you convince me from the Bible that God commands that homage to be paid, be the consequences ever so painful, I dare not do it."

Having spoken these words, she stood with her eyes cast down, dreading every moment an exclamation of anger.

Father Joachim, however, only sighed, then walked to the window, where for some moments he remained absorbed in thought.

"Ah, honoured, blessed, though forgotten spirit," exclaimed he at last, "happy that thy days were cut short, and thine heart spared the bitter anguish one parent at least must suffer."

"What anguish, Father?" said Clara, gently.

"Even that most bitter of all, hearing such sentiments uttered by a beloved and only daughter."

"If I have erred, convince me of my error from the Word of God, and I will willingly acknowledge and gratefully thank you; but whilst the Bible declares there is but one mediator between God and man, I dare not bow to Mary."

"Whence have you obtained the Bible which tells you this?"

"I did not say I had obtained the Bible," replied Clara, blushing deeply, conscious that she was concealing part of the truth.

"How then have you obtained so great a knowledge of those Scriptures which, unlearned and ignorant as you are, you thus indeed wrest to your own destruction?"

"Have you forgotten the influence to which I was exposed when a child?"

"No, Clara," said the Father, sternly; "but I begin to suspect that influence has again been employed. Beware, I charge you, beware; for if you obstinately persist in error, after the warnings I have already given you, not even your father's arm will shield you from my just displeasure."

"I fear not threats," exclaimed Clara, proudly, "they may terrify, but cannot convince. Nay, should you resort to extremities, you may find a martyr spirit where you least expect it, though your anger and that of my ever-honoured parent would form the bitterest ingredient in the cup of martyrdom."

"Why then provoke that displeasure? have we proved ourselves unworthy of your confidence, that you thus cast off the guides of your youth, and rashly trust to your own judgment? Return, I entreat you, to the paths of peace, and wound not, by this sinful rebellion, the heart of your truest friend."

Softened by a kindness then so little expected, Clara bent her knee and entreated pardon for any wrong spirit she had displayed, but at the same time entreated him to satisfy her doubts.

"If you mean doubts respecting the worship paid to our Blessed Lady, though you might rely on my assertion, and the authority of the Church, I will further satisfy your mind by passages from Scripture; but not now, daughter, you are agitated, and cannot reason. Retire for the present, and let me see you soon at the confessional."

Clara replied not, as she slowly retired to her own room, to review the past and decide, if possible, on the course she should adopt for the future. In the midst of much perplexity and many contending feelings, her agitated spirit only found relief from applying to that throne

of grace where none who go in sincerity of heart return unblessed. She was convinced that if the Bible she had lately studied so deeply were true, the doctrines taught by her Church were false, for that Church preached another Gospel, and another Jesus, than the Bible preached. Her chief doubt was, whether the version received from Pierre were correct; for upon the correctness of that version rested all she now held dear for eternity. But how could she ascertain this? to whom could she apply for advice? to whom could she intrust her secret? Her brother would return in a few days;—should she apply to him? should she ask his advice? would he not condemn her as well as others? could she bear his looks of anger, his words of reproach? Yes, then she thought she could bear all rather than lose the glorious hope revealed in her Bible, rather than again be enveloped in the thick darkness, the spiritual night, whose gloom had so lately fled at the dawn of a brighter day.

(To be continued in our next.)

ADDRESS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE DUBLIN PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION AND REFORMATION SOCIETY, TO THE PROTESTANT YOUNG MEN OF IRELAND.

White-friars Hall, Dublin.

BELOVED BRETHREN,-The thoughts of our Association have been for a long time fixed upon you.

We may venture to style you, under God, the hope of Ireland.

On the part which you may now act, will in a great measure depend the safety and happiness of your country, the welfare and prosperity of the British nation.

If you be true to the principles of Protestantism, inexpressibly great will be the benefit to the land of your birth and of your affections; if you shrink from these principles, neglect or surrender them, fearful will be the yoke of bondage you will lay up for posterity, miserable the legacy you will bequeath to your children, dreadful the degradation you will entail upon your country.

We confess to you, friends and brethren, that, gloomy as the times are, threatening as is the aspect of affairs, cloudy as the horizon of Protestantism appears to be, the reflection that you, the young Protestants of Ireland, have been brought up in Scriptural principles, have imbibed a love for Protestant truth, which we trust has grown with your growth and strengthened with your strength, added to the fact, that in your time God has been pleased to develop in a very striking degree the monstrosities of the Romish Church, and to exhibit it not only as a false and treacherous system, but also as one totally unable to make even the appearance of defence, when it is impeached and branded as idolatrous and pernicious-we say the consideration of these two great facts, causes us to lift up our hearts in thankfulness to Almighty God, and fills us with hope and confidence that our country will yet take her place among the nations of the

earth, when all her inhabitants will drink of the water of life freely, when the shackles of Papal bondage and the fetters of Papal priestcraft shall be amongst the things that were, and the anathemas from Popish altars, and the mysteries of semi-pagan rites, be superseded by the silver voice of the Gospel trumpet, and the sweet incense of praise and adoration to that God, who, being a Spirit, must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

It is for you to determine, Protestant young men of Ireland, what part you will take in bringing about so glorious a consummation; it is for your consideration we submit the following ideas.

The promotion of Protestant principles ensures the happiness of the nation; the maintenance of Popish principles leads to its misery and degradation.

God's people of old were blessed by him, and prosperous beyond example when they were faithful and obedient to his Word; when they departed therefrom, bitter was the cup of miseries they were compelled to drain even to the dregs.

The times have changed since then; that race of people is now a by-word and a scorn for their continued rebellion against God, but, though the times have changed, God has not, and, in his sight, a thousand years are but as one day; he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; heaven and earth may pass away, but one jot or one tittle of his Word will not pass away till all be fulfilled. Therefore, let no one confine to the Mosaic dispensation the fulfilment of the promises of Jehovah, of blessings for obedience to him, of curses for disobedience.

As a practical illustration of this, we need only refer to the history of Britain and to our own country. When Britain stood up for Protestantism, she was an exalted nation; when she pandered to Popery, she was smitten by the sword, by fire, and by pestilence, and she became weak, distracted, and oppressed. Look now to Ireland; she is proverbial for being the abode of every scene of misery and degradation that can be imagined. "The evils of Ireland". -"the miseries of Ireland"—" the wretched state of Ireland "-" the deplorable condition of Ireland"—these are the phrases which appear conspicuously in newspapers; they are the sounds that have filled the Palace and the Parliament; they form the great question of the day, and are the source of perplexity, confusion, and difficulty to cabinets and statesmen, to legislators and professors, to the writers for the press, and the managers of public institutions. Has this "great fact" arisen without a cause? is our country a proverb for misery, without any guilt on her part? The answer to this is simple. Ireland is not, in the full sense of the word, a Protestant country. The prevalence of Popery within her, shutting out the light of God's truth, and bewitching the people with delusions and sorceries-this it is which has kept them dark and besotted, which prevents the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, with healing on his wings, from arising upon Ireland, from enlightening her sons, and elevating them to the dignity of true freemen-namely, to the dignity of those whom the truth makes free. It is the yoke of Popery on her neck which makes Ireland a land of slaves, of destitution, and of sorrow; it is the truth of God which

alone can break that yoke in pieces, render her a nation of freemen, and point out to her the way to exaltation and happiness.

The promotion of Protestant principles, then, is the grand secret, oh, let it be a secret no longer!—rather let us say, the mighty lever, whereby Ireland may be raised from the valley of humiliation to the mount of prosperity and freedom.

We have been constantly engaged in submitting to statesmen and senators these views; we have laid them before the dignitaries and clergy of the Church; we have impressed them upon public attention, as far as it was in our power. But now we turn to you, Protestant young men of Ireland; we turn to you with hope and confidence; we turn to you with a strong desire to enlist you under the banner of our invincible Protestantism; we turn to you with glowing anticipations of the triumphs which we will gain-of the privileges which we will secure—if you will only do your duty; and we would add, that Ireland expects that every one of you will do his duty, and we trust that your duty you will do.

We call upon you, then, beloved brethren, to rally with us for old Ireland-for the land of Patrick and of the saints-for the land that resisted "the Pope of Rome and all his abominable tyranny," when almost the whole world was subject to his sway-for the land whose bishops and clergy held out so long against the Man of Sin, and so soon released themselves from his blood-stained iron grasp; rally with us, we say, for Ireland, and rally with us for Protestantism, which can alone make her "great, glorious, and free!"

But in what manner should you rally with us? We shall tell you. Recollect that the breaches which were made in the constitution, both before and after the Act of 1829, admitted Papists and Infidels to the position of Legislators both for Church and State, and placed them on an eminence with Christian men. The principle at first was considered not a dangerous one; but experience proves that when the flood-gates of falsehood have been once opened, its polluted, corrupting, and desolating streams rush out in impetuous fury over the country, and that any barriers that may be erected to stop its desolating progress will be swept away by the torrent, until the flood-gates be closed again.

Protestant brethren! we are for closing and sealing up the floodgates of Popery for ever. We are for stopping up the breaches that have been made in the constitution of Britain. We are for the expulsion of the Papist and Infidel from Government, from Parliament, from the Executive-from the work of legislation and from the administration of law. We are for the total withdrawal of all support or countenance from any church, college, or institution where falsehood and idolatry are taught. And we are-as the crowning of this our code of negative principles-we are for the erection of the Christian standard in the palace of the Queen, and on the dome of St. Stephen's. We are for Christian Parliaments and Christian laws. We are for the appointment of faithful Christian bishops and Christian instructors of the people, in churches and in schools, where the Word of God should be preached and taught. We require laws for having the truth proclaimed on the highways and byways of our country. We require

government protection for the ambassadors who proclaim this truth; and, in a word, we require a course of legislation which will, under God, be instrumental in causing the regeneration and conversion of Ireland.

It is plain that it is by no victory on the battle-field, no matter how glorious, that such results as these can be secured. The sword, or the musket, or the cannon, cannot fill up the gap that Protestant inconsistency and unfaithfulness have made in the fortress of our liberties. No! the battle-field on which you and we must fight is our countrythe warfare which we will carry a bloodless one. To testify against everything that is false and wrong; to demand everything that is Scriptural and right; this is our business, our duty, our struggle. Our weapon shall be the Word of God, sharper than any two-edged sword, and mighty, through God, to the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan; reason, by which the truths of that Word may be applied to the heart and conscience; and an enlightened public opinion, carrying into practical operation those truths of which the reason and judgment have become convinced. With these we see victory before us; for Ireland we see peace and prosperity.

You can rally, then, with us, by sending forward your petitions and remonstrances to those in high places; and you can rally with us, when you have entered your closet and shut the door, to plead mightily with Jehovah, and, as Abraham of old, to implore him to save the city."

66

You can enlist yourselves in our body, or in other kindred bodies, and you can lift up our hands when they are drooping, and strengthen our knees when they are feeble. You can exalt the Word of God over principalities and powers; and you must be prepared to die rather than surrender. Your crown will then be not of the earthly laurel which soon withers, but it will be an incorruptible crown of glory which fadeth not away, and which the King himself will place upon your martyr-brows.

Up, then, Protestant youths of Ireland, from your slumber! Fling off apathy and despair for ever. Gird yourselves for a warfare the highest, the noblest, the most pregnant with glorious results that a people or a body could be engaged in. Be valiant, be patient, be enduring, cool, firm, and invincible; and remember, that it is at the side of the Lord you stand, and that it is his quarrel you have espoused. In his own time he will give you the victory. Every blessing which you enjoy, every privilege which you possess, every liberty which has been handed down to you, every talent with which you have been intrusted—all, all, have come to you, and you are responsible for their use, as gifts from God, not for your own amusement or pleasure, but for the promotion of his cause, the advancement of his glory. Α nobler cause than this exists not. Happy Protestants, if you engage in it heart and soul! Then will your country be exalted and enriched; then will Ireland at last be a nation. To you, Protestant young men of Ireland, is now given the more than golden opportunity of serving your country and mankind. If you hesitate, it may pass away for ever; if you embrace it, you will be patriots indeed. Be united as one man; be untiring students of the book of wisdom; per