pretend to have been made on this subject, and by which, we suppose, the promoters of the scheme in question must be really influenced, we consider them as the old wives' fables' of which St. Paul speaks, and upon which, as rulers in the Church, we can neither consistently nor canonically allow public devotions to be grounded. We are well aware that prophecy, like the other miraculous gifts, has at all times existed in the Church; and had the prophecies in question been canonically investigated and pronounced genuine by the competent authorities, we should have given our assent to them as founded upon the strongest human probabilities; but to give credit to them on mere hearsay evidence, we consider imprudent, and to found upon such hearsay evidence, public practices of religion, we consider superstitious.

66 SEC. 6.-[If others, invested with the same authority as ourselves, think proper to act differently, (No. 16) we take it for granted that they have reasons, which we have not, for believing the object prayed for to be within the range of moral possibilities; or that they are not acquainted with the reasons, which we have, for believing that object to be as morally impossible as the return of the negro's skin to its antediluvian whiteness. (No. 17.) So far, therefore, from approving this novel and extraordinary project, we disapprove it, and strictly forbid any of our clergy to offer up publicly in their Churches or Chapels the weekly prayers above mentioned. (No. 18.)] At the same time, wę earnestly exhort them to pray, as has been customary, for all spiritual and temporal blessings in favour of our country, and for the conversion of such erring souls, as God in his mercy, may be pleased so to favour, and of whom, we doubt not, there will be a great and continually increasing number.

"There is another object which we recommend, dearly Beloved, to your particular attention, and for which we have the highest authority. A vast harvest lies open before us in this extensive district, but labourers are wanting to gather it: 'Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his

imploring on Thursdays, the mercy of God in favour of England. The universal favour which these prayers obtained, and their prodigious diffusion encouraged by bishops, might be considered as an earnest of their efficacy. And, after all, who says that such a mercy has not been in other cases implored by the Church?"

"CHARGES. No. 16.-He alludes to Dr. Walsh, who in his District has authorized and ordered the prayers for the conversion of England."

"No. 17.-Let each one consider how far this is edifying in a Pastoral, and whether it be consonant with the divine mercy."

"No. 18.—And thus he disapproves and condemns what the Holy See encouraged and commended."

harvest.' (Luke x. 4.) [It has ever been the plan of divine providence to call unbelievers to the faith through the ministry of apostolic teachers. (How shall they believe Him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they preach unless they be sent?') If, then, our countrymen are to be converted, preachers must be provided. And how are they to be provided? Undoubtedly as they have been in every age, by the charity or voluntary contributions of the faithful. (No. 19)] On this resource did our Blessed Saviour himself and his apostles depend for their support; so that it may truly be said, that the Christian religion is founded upon charity, and owes its progress amongst unbelievers to the grateful liberality of those who, through the mercy of God, already believe. Pray then the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest ;'-[and, to prove that your prayers are sincere, enter zealously into the plans which your pastors are establishing for raising funds for the education and support of Catholic Clergy.]

6

6

"This species of charity, the most meritorious,' as you have often been told, of all others,' because productive of the greatest public blessings, will be most acceptable to God at all times, but particularly at the present, when the Church commands you to join your brethren throughout the world in propitiating God by a solemn fast; 'for prayer (says au inspired authority) is good with fasting and alms, more than to lay up treasures of gold; for alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.' (Tobias xii. 8, 9.)

"In the full confidence that you will thus make up for your inability to comply with the whole canonical rigours of this holy fast, we hereby grant you the following dispensations for the ensuing Lent:

"1. Flesh meat is allowed on all Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, beginning with the First Sunday of Lent, and ending with Palm Sunday inclusively; Tuesdays and Thursdays at dinner only.

"2. Eggs are allowed every day, except Ash-Wednesday and the four last days of Holy Week. On week days at dinner only.

"3. Cheese is allowed on all days except on Ash-Wednesday and Good Friday; on week days at dinner only. Eggs and cheese, when allowed at dinner, may be used at other hours of the day by those who are not obliged to fast.

"[We earnestly exhort you, beloved Brethren and Children that you cease not to offer up fervent prayers for our beloved

"CHARGES. No. 19.-He would not authorize the collection for the Propagation of the Faith; he even opposed it; and now he positively demands one for his own Clergy.

Queen, that God may crown her with all blessings spiritual and temporal; and as her recent union with the Prince Albert makes her happiness dependent on his, we enjoin that the name of his Royal Highness be added to that of her Majesty in the prayer usually added to the Post-communion, of which we subjoin a form:-(No. 20.)]

"The grace of God be with you all, Brethren. AMEN. "PETER AUGUSTINE, Bishop of Siga, V.A. W., &c.

66

"Prior Park, 24th Feb., 1840.

"Oratio Post-communioni addenda.-Et famulos tuos Gregorium Papam, Petrum antistitem nostrum, Victoriam Reginam nostram, cum Alberto consorte, cum domo regia, cum populo et exercitu ipsi commissis, ab omni adversitate custodi; pacem tuam nostris concede temporibus, et ab Ecclesia tua cunctam repelle iniquitate. Per Dominum, &c."

"TO THE MOST EMINENT AND MOST REVEREND PRINCE, CARDINAL FRANSONI, PREFECT OF THE SACRED CONGREGATION DE PROPAGANDA FIDE, &c. &c. &c.

"Most Eminent and Most Reverend Prince,-Having been called upon by your Eminence to give an account of my late Lenten Pastoral, which, it seems, has been denounced to the Sacred Congregation, as a work highly censurable, I readily comply with your Eminence's commands, and will first give a history of the circumstances which led to the composition of the said Pastoral, and then add a brief reply to the particular objections which have been brought against it.

"The twelve months which preceded the publication of the Pastoral, had been a period of great anxiety and alarm in England. A spirit of disaffection to the government, and even to the civil constitution of the country, had begun to manifest itself amongst the lower orders of the people. Private associations, bound together by secret oaths, were beginning to be formed in many of the great towns, and it was not without the greatest exertions, on the part of the Bishops and Clergy, that the Catholics were withheld or withdrawn from these dangerous and illegal confederations. At last the latent dissatisfaction broke out into open resistence, and rebellion took place, which was happily suppressed, though not without the shedding of blood, and the excitement of a general alarm throughout the country. It was a subject of peculiar gratification to me, as well as highly creditable to the Catholic religion, that, though the revolt took place in a part of the Western District,* where

"CHARGES. No. 20.—Of the Sovereign Pontiff, of the Catholic Church, not a word; and, therefore, the converts say, that the only object of his solicitude was to obtain the favour of the government and of the Protestants." * South Wales.

there were many thousands of poor Irish and some other Catholics, not one was found to have joined the rebels, whilst many subjected themselves to serious losses and dangers in their heroic abstinence from evil doing.

"This happy result was chiefly owing to the unremitting exertions of the Catholic clergy, who inculcated upon their flocks the Christian duty of submission, and discouraged amongst them all harsh and irritating topics, whether of a civil or religious character. I was anxious, both for the consolation of the Catholics and the information of the Protestants, to bring this important fact before the public, in a way which would explain to the nation the principles on which the Catholic bishops act in the government of their flocks, and make them understand that, whilst we are not blind to the abuses and errors of the government, we are firm and immoveable in our determination to support the lawful authorities, and to resist all attempts that may be made to draw our flocks into acts of violence.

"The annual Pastoral afforded me an opportunity of accomplishing these objects in a quiet and unostentatious way; and I am happy to find that it has given the satisfaction I anticipated, both to Catholics and Protestants.

"It is evident, that if ever there was a time when it behoved the Catholic body to conduct themselves peaceably and to avoid all suspicion, either of being leagued with the disaffected, or of wishing the overthrow of the national institutions, it was the present moment. The alarm which prevailed among the Anglican clergy and their friends, lest Catholic emancipation should lead to the overthrow of the Anglican establishment, afforded another motive, which rendered it particularly desirable that all indelicate triumphs and public boasting should be refrained from by the Catholics, and that a quiet and conciliatory tone should be used by them in all their communications with Protestants. Unfortunately this was not the view taken of these matters by a portion of the Catholic body.

"Elated by the advantage gained by the Act of Emancipation, and misled by the rapid influx of Irish labourers, who every where swelled the numbers of the Catholic congregations, and rendered necessary the erection of churches of larger dimensions, they seemed to consider the Catholic cause as already triumphant-proclaimed aloud the rapid increase of the Catholic population-exaggerated beyond measure the number of the converts that were made-boasted that in a short time the Catholic religion would become dominant in England-and that the Anglican establishment, which they assailed with every species of vulgar and opprobrious epithets, would be presently swept away.

"As an earnest that these acts and predictions were sincere, a priest of high distinction for his Protestant family connexions and his great personal merits, undertook, with surprising energy and perseverance, to induce the Catholic body, not only in Great Britain but all over the Continent, to assist, by public prayers, in the conversion of England, which he described as an event already far advanced, and likely soon to be accomplished. Though the project was disapproved and discountenanced by three out of the four Vicars Apostolic, as likely to give unnecessary offence, and to excite erroneous impressions respecting the views and feelings of the Catholic body; and though the individual above-mentioned was repeatedly urged to desist from his pious but ill-timed project, he still continued to pursue it with fresh ardour, encouraged by the approbation of many foreign bishops, who were entirely mistaken as to facts, or wholly ignorant of the peculiar circumstances in which England was placed. The consequences were such as the Vicars Apostolic had forseen. The English Protestants, knowing that all such public prayers, when used by the Church of England, had been ordained for political purposes, viz. to inflame the nation against the Catholics, did not doubt that the public prayers now proposed by the Catholics proceeded from similar motives.

"Hence the animosity of the Anglican party, already irritated and alarmed by Catholic Emancipation, was roused to the highest pitch, and a determined opposition was universally resolved upon.

"Associations* were formed all over the kingdom, for the express purpose of resisting the Catholics, and of rendering their religion and person odious; moneys to a large amount were annually collected, to pay for the writing and publication of anti-Catholic works, and a body of men, distinguished for their facility in public speaking, was organized as a standing polemical army.

"Whenever a public discussion was accepted or provoked by the Catholics, this body of men was sent to assist the Protestant disputants, and when they had no other occupation, they employed themselves in perambulating the country in every direction, challenging the Catholic clergy and vilifying their religion. The condition of the Catholic body became every day more and more critical. Calumnies, which had begun to be disbelieved, were revived, and the danger seemed manifest, lest, in the event of any national convulsion, the Catholic party, rendered universally odious, might be sacrificed to popular frenzy.

The "Protestant Associations."