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their blessings; yea, I have cursed them already becanse they do not lay it to heart. Such unhappy persons are, alas! already condemned by the just judgment of Him whom they will not have to reign over them with undivided empire; and you would be a partaker of their sins, and of the consequence of their sins, if out of fear of giving offence, you scrupled to declare in their presence this whole counsel of God.

This is, however, a widely different thing from turning into ridicule their unhappy blindness, or for making it the subject of uncharitable animadversions. It belongs rather to that chastisement of love which, although for "the present it may be grievous, afterwards yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." For my own part, whenever I have preached in an hospital, I have studiously avoided any allusion to the miserable errors of Romanism; but I have as studiously brought forward, plainly and prominently forward, the grand saving truths of the Gospel; I have not told them that they cannot be saved by the intercession of the Virgin Mary or of the saints, but I have always told them that it is impossible for sinners to be saved except by Christ, and this is the kind of preaching which, as it seems to me, is alone suited to the bed of sickness and death, be it in an hospital or a palace.

7. What shall I say, then, how shall I express my deep grief, my horror, at the following request preferred to Government, by one sent out to watch over those who profess to "watch for souls as they that must give account?" The Right Rev. Dr. Fennelly has solicited that our chaplains be authoritatively limited in the public ministrations in our hospital "to the preaching of what is more suited to hospital patients, a good moral discourse!" This minister of Christ wishes you to be compelled to preach a good moral discourse to the sick, and, it may well be, the dying-to those the larger portion of whom their own follies and vices have most probably brought to that place, from whence some may very shortly be carried out to their graves. Instead of teaching those poor sinners to wash their bed and to water their couch with tears, or instead of comforting them with the blessed assurance, on our Master's authority, that God, who has rebuked them in his indignation, and chastened them in his displeasure, will hear the voice of their weeping and receive their prayer, if offered in the name and for the sake of the sinner's only Saviour, they are to be mocked with "a good moral discourse," as most appropriate to an hospital!

8. We presume not to judge others-to their own Master they stand or fall; but assuredly we shall be Anathema, dear brethren, cursed of God and of many perished souls, if we preach anything any where, and more especially at a death-bed,

but Jesus Christ and him crucified, the Way, the Truth, the Resurrection, and the Life.-I am, as always, your affectionate Bishop and fellow-labourer,

(Signed)

G. T. MADras.

(A true copy.) FREDK. ORME, Registrar.

To the Rev. the Chaplain of the Archdeaconry of Madras.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON THE MORTMAIN LAWS.

THE Roman Catholics and their sympathisers are exerting themselves unweariedly to bring about once more the prevalence of Popish customs, Popish laws, and observances amongst us. Scarcely a session of Parliament has terminated for the last few years without some onward progress being made by Romanists, something done, and more attempted to be done, for them.

In the course of the last session one step was taken for a repeal of the Mortmain Laws, and a Committee of the House of Commons was appointed to investigate the subject. That Report is now before us; and though the smallness of our periodical prevents our going into the question so fully as we could wish, we shall yet offer a few remarks upon it, reserving more lengthened observations for our next number.

These laws were intended to prevent too much land from falling into the hands of corporations, whether lay or ecclesiastical, and had their origin in a state of society so widely different from the present, that many of the evils which they were intended to obviate could not now take place.

Meantime, other kinds of property than that of a real or landed nature have grown up, or increased in consequence, against the engulfing of which, to pious or superstitious uses and purposes, by the Roman Catholic Church, the Mortmain Laws afford no defence.

The evidence given before the Committee is of a most interesting and important character, and tends to shew the necessity of some increased protection as regards personal property, in order to prevent the minds of the weak, the dying, and the superstitious, from being improperly worked upon; and their being led under false impressions, or false ideas of religious duties, to alienate their property from their relations and friends, to advance the interests of the Church of Rome.

POPERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE following extract is from an American publication called the "National Protestant," published at New York in September last:

"Dr. Giustiniani gives the following opinion of Popery in the United States: America is the promised land, the land of the Jesuits' operations. To obtain the ascendancy, they have no need of a mercenary Swiss guard, or the assistance of the mighty bayonets of the Holy Alliance, but a majority of votes, which can easily be obtained by an importation of Roman Catholics from Ireland, Bavaria, and Austria. Rome viewed at a distance is a colossus; near at hand its grandeur diminishes, its charm is lost. But the Jesuits are everywhere the same cunning, immoral, and sneaking intriguers until they have obtained the ascendancy. Rome feels her weakness at home; she knows herself to be a mere political institution, dressed in the garment of Christianity. She takes good care to uphold that holy militia the Jesuits, in order to appear what she is not. It is a strife for existence. I am not a politician, (says the Doctor,) but knowing the active spirit of Jesuitism, and the indifference of the generality of Protestants, I have no doubt whatever that in ten years the Jesuits will have a mighty influence over the ballot-box, and in twenty they will direct it according to their own pleasure. Now they fawn, in ten years they will menace, and in twenty command." "

Nor was the Doctor far out. We know something of the manner in which the power of the Romish priesthood has been used in Ireland to drive voters to the polling-booths. And the influence of Romish priests seems to have been used in America, though after a milder manner, yet to a similar effect. But thus it is that spiritual power has ever led to temporal power; and thus it is also, in the following instance, that the Romish priests, really commanding the rabble whom they seemed merely to serve as allies, have nominated their own President.

The Rev. Mr. Moriarty, on a recent occasion, thus speaks of that event:-"A more patriotic band of individuals never existed than those Irishmen who had emigrated to America. The best blood of Ireland was spread over the plains of America, and when Washington was almost deserted by the Congress, he was enabled to strike a last and decisive blow by the brave arms of the Irish at the city of Philadelphia. Yet the Irish had suffered in America, and much had been attempted to crush the spirit of the sons of Ireland, but it was owing to their perseverance, that America was enabled to lift her flag and cast away the foul disgrace attempted to be fastened on her by foreign legislation. He alluded to the election of Mr. Polk, the new President, whom he stated to have been elected by the united spirit of Irishmen, and thereby secured the independence of America by the election of a truly democratic President. This was a

subject perhaps of more consequence to Irishmen than they imagined, for they had, for the last two years, their Monster Meetings in America; at New York, at Georgia, and elsewhere, VOL. VII.-January, 1845. C

they had their Meetings. The priest and layman met, and poured out their prayers for the welfare of this country. Forty thousand Irishmen in America-and they were still alive—were pledged the moment that one drop of Repealers' blood was shed in Ireland, to rush into Canada and rescue it from British dominion."*

To the like effect a correspondent of the "Morning Herald thus writes from the United States :

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"Nov. 14, 1844. "Before this reaches you, you will have read the result of the presidential election, and that a Mr. Polk is to take the helm for the next term. I will not attempt to describe the disappointment which appears marked on the visages of nearly all the respectable and wealthy classes. It being unhappily notorious that the elections have been carried by the Roman Catholics of every nation residing in the United States, adding their votes to the Loco-foco or out-and-out Republicans. The Irish Repealers and the priests have been very prominent, and it requires but little reflection to arrive at a suspicion of the parties' hopes in case of a rupture with England, which is by no means improbable, as all the members of the new Administration are known to have been long increasing in their efforts to bring about such a state of things. You will also notice that the President elect has promised free trade; but this was a mere trick to catch the cotton growers, and will be evaded; but not so with the annexation of Texas, which the same parties will insist on in order, as they expect, to deprive Great Britain of every hope of being supplied with cotton from any other source than themselves.'

"You are possibly not aware that the southerns are impressed with the belief that they have only to resort to a strict embargo of one cotton crop to cause a revolution in England, and most cheerfully would they make the sacrifice in order to punish that nation, which has not only made her own slaves free, thereby causing discontent amongst the slaves of all other countries, but are also supposed to have their anti-slavery agents employed in encouraging insurrections amongst the slaves of this country in particular. With the existence of such impressions, can we be surprised at a people so circumstanced entertaining the most hostile feelings against the British nation?'

"Stocks of every state, with the exception of New York, declining rapidly, and I should not be surprised if some of them very soon ceased to command purchasers at any price.'

"The Romanists, and the Loco-focos, and the slave-owners, wish to plunge their country into a war with England. Be such

Speech of Mr. Moriarty at a dinner of the Orphan Charity School, St. Jude's Hotel, Dublin. Mr. O'Connell, President, in the chair.-Times, Dec. 6.

ever the enemies of England, and be their enmity eternal, for it is the unexceptionable attestation that England is the fortress of true religion, of order, and of liberty. This triple alliance of the enemies of all the Almighty's most benign appointments— pure religion, order, and liberty-might go to war with us; and as we have met the parties before, and know something of their worth, we should, trusting in the God of truth, and righteousness of our cause, calculate upon making a very short work with them."

The foregoing, with other passing events of the day, ought to be sufficient to open the eyes of Protestant England to the nature of the enemy she is even now nursing in her bosom. And very careful should we be how we allow Popery to rise to the equality, the ascendancy after which she is seeking, because no sooner will she have acquired it, than with the iron hoof of spiritual despotism, she will trample under foot the rights and privileges of the very nation to whom, if she succeeds, she will be indebted in a great degree for her resuscitated power. May the Lord in mercy avert such an evil from these lands! May Protestants, alive to the real nature and objects of Popery, instead of being divided, become more and more united as one man, to oppose the prevalence of this system which threatens their common ruin.

OUR CURATE.

A SKETCH FOR THE TIMES.

(Continued from page 353, Vol. VI.)

THE young clergyman was too intent upon becoming acquainted with the contents of the Episcopal Charge to reply to the remonstrances of his sister's friend. While he hurriedly ran over its leading remarks, she addressed herself therefore to Janet on the exceeding beauty of the country, as doubly and trebly enhanced by the spell that is hung over nature by Sabbatical rest. "I really regret," she said, "having already given way to those few words of friendly controversy, which seem out of season at such a time as this. Though the Christian must always be up and doing, it is grievous for him to have to act the offensive in hours consecrated to peace, and to those hallowed as one's friends. And I doubt whether my little protest of this morning will balance even by its good intention, to say nothing of its real effect, the jarring feeling produced by dispute."

"It may be very true," answered Janet, "it certainly does seem that a Sunday presents beautiful scope for one's own individual improvement, and by its whole character to encourage the entrance of inward calm."

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