The Polynesian., 1841-10-30
co NJ NJ y MIC ATED.
For the Polynesian.

seculion the Protestant missionaries are
represented as its instigators. The lam
glage Of the supplement conveys the same
idea, and "the Catholic Miscellany Of
Charleston, S. c. represents the missiona-
ries Of the American Board at the Sand
vich Islands as dastardly wretches, a gang
| Of rabid fanatics, selfish, dogmatic, op-
pressive, cruel and murderous band, and
exulis in the onward progress of the glo-
rous cause of religious freedom propelling
its car over the bowed necks of the advo-
Gates of duplicity and cunning" Some
part of these notices of the mission we
leave without remark, but so far as they
directly or indirectly convey the idea that
the missionaries have sanctioned or coun-
tenanced the infiiction Of any pains or
penalties for conscience sake, we must re-
pudiatc them as having no shadow of
foundation in truth.
We have before said, and we again re-
peat it, that the missionaries are one and
all for free toleration in all matters Of con-
science. 1t accords with the spirit of the
holy religion which they profess, and with
the genius of the civil and religious insti-
tutions of the land which gave them birth,
and in whose bosom they were trained,
and when the charge Of intolerance and
persecution is levelIed against them JUS
tice demands that it should be disavowed.
that it should be repelled. They have
the undoubted and inaIienable right in
common with others to speak their minds
and express their opinions freely upon
all subjects whatever, amenable only to
the laws of the land where they may re-
side for the abuse Of that right. They
undoubtedly differ widely from many in
their religious and political views, but the
free expression Of their opinions upon
points of difference is neither intolerance
in them or an impeachment of the person.
al intelligence or integrity of those from
whom they differ. They neither wish or
seek the use of any other means to pro-
duce conformity of the views of others
to their own than the legitimate action of
mind upon mind through the medium Of
reason.
In their religious faith the missionaries
are Protestants and the children of Pro-
teStants.
If they have been faithful to their COM
mission, they have endeavored to teach
what they believed to be the truth and to
guard against error in whatever form it
may have made its appearance. They
believe some of the doctrines of the Ro-
man church to be corrupt and dangerous,
and some of their practices idolatrous.
We will mention only one such doctrine
and practice viz. the invocation or adora-
ton Of the Virgin Mary and other saints,
Of which we give one or two examples.
Pope Gregory XVI. in his EncyclicaI lct-
ter published in the Laity's directory for
1888, and addressed to all pa,riarchs, Pri-
mates, Archbishops and Bishops, calls up
on all the clergy to implore "That she
Nhe Virgin Nary who has baen through
every calamity our patroness and protect
Tess may watch over us writing to you
and lead our mind by her heavenly influ-
ence to those counsels which may prove
most salutary to Christ's flock" Charles
X. king of France, at the baptism OF his
, young grandson, the duke of Bordeaux,
SAYS ~ .et us invoke for him the protec-