DERBY.-A lecture was delivered here to the members and friends of the Operative Association on Thursday, Oct. 31, by James Lord, Esq. The chair was taken by the Rev. Roseingrave Macklin, President of the Operative Association, and the Meeting appeared to take a deep and lively interest in the statements of the Chairman and lecturer. At the close of the lecture the Rev. Chairman made some important remarks by way of encouragement to the operatives and others to proceed in their good work. Amongst other facts to which the Rev. Chairman alluded was this, that there had been in Derby several conversions from Popery, and that he had in his own congregation one who, till a recent period, had been the verger, or beadle, or some office-bearer, in the Popish chapel of Derby, and that this man was about to read publicly in his (Mr. Macklin's) church his recantation of the errors of the Church of Rome. The Rev. Chairman also stated that many of those persons who had, within the last few years, fallen a prey to the delusions of Popery, had again returned to the Church of England, fully satisfied that Popery affords no place for sinners' souls,

CHELSEA.-HISTORICAL LECTURES.-A course of four lectures on the History of the Reformation have been recently delivered in the Christ Church National Schools on the following subjects:—1. On the Political Principles of the Church of Rome, by the Rev. A. S. Thelwall, M.A.; 2. Luther and the Reformation, by James Lord, Esq., barrister-at-law; 3. The Life of Edward the Sixth, by Rev. R. W. Dibdin, M.A., Minister of the Episcopal Chapel, West-street, St. Martin's-lane; 4. The Reign of Queen Mary, by Rev. W. H. Howard, M.A., Incumbent of Christ Church.

A Meeting of the Chelsea, Brompton, and Pimlico Association was held in the Cadogan Literary Institution, Sloane-street, on Tuesday, Nov. 26. It was well attended. Mr. James Chant was in the chair. The speakers were, the Revds. J. R. Barber and J. Stempson, and Messrs. Binden, Allen, Sibley, Theo. A. Smith, Spicer, and Clarke.

The Quarterly Prayer Meeting of the Metropolitan Associations will be held (D. v.) in the rooms of the Protestant Association, 11, Exeter Hall, on the evening of January 1, 1845, the first day of the year, being the time when many Christians, at the suggestion of the Rev. Haldane Stewart, of Liverpool, repeated annually for some years past, have been in the habit of meeting together for special prayer. The Meeting will commence at half-past seven o'clock.

IRELAND.-The " Nenagh Guardian," Nov. 20, states that a priest has forbidden his flock, on pain of having all the religious rites withheld from them, to use either snuff or tobacco; remarking, that "it was fitter to give the two millions of money that goes to the Queen for duty on tobacco in the year, to their poor clergy, who are labouring day and night for the benefit of their poor souls, than to support a Queen." Two very strong instances are added, in which the priest has carried out this anathema to the very fullest extent.

"We

IRISH EDUCATION BOARD.-The "Dublin Warder," Nov. 30, says, understand that two vacant inspectorships in the Board have been filled up this week, one by a Papist, and one by a Socinian. We are informed, that of the thirty-two inspectorships now extant, seventeen are Papists, two Socinians, three Presbyterians, and ten Protestants of the Church of Ireland.”

POPISH OUTRAGE AT SHINRONE." On Tuesday night, Nov. 26, between ten and eleven o'clock, a party of three men entered the house of the schoolmaster of the Church Education Society of that town, and without saying a word, presented a pistol at him, which fortunately missed fire, and then beat him in a most violent manner and broke his ribs. His wife, in attempting to

save him, also received dreadful treatment; both are under medical care, and it is doubtful if either of them will recover."

Five Roman Catholic clergymen in Ireland, Messrs. Frost, Burke, O'Brien, Brasbie, and Macnamara, have lately renounced Popery, and are now preparing for the ministry of the Church of England.

SCOTLAND. There has been, for some time past, a controversy between the "Inverness Herald" and a Roman Catholic priest, the result of which, we doubt not, will be to open the eyes of Protestants in the North more fully to the nature of Popery, and the objects which she is seeking to attain in this country, the bulwark of Protestantism, and therefore of civil and religious liberty. We rejoice at all times to see a good stand made against Popery, especially when conducted in a right spirit, and upon right principles.

PRUSSIA. A letter from Berlin states, that much attention was attracted in that city by the public conversion to Catholicity (Popery) of eight Protestants, who made their abjuration at Potsdam on the "Feast of the Reformation."-Tablet, Dec. 7.

LE VALAIS.-The following is an extract from a Petition which is circulating in the Canton de Vaud:-"To the Grand Council of the Canton de Vaud. Gentlemen, For some years past the Protestants resident in Le Valais (Popish canton), nearly all Swiss, the greater part Vaudois, have met together to worship God according to their conscience. They have neither churches nor a chapel, but meet in particular houses. The Government of Valais now refuse them the right of private worship. It prohibits them from exercising their religion. The Vaudois population is grievously affected. What will

become of the relations of canton with canton if each imitates this intolerance? We pray you, Gentlemen, to adopt such measures as your wisdom shall dictate, to induce the Government of Valais to alter its policy."

LUCERNE. JESUITISM IN SWITZERLAND.-Those emissaries of evil, the Jesuits, who, wherever they carry on their operations, act with secret and determined hostility to every interest dear to mankind, are convulsing Switzerland from one extremity to the other. For some time they have been established at Fribourg and Schwyr, from whence they have directed their operations to bring the other cantons under their control. The question of education was agitated by them, and in more than one Popish canton they demanded to have the public schools placed under their direction. Some years back, the Protestant cantons of Zurich and Berne were pushing and extending, even in remote and mountain districts, their system of education. Unhappily, the Radicals of Zurich carried their ideas of educational reform so far as to appoint the famous STRAUSS to be professor of their new University. The Popish priesthood of Lucerne (Popish canton), under the direction of the Jesuits, immediately raised an outcry, and professing to dread the spread of the principles of Strauss to their canton, the sacerdotal party carried the elections, established a new government, and proceeded to imitate Fribourg, by committing the education of the canton and its schools to the Jesuits. This attempt met with much opposition.* The Grand Council, however, sanctioned the recall of the Jesuits, in spite of the popular repugnance. In certain parts of the canton of Lucerne, especially in the western part bordering upon Berne, the population shewed symptoms of a determination to resist this measure. In the little town of Willisau, these symptoms were evident. The Government sent a detachment of its militia to arrest several persons, known for their opposition to the Jesuits. The population of Willisau rose, surrounded the soldiers, who disobeyed an order from their officer to fire,. and finally retreated. Since that there has been an engagement between the Government troops and the Liberal party, in which the former have proved victorious, after a great number killed and wounded on both sides. A letter from Lucerne, Dec. 10, says :-"The Jesuits triumph to

*For information, see "Protestant Magazine," Nov. and Dec. 1842, and March, 1843

*

the full extent of the word, thanks to the means of seduction that they have employed." It is believed that though the affair is for the moment put down at Lucerne, a very serious struggle is impending between the Papists and the Protestants of the republic generally. This popular movement has broken out on the very eve of the epoch when Lucerne ceases to be Vorort, and as such to wield the executive. That power now passes to Zurich, a state governed by zealous Protestants, and as much opposed to the Jesuits as to any scheme for putting down Popery by Straussism. The "Morning Chronicle" says "If bloodshed or collision be suspended or warded off in Lucerne, Zurich so well situated to act arbiter, may interfere between the Radicals of Berne and the ultra-Catholics of Lucerne, to bring about an accommodation. At all events it is not likely that the Jesuits can keep their ground in North Switzerland. Many of the Conservative states, such as Bâle and Neufchatel would declare against them; and even the Catholic canton of Schwyz is divided in opinion on the subject." We only hope it may be so; but such is the influence obtained by the Jesuits, that we very much fear, if they do not triumph, they will continue for a long time to embroil Switzerland. A Meeting of 3,000 electors of the canton of Berne was held in the church of Fraubrunnen, in that town, on the 15th ult., to take into consideration the means of preventing the spread of Jesuitism. Resolutions, expressing confidence in the Government of Berne, and inviting it to place itself at the head of the Liberal movement, were passed unanimously, amid loud cries of "Down with the Jesuits!" Deputies from Argau and Soleure attended, and took part in the Resolutions of the assembly.

FRANCE." The Hon. and Rev. Mr. Spencer," says the Tablet, Nov. 30, " is in Paris labouring in the great work to which he has devoted himself—the conversion of England.'

A correspondent of "L'Esperance," under date Bale, Oct. 31, states that his friend, M. H., a Protestant, placed a daughter, aged seventeen, in the Royal Institution for the Blind at Paris. The Institution being under the direction of Papists, M. H. stipulated that his daughter should not be compelled to attend the Popish worship, which was agreed to by the conductors of the Institution. Contrary, however, to the promises made, the young girl, who appears to have been a firm Protestant, was compelled to attend all the Popish services; every scheme was tried to make her a convert, but in vain; after suffering great persecution for twelve months, she contrived to acquaint her parents with her situation, who immediately removed her.

AMERICA. The Protestants of the United States of America begin to feel the necessity of offering some check to the advance of Popery amongst them. A writer in the Times (the Genevese Traveller), under date, New York, Nov. 9, says-The religious people of every persuasion are gradually uniting, through the native Americans, in opposition to the Papists; many Protestant families refusing peremptorily to employ them as servants or day labourers.

MALTA. We are rejoiced to learn that in spite of all opposition, the great and good work at Malta is still progressing.

PORTUGAL AND MADEIRA.-We have heard with regret, though without surprise, that the formation of more stringent laws against all opposers of the Roman Catholic religion in Portugal, and her dominions, has been under the consideration of the Portuguese Government. We learn, too, that this is expressly with the view of meeting the case of Dr. Kalley, and similar cases.

The Vorort is the assembled Helvetic council of all the Swiss cantons, held alternately (annually we believe), in various cantons. That canton in which it meets possesses, for the time, much influence.

N.B. Every subscriber of 10s. annually to the Protestant Association is entitled to a copy of the Magazine; to be had on application at the Office.

THE

PROTESTANT MAGAZINE.

FEBRUARY, 1845.

THE PRESENT TIMES, CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT. THERE is a propensity in the minds of men to magnify the importance of those events and transactions in which they have been more immediately concerned. Thus it is, that present good seems often the greatest, and the times in which each person lives are considered by him as of a more interesting and important character than any other. The truth of these remarks is almost universally acknowledged, so much so indeed, that we frequently hear it said, in reply to those who, tremblingly alive for the safety of our institutions, and the best interests of our country, think the aspect of the present times critical and alarming, "Oh! it is all nothing-this your apprehensionit has always been so-there have ever been those of gloomy forebodings, who have thought their own the worst times; whilst others, equally competent to judge, have considered them the best." Admitting that such has frequently been the case, and in many instances may be so now-we are not yet to conclude that all times are alike turbulent or tranquil, prosperous or adverse, nor can we allow the remarks more weight than they deserve. True it is, there have been at all times those who may be termed alarmists-as there have been also those who, rashly presumptuous, where there was no ground for confidence, have dreamed of victory in defeat, honor in disgrace, national glory and prosperity-whilst on the very verge of national decay and ruin.

We are not, therefore, to reject every apprehension, nor embrace every hope that is held out to us; but viewing past and present events with a calm and unruffled spirit, should learn to estimate things according to their own intrinsic importancefree from needless apprehensions on the one hand, and too sanguine expectations on the other. The historian, who after the lapse of ages reviews the leading topics which divided cabinets and empires, and led on mighty nations to deadly conflict, knows how to point out what were the real causes of the evils VOL. VII.-February, 1845. D

recorded by him; can separate the trivial from the important, and accord to each, its proper position as cause and effect.

Isolating ourselves then, as far as possible, from any undue influence of surrounding objects-entering into the spirit of some future historian-we may point out the present times as some of the most critical and eventful which have occurred in the annals of history. Principles of action, almost forgotten, suddenly start forward, and threaten to occupy the position which they held centuries ago: questions of past ages, buried in oblivion, spring up from under the Lethean stream where they had reposed for ages, and casting all other topics in the shade, demand imperiously that attention which has so long been withheld from them; whilst new points, rising into notice, increase the embarrassment of most of our theologians and politicians.

The Mortmain laws; the charitable bequests Act; rubrical observances; canonical obedience; the nature and extent of Episcopal authority; the spiritual and temporal power of the Pope; education, national, secular, and religious; these, with many others, and their various ramifications, absorb the learning of the present day, and threaten to divide every town, every parish, we had almost said, every family in the empire. The storm seems gathering and thickening around us. Never, that we

are aware, for centuries have there been so many powerful, uncontrolled and discordant elements at work.

But amidst this darkness there is One whose word can give light. In the fury of contending elements, One voice will be heard to control them, even the voice of Him whom the winds and the seas obey, and through whose help the roaring deep shall not swallow us up.

Disguise it as we will, parties are preparing, or ought to be preparing, for the conflict. We allude to a moral, spiritual conflict, that war of opinions, of which a celebrated statesman spoke, one which shall agitate every nation of Europe, perhaps the whole world; a war of opinion such as the events of the last thirty years and the present day, even to the politician, point out as likely; and which the prophetic pages of inspired wisdom admonish the followers of Christ Jesus to be prepared for.

The parties, which, like the clouds over a summer sky, are now many, will, as the storm thickens, merge into one of two great divisions. On the one hand, those who hold "the truth as it is in Jesus," the life of their delights, dearer than their worldly prospects, the one grand thing, for which they can forego all other things, and without which all other things are vain and useless. And, on the other hand, those who, holding the truth in unrighteousness, and making it a matter of expediency, desecrate religion, degrade it from its true position, make it a