The Polynesian., 1841-10-30
OCTOBER 30, 1slI.

pleased Providence to afflict his relatives,
and to conduct him by less rugged path
than have had to Eternal felicity" The
Christians Guide to Heaven, a standard
Catholic work contains prayers to various
saints, all of which with the above we be-
lIeve to be idolatrous. We have stated
plainly our belief, and what we think is
and has been the sentiments of the Pro-
testant world in the main with illustrations
on single point. We do not wish TO
compel any one to adopt our views we
would convince if we could, but farther
than this our views Of freedom would not
permit US to go. The Pope issued cir
cular Sept. 1910, expressing his views of
Protestants and their operations with great
freedom. He speaks of the Bible corrup-
ted, Pestilential newspapers and tracts,
pretended charity, false reasoning, subtle
enemies Of the truth, hcretcs and infidels,
prosecuting religion by contempt, the
church by contumely, &c. &c. TO speak
only with freedom although it may some
times be uncourteous, we do not deem in
tolerant.
The supplement insinuates that none
but the ignorant regard some of the rites
OF the Catholic church in the light which
we have named and that "it has never
until this period happened that sove-
reign" has done so. A few examples
will be useful to test the accuracy of the
remark. The Coronation Oath of the
sovereigns of Great Britain SAYS, "That
the invocation or alteration of the virgin
Mary, or any other saint, and the sacrifice
of the mass as they are now used in the
church of Rome are superstitious and
idolatrous. In the reign of Charles II,
the British Parliament passed an act de-
claring the sacrifice of the mass to be
idoIatrous. Lady Mary Wor,ey Mon
tague in letter from Loure, Italy, 1852,
to the Countess Of Butte, says, "It is not
difficult to prove that either the papists
are idolaters or the pagans never were so
You see in Lucian, Gin his vindica,ion of
his mages) that they did not take their
statues to be real Gods, but only the rep
RESERVATIONS Of them; the same doctrine
may be found in Plntarch, and it is all
the modern priests have to say to excuse
their worshipping wood and stone. though
they cannot deny at the same time that
the vul gar are apt to confound that dis
tinction." In tho investigations before a
Committee of the House of Commons
concerning the frauds and vioences of
the Irish Election in 1886. the question
was put to clergyman, "Did you warn
them against the doctrines that were
preached by their own priests:" "Most
decidedly did, Your Lordship will re-
collect that am minister of the Church
of England, and when | received Ordina-
ton from the hands Of the Bishop. SOL
emnly vowed in the presence of God to
give diligence to drive away all erroneous
and strange doctrines contrary to Gods
word" as a minister Of the Church of
England can have no doubt as to the doc
trines of the church Of Rome being & er-
roneous and strange doctrines" and "con-
trary to Gods word," and when | see the
mass, the leading doctrine Of Popery, de-
scribed in the Thirty-Nne Articles which
| have subscribed as ga blasphemous ia
bic and dangerous deceit" and in the
Rubric as " ldoatry to be abhorred OF all
| 7 ...,,Il oel, hat har r