Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-12-26

this evening, by the Rev. John Lord.
His subject is, Gustavus Adolphus,
king-the thirty years. war, or the po-
ltical consequences OF the Reformation"
This is decidedly the most interesting
theme of Mr.. Lords course, and we have
more curiosity to hear what he has to
say under this head than Of any of the
others. He closed his last lecture with
eulogy on the religious effects of the
Reformation and now he will express
his opinion as to ,he political results
which have been obtained by the world
in consequence of that great warfare
against the Church of Rome. We hope
to hear his views of Cromwell, the lat
ter's participation in the trial of Charles
First, the lawful King of England, who
was rather a weak than a bad man.
his signing the death-warrant of
Charles-his religious warfare against
Church and State, until he was declar-
ed LORDPROTECTOR of the Com
monwealth of England Ireland and
Scotland IA place which probably
suited him better than the ancient chair
Of ST. Peter ut Rome, his despotc dis
solution of Parliamcnt-his declaration
that he would make the name OF Eng
lishmen as great abroad, "aS eUer that
| ofa Roman had BEEN" His permission
Of the punishment of James NayIor, the
poor Quaker, who was placed in the pill
lory, had his tongue bored through with
"A red-hot iron, and his forehead brand
ed, on account of his religious opinions
the persecution Of the Muggetonans,
Uniarians, &c. all of which took place
while he was Lord Protector,-in other
words, as absolute a Monarch as ever
sat on the throne Of England, and in our
opinion worse man than his predeccs-
sors whose death warrant he signed, in
order to make room for himself
We shall not anticipate Mr.. Lord, at
this time, but shall reserve what we have
10 say, until after the lecture has been
delivered simply remarking that vast
| ly more was gained politically than
/ spa it"'''y, ''s.I oi.n,o,', ny tnc IIcIor-
nation. Although Martin Luther prn-
fessed to carry Oh only religious war
fare against the Church, yet he was not
alone in the battle he had his ass0ci-
atcs and coniederates. who were arous-
ing the peasantry of Germany to poiti-
cal action,- revolution in the affairs Of
State, quite as zealousIy as Luther was
making war upon the Popes spiritual
| power,-and their efforts were by no
means unsuccessful. The political ef-
iccts Of the Reformation were not as
! speedily felt as were the religious; in
all ages OF the world men have been. at
least, negligent of religious obligations,
when they hesitatod much longer about
taking any overt political step, because
the policy of the Church ever has been
to be merciiul, particularly to the erring.
while the grand maxim of the civil
law is and ever has been that ignorance
is no excuse for its violation.
This whole subject is IA vast one,
and although it is Of such momentous
Importance 10 all, yet there is hardly
any topic upon which the great body Of
the people are and always have been so
ignorant. 1t is matter upon which the
mass cannot argue, because they do not
possess the necessary information which
will enable them to reason understand
ing y upon it they have not the time,
or patience or qualifications TO ponder
over and wade through whole Libraries
of books, in order to get at the truth.
and to sill il from the vast amount Of
error in which it is hidden, land by none
others more constantly ingcniously and
successfully than by the Rclormers.--
In these enlightened days, we hear Pro-
tes,ant Clergymen denouncing the Ro-
man Church by wholesale, representing
her, most unqualiicdly, as hydra
headed monster, in whom no virtue ev-
or existed. and from whom no noble
thought or deed ever cmanatcd. They
represent the Popes as the vcricst per-
souiication Of all sin---thc Priests as the
living scpulchres Of the darkest corrup-
ton and inlanIy, the Monks as vile craw-
ling monsters of Iicentiousncss, and
Monasteres as earthly hclIs. Now this
KIND Of nonsense and stuff has had a
most powerful effect upon weak minds
IL has even sent cOHriciion 10 those more
learned i'll some matters. But after all
it 10 merely Priestcrait Artillery it il
{ C manner in which thousands of Pro.
slant cIcrgymen are ScIriDg God,
aud bearing gIad-tidings Of Salvation TO
lost and ruined world. Ii is carrying
out the precepts Of Christ, as they pro-
fess TO understand them, and inculcating
what they pretend TO believe TO be the
spirit of the Sermon on the Mount. Ii
is hardly possible to listen 10 Protest
ant Clergyman without hearing him de-
nouncc the Roman Church in the bit