The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-09-20 00:00:00

WHAT IS POPERY?

A correspondent has furnished us with the following reply to
this question
" Popery is a novelty. Before this modern usurpation sprang
up,we had christian bishops in these our native ..islands, who
knew nothing of the supremacy of one bishop above his brethren.
When they first heard of it, and were required to acknowledge
it, they protested against it, and when they were pressed by
prevailing temporal,authority to submit to it, they persevered in
their protest, auk' sealed it with their blood.
"The reformation was a renewal of that protest under more
auspicious circumstances; it was not secession from the church;
it was a re-occupation of the ground on which primitive christi-
anity had stood; a clearing away of the rubbish by which the
mine of truth had been for a season overlaid; and a repolishing
of the jewels, and re-circulation of the treasures which had 'been
hid in that mine. Thus Protestantism is ancient christianity
rescued from a temporary bondage. Protestantism is but a new
name for the old- truth—the truth explained by apostles, em-
bodied in Jesus Christ, predicted by prophets, shadowed forth
by types, promised to patriarchs, yea, purposed eternally by
Jehovah in the Trinity of the glorious Godhead.
"Popery is a novelty! with matchless effrontery they declare
that popery is the ancibnt religion. Facts, the stubborn un-
bending facts of authentic history are not known, or, if known,
they are concealed and denied, while the minds of thousands are
deceived by. the audacious falsehood, unblushingly repeated,
that popery is the ancient religion. No ! 1-opery'is a novelty!
hear and repeat the sound. Teach your children to say it.
Teach your servants talosav it. Say it to one another—in every
houSe—in every street. 'Say it, my reverend brethren, from
every pulpit, according to your solemn ordination vows. 0!
say it loudly, plainly, perseveringly, popery is a novelty, an
antizchristian novelty— protestantistn is an anti-popish name
for ancient Christianity, which is eternal truth."

REV. H. APNEILE'S REPLY TO THE REV. THOS.
MAGUIRE'S CHALLENGE.

TO THE REV. THOMAS MAGUIRE.

SIR,—On my return home, last week, my attention was called
by a friend to the following paragraph, from the Liverpool Chro-
nicle :

" A CHALLENGE.—The Rev. Thomas Maguire, the catholic
priest, who some years since, signalized himself in polemical
discussion with the Rev. Mr. Pope, in Dublin, is now in Liver-
pool, and has delivered three controversial lectures in St. An-
thony's chapel, on the doctrines of transubstantiation, purgatory,
and the rule of faith. On Monday evening he informed his
auditors that he would never shrink from a public avowal of the
doctrines of his church. He would at any time cheerfully and
readily meet the revilers of his religion—the O'Sullivans and
M'Ghees. He had been informed that the Rev. Hugh M'Neile
had rendered himself conspicuous in attacking the doctrines of
the Catholic church, and abusing its follower . If that gentleman
was willing to meet him (Mr. M.) in a public discussion on the
doctrines of their respective churches, he Would - gladly do so.
He understood, however, that the Rev. Hugh IYPN eile was out
ottoWn, and in order to give his friends an opportunity of writ-
ing to him, he (Mr. M.) would wait three weeks in Liverpool.
This is a fair challenge, and unless Mr: M`Neile accepts it, or
shows good cause why he should not, he will run great risk of
losing the courageous title of lion-hearted,' which one of his
benev,olent friends so kindly bestowed upon him at the late Am-
phitheatre exhibition."

I concluded that if this statement were correct, and you were
indeed in earnest in your wish to hold a fair controversy With
me, you would not leave it to an unathorised annonymous para-
graph in a newspaper, but that you would address me yourself
upon the subject.
Not having heard from you, I am inclined to conclude that
the above quoted paragraph is amisrypresentation; as, however,
it may deceive the unwary by the appearance of a challenge,
though it contains nothing for which the appearance of a chal-
lenger is responsible, I think it right to take notice of it, and
give you an opportunity of improving upon it, if you wish.
I have solemnly pledged myself, at my ordination, to be ready
with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous
and strange doctrines contrary to God's word. I have further
declared my conviction that the additions heaped by the church
of Rome upon primitive christianity, are fond things, vainly
invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather
repugnant to the word of God.
In conformity with this declaration and this pledge I have
opposed, do oppose, and (while health and life are spared) will
oppose, those anti scriptural additions, in public and in private.
In the pulpit, on the platform, in the tradesman's shop, in the
poor man's cellar, I am ready with all faithful diligence to per-
form my vow. To these scenes of my christian labour, I am
equally ready to add a fair and conscientious controversy. •
The difference between attacking the doctrines of the Romish
church, and abusing its followers, is wide and distinct. I con-
sider it a christian duty to do the former, and NOT to do the
latter.

Bit now as regards yon Mr. Maguire, permit me to say that
before von can be in a condition to invite any man to contro-
versy, the Christian public have a most fair and reasonable de-
mand to make of you. We demand an answer to the charge
of wilful forgery in controversy brought against you by the Rev.
Mr. Nolan. His published words are these :
"As to those letters which you read during your Lent thea-
trical lectures, and which you said you received from intelligent
and respectable protestants, expressive of their objections to
the Roman Catholic Church, and calling for your explanation,
I now inform the public that they are all forgeries, they have
never been written by protestants, but have emanated from, the
head monk of the chapel, and have, at Father Maguire's sug-
gestion, been adopted to answer his own convenience. This
news has been communicated by a member of your own cabinet,
and by one who will shortly make an open avowal of his sepa-
ration from the unhallowed scenes of superstitious mummery;
and as a proof of the truth of the accusation, I call upon you,
sir, to mention a single intelligent and respectable protestant
that has written to you on the occasion. Such scheming, on
your part, may appear astonishing to some ; but to me, acquaint-
ed with the practical chicanery of the priesthood, it assumes no
air of novelty."

An answer to this charge is, I repeat, a most fair and reason-
able demand on our part, because if you have done what you
are here accused of, you are guilty of such unscrupuloui dis-
honesty in the use of means, as renders you utterly unworthy of
admittance into an honourable arena, where the love of truth is
the avowedly animating motive of both parties.
We require von, therefore, in the fcrst place, to exculpate
yourself from this charge of forgery.. The sacred cause of truth
can never be served by unfair means. If Mr. Nolan be mis-
taken, answer his charge and disprove his allegation. If not,
what security can I or any other opponent have against your
repetition of the same or similar means ? We fear neither
facts nor arguments. Their force will always be found on the
side of truth. But we protest against forgery. And you will do
well to remember, in issuing your challenges, the scriptural
condition by which alone you can be qualified to throw the first
stone.
But, as von may not find it convenient or agreeable to con-
front Mr. Nolan, I have a proposal to make to you in the mean
time. Forgeries in the press are not so dangerous to the cause
of truth as on the platform. They are open to examination and
reference. Now, I have within the last few months published a
sermon on the church of Rome. Between 2,000 and 3,000
copies of it have been circulated in this town. Write and
publish a refutation of its statements and arguments. I pledge
myself to write and publish an answer to you. Do not object
to the press. The statements made in an oral discussion must,
after all, be committed to the press to be of any extended
benefit.
I challenge you then to a controversy in the press, and throw
down my sermon on the character of the church of Rome as the
first blow. You will there find your church proved to be anti-
scriptural, tyrannical, blasphemous, and persecuting.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
HUGH AUNEILE.
Liverpool, 16th September, 1836.