Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-02
THE COMING STRUGGLE.

We commend to our readers the following
extracts from an article from the pen of an
able divine and close observer of men and
things in one of our western cities. The
ticle appeared some time ago in the Preacher
and Presbyterian; but the lapse of few
months has by no means destroyed their i'm
portance to the Christian community. The
evils referred to stand out distinctly to view,
and the call for the cooperation Of Christians
to counteract them is as loud and imperative
as ever.-Ch. Union.
ssWherever the church militant exists, she
encounters opposition. Rome silences the BIZ
bic reader in dungeon. Austria confines the
exposer of monkish denominations in a mad
house. France closes the churches, aud fines
and imprisons those congregations of Protes-
tants who may happen to offend the Popish
Bishop. Spain prohibits the preaching of the
Gospel and the printing of the Bible, or any
thing derogatory to the Catholic church
Denmark prohibits prayer-meetings. Prussia
allows no dissent from her Puseyitc or Ration
alistic establishments. Russia forbids Bible
circulation, or prosefytism, in all her wide
realms. The light liberation in two South
all the remainder of that vast continent. As
matter OF course, the priests of Paganism
and the followers of Mahomet employ all the
power they possess to crush the effects of that
Gospel which endangers the craft whereby
they have their wealth.
s'There is but one country on the globe be-
sides our own which pretends to grant liberty
of conscience but even there what a power
ful opposition has been organized against the
Gospel of Christ AS the time of the slay-
ing of the witnesses draws nigh, events ripen
for that catastrophe. In ne European coun-
try can the witnesses be found in any consid-
erable number save England. England has
ever been rcckoned one of the ten Kingdoms
of the mystic Babylon and if the inquiry be
made, which of the kingdoms of modern Eu-
rope may be the great thoroughfare of the na-
tions, the centre of travel, the mart of COM
merce, the plateau, the broad street of the city,
where their bodies are to lie unburied? but
one response can be given-England. Look at
the preparation for this sad event which is
transacting there before our eyes. A college
is supported by British taxation for educating
fanatic emissaries of Popery to teach seditlon
at home and carry priestly government abroad.
The Government appoints these Maynooth
priests to be chaplains to the army, chaplains
to the poor-houseS and prisons, dismisses Off
GERS who will not attend their masses, and
would fain pass a bill to endow all the Popish
clergy. 1t is we'll known that the prince con-
sort was raised Papist, and through policy
assumed Professionalism and it is very credi-
l. l., II Al, III. tt,,f
may follow their fathers example. 1t is in
credible that without some high-protecting in
huence, JeSuits should have been allowed so
long to occupy the chairs of Oxford-that SO
many of the Bishops of the Establishment
should foster Puseyism-that affairs, candles,
crucifXes, and confession, should have been
introduced into many churches-that it
should be found impossible to eject an advo-
cate of transubstantiation from church as
yet called Protestant-that such numbers of
English aristocracy should have succumbed to
the charms of Puseyism, or with more honest
servility bowed to the supremacy of Rome.
The Pope sends a Cardinal over to England.
| The Secretary Of State sends priest in the
confidence of the Government to Rome. Eng
land allies herself with Catholic France and
Italy, and sends Catholic ambassador to
Spain. Priests wax confident, and begin to
talk of their ancient rights-to point to the
hundreds of thousands of ignorant, fanatic,
famishcd Irish, who crowd the back-streets of
all the cities of the land, ready at the word of
command to pour out their hereditary hatred
on the Sassenach. Popish Bishops write let
ters to English peers, warning them to cease
distributing Bibles and opposing the church,
and requesting them to remember that London
is not more impregnable than Sebastopol, and
that the bayonets which cleaned on the Mala-
koff were Catholic. The eloquent historian of
England shows that religious revolutions are
no new thing there. In 1860 England was
Puritan commonwealth. In 1865 persecu-
ting Stuart filled the throne. 1t were not diff
ficult to divine the measures which Popish
prince, a Popish ministry, Puseyite clergy
and aristocracy, and an Irish army, an Aus
trian and French sllance, would find needful
for the suppression of evangelism. Indeed,
Cardinal Wiseman and his journalists save US
all dubiety on the subject. They expressly
tell US that as soon possible they will use
the same means for the protection of religion
in England which have been found so benef-
cial in Spain and Austria. Significant intima-