one end of the land to the other, or if we contemplate the vast numbers who regularly attend the public worship of the Church on the Sundays, we shall arrive at the conclusion that the state of the Church is most prosperous. In this view of the matter the prospect is most encouraging. The affections of the people are evidently towards her; for though numbers continue to swell the ranks of Dissent, yet the great mass of the population view the Church with feelings of reverence, and their attachment remains unabated. Of this fact none, not even Dissenters, can doubt. But the question is also anxiously asked with respect to the Government-Will the State assist the Church? Will it lend its aid to enable her to carry out her benevolent designs? Dissenters object to any interference with their concerns; and no one would wish to infringe their liberty. But they object also to any assistance from the State to the Church; they wish to leave religion entirely at the mercy of the Voluntary system, whose tender mercies, like those of the wicked, as experience proves, are cruel. That some legislative measure, however, will be attempted during the ensuing session, is certain; for on one point, that of Church Extension, Sir Robert Peel has given his pledge, and he is not the man to forfeit his word. Dissenters, Papists, Radicals, and Whigs will, of course, oppose any scheme which is calculated to promote the efficiency of the Church and the good of the people. We connect the two things together; for we are convinced that the welfare of the people, in a great measure, depends on the efficiency of the Church of England. What are the facts connected with our populous districts? Dissent, with its boasted Voluntary principle, which was to render all other modes unnecessary, has most signally failed, and, but for the efforts of the Church, the people would have been left in a state of ignorance and spiritual destitution. The Church has advanced amidst the opposition of Dissenters and their allies. Taking, therefore, the low ground of expediency, we contend that the Government must devise some measures to extend the benefits of the Church to all the population. And if the principle be true, that the minority, in all matters of legislation, must submit to the majority, there will be no difficulty in devising a scheme to allow the people of England the privilege of attending public worship. They have a right to expect it; nor can a just Government refuse it. This is the low ground taken by Dissenters and Whigs, on many other points; and why should the Church be excepted from their principle. And now the question may be asked, what will Sir Robert Peel do? Or will he do anything? It is a remarkable fact, that not a few of Sir Robert's opponents-men who disapprove of all his measures-labour incessantly to induce the belief, that whatever he may promise, he will do nothing for the Church. Why Whigs and Dissenters should adopt such a line of action, it is not difficult to divine. They are fearful lest something should be done; and in order to produce dissatisfaction among Churchmen, they constantly endeavour to propagate the notion that Sir Robert will not interfere with the Church by any measures for increasing her efficiency. Some Churchmen, too, are ready to give credence to the assertion. They have not forgiven Sir Robert for the measure of 1829. We voted against the Right Hon. Baronet on that occasion; nor have we ever repented of the course which we adopted; but still we have forgiven him, and are ready to lend him our most cordial support. We feel assured, that though he was mistaken in 1829, he was sincere, and that he was anxious to act for the best. We view him as the main prop of his country's liberties in a time of peril; and we call upon Churchmen to give him their most energetic support. With such feelings, our readers will gather that we have full confidence in his promises; that we expect some legislative measure for the Church; and that we have no apprehension of disappointment. We must not be unreasonable. Time must be afforded; but that he contemplates the good of the Church we have no doubt whatever. It will be for him to decide upon the character of the measure, and also on the time for bringing it forward. Should, therefore, any circumstances arise to prevent the Right Hon. Baronet from effecting his object during the ensuing session, we shall be content to wait until another; for we are determined that our own zeal in the cause shall not hamper a Minister, who, as we believe, is sincere in his intentions. Should he deceive us, we shall unite in condemning him; but we cannot concur with some few of the Conservative body, who seem desirous of judging him before time has been allowed to adopt any measure whatever. Our hope is, that the great majority of our readers agree with us in opinion, especially our clerical readers. We state our own conviction, that Sir Robert Peel may be trusted; and to any persons who may still remember 1829 so strongly as to prevent them from confiding in the Prime Minister, we would say-Whom will you trust? Who is to defend the Church, and to extend her influence by means of the bounty of the State, if Sir Robert Peel cannot? Let it be remembered, that we have his pledge for a measure of Church Extension, and let us see whether that pledge is redeemed. To the Premier himself too, we would say, and we say it most respectfully-that very much of his future reputation with the Church depends on the character of that measure, and the promptitude with which it is brought forward. To strengthen the Church, will be to support the best interests of the State. That any Churchman, however, will have reason to complain of the course which we now recommend, we do not believe. Sir Robert is not destitute of wisdom. He has not now to learn that the feeling of the country in favour of the Church is too strong to be overborne by the united efforts of Papists, Dissenters, Whigs, Radicals, Chartists, and Socialists. Nor is the Premier unprincipled. He, we trust, loves the Church of his fathers; and by extending her influence he will gratify his own feelings, as well as give satisfaction to the great mass of his countrymen. General Literature. 1. Devotions commemorative of the most adorable Passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, translated from Catholic Sources. With an Appendix, containing the Office of Tenebræ for the three latter days of Holy Week, and other portions of the Divine Office of Holy and Easter Weeks, translated from the Roman Breviary. London: Burns. 1842. 18mo. 2. The Missal for the use of the Laity: with the Masses for all days throughout the year, according to the Roman Missal; and those for the English Saints in their respective places. Newly arranged, and in great measure translated, by the Rev. F. C. HUSENBETH. Third Edition, improved. With the approbation of all the Right Rev. the Vicars Apostolic of England. London: Dolman. 1840. 12mo. 3. Quid Romæ faciam? No need to join the Romish communion, on account of want of Discipline in the Church of England. A Letter to a Friend. By the Rev. THOs. Bowdler. Second Edition. London: Rivingtons. 1842. 8vo. In the recently published" Charge" of the Bishop of London, we meet with the following passage:-" It is a subject of still deeper concern, that any of our body, though but few, should evince a desire and longing to revert, not merely to some of the outward ceremonies, but to the DEVOTIONAL FORMULARIES of the Church of Rome; that they should speak disparagingly and disrespectfully of our liturgy, and prepare men of ardent feelings and warm imaginations for a return to the Roman Mass-Book, by publishing for daily use DEVOTIONS and homilies taken from that church, and embodying not a few of its superstitions and unscriptural doctrines and practices." (Page 56). As we read these sentences, particularly those which we have printed in italics, we could come to no other conclusion than that the manual of Popish devotions, No. 1, at the head of this article, (some of whose editors-proh pudor! it is reported, are clergymen), was one of the "devotional formularies" alluded to by the vigilant Bishop of London, as being published by Tractarians, in order to "prepare men of ardent feelings and warm imaginations for a return to the Roman Mass-Book." And we were the more confirmed in this conclusion by comparing the idolatrous prayer of adoration to the material cross, and subsequent invocation of it, which occur in the manual just referred to, with the following passage of Dr. Wiseman's published letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury (page 13). "It seems," the titular Bishop of Melipotamus writes, "to me impossible to read the works of the Oxford Divines, and especially to follow them chronologically, without discovering a daily approach to our holy church, both in doctrine and feeling." [Dr. W. means the Romish Section of the universal or Catholic Church, of which the Bishop of London has truly said, "that she is in a state of schism, if not of apostasy; that she has forsaken the true faith, and defiled herself with superstition and idolatry." Charge p. 59.] "Our saints," (Dr. Wiseman continues) "our popes, have become dear to them by little and little; our rites and ceremonies, our OFFICES, nay, our very rubrics, are precious in their eyes." The following is a brief abstract of the contents of the "Devotions commemorative of the most adorable Passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, translated from catholic" (the editors ought to have said popish) sources." The first part contains "the Öffice of the Passion" translated from the Romish Breviary. To this succeeds, in Latin and English, the "Rhythm of S. Bonaventura" (one of the "deified sinners" of the Romish Church whom the protestant editors of this volume recognise as a saint!!!) "on the seven last words." Bonaventure, our readers will doubtless recollect, is the author of the wellknown blasphemous "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin," in which each of the psalms of David is addressed to the Virgin Mary; a few specimens of which are given in Vol. ix. p. 176 of our Journal.* *For a copious account of Bonaventure's "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin,' with numerous extracts in Latin, Italian, and English, we refer our readers to pages 15-22 of " Mariolatry: or, Facts and Evidences demonstrating the Worship Next follow the "Litany of the Passion of Jesus Christ," "Prayers and Meditations on our Lord's Passion," and the "Tenebræ, or Nocturnal Office of the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Holy Week." An "Appendix" contains "Extracts from the Office of Holy and Easter Weeks." To this To this appendix we wish chiefly to call the attention of our readers, on account of the idolatrous adoration of the material cross, as wel. as the subsequent invocation of it, which it contains, and to which we have already referred. They occur in "the Reproaches sung on Good Friday;" and that the material cross is literally intended by the Romish Church, whose prayers are here translated, will be evident from the following paragraph relating to the ceremonies performed on that day, which we transcribe from Mr. Husenbeth's translation of the "Missal for the use of the Laity," pp. 306, 307, noticing only the principal of his mistranslations and omissions. "The priest puts off his chasuble, and at the back corner of the Epistle-side uncovers the upper part of the crucifix a little, beginning the anthem, Ecce lignum Crucis. Then the assistant clergy join with him as far as Venite adoremus. When the choir says these words, all kneel except the priest. Then the priest advances to the front corner, and uncovers the right arm and elevates the crucifix a little, saying in a louder voice than before Ecce lignum Crucis. The clergy join, and all kneel as before. Then at the middle of the altar, the priest uncovers the whole crucifix, and lifting it up, begins still louder, Ecce lignum Crucis, and the rest continue [singing and ADORING*] as before, "Ecce lignum crucis in quo sa- Behold the wood of the cross lus mundi pependit. on which hung the Saviour of the "Chorus.-Venite adoremus. world. Come let us adore. "The priest lays down the cross on a cushion prepared for it before the altar; then, putting off his shoes, he proceeds [draws near, or goes up,] to KISS THE CROSS, kneeling three several times. [Mr. Husenbeth has here falsely translated his Missal. The original should have been rendered ADORE THE CROSS.]† Then the clergy first, [Here again Mr. "The ministers of and two, kneeling After which he resumes his shoes and chasuble. of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Church of Rome, derived from the testimonies of her reputed Saints and Doctors, from her Breviary and other authorised forms of Devotion; confirmed by the attestations of modern travellers." Lon. don, 1841. 8vo. *«Aliis cantantibus et ADORANTIBUS." (Missale Romanum," p. 130. "Romæ, 1826, apud Philippum et Nicolaum de Romanis," folio.) These words are OMITTED to be translated by Mr. Husenbeth. "Accedit AD ADORANDUM CRUCEM," are the original words of the "Missale Romanum," p. 131. |