The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-07
For the Pilot & Transcript.


Prove, the stand you have taken against the po-
Itical interference of Bishop England, in oui
late election. From the time Of the Relorma-
ton to the present period, the religious tenets
and logmas of the Church Of Rome have been
fully and thoroughly examined, discussed and
refuted; bat as she claims divine inspiration and
infalIbility, and, therefore, admits no other
standard bat her own DEGREES, the controversy
must necessarily be interminable. Religion,
though so essential to human happiness, is a
subject to which the natural man is averse; and
| being not Immediately connected with his verdi
| ly pursuits, he is generally disposed to take it
on trust, without much inquiry. To this 1t IS
owing, that distinguished for learning and
| professional eminence, still adhere to the Ro-
| mish faith, acknowledging foreign potentate, as
the representation of God upon earth, and the
| Supreme Dictator in their spiritual concerns. -
1t is only in this way, that we can account for
| that men of such highly cultivated minds, as Mr.
fancy and Mr. Castor, continue to be Jealous
pa pists; that they have been taught on their
mothers lap, to believe implicitly the priest,
and to hold, that all religious inquirers are sin
full, SO far as they involve the exercise of pri-
vate judgment; which is strictly prohibited by
the Church, ofwhich they profess to be members.
! Your press, believe, IS the first political one,
that has assumed the duty of warning this ma
ton against the metropolitan tendency Of Ro-
manism, and to expose its insiduous hostility to
our free institutions, and also to demonstrate,
"a he
Church, that she is ever grasping at civil power
and wealth for self-aggrandizement, and for
worldly pomp and grandeur. History teaches
US that in all countries where she is established
in full authority, the menastc orders of Jesuits,
under the pretence of solemn vows of poverty,
have accumulated immense wealth for the Ro-
mish Pontif to WELD for civil as well as ecclesi
astical purposes Although distinction is made,
by her adhersnts, between the exercise of spiritu
al and temporal authority, yet it is not difficult
for a Church, which interdicts to her members
all free religious inquiry and private Judgment
in matters of faith and denies the rights of con-
science, to make them eonfound spiritual and
civil matters, if the pretended good Of the Church
should need it. To prove this position, we have
only to refer to the history Of the Church, from
the period Of the Emperor Constantine's CONVEX
sion to the time of the Reformation, which
checked the PapaI power in some degree, but
did not do away its exorbitant pretensions and
claims; as the Church declares herself unehang-
ed and unchanging Let US for a moment sup
pose, that the Remanists constituted fifteen
sixteenths of the American people, as the Prot
estant5 now DO, who does not believe that, in
such case, the genius and character of Papal
power, backed by the Holy Alliance, would soon
destroy our free institutions, and that the Slice
of Islq,tisito7 General would soon not be merely
titular, as 1t now is, in these United States.
To understand the character and pretensions,
and the usurpation of the Romish Church, it is
necessary to examine her acts and doings with
nations, whose rulers maintained the Pope's su-
premacy; and more especially, since the expan-
sion Of the human intellect has introduced more
liberal principles of government. We all must
adait, (even the most sceptical,) that all the
mighty efforts of Papal Rome have been directed
to their overthrow and extinction.
There is another view Of this subject, which
wish to present in this Communication, that ne
cessarily has bearing on our political institu-
tons. The European Journals have for several
years past, published accounts Of the conversion
of Protestant nobility and princes to the Romish
faith, and also Of more tolerant disposition on
the part Of the Protestant soyereigns Of England
and Prussia towards it. 1t may not be generally
known, that among the learned politicians and
legitimist writers Of Europe, there some
who are opposing the progress Of liberal princi-
pless the liberty OF the press, and the rights OF
man; and who, in casting about for the most eff
fectual means of accomplishing their purposes,
have concluded that the ecclesiastical system of
/ Papal Rome is the best adapted engine to crush
the liberty OF nations. Il is, therefore, in this
way, that it has enlisted the interest and wishes
Of princes, to favor the Papal doctrines. Those
who claim TO govern by divine right, find that
these doctrines inculcate implicit obedience on
heir subjects, who kept in abjact slavery
[ and ignorance, and acquiesce in their degrade.
ton, by the instrumentaiity of a corrupt priest
hood, who divide the spolls with the civil rulers
ne grand object Of the Holy Alliance was to
employ the combined power Of those princes,
organized by treaty stipuations, to degrade their
subjects and to keep them in passive Submission.
Inc late emperor OF Austria on a visit to enc OF
the universities of his deminions, after being
honered with an exhibition Of science by the
students, remarked, that he wanted coed and
obedient, not learned subjects When we make
further inquiry, and behold that power, worldly
interest and splendor are paramount objects OF
the Church of Rome, and contemplate the means
which she possesses to attain them, and is ever
ready to employ,-such as dispensations, indul.
gences, absolutions and jusuitical casuistry to
quiet the conscences of her corrupt instruments,
} we may well have fears for the liberty Of our
country from her Vaccinations Prince Meter
mich, who Is at the head of the HOLY Alliance
for political objects, is patron of the Popish
e missions to diffuse Ronanism in our nation; and
1 from view of these facts, is it not apparent to
the most superficial inquirer, that it is hostile
movement against our free institutions,
8 send you this communication, as an evidence
(of my good wishes, and the interest l take in