Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-30

When we consider the misrepresentation Oh
The Catholic religion, which are so industrious
ly and widely propagated IN this country, we
are filed with astonishment. But our astonlsh-
nnenf subsidies, when We call to mind, that the
character Of Christ himself was misrepresented
he was charged with blasphemy, with breaking
the sabbath, and with forbidding tribute to be
paid 10 Casar;*-that the apostles and disci-
ples OF Christ we're misfepresented,-th were
charged with speaking blasphemous words a
eainstI Moses and against God, with exciting
sedition, and with many other grievous offences
entirely devoid ofproof,f and that misrepre SEN
tation was The general lot of christians in the
first ages of the church. The primitive chris
tians were first illuminated and held up TO pub
lie contempt, and then prosecuted and deprived,
not only Of their civil rights and privileges, but
Of their property and even their very lives
They were charged with idolatry, with horrid
cruelties, and other hagitious crimes, even IN
Z their religious worship In a word, their whole
religion was described as system of folly and
s superstition grounded on no one rational prin-
ciple.
ST Justin and Tertullian, In their apologies
for the christian religion, endeavored to dispel
these Misrepresentation, by exhibiting the real
doctrines and precepts, and explaining some OF
the sacred rights of the christian religion. They
showed that these injurious Misrepresentation
were, in many instances, the inventions oil men,
who, unable to stand the evidences Of the di-
vine establishment of christianity, endeavored
TO excite preIudices against it in the minds OF
the people, by holding out its doctrines as alb
surd and impious, and its professors as the
cause of every political calamity.
st. Augustine complained of the calumnies
which were circulated against the Catholic
church, by the Machians and Donatists in his
age. He humbly confessed and lamented, that
he himself had employed the same weapons a.
gainst the church, when he was attached to the
former Of these sects,t and acknowledged that
he then blindly, and rashly, and falsely accused
the Catholic church of doctrines and opinions
which he was at length convinced, she never
taught, believed, or held.
The Catholics of Great Britain have to lam
ent and to complain that the doctrine and reli-
gious rites which, as Catholics they are taught
by their church to believe and observe, have
been long and grossly misconceived and misre-
presented in this country, 10 the great injury OF
their religious character and temporal interests.
They are persuaded that many who are OPP
posed 10 them account of their religion, sup
pose, without inquiry, that the Catholic church
really teaches all that she is reported by her ad
yeSsaries 10 teach; and imagine that she is re-
sponsibe for every absurd opinion entertained,
and Tor every &C. Of superstition performed, by
every Individual who bears.the name of Catho-
lie.
We hope that all who are animated with a
love of truth, and with sentiments Of christian
charity, WILDE disposed willingly to listen to
the sincere declarations of their Catholic fellow
countrymen, and will never impute to their re-
ligion, principles or practices which, as Catho-
hes, they do not hold or observe, and which
their church condemns as errors or abuses.
In this hope and persuasion, the British Ca
tholics have made repeated declarations Of their
religious doctrines, and have shewn, they trust
TO the satisfaction OF all who have paid attention
to them, that they hold no religious principles,
and entertain no opinions flowing from those
principles, that are notlperfectly consistent with
the sacred duties which, as christians they owe
to Almighty God; with all the civil duties
which, as subjects they owe to their sovereign
and the constituted civil government of their
country; and with all the social duties which,
as citizens, they owe to their fellow subjects,
whatever maybe their religious creed
They had flatteredthemselves that the hume
rous and uniform expositions Of their religious
doctrines, given in public professions of the
NatnohC iaith, In Salhollc CateChlSmS, In yarl-
Gus authentic documents, and in declarations
confirmed by their solemn eaths, would have a
bundanIly sufhced to correct all misrepresenta-
tons of their real tenets.
But they have to regret, that some grievous
misconeeption, regarding certain points of Ca
tholic doctrine, are, unhappily, still found to
exist in the minds ofmany, whose good opinion
they value, and whose good will they wish to
conciliate. To their grief, they hear, that, not
withstanding all their declarations to the con-
trary, they are still exhibited to the public as
men, holding the most erroneous, nnscriptural,
ard unreasonable doctrines grounded on the
faith Of human authority, and not on the word
s.cf God--as enemies to the reading of the Holy
Scriptures---as guilty Of dolairy in the sacrifice
ofthe mass, in the alteration, as it is called, of
Matt. xxrvi. e5.-Mark; iii. 22.-JOhn, *. 1e--
IacusvL ll.--xxiv, 5.-xxv,7.
v,.adens erubi; me tot amos adversus Catholi-
cs nasn' sed contra carnalium eogitationum fgmen-