The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-10-05 00:00:00

S->-- •

what they called their rights, were examined before the com-
missioners of education, before both Houses of Parliament,
as to certain canons,-as to'certain councils, in which it was
contended the danger to Proteetant institutions lay: but
they denied, they renounced, they spoke, they swore through
them all; they evaded every coin-161, they denied every
canon, they escaped from every bull, and the conscience
was this, that 'neither statesmen; ' commoners, laymen,
nor churchmen, were able to bring the facts home to the
bishops of the Church of Rome; and therefore, whether be-
lieved or disbelieved, the-consequence you all know was this,
that popery was admited to political power, and the only
safeguard on that loner to prevent it overturning the Pro-
testant institution of this country was a papal oath. Now to
the consideration of that oath I would call your attention cs-
peciallythis day. If I demonstrate to you that that oath, or
that the principle rather of the Church of Rome annihilates
all moral obligations between man and, hiS fellow-creature;
if I slow you that this political oath which was adopted by
our parliament for the security of the Protestants of. this em-
pire-, that that oath is null and void, on' the consequence of
every Roman Catholic who takeS it; if I sliuw you that it
has been frequently violated by priests, bishops, and lay•
men, by shameless acts of open perjury—if I show you these
things, you can have no hesitation in passing that resolution
I shad have the honour of-submitting to you, as follows.—
" That it appears to this meeting that the prineiples'of the
Romish church, as inculcated in tier admitted standards of
public instruction on her priests, and through them 'on the
people, open a door for the violation of all oaths, and all the
bonds of moral obligation, when it is the interest of the
' Papacy that they should be violated. That the oath de-
sired by the British parliament to secure in Romish mem-
heti of the senate, loyalty to the British sovereign; safety to
the British constitution; protection to Protestant property,
and to the christian religion, as by la* established in•these
reeling, is demonstrated on the most undoubted evidences
to be null and void; to have no obligation on the consci-
ences of those who take it : and, therefore, to be utterly
worthless in principle; that it has been already violated by
the basest acts of secret perjury, and that this. meeting con-
sider that the permission, the toleration of this crime by
parliament is a dishonour to the British senate, and a disgrace
to any free and Christian nation."

Now here never was a more important practical resolution
'propounded to any public meeting than this. I have said
you will pass that resolution if I demonstrate to you the
principles on which it is founded. Lshall therefore 'humbly
endeavour to go through the series of propositions a hich
trust will appeal not only to the understanding of those who
are the most reflecting amongst you, but will come home to
the plain common sense.of every child in this assembly. Now
ono ssitl perceive this resolution is divided into three parts;
the first is, "that a app.-a,' r‘, that the
_prin-
ciples of the church of Rome as inculcated in her admitted
standards of public instruction, on her priests, and through
them on the people, open a door for the violation of all oaths,
, and all the bonds of moral obligation where it is the interest
of the papacy that they should be violated." Now in speak-
ing of this resolution, I shall avail myself of the resolution
which you passed at the last meeting when had the honour
to address -You. I shall avail myself of your authority, and
you will allow me to read that resolution to you. The reso-
lution passed at our last annual meeting was this :
" Resolved, that it is demonstrated to this meeting, from
the facts and documents laid before them, that the principles
on the subject of oaths and perjury inculcated on the can-
didates for the office of Roman Catholic priests, in the col-
lege of Maynooth, in their standards of instruction, and the
principles on the same subjects enjoined by the Roman
Ca-
tholic bishops on their priests in their standards for directing
the consciences of the people, are of such a character that
they are calculated to violate the sacred principles of true
religion, to subvert, all the foundations of moral obligation,
to rend asunder the bonds (W all social compacts, anti to
dis-
solve the frame of civil and political society."
This resolution was• passed at our last meeting without one
dissentient voice. It is unnecessary for me to enter upon the
subject of the documents on which this resolution was
founded. Those who were present heard them : and those
who were not present at this • meeting, 1 beg leave to refer
them to these documents in this book. Permit use to remind
you that not only your resolution, but the documents on
which it was founded, remain to this day uncontradicted in
Liverpool. All the worst principles of the papacy on this
subject, as inculcated in the college of Maynooth, were laid
before you. No priest, no Itomish bishop has been found to
stand before the British public, to call in question those do-
cuments, or to contradict them • therefore when I refer you
to your own resolution, you will feel that I refer to a reso-
lution which was passed on solid grounds. There was one
person who made some remarks in an anonymous letter in
the press concerning them; but those remarks were anony-
mous, and were not woith answering. Another writer took
' some of my documents from a garbled report in the Mercury
and the Timer, and borrowed my authentic documents in the
authorised report of the Standard and the Mail, to prove that
I hail garbled the documents. (Laughter.) That was not
worth answering,. Allow me to say one word to those gen•
tlemen._ (" Yes.") I hope the reporters of the Mercury
and the Times are present. (A cry of " yes.") Then gen-
tlemen, permit me to request that you will carry my Mes-
sage- to your employers. (Cheers and laughter.) Tell
them- that if they presume to bring against me, falsely
as they right well know, the charge of perjury —if
they • presume to hold me up to public scorn if they
presume to revile me, and speak all manner of • evil
against me falsely, I warn them, before this vast assembly,
that 1 shall take advice, the best advice in all Englanti—but
it shall he the advice that my master oave me.—(Cheers.)
Do you know-what it is? them I shall rejoice and be
exceeding glad.— (Great cheering ) And give me leave to
return their contumely, and slander with this Christian wish,
that if it shall ever be their lot to be held up to public con-
tempt, and soon they may be enabled without a blanch or a
blush to look an enemy, or a world in the face (hear) from the
consciousness that they have no reproach to cast upon them-
selves in the presence of Almighty God.—(Loud applause.)
You will then recollect with respect to the documents--those
uncontradicted documents in this report, that the following
facts were proved. It was proved from Bailey, the class hook
at Maynooth, from Dens the conference book for the priests
by which they are to guide the consciences of the poor Un-
man Catholics of Irelind, from Thomas Aquinas, one of their
best writers on et,--:,•s at Maynooth, that the prohi-bition of
,the seperior, a Psoe, Bishop, or Priest, can preventany oath
froic ithposing any obligation
,on the conscience of• any man
who takes it. It was proved that this same superior can an-
nul any:obligation by dispensation: It was proved that any
thing a superior may please to consider wise, useful, or ne-
cessary, for the interests of the church, that was a sufficient
cause for his dispensing With any oath. It was proved that
in every oath•taken by a Boman Catholic, he must have this
'Mental reservaion, "saving the right and authority of any
superior." The conscience of the man bound under this sla-
vish yoke is not bound to the man to whom he takes the oath
—his conscience is not bound to the God to whom he swears,
hisiconscicuce is bound to the tyrant of his soul, who is to de-
termine-whether he is to keep his oath or not. Now I shall
merely
.add to the testimopy on this subject one document or
two from the most authoritative sources. I have to request
your kind forbearance-for intruding on you with these docu-
ments, but recollect that your resolution cannot go forth as it
ought to go forth, founded on every sound principle, that
&sees, man who goes to his house and recollects he has voted
for that resolution, can lay his hand on his breast and say.—
"i have voted for truth to-day."—l say you cannot say that
unless the facts and documents, however tedious, belaid be-
fore you. on which the resolution are founded. I. will, there-
fore, read to you from this book, which is a most important
volume. This is the Canon Latv of ReiCenstual, the standard
of Maynouth, a book acknowledged by Dr. Murray to he of
high repute in his church, and from which we shall see just
now he took an appendix which is now set up for the Canon
Law in Ireland. 1n this beok it is stated—

"Reirenstual in the sccond book of his decretals, title 21
says as follows—_ _ _

No. 50. It is demanded what conditions are considered
to be tacitly inherent in a promissory oath.
"No. 51. In every promissory oath, however absolutely
made, certain tacit conditions arc understood."
The second is "saving the right and authority drily supe-
riors." - Ile must secretly understand in his raind, " what-
ever 1 promise. in this oath, 1 cannot promise at alt un-
less as my priest or bishop chooses to allow me: I must
have the right and authority of my superior," Now ob-
serve, these are not the private opinions of Dens, as Dr.
Munav said; for mark, it is taken from the canon law.
This condition is taken from the Veniento, the Book of Canon
Law, in Which it is said, " So the aforesaid oath could not
exculpate you, the right of your superior being excepted."
The oath the man had taken could not excuse him from the
authority of the Pope. hecause"When he took the oath, he
ought to have in his mind the authority of the Pope as his
superior. To this, ttgain, is a chapter ea Se, which is another
chapter taken from the canon law, wherein it is taught, " an
oath is unlawful, and not to be kept, that cannot be kept
saving the honour of the apostolic chair." So that no oath
whatsoever, taken by any Rothan Catholic in England, who
has any religion, or any-reverence to his Pope, can bind a
man, unless the honour of the apostolic chair is reserved; and
if it goes against the interest of the Pope, the oath is null and
void. You Will see the importance of these principles when
.
I come to apply them to the resolutions in question. In the
same chapter it is said, " A man is not to be called a trans-
gressor of his vow who does not fulfil that which he has vowed
under the authority of the apostolic chair." In the contro-
versy to which my dear and reverend brother alluded—to the
report at Bath-an Irish priest found fault with my transla-
tion. Ile said I,ought to have translated it—" adverse to
fulfil." In the canon law that could he it; but in this place
the spirit is—" that the man does not fulfil his vows ;" be-
cause if a just cause exists, the Pope is able to dispense any
•vow or any oath that a man may take. Now, I shall not
trespass upon you by reading the canons on which this is
founded. You have the canons quoted, and I assert that
they are-the authority given here. In the authorised report
I shall give the names of the canons, so that if they should
be called in question by any person in Liverpool, I shall he
able to show you that no person was enabled to answer them,
•and you know that they were mentioned. It is proved that
the principles of the Romish church open a door for the vio-
lation of all oaths, and tiir the violation of the bonds of moral
obligation, when it' is the interest of the Papacy that they
should be violated.

I shall now consider the second part of the resolution.
"That the oath devised by the British Parliament to secure,
in Romish members of the senate, loyalty to the British so-
vereign, safety to the British constitution, protection to Pro-
testant property, and to the: Chi istian religion as by law es-
tablished in these realms, is demonstrated on the most un-
doubted evidence, to be null and void, to have ao obligation
on the consciences of those who take it, and therefore to be
utterly worthless in principle." Now before I come to prove
that matter of fact allow me to call your attention to prove
one principle. Here -is this same canonist, and here is this
same question proposed in this canonist, which you see bears
direCtly on the point.
" It iedemanded, in the third place, whether and how far
an. obligation is imposed by an oath of keeping the statutes,
capitulations, or customs of any church or community when
any things are contained in them which are unlawful, nr
which verge to the prejudice of the Church or dignity to
which the person who takes the oath is promoted?
" We answer Ist, a general oath of observing the statutes,
capitulations, or custom of any. church or community
obliges only to observe things lawful, possible, and not pre-
judicial to the liberty of the Church, such is the common
opinion, and it ,is expressly
.decided, cap. 1, h. t. in. 6. By
declaring that thosg oaths whtch are accustomed to be taken
•by powers, rulers and fay officials the beginning of their
office, and which sometimes contain certain things unlawful
and prejudicial to ecclesiastical immunity ought to be ob-
served only as to those things that are. lawful, since, as to
other things• they cannot be observed without an offence
against the divine Majesty, and an oath cannot be the bond
of iniquity, because that which is useful ought not to be
vitiated by that which not useful according to Rule 38,
-Jur. in 6; hence oaths of this sort only impose an obligation
as to points that are lawful."
Now these is one principle taken from this canonist. He
then refers us to the canon law; and really this subject is of
such immenstimportance you must hermit me to read the
canon. Consider, it contains the • principle on which oaths
are nullified, on which the protection of all you value in
England and all you value most in Ireland, on which, I say,
the protection of these depends, so far as Papal power or
Panel authority can extend over us. This is the law :
" It happens to observed in some churches, that neither
their prelates, when they first come to those churches, are
admitted, nor canonical persons, when new canonical persons
are received there, are otherwise received in thorn, unless
they swear inviolably to observe the statutes and customs of
.those churches, written and unwritten. Among laymen, also,
in many states, camps, and countries, in assuming their stations
of power, rule, and. ()give, a disease of custom bath crept in,
that these powers, rulers, and officials, are by no means ad-
mitted to their places of power, rule, and tffice, unless they shall
ham
.first sworn that they will keep the statutes included in
those places. But because sir those statutes and customs afore-
said, sometimes some things are found unlaul'ul or impossible.
or obstructing the liberty of the church—lest under such a
general mode of swearing, an occasion of sinning might :be
afforded to those who thus swear, since an oath was not in-

stituted to be the bond of iniquity, wishing by this general
constitution to oppose the dangers of souls, we command that
oaths of this sort shall not be taken by any persons, knowing
that there are contained in the aforesaid customs and statutes
any things unlawful, impossible, or obstructive of the liberty
or the church, and such oaths to be made, or having been
made with that intention,• that any things unlawful, impos-
sible, or obstructing the liberty of the church, should be ob-
served. (since even they cannot be taken with such an inten-
tion, without an offence against the Divine Majesty) we de-
cree that in things of this sort, unlawful, impossible, or ob-
structive to the liberty of the church, they 'are not to be kept.
But rather for the sqlety of theirsouls, if it shall have hap-
pened that, under the aforesaid, or any similar form, any
-persons have ignorantly sworn the aforesaid things unlawful,
impossible, or obstructive to the liberty of the church, the
intention of the swearers ought to be referred only to the
servance of things that are lawful, possible, and not obstruc-
tive of the liberty of the church.,

" e declare; also, that oaths in general of this sort, of
whatever kind they be, and in whatever form of words set forth,
or to beset forth, are only to be extended to things lawful,
possible, and not obstructive of ecclesiastical liberty, and t hat
those who swear them are nut bound to any thing else by taking
au, oath of this sort,"

There is the canon law of the church of Rome for you as
quoted ih. the standaid of Maynooth. Now we shall see how
tar this practically applies to the oath in question. And if
I show you that this principle is applied to the very oath
taken by the members orparliament at this moment, and if I
show you that that oath is declared by his authority to he null
and void; and if in force—then Englishmen and Protestants
of this empire will learn what-sec-irity they are to have in the
oaths of Popish Bishops and Popish members of parliament.
(Cheers.) Now, for the purpose of illustrating this subject
to you, I shall bring before you a document, which although
it has been adverted to, an'd I believe in some way given in
sonic of the public papers, it has not been brought forward in
any public meeting such as this in this country,. and it is a
document which ought to be known to every Protestant in
the united empire: and it Will be interesting to you—it ought
to be interesting to every one in the town of Liverpool, be-
cause this parliamentary document was brought forward by a
faithful advocate and defender of the Protestant religion and
scriptural education in this country, the Bishop of Exeter
(cheers); and it was brought forward, if I am rightly in-
formed, on the occasion of presenting a petition from the
town of Liverpool to the House of Lords. -
"Copy of any despatch from the Governor or Acting
Lieutenant Governer of the Island of Malta, to his late Ma-
jesty's Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, re-
specting the appointment of the Bishop of Malta to be a
member of the council of government of that island; and also
of any despatch announcing the refusal of the said Bishop to
take the oath required by law to be taken by him on the
acceptance of such appointment, and his resignation of the
saute; together with any documents r eceiveefrom the' said
Bishop on such his refusal and resiguation."
Now mark, here is the very print in question. The Bishop
of Malta was to be appointed to a certain situation in his
Majesty's government in the island Malta; that was, to be-
come 'a member of his Majesty's council in the time of our
late monarch. Before he was admitted to the office of a
councillor—one of seven in theisland of Malta, he was called
on to take an oath to the King of England. • That is the
same oath taken by members of parliament; it was taken out
of the act and sent over to him to take. Here is the parlia-
mentary return printed for the House of Lords on the motion
of the Bishop of Exeter.
"The Ist document in this is a despatch from the Earl of
Aberdeen, to the Lieutenant Governor of Malta, Sir F. C.
Pousonbv, dated April Ist, 1835, directing him to appoint a
council fur the Island, consisting of seven persons, of whom
the Remish Bishop was to be one.'
No 2. Is a letter from the acting Lieutenant Governor,
Col. Carder', to Lord Glenelg, dated October 28th, in which he
informs him, that he was obliged to put off the installation of
the council, as the Bishop had refused to take the oath, till
he knew the Pope's pleacure. In this despatch the oath is
inclosed, which is the identical oath now taken by the Ro-
mish members of parliament ,from Act 10, Geo. 4, Cap. 7. I
need not read this oath, as I shall advert to it just now.
" No. 2. Is the copy of a despatch from Lord Glenelz, to
the Governor of Malta, acknowledging this letter, desiring
him to fix another day for the installation of the council;
that if the Bishop should attend he was to be sworn, but, if
not; the council was to be installed without him. But his
Lordship adds, I will not-give up the hope that the expected
-communication from Rome may at no distant period remove
the existing difficulty. Whenever that time may arrive, and
the Bishop be prepared to take the oath, vou will cause him
to be sworn in as a member of the commit, and he will take
that place at the hoard which it was originally intended he
should till. lu the mean time the council will proceed in the
exercise of its functions, as it is perfectly competent for it to
do, notwithstanding the absence of so distinguished a member.
am. &c., &0.,

,
(Signed) GLENELG.'
"No. 4.- Is a letter from Col. Cardew to Lord Glenelg,
dated 27th February, 1836, in which he informs his Lordship
that the answer from the Pope to the Bishop had arrived, and
he encloses that answer. The answer is here in the original
Italian, with the translation of which I shall read some ex-
tracts. It begins as follows:—" Most illustrious and rever-
end Sir, it is with real regret that I .have been obliged to
delay until the present moment a reply to the contents of your
Lordship's letter of the 21st May List, and the subsequent
ones of the 23d Sept. and 31st of October, namely, upon the
lawfulness of the oath required of vou as one of the mem-
bers intended to form the Council created by his Britannic
Majesty to assist the government of these possessions.
Having expressed your unwillingness to do anything, or to
take an) part in that affair, without first being informed of
the opinion of his Holiness upon the subject."
"I must here observe that the translation does not convey
the sense of the original Italian, for it is not the opinion of
his Holiness upon the subject, but it is L'oracolo dei sue
&mato, the oracle of his Holiness, the opinion of the Pope
is an oracle upon the subject. The letter then states that
the Bishop's application had been submitted by the Pope to
the holy congregation, and it was their. opinion that the
Bishop should not accept a seat in the Council. 1 shall not
detain you by reading the whole of the document, and their
reasons on the subject, but I shall give it to hte inserted
in the authorised report. As regards the oath the letter pro-
ceeds :—" In this view you will see an obstacle to your be-
coming a member of the aforesaid Council, and will find a
still stronger one as regards the oath which for such purpose is
required of you.
"The form of the oath transmitted to me in your letter of
the 21st of May having therefore been examined ; and
having received on this subject the requisite information, it
is found that the said form is not approvable by the holy see,
and that it has never been approved of.
"Now let me call you to mark this fact, that this oath,
taken by the Romish members of the British parliament,
and devised as the only security against their efforts to over-
turn all that is dear to the protestants of this empire, is now
declared by this direct authority and communication from
the pope himself, not only never to have been approved of,
but that it is not to be approved of by him. (Hear, hear.)
So that you have, us you have seen by all the principles of
the Romish church, laid before you at our last meeting, and
to-day, that since in every oath the Roman catholic must re-
serve the right of his superior in his conscience, that the pro-
hibition of the superior, prevents, or takes away the obli-
gation of any oath from the conscience of a Roman catholic:
and you have here the unquestionable testimony that this
oath is disallowed by the authority of the Pope himself. It
is therefore clear as light, that Vral decide according to the
evidence of indisputable fact, when you shall pass the reso-
lution that this oath is null and void; that it has no obligation
on the conscience of any man who submits that conscience
to the authority of the Pope of Rome. (Loud checers.)
The Bishop said, he appears to haVe been a conscientiaus
man; "he did not choose to take ,an oath which he thought
he could not take lawfully without inquiring the pleasure of
hit master the Pope. He addressed a letter to the govern-
ment. requesting that his attendance might be dispensed with
for the moment.

"The next document in these despatches is a letter from
the Bishop of Malta himself to the chief Secretary of the
Island, requesting permission to resign his seat at the coun-
cil, in consequence of the communication he had received
from the Pope. And this document concludes with the ex-
tract of a despatch from Lord Glenelg to the officer adminis-
tering Cie government at Malta, acknowledging the receipt
of the answer sent from Rome, sent to the Bishop of Malta,
together with the Bishop's request; and his lordship con-
cludes his letter thus:—

`I have now to acquaint you that I have had the honour to
lay before his • MajeAty the Bishop's resignation, which his
Majesty was graciously-pleased to accept. It is, however, a
matter of deep regret to me that the Bishop should have
found himself under the necessity of adopting such a course ;
and more especially because the same motives which have
influenced his decision in this instance will apply with equal
force to every other ecclesiastic in the island who may belong
to the communion of the Ifomish church.'"

Now you know, this is an official Parliamentary document.
Then comes the form of the oath. I need not read to you
the oath, as I shall have occasion to refer to it just now.
The next is a copy of the despatch of my Lord Glenelg,
(liter! Downing-street, September, ISM. In this, Lord
Glenelg desires the government to appoint the council with-
out the bishop. The bishop does not choose to attend : Lord
Glenelg expresses his regret, but hesays—" I will not giVe
up the hope that the expected communication from Rome
may remove the existing difficulties, and if ever the time
shall arrive when the Bishop can lawfully be appointed a
member of the council, you will cause bins to be nominated
as such." The next is a copy of a letter from the government
to Lord Glenelg, informing him that the Bishop had read an
answer from the secretary of state from Rome, and enclosing
the answer. Really it seems as if the Povidenee of God
had marvellously blinded the eves of the Bishop that he
should enclose this answer to the government of Malta; but
he encloses the answer sent from the Pope to him. And
what is this anwser? is is here in the Italian and trills-
lotted also :

Extract from the Evangelical Letter of Pope Gregory XVI.
to all the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops.
" God forbid, dearest brethren, God forbid, whilst we are
pressed by so many evils, and threatened by such dangers,
that pastors should be wanting to their charge; and, stricken
by fear, abandon the sheep, or, casting off all care, of the
flock, sink into idleness and sloth. Let us, therefore, in the
unity of the spirit, defend our common cause, or rather the
cause of God, and let us unite our vigilance and our exertions
against the common enemy, for the good of all the people.
" You will discharge this duty faithfully, if, as your minis.
try demands, you attend to yourselves and to doctrine, calling
frequently to mind, that the universal church is not shaken by
any novelty whatsoever; and that, according to the admonition
of S. Agatho, Pope, nothing of what has been. regula 7 lu defined,
ought to be retrenched, or changed, or increased, bat that nil
should he preserved incorrupt both in meaning and expression"
Now mark, the oath, the identical oath taken by the members
of the British parliament—that oath on which our whole
security depends, that oath was sent to the Pope of Rome to
know whether the Bishop of Malta might I.irke it. The
Pope sends it back, and declares that it is nut approved
of, and that it has never been approved of. Then
there is a letter from the Bishop expressing his regret
at his inability to take part in the counci. Now, I must
turn back fur a moment and ask some questions on
this oath. Does the Pope of Rome allow to her Majesty's
Roman Catholic subjects to "faithfully promise true alto.
giance to her Majesty, to defend her to the utmost of their
power against all conspiracies that may be made her against
person, crown and dignity." does the Pope allow the Ilannan
Catholic members of Parliament to take, that oath? No.
Does the Pope allow them "faithfully to promise that they
will maintain support and defend to the utmost of their
power the successors to the crown ?" No. Or that they
shall faithfully keep any of the pro Mises they swear in the
oath, the taking a which entitles them to sit in the House of
Commons an members of Parliament ? No. The doctrine
is taught in Maynooth that the Pope has amid ought to have
—an indirect power at least—in these realms, and under that
authority the laws of the Pone of Rome are at this moment
set up as the laws that govern Ireland. Dues he allow them
to swear that they will "defend the settlement of property
within-These rearms`? Dods be AITTVT-Thealrlaa—sitear
that they will not endeavour to "subvert the Church Estab-
lishment?'' No. Does he allow them to swear that they
will not endeavour to disturb or weaken the Protestant
government ?" No. Which of these articles is there that
the Pope refuses to let them swear, or does he allow them to
swear any of them ? I ask this question not merely in re-
ference to the Popish hierachy, or the Popish members of
Parliament, but I ask this question in reference to her
Majesty's Colonial Secretary, my Lord Glenelg. Now
mark the words of the despatch of Lord Glenelg. Ile " re-
grets that the Bishop should have found himself under
the necessity of adopting such a coursa and more especially
because the same motives that have influenced his decision
in this instance, will apply with equal force to every other
ecclesiastic in the island, that May belong to the community
of the Romish Church." Lord Glenelg now on his
own confession, that this decision of the Pope must
influence every ecclesiastic in Malta, must have known that
it would influence every ecclesiastic in Ireland and England,
and every ecclesiastic in all the colonies. Did he not know

'ass, a ea! leareiSsoveie
that ? Unless, indeed, the Pope is Pope in alreland a
Malta, and in the Colonies, and not in England. .And:triehauala,t 4"i
what did he do? He took these documents—Tam sorry- h es,':'7'3-"i'a 3°l
lordship is not in hearing—that declaration of that 'foreign'
tyrant, that an oath of allegiance wits not to be taken by at'
Popish ecclesiastic—what does he do? He takes and draws a
the money froM her Majesty's loyal subjects—from the • e
tish churches—he takes the public money and he endows
Papal bishops with it, who he knows ,in his heart are tint
loyal. (immense applause.) I said last time I was here, if.
1 were a member of the House of Cotianons I would impeach -
Mr. O'Connell, and it I was a member of the House of Lards -
I would impeach Lord Glenelg. (Continued cheering.) He,
knowing Members of Parliament took that oath—he knew
that oath was disallowed, yet he took that deepatch, and he
cushioned it in his office till it was dragged out by the honesty' ae.
and integrity of the Lord Bishop. of Exeter. I know ntit:lal's
what the noble lord may feel or think about this. 1 know if
I was in his situation I could not feel that I had acted as a -
faithful subject to my sovereign, or that I bud discharged my • -
duty to my country, or my duty to my God.. Now Now the quee- '
tion comes whether this decision of the Pope, and this oath; • '" -
has any reference to the Roman Catholics in Ireland. I be-
Here that there is not a child in this meeting that will not lay
his hand on his conscience—upon his heart, and say that he -' 2's
can faithfully pass this resolution, that the oath 'devised' by ' • !":.
the British Parliament to secure the Romish memhers to act jf'":l-'
with loyalty to the British sovereign, and with safety to the.- ' =
British constitution, is demonstrated on the most inadoubted
evidence to be null and void—to have no obligation yin
the consciences of those that take it, and therefore to be utterly •)4
worthless in principle. You have established on. ail Ihe
documents of the Romish church, that every oath is taken • • ,a4aa4
with a reservation in the canon law, and that every oath' is' • he `"!='q
utterly null and void if it is against the liberty of the claireh'-
of Rome. You have the actual oath taken by the 'Remelt
Catholics of these realms—you have that very oath submitted • tins
to their superior, to .vhous their conscience must subserve, .
and under whose laws they are governed-and you have a- •' "aSal
positive declaration (coin the Pope himself, that he does not 1114 at,'W
approve the oath. I really know not how much Natter we -ai)satiatal
may go its demonstration of any fact: The last part of this ,ea?tsbett to
resolution is the most painful. We have been speaking of aid
principles—now we must speak of persons and facts :
" That this oath has been already violated by the baseet-:-.
acts of secret and open perjury, and that this meeting eora-
siders that the permission—the toleration—sof this crime by,
Parliament, is a dishonour to the British senate, and a -disa
grace to any free and Christian nation." . • sa.
I say it has been. violated by secret perjury. ' I must first.. :9 ""'
now advert to the. Irish Romish Bishops. They were exa7 ts?'-nsi-t
mined before committees of both Housei 'of Parliament; • uttiq
They were examined especially by. the commissioners •or• 111.04
education. Dr. Murray was examined, Dr. Dcrylea Dr. l'-""
Crotty, Dr. Higgins, Dr. M'Hale, cud a great manyothers-
besides. They were examined as to particular PapalliullSe-
which involved the liberties and properties and lives of all
Protestants so far as they cats p° aahjected to the attacks of
Papal power. They were exami9eci.first as to the Butte Sine
anno. It is a bull which is publisled at Rome arra particu-
lar day, and by that bull they are all excommunicated. Dr.
M`Hale swore that that bull had never been read in Ireland,
while at that moment it was contained in the 6th volume of
Dens' Theology, which was a standard for all the priests of •
the country. Dr. Doyle swore that it had never been
enforced in Ireland, while in this very bopk—Reiffen-
stud!, there is a chapter on the subject, declaring that
it is utterly and entirely false that any man should pre-
sume to say that that bull is not in force in every part
of the world where there were Roman Catholics for it to be so
with. Now I come- to what is spoken, for we shall come to.
examine their truth by and by. Dr. M`Hale was examined
as to the third canon of the council. That is a most etro- •
cious canon; it. not only excommunicates all heretics, but
holds them up to slaughter and persecution. It declares
that the subjects of kings are not to render obedience to
• their kings, if heretics; and it commands all monarchs to ex-
terminate all heretics out of their. lands. They were exit,- •
mined as to that canon, and by both houses of parliament,
and by the commissioners of education in Ireland. They s' 5.
nied that that canon was in force in any part of the world,
and they endeavoured to throw doubt on the existence of the ' 34:
canon, while iu their own books the document is given at
'• sr4iT
full length, as having been adopted in a council under Pope
Innocent the 3d. They were examined on another bull.'
There is a certain bull of the pope in which it is stated that i 'stela
no property whatever, taken in an unjust manner, but. ought
to be restored immediately, without any money being paid, sasals,%
to the original owners. And it was stated that the priests acra:
had maps of all the properties in Ireland which were for-":
merle la the possession of catholics, and that as soon as it
was in their power they should endeavour to throw -on the a',-
British power and get possession of these properties. TheSe --a
men denied the applications of this bull to Ireland. But, here
it was laid down in their examination that, whereas these
bulls were not in force in Ireland, the reason was they were
not published, there; but they would acknowledge that
wherever these bulls were published, there they were in force.
In 1826, having evaded all these examinations, the Roman ' '
catholic body got up an address front all the Roman cat ' a 4
in Ireland, stating that they abjured all the principles that
had been imputed to them, of persecution, and so on :--
Extract from the Oath and Declaration of the ItairiMai Ca-
tholic Bishops, published in 1826. "se
"The Catholics in Ireland net only do not believe, but
they declare upon oath 'that they detest as prichristia-n.and
impious, the belief that it is lawful to murder or deStray ;any.
person or persons whatever for or under the pretence of their •
being heretics;' and else the principle 'that no f';iiets is'teca'
be kept with heretics.' 'They further declare, en Oath',
belief that, 'no act in itself unjust, immoral, nr F"'
ever be justified or excused by or under pretence .er4coiour aryl:
that it was done either for the good of the church, or-iivni ri
obedience to any ecclesiastical power whatsoevere'eathat.•
it is not an article of the Catholic faith, neither uresthey, 4e!irs
thereby required to believe, that the Pope is infallible therAttie :etS
that they do not hold themselves 'bound to obey any order in,:e
its own nature immoral, though the Pope or any ecclesiasti- •_-sae
cal power should issue or direct such an order; but; on the, c/ -;sa
contrary, that it would be sinful in them to pay any respect
or obed once thereto.' They `do not believe that the Pope -a, si
of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, state, or po- I
tentate, HATH OR OUGHT TO HAVE, any temporal or •
civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, er pre-eminence, di e
rectly or indirectly within this realm ! They further solemnly, ~•
in the 'presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that they
make this declaration, and every part thereof,.in the plain
• and ordinary sense of the words of this oath, without evasion, .
equivocation, or mental reservation whatever, and. witheut
any dispensation already granted by the Pope, or any autho-
rity of the See of Rome, or any person whatever, and without
thinking that they are, or can be acquitted before God or
man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof,.
although the Pope or any persous whatsoever, shall dispense
with or annul the same, or declare that it was null and void,
from the beginning." •
"The Catholics of Ireland, far from claiming any light or
tills to forfeited lands, resulting from any right, title, or in=
terest, which their ancestors may have had. therein, declare
upon oath that they will defend to the utmost of their e a",t
the settlement and arrangement of property ie_thie cccine
try, as established by the laws now in being! - They lit/4'J%
disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure, any iuterilien'tgt
subvert the Present Church establishment, for the pqrpose of 'fa;
substituting a Catholic establishment in its stead. A uslier-
ther, they swear that they will not exercise any privilege to
which they are or may be entitled, to disturleandeyeelen the
Protestant religion, and Protestant government in Ireland."
As soon as they had attained the object for which thee:gave
this oath—namely, the possession of political power, then
what did they do? How could the Pope approve that oath,
for here is a letter from the Pope, addressed to the Romish
Bishops of Ireland, published by Coyne, and translated by
themselves, in which he says " that they will dischare their
duty faithfully," &c. All the canons were to be presereed,.
and what was the retult of ibis its Ireland? Why in that
very year when they received this letter from the Pr;pe, they
had that book published as a supplemental volume to Dens
Theology, which never has beets printed before out of the
Papal states, in wuich every one of the bulls that they had
denied, and laws that they had abjured, and canons and
councils they had sworn through, are. published and setup
as canon laws in Ireland. The rev. speaker then - read
.a .e.
Popish bull, proving that the authority of the Pope- in Ire.•
land was not merely spiritual as had been stated, but was in re-
ality a temporary authority. Fur by a breach of that au--
thority, the lay population were liable to excommunication,
and when excommunicated, the ignorant population consi-
dered themselves, and were considered by their neighboureets,
cursed, and that the curse of God was upon them, and newt
could remove this curse but the Pope himself; so that the
poor Roman Catholic was under the impression that theee
was no deliverance for his soul except at the feet of
a foreign tyrant. Would any one pretend that this was
no temporal government for men. The execution of this
sentence was secured; for if a priest refused to exe-
cute the commands of the Court of Rome he was sus-
pended at once from his orders and his' offices, and left with-
out the means of support as a vagabond on the face of the
earth. Would any one say that this could not be executed
in Ireland, let them look at the case.of Dr. Mulholland who
had been suspended from his orders and had no redress, and
when he complained to Mr. O'Connell, Mr. O'Connell's re-
commendation to him was "to go back and submit to the
Bishop of Rome. There was liberty for them. There, was
tyranny indeed. flow was this oath kept by these Bishaps?
They gave it openly that the Protestants might be Whirled
by it, while they secretly published their laws for the slaugh-
ter and muriler of the men they were cajoling, .for the sub-
verting of the state to which they were professing loyalty and
for their. destruction of the property they had worn to :pre-
serve. But, now their secret perjury was tnined 'inte open
perjury. Now these men had thrown off the mask; now
they came out against the church of Ireland. They swore
to do nothing to injure that church at that time but.now theY
came out and called on the people to come out. and' extir-
pate it from the country. Dr. Murray and then Dr. AP-.
Hale rang the tocsin against tithes openly and trampled on
their oaths, and well they might, they had reserved 'fin their
oaths " the right of their superiors." But perjury was a matter
of play to a Popish bishop. A layman perjuring himself must
go to a priest for absolution, and a priest must go tit a
bishop for dispensation ; hut a. bishop might conveniently
grant that dispensation te himself. (Laughter.) 1-le should pass
from the violation of oaths by the Popish hierarchy, re the
consideration that these oaths hail been (openly and shame-
lessly violated by the Popish members of the British Par-
liament. Mr. McGhee then proceeded to contend that an
oath was violated when the plain and ordinary meaning,
that words were intended to convey was evaded, and
when the impression that it was known that these words
made was kept up with the parties to whom the oath was
made, whilst those who made the oath intended to deceive
them. This was perjury; and this was the definition of rwr.:.
jury given by the Romish church herself. Ile then proceed,
ed to contend that Mr. O'Connell had been guilty of foul
perjury and jesuitical evasion of the plain amid ordinarY
meaning of the words of the oath he had taken as a catholic;
member or parliament, and would prove it so, not froin'lY.•
O'Connell's reported speeches' for reporters might have rata-
represented him, but from his letters written coolly at Dcrq•
nane by himself. Mr. M'Ghee then quoted ex;racts fro,i,ll
Mr. O'Connell's letters advccating the abolition of tithc;-!'
and the building of glebe houses for Roman catholic 1"-it'-,.
This Mr. O'Connell had contended was not against his thlt.4
and trying to subvert the Protestant religion for tithes au`
glebe houses wet not the Protestantreligion • but l_ied
he-
sworn also not to subvert the Protestant establishment,
tithes did constitute a pant of the Protestant establislitiVs
But MraO•Connell had been very careful nut to allude to
part of time oath Inc had taken. He concluded after an clee
quent address which occupied. him two. hours and a qu"F‘ed
in the delivery, and which we greatly rcn'rct ilj`
time and crowded columns oblige us to cut
poetions, with so moving the address.
. The Rev. H von M'
received with loud cheers, lie said, v reverend brother
has LE then came forward anntl.,`Yaese
has called my attention to the concleaioe clause of
resolution.. Ile says, he has left it for toe. .I.3tit I ni'3,;,1,,ru.e1,1s
say, that although he has treated only the Orecedinl-r.
in the close, careful, logical, and consecutive inethodice:wltiii.c,lol
so remarkably characterises his speeches, yet iti
which pervaded his entire address, he his enticipattl.l;:
final clause,-anti exhibited the'strongesclieht the
,dis
'such
and the dishonour attaching to the teleration
•flagrant crime as that of which he. has proaa! the ,a)
Catholic members of the British Parliament guilty. ((;berets))
To awaken the hieh aspirations of ChriStian kelieg, I 1,11 ,
04111 and prominent the demands of Christian trellis,. its
.o're.
der the,presence and authority of God practically an,!
fully influential over the minds and lives of then a
to
I:iU Ito
quick
around
ttths. let i‘,e
IJ.h
nal
eb lc
and fruitful atmosphere t':.;riterhanitel of evili
ef fnit,
'teot sct'~s ;tile! tree
holiness—these are the lofty objects of the :lost, art t
ef God, these are the results among men for wte h the.
fill ministers of Christ are content to labor. Ct'r.'t.cheth.;ov.
say? Nay, these are the ends at which thtl.). "u" '.r.'ae_ud
not counting their thne, their talents, their sleepless.nlaatt%)a
studious days, their lives .dear to theinsellsv:heisoil:th-e1e:7:1;,,,:ae
with the -soul-satisfying delight of finishinee
course with faithfelness,.and the ministry
ceived of the Lord Jesus. (Cheers) If then they find that these
high principles, this lolly tone, this holy atmosphere, "I

-' • ~ry

, .44

-M1 cf if

E;1 1,3

devotional feelings which gloryfy God and rebuke sin ; are all
interfered with, deteriorated, tarnished, relaxed, by the
influents of an anti-christian system; a system which by
the disastrous iuvention of what it calls venial sins, under-
mines the foundation of true morality, opens a prospect of
impunity to wilful guilt, and thus inoculates with its deinoral-
lame virus a community of fallen men naturally but too sus-
ceptible of the infection—what let me ask, should be their con-
'fact l' Surely, it the direct prescriptions of the good physi-
ciau be not so practically attended to anto put an end, or at
the least a check, to the spread of the disease; it well be-
eenaes those who value the everlasting health of human souls,
to endeavour to rouse to their assistance popular indignation
against the ruinous quacks, that so the plague may be stayed,
and the country blessed with the ameliorating, the more than
ameliorating, the healing vaccine of eulightened Christian
Philosophy. (Cheers) Popery in its poisoning virulence within
and its disfiguring marks without, is worse, beyond all coin-
',arisen, than the small-pox. We stand here the Apostles of
it vaccinating reformatiou. Help us all ye philosophers, all
ye lovers of true wisdom, of the genuine philosophy which
Soaring above, and beyond the works of external creation,
aiuts directly at the glory of the Creator, in the salvation of
the noblest of his works, formed in his own image. (Cheers.)
Why is the Papal plague so calmly endured in England?
Have Englishmen lost their sensitiveness to moral virtue, so
taw they can contemplate hypocrisy, duplicity, intolerance
without a pang of revolting abhorrence? Have Euglishuien
lest their veneration' for the one only, living and true God,
whose name is jealous, so that they can see temples of idola-
try risingin their land, and performances ofidolatry placarded
is their streets, and seminaries for the instruction of idolatry
supported by their national treasury; without lifting their
hearts in prayer to God for pardon, and their voices in loud
protestation against their rulers for encouraging such tremen-
dous profanation? (Cries of heal, hear, and cheers.)
Have Englishmen lost their manly, dignified, chaste,
and tender respect fur the retiring feelingsland the men-
tal
.purity of the female sex, so that they can expose
their wives and daughters, or hear of the expostre of the
wives and daughters of their neighbours to the deliberate con-
tamination of the auricular confession box, without a shudder
of iudignatiou at the vile, prying, base, low, vu'gar, detesta-
ble curiosity, the seductive excitement, the impure meddling,
the prostrating slavery of that master-piece of satanic ingenu-
ity? (Loud and long applause.) Have English senators
become so practically atheistical, so utterly dead to the
honor of God, and the sanctity of an oath, that perjury,
notorious unblushing perjury scarcely provokes a com-
ment: nay, more, that the men who are guiltyof it, in-
steed of being shunned as unfit for the society of gen-
tlemen of any party, are encouraged, and courted, and rips
pleaded ; their talents as speakers, or their influence as party
politicians, more than atoning for their profaneness as false
swearers? (Cheers.) Truly, it isto be feared, that owing to
the uniformity of God's outward dealings with mankind in this
world; many who scarcely suspect it of themselves, do not
really and cordially believe his superintending majesty, nor
the distinctions, wide as heaven from-Ses'Aniehich He will fi-
nally establish amongst the childeg: us men. Because
punishment is not speedily and visibly executed against
en evil work, therefore the hearts of the evil workers
begin to take confidence that there will be no punishment at
all. The mystery of Providence is a snare to fallen man.
Man is not by nature acquainted with the secret; neither
tan he from any natural source derive the requisite informa-
tion. Nature is in fact but another name for Providence,
and every branch and department of it is full of the ensna-
ring isayetery. The sun shines equally on the Christian and
the Atheist. The showers nourish equally the fields of the
infidel and the believer. The merchandise of the just and
the unjust equally prospers, or equally fails. Time and
chance are atike to all. " All things come alike to all :
there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked ; to the
good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sa-
crificetb, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so
is the sinuer; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an
nath."—(Ecc. ix. 2.) Nay more:—" For that which be-
falleth the sons of men befallen beasts; even one thing he-
falleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they
have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence
above a beast: for all is vanity."—(Ecc. iii. 19.) Such is
the general aspect of nature, or the general mystery of Di-
vine Providence. This proves a snare to fallen man. Judg-
ing by the sight of his eyes, and the hearing of his ears, he
is tempted to conclude that all religions, or rather all opi-
nions professing to he religious, are alike acceptable to God,
because men of all professions are alike treated. He is
tempted to admire and adopt such sentiments as the follow-
ing. I quote from a little handbill which is industriously
Circulated by the enemies of our national institutions. It is
entitled—
" The Prayer of Joseph, Emperor of Germany, extracted from
au old German work, under the title tf ' Joseph's Gebethuck,'
—tire Emperor's Prayer Book.
" 0, thou eternal, incomprehensible Being, who art the
fountain of mercy and the source of love; thy sun shines
Neatly on the Christian and the Atheist; thy showers
equally nourish the fields of the believers and of the infidels;
the seed of virtue is found even in the heart of the impious
and the heretic;—from thee I learn, therefore, that diversity
of opinion does not prevent thee from being a beneficent
Pether to all mankind. Shall I then, thy feeble creature,
be less indulgent? Shall I not permit my subjects to adore
thee in whatever manner they please? Shall I persecute
these who differ from me in point of thinking? Shall I
spread my religion with the point of my sword ? 0 Thou,
Whose mighty power and ineffable love embraces the universe,
grant that such erroneous principles may never harbour in
my breast. I will try to be like-thee as far as human efforts
tam approach infinite perfection. I will be as indulgent as
Theo to all men whose tenets differ from mine."
Hare the exatuple of God in his present dealings with men,
is pleaded : and it is argued, that because he treats alike
been of varying opinions, so should we; that because he ma-
nifests no preference for any one creed, neither should we;
that because be is indulgent and bears with all, so should we.
If this be a sound argument, it must net stop with varying
Opinions; because the uniformity of Gud's dealings extends
to men, of varying practices as well as of varying creeds.
(Hear, hear, hear.) If his example, therefore, be pleaded
in the one case, it should equally be pleaded in the other.
I shall therefore propose another reading of the Emperor's
prayer;:--
" 0, thou eternal, incomprehensible Being, who art the
fountain of mercy and the source of love; thy sun shines
equally on the honest man and on the thief; thy showers
equally nourish the fields of the sober and of the drunk, of
the murdered and of the murderer!—front thee I learn,
therefore, that diversity of practice does not prevent thee
from being a beneficent Father to all mankind. Shall 1
t 450,, thy feeble creature, be less indulgent? 1 will try to
b
like thee as far as human efforts can approach infinite
Perfection. I will be as indulgent as Thou to all men whose
Practices differ from mine." •
Thus the argument derived from this source against pre-
ference for one creed above another holds good against pre-
ference of one line of conduct above another. And the lea-
lota hence inferred against maintaining an established scrip-
tural church in preference to an anti-scriptural apostasy,
holds good against maintaining a police or magistracy or
courts of justice, in preference to a den of thieves. (Shouts.
of applause.) God in his providence does not manifest
May disapprobation of the infidel, therefore neither should
we. Goa in his providencedoes not manifest any disappro-
bation of the thief, therefore neither should we. God
manifests no preference for the Christian, neither should
nor for the honest man, neither should we ! (Hear,
bean hear.) The inference sounds ludicrous, but the
argument will bear the strictest investigation. Do we then
advocate persecution? No sir; we prefer and we establiih,
arid we maintain: but we persecute not at all. Christianity
übtiors it, the Protestant Itefermation abjures it. Angry in-
dividuals may have been guilty of it, but the standards of
the reformed churches are as clear of it as the holy Scriptures
themselves. (Loud cheers.) As to the charge then of per-
secution properly so called, which it is the underhand disho-
Ueet design of the propagators of these infidel squibs to fasten
'on the established church. "Let the gaited jade wince."
(Cheers and laughter.) These apostles of indiscriminate,
indulgence are joined in a league, offensive and defensive,
With the only body of p-nfessing Christians whose creed, in
.its unrescindedformulas. pledges them to persecution. (Cries of
hear.) It is impossible to cnticeive a more conclusive
?Not of dishonesty than this alliance fastens upon "our li-
,herals." The excusing plea that Popery is changed, bears
,felsehood upon the face of it. The experiment has been
The British constitution, which is based upon the
neible, and the ultitnetum of all whose decisions is an oath
before God, has been thrown open to the actings of Popery.
And Wow we find British statesmen, when endeavouring to
adjust the details of a corporation bill for Ireland, obliged
to devise some other security than an oath for the practical
operation of the law. (Hear, hear.) Possession of the fixed
amount of qualification for political privilege can no longer
he ascsrtained by an oath before God; and consequently
it i 1 proposed to ascertain it by a tax or rate open to the
corrobrating examination of our fellow men. Thus procla-
Mallon is made from the floor of the Senate House, that
enutidenee is. no longer to be placed in an oath. That is,
one of the deep foundations of the British Christian constitu-
tion is removed. And why? Because the door of that con-
elittatien has been opened to an anti-ehristian system, which
hevee was, and never can be bindable by an oath. (Shouts
of hear, cud loud cheers.) Is Popery changedj? No, truly.
The worst features of her worst (tines heroine again
.clearly
i rgihle, is exact proportion to the opportunities afforded of
"eisibiting tie nn with any reasonable hope i 4 success. But,
as Christian instruction is our object, as well as contro-
!ersial defence, I would, with your permission, - return for a
17,w men:lents upon the subject of the mystery of providence.
(altar_) The present aspect of God's dealings. with the
e'norni is hut apart, and a small part of the whole subject.
aken by itself it is unintelligible. In other words it is invol-
'feet in mystery. The cause of this mystery is two fold—the
ail or and the forbearance of God. Within these limits
*Pre attaiument of natural kowledge is bounded. Nature
"es taut tell the whole history of man, or reveal the whole
character of God. Consequently the best judgment that
N.;7.:1a,, be derived from nature is partial; and must, there-
run wins reference to the whole stibject, be erroneous.
"re, then, can we find adequate instruction ? Only in
'45 The Bible is supernatural, and explains the
"4" le by revealing both the end anti the beginning. It goes
1 Obi
than the fall ofshewing what he was nut*, I
"n 1 and it goes shown lower than the forbearance of God-
"ewing what he will be when his forbearance shall cease,
4't4 his righteous judgment begin. (Cheers) Suppose a great
,i
"Be, containing a vast, complicated, and perfect system
Machinery. Suppose a reason to exist tor suspending
se`ee direct work of the machine, while, nevertheless, the
'"ateriel must be kept in motion. Suppose a certain set
~14..14culiar wheels, and beams, and pistons, and cylinders,
''.,estrect eil for the purpose of this-suspension.' Suppose that
wasesite this special part of the machinery there is a little
. "'flew • and suppose a band of inquirers into the nature,
"4 Working, and results of the great engine, to come to that
little %encloser, and to have all their observations circumscribed
vsgei
r 4 k the limits of that narrow aperture. Yon have here a
1r y represeetetio- of the ase of those who
ovaatept
*erelt; "
cetifintel to present providences, sc pertain the
le, iverking, and results of the dealings of the living God.
Ly;:,.Pertml if our history in which we noW live, is met only
niti:o but it does nut belong to the direct working of God
per intmortel teen. It resembles the suspension wheels.
Ales the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, there is an arrest of juilg-
lig„"tr and God is waiting. The Bible is not confined to the
en"d'e,,e•in,tiow. Ii gives an enlarged view-on the right hand
s,stir' the left, expiaining, the everlasting design, and giving,
(~Ilnee (if the everlasting. results of the diviue machinery.
spir,,,and prolonged cheering.) Our evidence for the in-
ked"! )11 of the Bible is overwhelming. It is of the highest
most unanswerable kind. I cannot, of course, now go
)a1 uY ittN) it, but I will briefly illustrate its character-to
tiff a simple comparison. (Hear, hear.) Among
literev, ;rut' t'f history, say the history of our own kingdom,
e 'tine which possess only the evidence of history, as
ereunlEd
lejCe in hooks; and others, hitch possess the additional
cif facts, derived from commemorations regularly
tie of '•i;_'lnce the events took place. For example, the big-
hted i"tinns, by which William the Conqueror won Eng-
bool:'.(,)n'gsses only the evidence of history. It is found in
etto'i,issr.l.y, and it is difficult to prove it to ignorant, unedn-
f„c,_' - • But the Gunpowder Plot possesses the evidence
.asnd is exhibited to all men owl every fifth of
which fur
anntinl commemoration, ich was observed, of
which ‘,0.7, the first time the year after the event occurred,
neve,.
(4'a never have been observed at all if the event had
Year
loc
.rred, and the observation of which, therefore, from
like elee)l'ear, is a standing, visible proof of the event. In
Bales ~.1.„,,%rti1e battle of the Boyne, and the shutting of the
eem'e°:iiitipi,,,y, are events which possess not °illy the com-
oqi,ed of history, but the higher evidence of facts,
annuali, commemorations. (Cheers) Of this high-
est character
i from the Pagesthof,. .etviiit.,l,eennct•en. lisflo.r.the S. eriptures,derived not only
. ter\ , but corroborated by com-
0f Christmas—Gaud memorations—l3aptrsut—theLord's Supper—the celebration
Easter Day—commemorations
which were observed from".aY—
, haveb the time w
winch could never
therefore
observed hen the events occurred,
if' tit events had sieve,
occurred, and which aree
proofs of
ieerenatss.an'tlh'heunstiothe eventsere
r'r)erecosit-daenddiinngt,hevitibiblele ore esta-
blished; and then, the miraculous nature of the

events proves the inspiration, i. e., the immediate and super-
natural agency of God himself. With the Bible then in our
hands, its truth authenticated by rational evidence to our
understandings, and its power impressed by the Holy Spirit
upon our hearts, we look with unutterable horror upon the
whole system of Papal rebellion against the Bible. (Loud
and protracted applause.) After what you have heard from
Mr. M.Ghee I will not attempt any additional documental),
evidence to prove what are the unchanged principles of the
Papal system. I will rather adopt our friend Mr. Gregg's
hint, and show you a specimen of the results. For this pur-
pose I will now mention a circumstance which occurred in
this town a few days ago. The followintr statement taken
from the poor woman will explain itself:--:
" Lust Friday morning, 21st September, was a very rainy
morning, in consequence of which I put out a tub to catch
the water, and my door was left open : by this means the
neighbours saw that my !Ashanti and I had some flesh-meat
for breakfast. As lam yet considered a Roman Catholic,
(though, blessed be God, the truth has begun to dawn upon
my soul,) this was, I suppose, considered equal to having
given up my religion entirely; and the first thing they did
was to throw the tub of water over the table. My husband
(who for the space of twelve years has shown himself a true
Protestant Christian and a most affectionate husband) went
out to remonstrate with the people. His appearance imme-
diately created a - tumult, and iu a few minutes not less than
from two to three hundred Roman Catholics were assembled,
many armed with stones and sticks, and one with ri,Pitchfork ;
they tvere all furious against me and my husband, because
he being so orderly and peaceable a man, they said I might
have won him to.the true church, instead of deserting myself.
One stone struck Min on the neck: he has been confined to
bed ever since, and to-day is so ill from the usage he met
with, I was obliged to call in a doctor. A woman left her
sick bed and ran barefooted into the street: making straight
towards me, she caught me by the top of my head, and
aimed a blow at my face. On asking some one near to run
for a policeman, they said that if I sent they would dash my
brains out. It is but a few weeks since that I was knocked
down, trampled upon, and dragged by the hair of my head,
because I bad "Father Clement" in the house, which was
lent for. my husband to read to me. At that time I should
surely have been murdered, but, by the mercy of God, my
husband came in time to rescue me.—This is the simple truth,
as it occurred in one of the public streets of this Christian
country.

"2411 s Sept., 1838. Lirerpool."
Mr. M`Neile then proceeded to state, that through the as-
sistance of some friends the poor man had been enabled to
obtain a house in a neighbourhood where he would have Pro-
testant neighbours. But this was an instance of the working
of Popery even in Liverpool. Tbe reverend speaker then
noticed a pamphlet lately brought out by the Bev. Fielding
Unlit, exposing the means which had been taken to mislead
the public on the school question, and in which he (Mr.
M`Neile) had been brought forward as a party unknowingly,
a gentleman in the employment of government having called
upon him, representing himself as the private frtend of Mr.
Fielding Ould, and asking his opinion on the school ques-
tion; and the friendly conversation then entered into with
him he had afterwards made the subject of an official com-
munication to the Town-ball and the government. After
strongly animadverting on such conduct, and on the cause
which required such advocacy, he concluded amidst very
-great applause with seconding the motion.
The CHAIRMAN, in announcing the conclusion of the
meeting, hoped that, as they. had begun with prayer, so they
would unite with him in closing with praise.

The Rev. F. BARKER said, the meeting was not quite con-
cluded. There was still a duty to discharge—a most agree-
able duty to him, and he doubted not it would be equally
agreeable to the meeting. This was, to return thanks to the
Rev. Dr. Tattershall, for his excellent and valuable services
that day.
_ _ _

The motion was seconded, and carried with much applause.

The CnitrtmAN returned thanks. A doxology was then
sung, and the meeting separated, having lasted about live
hours and a half.

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AGRICUL-

TURAL SOCIETY.

The annual meetinr, of this society took place yesterday.
The cattle show was held in the ,Old Infirmary Yard. We
have heard that the show of cattle, horses, and sheep, was
superior to that on any former occasions. The show of pigs
was not so good. We unfeignedly regret that the awkward
occurrence of another and important meeting yesterday, has
prevented us paying that attention to the anniversary of the
society- which we otherwise should have done. We were fur-
nished at about two o'clock this morning► with a list of the
prizes. From its great length, the lateness of the hour of our
receiving it, and the crowded state of our columns, we are
obliged to omit it. We shall, however, give it with a report
of the dinner, (which; from one of those casualties which will
happen, and which is explained below, we are unable to ob-
tain,) in our paper of Tuesday next.