The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-08-13
THE MIDNIGHT OF ENGLAND.

Ihe period when POpery was supreme IN
England was a period Of utter spiritual dark.
ness. The depth of superstition in which our
worthy fnrefahers were sunk, IS enough to
make ones hairstand on end. No doubt there
were many Lolards and followers Of Wyclfie
scattered over the land, who held the truth,
and were the salt Of the nation. But the
fierce persecution with which these good
men were generally assailed, prevented their
making much progress. They barely MAIN
tanned their own ground. And as for the
mass Of the population, gross darkness cover
ed their minds.
Most Of the priests and teachers Of reli-
gion were themselves profoundly ignorant Of
rything they ought to have known. They
were general ordained without ans adequate
examination as to learning or character.
Many Of them, though they could read their
breviaries. knew nothing whatever of the
Bible. Some, according TO Strype, the his
t0rian, were scarcely able TO say tie Lords
Prayer, and not few were unable to repeat
the Ten commandments. The prayers OF the
Church were in the Latin language, which
hardly anybody understood. Preaching there
was scarcely any, and what there was, was
grossly unscriptural and unedifying. Qaar-
terly sermons were prescribed to the clergy,
but not insisted on Mass, according TO
Iatimer. was not to be omitted for single
Sunday, but sermons might be omitted for
twenty Sundays together, and nobody found
fault.
Huge nests Of ordained men were dotted
over the face Of England in the shape Of ab-
beys and mnnasterics. The inhabitants Ol
these beautiful buildings were seldom very
holy and self.denying, and were often men
Of the most proflgate and disreputable lives.
Their morals were just what right have beea
expected from fullness Of bread and abun-
dance of idleness. They did next to nothing
for the advancement of learning. They did
nothing for the spread Of true religion. Two
things only they cared for, aud those two
were, TO iill their own pockets, anI to keeT
up their own power. For the nne pnr'
pose, they persuaded weak and diving people
| To give money aud land 10 the Church, undel
the spacious pretence that they would in thi'
way be delivered from purgatory, and thei
faith proved BY their good works. For tht
other purpose, they claimed to hold the key
81 the kingdom Of heaven. To them, con
iession Of sins must be made. Without thei
absulution and extreme JUNCTION. no man coul,
be saved. Without their masses, no soul
could be redeemed from purgatory. Il
short, they were, practically, the UedlatOr
between Christ and man, and to iniure then
was the highest offence and sin. Old Fulle
tells Us, for example, that in 1889. certain
Italian got an immense sum Of money il
England BY having power from the Pop,
TO absolye people from usnry. simnny, tleit
mansianghter. fofnication and adultery, an,
all crimes whatsoever, except smitting th,
clergy and conspiring against the Pope.
q. $50, Teggs Edition.) such were Rumisl
priests when Pupcry was last rampant i
England. To say that they were general,
ignorant, cOyetuns, sensual, aud despptli
tyrants over tie souls and bodies Ui men
is not saying one jot more than thptruti.
n When priests we're men Of this stamp, y0i
will not be surprised 10 hear tlial HE peQpl
we're utterly ignorant af the true religion. |
woaid have been miraculous, indeed. if i
rad been otherwise, when they had neittc
sound preaching to hear, nor Bihlcs u read
A New Testament cnuld MT be bought 10
less than e., los. ST., and the buyer Wis il
danger ol being considered hereto fpr par
chasing il. The Christianity Of the vas
majority was. naturally enough, d mere nam
and form. The Sabbath was day ol sppr
and pastime, and not day of solemn worship
! Not one in hundred, perhaps. could hay
rightly answered the question, = What shal
do to be saved !" or given Tie slightest &C
count Of Justification, regeneration, sanctif
cation, the Office uf Christ, Or the work u III
Spirit. A mans only idea Of the way I,
heaven generally was to do as the priest lul,
him. and to belong 20 the true Church. Thus
the blind led the blind, aud all waliOWcd il
the ditch together.
All the practical religion that the mass o
the laiety pussesse,i. consisted 10 prayers Z
the Virgin aud saints-pilgrimages 10 hul.
places--and alteration Of images and relics
The list Of their supersiitious practices wUal,