selves to be fiddled out of our old English understanding and common sense?" But, perceiving that he was against the question, they soon coughed him down; and only one more speaker would they listen to; this was a bald-headed man,* who pleased them much by reminding them that there was once a lioness who used to suffer her keeper to go into her den whenever he pleased; from which circumstance he asserted it was proved that wild beasts were by nature friendly to mankind; and after dwelling most forcibly on this wondrous piece of disinterested hospitality, he added, "One good turn deserves another."

This was enough.—They were now ripe for emancipation; and strangers being ordered to withdraw, I was most happy to find it possible to obey the command, lest I should feel the fraternal hug of so many lions, tigers, bears, and leopards. Just as I was passing Allhallows Barking, I thought some one had conveyed the joyful result of the Meeting to the Tower; and the universal howl, growl, and scream of exultation emitted from the dens of the various animals, terrified me so greatly, that I awoke, and behold it was a dream.

POPERY AND PROPHECY,

BY THE REV. DR. M'CAUL.

IN Rome may be found, even now, the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. In the first place, Rome is answerable for all the Christian blood shed in wars, produced immediately by Papal pretension, or the maintenance of her religious supremacy. Since the day that the Seventh Gregory proclaimed himself arbiter of kingdoms, and donor of imperial and royal crowns, as well as head of the Universal Church, the stream of time flowed with Christian blood long before the Reformation. Germany and Italy witnessed the long-continued strife between rival emperors, and torrents of Christian blood poured forth by Christian hands at the bid

ding of a Christian pontiff. Since the Reformation, it has been Popery that armed Christian against Christian, and filled Germany, France, and the Netherlands with mourning, lamentation, and woe. Popish bigotry that forbad even a short repose, again disturbed the public tranquillity, and desolated Germany for thirty years, and moistened its fields with the tears and the blood of its children. These wars, necessarily flowing from Papal usurpations and corruptions, or immediately instigated by Papal or priestly authority, would in themselves go far to prove that in the history of Rome this prediction has been accomplished; but this indirect method of proof is unnecessary. The Church has not been content with mere wars, she has herself wielded the sword of the executioner, and with her own hand kindled the fire to consume the witnesses of the truth. Need I to remind you of that tribunal which, for six centuries, has been the scourge of mankind and the disgrace of Christendom, whose progress through the world has been marked by fire and by blood, or proclaimed by the groans of murdered martyrs? Need I to tell you, that by its diabolical agency the light of the Gospel was expelled from Italy and Spain and Portugal, and that the sacrifices which it offered were thousands of the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, of every age and sex and condition? Need I to relate how the Roman Church representative, in council assembled, consigned two ministers of the Gospel to the flames, under circumstances of aggravated atrocity? or how an hundred thousand persons in the Netherlands were murdered within the period of fifty years, for no other crime but the profession of the Gospel in its purity? Need I to speak of the devouring fire that consumed so many of our forefathers, or the infanticidal sword that deprived France of tens of thousands of her best and most devoted children. Nothing (says a layman)-nothing in the Mexican or Čarthaginian superstitions (the most execrable of the Heathen world) was ever more execrable than the persecutions exercised in Elizabeth's time, by the Romish

Church, wherever it was dominant. The cruelty of Nero towards the Christians was imitated in Paris, at the inauguration of Henri II., as a part of the solemnity and of the rejoicings. Protestants were fastened to the stake in the principal streets, and the piles were kindled at such times that the king might see the martyrs enveloped by the flames in their full force at the moment when he should pass. The massacre of St. Bartholomew's-day completed the crimes of that guilty city, and made the perfidy of the Romish Church as notorious as its corruption and its inhumanity. The head of Coligny, after having been presented to the king and the queen-mother, was embalmed and sent to Rome, that the Cardinal of Lorraine and the Pope might have the satisfaction of beholding it. Public rejoicings were made at Rome for this cursed event, a solemn service of thanksgiving performed, at which the Pope himself assisted. Happy should we be to be able to say that the cruelty of Romanism held its last festival, but the massacre of 1641-the inhuman persecution of the Hugonots in France, testify that, in the seventeenth century, the Roman thirst for the blood of the saints was not yet slaked; and the similar persecutions of Protestants in Hungary, Silesia, Saltzburg, bring us down to the beginning of the nineteenth century, and prove not only that the prediction of St. John contains nothing impossible, but that it is fearfully and literally true that a society calling itself the only true and Catholic Church-the mother and mistress of all Christians-has rivalled in cruelty the disciples of the ancient Heathen superstitions, persisted for centuries in the murderous persecution of the disciples of Christ, until, as the Scripture expresses it, it has become "drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus."

APPALLING NARRATIVE. A BOOK has just issued from the American press, entitled, "Auricular Confession, and Popish Nunneries;" the author is William Hogan, Esq.,

a member of the American bar, formerly a Roman Catholic Priest. He commences his pamphlet by a statement of the causes that made him doubt the infallibility of the Roman Catholic Church, and speaks thus :

"I have often been asked, Why did you leave the Roman Catholic Church? However painful the relation, however heavy the narrative may fall upon Roman Priests, and Bishops, and disreputable to nuns and nunneries, I will answer the question frankly. Several causes induced me to doubt the infallibility of the Romish Church, and to renounce its ministry altogether. Amongst the first was the following:

"When quite young, and but just emerged from childhood, I became acquainted with a Protestant family living in the neighbourhood of my birth-place. It consisted of a mother (a widow lady) and three interesting children, two sons and one daughter. The mother was a widow of great beauty and rare accomplishments. The husband, who had but recently died, one of the many victims of what is falsely called honour, left her as he found her, in the possession of a large fortune, and, as far as worldly goods could make her so, in the enjoyment of perfect happiness. But his premature death threw a gloom over her future life, which neither riches nor wealth, nor all worldly comforts combined, could effectually dissipate. Her only pleasure seemed to be placed in that of her children. They appeared, and I believe they were, the centre and circumference of her earthly happiness.

"In the course of time the sons grew up, and their guardians purchased for both, in compliance with their wishes, and to gratify their youthful ambition, commissions in the army. The parting of these children, the breaking up of this fond trio of brothers and sister, was to the widowed mother another source of grief, and tended to concentrate, if possible, more closely all the fond affections of the mother upon her daughter. She became the joy of her heart. Her education was an object of great solicitude; and having a fortune at her command, no

expense was spared to render it suitable for that station in life in which her high connexions entitled her to move when she should become of age. The whole family were members of the Protestant Church, as the Episcopal Church is called in that country. As soon as the sons left home to join their regiments, which were then on the Continent, the mother and daughter were much alone; so much so, that the fond mother soon discovered that her too great affection for her child, and the indulgence given to her, were rather impeding than otherwise her education. She accordingly determined to remove her governess, who, up to this period, was her sole instructress, under the watchful eye of the fond and accomplished mother herself, and send her to a fashionable school for young ladies. There was then in the neighbourhood, only about twenty miles from this family, a nunnery of the order of the Jesuits. To this nunnery was attached a school, superintended by nuns of that order. The school was one of the most fashionable in the country; the nuns who presided over it were said to be the most accomplished teachers in Europe. The expenses of an education in it were extravagantly high, but not be yond the reach of wealth and fashion. The mother, though a Protestant, and strict and conscientious in the discharge of all the duties of her Church, and not without a struggle in parting with her child and consigning her to the charge of Jesuits, yielded in this case to the malign influence of fashion, as many a fond mother does, even in this our own land, of equal and far-famed, though mock equality, and sent her beautiful daughter, her earthly idol, to the school of these nuns. Let the result speak for itself.

"Soon after the daughter was sent to school, I entered the College of Maynooth as a theological student; and in due time was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest, by particular dispensation, being two years under the canonical age. An interval of some years passed before I had an opportunity of meeting my young friend again; our interview was un

der peculiar circumstances. I was ordained a Romish Priest, and located where she happened to be on a visit. There was a large party given, at which, among many others, I happened to be present; and there meeting with my friend, and interchanging the usual courtesies upon such occasions, she-sportively, as I then imagined-asked me whether I would preach her reception sermon, as she intended becoming a nun, and taking the white veil. Not even dreaming of such an event, I replied in the affirmative. I heard no more of the affair for about two months, when I received a note from her designating the chapel, the day and the hour she expected me to preach. I was then but a short time in the ministry, but sufficiently long to know that up to the hour of my commencing to read Popish theology, especially that of Dens and Antoine de Peccatis, I knew nothing of the iniquities taught and practised by Romish priests and bishops. On the receipt of my friend's note, a cold chill crept over me; I anticipated, I trembled; I felt there must be foul play somewhere. However, I went according to promise, preached her reception sermon at the request of the young lady, and with the special approbation of the bishop, whom I had to consult on such occasions. The concourse of people

that assembled on this occasion was very great. The interest created by the apparent voluntary retirement from the world of one so young, so wealthy, and so beautiful, was intense, and accordingly the chapel in which I preached was filled to overflowing, with the nobility and fashionables of that section of the country. Many were the tears that were shed, when this beautiful young lady cut off her rich and flowing tresses of hair.

"Having no clerical connexion with the convent in which she was immured, I had not seen her for three months following. At the expiration of that time, one of the lay-sisters of the convent delivered to me a note. I knew it contained something startling. These lay-sisters among Jesuits are spies belonging to that order, but are sometimes bribed by the nuns for certain purposes. As soon as I

reached my apartments, I found that my young friend expressed a wish to see me on something important. I, of course, lost no time in calling on her, and, being a priest, I was immediately admitted; but never have I forgot, nor can I forget the melancholy picture of lost beauty and fallen humanity, which met my astonished gaze, in the person of my once beautiful and virtuous friend. I had been then about eighteen months a Romish priest, and was not without some knowledge of their lives; and, therefore, I was the better prepared for, and could more easily anticipate, what was to come.

"I sent for you, my friend, to see you once more, before my death. I have insulted my God, and disgraced my family. I am in the family way, and I must die!!' After a good deal of conversation, which it is needless to repeat, I discovered from her confession the parent of this pregnancy, and that the Mother Abbess of the convent advised her to take medicine which would effect abortion; but that she knew from the lay-sister who delivered me the note, and who was a confidential servant in the convent, that the medicine which the Mother Abbess would give her would contain poison, and that the procuring abortion was a mere pretext. I gave her such advice as I could in the capacity of a Romish priest. I advised her to send for the bishop. I cannot do it,' said she, my destroyer is my confessor.' I was silent. I had no more to say. I was bound by oath to be true to him. I was one of the priests of the infallible Church, and what was honour, what was honesty to me, where the honour of this infallible Church was concerned? I retired, leaving my friend to her fate, but promising, at her request, to return in a fortnight. According to promise, I did return in a fortnight, but the foul deed was done. She was no more!"

A GOOD RESOLUTION. WALKING down Snow-hill, on my way home on Saturday night, lately, as I came near two apparently working men who were standing together,

I indistinctly heard one of them speak, but not plain enough to understand him; and just as I was passing them, the other replied in a very energetic manner,-"No, I shan't,I go to Christ's Church now, and I'm the better all the week for it." The determined tone of his refusal, and the heartiness of his acknowledgment, delighted me, and "out of the abundance of my heart," I exclaimed, "Thank God for that!" What the proposition was, of course, I know not; but from the answer it is clear it was some scheme for the next day, and it is also pretty evident that they had before been companions in a similar matter, or so much stress would not have been laid upon the word now: probably he wished him to attend a lecture at the "Chartist Church," or Socialist Meeting; or it might be to hear read the trash which issues from the "Sunday Press," contaminating the minds of our more ignorant fellow-countrymen. Whatever it was, I am satisfied it was something highly improper to be done upon the Lord's-day, and I felt cheered and thankful to find that in the ranks of our poorer townsmen who at this time are being worked upon by every artifice which misjudging, ambitious, and wicked men can invent, that even here, where “Infidelity comes in like a flood, the Spirit of God lifts up a standard against it." Oh! it is pleasing to hope that he who had experienced so much benefit from attending "Christ's Church" himself, persuaded his companion to try,-pleasing to hope that they "took sweet counsel together, and went unto the house of God as friends;" that the Holy Spirit would bless the service, so that this poor man may have been an instrument in his Maker's hands of "saving a soul from death, and covering a multitude of sins." May he now be a regular devout worshipper in "Christ's Church,"-may he feel that "religion's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;" and, after every attendance in God's house of prayer, may he gratefully acknowledge that he "is the better all the week for it."

Happy would it be for England if all her children felt the value of frequent

MISCELLANEOUS.

THE NEW CHURCH AT RAMSGATE.The foundation-stone of the proposed new church at Ramsgate, was laid on Thursday, 13th ultimo, by J.P. Plumptre, Esq., M.P., in the presence of a numerous concourse of people. Mr. Plumptre, having, with Sir Brooke Bridges, Bart., Rev. C. Plumptre, and other members, arrived at` the ground, proceeded to address the Meeting. Preparations were then made for lowering the stone to its proper place, where it was duly fixed by the Hon. Member for East Kent. Prayer was then offered up by the Rev. J. Bates, of Dover, for the Divine blessing, and an appropriate hymn was sung. Mr. Plumptre, then again addressed the Assembly, congratulating them upon their having made the effort, and having been so far successful. "The feelings," he observed, "with which his own bosom was filled, were those of gratitude for the past, and hope for the future. If they had been laying the foundation-stone of an hospital where the temporal wants and the bodily ailments of their fellow-creatures were to be attended to, their maladies relieved or their sufferings alleviated, it would be a cause for the hearts of the philanthropic to rejoice. How much more then, when it was intended to build a house from which spiritual blessings and comfort might be supplied to the surrounding district. Here, he trusted, the doctrines of salvation by faith in a crucified Redeemer would be preached faithfully and fully without reserve, and he trusted also, that those who with him would be called on to exercise

the important office of trustees, would be enabled to select from time to time, those who would not sign the articles in a non-natural sense, but men of honest and sincere minds, knowing and loving "the truth as it is in Jesus," and rejoicing to proclaim to others the glad tidings of salva

tion.

CABINET.

FOR a man to understand fully the business of his particular calling, and of his religion, is usually enough to take up his whole time.-Locke.

BLESSED ARE THE DEAD.—The world say, blessed are the living, but God says, blessed are the dead. The world judges of things as they appear outwardly to men; God judges of things by what they really are in themselves, he looks at things in their real colour and magnitude. The world look upon young people coming out like a fresh blooming flower in the morning, their cheeks covered with the bloom of health, their step bounding with the elasticity of youth, riches and luxuries at their command, long bright summer days before them, the world says, "There is a happy soul." God takes us into the darkened room where some child of God lately dwelt. He points to the pale face where death sits enthroned the cheek wasted by long disease-the eye glazed in death-the stiff hands clasped over the bosom-the friends standing weeping around-and he whispers in our ears, "Blessed are the dead." Whether does God or the world know best? But there is no blessing on the Christless dead; they rush into an undone eternity, unpardoned, unholy. You may put their body in a splendid coffin; you may print their name in silver on the lid; you may bring the well-attired company of mourners to the funeral in suits of solemn black; you may lay the coffin slowly in the grave; you may spread the greenest sod over it;, you may train the sweetest flowers to grow over it; you may cut a white stone and grave a gentle epitaph to their memory; still it is but the funeral of a damned soul. You cannot write blessed where God