WE often meet with persons who tell us seriously that popery in doctrine and practice is not now what it was in former days. Many persons, we are persuaded, have been grossly deceived by such assertions; and it is with the view of begetting in our readers, if it does not exist a horror of that system of iniquity (which Cecil has well characterized as the master-piece of Satan,) that we insert the following letter lately sent by the Rev. W. Young, the Romish Priest of the union of Baldoyle, Kinsealy and Howth, near Dublin, from Bari, in Italy, to his parishioners in the above union, and circulated by the permission of his Superior, the Bishop, in 1834, for the purpose of raising funds to complete his chapel.

The letter itself is so full of folly and superstition as to need but little comment of ours, and we have thought by laying it before our readers as it is, it

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would speak volumes as to the mental and spiritual bondage of a people who could be cajoled by such absurdities. It shews plainly what the tenets of popery are; and, if our readers would know what its practice is, we would refer them to the fact that in many parts of Ireland, we would merely mention the island of Achill, (in which a flourishing protestant mission has been lately established,) protestants are as bitterly persecuted now as they were in by-gone days. Popery is spreading in England-this we know from the most authentic statements of the papists themselves. It becomes therefore the duty of both Ministers and people to create, especially in the breasts of the young, a horror of that system of deceit and blood; for we fear that it will be found it is the mitigated view which is taken, and the respectful manner in which popery is spoken of by some, that the unwary and unstable have been deceived, and thus in our own highly favoured land the mark of the beast has been stamped upon many. Now prevention being easier than cure, we would strongly recommend the circulation of such books as the Lives of the Reformers,' the Days of Queen Mary,' the Lollards,' &c., which are cheap publications of the Tract Society, eminently calculated to impede the wily inroads of the papal schemes.

6

Bari, on the Adriatic. DEARLY BELOVED PARISHIONERS,

It is before the shrine of one of the most illustrious saints of the calendar-it is in the very presence of the mortal remains of the great Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra-the patron of your parish

that I commence to address you, and endeavour to convey to you some sage maxims of salvation. Let it be remembered that I am after making a long and tedious journey to this distant place, for the purpose of conveying your vows and prayers to the shrine of our illustrious saint, and of placing the parish and the parishioners for future generations under his holy protection. Already has the offering been made, already have the vows and engagements, which I have made in your name, ascended like incense before the Most High-already have I offered up on the very tomb of the Saint the holy sacrifice of the mass on your behalf, and formed as it were a holy compact between you and heaven, that the Almighty would receive your prayers through his servant Saint Nicholas, and that Saint Nicholas should in return become the channel of a thousand graces to you. On this very day I have been blessed with a sight of his mortal remains, and witnessed the prodigous miracle of Sudor, or water, called Manna, proceeding from his bones; and which, though distributed in quantities every day to the pious inhabitants of the place, and to persons from foreign countries, continues, nevertheless, every moment to issue forth fresh supplies! The venerable prelate of the place accompanied me to the shrine, and explained to me the miracle. A portion of manna has been delivered to me by his directions, sealed with his bull, for the purpose of preserving under the altar of Saint Nicholas, in Kinsealy. Innumerable miracles have been wrought, and are still performing, through his powerful intercession; the blind see, the lame walk, and the bones of Saint Nicholas distil manna. O happy union of

Baldoyle, Kinsealy and Howth, blessed with the patronage of this great Saint, and permitted to enjoy a portion of his remains! While at Rome I endeavoured to procure some holy reliques and ornaments for each of our churches, and as many privileges and indulgences as I would for our parish. His present Holiness, Pope Gregory the XVIth., has been pleased to make the altar in Baldoyle church, a privileged altar for ever. I have also obtained for myself and for my successors for ever in your parish, the privilege of enrolling the parishioners who shall be properly disposed into the Tertian orders of Saint Francis, and Saint Augustine, into the societies of the rosary, and of our blessed Lady of Mount Carmel, and of investing them with the Cord, Cincture, and Scapular. Besides these I have purchased beads and medals of the blessed Virgin, Saint Peter, and Saint Nicholas, a great quantity of prints and paintings to ornament your Churches and places of private devotion. The privileges bestowed on you are intended as rewards for well tried piety. To relapse back therefore into evil habits, after receiving such pledges of heavenly favour, would be a frightful abuse of holy things. In conclusion, I wish you to defer the execution of your intentions until I return to the parish.

THE SUBSTANCE OF AN ADDRESS AT A FUNERAL IN ST. P—

APRIL, 1837.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

-K CHURCH,

IT is not my practice as you are, some of you,

aware, to say any thing on occasions of this kind. Indeed, this is the first time that I have ever attempted to do so. Nor should I now have departed from my usual order, but for this circumstance :-On approaching the Churchyard to-day, I was much struck at the number that had assembled, and were assembling to be present at the interment of our deceased brother. It seemed to me as if the whole parish had laid aside, for a time, their usual employments to come to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of one who was, but is not. This conduct of yours I much admire the feeling which influenced you, I cannot but respect. It is cheering to one's heart to see the best sympathies of our nature brought into exercise, in the midst of sorrow and weeping, and in sight of the tomb. But why not, my dear friends, assemble here in such numbers as these on the Lord's day? Why not fly to the house of God, 66 as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?" Is not the inducement sufficiently strong, to bring you from your homes on that blessed day? that the Lord will, by his sincere worshippers, "glorify the house of his glory;"-that Jesus, our divine Master and Redeemer, is in the midst of us in this place to bless us, and that verily we receive a blessing? I see you come together in hundreds and hundreds, out of respect to the memory of a poor fellow-worm, whose corruptible is seeing corruptionmingling with the dust under your feet. And are you able to turn your backs on the memorials of the Redeemer's dying love, which from time to time are presented before you? Is it possible that the exceeding great love of your Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ dying for you can still fail to affect your