The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-19 00:00:00

1,094 15
According to this rate I can be saved, or in other
words, go to Paradise, for the moderate sum of
1,094 f. and 15s. Bat to lay aside joking, slay dear
Cure, I ask you now seriously, if you can still, withe
out blushing, expect me to embrace a religion where
everything is made a question of money? a religion
which makes me pay for my birth, pay far my com-
munion, pay for my sitting, pay for eating, pay for
being married, pay for my forgiveness, pay to live,
pay to die, and still pay after I am dead and buried ?
a church where, at every step, I see the band of the
priest held out to crave a penny ? Can I recognise
in this trade in sacraments ; in the traffic of sins can-
celled: by penance; penances excused by indulgences ;
indulgences- Putch4se4., by 4tginey ; the religion of
Jesus Christ, who commanded his disciples to have
but one staff and one Coat? Can I recognise in this
bank of masses for the faithful, saleable at the office
of the
parish priest, who puts them in his portfolio,
and advertises them at half price in the villages, can
I there discover the religion of Him who had not
where to lay bis head, and whose kingdom was not
of this world ? Are you not the faithful suc-
cessors of those buyers and sellers whom Jesus
Christ drove out of the temple in Jerusalem, saying
—" My house is a house of prayer, but you have
made it a den of thieves? " This Jesus, who over-
threw the tables of the money-changers, will he not
overturn these boxes hung at every pillar of your
churches ? If he drove out the dealers in oxen, and
sheep, and doves, will he not drive out your dealers in
chairs ? If he condemned the Pharisees, who made
their alms to be seen of men, will he not condemn you,
compel your worshippers to act the Pharisee, sending
round fine-dressed women to collect the offerings, and
then putting into your pockets what has been extorted
by pride and not charity ? And what have been the
fruits of this infamous traffic in holy things? You
have become rich, I know—but you have dishonoured
religion by making it contemptible. The most simple-
minded of `our parishioners cry in every corner of
the streets, when you listen, that you understand your
trade—that there is only room for the rich in your
paradise—:hat you are worse than those iniquitous
judges, of whom it was said that their golden key opened
every door; for amongst you the golden key opens
heaven itself. Your covetousness has ruin4d the people's
faith—your ambition has extinguished their piety ;
and if the people give more credit at this day to Vol.
taire then to (iod, you must blame yourselves. Where
will you fiod in the New Testament a single word to
authorise all this ecclesiastical medley ? Nowhere.
Therefore you prohibit the reading cf this Holy
Bock; for you know it is written : " Woe unto you,
scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour
widows' heuseN, and for a pretence make long prayer ;
therefore ye shall receive the greater condemnation ;"
you know that it is told us therein, that Simon, the
magician, desiring to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit,
Saint Peter said to him : "Thy money perish with
thee," &c. You who call yourselves successors of the
apostle Peter should follow his example, and give this
answer to those whu bring their money for the mass.
But let us leeve this, my dear Cure. I have spoken
to you with some warmth; because it is impossible
for an honest mind not to feel indignation at the
thought of an abuse so dishonourable to our holy re-
ligion, and not to sigh over the awful consequences
which must ensue. It has not been my purpose to ir-
ritate and confound you, but to enlighten your mind,
and be useful to you. I love to think that you and
many other ecclesiastics in the Romish communion are
upright men who have only been drawn into it by
example and custom. Believe me, then, if you would
revive religion in the spirit of your parishioners,
alter your course—trust in the promises of the Sa-
viour—" Seek first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness ; and all these things shall be added
unto you." When people see you practising your-
self the self-denial you preach, then they will be con-
vinced, for your actions will give weight to your
instructions. If you have not sufficient faith to rely
on this promise of your Divine Master, if you have
not in your heart enough love for men to be disin-
terested—go and seek this faith by reading the New
Testament ; go and search for this love in the ex-
ample of Jesus Christ. Then you will see that Christ
died for you, and that He gives eternal life to all
who believe on Him ; and when you believe this
great truth with your whole heart, be assured that
it will be easy for you to love in your turn, and to
despise the riches of this life, having your affections
set on things above. Read the New Testament--
the book in which God himself speaks—and you will
see that the leading principle of the Gospel is diame-
trically opposed to that of your Church.
According to you, everything is bought, ac-
cording to the Gospel, everything is given—sal-
vation is freely bestowed. Saint Paul says "By
grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God." The Holy Spirit
is a free gift. Jesus Christ says—" God will give
the Spirit to those who ask it. The forgiveness of
sins is free ; for Jesus Christ grants it, not according
to our works, but according to our faith. He does
not 82T, " Thy money or thy penitence have saved
three ;" but simply, " Thy faith bath saved thee."
yet:, my dear Cure ; we are too miserable and poor
to make satisfaction to God. He declares that there
is not amongst us one who is righteous; but when he
has thoroughly convinced us of sin, He says : " Re-
ceive freely." " Caine without money and without
price." " God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life."
And you, dear reader of this little tract, beware of
throwing upon Christianity the blame 0f that selfish-
ness which belongs only to Popery. Do not confound
thing,e so totally unlike as the religion of the Pope
and the religion of Jesus Christ. The one is of man
—the other is of God. Men may deceive you, and de-
ceive themselves; but that does not prove that God is
ignorant or false. Therefore let go all that proceeds
from man; but cordially ernhzeice all that comes from
God. Whatever it from Him is contained in the
Bible especially in the New Testament, which brings
the glad tidings of a free and lull salvation to every
one who 6.:lieves in Jesus.

.EXTRAORDIN ARY BURGL ARY AT THE
CITY BRIDE WE LG.
iderabie
Ben.
Yesterday (Monda) morning
a;
uts"e6fficials of the
sstion was caused amongst the ve.!..(0. s,
City Brideweil, Bridge-street, 13:
de,:t'r in cense-
that during the
(pence of a discovery being Tr, had obtained ad-
preceding night a party ofi the outer walls,
mission into the prison bY: ... off several articles of
and had succeeded in carrnyil.
Oxford, one of' the
plate. It appears that
institution, going down stairs the
burg.egal
`toting
constablcs of the instrtluorn.v
._,
he
perceived sufficient
first thing yesterday oparty',
ansia..ng
ti at the least of
to himself arid the other
t
persons, --e- belonging
bite thh,,ad ea,ntered two of the houses in the
to satisfy
three
court-yard—le, a fellow• constable of the same pri-
to Mr.Arl)b:,:y the party must have got into the
son- Toei) climbing over the wall in Dorset-street,
ry.):quare, and dropping into the burial-ground,
gaol was
got over , premrses
the hqek • and stabling,
firai.yr scaled another wall, and jumped into
and
the court-yard. They then entered the two houses
above alluded to, and to.)k from the first-named the fel-
t, l t .......
lowing articles Q. p a..c A silver tankard, on which
thence they
vv..is engraved " The gift of Colonel Newton to Louisa
Oxford the 31 of RUA, 18.1(4" another silver tankard.
about the ssme biz 3 as the firmer, the inscription un-
known; a pair of silver sugar-tongs, marked "O. 0.
M.;" two eater tea-spootw, marked "T. 0. L.;" two
silver caddy spoons, initials unknown. A silver teapot
was ulso found doithlA up, which had either bees
dropl):d by accident by the thieves, or left behind them,
probbly thinking it might not be silver. From the.
other house they stole a pair of new boots. A piecees, had
board was found under the wall, which the thiev Dirt
made use of L,) enable them to get over the walls;
placed the
to enable thorn to effect their escape they
and prison ladder against the inner wall,
no difficulty in escaping in the same way as they got
a therefore had
iuto the gilol,
of op
robsers bad been previously confined
that the
The euthorities of the prison area
therein, and knew
the various houses in the gaol.

i,
THE DEAN OF YoUK SUMMONED FOR vIiURCEt
IZATEs.—On Thursday, at the Guildhall, the Dean of York
was charged with not having paid IL 12s. church-rates in
respect of the deanery to the parish vflie,ers of St. Michael.
le-Belfrey. The dean submitted, first, that the deanery is
not in the parish of St. Michael-le-Belfrcy ; and, secondly,
that it had been the custom, for many hundreds of years, not
to assess the deanery fur church-rates; also, that the deanery
was extra-parochial. After some discussion,magistrates
the
confirmed the rate, Nchicli was at once paid dby tip,
- - eau.—
Lerds MErcurv,