The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-26 00:00:00

' Popery—whether the twelfth article was not con-
structed with a view to conciliate those who dwelt
upon the necessity of works, while the seventeenth was
intended to include those of a Calvinistic persuasion ;
but, however comprehensive they may have been in
tended to be as they regarded Protestants, it is quite
clear that they are most distinctly exclusive in respect
to those of the Roman Catholic communion. This is
indeed so obvious from the most cursory consideration
of our
,articles, that I should have hardly thought
it necessary to'have pointed your attention to it on
the present oecasion, if it had not been notorious
that individuals, who, like you, had signed their
names as assenting to the Thirty-nine Articles,
had not thought it inconsistent with the obliga-
tions which they thereby took upon themselves to
continue ministering in our churches, though they
professed to hold all Romish doctrine. They indeed are
now gone out from us, but it is to be feared that
many yet remain who have subscribed the articles,
and yet entertain opinions directly opposed to their
plain and literal sense. To investigate what causes
have led to this calamitous result, would carry us
into too extensive a field of inquiry ; but I cannot
consider it as foreign to the present occasion,-vvhen I
am about to introduce such a number of young and
ardent minds into our holy profession, if I offer to
them some considerations, which, under the blessing of
God, may prevent those who think they stand like
them from falling. In the first place, accustom your
minds to dwell more upon the spiritual essence 'of reli-
gion than upon its external forms. Were I called upon
to state the most important general distinction be-
tween the religion of Rome and that of Protestants, I
should say that the former occupied itself almost ex-
clusively with forms and ceremonies, while the latter
dwelt on the necessity of the conversion of the heart
to God. lam far from wishing to deprecate the im-
portance of those forms and ceremonies which ere
directed to be adopted by our Church in the admi-
nistration of Divine service ; they have been wisely
instituted as the handmaids of true religion ; but
I would caution you against that exclusive at-
tention to forms which is the characteristic of the
Roman Catholic Church, and which has a ten-
dency, if we are not on our guard, to convert
the scriptural worship, directed by the Gospel, into
1 minute regard for ritual observances. In the se-
cond place, be cautious in the adoption of terms which
have become the symbols of a party. Thus the term
Catholic, as applied to our Church, cannot be ob-
jected to. The boast of our Reformation was, that we
had, by that blessed event, corrected all the manifold
abuses of the Church of Rome, and brought our
Church back to what we believe to have been nearly
the universal practice of the Primitive Church. In
this sense we pray in the Liturgy for the good estate
of the Catholic Church, in which passage, to avoid am-
biguity, it were to be wished, perhaps, that the term
universal had been preferred ; but when it is recol-
lected that this is, I believe, the only passage
in the Liturgy in which this term is used (for
the Creeds can hardly be considered as parts of
the Liturgy), is there not an affectation in ap-
plying it upon every occasion to our Protestant
eformed Church ; and does it not betoken a dis-
position to overlook as much as possible the distinc-
tions which have been proved to exist between the
two Churches. In like manner we have been taught
to disclaim the term Protestant,' derived as it is
from the first Reformers, who protested against the
errors of the Church of Rome, as if we had no longer
cause to protest against such errors. The use or dis-
use of particular words in treating upon religious
subjects may, indeed, be justly considered as trifles;
but, alas 1 it has been found by experience, that
hae nugm seria ducunt in mala.' We may call our-
selves Catholics and disclaim being Protestants till it ap-
sears as if both Churches formed but one vineyard, and
that consequently it is a matter of little import in which
part of it our inieisterial labours are employed. It
has been my object in the present charge to point
out to you that this is not the case, and that, how-
ever charitably we may view, and ought to view, the
errors of our Roman Catholic brethren, however
disposed to consider them as a branch of the univer-
sal church of Christ, and even to extend.their means
of usefulness among their own people, we should be
cautious how we modify the distinctions between us
till they become almost evanescent quantities, and
thus dispose our own minds, as well as those of our
people, to the seduction of that Son of Perdition who is
ever on the watch for unstable souls. By your subscrip-
tion to the Thirty. nine Articles of your Church this
day, you have declared not only that you are faithful
members of that Church, but we have seen that you
nave likewise affixed your names to a solemn dis-
claimer of the errors of the Roman Catholic Church.
That Church, as well as ours, requires its ministers
to subscribe certain articles ; and to bring the sub-
ject which we have been discussing clearer into
view, I will, in conclusion, copy the twelve articles,
which, according to the Bull of Pope Pius IV., are
hill required to be subscribed by every bene-
aced clergyman belonging to the Church of Rome.
[Here the Right Reverend Prelate recited the
Articles.] Such is the solemn subscription of articles
required of all clergymen who are beneficed in the
Church of Rome, and I need not point out to you how
they are opposed to those which you have this day
subscribed. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold
the traditions (or rather, as it should have been tran-
slated according to M'Knight), the doctrines which
ye have been taught. Now, our Lord Jesus Christ
himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved
us, and given us everlasting consolation and a good
hope through grace, comfort your hearts and esta-
blish you in every good word and work"

COUNTY OF ANTRIM ELECTION
CARRICKFERGUS, DEC. 22.—The election of a re-
presentative or the County of Antrim, in the room of
the late Mr Irving, took place in the Cuurt•house,
Carrickfergus. At twelve o'clock, Sir Horace Beau-
champ Seymour entered the hall, accompanied by
John White Esq., Sheriff of the County, James Wat-
-on Esq., of Brookhill; R. Dobbs, Esq., of Castle-
Dobbs; the very Rev. Dean Stannus, Major Naugh-
ton, &c.

The clerk having read the writ of election,

Mr. WATSON, ofßrookhill, proposed Sir H. B. Sey-
mour as a fit and proper person to represent the con-
stituency of county Antrim,in Parliament. _

Mr. ft DOBBS seconded the nomination. No other
candidate having been proposed, the sheriff' declared
Sir Horace duly elected.
The Honourable and Gallant Mast DER, in returning
thanks said he would endeavour so to discharge the
duties of his office that they should have no occasion
to repent the confidence they had placed in him. He
had been trained up in constitutional principles, and
what he had been taught to revere w hen a boy he
wouldcoistinue to venerate through life. Circumstances
had of late occurred, which had made him distrust in
some degree that party on which he had hitherto be-
stowed his confidence, and he was not prepared to say
that he would support them now, as he would have
clone six months ago. But he was bound to no party;
he would act according to the best of his judgment
for the good of his constituents.

At the close of this short address,

The Rev Mr. GREEN, vicar of Antrim, put the fol-
lowing query to the newly returned Member:—" In
the event of a Bill being brought into Parliament to re-
p al the Maynooth Endowment Act, will you give it
your support ?"
The answer given by Sir Houce was to the effect
that he had voted for the principle of educating the
Roman Catholic priesthood, because he thought they
would be made thereby more accessible to arguments
in favour of Protestantism. He would not, therefore,
pledge himself to a repeal of the grant to Maynooth.
the principle had not already been acknowledged and
acted upon, he might pause before giving it his assent
His interrogator expressed himself pleased with the
candour of the statement, but, at the same time, ex-
pressed his dissatisfaction that Sir H Seymour did
not see it to be his duty, as a Protestant, to oppose the
grant referred to. The proceedings then termi-
nated.

The election occupied only a short time, and there
were but few persons present.
In the afternoon a number of the electors sat
down to a sumptuous repast with their newly elected
Member, in the Board-room adjoining the Court-
house, when a number of loyal and other toasts were
proposed and responded to, among the rest the health
of the Hpnourable and Gallant Member, which was
received with the most enthusiastic cheering. The
festive meeting, after lasting about two hours, broke
up at three o'clock.