The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

unanim

The Rev. Dr. TATTERSHALL, on taking the chair, said
—The object for which we are assembled together this
day, is far more

ious than of a secular natu

the case were otherwise,--if that
erly to be considered as secular or

object

political than religious,—yet still, because I feel it to be
the duty of every Christian to acknowledge God in all
things, and whatsoever he does to do it to His glory, I
should not be disposed to infer from that circumstance
either that the object itself was wrong, or that those who
feel their best interests to be deeply involved in the result
ught not to assemble together
.ne promotion of their desired end, or that, when so
assembled, they ought not to seek divine direction, and
the blessir God upon their --
But as ti
for which we have met

ch they wish to obtain, of

g of Alaight

le case really stands, considering that the object
er is to do what the Lord

may put in our power, to arrest what we cannot but con-
sider to be a great evil,—when we remember that that
object is to maintain, to vindicate the honour of God, to
.plosive religious homage of this nation to

Him who is our exclusive divine benefactor—that which
would be proper at all times becomes peculiarly suitable
upon such an occasion ; and I believe, therefore, that I
shall be consulting your wishes not less than acting ac-
cording to the convictions of my own mind, if I propose
that the proceedings of this meeting be commenced with
prayer to Almighty God for his blessing. With your kind
concurrence, therefore, I will call upon my rev. brother,
Mr. Cordeaux, to open the meeting with prayer.
The Rev. JOHN CORDEAUX then offered up to the Al-
mighty a most appropriate prayer, supplicating the divine
blessing upon the proceedings.
The CHAIRMAN then rose, amidst much cheering, and
addressed the meeting as follows :—As we have now risen
from our knees, having been engaged in an act of devo-
tion, in the utterance of our desire for the blessing of God,
and of prayer for the good, spiritual and temporal, of our
fellow-creatures, I am sure I shall be considered as speak-
ing that which is suitable to the occasion, or rather to the
position in which we now stand, if I express a hope that
every part of the remaining proceedings of this day will be
consistent with this commencement. I trust that all pre-
sent will, in their spirit and in their actions, manifest the
sincerity of their prayers. I trust that this spirit will ac-
tuate and characterise both the speakers who shall address
you upon this occasion, and also this vast audience itself,
who are assembled together to listen to what is about to
be advanced. I trust that the speakers will take for their
motto, " Let the words of my mouth and the meditations
of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight, 0 Lord,
my strength and my salvation." I trust also that every
one present will give audience in a spirit of candour, and
of attention and reflection ; and most sure I am that if
such be the case, whether we succeed or not in the imme-
diate object of our assembling together, a beneficial result
and influence will arise from this meeting, and that, at
any rate, we shall have the happy consciousness of having
done that which is right in the sight of God. (Cheers.)
As you have placed me in the position which I now oc-
cupy, and in which I am sure I shall receive your kindest
indulgence and support, I trust it will be permitted me
to say some very few words—the detail must be left to
other lips—explanatory of the nature of the present meet-
ing, and the design for which it has been called. (Hear.)
We are not assembled, properly speaking, for the purpose
of discussing the question for or against the proposed
grant to the College of Maynooth. We have been in-
vited, and have assembled together, upon the suppo-
sition that our minds are already made up unon that
question. (Hear, hear.) This is a meeting of. persons
opposed to the grant now proposed to bo made to the
Roman Catholic College of Maynooth. (Hear, hear.)
Whether such a grant be right or wrong is not a question
which will be proposed to this meeting. We shall indeed
review, in some measure, the principles and the reasons
which have already appeared satisfactory to our minds
against that measure ; we shall then decide upon a peti-
tion to be presented to the legislature against it ; we shall
also make provision for such presentation, and this is the
whole extent of our present business. If any have come
here under the supposition that the question of the grant
itself, whether right or wrong, was a matter for delibera-
tion, such persons are under a mistake ; and I shall, I
am sure, be permitted to observe to such individuals, that
they are not, properly speaking, to be considered as con-
stituent members of this meeting. (Cheers.) We regard
them as visitors whom we are most glad to see; they are
spectators by whom we are most happy to be overlooked ;

but we have no question to propose to them for the

decision ; we are not come here 'even to entertain or to
answer their objections; and, in fact, they arc here by
courtesy, not by invitation. They have no part in the
proceedings of this meeting except as a matter of curiosity
or of information to themselves. (Hear.) Respecting
the subject itself which is to be brought more into detail
before you by other speakers, I shall be allowed to express
my own sentiments in the fewest words that I can. As
all profess to be who are assembled here together, so I,
as one of the number, am opposed in principle to the
proposed grant to the College of Maynooth. (Cheers.)
It is to my judgment, as I shall hereafter shortly observe
a little more explicitly, a question between truth and
error—(hear)—respecting which I cannot suffer my mind
to remain at all in suspense. Suppose, however, any one
should propose to me the question in this form, and say,
" Why do you object to Roman Catholics enjoying their
own religion ?" I answer, " I have no objection to Ro-
man Catholics enjoying their religion at all." If the
religion of Roman Catholics be indeed a source of enjoy-
ment, by all means let them have the enjoyment of it. I
say the same thing respecting every other description of
religion that you can name. Let religious liberty be really
religious liberty ; let religion be as free as the air—(cheers)
—let every man, without opposition, without molestation
or disturbance from any other, enjoy the privilege of wor-
shipping God according to the dictates of his conscience.
(Cheers.) May the day soon arrive when the Roman
Catholic priesthood of Italy, and of Spain, and of Portugal,
and the Roman Catholic priesthood of every Roman Catho-
lic country, shall be able to stand up and face a vast mul-
titude of their countrymen, as I do now, and put on the
same bold front in which I desire to appear here. (Hear.)
Let, I say, the day—l pray it may be soon—arrive when
it may be safe, when it may be consistent for them to lift
tip their voice, if they can, ten thousand times louder than
I can lift up mine, and when they can utter the same sen-
timents in their own lands, and say, " Let religion be as
free as the air. (Cheers.) Then, "if you do not object
to the Roman Catholics having the fullest enjoyment of
their own religion, why you object to their having a
college at 3laynooth ?' I answer, I have no objection to
their having a college at Maynooth. Let them have their
own college at Maynooth ; let them make that college for
their own purposes as effective as they can ; let it be in
the power of no person whatever to molest them in so
doing. (Hear.) I will add another remark upon that
subject. Whether those about me will agree with me

clesiastical position—then indeed we eight fairly retreat
from the magnitude of such a subject as not fitting for dis-
cussion in such a a meeting as this. (Hear, hear.) But
I consider none of these is the question to-day—it lies
within a much narrower compass—the question is, can we
comply with the measure proposed by her Majesty's go-
vernment for the endowment of the College of Maynooth
—a measure which we all feel to be of vast importance—
(no, no)—or are we met on the threshold with that prin-
ciple which prevents our entering upon the con-
sideration of it ? (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I be-
lieve hardly any measure could have been proposed
which is so objectionable in its object as the one now pro-
posed. If it be the duty of the government to provide
for the religious wants of the country, and to maintain
what it believes to be true and has established, I say, how
are we consistent in endeavouring to educate, train up,
and provide for a class of men whose duty, if they are
honest, will be to make it the business of their lives to
inculcate opinions at total variance with the National
Church, and with the opinions of a great majority of the
people of these realms. (Applause.) I ask, would any
Roman Catholic government exhibit such inconsistency
as this ? (Loud cheers.) I have read with considerable
attention the debates in Parliament, the other night, and
I confess, I cannot observe in them any vindication of
this measure from the charge of the inconsistency which
we impute to it. One argument may be used in opposi-
tion to the views that we entertain, and in support of
the grant of public money for the support of the
College of Maynooth, namely, that it is supported by
Protestant statesmen of very high authority ; but, on the
other hand, I find those opposed to it standing as high as
any of the statesmen to whom I have referred—men who
take an enlarged and enlightened view of the subject, and
who, being out of office, are less likely to come under the
charge of unconsciously sacrificing principle to expe-
diency. (Hear, hear.) The first authority I shall refer
to is the name of a man more familiarly known to states-
men of the last than the present generation—the Rev.
Thomas Gisborne, the associate and counsellor of many
of the most distinguished statesmen of the past gene-
ration, and the object of affection and reverence to
many of the present day—a gentleman as well known
as a philosopher as for his Christian ethics—as much
distinguished for his liberality of sentiment, as he is for
his learning and high principle ; a gentleman not likely to
be influenced in his judgment by merely passing events,—
indeed, he says he is fast verging to the grave, being up-
wards of eighty years of age. From a pamphlet which I
now hold in my hand, entitled, " A letter to the Right
Honourable Sir Robert Peel, Bart., respecting means of
removing certain difficulties in the relative position of
England and Ireland," I shall trouble you with a few ex-
tracts. In speaking of the union between England and
Ireland, he says,—
The Irish—intelligent, shrewd, brave, sensitive, inflam-
mable, jealous of the honour of their country and each of his
own, impatient of an injury or of an insult, real or supposed—
to dream of their accepting or of their tolerating an unequal
and a degrading Union ! ! Bear with the Irishman a little mo-
ment now that he thinks, be it rightly or erroneously, that he
has just causes of complaint against England—show yourself
disposed to be his friend—he is placable, forgiving, grateful—
bear with him a little—all his good qualities will come forth,
and he will meet you as a brother meets a brother. But let the
cup of equity in which the two contracting parties are to pledge
one another to reciprocal fidelity to their engagements be filled
to the brim. Let all the actual complaints and representations
of Ireland be received with friendliness, and examined without
feelings of prejudice to the bottom. Let such of her require-
ments as are unreasonable be temperately shown to be so, and
therefore to be inadmissible. Let such as are warranted in fact
and fairness be recognised, and redressed in their just extent
and without delay. Let there be no symptom of that paltry
and self-defeating policy which aims to scramble over a diffi-
culty by doing a little when much ought to have been done ;
and plumes itself on having pared away the corner of a grievance
when the whole mischief ought to have been extirpated."

in it I cannot tell, but I would say—" Let there be over
the Roman Catholic College at Maynooth no Protestant
visitation." (Hear, hear, hear.) Let it be their own.
(Cheers.) Let them conduct it fully according to their
own views of propriety. Well then, " what is it to which
you do object? Why I object to England, Protestant
England, compromising her faith by supporting the Col-
lege of Maynooth. (Cheers.) Let the Roman Catholics
have their college, and support it themselves as they may,
but let not Protestant England compromise her convic-
tions of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. (Cheers.)
The question is one of truth and error. Is it consistent,
I would ask, that out of the same fountain should proceed
sweet water and bitter ? Is it fitting that we should pull
down with one hand, as a nation, that which we are strong
to build up with another ? Is conduct of this kind—can
it be—agreeable to the mind and to the will of him whose
essence is truth ? (Cheers.) England, let it be remem-
bered, considered as a community, considered in its col-
lective capacity, is not a community without a religious
creed : it is not a vast society which has not adopted cer-
tain views concerning what is truth. The question of
religious truth or error in England is not a matter of
equipoise, is not a matter of libration, is not a matter of
oscillation, like that of a pendulum, from one side to the
other. England has deliberately adopted a religious creed.
(Cheers.) England has deliberately declared her senti-
ments and convictions, as to what is the mind and will of
the Most High God. Having so done, it appears to me
to be utterly inconsistent, that having adopted a creed,
that having entered into a compact with an order of men
bearing a sacred character, independent of English, or of
any secular dominion whatever, having, I say, entered
into a compact with that order f men by which they are
required to teach according to that which she has herself
agreed to receive as the truth—having given immunities
to that order of men, and promised them aid, in order to
enable them more effectually to pursue their work—having
adopted such a creed, and requiring that creed to be
taught, is it consistent that she should now resolve, tied
that permanently, to teach (for he who acts by another
acts by himself,) to teach a system subversive of that
which she has pronounced to be the truth, a system
which she has pronounced to be idolatrous, a system
which she regards as subversive of the honour of God,
destructive of the souls of men, and dangerous to the
social compact? (Cheers.) As to any right of man to
confound error with truth, what shall I say ? (Hear.)
One came down from heaven to bear witness to truth—
"to this end was I born, and for this cause came
I into the world, that I should bear witness to the
truth." Can truth then be a matter of indifference or of
trifling importance ? What has Christ done to deserve
that we should disregard that which he came down from
Heaven to bear witness unto? Wherein has he fallen
short in his mercy to this nation since the day when she
shook off error and received the word of God as the
standard of all truth ? Has England since that day—the
day of the Reformation—retrograded in the scale of na-
tions ? Has not the day of England since that period
been the day of her glory—of her wealth—of her pros-
perity ? Yea, lam bold to express my conviction that
never at any per' of English history were the prospects
of religion it bright than at this day. (Cheers.)
And is this the day for England to turn its back upon all
regard for the truth ? Is England to tell the Saviour of
the world that it is a matter of indifference whether she
sustains—or whether she acts inconsistently with that
which he came into the world to establish ? (Cheers.)
There may be those, perhaps, who say—" This is all so
much bigotry—this is all narrow-mindedness." Well,
my friends, I am content with the imputation of such
bigotry and such narrow-mindedness, for I have no am-
bition whatever to think my own mind, or the mind
of any person so expansive, that the subject which it was
the purpose of Christ's coming into the world to
attest—truth—should appear to it a small matter, or And again :
should not fill a large space in its view. There are e And le' every removal of a cause of complaint be accom
panied with cheerful and sincere indications of genuine good-
however, and I confess that I have had my own
will. Equity itself losesits lustre when not graced with the
misgivings on the subject when I was unacquainted ornament of kindness." (Hear, hear.)
with the real state of the case, who imagine that He then proposes to Sir Robert Peel some very large
this country is under an engagement to support the measures of relief, and amongst others some which would
college of Maynooth. Most happily the truth upon that not meet with the approbation of many on this platform ;
point has been recently elicited, and we are now fully but I merely wish to mention this to show that the writer
aware that there exists nothing of the kind. (Cheers.) is anxious to promote the good of the Roman Catholics.
Any step, therefore, to enter now into such engagement One of the measures he proposes is to exempt Roman Ca-
is altogether a gratuitous matter. Here, however, I yen- tholic property in Ireland, considering that there are
ture to say, if the case were otherwise,—if there did exist, seven millions of the people in that country not members
or there had been established, any engagement upon the of the Established Church, from all contribution to the
part of this country upon some particular occasion, for national church. (Hear, hear.) I merely mention this
certain particular reasons, to maintain a college of this to show the temper and feeling with which he writes, and
character, I would say, " Let that engagement be adhered that there cannot be a member of her Majesty's govern-
to." lam not disciple enough of Maynooth to think that went more desirous to meet the difficulties on the sub-
an engagement solemnly and deliberately entered into may ject than he is ; but now let us see what he says respect-
be dispensed with. (Cheers.) Such an engagement I ing the endowment of the priesthood :
would therefore admit to put a termination to all con- "By some persons it has been proposed to allat an annual
troversy on the whole matter. If such an engagement sum, from the public revenue, for the increase of the salaries of
exist let it be produced, and I, for one, will say, " Let it the Catholic priesthood, and to commit the distribution of it
stand." (Cheers.) But again, I cannot help asking, either to certain commissioners or to the Catholic bishops. From
such a plan, under either form, I should find myself under the
" Why all this exuberant favour towards the college of obligation of withholding my assent. * * I cannot but ob-
Maynooth,—why should a college for the education of ject to being made an auxiliary in such a course of proceeding.
young men for the ministry in the Roman Catholic cow- A grant of public money to the Roman priesthood as -uch would
munion be supported by the country in any such way, or involve me in that course. The amount of my contribution in-
to any such extent as now proposed ? The Universities eluded in the grant would be trivial. But it would involve,
England, Oxford and Cambridge, are not supported with itqliisaltlTiewiptrhintlgpllearifoes‘tvisiiug,lthceaonbnjoetcti tvieabmleyprcionncciptlner;enacned
the public money (cheers.) We do not go to the treasury Such a plan, «e are t Id, was heretofore in cont2mpl-tion, but
and ask for twenty thousands by the year of money to pay was deliberately and peremptorily r,jected by the Catholic
the expenses of students at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, hierarchy. Yet I must satisfy my conscience by protesting,
or Durham (hear.) Why then is the nation to bear the however needlessly, against any similar proposition."
expense of the education of people in a Roman Catholic And then speaking of the two churches, and any attempt
college when it is not called upon to bear the expense of at coalition between them, he says,—
young men studying in our own universities, and for the "Is it poss bie that between two such churches any coalition
ministry in our own church ? This is a matter which I formed,sciablebe„iat stlgetmane/,crowiteiovnercasnpecbieoudsesiroafbplediticlaslitelopoes:
confess I cannot understand. I am not to be told diency could anyjustify before God any attempt, or the agents in
thatsuch support would not be more useful—that there the attempt, at such a coalition ?" (Hear, hear.)
are not hundreds of young men of high talent, and of Now, if there be any gentleman more qualified than
considerable acquirements too, among the lower orders, another by habits of thought,—by extensive reading and
who might be useful as members of the sacred mi- long experience, and by peculiar habits of investigation
nistry in our own church, for whom it would be easy to to form a sound judgment upon this question, I should
find ample spheres of labour, whose services would be a say it is the writer of this pamphlet; and yet we find that
benefit incalcuable, if funds could be found to educate this distinguished minister of our Church, anxious as he
those young men at Oxford or Cambridge for the minis- is to do justice to his fellow Roman Catholic brethren,—
try ? It may not be very well known, but there do exist anxious to make every possible concession that principle
a few private societies, three or four through the country, will allow, without making any concession of religious
which raise funds and appropriate them in educating pious truth,—we find him coming forward and expressing his
and talented young men, who have not means of Vieir objection in terms as strong and decided as any gentle-
own, for the ministry in our church. There are private man on this platform can do. (Hear, hear.) Let us not
societies for that purpose, and I believe the extent to then be told that this question is to be carried by autho-
which the Church of England is indebted to those rity, especially when a great principle is involved. (Hear,
societies will never be known until the day when hear.) I shall only make one further extract,—it is from
the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. (Hear, Dr. Chalmers; he says,—
hear.) But where are the thousands granted out of " Should the monstrous proposition ever be entertained—
the national treasury to send young men to our English not to tolerate, for that is quite as it should be—but to endow
colleges, and to support them in their training for the popery, let us hope that there is still enough, not of fiery zeal,
ministry in the church of England ? There is no such Ilpauntd oft
oc ar lem.4
nt t i;
e resoluteou,
theoutra,
raan de
ewithalnou geVoi enlightenedy ‘ni c
reactioni pin t
he
in
thing. (Hear.) No such thing is proposed. It is not the revolted sense of this great country to resist and to over-
thought of, I have never heard of it at least, that it has bear it."
ever been proposed to give a respectable endowment to (Loud cheers.) In this hope I have no doubt we all most
some of the professorships in our English universities. cordially concur; but if it should be otherwise,—should
Some of those professorships, even at the English univer- we be disappointed in our expectations, we shall at least
sities, are poor to a degree that very few would believe. have the satisfaction that, in the exercise of a constitutional
I will tell you one fact of this nature. I speak now of the right, we have raised our voices against a measure which
endowment of the professorship of Greek in the Univer- we believe to he as unsound in principle as it is unwise in
sity of Cambridge. Is this assembly prepared to hear me policy ; a measure which the minister of the Crown
say the professorship of Greek at Cambridge is, or re- mainly rests his feeble vindication of on the principle of
cently was, worth "only £4O a year" ? (Hear.) That was expediency. (Loud cheers.) The speaker concluded by
the value of it; and a name in the literary world adorns moving, " That this meeting regards the characteristic
that professorship as great as the name of Wellington in doctrines of the Church of Rome as in irreconcilable op-
the political world. (Hear.) lam speaking now of Por- position to the Word of God, and feels it therefore to be
son, the great Porson, a name that will no more be for- a solemn duty to resist every effort to obtain for such a
gotten than will the name of Wellington. (Cheers.) He was system the countenance or support of this Protestant
professor of Greek at Cambridge, and he received £4O a State." (Mr. Hodgson resumed his se at amidst loud
year. I say, then, that I object to the grant, and parti- cheers.)
cularly in this point of view—as a permanent grant—to The Rev. W. W. EWDANK came forward amidst loud
the college at Maynooth. (Cheers.) Perhaps some one cheers, and said—Mr. Chairman I wish to state in the
will say to me " shall you, suppose that this grant should outset of the short speech which Isbell have the honour to
pass,—suppose it should become law, that the sum of make, that I hope to be completely guided by those blessed
£26000 a year be assigned permanently for the college of principles which have been so clearly stated by our highly
Maynooth—be willing from year to year, when you respected and excellent chairman ; and though we are
are called upon, to pay your proportion of the tax ? Will come here to-day to oppose the measure which has been
not your conscience always lead you to resistance ? Shall introduced by the first minister of the crown in this
you not consider it a grievance from year to year to be country, yet, I think, we can do this without speaking
called upon to pay for that of which you conscientiously evil, or acting in a manner in the slightest degree incon-
disapprove" ? The remark I would make in reply to this sistent with our Christian profession. I look upon this
question is this—" I object to the grant itself, and my great measure as involving a question of real principle
conscience makes it my duty to speak now when no en- and though I quite agree with the chairman in the expres-:
gagement has been made; but if it should appear to the sion, that even if the measure be passed, it would be
legislature, judging by principles and for reasons contrary quite in accordance with my conscience to pay taxes, or
to what I believe ought to decide them, if it shall appear at least my share, to the support of the state, yet if we
good to them to assign such sum, or any other sum by the did not come forward on such an occasion as this, and
year, either to the college of Maynooth or anything else, most solemnly protest against the unholy, un-Protestant,
I shall feel no conscientious objection whatever to pay my and un-English measure, we should have the wrath of
own share of such taxes as are demanded of me." (Hear, God on our heads. (Loud cheers.) Let me first of all
hear.) I will tell you why. I go upon general read to you the resolution, in order that we may have the
principles in this as well as everything else. Pro- subject more clearly before us. It is, " That this meeting
perty is the creature of the social compact; it is the regards the characteristic doctrines of the Church of
first principle of civilization '•it is the creation of law. Rome as in irreconcileable opposition to the word of God,
That part of the produce of labour which the law assigns and feels it therefore to be a solemn duty to resist every
to me as mine, that part which it assigns to any other effort to obtain for such a system the countenance or
person or institution, belongs to that person or institu- support of this Protestant state." You will observe here
Von ; and when my proportion is demanded from me, I that we do not speak against all the doctrines of the
will remember that property belongs to the institution and Church of Rome. There are many doctrines which we
not to me, and my conscience will require me as a matter all, hold together in common. We profess to have the
of duty immediately and unhesitatingly to pay the de- same God, and the same saiiour ; but it is quite possible
mend. (Cheers.) Conscience would operate with me in for certain doctrines to be held in addition to the great
that way, remembering that lam not responsible for the fundamental doctrines and become so completely cha-
application of property by any other person than myself. racteristic, and so completely diffused through the whole
As to what belongs to me, for the use of that lam an- system, as to make the system completely opposed to the
swerable to God • lam not answerable for the use which word of God. I think that in regarding the character of
others make of what belongs to them. (Cheers.) When- any individual we look at that portion of his character
ever I have in my hand what belongs to others, that I that stands most prominently forward in all the actions of
readily transfer to them, and let the responsibility of its life. We call a man an avaricious man, or a proud
application to evil purposes rest where it ought. The man, or a passionate man, just in proportion as we see
rev. gentleman then resumed his seat amidst loud cheers. avarice, pride, or passion obtain an ascendancy over some
ADAM HODGSON, Esq., then rose to propose the first of the more excellent qualities which he may have in corn-
resolution. He said—Mr. Chairman, nothing could be plete subjection to these great master powers of his mind.
more consonant with my own feelings than the sentiments So it is with the Church of Rome. There are some doc-
which we have heard expressed by our chairman at the trines held by Pope Pius the Fourth which are quite as
commencement of the meeting, and I trust that the much in accordance with the word of God as the Thirty-
tone of feeling and expression which he recommended will nine Articles of the Church of England. And when we
pervade all the observations which may be made to-day. speak of the Romish creed, we have a perfect right to
(Hear, hear.) I can assure you it is not without very take its doctrines as indications of the character of
great pain that I come forward this morning to offer any the whole system. What have we to do with the este-
opposition to a measure which professes on the surface of blishment of Maynooth, or endowing the College of May-
it an aspect of kindliness and good-will towards our Ro- nooth We are as a nation pledged to the support of the
man Catholic fellow-subjects in Ireland—(hear, hear)— Established Church, but by voting any part of the public
but our government have reduced us to this alternative, money for the endowment of the Roman Catholic College
that we must either protest against or give a silent ac- of Maynooth, we are, in effect, establishing the Roman
quiescence in a measure with which we cannot conscien- Catholic religion in this Protestant country. Now, we
tiously concur. We might indeed well shrink from the task know that one of the leading principles of the Church of
of lifting up our voice against such a measure, and leave Rome is the sacrifice of the mass. She holds that the simple
the responsibility of it entirely to our rulers ; but if we are death of Christ is not sufficient for our salvation ; but
of opinion that a great principle is about to be violated— that the sacrifice of the mass constantly repeated by her
that the legislature of this country is about to commit an officiating priests is also necessary. We know that she
act which shall involve the ineulcation of error in the en- holds it imperative on all the faithful to confess their
dowment of the Roman Catholic priesthood (for I believe sins to the priest ; and she puts all the laity under
that will afterwards follow)—then I think we should be the power of the priesthood. She holds the doctrine of
faithless to the trust which the constitution of the coun- purgatory, and we know how difficult it is to persuade a
try has entrusted to us in our several stations of life, if we man without the grace of God tolive at peace with the world.
did not come forward to express in the strongest possible What is this doctrine of purgatory but that men should
way, and in every manner possible, our disapprobation of be allowed to sin, till it has got such a hold on their
the measure. (Loud cheers.) lam not insensible of the minds, that you may depend upon it, that if men believe
difficulties which surround the whole question ; and if it there is such a thing as purgatory, they will not care
was in what way we could best repair the wrongs done to whether they die with all their sins upon them and with-
Ireland in times past—in what way we could best soothe out repentance. These are the characteristics of the
her animosities and allay her agitation—in what way we Church of Rome;
.and then there ie the great master doc-
could best inspire her sons with cordiality and confidence trine of all. When I was on the continent in a Roman
towards this country, and remedy the anomaly of her ec- ! Catholic country, I sew that one of the characteristics

was the worship of the virgin. In whatever church you
enter you will see an idol of the Virgin Mary standing
prominently forward, and therefore, we have a right to
say, that the doctrines of the Church of Rome are wrong,
and so characteristic of the whole system, that whatever
good she has in her, still there is suffirient poison in it to
prevent a member of the church and the votaries of her
system from receiving consolation from that deformity in
her religion. (Cheers). I confess that I was most deeply
grieved by a passage in the speech of the Right Hon.
Sir Robert Peel the other evening on this question.
he said, amongst other arguments, if such weak as-
sertions can be called arguments—he said " Amongst
other things, if we refuse to endow this college we shall
actually deprive millions of our fellow-subjects of the
consolation and the spirituality of religion. (Cries of
heir, and hisses.) For a minister of a Protestant state to
enunciate such a statement as this ! He might have said,
as we believe that there are many good men amongst that
body, but he ought not as a consistent Protestant man to
have said that popery was able to give the slightest possi-
ble morsel of consolation to a dying man. (Loud
cheers.) There is another point upon which I think much
mistake prevails. You hear men say that they believe
that such doctrines are true ; and that others believe that
contrary doctrines are true, and that they do not know
which is best. This is a common argument, that the
word of God is too difficult to be understood. But are
we to be told that we cannot know whether there is such
a doctrine as the sacrifice of the mass ; or that when we
are plainly and distinctly informed that " there is one
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus,"
wa are also to recognize the mediation of the Virgin
and the saints? (Cheers.) Surely the word of God
was made for plain and simple men,--so plain " that
he that runs may read"—and though I think that
there are difficulties in scripture that cannot be
fathomed by our weak faculties, yet there is not one
that affects our salvation that we cannot comprehend.
We can therefore say that these doctrines of Rome are
irreconcileable with the word of God, which says that the
way to salvation is through Christ Jesus. But there was
another argument used by Lord Sandon—(hear, hear,
and hisses)—in his speech some time since before
the introduction of this measure. In stating that he
intended to vote with the government. he stated that
it was the duty of the government to make the College of
Maynooth as effectual and as learned as any of the great
foreign universities. I think those were his words. Now,
last year, it was my fortune to he at one of those great
foreign universities—the university of Padua—a college
not only celebrated on the continent but in England, and
it is most interesting to see that in the accounts of that
university, the names of parties from England, who were
sent to study at that famous seat of learning. What has
been the result of that better education of priests? I be-
lieve that the Romish priests are there educated, as well
as the Roman hiererchy are educated there, and they are
sent to their flocks and obtain such an amount of secular
learning as is necessary to make them efficient minis-
ters of the Romish Church. Now what effect has this
had upon the people ? This is our object. The object of
the government is not to educate the priests, but by the
edncation of the priests to act upon the great mass of the
Roman Catholic population of Ireland. Do we find
through Padua or Italy that the common people are better
instructed in secular knowledge, such as that which the
priests have been permitted to obtain? Has it opened
their minds to the gross absurdities of popery? (Hear.)
When I was visiting that university, I bought, merely as
a curiosity, a small Italian book containing a true history
of the life of the famous Romish priest, Saint Anthony
of Padua, and I looked at the book only the other day,
without any reference to this meeting—l perceived that
it was printed at the university press, and issued under
the sanction of the bishop himself. This book is intended
for the education of the people. This is what they
learned at a first-rate foreign university, to which Lord
Sandon wishes to assimilate education in Ireland.—
The powers of Saint Anthony are universally believed
by the people, and I can assure you, for I have seen it
with my own eyes-1 have seen them kneeling at the
shrine of Saint Anthony for more than an hour together,
praying before the saint ; and above the shrine are the
following most blasphemous words :—" Come to me, all
ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you
rest." (Shame.) And to give you a specimen of the
instruction that is given to the poor ,people of Italy by the
bishops and priests :—Saint Anthoti? came to the large
town of Rimini in order to permit the people to hear

. .
him ; but as few attended him, be went down to the sea-
shore, and inasmuch as the men would not hear him, he
collected together a large congregation of fishes (laugh-
ter); and it is here in this book recorded that they all of
them, with their heads out of the water, listened to him
in the most patient manner (laughter)—that the sermon
of Saint Anthony was against heresy, and the fishes would
of depart till the saint had given them a blessing (laugh-
ter); and the consequence was, that it had such an effect
upo-i the men that they were all converted to the faith of
Rome. On one of these occasions one of his hearers said
he would believe transubstantiation upon the condition
that the mule which he rode would leave his fodder to
worship the Host when he came to him ; and accordingly
when Saint Anthony came he left his meat, and went to
worship on his knees. (Laughter.) This Saint Anthony
of Padua was then a great popular preacher, and his
church in Rimini was crowded. On one occasion a
woman had gone to hear him preach, leaving her little
child at home. When she came back, after hearing the
saint's sermon, she perceived that her child was actually
in a large pot of boiling water which was placed on the
fire. She immediately seized it and caught it out, and, to
her wonderful astonishment, in consequence of her having
heard St. Anthony preach, she found that the child was
not in the least degree injured. These are the strange
stories published by the learned Bishop and Priests of
Padua for the instruction of the people of the country.
Allow me to read an extract from :a letter of Pope
Gregory, written against the Bible Society of Lon-
don. He commences his letter, which is addressed to all
the Bishops of the Roman church in this country, in this
manner. He says :

"Amongst the Principal machinations by which in this our
age the Anti-Catholics of various names endeavour to ensnare
the adherents of Catholic truth, and to turn away their minds
from the holiness of the Faith, a prominent position is held by
the Bible Societies. These societies, first instituted in England,
and since extended far and wide, we now behold in one united
phakinx, conspiring for this object, to translate the books of
the Divine Scriptures into all the vulgar tongues, to issue im-
mense numbers of copies,—to disseminate them indiscriminately
among Christians and Infidels,—aud tso entice every individual
to pursue them without any guide."

He says in another part of the book, that in this happy
country England they perceive that Bibles have been
placed in the hands of the Roman Catholics, and the
letter declares that it is not the rule of the church that
the laity should read the Bible without instruction,

He says
That Bibles published in the vulgar tongue, should be al-
lowed to no persons but those to whom the reading of them was
judged likely to be productive of an increase of faith and piety."
And if they find a poor man who puts all his faith in
the Church of Rome he may be allowed to have the
Bible, but to such persons as are of inquiring mind the
Bible is not to be allowed. And then he says :

fill" Let us commend to him with all the humility of fervent
prayer of which we are capable, our own cause and that of the
whole flock and of his own church ; invoking also the most
pious depreciation' of Peter the chief of the apostles, and of
other saints, and especially of the most blessed Virgin Mary, to
whom it is granted to exterminate all heresies throughout the
entire world."

Now, this is a deliberate letter from the head of the
Romish Church, and I will only, in conclusion, exhort
you to remember what the Pope says concerning Eng-
laud. It is to that country to which he looks as the
source of all this heresy, and the source of these bible so-
cieties, and the source of the true religion that is damaging
popery. The reason why he wrote this letter was that
they had established a bible society at Rome under the
very nose of the Pontiff. (Cheers.) There was a society
in America for converting the Roman Catholics in Rome ;
they thought it best to begin there first, and, in con-
. .

sequence, the Pope published this letter against what he
conceived to be a system subversive of the word of God.
I look upon this period as a crisis in our history. We
have been contending with the Pope of Rome. From our
early history you find that by eur sovereigns we contended
against the Pope of Rome, and now, by the blessing of
God, we are, in spite of all our disadvantages, a Protestant
state. We are a Protestant state yet, and the reason we
come forward is that we may retrace the false steps we
have taken, and resume our proper position. It is as-
tonishing to read the speech of the prime minister—it is
most painful to read it—to see a man like Sir Robert Peel
bring forward a measure calculated to trample upon the
rights of a great portion of the people of this nation—to
see a man with his high intellect endeavouring to carry
this measure without a single shred of argument ; but, at
the same time, it rejoices our hearts to see a man come
forward before the parliament, knowing there was an op-
position ready to be put forward to all his arguments, he
acknowledges that he had acted contrary to Protestant
principle, and, therefore, as there was no going back he
must go forward. The rev gentleman concluded amidst
loud cheering.
The Rev. J. HALDANE STEWART said—l have been
requested to second the resolution which has been so ably
proposed for your adoption by my friend Mr. Adam
Hodgson, and I can truly se) that it is with very painful
feelings ;hat I have complied with this request ; flr it is
so contrary to that pleasant path in which it is my privi-
lege to walk—that of leading on the sons of God to glory,
rather than taking part in the contentions in which our
great Enemy seeks to involve those who bear the Chris-
tian name. I may say also that I have as little taste for
mere political subjects as I have for controversial ones.
But it is that I do not consider the cause on which we
are assembled at this time as being of a political nature,
but as involving most important spiritual interests, that
in coming forward to-day to express my sentiments on
the proposed grant to Maynooth, I am acting in strict
accordance to my duty to our blessed Saviour, whose I
am and whom I desire to serve. (Hear.) One of the
offices entrusted to us is this—to be watchmen ; and to
lead us faithfully to fulfil this office, the Lord has given
this striking charge :—" When I bring the sword upon a
land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts
and set him for their watchman ; If when be seeth the
sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet and warn
them, then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet
and taketh not warning, if the sword come and take him
away, his blood shall be upon his own head. But if the
watchman see the sword and blow not the trumpet, and
the people be not warned, if the sword come and take any
person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity,
but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."
You see, therefore, that I am only fulfilling my duty_as

offered up this prayer—that when the walls of Babylon
fell, they might fall empty ; or that God would give that
grace to all connected with the Church of Rome to attend
to his solemn charge—" Come out of her, my people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive
not of her plagues." I say, therefore, that it is with no
want of charity that I mention our dangers. No; if I
could show a kindness to a Roman Catholic, I would
readily do it ; and it is love to their souls, and to those
of my Protestant brethren, which ever influences me.
I might with great propriety adopt the striking words of
the prophet Jeremiah—" We would have healed Babylon,
but she is not healed : forsake her, and let us go every
one into his own country, for her judgment reacheth unto
heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies." Allow me to
state some few of the reasons why I believe this grant to
Maynooth to be so replete with danger. And, first, there
is the danger arising from a spiritual connection with that
apostate church upon which God has in his word de-
nounced such heavy judgments : for, in applying to the
Church of Rome the heavy judgments denounced upon
Babylon, I am sanctioned by one of our greatest philoso-
phers—l mean Sir Isaac Newton, in his Commentary,—
and by the most learned, sober-minded, and enlightened
commentators, from the days of our Reformers to the
present time. (Hear, hear.) Permit me here to refer
you to the 14th chapter of the Revelations, for in a meet-
ing of Protestants, whose religion is the religion of the
Bible, upon a subject like the present, a reference to the
word of God will, I trust, be well received. (The rev.
gentleman here read from Rev. xiv. 6-11, and then conti-
nued his address as follows.) Here you observe, first,
an angel proclaiming the glad tidings of the gospel ; this
followed by another, predicting the fall of Babylon ; and
then a third, denouncing more distressing judgments
upon any one who should have any communion with her.
Nor are these solemn denunciations—bearing in mind the
character of God as a jealous God, who will not join his
glory to another—at all surprising ; for time would fail to
enumerate in how many ways the Church of Rome dis-
honours God. (Hear, hear.) I will only mention two
or three. First, its veto against the Bible, preventing a
layman from reading it, except by the permission of a
bishop or inquisitor. This is one mode by which it dis-
honours God—a dishonour which we, as Protestants,
must deeply feel ; for ob, bow different is the character
given of the Bible at the coronation of our Queen ! Per-
mit me to read the words :
" Upon the presenting of the Hcly Bible, which is taken from
off the altar, and delivered to the Archbishop, who, with the rest
of the Bishops, shall deliver it to the Queen, first saying these
words to her—

one of the Lord's watchmen, when 'I
make known to this
large assembly the dangers which threaten us. in this
proposed grant to the College of Maynooth. (Cheers.)
In stating these dangers I shall be as brief as possible ;
and if, in doing it in plain language, I may seem to some
uncharitable, allow me to say that it is by no means my
intention, nor the spirit in which I desire to speak; so
far from it, that I feel nothing but goodwill towards those
who are unhappily members of the Chuich of Rome. It
is God alone who has made us to differ. Indeed, sir, I
have been accused of too much charitableness, when I

"Our gracious Queen we present you with this Book, the
most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is wisdom;
this is the royal law ; these are the lively oracles of God, Bles-
sed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this
book ; that keep, and do, the things contained in it. For these
are the words of eternal life, able to make you wise and happy in
this world, nay, wise unto salvation, and so, happy for ever.
more, through faith which is in Christ Jesus; to whom be glory
for ever. Amen."

A second dishonour is that put upon our Saviour by the
sacrifice of the mass. I might add to this, third, the
dishonour put upon God by the idolatrous worship of the
Virgin Mary, and their will worship to saints and angels ;
but enough has been said to shew that when God de-
nounces such heavy judgments upon the Church of Rome
and upon those who wilfully hold communion with her,
it is not without a cause. His word is maligned ; his Son
is dishonoured ; and his holy name blasphemed by idola-
trous worship, and that in his holy temple. (Applause.)
I appeal to you, then, Mr. Chairman, and to the nume-
rous assembly here present, that when it is proposed that
our Protestant country should unite itself to that church
by endowing a college for the purpose of teaching these
blasphemous and idolatrous doctrines so dishonouring to
God, if there is not a reason for the watchmen who would
perform their duty to sound the alarm, to call upon every
true Protestant throughout the land to exercise his privi-
lege, and to make known to both houses of parliament
how much his conscience is wounded, and how heavy a
blow he considers it to be to his relieious rights, to call
upon him to pay men for teaching doctrines which his
inmost soul utterly abhors—doctrines which rather than
acknowledge, his pious forefathers willingly submitted to
be offered up as martyrs at the stake. (Hear, hear.) If
anything could add to the unreasonableness and impiety
of making such a grant, it is the time which has been se-
lected for doing it. It is after the Lord, in bis tender
mercy, has given peace and quietness to the land, which,
less than two years since, was at the very point of open
rebellion (hear); and this, as is well known, very much
occasioned by those who received their education at this
college. (Hear, hear.) Oh ! what a sad return, my
friends, to the goodness of God, for the happy deliverance
of our sister land, to endear and patronise the very men
who, by their unscriptural doctrines, malign his word,
dishonour his Son, and blaspheme his holy name! One
of our senators, in a truly Protestant spirit, lately ob-
served, that our Protestant colours were still at the mast.
head. He then added, that so long as a single shred of
the old flag lasted, he for one would endeavour to nail it
to that mast, and would fight as unflinchingly for it, and
under it, as when in brighter days it waved unbent and
untorn over our empire. So eve, I trust, my beloved
friends, who have had the honour of being like a break-
water to stop the entrance of a scheme which would have
excluded the Bible from our Protestant schools (cheers)
—I trust that we shall stand by our Protestant colours
to our latest breath, and never cease to cry " No purga-
tory—no prayers for the dead—no invocation of saints—
no bowing down to a wafer—no worshipping of the Vir-
gin Mary !" (Loud cheers.) The Lord is our God, and
he is our king. Him will we serve, and him will we ho-
nour. His word is a light to our path, and a lamp to our
feet.

This God is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable friend,
Whose Son is as great as his Father,
And neither knows measure nor end.
Praising him for all that is past, and trusting him for all
that is to come, I beg to second the resolution moved by
my friend. (Applause.)
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution to the meet-
ing, which was carried unanimously.
The Rev. THOMAS NOLAN, of St. Barnabas', rose to
propose the second resolution, and was received with
rounds of applause, followed by Kentish fire. After the
enthusiasm of the audience had subsided, the rev, gentle-
man proceeded as follows :—Mr. Chairman, the object of
this meeting is too important, the time too precious, and
the statements of those who are to succeed me too valua-
ble, to justify my making a long speech, much less to delay
you with a lengthened preface. Accordingly I proceed at
once to the subject of my resolution. After reading which
he went on to say—The terms of this resolution, and the
wishes of those who have assigned it to my care, demand
that I should enter somewhat historically into the origin,
objects, andeffects produced, by thisinstitution of Maynooth
during the half-century that has elapsed since its first in-
corporation. Your presence, sir, in the position you oc-
cupy, as well as the presence of those by whom you are
surrounded, is proof in itself that we are not assembled
for any narrow or bigotted purpose ; it is not to support a
party, but to maintain a principle even at the expense of
party ; it is not upon a matter of mere passing interest,
but of vital and enduring moment, that we are brought
together to-day. It is because we believe the stability of
our venerated institutions to be endangered, the Christian
character of our country to be fatally compromised, and
the Word of our God to be foully dishonoured by the pro-
posed measure, that we have called you together to protest
and petition against it. (Hear, hear.) It is not a vain
thing for you, brethren ; it is your life." Let it not be
supposed that there is any unworthy or envious feeling on
our part towards Ireland, or the Irish people : ill would
it become one of her own sons to stand forth to exert any
influence which your kindness may have conceded to him,
for the purpose of chilling that genial current of generous
Christian sympathy, with which you have always listened
and responded to the tale of Ireland's miseries and of Ire-
land's wants. No, sir; it is not the amount of the grant
proposed against which we protest : for were it to be ap-
plied to any good purpose we would rejoice and be thank-
ful for it : it is against the principle involved in the grant
at all, that we protest (hear hear), and it is the guilt con-
tracted by it in the sight of God, at which we tremble.
(Great cheering.) True, our erring fathers incorporated,
and from time to time supported it from the national trea-
sury. Are we then to become partakers of their sins ;
nay more, to repeat again with aggravation the very offence
that we should rather confess and forsake. My friends, a
much closer light of truth has been mercifully vouchsafed
to this our generation, than prevailed in this country in
the days of those that consented to the foundation of May-
nooth. We may say, " the times of this ignorance God
winked at; but now God commandeth all men every-
where to repent." It is because we know the genius of
Romanism to be opposed to the Word of God and subver-
sive of true Christian liberty; it is because we are prepared
to prove that the College of Maynooth bath failed in every
object that it promised, and disappointed every hope that
led to its establishment, because, after a trial of fifty years,
it hath neither improved the theology, nor mitigated the
intolerance, of Romanism in Ireland, but rather aggravated
the very evils it professed to assuage, neither elevating the
character of the priesthood, nor improving the condition
of the people : because, moreover, there is not a shred of
national contract to be found pledging us to its support.
On all these grounds, we are assembled in the face of God
and man to protest and petition against the measure, that
would perpetuate it as one of the fixed institutions of the
kingdom. (Cheers.) Let me beg your attention while I
go back briefly to its origin, and rapidly trace its
progress, pausing only upon one or • two of the
chief events in its history up to the present time.
The restless spirit of Romanism in Ireland throughout
the last century, and the exquisiteness with which it
adapted its policy to its circumstances, is now tolerably
well known. Here I would beg to explain the meaning
in which I use the word "Romanism"—viz., the system
of policy contrived at the Propaganda, and carried out
by its executive, the priesthood. 1 speak not disrespect-
fully of the millions of Irish Roman Catholics, nor yet
are the young men educated at Maynooth to be blamed :
had they been better taught, doubtless they would act
differently from what they have done and are doing. But
we must blame the culpable remissness of the state, that
has paid no attention to the doctrines in which those
young men are brought up who are to exert so mighty an
influence on the destinies of that state (hear, hear) ; and
now we protest against the further guilt of affording
increased facility for the spread of principles, many of
which, when developed into actions, the state herself is
bound to punish as crimes against the law. (Hear, hear.)
Prior to the establishment of Maynooth, in 1795, candi-
dates for the ministry in the Romish church were edu-
cated in the various continental seminaries. It is need-
less now to add more than that the spread of republican
and democratic principles in France, at and after the
period of the French Revolution, were considered dan-
gerous to the loyalty of young men exposed to the influence
of them ; and so the preamble of the act of 1795 sets
forth—
" it is now become expedient that a seminary should be
established for the education exclusively of persons professing
the Roman Catholic religion."
This distinction I have drawn between. Romanism itself
and the members of that communion, both of the higher
and lower orders, it is of importance to observe, both in
order to obtain a more accurate knowledge of the system

April R, 1845.

and its working, and also for the purpose of exoneratiag
argef
the Roman Catholic laity from the imputation of ea_oiri
which really we do not make against them. The neef;ths
of this distinction appears even at this early stagei.
proceedings about Maynooth. On the authority °I,
Emmet, Esq., in his "Essay towards a History ;r'
land," and " Pieces of Irish History," by
akiio•
M'Nevin, Esq., we are informed that in the esto`'oo
ment of this institution the intentions of the o_urthe
Catholic laity were overreached, and the intrigues of
Roman Catholic bishops successful. It appears Ora be
first intention was that a system of education sh°°4ooi.
arranged so as to be adapted to all religious perstil", the
For this the Roman Catholic laity were anxious a`opsi,
time, and to this their bishops acceded, and made c
derable offers of pecuniary aid ; one of them efee,ror
posed the outline of a plan, and a committee_wtecio
pointed to enter more into detail, &c. Here Mr. M '
(himself a Roman Catholic) writes—
ctatie°s'
"But while they were indulging enthusiastic eXPe. obi
there is strong reason to believe that the Cathrlie
had privately stated these proceedings to the admia's OS
of
and given it the option either to permit the members
_web
religion to establish a popular system of education, pit,
might
omri gthot
assist
sbte
the conducted
prelates e n
withti e
itsto theinti satisfactionooo oe
anti
roefstoht te"ceol.A
establish one over which they having entire control,,w
so manage as to make it subservient to every
which government might wish to derive from such an
e' too
tion. On these latter terms a bargain appears to 11, trhG
a'e
tha
concluded; all co-operation between the prelates and -00
was destroyed ; and .the gentlemen who were PrePe
popular plan were assured that they might desist froth
labours, as an arrangement had been ma le for Catholic .undef
tion, which should be solely conducted by the bishoPstht.e
the auspices of government and the sanction of parliarae.o tb6
It may not be ge-;erally remembered that uP 1.1,0 $
year 1817 the College of Maynooth include(' s' poA
seminary for the education of laymen. We hale Or
arrived at the objects aimed at, the advantagegar
mised to this country by the establishment 01 or
nooth—first, to neutralise the danger of Continente„t the
cation ; second, to secure to the British governmfirsis
facility of ascertaining and controlling the Pri°clibolic°
~
which the future teachers of the Irish Homan tt,se to
were to be instructed. (Hear.) I do not now P 3,011
ask whether these were adequate objects to warrant pro,
a course, I proceed to examine how far even thes'fierff
mises were realised in the working of the system'
let it he observed that neither the spirit nor the le:eer:l
act of parliament contemplated anything in the e" were
endowment by the state, of Maynooth. Trustees so to
empowered to receive subscriptions and donations,
at so'
purchase and acquire land not exceeding £l,OOO the!'
num, but no state support was ever hinteo ger
(Hear, hear.) The memorable words of Sir Artbn,r,otla
lesley in a debate in the House of Commons, AP,r't this
1808, are on record :—" It never was intended that al
institution of the College of Maynooth should berigiol;
expense of the public, as would be seen by the °i79l'
memorial presented to the Lord Lieutenant in „year'
(Hear, hear.) And on the sth of May in the satst
the Chancellor of the Exchequer said,—" In the Rtiogir
Ae
tsnbtansp
hhatgeefeemacforonioi
tieai
otraeincri
shticenemleeses utopsti
ftoottltmtrha:yhurioßl
hardly
eetiaanaelmfrnopyynottlCdtimoprdtecmlbaoehyawita:dute)tnhesr:mhoecxaosydepi
enlimiceocirhi
ehoadenoesoeaoerwset.artnlathi
sO,gitsuoswnoei
hplsnnl
ayptcas
htoslolaskedhm:te heottanimhearld
fromto have
their
theer ow college'u
to
(Hear, hear.) Let not the modern advocates off tbes6
ff
re
restrictions, inasmuch as Dr. Doyle, in his exanilfies the
avetmichest t
severity.
imeovoeyecenegncrnhaaoii ltinsoyi
Maynooth
thlhnof
a2Wtrthsshaoecieatt
aphjesPi
appears
reties
renta
frap om
tot
donation
de
)
m While
aa trt dhrbleaYBsdvesl
e,x4—ob"neu,
woetphonh
oetegno(fiaavltpiceBiptnel
but
tdtua
artxel
with
it is
ios(h amountweosrars,e
;0:1:
eoelortioi
minated, up to 1826, in which the evidence was tr besl4
tioning. The report just mentioned contains thed
conclusive evidence we have on the principles aPiogai'l
ceedings at Maynooth. The royal commission e et;
into Maynooth was issued in the year 1824. ,9t26,
dente of professors, students, &c., was taken in„cl,°,,,''
result of which is contained in the report in my u,„"r;ort`',;
dered to be printed in June, 1827. I must beg 'rivet)
dulgence, Sir, for a passing moment, while I,_,:obie,e,
briefly somewhat upon the character and possiuwthe
of this report. The interval that elapsed between c the'
suing of the commission and the commencement u'erjef"
labours was sufficient for Maynooth to set itself ilotic4
and when the evidence only of friends to the insotsifr
is recorded, we are warranted in saying, that it 101
all that can be said or advanced in its favour; thclocieet
is no appeal from any inference legitirnatelY.
ie or'
from the facts stated, or opinions avowed in this re
jeo
Of this large book the report itself only occaPriege
pages, the remainder is devoted to the appendixes 6°,,oesirii
through which one must wade, if he desires to B',"gel
himself with the subject. The Appendix No. 7,
contains a communication from the Cardinal reef gni
the Propaganda to the trustees of the College ei,oroil
nooth, with their reply to the same. Now, Oilav giyrb%
i this, t is curious, to say the least, that it
in the original Latin, without any translation, tutee
the preceding Appendix No. 6, containing the S' giro
&c., is both given in the original, and also accord yo
with an accurate and authenticated translation.
is Or
have not finished the first sentence of the letter freeeo
Propaganda, before you discover that you have I/410;i
voured only with a part of that correspondence. 'to the
oh first letter from the trustees of Maynoothfesea
college is suppressed, for the correspondence Pn' g
commences with a reply to an application Ciudgx-nd dui
the reply) for instruction as to the principles 3- 001,6
trines to be inculcated in that college. It is reeo‘,l3/„0
ed, then, strenuously, in the communication rro"roesl6
Propaganda, and as cordially adopted in the aek° of !.,‘
ment from Maynooth, signed by the president borTi
college, Dr. Hussey, and ten Romish bishops' tea f,
date November 17, 1790, that Augustine, interpreoste
Thomas Aquinas, is to be followed as a guide and tffee, the
(Hear, hear.) Bear with me while I read an ex,t,rerf
a celebrated work of this favourite doctor, called
angelic doctor," in the Church of Rome : oti
Sccunda Secundce of Thomas Aquinas. giOS,ef
Q. 12. A. 2.—" Whether a prince, on account of his that,
from the faith, loses the dominion over his subjects, so
Ore'
are not bound to obey him."
In answering the question, the writer quotes 00° Ire
gory VII. : abs,°ool
" We, observing the laws of our holy predecessors, patl"
by apostolic authority from their engagements qtaefealtirleo'
these who are bound to persons excommunicated, to to_,iy
by the obligation of an oath, and strictly prohibit the_i;:e OP"
der any allegiance, until the excommunicated al° or
faction."
But apostates from the faith, as also heretics, are eSC° ,d•
municated ; and therefore Aquinas concludes
as el ;cero
As soon as any one is denounced by a sentence o,le ,municated
municated for apostacy, his subjects are, ipso fact'bill
from his dominion, and from the oath of allegiance/
they were boun t to him,"
t
(Hear, hear.) Whether heretics are to be -0
Q. 11. A. 3 :
ail "The church does not immediately condemn, --bat co
o•
and second corrections, as the Apostle orders
of hi ~;
this the heretic be found still obstinate, despairing
,„,04;
version, she provides for the safety of others, by
him from her communion by the sentence of excoale ott
and further leaves him to the secular judgment to
007
nated from the world by death." i/0
But it may be said, that although Thomas Al 4, itPei
ocr,,
have been thus recommended and adopted in" vers;'
not follow that he has continued in such favour e oot
llk
and that the work from which I have quoted ni„epaeogis,
among those recommended or referred to. ill' of '0:/
of the report, the Rev. C. M`Nallv, professor je
ethics, &c., is under examination, and ansWerfooaill(o,,l'
The authors or works to which I have occt'sl tbto,
ferred, or from which I have read extracts, anewr',,Jo'
lowing : St. Thomas Aquinas, of whose Secufwararoee;oo
I have often spoken in terms of the highest °esti° Off
tion, as being in my opinion one of the best yotitocte,
ethics." From the extract I have now read ~.I°,ohorteol
brethren, you can judge for yourselves of t"- poig rat
of the work, and must, at least, admire the
(cue, steipof
with which Maynooth has adhered to the pie as Ales
given to the Propaganda, of following Thona_olp ore
as a " guide and master." (Hear.) Other vice t°,'",
this kind are easily to be had, but time warns r
oas 00'10
ceed : however, the example now cited is of c 0'0314
inasmuch as the avowed object of the 0°20'04100
stated in the report, was "to ascertain the ,e,,e sts4
Church of Rome, on points connected with t.'„ the ol!,
ties arid relations of Roman Catholics, either wtoia souo,
or to their fellow-subjects," in order to aster OVA
amount of allegiance might be expected fri Soegoeftei
jects of the Pope towards the Sovereign °
Let the " angelic doctor "be heard in reply' clocithiri
and laughter.) So much at present for theo 0f,,41ji
taught in Maynooth, and for the inculcati°td i",;oori
increased facilities are secured and perpetrretareool,
bill now before parliament. (Hear hear.) the e ifol
to the professed advantages to be 'derived t°
~.e, II„oo
from Maynooth--neutralising foreign labial:l-0d "j;
curing to the government a superintendenFenartegs4l
over the character of the education to be loop se d
cording to the bargain of the bishops when theerof tie
from the laity, and won over the governmen;oart
to
Th enier
Collegeo w l vi eowfs.
Maynooth R eferr i
supplies
pt
etsh the
at
I find—
candidates annually for holy orders. It same
Inrseetsaen.rtitd: Utt!lfldts4
eighty or ninety are annually required through
Besides the priests educated in Maynooth, we ation CO(
that about 129 student's are in the course of eat d• or
seminaries in Ireland. The greater part of these, assres'eft,ot
others are at Kilkenny, Tuam, Waterford, aoufor
th
appears further that there are about 140 students
the et to
Catholic priesthood, now at different colleges °.n . ttiOjd
Seventy of these are at the Irish College in Partsafl
in Rome ; and the remainder at Salamanca, Lisb 00)311
ent private French seminaries."
before,Thus youhe
besides
s there
much is
d o nearlym es
tai
es muched
oe at foreign c
pper o:erertroff:
not pretended that the government have re se 11,0(,
gaining information or controul. But w't es 70i`ot
Maynooth itself, is the government cogoiztuiriedosool4,ef,
raised of the proceedings and instructions cari799, tete
its walls ? By the act of incorporation in wo, noie,
the judges and leading law officers of the or°oesPrroOiol
with some of the Roman Catholic bishops,
the
gofer Vro'
trustees, with considerable powers, for at leabe
and superintendence of the college. In all to t°lol,,
however, another act was passed remofiq„,theibo,„viiP
testant officials from the trust, and advanc'7.; 'soy);
honorary post of visitors, leaving thencefoto‘f tha atifieo
stantial controul of Maynooth in the handevoreceerolol
bishops, or at least Roman Catholics, wilhe Old°,
as the future trustees. From that period It 005'
has bad no official knowledge of whatootioir
taught in that college, about which such large
_e dg
promisessir, I
have a nt.di
ken low professionsgrou
ground
were f
amadergutnaetntrsiait7.4lol:.„ii: e
pled rather with the political inexpediency ;,i010`„ 01,44
and. Is ta 01
than with the high principles involved
vew al'
But I think it of consequence, that this 'OO 011/
question be taken, because it is on low go" 00, (110$2
of expediency alone, that anything likweetcbaen shere's,ol;
support is to be derived to it; if then
think I have shown,) even on their own Ph as be„ory
80
Maynooth, when weighed in the balance,
_r coo'
wanting, it is not too much to ask for Yu"

15.