anathematized along with me for the second time at the Diet of Worms, and though the persecutors did not shed my blood, still there was no lack of thorough eagerness and incessant deadly hate in their hearts towards me." And but a short time before the days of Luther, there was a very common proverb in the mouths of people, when they met together and entered into friendly discourse. The question used to be asked, "What sort of a life do you now lead?" and the answer usually was; "We have no kind of enjoyment on account of the priests!" in consequence of the Papal and priestly tyranny of the middle ages. The monk, Sigebert, of Glemblach, attacked such doings in his chronicle of the year 1088. This good man was a friar of the cluniac order, next Bishop of Ostia, and lastly, Pontiff. He considered the custom of excommunicating to be a novelty and heresy after the fashion then adopted by the ecclesiastics. Under the name and appearance of the Church of Christ, an organized political machine had been invented, fully answering to the portentous prophecies to be found in the Book of Daniel, in the Gospel, in the epistles of the New Testament, and the Revelations. There were learned and pious individuals, who both sorrowed and protested on account of the bondage under which they were ground. One of the most famous was known universally under the name of William Occam, about the year, 1320; another, and an immortal name, our own country furnishes in Wycliffe, who in the year 1372, denied the Pontiff's authority, and ridiculed his triple golden crown. But Occam published a book, bearing the title "De summi Pontificis potestate," in which he argued against the long received imposition.

For the bold defence which Luther made in behalf of the Bohemian martyrs, he was attacked in a Papal bull, and amongst the condemned opinions, the following is named in the thirtieth article, as follows;-"Some of the articles of John Huss, condemned at Constance, are most thoroughly Christian, most true, and altogether agreeable to the Gospel, and which

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the whole united Church would in vain attempt to condemn." Upon this, the Reformer observes, that John Huss denies not the Pontiff to be Primate over the whole world; but he nevertheless insists that a wicked Pontiff cannot be a member of the holy Church, although the world must submit to him for a tyrant; for all the members of the holy Church must either be, or become holy. Were, however, St. Peter, at this very day, to be seated at Rome, Luther would nevertheless deny him the title of Pope, over all other bishops, as founded upon the Divine appointment. He declares the Papacy to be a human invention; that inspiration speaks not a word in its favour; that all Churches are equal; and that their unity is not resting on the supremacy of this one Church, but upon one faith, one baptism," &c.; Eph. iv. 5. Luther speaks again of the Papal condemnation contained in the thirty-third article, where he is blamed for holding that "the burning of heretics is opposed to the will of the Holy Spirit.' Luther appeals to facts, experience, and Church history, in vindication of the truth of his opinion. He challenges one example of the burning of an heretic in the beginning of Christianity; and avers that the early Christians never could have burnt one amongst the various existing heretics; who abounded in ancient times. Luther cites the language of the Papal historians, which states, that whenever a pontiff or a bishop turned heretic, such were deposed, but never burnt. He appeals to ecclesiastical law, that very law which proves this statement, and was regarded as an inspired written document from the Holy Spirit. And, thirdly, Luther defies a single proof for the justification of the practice to be adduced from Scripture, or the will of the Holy Spirit. The Reformer thus writes in continuation : "But they say that John Huss and Jerome of Prague were burnt at Constance. I answer, that I was speaking of heretics. John Huss and Jerome, two pious Christians, were burnt by heretics,' faithless Papists, for the truth of the Gospel, as I have ever said; and according to this ex

ample, the Pope and his inquisitors have burnt several more pious Christians in other places, and fulfilled the prophecies referring to Antichrist. In the same spirit, Alexander VI. caused that pious man, Jerome Savonorola, to be burnt at Florence; that friar of the oratory died in company with his brethren. This is the service which the holy Church of the Papists now performs; and pity it were that it should do a bit better." Luther now points out to the Romanists a passage of St. Luke ix. 54, where Christ forbids his disciples to draw down fire from heaven; he bids them to find an answer.

REPEAL RENT STILL COLLECTED FROM THE STARVING IRISH! LORD BROUGHAM said in the House of Lords, that he understood that a circular had been issued to all the Roman Catholic priests of Ireland, from a place called Conciliation Hall, urging on them most impressively, almost imperatively, the necessity of raising_subscriptions for the repeal rent. It seemed that all over Ireland efforts were to be made, in the midst of the misery of the people, to obtain a dole to the repeal rent; he did hope that some due and stringent precautions would be taken, if such could be devised, for preventing any portion of the millions being spent in that country by the people of England, Scotland, and Ireland, from finding its way into the coffers of Conciliation Hall. was a result at which the people of this country would, with one voice, express the loudest indignation.

That

KING GEORGE III. AND POPERY.

THE CORONATION OATH.

(From the Morning Post.) SOON after the passing of the Union with Ireland (the original policy of which measure reasonable people have really since had some excuse for doubting), the elements of dissolution exhibited themselves in Mr. Pitt's Cabinet. Pitt insisted on certain large concessions to the Roman Catholics as a necessary consequence on the Union. The King resisted, on

the ground that no question of temporary expediency could justify a sin, and His Majesty's view of the obligations of the coronation oath identified the proposed concessions with a breach of the pledges he had solemnly entered into. The Sovereign and the Minister proving mutually inflexible, the following letter from the King to the Speaker introduces the result of the difference :

Queen's House, Jan. 29, 1801.

"The Speaker of the House of Commons, I trust, is so sensible of the high regard I have for the uprightness of his private character, as well as of his ability and temper in the fulfilling his public trust, that he will not be surprised at my desire of communicating to him the very strong apprehensions I conceive, that the most mischievous measure is in contemplation, to be brought forward in the first session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and this by one styling himself a friend to administration-I mean Lord Castlereagh; this is no less than the placing the Roman Catholics of the kingdom in an equal state of right to sit in both Houses of Parliament, and hold offices of trust and emolument, with those of the Established Church. It is suggested by those best informed, that Mr. Pitt favours this opinion. That Lord Grenville and Mr. Dundas do, I have the fullest proof; they having intimated as much to me, who have certainly not disguised to them my abhorrence of the idea, and my feeling it as a duty, should it ever be brought forward, publicly to express my disapprobation of it, and that no consideration could ever make me give my consent to what I look upon as the destruction of the Established Church; which, by the wisdom of Parliament, I, as well as my predecessors, have been obliged to take an oath at our coronations to support.*

*The following anecdote, showing the King's deeply earnest and conscientious feelings on the subject of the coronation oath, was communicated to Lord Sidmouth at the time of the agitation of the Catholic question, on the 6th of March, 1821, by General Garth, then "retired from the noise and bustle of this world, and preparing, as

"This idea of giving equal rights to all Christian Churches, is contrary to the law of every form of Government in Europe; for it is well known that no quiet could subsist in any country where there is not a Church establishment.

"I should be taking up the Speaker's time very uselessly if I said more, as I know we think alike on this great subject. I wish he would, from himself, open Mr. Pitt's eyes on the danger arising from the agitating this improper question, which may prevent his ever speaking to me on a subject on which I can scarcely keep my temper, and also his giving great apprehension to every true member of our Church, and, indeed, I should think (to) all those who with temper consider that such a change must inevitably unhinge our excellent and happy constitution, and be most exactly following the steps of the French Revolution.

"I have adopted this method of conveying my sentiments to the

he humbly trusted, for a better":-" At the time you succeeded the late Mr. Pitt, being in waiting on my late revered and beloved royal master, I one day repaired to Buckingham House for the usual morning ride. Soon after the King was on horseback he called me to come nearer to him, when he said, 'I have not had any sleep this night, and am very bilious and unwell.' I replied; I hoped his ride would do him good.' He then told me it was in consequence of Mr. Pitt's applying to him to consent to Catholic emancipation. On our arrival at Kew, he ordered me to attend him to the library; and when there, asked me if I knew where to find his coronation oath. I said, 'in Blackstone;' but I think I found it in Burnet's History of the Reformation.' I was commanded to read it to him, which I did, and then followed quickly an exclamation, 'Where is that power on earth to absolve me from the due observance of every sentence of that oath, particularly the one requiring me to "maintain the Protestant reformed religion?" Was not my family seated on the throne for that express purpose? And shall I be the first to suffer it to be undermined, perhaps overturned? No; I had rather beg my bread from door to door throughout Europe, than consent to any such measure.' "These words," the General added, "I am ready to attest if called upon, and am of opinion they ought to be written in letters of gold."

Speaker, as I thought he would not choose to be summoned by me, when he could not have assigned the reason of it; but should this ill-judged measure still come forward, I shall then, from the notoriety of the case, think myself justified in setting all etiquettes aside, and desiring the Speaker to come here. "GEORGE R."

THE DIANA OF ROMAN CATHOLICS;

OR, MORE SHRINES TO THE VIRGIN. (From the Dublin Evening Herald.) A CORRESPONDENT has enclosed us the following characteristic circular. As it was intended for the eyes of the faithful only, it unfolds a plain unvarnished tale, with a vengeance. There is no mincing of the matter here. Its object is to raise a fund for the foundation of a new altar to the Virgin in the neighbourhood of Strokestown, for the purpose of securing "her all-powerful intercession," and inducing the Mother to " recommend us to her Son." The inducements held out to catch subscriptions are, as usual, very plenty. "St. Teressa says (observes the persuasive circular), that any compliment paid to the Mother will not be forgotten by the Son." Again, lest this should advantage, it superadds the practical prove too remotely prospective an undertaking that whatever they contribute shall be recompensed to them by Heaven in this life an hundred fold; and lastly, promises to each contributor a mass for every penny subscribed. Such an investment rarely offers:

ever-blessed name, where her divine Son, Jesus Christ, the holy of holies, will be offered up as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, where the Mother will recommend us to her Son, where the Son will reconcile us to an angry Father, where the childless and orphan will find parents, where the strangers and wearied traveller will find a home and a restingplace, where the sick will find health

and (in a word) where the sinner and abandoned will find mercy, peace, and reconciliation. The want of means necessary to complete this our heavenly object, obliges us to appeal to the heart of every pious and charitable Christian, for sympathy and assistance. You are now called upon in the name of that God who has created you, from whom you receive everything you possess and enjoy, and from whom you expect an everlasting reward of happiness and riches, in a better world, where the moth and rust cannot consume it. You are called upon in the name of his ever blessed and glorious Mother, to whom he has never refused any request, to give some trifle for our sacred object. St. Teressa says,Any compliment paid to the Mother will not be forgotten by the Son.' God now only asks a trifle of what he has lent you, and his infallible word declares that anything given in his name shall be recompensed a hundred fold in this life and in the next.

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Any person contributing only 1d. shall be entitled to the infinite blessing of one mass-2d. two masses, 6d. six masses, 1s. twelve masses, and so on-so that every penny will secure the benefit of a mass.

"Any person collecting from 2s. 6d. to 17. and upwards, besides his share and benefit of so many masses, shall also receive a spiritual book, valuable in proportion to the sum he has collected.

A CIRCULAR, containing some printed papers, having been sent to the parish clerk of Frome, as well as to many received:others, the following was the reply

"Frome, Conversion of St. Paul, 1847. "SIR,-I duly received your truly Protestant papers. I shall not waste much of my time in reply; it will be, perhaps, sufficient to state that I have fully made up my mind not to join in any kind of way, with 'Associations' of Heretics and Schismatics in reviling the holy Roman Church, our Spiritual Mother, to whom we are undoubtedly indebted for all the good we ever received,-Would that our Church were half so holy.-It is indeed high time to speak boldly and plainly, These are days of rebuke and blasphemy, when everything that is Catholic (and therefore good) is abused and ill spoken of. It would be well if those professing to be members of the Church of England would, (instead of magnifying the errors and imperfections of our Mother Church,) first of all examine themselves, and their own Church, the peculiarly isolated position in which she stands from the rest of the Christian world. Is the English Church, I would venture to ask, so pure, so holy, so Catholic, in allowing, as she does, alas! such lamentable goings on; such false doctrine and heresy to reign triumphant within her pale?

"With regard to the ensuing election, I acknowledge that a great deal depends upon it,-I should be most happy however to give my support to a Catholic rather than to a member of the Protestant Association, for I firmly believe that it would be infinitely better for this country to have a Catholic rather than a rationalistic Legislature, as it certainly portends to be.

As such a very extraordinary production had the appearance of a hoax, a letter was addressed to ascertain if it had been written by the party from whom it purported to come, and a reply was received in the affirmative, dated Frome

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Anniversary of the murder of King Charles the First, by the Puritans."

As it did not seem clear to which of the parishes in Frome the writer was clerk, a copy of the correspondence was sent to Archdeacon Law, who, on the 6th of February, wrote back as follows:

"Weston-Super-Mare, Feb. 6, 1847. "SIR, I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the letter which you have addressed to me, by order of the Committee of the Protestant Association, and also the receipt of a copy of a letter written by the parish clerk of Frome.

"I am exceedingly shocked to find that letter full of sentiments and expressions which betoken estrangement from the Protestant Church of England, and. attachment to the corruptions of Popery.

"I write by this post to make full inquiries into the matter.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Your faithful Servant,
"HENRY LAW.

"To the Secretary of the Protestant Association."

On the 1st of March, the Archdeacon again wrote as follows:"Weston-Super-Mare, Mar. 1, 1847.

"SIR,-May I request you to inform the Committee of the Protestant Association, that I have fully inquired into the case of the Parish Clerk of Frome Selwood, and that in consequence of the sentiments expressed in his letter to the Committee, he is dismissed from the office which he held. "I have the honour to be, Your faithful servant,

" HENRY LAW.", A copy of Mr. Cruse's first letter, with the following, has been, we are informed, extensively circulated in Frome, and has given rise to a correspondence published there, but which it were too long here to transcribe :

"In consequence of the sentiments expressed in the foregoing letter, the Rev. Charles Phillott, Vicar of Frome Selwood (under the authority of the Archdeacon of the Deanery of Frome), has dispensed with the services of Mr. A. Frederick Cruse, and forbidden him henceforth to perform any of the duties connected with the office of parish clerk.

"Frome Selwood, Feb. 26th, 1847."

REFORMATION IN DUBLIN. ACCORDING to our announcement a recantation from Romanism took place in St. Audeon's Church on last Sunday. Twelve persons, nine men and three women, publicly abjured the errors of that system. Two of the former are priests, the Rev. Nicholas Beatty, D.D., &c., &c., late superior of the convents in Drogheda, Athlone, Waterford, and Multifarnham, and the Rev. Patrick Brennan, late parish priest of Creere, diocese of Elphin. Dr. Beatty was ordained by the late Pope Gregory XVI., and has the highest testimonials given at Rome, where he was educated. He has a faculty granted by the Trinitarian Society, empowering him to invest with the order of the scapular, and to dispense indulgences to the faithful. This he has done to thousands in Ireland. He was esteemed so highly for his acquirements, that since his return to this country, the regular clergy of the above convents have successively elected him to the office of superior in their respective establishments. He says now, "that no doubt, many of his former brethren will follow his example of shaking off the unscriptural yoke of Rome." Another of the converts has recently been a student in the college at Galway, under the superintendence of the Rev. Dr. O'Toole; there was also the wife of a late stipendiary magistrate among the number. On the whole the class was very respectable. The Rev. Thomas Kingston, Rector of St. James's, and the Rev. John Prior, assisted in the service, and the Rev. Thomas Scott as usual received the converts, and administered the form of abjuration. The Rev. G. Sidney Smith, D.D., F.T.C.D.,