THE

PROTESTANT MAGAZINE.

MARCH, 1845.

THE PROPOSED INCREASED GRANT TO MAYNOOTH COLLEGE; OR, AGITATION REWARDED.

OUR readers are most of them well aware that we have ever opposed the grant to Maynooth College. We have felt it our duty to do so. We have done so from a conscientious conviction, that the grant was originally given, and has since been continued, upon false principles.

We resisted the grant when the Conservatives were out of power, or, rather, out of office; we resist it now they are in office; and, we trust, that we shall equally continue to resist it, and to expose the iniquity of giving it, when, should that time ever arrive, they may be out of office again. The smiles or frowns of ministers, make no difference in questions of truth and error; nor ought they to make a difference in the conduct of those advocating truth. There is a higher tribunal than that of earthly judges,—a tribunal where the humblest and the most exalted must alike appear. Truth, however unfashionable here, is acknowledged in the court of heaven, where its sacred impress, affixed to motives and actions, shall give them an undying value, when all mere worldly expediency and its favourers shall have passed away.

The revealed will of God would not have been given to men if its Divine Author had not known that it was needed. It was given as a guide-a guide alike in matters of national as of individual concern. Nor was it given to be despised. But it is despised, as human laws are, whenever men or nations act in open violation of its requirements. This they do when they support what is wrong, and contrary to that word.

But of all evil, whether systematized, or individualized, there is none which so exalts itself against, and dreads the word of God, as Popery. None, perhaps, which is so much denounced by it. Can we, then, support a system thus denounced, and expect a blessing? Nay, must we not partake of its curse? VOL. VII.-March, 1845.

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And ought we not to protest against it? As faithful servants of Christ, must we not oppose the Antichristian Church of Rome, and all measures which lead to its advancement?

We have had no political no party triumphs in view; no personal end to gain by the pursuit of such a course. We desire only to view matters in their true light and position, and to be instrumental in leading others to see things in the true aspect, and to act consistently therewith. We know our views are sometimes stigmatized as those of bigotry, intolerance, and narrow-mindedness; and that a narrow-minded or enlarged view may be taken of matters; and that it is only they who take the truly enlarged view of things that can be at all certain of coming to a satisfactory conclusion. For, possibly, on taking a narrow view, that may appear to be right, good, and proper, which, on a more extended survey, is seen to be manifestly injurious. Present inconveniences must often be incurred for future advantages. Present losses and privations for future gain.

Now, the question is, what is a truly enlarged view? And it seems clear to us, that they take a false, a narrow-minded, and short-sighted view, who regard only the present.

It is upon this rests the well-known maxim, honesty is the best policy, as applied to transactions between man and man. For though fraud and falsehood may secure for a while some seeming advantage, yet, in the long-run, they defeat themselves; and the liar and the thief incur the opprobrium of mankind, and justly lose, not only what they would unjustly gain, but even the opportunity of having what otherwise they might have possessed.

So, too, with regard to nations, slightly altering the adage, instead of expediency, we would say principle is the best policy. It may not, at first sight, seem so showy and dazzling, but it is the soundest policy; it will last the longest, and wear the best.

True, taking expediency in its most extended sense, we may say, that nothing is expedient which is not right; and, that in that sense, what is right, and what is expedient may be regarded as synonymous expressions,

But the word expediency is often used in contradistinction to what is acknowledged to be strictly right, and when the sacrifice of some principle is contemplated. And those will frequently be found who, in public or private matters, assert and admit that a given course is right, though it is not expedient that it should be adopted. In this sense expediency implies temporary convenience, at risk of future loss. And any such course may be justly designated as narrow-minded, vicious, and unsound, proceeding only from those who either cannot take a comprehensive view, or who have not that confidence in the Almighty as to know that the cause of truth is his cause, and that he will both

defend that truth and its advocates, and punish its betrayers and deserters.

But nations have longer lives than individuals; and as it would be ruinous for a merchant by some fraud, for temporary convenience, to blast the prospects of his future life, so is it unwise, unsafe, and fatal, for a nation to pursue a course of policy dictated by a false expediency alone; a policy in which, for the sake of a temporary peace, future war of a more dreadful nature must be ensured; a policy where truth must be sacrificed to error, right to wrong, and the will of the great Arbiter of the affairs of men and nations set at nought and wholly disregarded. These observations are made with reference to the proposed increased grant to Maynooth College, and other concessions in favour of Popery, as announced or intimated at the opening of the present session.

The development of the Ministerial plans, has struck a more deep alarm into some of the most influential parties of the country than the propounders of them may at first be aware of.

The announcement, as bad in the mode of its being made as it was vicious in principle, and dangerous in its consequences, seems to be the joint fruit of past agitations in Ireland and of recent communications with Rome;-an announcement made by one who appeared rather to have been frightened into the plans proposed than to have adopted them from conviction ;-an announcement which, while it occasioned sincere pain and alarm to those who felt most deeply alive to the vital interests of their country, and who trembled at this self-inflicted wound of the Administration, gave a malignant pleasure to the opponents of Government, as they beheld the Prime Minister of this country, -now their victim,-moving rather at their dictation than of his own free will; hastening to concede, almost before demands were made; and coupling the concession with language humiliating to him and insulting to his adherents, as if it were the only way by which his new friends and allies were to be pitiated.

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The tone and temper of Mr. Sheil's observations will have convinced many, how Roman Catholics will play the tyrant should they get a few steps higher. His observations as to compact, &c., we will not too harshly designate; and with regard to any specific Act passed at the time of the Union to secure such a grant, we will only say that no such Act was ever passed, and we trust that the language attributed to the Hon. Member was that of the reporter, not his own. But the Hon. Member is further reported to have said, that Trinity College, Dublin, is to be thrown open. Here is an exhibition of Popish ideas of justice and equality. Thus, though Maynooth is to be entirely their own, and to have an increased endowment from the State; though the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland is to

have a college for the exclusive education of her priesthood, yet the Established Church of Ireland is to have none in which her ministry are to be educated! And what is the education given at Maynooth? We give a few passages from a work on Canon Law, not the worst that might be selected. In Reiffenstuel Decretal tit. vii. de Hæreticis, it is asked, "Are vassals, and servants, and others, freed from private obligation due to a heretic, and from keeping faith with him? Answer.-Yes. All are so by the clear disposal of the law."

Again, it is inferred also, 1.-" That he who owes anything to a heretic by means of purchase, promise, exchange, pledge, deposits, loan, or any other contract, is IPSO JURE free from the obligation, and is not bound to keep his promise, bargain, or contract, or his plighted faith, even though sworn to a heretic."

Then, on the subject of oaths, taken by lay officials, it is there stated, tit. xxiv. De Jure Jurando, No. 81, that "a general oath of observing the statutes, capitulations, or customs of any Church or community, obliges only to observe things lawful, possible, and not prejudicial to the liberty of the Church. Such is the common opinion; and it is expressly decided in the first chapter, by declaring that those oaths which are accustomed to be taken by powers, rulers, and lay officials, in the beginning of their office, and which sometimes contain things unlawful and prejudicial to ecclesiastical immunity, ought to be observed only as to those things that are lawful; since, as to other things, they cannot be observed without an offence against the Divine Majesty."

Again, in tit. vii. De Hæreticis, there is a compendium of the temporal and corporal punishments of heretics; and it is asked, what corporal punishments, especially of imprisonment and death, have been decreed against heretics?-to which it is replied:

"We answer, first, impenitent heretics, that is, who are unwilling to be converted, but obstinately persevering in their heresy, are to be put to death (ultimo supplicio afficiendi sunt), whether they be clergy or laity, but so, that the heretical clergy, first be degraded, and afterwards delivered to the secular power to be punished with death."

Again, ii. 313, on the subject of allegiance. "It is inferred that vassals and slaves are, ipso facto, freed from their service and fidelity towards an heretical lord, as likewise male and female servants from obedience to the same; " and in lib. v'. Decret. sec. vi. 311. "For the doctors commonly infer that the Pope on account of this crime, can, for the sake of religion, absolve the laity from an oath of fidelity, and from any other obligation, though confirmed by an oath which they held beforehand to the delinquent; both as well, because, in every promise, 'the cause of religion' is considered excepted; as because, in

such an obligation and oath it is tacitly understood, if he continues, such a person with whom I may lawfully communicate, or if he does not render himself justly unfit and unworthy." Such are the sentiments contained in a work on Canon Law, published at Rome, and that so recently as the years 1831, 2, 3, 4, and 5!!!!*

But there is one other point most material to be noticed. We allude to the manner in which the sanctity of the Union is spoken of when any supposed benefit is thereby to be gained by Roman Catholics, and the manner in which it is disregarded when its strict observance might tend to advance the Protestant interests of the country.

Is the grant to Maynooth more fully secured by the Act of Union than the Established Church in that country was intended to be? Where are the statutory provisions upon the subject? There is none as to Maynooth. The Act of Union is silent about it, but expressly stipulates in favour of the Established Church, and provides that it shall be taken care of; yet by a one-sided interpretation some mere hearsay is to be exalted into the solemnity of a national compact in favour of Maynooth, not ever to be departed from, whilst, on the other hand, the positive provisions of the solemn Act of Union are to be disregarded when they are in favour of the Established Church! What can have occasioned such mental, such moral obliquity? Wherein can we find a solution for such policy? how can we account for such conduct? It is occasioned by a desire to conciliate Popery, at the expense of Protestantism. The policy originates in the entanglement of expediency, into whose mazy paths having once entered, there is no escape but by retracing the steps by which they have wandered in its treacherous and trackless windings.

The fact is, that before the Union, there were several grants made to charities by the Irish Parliament. These grants it was in the discretion of the Irish Parliament to increase, vary, diminish, or take away. This power the British Parliament has exercised from year to year. Some grants even for Protestant purposes existing before the Union have been already discontinued, without any violation of compact, and the grant to Maynooth College may be treated in the same way.

Thus originating in false policy-without Act of Parliament, compact, policy, principle, or expediency, for its continuance, and with an overflowing abundance of wealth, on the part of Roman Catholics to support their own institutions, we demand that

Reiffenstuel, is a work of authority on the Canon Law, it is returned to the Committee of the House of Commons as recommended with others, by the Professors to the students.

Those who wish to verify the above quotations will find the work from which they are taken in the British Museum.