The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-10 00:00:00

PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.

The annual Meeting of this Aetheietion was held
yesterday at Exeter Hall; J. P. Purs"u"e, Esq., in the
chair. The body of the ball was well filled, and there were
also a great number of persons In the galleries.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the day,
adverted at come length to the disturbed sate of the Conti-
nent, contrasting the peeceable condition of protestant coun-
tries with the anarchy and confusion width prevail
in ROlllll/1 catholic countries. Amidst this slate •e 1
things popery remained unchanged. Popegy is its
advemity remained unheralded. He then read a let-
ter addressed by Pins lE. from Gaeta to the rth!
arch", archbishops, end bishops of the Raman catholic
church, which represented the Virgsn Mary es the
mount object of worship. In this letter the Pope declared
" the foundation of our confidence is in the holy virgin.
It there be any spiritual truth we know it is from her, and
her alone." It was awful to find attributed to the mother I
of our Lord that which belonged only to cur Lord himself. I
The hoe. gentleman concluded by calling upon the meeting
to ep%old the pure principles of protestantism, and thus to
mush the vile blasphemies of popery.
The Secretary (Mr. Lord) then read the report. It ap-
peered from the balance-sheet that the society la in debt to ,
the amount of 6001.. to set against which there are vests'
amounting to 5001. It was stated that premiums had been
offered by the society for the best essays on Tarim" subjects
cannrWa with Protestant principles.
Mr. J. BATEMAN moved the adoption of the report,'
and the appointment of the committee for the ensuing year.
In alluding to the flight of the Pope he observed, that the
holy fathsr had made a very sudden exit from the patrimony
of St. Peter. The Saviour bad said, "I am the shepherd of
the flock, but he that is an hireling acerb.' The Pope
in flying had shown that he wee an hireling. (Cheery.)
He had left his subjects, to return at the delicate point of
French bayonets.
The Rev. D. FOLEY, of Clonmel, in seconding the
resolution, entered into some details with regard to the ams.
duet of the Roman catholic priesthood in Ireland. Ia Om
emu of some observations on the Maynooth grant be stelled
that he had been informed of instances in whisk MIS et
mow given to Maynootlx for the purchase of books had
Pm to landlords to pay rent. He wished John Bull to
know how his money was applied. (Laughter.)
The resolution was then put and carried.
Me. PETERS proposed the following resolution:
That this meeting detains to acknowledge, with gratitude
to God, the blesring.s which have attended the efforts of this '
and similar societies to awaken protestants to a sense of
their danger and of their duty as regards tho power, progress,
and designs of popery ; that, white the result of the elec-
tions of members of parliament which have taken place
since the annual meeting last year, Las manifested a deter.
mined feeling of oppoeition to any measure in favour of en-
dowing the Humid' priesthood in Ireland, it is still the duty
of protestants to 11611 their utmost endeavours, in a per-
severing, determined, and prayerful spirit, not only that no
further concessions be made to popery, but that the grants
already made by this protestant country be discontinued.
The resolution was carried.
Other resolutions in conformity with the object were also
agreed to.