the Son of God, as well as to the Father and Holy Ghost. P. 53. The prophet Sophonias foretold that, in the time of the New Testament, spiritual victims should be offered, not only to the Father, but also to the Son, as is now practised in the Church. P. 55. He answers a question of Monimus, viz. why we beg that the Holy Ghost only may be sent to sanctify the gift of our offering, as if the Son of God could not sanctify the sacrifice of his own body which we offer. P. 61, 62, &c. He clearly shews what the doctrine of the Church in his time, i. e. above 1200 years ago; concerning the real presence of Christ, in the Eucharistic sacrifice, I shall here quote a few passages, without any comment, in the Saint's own words. "We invoke the Holy Ghost, to come and sanctify the sacrifice of the whole Church. For on what occasion would the Holy Church more properly pray for the Holy Ghost to come, than to consecrate the sacrifice of the body Christ? In the sacrament of the bread and chalice, the body itself and blood of Christ are offered. The cup which we drink is a communication of the blood of Christ, and the bread which we break is a participation of the body of the Lord. P. 67, 68, &c. He proceeds to show how necessary it is to remain in communion with the true Church of Christ." It is manifest that the grace of the Holy Spirit is not with any hereties, and that their sacrifice cannot please God as long as they are heretics! St. Augustin, in his 3d book, about receiving Heretics without baptising them again, says, The Holy Ghost, who is said to be given by the imposition of hands in the Catholic Church only, is to be understood as implied by those words of the Apostle: "The charity of God is diffused in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us. For this charity is what they have not, who are cut off from the communion of the Catholic Church. P. 73 and 74. He concludes this book by answering Monimus's question, about works. of supererogation: when he observes, that, as in the Ark of Noah there were three apartments, one above another, so we may understand that conjugal chastity should dwell in the lowest, the chastity of widows in the second, and that of virgins in the highest. In his 3d book, to the same. friend, he shows the infallibility P. 80. of the Church. Behold," says he, "by what artifices the truth of faith is impugned; but, with whatsoever battering rams heretics strive to demolish the Holy Church, we are sure in our Lord God that they will not prevail to overturn, the city placed on a mountain." In quoting this and other pas sages from the writings of the ancient fathers of the Church, I must request the candid reader to recollect that they were written against the Arians, Pelagians,; Macedonians, Donatists, &c, who upon various pretexts separated, themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church. My intention is not to attack any sect, or denomination of Christians of the present day, but only to represent, as in a mirror, what were the sentiments of the most learned Divines in the first ages, concerning those dogmata which are now controverted among us. I shall continue my lucrubations in the next number of your very useful Magazine, and shall feel happy in thus contributing to the stock of general information on these important subjects, so intimately connected with our future eternal welfare; and much more so, if I can succeed in my endeavours to excite in the public a laudable curiosity personally to inspect the venerable monuments of antiquity from which I have made these few extracts. I remain, &c. I HERE communicate to you an extract of a letter from a missionary at Macao, which you may insert in your Magazine, if you think proper.also an Answer to J. Wesley, which you may review. I wish also you would invite your poetical correspondents to exercise their talents in composing short hymns to be sung in Catholic chapels. Catholic hymns are very much wanted. The collection printed at Aberdeen, in 1802, contains only few hymns which can be sung by a congregation. They are in general too long, and set to Scotch tunes, and profane tunes also. Those in the Dublin collection require to be revised and improved, before they can be adopted in this country. (I send you here a copy.) Our best hymns, and which now are sung in many Catholic chapels, are taken from Mr. Austin's Devotions. As Lent is drawing near, I here send you one of his hymns, upon the Sufferings of Christ, which is suited for that time, and may serve as a model. (See the Poetry) I remain your well wisher And subscriber, N. GILBERT. Whitby, Feb. 1813. Extract of a Letter from a Missionary, at Macao, to a friend at Whitby; dated April 1, 1812. THERE arose within this year a furious storm against the Christian Religion, especially against the Missionaries at Pekin. The principal cause of it was the affair of a priest, a Chinese by birth, arrested in a province, who declared that he had studied, and been ordained, at Pekin. The questions which, in consequence of this declaration, were put to the European missionaries, perplexed them very much. The Chinese language has no term to denote the different orders of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. We call Subdeaconships the fifth order, (being next to the four minor orders.) Deaconship, the sixth, and so on; and it is the same word which is used to denote the orders, or different degrees, of the Mandarins. Deceived by the identity of the word, the Mandarins put it into their heads, that our ecclesiastical orders are so many degress of their dignity; that the Europeans presume, like the emperor himself, to create Mandarins; and that those of Pekin are the heads, &c. Every attempt to remove their suspicions, by explaining the meaning of the word, proved abortive. This affair, nevertheless, seemed to be at rest, and the missionaries began to enjoy some tranquillity, when one of the imperial censors, or monitors, presented to the emperor a long memoir, replete with invectives against the Christian religion and the Europeans resident at Pekin; requesting that certain penal laws should be enacted against the Christians; that the Europeans should be sent away, with the exception of those who are necessary for the Tribunal of Mathematics; and that even these should be strictly watched, in order to prevent them from propagating their religion. The emperor sent this libel to the criminal tribunal, which tribunal is believed to be the real author of it; its deliberations in consequence were entirely conformable to the libel, and the emperor sanctioned those deliberations, by an edict dated the 19th of July, which was immediately published. Happily, a minister of State, who was an enemy to the Europeans, was changed; and his successor, who had always shewn himself disposed in their favour, made remonstrances to the emperor. Two great mandarins were commanded to convene all the missionaries in one of the European houses, to intimate to them his majesty's pleasure. The mandarins began by expressing their disapprobation of the proceedings of the Censor; adding, that no man of sense gave credit to his declamations, that the emperor's in tention was not to send away any of them; only that he would not allow them to preach the Christian religion; if, however, any of them wished to leave the coun try, they were at full liberty to speak their mind freely. The missionaries answered, that, under the restrictions that were laid on them, after the injury offered to their character, as well as to their religion, they could not think of remaining, but preferred to avail themselves of the li berty given them of going away. The mandarins now grew more tractable; and, finally, none but the four Italian missionaries asked for leave to retire. They have been even permitted to sell their property, both lands and houses, and to carry away with them the produce of the sale. A good lesson, which the Chinese, strangers as they are to the Christian faith, give here to the ravagers of the Continent of Europe, who, to secure the fruits, cut down the tree. These missionaries have along, the road been well-treated, every regard has been paid to them, and their expense has been defrayed by government, Upon their arrival at Canton, at the beginning of January, the gentlemen belonging to the East India Company hastened to invite them to one of their factories; and, during more than a fortnight that they stayed there, gave them the most sensible proofs of that attention and benevolence, by which this generous nation is so highly distinguished. The order from the court was, that the four missionaries should embark for Europe, as soon as any ship belonging to their country should sail from Canton. They might have embarked in English ships. The gentlemen of the Company made them the offer, with their usual generosity; but they preferred to go to Ma nilla, and wait at Macao for an opportunity. The government of Canton readily consented to it; some mandarins having observed, like good geographers, that in reality it would be better for them to go to Manilla; for there they would be nearer their country, than if they went to England. Arrived at Macao, they have altered their resolution, thinking they might be more useful in other places than at Manilla. Accordingly, two gone to Pinang, another stays here in a Chinese college; one on ly, a very old man, will retreat to Manilla. are Although the new edicts be levelled against all the Christians throughout the empire, yet they have not hitherto had any effect, but in regard of the missionaries of the capital. In the provinces: the Christians have not been molested; but all the mischief, perhaps, is not over. The edicts give the Christiaus a whole year to amend, to make themselves known to the magistrates, and upon this condition to be pardon ed. It is, therefore, only at the expiration of that term, they can be perfectly at ease. Yet, as government has expressly announced, that it was necessary to avoid making a noise, there is reason to hope that the mandarins will find means of leaving the Christians undisturbed, without exposing themselves. The beautiful comet, which began to appear at Pekin towards the middle of September, 1811, and which has been seen here, from the 4th of October till some time in December, has great-> ly attracted the attention of the Chinese; they have fatigued the Europeans with questions. Per sonages of the first rank have betrayed the same uneasiness as the rest. According to the Chinese authors, those apparitions are warnings from heaven; according to astrology, they are prog nostics of horrible catastrophes. The answers which they received did not give satisfaction, because they thought the Europeans durst not tell them the truth. I understand that the competent tribunal was to publish its opinions on the subject. How they have extricated shemselves from this mighty difficulty I have not yet heard. It was expected; when my friends wrote to me from Pekin in October, that the comet would be declared an ef fect of the great doroght which took place some time before in' the province of Pekin. The Viceroy of Canton, who arrived there in the Spring of 1811, assumed with the English a tone of civility, and even of familiarity, which astonished every body. He visited them, he received their visits, ate with them, and preserved the same line of conduct till his departure, towards the end of the year. In taking leave of them, he embra ced them and wept." You see my tears," said he, " you see my sincerity." A well-bred Chinese must have the talent of weeping whenever he thinks proper. The public know not to what motive to ascribe this comedy. As his first demonstrations were towards Sir George Staunton, whom he had seen in the embassy, they were inter This Viceroy, (now, I think, minister of state,) is Son ta, jin, who was charged to accompany Lord Macartney, on his departure from Pekin. preted to be mere expressions of kindness. But, as other mandarins, and the new viceroys, have continued to treat the English with a degree of civility and consideration which had never been witmessed before, there can be no doubt, but that this change of conduct must have been recommended byhe Cabinet of Pekin. AS SIR, To the Editor. Mr. their cause, which is good in itself, but sometimes it contains an evil which might otherwise die away, and which, in the present instance a little more light and knowledge on spiritual things would gradually disperse. The weapons of Christ are not carnal, the servant of the Lord must not strive, but in meekness instruct those that oppose themselves, if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to acknowledge the truth. S the matter respecting fur ther concessions to the Catholics is not very publicly agitated in the kingdom, you would do me, and I imagine many of your readers a favour, if you would publish a list of the several offices from which the Roman Catholics are now excluded. I am confident that vast numbers of those who are warm on the subject want information in this particular. Gregor, who has published a pamphlet on the question in Cornwall, has studiously avoided this point. The civil offices, &c. into which they are not to, be admitted, are thirty-two. Some of those perhaps might be conceded without giving offence to any sincere member of the Protestant Government and Church. I am myself a friend to the established Church, and par. ticularly to its doctrines, at the same time I do not, wish to deprive others who are of a different sentiment of any fair privilege, or civil advantage, to which they are entitled. And I am much afraid that those who most violently oppose the Catholics at the present moment, will lead directly to con firm them in any religious error which they may possess. Perses cution tends not only to strengthen Yours, Bridgenell, Devon. An Allegory. VERITAS. THERE is a village (no matter where) in which the inhabitants, on one day in the year, sit down to a dinner prepared at the common expence. By an extraordinary piece of tyranny (which some persons would call the wisdom of the village ancestors) the inhabitants of three of the streets, about two or three hundred years ago, seized upon the inhabitants of the fourth street, bound them hand and foot, laid them upon their backs, and compelled them to look on, while the rest were regaling themselves with beef and beer. The next year the inhabitants of the persecuted street (though they subscribed an equal quota of the expence) were treated precisely in the same manner, The tyranny grew into a custom; and (as the manner of our nature is) it was considered the most sacred of all duties to keep those poor people without their annual dinner: The village was so tenacious of this practice, that nothing could induce them to resign it; every enemy to it |