The Sun. — 1845-05-03 (London, England)

THE GRANT TO MAYNOOTH. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Ste,-1 am sadly pained to witness the display of bigotry and bad feeling which have been manifested by a large portion of the English public on the proposed grant to Maynooth, inasmuch as I believe it will have a tendency to destroy that favour and grace with which otherwise it might have been received by the Catholic population of Ireland. But if, Sir, you had had an opportunity of attending the various meetings held in the country on the subject, as I have, and had heard the manner in which the religious feelings and passions of the people have been appealed to and worked upon, you would not be surprise& I will give you ono instance. A meeting was held in the Subscription Room at Exeter, on Tuesday last, to pass resolutions against the grant. The meeting was opened by the Rev. Mr. Hocking of the Establishment, by reading a portion of the Word of God and prayer. He then addressed the meeting in one of the most intolerant, bigoted, and, in my opinion, the most unchristian speeches I have ever heard. He told the meeting that the Roman Catholic priests of Ireland were at this day in the habit of grunting absolution to persons who confessed as to their intention to commit a crime, aye, even if that crime was murder, and that he was bound by his office not to warn the intended victim of his doom, though he met him in the street! Now, Mr. Editor, is this true 7—if so, it is very awful. lam not myself, much read in these matters; in my heart and soul I believe it to be false, and if false then what a base hypocrite have we here : a man who had so recently been engaged in reading the Word of God and in offering a prayer to the throne of Grace, who could put forth such a statement for the purpose of stirring up and bad blood between his fellow. creatures. A feeling specimen this of a minister of the Gospel of peace. But to the credit of the Establishment be it said, that I believe he was the only minister of it present. Next came the Rev. Mr. Cook ( Webleyan), whose portly size and well.polished countenance showed at any rate that hie religion was not one which made him eschew the good things of this world. He said he had read and heard a great deal about Pagans and idotators, but he knew of no idolatry half so bad as that practised by the Papists. It was true, he said, the Pagans did make gods with their own hands, and afterwards fell down and worshipped them ; but then they paid some respect to them and took oare of them ; but as to the Prpists, after they had made their gods they put them into their mouths and ate them. Thus did this low-minded, vulgar man allude to the doctrine of the Eucharist. Can he tell us when the innovation of the real presence took place in the history of the Church? Would he knock down everything that he cannot squat eto his reason, if so, what would he have left to base his Christianity upon ? But I tire you, Mr. Editor. Suffice it to say, that every appeal to the bad passions of men, everything that was likely to stir up religious hatred and bigotry, here found vent, and from these divines who are quarrelling with the Roman Catholic priests for their participation in agitation. Ido sincerely hope, Mr. Editor, that when the sober-minded people of England begin to reflect, and reflect they will, if you will give them time, they will see that this is but a very small boon for the wrongs which Catholic Ireland had received from Protestant England.—l beg to subscribe myself, Mr. Editor,your great admirer and constant reader, and Langford, May 2, 1845. NO