The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-05-09
From the Lexington (Ky.l Observer.
Lecture Of Or. r. ]. Breckenridge
on Popery.

Lecture OF Or. X. j. brecKenriuge
on Popery.
This distinguished gentleman, at the
request Of number of our must lniiu-
entail citizens. delivered a lecture on
Popery, in the Christian Church. on
Wednesday last. The high reputation
Of the speaker. the deep interest Of his
subject, and the excitement OF the pub
lie mind upon the American question,
which necessarily involves that Of Po-
perry, drew together one Of the largest
audiences that ever assembled in the
city. Tie field aver which the lectu-
rer was compelled to sweep. in order
TO touch AL Of the salient points OF his.
subject, is very comprehensive, and of
course he could not elaborate many Of
the positions that he assumed as fully
as desired, but he met all the objections
commonly urged against those who are
aiding the great revolution now going
on. He demonstrated the fact that the
existing excitement in the country was
the result Of natural anxiety upon the
part Of the American people to preserve
their Saxon Protestant civilization.
The people had found many Of their
political leaders to be false and cor
rupt, and had reyolted. They had
been bought aud sold BY the two great
parties Of the country, and had witt
messed the " unweayihg of the golden
arras" of the Union by their intrigue,
their trearhery, and their strife anu
had knit themselves together to pre-
serve that Union, and their Protestant
republican institutions. The people
were not particularly agufized about
religion, but their instincts told them
that Professionalism was the friend OF
American institutions; and that the
Roman Catholic Church was yet the
enemy Of freedom, Is il had been in
past ages. The politicians Of the coun-
try were WARNED not to stand up in
opposition to this voluntary uprising
Of the native Protestant American peo-
pie, for that the axe Of the executioner
certainly awaits them.
The lecturer stated that he believed
that our country would have been
plunged into civil war already. but for
the opportune sprinsing up OF the Ame-
rican party; and that the inevitable
tendency Of the slavery agitation could
not have been arrested by any other
power in the country. The new party
would subvert the power Of the dema-
gogue and aniiihilate those who allow
ed themselves to calculate the value oi
the Union. He stated that those who
deemed the new party the offspring d
sudden excitement we're mistaken; thai
it had been foreseen for years, and tina
in the nature Of things il must ineyita
bly have occurred.
The Roman Catholic element in ou
civilization was at war with the Pro
testantelement, and though there nigh
be peace SO long as the Catholic ele
ment was insignificant, vet that Their,
would be strife when il grew stron!
enough to threaten the other. The lee
turer proved that this was the case a
present, and that the struggle now 90
ing on III this country is merely the re
petition Of the struggles Of the Catholi
church with the Protestant or Schisma
tic branch, and that the only differenc
il in the name under which the adyer
saries fight. The Albigenses Tough
the Pope, the American people con
tended against the Priests; but III
conflict IS the same, the issue is Iii
same, and the parties are the same.
The Romish Church has declared th
Protestants Of the earth TO be heretics
and after starting wrong, could no
correct her error, because she rds in
.fallibls, and therefore the conflict wouIl
be eternal, and in any country vher
these antagonisms FLASHED, that ole o
the other would be compelled to sue
cumb. The historic review Of the Ro
man Catholic Church and its conflict.
displayed the most profound researc
and intense study, and we hope tia
We will again have the pleasure 81 hear
ing Dr. y. upon the same subject.
is one that cannot be disposed 81 in
singItlecture. and the only complain
that We has. yet heard against the Doc
tors effort on Wednesday night wa.
that he stopped speaking much TO
soon.