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followed by some dozen or two of reverend supporters, all looking most herculean in their oratorical powers, what a tumult of applause!-what an outbreak of admiration!--what a burst of delight! And what a capital hit they think it, when the Rev. Somebody moves that the Right Hon. Lord Somebody take the chair; and how well it deserves a new excrescence of plaudits when his Lordship condescends to comply? Shall I talk too of the luckless wights that venture to express disapproval, and are instantly the prey of the banditti of wandbearers and the integral staff of police? Shall I describe-"

"Quite enough, usque ad nauseam," interposed Colonel M'Crie, "you are in the vein for distorting and ridiculing all that can happen in that Hall; and we willingly forego the recital of further monstrosities. I do not profess myself an apologist for all that may be said there, by men of all denominations, and all shades of temperament. But I do lament your sneer at the general character of its Meetings, implying, of course, a ridicule at their great object, the propagation of the Gospel of Christ."

"Nay, brand me not too blackly," resumed Hugh, "it does not follow that my disapprobation of the vehicle for carrying on a work implies contempt for the work itself. I hope I have a tolerable zeal in desiring the spread of the Bible when judiciously and authoritatively interpreted, and of ecclesiastical bodies, hallowed by a properly accredited episcopate, among the heathen nations; still I could not subscribe either to your Bible or Church Missionary Society."

"And why not?" inquired his friend, earnestly-"why affect such coldness while souls are perishing for lack of knowledge?" "The knowledge they lack,” replied Hugh, “does not seem to me to be conveyed by the Societies in question. This is my reason for keeping away from them. Look at the Bible Society, for instance why, what blessing can be expected on an association of men so diverse; some from the parish church, who by the voice of their own Articles unchurch all other Protestant sects; again".

"Hold," interrupted the Colonel, "the reference for that statement if you please?"

"Let me finish my excursus against the Bible Society, and you shall have it," replied the Curate,-"some, again, from the Wesleyan meeting-house, some from the Mid-Lothian Kirk, some from the Huntingdon connexion, some from the Baptist conventicle-deputations, in short, from all the modern 'Bethels' and Eben-ezers,' and 'Enons,' and 'Salems,' and 'Beulahs,' and 'Little Bethels,' whose pulpits issue a weekly anthema against Antichristian prelacy and Erastian sin; and not only so, but hit right and left at each other-true schismatics, true sons of the bondwoman, true Ishmaelites, their hand

against every man, wandering about in sullen mischievous gloom in the fit recesses of their spiritual wilderness!

"Alas! for the spirit that begets such a frailing accusation," answered Colonel M'Crie-" Why should those who, differing in non-essentials from ourselves, exemplify (many of them so brightly) the mind of their Lord (both theirs and ours,') why should they arouse your angry ban?”

"And why then,” replied Hugh with warmth—“ Why then do you too gravely excommunicate the glorious saints of the Romish faith—why does your bitterness find no vent on the heads of malignant Puritans, but only on the luckless Churchmen that were only a little too obedient to their Holy Mother? Schism is with you, if a sin at all, an impalpable and a venial one; Catholicism, whether of St. Bernard or Archbishop Laud, an unpardonable and mortal crime. Oh, Sir, forgive me if I speak intemperately, but do try to see the inconsistency of this in members of a Church, which though in bonds, is a Church still."

"My dear Hugh," replied Colonel M'Crie, mildly, "you have heaped up, somewhat indiscriminately, a rather large mass of objections against us. I can readily sympathize with warmth on such a matter-its misdirection, however, is to be deplored. Before speaking of the relative position of the Church of England, (the Church, I mean, not of Laud and Andrewes and Montague and Thorndike, but of its legitimate founders in the preceding age,) let me protest against the sweeping clause by which you would accuse me of unchristianizing all but Reformed Protestants. Wherever I see the image of Christ displayed, be it at Lambeth or Rome or Geneva, I desire to honour it unfeignedly, and to look upon the man who so reflects it, as a vessel chosen unto honour, and a brother in the faith. My prayer is to realize and act more upon the practical truth, that he who is good enough for Christ is good enough for me."

As he spoke he drew from his pocket a small book, filled with extracts and notes in his own hand-writing, and opening it added -"Most sincerely do I wish to sympathize in the sentiments of that dear and honoured servant of God, Mr. Bickersteth, when he thus speaks-(here is Catholicism without guile,)—

“And happier days are still before the Christian, days when he shall have a freer and closer intercourse with all the saints and servants of God our Saviour. All their darkness will then be dispelled, and all their errors for ever removed, all their coldness and separation for ever gone; and nothing but light, and joy, and love filling every glorified spirit above, who can duly estimate the full bliss and glory of this general assembly of firstborn! When we look around our studies we see quietly ranged together on the same shelves, Origen and Cyprian, Augustine and Jerome, Bradwardine and Aquinas, Calvin and Arminius,

Hooker and Owen, Baxter and Stillingfleet, Toplady and Wesley, Whitfield and Fletcher, Watts and Doddridge, with modern Episcopalians, in perfect peace; and it is cheering to have them each in his turn ready at our elbow to minister instruction and edification. But O, how much more cheering is that peace, how perfect is that love, in which they now dwell together! How full of joy the hope that we shall soon be there with them, and know as we are known! If sorrow could enter, it would be that we were ever divided on earth; but even that sinful division will serve to amplify and illustrate the riches of that grace which pardoned all, and in which we shall triumph through eternity."

"And what then," said Hugh, "is the worth of that muchadmired axiom of Mr. Stowell's which you quoted a few minutes since? If all these good people are to be equally blessed at the end, what is the use of exhorting while here below to a High Churchmanship erroneously so called?"

"The minds of men," replied Colonel M'Crie, “are variously constituted, but their souls, the immortal part, have but one redemption. Their minds differ on the theory of Church government-their souls agree on the one way of atonement. The more thoughtful and scriptural they become, the more will they merge the less in the greater, although they will not readily assent to a desertion of what they consider the truth even on minor matters. Thus-believing episcopacy to be the right form of Church polity, I shall not accept any invitation to join the ranks whether of Presbyterians or Independents; at the same time I shall aim at an expansive charity towards them as being of the true household of faith.”

“But again I ask," continued Hugh, "why and in what respect you consider yourself better off than they? If the two paths lead to the same terminus, why is one truth and the other error?"

"The two paths are in reality one; " replied the Colonel, “I mean that all true lovers of Christ are in HIM, the one WAY to the heavenly city. I own the evils of Dissent-but the love of the Saviour overpowers then. As to essentials, the paths are both truth;- —as to the lesser matters, one is to all appearance in error. I believe that were I cordially to join the ranks of the Scotch Kirk, or the Wesleyan connexion, and in simplicity and truth to seek to glorify my Saviour in body, soul, and spirit, I should enter into the rest which he giveth his beloved. But I should err were I to join them with my present views-for I doubt as to the verity and soundness of their polity. He that doubteth is condemned if he act against the light; let every man, even in minor points, be fully pursuaded in his own mind. I trust you now understand why I am both a stout Episcopalian, and yet a lover of Christ-like Nonconformists."

(To be concluded in the next Number.)

VOL. VII.-November, 1845.

438

APPEAL FROM THE IRISH PROTESTANTS.

THE following well-timed and energetic appeal appeared in the "Times" of Tuesday, the 21st October.

The critical nature of the times has called out more prominently than they could wish, men who were not courting publicity, and we feel convinced that they will ably and faithfully defend to the utmost their institutions.

DUBLIN, OCTOBER 1845.

66 TO THE PROTESTANTS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. "In a season of great danger and trial, under much obloquy and manifold provocations, we have determined to appeal to you.

"We ask you to hear us calmly, and to give to our case your earnest and practical consideration, not led away by vague prejudices and hasty judgments.

“There are some who use towards us the language of contempt and insult, and others who exhibit to our cause only apathy or impatience; and there are too many who are professors of Protestantism, but who object but feebly even to the religious tenets of the Church of Rome.

"We address not such as these-we expect no sympathy from them; but we appeal to those millions of our fellowcountrymen who are still willing to maintain their protest against Rome, and to uphold the religion of the Reformation.

"We feel that our cause is good, and that we can prove it to be so; that our principles are true, and our conclusions sound; and, further, that the means we desire to adopt for the defence of our cause are not only necessary and effectual, but righteous, legal, and constitutional.

"But to our success and safety it is essential that the good will and cordial aid of British Protestants should be engaged in our behalf: and that their sober and solemn attention should be given to the question of Irish Protestantism, and the peculiar position of the Irish Protestants.

"It is our belief, that the true principles of the Reformed faith are nowhere more ardently loved, or more soundly maintained than in Ireland; and we mournfully believe and fear that our fall would be felt throughout Christendom as a blow to the cause of truth.

"Do not look on our interests as remotely, but as very intimately connected with your own; and when you read our Address, cast off all such impressions as may have been made upon you by the levity, the unfairness, the bitterness, and the scorn which have hitherto been too often manifested towards this important question.

"No proof is needed of the eager support that was given by Irish Protestants to the present Administration on their accession to power. There were, indeed, misgivings amongst some sagacious observers of events; but the greater number buried the past in oblivion, and again trusted those who before had disappointed them. While there was then, as there is now, no indisposition whatever on the part of the Protestants of Ireland to co-operate with the Government in a truly liberal and conciliatory course towards their Roman Catholic countrymen, and no desire to withhold from them the advantages of civil equality, it was hoped and believed that a Conservative Government would have endeavoured to remedy and reverse the ruinous policy of their predecessors, as regarded this part of the empire; that they would not have encouraged the advancement of the Church of Rome; but, guarding against its encroachments, that they would have befriended the Protestant cause, and zealously consulted its interests; that, in questions relating to religion and education in Ireland, due regard would have been paid to the principles of Scriptural instruction, and to the claims of that Reformed faith which is interwoven with the constitution, recognised by the laws, and is the cornerstone of the British monarchy.

"Such were our expectations. We challenge the most moderate to point out in the policy of the present Administration any signs of affection to the Protestant cause, or any symptoms of resistance or discouragement to the march of the Church of Rome.

"In the face of the remonstrances of more than a million of British Protestants, the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth has been permanently endowed; the conscientious objections of Protestants to the national system of education have been disregarded; and a peremptory refusal has been given to the reasonable Petition of a large body of the nobility, gentry, and clergy of Ireland for aid to instruct the children of the Protestant poor in a manner conformable to their faith.

"Whatever may be the judgment of the people of Great Britain as to the merits of the Irish scheme of national education, differing so much from that of England, few of them will deny that the scruples of those who regard Scripture as an essential part of education ought to be provided for as carefully as the scruples of those who claim the authority to exclude it.

"We are, therefore, compelled to the startling conclusion, by manifold proofs, that the policy of the Minister is to attempt to govern Ireland by means of the Roman Catholic party, and to secure their influence and co-operation by continued con

cessions.

"We cannot but apprehend, therefore, that heavier blows and greater discouragements are still in store for us, that there

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