direct  invocations  addressed  to  saints,  we  quote 
from  the  old  service  books  of  the  Church  of  Rome  before  the 
Reformation,  when  she  swayed  an  unlimited  and  uncontrolled 
power  over  Europe,  and  claimed  to  be  "  the  pillar  and  ground 
of  truth."  Here  is  a  prayer  to  St.  Claude  :  can  it  be  addressed 
to  any  other  than  God,  without  idolatry  ? 

"  Prayer  to  St.  Claude. — 0  thou  comforter  of  the  desolate, 
deliverer  of  the  captive,  resurrection  of  the  dead,  light  of  the 
blind,  hearing  of  the  deaf,  speech  of  the  dumb,  keeper  of  the 
shipwrecked,  healer  of  the  impotent  and  languishing,  refuge 
of  medicine,  way  of  the  erring,  and  the  salvation  of  all  who 
trnst  in  thee!" — Horce  sec.  Us.  Rom.  6  die  Junii.  Paris, 
1670. 

In  a  prayer  to  St.  Francis  these  words  occur :  "  Be  thou 
unto  us  the  way  of  life.  Always  kind  to  us,  display  unto 
Christ  thy  wounds." 

This  St.  Francis  is  also  addressed  in  this  book  as  "  having 
the  stigmata  [marks  or  wounds]  of  Jesus  Christ  imprinted  on 
thee;"  and  (awful  to  relate  !)  the  stigmata  of  St.  Francis  are 
represented  as  bearing  the  same  relation  to  mankind  as  the 
sufferings  of  our  blessed  Lord.  A  plate  is  given  in  the  Book 
of  the  Conformities  of  St.  Francis,  which  represents  the  cross 
of  Christ;  but,  instead  of  the  two  arms  of  the  Son  of  God, 
one  of  the  arms  of  St.  Francis  occupies  the  place  of  Christ's 
left  arm,  as  though  to  instruct  us  that  the  salvation  of  men 
was  equally  divided  between  them.  The  following  inscription 
exists  on  the  great  gate  of  the  convent  of  the  Franciscans  at 
Rheims,  (literally  translated  :) — "  To  the  Man  God  and  St. 
Francis,  both  the  one  and  the  other  crucified."  A  represent- 
ation of  one  arm  of  Christ  and  one  of  St.  Francis  nailed  to 
the  cross,  is  still  published  in  the  Breviaries  for  the  use  of  the 
Franciscans.     Pope  Nicholas  III.  recognized  this  lying  legend 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  29 

and  recommends  the  poverty  and  perfection  of  St.  Francis. 
He  declared  of  St.  Francis  "  that  he  had  no  bag,  and  that  he 
finds  not  in  him  those  marks  of  infirmity  that  were  in  Jesus 
Christ.  He  had  a  bag  and  he  fled;  (when  ?)  and  in  these  two 
things  Francis  surmounts  Jesus  Christ  !"* 

III.  Lastly,  with  regard  to  images  and  relics :  there  was  a 
time,  a  blessed  time,  in  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ, 
when  images  were  utterly  unknown,  when  only  in  Pagan  tem- 
ples were  found  representations  of  deities  or  gods,  when  all 
Christians  regarded  it  as  a  good  characteristic  of  true  Christ- 
ianity to  "  turn  from  dumb  idols  to  serve  the  living  God." 
But  now,  alas!  how  did  "the  gold  become  dim,"  how  was 
"  the  fine  gold  changed  !"  Image-worship  rose  up  in  the 
•fourth  century.  In  spite  of  the  resistance  of  faithful  wit- 
nesses from  age  to  age,  such  as  the  Iconoclasts,  or  im- 
age-breakers, it  came  to  pass  at  length  that  Rome,  in  her 
full-grown  apostasy,  made  the  worship  of  images  universal 
throughout  her  borders.  The  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IY  has 
these  words:  "I  most  firmly  assert  that  the  images  of  the 
Mother  of  God,  the  Virgin,  and  of  other  saints,  are  to  be  had 
and  retained,  and  that  due  honor  and  veneration  are  to  be 
addressed  to  them." 

Romish  doctors  and  casuists  here  resort  to  argument  again. 
In  the  first  place,  they  tell  us  that  pictures  of  our  Lord  and 
of  the  saints  are  only  used  as  incentives  to  devotion.  But 
we  reply,  You  have  no  authentic  portrait  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  and,  if  you  had,  you  have  no  authority  for  making 
a  representation  of  him.  Show  us  a  place  in  the  word  of 
God  where  a  command  is  given  to  make  an  image  of  Christ, 
of  the  apostles,  or  any  of  his  saints.  The  true  image  of 
Christ  is  to  be  found  in  the  Bible — this  is  the  mirror.  O 
that  all  would  look  into  it ! — that,  "beholding  as  in  a  glass 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,"  they  might  be  "changed  into  the 
same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 
They  refer  us  again  to  Exod.  xxv.  18,  where  a  command  is 
thus  given  to  Moses :  "  Thou  shalt  make  two  cherubim  of 
gold,  of  beaten  work  shalt  thou  make  them,  in  the  two  ends 
of  the  mercy-seat.     From  this  they  argue  that  images  were 

*  See  the  references  and  proofs  in  Tayler's  "Popery:  its  Charac- 
ter and  Crimes,"  pp.  201,  202. 
3* 


30  IDOLATRY   OP  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 

sanctioned  under  the  law,  and  that  they  are  therefore  lawfu, 
under  the  gospel.     Were  these  cherubim  images  to  be  wor- 
shipped ?     No,   they  were  emblems  or  types  under  a  figur- 
ative economy.     They  were  on  the  two  ends  of  the  mercy- 
seat,  looking  down  upon  it.     That  mercy-seat  was  the  lid  of 
the  ark  of  the  covenant :  it  was  called  the   propitiatory :  it 
was  an  emblem  of  the  atonement  of  Christ.     The  true  com- 
mentary on  the  spiritual  typical    meaning  of  the  whole  is 
found  in  the  words  of  the  Apostle  Peter :  "  Which  things," 
(the  mysteries  of  redeeming  love)  "  the  angels  desire  to  look 
into."  (1  Pet.  i.  12.)  The  images  of  Rome  are  put  up  on  the 
walls  of  churches — in  continental  cities  they  are  erected  at 
the  corners  of  the  streets,  and  in  the  highways,  and  all  this 
that  the  people  may  see  them,  and  kneel  before  them.     But 
where  were  these  cherubim  ?  why,  in  the  Holy  of  Holies,  in 
that  secret  place  of  the  temple  into  which  no  one  ever  entered 
but  the  high-priest,  and  he  only  once  a  year  !     The  people 
had  never  looked  upon  these  cherubim,  and  therefore  "honor 
and  veneration"  could  not  be  addressed  to  them,  as  to  images 
now. 

Again,  let  it  be  remembered  that  image-worship  is  expressly 
forbidden  in  the  word  of  God.  "Take  ye  therefore  good 
heed  unto  yourselves,"  says  Moses,  Deut.  iv.  15,  16;  "for 
ye  saw  no  manner  of  similitude  on  the  day  that  the  Lord 
spake  unto  you  in  Horeb  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire :  lest 
ye  corrupt  yourselves,  and  make  you  a  graven  image,  the 
similitude  of  any  figure,  the  likeness  of  male  or  female." 

There  is  a  Koinish  catechism,  called  "An  Abridgment  of 
Christian  Poetrino,  recommended  by  authority  for  the  use  of 
the  Faithful  in  England  :  published  by  Burns  and  Lambert, 
Portman  street,  Portman  square."  On  the  front  of  it  is  a 
picture  df  the  A'irginand  Child,  with  an  imprimatur  by  Nich- 
olas, bishop  of  iMelipotamus,  (Cardinal  Wiseman,)  London, 
Easter,  ISoO.  The  second  commandment  in  the  word  of 
Cod  is  as  follows: — "Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any 
irra  von  imaire,  or  any  likeness  of  anv  thine;  that  is  in  heaven 
above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water 
under  the  earth  :  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor 
serve  them  ;  tor  1  the  Lord  thy  Cod  am  a  jealous  God,  visit- 
ing the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the 
third  and  fourth  generations  of  them  that  hate  me,  and  show- 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  31 

ing  mercy  unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my 
commandments."  (Exod.  xx.  4,  5,  6.)  But  instead  of  this 
commandment,  Dr.  Wiseman  has  sanctioned  the  following  in 
the  catechism  referred  to  : — 

"What  is  the  second  commandment?" 

"  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
vam. 

But  this  is  part  of  the  third  commandment :  so  that  they 
have  thus  actually  left  the  second  commandment  out  of  the 
catechism  altogether,  and,  to  make  up  the  ten,  they  have 
divided  the  tenth  into  two.  Is  not  this  done  because  Home 
knows  that  she  is  guilty  of  idolatry,  and  therefore  tries  to 
strangle  the  -witness  that  would  bear  testimony  against  her?* 
0,  have  these  men  never  read  that  awful  text — "If  any 
man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  pro- 
phecy, God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written 
in  this  book?"   (Bev.  xxii.  19.) 

The  following  statements  attest  the  awful  prevalence  of 
image-worship  at  Borne  at  this  day : — 

"  In  the  church  of  the  Augustinians,  at  Borne,  there  is  an 
image  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  It  is  one  called  a  miraculous 
image :  that  is,  it  works  miracles.  Our  Lord  cleansed  the 
leper,  healed  the  sick,  cured  the  blind,  and  raised  the  dead. 
Lest  this  should  steal  away  the  hearts  of  the  people  from 
Mary  to  Christ,  they  have  got  up  similar  miracles  as  wrought 
by  Mary,  and,  accordingly,  every  year  this  image  of  Mary 
works  miracles  of  the  same  kind.  It  is  as  large  as  life,  very  coarse 
and  very  ugly.  It  is  dressed  in  silks  and  satins — the  hands 
are  covered  with  rings,  the  wrists  with  bracelets,  the  arms  with 
armlets,  the  neck  with  half-a-dozen  of  necklaces — all  being 
topaz,  and  amethyst,  and  rubies,  and  diamonds.  Her  stom- 
acher is  black  velvet,  loaded  with  diamonds,  and  on  her  head 
is  a  diadem  of  diamonds  that  would  grace  an  empress.     All 

*  The  Rev.  Dr.  McCaul,  in  his  tract,  "Why  does  the  Church  of 
Rome  hide  the  Second  Commandment  from  the  People  ?"  has  shown 
that  of  twenty-nine  catechisms  in  use  in  Italy,  France,  Belgium, 
Austria,  Bavaria,  Silesia,  Poland,  Ireland,  England,  Spain,  and 
Portugal,  (all  published  under  lawful  authority,)  there  are  twenty- 
seven  in  which  the  second  commandment  is  totally  omitted,  and  two 
in  which  it  is  mutilated  and  only  a  portion  expressed. — London,  1850. 


32  IDOLATRY    OF    THE    CHURCH    OF    ROME. 

these  were  the  offerings  of  her  votaries.  I  reckoned  no  l<sa 
than  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  rings,  over  and  besides 
those  on  her  fingers,  arranged  for  display  on  her  shrine.  I 
have  frequently  visited  this  church;  and  as  the  high  altar, 
where  the  priest  says  mass  for  the  worship  of  Christ,  is  at 
one  end,  and  as  the  image  of  Mary  is  at  the  other,  so  have  [ 
witnessed,  at  the  time  of  mass,  the  extraordinary  scene  of  hun- 
dreds of  persons  turning  their  hacks  upon  Mary  to  worship 
Christ  in  the  host,  and  at  the  same  moment  hundreds  of  oth- 
ers turning  their  backs  upon  Christ  in  the  host  to  worship  the 
A'ir<iin  in  the  imaire.  I  have  seen  the  whole  congregation 
divided  thus  between  Christ  and  Mary  at  the  elevation  of  the 
host,  which  is  the  most  solemn  moment  of  all  their  worship, 
when  they  suppose  that,  by  the  process  of  transubstantiation, 
the  host  has  become  the  visible  body  of  Christ  among  them. 
I  have  seen  them,  I  say,  at  that  moment  turn  their  backs  on 
the  host,  and  prefer  bowing  to  the  image  of  the  Virgin." — 
Seymours  Lectures,  p.  13. 

The  same  writer,  in  describing  the  nature  of  Romanism  at 
Rome,  describes  the  adoration  paid  to  the  Bambino,  that  is, 
"  the  Child,"  designed  as  the  image  of  the  child  Jesus.  "  It 
is  a  little  doll,  sonic  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  long.  It  is 
carried  about  the  streets  by  the  priests  in  a  sort  of  state-coach, 
and  it  is  taken  to  visit  ladies  in  the  hour  of  nature  s  sorrow, 
on  the  festival  called  'Blessing  the  Bambino/  amidst  a  band 
of  nearly  ninety  priests  and  monks,  the  clash  of  military 
music,  blazing  torches,  and  clouds  of  incense.  When  the 
chief  priest  raised  the  idol,  five  thousand  souls  prostrated 
themselves  in  worship  before  it.  I  had  never  beheld  such  an 
awful  spectacle;  and  I  feel  that  never,  in  the  darkest  days  of 
the  idolatry  of  heathen  Borne,  was  there  any  thing  comparable 
to  the  grossness  of  this  modern  idolatry  of  Christian  Home." 
—  Seymour  s  Lectures,  p.  14. 

And  now  a  few  words  as  to  relics.  The  decree  of  the 
Council  of  Trent  is  as  follows  : — 

"  Let  them  teach  also  that  the  lioly  bodies  of  the  martyrs 
and  others  living  with  Christ,  whose  bodies  were  living  mem- 
bers of  Christ  and  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  will  by 
him  be  raised  to  eternal  life,  and  glorified,  arc  to  be  venerated 
by  the  faithful,  since  God  bestows  by  them  many  benefits 
among  men." — Cone.  Trid.,  Sess.  £5. 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  33 

Here,  again,  we  ask  for  Scripture  authority  for  the  worship 
of  relics ;  and  Rome,  when  driven  to  argue  from  Scripture, 
appeals  to  some  passages.  We  are  referred,  for  instance,  to 
2  Kings  xxiii.  18,  where  we  find  that  King  Josiah  honored 
the  bones  of  a  man  of  God  who  was  buried  at  Bethel.  Jo- 
siah had  burned  the  bones  of  the  irreligious  priests  upon  the 
altar,  (which  altar,  contrary  to  the  Divine  command,  had  been 
set  up  at  Bethel,)  and  thereby  had  polluted  the  altar.  But 
when  Josiah  came  to  the  sepulchre  of  the  holy  prophet,  did 
he  gather  up  his  bones,  and  carry  them,  as  modern  Romanists 
do,  to  a  shrine  or  sacred  place  ?  Bid  he  perform  an  act  of 
veneration,  and,  by  his  example,  teach  his  people  to  bow 
down  before  them  ?  No ;  but,  instead  of  burning  them  along 
with  the  bones  of  the  wicked  prophets  upon  the  altar,  he 
simply  said,  "  Let  them  alone  :  let  no  man  move  his  bones." 

We  are  referred  again  to  2  Kings  xiii.  21,  where  the  bones 
of  the  prophet  Elisha  are  said  to  have  raised  a  dead  man  to 
life ;  but  if  God,  in  a  single  case,  in  the  case  of  a  prophet, 
did  cause  a  dead  man  to  rise  because  he  touched  Elisha' s 
bones,  how  can  this  prove  that  dead  men's  bones  now  can 
raise  a  dead  man  to  life  ?  What  has  this  to  do  with  the 
establishing  of  the  lying  miracles  ascribed  by  Romanists  to 
relics  now  ?  Produce  your  case,  we  say.  Take  a  dead  man 
any  hour :  bring  forth  the  holy  bones  from  under  the  altars 
in  your  sacred  places ;  and  when  we  see  that  dead  man,  by  a 
touch  of  those  bones,  spring  up  to  life,  we  will  then  believe  in 
your  authorities — but  not  till  then. 

We  are  also  referred  to  Acts  xix.  11,  12 :  "And  God 
wrought  special  miracles  by  the  hand  of  Paul,  so  that  from 
his  body  were  brought  unto  the  sick  handkerchiefs  or  aprons, 
and  the  diseases  departed  from  them,  and  the  evil  spirits 
went  out  of  them."  We  ask,  What  has  this  to  do  with  the 
question  ?  If  God  was  pleased  to  give  miraculous  virtue  to 
handkerchiefs  and  aprons  brought  from  Paul  while  living, 
what  has  this  to  do  with  the  relics  of  saints  who,  although 
dead  and  buried,  are  invested  with  imaginary  virtue  to  heal 
diseases  ?  As  long  as  the  Church  of  Rome  tells  us  that  she 
has  certain  dead  men's  bones,  and  dead  men's  coats,  and  frag- 
ments of  the  spear,  and  other  relics,  which  need  only  to  be 
touched  to  produce  the  most  marvellous  effects;  but  never 
shows  that,  when  touched,  they  do  produce  these  effects,  we 
7* 


34  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME. 

must  look  upon  the  whole  thing  as  just  as  apocryphal  as  her 
constant  assertion  that  she  has  infallibility,  while  it  is  a  con- 
stant fact  that  that  infallibility  has  never  been  discovered  or 
brought  to  any  practical  issue. 

From  Scripture  we  find  that  a  different  treatment  was 
given  to  relics  from  that  which  Rome  now  pleads  for.  There 
was  a  relic  preserved,  namely,  the  serpent  of  brass  which  had 
beeu  set  up  on  a  pole  in  the  wilderness.  In  passing,  we  may 
remark,  that  the  making  of  this  serpent  by  Moses  is  employed 
as  an  argument  for  images;  but  let  it  be  remembered,  that 
the  dying  Israelites  did  not  worship  the  image,  but  by  God's 
command  looked  at  it;  and  that  thus  it  was  a  beautiful  type 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent 
in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up  : 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life."  (John  iii.  15.)  This  brazen  serpent  was 
preserved  for  a  time ;  but  by  and  by,  when  the  idolatrous  ten- 
dencies of  the  heart  of  man  began  to  invest  it  with  the  ven- 
eration which  Rome  gives  to  relics  now,  what  did  the  zealous 
Hezekiah  do  ?  Why,  we  read,  2  Kings  xviii.  4,  that  "  He 
brake  in  pieces  the  brazen  serpent  that  Moses  had  made ;  for 
unto  those  days  the  children  of  Israel  did  burn  incense  to  it." 
When  idolatry  spread  over  the  land,  one  of  the  idols  was  this 
brazen  serpent ;  but  now  Hezekiah  brake  it  in  pieces,  "  and 
he  called  it  Nehushtan" — that  is,  a  piece  of  brass.  Now 
the  Church  of  Rome  pretends  that  she  has  among  her  sacred 
treasures  the  wood  of  the  true  cross ;  and  it  is  said  there  are 
more  pieces  of  the  true  cross  on  the  continent  than  would 
load  a  ship  of  war.  We  are  told  by  Thomas  Aquinas,*  that 
the  cross  is  to  be  worshipped  with  latria,  with  supreme  honor : 
the  Missal  authorized  by  Popes  Clement  and  Urban  orders  the 
clergy  on  bended  knee  a  to  worship  the  cross :  the  Breviary 
commands  that  the  choir  shall  sing,  u  Hail,  0  Cross  !  our  only 
hope  I  increase  righteousness  to  the  pious  :  bestow  pardon  on 
the  guilty  \" — and  surely  in  all  this  there  is  the  recognition 
and  the  practice  of  the  grossest  idolatry.  Though  Rome 
could  produce  the  very  cross  on  which  the  Saviour  died,  yet, 
because  it  had  become  a  stumbling-block  and  a  snare,  wo 
would   say,  "It  is   a  piece  of  wood — let  it  be  destroyed.'' 

*  Bossuet  admits  that  St.  Thomas  thus  teaches. — (Euvres  i.  448. 


IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   ROME.  85 

We  worship  not  the  cross,  but  "Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied"— "  Christ,  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God." 

At  this  hour,  as  we  have  seen,  all  the  image-worship  which 
has  been  sanctioned  by  Borne  in  past  days  is  continued  at 
Rome.  In  like  manner  relics  are  still  adored.  In  the  church 
of  the  Lateran  you  will  find  "the  ark  of  the  Lord  which 
Moses  made,  and  the  identical  table  at  which  our  Lord  ate 
the  last  supper  with  his  disciples.  Upon  the  high  altar  are 
the  heads  of  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul;  and  though  the 
heads  be  in  Bonie,  there  is  a  great  piece  of  the  skull  of  St. 
Peter  at  Bilboa,  and  that  of  Paul  is  in  the  possession  of  the 
Franciscans  in  the  same  city.  Hundreds  of  relics  are  found 
among  other  churches  :  among  which  are  pretended  to  be 
shown  part  of  the  manna  in  the  wilderness — some  of  the 
blossoms  of  Aaron's  rod — a  finger  and  arm  of  St.  Anna — a 
piece  of  the  Virgin's  veil — the  head  of  St.  Denis,  which  he 
carried  two  miles  under  his  arm  after  it  was  cut  ofi" — the  rope 
with  which  Judas  hanged  himself,  etc.  etc." — Philosophic 
Library  for  June,  1818,  and  Catalogue,  1753. 

The  following  "  relics"  are  referred  to  in  the  Hon.  J.  W 
Percy's   "  Romanism  as  it  exists  at  Rome,"  published  in 
1847.     They  are  noticed  by  Mr.  Percy,  with  many  others,  on 
the  authority  of  lists  or  inscriptions  seen  in  different  churches, 
which  he  mentions  : — 

Some  of  the  manna  with  which  God  fed  the  Hebrew  peo- 
ple in  the  desert. 

The  stone  where  the  Lord  wrote  the  law  given  to  Moses  on 
Mount  Sinai. 

Part  of  the  chain  of  St.  John  Baptist,  forerunner  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

A  little  piece  of  the  stone  where  Christ  was  born. 

A  little  piece  of  the  stone  where  our  Lord  Jesus  sat  when 
he  pardoned  the  sins  of  the  Magdalen. 

The  great  toe  of  the  foot  of  St.  Mary  Magdalen. 

Part  of  the  napkin  with  which  our  Lord  wiped  the  feet  of 
his  disciples. 

One  of  the  pieces  of  money  with  which  it  is  believed  the 
Jews  paid  the  treachery  of  Judas. 

One  bottle  of  the  most  precious  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  another  full  of  the  milk  of  the  most  blessed 
Virgins 


36  IDOLATRY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   ROME. 

The  finger  of  St.  Thomas  the  apostle,  with  which  he 
touched  the  most  holy  side  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  after 
his  resurrection. 

Mr.  Seymour  says — 

"  I  have  handled  the  rod  of  Moses  :  I  have  looked  on 
Aaron's  rod  that  budded  :  I  have  seen  the  brazen  serpent  that 
Moses  made  :  I  have  held  in  my  hand  the  stone  that  killed 
Stephen  :  I  have  seen  pieces  of  the  true  cross,  and  the  trans- 
verse beam  of  the  cross  of  the  repentant  thief.  I  have  seen 
the  nails  that  pierced  the  hands,  and  the  spear  that  pierced 
the  side  of  the  Redeemer.  I  have  seen  and  handled  some 
thousands  of  the  teeth,  and  pieces  of  the  bones,  and  parings 
of  nails,  and  locks  of  the  hair  of  apostles,  martyrs,  and  saints. 
I  have  seen  the  people  bow  and  prostrate  themselves  before  them 
with  every  outward  act  of  devotion  and  adoration,  though  I 
believe  in  my  soul  they  are  the  grossest  frauds  and  vilest  impos- 
tures that  ever  disgraced  or  cursed,  the  world." — Lecture, 
pp.  15,  16. 

In  conclusion,  we  affectionately  address  Roman  Catholics, 
and  ask  them,  Can  that  be  the  infallible  Church  which  sanc- 
tions such  idolatrous  worship  as  has  now  been  described? 
1'q  persuaded  to  go  at  once,  without  the  intervention  of  either 
saint  or  angel,  to  him  who  alone  can  save.  There  is  a  great 
and  only  "Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  right- 
eous:" his  blood  is  sufficient  to  justify  you,  his  Spirit  to  sanc- 
tify you;  his  heart  is  full  of  tenderness,  his  bowels  melt  with 
love.  Commit  your  souls  and  your  cause  into  his  hands:  he 
is  waiting  to  plead  for  you.  While  you  read  this  he  is  ready 
to  bless  you  by  turning  away  every  one  of  you  from  your 
iniquities.  Hark  to  that  voice  of  power,  that  voice  of  love, 
within  the  veil :  Christ  prays  in  regard  to  those  who  believe 
in  him,  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is 
truth."  And  0!  when  you  come  to  die,  instead  of  hav- 
ing the  words  "  Jesu"  and  "Maria"  together  upon  your 
lips,  let  it  be  enough  for  you  to  say,  in  the  language  of  David, 
"Into  thine  hand  I  commit    my    spirit:    thou   hast 

REDEEMED  ME,  0  LORD  GOD  OF  TRUTH,  Psalm  XXxi.  5, 
and  with  the  expiring  Stephen  to  cry,  "  Lord  Jesus,  RECEIVE 
my  spirit  !"  (Acts  vii.  50.) 

Huahvilte,  Tonn. :  Published  by  E.  St*T©nson  &  r.  A.  Own,  tor  Uw  M.  E.  Churoh,  South. 


No.  30. 


IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION  OF  MARY. 


For  several  centuries  the  Church  of  Rome  has  celebrated 
what  she  calls  "  The  Feast  of  the  Conception  of  the  Virgin 
Mary."  The  eighth  day  of  December  is  set  apart  for  this 
festival.  And  on  the  eighth  day  of  December,  1854,  Pope 
Pius  IX.  formally  pronounced  the  immaculate  conception  of 
Mary  an  article  of  faith,  which  a  man  must  believe  on  peril  of 
damnation.  We  do  not  believe  any  such  unscriptural,  foolish, 
idolatrous,  and  blasphemous  dogma ;  and  we  can  afford  to  smile 
at  the  impotent  and  impudent  imprecations  of  the  pontiff, 
knowing  that  "  the  curse  causeless  will  not  come." 

The  most  satisfactory  expose  of  this  popish  novelty  which 
we  have  seen  is  from  the  pen  of  Prof.  H.  B.  Smith,  in  the 
Methodist  Quarterly  Review  :  we  extract  the  substance  of  it, 
for  the  benefit  of  such  as  may  be  interested  in  the  subject. 

During  the  seventeenth  century,  but  not  before,  "  Our 
Lady  of  the  Immaculate  Conception"  was  one  of  the  favorite 
subjects  of  Christian  art.  Gruido  depicts  the  Virgin,  crowned 
with  twelve  stars,  standing  on  a  crescent  sustained  by  cherubs, 
wuh  seraphim  on  either  hand,  floating  between  heaven  and 
earth.  Murillo,  the  greatest  of  Spanish  artists,  illustrated  the 
devotion  of  Spain  to  the  homage  of  Mary,  by  twenty-five 
pictures;  the  grandest  of  which  is  the  "Great  Conception  of 
Seville,"  a  city  which  became  frantic  with  joy,  when,  in  1615- 
17,  Paul  V  sanctioned  the  office  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception, and  forbade  other  teaching.  The  idea  of  these  pic- 
tures is  taken  from  the  woman  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  the 
Apocalypse,  "  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her 
feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars  :"  this  great 
"wonder  in  heaven,"  the  symbol  of  the  Church,  is  made  to 


2  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OE    MARY. 

be  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  instead  of  that  "  Jerusalem,  which 
is  the  mother  of  us  all." 

In  the  catacombs,  and  the  mosaics  before  the  sixth  century, 
the  mother  of  Christ  is  always  represented  as  standing  in  a 
subordinate  position,  usually  veiled.  In  the  course  of  the 
seventh  century,  higher  honors  cluster  around  her  radiant 
form :  she  is  imaged  forth  as  the  bride  of  the  Bridegroom, 
the  type  of  the  Church ;  as  queen  of  heaven,  of  the  angels, 
and  of  virgins.  Even  in  the  west,  before  600,  she  is  depicted 
as  sitting  on  a  throne,  the  queen  of  heaven.  In  mediaoval 
times,  her  coronation  by  Christ  becomes  predominant :  her 
sceptre  is  a  sceptre  of  mercy,  while  our  Saviour  is  seen  in 
contrast,  under  the  likeness  of  a  stern  judge  :  the  mother  is 
full  of  all  compassion,  the  Redeemer  becomes  lenient  for  her 
sake.  She  is  also  the  mother  of  sorrows,  the  "  mater  dolo- 
rosa," bearing  the  sword  in  her  bosom,  and  as  such  she  ap- 
peals to  the  tenderest  and  deepest  sympathies  of  our  nature, 
and  feels  all  the  woes  of  those  who  flee  to  her  for  succor.  As 
the  mother  of  the  Redeemer,  she  exercises  over  him  the  rights 
of  her  divine  maternity :  through  her  intercession  the  grace 
of  the  Lord  distils  as  dew  upon  the  faithful. 

All  the  acts  of  her  life  have  been  the  themes  for  the  painter, 
the  sculptor,  and  the  poet.  Apocryphal  Gospels,  none  of 
which  are  older  than  the  fourth  century,  supplying  by  inven- 
tions the  silence  of  the  New  Testament,  make  Joachim  and 
Anna  to  be  her  father  and  mother — tell  us  that  our  Saviour 
was  born  in  her  fifteenth  year,  and  that  she  lived  eleven  years 
at  Ephesus  with  John,  dying  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine.  Another 
tradition  relates  that  her  tomb  was  opened  three  days  after 
her  burial,  and  that  her  body  could  not  be  found,  but  only  a 
fragrant  odor — that  she  was  translated  directly  to  heaven;  and 
the  festival  of  the  assumption  honors  this  miraculous  and  un- 
witnessed event.  Though  her  death  is  assigned  to  A.  D.  63, 
yet  in  no  subsequent  canonical  work  are  these  marvels  re- 
corded. But  these  fictitious  biographies  narrate  all  the  details 
of  her  nativity,  her  presentation  in  the  temple,  and  the  scenes 
of  her  marriage,  as  well  as  the  scriptural  facts  of  the  annun- 
ciation, of  the  nativity  of  our  Lord,  of  her  purification  and 
the  flight  into  Egypt :  legend  and  fable  carry  her  through  the 
final  scenes  of  earth,  to  her  triumphal  coronation  in  heaven. 
There  is  a  perhaps  unconscious,  yet  manifest  attempt  to  make 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OE    MARY.  3 

out  a  complete  parallel  between  the  successive  events  in  the 
history  of  the  mother  and  the  stadia  in  the  life  of  our  Lord  : 
she  is  as  a  woman,  what  Christ  was  as  a  man.  And  all  of 
these  wonderful  legends  are  received  as  genuine  by  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  Church  :  it  vouches  for  their  verity,  and  cele- 
brates festivals  as  a  perpetual  memorial. 

In  the  Papal  Church  the  veneration  of  the  Virgin  is  the 
central  point  of  the  whole  system  of  creature-worship,  with 
which  that  Church  itself,  as  now  constituted,  stands  or  falls. 
The  working  of  the  "  mystery  of  iniquity"  in  that  corrupt 
communion  is  nowhere  more  apparent,  and  in  no  point  more 
capable  of  historical  elucidation.  Its  paganizing  tendencies 
are  here  open  to  the  day :  its  invocations  to  Mary  are  more 
bold,  more  rapturous,  more  tender,  and  more  universal  than 
to  any  other  of  the  saints ;  and  these  religious  observances 
have  grown  with  each  century  of  its  history.  Rome  has  here 
been  consistent ;  and  she  has  just  placed  the  crown  upon  the 
completed  system  of  idolatry  by  the  dogmatic  declaration,  that 
the  "  blessed  Virgin  Mary  was  conceived  without  the  infection 
of  original  sin,"  exempting  her  from  the  common  heritage 
of  the  human  race ;  thus,  in  yet  another  point,  making  her 
to  be  like  our  Lord,  breaking  down  the  last  barrier  to  her  full 
worship. 

The  first  trace  of  the  worship  of  the  Virgin,  which  history 
records,  is  the  enumeration  by  Epiphanius,  among  his  eighty 
heresies,  of  the  festive  rites  of  the  Colly riddance,  a  company 
of  women  in  Arabia,  in  the  last  part  of  the  fourth  century, 
who  paid  divine  honors  to  Mary,  partaking  around  a  table, 
adorned  with  myrtle,  of  small  cakes,  (collyris,)  in  the  same 
manner  as  Cybele,  the  magna  mater  deiim,  had  been  wor- 
shipped in  these  regions  and  in  Phrygia.  The  discussion  of 
the  heresy  of  Nestorius  in  the  first  half  of  the  fifth  century, 
condemned  by  the  third  general  council  at  Ephesus,  in  431, 
turned  upon  attributing  to  the  Virgin  the  title  of  SeoroKog, 
Deipara,  afterward  changed  into  the  phrase,  "  Mater  Dei," 
the  "  mother  of  God."  It  was  not  in  honor  of  Mary,  but  to 
maintain  the  reality  of  the  Incarnation,  that  this  term  was 
first  used ;  but  it  gave  a  great  impulse  to  her  veneration. 
Effigies  of  the  mother  and  Son  become  frequent,  as  sacred 
symbols,  and  supplant  the  cross.  Christ  begins  to  recede, 
and  his  mother  to  come  into  the  front  rank  of  popular  veno 


4  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF    MARY. 

ration  :  to  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  the  chief  opponent  of  Nesto- 
rius,  is  ascribed  the  introduction  of  the  prayer,  "  Holy  Mother 
of  God,  pray  for  us,  poor  sinners,  now  and  in  the  hour  of 
death/'  The  angelic  salutation,  "Ave  Maria,"  becomes  a 
popular  greeting.  Her  perpetual  virginity  and  divine  mater- 
nity are  tests  of  orthodoxy.  The  first  traces  of  festivals  in 
her  honor  soon  follow :  the  Festival  of  the  Annunciation 
(March  25,  the  season  of  the  opening  spring)  cannot  be 
traced  beyond  the  last  part  of  the  fourth  or  the  beginning  of 
the  fifth  century :  her  Purification  (Feb.  2)  follows  in  the 
sixth,  favored  by  the  Emperor  Justinian,  and  Gelasius,  Bishop 
of  Home :  the  Festival  of  the  Assumption,  on  the  15th  of 
August,  already  foreshadowed   in  the  fable,   follows  in  the 

course  of  the   eighth  and  ninth  centuries,  though  it  has  not 

.... 
been  pronounced  a  dogma.     It  is  a  singular  coincidence,  that 

at  this  time  of  the  year,  Astraea,  goddess  of  justice,  and 
Ceres,  mother  of  fruits,  and  the  Egyptian  Isis,  had  been 
worshipped  with  special  rites  by  the  heathen  of  old,  and 
sometimes  depicted  as  rising  from  the  earth  to  the  sky. 
At  the  end  of  the  seventh  century,  in  the  east,  Mary's  na- 
tivity had  already  been  generally  celebrated  on  the  8th  of 
September :  it  follows  somewhat  later  in  the  west  :  the  tes- 
timonies for  an  earlier  observance  are  insecure.  John  of 
Damascus,  in  the  eighth  century,  says,  that  "  the  centuries 
contended  for  the  honor  of  her  birth."  These  festivals,  to 
which  others  of  less  importance  were  afterwards  added,  gave 
such  splendor  to  her  cultus,  that  Pope  Sergius  (c.  700)  could 
boast  of  the  superiority  of  the  worship  of  the  "  bride  of 
God"  to  that  of  Proserpine,  "the  bride  of  the  god  of  the  in- 
fernal regions  ;"  and  the  Koran  calls  Jehovah,  Christ,  and 
Mary,  "  the  three  gods  of  the  Christians."  The  first  vestiges 
of  "offices"  for  the  public  cultus  are  found  among  the  Bene- 
dictines— from  the  eighth  to  the  eleventh  century,  these 
are  fully  developed — the  Cistercian  order  observed  them  daily, 
in  seven  canonical  hours.*  The  Festival  of  the  Visitation 
(July  2,  PiSl,j  completes  the  sacred  seven.  The  golden 
period  of  her  worship   is    identical   with  the  height  of   the 

*  See  Frantz,  s.  C3.  In  some  cloisters,  five  psalms  were  repeated 
every  clay,  whose  first  letters  formed  the  name  Maria  ;  viz. :  "  Magni- 
ficavit,"  Psa.  exxv.  3;  "Ad  Dom.,"  Psa.  cxix.  1;  "Retribue,"  Psa. 
cxviii.  17  ;   "In,"  Psa.  exxv.  1 ;   "Ad  te,"  Psa.  exxii.  1. 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MART.  5 

Papal  power  in  the  middle  ages,  from  the  eleventh  to  the  thir- 
teenth centuries :  the  rosary  of  Mary  was  introduced  in  the 
eleventh  century  :  the  chivalry  of  the  crusaders  was  inflamed 
with  ardor  by  the  belief  in  her  presence ;  orders  of  knights 
vowed  to  defend  her  immaculateness  with  the  sword  :*  poets 
sang  her  glories  in  the  most  exalted  strains  :  art  gave  visible 
embodiment  to  all  the  legends  of  the  past :  the  psalter  itself 
was  rewritten,  so  that  all  of  its  one  hundred  and  fifty  psalms 
should  celebrate  only  the  praises  of  "  Mary,  mother  of  God," 
"  Queen  of  Heaven,"  source  of  mercy,  prevalent  in  interces- 
sion, the  joy,  the  hope,  the  confidence  of  the  faithful. j*  To 
crown  the  whole,  the  very  hut  in  which  she  lived  was  trans- 
ported by  angels  from  Galilee  to  Loretto.| 

Into  this  period,  which  marks  the  acme  of  her  cultus,  falls 
the  beginning  of  the  controversy  as  to  Mary's  immaculate 
conception,  which  has  been  continued  for  seven  hundred 
years,  and  is  now  declared  to  be  dogmatically  decided  by  the 
Roman  pontiff.  That  decision  is  no  accident,  no  arbitrary 
matter :  it  was  necessary  to  the  completeness  of  the  Papal 
system  of  saint-worship;  and  it  shows  most  clearly  what  that 


*  The  Spanish  order  of  St.  Iago  took  the  oath :  "We  swear  to  be- 
lieve and  defend,  in  public  and  private,  that  the  Virgin  Mary,  our 
lady,  was  conceived  without  the  stain  of  original  sin."  The  Spanish 
order  of  Calatrava  took  a  similar  vow,  with  yet  greater  theological 
precision. 

f  This  Psalter  has  been  ascribed  to  Bonaventure,  and  is  published 
in  his  works  ;  but  it  is  probably  from  another  source,  though  nearly 
contemporary,  in  the  thirteenth  century.  Its  praise  of  Mary  is  idol- 
atrous, and  its  parodies  of  the  Psalms  are  most  irreverent:  "The 
heavens  declare  thy  glory,  0  Mary ;"  "  Hear  us,  0  lady,  in  the  day 
of  trouble;"  "  Offer  unto  our  lady,  ye  sons  of  God,  offer  unto  our 
lady  praise  and  reverence." 

X  The  holy  house  of  Loretto,  the  "casa  santa,"  the  cottage  in  which 
Mary  is  said  to  have  lived,  was  borne  by  angels  in  1290,  after  the 
Crusaders  had  lost  their  last  possessions  in  the  Holy  Land,  at  first  to 
Dalmatia,  then  to  Recanati  in  Italy,  and  the  next  year  to  Loretto.  By 
order  of  Sixtus  V.,  it  was  enclosed  in  a  grand  cathedral,  built  by  the 
architect  Bramante.  It  is  thirty-two  feet  long,  thirteen  high,  and 
nineteen  wide :  it  contains  the  very  window  through  which  Mary  re- 
ceived the  angelic  visitation.  The  angels  must  have  had  grievous 
labo**  in  carrying  it  through  the  air  ;  but  nothing  is  impossible  to  faith, 
as  Archbishop  Keurick,  of  St.  Louis,  has  shown  in  his  work  on  the 
"  Holy  House,"  which  is  said  to  be  too  little  known. 


6  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF    MARY. 

system  really  is  and  demands.  Contrary  as  is  the  new  decree 
to  Scripture,  to  tradition,  and  to  reason,  involving  as  it  does 
the  claim  to  an  infallibility  which  must  be  omniscient,  it 
is  still  a  decree  demanded  by  the  very  necessities  of  the 
Papal  system,  exposing  its  true  character,  and  prophesying 
its  fate.  If  Mary  be  not  free  from  all  taint  of  original  sin, 
she  cannot  be  the  object  of  such  worship  as  the  Papal 
Church  sanctions  and  enjoins ;  and  in  the  dogmatic  declara- 
tion that  she  is  thus  exempt,  Scripture,  tradition,  and  reason 
are  superseded  by  Papal  infallibility. 

Before  proceeding  to  examine  the  decree  itself,  and  the 
arguments  in  its  favor,  we  will  present  a  cursory  history  of 
this  celebrated  controversy.  The  festival  of  the  "  immacu- 
late" conception  was  not  observed  until  more  than  a  thousand 
or  eleven  hundred  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ.  Perrone 
thinks  it  may  have  come  from  the  East,  but  adduces  no  evi- 
dence. In  the  controversy  between  Ratramn  and  Radbert,  in 
the  ninth  century,  upon  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  question 
raised  was  as  to  the  natural  or  supernatural  birth  of  our  Lord, 
but  did  not  reach  to  the  specific  point  of  Mary's  immaculate 
conception.*  The  first  introduction  of  the  festival  is  usually 
assigned  by  Roman  Catholic  writers  to  England,  and  to  the 
influence  of  Anselm,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  about  the 
year  1070;  but  this  is  wanting  in  historic  certainty  of  evidence. 
The  true  point  of  time  for  the  festival  and  subsequent  con- 
troversy is  the  attempt  of  certain  canons  of  Lyons,  in  France, 
to  introduce  a  "  Feast  of  the  Immaculate  Conception"  in  the 
year  1140.  Bernard,  Abbot  of  Clairvaux,  the  saint  of  the 
century,  the  opponent  of  Abelard,  the  great  orthodox  name 
of  the  times,  resists  this  festival  as  a  "  novelty/'  with  the 
pertinent  inquiry,  "  How  have  you  come  to  make  the  discovery 
that  Mary  was  conceived  without  sin  V  He  was  enthusiastic 
in  his  reverence  for  the  Virgin,  yet  declares  that  "  reason  does 

*  Radbert  is  claimed  on  the  side  of  the  immaculate  conception,  by 
Perrone,  p.  83,  sq.  But  his  chief  controversy  is  upon  the  mutter  of 
Christ's  birth,  -whether  Mary  at  that  time  was  free  from  sin.  In  his 
"work  on  the  "Birth  and  Perpetual  Virginity  of  Mary,"  he  says 
that  "  Mary  was  free  from  all  original  sin;"  but  when  was  she  thus 
free?  In  her  conception  ?  That  he  does  not  assert.  She  was  free 
when  Christ  was  begotten.  He  says  that  "she  was  sanctified  and 
purified  by  the  Spirit." 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OE   MARY.  7 

not  approve,  nor  ancient  tradition  commend/'  this  novel  rite 
and  doctrine.  He  grants  that  she  was  "sanctified  in  the 
womb/'  as  were  Jeremiah,  and  John  the  Baptist,  while  as- 
serting that  "  Christ  alone  was  conceived  without  sin."*  No 
distinguished  theologian  of  the  twelfth  or  thirteenth  century- 
defended  the  dogma.  The  festival  of  the  "  conception  "  was  in- 
creasingly observed  in  England  and  in  France,  but  it  was  not 
termed  the  "immaculate"  conception.  That  the  "sanctifi- 
cation,"  and  not  the  "conception"  of  Mary  was  the  original 
object  of  the  festival  of  the  8th  of  December,  is  the  probable 
opinion,  supported  by  the  authority  of  Aquinas  and  Bellar- 
mine,  and  by  the  contemporary  acts  and  statutes,"}*  from  the 
twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries.  Thomas  Aquinas,  Peter 
Lombard,  Durandus,  Bonaventure,  all  the  great  names  of  these 
times,  opposed  the  new  and  extreme  opinion,  as  we  shall 
hereafter  see ;  but  it  was  in  the  necessities  of  the  system  that 
it  should  prevail :  it  gained  in  popular  applause  what  it  lacked 
in  theological  authority.  Duns  Scotus,  "the  subtle  doctor," 
was  the  first  of  the  scholastics  who  defended  the  opinion  ;  but 
even  he  expresses  himself  with  great  reserve  :  he  also  admits, 
that  if  the  Virgin  Mary  had  not  had  original  sin,  she  would 
not  have  needed  the  grace  of  Christ.  Duns  Scotus,  it  is  also 
reported,  defended  the  dogma  before  the  University  of  Paris, 
against  two  hundred  Dominicans,  and  brought  the  University 
to  the  decree,  that  "  none  should  be  admitted  to  the  scholastic 
degrees,"  who  did  not  maintain  this  "pious  opinion;"  but 
Scotus  died  in  1308,  and  the  first  report  of  this  disputation 
is  from  Franciscan  authorities,  nearly  two  centuries  afterward,  J 

*  Bernard!  Epistola  174  ad  Canonicos  Lugdunenses:  "Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  alone  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Bulaeus,  in 
his  "History  of  the  University  of  Paris,"  says  that  the  canons  of 
Lyons  affirmed  that  they  had  a  document  from  heaven,  prescribing 
the  observance.  Bernard  tells  them  that  Rome  has  not  sanctioned  the 
observance. 

-j-  Cf.  Gieseler,  2,  2,  s.  475,  note  16,  containing  extracts  from  the 
Council  of  Oxford,  as  late  as  1222,  and  from  French  statutes  of  the 
thirteenth  century. 

J  Th&  Franciscan,  Bernardinus  de  Bustis,  about  1480,  and  Pelbar- 
tus  Tenrestarius,  about  1500.  See  Gieseler,  u.  s.  "  The  later  Fran- 
ciscans," says  Gieseler,  "are  surprised  that  the  'subtle  doctor'  says 
so  little  of  the  matter,  but  console  themselves  with  the  belief  that  hia 
chief  works  on  the  subject  have  been  lost." 


8  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF   MARY. 

and  in  the  acts  of  the  University  there  is  no  account  of  the 
matter.  As  late  as  1380,  the  University  speaks  only  of  the 
"  Festival  of  the  Conception/'  and  in  1387  it  declares  the 
immaculate  conception  to  be  "  a  probable  opinion/'  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  views  advocated  by  the  Dominican,  John  De  Mon- 
tesonus,  who  maintained  that  belief  in  the  immaculate  con- 
ception was  a  sin  against  the  faith.  The  above  decree  as  to 
the  "  decrees"  was  not  made  until  1407 

From  the  time  of  Duns  Scotus,  the  controversy  assumed  a 
more  definite  form,  and  it  is  made  more  spicy  and  inveterate 
by  the  hostilities  of  the  rival  orders  of  the  Dominicans  and 
Franciscans,  the  former  supporting  the  opinion  of  Aquinas, 
the  "angelic  doctor/'  and  the  latter  of  Scotus,  the  "subtle 
doctor."  New  miracles,  revelations,  and  proofs,  as  well  as 
popular  fanaticism,  urge  on  to  a  further  decision.  The  anti- 
Pope  Clement  VIL,  in  the  exile  at  Avignon,  in  1389,  follows 
the  lead  of  the  University  of  Paris,  and  expresses  an  opinion 
favorable  to  the  doctrine,  by  condemning  the  views  of  the 
Dominican  Moutesonus.  St.  Bridget  has  revelations  for  the 
Dominicans,  and  St.  Catharine  of  Sienna  has  different  ones 
for  the  Franciscans.  The  Council  of  Basle,  in  1439,  con- 
trolled by  French  influence,  declared  that  Mary  "  was  never 
actually  subject  to  original  sin,"  but  did  not  affirm  it  to  be  an 
article  of  positive  faith.  This  decree  was  passed  while  the 
council  was  in  conflict  with  the  pope ;  consequently,  it  is  not 
recognized  as  having  authority* 

A  new  stage  in  the  history  of  the  dogma  is  marked  by  the 
so-called  "  Constitutions"  of  Sixtus  IV.,  himself  a  Franciscan. 
In  the  year  1477  he  issued  a  bull,  recommending  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  "conception  of  the  immaculate  Virgin,"  not  of 
the  "immaculate  conception"  of  the  Virgin;  and  in  1483, 
in  another  bull,  he  condemns  those  who  assert  that  the  de- 
fenders of  the  immaculate  conception  are  heretical,  and  also 
those  who  maintain  that  the  advocates  of  the  opposite  opinion 
are  guilty  of  the  crime  of  heresy,  or  of  mortal  sin.  Such  is 
the  substance  of  these  famous  "  Constitutions,"  after  which 
the  Sorboune  becomes  still  more  zealous  against  the  Domini- 
cans :    in   1509,  four  of   that  order*  were  burned  at  Bern, 

*  The  Dominicans  at  Bern  set  up  an  image  of  the  "  mother  of  God," 
Which  wept  bloody  tears:  they  received  letters  directly  from  heaven, 
and  practiced  abominable  impositions,  in  advocacy  of  their  views. 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  9 

giving  new  confirmation  to  the  "privilege  of  Mary."  The 
Council  of  Trent  did  not  venture  upon  a  final  decision,  though 
urged  to  do  so,  but  merely  confirmed  these  Constitutions,  de- 
claring that  "  in  its  decree  concerning  original  sin,  it  did  not 
intend  to  include  the  blessed  and  immaculate  Virgin  Mary, 
mother  of  God."     This  left  the  whole  question  still  open. 

Pius  V.,  in  1570,  confirmed  the  Constitutions  of  Sixtus  by 
condemning  certain  propositions  of  Bains,  in  his  bull,  "  jSujicr 
Speculum :"  he  says  expressly,  that  the  Council  of  Trent 
"  gave  each  party  permission  to  hold  either  side  of  the  ques- 
tion," and  forbids  all  popular  controversy:  he  also  first  in- 
serted into  the  Roman  breviary  and  reformed  missal  an  office 
for  the  "  conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary,"  to  be  read  on  the 
8th  of  December,  changing  the  word  "nativity"  into  "con- 
ception :"  so  late  was  this  change  made  even  in  Rome  itself. 
Pope  Paul  V.,  in  1616,  and  Gregory  XV.,  in  1622,  left  the 
matter  undecided  and  forbade  dissension,  though  urged  to  a 
decision.  Bellarmine,  the  greatest  of  the  Papal  controver- 
sialists, is  of  the  same  mind.  Pope  Alexander  VII.,  in  1661, 
in  the  bull,  " Sollicitudo  omnium,"  again  forbids  dispute  :  he 
also  commends  the  piety  of  those  who  defend  the  privilege  of 
Mary,  and  speaks  of  the  "  immaculate  conception  of  the  Vir- 
gin/' in  distinction  from  the  "  conception  of  the  immaculate 
Virgin."*  Clement  XL,  in  1708,  reestablished  the  festival,  but 
he  calls  it  the  "  conception  of  the  immaculate  Virgin."  The 
"Christian  Remembrancer"  contends  that  this  bull  decided 
the  controversy,  and  made  the  present  action  of  the  pope 
needless;  but  this  bull  relates  to  the  festival,  and  terms  the 
Virgin,  and  not  her  conception,  "immaculate."  Gregory XVI., 
in  1834,  at  the  appeal  of  French  bishops,  in  consequence  of 
a  movement  begun  by  a  remarkable  coincidence  again  at 
Lyons,  where  the  controversy  in  1140  had  its  origin,  ordered 
that  the  designation  "immaculate"  should  be  inserted  in  the 
preface  to  the  mass  of  the  conception ;  and  in  1844,  that  Mary 
should  be  invoked  in  other  litanies  as  "  queen  conceived  with- 
out original  sin." 

Such  has  been  the  development  of  this  dogma  to  the  time 
of  the  present  pontiff.     For  the  last  century  and  a  half  it  had 

*  The  "  Letters  Apostolic  "  of  Pius  IX.  say  that  Alexander's  words 
are  "  evidently  decretive :"  they  certainly  are  almost  identical  with 
the  form  enforced  by  Pius  IX. 


10  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF   MARY. 

excited  comparatively  little  discussion.  The  Roman  Catholics 
seemed  content  to  leave  it  as  an  undecided  point,  a  matter  of  in- 
difference. The  French  clergy  showed  little  zeal,  and  many 
of  her  theologians  were  opposed  to  it :  even  the  ardor  of  Spain 
was  relaxed.  But  the  revival  of  the  Papal  claims  in  new 
vigor,  the  pressure  of  the  ultramontane  influence,  superseding 
even  in  France  the  traditional  Gallican  liberties,  the  necessary 
and  consequent  excitement  of  popular  superstition,  have 
pressed  the  matter  to  what  is  esteemed  an  authoritative  and 
final  decision.  The  apparition  of  the  Virgin  to  the  herdsmen 
of  La  Salette,  even  now  vehemently  contested  in  France  it- 
self ;  the  "  miraculous  medals"  distributed  by  millions  through- 
out Europe;  the  revived  zeal  of  the  "Sodalities"  for  the 
worship  of  the  Virgin — have  all,  within  the  last  twenty-five 
years,  inflamed  the  popular  ardor,  and  served  to  bring  out 
most  clearly  the  inherent  and  necessary  tendencies  of  the  Pa- 
pal system.  The  Jesuits  have  lent  their  ubiquitous  aid  to  this 
work,  and  it  falls  in  with  all  the  plans  and  aspirations  of  the 
ultramontane  party,  who  seek  for  power  through  superstition, 
and  gladly  welcome  a  decree  which  fosters  superstition  and  exalts 
the  prerogative  of  infallibility  in  the  mouth  of  the  pope  alone. 
Pope  Pius  IX.,  during  his  whole  pontificate,  has  shown 
himself  the  most  devoted  of  the  worshippers  of  Mary.  In 
1847,  he  confirmed  the  decree  of  Gregory  XVI.,  in  respect 
to  the  introduction  of  the  term  "immaculate"  in  the  liturgy, 
especially  in  the  preface  of  the  mass  for  the  "  Conception," 
with  additional  privileges  to  the  order  of  Preachers  for  their 
zeal.  In  his  exile  at  Gaeta,  in  1849,  he  addressed  his  famous 
11  Encyclical,  on  the  Mystery  of  the  Immaculate  Conception," 
of  the  date  of  February  2,  to  the  patriarchs,  primates,  arch- 
bishops, and  bishops  of  the  whole  Catholic  Church,  affirming 
the  existence  of  "  an  ardent  desire  throughout  the  Catholic 
world  that  the  Apostolic  See  should  at  length,  by  some  solemn 
judgment,  define  that  the  most  holy  Mother  of  God,  the  most 
loving  mother  of  us  all,  the  Immaculate  Virgin  Mary,  had 
been  conceived  without  original  sin."  "These  desires,"  he 
adds,  "  have  been  most  acceptable  and  delightful  to  us,  who, 
from  our  earliest  years,  have  had  nothing  dearer,  nothing  more 
at  heart,  than  to  revere  the  most  blessed  Virgin  Mary  with 
an  especial  piety  and  homage,  and  the  most  intimate  affections 
of  our  heart,  and  to  do  every  thing  which  might  seem  likely 


IMMACULATE    CONCEPTION   OF    MARY.  11 

to  procure  her  greater  glory  and  praise,  and  to  amplify  her 
worship."  From  such  a  declaration  he  anticipates  signal 
blessings  to  the  Church,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  fallen  upon 
evil  times.  He  says  he  has  committed  the  investigation  of 
the  whole  matter  to  a  special  congregation  of  cardinals  and 
selected  ecclesiastics,  illustrious  for  piety  and  wisdom,  and 
versed  in  divine  things ;  and  he  invokes  the  prayers  and  coun- 
sel of  all  the  bishops  to  whom  the  Encyclical  is  addressed. 
"You  know  full  well,  venerable  brethren,  that  the  whole 
ground  of  our  confidence  is  placed  in  the  most  holy  Virgin," 
since  "God  has  vested  the  plenitude  of  all  good  in  Mary,  so 
that  henceforth  if  there  be  in  us  any  hope,  if  there  be  any 
grace,  we  know  that  it  is  from  her  that  it  redounds; 
for  such  hath  been  the  will  of  Him  who  would  have  us  pos- 
sess all  through  Mary."*  A  commission  was  appointed  for 
the  examination  of  the  question,  under  the  presidency  of 
Cardinal  Fornarini :  Cardinal  Lambruschini  produced  his 
Tract,  and  Perrone  De  Immaculate  B.  V-  Marioz  conceptu : 
Passaglia  has  also  written  a  large  essay ;  and  the  results  of 
these  renewed  investigations  are  issued  by  the  Propaganda 
press,  in  two  large  quarto  volumes.  The  special  commission 
reported,  in  a  full  conclave  of  the  Sacred  College,  27th  May, 
1854.  Answers  had  come  from  six  hundred  and  two  bishops, 
all  of  them  favorable  to  the  dogma,  though  fifty-two  doubted 
the  opportuneness,  and  four  the  possibility  of  a  decision. f 
The  "special  congregation"  demanded  the  definition  with 
alacrity  and  zeal.  A  Consistory  of  consultation  was  proclaimed 
and  held  at  Rome,  November  4,  1854  :  it  was  not  a  general 
council,  nor  was  any  authority  attributed  to  it.  Fifty-four 
cardinals,  forty-six  archbishops,  and  about  four  hundred  bish- 
ops, are  reported  to  have  been  present  at  these  deliberations  : 
five  hundred  and  seventy-six  votes  are  said  to  have  been  cast 
for  the  dogma,  and  only  four  against  it  :  among  the  latter 
were  the  Archbishop  de  Sibour,  of  Paris,  on  the  ground  that 
the  pope  had  no  power  to  decide  such  a  question ;  and  also 
the  Bishop  Olivier  of  Evreux,  lately  deceased,  who  sent  in 
his  vote  by  proxy.  On  the  8th  of  December,  in  St.  Peter's, 
in  the  midst  of  the  celebration  of  the  "  Conception,"  in  the 

*  Cited  from  Gregory,  de  Expos,  in  libros  Regum. 
_  f  These  letters,  with  others  from  sovereigns,  orders,  and  associa- 
tions, are  printed  in  nine  volumes. 


12  IMMACULATE    CONCEPTION  OP    MARY. 

presence  of  more  than  two  hundred  ecclesiastical  dignitaries, 
and  in  answer  to  a  petition  presented  by  the  dean  of  the 
Sacred  College  of  the  Cardinals,  the  supreme  pontiff,  with  a 
"tremulous"  voice,  read  in  Latin  the  following  decree  :  "  AVe 
declare,  pronounce,  and  define,  that  the  doctrine  which  holds 
that  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  at  the  first  instant  of  her  con- 
ception, by  a  singular  privilege  and  grace  of  the  omnipotent 
God,  in  virtue  of  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour 
of  mankind,  was  preserved  immaculate  from  all  stain  of  ori- 
ginal sin,  has  been  revealed  hy  God,  and  therefore  should 
firmly  and  constantly  be  believed  by  the  faithful."* 

The  cannon  of  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo,  the  joyful  chime 
of  all  the  bells  of  Rome,  the  enthusiastic  plaudits  of  the  as- 
sembled thousands,  the  magnificent  illumination  of  St.  Peter's 
church,  and  the  splendor  of  the  most  gorgeous  festive  rites, 
gave  response  to  the  infallible  decree.  It  was  a  grand  pa- 
geant, befitting  an  idolatrous  enthusiasm.  The  pope  himself, 
with  "trembling  joy,"  crowned  the  image  of  the  Virgin: 
medals  of  Australian  gold  were  struck,  and  distributed  in  her 
honor.  "  Rome,"  say  the  beholders,  "  was  intoxicated  with 
joy."  An  infallible  voice  had  spoken  :  a  new  article  of  faith 
was  announced  by  "  divine"  authority  :  the  people  rejoice  in 
hope  that  Mary  will  be  yet  more  "propitious,"  that  her  "pre- 
valent intercession  will  give  peace  and  plenty,  will  stay  the 
power  of  infidelity,  put  an  end  to  insurrection,  and  crown 
Rome  with  higher  honor  and  success."  The  controversy  of 
seven  hundred  years  is  brought  to  a  final  decision  :  Rome  is 
committed  irrevocably  to  the  worship  of  the  "  Virgiu  mother 
of  God,  conceived  without  original  sin."  "Roma  locuta  est," 
and  doubt  is  now  heresy.  The  work  begun  b}7  the  third 
general  council  at  J<]phesus,  in  431,  proclaiming  Mary  "  the 

*  Sec  the  "  New  York  Freeman's  Journal  and  Catholic  Ke^istcv," 
February  17,  ]H~>~),  which  contains  in  full  the  "Letters  Apostolic. 
Immediately  following  the  above  definition  are  the  words  of  "infal- 
lible" warning:  "Wherefore,  if  any  shall  dare — which  God  avert! 
— to  think  otherwise  than  as  it  has  been  defined  by  Us,  they  should 
know  and  understand  that  they  are  condemned  by  their  own  judgment, 
that  they  have  suffered  shipwreck  of  the  faith,  and  have  revolted  from 
the  unity  of  the  Church;  and  besides,  by  their  own  act  they  subject 
themselves  to  the  penalties  justly  established,  if  what  they  think  tiny 
should  dare  to  xiynify  by  tvord,  wrlliny,  or  any  other  outward  means. 
The  el.iim  of  Papal  infallibility  has  here  reached  its  acme. 


IMMACULATE    CONCEPTION  OF  MART.  13 

mother  of  God,"  is  declared  to  be  consummated  by  the  pa. 
pal  decree  of  December  8,  1854,  asserting  the  privilege  of 
her  immaculate  conception,  on  the  authority  of  Peter' s_  chair. 

What,  now,  are  the  grounds,  what  is  the  proof  of  this  dog- 
ma of  the  immaculate  conception,  to  which,  as  we  have  seen, 
the  whole  history  and  the  very  necessities  of  the  Roman  Ca- 
tholic system  have  forced  that  corrupt  communion  to  gravi- 
tate ?  Can  it  be  proved  by  Scripture  ?  Is  it  consonant  even 
with  tradition?  Can  theological  or  rational  arguments  of 
sufficient  cogency  be  alleged  in  its  favor  ?  Or,  is  it  merely 
the  full  development  of  an  evil  inherent  in  the  whole  system 
of  that  apostate  Church,  and  supported  as  a  dogma  in  the  last 
analysis,  only  by  the  bare  and  irrational  claim  of  papal  infal- 
libility ? 

The  work  of  Cardinal  Perrone  is  one  of  the  most  authori- 
tative and  complete  exhibitions  of  the  papal  view,  and  is  ac- 
companied with  the  papal  sanction.  The  author  is  now 
"  general  rector  of  the  Roman  College/'  and  is  styled  "  the 
prince  of  contemporary  theologians."  He  was  born  in  1794, 
at  Chieri,  a  village  near  Turin  :  at  twenty-one  years  of  age  he 
joined  the  company  of  the  Jesuits  :  he  succeeded  to  the  chair 
of  Bellarmine,  Suarez,  and  Vasquez,  in  the  Roman  College  in 
1823,  where  he  has  ever  since  taught,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  years  of  absence.  To  great  learning  he  adds  no  mean 
dialectical  skill.  He  is  honored  as  are  few  of  the  Italian 
theologians  :  he  is  a  member  of  the  Congregation  charged  with 
the  examination  of  the  provincial  councils,  and  the  revision  of 
the  books  of  the  Oriental  Churches  :  he  is  also  an  official  "  con- 
suitor"  of  the  Congregations  of  the  Propaganda,  of  Rites, 
and  of  Extraordinary  Ecclesiastical  Affairs;  and  he  was  a 
member  of  the  special  commission  appointed  to  examine  the 
dogma  of  the  conception.  His  "  Praelectiones  Theologicse," 
nine  vols.,  Rome,  1835  sq.,  have  been  through  twenty-five 
editions :  portions  of  this  work  have  been  separately  published  : 
an  abridgment  of  it,  in  four  volumes,  has  had  some  twenty 
editions.  Perrone  is  also  the  author  of  a  "Synopsis  of  the 
History  of  Theology  compared  with  Philosophy,"  Rome, 
1845,  and  of  a  work  on  "  Protestantism  and  the  Rule  of 
Faith  "  published  in  three  vols.,  in  1853 — a  complete  store- 
house of  all  the  arguments  and  all  the  calumnies  against  the 
Protestants.  The  "Two  Praescriptions "  of  the  Jansenist, 
8 


IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION   OF   MART. 

worwT7'  T tained  in  the  first  volume  of  Ms  collected 
works,  were  written  to  expose  the  groundlessness  of  the  argu- 

TeahlT  trad^°n  ?rg6d  in  favor  of   the  d°Sma'      They 
b  eathe  the  spirit  and  exhibit  the  learning  of  the  old  Galil- 
ean Church     Perrone  honors  them  with  especial  polemics, 
lhey  present  an  array,  by  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  learned 
ot  the  French  Church,  of  those  authorities  which  the  new 
decree  tramples  under  foot.    The  summary  of  Launoy's  argu- 
ment is,  that  before  1800  the  Church  knew  no  other  doctrine 
than  that  Mary  was  conceived  in  original  sin:  that  Scotus's 
reasonings  are  futile :  that  the  early  Franciscans  themselves 
rejected  the  dogma:  that  the  same  was  the  case  with  Loyola 
and  the  first  Jesuits,  and  that  seven  popes  have  declared 
against  the  dogma.     The  remainder  of  the  «  Prescriptions  " 
so  called  m  imitation  of  Tertullian's  work,  is  devoted  to  an 
examination  of  the  attitude  of  the  University  of  Paris  in  re- 
spect to  the  doctrine. 

Perrone  states  carefully  the  point  and  aim  of  his  whole 
argument  in  the  question,  which  makes  the  title  of  his  work, 
"  Can  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  blessed  Virgin  be 
denned  by  a  dogmatic  decree  V  That  is,  Is  there  sufficient 
ground  or  basis  in  Scripture,  in  tradition,  and  in  theology,  for 
declaring  it  to  he  an  article  of  faith  ?  Or,  in  yet  other  words, 
Has  the  doctrine  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  always  been 
of  the  faith  of  the  Church  ? 

He  is  also  correct,  and  gives  an  accurate  statement  of  the 
real  question,  in  asserting  that  it  is  a  question  of  fact — not 
of  theory,  not  of  possibility,  not  of  necessity,  but  simply  of 
fact.  Has  it  been  divinely  revealed,  as  a  fact,  that  Mary  was 
exempt  from  all  taint  of  original  sin  ?  The  question  is  not  at 
all  of  a  probable  opinion,  nor  of  a  speculative  possibility,  but 
about  a  fact,  which  only  Omniscience  could  know,  which  only 
God  could  reveal. 

What  is  now  this  alleged  fact ;  or,  in  other  words,  What  is 

the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  ?     Before  proof  can 

be  brought,  or  testimony  weighed,  the  doctrine  itself  must  be 

clearly  stated.     And  upon  this  point  there  is  no  uncertainty. 

The  decree  of  Pius  IX.,  already  recited,  states  the  point  with 

sufficient  clearness.     Were  it  not  for  some  misapprehension, 

it  would  not  be  necessary  to  say  that  it  has  nothing  to  do  with 

the  conception  of  our  Lord,  whether  he  was  himself  without 


IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION    OF   MARY.  15 

sin,  or  Mary  without  sin  when  he  was  conceived  in  her  womb. 
Nor  is  it,  among  the  Romanists,  a  question  as  to  whether 
Mary  was  actually  sinless  in  all  her  life;  for,  whether  with  or 
without  proof,  this  point  is  conceded  by  all  Roman  Catholic 
divines:  it  was  as  earnestly  maintained  by  Bernard  as  by 
Scotus,  by  the  Dominicans  as  by  the  Franciscans,  as  was  also 
her  perpetual  virginity.  Nor  is  it  a  question  as  to  whether 
Mary  was  "sanctified"  in  the  womb,  for  the  disputants  agree, 
whether  with  or  without  evidence,  that  she  was  thus  sanctified, 
and  in  the  womb  of  her  mother :  Catherine  of  Sienna,  who 
prophesied  for  the  Dominicans,  says  that  this  occurred  "  three 
hours  after  her  conception."  But  if  she  was  sanctified,  then 
she  needed  to  be  sanctified;  that  is,  she  was  in  a  sinful  state, 
under  the  dominion  of  original  sin,  for  a  time,  longer  or 
shorter,  as  it  is  said  were  also  Jeremiah  and  John  the  Baptist. 
The  question  is  not  whether  she  was  "  sanctificata,"  but 
whether  she  was  "  sancta" — not  whether  she  was  an  immacu- 
late virgin,  but  whether  she  was  immaculate  in  her  conception 
— whether  her  conception  was  immaculate.  The  question  is, 
Was  Mary  ever  in  the  least  degree,  or  for  even  a  passing  mo- 
ment, under  the  taint  of  original  sin,  or  wholly  and  ever  ex- 
empt, from  the  first  instant  of  her  conception,  through  a  sin- 
gular privilege  ?  The  dogma  asserts  that  she  was  exempt,  and 
asserts  it  as  a  fact.  This  is  her  "  prerogative  :"  this  is  the 
"  pia  sentential ' 

The  question  which  Perrone  and  the  other  advocates  of  the 
"pious  sentiment"  undertake  to  answer  in  the  affirmative,  is 
just  this  :  Is  there  adequate  evidence  to  establish  the  fact,  as 
divinely  revealed,  that  Mary,  in  the  above  sense,  was  conceived 
immaculate  ? 

The  three  chief  sources  of  argument  to  establish  this  al- 
leged fact  are  Scripture,  tradition,  and  the  theological  proofs, 
including  the  argument  of  congruity  or  fitness. 

The  Scriptural  argument  for  the  dogma  is  exceedingly 
slight,  and  is  virtually  abandoned  by  Perrone  himself.  He 
rejects  as  insufficient  the  mystical  application  of  the  personi- 
fied Wisdom,  and  the  types  and  figures  which  many  of  the 
fathers  so  freely  apply  to  the  Virgin.  Even  the  angelic  salu- 
tation, (Luke  i.  28,  sq.,)  he  concedes,  derives  all  its  weight 
not  from  itself,  but  from  the  interpretation  of  the  fathers  :  "  in 
itself  considered,  it  gives  only  a  conjecture."    But  why  evea 


16  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OP   MARY. 

a  conjecture  ?  The  greeting  runs,  Xaipe,  nexapiTG)ii£vr} :  it 
implies  grace  :  it  says  and  implies  nothing  about  her  original 
state.  But  the  passage  claimed  as  having  argumentative  force, 
"  the  only  one/'  says  Perrone,  is  Genesis  iii.  15  :  "And  I 
will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between 
thy  seed  and  her  seed  :  it  [she]  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and 
thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  The  argumentation  here  is  curi- 
ous. The  received  Vulgate  reading,  not  found,  however,  in 
all  the  copies,  is  "  ipsa,"  she  ;  while  the  Hebrew  reads  jon, 
he,  or  it:  Jerome,  too,  reads  "ipse:"  Sixtus  V  edition  of 
the  Septuagint  reads  avrbg.  And  then  Perrone  contends, 
that  it  is  indifferent  which  reading  is  adopted,  because,  at  any 
rate,  Mary  could  not  have  had  the  power  to  conquer  the  ser- 
pent excepting  through  Christ.  But  how  does  this  prove  the 
Immaculate  Conception — give  to  the  dogma  "  a  firm  founda- 
tion ?"  Simply  for  the  reason,  that  in  these  words  a  "  special 
privilege  is  conferred  upon  Mary,"  and  that  special  privilege 
could  "  only  have  been  the  immunity  from  original  sin."  But 
the  privilege  conferred  is  solely,  even  on  the  author's  own 
ground,  that  she  should  be  in  some  way  a  means  of  subduing 
Satan,  and  she  was  this  as  the  mother  of  our  Lord.  And  to 
assert,  that  in  order  to  be  the  mother  of  Christ,  she  must  be 
free  from  original  sin,  is  purely  to  beg  the  whole  question. 
The  "  Letters  Apostolic"  of  Pius  IX.  upon  the  dogma,  sanc- 
tion infallibly  the  application  of  the  clause  "  bruise  thy  head" 
to  Mary,  who,  the  pope  says,  "has  crushed  the  serpent's  head 
with  her  immaculate  foot." 

The  Biblical  argument  against  the  immaculate  conception 
is  simple  and  cogent.  Mary  is  nowhere  made  an  exception  to 
the  common  heritage  of  the  race.  The  whole  human  family, 
Christ  alone  excepted,  is  declared  to  be  involved  in  original 
sin,  through  the  fall  of  Adam ;  and  also,  without  exception, 
the  whole  race  is  declared  to  be  in  need  of  redemption  through 
the  meritsof  Christ.  Since  the  Scriptures  do  not  make  an 
exception  in  the  case  of  Mar#,  neither  can  we  :  to  make  such 
an  exception,  we  need  unequivocal  inspired  authority.  And 
if  we  make  it  in  the  case  of  Mary,  why  not,  as  Bernard  him- 
self argued,  by  the  same  reason  and  necessity  make  it  in  re- 
spect to  Mary's  parents,  grand-parents,  and  so  on,  up  to  Adam 
himself?  If  it  is  in  any  way  necessary  or  needful,  from  the 
law  <>f  descent,  or  for  the  completeness  of  the  Incarnation, 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  17 

that  our  Saviour  should  be  born  of  a  mother  free  from  the 
hereditary  fault  of  the  race,  the  same  necessity,  under  the 
same  law,  must  carry  us  as  far  back  as  the  law  itself  reaches. 

How  does  the  cardinal  meet  the  difficulty  raised  by  these 
two  doctrines  ?  He  does  this  in  respect  to  the  universal  need 
of  redemption,  by  asserting  that  there  is  a  twofold  mode  of 
redemption,  through  the  blood  and  merits  of  Christ :  he  con- 
cedes that  Mary  had  need  of  the  redemption ;  that,  "  con- 
sidered in  and  by  herself,  she  was  subject  to  original  sin/7  and 
that  it  was  on  the  ground  of  Christ's  merits  that  she  was  ex- 
empted ;  but  he  says  that  she  was  redeemed  before  original 
sin  touched  her  at  all,  as  when  a  debt  is  paid  before  a  man  is 
put  into  prison  :  all  the  rest  of  mankind  have  their  debts  paid 
only  after  actually  being  in  bondage  to  sin.  Whether  this 
position  does  not  really  annul  the  dogma — and  it  is  also  the 
position  of  the  infallible  decree  of  Pius  IX. — we  shall  examine 
by  and  by.  But,  in  addition  to  this,  Perrone  also  urges,  in 
reply  to  the  Scriptural  argument,  that  "  papal  decrees,  and 
the  decision  of  Trent  in  the  case,  have  annulled  the  application 
of  the  Scriptural  passages  to  the  matter  in  question/'  so  that 
they  can  no  longer  be  adduced.  Popes,  he  says,  have  repeat- 
edly called  the  dogma  a  "pious"  opinion,  and  declared  it  to 
be  not  contrary  to  the  faith ;  and  the  Council  of  Trent  ex- 
pressly declared,  that  "  in  the  doctrine  of  original  sin  Mary 
was  not  excluded."  This  is  certainly  sufficiently  audacious, 
and  shows  how  infallibility  deals  with  Scripture.  If  the  pope 
should  declare  himself  to  be  sinless,  the  argument  would 
hold  just  as  well ;  for  it  amounts  to  this,  that  papal  infalli- 
bility may  annul  the  application  of  a  scriptural  truth  to  cases 
which  are  embraced  in  that  application.  But  other  popes — 
seven,  Launoy  says  and  proves — have  given  a  counter  declar- 
ation :  between  two  contrary  infallibilities,  who  shall  decide  ? 
And  yet  again,  Perrone  asserts,  that  these  Scriptural  declar- 
ations about  original  sin  and  the  need  of  redemption  do  apply 
in  some  sense  even  to  Mary ;  and  he  also  asserts,  that  papal 
infallibility  has  decided  that  they  are  not  to  be  thus  applied. 
And  who  shall  decide  between  these  two  positions ;  and  who 
can  hold  them  both  ? 

For  all  who  receive  the  Scriptures  as  the  word  of  God, 
having  ultimate  authority,  the  evidence  against  the  dogma  is 
decisive.    And  the  only  conclusion  to  be  drawn  on  this  ground 


18  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF    MARY. 

of  argument  is,  that  in  the  decree  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion we  have  that  asserted  as  a  fact  which  is  plainly  contrary 
to  Scripture.  An  infallible  pope  here  decides  not  with,  nor 
yet  without,  but  against  Scripture  teaching.  For  all,  too, 
who  admit  the  equal  authority  of  Scripture  and  tradition,  it 
would  seem  to  be  a  plain  inference,  that  the  equality  is  de- 
stroyed so  soon  as  a  doctrine  is  declared  to  be  of  the  faith, 
which  is  not  only  found  in  tradition  alone,  but  also  in  a  tra- 
dition which  contradicts  the  Scriptures.  Granting  that  the 
whole  of  tradition  is  for  the  dogma,  by  a  unanimous  consent, 
if  it  be  admitted  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  the  two  author- 
ities are  no  longer  equal :  the  tradition  is  made  superior.  But, 
in  fine,  conceding  even  this,  namely,  that  a  unanimous  tra- 
dition can  supersede  the  Scriptures  themselves,  can  the  dcgma 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception  be  proved  to  be  a  part  of  the 
general  tradition  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  ?  Doe=;  tra- 
dition, the  second  source  of  argument  in  its  favor,  support, 
substantiate,  authorize  this  new  decree  ? 

Supposing  tradition  to  be  unanimous  and  complete  in  the 
matter,  we  do  not  see  how  it  can  prove  the  point  which  Per- 
rone  declares  is  to  be  proved ;  that  is,  the  fact  of  the  Imma- 
culate Conception.  Only  Omniscience  could  be  cognizant  of 
such  a  recondite  fact — only  a  special  revelation  could  commu- 
nicate that  knowledge  to  others.  N«w,  none  of  the  fathers, 
and  none  of  the  schoolmen,  and  none  of  the  popes,  profess  to 
have  had  a  specific  revelation  upon  the  point  of  fact,  that  is, 
a  revelation  assuring  them,  on  direct  divine  authority,  that  the 
Virgin  Mary,  at  the  instant  of  the  union  of  the  soul  with  the 
seed,  was  by  grace  kept  free  from  all  touch  of  original  sin. 
Yet  that  is  the  fact  which  is  to  be  proved,  and  proved  on 
divine  authority,  on  the  authority  of  a  specific  revelation  about 
this  specific  fact. 

But,  waiving  this  point,  we  come  to  the  tradition  itself.  Is 
the  dogma  a  part  of  the  tradition  of  the  Church,  so  that,  if 
tradition  be  recognized  as  an  ultimate  source  of  appeal,  we 
should  be  warranted  in  saying  that  the  position  is  established  ? 
What  is  tradition,  on  the  ground  of  the  Koman  Catholics 
themselves  ?  Their  standards  declare  it  to  be  "  equally  with 
Scripture  the  word  of  Grod ;"  and,  in  distinction  from  Scrip- 
ture, to  contain  those  truths,  "  quae  ab  ipsius  Christi  ore  ab 
apostolis  accepts,  aut  ab  ipsis  apostolis  Spiritu  Sancto  dictante, 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  19 

quasi  per  manus  traditse  ad  nos  usque  pervenerunt ;"  and  they 
further  speak  of  such  truths  as  "  tanquam  vel  ore  tenus  a 
Christo  vel  a  Spiritu  Sancto  dictatse  et  continua  successione  in 
Ecclesia  Catholica  conservatse."  These  are  the  formal  state- 
ments in  the  decrees  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  sess.  iv.,  decree 
1.  The  "Professio  Fidei  Tridentinge"  of  Pius  IV.,  made 
binding  upon  the  whole  "  representative  Church/'  by  papal 
bulls,  enforces  the  declaration,  "Nee  earn  (Sacram  Scriptu- 
ram)  umquam,  nisi  juxta  unanimum  consensum  Patrum,  ac- 
cipiam  et  interpretabor."  This  is  also  in  accordance  with  the 
decree  on  the  "use  of  the  Scriptures,"  adopted  in  the  fourth 
session  of  the  Council  of  Trent :  "  Ut  nemo — contra  unani- 
mum consensum  Patrum  Scripturam  Sacram  interpretari  au- 
deat."  In  sess.  xiii.,  c.  2,  tradition  is  designated  as  the 
"  universus  ecclesiae  sensus."  If  any  thing  can  be  inferred 
from  their  authentic  statements*  it  is,  that  that  only  is  to  be 
received  as  a  true  tradition,  or  can  be  solidly  proved  by  tra- 
dition, which  can  be  traced  to  Christ,  or  to  the  apostles,  in  a 
continual  succession,  and  which  has  for  it  the  "  unanimous 
consent"  of  the  fathers  and  teachers  of  the  Church. 

In  applying  this  authentic  interpretation  of  the  idea  of  tra- 
dition to  the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  it  will  be 
found  to  hold  true  that  the  weight  of  tradition  is  adverse  to 
it,  that  the  oldest  and  best  tradition  is  against  it,  that  the 
greatest  doctors  of  the  middle  ages  are  also  opposed,  and  that 
the  authorities  since  the  Reformation  are  hopelessly  at  vari- 
ance. 

Before  the  breaking  out  of  the  controversy  between  the 
canons  of  Lyons  and  Bernard  in  1140,  all  the  great  teachers 
are  silent  or  adverse.  The  question  does  not  exist  for  them  : 
they  know  nothing  of  this  specific  doctrine  :  they  speak  in 
respect  to  original  sin  and  the  need  of  redemption  in  such  a 
way  as  to  prove  that  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  Mary  could 
not  have  been  any  part  of  their  creed.  Their  praises  of  the 
Virgin  are  often  immoderate  :  they  defend  her  perpetual  vir- 
ginity :  many  of  them  believe  that  she  was  "  sanctified "  in 
the  womb  :  most  of  them  declare  that  she  never  was  guilty  of 


*  See  Bulls  of  Pius  IV.,  viz. :  "  Injunctum  nobis,"  and  "  In  sacro- 
sanctu."  1564.  Also  Concil.  Trid.,  sess.  xxiii.,  cap.  iii.,  on  the 
"unanimous  consent  of  the  Fathers." 


20  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF    MARY. 

actual  sin ;  but  they  do  not  know  any  thing  about  her  exemp- 
tion from  all  infection  of  original  sin. 

Augustin  defends  her  only  against  the  charge  of  actual 
sin  :*  "  Excepta  sancta  Virgine  Maria,  de  qua  propter  hono- 
rem  Domini  nullam  prorsus,  cum  de  2>c<:cati$  ayitur,  haberi 
volo  quoestionem."  This  passage  is  quoted  in  favor  of  the 
dogma,  but  it  plainly  refers  only  to  actual  transgression,  and 
it  is  contained  in  a  reply  to  the  position  of  Pelagius,  that  there 
were  saints  who  had  not  sinned.  In  his  treatise  on  the  Re- 
mission of  Sins,"}"  this  greatest  of  the  Latin  fathers  says  ex- 
plicitly that  Christ  alone  was  without  sin:  "  Solus  ergo  ille 
etiam,  homo  factus,  manens  Deus,  peccatum  nullum  habuit 
unquain  :"  nor  does  he  intimate  any  exception.  In  his  work 
De  Genesi,  ad.  lit.  c.  18,  n.  32,  he  speaks  of  "  the  body  of 
Christ  as  taken  from  the  flesh  of  a  woman,  who  was  conceived 
of  a  mother  with  sinful  flesh ;"  and  he  indicates  a  clear  dis- 
tinction between  Mary's  nature  and  Christ's  nature  in  this  re- 
spect. Augustin' s  followers  make  similar  statements.  Euse- 
bius  Emissenus,  (supposed  by  some  to  be  Hilary,)  on  the 
"  Nativity"  says^,  "From  the  bond  of  the  old  sin  is  not  even 
the  mother  of  the  Redeemer  free."  Fulgentius  writes,  "The 
flesh  of  Mary,  which  was  conceived  in  unrighteousness  in  a 
human  way,  was  truly  sinful  flesh;"  and  he  adds,  "  that  this 
flesh  is  in  itself  truly  sinful,"  referring  to  Paul's  use  of  the 
term  "flesh,"  to  designate  our  common  hereditary  sinfulness. 
Others  of  the  fathers  make  use  of  similar  statements,  irrecon- 
cilable with  a  belief  in  the  Immaculate  Conception. J 

It  is,  indeed,  true,  that  the  fathers  do  not  often  speak  di- 
rectly upon  the  point  in  question ;  but  this  is  for  the  simple 
reason,  conclusive  against  the  claim  of  universality,  that  they 
did  not  know  any  thing  about  it.  The  doctrine  is  declared, 
A.  D.  1140,  by  Bernard,  to  be  a  "  novelty  ;"  and  he  says  that 
the  festival  is  "the  mother  of  presumption,  the  sister  of  su- 
perstition, and  the  daughter  of  levity."  Others  of  the  earlier 
fathers  speak  of  Mary  in  such  a  way  as  is  absolutely  irrecou- 


*  De  Natura  et  (Init.ia,  c.  30.  f  Pook  ii.  c.  24,  g  38. 

%  See  Perrone,  pp.  40,  sq.      The  Dominican  Batuh'llus,  in'his  "  De 
Singulari    Puritato  el  Prcerogativa  Conception!:.;  Christi,"  1470.  has 
collected  .some  four  hundred    testimonies  against  the  dogma  from  the 
fathers:    so    the  Cardinal   Turrecamata,  De  Veritate   Conceptiouis 
1550. 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OP   MARY.  21 

cilable  with  the  idea  that  they  believed  in  her  immaculate 
conception.  Hilary  declares  that  she  is  exposed  to  the  fire 
of  judgment :  "  If  that  virgin  which  could  compass  God  is  to 
come  into  the  severity  of  the  judgment,  who  will  dare  desire 
to  be  judged  of  God  V  Irenasus,  Tertullian,  Origen,  Basil 
the  Great,  and  Chrysostom,  do  not  hesitate  to  speak  of  faults 
of  Mary,  of  her  being  rebuked  by  Christ.  "  If  Mary/'  says 
Origen,  "  did  not  feel  offence  at  our  Lord's  sufferings,  Jesus 
did  not  die  for  her  sins  :"  Chrysostom  ascribes  to  her  "  exces- 
sive ambition  at  the  marriage  festival  at  Cana :"  Basil  thinks 
that  she,  too,  "  wavered  at  the  time  of  the  crucifixion  :"  all 
of  which  statements  are  utterly  inconsistent,  not  only  with 
the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  but  also  with  a  be- 
lief in  her  perfect  innocency. 

Tertullian,  de  Came  Christi,  §  xvi.,  declares  that  u  Christ, 
by  putting  on  the  flesh,  made  it  his,  and  made  it  sinless :" 
Irenasus,  "  that  Christ  made  human  nature  pure  hy  taking  it :" 
Athanasius,  on  the  "  Incarnation/'  teaches  the  same  doctrine, 
that  "  Christ  sanctified  his  own  body,"  and  that  "  he  hath 
purified  the  body,  which  was  in  itself  corruptible."  Of  course, 
the  body  he  assumed  was  not  in  and  of  itself  sinless.  Gre- 
gory of  Nazianzum,  and  John  of  Damascus,  (730,)  teach  ex- 
pressly that  the  Virgin  was  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  If 
Christ,  by  assuming  human  nature  in  Mary,  "  made  it  sinless," 
it  was  not  so  before  his  incarnation. 

The  innumerable  passages  from  the  fathers,  in  which  they 
declare  the  universality  of  sin,  and  the  universal  need  of  re- 
demption through  Christ,  without  making  any  exception  in 
favor  of  the  Virgin,  we  need  not  cite,  because  their  existence 
is  unquestioned.  They  have  full  force  in  the  argument,  how- 
ever, because  there  are  no  counter  testimonies  to  be  adduced. 

The  citations  from  the  fathers,  which  Perrone  brings  in 
favor  of  his  dogma,  are  all  fairly  interpreted  on  the  supposi- 
tion that  they  believed  Mary  to  have  been  sanctified  in  the 
womb,  or  pure  as  a  virgin,  or  not  subject  to  actual  sin.  For 
example,  when  Ambrose  says  "  that  Mary  is  an  incorrupt  vir- 
gin, a  virgin  freed  by  grace  from  all  stain  of  sin/'  when  Au- 
gustin  speaks  of  her  as  a  without  sins ;"  and  when  Ephraem 
declares  her  to  be  "  an  immaculate  and  spotless  virgin,  incor- 
rupt, and  a  virgin  from  all  stain  of  sin  most  foreign  '"  and 
when  Mary  is  compared  with  Eve,  on  which  Perrone  lays 
8* 


22  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF    MARY. 

much  stress,  as  being  the  source  of  salvation  as  Eve  was  of 
death,  all  of  these  and  similar  statements  are  to  be  interpreted 
in  some  one  of  the  above  senses,  and  only  confirm  the  position 
that  the  specific  doctrine  was  not  in  the  mind  or  thoughts  of 
the  early  Church,  and  fail  to  render  any  proof,  especially  when 
taken  in  connection  with  the  counter  testimony.* 

The  early  liturgies  and  offices  of  the  Church  are  an  addi- 
tional source  of  evidence.  They  exalt  Mary  and  her  concep- 
tion; but  they  do  never  call  it  an  "  immaculate  "  conception. 
It  is  only  in  the  latest  years  that  the  term  "  immaculate "  has 
been  introduced  into  the  western  offices  of  the  highest  author- 
ity. The  offices  themselves,  in  honor  of  the  Virgin,  did  not 
become  current  in  the  west  till  the  eleventh  century.  In  the 
office  for  her  birth,  in  the  ancient  churches,  it  is  read  that 
"  she  was  sanctified  from  the  stain  of  sin" — in  one  of  the 
German  liturgies,  "  that  she  was  born  with  a  propensity  to 
sin" — in  the  Roman  Church  itself,  the  office  spoke  of  the 
"  sand fjicat ion  of  the  Virgin."  This  silence,  and  the  late 
alteration  of  these  offices,  are  conclusive  as  to  the  non-exist- 
ence of  the  dogma. 

In  the  year  791  (al.  79G)  a  council  was  held  at  Friuli, 
(Concilium  Forojuliense,)  called  by  Paulinus,  (Paulus,)  pa- 
triarch of  Aquileia,  during  the  pontificate  of  Adrian  L,  to 
consider  the  Trinity  and  the  Incarnation,  in  respect  to  the 
procession  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  "Adoptionisni,"  that  is, 
the  opinion  maintained  by  Archbishop  Elipandus  of  Toledo, 
and  others,  that  Christ  in  his  human  nature  was  the  Son  of 
God  only  by  u  adoption."  A  long  and  explicit  Confession 
of  Faith  was  published  by  this  council,  in  the  course  of  which 
it  is  said  :  "  Solus  cnim  sine,  percato  natns  est  homo,  quoniani 
solus  est  incarnatus  de  Spiritu  Sancto  et  immaculata  Virgine 

*  As  further  specimens  of  Perrone's  citations  in  evidence,  lie  quotes 
from  a  work  on  the  "  Sufferings  of  St.  Andrew,"  of  unknown  author- 
ship, the  expression  that  "the  perfect  man  was  born  of  a  stainless 
virgin;"  from  Dionysius  of  Alexandria,  that  Mary  "is  the  sole 
daughter  of  life,"  "the  house  of  God;"  from  Hippolytus,  that  Christ 
sprung  "  from  incorruptible  wood;"  from  Origen,  "  the  worthy,  im- 
maculate virgin,"  who  "did  not  bring  forth  fruit  in  lust:"  from  Eph- 
ra^m,  "immaculate,  unperverted,  and  most  chaste  of  all;"  and  the 
like.  These,  with  the  above,  are  his  strongest  passages,  and  they 
show  the  hopelessness  of  the  attempt  to  find  the  doctrine  in  the 
Christian  fathers. 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  23 

novus  homo.  Consubstantialis  Deo  Patri  in  sua,  id  est,  di- 
vina;  consubstantialis  etiam  matri,  sine  sorde  peccati,  in  nos- 
tra, id  est,  humana  natura."*  If  the  belief  in  the  immaculate 
conception  of  the  virgin  had  been  any  part  of  the  orthodoxy 
of  the  times,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  a  council  to 
have  spoken  in  this  way  of  Christ,  as  "  alone  horn  without 
sin  ;"  and  the  "  immaculateness  "  ascribed  to  the  Virgin  can- 
not possibly,  in  the  connection,  be  interpreted  of  her  concep- 
tion, or  even  of  her  birth ;  for,  if  it  could,  then  Christ  could 
not  be  said  to  be  the  "  only"  one  of  men  horn  without  sin. 

The  testimony  of  the  early  bishops  of  Rome  we  omit  for 
the  present.  The  only  conclusion  to  be  derived  from  the  ar- 
gument of  tradition,  so  far  as  the  first  eight  or  nine  centuries 
of  Christian  history  arc  concerned,  is  that  the  dogma  is  un- 
known. And  on  the  ground  of  tradition  this  silence  is  con- 
clusive. For  tradition  demands  "  universality"  of  belief:  it 
demands  that  the  doctrine  be  traced,  "in  continual  succes- 
sion," to  Christ  and  the  apostles.  Its  formula  is,  "  Quod 
semper,  quod  ubique,  quod  ab  omnibus  creditum  est."  And 
on  this  ground,  silence  for  eight  hundred  years  is  condemna- 
tion, f 

How  does  the  case,  now,  stand  in  the  mediaeval  Church? 
The  amount  of  the  argument  and  the  result  of  the  testimony 
here  are,  that  the  doctrine  was  first  invented  in  the  twelfth 
century,  that  it  was  opposed  by  the  greatest  and  best  of  the 
scholastics,  and  that  it  made  its  way,  in  spite  of  this  opposi- 
tion, through  the  force  of  popular  superstition,  and  from  the 

*  See  Harduin,  Acta  Conciliorum,  1714,  torn,  iv.,  p.  856,  C. 

f  Launoy's  Second  Prescription  declares,  (p.  11 :)  "If  the  Church 
should  wish  to  explain  and  solve  the  matter  of  the  conception  of  the 
Virgin  in  the  way  just  mentioned,  (that  is,  in  accordance  with  the 
rules  of  Vincens  of  Lirens;)  and  to  put  the  end  of  the  discussion 
A.D.  1300,  it  would,  without  doubt,  decree  that  the  blessed  Virgin,  like 
the  rest  of  mankind,  was  conceived  in  original  sin."  Melchior  Canus, 
one  of  the  most  illustrious  Roman  Catholic  divines  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  one  of  the  most  eminent  members  of  the  Council  of  Trent, 
sent  by  the  University  of  Salamanca,  of  whom  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  historian,  Dr.  Ritter,  of  Breslau,  in  his  Church  History,  4th 
edition,  1851,  vol.  ii.  p.  276,  says,  that  "of  all  the  writers  of  his 
time  he  obtained  the  greatest  renown,"  in  his  "Loci  Theologici," 
published  1563  and  often  afterward,  declares :  "  That  all  the  holy 
fathers  who  have  spoken  of  the  point,  have  asserted  with  one  voic6 
that  the  blessed  Virgin  was  conceived  in  original  sin." 


24  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY. 

necessary  working  out  of  the  inherent  tendencies  of  a  system 
of  creature-worship.  Some  of  the  inediasval  testimony  we 
have  already  adduced :  we  add  only  the  most  important  cita- 
tions. 

Anselm,  (1070,)  though  cited  for  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion, teaches  in  his  "  Cur  Deus  Homo/'  (ii.  16,)  that  Mary 
was  conceived  in  sin )  a  Virgo  tamen  ipsa,  unde  assumptus 
est,  est  in  iniquitatibus  concepta,  et  in  peccatis  concepit  cam 
mater  ejus,  et  cum  originali  peccato  nata  est,  quoniam  et  ipsa 
in  Adam  peccavit,  in  quo  omnes  peccaverunt."  See  also  the 
close  of  this  chapter,  and  the  next  (17).* 

Bernard,  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  controversy,  (1140,) 
in  the  Epistle  to  the  Canons  of  I/yons,  says,  in  addition  to 
what  we  have  already  cited  :  "  If,  then,  she  could  neither  be 
sanctified  before  her  conception,  since  she  did  not  then  exist, 
nor  in  it,  on  account  of  the  sin  which  was  inherent  in  the  act, 
it  remains  that  she  must  have  received  sanctification  while  yet 
existing  in  her  mother's  womb,  which,  excluding  sin,  made 
her  nativity  holy,  but  not  her  conception  also." 

The  "  Four  Books  of  Sentences"  of  Peter  Lombard,  "mas- 
ter of  sentences,"  bishop  of  Paris,  1159  to  1164,  were  the 
theological  text-book  of  the  middle  ages,  upon  which  all  the 
great  scholastics  made  their  comments  and  built  their  systems. 
He  says  of  the  flesh  of  Mary,  which  our  Lord  assumed,  that 
it  was  "  previously  obnoxious  to  sin,  like  the  other  flesh  of 
the  Virgin,  but  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  it  was 
cleansed."  u  The  Holy  Spirit,  coming  into  Mary,  purified  her 
from  sin,  and  from  all  desire  of  sin.""}" 


*  Also,  "  she  was  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  (De  Conceptu 
Virginis,  c.  xviii.  :)  his  words  cited  by  Duns  Scotus,  that  "nempe  de- 
cens  est,  ut  ea  puritate,  qua  major  sub  Deo  ncquit  intelligi,  virgn  ilia 
niteret,"  refer  in  the  connection  only  to  liev  sanctification  hel'ore  tho 
conception  of  Christ.     See  Kollner,  Svmbolik,  2,  s.  mOI. 

This  passage  is  also  adduced  by  Pcrrone  :  it  is  taken  from  the  18th 
chapter  of  Anselm's  work  on  the  "Conception."  Perrone  argues, 
that  this  must  refer  to  her  purity  of  conception;  but  this  is  simply 
an  addition  to  the  text,  and  contrary  to  the  above  citation.  Anselm 
further,  in  his  "Book  on  the  Excellence  of  the  Virgin,"  says:  "We 
certainly  hold  that  her  heart  had  been  so  cleansed  from  all  hereditary 
or  actual  sin,  which,  perhaps,  was  still  present  in  her,  that  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  all  his  fullness,  rested  in  her." 

f  Liber  Sent.,  bk.  iii.,  dist.  iii 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OP   MART.  25 

Alexander  of  Hales,  the  irrefragable  doctor,  also  a  Fran- 
ciscan, taught  in  England  and  Paris,  1230-1245  :  his  testi- 
mony is  explicit :  "  It  was  necessary  that  the  blessed  Virgin 
in  her  generation  should  contract  sin  from  her  parents  :" 
"  she  was  sanctified  in  the  womb."* 

Bonaventure,  the  seraphic  doctor,  the  glory  of  the  Francis- 
cans, who  died  in  1274,  and  was  canonized  in  1482,  is  ex- 
haustless  in  the  praise  of  Mary  in  his  "Speculum"  and 
"Corona."  To  him  is  attributed  the  "Psalter"  of  Mary,  to 
which  we  have  already  referred,  though  probably  without 
sufficient  ground.  He  sanctions  her  veneration  in  the  most 
rapturous  terms.  Yet  on  this  question  he  is  also  decided, 
explicitly  declaring  "  that  the  sanctification  of  the  Virgin  was 
after  she  had  contracted  original  sin  :"  she  was  "  sanctified  in 
the  womb."  (Lib.  iii.,  dist.  iii.  p.  1,  qu.  2,  3.)  Albertus 
Magnus,  who  taught  in  Cologne  1260  to  1280,  made  the  same 
avowals. 

Bonaventure  was  the  pupil  of  Alexander  of  Hales,  Albertus 
Magnus  of  Bonaventure,  and  next  succeeds  the  greatest  of  all 
the  scholastic  theologians,  Thomas  Aquinas,  "  the  angelic  doc- 
tor," who  died  in  1274,  was  canonized  in  1323,  and  in  1567 
was  declared  by  Pius  V  to  be  "  teacher  of  the  Church."  In 
his  "  Summa Theologiae,  p.  iii.,  qu.  27,  art.  1,  it  stands,  "Mary 
■was  sanctified  in  the  womb."  Art.  2.  "  Not  before  the  infu- 
sion of  the  soul ;  for  if  she  had  been,  she  would  not  have  in- 
curred the  stain  of  original  sin,  and  would  not  have  needed 
the  redemption  of  Christ."  Art.  3.  The  complete  deliverance 
from  original  sin  was  only  given  her  when  she  conceived 
Christ :  "  ex  prole  redundaverit  in  matreni,  totaliter  fomite 
subtracto."  About  the  festival  of  the  Conception  he  says, 
"  that  the  Roman  Church  does  not  observe  it  herself,  yet  it 
tolerates  the  custom  of  other  churches." 

Such  is  the  testimony  of  the  most  eminent  mediaeval  di- 
vines, to  which  we  need  not  add  names  of  less  weight.  Perrone 
feels  the  difficulty  arising  from  this  source  so  "  anxiously," 
that  he  devotes  a  whole  chapter  to  its  elucidation.  What  he 
advances  amoants  to  the  following  positions :  that  if  these 
scholastic  divines  had  reasoned  correctly  from  what  they  con- 
ceded about  the  birth  of  the  Virgin,  they  would  have  made 

*  Summa  Theol.,  p.  iii,  qu.  10,  memb.  2,  art.  1,  4,  cf.  Gieseler. 
3 


26  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF  MARY. 

her  conception  immaculate  :  also,  that  what  they  teach  can  all 
toe-  ^«6t  explained  in  harmony  with  the  doctrine  ;  or,  if  not  so, 
-•hat  they  taught  what  they  did  as  "private  teachers:"  as 
lso,  that  they  were  ignorant  of  antiquity;  and  again,  that 
'heir  views  on  original  sin  were  such  as  allowed  them  to  speak 
is  they  did  :  in  fine,  that  they  did  not  have  any  guidance  Iron: 
in  infallible  decision  in  what  they  uttered;  and  that  while 
shey  were  wrangling  in  the  schools,  the  dogma  was  making  its 
way  among  the  people.  All  of  which  goes  to  show,  that  the 
mediaeval  testimony  is  against  it :  that,  as  far  as  the  middle 
ages  are  concerned,  only  isolated  opinions  are  for  the  doctrine, 
and  the  weight  of  authority  is  against  it.  And  yet,  in  tra- 
dition, the  decision  can  only  be  by  authority. 

The  only  distinct  argumentative  attempt  which  Perrone 
makes  to  parry  the  force  of  their  authority  and  arguments,  is 
the  assertion  that  these  doctors  of  the  schools,  when  they 
speak  of  the  conception  of  Mary,  have  reference  to  what  he 
calls  the  first,  or  active  conception,  and  not  to  the  passive,  or 
the  infusion  of  the  soul  into  the  body.     But  this  explanation 
is  irrelevant,  for  two  reasons  :  one  is,  that  many  of  these  doc- 
tors do  not  make  this  distinction,  and,  of  course,  they  include 
both  parts  of  the  conception  in  their  statement.     They  make 
the  distinction  between  "  conception"  and  "  sanctification," 
and  say  that  all  that  precedes  sanctification  belongs  to  the 
"  conception/'  and  is  infected  with  original    sin  :    this,  of 
course,  includes  the  "passive"  conception.     Another  reason 
that  invalidates  this  mode  of  explanation  is,  that  some  of  these 
doctors  do  make  the  very  distinction  in  question,  and  yet 
maintain   that  the  whole  conception,  both  active  and  passive, 
was  in  original   sin.     Thus,  Alexander  of  Hales  says,   that 
"  the^  Virgin  after  her  nativity,  and  after  the  infusion  of  the 
soul  into  the  body,  was  sanctified :"  Bonaventure  asserts,  that 
"  the  infusion  of  grace  may  have  been  soon  after  the  infusion 
of  the-    soul;"   and  Aquinas  declares  expressly,   "that  the 
cleansing  can  only  be  from  original  sin,  that  the  fault  of  origi- 
nal sin  can  only  be  in  a  rational  creature,  and,  therefore,  that 
before  the  infm'em  of  the  rational  soul,  the  Virgin  was  not 
sanctified."     In  fact,  this  mode  of  meeting  the  difl&culty  can 
only  be  carried  through  by  supposing  that  the  mediaeval  di- 
vines believed  that  original  sin  could  exist  in  the  mere  fleshly 


IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION    Of   MARY.  27 

material  derived  from  parents,  an  opinion  widely  abhorrent  to 
their  well-known  views. 

The  argument  from  tradition  in  favor  of  the  new  dogma, 
we  think,  then,  may  be  classed  with  the  argument  from  Scrip- 
ture, so  far  as  conclusiveness  goes.  It  will  not  bear  a  single 
test  necessary  to  a  real  tradition,  even  on  Roman  Catholic 
grounds  :  antiquity  is  silent :  in  the  middle  ages  the  great 
authorities  are  divided;  and  in  modern  times,  as  our  historical 
sketch  has  shown,  there  have  been  perpetual  contests  and 
divisions.  Twenty  years  ago  hardly  a  single  name  of  emi- 
nence among  the  Roman  Catholics  of  Germany  could  be  found 
in  its  favor.  Spain,  indeed,  continued  her  devotions,  but 
France  was  indifferent,  until  the  Ultramontane  party  began  to 
gain  power,  and  to  look  about  for  the  means  of  arousing 
popular  feeling  in  behalf  of  the  Papacy.* 

The  third  source  of  proof  and  argument  in  respect  to  the 
dogma  is  the  theological.  This  is  considered  by  Perrone  in 
three  chapters,  in  different  portions  of  his  work.  Against  the 
doctrine  four  arguments  are  adduced  :  Original  sin ;  Mary's 
liability  to  suffering  and  punishment,  which  implies  sin ;  the 
universal  need  of  redemption  ;  and  the  mode  of  Mary's  con- 
ception, namely,  that  she  was  born  of  sinful  parents,  in  concu- 
piscence :  Christ  alone,  according  to  the  unanimous  opinion  of 
the  fathers,  being  conceived  without  lust.  Perrone  meets 
these  arguments  by  saying,  as  to  the  first,  that  Mary  would 
have  had  part  in  original  sin,  by  descent,  if  God  had  not  pre- 
vented this  by  the  grace  with  which  he  endued  her  soul  at  the 
moment  of  its  creation,  when  it  was  infused  into  the  body ; 
and,  as  this  was  Mary's  "  privilege,"  he  claims  that  the  argu- 
ment does  not  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  her  parents  must 
also   have  been  sinless.     Suffering,   sorrow,   and    death,   he 

*  In  the  light  of  this  historical  argument,  what  shall  be  said  of 
such  assertions  as  the  following,  contained  in  the  "Letters  Apostolic" 
of  Pius  IX.,  concerning  the  dogma?  that  "this  doctrine  of  the  Im- 
maculate Conception  .  always  existed  in  the  Church  as 
received  by  our  ancestors,  and  is  stamped  with  the  character  of  a 
divine  revelation.  For  the  Church  of  Christ,  careful  guardian  and 
defender  of  the  dogmas  deposited  with  her,  changes  nothing  in  them, 
diminishes  nothing,  adds  nothing,"  but  only  so  treats  them  that  they 
"may  increase  only  in  their  own  kind — that  is,  in  the  same  dogma,  the 
same  sense,  and  the  same  belief."  The  force  of  "dogmatic"  assertion 
can  surely  no  farther  go. 


28  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY. 

replies,  to  the  second,  do  not  necessarily  imply  sin ;  and,  be- 
sides, the  Roman  popes  have  already  decided  this  point  against 
Bains.  In  what  concerns  Mary's  need  of  redemption,  he 
grants  that  she  was  in  a  sense  redeemed  through  Christ's 
merits,  but  before  she  actually  came  under  the  infection  of 
sin:  by  her  descent  she  was  under  the  " obligation "  to  be 
sinful,  and  would  have  had  a  part  in  the  common  malady,  had 
not,  by  divine  prescience  and  purpose,  her  soul  been  purified 
through  Christ's  merits  before  hereditary  sin  could  actually 
touch  her  soul :  that  is,  Mary,  in  herself  considered  as  one 
of  the  race,  was  liable  to  original  sin,  but  was  kept  from  it 
through  a  peculiar  and  special  application  of  Christ's  merits. 
This  dual  sort  of  original  sin  and  of  redemption  we  shall  re- 
cur to  again.  In  like  way  he  meets  the  fourth  objection  to 
the  dogma,  by  the  position  that  she  was  indeed  born  of  sinful 
flesh  and  needed  redemption,  unlike  Christ,  and  had  a  part  in 
such  redemption  in  the  peculiar  manner  aforesaid. 

The  theological  proofs  in  favor  of  the  dogma  are  given  by 
Perrone  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  the  first  part  of  his 
work.  They  all  rest  on  the  idea  of  congruity,  or  fitness — 
u  that  God  will  choose  the  better  way  in  all  his  acts."  One 
of  these  arguments  is  from  the  dignity  and  office  of  the  divine 
mother.  God  had  from  eternity  predestined  Iier  to  be  the 
mother  of  our  Lord,  and  must,,  of  course,  determine  to  endow 
her  with  all  needed  grace  and  graces,  since  she  was  to  be  his 
OAvn  habitation  :  he  would  not,  then,  have  allowed  her  to  be 
defiled,  even  for  an  instant,  with  original  sin  :  this,  and  this 
alone,  is  fitting,  congruous.  Mary's  respective  relations  to 
the  Three  Persons  of  the  Trinity  demand  the  same,  from  the 
congruity  of  the  case  :  of  one  who  was  to  be  the  first  and 
most  beloved  of  all  created  beings,  the  bride  of  the  Spirit,  the 
mother  of  God,  to  be  united  to  the  Son,  to  be  the  "  mother 
of  all  living,"  we  cannot  conceive  it  to  be  possible  that  she 
would  have  been  allowed  to  be  infected  by  sin  and  guilt. 
These  arguments,  Perrone  thinks,  come  near  to  being  "  a 
strict  proof;"  and  he  urges  them  with  great  plausibility  against 
those  who  maintain,  on  the  same  ground  of  fitness  alone,  and 
without  Scripture,  that  Mary  was  sanctified  in  the  womb,  is 
the  queen  of  heaven,  the  mother  of  all  that  live,  and  who  pay 
her  devout  worship.  And  it  docs  lie  in  the  very  necessity  of 
the  case,  that  all  such  must  logically  go  on  to  the  dogma  of 


IMMACULATE    CONCEPTION  OP  MARY.  29 

the  Immaculate  Conception.  Mary  cannot,  in  consistency,  be 
worshipped  and  lauded  as  she  is  by  all  Papists,  unless  she  be 
free  from  the  defilement  of  our  common  nature.  The  worship 
of  the  Virgin  leads  to  this  result.  In  leading  thereto,  it 
tramples  under  foot  all  tradition,  is  hostile  to  Scripture,  is 
irrational;  but  still  it  leads  to  this  result.  On  Protestant 
grounds  we  say  that  this  is  the  only  consistent  position  for 
the  worshipper  of  the  Virgin.  May  it  yet  be  the  means  of 
leading  many  to  see  the  delusion  and  falsity  of  the  whole 
system ! 

On  Protestant  grounds,  on  grounds  of  Scripture  and  rea- 
son, too,  we  add,  that  this  argument  from  u  congruity"  is 
absolutely  worthless.  The  point  to  be  proved  by  any  argu- 
ment in  the  case  is  the  fact  that  the  Virgin  Mary  was  con- 
ceived without  sin  :  the  argument  from  congruity  cannot  reach 
the  fact;  it  can,  at  the  utmost,  prove  the  possibility.  The 
fact  is  one  which  only  Omniscience  could  know,  which  Grod 
alone  can  reveal;  and  to  propound  it  as  "  a  doctrine  of  faith" 
on  any  such  ground  of  possible  fitness,  is  an  insult  to  the  word 
of  God.  It  exalts  the  unscriptural  dogma  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  at  the  expense  of  the  Scriptural  truths  of  original 
sin,  and  of  the  universal  need  of  Christ's  merits.  It  is  just 
as  easy  to  prove  a  good  deal  more  by  this  "  fitness/'  namely, 
that  Mary  could  not  have  fitly  been  a  member  of  a  lost  race, 
that  she  could  not  be  fitly  introduced  into  a  sinful  world  in 
the  way  of  natural  descent,  and  the  like. 

There  is  one  other  position  into  which  the  new  dogma  forces 
the  Roman  pontiff,  which  puts  the  matter  of  Papal  infalli- 
bility in  a  disagreeable  dilemma  and  dualism.  The  decree  of 
Pius  IX.  is  in  opposition  to  the  express  declarations  of  pre- 
ceding pontiffs  :  pope  is  arrayed  against  pope :  infallibility  is 
discordant  with  infallibility.  Not  only  has  "  a  probable  opi- 
nion become  improbable,"  but  Peter's  chair  is  divided  against 
itself;  and  how,  then,  can  that  kingdom  stand  ?  The  Jan- 
senist  Launoy,  in  his  Prasscriptions,  has  collected  the  opinions 
adverse  to  or  irreconcilable  with  the  dogma,  of  seven  of  the 
successors  of  St.  Peter,  who  never  change.  From  Pope  Leo. 
the  greatest  and  most  learned  of  the  early  bishops  of  Rome, 
he  cites  four  passages  in  which  Leo  declares  that  Christ  alone 
"  was  innocent  in  his  birth,"  alone  was  "  free  from  original 
sin/'  and  that  Christ  received  from  his  mother  "  her  nature, 
3* 


W  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION    OE   MARY. 

but  not  her  fault;"  and  he  asserts  that  Mary  obtained  "her 
own  purification  through  her  conception  of  Christ."  This  is 
wholly  adverse  to  the  dogma.  Innocent  III.,  who  called 
the  Lateran  Council  in  1213,  in  a  sermon  on  the  "Assump- 
tion of  Christ,"  comparing  Eve  and  Mary,  writes :  "  Ilia 
fuit  sine  culpa  producta,  sed  in  culpa  produxit :  haec  autem 
fuit  in  culpa  producta,  sed  sine  culpa  produxit."  Gregory 
says,  (590-604,)  "  John  the  BaptisT  was  conceived  in  sin : 
Christ  alone  was  conceived  without  sin."  Innocent  V.,  (1276,) 
in  his  "Commentary  on  the  Master  of  Sentences:"  "  Xon 
convenit  tantse  Virgini  ut  diu  morata  sit  in  peccato;"  and 
he  adds  "that  she  was  sanctified  quickly  after  the  animation, 
(that  is,  of  the  body  by  the  soul,)  although  not  in  the  very 
moment."  This  is  directly  against  the  dogma.  John  XXII. 
or  Benedict  XII.,  (c.  1340,)  says  that  Mary  "  passed  at  first 
from  a  state  of  original  sin  to  a  state  of  grace."  Clement 
VI.,  (1342-1352,)  "I  suppose,  according  to  the  cornmoa 
opinion  as  yet,  that  the  blessed  Virgin  was  in  original  sin ' ' 
modica  morula,  "  because,  according  to  all,  she  was  sanctified 
as  soon  as  she  could  be  sanctified." 

Thus  the  papacy,  in  committing  itself  to  this  new  and  idol- 
atrous dogma,  is  in  hostility  to  Scripture,  to  universal  consent, 
and  also  to  itself. 

It  explains  the  sense  of  Scripture  by  tradition  ;  and  it  ex- 
plains the  sense  of  tradition  by  an  infallible  expositor;  and 
that  infallible  expositor  contradicts  itself. 

The  new  dogma  makes  the  whole  of  the  early  Church  to 
have  been  ignorant  of  a  truth  which  is  now  declared  to  be 
necessary  to  the  faith  :  it  makes  Leo,  Innocent  III.,  Innocent 
V.,  and  Clement  V.,  to  have  taught  heresy :  it  puts  the 
greatest  scholastic  divines  under  the  ban ;  and,  while  doing 
this,  it  declares  that  what  is  now  decreed  has  always  been 
of  the  faith  of  the  Church,  and  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  reve- 
lation of  God,  given  through  Christ  and  the  apostles,  and 
handed  down  by  constant  succession  and  general  consent. 

The  "Letters  Apostolic,"  sent  forth  by  Pius  IX.  to  define 
the  faith  in  this  matter,  are  composed  in  a  style  which,  to  a 
correct  taste,  must  appear  turgid  and  overwrought.  Repeti- 
tions abound :  the  vocabulary  of  epithets  and  symbols  is  profuse- 
ly spent  in  exalting  the  praise  of  the  Virgin.  There  is  none  of 
the  simplicity  of  faith,  nothing  of  such  a  mode  of  teaching 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION  OP    MARY.  81 

as  would  alone  befit  an  authentic  oracle.  It  is  adulation, 
panegyric,  in  parts  almost  rhapsody.  It  adopts  and  rehearses 
the  most  exalted  strains  and  ejaculations  of  ecstatic  mystics. 
It  is  not  argument,  but  encomium  and  assertion.  It  repeats 
most  fully  and  confirms  the  Constitutions  of  Alexander  VII., 
in  his  "  Solicitudo  Omnium  Ecclesiarum,"  3  Dec,  1661. 
Into  the  evidence  from  early  tradition  it  enters  only  in  the 
way  of  allusion  and  assumption.  Upon  some  of  its  wonderful 
assertions  we  might  comment,  did  our  space  permit ;  but  we 
need  only  quote  them  to  make  manifest  how  utterly  devoid  of 
evidence  they  are.  The  ineffable  God  "  followed  her  [Mary] 
with  so  great  love  before  all  creatures,  that  in  her  alone  he 
pleased  himself  with  a  most  benign  complacency."  "Which 
original  innocence  of  the  august  Virgin/7  "comprehended 
in  the  deposit  of  divine  revelation/'  the  Catholic  Church  "  has 
never  ceased  to  lay  down,  to  cherish,  and  to  illustrate."  Fol- 
lowing the  most  unnatural  allegories  of  the  fathers,  this  decree 
makes  the  "ark  of  Noah/'  the  "ladder  of  Jacob/'  the 
"  burning  bush/'  the  "  fenced  garden/'  the  "  city  of  God," 
and  the  "temple  of  God,"  to  be  types,  " preannunciations " 
of  the  dignity  and  spotless  innocence  of  Mary.  It  says  that 
she  is  "  the  spotless  dove,"  "  the  holy  Jerusalem,"  "  the  ex- 
alted throne  of  God,"  "  the  queen  who  came  forth  entirely 
perfect  from  the  mouth  of  the  Most  Sigh,"  "  the  crown  of  all 
miracles."  In  yet  loftier  strains  she  is  described  as  "  the  re- 
paratrix  of  her  parents,  the  vivifier  of  posterity,"  "  always 
conversant  with  God,  and  united  with  him  in  an  eternal  cove- 
nant :"  she  is  "more  beautiful  than  beauty,  more  gracious 
than  grace,  more  holy  than  holiness,  and  alone  holy :"  "  God 
alone  excepted,  she  is  superior  to  all,  and  by  nature  fairer, 
more  beautiful  and  more  holy  than  the  cherubim  and  sera- 
phim ;  she  whom  all  the  tongues  of  heaven  and  earth  do  not 
suffice  to  extol."  She  is  the  "  most  faithful  helper  of  all  who 
are  in  danger,  and  the  most  powerful  mediatrix  and  concilia- 
trix  with  the  only-begotten  Son  of  the  whole  world,"  "  the 
most  illustrious  glory  and  guardian  of  the  holy  Church/'  has 
"destroyed  all  heresies,"  "snatched  from  the  greatest  cala- 
mities of  all  kinds  the  faithful  people  and  nations ;"  and  it  is 
she  also  who  is  to  "  effect  by  her  most  powerful  patronage" 
the  triumphs  and  dominion  of  the  Church.  "Standing  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  only-begotten  Son,  she  intercedes  most 


32  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION    OF    MART. 

powerfully  and  obtains  what  she  asks,  and  cannot  be  frus- 
trated." Are  these  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness  ?  la 
this  the  gospel  for  this  nineteenth  century  of  strife  and  infi- 
delity ?  Has  Rome  changed  ?  Is  superstition  extinct  ?  Is 
the  Roman  Church  the  Church  of  Christ,  or  of  Mary  ? 

While  these  and  similar  statements  are  abhorrent  to  Scrip- 
ture, destitute  of  proper  evidence,  and  indicative  of  the  idol- 
atrous veneration  of  a  creature,  yet  it  is  the  new  dogma  itself, 
in  its  proper  dogmatic  contents,  which  is  worthy  of  the  most 
especial  consideration.  Destitute  of  sufficient  evidence,  with- 
out basis  in  Scripture,  and  opposed  to  tradition,  it  also  contains 
in  itself  contradictory  and  unreconciled  elements,  which  evince 
its  falsity  and  unreasonableness.  It  is  thus  not  only  opposed 
to  the  past,  but  self-destroyed. 

And,  in  the  first  place,  it  contains  contradictory  elements  in 
what  it  asserts  about  Mary's  exemption  from  original  sin,  since 
it  declares  that  this  exemption  was  "  in  virtue  of  the  merits 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  mankind."  According  to 
Scripture,  Christ  died  for  the  human  race,  lost  and  subject  to 
sin  through  the  transgression  of  Adam.  His  merits  as  Re- 
deemer cannot  be  applied,  nor  be  supposed  to  be  applied,  to 
any  who  have  not  a  part  in  the  "  vitium  originis"  of  the 
human  family.  He  died  for  sin,  and  for  that  alone :  his  re- 
demption is  from  sin,  and  from  that  alone.  If  Mary  was 
preserved  through  his  merits,  it  must  have  been  that  she 
had  in  some  way  a  part  in  the  sin  of  the  race. 

In  reply  to  this,  it  is  said,  and  Perrone  argues,  that  she 
was  indeed  redeemed  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  but  in  a 
peculiar  way,  in  a  "higher  method,"  (p.  114,  s<j.)  "A  man 
may  be  liberated,  either  by  the  payment  of  the  debt  after  he 
is  imprisoned,  or  before  :"  in  the  latter  case  he  is  not  actu- 
ally put  into  prison  :  so  was  Mary  redeemed  through 
Christ.  Such  is  the  mode  of  explanation  common  to  the 
defenders  of  the  dogma,  to  avoid  this  fatal  difficulty ;  but  it 
rests  on  a  mere  metaphor,  and  does  not  reach  the  heart  of  the 
objection.  In  the  case  supposed,  the  man  is  really  and  per- 
sonally under  the  debt,  the  obligation  to  pay,  though  he  has 
not  yet  suffered  the  consequences  of  non-payment,  that  is 
the  imprisonment.  If  he  were  not  personally  under  this  ob- 
ligation, there  would  be  no  sense  in  saying  that  the  debt 
could  be  paid  for  him.     Just  so  must  it  be,  by  parity  of  rea- 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  83 

soning,  in  the  case  of  Mary.  There  is  no  propriety  in  assert- 
ing that  she  was  personally  delivered  through  Christ's  merits 
from  original  sin,  unless  she  be  considered  as  personally 
under  its  power  and  obligation ;  and  if  she  be  so,  then  she 
has  a  part  in  the  fault  of  the  race.  Nor  is  the  difficulty 
avoided  if  they  say,  as  Perrone  sometimes  does,  that  she  was 
" exempted"  before  she  was  under  its  power;  for  she  could 
not  be  personally  exempted,  unless  it  had  a  hold  upon  her 
personally ;  and  by  saying  that  she  was  exempted  through 
Christ's  merits,  it  is  involved  and  implied  that  she  was  ex- 
empted ;  and  through  Christ's  merits  she  could  not  be  ex- 
empted from  something  in  which  she  had  no  part ;  and  Christ's 
merits  exempt  only  from  sin  and  its  consequences. 

Thus  the  dogma,  in  declaring  that  Mary  had  no  original 
sin,  and  yet  was  redeemed  by  Christ,  contains  contradictory 
positions. 

In  the  second  place,  the  dogma  is  fatally  defective  in  the 
view  of  original  sin,  on  which  it  rests,  and  with  which  alone 
it  is  consistent.  It  contains  the  vital  defect,  the  semi-Pela- 
gianism  of  the  Roman  Catholic  theology  on  this  point,  against 
which  all  the  Protestant  confessions  have  protested  as  unscrip- 
tural.  The  Roman  Catholic  doctrine  puts  the  essence  of 
original  sin  solely  in  defect,  makes  it  negative;  asserting  that 
it  is  only  the  want  of  that  righteousness  in  which  Adam 
was  created  :  this  is  in  scholastic  usage  the  "  formal "  part, 
or  the  very  essence  of  original  sin.  Concupiscence  is  not  of 
the  nature  of  sin.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  original  sin,  which 
Perrone  expressly  lays  down,  in  the  opening  of  his  treatise, 
(pp.  2,  3,  sq.,)  "  that  the  essence  of  original  sin  is  in  the  de- 
feet  of  grace  or  of  original  righteousness."*     This  is  the  only 

*  The  Council  of  Trent,  as  is  well  known,  is  not  explicit  in  its  de- 
finition of  original  sin.  Sess.  v.  2,  declares,  that  Adam's  sin  involved 
the  forfeiture  of  original  righteousness  on  the  part  of  his  descend- 
ants, and  also  that  sin  itself,  "the  death  of  the  soul,"  was  trans- 
mitted. Cat.  Rom.,  3,  10,  6,  avows,  that  concupiscence  was  made 
inordinate  in  all  by  the  fall.  But  this  concupiscence  is  not  held  by 
that  Church  to  be  of  the  nature  of  sin ;  so  Bellarmine,  de  amiss,  gra- 
tioe,  says,  the  difference  of  man  after  the  fall  compared  with  his  state 
"in  puris  naturalibus"  is  only  as  the  difference  of  the  "  spoliatus  a 
nudo ;"  and  that  the  corruption  of  nature  is  produced  only  by  the 
loss  of  supernatural  endowments.  To  the  same  effect,  Mohler  in  his 
"  Symbolism."     This  doctrine  is  in  opposition  to  Augustin,  with  whom 


34  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY. 

view  of  the  matter  with  which  the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  can  possibly  be  reconciled.  If  this  view  is  false 
— if  original  sin,  as  Protestants  hold;  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  be  positive  and  not  negative,  and  come  by  descent, 
then  the  conclusion  is  irresistible,  that  Mary,  by  descent,  must 
have  had  a  part  therein.  The  dogma  of  her  Immaculate  Con- 
ception is  possible  only  with  a  false  view  of  the  nature  of  the 
11  sin  of  birth."  Augustin  could  not  have  held  it,  nor  could 
Aquinas.  The  dogma  is  conceived  in  a  defective  notion  of 
original  sin. 

Yet  again,  even  with  this  defective  view  of  original  sin, 
the  dogma  is  involved  in  difficulties  and  internal  conflicts,  by 
what  it  asserts  and  implies  as  to  the  origin  of  the  soul  of 
Mary.  The  theory  on  which  it  rests  is,  that  Mary's  soul 
was  directly  created  by  God.  It  declares  that  the  Virgin 
Mary,  "  at  the  first  instant  of  her  conception,"  was  preserved 
immaculate.  What  is  meant  by  "  conception"  here  ?  It  is 
the  so-called  "  passive  conception,"  or  the  infusion  of  the 
soul  into  the  body,  the  union  of  the  soul  of  Mary  with  the 
body,  prepared  beforehand  in  the  "active  conception." 
Whence,  now,  this  soul  ?  It  was  "  created."  The  "  Letters," 
in  another  passage,  say  that  Mary  was  the  "  tabernacle  created 
by  God  himself."  Pius  IX.  also  cites  the  formula  of  Alex- 
ander VII.  as  having  "  decretive"  authority,  and  that  formula 
declares,  "  that  Mary's  soul,  at  the  first  instant  of  creation 
and  of  infusion  into  the  body,"  was  preserved  free  from 
original  sin.  And  this  hypothesis  of  "  creatianism "  is  also 
the  only  hypothesis  consonant  with  the  doctrine. 

But  now  put  these  two  positions  together,  namely,  that 
original  sin  consists  essentially  in  privation — that  is,  in  the 
defect  of  original  justice — and  that  Mary's  soul  was  directly 


"  concupiscence"  is  of  the  essence  of  original  sin.  (Contra  Jul.,  lib. 
ii.  •  and  Nupt.  et  Cone,  ii.  8.)  Anselm  brought  into  vogue  the  for- 
mula, "  Nuditas  justitioo  debitte,"  as  giving  the  essence  of  original 
sin:  against  him  is  Peter  Lombard.  Aquinas  attempts  a  reconcilia- 
tion, by  saying  that  the  "defect  of  original  justice  is  the  formal 
cause,"  and  that  concupiscence  is  the  "proper  matter  and  substance" 
of  original  sin.  (Summa.  i.  2;  qu.  82:  art.  iii.  1  :  "Et  ita  pecea- 
tum  originale  materialiter  quidem  est  coriciipiseentia,  formaliter  vero 
est  defectus  originalis  justitioo.")  Duns  Scotus  puts  the  essence  in  the 
"privation,"  and  declares  it  cannot  be  in  the  "concupiscence."  See 
Winer,  Ko'llner,  Mohler,  in  their  "Symbolisms." 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  35 

created  by  Grod,  and  we  arrive  at  the  following  difficulties  and 
dilemmas.  The  position  is  this  :  When  Mary's  soul  was  cre- 
ated and  infused  into  her  body,  she  was  by  grace  preserved 
free  from  original  sin.  Would  the  original  sin,  from  which 
she  was  kept,  have  come  to  her  from  her  body,  or  from  her 
soul  ?  —  for  it  must  have  come  from  one  or  the  other. 
If  you  say  that  it  would  have  come  from  the  soul,  that  in- 
volves the  consequence  that  Grod  usually  creates  original  sin 
in  the  soul,  before  it  is  united  with  the  body,  and,  of  course, 
before  it  is  connected  with  Adam  by  descent.  If  you  say, 
'  on  the  other  hand,  that  original  sin  would  have  come  to  Mary 
from  her  "active  conception,"  that  is,  from  her  prepared 
body,  then  it  was  already  there,  in  germ  and  seed,  before  the 
infusion  of  the  soul.  Grod  either  creates  the  human  soul  with 
original  sin,  or  the  original  sin  is  from  the  parents.  If  the 
former,  we  have  original  sin  without  any  connection  with 
Adam ;  if  the  latter,  Mary  must  have  been  really  possessed  of 
it.  But  you  say  original  sin  consists  in  defect,  privation,  and 
that  the  dogma  means  that  God  created  Mary's  soul  perfectly 
holy.  But  this  raises  another  difficulty ;  for  it  is  also  as- 
serted that  he  created  her  thus  holy  on  the  ground  of  Christ's 
merits,  and  that  had  it  not  been  for  Christ's  merits  she  would 
have  shared  the  sin  of  the  race.  This  creation,  now,  must 
have  been  either  through  the  race  (the  connection  with 
Adam)  or  above  the  race,  either  mediate  or  immediate.  If 
through  the  race,  or  mediate,  then  she  must  have  had  a  part 
in  its  sinfulness ;  if  above  the  race,  or  an  immediate  creation, 
then  there  is  no  theological  or  rational  ground  for  saying  that, 
as  far  as  her  creation  was  concerned,  she  was  liable  to  sin,  or 
could  be  saved  from  it  through  Christ's  merits. 

Nor  can  any  relief  be  found  by  conjoining  the  two  points, 
and  asserting  that  the  exejnption  from  original  sin  concerns 
the  time  or  point  of  union  of  the  soul  with  the  body,  the  con- 
junction of  the  active  with  the  passive  conception.  For  the 
still  unanswered  question  here  is,  and  must  be  this :  In  the 
union  of  the  soul  with  the  body,  from  which  of  the  two,  soul 
or  body,  would  the  original  sin  have  come,  if  grace  had  not 
prevented  ? — for  it  must  have  come  from  one  or  the  other.  If 
you  say,  from  the  soul,  then  you  would  have  original  sin  with- 
out any  connection  with  Adam ;  if  you  say,  froni  the  body, 
then  original  sin  must  already  have  been  there ;  if  you  say; 


36  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY. 

from  both  together,  this  simply  dodges  the  question,  or  else 
resolves  original  sin  into  some  act  consequent  upon  the  union, 
that  is,  into  actual  transgression. 

Nor  is  the  matter  helped  by  saying  that  original  sin  is  es- 
sentially negative,  privative ;  for  the  privation  has  respect  to 
either  the  soul  or  the  body,  or  to  both  conjoined,  and  the  same 
dilemmas  result.  The  "  Letters  Apostolic/'  in  other  pass- 
ages, speak  of  the  dogma  in  this  wise :  that  the  "  Blessed 
Virgin  was  free  from  all  contagion  of  body,  soul,  and  mind ;" 
that  she  had  "  community  with  men  only  in  their  nature,  but 
not  in  their  fault /'  and  that  "  the  flesh  of  the  Virgin  taken 
from  Adam  did  not  admit  the  stain  of  Adam,  and  on  this  ac- 
count that  the  most  Blessed  Virgin  was  the  tabernacle  created 
by  God  himself,  formed  by  the  Holy  Spirit/'  These  expres- 
sions imply  that  the  fault  in  the  case  could  have  been  a  fault 
of  "  nature /'  that  the  contagion  might  have  been  of  the 
"  body  ;"  that  the  "stain  from  Adam"  would,  under  other  cir- 
cumstances, have  come  to  her  through  the  "  flesh."  But  in  her 
"  active  conception/'  before  the  infusion  of  the  soul  and  of 
grace,  the  "nature,"  the  "body,"  the  "flesh,"  were  already 
extant,  ere  the  "passive  conception"  took  place:  were  they 
with  or  without  the  fault  ?  If  with  the  fault,  then  you  have 
original  sin ;  if  without,  then  it  would  follow  that  the  flesh, 
the  body,  the  nature,  be/ore  the  passive  conception,  had  been 
already  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption.  In  short, 
if  original  sin  come  from  the  race,  from  the  "  active  con- 
ception," then  Mary  must  have  had  it ;  if  it  come  from  the 
"  passive  conception,"  then  God  is  its  direct  author  in  every 
individual  case. 

This  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  then,  contains 
contradictory  elements  :  it  rests  on  a  false  view  of  original 
sin.  Even  with  that  false  view  it  cannot  well  be  reconciled  : 
it  assumes  the  theory  that  souls  are  directly  created,  and  here 
again  it  involves  itself  in  inextricable  difficulties  in  relation 
to  original  sin.  It  is  opposed  to  Scripture,  to  tradition,  and 
it  is  self-opposed.  Yet  it  comes  to  us  with  the  sanction  and 
decree  of  an  "infallible"  authority,  who  says,  "Let  no  man 
interfere  with  this  our  declaration,  pronunciation,  and  defini- 
tion, or  oppose  and  contradict  it  with  presumptuous  rashness. 
If  any  should  presume  (o  assail  it,  let  him  know  that  he  will 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  37 

incur  the  indignation  of  the  Omnipotent  God,  and  of  his 
blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul." 

Our  review  of  this  celebrated  controversy  and  its  results 
furnishes  an  instructive  exemplification  of  the  mode  in  which 
Rome  develops  doctrines.  Nothing  is  clearer  in  the  way  of  his- 
torical testimony  than  that  this  dogma  is  a  novelty  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church ;  and  nothing  too,  is  more  manifest,  than  that  it 
has  been  developed  into  its  present  form  by  an  inward  neces- 
sity of  the  Roman  system.  Opposed  to  Scripture,  to  an- 
tiquity, and  to  great  scriptural  truths,  it  has  still  followed  a 
law  of  development.  It  is  the  slow  and  sure  eating  of  the 
poison  which  Rome  received  from  a  pagan  antiquity,  in  the 
veneration,  the  cultus,  the  worship  of  that  which  is  not  God. 
This  superstition  infects  the  whole  system  of  the  Papacy  :  it 
belongs  to  its  essence  :  it  must  work  itself  out  to  its  legiti- 
mate results.  In  doing  this  it  sets  at  naught  the  word  of  God, 
misinterprets  ancient  and  authentic  testimonies,  is  in  conflict 
with  the  great  truths  of  original  sin  and  of  the  universal  need 
of  redemption ;  yet  it  must  still  go  on  in  its  baleful  develop- 
ment. The  might  of  superstition  is  greater  in  the  Church  of 
the  Papacy  than  the  power  of  truth,  than  the  divine  oracles, 
than  the  consent  of  ancient  times.  And  this  is  the  real  secret 
of  the  growth  and  present  position  of  this  dogma.  The  voice 
of  superstition,  the  paganism  of  Romanism,  demand  the  en- 
thronement of  a  creature. 

The  decreed  dogma  lends  the  authentic  sanction  of  Rome 
to  that  cultus  of  the  Virgin,  which  has  been  growing  for  many 
centuries,  and  which,  in  the  "  Glories  of  Mary/'  had  reached 
its  popular  culmination.  There  it  is  asserted,  "that  it  is 
morally  impossible  for  those  who  neglect  the  devotion  to  the 
blessed  Virgin  to  be  saved :"  "  he  who  is  not  protected  by 
Mary  cannot  be  saved."  Suarez  teaches,  that  "it  is  the  sen- 
timent of  the  Church  that  the  intercession  of  Mary  is  not 
only  useful,  but  necessary,"  and  "  that  Christ  is  never  found 
except  through  Mary."  Liguori  also  adds  that  "  Mary  is 
a  mediatrix  of  grace,"  and  that  "  we  receive  through  Mary's 
intercession  all  the  graces  we  ask" — that  "  God  will  not  grant 
his  graces  without  her  intercession."  "  The  throne  of  grace 
is  Mary."  "  We  must  go  to  a  sacrament,"  says  M.  Olier,  in 
a  Catechism  approved  by  Roman  bishops,  "  which  is  solely  of 
9 


38  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY. 

mercy,  and  wherein  Jesus  Christ  exercises  no  judgment.  This 
sacrament  is  the  most  blessed  Virgin.  It  is  through  her  that 
we  have  access  to  Jesus  Christ  in  full  confidence."  "  There 
is  and  can  be  no  truer  test  of  one's  active,  living  faith  in  our 
holy  religion,  in  the  redemption  and  salvation  of  sinners 
through  the  cross,  than  a  firm  attachment  to  the  worship  of 
Mary."*  "  Mary  is  the  channel  through  which  our  Lord  dis- 
penses his  graces,  and  he  dispenses  none  save  through  her 
intercession."  And  the  pope,  in  his  Encyclical  of  February 
2,  1849,  says,  that  God  "  would  have  us  possess  all  through 
Mary." 

In  this  arrogant  decree  of  the  supreme  pontiff,  we  read  the 
meaning  of  the  ultramontane  claim  of  infallibility  as  centring 
in  the  see  of  Peter.  It  is  the  triumph  of  the  Papal  over 
the  Episcopal  system  :  it  involves  the  position  that  the  pope 
alone  is  the  final  arbiter  of  doctrine,  that  in  him  is  the  seat  of 
infallibility.  Whether  this  decree  will  be  recognized  as  having 
final  authority,  or  whether  there  is  any  vestige  of  the  old 
Grallican  liberties  left  in  France,  or  of  Episcopal  independence 
in  Germany — whether  the  Dominicans  will  bow  their  heads 
in  subjection,  remains  to  be  seen.  The  pretension  to  sole  and 
supreme  infallibility  cannot  be  more  decidedly  advanced  than 
in  the  words  of  the  "  Letters,"  in  the  most  formal  part,  when 
announcing  the  dogma  itself:  "We  resolved  that  we  should 
no  longer  delay  to  sanction  and  define  by  our  supreme  au- 
thority," etc.  It  involves  the  pretension  to  infallibility  in 
matters  of  fact  as  well  as  of  doctrine,  for  this  dogma  is  about 
a  fact.  In  this  omniscient  prerogative  thus  claimed,  is  yet 
another  instance  of  the  necessary  development  of  the  papal 
system.  To  this  it  must  come.  The  final  decision  about  all 
spiritual  truth  must  be  claimed  for  and  by  the  successor  of 
Peter.  What  Scripture  means,  what  tradition  is,  he  is  to  de- 
cide, and  he  alone  in  the  last  resort.  What  though  Scrip- 
ture be  annulled  !  what  though  tradition  be  defied  and  re- 
versed !  it  is  still  an  infallible  utterance.  Though  pope  speak 
against  pope,  the  Papacy  is  infallible.  The  last  pope  only 
needs  to  say  that  the  others  agreed  with  him,  and  it  is  infal- 

*  Brownson's  Keview,  January,  185:5.  Our  own  land,  by  the  re- 
quest of  the  Sixth  Provincial  Council  of  Baltimore,  in  1846,  has  been 
put,  by  a  formal  decree  of  the  General  Congregation  of  the  Propa- 
ganda, (1847,)  under  the  protection  of  Mary  "immaculate  conceptn." 


IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OF   MARY.  39 

libly  true,  and  no  private  judgment  may  "think"  otherwise. 
Never  has  a  pope  in  such  an  authoritative  way,  without  appeal 
to  him,  by  his  own  motion,  so  distinctly  interfered  in  respect 
to  a  religious  truth,  more  boldly  proclaimed  himself  the  final 
arbiter.  Divine  Providence  has  permitted  and  decreed  that 
the  inherent  tendencies  of  the  Papal  system,  in  respect  to 
both  the  worship  of  the  creature  and  the  claim  of  infallibility, 
should  work  themselves  out  to  their  utmost  verge  and  culmi- 
nation together,  that  it  might  be  most  apparent  what  the 
papal  system  really  is. 

Infallibility,  in  this  dogma  and  decree,  sets  its  seal  to  idol- 
atry. In  the  person  of  the  pope  the  two  are  married.  Infal- 
libility stamps  a  Pagan  lie  as  Christian  truth,  and  thus  dis- 
proves itself.  Is  not  the  decree  idolatrous  ?  Read  its  own 
words  :  "  The  mother  of  God  approaches  as  nearly  to  God  as 
created  nature  can  do,  and  is  more  exalted  than  all  human 
and  angelic  encomiums :"  she  is  "  the  first  and  the  peculiar 
work  of  God :"  she  is  "  alone  with  her  Son  partaker  of 
perpetual  benediction  :"  she  "  has  brought  salvation  to 
the  world  :"  she  is  the  "  most  illustrious  glory  and  orna- 
ment, and  most  firm  guardian  of  the  Holy  Church  :';  to  her 
it  is  ascribed  that  "heresies  are  destroyed/'  "all  calamities 
averted/'  and  even  that  "  the  sinner  may  obtain  pardon/'  and 
the  consummation  of  this  adoration  is  found  in  the  exhorta- 
tion :  "  Let  all  the  children  of  the  Catholic  Church,  with  a 
more  ardent  zeal  of  piety,  religion,  and  love,  proceed  to  wor- 
ship, invoke,  and  pray  to  the  most  blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
mother  of  God,  conceived  without  original  sin."  If  this  be 
not  idolatry,  there  cannot  be  any  idolatry.  If  this  be  idol- 
atry, then  the  infallible  Papal  Church  has  ceased  to  be  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  has  become  the  Church  of  Mary. 

And  the  juncture  at  which  this  decree  is  uttered  is  also 
providential.  Never  were  the  claims  of  the  Papacy  more 
fully  scrutinized,  and  never  has  its  fatuity  been  more  manifest. 
It  is  the  dogmatism  of  an  infatuated  pride.  The  nations  are 
in  arms  :  they  are  hungering  for  the  bread  of  life.  They  need 
Christ,  and  Rome  gives  them  Mary.  They  need  an  almighty 
helper,  and  the  Papacy  gives  them  a  deified  woman.  The 
heart  of  the  conflict  of  Europe,  deeper  than  all  its  politics, 
deeper  than  all  its  social  needs,  is  in  the  question  between 
Romanism  and  Protestantism — between  the  Church  of  Christ 


40  IMMACULATE   CONCEPTION   OP   MARY. 

and  the  Church  of  the  Papacy;  between  reason  and  faith 
on  the  one  side,  and  superstition  against  reason  and  Script  wn 
on  the  other.  At  such  a  juncture,  the  very  crisis  of  its  fate 
Rome  speaks  to  the  listening  nations  :  she  sends  forth  he 
thousand  missives  :  she  calls  her  archbishops  and  bishops  fron 
afar :  in  "  Letters  Apostolic/'  which  once  would  have  in 
spired,  as  no  other  word  of  mortal  man,  both  faith  and  fear 
she  addresses,  in  the  name  of  God,  the  nations  of  the  whol< 
earth,  which  she  claims  as  her  rightful  heritage,  and  all  thi 
" consolation,"  all  the  "hope,"  all  the  "succor"  which  sh 
can  offer  is  to  command  them  to  address  their  prayers  unto 
and  to  put  their  confidence  in,  the  Virgin  Mary,  conceive* 
without  the  stain  of  original  sin  !  "  For,"  says  Pius  IX. 
"  nothing  is  to  be  feared  and  nothing  is  to  be  despaired  o 
under  her  guidance,  under  her  auspices,  under  her  favoi 
under  her  protection !" 

Such  a  decree  at  such  a  juncture  proves  that  the  day  o 
Rome  is  past  and  her  doom  at  hand. 

As  ever  of  old,  the  true  Church  of  Christ,  his  only  bride 
which  makes  not  flesh  its  arm,  is  to  bind  closer  to  her  hear 
the  name  of  him,  the  only  Saviour,  whose  is  the  only  nam* 
given  under  heaven  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved 
Against  the  power  of  infidelity  and  of  superstition,  both  ar 
rayed  in  hostility  to  Christ,  his  name  is  the  sign  and  pledgi 
of  final  victory. 

Kashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  k  J\  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  31. 


THE  WORSHIP  OF  MARY. 


Who  is  my  mother,  and  who  are  my  brethren? — For  whosoever 
shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  he  is  my  brother, 
and  sister,  and  mother. — Matt.  xii.  48,  50. 

A  certain  woman  from  the  crowd  lifting  up  her  voice  said  to  him, 
Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bore  thee,  and  the  paps  that  gave  thee  suck. 
But  he  said :  Yea,  rather,  blessed  are  they  who  hear  the  word  of  God 
and  keep  it. — Luke  xi.  27,  28. 

If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesu8 
Christ  the  just ;  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. — 1  John 
ii.  1,  2. 

And  whatsoever  you  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  that  will  I 
do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son. — John  xiv.  13. 

Let  us  go  therefore  with  confidence  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we 
may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  seasonable  aid. — Heb.  iv.  16. 

Rheims'  Roman  Catholic  Version  of  the  New  Testament. 

Reader,  do  you  feel  that  you  are  a  sinner?  "All  have 
sinned/'  Rom.  iii.  23 ;  and  "  the  wages  of  sin  is  death/' 
Rom.  vi.  23.  Do  you  then  dread  the  danger — everlasting 
ruin  ?  If  you  do,  bear  in  mind,  there  is  only  one  way  of 
escape — a  living  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  "  Neither  is  there 
salvation  in  any  other/'  Acts  iv.  12.  It  is  a  sure  and  safe 
way;  for  his  blood  "cleanseth  from  all  sin/'  1  John  i.  7 
And  the  apostle  Paul  says,  "  There  is  now  no  condemnation 
to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus/'  Rom.  viii.  1.  But 
Satan  will  do  all  he  can  to  keep  you  from  feeling  that  you 
are  a  sinner.  He  will  strive  to  hide  your  real  danger  from 
you.  He  will  not  let  you  come  to  Christ  if  he  can  hinder 
you.  He  blinds  the  minds  of  unbelievers,  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  The 
object  of  this  paper  is  to  lead  you  to  forsake  sin,  and  to  love 
and  serve  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  deserves  your  love,  and  claims 
your  service.  It  invites  you  to  consider  the  freeness  and 
fullness  of  his  salvation — with  nothing  to  clog  its  freeness,  or 
to  limit  its  fullness.     Oh !  is  it  not  a  glorious  truth,  and 


&  THE   WORSHIP   OP   MARY. 

worthy  of  your  deepest  attention,  to  know  that,  however 
ignorant,  poor,  or  despised,  however  destitute,  afflicted  or 
forsaken  you  may  be,  you  can  ask  of  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
to  give  you  his  Holy  Spirit?  And  if  the  Holy  Spirit 
induces  you  to  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  in  him  only, 
you  shall  receive  the  pardon  of  all  your  sins,  grace  to  enable 
you  to  conquer  Satan,  and  you  shall  at  last  obtain  a  crown  of 
glory. 

But  remember,  nothing  you  can  do  or  suffer  can  merit  for- 
giveness. Mercy  to  man  is  the  just  reward  of  merit  in 
Christ,  "  who  his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree/'  1  Peter  ii.  24.  "For  by  grace  are  ye  saved 
through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the  gift 
of  G-od  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast,"  Eph. 
ii.  8,  9. 

And  here  we  must  find  fault,  great  fault,  with  the  Church 
of  Rome,  because  she  keeps  her  members  from  coming  to 
Jesus.  Would  to  Grod  there  were  no  reason  for  making  such 
a  heavy  charge !  It  gives  deep  sorrow  to  the  humble  follower 
of  the  Lamb,  to  see  those  who  profess  and  call  themselves 
Christians  erring  and  straying  from  the  holy  commandment 
which  has  been  given  to  guide  us  in  the  right  way.  The 
charge  is  a  grave  one.  But  let  the  Roman  Catholic  reader 
consider  what  his  Church  teaches  him  to  rely  upon — prayers 
and  pardons,  penances  and  pilgrimages — upon  his  own  works 
and  the  works  of  mortals  like  himself — upon  masses,  scapu- 
lars, gospels,  and  relics — upon  saints  and  angels ;  and,  above 
all,  upon  the  intercession  of  the  blessed  Virgin.  We  shall 
take  up  this  last  ground  of  dependence,  and  examine  it 
You  know  it  is  a  chief  one.  Your  Church  sends  you  to  her 
under  all  circumstances.  In  the  breviary,  her  priests  are 
taught  to  pray  thus  : — 

"We  fly  to  thy  protection,  0  holy  mother  of  God.  Despise  not  our 
entreaties  in  our  necessities,  but  always  free  us  from  all  dangers,  0 
glorious  and  blessed  Virgin." 

Again : — 

"  0  Mary,  mother  of  grace,  sweet  parent  of  mercy !  protect  us  from 
our  enemy,  and  receive  us  in  the  hour  of  death." 

Such  was  not  the  dependence  of  the  holy  martyr,  Stephen, 


THE   WORSHIP   OF   MARY.  3 

•who,  in  his  dying  moments,  exclaimed,  not  0  Mary,  receive 
me,  but,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit  I"  Acts  vii.  59. 

Catholic  Piety,  p.  195. — "  Thou  knowest,  0  most  sacred  Virgin, 
that  I  have  been  taught  from  my  infancy  to  look  up  to  thee  as  my 
mother,  my  patroness,  and  most  powerful  advocate;  and  thou  hast 
vouchsafed  from  on  high  to  look  down  upon  me  as  one  of  thy 
children." 

Hebdomas  Mariana,  p.  4. — "  Holy  Mary,  queen  of  clemency,  I 
flee  under  thy  protection  and  shield  of  defence.  Under  the  cover- 
ing of  thy  wings  and  maternal  guardianship,  I  desire  to  live  and 
die." 

Glories  of  Mart,  p.  70. — "  But  if  my  Saviour  drive  me  off  because 
of  my  sins,  I  shall  go  and  cast  myself  at  the  feet  of  his  mother, 
and  her  pity  "will  soften  the  anger  of  her  Son.  Kegard  us,  then,  0 
Mary,  most  merciful,  for  we  your  servants  place  all  hope  in  you." 
P  125. — "You,  0  holy  Virgin,  can  effect  by  your  prayers  all  that 
God  can  operate  by  his  power."  P.  166. — "We  read  in  the  chronicles 
of  St.  Francis,  that  brother  Leo  once  saw  in  a  vision  two  ladders, 
one  red,  at  the  summit  of  which  was  Jesus  Christ ;  the  other  white, 
at  the  top  of  which  presided  the  blessed  mother.  He  observed  that 
many  who  endeavored  to  ascend  the  first  ladder,  after  mounting  a 
few  steps  fell  down,  and  trying  again  were  equally  unsuccessful,  so 
that  they  never  attained  the  summit.  But  a  voice  having  told  them 
to  make  a  trial  of  the  white  ladder,  they  soon  gained  the  top,  the 
blessed  Virgin  having  held  forth  her  hand  to  help  them." 

Novenas,  p.  64. — "  Thou  art  the  dispenser  of  all  the  graces  God 
confers  upon  us,  miserable  creatures." 

Page  45. — "Eefuge  of  sinners,  asylum  always  open  to  the  most 
desponding,  you  are  the  safeguard  against  the  stroke  of  Divine 
justice." 

Months  of  Mary,  p.  9. — "You  are  the  only  advocate  of  sinners, 
says  St.  Ephrem." 

Sacred  Heart  of  Mary,  p.  381. — "My  father,  think  you  that 
Mary  will  again  hear  my  vows,  and  avert  the  vengeance  of  her  Son  ?" 

Pope  Gregory  XVI.  says,  "  Let  us  raise  our  eyes  to  the  blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  who  alone  destroys  heresies,  who  is  our  greatest  hope, 
yea,  the  entire  ground  of  our  hope,"  "  Imo  tota  ratio  est  spei  nostrse." 

Surely  it  is  plain  from  the  above  extracts,  that  you  ascribe 
to  Mary  the  power  of  knowing  the  hearts,  and  of  hearing  the 
prayers  of  all  who  address  her.  It  is  God  alone  who  is 
always  and  everywhere  present,  and  knows  all  we  do,  and 
hears  all  we  say;  and  to  ascribe  these  to  a  creature,  as  Mary 
assuredly  was,  is  nothing  less  than  blasphemy.     Of  Almighty 


4  TIIE   WORSHIP   OP   MARY. 

God  alone  can  it  be  said,  "Thou  only  knowest  the  hearts  of 
the  children  of  men,"  2  Chron.  vi.  20. 

But  supposing  Mary  could  hear  your  prayers,  we  would 
ask*you,  do  you  think  that  she  is  more  willing  to  hear,  or 
more  merciful  to  help  you,  than  the  compassionate  Jesus? 
You  will  say,  I  am  not  fit  to  come  directly  to  Christ,  I  am 
too  great  a  sinner.  But  does  he  not  invite  all  sinners  to  come 
to  him  ?  Did  he  ever  cast  the  returning  sinner  from  him  ? 
Never,  for  he  says,  "I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance."  Did  he  not  pardon  the  penitent 
woman  ?  and  did  he  not  say  to  the  thief  on  the  cross,  "  To- 
day shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise  ?"  Why  then  should 
you  fear  to  go  at  once  to  him  ?  Is  he  not  man  to  sympathize 
with,  as  well  as  God  to  save  you  ?  "  For  we  have  not  an 
ITio-'h-Priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our 
infirmities;  but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet 
without  sin.  Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne 
of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help 
in  time  of  need,"  Heb.  iv  15,  16.  Does  not  the  Church 
of  Rome,  then,  in  teaching  her  members  to  pray  to  and  to 
ask  the  prayers  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  as  much  as  say  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  does  not,  feel  for  them  :  that  unless  they  get 
some  one  to  plead  with  him,  he  will  not  hear  them,  nor  be 
their  intercessor  ?  Does  not  such  a  supposition  east  dis- 
honor upon  him,  as  well  as  discredit  upon  what  he  himself 
has  said,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my  name, 
he  will  give  it  you?"  John  xv.  16.  And  does  it  not  virtually 
set  aside  the  solemn  assurance  of  one  of  his  holy  apostles, 
"  Wherefore  he  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come 
unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession 
for  them  V   Heb.  vii.  25. 

When  Roman  Catholics  are  asked  why  they  pray  to  Mary, 
and  ask  her  prayers,  the  usual  answer  is  this :  We  only  act 
as  men  do  in  common  life.  If  we  want  a  favor  from  a  great 
man,  we  get  some  one  who  has  mueh  influence  with  him  to 
ask  it  for  us.  Would  you  not,  they  ask,  do  this  ?  AVe 
answer,  Yes.  And  would  you  not  be  more  likely  to  get  it  ? 
We  answer,  Yes,  in  some  cases.  Well,  then,  continues  the 
Romanist,  this  is  just  what  we  do  :  we  think  the  blessed  Virgin 
has  great  influence  with  Jesus;  and  we  pray  to  her  to  ask 
him  for  what  we  want. 


THE    WORSHIP   OF   MART.  5 

Now  there  are  several  reasons  to  show  that  this  is  not  a  fair 
way  to  argue  on  this  question. 

In  the  first  place,  the  great  man  you  speak  of,  from  whom 
you  want  the  favor,  has  not  said,  Whenever  you  want  any 
thing  from  me,  come  to  myself,  and  I  will  give  it  to  you. 
But  Jesus  has  invited  every  one  who  desires  the  salvation 
of  his  soul,  to  come  to  him,  and  declares  he  will  not  cast 
him  out ;  for  he  says,  "  Gome  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest;"  and,  "Him 
that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out/'  Matt.  xi.  28, 
and  John  vi.  37.  In  the  second  place,  the  great  man,  it  may 
be,  knows  nothing  about  us,  and  requires  some  person  to  tell 
him  who  we  are,  what  is  our  character,  and  if  we  are  fit  per- 
sons to  get  what  we  are  asking  for.  But  the  Lord  Jesus 
knows  us  altogether ;  as  the  apostle  Peter  said,  "  Lord,  thou 
knowest  all  things,"  John  xxi.  17  Or  a  third  reason  for 
getting  some  one  to  speak  to  this  great  man  for  us  may  be 
this  :  he  may  not  care  any  thing  about  us,  and  if  he  grants 
us  a  favor,  it  is  because  of  the  interest  that  is  made  for 
us.  But  is  not  Jesus  more  willing  to  give  than  we  to  ask  ? 
Will  you,  then,  compare  him  to  a  frail,  short-sighted,  fallible, 
mortal  man  ?  No,  no  !  The  two  cases  then  are  not  similar. 
The  Saviour  tenderly  cares  for  us,  intimately  knows  us,  and 
graciously  invites  us  to  come  to  him.  He  that  counts  the 
wrongs  done  to  his  people  as  done  to  himself,  (Acts  ix.  4,) 
will  not  be  unmindful  of  our  prayers.  He  is  willing  to  save 
and  defend  us  from  all  dangers,  and  to  carry  us  through  all 
temptations.  0 !  then,  will  you,  without  any  reason, 
continue  to  pray  to  the  Virgin  instead  of  himself,  and  thus 
cast  discredit  upon  the  Saviour's  mediation?  Will  you 
continue  to  seek  the  aid  of  a  creature,  when  you  can  have 
the  effectual  aid  of  the  Creator,  who  has  said,  "All  power  is 
given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  ?"  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 

But  you  will  answer,  My  Church  teaches  me  to  seek  the 
aid  of  the  blessed  Virgin.  Well,  why  does  your  Church  do 
so?  Has  the  Church  of  Rome  the  authority  of  Christ,  or 
of  any  one  of  his  apostles,  for  such  teaching?  This  is  a 
plain  question,  and  any  man  who  is  able  to  read  the  New 
Testament  can  answer  it. 

(1.)  If  you  prefer  the  Rheims'  Testament,  a  Roman 
Catholic  version,  read  in  it  the  two  passages,  Matt.  xii. 
9* 


6  THE   WORSHIP   ©F  MART. 

48,  50,  and  Luke  xi.  27,  28,  as  quoted  in  the  beginning  of 
this  paper.  Would  it  not  seem  that  what  the  Lord  Jesus 
says  in  these  two  places,  was  designed  to  guard  against  the 
error  your  Church  has  fallen  into,  in  praying  to  and  asking 
the  prayers  of  the  Virgin?  He  there  says,  "Whosoever 
shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the 
same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother;"  and  declares 
that  those  are  more  blessed  who  "hear  the  word  of  God, 
and  keep  it,"  than  was  even  his  own  mother,  Matt.  xii.  50; 
Luke  xi.  27. 

(2.)  When  our  Lord  was  on  earth,  and  went  about  doing 
good — healing  the  sick,  raising  the  dead,  and  casting  out 
devils — we  never  read  of  any  persons  asking  Mary  to  intercede 
with  him  for  them.  And  surely  Jesus  is  not  less  willing  to 
hear  and  to  help  us  now  than  he  was  then.  He  is  "  the 
same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever,"  Heb.  xiii.  8. 

(3.)  He  has  also  taught  us  much  in  what  he  said  and 
did,  as  to  the  matter  and  manner  of  prayer — what  to  pray 
for,  how  to  pray,  and  through  whom  to  pray.     Yet  he  has 
nowhere  stated  or  even  hinted  that  we  are  to  seek  the  aid 
of  Mary.     But  does  any  one  of  the  holy  apostles  teach  us 
to  ask  her  aid  ?      St.  Paul,  as  you  know,  was  a  chief  teacher 
of  the  Christian  religion.     Examine  all  that  is  recorded  of 
him  in  the  Acts,  and  also  those  fourteen  epistles  which  he 
wrote  for  the  guidance  of  the  churches,  one  of  them,  a  long 
one,  to  the  ancient  church  of  Home.     In  these  epistles  he 
gives  special  directions  for  prayer;  and  if  it  were  the  custom, 
duty,  and  privilege  of  Christians  to  ask  the  aid  of  Mary,  is  it 
at  all  probable  that  he  would  be  wholly  silent  on  the  subject? 
And  yet  we  find  that  Paul  never  once  mentions  her  name. 
We  find  the  same  thing  with  regard  to  Peter's  sermons  in 
the  Acts,  and  also  his  two  epistles,  written  for  the  guidance 
of  Christians,  scattered  through  various  countries.      Does  he 
instruct  them,  either  by  precept  or  example,  to  ask  the  aid 
of  Mary?     No  !  he  never  once  refers  to  her,  or  even  mentions 
her  name.      We  have   yet  the   beloved   disciple,    John,    to 
whom  his  dying  Master  committed  the  care  of  his  broken- 
hearted mother,  saying  to  her,  "  Woman,  behold  thy  son  !" 
and  to  John,  "  Behold  thy  mother !  and  from  that  hour  that 
disciple  took  her  unto  his  own  home,"  John  xix.  25-27. 
Surely  if  it  is  right  to  ask  the  aid  of  Mary,  John,  by  precept 


THE  WORSHIP  OF   MARY.  7 

or  example,  must  teach  it.  In  his  three  epistles,  and  the  book 
of  Revelation,  he  also  never  mentions  her  name  ;  neither  does 
James  or  Jude. 

And  now  ask  yourself,  if  your  Church,  in  teaching  you  to 
pray  to  or  to  ask  the  prayers  of  Mary,  teach  as  the  Lord 
Jesus  and  his  apostles  taught  of  old.  Eomanist  writers, 
indeed,  are  obliged  to  admit  that  the  apostles  not  only  do 
not  pray  to  the  Virgin,  but  are  perfectly  silent  about  her. 
This  has  been  a  troublesome  silence  to  the  advocates  of  the 
worship  of  the  Virgin.  Alanus,  in  1170,  tries  to  account 
for  it  thus : — "  It  was  not  the  time,  in  the  infancy  of  the 
faith,  to  teach  this  doctrine,  lest  the  heathen  should  think 
we  worship  a  plurality  of  gods,  and  had  only  chaDged  their 
names."  And  a  late  writer  says,  "  It  did  not  come  within 
the  scope  of  the  apostles  to  mention  the  name  of  the  blessed 
Virgin;  they  had  something  else  to  do."  We  certainly 
think,  with  Alanus,  that  it  is  very  like  the  heathen  to  have 
so  many  objects  of  worship.  And  we  quite  agree  with 
the  last-mentioned  writer  that  the  apostles  had  something 
else  to  do. 

But  we  would  ask  any  candid  Romanist,  if  the  apostles  had 
.been  in  the  habit  of  addressing  prayers  to  her — if  they 
believed  she  was  to  be  invoked  as  the  "mother  of  grace, 
the  sweet  parent  of  mercy" — if  they  had  taught  such 
doctrines  as  are  to  be  found  in  one  of  the  most  approved  books 
of  private  devotion,  (the  Grlories  of  Mary,)  "that  her  pity 
was  to  soften  the  anger  of  her  Son" — if  they  held  that  "he 
who  neglects  Mary  shall  die  in  his  sins,  and  that  he  for 
whom  Mary  pleads  is  as  sure  of  being  saved  as  if  he  were 
already  in  heaven  :"  if  the  apostles  taught  thus,  could  they 
have  written  so  many  epistles  and  said  so  much  about  the 
mercy  of  G-od,  the  compassion  of  Jesus — about  the  way  of 
obtaining  forgiveness  of  sins — about  Christ  interceding  for 
sinners — could  they  have  offered  so  many  prayers,  or  written 
so  much  for  the  direction,  the  comfort,  and  encouragement  of 
Christians,  and  never  say  one  word  about  Mary,  about  our 
praying  to  her  or  her  praying  for  us  ?  Observe,  here  is  not 
"  discreet  reserve,"  but  dead  silence.  But  are  we  for  a 
moment  to  suppose,  if  it  was  the  will  of  G-od  and  the  duty 
of  Christians  to  seek  for  the  intercession  of  the  Virgin,  that 
the  apostles  who  went  forth  with  the  great  commission  of 


gs 


8  THE   WORSHIP   OP   MARY. 

their  Divine  Master,  to  teach  all  nations  to  observe  all  thin 
whatsoever  he  had  commanded  them,  (Matt,  xxviii.  19,  2U,) 
and  to  declare  openly  his  most  secret  instructions,  (x.  27,) 
kept  back  any  thing  they  were  commanded  to  teach  ?  No, 
no  !  One  of  them  (Paul)  assures  us  that  he  had  not  shunned 
to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  Acts  xx.  27  As  to  their 
"  reserve''  on  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  the  Eucharist, 
which  a  modern  writer  compares  to  their  silence  about  Mary, 
read  their  epistles,  and  you  will  find  that  there  is  no  "reserve" 
on  these  subjects. 

Weigh  well  then  this  remarkable  fact,  namely,  the  total 
silence  of  the  apostles,  in  their  sermons  and  epistles,  about 
the  Virgin  Mary.  It  is  clear  to  demonstration  they  did  not 
pray  to  her.  It  is  certain  they  did  not  teach  us  to  pray  to 
her.  And  we  learn  from  Acts  x.  25,  26,  and  xiv.  13-18, 
that  Peter,  Paul,  and  Barnabas,  when  on  earth,  would  not 
allow  any  religious  reverence  to  be  paid  to  themselves.  Is  it 
right  to  give  it  to  them  now  ?  Nor  would  the  angel  (Rev. 
xxii.  9)  permit  John  to  worship  him:  "  Then  saith  he  unto 
me,  See  thou  do  it  not :  worship  God."  If  it  were  wrong 
in  John's  time  to  worship  an  angel,  can  it  be  right  now?  If 
then  you  cannot  trace  up  the  invocation  of  saints  and  angels 
to  the  command  of  Christ  or  his  apostles,  will  you  not  at 
once  abandon  it  ?  Will  you,  dare  you,  continue  to  do  what 
Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles  did  not  do,  or  recommend 
to  be  done  ?     Grod  forbid  ! 

We  shall  now  say  a  few  words  upon  three  points  connected 
with  Romanist   devotion  to  Mary,   namely,   the    immaculate 
conception — which  the  Pope  pronounced  an  article  of  faith, 
December  8,  1854 — the  assumption,  and  the  miracles  attri- 
buted to  the  Virgin.     A  Romanist  once  asked,  "  How  could 
the  Virgin  Mary  bear  a  son  without  the  stain  of  original  sin, 
if  not  free  from  it  herself?"     It  was  replied  that  this  was 
not  a  good  argument,  as  it  would  prove  too  much.     It  would 
prove  that  Eve  was  uncorrupted  by  sin.      For  if  Mary  could 
not  bear  a  son  free  from   original  sin,  unless   free   from  it 
herself,  she  could  not  bo  free  unless   her  mother  were,  and 
then  her  mother  again,  and  so  on,  up  to  Eve.     But  there  is 
not  a  shadow  of  proof  that  Mary  was  born  without  the  .stain 
of  original  sin.     Christ  alone  was  "  without  sin,"   Heb.   iv. 
15.      The  apostle  Paul    declares   that  "death  passed  upon 


THE  WORSHIP  OF   MARY.  9 

all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned,"  Rom.  v.  12.  Now  as 
it  is  admitted  that  Mary  died  like  other  servants  of  God,  and 
as  it  was  sin,  Paul  says,  that  brought  death  into  the  world, 
would  Mary  have  died  if  she  had  not  sinned  ?  Certainly 
not.  It  is  true  that  Christ  died  while  yet  he  was  free  from 
all  sin ;  but  he  "died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures/ ; 
1  Cor.  xv.  3. 

Again,  as  to  the  assumption  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  The 
writer  once  asked  an  intelligent  laboring  man,  "  Why  has 
each  shop  a  shutter  or  two  up  to-day  ?"  He  said,  "  This  is 
the  feast  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin."  We 
asked  what  he  meant  by  that  ?  He  replied,  "About  thirteen 
years  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  the  blessed  Virgin  was 
taken  up  to  heaven,  and  crowned  queen  of  angels  and 
saints."  We  then  asked  where  he  had  learned  all  this  ? 
He  answered,  "In  the  New  Testament,  to  be  sure."  We 
said  we  could  with  confidence  assure  him,  as  we  now  assure 
you,  that  not  one  word  of  all  he  had  stated  was  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  Church  of  Rome  teaches  that  the  Virgin 
died  in  the  presence  of  all  the  apostles,  (see  Brev.  Aug.  and 
Novenas,  p.  45.)  Yet  these  apostles  and  the  evangelists, 
who  wrote  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament,  except  Matthew's 
Gospel,  after  the  period  of  her  supposed  assumption,  do  not 
once  mention  it. 

Again,  the  Virgin  is  said  to  have  performed  innumerable 
miracles  at  the  present  day.  We  hear  of  even  her  "  mira- 
culous picture"  moving  its  eyes  for  the  benefit  of  the 
faithful,  as  Pius  the  Ninth  says ;  and  of  another  picture 
bleeding.  But  is  it  not  natural  to  ask,  Did  Mary  perform 
any  miracles  during  her  lifetime?  The  New  Testament 
does  not  record  even  one.  Put  this  fact  beside  the  stories 
of  her  miracles-  after  her  death,  and  is  it  not  irreconcilable 
with  them?  Here  then  are  three  leading  doctrines  taught 
by  the  Church  of  Rome,  about  which  the  New  Testament  is 
wholly  silent. 

Lastly,  let  us  notice  the  arguments  by  which  Roman  Catholics 
defend  themselves  against  the  charge  of  idolatry  in  their 
invocation  of  the  Virgin. 

First.  They  say  they  do  not  ask  her  for  grace  or  mercy, 
or  ask  through  her  merits  :  they  only  ask  her  to  pray  for  them. 
But  how  will  this  agree  with  the  following  ? — 


10  THE  WORSHIP  OP  MART. 

Novenas,  p.  26. — "We  petition  thee  with  the  most  fervent  affec- 
tion, to  be  this  day  spiritually  born  by  thy  holy  love  within  our 
souls."  Page  50. — "0  blessed  Lady,  change  us  from  sinners  to 
saints."  Page  60. — "Thou  canst  cure  all  our  infirmities."  Page 
62. — "0  Mary,  make  me  truly  holy."  Page  57. — "Through  the 
merits  of  thy  happy  death,  obtain  for  us  holy  perseverance." 

Sacred  Heart  op  Mary,  p.  409, — "  Most  holy  mother,  I  offer 
thee  all  my  thoughts,  all  my  affections,  all  my  prayers  and  alms. 
0  Mary,  my  good  mother,  preserve  me  this  day  from 
sin." 

Psalter  of  our*Lady,  Psalm  50. — "Have  mercy  on  me,  0  Lady, 
who  art  called  the  mother  of  mercy."* 

"Holy  Mary,  mother  of  Christ,  blot  out  all  my  sins,  reign  in  my 
heart,  and  bring  me  to  happiness,  with  God  alone." 

Examine  these  authorized  prayers  as  well  as  those  extracts 
from  Roman  Catholic  books  of  devotion,  and  ask,  Is  it 
possible  that  those  who  employ  such  language  as  this,  only 
mean  by  all  this  to  ask  the  Virgin  to  pray  for  them  ?  Nay, 
is  it  not  an  express  violation  of  the  solemn  command,  "Thou 
shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
serve  V  Matt.  iv.  10. 

Secondly. — They  say  the  strong  language  of  their  prayers 
is  not  to  be  taken  literally,  if  so,  "it  would  prove  them 
guilty  of  idolatry."  Mark  this:  the  advocates  of  your 
Church  admit  that  if  you  use  the  language  of  your  prayers 
in  the  literal  sense,  you  are  idolaters.  Observe  then,  it  is 
only  by  stopping  short  in  your  mind  of  the  natural  lan- 
guage of  your  lips,  that  you  escape  the  awful  sin  of  idolatry. 
We  must  judge  prayers  addressed  to  the  Virgin  by  their 
letter  and  spirit ;  and  thus  interpreted,  they  are  such  as  no 
person  ought  to  address  to  any  creature,  and  they  involve  the 
grossest  idolatry. 

In  conclusion,  while  Protestants  are  accused  of  putting 
dishonor  on  the  virgin  mother  of  Christ,  let  the  Roman 
Catholic  reader  be  well  assured  that  this  is  quite  a  mistake, 
and    shows    great    ignorance    of    our    principles.      We    also 


*  St.  Bonaventura,  canonized  by  Pope  Sixtus  IV.  in  1482,  and 
called  by  him  the  "Seraphic  Doctor,"  published  a  Psalter,  that  is,  an 
edition  of  the  Psalms  of  David,  throughout  which  the  name  of  Mary 
is  substituted  for  the  name  of  God!  la  not  this  idolatry  of  the  most 
fearful  description  ? 


THE   WORSHIP   OF   MARY.  11 

honor  the  Virgin,  and  cordially  believe  the  salutation  of  the 
angel,  Luke  i.  28  :  "  Hail,  full  of  grace,  the  Lord  is  with 
thee :  blessed  art  thou  among  women."  But  the  Church 
of  Rome  adds  to  this  salutation,  and  turns  it  into  a  prayer 
to  the  Virgin,  and  this  when  Mary  is  dead,  saying,  "  Pray 
for  us  now  and  at  the  hour  of  death,"  while  no  such  words 
are  found  in  Scripture,  and  forgetting  that  the  angel  addressed 
her  when  she  was  alive  and  in  his  presence.  We  also 
regard  Mary  as  "highly  favored,"  and  "blessed,"  but  we 
do  not  consider  that  because  she  is  "blessed,"  this  is  any 
reason  for  worshipping  her.  We  read,  "  Blessed  are  the  poor 
in  spirit,  the  merciful,  the  meek,"  etc.,  Matt.  v. ;  and 
"Blessed  is  he  whose  transgression  is  forgiven,"  Psa.  xxxii. 
1;  yet  we  do  not  pray  to  such  persons.  We  desire  then  to 
honor  Mary  as  we  find  her  honored  in  the  Bible :  we  dare 
not  do  more.  G-od  is  a  jealous  God,  and  he  will  not  give 
his  glory  to  another,  Isa.  xlii.  8  j  therefore  all  religious 
honors  must  be  given  to  him  alone.  Let  it  be  remembered 
that  while  we  have  promises  and  examples  to  encourage  us 
to  pray  for  others,  and  to  ask  good  men  to  pray  for  us,  it  is 
only  while  they  are  on  earth.  Thus  Elijah  said  to  Elisha, 
"Ask  what  I  shall  do  for  thee,  before  I  be  taken  away  from 
thee,"  2  Kings  ii.  9. 

And,  0 !  if  you  seek  for  the  intercession  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  surely  this  not  only  derogates  from  the  Redeemer's 
mediation,  but  must  draw  away  from  him  the  feeling  of 
entire  dependence  and  supreme  affection.  The  writer  has 
conversed  with  many  who  have  been  rigid  Romanists,  and 
they  all  agreed  that  persons  accustomed  to  pray  much  to  the 
Virgin,  regarded  her  with  more  heartfelt  attachment  than 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Surely  it  is  impossible  'that  such 
devotions  to  the  Virgin  as  those  already  quoted  should  not 
have  this  effect.  How  deadly  therefore  and  destructive  to 
the  soul  must  such  "  devotions"  be !  Jesus  demands  and 
deserves  the  entire  and  undivided  affections  of  the  heart. 
And  his  appeal  to  every  reader  is  not,  "  Lovest  thou 
Mary  ?"  but  "  Lovest  thou  me  ?"  "  My  son,  give  me  thine 
heart." 

And  now,  dear  reader,  you  are  entreated  to  compare  the 
Holy  Scriptures  with  the  Breviary,  Missal,  Poor  Man's 
Manual,  Catholic  Piety,  Garden  of  the  Soul,  Path  of  Paradise, 


12  THE   WORSHIP   OP   MARY. 

Key  of  Heaven,  and  the  Glories  of  Mary,  and  ask  yourself, 
as  in  the  presence  of  God,  Can  that  Church  he  the  Holy 
Catholic  Apostolic  Church  which  teaches  a  doctrine  and 
enjoins  a  practice  which  the  blessed  book  of  God  neither 
teaches  nor  enjoins,  and  which  involves  you  in  the  awful  sin 
of  idolatry  ? 

Remember,  we  beseech  you,  that  Jesus  himself  has  de- 
clared, "  I  am  the  WAY :  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father 
BUT  BY  me,"  John  xiv.  6 ;  and  that  an  inspired  apostle 
assures  you  that  there  is  "  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  between 
God  and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,"  1  Tim.  ii.  5.  Come, 
then,  even  now  to  the  Father,  pleading  the  merits  and 
mediation  of  His  dear  Son.  Abandon  every  "refuge  of 
lies,"  in  which  those  who  are  guilty  of  "  teaching  for  doc- 
trines the  commandments  of  men"  would  persuade  you  to 
trust;  and  in  life  and  death  let  your  entire  confidence  be 
placed  in  Him  "  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom, 

AND  RIGHTEOUSNESS,  AND  SANCTIFICATION,  AND  REDEMP- 
TION," 1  Cor.  i.  30. 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  P.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  32. 


THE  PORTRAIT  OF  MARY  IN  HEAVEN. 


FROM   THE   FRENCH   OF   N.    ROUSSEL. 


Towards  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  following 
correspondence  took  place  between  a  young  abbess  and  an 
illustrious  painter : 

THE  ABBESS  TO  THE  PAINTER. 

St.  Mary's  Abbey,  Aug.  15,  1564. 
My  Brother, — For  I  may  now  address  you  as  my 
brother, — I  am  placed  at  the  head  of  a  convent.  I  quitted 
the  world  without  any  great  regret ;  still,  I  confess  that  I  feel 
the  necessity  of  surrounding  myself  with  some  of  those  ele- 
gances which  make  a  cloistered  life  more  endurable.  I  am 
taking  pains  to  redecorate  my  cell;  and  the  thing  I  most 
want  is  a  portrait  of  my  gentle  patroness.  Next  to  a  living 
being,  nothing  is  such  good  company  to  me  as  a  picture, — 
especially  such  pictures  as  yours.  I  write,  then,  to  bespeak 
from  you,  at  any  price  you  think  proper  to  fix,  a  portrait,  as 
faithful  as  possible,  of  the  Most  Holy  Virgin.  You  under- 
stand, I  wish  it  faithful,  not  imaginary..  Take  time,  fix  your 
own  conditions — I  shall  grudge  nothing  to  gain  this  essential 
point  of  fidelity ;  for  I  fancy  that  I  could  pray  more  earnestly 
to  Mary  if  I  could  represent  her  to  myself  exactly  as  she  is 
now  in  heaven.  Awaiting  your  reply,  I  remain  your  humble, 
and,  in  anticipation,  grateful  sister, 

Maria  de  Saint-Roman. 

THE  PAINTER  TO  THE  ABBESS. 

Cloister  of  the  Assumption,  Sept.  30,  1564. 

My  Sister  : — You  will  see,  by  the  date  of  this  letter,  that 
I,  like  you,  have  left  the  world ;  but  I  have  not  renounced 


2  THE   PORTRAIT   OP   MARY  IN   HEAVEN. 

painting.  ^    It  was,  therefore,  with  most  lively  pleasure  that  I 

received  in  this  solitude  your  order  for  a  portrait  of  Mary. 

My  labors  from  this  time  will  at  least  have  an  object ;  and  in 

order  to  make  them  more  enduring,  I  mean  to  compose  this 

picture  with  all  possible  care.     As  you  wish  it,  I  shall  devote 

my  chief  attention  to  the  likeness.     I  shall  await  your  advice 

on  the  subject ;  but  I  think  the  following  will  be  our  wisest 

course  to  attain  this  end : — In  the  first  place,  I  shall  not  copy 

any  of  the  well-known  portraits :  for  these,  as  you  are  aware, 

Mary  did  not  sit  herself,  but  the  most  beautiful  woman  whom 

the  artist  could  find ;  and  often,  alas  1  they  resembled  nothing 

so  little  as  the  Holy  Virgin.     Neither  shall  I  consult  the 

different  legends,  or  the  numerous  lives  of  the  Virgin,  written 

a  thousand  years  after  the  period  when  she  lived.     No :  I 

must  go  back  to  the  fountain-head,  and  seek  in  the  Holy 

Scriptures  themselves  authentic  particulars  respecting  Mary 

to  guide  my  pencil  into  fidelity.     I  will  promise  you  to  leave 

nothing  to  chance,  to  permit  nothing  to  imagination ;  but  to 

study  the  sacred  text  with  minute  attention,  even  should  I 

consume  several  years  of  my  life  in  the  research.    But  a  little 

obstacle  presents  itself:  I  have  no  Bible.     I  have  searched 

in  vain  for  one  in  the  library  of  our  convent,  and  I  write  to 

you  to-day  in  the  persuasion  that  you  will  be  so  fortunate  as 

to  find  one  in  yours,  and  will  allow  me  the  use  of  it.    I  remain, 

humbly  and  respectfully,  your  brother, 

Joseph  de  Saint-Pierre. 

THE  ABBESS  TO  THE  PAINTER. 

St.  Mary's  Abbey,  Dec.  1,  loGl 

My  Brother  : — Your  plan  is  charming ;  and  I  imme- 
diately instituted  a  search  for  the  book  you  want.  Our  con- 
vent does  not  afford  one  any  more  than  your  cloister ;  but  I 
wrote  to  Rome  to  request  a  copy  from  one  of  the  libraries  of 
the  Holy  Father.  This  favor  has  been  granted  me,  and  I 
send  the  holy  volume  with  this  letter. 

Now  then,  work  on  boldly.  Meanwhile,  I  will  pray  Mary 
to  condescend  to  guide  your  pencil,  and  I  trust  that  some 
day  you  will  be  able  to  send  me  a  work  of  which  I  shall  be 
as  glad  as  you  can  be  proud.  Again  I  repeat,  take  time,  and 
do  not  send  me  the  portrait  till  the  likeness  is  exact.  I 
remain,  your  sister,  etc.,  Maria  de  Saint-Roman. 


THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY  IN    HEAVEN.  3 

Two  years  passed  away,  and  the  correspondence  then  recom- 
menced as  follows : — 

THE  PAINTER  TO  THE  ABBESS. 

Cloister  of  the  Assumption,  Jan.  4,  1566. 

My  Sister  : — Here  is,  at  length,  the  work  completed ! 
and  a  conscientiously  faithful  work,  if  ever  there  was  one. 
But  it  is  not  enough  to  assert  fidelity — I  must  also  prove  it ; 
for  the  portrait  which  I  send  you  is  such  that  you  might 
question  its  likeness,  if  I  did  not  set  before  you  at  length  the 
authorities  on  which  rest  my  pretensions  to  have  achieved  the 
most  accurate  portrait  of  the  blessed  Mary,  as  now  in  heaven, 
which  has  ever  existed.  I  will,  therefore,  enter  into  detail 
on  the  subject. 

One  of  the  most  important  points  to  know,  in  order  to 
picture  a  face  to  yourself,  is  the  person's  age.  On  the  arrival 
of  your  Bible,  I  therefore  directed  my  first  inquiries  to  Mary's 
age.  I  opened  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  Luke,  and  from 
the  first  page  I  observed  that  Elizabeth,  who  conceived  only 
six  months  before  Mary,  was  then  "  well  stricken  in  years," 
which  made  me  at  first  suspect  that  Mary,  her  cousin,  could 
not  be  very  young  at  the  period  when  the  daughter  of  her 
uncle  or  aunt  was  very  old.  But,  on  the  whole,  I  would  not 
attach  much  importance  to  this  inference ;  for  Elizabeth  and 
Mary  might  be  the  children  of  two  brothers  or  sisters  of  very 
different  ages.  I  only  noted  this  point,  that  Mary's  cousin 
was  very  old  six  months  before  the  Holy  Virgin  received  the 
angel  Gabriel's  visit. 

The  second  circumstance  which  came  to  my  aid  in  fixing 
the  age  of  Mary  is,  that  when  the  miraculous  conception  took 
place  she  was  already  betrothed — whence  I  conclude  that 
she  was  at  a  marriageable  age.  It  is  important  that  this 
starting-point  should  be  determined :  we  do  not  risk  too 
much  in  supposing  that  Mary  was  then  twenty  years  old, 
especially  when  we  remember  that  she  was  cousin  to  the 
respectable  Elizabeth.  Setting  out  thence,  let  us  continue 
the  reckoning.  ' 

Mary  was  betrothed  at  twenty.  After  the  betrothal,  Joseph 
perceived  her  condition ;  therefore,  when  she  brought  her 
son  into  the  world,  she  must  have  been  twenty  and  a  half. 

From  the  first  chapter  of  St.  Luke  I  pass  to  the  second, 


4  THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY  IN   HEAVEN. 

and  I  see  that  Mary  is  still  living,  because  she  forgets  the 
child  Jesus  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem.  Moreover,  I  see, 
from  verse  42,  that  Jesus  was  then  twelve  years  old :  there- 
fore I  conclude  that  Mary  was  at  that  time  thirty-two  and  a 
half 

From  the  second  I  proceed  to  the  third  chapter,  and  therein 
I  learn  that  Jesus  was  baptized  by  John,  and  began  his  holy 
ministry  at  thirty  years.  Now,  Mary  was  still  living,  since, 
as  you  know,  and  as  we  shall  see  later,  she  outlived  Jesus  on 
the  earth.  I  draw  further  this  very  clear  and  simple  conclu- 
sion, that  if  the  mother  was  twenty  years  and  a  half  old  at  the 
birth  of  her  child,  when  Jesus  had  attained  the  age  of  thirty 
Mary  must  have  arrived  at  that  of  fifty  and  six  months. 

Now,  how  long  did  the  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ  last  ?  It 
was  easy  to  calculate  this  by  searching  out,  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  the  same  Gospel,  the  number  of  different 
times  during  that  ministry  that  Jesus  went  to  celebrate  the 
feast  of  the  Passover  at  Jerusalem.  Thus,  in  St.  John  ii. 
12,  13,  I  see  that  Jesus  descends  to  Capernaum  because  the 
Passover  was  near. 

At  the  fifth  chapter  a  feast  occurs  again,  which  must  be 
the  Passover,  because  St.  Luke,  chap,  vi.,  refers  the  events 
here  related  to  that  epoch. 

At  the  sixth  chapter,  fourth  verse,  we  find  a  third  Passover. 

Lastly,  chapter  xiii.,  comes  the  fourth  and  last  Passover,  at 
which  Jesus  died. 

These  four  Passovers,  contained  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus 
Christ,  do  not  allow  us  to  suppose  that  it  lasted  less  than 
three,  or  more  than  four  years.  I  take  the  mean,  and  admit 
three  years  and  a  half.  Now,  if  Mary  was  fifty  years  and  a 
half  old  when  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  if  his  ministry  lasted 
three  years  and  a  half,  Mary,  when  standing  at  the  foot  of  the 
Saviour's  cross,  was  exactly  fifty-four. 

Here  the  Gospel  finishes ;  but  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
commence,  and  there  I  find  Mary  again,  at  prayer  with  the 
disciples.  Elsewhere  I  observed  that,  according  to  the  order 
of  Jesus,  the  Apostle  John  must  have  received  Mary  into  his 
dwelling.  How  long  did  she  remain  there  ?  This  the  Holy 
Scriptures  nowhere  say,  for  there  is  no  further  mention  of 
her  whatever.  Whether  Mary  lived  one,  two,  three,  ten,  or 
twenty  years,  I  know  not.     If  I  would  follow  the  tradition  of 


THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY  IN   HEAVEN.  5 

the  Church,I  should  be  obliged  to  suppose  that  she  lived  a 
long  while  at  Ephesus,  where  St.  John  was  bishop ;  but  as  I 
desire  not  to  age  Mary  without  an  imperative  necessity,  I 
prefer,  in  the  silence  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  suppose  that 
she  dwelt  in  this  inferior  world  only  five  or  six  years  more, 
which  makes  her  just  sixty.  It  is  at  that  age  that  Mary 
would  ascend  to  heaven.  But  before  we  follow  her  there,  let 
us  study  a  few  additional  circumstances,  which  may  aid  in 
setting  her  appearance  more  correctly  before  us. 

If  it  be  well  for  the  painter  to  know  the  age  of  a  woman, 
to  aid  him  in  gaining  an  idea  of  her  countenance,  another 
circumstance,  no  less  helpful,  is  to  ascertain  whether  the 
woman  has  had  children,  and  how  many.  Never  should  I 
have  dreamed  of  starting  this  question  with  regard  to  Mary, 
if  certain  passages  which  my  eyes  glanced  upon  in  looking 
through  the  Gospels  had  not  awakened  my  suspicions. 

The  first  hint  which  I  received  on  this  point,  is  at  the  last 
verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  St.  Matthew.  I  saw  that  Jesus 
was  called  the  "jirst-born"  son  of  Mary;  and  that  Joseph 
did  not  live  with  her,  as  her  husband,  "till"  the  birth  of 
Jesus.  The  two  words  which  I  here  underline  appear  to  me 
significant.  But  this  time  also  I  would  not  hasten  to  a  con- 
clusion, and  I  liked  better  to  believe,  before  a  still  more  evi- 
dent proof  to  the  contrary,  that  Mary  had  no  other  children 
besides  Jesus. 

Such  was  the  tendency  of  my  mind  after  reading  the  first 
chapter  of  St.  Matthew ;  and  I  greatly  hoped  that  nothing,  in 
advancing  in  the  perusal,  would  oblige  me  to  resist  it.  It  was 
almost  with  terror  that,  on  reaching  chapter  xii.,  I  encountered 
these  words  : — "As  Jesus  was  speaking  to  the  people,  his 
mother  and  his  brothers,  who  were  outside,  asked  to  speak  to 
him."  "His  brothers  !'•  I  cried;  "if  Jesus  had  brothers, 
Mary  then  had  several  children  !  No,  no  :  it  must  not  be 
thus.  No  doubt  the  word  brother  here  means  cousin:  let  us 
pass  over  it,  and  may  God  grant  that  no  other  difficulties  may 
recall  me  to  the  argument  V 

I  went  on,  and  immediately  found  the  following  lines : 
"And  some  one  said  to  Jesus,  Behold,  thy  mother  and  thy 
brothers  are  without,  and  ask  to  speak  to  thee.  But  Jesus 
answered  him,  Who  is  my  mother,  and  who  are  my  brothers  ? 
And  stretching  out  his  hands  over  the  disciples,  he  said,  Be- 


6  THE  PORTRAIT  OF   MARY  IN  HEAVEN. 

hold  my  mother  and  my  brothers  !  for  whoever  does  the  wili 
of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven,  he  is  my  brother,  my  sister, 
and  my  mother." 

This  close  of  the  story  only  added  to  my  embarrassment; 
for  if,  I  reflected,  the  word  brother  means  cousin  in  the  first 
line,  it  ought  also  to  mean  cousin  in  the  second.  And  in 
that  case,  Jesus  would  seriously  have  addressed  to  the  crowd 
this  burlesque  phrase :  "  He  who  does  the  will  of  my  Father 
who  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  cousin  I"  This  supposition 
is  ridiculous,  absurd,  impossible !  This  is  to  clothe  in  a  gro- 
tesque form  that  thought — so  touching  in  the  noble  expression 
of  the  Saviour — that  we  are  brothers  and  sisters  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

You  perceive  it  here  becomes  necessary  to  choose  between 
two  translations  and  their  consequences  :  either  Mary  was 
accompanied  by  her  nephews — therefore  it  is  to  cousins  that 
Jesus  compares  the  apostles,  and  thereby  we  lose  the  beau- 
tiful name  of  his  brothers — or  else  she  was  surrounded  by 
her  own  children ;  but  thus  Mary  loses  her  glorious  title  to  a 
perpetual  virginity.  For  my  own  part,  I  confess  that,  if  one 
must  absolutely  make  the  election,  I  would  rather  think  that 
Mary  had  several  children,  than  disinherit  the  whole  Church, 
the  Christians  of  all  ages,  of  the  beautiful  prerogative  of  being 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Nevertheless,  we  do  not  so  easily  renounce  the  ideas  held 
since  our  tenderest  infancy,  and  nourished  during  a  whole 
life  :  although  my  mind  was  convinced,  my  heart  was  not 
won.  I  still  inwardly  resisted,  and  I  hoped  for  an  almost 
miracle  to  restore  me  to  my  former  illusion. 

I  turned  the  leaf,  and  I  read  the  following  chapter.  Would 
you  believe  it  ?  To  my  great  surprise,  I  saw,  at  verses  fifty- 
five  and  fifty-six,  that  not  only  brothers  of  Jesus  were  men- 
tioned, but  sisters  too.  The  word  cousin  might  possibly  have 
been  put  for  brother,  for  the  Greek  term  (as  a  note  in  your 
Bible  informs  me)  will  bear  both  senses ;  but  alas  !  the  word 
sister  absolutely  cannot  be  taken  in  the  sense  of  cousin ;  for, 
according  to  a  monk  of  our  convent,  whom  I  consulted,  those 
two  words  are  never  used  interchangeably  in  the  original  text 
of  the  New  Testament.  You  may,  therefore,  yourself  judge 
of  the  force  of  my  argument,  and  that  without  understanding 
either  Hebrew,  Greek,  or  Latin.     I  reflected  :  There  are  in 


THE   PORTRAIT   OP   MARY   IN    HEAVEN.  7 

this  passage  the  Greek  words  adelphos  and  adelphe :  now, 
since  adelphe  always  in  the  Scriptures  signifies  sister,  and 
never  cousin,  is  it  not  evident  that  adelphos  here  means 
brother,  and  not  cousin  ? 

As  for  the  rest,  one  reflection,  suggested  by  good  sense, 
settles  the  question :  to  make  the  word  adelphos  signify 
brother,  it  need  only  be  taken  in  its  ordinary  sense ;  but  to 
make  it  mean  cousin,  it  must  be  understood  in  its  exceptional 
sense.  If  those  who  wrote  the  Bible  had  believed  the  per- 
petual virginity  of  Mary,  surely  they  would  have  avoided  the 
ambiguity. 

As  soon  as  I  had  admitted  this  interpretation,  a  thousand 
other  details  came  to  the  confirmation  of  my  new  opinion. 
Thus,  in  a  passage  which  I  am  examining,  the  Nazarenes, 
astonished  that  Jesus,  who  had  passed  his  childhood  among 
them,  should  to-day  be  working  miracles,  exclaim  :  "  Is  not 
this  the  son  of  the  carpenter  ?  is  not  his  mother  called  Mary, 
his  brothers,  James,  Joses,  Simon,  and  Jude?  and  are  not 
his  sisters  also  with  us  V 

Now,  when  neighbors  enumerate  the  members  of  a  family, 
is  it  not  natural  to  think  that,  after  having  named  the  father 
and  mother,  they  would  mention  the  names  of  the  brothers 
and  sisters  rather  than  those  of  the  cousins  ? 

Finally,  if  Jesus  were  the  only  child  of  Mary,  why  does 
not  the  Holy  Scripture  say  so  ?  It  says,  indeed,  and  that 
several  times,  that  Jesus  is  the  only  Son  of  God ;  why  does 
it  not  say  also,  at  least  once,  that  he  is  the  only  son  of  Mary  ? 
If  the  words  are  different,  it  is  because  the  facts  are  different 
also.  We  must  suppose  that  authors,  inspired  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  knew  how  to  choose  their  expressions,  and  that  they 
speak  with  equal  truth  when  they  call  Jesus  only  Son  of  God 
and  first-born  son  of  Mary. 

From  these  considerations  we  must  necessarily  come  to 
this  conclusion : — Mary,  after  having  conceived  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  brought  into  the  world  the  only  Son  of  God,  had 
accomplished  her  supernatural  task,  and  from  that  time  reen- 
tered into  the  ordinary  course  of  nature ;  that  is,  became  in 
all  things  the  chaste  wife  of  her  husband  Joseph. 

Now  then,  according  to  this  thirteenth  chapter  of  St. 
Matthew,  Jesus  had  at  this  period  four  brothers  and  some 
sisters.     The  plural  of  the  word  sisters  represents  at  least  the 


8  THE  PORTRAIT   OF   MARY  IN   HEAVEN. 

number  two  :  I  therefore  draw  this  final  inference :  Mary  had, 
as  children — 

Jesus,  her  first-born, 
His  four  brothers. 
And  his  two  sisters : 

in  other  words,  Mary  was  mother  of  seven  children.  Now 
understand,  my  sister,  that  I  felt  it  right  to  take  account  in 
my  picture  of  this  important  circumstance,  and  slightly  ema- 
ciate the  features  already  aged.  But  if  Mary's  advanced  age 
of  sixty  years,  and  her  seven  times  renewed  maternity,  came 
to  my  aid  to  give  her  the  respectable  features  of  a  holy  and 
good  mother,  grown  old  in  the  experience  of  life,  and,  alasl 
in  grief  also — since  the  sufferings  and  death  of  her  first-born 
son  must  have  transpierced  her  soul  like  a  sword — still  none 
of  this  could  yet  teach  me  any  thing  of  the  expression  of  her 
face.  Were  her  features  beautiful  and  regular  ?  or  had  they 
nothing  very  remarkable  in  them  ?  The  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion appeared  to  me  difficult  to  find.  I  even  searched  the 
whole  New  Testament,  without  discovering  any  thing  in  it  to 
put  me  on  the  track  of  a  direct  solution.  On  the  whole,  I 
observed  in  every  page  a  marked  disdain  for  what  has  to  do 
with  mere  outward  form.  Thus  God  willed  that  his  divine 
Son  should  be  born  in  a  manger — should  live  with  artisans — 
should  die  on  a  cross.  All  through  the  Gospel  the  flesh  is 
abased  and  the  spirit  exalted;  therefore  appearance  is  despised 
and  reality  required.  Throughout,  the  body  of  the  Christian 
is  counted  for  little,  and  his  soul  for  much ;  consequently,  I 
inclined  toward  the  opinion  that  such  was  also  the  case  with 
the  body  of  Jesus  Christ,  when  a  passage  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment came  to  confirm  me  in  it.  Notice  how  Isaiah  describes 
the  exterior  of  the  Messiah  : — "  He  hath  no  form  nor  comeli- 
ness ;  and  when  we  shall  see  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we 
should  desire  him."  Isaiah  liii.  U.  That  is  what  Isaiah  the 
prophet  says. 

Ah  !  doubtless,  my  sister,  to  me  as  to  you,  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God  and  himself  God  :  he  is  a  model  of  sanctity, 
of  moral  beauty,  of  magnanimity,  of  high-souled  devution. 
Doubtless  Jesus  is  worthy  of  all  our  worship;  but  observe 
that  I  here  speak  only  of  the  material  body  which  he  assumed 
in  Mary's  womb,  that  he  might  live  for  a  space  among  us  in 


THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY  IN   HEAVEN.  9 

his  humiliation;  and  though  prostrating  myself  before  the 
God,  I  can  still  admit  that  his  mortal  covering  had  neither 
beauty  nor  splendor,  nor,  indeed,  any  thing  to  please  the 
sight. 

If  such  was  Jesus,  we  may,  on  the  same  grounds,  and 
further,  from  the  probable  resemblance  of  mother  and  son, 
suppose  that  such  also  would  Mary  be. 

I  placed  myself  before  my  canvas  and  seized  my  pencil, 
when  a  new  idea  struck  me.  It  is  for  Mary  as  she  is  now, 
and  not  as  she  was  in  her  childhood  or  her  youth,  that  you 
have  asked  me,  and  you  are  right ;  for  it  is  not  Mary  at  her 
marriage,  but  Mary  after  her  entrance  into  heaven,  who  now 
intercedes  for  us.  Here  I  had  no  longer  any  thing  in  the 
Holy  Scripture  to  guide  me.  The  Church,  indeed,  speaks  of 
the  Assumption  of  the  Virgin ;  but  the  word  of  God  is  silent 
upon  it.  What  could  I  do  ?  As  a  good  Catholic,  submit  to 
the  Church.  I  admitted,  without  further  hesitation,  what 
that  good  mother  teaches ;  that  is,  that  Mary,  at  the  close  of 
her  earthly  life,  (according  to  our  calculation,  at  sixty  years 
of  age,)  was  raised  to  heaven  in  body  and  soul,  and  placed 
beside  her  Son.  This  once  accepted  as  a  fact,  how  should  I 
represent  Mary  arriving  in  paradise?  Of  course,  with  the 
features  which  she  had  on  quitting  the  earth,  since  she  did 
not  die,  but  departed  with  the  same  body ;  but  was  not  this 
body,  then,  in  any  way  modified  ?  Such  is  the  question 
which  I  thought  I  could  put  to  my  guide — hitherto  so  sure — 
the  word  of  God. 

I  again  went  entirely  through  the  New  Testament,  and 
here  is  what  I  found  respecting  my  subject : — i(  In  the  life  to 
come/'  said  Jesus  to  the  Sadducees,  "  those  who  are  worthy 
of  the  resurrection  shall  neither  marry  nor  be  given  in  mar- 
riage, because  they  are  like  the  angels."  Thus  Mary,  as  now 
in  heaven,  can  neither  marry  nor  be  given  in  marriage :  she 
is  in  a  manner  neither  man  nor  woman.  Jesus  says,  "  She  is 
like  the  angels." 

Now,  how  are  angels  to  be  represented  ?  or,  at  least,  what 
is  the  essential  difference  which  distinguishes  these  celestial 
creatures  from  human  creatures  ?  On  the  one  hand,  we  must 
believe  that  their  forms  are  analogous  to  ours,  because  it  is 
thus  that  they  are  often  presented  to  the  personages  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  are 
10 


10  THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY   IN    HEAVEN. 

told,  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  that  in  the  presence  of 
God  "  the  angels  vail  their  faces  with  their  wings. "  Whence 
I  draw  this  conclusion,  if  not  certain,  at  least  probable,  that 
our  celestial  body  must  differ  in  some  respects  from  the  pre- 
sent one ;  and  that  to  us,  as  well  as  to  the  angels,  this  admi- 
rable method  of  traversing  space,  and  of  ranging  from  sun  to 
sun  and  from  world  to  world,  will  be  given,  that  we  may 
accomplish  the  commands  of  our  Grod. 

This  is  the  reason  why  I  have  given  wings  to  the  Queen 
of  heaven,  who  is  no  longer  either  man  or  woman ;  and  who 
entered  into  paradise,  on  the  testimony  of  the  Church,  when 
she  quitted  the  earth ;  that  is,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years. 

As  to  the  drapery  with  which  I  have  covered  Mary,  I  was 
guided,  not  by  our  imaginary  portraits,  in  which  she  is  painted 
gracefully  attired  in  light  blue  robes ;  nor  have  I  introduced 
into  her  garments  those  folds,  here  tightened  to  define  the 
form,  there  let  loose  to  hang  tastefully ;  but  I  have  the  rather 
conformed  myself  to  the  indications  furnished  by  the  Book 
of  Revelation,  where  great  multitudes  of  saints  are  seen 
enveloped  in  long  white  robes. 

And  now,  my  sister,  I  have  completed  the  vindication  of 
my  portrait.  I  hope  that  you  will  be  pleased  with  it,  for  I 
have  accomplished  what  I  promised — a  portrait  of  Mary,  the 
most  faithful  of  all  that  have  ever  been  painted. 

I  remain,  devotedly  and  respectfully,  your  brother, 

Joseph  de  Saint-Pierre. 

P  S. — I  return  you  your  Bible,  that  you  may  yourself 
verify  the  quotations  which  justify  my  work. 

A  year  passed  away,  and  the  abbess  replied  in  the  follow- 
ing letter,  which  closed  the  correspondence  : — 

THE  ABBESS  TO  THE  PAINTER. 

Abbey  of  St.  Mary,  Feb.  1G,  1567. 
Dear  Brother  in  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  : — With  feelings  of  the  purest  and  most  vivid  joy  I 
address  you.  Without  question  you  have  rendered  me  the 
greatest  of  services  :  it  is  only  just  that  I  should  endeavor  to 
render  as  great  a  one  to  you  in  my  turn.  You  believed  you 
were  sending  me  an  inanimate  portrait :  you  gave  me  a  living 


THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY   IN   HEAVEN.  11 

being.  You  thought  to  make  me  acquainted  with  a  woman, 
our  mediatrix  with  Christ :  you  have  revealed  to  me  God  the 
Saviour.  But  this  needs  explanation.  I  will  unfold  the 
matter  from  the  beginning. 

You  will  understand  how,  on  the  receipt  of  your  packeL 
my  first  glance  was  at  the  picture.  The  sight  confounded  me 
I  read  your  letter ;  and,  although  with  difficulty,  I  yielded  tt 
your  arguments.  Afterwards  I  hung  up  the  blessed  portrait 
in  my  cell ;  yes,  Messed,  as  you  will  see. 

The  more  I  contemplated  these  emaciated  features,  that 
figure  enfeebled  by  age,  the  more  was  I  disenchanted,  and  the 
more  was  my  veneration  for  Mary  weakened.  I  felt  displeased 
with  myself;  "for,  after  all,"  I 'reflected,  "she  is  still  the 
very  same  being,  and  Mary  is  not  the  less  powerful  with  God 
for  being  neither  young  nor  beautiful."  Vainly  did  I  again 
and  again  school  myself  with  these  fine  reasonings :  I  was 
conscious  of  a  continual  diminution  and  failure  of  affection  for 
my  patroness;  and  at  length  I  came  to  perceive  that  what  I 
had  hitherto  loved  in  the  Virgin  was  her  young,  beautiful, 
girlish  face,  and  her  graceful  and  pure  form;  but  not  her 
moral  character  and  intercession  with  Jesus  Christ.  Having 
once  made  this  confession,  I  wished  to  know  for  myself  this 
Mary  whom  I  still  respected,  but  whom  I  could  no  longer 
adore  without  difficulty.  I  opened  the  Bible  which  you  had 
sent  me.  There,  too,  as  before  the  picture,  I  felt  my  old  ideas 
vanish  one  after  the  other;  and  the  young,  sweet,  beautiful 
Virgin,  the  mediatrix  between  Jesus  and  men,  and,  moreover, 
the  Queen  of  heaven,  was  changed  into  an  humble  servant  of 
the  Lord — happy  because  she  had  been  received  into  favor, 
and  who,  far  from  being  able  to  contribute  to  the  salvation  of 
others,  herself  required  to  be  saved.  The  following  is  the 
passage  which  struck  me  most  vividly  :  "  My  soul  doth  mag- 
nify the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour." 
(See  Luke  i.  46,  47.) 

If  God  be  her  Saviour,  I  said  to  myself,  then  Mary  was 
previously  lost ;  then  she  was  not  sinless ;  but  I  continue  to 
quote  this  portion  of  the  Gospel : — 

"  For  he  hath  regarded  the  low  estate  of  his  handmaiden." 
You  perceive  Mary  speaks  of  her  low  estate.  She  adds : 
"  Henceforth  all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed.  For  He 
that  is  mighty  hath  done  unto  me  great  things." 


12  THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY   IN   HEAVEN. 

Thus,  then,  if  Mary  were  exalted,  it  was  by  God,  and  not 
by  herself.  But  listen  again  to  what  the  angel  Gabriel  says 
to  her  at  verse  thirty  of  the  same  chapter  :  "  Mary,  thou  hast 
found  grace  before  God."  Now,  you  understand  that  to  find 
grace,  it  is  necessary  to  have  sinned :  you  feel  that  it  would, 
for  instance,  be  ridiculous  to  say  that  God  has  bestowed  grace 
or  pardon  on  Jesus  Christ — ridiculous,  because  he  did  not  sin. 

Notwithstanding,  do  not  think  that  my  great  joy  comes 
from  the  discovery  that  Mary  was  only  a  favored  and  blessed 
woman,  like  every  woman  who  is  pardoned  and  saved.  No ; 
but  as  soon  as  I  had  dethroned  this  idol  from  the  sovereignty 
of  my  heart,  the  place  was  prepared  for  Him  who  should 
always  have  filled  it.  Yes,  in  seeking  to  know  Mary  from 
the  Bible,  I  learned  better  to  appreciate  Jesus  Christ,  my  only 
and  well-beloved  Saviour.  And  that  which  I  find  in  him  is 
not  what  I  formerly  sought  in  Mary — a  carnal  body,  chiselled 
in  this  or  that  form  ;  but  a  soul,  a  heart,  a  love,  which  nothing 
here  below  can  worthily  express.  Ah  !  dear  brother,  when  I 
saw  the  Son  of  God  quit  the  heavens  to  come  and  live  on  the 
earth;  when  I  followed  him  at  every  step  instructing  the 
people,  curing  the  sick,  visiting  the  poor,  from  whom  he  ex- 
pected nothing ;  blaming  the  great  at  the  risk  of  their  dis- 
pleasure ;  and,  above  all,  when  I  heard  the  Saviour  say  to  nie, 
"  Come  unto  me,  you  who  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest :  he  who  believes  in  me  shall  not  die  :  P  give  my  life 
for  the  sheep ;"  and  lastly,  when,  after  having  thus  listened  to 
him,  I  beheld  him  ascend  a  cross  to  expiate  my  sins,  and  ex- 
claim in  death,  "Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do  I" — O,  then  I  felt  my  heart  burn  within  nie, 
emotion  overcame  me,  my  eyes  overflowed  with  tears,  and  I 
cried,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God,  I  am  at  length  saved !" 

Since  then,  every  thing  has  seemed  new  to  me :  those 
Christian  truths  which  I  already  called  mine,  seem  like  beau- 
tiful images  which  have  suddenly  received  life  and  motion. 
The  gospel,  Christ,  heaven,  God,  became  realities  to  me.  I 
felt  in  my  heart  a  divine  guest  explaining  the  word  of  God, 
rendering  the  good  which  had  hitherto  been  so  difficult  to  mo 
easy,  and  disgusting  me  with  the  evil  formerly  so  sweet.  I 
am  as  though  I  had  been  transported  into  a  new  world,  where 
the  ideas,  the  feelings,  all  things,  are  different  from  the  world 
of  yesterday;  and  this  new  world  began  to  surround  me  or. 


THE   PORTRAIT   OF   MARY   IN   HEAVEN.  13 

the  day  when  I  truly  felt  that  I  was  fully  and  freely  saved  by 
Jesus  Christ. 

And  you,  dear  brother,  will  you  not  also  finish  the  way 
which  you  have  already  half  travelled  ?  You  have  restored 
the  Virgin  to  her  place — will  you  not  also  restore  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  to  his?  Ah,  believe  me,  true 
peace,  true  joy,  is  there  alone.  Take  this  Bible  (not  the 
same,  for  I  keep  that  myself)  :  read  it  every  day,  praying  for 
the  Holy  Spirit;  and,  be  assured,  you  will  soon  find  a  better 
than  Mary,  the  mediatrix :  you  will  meet  Jesus  himself,  our 
God  and  Saviour ! 


"NOT  WITHOUT   THE   DUES." 

There  was  a  poor  Roman  Catholic,  of  the  name  of  Neale, 
in  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  in  Ireland,  who  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  hearing  a  religious  tract  read,  in  which  was  set  forth 
the  blessedness  of  having  the  Bible,  and  the  happiness  de- 
rived from  an  acquaintance  with  the  mercies  and  exceeding 
precious  promises  of  Grod  in  Christ  to  sinners  therein  revealed. 
He  was  particularly  struck  by  hearing  the  text  quoted,  "  Ho  ! 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,"  etc.,  (Isa. 
lv.  1,)  and  became  most  anxiously  desirous  of  obtaining  a 
Bible.  Having  heard  that  a  clergyman  in  the  neighborhood 
gave  them  to  the  poor,  he  went  to  him,  and,  with  an  expres- 
sion of  much  confusion  and  anxiety,  begged  one ;  having  ob- 
tained which,  he  went  away  with  a  delight  in  his  countenance 
that  was  very  remarkable.  In  about  three  months  afterwards 
the  clergyman  met  him,  and.  asked  him  whether  he  read  the 
Bible,  and  what  he  found  in  it.  He  said  that  he  read  it  con- 
stantly, and  found  much  pleasure  and  comfort  in  reading  it ; 
but  he  did  not  say  that  he  discovered,  through  it,  any  par- 
ticular truth.  The  clergyman  then  spoke  to  him  about  the 
grace  of  Grod  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  was  to  be  discovered  in 
every  part  of  the  Bible,  for  that  Christ  was  the  sum  and  sub- 
stance of  it.  The  conversation  was  short,  as  it  rained  very 
hard  at  the  time.  About  three  months  afterwards,  the  man 
came  to  the  clergyman,  and  told  him  he  desired  to  become 
a   Protestant.      The  clergyman  asked   him  what  he  meant 


14  THE  PORTRAIT  OF   MARY  IN    HEAVEN. 

by  becoming  a  Protestant:     He  said,  to  join  a  people  whr 
worshipped  God  in  heart,  and  knew  the  mercy  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ     He  was  then  asked  what  he  knew  of  the  salva- 
tion of  Christ.     From  his  answers  it  appeared  that  he  had 
been  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus, 
andto  a  discovery  of  the  fullness  there  is  in  him  for  the  chief 
of"  sinners.     Getting  more  confidence,  after  some  conversa- 
tion, he  told  the  clergyman  that  he  had  for  some  time  seen 
the  errors  of  the  Church  of  Kome,  and  determined  to  leave 
her  communion;    and  wishing  to  let  the  priest  know  the 
reason  why  he  did,  he  went  to  him  to  confession  at  Easter. 
When  he  had  confessed,  as  the  priest  was  about  to  give  him 
absolution,  he  stopped  him  by  saying  he  had  only  a  shilling 
to  give  him  :  his  fee  was  half  a  crown.    The  priest  asked  him 
what  he  meant  by  not  having  the  fee,  and  spoke  to  him 
severely.     The  poor  man  answered,  that  he  had  a  wife  and 
six  children ;  and  that  he  only  earned  tenpence  a  day,  and 
could  hardly  support  them  on  this  small  pittance ;  and  that 
he  could  not  give  him  more.     The  priest  said,  that  if  he  were 
to  listen  to  such  excuses,  he  should  never  be  able  to  get  his 
dues;  and  again  spoke  severely.     The  man  then  asked  him 
if  he  would  give  him  absolution.     He  said,  "Not  without  the 
dues :"  the  man  then  replied,  "  Father,  since  the  grace  you 
have  to  give  is  only  to  be  had  for  money,  I  must  go  and  seek 
it  where  it  is  to  be  got  l without  money  and  without  price;' " 
and  then  left  him.     The  relation  of  this  circumstance  pro- 
duced a  conversation  on  the  text  he  quoted,  and  it  was  de- 
lightful to  hear  what  clear  and  simple  views  he  had  obtained 
of  the  free  grace  of  God  to  the  chief  of  sinners,  while  his 
heart  was  overflowing  with  joy :  this  being  the  first  conversa- 
tion he  had  ever  held  with  any  person  who  knew  any  thing 
of  truth.     He  was  wonderfully  taught  of  God,  through  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures;  and  there  were  few  passages  in 
the  prophets,  declaring  the  freedom  and  fullness  of  grace,  that 
he  had  not  some  knowledge  of,  although  it  was  but  six  months 
from  the  time  he  obtained  the  Bible  until  he  had  the  conver- 
sation with  the  priest.     The  man  has  since  been  increasing  in 
the  knowledge  of  God  and  his  Christ,  and  is  truly  living  to 
his  glory. 


THE  PORTRAIT   OF   MARY   IN    HEAVEN.  15 


FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

The  gods  that  gave  us  not  our  birth, 
The  gods  that  made  not  heaven  and  earth, 
Perish  their  names  !  no  gods  are  they — 
We  cast  them  all  in  scorn  away. 

But,  Lord,  idolaters  are  we, 
If  we  withhold  our  hearts  from  thee : 
Self  and  the  world  our  idols  are, 
If  they  our  chief  affections  share. 

0  set  up  in  our  hearts  thy  throne, 
Destroy  thy  rivals — reign  alone  : 
Maker  of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  sea, 
We'll  have  no  other  gods  but  thee ! 


SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

0  Father,  we  approach  thy  throne 
In  spirit  and  in  truth  alone  ; 
For  naught  in  heaven,  or  earth,  or  sea, 
Can  represent  thy  majesty. 

How  they  insult  a  jealous  God, 
How  they  provoke  his  vengeful  rod, 
Who  render  worship,  fear,  or  love 
To  aught  beside  the  Power  above ! 

Lord,  save  us  from  this  fearful  sin, 
Which  by  a  thousand  forms  creeps  in : 
Thy  word  alone  our  guide  shall  be, 
And  by  its  light  we'll  worship  thee. 


PSALM    CXV 

BY  DR.  WATTS. 

Not  to  our  names,  Thou  only  just  and  true, 

Not  to  our  worthless  names  is  glory  due : 

Thy  power  and  grace,  thy  truth  and  justice  claim 

Immortal  honors  to  thy  sovereign  name. 

Shine  through  the  earth,  from  heaven  thy  blest  abode, 

Nor  let  the  heathen  say,  "And  where's  your  God?" 


16  THE   PORTRAIT   OF    MARY   IN    HEAVEN. 

Heaven  is  thy  higher  court :  there  stands  thy  throne , 
And  through  the  lower  worlds  thy  will  is  done : 
Earth  is  thy  work:  the  heavens  thy  hand  hath  spread; 
But  fools  adore  the  gods  their  hands  have  made : 
The  kneeling  crowd,  with  looks  devout,  behold 
Their  silver  saviours  and  their  saints  of  gold. 

Vain  are  those  artful  shapes  of  eyes  and  ears — 

The  molten  image  neither  sees  nor  hears : 

Their  hands  are  helpless,  nor  their  feet  can  move: 

They  have  no  speech,  nor  thought,  nor  power,  nor  love ; 

Yet  sottish  mortals  make  their  long  complaints 

To  their  deaf  idols  and  their  moveless  saints. 

The  rich  have  statues  well  adorn'd  with  gold : 
The  poor,  content  with  gods  of  coarser  mould, 
With  tools  of  iron  carve  the  senseless  stock, 
Lopt  from  a  tree,  or  broken  from  a  rock: 
People  and  priest  drive  on  the  solemn  trade, 
And  trust  the  gods  that  saws  and  hammers  made. 

Be  heaven  and  earth  amazed !     'Tis  hard  to  say 
"Which  the  more  stupid — or  their  gods  or  they. 
0  Israel,  trust  the  Lord :  he  hears  and  sees : 
He  knows  thy  sorrows,  and  restores  thy  peace : 
His  worship  does  a  thousand  comforts  yield : 
He  is  thy  help,  and  he  thy  heavenly  shield. 

In  God  we  trust:  our  impious  foes  in  vain 
Attempt  our  ruin,  and  oppose  his  reign : 
Had  they  prevail'd,  darkness  had  closed  our  days, 
And  death  and  silence  had  forbid  his  praise : 
But  we  are  saved,  and  live  :   let  songs  arise, 
And  Zion  bless  the  God  who  built  the  skies. 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  33. 


THE  VIKGIN  AND   THE    SAINTS. 


FROM   THE   FRENCH   OF   N.   ROUSSEL. 


In  a  retired  village  of  France,  a  good  old  cure"  lived  peace- 
ably, after  having  passed  his  youth  in  the  storms  of  the  Revo- 
lution of  '89.  He  had  become  a  priest  by  degrees,  without 
the  usual  studies,  and  had  been  placed  at  the  head  of  a 
church.  Settled  in  this  cure  toward  the  beginning  of  the 
empire,  he  struggled  for  more  than  thirty  years  to  improve 
the  manners  of  his  parish,  but  without  effect.  Instead  of 
coming  to  mass,  the  men  went  to  the  public-house ;  and,  far 
from  coming  to  confess,  the  women  ran  eagerly  to  the  dance. 
Hoping  that  a  younger  and  better-instructed  priest  would 
have  more  success,  the  old  cure  thought  of  taking  his  nephew 
as  curate. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  young  man,  the  old  man  ingenuously 
told  him  the  sad  state  of  his  flock. 

"  How  do  you  try/'  said  his  nephew,  "  to  give  them  a 
taste  for  religion  ?" 

11 1  always  speak  to  them  of  the  Holy  Grod." 

"What  besides  ?" 

"  Sometimes  of  the  saints." 

"An  opposite  plan  must  be  adopted." 

"  But  God  is  better  than  saints  !" 

"  This  is  what  I  mean  : — We  have  observed  that,  in  order 
to  interest  men,  we  must  chiefly  discourse  of  their  equals, 
with  whom  they  like  to  compare  themselves/' 

"  But  if  they  want  a  model,  can  they  not  find  it  in  Grod  V 

"Not  so,  uncle.  Grod,  too  great,  too  holy,  frightens  sin- 
ners :  that  is  why  they  keep  so  far  away.  Besides,  how 
would  you  represent  to  them  an  invisible,  impalpable  Grod, 
10* 


2  THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS. 

while  the  image  of  a  saint  can  be  placed  before  their  eyes, 
in  their  hands  ?  By  thus  giving  them  sensible  things,  we 
attach  them  to  the  Church — I  should  say  to  religion.  But, 
indeed,  uncle,  I  hope  you  sometimes  speak  to  them  of  the 
very  holy  Virgin  ?" 

"  Rarely." 

"  So  much  the  worse." 

"  However,  God  is  always  God  :  while  the  Virgin  (betweeD 
ourselves)  is  only  a  most  blessed  woman." 

"  That  is  of  no  consequence — the  Virgin  is  a  woman,  and 
that  is  what  gives  strength  to  my  argument.  Frequently 
place  Mary  before  the  eyes  of  your  parishioners,  and  you 
will  be  surprised  with  the  happy  results  you  will  obtain.  The 
mother  of  the  family  will  see  in  Mary  her  own  image ;  for, 
like  her,  Mary  has  been  a  mother.  The  young  girl  will  see 
her  protectress ;  for,  like  her,  Mary  is  a  virgin.  The  child 
will  see  in  her  its  mother,  the  man  his  wife,  or  her  who 
should  become  so  ',  and  thus  each  will  be  taken  on  his  weak 
side.  In  one  word,  men  have  senses — it  is  by  them  we  must 
lay  hold  upon  them.  Have  a  well-dressed  Madonna — give 
her  the  first  place  in  your  church,  in  your  sermons,  in  your 
books ;  and  be  sure  you  will  obtain  for  the  Virgin,  and  con- 
sequently for  the  Church,  an  emanation  of  the  mild  influ- 
ence which  is  exercised  everywhere  by  the  sex  to  which  she 
belongs." 

"  Do  you  believe  it  ?" 

" 1  am  sure  of  it." 

"  Well,  listen  :  since  you  have  confidence  in  your  system, 
try  it  upon  my  church — while  I,  too  old  to  bend  to  your 
ideas,  shall  retire  into  my  closet,  to  finish  my  days  in  the 
midst  of  peaceable  studies,  and  watch  your  happy  success." 

The  young  man  accepted  the  offer,  and  commenced  his 
work.     His  first  care  was  to  visit  a  turner  in  the  village. 

"  Good  man,"  said  he  on  entering,  "  can  you  make  any 
thing  besides  stoppers  and  snuff-boxes  ?" 

"Why,  Sir,  I  will  make  you  a  clock,  if  you  wish.     For 
merly " 

"  Let  time  alone,  my  friend.  I  do  not  want  a  clock,  but  a 
saint." 


"A  saint  ?     Two,  if  you  wish.     Once " 

"Again — leave  your  histories  of  former  times." 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS,  3 

"Be  it  so :  I  come  to  the  present.  Of  what  size  shall 
your  saint  be  ?" 

"  Of  three  feet." 

"Wait,  I  am  going  to  take  my  measures/ '  (^writing.) 
Three  feet  in  height.    Well,  now,  of  what  wood  ?" 

"Of  oak." 

(  Writing  again.')  "  Of  oak.  I  understand.  Do  you  wish 
it  stout  or  thin  ?" 

"  Thin,  thin,  so  that  it  may  be  known  to  be  young.  Make 
the  hands  joined,  the  countenance  sad — I  would  say  the  head 
slightly  bowed  ?" 

"  Bowed — there  it  is." 

"As  for  the  rest,  you  have  carte-blanche.  However,  make 
it  kneeling." 

"  Kneeling.    When  do  you  want  it  ?" 

"As  soon  as  possible." 

"  You  shall  have  it  in  a  fortnight." 

"What,  a  fortnight  to  make  a  saint !" 

"  See,  I  have  three  dozen  ladles  to  make,  which  must  be 
done  first.     Each  in  his  turn." 

"  That  is  right.  At  all  events,  do  not  fail.  Here  are  six 
francs  in  advance.     Good  day." 

"  Good  day." 

And  the  curate  set  out  for  the  next  town.  He  came  to 
the  house  of  one  of  those  Italians  who  cry  in  our  streets 
images  to  sell.  He  asked  him  for  a  holy  Virgin,  of  large 
size.  The  merchant  took  him  into  his  back  shop,  and  showed 
him,  upon  its  shelves,  displayed  side  by  side,  a  Yenus,  the 
Three  Graces,  Voltaire,  Kousseau,  and  a  Madonna  holding  a 
child  in  her  arms.  The  latter  was  sufficiently  good  for  a 
figure  in  plaster ;  at  the  same  time  the  curate  was  not  con- 
tent with  it,  and  confined  his  purchases  to  two  or  three  small 
colored  saints,  destined  for  the  niches  of  his  chapels,  and 
went  out.  He  was  then  much  puzzled  how  to  obtain  his 
Virgin,  when  he  perceived,  at  the  door  of  a  hair-dresser,  a 
graceful  revolving  wax-doll :  the  hair  beautiful,  well  dressed, 
altogether  seducing.  He  enters,  asks  the  address  of  the 
artist,  runs  to  find  him  on  his  sixth  story,  and  gives  him  his 
commission. 

"Make  her,"  said  he,  "with  blue  eyes,  black  and  very  long 


4  THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS. 

eyelashes,  a  small  mouth,  a  large  forehead,  clear  and  open 
I  suppose  that  is  easy  to  you  ?" 

"Ah!  very  easy:  to  us  artists  beauty  costs  nothing.  Da 
you  wish  it  fair  or  brown  ?" 

"  Brown  :  that  suffers  less  from  dirt." 

"Young  or  old?" 

"  Young,  certainly.     How  much  will  it  cost  me  ?" 

"  That  is  according  to  circumstances.  There  are  all  prices 
of  them.  It  depends  on  the  whiteness  of  the  wax,  or  the 
fineness  of  the  colors :  indeed,  it  is  according  to  the  beauty 
of  the  figure.  You  understand  that  it  must  take  much  more 
time  to  model  with  the  fingers  and  tools  a  delicate  Virgin  for 
your  churches,  than  these  wax-dolls  for  cabinets,  which  they 
show  in  the  fairs.  I  have  employed  more  than  a  month  in 
making  the  saint  for  our  cathedral.  I  have  never  finished — 
a  touch  with  the  finger  here,  a  touch  there ;  and  when  it  was 
finished,  do  you  know  the  misfortune  I  had?" 

"What?" 

"  My  monkey  came  and  put  its  nails  into  the  eyes  of  my 
saint." 

"Ah!" 

"It  is  as  I  say.  But  do  not  fear — I  will  take  care  of 
^ours." 

"  Yes  :  however,  I  do  not  wish  to  pay  too  dear." 

"Well,  I  will  propose  a  plan  to  you." 

"  Let  us  see." 

"  Here  is  a  head  of  a  hair-dresser  that  I  will  arrange  in 
your  way." 

"And  what  will  it  cost  me  ?" 

"One  hundred  francs." 

"  How  much  will  one  quite  new  cost  ?" 

"  One  hundred  and  fifty." 

"  I  take  it  for  one  hundred  francs.  Here  is  my  address : 
send  it  as  soon  as  possible." 

The  curate,  returning  to  his  village,  selected  the  richest 
devotee,  and  wrote  to  her  the  following  letter  : — 

"  Good  news,  my  sister :  in  three  weeks  we  shall  inaugu- 
rate the  very  holy  image  of  the  most  blessed  Virgin  Wary. 
You  know  that  it  is  of  importance  she  should  be  worthily 
dressed.     It  is  upon  you  I  devolve  this  charge.     I  determine 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS,  5 

nothing,  referring  it  to  your  taste  and  to  your  devotion,  so 
well  known  in  all  that  relates  to  the  good  of  the  Church. 
They  say,  however,  that  tulle  looks  better  than  muslin,  and 
that  lace  is  better  than  silk  blond.  A  satin  robe  is  also  in 
good  taste,  above  all  when  it  is  relieved  by  some  small  dia- 
monds. But,  I  repeat,  your  taste  as  a  young  woman  will 
guide  you  much  better  than  my  counsels ;  and  I  conclude 
by  expressing  the  wish  that  you  may  receive  in  heaven  a 
reward  proportioned  to  your  zeal,  which  is  as  pure  as  it  is 
generous. " 

The  young  lady  of  about  fifty  years,  married  at  twenty- 
five,  remembered  that  she  had  at  the  bottom  of  a  chest  some 
remnants  of  her  wedding-dress :  she  went  to  seek  them. 
Unhappily,  it  was  all  faded,  rumpled ;  but  the  devotee,  not 
less  economical  than  generous,  repaired  the  lace,  washed  the 
dress,  ironed  the  neck-handkerchief,  mended  some  stitches  in 
the  worn  silk-stockings,  which  she  re-cut  to  the  measure,  and 
finally  made  a  sufficiently  elegant  toilet  for  the  holy  doll.  It 
only  remained  to  dress  the  patron  saint.  This  was  very  easy. 
The  curate  entrusted  it  to  a  servant,  who,  from  an  old  silk 
apron,  made  him  a  new  cloak ;  and  from  a  pair  of  gloves,  a 
pair  of  shoes. 

A  fortnight  later,  after  the  saint-makers,  Jeannette,  the 
young  lady,  the  artist,  and  the  turner,  had  fulfilled  their 
respective  commissions,  the  saint  of  wood  and  the  virgin  of 
wax  appeared  face  to  face  in  the  choir  of  the  church,  to  the 
great  satisfaction  of  all  the  village  assembled  to  see  them — 
the  bishop  himself  returned  to  officiate  on  the  day  of  their 
inauguration.  After  mass,  the  two  statues  were  promenaded 
through  the  streets,  in  the  midst  of  the  crowd,  praised  by 
the  children  of  the  choir,  saluted  by  the  cure,  blessed  by  the 
bishop,  and  adored — I  ought  to  say  venerated — by  the  assem- 
bly. It  was  no  longer  wood,  nor  wax,  nor  stockings,  nor 
apron  :  the  whole  was  transformed  into  two  holy  images  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  and  of  the  patron  of  the  place.  After  that, 
the  curate  preached  little  besides  the  virtues  of  his  saint  and 
the  merits  of  his  Virgin. 

At  this  time,  also,  every  thing  in  the  parish  assumed  a  new 
appearance.  Men  and  women  became  diligent  in  the  ser- 
vices, children  and  old  men  came  to  kneel  before  the  saint, 
young  girls  and  young  people  before  the  Madonna.     There 


6  THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS. 

Were  in  honor  of  them  masses  without  end,  songs  without 
number,  offerings  without  measure.  All  tended  to  the  per- 
fection of  the  Church :  only  in  going  from  mass  the  men 
continued  to  go  to  the  public-house,  and  after  confession  the 
women  still  went  to  the  dance. 

This  brings  us  again  to  the  good  cur6,  who,  retired  in  his 
study,  and  occupied  in  meditating  on  a  Bible  recently  dis- 
covered under  the  dust  of  his  library,  left  his  nephew  to 
govern  his  church  in  complete  liberty.  Only  from  time  to 
time  the  old  priest  went  out  of  his  retreat  to  pay  a  friendly 
visit  to  his  parishioners.  As  his  nephew  had  told  him  by 
what  hand  the  wooden  saint  was  made,  the  cure  called  one 
day  on  the  skilful  turner. 

"  I  compliment  you/'  said  he,  "  on  your  masterpiece." 

"What  masterpiece?" 

"Ah  !  your  saint." 

"  Pooh  !  it  is  no  trouble  :  I  have  made  many  others." 

"You?" 

"Yes." 

"When?" 

"  For  twenty  years." 

"Where?" 

"In  India." 

"What!  have  you  been  in  India?" 

"  Yes,  as  sure  as  I  am  here.  I  have  made,  as  a  sailor,  the 
voyage  to  Hindoostan.  It  was  there  that  I  saw  these  idols, 
small  and  large,  white  and  black,  pretty  and  ugly." 

"Indeed!" 

"And  to  make  your  saint  I  had  only  to  use  my  old  mea- 
sure. At  that  time  I  worked  with  an  Italian  statuary,  who, 
ruined  by  too  much  competition  at  Rome,  thought  of  trans- 
porting his  industry  to  the  Pagans." 

"  And  you  say  that  there  it  is  the  same  as  here." 

"Absolutely  the  same  thing:  wooden  idols,  dressed  in  the 
fashion  of  the  country,  which  they  praise,  to  which  they  pray, 
and  which  they  renew  when  they  grow  old,  or  are  spoiled. 
And  I  offer  you  my  services,  if  your  saint  ever  needs  such  repair." 

The  cure"  went  out  without  replying :  a  sorrowful  thought 
had  entered  his  mind. 

A  week  later,  the  old  man,  walking  in  his  fields,  met  an 
agriculturist. 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE  SAINTS. 


SO." 


"  How  are  you  ?"  said  he  to  the  peasant. 

"  Pretty  well,  except  a  cold  and  weakness ;  but  I  am  always 


"  Then  you  have  not  prayed  to  the  Virgin  ?" 

"  Yes,  much :  I  have  burnt  three  tapers  for  that  purpose." 

"And  the  harvests  this  year?" 

"A  little  worse  than  last  year." 

"  Have  you  wanted  rain  ?" 

"Not  at  all." 

"Heat?" 

"  Not  much." 

"And  doubtless  you  prayed  to  your  patron  saint  to  obtain 
both?" 

"Yes." 

"  Then  he  heard  you  favorably." 

"  Without  doubt.  Only  he  gave  us  rain  when  we  asked 
for  fine  weather,  and  fine  weather  when  we  asked  rain." 

"  However,  my  nephew  says  that  after  a  drought  of  two 
months  he  made  a  procession,  and  then  rain  came." 

"  Yes ;  but  I  think  the  rain  came  after  the  drought,  rather 
than  after  the  procession." 

"And  how  is  it  with  your  household  ?" 

"I  lost  six  sheep  in  the  last  epidemic." 

"  That  is  not  what  I  ask.     I  speak  of  your  family." 

"  My  daughter  is  always  in  bed." 

"  She  does  not  pray,  then,  to  Mary?" 

"  Quite  the  reverse  :  so  she  does  not  become  worse." 

Pursued  by  doubts  that  his  reading  increased,  the  old  cure" 
came  to  the  parsonage  to  speak  to  his  nephew.  He  only 
found  the  old  servant. 

"  Jeannette,"  said  he. 

"  Sir  1" 

"Where  is  my  nephew?" 

"At  the  confessional.  For  some  time  he  has  been  scarcely 
able  to  get  through  his  numerous  duties :  his  saint  and  his 
Virgin  have  changed  all  in  the  parish." 

"  Is  it  for  the  better  ?" 

"  That  is  as  you  think." 

"What  would  you  say?" 

"I  should  say  that  they  confess  oftener,  pay  more  for 
masses,  burn  more  tapers,  recite  more  prayers,  sing  more 


8  THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS. 

songs,  carry  more  medals ;   but  as  for  the  rest,  all  is  the  same 
as  before." 

"What  do  you  call  the  rest?" 

"  Drunkenness,  evil-speaking,  debauchery,  lying,  cunning, 
fraud" 

"  Enough,  enough  :  I  understand." 

"  It  is  worse  now  than  in  our  time.     During  six  months, 
three  new  public-houses  have  been  opened." 

"  Enough." 

"  Ten  country  balls  held." 

"  Enough." 

"  Twenty  pieces  of  meat  stolen." 

"  Enough." 

"  Fifteen  lawsuits  instituted,  twelve  of  which  were  lost  by 
the  people  of  our  village." 

"  Enough,  I  tell  you.     Do  you  not  know  that  it  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  saint  nor  of  the  Virgin  ?" 

"  Undoubtedly;  but  it  is  not  much  to  their  honor." 

Daily  more  afflicted,  the  good  cure  returned  to  his  closet 
and  resumed  his  studies,  scarcely  ever  going  out.  His 
nephew,  astonished  with  so  complete  a  seclusion,  sometimes 
Went  to  look  through  the  hole  of  the  lock,  and  constantly 
found  his  uncle  engaged  in  reading  or  prayer.  When  he 
asked  him  what  study  had  occupied  him  in  the  day,  the  cure" 
always  returned  a  tardy  reply,  till  one  day  he  said  to  him, 
"  To-morrow !" 

The  next  day  came  :  the  old  man  took  the  curate  to  search 
for  a  volume  in  his  closet,  before  going  down  with  him  into 
the  garden.  The  young  priest,  impatient  to  see  the  mystery 
cleared  up,  obeyed  promptly,  and  soon  both  were  seated  side 
by  side  on  a  turf-bank. 

"  My  son,"  said  the  old  man,  "  first  of  all  let  us  pray  to 
God" — and  his  venerable  head  was  bent  upon   his  hand. 
After   some    moments   of  mental   prayer,  he    again   spoke : 
"  My  friend,  if  I  have  so  long  delayed  replying  to  your  ques- 
tions upon  my  new  studies,  it  has  been  that  I  desired  to  be 
able  to  satisfy  you  completely.      To-day,  I  am  about  to  tell 
you   that   my  study — too  late,   alas! — is  that  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures." 

"  Of  the  Bible  ?" 

Yes  :   of  the  Word  of  God." 


a 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE    SAINTS.  9 

"  And  why  have  you  begun  that  study  ?" 

"  Because  of  your  saint  and  Virgin  :  let  us  rather  say,  poor 
friend,  because  of  your  idols." 

"  My  idols  !  do  you  say  ?  Our  patron  saint  and  the  Virgin 
Mary,  are  they  idols  ?     But" 

"  My  friend,  I  know  all  that  can  be  said  to  clear  our  Church 
from  the  accusation  of  idolatry :  it  is  reduced  to  this  : — We 
place  religious  images  before  us,  not  to  render  them  homage, 
but  to  raise  our  thoughts  more  easily  to  the  beings  whom  they 
represent.  As  for  these  holy  persons  themselves,  we  do  not 
worship  them — we  merely  honor  them." 

"  That  is  true,  uncle  :  all  is  reduced  to  those  two  points, 
and  I  shall  be  curious  to  know  what  you  can  say  to  the  first. 
Let  us  see.  Is  it  not  allowable  to  kneel  before  an  image, 
provided  the  honor  is  not  addressed  to  it,  but  to  the  object 
represented  ?" 

"  No  \  for  when  the  Israelites  made  a  golden  calf,  it  was 
not  to  honor  the  molten  metal  which  they  had  taken  from 
the  ears  of  their  women,  but  rather,  as  says  the  Bible,  to 
honor  the  true  God  who  had  brought  them  out  of  Egypt; 
and  the  feast  which  they  celebrated  around  the  idol  was  not 
in  honor  of  the  calf,  but  rather  in  honor  of  the  Almighty. 
However,  notwithstanding  all  that,  you  know,  Moses  broke 
the  idol,  and  cast  the  dust  of  it  into  the  waters  of  the  river. 
Another  example — the  Brazen  Serpent,  upon  which  a  look 
cast  with  faith  had  formerly  obtained  the  cure  of  the  Israel- 
ites. This  serpent,  preserved  for  many  generations,  received 
at  last  the  offering  of  incense  from  the  Jews,  who  doubtless 
thought  thus  to  honor  God,  who  had  caused  it  to  be  raised 
in  the  desert :  however,  Hezekiah,  who,  according  to  the 
Bible,  did  what  was  pleasing  to  the  Almighty,  broke  this 
serpent,  to  put  a  stop  to  the  burning  of  incense  to  it.  From 
the  idol  let  us  pass  to  its  object.  You  say  we  do  not  wor- 
ship the  saints,  we  only  honor  them :  you  will  agree,  at  least, 
that  it  is  a  religious  honor  ?" 
"  True." 

"Well,  this  honor,  whatever  it  is,  is  forbidden  in  the  Word 
of  God.  Listen  again.  Cornelius  sent  for  St.  Peter  :  on  the 
arrival  of  the  apostle,  he  wished  to  prostrate  himself  before 
him  :  certainly  it  was  not  to  worship  him ;  for  Cornelius,  '  a 
man  fearing  God/  knew  well  that  the  Almighty  alone  must 


10  THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS. 

be  worshipped :  he,  then,  only  wished  to  render  to  him  in« 
ferior  homage.  However,  what  did  Peter  do  ?  When  he  saw 
him  bend  the  knee,  he  hastily  stayed  him,  and  said,  l  Stand 
up,  I  myself  also  am  a  man/  " 

"  Yes,  uncle ;  but  Peter,  who  refused  that  honor  when  he 
was  only  a  man  on  earth,  would  not  refuse  it  now  that  he  is 
blessed  in  heaven." 

"  Dear  nephew,  the  Bible  will  answer  you.  In  the  Apoc- 
alypse, the  Apostle  John,  after  having  been  conducted  in 
vision  by  an  angel,  wished  to  prostrate  himself  before  that 
celestial  being.  Certainly  St.  John,  the  great  apostle,  the 
inspired  evangelist,  the  friend  of  the  Saviour,  the  revealer  of 
the  future — St.  John  well  knew  that  God  alone  must  be 
worshipped.  In  casting  himself  on  his  knees  before  the  angel, 
his  intention  was  also  only  to  render  to  him  inferior  homage. 
But  what  said  the  angel  to  him  ?  '  See  thou  do  it  not.  I 
am  thy  fellow-servant/  Here,  then,  are  the  Apostle  Peter 
on  earth  and  an  angel  in  heaven,  both  refusing  a  simple 
honor  like  what  you  give  to  the  Virgin  and  the  saints." 

"  But  in  this  Bible  that  you  so  constantly  quote  to  me,  there 
is  neither  a  question  of  the  Virgin  nor  of  angels." 

"Well,  there  is  the  question  of  the  Virgin ;  but  it  is  to  say 
that  she  was  only  upon  earth  a  creature  subject  to  sin." 

"  Subject  to  sin  ?" 

"  Yes,  since  it  is  said  that  God  gave  her  grace :  we  only 
give  grace  to  the  guilty." 

"  But,  uncle,  it  is  said,  on  the  contrary,  that  she  was  full 
of  grace." 

"  Dear  friend,  I  see  clearly  you  only  know  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture by  the  faulty  translations  of  your  Church.  Yes,  our 
translators  have  put  in  French,  l  full  of  grace/  to  make  it  be 
believed,  from  this  equivocal  expression,  that  Mary  can  dis- 
tribute favors  to  men ;  but  the  truth  is,  that  in  the  Greek 
text,  as  in  all  faithful  translations,  the  angel  said  to  Mary, 
'  Thou  hast  found  favor :'  that  ia  to  say,  been  favored,  par- 
doned ;  and  this  is  why  she  is  said  to  be  blessed.  Besides, 
after  this  declaration,  so  far  from  Mary  having  favors  to  dis- 
tribute to  others,  she  seems  afterward  to  need  more  for  her- 
self, since  Jesus  reprimands  her  in  these  terms:  'Woman, 
what  have  I  to  do  with  thee  V  And  in  another  place,  when 
they  came  to  tell  the  Saviour  that  Mary  his  mother  sought 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS.  11 

him,  Jesus,  without  paying  any  attention  to  her,  stretched 
out  his  hand  toward  his  disciples,  and  said,  '  Behold  my 
mother  and  my  brethren/  Thus,  according  to  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  himself,  the  Virgin  Mary,  admitted  to  favor  and 
blessing,  is  placed  in  the  rank  of  other  creatures  pardoned 
and  saved." 

"  But  the  angels,  uncle :  the  Bible  does  not  speak  of 
them  ?" 

"  Yes,  it  speaks  even  of  the  worship  addressed  to  them." 

"Ah  !  you  see ;  and  what  does  it  say  of  it  ?" 

"  It  condemns  it.  Listen  to  the  epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the 
Colossians,  chap.  ii.  18  :— '  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your 
reward  in  a  voluntary  humility  and  worshipping  of  angels, 
intruding  into  those  things  which  he  hath  not  seen/  " 

"  That  is  strange." 

"What  remains  to  be  said  on  the  whole  of  the  subject, 
will  appear  to  you  still  more  strange.  You  know,  as  well 
as  I,  that  the  commandments  of  God,  given  to  Moses  upon 
Sinai,  with  the  sound  of  thunder  and  the  brilliancy  of  light- 
ning, are  perhaps  the  most  solemn  part  of  the  word  of  God. 
Now,  see  the  second  of  these  commandments,  which  dis- 
tinctly speaks  of  idols  and  images : — '  Thou  shalt  not  make 
unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness  of  any  thing 
that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or 
that  is  in  the  water  under  the  earth :  thou  shalt  not  bow 
down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them,  for'  " 

"  But  you  are  mistaken,  uncle :  the  second  commandment 
is  this,  '  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God 
in  vain. 

"  My  son,  what  you  have  just  said  is  the  most  shameful 
perversion  of  the  Roman  Church." 

"How?" 

"  Yes,  the  commandment  which  you  quote,  and  which  the 
Church  has  placed  second,  in  order  to  dispose  of  what  I  have 
quoted,  is  really  the  third." 

"  But  by  this  calculation  one  would  be  wanting,  while  I 
find  ten  in  all  our  Catechisms." 

"  Yes  :  because,  after  taking  away  the  second,  the  Church, 
to  preserve  the  number  so  well  known  as  the  ten  command- 
ments, has  made  two  from  the  last " 

"What  do  you  say,  uncle?" 


12  THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS. 

"  This  is  not  all.  As  the  first  imposture  has  constrained 
the  Church  to  commit  a  second,  that  has  led  to  a  third,  the 
third  to  a  fourth,  and  all  to  cover  the  first  lie/' 

"  But,  uncle,  it  is  little  to  affirm  it :  it  must  be  proved." 
"  Listen  to  me,  then.  I  am  about  to  disclose  to  you  this 
chain  of  sacrilege  and  iniquity.  The  second  commandment, 
which  I  have  read  to  you,  was  given  by  God  entirely  to  pro- 
hibit idols  and  images.  But  the  Church  of  Rome,  seeing 
the  party  that  would  be  arrayed  against  it  by  this  express 
commandment,  has  completely  suppressed  it  in  these  French 
verses,  which  they  call  the  commandments  of  God,  and  which 
begin  thus  :  '  One  only  God  shalt  thou  adore,'  etc.  "When 
our  Catechisms  quote  the  commandments  in  prose,  they  take 
care  to  dissemble  the  second  by  joining  it  to  the  first,  and 
thus  from  two  they  make  only  one.  Lie  the  first.  But,  as 
you  have  well  observed,  by  thus  rasing  the  third  command- 
ment, one  place  is  left  empty.  Then  what  has  the  Romish 
Church  done  ?  She  has  divided  into  two  the  commandment 
on  covetousness,  to  preserve  the  number  ten,  and  to  deceive 
lookers-on.  Imposture  the  second.  This  is  not  all.  As,  by 
dividing  the  tenth  commandment,  two  were  found  forbidding 
the  same  fault,  it  was  necessary  to  lessen  their  resemblance. 
To  do  this,  the  Church  in  her  Catechisms  has  reversed  the 
order  of  the  phrases.  In  his  holy  law,  God  had  said,  'Thou, 
shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  house,  nor  his  wife,  nor  his 
servant,  nor  his  ox,'  etc.  :  that  is  to  say,  after  having  named 
the  house,  it  enumerates  all  the  objects  which  it  includes — 
the  wife  as  well  as  the  maid-servant :  the  servant  as  well  as 
the  other  objects;  and  all  signifies  that  there  is  nothing, 
absolutely  nothing,  we  may  covet.  Here,  then,  the  Church, 
using  her  accustomed  skill,  has  extracted  from  the  midst  of 
these  phrases  all  that  concerns  the  wife,  has  changed  its 
place,  and  made  a  commandment  of  that  by  itself  which  for- 
bids to  covet  the  neighbor's  wife.  Falsehood  the  third.  We 
are  not  at  the  end.  In  thus  introducing  to  a  new  place  a 
commandment  against  the  desire  of  adultery,  the  Church  is 
found  to  have  made  another  command  like  the  seventh, 
which  already  condemns  the  same  crime.  Here  is  another 
st.r;it;igcni  :  the  Church  alters  the  seventh  commandment, 
and  transforms  the  prohibition  of  adultery  into  a  prohibition 
of  impurity.     This  alteration  is  very  evident :  because,  when 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS.  13 

Jesus  in  the  Gospel  quotes  this  seventh  commandment,  he 
does  not  say,  in  the  terms  of  the  Church,  Thou  shalt  not 
commit  impurity,  but  '  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery/  I 
accept,  then,  simply,  the  translation  of  Jesus  Christ  himself, 
and  I  say  that  if  the  Church  gives  a  different  sense  to  the 
passage,  it  is  that  she  is  deceived,  or  rather  that  she  deceives 
us ;  for  she  is  interested  in  it,  to  avoid  the  double  employ- 
ment of  the  seventh  and  ninth  commandments.  Fourth, 
but  not  last,  falsehood.  In  the  second  commandment,  placed 
at  the  end  of  the  first,  speaking  of  images,  it  is  said,  '  Thou 
shalt  not  bow  down  to  them ;;  but  in  the  place  of  the  words 
bow  down,  the  Catholic  Catechisms  use  worship,  because  the 
expression  given  by  God  too  clearly  condemns  the  kneeling 
before  images,  which  the  Church  authorizes.  Here  are  five 
alterations  rendered  necessary  to  conceal  one.  A  just  pun- 
ishment for  the  guilty  man  who,  to  conceal  his  crime,  com- 
mits others  which  make  his  guilt  more  evident  to  the 
observing  eye,  and  increase  it  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Remark  that  the  command  of  God  is  formal,  radical, 
absolute.  It  is  impossible  to  say  more  than  he  has  said. 
God  seems  to  have  foreseen  the  subtilties  of  men,  and  to 
have  wished  to  prevent  them.  His  prohibition  bears  upon 
three  points  : — - 

"  1st.  Not  to  make  any  kind  of  image. 

"2d.  Of  any  object. 

"  3d.  Not  to  render  to  it  any  worship." 

"  I  confess,  uncle,  your  proofs  have  convinced  my  mind, 
but  they  sadden  my  heart.  It  was  so  sweet  to  me  to  have 
recourse  to  the  intercession  of  the  Virgin  and  the  saints,  that, 
if  I  must  lose  them,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  shall  find  myself 
separated  from  God  by  an  abyss,  for  I  shall  no  longer  have  an 
intercessor." 

"What  do  you  say? — no  longer  an  intercessor!  And  is 
not  Jesus  Christ  there  ?  Why,  then,  did  he  come  upon  earth  ? 
why  did  he  clothe  himself  with  our  nature  ?  why  did  he 
Suffer,  even  to  death,  if  it  was  not  to  fill  up  the  abyss  of 
which  you  speak — if  it  was  not  to  take  our  hand  to  put  it  in 
the  hand  of  God,  and  to  become  thus  our  Mediator,  our 
means  of  reconciliation  ?  More  than  that,  it  is  the  Bible 
itself  which  teaches  us  this  :  it  says,  '  There  is  one  God,  and 
one  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.' 


14  THE   VIRGIN  AND  THE  SAINTS. 

Is  not  this  passage  remarkable  ?    Does  it  not  seem  to  W« 

gin  and  of  the  saints  and  to  conduct  the  sinner,  who  dares 
not  approach  his  Judge,  toward  his  Advocate,  his  Brother 
his  Intercessor-toward  Jesus  Christ  ?  Ah !  dear  friend  £ 
us  not  pretend  to  be  wiser  than  God:  he  has  given  us  an 
only  Intercessor :  let  us  not  seek  another.  This  would  be  to 
say  that  Jesus  Christ  is  not  sufficient/' 

"  Yes,  uncle,  he  is  sufficient  between  the  saints  and  God  • 
and  it  is  to  obtain  his  intercession  that  we  pray  to  the  blessed 
ones. 

"Another  subtilty  of  the  Church,  my  son.    Here  is  what 
the  Bible  says,  neither  more  nor  less :— <  There  is  one  Medi- 
ator between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.'    This 
passage  presents  a  chain  of  three  links:   God  is  the  first; 
man  the  last;   and  Jesus  Christ,  the  middle,  unites  them. 
If,  then,  you  place  angels,  saints,  and  the  Virgin  between 
man  and  Jesus  Christ,  you  lengthen  this  chain — you  change 
it,  you  pervert  it :  you  take  from  us  the  privilege  of  address- 
ing ourselves  directly  to  our  Saviour.    You  know  a  popular 
proverb  says,  ftt  is  much  better  to  have  to  do  with  God 
than  with  the  saints/     Here  the  people  are  perfectly  right, 
and  the  Bible  confirms  it,  hy  saying  that  between  us  and 
God  there  is  only  one  Mediator,  Jesus  Christ.     If  it  was 
otherwise,  it  would  be  said  so,  and  we  should  read  in  this 
passage,  There  is  only  one  Mediator  between  God  and  the 
saints,  to  wit,  Jesus  Christ;    but  there  are  o.thers  between 
Jesus  Christ  and  men,  to  wit,  all  the  saints.     Now,  if  this 
is  not  said  in  the  divine  word,  it  declares  the  contrary,  and 
affirms  that  the  space  between  God  and  men  is  overcome  by 
a  single  mediator,  that  is,  Jesus  Christ." 

"  However," 

"  Dear  friend,  if  you  have  so  much  difficulty  in  yielding 
to  evidence,  it  is  that  prejudices  cherished  for  many  years 
are  not  easily  effaced.  I  only  know  one  power  capable  of 
purifying  our  soul :  it  is  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  doubtless  you  will  do  well  to  read  again  this  Bible ;  but 
let  it  be  with  prayer  to  God  to  enlighten  you  with  his  Spirit. 
Thereby  you  will  lose  the  false  support  of  saints  and  the 
Virgin;  but  you  will  find  the  intercession,  powerful,  direct 
and  single,  of  your  Saviour— of  Jesus  Christ." 


THE  VIRGIN  AND   THE   SAINTS.  15 

INVOCATION   OF    SAINTS. 

Professor  Browne,  in  his  late  work  on  the  Thirty-nine 
Articles,  has  the  following  on  this  subject : — 

"  For  this  practice  no  early  authority  can  be  pleaded ;  but 
against  it  the  strongest  testimony  of  the  primitive  Christians 
exists.  They  assert  continually  that  we  should  worship  none 
but  God.  #Thus  Justin  Martyr :  '  It  becomes  Christians  to 
worship  God  only/  Tertullian  :  '  For  the  safety  of  the  em- 
peror we  invoke  God,  eternal,  true  and  living  God. 
Nor  can  I  pray  to  any  other  than  to  Him,  from  whom  I  am 
sure  that  I  may  obtain,  because  He  alone  can  give  it/  Ori* 
gen  :  '  To  worship  any  one  besides  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  sin  of  impiety/  Lactantius  complains 
of  the  extreme  blindness  of  men  (i.  e.  heathens)  who  could 
worship  dead  men.  And  Athanasius  argues  from  St.  Paul's 
language,  (1  Thess.  iii.  11,)  that  the  Son  must  be  God,  and 
not  an  angel  or  any  other  creature,  since  He  is  invoked  in 
conjunction  with  His  Father. 

"  In  the  circular  Epistle  of  the  Church  of  Smyrna,  narrat- 
ing the  martyrdom  of  St.  Polycarp,  which  took  place  about 
A.  D.  147,  it  is  said  that  the  Jews  prevented  the  giving  of  the 
body  to  the  Christians  for  burial,  '  lest,  forsaking  Him  who 
was  crucified,  they  should  begin  to  worship  this  Polycarp  / 
'not  considering/  writes  the  Church  of  Smyrna,  'that  neither 
is  it  possible  for  us  to  forsake  Christ,  who  suffered  for  the 
salvation  of  all  who  are  saved  in  the  whole  world,  the  spotless 
One  for  sinners,  nor  to  worship  any  other/ 

"  No  doubt,  the  early  Christians,  believing  in  '  the  com- 
munion of  saints/  had  a  lively  conviction  that  saints  departed 
were  still  fellow-worshippers  with  the  Church  militant,  and 
thought  that  those  in  Paradise  still  prayed  for  those  on  earth. 
But  it  does  not  therefore  follow,  that  they  considered  that 
those  who  joined  with  us  in  prayer  ought  to  be  themselves 
addressed  in  prayer.  On  the  contrary,  we  have  express  evi- 
dence that  those  who  believed  the  saints  at  rest  to  pray  for 
the  saints  in  trial,  believed  that  they  did  so  without  being 
invoked.  So  Origen,  'When  men,  purposing  to  themselves 
things  which  are  excellent,  pray  to  God,  thousands  of  the 
sacred  powers  join  with  them  in  prayer,  though  not  them- 


16  THE  VIRGIN  AND  THE   SAINTS. 

selves  called  on  or  invoked.'  Nay,  he  is  here  specially  argu- 
ing against  Celsus,  who  would  have  had  men  invoke  others 
of  inferior  power,  after  the  God  who  is  over  all ;  and  he  con- 
tends that,  as  the  shadow  follows  the  body,  so,  if  we  can  move 
God  by  our  prayers,  we  shall  be  sure  to  have  all  the  angels 
and  souls  of  the  righteous  on  our  side,  and  that,  therefore, 
we  must  endeavor  to  please  God  alone.  In  the  same  book, 
he  repeatedly  denies  that  it  is  permitted  us  to  worship  angels, 
who  are  ministering  spirits,  our  duty  being  to  worship  God 
alone.  And  whereas  Celsus  had  said  that  angels  (duifioveg) 
belonged  to  God,  and  should  be  reverenced,  Origen  says, 
*  Far  from  us  be  the  counsels  of  Celsus,  that  we  should  wor- 
ship them.  We  must  pray  to  God  alone,  who  is  over  all,  and 
to  the  only-begotten  Son,  the  first-born  of  every  creature,  and 
from  Him  must  ask,  that,  when  our  prayers  have  reached  Him, 
He,  as  High  Priest,  would  offer  them  to  His  God  and  our 
God,  to  His  Father,  and  the  Father  of  all  who  live  according 
to  His  word/ 

"  St.  Athanasius  observes  that  St.  Peter  forbade  Cornelius 
to  worship  him,  (Acts  x.  26,)  and  the  angel  forbade  St.  John, 
when  he  would  have  worshipped  him.  (Rev.  xxii.  9.)  l  Where- 
fore/ he  adds,  <  it  belongs  to  God  only  to  be  worshipped ;  and 
of  this  the  angels  are  not  ignorant,  who,  though  they  excel  in 
glory,  are  yet  all  of  them  creatures,  and  are  not  in  the  num- 
ber of  those  to  be  adored,  but  of  those  who  adore  the  Lord.' 

"  In  like  manner,  the  Council  of  Laodicea,  held,  probably, 
about  A.  D.  364,  forbids  Christians  to  attend  conventicles  where 
angels  were  invoked,  and  pronounces  anathema  on  all  such  as 
were  guilty  of  this  secret  idolatry,  inasmuch  as  they  might  be 
esteemed  to  have  left  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  given  themselves 
to  idolatry.  Theodoret  tells  us,  that  the  reason  why  this  canon 
was  passed  at  Laodicea  was,  because  in  Phrygia  and  Pisidia 
men  had  learned  to  pray  to  angels;  and  even  to  his  own  dav, 
he  says,  there  were  oratories  of  St.  Michael  among  them." 

Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  34. 


cc 


THE  MOST  HOLY  BAMBINO. 


>> 


The  religion  of  Roman  Catholics  is  of  course  to  be  seen  in 
its  perfection  in  Rome,  the  city  of  the  pope,  where  all  is 
under  his  immediate  direction  and  control ;  and  there,  alas  ' 
it  is  but  too  evident  that  their  idols  are  numerous,  and  their 
idolatry  of  the  grossest  kind. 

A  very  favorite  idol,  expecially  with  the  common  people, 
11 


2  "the  most  holy  bambino/' 

is  an  image  which  is  designated  by  them  as  "the  most 
holy  Bambino."  The  word  bambino  is  simply  the  Italian 
for  "  child,"  and  is  applied  to  this  particular  image  of  the 
holy  child  Jesus,  about  which  they  tell  very  strange  tales. 
It  is  a  small  doll  made  of  wood,  about  two  feet  in  length; 
not  unlike,  except  in  its  dress,  the  dolls  made  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  children.  On  its  head  is  a  royal  crown  of  gold, 
gemmed  with  rubies,  emeralds,  and  diamonds.  From  its 
neck  to  its  feet  it  is  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes.  The  two 
little  feet  are  seen  projecting  beneath;  so  that  the  face  and 
feet  of  the  image  are  alone  visible.*  The  clothes  are  covered 
with  jewels — rubies,  emeralds,  and  brilliant  diamonds — so 
that  the  Bambino  is  a  blaze  of  splendor,  worth  several  thou- 
sand dollars.  It  is  said,  and  believed,  to  be  distinguished 
above  all  other  images  of  the  same  kind  by  its  miraculous 
origin,  miraculous  history,  and  miraculous  healings,  and  by 
the  extent  and  fervor  of  the  worship  which  is  paid  to  it  at 
Borne.  It  is  exceedingly  popular  with  the  lower  classes ;  and 
the  ancient  cry  of  "  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians"  was  not 
more  applicable  in  Ephesus  than  would  be  that  of  "  Great  is 
the  Bambino  of  Ara  CoBli/'f  in  Borne.  From  an  account 
printed  in  that  city,  we  glean  the  following  information  re- 
specting it. 

The  little  image  of  the  child  Jesus,  of  which  we  speak,  was 
carved  in  Jerusalem  by  a  devout  monk ;  and  he  formed  it  of 
the  wood  of  the  olive  near  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Whilst  he 
wrought  at  the  making  of  this  little  image,  various  marvellous 
things  came  to  pass.  Being  in  want  of  colors  for  painting 
and  perfecting  the  figure,  he  betook  himself  to  prayers,  fast- 
ings, and  other  mortifications,  and  thus  obtained  Divine 
assistance.  He  then  fell  asleep,  and  when  he  awoke,  lo !  a 
wonderful  thing !  The  image  was  by  a  prodigy  become  the 
color  of  flesh.  On  which  he  bowed  down  before  it  in  humble 
adoration,  and  then  set  off  with  his  treasure  to  Borne.  The 
vessel  in  which  he  sailed  was  wrecked,  but  the  image  did  not 

*  The  engraving  on  this  tract  is  copied  from  a  picture  entitled, 
<The  true  effigy  of  the  miraculous   Bambino  of  Ara  Coeli,  dedicated 
to  the  piety  and  veneration  of  the  devout  of  the  said  church."     The 
picture  was  bought  in  Rome  by  an  English  lady. 

j-  The  name  of  the  church  and  convent  where  it  is  kept,  signifying 
the  altar  of  heaven. 


"the  most  holy  bambino."  8 

sink  with  the  ship,  but,  by  a  miracle,  was  transported  to  Leg- 
horn. The  news  of  this  was  soon  spread  abroad,  and  devout 
people  sought  it  out,  and  speedily  brought  it  to  Rome.  On 
its  face  being  first  exposed,  the  people  wept  in  tenderness, 
prayed  with  fervor,  ardently  sought  grace  from  it,  and  all 
securely  obtained  it. 

It  is  stated  that  on  one  occasion  a  devout  noble  lady,  from 
her  great  devotion,  took  away  this  little  image,  and  brought 
it  to  her  house ;  but  after  some  days  it  miraculously  returned 
to  the  Ara  Coeli,  ringing  all  the  bells  of  the  church  and  con- 
vent without  any  person  touching  them.  All  the  monks  ran 
together  at  this  prodigy ;  and,  to  their  highest  astonishment 
and  wonder,  they  beheld  the  image  of  the  holy  Bambino  upon 
the  altar.  It  is  on  account  of  these  wonderful  things  that  it 
is  worshipped  by  the  Roman  citizens,  and  enriched  with  such 
precious  jewels.* 

Such  are  the  principal  particulars  published  by  the  author- 
ities respecting  this  image;  and  an  implicit  belief  in  the 
Bambino  of  Ara  Coeli  is,  next  to  a  belief  in  the  virgin  Mary, 
the  most  prominent  article  of  faith  in  the  creed  of  a  Roman 
of  the  lower  class.  They  almost  universally  believe  that  its 
presence  in  the  chamber  of  sickness  is  of  the  greatest  benefit. 
If  any  person  is  so  extremely  ill  that  recovery  would  seem 
doubtful,  the  presence  of  the  Bambino  they  think  will  settle 
the  question ;  for  it  is  believed  that  recovery  or  death  can 
always  be  determined  according  as  the  face  of  the  patient 
becomes  pale  or  flushed  on  its  introduction.  Such  notions  of 
course  lead  the  friends  of  the  sick  to  send  for  the  Bambino. 
The  monks,  however,  will  not  permit  its  presence  unless  at  a 
considerable  cost;  and  thus  many  a  family  is  impoverished 
by  the  money  they  give,  and  the  convent  enriched  by  the 
money  it  receives. 

But  strange  as  all  this  may  seem,  it  is  not  near  so  strange 
aa  the  sight  of  the  Bambino  when  going  to  visit  its  patients. 
It  is  a  common  saying,  among  the  people  of  Rome,  that  u  the 
little  doctor,"  as  some  of  the  more  profane  are  pleased  to  term 
it,  receives  more  and  better  fees  from  the  sick  than  all  the 
medical  men  put  together.  It  is  certain,  at  least,  that  it  is 
brought  to  visit  its  patients  in  grander  style;    for  a  state 

*  See  the  Rev.  Hobart  Seymour's  Pilgrimage  to  Rome.     Seeley. 


4  "the  most  holy  bambino." 

coach  is  kept  for  it — a  coach  quite  as  fine,  in  its  way,  as  those 
of  the  cardinals  or  pope — a  coach  which  seems  a  meagre  imi- 
tation of  some  worn-out  state  coach  of  a  lord  mayor  of  London. 
In  this  coach  the  Bambino  is  placed,  accompanied  by  some 
priests  in  full  dress;  and  onward  they  move,  stately  and  slow, 
as  a  rapid  movement  is  thought  inconsistent  with  the  dignity 
of  the  image  ;  and  then,  as  it  passes,  every  head  is  uncovered, 
and  every  knee  is  bent,  in  the  streets  through  which  it  moves. 
The  pope  may  pass,  and  be  saluted  as  he  passes :  the  image 
of  the  virgin  Mary  may  pass,  and  many  a  head  is  bared  before 
it :  the  host*  may  pass,  and  some  may  kneel,  and  some  may 
salute ;  but  if  the  Bambino  passes,  every  head  is  uncovered, 
and  all  the  lower  classes,  let  the  streets  be  ever  so  wet  and 
dirty,  are  prostrated  in  worship  before  it. 

The  great  festival  of  this  little  image  is  celebrated  annually 
in  the  church  of  Ara  Coeli,  beginning  at  Christmas  and  end- 
ing at  the  Epiphany. 

An  English  clergyman,"]"  who  was  present  on  several  occa- 
sions, a  few  years  ago,  has  given  the  following  description  of 
what  he  witnessed : 

"  My  first  visit  to  this  celebrated  image  was  on  the  26th  of 
December.  On  our  arrival,  we  found  considerable  difficulty 
in  entering  the  church,  so  great  was  the  crowd.  The 
approaches  and  entrances  were  besieged  by  verniers  of  pic- 
tures of  '  The  most  holy  Bambino,'  of  every  size  and  in  every 
form,  in  sheets  and  in  frames,  some  in  the  brightest  colors, 
and  others  glittering  in  tinsel,  to  rival  the  brilliant  gems  they 
were  designed  to  represent.  It  was  surprising  to  see  the 
number  of  these  that  were  purchased  by  the  people,  as  they 
arrived  or  departed.  Having  at  length  obtained  an  entrance, 
though  with  some  difficulty,  through  the  crowd  of  people  who 
filled  the  church — and  who  seemed  collected  there,  not  to 
worship  God,  but,  like  ourselves,  to  see  the  sight — we  were 
shown  by  an  attendant  to  a  spot  within  the  rails  of  a  side 
chapel :  where,  free  from  pressure,  we  could  examine  the 
scene  at  our  ease. 

"  It  was  extremely  pretty.  The  chapel  was  fitted  up  as  a 
stage,  and  the  scene  represented  was  the  interior  of  the  stable 

*  The  consecrated  bread,  or  wafer,  which  they  use  in  their  sacrifice 
of  the  mass,  and  believed  to  be  changed  into  the  body  of  Christ, 
j-  The  Rev.  M.  Hobert  Seymour.     See  his  "Pilgrimage  to  Rome." 


"the  most  holy  bambino. "  5 

of  Bethlehem,  soon  after  the  birth  of  our  Lord.  There  were  a 
cow  and  an  ass,  somewhat  concealed,  and  apparently  designed, 
as  in  some  pictures,  merely  to  show  that  it  ought  to  represent 
a  stable.  There  was  nothing  else  that  could  remind  us  of  the 
place;  for  there  sat  the  virgin  Mary,  gazing  with  natural 
delight  upon  her  child,  attired  in  silk  of  the  most  vivid  crim- 
son, and  adorned  with  a  crown  of  gold,  with  necklaces  of 
gems,  and  bracelets  of  brilliant  jewels.  Such  finery  seemed 
unsuitable  for  that  meek  and  lowly  maiden,  and  no  less  ill- 
suited  to  the  stable,  and  the  society  of  the  cow  and  the  ass. 
Beside  her  stood  the  aged  Joseph.  He  was  dressed  not 
unlike  a  monk,  and  leaned  upon  a  long  staff,  quietly  gazing 
upon  the  child.  '  The  Bambino/  or  child,  lay  in  an  elegant 
cradle  at  their  feet.  The  crown  was  upon  its  head,  and  its 
swaddling-clothes  were  a  tissue  of  silk  and  silver  and  gold : 
while  the  diamonds  and  rubies,  the  amethysts  and  emeralds, 
and  other  precious  stones,  were  as  numerous  as  could  well  be 
arranged  on  so  small  an  object.  All  this,  however,  only  occu- 
pied one  side  of  the  chapel,  and  was  very  ingeniously  managed 
so  as  to  leave  the  other  side,  and  all  the  back  part,  to  be 
arranged  at  a  distance.  There  was  a  rich  and  well-planted 
country  in  view.  In  one  direction  were  the  shepherds  keeping 
watch  over  their  flocks,  not  indeed  by  night,  for  that  could 
not  be  managed  but  by  daylight.  They  were  seen,  not  ex- 
actly keeping  watch,  but  sleeping,  with  their  sheep  around 
them :  while  the  angel  hovers  above  them,  coming  to  an- 
nounce the  birth  of  the  Saviour,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord. 
Afar  off,  in  another  direction,  was  seen  a  sort  of  procession 
winding  its  way  between  the  hills  :  while  a  star,  like  a  comet, 
hung  suspended  before  them,  thus  denoting  them  as  the  wise 
men  of  the  east  coming  with  their  offerings.  All  this,  how- 
ever, did  not  complete  the  sight;  for  the  roof  of  the  scene, 
and  the  extreme  distance  behind,  were  designed  to  represent 
the  interior  of  the  heavens — the  very  heaven  of  heavens.  In 
the  centre,  a  most  profane  and  impious  attempt  had  been 
made  to  represent  the  Almighty  as  the  Ancient  of  days — as  an 
aged  father,  looking  down  upon  his  son  in  the  form  of  flesh ; 
while  the  whole  heavens  presented  a  glory,  composed  of  a 
multitude  that  no  man  could  number  of  cherub  faces,  all 
circling  around  the  god,  and,  like  him,  looking  down,  as  in 
admiration,  upon  the  scene  in  the  lowly  stable  of  Bethlehem. 


6  "the  most  holy  bambino." 

"  On  our  next  visit  to  the  church,  the  scene  had  changed. 
The  Bambino  no  longer  lay  in  its  cradle,  but  was  held  in  the 
arms  of  Mary,  and  both  the  mother  and  the  child  were 
attired  in  the  same  costly  and  magnificent  apparel.  The  wise 
men  from  the  east  had  arrived;  and,  robed  as  kings,  were 
presenting  their  rich  and  splendid  offerings,  while  they  adored 
the  Messiah.  In  most  other  respects  the  scene  was  not 
changed. 

"  This,  however,  was  not  the  only  sight  to  be  seen  in  this 
church  connected  with  the  Bambino,  at  this  season.  Whilst 
multitudes  of  persons,  almost  entirely  of  the  lower  clashes, 
were  arriving  and  departing  in  unceasing  succession,  we  ob- 
served a  little  girl  of  about  ten  years  of  age,  dressed  mo- 
destly, and  not  unlike  a  nun,  elevated  on  a  platform,  and 
preaching  to  a  large  congregation  !  She  concluded  at  the 
moment  that  we  came  within  the  sound  of  her  voice,  and  was 
immediately  succeeded  by  a  little  boy  of  about  the  same  age. 
He  was  robed  in  the  ordinary  dress  of  the  clergy — with 
cassock  and  short  surplice,  with  the  usual  cap  worn  by  the 
priests  in  the  churches.  He  was  a  perfect  miniature  of  a 
priest.  There  was  not  a  smile  on  his  little  face.  He  looked 
crave  and  serious.  He  seemed  as  if  he  felt  what  and  whom 
he  represented.  The  moment  he  took  his  place,  he  proceeded, 
with  the  utmost  gravity,  to  lift  his  cap  in  the  usual  way,  then 
to  cross  himself,  and  then  to  kneel  in  private  prayer.  He 
arose  and  resumed  his  cap,  took  out  his  white  handkerchief 
and  used  it,  looked  gravely  at  the  people,  repeated  a  few 
words :  again  took  off  his  cap,  and,  after  thus  mimicking, 
with  the  most  perfect  accuracy,  every  thing  the  priests  and 
monks  are  in  the  habit  of  doing  when  going  to  preach — and 
at  the  same  time  mimicking  them  with  a  gravity  of  look  and 
manner  exceedingly  droll  in  so  young  a  child — he  actually 
commenced  a  sermon.  So  admirably  did  the  little  fellow  con- 
duct himself,  that  I  could  not  guess  whether  all  this  was  done 
in  sober  seriousness,  or  in  mockery  of  the  priests  and  monks } 
especially  as  the  child  was  incomparably  schooled  in  the  act- 
ing. The  movement  of  his  limbs,  and  the  whole  expression 
of  his  face,  were  inimitable  :  so  that,  while  he  acted  through- 
out with  the  utmost  gravity,  the  whole  congregation,  con- 
sisting of  men  and  women,  monks  and  children,  laughed  long 
and  loud  at  what  seemed  to  them  an  admirable  imitation  of 


"the  most  holy  bambino."  7 

their  priests  preaching.  And  yet  the  sermon,  otherwise,  w:>s 
not  one  to  be  laughed  at.  It  was  well  written  ;  and  the  little 
fellow  had  learned  it  by  heart,  and  had  been  most  carefully 
trained  to  go  through  every  portion  of  it.  He  would  now 
address  himself  to  the  fashionable,  now  to  the  careless,  now  to 
the  wicked.  He  would  then  appeal  to  the  heavens,  then  to 
the  earth,  then  to  the  Bambino,  with  his  hand  outstretched, 
and  his  finger  pointing  to  the  scene  before  described.  At 
one  time  his  hands  were  clasped,  and  his  head  hung  upon  his 
breast,  with  an  expression  of  deep  sorrow.  At  another  time 
his  arms  were  flung  wide,  and  his  little  face  turned  as  toward 
heaven  in  the  expression  of  adoration.  Then,  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  each  paragraph  or  division  of  his  discourse,  he  would, 
in  the  most  cool,  collected,  and  solemn  way,  so  as  to  excite 
considerable  laughter,  draw  forth  his  handkerchief  and  apply 
it  to  his  face,  and  then  pause,  and  prepare  for  again  pro- 
ceeding. And  at  the  conclusion  of  all,  he  knelt  down  and 
repeated  a  prayer  with  much  action,  flinging  his  arms  about 
as  was  common  with  the  priests  in  such  prayers,  and  in  the 
end  pronounced  the  blessing,  with  all  the  usual  crossings  and 
formalities.  On  the  whole,  it  was  a  very  singular  spectacle. 
It  seemed  as  if  it  was  thought  that,  as  this  was  the  festival 
of  the  Bambino,  or  child,  so  it  was  to  be  a  bambino,  or  child, 
who  was  to  preach  on  the  occasion.  I  believe,  however,  that 
the  custom  is  connected  with  schools,  and  that  the  cleverness 
of  the  scholars  is  exhibited  in  this  way.  At  all  events,  the 
parents  of  this  little  fellow — and  he  was  really  a  fine  little 
fellow — looked  in  very  natural  admiration  on  the  clever  way 
in  which  he  enacted  his  part  as  the  miniature  of  a  priest. 
The  monks  and  friars,  who,  in  considerable  numbers,  laughed 
aloud,  and  even  clapped  their  hands,  seemed  to  enjoy  the 
scene  as  a  capital  joke;  while  the  mass  of  the  people  looked 
on,  and  laughed  and  joked,  as  if  it  were  an  amusing  species 
of  Punch  and  Judy/' 

TKe  Epiphany  is  the  day  of  the  Bambino's  great  procession, 
exhibition,  and  blessing  of  the  people,  before  it  is  locked  up 
for  the  year.     Mr.  Seymour  says  : — 

"About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day  we  re- 
paired to  the  church  of  the  Bambino,  the  Ara  Cosli.  It  was 
exceedingly  thronged,  but  there  was  a  body  of  military  to 
make  arrangements  and  to  keep  order.     There  were  many 


8  "the  most  holy  bambino." 

priests  officiating  at  some  service  at  the  altar,  and  there  was 
ample  use  of  holy  water,  incense,  and  music.  In  the  midst 
of  these  services  these  priests  left  the  altar,  and  proceeded 
with  incense  down  the  aisle  of  the  church.  There  were  six 
priests,  all  robed,  accompanying  the  chief  or  officiating  priest, 
together  with  a  large  number  of  incense-bearers,  candle- 
bearers,  and  other  officials,  in  canonicals.  All  these,  together 
with  the  soldiers  as  a  guard  of  honor,  passed  down  the  aisle, 
while  some  canticle  was  slowly  chanted,  and  the  censer  waved, 
and  the  smoke  ascended,  and  the  perfume  filled  the  church. 
On  arriving  at  the  chapel  before  described  as  fitted  up  for  the 
Bambino,  the  procession  paused,  and  the  priest  bowed  low 
before  it :  they  then  formally  incensed  it;*  and,  again  falling 
into  procession  as  before,  returned  to  the  high  altar  and  re- 
sumed the  services. 

"After  some  moments,  the  curtains,  which  had  screened 
from  the  view  the  whole  choir  behind  the  high  altar,  were 
drawn  aside,  and  there  issued  four  men  bearing  enormous 
torches  lighted,  each  torch  composed  of  four  large  candles, 
and  burning  in  prodigious  candlesticks.  At  the  same  instant 
a  company  of  soldiers  took  their  station  before  these  torch- 
bearers,  and  moved  towards  the  side  aisle  of  the  church ;  and 
then  there  issued  a  long  column  of  monks,  all  in  their  monkish 
habits,  and  every  monk  bearing  a  lighted  candle  or  torch  in 
his  hand.  Their  number  was  about  eighty ;  and  as  this  long 
train  of  monks  passed  slowly  by,  they  were  followed  by  a 
military  band  belonging  to  the  pope's  guards,  and  their  mar- 
tial music  rang  and  rang  again,  reverberating  through  the 
vaulted  building  with  extraordinary  power.  This  military 
band  was  followed  by  officials  carrying  staffs  :  these  again  by 
four  torch-bearers,  as  before :  then  six  priests  in  their  robes : 
then  by  the  officiating  priest,  supported  by  two  others  as 
assistants :  then  by  certain  officials ;  and  finally  by  a  guard 
of  soldiers.  In  this  procession  all  parties,  priests,  monks, 
ecclesiastics,  and  officials,  were  robed  in  full  costume.  All 
the  military  carried  their  arms,  and  were  fully  accoutred  ;  and 
as  the  whole  passed  down  the  church,  the  monks  moving  two 

*  This  means  that  the  incense-bearer  threw  up  the  censer  toward 
the  image,  that  the  smoke  of  the  incense  might  perfume  it.  The 
censer  is  the  vessel  which  holds  the  incense,  and  it  is  suspended  by 
chains,  so  that  it  may  be  swung  atfout. 


"THE  most  holy  bambino."  9 

Dy  two  with  their  candles  or  torches,  it  presented  a  very  sin- 
gular and  striking  appearance. 

"In  this  order  they  passed  down  the  side  aisle  of  the 
church,  passing  the  stage  where  the  Bambino  lay.  The  head 
of  the  procession  passed  through  the  door  at  the  end  of  this 
aisle ;  and  when  the  priest  came  to  the  stage,  instead  of  pass- 
ing on,  he  and  his  assistants  paused,  entered  the  stage,  and, 
with  much  reverence  and  more  ceremony,  took  the  Bambino 
from  the  arms  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  then  followed  the  pro- 
cession out  of  the  church.  I  went  forth  with  the  priests, 
that.  I  might  witness  all. 

"  The  church  of  Ara  Coeli  stands  on  a  height,  and  is 
approached  by  a  flight  of  124  steps  of  Grecian  marble,  said  to 
be  those  that  formed  the  approach  to  the  temple  of  Venus  in 
the  times  of  heathenism.  At  the  top  of  this  magnificent  mass 
of  white  marble  is  the  front  of  the  church ;  and  it  was  on  this 
spot  I  stood  to  witness  '  the  blessing  of  the  most  holy  Bam- 
bino/ one  of  the  most  extraordinary  spectacles  to  be  seen  in 
the  Church  of  Rome.  The  whole  space  below  and  up  the 
long  flight  of  steps  was  thronged  to  excess.  The  masses  of 
the  people  were  wedged  together  as  closely  as  possible.  There 
could  not  be  less  than  five  thousand  persons  :  every  head  un- 
covered, and  every  face  upturned,  gazing  intently  upon  the 
scene  in  front  of  the  church.  And  such  a  scone !  There,  at 
the  height  of  a  hundred  and  twenty-four  steps  above  the  great 
mass  of  the  people — there  stood  the  priests  in  all  their  splen- 
did robes.  On  one  side  were  arranged  about  forty  monks : 
on  the  other  hand  about  as  many  more ;  and  clothed  in  their 
sombre  dresses,  and  waving  their  blazing  torches  in  their 
hands,  they  presented  a  scene  of  the  most  striking  kind.  In 
the  midst  were  the  more  immediate  officials,  holding  aloft 
their  gigantic  torches )  and  in  the  centre  of  these  again  were 
priests  surrounding  the  high-priest,  who  held  the  little  image, 
the  Bambino,  in  his  hand.  At  least  one  hundred  torches, 
each  in  the  hand  of  an  ecclesiastic,  glittered  and  flamed 
around.  The  incense  was  waved  before  them,  and  enwrapped 
all  for  the  moment  in  its  clouds  and  perfume.  The  military 
band  filled  the  whole  place  with  a  crash  of  music,  and  the 
soldiers  of  the  guard  presented  arms,  as  the  chief  priest  lifted 
the  little  image — slowly  lifted  the  Bambino — raising  it  above 
his  head.  In  an  instant,  as  if  the  eternal  Jehovah  were 
11* 


10  "the  most  holy  bambino. " 

visibly  present  in  the  image,  among  the  vast  multitude  gazing 
from  far  beneath,  every  head  was  uncovered,  every  knee  was 
bent,  and  almost  every  living  soul  was  prostrate  before  it. 
He  raised  it  slowly  a  second  time  :  he  raised  it  in  the  same 
manner,  only  more  slowly,  the  third  time;  and  the  muttered 
words  of  prayer  ascended  from  the  vast  multitude,  and  told 
how  deeply  and  universally  rooted  among  the  people  is  this 
worship  of  the  Bambino.  I  felt  as  if  my  blood  was  frozen 
within  me  at  so  awful  a  spectacle. 

"Another  scene  soon  followed.  The  Bambino  had  been 
worshipped  by  those  without  the  church,  and  had  conferred 
his  blessing.  He  was  now  to  be  worshipped  by  those  within, 
and  they  were  to  receive  his  blessing. 

"  The  procession  reentered  the  church  and  approached  the 
high  altar,  the  priest  holding  the  Bambino  before  his  breast 
in  an  erect  position,  with  its  back  to  himself.  He  then 
placed  it  upon  the  altar,  and  he  and  his  assistants  knelt  and 
adored  it.  After  a  short  space  he  again  rose,  and,  taking  it 
into  his  hands,  again  held  the  little  image  before  him.  The 
music  of  the  military  band  rang  through  the  arched  aisles ; 
the  incense  poured  forth  its  volume  of  perfume ;  the  hundred 
lights  waved  in  the  hands  of  the  monks ;  the  priest  lifted 
the  little  image  above  his  head ;  and  in  an  instant  the  whole 
assembly,  at  least  two  thousand  souls,  lay  prostrate  upon  the 
earth.  A  thrill  ran  through  my  frame  at  the  sight.  He 
raised  it  the  second  time :  he  raised  it  the  third  time :  he 
then  slowly  returned  it  to  the  altar.  The  people  arose  from 
their  prostration,  and  the  priest  carried  their  idol  behind  the 
curtains,  and  the  festival  was  ended." 

This  ceremony  is  called  athe  benediction,  or  blessing,  of 
the  Bambino."  And  to  obtain  this  blessing,  the  poor,  simple 
populace  of  Rome  congregate  in  thousands. 

Surely  we  have  here  as  gross  idolatry  as  any  that  was  ever 
found  in  Pagan  Rome.  Here  is  bowing,  kneeling,  and  pros- 
tration, to  a  little  wooden  image ;  and  a  belief  that  there  is 
divine  power  in  it  to  give  the  Divine  blessing.  Can  any 
practice  be  more  directly  opposed  to  the  commandment  of 
God  ? — "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image, 
or  any  likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that 
is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under  the 
earth  :  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve 


aTHE   MOST   HOLY   BAMBINO."  11 

them ;  for  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God."  All  this, 
too,  be  it  remembered,  takes  place  under  the  immediate  sanc- 
tion of  the  pope :  his  own  guards  being  in  attendance  to  do 
honor  to  the  idol.  When  the  men  of  Babylon  bowed  down 
before  the  golden  image  which  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  had 
set  up,  it  was  not  more  gross  or  authorized  idolatry  than  the 
scene  before  the  little  Bambino.  And  what  wicked  trifling 
with  sacred  things  to  set  up  children  to  preach  and  pray,  to 
the  manifest  amusement  of  both  priests  and  people  !  And 
who  can  justify  the  horrid  profaneness  that  dares  to  paint  a 
picture  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  a  blasphemous  caricature  of 
the  Most  High  ?  Truly  the  Church  of  Rome  has  fully  earned 
in  these,  as  well  as  in  other  ways,  the  awful  title  of  "  Mother 

OF  ABOMINATIONS." 

That  she  should  thus  succeed  in  palming  such  services  on 
her  members,  as  the  worship  of  Him  who  is  a  Spirit,  and 
requires  to  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  is  wonderful ; 
but  the  sure  word  of  prophecy  from  the  beginning  has  prepared 
the  true  Church  to  expect  this ;  for  is  it  not  in  reference  to 
the  Roman  apostasy  that  it  is  written,  "Whose  coming  is 
after  the  working  of  Satan,  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying 
wonders,  and  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  ?" 
She  never  could  have  succeeded,  however,  in  substituting 
such  services  for  the  pure  and  spiritual  worship  of  God,  had 
she  not  studiously  withheld  the  Holy  Scriptures  from  the 
people ;  for  therein,  from  first  to  last,  idolatry  is  denounced 
in  the  most  fearful  terms.  The  Old  Testament  describes  it 
as  the  abominable  thing  which  God  hates,  and  shows  the 
tremendous  judgments  which  sooner  or  later  attend  it ;  and 
the  New  declares  that  "  idolaters"  have  no  portion  in  "  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  but  that  they  "  shall  have  their  part  in 
the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone."  Well,  then, 
with  such  services  in  her  churches,  may  she  take  pains  to 
keep  the  Bible  out  of  sight.  That  this  is  done,  she  may  deny 
in  Protestant  countries;  but  what  is  the  fact?  In  Rome, 
where  Romanism  is  assuredly  to  be  seen  in  its  perfection, 
whilst  images  are  numerous  and  cheap,  Bibles  are  scarce  and 
dear  in  the  extreme.  The  poor  man  cannot  possibly  get  a 
Bible  in  Rome,  whilst  the  rich  will  only  get  one  with  diffi- 
culty. Well,  too,  may  her  learned  missionaries  in  all  foreign 
lands  refrain  from  translating  the  Scriptures,  and  from  putting 


12  "THE  most  holy  bambino." 

them  into  the  hands  of  those  to  whom  they  are  sent;  for  if 
they  did  so,  these  abominations  would  soon  be  made  manifest 
to  the  simple-minded  converts.  In  New  Zealand,  for  instance, 
where  the  word  of  God  is  happily  in  the  hands  of  many,  a 
discussion  of  nine  hours'  duration  between  a  clergyman  and  a 
priest  on  the  points  of  difference  between  them,  was  termi- 
nated by  the  assembled  natives  shouting  out  as  with  one  voice 
the  SECOND  commandment.  And  we  cannot  wonder  that 
both  in  Italy  and  in  Ireland,  in  so  many  of  her  catechisms, 
this  commandment  is  altogether  omitted. 

How  thankful  should  we  be  that  in  this  favored  land  we 
are  not  left  to  any  garbled  extracts  of  the  divine  word  for 
guidance  in  the  path  of  duty;  but  that  we  have  within  our 
reach  the  entire  volume  of  sacred  truth,  and  may  search,  each 
one  for  himself,  the  records  of  eternal  life.  0  !  what  a  poor 
substitute  for  this  blessed  book  are  those  representations  of 
sacred  subjects  which  are  set  forth  in  the  churches  of  Home 
for  the  instruction  of  the  populace — such  pantomimes,  for 
instance,  for  it  deserves  no  better  name,  as  that  which  is  annu- 
ally performed  in  the  church  of  Ara  Coeli.  It  is  to  no  wooden 
idol,  nor  wooden  cross,  that  the  word  of  the  Most  High  directs 
the  sinner  to  look  for  life  and  peace.  It  is  to  no  gorgeoua 
picture,  to  no  pompous  ceremony  that  it  would  direct  his 
thoughts.  Its  language  is,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God, 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  !"  "  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin."  "  Whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  not  per- 
ish, but  have  everlasting  life."  John  iii.  16.  "  Being 
justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,"  "  by  whom  we  have  received  the  atonement," 
and  "  through  whom  we  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the 
Father,"  and  may  "come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,"  to 
offer  not  an  idolatrous  worship  through  images  and  pictures, 
but  a  spiritual  worship,  "  a  reasonable  service,"  "acceptable 
to  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  "  We  know,"  sa\> 
the  apostle,  u  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  ua 
an  understanding,  that  we  may  know  him  that  is  true;  and  we 
are  in  him  that  is  true,  even  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  Little 
children,  keep  yourselves  from  idols."  1  John  v.  20,  21. 


Nashville,  Tenn, :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  35 


JESUS    AND    JESUITS 


EROM  THE  FRENCH  OE  N.  ROUSSEL, 


The  other  day  two  hackney-coachmen  were  quarrelling 
While  the  one  mounted  on  his  seat,  sat  there  silently,  arms 
crossed,  and  whistling  carelessly,  the  other  went  on  vocife* 
rating  all  manner  of  abuse  :  "  Fool  \"  cried  he.  The  other 
remained  unmoved.  "  Thief  I"  Still  silence.  "  Runaway 
from  the  galleys  !"  Nothing  said.  "  Jail-bird  !"  Still 
nothing.  "  Forger  I"  The  same  imperturbability.  "  Mur- 
derer !"     The  same  phlegm. 

The  insulting  party,  exasperated  by  the  calmness  of  the 
philosopher,  stops  to  devise  some  injurious  epithet,  which 
includes  all  others.     At  last  he  cries  out,  "  Jesuit  I" 

This  time  the  phlegmatic  coachman  jumps  down  from  his 
box,  grasps  his  whip,  and  with  it  lashes  the  face  of  his  enemy. 
The  crowd,  collected  to  witness  the  quarrel,  bursts  into  loud 
laughter,  whilst  a  tear  shone  on  the  copper-colored  cheek  of  a 
foreigner  of  benignant  aspect,  who  was  passing  by,  and 
whom  we  will  follow.  Arriving  at  the  library  of  the  "  Maison 
Dor6e/'  he  stops  to  look  over  the  titles  which  catch  his  eye : 
"Action  against  the  Jesuits  ;"   "  The  Jesuits  Unmasked. 

The  melancholy  of  our  friend  seemed  to  increase,  and.  as 
if  to  escape  from  it,  he  left  the  Boulevard  for  the  Rue  Riche- 
lieu. As  he  neared  the  Theatre  Francais,  the  crowd  stopped 
him  once  more.  He  inquires  the  cause,  and  he  learns  that 
Tartuffe  is  to  be  played. 

"  What  is  Tartuffe  V  asked  he. 

"  Well,  to  be  sure  !"  answered  a  shoe-black,  who  was  one 
of  the  hindmost  of  the  string.  "  Where  can  this  man  come 
from,  that  he  does  not  know  Tartuffe — the  Jesuit  hypocrite 


I  JESUS   AND    JESUITS. 

and  thief?      Give  three  francs,  take  my  place,  and  in  coming 
out  you  will  be  able  to  tell  me  all  about  him." 

The  copper-colored  man,  without  knowing  where  he  was 
going,  allowed  himself  to  be  pushed  on  till  he  reached  a  bench 
in  the  pit  of  the  theatre.  It  would  be  needless  to  say  that 
the  audience  applauded  every  sally  made  by  Molicre  against 
hypocrites,  and  applied  by  every  one  to  the  Jesuits.  It  may 
also  be  imagined  that  our  poor  foreigner  was  not  cheered  by 
all  this  :  but,  at  all  events,  we  must  explain  the  cause  of  his 
Badness. 

Olilu  was  born  in  a  country,  of  late  famous  in  France,  in 
the  island  of  Tahiti.  All  the  world  knows  that  that  rock  in 
Oceanica,  within  the  last  fifty  years  reclaimed  from  barbarism, 
has  been  Christianized  by  the  efforts  of  Protestant  mission- 
aries. All  the  world  knows  that  not  long  ago  the  ultramon- 
tane party,  jealous  of  the  success  of  this  mission,  determined 
to  destroy  it,  and  to  confiscate  its  ruins  to  the  advantage  of 
the  Roman  Church.  But  all  the  world  does  not  know  that 
the  secret  spring  of  that  plot  was  under  the  hands  of  Jesuits, 
skilful  enough  to  assign,  as  a  pretence,  political  interests,  to 
excite  national  pride,  and  to  carry  on  their  vestry-meetings 
upon  the  ships  of  our  navy,  and  at  the  cost  of  the  state.  But 
to  continue. 

Our  Tahitian,  then,  had  already  read  the  Bible,  and  taken 
the  most  lively  pleasure  in  contemplating  the  admirable  life 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Jesus !  that  one  word  was  for  him  a  sum- 
mary of  every  virtue, — of  uprightness,  love,  and  devotedness, 
— and  thus  he  had  but  one  rule  of  conduct,  to  imitate  his 
Saviour;  but  one  method  of  reasoning,  to  quote  his  words. 

This  was  his  state  of  mind  when  the  missionaries  of  Rome 
arrived,  sufficiently  Jesuits  to  conceal  their  intentions  at  the 
first.  One  of  them,  desirous  to  learn  the  language  of  the 
islanders,  took  Olilu  for  instructor,  and  was  not  a  little  sur- 
prised to  find  in  the  so-called  savage  such  warm  attachment 
to  the  Bible,  such  profound  admiration  of  Jesus  Christ.  But 
as  he  purposed,  if  possible,  to  take  him  back  with  him  into 
Europe,  there  to  teach  the  Tahitian  language  to  such  of  his 
colleagues  as  were  to  be  sent  out  as  missionaries  to  the  island, 
Father  Clement  thought  it  prudent  to  let  it  appear  that  they 
were  both  of  the  same  religion.  Olilu  was  soon  persuaded, 
and  they  embarked    together.      During  the    voyage  Father 


JESUS  AND  JESUITS.  8 

Clement  was  anxious  to  begin  the  conversion  of  this  admirer 
of  Jesus,  and  he  thought  he  could  not  recommend  himself 
more  effectually  than  by  calling  himself  a  Jesuit.  Unfortu- 
nately, he  fell  sick,  and  died  before  they  reached  the  port.  His 
neophyte,  still  unconverted,  arrived,  therefore,  in  England  alone. 

The  first  thing  Olilu  did  was  to  inquire  (for  he  had  learned 
English  from  the  Protestant  missionary)  where  the  Jesuits 
were  to  be  found.  "  The  Jesuits  !"  was  the  wondering  reply : 
"  they  have  been  expelled  the  kingdom  for  ages."  "  Where 
shall  I  find  them,  then ?"  "No  doubt  in  Portugal,  where 
the  ship  you  see  yonder  in  port  is  just  going." 

Arrived  at  Lisbon,  Olilu  inquires  for  the  reverend  fathers. 
"  Expelled  :  expelled  from  the  kingdom  and  its  colonies,"  was 
the  reply.  Olilu  thought  to  himself  that  his  friends  had 
doubtless  only  passed  the  frontier.  He  came  then  to  Madrid. 
Here  again  the  same  question  and  the  same  answer,  with  this 
only  difference,  that  from  Spain  the  Jesuits  had  been  driven 
again  and  again. 

This  time  Olilu  said  to  himself  that  he  had  done  wrong  in 
not  going  straight  to  France,  seeing  that-  Father  Clement  was 
a  Frenchman.  He  came  then  to  Paris,  where  we  have  met 
him,  and  noV  his  sadness  and  his  depression  are  intelligible 
enough. 

•  We  have  left  him  at  the  Theatre  Francais,  seated  next  to  a 
young  man  with  a  timid  and  downcast  look.  Olilu,  whose 
character  was  frank  and  open,  had  already,  between  the  acts, 
found  time  to  relate  his  history,  ending  it  with  his  constant 
question : 

"  Where  shall  I,  then,  find  my  friends  the  Jesuits  ?" 

"Hush!"  said  the  young  man,  in  a  mysterious  whisper; 
but  on  perceiving  that  his  left-hand  neighbor  had  heard  the 
question,  and  was  listening  to  the  answer,  he  replied  aloud  : 

"  Jesuits  !  there  are  no  longer  any :  they  have  been  driven 
out  of  France."  At  the  same  time,  discerning  on  the  fea- 
tures of  Olilu  signs  of  most  sincere  regret,  he  whispered  in 
his  ear  while  giving  him  a  card,  "  Come  to-morrow  to  this 
address,  and  we  will  have  some  conversation." 

Olilu,  true  to  the  rendezvous,  was  not  a  little  surprised  to 
find  the  young  man  he  had  seen  the  night  before  in  a  black 
coat,  now  dressed  in  a  cassock.  "  What !"  he  said,  "  can  you 
be  a  priest  like  Father  Clement?" 


4  JESUS   AND   JESUITS. 

"Perhaps." 

"But   if  so,  why  did  I  see   you  yesterday  without  the 
sacred  costume  ?" 

"Because,  according  to  the  opinions  of  the  world,  an  ec- 
clesiastic should  not  go  to  the  theatre." 

# "  But  if  it  be  a  sin  when  the  world  knows  of  it,  is  it  not 
still  a  sin,  even  if  the  world  should  be  ignorant  of  it  ?" 

"No,  my  friend:  what  difference  does  it  make  to  my 
neighbor  whether  I  spend  my  evenings  here  or  there  ?  JNo 
doubt,  if  people  knew  it,  they  might  be  scandalized,  and 
therefore  we  are  bound  to  take  every  precaution  to  escape  in- 
discreet remarks ;  and,  for  example,  rather  than  expose  the 
cassock  in  the  streets  at  ten  o'clock  at  night,  it  is  better  to  re- 
turn home  at  two  in  the  morning.  I  repeat,  let  us,  above  all, 
avoid  scandal :  all  our  doctors  are  agreed  upon  that." 

"  Of  what  doctors  are  you  speaking  ?" 

11  Of  those  of  your  friends." 

"  What !  you  are  a  Jesuit  !"  exclaimed  Olilu,  joyfully. 

The  young  man  smiled. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  in  a  low  tone,  remembering  that  walls  have 
ears ;  "  and  know,  that  I  should  not  have  trusted  you  with 
this  secret,  if  you  had  not  spoken  to  me  so  much  about 
Father  Clement — the  poor  man  is  dead,  indeed ! — but  you 
can  still  be  useful  to  me  in  teaching  the  language  of  your . 
country." 

"  I  cannot  make  it  out,"  said  Olilu,  quite  bewildered.  "  I 
came  into  Europe  to  search  for  the  Jesuits,  and  to  each  one 
of  my  inquiries  I  receive  for  answer  :  Driven  from  England — 
driven  out  of  Portugal — out  of  Spain — out  of  France.  As 
to  that,  I  could  still  say  to  myself  that  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
Christ  had  always  been  persecuted,  and  thus  I  could  reconcile 
the  virtues  of  my  friends  with  their  general  expulsion.  But 
now  I  learn  that,  according  to  their  doctors,  darkness  sancti- 
fies sin ;  and  that,  provided  scandal  be  escaped,  vice  is  no 
more  vice.  According  to  this  rule,  it  is  evil  that  you  are 
careful  to  hide,  while  our  common  Master  recommends  us  to 
hide  what  is  good.  '  When  ye  pray,  enter  into  your  closet, 
and  shut  the  door/  are  the  words  of  Jesus.  But  you — 
Jesuits — you  shut  the  door  of  your  closets,  that  you  may  sin. 
Another  thing  surprises  me.  Yesterday,  at  the  theatre, 
before  our  next   neighbor,  you    told  me — speaking  of  the 


JESUS   AND   JESUITS.  5 

Jesuits — '  There  are  no  longer  any/  And  to-day  you  your- 
self are  one  !  One  of  these  assertions  must  then  have  been 
false?" 

"No," 

"  Yet  you  said,  in  a  loud  voice,  '  There  are  no  longer  any 
Jesuits  in  France  !'  " 

u  Yes ;  but  I  added,  in  a  low  voice,  '  There  are  none  in 
the  eye  of  the  law." 

"  That — according  to  you — that  is  not  a  falsehood  ?" 

"  No,  my  friend.  According  to  our  doctors  it  is  simply  a 
mental  reservation." 

"  But  the  Master  of  your  doctors — he  whose  name  you 
bear — says,  on  the  contrary,  '  Let  your  yea  be  yea,  and  nay, 
nay;  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these,  cometh  of  evil/ 
That  is  the  uprightness  of  Jesus  :  and  it  seems  to  me  that  it 
contrasts  strangely  with  the  double-dealing  of  his  imitators. " 

While  the  young  man  was  planning  an  answer,  Olilu  con- 
tinued :  "  For  the  rest,  now  that  I  have  seen  your  theatres,  I 
own  I  share  the  opinion  of  the  world  as  to  their  not  being 
proper  places  for  you." 

"  No  doubt,,  my  friend,  if,  like  the  generality,  I  had  been 
there  to  seek  for  worldly  enjoyment." 

"  Were  you  there  then  for  your  edification  ?" 

"Why  not?  Do  you  not  understand  that  it  is  indispen- 
sable in  order  to  combat  evil,  to  have  seen  it,  and  to  enter  at 
times  into  unholy  places  in  order  to  unfold  their  dangers  to 
others  ?  Thus  my  intentions  in  going  there  were  the  purest 
possible.  My  aim  was  to  do  good  :  and,  in  order  to  attain 
that  end,  all  means  are  good." 

"  You  think  so  ?" 

"  Doubtless ;  and  to  our  moralists  you  owe  the  well-known 
precept — '  The  end  justifies  the  means/  " 

"  I  do  not  know  your  moralists,  but  I  know  that  an  apostle 
of  Jesus  has  said,  '  Shall  we  do  evil  that  good  may  come,  as 
some  have  said  of  us,  whose  condemnation  is  just?'  It 
seems  to  me,  sir,  that  we  ourselves  are  the  people  here  con- 
demned." 

"  'It  seems  to  me,'  is  properly  said,"  answered  the  young 
man,  in  an  ingratiating  tone  :  "for  that  expression  conveys  to 
me  an  admission  on  your  part  that  the  matter  may  be  dif- 
ferently viewed.    Now,  so  soon  as  an  opinion  can  be  discussed, 


6  JESUS   AND   JESUITS. 

so  soon  as  it  is  only  probably  good,  probably  true,  from  that 
moment  each  one  is  free  to  adopt  or  reject  it.  Even  our 
doctors  admit  that  of  two  probable  opinions,  we  are  at  liberty 
to  choose  the  least  probable.  This  is  what  we  call  '  proba- 
bility.' " 

"  Probability  !"  said  Olilu,  with  increasing  astonishment. 
"  I  have  never  seen  that  word  in  the  gospel.  On  the  contrary, 
I  have  met  with  passages  like  this  :  '  Abstain  from  all  appear- 
ance of  evil/  You  see  that  there  is  a  very  wide  difference 
between  my  holy  Lord  Jesus  and  your  indulgent  Jesuits." 

"  My  friend,  I  do  not  know  in  what  edition  of  the  Bible 
you  find  out  these  quotations,  but  they  are  unfamiliar  to  me." 

II  Look,  then,  at  my  New  Testament." 

"  What !  a  Protestant  New  Testament  ?" 

II I  know  no  other.     Is  there,  then,  any  other  ?" 
"  Certainly  !     There  is  this  of  the  Pere  Amelot." 

"Let  me  see  it.  But  I  do  not  find  it  the  same  as  mine. 
One  of  these  translations,  then,  must  be  faulty.  Look,  for 
example :  here  it  is  said  that  a  bishop  ought  to  have  been, 
and  not  that  he  ought  to  be,  the  husband  of  one  wife.  Now, 
lower  down,  the  wives  are  spoken  of  as  being  still  alive.  So, 
then,  your  Amelot  is  mistaken." 

"  No,  my  friend,  it  is  not  a  mistake  :  it  is  a  prudent  correc- 
tion/' 

"  What !  the  P6re  Amelot  correct  Grod  !  Say,  rather,  that 
it  is  a  fraud." 

"  Not  exactly.  We  must  distinguish  between  one  fraud 
and  another.  Thus :  to  deteriorate  any  article  of  sale  for  the 
purpose  of  gaining  money  would  be  a  sin ;  but  to  allow  one's 
self  an  innocent  prevarication  to  keep  men  under  the  whole- 
some influence  of  religion, — this  is  permitted.  You  can 
understand  that  the  celibacy  of  the  priest  is  useful  to  the 
Church,  edifying  to  the  people,  favorable  for  the  purpose  of 
confession.  Now,  to  modify  slightly  a  text,  in  order  to  sup- 
port a  serviceable  doctrine,  which  would  have  been  shaken  by 
a  too  servile  translation, — this  is  not  a  fraud;  or,  at  least,  you 
must  allow  that  it  is  a  pious  fraud." 

"A  pious  fraud  !  But,  ,sir,  you  take  a  strange  advantage 
of  the  pliant  nature  of  words.  A  pious  fraud !  The  words 
offend  my  ears  as  much  as  if  you  were  to  speak  of  a  veracious 
lie  or  a  virtuous  crime.    I  own  that  my  gospel  has  not  brought 


JESUS   AND   JESUITS.  7 

me  on  as  far  as  this.  I  see  there,  that  the  Christian  is  to  be 
harmless  as  a  dove,  to  walk  as  a  child  of  light,  to  behave 
honestly  as  in  open  day." 

"  My  friend,  I  am  not  accustomed  to  so  much  disputation. 
Our  first  duty,  as  members  of  the  society,  is  to  obey  our 
superiors." 

"  But,  sir,  one  can  obey,  and  yet  make  use  of  his  reason." 

"  Reason,  say  you !  Nay,  reason  goes  for  nothing  where 
Loyola  commands.  Thoughts,  reflection,  conscience,  have 
henceforth  no  meaning  for  us.  At  a  sign  from  the  General 
of  the  Order  we  are  bound  to  renounce  our  will,  our  ideas, 
our  intelligence,  our  affections,  and  to  let  ourselves  be  turned 
and  torn  like  a  corpse,  without  any  resistance." 

"  And  you  call  that  being  a  Jesuit  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  you  call  that  imitating  Jesus  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  then,  I  tell  you  that  you  Jesuits  are  as  much  like 
Jesus  as  the  devil  is  like  G-od,  hell  like  to  heaven,  night  to 
day,  falsehood  to  truth,  hypocrisy  to  candor  !  0,  now  I  un- 
derstand well  those  passages  of  the  Bible  which  speak  of  the 
wolf  in  sheep's  clothing,  and  of  Satan  disguised  as  an  angel 
of  light.  They  evidently  refer  to  the  Jesuits  taking  the 
name  of  Jesus." 

Here  the  young  man  with  the  downcast  look  tried  to  smile, 
while  grinding  his  teeth ;  and  taking  out  his  notebook,  asked 
the  name  and  address  of  his  friend,  who  gave  them  both  and 
went  away. 

On  the  morrow  Olilu  had  disappeared.  A  short  time  after, 
a  dungeon  of  the  Holy  Inquisition  opened,  closed,  and  opened 
no  more ! 

These  are  the  men  who,  at  the  present  time,  want  to  govern 
us !  These  are  the  men  who  call  themselves  the  great  cham- 
pions of  Catholicism  ;  or  rather,  who  pretend  that  they  them- 
selves constitute  Catholicism.  Be  it  so.  But  let  us  then  be 
permitted  to  reject  this  Catholicism  for  the  gospel,  these 
Jesuits  for  Jesus,  hypocrisy  for  uprightness,  the  devil  for  the 
Lord  !  Better  the  drunkard  in  the  alehouse,  the  gambler  in 
the  tennis-court,  than  the  Jesuit  beneath  his  mask ;  for  the 
drunkard  owns  himself  a  drunkard,  the  gambler  a  gambler; 
and  thus  it  is  possible  that  they  may  be  converted.      But  the 


8  JESUS   AND   JESUITS. 

Jesuit,  speaking  of  his  virtues  in  the  very  midst  of  his  vices, 
deserves  only  the  reward  of  hypocrites — eternal  damnation ! 
Woe  to  the  Church  pushed  on  toward  that  declivity  !  Woe 
to  the  people  lying  under  that  extinguisher  !  A  little  longer 
delay,  and  it  will  be  too  late  ! 

But  perhaps  these  men  are  better  than  their  principles, 
and  that  they  do  good,  albeit  they  preach  evil.  Be  it  so ;  but 
then  the  whole  of  Europe  and  the  best  of  the  popes  must  be 
the  guilty  parties ;  for  the  pope  and  Europe  joined  to  sweep 
away  this  virtuous  society  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Either 
Clement  the  Fourteenth,  and  the  monarchs  and  the  nations  of 
his  day,  were  criminal  persecutors,  or  the  Jesuits,  whom  they 
accused  of  all  sorts  of  crimes,  were  justly  expelled.  Now, 
was  it  Henry  the  Fourth  who  counselled  Ravaillac  to  murder 
the  Jesuits,  or  the  Jesuits  who  instigated  Ravaillac  to  stab 
Henry  the  Fourth  ?  Was  it  the  Pope  Ganganelli  who  caused 
the  Jesuits  to  be  poisoned,  or  the  Jesuits  who  led  to  the 
poisoning  of  Ganganelli?  Was  it  the  English  Parliament 
that  sought  to  blow  up  the  Jesuits  by  a  Gunpowder  Plot,  or 
the  Jesuits  who  devised  that  hideous  conspiracy  against  the 
Parliament  ?  Who,  in  Spain,  was  guilty  of  high  treason,  the 
king  or  the  Jesuits  ?  Who  revolted  in  Paraguay,  the  Portu- 
guese or  the  Jesuits  ?  Who,  from  the  recesses  of  the  con- 
fessional,  have  directed  so  many  intrigues,  spoiled  so  many 
families,  guided  so  many  daggers,  the  Jesuit  confessors  or 
their  martyrs  ?  Open  the  page  of  history  which  answers  you, 
and  (rare  occurrence  !)  you  will  see  the  people  and  the  kings 
unite  to  shake  from  their  houses  and  their  kingdoms  this  ver- 
min into  the  mire  ! 

And  shall  we  now  go  and  draw  them  out  of  this  mire,  to 
seat  them  at  our  sides,  and  to  be  sullied  by  them  ?  No  :  let 
us  open  our  eyes  :  let  us  lift  our  heads,  already  drooping 
beneath  the  poisonous  influence  of  that  Jesuit-morality  poured 
on  us  by  Romish  pulpits  and  Catholic  books  ;  and,  in  order  to 
place  the  widest  possible  gulf  between  us  and  the  Jesuits,  let 
us  go  to  Jesus  himself. 

Would  you  know,  in  one  word,  the  impassable  distance 
between  the  doctrine  of  the  Jesuits  and  that  of  Jesus  ?  Li<ton. 
It  is  this  :  Jesus  pardons  sins  which  have  been  committed  : 
the  Jesuits  excuse  sins  yet  to  be  committed.  By  his  free  and 
complete  pardon  of  the  past,  Jesus  disposes  men  to  do  good 


JESUS   AND   JESUITS.  9 

in  future  :  the  Jesuits,  by  their  indulgence  toward  our  future 
conduct,  lead  to  all  that  is  wicked.  Jesus  pardons,  that  the 
pardoned  man  may  joyfully  love  his  brethren,  and  seek  to 
serve  them  :  the  Jesuits  excuse,  in  order  to  give  to  the  man 
thus  excused  the  right  to  go  on  sinning  with  impunity. 

I  shall  make  myself  better  understood  by  a  story : — A  good 
king  of  a  wicked  people  consulted  two  of  his  ministers  as  to 
the  best  method  of  having  his  laws  obeyed.  "  Sir/'  said  the 
one,  "make  a  code  that  will  be  easy  to  follow.  Tolerate 
little  offences,  mitigate  the  penalties  imposed  upon  great  ones : 
call  lying,  a  joke ;  call  impurity,  pleasure ;  theft,  necessity  ; 
crime,  folly ;  and  reserve  your  punishments  for  monsters  of 
iniquity  so  atrocious  that  you  will  scarcely  find  any  such  to 
punish." 

The  king  followed  this  advice  ;  and  it  came  to  pass  that  the 
wicked  nation,  profiting  by  the  indulgence  of  the  law,  became 
yet  more  wicked.  They  lied,  and  called  it  jesting :  they 
debased  themselves,  and  called  it  amusement :  they  stole  and 
murdered,  and  excused  themselves  by  pleading  destitution  or 
drunkenness  :  so  that  the  laws  required  yet  further  relaxation 
before  they  could  be  kept,  and  the  pitch  was  reached  of  call- 
ing evil  good,  and  good  evil.  This  is  what  the  morality  of 
the  disciples  of  Loyola  leads  to  ! 

But  the  good  king,  discovering  his  error,  called  in  his  other 
counsellors,  who  said  :  "  Sir,  reestablish  your  former  code  of 
strict  laws ;  and  when  the  terrified  people  feel  themselves  guilty 
at  your  tribunals,  which  condemn  them  all  to  the  loss  of  one 
of  their  limbs;  when  the.  whole  nation  is  confronted  with 
your  soldiers,  armed  and  ready  to  execute  the  sentence ;  then 
proclaim  throughout  the  realm  a  general  amnesty  for  the  past, 
and  invite  your  subjects  to  come  and  ask  you  for  all  they 
need,  in  order  to  live  for  the  future  as  good  and  loyal  citizens. 
But  that  they  may  learn  to  put  faith  in  your  promises,  endure 
yourself  the  sentence  wjiich  you  pronounced  against  the 
guilty."  The  king  took  the  advice,  and,  in  the  sight  of  all 
his  people,  had  one  of  his  hands  cut  off  by  the  axe  of  the  exe- 
cutioner, and  with  the  other  beckoned  to  the  crowd  to  come 
and  receive  his  pardon.  Do  you  think  that  any  one  could 
remain  indifferent  to  such  a  spectacle  ?  Do  you  think  that  in 
future  a  subject  ransomed  by  the  blood  of  his  king  would  be 
found  to  disobey  his  benefactor  ?     Do  you  not  rather  see  that 


10  JESUS   AND   JESUITS. 

gratitude  would  melt  the  hardest  heart,  and  that,  at  all  events, 
no  one  would  dare  to  presume  that  this  king,  who  had  pun- 
ished past  sin  thus  in  his  own  person,  would  excuse  sin  in 
time  to  come  ?     This  is  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ ! 

Know  it,  then,  each  and  all,  (and  this  is  the  conclusion  at 
which  I  have  been  longing  to  arrive,)  Jesus  Christ  pardons 
us — not  some  of  our  sins,  but  all  of  them — not  only  our  lighter 
offences,  but  our  hiost  serious — not  because  of  any  compensa- 
tion in  money  or  in  penitence,  but  freely  !  And  his  apostle 
tells  us,  in  so  many  words,  that  we  are  "justified  freely  by 
grace  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  Rom. 
iii.  24.  If  you  ask  me  on  what  condition,  I  answer  you  as 
does  the  same  apostle,  that  it  is  on  the  simple  condition  of 
trusting,  of  giving  yourself  up ;  or,  to  use  the  words  of  the 
Bible,  of  "  believing  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ/'  What  did 
the  prodigal  son  do  when  he  came  back  destitute  to  throw 
himself  into  his  father's  arms  ?  He  trusted  him  !  "What  did 
the  woman,  when  she  came,  all  stained  as  she  was,  to  weep  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus  ?  She  trusted  him  !  They  are  pardoned, 
are  saved,  only  because  they  believed  and  trusted.  There  is 
nothing  else  and  nothing  better  for  you  to  do.  Open  your 
heart  to  God,  confess  your  sins  to  him,  pray  to  him  with  tears, 
as  on  your  dying-bed  you  would  pray  to  an  offended  father  to 
forgive  and  bless  you ;  and  be  sure  that  God  is  not  less  pitiful 
than  an  earthly  father  ! 

Reader,  remember  that,  in  writing  Jesus  and  the  Jesuits, 
I  have  not  only  at  heart  to  separate  you  from  the  latter,  but 
to  bring  you  nearer  to  the  former.  If,  having  read  this  tract, 
you  only  go  and  declaim  against  the  disciples  of  Loyola,  with- 
out seeking  to  become  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  you  have  gained 
nothing  by  such  reading— nay,  you  have  rather  lost  by  it — 
and  you  have  in  part  imitated  the  conduct  of  those  you  are 
blaming.  For  it  is  Jesuitical  to  blame  evil  without  doing 
good. 

Would  you  know  more  about  this  saving  faith  ?  Do  not  rest 
satisfied  with  these  few  lines,  but  go  and  search  in  the  word 
of  God ;  and  if  the  extent  of  the  whole  Bible  frighten  you  at 
first,  begin  by  reading  the  New  Testament. 


JESUS   AND   JESUITS.  11 


EXTRACTS    IN    PROOF 

It  has  been  said  that  the  true  is  not  always  probable.  This 
is  the  case  as  regards  the  doctrines  we  have  attributed  to  the 
Jesuits  :  we  are,  therefore,  obliged,  in  order  to  convince  the 
most  incredulous  of  the  truth  of  what  we  have  stated,  to  quote 
a  few  short  passages  from  the  doctors  of  that  Satanic  society. 
To  abridge  them,  we  take  our  quotations  from  a  work  lately 
published  :  "  Moral  and  Political  Doctrines  of  the  Jesuits. 
Paris,  at  Jules  Labite's,  1844."  All  would  do  well  to  seek 
for  more  complete  information  in  that  work. 

We  will  now,  without  any  comment  of  our  own,  let  the  dis- 
ciples of  Loyola  speak  for  themselves  : — 

Probability. — "  It  is  probable  to  me  that  the  cloak  I  pos- 
sess is  really  mine  :  I  judge,  however,  that  it  is  more  probable 
that  it  belongs  to  you.  I  am  not  obliged  to  restore  it  to  you, 
but  I  may  safely  keep  it."  (Ferdinandus  de  Castro  Polo.)  See 
the  twelfth  page  of  the  work  which  we  have  named  above. 

Lying. — "  Every  time,  then,  you  invincibly  believe  that  ly- 
ing is  commanded  to  you,  lie."     (Car.  Ant.  Casnedi,  p.  34.) 

False  Witness. — "A  witness  may  not  receive  any  thing  for 
telling  the  truth,  but  he  may  receive  a  salary  on  account  of 
the  injury  that  he  has  done  himself  thereby ;  if  he  receives 
any  thing  in  return  for  false  witness,  he  is  not  obliged  to  make 
restitution."     (Eminanualis  Sa,  page  44.) 

Mental  Reservation. — "  When  we  begin  by  saying,  I  swear, 
we  must  add,  in  a  low  voice,  this  mental  reservation,  to-day, 
and  continue  aloud,  I  have  not  done  this  or  that."  (Vincen- 
tius  Filliucius,  page  55. ) 

Corruption  of  Judges. — "  If  a  judge  has  been  bribed  to 
give  an  unjust  sentence,  it  is  probable  that  he  may  keep  the 
sum."     (Honoratus  Faber,  page  73.) 

Theft. — "  Small  thefts,  committed  at  different  times  and 
on  various  occasions,  from  one  or  more  persons,  are  never 
mortal,  however  large  the  total  sum  may  be  of  which  we  have 
made  use."     (Etienne  Bauny,  page  84.) 

Murder. — "A  poor  man  in  this  case  (a  case  of  extreme 

poverty)  may  even  kill   any  who  would   prevent  him  from 

taking  what  is  necessary  for  him."     (H.  Busembaum,  p.  90.) 

"An  ecclesiastic  may  lawfully  kill  a  calumniator 


12  JESUS   AND   JESUITS. 

who  threatens  to  spread  atrocious  accusations  against  him  or 
against  his  religion."     (Franciscus  Amicus,  page  110.)     ' 

Infanticide.—"  If  a  modest  girl  has  been  seduced  against 
her  will  by  a  young  libertine,  she  may  free  herself  from  the 
fruit  before  it  becomes  animated. "  (N.  Airault,  pa°-e  111.) 
^  Parricide. — "A  son  is  allowed  to  rejoice  at  the  murder  of 
his  father,  which  he  has  committed,  being  drunken  at  the 
time,  and  that  on  account  of  the  wealth  he  inherits  thereby." 
(Georgius  Gobat,  page  146.) 

.  "  We  should  conclude  more  justly  in  saying,  that 
it  is  sometimes  allowable  to  get  drunk  innocently,  if  by  that 
drunkenness  a  great  good  is  to  aocrue."  (The  same,  page  147  ) 

"  I  may  very  naturally  rejoice  in  the  good  fortune  which 
comes  to  me  by  my  father's  death,  without  rejoicing  in  his 
death,  which  procures  me  the  good  fortune.  We  must 

make  ourselves  familiar  with  this  doctrine,  for  it  may  be  use- 
ful to  all  those  who  desire  a  certain  good,  and  have  the  power 
of  obtaining  it  through  the  death  of  some  one."  (Ant.  Cas- 
nedi,  page  148.) 

"  If  any  one  be  stupid  enough  to  judge  invincibly  that  the 
desire  of  committing  homicide  is  not  a  sin,  he  will  not  sin  in 
desiring  to  commit  it."     (Jacobus  Platelius,  page  119.) 

"  Catholic  children  are  bound  to  denounce  their  heretical 
parents  or  relations  even  if  they  know  that  these  will 

be  on  this  ground  sent  to  the  stake.  They  may  even 

refuse  them  food  until  they  die  of  hunger.  Fagundez  adds, 
even,  that  they  may  kill  them  in  preserving  moderation." 
(Ant.  Escobar,  page  150.) 

We  have  no  words  to  describe  the  indignation  such  doc- 
trines excite  in  us  :  we  therefore  prefer  to  leave  the  reader's 
conscience  to  judge  of  them. 

We  might  quote  on  impurity,  adultery,  on  certain  pas- 
sages which  the  most  audacious  dare  only  to  give  in  Latin  ; 
but  we  think  that  a  Christian  pen  should  not  transcribe  these 
in  any  language,  and  we  therefore  suppress  them. 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Fublisbod  by  E.  Stevenson  &  V.  A.  Owen,  for  the  11.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  36. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  CATHOLIC. 


FROM   THE   FRENCH   OF   N.    ROUSSEI*. 


In  a  retired  village  of  there  lived,  not  loDg  ago,  a 

good  cure,  among  some  two  or  three  hundred  parishioners. 
One  Sunday,  as,  coming  from  mass,  he  reflected  upon  the 
little  benefit  which  his  auditors  had  probably  derived  from  it, 
he  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  some  dozen  of  his  people, 
who  were  chatting  before  the  door  of  the  church.  It  occurred 
to  him  that,  by  a  familiar  conversation  with  these  simple  vil- 
lagers, he  might  be  more  useful  to  them  than  by  chanting  to 
them  the  vespers  in  Latin.  He  halted,  therefore,  among 
them,  seated  himself  upon  a  stone,  and,  his  two  hands  sup- 
ported on  the  head  of  his  walking-stick,  he  commenced  thus 
in  a  good-natured  tone  : — 

"  Tell  me,  John,  are  you  a  Christian  ?" 

"Why,  yes,  Mr.  Cure/'  replied  John,  all  amazed. 

"And  how  did  you  become  a  Christian  V 

"  Because — because  you  baptized  me  when  I  was  quite  lit- 
tle ;  and  so  am  I  a  Christian." 

"Well,  but  my  good  fellow,  do  you  think  that  that  thief 
whom  the  police  arrested  last  month  upon  the  highway,  and 
who  was  condemned  yesterday  to  ten  years  in  the  galleys,  for 
having  stolen  $4,000  from  our  notary — do  you  think  that  that 
robber  was  a  Christian  V 

"  Most  certainly  not  !" 

"However,  like  yourself  he  has  received  that  baptism 
which  renders  you  a  Christian.  And  you,  George,  are  you  a 
Christian  V 

"Yes/' 

"And  why?" 

"  Because  I — I've  made  my  first  communion." 

"Well,  you  have  heard  speak  of  Cartouche  ?" 
12 


1  THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC. 

"  Yes,  sometimes — was  he  a  Christian  ?" 
*' No,  lie  was  a  brigand,  like  Mandarin.     Well  now,  my 
friend,  Cartouche  and  Mandarin  had  both  received  their  first 
communion :  so  you  see,  also,  that  the  communion  does  not 
make  the  Christian." 

Our  worthy  peasants  looked  at  each  other,  not  well  knowing 
what  their  cure"  was  after.     He  continued  : — 

"  Mr.  Schoolmaster,  you  can  better  inform  us,  I  dare  say, 
what  renders  you  a  Christian. " 

The  Schoolmaster,  persuaded  that  the  cure"  had  selected 
him  to  decide  the  difficulty  to  the  satisfaction  of  all,  was,  for 
the  moment,  greatly  nattered  to  hear  himself  thus  appealed 
to;  so,  after  having  coughed,  and  cleared  his  throat,  he 
replied : — 

"I  am  a  Christian,  first,  because  I  go  every  Sunday  to 
mass ;  secondly,  because  I  go  to  confessional  every  month ; 
thirdly,  because  I  observe  the  penances  imposed :  I  repeat  my 
paternosters  :  I  keep  the  fasts — Lent,  and  all  the  rest." 

"Your  answer  is  longer  than  the  others,  [The  pedagogue 
looked  well  satisfied  with  this  commencement,]  but  it  is  worth 
no  more,  [  The  master  betrayed  his  vexation,']  for  you  must 
remember,"  continued  the  cure,  "that  all  the  heretics  con- 
demned by  the  Church,  all  the  hypocrites  who  trade  in  re- 
ligion, all  who  go  to  mass,  fast,  recite  their  paters,  observe 
their  penances ;  and  yet  neither  these  heretics  nor  these  hy- 
pocrites are  Christians." 

The  auditory  was  thoroughly  taken  by  surprise — every  one 
feared  to  be  questioned :  a  child  of  ten  years  of  age  present 
was  alone  unconcerned  :  it  was  to  this  child  the  cure  next 
addressed  himself. 

"  Tell  me,  my  little  Joseph,  What  must  one  do  to  be  a 
Christian  ?" 

"  Sir,  we  must  love  the  blessed  God,  and  be  very  good." 
"Blessed  art  thou,  Heavenly  Father!''  exclaimed  the  pas- 
tor, raising  his  eyes  to  heaven,  "  for  that  thou  hast  revealed 
to  babes  the  things  which  thou  hast  hid  from  the  wise  and 
prudent !  Yes,  my  friends,  that  which  makes  the  Christian 
is  the  feeling  of  his  heart.  He  who  has  confidence  in  Jesus 
Christ  to  obtain  from  him  forgiveness  of  his  sins,  and  who, 
thus  pardoned,  loves  Grod  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbor 
as  himself,  he  is  a  Christian  :  in  two  words,  reli-ion   eon^M 


THE    CHRISTIAN    CATHOLIC.  6 

not  in  the  ceremonies  performed  by  our  feet,  our  hands,  or 
our  mouths — it  is  in  the  sentiments  of  faith  and  love  of  our 
hearts.''' 

The  cure  here  ended  his  conversation,  and  withdrew.  These 
words,  which  so  completely  astonished  our  good  peasants,  will 
not  so  much  surprise  the  reader,  when  he  learns  that  our 
cure,  for  some  time  past,  had  devoted  himself  to  the  reading 
of  a  great  volume,  inherited  from  an  uncle,  and  that  that  study, 
in  which  he  was  seen  to  be  engaged  morning  and  evening, 
preceded  and  followed  by  prayer,  had  caused  him  more  than 
once  to  forget  his  breviary,  and  had  sensibly  modified  his 
religious  opinions. 

He  thought  he  saw,  in  his  Church,  more  than  one  thing 
which  was  not  good;  yet,  not  being  at  present  quite  clear 
about  it,  he  continued,  at  the  same  time,  to  read  his  book,  and 
to  say  the  mass. 

But,  this  time,  he  had  wounded  the  self-esteem  of  the 
schoolmaster,  who,  to  revenge  himself,  reported  the  said  con- 
versation to  the  vicar :  he  spoke  in  his  turn  to  the  bishop, 
and  the  following  Thursday  the  cure  received  from  his  superior, 
who  was  also  his  uncle  and  his  friend,  the  letter  now  to  be  read  : 

"  My  dear  nephew,  and  brother  in  Jesus  Christ : — It  has 
been  told  me,  that  last  Sunday  you  held  in  your  church  a 
conversation,  the  consequence  of  which  will  be  to  bring  into 
contempt  all  the  holy  practices  of  our  Church,  and  which  puts 
the  salvation  of  man  beyond  the  influence  of  the  priest.  You 
are  aware  how  dangerous  such  doctrines  are.  I  wish  to 
believe  that  your  words  have  been  ill  understood,  and  that, 
without  doubt,  you  meant  to  say  that  all  these  practices  ought 
to  be  accompanied  by  the  sentiments  of  the  heart ;  but  that 
ceremonies  and  sentiments  are  equally  necessary;  that  if 
faith,  if  repentance,  be  necessary  on  the  part  of  the  believer, 
the  intervention  of  the  priest  is  no  less  necessary  to  receive 
that  faith,  to  receive  that  repentance,  and  to  fulfil  the  cere- 
monies of  baptism,  confirmation,  extreme  unction,  etc.,  without 
which  there  is  no  salvation.  I  hope,  then,  that  you  will  reply 
in  this  sense,  and,  at  the  same  time,  thus  explain  yourself  in 
your  next  exhortation  at  mass. 

"I  salute  you,"  etc. 

The  cure  read  and  re-read  this  letter :  he  found  something 


4  THE   CHRISTIAN   CATIIOLin. 

which  hurt  his  heart  and  his  understanding ;  however,  he 
scarce  knew  how  he  should  reply.  He  did  not 

reply :  he  waited,  and  during  that  time  it  was  noticed  that  he 
shut  himself  more  frequently  up  in  his  study  to  pray  and  rend 
his  folio,  as  was  apparent  from  the  end  of  his  garden,  toward 
which  his  window  looked.  At  length,  after  some  weeks  of 
study,  here  is  the  answer  he  sent : — 

"  My  Lord,  and  dear  Uncle : — I  said  that  the  peculiar  cere- 
monies of  the  Roman  Church  help  nothing  for  salvation ;  and 
to-day,  after  having  prayed  to  God,  and  read  his  word,  I  say 
again,  they  help  nothing.  No  ceremony  is,  indeed,  indis- 
pensable, however  good  as  an  aid  sometimes.  There  are  only 
three  ways  by  which  salvation  can  be  obtained  :  either  by 
ceremonies  alone — and  in  this  case  the  greatest  villains  would 
be  saved,  while  dying  in  impenitence;  (that  which  you  would 
admit  no  more  than  myself;)  or,  the  religious  ceremonies  and 
the  sentiments  of  the  heart  are  equally  indispensable — that 
which  you  believe  to  be  true,  and  that  which  I  am  about  to 
show  to  be  false.  If  baptism,  confirmation,  fasts,  mass,  ex- 
treme unction,  etc.,  are  indispensable  in  order  to  be  saved,  the 
adulteress  whom  Jesus  Christ  pardoned,  the  thief  to  whom 
our  Saviour  made  promise  of  paradise,  St.  Stephen,  who  died 
a  martyr,  are  consequently  not  saved ;  for,  in  the  time  of  the 
adulteress,  mass  was  not  said  :  the  thief  had  no  time  to  be 
baptized :  St.  Stephen  did  not  receive  extreme  unction. 

"  If  the  ceremonies  of  the  Church  are  indispensable  for 
salvation,  Christian  sailors,  cast  by  shipwreck  upon  a  desert 
isle,  Christian  prisoners,  dying  in  heretical  countries,  or 
savages  who  may  have  been  converted  by  the  simple  reading 
of  the  Bible,  and  who  should  stay  in  their  country,  far  from 
every  priest  and  every  sacrament — all  these  men,  notwith- 
standing their  sentiments,  their  faith,  their  love,  would  not 
then  be  saved,  because  they  have  not  done  that  which  they 
could  not  do. 

"  If  our  ceremonies  were  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation, 
it  would  only  need  that  a  bad  priest  should  refuse,  by  caprice 
or  hatred,  the  sacraments  to  his  parishioners,  that  they  might 
be  damned.  If  you  reply  that  these  are  only  exceptions,  and 
that,  in  these  cases,  men  may  be  saved  without  our  religious 
ceremonies,  I  answer,  These  practices  are  not,  then,  abso- 
lutely necessary,  and  therefore  not  in  themselves  efficacious 


THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC  5 

If  the  grace  of  Grod  sufficed  for  St.  Stephen,  why  shall  it  not 
suffice  for  me  ?  If  one  may  be  saved  without  the  absolution 
of  a  priest,  in  a  desert  isle,  why  not  in  my  village  ?  Is  Grod 
less  powerful  in  one  age  than  in  another — in  one  country  than 
another  ?  However,  my  lord,  think  not  that  I  wish  to  abolish 
all  ceremonies :  there  are  some  which  I  believe  were  established 
by  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  which,  for  that  reason,  are  good 
and  useful.  But  it  is  one  thing  to  say  that  a  ceremony  and  a 
sacrament  are  useful,  another  to  assert  that  they  are  indis- 
pensable. Tea  may  be  good,  but,  when  it  fails,  one  can  dis- 
pense with  it ;  while  water  is  indispensable,  and,  if  it  fails,  we 
die.  But  if  we  follow  the  consequences  of  this  unfortunate 
principle  admitted  by  our  Church,  of  the  necessity  of  the 
sacrament  and  of  the  priest  for  the  salvation  of  believers,  you 
will  be  alarmed  at  the  abuses  to  which  it  gives  rise. 

"Our  Church  has  declared  ceremonies  necessary,  and  the 
heart  of  man,  naturally  corrupted,  has  seized  upon  this  prin- 
ciple with  eagerness,  and  has  pushed  it  farther.  The  more 
outward  worship  appeared  indispensable,  the  more  he  believed 
he  could  dispense  with  the  worship  of  the  heart ;  so  that  each 
has  now  learned  how  to  reserve  to  himself  his  favorite  passion, 
while  imposing  on  his  body  a  few  extra  ceremonies.  For  man 
will  consent  willingly  to  all  privations,  to  all  sacrifices,  pro- 
vided that  you  leave  him  at  liberty  to  preserve  the  idol  of  his 
heart :  one  avarice,  another  pride,  a  third  impurity.  He  will 
give  you  his  time,  his  money,  his  exertions :  he  will  submit 
himself  to  fasts,  to  abstinences,  to  confessions,  etc.  He  will 
regard  all  these  as  good,  useful,  necessary,  indispensable  for 
salvation :  he  will  even  attach  to  them  more  importance  than 
you  desire,  and  that  precisely  so  much  the  more  easily  to 
satisfy  his  dominant  passion.  My  lord,  this  is  a  truth  of 
which  I  have  seen  a  thousand  instances  in  my  Church :  I  avow 
that  I  have  myself  experienced  the  same  thing  more  than 
once.  I  have  remarked,  after  attending  mass  in  the  morning, 
that  I  have  thought  myself  authorized  to  act  more  freely  in 
the  evening. 

"  More  than  once  I  punctiliously  observed  Lent,  in  the 
secret  hope  of  making  up  for  it  afterward.  At  other  times, 
tempted  to  sin,  I  gave  way  more  easily,  thinking  that,  on 
confession,  I  should  obtain  absolution.  After  confession,  I 
felt  more  at  ease.     It  seemed  as  if  my  conscience,  lightened 


6  THE   CHRISTIAN  CATHOLIC. 

by  the  absolution  of  the  priest,  could  well  now  afford,  without 
much  risk,  to  charge  itself  afresh  with  some  little  sin     0  my 
lord,  how  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked  our  hearts  '     One 
must  study  one's  self  with  care  to  discover  it;  but  k  sure 
that  if  others  have  not  discovered  it  in  themselves,  it  is  be- 
cause they  are  willing  to  be  deceived.     Let  no  man  tell  the 
people  the  whole  truth:  let  no  man  say  the  ceremonies  are 
good,  as  external  signs,  to  symbolize  the  sentiments  within 
us;  but  that,  after  all,  they  are  but  symbols— that  baptism 
by  water  is  only  an  image  of  the  purification  of  our  heart  from 
all  its  vices — that  the  Lord's  supper  is  only  in  remembrance 
of  the  great  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  to  redeem  us 
from  our  sins. 

^  "  Let  us  tell  them,  indeed,  that  their  attention  should  be 
directed  within  them,  and  in  studying  themselves  they  will 
recognize  the  truth  of  these  words  of  the  New  Testament : — 
Men    '  being    filled    with    all    unrighteousness,   fornication, 
wickedness,  covetousness,  maliciousness ;  full  of  envy,  murder, 
debate,  deceit,  malignity;   whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of 
God/  etc.     Rom.  i,  29,  30.     And  when  these  unhappy  sin- 
ners shall  feel  deeply  their  spiritual  misery,  let  us  disclose  the 
treasure  of  salvation :  let  us  announce  to  them  that  an  ex- 
piatory sacrifice  has  been  made  for  them,  and  that,  according 
to  the  word  of  God,  Christ  has  borne  our  sins  upon  the  tree, 
that  his  blood  has  been  shed  for  the  remission  of  the  sins  of 
many :   tell  them  that  God  gives  them  that  heaven  which 
they  have  not  merited ;  and  if  they  dare  not  believe  in  such  a 
benefaction,  open  the  -Bible  before  them,  and  let  them  there 
read  for  themselves  those  sweet  truths  which  have  too  long 
remain  concealed  :  '  You  are  fully  justified  :  you  are  saved  by 
grace,  by  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the  gift  of 
God/     God  grant,  my  dear  uncle,  that  these  promises  of  the 
Bible  may  rejoice  your  own  heart  even  as  they  have  mine  ! 
Accept/'  etc. 

Three  days  after,  my  lord  sent  one  who  should  replace  our 
cur£,  and  invited  him  to  pass  some  weeks  at  his  dwelling. 
The  bishop  was  a  respectable  old  man — sincere  and  of  good 
taith.  He  had  never  cherished  the  least  doubt  against  the 
authority  of  his  holy  Mother  Church ;  also,  as  a  respectful 
arm  submissive  son,  he  subjected  his  body  to  its  most  minute 
observances— his  health  had   even  suffered   thereby.      Evei 


THE   CHRISTIAN    CATHOLIC.  7 

seeking  an  internal  peace  which  he  could  not  find,  experi- 
encing the  want  of  assurance  of  his  salvation,  he  added  pil- 
grimages to  fasts,  to  pilgrimages  hair-cloth  next  his  skin; 
and  all  this  greatly  fatigued  his  body,  and  tranquillized  his 
soul  but  little.  He  ceased  not  to  ask  himself  if  he  had  done 
sufficient  to  gain  heaven ;  and  he  trembled  at  the  thought 
that  he  was  still,  perhaps,  some  steps  off,  perhaps  at  the 
threshold,  but  still  exposed  to  fall  into  hell !  Then,  fresh 
abstinence,  fresh  fears;  and  thus  life  flowed  away,  divided 
between  the  sufferings  of  his  body  and  the  anguish  of  his 
soul.  One  may  suppose,  in  such  a  case,  to  what  intent  he 
has  summoned  the  poor  cure  :  he  hoped  to  lead  him  back  to 
opinions  more  conformable  to  those  of  the  Church,  from  which 
he  saw  him  wandering  rapidly.  The  cure  accepted  the  invi- 
tation of  his  bishop,  who  at  first  said  very  little,  but  received 
him  with  kindness. 

The  following  day,  in  order  to  be  more  quiet,  my  lord 
resolved  to  start  with  him  for  the  country,  having  no  other 
witnesses  than  three  or  four  children,  who  were  watching 
their  flock  a  few  steps  beyond. 

During  a  walk  in  the  park,  he  broached  at  length  the  great 
subject. 

"  Tell  me,  my  dear  nephew,  where  did  you  pick  up  these 
new  doctrines,  so  opposed  to  those  of  the  Church  ?  Is  it  not 
Satan  who  has  suggested  them  ?" 

"  No,  sir :  it  is  the  Bible/' 

"  That  is  why  you  have  distributed  one  hundred  copies  of 
this  book  in  your  parish,  according  to  what  I  have  heard  ?" 

"  I  thought,  sir,  to  do  no  harm  in  placing  the  words  which 
God  has  addressed  to  all,  before  the  eyes  of  the  faithful." 

"  But  do  you  not  perceive  that  the  simple  people  cannot 
understand  this  book,  which  ought  only  to  be  read  and  ex- 
plained by  the  priest  ?" 

"  No,  I  do  not  see  that :  I  find,  on  the  contrary,  God  has 
judged  that  all  are  able  to  comprehend  it,  since  he  recom- 
mends it  to  be  read  by  all.  Thus  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews, 
'  Search  the  Scriptures.'  The  Psalmist  said,  '  The  law  of  the 
Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul :  the  testimony  of  the 
Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.'  Moses  desires  the 
king  to  read  the  law  every  day  of  his  life.  He  says  to  all  the 
people  :    i  Put  my  word  in  your  heart,  bind  it  on  your  hands; 


8  THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC. 

inscribe  it  on  your  houses/  St.  Luke  commends  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Berea,  because  they  compare  the  preaching  of  Paul 
with  the  word  of  God.  St.  Paul,  writing  his  Epistles  to 
different  Churches,  addresses  himself  not  only  to  the  priests, 
but  says :  '  To  you  who  are  at  Home :  '  To  all  those  in  Achaia.' 
And  tf  all  the  Israelites  in  the  time  of  Moses,  all  the  Jews  of 
the  time  of  Christ,  all  the  inhabitants  of  Home  and  of  Achaia 
might  read  the  Bible,  I  see  not  why  all  the  Christians  of  our 
day  should  not  also  read  it." 

"But  do  you  not  know/'  replied  the  bishop,  "that  the 
Bible  is  obscure,  and  cannot  be  understood  by  all  ?" 

The  cure  smiled,  and  replied :  "  You  shall  judge."  At 
the  same  time  he  beckoned  to  the  children  who  tended  the 
flock  to  approach ;  and  when  the  little  ones  of  ten  or  twelve 
stood  in  a  semicircle;  near  the  bishop,  the  cure  said  to  the 
youngest : — 

"  My  child,  '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind !'  Do  you 
understand  me?" 

"0,  yes,  Mr.  Cure !  we  must  love  the  blessed  God." 

"And  you,  my  child,  listen:  'There  is  none  righteous: 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good.'     Do  you  understand  V 

The  child  cast  down  his  eyes :  he  had  so  well  comprehended 
these  words,  that  his  conscience  had  caused  him  to  apply  them 
instantly  to  himself;  and  as  he  had  just  been  striking  one  of 
his  companions  in  a  quarrel,  he  answered :— - 

"  It  was  he  who  began :  he  gave  me  a  kick,  too." 

"  It  was  much  more  your  fault,"  said  the  other. 

"No  !"  said  a  little  girl,  "it  was  both  of  them." 

"Well,  my  little  friend,"  said  the  cure,  "attend:  'Christ 
has  died  for  our  sins — there  is  no  more  condemnation  for  those 
who  are  in  Christ — believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved.'     What  does  that  mean,  my  child  ?" 

"It  means  that  God  will  pardon  our  sins  if  we  trust  in 
Jesus  Christ." 

"Now  you,"  said  the  cure"  to  the  fourth:  "'If  any  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  who  giveth  to  all  liberally.' 
'Pray  without  ceasing/     What  do  these  words  mean'/" 

"  Wait !  that  means  that  we  must  pray  to  God  to  make  ua 
very  good." 

"  Quite  right,  my  children :  fight  no  more :  love  Jesus  Christ. 


THE   CHRISTIAN    CATHOLIC.  9 

who  has  died  to  obtain  the  forgiveness  of  your  sins  :  ask  God 
to  make  you  very  good,  and  you  will  go  to  heaven/' 

The  children  escaped,  quite  delighted. 

"Well/'  said  the  cure  to  the  bishop,  "it  appears  that  these 
children  have  understood  my  words  well  enough." 

"It  is  not  astonishing,"  said  the  latter,  "they  were  so 
simple." 

"  Yes ;  but  these  words,  so  simple,  were  precisely  those 
of  the  Bible.  If  these  children  have  understood  them,  I 
suppose  that  their  fathers  and  mothers  will  understand  them 
likewise." 

"  Yes ;  but  all  the  pages  of  the  Bible  are  not  so  clear  a3 
those  you  have  quoted." 

"I  grant  it;  but  even  if  the  simple  believer  had  understood 
these  four  passages  only  of  all  the  Bible,  would  it  not  be  worth 
his  while  to  read  it  ?  Moreover,  experience  and  good  sense 
unite  to  affirm,  that  after  the  Bible  has  been  read  some  time, 
with  prayer,  the  most  simple  reader  will  very  soon  see  an  easy 
passage  help  him  to  understand  another  less  clear :  that  which 
he  has  learned  will  help  the  understanding  of  that  which 
remains  to  be  learned,  and  then  these  obscurities  will  be  com- 
pletely cleared  up.  When  a  friend  addresses  us  a  letter  of 
which  some  words  are  effaced,  we  do  not  on  that  account 
reject  the  sheet  of  paper  :  we  read  a  second  time,  a  third  time, 
until  that  which  precedes,  or  that  which  follows,  helps  us  to 
understand  the  difficult  words." 

"  But,"  answered  the  bishop,  somewhat  perplexed  in  raising 
all  these  difficulties,  "  is  it  not  better  to  submit  the  Bible  to 
the  interpretation  of  the  councils,  whose  decisions  are  directed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  according  to  the  promise  of  Jesus  Christ  V 

"  But,"  returned  the  cure,  without  hesitation,  "  why  should 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who  can  direct  the  decisions  of  councils,  not 
direct  also  the  thoughts  of  the  simple  believer  who  shall  im- 
plore it  with  humility  ?  for  that  promise  was  not  made  alone 
to  councils,  but  to  as  many  as  the  Lord  should  call." 

"  But,  then,  if  each  one  may  read  and  interpret  the  Bible, 
you  will  have  as  many  creeds  as  individuals ;  while  in  sub- 
mitting the  Bible  to  the  interpretation  of  councils,  you  will 
have  a  uniform  faith." 

"  I  doubt  it  j  for  how  will  uniformity  be  attained  better  by 
reading  the  decrees  of  the  councils  than  by  reading  the  Bible  ? 
12* 


10 


THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC. 


Will  it  be  easier  to  understand  the  Latin  of  the  Council  of 
Trent,  than  the  Latin  of  the  Vulgate  ?" 

"No;  but  the  priest  is  there  to  interpret  the  decrees  of 
the  council  to  the  simple  believers." 

"  But,  then,  will  it  be  easier  to  make  the  believer  under- 
stand the  French  of  his  cure,  who  speaks  in  the  pulpit,  than 
the  French  of  De  Sacy,  who  speaks  through  the  translation 
of  the  Bible  ?  Latin  for  Latin,  French  for  French.  I  like 
better  to  read  the  text  than  the  commentary.  The  Bible  is 
worth  more  than  the  explanations;  unless  we  pretend  that 
when  God  speaks,  men  know  better  what  he  intends  to  say 
than  himself,  and  that  men  have  a  greater  capacity  to  make 
themselves  understood." 

"  Finally,"  said  the  bishop,  with  impatience,  "  what  do  you 
wish  to  conclude  from  all  that  V 

"  I  conclude,  that  since  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God,  every 
man  is  bound  to  go  and  draw  from  that  word  the  rule  of  his 
faith  and  conduct,  without  any  one  having  the  right  to  im- 
pose another  upon  him ;  and  that,  if  the  simple  believer  ought 
to  listen  to  his  pastor,  it  is  only  so  far  as  his  pastor  speaks 
conformably  to  the  Bible.     Then  the  faith  of  the  Christian 
will  be  an  enlightened  faith,  and  so  much  the  more  firm  as  it 
shall  be  more  intelligent.     Then  the  Christian  shall  be  able 
to  say  in  his  conscience  that  he  obeys  God  rather  than  men, 
since  he  searches  in  the  book  which  all  Christian  communions 
(the  Catholic,  Apostolic,  and  Roman  Church  the  first)  are 
obliged  to  recognize  as  the  source  of  all  religion — as  the  word 
of  God.     Is  it  not  at  the  source  that  the  water  of  a  rivulet  is 
most  limpid  ?     Does  not  each  step  that  it  proceeds  over  the 
dirt  and  mud  of  this  earth  contribute  to  pollute  it  ?     Well,  in 
the  same  way,  will  not  religion  be  most  pure  at  its  source  in 
the  mouth  of  God,  and  will  not  every  step  made  in  passing 
from  mouth  to  mouth  tend  to  corrupf  it '/     Give,  then,  the 
Bible  to  the  people,  and  then  they  will  understand  that  it  is 
not  certain  vain  ceremonies  that  save  the  sinner,  but  the  blood 
of  Christ  alone,  and  the  renewal  of  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Ghost/' 

The  cure  spoke  with  such  warmth,  that  the  bishop  saw  he 
should  never  succeed  in  inducing  him  to  abandon  this  new 
course  by  mere  persuasion.  He  brought  into  play,  therefore, 
turn  by  turn,  the  fear  of  hindering  his  advancement  in  the 


THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC.  11 

Church,  the  menaces  of  the  condemnation  of  Rome,  etc.  But 
all  availed  nothing :  the  cure  returned  always  to  this  response, 
"  Show  me  by  the  Bible  that  I  am  mistaken,  and  then  I  shall 
be  ready  to  submit."  And  he  supported,  with  resignation, 
all  the  petty  persecution  raised  against  him. 

A  few  months  later,  the  bishop  fell  seriously  ill : .  he  grew 
worse  day  by  day.  The  fear,  or  rather  the  certainty  of  an 
approaching  death,  doubled  his  terrors  on  the  uncertainty  of 
his  salvation.  He  endeavored  to  assure  himself,  and  wondered 
that  he  was  unable.  In  vain  he  repeated  to  himself  that  but 
few  saints  had  submitted  to  austerities  so  severe  and  so 
numerous  as  he  :  continually  his  conscience  reminded  him  of 
his  sin,  and  made  him  fear  that  he  had  not  yet  performed 
sufficient  penances  for  the  expiation  of  his  faults  before  Him 
"  whose  eyes  are  too  pure  to  regard  iniquity."  In  this  state 
of  trouble  he  recalled  the  calm,  the  peace,  which  the  cure 
seemed  to  enjoy  when  with  him ;  and  the  thought  that  that 
serenity  of  soul  was,  perhaps,  the  fruit  of  his  new  convictions, 
and  that,  after  all,  there  might  indeed  be  something  there 
good  and  true — that  thought  brought  light  to  his  spirit.  At 
the  hour  of  death,  one  is  little  troubled  about  proprieties  before 
the  world,  which  we  should  have  observed  in  a  state  of  health. 
The  bishop  summoned  his  nephew,  and  sent  to  say  that  he 
desired  to  converse  with  him  upon  serious  subjects.  The  cure" 
betook  himself  to  the  dying  man.  On  seeing  him  enter, 
"Welcome,"  said  the  bishop:  "take  a  seat,  and  let  them 
leave  us  alone  for  a  few  minutes."  When  all  had  withdrawn, 
and  the  cure,  having  closed  the  door,  reseated  himself  by  the 
bedside  of  his  uncle,  the  latter  said,  in  a  sorrowful  and  solemn 
voice : — 

"  My  dear  friend,  I  have  no  time  to  lose ;  and  without  going 
out  of  my  way,  I  come  to  the  question  at  once.  You  know 
my  life,  you  know  that  I  have  acquitted  myself  scrupulously 
in  the  duties  of  my  religion ;  and  yet  I  confess  that  in  the 
moment  of  appearing  before  Grod,  even  after  having  received 
the  holy  sacrament  for  the  last  time,  I  tremble  at  the  thought 
of  appearing  at  the  tribunal  of  my  Judge  !  Something  more 
powerful  than  myself  tells  me  that  I  am  not  ready  to  appear, 
and  I  feel  that  I  do  not  enjoy,  to  my  last  hour,  that  Christian 
calmness  which  sees  death  approach  without  fear,  which  wel- 
comes it  even  with  joy.    I  have  observed  in  you,  dear  brother; 


12  THE  CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC. 

this  precious  calm;  and  even  when  harassing  you  for  yom 
doctrines,  I  was  internally  struck  by  the  composure  which 
they  produced  in  your  soul.  0  !  I  pray  you,  tell  me  quickly 
how  you  have  obtained  it." 

"  Look  here,"  replied  the  cure :  "  I  have  been  myself  in 
the  state  of  mind  in  which  I  find  you  now.  In  studying  my 
life,  I  discovered  each  day  new  imperfections :  the  more  I 
constrained  myself  to  live  holily,  the  more  I  felt  sin  weigh  on 
my  conscience.  If  I  performed  a  good  action  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world,  I  felt  that  it  was  bad  in  the  eyes  of  God,  because 
vanity  and  pride  had  always  a  share  therein.  If  I  forced  my- 
self to  make  a  resolution  in  the  sight  of  God,  at  the  instant 
when  deciding  to  do  good,  I  found  an  interested  motive  enter 
to  urge  me  also,  and  thus  pollute  the  source.  Finally,  I  came 
to  hate  myself.  I  held  life  in  horror ;  and  what  contributed 
to  increase  my  terrors  was,  that  I  found  in  my  Bible-readings 
such  declarations  as  these:  '  The  wages  of  sin  is  death" 
'  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  things  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them  !'  '  Whosoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of  the 
whole.'  One  day  I  thought  I  should  lose  my  senses,  and  in 
despair  I  cast  myself  on  my  knees,  striking  my  breast  and 
exclaiming,  '  0  my  God  !  take  pity  on  me.  I  am  a  great  sin- 
ner :  what  must  I  do,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  V  On  the 
instant  I  raised  myself,  opened  my  Bible,  cast  my  eyes  upon 
it,  and  there  I  found  these  very  words  which  I  had  just  ut- 
tered—  'What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?'  Struck  by  the  co- 
incidence, I  hastened  to  read  the  words  following.  They  were 
precisely  the  reply  to  our  question,  thus  :  '  Believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved/  '  Bdin-r,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved,'  said  I.  'What!  is  it  sufficient  to  be- 
lieve V  1  thought  I  must  have  misunderstood  :  I 
re-read  these  words,  and  I  found  again  and  again,  '  Br/in-r  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.'  Tn  order  to 
throw  light  on  this  thought,  I  looked  at  other  passages  of  my 
Bible,  which  treated  of  the  same  subject,  and  which  were 
indicated  by  references.  I  found  a  great  number,  the  sense 
of  which  was  always,  'Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  thy 
si7is  shall  be  pardoned,  and  thou  shalt  receive  eternal  life.' 
I  confess,  however,  that  this  faith  which  was  required,  this 
salvation  offered  so  freely — all  this  was  at  first  in  my  head 


THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC.  13 

without  entering  my  heart ;  when  one  day  the  word  of  the  gos- 
pel, '  saved  by  grace/  fell  like  light  into  the  depth  of  my  soul. 
'  G-race  !  0, 1  understand/  cried  I :  '  I  was  condemned  to  hell 
as  a  brigand  upon  the  scaffold,  and  when  about  to  perish,  my 
king  sends  me  a  pardon  !' 

"  'I  understand  I  owed  to  my  Master  a  heavy  debt  of  sins, 
and  my  G-od  has  cancelled  them  !  He  confers  a  favor — grace  ! 
0,  I  understand  this  word !  how  sweet  it  is !  how  powerful 
to  chase  all  fear  from  my  heart !  Now,  living  or  dying,  I  am 
saved  !  What  love  my  Grod  has  had  for  me  !  and  to-day  I  am 
saved.  What  love  I  must  have  for  him  !  How  pleasurable 
to  do  his  will !  How  willingly  I  would  sacrifice  myself  to  his 
service,  and  to  the  welfare  of  my  brethren,  who  know  not  yet 
what  this  grace  is — the  pardon,  the  love  of  God !'  Grace ! 
this  word  encompassed  all  my  soul ;  and  then  an  ever-increas- 
ing peace  spread  itself  through  my  heart.  I  experienced  the 
reality  of  that  promise  of  Jesus — '  I  give  you  my  peace ;  not 
as  the  world  giveth  :  let  not  your  hearts  be  troubled,  neither 
be  afraid.'  Since  that  time  I  have  had  no  greater  happiness 
than  to  labor  to  effect  the  will  of  my  God.  I  feel  as  if  con- 
sumed with  desire  to  make  known  that  good  news  to  my 
brethren,  and  I  am  happy,  indescribably  happy,  when  I  see 
my  words  fall  in  a  heart  well  prepared,  and  another  soul 
escaping  hell  by  turning  to  the  Saviour." 

"  But,  dear  brother/'  interposed  the  bishop,  moved  by  these 
words  of  fire,  "who  guarantees  you  that  that  assurance  of 
your  salvation,  which  you  believe  you  experience,  is  truly  a 
reality  ratified  in  heaven  by  G-od  himself,  and  that  it  is  not 
purely  the  fruit  of  your  imagination  V 

u  I  have  for  my  guaranty  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  I  bear  in  my  heart,  and  which  made  St.  Paul  say,  '  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  witnessed  with  his  spirit  that  he  was  adopted 
of  God.'  I  know  that  the  world  may  tell  me  that  this  is  still 
the  fruit  of  my  imagination.  But  what  matters  what  the 
world  says  and  thinks  ?  It  is  sufficient  for  me  to  feel,  myself, 
that  it  is  otherwise.  I  say  to  all,  Ask  G-od  for  his  Spirit  to 
enlighten  you :  you  will  then  learn  how  to  sanctify  yourselves. 
If  my  counsel  be  put  in  practice,  the  truth  will  soon  be  seen ; 
and  I  bless  my  God,  if  they  believe  me  not,  and  mock  at 
me,  I  am  not  the  less  assured  of  my  salvation.  I  pray  for 
the  unbeliever,  and  I  hope  always  for  him  :  I  know  that  God 


14  THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC. 

can  convert  him  even  at  the  last  hour.  Yes,  rny  dear  uncle, 
it  is  not  in  yourself  that  you  must  seek  your  salvation — your 
works,  always  imperfect,  will  never  give  you  security.  You 
need  a  Saviour,  powerful,  perfect,  holy.  You  need  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  Grod,  Grod  manifest  in  the  flesh.  It  is  only 
with  such  a  support  that  you  will  no  longer  fear  to  fall,  and 
such  an  advocate  with  Grod  that  you  will  be  assured  against 
condemnation/' 

During  the  following  days  the  two  friends  had  several  con- 
versations. The  bishop  grew  weaker  and  weaker,  but,  at  the 
game  time,  his  soul  seemed  to  renew  its  strength :  he  listened 
much  more  than  he  spoke.  He  made  his  nephew  read  him 
different  parts  of  the  New  Testament;  among  others,  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  that  to  the  Galatians.  At  length, 
one  Sunday  evening,  as  his  nephew,  kneeling  at  the  foot  of 
his  bed,  concluded  a  prayer  in  these  words :  "  My  God,  we 
look  not  to  ourselves,  nor  to  our  works,  but  solely  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  our  salvation,"  the  bishop  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven, 
and  while  pronouncing  these  words — "Amen!  Lord!  Amen!" 
he  breathed  forth  his  last  sigh. 


THE  HOLY  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

(Isaiah  lx.  1-11.) 
BY    C.     WESLEY. 

Arise,  and  shine  with  borrow'd  rays, 

Bright  in  reflected  lustre  shine : 
Thy  light  is  come,  the  Sun  of  grace 

Appears  in  majesty  divine  : 
Jesus,  that  uncreated  Sun, 

Is  risen,  on  his  Church  to  stay, 
To  make  through  thee  his  glory  known, 

The  glory  of  eternal  day. 

While  nations  unenlighten'd  lie, 

With  darkness  palpable  o'ersprcad, 
On  thee  the  Day-spring  from  on  high, 

The  Lord  his  brightest  beams  shall  shed ; 
Stamped  with  the  sinless  character, 

His  praise  thou  shalt  display  below, 
And,  putting  on  thy  Saviour  here, 

Jehovah's  glorious  image  show. 


THE   CHRISTIAN   CATHOLIC.  15 

Drawn  by  thy  grace,  the.sons  of  night, 

The  Gentile  world,  shall  come  to  thee, 
And  kings,  o'erpower'd  with  heavenly  light, 

Admire  thy  dazling  purity  : 
Soon  as  to  thee  their  face  they  turn, 

They  shall  their  royal  state  forget, 
On  earth  look  down  with  holy  scorn, 

And  lay  their  crowns  at  Jesus'  feet. 

Sion,  look  round  with  joyful  eyes, 

On  all  those  gathering  nations  gaze, 
Behold,  with  one  consent  they  rise, 

And  flock,  and  flow  to  thy  embrace  ! 
Thy  countless  sons  and  daughters  see : 

They  come  from  far  with  duteous  speed, 
Come  to  be  nursed  and  fed  by  thee, 

With  milk  sincere,  and  living  bread. 

Afraid  to  think  the  vision  true, 

Thy  heart  with  dubious  joy  shall  beat, 
Thy  heart  enlarged  shall  pant  anew, 

When  forced  the  real  bliss  t'  admit, 
When  hosts  and  fleets  to  thee  resign 

The  fullness  of  the  lands  and  floods, 
And  earth,  and  sea,  and  all  is  thine, 

And  thou  art  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  Cod's. 

Their  wealth  the  children  of  the  east 

Shall  first  into  thy  treasury  bring, 
Devote  their  most-beloved  and  best, 

As  holiness  to  Sion's  King : 
Incense  they  shall  with  gold  bestow, 

Join'd  to  thy  faithful  wrestling  race, 
And  fill  Jehovah's  courts  below 

With  sweet  perfumes  of  prayer  and  praise. 

Kedar  shall  all  its  flocks  present, 

Nebaioth's  rams  mine  altar  load, 
The  Gentiles  yield  with  pure  intent 

Themselves  in  sacrifice  to  God: 
The  offering  shall  accepted  be, 

When  precious  souls  the  offering  are, 
The  beauty  of  my  temple  see, 

And  feel  my  glorious  presence  there 

Who,  what  are  these,  that  as  a  cloud 

Swiftly  divide  the  darkened  sky, 
Like  flocking  doves,  a  countless  crowd, 

Like  doves  which  to  their  windows  fly ! 


16  THE   CHRISTIAN  CATHOLIC. 

Weary  of  wand'ring  after  rest, 
Lo !  to  the  ark,  the  Church,  they  come, 

And,  housing  in  their  Saviour's  breast, 
Haste  by  a  heavenly  instinct  home. 

Surely  for  Christ  the  isles  shall  wait, 

And  ships  to  bring  thy  sons  from  far : 
They  come  from  their  dispersed  estate, 

With  all  they  have,  and  all  they  are : 
Jesus,  thy  Lord,  the  Holy  One 

Of  Israel,  for  their  God  they  claim, 
Who  makes  in  thee  his  nature  known, 

His  image,  and  his  glorious  name. 

Thy  God  and  thee  who  never  knew, 

Strangers  shall  preach  the  gospel-word, 
The  genuine  love  of  children  show, 

And  build  the  temple  of  their  Lord : 
Their  kings  shall  bow  to  the  Most  High, 

And  thee  into  their  bosom  take, 
And  gladly  all  thy  wants  supply, 

And  tend  thee,  for  thy  Saviour's  sake 

For  lo,  my  wrath  is  pacified, 

My  wrath  which  did  for  ages  burn . 
Whom  once  I  smote  and  scatter'd  wide, 

I  bid  thee  to  my  arms  return : 
My  mercy  hath  removed  thy  sin, 

Thy  long  obduracy  is  past, 
Israel  again  is  grafted  in, 

And  all  thy  sons  are  saved  at  last. 

Wherefore  thy  gates  shall  open  stand, 

By  day  and  night  immensely  wide, 
T'  admit  the  crowds  from  every  land, 

The  Gentile-world's  inflowing  tide  : 
The  nations  shall  in  Christ  believe, 

Their  kings  thy  willing  converts  be, 
And,  brought  within  thy  walls,  receive 

Their  highest  dignity  from  thee. 


Nash  villa,  Tenn. :  Published  by  K.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  37. 


POPERY  INJURIOUS  TO  MAN. 


The  declaration  of  our  Lord,  "  Wherefore  by  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them,"  Matt.  vii.  20,  is  the  test  which  he  has 
given  to  his  followers  for  the  detection  of  false  teachers  in  all 
ages  of  the  Church,  and  the  consequent  exposure  of  those 
hurtful  tenets  by  which  they  seek  to  gain  a  hold  on  the  belief, 
the  property,  or  the  actions  of  their  fellow-men. 

Unquestionably  this  test  has  been  often  improperly  applied ; 
for  example,  when  men  have  concluded  that  Christianity  itself 
is  of  no  value,  or  that  any  of  the  forms  under  which  it  is  pro- 
fessed are  inherently  bad,  because  of  the  immoral  conduct  of 
some  of  its  professors.  We  rightly  infer  that  he  is  a  bad  man 
whose  habitual  conduct  is  unjust  or  impure;  but  in  order  to 
blame  his  creed  with  himself,  we  must  prove  that  he  is  acting 
according  to  it.  The  conduct  of  Judas  proved  him  to  be  an 
utterly  wicked  man,  without  in  the  slightest  degree  affecting 
the  character  of  the  religion  which  he  falsely  professed ;  but 
the  unblushing  and  unbounded  sensuality  and  heartless  cruelty 
of  Mohammed  show,  not  merely  that  he  was  an  abandoned 
man,  but  that  the  creed  which  sanctioned  his  proceedings, 
and  was  indeed  framed  for  that  purpose,  was  no  less  bad.  To 
prove  any  one  a  bad  man,  you  have  only  to  convict  him  of  a 
course  of  immoral  conduct;  'but  to  prove  him  a  teacher  of  a 
false  system  of  religion,  you  must  further  show  that  his  bad 
conduct  naturally  flows  from  his  creed. 

The  rule  above  mentioned,  properly  guarded  and  used,  is 
invaluable  in  connection  with  the  subject  of  popery.  It  is 
easy  to  prove  by  the  test  of  Scripture  that  Romanism  has  no 
solid  foundation  there.  But  this  argument  utterly  fails  to  tell 
upon  Romanists ;  for  they  may  at  once  admit  its  truth,  as 
some  do,  but  add  that  traditions  and  the  decrees  of  councils,  sub- 
sequent to  the  close  of  the  Scriptures,  have  gradually  developed, 


POPERY  INJURIOUS  TO   MAN. 


and  added  to  the  system  of  his  Church,  those  very  thing3  to 
which  Protestant  Christians  object.  Nor  is  the  refutation  of 
popery  from  Scripture  duly  appreciated  even  by  Protestants. 
On  men  in  general,  it  almost  wholly  fails  to  produce  any  im- 
pression. A  system  may  be  clearly  proved  to  be  opposed  to 
the  truth,  and  dishonorable  to  the  blessed  God — the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Grhost ;  and  yet  men  shall  be  found 
speaking  of  it  in  words  of  extenuation,  and  even  in  the  tones 
of  admiration  and  sympathy.  But  if,  pointing  to  the  fruits 
of  a  system,  we  can  show  that  during  a  long  course  of  years 
they  have  been  uniformly  hurtful  to  the  interests  of  mankind, 
we  have  an  argument  much  more  likely  to  be  generally  under- 
stood and  duly  appreciated.    This,  then,  is  our  present  subject. 

The  system  of  popery  has  now  been  in  existence  for  more 
than  1200  years.  /During  the  whole  of  that  extended  period 
its  operations  have  been  nearly  uniform — its  tendencies  in- 
variably the  same.  Have  its  fruits  been  good  or  bad .?  Has 
its  influence  been  injurious  or  beneficial  to  the  well-being  of 
man?  Will  it  bear  comparison,  in  this  respect,  with  the 
system  which  it  endeavors  to  crush — the  Protestant  evangelical 
religion  ?  We  have  no  doubt  as  to  the  true  answers  to  these 
inquiries.  It  will  be  our  endeavor  now  to  show,  without  ex- 
aggeration, that  the  system  of  popery  has  always  been  in  the 
highest  degree  injurious  to  human  welfare;  and  that,  from 
its  very  nature  and  principles,  it  could  not  have  been  other- 
wise. We  shall  naturally  glance,  in  passing,  at  the  very  oppo- 
site tendencies  of  the  evangelical  faith. 

I.  The  resignation  of  the  right  of  private  judgment— -and 
this  not  in  religious  things  only,  but  in  secular  also — forms  an 
essential  requirement  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  The  creed  of 
Pope  Pius  IV.,  a  full  adoption  of  which  is  declared  absolutely 
necessary  to  salvation,  has  the  following  articles: — "I  most 
firmly  admit  and  embrace  the  apostolical  and  ecclesiastical 
traditions,  and  all  other  constitutions  and  observances  of  the 
same  Church.  I  also  admit  the  sacred  Scriptures,  according 
to  the  sense  which  the  holy  mother  Church  has  held,  and  does 
hold,  to  whom  it  belongs  to  judge  of  the  true  sense  and  inter- 
pretation of  the  Holy  Scriptures;  nor  will  I  ever  take  or 
interpret  them  otherwise  than  according  to  the  unanimous 
consent  of  the  fathers."  Not  to  dwell  upon  the  fact,  that  it 
is  utterly  impossible  to  find  the  fathers  unanimously  consenting 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN.  3 

to  any  one  of  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  popery,  and  that,  there- 
fore, the  rule  is  utterly  fallacious — how  evident  in  these 
articles  is  the  mental  and  spiritual  prostration  required  of  her 
votaries  by  the  Romish  Church  !  Every  part  of  the  system 
is  notoriously  in  agreement  with  the  principle  here  laid  down. 
To  yield  reason,  faith,  conscience,  unreservedly  to  the  keeping 
and  direction  of  the  Church,  is  almost  the  first  lesson  which 
the  Romanist  learns.  Every  ecclesiastic  is  an  absolute  dic- 
tator to  those  beneath  him,  and  at  the  same  time  abject  as  a 
slave  to  those  of  higher  grade.  The  prostration  of  the  laity 
in  spiritual  things  is  complete.  To  think  for  themselves  is 
deemed  not  only  no  part  of  their  duty,  but  a  sin — and  one  of 
no  common  kind. 

Such  being  the  case,  we  should  be  prepared,  apart  from  all 
knowledge  of  facts,  to  expect  that  those  who  implicitly  resign 
faith  and  conscience  to  the  direction  of  others,  would  speedily 
resign  all — would  sink,  instead  of  rising,  in  the  scale  of  freedom, 
intellect,    and   universal   improvement.      Spiritual    doctrines 
essentially  slavish,  must  of  necessity  prove  unspeakably  detri- 
mental to  the  development  of  true  excellence  in  any  of  its 
forms.     We  might  arrive,  without  any  doubt,  at  the  conclu- 
sion, that  if  a  hundred  laboring  men  with  their  families  were 
completely  isolated,  and  shut  up  to  the  full  workings  of  the 
Romanist,  and  an  equal  number  of  precisely  the  same  grade 
to  the  operations  of  the  evangelical,  system — the  former  would 
steadily  sink,  and  the  latter  as  surely  rise,  in  intelligence,  in 
comfort,  in  true  liberty.     If  we  look  at  facts,  we  shall  find 
such  an  opinion  strictly  verified;    and  the  more  close  our 
search,  the  stronger  will  be  the  conviction  to  which  we  at  last 
come.     The  traveller  in  Switzerland,  who  passes  from  one  of 
its  Protestant  to  one  of  its  Romanist  cantons,  or  who  from  one 
of  the  former  crosses  the  Italian  border,  is  made  at  once  aware 
of  the  fact  by  the  increased  filth,  degradation,  and  misery, 
which  abound  on  every  side.     Take  a  survey  of  the  whole 
continent  of  Europe,  and  we  find  that  its  several  nations  are 
slothful,  Sensual,  uninformed,  and  wretched,  just  in  proportion 
to  the  firmness  of  the  hold  upon  them  really  possessed  by  the 
Church  of  Rome.     Spain,  Portugal,  and  Bavaria  will  at  once 
occur  to  every  mind  as  among  the  most  painful  illustrations 
of  this  remark.     A  comparison  between  Protestant  England 
and  the  unhappy  sister  island  is  more  within  our  own  reach 


4  POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN. 

To  the  influence  of  popery  alone  is  the  fact  fairly  ascribable, 
that  in  75  towns  of  Ireland,  with  a  population  on  the  average 
of  2500,  there  is  not  to  be  found  a  single  bookseller's  shop, 
or  any  other  means  for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge.  In  con- 
nection with  popery  only  could  the  fact  be  deemed  credible, 
that,  in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  an  archbishop, 
in  defiance  of  all  scientific  discoveries  and  proofs,  should  have 
endorsed  the  statement  that  the  sun's  diameter  is  six  feet,  and 
that  the  earth  in  size  is  six  times  larger  than  all  the  heavenly 
bodies  united !  This  has  been  done  by  Dr.  Cullen,  Romanist 
Primate  of  Ireland.*  But  it  is  needless  to  enlarge.  The  fact 
may  be  known  and  read  of  all  men,  that  civil  bondage,  igno- 
rance, filth,  and  misery,  are  the  invariable  accompaniments  of 
popery,  whenever  the  influence  of  her  system  is  fully  developed, 
and  unchecked  by  that  of  a  purer  faith. 

The  noble  achievements  of  the  nineteenth  century— the 
amazing  advances  of  man  in  comfort,  in  wealth,  in  civilization, 
in  science,  and,  in  arts— have  been  effected  without  the  help 
of  popery,  and,  we  must  add,  in  opposition  to  its  spirit  and 
influence.  It  is  in  connection  with  the  more  generous,  ex- 
pansive, and  ennobling  faith  of  the  Protestant  that  true 
liberty  has  flourished,  and  the  human  race  been  blessed  with 
a  thousand  fruits  of  intellect  and  industry.  "  Wherefore  by 
their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

II.  The  religion  of  God  is  designed  to  make  men  happy. 
It  confirms  and  helps  that  desire  for  happiness  which  God  has 
himself  implanted  in  every  human  breast.  Thus  his  own 
benignity,  his  kindness  to  his  fallen  creatures,  is  affectingly 
displayed.  Every  page  of  the  Bible  teems  with  proofs  that 
"  God  is  love."  Nothing  is  there  forbidden,  but  what  has  a 
sure  tendency  to  make  us  miserable;  nor  any  thing  enjoined, 
but  with  an  equally  manifest  design  to  promote  our  blessed- 
ness. "Live  joyfully."  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway. 
"Let  the  children  of  Ziqn  be  joyful  in  their  King."  These 
are  but  specimens  of  the  often-recurring  precepts  of  Scripture. 
And  reasons  for  such  joy,  with  the  means  of  maintaining  it, 
are  abundantly  provided  in  the  religion  of  the  Bible.  .No  in- 
telligent Christian  can  entertain  the  slightest  doubt  that  in 
Droportion    as  any  man    sincerely   believes   and   consistently 

*  Annali  delle  Scienze  Religiose — toI.  vi.  No.  18,  page  461. 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO    MAN.  5 

practices  that  religion,  he  must  be  happy.  But  the  very  re- 
verse of  this  is  true  of  popery.  It  is  a  religion  of  fear.  To 
whatever  extent  it  is  really  understood  it  must  inflict  misery. 
The  multitude,  who  never  think,  may  not  find  in  it  any  serious 
interruption  to  their  low  and  vicious  pursuits.  It  will,  indeed, 
patronize  their  Sabbath  dance,  or  the  idle  follies  of  their  car- 
nival :  it  will  compound  for  more  serious  immoralities  on  the 
terms  of  a  light  penance  :  it  requires  of  them  little  more  than 
the  mechanical  observance  of  a  mere  round  of  ceremonies. 
And  this  is  enough  for  men  who  are  kept  in  ignorance.  But 
it  is  far  otherwise  with  those  who  sometimes  do,  and  must, 
think.  The  whole  system  of  popery  is  founded  in  false  views 
of  the  character  of  God,  and  of  the  religion  of  the  Bible.  He 
is  regarded  as  a  Being  hostile  to  man ;  and  his  religion  as  a 
thing  which  must  be  worked  out  and  secured  by  human  per- 
formances and  human  sufferings.  Hence  it  becomes  a  system 
of  bondage,  of  fear,  and  of  woe.  Penance  is  substituted  by  it 
for  penitence — the  sufferings  of  the  sinner  for  those  of  Christ. 
The  benighted  devotees  of  the  sanguinary  gods  of  India  have 
never  inflicted  upon  themselves  more  cruel  tortures  than  have 
been  sustained  for  years  by  members  of  the  Romish  Church. 
Abstinence  from  food,  carried  to  the  verge  of  starvation — hair 
shirts  irritating  the  skin — insufficient  clothing — cold  cells — 
and  the  scourge — are  among  the  means  by  which  the  Roman 
system  has  taught  men  "to  make  their  calling  and  election 
sure." 

One  chief  source  of  happiness  in  this  life  is  found  in  the 
family  relation.  Marriage  was  instituted  and  blessed  by  the 
Creator  himself  while  man  remained  in  a  state  of  innocency. 
The  presence  of  Christ  at  a  wedding  feast,  and  the  perform- 
ance of  his  first  miracle,  have  marked  it  with  his  peculiar 
approval.  The  apostle  commends  it  as  " honorable  in  all." 
Innumerable  proofs  attest  the  fitness  of  this  holy  relation  to 
lighten  care,  to  soothe  sorrow,  to  purify  and  elevate,  to  endue 
with  all  benevolent  feelings ;  and,  where  it  is  accompanied  by 
true  piety,  to  assist  the  soul  in  its  heavenward  progress.  Yet 
upon  this  divine  institution,  this  precious  relic  of  Paradise, 
has  the  Church  of  Rome  dared  to  place  her  stigma.  Paying 
it  the  worthless  compliment  of  making  it,  what  God  has  not 
made  it,  a  sacrament,  she  has  degraded  it  from  that  dignity 
in  which,  by  the  will  of  the  Creator,  it  is  really  placed.     She 


6 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO    MAN 


teaches  that  in  all  cases  the  married  state  is  less  holy  than  the 
unmarried:  hence  her  monastic  institutions  with  all  their 
spiritual  pride,  their  ill-concealed  misery,  and  their  scenes  of 
wickedness  to  which  we  would  not  further  allude;  and,  in 
the  case  of  her  clergy,  marriage  has  been  for  centuries  entirely 
prohibited.  This  is  indeed  a  master-stroke  of  Satanic  policy. 
Thus  kept  from  every  tender  attachment  and  relationship 
which  they  dare  to  avow,  a  people  separate  from  all  others, 
the  priests  are  more  completely  and  devotedly  servants  of  the 
Church  which  robs  them  of  domestic  consolations  for  her  own 
selfish  purposes.  And  yet  that  Church  claims  as  her  head 
and  first  bishop  Peter  the  apostle,  whom  we  know  to  have 
been  a  married  man  ! 

Hear,  on  the  contrary,  the  teachings  of  Scriptural  truth. 
"  Grod  is  love."  He  has  pleasure  in  the  prosperity  of  those 
that  fear  him.  He  loves  to  see  his  children  happy.  He  has 
given  his  Son  to  suffer  and  die  for  our  sins.  He  requires  of 
us  not  penance,  but  repentance  for  sin,  and  the  believing, 
grateful  reception  of  salvation  in  Christ :  they  who  believe  in 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  are  permitted  to  rejoice  in  God  through 
him,  by  whom  they  have  now  received  the  atonement.  They 
are  indeed  to  be  dead  to  sinful  pleasures ;  but  they  have,  in- 
stead, an  ample  supply  of  pleasures  infinitely  more  satisfying, 
and  which  never  inflict  a  sting.  The  man  who  seeks  for  true 
happiness  has  no  room  for  hesitation  between  popery  and 
evangelical  truth.     "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

III.  All  men  can  appreciate  the  value  of  sound  morals. 
Without  them  society  has  no  security  for  the  continuance  of 
its  privileges  or  rights  for  a  single  hour.  Property,  happiness, 
honor,  and  life  are  alike  at  stake.  It  is  painful  to  contemplate 
the  amount  of  the  immorality  which  has  naturally  and  neces- 
sarily resulted  from  various  parts  of  the  papal  system. 

What  its  influence  must  have  been  in  regard  to  truth,  the 
very  keystone  of  the  social  fabric,  we  may  easily  judge.  A 
decree  of  the  third  council  of  the  Lateran,  unrepealed  at  the 
present  hour,  affirms  that  "oaths  which  oppose  the  utility  of 
the  Church,  are  to  be  called  perjuries  rather  than  oaths." 

In  the  year  1414,  the  Emperor  Sigismund  gave  to  John 
Huss  a  safe-conduct  to  and  from  the  council  of  Constance : 
that  is,  a  solemn  pledge,  in  writing,  that  he  should  come  and 
depart  without  injury  of  any  kind.     The  council  subsequently 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN.  7 

passed  the  following  decree  : — "  The  holy  council  declares 
that  no  safe-conduct  given  by  the  emperor  to  any  heretics  or 
reputed  heretics,  thinking  thereby  to  reclaim  them  from  their 
errors,  however  binding  the  instrument  may  be  considered, 
shall  be  of  any  force,  or  ought  to  be,  to  the  prejudice  or  hin- 
drance of  the  Catholic  faith  or  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction :  so 
as  to  prevent  the  proper  ecclesiastical  judge  from  inquiring 
into  the  errors  of  the  parties,  and  otherwise  proceeding  against 
them  as  justice  may  require,  should  they  obstinately  refuse  to 
renounce  their  errors :  although  they  may  have  come  to  the 
place  of  trial  relying  on  the  said  safe-conduct,  and  otherwise 
would  not  have  come.  Nor  shall  he  who  gave  the  said  safe- 
conduct  continue  to  be  bound  thereby  in  any  respect,  seeing 
he  has  done  all  that  is  in  his  power."  Until  this  infamous 
decree  shall  be  renounced  and  denounced  by  a  council  equal 
in  authority  to  that  of  Constance,  who  can  confide  in  the  most 
solemn  protestations  of  the  Church  of  Rome  ?  In  utter  con- 
tempt of  his  safe-conduct,  John  Huss  was  burned  to  death. 

The  Theology  of  Peter  Dens  is  used  as  a  text-book  in  Roman 
Catholic  institutes.  We  select  a  specimen  of  the  morality 
therein  inculcated. 

The  question  is  put,  whether  it  can  ever  be  right  for  a 
priest  to  divulge  what  he  has  heard  in  confession.  To  this  it 
is  replied  :  "  No,  it  cannot — though  the  safety  or  life  of  a  man, 
or  even  the  ruin  of  the  state,  might  depend  thereon.  Q. 
What  answer  then  ought  a  confessor  to  make,  when  asked 
about  the  truth  which  he  knows  only  from  sacramental  con- 
fession? A.  He  ought  to  say  he  does  not- know  it;  and,  if 
necessary,  confirm  it  with  an  oath  I"  To  the  very  natural  ob- 
jection that  this  would  be  a  lie,  the  reply  is  furnished,  "I 
deny  it !  for  such  a  confessor  is  asked  as  a  man,  and  he  answers 
as  a  man;  but  he  does  not' know  the  truth  as  a  man,  though 
he  does  know  it  as  G-od  !"  Precisely  the  same  atrocious  sen- 
timent is  taught  in  a  class-book  used  at  Maynooth  College, 
towards  the  maintenance  of  which  the  English  nation  makes 
a  large  annual  grant !  That  such  a  system  can  ever  produce 
reverence  for  truth  is  impossible. 

We  might  next  advert  at  lengtn  to  the  subject  of  the  con- 
fessional. Did  propriety  permit,  numerous  testimonies  might 
be  adduced,  showing  that  questions  are  there  put  by  the  priest 
to  his  solitary  penitent,  such  as  must  soon  destroy  modesty, 


8 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN. 


and  corrupt  the  mind:  that  many  young  persons  of  both 
sexes,  who  visit  the  confessional,  receive  instruction  in  evils 
of  which  they  might  have  remained  to  the  end  of  their  days 
entirely  ignorant:  that  an  awful  power  is  thus  acquired  by 
the  priesthood  over  individuals,  families,  and  even  states ;  and, 
finally,  that,  as  connected  with  absolution,  the  practice  of  the 
confessional  constitutes  a  system  by  which  crime  is  patronized 
and  encouraged. 

The  system  of  indulgences  is  founded  in  the  belief  of  a 
'purgatory  to  be  endured  after  death,  by  those  who  shall  ulti- 
mately enter  heaven.  And  it  is  asserted  by  Pope  Leo  X., 
that  "  the  Roman  pontiff  may,  for  reasonable  causes,  by  his 
apostolic  authority  grant  indulgences,  out  of  the  superabundant 
merit  of  Christ  and  the  saints,  to  the  faithful,  as  well  the  living 
as  the  dead;"  and  that  "all  persons,  whether  living  or  dead, 
who  really  obtain  any  indulgences  of  this  kind,  are  delivered 
from  so  much  temporal  punishment  due  according  to  Divine 
justice  for  their  actual  sins,  as  is  equivalent  to  the  value  of 
the  indulgence  bestowed  and  received."  How  this  system 
worked  in  the  days  of  Luther  is  well  known.  Armed  with 
the  plenary  authority  of  the  Romish  court,  the  notorious  Tet- 
zel  levied  money,  pardoned  sins,  delivered  souls  from  purgatory, 
and  even  licensed  the  future  commission  of  crimes.  These 
are  historical  facts  which  none  can  deny.  It  is  no  less  unde- 
niable that  for  sins  marked,  or  supposed  to  be  marked,  by 
higher  degrees  of  enormity,  the  power  of  pardon  was  reserved 
to  the  pope  himself;  and  that  a  fixed  rate  of  charges  for  the 
forgiveness  of  such  sins,  still  existing,  was  framed  and  used 
in  the  Roman  chancery.  There  is  hardly  any  crime,  except 
heresy  and  disobedience  to  the  Church,  for  which  pardon  has 
not  been  granted  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  for  the  sake  either 
of  penance  or  of  payment.  What  must  have  been  the  influence 
thus  exerted  on  the  morals  of  the  world  ! 

To  turn  aside  the  force  of  these  facts,  the  apologists  of 
Rome  say,  "These  are  wiser,  better  days.  These  practices 
were  the  excrescences  of  the  middle  ages."  We  cannot  admit 
the  plea.  Have  they  been  formally  abandoned  and  denounced '/ 
Is  the  confessional  closed  ?  Are  its  polluting  details  given 
up?  Was  not  a  year  of  indulgence  declared  in  ls.dl .' 
Are  not  contributions  still  levied  in  Romanist  countries  for 
the  holy  souls  in  purgatory  ?     Until  such  sins  be  deplored, 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO    MAN.  9 

confessed,  and  forsaken,  who  can  honor  or  trust  the  system  ? 
It  must  be  regarded  as  still  holding  that  the  end  justifies  the 
means :  that  the  good  of  the  Church  renders  perjury  and 
falsehood  meritorious ;  and  that  it  is  wrong  to  keep  faith  with 
heretics.  Thus  we  must  still  regard  the  Church  of  Rome  as 
in  fact  the  source  of  incalculable  immorality  of  every  kind. 
But  when  these  necessary  admissions  and  recantations  shall 
be  made,  the  Church  of  Rome  will  have  abandoned  her  proud 
boast,  her  peculiar  characteristic — that  of  infallibility.  If  she 
has  been  wrong  for  ages  in  these  most  important  respects, 
why  not  in  all  others  ?  Therefore  these  admissions  will  never 
be  made ;  and  therefore  let  not  Protestants  trust  her — let  the 
motto  of  the  Reformers  still  be  ours,  "No  peace  with  Rome  I" 

IV  Another  subject  deserving  of  remark  is  the  credulity 
enjoined  by  the  Church  of  Rome  in  requiring  belief  without 
evidence,  and  contrary  to  fact,  reason,  and  common  sense. 
Hence  it  is  treated  as  heresy  and  a  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  doubt  about  manufactured  relics,  vain  legends,  and 
pretended  miracles;  and  multitudes  are  deluded  by  such 
things  to  the  present  time.  Need  we  remind  the  reader  that, 
in  our  days,  more  than  a  million  of  pilgrims  poured  into 
Treves  to  see  the  Holy  Coat — the  seamless  garment  of  Christ 
— which  identical  coat  is  said  to  be  in  the  possession  of  more 
than  twelve  different  potentates,  monasteries,  or  churches  at 
the  same  time  ?  Need  we  state  that,  daily,  the  faithful  are 
flocking  to  see  an  image  of  the  Virgin,  the  eyes  of  which 
are  said  to  move  miraculously?  Need  we  tell  that  every 
seventh  year  the  pope  consecrates  a  number  of  little  waxen 
images,  called  Agnus  Dei,  from  the  image  of  a  lamb,  which  is 
impressed  upon  them ;  and  that  the  possession  of  one,  or  any 
particle  of  one,  of  these,  is  said  to  preserve  from  all  spiritual 
and  temporal  enemies,  from  dangers  by  fire,  water,  storms, 
and  sudden  death  ?  But  enough.  The  Church  of  Rome  un- 
deniably changes  faith  into  credulity.  The  one  rests  on  God, 
the  other  on  man.  The  former  exalts,  the  latter  debases. 
The  tendency  of  all  the  superstitious  fables,  pretended  relics, 
and  foolish  miracles  of  Rome,  is  to  contract  the  human  mind, 
and  to  fix  the  affections  on  unworthy,  unsatisfying,  and  de- 
basing objects. 

V  Again,  hope  is  one  of  the  brightest  possessions  of  man. 
The  hope,  especially,  which  relates  to  a  world  beyond  the 

13 


10 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN. 


grave,  is  his  chief  comfort,  his  best  support,  amidst  all  the 
sorrows  of  life.  It  purifies  and  exalts  the  spirit,  aod  enables 
it  to  rejoice  in  the  very  midst  of  sorrow.  Take  away  the  hope 
full  of  immortality  from  the  man  who  stands  beside  the  dying- 
bed  of  his  loved  ones,  or  lies  helpless  and  gasping  upon  his 
own,  and  you  reduce  him  to  deep  misery.  0,  who  would  be 
robbed,  who  would  rob,  of  such  a  hope  ?  But  what  is  the 
teaching  of  popery  on  this  subject  ?  What  the  hope  which  it 
gives  for  a  dying-hour  ?  Listen,  and  let  the  awful  statement 
lead  you  to  determine  on  maintaining  yet  greater  distance 
from  the  melancholy  creed  and  the  unholy  system  of  which  it 
forms  an  important  part. 

Very  few  real  Christians,  the  Church  of  Rome  teaches  us, 
enter  into  rest  when  they  die.  Notwithstanding  all  their 
penances  and  prayers,  the  merits  of  their  saints  and  the  inter- 
cession of  the  virgin  :  notwithstanding  sacraments,  including 
absolution  and  extreme  unction,  they  are  plunged,  on  dying, 
into  actual  flames,  the  torments  inflicted  by  which  are  "  so 
horribly  severe  that  no  sufferings  borne  in  this  world  can  be 
compared  with  them  •/'  and  the  duration  of  which  is  also  very 
great.  The  latter  may  be  inferred  from  the  long  terms  con- 
nected with  indulgences,  or  the  remission  of  purgatorial  pains. 
Thousands  of  years  are  sometimes  mentioned.  In  one  instance 
we  are  assured  that  "the  pardon  for  saying  five  paternosters, 
five  aves,  and  a  credo,  is  twenty-six  thousand  years  and  twenty- 
six  days  of  pardon." 

O,  if  there  were  one  particle  of  truth  in  these  awful  repre- 
sentations :  if  there  were  but  the  barest  possibility  of  their 
truth,  Christian  readers,  you  should  weep  anew  for  your 
friends  dead  in  Christ,  as  you  never  wept  before.  You  thought 
of  them  as  happy.  You  deeineu  your  own  suffering  lot  on 
earth  deserving  tears  of  pity,  and  their  circumstances  in  glory 
tears  of  joy.  But  will  you  for  one  moment,  can  you,  dare 
you,  think  of  them  as  enduring  intolerable  anguish?  Will 
you  admit  that  you  have  no  better  hope  for  yourselves  ?  That 
when  you  cease  to  be  seen  here,  you  will  not  have  entered 
into  life,  but  have  sunk  down  into  purgatorial  pangs?  (1<»d 
forbid  !  Away  with  such  falsehoods  !  There  is  no  condemna- 
tion for  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  them  to  live  is 
Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.  Absent  from  the  body,  they  are 
present  with  the  Lord.     They  are  with  him  in  paradise.     The 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN.  11 

heavenly  voice  has  proclaimed,  and  commanded  it  to  be  written, 
in  opposition  to  this  intolerable  falsehood  of  Rome — "Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth" — from 
the  very  moment  of  their  dying — "  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  for 
they  rest  from  their  labors." 

But  why  has  this  awful  fable  been  devised — this  imaginary 
fire  kindled  ?  For  the  sake  of  dominion  over  the  dying  and 
the  loving  friends  of  the  departed.  Prayers,  alms,  and  masses 
(which  are  not  said  for  naught)  are  affirmed  greatly  to  help, 
and  sometimes  to  deliver,  souls  in  purgatory.  By  this  device 
a  revenue  surpassing  that  of  the  most  wealthy  monarchs  has 
accrued  to  the  coffers  of  Rome. 

Now,  it  is  said  that  the  pains  of  purgatory  constitute  a  debt 
due  by  sinners  to  the  Divine  justice,  which  the  pope  has  the 
absolute  power  of  remitting.  Does  he  really  believe  this  ?  If 
so,  he  is  the  most  cruel  and  wicked  of  men,  for  neglecting, 
for  a  single  day,  to  release  every  pious  suffering  soul.  Do  the 
priests  really  believe  that  their  masses  deliver  souls  from  pur- 
gatory ?  They  are  only  less  guilty  than  the  pope  himself  in 
that  they  do  not  constantly,  day  and  night,  perform  the 
requisite  services,  and  that  as  a  simple  act  of  humanity,  with- 
out money  and  without  price.  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them." 

VI.  We  must  not  fail  to  notice  the  sentiments  maintained 
by  the  Church  of  Rome  in  reference  to  the  law  of  Christian 
love.  We  at  once  admit  with  shame  the  sad  divisions  of  Pro- 
testants, and  the  unlovely  spirit  which  too  often  attends  them. 
Still,  there  is  a  large  and  increasing  amount  of  brotherly  love 
maintained  amongst  members  of  the  several  Protestant  com- 
munions. The  really  intelligent  and  peaceable  amongst  all 
bodies  agree  to  differ,  regard  each  other  as  fellow-Christians 
and  co-workers,  rejoice  in  each  other's  prosperity,  and  hope 
to  meet  in  heaven.  But  how  is  it  with  Rome  ?  She  une- 
quivocally maintains  that,  out  of  her  pale,  there  is  no  salvation, 
and  to  the  full  extent  of  her  power  she  takes  care  that  there 
shall  be  no  peace,  no  enjoyment,  no  continuance  of  life  here. 
The  unrepealed  decree  of  the  4th  general  council  of  the 
Lateran  declares  that  "  heretics  are  not  only  to  be  anathema- 
tized, but  deprived  of  all  property  and  civil  rights,  and  de- 
livered over  to  the  secular  power  to  be  punished  and  extirpated." 
Every  Roman  Catholic  bishop  takes,  at  his  consecration,  an 


12  POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN. 

oath  that  he  will  "  by  all  means  in  his  power  persecute  and 
fight  against  heretics  and  schismatics,  and  rebels  against  our 
lord  the  pope." 

In  a  recent  sermon,  Dr.  Doyle  ventured  on  the  astounding 
assertion  that  the  Church  of  Home  has  not  persecuted,  though 
individuals  connected  with  her  may  have  done  so  !     Has  he 

forgotten^  or  does  he  think  we  can  forget,  the  inquisition 

the  holy  inquisition — its  infernal  dungeons  and  instruments 
of  torture?  its  autos-da-fe?  its  barefooted  friars  accompa- 
nying the  awful  procession,  and  aiding  in  the  murders  ?  Does 
he  not  know  that  when  Charles  the  Ninth  of  France  perpe- 
trated his  slaughter,  which  has  affixed  to  St.  Bartholomew's 
day  the  mark  of  blood  for  all  generations,  the  pope  ordered 
Te  Deum  to  be  sung  for  the  "Divine  assistance"  thus  afforded 
in  exterminating  heretics,  and  struck  medals,  still  extant, 
commemorating,  both  by  graphic  representations  and  by  the 
inscription,  "  The  Slaughter  of  the  Huguenots  V 

We  know  that  persecution  has  sometimes  been  connected 
with  the  Protestant  name,  but  it  has  always  been  a  direct 
violation  of  Protestant  principles.  Of  the  Ptomish  system  and 
doctrines  it  is  the  direct  and  natural  result. 

And  until  those  principles  be  abandoned  from  which  such 
crimes  have  sprung — until  Rome  has  confessed  to  the  world 
the  iniquities  of  which  we  speak,  humbling  herself  before  God 
and  man — we  cannot,  dare  not  trust  her.  We  can  have  no 
fellowship  with  blood.  We  will  not  place  our  own  lives  in 
jeopardy,  by  allowing  her  the  power  of  executing  her  savage 
decrees.  She  has  not  yet  repealed  them.  Woe  to  the  nation 
which  trusts  her  !  Nor  is  it  for  naught  that  the  Jesuits,  her 
most  intelligent  and  faithful  sons,  have  been  banished  again 
and  again  from  even  papal  countries — the  presence  of  men  so 
unprincipled,  so  restless,  so  malignant,  being  proved  by  ex- 
perience to  be  utterly  incompatible  with  the  welfare  of  any 
state.  Evangelical  principles  lead  men  as  men,  and  Christians 
as  Christians,  to  live  together  in  love :  the  Church  of  Koine 
breathes  out  only  threatening  and  slaughter  against  all  but 
the  agents  and  the  devotees  of  popery.  If  such  its  fruits, 
what  must  be  the  system  ? 

VII.  The  gospel,  as  it  is  found  in  the  pages  of  the  New 
Testament,  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  Declaring 
that  peace  has  been  made  with  God,  on  behalf  of  man,  by  the 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO   MAN.  13 

death  of  Christ,  it  beseeches  sinners  to  be  reconciled  to  God : 
to  take  with  thankfulness  the  salvation  which  he  freely  prof- 
fers ;  and,  as  the  consequence,  to  be  holy  and  happy.  This 
good  news  received  into  the  heart,  produces  what  penance  has 
never  produced,  deep  hatred  to  sin,  its  entire  abandonment; 
and  all  the  fruits  of  a  renewed  and  sanctified  life.  Myriads 
have  been  conducted,  not  to  purgatory,  but  to  paradise,  by 
the  blessed  power  of  these  holy  doctrines.  And  the  blessings 
which  the  gospel  scatters  by  the  way  are  incalculably  vast  and 
precious.  It  has  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is.  Evangelical 
truth  has  at  last  swept  away  idolatry,  civilized  and  elevated 
man,  in  every  part  of  the  world  to  which  it  has  had  free 
access.  Protestant  evangelical  principles  have,  by  God's 
blessing,  made  England  and  the  United  States  what  they  are, 
and  are  adapted  to  work  no  less  good  for  other  lands.  But 
one  of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  diffusion  of  the 
gospel  is  popery. 

The  French  and  Italians  have  seen  the  workings,  not  of 
Christianity,  but  of  Romanism,  and  hence  to  a  fearful  extent 
they  have  become  infidels.  Yoltaire  and  Frederick  the  Great 
studied  and  despised  popery — of  Christianity  they  were  pro- 
foundly ignorant.  Their  caustic  satire  eats  into  the  very 
vitals  of  Roman  assumption  and  imposture,  but  is  powerless 
in  regard  to  Christianity.  Thousands,  however,  believe  that 
it  is  true  religion  itself  which  lies  dead  by  the  power  of  reason 
and  of  wit.  And  myriads,  by  the  reception  of  popery,  are 
hardened  against  the  truth.  The  progress  of  the  gospel,  and 
consequently  of  human  elevation,  purity,  and  happiness,  is 
opposed  in  many  lands  by  this  foe  of  God  and  man. 

Brief  as  is  this  account  of  popery,  it  is  hoped  that  it  will 
prove  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of  leading  every  reader  to 
stand  fast  in  the  principles  of  evangelical  truth.  The  end  of 
all  things  is  at  hand — the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh. 
Each  of  us  must  give  account  of  himself  to  God.  Let  us  take 
heed  that  we  approach  his  judgment-seat  sprinkled  with 
atoning  blood,  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  so  faithful 
in  all  things,  that  when  he  comes  we  may  be  found  of  him  in 
peace,  without  spot  and  blameless. 


14  POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO    MAN. 

TREACHERY  AND  CRUELTY  OF  ROMANISM. 

The  Romish  Church  has  decided  that  there  is  no  faith  to 
be  kept  with  heretics :  precisely  that  doctrine  was  established 
by  the  Council  of  Constance  in  1414;  and  she  has  acted  upon 
it  in  instances  almost  innumerable.     Never  was  there  a  more 
flagrant  Example  of  treachery  than  was  exhibited  in  her  treat- 
ment of  that  eminent  Reformer,  John  Huss.     Having  been 
summoned  to  appear  before  the  Council  of  Constance  to  answer 
to  the  charge  of  having  deserted  the  Church  of  Rome,  he 
obeyed  the  summons :  though  not  without  having  received 
from  the  Emperor  Sigismund  a  pledge  of  his  protection  till 
he  should  return  to  his  own  home.     His  enemies,  however, 
by  the  most  scandalous  violation  of  public  faith,  imprisoned 
him,  condemned  him  as  a  heretic,  and  burned  him  alive ;  and 
that  too  even  when  the  emperor  interposed,  and  pleaded  that 
his  royal  honor  was  pledged  for  his  safety.    The  same  horrible 
doctrine  was  practically  recognized  by  Innocent  IV.,  and  the 
Council  of  Lyons,  in  deposing  Frederick  II.,  and  absolving 
his  subjects  from  their  oath  of  allegiance  :  by  Pius  V.,  in  per- 
forming a  similar  act  in  the  case  of  Queen  Elizabeth :  by 
Clement  VII.,  in  compelling  Charles  V.,  in  violation  of  his 
oath,  to  turn  the  whole  race  of  the  Moors  in  Spain  over  to  the 
tortures  of  the  Inquisition;  and  by  Louis  XIV.,  in  the  un- 
principled revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  against  the  faith 
of  the  most  solemn  treaties  :  the  consequence  of  which  was, 
that  France  was  deluged  with  the  blood  of  the  Protestants. 
In  these  and  innumerable  other  instances  the  Romish  Church 
has  not  only  prostituted  her  honor,  but  has  most  grossly  per- 
jured herself,  in  the  person  of  him  whom  she  has  recognized 
as  her  head ;  and  that,  too,  to  gratify  private  resentments,  or 
to  sustain  a  corrupt  and  cruel  priesthood. 

And  this  leads  me  to  say  that  cruelty  is  joined  to  treachery 
in  the  whole  economy  and  history  of  Romanism.  No  matter 
what  amiable  qualities  a  Romish  bishop  may  possess,  he  is 
bound  by  his  oath  to  be  a  persecutor;  and  if  he  does  not  per- 
secute heretics  to  the  extent  of  his  ability,  he  is  a  perjured 
man.  Hear  the  oath  which  every  bishop  is  obliged  to  take 
previous  to  his  consecration  : — "  I  swear  that  heretics,  and 
schismatics,  and  rebels  to  our  Lord,  the  Lord  Pope,  or  his 
successor,  I  will,  to  the  extent  of  my  power,  persecute  and 


POPERY  INJURIOUS   TO    MAN.  15 

beat  down :  So  help  me  God,  and  the  holy  gospels  of  God." 
Now  I  venture  to  say  that  you  may  go  through  the  history  of 
the  Romish  Church,  and  you  will  find  that,  whatever  may 
have  been  the  fate  of  other  oaths  by  which  their  ecclesiastics 
have  bound  themselves,  this  has  generally  been  kept  :  at  least 
so  far  as  considerations  of  policy  would  warrant. 

The  lighter  kind  of  persecution  which  this  Church  has 
carried  on  has  been  by  curses  and  excommunications.  As  a 
specimen  of  this,  I  will  quote  part  of  the  form  which  was 
uttered  by  the  pope  against  his  manufacturer  of  alum,  for 
eloping  from  his  alum-works,  and  carrying  the  chemical  secret 
to  England  : — "  May  God  the  Father  curse  him  !  May  God 
the  Son  curse  him  !  May  the  Holy  Ghost  curse  him  !  May 
the  Holy  Cross  curse  him  !  May  the  Holy  and  eternal  Virgin 
Mary  curse  him  !  May  Saint  Michael  curse  him  !  May  John 
the  Baptist  curse  him  !  May  Saint  Peter,  and  Saint  Paul, 
and  Saint  Andrew,  and  all  the  Apostles  and  disciples,  curse 
him  !  May  all  the  martyrs  and  confessors  curse  him  !  May 
all  the  saints,  from  the  beginning  of  time  to  everlasting,  curse 
him  !  May  he  be  cursed  in  the  house  and  in  the  fields  !  May 
he  be  cursed  while  living  and  dying !  May  he  be  cursed  in 
all  the  powers  of  his  body  within  and  without !  May  he  be 
cursed  from  the  crown  of  his  head  to  the  sole  of  his  feet ! 
May  heaven  and  all  the  powers  therein  rise  against  him  to 
damn  him,  unless  he  repent  and  make  satisfaction  V  Such 
are  some  of  the  execrations  with  which  His  Holiness  thought 
proper  to  pursue  the  man  who  had  run  off  with  the  secret  of 
making  alum.  If  the  offender  could  have  been  caught,  how 
quickly  would  the  dungeon  or  the  rack  have  been  made  ready 
for  him ! 

It  had  been  well  if  the  Romish  Church  had  never  carried 
forward  her  persecutions  by  means  of  any  other  weapons  than 
the  tongue  and  the  pen ;  but  you  need  not  be  told  that  what 
I  have  already  referred  to  is  much  the  milder  part  of  her 
agency.  She  has  wielded  the  sword  with  most  desolating 
effect.  She  has  exhausted  her  ingenuity  in  inventing  instru- 
ments of  torture ;  and,  so  far  as  she  could,  has  laid  the  very 
elements  under  contribution  to  help  forward  her  bloody  work. 
Is  there  an  individual  who  is  ready  to  pronounce  this  state- 
ment too  broad  or  too  strong  to  consist  with  the  simple  verity  ? 
Then,  as  a  cure  for  his  skepticism,  let  him  read  the  history  of 


16.  POPERY  INJURIOUS    TO    MAN. 

the  Waldenses  and  the  Albigenses,  through  a  long  succession 
of  generations,  and  see  how  the  blood  of  those  inoffensive  and 
excellent  people  flowed  like  a  river  from  under  the  hand  of 
Papal  persecution.     Let  him  cast  an  eye  over  the  plains  uf 
Languedoc,  or  the  mountains  of  Bohemia,  or  the  green  fields 
of  Spain,  and  see  them  covered  with  the  dying  and  the  dead: 
the  fearful  result  of  those  fanatical  and  despenite  conflicts  fur 
which   the  Romish  Church   is  solely  responsible.     Let  him 
transport  himself  to  Paris,  amidst  the  horrors  of  the  Saint 
Bartholomew  massacre  j  and  see  how  her  streets  are  paved 
with  corpses,  and  her  palaces  are  deluged  with  blood,  and 
every  breeze  that  passes  over  her  bears  off  ten  thousand  dying 
groans.     Let   him   in    imagination   travel  through  Holland, 
while  her  sons  are  dying  by  tens  of  thousands  in  the  massacre 
occasioned  by  the  Duke  of  Alva;  or  through  England,  while 
the  followers  of  Wycliffe  are  having  a  full  cup  of  vengeance 
wrung  out  to  them ;  and  I  venture  to  predict  that  he  will  be 
prepared  to  respond  to  any  statement  which  I  have  made,  and 
even  to  say  that  the  half  has  not  been  told  him. 

No  one  can  deny  that  Popery  is  injurious  to  man,  in  regard 
to  all  his  interests,  temporal  and  eternal.  Nevertheless,  as 
Protestants  we  must  not  indulge  any  feeling  of  revenge  towards 
those  who  are  unhappily  identified  with  this  antichristian 
system.  We  can  scarcely  endorse  the  prayer  of  Milton  in  his 
Sonnet  on  the  Massacre  in  Piedmont,  as  it  breathes  the  spirit 
of  imprecation  which  savors  more  of  England  in  the  sixteenth 
century  than  of  the  United  States  in  the  middle  of  the  nine- 
teenth : — 

Avenge,  0  Lord,  thy  slaughter'd  saints,  whose  bones 
Lie  scattered  on  the  Alpine  mountains  cold : 
Even  them  who  kept  thy  truth  so  pure  of  old, 

When  all  our  fathers  worshipped  stocks  and  stones, 

Forget  not :  in  thy  book  record  their  groans 
Who  were  thy  sheep,  and  in  their  ancient  fold 
Slain  by  the  bloody  Piedmontese  that  rolled 

Mother  with  infant  down  the  rocks.     Their  moans 
The  vales  redoubled  to  the  hills,  and  they 

To  Heaven.     Their  martyred  blood  and  ashes  sow 
O'er  all  the  Italian  fields  where  still  doth  sway 

The  triple  tyrant :   that  from  these  may  grow 
A  hundred  fold,  who,  having  learned  thy  way, 

Early  may  fly  the  Babylonian  woe. 


Naihvllle,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  38. 


INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING 
SPIRIT  OE  POPERY. 


The  intolerant  spirit  of  Popery  is  not  an  incidental  feature, 
but  an  inherent  part  of  the  system.  It  necessarily  arises  from 
the  assumption  of  the  infallibility  of  its  decrees,  and  the  uni- 
versality of  its  dominion: — "We  say,  define,  and  pronounce, 
that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation  for  every  man  to  be 
subject  to  the  pope  of  Rome.  The  pope  is  Christ's  vicar, 
St.  Peter's  successor,  and  hath  the  supreme  power  on  earth 
over  the  whole  Church/'  (Concil.  Trid.)  "The  Church 
of  Rome  is  the  mother  and  mistress  of  all  churches ;"  ( Con- 
di. Later,  i.)  "and  that  to  believe  her  so  to  be,  is  necessary  to 
salvation."  (Bulla  Pii  IV)  "As  Grod  is  called  universal 
Lord,  because  all  things  are  under  his  dominion;  so  the 
Church  of  Rome  is  called  catholic,  or  universal,  because  all 
churches  are  subject  to  her."  (Pope  Innocent  III.')  All 
persons  are  required  to  receive  the  doctrines  she  proposes; 
and  without  the  belief  of  these  she  declares  there  is  no  sal- 
vation. "This  is  the  true  catholic  faith,  without  which  no 
man  can  be  saved."  (Bulla  Pii  IV)  These  are  a  few  of 
the  monstrous  dogmas  of  the  Papal  See.  On  such  arrogant 
assumptions  has  been  reared  that  mighty  fabric  of  "  impiety, 
cruelty  and  imposture,"  which  for  several  centuries  darkened 
the  horizon  of  civilized  Europe ;  and  which,  but  for  the  glo- 
rious Reformation,  would  long  ago  have  entombed  every  ves- 
tige of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and  reduced  to  mental  vas- 
salage the  inhabitants  of  the  fairest  portion  of  the  earth. 

In  connection  with  this  assumption  of  universal  dominion, 
the  Papal  See  has  claimed,  and  professedly  exercised,  the  at- 
tribute of  infallibility.  There  has,  indeed,  (and  this  is  most 
ludicrous,)  been  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  precise 
13* 


Z  INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING 

part  in  which  this  attribute  is  to  be  found  :  some  having  as- 
cribed it  to  a  general  council,  and  others  to  the  pope.  This 
difference  of  opinion  is  an  ample  refutation  of  the  dogma. 
If  infallibility  were  really  possessed,  it  would  be  easy  to  deter- 
mine,  by  an  infallible  decision,  where  it  was  to  be  found.  This  at- 
tribute either  is  possessed  by  an  individual,  or  it  is  not.  If 
it  is  not  to  be^  found  in  an  individual,  no  matter  whether  he 
be  pope,  cardinal,  or  member  of  a  general  council,  it  cannot 
have  any  existence  at  all.  Will  the  mere  congregating  of  a 
number  of  men  invest  them  with  an  attribute  of  which  as 
individuals  they  are  not  in  possession?  Would  the  collect- 
ing together  a  multitude  of  men,  who  as  individuals  were 
maniacs,  render  them  as  a  body  perfectly  sane  ?  It  is  the 
veriest  nonsense  to  ascribe  infallibility  to  a  council  of  men, 
and  deny  it  to  them  as  individuals.  To  add  a  pope  to  a 
general  council,  or  a  general  council  to  the  pope,  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  an  infallible  head,  is  as  preposterous  as 
it  would  be  to  maintain  that  a  combination  of  men,  who  indi- 
vidually are  fools,  will  promulgate  a  decision  which  originates 
in  absolute  wisdom. 

Whatever  difference  of  opinion  may  obtain  among  the 
Papists  as  to  the  seat  of  infallibility,  it  has  invariably  been 
considered  practically  to  reside  in  the  pope;  and  if  he 
be  "the  head  of  the  Church,"  he  ought  to  be  infallible. 
What  fallible  man,  unless  he  were  insane,  would  deliberately 
assume  such  a  position  ?  It  is  maintained  in  the  Papal 
Church,  "  that  nothing  is  true  except  what  the  Pope  approves, 
and  every  thing  which  he  condemns  is  false/'  "  We  can  be- 
lieve nothing,  unless  we  believe  with  a  divine  faith  that  the 
pope  is  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  and  infallible."  (L'icis 
Capsensis.)  The  great  champion  of  the  Papal  Church.  1>«'1- 
larmine,  says,  "  The  pope  is  absolutely  above  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  above  a  general  council,  so  that  he  has  no  judge 
above  him  on  earth." 

To  these  two  arrogant  dogmas  of  Popery,  absolute  infalli- 
bility, and  the  right  of  universal  dominion,  is  to  be  ascribed 
that  spirit  of  intolerance  whieh  is  inherent  in  the  Paji;il 
Church ;  and  so  long  as  these  dogmas  are  maintained,  it  is 
impossible  for  Popery  to  be  otherwise  than  intolerant.  In  no 
country  in  which  the  Papacy  is  dominant,  is  there,  nor  can 
there  consistently  be,  any  toleration  of  doctrines  at  varianco 


SPIRIT   OF   POPERY.  3 

with  those  which  are  promulgated  by  an  infallible  head.  To 
expect  toleration  from  Popery  is  to  expect  "  grapes  from 
thorns"  and  "  figs  from  thistles."  To  tolerate  where  there  is 
the  power  to  repress,  would  contradict  all  those  principles  on 
which  the  fabric  is  grounded ;  and  would  apply  an  abandon- 
ment of  the  dogma  of  infallibility.  In  strict  accordance  with 
this  principle,  it  has  been  the  continuous  and  universal  prac- 
tice of  the  Church  of  Rome,  wherever  she  had  or  assumed 
to  have  the  predominance,  to  interdict  the  exercise  of  pri- 
vate judgment,  and  to  fulminate  anathemas  against  those  who 
had  the  presumption  to  dissent  from  her  creed. 

That  the  slightest  deviation  from  the  Romish  Church  con- 
stitutes heresy,  and  consequent  exposure  to  punishment,  may 
be  'verified  by  an    appeal    to    documentary  evidence    of   ac- 
knowledged authority.     To  deny  tradition  as  of  equal  author- 
ity with  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  rule  of  faith,  is  heresy. 
Whosoever  knowingly  contemns  tradition,  is  declared  to  be  ac- 
cursed.    {Condi .  Trid.)     The  exclusion  from  the  canonical 
Scriptures  of  the  Books  of  Esdras,  Tobit,  Judith,  Wisdom, 
Ecclesiasticus,  Baruch,  the  two  Books  of  Maccabees,  a  new 
part  of  Esther  and  Daniel,  is  heresy;    and  those  who  are 
guilty  of  this  crime  "are  accursed/'     {Concil.    Trid.)     To 
deny  that  good  works  do  not  truly  deserve  eternal  life,  is  heresy : 
"let  such  persons  be  accursed/'     {Concil.  Trid.)     To  refuse 
to  believe  the  doctrines  of  purgatory,  and  the  sacrifice  of  the 
mass  for  the  dead,  is  heresy;    and  such  persons    "are   ac- 
cursed."    {Concil.  Trid.)     The  refusal  of  that  worship  which 
is  rendered  to  images  and  pictures,  is  heresy  :  "  whosoever 
doth  think  otherwise  is  accursed."     {Concil.  Trid.)     On  the 
subject  of  the  sacraments  : — "  Whosoever  saith  that  there  are 
more  or  fewer  than  seven  instituted  by  Christ — namely,  bap- 
tism, confirmation,  eucharist,  penance,  extreme  unction,  orders, 
and  matrimony ;  or  that  any  of  the  seven  are  not  truly  and 
properly  sacraments,  is   accursed."      {Concil.    Trid.)      The 
eucharist  is  declared   to   be   a  sacrament,  wherein  is  truly, 
really,  and   substantially  contained  whole    Christ,  God-man, 
body  and  blood,  bones  and  nerves,  {Catech.  Rom.,)  soul  and 
divinity,  under  the  appearance  of  bread  and  wine.     (  Concil. 
Trid.)     Whosoever  thinks  it  necessary  to  receive  in  both 
kinds,  "is  accursed."     {Concil.   Trid.)     Whosoever  denies 
that  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is  truly  a  propitiatory  sacrifice, 


4  INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING 

and  is  available  not  only  for  the  sins,  punishments,  and  satisfy. 
tions  of  the  living,  but  also  for  those  of  the  souls  in  purgatory 
is  accursed,  (  Coned.  Trid.,)  and  incapable  of  salvation.  \Bulla 
Pii  IV.)     Whosoever  holds  it  unlawful  or  idolatrous  to  wor- 
ship the  consecrated  host,  with  the  same  sovereign  worship 
which  is  due  only  to  God,  is  accursed.     (Condi.  Trul.)    These 
are  but  a  few  of  those  proofs  which  might  be  adduced  to 
establish  the  charge  of  intolerance  against  the  Popish  ( 'hurch. 
The  evidence  is  collected,  not  from  any  individual  authority, 
but  from  the  decrees  of  a  council,  the  authority  of  which  will 
not  be  impugned  by  any  consistent  member  of  the  ('hurch  of 
Home.     So  long  as  the  decrees  of  councils  are  unrepealed  by 
the  solemn  and  public  decision  of  the  Papal  See,  they  are 
justly  adducible  as  evidence  establishing  the  charge  of  in- 
tolerance ;  and  to  suppose,  while  their  authority  is  acknow- 
ledged, that  the  Church  of  Home  can  be  otherwise  than  in- 
tolerant, is  a  "strong  delusion,  and  to  believe  a  lie."      (1 
Thess.  ii.  11.) 

The  intolerant  decrees  of  popes  and  councils  have  not  been 
allowed  to  slumber  as  a  dead  letter  in  the  Papal  statute-book, 
but  have  been  zealously  applied  for  the  purpose  of  forming 
the  principles  and  regulating  the  practice  of  men.      To  these 
decrees  must  be  traced,  as  the  stream  to  the  fountain,  tho>e 
numerous  and  cruel  persecutions   by  which  the  Church  of 
Eome  has  attempted  to  secure  uniformity  of  faith :   under 
which  pretext  so  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  pious  and 
inoffensive  men  have  been  literally  butchered,  until  the  Papil 
See,  "the  mother  of  harlots,"  has  been  actually  "drunk  with 
the  blood  of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  witnesses 
of  Jesus. "     (Rev.  xvii.  5,  6.)     "There  is  no  city  under  the 
sun,"  is  the  language  of  the  Rev.  J.  Wesley,  in  his  note  on 
Revelation  xviii.  24,  "which  has  so  clear  a  title  to  catholic 
blood-guiltiness  as  Rome.     The  guilt  of  the  blood  shed  under 
the  heathen  emperors  has  not  been  removed  under  the  popes, 
but  hugely  multiplied.      Nor  is  Rome  accountable  only  tor 
that  which  hath  been  shed  in  the  city,  but  for  that  shed  in  all 
the  earth.      For  at  Rome,  under  the  pope,  as  well  as  under 
the    heathen    emperors,  were    the   bloody  orders  and    edicts 
given;  and  wherever  the  blood  of  holy  men  was  shed,  there 
were  the  grand  rejoicings  for  it.     And  what  immense  quan- 
tities of  blood  have  been  shed  by  her  agents  !     Charles  IX., 


SPIRIT   OF  POPERY.  5 

of  France,  in  his  letter  to  Gregory  XIII.,  boasts,  that  in  and 
not  long  after  the  massacre  of  Paris,  he  had  destroyed  seventy 
thousand  Huguenots.  Some  have  computed  that  from  the 
year  1518  to  1548,  fifteen  millions  of  Protestants  have  perished 
by  the  Inquisition.  This  may  be  overcharged  ;  but  certainly 
the  number  of  them  in  those  thirty  years,  as  well  as  since,  is 
almost  incredible.  To  these  we  may  add  innumerable  martyrs 
in  ancient,  middle,  and  late  ages,  in  Bohemia,  Germany,  Hol- 
land, France,  England,  Ireland,  and  many  other  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, Africa,  and  Asia." 

Nothwithstanding  the  evidence  of  history  by  which  the 
Papal  Church  is  convicted  of  having  shed  "  the  blood  of  the 
saints/'  the  advocates  of  Popery,  with  a  bravery  which  is 
really  astounding,  but  which  is  quite  in  harmony  with  the 
principles  of  the  Jesuits,  maintain  "  that  religious  persecu- 
tion was  scarcely  ever  practiced  in  Christian  countries,  until 
it  was  introduced  by  Protestants  at  the  period  of  the  pre- 
tended Reformation."  (Orthodox  Journal.)  The  truth  is, 
according  to  the  unchangeable  principles  of  Popery,  the  mur- 
dering of  Protestants  is  not  regarded  as  persecution,  but  a 
meritorious  act.  The  Rhemish  translators  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, in  their  note  on  Revelation  xvii.  6,  "  Drunken  with 
the  blood  of  the  saints,"  say,  "Protestants  foolishly  expound 
it  of  Rome,  for  that  there  they  put  heretics  to  death,  and  allow 
of  their  punishment  IN  OTHER  COUNTRIES;  but  THEIR  blood 
is  not  called  the  blood  of  saints,  no  more  than  the  blood  of 
thieves,  man-killers,  and  other  malefactors  ;  for  the  shedding 
of  which,  by  order  of  justice,  no  commonwealth  shall  answer." 
This  note  speaks  volumes ;  and  fully  unveils  that  mystery  of 
iniquity  which  is  inherent  in  the  Church  of  Rome.  It  is 
only  necessary  to  regard  Protestants  as  "thieves,  man-killers, 
and  malefactors,"  and  then  murder  ceases  to  be  murder,  and 
becomes  "the  order  of  justice."  Nor  is  this  all.  It  has 
often  been  noticed,  that  in  Protestant  countries,  where  Papists 
are  the  minority,  when  they  wish  to  acquire  any  particular 
privileges,  they  ask  for  them  on  the  general  principle  of  reli- 
gious liberty,  a  principle  which  the  heads  of  their  religion 
indignantly  repudiate.  This  is  explained  in  the  same  book. 
In  the  note  on  Matthew  xiii.  29,  30,  it  is  said  "  The  good 
must  tolerate  the  evil  when  it  is  so  strong  that  it  cannot  be 
redressed  without  danger  and  disturbance  to  the  whole  Church, 


6  INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING 

and  commit  the  matter  to  God's  judgment  in  the  latter  day. 
OTHERWISE,  where  ill  m*n,  be  they  heretics  or  other  ma lr fac- 
tors, may  be  punished  or  suppressed  without  disturbance'and 
hazard  of  the  good,  they  may,  and  ought,  by  public  authority, 
either  spiritual  or  temporal,  to  be  chastised  or  executed."  So 
in  the  note  on  Luke  ix.  55,  it  is  said,  that  when  Christ  re- 
buked James  and  John  for  wanting  to  call  for  fire  from 
heaven,  "not  justice,  nor  all  rigorous  punishment  of  sinners 
is  here  forbidden,  nor  Elias's  fact  reprehended,  nor  the  Church 
or  Christian  princes  blamed  for  putting  heretics  to  death  ; 
but  that  none  of  these  should  be  done  for  desire  of  our  parti- 
cular revenge/'  etc.  Can  such  a  system — a  system  of  decep- 
tion and  cruelty — be  of  God  ?  Is  it  not  of  the  devil  ?  "Ye 
are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  your  will  is  to  do  the  desires 
of  your  father.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  and 
abode  not  in  the  truth;  for  there  is  no  truth  in  him."  (John 
viii.  44.) 

The  folly  and  the  falsehood  of  affirming  that  religious  per- 
secution was  not  practiced  till  the  Reformation,  and  that  then 
it  was  introduced  by  Protestants,  is  quite  in  character  with 
the  unchangeable  principles  of  Popery.  Early  in  the  twelfth 
century,  a  great  number  of  persons  in  Lyons  and  the  south 
of  France  perceived  the  idolatry  and  absurdity  of  the  Romish 
worship.  God,  in  his  providence,  about  three  hundred  years 
prior  to  the  Reformation,  raised  up  Peter  Waldo,  a  rich  mer- 
chant of  Lyons,  who  had  the  honor  of  being  the  first  to  give 
the  word  of  God  in  any  modern  language  of  Europe.  Pope 
Alexander  III.,  having  heard  of  his  heretical  proceedings, 
anathematized  Waldo  and  his  followers,  and  commanded  the 
Archbishop  of  Lyons  to  proceed  against  them  with  the  utmost 
rigor.  The  only  crime  with  which  the  Waldenses  were 
charged,  was  that  of  presuming  to  read  and  understand  the 
word  of  God  for  themselves.  Their  very  enemies  bear  testi- 
mony to  their  morality  and  purity  of  life.  A  Romish  Inquisi- 
tor, who  wrote  against  them,  says,  "  These  heretics  are  known 
by  their  manners  and  conversation ;  for  they  are  orderly  and 
modest  in  their  behavior.  They  are  chaste,  temperate,  and 
sober."  Claudius  Seisselius,  Archbishop  of  Turin,  says, 
"  that,  their  heresy  excepted,  they  generally  live  a  purer  life 
than  other  Christians.  In  their  morals  and  lives  they  are 
perfect,  irreprehensible,  and  without  reproach  among  men, 


SPIRIT   OF   POPERY.  7 

addicting  themselves  with  all  their  might  to  the  service  of 
God."  Lielententius,  a  Dominican,  speaking  of  the  Waldenses, 
says,  "  In  morals  and  life  they  are  good,  true  in  words,  unani- 
mous in  brotherly  love."  Samuel  de  Cassini,  a  Franciscan 
friar,  in  his  Victoria  Trionfale,  declares,  "  that  all  the  errors 
of  these  Waldenses  consisted  in  this,  that  they  denied  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  be  the  holy  mother  Church,  and  would  not 
obey  her  traditions."  Yet  these  moral  and  unblamable  men, 
whose  only  crime  consisted  in  denying  the  supreme  authority  of 
the  Papal  See,  and  reading  and  circulating  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
were  the  objects  of  the  most  malignant  and  unceasing  perse- 
cutions ;  and  had  to  endure  a  "  great  fight  of  afflictions." 
The  cruelties  which  were  inflicted  on  the  Waldenses  were  not 
by  the  authority  of  individual  bishops,  but  on  the  authority 
and  by  the  command  of  the  Pope,  as  the  head  of  the  Church. 
In  1181,  Pope  Lucius  III.  issued  a  decree  against  heretics, 
which  commences  in  the  following  manner  : — "  To  abolish  the 
malignity  of  divers  heresies  which  have  lately  sprung  up  in 
most  parts  of  the  world :  more  particularly  we  declare  all 
Catharists,  Pastorines,  and  those  who  call  themselves  the  Poor 
of  Lyons,  to  be  under  a  perpetual  anathema."  In  a  subse- 
quent decree  the  Pope  says,  "  We  exhort  you  that  you  would 
endeavor  to  destroy  the  wicked  heresy  of  the  Albigenses,  and 
do  this  with  more  rigor  than  you  would  towards  the  Saracens 
themselves  :  persecute  them  with  a  strong  hand :  deprive  them 
of  their  lands  and  possessions  :  banish  them,  and  put  Catho- 
lics in  their  room."  Such  were  the  results  of  their  cruel  and 
bloody  decrees,  that  it  has  been  computed  that,  by  fire  and 
sword,  the  armies  employed  by  Pope  Innocent  III.,  about  two 
hundred  thousand  were  murdered  in  the  short  space  of  a  few 
months !  Pope  Innocent  VIII.,  about  thirty  years  prior  to 
the  Reformation,  issued  a  Bull  to  the  Archbishop  of  Cremona, 
in  which  he  required  him  to  "extirpate  the  Waldenses,  and 
tread  them  under  foot  as  venomous  adders,  bestowing  all  care 
towards  so  holy  and  so  necessary  an  extermination  of  the  same 
heretics ;"  and  he  urges  him  to  engage  in  so  holy  and  merito- 
rious a  work,  that  "he  may  not  only  obtain  the  crown  of 
glory  which  is  bestowed  as  a  reward  to  those  that  prosecute 
pious  causes,  but  that  he  might  insure  the  approbation  of  the 
Pope  and  the  apostolic  see."  (Jones's  Hist.  Wald.)  But 
notwithstanding  such  irrefragable  evidence,  Papists  have  the 


o  INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING 

hardihood  to  affirm  that  they  do  not  persecute  heretics  !    And 
what  is  still  more  surprising,  there  are  some  Protestants  so 
simple  as  to  believe  them  ! 

The  persecution  of  men  whose  conscience  cannot  comply 
with  the  doctrine  and  worship  of  the  Papal  Church,  is  not 
only  permitted  as  what  may  be  done,  but  commanded  as  what 
ought  to  be  done;  and  enforced  by  the  severest  penalties,  and 
encouraged  by  the  greatest  privileges.    "  We,  the  holy  Council, 
(of  Toledo,  Can.  3,)  promulge  this  sentence  or  decree,  pleas- 
ing to  God,  That  whosoever  hereafter  shall  succeed  to  the 
kingdom,  shall  not  mount  the  throne  till  he  has  sworn,  among 
other  oaths,  to  permit  no  man  to  live  in  his  kingdom  who  is 
not  a  Catholic.     And  if,  after  he  has  taken  the  reins  of  govern- 
ment, he  shall  violate  his  promise,  let  him  be  anathema  mara- 
natha  in  the  sight  of  the  eternal  God,  and  become  fuel  of  the 
eternal  fire."     The  Council  of  Lateran,  under  Pope  Innocent 
III.,  say,  "We  excommunicate  and  anathematize  all  heresy, 
condemning  all  heretics,  by  what  name  soever  they  are  called. 
These  being  condemned,  must  be  left  to  the  secular  power  to 
be  punished.      But  if  any  temporal  lord  should  neglect  his 
duty,  it  should  be  signified  to  the  Pope,  that  he  might  from 
that  time  pronounce  the  subjects  absolved  from  their  allegiance 
to  him,  and  expose  his  territories  to  be  seized  on  by  the  Catholics, 
who,  expelling  heretics,  shall  possess  them  without  contradic- 
tion."    In  the  same  chapter,  the  privileges  granted  to  those 
who  extirpate  heretics  are  stated  :  u  But  Catholics,  who,  hav- 
ing taken  the  badge  of  the  cross,  shall  set  themselves  to  extir- 
pate heretics,  shall  enjoy  the  same  indulgences,  and  be  forti- 
fied with  the  same  privileges,  as  are  granted  to  those  who  go 
to  the  recovery  of  the  Holy  Land."     Such  are  the  penalties 
to  be  inflicted  on  those  who  do  not  extirpate  heretics!  and 
such  are  the  rewards  promised  to  those  who  engage  in  this 
work  of  the  devil ! 

The  statement  of  Mr.  Wesley  is  a  sober  and  solemn  truth  : 
11  The  guilt  of  blood  shed  under  the  heathen  emperors  has 
not  been  removed  under  the  popes,  but  hugely  multiplied." 
In  addition  to  the  two  hundred  thousand  Waldenscs  wlu»  were 
destroyed  in  two  months,  Pope  Julius  II.  is  said  to  have  oc- 
casioned the  slaughter  of  two  hundred  thousand  Christians  in 
seven  years.  Perionius  states,  that  in  France  alone,  in  the 
o-reat  persecution  against  the  Waldenses,  there  were  murdered 


SPtftIT   OF   POPERY.  9 

no  less  than  one  million.      During  the  first  forty  years  that 
the  Jesuits  had  an  existence,  there  were  about  nine  hundred 
thousand  of  orthodox  Christians  cruelly  murdered.     In  less 
than  thirty  years,  the  holy  Inquisition  consumed  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  with  all  manner  of  cruelty.    These 
indisputable  facts  led  Joseph  Mede  to  give  it  as  his  opinion, 
"that  the  destruction  made  upon  the  Church  by  the  Papists 
was  equal  to  that  of  the  first  ten  Pagan  persecutions. "     The 
persecutions  of  the  Protestants  in  England  in  the  reign  of 
Mary  are  indelibly  traced  in  history.      In  the  massacre  of 
Paris,  which  subsequently  extended  over  the  kingdom,  it  is 
computed,  according  to  Bishop   Burnet,  that   one    hundred 
thousand  Protestants  perished.     The  massacre  of  Protestants 
m  Ireland,  during  the  rebellion,  which  began  in  1641,  in  the 
reign  of  Charles  I.,  is  an  indelible  stain  upon  Popery,  and 
demonstrates  the  cruelty  of  that  detestable  system.      "After 
rapacity  had  fully  exerted  itself,  cruelty,  and  that  the  most 
barbarous  that  ever  in  any  nation  was  known  or  heard  of, 
began  its  operations.       No   age,   no   sex,  no   condition,  was 
spared.      The  wife  weeping  for  her  butchered  husband,  and 
embracing  her  helpless  children,  was  pierced  with  them,  and 
perished  by  the  same  stroke.     All  the  tortures  which  wanton 
cruelty  could  devise :  all  the  lingering  pains  of  body,  and  anguish 
of  mind,  the  agonies  of  despair,  could  not  satiate  revenge  excited 
without  injury,  and  cruelty  derived  from  no  cause.   To  enter  into 
particulars  would  shock  the  least  delicate  humanity :    such 
enormities,  though  attested  by  undoubted  evidence,  would  ap- 
pear almost  incredible.     The  sacred  name  of  religion  sounded 
on  every  side,  not  to  stop  the  hands  of  these  murderers,  but 
to  enforce  their  blows,  and  to  steel  their  hearts  against  every 
movement  of  human  or  social  sympathy.     The  heretics  were 
marked  out  by  the  priests  for  the  slaughter ;  and,  of  all  actions, 
to  rid  the  world  of  these   declared  enemies  to  Catholic  faith 
and  piety  was  represented  as   the  most  meritorious  in    its 
Qature.     While  death  finished  the  sufferings  of  each  victim, 
the  bigoted  assassins,  with  joy  and  exultation,  still  echoed  in 
his  expiring  ears  that  these  agonies  were  but  the  commence- 
ment of  torments  infinite  and  eternal/'     {Hume.)     That  this 
picture  of  Popish  cruelty  is  not  too  highly  colored,  nor  too 
deeply  shaded,  is  amply  proved  by  the  writings  of  Temple,  of 
Clarendon,  and  of  other  contemporary  historians. 


Oil  IS 


1®  INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING 

The  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  in  1685,  by  LJUI. 
XIV.,  who  was  instigated  to  that  act  of  unparalleled  perfidy 
by  the  bishops  and  Jesuits,  is  a  fact  which  can  never  be  obli- 
terated from  the  pages  of  history,  and  stamps  with  an  eternal 
brand  the  cruel  character  of  that  Church  by  the  adherents 
of  which  such  atrocious  crimes  were  perpetrated.     There  is  one 
prominent  feature  in  this  iniquitous  transaction  which  deserves 
especial  attention— viz.,  that  the  most  solemn  oaths,  and  the  mo  t 
sacred  treaties,  are  never  looked  upon  by  the  Papal  Church 
and  its  infallible  pontiffs  as  obligatory,  when  the  violation  of 
them  may  contribute  to  advance  their  interests  or  accomplish 
their  objects.     For  nearly  a  century  Protestantism  had  been 
legally  recognized  in  France,  and  its  professors  protected  by 
the  edict  of  Nantes,  for  which  they  were  indebted  to  Henry 
IV      By  the  revocation  of  this  edict,  the  Protestants  were  re- 
quired, under  pain  of  military  execution,  to  conform  to  the 
Church  of  Rome.     On  this  occasion  the  celebrated  Bossuet, 
Bishop    of   Meaux,  published  his  pastoral  letter,  in  which, 
when  addressing  the  "  new  Catholics,"  or  the  recent  converts, 
who  had  been  compelled  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  to  re- 
nounce Protestantism,  he  says,  "  I  do  not  marvel,  my  dearest 
brethren,  that  you  are  returned  in  troops  and  with  so  much 
ease  to  the  Church  where  your  ancestors  have  served.     Not 
one  of  you  hath  suffered  violence,  either  in  his  person  or 
goods.     So  far  have  you  been  from  suffering  torments,  that 
you  have  not  so  much  as  heard  them  mentioned.     I  hear 
other  bishops  say  the  same.     You  are  returned  peaceably  to 
us  :  you  know  it."     Can  Popish  effrontery  exceed  this  total 
disregard    of   truth  which  was    displayed  by  Bossuet  ?      In 
reply  to  the  pastoral  letter,  M.  Jurieu,  in  his  pastoral  letter, 
says,  "Set  him  matter  of  fact  against  this  pretended  facility, 
and  assure  him  that  for  four  months'  time  there  have  been 
assemblies  almost  every  day  in  the  Cevennes  and  in  the  ad- 
jacent parts,  for  the  offering  up  prayers  and  supplications  to 
Crod — sometimes   in   woods,   at   other   times   in    eaves,   and 
rocks,  and  dens  of  the  earth.     The  dragoons,  which  almost 
always  surprise  them,  put  them  to  the  sword,  according  to 
their  instructions :    they  kill,  and  hang,  and  drag  them  to 
prisons.     In  the  month  of  June  last,  near  the  end  thereof, 
having  surprised  an  assembly  near  Nismes,  they  killed  many 
of  them  on  the  place,  and  four  they  hung  on  the  trees.     The 


SPIRIT   OF   POPERY.  11 

hangmen  withdrew,  supposing  that  they  would  have  no  great 
inclination  to  return  again  to  that  place.  But  two  hours  after 
there  was  another  assembly  in  the  same  place  on  the  dead 
bodies,  and  in  the  view  of  the  carcasses  that  hung  on  the  trees 
of  the  mountains.  There  is  not  a  week  passes  without  like 
assemblies  and  like  massacres/'  But  notwithstanding  these 
palpable  facts,  Bossuet,  the  wily  Jesuit,  though  one  of  the 
most  candid  Popish  writers,  had  the  assurance  to  address  the 
"  new  Catholics/ '  and  say,  "  So  far  have  you  been  from  suf- 
fering torments,  that  you  have  not  so  much  as  heard  them 
mentioned  I"  In  a  private  letter  written  at  this  period  by 
Bossuet,  he  says,  "  Tell  me  in  what  texts  of  Scripture  heretics 
and  schismatics  are  excepted  from  the  number  of  those  male- 
factors against  which  St.  Paul  says  Grod  hath  armed  kings 
and  princes.  And  although  you  will  not  permit  Christian 
princes  to  take  vengeance  of  such  great  crimes  because 
they  are  injurious  to  God,  can  they  not  take  vengeance  on 
them  because  they  cause  trouble  and  sedition  in  states  Vy 
(Juried s  Pastoral  Letters.)  What  a  perfect  harmony  be- 
tween the  doctrine  of  Bossuet  and  that  of  the  Bhemish  trans- 
lators !  "  Their  blood  is  not  called  the  blood  of  saints,  no 
more  than  the  blood  of  thieves,  man-killers,  and  other  male- 
factors, for  the  shedding  of  which  by  the  order  of  justice  no 
commonwealth  shall  answer."  It  was  in  this  spirit  that  the 
Jesuits  contrived  to  inflict  the  cruelties  of  Thorn,  under  the 
pretext  of  punishing  riot.  The  Cardinal  Primate  of  Poland 
says,  "The  sacred  execution  at  Thorn,  against  the  profaners 
of  holy  things,  ought  never  to  be  forgotten/'  It  was  his  wish 
that  this  "  sacred  execution"  should  be  perpetually  remem- 
bered. "  He  seems  to  look  back  upon  the  beheadings,  and 
choppings,  and  manglings,  and  dreadful  whippings,  with  plea- 
sure.     So  the  wolf  licks  his  jaws  after  a  bloody  meal." 

It  would  be  easy  to  multiply  facts  almost  ad  infinitum  in 
confirmation  of  the  intolerant  and  persecuting  spirit  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  Those  which  have  been  adduced  are  not 
the  acts  of  individuals,  but  of  the  Church  :  they  are  there- 
fore justly  chargeable  to  the  inherent  and  unchangeable  spirit 
of  Popery,  which  is  a  spirit  of  intolerance.  Cruelty  is  the 
genius  of  that  professedly  religious  system.  This  spirit  is 
found  in  almost  every  decree  of  councils,  every  bull  of  the 
popes,  and  every  act  of  the  Church.     So  long  as  the  Papacy 


12    INTOLERANT  AND  PERSECUTING   SPIRIT  OF  POPERY. 

assumes  the  attribute  of  infallibility,  it  is  incapable  of  amend- 
ment. Can  those  principles  be  disowned  which  are  the  dic- 
tates of  the  Holy  Ghost?  Can  those  decrees  and  canons 
which  were  framed  by  infallible  councils,  be  abandoned  with- 
out surrendering  the  attribute  of  infallibility  ?  Can  there  be 
any  amendment  when  it  would  involve  the  inevitable  destruc- 
tion of  the  whole  fabric  to  admit  the  possibility  of  error? 
Infallibility  in  error  ?     Impossible. 


TENDENCY  OF  ROMANISM. 

"What,"  says  John  "Wesley,  "has  a  more  natural  tendency 
to  destroy  the  love  of  Grod  in  the  heart  than  idolatry  ?  But 
so  does  a  considerable  part  of  the  avowed  doctrine  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  The  doctrine  of  the  Romish  Church 

has  a  tendency  to  hinder,  if  not  destroy,  the  love  of   our 
neighbor.  The  same  doctrine  must  greatly  indispose 

us  for  showing  them  the  justice  which  is  due  to  all  men. 
Its  natural  tendency  to  destroy  mercy  is  equally  glaring  and 
^undeniable.  What  terrible  proofs  of  this  do  we  see  in  the 
execrable  crusades  against  the  Albigenses !  in  those  horrible 
wars  in  the  Holy  Land,  where  so  many  rivers  of  blood  were 
poured  out !  in  the  millions  that  have  been  butchered  in 
Europe  through  its  influence,  since  the  beginning  of  the  Re- 
formation— in  the  open  field,  in  prisons,  on  the  scaffold,  on  the 
gibbet,  at  the  stake  ! 

"  Lastly,  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome  has  a  ten- 
dency to  destroy  truth  from  off  the  earth.     What  can  more 
directly  tend  to  this,  what  can  more  incite  her  own  members 
to  all  lying  and  falsehood,  than  that  doctrine,  'that  no  faith 
is  to  be  kept  with  heretics  V     Can  I  believe  one  word  that  a 
man  says  who  espouses  this  principle  ?      It  has  indeed  been 
affirmed,  that  the  Church  of  Rome  has  renounced  this  doc- 
trine ;  but  when,  or  where  ?     By  what  public  or  authentic  act, 
notified  to  all  the  worl&  ?     The  ever-renowned  Council  of  ( Y>n- 
stance  (an  assembly  never  to  be  paralleled,  either  among  Turks 
or  Pagans,  for  regard  to  justice,  mercy,  and  truth  !)  publicly 
and  openly  avowed  this  principle;   but  when  and  where  was 
it  publicly  disavowed  ?    Till  this  be  done  in  the  face  of  the  sun, 
this  doctrine  must  stand  before  all  mankind  as  an  avowed 
principle  of  the  Romish  Church." 


No.  39. 


PROTESTANT  CHRISTIANITY  AND 

ROMANISM  CONTRASTED. 


IN    RESPECT   TO    THEIR 


AGREEMENT   WITH    SCRIPTURE, 


1.  Romanism  denies,  Protestant  Christianity  affirms,  that 
the  Holy  Scriptures  are  a  complete  rule  of  faith,  independently 
of  oral  traditions. 

The  decree  of  the  Council  of  Trent  on  this  subject  is  in 
these  words : — "All  saving  truth  is  not  contained  in  the  holy 
Scripture,  but  partly  in  the  Scripture,  and  partly  in  unwritten 
traditions ;  which  whosoever  doth  not  receive,  with  like  piety 
and  reverence  as  he  doth  the  Scriptures,  is  accursed/' 

Hear  the  Apostle  Paul,  and  see  which  side  of  the  question 
has  the  sanction  of  his  authority.  In  writing  to  Timothy,  a 
young  minister,  who  it  was  exceedingly  desirable  should  be 
led  into  all  truth  on  this  subject,  he  declares  that  "the  holy 
Scriptures  are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation;"  and  again, 
that  "all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thorough- 
ly furnished  unto  all  good  works."  On  these  passages  it 
may  be  remarked,  that  if  the  "  Scriptures  are  able  to  make 
men  wise  unto  salvation/'  there  can  be  no  occasion  for  un- 
written traditions;  and  that  if  the  man  of  God  can  be  so 
instructed  out  of  the  Scriptures  as  to  be  "  perfect,  thoroughly 
furnished  unto  all  good  works,"  they  must  contain  every  doc- 
trine and  precept  which  God  in  his  wisdom  has  been  pleased 
to  reveal  for  the  edification  of  the  body  of  Christ,  or  the  con- 
version of  the  world.  The  prophet  Isaiah  virtually  excludes 
every  thing  else  than  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith. 


&  PROTESTANT   CHRISTIANITY  AND 

when  he  says,  "To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony :  if  they 
speak^  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no 
light  in  them."  The  wise  man,  in  the  book  of  Proverbs,  says, 
"  Every  word  of  God  is  pure :  add  thou  not  unto  his  words, 
lest  he  reprove  thee,  and  thou  be  found  a  liar."  And,  finally, 
John,  in  the  book  of  the  Revelation,  declares,  "  I  testify  unto 
every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  them,  God  shall  add  unto 
him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book." 

2.  Romanism  prohibits  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  by  the 
common  people  :  Protestant  Christianity  extends  this  privilege 
to  all. 

In  the  fourth  rule  of  the  "Index  of  Prohibited  Books,"  it 
is  thus  decreed  :  "  Inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  from  experience, 
that  if  the  holy  Bible,  translated  into  the  vulgar  tongue,  be 
indiscriminately  allowed  to  every  one,  the  temerity  of  man  will 
cause  more  evil  than  good  to  arise  from  it,  it  is  on  this  point 
referred  to  the  judgment  of  the  bishops  or  inquisitors,  who 
may,  by  the  advice  of  the  priest  or  confessor,  permit  the  read- 
ing of  the  Bible,  translated  into  the  vulgar  tongue  by  Catholic 
authors,  to  those  persons  whose  faith  and  piety  they  apprehend 
will  be  augmented,  and  not  injured,  by  it;  and  this  permission 
they  must  have  in  writing.  But  if  any  one  shall  have  the 
presumption  to  read  or  possess  it  without  such  written  per- 
mission, he  shall  not  receive  absolution  until  he  have  first 
delivered  up  such  Bible  to  the  Ordinary.  Booksellers  who 
shall  sell  or  otherwise  dispose  of  Bibles  in  the  vulgar  tongue 
to  any  person  not  having  such  permission,  shall  forfeit  the 
value  of  the  books,  to  be  applied  by  the  bishop  to  some  pious 
use,  and  shall  be  subjected  to  such  other  penalties  as  the 
bishop  shall  judge  proper.  But  regulars  shall  neither  read 
nor  purchase  such  Bibles,  without  a  special  license  from  their 
superiors."  In  perfect  accordance  with  this  decree,  Leo  X1L, 
in  a  circular  letter,  dated  May  3d,  1824,  and  addressed  to  all 
Patriarchs,  Primates,  Archbishops,  and  Bishops,  holds  the 
following  language  : — "  We  also,  venerable  brethren,  conform- 
ably to  our  apostolical  duty,  exhort  you  diligently  to  occupy 
yourselves  by  all  means  to  turn  away  your  flock  from  these 
deadly  pastures."  Gregory  XVI.  and  Pius  IX.  use  similar 
language.  And  what  do  you  imagine  these  "  deadly  pastures" 
are  ?     Why,  nothing  less  than  the  Bible,  which  we  Protestants 


ROMANIbM   CONTRASTED.  3 

use  and  circulate,  and  which  the  arrogant  pontiff  had  just 
before  termed  "  a  gospel  of  the  devil  !" 

Attend  now  to  what  the  Scripture  saith  on  this  subject,  and 
see  whether  it  is  most  in  accordance  with  the  doctrine  of  the 
Romanists  or  of  the  Protestants.  "  Search  the  Scriptures," 
is  the  direct  command  of  Jesus  Christ :  a  command  which, 
from  its  very  nature,  as  well  as  from  the  circumstances  in 
which  it  was  delivered,  is  equally  binding  upon  all  men.  Paul, 
in  writing  to  the  Thessalonians,  charges  them  that  his  "  epistle 
be  read  to  all  the  holy  brethren."  In  his  epistles  to  the 
Romans,  the  Corinthians,  the  Galatians,  and  the  Ephesians, 
he  distinctly  recognizes  the  fact  that  he  is  addressing,  not  the 
officers  of  the  churches  only,  but  "  all  that  call  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  James  addresses  his  epistle  "to 
the  twelve  tribes  that  are  scattered  abroad  :"  Peter  his  first 
epistle  "  to  the  strangers  scattered  throughout  Pontus,  Gala- 
tia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia;"  and  his  second  epistle 
"to  all  that  have  obtained  like  precious  faith  with  us." 
Now,  I  ask,  what  stronger  evidence  the  apostle  could  have 
given  that  he  designed  these  epistles  to  be  read  by  all  Chris- 
tians indiscriminately,  than  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  they 
were  addressed  to  all  ?  And  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  the 
Bereans  were  commended,  by  apostolic  authority,  for  the 
diligent  searching  of  the  Scriptures,  if,  after  all,  it  is  a  sin 
to  search  them,  unless  by  the  special  permission  of  an  in- 
quisitor ? 

3.  Romanism  enjoins  the  worship  of  saints  and  images : 
Protestant  Christianity  maintains  that  God  is  the  only  proper 
object  of  religious  worship. 

In  the  creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV  it  is  thus  written  :  "I  also 
believe  that  the  saints  who  reign  with  Christ  are  to  be  wor- 
shipped and  prayed  to ;  and  that  their  relics  are  to  be  vene- 
rated." And  again,  "  I  most  firmly  assert  that  the  images  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  Mother  of  God,  who  was  always  a  virgin, 
are  to  be  had  and  retained,  and  that  due  honor  and  worship 
is  to  be  given  to  them."  And  the  Council  of  Trent  declares 
that  "  it  is  lawful  to  represent  God  and  the  Holy  Trinity  by 
images;  and  that  the  images  and  relics  of  Christ  and  the 
saints  are  to  be  duly  honored,  venerated,  or  worshipped ;  and 
that  in  this  veneration  or  worship  those  are  venerated  whie^i 
are  represented  by  them." 


4  PROTESTANT   CHRISTIANITY   AND 

But  what  saith  the  Scripture  in  respect  to  the  object  of 
worship?  It  saith,  "Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  Hod, 
and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve."  It  saith  further,  "Thou 
shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness 
of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth 
beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under  the  earth.  Thou  shalt 
not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them."  And  God 
says  by  his  servant  to  the  people  of  Israel,  "  Take  ye  there- 
fore heed  unto  yourselves,  (for  ye  saw  no  manner  of  similitude 
on  the  day  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  you  in  Horeb  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  fire,)  lest  ye  corrupt  yourselves,  and  make  you 
a  graven  image,  the  similitude  of  any  figure,  the  likeness  of 
male  or  female."  The  whole  tenor  of  Scripture  on  this  sub- 
ject is  in  full  accordance  with  these  passages :  judge,  then, 
whether  the  doctrine  of  the  Romanists  or  of  the  Protestants 
is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible. 

4.  Romanism  prescribes  the  celebration  of  religious  worship 
in  a  language  which  is  unintelligible  to  the  people :  Protestant 
Christianity  requires  that  divine  service  be  performed  in  a 
language  which  the  people  can  understand. 

The  Council  of  Trent,  professedly  acting  under  the  guidance 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  has  not  only  decreed  that  mass  shall  be 
celebrated,  and  many  other  acts  of  religious  worship  performed, 
in  Latin,  but  has  denounced  an  anathema  upon  those  who 
presume  to  maintain  a  different  opinion. 

But  let  Paul  be  heard  on  this  subject,  that  we  may  see  into 
which  scale  the  weight  of  his  testimony  falls.  "  He  that 
speaketh  in  an  unknown  tongue,"  saith  the  apostle,  "speaketh 
not  unto  men,  but  unto  Grod ;  for  no  man  unclerstandeth  him." 
And  again,  "  If  I  come  unto  you  speaking  with  tongues,  what 
shall  I  profit  you,  except  I  shall  speak  to  you  either  by  reve- 
lation, or  by  knowledge,  or  by  prophesying,  or  by  doetriue? 
For  if  I  pray  in  an  unknown  tongue,  my  ^pirit  prayeth,  but 
my  understanding  is  unfruitful.  Else  when  thou  shalt  bless 
with  the  spirit,  how  shall  he  that  occupieth  the  room  of  the 
unlearned  say  Amen,  at  thy  giving  of  thanks,  seeing  he  un- 
derstandeth  not  what  thou  sayest  ?  In  the  church  I  had 
rather  speak  five  words  with  my  understanding,  that  by  my 
voice  I  might  teach  others  also,  than  ten  thousand  words  iii 
an  unknown  tongue."  This  is  the  substance  of  all  that  the 
Scripture  hath  said  on  this  subject ;  and  who  will  venture  te 


ROMANISM   CONTRASTED.  5 

say  that  there  is  any  thing  in  it  that  even  seems  to  favor,  nay, 
that  does  not  directly  oppose,  the  doctrine  of  the  Romanists  ? 

5.  Romanism  virtually  denies  the  completeness  of  Christ's 
atonement,  by  daily  renewing  his  sacrifice  in  the  celebration 
of  the  mass  :  Protestant  Christianity  recognizes  the  perfection 
of  Christ's  sacrifice. 

If  the  standards  of  the  different  branches  of  the  Reformed 
Church  be  appealed  to,  we  unquestionably  arrive  at  the  con- 
clusion that  the  doctrine  of  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  perfection  of  that  sacrifice,  constitutes  an  essential 
article  of  Christianity,  as  it  is  held  by  the  great  mass  of  Pro- 
testants. 

The  doctrine  which  the  Romish  Church  holds  on  this  sub- 
ject is  thus  expressed  in  the  creed  of  Pius  IV  :  "I  believe 
that  in  the  mass  is  offered  to  God  a  true,  proper,  and  propi- 
tiatory sacrifice,  for  the  quick,"  or  living,  "and  dead."  And 
the  Council  of  Trent  has  decreed,  that  "  if  any  one  say  that 
in  the  mass  there  is  not  a  true  and  proper  sacrifice  offered  unto 
Cod ;  or  that  to  be  offered  is  nothing  else  but  for  Christ  to  be 
given  to  us  to  eat;  let  him  be  anathema." 

I  hardly  heed  remind  you  that  a  large  part  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  relates  to  the  point  now  under  consideration ;  and 
as  there  is  entire  harmony  in  all  that  they  contain  on  the 
subject,  it  may  suffice  to  quote  two  or  three  passages.  "  If 
any  man  sin,"  saith  the  Apostle  John,  "  we  have  an  Advocate 
with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous ;  and  he  is  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  Paul,  in  writing  to  the  He- 
brews, says,  "  Christ  being  come,  a  High-Priest  of  good 
things  to  come,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy 

place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us."  Again, 
"Once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he  appeared  to  put 
away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself."  And  again,  "  By  one 
offering  he  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified." 
Need  I  ask  whether  these  Scripture  quotations  can  even  be 
tortured  into  an  accordance  with  the  doctrine  of  the  Roman 
ists? 

6.  Romanism  maintains  that  there  are  seven  sacraments : 
Protestant  Christianity,  that  there  are  but  two. 

In  the  creed  of  Pius  IV  it  is  thus  written :  "  There  are 
truly  and  properly  seven  sacraments  of  the  new  law,  instituted 
14 


6  PROTESTANT   CHRISTIANITY   AND 

by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  necessary  to  the  salvation 
of  mankind ;  (although  all  the  sacraments  are  not  necessary 
to  every  person ;)  namely,  Baptism,  Confirmation,  the  Lord's 
Supper,  Penance,  Extreme  Unction,  Orders,  and  Matrimony;" 
and  the  Council  of  Trent  denounces  a  curse  against  any  who 
say  that  these  "  were  not  all  instituted  by  Christ,  or  that  there 
are  more  or  fewer  than  seven,  or  that  any  of  the  seven  is  not 
truly  and  properly  a  sacrament." 

Now  you  may  search  the  New  Testament  through,  and  you 
will  find  no  allusion  to  any  other  sacraments  than  Baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper.  When  our  Lord  commissioned  his 
disciples  previous  to  his  ascension,  he  said,  "  Go  ye  therefore, 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  And  when 
he  had  met  them  for  the  last  celebration  of  the  Passover  pre- 
vious to  his  death,  the  history  informs  us  that  "  he  took  bread, 
and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  unto  them,  saying, 
This  is  my  body  which  is  given  for  you :  this  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after  Supper,  saying, 
This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in  my  blood,  which  is  shed 
for  you."  Both  these  sacraments — Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper — Protestant  Christianity  acknowledges  :  in  respect  to 
the  other  five  the  Bible  is  entirely  silent. 


PROTESTANT  EPIGRAMS. 

I.  Refusal  of  the  Sacramental  Cup. 

"Drink  of  this  cup,  drink  all,"  the  Saviour  cries. 

"None  of  this  cup  shall  drink,"  the  Pope  replies; 
Yet  strangely  deems  the  consecrated  wine 
The  blood  itself — no  mere  memorial  sign : 
Forbids  the  blood  that  on  the  cross  was  spilt. 
The  precious  blood  that  cleanses  from  all  guilt. 
The  wafer  sole  is  Rome's  permitted  food : 
'Tis  Christ's  own  body,  but  without  his  blood ! 

II.  Public  Prayers  in  Latin. 
"  Better  five  words  in  vulgar  language  utter'd, 
Than  twice  five  thousand  in  a  strange  tongue  mutter'd :" 
So  Paul  affirms.     How  different  an  opinion 
Is  entertain'd  in  Papal  Rome's  dominion! 
Her  public  worship  (vesper,  noon,  or  matin, 
Pater  or  Ave)  all  proceeds  in  Latin. 


ROMANISM    CONTRASTED.  7 

III.  Adoration  of  the  Virgin. 

Rome  worships  Mary,  mother  of  our  Lord : 
Her  Lord  pronounces  all  who  keep  His  word 
More  than  his  mother  blest.     Then  how  can  they 
Who  Him  their  Lord  profess,  to  Mary  pray  ? 
0  woman !  what  should  sinners  do  with  thee — 
Thyself  a  sinner  ?  and  thy  Saviour  He 
To  whom  all  sinners  for  salvation  flee ! 

IV.  Prohibition  of  Scripture-reading. 

"  Search  well  the  Scriptures,  that  ye  well  may  know, 
Like  wise  Bereans,  if  these  things  are  so : 
Let  all  that  hear  search  daily."     Rome  says,  "No  : 
Th'  unlearned  wrest  the  Scriptures  to  their  fall : 
We  bar  those  pages  from  the  use  of  all. 
Men  spy  not,  while  the  Scriptures  are  suppress'd, 
How  to  our  purpose  Heaven's  own  word  we  wrest!" 

As  an  illustration  of  the  last  epigram,  take  the  following  : — ■ 
A  priest,  in  a  certain  parish  in  Ireland,  called  upon  his  people 
to  oppose  a  Protestant  teacher ;  for  that  he  had  that  infernal 
machine,  the  Irish  Bible,  at  work.  "It  has  had  the  next 
parish  in  a  blaze,  and  the  flame  has  entered  ours ;  but  I  will 
extinguish  it."  For  this  end  he  went  to  the  teacher's  house. 
On  entering,  he  saw  the  Irish  Bible  and  some  Testaments, 
and,  laying  hold  on  them,  he  deliberately  pulled  out  the  fire, 
and  burned  them  to  ashes.  The  teacher's  aged  mother,  who, 
being  entirely  unacquainted  with  English,  had  listened  with 
delight  to  her  son  reading  the  Irish  Bible,  when  she  beheld 
it  burning  in  the  fire,  burst  into  tears,  and,  in  the  agony  of 
grief,  uttered  in  the  Irish  language  the  following  natural  and 
mournful  exclamation — still  more  impressive  in  the  language 
in  which  it  was  spoken  : — "O  G-od  !  O  Grod  !  now  is  burned 
the  book  of  books,  the  father  of  all  good  stories.  There  were 
in  it  stories  from  heaven,  stories  from  angels, — 0  yes !  and 
stories  of  Jesus  :  stories  of  his  apostles  and  saints ;  and  amidst 
all  was  the  dreadful — but,  0  the  joyful  for  sinners — the  story 
of  the  crucifying  Friday  !  0,  it's  burnt,  it's  burnt ! — the  book 
of  my  soul,  the  book  of  my  heart,  the  book  of  my  Saviour  !" 


5  PROTESTANT   CHRISTIANITY,  ETC. 

PROTESTANTISM  BEFORE  THE  REFORMATION. 

m  A  person,  says  Dr.  Edgar,  being  asked  where  Protestant- 
ism  was  before  the  Reformation,  replied  by  asking,  in  turn 
where  the  inquirer's  face  was  that  morning  before  it  was 
washed  ?  The  reply  was  just.  Dirt  could  constitute  no  part 
of  the  human  countenance ;  and  washing,  which  would  remove 
the  filth,  could  neither  change  the  lineaments  of  the  human 
visage  nor  destroy  its  identity.  The  features  by  the  cleansing 
application,  instead  of  alteration,  would  only  resume  their 
natural  appearance.  The  superstition  of  Romanism,  in  like 
manner,  formed  no  part  of  Christianity ;  and  the  Reformation, 
which  expunged  the  filth  of  adulteration,  neither  new-mo- 
delled the  form  nor  curtailed  the  substance  of  the  native  and 
genuine  system.  The  pollutions  of  many  ages,  indeed,  were 
dismissed;  but  the  primitive  constitution  remained.  The 
heterogeneous  and  foreign  accretions,  which  might  be  con- 
founded but  not  amalgamated  with  the  primary  elements,  were 
exploded ;  and  deformity  and  misrepresentation  gave  place  to 
simplicity  and  truth. 

Popery  may  be  compared  to  a  field  of  wheat  overrun  with 
weeds.    The  weeds,  in  this  case,  are  only  obnoxious  intruders, 
which  injure  the  useful  grain.     The  wheat  may  remain  and 
advance  to  maturity  with  accelerated  vegetation,  when  the 
weeds,  which  impede  its  growth,  are  eradicated.     The  super- 
stition of  Romanism,  in  the  same  manner,  like  an  exotic  and 
ruining   weed,  deformed    the   gospel,    and.  counteracted   its 
utility.     The  Reformers,  therefore,  zealous  for  the  honor  of 
religion  and  truth,  and  actuated  with  the  love  of  God  and 
man,  proceeded  with  skill  and  resolution  to  separate  Popish 
inventions  from  divine  revelation,  and  exhibited  the  latter  to 
the  admiring  world  in  all   its  striking  attraction  and  sym- 
metry. 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  K.  Church,  South. 


No.  40. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MARY, 

AN  IRISH  PEASANT. 


The  regard  due  to  the  feelings  of  those  who  are  the  subjects 
of  public  notice,  induces  the  writer  of  this  little  narrative  to 
conceal  the  name  and  abode  of  the  person  here  described. 
Suffice  it  to  state  that  she  resided,  in  the  year  1816,  in  the 
south  of  Ireland ;  and  that  whatever  is  here  said  concerning 
her  is  the  result  of  accurate  attention  to  the  account  given  by 
herself,  and  to  those  circumstances  by  which  her  represent- 
ation might  be  either  confirmed  or  invalidated.  Mary,  when 
very  young,  was  deprived  of  the  protection  of  her  parents, 
by  the  death  of  one  and  the  removal  of  the  other. 

In  this  destitute  state  she  was  noticed  by  a  near  relation, 
to  whose  house  she  was  taken.  Here  her  temporal  wants 
were  supplied,  and  an  opportunity  for  learning  to  read  was 
afforded  her,  which  she  readily  improved;  but  neither  the 
circumstances,  education,  nor  ideas  of  those  with  whom  she 
was  situated  were  favorable  to  her  acquiring  the  knowledge 
of  one  useful  subject,  much  less  of  the  glorious  gospel.  As 
all  her  family  belonged  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  Mary, 
from  early  custom,  professed  its  doctrines  and  engaged  in  its 
ceremonies  ;  but  her  mind  was  never  led  to  any  serious  inqui- 
ries respecting  the  truth  of  what  she  believed,  or  the  benefits 
which  she  expected  to  derive  from  her  stated  devotions. 
Sunk  in  the  insensibility  of  a  nature  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  she  was  regardless  of  the  connection  between  religion 
and  its  advantages.  She  cared  for  none  of  these  things :  she 
was  remiss  even  in  what  she  believed  to  be  her  duty,  thought- 
lessly yielding  to  the  influence  of  every  pas-sing  temptation. 
Her  temper  was  vehement,  and  she  was  passionately  attached 
to  the  reading  of  novels.     She  would  nastily  despatch  her 


*  THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY. 

appointed  business  in  order  to  gratify  this  propensity :  often 
making  her  escape  to  a  retired  corner  of  a  field,  in  order 
to  dwell  in  the  wild  regions  of  fancy,  undisturbed  by  the 
intrusion  of  any  object  which  would  serve  to  remind  her  of 
the  dull  realities  of  life.  In  a  mind  thus  occupied,  it  may 
easily  be  conceived  that  vain,  erroneous,  and  destructive  ideas 
predominated.  Nor  did  her  favorite  pleasure  lose  its  charms 
by  familiarity,  for  she  continued  to  indulge  herself  with  it 
some  time  after  she  was  married,  seeking  solace  from  domestic 
cares  in  the  perusal  of  a  novel,  while  her  infant  lay  asleep  in 
her  arms. 

Having  been  seized  with  a  fever,  and  believing  her  end  to 
be  approaching,  she  called  for  a  devotional  work,  entitled, 
"  Think  well  on't ;"  and  after  reading  a  few  pages  felt  her 
mind  composed  and  her  conscience  satisfied :  believing  that 
she  was  now  sufficiently  prepared  to  die.     Through  mercy  she 
was  restored  to  health,  but  insensibility  to  her  danger  ren- 
dered her  regardless  of  this  further  respite,  which  was,  there- 
fore, totally  unimproved.     Thus  she  continued  for  some  years, 
when  one  day,  her  child  being  asleep  in  her  arms,  she  looked 
around   to  see  if  there  was  a  novel  within  her  reach;  but 
being  disappointed,  she  resolved  to  pass  away  the  time  with 
any  book  that  lay  near  her.     On  opening  the  book  which  she 
could  procure  with  least  difficulty,  she  found  it  to  be  the  very 
one  which  she  had  read  during  her  illness,  then  purposely 
resorted  to  as  the  means  of  speaking  peace  to  her  soul ;  now, 
through    a   gracious    dispensation    of   Providence,    rendered 
instrumental    in  producing  a  contrary   effect.      Though  the 
particular  purport  of  this  book  is  to  set  forth  and  recommend 
the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  Koman  Catholic  Church,  yet  it 
contains  many  serious  admonitions  and  solemn  warnings  re- 
specting the  importance  of  eternal  things.     She  had  not  read 
far  before  she  met  with   the   following  passage  from  Deut. 
xxxii.  29,  "  0  that  they  were  wise  :  that  they  understood  this : 
that  they  would  consider  their  latter  end  !"     To  which  was 
added,  "  Multitudes  never  consider  for  what  end  they  come  into 
the  world,  and  for  what  end  they  leave  it ;  and  are  never  roused 
from  this  careless  state  till  they  awake  in  the  flames  of  hell." 
The  whole  passage  seemed  as  if  directed  to  herself.    Agi- 
tated   and    distressed,  she  dropped    the  book,  and,  clasping 
her  hands  together,  exclaimed,  "  0  Lord,  I  am  one  of  these 


THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY.  3 

careless  ones  I"  The  importance  of  eternity  rushed  upon  her 
mind  with  such  force,  that  anxiety  for  the  salvation  of  her 
immortal  soul  now  occupied  her  sole  attention,  and  led  her 
bitterly  to  reproach  herself  for  being  hitherto  unmindful  of 
what  so  nearly  concerned  her.  She  saw  that  her  past  life 
presented  to  her  view  nothing  but  the  commission  of  various 
sins,  and  the  omission  of  various  duties.  How,  therefore,  so 
to  atone  for  the  past,  and  to  provide  for  the  future,  as  to 
secure  the  favor  of  Grod  and  eternal  life,  became  the  subject 
of  her  serious  inquiry.  Ignorant  of  the  demands  of  God's 
law,  and  of  her  own  insufficiency  and  un worthiness,  she  ima- 
gined that  her  regrets,  lamentations,  and  endeavors  to  reform, 
would  restore  her  to  the  Divine  favor ;  and,  accordingly,  she 
commenced  her  new  plan  of  life.  Among  past  omissions  of 
duty,  a  disregard  to  the  ceremonies  of  her  religion  was  enu- 
merated :  she  therefore  resolved  regularly  to  attend  on 
masses,  confessions,  etc. :  was  strict  in  fastings  and  penances, 
and  watched  continually  over  her  prevailing  propensities. 
Some  experience  of  their  power,  in  threatening  to  defy  her 
most  rigorous  exertions,  led  her  to  apprehend  the  failure  of  her 
attempts ;  and  she  resolved  to  try  the  influence  of  fear,  by  pun- 
ishing herself  for  any  flagrant  transgression.  To  such  lengths 
did  the  ardor  of  her  mind  conduct  her  in  this  mode  of  pro- 
ceeding, that  at  one  time,  after  recovering  from  a  violent  pas- 
sion, she  thrust  her  finger  into  the  fire. 

Thus  she  proceeded  with  fear  and  trembling,  proving  that 
the  service  in  which  she  was  now  engaged  was  perfect  bond- 
age, and  not  perfect  freedom.  To  peace,  poor  Mary  was  still 
a  total  stranger.  Peace  with  Grod,  the  result  of  forgiveness, 
she  had  not  sought  through  the  sufferings  and  intercession  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  even  peace  with  herself  was  but  ill  secured, 
while  the  dispositions  she  sought  to  suppress,  again  and  again 
claimed  the  victory.  She  was  also  subject  to  frequent  inter- 
ruptions while  performing  her  prescribed  task  of  devotions. 
Having  resolved  to  repeat  what  is  called  by  her  Church  "  The 
Thirty  Days'  Prayer/'  (a  repetition  of  the  same  prayer  for 
such  a  number  of  days,  in  regular  succession,  to  which  were 
attached  many  important  privileges,)  the  book  in  which  it 
was  contained  would  often  be  mislaid,  when  she  had  to  com- 
mence the  reckoning  over  again.  She  was  scarcely  ever  able 
to  go  through  the  whole  of  this  undertaking.     This  she  now 


4  THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY. 

ascribes  to  the  providence  of  God,  who  would  not  suffer  hei 
to  persevere  in  any  thing  which  was  calculated  to  pacify  her 
deluded  conscience. 

^  During  this  state  of  fear,  anxiety,  and  distress,  she  was  one 
night  engaged  at  her  devotions,  when  one  of  her  children 
crying,  without  her  hearing  him,  her  husband  called  her  to 
attend  to  his  wants.  Her  temper  unsubdued  by  her  exercises, 
and  incensed  at  being  interrupted  in  what  she  considered  as 
one  of  her  meritorious  acts,  she  arose  from  her  knees  in  a 
violent  passion,  and  cursed  her  husband  for  having  disturbed 
her.  In  one  instant  the  airy  fabric  of  Mary's  fancied  right- 
eousness was  levelled  to  the  ground.  Attaching  to  the  breach 
of  different  commandments,  and  to  transgressions  under 
different  circumstances,  various  degrees  of  guilt,  her  present 
offence  seemed  to  exceed  all  possibility  of  forgiveness.  This, 
with  her  discouragement  at  her  own  weakness  and  incon- 
stancy, so  overpowered  her  mind,  that  she  abandoned  herself 
to  all  the  horrors  of  despair.  A  fear  that  she  was  sold  under 
sin,  and  all  its  threatened  consequences,  took  such  full  pos- 
session of  her  mind,  that  she  was  continually  overwhelmed 
with  a  sense  of  divine  wrath.  She  lay  down  to  rest  fearful 
of  awaking  in  the  bottomless  pit.  As  she  walked  the  streets, 
she  fancied  that  the  very  houses  were  commissioned  to  fall  on 
her ;  and  every  thing  around  her  seemed  to  threaten  her  de- 
struction, and  hasten  on  eternal  vengeance. 

Thus  she  continued  for  a  few  months,  when  one  night  she 
was  awakened  from  her  sleep  by  a  violent  storm.  The  fury 
of  the  elements  she  imagined  to  be  an  indication  of  divine 
wrath  against  herself. 

Terror  and  anguish  took  such  hold  on  her,  that,  her  present 
feelings  becoming  insupportable,  she  looked  back  witli  regret 
to  that  state  of  insensibility  which  formerly  exempted  her 
from  such  horrors,  and  in  her  wild  paroxysms  exclaimed,  '•  0 
that  God  would  harden  me  as  before  !"  Who  would  not  have 
concluded  that  Mary's  state  was  now  absolutely  hopeless '(  But, 
as  if  God  had  determined  to  show  forth  in  her  a  pattern  of 
all  long-suffering  :  as  if  he  had  determined  to  make  her  ease  a 
striking  example  of  his  being  found  of  them  that  sought  him 
not:  he  interposed  so  speedily,  and  so  evidently,  as  to  show 
her  that  his  thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as 
our  ways. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY.  5 

Mary  arose  the  following  morning  with  a  mind  so  free  from 
terror  as  might  have  seemed  to  indicate  the  literal  fulfilment 
of  her  rash  request.  She  went  out  to  purchase  milk ;  and, 
in  passing  through  the  streets,  saw  a  pile  of  old  books  exposed 
for  sale.  Though  in  haste,  she  resolved  to  stop  and  buy  a 
book,  without  forming  any  resolution  as  to  its  subject.  Look- 
ing at  the  title-page  of  the  first  she  opened,  and  reading  these 
words,  "Alleine's  Alarm  to  the  Unconverted/'  she  said  to 
herself,  "  Surely  I  must  be  one  :  this  must  be  just  such  a 
book  as  I  want;"  and,  on  inquiring  the  price,  purchased  it 
for  three  half-pence. 

Mary  felt  a  strong  propensity  to  examine  her  new  possession. 
She  was  impatient  to  have  breakfast  over,  and  the  house  free 
from  any  cause  of  interruption,  and  gladly  seized  the  first 
opportunity  of  realizing  her  anxious  wishes.  The  awful  state 
of  those  who  are  unmindful  of  their  eternal  interests,  and  the 
misery  and  condemnation  of  the  human  race,  set  forth  in  this 
work,  were  considerations  to  which  Mary  had  been  familiar ; 
but,  as  she  proceeded,  her  attention  was  powerfully  arrested 
by  its  pointing  to  the  only  refuge  for  lost  sinners  in  the  blood 
and  righteousness  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Her  concep- 
tions of  the  particular  nature  and  benefits  of  his  work  were 
indistinct  and  confused ;  but  the  simple  consideration  that  she 
was  to  look  out  of  herself  for  that-which  effectually  secured 
her  salvation,  filled  her  with  joy  ana  peace,  to  which  she  had 
hitherto  been  a  total  stranger ;  and  when  she  came  to  a  sentence 
which  was,  in  substance,  as  follows,  "Look  up  to  heaven — - 
look  around  you  on  earth,  and  see  if  there  is  any  thing  that 
can  afford  you  pleasure,  comfort,  or  enjoyment,  equal  to  what 
is  to  be  found  in  Christ ;  and  if  you  can  say  there  is  not,  then 
may  you  have  confidence  toward  God," — she  instantly  cried 
out,  "  0  Lord,  I  can  say  this — I  desire  nothing  but  Christ ! 
nothing  but  Christ !" 

Mary  now  felt  comforted:  received  power  to  contend 
against  her  spiritual  enemies;  but  she  fell  into  a  common 
error,  by  attending  to  the  sensations  produced  by  faith,  more 
than  to  the  object  which  faith  apprehended.  She  suffered 
her  hatred  of  sin,  and  all  those  new  feelings  of  which  she 
was  now  conscious,  to  become  the  ground  of  her  dependence, 
rather  than  the  merttorious  sacrifice  of  Him  in  whom  her 
help  lay.  This  cannot  excite  surprise,  when  it  is  recollected 
that  she  was  at  this  time  a  total  stranger  to  the  word  of  Grod, 
14*       * 


6  THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY. 

removed  from  all  opportunities  of  receiving  religious  instruc- 
tion, and  still  biased  by  the  system  in  which  she  had  been 
educated.  She  soon,  however,  began  to  reason  on  the  pro- 
priety of  searching  the  Scriptures  for  herself;  and,  convinced 
of  its  being  her  absolute  duty,  looked  diligently  for  a  Bible 
among  the  old  books  sold  in  the  street.  At  length  she  found 
one,  and  purchased  it  for  eighteen  pence.  Having  the  living 
oracles  of  God  in  her  possession,  she  had  now  a  lamp  unto 
her  feet,  and  a  light  unto  her  path :  following  which,  she 
was  led  to  perceive  how  far  she  had  perverted  the  truths  of 
God  by  her  own  imaginations.  The  doctrines  of  justification 
by  faith,  as  explained  and  vindicated  by  the  apostle  Paul, 
filled  her  with  lively  joy.  She  had  now  (though  increasing 
by  slow  degrees)  such  an  enlarged  view  of  the  merits  of 
Christ  as  led  her  to  renounce  every  degree  of  dependence  on  her 
own  works ;  and  being  taught  of  God  to  receive  Jesus  in  all 
his  offices,  as  he  who  could  not  only  pardon  but  subdue  her 
iniquities — made  of  God  unto  her  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification — she  now  found  her  joy  was  derived  purely  from 
Christ,  and  that  her  feelings  were  valuable,  only  as  enabling 
her  to  cleave  unto  him  with  more  vigor,  to  love  him  more 
ardently,  and  to  praise'  him  in  more  animated  strains.  Now, 
indeed,  may  it  be  said  that  Mary  experienced  the  great  bless- 
edness of  ceasing  entirely^rom  her  own  works,  that  she  might 
enter  into  rest,  by  trusting  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  life 
and  salvation.  Through  his  power  resting  upon  her,  she  rose 
triumphant  over  all  her  spiritual  enemies :  while  the  love  of 
Christ  constrained  her  to  seek  all  possible  conformity  to  his 
image,  obedience  to  his  precepts,  and  devotedness  to  his  ser- 
vice and  glory. 

She  still  continued  her  regular  attendance  on  the  ceremo- 
nies to  which  she  had  been  accustomed;  but  continuing  also 
to  read  the  Scriptures  attentively,  she  was  frequently  so  much 
struck  with  many  passages  directly  opposed  to  the  tenets  of 
the  Church  of  Home,  that  she  resolved,  simply,  to  receive 
every  thing  as  laid  down  in  the  unerring  standard  of  his  word. 
But,  although  she  was  hence  led  to  renounce  one  error  after 
another,  she  did  not  abruptly  conclude  that  it  was  her  duty 
to  retire  from  the  communion  in  which  she  had  been  brought 
up  :  still  finding  in  it  something  which  she  could  conscien- 
tiously approve. 

But  it  may  be  truly  affirmed,  notwithstanding,  that  Mary 


THE   HISTORY   OP   MARY.  7 

attacked  the  strongholds  of  popery  with  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit;  which  is  the  word  of  God.  What  is  said  respecting 
the  impropriety  and  danger  of  praying  in  an  unknown  tongue, 
1  Cor.  xiv.,  convinced  her  that  the  performance  of  the  mass, 
in  Latin,  was  an  unwarrantable  deviation  from  the  sentiments 
of  the  inspired  writer  on  this  subject.  The  condemnation 
pronounced,  in  the  Scriptures,  on  "  vain  repetitions/'  "  volun- 
tary humility/'  and  (i  worshipping  of  angels/'  led  her  to 
inquire  into  these  subjects,  and  convinced  her  that  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Church  of  Rome  were  at  variance  with  the 
doctrines  of  the  Bible.  The  reverence  paid  to  images,  the 
petitions  addressed  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  other  saints,  the 
omission  of  the  second  commandment  in  the  prayer-books, 
and  many  other  devices,  not  only  unauthorized  by  the  oracles 
of  God,  but  contrary  both  to  their  letter  and  their  spirit,  pro- 
duced in  her  mind  the  deepest  aversion.  She  began  also  to 
reflect  on  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  on  the  use  of  holy  water, 
and  on  the  alleged  efficacy  of  Romish  absolution.  The  whole 
survey  strengthened  her  opposition  to  these  flagrant  corrup- 
tions of  the  gospel;  and  she  embraced,  with  unspeakable 
satisfaction,  the  assurance  that  Christ  had,  by  one  offering, 
perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified.     (Heb.  x.  14.) 

The  absurdity  of  supposing  that  abstinence  from  flesh,  at 
certain  times,  was  meritorious,  appeared  also  evident  from 
the  following  language  of  the  apostle  : — "  Whatsoever  is  sold 
in  the  shambles,  that  eat,  asking  no  question  for  conscience' 
sake."  The  insufficiency  of  ceremonies  to  bring  the  sinner  to 
God,  and  the  indignation  of  God  against  'those  who  trusted  in 
them  as  the  ground  of  their  acceptance,  were  powerfully  im- 
pressed on  her  mind  by  the  first  chapter  of  Isaiah,  and  the  decla- 
ration contained  in  Amos  v.  21,  "  I  hate,  I  despise  your  solemn 
feast-days."  In  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  she  could 
not  for  some  time  see  any  thing  directly  opposed  to  the  word 
of  God ;  but  upon  reading  1  Cor.  x.,  (a  description  of  the 
privileges  bestowed  on  ancient  Jews,)  she  paused  on  coming 
to  the  third  and  fourth  verses : — "And  did  all  eat  the  same 
spiritual  meat ;  and  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink ; 
(for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them, 
and  that  Rock  was  Christ.")  "That  Rock  was  Christ,"  she 
repeated :  "  they  drank  of  him,  then,  before  he  appeared  on 
the  earth.     How  was  this  but  by  faith,  and  in  a  spiritual 


8  THE   HISTORY   OP   MARY. 

sense  ?"  A  cloud  seemed  to  be  immediately  removed  from 
her  understanding.  She  instantly  saw  that  believers  must 
ever  feed  on  him  in  the  same  manner:  the  absurdity  of  sup- 
posing that  the  soul  could  derive  comfort  or  benefit  irom  feed- 
ing on  him  in  a  carnal  sense — the  absurdity  of  declaring  that 
his  body  and  blood  were  really  contained  in  the  elements 
of  bread  and  wine,  which,  to  be  consistent,  must  lead  to  a 
declaration  that  they  were  also  contained  in  the  rock  in  the 
wilderness,  (the  expression,  "That  Rock  was  Christ, *'  being 
of  similar  import  to  the  expression,  "  This  is  my  body,  this  is 
my  blood,"  etc.,)  the  unwarrantable  practice  of  giving  but  one 
part  of  what  she  now  considered  as  the  representatives  of  his 
body  and  blood  to  the  people,  etc.,  struck  her  so  forcibly  that 
she  instantly  renounced  all  her  previous  ideas  upon  this 
subject. 

She  did  not,  however,  finally  abandon  every  degree  of  con- 
nection with  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  till  convinced  of 
the  false  foundation  on  which  it  was  supported.  The  pope's 
authority  in  matters  of  religion  now  became  the  subject  of 
her  inquiry,  which  ended  in  her  full  conviction  that,  so  far 
from  following  Peter,  (whom  he  falsely  claimed  as  his  pre- 
decessor,) either  in  doctrines  or  in  conduct,  he  bore  too  near 
a  resemblance  to  the  man  of  sin,  described  in  2  Thcss.  ii.,  to 
leave  any  doubt  on  her  mind  of  his  being  the  very  person 
there  predicted.  This  Conclusion  derived  additional  confirma- 
tion from  recollecting  what  she  had  read  in  a  book  of  ecclesi- 
astical history  respecting  the  pope's  first  assuming  the  title  of 
universal  bishop,  which  was  not  till  some  centuries  after  the 
death  of  the  apostles, — forming  a  convincing  proof  that  it 
was  impossible  to  trace  his  authority  to  a  delegated  commis- 
sion from  St.  Peter.  This  book  she  had  read  when  destitute 
of  one  more  agreeable  to  her  natural  taste  ;  and  though  its 
contents  did  not  at  that  time  excite  any  inquiries  on  the  sub- 
ject, they  now  seemed  to  be  providentially  suggested  to  her 
remembrance,  to  aid  the  work  of  Cod  in  freeing  her  mind 
from  all  remaining  error  on  this  important  subject.  Her 
separation  from  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  now  perfect, 
absolute,  and  unlimited.  She  even  wondered  what  arguments 
the  priests  could  bring  forward  in  opposition  to  the  conclu- 
sions she  had  now  formed,  and  resolved  to  go  and  speak  with 
one  of  them  on  the  subject.     Sim  went  to  the  chapel  for  this 


THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY.  9 

purpose,  and  was  approaching  one  of  the  confession-boxes, 
where  the  priest  was  sitting;  but  he,  conceiving  that  she  was 
coming  to  him  for  the  purpose  of  confessing  her  sins,  pre- 
vented her  from  speaking,  by  directing  her  to  some  other 
priest,  mentioning  his  name.  Mary  returned  home,  quite 
disappointed,  and  waited  long  for  an  opportunity  of  ac- 
quainting some  priest  with  the  sentiments  which  she  had 
embraced.  This  she  now  attributes  to  the  gracious  dispensa- 
tions of  God,  who  would  not  suffer  her  to  come  in  their  way 
till  her  mind  was  sufficiently  prepared,  lest  she  should  be  in 
any  degree  confused  by  their  plausible  and  subtle  statements. 
The  period  which  elapsed  between  Mary's  first  perception  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  and  her  final  separation  from  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  was  about  nine  months. 

She  was  now  at  a  loss  to  know  in  what  manner  she  could 
evince  her  anxiety  to  assemble  with  the  people  of  God.  She 
accordingly  went  to  a  place  of  worship  in  the  neighborhood ; 
but  the  power  of  early  habits  had  still  such  an  influence  on 
her  mind,  that  she  hastily  left  it  before  the  commencement  of 
the  service.  Condemning  herself  for  her  timidity,  she  went 
a  second  time,  and  remained  till  the  service  was  entirely  con- 
cluded. She  was  much  gratified  at  hearing  prayers  and 
praises  in  a  language  which  she  could  understand ;  and  re- 
joiced at  hearing  those  doctrines  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
had  taught  her  to  understand  and  value ;  but  having  formed 
some  intimacy  with  a  few  that  professed  the  Protestant  faith, 
3he  was  directed  to  a  church  where  the  truths  of  God  were 
stated  in  their  power,  extent,  and  fullness.  How  did  Mary's 
heart  rejoice  at  now  hearing  the  value  and  sufficiency  of  that 
work  set  forth,  which  was  all  her  salvation,  and  all  her  desire, 
and  the  enlarged  privileges  of  those  who  were  interested  in 
its  benefits.  Now,  indeed,  was  she  filled  with  joy  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory.  Here  her  delighted  soul  was  frequently 
refreshed,  animated,  and  encouraged,  by  her  attendance  on 
the  ministry  of  the  word ;  but  an  increase  of  domestic  cares 
often  prohibited  her  from  such  a  gratification. 

It  may  easily  be  supposed  that  Mary's  separation  from  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  became  an  occasion  of  deep  regret 
both  to  her  relations  and  to  the  ministers  of  that  communion. 
From  what  she  heard  on  this  subject,  she  expected  ^  to 
receive  a  visit  from  some  of  the  latter ;  and  one  day,  seeing 


10  THE    HISTORY   OP    MARY. 

a  bishop  approaching,  as  she  thought,  toward  the  house,  she 
felt  so  agitated  that  she  was  near  fainting;  but,  recovering 
herself,  she  besought  God  to  give  her  strength  and  composure 
of  mind  to  plead  his  cause  without  fear.  After  waiting  for 
a  short  time,  she  was  relieved  by  finding  that  the  bishop  had 
gone  in  another  direction.  But  growing  in  grace,  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  her  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and 
strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit,  Mary  soon  felt  rather 
desirous  than  apprehensive  of  an  interview  with  him. 

The  bishop  soon  made  his  appearance  in  her  mean  apart- 
ments ;  when  neither  the  power  of  early  impressions,  the  dis- 
parity of  their  circumstances,  nor  a  conjecture  of  the  particular 
purport  of  his  visit,  now  prevented  her  from  receiving  him 
with  the  utmost  composure.     As  soon  as  he  was  seated,  the 
following  conversation  took  place.     He  began  by  saying,  "I 
hear  you  have  neglected  your  duty  lately/'     "  You  are  mis- 
informed, Sir/'  said  Mary :  "I  never  minded  my  duty  till 
now."     "  Have  you  not  left  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  ?" 
"  Yes,  Sir."     He  then  asked  her  "what  fault  she  had  to  find 
with  that  Church  ?"     To  which  she  answered,  "  that  its  doc- 
trines did  not  agree  with  Scripture."     He  asked  her,  "  What 
doctrines?"     Mary  then  proceeded  to  enumerate  them,  and 
to  state  her  several  objections  on  the  ground  of  Scripture  au- 
thority— viz. :  the  praying  in  an  unknown  tongue,  worshipping 
saints,  purgatory,  transubstantiation,  etc.,  and  concluded  by 
offering  some  arguments  to  invalidate  the  authority  on  which 
they  were  founded.     Whatever  the  bishop  said  in  opposition 
to  Mary's  arguments  was  drawn  from  reasonings  on  the  pro- 
priety and  advantages  of  these  observances  :  still  pleading  the 
authority  of  popes  and  councils  as  sufficient  for  their  establish- 
ment )  but  Mary  was  too  strongly  influenced  by  the  simple 
declaration  of  God's  word  to  pay  any  attention  to  the  com- 
mandments of  men,  even  where  the  Scriptures  were  silent, 
and  much  less  where  they  tended  to  oppose  these  lively  oracles 
of  God.     Still  the  bishop  asserted  the  pope's  right  to  govern 
in  religious  matters,  as  successor  to  Peter,  when  Mary  ob- 
served, "that  certainly  popes  were  not  Peter's  successors  in 
the  holiness  of  their  conduct:"  adding,  "  that  she  should  fear 
for  her  immortal  soul  did  she  live  like  many  of  them."     To 
this  the  bishop  opposed  the  direction  given  by  Jesus  Christ 
to  his  disciples,  Matt,  xxiii.  3,  "The  Scribes  and  the  Phari- 


THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY.  11 

sees  sit  in  Moses's  seat :  all,  therefore,  whatsoever  they  bid  you 
observe,  that  observe  and  do ;  but  do  not  ye  after  their  works ; 
for  they  say,  and  do  not."  As  Mary  had  never  considered 
the  import  of  the  passage,  she  was  not  furnished  with  an  im- 
mediate reply.  But,  after  the  bishop  had  left  her,  she  con- 
sidered the  nature  of  the  instruction  given  by  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  to  which  our  Lord  alluded ;  and,  perceiving  that  it 
was  the  doctrines  and  precepts  taught  by  Mos^s  that  they 
were  commissioned  to  enforce,  saw  the  absurdity  of  supposing 
that  such  a  commandment  authorized  our  submission  to  those 
who  assumed  to  themselves  the  offices  of  teachers,  and  taught, 
for  doctrines,  the  commandments  of  men.  During  some  fur- 
ther conversation  with  him,  Mary  at  length  said,  "  You 
know,  Sir,  that  a  departure  from  the  faith  was  predicted  by 
Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  Timothy,  where  he  says,  '  Some  shall 
appear,  forbidding  to  marry,  and  commanding  to  abstain  from 
meats,  which  God  hath  created  to  be  received  with  thanks- 
giving of  them  which  believe  and  know  the  truth/  JSTow, 
look  around  you,  Sir,  and  see  whether  any  sect  or  party  has 
yet  appeared  to  whom  this  is  so  applicable  as  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church."  The  bishop  told  her  that  he  would  bring 
her  a  book  sufficient  to  set  aside  all  her  arguments,  if  she 
would  promise  him  to  read  it  with  attention.  "  I  shall  be 
influenced  by  it,  Sir,"  said  Mary,  "  according  to  its  agreement 
with  the  word  of  God." 

The  bishop  returned  with  the  book ;  but  before  Mary  had 
read  it  half  through,  she  saw  that  the  whole  weight  of  its 
arguments  rested  on  the  authority  of  popes  and  councils  to 
decree  rites  and  ceremonies:  endeavoring  to  set  forth  the 
advantages  of  what  they  had  appointed.  When,  therefore, 
the  bishop  again  called  on  her  to  know  what  effects  had  been 
produced  in  her  mind  by  the  perusal  of  his  book,  Mary  plainly 
told  him  "that  she  saw  it  opposed  to  Scripture,  and  must, 
therefore,  entirely  disregard  its  contents."  Upon  which  he 
said,  "  Then  give  it  back  to  me  :  I'll  leave  you  to  the  judg- 
ments of  God."  "  Very  well,  Sir  :  to  them  I  had  rather  be 
left,"  said  Mary,  as  he  was  leaving  the  house. 

Some  time  after  this,  Mary's  husband  was  so  ill  that  his 
life  was  thought  to  be  in  danger.  When  she  had  first  mar- 
ried him,  he  professed  an  attachment  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Protestant  Church,  but  had  accompanied  her   to  her  place 


12  THE   HISTORY   OP   MARY. 

of  worship,  and,  after  her  conversion,  returned  again  to  tht 
Established  Church.  When  apparently  dying,  Mary's  friend? 
persuaded  him  to  send  for  a  priest  to  baptize  him,  as  the  most 
effectual  way  of  securing  his  everlasting  salvation.  He  con- 
sented, and  the  priest  soon  made  his  appearance,  in  spite  of 
Mary's  remonstrance,  who  earnestly  endeavored  to  prevent 
such  an  act  of  gross  superstition.  She  followed  him  into  the 
room;  and,  on  his  asking  for  a  candle,  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  this 
man  was  baptized  in  the  Protestant  Church ;  and  I  ask  you 
by  what  authority  you  set  that  aside  as  insufficient  V '  "  Do 
you  want  to  insult  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  V  said  the 
priest.  "  I  don't  wish  to  insult  any  one,"  answered  Mary ; 
"but  a  real  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  would  have  more  regard 
to  his  word.  This  man  has  received  the  appointed  sign  of 
baptism — what  more  can  be  done  for  him  by  human  means  ? 
Spiritual  baptism  is  the  work  of  God."  "  Go  away,  go  away, 
woman,  and  don't  interrupt  me,"  said  the  priest.  Mary  then 
appealed  to  her  husband,  asking  him  why  he  submitted,  at 
the  suggestion  of  others,  to  any  thing  to  which  his  own  judgment 
was  opposed ;  and  again  turning  to  the  priest,  said,  "  Sir,  if 
he  was  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  would  not  suffer 
you  to  proceed."  The  priest  and  the  people  in  the  room  now 
succeeded  in  turning  Mary  out,  when  the  ceremony  went  on. 
After  it  was  finished,  the  priest  said  to  the  sick  man,  "  Now 
you  are  perfectly  free  from  sin,  and  fit  to  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  God."  As  Mary  was  not  present  when  he 
said  this,  she  did  not  know  that  he  had  uttered  such  a  decla- 
ration till  after  her  husband  had  recovered,  who  then  told  it 
to  her,  saying,  "  that  the  absurdity  of  supposing  that  any 
external  rite  fitted  his  soul  for  death  and  judgment,  struck 
him  so  forcibly  at  the  time,  that  he  was  completely  disgusted 
with  their  tenets,  and  secretly  resolved  never  more  to  have 
any  thing  to  do  with  them." 

'The  next  day  the  priest  renewed  his  visit.  After  seeing 
the  sick  man,  he  said  to  Mary,  "Your  husband  is  better 
to-day."  Mary,  knowing  that  he  ascribed  the  improvement 
in  his  health  to  his  having  baptized  him,  said,  "Yes,  we  are 
told  that  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick;  and  I  sent 
his  name  to  a  place  of  worship  last  night,  where  some  believ- 
ers met  together,  that  they  might  pray  for  him."  After  a 
few  days  had  passed,  the  same  priest  returned,  accompanied 


THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY.  13 

by  another.  When  they  had  spoken  to  her  husband,  one  of 
them  said  to  Mary,  "Well,  I  think  he's  mending  greatly." 
"Yes,  Sir,"  she  replied,  "he  is  mending  in  body:  I  wish  I 
could  say  as  much  for  his  soul."  "  This  gentleman,"  said 
he,  pointing  to  the  other  priest,  "  gives  me  a  very  good  account 
of  his  soul."  "Ah  !  Sir,"  said  Mary,  "surely  I  could  perceive 
any  real  improvement  in  him  as  well  as  another.  I  think  God 
has  so  far  given  me  the  spirit  of  discernment."  "  Come  away," 
said  the  priest  who  had  first  been  with  her,  "  and  leave  this  wo- 
man to  herself :"  when  they  both  went  away,  and  Mary  never 
afterward  received  a  visit  from  any  minister  of  that  communion. 

I  shall  now  subjoin  a  few  out  of  the  many  instances  of  the 
triumphs  of  faith,  which  have  been  exemplified  in  Mary's  life 
and  conduct. 

The  history  of  God's  providential  dealings  with  her  would, 
as  she  declares,  fill  a  volume;  but  I  shall  only  select  two  out 
of  the  many  instances  which  her  memory  records  as  Ebenezers 
to  his  praise  and  glory.  One  day  Mary's  faith  was  particu- 
larly tried  by  the  hour  of  dinner  drawing  near  without  hav- 
ing a  single  morsel  of  provisions  in  the  house.  Her  husband 
looked  at  her  as  if  he  would  say,  "  Where  now  is  thy  God  ?" 
At  length  he  said  to  her,  "  Mary,  you  had  better  go  out  and 
try  to  borrow  something,  that  we  may  not  be  left  without  our 
dinner."  She  answered,  "You  know  I  have  not  any  one  to 
go  to:"  when,  immediately  checking  herself,  she  cried  out, 
"  But  why  do  I  say  this  ?  Have  I  not  my  Heavenly  Father 
to  go  to?"  Mary  immediately  went  to  prayer,  and,  pleading 
before  God  the  destitute  state  of  her  husband  and  children, 
her  confidence  in  him  was  again  confirmed,  when  she  soon 
proved  that  he  remembered  his  word  unto  his  servant,  upon 
which  he  had  caused  her  to  hope,  and  that  they  who  trust  in 
him  shall  never  be  confounded.  In  about  ten  minutes  after 
she  had  risen  from  her  knees,  a  woman  appeared  at  the  door, 
with  something  concealed  under  her  cloak.  In  the  firm  con- 
fidence of  faith,  Mary  ran  towards  her,  opening  her  cloak,  and 
saying,  "  Come  show  what  you  have  brought  me."  The 
woman  said  that  she  had  brought  her  a  piece  of  meat,  some 
potatoes,  and  twopence  for  cabbage.  Mary  looked  at  her 
husband,  crying  out,  "  Now  do  you  see  how  the  Lord  remem- 
bers me?  See  how  he  has  supplied  all  our  wants."  That 
this  was  a  particular  answer  to  prayer  appeared  evident  to 


14  THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY. 

Mary  from  various  considerations.  The  woman  who  brought 
her  this  present  was  not  in  such  circumstances  as  to  enable 
her  to  give  much  to  others.  She  was  not  remarkable  for  gen- 
erosity. It  was  Lent  time,  and  she  was  a  Roman  Catholic, 
and  would  not,  therefore,  be  naturally  disposed  to  encourage 
any  person  to  eat  meat.  What  particular  suggestion  induced 
her  to  act  in  this  manner,  is  among  the  mysteries  yet  to  be 
revealed  of  God's  providence. 

One  morning  Mary  arose  without  any  thing  in  the  house 
for  breakfast.  The  wants  of  her  family  requiring  an  imme- 
diate supply,  she  went  out,  determined,  though  very  reluct- 
antly, to  apply  to  her  sister,  who  was  greatly  displeased  with 
her  for  renouncing  that  religion  to  which  she  herself  con- 
tinued firmly  attached.  As  Mary  approached  the  house,  her 
heart  sunk  within  her  :  so  that  she  found  herself  unable  even 
to  knock  at  the  door.  She  walked  up  and  down  the  street, 
endeavoring  to  resolve  upon  making  her  intended  application, 
but  in  vain.  She  could  not  bring  herself  to  address  her 
sister,  and  returned  home,  while  the  consideration  of  again 
seeing  her  hungry  children,  without  being  able  to  bear  her 
usual  testimony  to  the  goodness  of  God  in  supplying  their 
wants,  caused  her  to  shed  tears  of  sorrow,  shame,  and  dis- 
appointment. But,  on  entering  the  house,  who  can  describe 
her  wonder,  gratitude,  and  joy,  on  finding  that  her  sister  had 
called  there  during  her  absence,  leaving  a  supply  of  bread, 
meat,  tea,  etc. 

The  remaining  circumstances  which  I  shall  record  concern- 
ing Mary,  occurred  during  my  own  personal  intercourse  with 
her,  which  was  not  for  some  years  after  her  conversion.  I 
was  one  day  with  a  poor  man,  who  was  very  ill,  when  Mary 
entered  the  room,  and  sat  down  near  him.  From  her  appear- 
ance, I  did  not  expect  to  hear  her  address  him  in  the  language 
of  instruction.  But  how  was  my  attention  arrested  on  hear- 
ing her  set  forth  the  truths  of  the  gospel  with  power,  liveli- 
ness, and  precision  !  When  she  had  done  speaking,  I  asked  her 
how  long  she  had  known  these  precious  truths  ?  She  gave  me 
particular  satisfaction,  and  led  me  to  cultivate  her  acquaintance. 

Upon  visiting  her  one  morning,  she  related  what  she  called 
"the  mercies  of  the  past  night."  Shortly  after  she  went  to 
sleep,  she  was  awakened  by  one  of  the  children  ^  crying. 
Having    succeeded    in    endeavoring    to   compose    him,   she 


THE   HISTORY   OF   MARY.  15 

again  lay  down.  The  moon  shone  brightly  into  her  apart- 
ment :  attracted  by  its  pleasing  appearance,  she  threw  back 
the  curtain,  and  indulged  the  most  delightful  meditations, 
mingled  with  prayer  and  thanksgiving,  till  toward  morning, 
when  she  began  to  reflect  on  the  goodness  of  God,  who,  know- 
ing her  inability  to  indulge  such  communion  with  him  by 
day,  providentially  called  her  from  her  sleep  to  favor  her  with 
such  a  night.  What  complaints  should  we  hear  from  many 
did  a  sleepless  night  succeed  a  day  of  toil ! — while  Mary  was 
taught  to  enumerate  it  among  the  blessings  of  divine  good- 
ness, that  her  eyes  prevented  the  night-watches,  that  she 
might  be  occupied  in  his  word  ! 

Though  precluded  by  her  situation  in  life,  and  the  weight 
of  her  domestic  cares,  from  occupying  a  conspicuous  place  in 
the  Church  of  God,  she  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  Her  eyes  filled  with  tears 
when  she  heard  of  a  strayed  sheep  being  added  to  the  fold  of 
Christ,  or  of  any  circumstance  which  promised  to  spread  the 
savor  of  his  precious  name.  One  morning,  when  in  great 
distress,  I  carried  her  a  trifling  sum  of  money,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  read  a  letter  received  from  Persia,  containing  an  account 
of  the  Scriptures  being  admitted  into  the  palace  of  the  Per- 
sian monarch,  who  had  expressed  his  pleasure  at  hearing  their 
contents,  and  promised  to  give  them  his  countenance :  Mary 
manifested  lively  emotions  of  gratitude  and  joy  as  I  proceeded, 
and  when  I  was  leaving  her  said,  "I  thank  you  for  your 
money,  but  more  for  your  good  news." 

The  history  of  Mary  seems  to  speak  a  language  too  plain 
and  obvious  to  need  much  to  be  said,  in  order  to  press  it  upon 
the  consideration  of  our  readers,  as  instructing  us  in  the  way 
of  righteousness.  A  faith  like  hers,  triumphant  over  the 
influence  of  education,  early- impressions,  and  long-confirmed 
habits,  and  obtaining  dominion  over  her  understanding,  hei 
heart,  and  affections,  so  independent  of  all  human  means, 
must  surely  present  itself  to  every  considerate  reader  as  a 
faith  of  a  divine  origin,  communicated  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
through  the  simple  perusal  of  his  holy  word. 

In  hopes  of  its  being  instrumental,  through  the  divine 
blessing,  in  leading  our  readers  to  the  happy  experience  of 
joys  and  privileges  such  as  these,  we  have  now  given  them 
the  history  of  Mary. 


*G  THE   HISTORY   OP   MARY. 

FLAGELLATIONS  IN  ROME. 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Express,  writing  from 
Rome,  says,  <<  I  witnessed  last  night  one  of  the  most  ridicu- 
lous ceremonies  a  man  in  his  wildest  dreams  could  imagine a 

flagellation.       We  had  secured  seats  in  the  church,  when  some 
priests  came  out  from  a  side-door,  and,  with  the  assistance  of 
two  small  boys  with  bald  spots  upon  the  crowns  of  their  heads, 
who  swung  censers  with  smoking  frankincense,  and  another 
small  boy  who  had  a  bald  spot  upon  the  crown  of  his  head, 
and  who  rang  a  tea-bell  from  time  to  time,  performed  mass, 
and  all  went  out  at  the  same  door,  except  one  monk,  who 
commenced  a  tiresome  and  stupid  discourse  about  the  neces- 
sity of  sinners,  from  time  to  time,  when  they  felt  convinced  that 
they  needed  it,  of  mortifying  the  flesh  in  an  humble  and  be- 
coming manner.     During  the  sermon,  some  of  those  in  the 
church  who  responded  the  loudest  arose  from  their  knees, 
and  kneeled  in  the  centre,  when  another  man,  with  a  bald  place 
upon  the  top  of  his  head,  and  a  black  gown  thrown  over  him, 
distributed  among  them  a  variety  of  leather  straps,  about  two 
feet  in  length,  and  with  which  those  in  the  middle  of  the 
church  would  belabor  themselves  when  the  time  came.     The 
old  monk  waxed  warm  and  enthusiastic,  and  when  finally  the 
five  lights  were  extinguished,  one  after  another,  until  it  was 
total  darkness,  the  noise  commenced,  and  such  thrashings  and 
beatings  as  we  heard,  but  could  not  see,  kept  us  in  continual 
convulsions  of  laughter,  so  we  were  almost  afraid  we  should 
be  turned  out.     It  sounded  precisely  as  if  the  whole  forty 
or  fifty  were  beating  one  another  with  the  straps;  and  I  have 
no  doubt  some  of  them  were  so  doing.     I  assure  you  it  was 
very  ludicrous;  and  when  a  light  was  brought  suddenly  in, 
to  the  consternation  of  the  strappers,  they  all  sneaked  back 
to  their  obscurity  at  the  sides  of  the  church,  and  the  old  monk 
came  around,  took  his  straps  from  the  flagellated  ones,  and 
the  doors  being  opened,  a  fresh  crowd  came  rushing  in,  who, 
no  doubt,  repeated  the  performance  ;  but  we  had  satisfied  our- 
selves, and,  scrambling  over  the  benches,  made  our  way  out 
into  the  street.     What  sights  one  does  see  in  Rome  !"      And 
this,  too,  in  the  year  of  grace  1855. 

Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  SI.  K.  Church,  South. 


No.  41. 


THE  DYING  CATHOLIC  GIRL. 


"  Mother/'  said  a  dying  girl  in  Ireland,  "  it  is  a  dreadftu 
thing  to  die  !" 

"It  is  that,  my  darling/'  the  mother  said,  as  she  fondly 
gazed  with  tearful  eyes  upon  the  fading  cheek  of  her  child. 
"  0  that  I  could  die  instead  !  But  you  have  confessed,  and 
why  are  you  still  afraid  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  confessed  every  sin  I  can  remember,  and  I 
have  got  absolution,  and  I  shall  have  the  holy  oil  when  I'm 
just  at  the  last,  mother ;  but  then  I  must  be  in  the  fires  of 
purgatory  soon,  and  you  are  very  poor,  mother." 

The  mother's  quick  affection  caught  the  meaning  of  the 
words,  and  their  painful  connection.  "Ah,  sure,  I  see  it 
now,"  she  said :  "  true  for  us,  Mary,  we  are  poor,  but  I'll 
work  these  fingers  to  the  bone  but  I'll  get  money  for  the 
masses,  that  will  hasten  the  passage  to  heaven.  My  own 
Mary,  namesake  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  do  you  think  your  poor, 
lonely  mother  could  rest  till  your  soul  is  safe  in  heaven  ?  No, 
she'll  work  by  day  and  pray  by  night  for  the  peace  of  your 
soul.  So  be  easy,  darling,  and  don't  trouble  for  the  masses 
any  more  at  all." 

"  It  will  be  no  peace  to  my  soul  to  know  that  you  have  to 
work  hard  to  get  masses  said,  mother.  That's  what  makes  it 
harder  still  to  die." 

"Sure;  but  mayhap  you'll  know  nothing  about  it  there, 
darling :  leave  that  all  to  the  priest  now,  and  say  the  prayers 
to  the  Virgin  he  bade  you.     That'll  bring  peace  to  your  heart." 

"  No,  it  is  all  dark.  I  want  to  know  where  I  am  going, 
and  more,  a  great  deal  more,  than  the  priest  would  tell  me. 
Mother,"  she  added  quickly,  "I  am  thinking  often  of  the 
death-bed  of  cousin  Kathleen.  She  had  no  absolution,  no 
unction,  no  masses ;  but  she  died  so  happy  !" 


A  THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL. 

m  "  She  was  a  heretic,  Mary,  and  knew  nothing  at  all,  so  she 
died  in  her  sins.  Better  as  you  are,  dying  in  the  holy  faith 
of  the  true  Church,  and  all  her  blessed  rites,  even  if  you  do 
not  feel  as  happy  as  poor  Kathleen." 

"Some  words  she  said  come  across  me  now,  mother- 
1  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  deathj 
I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  Thou  art  with  me :  thy  rod  and  thy 
staff  they  comfort  me.'  What  did  she  mean  ?  I  have  no 
comfort,  no  staff.  I  am  trembling  in  the  dark,  and  see  only 
great  fires  beyond,  and  am  full  of  fear.  Kathleen  did  not 
believe  in  purgatory." 

"  Hush,  now,  Mary  dear :  sickness  and  pain  have  turned 
your  mind  from  the  right  way :  go  to  sleep  and  forget  her, 
and  trust  in  the  blessed  Virgin." 

"  Well^ mother,  I'll  try;  but  I  can't  help  thinking  it  must 
be  a  happier  thing  to  go  straight  to  heaven  at  once.  I  wish 
I  could  remember  all  Kathleen  said  about  it." 

"  It's  not  for  the  like  of  us  to  go  straight  to  heaven  at  once, 
Mary :  we  must  go  the  way  the  Church  directs." 

"  But  sure  it's  a  hard  way,  mother  dear :  I  often  fear  that 
some  who  get  into  the  fires  of  purgatory  may  never  get  out 
again." 

"Now  don't  be  mistrustful  of  the  masses,  darling:  but 
if  the  priest  knew  all  you've  been  saying,  it  would  go  hard 
for  me  to  pay  for  so  many.  So  now  just  leave  thinking  about 
it  at  all,  and  here's  Pat  will  sit  by  you  awhile,  till  I  run  to 
my  work  and  back." 

Pat  had  come  in  and  overheard  part  of  the  conversation, 
and  now  sat  down  by  his  sister's  side  with  a  heavy  heart ;  for 
the  doctor  had  said  she  could  not  recover,  and  he  had  travelled 
from  another  part  of  the  country  to  see  her  before  her  death. 

"  Mary,"  said  he,  when  their  mother  had  left  them  together, 
"what  was  that  about  cousin  Kathleen  ?" 

"Ah,  Pat,  I  was  wishing  I  could  die  as  happy  as  she  did ; 
though  it's  true  she  had  no  absolution  nor  unction,  and  didn't 
believe  in  purgatory,  and  thought  she  was  going  to  heaveu  at 
once." 

"But  you  wouldn't  wish  to  die  in  error  and  sin,  Mary?" 

"No;  but  hush  now,  and  I'll  tell  you,  Pat,  that  if  ever 
there  was  an  angel  on  earth,  Kathleen  was  one ;  and  I  can't 
believe  that  her  soul  is  in  hell  just  because " 


THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL.  3 

"Because  she  believed  in  the  blood  and  merits  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?"  exclaimed  Pat :  "  no,  Mary,  for  that's 
just  the  reason  she  had  no  need  to  go  there  at  all 3  and  as 
for  absolution,  she  had  it,  and  as  for  unction,  she  had  that  too." 

"  What's  this  you're  telling  me  ?  Why  sure  she  was  called 
a  heretic,  and  had  no  blessing  from  the  hands  of  the  Church." 

"  No,  but  she  got  it  a  quicker  way,  straight  from  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  himself.  He  spoke  in  her  soul,  Mary,  and 
comforted  her  with  assurance  of  his  pardon  and  love.  Do 
you  think  she  needed  anybody  else  to  tell  her  after  that? 
And  she  had  the  true  l  unction  from  the  Holy  One/  and 
knew  all  things  that  made  her  wise  unto  salvation ;  and  what 
need  of  oils  outside  after  that  ?" 

Mary  stared  upon  her  brother  with  mingled  feelings  of  fear 
and  delight,  at  last  exclaiming :  "  Sure,  brother,  you've  turned 
heretic  too  !" 

"  Well,  never  mind  that :  I  don't  care  for  nicknames  at 
all;  but  I've  been  reading  the  Bible,  Mary,  God's  own 
blessed  book,  full  of  such  loving  words  to  poor  sinners  as 
would  melt  your  heart." 

"But  how  did  you  get  it?     Does  the  priest  know?" 

"Sure,  I  didn't  stop  to  ask  him;  but  I  got  it  of  a  i reader/ 
he  called  himself,  and  he  said  that  in  England  every  man 
might  read  the  Bible,  if  he  liked ;  and  the  priests — but  no, 
not  priests — the  pastors  of  the  Church  there  were  always  de- 
lighted to  read  to  the  people  out  of  a  poor  man's  own  Bible. 
And  I  said  to  myself,  Tma  true  loyal  subject  of  the  Queen, 
and  why  may  not  I  do  as  her  other  subjects  do,  and  have  a 
Bible  of  my  own  ?  So  I  will.'  And  I  did ;  for  you  know  I 
was  a  bit  of  a  scholar  once.  And  I  read  and  read,  and  some 
things  were  so  pretty,  and  went  so  quick  to  my  heart,  that  I 
couldn't  stop  any  more  if  I'm  burned  for  it.  But  I  haven't 
told  mother  yet." 

"  Poor  mother,  it  will  break  her  heart !"  said  Mary,  with 
a  sigh.  "  But  now,  Pat,  I'm  out  of  breath  with  listening  to 
you,  for  longing  to  know  what  it  is  about  purgatory  that  you've 
read  in  the  Bible." 

"  Why,  just  as  much  as  you  see  in  that  empty  platter,  and 
that's  nothing  at  all ;  and  I've  searched  from  one  end  to  the 
other :  so  make  your  heart  easy,  Mary,  for  you  can't  go  to  a 
place  that  there  isn't  in  God's  creation.     You  shall  go,  and 


1  THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL. 

I'll  promise  you  on  the  faith  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  straight 
to  heaven  at  once,  if  you'll  only  do  one  thing."  ° 

"  What  is  it,  Pat  ?     0  what  is  there  I  wouldn't  do  if  I 
could  I     Is  it  to  make  '  a  station  V  " 

$  No,  no,  not  the  like  of  such  things  as  that;  but  if  you'll 
listen,  I'll  read  it  in  the  beautiful  words  that  they  are;"  and, 
drawing  from  his  pocket  the  precious  little  volume,  that  had 
enlightened  himself,  the  young  Irishman  read:  "God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."  John  iii.  16.  "He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  :  the  chastise- 
ment of  our  peace  was  upon  him;  and  with  his  stripes  we 
are  healed."  Is'a.  liii.  5.  "Mary,  do  you  think  the  Lord 
only  suffered  by  halves,  and  only  heals  by  halves  ?  '  Let  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ; 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him;  and  to  our  Grod,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.' 
Isa.  lv.  7.  Is  it  '  abundant  pardon,'  if  we  go  to  suffer 
torments  in  prison  before  we  get  it  at  all,  Mary  ?" 

"  0,  sure,  all  this  is  strange  to  my  ear,  Pat ;  but  true  enough 
they  are  beautiful  words." 

"I'm  thinking,  Mary,  the  priest  would  have  said  purga- 
tory was  a  good  enough  place  for  the  thief  on  the  cross ;  but 
Jesus  said:  'This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise.' 
That's  '  absent  from  the  body,  present  with  the  Lord.'  As 
he  forgave  him  entirely,  so  he  does  now ;  for  Christ  i.s  '  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.'  The  Bible  says: 
'There  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ 
Jesus.'  'Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  Cod's 
elect?'  'It  is  Christ  that  died;'  not  they  suffered— but 
Christ  died;  and  be  sure  that  the  sin  which  is  laid  on  hmi 
has  never  a  pang  for  body  or  soul  of  one  that  believes  on  him. 
And  what  need  of  an  earthly  priest,  when,  <  by  one  offering 
Christ  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified  ?' "     # 

"'Them  that  are  sanctified,'  Pat!  what  is  that?  Is  it 
not  to  be  sanctified  that  we  go  to  purgatory  ?" 

"  No  •  '  For  this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the 
house  of  Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord  :  I  will  put 
mv  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts  ;  and 
their   sins   and  their  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more. 


THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL.  5 

Now,  where  remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering 
for  sin/  Heb.  viii.  10,  12;  x.  18.  No  offering  of  your 
own  sufferings,  Mary ;  no  masses  for  our  mother  to  pay  for. 
When  the  blessed  Lord  was  going  to  be  betrayed,  before  he 
was  taken  prisoner,  he  prayed  for  all  his  people,  and  in  his 
prayer  he  said  not  a  word  about  their  going  through  purga- 
tory, nor  getting  sanctified  in  any  way  but  one." 

"And  what  was  that  V 

"  He  said,  '  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is 
truth/  John  xvii.  17.  The  Apostle  Paul  said :  '  Christ 
loved  the  Church,  and  gave  himself  for  it;  that  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it  by  the  word/  Eph.  v.  25,  26.  And 
again,  'How  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who 
through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to 
God,  purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  God?'  Heb.  ix.  14.  And  to  the  Lord's  people  at 
Thessalonica  he  said  :  '  We  are  bound  to  give  thanks  always 
to  God  for  you,  brethren  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God 
hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation,  through 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth/  2  Thess. 
ii.  13.  So,  Mary,  it  is  Christ's  blood  for  us,  and  Christ's 
word  in  us;  and  that  is  salvation  out  and  out/' 

"  0  brother,  sure  you  are  sent  for  a  blessing  to  my  dying- 
bod,  to  tell  me  these  beautiful  things ;  and  all  so  easy  and 
straight,  and  just  as  Kathleen  used  to  say !  But  now,  what 
is  the  thing  I  am  to  do,  Pat  ?     You  said  if  I'd  do  one  thing." 

"  Why,  then,  it  is  just  this :  '  Having/  as  the  precious 
word  says,  'a  High-Priest  over  the  house  of  God' — that's  the 
Lord  Jesus,  with  his  one  offering  of  himself  once  offered — 
'  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith/ 
Heb.  x.  21,  22.  You  must. believe  these  beautiful  things, 
and  that  will  make  them  your  own.  '  Believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved/  (Acts  xvi.  31,)  now, 
at  once ;  and,  '  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ/  and  then  you  may 
'rejoice  in  hope/  as  it  says,  'of  the  glory  of  God/  for, 
'being  justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath 
through  him/  Rom.  v.  1,  2,  9.  0  Mary,  it's  all  of  a  piece  : 
it's  all  like  the  word  of  God,  worth  loving  and  trusting  for  ever ! 
Now,  can  you  find  in  your  heart  to  believe  what  God  says  ?" 
15 


6  THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL. 

m  "  I  am  afraid  only  that  it's  too  good  to  be  true,"  said  Mary 
timidly;  "for,  Pat,  what's  the  reason  the  priest  does  not  tell 
us  the  same,  if  it's  true  ?" 

"It's  true,  for  it  is  in  the  Holy  Bible,  and  God  has  said  it  • 
and  the  reason  the  priest  does  not  tell  it  is  plain  too,  for  such 
words  go  clean  to  upset  his  popish  patchwork  of  absolutions, 
masses,  and  purgatory.  But,  Mary,  just  leave  minding  his 
reasons,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  himself:  'draw  near  with  a 
true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith.'  It's  faith  you  must 
have,  and  not  masses,  Mary.  The  offering  is  made,  the  blood 
is  shed  that  must  cleanse  away  all  your  sins,  so  that  there  is 
nothing  to  do  but  to  believe  in  Christ  alone." 

"  Faith,  faith— what  is  it  ?  how  shall  I  get  it  ?" 

"  0,  but  it's  a  darling  of  a  book,  for  it  tells  that  too  :  f  It  is 
the  gift  of  God.'  '  Now  faith  is  the  substance' — or,  as  it  says 
in  the  margin,  the  ground  of  confidence — ' of  things  hoped  for, 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.'  Heb.  xi.  1.  It's  just  be- 
lieving that  the  Lord  says  true,  and  will  do  as  he  has  promised, 
before  you  get  the  thing  promised.  Sure,  Mary  dear,  you 
don't  think  I'd  tell  you  a  lie  ?" 

"  No,  that  I  do  not,  the  kind  brother  that  you  have  been 
to  me  :  it's  the  soul  of  truth  you  always  were." 

"  Then  think  still  higher  and  better  of  Christ,  that  died 
for  you :  believe  what  he  says  at  once.  But  stay,  there's  a 
precious  help  yet ;  for  '  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the 
Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost/  (1  Cor.  xii.  3;)  and  he  can 
enable  you  to  believe  it  all.  Ask  him  to  teach  you.  '  Ask, 
and  ye  shall  receive  /  for  the  Lord  said,  '  If  ye,  being  evil, 
know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them 
that  ask  him  V  Luke  xi.  13.  0,  if  God  gives  you  his  holy 
Spirit — and  he  will,  if  you  ask  him  right  truly  and  earnestly 
— then  you  will  see  how  it  is  that  Jesus  his  own  ?elf  '  is  all, 
and  in  all/  'wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctificatiun, 
and  redemption/  (1  Cor.  i.  30,)  to  poor  lost  sinners;  and 
how  he  who  'knew  no  sin'  was  made  to  be  'sin  for  us,  that 
we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.'  '2  Cor. 
v.  21.  And  then,  Mary  dear,  if  indeed  you  must  leave  us, 
if  you  must  not  stay  any  longer  here,  you  will  pass  without 
fear  through  the  shadowy  valley,  with  the  staff  of  truth  to 


THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL  7 

lean  upon;  and  your  happy  spirit,  ' absent  from  the  body/ 
shall  be  (for  he  says  it)  ( present  with  the  Lord/  "  2  Cor.  v.  8. 

"  0  Pat,  Kathleen  might  well  be  happy  to  know  all  this ; 
but  you  must  say  it  all  over  and  over  again,  when  mother 
is  not  by ;  for  it  is  taking  the  thorns  from  the  dying  pillow, 
one  by  one,  and  I  do  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  believe  it  all. 
But  what  will  the  priest  say  ?  Perhaps  he  will  curse  me  for 
a  heretic,  Pat."     And  she  shuddered  at  the  thought. 

"  0,  but  it'll  do  the  most  harm  to  himself,  then  :  never  fear. 
Be  true,  and  hold  fast  by  the  Lord  Jesus  and  his  own  words, 
and  you  need  not  fear  what  man  can  do." 

"And  our  poor  mother,  who  loves  the  Church  and  the 
Virgin,  and  so  many  saints,  and  believes  in  them  all." 

"Ah,  we  must  say  something,  now  and  then,  out  of  the 
Bible,  that  will  catch  her  ear,  and  win  her  heart;  and,  above 
all,  pray  to  God  to  enlighten  her  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
she  may  know  her  darling  is  safe  in  heaven,  when  we  are 
left  lonely  by  the  grave-side.  Sure  it's  a  blessed  religion  to 
comfort  us  all,  whether  living  or  dying ;  and  I  only  wish  the 
sweet  story  were  told  from  Ballycastle  to  Cape  Clear,  till 
every  man  and  woman  and  child  knew  that  Jesus  died  for 
them,  and  that  for  Ms  sake  God  has  mercy  on  them  that 
believe.  0,  wouldn't  Ireland  be  a  happy  land,  then !  for  I 
know  who  would  have  to  emigrate  pretty  quick,  or  else  to 
turn  and  preach  the  true  gospel.  It's  the  gospel  we  want; 
and  then  it's  God's  word  and  not  mine  that  says  :  i  Happy  is 
that  people,  that  is  in  such  a  case  :  yea,  happy  is  that  people, 
whose  God  is  the  Lord/ "  Psa.  cxliv.  15. 


DISEMBODIED  SAINTS. 

The  saints  who  die,  of  Christ  possess'd, 
Enter  into  immediate  rest : 
For  them  no  further  test  remains 
Of  purging  fires  and  torturing  pains. 

Who  trusting  in  their  Lord  depart, 
Cleansed  from  all  sin  and  pure  in  heart, 
The  bliss  unmix'd,  the  glorious  prize, 
They  find  with  Christ  in  paradise. 


s 


THE   DYING   CATHOLIC   GIRL. 
PENITENCE   AND  PRAYER. 

BY   C.    WESLEY. 

0  God  of  love,  come  from  above, 

0  God  that  hear'st  the  prayer, 
All  this  mountain  load  remove, 

All  this  world  of  care. 
The  cause  express  of  my  distress, 

1  own  with  grief  and  anguish  : 
Still,  for  want  of  pard'ning  grace, 

For  want  of  faith,  I  languish. 

Thou  God  unknown,  for  whom  I  groan 

In  endless  lamentation: 
Wilt  thou  suffer  me  to  moan, 

And  die  without  salvation  ? 
0  when  shall  I  with  rapture  cry, 

Thy  servant  hath  found  favor ! 
Thee,  my  Lord,  I  magnify, 

I  joy  in  thee,  my  Saviour. 

For  this  I  pant,  athirst  and  faint, 

And  cry  in  pain  unceasing : 
Give  the  only  good  I  want, 

Give  the  gospel  blessing. 
Now  let  me  know  the  grace  below, 

To  all  believers  given : 
Bid  me  feel  thy  love,  and  go 

In  perfect  peace  to  heaven. 


PENITENCE   AND  THANKSGIVING. 

BY    C.    WESLEY. 

Allow'd  to  kiss  my  Saviour's  feet, 

And  here  rejoice  and  grieve, 
I  never  can  the  sins  forget 

Which  Jesus  doth  forgive : 
Sorrow  and  joy  unspeakable, 

Alternately  I  prove ; 
And  now  my  baseness  I  bewail, 

And  now  admire  his  love. 

0  might  I  thus  through  life  remain 

Delightfully  distress'd, 
And  still  indulge  the  pleasing  pain 

Which  tears  my  happy  breast , 
Till  He,  my  heart's  desire,  appears, 

Revealed  in  heavenly  light , 
And  wipes  away  these  blessed  tears 

By  that  ecstatic  sight. 


No.  42. 


THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  SCHOOL- 
MASTER. 


BY  A   CLERGYMAN. 


Being  on  a  visit  for  a  week  in  one  of  the  chief  cities  of 
Ireland,  it  was  no  small  pleasure  to  me  to  devote  a  few  days 
to  the  revisiting  of  some  of  the  most  familiar  scenes  of  my 
youth,  a  great  portion  of  which  had  been  spent  in  that  city. 
On  returning  one  evening,  I  found  a  card  left  for  me  with  the 
name  of  "J M /'  and  a  few  lines  written  under- 
neath in  pencil  to  say,  that   J M regretted    not 

having  found  me  within,  that  he  was  anxious  to  see  me,  and 
that  he  wished  particularly  to  pay  me  a  small  sum  of  money 
which  he  had  owed  to  me  for  several  years.  He  added  that, 
as  he  feared  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  get  another 
day's  leave  of  absence  for  some  time,  I  should  confer  a  favor 
upon  him,  if  not  inconvenient,  by  paying  him  a  visit  before  I 
returned  home ;  and  giving  as  the  place  of  his  residence  the 
name  of  a  small  town  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  city. 

"  J M ,"  said  I,  looking  at  the  card  with  much 

surprise :  "I  must  by  all  means  go  to  see  him."  Accord- 
ingly, the  next  day  I  went  to  the  little  town  where  he  resided. 
On  arriving  and  inquiring  for  him,  I  was  directed  to  a  pretty 
school-house  in  the  neighborhood.  The  hum  of  youthful 
voices  soon  guided  me  to  the  school-room ;  and  there  I  found 

J M busily  employed  with  his  scholars;    but  not 

long  to  continue  so,  for  after  a  greeting,  in  which  tears  of  joy 
could  not  be  suppressed,  he  ran  off  to  the  adjacent  parsonage 
to  ask  permission  to  absent  himself  for  an  hour  from  his 
school.  This  being  readily  granted,  I  was  in  the  first  place 
taken  into  a  very  neat  parlor  to  see  his  wife  :  (an  old  acquaint- 
ance :)  then,  one  after  another,  four  or  five  fine  healthy  little 
ones,  well  clad,  were  brought  in  and  made  to  shake  hands  with 


4  THE   ROMAN   CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER. 

their  father's  friend,  which  they  did  at  once  with  that  smile 
of  good-humored,  frank-hearted  friendliness  which  is  so 
agreeable  and  endearing  in  children.  Afterwards  I  was  shown 
the  church  of  which  he  was  parish-clerk — his  wife  being  the 
sextoness  :  the  extensive,  well-chosen,  and  well-ordered  lending 
library  of  which  he  was  the  manager;  and  the  regularly  kept" 
business-looking  books  of  a  loan-fund,  of  which  he  was  the 
accountant.  I  was  shown  his  little  garden,  too,  luxuriant  at 
the  time  with  the  buds  and  blossoms  of  the  spring  •  while  over 
all  there  was  a  peculiar  look  of  neatness  and  comfort. 

After  we  had  returned  to  the  house,  he  said  to  me,  with 
tears  in  his  eyes,  "  You  remember,  sir,  what  I  was,  how  I  was 
circumstanced  when  you  saw  me  last,  and  you  see  what  I  am 
now.  When  I  parted  from  you  last,  I  may  say  an  outcast  and 
a  wanderer,  you  prayed  with  me  that  the  God  who  was  with 
Jacob  in  the  desert,  with  Hagar  at  the  well,  and  with  Israel 
in  their  wanderings,  would  be  with  me  and  bless  me.  0  ' 
will  you  now  kneel  down  with  me  and  praise  the  holy  name 
of  that  prayer-answering  Grod,  that  he  has  been  with  me,  and 
has  done  for  me  more  than  either  you  or  I  could  ask  or 
think  V  I  did  so,  and  the  sobs  of  gratitude  which  swelled 
from  his  heart  made  it  difficult  for  me  to  give  articulate  utter- 
ance to  what  I  desired  to  express. 

We  parted,  but  not  until  he  had  put  into  my  hand  a  pound 
note,  saying,  "  There,  sir,  is  the  money  which  several  years 

ago  you  lent  me,  when  as  a  fugitive  I  was  leaving  N ,  and 

which  I  know  you  never  could  have  expected  to  receive  again. 
But  for  it  I  am  sure  I  should  have  perished ;  and  now  I  must 
insist  upon  repaying  it,  for  my  present  income  from  the  differ- 
ent sources  which  I  have  mentioned  to  you  is  about  one  hun- 
dred pounds-  a  year :  this  is  more  than  enough  for  all  our 
wants,  and  will,  with  the  Lord's  blessing,  at  the  end  of  each 
year,  enable  me  to  put  by  something  for  my  children.  I 
would  have  sent  it  to  you,  sir,"  he  added,  "  before  now,  but 
that  I  have  been  intending  ever  since  I  came  here  to  go  down 
to  visit  my  old  neighborhood  again,  and  could  not  bring  my- 
self to  forego  the  pleasure  of  giving  it  to  you  with  my  own 
hand,  and  telling  you  with  my  own  lips  of  what  great  things 
the  Lord  has  done  for  me ;  and  the  same  desire  prevented  me 
from  writing.  Various  circumstances  have  from  time  to  time 
interfered  with  the  fulfilment  of  my  intention,  but  when  I 


THE   ROMAN    CATHOLIC    SCHOOLMASTER.  3 

heard  that  you  were  in  town,  I  went  at  once  to  the  place 
where  you  were  staying." 

One   further  interview  I  had  with  J M before  I 

returned  home :  he  came  to  see  me  on  the  evening  of  my  de- 
parture, and  his  hand  was  the  last  of  the  many  whose  farewell 
grasp  I  had  that  evening  to  receive  and  return. 

Having  thus  made  my  readers  so  far  acquainted  with  one 
who,  although  moving  in  an  humble  sphere,  ranks,  I  am  per- 
suaded, among  the  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  I 
proceed  to  furnish  them  with  some  particulars  of  his  earlier 
history.     When  I  first  became  acquainted  with  him,  he  was  a 

Roman  Catholic  schoolmaster  in  the  village  of  N ,  where 

I  was  then  living  as  pastor  of  an  extensive  rural  parish,  in  a 
remote  and  wild  district  of  the  south  of  Treland.  Pie  attracted 
my  notice  as  a  smart,  intelligent,  but  apparently  very  bigoted 
man,  who,  however,  unlike  most  others  of  his  class,  courted, 
rather  than  shunned,  the  acquaintance  and  society  of  Pro- 
testants, of  whom  there  were  a  good  many  of  the  humbler 
ranks  in  the  village.  The  temperance  movement,  under  the 
auspices  of  Father  Mathew,  was  at  the  time  at  its  height.  The 

village  of  N ,  however,  probably  owing  to  its  remoteness, 

had  not  as  yet  received  a  visit  from  him,  and  J M , 

himself  a  man  of  strict  and  abstemious  sobriety,  and  there- 
fore actuated,  it  Would  seem,  by  no  other  motive  than  the 
laudable  desire  of  making  himself  useful  in  the  suppression 
of  a  vice  which  was  particularly  prevalent  in  that  locality, 
became  a  member  of  the  parent  association,  in  order  to  estab- 
lish a  branch  in  his  own  village.  Having,  however,  presumed 
to  engage  in  this  matter  without  having  obtained  or  even 

sought  the  sanction  of  the  priest  of  the  parish,  J M 

was  most  severely  taken  to  task  for  what  was  termed  his  offi- 
ciousness,  and  received  orders  to  keep  himself  more  quiet  for 
the  future.  Upon  this  interference  with  him  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  what  he  deemed  a  "  labor  of  love,"  and  one  in  which 
he  fully  expected  to  have  received  approval  and  encourage- 
ment, he  commented  on  it  in  terms  which  he  was  at  little 
pains  either  to  modify  or  to  conceal :  and  this  was,  as  he  after- 
wards acknowledged,  the  first  loosening  of  the  tie  which  had 
bound  him  from  infancy  to  the  Church  of  Rome. 

A  few  weeks  after  this  occurrence,  it  happened  that  the 
ordinary  quiet  of  the  little  village  was  somewhat  ruffled  by 


4  THE   ROMAN   CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER. 

the  visit  of  a  deputation  from  the  Bible  Society :  in  behalf  of 
which  an  evening  meeting  was  held  in  the  school-house,  which 
was  immediately  adjoining  the  village.     The  school-room  was 
on  this  occasion  thronged;  and  the  audience  became  in  no 
small  degree  excited  when,  upon  one  of  the  speakers  alluding 
to  the  doctrine  of  purgatory  and  its  incapability  of  scriptural 
proof,  a  voice  cried  out  from  the  corner  of  the  room,  "  I  am 
a  Koman  Catholic  :  I  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  and 
lean  prove  it  from  Scripture."  I  was  in  the  chair;  and  imme- 
diately requested  that  the  gentlemen  who  were  to  address  the 
meeting  as  a  deputation  might  not  be  interrupted ;  adding, 
that  at  the  close  of  the  proceedings  full  opportunity  should  be 
afforded,  and  a  patient  hearing  given,  to  any  one  who  had  an 
objection  to  make. 

J M (for  his  was  the  voice)  accordingly  at  once 

sat  down ;  and  when  the  address  of  the  last  speaker  was  con- 
cluded, I  called  upon  him  for  the  proof  of  the  doctrine  of 
purgatory,  which  he  had  affirmed  that  he  could  adduce.  He 
stood  up  and  referred  to  the  passage,  (Matt.  v.  25,  26,) 
"Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly,  while  thou  art  in  the 
way  with  him ;  lest  at  any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee  to 
the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou 
be  cast  into  prison.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  shalt  by  no 
means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  hast  paid  the  uttermost 
farthing  :"  which  he  repeated  in  a  triumphant  tone,  adding, 
"  There  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  purgatory  I" 

"Well,  and  how  do  you  prove  purgatory  from  that  pas- 
sage ?"  quietly  asked  Mr.  P ,  the  member  of  the  deputa- 
tion whose  observations  had  in  the  first  instance  called  forth 
his  interruption. 

"How  do  I  prove  it?  why — how  do  I  prove  it?"   said 

J M ,  with  some  confusion,  "  0  !  the  passage  which 

I  have  quoted  proves  it  most  satisfactorily." 

"  Well,  but  how  ?"   asked  Mr.  P again  :   "  let  us  just 

hear  your  proof  of  purgatory  from  that  passage." 

Poor  J M •  hemmed  and  coughed,  stared  at  the 

passage,  read  it  over,  coughed  and  cleared  his  throat  again. 
At  last,  "Well,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "I  cannot  exactly  re- 
member just  now  how  the  passage  proves  the  doctrine  ef  pur- 
gatory; but  I  know  it  does  so,  and  I  have  a  book  at  home, 
which,  if  I  had  it  here,  would  show  you  that  it  does." 


THE  ROMAN   CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER.  5 

"  Well,  my  good  friend/'  said  Mr.  P ,  "  we  are  obliged 

to  you  for  coming  here  this  evening,  and  also  for  standing 
forward  as  you  have  done  in  defence  of  what  you  believe  to 
be  true;  but  let  me  give  you  one  piece  of  advice,  namely, 
never  again  to  bring  forward  a  passage  of  Scripture  in  sup- 
port of  a  doctrine  without  knowing  how  it  actually  does  sup- 
port it,  or  without  being  able  to  tell  what  the  meaning  of  the 
passage  is.  And  let  me  further  show  you  what  the  meaning 
of  this  passage  really  is,  and  you  can  compare  what  I  say  with 
your  book,  which  you  say  you  have  at  home,  and  with  the 
Bible,  which  I  am  happy  to  see  you  have  got  in  your  hand, 
and  then  judge  which  interpretation  is  the  correct  one.     Just 

look/'  continued  Mr.  P ,  "  at  the  verses  immediately  pre* 

ceding  the  passage  whioh  you  have  referred  to,  and  read  from 
the  twenty-first  of  the  chapter/ ' 

J M ■  read  accordingly  as  follows  from  his  Bible  : 

"  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old  time,  thou 
shalt  not  kill ;  and  whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be  in  danger  of 
the  judgment,  but  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  is  angry 
with  his  brother  without  a  cause  shall  be  in  danger  of  the 
judgment :  and  whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother,  Baca,  shall 
be  in  danger  of  the  council ;  but  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou 
fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire.  Therefore,  if  thou  bring 
thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  rememberest  that  thy  brother 
hath  aught  against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar, 
and  go  thy  way :  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then 
come  and  offer  thy  gift.  Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly, 
while  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him ;  lest  at  any  time  the  ad- 
versary deliver  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee 
to  the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast  into  prison.  Verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  hast 
paid  the  uttermost  farthing." 

"  Now,"  said  Mr.  P ,  "  read  the  next  verse,  the  27th." 

He  proceeded  :  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  them  of 
old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery."  "  Now  do  you 
not  see  that  our  Lord  is  commenting,  from  the  21st  to  the 
27th  verses,  upon  the  sixth  commandment,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
kill/  showing  that  it  has  a  spiritual  as  well  as  a  literal  signifi- 
cation :  that  there  are  other  ways  of  breaking  it  besides  the 
actual  commission  of  murder  ?  Thus  He  shows  that  he  who  is 
angry  with  or  speaks  evil  of  his  brother,  calling  him  oppro- 
15* 


6  THE   ROMAN   CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER. 

brious  names,  such  as  '  Raca/  or  '  Thou  fool/  is  a  transgressor 
of  this  commandment,  and  as  such  liable  to  punishment  from 
the  Jewish  council,  or  sanhedrim  as  it  was  called,  here  on 
earth,  and  to  the  punishment  of  hell-fire  as  a  violator  of  God's 
law  hereafter.  For  which  reason  he  adds,  '  Therefore,  if  thou 
bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  rememberest  that  thy 
brother  hath  aught  against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before 
the  altar,  and  go  thy  way  :  first  be  reconciled  unto  thy  brother, 
and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift.'  (verses  23,  24.)  And  having 
given  such  advice  with  regard  to  any  quarrel,  or  cause  of 
anger  and  evil-speaking  between  brethren,  he  annexes  to  it  a 
further  piece  of  wise  and  prudent  counsel  with  regard  to  any 
difference  that  might  arise  between  any  of  his  disciples  and 
one  of  their  fellow-men,  who  did  not  properly  come  under  the 
denomination  of  a  brother — 'Agree  with  thine  adversary/  etc. 
That  this  passage  belongs  to  and  forms  a  part  of  his  comment 
upon  the  sixth  commandment,  and  therefore  cannot  have  any 
reference  whatever  to  such  a  doctrine  as  purgatory/'  conti- 
nued Mr.  P ,  "is  further  evident  from  his  commencing 

to  comment  in  like  manner  upon  the  seventh  commandment, 
1  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery/  in  the  following  verse. 
And  now  if  you  turn  to  Luke  xii.  58,  59,  where  the  same 
passage  is  again  recorded,  you  will  find  all  doubt  or  question 
upon  the  subject  put  an  end  to  altogether;  for  there  it  runs 
thus  :  '  When  thou  goest  with  thine  adversary  to  the  magis- 
trate, as  thou  art  in  the  way,  give  diligence  that  thou  mayest 
be  delivered  from  him ;  lest  he  hale  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the 
judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  the  officer  cast  thee  into 
prison.  I  tell  thee,  thou  shalt  not  depart  thence  till  thou  hast 
paid  the  very  last  mite/  Now  where,  I  again  ask  you,  is  the 
proof  of  purgatory,  or  the  remotest  allusion  to  purgatory,  in 
this  passage  V 

J M at  once  gave  up  the  argument,  and  went 

away  much  confused,  endeavoring  to  cover  his  retreat  by 
saying,  "  that  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  yet  he  had  the 
Bible,  and  would  read  the  Bible,  and  no  man  had  forbidden 
him,  or  should  hinder  him,  from  so  doing."  Immediately 
after  which  the  meeting  dispersed. 

A  fortnight  or  more  had  elapsed  without  my  seeing  any 

thing  of  J M ,  when  one  evening  I  was  sitting 

alone  in   my  little  parlor,  when  a  gentle  knock  at  the  door 


THE   ROMAN   CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER.  7 

announced  a  visitor,  and  J M stealthily  entered, 

looking  behind  him  as  if  dreading  detection. 

"  I  came  down  to  you,  sir,"  said  he,  "  in  the  dark,  fearing 
I  might  be  noticed,  to  ask  you  if  you  will  kindly  lend  me  a 
Douay  Bible  :  I  wish  greatly  to  compare  it  with  the  Protestant 
version  which  I  have."  I  immediately  supplied  him  with 
what  he  desired,  and  thought  it  expedient  to  say  no  more  on 
that  occasion  than  briefly  to  urge  upon  him  the  necessity  of 
praying  earnestly  for  the  light  and  guidance  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  his  search  after  truth. 

Not  many  evenings  elapsed  before  I  received  another  visit. 
This  time  there  was  less  of  fearfulness  or  reserve  about  him. 

"  I  have  come,  sir,"  said  he,  "  to  ask  you  some  questions 
concerning  what  I  have  read.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  sir,"  he 
added,  "  my  mind  has  never  been  at  rest  since  that  evening 
of  the  Bible  meeting,  when  I  found  that  the  passage  which 
is  so  often  brought  forward  by  the  priests  and  defenders  of 
my  Church  as  a  proof  of  purgatory,  is  no  proof  of  it,  and  has 
no  reference  to  it  at  all.  I  then  began  to  think,  what  I  never 
had  an  idea  of  before,  that  perhaps,  after  all,  you  Protestants 
may  be  right ;  and,  if  so,  that  I  must  be  totally  and  danger- 
ously wrong ;  and  I  am  now  almost  convinced  that  such  is  the 
case.  "  0,  sir !"  said  he,  "  will  you  tell  me  just  what  you 
think  about  purgatory?  If  the  Church  of  Borne  is  wrong 
about  that,  one  of  her  very  chief  doctrines,  I  may  say,  she 
cannot  be  infallible." 

"Well,  then,"  said  I,  "sit  down,  and  let  us  have  a  little 
talk  about  purgatory.  I  will  be  candid  with  you,  and  tell  you 
at  once  what  my  opinion  is,  namely,  that  it  is  just  an  inven- 
tion of  the  Church  of  Borne  to  make  money — to  make,  as  the 
Bible  says,  ' merchandise  of  the  souls  of  men/  and  the 
reasons  why  I  think  so  are  briefly  these :  In  the  first  place, 
while  I  find  heaven  and  hell — the  place  of  eternal  happiness 
and  that  of  eternal  torment — continually  spoken  of  and  re- 
ferred to  in  Scripture,  I  never  find  the  slightest  mention,  the 
remotest  hint,  of  there  being  any  such  place  as  purgatory. 
On  the  contrary,  I  am  told  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man 
and  Lazarus,  that  when  they  died,  the  former  went  at  once, 
not  into  purgatory,  but  to  hell,  to  be  tormented — the  latter 
into  Abraham's  bosom,  to  be  comforted.  See  Luke  xvi.  19, 
to  the  end.     I  find  St.  Paul  saying  of  believers,  that  l  when 


8  THE  ROMAS   CATHOUC   SCHOOLMASTER. 

absent  from  the  body '  they  are  « present  with  the  Lord/  2 
Cor.  v.  8 ;  but  the  Lord  we  know  is  not  in  purgatory.  I  find 
again  a  Toice  from  heaven  commanding  John  to  write, 
'  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth : 
Tea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors; 
and  their  works  do  follow  them/  Rev.  xiv..  13 ;  and  purga- 
tory, if  there  be  such  a  place,  is  not  a  place  of  rest.  But, 
more  than  this,  the  Scriptures  plainly  teach  us  that  we  do  not 
require  any  suffering  whatsoever  upon  our  own  part  to  obtain 
pardon  of  our  sins,  and  to  entitle  us  to  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven ;  for  I  read,  '  Christ  hath  once  suffered  lor 
sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God/ 
1  Pet.  iii.  18 :  *  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth 
us  from  all  sin/  1  John  i.  7  :  '  He  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins  j  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world/  1  John  ii.  2  :  k  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson, 
they  shall  be  as  wool/  Isa.  i.  IS  :  4  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved, 
through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the  gift  of 
God/  Eph.  ii.  8.  And  that  money  can  have  nothing  to  do 
.  with  our  salvation,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  is  very  evi- 
dent from  Peter's  language  :  '  Thy  money  perish  with  thee, 
because  thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  may  be  pur- 
chased with  money/  Acts  viii.  20 ;  and,  *  Forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as 
silver  and  gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a 
lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot/  1  Pet.  i.  18.  Believe 

me,  JT M ,"  I  added,  "  that  if  you  trust  simply  in 

the  blessed  Son  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  your  soul :  if  the 
eye  of  your  mind  is  fixed  and  the  hope  and  the  love  of  your 
heart  are  fastened  upon  Him  who  died  for  your  sins,  and  rose 
again  for  your  justification,  you  need  have  no  fear  of  a  purga- 
tory after  death ;  for  it  is  written,  '  There  is  therefore  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit/  Bom.  viii.  1 ;  and, 
again,  our  Lord  himself  says,  '  He  that  heareth  my  word,  and 
believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall 
not'  come  into  condemnation ;  but  is  passed  from  death  unto 
life/     John  v.  24." 

After  this  we  parted,  but  not  until  I  had  prayed  with  him 


THE  EOMAN   CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER.  9 

that  the  Lord  would  give  him  the  Holy  Spirit  to  guide  him 
into  all  truth. 

In  about  a  week  after  this  last  conversation,  J M 

came  to  me  to  say  that  his  mind  was  now  made  up,  and  that 
he  would  come  to  church  upon  the  following  Sunday.  He 
did  so  ;  and  never  shall  I  forget  the  impression  which  was 
evidently  made  upon  his  mind  by  the  contrast  between  the 
simple  prayers  he  heard  and  the  lifeless  service  in  an  unknown 
tongue  to  which  he  had  been  accustomed. 

Immediately  after  the  taking  of  this  decisive  step,  the  storm 
of  persecution  commenced  against  him.  His  character  was 
vilified  :  the  Roman  Catholic  people  of  the  village  were  for- 
bidden by  the  priests,  under  the  severest  penalties,  to  send 
their  children  to  his  school,  to  sell  him  any  articles  of  food  or 
clothing,  or  to  hold  any  intercourse  with  him  whatever ;  and 
his  appearance  in  the  street  was  the  signal  for  shouting,  and 
hissing,  and  calling  the  most  approbrious  names.  To  do  them 
justice,  however,  there  were  several  of  the  more  respectable 
Roman  Catholics  of  the  place  who  openly  expressed  their  dis- 
approbation of  the  treatment  of  a  man  who  had  done  no  more 
than  act  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience ;  and 
as  he  was  employed  by  many  Protestants  to  give  instruction 
to  their  children,  he  was  able  for  some  time  to  withstand  the 
storm,  under  which  he  exhibited  the  meek  and  forgiving  spirit 
of  a  true  disciple  of  the  Saviour.  After  a  while  he  became 
united  in  marriage  to  a  pious  and  respectable  young  woman, 
who  had  long  been  a  pupil  in  the  Sunday-school,  in  which  he 
also  became  a  teacher. 

Feeling,  however,  as  he  did,  how  great  the  privilege  and 
how  unspeakable  the  comfort  which  he  now  enjoyed,  his  soul 
burned  within  him  to  be  instrumental  in  delivering  others 
from  the  darkness  in  which  he  had  himself  been  nurtured, 
and  of  the  depth  of  which  he  was  now  so  fully  aware ;  and 
being  naturally  of  an  ardent  spirit,  he  began,  ere  long,  to  avail 
himself  of  every  opportunity  to  set  before  the  people  of  the 
village  the  errors  of  their  own  system,  as  well  as  the  con- 
trasted truth  of  the  doctrines  of  the  glorious  gospel.  All  this 
time  he  was  a  diligent  and  prayerful  searcher  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  his  visits  to  me  were  frequent,  and  I  trust  profitable 
to  us  both. 

At  length,  one  evening,  he  came  to  me  in  a  state  of  extreme 


10  THE  ROMAN    CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER. 

agitation.  ^  "  I  have  come,  sir,"  said  he,  "  to  bid  you  farewell. 
Last  evening,  as  I  was  returning  home,  a  heavy  stone  was 
thrown  at  me,  which,  had  it  struck,  instead  of,  through  the 
mercy  of  Grod,  only  grazing  my  head,  would  probably  have 
deprived  me  of  life.     I  pursued  for  some  way  the  two  mur- 
derous assassins,  who  had  evidently  lain  in  wait  for  me ;  but 
owing  to  the  darkness  of  the  night,  they  escaped.     This,  how- 
ever, is  not  all :  as  I  was  sitting  afterwards  at  a  table  with  my 
wife  in  our  little  apartment,  going  over  with  her  the  portion 
of  Scripture  which  I  had  previously  been  reading  with  you, 
the  window-frame  was  suddenly  dashed  in,  and  a  huge  stone 
fell  upon  the  table  between  us.     My  poor  wife,  who  is  in  a 
delicate  state  of  health,  fainted,  and  I  greatly  fear  has  received 
an  injury  from  the  shock  which  she  sustained ;  and  her  brother 
came  to  us  this  morning  to  say  that  a  respectable  Roman  Ca- 
tholic had  sent  for  him,  and  told  him  privately  that  I  ought 
to  leave  this  place  without  delay,  as  he  had  good  reason  to 
know  that  my  life  is  in  imminent  danger  so  long  as  I  continue 
here.     For  myself,  sir,"  continued  he,  while  the  tears  started 
to  his  eyes,  "  I  would  not  care  :  I  would  brave  this  storm  as  I 
have  braved  a  former  one,  knowing  that  '  the  Lord  is  on  my 
side/  and  that  I  need  not  '  fear  what  man  can  do  unto  me  •/ 
but  my  poor  wife,  who  heard  what  her  brother  said,  is  so  terri- 
fied, and  has  entreated  me  so  urgently  to  take  her  anywhere, 
or  to  do  any  thing,  rather  than  continue  here,  although  this  is 
the  place  where  she  was  born,  that  I  cannot  but  comply.     I 
remember,  sir,  the  counsel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  his  disciples — 
meant,  I  humbly  trust,  for  me  also,  as  one  who  desires  nothing 
but  to  be  a  disciple  of  Him  who  died  for  me — '  When  they 
persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  ye  into  another.'     I  remember, 
also,  his  promise,  <Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway;'  and  I  am  not 
afraid.     And  now,  sir,"  he  added,  "I  have  three  favors  to 
request  of  you  :  one  is,  that  you  will  lend  me  a  very  small  sum 
of  money ;  for  what  I  shall  have  after  paying  a  few  debts 
which  I  owe  in  the  village  will  scarcely  suffice  to  convey  me 
to  L — ,  where  I  intend  to  spend  a  few  days  with  some  rela- 
tions of  my  wife,  and  perhaps  to  leave  her  with  them  until  I 
can  procure  some   employment,  and  provide  her  with  a  home. 
Sir,  you  may  rely  upon  it  that  when  the  Lord  provides  for  me, 
as  I  know  that  sooner  or  later  he  will  do — for  he  never  fails 
those  who  trust  in  him — you  shall  receive  back  with  many 


THE  ROMAN    CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER.  11 

grateful  thanks  the  few  shillings  (for  I  need  no  more)  which 
I  am  under  the  necessity  of  asking  from  you.  Another  re- 
quest which  I  have  to  make  is,  that  you  will  furnish  me  with 
a  statement  in  writing  of  all  that  you  know  concerning  me  j 
and  lastly,  that  you  will  do  me  the  favor  of  walking  home 
with  me,  and  kneeling  with  my  wife  and  myself  before  the 
throne  of  grace,  to  ask  Grod's  blessing  on  our  way;  for  we  are 
resolved  upon  leaving  this  village  at  an  early  hour  in  the 
morning." 

These  several  requests  were,  as  the  reader  will  have  gathered 
from  the  earlier  portion  of  this  narrative,  complied  with,  and 

I  parted  with  J M and  his  wife,  little  expecting 

that  my  next  meeting  with  them  would  be  under  circum- 
stances so  pleasing  as  those  which  I  have  already  detailed. 

I  must  not  omit  to  mention  that  among  the  many  particu- 
lars which  he  told  me  concerning  himself  at  the  period  of  oui 
meeting,  one  which  peculiarly  interested  me  was,  that  he  had 
become  a  subscriber  of  one  pound  annually  to  the  Bible  So- 
ciety, as  a  small  token  of  the  great  gratitude  which  he  felt  to 
it  for  having  been,  under  the  good  providence  of  Grod,  instru- 
mental in  his  conversion. 

This  short  history  of  J M seems  to  me  to  be 

fraught  with  important  lessons.  It  furnishes  unquestionable 
proof  that  the  prayerful,  painstaking  searching  of  the  Scrip- 
tures is  the  divinely  appointed  mode  of  seeking  to  have 
ignorance  enlightened,  error  dissipated,  and  the  soul  estab- 
lished in  saving  and  sanctifying  truth ;  while  it  supplies  most 
interesting  evidence  of  the  truth  that  while  those  who  "live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution/ '  "godliness" 
has,  nevertheless,  "  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and 
of  that  which  is  to  come ;"  and  that  if  we  "  seek  first  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  all  these  things  "  (the 
food  and  raiment  of  which  our  blessed  Lord  is  speaking  in 
the  preceding  verses — see  Matt,  vi.  25,  to  the  end)  "  shall  be 
added  unto  us." 


12  THE   ROMAN    CATHOLIC   SCHOOLMASTER. 

GOOD  NEWS  FOR  SINNERS. 

Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins:  and  not 
for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  (Amazing 
mercy  !)  1  John  ii.  1,  2  ;   1  Peter  ii.  24. 

Propitiation  for  sin  !  Divine  justice  fully  satisfied  and 
complete,  so  that  no  obstacle  whatever  remains  to  prevent  a 
repentant  sinner's  acceptance  with  God  !  This  is  just  what  a 
poor  sinner  stands  in  need  of. 

You  have  been  longing,  full  of  restless  desire,  to  know 
whether  it  were  possible  that  such  sins  as  yours  could  ever  be 
forgiven.  Sins  committed  against  light,  and  against  the  con- 
viction of  your  own  mind ;  against  the  warnings  of  conscience, 
or  the  entreaty  of  a  husband,  or  wife,  or  parents,  or  friends; 
or,  it  may  be,  even  against  the  cries  of  your  own  children, 
and  all  in  opposition  to  the  word  of  God. 

Well,  poor  sinner,  desperate  as  your  case  may  have  been, 
there  is  mercy  sufficient  to  pardon  all  your  guilt,  if  you  will 
but  come  to  the  Fountain  where  pardon  is  to  be  found — par- 
don already  purchased  by  Him  who  is  the  Propitiation  for 
our  sins.  You  cannot  possibly  be  shut  out,  except  by  your 
own  fault. 

But  hark !  Hear  the  awful  and  tremendous  sentence  of  an 
insulted  Saviour  to  those  who  rejected  and  disdained  his 
offered  mercy  :  "  Those  mine  enemies,  which  would  not  that 
I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before 
me."     Luke  xix.  27 

Sinner  !  this  awful  sentence  awaits  you,  if  you  reject  the 
mercy  now  so  freely  offered  by  Him  who  has  power  to  save 
and  power  to  destroy.  But  it  is  not  his  will  that  any  should 
perish;  therefore  if  you  perish,  the  fault  will  be  all  your  oicn} 
and  through  the  countless  ages  of  eternity  you  will  have  to 
mourn  that  you  might  have  been  saved,  but  you  would  not. 
Come,  then,  sinner  !  come.  The  Lord  himself  invites  you. 
0  come,  and  take  the  offered  mercy.  Strive  to  enter  in  ;  and 
remember,  for  your  encouragement,  that  those  who  seek  shall 
find  :  their  success  is  certain.     Praised  be  the  Lord  ! 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  43 


THE  SICK  MAN  AND  THE  PRIEST. 


A  YOUNG  invalid,  condemned  by  a  rapid  decline  to  an  early 
death,  as,  with  slow  steps  and  drooping  head,  he  paced  his 
darkened  chamber,  asked  himself,  in  a  low  voice,  this  ques- 
tion :  "  Is  there  a  God  ?"  The  only  answer  was  a  deep-drawn 
sigh;  and  again  the  young  man  resumed  his  walk  in  silent 
meditation.  But  at  last,  as  if  the  expression  of  his  thoughts 
could  no  longer  be  restrained,  he  uttered  this  exclamation  : 
"Ah  !  even  when  I  am  convinced  that  he  exists,  who  will  tell 
me  what  he  is  ?  what  he  would  have  from  me  ?  what  I  may 
expect  from  him  ?  and  what  are  the  relations  between  us  ?  O 
God  !  if  thou  art,  why  wilt  thou  not  reveal  thyself  to  one  who 
seeks  thee  ?  But  no — thou  art  invisible,  impalpable,  inap- 
preciable by  any  sense,  insensible  to  all  my  anguish  :  thy 
name  only  exists — thou,  thou  art  as  nothing. "  And  the  in- 
valid relapsed  into  a  mournful  silence. 

The  door  opened,  and  a  servant,  carrying  some  medicine, 
entered. 

"  Charles/'  said  the  young  man,  "  put  that  down,  and  listen 
to  me." 

"  Certainly,  sir/'  said  the  man,  placing  the  medicine  upon 
a  table,  and  letting  his  arms  fall  at  his  side.  "  What  can  I 
do  for  you,  sir  V 

"  Charles,  do  you  think  that  there  is  a  God  V 

"  Sir  V 

"Now  let  'sir'  alone,  and  tell  me  frankly  what  you  think 
Do  you  believe  that  there  is  a  God  V 

"  Yes,  to  be  sure." 

"  What  is  he  ?" 

"The  sun." 

"  How  !" 

"  Yes,  the  world,  the  universe — all  that  exists. 

'And  how  do  you  know  that  V 


?>> 


>) 


2  THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST. 

"  It  is  easy  enough  to  know.  I  say  to  myself  in  this  way  j 
There  is  the  sun,  the  world,  mankind,  and  all  the  rest.  It  is 
certain  that  all  this  exists,  because  I  see,  and  touch,  and  feel 
it  myself.  But  who  has  made  all  this  ?  It  is  not  by  chance : 
because  chance — that  is  saying  nothing — chance  is  neither  a 
thing  nor  a  person.  To  say  that  chance  made  the  universe, 
is  as  much  as  to  say  that  nothing  made  every  thing." 

"  Yery  well ;  but  all  this  only  proves  that  there  is  a  God. 
It  does  not  prove  that  God  is  the  sun  or  the  moon." 

"  You  shall  see.  I  say  to  myself  thus  :  God  is  not  chance, 
but  he  is  rather  a  being — that  is,  a  spirit  of  knowledge — or  a 
person.  It  is  possible ;  but  as  I  do  not  see  it,  I  do  not  believe. 
I  only  believe  what  I  can  see.  So  I  see  the  world  :  I  am, 
therefore,  sure  that  it  exists ;  and,  instead  of  talking  of  chance, 
which  is  nothing,  or  of  a  God,  whom  nobody  has  seen,  I  be- 
lieve that  those  things  I  see  have  always  existed — in  other 
words,  that  they  have  made  themselves.  So  I  prove  that  the 
universe  is  God." 

"  The  sun,  then,  is  a  part  of  God  ?" 

"Yes." 

"The  moon,  the  stars,  the  earth,  mankind,  then,  are  parts 
of  God  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  Then  the  mud  in  our  streets,  the  fierce  animals  in  our 
forests,  the  murderer  upon  the  scaffold — these  are  God  V 

"  Yes,"  hesitated  poor  Charles,  who  did  not  seem  to  have 
foreseen  this  conclusion. 

"  Therefore,  when  animals  devour  each  other,  when  men 
kill  one  another,  it  is  part  of  God  which  devours  and  kills 
another  part  ?  At  this  moment,  you  who  think  in  one  way, 
I  who  think  in  another,  we  are  two  parts  of  the  same  God  at 
variance.  Your  God  wills,  and  wills  not,  at  the  same  time — 
makes,  says,  and  thinks  a  thousand  contradictory  things." 

"But,  sir,  I  had  not  thought  of  all  this;  and,  to  tell  you 
the  truth,  it  was  in  a  book  at  the  reading-room  that  I  saw  all 
that  I  had  been  saying  to  you.  But  if  you  are  pleased  to 
think  otherwise " 

"  Well,  well,  Charles  :  some  one  rings — open  the  door." 

Charles  hastily  left  the  room,  into  which,  after  a  few  minutes, 
the  physician  entered. 

"  Well,  how  are  you  to-day?"  said  he. 


THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST-  3 

"  Not  well.     I  feel  that  I  shall  not  last  much  longer." 

11  Pooh,  pooh  !  Don't  frighten  yourself  for  nothing  :  the 
return  of  fine  weather  will  do  you  good.  Leave  home  for  the 
south,  and  you  will  come  back  cured." 

"  Do  you  believe  so  ?" 

"  Certainly  :  that  is,  unless " 

"  I  understand.  In  that  case,  dear  doctor,  do  me  the  favor 
to  take  a  seat,  and  to  answer  me  a  question." 

"Willingly.     What  is  it  ?" 

"  This  :  Do  you  think  that  there  is  a  God  ?" 

The  doctor  raised  his,  head,  and  made  a  sudden  movement, 
which  sent  his  chair  some  inches  backward. 

"  What  an  idea  !"  said  he  at  last. 

11  Come,  come  :  lay  aside  your  medical  precautions.  I  know 
that  I  shall  soon  die  :  I  think,  therefore,  that  my  question  is 
as  seasonable  as  it  is  to  know  what  sort  of  physic  I  shall  drink, 
So  answer  me  frankly  and  promptly,  if  you  please." 

"Be  it  so,  to  the  extent  of  my  ability.  Yes,  I  am  of  opi- 
nion that  there  is  a  God.  I  will  go  farther  :  I  do  not  think, 
like  many,  that  this  God  is  the  material  universe.  No,  I  am 
far  from  being  a  pantheist :  I  have  sense  enough  to  trace 
effect  to  cause.  To  say  that  the  universe  makes  itself,  is  as 
wise  as  to  say  that  the  clock  in  your  dining-room  made  itself, 
and  that  it  winds  itself  up  every  eight  days.  I  reason  differ- 
ently, and  say,  It  is  evidently  not  man,  a  limited  being,  who 
has  created  life,  for  he  cannot  comprehend  what  it  is ;  nor  is 
it  the  universe,  for  this  is  inert  matter.  There  must  there- 
fore be,  beyond  man  and  matter,  a  primary  and  powerful 
Cause.  Again,  I  find  in  myself,  and  in  the  world,  traces  of 
intelligence,  affection,  and  justice.  The  great  First  Cause 
must  therefore  be  intelligent,  loving,  and  just.  There  you 
have  the  idea  of  a  God." 

"  Doctor,  you  forget  one  thing.  The  pantheist  says  that  the 
world  has  always  existed,  and  that,  therefore,  eternal  matter 
need  not  be  created  nor  organized." 

"I  will  examine  that  supposition.  If  matter  is  eternal, 
its  mode  of  action  is  necessary  or  fixed.  Thus,  the  universe 
has  always  been  what  it  is,  and  always  will  be.  If,  therefore, 
the  universe  is  immutable,  we  ourselves,  as  a  part  of  it,  are 
pure  machines,  and  the  words  which  I  now  pronounce  are  in- 
voluntary, and  as  necessary  as  the  existence  of  the  sun.    You 


*  THE  SICK  MAN  AND  THE  PRIEST. 

must  either  admit  these  and  similar  absurdities,  or  renounce 
the  principle  of  the  eternity  of  matter." 

"Dear  doctor,  I  will  not  dispute;  but  enlighten  me.  You 
believe  in  a  God,  spiritual,  intelligent,  good,  just-who  re- 
wards virtue,  and  punishes  vice  ?" 

"  Certainly." 

"  Well,  then,  let  me  tell  you  that  I  would  rather  believe  in 
nonentity." 

"  Why  so  V[  said  the  physician,  with  a  gesture  of  horror. 
"  Because,  if  God  is  just,  he  ought  to  punish  me.     I  have 
deeply  sinned  against  him." 

"  0,  but  God  is  good.     He  will  not  be  severe  with  you." 

"Does  he  love  lying?" 

"No." 

"  But  I  have  deceived.     Does  he  love  intemperance  ?" 
"No." 

"  But  I  have  been  intemperate.     I  cannot  tell  you  all  that 
I  have  done  to  offend  him." 

"  Why,  you  are  not  a  murderer  or  a  thief?" 
"  What !  needs  it  that  to  satisfy  your  God  ?  I  may  forget 
him  all  my  life,  swear,  lie,  deceive,  hate,  be  ungrateful,  ava- 
ricious, wicked — and  all  this  is  nothing  in  his  sight,  because 
I  have  not  put  my  hand  in  my  neighbor's  purse,  or  my  dagger 
in  his  heart  ?  0,  no,  no :  the  conscience  of  a  dying  man 
speaks  in  another  language.  It  tells  me  that  a  lie  is  an  abo- 
minable thing ;  and  that  you,  for  instance,  when  you  told  me, 
as  you  came  in,  that  my  malady  was  nothing,  fell  into  a  serious 
error." 

"  But  that  was  to  compose  you " 

"Yes,  it  was  a  pious  fraud;  but  it  was  an  untruth;  and 
since  your  God  extends  his  indulgence  so  far  as  to  tolerate 
falsehood,  intemperance,  avarice,  vanity,  all  things  but  theft 
and  murder,  I  tell  you  that  I  cannot,  in  conscience,  believe  in 
this  God,  and  that  I  prefer  none  to  him." 

Our  doctor,  accused  of  falsehood  by  the  dying  man,  who 
dared  to  tell  the  truth,  asked  him  nothing  more,  but  speedily 
took  his  leave.* 

The  sick  man  resumed  his  solitary  walk,  and  his  soliloquy 
ao-ain  broke  the  deep  silence.  "A  God !  That  word  alone 
has  charms  for  me.     Yes  :  there  is  a  God :  I  believe  it.    But 


THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST.  5 

where  is  he  ?  What  would  he  have  me  to  do  ?  Who  will 
tell  me  any  more  ?" 

"  What  is  that  ?"  said  the  young  man,  interrupting  him- 
self, and  applying  his  ear  to  the  wall  on  that  side  of  the 
apartment  whence  a  voice  seemed  to  proceed. 

"  In  scecula  sceculorum,"  softly  pronounced  the  voice  of  an 
ecclesiastic. 

"Ah,  doubtless  it  is  a  priest,"  murmured  the  invalid,  "  ad- 
ministering extreme  unction  to  my  poor  neighbor — nearer 
death,  possibly,  than  myself  But,  now  I  think  of  it,  I  will 
consult  him." 

"  Charles,"  cried  he. 

"  Sir  ?"  said  Charles,  opening  the  door. 

"  The  cure  of  the  parish  is  next  door :  I  hear  him.  Watch 
for  him  when  he  leaves,  and  request  him  to  step  in  here.  I 
have  something  to  say  to  him." 

Charles  went  out,  fulfilled  his  commission,  and  Monsieur  le 
Cure  was  soon  seated  in  the  chair  recently  occupied  by  the 
physician. 

"  Monsieur  le  Cure,"  said  the  invalid,  "  permit  me  to  come 
to  the  point  without  preamble  :  a  dying  man  has  no  time  to 
lose.  I  do  not  ask  you  whether  you  believe  in  the  existence 
of  a  God:  but  I  ask  what  reasons  you  have  for  your  be- 
lief?" 

"  The  Church  has  said  so." 

"  It  is  something  besides  the  Church — it  is  the  opinion  of 
a  certain  number  of  men  ;  but  that  is  not  enough." 

"  No ;  but  it  is  good  authority.  Besides,  if  you  want  other 
evidence,  accept  the  unanimous  consent  of  all  nations.  In  all 
ages  of  the  world  mankind  have  recognized  a  Creator.  Men 
differ  in  their  estimate  of  the  nature  of  the  Supreme,  but  all 
acknowledge  that  there  is  a  God." 

"  Thank  you,  Monsieur  le  Cure.  I  am  not  disposed  to  con- 
test the  existence  of  a  God :  it  is  here  that  I  want  your  en- 
lightenment :  What  must  I  expect  from  God  ?  What  ought 
I.  to  do,  ere  I  appear  before  him  ?  It  is  with  fear  that  I  pro- 
pose this  question,  for  I  feel  that  he  cannot  be  satisfied  with 
my  past  life." 

"  You  must  confess." 

"And  then " 


"  I  will  give  you  absolution  from  your  sins 


>y 


6  THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST. 

"And  then " 

"You  must  perform  some  good  works  and  penances." 

"  What  next  ? 

"  You  shall  receive  extreme  unction." 

"And  then— what  then  ?" 

"  You  will  go  to  purgatory." 

"To  purgatory?  to  suffer  for  thousands  of  years ?" 

"  To  abridge  the  duration  of  your  sufferings,  you  must  cause 
masses  to  be  said." 

"  I  would  rather  go  straight  to  paradise." 

"  Impossible  ! — unless  you  were  a  saint ;  or,  indeed,  unless 
numberless  masses " 

"  No,  Monsieur  le  Cure.  No — all  this  will  not  content  me. 
A  saint  I  am  not,  and  I  fear  there  are  few  upon  earth.  Con- 
fession to  man,  pardon  from  man,  penances  imposed  by  man, 
masses  said  by  man,  are  all  vain.  God  cannot  be  satisfied 
with  a  confession  which  does  not  change  me — with  penances 
which  only  cost  me  hours  of  fatigue — and  with  masses  which 
may  be  said  for  the  veriest  wretch  at  five  francs  apiece." 

"  But  the  Church  has  received  her  power  from  God  him- 
self; and  I  can  prove  it  to  you." 

"  Never  !  Your  proofs  must  be  stronger  and  more  nume- 
rous, ere  they  can  disturb  the  conclusions  at  which  I  have  ar- 
rived concerning  God ;  and  I  feel  that  when  you  have  confessed 
and  absolved  me,  even  when  a  million  of  masses  have  been 
said  for  me,  I  shall  be  no  better  off." 

"Lead  a  holy  life,  and  God  will  take  it  into  the  account." 

"  Lead  a  holy  life,  do  you  say  ?  Time  fails  me :  I  am 
dying !" 

"  But,  during  the  hours  which  remain  to  you,  perform  some 
good  works  to  atone  for  the  past." 

"Ah  !  how  can  the  good  works  of  to-morrow  atone  for  the 
faults  of  yesterday  ?  All  that  I  can  do  will  scarcely  suffice 
for  the  future  :  the  past  is  irredeemable." 

"  Repentance  will  blot  out  your  sins  before  God." 

"In  that  case,  the  vilest  malefactors  are  safe;  for  they  are 
sorry  for  what  they  have  done  when  they  come  to  the  foot  of 
the  scaffold." 

"  But  Jesus  Christ  died  for  you.  He  is  the  victim  who  ex- 
piates our  sins." 

"  Is  that  true  ?"  said  the  sick  man,  as  if  struck  by  this  idea. 


8  THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST. 

11  Listen  :  I  believe  there  is  a  God  ;  for  all  nature  speaks 
of  him.  All  men  believe  in  him  :  even  the  atheist  who  pro- 
fesses to  deny  him,  and  the  wretch  who  breaks  his  laws. 
But  this  God — what  is  he  ?  I  know  not.  To  tell  you  the 
truth,  I  never  thought  about  it  until  now.  But,  in  the  ap- 
proach of  death,  my  spirit  is  possessed  by  the  idea.  I  cannot 
get  rid  of  it — I  cannot  understand  it.  All  that  is  said  to  me 
leaves  my  soul  in  darkness,  my  heart  in  trouble;  and  con- 
science tells  me  it  is  not  the  truth." 

"  My  dear  friend,  I  know  not  what  has  been  told  you — I 
do  not  wish  to  know.  But  if  you  will  permit  me,  I  will 
tell  you  my  own  experience  :  and  perhaps — but  listen." 

"  I  will." 

"  Some  years  since,  I  was  in  the  state  of  mind  in  which  I 
find  you  now — seeking  truth,  and  seeking  it  in  vain.  One 
day,  having  called  upon  a  person  of  rank  who  was  not  yet 
to  be  seen,  I  was  obliged,  against  my  will,  to  wait  in  the  ante- 
chamber. To  pass  away  the  time,  I  looked  around  me  for 
some  object  of  amusement.  Upon  a  small  table  I  perceived 
an  open  Bible.  I  seated  myself  before  it.  The  words  which 
first  caught  my  attention  were  those  pronounced  by  Jesus 
when  expiring  on  the  cross  :  "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do/  A  new  and  sudden  light  broke  in 
upon  me.  The  sight  of  one  torn  by  nails,  pierced  by  a  lance, 
deafened  by  the  mocking  cries  of  the  populace,  laden  with  in- 
sults by  the  great  of  the  earth — this  Being,  hopeless  even 
of  being  heard  by  his  enemies,  praying  the  Father  to  for- 
give his  murderers  !  This  scene  appeared  to  me  too  sub- 
lime to  have  been  invented  by  mere  humanity,  and  its  Hero 
too  noble  to  have  been  an  impostor.  He  must  have  told 
the  truth  in  declaring  himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  This 
half-confidence  which  I  gave  to  Jesus  caused  me  to  turn 
my  attention  to  another  page,  on  which  I  read  these  words  : 
'  My  blood,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.' 
Jesus  praying  for  his  murderers  had  enlightened  my  mind ; 
Jesus  dying  for  sinners  now  touched  my  heart.  But  who 
were  the  '  many'  of  whom  he  spoke?  On  what  conditions 
could  the  benefit  of  his  sacrificial  death  be  applied  ?  I  re- 
volved these  thoughts  in  my  mind  as  I  continued  to  turn 
over  the  leaves;  and  I  saw  these  words  :  i  God  so  loved  the 
world,    that   he    gave    his  .only-begotten    Son,    that   whoso 


THE   SIOK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST.  9 

ever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life/ 

"  'Whosoever/  said  I  to  myself:  I  am  'whosoever:'  none 
can  desire  more  than  I  do  to  trust  in  that  God  who  'so 
loved  the  world.' 

"As  I  compared  the  two  passages  which  had  so  enlight- 
ened me,  a  new  illumination  seemed  to  spring  from  them. 
The  death  of  Christ,  of  which  I  had  so  often  heard,  as  an 
expiation,  had  always  hitherto  appeared  to  me  as  harshness 
on  the  part  of  God,  who  caused  the  punishment  of  the 
guilty  to  fall  upon  the  innocent.  The  sacrifice  was  doubt- 
less a  voluntary  one  on  the  part  of  the  victim ;  but  the  pain- 
ful impression  of  a  Judge  accepting,  like  an  implacable  creditor, 
the  payment  of  a  debt  from  one  who  owed  nothing,  had  ever 
occupied  my  mind.  Now  I  remarked,  for  the  first  time,  that 
this  voluntary  sufferer  was  the  Son  of  God.  God,  in  accept- 
ing his  sacrifice,  imposed  upon  himself  as  hard  a  sacrifice — 
that  of  his  own  Son.  I  now  saw  in  Jesus  the  representative 
of  God  and  man — the  union  of  the  Judge  and  the  criminal 
— the  embrace  of  justice  and  mercy;  and,  although  much 
still  appeared  to  my  mind  mysterious,  my  heart  was  satis- 
fied. I  now  saw  the  Father  and  the  Son  working  together 
for  my  salvation ;  the  Creator  of  all  things,  as  it  were,  de- 
scending from  his  throne  to  give  me  eternal  life — me,  the 
vilest  of  his  creatures.  0  God,  what  shall  I  give  thee  in  re- 
turn ?  What  have  I  done  for  thee,  who  has  done  every  thing 
for  me  V 

"  Then,"  said  the  invalid,  "  from  that  time  to  the  present, 
you  have  not  doubted  that  you  have  eternal  life  V 

"I  have  not." 

"  Then  there  is  no  fear  of  losing  that  of  which  God  has 
once  assured  you  V 

"  Not  so,  my  friend  :  I  am  not  of  those  who  think  so. 

"  But  are  you  not  in  danger  of  spiritual  pride  on  account 
of  this  assurance  of  pardon  ? 

"  How  can  I  be  proud  of  a  forgiveness  which  only  makes 
my  guilt  appear  more  flagrant  ?  How  can  I  boast  myself  of 
a  grace  which  proclaims  that  I  had  merited  nothing  ?  No, 
my  friend :  the  greatness  of  this  salvation  is,  on  the  con- 
trary, a  motive  for  humility.  The  word  of  God  says  we  are 
s  saved  by  grace,  lest  any  man  should  boast/  " 
16 


THE    SICK    MAN    AND    THE   PRIEST.  7 

"  Certainly/'  replied  the  priest,  pleased  to  have  discovered 
at  last  the  way  to  his  heart.  "  Believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
you  will  be  saved." 

"What !  will  it  suffice  for  me  only  to  believe?" 

"  No,  that  will  not  suffice :  good  works  and  the  sacraments 
are  also  necessary." 

"  But  do  you  not  see,  sir,  that  it  is  mockery  to  talk  to  me 
of  these  ?  I  repeat  that  I  have  no  time  for  good  works ;  and 
if  I  had  time,  I  have  not  courage.  I  am  convinced  that  there 
is  no  hope  for  me.  In  spite  of  my  penances,  in  spite  of  your 
masses,  I  shall  go  to  everlasting  torments  !" 

"But,  sir " 

"  No,  I  tell  you.  All  you  say  is  repugnant  to  my  spirit 
and  revolting  to  my  heart.  It  leaves  my  conscience  in  misery. 
Farewell :  I  would  rather  believe  in  nothing,  than  hope  in 
your  God,  whose  greatest  favor  would  be  to  suffer  me  to  burn 
in  purgatory." 

At  this  moment,  a  light  tap  was  heard  at  the  door,  and  im- 
mediately a  person  of  plain  appearance  and  composed  counte- 
nance presented  himself.  The  cure  seized  this  opportunity 
for  retiring;  and  the  moment  he  departed,  the  invalid,  so 
weak  and  depressed  the  instant  before,  exclaimed,  as  he 
threw  himself  into  the  stranger's  arms  : 

"What,  is  it  you,  Edward?  And  where  are  you  come 
from  ?     It  is  an  age  since  I  have  seen  you  !" 

"  I  am  just  come  from  abroad.  But  answer  me  :  What  is 
that  priest  doing  here  ?" 

"  My  dear  friend,  my  face  ought  to  tell  you." 

"  You  do,  indeed,  look  very  ill." 

"  Yes,  but  I  shall  not  long  look  thus." 

"  You  expect,  then " 

"  To  die." 

"  Well,  my  friend,  I  would  not  rob  you  of  one  salutary 
thought.  It  was  then  of  death  you  were  speaking  with  the 
priest  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  what  did  he  say  to  you  ?" 

"  Nothing  to  satisfy  me." 

"  What  is  needed  to  satisfy  you  ?" 

"Impossibility." 

"  Explain  yourself." 


10  THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST. 

"And  this  salvation  makes  you  happy?" 
"  I  will  not  say  that  my  happiness  is  perfect— but  I  ma; 
assure  you  that  the  certainty  of  the  forgiveness  of  my  sins 
and  of  everlasting  life,  if  I  continue  faithful,  causes  me  tc 
feel  cheerfulness,  peace,  and  joy,  unmingled  with  any  feelino 
of  impatience  or  dread.  I  wait  until  God  shall  be  pleased  fc 
call  me  to  himself;  satisfied,  until  then,  to  abide  on  earth 
and  to  relate  to  others  my  own  happy  experience;  and  I  have 
done  so  even  now,  in  the  hope  that  you  also  will  attain  this 
great  blessing  of  which  I  speak." 

"  May  God  grant  it !  But  I  must  own  to  you,  that  while 
I  assent  to  all  that  you  have  said,  and  feel  disposed  to  believe 
it,  there  is  in  my  mind  a  contrary  influence— a  voice  that  tells 
me  all  this  is  too  good  to  be  true." 

"  My  friend,  that  is  the  voice  of  Satan." 
"  Very  likely;  but  how  shall  I  get  conviction  ?" 
"  Pray  to  God  for  light,  and  read  his  word." 
"  Pray  ?     I  cannot." 
"  I  will  pray  for  you,  then." 

"And  read  the  Bible ;  for  I  have  not  strength  now." 
"Let  us  unite  in  prayer,  and  then  I  will  read  a  chapter." 
The  sick  man  fell  on  his  knees  beside  his  friend,  who 
poured  out  his  soul  in  fervent  prayer.      The  heart  of  the 
invalid   was    touched;    and    from    time    to   time    the  word 
"Amen"  fell  from  his  lips  with  earnestness. 

Edward  afterwards  read  aloud  the  third  chapter  of  St. 
John's  Gospel,  and  the  friends  separated. 

The  presentiments  of  the  sick  man,  who  was  in  the  last 
stage  of  consumption,  had  not  deceived  him.  A  few  weeks 
later  he  was  dying.  His  faithful  Charles  wept  in  silence  at 
the  foot  of  his  bed.  The  doctor  slowly  poured  into  a  glass  a 
few  drops  of  cordial.  The  cure  had  arrived  in  the  hope  of 
inducing  him  to  accept  the  succors  of  the  Church ;  and  the 
invalid,  lying  upon  the  bed  from  which  he  would  never  more 
rise,  turned  his  languid  looks  from  one  to  another  of  the  spec- 
tators. 

"  Your  calmness,"  said  the  doctor  at  last,  "  surprises  me ; 

particularly  when  I  think  on  the  distress  in  which  I  saw 

you  a  month  since.     But  swallow  a  few  drops  of  this  cordial." 

"  It   is  quite  superfluous;    and  I  feel    that  I  can  better 

employ  the  time  that  remains,  if  you  will  listen  to  me." 


THE    SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST.  11 

u  True/'  interposed  the  priest,  "  the  moments  are  precious ; 
and,  if  you  will  permit  me,  I  will  now  receive  your  confes- 
fession,  and " 

"  No  more  of  that,  Monsieur  le  Cure ;  but  if  you  will  lend 
me  your  attention  for  a  few  minutes,  I  will  thank  you.  Will 
you  both  be  seated  ?  and  you,  Charles,  attend.  The  words  of 
a  dying  man  are  always  worth  hearing. 

"  You  are  aware,  my  friends,  in  what  a  state  of  anguish 
you  found  me  a  month  since  ;  and  you  also  see  the  calmness 
which  I  now  enjoy.  I  doubt  not  that  it  will  please  you  to 
understand  the  reason  of  the  change ;  and,  better  still,  it  may 
do  you  good." 

The  doctor  and  the  priest  brought  their  chairs  nearer ;  and 
Charles  leaned  upon  the  bolster,  that  his  master  might  not 
have  to  speak  too  loud.     The  dying  man  resumed  : — 

"  You  are  all  assured  that,  in  this  momentous  hour,  I  can 
have  no  interest  in  deceiving  you ;  and  that  I  feel  too  near  the 
presence  of  God  to  dare  to  hide  the  truth.  Listen  then,  with 
confidence,  to  a  voice  that  will  soon  be  for  ever  silent,  but 
which  is  animated  by  a  spirit  that  is  shortly  to  ascend  to  the 
skies.  Yes,  to  heaven,  my  friends  :  I  know  it ;  for  there  is 
in  my  heart  an  unerring  witness  that  tells  me  so.  You  will 
recollect  that  my  anguish  proceeded  from  my  desire  of  life, 
and  my  fear  of  being  condemned  before  God.  Well,  to-day 
that  desire  is  satisfied,  and  that  fear  has  vanished.  God  has 
pardoned  all  my  sins,  and  has  given  me  eternal  life  :  not  that 
I  merit  now,  more  than  I  did  a  month  since,  this  gift  and  this 
forgiveness,  but  only  because  Jesus  has  died  for  me,  and  I 
believe  in  him.  And  I  know  it — I  feel  it — I  am  certain  of  it. 
My  confidence  surprises  you,  I  see.  I  can  only  repeat  to  you 
the  same  thing.  I  am  certain  of  it,  because  a  divine  assur- 
ance— the  Holy  Spirit,  descended  into  my  heart — is  my  wit- 
ness. Yes,  my  friends,  my  thirst  of  life,  and  the  gnawings 
of  my  conscience,  at  last  conducted  me  to  the  truth.  I  bowed 
my  knees.  For  the  first  time  I  really  prayed  to  God ;  and 
God,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  applied  these  words  to  my  conscience  : 
'  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy-laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest/  '  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life/  I  responded  to  this  ap- 
peal, without  delay,  without  hesitation,  without  reserve.      T 


12  THE   SICK   MAN   AND   THE   PRIEST. 

cast  myself  into  the  arms  of  my  God,  asking  him  for  grace 
and  pardon ;  and  Grod  has  forgiven  me.  He  has  assured  me 
of  it  in  my  soul;  and  he  shows  it  to  you  by  this  tranquillity 
which  astonishes  you,  and  the  joy  which  I  express.  Yes,  joy ; 
for  now,  whether  I  live  or  die,  it  matters  not — I  have  secured 
my  salvation.     I  shall  live  here  or  in  eternity/' 

"And  where  have  you  found  all  these  ideas  V  said  the 
doctor. 

"  Yes,  where  V  added  the  priest. 

"  There  !"  solemnly  replied  the  dying  man,  placing,  with 
a  last  effort,  his  hand  on  a  small  volume  lying  on  his  bed. 
That  word  and  that  movement  were  his  last.  He  was  no 
more. 

The  doctor  seized  the  volume,  opened  it,  and  read  aloud 
the  title:  "The  New  Testament  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  The  priest  took  it  in  his  turn,  turned  over  a  few 
of  the  leaves,  and  read  these  words  which  fell  under  his  eyes : 

"  No  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me. 

u  Who  said  that  V  asked  the  doctor  quickly. 

"  Jesus  Christ." 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  &  F.  X.  Oven,  for  the  M.  K.  Church,  South. 


;/ 


No.  U. 


WRY   DOES    YOUR   PRIEST    FORBID 
YOU  TO  READ  THE  BIBLE? 


FROM  THE  FRENCH  OF  N.  ROUSSEL. 


A  short  time  ago,  a  colporteur,  who  sold  religious  books  in 
one  of  our  large  towns,  was  going  along  the  streets,  and  met 
with  a  passenger,  to  whom  he  offered  a  New  Testament. 
The  offer  was  declined,  because  the  man  said  his  priest  had 
forbidden  him  to  read  this  book ;  whereupon  the  following 
conversation  took  place  : — 

Colporteur.  Why  does  your  priest  forbid  you  to  read  the 
Bible  or  the  New  Testament  ? 

Man.  I  do  not  know. 

Col.  Many  other  ministers  recommend  it,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  but  your  priest  himself  acknowledges  that  this  book 
was  written  by  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ — that  it  is  in- 
spired— that  it  is  the  basis  of  the  Christian  religion — that  it 
is,  in  short,  the  word  of  God. 

Man.  I  have  heard  many  good  Catholics  say  as  much ;  but 
still,  as  I  told  you,  I  have  received  this  prohibition,  and  I  do 
not  know  the  reasons. 

Col.  Would  you  not  like  to  know  them  ? 

Man.  Certainly. 

Col.  Very  well :  attend  to  me  for  a  few  minutes,  and  I  will 
try  to  explain  the  matter.  You  must  see  with  me  that  for 
priests  to  forbid  the  reading  of  a  book  which  they  preach 
from  in  the  pulpit,  which  they  own  as  the  foundation  of  the 
Christian  religion,  and  which  they  recognize  as  the  word  of 
God,  is  very  inconsistent.  One  may  say  to  your  priest : 
"  Either  what  you  teach  us  is  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God, 
or  it  is  not.      If  it  be  according  to  the  New  Testament,  then 


2  WHY   DOES    YOUR   PRIEST   EORBID   YOU 

you  need  not  fear  to  lay  open  the  book  before  us :  if  it  be 
contrary  to  it,  your  teaching  is  a  lie ;  for  it  is  opposed  to  the 
word  of  God,  which  is  true." 

Man.  Your  argument  seems  to  me  sound. 

Col.  And  yet  your  priest  forbids  you  to  read  the  Bible  ! 

Man.  He  does. 

Col.  Does  not  this  lead  you  at  once  to  suspect  that  it  is 
because  there  is  some  difference  between  what  he  teaches  you 
and  the  teaching  of  the  Bible  ? 

Man.  I  admit  this;  but  then  suspicion  must  not  pass  for 
proof,  and  I  would  sooner  trust  my  priest  than  my  own 
doubts. 

Col.  Yery  good ;  but  would  you  sooner  trust  your  priest 
than  God  himself? 

Man.   Certainly  not. 

Col.  Well,  then,  compare  the  word  of  your  priest  with  the 
word  of  God,  and  see  if  they  agree  or  differ. 

Man.  But  how  can  I  make  this  comparison  ?  Am  I  not 
too  ignorant? 

Col.  Can  you  read  ? 

Man.  0  yes. 

Col.  That  is  enough.  Take  this  Bible  in  your  hand,  and 
find  out  the  places  as  I  name  them,  and  then  you  will  be 
convinced.     But,  first,  what  do  you  want  to  know  ? 

Man.  I  should  like  to  know  what  reasons  my  priest  has  for 
prohibiting  me  from  reading  the  New  Testament  ? 

Col.  Is  your  priest  married  ? 

Man.  You  know,  as  well  as  I  do,  that  our  priests  are  not 
permitted  to  marry. 

Col.  Does  your  priest  allow  meat  to  be  eaten  on  Fridays, 
and  Saturdays,  and  during  Lent  ? 

Man.  That,  too,  is  forbidden  by  our  ecclesiastics. 

Col.  Very  well :  now  open  the  New  Testament  at  the  First 
Epistle  of  Paul  to  Timothy,  fourth  chapter,  first  verse.  How 
do  you  read  ? 

Man.  Here  is  the  place  you  named  :  "  Now  the  Spirit 
speaketh  expressly,  that  in  the  latter  times  some  shall  depart 
from  the  faith  forbidding  to  marry,  and  commanding  to 

abstain  from  meats. " 

Col.  Does  this  prophecy  apply  to  your  priests  ? 

Man.  Why,  it  must  be  admitted  they  do  not  marry,  and 


TO   READ    THE   BIBLE  ?  3 

they  forbid  meats.  It  may  be  supposed  that  it  is  of  them  the 
Holy  Spirit  speaks.  You  think;  then,  that  ecclesiastics  ought 
to  marry  as  we  do  ? 

Col.  Turn  over  to  the  second  verse  of  the  third  chapter  in 
the  same  epistle,  and  read. 

Man.  It  is  written :  "  A  bishop,  then,  must  be  blameless; 
the  husband  of  one  wife."     This  passage  is  conclusive. 

Col.  Do  you  understand  a  little  more  clearly  why  you  are 
forbidden  to  read  a  book  wj^iich  contains  such  words  ? 

Man.  Yes;  but  this  motive  alone  is  not  sufficient.  I  want 
many  others. 

Col.  You  shall  have  them.  What  use  do  you  make  of  the 
necklace  of  black  beads  which  you  take  to  church  with  you? 

Man.  It  is  a  rosary.  Our  priests  require  us  to  repeat 
certain  prayers  over  as  many  times  as  there  are  beads  on  this 
chain :  in  hope  that  these  prayers,  repeated  so  many  times, 
will  procure  from  God  the  grace  which  we  need. 

Col.  Open,  I  pray  you,  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew, 
chapter  sixth,  verse  seventh,  and  read. 

Man.  Here  it  is  :  "  But  when  ye  pray,  use  not  vain  repeti- 
tions, as  the  heathen  do;  for  they  think  that  they  shall  be 
heard  for  their  much  speaking,"  etc. 

Col.  In  what  tongue  do  you  repeat  those  prayers  you  count 
on  the  rosary  ? 

Man.  The  Latin. 

Col.  Do  you  understand  the  language  ? 

Man.  No  :  it  is  an  unknown  tongue. 

Col.  Open  now  the  First  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians, 
chapter  fourteenth,  and  read  verses  fourteenth  and  nineteenth : 
u  If  I  pray  in  an  unknown  tongue,  my  spirit  prayeth,  but  my 
understanding  is  unfruitful.  Yet  in  the  church  I  had 

rather  speak  five  words  with  my  understanding,  that  by  my 
voice  I  might  teach  others  also,  than  ten  thousand  words  in 
an  unknown  tongue." 

Man.  I  must  confess  that  St.  Paul  seems  to  be  right. 

Col.  If  so,  your  priest  must  be 

Man.  Wrong,  it  is  true. 

Col.  Let  us  go  on.  How  are  the  walls  of  your  churches 
ornamented  ? 

Man.  They  are  covered  with  pictures.  We  have  repre- 
sentations of  saints  and  statues — generally  the  likenesses  of 


4  WHY   DOES   YOUR   PRIEST   FORBID   YOU 

Christ  on  the  cross.       We   bow  before  these  and  say  our 
prayers. 

Col.  Open  your  Bible  at  Exodus,  chapter  twenty,  verses 
four  and  five. 

Man.  It  is  written  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any 
graven  image,  or  any  likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven 
above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water 
under  the  earth :  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them, 
nor  serve  them/'  etc. 

Col.  In  order  that  God  may  be  favorable  to  your  prayers, 
whose  mediation  do  you  employ  ? 

Man.  That  of  the  saints  usually. 

Col.  Look  in  the  New  Testament,  First  Epistle  to  Timothy, 
chapter  second,  verse  five. 

Man.  "  There  is  one  G-od,  and  one  Mediator  between  God 
and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus/ ' 

Col.  Of  what  use  is  the  mass  to  those  who  attend  it  ? 

Man.  The  mass  is  a  bloodless  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
obtains  the  pardon  of  sin  for  those  who  devoutly  unite  in  it. 

Col.  Then  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  has  been  daily  repeated  for 
the  last  eighteen  centuries,  and  that  many  millions  of  times  ? 

Man.  Yes  :  according  to  my  priest. 

Col.  Look  to  the  Hebrews,  chapter  ninth,  verses  twenty- 
fifth  to  twenty-eighth. 

Man.  Here  is  the  passage  :  "  Nor  yet  that  he  should  offer 
himself  often,  as  the  high-priest  entereth  into  the  holy  place 
every  year  with  the  blood  of  others ;  for  then  must  he  often 
have  suffered  since  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  but  now 
once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away 
sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,"  etc. 

Col.  Do  you  now  understand  why  your  priest  forbids  you 
to  read  a  book  which  declares  such  things  ? 

Man.  I  see  your  meaning.  You  think  that  my  priest  is 
afraid  that  I  should  find  out  the  differences  there  are  between 
his  teaching  and  the  word  of  God.  I  do  acknowledge  that 
this  fear  does  appear  to  me  to  be  well-founded,  by  what  I  have 
just  read  :  at  the  same  time,  suffer  me  to  make  an  objection 
In  reading  the  Bible  I  may  mistake,  and  give  a  false  meaning 
to  these  words,  while  my  priest,  better  informed  than  I  am,  i* 
more  competent  to  judge.  Perhaps  this  is  his  reason  for  not 
wishing  me  to  read  the  Bible  without  his  explanations. 


TO  READ   THE   BIBLE  ?  5 

Col.  But  do  you  think  that  the  epistles  of  the  Apostles 
were  originally  addressed  to  well-educated  priests  ?     Do  we 
not  see,  on  the  contrary,  that  St.  Paul  wrote  his  letters  to  the 
whole  Church,  in  which,  as  he  says  to  the  Corinthians,  there 
were  not  many  learned,  not  many  powerful,  not  many  noble  ? 
And  yet  St.  Paul  wrote  largely  to  this  people,  that  they  might 
read  and  understand.     In  the  book  of  the  Acts  the  saints  at 
Berea  are  commended,  because  they  searched  the  Scriptures 
closely,  to  see  if  what  Paul  himself  wrote  agreed  with  them. 
Besides,  does  not  your  own  good  sense  tell  you,  that  if  you 
cannot  understand  the  Bible,  you  are  not  more  sure  of  under- 
standing the  words  of  your  priest  ?     Why  should  you  better 
understand  the  explanations  of  a  man  than  the  words  of 
Jesus  Christ  ?    Is  there  more  clearness  in  the  mind  of  a  priest 
than  in  the  mind  of  God  ? 

Man.  That  is  very  fair.  Let  me,  however,  make  one  more 
remark.  I  am  forbidden  to  read  the  Bible  by  my  priest,  a 
man  I  much  esteem.  You,  who  are  a  stranger  to  me,  tell  me 
to  read  it.  Why  should  I  follow  your  advice  rather  than  that 
of  my  natural  guide  ? 

Col.  Your  objection   is  candid.      You   ought   not   to  be 
governed  by  my  word  :  I  am  an  erring,  sinful  man ;  but  if, 
in  my  stead,  God  were  here,  and  spoke  to  you,  would  you 
believe  him  ? 
Man.  I  certainly  would. 

Col.  Well,  listen  once  more  :  God  is  about  to  speak  to  you 
himself.  Turn  to  three  passages :  John  v.  39 ;  2  Tim.  iii. 
16;  Dent.  vi.  6-8. 

Man.  Here  they  are:  "Search  the  Scriptures;  for  in 
them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life/'  etc.  "All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,"  etc.  "  These  words  which  I 
command  thee  this  day,  shall  be  in  thy  heart ;  and  thou  shalt 
teach  them  diligently  untcr  thy  children,  and  shalt  talk  of 
them  when  thou  sittest  in  thy  house,  and  when  thou  walkest 
by  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest 
up,"  etc.  I  see  that  these  commands  of  God  to  read  his 
Word  are  plain  and  authoritative. 

Col  Well  now,  think  of  them  seriously.  If  you  refuse  to 
read  the  Bibie't  is  not  the  counsel  of  a  man  that  1™**$™} 
it  is  a  command  of  God,  which  you  trample  upon  knowingly 

and  wilfully. 
16* 


6  WHY   DOES   YOUR   PRIEST   FORBID   YOU 

The  passenger  bowed  and  was  silent. 

Reader,  you  are  the  passenger.  It  is  to  you  these  closing 
words  are  addressed.  If  you  refuse  to  read  the  Bible,  it  will 
not  be  the  counsel  of  man  that  you  despise ;  it  is  a  command 
of  God,  which  you  trample  upon  knowingly  and  wilfully. 
To-day  you  have  the  opportunity  to  read  the  word  of  God ;  if 
you  refuse  to  study  the  sacred  volume,  then  to  you  these  ter- 
rible words  belong  :  "  This  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is 
come  into  the  world,  but  men  have  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light/'  But  if  you  determine  to  search  the  Scriptures,  then 
these  words,  so  sweet  to  the  ears  of  a  poor  sinner,  are 
addressed  to  you :  "  The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost."  "When  we  were  yet  sinners, 
Christ  died  for  us."  But  if  you  inquire  again,  what  you  shall 
do  to  obtain  the  forgiveness  provided  in  the  gospel  by  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Bible  replies,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Bo  you  ask,  How  shall  I  believe  ? 
The  Bible  answers,  "  Faith  is  the  gift  of  God."  "  Whatso- 
ever ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you." 
But  it  may  be  you  will  still  say,  "  That  is  not  enough :  I 
must  not  only  be  pardoned,  but  I  must  live  a  better  life  in 
future,  and  I  am  afraid  that  my  sinful  inclinations  will  again 
draw  me  into  sin." 

Very  well,  dear  reader  :  the  Bible,  which  has  answered  all 
your  other  questions,  tells  you  also  that  "  If  any  man  lack 
wisdom,  he  should  ask  it  of  God."  Thus,  then,  you  must 
see  and  acknowledge  your  state  as  a  sinner.  Believe  in 
Christ,  pray  to  God  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  rest  assured  that 
all  the  promises  of  God  will  be  fulfilled  in  your  experience. 


WHO   ARE   SINNERS? 


All  are  sinners,  and  exposed  to  eternal  death. 

Bo  not  think  that  only  gross  and  abandoned  sinners  are 
meant.  Deceive  not  yourself!  All  are  indeed  sinners,  and 
in  need  of  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  of  rcconrili:iti<m 
through  him.  All — not  only  the  openly  wicked  and  profane, 
but  the   moral   and  the  apparently  upright.     All  need  the 


TO   READ   THE   BIBLE  ?  7 

atoning  blood  of  Christ,  or  they  must  perish  everlastingly. 
The  apostle  says  to  the  Romans,  (iii.  10,)  "There  is  none 
righteous,  no,  not  one :"  again,  (iii.  23,)  "All  have  sinned, 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God;"  and  thus  having 
sinned,  we  must  be  justified  (reckoned  as  righteous)  by  a  free 
gift  of  mercy,  not  by  any  merits  or  works  of  our  own.  "  In 
many  things  we  offend  all."  James  iii.  2.  "  Whosoever 
shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is 
guilty  of  all."     James  ii.  10. 

With  these  declarations  of  Scripture  before  us,  let  not  our 
self-love  whisper  to  us  that  toe  are  safe  while  impenitent  and 
unbelieving ;  and  remembering  that  the  breaking  of  one 
command,  the  leaving  of  but  one  duty  undone,  the  commis- 
sion of  but  one  sin,  makes  a  sinner,  let  us  see  in  Scripture 
the  doom  pronounced  by  God  upon  all  sinners  :  that  thus  we 
may  fly,  while  we  have  time,  to  the  Saviour  of  sinners  for  his 
free  gift  of  mercy.  "  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 
heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men, 
who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness."  Rom.  i.  18. 
"  To  be  carnally  minded  is  death."  Rom.  viii.  6.  "  The 
wages  of  sin  is  death."  Rom.  vi  28.  The  wicked  "shall  have 
their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone  : 
which  is  the  second  death."     Rev.  xxi.  8. 

But  those  who  have  believed  in  Christ,  who  have  come  to 
him  for  salvation,  must  be  "  careful  to  maintain  good  works." 
Tit.  iii.  8.  Why  this,  if  we  are  saved  by  grace,  not  of  good 
works  ?  This  is  not  to  purchase  salvation,  but  this  results 
essentially  from  the  grace  that  saves  us.  By  this  we  show 
whose  followers  we  are  :  a  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit,  and  "  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  goodness,  faith."  Gal. 
v.  22.  "Proving  what  is  acceptable  unto  the  Lord."  Eph. 
v.  10.  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  2  Cor.  v.  14. 
"  Ye  are  not  your  own ;  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price  : 
therefore  glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit, 
which  are  God's."  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20.  Christ  is  our  example  : 
he  says,  "  I  am  the  light  of  the  world  :  he  that  followeth  me 
shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life." 
John  viii.  12.  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  me."  John  x.  27.  "If  any  man  serve  me, 
let  him  follow  me."     John  xii.  26. 


8 


WHY  DOES  YOUR  PRIEST  FORBID  YOU,  ETC. 
THE    NOBLE   BEREANS. 

BY  C.    WESLEY. 


Bony  of  them  believed.-Acis  xvii.  11, 12  tLmg8  were  ■*    Thc«foi« 

Can  we  in  unbelievers  find 

That  noble  readiness  of  mind 

To  hear,  investigate,  and  prove, 

The  truth  of  Jesus'  pard'ning  love  ? 

Yes,  Lord :  through  thy  preventing  grace, 

The-e  are  who  cordially  embrace 

The  joyful  news  of  sin  forgiven, 

With  God  himself  sent  down  from  heaven. 

Up  from  the  sleep  of  nature  stirr'd, 
They  daily  search  thy  written  word ; 
Inquiring  if  these  things  be  so, 
To  thine  own  oracles  they  go  : 
Thine  oracles  the  answer  give, 
And  willing  multitudes  believe 
The  gospel  by  thy  Spirit  seal'd, 
And  find  thy  glorious  Self  reveal'd. 

What  then  are  they  that  dare  forbid 
The  unconvinced  thy  book  to  read  ? 
Who  take  the  sacred  key  away, 
Damp  their  desire  to  search  and  pray  ? 
Conceal  thy  records  from  their  view — 
"  The  Scriptures  were  not  wrote  for  you : 
Accept  your  more  unerring  guide — 
The  Church,  the  Catholics — the  bride!" 

Turn,  sinners,  turn  from  such  away, 

And  rather  God  than  man  obey : 

The  Scriptures  search  both  day  and  night, 

And  try  if  what  ye  hear  be  right : 

Put  forth  your  grain  of  gracious  power, 

(Your  use  of  that  shall  bring  ye  more,) 

'Till  the  true  Light  himself  impart, 

And  breathes,  the  Witness,  in  your  heart. 


Nashrille,  Tenn. :  Published  by  B,  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  Soutk 


No.  45. 


THE  HISTOBY  OF  A  PIECE  OF  WOOD. 


FROM  THE  FRENCH  OF  N.  ROUSSEL. 


"To  the  sea!  to  the  sea !"  "No  :  to  the  gallows  upon  tho 
Place  Royale,  to  serve  as  an  example  for  all  heretics  !"  uNo : 
let  us  make  him  leap  over  this  rock  to  the  bottom  of  the 
precipice !  the  crows  will  have  time  to  avenge  the  good 
Mother  I"  "  No :  to  the  sea  \"  "  No  :  to  the  gallows  !"  And 
everybody  cried  out,  and  pressed  around  the  poor  stranger, 
bruised  with  blows  from  the  feet  of  the  men,  torn  by  the 
nails  of  the  women.  He  went  out  from  the  chapel  of  the  Vir- 
gin, where  they  said  he  had  uttered  a  horrible  blasphemy.  Two 
monks  led  him  to  the  dungeon  of  the  Holy  Inquisition.  What 
was  his  crime  ?  Let  us  follow  the  crowd,  and  we  shall  soon 
know.  Whether  from  humanity,  or  the  desire  to  preserve  their 
prey  for  the  next  auto  da  fe,  the  two  conductors  did  their  best 
to  protect  the  unfortunate  man  from  the  mischief  the  people 
would  have  done  him  in  their  fury ;  and  they  brought  him  at 
last  to  the  court  of  the  awful  tribunal,  which  was  then  sitting. 
The  people  cried  out  constantly :  they  even  threatened  to  enter 
by  main  force,  if  they  did  not  punish  him  immediately  for  the 
outrage  done  to  the  Madonna.  In  order  to  appease  them,  the 
grand  inquisitor  imagined  that  nothing  would  be  better  than 
to  announce  to  the  agitated  populace,  by  one  of  his  familiars 
placed  on  the  great  balcony  of  the  palace,  that  the  holy  tri- 
bunal was  about  to  be  informed  at  once  on  this  ma"^e^,e 
to  pronounce  judgment  on  the  guilty— he  meant 
of  death.  Repeated  and  noisy  hurrahs  followed  ^sejord^ 
While  the  people  indulge  themselves  with  this  ]  y  ^^ 
pleasant  hope,  we  will  follow  the  unknown  Deioi  ^^  when 
Scarcely  had  he  entered,  accompanied  by  of  ttie  tw0 

the  president  is  informed  of  the  crime,  ana  ,  The 

fathers  speaks  thus :— "  This  man  is  guilty  01  u     v 


2  THE  HISTORY  OF  A  PIECE   OF  WOOD. 

faithfuly  assembled   in  the   chapel   of  our  Lady,  prostrated 
before  her,  adored  in  silence.     A  priest  prayed  at  the  foot  of 
the  altar :  the  young  attendants  waved  their  censers  in  her 
presence  :  the  organ  played  a  hymn  which  was  going  to  be  sum* 
in  her  honor:  all  were  silently  gathered  :  when  this  stranger) 
this  heretic,  this  child  of  Satan,  perhaps  Satan  himself,  placed 
behind  a  column,  advances  pertly  to  our  Holy  Mother,  raises 
the  pure  veil  which  conceals  her  celestial  figure,  and  in  lettino- 
it  fall  again,  and  drawing  a  sigh,  exclaims,  {  The  idolaters  / 
the  poor  idolaters  !' "    Indignation  seized  all  the  judges  :  the 
president  could  not  contain  himself.    "Who  are  you*/"  cried 
he  to  the  accused.     "William  Knox,  an  English  sculptor." 
"Whence  do  you  come  ?"    "  From  India."    "  What  have  you 
to  reply  to  the  accusation  brought  against  you  ?"  "  Nothing : 
it  is  true."     "  Of  whom  did  you  speak,  in  sayinsr,  '  The  idola- 
ters !'    Of  the  Indians  ?"    "  No  :  of  you."     "  Of  us  I"    "  Of 
yourselves."     A  movement  of   anger  passed  over  the  dark 
figures  of  the  inquisitors :  the  president  gnashed  his  teeth, 
and  striking  with  his  fist  upon  the  tribunal,  he  continued  : 
"  Do  you  know  that  in  an  hour  I  can  send  you  to  serve  as 
straw  to  light  the  auto  da  fe,  which  is  prepared?"    "  You  can 
do  what  G-od  pleases."     "Ah,  well !  I  tell  you  God  wills  that 
you  should  be  burned  alive  :  do  you  hear  ?"     "  That  is  to  say, 
you  condemn  me  without  hearing  me."    "No,  no  :  speak,  and 
you  shall  burn  afterward."     "Do  you  hearken,  and  let  God 
judge  us.     The  funeral-pile  that  you  wish  to  light  for  me  in 
this  world  would  be  kindled  for  you  in  the  other:  now  listen 
to  my  justification,  and  remember  that,  in  deciding  upon  my 
death,  you  declare  your  own  sentence."  "A  truce  to  menaces  : 
speak  your  defence."     "Listen.     Some  years  since,  I  set  out 
as  an  officer  in  an  English  regiment,  which  was  going  to  India. 
After  a   month's  voyage,  our  vessel  was   shipwrecked  on  ;i 
desert  island.     The  crew  and  the  provisions  were  .saved ;  but 
the  ship,  damaged  in  every  part,  was  some  days  after  swallowed 
up  from  our  sight.    Reduced  to  inactivity  on  this  uncultivated 
land,  I  took  a  fancy  to  exercise  my  skill  as  a  sculptor,  hoping 
that  Heaven  would  send  us  help.    I  felled  a  tree,  stripped  off 
its  branches,  and,  from  the  long  and  rounded  trunk,  made  two 
perfectly  equal  parts.     I  fashioned  both,  and  at  the  end  of  a 
month  had  made  two  bodies  of  a  woman,  just  alike.    31  v  work 
was  scarcely  finished,  when  the  cry,  'A  sail !   a  sail  V  struck 


THE   HISTORY  OF  A  PIECE   OF   WOOD.  3 

my  ear.  A  merchant-ship  was  in  sight :  our  signals  were 
perceived,  and  the  next  day  we  were  taken  on  board  with 
good-will  by  her  Italian  captain.  All  our  crew  tried  to  express 
their  gratitude  by  words,  gifts,  or  promises.  As  for  myself,  I 
had  lost  all,  and  had  no  other  means  of  showing  my  gratitude 
to  the  captain  than  by  offering  my  work.  He  accepted  it  with 
pleasure.  I  even  saw  him  smile  and  stroke  his  forehead,  like 
a  man  suddenly  enlightened  by  a  happy  idea.  I  was  happy  in 
his  happiness,  and  soon  thought  no  more  of  my  trunk  of  the 
tree."  "What  connection  has  this  history  with  your  blas- 
phemy?" interrupted  a  judge.  "Wait.  Two  years  later,  I 
visited  one  of  the  most  renowned  pagodas  in  India,  where  a 
great  number  of  pilgrims  resorted,  who  came  to  honor  the 
Madonna  of  the  temple,  called  the  Blessed,  the  Holy,  and  the 
Very  Holy.  Entering  into  the  sanctuary  of  the  idol,  some- 
thing struck  me  that  it  bore  a  resemblance  to  the  statue  which 
I  had  fashioned  with  my  hands  in  the  unknown  island.  I 
approach,  I  look,  I  touch,  and  I  recognize  unmistakably  the 
half  of  my  trunk  of  wood,  adored  by  these  poor  Indians/' 
"Speak,  then,  about  these  poor  idolaters,"  interrupted  the 
president.  "True;  and  I  cursed  the  day  in  which  the  thought 
of  sculpturing  this  wood  had  occurred  to  me.  I  saw  myself 
in  some  way  an   accomplice  of  pagan  worship,  and  I  asked 

pardon  from  Grod" "  You  pray  to  Grod  !  you,  blasphemer 

of  his  very  holy  mother  ?  But  come  to  the  point,  for  your 
Indian  history  has  nothing  to  do  with  your  crime.  Speak 
quickly,  for  time  presses."  "  I  pursued  my  military  service, 
and  some  years  after,  returning  to  Europe,  I  landed  yesterday 
in  this  town,  and  the  first  person  I  met  on  the  wharf  was  the 
Italian  captain  who  had  received  us  into  his  ship.  As  I  told 
him  of  my  unexpected  meeting  with  my  work  in  the  Indian 
pagoda,  he  said  to  me,  with  a  smile  which  recalled  to  me  that 
which  had  accompanied '  his  happy  idea,  that  indeed  he  had 
found  no  better  way  of  ridiculing  these  idolatrous  priests,  than 
of  selling  them,  as  "a  goddess  fallen  from  heaven,  one  of  the  ma- 
donnas of  which  I  had  made  him  a  present.  ^  I  reproached 
the  captain  for  such  conduct :  he  departed  with  a  burst  of 
laughter,  and  said  to  me  on  leaving,  '  You  will  see  many  more 
of  them/  Curious  by  nature,  and  above  all  curious  to  know 
every  thing  that  relales  to  religious  worship,  I  come  this 
morning  to  visit  one  of  your  chapels.    I  enter,  and  I  observe 


4  THE  HISTORY  OF  A  PIECE  OF  WOOD. 

that  looks,  incense,  adoration,  prayers,  are  all  directed  towards 
a  white  drapery,  which  appears  to  cover  the  mysterious  object 

of  the  worship.    I  approach,  I  raise  the  veil,  and  I  see" 

"  What  do  you  see  V  "  The  sister  of  the  Indian  madonna,  my 
own  work;  the  other  half  of  my  bit  of  wood  !"  "Lie !  imposture  1 
Our  Lady  is  descended  from  heaven  !"  "  Yes,  like  that  of  the 
pagoda/'  "  It  is  the  image  of  the  Very  Holy  Mother !"  "  Like 
that  of  the  pagoda."  "  She  merits  our  adoration  !"  "  Like  that 
of  the  pagoda  !"  "  No  :  one  is  an  idol — the  other  is  the  holy 
image  of  the  Mother  of  Grod."  "  They  both  came  out  of  the  same 
trunk  of  the  tree,  and  with  their  branches  I  lighted  my  fire." 
"  But  if  your  history  be  true,  do  you  not  understand  that  our 
prayers  have  sanctified  the  work  produced  by  your  heretical 
hands  ?"  "  The  Brahmins  also  made  prayers  to  purify  that  which 
they  bought  of  the  captain."  "But  it  is  not  the  image  itself  that 
we  adore  :  it  is  the  queen  of  heaven  whom  it  represents  to  us." 
"  The  Indian  priest  also  told  me  that  it  was  the  resemblance  of 
the  goddess  who  reigns  over  the  universe."  "  But,  ignorant  man, 
do  not  you  understand  that  the  Indian  priests  are  idolaters, 
and  that  we  Catholic  priests  are  worshippers  of  the  true  God  V 
"  I  understand  still  better,  that  between  them  and  you  there 
is  no  difference,  for  once  this  same  trunk  of  a  tree,  these  same 
hands,  the  same  iron,  have  fashioned."  "  Silence,  blasphemer ! 
you  deserve  to  be  burned  as  an  obstinate  unbeliever  I"  "  I  an 
unbeliever  !  I  believe  in  Grod."  "  You  will  then  be  burned 
as  a  Deist."  "I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  sent  from  heaven." 
"You  will  be  burned  as  a  Socinian."  "I  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  Grod,  and  Saviour  of  men."  "Yes;  but 
you  do  not  believe  in  the  Virgin,  and  you  will  be  burned  as  a 
Huguenot."     "I believe  that  the  Virgin  Mary  conceived  by 

the  Holy  Spirit."     "Well,  you  don't" "No,  indeed,  I 

do  not  worship  a  piece  of  wood  any  more  in  Europe  than  in 
Asia,  not  more  in  a  chapel  than  in  a  pagoda,  nor  in  the 
Romish  Church  than  in  Indian  worship  j  and  nothing  in  the 
world  will  make  me  bow  the  knee  before  the  piece  of  wood 

which  I  myself" "  Silence,  heretic  !" 

We  must  also  be  silent,  and  hear  his  sent<race  of  death.  An 
hour  after,  the  stranger  walked  toward  the  funeral-pile,  along 
with  other  heretics  condemned  to  the  same  punishment,  and 
the  joyous  crowd  followed  them.  Already  the  executioner  was 
prepared  to  attach  him  to  the  fatal  stake,  when  the  stranger, 


THE   HISTORY   OF   A   PIECE    OF   WOOD.  5 

turning  to  the  people,  made  a  sign  with  his  hand  that  he 
wished  to  speak.  "Listen  !  listen!"  cried  some  voices.  "Gag 
him  !"  said  the  executioner  to  one  of  his  assistants.  But  he 
was  too  late :  the  curiosity  of  the  crowd  was  awakened,  and  as 
they  prepared  to  close  his  mouth  by  main  force,  the  cries 
were  redoubled.  "No,  no !  listen  !"  Taking  advantage  of 
the  moment,  the  unknown  mounted  on  the  pile,  and  addressed 
the  eager  crowd.  "  They  deceive  you  :  believe  me,  they  de- 
ceive you.  It  is  not  the  religion  of  Christ  which  they  teach 
you  :  it  is  Paganism  Christianized. "  "  Silence  !  silence  I" 
"Yes,  yes:  the  same  Paganism  which  the  Bible  anathematizes 
on  every  page.  Open  the  law  of  your  God,  and  you  will  find 
written  there,  you  who  prostrate  yourselves  before  wood  and 
stone,  these  words  proceeding  from  the  mouth  of  God  :  '  Thou 
shalt  not  make  any  graven  image :  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  to 
them,  nor  serve  them/  Exod.  xx.  4,  5.  And  you,  poor  pagan 
Catholics,  you  do  as  the  idolater  whom  the  prophet  Isaiah  ridi- 
cules. He  cuts  a  tree  from  the  forest :  he  burns  a  part  of  it 
in  the  fire  to  warm  himself,  and  to  cook  the  food  of  which  he 
eats ;  '  and  the  residue  thereof  he  maketh  a  god,  even  his 
graven  image :  he  falleth  down  unto  it,  and  worshippeth  it, 
and  prayeth  unto  it,  and  saith,  Deliver  me ;  for  thou  art  my 
God.' "  Isa.  xliv.  14-19.  Furious  at  the  hearing  of  these 
words,  a  monk  snatches  a  torch  from  the  hands  of  the  execu- 
tioner, and  brings  it  near  to  the  base  of  the  pile.  "  No,  no  !" 
cry  the  people  on  all  sides,  "  let  us  listen  to  the  end."  "  No  !" 
cry  other  voices,  "he  is  the  blasphemer  of  our  good  mother, 
whom  they  compel  to  kneel  before  the  Virgin,  the  mother  of 
God,  the  queen  of  heaven,  the  source  of  all  the  graces." 
"Well,  then,  listen  to  this  Virgin  Mary,"  interrupted  the 
stranger  :  "  listen  to  her.  She  herself  is  going  to  speak." 
Surprised  with  this  announcement,  always  ready  to  believe 
the  marvellous,  the  people  imagined  that  the  Virgin  Mary  was 
about  to  descend  from  heaven,  to  make  herself  heard.  All 
their  looks  were  directed  to  heaven,  to  see  her  arrive ;  and  the 
malefactor,  profiting  by  the  silence,  resumed  :  "  Hear  what 
the  Virgin  Mary  said — her  words  are  written  in  the  gospel : 
'My  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour.  For _  he  hath 
regarded  the  low  estate  of  his  handmaiden/  Luke  i.  47,  48. 
Thus,  she  whom  you  adore  herself  says  to  you  that  she  was 
drawn  from  a  low  estate,  and  that  she  is  only  the  handmaiden 


6  THE    HISTORY   OF   A   PIECE   OF    WOOD. 

of  the  Lord ;  and  you  dethrone  God  to  place  his  handmaiden 
upon  his  throne  :  you  keep  the  Saviour  of  the  world  in  the 
swaddling-clothes  of  infancy,  to  make  a  woman  reign,  llestore 
each  to  his  place  :  God  upon  his  throne,  Jesus  on  his  right 
hand,  and  the  Virgin  Mary  to  the  class  of  blessed  women  who 
bow  and  worship.  Believe  in  God,  who  created  you  :  believe 
in  Jesus  Christ,  who  can  save  you ;  but  place  yourselves  be- 
side Mary,  created  and  saved  like  you !  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
Son  of  God:  the  Virgin  is  the  daughter  of  man.  Jesus 
Christ  is  God.  Mary  is  a  woman,  and  if  you  can  understand 
your  privileges — if  you  have  courage  enough  to  break  the 
yoke  of  your  priests,  and  to  place  their  words  not  above  the 
gospel,  but  the  gospel  above  their  words,  you  will  see  that 
the  gospel,  the  New  Testament,  the  whole  Bible  condemns 
your  idolatry — that  everywhere  we  find  in  it,  Worship  God 
alone  :  believe  in  Jesus  Christ :  call  upon  the  Holy  Spirit ;  but 
that  not  a  single  word  of  worship,  faith,  or  prayer,  is  required 
from  the  Virgin  Mary.  This  is  what  the  word  of  Christ  says. 
If  you  do  not  wish  to  hear  it,  if  you  only  listen  to  the  voice 
of  your  Catholic  Church,  you  are  Catholics,  but  you  are  not 
Christians." 

This  time  the  monk  succeeded ;  and  while  the  crowd,  atten- 
tive to  these  words,  forgot  all  besides,  he  had  set  fire  to  the 
four  corners  of  the  pile.  The  flames  suddenly  ascended,  and 
the  fickle  multitude,  who  at  all  times  prefer  such  spectacles  to 
the  words  of  truth,  passed  very  quickly  from  the  impression 
that  they  had  received  from  this  discourse,  to  the  wish  to  see 
the  appearance  the  martyr  would  assume  in  the  midst  of  the 
fire,  which  already  crackled  in  every  part.  The  unknown 
joined  his  hands,  raised  a  resigned  look  toward  heaven,  and 
his  head  fell  motionless  upon  his  breast.  A  few  minutes  re- 
duced his  body  to  ashes;  but  his  soul  escaped  to  go  into 
heaven,  to  contemplate  the  glory  of  his  God,  and  to  enjoy  his 
love,  in  the  midst  of  the  crowd  of  martyrs,  of  apostles,  and 
by  the  side  of  the  Virgin  Mary. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   A  PIECE   OF   WOOL.  7 

CREATURE-WORSHIP 

"We  hear/'  says  Mr.  Browne,  "of  an  early  example  of  an  he- 
retical tendency  to  creature-worship,  which  seems  almost  provi- 
dentially to  have  been  permitted,  in  order  that  there  might 
be  an  early  testimony  borne  against  it.  Epiphanius  tells  us 
that  whereas  some  had  treated  the  Virgin  Mary  with  con- 
tempt, others  were  led  to  the  other  extreme  of  error,  so  that 
women  offered  cakes  before  her,  and  exalted  her  to  the  dig- 
nity of  one  to  be  worshipped.  This,  he  says,  was  a  doctrine 
invented  by  demons.  'No  doubt  the  body  of  Mary  was  holy; 
but  she  was  not  a  Gk>d.'  Again,  '  The  Virgin  was  a  virgin, 
and  to  be  honored ;  yet  not  given  us  to  be  worshipped,  but 
herself  worshipper  of  Him  who  was  born  of  her  after  the 
flesh ;  and  who  came  down  from  heaven  and  from  the  bosom 
of  his  Father.'  He  then  continues,  that '  the  words,  'Woman, 
what  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ?'  were  spoken  on  purpose 
that  we  might  know  her  to  be  a  woman,  and  not  esteem  her  as 
something  of  a  more  excellent  nature,  and  because  our  Lord 
foresaw  the  heresies  likely  to  arise/  Again  he  says,  '  Neither 
Elias,  though  he  never  died,  nor  Thecla,  nor  any  of  the  saints, 
is  to  be  worshipped.'  If  the  apostles  'will  not  allow  the 
angels  to  be  worshipped,  how  much  less  the  daughter  of 
Anna/  i.  e.  the  blessed  Virgin.  '  Let  Mary  be  honored,  but 
let  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  be  worshipped. 
Let  no  man  worship  Mary.'  'Therefore  though  Mary  be 
most  excellent,  holy  and  honored,  yet  is  it  not  that  she  should 
be  adored.' 

"  Thus  early  did  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  show  itself,  and 
thus  earnestly  did  the  Christian  fathers  protest  against  it. 

"  Gregory  Nazianzen  flourished  nearly  at  the  same  time 
with  Epiphanius,  towards  the  end  of  the  fourth  century. 
Archbishop  Usher  says,  that  his  writings  are  the  first  in 
which  we  meet  with  any  thing  like  an  address  to  the  spirits 
of  the  dead.  It  is  worth  while  to  see  how  this  is.  He  ex- 
pressly declares  all  worship  to  a  creature  to  be  idolatry.  He 
positively  charges  the  Arians  with  idolatry,  because  they,  not 
believing  the  Son  of  God  to  be  fully  equal  and  of  one  sub- 
stance with  the  Father,  yet  offered  prayers  to  Him.  It  is 
plain,  therefore,  that  any  address  made  by  him  to  the  departed 
could  not  be  intended  to  be  of  the  nature  of  that  inferior 


8  THE  HISTORY   OF  A  PIECE   OF  WOOD. 

worship,  which  the  Arians  offered  to  the  Son,  believing  him 
only  the  chief  of  the  creatures  of  God.  Yet  it  is  clear  that 
he  believed,  though  not  with  certainty,  that  departed  saints 
took  an  interest  in  all  that  passed  among  their  friends  and 
brethren  on  earth.  He  had  even  a  pious  persuasion,  that 
they  still  continued  as  much  as  ever  to  aid  with  their  prayers 
those  for  whom  they  had  been  wont  to  pray  on  earth.  And 
he  ventures  to  think,  if  it  be  not  too  bold  to  say  so,  that  the 
saints,  being  then  nearer  to  God,  and  having  put  off  the  fet- 
ters of  the  flesh,  have  more  avail  with  Him  than  when  on 
earth.  In  all  this  he  does  not  appear  to  have  gone  farther 
than  some  who  preceded  him ;  nor  is  there  any  thing  in  such 
speculations,  beyond  what  might  be  consistent  with  the  most 
Protestant  abhorrence  of  saint-worship  and  Mariolatry." 


THE   WAY  OF  LIFE 

How  can  we  attain  everlasting  life  ? 

Christ  says,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  :  no  man 
cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  me."  John  xiv.  6.     "  I  am 
the  door:  by  me  if  any  man  enter   in,  he  shall  be  saved." 
John  x.  9.     "For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  John  iii.  16.     "  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  :  and  he  that  believ- 
eth   not   the  Son  shall  not    see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him."  John  iii.  36.      "Neither  is  there  salvation 
in    any  other;  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  Acts  iv.  12. 
"Through  his  name  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  receive 
remission    of   sins."    Acts  x.  43.      "Through  this   man    is 
preached  unto  you   the  forgiveness  of  sins."  Acts  xiii.  38. 
Observe  the  answer  of  the  apostles  to  the  poor  jailer  eagerly 
inquiring,  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"      "And   they 
said,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shult    be 
saved,  and  thy  house."     Acts  xvi.  31.     We  are  "justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  m  Christ 
Jesus."  Rom.  iii.  24. 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Fubliihed  by  K.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


No.  46. 


THE   SCAPULAR. 


The  Scapular  is  "  an  oblong  piece  of  serge  or  other  woollen 
cloth,  resembling  a  flattened  pincushion,  marked  with  a  cross, 
and  the  initials  I.  H.  S.,  and  worn  suspended  from  the  neck  by 
a  ribbon."  This,  when  blessed  by  the  priest,  is  considered  to 
be  virtually  a  part  of  the  robe  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  is  held 
by  the  Roman  Catholics  in  the  highest  veneration. 

A  treatise  called  "  The  Scapular  Book"  was  a  few  years 
ago  reprinted  under  the  cognizance  of  the  Irish  Roman  hie- 
rarchy, and  industriously  circulated.  The  Roman  Breviary 
affirms,  among  other  things,  that  "  the  Virgin  is  pledged  to 
release  the  devout  of  the  Scapular,  without  loss  of  time,  from 
the  fiery  prison  of  purgatory." 

This  inestimable  badge  of  favor  was  first  bestowed  in  the 
year  1251,  on  the  16th  of  July,  in  the  Carmelite  convent  at 
Cambridge,  upon  a  man  of  the  name  of  Simon  Stock.  "  He 
was  upon  his  knees  in  the  oratory,"  says  the  book,  "  when  the 
most  glorious  Virgin,  environed  with  celestial  splendor,  at- 
tended by  thousands  of  angels,  appeared  before  him;  and, 
holding  the  sacred  Scapular  in  her  hand,  addressed  him  thus  : 
'  Receive,  most  beloved  son,  the  Scapular  of  thy  order,  a  sign 
of  my  confraternity,  a  privilege  both  to  thee  and  to  all  Car- 
melites, in  which  whosoever  dieth,  shall  not  suffer  eternal  fire. 
Behold  the  sign  of  salvation,  a  safeguard  in  danger,  the  co- 
venant of  peace  and  everlasting  alliance.'  "  And  "  ever 
since  the  institution,"  continues  the  Scapular  Book,  "  it  has 
been  favored  by  Almighty  G-od  with  many  graces  and  miracles : 
insomuch  that  by  reason  of  the  sacred  Scapular,  the  sick  have 
been  cured :  persons  bewitched  and  possessed  have  been  freed  : 
women  in  travail  have  been  miraculously  assisted.  It  also 
hath  extinguished  fire,  when  cast  into  flames  for  that  purpose. 
It  hath  appeased  violent  tempests,  when  thrown  into  the  sea 
in  times  of  danger.  In  fine,  it  is  known  by  daily  experience 
to  be  a  sovereign  remedy  for  all  the  evils  of  this  life,  botli 


I  THE   SCAPULAR. 

temporal  and  spiritual :  insomuch  that  the  devils  have  often 
been  heard  to  howl,  saying,  '  Woe  to  us,  by  reason  of  the 
sacred  Scapular  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary  of  Mount  Car- 
mel !'  " 

"  Why,  this  outdoes  spirit-rapping.  Modern  quackery  has 
done  and  said  wonders;  but  I  see  it  is  a  very  humble  and  dis- 
tant imitator.  And  I  suppose  'lying  miracles'  have  not  beer 
wanting  to  give  confirmation  to  the  blasphemous  nonsense.'' 

Be  patient,  and  you  shall  hear.  Simon,  a  native  of  Kent 
when  twelve  years  of  age,  had  withdrawn  into  one  of  its 
wealds,  where  he  lived  twenty  years  in  the  trunk  of  a  hollow 
tree — a  circumstance  which  secured  him  the  surname  of 
Stock — subsisting  on  roots  and  herbs;  except  on  festival 
days,  when  an  inspired  dog,  of  what  description  is  not  J 
think  noted,  carried  him  a  holiday  repast.  But  this  modern 
Elijah  was  still  more  favored.  The  Yirgin  Mary,  dividing 
her  presence  between  the  realms  of  glory  and  the  bower  of 
the  young  hermit,  beguiled  his  hours  with  celestial  converse. 
So  saith  the  legend. 

"Well;  and  as  to  his  Scapular?" 

0  !  immediately  after  its  miraculous  reception,  an  opportu- 
nity luckily  offered  for  the  purpose  of  testing  its  virtues. 
Having  occasion  to  go  to  Winchester,  to  transact  some  busi- 
ness with  the  bishop,  Simon  was  besought  to  pay  a  visit  to 
Walter,  brother  of  the  Dean  of  the  church  of  St.  Helen's, 
who  was  dying  in  a  state  of  distraction.  He  found  him 
grinding  his  teeth,  rolling  his  eyes,  invoking  Satan;  in  fact, 
stark  mad :  but  no  sooner  did  the  holy  Simon  lay  the  Scapu- 
lar on  the  maniac,  than  he  was  instantly  cured  !  He  made 
confession  of  his  sin,  renounced  the  devil,  received  the  rites 
of  the  Church,  and  the  same  night  died  in  all  the  odor  of 
sanctity !  Nor  is  this  the  whole.  The  Dean  had  some  mis- 
givings as  to  his  brother's  salvation — why,  does  not  appear : 
when,  to  remove  his  doubts,  the  dead  man  visited  him,  assur- 
ing him  that  by  the  virtues  of  the  Scapular  he  had  eluded 
all  the  snares  of  the  devil,  and  escaped  everlasting  damnation  ! 

"Bravo!  Who  but  a  fool  would  run  the  risk  of  dying 
without  a  Scapular  V 

But  there  is  a  more  amusing  story.  It  refers  to  a  cir- 
cumstance which  happened  four  hundred  years  subsequently 
to  the  time  of  Simon — precisely  on   the  10th  day  of  July, 


THE   SCAPULAR.  3 

1622 — and  you  know  how  much  depends  upon  circumstai 
tiality  in  such  details.  A  military  officer,  by  name  Alexandc 
Dominic,  coming  that  day  out  of  a  bath  at  Avignon,  wat 
met  by  an  assassin,  who  discharged  a  loaded  pistol  into  the 
unfortunate  Chevalier's  body.  "  0  blessed  Virgin  of  Mount 
Carmel,  assist  me !"  exclaimed  the  dying  man.  The  word? 
operated  like  magic;  for,  strange  to  say,  he  had  no  soonei 
uttered  them,  than  he  found  the  bullets  had  fallen  into  a 
lower  part  of  his  dress.  And  upon  examination  it  was  dis- 
covered that  the  holy  Scapular,  which  fortunately  he  wore 
next  his  skin,  had  counteracted  the  effects  of  gunpowder, 
and  stopped  the  progress  of  the  instruments  of  destruction, 
after  they  had  singed  his  cloak,  and  passed  through  his 
doublet  and  shirt,  slipping  them  harmlessly  down  into  his 
trowsers,  to  the  inexpressible  joy  of  the  horrified  Alexander 
Dominic  !  Sixteen  years  afterwards  occurred  another  of  these 
miraculous  attestations.  I  mean,  the  Scapular  Book  says  so. 
This  was  at  Toulon.  A  fire  broke  out  which  threatened 
destruction  to  the  whole  neighborhood,  and  which  no  efforts 
or  supply  of  water  could  subdue;  when  the  lady  of  a  Mr. 
Richards  (here  too  all  is  circumstantial)  bethought  herseli 
of  the  Scapular,  which  was  no  sooner  cast  into  the  flamet 
than  they  instantly  went  out. 

The  author  says,  "The  Scapular  is  the  mantle  or  livery 
of  the  blessed  Virgin,  before  whom  prophets  and  apostles 
fade  away  into  utter  insignificance/' 

The  order  of  the  Carmelites  seem  most  deeply  implicated 
in  this  disgusting  and  blasphemous  procedure.  The  Virgin 
is  their  patroness;  and  the  book  to  which  we  have  more 
than  once  referred  says,  "  There  is  no  doubt  but  the  blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  by  maternal  right,  is  with  Christ  president  of 
heaven  and  earth.  It  is  fitting  and  convenient  that  Mary 
should  possess  what  is  her  Son's.  Hence  may  be  inferred 
how  she  can  free  from  purgatory  the  souls  of  her  devotees, 
and  fulfil  her  other  promises  to  the  brothers  and  sisters  of 
the  confraternity.  For  being  mother  of  the  Word  incarnate, 
there  is  due  to  her  a  certain  power  or  dominion  over  all 
things  spiritual  and  temporal  to  which  the  authority  of  her 
Son  extends:  so  that  she  has,  by  natural  right  of  mater- 
nity, a  power  almost  like  that  of  her  Son.  Relying,  there- 
fore, upon  this  her  participated  omnipotency,  she  promised 


THE  SCAPULAR. 


of  hell-fire,  and  from  mflLP/Sy'  fT  the  eterDal  P™* 
life  aa  w»     «„£♦ T     ?  J  daUgera  and  Amities  of  this 

mote  them.       This  charge  was  irresistible.     «  The  supinenU 
of  the  Pope,"  says  Mr.  Croly,*  -  was  quietened  in  o  ho  v 

Sn   ^    +?e  ^V^  CameIiteS  UDder  his  P^teotion,  and 
endowed   their    institute   with  the  most  ample   privileges" 
And  quoting  the  same  veracious  authority,  still  to  expose  it, 
It  happened/   he   continues,  "once   upon  a  time  in   the 
city  of  Chester,  on  occasion  of  a  pestilence  raging  there— a 
curse  that  fell  upon  the  people  in  consequence  of  some  dis- 
respect that  was  shown  the  Carmelites  of  that  neighborhood 
—that  a  public  procession  took  place  to  appease  the  divine 
wrath.     In  the  procession  there  were  some  father  Carmelites 
who    as  it  moved  along,  passing  near  a  wooden    statue   of 
the  Virgin,  which  was  held  in  the  utmost  veneration,  bowed 
respectfully   to   it,  saluting   it   also   with   the    words,    'Ave 
Maria!'  'Hail,  Mary!'  when,  lo  and  behold  you,  the' statue 
bowed  its  head  respectfully  in  return.     It  should  rather  have 
curtsied.     It  also  stretched  forth  a  finger  which  before  was 
doubled — a  strange  circumstance  in  a  wooden  finger — and, 
pointing  to  the  father  Carmelites  in  the  procession,  opened 
its  mouth,  and  distinctly  articulated  three  times  the  follow- 
ing words  :  l  Behold,  these  are  my  brothers  !'  " 

But  enough,  and  more  than  enough,  of  such  impious  pro- 
fanity. Hail,  Protestantism !  May  thy  friends  never  forget 
their  obligations  to  thee  ! 

*  See  "An  Inquiry  into  the  principal  Points  of  Difference,  real  or 
imaginary,  between  the  two  Churches,  (Roman  and  Protestant,)  with 
a  view  to  religious  Harmony  and  Forbearance,  by  the  Rev.  David 
0.  Croly,"  (formerly  a  priest.) 

Nashville,  Tenn, :  Published  by  E.  Stevenson  k  V.  A.  Owen,  for  (he  M.  E.  Church,  Sontb. 


No.  47. 


THE   GENIUS  OF  POPERY  EXEM- 
PLIFIED. 


Some  time  ago,  when  travelling  through  a  part  of  Ireland, 
I  had  to  visit  one  of  the  towns  which  is  very  near  the  centre 
of  the  kingdom.  After  preaching  there  one  evening,  a  friend 
requested  me  to  have  a  little  conversation  with  a  young  man 

of  the  name  of  Henry .     I  knew  not  what  was  to  be  the 

purport  of  the  conversation  ;  but  when  I  retired  into  the 
house  adjoining  the  place  of  worship,  the  young  man  came 
into  the  parlor ;  and,  after  inviting  him  to  take  a  chair,  I 
desired  him  to  mention  the  subject  which  he  had  been 
requested  to  lay  before  me.  He  then  gave  me  the  following 
statement :  His  father,  mother,  and  family  belonged  to  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  his  parents  designed  him  for  the 
priesthood.  In  consequence  of  their  intentions,  and  his  own 
inclination,  he  received  a  good  education.  He  was  well 
versed  in  the  Latin,  and  also  the  Greek  language ;  and  was 
preparing  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  as  a  Roman  Catholic 
priest.  One  day  a  neighbor  called  at  his  father's  house,  and 
stated  that  his  family  were  removing  to  another  village,  and 
that  they  were  carrying  with  them  the  various  articles  of 
household  furniture.  He  brought  with  him  a  large  Bible, 
which  they  could  not  conveniently  take  that  day,  and  requested 
permission  to  leave  it  for  a  few  days.  Henry's  father  con- 
sented, and  ordered  the  book  to  be  carried  up  stairs  into  one 
of  the  chambers. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  the  father  said  to  Henry,  "  Fetch 
down  that  book,  and  read  in  it  a  little."  Henry  replied,  "  I 
had  rather  not,  father."  His  father  then  commanded  him  to 
go  for  it,  which  he  did;  and  when  he  brought  it  down,  the 
father  asked  him  to  read  a  little  ;  and,  though  very  unwilling, 
lie  obeyed  tho  command  of  his  parent.  The  passage  on 
17 


*  THE   GENIUS   OF   POPERY   EXEMPLIFIED. 

which  he  opened  was  in  the  First  Epistle  to  Timothy,  and  he 
read  on  till  he  came  to  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  chapter, 
and  especially  to  those  words,  "  Forbidding  to  marry,  and 
commanding  to  abstain  from  meats,  which  God  hath  created 
to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  them  which  believe  and 
know  the  truth.  For  every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and 
nothing  to  be  refused,  if  it  be  received  with  thanksgiving  ; 
for  it  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer." 

Henry  was  surprised,  and  asked  his  father,  "Is  this  a  true 
Bible  V  and  his  father  replied  that  he  believed  it  was. 
"Then,"  said  Henry,  "if  that  be  right,  we  are  wrong." 
From  that  time  Henry  embraced  every  opportunity  for  reading 
the  word  of  God  on  his  own  account.  His  mind  became  more 
and  more  enlightened ;  and  he  not  only  saw  the  errors  of 
Popery,  but  he  became  more  deeply  concerned  for  the  salva- 
tion of  his  own  soul. 

A  few  weeks  afterwards,  one  Monday,  his  father  asked  him, 
"  Henry,  where  were  you  yesterday  ?"  He  replied,  at  such  a 
place  of  worship,  referring  to  a  Protestant  chapel.  "And 
where  were  you  the  Sunday  before  V  He  replied,  "At  the 
same  place."  "And  do  you  mean  to  go  there,  and  not  to  our 
chapel  V  Henry  replied,  "I  do  :  because,  father,  the  book 
which  you  desired  me  to  read,  proves  that  we  are  wrong." 
The  father  immediately  seized  a  sword-cane,  drew  out  the 
sword,  and  struck  Henry  on  the  forehead,  and  cut  it  deeply. 
(I  saw  the  mark  of  the  wound,  which  he  will  carry  with  him 
to  the  grave.)  The  father  continued  striking  him,  till  Henry 
ran  up  stairs,  entered  his  chamber,  and  barricaded  the  door. 
He  remained  there  till  morning,  and  found,  when  daylight 
appeared,  that  the  floor  was  almost  covered  with  his  blood. 

At  length  he  ventured  down  stairs,  and  found  that  his 
father,  and  a  young  man,  a  cousin  of  his,  had  sticks  prepared 
to  beat  him  with  :  both  of  whom  broke  their  sticks  on  his 
back  and  head.  While  they  went  into  the  yard  to  procure 
others,  Henry  passed  into  a  small  parlor,  the  window  of  which 
was  open.  He  got  through,  and,  though  without  hat  or  coat, 
ran  as  swiftly  as  he  could  to  a  neighboring  village,  and  seeing' 
a  door  open,  he  rushed  into  the  house,  which  provi'th-nicilly 
proved  to  be  the  house  of  a  pious  Protestant.  'Picv  lie  on. 
tinued  to  reside,  without  venturing  back  to  his  father's  family. 
After  Henry  had  given  me  this  statement,  I  aaked  him  why 


THE   GENIUS   OF   POPERY   EXEMPLIFIED.  3 

he  was  so  unwilling  to  read  in  the  Bible  which  had  been  left 
at  his  father's  house,  and  which  he  declined  reading  till  he 
received  the  command  of  his  father. 

He  then  informed  me  that,  some  time  before,  one  of  the 
priests  called  at  the  house  of  a  neighbor,  and  saw  a  Bible 
lying  on  the  table.  He  directed  one  of  the  children  to  bring 
him  a  hatchet,  which  the  child  brought.  He  then  cut  the 
Bible  in  pieces,  and  ordered  the  children  to  go  and  bury  them 
in  the  dunghill :  which  they  did.  He  then  ordered  the  father 
and  mother  to  come  to  the  chapel  on  the  following  Friday. 
Before  they  came,  he  had  caused  gravel  to  be  strewed  on  the 
floor.  When  they  arrived,  he  ordered  them  to  bare  their 
knees,  and  to  go  fifteen  times  round  the  chapel  on  their  bared 
knees,  which  caused  them  to  stream  with  blood.  "  That/'  said 
Henry, "  was  the  cause  why  I  was  afraid  to  read  in  that  book." 

About  ten  days  since,  says  a  minister  in  Ireland,  I  happened 
to  meet,  in  company,  a  young  woman,  twenty  or  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  who  was  educated  a  strict  Roman  Catholic,  and 
highly  advanced  in  one  of  their  devout  orders. 

She  gave,  on  that  occasion,  the  following  account :  By  read- 
ing some  tracts  written  by  the  Rev.  Gideon  Ouseley  and 
others,  on  the  Popish  controversy,  she  was  convinced  of  the 
errors  of  that  system.  The  pamphlets,  which  she  had  kept 
concealed  in  the  case  of  the  clock,  which  it  was  her  duty  to 
wind  up,  were  discovered  and  destroyed  by  her  mother.  She 
chastened  her  severely  for  having  them,  and  reported  her  to 
the  clergy,  who  used  their  influence,  with  that  of  her  parents, 
to  reclaim  her,  but  in  vain.  She  afterwards  procured  a  Bible, 
which,  at  convenient  intervals,  she  was  much  in  the  habit  of 
reading,  and  made  a  pocket  for  it,  and  carried  it  about  her 
person,  to  avoid  discovery. 

One  morning,  while  reading  it  in  her  room,  she  was  sud- 
denly called  down  stairs,  and,  in  her  haste  to  obey  the  call, 
forgot  the  Bible,  leaving  it  behind  her  on  the  table.  Hei 
sister  entering  the  room  in  her  absence  saw  the  Bible,  and 
told  her  mother,  who  came  to  witness  it  herself.  She  then 
sent  for  the  priest,  who  came  without  delay.  The  young 
woman  was  called  into  the  parlor,  and  her  mother  brought  the 
Bible  down  stairs  in  her  hand,  but  with  a  cloth  interposed,  to 
prevent  the  defilement  of  touching  the  book  with  her  hand 


4  THE   GENIUS    OF   POPERY   EXEMPLIFIED. 

The  priest  reproved  and  admonished  the  young  woman  sharp- 
ly for  having  such  a  book.  Then,  taking  up  the  fire-poker, 
he  raised  up  the  coals  which  were  on  the  top  of  the  fire ;  and 
having  thus  prepared  a  place  for  the  Bible,  her  mother  thrust 
it  into  the  flame.  While  the  Bible  was  burning,  the  priest 
emphatically  said,  "  Thus  shall  it  be  with  the  author,  the 
owner,  and  the  reader  of  that  book."  The  young  woman, 
looking  on  with  painful  feeling,  said,  "  If  the  Author  is  con- 
sumed, I  am  sure  it  is  bad  enough ;  for  the  Author  of  that 
book  is  Jesus  Christ, — it  is  God's  book."  For  such  expres- 
sions she  was  severely  rebuked;  and  after  the  Bible  was 
burned,  the  cloth  in  which  her  mother  brought  it  down  stairs 
she  also  thrust  into  the  fire,  and  it  was  consumed.  Holy 
water  was  then  procured,  and  the  house  was  sprinkled  and 
purged  by  it  from  the  foul  contamination  of  the  dreadful  book. 

From  the  severity  of  the  treatment  she  received  on  account 
of  her  heresy,  and  the  danger  which  she  apprehended  of 
being  put  into  some  place  of  confinement,  she  soon  after  fled 
from  her  father's  house,  and  is  now  in  the  service  of  a  highly 
respectable  clergyman  of  the  Established  Church,  who  affords 
her  shelter  and  protection.  This  scene  did  not  occur  in  a 
remote  village,  or  an  obscure  country  place,  but  in  the  heart 
of  the  city  of  Dublin.  As  I  had  it  from  the  young  woman's 
own  lips,  I  have  adhered  to  her  own  words,  and  could  mention 
names,  street,  and  number. 

Such  is  the  determination  of  the  Koman  Catholic  priests  to 
prevent  their  people  from  reading  the  book  of  Grod ! 


Nashville,  Tenn. :  Published  by  B.  Stevenson  k  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  K.  Chnroh,  Sontk. 


No.  48. 


GIANT    POPE. 


Among  the  most  graphic  pictures  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress, 
is  the  scene  placed  by  the  immortal  dreamer  at  the  end  of 
the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death  : — 

"Now  I  saw  in  #my  dream,  that  at  the  end  of  the  valley 
lay  blood,  bones,  ashes,  and  mangled  bodies  of  men,  even  of 
pilgrims  that  had  gone  this  way  formerly;  and  while  I 
was  musing  what  should  be  the  reason,  I  espied  a  little 
before  me  a  cave,  where  two  giants,  Pope  and  Pagan,  dwelt 
in  old  time;  by  whose  power  and  tyranny  the  men  whose 
bones,  blood,  ashes,  etc.,  lay  there,  were  cruelly  put  to  death. 
But  by  this  place  Christian  went  without  much  danger, 
whereat  I  somewhat  wondered ;  but  I  have  learned  since, 
that  Pagan  has  been  dead  many  a  day;  and  as  for  the 
other,  though  he  be  yet  alive,  he  is,  by  reason  of  age,  and  also 
of  the  many  shrewd  brushes  that  he  met  with  in  his  younger 
days,  grown  so  crazy  and  stiff  in  his  joints,  that  he  can  now 
do  little  more  than  sit  in  his  cave's  mouth,  grinning  at  pil- 
grims as  they  go  by,  and  biting  his  nails  because  he  cannot 
come  at  them.  So  I  saw  that  Christian  went  on  his  way; 
yet,  at  the  sight  of  the  old  man  that  sat  at  the  mouth  of  the 
cave,  he  could  not  tell  what  to  think,  especially  because  he 
spoke  to  him,  though  he  could  not  go  after  him,  saying,  '  You 
will  never  mend  till  more  of  you  be  burned/  But  he  held 
his  peace,  and  set  a  good  face  on  it,  and  so  went  by  and 
catched  no  hurt." 

John  JJunyan,  it  seems,  did  not  entertain  the  opinion,  so 
popular  at  present,  that  Popery  has  lost  its  appetite  for  blood. 
He  did  not  think  it  had  in  his  age — we  do  not  think  it  has  to 
this  day.     (Kant  Pope  is  just  what  he  was  when  Bunyan  s"aw 


£  GIANT   POPE. 

him  iu  his  dream.  In  proof  of  this,  read  the  "  Letters  Apos- 
tolic of  our  Most  Holy  Lord,  Pope  Pius,  concerning  the  Dog- 
matic Definition  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Mother 
of  God,"  in  December,  1854,  as  published  in  the  Freeman's 
Journal,  a  Komish  paper  of  New  York,  February  17,  1855. 
In  this  document  the  Pope  says :  "  Wherefore,  if  any  shall 
dare — which  Grod  avert! — to  think  otherwise  than  as  it  has 
been  defined  by  Us,  they  should  know  and  understand  that 
they  are  condemned  by  their  own  judgment,  that  they  have 
suffered  shipwreck  of  the  faith,  and  have  revolted  from  the 
unity  of  the  Church  •  and  besides,  by  their  own  act  they  sub- 
ject themselves  to  the  penalties  justly  established,  if  what 
they  think  they  should  clave  to  signify  by  word,  writing,  or 
any  other  outward  means."  In  his  Encyclical  Letter,  August 
15,  1852,  Pius  says:  "The  absurd  and  erroneous  doctrine  or 
raving  in  defence  of  liberty  of  conscience,  is  a  most  pestilen- 
tial error — a  pest  of  all  others  most  to  be  dreaded  in  a  state." 
The  Givilta  Cattolica,  issued  at  Rome,  is  perhaps  the  most 
authoritative  journal  published  by  the  Papists,  Roniish  editors 
in  Protestant  countries  quote  it  with  marked  deference.  In  No- 
vember, 1854,  the  Civiltd  put  forth  an  elaborate  article  defend- 
ing the  coercive  power  of  the  Church  of  Rome  in  the  broadest 
terms.  It  says  :  "  The  Church  is  meek,  because  this  is  her 
spirit — not  as  if  she,  being  a  spiritual  society,  has  no  right 

TO  PUNISH,  EVEN  WITH  BLOOD  OR  WITH  DEATH." 

The  Paris  Univers,  a  Jesuitical  organ,  says  :  "A  heretic 
examined  and  convicted  by  the  Church,  used  to  be  delivered 
over  to  the  secular  power  and  punished  with  death.  Nothing 
has  ever  appeared  to  us  more  necessary.  More  than  one 
hundred  thousand  persons  perished  in  consequence  of  the 
heresy  of  Wickliffe  :  a  still  greater  number  for  that  of  John 
Huss ;  and  it  would  not  be  possible  to  calculate  the  bloodshed 
caused  by  Luther — and  it  is  not  yet  over. 

"As  for  myself,  what  I  regret,  I  frankly  own,  is,  that  they 
did  not  burn  John  Huss  sooner,  and  that  they  did  not  like- 
wise burn  Luther.  This  happened  because  there  "was  not 
found  some  prince  sufficiently  politic  to  stir  up  a  crusade 
against  Protestants." 

Brownson,  in  bis  Quarterly  Review,  published  in  Boston, 
follows  close  in  the  wake.  In  October,  1851*.  he  wrote : — 
11  The  liberty  of  heresy  and  unbelief  is  not  a  right. 


GIANT   POPE.  3 

All  the  rights  the  sects  have  or  can  have,  are  derived  from 
the  state,  and  rest  on  expediency.  As  they  have,  in  their 
character  of  sects  hostile  to  the  true  religion,  no  rights  under 
the  law  of  nature  or  the  law  of  God,  they  are  neither 
wronged  nor  deprived  of  liberty  if  the  state  refuses  to  grant 
them  any  rights  at  all. 

"  The  sorriest  sight  to  us  is  a  Catholic  throwing  up  his  cap 
and  shouting,  'All  hail,  democracy  !'  " 

He  says  again  :  "  Protestantism  of  every  form  has  not,  and 
never  can  have,  any  rights  where  Catholicity  is  triumphant." 

"Let  us  dare  to  assert  the  truth  in  the  face  of  the  lying 
world,  and,  instead  of  pleading  for  our  Church  at  the  bar  of 
the  State,  summon  the  State  itself  to  plead  at  the  bar  of  the 
Church,  its  divinely  constituted  judge. " 

"  I  never  think  of  publishing  any  thing  in  regard  to  the 
Church,  without  submitting  my  articles  to  the  Bishop  for  in- 
spection, approval,  and  endorsement." 

The  Shepherd  of  the  Valley,  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  says,  No- 
vember 23,  1851:  "The  Church  is  of  necessity  intolerant. 
Heresy  she  endures  when  and  where  she  must;  but  she  hates 
it,  and  directs  all  her  energies  to  its  destruction.  If  Catho- 
lics ever  gain  an  immense  numerical  majority,  religious  free- 
dom in  this  country  is  at  an  end.  So  our  enemies  say.  So 
we  believe." 

And  again  :  "  Protestantism  of  every  kind  Catholicity  in- 
serts in  her  catalogue  of  mortal  sins  :  she  endures  it  when 
and  where  she  must;  but  she  hates  it,  and  directs  all  her 
energies  to  eifect  its  destruction." 

And  still  again,  October  22,  1853  :  "  We  think  the  '  masses' 
were  never  less  happy,  less  respectable,  and  less  respected,  than 
they  have  been  since  the  Reformation,  and  particularly  within 
the  last  fifty  or  one  hundred  years — since  Lord  Brougham 
caught  the  mania  of  teaching  them  to  read,  and  communi- 
cated the  disease  to  a  large  proportion  of  the  English  nation,  of 
which,  in  spite  of  all  our  talk,  we  are  too  often  the  servile 
imitators." 

And  the  Romish  Archbishop  of  St.  Louis  says  :_  "Heresy 
and  unbelief  are  crimes;  and  in  Christian  countries,  as  in 
Italy  ar<d  Spain,  for  instance,  where  all  the  people  sre  Catho- 
lics, and  where  the  Catholic  religion  is  an  essential  part  of  the 
law  of  the  land,  they  are  punished  as  other  crimes." 


*  GIANT    VOl'K. 

The  Rambler  (1843)  says:  "Religious  liberty,  in  the 
sense  ofa  liberty  possessed  by  every  man  to  choose  his 
religion,  is  one  of  the  most  wretched  delusions  ever  foisted  on 
this  age  by  the  father  of  all  deceit." 

And  again :  "  You  ask,  if  he  (the  pope)  were  lord  in  the 
land,  and  you  were  in  a  minority,  if  not  in  numbers,  yet  in 
power,  what  would  he  do  to  you  ?  That,  we  say,  would  en- 
tirely depend  on  circumstances.  If  it  would  benefit  the  cause 
of  Catholicism,  he  would  tolerate  you  :  if  expedient,  he  would 
imprison  you,  banish  you,  fine  you,  possibly  he  might  even 
hang  you;  but,  be  assured  of  one  thing,  he  would  never 
tolerate  you  for  the  sake  of  the  l  glorious  principles'  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty." 

The  Boston  Pilot  speaks  in  the  same  healthy  tone :  "  No 
good  government  can  exist  without  religion;  and  there  can 
be  no  religion  without  an  inquisition,  which  is  wisely  designed 
for  the  promotion  and  protection  of  true  faith." 

So  the  Pittsburgh  Catholic  Visitor,  in  alluding  to  the  sup- 
pression of  the  Protestant  chapel  at  Rome,  in  1848  :  "  For 
our  own  part,  we  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  our 
hearty  delight  at  the  suppression  of  the  Protestant  chapel  at 
Rome.  This  may  be  thought  intolerant ;  but  when,  we  would 
ask,  did  we  ever  profess  to  be  tolerant  of  Protestantism,  or 
favor  the  doctrine  that  Protestantism  ought  to  be  tolerated  ? 
On  the  contrary,  we  hate  Protestantism — we  detest  it  with 
our  whole  heart  and  soul — and  we  pray  that  our  aversion  to 
it  may  never  decrease.  We  hold  it  meet  that  in  the  Eternal 
City  no  worship  repugnant  to  Grod  should  be  tolerated,  and 
we  are  sincerely  glad  that  the  enemies  of  truth  are  no  longer 
allowed  to  meet  together  in  the  capital  of  the  Christian 
world." 

The  foregoing  quotations  speak  for  themselves.  We  do 
not  call  attention  to  them  for  the  purpose  of  arraying  Protest- 
ants in  a  persecuting  attitude  against  Papists.  God  forbid  ! 
But  we  do  wish  Protestants  to  be  apprised  of  the  principles 
and  aims  of  Popery,  that  they  might  be  induced,  by  evangel- 
ical measures — and  such  alone  we  recommend — to  stem  the 
progress  of  this  dangerous  heresy.  "  With  the  well-advised 
is  wisdom." 


Nashville,  Tain. .  Published  by  K.  Stevenson  &  F.  A.  Owen,  for  the  M.  E.  Church,  South.