It was related to me by Captain L, the gentleman to whom, in early life, the circumstance happened. "I was," said he, "when very young, sent over from India with a brother and two sisters, to be educated in England. My sisters and myself were sent to H——, and I was placed in the school of Dr. T. After I had been there several years, being about fourteen years of age, one of the ushers left, in consequence of his bad conduct, and, immediately after his departure, professed himself a Roman Catholic. His place was filled by one of whom Dr. T- had received an excellent character, and very high testimonials. He was a gentlemanly young man, and professed himself a sound Protestant. My father in the meantime had procured for me a cadetship, and I was to leave school in a year. Our new tutor had been with us about three months, when my mind became deeply impressed with religious subjects, and having no one to whom I could communicate my thoughts, Dr. Tnever encouraging the confidence of his pupils in this matter, I at last mentioned the subject to an elder schoolfellow, who, though he was of a gay, lively disposition, and as yet had thought but little on the subject of religion, was much struck with my earnestness, and agreed to read the BIBLE with me for an hour every afternoon at the close of the school. This plan we pursued for several weeks, when one evening, being so engaged, our new tutor, as if by accident, came in, and we being taken by surprise endeavoured to hide our BIBLES. He saw, however, what we were doing, and said, 'Oh, don't be ashamed of being found reading the BIBLE. It is a good book, and it would be well if we all attended to such matters more.' The next evening, however, about the same time, he came in to fetch something, and seeing us again engaged in the same way, sat down beside us, and said,- Well, even after the study of this book, it is difficult to know what is TRUTH; SO many persons, who disagree even on important points, still profess to take all their arguments from the BIBLE.' 'Oh !' said I, 'can you tell us of any religion whose ministers really can tell us what is TRUTH, for I am most anxious to know?' 'Why,' said he, there are many who tell you they can. For instance, the Roman Catholic Priests say that their Church is infallible, and that all who believe their doctrines

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cannot fail of being in the right way, and are sure to be saved. But, you know, they may be wrong, and, as Protestants, we believe they are wrong.' After this conversation I became very unsettled in my mind, thinking, that after all my reading of the BIBLE I might be wrong. One evening after the above conversation had taken place, I went and asked the tutor to come and talk to us again. He willingly complied. I then told him I felt very, anxious to see a Romish Priest, and to converse with him on the subject, and asked him if he could direct me to one. At first he replied that he dared not do any such thing, for that if it came to the knowledge of the Doctor he would certainly lose his situation.' We both, however, faithfully promised him that we would never mention the subject. At last he consented to our request. You know,' said he, ‘a high dark wall, at the end of the playground, where I have often seen you all play at ball.' We replied that we perfectly recollected it; but though we had so often played there, we had no idea what was on the other side of it, nor had any one else in the school, I believe. In that wall,' he continued, 'you will find a low door, knock, and some one will open it, and ask you what you want; you must say you wish to see Mademoiselle the Lady Abbess, he will then admit you; you will go through a passage, and then you will come to another door with iron bolts; knock at this, and a man will come to you and ask you what you want. You must reply as before-Mademoiselle. She will then ask you what you come for. You must say, to receive instruction. She will then admit you, and you will be then shewn to a priest, who will answer all your inquiries.' That evening we took the opportunity to slip away from our companions and to go to the wall, where we found the door, exactly as the tutor had told us, and by following his directions we obtained admittance, and found the priest, who was a JESUIT, glad to see us, and exceedingly polite. I told him at once that I was anxious to know what the truth was; but that I would receive nothing as the truth that was not founded on the BIBLE. All that was contrary to THAT I should reject as false.' He seemed to agree with me, and proceeded cautiously to explain the tenets of his Church. Our visits to him we continued for some time, for Dr. T was not very strict in watching

over his pupils, and we were quite unobserved. I was beginning to think Popery the right religion, when my companion said to me one evening, after we had returned from the priest, I do not think it is fair, Lthat we should hear arguments on one side of the question only, I will tell you what I will do, while you are talking with and questioning the priest I will take notes of his answers, and we will hear what Dr. Thas to say to them.' This plan we accordingly pursued, and one morning while the boys were in the playground, we went to the Doctor, and told him we should be much obliged if he would answer some questions we wished to ask him. We then shewed him our paper, at which he seemed much surprised; however, he answered them according to his views, and we put down his answers also, and we took them to the priest. He was more skilled in controversy, and soon overturned them. I became more and more convinced that the religion of Rome was the right one, and at last determined to profess myself a Roman Catholic. I mentioned my intention to my companion; he, however, was not so convinced as I was, and said that he should wait and consider before he took any decided steps: he wished first to consult his friends. However, I communicated my wish to the priest. He replied, "You had better not be in any hurry,-you must count the cost; if you become a Catholic, you must give up all thought of the cadetship; if you went abroad, you would lose your soul." "But," said I, "how can I do that; my father has purchased it for me, and I should greatly offend him were 1 to refuse it-he would never forgive me." "You must be willing," he replied, "to give up father and mother to become a disciple of CHRIST, who is able to make up all worldly losses to you. You shall be sent to one of our colleges, and be brought up for a priest of our holy religion." After some consideration I felt that I should be following the dictates of my conscience if I became a Roman Catholic. I therefore agreed with the priest to meet him the next Sunday, in a Romish chapel, to which he directed me, where I was publicly to acknowledge myself a Roman Catholic. On the Saturday evening before I had a most remarkable dream, (which I remember as well now as if it was only yesterday,) and which I have ever thought a special Providence sent. dream my

In my

father appeared to me, and, after upbraiding me some time for the steps I was going to take, asked me if I thought that religion could be the right one, the first fruits of which were DISOBEDIENCE TO MY PARENTS? When I awoke in the morning my mind was much unsettled, and I could not determine whether to go to the chapel or not, and even to the last minute I was undecided. The time, however, passed by, and I did not go. The very next morning I received a letter from my father, in which he told me that the cadetship was suddenly vacant, and that I must sail for India in a few days. The bustle of preparation, and the hurry of going, completely banished all other thoughts, and I had no time to think on the subject until I was on board the ship. Through the blessing of that GOD who had so wonderfully preserved me from falling into the errors of that iniquitous system of idolatry, I was led to a more careful study of His WORD. I then became sensible how opposite the doctrines of the Church of Rome are to the doctrines of the BIBLE, and how far that Church is from teaching its members what is TRUTH. Five years after the above-mentioned circumstance had taken place I had occasion to come to England for my health, and in passing through Italy I accidentally met one day, in the dress of a JESUIT, the very tutor whose remarks at school first led me to a Popish priest. The meeting was anything but agreeable. He almost gnashed his teeth to think that I had escaped out of their hands. No doubt he had been placed in that school for the purpose of entangling some young mind in the web of Popery, and had it not been for a special Providence, by which I was preserved from his snares, he would have succeeded too well."

SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL IN FRANCE.-It is a remarkable fact, that among the Colporteurs employed by the Evangelical Society in France, one hundred and two are converted Roman Catholics. It is estimated, by the Committee of the Foreign Aid Society, that within the past three or four years, twenty thousand souls have been rescued from the influence of Romish superstition in France, and gathered into Evangelical congregations.-The Christian Spectator, July 21, 1847.

THE

BRISTOL PROTESTANT.

CHIPPING

SODBURY.

POPISH PERSECUTION AND CRUELTY PUNISHED ON THE SPOT.

About the year 1508, in the reign of Henry the Seventh, a woman of the above place, having been converted by the grace of God, protested against the errors and horrors of the Roman Anti-Christ, and for her profession of the truth was condemned and BURNT ALIVE by the Popish Chancellor, Dr. Whittington. A great multitude thronged to behold her end, and having witnessed the blessed martyr consumed to ashes, were on their return to the town. It happened in the meantime, that as the Catholic executioners were busy side, a certain butcher was as But the butcher (belike not

in slaying this lamb at the town's busy within the town slaying a bull. so skilful in his art of killing beasts as the Papists are in murdering Christians), as he was lifting his axe to strike the bull, failed in his stroke, and smote a little too low; the bull, not stricken down, put his strength to the ropes, and brake loose from the butcher into the street, just as the people were coming in great press from the burning. Seeing the enraged animal coming, they made way, every one shifting for himself. The people giving back, and making a lane for the bull, he passed through the throng, touching neither man nor child, till he came where the Chancellor was; against whom, as pricked with a sudden vehemency, he ran full butt with his horns, and taking him upon the paunch, gored him through, and

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