iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiilll 
 
cC C C( 
 
 "a < ^ < c 5 
 
 r - < .-ciccc <- c V 
 
 <3«l < < <■ 
 
 c<< c cc 
 
 ccc co c 
 
 CC cC 
 
 ire 
 
 
 
 X ' 
 
 
 -<S^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 C v 
 
 
 
 «s:.. 
 
 <3*L 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 4CX < 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 «c^ 
 
 S: 
 
 <4 
 
 < 
 C 
 
 c 
 
 ^<t 
 
 C 
 
 <x 
 
 «l 
 
 C 
 
 - "V/r 
 
 : <c 
 
 c< 
 
 c 
 
 * 
 
 Vi 4*^ 
 
 
 < 
 
 C 
 
 
 c **c- 
 
 C 
 
 ^C 
 
 c 
 
 
 < ^c 
 
 c 
 
 <x 
 
 c 
 
 
 C r «C 
 
 4 < 
 
 C 
 
 c 
 
 
 <? 
 
 'C 
 
 X 
 Cv 
 
 <•• 
 <c 
 <■ 
 
 c 
 
 « 
 c 
 
 - 4 
 
 41 
 
 < 
 r. < 
 
 : -c 
 
 -C 
 ' c 
 : c 
 "c 
 
 : ^ 
 
 *L « 
 
 C < 
 
 < < 
 
 < < 
 
 t C *t^ ^ - •" 4f^ 4*" 
 
 Cc V^ C<L< 
 
 C< C <^ CC 
 
 V «c cc 
 
 ^ C c<^ 
 
 4tt ««!«:- <■ 
 
 ^ <: o 
 
 << C c< 
 <c c c< 
 
 C C c< c 
 
 4s: C <■ c 
 
 <c< c< 
 
 <:c <* 
 
 CC Ccr 
 
SI 
 
 OF DANGER AND OF PROMISE. 
 
 DUTIES OF AMERICAN PROTESTANTS. 
 AT THE PRESENT CRISIS. 
 
 " Can ye not discern the signs of the times ?" — Jesus Christ. 
 
 J 
 BY REV. HERMAN NORTON, 
 
 CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN PROTESTANT 
 SOCIETY. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 
 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY LEAVITT, TROW, & CO. 
 194 BROADWAY. 
 
 1845. 
 
The Library 
 of cokgri 
 
 ,+ 
 
 a 
 
 ,i° 
 
 ^ 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by 
 
 LEAVITT, TROW & CO. 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District 
 
 of New-York. 
 
 / 
 
 Jpp 
 
 J. P. TROW & CO., PRiiftm*, 
 33 Ann-street, New-York. 
 
SIGNS 
 OF DANGER AND OF PROMISE. 
 
 The past is history to be read and known 
 by all men. It is irreversibly fixed. Neither 
 power, nor learning, nor experience, nor bitter 
 regret, nor any causes originating in heaven, 
 on earth, or in hell can change it. It has re- 
 ceived its impress forever. 
 
 The future, differs essentially from the past 
 in this respect ; it is yet to be, and to be writ- 
 ten. Its materials will be gathered from the 
 developments of moral character, made by 
 free and accountable agents under the govern- 
 ment of God in this world. 
 
 It is now more than eighteen hundred years, 
 since that unrivalled Apostle, Paul, said, " that 
 knowing the time, that now it is high time to 
 awake out of sleep," Rom. 13: 11. There 
 might have been special reasons besides the 
 
4 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 one named, ( c< salvation nearer,") that induced 
 him to use this stirring language when ad- 
 dressing the people of God. If those reasons 
 do not exist at the present day as they existed 
 eighteen centuries since, yet it is timely to 
 address Christians now in the same language. 
 
 There are things now in progress that 
 should rouse a sleeping church, and an unbe- 
 lieving world. Events are already casting 
 their shadows that may well awaken the in- 
 quiries, and researches, and prayers of the 
 people of God, who are soon to exchange 
 this world of toil and of prayer, for the world 
 of rest and of song. 
 
 " And that knowing the time." We are not 
 to infer from this, that we are required to 
 know the time in such a sense as to predict 
 future events with unerring certainty. 
 
 But while we are not required to be pro- 
 phets in the high character of predicting the fu- 
 ture, we may, in the light of prophecy already 
 revealed, discern those movements and chan- 
 ges that precede great events affecting the 
 moral destiny of churches and nations. 
 
 It is essential to Christan vigor and efficien- 
 cy to 'know the time in which we live, that we 
 may seize upon any favorable openings for 
 spreading the triumphs of the Gospel on the 
 one hand ; and on the other, may be prepared 
 
AND OF PROMISE. O 
 
 to meet any fearful scenes through which we 
 may be called to pass. 
 
 At the present moment, both prophecy 
 and the indications of Providence declare that 
 the time is not far distant when the Gospel 
 of Jesus Christ will be the acknowledged re- 
 ligion of every tribe and nation — when it shall 
 have subverted every false system of religion 
 on the globe. But before that blessed day of 
 triumph and of love shall shed its meridian 
 light on the nations, there may be a conflict 
 to try the faith and the patience of the people 
 of God. The day of battle may precede the 
 songs of victory. 
 
 The last event in the order of prophecy, 
 before the binding of Satan and the reign of 
 Christ for a thousand years, was revealed by 
 the Saviour to the beloved disciple in the follow- 
 ing language, as uttered by John : " And I 
 saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and 
 their armies, gathered together to make war 
 against him that sat on the horse, and against 
 his army." Rev. 19: 19. 
 
 The Protestant world are united in the be- 
 lief that the beast so minutely and so vividly 
 protrayed in the revelations of John and of 
 Daniel, is the church of Rome. This is the 
 power here represented as leading on this per- 
 secuting army to this last conflict, which in- 
 1* 
 
O SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 troduces the triumphant reign of Jesus Christ 
 for a thousand years. This event, which the 
 Christian world believe will occur at no dis- 
 tant period, renders it to us, and to our children, 
 a subject of more than ordinary interest. 
 Whether it will be a conflict of violence, re- 
 newing the sufferings and triumphs of martyrs, 
 or whether it will be the warm and final con- 
 test of opinions before the undisputed victory 
 of truth over error, it claims the most serious 
 attention of all men. 
 
 Our youthful country now promises to be 
 the great battle-field on which will be mar- 
 shalled the powers of light and darkness in 
 fearful order and number. Here they will 
 meet with all the forces and influences that 
 each can summon to its aid. The liberty of 
 speech and of the press, that we now enjoy, 
 make this the most favorable and desirable 
 part of the world for such a contest. And 
 here we trust there will yet be such a triumph 
 of truth over error, of Christian love over su- 
 perstition, as the world has not seen ; a tri- 
 umph to be remembered and perpetuated in 
 the songs of the Christian and the civilized 
 world. 
 
 But it is not the present intention to discuss 
 the nature of this conflict. The design is to call 
 the attention of the reader to the times in 
 
AND OF PROMISE. i 
 
 which you live, or to one of the signs of the 
 times with reference to our own country, i. e. 
 to the present aspect of Romanism in the Unit- 
 ed States. The object is not to call fire from 
 heaven to consume the Romanists ; but ra- 
 ther to awaken your sympathies and prayers 
 for those who are deluded, and are blindly 
 hastening to the retributions of another world. 
 Should any regard the discussion of this 
 subject as a persecution of the Roman church 
 let him consider the following facts : 
 
 1. We speak of the heathen ; their supersti- 
 tions and pollutions and idolatry are spread 
 out before the world for the purpose of calling 
 forth the prayers and benevolent efforts of the 
 people of God to send missionaries among 
 them ; but this is not called persecution. 
 
 2. We speak of the sins of the Jewish na- 
 tion — of their wretched condition, as the sub- 
 jects of Divine indignation for eighteen centu- 
 ries, and we call on the church to pray for the 
 conversion of the scattered children of Abra- 
 ham ; yet this is not called persecution. 
 
 3. We speak of the seamen, of the colored 
 people, and of the Indians ; the sins, or degra- 
 dation, or sufferings of each class are spread 
 before the community ; but the cry of perse- 
 cution is not heard on this account. 
 
 Why is it, then, that this cry is often heard 
 
8 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 when any thing is to be spoken of the Roman 
 church ? 
 
 Perhaps it may be because some who have 
 spoken on the subject, have used the language 
 of denunciation. To denounce the Romanists, 
 any other class of men, is only to awaken 
 prejudice and wrath, and thus prevent the con- 
 viction of truth or of guilt on the mind. Such 
 a course is as unwise, as it is wrong and con- 
 trary to the Gospel of Christ. The writer 
 has no sympathy with such exhibitions of the 
 subject. 
 
 Or perhaps some may think, as the spirit 
 of retaliation is natural to the human heart, 
 that we shall call upon Protestants to per- 
 secute Romanists as they have persecuted 
 Protestants in ages past. But this would be a 
 most flagrant violation of the precepts of Jesus 
 Christ, which require us " to bless those who 
 curse us, and to pray for those who despiteful- 
 ly entreat us and persecute us." 
 
 Or much of the cry of persecution may 
 have originated in the fact that often, when 
 Romanism has been discussed, no plan has 
 been suggested by which we might do good to 
 that portion of our population. This cry we 
 believe will die away when this subject in its 
 important bearing upon our country shall be 
 presented in a Christian spirit. Can the read- 
 
AND OF PROMISE. V 
 
 er tell why the state of the Roman Catholic 
 church should not be presented to the commu- 
 nity, and should not awaken the same sympa- 
 thies, the same prayers, and the same benevo- 
 lent efforts that are called forth in view of any 
 other class of men ? Are not the Romanists 
 sinners in common with others of our race ? If 
 they are ever saved, must it not be by the 
 same blood of atonement that saves others ? 
 This may suffice on the subject of persecution. 
 
 Your attention will now be called, 1. To 
 the present state of Romanism in the United 
 States. 2. To the duties of Protestants with 
 reference to it. 3. Some things of an interest- 
 ing nature respecting this subject will be 
 brought before you. 
 
 It will be impossible to give you a correct 
 or profitable view of Romanism in this coun- 
 try, without reference to some things of rather 
 a startling nature. This reference will be 
 made not for the purpose of producing the im- 
 pression on your mind that we are already un- 
 der the dominion of a foreign power, or that 
 the country is lost, but to show reasons why 
 the subject should be brought before every 
 American citizen. 
 
 1. The first thing that arrests our attention 
 in looking over the country, is the number of 
 Romanists now in the United States, 
 
10 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 This is estimated at two millions. Within 
 the last ten years their numbers have more 
 than doubled in this country. Their present 
 number, suppose it to be 2,000,000, is only 
 a minority of the population of the United 
 States. But has not the reader read enough 
 of history, and seen enough of the influence 
 of small numbers, to know that the impor- 
 tance of any community, does not consist in 
 their number. Does not our own country fur- 
 nish a striking illustration of this ? When the 
 Declaration of Independence was made, there 
 were only 3,000,000 of souls in this country. 
 But what vital interests of civil and of reli- 
 gious freedom were involved in the conduct of 
 those three millions ? There will soon be 
 more than three millions of Romanists here, 
 and who can tell the influence they might ex- 
 ert over the liberties of this country, should 
 they be controlled only by those whose main 
 design is to obtain political poiver ? 
 
 Protestants should be informed, that in view 
 of the Hierarchy of the Roman church, Po- 
 pery is rising with more promise of success in 
 England and in the United States, than in 
 any other part of Christendom. Strange as it 
 may appear, they have reasons for this be- 
 lief. 
 
 At a convention of ministers, held not long 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 11 
 
 since in England, Dr. Croley, who wrote the 
 Life and Times of George IV., stated that 
 fifty years ago there were not fifty Roman 
 Catholic chapels in all England and Scotland 
 and Wales, while now in England alone there 
 are upwards of 500. And he called upon 
 Englishmen, in a very spirited address, to con- 
 sider this subject now, before they might be 
 called to think of it in other circumstances, 
 perhaps when standing upon the scaffold. 
 
 Surely, we should not forget that about two 
 millions of men are now upon our shores from 
 foreign lands, who are in the pale of the Rom- 
 ish church. They are not to be despised on 
 account of the fewness of their number, nor 
 the feebleness of their influence ; they are not 
 to be neglected, nor left to perish without a 
 prayer, or a benevolent effort to save them. 
 Should they be thus neglected, a fearful re- 
 sponsibility will rest upon Protestants in this 
 country. Such neglect might cause the God 
 of nations to make them the rod in his hand 
 with which he would scourge the church and 
 the nation. 
 
 2. It is not their numbers merely, but the 
 manifest designs of the Popish Hierarchy, that 
 demand the attention of every citizen, of eve- 
 ry lover of civil and of religious liberty. 
 
 What these designs are, we learn from 
 
12 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 those who are familiar with them, and also 
 from constant developments made by the Ro- 
 man church. 
 
 Roman Catholic priests, both in Europe 
 and in the United States, who have embraced 
 the Protestant faith within a few years past, 
 have assured us of the designs of the Pope and 
 cardinals to plant Romanism in this country, 
 and to subvert our liberties. 
 
 While the church of Rome seems to be on 
 the wane in the old world, except in England, 
 and while the state of things is so precarious 
 in Italy that a sudden revolution may hurl the 
 Pope from his tottering throne, it is natural 
 that the leaders of that power should turn 
 their eyes on this country, as the most prom- 
 ising part of the world. Here is a broad 
 territory, more than sixteen times as large as 
 England and Scotland and Ireland united ! 
 What a vast field is this to allure ambitious 
 minds ! 
 
 Besides this widely extended country, here 
 is free toleration of religious opinions ; such 
 toleration as^can be found on no other part of 
 the globe. The Protestant and the Roman 
 Catholic a*e alike under the protection of the 
 government. So it should be, and we trust it 
 always will be ; for we would most sincerely 
 deprecate the day when this government 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 13 
 
 should lift its persecuting arm, and let it fall 
 heavily on the Roman church. We pray that 
 such a day may never come. 
 
 As it respects the designs of the Papal 
 church, they are often avowed by the leaders 
 of that church in such a manner that no one 
 should misunderstand them. 
 
 The editor of a Roman Catholic journal in 
 Europe, speaking of the report of their missions 
 at the West, says, " We must make haste — 
 the moments are precious. America may one 
 day become the centre of civilization, and 
 shall truth or error there establish its empire ? 
 If the Protestants are beforehand with us, it 
 will be difficult to destroy their influence." 
 That is, as he explains it, If the Protestants 
 are before us in the erection of colleges and 
 churches in the western country, it will be 
 difficult for us to gain the ascendency, and to 
 destroy their influence. 
 
 Already has it been published in the Annals 
 for the Propagation of the Faith, that within 
 thirty years u heresy (i. e. Protestantism) will 
 be destroyed in the United States." This is 
 not the declaration of Protestants, but is pub- 
 lished by the highest authority of the Roman 
 Catholic church. It is published in that jour- 
 nal on whose title-page is printed, " Under 
 the special patronage of His Holiness Gregory 
 2 
 
14 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 XVI., and the Right Rev. Vicars Apostolic 
 of Great Britain :" a journal that issues every 
 two months one hundred and sixty-two thou- 
 sand copies, and nine hundred and seventy- 
 two thousand annually, in eight different lan- 
 guages, and circulates over the globe. Ac- 
 cording to this prophetic declaration, only 
 twenty-two years remain at this time (1845) 
 before Protestantism will be overthrown, and 
 Romanism established in this country. 
 
 In the execution of her plans, we have rea- 
 son to believe the church of Rome is aided by 
 some of the monarchs of Europe. This will 
 more clearly appear in some facts to be stated. 
 As evidence of this, we might here adduce 
 the testimony of one who will not be regarded 
 as prejudiced in favor of our country, or unne- 
 cessarily alarmed in view of any dangers that 
 may threaten us. I refer to the Duke of 
 Richmond, formerly the Governor of the Can- 
 adas. When he last visited Montreal, he was 
 invited to a dinner, where he made a speech, 
 of which the following is an extract : — " The 
 government of the United States ought not to 
 stand, and it will not stand ; but it will be de- 
 stroyed by subversion, and not by conquest. 
 The plan is this : to send over the surplus 
 population of Europe ; they will go over with 
 foreign views and feelings, and will form a 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 15 
 
 heterogeneous mass, and in the course of time 
 will be prepared to rise and subvert the gov- 
 ernment." He then adds, " The church of 
 Rome has a design upon that country. Po- 
 pery will in time be the established religion, 
 and will aid in the destruction of that republic. 
 I have conversed with many of the sovereigns 
 and princes of Europe, and they have unani- 
 mously expressed these opinions relative to the 
 government of the United States, and their 
 determination to subvert it." 
 
 This is the language of a man who speaks 
 what he knows from personal conversation 
 with the sovereigns of Europe. Now those 
 monarchs are acting in self-defence and for 
 self-preservation. Some of them may not 
 have much zeal for the Roman church ; they 
 may be opposed to Popery ; but they hate 
 republics more. Should this fair republic 
 stand for the gaze of nations — should this ex- 
 periment of popular government be successful, 
 not a monarch in Europe will be secure upon 
 his throne. Those sovereigns are aware of 
 this, and this touches the secret springs of ac- 
 tion in their breasts. Hence they are ready to 
 aid almost any power in the overthrow of a 
 republic w T hose prosperity might be disastrous 
 to them. 
 
 Again, as to the designs of Rome upon 
 
16 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 this country, we are informed by that church 
 that societies have been organized in Europe 
 for the purpose of raising funds to establish 
 Romanism in the United States. 
 
 The special attention of the reader is called 
 to some facts respecting these societies. One 
 thing you are particularly requested to remem- 
 ber as you read, and it is this : these facts are 
 not the statements of Protestants, but are col- 
 lected from Roman Catholic documents, which 
 have been published for the information and 
 encouragement of their own people. And if 
 you have doubted whether any plans have 
 been formed in the old world, whose execution 
 contemplates the establishment of Popery in 
 the new, you are requested candidly, as a 
 man, as a patriot, or as a Christian, to ponder 
 well the nature, the design, and the operations 
 of these various societies. 
 
 That no one may misapprehend, or put a 
 wrong construction upon the facts and state- 
 ments here made, the writer would here say 
 distinctly, that the sentiment is not advocated 
 in this book that the Romanists have no right 
 to come to this country. We have thrown 
 open the door to all nations — have said to the 
 world, this is the asylum for the oppressed., 
 The Romanists, in common with others, have 
 the privilege of accepting this invitation. 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 17 
 
 They may come in virtue of it, and make 
 this country their residence. Here they may 
 live and here they may die, without violating 
 any law, or infringing upon any privilege of 
 the nation. 
 
 As to the manner in which they should be 
 treated as they arrive, the reader will know 
 the views of the writer before he concludes 
 this discussion. 
 
 Let us now briefly survey the operations of 
 some of the foreign societies. 
 
 1. The Leopold society in Austria. 
 
 The constitution of this society, as publish- 
 ed by the government of Austria, is headed 
 with these words : " Rules of the Institution 
 erected under the name of the Leopold Foun- 
 dation for aiding Catholic Missions in Ameri- 
 ca, by contributions in the Austrian Empire." 
 The object of this society, as stated in the first 
 article of the constitution, is, "to promote the 
 greater activity of Catholic Missions in Amer- 
 ica." But the causes and circumstances in 
 which it originated, shed sunbeams on its de- 
 signs. One of the first scholars of Europe, a 
 member of the Austrian cabinet, delivered a 
 course of lectures in the capital, the object of 
 which was to show the mutual support that 
 Popery and Monarchy derive from each other. 
 In this course he endeavored to show that 
 2 # 
 
18 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 Protestantism, in connection with Republican- 
 ism, had been the cause that disturbed the 
 governments of Europe. In the seventeenth 
 lecture he says, " The true nursery of all these 
 destructive principles, the revolutionary school 
 for France and the rest of Europe, has been 
 North America. Thence the evil has spread 
 over many other lands, either by natural 
 contagion, or by arbitrary communication.^ 
 Hence the speedy inference, that these Pro- 
 testant and republican principles in the United 
 States must be put down, or there never can 
 be peace in Europe. These lectures were 
 delivered in the presence of the nobility of 
 Austria, at Vienna, just before the formation 
 of this society. 
 
 Another cause of the formation of the soci- 
 ety was, that the Vicar General of Cincinnati, 
 being in Austria, published a pamphlet show- 
 ing the present state of our western country. 
 This representation, immediately after the lec- 
 tures, contributed to the immediate organiza- 
 tion of this society. It was received under 
 royal protection, and sanctioned by the Pope* 
 It was ordered by the Emperor of Austria, 
 that a society should be formed in every par- 
 ish in bis dominions, that should send in a 
 weekly contribution to be forwarded to Cin- 
 cinnati. You may suppose that a vast amount 
 
AND OF PROMISE, 19 
 
 of money would be raised in an empire of 
 twenty millions, where all are required by the 
 highest authority to bring in a weekly contri- 
 bution. We are not surprised that the soci- 
 ety reports that it received into its treasury, 
 within fifteen months after its organization, 
 131,442 florins, or about $61,000 ; or that it 
 could send $100,000 annually to the United 
 States. Let it be remembered that this soci- 
 ety is inseparably connected with the govern- 
 ment. The Emperor of Austria is at the 
 head of it ; Prince Metternich, Secretary of 
 State, is one of its most powerful agents ; and 
 the nobility are deeply interested in it. Fer- 
 dinand V., King of Hungary and Crown 
 Prince of the other States, is the protector of 
 the society. It is organized in the capital of 
 Austria, but its field of operation is the United 
 States. It prepares in the seminary at Vien- 
 na, and supports, a body of Jesuits who are 
 organizing themselves in various sections of 
 this country. Notice the order of Jesuits, who 
 have been so famous, in all ages of their ex- 
 istence, in effecting revolutions in govern- 
 ments, are the favorites of this great govern- 
 mental organization. The government of 
 Buenos Ayres, although it is Roman Catholic, 
 has ejected the Jesuits from its dominions 
 within a few years, because they were con- 
 stantly originating revolutions. 
 
20 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 Those who think the leaders of the Roman 
 church do not design to interfere with govern- 
 ments, should remember the time when Texas 
 was struggling for independence, when two 
 Roman Catholic Bishops pledged Santa Anna 
 a million of dollars to aid him in exterminating 
 the inhabitants of Texas. 
 
 The announcement of the organization of 
 the Leopold society awakened the deepest 
 interest at Rome. Immediately the Pope is- 
 sued a Bull of Indulgence, to stimulate the 
 people of Austria to contribute to its funds. 
 This is an extraordinary document for the 
 nineteenth century, and is an illustration of 
 Popery in all ages. Usurping the place and 
 the prerogative of God, the Pope promises the 
 pardon of sin and free indulgence to every 
 donor. One sentence from this Bull is suffi- 
 cient to show this : u Therefore, trusting in 
 the mercy of Almighty God, and in the au- 
 thority of Peter and Paul his apostles, we 
 grant to all the truly penitent co-operators in 
 this society, on the day they shall be received 
 into the society, full indulgence and remission 
 of all their sins." 
 
 This document, so suddenly sent forth, was 
 to be efficacious in all future time. The lan- 
 guage of the Pope is, " These letters we en- 
 dow with perpetual efficacy ; and we order 
 that the same authority be given to the copies 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 21 
 
 of them, signed by the public notary, and 
 sealed with the seal of the person of proper 
 ecclesiastical dignity, as is given to our per- 
 mission in this very diploma. 
 
 " Dated at Rome, at St. Peter's, under the 
 ring of the fisherman, on the 30th of January, 
 1829, in the sixth year of our Pontificate. 
 " T. Card. Bernetti." 
 
 This Indulgence is therefore to possess the 
 same power under every Pope and throughout 
 all generations. It was also sanctioned by 
 the Emperor, in order to give it the highest 
 possible authority. The following is the 
 sanction, signed by the official organ of the 
 government : 
 
 u This letter is sanctioned by the Royal 
 leave. By his Sacred Imperial and Royal 
 Majesty. 
 
 " Vincentius Schubert. 
 
 " Vienna, April 20, 1829." 
 
 Besides the power over the conscience and 
 the purse of the Austrians, given by such doc- 
 uments, the tenth article of the constitution of 
 this society has made provision, or has a very 
 successful device, for obtaining money. This 
 is stated as follows : "That the solemn mass 
 
22 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 of the dead be said for the repose of all the 
 souls of the deceased patrons and benefactors 
 of this institution." Here you see the most 
 powerful appeal is made to the Romanists to 
 contribute to the society. Pardon of sin ! 
 full indulgence ! masses for the soul after 
 death ! What more could be promised to a 
 deluded papist ! 
 
 To show you how deeply interested the 
 government of Austria was in this movement, 
 it may here be stated that within seven days 
 after the date of this Bull of Indulgence, 
 Prince Metternich wrote a letter to the Bishop 
 of Cincinnati, expressing the gratification of 
 the Emperor of Austria at the formation of 
 this society, and the cheerfulness with which 
 he permits his subjects to contribute to its 
 funds. The following extract from that letter 
 may be a matter of interest to the reader : 
 
 " The Emperor, firmly devoted to our holy 
 religion, feels a lively joy at the accounts that 
 the truth makes rapid progress in the vast 
 countries of North America. Convinced of 
 the irresistible power which the Catholic 
 doctrine must necessarily have on simple and 
 uncorrupted hearts and minds, when its truths 
 are proclaimed by truly apostolical missionaries, 
 his Imperial Majesty cherishes the most favor- 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 23 
 
 able hopes of the pious progress which our 
 holy religion will make in the United States, 
 and among the Indian tribes. 
 
 " The Emperor commissions me to say to 
 your Grace, that he cheerfully allows bis peo- 
 ple to contribute to the support of the Cath- 
 olic churches in America, according to the 
 plan laid down by our worthy Vicar General, 
 Mr. Fredrick Reese." 
 
 What this " plan " is we know not, as it has 
 not been published. It was never designed 
 to meet the eyes of Protestants, but is a sacred 
 secret in the breasts of the Austrian cabinet, 
 and of the Roman Hierarchy in this country. 
 
 The above letter was written by Prince 
 Metternich, whose character is so well known 
 in the political world. This is the man of 
 whom Dr. Dwight says, "that by his wonder- 
 ful talent in exciting fear he has thus far con- 
 trolled the cabinets of Europe, and has exerted 
 an influence over the destinies of nations, little 
 if any inferior to that of Napoleon ; and that he 
 is regarded by the liberals of Europe as the 
 greatest enemy of the human race who has 
 lived for ages." 
 
 This is the man who, for a series of years, 
 has attempted to quench every spark of liber- 
 ty in Europe. Would not Alexander have 
 lent the power of his name and of his arms, to 
 
24 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 aid the Greeks in their death struggles for liber- 
 ty, had it not been for the interference of 
 Prince Metternich ? When, about twenty 
 years since, the inhabitants of Genoa, Naples, 
 and Sicily, resolved to throw off the oppres- 
 sions of the Papacy, did not this same Prince 
 wither all their hopes by sending 30,000 Aus- 
 trian troops to restore the reign of despotism ? 
 And in 1831, when the Italians determined to 
 rid themselves of Papal bondage, this same 
 man sent among them the military force of 
 Austria, and the noblest blood of Italy was 
 shed, and her best citizens groaned in the 
 dungeons of Venice. 
 
 This is the man who is so deeply interested 
 in the Leopold Society, that is sending large 
 sums of money and numbers of Jesuit mission- 
 aries to the United States ; a society that has 
 been in vigorous operation for the last fifteen 
 years. That it is political in its nature and 
 designs, is manifest from the character of the 
 men who have the management of it. That 
 it aims at the overthrow of Republican and 
 Protestant principles in this country, is clear, 
 from the manner in which it originated, and 
 the course it has pursued from its commence- 
 ment to the present time. It is controlled by 
 foreign monarchs who are the known enemies 
 of civil and religious liberty, and is to be re- 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 25 
 
 garded as one development of a great plan in 
 Europe, for the destruction of this fair Repub- 
 lic. 
 
 2. The Society, For the Propagation of the 
 Faith, at Lyons, France. 
 
 This society also demands the special at- 
 tention of Protestants in the United States. It 
 has recently published its twenty-second annu- 
 al report. 
 
 In this report they say this society was or- 
 ganized with reference to this country. " In 
 the midst of the perils that surrounded the infant 
 churches of the United States, their Bishops 
 turned their last hopes towards Europe. The 
 Association for the Propagation of the Faith, 
 sprung chiefly from their pious solicitations: 1 
 " The perils " that threatened the Roman 
 church, are referred to in the report in the fol- 
 lowing language: "The second generation 
 yielded to the public feeling, and followed the 
 crowd to Protestant churches. A well found- 
 ed conjecture estimates the probable number 
 of these defections at 3,000,000." 
 
 The report states another reason for the 
 formation of this society as follows : " The 
 Holy See could not observe the commence- 
 ment of a great nation, without feeling an in- 
 terest in its religious destiny." 
 
 Whether the fear of apostacy from the Ro- 
 3 
 
26 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 man church, or solicitude in the destiny of this 
 nation, predominated at the origin of the socie- 
 ty, the report does not inform us. It only 
 assures us that each had its influence on the 
 minds that formed this energetic society. 
 
 This society sends annually large sums of 
 money to Cincinnati and to other parts of the 
 United States. During four years it has sent, 
 according to their own reports, the following 
 sums: in 1839 $65,438, in 1840 $163,000, 
 in 1842 $177,000, in 1843 $207,218. 
 — It has sent, therefore, in four years, the 
 enormous amount of six hundred and twelve 
 thousand six hundred and fifty-six dollars. 
 How much more we cannot say. Previous 
 to 1839, they state that the society had sent 
 $160,000 to the United States in a single 
 year. During 1843-4, its donations are more 
 than $30,000 in advance of the largest sum 
 reported on any preceding year. 
 
 Besides this vast increase of money the 
 last year, the report says: "The number of 
 missionaries whose departure has been an- 
 nounced during the last twelve months 
 amounts to about one hundred, without count- 
 ing the students and lay brothers." It has 
 sent, then, about one hundred Jesuit missiona- 
 ries, besides students, &c, who will soon enter 
 upon the Priesthood. 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 27 
 
 This society receives contributions from 
 various nations. Its funds are distributed in 
 Asia, in Europe, in Africa, in Oceanica and 
 in America. But it is worthy of notice that 
 it has sent the past year more money to this 
 country than to any other great division of the 
 globe. Why is it, we may inquire, that they 
 have sent more money to the United States 
 than to the 21,000,000 in South and Central 
 America ? Why more than to the 125,000,000 
 of Europe ? Are the 2,000,000 of Roman- 
 ists in the United States more in need of 
 aid than in any other countries ? Are they 
 more ignorant and degraded than the subjects 
 of the Pope in other lands ? Are the sympa- 
 thies of " the Holy See" and of the Society 
 for the Propagation of the Faith, on this ac- 
 count, awakened on their behalf? Is this the 
 reason of this enormous expenditure of money 
 in the erection of colleges and school-houses 
 and churches ? Who can believe it ? Who 
 can be so blind as not to see in these efforts 
 the developments of the plans of the Roman 
 Hierarchy with reference to this country ? 
 And who would so stultify himself, and impute 
 such folly to Rome, as to say in view of such 
 facts, she has no designs upon our country:* 
 Credat qui potest. 
 
 As the reader may be interested in knowing 
 
28 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 how this society has distributed its funds among 
 us the past year, we will give some items from 
 the twenty-second annual report. 
 
 Francs. Cts. 
 
 For the Missions of the Redemp- 
 
 torists in the U. States, . 55,440 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Loras, 
 
 Bishop of Dubuque, . 27,720 
 
 To the Right Rev. Bishop Lefe- 
 vre, Coadjutor and Administra- 
 tor of Detroit, . . 40,040 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Purcell, 
 
 Bishop of Cincinnati, . 50,800 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Fenwick, 
 
 Bishop of Boston, . . 15,400 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Kenrick, 
 Coadjutor and Administrator of 
 Philadelphia, . . . 6,160 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. O'Con- 
 nor, Bishop of Pittsburgh, 20,000 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Whelan, 
 
 Bishop of Richmond, . 33,880 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Hughes, 
 
 Bishop of New- York, . : 43,120 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Miles, 
 
 Bishop of Nashville, . 21,560 
 
 For the Missions of the Fathers of 
 
 Mercy, New-York, . ■ 20,000 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Flaget, 
 
 Bishop of Louisville, . 44,178 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 29 
 
 Francs. Cts. 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Hialen- 
 
 diere, Bishop of Vincennes, 67,760 
 
 For the Congregation of Eudists, 
 
 in the Diocese of Vincennes, 10,000 
 
 For the establishment of the Bro- 
 thers of St. Joseph at Vin- 
 cennes .... 14,240 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Rosati, 
 
 Bishop of St. Louis . 58,520 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Chances, 
 
 Bishop of Natches, . . 12,320 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Blanc, 
 
 Bishop of New-Orleans, . 24,640 
 
 To the Right Rev. Dr. Portice, 
 
 Bishop of Mobile, . , 33,600 16 
 
 For the Diocese of Charleston, 15,400 
 
 For the Mission of the Lazarists 
 
 in the United States, . 46,000 
 
 For the Missions of the Jesuits in 
 
 the State of Missouri, . . 32,000 
 
 For the Missions of the same So- 
 ciety at the Rocky Mountains 50,000 
 
 For the Missions of the same So- 
 ciety in Kentucky and Canada, 20,000 
 
 Travelling expenses of German 
 Missionaries, going to the U. 
 States, . . . 12,857 16 
 
 For the Missions of the Lazarists 
 
 in Texas. . . . 20,000 
 3* 
 
30 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 Let Protestants who have doubted whether 
 Rome had any designs upon this country pon- 
 der these statistics. Why this enlarged and 
 systematic distribution of funds over our wide- 
 ly extended territory ? Why are so many Jes- 
 uits sustained among us by foreign money ? 
 Protestants think of this ! Think of it in the 
 light of history, and of prophecy ! Then 
 awake, and seek the interposition of the God 
 of nations. 
 
 3. The Emigration Society, organized by 
 men of wealth in Europe. 
 
 It is called a " New Plan of a General Em- 
 igration Society." The object of this soci- 
 ety is to bring over the Atlantic the papal 
 population of Europe, and to plant colonies 
 of them in our Western States. The grand 
 design of this movement is ultimately to make 
 the Roman Catholic religion, the predominant 
 religion of the United States. 
 
 In the pamphlet issued when the society 
 was formed, it is stated that the society will 
 pay the passage of all the emigrants to this 
 country and build them a house on the new 
 lands free of expense.* 
 
 It may suffice to say, that the policy of the 
 
 * For a more particular account of this society see 
 " Startling Facts for American Protestants," published at 
 she Depository of American Protestant Society. 
 
6 
 
 AND OF PROMISE, 31 
 
 society is to embody the papal population to- 
 gether in the West, remote from Protestant 
 influence. It aims at throwing a majority 
 into the great valley, and thus to control the 
 destiny of the United States. 
 
 They are very confident of success, as ap- 
 pears by this document. The energy of hope 
 is apparent on every page. Yes, they hope, 
 they confidently anticipate the day when the 
 religion and the government of the United 
 States will be Roman Catholic. 
 
 Hear this, ye Protestants who never dream 
 of danger, who imagine that such a thought 
 could have danced only in the brain of a luna- 
 tic ! Read attentively a few quotations from 
 this pamphlet, written by a Roman Catholic 
 gentleman ! 
 
 " Judge Halliburton asserts that all America 
 will be a Catholic country." " The Roman 
 Catholic church bids fair to rise to importance 
 in America." 
 
 " They gain constantly : they gain more by 
 emigration, more by natural increase in pro- 
 portion to their numbers, more by intermar- 
 riages, adoption, and conversion, than Protes- 
 tants. With their exclusive views of salva- 
 tion, and peculiar tenets, as soon as they have 
 the majority, this becomes a Catholic country, 
 with a Catholic government, with the Catho- 
 
32 SIGNS OF BANGER 
 
 lie religion established by law. Is this a great 
 change? A greater change has taken place 
 among the British, the Medes and Persians 
 of Europe, the nolumus leges mutari peo- 
 ple." 
 
 Towards the close of this document is the 
 following sentence in capitals : " The co-op- 
 eration of other European nations in promot- 
 ing the objects of the society is most desira- 
 ble ; particularly of those possessing a redun- 
 dant population, (i. e. Roman Catholic,) &c." 
 This observation is especially applicable to 
 Belgium, France, and a large portion of Ger- 
 many ." 
 
 They speak of those nations as follows : 
 "The Western districts may be said to have 
 a particular claim to the patronage of France, as 
 it was under their former sovereignty that 
 their vast resources, and facility of connexion 
 between the northern lakes and the first navi- 
 gable tributaries. of the Mississippi, were dis- 
 covered by those enterprising and amiable 
 French Jesuit missionaries, Henepin and La 
 Salle. As to Belgium and Germany, it is al- 
 most needless to call on them for greater sup- 
 port than is already furnished by the mass of 
 Catholic population daily flowing from these 
 kingdoms into the fertile West. 
 
 "In proof of this, St. Louis, risen up asii 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 33 
 
 were but yesterday, in the heart of this country, 
 now boasts of more than 30,000 inhabitants, 
 12,000 of which are German, Belgian, French 
 and Irish Catholics, mainly attracted by the 
 system of education afforded by the Belgian 
 Jesuits, who have not only been the means of 
 establishing a magnificent cathedral in this 
 city, and also a college, now classed so high 
 in affording instruction, that, beyond the com- 
 mendations universally bestowed on its inter- 
 nal arrangements, its rules may be almost said 
 to hold out the best model for diffusing gener- 
 al knowledge through the West." 
 
 As to the results, or success of this society, 
 time only can disclose. It is introduced here to 
 show the designs of the Roman church upon 
 this country. Its organization gave a new 
 impulse to the spirit of emigration. Within 
 three months after it was in operation, there 
 landed upwards of 40,000 Romanists in the 
 city of New- York, who went on immediately 
 to the West. And in about six weeks subse- 
 quent to this, more than 14,000 arrived at 
 New- York on their way to the West. The 
 number of emigrants who landed at Quebec, 
 New-York, Philadelphia and New-Orleans, 
 within a year after its organization, has been 
 estimated at 200,000 who went on to the 
 Western valley,, 
 
34 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 Other societies are reported as existing in 
 various parts of Europe, whose funds and en- 
 ergies are expended to establish Romanism in 
 this country. But we will not call the atten- 
 tion of the reader to any other at the present 
 time. 
 
 Besides the sums remitted by these socie- 
 ties, money flows bountifully from other sources 
 in foreign countries, for the purpose of lay- 
 ing the foundations of papal influence deep 
 and strong in the United States. As evidence 
 of this, you may read the report of a Roman 
 Catholic Priest, who was an agent in Europe 
 for the purpose of collecting funds for the Ro- 
 man church in this country. This is his ac- 
 count of donations received from different so- 
 cieties and distinguished personages in various 
 parts of Europe. 
 
 He received, 
 
 Francs. 
 
 From the King of France, 4,000 
 
 " the King of Holland, 7,085 
 " the Emperor of Russia, 20,000 
 " the Emperor of Austria, 20,000 
 " the King of Sardinia, 6,192 
 " his Holiness the Pope, 20,000 
 « the Grand Duke of Tus- 
 cany, * 11,474 
 iC the Duchess of Lucca, 5,100 
 " sundry individuals &c«, 29,19^ 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 35 
 
 This may show you how extensively the 
 monarchs of Europe are acting in concert 
 with Rome in aiding her designs upon this 
 country, and how deeply they are interested 
 in her success. And let it here be remember- 
 ed that this is not a recent report. It is of 
 more than twenty years standing. It was 
 made in 1823. 
 
 In view of this, is it not high time for Prot- 
 estants in this country " to awake out of sleep ? 
 While we have been reposing in the most pro- 
 found slumbers, dreaming of security and of 
 the perpetuity of our institutions, the wakeful 
 eyes of Europe have been intensely fixed upon 
 us, and our unsuspecting insensibility has sent 
 a secret thrill of joy through the breasts of car- 
 dinals and monarchs who have been plotting 
 our ruin during this long night of sleep. 
 
 Within a few months past the Pope has 
 made a donation to the Romanists in the city 
 of Milwaukie in Wiskonsan Territory of sev- 
 enty-two thousand dollars ; an amount larger 
 than Protestants will soon raise to send mis- 
 sionaries, Bibles, books, and tracts, to the in- 
 habitants of that territory. 
 
 In Monroe City, Michigan, the Jesuits 
 have recently secured a large amount of pro- 
 perty for three hundred years to come. Two 
 Jesuit priests have within a few weeks gone 
 to Europe to secure the funds and the men 
 
36 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 for establishing two large institutions in that 
 place. 
 
 Besides the funds sent over from Europe, 
 there is another view to be taken of these op- 
 erations. Their schools in this country are 
 designed for the education of Protestant chil- 
 dren, i. e. for their conversion to the Roman 
 Catholic faith. The net has been spread, and 
 it is almost incredible to see with what facili- 
 ty the children of Protestants have been gath- 
 ered into it. Thousands of such children are 
 now under the care of Romish teachers, re- 
 ceiving their impressions and views of Ro- 
 manism and Protestantism, from those who 
 are sworn to sustain the Pope. Why is it 
 that Rome here warmly advocates the cause 
 of education, and overlooks the necessities of 
 her own children, leaving them in ignojance, 
 while she kindly throws her arms around ours ? 
 Let these children grow up under such in- 
 structions, and in a few years hence these pa- 
 rents, with hearts overwhelmed with grief, 
 will know why it is. This apparent kindness 
 may not be unlike the kindness of the image 
 or statue of the Virgin, that Bonaparte found 
 in the dungeons of Spain, who stretched forth 
 her arms to embrace, and pressed the victim 
 to her breast, cutting him into a thousand 
 pieces. 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 37 
 
 The Romanists inform us that they are 
 often in advance of Protestants in the erection 
 of churches, colleges, and seminaries, and 
 school -houses in the West — that they antici- 
 pate the population, and prepare for their re- 
 ception. When they report three thousand 
 pupils in the higher seminaries of learning, 
 we are informed that many, or the majority, 
 are from Protestant families. In one Institu- 
 tion in Kentucky where there were upwards 
 of ninety students, only seven of them were 
 from Roman Catholic families. 
 
 They also report forty-four churches and 
 chapels built in the United States during 
 1843. While some of these have cost 
 $100,000, others have costless. The sum 
 total we cannot definitely state. But sup- 
 posing that, on an average, each cost only 
 $20,000, the amount would be $880,000, 
 according to their own showing, expended in 
 the erection of churches in a single year. — 
 Many of these are built of stone, large and 
 strong, designed to stand in future ages, as 
 monuments of the strength and wealth of 
 Rome, when " Protestant churches have rot- 
 ted down," and are remembered only as the 
 flashy efforts of the Pilgrims. 
 
 Such things, let the reader remember, the 
 Roman church informs us that she is doing 
 4 
 
38 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 in foreign lands and in this country. As we 
 have no evidence to prove these statements 
 to be false, we are bound to receive them as 
 correct. They are spread out before you not 
 merely for the purpose of alarm, nor to make 
 the impression on your mind that we are al- 
 ready under the dominion of the Pope ; nor 
 to awaken despair for the safety of the coun- 
 try, or the salvation of the Romanists. But 
 they are adduced to show that we have some 
 cause for action on this subject. It is too 
 late in the progress of Popery among us, to 
 say, " this is a matter that does not concern 
 us." 
 
 We and our children have a vital interest 
 in it. Should we continue to slumber over 
 it, we may be roused when the golden and 
 silver chains that have been forged for us in 
 Europe shall be around us with the strength 
 of iron. Yes! should we sleep on, for years 
 to come, as we have in time past, we may- 
 leave our children in the midst of painful 
 scenes, which our fidelity and wakefulness, 
 with the blessing of God, might have pre- 
 vented. 
 
 That the Hierarchy of the Romish church 
 have high expectations of ultimate success, 
 may appear from an article recently published 
 in a paper under the supervision of the Ro- 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 39 
 
 man Bishop in this city. This article traces 
 the rapid progress of " the American church," 
 as it is denominated, from the beginning of its 
 history in the United States to the present 
 time. It confirms the facts brought to view 
 in these pages, that the Roman church owes 
 her prosperity in this country to foreign aid. 
 It demonstrates her arrogance, her high claims, 
 and her folly, that she should presume, in this 
 Protestant country, to style herself " the 
 American church." It reads as follows: 
 
 " The American Catholic has much reason 
 to rejoice in the rapid progress of his holy re- 
 ligion throughout the States and Territories of 
 our Republic. At first, the progress of the 
 American church was slow ; so many causes 
 existed to check her onward course. 
 
 " A few years since and the Catholic church 
 of the United States consisted of but one 
 Bishopric, a few weak and scattered Catholic 
 settlements, and a mere handful of ecclesiasti- 
 cal laborers, to supply the pressing wants of 
 an immense section of country; she was with- 
 out revenues and destitute of resources except 
 a firm reliance upon the protecting and fostering 
 hand of her Divine founder. In this helpless 
 state she became dependent upon foreign zeal 
 and liberality, and had it not been for the apos- 
 tolic spirit of the Catholic ministry of other 
 
40 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 lands, her widely extended fields had been, 
 almost, if not entirely, without laborers. 
 
 " Those who then had the direction of the 
 infant American church despaired not, ,bu: 
 hoped and labored on, and truly not in vain, 
 if we regard the lofty and comely edifice 
 which has sprung from such small beginnings, 
 
 " The Catholic church, or that portion of the 
 church universal which lies within this prov- 
 ince, now includes a Catholic population of, 
 at least, 1,300,000* souls, comprised within 22 
 Bishoprics, and governed by a Hierarchy of 
 26 Bishops, including the Titular with their 
 coadjutor Prelates. The number of her 
 churches is 675, and of her Priests 709. Her 
 Ecclesiastical Seminaries already number 22, 
 and her chartered Universities and Colleges 
 15. We do not here enumerate her societies 
 
 * The number of 1,200,000 was published by Bishop 
 England in 1838, as the Roman Catholic population in the 
 United States. Bishop Rosati, of St. Louis, published the 
 number at Rome, in 1842, to be 1,500,000. But for the 
 last two or three years, 1,300,000 has been the stereotyped 
 number. The thousands who have annually arrived, have 
 not increased the papal population, according to these sta- 
 tistics. In 1845, the Metropolitan, published under the 
 eye of' 4 the Archbishop of the United States," reduces the 
 number to 1,071,800. Do we not read in these efforts to 
 create doubt and perplexity as to numbers, some misgivings 
 as to strength and ultimate success, or a disposition to di- 
 minish their numbers here, and to swell them an the cthe? 
 side the Atlantic ? 
 
AND OF PROMISE, 41 
 
 of religious ladies engaged in every good and 
 useful work, besides her numerous other insti- 
 tutions of charity and benevolence. Improve- 
 ments, too, in all other respects, keep even 
 pace with the vast increase of her Prelates, 
 Clergy, and Temples of worship. The addi- 
 tions, which the last ten years have made to 
 this goodly summary, are peculiarly a ground 
 of encouragement and hope for the future. 
 
 " Within that period nine new dioceses have 
 been formed, and twelve additional Prelates 
 consecrated, in accordance with the wants of 
 the American church. The number of her 
 Priestly laborers has been increased by 382, 
 and 403 additional Temples of worship invite 
 the attendance of her children. 
 
 " We might extend this brief summary of the 
 glorious progress of the Catholic cause through- 
 out our free and happy country. Our object, 
 however, is not so much to exult over the 
 past, as to remind our Catholic readers of the 
 creat causes of thankfulness to which it seems 
 appropriate to recur at this period of entrance 
 upon the events of the new year. 
 
 " That reliance upon Providence, so mani- 
 fest in the hopeful endurance and patient labor 
 of the pioneers of the present ecclesiastical 
 body, taken in connexion with the great pro- 
 gress of the church, teaches us a salutary les- 
 4# 
 
42 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 son. From a zealous continuance of the same 
 efforts and labors new fruits will spring, and 
 the great Catholic cause advance among us 
 with mightier and more rapid strides, by virtue 
 of the promise, Behold, 1 am with you all 
 days, even to the consummation of the world" 
 There is one important reason why the sub- 
 ject of Romanism should be brought forward 
 by Ministers of the Gospel of all evangelical 
 denominations. This is, the peculiar attitude 
 of the American press. The sepulchral silence 
 of the vast majority of political Editors on this 
 subject, is notorious and ominous, Such is 
 the state of political parties, that the political 
 press, with some noble exceptions, is either 
 silent in this matter, or speaks in such a man- 
 ner, as to favor the influence of Romanism. 
 Yes, the press, that most effective power to 
 rouse the. public mind, is silent on a subject 
 that involves our dearest rights and privileges, 
 when it should speak out in tones of thunder 
 and of love. A gentleman who has visited 
 about two hundred political Editors in the 
 United States, for the purpose of persuading 
 them to publish well authenticated extracts 
 from history, showing the influence of Ro- 
 manism on governments, and articles of a tem- 
 perate character on that subject, stated that 
 only about twenty out of two hundred would 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 43 
 
 consent to publish any thing on this subject. 
 True, the religious papers of the country are 
 lifting the warning voice, but it should be re- 
 membered that only a minority of the citizens 
 of these states ever see a religious paper. 
 They have not therefore the means of infor- 
 mation. They are ignorant of the nature and 
 designs of Romanism, and are not aware of its 
 extent and influence in this country. Hence 
 the imperious call upon Ministers of the Gos- 
 pel to publish these things from the heights of 
 Zion. 
 
 But Ministers of the Gospel are called to 
 speak on this subject by higher considerations 
 than the state of the press. The Apostle 
 says, " If thou put the brethren in remem- 
 brance of these things, thou shalt be a good 
 minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the 
 words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto 
 thou hast attained." 1 Tim. 4. 6. The things 
 referred to in this passage are the characteristics 
 of the Roman apostacy, such as " forbidding 
 to marry, and commanding to abstain from 
 meats, which God hath created to be received 
 with thanksgiving," &c. According to this 
 injunction, the faithfulness of the Minister in 
 exhibiting these things to the church, would 
 be a test of his fidelity to Jesus Christ. 
 
 That this subject demands the attention of 
 
44 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 Ministers of the Gospel, we know from the 
 fact that it fills so many pages of the inspired 
 volume. We are not prepared to charge God 
 with folly because he has so fully and vividly 
 revealed to us the character and the influence of 
 this antichristian power, and challenged our 
 attention to it, saying, " If any man have an 
 ear, let him hear." Rev. 13. 9. We are 
 taught that " All scripture is given by inspi- 
 ration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, 
 for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
 righteousness." 2 Tim. 3. 16. 
 
 If " all scripture is profitable," surely this 
 is, which so minutely describes the origin and 
 causes of those events which have agitated 
 and at times convulsed the world for more 
 than a thousand years ; events which, before 
 the last death-struggles of the beast have 
 ceased, may yet severely tax the sympathies 
 of men, and try the faith of the people of God. 
 
 When this subject, therefore, is discussed in 
 the pulpit, it is not broaching a new theory, 
 that may be true or may be false. It is as 
 old as prophecy, and one in which we and 
 our descendants are deeply interested. There 
 is an imperious call for instruction on this 
 subject at the present day. It is needed to 
 enlighten the minds of Protestants, and to 
 establish them in the faith of the gospel, for 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 45 
 
 many in this country have been drawn away 
 from that faith in ignorance. It is needed to 
 guard the rising generation against the seduc- 
 tive influence of Romanism. Pastors and 
 Parents and Sabbath-school Teachers, should 
 faithfully co-operate with each other in this 
 work of instruction. 
 
 Should any think that Ministers of the Gos- 
 pel may be unnecessarily alarmed on this 
 subject, then listen to the voice of a states- 
 man who is revered alike by Romanists and 
 by Protestants. This is no less a personage 
 that Gen. La Fayette. He said to a gentle- 
 man yet living in this country, during his last 
 interviews with him at Paris, and charged 
 this gentleman to tell his countrymen — " If 
 ever the liberty of this Republic is destroyed, 
 it will be by Romish Priests." This deserves 
 the serious consideration of all, as Gen. La 
 Fayette was a member of the Roman Catho- 
 lic church, and was buried on consecrated 
 ground. But whatever might have been his 
 attachment to that church, he loved this Re- 
 public. He remembered the toils and the 
 sacrifices of his youth, when he stood by the 
 side of Washington, strii£trlino; to achieve the 
 independence of this country ; and he could 
 not endure the thought of an influence com- 
 ing in among us, that might take from us the 
 
46 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 precious liberties we now enjoy. Let not the 
 warning voice of this beloved man die away 
 on the ear, and perish from the memory of 
 the American people. 
 
 A few facts for those ivho think there is no 
 danger ; who think that the political influ- 
 ence of Popery is very limited in this coun- 
 try, and cannot be increased to any consid- 
 erable extent. 
 
 A few years since, at the commencement 
 of the Jesuit College at Georgetown, D. C, 
 a dinner, as is usual on such occasions, was 
 given in honor of the College. Mr. Eccles- 
 ton, the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic 
 church in the United States, was there in his 
 official robes. Distinguished Protestants were 
 present. The Archbishop, and Mr. Mulledy 
 the President of the College, made speeches 
 on the occasion. So also did Mr. George 
 Washington P. Custis, Mr. Seaton, editor of 
 the Intelligencer, and Major General Mc- 
 Comb, at that time Commander in Chief of 
 the American Army in the United States. 
 
 Mr. Seaton not only made a speech, but 
 gave a toast in honor of the Jesuits, as an 
 order of men devoted for three centuries to 
 religion and learning. 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 47 
 
 General McComb gave the following 
 loast : — "The health of the Pope and pros- 
 perity to the Catholic religion." 
 
 Charity would lead us to impute to the Gen- 
 eral the sin of ignorance in offering such a 
 sentiment; for every intelligent Protestant 
 knows that the prosperity of the Roman Cath- 
 olic religion in this country would be the entire 
 overthrow of our Republican government. 
 Ignorance of the true nature of that relic-ion, 
 and of the perils of the country attending its 
 success, only can acquit the General from the 
 charge of treason in the verdict of an intelli- 
 gent posterity. 
 
 But who 5 in view of such a fact, can say 
 that Romanism has little or no political influ- 
 ence among us ? Who can say so, when the 
 highest military officer in the United States 
 could offer such a toast in the presence of the 
 Archbishop of the Roman church. Did not 
 the General know that this toast would go to 
 Rome as quick as winds or steam could bear 
 it? Who can say it has little influence, when 
 the editor of a leading paper at the head of 
 government, sends throughout the country his 
 praise of the Jesuits. 
 
 Now look at some other facts. The high- 
 est judicial officer in the United States, the 
 Chief Justice, is a Roman Catholic. Recent- 
 
48 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 ly, two daughters of General Scott have taken 
 the white veil as a token of .their submission 
 to the See of Rome, and of their veneration 
 for the Roman Catholic church. Gen. Scott 
 is the Commander in Chief of the army of the 
 United States. 
 
 The sister of President Tyler has united 
 with the Roman Catholic church at Wash- 
 ington. At a recent examination of the young 
 ladies in the Roman Catholic seminary at 
 Georgetown, President Tyler, a Priest, and a 
 Nun were published as the distributors of pre- 
 miums to the young ladies. 
 
 Already has the novel and astounding spec- 
 tacle been presented in this country, of a 
 Protestant government employing a Roman 
 Priest as chaplain in the Congress of the United 
 States. Think of this ; the representatives 
 of this great nation, by their own voluntary 
 action, set aside the entire Protestant min- 
 istry, (not to say insulted it,) by appointing a 
 man to officiate in the highest places of gov- 
 ernment, who prays to the Virgin Mary — who 
 has sworn to sustain the Pope and to oppose 
 every form of government that does not ac- 
 knowledge the Pope as supreme head. Oh, 
 ye spirits of the Pilgrims ! where are ye ? 
 
 A lawyer in Michigan, in writing to a friend 
 in this city, says : " The Catholics in this 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 49 
 
 county have succeeded at our last election, 
 and have elected their own candidates through- 
 out the county, even where they were not the 
 majority. And it was done in this way. On 
 the Sabbath preceding the election the Priests 
 throughout the county requested the men in 
 their congregations to remain after the service. 
 The Priests then told them the election would 
 take place on such a day, and such and such 
 men are candidates, and you must vote for them. 
 I have the tickets and they will now be dis- 
 tributed, and if you do not vote these, it will 
 be known. On the day of election, the infi- 
 dels voted with the Catholics, and elected 
 Roman Catholic officers in this county." 
 This was not the last Presidential election. 
 
 The following amusing, supremely ludicrous, 
 yet awful occurrence, was related to the writer 
 by a gentleman of unquestionable veracity : 
 " 1 will tell you," said he, "of a fact with which 
 I am acquainted. Incredible as it may ap- 
 pear, I know all about it. I know the men 
 who were concerned in it. It shows what 
 men will do for political purposes. Two men 
 died in this town who were members of the 
 Roman Catholic church. They had done 
 something that very much displeased the 
 Priest, so much so that he refused to admin- 
 ister extreme unction to them before death, 
 5 
 
50 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 according to the custom of that church. Their 
 friends came to him after death, desiring prayers 
 for the souls of these men that they might be 
 released from purgatory. The Priest refused 
 to pray for them and said they might stay there 
 and suffer. 
 
 " This greatly disturbed the minds of their 
 friends. A petition was immediately drawn 
 up, circulated, and signed by many Romanists,- 
 to send over to the Pope to obtain a dispen- 
 sation for these two men. And what do you 
 think when I tell you I know the names of 
 Protestants who signed that petition ? They 
 did it from political motives.' 5 
 
 Such facts are the thermometer by which 
 w r e may decide the temperature, or political 
 influence of Romanism among us. 
 
 Shaft it be written that the liberties of the 
 American people are in the market and are 
 offered to the highest bidder ? 
 
 Such a statement may be treated with con- 
 tempt, or as originating in a brain better fitted 
 for a lunatic asylum, than to express an opin- 
 ion respecting the times in which we live. 
 But it will not be thus regarded in the sober 
 judgment of men who are acquainted with 
 the facts in the case, and who only are com- 
 petent to give an opinion on the subject. 
 
 Politicians of all parties know this to be the 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 51 
 
 case. Do they not know of cases of most 
 awful bribery ? Do they not know that money 
 has been offered and paid to secure the votes 
 of the Romanists in our popular elections ? 
 Can they not tell us of an instance where one 
 party has paid a certain amount of money in 
 order to secure the votes of this people — 
 where the other party came forward after- 
 wards, paid a larger sum, and received the 
 votes of the Romanists at the ballot box ? 
 Are none aware that the first party were sadly 
 disappointed and chagrined, but were com- 
 pelled to be silent in self-defence ? 
 
 In view of such facts, well known to politi- 
 cians in this country, who cannot see that our 
 liberties are in the market, awaiting the hour 
 when they will be knocked down to the high- 
 est bidder? And are there none who are ac- 
 quainted with such doings, whose hearts burn 
 with the love of country, who have the moral 
 courage and the integrity to come forth and 
 state the facts to the American people ? 
 
 We inquire further, are there none who can 
 disclose to us other vitally important mat- 
 ters ? Is there no one who can tell whether a 
 correspondence has been held with the Cabinet 
 of Austria, or of any other Foreign Power, for 
 the purpose of securing the votes of the Ro- 
 man church in the Presidential election of 
 
52 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 1840 or 1844 ? Without charging upon either 
 party a correspondence so humiliating, so 
 base and so treacherous, we inquire whether 
 there is no man familiar with the facts, who 
 has the independence and the manliness to 
 spread them out before the community ? Such 
 a man would not only render eminent service 
 to his country at the present crisis, but he 
 would receive the warmest gratitude of mil- 
 lions in this Republic. The name of such a 
 man would go down to posterity covered with 
 honor, when the names of demagogues will be 
 buried in infamy. May the day be hastened, 
 when every man who claims to be an Ameri- 
 can citizen, shall act in such a manner as shall 
 correspond with his high obligations and his 
 distinguished privileges. May the day be 
 nigh when the eyes of Protestants shall open 
 upon the perils of the country, and when they 
 shall seek and secure the only remedy. 
 
 II. Let us now inquire into the duty of 
 Protestants in view of the present state of 
 things in this country. Surely, there are du- 
 ties of a most important character, and of the 
 deepest responsibility, at the present crisis. 
 
 I. First of all, we require some system of 
 operation that will secure the united action of 
 all Protestants in the United States. 
 
 The strength and stability of our efforts will 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 53 
 
 correspond with the extent and cordiality of 
 our union. No individual denomination of 
 Protestants can succeed in such an enterprise 
 as the times demand. It would be regarded 
 as sectarian, and not as Protestant or Chris- 
 tian. It would excite the jealousy or oppo- 
 sition of other portions of the Protestant com- 
 munity, and being single-handed, would not 
 command respect and confidence to any con- 
 siderable extent. 
 
 But let every division of the Protestant 
 churches be summoned to this work, and they 
 will possess all the strength and the unity of 
 one undivided army. Blessed be God, Pro- 
 testantism contains the germs of such a union. 
 The points of difference between the various 
 denominations of Protestants are small when 
 compared with the gulf between them and 
 the Romanists. Protestantism, or Christiani- 
 ty, is a system of salvation by faith in Jesus 
 Christ, and by grace, while Romanism is a 
 system of salvation by the virtue of human 
 works and human sufferings. Such being the 
 facts in the case, a kind and Christian course 
 of action can be secured among all Protes- 
 tants. 
 
 The American Protestant Society promises 
 a union of such men and such principles as the 
 times demand. It embraces all the Evangel- 
 5* 
 
54 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 ical denominations in the United States. It 
 also numbers among its friends, men of each 
 of the great political parties of our country. 
 Light and love are the weapons it wields both 
 with respect to Protestants and Romanists. 
 May it be as the oasis, or green spot of our 
 country, in the midst of the desert of reli- 
 gious and political controversy, where the 
 lovers of the country, the lovers of civil and 
 religious liberty, and all who desire to enlight- 
 en and save the ignorant, can meet together, 
 and labor and pray. 
 
 One of the blessed and promising signs of 
 the times is, that where the subject of associ- 
 ated effort is presented, a chord is touched that 
 vibrates in every Christian and in every Pro- 
 testant heart. Protestants begin to feel they 
 are one in this cause. God may be about to 
 perform a wonderful work. In the 16th 
 century, the Roman Catholic church was the 
 occasion of dividing the Christian world into 
 various sects. Should God employ that same 
 church in the 19th century to effect a union 
 of action among all Protestants, it will be an- 
 other proof that he " is excellent in counsel, 
 and wonderful in working. 7 ' Such are the indi- 
 cations of his providence ; such is the tendency 
 of the present state of things. When Pro- 
 testants look at this subject, their minor points 
 
AND OF PROMISE^ 55 
 
 of difference vanish, and they find them- 
 selves standing on common ground where they 
 and their children have a common interest. 
 
 They should unite, not only because they 
 can rally around the same standard, but on 
 account of the vital interests involved. It is 
 a question of civil and of religious liberty. It 
 is whether the word of God shall be circulated 
 and read by the entire community, or wheth- 
 er it shall be suppressed, and shall prophesy 
 in sackcloth and in ashes. It is whether we 
 shall take up our retrograde march towards the 
 dark ages, or whether the light of truth shall 
 illumine every dwelling and every heart. 
 
 In the review of the past, we can often see 
 the very hinge on which turned the destiny of 
 a nation. And how important to us is the cri- 
 sis in the review ! We are ready to say., 
 " Oh ! if we had lived at that time, how deep- 
 ly we should have felt, how vigorously we 
 should have acted !" Such a crisis we can see 
 in the Roman Empire, when Theodosius the 
 Emperor put the question to the Roman Sen- 
 ate, " Shall Jupiter or Christ be the worship 
 of the Roman people ?" We believe there 
 was a vast difference between those objects 
 of worship, and that their choice would make 
 a vast difference in the character and in the 
 destiny of the Roman nation. Such was the 
 
56 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 fact. Idolatry was overthrown and Chris- 
 tianity was established by that decision, 
 
 Is the difference any less now, or is the 
 question any less important, whether Roman- 
 ism or Christianity shall be the religion of the 
 American people ? Is not the crisis as essen- 
 tial to civil and religious liberty, and is it not 
 as critical at the present moment ? Is not the 
 subject of such paramount importance as to 
 unite in one solid phalanx the entire Protes- 
 tant community, throughout the length and 
 breadth of our land ? If there is not enough 
 of the love of country among us, of the love 
 of civil and religious liberty, of the love of 
 the word of God, in view of facts and of recent 
 developments, thus to unite the Protestantism 
 of the country — in vain may we hope for such 
 a union in future ages. If such a bond can- 
 not now be found, we are in danger of falling 
 in pieces. 
 
 2. As it respects our duty, we should meet 
 the Romanists as they land on our shores, not 
 with the spirit of reproach and of denunciation^ 
 but in the spirit of kindness and of Christian 
 love. 
 
 "Love" says the word of God, u worketh 
 no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the ful- 
 filling of the law." We have yet, my dear 
 reader, to learn the power of love in this war- 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 57 
 
 fare. Other weapons may be powerless, or 
 may be rendered abortive. Should we wield 
 only the weapons of angry controversy or of 
 fierce denunciation, the Romanists could meet 
 us there. Should we use any kind of man- 
 agement or of intrigue, they have weapons by 
 which they can meet and resist such modes of 
 attack. But there is nothing in the armory of 
 Rome to meet the power of love. This 
 heavenly weapon, love, disarms prejudice — 
 subdues enmity, wins enemies, and converts 
 them into friends. The human heart can re- 
 sist successfully every influence but love. 
 Even the law of God with its awful sanctions 
 may send its peals of wrath over the soul, but 
 the hard heart will only grow harder, until 
 the love of God in Christ is seen ; then it 
 melts, and the tiger becomes a lamb. 
 
 Now the question comes up, How shall we 
 awaken a spirit of love and compassion 
 towards the Romanists ? A different spirit has 
 sometimes been exhibited, and the cause of 
 Pretestantism has suffered by it, and the wall 
 of prejudice has increased in height and in 
 strength. 
 
 One way to call forth the spirit of love 
 towards them, is to remember that the great 
 mass of Romanists are in utter darkness and 
 ignorance, They are not suffered to exercise 
 
58 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 their own judgment. The light of truth never 
 shone upon their minds. They are the sub- 
 jects of the most fearful superstitions, and 
 are controlled by those whose present interest 
 it is to keep them in the most profound igno- 
 rance of the word of God and the way of sal- 
 vation by Jesus Christ. They are, reader, as 
 you would have been under the same circum- 
 stances. They are therefore more deserving 
 of our sympathies and our prayers than of se- 
 vere censure. The inquiry, " Who hath made 
 you to differ from them 1" should awaken in 
 every heart a sense of obligation to God who 
 hath caused the difference. 
 
 When, therefore, you call to mind their de- 
 graded and perishing and slavish condition, 
 does it awaken no kind feeling towards them ? 
 And are you not willing to show kindness by 
 putting into their hands the word of God, and 
 tracts and books by which their minds might 
 become enlightened ? 
 
 But here comes up the objection with 
 which many try to do away all responsibility 
 in this work — " It will do no good." How do 
 you know? Have you made the experiment? 
 Have you gone to your Roman Catholic 
 neighbor in the spirit of kindness, and offered 
 him a tract, or a book, or a Bible ? When he 
 refused to receive it, have you retired to pray 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 59 
 
 for him, and then repeated your visit ? When 
 he again refused, did you pray for him again ? 
 Have you done so week after week ? If you 
 have not, it is too early to say, " It will do no 
 good." 
 
 But you say in reply, They always have re- 
 fused tracts, and books, and Bibles, and there- 
 fore they always will. 
 
 Is this so ? Is there to be no advance on 
 the past ? Are there to be no new triumphs 
 of the Gospel as it goes forward for the con- 
 quest of the nations ? How then is the world 
 to be converted ? 
 
 But have you not learned, beloved reader, 
 that it will not always answer to reason from 
 the past in these days ? Suppose you reason 
 thus about the temperance reformation, and 
 where are you? How long is it since the en- 
 tire race of drunkards were abandoned to hope- 
 less ruin ? Who thought of seeking the recov- 
 ery of a drunkard, and of thus pouring the oil 
 of joy into the hearts of wives, that were 
 crushed with grief, and of wiping the tears 
 from those who are worse than orphan children ? 
 
 What would you think of the man who 
 should now say, " Drunkards never have been 
 reformed, and therefore never can be ?" Is it 
 true that none of these men can be made to 
 stand erect among their fellow-men ? 
 
60 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 So of the Jews. The idea that they would 
 read the New Testament or be converted to 
 Christianity, has been regarded as only vis- 
 ionary and hopeless. — But facts are begin- 
 ning to give form, and substance, and reality to 
 this idea. 
 
 So of the German population in this coun- 
 try. The reader has doubtless heard of, if he 
 has not known, something of the ignorance and 
 the superstition of this large class of men. 
 How often have Christians said in Pennsylva- 
 nia, where large masses of these men reside, 
 a There is no more hope of the conversion of 
 these German Reformed and German Luthe- 
 ran people, than there is in the conversion of 
 the Roman Catholics." 
 
 But how is it now ? Has not the Spirit of 
 the Lord visited the Germans, and within a 
 few years hopefully converted not only hun- 
 dreds, but thousands of those ignorant men ? 
 
 Finally, we bless God that the day has 
 come when the Romanists begin to receive 
 the word of God, and tracts, and books, and 
 to read them. 
 
 They are beginning to feel the influence of 
 liberty in this country. Some dare to think 
 and to act for themselves. They say, " We 
 live in a land of liberty, and we have a right 
 to read what books we please." Some begin 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 61 
 
 to exercise this right, and this is contagious. 
 This is the spirit we wish to encourage among 
 them. We desire them to believe and to act 
 as men and as freemen in this country. We 
 wish them distinctly to understand, that 
 they will be sustained in reading the Bible or 
 any book, both by law and by the public sen- 
 timent of the community. We wish them to 
 know that no man, or Priest, or Bishop, has 
 any right to prevent them from reading any 
 book they may choose to read. We wish 
 them to be assured that in pursuing this inde- 
 pendent course, they will gather around them 
 the sympathy and support of this entire nation. 
 
 Recent events might be adduced to il- 
 lustrate this rising spirit of liberty, which 
 prophesies of entire deliverance from spiritual 
 tyranny. 
 
 Not long since, in one part of our country, 
 the Roman Priest called together his large 
 congregation for the purpose of spreading out 
 before them the rules of their church, as he 
 thought they did not observe them as strictly 
 as they ought. While he was addressing 
 them^one of the members of the church rose 
 and addressed him in this way : " Ah ! Fa- 
 ther M., you forget we are not in the old coun- 
 try now, we are in America now •" thus giv- 
 ing him to understand they should not keep 
 6 
 
62 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 these rules as rigidly here as they had in 
 the old country. 
 
 The burning of the Bible by Roman Priests 
 in this country has not consumed the spirit of 
 liberty in the breasts of Romanists. The re- 
 sults of that conflagration have not been disas- 
 trous to the cause of liberty and of Protestant- 
 ism. Those burning leaves have shed light 
 on the darkness of Popery, and also on the 
 path of duty, both for the patriot, and the 
 Christian. From the very ashes of God's holy 
 word has the desire to read it sprung up — a 
 desire never to be extinguished. Yes, there were 
 Romanists standing in that circle around the 
 burning Bibles, gazing upon the flame, whose 
 minds at that hour were deeply impressed 
 with the wickedness of Roman Priests who 
 could kindle such a fire, and with their own 
 wickedness also, whose eyes have been open- 
 ed to see the truth, and who have fled from 
 Rome. 
 
 See the same spirit of independence rising 
 in Ohio. The Roman Bishop of that state, 
 threatened to remove a certain Priest from 
 his congregation, but they were opposed to 
 his removal. They did not hesitate to ex- 
 press their opposition to the Bishop. The 
 following petition was draw T n up, and signed 
 by forty-eight members of the Roman Catho- 
 lic congregation : 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 63 
 
 / 
 
 " We the undersigned declare, in the name 
 of the majority of our congregation, that if the 
 Right Rev. Bishop think it fit for the glory of 
 God to remove our innocent pastor by sup- 
 porting his enemies, a company of drunkards 
 and wicked men, we shall afterward never 
 more support this church, nor any other Priest, 
 nor attend the service in the church, and we 
 shall renounce the obedience and subordina- 
 tion to the Bishop, and live independent. 
 
 " The same example will be followed by two 
 large congregations more. We have been 
 contented with the Priest who was sent to us 
 as pastor, and we always obeyed the Bishop. 
 It shall afterward no more be the case with 
 us, if our humble petition should be despised 
 in favor of some malcontent." 
 
 " The fruits of this spirit of liberty are now 
 to be seen. That same Priest is now preach- 
 ing the Protestant faith, and has left the Ro- 
 man church for ever. How many of his con- 
 gregation have followed him, the writer is not 
 able to say. But let this spark of liberty be 
 kindled into a flame, and it will burn up the 
 tyranny and the terror of Rome over her degra- 
 ded subjects. The leaven is already working in 
 the breasts of her members that may yet 
 spread over large masses in our country, and 
 joyfully burst their chains for ever. 
 
 Protestants should not only diffuse light 
 
64 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 among the Romanists, but they should pray for 
 their conversion. They can be converted to 
 God as well as other men. Why is it, we 
 may inquire, that they are not converted in 
 large numbers ? 
 
 One important reason is, that Christians 
 have not prayed for their conversion. This 
 is a most humiliating fact. And where is the 
 professor of religion that cannot find most mel- 
 ancholy evidence of it in his own experience ? 
 How then could these men have been convert- 
 ed ? You do not believe that men are con- 
 verted to God without the agency of the 
 Holy Spirit. The Spirit you believe is sent 
 down in answer to prayer. How then could 
 these men have been converted ? again we in- 
 quire. It must have been either by miracle, 
 or God must have gone beyond the ordinary 
 range of his mercy to have converted them. 
 
 How can you account for the almost incred- 
 ible fact, that a portion of the human race, 
 more than double the number of the Protes- 
 tant world, should not be made the daily sub- 
 jects of prayer ? 
 
 This may be attributed to two causes. 
 The one is the low state of vital piety in the 
 church, or the absence of a spirit of prayer. 
 The other, wrong views of the position of the 
 great mass of the Roman church. Protes- 
 tants, in view of those predicted judgments that 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 65 
 
 are to fall on this antichristian power, have 
 been looking for the destruction rather than 
 the salvation of the Romanists. They have 
 regarded them as doomed to perdition. 
 
 The time may come, and we believe will 
 come, when judgments will visit this corrupt 
 power. The burning words of prophesy can- 
 not be so spiritualized as to scatter the clouds 
 of vengeance that rise over Rome. The time 
 may come when that which may be denomi- 
 nated the Popery of the Roman Catholic 
 church will be destroyed. This includes the 
 overthrow of those who are at the head of 
 power, and the annihilation of her infallibility 
 and of the attributes of God that have char- 
 acterized her. All her splendor, her author- 
 ity and power, may pass away and perish amid 
 the thunderings and lightnings. 
 
 Yet after this fearful pouring forth of the 
 vials of wrath, millions of the members of that 
 church, who are not involved in the crimson 
 guilt of its leaders, may be converted to God. 
 We may make a distinction between the Ru- 
 lers and members of that church, where God 
 in final retribution may make a difference. 
 
 The night of unbelief, respecting the con- 
 version of the Romanists, we trust " is far 
 spent and the day is at hand." That day 
 when the church will no longer limit the effi- 
 6* 
 
66 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 cacy of the atonement to the Protestant and 
 the heathen world, but will believe that the 
 blood of Christ can cleanse the Romanists as 
 well as others from all sin. When the church 
 shall believe this practically, it will form an 
 era in her history as memorable in all future 
 time as the Reformation in the 16th century. 
 $.n era rich in blessings for the Protestant 
 church, but thrice blessed for the Roman ; for 
 her members will see her errors, will flee from 
 them, and will rejoice in the hope of pardon 
 through the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 There is one reason why we may hope for 
 the conversion of the Roman Catholic. He 
 is not Gospel-hardened. His conscience has 
 never been scorched by close contact with 
 truth. He is ignorant of the operations of the 
 Holy Spirit ; he has not heard whether there be 
 any Holy Ghost. He has not lived in revivals 
 of religion, and been awakened and relapsed 
 until his last state is worse than the first. 
 The doctrines of faith and repentance, that 
 God uses in the awakening and in the conver- 
 sion of sinners, have never been enforced on 
 his conscience. The very word repentance 
 is excluded from the Roman Catholic Bible, 
 and penance inserted in its place. Of course 
 they have no correct instruction on the subject 
 of repentance and faith. Hence as soon as 
 the truth is brought in contact with conscience 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 67 
 
 the first inquiry is, "What shall I do to be 
 saved?" 
 
 Will not the reader, then, pray and labor 
 for the conversion of Romanists ? They are 
 not beyond the power of the grace of God. 
 Their souls are as precious as the souls of 
 other men. For their own sakes, and for the 
 sake of the country, you should not cease to 
 pray for them. 
 
 Whatever evils are anticipated by the 
 rapid increase of this foreign population in the 
 United States, let it be solemnly remember- 
 ed by all, that those evils can be prevented 
 only by the conversion of these men. This 
 is our last, our only hope for our country. 
 " In vain is salvation hoped for from the hills 
 and from the multitude of the mountains ; sal- 
 vation is of the Lord." Why then should 
 not united prayer be made by all Protestants 
 for this object ? Why is it not as important to 
 have concerts of prayer for the Romanists 
 as for the seamen or the Jews, especially as 
 they are a far greater portion of the human 
 race? In what Christian church will such a 
 concert be first established ? Oh ! when the 
 day shall dawn that Christians of every name 
 shall lift their fervent and believing supplica- 
 tions to God that He will pour out His Spirit 
 upon the Romanists in this country, then we 
 anticipate the inquiry will be made, " Who 
 
68 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 are these that fly as a cloud and as doves to 
 their windows ?" And the answer will be 
 returned, They are converts from the Roman 
 church, obeying the voice from Heaven, 
 " Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 
 partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not 
 of her plagues." Rev. 18. 4. 
 
 The time we trust is not distant, when many 
 of the ignorant Romanists will say, as one 
 recently said before a large assembly, " I bless 
 God that ever I came to America. Here for 
 the first time I have seen and read the Bible. 
 This has led me, I trust, to the Lord Jesus 
 Christ as my Saviour. And I wish now to ex- 
 press my gratitude to Protestants, who sought 
 me when I was in darkness, and put the word 
 of God into my hands.' 7 
 
 Who would not pray for such a day ? Who 
 would not desire to shed light into the be- 
 nighted minds of such men ? But how can 
 this be done? It must be done by kind and 
 constant and Christian personal efforts. Go 
 to the Romanist who is walled around with 
 prejudice as with a coat of mail ; go to him 
 in the spirit of Christian love. Take a tract, 
 or a book, or a Bible in your hand, with the 
 spirit of prayer in your heart. Whatever may 
 be your reception, return to your closet and 
 pray. Should he refuse to receive the book 
 or tract you may offer, do not on this account 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 69 
 
 become angry nor be discouraged. Think of 
 the deep darkness in which they have been 
 trained, and of the deep-rooted prejudice 
 against Protestants instilled into their minds 
 from their earliest recollections, that can be 
 overcome and removed only by a persevering 
 course of kind treatment. Should your pa- 
 tience be almost exhausted, or should you be 
 on the verge of despair, then think of the 
 dealings of God with you in time past. How 
 averse you were to serious reading, or to per- 
 sonal conversation with those who sought to 
 address you on religious subjects. How often 
 you resisted conviction, and how reckless of 
 the consequences. Think of the long-suffer- 
 ing and of the grace of God in your own 
 preservation or conversion, and then exercise 
 something of that forbearance towards them, 
 that God has towards you. 
 
 A word to American Protestants may close 
 this appeal. 
 
 Nearly seventy years have passed since the 
 Declaration of Independence was sent forth to 
 the world. Our government has stood the 
 test of more than half a century. A vast in- 
 crease of population and a course of unparal- 
 leled prosperity has characterized this Re- 
 public to the present time. The idea of fo- 
 eign influence endangering our liberties has 
 
70 SIGNS OF DANGER 
 
 gained a lodgment in very few minds in time 
 past. But a change of times has come over 
 us. Foreign influence has spread over this 
 country to a much greater extent than has 
 been anticipated. This is about to try the 
 strength and the efficacy of our Constitution 
 as it has never been tried. Time only can 
 tell whether it will survive the fiery trial 
 through which it is about to pass. 
 
 There is we believe to be another trial of 
 a more serious character : a trial of the faith 
 and patience of the church of Jesus Christ 
 in our land. The presence of millions of Ro- 
 manists, and their efforts to establish Popery in 
 this country, will furnish the severest test of 
 the spirit of forgiveness and of love in the 
 church. To see the " Man of Sin," in the 
 person of his followers, calumniating the faith 
 and the character of our Puritan ancestors — 
 employing all the arts of Jesuitical cunning and 
 sophistry to bring into contempt the Protest- 
 ant religion, the foundation of all our civil and 
 religious institutions — a religion that is dearer 
 to us than life itself — all this is calculated to 
 rouse the spirit of indignation in the heart of 
 every descendant of the Pilgrims, and of 
 every lover of his country. 
 
 We also see Roman Priests invading the 
 sacredness of the domestic circle — disturbing 
 the peace, and order, and enjoyment of our 
 
AND OF PROMISE. 71 
 
 families. Within a few weeks past, servants 
 in Protestant families have in unusual num- 
 bers refused to attend family worship. They 
 have done this simultaneously in various 
 places, which is demonstrative of secret and 
 concerted action. The arrogance and ingrat- 
 itude of the Priests in deranging the estab- 
 lished order of Protestant families, to whom 
 they and their people are so deeply indebted, 
 furnish a severe test to the spirit of forbearance. 
 Such things may be regarded as precursors 
 of the severe trial of christian graces, that 
 awaits the Church in this land of the Pil- 
 grims. It will require more than common 
 grace, to sustain Christian character, and to 
 exhibit the spirit of our Divine Master, in 
 such a furnace. 
 
 To meet the coming crisis, the church is 
 summoned to a deeper piety — to more vigor- 
 ous faith in God — to a severer self-denial, and 
 to a more heavenly exercise of love, than she 
 has evinced since the time she was planted 
 on these western shores. She is called to 
 gird on the panoply of righteousness and to 
 come forth, in the name of Jesus Christ, to 
 this conflict. Let every one who calls him- 
 self by the name of Christian, seek, by deep 
 humiliation and fervent prayer, a preparation 
 of heart for the events before him. Let him 
 
72 SIGNS OF DANGER, ETC. 
 
 most solemnly believe that the Lord of Hosts 
 must interpose and save, or the nation must 
 perish. 
 
 But let him not on this account yield either 
 to the whisperings of despair, or to the slug- 
 gishness of inaction. Instead of this, let the 
 consciousness of entire dependence on God 
 inspire every Christian with vigorous pur- 
 poses of action, and with the confidence of 
 final triumph. God is not only a King on 
 his throne, holding in his own hand the hearts 
 and destinies of all ; but he is the hearer of 
 prayer, and extendeth mercy to those who 
 keep his covenant. Fervent and united 
 prayer for the Holy Spirit may essentially 
 change the state of things, and the prospects 
 before us. Pray then that he will not give 
 his heritage as a prey " for the dragons 
 of the wilderness." Confiding in his prom- 
 ises, you may say, "In -the name of our 
 God we will set up our banner," and inscribe 
 on its broad canvass, " God is our refuge and 
 strength, a very present help in trouble. — 
 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth 
 be removed, and though the mountains be 
 carried into the midst of the sea — though the 
 waters thereof roar and be troubled, though 
 the mountains shake with the swelling there- 
 of. Selah." 
 
m 
 
 r/ °jJ 6 SIGNS 
 
 OF DANGER AND OF PROMISE. 
 
 DUTIES OE AMERICAN PROTESTANTS 
 AT 1 THE PRESENT CRISIS. 
 
 an ye not discern the signs of the times ?" — Jesus Christ. 
 IV. HER" RTON, 
 
 HE AMERICAN PROTE- . 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 
 
 NEW-YORK: . 
 
 PUBLISHED BY LEAVITT, TROW & CO., 
 194 BROADWAY. 
 
 1845. 
 
 ©» 
 

 LEAVITT, TROW & CO., 
 
 Booksellers, 194 Broadway, 
 
 HAVE RECENTLY PUELISHED 
 
 THE COMPLETE WORKS OF JONA- 
 THAN EDWARDS, 
 
 Tn 4 volumes octavo, a reprint of the old Wor- 
 cester edition, without alterations of any kind. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 BARNES'S NOTES ON JOB. 
 
 Notes, Critical, Illustrative and Practical, on the 
 Book of Job; with a New Translation and 
 an Introductory Dissertation. By Albert 
 Barnes. 2 vols. 12mo. 
 
 XENOPHON'S ANABASIS, 
 
 WITH NOTES BY JOB N J . V\ 
 
 FRINCJFAl. OF THE C T£ 
 
 HOMER'S ODYSSEY, 
 
 WITH VOTES BY T II E S A M F. 
 
 ROBINSON'S HAHN'S GREEK TESTA- 
 MENT.— Fine Edition. 
 
fc*n; 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 -.» 
 
 
 >> >i > 
 
 
 » 
 
 > 
 
 >»> 
 
 
 > rj 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 > ..} 
 
 > 
 
 »"»':> 
 
 ~> 
 
 
 > 
 
 > » ~> 
 
 > 
 
 > 
 
 
 > >» 
 
 
 > > 
 
 
 "> » ""» 
 
 
 > > 
 
 
 ^> r » 
 
 ";> 
 
 ) > 
 
 
 IS 
 
 
 » ■ :>>>> 
 
 > > 
 
 > 
 > 
 
 > 
 
 1 ? J 
 
 
 •so 
 
 
 X > > 
 
 T3* 
 
 ~3fc-_>». 
 
 » .? ■- > :- 
 
 >» > ' 
 
 
 
 >§£> 
 
 ]>>> 
 
 
 J2* 
 
 > 3 
 
 > 5 
 
 ȣ> 
 
 3k*> jj 
 
 >.-*> 
 
 
 _-> 
 
 -*r 
 
 "1> > 
 
 ! ; li 
 
 > ^ 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 ^>J3 
 
 Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
 Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
 Treatment Date: Jan. 2006 
 
 PreservationTechnologies 
 
 A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 
 
 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
 Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
 (724)779-2111 
 

 
 
 >f*»*>^ 
 
 5> ->*> > 
 
 >t> 
 
 
 
 3 . 
 
 ► 
 
 l|| 
 
 
 
 
 ■so* " 
 
 
 
 
 3> > ^>