base for the Roman See." But on the contrary, that the Pope only exercises the power of his supremacy in not admitting a schismatic Prelate into the church. For our own part, we do not apprehend that the downfall' of the Papal power is so near as what the English press wishes us to believe; it has sustained the attack of Heretics, Schismatics, and persecutions, and will continue to the end of ages. Historical Memoirs, respecting the English, Irish, and Scottish Catholics, from the Reforma tion to the present time. By CHARLES BUTLER, Esq. London, 1819, 2 Vols 8vo. pr. 11. 4s. It is with extreme regret we are obliged to substitute an excuse, instead of a review of this work, which we intended to have given in our present number; but a severe indisposition has totally prevented us from going through with the task. We trust our friends will accept of this apology, and we pledge ourselves to give it next month. CATHOLIC AFFAIRS. The Catholic Board has resolved to petition for a repeal of the penal code, as will be seen by the following resolutions :-- At the Board of British Catholics, which met on Wednesday, the 13th inst, by adjournment from the 15th of last month. His Grace the DUKE of NORFOLK, Earl Marshal of England, in the Chair. The following, among other resolutions, were unanimously passed :-- First--"That the Board of British Catholics embrace, with anxious zeal, an occasion of recording their deep regret on the lamented death of the Right Hon. William Elliott, whose loss is to be deplored by every member of the empire, but by none more deeply than the British Catholics, whose petitions he so often presented, and of whose admission to the blessings of the constitution he was the unwearied and able advocate. Second---" That a petition for the repeal of the laws remaining in force against the Catholics of Great Britain be immediately presented to both Houses of Parliament. Third---"That Earl Grey be requested to present the British Catholic petition to the House of Lords, and that the Right Hon. Lord Nugent be requested to present the same to the House of Commons." NORFOLK, E. M. Chairman. THE CATHOLIC GENTLEMAN'S Magazine. FEBRUARY, 1819. of Madaura, a city in the north of Africa. The King, who had a high opinion of his abilities. and merits, appointed him President of Magdalen College, Oxford, a situation that subsequently occasioned the Bishop much uneasiness and vexation.+ When the revolutionary spirit burst into a conflagration, Bps. Giffard and Leyburn were seized at Feversham on their way to Dover, and were actually under arrest when their unfortunate sovereign was brought into the same town (p. 254, Vol. II. of King James II.) The new government committed both prelates to close confinement; but The King acted indiscreetly in urging this business; but that he did not push his prerogative of "Supreme Ordinary of the Kingdom and Visitor of all Colleges," EVEN AS FAR AS HIS PREDECESSORS Henry VIII. Edward VI. Queen Elizabeth, &c. is incon trovertibly proved by Dr. Milner, in his seventh letter to a Prebendary. "Cork, 1807." The following letter of the Bishop, whilst a prisoner, to his sister, who had desired him to remember her on her birth-day, may be acceptable to your readers. "Dear Sister, When my friends desire me to remember them on their birth-day, my G restored them after some time to liberty, on being satisfied of thoughts presently represent unto me that great and glorious birth, by which we were born the children of Almighty God, in the sacrament of Regeneration. This therefore was the great birth-day, a day which caused joy to the angels and saints in heaven, and which highly deserves an annual remembrance both from yourself and all that are concerned for you upon earth. On this day you increased the family of your Divine Father, and therefore the angels and saints rejoiced. On this day you became the child of God, and therefore both you and your friends ought to remember it with gratitude and thanksgiving. O Jesus! my dear sister, did we but seriously consider what it is to be the child of God, to have God for our Father, to have heaven for our inheritance, to have an infinite power, wisdom, and goodness concerned for us, under the title, care, and tenderness of a Father; I say, if we could well reflect on this, we should solemnize this our happy birth-day with all the affections and expressions of joy and gratitude that our souls are capable of. But because we are so unfortunate as not sufficiently to value this inestimable favour, because we have too often been so ungrateful as to offend this incomparable Father, therefore, to keep this your birth-day as you ought, your devotion should consist of these three parts: First, of thanksgiving for the great blessing you received on this day in being chosen, amongst so many thousands who came into the world the same day, to be made the child of God: and after you have raised your affections by a due consideration of this favour, you may with great devotion and attention say the TE DEUM, which hymn St. Austin is said to have pronounced with St. Ambrose, after that by the sacrament of baptism, he was made the child of God. Also on this day you must, with a particular devotion and great satisfaction of mind, say, the OUR FATHER, since it was on this day that you had first a right to call him so. Secondly, by reason of the many faults you have committed against the sanctity of your baptism, and the several ways by which you have violated the great and solemn promises that you made to God, you must with an humble and contrite heart ask pardon of your Father, and to this purpose you must say the Psalm MISERERE. Thirdly, you must on this day renew your BAPTISMAL Vows, and with all the fervour that your soul is capable of, you must purpose and promise Almighty God to observe them better for the future: and that you may do so, you must beg the assistance of his grace: and remembering that it was by the operation of the Holy Ghost that you were born the child of God; that it was by the unction of this blessed Spirit that you were sanctified and consecrated at your baptism, therefore, to implore both his protection and direction for the following year, you must say the VENI CREATOR, with the prayer. In this you have the best advice that I can give you on this important subject, and the truest expressions you can desire of that Christian zeal and concern I have for you, by which I hope to be for ever, as well as at present, Your affectionate Brother. pecially to the Jesuits: such prejudices should never gain admittance into the breast of a Bishop they are unworthy of the Episcopal character.-How truly Catholic are the following sentiments of Dr. Kellison, the fourth President of Douay College, in the preface to his learned work on the hierarchy. "I am no Regular; but I HONOUR ALL RELIGIOUS OR DERS CONFIRMED BY THE CHURCH, AND I ESTEEM HIM all and so, though I be of one side, yet I side not: though I be of one party, yet I am not partial. I praise all orders of the Church; but I dispraise none. I so extol one order, as I depress not the other: I so right one, as I wrong not the other: yet in righting all, I commend all, because all are commendable." Two Sermons are in print which Dr. G. preached at Court. 1st, On the Infallibility of the Church, 4th Sunday after Easter 1687: 2nd, On the Nativity of our Lord, the same year. The following is the Epitaph on the Monument in St. Pancras Church Yard: Sub hoc lapide junguntur cineres Qui ex nobili, in agro Staffordiensi, Familiâ oriundi Bonis ideo apprime chari: Malorum vexationibus quandoque objecti Omnia quæ virtutem, ingenium, doctrinam sequi amant Ipsi læti huic mundo oculos clauserunt Vade, Lector, & quod vitæ superest similiter impende : Sic illis, dum vixerunt; gratiam fecisses maximam : Vale tuique eorumque causa Bonaventura natus A. D. 1644, Alter natus minor obiit Sep. 14, 1714. II. GEORGE WITHAM, of the ancient and respectable family of the Withams, in Yorkshire, was born in the year 1655. At an early age he was sent to Douay College, where he distinguished himself by his assiduity and piety. On the translation of Bp. Giffard to the London District, Dr. Witham was appointed to succeed him in the Midland Vicariat, and was consecrated in 1703, by the title of Bp. of Marcopolis. Here he presided for thirteen years, when he was transferred to the more important charge of the Northern District, which had been unprovided with an Episcopal superior for nearly five years. This worthy prelate was called to the reward of piety on the 16th of April, 1725, O. S. at Cliff Hall, the seat of his elder brother, John Witham, Esq. and was buried in Manfield church. His will, now before me, bears date the 20th day of November, 1723. Amongst other legacies, he gives the cross of his predecessor, Bp. Smith, to his niece, Anne Witham, the daughter of Sir Henry Lawson, Bart.; and his own gold cross, in which he officiated, to his executor and cousin, George Meynell, Esq. III. JOHN TALBOT STONOR, of the ancient family of the Stonors in Oxfordshire. He was an alumnus of Douay College, and after completing his studies in that pious and learned seminary, proceeded to Paris, and took his degree of Dr. of Sorbonne. In 1716, he was appoiuted Bp. Witham's successor in the Midland District, by the title of He Bp. of Thespia, and governed Bp. Stonor was the principal author of the Regula Missionis of 1745 and 1753. They were the consequences of a dispute and appeal to Rome, made principally by the Franciscans, whose provincial, F. Englefield, went to plead his cause before Pope Benedict XIV. but without effect. It cannot be denied, but that Bp. Stonor was unfavourable to the regular clergy. For this he is not to be commended, for a Bishop should embrace all his children with parental love and tenderness. His conduct was greatly at variance with those of the founders and luminaries of Douay College; the Allens, the Martins, the Shirwins, the Stapletons, the Kellisons, and numberless other worthies. All these truly great and good men, were animated with the spirit of love and esteem for every religious order approved of by the Church: they cast no sidelong glance at individual interest they cordially rejoiced at each others success, and vied with each other in the generous strife of promoting the greater honour and glory of their common Lord and Redeemer. May the blessed spirit of union, concert, and love continue in all their descendants. (To be continued.) |