Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-12-25

The fires of Smithfield and tn.
massacre OF Bartholomew are truly
events little consequences in history
if they fail to convince us Of the ag
gressive and unscrupulous policy o
the Roman Catholic Church. The
claim Of the Pope, which never ha.
undergone or can undergo any modi
ication whatever, is nothing less thar
one OF universal supremacy. Tha
claim is asserted now as broadlyanC
boldly as it was three hundred
years ago; when, at the accession o.
Mary, Cardinal Pole was sent ovel
as legate TO England, for the reduc.
tion of that realm TO the obedience
OF the See of Rome, and for the ex.
tirpation of heresy.
1t matters not what may have
been the private character Of the
Cardinal. He has been represented
as a man Of mild nature, humane
disposition, and averse to the infa
NOUS cruelties which were then per-
petrated, the odium OF which has
been commonly thrown upon Bish
ops Gardiner and Bonner This much
at least is plain, that, whatever may
have been his opinion as othe meth
DDS which were employed for the
suppression OF Professionalism, be did
not deem it expedient 10 exercise his
great power in mitigating the fury or
tempering the cruelty OF ;he perse
cution. He was passive witness al
the enormiiies, and allowed the man.
dates Of The Church 10 supercede the
dictates Of humanity and the merci-
iul teachings Of the Saviour.
The records of the reign Of Mary
ought, especially at the present time,
TO be studied by those who, in thsir
zeal for federation, forget that they
have to contend with most bitter and
uncompromising enemies. Not only
the sufferings and fortitude Of the
martyrs (among whom were num-
bered five bishops and twenty one
clergymen Of the Reformed faith of
England), bu; the charges on which
they were condemned, and the noble
testimony which they bore, will be
found detailed in John Foxes AclS
and MOnuments. Next to that OF
Archbishop Cranmer, the names of
Latimer and Ridley can never be
forgotten in this land, so long as the
voice Of Protestantism is heard
against Papal superstition and supre-
macy. Political and ecclesiastical
dominion are things inseparable from
each other in the eye Of Rome; and
wherever she has succeeded in plant
ing her foot, she has attempted to en-
force spiritual submission, and to ex-
tinguish liberty of conscience, by
the power OF the secular arm. The
following extract, from the work
already referred to, narrates the close
of the terrible tragedy which con-
signed two Enlish prelates TO the
flames at OxlOrd:-
"Then they brought a faggoi,
kindIed with fire, and laid the same
down at DR.. Ridley's leet. To whom
master Laiimer spake in this manner:
BE Of good comfort, master Ridley,
and play the man. We shall this
day light such a candle, by Gods
grace, in England, as | trust shall
never be put OUT
sand SO the fire being given unto
them, when DR.. Ridley saw the fire
flaming up towards him, he cried
with a wonderful loud voice, Sin
manus tuas, Domino, commendo
spiriium meus: Domino, recipe spiri-
tam meum.' And after repeating
this latter part often in English,
Lord, Lord, receive my spirit;' mas
ter Latimer crying as vehemently on
the other side, 20 Father OF heaven,
receive my soul' who received the
fame as it were embracing Of it.
After that he had strnked his face
with his hands, and as it were bathed
them a little in the fire, he soon died
(as it appeareth) with very little pain
or none. And thus much concerning
the end of this old and blessed SER
want OF God, master Latimer, for
whose laborious travails, fruitful life,
and constant death. the whole realm
hath cause TO give great thanks TO
Almighty God.
"But master Ridley. by reason OF
the evil making Of the fire unto him,
because the wooden faggois were
laid about the gorse, and over-high
built. the fire burned first beneath,
being kept down by the wood; which
when he felt, he desired them for
sake TO le: the fire come unto
him. Which when his broiher-ln- |
law heard, but not well understood,
to rid him out of his pain
Qor the which cause he gave atten-
dance), as one in such sorrow not
we'll advised what he did, heaped |
faggois upon him, so that he clean
covered him. which made the firet