The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-04 00:00:00

ained previously
I shall feel of

paper, and

Liverpool, 3d January, 1842

ROMISH CONTROVERSY

Sla,—When you addressed a letter to me I had hoped that
it would have been confined to the great question of the truth
or falsehood of Itomish principles, and that you would not

have thought it right to slander an opponent in order to
neutralise his testimony to truth. I regret to find myself
disappointed. Having failed in argument, you endeavour to
damage my character with your poor deluded people by
asserting, that I "go about from house to house, persuading
masters and mistresses to turn off their [Roman] Catholic
servants." Such a charge, Sir, is utterly untrue : no per-
sons are better aware of my kindness of feeling towards
Romanists than the destitute members of your congregation.
It gives me unfeigned pleasure to feed them in want, and to
visit them in sickness ; and many amongst them can bear
witness that my own hands have ministered to the necessities
of my bitterest opponents
Hay

g now disposed of your personality, I proceed to
examine your statement respecting the confessional. You
assert, that my "remarks regarding the sacred tribunal of
confessional are a blasphemous calumny." Ah ! Sir, have
you no fear of Him who has said, " He that telleth lies shall
not tarry in my sight." Full well you know that it is no
calumny. I can produce a Romish prayer-book teaching,
that to conceal from a confessor, " THROUGH MODESTY," a
" certain lonely sin," is to be guilty of sacrilege!

an produce, from a volume- of lionaisli theology

closely printed pages of MOST OBSCENE QUESTIONS TO BE
PUT TO FEMALES IN CONFESSION. I ca❑ prove, from
Romish books of devotion, that every priest is bound to put

these questions, ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG WOMEN OF GOOD
EDUCATION. Nay, more ; I have obtained the acknow-
ledgment of various .Romanists, that priests do put such
questions to young women. It is, Sir, a horrifying truth,
thst Romanism constrains young women, constrains wives,
daughters, and sisters to be shut up alone with an unmarried
priest, and to converse unreservedly with him in a manner
that could not be exceeded by the most infamous den of

This, Sir, is strong language. I write strongly because I
feel strongly. I am thoroughly persuaded, that if your
church's authorised works on confession were printed in plain
English, and read by the Romish laity, that they would look
upon a Romish priest with abhorrence, as bound by his vows
to pollute the imagination and the morals of the female
members of their families.

1 do not charge you with being guilty of all this ; but this

that
:La t),
tooth al
.
with his religious principles, he is the corrupter of female ITarvt'in'''sei;e-d—th-e-t-oolli---(l'dn-l-tohlear or ia,
wrench (,
purity, and that a Romish female has no alternative between forceps, purposely prolonged
his visit, in
violating her religion or surrendering her modesty. with Dr. Engledue, prior
The matter may he easily put to the test. Questions thoroughly the insensibility
had been- ex-
r a symptom of sat,
which are put in private to females are surely fit to be read the tooth. Not a pang
patiento to her natural state .
in public before men. I make, then, this offer. If you short time I restored thebeing
assemble in your school-room 100 Roman Catholic fathers, usual manner. Upon 4Did I feel it ?'' a siroml ..
brothers, and husbands, I undertake to produce your Stan- tracted, she exclaimed,_r. otofldthiteh
Mr. Martin then proceeded to'
dard theologians who have written upon confession. Would to a dentist's ears:
d suggested the removal of exammh
you venture to read in plain English the passages which I her mouth, ananother tooot
hingly consented, and sat
am prepared to produce? No, Sir, you would not. Full The patient again. In one la I again entranced her, and
well you know, that the execration of an indignant and too- minute and a she
.ecame, o.
insensible as before. The tooth, being confiding people would be the result. I must again say, I course, insel'of decay, was crushed 'eing in an ad
make no personal charge. For your own sake, as well as for vanced sta,,under the instrument,
remnants were with much trouble society's, I hope you do not obey the abominable commands arid the extracted. During.
this trying
of your church. the whole of
.operation,
not a groan or complaint
the patient. Shortly afterwards I again restored ,
So much for " the sacred (!) tribunal of the confessional." escaped
upon which ,
she turned to the
Your
.next charge is rather a singular one :—Mr. Bavlec isglass to ascertain whether or
silo had really lost the
a " man who can one day challenge to disputation a doctor not second tooth ! It would be 'to determine which
diffi-
of
divinity, and another enter into disputation with a poor , cult Party evinced the greater degree of
delight and astonishment gingerbread vender on the pier-head in Liverpool." T'o thattu and most astounding,—the one having witnessed a novel
charge I plead guilty. lam in the habit of endeavouring , phenomenon ; the other having been
as unconsciously,
enlighten the minds, and remove the errors, of Cher poe
me almost magically, freed from her tormentors."
well as the rich. Whether the opportunity be affde.wl
e... SINGULAR AT-T.,.
--- .-.NIPT AT HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
on the pier-head of Liverpool" or in the sumpti!oua qeeelils Sunday night last, as Mr. Richard Nicholson, woolsorter,
ing, I hope I shall always be ready to direct
cords,perishing s gh-street
con- • Bradford, was returning from Bingley, he was
to the Saviour, and to warn them that rings anddnetsave
t,__ accosted by a man about half a mile from the village, who
fessionals and absolutions, and such like, cannot save "" inquired how far he was going, and he told him to Bradford;
soul, but must utterly ruin those who trust i
New Testament. Have he replied that he was going thither himself, and would, if he
But, sir, have you ever read the
our one day disputing pleased, bear him company. Nicholson agreed to this, and
you ever read that our blessed h
ri
beside a public well, dis- they walked on very comfortably till they came to Cottingley
with the chief priests, and anot
with
, a
poor woman of aban_ Bridge; the polite stranger then abruptly said, " I believe
puting about spiritual religion
Boned character?
_
May his heavenly grace teach you t 0 go
I could throw you over this bridge." Nicholson replied that
and do likewise! he thought he could not, but the man still persisted that he
1 now sir come to your i , ,
rromise which I earnestly hope eould, and having arrived at the extremity of the bridge, he
' You say, ' For my part, I shall pro
you will not retract.. made a sudden attempt to p 1,; ut ..m on the top of the battle-
lectures next
bahly give a coui se of
who merit. At this instant another man ran up, and they pro,
learn the ground please
may upon which every dogma of the ' h
seeded to rifle his pockets. It being moonlight, Nicholson
.[Roman] Catholic faith is founded." Permit me to add to, thought he saw somebody approaching; ail& he bawled oi.ltits
that a promise from me :—lf it please God to spare me health lustily as he could, and two lads coming up, the doves-ran
away disappointed of their booty,--Lfee/WWoimer• '

terinz ! In -1i

Teeting

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