taught in the College of Maynooth; the only question is, whether we are to give the palm of atrocious cruelty and crime to her ethics, her divinity, or her canon law."

Your Committee have also to repeat, that they have continued to circulate among their subscribers, the Protestant Magazine, which they take this opportunity of recommending to their friends who do not at present subscribe; and to those persons it is necessary also to add, that your Committee must appeal on their own behalf, for that liberal aid which they have never yet received and which they now greatly require.

Your Committee have reason to believe, that by their exertions considerable interest has been excited on the great subject, which at the Reformation and at the Revolution of 1688, absorbed the attention of the people. They believe that in so doing they have effected good service, and being convinced in very deed that the present is a crisis which ought to stir up all who value our national institutions, and the principles of pure Protestantism, to patriotic zeal in the defence of the one, and "earnest contending" for the other, they will still strive in their important field of labor.

The fearful state to which Ireland is reduced, has become a subject of deep and anxious solicitude, and portends anything but peace to England. The laws of the land are in that unhappy country set at nought. "The rule of the sovereign is reduced to a mere shadow, and consequently that of the lord-lieutenant to the mere shadow of a shade." But this sad state of things is clearly traceable to the poisonous, nay treasonable doctrines of Popery that curse and scourge of nations-which has infused into the minds of that portion of the degraded and unhappy population, which she holds in cruel bondage, the principles set forth in her Rhemish notes, and those of the bulls and decretals published and set up as the canon law, in 1832, for the priests to direct the consciences of their flocks. For example, the "Bulla Cœna Domini" excommunicates and curses, and that indiscriminately, Protestants of every denomination (particularising each sect by name), from the queen on her throne, to the peasant in his cottage. And the third canon of the Fourth Lateran Council, commands bishops, under pain of degradation and dismissal, to exterminate all Protestants from their Dioceses. If we look to the nations of the continent, in which Popery is dominant, such as Italy, Spain, and Portugal, we behold these principles in still more powerful operation, the populations steeped in misery, degradation, and crime; and freedom of the press, of action, and of the conscience, so completely crushed, that it is manifest that Popery and civil liberty cannot co-exist. Of this fact the most unquestionable further proof has been adduced by the Pope himself, who in his Encyclical Letter

dated Rome, 15th of August, 1832, addressed to all patriarchs, primates, archbishops, and bishops-observes:

"From this polluted fountain of indifference flows that absurd and erroneous doctrine, or rather raving, in favor 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." "Hence, in one word, that pest of all others, most to be dreaded in a state, unbridled liberty of opinion, licentiousness of speech, and a lust of novelty." "Hither tends that worst and never to be sufficiently 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."

And who closes his letter with the following awful piece of idolatry :

"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."

Thus the Pope denounces that which is the birthright of every man-liberty of conscience, liberty of opinion, and the liberty of the press, the possession of which is the boast and pride of the nation. And that if Popery be ever again in the ascendant (which our Lord graciously avert in his mercy) in this Protestant land, she would speedily deprive us of these inestimable privileges, there cannot be a doubt.

Let it be remembered too, that this self-same reigning Pope, Gregory XVI., has proved, indisputably proved, if indeed proof were wanting, that the Church of Rome retains at the present day, the same intolerant, persecuting, and murderous spirit she so atrociously and successfully exercised towards Protestants in the darkest ages of Papal cruelty and crime; for, from his mint at Rome, even so recently as December last, a medal has been obtained commemorative of the "Bloody Massacre of Saint Bartholomew," A. D. 1572.

This medal, a member of your Association has not only seen, but has had in his possession.

These facts and considerations your Committee now respectfully submit to you. Upon the minds of your Committee they have made much impression; and they are calculated, they believe, if generally known, to impress the whole population of the land with an abhorrence of what our ancestors were wont to call "The soul-destroying heresies of Rome"; and therefore, with your aid your Committee will continue to publish them in this district, and throughout the country, in order that others may be stimulated to a similar zeal, and so be made instruments in the

same necessary efforts to stem the inroads of the awful superstitions and despotism of Popery. That such may be, under God's blessing, the effect of your Committee's labor, is their earnest prayer, their hope, and their confident expectation.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Protestant Magazine.

Mr. Editor,

We hear much in these days of expediency at the cost of christian principle, about the bitterness and bigotry of those who are resolved (God of His grace and mercy preventing and assisting them) to pull down the strong holds of error, and to expose the superstitious ceremonies and observances of a body of Dissenting Christians, who claim to themselves the high privilege of an exclusive salvation, and who fearlessly and mercilessly anathematize all and every of those who believe not as they believe-think not as they think-act not as they act.

I am one, Mr. Editor, who is willing, if need be, to submit to the unchristian imputation just spoken of, in the discharge of what he truly believes to be a most pressing and urgent obligation.

Facts, Sir, are stubborn things: surmises may prove erroneous; conjectures may have but little, if any, substantial foundation; but no one was ever yet deceived by facts.

The following startling circumstances (startling at least to those who have been instructed to believe that the apostate Church of Rome is not what that same Church was of old) came under my observation, while recently visiting some friends in the neighbourhood of London.

One of the ladies of the family had just returned from a short sojourn in Belgium. I will not now attempt to acquaint you with all she said about the many mysterious mummeries, outward seemings, and solemn mockery of service unto the Lord, which from time to time she witnessed. One fact however, as mentioned by her, I will narrate, and shall be glad with your permission to see it recorded in your valuable pages.

The lady brought home with her a little waxen leg and arm, and concerning these she said, "I bought these little waxen limbs of an individual in one of the Belgian Churches. THEY HAD BEEN BLESSED BY THE PRIEST. I paid half-a-franc for them." When asked for what purpose they were made, my young

*I am not quite certain whether in or near is the right word. I believe the former.

friend said, "When any person, who had fractured a leg or an arm, had been restored to health and soundness, he purchased one of these little waxen limbs, as the case might be, and hung it up in the church, as a votive offering to Almighty God in acknowledgment of His mercy."

Now, Sir, when I was a boy at school, I found in the First Book of Horace, fifth Ode, the following sentence:

"me tabulâ sacer

Votivâ paries indicat uvida

Suspendisse potenti

Vestimenta maris Deo."

These lines I would thus translate-"The sacred wall (i. e. of the temple of Neptune) demonstrates by a votive tablet, that I have suspended dripping vestments (to be consecrated) to the powerful god of the sea." The votive tablet refers to a custom which prevailed among the Heathen Romans, of offering some votive tablet or picture to the God by whose power they thought that they had been preserved from shipwreck.

I will not trespass further upon you, Mr. Editor, now that I have made this statement, than to ask any one to inform me how far the principle which in the matter before us actuated the Pagan Romans of Old, differs from that which continues to influence the conduct of their Papal descendants of the present day.

I am Sir,

Your obedient servant and subscriber,
A REFORMER.

My dear Sir,

SYSTEM OF ORGANIZATION.

Whitchurch, Salop.

We have divided the town into four districts, with a head over each. The subscribers in each district or division, are divided into tens, one of whom is appointed a head over the ten, whose duty it is to distribute and change tracts, &c., every Monday-and likewise to get petitions signed, when necessary, by his ten, and then hand them over to the head of another ten. These heads of tens are under the head of the division or district. He receives his directions, &c., from the secretary, and the secretary of course from the committee. We hope this will work well. We have had one quarterly meeting, to which none were admitted except by ticket; each subscriber of a shilling a year and upwards, having a ticket, which authorized him to bring his family and household with him. The Rev. T. Nolan, of Stockport, addressed them upon the subject of Maynooth.

PRESENT POSITION OF THE MAYNOOTH QUESTION.

To the following remarks we subjoin a copy of the Petition adopted by the Protestant Association against the continuance of the government grant to the Popish College of Maynooth. To the extent of their ability, the committee will induce their auxiliary associations also to adopt this Petition, and by issuing circulars to their friends and the clergy, will endeavour to obtain many more than ever yet have been presented to parliament on the subject. They have cause to say indeed, with regard to their labors in this cause, " Hitherto the Lord hath helped us"; for not only has the number of Maynooth petitions to the House of Commons greatly increased each successive session, but interest in the matter has at length been excited among the Members themselves.

The number of signatures to the petitions against the Maynooth grant in 1838 did not exceed 11,000; in the session of 1839 there were 199 petitions, with more than 50,000 signatures; and in the last session the petitions were 458 in number, with no less than 95,108 signatures.

In 1839, the division on the vote to the college was, for the grant 53, against it 9; but last session, Mr. Plumptre, the faithful member for East Kent, brought forward a specific motion for an inquiry into the College of Maynooth; and the division was, for the inquiry 42, against it 121, and this after an important discussion, in which Sir Robert Peel, Lord Morpeth, Sir Robert Inglis, Mr. Shiel, and Mr. Lascelles, took part. vote itself, the division took place under singular circumstances, and as some members pretty strongly stated, much to their surprize, very late at night; nevertheless the numbers showed a great increase of interest in the question, they were, for the grant 123, against it 34.

On the

We believe that there can be very little doubt that the subject will be brought before the House of Commons very early next session; and as Sir Robert Peel in the debate on Mr. Plumptre's motion, expressed his sense of the necessity of an inquiry into the college, it is probable that a motion for the appointment of a Committee of Inquiry will be carried triumphantly; and if so, such facts will, we think, be proved, as must startle all sound Protestants who hitherto have failed in their duty on this important subject. But the Protestant Association have deliberately refused to adopt a Petition for such inquiry. Their objection to the Maynooth grant is an objection in point of principle; they protest against such an anomaly as the education of Popish priests by a Protestant state; they contend against the strange inconsistency of a professedly Christian government