sacrament, that it shall stand at the last day before the judgment of God, when the papistical doctrine contrary thereto shall be ashamed to show her face. JOHN HUSS.-May thy infinite mercy, oh my God! pardon this injustice of mine enemies; let that mercy of thine, which no tongue can express, prevail with thee not to avenge my wrongs. LUTHER AT ROME. Luther said mass several times at Rome. He went through it with all the unction and dignity that such an act seemed to require. But how was he distressed to see the profane and heartless formality with which the Roman clergy celebrated this Sacrament! The priests, on their part, laughed at his simplicity. One day, when he was officiating, he found that at the altar they had read seven masses while he was reading one. "Quick! quick!" said one of the priests, "send Our Lady her Son back speedily; thus impiously alluding to the transubstantiation of the bread into the body and blood of Christ. Another time Luther had only got as far as the Gospel, when the priest who was at his side had already finished the "Make haste, make haste!" whispered the latter, "do have done with it." mass: His astonishment was still greater, when he found, in the dignitaries of the Church, the same corruption he had observed in the inferior clergy. He had hoped better things of them. It was the fashion at the Papal Court to attack Christianity; and a person was not counted a man of sense, if he did not hold some eccentric and heretical opinion in relation to the dogmas of the Church. Some would have convinced Erasmus, by certain passages from Pliny, that there was no difference between the souls of men and of beasts; and there were young courtiers of the Pope, who affirmed that the orthodox faith was the growth of the cunning invention of the saints. Luther's office of envoy from the Augustines of Germany procured him invitations to several meetings of distinguished ecclesiastics. One day, in particular, he was at table with several prelates: the latter exhibited openly their buffoonery in manners and impious conversation; and did not scruple to give utterance before him to many indecent jokes, doubtless thinking him one like themselves. They related, amongst other things, laughing, and priding themselves upon it, how when saying mass at the altar, instead of the sacramental words which were to transform the elements into the body and blood of the Saviour, they pronounced over the bread and wine these sarcastic words: "Bread thou art, and bread thou shalt remain; wine thou art, and wine thou shalt remain-Panis es et panis manebis ; vinum es et vinum manebis." "Then," continued they, we elevate the pyx, and all the people worship." Luther could scarcely believe his ears. Luther often mixed with the monks and citizens of Rome. If some amongst them extolled the Pope and the clergy, the greater number gave free vent to their complaints and sarcasms. One day, his Roman friends related how Cæsar Borgia having fled from Rome, had been taken in Spain. On the eve of trial, he prayed for mercy, and asked for a priest to visit him in prison. They sent him a monk. He murdered him, disguised himself in his cowl, and effected his escape. Another day, passing along a principal street that led to St. Peter's Church, he stopped in astonishment before a statue, representing a Pope, under the figure of a woman holding a sceptre, clothed in the Papal mantle, and bearing a child in her arms. "It is a girl of Mentz," said the people, "who was chosen Pope by the Cardinals, and was delivered of a child on this spot therefore no Pope ever passes through this street." He was not less struck with the disorders committed in the city. "The police is strict and severe at Rome," said he. "The judge or capitan rides through the city every night, with three hundred attendants. He stops all he finds in the streets; if he meets an armed man, he hangs him or throws him into the Tiber. And yet the city is full of disorders and murders; whilst, in places where the Word of God is truly and faithfully preached, we see peace and order prevail, without the necessity for law or severity." "It is incredible what sins and atrocities are committed in Rome," he says again; "they must be seen and heard to be believed. So that it is usual to say: 'If there be a hell, Rome is built above it; it is an abyss from whence all sins proceed.' "The This sight made at the time a great impression on Luther's mind; an impression which was afterwards deepened. nearer we approach to Rome, the greater number of bad Christians do we find," said he several years after. Machiavelli, who was living at Florence when Luther passed through that city to go to Rome, made this remark: "The greatest symptom," said he, "of the approaching ruin of Christianity (by which he meant the Roman Catholic religion), is, that the nearer we approach the capital of Christendom, the less do we find of the Christian spirit in the people. The scandalous example and the crimes of the court of Rome have caused Italy to lose every principle of piety and every religious sentiment. "We Italians," continues the great historian, are principally indebted to the Church, and to the priests, for having become impious and profligate." Luther 'felt, later in life, all the importance of this journey: "If any one would give me 100,000 florins," said he, "I would not have missed seeing Rome." 66 THE RUINOUS TENDENCY OF EXPEDIENCY. If to expedience, principle must bow, then appointed. He was immediately employed with the Roman Catholics of H. M. 63rd Regiment, then quartered at the Presidency, and in June of that year was sent at the express desire of the Madras Government to Arun, to minister to the Roman Catholics of H. M. 41st regiment, with whom he continued for five years, accompanying them from Arun to Bellary. When Major Doveton inspected the regiment, he spoke with high commendation of the result of Mr. Dinan's zealous and persevering ministrations to the men of his spiritual charge, and officially noticed it to the Madras Government. The regiment had when Mr. Dinan joined it, been notorious for violence and drunkenness, but at the date of the General's inspection had become peaceable and well-conducted. These services of Mr. Dinan were deemed so important by the Roman Catholic party in Past, future, shrinking up beneath the in- England, that they were confidently appealed cumbent now; If cowardly concession still must feed If generous loyalty must stand in awe Then will the Sceptre be a straw-the Crown In cunning patience, from the head that ANSWER OF KING HENRY I. IN REPLY TO PAPAL "What is that to me," said the King; "Is the Synod of Rome to deprive me of the privileges of my predecessors? I will never suffer any person who refuses me the securities of a subject, to enjoy estates in my dominions." AN EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE THE REV. W. Dinan, an Irishman, came to to by Lord Clifford in the House of Peers, and Mr. O'Connell in the House of Comwould accrue to the country by the appointmons, as proof of the great benefit which ment of Roman Catholic priests as chaplains to the troops in India. On the departure of H. M. 41st regiment from Bellary, Mr. Dinan ministered successively to the Roman Catholics of H. M. 39th and 4th regiments, and subsequently proceeded to Belgaum, where he rejoined the where they embarked for Scinde in 1841. 41st, with whom he proceeded to Bombay, During the whole of Mr. Dinan's intercourse with H. M. 41st regiment, he lived with them respected and esteemed by officers and men, as appears by many proofs now in his possession, and on their departure from Bombay, he was appointed by Government to discharge spiritual duties to the Roman Catholics of Bombay and Calcutta. Whilst H. M. 86th and 28th regiments were here, the cholera broke out among them with fearful violence, and during the continuance of it, Mr. Dinan's most assiduous care and attention were unremitted, and observed by both Protestants and Roman Catholics. But the time now approached when Mr. Dinan could no longer restrain the convictions of his mind, that the Church of Rome was in error, and accordingly on the 1st of April, 1843, he left his charge and sought for admission into the number of the clergy of the united Church of England and Ireland, and was publicly received into our communion on Sunday, 17 March, 1844, in St. Thomas's Cathedral by the Bishop of Bombay. POPISH PERSECUTION OF THE WALDENSIAN PROTESTANTS. The following is from an appeal recently made to the British and Irish public, by the Rev. Anthony Sillery of Dublin. During the summer of 1841, on a second tour to the Protestant Valleys of Piedmont, I had the privilege of staying some time in that region, where has existed for centuries past, the most interesting and long persecuted Church of the Waldensians, when I visited nearly all their parishes, and nearly all their pastors, with many of whom I formed a pleasing acquaintance. Their Church is, at present, with respect to spiritual things, in a hopeful condition, as zeal amongst the clergy, very great care in selecting and examining candidates for the sacred ministry, as well as much spirituality and unction in preaching, are increasing amongst them. Alas! their temporal condition is in a perilous position, since renewed difficulties and persecutions, even now, press upon them from the bigotry of Rome.-Our sympathy, our prayers, our national interference are needed to sustain the poor Waldensians! Oh! how awful, how anti-christian is the spirit of the Romish Church!! I mention the following as examples: An ordinance was issued in May, 1841, (of which I have a copy in Italian) whilst I was in the Valleys, requiring the Waldensians to sell within the period of four years, all the property they had acquired beyond the prescribed lines drawn round the entrances of their narrow Valleys, which exclude them completely from the plain; thus shutting them up within a space not adequate fairly to sustain their present numbers of 23,000, much less to provide for the natural increase. And who must be the purchasers of their properties outside these lines!!! None but their Romish neighbours!!! 66 "The religious, civil, and political rights "which the Waldenses had obtained, when "Piedmont was incorporated with France at "the end of the last century, and which they "from that time enjoyed on a footing of equality with the Roman Catholic subjects, were taken from them on the restoration of "the House of Savoy to the throne of Sar"dinia in 1814, and the poor Protestants were placed under former disabilities; they were restricted to limits too narrow for "their population; they were declared incapable of holding any office of rank, military or civil; they were excluded from the exercise of the legal and medical profes"sions out of the Valleys; forbidden to work on Roman Catholic holidays, and sub 66 66 66 "jected to all the vexations and mortifying "distinctions imposed on persons of an in"ferior caste." "In 1840, a fraternity of eight missionary "Priests of the order of St. Maurice and St. "Lazare, was instituted at La Tour, the "principal village, and when the buildings "and full establishment shall be completed, "it will be the business of these priests to " go about making proselytes by every 66 means in their power." The proselyting effort is all on the Romish side-the Protestants of the Valleys dare not proselyte!! 66 "The Roman Catholic is allowed to in"vade the Protestant Valleys; the Walden"sians are not allowed to invade the Roman "Catholic plain. The Romanist is permit"ted to purchase land amongst the Walden"sians (in their territory too small for "themselves); the Waldensians are not permitted to purchase land among the "Romanists. The Waldensian is not only "prohibited from endeavouring to spread "his faith beyond his own narrow limits, but even within them he is prohibited from oppo" sing the proselyting zeal of the Romanists"for it is a clause in one of the revived "edicts of 1602, that the several penalties "be enforced against any Protestant who "dissuades one of his own communion from turning Roman Catholic !! "They are absolutely forbidden to exert "their parental authority, if their own "children, girls of 10, and boys of 12, are 66 tempted to forsake their faith. In 1836, a "child was taken from a family at Lucer"nette, and another from a family at St. "Germain in 1842, upon the pretext of an "inclination expressed by those children to "turn Roman Catholics; there being no "difficulty in tempting a half-starved boy "of 12, or girl of 10, to receive instruction "offered with a crucifix in one hand, and a "loaf or a fish in the other. Thus the "parent's heart is to be doubly pierced; "first by encouraging a pretended exercise "of judgment on the part of his child, "before the understanding is matured; and "second, by a legalised abduction of the "child so tampered with." I have learned during my visit that Romish Children are taken as witnesses to prove any words, used by Protestant Children, expressive of desire to become Romanists, and that then such Protestant Children as were induced from whatever cause to use the words, are forcibly taken from the Valleys, and are placed in a convent or institution at Pignerol, where their parents would not be permitted to see them!! CABINET. A system which is false as it relates to God, can never be true to the best interests of man. Only that religion which comes from God can lead sinners up to him. Happiness consists in holiness. The most holy, are the most happy. God is at once the fountain of holiness and bliss. Those therefore who are most like to God are the most happy. We do not become righteous by doing that which is righteous; but having become righteous, we do that which is righteous. The metal and dross go both into the fire together; but the dross is consumed, and the metal refined; so it is with godly and wicked men in their sufferings. POETRY. TO BE WITH CHRIST. For ever with the Lord, Life from the dead is in that word, Here in the body pent, At times to faith's transpiercing eye Yet clouds will intervene, Anon the clouds depart, Published under THE PROTESTANT At F. BAISLER'S 124, Oxford-street; SECOND PART. For ever with the Lord, The promise of that faithful word Be thou at my right hand, Uphold me, and I needs must stand, So when my latest breath Tallow, May 1844. INTELLIGENCE. "PRAY WITHOUT CEASING."-1 Thess. v. 17. EXCURSION TO RICHMOND, for the benefit of the Metropolitan Tradesmen and Operatives' Protestant Associations.-The Members and Friends of the Associations will visit Richmond and its delightful neighbourhood, (D.V.) on Monday, July 15, 1844, in the steam vessel, The Richmond, Captain Martin. The Company will embark at the Old Swan Pier, Upper Thames Street, London Bridge, at half-past 8, a.m. precisely, and will call at Hungerford and Lambeth Piers, should friends wish to embark at either of the above places. The Boat will leave Richmond at 7 p.m. Tickets 2s. 6d. each. Children under 10 years of age, 1s. 6d. An early application is requested, as the number of Tickets is limited. All Tickets sold to be paid for on or before the Morning of the Excursion. The arrangements will be under the direction of the Central Committee. Accommodation will be provided for those Friends who may wish to take Tea together, at Richmond, at 1s. each. Tickets to be had of the Secretaries, and various Members of the Associations, and at the Office of the Protestant Association, 11, Exeter Hall. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL & Co. LONDON: W. DAVY & SON,] Seven Shillings per Hundred, for Distribution. [Gilbert-street. "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."-Isaiah viii. 20. No. 53. CONTINUATION OF THE AUGUST, 1844. RELIGION OF MONEY, OR THE MONEY RELIGION. VOL. V. Archbishop's order) an interview with him at his house. Upon arriving at the appointed hour, I found M. le Grand Vicaire surrounded with books, and well prepared, Do you know, reader, a pamphlet in which it appeared, to convince me; I do not know it is proved that all is sold in the Roman whether I ought to say, to convert me. As Catholic Church, whilst in the Gospel all is I had not come for this latter object, I given; and thus the religion of the Pope, plainly placed before him my questions one and the religion of Jesus Christ, are the two by one. Is it true, yes or no, said I to him, most opposite religions which can be in the that in your Church people pay to be bapworld? However, here is the second volume, tized, interred, &c.? Now, I declare it bewhich can very well be read first. The Re- fore God! M. the Vicar-General, was always ligion of Money was in its sixth edition obliged to say yes! Only, he disputed about (now more than a hundred thousand copies the prices; he assured me that baptism, have been sold) when a journal, too candid stated at 45 sous in my book, did not geneto believe possible the numerous abuses of rally cost but 20; that the wax taper left the Romish Church, questioned the accuracy at the time of the first communion by the of the facts declared in this little work. As catechumens, and the value of which I had its author, I wrote to the Archbishop of Paris, then M. de Quélen. I told him that my last edition of the Religion of Money, a copy of which I sent him, being disposed of, I came, before putting a new one in the press, to beg him to read it, and if he found in it the slightest inaccuracy, to point it out to me, so that I might remove it; in concluding, I warned his Lordship, that if he did not reply to me, I should infer that he gave me his approbation. A week later, as I was going to the printer's, I received a letter from M. the VicarGeneral, appointing (in accordance with the stated at 3 fr. 50 cents, was not larger than that! and M. le Grand Vicaire showed me his little finger. I admired his simplicity, and I pursued my questions. However, I ought to say, M. the Vicar convinced me of an omission. I had said nothing in my pamphlet about the price of marriage. M. the Vicar-General obligingly informed me that it was paid for like all the rest. I ask pardon for the forgetfulness; but I affirm again that M. the Vicar was obliged to acknowledge that, even as I had said, all was sold in the Romish Church. Undoubtedly, like a skilful casuist, |