MISCELLANEOUS.

PERSECUTION APPROACHING.-" Can ye not discern the signs of the times?"

The majority on the first reading in favour of Lord John Russell's Bill for admitting Jews into Parliament, was sixty-seven. This number corresponds very closely with the number of Members returned by means of Popish influence from Ireland. The Papists have always been the most violent persecutors of the Jews. But now we see the two sects leagued together in the common cause and kindred feeling of hatred to Christianity. This is a remarkable and striking fact. It reminds one of the reconciliation of Herod and Pontius Pilate previous to the crucifixion of the Lord of life and glory. The admission of a Jew into the British House of Commons will be the consummation of the union betwixt Popery and Infidelity. I am strongly of opinion that from the moment that a Jew is permitted to set his foot in the House of Commons, the doom of the Church of England will be sealed, and that a persecution of Christianity will follow. It is well observed in "Blackwood's Magazine,' "that Popery is not to be dreaded one hundredth part so much as political power in the hands of the Jew. History tells us well the fierceness of his day of authority, the daring zealotry, the bitterness of his national anger, and the mortal venom of his personal vindictiveness. How can we pretend to offer our homage to our blessed Redeemer when we give the highest boon in our power to a sect who pronounce him an impostor?" Is the Christian world asleep, lulled into a false security by the fascinations and delusions of modern Liberalism? Will nothing rouse it from its state of torpor to a sense of duty in this crisis of unprecedented danger? CRANMER, RIDLEY, AND LATIMER. -When Strype wrote his "Memoirs of Archbishop Cranmer," in the year 1693, he found the book in which the expenses of the martyrs during their residence in Oxford were entered by the bailiffs of the city was in existence, and it is probably still preserved among the manuscripts of that University. It may not, therefore, be

By

ALTAR DENUNCIATIONS. The Emigrants of Ahadarra. WILLIAM CARLETON, Esq. London: Simms & M'Intire. 8vo., pp. 300. THOUGH We are not in the habit of

reviewing tales and narratives, except those which refer directly to the Protestant question, yet the above work contains some points of such peculiar interest and importance, that we have thought right to notice it.

The work is an original production. The writer of it has been long known for his "Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry," &c., &c., and is considered as giving, in many instances, a most graphic description of the people, their position, and manners.

Though the above work is written in no friendly spirit to Protestantism, it does not fail to point out some of the practical evil workings of Popery.

This volume is written more with reference to the position of landlord and tenant in Ireland, and the circumstances which in general occasion the unparalleled tide of emigration which

is fast draining that unhappy country of its best blood and strength.

The writer says in his preface, p. vi., “With respect to priestly denouncements I have never concealed my opinion of them; and for the purpose of showing their evil tendency, I have introduced one here. The moment the priest of any Church desecrates the altar or the pulpit by political harangues, or denounces individuals for political offences, that moment he should be held responsible for the immoral abuse of his office and position, and the outrages or darker crimes that such abuse may occasion."

After an election contest had ter

minated, in which Bryan M'Mahon, a Roman Catholic, had given the casting vote for a Protestant, the writer commences his twentieth chapter, p. 223:

"Whatever difficulty Bryan M'Mahon had among his family in defending the course he had taken at the election, he found that not a soul belonging to his own party would listen to any defence from him. The indignation, obloquy, and spirit of revenge with which he was pursued and harassed, excited in his heart, as they would in that of any generous man conscious of his own integrity, a principle of contempt and defiance, which, however they required independence in him, only made matters far worse than they otherwise would have been. He expressed neither regret nor repentance for having voted as he did; but on the contrary asserted with a good deal of warmth, that if the same course lay open to him he would again pursue it.

"I will never vote for a scoundrel,' said he, and I don't think there is anything in my religion that makes it a duty on me to do so. If my religion is to be supported by scoundrels, the sooner it is forced to depend on itself the betther. Major Vanston is a good landlord, and supports the rights of his tenantry, Catholic as well as Protestant; he saved me from ruin when my own landlord refused to interfere for me, and Major Vanston, if he's conscientiously opposed to my religion, is an honest man at all events, and an honest man I'll ever support against a rogue.'

"Party is a blind, selfish, infatuated monster, brutal and vehement, that knows not what is meant by reason, justice, liberty, or truth. M'Mahon, merely because he gave utterance, with proper spirit, to sentiments of plain

"On the Sunday after the election the curate of the parish, one of those political firebrands who, whether under a mitre or a white band, are equally disgraceful and detrimental to religion and the peaceful interests of mankindthis man, we say, openly denounced him from the altar, in language which must have argued but little reverence for the sacred place from which it was uttered, and which came with a very bad grace from one who affected to be an advocate of peace. for liberty of conscience and a minister

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Ay,' he proceeded, standing on the altar, it is well known to our disgrace

and shame how the election was lost. Oh, well may I say to our disgrace and shame. Little did I think that any one bearing the once respectable name of M'Mabon upon him, should turn from the interests of his holy Church, spurn all truth, violate all principle, and enter into a lague of hell with the devil and the enemies of his Church. Yes, you apostate,' he proceeded, you have entered into a lague with him, and ever since there is a devil within you. You sould yourself to his agent and representative, Vanston. You got him to interfare for you with the Boord of Excise, and the fine that was justly imposed on you for your smugglin' and distillin' whiskey--not that I'm runnin' down our whiskey, because it's the best drinkin' of that kind we have, and drinks beautiful as scaltheen wid a bit of butther and sugar an it-but it's notorious that you went to Vanston, and offered if he'd get the fine off you, that you'd give him your wote; an' if that's not sellin' yourself to the devil, I don't know what is. Judas did the same when he betrayed our Saviour - the only difference isthat he got a thirty shilling note-an' God knows it was a beggarly bargain— when his hand was in he ought to have done the thing dacent-and you got the fine taken off you; that's the difference -that's the difference. But there's more to come-more corruption where that was. Along wid the removal of the fine you got a betther note than Mr. Judas got. Do you happen to know anything about a fifty pound note cut into two halves? Eh? Am I tickling you? Do you happen to know anything about that, you traicherous apostate?

If you don't, I do; and plaise God before many hours the public will know enough of it too. How dare you, then, pollute the house of God, or come in presence of his holy altar, wid such a crust of crimes upon your soul? Can you deny that you entered into a lague of hell wid the devil and Major Vanston, and that you promised him your wote if he'd get the fine removed.'

"I can,' replied Bryan; 'there's not one word of truth in it.

"Do you hear that, my friends?' exclaimed the priest; he calls your priest a liar upon the althar of the livin' God.' "Here M'Mahon was assailed by such a storm of groans and hisses as, to say the least of it, was considerably at variance with the principles of religion and the worship of God."

"Do you deny,' the priest proceeded 'that you received a bribe of fifty pounds on the very day you voted? Answer me that.'

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"I did receive a fifty pound note in

"Further he could not proceed. It was in vain that he attempted to give a true account of the letter and its enclosure; the enmity now was not confined to either groans or hisses. He was seized upon in the very chapel, dragged about in all directions, kicked, punched, and beaten, until the apprehension of having a murder committed in presence of God's altar caused the priest to interfere. M'Mahon, however, was ejected from the chapel; but in such a state that, for some minutes, it could scarcely be ascertained whether he was alive or dead. After he had somewhat recovered, his friends assisted him home, where he lay confined to a sick-bed for better

than a week.

"Such is a tolerably exact description of scenes which have too frequently taken place in the country, to the disgrace of religion and the dishonour of God. We are bound to say, however, that none among the priesthood encourage or take a part in them, unless those low and bigoted firebrands who are alike remarkable for vulgarity and ignorance, and who are perpetually inflamed by that meddling spirit which tempts them from the quiet path of duty into scenes of political strife and enmity, in which they seem to be peculiarly at home.

* This was a trick. It was afterwards shown that the fifty pounds was sent by a personal enemy of this man. But the storm of fury prevented any explanation in the chapel.

Such scenes are repulsive to the educated priest, and to all who, from superior minds and information, are perfectly aware that no earthly or other good, but, on the contrary, much bitterness, strife, and evil, ever result from them."

From Mr. Carleton's work, we turn to the columns of the daily and weekly press; and we find narrated a proceeding, which is, we should suppose, quite without precedent.

IRELAND.-ALTAR DENUNCIATIONS.

The following story is told by the "Dublin Evening Mail," on the authority of a person whose opportunity of information cannot be questioned :—

Mr. Joseph Holmes is a resident proprietor in the county of Sligo, within a short distance of Ballaghaderreen, county Mayo, He is a magistrate for both counties, and was made a Deputy-lieutenant of the former last summer, as a mark of the sense entertained by the authorities of his exertions in behalf of the poor during the late crisis, and of his unceasing and successful labours in preserving the peace of his district, at a most trying period, and the admirable manner in which the fiscal arrangements of the barony were carried on under his superintendence. Having received many friendly intimations, a short time since, that the parish priest, Mr. Tighe, had made repeated attacks on him at the chapel, and that his life would be attempted by assassins, who had arrived in the neighbourhood, he his friends, to leave the country for a was prevailed on, by the entreaties of short period, till the passing of the late Government measure, when he returned. These facts coming to the knowledge of his brother, Mr. A. Holmes, who resides in England, the latter paid a hurried visit to this country, and on Thursday last (Old Christmas-day) presented himself at chapel at Ballaghaderreen, and having asked and obtained permission from the Rev. Mr. Tighe to address the congregation, a very numerous one, was accommodated with a place at the altar. He declined addressing the people till Mr. Tighe stood at his side; a second priest stood at his left. Ballaghaderreen is within a few miles of

Strokestown and Elphin, the scenes of the murders of Major Mahon and the Rev. Mr. Lloyd.

The following scene then took place:

"Mr. TIGHE.-Mr. Holmes has expressed a desire to address you, and I have given him permission to do so.

"Mr. HOLMES. (Advancing to the front of the altar.)-My friends, Mr. Tighe, your priest, has given me permission to address you from this altar, and I avail myself of it. I have, travelled 500 miles to say five words to you; pray, therefore, attend to me. You do not all know me, but you know my brother, Mr. Joseph Holmes? -(We do.') Is there amongst you a man who can say that my brother has ever done an unkind or an unjust act by him? Is there, I say? If there is, let him hold up his hand. Is there amongst you a man who can deny that, for the last two years, my brother has been your slave? If there is, let him speak. (A pause.) During the last two years, my brother has expended 20,000l. in provisions, to keep down the markets here, that you and your children might not starve! He has daily, for the last sixteen months, fed 150 of your children at his schoolhouse. He has turned his house and offices into a provision store for your accommodation. Is there a man amongst you that can deny this? If there is, let him speak. And what is the return he has met with? Do you require to be told? Why, when he left home a month ago, it is notorious that the assassins who were to murder him had arrived in the parish, and were harboured amongst you! There are those amongst you that know it: I can account for the presence of these miscreants. They were attracted hither by the inflammatory harangues of your priest here-(pointing to Mr. Tighe)-I tell him so to his face. [Tremendous uproar in the chapel. Cries of Turn him out,' 'He is a liar;' a scene of great confusion, during which the curate in vain attempted to address and appease the people, followed. At length, Mr. Tighe succeeded, after many ineffectual efforts, in obtaining a hearing.]

"Mr. TIGHE.-It is false that I made any attacks on Mr. Holmes;

there have been houses levelled in this parish, and poor wretches turned out, but I never attacked Mr. Holmes.

"Mr. HOLMES.-I know that you did; and I tell you at this altar to your face, and in the presence of your congregation, that it is your attacks on my brother from this spot that have brought these murderers to this parish. [Here the uproar recommenced, and some of the more violent of the congregation appeared disposed to pass over the rails to the altar, the priests endeavouring to restrain them.]

I

"Mr. HOLMES. - (Advancing in front.)-I am not afraid of you. came here to tell you these truths alone, and am not to be deterred by 500 of you.

"Mr. TIGHE.-My friends, this is the house of God. Let us have no more of this. Mr. Holmes has charged me with attacks on his brother, which I deny. If he has anything more to say, let him address you outside the chapel."

Mr. Holmes, having declined any further address to the people, left the chapel surrounded by the mob, who refrained from any act of personal violence, but saluted him with groans and execrations on his driving away.

The "Tablet" (Romish paper), of Saturday, January 22, quotes the same story from the "Dublin Evening Mail," and adds:

"Mr. Holmes has written to the 'Times,' to say, that this report is substantially correct."

INTELLIGENCE.

AYLESBURY.-It has been arranged that Mr. Lord will give a lecture to the friends of the Protestant cause in Aylesbury, Wednesday, Feb. 17.

CHATHAM.-Mr. Day has delivered a very interesting lecture here on the subject of "Life in a Convent." The attendance was exceedingly numerous.

NOTTINGHAM.-LECTURE BY JAMES LORD, ESQ.-On Wednesday evening last, James Lord, Esq., barrister-atlaw, delivered a lecture, at St. Mary's school-rooms in this town, on "The Position of Protestantism and Popery." The upper school-room was filled by a very attentive audience. The Rev. J. Brooks, Vicar of St. Mary's, presided; and was supported by the Revds.

T. B. Langley, W. G. Patchell, J. M'Kee, and R. P. Blakeney, and other gentlemen. The Meeting having been opened by singing and prayer, Mr. Lord, after expressing his pleasure at seeing so many of the Protestants of Nottingham, remarking that he had heard what they had done, and what they had suffered; said that he opposed, as a matter of duty, the principles of Roman Catholics, but had no hostility to them as individuals; that he had no doubt of their sincerity, but that was not a reason for not contending against errors; that the conscience might be dark, or it might be enlightened, right or wrong, according to the standard adopted, that the difference between the consciences of Protestants and Roman Catholics being, that the former were guided by the Scriptures, but the latter by tradition. If, he said, Protestants had sought to be better acquainted with their own principles and duties-if, in past times, they had sought more the salvation of Roman Catholics, and had persecuted them less, they should not now have the Roman Catholics occupying such a position, and able to contend with such a degree of success against them, as was now the case. (Hear, hear.) To prove his assertion that Roman Catholics had a different standard of faith from Protestants, Mr. Lord quoted, amongst others, from a tract published under the sanction of the "Catholic Institute of Great Britain," and called the "Catholic Scripture Catechism." The reply to the first question was, that the Catholic rule of faith was the revealed Word of God; but another answer stated that that Word consisted, not merely of the Holy Scriptures, but of the unwritten word of Divine tradition; and another declared both to be of equal authority. The same doctrine was found in "Dens' Theology." The reply to a question as to the obligation of reading the Scriptures was, that the clergy ought to read both the written and the unwritten daily, but that it was not obligatory upon the laity, it being sufficient for them to hear them read by the priests. And here Mr. Lord asked how they could get at the "unwritten word?" Again, it was asked whether it was lawful for the laity to read the Scriptures? and the

reply was, that it was lawful to read them in the originals, in the Latin Vulgate, or in approved modern versions, but with due submission to the interpretation of the Church. The Roman Catholic Church did not absolutely prohibit the use of the Scriptures; but its practice was to prevent it in Roman Catholic countries; while, as "Dens' Theology" expressed it, the priests were to give "a great degree of indulgence to Roman Catholics who live among heretics." The lecturer then laid down, as two grand points on which he based his opposition to Popery, that it was opposed to the spiritual interests of men, and therefore ought to be opposed by them as Christians; and that it was adverse to all that was free and excellent in their civil institutions, and therefore ought to be resisted by them as citizens. The lecturer proceeded to support these arguments by various quotations, of which we had intended to give a brief summary, but the late arrival of advertisements compels us to come abruptly to a close. At the close of the address, which was moderate in its tone, the thanks of the Meeting were given to Mr. Lord, on the motion of the Rev. W. G. Patchell, seconded by the Rev. W. Clementson; and to the Chairman, on the motion of the Rev. R. P. Blakeney, seconded by another gentleman, and the proceedings terminated with singing and a benediction.-Nottingham Mercury, Jan. 7.

NORWICH OPERATIVE PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.-The third of a course of lectures, given under the sanction of this Society, was delivered at the Assembly Rooms, Norwich, on Wednesday evening, the 29th December last, by the Rev. Richard Hart, B.A., Vicar of Catton, the subject being, "The English Church and Nation under Papal Supremacy." The Rev. Chas. Wm. Löhr, B.A., presided, and prayers being offered up by the Clerical Secretary, the Chairman briefly alluded to the object of the present lectures, namely, to show how intimately the prosperity and happiness of our political and social condition are connected with the maintenance of true religion amongst all classes of the community. The Rev. Lecturer came forward amid prolonged applause, and