22

Bill, which would have the effect of setting aside, and doing away with, the Mortmain Laws, and thereby removing the great barrier which our ancestors, from the earliest period of our history, had erected, against the encroachments of the Church of Rome.

"Your Petitioners, therefore, earnestly implore your Honourable House (or Lordships), not to sanction the aforesaid Bill, which they regard as an aggressive attempt on the part of the Church of Rome to aggrandize itself, and to obtain an ascendancy in this Realm of England.

"And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c., &c."

ROMISH BISHOPRICS IN ENGLAND. The humble Petition of, &c., &c. Sheweth,

That your Petitioners have heard, with great alarm and concern, that it is in contemplation to establish Romish bishoprics in England.

That your Petitioners feel it to be their duty to protest most solemnly against such a proceeding, which, by setting up again a false and idolatrous religion, from which our fathers had been so mercifully delivered, would bring down the Divine displeasure on the nation.

Your Petitioners are further bound to protest against it as being an invasion of the rights of our Sovereign Queen Victoria, an attack upon the religion and liberties of the people, and a subversion of the Christian principles of the British Constitu

tion.

They, therefore, humbly and earnestly entreat your Honourable House not to suffer the Church of Rome to establish any bishoprics, or to exercise any jurisdiction whatever in this realm of England.

And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c., &c. A CHURCHMAN.

THE OATH IN THE MINISTER'S JEWS' BILL.

To the Editor of the Protestant Magazine. SIR,-The oath proposed to be taken by Jews in this Bill is both mischievous

and absurd. It is mischievous because it completely destroys the intent and effect of the Oath of Supremacy, as settled at the Revolution of 1688, and embodied in the Bill of Rights. That oath was evidently directed against the Pope, or "Prelate," of the Church of Rome, in order to prevent his interference in spiritual or ecclesiastical matters in this realm of England. But the omission of the words "spiritual and ecclesiastical" from the oath now proposed, renders it completely inoperative in this respect; and, moreover, the substitution of the words "temporal or civil" reduces it to a gross absurdity. For how can the case be supposed of any foreign prince or potentate seeking to exercise a merely temporal or civil jurisdiction in this or, indeed, in any other country? Or, if that were all to be guarded against, the Oath of Allegiance would be sufficient. But it was necessary to add the oath appointed at the Revolution in the case of England, because of the peculiar character of our Protestant Constitution, which that oath was intended to protect; and because of the antagonistic position to Rome which this country has always been obliged to maintain. I hesitate not, then, to affirm, that the proposed alteration in that oath, which was framed and devised by our forefathers in 1688, when the Crown was offered to the Prince and Princess of Orange, would amount to a violation of the Bill of Rights, and the overthrow of our Protestant Constitution; that it would be an offence against the crown and dignity of our Sovereign Queen Victoria, and an act of legislative folly which would make this nation the laughing-stock of the whole world. No Englishman can agree to such a measure without surrendering his birthright, and therefore I earnestly hope that a general feeling of indignation will be excited, from one end of the kingdom to the other, against this unprincipled attempt to deprive both sovereign and people of their rights, and to abrogate the Christian character of the form of Government under which, as Englishmen, we have the happiness to live.

A FREE-BORN BRITON.
Jan. 18, 1848.

MISCELLANEOUS.

PERSECUTION APPROACHING.---" Can ye not discern the signs of the times?

The majority on the first reading in favour of Lord John Russell's Bill for admitting Jews into Parliament, was sixty-seven. This number corresponds very closely with the number of Members returned by means of Popish influence from Ireland. The Papists have always been the most violent persecutors of the Jews.

But

now we see the two sects leagued together in the common cause and kindred feeling of hatred to Christianity. This is a remarkable and striking fact. It reminds one of the reconciliation of Herod and Pontius Pilate previous to the crucifixion of the Lord of life and glory. The admission of a Jew into the British House of Commons will be the consummation of the union betwixt Popery and Infidelity. I am strongly of opinion that from the moment that a Jew is permitted to set his foot in the House of Commons, the doom of the Church of England will be sealed, and that a persecution of Christianity will follow. It is well observed in "Blackwood's Magazine," "that Popery is not to be dreaded one hundredth part so much as political power in the hands of the Jew. History tells us well the fierceness of his day of authority, the daring zealotry, the bitterness of his national anger, and the mortal venom of his personal vindictiveness. How can we pretend to offer our homage to our blessed Redeemer when we give the highest boon in our power to a sect who pronounce him an impostor?" Is the Christian world asleep, lulled into a false security by the fascinations and delusions of modern Liberalism? Will nothing rouse it from its state of torpor to a sense of duty in this crisis of unprecedented danger? CRANMER, RIDLEY, AND LATIMER. -When Strype wrote his "Memoirs of Archbishop Cranmer," in the year 1693, he found the book in which the expenses of the martyrs during their residence in Oxford were entered by the bailiffs of the city was in existence, and it is probably still preserved among the manuscripts of that University. It may not, therefore, be

23

For

One Hundred of Wood Faggots... £0 6 0 For One Hundred and a

By

The Emigrants of Ahadarra. WILLIAM CARLETON, Esq. London: Simms & M'Intire. 8vo., pp. 300. THOUGH We are not in the habit of reviewing tales and narratives, except those which refer directly to the Protestant question, yet the above work contains some points of such peculiar interest and importance, that we have thought right to notice it.

The work is an original production. The writer of it has been long known for his "Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry," &c., &c., and is considered as giving, in many instances, a most graphic description of the people, their position, and manners.

Though the above work is written in no friendly spirit to Protestantism, it does not fail to point out some of the practical evil workings of Popery.

This volume is written more with reference to the position of landlord and tenant in Ireland, and the circumstances which in general occasion the unparalleled tide of emigration which

24

is fast draining that unhappy country of its best blood and strength.

The writer says in his preface, p. vi., "With respect to priestly denouncements I have never concealed my opinion of them; and for the purpose of showing their evil tendency, I have introduced one here. The moment the priest of any Church desecrates the altar or the pulpit by political harangues, or denounces individuals for political offences, that moment he should be held responsible for the immoral abuse of his office and position, and the outrages or darker crimes that such abuse may occasion."

After an election contest had terminated, in which Bryan M'Mahon, a Roman Catholic, had given the casting vote for a Protestant, the writer commences his twentieth chapter, p. 223:—

“Whatever difficulty Bryan M'Mahon had among his family in defending the course he had taken at the election, he found that not a soul belonging to his own party would listen to any defence from him. The indignation, obloquy, and spirit of revenge with which he was pursued and harassed, excited in his heart, as they would in that of any generous man conscious of his own integrity, a principle of contempt and defiance, which, however they required independence in him, only made matters far worse than they otherwise would have been. He expressed neither regret nor repentance for having voted as he did; but on the contrary asserted with a good deal of warmth, that if the same course lay open to him he would again pursue it.

"I will never vote for a scoundrel,' said he, and I don't think there is anything in my religion that makes it a duty on me to do so. If my religion is to be supported by scoundrels, the sooner it is forced to depend on itself the betther. Major Vanston is a good landlord, and supports the rights of his tenantry, Catholic as well as Protestant; he saved me from ruin when my own landlord refused to interfere for me, and Major Vanston, if he's conscientiously opposed to my religion, is an honest man at all events, and an honest man I'll ever support against a rogue.'

"Party is a blind, selfish, infatuated monster, brutal and vehement, that knows not what is meant by reason, justice, liberty, or truth. M'Mahon, merely because he gave utterance, with proper spirit, to sentiments of plain

common sense, was assailed by every description of abuse, until he knew not where to take refuge from that cowardly and ferocious tyranny which in a hundred shapes proceeds from the public

mob.

"On the Sunday after the election the curate of the parish, one of those political firebrands who, whether under a mitre or a white band, are equally disgraceful and detrimental to religion and the peaceful interests of mankindthis man, we say, openly denounced him from the altar, in language which must have argued but little reverence for the sacred place from which it was uttered, and which came with a very bad grace from one who affected to be an advocate for liberty of conscience and a minister of peace.

66 6

altar, it is well known to our disgrace Ay,' he proceeded, standing on the

and shame how the election was lost. Oh, well may I say to our disgrace and shame. Little did I think that any one bearing the once respectable name of M'Mahon upon him, should turn from the interests of his holy Church, spurn all truth, violate all principle, and enter into a lague of hell with the devil and the enemies of his Church. Yes, you apostate,' he proceeded, 'you have entered into a lague with him, and ever since there is a devil within you. You sould yourself to his agent and representative, Vanston. You got him to interfare for you with the Boord of Excise, and the fine that was justly imposed on you for your smugglin' and distillin' whiskey-not that I'm runnin' down our whiskey, because it's the best drinkin' of that kind we have, and drinks beautiful as scaltheen wid a bit of butther and sugar an it--but it's notorious that you went to Vanston, and offered if he'd get the fine off you, that you'd give him your wote; an' if that's not sellin' yourself to the devil, I don't know what is. Judas did the same when he betrayed our Saviour-the only difference is that he got a thirty shilling note-an' God knows it was a beggarly bargain— when his hand was in he ought to have done the thing dacent-and you got the fine taken off you; that's the difference -that's the difference. But there's more to come-more corruption where that was. Along wid the removal of the fine you got a betther note than Mr. Judas got. Do you happen to know anything about a fifty pound note cut into two halves? Eh? Am I tickling you? Do you happen to know anything about that, you traicherous apostate?

If you don't, I do; and plaise God before many hours the public will know enough of it too. How dare you, then, pollute the house of God, or come in presence of his holy altar, wid such a crust of crimes upon your soul? Can you deny that you entered into a lague of hell wid the devil and Major Vanston, and that you promised him your wote if he'd get the fine removed.'

"I can,' replied Bryan; 'there's not one word of truth in it.

friends?' ex

،، Do you hear that, my claimed the priest; 'he calls your priest a liar upon the althar of the livin' God.' "Here M'Mahon was assailed by such a storm of groans and hisses as, to say the least of it, was considerably at variance with the principles of religion and the worship of God."

، ، Do you deny, the priest proceeded 'that you received a bribe of fifty pounds on the very day you voted? Answer me that.'

a

"I did receive a fifty pound note in

*

"Further he could not proceed. It was in vain that he attempted to give a true account of the letter and its enclosure; the enmity now was not confined to either groans or hisses. He was seized upon in the very chapel, dragged about in all directions, kicked, punched, and beaten, until the apprehension of having a murder committed in presence of God's altar caused the priest to interfere. M'Mahon, however, was ejected from the chapel; but in such a state that, for some minutes, it could scarcely

be ascertained whether he was alive or dead. After he had somewhat recovered, his friends assisted him home, where he lay confined to a sick-bed for better

than a week.

"Such is a tolerably exact description of scenes which have too frequently taken place in the country, to the disgrace of religion and the dishonour of God. We are bound to say, however, that none among the priesthood encourage or take a part in them, unless those low and bigoted firebrands who are alike remarkable for vulgarity and ignorance, and who are perpetually inflamed by that meddling spirit which tempts them from the quiet path of duty into scenes of political strife and enmity, in which they seem to be peculiarly at home.

This was a trick. It was afterwards shown that the fifty pounds was sent by a personal enemy of this man. But the

storm of fury prevented any explanation in the chapel.

25

Such scenes are repulsive to the educated priest, and to all who, from superior minds and information, are perfectly aware that no earthly or other good, but, on the contrary, much bitterness, strife, and evil, ever result from them."

From Mr. Carleton's work, we turn to the columns of the daily and weekly press; and we find narrated a proceeding, which is, we should suppose, quite without precedent.

IRELAND.-ALTAR DENUNCIATIONS.

The following story is told by the "Dublin Evening Mail," on the authority of a person whose opportunity of information cannot be questioned :—

proprietor in the county of Sligo, Mr. Joseph Holmes is a resident within a short distance of Ballaghaderreen, county Mayo, He is a magistrate for both counties, and was made a Deputy-lieutenant of the former last summer, as a mark of the sense entertained by the authorities of his exertions in behalf of the poor during the late crisis, and of his unceasing and successful labours in preserving the peace of his district, at a most trying period, and the admirable manner in which the fiscal arrangements of the barony were carried on under his superintendence. Having received many friendly intimations, a short time since, that the parish priest, Mr. Tighe, had made repeated attacks on him at the chapel, and that his life would be attempted by assassins, who had arrived in the neighbourhood, he was prevailed on, by the entreaties of his friends, to leave the country for a short period, till the passing of the late Government measure, when he returned. These facts coming to the knowledge of his brother, Mr. A. Holmes, who resides in England, the latter paid a hurried visit to this country, and on Thursday last (Old Christmas-day) presented himself at chapel at Ballaghaderreen, and having asked and obtained permission from the Rev. Mr. Tighe to address the congregation, a very numerous one, was accommodated with a place at the altar. He declined addressing the people till Mr. Tighe stood at his side; a second priest stood at his left, Ballaghaderreen is within a few miles of

Strokestown and Elphin, the scenes of the murders of Major Mahon and the Rev. Mr. Lloyd.

The following scene then took place:

"Mr. TIGHE.-Mr. Holmes has expressed a desire to address you, and I have given him permission to do so.

"Mr. HOLMES. (Advancing to the front of the altar.)-My friends, Mr. Tighe, your priest, has given me permission to address you from this altar, and I avail myself of it. I have travelled 500 miles to say five words to you; pray, therefore, attend to me. You do not all know me, but you know my brother, Mr. Joseph Holmes? (We do.') Is there amongst you a man who can say that my brother has ever done an unkind or an unjust act by him? Is there, I say? If there is, let him hold up his hand. Is there amongst you a man who can deny that, for the last two years, my brother has been your slave? If there is, let him speak.-(A pause.) During the last two years, my brother has expended 20,000l. in provisions, to keep down the markets here, that you and your children might not starve! He has daily, for the last sixteen months, fed 150 of your children at his schoolhouse. He has turned his house and offices into a provision store for your accommodation. Is there a man amongst you that can deny this? If there is, let him speak. And what is the return he has met with? Do you require to be told? Why, when he left home a month ago, it is notorious that the assassins who were to murder him had arrived in the parish, and were harboured amongst you! There are those amongst you that know it: I can account for the presence of these miscreants. They were attracted hither by the inflammatory harangues of your priest here-(pointing to Mr. Tighe)-I tell him so to his face. [Tremendous uproar in the chapel. Cries of Turn him out,' 'He is a liar;' a scene of great confusion, during which the curate in vain attempted to address and appease the people, followed. At length, Mr. Tighe succeeded, after many ineffectual efforts, in obtaining a hearing.]

"Mr. TIGHE.-It is false that I made any attacks on Mr. Holmes;

there have been houses levelled in this parish, and poor wretches turned out, but I never attacked Mr. Holmes. "Mr. HOLMES.-I know that you

did; and I tell you at this altar to your face, and in the presence of your congregation, that it is your attacks on my brother from this spot that have brought these murderers to this parish. [Here the uproar recommenced, and some of the more violent of the con

gregation appeared disposed to pass over the rails to the altar, the priests endeavouring to restrain them.]

I

"Mr. HOLMES. (Advancing in front.)-I am not afraid of you. came here to tell you these truths alone, and am not to be deterred by 500 of you.

"Mr. TIGHE. My friends, this is the house of God. Let us have no more of this. Mr. Holmes has charged me with attacks on his brother, which I deny. If he has anything more to say, let him address you outside the chapel.'

Mr. Holmes, having declined any further address to the people, left the chapel surrounded by the mob, who refrained from any act of personal violence, but saluted him with groans and execrations on his driving away.

The "Tablet" (Romish paper), of Saturday, January 22, quotes the same story from the "Dublin Evening Mail," and adds :