The Potteries Examiner : — 1876-05-27 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

VIII., the English Consitution remains in substance what those ancient Constitution, af all Christian people Wt're which had long insured their happiness. Of course, the Osseruotote 'as a purpose in view—it is that of showing not only how b idly, in the writer's opinion, Italy has copied English institutions, but that what she adopted she has perverted and spoilt. Admitting the corn; arisons drawn, the following are a few of the good words the Papal organ has bestowed upon us t  "in the first place, then, it is to be observed that the English Constitution, under which Cenomination is comprised all that regards customs, institutions, laws, and English forms of government, has carefully preserved and incorporated into itselt all that heresy has left of Christian belief and practice. England is religious, and her intimate union with religion has preserved for her the blessings of peace and prosperity. In fact, the English nation stopped short at the ruins of the Reformation. Sopa. rated from the Church and from the Vicar of Christ, _ of  she has, however, retained all the remainder . Christianity, and, above all, the Ten Commandments. These she has always maintained in her customs, her laws, and her Government. England is not to be looked upon as having only persecuted the Catholics; she persecuted the heretics also, those who aimed at the foundations of Christianity. The Anabaptist& were burnt alive by Elizateth, the Arians were burnt under Edward VI., and the cry 'De Ile, ace contburencto ' lasted a long time, and, after this, apostasy and heresy always drew down corporal punishment and civil rEs. qualification, as, for example, denying the Divinity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Trin'ty, alai the principrk dogmas. Religions indifference was never tolerated,. and even now Vte neglect of Divine service, blasphemy, and breaking the Sabbath day meet with punishment. Every one know, moreover, how jealously England has preserved her own ecclesiastical hierarchy, maintaining it in hononr, and railing it also to form part of one of the great bodies of the State. Thus the English is a highly religious nation, and ar far as the Reformation permits a Christian nation ; her customs are in perfect accord with the spirit of Christianity, her institutiona perpAnate the samolspirit, her laws watch over and maintain it with inflexible constancy. The whole nation, in a word, is religions and Christian. If it is true that customs, institutions, laws, and Government especially constitute a nation, and the condition of Eng. Leh legislation is to be particularly noted, it may be said to be nothing else than the faithfnl echo of that of Sinai received through Christianity. You see it the guardian of that great law and publicly maintaining the adoration of the true God, the Author of the Decalonne, placing, in His name the social sanction upon all those Divine and natural commando; wherefore in His name it may be said to punish the delinquencies and crimes committed against Him, not less than against society, homicide, theft, false witness, offenses against good manners, parents, and country. In a word, the laws of God are the laws of the State—the one takes its force from the other."