ignorant of that word by which they shall be acquitted or condemned.

2. These lips were guided and preserved from error! Here we have asserted the personal infallibility of the Pope !

3. They were the fountains from which the streams of Christian doctrine were appointed to flow upon the earth!

From this panegyric on the late Pope, we turn to his very celebrated encyclical letter of August, 1832. His Holiness there thus proceeds: "From this polluted fountain of indifference flows that absurd and erroneous doctrine, or rather raving, in favour and defence of liberty of conscience, for which most pestilential error the course is opened by that entire and wild liberty of opinion which is everywhere attempting the overthrow of religious and civil institutions, and which the unblushing impudence of some has held forth as an advantage to religion."

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"Hither tends that worst, and never sufficiently to be execrated and detested, liberty of the press, for the diffusion of all manner of writings, which some so loudly contend for, and so actively promote."

But, we shall be told these are only points of discipline, and concerning the government of the Church, and do not go to purity of doctrine, faith, and the practice of the Christian religion, in which alone the attribute of infallibility is ascribed to the Pope. Be it so; they still show how liberty of conscience and liberty of the press are absolutely and entirely reprobated and condemned by Papal authority.

Nor are we wanting proof from the same document as to the idolatrous nature of Popery. His late Holiness, towards the conclusion of his encyclical letter, thus proceeds :

"But, that all may have a successful and happy issue, let us raise our eyes to the most blessed Virgin Mary, who alone destroys heresies, who is our greatest hope-yea, the entire ground of our hope. May she exert her patronage to draw down an efficacious blessing on our desires, our plans and proceedings in the present straitened condition of the Lord's flock. We will implore also, in humble prayer, from Peter, the prince of the apostles, and from his fellow-apostle Paul, that you may all stand as a wall to prevent any other foundation than what hath been laid; and, supported by this cheering hope, we have confidence that the Author and Finisher of faith, Jesus Christ, will at last console us all in the 'tribulations which have grieved us exceedingly."" What can we say upon these two documents? The "Tablet," assuring us that the lips of the Pope were the keepers of God's revelations, were by him guided and preserved from error; were the fountains from which the streams of Christian doctrine were to flow upon the earth;—and then the Pope's own letter, in which he speaks of the Virgin Mary as the sole destroyer of heresies-our greatest hope -the entire ground of our hope-calls upon all to raise their eyes to her; supplicating also, in earnest prayer, Peter and Paul,-what can we say, but that it is giving to another the honour which is due to God alone,—that it is placing the creature in the place of the Creator, the sinner in the place of the Saviour, the redeemed in the place of the Redeemer? What can we do, but most solemnly protest against any renewed concessions to Popery, any continued grants to aid and sup

port idolatry, and urge our Protestant countrymen to renewed and united efforts to oppose Popery, and to form branch Protestant Associations were there are none; to invigorate those now in existence; to turn their eyes and their prayers, not to the Virgin Mary or the Apostles Peter and Paul, but to Christ Jesus, who is the one Mediator between God and man; Head over all things to the Church, angels, authorities, principalities, and powers being subject to him.

ROMAN CATHOLIC DISABILITIES:

WHAT ARE THESE? PROTESTANT SECURITIES, NEEDFUL FOR OUR PROTECTION: NOT INJURIOUS TO THEM.

MANY of our readers are, we doubt not, like ourselves, well-nigh tired of hearing the song of the last fifty or sixty years, still dunning in our ears. The most liberal cannot but begin to ask themselves, what be the meaning of the cry? Whether there is anything real and painful in the alleged pains, penalties, and disabilities which are spoken of as such severe hardships and intolerable injustice; and whether it is not natural to imagine that those who excite the cry are seeking something more than the removal of disabilities from themselves; whether they are not seeking the power to impose disabilities on Protestants?

We have been led to these remarks by Mr. Watson's Bill, which is now again before us as amended by the Committee."

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The title of the Bill is, "For the further Repeal of Enactments imposing Pains and Penalties upon Her Majesty's Roman Catholic Subjects on account of their Religion," and has been noticed in our preceding numbers. The Bill, as now before us, is reduced in size and modified in principle.

Still is

The clauses affecting the act and oath of supremacy are altogether omitted. Thanks to the opposition shown to the measure. there much retained which appears to us of a very objectionable character, and we trust the most strenuous opposition will be shown, satisfied that if steps are wisely taken, and vigorously and judiciously supported, the whole of this Bill, calculated as it is to promote Popery and to depress Protestantism, will be entirely defeated.

The Bill even now proposes to repeal so much of the 10th Geo. IV., c. 7. as prohibits any person, after the commencement of that Act, other than the person thereunto authorized by law, to assume or use the name, style, or title of Archbishop of any province, Bishop of any bishopric, or Dean of any deanery in England or Ireland.

No doubt there are many Romish ecclesiastics who would rejoice to see one of their order called by the people, and recognised by the law of the land, as Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop of York, Lord Bishop of London, &c. &c. We trust that the dignitaries of our Church will look to see that their own prerogative shall not be so entrenched on. It may be taken for granted that, when the people, when the Lords and the Commons of Parliament have been a little while accustomed to two Archbishops of each province and two Bishops of each diocese, it will not be long before they see the expediency, or cease to see the impropriety of, giving seats in the House

of Lords to those who are already reckoned in other points as of equal rank, or nearly so, with those who now have seats there. And on what ground of principle can the demand which they may make be then refused?

This Bill would, further, legalize the appearance in public of ecclesiastics and members of religious orders in the habits of their orders and the exercise of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion. It would further, also, repeal so much of the Act of 1829 as prohibits persons holding any judicial, civil, or corporate offices resorting to places of public worship in England or Ireland, or in Scotland, otherwise than in the places of worship of those churches respectively as by law established, in the robe, gown, or other peculiar habit of his office, or to attend thereat with the ensign or ensignia, or any part thereof, of or belonging to such his office. It repeals the provisions, also, as to the Jesuits and members of other religious orders bound by monastic or religious vows and resident within this kingdom.

The portion of section 1, which relates to the exercise of any of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion, the wearing in public of the habits of their distinctive orders, is now modified by clause A of section 2.*

The portion of section 1, referred to, by removing the restrictive clauses of 1829, gave the greatest possible latitude, whilst that of clause A of section 2 partially restricts it, by providing "That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to enable any person or persons to exercise in any public street, road, or way, any of the rites or ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion, or to assist or be present at any religious procession or processions of Roman Catholics in any public street, road, or way, or to repeal, vary, or alter, in any manner the laws now in force in respect to the same."

There is nothing, however, to prevent the putting up of crosses and crucifixes almost everywhere, nor having exhibitions of relicsceremonies and processions which, though of a very offensive nature to Protestants, Roman Catholics may, for aught we know, safely say are not ceremonies of their religion, and therefore not forbidden by this Act. Some such restriction seems to be absolutely required. Romanists and their advocates must not be permitted to plead as if right feeling and conscience were all on their side.

If their conscience approves of what is idolatrous, the conscience of faithful, scriptural, God-loving, and God-honouring Protestants does not. The conscience of the one requires the exhibition, the conscience of the other the non-existence or concealment of idolatrous practices. Why shall the Roman Catholic be permitted to claim the right of violating my conscience?

Let him have all due toleration to worship as he will in edifices consecrated to his superstition; but let him not, under the cloak of liberty, invade my right-force me to behold the idolatrous mummeries and practices of his religion in the first instance, and at length compel me, if he can, to become a partaker in his idolatrous practices. Let our dear fellow-countrymen look to it. Let them be no longer

This Bill was discussed on Wednesday, June 24, in the House of Commons, and is now, for the present, thrown out, the majority against it being 120 to eighty.

cajoled. The rights of conscience are reciprocal, and that surely must be a spurious liberality which claims to have its own conscience and feelings respected whilst it shows no respect to the feelings and the conscience of others. Many of our readers are not at all acquainted with the length to which Popery is prepared to go. Her servile superstition, her bigoted principles, and her cruel practices, they would indeed regard as the accidental products of Popery in past time, but neither legitimately forming a part of her nature nor to be expected in the present day of enlightened intelligence.

To such we would recommend the perusal of the following, taken from a Romish newspaper, the Tablet of May 9, this year. It will convince them of the superstitions of Popery in the present day :

"COVENTRY.-MONTH OF MARY.-The devotions of the month of May or of Marie,' commenced on Friday evening last-the church having been previously decorated with evergreens and flowers in wreaths, garlands, and festoons, most tastefully arranged. The screens also were covered with evergreens and decorated with banners of various sizes and colours. On Sunday evening, after Vespers, there was a solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament round the church, preceded by (what is a novel sight in England,) a figure of the ever Blessed Virgin on a rich pedestal surmounted by a canopy decorated with the choicest flowers, and borne on the shoulders of four young ladies; the procession reached nearly all round the church, and upwards of fifty young girls, all dressed in white, went before, some bearing banners and others strewing flowers before the ever blessed body of our Lord. The most reverential decorum was exhibited throughout by the crowd of strangers who filled the church in every part; on the return of the procession to the chancel there was a Solemn Benediction on the altar and screens were from four to five hundred lighted tapers. The Very Rev. Dr. Burden celebrated, assisted by the Rev. J. Clarkson, as Deacon, and the Rev. W. Ilsley, as Sub-Deacon. The Right Rev. Bishop Elect of the Western District delivered a short discourse on the nature of the procession about to take place, which, no doubt, tended to produce the decorum and good conduct of the great mass of strangers present. The Revs. Mr. Carpew and Mitchell assisted at the ceremonies. The Right Rev. the Bishop of the Central District intended to have been present, but was prevented by a temporary illness. The Rosary will be recited every evening, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays there will be a Solemn Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament, and on the last Sunday the devotions will be closed by a procession and grand Solemn Benediction."-Correspondent.

THE NEW POPE, PIUS IX.

"THE French Government received on Saturday," says the Débats, "a telegraphic despatch, announcing the election of the Pope. The new Sovereign Pontiff is the Cardinal Jean Marie Mastai, of the family of the Counts Mastai Ferretti, and was born at Sinigaglia, in the States of the Church, on the 13th of May, 1792. He became Bishop of Imola, nd was named Cardinal in petto, on the 23d of

December, 1839, and proclaimed on the 14th of December, 1840. He was Cardinal of the order of priests.

"The Conclave of the Sacred College lasted only two days, opening on the 14th, and terminating on the 16th of June. Rarely has a Conclave been so short: it is said that the political situation of the States of the Church, and the necessity for putting an end to expectations that might be changed into an alarming agitation, hastened the decision of the Cardinals. The new Pope has the reputation of being endowed with a liberal and conciliatory mind; his appointment has, in general, been well received. The Cardinal Mastai Ferretti, on ascending the throne of St. Peter, takes the title of Pius IX. Being only fifty-four years old, he is one of the youngest Popes that have ever been elected: this fact should be viewed as a favourable omen. The Cardinals have often been reproached for choosing Popes amongst men whose age could not permit them to be very active. On this occasion the customary precedents have happily been departed from. There exists in Italy a proverb, which says of the Popes-Non videbis annos Petri-(" Thou wilt not see so many years as Peter.") St. Peter, as is known, occupied the Papal see for twenty-five years.* This proverb, not being an article of faith, one may hope, without being accused of heresy, that it will not be realized. Trusting that Pope Pius IX. will devote the influence which his high position gives him to maintain the spiritual peace of the Catholic world, and bestow on the states under his temporal government the ameliorations which they stand so much in need of, we desire sincerely that he may see the years of St. Peter, and his reign be prolonged for the good of the Church of which he is the head, and the welfare of the people he is the Sovereign of."

The Univers states that the new Pope, having been visited, at the age of twenty, with a serious malady, had implored the protection of the blessed Virgin, and, believing that he owed his recovery to her intercession, he felt so grateful that he entered holy orders. " Shortly after his ordination," says the Univers, " he assumed the direction of the asylum Tata Giovanni, which had been founded for the maintenance and Christian instruction of poor orphans by an old man, a mason by profession, destitute of all resources, but rich in the treasures of charity. The young clergyman, moved by his devotedness, joined him in the charitable undertaking, and devoted all his time, labour, and fortune, to that work of piety and mercy. Pope Pius IX. thus commenced his ministry amidst indigent labourers and orphans. Under the Pontificate of Pius VII., Monsignor Musi, the present Bishop di Cita di Castello, having been sent as Vicar Apostolical to Chili, the Abbati Mastai Ferretti accompanied him as auditor (councillor or theologian). Differences which arose between the Vicar Apostolical and the rulers of Chili, soon obliged him to quit the country, and, on his return, Pope Leo XII. appointed him prelate and president of the great hospital of St. Michael, the largest establish

* Where is to be found any proof that St. Peter was ever at Rome? still more that he was Bishop at all there? and above all, that he was there as Bishop twenty-five years. It is not to be found in the page of history. It floats only in the airy region of tradition.