the church by wise and good men, when not contrary to the teaching of holy Scripture, may be, and in certain circumstances undoubtedly is, an important Christian duty; while what is not taught in the Bible cannot be universally obligatory. Nor does it, as some have supposed, serve to establish the superior claims put forward by the Episcopacy, if it could be proved that such Presidents were appointed even in the time of

the Apostles. We should then require to be informed of the circumstances in which it was done, and the authority with which such Bishops were invested. The Apostles did many things, in consequence of circumstances then existing, which were never intended to be of perpetual obligation: else divine right might be pleaded for circumcision, the shaving of the head, and community of goods. (Pages 68-78.)

It appeared to us one of the most extraordinary circumstances connected with the recent discussion on the Maynooth Endowment Bill, both in the great Council of the nation, and in general society, that so little stress should have been laid upon the fundamental difference which subsists between the Protestant and Popish religions. In the Upper House of Parliament, we were grieved to hear, several Prelates omitted all notice of the subject of religion, and conducted their argument in favour of that Grant, as if the point under discussion were simply reducible to a mere question of human policy; while, in the Lower House, we have witnessed Statesmen, avowedly attached to the Protestant Establishment, and personally connected with its principal members, pursue the same secular line of argument, and treat the question as if it were wholly unconnected with religion, and as if Protestants might still keep their own religion whole and entire, even although the Roman Catholic should obtain all which he unblushingly demands. Nor, indeed, is this all: not only do many Senators, who, on other occasions, uniformly support the established order of things, join, as with one consent, in sinking the question of religion, when the advancement of Popery is the theme, but certain characters also, who appear to be sensibly alive to the interests of humanity, and jealous of the rights of their kind; and, above all, there are others who profess more particularly to act under the influence of religious principle, both in public and in private life, yet appear to lose sight of the essential distinction which subsists between a religion which is founded on the Scriptures of truth, and one which is built, in the main, upon human authority,-between a religion of toleration and charity, and one of intolerance and cruelty. This mode of treating the subject must either proceed upon an assumption that no radical and essential difference really exists between the two creeds, or else that such difference has no bearing whatever upon it. The plain matter of fact is, that there is an original distinction between Protestantism and Popery, over which the lapse of ages, and the influence of civilisation, have had no control,—the Romish religion being no other than a modification of the ancient idolatry of Heathenism; and with regard to the opinion, that the difference of the two creeds ought not to prevent our granting to the false one all the countenance and support which it demands, the following consideration will at least show that such difference affords a strong argument against the concessions which are no sooner required than they are granted. Every false or corrupt religion is sanguinary and persecuting. It was so with the religion of Heathenism, as the character of the heathen wars, anterior to the Christian era, and of the heathen persecutions after the introduction of the Gospel, amply testifies. Now such has been remarkably the case with the Romish religion, which, from its earliest period, has been a religion of bloodshed and of bigotry. In proof of this fact, its whole history might be cited ; but our present space will only permit the enumeration of a few instances;

such as the Papal wars in Italy, fomented and perpetuated by the pretended successors of the Prince of Peace; the civil wars in France, which lasted a whole century, and which are so ably detailed by Davila; the Continental wars of Germany, France, and Flanders, as recorded by De Thou; the massacre of St. Bartholomew, in Paris and the provinces, for which the Pope of that day solemnly returned public thanks to Almighty God, in the cathedral of St. Peter; the cruelties of the Duke of Alva and of the Jesuits in the Low Countries; the horrors which followed the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by that magnificent cat-o'-nine-tail of Protestant Europe, Louis XIV.; the abominable cruelties of the Inquisition in Spain, Portugal, and elsewhere, from the earliest period of its establishment; the martyrdoms of England, in the reign of Philip and Mary; the appalling conspiracy of the 5th of November, and the other sanguinary plots of the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.; the atrocious and extensive massacre of the Protestants in Ireland, in the reign of Charles I., as recorded by Sir John Temple; and the Irish Rebellion in 1798, the main object of which was undoubtedly and avowedly the extinction of Protestantism,—it having been planned and conducted by the Romish Priests, as authenticated, beyond all controversy, by Sir Richard Musgrave, in his History of that outbreak. In all these abominable cruelties, the mystical woman of the Apocalypse has trodden in the track of her heathen precursor; and, in either case, their footsteps have been marked with blood. If modern Rome has not caused her children, like the ancient idolators, to pass through the fire to Moloch, she has not, on that account, slain fewer in other ways; and the sanguinary rites of the ancient superstition have only given place to the immolation of human victims in another form, though not on a less extensive scale. On this topic Mr. Smith is explicit and clear :

A fourth distinguishing feature of antichrist, according to scriptural predictions, is, that it should be a persecuting power. This has been shown to be clearly foretold both in the Old and New Testament; and this also is abundantly found to distinguish Popery.

In the preceding cases, we have had to adduce historical facts, for the purpose of elucidating and exhibiting the progress of antichristian error: in this particular it will not be necessary to pursue the same plan. That Popery has persecuted, has persecuted multitudes unto death, cannot be denied, and is therefore fully and freely admitted. If any individual should be so ignorant or so hardy as to question this, indubitable proof, written in characters of blood, might be easily furnished. The successive massacres of the Albigenses and Waldenses, the flaming murders of Smithfield, and the atrocities of the horrid Inquisition, would sufficiently attest this terrible fact. But we do not feel called upon to inflict, either on ourselves or our readers, the mental torture which a detail of this revolting class of evidence must necessarily induce, because we know it is by all candid and well

informed persons admitted, and extenuated as the results of ignorance and ferocity in a barbarous age. We therefore intend briefly to show that this was not the case, but that Popish persecutions have been the necessary results of antichristian principles.

As we have shown, Popery claims for a certain class, called the priesthood, a degree of spiritual and temporal power and authority, which was never before claimed or exercised on earth. This assumption evidently appears to be the source of persecution. Here we have men claiming to be intrusted by Heaven with the performance of acts upon which depend the spiritual and eternal destinies of mankind. They assume that they are specially and directly empowered to baptize, and the result of this baptism is supposed to make the baptized "children of God." They also administer the Lord's supper; and those emblems from their hands are supposed necessarily to confer grace. These persons also claim to have power over the invisible world; so that whomsoever they will are consigned to everlasting misery, while those who are by them esteemed worthy, are, through their suf

Inquisition? But if the one party is conducted by the operation of those dogmas to an absurd and arrogant vanity, the public mind of the people, as far as it submits to this teaching and influence, must be proportionably depressed. Here are none of the results of scriptural religion rendered necessary by the doctrines which are taught: the essential element appears to be a blind confidence in the power of Priests; and when a man can

thus confide his everlasting interests to the care or upon the virtue of the acts of another, it is easy to perceive the chilling influence which this must exert on all his mental powers. If something more inscrutable than magical incantations be made the basis of a man's everlasting hope, on what subject can he be expected to put forth the vigorous efforts of a searching and reasoning spirit?

(Pages 230-234.)

We exceedingly regret that it is not in our power to give a more extensive and elaborate view of this timely production of Mr. Smith. All who have taken a part in those exciting scenes which have aroused the attention of every right-hearted Protestant during the last three months, will not hesitate to acknowledge, that a more instructive, constitutional, and scripturally orthodox volume has not for many years issued from the press. None can rise from its perusal without having discovered, or being more fully persuaded of the fact, that the Protestant and Papist are the very antipodes of each other, and that the Protestants of by-gone days, in direct opposition to many of the reign of Queen Victoria, contended earnestly for the faith delivered to the saints, and manifested no disposition, however slight and trivial, either to tamper with and court, or to seek an adulterous connexion with, that corrupt, idolatrous, and superstitious Church.

From the volume now on our table, we are more than ever convinced, that the whole secular system of Popery is built upon its spiritual wickedness; they are dependent upon, and inseparably connected with, each other; and the advocates of the national endowment of the Papacy, being aware of this fact, are never better satisfied than when they find an opponent consenting to give the go-by to that great distinction which subsists between the Reformed and the Romish faith; in other words, between the religion of the Bible, which is the word of God, and the religion of tradition, superstition, and error, which the pride and folly of designing men have set up in its place. Let it never be forgotten by Protestants, that Popery is not only a system of exclusive policy, but of corrupt religion. It is not more remarkable for its opposition to civil liberty and religious toleration, than it is for the perversion of the faith. Whoever, therefore, in treating upon this subject, loses sight of this important fact, should be reminded that he quits the vantage-ground on which God himself has placed the cause of Protestantism; and although meaner and more subordinate arguments may, for a time, avail him, he is still fighting off his ground, and acting with considerable disadvantage. If the Protestant constitution do, after all, survive the struggle which it is now making for existence, it will be only because the principles of the Reformation come to be better understood by the people than they are at present, and because those principles are made more prominent in the arguments of Protestants than they have ever yet been; and if, on the other hand, the constitution should be at last abandoned to her avowed and implacable foes, it will be because the advocates and friends of that constitution have weakened their own cause by going out against the Goliath of Popery in his secular, rather than in his spiritual, character, and by attacking him in his capacity of a temporal Sovereign, rather than as the spiritual head and ruler of the whole antichristian world, and as the focus and centre of those abominations, against which divine prophecy is manifestly levelled, and against which Protest

ants have never ceased to protest, from the origin of their name and history. Coming events, we are told, ofttimes cast their shadows before. That was a dark day, and boded no good for England, when, during that protracted discussion in the British Parliament, whether Jehovah or Baal were to be worshipped, whether antichrist should or should not be received into the pay of the State, instead of praying, “O Lord, direct us,”—we regret to record the fact, the Queen of these realms, with her Ministers and distinguished nobility, were dancing at what is ridiculously termed, a fancy state ball!" Nero fiddled, when Rome was in flames.

66

RECENT DEATHS.

SEPT. 4th, 1844.-In the Bradford East Circuit, Mr. John Medley, aged sixty. He was for many years a worthy member of the Wesleyan society. His death was preceded by an affliction of excruciating pain; but, in all his sufferings, he was kept in peace. The grace of Christ was magnified in him. Shortly before his departure, being asked if the fear of death were taken away, he replied, "There is light in the valley;" and afterwards, having a glorious hope of heaven, he said to his wife, "There is room in heaven for me, there is room for thee, and room for John (his child). He died in the Lord.

P. H.

Dec. 26th.-In the Bradford East Circuit, Joseph Raper, sen., aged sixty-six. In his youth he served against the Irish rebels, in the 2d West Yorkshire Militia. Upon his return to Bradford, he was brought under religious impressions, by the ministry of the late Rev. John Crosse, Vicar of Bradford. He became a member of the Methodist society in 1808. Through the ministry of the word, and the social instruction of the class-meeting, he was enabled to understand and to embrace the salvation of the Gospel. He accustomed himself to rise every morning at four o'clock, that he might secure two hours of uninterrupted reading and prayer before he began his daily labour. His piety was exemplary. He was appointed Class-Leader in 1820. He delighted in visiting the sick, and in relieving the poor. After providing for the daily wants of his family, he would not save money; but chose rather, by a hallowed beneficence, to "lay up a good foundation in heaven." His secular employment was one of great responsibility, in which he was faithful. In his last sickness he reaped a full reward for his former diligence in reading the Bible, his memory being supplied with the richest consolation from the "precious promises;" so that he rejoiced to go forth and meet the Bridegroom. P. H.

March 4th, 1845.-At Kilburn, in the Easingwold Circuit, aged fifty-five, Mr. William Smith, of Wildon-Grange; who, from a child, was led to the house of God, and became, at an early period, the subject of divine impressions. At the age of twenty he gave his heart to God, and

united with his people. He was an acceptable and useful Class-Leader, and Superintendent of the Sunday-school for more than twenty years; holding other important offices also, which he filled to the satisfaction of his brethren. The night previous to his death, being at Kilburn, leading one of the classes, he urged them not to rest short of a meetness for death; telling them, that, for several years, he had never lain down to rest without the blessed assurance that, if he should wake in eternity, dying, to him, would be eternal gain. The night following, he again attended, with a design to assist at the Sundayschool Teachers' prayer-meeting; but, before the service commenced, he complained of unusual pain, laying his hand on his breast, and adding, "This house of mine will soon fall." The pain abated; but, when about to commence the service, it returned: he fell down, and expired;

"His body with his charge laid down,

And ceased at once to work and live."

J. S.

March 5th.-In the Bradford East Circuit, Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Raper, aged sixty-five. She was a member of the Methodist society upwards of twenty years. Being naturally timid, she was subjected to much distressing doubt respecting her acceptance with God through Jesus Christ; but the divine nature of her faith was abundantly proved during a protracted affliction. When near her end, she said, "I am surprised that, during my former life, I should have been so full of anxiety and fear respecting death. Now that the time is come when I must die, my fears are absent, and Christ is present: his rod and his staff they comfort me."" P. H.

March 15th.-At Red-House, near Shildon, in the Bishop-Auckland Circuit, aged eighteen, Isabella, eldest daughter of Mr. George Applegarth. Six years ago she obtained peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. She was remarkably exemplary in attention to domestic duties, and strongly attached to the cause of Missions, in which she manifested great interest to the last day of her life. During her illness she obtained renewed assurances of the divine favour, was happily delivered from the fear of