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due allowance will be made for the aggravating circumstances under which a writer is necessarily placed, who undertakes to defend the Catholic Church from the unscrupulous and wanton assaults, which have been made upon her principles and her members in this country, especially during the last few years. The enemies of our faith can hardly complain, if a portion of their own severity is retorted on them, or if their violent attacks are sometimes made to recoil on their own heads.

In the Introductory Address, written at the suggestion of a distinguished friend, the author undertakes to answer some of the principal charges recently preferred against our Church, by men who, in the hallowed name of liberty, seek to abridge our civil rights in this free republic, and to excite against us a storm of public indignation, if not of open persecution, by a course of reckless misrepresentation. In it, he also takes occasion to refer to many of the Papers contained in this collection, with a view to show how far the subjects therein treated are opportune to the times. It will be seen, that Catholics have no cause to be ashamed either of their religious principles or of their past history; that instead of shrinking from, they court inquiry; and that they have special reason to be proud of the agency of their Catholic ancestors in discovering and colonizing this continent, and in planting thereon, first of all, the banner of the largest civil and religious liberty.

The only motive which prompted the issuing of the present publication has been to do some good, by throwing together, in a permanent form, a considerable number of facts and authorities, gathered from various authentic sources; to which, however, many readers might not have easy access, even if they had the leisure requisite for a satisfactory examination. How far the author has succeeded in carrying out this intention, an impartial and intelligent public will best decide.

PREFACE,

CONTENTS.

INRODUCTORY ADDRESS.

An intolerant spirit invoked against Catholics-Bigotry an implacable monster-The danger of

fostering the mob spirit-Features in the present anti-Catholic crusade--Cruel treatment of a

Catholic priest-Our adversaries virtually yielding us the victory in fair argument-Their numerous

inconsistencies-The Newark outrage-The manliness of the American character-Whence danger

is to be apprehended to the Republic-The "bats and the eagles"-Hoping for better things-The

accusations against us-Is the Catholic Church intolerant?-Or uncharitable?-Latitudinarianism,

not charity-Principles of the Church in regard to persecution-Has she ever persecuted as a

Church? Third canon of Lateran-The Inquisition-John Huss-Catholic and Protestant perse-

cution since the reformation-Intolerance in America--Who originated it, and who gave the first

example of toleration?-Parallel between Catholic and Protestant countries in the matter of

persecution-Are Catholics the enemies of republican government?-What Catholicity and Pro-

testantism have done for human liberty-Charles Carroll of Carrolton-Washington and the

Catholics-The temporal power of the Popes-Declarations of Archbishop Carroll and the American

Bishops-Letter to the Pope-Are American Catholics a separate community ?-Archbishop Carroll

and Bishop Dubourg-Foreigners-What they have done for the country-" The foreign vote"

-Foreign radicals and infidels-The naturalization laws-The common school system-What the

Catholic Church says to her members-Her efforts to promote peace and order-Her charity for

all mankind-Archbishop Kenrick's Pastoral.
xvii

I. CHURCH HISTORY.-THE EARLY AGES.

Palma and Palmer as historians-Rome and Oxford-Gratuitous assertions-Promises of Christ in

favor of the Church-Essential and Non-essential doctrines-Bishop Whittingham-Pusey ism—

Palmer's division-Purity of early church-The Age of persecution-Donatists-Striking avowal-

Peter in Rome - The "Thundering Legion”- Disciplina arcani-Testimonies of Saints Ignatius

and Justin on Holy Eucharist-Cases of Popes Victor and Stephen-The Primacy--St. Irenæus-

The Cross of Constantine-Early heresies-Church of Rome-Story of Liberius and of Honorius I.

-Monastic Life-Holy Virginity-Nestorius-St. Cyril of Alexandria-St. Patrick-Early British

churches-Primitive Irish churches--St. Simeon Stylites-"Rank Popery"-Early abuses and

corruptions"-Wisdom of the Church-The Seventh and Eighth General Councils.

II. CHURCH HISTORY.-THE MIDDLE AGES.

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