* You know, or ought to know, that of this private and separate charity (for bribery and intimidation are instruments lack of which, when it has been occasionthat could not possibly be employed by ally withheld, several famished little the parties you have thus charged. As children have died), while they have ever well night they attempt to remove a sternly resisted the pressure of the most mental delusion by manual force. The distressing emergencies, and refused to object in view is to act upon the spirits devote one farthing of their funds to conof men; no external result approaches fer temporal advantages, or to relieve towards the attainment of this. You temporal wants, even when the alternative feel, or ought to feel, that it is simply has been the loss of life itself, absurd to imagine, that the gentlemen “Having thus solemnly made this diswho forın the committee have, or can tinct and unqualified assertion, I know have, any other motive than that which but of one way it can be satisfactorily put is open and declared ; and your know- to the test, You bring a charge in geneledge of the impossibility of this greatly ral terms. I meet that general charge aggravates the character, either of your by a distinct and unqualified denial. personal delusion, or your insincere co. You are then bound to take steps to operation with the delusion of others. justify that which my assertion characWhile to doubt their motive is to charge terises as calumny. I offer you the op. them with dishonesty, to concede that portunity of doing this. Both you and this is their motive, and to suppose the I are Englishinen; the charge affects use of such means, is to infer the utmost the character of an English society, and

a committee of Englishmen sitting in * It is a fundamental rule of the so London; the parties statedly sought to ciety, that none of its funds shall, under be influenced by your charge are the any pretence whatever, be employed for Protestant population of England. We any temporal benefit to the persons who will then change the venue to English are the objects of its spiritual efforts, or ground. I am willing that two eminent to any other. I have myself overlooked English lawyers shall be nominated the administration of the funds; and I one by you, and another by me; that pledge myself in the most solemn man these two persons shall themselves select ner, that this rule has on no single oce a third, of eminence and public character; casion been infringed, and that not one that before these three men, as a court single shilling of the funds entrusted to without appeal, you shall bring forward the committee of the Society for Irish any individual instance, and all the eviChurch Missions has ever been expended dence you may be able to collect. If in for temporal relief. So strictly has this the judgment of this court, so constituted, rule been acted upon, that, when the there can be produced one single instance funds which the British Association had in which anything is proved, which can expended in supplying food to the chil. be characterised as bribery or as intimnidren of all schools in certain districts dation, on the part of the Irish Church were exhausted, and the general supply Missions, I will bind myself to acknowof food to the children consequently ledge that I am wrong-to make such ceased though the Roman Catholic apology as the same judges may appoint schools continued, in many instances, to avd to pay all the expenses of the probe fed from other sources--the committee cess. of the Irish Church Missions resisted the “Now, sir, it is necessary that I should most affecting appeals and the most in fairness state to you, that having been pressing arguments, and refused to allow induced, by a sense of duty, to condesone penny of these funds to be devoted cend to notice the charges put forth to the purchase of food. The extremity under the name of Wilberforce, which I of the case at last induced a few bene. have habitually disregarded as utterly volent individuals in Ireland to collect worthless when issuing from their fabrismall subscriptions, with which to carry cators, it is not my intention to leave on in some of the schools, the plan of this proposal simply where it is. I shall the British Association, upon which many rejoice if you adopt it; and if I were of the Roman Catholic schools still act; writing to the former Henry Wilberforce, but these kind persons have limited their I shouid feel sure that the honest indiggifts to the supply of so small a portion nation of a Frotestant English gentle.. of Indian ireal in the day to each child, man would instantly respond, and readily that it is purchased for only seven-tenths acknowledge the fitness of the test. But of a halfpenny. The Irish Church Mis- recent circumstances, alas ! have made it sions did not dare to inhibit the exercise 100 terribly probable that the brief space of your Romish infatuation has accus. no temporal advantage, but had been extomed you to its influence that there posed to the most merciless persecution. may be as much shamelessness in bear. He could also prove that several priests ing this heavy charge, as has been mani- had given out that such and such bribes fested in the disregard of that proof of were offered as the price of conformity; falsehood which you have left behind you and had been so far believed, that people at Rugby. I place you, therefore, on the had come to the Protestant minister, horns of this dilemma ; either accept my offering to conform for a consideration,' proposal at once, and let us proceed though there was no foundation for any forthwith to the nomination of the parties : such notion except the priest's assertion; or be prepared for the universal sentence and that he eould produce instances of a against you, as having let judgment go bonus having been offered to the converts by default, and which shall be promulgated to induce them to return to the Romish through the length and breadth of the communion. land, as far as the press can carry it, "When the author of this charge was

“ As I have no desire whatever to en intreated to specify any case that had snare you into a defeat, it is only fair for come to his knowledge, he adduced one, me to tell you, that the precise case to be and only one, such case of supposed submitted to the tribunal I propose, has bribery, which was one that had occurred been already tried, and decided in a man- above sixteen years before the famine ner that cannot but be satisfactory to began.' every one who has that sense of the in- “ I have neither time nor inclination capacity for falsehood in Protestant En- fo enter upon recriminations. As the glish society to which I have alluded. authorised agent of the Society for Irish The Archbishop of Dublin has been no Church Missions, I am engaged to the party to the missions in question, but he honourable office of making proselytes has been a careful observer of the pro. according to the character of proselytism gress of events, and his grace has autho. stated in the general epistle of St. James, rised the publication of the following chap. V., verses 19 and 20. It is painful statement, which, to the common sense to remember that there are proselytes of English Christians, will stand in the otherwise characterised by our Lord himplace of the solemn decision I invite, in self, in Matthew, chap. xxiii., verse 15. case you should be forbidden by your It is in a spirit of deep compassion that masters to dare the trial. It is found on every single-minded Christian contemthe first page of the report of the Society plates the position of a man who, being for Protecting the Rights of Conscience, himself a proselyte, so utterly forgets the for the year 1851, a society wholly un contrasted distinctions of these two chaconnected with the Society for Irish racters, as to brand all proselytism with Church Missions :

infamy, regardless of the palpable appli. “ His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin cation which, in the minds of thousands, has authorised the Committee of the So- recoils so fearfully upon himself. While ciety for Protecting the Rights of Con- I glory in the honour of being a proselyscience, to publish the following state- tiser of that class whom the Lord emment, being the substance of his reply to ploys to convert the sinner from the a gentleman who wrote to him respecting error of his way' unto the truth as it is the conversions, and attributed them to in Christ Jesus, I could almost take up direct or indirect bribery, by persons the language of the apostle, and wish that availing themselves of the famine.

myself were anathema for one for whom "" His Grace stated he would not un- my heart is, at this moment, suffering a dertake to prove that nu instance of bri

instance of bri- true agony in the intensity of the desire bery had occurred; but he had made a to prove, now in his fall, more even than most rigid inquiry, and none had come when of old in his Christian standing, to his knowledge ; that, as a general rule, that I am a friend, faithful in Christ. the very reverse was the fact; that he was

“Alex. R. C. DALLAS. prepared to prove that the greater num “6, Bachelor's-walk, Dublin, ber of the converts had not only obtained " 31st January, 1852.”

LONDON : J. H. JACKSON, ISLINGTON GREEN.

Romanism is no longer the torpid God has given as the universal guide. thing of fifty years back; it has be- It is from a simple obedience to the come violently aggressive. Our suici- claims of the Church, that we are to dal kindness, and pseudo liberality of be its members: what are the grounds late years, have caused it to start into of that claim it is imposible for us to new life; and it is manifesting all its determine, upon the statements put old hatred of the truth, and is putting forth by Romanists themselves. We forth its ancient and arrogant claims Protestants put forth one volume, as to sole dominion. Protestantism is our unerring index to the Church of bound to be on the aggressive also; Christ, the character of its doctrine, and the time is come when properly and the qualifications, duties and hopes qualified men must meet Romanists of its members: the Romanists have face to face, and make them obey this book also ; in many portions they the Scripture injunction, “PROVE ALL have corrupted its statements; but as Things.” Wherever this has been a whole it contains truth which gives done; wherever error has been con- light to lead to clearer paths than fronted with truth, the inevitable re- they walk in. Protestants find all sult has followed, and that truth has saving truth in the Bible alone; Roset some poor Romanists free from manists take another rule, and add the darkness and bondage of Popery. tradition, written and unwritten, by

The emissaries of Romanism are far the greater part of which nullifies are everywhere on the alert, catching the truth they have. and perverting unwary souls with Here Protestants and Romanists their beguiling doctrines. The Church, join issue, and here it is that we must which claims a sole catholicity and fight with them again the battle of an absolute supremacy, allures to its the Reformation. We must shew communion those who are content to them that we can give reasons—and abjure their own duty to judge be- God's own reasons,—for the hope that tween right and wrong in religion; is in us, but that we defy them to a duty founded upon that Bible which give reasons or arguments for any of

MARCH—1852.

their heresies and corruptions, which It is of vast importance that meetstand for a moment before the lightings for conversation with Romanists of truth, and the sound common sense be managed with great discretion. It of man. Our object now must be to must first be made obvious that what bring Romanists to the proof of their is sought is a purely spiritual object,faith before the world. They con the conversion of souls to Christ. Setemptuously deny that we have any condlyNone but spiritually-minded faith at all worthy to be called the men should engage in them, and faith of Christ; they call us a schism, these such only as are properly and deny to us any participation in schooled in the controversy, and above the benefit of membership with His all, who are armed at all points with Church. It is time for us vigorously a thorough knowledge of the word of to turn the tables, and to make proud God. To be effective, these meetings Rome stand on the defensive, and to must be conducted with the most permake her church herself, before she fect love, temper, and order : Protestcan be allowed her claim to unchurch ants and Roman Catholics should seothers. It is high time for the clergy lect one of each party to speak and of the Established Church, in all their reply, although it should be open for parishes, to make a grand and faithful any of the latter to put such quesonset upon the doctrines of Rome, tions as they may deem essential. and to challenge their maintainers to Promiscuous and desultory remarks prove and to defend them, if they can. can lead to no good, and on this point We are bound to strive to rescue Ro- we speak from actual experience. In manists themselves from error, and its a meeting we lately attended, speaker inevitable ruin, as much as we are after speaker jumped up to reply to bound to guard and feed the people the sole Protestant champion; and who are our own particular charge. although some few enquirers might The door seems opening for an exten- receive encouragement to persevere, sive use of the weapons of controversy. yet we did not feel sanguine as to any Romanists themselves manifest a wil- great extent of good. We cannot lingness to hear what can be said in therefore urge too strongly on all who favour of a faith they have been make a beginning in these controvertaught to despise and persecute; and sial meetings, that they should agree many, having heard and questioned, with their Romanist brethren on such have been led to see that they must rules as shall be most conducive to

stand before the pure and simple faith and that only, occupy the time of each of Christ Jesus.

meeting, and let it be the duty of the In Ireland this course has produced president to preserve the remarks of great results, and thousands have been the speaker on either side from being convinced, by sound scriptural argu- of that discursive character which too ment, that the religion of the priests often mars the effect which would of Rome was not the religion of otherwise be produced. Christ's primitive Church, and they Of course the priests will be up in are at this moment witnessing for arms; and counsel, or rather command, Christ, amidst much of persecution the faithful to steer clear of those who and trial.

under pretence of teaching the truth

would rob poor Romanists of their out history, the cry has ever been the faith,-"would seduce them from the same,-only keep the people ignorant, faith of their fathers.” We only ask and Paganism and its twin sister, or them to investigate the merits of this rather its second self, Popery, may be so-called faith, and not to take it, and fastened upon their minds. Once alabide by it, for time and eternity, low them to search sincerely for the upon an authority as uncertain as the truth in the Scriptures of truth, and wind, as shifting as the sand, and the God of all truth will clear away as propounded by men who from age the mists of a false faith, and reveal to age have been in perfect opposi- that only way of salvation, which He tion to each other. That must be a has made known to us through the sorry faith which its priests dare not Word which He Himself inspired and allow their votaries to examine, whe- interprets. Our readers cannot do ther it be consistent or not with rea- better than adopt this letter as a preson and truth; and in this light, we liminary to any further proceeding; ought to call upon Romanists, as we we transfer it for that purpose to our are bound to do all other classes of own pages, merely stating, that it was persons, to search and examine whe- written as an answer to a hand-bill of ther they are building upon the right a most inflammatory and blasphemous foundation. At all events, whether character, entitled, “ The Wolves and Romanists will come or not, let us set the Sheep," in which the Protestants before them the open door, and shew were painted in the blackest colours, them that we are deeply anxious to as endeavouring to rob poor Romanconvince them of their error; not by ists of the faith of their fathers. simply asserting, as their priests do of

“How may a man be robbed of his reus, “ your faith is a lie, and living and ligion or of his faith? dying in it you are lost,” but let us * It is not a thing which he carries in give them sound words that cannot

his pocket or in his hand. His faith, if he

has any, is deeply seated in his heart and be gainsayed, and shew them the ut- mind. How can it be taken from him ? ter fallacy of trusting to the inven Surely, only by reasoning, by persuasion, tions and traditions of man, rather

by shewing him that it is a mistaken faith.

“ When the apostles went among the than to the immovable basis of God's Jews, the priests warned the people against holy Word.

them ; and when they could, they shut We have before us a paper, written

them up in prison. When St. Peter and

St. Paul went to the Romans, the priests by one who is now actively engaged of the Romans complained that they were in this controversy; it is admirably come to 'rob the people of their faith,'

and they persuaded the rulers to kill adapted to meet objections which

both of the Apostles. And so it is now. priests and bigoted Romanists are Whenever Missionaries are sent to preach sure to start upon the first invitation

Christianity to the Heathen, whether sent

from Rome, or sent from England, it is of the Protestant to a free discussion

generally the cry of the priests of the of the Romish creed. They will at country, 'These men are come to rob the tempt to frighten their poor igno

people of their faith. Do not listen to

them. Drive them from you. Stone them!' rant brethren with the idea that Pro

And, now, when these Christian Mistestants want to “rob thein of their sionaries succeed in their errand, and thus faith.” This paper goes into the exa

spread the Christian faith, how do they spread the Chris

proceed? By reasoning with them out mination of that question, and shews

of the Scriptures. By shewing them, in that all over the world, and through- the words of Isaiah, the folly and wiekod