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and infidelity. I should think that the funds and agency of the Protestant Association would be well bestowed in promoting such lectures.

I would further beg to recommend the Repeal of the Act for the Endowment of Maynooth, as an object to be steadily kept in view, and that for this purpose, Petitions should be poured into Parliament as soon as it is assembled.

I also venture to suggest, that the formation of Operative Associations, as widely as possible throughout the land, would be of essential benefit to the Protestant cause.

And may I be allowed to propose the subject of the establishment of a Protestant newspaper in every county in the kingdom, for the joint consideration of the Protestant Association and the Reformation Society?

A MEMBER OF THE PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.

MAYNOOTH AND THE IRISH EDUCATION SCHEME. į
(To the Editor of the Protestant Magazine.)

SIR, It appears highly desirable that petitions should be sent in as soon as Parliament assembles, one for the Repeal of the Maynooth Endowment Act, and the discontinuance of all grants to the Church of Rome, the other against the Irish scheme of National Education. With regard to the first, it is clearly a Christian duty not to consent without protest to be annually taxed for teaching a false religion. For the latter, we ought not, on similar principles, tacitly to acquiesce in an annual grant of £70,000 for maintaining schools, in which the Scriptures are taught in a mutilated form. I observe that this system of education forms one of the topics of complaint in the appeal from the Irish Protestants, signed by the Earl of Roden. It is surely no time to go to sleep, now that the enemy is at our gates, if not already within the fortress. I am not one of those who think that - petitions are of no use. The history of our country proves the contrary.

A SUBSCRIBer.

THE JESUITS IN NEW ZEALAND.

THE Journal des Débats of Dec. 3, devotes a lengthened article to the Popish Mission under M. Pampalier, "Catholic Bishop and Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania." On serious hostilities breaking out between the British settlers and the natives under John Heki, M. Pampalier addressed an elaborate letter to Heki (dated Jan. 31, 1845), setting forth his desire for the preservation of peace, and his anxious care for the temporal and eternal welfare of the New Zealanders, whether those inclined to "the blindness of Protestantism,” or those who have not yet embraced any religion.

A second letter of M. Pampalier (dated April 1), is in reply to a communication from Captain Howe, warning him to provide for his safety, as a strict blockade of the island is about to be

established

These letters of the bishop had, of course, some other object in view than the enlightenment of Heki, or the information of Captain Howe. They are published prominently by the Débats, which congratulates the Catholics on having such faithful, zealous, and able ministers as M. Pampalier to uphold and spread the true faith.

People must form their own judgment whether the labours of M. Pampalier and his priests are really likely to assist in the pacification of the island. His reference to the English as strangers, to the darkness of their faith and understanding, and to the rights of native sovereignty, may, perhaps, create an impression the reverse of favourable to British domination; and the elaborate contrast drawn by the bishop between the people who have come to New Zealand for secular purposes, and to seize the government, with the pious mission which only cares for the soul's health of the natives, and would freely leave them in the possession of peace, prosperity, and native sovereignty, is too marked for its intention to be misunderstood.

From an intelligent volume just published by Dr. Martin, lately a member of the Legislative Council of New Zealand, we have some instructive details respecting Bishop Pampalier's mission. Here they

are:

"The Church missionaries have a very powerful rival in a French Roman Catholic bishop recently settled at Kororarika. He is fast recommending himself and his doctrines to both Europeans and natives. He has public worship morning and evening at his house, which is attended by almost all the natives at Kororarika. It is worthy of remark, that these natives have hitherto withstood every effort of the Church missionaries, and were, indeed, abandoned as hopeless. The success of the bishop is therefore more likely to be owing to liberal presents of blankets than to any impression made by his preaching or doctrine. The Europeans say that the natives will abandon him whenever the presents cease. I suspect, however, that the forms and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church are much more likely to affect the minds of uncivilized and naturally highly superstitious men, than the more simple service of the Protestant churches. As Missionaries, the JESUITS, to which order Bishop Pampalier belongs, have been, generally speaking, eminently successful. Nearly every native at Kororarika wears an emblem of the Church of Rome, either in the shape of a cross around his neck, or a small figure of the Virgin fastened with a piece of tape to his ear."

This at least shows the activity of the Jesuits, and their success in inducing the natives to adopt the emblems of superstition. In other respects, their exertions do not seem to have been of great value; for in the next page we read an account of a mourning in the midst of the settlement, at which a great number of the natives attended, doubtless with their emblems of the Romish faith still about them. After hideous howling, they gashed themselves in the most frightful manner with pieces of broken glass-their mode of penance. The Doctor writes: "It was the most hideous sight I ever witnessed ;—the exhibition was altogether more like that of fiends than of human beings.”

Dr. Martin's account was written in 1839. We are not acquainted with the progress since made by Bishop Pampalier's mission, but it is

a singular coincidence that the immediate theatre of his labours,—the Bay of Islands,—should have been the locality in which the natives first displayed open resistance to the British rule, and commenced the war by the destruction of the whole settlement, excepting only the Jesuit mission-house. In the eyes of devout Roman Catholics, this fact will be regarded as a heavenly dispensation. The Protestants will be inclined to refer it to a more natural source.-Britannia.

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE; OR, EXTRAORDINARY DEMAND FOR THE SCRIPTURES IN MANCHESTER.

LETTER OF THE RIGHT REV. THE LORD BISHOP OF CHESTER. "The Bible and the Bible alone is the religion of Protestants.”—CHILLINGworth. A STATEMENT having appeared in the Record as to the extraordinary sale of the Scriptures in Manchester, and an editorial note being appended to the same, stating a desire to be fully informed upon the subject, we at once wrote down to a well-known, intelligent, pious, discriminating, and long-tried friend at Manchester, to ascertain the truth of the fact mentioned. Our inquiry has been attended with results the most satisfactory. Our friend writes as follows:

Manchester, December 16, 1845. My dear Sir,—Your "Record" only came to hand this morning. The statement you have marked is literally correct, as you will perceive on reading the enclosed letters, which I obtained at our Bible Depository here, and the agent of which, on whose veracity I can rely, assures me of the correctness of the statement therein. This wonderful movement is still going on. Yesterday, the sales at the Depository amounted to 1,300 Bibles and Testaments. Let us, my dear Sir, thank God and take courage. It appears to me that the people are thus led to arm themselves in the most effectual way—even with the blessed Word of the living God. Cannot our Protestant Association help in the blessed work? Will they not, by those means, accomplish best the great end they have in view? And what efficient distributors would our operatives prove in spreading far and wide the Scriptures? Turn them, I would say, into as many colporteurs, and what a work would be effected! Here in our Sunday-schools, our factories, our workshops, our police establishments, the pleasing and delightful scene is presented of a demand for the Word of God. In our Sunday-school alone, several hundreds of copies have been sold within the last few weeks-spontaneously called for by the children, and the demand goes on. Yesterday Î met a valued friend, whose heart is in the movement. He told me that meeting a policeman on his round the other day, he asked him, “Would you not like to have a Testament?" (similar to one my friend troduced to him.) "Yes," was the reply: "what is the price?" "Only tourpence,” replied my friend. Policeman: “But I have not the money.’ “Oh, I can trust you,” replied my friend (delivering it to him), “you can bring the money to my house" (giving him the number). The result of this simple incident has been that the man, on bringing the money, wanted more Testaments and Bibles for other men in the police; and the superintendent has since sent for more. I look on the work with wonder and delight, and am delighted to find that you are embarking in the work. Depend upon it, this is the best armour against Popery; with the Word of God in their hands our people will be best prepared to meet the Jesuit on the one hand and the Infidel on the other.

66

What is the Protestant Association doing just now, or contemplating? It has often occurred to me, that our best policy would be, whilst defending our

country, not to forget that the most effectual mode of warfare is to carry the war into the enemy's camp. Could not some means be adopted to diffuse the Word of God in the heart of Rome itself? Once establish a footing in the Papal States, and our victory is pretty certain. And what country is there more likely to retain the truth, if once received, more tenaciously than the one which has so long and stubbornly persisted in the error ?*

The following are the letters referred to. account of their deeply interesting nature :—

We insert them on

From Mr. C. S. Dudley to the Rev. A. Brandram.

Manchester, Nov. 22, 1845.

It is scarcely possible, especially under present circumstances, to lay hold of the first link in the chain of events which have led to what may well be called, adopting the language of the present day, the Manchester Movement. Let me, however, first state the simple facts of the case.

1. The Manchester and Salford Auxiliary was one of the earliest of our affiliated Institutions, having been instituted in the year 1810. The population of that period did not much exceed 100,000: it is now estimated at more than 300,000, and is rapidly increasing. The distribution of Bibles and Testaments in the five years ending with 1815 were considerable, averaging about 7,000 annually. During the ensuing six years the sales gradually declined to about 2,500; but were again materially and rapidly increased by the establishment of the Ladies' Branch Society, and its connected Associations, by whose instrumentality the annual sales were raised to about 8,000. They speedily, however, again declined, until they reached their former level of about 2,500. In the year 1838, the present Depository was established, and its beneficial effects soon became perceptible. The sales in 1839 advanced to 4,837, and, with the exception of one year of severe privation and distress, have steadily and progressively increased, until, in 1844, they reached 12,577. The total issues of the Society during thirty-four years, ending Sept. 30, 1844, amounted to 194,335, being an average annual issue of 5,712.

2. Such was the state of this Auxiliary at the end of its thirty-fourth year. To the casual or unreflecting observer this, when viewed in connexion with other means of supply, might have appeared an adequate provision for the population. The fallacy of such an opinion will, however, at once appear, when it is stated that, in the year ending Sept. 30, 1845, the sales exceeded 15,000, being nearly threefold that of the average of preceding years. And yet this was but the first indication of that extraordinary demand for the Holy Scriptures which has manifested itself among the working-classes, and is progressively and rapidly increasing. In the month of October the sales at the Depository amounted to 9,618; and so rapid has been the increase of demand, that, in the first eighteen days of the present month, 11,713 copies have been issued, the sales during the ten days averaging more than 1,000 a-day; a fact unprecedented in the history of any similar Institution. But even this extensive circulation seems only to have stimulated the inquiry and demand; for on Monday last the orders received amounted to 2,600, and on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively they reached 4,000, thus making the number required within three days more than 10,000! The orders transmitted to Earl-street since the 1st of October amount to more than 38,000 copies.

3. It is not improbable that, in the contemplation of this vast distribution of the Holy Scriptures within the limits of a single Auxiliary, a suspicion may be awakened that the demand was prompted, in degree at least, by interested

* We have to remind our Correspondent that a Society was some time since formed at New York, for the purpose of carrying war into the enemy's camp, by the circulation of Divine truth, as contained in the Holy Scriptures, amongst the inhabitants of the Italian and Papal States. The Pope has specially denounced this; but various Protestants we know are deeply interested in the movement, and will, we trust, be more stirred up by such suggestions as those which have led to this note.-ED. P. M.

motives, and that a portion of these purchases have been made with a view to a re-sale at advanced prices. Nor was my own mind free from this impression, when first witnessing the extraordinary scene at the Depository. All my inquiries, however-and they have neither been few in number, nor limited in extent-have failed to discover a single instance in which Bibles or Testaments have been purchased for pecuniary gain.

4. The agency by which this work has been accomplished, and is still proceeding, is not the least remarkable feature of the case. The impulse to offer, and the desire to purchase, seem to have been alike spontaneous and simultaneous. Teachers and senior children in Sunday-schools-clerks in warehouses and factories-serious young persons employed in the numerous and extensive cotton-mills-and others, in various ranks of life, who had been graciously taught the value of the Holy Scriptures as a revelation of infinite love and mercy-appeared to be animated by one spirit. After imploring a blessing from on high on their undertaking, they provided themselves with specimens of different editions of Bibles and Testaments, which they exhibited in the schools and factories, where they appear to have met with open doors and willing minds in every quarter. Thus two young women, employed in one factory, disposed of 300 Bibles and Testaments within a few days. A youth of sixteen years of age, the junior clerk in another cotton-mill, sold 460 within a similar time; and, in a note now before me, writes-" Our mill has been in a commotion to-day with the people coming to order books." Two young ladies, collectors of a Bible Association, who had considered their districts supplied, furnished themselves with baskets of Bibles and Testaments; and going forth among the inhabitants of the same district, have, for several weeks, disposed of from twenty to twenty-five copies daily. Passing over many other interesting illustrations of the subject, I will only add, that the superintendent, teachers, and senior children of the Sunday-schools attached to one place of worship, have not only sold, within a fortnight, 600 Bibles and Testaments to the scholars, but have actually disposed of 4,000 copies in the various factories in which these children are employed. In almost every instance the sales have been in single copies; the few exceptions being those made to individuals for other members of their respective families.

Such, my dear Friend, is a hasty and very imperfect sketch of this mighty moral movement—a scene surpassing any I have ever yet witnessed, or hoped to witness. I will not, at present, attempt to trace it in its origin and history; nor will I incur the risk of grieving one valued friend, who, with the members of his family, has taken a prominent part in these proceedings, by mentioning his name; but I do not hesitate for a moment in expressing the deep and solemn conviction, that this extraordinary manifestation is to be ascribed to the especial blessing of Almighty God. It is true, we shall find many co-operating accessories in helping forward this movement; and, among others, may be instanced the present commercial and manufacturing prosperity; the general employment of the labouring classes; the unprecedented low prices, and attractive appearance of the books; the scriptural instruction of more than 40,000 children in the Sunday-schools; the patient and persevering labours of the agents of the Town Mission; the re-action on, or rather the revulsion of, the public mind from the absurdities and degrading influence of miscalled "Socialism;" and last, though by no means least, the example and public and private instructions of numerous and faithful ministers of the Gospel of Salvation;-all these have prepared the way and accelerated the advance, but the impulse has come from above. It is, I firmly believe, an answer to the prayers of faith-faith in the Word of God-in the promises of God-and in the atonement, merits, and intercession of that adorable Redeemer whom that Word reveals, and in whom these promises centre.

I have still much to say on this truly interesting subject, and hope to find an opportunity for resuming it next week. But you now know sufficient of the facts of the case not to wonder at my continuance in the North. At the close of by far the most arduous year of my life, both mind and body do

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