.jJiTV 7^ THE CATHOLIC. THE CATHOLIC. LETTERS ADDRESSED BT A JURIST TO A YOUNG KINSMAN PKOPOSING TO JOIN THE CHURCH OF ROME. E. H. DERBY. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. JEWETT AND COMPANY. CLEVELAND, OHIO : JEWETT, PKOCTOK, AND WORTHINGTON. NEW TOEK : SHELDON, BLAKEMAN AND COMPANT. 1856. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by JOHN P. JEWETT AND COMPANY, In the Clerli's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. CAMBRIDGE : ALLEN AND FABNHAH, BTEEEOIYPEEB AND PEINTEBS. CONTENTS. Intkoduction Page xi LETTER L Proposal to join the Church of Rome. — Propositions advanced. — Ans-svered. — Catholicism does not pervade the World. — There -vvere Dissenters before the time of Luther. — Citations from St. Augus tine. — St. Paul and Lingard's History of England. — Visit of St. Austin. — Transubstantiation. — Indulgences and Purgatory mod em Doctrines 1 LETTER IL Conferences yfiih Roman Catholic Bishop. — Depression of Countries "Where Church of Pome is established. — Progress of Holland. — England and the United States. — The ¦time Design of Christianity ¦was to refine, not debase the World. — The Church of Rome not- founded on Scripture. — Key of St. Peter the Word of God. — St. Paul and not St. Peter the principal Apostle and Founder of the Church 7 LETTER m. St. Paul founded the Churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome. — Rome the Metropolis. — Her Bishops, like the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ne-w York, disposed to outrank their Pello-ws. — Cita^ tions from Iremeus, TertuUian, and St. Jerome. — Proof that the Bishop of Rome, for several Centuries, had no Supremacy. — Pope Liberius sentenced as a Heretic. — Ancient Patriarch.ships. — Pope Gregory refuses the Title of Universal Bishop. — The Usurper Phocas confers it on Boniface 15 A* W VI CONTENTS. LETTER IV. The Church of Rome now -withholds the Bible from the People, but the Apostles and Ancient Fathers, St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, IreniEus, TertuUian, Justin Martyr, Origen, and Chrysostom, all leading Authorities of the Church of Rome, taught the People to read and study the Scriptures . . 21 LETTER V. The Mass of modem Origin. — Pope Gelasius pronounced the divis ion of the "Wine from the Bread a Sacrilege. — The Greek Church ¦which separated from the Church of Rome on the question of Easter administers both Bread and Wine to the People. — St. Augustine, TertuUian, and Pope Leo, deny the Real Presence. — St. Augustine denies the existence of Purgatory 29 LETTER VL Resume of preceding Letter. — Supremacy and InfallibUity of the Pope. — Oath of Obedience to the Pope required of Converts to the Church of Rome, when baptized. — Civil and Spiritual Sword. — Power to depose Monarchs and absolve Subjects claimed for the Pope, and exercised in the case of Queen Elizabeth. — Adoration of the Pope. — Equality of Bishops in the Fourth Century. — Pre dictions of St. Paul and St. Peter. — Purgatory ... 36 LETTER VIL Resume of preceding Letter. — Adoration of the Virgin Mary. "Worship of Statues and Images. — Exclusion of Pictures from An cient Churches. — Celibacy of the Clergy. — St. Peter a mamed Man. — St. Chrysostom commends the man-iage of the Clergy. The Greek Church, once united with the Church of Rome, requires the Clergy to marry. — St. Paul predicts " that seducing Spirits shall forbid to marry and command Men to abstain from Meats " 44 LETTER Vm. Progress of Christianity in its early Stages. — Overthrows the Pa ganism of Greece and Rome, a State Religion associated with Poetry and History. — TertuUian's Picture of Christianity, a. d. CONTENTS. Vll 198. — Ancient Dioceses. — Number in Africa and Asia. — Seces sion of Rome from the Greek Church. — Rise of Mahomet. — De cline of Christianity in Asia and Africa. — Diffusion of the Protes tant Faith since the Reformation 53 LETTER IX. The Church of Rome not Apostolic. — Temporal Power of the Church of -Rome. — The New Testament forbids a Bishop to engage in secu lar AflFairs. — The Apostolic Canons prohibit the Clergy from hold ing temporal Offices. — Monasteries not sanctioned by Scripture. — Monks condemned by St. Augustine. — Auricular Confession not founded on Holy -Writ. — No Oath required at Baptism in the Apos tolic Church. — "Want of Unity in the Church of Rome. — The Ma- ronites, Nestorians, Armenians, Arians. — Proclamation of Theo- dosius. — Its Effects. — The Donatists. — The Jesuits and Jansen- ists. — Schisms in the Church of Rome .... 59 LETTER X. The Episcopal Church. — Bishops appointed during the Life of St. John. — James the Erst Bishop of Jerusalem. — Linus, a Prince of Britain, first Bishop of Rome. — Liturgy of England derived from St. John through Lyons. — Church of England founded by St. Paul or his Associates. — Proof of his Visit to England. — Aus tin's celebrated Visit and Conference. — Canons of Clarendon. — In dependence of the Church of England. — WickllfFe and Wolsey 69 LETTER XL Present Aspect of the Church of Rome. — St. Peter not superior to the other Disciples. — Testimony of Scripture, of St. Clirysostom, St. Ambrose, St. Hilary, Basil, and St. Augustine, to the equality of the Apostles 80 LETTER Xn. Supremacy of the Popes examined. — Testimony of Sts. Ignatius, Ire niEus, Clement, Jerome, and Erasmus against such Supremacy. — Deportment of the Bishops of Rome in the Fourth Century. — Da- masus ..... • ¦ . . 90 Vm CONTENTS. LETTER Xm. Eesumfe of preceding Letter. — St. Jerome's Epistle. — The Office of Bishop of Rome in a transition State. — Licentious Conduct of the Clergy of Rome in the Fourth Century. — First Statute of Mort main. — Clergy forbidden to frequent the Houses of "Widows and Virgins. — St. Jerome and St. Ambrose deplore their Conduct. -^ Valeutinian gives precedence to the Bishop of Milan over the Bishop of Rome in his Decree to abolish Paganism. — Secession of Rome from the Eastern Church 105 LETTER XIV. Article in the Edinburgh Review on Saul of Tarsus. — Qualifications of St. Paul compared -with those of St. Peter. — Bunsen's Hippo- lytus. — Avarice and Corruption of Zephyrinus and Callistus, Bish ops of Rome, at the' close of the Second Century. — Picture of the Church of Rome in the Second Century . . . . 112 LETTER XV. Treatise of Faber. — Arguments of Chevalier Bunsen against the Church of Rome. — Milner's End of Controversy neither Truthful nor Logical. — Gross Errors of Milner. — He ascribes the Latin Lit urgy to St. Peter and St. Paul. — Greek, not Latin, for the first three Centuries was the Language of Commerce, Religion, and Lit erature in Asia and Europe. — "Weakness of his Assault on the Au thority of Scripture. — Contriidictions. — States that Zephyrinus ¦ and Callistus were eminent for their Sanctity. — Catholic Proof of their Venality and Profligacy. — He alleges no diversity of Belief in the Ancient Church as to the Real Presence. — Is contradicted by Pope Leo and several eminent Catholic Fathers and Saints. — His Misstatements as to the Nestorians. — Misstatement as to the Greek Church. — Entirely unreliable . . . . . 1 1 7 LETTER XVL Effects of preceding Letters. — Resumption of Series. — Reasons for resuming. — Essay of Conyers Middleton. — Conformity of the Church of Rome to the Rites of Paganism. — Parallel between them with respect to Incense, Candles, Votive Offerings, Statues, Holy "Water, Groves, Oratories, Mendicant Priests, and Miracles 128 CONTENTS. ix LETTER XVn. The Jesuits. — Activity and Efficiency of the Order. — Agents of the Holy See. — Favor the "Worsliip of the Virgin. — View her as an Intercessor between Grod and Man. — Her "Worship gradually super seding the "Worship of the Deity. — The Two Ladders. — The Origin, Rules, Character, Progress, and Success of the Order 136 LETTER XVIIL Graphic Sketch of the Jesuits by Macaulay. — Secret of their Success. — Great Power and Resources. — Neglect of the Sources of their Greatness. — Overthrow of Portroyal. — Connection with the Mas sacre of St. Bartholomew, and Revocation of Edict of Nantz. — Expulsion from Portugal, Spain, iFrance, Austria. — Suppression by the Pope. — Death of the Pope in consequence. — Expulsion from Moscow. — Then- Revival. — Renewed Progress . 145 LETTER XrS. Origin, Extent, and Nature of Pope's Supremacy. — Such Power not claimed by the Bishops of Rome for six Centuries. — Supremacy of the Roman Emperors, and Admission by Bishops of Rome of their Supremacy. — Their subsequent Pretensions. — Deposition of Monarchs. — Anathema against Napoleon. — Condemnation of modem "Works denying the absolute Power of the Pope. — Recent Abrogation of Laws of Spain and Sardinia by the Pope. — Edict of the Provincial Council of Baltimore. — Absorption of Churches and Trust Funds by the Pope. — Resistance of the Trustees of a Church at Buffalo. — Consequences. — Interposition of the Civil Power 157 LETTER XX. Vestiges of the Ancient Primitive Church. — Investigations by Chev alier Bunsen. — Results. — Evidence of the Existence of Ecclesias tical Rules, and Discovery of the Ancient System of Instruction in Religion. — Order of "Worship. — Canons of Church Government, and Rules of Private Life. — Epitome of their Contents. — Over throw of the Claims of Rome. — Great "Work of Christianity. — Church of the Future 176 CONTENTS. LETTER XXL Summary. — Recun-enco to first Propositions. — Syllogism of Roman Catholic Bishop. — Application of the Evidence. — Public Policy 184 APPENDIX. Chukoh Books op the Apostolic Church as kestoked bt Bunsen. Book I "3 Book II 207 Book in 220 Power claimed by the Popes as evinced by their Official Acts, ex tract from Barrow's Popes' Supremacy .... 227 Oath of Roman Catholic Bishops published in the Seventeenth Cen tury 233 Voltaire's Character of Pascal, and Opinion of his "Work expressed by the celebrated Bossuet 236 Morals of the Jesuits, from Pascal's Provincial Letters ; part of Let ter XV 237 Doctrine of the Jesuits and Origin of the Jansenists, from Ranke's History of the Popes 245 Opposition of the .Jesuits to the Circulation of the Scriptures in France, from Henry's Exposition of the New Testament . 259 "Worship of the Virgin Mary gradually superseding the Christian Re ligion, as conceded by the Jesuits. Exti-act from Seymour 264 Effects and Tendency of Papacy, an extract from Barrow's Treatise on the Pope's Supremacy, Vol. VII. p. 290 . . . 267 Additional Proof that St. Paul or his immediate Converts planted Christianity in Britain. — Linus, Claudia, Pudens, Pomponia Grse- cina, natives or friends of Britain, Christians, and doubtless Con verts of St. Paul. — Marble Tablet found at Chichester . 274 INTRODUCTION. These letters were -written by a member of the legal profession, in active practice, to a young kins man. This youth at the age of seventeen, after evincing much industry and talent as a student, had become deeply interested in religious subjects. Misled by the statements in Milner's End of Controversy and other Roman Catholic -works, he suddenly conceived the idea that the Church of Rome -was the only primitive, apostolic, and catholic church, and ap prised the author that he should, in his next vaca tion, apply to a Roman Catholic bishop for baptism. As the case required prompt action, the author im mediately -wrote a series of letters to dissuade him fi:om his purpose. He resorted not to modern casuists, but to the fountainheads, and tested the claims and faith of the Church of Rome, not by the -writings of its op ponents, but by those authorities on -which that Church relies, namely, those early saints, fathers, and popes, Augustine, Clement, Irenseus, Ambrose, (xi) xii INTRODUCTION. Chrysostom, Eusebius, Jerome, Athanasius, Leo, and others revered by the church itself, and, in many in stances, inscribed on its tree of saints and martyrs. He also dre-w his illustrations from scripture, history, and books of travels. The letters having convinced his kinsman, he has been led by the solicitation of friends and clergy men, to complete the series of letters and to place them before the public. THE CATHOLIC LETTER I. Boston, February 10, 1853. My Dear S. . . : — Your mother has placed in my hands your letter of the fourth current, and finding a fe-w hours leisure this morning, I feel it my duty to reply. I confess I do not like the spirit of your let ter, for it is altogether too positive in its tone. You are but a stripling of seventeen years; you have made good progress, and displayed some acumen, but are still a very youthful philosopher. The la-w -u'hich intrusts to me your guidance, the public sen timent which expects me to instruct you, and thus qualify you for the duties and conflicts of life, con fide to me as a correlative privilege, the guidance of your religious sentiment. Having a respect for all denominations of Christians, and having been com peUed by circumstances to worship with several, I have wished not to press the subject of religion upon you with too much zeal, but to place you under the care of our own clergyman, and give you the oppor tunity, without undue coercion, to avail yourself of his guidance, and gradually mature your religious opinions. 1 (1) 2 rHE CATHOLIC. It is, however, my duty under your last letter, to speak more decidedly. Your opinions on religion are at present immature, and betray a want of research and reflection. More time and study are requi site. You have an impulsive temperament, and have already on more occasions than one, acted under erroneous impressions, and changed yoar opinions or essentially modified them, and I have no doubt will do it again. I must therefore apprise you, that I shall not for the present consent to your becoming a member of the Church of Rome. When you have made more progress, when you have attained to your twentieth year, and have properly investi gated the subject, I shall, however reluctant, place no restraint upon your deliberate judgment, and mean while I wish you to thoroughly investigate the whole subject. Your letter evinces a strange want of information on one point. You say, " Catholic means universal, and Episcopalianism only exists in England and a small part of America, and if you can point me to a place in the world (where men have any idea of the Christian religion) where Roman Catholicism does not exist, then I will turn Protestant." Now Europe, the most civUized part of the world, contains three millions seven hundred thousand square miles, and in two thirds of it the Roman Catholic church has virtuaUy no existence, namely, in Russia containing 2,000,000 square miles.^ Sweden and Norway 291,000 " Turkey 210,000 " Total 2,501,000 " • Except the Polish Province. THE CATHOLIC. 3 The Roman Catholic church holds a divided cm- pne over one million two hundred thousand miles only, and does not embrace half the people of Eu rope. The Greek chm-ch has nearly as many wor shippers in Europe as the Roman, and controls ex clusively more than half the territory of Europe, and about aU the Christian churches of Asia. The Roman church is in a minority also in Africa and America. Again you say, that " it is universally conceded that no Protestants, that is, dissenting or protesting from the authority of the Pope, existed before the time of Luther, consequently you are not apostoli cal." Have you never read of this same Greek church which claims to be apostoUc, and was estab- Ushed at Byzantium ; have you not heard of Wick- lifle, of the Waldenses and Albigenses, or to go back farther, are you not aware that St. Augustine of the fifth century, firom whom the Augustines take their name, a man whose -writings are preserved and treated as authorities by the Roman See, authorities they cannot and dare not reject, was Calvinistic in his doctrines now extant? "Was he an adorer of the Virgin Mary? Again, there is nothing but vague tradition to show that Peter founded the Church of Rome, and that same tradition is, that Peter and Paul both suffered martyrdom at Rome, and what record does St. Paul give of Peter as Bishop of Rome? St. Paul does speak of Clement, his fellow- laborer at Rome, but does not speak of any assist ance from St. Peter, who seems to have derived his subsequent reputation from a mere play upon his name, or figurative expression of our Saviour. 4 THE CATHOLIC. St. Paul was the great apostle to the Gentiles. He was the great traveller. He speaks of his repeated ship-wrecks, his voyages and journeys by sea and land, of his visit to Spain. This was the route of Phoenician commerce to the tin, copper, and lead mines of England ; and the English tradition is, that St. Paul established chm-ches in England. "We learn, at all events, from Lingard, the Roman Catholic his torian of England, who cites the venerable Bede, that when Pope Gregory, in the seventh century, sent Austin to England to convert the Saxons, he found Christian churches which had been established there for centuries, entirely unknown to the Bishop of Rome, who punned upon the Angles as *' angels," and upon Deira their home as " Dei Ira." The English church claims an apostolic descent fi-om St. Paul, with more presumptions from history, and quite as much from traditions, as the Romish does fi-om St. Peter. Iconium, or the Isle of lona, was the ancient seat of rehgious instruction, Subsequently, when the Pope of Rome had ob tained some ascendency over the English church, some Catholic rites, forms, and doctrines were adopted, -which were more or less discarded at the Reformation ; but the English church, as weU as the French, ever maintained a great degree of inde pendence. The Enghsh church would not aUow the Pope to appoint bishops, or consecrate them at Rome, but merely to send the Pallium or "Vesture ; it refused Peter Pence, and in other respects questioned the Papal supremacy, and washed itself fi-om abuses that had crept in, at the Reformation. You ask, THE CATHOLIC. 5 where were the Protestants for many centuries after our Saviour? The reply doubtless is, they were gradually giving way to the abuses, and encroach ments, and grasping policy of the Roman See, ever extending its arms ; or I might add, the subject is forcibly if not elegantly Ulustrated, by the answer of the English boy to the Irish. The latter asked, "What was the condition of your church before the Reformation ? The Enghsh boy replies. In the same condition you were in before your face was washed this morning.^ But to another point. You speak of the " unity " of the Roman Catholic church for fourteen centuries. "Where was that unity when the Roman Catholic church and the Greek church separated, divided Christendom, and the bishop of Rome and the bishop of Constantinople mutually excommunicated each other ? "Where was its unity when St. Augustine, still a calendar saint, preached Calvinistic sermons ? Where was its unity when the Franciscans and Dominicans, professing different doctrines, divided the church and anathematized each other ? "Where was its unity in the great struggle of the iconoclasts and image-wor shippers which divided the church also ? Are you not aware that the great Roman Catholic articles of faith, transubstantiation, indulgences, and purgatory, are of modern introduction into the Roman Catholic ' This striking illustration originated with the celebrated John "Wilkes. "When asked by a Roman Catholic, " "Where was your church before Luther ? " he inquired, " Did you wash your face this morning ? " " Yes," was the response, and then came the sig nificant reply, " "Where was your face before it was washed ? " 1* 6 THE CATHOLIC. creed, and that the adoration and prayers to the "Vir gin are long subsequent to St. Augustine ? Have you never read of the great division of the Roman Catholics between the Jesuits and the Jansen- ites, and the more recent division between the Mon tane and Transmontane parties, the former denying and the latter admitting the infallibUity of the Pope, without a general councU of the chm-ch ? And are not the differences between these parties altogether more serious than those between high and low church ? And when you speak of miracles, do you beUeve in the holy coat of Treves, and in the tears which flow from eyes of statues in whose hoUow heads fishes are swimming? You speak of casting out devils. It seems to me that too much presumption and seli-conjidence with out knowledge, are the modern and most dangerous devUs, and the true mode to cast them out, is to ap proach this great subject of religion with humUity and diffidence, to pay some respect to the experience of those who have lived twenty or thirty years longer than yourself, and then to investigate the great ques tion of religion coolly, cautiously, prayerfully, and thoroughly, and not decide first and learn afterwards. I send you a pamphlet of some bearing on this question, and would recommend you to read the first, St. Augustine, with care ; also to read Churton's Early English Church, and StiUingfleet's Origines Britannicae Ecclesiae, and other prominent authors. Yours, truly and affectionately. LETTER II. Boston, February 20, 1853. Dear S. . . : — At your request, I have seen the Roman Catholic bishop, and apprised him of my views respecting you, and thanked him for not yield ing to your inconsiderate request. He told me that when candidates for admission to his church came to him, he often held them back, and sometimes put them on probation for eighteen months, and added, that he had advised you, that in case of death dm-- ing probation, he had no doubt aU parties on probation would be saved. He expressed, too, the opinion, that it was not -^-ise or judicious for any one to join the church, -without due and ample thought and investi gation, and promised to do nothing more in the premises (except to reply to your inquiries and fur nish books) -without consulting me upon the subject. You wiU therefore, I trust, have no difficulty in conforming to my -views, and I must insist on my prerogative. I am on one point more liberal than the bishop. He says he could not advise any parent in his church, to consent that his son should leave his church for another; but I am wUling that some two years hence, when you have attained to the age of twenty, and matured your opinions, you should exer cise your own deliberate judgment ; but let me assure you, that if you deliberately disobey me after this (7) 8 THE CATHOLIC. assurance, that your disobedience will not only be registered indeUbly in my own mind, but -wUl be registered in heaven. I have hoped you would endeavor to sustain the points you advanced in your first letter, and would reply to my last, but I see you notice but one or two suggestions, and fly off" to some Romish logic, which it seems to me you must draw not fiom your own reading, but from some modern casuist. I regret that you have not, down to this time, read more upon the subject of theology, and that you have not em braced in your course of misceUaneous reading, those books of history and of travels which would have shown you the disastrous influence of the Church of Rome on the countries where its power has been es tablished for the last twelve centuries. I do not -write you to prefer charges against the Church of Rome, but to draw your attention to the weakness of its foundations, and the remarkable de parture it has made fiom the simpUcity of the gos pel. I -wish to point out its errors which are obvious to me as a layman, and which have long impressed my mind, and in doing so, 1 -wish to exhibit that re- speet which 1 feel for aU denominations of Chris tians, and for aU foUowers of our Saviour, whether of the Romish, Greek, or Protestant faith. I shaU give you, too, my own views, and the result of my own reading. I propose to discuss the question at issue with you myself, and leave our pastor to dis cuss it if he sees fit with our fiiend the Romish bishop. You do not appear to be familiar with the early fathers and -writers, who are recognized as high au- THE CATHOLIC. 9 thorities by the Catholic chm-ch, and are deferred to by both Greek, Romish, and Protestant churches. I mean the great men who "wi-ote in the first four cen- tmies before the dark ages, namely, Cyprian, Jerome, Origen, Augustine, Ambrose, Clu-ysostom, Gregory, Eusebius, and TertuUian ; but as I happen to have in my possession one of the books of St. Augustine, and copious extracts fi-om the others, made by Jew- eU, the learned bishop of SaUsbury, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, -with fuU reference to book and page, I shaU quote them in discussion. The Augustine I cited, and propose to cite, is not Jansen, who signs himself Augustinus, because he adopts the views of St. Augustine, but the old saint himself, -w^hom you mention " as the clearest of wit nesses," although I can find no proof in his writings that he -was, as you seem to suppose, a devout wor shipper, in the Romish sense, of the blessed Vu-gin Mary. And first, let me draw your attention to the argu ment against the Romish church being the true one, derived from history and travels. You wiU find the current of evidence nearly irresistible, that in those countries -where it has prevaUed, progress and civili zation have been retarded, and the condition of the people sadly depressed. Compare England since the Reformation for three centuries, -with England for three centuries before, and see what a stride she has made, from a poor and obscure island, with her land engrossed by monasteries and nunneries, and her people depressed, degraded, and ignorant. Look at the leap she has made since she shook off' these in cumbrances. Look at the progress of population, 10 THE CATHOLIC. wealth, industry, and art, at the islands and territo ries she has subdued and settled, at her mastery of the seas, and the diffusion of her race, language, and reUgion throughout the world. At the present rate of progress, in one century more, the Protestants speaking the English tongue w^iU exceed three hun dred mUlions, and outnumber the present members of both Greek and Romish churches ; and what is one century compared with the eighteen preceding centmies? Again, compare Italy, the ancient seat of arts and power, depressed and degraded and im poverished under the Papal see for twelve centuries, -with the Protestant States of HoUand won from the sea, Germany, England, and the United States, in which last the Protestants stand as ten to one com pared with the Roman Catholics. Compare Spain, broken down by the inquisition and absorption of land by the priesthood and by Romish observances, -with England and HoUand, and mark the progress of France since the estates of the church were alienated, and recur to the losses both France and Spain sus tained, the former by the massacre of the Protestants and the expulsion of the survivors, and the latter by the expulsion of the Moors, who were so long the de positaries of learning, and that barbarous interdict upon aU freedom of thought, the inquisition. But I thank God, even the Romish church is now aban doning the auto dafe and the grand inquisitor. Now I submit this argument as to the Romish faith being a departure from the gospel, that the ti-ue design of Christianity was to refine, improve, and civihze, not debase the world ; and if we find a sys tem has departed from the simplicity of the gospel, THE CATHOLIC. 11 and has been attended by debasement and degrada tion, while the reformation has been attended with different results, that system cannot be true. Again, let me recur to the origin of the Romish church. Its basis should be the gospel. Here we have a safe starting-point. All denominations recog nize the mission of our Saviour, and the authority of the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles. Now how far do these sacred books establish the faith, doctrines, and usages of the Romish church ? Fust, the Church of Rome relies upon the sixteenth chapter of St. Mat thew, eighteenth verse, in which our Saviour says, " Thou art Peter, and on this rock I -wUl build my church." But we must remember that in the same chapter, verse twenty -third, our Saviomr rebukes Peter in terms s"fcronger than he used to any apostle, save Judas, -who betrayed him, saying, " Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me." And we must not forget that in the hour of trial Peter fal tered, that he thrice denied our Lord, and drawing a sword against the wishes of our Saviour, wounded a servant of the high-priest, because he stated the truth. Again, the Romish church adverts to the gift of keys and relies on the nineteenth verse of the same chapter, but the ancient fathers attached little impor tance to this verse which so closely precedes the re buke. TertuUian, of Carthage, who flourished in the next century after the apostles, says, " Clavem in- terpretationem legis." ^ Chrysostom, bishop of Con stantinople, says, " Clavis est scientia scripturarum ' " The key is the interpretation of the law." 12 THE CATHOLIC. per quam aperitur janua veritatis." ^ Chrysostom lived in 393. Eusebius, who lived in 290, born in Palestine in 265, an able and voluminous -writer, calls the keys " the word of God." These seem to be the earliest and most authentic of ancient expositors, and I can refer you to these passages and all others I may cite. What becomes, then, of the express dele gation to St. Peter, claimed by the Romanists, of the exclusive custody of the gates of heaven ? Again, the Romish church relies on the words spo ken to St. Peter, " feed my sheep, feed my lambs," the words of our Saviour. But our Saviour said to all his apostles, indifferently, " feed ye," " go into the whole world," "teach ye the gospel." ^ Whatever po-wer was given to St. Peter "was not delegated to his successors by any words I find in the gospels. The Romish church look principaUy to St. Peter, but it appears by Holy Writ that St. Paul-WHs the great apostle to the Gentiles, and the principal if not the sole founder of the Church of Rome. It is true the Lord appeared in a vision to St. Peter, to dispel his impressions as to the impurity of the Gentiles, but it does not appear that St. Peter, for many years, went out of Asia, whUe St. Paul, enlightened by a heavenly vision, and highly edu cated, having been reared at Tarsus, distinguished for its schools, and at the feet of Gamaliel, a learned and leading Pharisee, and being born a Roman citi zen, was converted to the faith, and sent forth the ^ " The key is the knowledge of Scripture through which the gate of truth is opened." * John 20: 21-23. Mark 16 : 15. THE CATHOLIC. 13 eloquent expounder of Christianity, and endowed also with the power of mu-acles. Refer to the Acts and Epistles. Who was the principal actor and author ? St. Paul. How often did he visit Rome, and how long did he reside there ? He was there twice or thrice and for years. His epistles most of them bear date from Rome. Look at their conclusion. Read them all, and you wUl find he was in Asia, Egypt, Arabia, Thrace, Greece, Macedonia, Italy, Spain, and many other regions, founding churches and preachmg the gospel. Examine his Epistle to the Galatians from Rome, chapters one and two, from the fourteenth verse of the first, to the sixteenth verse of the second chapter, and note his remarkable nar rative of the heavenly vision, and his mission to the GentUes. How it was three years after he com menced that mission, before he visited the disciples in Jerusalem, where he conferred with Peter and James, (the first bishop of Jerusalem,) the Lord's brother, and after a visit of but fifteen days to Peter, left Judea for CUicia and Syria ; ho-w he travelled on his mission for fourteen years, and then retm-ned to Jerusalem where he found James and John, as well as Cephas, " piUars of the church," and Peter perform ing his mission to the circumcised; how he met Peter at Antioch ; how Peter at first associated with the GentUes at meals, and when the Jews appeared with drew, and how severely Paul reproved him for this tergiversation, " and withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed." See Galatians 11 : 11, 14, and note that he afterwards returned to Rome, and thence addressed his apostolic letters to the bishops of various churches. Does all this show any supremacy or infal- 2 14 THE CATHOLIC. libility on the part of St. Peter in the days of the apostles ? He may have subsequently visited Rome, and his martyrdom may have occurred there, and his blood have cemented the foundations of the church which St. Paul had reared there, but St. Paul was the bold, learned, eloquent, and effective preacher of the gospel to the heathen, and at least coordinate with St. Peter, the oldest and probably least in structed of the disciples, who must have been an old man when he reached Rome more than eighteen years after the death of our Saviour. It thus appears by Holy Writ, that St. Peter did not plant the Church of Rome. In my next letter, I wiU test by Cathohc -writers, the authority of the first bishops of Rome, and how, on the decUne of the Roman Empire, they acquired the Papal power. Very sincerely and affectionately yours. I have no objections to your asking the bishop any questions that you may see fit, but I do not wish you to send him this letter. LETTER III. Boston, February 21, 1853. My dear S. . . : — In my last letter I showed you that Peter, in the days of our Saviour and the apostles, was not superior to his associates ; that the " keys " are the " Word of God" given to aU the disciples ; that James became the first bishop of Jerusalem to the exclusion of Peter ; that Paul, after his heavenly vision, -with out taking counsel of the disciples, began his mission to the heathen, and became the builder of that church, of which Christ himself was the chief corner stone ; that Paul planted the great churches in Ephe sus, Smyrna, and Rome, chief cities of the Roman Empire, and in tracing the progress of the bishops of Rome, we must remember that Rome was the seat of empire, the mistress of the world, and it was to be expected that her bishops should be aspir ing, that they should feel like the Romish bishop of New York, the metropohs of our country, disposed to outrank their feUows and enlarge then- jurisdic tion. It was natural that they should struggle for supremacy, and by no means surprising they should attain to power. Six centuries, however, expired before they acquired a positive ascendency, as ap pears by the concurrent testimony of the fathers and historians both of church and state. Bishops were placed over hundreds of churches in Europe, Asia, (IB) 16 THE CATHOLIC. and Africa, who for six centuries exercised the power of the apostles, met in councU, and by discussion and by concurrent votes regulated the faith and di rected the worship of the Catholic church. The first authority on whom the Romish church places any reliance is Irenseus, who lived about the year 170, and was a friend of Polycarp, the disciple of St. John. He -wrote a treatise against the Gnos tics, who claimed to know certain mysteries which the apostles disclosed only to the perfect. In arguing against these heretics in his essay ,i he says, if the apostles had known any such mysteries, they would have intrusted them to those to whom they intrusted the apostolic churches they founded, and to confute the Gnostics cites the doctrines and faith derived from the apostles by a succession of bishops in the great, most ancient, and universally known church, founded at Rome by the glorious apostles Peter and Paul, in which the faithful around it have always preserved the apostolic doctrine, and adds, that not only Polycarp, taught by the apostles, and by them constituted bishop of Smyrna, but also the Church of Ephesus, founded by Paul, but in which John re mained until the time of Trajan, are true witnesses of the faith transmitted by the apostles. Irenseus gives to the Church of Rome the promi nence she deserves from her position, size, impor tance, and founders, but brings in also the churches of Smyrna and Ephesus, as alike true witnesses against the heretics he is confuting, thus placing them on the same footing. TertuUian, one century afterwards, in his essay ' L. 3, c. 3. THE CATHOLIC. 17 against Marcian, refers his opponent to his standard authorities against him, saying, " Run over the apos tolic churches in which the apostles' chau-s are still continued, in which their authentic letters are recited, sounding out the voice and representing the face of each one of them. Is Achaia nearest to you, you have Corinth. If you be not far from Macedonia, you have the PhUippians and the Thessalonians. If you can go to Asia, you have Ephesus. If you border on Italy, you have Rome, whence we also (namely, the Africans) can have authority." Thus the ancient fathers taught the people to re form their doctrine, not only by the Church of Rome, but also by other notable apostolic churches. Again, the blessed martyr, Cyprian, bishop of Car thage, under the emperor Decius, A. D. 249, in his treatise of " Cyprianus de simpUcitate Prselatorum," says, " AU the apostles were of like power among themselves, and the rest were the same that Peter was," and adds, " there is but one bishopric and a piece thereof is holden by each particular bishop." What paramount power does this saint of the church accord to the church of Rome ? The blessed Jerome, Hieronymus, born a. d. 331, in his " Litera ad Evagrium," speaking of the usage and order of the Church of Rome, says, " Why al- legest thou to me the usage of one city ? " Again, he says, " not only the bishops of one city, (that is, Rome,) but the bishops of aU the world, err." Sm-ely, then, the bishop of Rome had no infinite or universal power. The church was then governed by councils, and heretics -were put down by general councUs, and 18 THE CATHOLIC. heretics were then numerous. St. Augustine enu merates more than eighty varieties, and at one time the Arians, favored by an emperor, were supposed to be in the ascendant. The first general council was caUed by Constantine, the emperor, at Nice. Three hundred and eighteen bishops attended to put down the Arian heresy. It is intimated both by St. Jerome and St. Augustine that Liberius, bishop or pope of Rome, took part with the Arians. St. Jerome states this in his treatise,^ and Cardinal Casanus, a Romish writer in the first half of the fifteenth century, a fa vored friend of Pope Eugenius IV., and legate under several pontiffs, represents St. Augustine to have said thjit " Pope Liberius gave his hand and consent to the Arians." ^ But the great councU of Nice put down the Arians, and with them con demned virtually Liberius, the heretic pope, and the other bishops who favored them. An eminent Roman Catholic -writer is here our authority. When councUs thus condemn the Roman bishop, or pope, where was his infallibility, and how was it mani fested to the world ? Further, by the sixth canon of the first Council of Nice, the whole of Chi-istendom was divided into fom- patriarchships, whereof the first was Rome, the second Alexandria, the third Antioch, the fourth Jerusalem ; each was limited, and Rome was confined to Italy and the West. Neither had power over the other, and down to a much later pe riod, the idea of a universal bishop was scouted by the bishops of Rome as well as others. Gregory I., a ^ Hieron. de Eccles. Scriptor. " In his book de Concord. L. II, c. 5. THE CATHOLIC. 19 bishop of Rome, and a saint of the Romish chm-ch, says,i " He is antichrist that shall claim to be called universal bishop, or chief of the priests." The em peror Gratian did the semie, and allowed the bishop of Rome to be called no more than bishop of the first seat. St. John, predicting the antichrist in Revelations, says of the number of the beast, " His number is 666." Irenseus says the name of antichrist is ex pressed by a number Aarai'Of, equivalent to Latinus. The Greek letters indicate 666. After Justinian, at the close of the sixth century, had deposed two Ro man bishops or popes, Sylverijis and Vigilius, the first for profligacy, and the last for treason, the Roman bishops were for a time quite moderate in their pretensions. About this period, Gregory, then bishop of Rome, -writes as follows : " None of my predecessors, bishops of Rome, ever consented to use this ungodly name (of universal bishop) ; no bishop of Rome ever took upon him this name of singular ity ; -we, the bishops of Rome, -wiU not receive this honor being offered unto us." ^ But his successors were not so fastidious. Early in the seventh century, John, bishop of Constantino ple, claimed frorn the emperor Maurice, the title of " universal bishop," and Gregory objected. Soon after Maurice, -with his famUy, was murdered by the centurion Phocas, who was raised by the soldiery to the imperial throne. At the instance of Boniface IL, bishop of Rome, a successor of Gregory, the usurp__er Phocas conferred this " ungodly name," as it 'Epistola; 34, L. I"V. " Greg. L. IV. Ep. 32 et 36. 20 THE CATHOLIC. was termed by Gregory, on Boniface. Building on this frail title, derived not from St. Peter, but from the felon, and usurper Phocas, the popes soon en larged their power, so that in another century pope Boniface VIII. announced, " that every creature must submit itself to the bishop of Rome, upon the pain of everlasting damnation." So much for the origin and foundations of the papal power in the church of Rome. In another letter I shaU point out its depar ture from the teaching of our Saviour. Very sincerely and affectionately yours. LETTER IV. Boston, February 23, 1853. M\ DEAR S. . . : — In my previous letters, I showed you by Scripture, and the early fathers, canonized as saints by the church of Rome, that St. Peter, after the death of our Saviour, was on a level with the other disciples ; that St. Paul without any conference -^-ith him after his journey to Damascus, for three years toUed in his mission to plant chmches among the heathen, and after a brief visit to St. Peter, did not meet him again for fourteen years, when he returned to Jerusalem, and found James and his two associ ates, " pillars of the church." I could also have cited the learned Eusebius, the first historian of the church, who was born in Palestine, A. D. 265, and enjoyed the favor of Constantine the Great, for Eusebius caUs Paul " the holy, the first of the apostles," traces his descent from the tribe of Benjamin, and applies to him the prophecy of Isaiah, •' There is little Ben jamin their ruler," ^ as fulfilled in his teaching. I showed in my letters also, the early bishops of Rome neither were, nor claimed to be, for six centuries, universal bishops, or as you express it, " Catholic bishops," but by the admission of one of them, al ways disclaimed such " a godless name," and regarded him who should take it as an antichrist." I proved . ' Psahns 68 : 27. (21) 22 THE CATHOLIC. by Catholic testimony, that one of them joined the Arians, and was condemned with others by a general council; how two of them were deposed, one for treason, another for profligacy, and how the title of Catholic bishop was conferred by an assassin and usurper, but little before the period when St. John and Irenseus predicted antichrist should come. I might proceed to show the evidence that one Ro man bishop was murdered by the populace for his vices, how another became an infidel, and how the church before the Reformation generaUy believed another to have been a woman in disguise. I might trace the gradual progress of the Romish church during the dark ages, in its assumption of power, but I have other topics to consider and discuss, and must refer you to history for these detaUs.- I propose now to consider the " means " which Christ provided for the guidance of his church in after ages, which " have not fallen short " of the object, or faUed when properly used, to preserve the church from error. Those means were the four gospels, the authentic record of Christ's mission, faith, and precepts, and the Acts and Epistles of his chosen disciples, con fided to the bishops of the apostolic churches. These bishops met in council from time to time, to put down heresy by the authority of Holy Writ, when individuals yielded to error. This was a safe and reUable system, and the same standards, the Gospels, Epistles, and Acts, are transmitted to us. During the fu-st six centmies questions were set tled, not by the mysteries of the Gnostics,^ but by ' Early heretics who claimed that there were mysteries and traditions which went beyond the letter of the gospel. THE CATHOLIC. 23 Holy Writ. Like tlie prophet David, the holy fathers of the church corUd say, " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." " The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." And -with Theophilactus, an early -writer in the chm-ch, " The word of God is the candle whereby the thief is espied." St. Augustine, " the old saint " of whom you speak, tlie bishop of Hippo, in Africa, A. d. 393, a most valuable Catholic authority, says in his Essay ,^ " Let not these words be heard between us, / say, or you say, let us rather speak in this -wise, ' Thus saith the Lord.' " Again, he says in his essay against Pe- tUian, the Donatist, " Sive de Christo, sive de ejus Ecclesia, sive de quacunque re alia quae pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram non dicam si nos sed si an- gelus de coelo nobis annunciaret praeterquani quod in scriptm-ibus legalibus et evangelicis accepistis Anathema sit," -virtually, " Let him be accursed even if an angel from heaven, -who teaches otherwise than we have received in the words of the law and the gos pels." Here is the testimony of a most learned and holy man, the great warrior and defender of the church, a Catholic saint, the prototype and model also, as the bishop of Salisbury writes of Luther and Calvin, and this last bishop lived in the same century -with Luther.^ Again, St. Jerome says,^ " Sed et alia quse absque auctoritate et testimoniis scripturarum quasi tra- ditione apostoUca reperiunt atque confingunt per- ' De Unitate Ecclesiae against the Donatists, c. 3. ' See Jewell's Apology, p. 27, note. ' In his treatise entitled In primum caput Aggai. 24 THE CATHOLIC. cutit gladius dei." "Let the sword of the Lord destroy whatever else they pretend to find, or to rest on apostolic tradition, without the sanction of Scrip ture." St. Ambrose, bishop of MUan from 375 to 397, in his letter to the emperor Gratian, says : ^ " Interro- gentm Scriptm-se ; interrogentur Apostoli; interro- gentur Prophetas ; interrogetur Chiistus." ^ Again, the rule for the modern Christians is expressly point ed out by St. Paul. He does not refer us for our faith to the nominee of an usmper, or the nominee of a conclave of cardinals, guided often by intrigue, artifice, or interest, but he says,^ " AU Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furrushed unto aU good works." And in the same chapter, he tells Timothy, his early pupU, whose grandmother and mother were both devout Christians, who was himself the fu-st bishop of the pure church at Ephesus, commended by Irenseus, as follows : " From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto sal vation, through faith vjhich is in Jesus Christ." Guided by this advice, Timothy presided over the church of Ephesus, and was there joined by St. John, the beloved disciple, who ministered there until the time of Trajan. May we not in modern times rely on what St. Paul, St. John, and their disciple, ' Ad Gratianum de fide, Liber I. ' Inquire of the Scriptures ; inquire of the apostles ; inquire of the prophets ; inquire of Christ. ' 2 Timothy 3 : 16. THE CATHOLIC. 25 the first bisho]j of Ephesus, found sufficient " to make one wise unto salvation ? " Let us now trace the singular departures of the Romish church from the gospel, the apostles, and the early bishops and fathers of the church. I can not forbear, however, to preface this inquiry by two quotations from Catholic authorities. First, St. Au gustine says, " The church is to be shown by the sacred and canonical Scriptures, and that which can not be shown by them, is not the church." ^ And St. Chrysostom says,^ " Now can no man know which is the true church of Christ, except by the Scrip tures." But the Romish church drives the people from these Scriptures, as something dangerous, and has dared to style them " a bare letter, uncertain, unprofita ble, killing, and dead." How much more reUable was the interpretation of a traitor, a profiigate, a here tic, the tool of an usurper, or the ^^ godless" man, whom a Roman pontiff designates as antichrist him self? The Romish church has withdrawn the Holy Scriptures as far as possible from the people. Wit ness the late acts of the pope, and the recent prose cutions in Tuscany and Piedmont, and refer to the history of Europe for the last twelve centuries. Even while I write, the evening papers inform me that -within the last thirty days the Romish priests have imprisoned a whole family in Piedmont, for presum- ^ De Unitate EcclesiiE, Cap. m. : •' Ecclesia ex sacris et canon- isis scripturis ostendenda est ; quaBque ex illis ostendi non potest non est ecclesia." In opere imperfect, Horn. 49. 3 26 THE CATHOLIC. ing to read the translated Scriptures, and even our national flag has been lately violated by the seizure of the Bibles in an American ship in SicUy. For the first two centuries before the decree of the usurper Phocas, the primitive and universal usage of the Catholic church, was the stated reading of the Scriptures in public worship, and this we must re member was before the day of printing, and was the most effective mode of reaching the people. For this fact, see the invaluable treatises of Justin Martyr, con verted to Christianity at a mature age, A. D. 132, who addressed two letters in defence of Christianity, one in A. D. 150, to the emperor Antoninus, and the other to Marcus AureUus and the Roman senate.^ And although our Saviour gave the gift of tongues, that his apostles might convert the heathen to his faith, the Romish church withdraws to a great ex tent the Scriptures from the people, performs most of its services in an unknown tongue, and relies for the conversion of the people upon its own interpre tation, and trusts to ceremonies, processions, can dles, incense, oil, salt, holy water, masses, buUs, indulgences, jubilees, purgatory, transubstantiation, images, saints, shrines and orisons to the Virgin, and hymns like this, " Ave Mater Anna, Plena melle Canna," for the salvation of the soul. ' See his Apol. 2d, and the citations of Eusebius. For this, see also TertuUian in Apol. C. 39, Ad uxorcm, Lib. U.; Cyprian Epist. L.V. Ep. 5 ; Origen, Hom. 15 in Josuam ; Chrysostom, Hom. 19 ; Augustine, in Ps. 36 ; the fifth Council of Constantinople, A. I.; the Council of Laodicea, Canon 16. • THE CATHOLIC. 27 In opposition to the Church of Rome, Irenseus, in whom it places the utmost reliance, about the year 170, says : " The Scriptures are plain, and without doubtfulness, and may be heard indifferently of all men." ^ Clement of Alexandi-ia, one of the early fathers, says in his Oratio ad Gentes, " Forasmuch as the -word itself is come to us from heaven, we may not now any more seek after the doctrine of men," Chrysostom^ tells us, " Thou -wilt say, I have not heard the Scriptures. This is no excuse, but a sin." St. Augustine also says, " The judges and doctors of the church, as men, are often deceived." ^ Are the judges and doctors of the Romish chm-ch now holier or \\dser than the holy fathers in the days of St. Au gustine? The same saint, again, in his treatise against the Pelagian heretic Julian, reproves him severely for arguing that the Scriptures should be read only by the learned, and observes, " You exag gerate when you say how difficult it is and how in convenient it is to aU but a fe-w learned men to acquire a knowledge of the Scripture." * A doctrine the saint condemns. Origen says, " Would to God we would all do according as it is -written, ' Search the Scriptures.' " ^ St. Jerome, also, expounding the words of the apostles, " Let the word of Christ dwell in you plen- teously," remarks : " Here we are taught, that the lay 'Iren. advs Haer. L. L c. 31. 2 Homily 17, adHeb. »L.n.c. 2. * " Exaggeras quam sit difiicilis, paucisque conveniens eruditis sanctarum cognitio literarum." ' Origen, Hom. 2 in Esa. 28 THE CATHOLIC. people ought to have the Word of God, not only sufficiently, but also with abundance, and to teach and counsel one another." ^ Such sayings are common in the works of St. Chry- sostom.2 He recommends his readers "to take the Holy Book in hand, and caU their neighbors about them, and refresh their minds." Again,^ he recom mends them to " read the Scriptmes at home before and after meals." Again,* he tells them, " Hearken not hereto only in church, but also at home. Let the husband with the wife, and the father -with the child, talk together of these, matters, and give their judgments." Is not this conclusive e-vidence, that the Church of Rome in discountenancing the circulation and authority of the Scriptures, has departed alike from the precepts and practice of the apostles and early church ? In my next I will consider some of its other de partures and peculiar dogmas. Very sincerely and affectionately yours. ' Hieron. in 3 Cap. Ep. ad Coloss. . strong testimony fi-om the ¦writer of the "V^ulgate. ''Plom. C in Gentes. ' Hom. 10 in Gentes. * Horn. 2 in Johan. LETTER V. Boston, February 24, 1853. My dear S. . . : — The next departure from Holy Writ, made by the Church of Rome, to which I wiU dra-w your attention, is the exclusion of the people from the elements at the communion. Our Saviour brake bread and blessed it and gave it with the cup to his disciples, the humble fishermen of Galilee, but the Romish church professed to be wiser than our Saviour, and excluded the people from the cup, and in private masses from the bread, -which he bade them to take in remembrance of him. The apostles in their canons cited by Anacletus, say, 1 " "Whoso entereth the church, and heareth the Scriptures, and receiveth not the communion, let him be excommunicated as a disturber of the church and breaker of the public order." Gelasius I., bishop of Rome 492, s-ays, respecting the people, " Aut Integra sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur quia divisio unius ejusdemque mysterii sine grandi sacrUegio non potest pervenire." - The celebrated letter of Pliny to the emperor Tra jan, respecting the ancient Christians,^ is on this ' Canon 10. ' " Let them receive the whole sacrament, or abstain from aU, for a division of the same mystery cannot be effected without a great sacrilege." = Letter 97th, 2d vol. of Mehnoth's Pliny. 3 * (29) 30 THE CATHOLIC. point worthy of your attention. It is -written within forty years after the death of St. Paul, and was often appealed to by the ancient Christian writ ers, as evidence of the purity of their doctrines against the calumnies of then: adversaries. PUny states, that when arrested, or summoned before him, these Christians affirmed they met on a certain stated day, before it was fight, and addressed them selves in a form of prayer to Christ, as to some god, binding themselves by a solemn oath, not for any wicked design, but never to commit any fraud, theft, or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be caUed to deliver it up ; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to eat in common a harmless meal. Is not this a strong confirmation from a learned and most reliable pagan phUosopher, that all participated in the Lord's supper ? The Greek church, which separated on the ques tion of Easter-day does not foUow the Romish er rors in the administration of the Eucharist. But the Church of Rome has introduced an innovation on all ancient usages, namely, the Mass. In pubUc masses the cup is reserved, and in private masses both cup and bread are confined to the clergy. In countiies where the Church of Rome is estab lished, masses are bought and sold, and when the communion is sent to the sick, it is borne under a canopy in solemn procession, and aU who pass must bow the knee in adoration to the bread and wine. This brings me to the doctrine of Transubstantia tion, another departure from the apostles and Elncient church, under which departure bread and wine are adored. What say the holy fathers to this doctrine ? THE CATHOLIC. 31 St. Ambrose denies the doctiine in his treatise.^ Gelasius, bishop of Rome, a. d. 492, says,'^ " Neither the substance of the bread, nor the nature of the -wine ceases to be ; " ^ conclusive evidence from Rome herself, and yet she rejects the testimony and au thority of her infallible pontiff". Theodoret, bishop of Cyricus, in Syria, A. d. 420, uses this clear and strong language : * " After the consecration, the mystical signs do not cast off their own proper nature, for they remain stiff in their former substance, nature, and kind." Origen confirms this view in his Commentaries on Matthew, c. 15. The eloquent and learned TertuUian, in his article, De Resurrectione, says : " Christ is to be received in the cause of life ; to be devoured by hearing ; to be ruminated upon by the mind, and digested by faith." 5 Saint Cjrprian (de coena Domini) says : " Faith is for the soul the same that food is for the ffesh." ^ Saint Cyril, bishop of Alexandria from A. D. 412 to A. D. 444, -writes as foUows : "< " Dost thou say our sacrament is the eating of a man, and dost thou irreverently force the mind of the faithful into gross cogitations, and goest thou about with natural imag- ' De Sacramento, L. IV. " In his treatise contra Eutychetum. ' " Non desinit esse substantia panis vel natura vini." * Opera Theod. Tom. IV. p. 126. ' " Christus in causa vitse recipiendus, devorandus auditu ; ruminandus intellectu; et fide digereudus est." ' " Quod est esca carni hoc est animas fides." ' Anathematismo, H. 32 THE CATHOLIC. inations, to deal with those things that are to be received by only pure and perfect faith." Leo, bishop of Rome, A. d. 440-461, sayst^ " About this body gather eagles, which fly with spiritual wings, the -wings of faith." To finish this point, let us consult Augustine, that saint of the Romish calendar, a devout man and clear -witness, as you describe him. He teUs us,^ " What we see is bread ; what the eyes present to us is the cup ; but that which faith would teach is, that the bread is the body of Christ, and the cup his blood." 3 And again he says, " Christ has Ufted up his body into heaven, from which he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. There he is now sit ting at the right hand of the Father. How then is the bread his body, and the cup, or what is in the cup, how is it his blood ? " Again, * " We have no special regard to the bread, wine, or water, for they are creatures corruptible, as well after consecration as they were before, but we direct our faith only unto the very body and blood of Christ, not as being there reaUy and fleshly present, but as sitting in heaven at the right of God the Father." What could be more clear, what more explicit; and yet in the face of this mass of testimony, re gardless of ancient popes and saints, the pope bids ' Quoted in the Canon Law, Dist. 2. ''In sermone ad Infantes, quoted in the Canon Law, Dist. 11. ' " Quod videtur panis est et caJix quod etiam oculi renuntiant. Quod antem fides postulat instruenda, panis est corpus Christi; Calix Sanguis." ' In Genes, Hom. 24. THE CATHOLIC. 33 you at " the elevation of the host," £ind the tinkling of a bell, to prosti-ate yourself in adoration of these " corruptible creatures." This brings me to another usurpation, the strange doctiine of Purgatory. Until the CouncU of Trent, three centuries since, a Roman CathoUc was not required to receive it as an arti cle of faith, but the sale of masses, pardons, and indulgencies, to raise funds for Rome, had been so extensive that the Church of Rome was then com pelled, under the pressure of the Reformers, to en deavor to sustain itself by adopting Purgatory as an article of faith. You rest Purgatory on St. Peter's 1st Epistle,^ in substance as foUows : " That Christ died for our sins, but enlivened in the spirit, preached to those spir its that were in prison." To my mind this verse is made clear by the verse which foUows, in which " spirits " are spoken of as disobedient in the time of Noah, in consequence of which only eight souls were saved. St. Peter speaks, also, in his second Epistle, of " be ing in this tabernacle," of " putting off this taberna cle himself, as his Lord Jesus had shown him." ^ He speaks of those " who walk after the flesh, in the lust of rmcleanness, as servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bond age." The exposition of the verses you cite, is, to my mind, perfectly easy. In the time of Noah, those spirits imprisoned in the flesh, were disobedient, and all perished, except the eight souls saved with Noah. But in the days of the apostles, our Saviour having put off" the ffesh, appeared in his spiritual nature to ' 1 Peter 3:18:19. '2 Peter 2:19. 34 THE CATHOLIC. his disciples, who were spirits stiff in the prison of the ffesh, and preached to them in their prison, and by his baptism, previously conferred, and his resur rection and ascent into heaven, where he has power over all, saved them as God saved Noah and his as sociates in the ark. This is my exposition as a jurist, and I expound the passage as I would a deed, by the context, and other deeds of the grantor ; and if you -wiU read the third chapter of St. Peter's first Epistle, from the sixteenth verse to the close, I think you -wUl agree with me, he is advising his foUowers to keep a good conscience, to preserve their spiritual nature pure- while stUl tenants of corruptible ffesh, and still prisoners here ; for Christ suff"ered for them, appeared and preached to them, and ascended into heaven, where he has power to save those who obey, as Noah saved the righteous few in his ark. But is the un natural, or at least doubtful, exposition of a single verse by the Roman See, an exposition apparently bent to a particular purpose, and not sustained by our Saviour or his apostles in any other part of the gospels, a sufficient basis for the doctrine of Pur- galqry ? The Greek, or Eastern church, now estab lished in Russia, Austiia, Turkey, and Greece, does not admit the doctrine of Purgatory, and yet the Eastern and Western bishops diff"ered principally, if not entirely, on the question of Easter-day, when the two chm-ches separated. May we not safely infer from this fact, that it is an inaovation of the West ern church ? But you think that Purgatory has been admitted by the holy fathers. If so, where and when? St. Augustine certainly knew of no such THE CATHOLIC. 35 admission, and could not convince himself of its truth ; he says, " that such a thing may be after this life, is not incredible." " But what means this," he adds, " and what sins be there which so prevent men from coming into the kingdom of God that they may notwithstanding obtain pardon by the merits of holy friends, it is very hard to find, and very danger ous to determine. Certainly, I myself, notwithstand ing great study and travaU in that behalf, could never attain to the knowledge of it." Again, he says, " For such as every man in this day shaU die, even such on that day shaU he be judged." And to this effect elsewhere.^ Surely St. Augustine did not put the Romish con struction on the verse in Peter, or see his way clear to believe in Purgatory. If it rests neither on Scrip ture, or the early cahons and councils of the church, and I refer you to each, is it not a Romish innova tion upon Holy Writ ? I -wiU discuss other errors of Rome in subsequent letters. Very sincerely and affectionately yours. ' De comitate Dei, Epistolse 80, Hom. 11, In apocalyps. Ad Pe- trum, Cap 3, In Johan. Tract 49. LETTER VI. Boston, February 25, 1853. My Dear S. . . : — In my preceding letter I ad verted to the errors of Rome, in partially withhold ing the Lord's supper from the people, in the adora^ tion of mere bread and -wine, and in the adoption of Pmgatory, as an article of faith, for which St. Au gustine can find no authority. Let us now consider the supremacy and infallibiUty claimed for the pope. I am aware the Romish church divides on this question into the Cisalpine and Transalpine parties. A portion, including the monarchs and bishops of France, restiain such prerogative, and require the concurrence of general councUs in new articles of faith. Both parties, however, claim to be Roman Catholics. I might weU ask whether this schism is not quite as serious, as some of the ques tions which divide the Protestants, the question of a liturgy or oral prayers, the question of baptism by sprinkling or immersion, or the government by pres byters or bishops -with a councU in either case. I -wiU not pause to dwell on this point, but wUl con sider the doctrine of a large portion of the Church of Rome, that the pope is personaUy infaUible, and also, by divine right supreme. The man who joins the Roman CathoUcs, is obliged "publicly to repeat and certify his assent (36) THE CATHOLIC. 37 to its creed, without qualification and restiiction." That creed contains the following sentence : — " I promise (or swear) true obedience to the Roman bishop, the successor of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles and vicar of Jesus Christ." And the fur ther sentence, " This true Catholic faith, out of which none can be saved, which I now freely profess and truly hold, I, A. B., or C. D., promise, now and ever, most constantly to hold and profess, whole and entire, with God's assistance, to the end of my life." What is this power to be obeyed to the end of life, as held and exercised by the popes of Rome ? The above creed " was set forth " by Pope Pius IV. A. D. 1564, as the universaUy received summary of the Roman CathoUc system.^ His successor, Pius V., by a bull issued under his plenary power, undertook to depose Queen Elizabeth, and absolve h€r subjects from aUegiance, and the Roman Catholic prelates generaUy acquiesced. Here is an Ulustration of the temporal power, claimed and exercised by the pope, whom the Roman CathoUc swears to obey. As to his spiritual power, Butler, a modern and able Roman CathoUc, in his work published a few years since,^ defines the spiritual power of the pope as foUows : — " It is an article of the Roman CathoUc faith, that the pope has by di-vdne right, first, a supremacy of rank; second, a supremacy of jurisdiction in the spirituEd concerns of the Roman CathoUc church, ' See the Church of Rome, by Bishop Hopkins, p. 336. = Entitled the "Book of ihe Pioman Catholic Church," p. 114. 4 38 THE CATHOLIC. and third, the principal authority in defining articles of faith. In consequence of these prerogatives, the pope holds a rank splendidly preeminent over the highest dignitaries of the chm-ch ; has a right to con vene councUs, and preside over them by himself or his legates, and confirm the election of bishops. Every ecclesiastical cause may be brought to him as the last resort by appeal ; he may promrUgate defini tions and formularies of faith to the universal church, and when the general body or a great ma jority of her prelates have assented to them, either by formal consent, or tacit assent, all are bound to acquiesce in them. Rome, they say in such a case, has spoken, and the cause is determined." The Transalpine party go much further. Prienas, the champion of the pope against Luther, -who died A, D. 1523, used even sti-onger language : " Indulgen ces are not known to us by the authority of the Scriptures, but by the authority of the Roman church, and of the bishops, of Rome, which is greater." ^ It is unnecessary to foUow out the tians- alpine theories to their fuU extent, for without them we have shown the nature and extent of this su- ^premacy and infallibiUty. Claiming to represent the humble fisherman, St. Peter, who, apostle as he was, erred more than once, both before and after the crucifixion, and who de served as well as received the rebuke of both our Saviour and St. Paul, the bishops of Rome have in the seventh century first denounced, and then gi-asped at the rank of universal bishops. Commenc- ' Prienas con. Lutherum. THE CATHOLIC. 39 ing with no territory in the eighth century, and acquir ing by gift, first Ravenna, and by slow degrees the other States of the chm-ch, during ages debased by ignorance, the parent of superstition, we find them, in 1564, wielding alike the civU and spiritual sword, subjecting Holy Writ to their dominion, and an-ogat- ing in addition the power to depose monarchs, and absolve subjects fi-om their aUegiance, and find the Romish church assenting, if not appro-ving. What inteUigent American, who respects the words of Holy Writ, the precepts of the apostles, the testi mony of the fathers, who loves his countiy, reveres her laws, takes pride in her independence, who is " bound to swear to the words of no master," ^ who would not change his creed or his faith at the bid ding of others, and who, if he joins the Church of Rome, cannot obey his future convictions of duty, without becoming an apostate, would venture to adopt and profess the Roman Catholic faith in the nineteenth century ? Recur to the past. Have your opinions been so unchangeable, and your obedience so exact, and is your knowledge at seventeen so per fect, that you have entire confidence in yourself for the whole residue of life ? Compare for a moment the meek bishop of Rome in the second century, -with the proud pontiff of modern times, " elected by cardinals, who place him on the high altar, thrice bow their knees to him in adoration, then bear him to a throne, place on his head the triple crown, and remind him that he is the ' " NuUius addictus jurare in verba magistri." — Juvenal. 40 THE CATHOLIC. father of- princes and kings, and the ruler of the world, the vicar of Jesus Christ our Saviour." Where was the tiara, the sword of church and state, where the ruler of the world, when the blessed BasU, bishop of Cappadoeia A. D. 370, -writes to the blessed Athanasius, pope of Alexandria, to interest the bishops of the Western Empire in behalf of their Eastern brethren, and urges, " Who is more influen tial in performing such a design than thou, who is more acute in discovering what is expedient, who more efficient in performing what is profitable, who more prone to grieve for the afflictions of his breth ren ? What is more highly venerated than thy hoary head by the whole Western church ? " " Send some men from thy church who are powerful in sound doctiines to the Western bishops." In the same let ter, St. BasU speaks of the church of Antioch, as " the head of the churches," and of the church of NicopoUs, as the " Mother church." ^ Why is there not here some sUght aUusion to Rome, or to her sovereign pontiff, if he then existed as a power suf ficient to inffuence and guide the Western bishops ? Where were the supremacy and infaUibUity of Rome, when the " most blessed Jerome " wrote, about the close of the fourth century, as foUows: " Gaul and Britain, Africa, India, and the East, and all the barbarous nations adore one Christ, observe one rule of truth; if authority is sought for, the world is greater than one city ; wherever there is a bishop, whether at Rome, or Eugubium, or Con- ' See Basil, Ep. Atlianasio Opera Omnia, Vol. IH. p. 159. THE CATHOLIC. 41 stantinople, or Rhegimn, or Alexandi-ia, or Sardis, he is of the same excellency, of the same episcopate." i By Butler's summary of the universal doctrine of the Roman Catholics as to the supremacy, we see the power is now conceded to the pope of Rome, by aU Roman Catholics, to convene councils and pre side over them himself or by his legates, but the blessed Athanasius, who shone at the great Councils of Nice and Sardis, attended by more than three himdred bishops, informs us they were both caUed by the emperor ; that the bishop of Rome attended both by his legates, and on both occasions the ven erable Hosius, a bishop of Spain, who must have represented one of St. Paul's churches, presided, while the Emperor Constantine addresses Athanasius as Pope Athanasius. History is sUent as to the pre tensions of the see of Rome to infaUibiUty and su premacy at these celebrated councils. What a contiast do they present to the Council of Trent and the modern claims of the " ruler of the world ! " And when we see this pretended "ruler of the world," seated as he is, at his coronation, on the high altar of St. Peters, and the cardinals kneeUng before him in adoration ; when we see in the Clementines and decretals, sanctioned by the popes, and cited by JeweU, such expressions as these, " The pope is not man," " The pope is the wonder of the world," "Stupor Mundi," " Om Lord God the pope." When we read the profane language of his cham pions, MaxceUus, CardeUus, and AngeUus, " Thou art another God on earth," " Purgatory is the do- Hieron. Evagrio Opera Omnia, Vol. II. p. 221. 4* 42 THE CATHOLIC. main of the pope," " A terrestrial God," what think you of the prophecy of St. Paul,i that before the day of Christ there shaU " come a faUing away, and' the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above aU that is caUed God, or that is worshipped ; so that he as God, sit- teth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." " Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying won ders, and with aU the deceivableness of umighteous- ness in them that perish ; "^ " and for this cause God shaU send them stiong delusions that they should be lieve a lie." " Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle." And is there not reason to apply the predictions of St. Peter himself against his successors,^ in which he counsels his foUowers " to add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge," and other acquirements ; " for if ye do these things ye shaU never faU ; " for " there shall be false teach ers among you, -vyho privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them," " and many shaU follow their pernicious ways," and " through covetousness shaU they -with feigned words make merchandise of you." Does St. Peter, when he speaks of adding to faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, sanction the dogma of Rome that " ig norance is the mother of devotion," and when he speaks of damnable heresies to be avoided by faith, vurtue, and knowledge, and speaks of those who shaU deny the Lord, and with feigned words make ' 2 Thessalonians 2 : 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15. = 2 Peter 1 : 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 2 : i-3. THE CATHOLIC. 43 merchandise of man, does he not caution his foUow ers against the dangers of ignorance as well as vice ; against those who exalt the creature above the Creator, and against those who by pardons, indul gences and masses, shrines, relics, crosiers, and tiaras, by images, candles, and purgatory, make merchan dise of men ? Should not the sinner, to save himself, instead of Ustening to feigned words, add to his faith knowledge and virtue, and hold fast to the word and the epistles of the aposties ? And let me ask you when the Roman Catholic church adopts as an article of its faith in modern times, the supremacy of the pope, claimed and exercised by that prelate, and the further articles of purgatory and -fransubstantiation, can you say -with confidence that " church has not vajied one iota in the faith from the time of the apostles down ? " But the topic is exhausted. Let us pass to the adoration of the Virgin Mary, of saints, images, shrines, and reUcs, as practised by the Church of Rome, abuses which crept into the church during the ages of superstition and barbarism ; when the Roman Catholics held that " ignorance was the mother of devotion;" that "ignorance highly pleaseth God and is sufficient to salvation," or, as Cardinal Cu- sanus expresses it, " Irrational obedience is the most perfect obedience."^ But these topics must prolong my correspondence to another letter. Yours, tiuly and affectionately. ^ " Obedientia irrationalis est consummata obedientia," Nicol. Cusan. Excit. L. VI. LTbi Ecclesia. LETTER VII. Boston, February 26, 1853. Mt dear S. . . : — In my preceding letters I pointed out to you how much the supremacy and infaUibU ity of the popes of Rome were at variance -with the pretensions of St. Peter, both before and after the crucifixion ; how much they confUcted with the equal rights conferred on both Western and Eastern bish ops before the Council of Nice ; and how far they exceeded the very equal and moderate power given by that great Council of Bishops, over which Hosius, of Spain, presided, to the patriarchs of Rome, Alex andria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. I showed you also how the See of Rome, graduaUy extending its arms and its claims during ages of barbarism and super stition, has created a sovereign who assumes the triple crown, the civU and spiritual sword, arrogates the power to depose sovereigns, to absolve subjects from allegiance, receives adoration on the high altar of our Lord, a sovereign to whom, if you join the Church of Rome, you are to promise or swear im plicit and enduring obedience. Let us now glance at some of the abuses which the usurper has sanctioned in his path to power. Let us consider the worship of the Virgin Mary, of saints, images, relics, and shrines. St. Paul, in Holy Writ, gives the assurance that (44) THE CATHOLIC. 45 " Neither have we any other Mediator and Interces sor by whom we may have access to God the Father, but only Jesus Christ : in whose name only aU thmgs are obtained at his Father's hands." ^ But the Chm-ch of Rome worships the Virgin Mary, and aUows such adoration to be offered to her as foUows : — " Holy Mother of God, who hast worthily merited to conceive him whom the whole world could not comprehend, by thy pious intervention, wash away our suis, that so being redeemed by thee we may be able to ascend to the seat of everlasting glory, where thou abidest -with thy son forever." ^ And again a similar worship and prayer : — " Let our woice first celebrate Mary, through whom the rewards of life are given unto us. O queen, thou who art a mother and yet a chaste virgin, pardon our sins through thy son." ^ Even Cardinal Bembus, the pope's secretary, in an official letter to Charles v., the great Emperor of Spain and Germany,* caUs the virgin " our lady and goddess." And the sea man when he commenced his voyage, the palmer when he began his pUgrimage, and the knight when he wentforth to fight the Saracen, were sent to pay their orisons at her shrine, and to bow before her image. Again, the churches have been fiUed -with her pic tures and statues, and with images of saints. A pation saint has been found for nearly every Roman ' See 1 Timothy 2 : 5. Bom. 8 : 34. . Eph. 2 : 18. 3:12. " See Collect in Hor. Paris, Fol. 4. ' Ibid. Fol. 80. * Bembus, in Epist. ad Carol. V. 46 THE CATHOLIC. Catholic viUage, and saints have been recognized for various diseases, to whom sufferers are encouraged to address prayers, and to make votive offerings if reUef be obtained. The images of the virgin, and saints with their shrines, like the statues of the heathen divinities, and like the shrine of the chaste goddess Diana at Ephesus, against which St. Paul bore wit ness, have been fashioned from precious metals, and decorated with gold, silver, and jewels. Statues and images are borne in solemn procession through churches and streets, with pomp, ceremony, and display. Waxen candles have been burned before them, while salt, oU, legends, and relics, real or pre tended, have been, and are still used with imposing ceremonies, to impress the ignorant and supersti tious. Now let me ask you, because the Holy Virgin is said in Holy Writ to be blessed among women, and is called blessed in our prayerbook, and in the writ ings of St. Augustine, does it follow, as a necessary consequence, that she is to be made the queen of heaven, created a deity and a goddess, endowed with the power of pardoning sins, and that the foUower of Christ must bow his knee before her image and shrine, enriched with gold and jewels, like those of the Virgin Diana of the Ephesians, and is he to pre sent his gifts at her altar, and offer up his adoration to her image, or herself? If this homage was sanctioned by our Saviour or his apostles, or authorized by the councils of the Catholic church during the first two centuries, refer me to the authorities. As respects the use of images in churches, not only is it against the THE CATHOLIC. 47 language of Scripture, but the ComicU convened at Grenada, Spain, about a.d. 300, and still held in high respect, condemn the practice. The blessed Augustine, TertuUian, Lactantius, -with Theodoras, bishop of Ancyi-a, join in the condemnation of such a usage; and Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis, in Cyprus, where St. Paul planted a church, who died about the age of seventy, a.d. 403, on his return from Constantinople, -wi-ites as foUows : " My chil dren, be mindful that ye bring no images into the churches, and that ye erect none in the cemeteries of the saints, but evermore carry God m your hearts. Nay, suffer not images to be ; no not in your private houses, for it is not lawful to lead a Christian man by his eyes, but rather by the study and exercise of his mind." ^ The same bishop adds in a passage cited on the same page, " Therefore when I saw the image of a man to hang in the church of Christ, contiary to the commandment of Scriptures, I tare it in sunder, and gave counsel to the wardens of that church that they should wind and bury some poor body in it." A very summary act of the bishop of the diocese, and certainly a novel use for paintings. The inteoduction of images appears to have had Utile countenance from the church, until the Empress Irene, after the pope of Rome assumed the title of CathoUc, convened the second CouncU of Nice, as late as a. d. 787, and awed that tumultuous meeting into a compUance -with her wishes. The Council of Frankfort, A. D. 794, approved a book of the Emperor ' Epiphanius, cited in Jewell's Apology, page 150. 48 THE CATHOLIC. Charlemagne, censuring the decision of the second Council of Nice, and forbidding the worship of images. And do you not discover in the use of images in churches a conformity to the heathens, whose divini ties had their statues of gold and marble ? By the host held on high, and borne in solemn procession through the streets, are you not reniinded of the sacred fire of the Persians, which they termed Orimasda, theix god, and which their kings used to carry before them on horseback? And do not the waxen candles remind you of the vestal fires of the pagan Romans ? Has not the church lent itself to their idolatiy to increase its influence ? Give me, if you can, the sanction of our Saviour or his apostles for the adoration of the virgin or the saints, for kneeling before their shrines or images, or decorating them with gold, sUver, or votive offerings, or approv ing of paUs, mitres, crosiers, or tiaras, or of indul gences and purgatory, of relics, shrines, and waxen candles, of innumerable holidays, carnivals, and jubi lees, and last, not least, directing the elevation and adoration of the host. I pass to the next important topic, the celibacy of the Roman Catholic clergy. We have the authority of Holy Writ for the fact that St. Peter, the aUeged founder a.nA first prelate of the Church of Rome, was himself a married man, for we find ^ that when Jesus was come unto Peter's house, " He saw his wife^s mother laid and sick of a fever, and he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she arose and minis tered unto them." He mentions also his son Mar- ' Matthew 8 : 14. THE CATHOLIC. 49 cus.1 This, however, may have been Mark, the apostie. St. Peter, also,^ speaks of the mai-riage state as honorable, for he names, among the holy women of old who trusted in the Lord, Sarah, who obeyed her husband Abraham, God's chosen prophet and minister. He directs wives to be chaste and gentle, to obey their husbands, and thus win them to the truth, and to seek the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, a priceless jewel in the sight of God, preferable to plaiting the hair, or wearing of gold or apparel. He counsels husbands to honor and dwell with their wives as common heirs of the grace of life, so that their prayers be not hindered, and ^ coun sels all he addresses " to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh them for the hope that is in them." And St. Paul, addressing Timothy in one of the Eastern churches, whose observances the Greek church now foUows, -writes, " A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife." * The early 'historians of the church, Sozemen and Theophy- lactus, commend the marriage of the clergy, and two of the earliest pro-vincial councils held at Ancyra and Gangra in PaphUgonia, the latter A. D. 360 ; and some of the earliest canons of the Eastern churches au thorize the marriage of men in holy orders. Some learned doctors among the Roman CathoUcs admit that the marriage of the clergy was lawful until the era of Pope Siricus, bishop of Rome, A. D. 385. The blessed Chrysostom, who lived twenty years after this period, expressly says, that " It is an honest »1 Peter 5: 13. "^ Ibid. 3 : 1^6. 'Ibid. 3:16. ' 1 Timothy 3 : 2. 50 THE CATHOLIC. and la-wful thing for a man living in matrimony, to take upon him there-with the dignity of a bishop." Chrysostom was himself a presbyter of Antioch, one of the most ancient seats of Christianity, and subse quently bishop of Constantinople, the seat of empire. I find by reference to the standard work of McCul- loch, that in Russia, which A. J>. 1838 contaj.ned fifty- nine mUlions of people, more than fifty miUions were of the Greek church, and the residue either Lutherans, Mahometans, or Pagans, -with ' some Catholics, principaUy in the provinces last conquered. I find it there stated, under the head of religion, that the uniform practice in the Greek church, is for those taking holy orders to marry. Indeed, the canon law is so imperative, that no priest or bishop is allowed to officiate untU he enters the holy state of marriage, and upon the death of his -wife, is suspended until he marries again. The church is guided by a patri arch, whose predecessor removed to Russia from Constantinople upon the faU of the Greek emphe. And it is weU understood that the female members of the Greek church, stand higher with respect to chastity, than females in Roman CathoUc countiies. If, then, the theory of the Romish church should be assumed to be true, that our Sa-vdour selected Peter to be the futiire ruler of his church, and intiusted to him the gates of heaven, he selected for the first prelate a married man, one who approved of mar riage in the clergy, for he refers to Abraham, God's chosen prophet and minister, who was ready to sac rifice his son Isaac upon the altar, and refers also to Sarah, his holy wife, and bids the husbands to " honor and dwell with their wives, the coheirs of salvation." THE CATHOLIC. 51 Does not Peter, by his example, his citation, and his precepts, clearly show that bishops and priests may marry; and are his successors holier than their aUeged first bishop, the first and oldest apostle of our Saviom-, or more deserving of respect than the holy fathers who Uved before the inroads of barbarism, and were accustomed to visit the chm-ches planted by the apostles ? Again, let us recur to the fact, that Greek and Romish churches were governed by the same coun cils and rules, untU they separated upon the mere question of Easter-day. In the words of the blessed Jerome, " Gaul and Britain and Afiica, the East, and India, and aU the barbarous nations adored one Christ, and observed one rule of tiuth in the early ages of Christianity," and you observe he includes "the British almost severed from the world." ^ In the Greek church, the marriage of the clergy is not only authorized, but absolutely required. No-w if we find that the marriage of the clergy has been found conducive to virtue, and a check to proffigacy ; if we see a precedent for it in the party aUeged to be the first primate of Rome, and in the precepts of St. Peter; if we find further, that the bishops of the Greek chmches, the modern representative of the Eastern, uniformly adhere to the ancient usage, have we not an accumulation of e-vidence that the Romish church has departed from the tiuth ? And whether you ascribe it to the ascetic rules of monks, who aspired to unusual sanctity in the dark ages, to a desire to sink aU worldly and carnal ' " Et penitus toto divisis orbe Britannis." 52 THE CATHOLIC. thoughts in a devotion to God, or, what may well be argued from estabUshed facts, to a deep design on the part of the Roman pontiffs, to secure a devotion to the advancement of their power, the constiained celibacy of the clergy has no sanction in the early church. Indeed, such departures from the truth are predicted by the great Apostle to the Gentiles, in spired by. a heavenly vision, who foreteUs^ " That in the latter days some shaU depart from the faith, giv ing heed to seducing spirits, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgi-ving of them which believe and know the truth." In my next letters I wUl notice your replies, and draw a few deductions from the errors of Rome. Yours, touly and affectionately. n Timothy 4: 1, 8. LETTER VIII. Boston, February 27, 1853. Mt DEAR S. . . : — I acknowledge your several letters of February 14th, 19th, and 24th, to which I propose to reply seriatim, after disposing of all that remains of your letter of the 4th current, in which you ad vance the foUowing bold propositions, namely, that the Church of Rome is 1. The only universal or CathoUc church. 2. The only apostolic or primitive church. 3. The only church which has preserved its unity. 4. That no dissenters from the authority of the pope existed before the time of Luther. 5. That the Catholic church has not varied one iota in the faith from the time of the apostles. 6. That if you can be shown one place (where men have any idea of the Christian reUgion) where Roman CathoUcism does not exist, you wUl be a Protestant. 7. That the Episcopal church has neither unity, catholicity, nor apostolicity, and is of course heret ical. 8. You ask where is he to whom the keys of heaven and heU are given, and the church to -which God has promised the gates of hell shall not pre vail against it, and without doubt refer to St. Peter and the Church of Rome. 5 ' (53) 54 THE CATHOLIC. I have felt it my duty to pause in my professional pursuits, and assaU each of these positions. I assaU them with such forces as a layman may command. You make a partial defence, and then propose to change your ground and present a new question for discussion, which I now learn comes from a Roman Catholic bishop. You propose to discuss the inten tions of our Saviour, to assume that he would "^create a church sufficient to teach his gospel to those born after his crucifixion, and to draw from such inten tions, and the antiquity of the Church of Rome, the inference that it must be the true exponent of the word of God. Is not this mere casuistry? Is it safe for man to assume the intentions of our Sav iour? or after assuming these intentions, to infer from that assumption the sufficiency of an ancient church without regarding its errors ? This is but a ruse, an artifice, a mere appeal to fancy or supersti tion, and I cannot permit it to divert me from the facts at issue. Let me now recur to the points you have ad vanced. First. I have shown that the Church of Rome does not pervade the world. I have shown the Greek church engrosses a large part of Russia, Turkey, Greece, and Germany, while the Protestant faith is graduaUy overspreading the globe. I wiU concede to you, that at the close of the third century the tiue church of Christ was estabUshed and per vaded the world, but it does not foUow therefrom that the Church of Rome is the same at this mo ment, or has the same universaUty. Christianity made rapid progress under the teach ing of the apostles. It had to encounter in the THE CATHOLIC. 55 Roman Empire, which then embraced the civilized world, a state religion, venerable for its antiquity, its mythology, and its association with both poetry and history. It had its oracles and temples, its sacred fountains and groves, its statues of gods, goddesses, and deified heroes. Its votaries fi-om chUdhood bowed down to them, and offered worship and sacrifices, and when their religion was assaUed, ex claimed. Great is Jupiter, great is ApoUo, gi-eat is Diana of the Ephesians. Even St. Pauls, in Lon don, occupies the site of the temple of the Virgin Diana. This religion was sustained by the love of people and princes, by antiquity, universality, and general consent, but in less than four centuries it yielded to the apostles of the Gentiles. At the close of the second century, Irenseus speaks of the prevalence of the gospel among " the Ger mans and Celts, the Egyptians, Lybians, and Orien tals." The eloquent TertulUan, a. d. 198, recites : " We are but of yesterday, yet we have filled your empire, your cities, your islands, your castles, yom- corporate toA\ms, your assemblies, your very camps, yom- tribes, your companies ; your palaces and your temples alone are left to you." And again, " The Parthians, Medes, Persians, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Armenia, Phrygia, Cappadoeia, Pontus, Egypt, and parts beyond Cyrene, the Romans, ttibes of the Getuli, many in the extieme parts of Mauritania and Spain, many nations in Gaul and places in Britain inaccessible to the Roman arms, have been subdued to Christ. The Sarmatians, Dacians, Germans, Scyth- 56 THE CATHOLIC. ians, and many other nations, provinces, and islands to us unknown, are subject to Christ's dominion," and this was at least a century before the accession of the first Christian emperor, and during the reign of Severus. After the victory of Constantine, A. d. 306, under the luminous cross, -with its inscription, " con quer by this," Christianity stiU advanced, and before the middle of the fifth centm-y, about the time of St, Augustine, attained its greatest power under Valen- tinian and Theodosius. Bishop Hopkins^ proves by various authors, that at this early period, long be fore the Roman prelate had claimed the supremacy, or wore the title of universal bishop, and when he certainly was not ruler of the world, that the Christian world contained two thousand bishoprics. Records are now remaining of at least 566 dioceses in Africa, estimated to contain 55,000,000 souls. 50 " " Persia, Asia, " " " 2,500,000 " 48 " in the patriarchate of Jerusalem, Asia, 5,000,000 " 164 " " " " " Antioch, " 33,000,000 " 400 " " " « Constantinople, " 80,000,000 " 200 " " " " " Europe, 40,000,000 " 300 " « Italy, 117 « « France, 38 " " Ireland, }. 25,250,000 50 " " Britain, Germany, and other places, estimated Some of the bishoprics were very large and popu lous. That of Carthage contained five hundred presbyters. That of Cyrus consisted of eight hun dred parishes and sbcty thousand farms. The dio cese of Csesarea, over which St. BasU presided, cov- ' In his treatise on the Primitive Church, p. 402. THE CATHOLIC. 57 ered an area of ten thousand square miles, and he had under him fifty assistant bishops. The aggre gate of each district gives us more than two hundred and forty milUons of Cluistians, more Christians than the entire world now contains. But little more than a century after this, the bishop of Rome usurped the powers of the church, and claimed supremacy. The Greek church seceded. In the year a. d. 622, the baneful crescent rose in the East. IMahomet, with his false faith, invaded a di-vided empire, and swept before him. the churches, people, and civiliza tion of Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. The ages of ignorance and superstition foUowed, and when the Church of Rome insists to-day that she has been since the time of the apostles, universal, cathoUc, and apostolic, may we not ask. What has she done with those vast and fertUe regions, the garden of the world, the seats of arts, commerce, and literature, in which the church was first planted ? Where are the five hundred and- sixty-six dioceses of Africa, the six hundred and sixty-two dioceses of Asia, and the two hundred bishoprics of Eastern Europe, and the two hundred -milUons of Christians they contained ? Has she not severed herself from them by her ambi tion? Did she not leave them to perish? Have they not been trodden down by the infidel, and what remains of them but a remnant of Greeks, Maro- nites, and Nestorians ? K the Chmch of Rome has any existence in these regions, or in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Norway, Sweden, and Russia, it must be in the shape of some feeble mis sionary or wandering friar. I wiU not pretend to prove a negative to the claim that a Roman Catholic 58 THE CATHOLIC. there exists, but must ask you to prove that he does exist there, and if he does, that he preaches to any purpose. And in this connection let me ask, in what part of our own State, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, did the Church of Rome exist for the first century after our forefathers landed, for I find no records of its existence. If your theory is, that a solitary priest, perhaps travelling in disguise, is proof that a religion exists in a country, and is sufficient to prove it universal, then glance at the missions which the Protestants of England, Germany, and the United States have planted throughout the world. The English nation pervades the world. Her morning gun and her ban ner salute the sun as he rises in every portion of the globe, and the chant of the Episcopal church, or the prayer of the Protestant missionary, ascend from nearly every point touched by the commerce, or reached by the energy of the Anglo-Saxon. Upon your theory, the faith of the Protestant is more dif fused, and more universal than that of the Church of Rome. Yours, tiuly and affectionately. LETTER IX. Boston, February 28, 1853. Mt d-eab. S. . . : — You urge that the Chm-ch of Rome is the only apostoUc and primitive church. In my previous letters I have pointed out to you its numerous departures from the divine word, the rules of the apostles, and ancient usages. Let me draw your attention to a few others. The pope of Rome claims to unite spiritual and temporal power, but St. Paul in his directions to Timothy, an early bishop, expressly charges him to be the soldier of Christ, and not to entangle himself -with the affairs of this Ufe.i The apostolic canons, which contain the rules by which the church was governed in the second and third centuries, expressly provide, " Let not a bishop, or a priest, or a deacon, undertake temporal offices, but if any should, let him be expeUed." How can you reconcUe -with this rule, the tiiple crown worn by the bishop of Rome, when he assumes the office of a temporal prince at his coronation ? How can you reconcile the various and discordant prac tices of the monks and the monastic life, with the teaching of our Saviour or his apostles, or the earhest usages of the primitive church? Where do you find in Holy Writ directions to found monasteries, or directions to one class of monks or ^ 2 Timothy 2 : 3, 4. (50) 60 THE CATHOLIC. fria,rs to eat fish, and to another. to eat herbs on cer tain 'days, or imperative orders to some to use san dals, to others to go barefoot, to some to wear woollen, to others to dress in linen, to one set to put on white and another black apparel, or prescribing a broad ton sure to some, and a narrow tonsure to others. I am well aware there were enthusiasts and devotees in the first three centuries, that even devout and pious men sought retirement, and even St. John, in his old age, (and he Uved nearly a century,) fled from persecution to the Isle of Patmos, where he had heavenly vis ions, but I can find no early authority for monas teries and monastic rules. On the contiary, St. Augustine expressly condemns the idle monks who made their appearance in his day, and lived upon others. " We cannot teU (he observes) whether they became monks to serve God, or being weary of a Ufe of poverty and want, were desirous to be fed and clothed in indolence." Again he remarks, " they serve not God, but their own low appetites," and caUs the alms they obtain, " the gains of a lucrative poverty, the reward of a pretended holiness." ^ And Theodoret, A. D. 420, speaks of monasteries as dens of thieves, and commends bishop Letois because he had " chased the wolves from the fold," when he overthrew and burned the ThessaUan monasteries. And again, Cardinal Pole, reporting to Pope Paul: III., pope of Rome, a. d. 1534, under a commission to view the disorders and deformities of the church, remarks, " Another abuse there is to be re formed in the orders of monks and friars, for many ' Augustine de opere, Monach. c. 12, 22, 28. THE CATHOLIC. 61 of them are so vile that they are a shame unto the seculars, and with their example do much ill ; as for conventual orders we think it good they should be all abolished." Remember, this is the official testi mony of an eminent Roman Catholic to the pope, of the vices and impmity of hosts of monks and friars. The church you consider apostolic, then overflowed with such jn'clended holiness. But let us glance for a moment at auricular con fession. I do not mean to argue that our Saviom- and his apostles did not direct us to confess our sins, but where do you find in the gospels, acts, and let ters of the aposties, or apostolic canons, a rule for females to confess in private to the priest, their sins in thought, word, or deed ? And permit me to ask, whether, down to a.d. 1560, it was not a question in the Church of Rome, on what authority rested au ricular confession, the canonists saying it was ap pointed " by the positive law of man," and the schoolmen urging it -was appointed by the law of God. Has not the practice been shamefully abused by dissolute priests and friars, and when we find the doctors of the Church of Rome disagree as to the sanction for such a practice, and gross abuses attend ant, are we not safe in its rejection ? Again, -with respect to the rite or sacrament of baptism. Did our Saviour or his apostles, or their successors, the earliest bishops, or the canons of the primitive church, for centuries, require the applicant for baptism, as a condition precedent, to swear obedi ence to a temporal prince, or to the bishops of Rome ? If so, refer me to your authority. According to 6 62 THE CATHOLIC. Acts viii. the Apostle PhUip, after our Lord's ascen sion, went down to Samaria and baptized the Sa maritans, and even Simon the sorcerer, when they believed ; and in his memorable interview with " the man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her tieasuxe," he preached unto him Jesus. And when he asked to be baptized, " PhUip said, if thou believest with aU thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I beUeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the water, both PhUip and the eunuch, and he baptized him." Where was the pope's formulary, where the promise to obey a temporal and spiritual lord, which the bearer of the tiiple crown now imposes on the followers of Christ? Is there in this particular a close adherence to the primitive apostoUc church ? And let me ask you, why should not an apostoUc church adhere to such practices alone as reach the age of apostolic authority, and should we not bring the lofty pretensions of the Church of Rome to the severe test of this primitive canon? Irenseus often appealed to the " earUest churches." If the Church of Rome claims immutabiUty from the very age of the, apostles, can she sustain herself by modern inno vations? The very circumstance of such a claim being preferred, brings the whole matter to the ques tion of a naked historic fact, and by the solution of that question, we prove the Church of Rome guUty of innovation. The Council of Nice wisely enjoined on the THE CATHOLIC. 63 church, " hold stUl the ancient customs ; " and your favorite TertuUian says with gi-e-at felicity of ex pression, " That oiffy is genuine and true which was first delivered, but that which was subsequently in troduced is extianeous and false." ^ The same gi-eat master, Tertidlian, also tells us that, " Truth being a sti-anger in the eai-th, easily finds enemies among sti-angers, and all she asks is this, that no one condemn her before he knows her." And Vincent of Lu-ens, one of the sti-ongest advo cates for traditions, well remarks, " That .in the CathoUc church herself, like-wise, care is to be taken that we hold that which has been believed every where, always, and by aU." ^ With these prefatory remarks, cited from stand ard Catholic authorities, I recur to your two posi tions: that the Church of Rome has always pre served her unity, and that there were no dissenters from her authority before the time of Luther. If the church claims a derivation fi-om the primi tive church, was not that unity broken, by her aban donment of the Eastern churches, with at least two thirds of aU the bishops, churches, presbyters, and Christians, to which I have already referred. Is there any unity between the Greek and Roman churches at the present moment ? Is there any unity between the Church of Rome and the Maronites, Nestorians, ¦Armenians, or Abyssinian churches, which have ex isted for more than ten centuries. I would refer you ^"Id esse dominicum et verum quod est prius traditum, id autem extraneum et falsum, quod sit posterius immissum." ^ TertuUian in Apologetico, c. I. (Vincent Lirens Commenta- rium, 317.) 64 THE catholic!. also to Gibbon,! ^here he shows the prevalence of the Arian doctiines in the churches of the Roman Em pire at the accession of Theodosius, " who claimed the merit of subduing the Arian heresy, and was in fact the first emperor baptized in the faith of the trinity." When he ascended the throne, a.d. 379, just after the death of Athanasius, the Arians, en couraged by the Emperor Valens, himself an Arian, held aU the churches of Constantinople, more than one hundred in number. Mor* than half the churches of the empire were controUed by Arians, when Theodosius proclaimed his own faith, and prescribed the religion of his sub jects. " It is our pleasure," such is the imperial style, " that all the nations which are governed by our clemency and moderation, should steadfastly ad here to the religion which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans, which faithful tradition has preserved; and which is now professed by the pontiff Damasus, and by Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apos tolic holiness. According to the discipline of the apostles and the doctiine of the gospel, let us beheve the sole Deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghostj under an equal majesty and a pious tiinity." After thus treating the pontiff" of Rome and bishop of Alexandria as equal authorities, he pro ceeds to denounce all dissenters from this doctiine as heretics. • At this time, observes Gibbon,^ « Constantinople was the principal seat and' fortress of Arianism, and ' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. V. p. 13-23. "ilb. p. 17. the catholic. 65 in a long interval of forty years, the faitli of the princes and prelates who reigned in fhe capital of the East, was rejected by the purer schools of Rome and Alexandria." A contemporary of Theodosius, cited by Gibbon, informs us that at the time of his accession, Con stantinople was full of mechanics and slaves, who were aU of them profound theologians, and preach in the shops and the stieets. If you desire "a man to change a piece of sUver, he informs you wherein the Son differs from the Father. If you ask the price of a loaf, you are told by way of reply, the Son is infe rior to the Father ; and if you inquire if the bath be ready, you are told the Son was made out of noth ing," so pervading was the faith of the Aiians, and so deeply had their -views entered into the bosoms, and interwoven themselves -with the thoughts of the people. Theodosius made Gregory, of the Athanasian or Catholic faith, archbishop of his capital, and Gibbon observes,! u That the glittering arms which surround ed his person, were necessary to his safety, and that he alone was the object of the imprecations of a great party, whom as men and citizens it was impos sible for him to despise. He beheld the innumerable multitude of either sex and of every age who crowded the stieets, the -windows, and the roofs of houses ; he heard the tumultuous voice of rage, grief, and astonishment and despair, and Gregory fairly confesses, that on the day "of his installation, the capital of the East wore the appearance of a city 'DecUne and Fall, Vol. V. p. 24. 6* 66 the catholic. taken by storm, and in the hands of a barbarian con queror." But Theodosius prevaUed. The Arian archbishop retired to a life of poverty and exUe. Theodosius announced his intention to expel from aU the churches of his empire the Arian bishops and their clergy. His lieutenant. Sapor, "was armed with the ample powers of a general law, a special commission, and a mUitary force, and this ecclesias tical revolution was conducted with so much discre- tion and vigor, that the religion of the emperor was estabUshed without tumult or bloodshed in aff the provinces of the East." Gibbon relates that Theo dosius then proceeded, with the aid of the celebrated St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, to abolish paganism, which down to this period had been the prevailing religion of the nobles, senate, and people of Rome, and a large proportion of the Roman Empire, but. the bishop of Rome appears to have made no figure on this great occasion. After Theodosius had disposed of the Arians, another great sect, the Donatists, arose, and fluring the whole of the fifth century disturbed the unity of the primitive church. By reference to Gibbon,! jq^^ will find that this sect was inclined to the principles of the Arians; that "the Donatist bishops at the Council of Carthage, amounted to two hundred and seventy-nine, and they asserted their whole number was not less than four hundred. The CathoUcs had tvk'o hundred and eighty-six present, one hundred and twenty absent, beside 'sixty-four vacant bishoprics. The Emperor Honorius, after the death of Theodo- ' Decline and Fall, Vol. VIL p. 16. the catholic. 67 sius, issued decrees against the Donatists, of which the fifty-fourth was the most severe and effectual. A regu lar scale of fines, of fi-om ten to two hundi-ed pounds of sUver, was established. Some were reconcUed to the church, but many were provoked to madness, and the distiacted country was fiUed -with tumult and bloodshed. After the death of St. Augustine, who was released in the 76th year of his age from the impending calamities of his countiy, the Arian king of the Vandals, combining -with the Donatists, conquered the principal pro-vinces of Africa, cap tured Carthage, estabUshed an African kingdom, and restored the Arian and Donatist bishops to their sees and churches. Gibbon, in his narrative, in describing the death of St. Augustine, says he left more than two hundred and thirty-two separate books and treatises, that "he possessed a strong, capacious, argumentative mind ; he boldly sounded the dark abyss of grace, predestination, freewill, and original sin, and the rigid system of Christian ity which he framed or restored, has been entertained -with public applause and secret reluctance by the Latin church. The Church of Rome has canonized Augustine and reprobated Cal-vin, yet as the real difference between them is invisible even to a theo logical microscope ; the MoUnists are oppressed by the authority ofthe saint, and the Jansenists are dis graced by their resemblance to the heretic." From the books of this early ^athoUc saint, sprung the bitter but no less famous controversy between- the Jesuits and the Jansenists, whieh has for several cen turies divided the Church of Rome, the former main taining the free agency of man, the latter denying 68 THE CATHOLIC. his abUity to work at all in his own salvation. Keen arguments, decrees of universities and councils of cardinals, edicts of princes, have been mustered on either side. The pope and the kings of France at length took up the cause of the Jesuits, prevaUed, and oppressed the obnoxious Jansenism, although it is still more or less openly professed in many Roman Catholic countries. Allow me to ask, in conclusion, what division be tween Protestants on articles of faith is more seri ous, than the differences in the Roman CathoUc church on the subject of the trinity, the difference as to grace and freewiU, and the difference between the Greek and Latin churches, the Nestorians, Mar onites, and Abyssinians stiU subsisting ? Can a church which has partaken, and stUl partakes of such dissensions, a church which has, since the days of the apostles, regardless of the rules and practice of our Saviour, his apostles, and the primitive church, admitted new observances and worship, adopted purgatory, transubstantiation, the suprem acy of the pope, and other innovations as articles of faith or practice, claim to be in ttuth the only church which has preserved unity, and had no dissenters down to the time of Luther ? Yours, traly and affectionately. LETTER X. Boston, March 1, 1853. My dear S. . . : — Having disposed of the " Unity " claimed for the Church of Rome, I now come to your position, that the Episcopal church is neither ancient, catholic, or apostolic. In discussing this question, let us not forget that the divisions of Protestants may be ascribed in some degree to the errors of Rome. The abuses which crept into the church during the dark ages had risen to such a height in the days of the Reformers as to awaken the indignant feelings of the public, and cause a general outbreak. Extiemes beget ex- tiemes. Revolutions tend to -violence and disorder ; and when the people rose almost en masse to sweep away the abuses of Rome, to war against images, legends, tiaditions, and monastic vices, to test by the Word of God the standard of faith, it followed of necessity that many would lose sight of the good amid the mass of evU, and fail to distinguish some of the rules and rituals established by the apostles from the innovations of the Romish church. Nor is it surprising that the Reformers, when defining their faith without the aid of councils, divided on some of the questions discussed and adjudicated by the early councils of the church. Need we wonder that some should prefer presbyters to bishops, some rely on (69) 70 THE CATHOLIC. grace, and others upon freewUl ; that some should give the preference to immersion, others to sprink ling ; that some should reject the liturgy, and some differ upon the Arian faith, which divided the primi tive chmch both before and after the day of Athana sius ? Is it safe, however, to infer from such distinctions, that they were aU -wrong in rejecting the errors and innovations of Rome? Concede some Protestants have fallen into error, it by no means follows, as a necessary consequence, that the Church of Rome we have proved to be neither united, cathoUc, or apostoUc, is the only true church. On the contrary, the very re verse should be inferred from so general a dissent from her form of worship and articles of faith. When we ask which is the true cathoUc church, we must not ask which makes the boldest claims and professions, for professions are not the tests of truth ; we must not ask which is most widely dif fused or dominant; for the Arians had the ascendency during the early life of St. Ambrose, St. Chrysostom, and St. Athanasius, and rode rampant over the church ; but we must ask which church can best show its apostolic succession, which church, tested by Holy Writ, by the canons of the apostles, and the authentic record ofthe church to the close of the first century, when St. John, the survivor of the apostles, was stUl alive, approaches most closely to the apos tolic standard, and I will submit to you the claims of our Episcopal church to the precedence. We derive this chm-ch fi-om the English, which tiaces its bishops in dh-ect succession from the aposties, and it will be my effort to prove that the Church of THE CATHOLIC. 71 England was planted in Britain in the first century by St. Paul, or his u-nmediate converts, and was for centuries entirely independent of Rome, governed by its own bishops and archbishops, that it has through every age stiuggled to preserve its independence, and in a greater or less degree opposed the errors of Rome, and now, purged of its eiTors, claims to be the ti-ue apostolic and cathoUc church. But before I ttace the history and succession of this church, let me briefly advert to its articles of faith and form of government. Its faith is founded on Holy Writ, the apostolic canons, and in part on the decisions of the earliest councils, including the great CouncU of Nice. . If it has deviated materially from this primitive standard, point out the discrepancy. As respects the form of government, it is overlooked and guided by bishops, who trace their succession from the apostles. During feudal times, some of these were lords temporal in England. But no American bishop wields any tem poral power, he bears here only the spiritual sword. As respects the office of bishop, the apostles at first appointed presbyters and deacons to direct the church under their guidance. This was in the infancy of the church. As the disciples increased, and the aposties pursued their mission in different regions, the more distinguished presbyters were selected as " an- geli or episcopi," legates or bishops. James, supposed to be the brother of our Lord,! presided at the first councU at Jerusalem, and pronounced the decree " 1 judge," etc., which was confirmed by his associates ; and during the lifetime of St. John, in apostolic days, numerous bishops were appointed, for he addresses his ' Acts 15: 12, 28. 72 THE CATHOLIC. Revelation from Patmos to the seven angels or bishops of the churches of Asia, namely, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, PhUadelphia, and Laodi cea. The English bishops claim a succession from St. John, through Polycarp his disciple, bishop of Symrna, and the great historian Eusebius, who had access to the early church records, has preserved the succession of the bishops of Jerusalem, Rome, Alex andria, and Antioch, from the apostolic period down to A. D. 305, fifteen years before the CouncU of Nice, when he -wrote his history. In his list, Linus, a friend of St. Paul, a married man, a prince of Britain, appears as first bishop of Rome, Amianus as first of Alexan dria, James, presumed to be the brother of our Lord, as first of Jerusalem, and Evodius as first of Antioch ; and by the same authority, Linus, bishop of Rome", presided over the church of that city from A. D. 67 to A. D. 79, when he was succeeded by Anacletus, and on his death, A. D. 91, by Clement. The liturgy of the Episcopal chtuch corresponds closely with that early used in the church of Ephesus, ascribed by early his tory to St. John, and is traced from Britain to Lyons, and thence through Bishop Paulinus, a disciple of Polycarp, the pupil of St. John, to Symrna and Eph esus, the seat of the favored apostle of our Lord. Let me invite your attention to the historical evi dence that St. Paul first planted the church in Brit ain. From those valuable documents, the Triads, preserved in the Welsh monasteries, it appears that about A. D. 52, Caradoc, a British prince, his son Brennus, and grandson Linus, were carried to Rome, and detained seven years in bondage. While in Rome they became converts to Christianity. At the THE CATHOLIC. 73 end of seven years Brennus retm-ned to Britain with Aristobulus, whose household St. Paul salutes in his Epistie to the Romans, Tliis account is supported by GUdas, a British his torian, A. D. 560, who affirms in the evidence of an cient records, tiiat Christianity was inti-oduced into Britain about the time of the revolt and overthrow of Boadicea, A. D. 61. Linus, the son of Brennus, of Britain, was probably ordEiined by St. Paul, fust bish op of Rome,! j^^(j appears to have been his convert and particular friend, for he refers to him in his second Epistle to Timothy.^ Clement, another disciple of St. Paul, and third bishop of Rome, commended by that apostie in his Epistle to the Corinthians, a. d. 87, states, that St. Paul, in preaching the Gospel, " went to the utmost bounds of the West," which not only includes Britain, but is the very expression by which Britain was then described. Eusebius, A. D. 305, says, " one of the apostles visited the British isles," and Theodoret, a. d. 415, mentions the Britons and Cimbrians as nations who had received laws from the aposties ; and we are not to forget that St. Paul himself proposed to make a visit to Spain, a point stUl more remote. Were further confirmation wanting, the old -writer Doro-theus mentions the fact that Aristobulus, the friend of St. Paul, was one of the first bishops of the British church, made many converts, ordained priests and deacons and bishops, and died in Britain. Aris tobulus being a Greek, would of course carry with him the Eastern ritual, and this may explain the agreement between the Greek and British ritual, 1 Apos. Cons. vn. 46. ' 2 Tim. 4: 21. 74 THE CATHOLIC. and the variance from the Roman. We may then safely infer, from the evidence of history, that St. Paul planted the church in Britain between a. d. 60 and A. D. 67, when he was beheaded at Rome, under the Emperor Nero. The Triads further prove that Lucius, a grandson of Linus, first bishop of Rome, was permitted by the Romans to reign over part of Britain, and exerted himself to promote Christianity in Britain.! The venerable Bede, the favorite author of King Alfred, records a severe persecution (a.d, 303) of the Christians in Britain, and the names of the first martyrs, Verblamus, Aaron, and Julius, the last of Legion, or Cair Leon, in Wales. TertuUian, a. d. 190, says : " There are places in Britain, inaccessible to the Roman arms, which were subdued to Christ." And Origen, a. d. 230, informs us, " the power of God our Saviour is ever with_them of Britain, who are divided from our world." The records of the great councUs held at Aries in Gaul, A. D. 314, are stiU preserved, and bear the sig natures of three British bishops, Eborius of York, Restitutus of London, and Adulfius of Cair Leon in Wales, with Sacerdos, a presbyter, and Ai-minius, a deacon of the church. In A. D. 448, a synod of bishops, held at Munster in Ireland, questioned the power of St. Patrick as archbishop, but conceded what they denied as a right, to his merits and success as a mis sionary. It is thus apparent that Christianity was estab Ushed in the isles of Britain long before the seventh century, when Austin, the legate of Gregory of Rome, made his first visit to Britain, and reclaimed > See Monos. AngU. Vol. III. p. 188 j Hopkins, P. C, 364. THE CATHOLIC. 75 the Saxons, then established in England, for the pope of Rome doubtless claimed them when they emi grated from his diocese, whUe he conceded the Gauls and their clergy to the Bishop of Ai-les as their me- tropoUtan.! Austin held his celebrated conference with the bishops of Britain, A. D. 603. At this interview they asserted their entire independence of Rome, " owing nothing to her but charity and brotherly love." No less than seven British bishops attended this confer ence, and by their mouthpiece Dinoth, whose speech is preserved,^ informed Austin, " they could not ac knowledge him as archbishop, or obey the Roman bishop whom he caUed pope," for " we are under the government of the bishop of Cair Leon upon Wiske, who, under God, is to oversee us, to cause us to walk in the way of life." They were tenacious of their ancient faith and ritual, and stood firmly by '' Religio patrum multos servata per annos." Between the visit of Austin, a. d. 603, and the Nor man conquest, A. D. 1066, various councUs of bishops were held in England, and repeated efforts made to estabhsh the power of the pope, but there was not at any one of them a recognition of his authority, al though he was permitted to introduce monks and monasteries. Both the British ^.nd Saxon churches remained independent untU the invasion of the duke of Normandy, when they were merged in one, en tirely independent of papal authority. Under the Norman kings the pope of Rome resumed his efforts ' For this see Bede, EccHistL c. 27. ^ See Smith's Bede, p. 716. 76 THE CATHOLIC. for supremacy in Britain, and sent a legate to that country. WUliam II. made Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, and he acknowledged the authority of Pope Urban, and for this the whole body of bishops at Rockingham rewoMWcet^thek aUegiance to Anselm, and after this he was not permitted to convene coun cils or fUl up vacant dioceses.! Hemy I. aUowed no appeals to the pope without license from the king, and required the bishops to at tend the councils of the nation. He maintained his ground against all opposition. Under the degenerate Stephen, papal encroachments were made, but his successor, Henry II., caUed a councU at Clarendon, A. D. 1164, composed of archbishops, bishops, ab bots, lords, and barons, which enacted sixteen canons that gave a most effectual check to the inffuence of the pope for several centuries. These canons pro vided among other things that the clergy should be amenable to the secular power ; should not leave the realm without the king's consent, and have no right to appeal to the pope ; that the election of bishops should be invaUd until confirmed by the kjng, and that no freeholder should be laid under interdict without the consent of the king or his chief justice. These canons were condemned and revoked by Pope Alexander, but not-withstanding this, were confirmed by kings, lords, and clergy, at a council held at North ampton, A.D. 1176, in the presence of the pope's legate, were long enforced, and for centuries formed the bulwark of the Church of England. During the reign of Richard I., who died A. D. 1199, these canons ' See Lingard, the CathoUc Historian, Hist. Eng. Vol. II. p. 23. THE CATHOLIC. 77 were strictiy observed, but under the pusUlammous John, renewed efforts were made by the pope to sub ject England to his sway, and that imbecile monarch swore fealty to him, and aUowed Peter pence to be coUected. His successor, Henry III., acquiesced in silence, but the opposition of the clergy was aroused, they complEuned to the king, and appealed from the pope to a general councU for redress.! The three Edwards, who reigned from the death of Henry III., A. D. 1272 to 1377, held the reins with a firmer hand than the two weak kings who preceded them, and during their reigns the pretensions of the pope were successfuUy resisted. By a series of stat utes the king was empowered to reverse sentences of excommruiication, the donation of John to the pope declared invaUd, the remittance of funds to Rome strictly prohibited, parties appealing to Rome declared tiaitors and outiaws, taxes were levied on the clergy, and when Boniface VIII., by his buU, A. D. 1296, for bid the clergy to pay such taxes, and excommunicat ed those who laid them, the king, by a decree of outlawry, sanctioned by the lay peers, enforced sub mission.^ From the death of Edward HI., a. d. 1377, untU A. D. 1422, under Henry IV. and V., other restrictive statutes were passed, forbidding the sale of indul gences, and prohibiting aliens from holding benefices in England, except priors, who were required to find sureties for their compUance with the laws of the realm, for which see the statutes of England. ' See Lingard, HI., pp. 32-89. ^ See Lingard, Stowe, and Hopkins, P. C. p. 378. 7* 78 THE CATHOLIC. From A. D. 1422, these laws continued unrepealed untU the accession of Henry VIII., and the reforma tion under him, a century later; but during the War of the Roses, the country was torn by civU dissensions, laws ceased to be enforced and re spected, monarchs had little time to protect the church, old abuses were revived, and the inffuence of the pope was graduaUy increased, and probably reached its height under Cardinal Wolsey, himself an aspirant for the papal chair. But you have read of the downfall of Wolsey, and his parting words to Cromwell, immortaUzed by the bard of Avon, who must have witnessed his faU. He charges CromweU to " fUng away ambition, by that sin fell the angels. Be just and fear not. Let aU the ends thou aimest at be thy countiy's, thy God's, and ttuth's." And Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory, and sounded aU the depths and shoals of honor, ends his career with — " Vain pomp and glory of this -world, I hate ye ; FareweU, a long fareweU, to aU my greatness." The stiuggles of ambition ended -with the.faU of Wolsey. Hemy suppressed the monasteries, re formed the eiTors of the church, for which reform Wickliffe had paved the way, and sustained aUke by the bishops and clergy, nobles, and people enforced the laws of the preceding century, and bid defiance to the thunders of the Vatican, whose bolts feU pow erless at the feet of his daughter Elizabeth. Thus have I shown you how the Church of Eng land, through successive centmies, while Europe generaUy submitted to Rome, was tenacious of its THE CATHOLIC. 79 rights, on its guard against invasion, asserted and maintained its privileges, and finally seemed on a firm basis the piu-ity which it now maintains. Should you urge that its members do not exceed fifteen mill ions in aU quarters of the globe, that they ai-e less than one sixth of the numbers of the Roman church, let me reply, that numbers are not the sole test of truth, that God invited but seven beside Noah to es cape the deluge, that Lot ffed almost alone fi-om the corrupt cities of the plain ; and let us observe also the bow of promise in the future. ! Yours, ti-uly and affectionately. ^ For proof that St Paul planted the Church in Britain before St. Peter left Asia, see Appendix, p. 274. LETTER XI. Boston, March 4, 1853. My dear S. . . : — I am not smprised that you seek to discover the true chmch, nor do I wonder that you are at the outset, stiongly impressed by the confidence with which the Church of Rome stiU claims to be the only one which has preserved her unity, her catholic and apostoUc character. We have already examined the fraU foundations which sustain those claims, and it is easy to refute aU her arguments, for they have been refuted; but she is im posing, even in her decay. She reminds me of one of her own venerable structures, whose base has been undermined by the stream, whose stone has crumbled, whose waUs are tottering, whose windows are darkened by ivy, whose roof-tree is broken, so that the birds of night find refuge in her rafters, whose nave and transepts are usurped for the pur poses of trade, or are fiUed with rubbish, while but a small part of her interior, hung -with tattered tapes try, remains for the worship of God. Her very ruins are impressive, and imagination yields to her much that reason denies. Let us leave her picture, and recur together to the humble fisherman, on whom she rests' her pretensions, and examine more closely his claims to supremacy. The Roman bishop urges that Peter was superior (80) tl THE CATHOLIC. 81 to the other apostles ; that St. Matthew calls him first ; that the evangelists give him the first plac-e ; that he was first to confess his faith, the first to sec our Saviour after his resm-rection, the first to preach on this point to the people, the fu-st to convert the Jews, and the first to receive the heathen. A part of this may be questioned, upon the testi mony of the evangelists; but for the purposes of discussion, concede it to be tiue, is it not also ti-ue that when the mother of James and John desh-ed the highest place for her sons, and the other apostles were moved -with indignation, " Jesus called them to him and said, you know that the princes of the GentUes lord it over them, and they that are the greater exercise power upon them. It shaU not be so among you ; but whosoever -wUl be the greater among you let him be your minister, and he who would be first among you shaU be your servant." ! Again, our Saviour warning his disciples against the love of rank and power, says, "Be ye not called Rabbi, for one is your master, and aU ye are breth ren." 2 We read in Luke, also, " He that is least among you shall be the greatest." And again, when "there was a stiife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest," our Lord, after say ing, " let the leader be as him that serveth," adds,^ " I appoint to you as my Father has appointed to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and may sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Now all these lessons of humility and equality, were given by our Saviour after ' Matt. 20 ? 25. 2 Ibid. 23 : 8. ' Luke 9 ; 48. 22 : 29. 82 THE CATHOLIC. the gift of the keys to St. Peter, and after the prom ise that the chmch should be buUt on the rock, to which you refer, when pressing his claim to suprem acy. And if Peter was constituted prince of the apostles, and invested with " superior jurisdiction," and " a special dignity," by the figurative words of our Lord, is it consistent therewith that he should afterwards have inculcated such lessons of humUity and equality ? Would he not have told them, bow with deference to Peter, for after I leave you, he is to be your sovereign pope and judge ? And how can you reconcUe this office of sovereign, pope, and judge, confided to St. Peter, with his meek deportment at the councU of apostles and ancients, held at Jerusalem, to hear the report of Paul and Barnabas, when James, classed by Eusebius as the first bishop of Jerusalem, pronounces the authorita tive decree, " Wherefore I judge that they who from the Gentiles are converted to God, are not to be disquieted," and the apostles and ancients, with the whole church, inclusive of Peter, acquiesce and ratify the decree ? ! Again, if the promise of the keys, and of power to bind and to loose, was given exclusively to St. Peter, how do you reconcile the fact, recorded in St. John's gospel, 20 : 22, that our Lord after his ascen sion came to the room where all his disciples were assembled, and addressing himself to all alike, said, " Peace be unto you ; as the Father hath sent me, I also send you ; whose sins you shaU forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose you shall retain, they are ' See Acts 15 : 19. Douay Ed. THE CATHOLIC. 83 retained." Does not this gift include St. Peter and his associates, without distinction or degree? Do they not hold under one and the same commission ? If St Peter was usuedly named first, is not the solution easy? He was the first caUed, and was probably the oldest and most energetic of the disci ples. This would account for his prominence on many occasions, but not for the fact to which you also advert, as a proof of his supremacy, that our Lord thrice asked him after his resurrection, " Lovest thou me ? " and thrice repeated the charge to him to feed his sheep and lambs. Does not this repetition make against him ? We read,! ^^jj^t when our Lord said to him the third time, " Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me ? Peter was grieved." And why did he grieve ? Did not these repeated inquiries imply doubt and distrust ? Had he not promised, " Lord, I -wiU lay down my life for thy sake ? " Had he not said, " Though aU men shall be offended because of thee, yet -wUl I not be offended ? " Had he not as sured our Saviour, " I am ready to go with thee even into prison and to death," and confidently declared, " If I should die with thee I wiU not deny thee ? " Melancholy exemplar of human fraUty ! Did he not that selfsame night thrice deny his Lord, draw his sword upon an innocent -witness, and after deserting and denying his master, begin to cm-se and to swear, and to confirm his denial by an oath? After aU this, might not our Saviour single him out from his feUows, and repeat in a tone of reproof as often as he had denied him, "lovest thou me? then feed my • John 21 : 16. 84 THE CATHOLIC. lambs and sheep," without thereby giving him suprem acy? And when enthusiasts cite the visit of our Saviom, first made to Peter's ship, and the mfracu- lous draught of fishes, as proofs of superiority, are you not reminded how his heart failed him when he tried to walk upon the waters, and our Lord ad dressed him, " O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? " ! How is it, again, that you find no proofs of Peter's supremacy in the apostolical canons stUl extant, which define the positions of bishop, pres byter, and deacon, but do not advert to the supremacy of Peter? On the contiary, the thu-ty-third canon prescribes a metiopolitan for each nation, whom his associates should "'esteem as their head, and that they should do nothing of difficulty or great moment, without his opinion. But neither should this pri mate do any thing without the opinion of aU, for thus shall concord continue." The CouncU of Nice and the CouncU of Ephesus foUowed these canons, and decreed that every bishop should acknowledge his metropolitan ; but in neither canons or councUs is there any allusion to a sovereign prince, or tiara wearing prelate. If St. Peter was the rock on which alone the church was founded, and he alone held the keys of heaven ; if he alone could loose and unloose, aUow me to ask, how could St. Paul perform his mission to the heathen for three years, without once conferring with St. Peter, or receiving from him some portion of his gifts ? And yet the mission of St. Paul was eminently successful. But how cUd the ancient fathers, still 'Matthew 14: 31. THE CATHOLIC. 85 honored by Rome, construe these passages ? Did they give the exposition now claimed by the Roman see? The golden-mouthed St. Chrysostom, trans lated for his eloquence and learning from the see of Antioch to that of Constantinople, reads it thus : " Christ founded and fortified his church upon his (i. e. Peter's) confession, so that no danger, nor even death itself, could overcome it." And commenting on the very words of our Saviour, " And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and on this rock I -wUl build my chmch," St. Chrysostom says, " That is upon the faith of his confession." Is not this express and definite ? The same revered writer says of St. Paul, " There is no one who loved Christ more vehemently than St. Patd, and there was none more acceptable to God than he was, yet after receiving so many privi leges from God, he fears and trembles on account of his subjects, on account of this principality, that is, the episcopal office."! What says the celebrated St. Ambrose, first a prince, then the bishop of Milan, whose reputation and inffuence entirely overshadowed that of his col league, Damasus of Rome ? Addressing himself to Christians in general, he says, " Believe, therefore, as Peter beUeved, that you . also may be blessed, that you also may hear. Plesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven, for whoever overcomes .the flesh, is a foundation of the church. If he cannot equal Peter, he can imitate him." And again, " The • See Chrysostom de Sacerd. Op. Om. Ps. 430, 591, 866. 86 THE CATHOLIC. rock is Christ. Strive, therefore, that thou also mayst be a rock, and look for that , rock, not without thee but within. The rock is thine action, the rock is thy mind. Upon that rock thy faith is built, that it may be struck down by no spiritual wickedness. The rock is thy faith; faith is the foundation of the church." ! What says St. HUarius, another ancient -writer revered by the Catholics. " The apostles," not Peter only, " obtained the keys of heaven." And again, he calls " Sti PaiU, the master of the nations, the elect master of the church." Do not these expressions negative the title of St. Peter to the supremacy ?2 Eusebius, the early historian of the church, also calls St. Paul " the holy apostle and tiuly the first of all," and comes to the conclusion that Paid in ful- fUment of prophecy, "ruled first over the churches, and after Paul the other apostles." ^ The ancient liturgy, which bears the name of BasU, makes no reference to the pope of Rome, but in the ' " Si petra fueris in ecclesia eris, quia Ecclesia supra petram est. Si in Ecclesia fueris, portse inferi non prasvalebunt tibi." " Qu83 autem portze mortis, hoc est portae inferi nisi singula quEBque peccata ? " " Si pecoatum mortale commiseris portas mortis intrasti, sed potens est Deus qui exaltet te de portis mortis." Again he says, " Tibi inquit dabo Claves regni coelorum ut et solves et liges. Hoc Novitianus non audivit sed Ecclesia Dei audivit quod Petro dicitur Apostolis dioitur." Again he says, "Nec Paulus inferior Petro." And again, " Fides ergo est eccle sia; fundamentum non enim de came Petri sed de fide dictum est quia portEe mortis ei non prsevalebunt sed confessio -vicit Inferum." S. Ambros. Op. Tom. 2, 711 ; Tom. 1, 98, 99 ; Tom. 2, 158. = Hll. de Trin. L. VL p. 125, 706. ' Eusebius, Com. in Psalm 8, 67, 68 ; Evangel. L. I. c. 3. THE CATHOLIC. 87 prayer for the bishop of Alexandria, styles him " most holy and blessed pontiff", father, pope, and patiiarch," and calls his office, holy pontificate.! But that venerable saint, Augustine, " the clearest of witnesses," defines with precision the rock, and the keys, and the words, Feed my s/ieep, on which the Church of Rome places so much reliance, and it is, I confess, a littie remarkable, that this canonized au thor and bishop, bears such stiong testimony against her. In his comments on St. John, he tells us, " The Lord says, upon this rock I wiU build my church, be cause Peter ^ had said. Thou art Christ, the son of the Uving God. Upon this rock, therefore, which thou hast confessed, -wUl I build my church. For the rock was Christ, upon which foundation Peter himself was built. For another foundation can no man lay beside that which has been laid, Christ Jesus. The church, therefore, which is buUt on Christ, received the keys of the kingdom of heaven in Peter, that is, the power of binding and loosing sins." Again, " On behalf of all the saints, therefore, who belong inseparably to the body of Christ, in order to the proper direction of this most stormy life, Peter, the first of the apostles, received the keys of the kingdom of heaven for the binding and loosing of sins. And on behalf of aU the same saints, in order to the obtaining that most serene bosom of the hid den Ufe, John the evangelist reclined on the breast of Christ. As, therefore, it is not Peter alone, but the whole church which binds and looses sins, neither is it John alone who drinks from the fountain of the •BasU, Op. Om. Oratio pro Pap. Tom. U. 675. ^ Petra signifies a rock. 88 THE CATHOLIC. Lords heart the subUme truths which he puts forth in his preaching, that in the beginning was the word, God with God, and the rest concerning the divinity of Christ, and the trinity and unity of the diyine nature, truths to be contemplated face to face in his kingdom, but now until the Lord come, to be beheld in a glass and in mystery, but the Lord himself diffuses this gospel, to be drank by all his saints, each according to his capacity, throughout the -whole world." In his discourse upon the anniversary of St. Peter and St. Paul, we read as follows : " Feed my sheep. I commit my sheep to thee. What sheep ? Those I have bought with my blood. I have died for them. Dost thou love me, die then for them. And truly as that servant who was the man of men, should give money for the sheep that were lost, Peter gave his blood for the sheep that were saved. But come, brethren, he continues, I wish to say something for the present time. That which was committed to Peter, that w-hich he was commanded to do, not Peter only, but likewise all the apostles heard, held, and kept, and chiefly that companion of his martyrdom, and of his natal day, the Apostle Paul. They heard these things, and tiansmitted them to us, that we might hear them. We feed, therefore, and are fed -with you. May God give us stiength in such wise to love you, that we also may be enabled to die for you, either in reality or affection." With such concurrence in the exposition of the language of our Saviour as to the rock, the keys, and the trust committed therewith to his apostles, made in the early days of the primitive .Catholic THE CATHOLIC. 89 church, by her purest saints and ablest commenta tors, can we be at a loss for their true meaning? Do not they concur that aU shared in the tiust, and that no supremacy was given to St. Peter ? Yours, truly and aff"ectionately. 8* LETTER XII. Boston, March 6, 1853. My dear S. . . : — I resume the topic of the su premacy of the pope, discussed in my last letter, in which I cited the golden-mouthed Chrysostom, and the blessed Ambrose and Augustine, canonized saints of Rome, to prove that her popes have no supremacy. It is easy to cite from the saints and early popes of Rome, other passages to disprove their claims. You -will find in Barrow's ! unanswerable treatise, an array of such authorities, and I might weU argue from them the supremacy of St. Paul, St. James, and St. John over their more ilUterate associate. St. Chrysostom ^ tells us the " Apostolic power was the greatest and highest in the chiurch. There was none before an apostle, none superior, none equal." He demonstiates this superiority by St. Paul himself, who, in his enumeration of the chief officers placed by God in the church, assigned the highest rank to apostles. " Our Lord," ^ says St. Paul, " gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pas- ^ See -works of Barrow, Vol. VU. p. 156, from -which I make several extracts. " Chrysostom, Tom. VIH. p. 114. "Ephesians 4: 11. (90) THE CATHOLIC. 91 tors and teachers." Again, St. Paul says,! u Qq^j has set in his chm-ch first, aposties ; secondly, proph ets ; thirdly, teachers." Why does he not name as first a pope, a vicar of Christ, a head of the Catholic church ? Could he be so ignorant, so negligent, or en-vious, as to pass by, without any distinction, the supreme officer, if such a one there was? Let us assume that one should undertake to name the offi cers in any State or RepubUc, " would he not," says Barrow, " do strangely if he should omit the king, the duke, the consul ? " And might not St. Chrysos tom safely infer, as he has done from the omission of any higher rank, " that there was nothing in the Christian state superior to the apostoUc office?" And what does St Chrysostom say of the Apostle Paul ? He styles him,^ " the tongue, the teacher, the apostle of the world;" he was the Ught of the churches ; ^ " the foimdation of faith, the piUar and ground of truth." ^ " He had the pationage of the world committed into his hands." ^ « None was greater than he, none equal to him." ^ Pope Gregory I. says of St Paul, that he was made head of the nations, because he obtained the principate of the whole church.^ How can these descriptions be reconcUed with the supremacy of St. Peter ? But St Chrysostom distinguishes another apos tle, also, for he says that St John " was a piUar of the churches through the world, and one that had the keys of heaven." 2 How can we reconcUe this with the •1 Corinthians 12: 28. ^ See Barrow, 7, p. 156, 157, for passages in original Greek from St. Chrysostom, and reference to book and page. 92 THE CATHOLIC. peculiar claim of St. Peter to the keys of heaven ? And what account does St. Chrysostom give of the first bishop ordained after the death of our Saviour ? He says, " Tradition tells us that our Lord appeared to James, and ordained him the first bishop of Jerusalem." " James," says the historian Epiphanius, " first received the episcopal chair, and to him om Lord intiusted his own throne upon earth." ! Hence, in the apostolic constitutions, in the prayer presented for the church, and for aU the governors of it, the bishops of the principal churches are specified by name, and St. James is put in the first place, before the bishops of Rome and Antioch. " Let us pray for the whole episcopacy under heaven of those who rightly dispense the word of thy truth, and let us pray for our bishop James, with aU his parishes; let us pray for our bishop, Clement, -with aU his parishes ; let us pray for Evodius, and aU his parishes." 2 Thus may we account for the terms bishop of bishops, and bishop pf the apostles, under which some of these ancient writers describe St James. Where, then, was the supremacy of St. Peter ? We should remember also that St. John the apostie survived St Peter, and lived untU the time of Tra jan, at least thirty years after the death of St. Paul. He enjoyed the reverence of aU the churches, and it may weU be asked. Did he, for more than thirty years, resign his supremacy in the church to the early bishops of Rome, the humble disciples of St ' Epiph. Uxr. 78. " Const. Ap. VIH. 10. . THE CATHOLIC. 93 Paul and St Peter, and acknowledge the supremacy or even primacy of a bishop over an apostle ? Let us assume for the moment that the primacy of " St. Peter over the primitive church and its bishops and apostles is established by other Catholic evidence, by what rule of law or title does that personal privi lege descend to his successors in the see at Rome ? I cannot find a particle of evidence to prove its transmission or descent to such successors. By the canon law, " a personal privUege foUows the person, and is extinguished -with the person," ! and such was the privilege or primacy, if any, of St. Peter. All the pretence of primacy granted to St. Peter is based, says Barrow,^ upon " words addressed to his person, characterized by his personal adjuncts, as name and parentage, which were accomplished in his personal actings, and which it is unreasonable to extend fur ther." " These things being in a conspicuous manner ac- compU.shed in St. Peter's person, the sense of these words is exhausted, and whatever more is inferred must be by precarious assumption." You, however, ascribe to the popes the primacy, and adduce as an argument for their supremacy, the fact that St. Ignatius addresses his epistles to the church which presides in the countiy of the Romans. Concede the fact. Does this prove supremacy ? Was not the Church of Rome, mettopolitan, and did not the Church of Ephesus preside in the countiy of the Ephesians, the Church of Alexandria in Egypt, and ' Reg. Juris. 7 in Sexto. ^ Barrovr 7, 160. 94 THE CATHOLIC. the Church of Jerusalem in Judea ? Neither of these facts would prove the pope of Rome a sovereign. You urge that, " dissensions occurring in the Church of Corinth, the case was referred to the Chm-ch of Rome, in the time of Irenasus." Such a reference would prove no supremacy ; but by investigating the case I find the Chm-ch of Corinth deposed its bishop without due cause, and Clement, a friend and probably a con vert of St. Paul, who was the third bishop of Rome, A. D.'91 to A. D. 100, -wrote in the name of " the church which worships at Rome," a friendly letter, expostu lating with the Church of Corinth. This letter is stiff extant. It is couched in the most cautious phrase, and concludes with expressing the opinion, that " it is sinful and unjust to depose a bishop duly appointed, a bishop who has for many years humbly, quietly, Ub- eraUy, and with good repute, fulfiUed the ministiy." " For it wUl not be accounted a light sin if those who offer gifts without stiife and with holiness, should be removed from their episcopate." The letter asserts no claim to power or jurisdiction, but addresses itself to the reason and conscience of the Corin thians, and concludes with a beautiful petition for Divine assistance. What a contiast is the bishop or pope here pic tured by Clement, a disciple of St. Paul, and one of the fu-st popes of Rome, to the popes who succeeded him, and gradually usurped the power of sovereigns and the honors of the Deity ! He pictmes a bishop as distinguished among men for his humility, benevo lence, meek and gentle spirit, his aversion to strife, and his purity of life, as selected for these virtues THE CATHOLIC. 95 by the aposties or other approved ministers of Christ. How few of his successors can aspire to such a character ! Then you cite Irenseus as urging that the Church of Rome is the greatest, most ancient, and univer sally known, as ha-ving been founded by St. Peter and St. Paul, to which every church is bound to con form, by reason of its superior authority. Although the Church of Rome is not so ancient as the Churches of Jerusalem, Sardis, Ephesus, and Antioch, IreuEeus was right in saying that it was universaUy known, and superior in renown. He is good authority, for he was educated and probably ordained at Smyrna, by Polycarp, the disciple of St. John; but you do not quote him correctly. He is endeavoring to refute the stiange traditions of the Gnostics, by the doctiines taught in the churches which can trace their succession to the apostles, and in the course of his letter, to sustain his ajgument, he cites the church of Smyrna and other churches in Asia. He cites Rome as a standard authority, because her bishop is twelfth in descent from the apostles, and traces his succession through several bishops, namely, Linus and Clement who knew the apostles, up to those very apostles, and not to St. Peter alone. For he expressly says : " The blessed apostles, therefore, founding and estabhshing this church, delivered to Linus the episcopal right of governing it," of which Linus,! Paul makes mention in his Epistle to Timothy. He then concludes : "Ad hanc enim Ecclesiam prop ter potiorem principaUtatem necesse est omnem con- venire Ecclesiam, hoc est eos qui sunt undique 96 The catholic. fideles in qua semper ab his qui sunt undique con- servata est ea quas est ab Apostolis traditio." Conr venire, the word in question, cannot, in this connec tion, mean to conform or agree, for convenire, when it refers to place, is followed by an accusative, and when it means agree, it takes the dative. I submit , to you, as a Latin scholar, that the true translation is as follows : "For to this church, as being more me- tropoUtan in its character, it must of necessity be that every church should resort, that is, those who are faithful, from aU places round about it. For in this church the apostolic tradition has always been pre served by those about it." This conveys a very different idea, and no doubt the true view of Irenaeus, as you will see by his other vtrritings, and surely the Church of Rome cannot maintain its supremacy upon the basis of bad Latin. Irenaeus -writes another letter from Lyons to Vic tor, thirteenth bishop of Rome, expostulating with him for not keeping Easter on the same day with the eastern churches, and for threatening not to commune with them. This letter is more energetic than the let ter of Clement to Corinth, and in it he refers to Poly carp, who was taught by the apostles, and appointed by them bishop of Smyrna, where he lived to a great age and made a glorious martyrdom, which Irenasus witnessed in his youth. He then describes a visit of Polycarp to Rome, in the time of Anicetus, the tenth bishop, who held the see from A. D. 141 to A. D. 155. He proceeds as follows : " When the most blessed Polycarp came to Rome in the time of Ani cetus, and there was a littie controversy between them THE CATHOLIC. 97 about other things, they embraced each other pres ently with the kiss of peace, not gi-eatly contending about this question (i. e. the day of keeping Easter), for neither could Anicetus ever persuade Polycarp to cease this thing, because he had lived famUiarly with John, the disciple of om- Lord, and with the other apostles, and observed their custom continuaUy. Nor, on the other hand, could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to observe it, since Anicetus said that he retained the custom of those elders that were before hini. When matters were thus situate they communed together, and Anicetus yielded to Polycarp, as a token of re spect, the office of consecrating the offering in the church, and at length they departed from each other in peace, as -well those who observed this custom as those who observed it not, keeping the peace of the whole church."! Does not this confirm the transla tion of the cited passage ? K it was necessary from the supremacy of the Roman bishop for aU other bishops to conform, how is it that Polycarp, declining to conform, instead of a censure or an interdict, receives a kiss of peace, and is aUowed to consecrate the offering ? Why did not the pope of Rome then cite St. Peter instead of the elders ? and where then slept the thunder ofthe Vatican? One could argue from the letter of IrensEus to Victor that the bishop of Lyons was superior to the bishop of Rome, quite as strongly as he could argue from the letter of Clem ent the superiority of that bishop over the bishop of Corinth. But you cite one more authority, the most blessed * See Iren. Con. L. HI. c. 1 ; Eusebius, L. V. c. 24* 9 98 THE CATHOLIC. Jerome. What if even St Jerome, the secretary of the ambitious Damasus, should prove adverse to the pretensions of the Roman pontiff? • The passage in question is an exttact from the let ter of St. Jerome to Pope Damasus, about a. d. 375. St. Jerome had been a presbyter at Rome under Da masus, and his private secretary ; he had written the Latin Vulgate ; but weary of the pomp, magnificence, and vices of the imperial city, had retired to the dis trict of Syria, and become a recluse at Bethlehem, where he was disturbed by the Arians, then in the ascendant. Desirous to return to Rome, he addresses Damasus as follows : — " Since the East, dashed together by the old madness of the people, tears piecemeal the seam less tunic and coat of the Lord, and the foxes de- stioy the vine of Christ, as among reservoirs worn out, which hold no water, and it is difficult to un derstand where the fountain sealed, the garden in closed, may be found, therefore I have thought it best for me to consult the chair of St. Peter and the faith praised by the apostles' mouth ; asldng at this time food for my soul from the same quar ter where formerly I received the garments of Christ. For the vast extent of water and of land which lies between us, cannot keep me from seek ing the pearl of great price. ' Wheresoever the body is, there are the eagles gathered together.' The prodigal son, having wasted his patrimony, the heritage of the fathers is kept safely amongst you alone. There the ground of the Lord, with its pro lific soil, declares its purity by the return of an hun dred-fold; here the grain, drowned in the furrows, THE CATHOLIC. 99 degenerates into tares and stiaw. Now the Sun of Righteousness rises in the West ; but in the East, that Lucifer who had fallen has placed his throne above the stai-s. You are the light of the world, you are the salt of the eaith, you are vessels of gold and sUver ; here the vessels of earth and wood are shut up for the rod of iron and eternal fire. Notwithstand ing, therefore, your greatness deters, yet your kind ness invites me. With CEurnestness I ask a victim of salvation from the priest, the defence .which the sheep requires from the shepherd. Let envy depart ; let the ambition of the Roman chief be banished ; I speak -with the successor of the fisherman and a dis ciple of the cross. I, who follow no primate except Christ, am united in communion to your blessedness, that is, to the chair of Peter : on that rock I know that the church is built. Whoever eats the lamb out of that house is profane. If any one was not in the ark of Noah, he must perish in the flood. And be cause, for my sins, I have dwelt in this wUderness which Ues on the boundary between Barbary and Syria, and could not always seek the holy coun sels of the Lord from your holiness, through so great an intervening distance, therefore I foUow hither your coUeagues, the confessors of Egypt, and among the largest vessels, I Ue hid in a little boat. I know nothing of Vitalis, of MeUtius, of Paulinus. Who ever does not gather with thee, scatters: that is, whoever is not of Christ, is of Antichrist For now — O shame — after the Nicene faith, after the Alexan drine decree, the West also concurring, the new phrase of three hypostases is exacted of me, a Roman, by the Campenses, and the chief of the Arians. 100 THE CATHOLIC. What apostles, I pray, have disclosed these words ? What new Paul, the master of the nations, has taught this doctiine ? " This would seem to be a confidential letter from a recluse to his former bishop and protector, bitterly con demning the heresies and oppression ofthe Arians, and expressing his preference for the faith. stiU kept at Rome. He doubtless courted an invitation to return —but is such a letter a sufficient basis for the su premacy of Rome ? I have already cited a passage from his works, in which he declares all bishops are equal, and here he speaks of the Egyptian confess ors or bishops as colleagues of Damasus, and col league does not imply supremacy. Does he mean to say that the church is founded on Rome, or the chair of St. Peter ? The learned Eras mus thinks otherwise, for he says, in his comments, " Not upon Rome, for Rome might degenerate, but upon that faith which Peter professed, and which to that time the Church of Rome had preserved." St. Jerome, in his Epistle to Titus, says : " It be longs to the apostolic dignity to lay the foundation of the church, which no one should lay except the architect ; but there is no other foundation except Jesus Christ ; where that foundation is laid, inferior workmen may carry on the buUdings." Upon the words, " I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven," he says : " Bishops and presbyters, not understanding this passage, assume to themselves something of the superciliousness of the Pharisees, thinldng they can condemn the innocent and absolve the guUty, when before God it is not the sentence of the priest, but the life of the accused that THE CATHOLIC. 101 is required. And again, so shotild bishops know, that they ai-e superior to the presbyters more by cus tom than by the truth of om- Lord's disposition."! Inasmuch as St. Jerome admits that all bishops are of the same exceUence, and of the same episco pate, whether of Rome or Tunis, since he m-ges that then power but littie, if any, exceeds that of the presbyter, and rests more on usage than divine au thority ; since he admits that the keys were conferred alike on aU the apostles, and carry but a moderate power; since he concedes that Christ, rather than Peter, is the foundation of the church ; his contrast of the Nicene faith of Rome, his own early faith, with the heresy of the Arians, is no proof of the supremacy of Rome. I have now answered aU the authorities you ad vance by passages from Scripture, from Catholic saints, or deductions therefrom. Let me conclude by citing one passage from an eminent pagan -writer, a contemporary of Damasus, for it gives some idea of the imperial city, stUl a place of great resort, splen dor, and opulence, and of the gradual corruption of her bishops. Rome, according to Gibbon, was stUl twenty-one miles in circuit, contained forty-eight thousand buUdings, and more than a mUUon people ; many of its stiuctures were seventy feet high, of marble, with gUded portals. JuUan, the last pagan emperor, had died but three years previous ; the rites of paganism were stUl celebrated, and the statues of the gods stiU fiUed the forum, senate, and temples, whUe the Christians worshipped in humble churches. ' See Hieron. Com. in Matth., et Epis. ad Titum. 9* 102 THE CATHOLIC. The passage I cite wUl throw also some tight on the conduct and power of Damasus, and the motives which influenced his dependent, St. Jerome, when writing the letter in question. The historian Am- mianus, in describing the elevation of Damasus to the bishopric of Rome, a. d. 366, observes : — " The prsefecture of Juventius was accompanied with peace and plenty : but the tianquUlity of his government was soon disturbed by a bloody secUtion of the distracted people. The ardor of Damasus and Ursinus to seize the episcopal seat, surpassed the ordinary measure of human ambition. They contended -with the rage of party ; the quaiTcl was maintained by the wounds and death of their fol lowers ; and the prtefect, unable to resist or to ap pease the tumult, was constrained, by superior vio lence, to retire into the suburbs. Damasus prevaUed ; the well disputed victory remained on the side of his faction ; one hundred and thirty-seven dead bodies ! were found in the BasUica of Sicininus, where the Christians hold their religious assemblies ; and it was long before the angry minds of the people resumed their accustomed ti-anquiUity. When I consider the ' Jerome himself is forced to allow " erudelissima interfoctiohes diversi sexus perpetrate." * But an original libel or petition of two presbyters of the adverse party has unaccountably escaped. They affirm that the doors of the Basilica were burnt, and that the roof was untiled ; that Damasus marched at the head of his own clergy, grave-diggers, charioteers, and hired gladiators ; that none of his party were killed, but that one hundred and sixty dead bodies were found. This petition is published by P. Sirmind, in the first volume of his works. *In Chron. p. 186. THE CATHOLIC. 103 splendor of the capital, I am not astonished that so valuable a prize should inflame the desues of ambi tious men, and produce the fiercest and most obsti nate contests. The successful candidate is secure that he wiU be enriched by the off"erings of mations ; ! that as soon as his dress is composed with be coming care and elegance, he may proceed in his chariot through the stieets of Rome ; ^ and that the sumptuousness of the imperial table wUl not equal the profuse and delicate entertainments provided by the taste, and at the expense of the Roman pontiffs." " How much more rationaUy " (continues the hon est pagan) "would those pontiffs consult their ttue happiness, if, instead of aUeging the greatness of the city as an excuse for their manners, they would imi tate the exemplary Ufe of some provincial bishops, whose temperance and sobriety, whose mean apparel and downcast looks, recommended theu pure and modest virtue to the Deity, and his true worship pers." " The schism of Damasus and Ursinus," re marks Gibbon, " was extinguished by the exUe of the latter ; and the -wisdom of the praefect, Prsetextatus, restored the toanquiUity of the city. Prsetextatus was a philosophic pagan, a man of learning, of taste, and poUteness ; who disguised a reproach in the form ' The enemies of Damasus styled him Auriscalpius Matronarum, — the ladies' ear-scratcher. " Gregory Nazianzen * describes the pride and luxury of the prelates who reigned in the imperial cities ; their gilt car, fiery steeds, numerous train, etc. The crowd gave way as to a wild beast. • Orat. XXXII. p. 526. 104 THE CATHOLIC. of a jest, when he assured Damasus, that if he could obtain the bishopric of Rome, he himself would im mediately embrace the Christian religion. This lively picture of the wealth and luxury of the popes in the fourth century, becomes the more curious, as it represents the intermediate degree between the humble poverty of the apostolic fisherman, and the royal state of a temporal prince, whose dominions extend from the confines of Naples to the banks of the Po." What a pictiire is this of the meekness, pmity, and temperance of the Roman bishops in the fomth century ; and does it look lilie supremacy when pro vincial bishops, such as BasU and Athanasius, con temporaries of St. Ambrose, St. Chrysostom, and St. Augustine, are held up to the fierce and luxurious Damasus as examples to be copied ? Yours, truly and affectionately. LETTER XIII. Boston, March 7, 1853. Dear S. . . : — In my last letter we discussed the epistle of St. Jerome, fi-om his retreat in Syria, to Damasus, the aspiring bishop of Rome. St. Jerome had officiated at Rome as the priest and secretary of Damasus, and devoted to the faith of Rome, as es tabUshed by the councUs of Nice ; but impressed with the vices of the imperial city, he had fled to Bethlehem, the birthplace of our Saviour. Valens, the associate of Valentinian, was emperor of the East, and on the death of St. Athanasius, A. D. 373, had established Arian bishops in Egypt and other east. em provinces. St. Jerome, in his affliction, writes to his pation, gi-ving a vi-vidpicture of his sorrows. He paints the defection of the East, and assures him that whUe he asks succor of his colleague, the bishop of Egypt, he stiff cUngs to the Nicene creed, to the tiue faith still cherished in the West ; that he is in com munion stiU -with Rome, and cannot eat the paschal lamb out of one house, or commune with Arians ; that he stiU holds to the chair of Peter, to the rock on which the church is founded. He assures his bishop, that although abashed by his splendor, he presumes on his Idndness. He bids him fling away ambition, -virtually to forget for awhile the pomp and vanity of this wicked world, (106) 106 THE CATHOLIC. and remember he is a successor of the fisherman, and a disciple of the cross. He implores him to defend and succor a sheep who has wandered fi-om his fold. I have shown the relations of the parties which elucidate this epistle. I have proved by his own letters, that the blessed Jerome esteems aff bishops of equal dignity, of human, not divine ap pointment ; that Christ is the only rock on which the church is founded, and that the keys were conferred on aU his disciples. As respects the chair of St Peter, St. Ambrose -wiU put you at ease on that point, for he well remarks, " It is not the chair which makes the bishop, but the bishop the chair ; nor is it the place that hallows the man, but it is the man that hallows the place." And St. Jerome himself uses the stiong expression, " Those are not always the chUdren of holy men, who occupy the places of the holy." WhUe the letter to Damasus fails entirely to sus tain the pretensions of Rome, it opens a mine of wealth to those who question such pretensions, for it directs us to the actual condition of the Church of Rome at this epoch in its history. The successor of the fishermen and disciple of the cross, had not yet assumed the triple crown, or be come ruler of the world. His office was now in the transition state. His aspirations were just begin ning. The sumptuous table, the gilded chariot, the insignia of office, the devotion and gifts of the rich and beautiful, the vain pomp and glory of the world, had made that office a prize to be won. In place of apostolic toil and martyi-dom, luxury and splen dor were incentives to the aspiring. The fire of THE CATHOLIC. 107 worldly ambition was Idndled, and the pontiff rose to power, not by an humble and liberal spirit, not by eloquence and holiness, but fought his way to the chair at the head of an armed faction, regard less of bloodshed and sacrUege. Well might St Jerome deprecate ambition, and recur to the humble fishermen of GalUee, and the cross of our Saviour. Well might he urge Marcella to remove from Rome to Bethlehem, and say, " This is a far holier place than the Tarpeian rock which the frequent stroke of the thunderbolt would prove to have displeased our Lord." WeU might he fly from the golden portals, splendid palaces, and corruption of the metiopoUs, to the deserts of Syria, for the pontiff and his clergy had aUke yielded to the vanities of the world. Within four years- after the doors of the chief church at Rome were burned, the roof untUed, and an hundred and sixty human beings slain by the army of clergy, sextons, charioteers, and hired gladiators, who raised Damasus to the chetir of St. Peter, Valentinian, the new emperor of the West, was obUged to interpose. He found the abuses of the Church of Rome endan gered the empire, and were tending to subvert the State, and, A. D. 370, he issued his edict addressed to Damasus, which has become a precedent for modern statutes of mortmain, and we may infer from its language, the nature and extent of the evils from which it sprung, and our inference is confirmed by the un-wilUng testimony of St. Jerome himself. This edict was publicly read in all the churches of Rome. It admonished the clergy not to frequent the houses of widows and virgins, and menaced their disobedience with the intervention of the civU judge. / 108 THE CATHOLIC. It forbade the clergy and their bishop to receive any gifts, legacy, or devise from females, and in case any should be made, the donation was confiscated by the State. St Jerome admits the licentious conduct of the clergy, concedes that they graduaUy wasted the for tunes of the Roman ladies, and drove a gainful tiade in gifts and legacies. Both St. Jerome and St. Am brose express their sorrow that such intervention was necessary. They mourn for the sad necessity from which it arose. The former -writes, " He blushes to say this law prohibits clergy and monks alone from inheriting what may stiU be bestowed on play ers, coachmen, prostitutes, and pagan priests. That this prohibition is imposed, not by pagans, but by Christian emperors, and grieves not for the law, but because it was demanded by the vices of the clergy." ! It was not until the Church of Rome had been purified and reformed by the edict of Valentinian, that his successor, Theodosius, was -willing to place Damasus on a footing -with Peter, bishop of Alexan dria, when he issued his decree to put down pagan ism, and establish a uniform religion throughout his empire. Even then, instead of resorting to the blood-stained and luxurious prelate of Rome to over throw the statues of the gods in the forum, temple, senate-house, and capitol, he invokes the aid of a more humble, but more virtuous provincial, the ven erable Ambrose of Milan, called by the public voice from a temporal to a spiritual dominion, who re- ' Tom. I. p. 13. THE CATHOLIC. 109 signed a throne for the chair of a bishop, who coveted a heavenly, not an earthly diadem ; who had dared to withstand even Theodosius in his plen itude of power, when he approached the altar with blood-stained hands; His pm-ity of life, his apostolic faith and courage, his sanctity and devotion, vanquished the gods of Rome, who had for three centuries withstood the Christian faith, subverted their statues, and the deep- seated reverence of the people for their ancient mythology. It is only to be regretted, that some of the errors already beginning to overspread the church, cast a few of their shadows over such virtuous men and devout Christians as Ambrose and Chrysostom, whUe they rest in portentous darkness on the char acter of the sacrUegious Damasus. But I will not enlarge further upon this topic. There is obviously Uttle of the saint or the apostle in the composition of St. Damasus, and there is nothing in the adulation or prayer of his humble dependent, St. Jerome, or in his other -writings, which can establish either the sanctity or supremacy of this pontiff at the close of the fourth century. FoUow, if you please, the pages of history from this period for centuries onward, and you -will find the emperors presiding over divided councils, the inffuence of the bishops of Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople, alternately predominat ing, and various sects springing up to divide the church. Among the more prominent of these were the Nestorian Christians. Their religion, under Theo- 10 110 THE CATHOLIC. dosius, was the court reUgion, and now become most widely diffused. Nestorius removed from Antioch to Constantinople early in the fifth centiiry. He dif fered from others on the incarnation and the adora tion of the Virgin Mary, then recentiy introduced. Nestorius proposed views which many consider truthful. He was opposed to images and other de partures from the early worship. His faith, approved by an emperor, struck deep root and gained numer ous supporters. The church divided. EventuaUy the emperor changed his faith, and Nestorius was" banished from the capital. But his disciples foUowing the footsteps of St. Thomas, the apostle, bore his faith across Assyria, Persia, Media, India, and the wastes of Tartary to China. They founded numerous churches and bishoprics, and in the time of the Caliphs, claimed to be more numerous than either the Eastern or Western chmrches. Calling themselves the true church, they designated their opponents as regulists, idolaters, and heretics. When Portugal sent her first ships and Jesuits to India, she found these Christians estabUshed on the Gulf of Persia and the coast of Malabar, but they held the Roman Catholics to be idolaters, and would neither commune with them or recognize their pope. The Jacobites, Malachites, and Armenians, also swerved from the church, and some of these denom inations still exist in Ethiopia and Abyssinia, inde pendent of Rome. At length, A. d. 728, Rome her self, after conforming her faith more than once to the Eastern emperors, and to a succession of councils, THE CATHOLIC. Ill varying in their decrees as to the incarnation and the respect to be paid to images, seceded from the Eastern Empire and churches, and sought the pow erful protection of Charlemagne, leaving to their fate the greater part of the inhabitants of Chris tendom. Yours, truly and affectionately. LETTER XIV. Boston, March 9, 1853. My dear S. . . : — While closing my last letter on the subject of St. Jerome's epistle to Damasus, and the secession of the Church of Rome, I received the January number of the Edinburgh Review, a period ical marked by candor and learning, and which I now send to your address. You -wUl notice in it a review of no less than four modern histories of the ti-avels and exploits of St. Paul, tracing him from the Greek school of. Tarsus, which gave tutors to Augustus and Tiberius Caesar, his contemporaries, and surpassed in reputation the most distinguished schools of Greece, Egypt, and Italy. It follows him to the feet of GamaUel, and to his studies among the leading Pharisees of Jerusalem. The article before me points out the great requi sites he united for the conversion of the world, his knowledge of the religion, literature, and language both of the Greeks and Hebrews, his talents as an orator, his high privileges as a Roman citizen. This article on Saul of Tarsus gives expression to my own views and feelings. Let me ask for it your candid and careful consideration. Observe how he stands forth from the canvas, in contrast with the less active and efficient St. Peter. (112) THE CATHOLIC. 113 The same review contains another article of deep interest. It is upon a treatise by the Chevalier Bun sen, for twelve years minister of his country at Rome, and for twenty in London, in which he pays a high tribute to the faith and liturgy of the Episco pal church, and identifies a most important manu script, just discovered by an agent of France in a Greek monastery. He proves it to be the work of St. Hippolytus, a pupU of Irenaeus, the disciple of Polycarp, ordained by the Apostle St. John. St. Hippolytus was an assistant bishop of Rome fi-om A. D. 199 to A. D. 222, and <;anonized for his holiness and his treatise against aU the heresies. This work is now recovered. He was stationed at the new port, consteucted by Trajan, near the mouth of the Tiber. His statue in marble, representing him in a bishop's chair, found three centuries since in the cemetery where he was buried, now adorns the Vatican library, and his treatise is identified by comparison with various extracts in other authors and its o-wn internal e-vidence. The book is important, as it gives us some very curious facts respecting the character and history of two of the early popes of Rome. You may remember the position advanced by a Roman bishop, that there were no heresies before Luther. But, strange confutation ! This very work is a specific answer to thirty-two heresies, one of which originated -with Nicholas, a deacon of the apostles ; and St. Hippolytus tells us that his work on heresies is a synopsis of the lectures of Irenseus, bishop of Lyons, whose letter you have quoted. So far was St. Hippolytus at this early period from 10* 114 THE CATHOLIC. considering the chmch of Rome the supreme Catholic church, which had a right to issue its decrees to aU the world, that he puts it in distinct opposition to the catholic church. At this time, singular as it may appear to a cham pion of Rome, there Was no Vulgate, and St. Hippo lytus performed the services of his church and deliv ered his sermons in the Greek language, not because it was held to be a sacred tongue, but because it was the language of the commercial world. It appears also, by his work, that the " clergy were not then looked upon in. the Ught of sacrificial or mediatorial priests, in the sense of the late Roman pretensions, after the introduction of the sacrifice of the Mass, nor were they bound by a vow of celi bacy." St. Hippolytus also recognizes in the clearest and strongest manner the authority of the Holy Scrip tures, and the duty of aU to make them their study and their guide. He says : " There is one God, my brethren, and him we know only by the Holy Scrip tures. For in like manner as he who wishes to learn the wisdom of this world cannot accomplish it -with out studying the doctrine of the philosophers ; thus all those who wish to practise divine wisdom wUl not learn from any other source than from the word of God. Let us, therefore, see what the Holy Scrip tures pronounce ; let us understand what they teach, and let us believe as the Father wishes to be believed, and praise the Son as he wishes to be praised, and accept the Holy Spfrit as he wishes to be given, not according to our own wiU, nor according to our own reason, nor forcing what God has given, but let us THE CATHOLIC. 115 see all this as he has wiUed to show it by the Holy Scriptures." The chevalier ascribes to St. Hippolytus the col lection in the East of the apostolic canons, and pre sents them in his treatise, a most important evidence against the pretensions of Rome. Let me conclude this letter -with a sketch from St. Hippolytus of two of the early popes, Zephyi-inus and Callistus, A. D. 199 to A. D. 222, and you shaU judge how much they exhibited of the virtues of St. Peter. CalUstus, the fifteenth bishop of Rome, was a Christian slave. His master aUowed him to keep a bank, or exchange office, in which many -widows and brethren made de posits. But CalUstus was a rogue, and made away -with the sums intrusted to him, and when the fraud could no longer be concealed, he ran away and concealed himself in a ship about to leave the port. Being discovered, he was returned to his master, and subjected to the pistiinum or domestic tieadmUl. Subsequentiy he broke into a Jewish synagogue, and disturbed the Jews at their devotions. For this, being brought before the praetor, he was scourged, and then exiled to the unhealthy part of Sardinia. After some years' detention there, he procured a release by artifice, and returned to Rome. Here he attached himself to Zephyrinus, a covetous old man, who was soon after made the fourteenth bishop of Rome. Having obtained an ascendency over the bishop, who was ignorant as weU as covetous, and received bribes, CaUistus was employed to manage his clergy, and upon the death of Zephyrinus was himself elected to the office of bishop of Rome, an office he had long coveted. 116 THE CATHOLIC. His doctiines correspond with his history. He held, to screen himself, that no bishop could be de posed for any sin, be it even a sin unto death. He defended the heresies of Noetus, and claimed the power to absolve the guilty. This is the brief history of St. Callistus. Do not imagine this picture is over drawn ; it is not portiayed by a modern reformer; it is but a miniature sketch by the blessed Hippolytus. The recording angel, who must have blushed for the sins and fadings of his superiors as he -wrote them down for posterity, and whose -writings seem subse quently to have been banished from Rome, was the assistant bishop of a suburb of Rome, a saint of the Romish calendar. Do you not detect, in the avarice, corruption, and fraud of such unworthy bishops, the early development of that craft and avarice which, under Da«iasus, expanded into ambition, pomp, and display, and under the wing of Charlemagne and his Uliterate successors ripened into temporal and spiritual dominion, and the most unbounded, as well as un founded, pretensions ? Yours, truly and affectionately. 10* LETTER XV. Boston, March 20, 1853. Dear S. . . : — Since I last -wrote you on the sub ject of reUgion, I have been deeply engaged in im portant suits, and made beside a winter journey of four hundred mUes. I have, however, by avaUing myself of the fragments of time, been able to read the treatise of Faber, entitled The Difficulties of Romanism, the four volumes of Bunsen's Hippoly tus, fresh fi-om the London press, and Milner's End of Contioversy, to which you drew my attention. I have been delighted with the work of Faber. It is elevated in its tone, candid, and logical. It deals fairly with the French bishop, to whose tieatise it repUes. The ChevaUer Bunsen also gives us a work almost invaluable, for it presents a picture of the Church of Rome at the close of the second cen tury, one hundred years only after the death of St. John, a period respecting which there is almost a blank in history. He has pubUshed also the early canons of the church, revised and corrected by the coUation of the earliest Greek, Syriac, and Coptic manuscripts. The position of the Chevalier entitles him to the highest confidence. He is not a proselyt ing priest, but a gentleman of high attainments, and (117) 118 THE CATHOLIC. for many years the resident minister of the court of Prussia at Rome and London. He presents an array of facts and arguments ad verse to the claims of Rome in a calm and dignified manner, and I have no doubt his work, so opportune, wiU make a great sensation in the world of letters. I have read also the work of MUner, which faUs greatly below the others in candor and philosophy. If it has never been answered, (which permit me to doubt,) it easUy may be, for no one famUiar with the subject can be at a loss for answers. Perhaps no scholar has thought it worthy of notice, for it is not addressed to the phUosopher, but to the Uliterate, and is neither truthful in, its facts nor logical in its conclu sions. I am at a loss to determine whether it errs from ignorance or design, whether it is written by one who is not conversant with truth, or by one who adopts the Jesuits' maxim, "that the end sanctions the means." The impression that it has left upon my mind is, that the -writer had more of the craft of the serpent than the innocence of the dove, for the work is spe cious in its character, bold in its assumptions, and studious to suppress whatever makes against its pre tensions. It is also particularly adroit in presenting the foes of Rome as avaricious monarchs, licentious priests, or members of other denominations, whom it arms with arguments aUke frivolous and absurd. I can conceive that such a book might be-wUder a youth ; but permit me to hope that when he has ad vanced to some knowledge of history, some acquaint ance -with logic, and attained to a gUmmering of theology, he will feel surprised that a work so shal- THE CATHOLIC. 119 low, ever made the least impression on his brain. I have not time to foUow the -writer through all his windings, but layman as I am, I pledge myself in a few brief intervals of leisure, to show him up as one unworthy of confidence. I must again enter the arena, and I feel in my descent from a converse -with Bunsen and Faber to the discussion of Milner, as if I were going down from the high courts of judica- -ture, haUowed by Wirt, Story, and Webster, to the altercations of the petty sessions. You have sum moned me to an impure atmosphere, to encounter a less noble adversary, and I wiff sacrifice pleasure to duty. The first point in MUner to which I ask your atten tion, is his apology for the use of a foreign tongue in divine service, p. 287, 288. That St Peter and St. Paul estabUshed the Latin Uturgy in the Church of Rome and elsewhere, where it now prevaUs ; and that when the Western church was established, Latin was the vulgar tongue of Europe. What a deep scholar have we here ! What an admirable excuse for the Latin service throughout Europe ! He had not dis covered that for the three first centuries Greek was the language of the reUgious, commercial, and lit erary world. " The Greek is read in almost every nation, the Latin is confined -within its own narrow territory." ! He did not know that the tutors and schoolmasters of Rome were from Grecian schools ; that Clement, Ignatius, Hippolytus, and Polycarp, Eusebius, and even St. Chrysostom, and other ancient ' Graeca leguntur in omnibus fere gentibus, Latina suis finibus exiguis sane continentur. — Cicebo. 120 THE CATHOLIC. fathers, wrote and preached in Greek, and we know them by a Latin version, and that the bishop of the Port of Rome -wrote his sermons in Greek, and had Greek inscribed on his monument at Rome ; that St. Jerome did not translate the Scriptures into the Latin Vulgate untU the close of the fourth century. How familiar this profound theologian must be with the original authors ! Does he derive his facts as to the use of the Latin tongue from the traditions, or the inspirations of Rome ? Is his mere ipse dixit, in the face of history and manuscripts, to be the end of controversy? Again, our author, from pages 52 to 85, endeavors to weaken the authority of the Gospel, by suggesting that our Saviour gave no express orders to his disci ples to -write the gospels, and endeavors to raise tia- dition above the New Testament itself, by disparag ing the latter. He is obliged, however, at page 62, to concede it was written by divine inspiration ; and is not this a command from heaven to destioy the whole force of his argument ? Again, he says, (page 87,) that St Paul refers to the Old Testament alone in his solemn injunctions to Timothy,! " To continue in the things he has learned," urging, " That from a chUd thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctiine, for reproof, for correction." MUner would exclude all the evangel ists from Scripture, for he teUs us (page 88) that the • 2 Timothy iii. THE CATHOLIC. 121 " Old Testament was the only Scripture which Tim othy could have read in his childhood." There is no reliance to be placed on this statement. St. Paul, just before his mai-tyrdom, in his old age, -wi-ites to Timothy, that he had loiown him from his boyhood. He refers repeatedly to his pious grand mother and mother, and to his eai-ly youth. His epistle was written long after the death of our Saviom-, and the first -writings of the aposties, and it may be pre sumed, long after the apostoUc canons were framed by them, which prescribe the reading of the Scrip- tm-es, both new and old. MUner has no warrant for his rash assertion ; and when St. Paul teUs us, " AU scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctiine, for reproof, for correction, for insti-uction in righteousness;" when even the Ro manist, MUner, concedes, as he does, that the New Testament is a Scripture given by inspiration, why does not the command of our Saviour to search the Scriptures, and the dying injunction of St. Paul, em brace the whole of the inspired Scriptm-e, whether complete or incomplete, -when such command or in junction were given ? ShaU we elevate a proselyting priest of a decaying church above our Lord and the apostles ? Milner would stiive first to elevate tradition above Scripture, and then infer from that tiadition a power in a corrupt church to depart even from Scripture itself; but he makes a signal faUure in his essay. The Episcopal church, and nearly all Protestants, allow some force to tradition. They respect those usages and observances which can be traced back to the days of the apostles, and draw from tradition some 11 122 THE CATHOLIC- proof that Scripture itself is authentic ; but it wiU re quire more than a MUner to convince them that tia dition is to obliterate Scripture itself, or warrant a departure from its clear commands, and the express words of the apostles. They wUl never aUow the plea of tradition to authorize modern innovations, such as the new article of faith which the present pope seeks to introduce into the creed of Rome, namely, the immaculate conception of the virgin, vir tually this : that all Christians must believe, on pain of damnation, that the mother of our Lord shared his divine prerogatives, in being exempt from orig inal sin ; or the doctrine, now in fashion at Rome, that the papal monarchy is Umited only by the papal will, (which you must promise to obey,) and that nothing can correct or arrest the pope, whatever he may do, or whatever he may decree in regard to the Christian religion. Can a fi-ee-born American swear fealty at the altar to a foreign potentate who claims to be an absolute sovereign and pontiff? Can he put faith in man rather than in God ? If he can, when he swears fealty to one whom cardinals and prelates have placed on God's altar, and worshipped as a deity, let him remember that when Herod was proclaimed a God,! jjg .^^s smitten and eaten by worms ; and let him reflect ,that if the popes of Rome have not thus perished, they have reduced the Roman race, — once the noblest on earth, — to mis ery, degradation, and despair ; that they have been ttampled upon by emperors, Idngs, and usurpers, and owe a precarious existence to foreign intervention. ' Acts 12 : 22. THE CATHOLIC. 123 Again, our most accurate and learned doctor of Rome assures us (p. 172,) that Zephyrinus, Callistus, and other popes who presided over the church in the third age, " were all eminent for their sanctity." I have given you a specimen of the sanctity of Zephyrinus and CaUistus, recorded by a Roman saint ; and if sanctity consists of avarice, corruption, profligacy, cheatmg, and heresy, it \vas personified in them. Is this the sanctity of Rome ? Are we to take the picture in black and white of a sainted bishop of exti-eme unhoUness, or the teaditional pm-ity which is present ed to us by the infaUible exposition of the Church of Rome through the ignorance of her infallible priest ? Again, the infaUible IMUner assures us, in the most positive terms (page 230), " That it is incontestable, and has been carried to the highest degree of moral evidence, that aU the Christians of all the nations of the world, Greeks as weU as Latins, Africans as weU as Europeans, except Protestants and a handful of Vaudois peasants, have in aff ages beUeved, and stiU believe, in the real presence and transubstantiation." And on page 79 he insists that the Nestorians and Greeks broke off from the Latin church before the twelfth century ; that they and aU the other Christian sectaries of ancient dates, in every article in dispute between CathoUcs and Protestants, (except that con cerning the pope's supremacy,) agree with the former and condemn the latter." If he means by Catholics the Church of Rome, and that we are bound to pre sume from the whole tenor of his book, then we have a long series of positive untiuths, which are refuted by conclusive evidence. Let me bring the whole ar ray against this mendacious priest. 124 THE CATHOLIC. 1st. There is no truth in the position that all Chris tians, of aU nations and in all ages, except the Vau dois and modern Protestants, believed in the real presence. CathoUc -writers prove the utter falsehood of this assertion, for even popes and the Catholic church itself, and the holy fathers, hold the contiary. In my letter of February 24th, I showed you that Pope Gelasius and Pope Leo the Great, a canonized saint, have left writings, in which they both deny the real presence. I demonstrated also, by their own books, that the blessed Fathers, CyrU, Cyprian, Ambrose, and Augustine, and the celebrated Theodoretus, and Ter tuUian, all deny, in express and positive terms, the real presence of the body and blood of Christ at the communion. Even St. Chrysostom, who is confirmed by Origen, says : " The body of Christ is the dead carcass, and we ourselves must be the eagles. This is a table of eagles, not of jays," meaning we must fly to heaven on eagles' -wings to partake of Christ, when we take the communion, and not partake of it like voracious jays. From these passages the inferences are irresist ible that the real presence was denied by some stand ard authorities of the Catholic chm-ch during the first five centuries, nor was it established as a doctiine of the church until the council of the Latin church, held A. D. 1215, by Pope Innocent III., long after the secession of the Latin church fi-om the Greek first gave it explicit sanction and the name of ttansub- stantiation. Even the Greek church does not adopt the doctiine of the real presence ; and yet, in the face of all these authorities, the veracious Milner says that Berengarius was the first to doubt, and claims all THE CATHOLIC. 125 Christians of every age, except the Vaudois and modern Protestants, -as believers in the doctiine. 2d. He says the Nestorians broke fi-om the Catholic chm-ch, and they differed from it in no point now dis puted by Protest-ants, except the pope's supremacy. This is entirely unfounded in truth. Nestorius, the archbishop of Constantinople, was at the head of the Greek church, and was sustained by the emperor and the church. They broke from him, not he from them, and he was sent into banishment. The Nesto rians stUl exist. They not only denied the papal su premacy, when fu-st asserted, but both then and now consider the homage paid by Romanists to pictures and images, and to the Virgin Mary, as mere idolati-y ; they reject the doctrine of auricular confession, the mass, and the celibacy of the clergy, as well as the papal supremacy, as you wUl find by various authors cited by Gibbon, c, 47, who di rectly conti-adicts the barefaced assertion of the au thentic MUner. 3d. He says the Greeks broke from the Catholic church before the twelfth century. History proves this statement also to be untrue. We learn from it that the Latin church, disaffected on the subject of the festival of Easter, mourned for its seques tered property, and itself seceded from the Catholic church, and resisting the forces of the Greek em peror, sought the protection of Charlemagne. The Greek church this day has far steonger claims to be the ti-ue church than the seceding Church of Rome. It tiaces its bishops in direct succession from the apostles ; it retains in the original Greek the Scriptures and canons given to it in Greek by 11* 126 THE CATHOLIC. the fathers; it recognizes the authority of those Scriptures, and doubtless respects its old bishops and saints, the Greek Fathers Irenaeus, Polycarp, Ignatius, and Chrysostom, as exponents of those Scriptures. It adheres to their precepts and expo sition more closely than the Latin church, and compared with it, as the true church, has the van tage ground. Why is it not superior in authority to the Church of Rome? 4th. MUner insists that the Greeks, and other ancient schismatics, differed from his church on no points contested by modern Protestants, except the pope's supremacy. But history tells us the PauUcians re jected images and other innovations ; and we learn from the most conclusive evidence both of history and travellers, that the Greek church of Russia allows and recommends its ffocks to read the Scrip tures, which Rome, in many countries, prohibits under pain of imprisonment, and for reading which, within three months, the Madiai famUy now toil as galley slaves. The Greeks have rejected, and stiU reject, the real presence, the celibacy of the clergy, the sacrament of one kind, the worship of images, private masses, and indulgences; and recognize no infallibUity or divine inspiration on the part of the pope or his priesthood. I have given you a series of distinct and serious falsehoods, branching out into other mistatements, embodied in a work which is placed in the hands of unsuspicious youths, to aUure them into the meshes of Rome. I have not leisure to point out all the errors and perversions of this faUacious THE CATHOLIC. 127 -writer. But what tiust can you place in the state ments or inferences of one who in so many instances diverges from the sacred ti-uth ? May we not safely conclude with the Roman classic, " Sic ab uno disce omnes." Yours, truly and affectionately. LETTER XVI. Boston, November 1, 1855. My dear S. . . : — More than two years have now elapsed since I -wrote you upon the church of Rome, and ti-aced her departure from the faith and worship of the primitive church. I did not finish the series of letters originally proposed, for I ceased to -write as soon as you yielded to my facts and arguments. You require no more letters to keep you a Protes tant ; but a number of clergymen have urged me so stiongly to finish this series of letters, and then to publish them, that I am induced to comply. The materials are drawn from many authors. The arguments are condensed, and doubtless a jurist may present some points in a novel light. It is possible, too, that at this moment, when the countiy begins to appreciate the efforts of Rome to establish her col leges, churches, and convents, in all our States, to convert imaginative ladies and clergymen, and to ac cumulate vast possessions in the hands of her bish ops, that such letters may prove useful to the pubUc. Should they aid others as they have aided you, I shall not regret the effort to complete them. In my seventh letter, allusion was made to the homage paid in Romish churches to images, to the worship of the Virgin, and to the waxen candles borne in procession, and to the relics and holy water, (128) THE CATHOLIC. 129 which are stUl used to impress the ignorant and super stitious. It is my purpose now to prove that the Chm-ch of Rome, in resorting to these devices, has not only departed from the primitive chm-ch, but has copied, in many paiticulars, the unholy rites of paganism. In doing so, I shaU avail myself freely of a letter from Rome, -written a. d. 1729 by the celebrated Conyers Middleton. This eminent scholar had ample opportunity to -witness the pageantay of the church, and the arti fices to which it resorts in Italy, -without caution or reserve. He tiaced many of its rites to then- origin, through the memorials of the past, which stiU exist in that classic land. On entering the churches he was particularly stiuck ¦with the use of incense, the smoke and scent of which fUled the churches after every solemn service, and re- caUed to his mind the heathen temples and altars which are seldom or never mentioned by the ancients -without the terms of perfumed or incensed. In some of these churches where you see numerous altars smoking with incense, how easy it is to imag ine ourself in the temple of Venus, — " Ubi templum iUi centumque Sabseo, Thure calent arse, sertisque recentibus halant." ' And how readUy will he recall the lines of VirgU : — " Thmicremis cum dona imponeret aris." ^ '"Her hundred altars there with garlands crowned, And richest incense smoking, breathe around Sweet odors." — Virgil's jEneid, I. 417. 2 " While placing gifts on incense-burning altars." JEneid, IV. 453. 130 THE CATHOLIC. And the verses of Ovid : — " Scepe Jovcm vidi cum jam sua mittere vellet Euhnina, thure dato sustinuisse manum." ' In the old bas-reliefs, where a heathen sacrifice is represented, we never fail to see a boy in white at tending upon the priest, with a little box in his hands containing the incense for the altar. And still in the Church of Rome there is seen a boy in a surplice waiting at the altar with the sacred utensUs, among which is the thuribulum or vessel of incense, which" priests with much ceremony wave over the altar during the service. Under the pagan emperors the use of incense for any religious purpose was thought so contiary to the obligations of Christianity, that in their persecutions, the mode of convicting a Christian was by requiring him to throw the least grain of it into the censer or on to the altar. The Christian emperors, on the contiary, consid ered the rite so heathenish that, under Theodosius, the very houses or places where it was bm-ned were by law confiscated to government. The next thing which attracts the notice of stran gers visiting the churches of Rome is the use of holy water. This is taken from a marble font near the door, and the priests sprinkle with it all who enter or depart. Middleton informs us that even his own horses were sprinlded with holy water on a festal day, by a priest in a surplice, for the moderate sum ' " I have often seen Jove, when about to send his thunderbolt, checked by the ofi"er of incense." THE CATHOLIC. 131 of one shUling and sixpence, just as the horses in the Cfrcensian games were sprinlded with water. This practice is drawn so dfrectly from paganism that the church does not scruple to avow it. The Jesuit La Cerda, in commenting on this passage of Vu-gU,— " Spargens lore le-ri," ' says : — " Hence was derived the custom of the holy church, to provide holy water at the entrance of the churches." " Amula," says the learned Montfaucon, " was a vase of holy water placed by the heathens at the entrance of their temples to sprinkle themselves with, and rich vases, designed to hold this water, were given by Croesus to the temple of Apollo at Delphi." The very composition of this holy water, namely, salt mingled with water, was the same among the heathen as it now is among the papists, and so important a part of their religious offices did it form, that the method of excommunicating in pa gan times was to forbid access to the holy water. The aspersorium or sprinkling brush, like that now used by the priests of Rome, may be seen in the bas- reUefs, or ancient coins, among the insignia of the pagan priesthood. The primitive fathers condemn the use of holy water, now sanctioned by the Church of Rome, as a •custom heathenish, impious, and detestable. Justin Martyr says it was invented by demons in imitation of baptism,^ and the apostate Julian used to sprinkle ' " Sprinkling with light dew." ' Justin Martyr, Apol. I. p. 91. Edit. IH. 132 THE CATHOLIC. the provisions in the markets with holy water to com pel the Christians either to starve or to eat what according to their reUgion was polluted.! The scholar, on entering the Church of Rome, is further stiuck by the number of wax candles and lamps which are kept constantly burning before the shrines and images of saints. These recaU to his memory many passages in the heathen -writers where lamps and candles are described as burning beforp the altars and statues of their deities, and he is thus furnished with another proof of the conformity of popery to paganism. Thus Cicero, in his oration against Verres, speaks of— " Cupidinem argenteum cum lampade." ' And VirgU -writes : — " Centum aras posuit, vlgilemque sacraverat ignem." ' The primitive -writers, in commenting on pagan ism, expose the absurdity of this custom. Lactantius, an early Christian author, says : " They light up can dles to God, as if he Uved in the dark, and do not they deserve to pass for madmen who offer lamps to the author and giver of Ught ? " In the ancient inscrip tions many instances are found of donations of lamps and candlesticks to the temples of the gods, and many of the altars of modern Rome are now decor rated with gold and sUver lamps and candlesticks, ' C. Mid. Letter, p. 189. ^ " A silver Cupid with a lamp." — Oration against Verres. ' He created an hundred altars, and consecrated the watchful flame. — jEiieid IV". 200. THE CATHOLIC. 133 the gifts of princes ; and when they are illuminated at great festivals by a profusion of waxen candles, they resemble the pagan altar or the rich side board of a prmce, more than the altar of the living God. We learn from ancient authors and inscriptions, that votive offerings of pictures, images, and tablets were suspended in pagan temples. The temples of Es- culapius were rich in these offerings, which Livy in forms us were the price of the cures he had effected. Even consuls at the head of armies offered gifts to ApoUo and Esculapius, and muaculous cures were ascribed in the inscriptions to those benevolent deities. The Church of Rome has copied this usage of paganism, gifts of great value are hung at the shrines of saints and the Virgin, and the church of Loretto has become a proverb for its riches thus acquired, as the temple of Apollo at Delphi was once a proverb with the ancients for the same reason. Homer adverts to it, when he says : — " Not aM the wealth Apollo's temple holds. Can purchase one day's life." Robes sparkUng -with jewels are now presented in Romish churches to the Virgin, which are but coun terparts of the robe — " Sparkling with rich embroidery like a star," which, we learn from Homer, was presented by Hec uba to PaUas. In other respects there is a close resemblance be tween paganism and popery. In the solemnities of ancient Rome the chief magistiate took part, dressed 12 134 THE CATHOLIC. in robes of ceremony. He was attended by priests in surplices, bearing wax candles and images, arrayed in their most costly robes, and these were followed by the youth of the place, singing hymns and bear ing ffambeaux. Apuleius gives us this description, which might pass as weU for a descriptidh of a mod ern procession at a festival in Rome. It was the practice, too, of the ancient Romans to erect altars to their gods on rocks and eminences, and in deep groves and forests, and to hang crowns, gar lands, and offerings on stately oaks, and now we see through Italy chapels, altars, and oratories in the same places, fiUed with images ; we find there, too, votive offerings suspended on oaks or crosses. It was the tradition in ancient Rome that on the eve of great calamities, the statue of ApoUo wept for three days and nights successively ; that aU the im ages in the temple of Jrmo sweat drops of blood, and the statue of Fortune often spoke aloud, and now we hear of Madonnas and images of our Saviour weep ing and speaking, and of the annual melting of the blood of St. Januarius, a miracle which Addison long since, in his sketches of Italy, described as a clumsy imposture. The modern priests of Rome have closely copied their predecessors, in their processions and their mir acles ; and, when rearing their altars and chapels in groves, erecting their crosses, and hanging their gar lands and images upon oaks, and worshipping on high mountains, what respect do they pay to the command given by God to the IsraeUtes ? " Ye shaU utterly desti-oy the places wherein the nation served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the THE CATHOLIC. 135 hUls, and under every green ti-ee ; and ye shall over throw their altars, break their pillars, bm-n their groves, and hew down the graven images of then- "1 god In imperial Rome it was the custom to deify the emperor and to worship his statue ; but Caligula was the fust ruler of pagan Rome who offered his foot to be Idssed. This was considered a gross indignity, and Seneca declaims upon it as the last affront to expir ing Uberty. But this servUe act, which Rome could scarcely brook under imperial sway, is now the stand ing ceremonial of the Holy See, and has been, if it is not to-day, the condition of access to the reigning pope, although it has no better origin than the inso lence of a pagan emperor. I might compare the relics of the ancient city with those of modern Rome, the staff of Romulus with the rod of Moses, the cottage of Romulus with the house of Loretto. I might draw a parallel between the mendicant priests of Cicero,^ who exhausted the means of famUies or increased superstition, and the mendicant friars of modern Italy. I might compare the sanctity of temples -with the shelter of churches, the austerities of the vestals and pagan priests with the seclusion of nunneries and monasteries ; but I trust I have already shown the conformity of the Church of Rome to ancient paganism. Yours, truly and affectionately. > Deut. 12: 2,3. 2 Described by Cicero. LETTER XVII. L-TNN Beach, November 3, 1855. Dear S : — I cannot weU finish these letters without a brief glance at the Jesuits, that ancient and powerful society, long the directors of monarchs and now the chief agents of Rome in Europe and America. If a papal college is to be established in England, a protestant clergyman to be converted at Rome ; if in the United States chUdren are to be -with drawn from the pubUc schools, and educated by a sect ; if churches are to be wrested from the men that built them, or church property to be accumu lated in the hands of bishops obedient to a foreign sovereign, a Jesuit steps forward to execute the edict. The Christian world in the midst of the nineteenth century has been startled by a solemn conclave of bish ops assembled from Em-ope, Asia, Africa, and Amer ica, to settle the question of the immaculate concep tion ; and now by the decree of this conclave, every true Catholic is required to beUeve as an article of his faith, and under pain of everlasting perdition, that the Virgin Mary was born free frorn original sin, whatever intimations to the contiary he may have drawn from Holy Writ. Strange as it may appear to the distant observer that Rome should pass a decree in the nineteenth century which she did not hazard in the plenitude of her power, our surprise is dimin- (i3e) THE CATHOLIC. 137 ished when Ave learn from Seymour, in his Mornings at Rome with the Jesuits, just issued from the press, that in their efforts to convert him they admitted that the worship of the Virgin Mai-y was fast increas ing, and " that the reUgion of Italy was latterly be coming less and less the religion of Christ," ! and that it- was a favorite doctrine of the Jesuits, and taught by de Liguori, since canonized by Rome, that a de votion to Mary was more beneficial than a devotion to Christ. We need but refer to his miraculous ladders -wrought into an altar-piece at MUan, in which the Virgin appears at the head of one helping her votaries into heaven, and our Saviour stands at the top of the other, -whUe those -who ascend his ladder are faUing back to the earth. When canons and professors of the coUeges of Rome admit that worship pers are deserting the altars of our Saviour for the shrine of the Virgin, and that they consider the Virgin more compassionate than our Saviour, (the only intercessor between God and man) ; when we see that under this inffuence a tiansformation is taking place in the faith and religion of Rome, -we cannot pass by this remarkable society, this anomaly in the history of religion.^ Far be it fi-om me to deny the merits of many of its early members or their zeal as missionaries, their efforts for education, or their abUity as editors of the classics, but in trac ing their history we find their converts were but partially reclaimed, and have in many cases relapsed into heathenism ; that theu best scholars were made ' Seymour, p. 46. ' See Seymour's Mornings among the Jesuits at Rome, p. 46 to 50. 12* 138 THE CATHOLIC. Jesuits ; and their authors, however careful as editors, rarely emiched the world with original ideas. Com mencing in humility and self-denial, they have studied the aggrandizement of their order, and at some periods have monopoUzed the offices of church and state. Apparently devoted to religion, they have embarked in commerce, and astonished the commer cial world by the extent of their operations. Aiming to direct the consciences of mankind, they have es tablished a code of morals in confUct -with the Scrip tures. Identified with the Inquisition and intolerant of heresy, they have estabUshed the most flagrant of heresies in Rome itself. After reaching the highest pitch of power and greatness in Portugal, Spain, France, and Austria have been successively expelled from each. After vowing obedience to the pope, they are by the verdict of history chargeable with the death of a sovereign pontiff. Finally, after maintaining the infalUbUity of the Holy See, they have been established by one pope, censured by a second, suppressed by a third, and finaUy restored by a fourth infallible pontiff. I propose to draw from authentic sources, princi pally Roman Catholic, a brief sketch of the origin, code, progress, downfall, and revival of this remarka ble order, whose power, talent, inffuence, and wealth once overshadowed the religious world. In 1521, Ignatius Loyala, a young and spirited officer of Spain, was wounded at the siege of Pam- peluna. Being compelled by his wounds to abandon the field of chivaky and the pm-suit of pleasure, he became a champion of the Virgin, and after some years of devotion and study, having assembled a THE CATHOLIC. 139 number of men of talent he founded the Society of Jesus. In 1540 he obtained from Paul Farnese a brief, estabhshing the society under which he became the first general of the order. The early constitutions of this society have been preserved and published ; they may be found in the Astor Ubrary of New York, and are often referred to in the letters of Pascal. The candidates for admis sion must possess either talents, acquirements, rank, or wealth ; must be comely in person, fi-ee from all personal defects, and able to contiol their feeUngs. Before reaching the ranis of priests, they pass through three degrees and undergo a long pro bation, and if at any time dismissed for incompe tence or gross misconduct, the rules of the society require they should be dismissed with pleasant words, injunctions of secrecy, and a supply of money. A general, elected for life, is at the head of the society ; he governs with regal power, "and all the members of the society are bound to yield implicit obedience to his orders. He has power to dispense with vows, to absolve from obedience to the pope, to Ucense either venial or mortal sin, and when he directs an act sinful in itself, it must be performed by his inferiors in the most effective manner. He ap points aU the officers and contiols the property of the society, and every member must submit his per son, fortune, -wUl, and conscience to his dictation. After devotion to the Virgin the first duty of the Jesuit is confession. He must confess monthly ; no diversity of opinion is permissible, no book can be pubUshed without the consent of the general, and no departure in matters of faith or doctrine are per- 140 THE CATHOLIC. mitted in thought, word, or deed. Each Jesuit is made a spy upon his associates, and each one who faUs to confess or to report any offence to his supe rior, becomes amenable to punishment. The conduct and talents of all distinguished Jesuits are reported to the general ; each is devoted to the service for which he is found best adapted ; each directed to receive for the society the emolu ments of office, and whUe he lives a life of apparent humility to do all in his power for the advancement of the order. The whole power of the society, whether for good or Ul, is wielded by the general, and no one beside him is permitted to utter an original idea. In 1656, Pascal, that prodigy of parts, as he is styled by Locke and Stewart, published his Pro-vin cial Letters, and gives us in them the Jesuits' code of morals, collected fi-om works published with the sanction of their society. These letters, -written by a Roman Catholic, although assailed, have never been refuted, and for two centuries have maintained their celebrity. They give us a vivid picture of the morals of the society. He tells us "the Jesuits had adopted a pliant system of morality, which they bent with facility to every taste, every circumstance, and every passion. A Jesuit may kiU a person who insults him, or is about to injure his character." Virtually he may punish insult, and even truth itself, with death, if injurious to his honor. ! These maxims, so revolting to the Christian and philosopher of the nineteenth century, are laid down with some degree of caution by Jesuit writers, but ' See Constitutions, pars. 1, c. H. § 13 ; pars. 6, c. V. § 1 ; pars. 3,c. I. §18. THE CATHOLIC. 141 stiU we find them in then- books. Thus in one passage we are told, " that whatever celebrated au thors approve is safe in practice." In another, that many celebrated authors ai-e of opinion that one man may kUl another for a box on the ear. In a third, that whatever is aUowed in speculation, is aUowed in practice. In a fourth, that it is aUowable in speculation to kUl for slander. And Caramuel, a Jesuit author, states, that more " than twenty doctors maintain that a false accusa tion is permissible to maintain one's honor." How closely do these maxims agree with the pre cepts of our Sa-viour, and how much need we won der that the sanguinary code of the dueUist found favor in France under the rule of the Jesuits, when such precepts guided the consciences of its confes sors! When pressed on these points the Jesuits have sought to avoid them, by the suggestion that the order was not responsible for the books or errors of its individual members ; but their very rules render this ground untenable, for they permit no works to be pubUshed -without the approbation of their general. I might refer to the secret rules or seereta monita of the Jesuits, pubUshed in Westphalia, more than a century since, by a discarded member, which con firm the authors cited by Pascal. I might also refer to the right claimed to depose Protestant monarchs from their thrones at the bid- 142 THE CATHOLIC. ding of the pope. But we have without them am ple proof, that the precepts of Christianity were, with the Jesuit, subservient to pride and ambi tion. The first aim of the society was to con trol the education of the world, and they selected for their teachers, those members who would adopt a life of frugality and retirement. Renouncing the pleasures of the world, establishing an apparent con cord of science and virtue, they were, to use the lan guage of Alemhert, once considered " an assem blage of heroes for religion and humanity." At first they taught alike the chUdren of the rich and the poor, and took pains to develop the talents of aff who showed superior intellect, and to draw them into the order. Promising a monthly mass and perpetual honors to all who should found a college or a school, at a period coeval with the revival of letters, their society rapidly increased, and soon became the prin cipal teachers of Europe. Their defender, Leibnitz, concedes, " there were among them men of ardent minds, who, cost -v\'-hat it would, sometimes attempted measures not alto gether justifiable, for the aggrandizement of the order." This class they sent into the world to take part in secular affairs, to seek preferment and power, and to practise the precepts of theu order. Ming ling with the world the Jesuit assumed the " sem blance of a sainted man absorbed in heavenly things, while in reality revolving in his capacious mind pro jects of unbounded ambition." He courted the favor of courtiers and ministers of State, and became the confessor and director of kings. At the close of THE CATHOLIC. 143 their first century, the society had obtained a footing in nearly every kingdom of civilized Em-ope, except protestant England. At this epoch their power culminated ; they con- tioUed the education and directed the consciences of a large part of Christendom ; they commanded secrets and anticipated the action of courts. They aided in estabhshing the inquisition and destroying heresy with fire and sword. They met and checked the reformation, and reconquered the south of Europe. Their general, Oliva, resigning the immediate super vision of his society to inferiors, became the aUy, friend, and valued correspondent of most of the cro-wned heads of Europe. He was the depository of their secrets and cherished plans, and e-vinced in his pubUshed correspondence the skUl of a consum mate poUtician. The society under him attained to the plenitude of its power. Forgetting the pre cepts of fi-ugaUty, humUity, and individual poverty, and the devotion to education on which it was founded, it Uved rather on its past fame, than on its adaptation to the wants of humanity. Oliva con tinued at its head from 1663 to 1680. Retiring from Rome, says Gioberti the Italian historian, to a countiy-seat where he conducted his correspond ence, "he occupied a delicious viUa near Albano, and enjoyed the pleasures of a table that would have tempted the appetite of ViteUius." An example so fascinating was not without its inffuence, and the members of the society lost in inglorious ease and indulgence, a part of the ardor and energy which had aided them in the attainment of wealth, power. 144 THE CATHOLIC. and grandeur, and prevented the ruin of the Chm-ch of Rome. Thus passed the golden, or rather the iron age of the society, but it contained within itself the principle of its own dissolution. Yours, ttuly and affectionately. LETTER XVIII. L-TNN Beach, Nov. 5, 1855. My dear S : — I gave you in my last a brief sketch of the origin and progress of the Jesuits. Be fore I describe then- faU, let me cite from the historian Macaulay his graphic picture of the order : " The activity and zeal of Loyola bore down aU opposition, and under his rule the order of Jesuits began to ex ist, and grew rapidly to the fuU measure of its gi gantic powers. With what vehemence, with what poUcy,-with -what exact disciphne, with what dauntless corn-age, -with what self-denial, -with what forgetful- ness of the dearest private ties, with what intense and stubborn devotion to a single end, with what un scrupulous laxity and versatiUty in the choice of means, the Jesuits fought the battle of their church, is -written in every page of the annals of Europe during several generations. The order possessed itself at once of aU the strong-holds which command the pubhc mind ; of the pulpit, of the press, of the confessional, of the academies. Wherever the Jes uits preached, the church was too smaU for the audi ence. The name of a Jesuit on a title-page secured the circulation of a book. " It was in the ears of a Jesuit that the powerful, and the- noble, and the beautiful, breathed the secret his- 13 (145) 146 THE CATHOLIC. tory of their lives. It was at the feet of the Jesuit that the youth of the higher and middle classes were brought up, from the first rudiments to the courses of rhetoric and philosophy. Literature and science, lately associated with infidelity or with heresy, now became the allies of orthodoxy. " Nor was it less their office to plot against the thrones and lives of apostate kings, to spread evU rumors, to raise tumults, to inffuence cruel wars, to arm the hand of the assassin. Inflexible in nothing but in their fidelity to the church, they were equally ready to appeal in her cause to the spirit of loyalty and to the spirit of freedom. Extteme doctrines of obedience and extreme doctiines of liberty, — the right of rulers to misgovern the people, the right of every one of the people to plunge his knife in the heart of a bad ruler, were circulated by the same man, according as he addressed himself to the subject of PhUip or the subject of Elizabeth. Some described these men as the most rigid, and some as the most indulgent of spiritual directors. And both descrip tions were correct. The ttuly devout listened with awe to the high and saintly morality of the Jesuit. The gay cavalier, who had rmi his rival through the body, the frail beauty, who had forgotten her mar riage vow, found in the Jesuit an easy and weU-bred man of the world, tolerant of the little irregularities of people of fashion. The confessor was strict or lax, according to the temper of the penitent. His first object was to drive no person out of the pale of the chm-ch, since there were bad people, it was bet ter they should be bad CathoUcs than bad Protes- THE CATHOLIC. 147 tants. If a person was so unfortunate as to be a bravo, or libertine, or a gambler, that was no reason for making him a heretic also." There is a vein of frony in this -description ; but by such zeal, devotion, and energy, by such loose and pliant morality, did the Jesuits attain to power. Per vading the world, winning the confidence of favorites, statesmen, and princes, they acqun-ed through the confessional the secrets of Europe. The general of theu order, in his deUcious vUla at Albano, was the centre of a system, whose telegraphic -wires radiated to every court in Europe, and were alive to every po htical movement. From this centee he directed his agents and contioUed the fortunes of Christendom. The history of the Jesuits, however, -was not free from vicissitudes; and now that I have portiayed their rise, progress, and morals, let me picture to you then reverses, and the successive steps of their de cline. They did not obtain an ascendency in France without a serious sttuggle. When the crown of France devolved on Henry IV., a Protestant prince, they denied his title, and pubUshed tiacts to show that he was out of the pale of the church, and ex cluded by heresy from the throne. They were ac tive in forming the League of Catholic Princes, and when the valor and prudence of Henry won the cro-wn, his Ufe was attempted by Chatel, who ad mitted at his trial, that he had learned in a Jesuit coUege that it was lawful to IdU the Idng, and that no one should obey him. After this offence, the par liament of France, in 1594, expeUed the Jesuits, lev- eUed the house of Chatel to the ground, and erected a pyramid upon the spot, with the inscription that it 148 THE CATHOLIC. was designed " to perpetuate the infamy of the as sassin Chartel and his teachers, the Jesuits, whose baneful heresy was the cause of this offence." In 1603, Henry IV., having secured his crown and embraced the Roman CathoUc faith, recalled the Jes uits. The society refer to this result, and to his lan guage on several public occasions, to show their in nocence ; but Sully, the great minister of Henry, has tiansmitted to us in his memoirs the true sentiments of his royal master, who told him " he was compeUed either to recall the Jesuits and fi-ee them fi-om the in famy under which they labored, and to trust to their promises, or to banish them more absolutely from his kingdom, in -which case he shotdd enjoy no peace, but live in perpetual fear of an attempt upon his life." The easy and Idnd-hearted monarch, who sacrificed his religion to his crown, and aimed at a Ufe of ease and pleasure, appreciated their conduct and their power, and confided his safety to then- gratitude. For three centuries they could gain no foothold in England, although they made repeated efforts un der Mary, Charles, and James II. Queen Elizabeth, in her proclamation of November 15, 1602, declares, " the Jesuits had excited her subjects to revolt, invited foreign princes to compass her death, engaged in af fairs of State, and undertaken to dispose of her crown, and decrees their expulsion from the kingdom." In 1606 Venice expelled them also for plots against the State, and after an interval of many years, reluc tantly restored them. Their power, however, in the Roman Catholic States received no serious check untU the latter part of the eighteenth century, when the affairs of Europe THE CATHOLIC. 149 were guided by the celebrated ministers of State Carvalho, in Portugal, the DiUvC de Clioiseul, in France, and the Count de Aranda, in Spain, while Austiia was ruled by that spuited queen, Maria Theresa. Their suppression, also, was not decreed until Clement the XlVth, the celebrated author GanganeUi, had become pope of Rome. The downfaU of the Jesuits was preceded by a great departm-e from their ancient poverty and hu mUity. They had acquired power, and were intol erant in its exercise. They had usurped the control of States, and governed -with harshness. They had embarked in tiade, and aimed to monopolize the commerce of the Indies. They had ceased to ed ucate the poor and to elicit talent for their order, and confined their education mostly to the classes who could compensate them with presents. The overthrow of Port Royal,! i^^ massacre of the Huguenots, the revocation of the edict of Nantes, -with aU which they were identified, the exclusion from office in France of every person not entirely devoted to their order, alienated the people ; and their persecution of the Jansenists, who adopted the purer precepts and faith of St. Augustine, gave general offence. They provoked also the hostility of men of letters, whose influence was beginning to pre dominate.^ The order at this period had acquired vast wealth, for at the time of its suppression it possessed 39 For an account of Port Eoyal and the Jansenists, see appen dix, p. 261. ' Nouvelles Considerations Versailles, 1817, Nicolini's History, p. 328. 13' 150 THE CATHOLIC. houses, 61 novitiates, 196 seminaries, 335 residences, 223 missions, 22,782 members ; a property estimated at two hundred mUlions of dollars ; and numbered in its ranks 24 cardinals, 19 princes, 121 titular bishops, 6 electors of the empire, 21 archbishops, and 9 saints. But in the midst of this vast wealth, power, and influence, the day of its ruin had arrived. The match was upon the mine which had sapped its foundations. In 1757, an attempt was made to assassinate the king of Portugal, and, after a judicial inquiry, several parties were sentenced to death. In the course of the proceedings, the Jesuits were implicated, and Carvalho, Marquis of Pombal, issued an edict for their banishment, and declared them traitors and rebels. This was but a prelude to their expulsion fi-om France ; but the more immediate cause was a very singular lawsuit. LavaUette, a Jesuit, and General of Martinique, purchased large estates and two thousand slaves in that island ; he also entered into extensive speculations, and became insolvent. His creditors commenced a suit against the order of Jes uits, and the parliament deciding against the order, it was made liable, by a decree, for more than two miUions of fi-ancs. But this judgment was not its only misfortune. The court required it to produce the constitutions of the order. A copy of this document, which had long been concealed -with scrupulous care, was produced under a requisition from parliament These constitutions became the subject of public discussion, and at length were sub- THE CATHOLIC. 151 mitted to a council of fifty-one French bishops. They decided that the article, requiring unlimited obedience to the general, conflicted with the laws of France, and the duty of the subject to the sov ereign.! At length, in 1764, the parhament of France passed a decree, banishing them from the realm, as parties opposed to all authority, spuitual and eccle siastical ; and the foUowers of Jansenius, in no grate ful spirit, -wrote their epitaph as foUows : — A Society Which counselled and committed Crimes of every Nature, The Scourge and Disgrace of Mankind, Rulers of Monarchs, Perverters of Scripture, Aspirants after the Empire Ofthe whole World. In 1767, they were impUcated in a revolt in Spain. King Charles III. had adopted a Capuchin confessor, and refused to intrust the reins of government to the Jesuits. The Marquis de Ossun, ambassador from France, in his despatches to the Duke de Choiseul, nar rates a conversation -with the king of Spain upon the subject. The king assured him the Jesuits had poi soned the minds of his subjects, and during the re volt of 1767 were detected in the act of distributing gold among the populace. This sealed their fate in Spain. The Marquis de Aranda sent letters to aff the provinces, to be opened on a certain day, expelUng them from the kingdom and confiscating their property. ^ Nicolini's History of the Jesuits, p. 344 to 346. 152 THE CATHOLIC. Austria soon followed the example of Portugal, France, and Spain, and united with the other great powers of Europe in demanding with one voice from the Holy See the suppression of the order. Italy was now their refuge, and here they main tained a desperate stiuggle. One pontiff died, and was succeeded by Cardinal GanganeUi, known to history as Clement XIV. For five years he tempo rized, listened to complaints, investigated charges, and at length, July 23, 1773, issued his memorable brief for the entire suppression of the order. This paper, issued by the head of the Roman Catholic church, and composed by one of the ablest pontiffs of the church, after five years' reffection, re cites the various charges which had been made to the Holy See against the order. Among them — Their insatiable avidity for temporal possessions. Their dangerous doctrines. Their use and explanations of maxims which the Holy See had proscribed as scandalous, and mani festly contiary to good morals ; maxims which had produced intestine troubles in the Catholic States. Their interference with secular offices. And arrives at the conclusion that the church can not maintain a firm and permanent peace without the dissolution of the society. The brief then proceeds to decree the dissolution of the order, the confiscation of its estates, reserving a moderate stipend for the members,! a,nd to forbid aff to teach, except those who were determined to main tain the tranquUlity of the world. But the society, in 1 Nicolini, p. 386 ; St. Priest. THE CATHOLIC. 153 its death-struggle, although allied to the Chm-ch of Rome, was not disposed to acqruesce in the decree, or to practise that obedience to the pope which the church exacts. WhUe the question was pending, the movable property of the society disappeared, its current expenses were unpaid, and debts were al lowed to accumulate, sufficient to absorb a large portion of its real estate. The death of the pope -was predicted, in case he signed the brief, and when Clement subscribed his name he was heard to say, " This suppression wiU be my death." He was then in fuU activity and in perfect health, but in the course of a few months, after eating a hearty meal, he became suddenly iU, his appetite and stiength deserted him ; he told De Benis, the French minister, that he was poisoned. He graduaUy wasted away. At length he died. His person, after death, exhibited the effects of slo-w poison. His face was livid, his lips blackened, his body emaciated, his hair and skin clung to his bed-Unen. Rome was nearly unanimous in the opinion that he was poisoned, al though the physician Salsetti reported that he could find no proof of poison, and ascribed his death to ex cessive perspiration and the poverty of his blood. But the concurrence of events, the predictions so soon reaUzed, the joy e-yinced by the Jesuits upon his de cease, the opiiuon he often expressed, that he was poisoned, the singular fact that he was in high health seized by a wasting disease, -without apparent cause, the appearance of his body, the language of his suc cessor, who did not hesitate to express the opinion to De Benis, that he paid the forfeit of his life for sign ing the brief, the opinion of De Benis himself, which 154 THE CATHOLIC. appears by the official correspondence of this minister -with the court of France, all tend to implicate the Jesuits.! Clement XIV. apparently sealed with his blood the condemnation of the order. The fall of the Jesuits and the circumstances at tending it, were a severe blow to the Roman Catholic faith. To cite Macaulay again : — " The Church of Rome was stiU in outward show as stately and splendid as ever, but her foundations were undermined. No State had quitted her com munion or confiscated her revenues (since the Refor mation), but the reverence of the people was every where departing from her. The first great warning stroke was the fall of that society which, in the con ffict with Protestantism, had saved the Catholic church from desteuction. The order of Jesus had never recovered from the injury received in the stiug- gle with Port Royal. It was now still more rudely as sailed by the philosophers. Its spirit was broken, its reputation was tainted ; insulted by all the men of genius in Europe, condemned by the civil magis- teates, feebly defended by the chief of the hierarchy, it fell, and great was the fall thereof." The members of the society, after vain efforts for a revocation of the brief, retired into obscurity, to wait for brighter days ; or took refuge in the North, which was opened to them by Frederick the Great and Catherine II., -with a view to conciliate the Roman Catholic subjects, acquired by the conquest of Silesia and the partition of Poland. Here for * Nicolini, St. Priest. THE CATHOLIC. 155 years they Ungered, until A. D. 1815, when they began to interfere with the institutions of Russia, and Alex ander banished them from St. Petersbm-g and War saw. But with the holy alliance, a brighter day dawned upon the Jesuits ; the restored sovereigns were led to beUeve, that they requked the aid of Jesuits to secure their thrones; and the Church of Rome, prosteated by the revolutions of Europe, looked to them for assistance. Before the close of A. d. 1815, Pius VII. issued a decree, to rescind the brief of sup pression, alleging their valuable services in Russia, their past efficiency, and urging too, that " the bark of St Peter, tossed on stormy seas, required the aid of vigorous and experienced rowers.'' They were in-vited again to Spain and France ; and the ancient order, -without any reversal of the judgment, under which it had been condemned as dangerous to the peace and incompatible with the laws of na tions, after a lapse of nearly half a century, found it self restored to its ancient position. Since a. d. 1815 it has rapidly expanded, it has recovered six thousand members, and a large portion of its property. The society is now commencing in the United States, as it began in Europe ; founding colleges throughout the Union, educating the poor as well as the rich, and selecting the most inteUigent for its own order, and it is for the future to determine, how far it can gain an ascendency, in a countiy where popular sovereignty and education predominate. In the Old World it has usuaUy alUed itself with fanaticism and arbitiary power against the rights of 156 THE CATHOLIC. the people. What form it is to assume, and what aspect to take in the political struggles of America, it is for the future to determine. Let us console ourselves with the hope that — " Magna est Veritas et praavalebit." ! Yours, truly and affectionately. ' For sketches of the Jesuits and Jansenists and a description of Portroyal, see Appendix, p. 236, 245, 259, 261. LETTER XIX. L-TNN Beach, November, 1855. Mt dear S. . . : — Should you apply to a member of the Roman Hierarchy, or ask in a Roman CathoUc bookstore for the oath or promise to obey the Roman pontiff, which is imposed on adults at baptism, or for the bishop's oath of obedience to " his Lord the Pope, and his successors," without which he cannot be in- staUed, some effort would doubtless be made to quiet your repubUcan scruples, or you might be told -with a placid and pleasant smUe, as I have been, that such vows of obedience relate only to spiritual things. Sanguine as I am as to the future prospects of the Protestant faith, yet at this moment when the Romish Hierarchy claim that they have made great progress in England, where they are gaining access to her seats of learning and offices in her coUeges ; when they seek to revive in the Church of England the forms and ceremonies of mediaeval times, and the superstitious observances of the dark ages ; when they teU us, in the language of Bossuet, " that Rome is not exhausted in her old age, or the force of her voice extinct ; " when they point to England as the field for their next triumph, and our di-vines apprise us that they have matured conspiracies to restore to the Roman pontiff his domain of Amer ica ; when the emperor of France makes new con- ^For bishop's oaths, see Appendix, p. 233. 14 (167) 158 THE CATHOLIC. cessions to the pope, and sustains his tiiple crown by French bayonets ; when the Emperor of Austiia, -with a bUnd fatuity, signs a new concordat, by which he resigns to the pope the education and reUgion of thirty-four miUions, it is weU to consider the origin, nature, and extent of that papal power, which the Chmch of Rome would have predominate in America. " The Church," to use the language of our jmist Evans,! ^jj jjig ^big teeatise on the Episcopate, " is a spiritual kingdom, erected for the promotion of the spiritual welfare of mankind. It is not of this world, because its chief end relates to an other. It deals entirely with the spirits or souls of men, and is therefore a spiritual society. The State, on the other hand, is a temporal society erected for the promotion of the temporal welfare of mankind. Into this, material things largely enter. Hence it follows that the State must possess the ultimate dominion over material things. So the dominion of the State is over the bodies and goods of men, that of the Church over theii hearts and minds." For several centuries the Chuich of Rome ac quiesced in this view of the relative power of the Church and State, and although the seeds of ambi tion began to expand under the reckless and aspir ing CaUistus and Damasus, and although Felix III.,^ A. D. 383, advised his clergy, " that it was safest in causes relating to God, to study to subject the royal wUl to the priesthood," and although men aces were sometimes used by the bishops of Rome, ' "The Episcopate," by Hugh Davy Evans, 1855, p. 19. '¦' P. FeKx, HI. Dist, X. c. 3. THE CATHOLIC. 159 the clergy for centmies afterwards recognized the pat-amount power of the Roman emperor ; and it was not untU 'the pontificate of the fierce and im perious Hildebrand,! the contemporary of WiUiam the Conqueror, in the eleventh centm-y, that the Roman pontiff claimed a supremacy over Idngs and emperors. In the fifth and sixth centmies. Popes Gelasius ^ and Symmachus,^ expressly recognize the imperial power as superior to their own. Thus Pope Gelasius I. -writes to the emperor Anastasius : — " I, as a Roman born, do love, worship, and rever ence thee, as a Roman prince ; " and further, " The prelates of reUgion, aware that empire was conferred on thee by Divine Providence, obey thy laws and thee." Again he -writes, " Christ has distinguished the offices of civil and ecclesiastical power, by then- appropriate acts and dignities," and neither should interfere -with the other. Afterwards, Pope Symmachus I. -writes, " We did not excommunicate thee, O emperor, but Aca- cius." " If you mingle yourself, you are not ex communicated by us, but by yourself." He further -writes, " that Acacius was excommunicated -with the assent of the senate ; " that he, the pope, had not pre sumed to excommunicate the emperor, but had followed without doubt the acts of his predecessors. Again, Pope Gelasius, in another letter, -writes, " My predecessor (Symmachus) did not so much as ^ Pope Gregory VH. ^ P. Gelas. I. Epist 8, (ad Anast. Im.') ' P. Symmachus, I. Epist. 7. 160 THE CATHOLIC. touch the name of the emperor,! and repels the charge, that he ever condemned Anastasius, the emperor." Afterwards, Pope Gregory I.,^ as became a good and pious man, acknowledged, in his letters, the emperor to be " his lord, by God's gift, superior to aU men,- — to whom he was subject, whom he was in duty bound to obey, regarding it as high presump tion for any one to set himself above the power of the emperor, by assuming the title of universal bishop." Pope Agatho, in the seventh century, at Rome, in the acts of the councU, which preceded the sixth (Ecumenical Council, a. d. 680, styles the em peror, Constantine Pogonatus, " his Lord," and avows " himself -with all the presidents of the church, servants of the emperor." After him. Pope Constantine was commanded by the emperor Anastasius to repair to Constantino ple, A. D. 703, and the most holy man, as Anasta sius in his memoirs informs us, did obey the imperial mandate.^ Even after Pope Boniface III. had obtained from the usurper Phocas, the title of umversal bishop. Pope Gregory II., who withdrew Italy from the oriental empire, addresses a letter to the emperor, Leo Isaurus, and admits the emperor to be " the lord and the king of the Christians," and himself, con sequently, subject to himi ' P. Gelas. I. Epist. 4. 2 P. Greg. I- Epist. 11, 26. * Anastasius in vit P. Constansine. ' A copy of -which in the original Greek, is cited by Barro-w. THE CATHOLIC. 161 A noble bishop, more than seven centuries since, -wi-ote upon this subject, that " I read, and read again the records of the Roman kings and emperors, and I nowhere find that any of them was excommu nicated or deprived of his kingdom by the Roman pontiff," and this, too, in face of the fact that both in fidels and heretics fiUed at times the imperial throne. If the early popes had power to depose monarchs, why were not the apostate and infidel Julian, and the Arians, Theodoricand Constantinus, hurled from their thrones ? Why have we not in those days heard a murmur fi-om the Vatican ? But subsequently there was a marveUous change. During the ages of superstition the popes of Rome be gan to acquire temporal power, and to indulge in worldly ambition. Those decretal letters were fabri cated, which nearly aU the critics of Christendom have for centuries pronounced spurious, and which carry in their language discrepancies and quotations, the most conclusive evidence of forgery. These contiibu- ted at that period to the inffuence of the popes. They took part in the quarrels of princes when power was to be gained. Even WUliam of Nor mandy did not embark for England untU Alexander IL, who preceded HUdebrand, had recognized his claims, and sent him a ring, -with the hafr of St. Peter, and a consecrated banner. But Pope Alex ander II. did not throw the broad mantle of religion over the violence of his invasion "without an adequate motive, for the historian Hume informs us that Wil ham alone had made an appeal to his tribunal, and rendered him umpire in the dispute between him and Harold. 162 THE CATHOLIC. England, too, " maintained still a considerable inde pendence in its ecclesiastical administration, and forming a world within itself entirely separated from the rest of Europe, it had hitherto proved inaccessible to those exorbitant claims which supported the grandeur of the papacy. Alexander therefore hoped that the French and Norman barons, if successful in their enterprise, might import into that country a more devoted rever ence for the Holy See, and bring the Enghsh churches to a nearer conformity with those of the continent. He declared himself immediately in favor of WU- Uam's claim, pronounced Harold a perjured usurper, and denounced excommunication against him and -his adherents." ! After the battle of Hastings the papal bull was use ful in effecting the submission of the clergy, and the subjection of the people. WUUam sent to Rome the Toyal banner of Harold, received the first legate from the pope, and made Lanfranc, a Milanese monk, arch bishop of Canterbury.^ The exertions of Lanfranc in creased the influence of Rome in England, where the insular position of the Idngdom favored its progress, and where it was less checked by loiowledge and liberal education than in other kingdoms of Europe. Hildebrand became pope during the reign of Wil liam, and consolidated the papal power. Excited by the success of WiUiam, by the gro-wth of his tempo ral power, by the reverence inspired by the forged decretals, by the rank of universal bishop, and the • See Hume's History of England, Vol. I. Title Harold. ^ Lanfranc -wrote in defence of the real presence, against Beren garius, and in those ages of ignorance he -was much applauded for the performance. — Hume, Vol. I. Title, William the Conqueror. THE CATHOLIC. 163 overthrow of the power of the Eastern emperors in Italy, he coined the arrogant language of Boniface into maxims for the papacy. These, with the flatter ing words . of Thomas Aquinas,! ^-j^q ehief of the schoolmen, have been adopted as guides by his suc cessors. He was the first to raise the priest's lance against the royal diadem, and to demand submission of kings and emperors. Indomitable by nature, and elated by success, restiained by no respect for human rights, he stands preeminent for his pretensions and his actual power in the long line of Roman pontiffs. What are the nature and extent of the power thus usurped by. the imperious HUdebrand, and tians mitted to his successors? The leading authorities of the Church of Rome, Thomas Aquinas, Bellar- mine, and Baronius define this power, and I shall refer to them, as Roman Catholic authorities, for its extent and natm-e. The astute Aquinas affirms ^' that the pope, as supreme king of all the world, may impose taxes on aU Christians, and destioy cities and casties to preserve Christianity." He adds, " That the pope is at the summit of both powers, and when any one is denounced as excom municated for apostasy, his subjects are immediately freed from his dominion and their oath of allegiance to him." 2 The learned BeUarmine declares it to be the com mon opinion of Roman Catholics " that the pope, by ^ Thomas Aquinas, a favorite author of the Eomanists, under takes to show in his -work against the Greeks " that it is necessary &r salvation to submit to the Roman pontiff." " Bell. V. 1-5 ; Thomas, H. Secund. qucs. 12, art. 2. 164 THE CATHOLIC. reason of his spiritual power, has, at least indirectly, a supreme power even in temporal affairs." ! Baronius, the historian of the pontificate, assmes us that " the civU principality is undoubtedly subject to the sacerdotal, and that God has subjected the po litical government to the dominion of the spiritual church," ^ and again, " they are all branded as here tics who take from the Church of Rome and See of St. Peter, one ofthe two swords, and aUow only the spiritual." ^ It has been urged by some modern -writers that the Church of Rome has renounced some of the powers assumed by HUdebrand and his successors ; but -we have no evidence of such relinquishment. What councU or pope have made such admission or confirmed such statement? No such admission or assertion of any individual can be received as evi dence in the face of pontifical acts, unless " it is de livered ex cathedrd, and bears the seal of the fisher man's ring."* If in modern times the Roman pontiff less fre quently exercises in a direct manner his dominion in temporal affairs, "we may safely infer it is because the fitting hour has not yet arrived, or because he prefers for the time to follow the doctrine of BeUarmine, and to effect indirectly and by the spiritual sword great pohtical results. But; in the days of William the ^ Bell. V. 1. ' Baronius, anno 57, § 23, 53. ' Baronius, anno 1053, § 14, Haeresi. Politic, anno 1073, § 13. * I quote from an able article in the North American Revie-w, for January, 1856, to which I am indebted for some valuable facts and suggestions, as these letters are going to the press. THE CATHOLIC. 165 Conqueror the papal power was m the ascendant, the minds of men steeped in ignorance and supersti tion, and debased by civU and religious usurpation. HUdebrand was neither fastidious nor easUy alarmed. He summoned Henry, the emperor of Germany, be fore him to justify his conduct. The emperor deposed the pope, and the pope de posed the emperor and absolved his subjects from theu- aUegiance. The result was a civil war. At length the emperor was obliged to ask forgiveness of HUdebrand. For three days in January he was compelled to wait fasting, clothed in sackcloth, and mth naked feet, in the ante-room, before he could be allowed to kiss the feet of the pontiff. The successors of HUdebrand adopted his maxims for theu guidance, and for eight centuries have in sisted upon then prerogative. A. D. 1099 Pope Paschal II. deposed Henry IV., Emperor of Germany. 1218 " Innocent UT. ' OthoIV, 1345 .. IV. ' Frederic II., " " " 1346 " Clement VI. ' Lewis IV., " " " 1546 " Paul in. ' The Elector of Cologne. 1570 " PiusV ' Elizabeth, Queen of England 1588 " Sixtus V. ' Henry, King of Navarre. " it tt n ' - The Prince of Conde. Let me add, that as late as a. d. 1809, the pope issued his anathema against the emperor Napoleon, and -wrtually, if not expressly, absolved aU his sub jects from their allegiance. Did not the pope also, a. d. 1794, reprobate and condemn the acts ofthe ex parte CouncU of Pistoia, which approved a declaration of the French clergy, that the pope had not po-wer to depose kings or ab- 166 THE CATHOLIC. solve subjects from their aUegiance, thus by necessary implication claiming this power ; and later, in 1851, anathematize a book written in Peru to refute the doctiine that he who governs in spiritual things gov erns also in temporal ? " And even later, in July last, the government of Sardinia having passed a law, as the pope recites, to suppress almost all monastic and religious commu nities, coUegiate churches, etc., and to hand over their revenues and property to the fi-ee disposition of the civil power, he declared this la-w to be null and void, and excommunicated the king and parliament which passed it. " Moreover, the government of Spain having, as the pope again recites, in the same month of July, passed a law ordering the sale of church property, and issued various decrees, forbidding bishops to con fer holy orders, he, in vh-tue of his apostolic authority, abrogated, and declared nuU and void the law and decree aforesaid. " Though the papal hierarchy has renounced none of its pretensions, a great change has taken place in many parts of the Christian world, and this change has doubtless proved a restiaint on its conduct. It has exercised less frequently the powers which it once exercised often. Its thunder has not been so frequent or so loud. Well remembering that its power has had alternate periods of decline and restoration, it waits, and waits patiently, taking care not to excite alarm, for the time when the thunder of the Vatican shaU be again efficient, not only to terrify the igno rant and credulous, but to rally under its banner the selfish, ambitious, and sceptical. That it is a politi- THE CATHOLIC. 167 cal, as well as a religious party, its whole career • gives manifest and forcible testimony." ! It has been urged by some followers of the Church of Rome, that the Reformation checked the revival of letters, and retarded the march of intellect. It is doubtless tiue, that before the dawn of the Reforma tion, the discovery of printing had given an impulse to mind, and the capture of Constantinople had en riched Italy with scholars and manuscripts of the classics. It is ttue, also, that whUe Italy was de pressed by the debasing sensuality of Alexander VL, or excited by the wars of Julius III., art had minis tered to luxury, and embeUished Rome with some of its palaces and gaUeries, and that the com-t of Leo X. favored painting and poetry, while the ministers of reUgion, faitlffess to their God, made its mysteries a subject of derision, and the lower classes were en chained in heathen superstition. The brief encouragement given to art and letters in these periods of vice and infidelity, stand out, how ever, in bold reUef in the history of the Roman Hie rarchy, and the ttaveller may well ask, where are the mUlions buried, which, for more than ten centuries have been wrung by the See of Rome from ignorance and superstition throughout Christendom ? The Rom ish hierarchy, down to the days of Luther, had done httle or nothing for the advance of science, and since that period, in the fairest provinces of Europe and America, in Italy, Austiia, Spain, and Portugal, and in Mexico, Chili, La Plata, Brazil, Peru, and Lower Canada have paralyzed the growth of knowl edge, freedom, and the arts of life. Not content with ' See North American Review for January, 1856, p. 124. 168 ' THE CATHOLIC. •establishing the Jesuits to conttol the sources of knowledge and the secrets of the heart, by grasping the schools, coUeges, and confessional, they have, since the discovery of printing, closed another access to the mind, by decreeing that no bo6k shaU be pub lished, or read, under penalty of fine and excom munication, untU its approval by the Inquisition. And their minister, the Inquisition, has placed its seal of condemnation on not less than seven thou sand volumes, including the works of Locke, MUton, and Bacon, and the Holy Scriptures. It has fmther decreed, that any who shall read the last without per mission of a priest, shall " be incapable of receiving remission of sins," and incur besides, in some coun tiies, a temporal punishment. I have alluded to that mysterious engine of the Roman Hierarchy, the Inquisition, in using which they have combined the spiritual and temporal power, dooming those suspected of spiritual errors, I might say of spiritual truth, to wearisome imprisonment, excruciating torture, an unfair tiial, to death by the fagot and the stake, and finaUy, to a confiscation of property to their persecutors, accompanied by infamy for their posterity. It is the only stigma that rests on the reign of the Spanish queen, IsabeUa, that she established a local Inquisition, to prevent the relapse of the converted Jews and Moriscos. But the general Inquisition did not originate in Spain ; it was organized by the sover eign pontiff himself, to prevent the reformation of re ligion. When the doctiines of Luther had pervaded ! ^ Ranke's History of the Popes, I. p. 136. THE CATHOLIC. 169 Germany, and, passing the Alps, readied even Rome ; when a powerful party was formed in Rome itself^ to reform the chm-ch, some of whose prel ates favored reformation at the council of Trent Pope Paul IV., alarmed by the progress of events, caUed to his councU the cardinals Caraffa and To ledo, stern old Dominicans, and asked them to pro pose a remedy. As the old Inquisition had fallen into decay, they advised the pope to establish the general Inquisition, as a remedy for the evUs he depre cated. The Jesuits account it one of the glories of then- order, that Loyola, their founder, sup ported the proposition by an elaborate memorial. The advice thus given and sustained was accepted, and July 21, A. d. 1542, Paul IV. issued his brief for a supreme tiibunal of the Inquisition, universal in its jurisdiction, and on which aff others should de pend. By this edict six cardinals were made in quisitors, with authority to delegate theu power. The ttibunal was placed above all civil power. Princes, prelates, and aff other ranks of Ufe, were alike subjected to its authority. It was directed to suppress and uproot the errors that have found place in Christendom, permitting no vestige of them to remain, and by the terms of the brief, it was required to imprison the suspected, and punish the guUty, both by death and confiscation ; and no prince or potentate except the pope, was permitted to absolve from its sentence. Thus were the fives and fortunes of all Christen dom placed at the disposal of the Romish Hierarchy, and at the mercy of spies and informers. The -first movement of the Inquisition was to 15 170 THE CATHOLIC. prosecute every member of the priesthood at Rome who favored reform. The most prominent were im prisoned, driven into exUe, executed, or compelled to retract Many of the Franciscans were obliged to recant, books favoring reform, together with the Holy Scriptures, were prohibited, a dead weight placed on the minds of Christians, and aU reform Within the church itself was carefully suppressed. I wUl not ttace the progress of the Inquisition through the different States of Europe. Wherever it was planted, it effectually checked the progress of letters and of science ; and death and desolation marked its steps. Authentic records show that in Spain alone, more than three hundred thousand victims were either burnt at the stake, or sentenced to loathsome dungeons or the gaUeys. The testimony was taken in secret, the suspected were not confronted with the accuser, the prisoner was not allowed to see the charge prefen-ed, or per mitted to communicate with counsel, and toitm-es were applied to aid conviction. Fear fell upon the people, and in western Europe, peasants, gentiy, and nobles hastened to enroll them selves as soldiers of the Inquisition. At length human nature could endiue no more. The people rose ; the prisons and tiibunals of the in stitution were generally overthrown, although the Roman inquisitor still conducts his tiials in the dun geons of the Vatican. The Romish Hierarchy have not yet intioduced the Inquisition into these United States; but they pursue here the maxims of BeUarmine, and by means of their spiritual authority, exert indirectly a THE CATHOLIC. 171 mighty poioer over temporal affairs. Even a\ ithout the Inquisition, there still may be tyranny wliicli can > effectuaUy reach the person and property, through the medium of the mind. The torture may be ap plied directly to the spirit, and thus indirectly con trol the persQii and property quite as successfuUy as the civil power. By the speech of J. O. Putnam of Buffalo, de livered last winter in the senate of New York, we learn that the councU of Roman Catholic bishops, convened at Baltimore, a. d. 1849, decreed that " all churches, and all other ecclesiastical property, which has been acquired by donation, or offerings of the faithful for religious or charitable use, belong to the bishop of the diocese ; unless it shaU be made to appear, and be confirmed by -writings, that it was granted to some religious order of monks, or to some congi-egation of priests, for their use." This claim, under which churches are to be -wrested from the men who buUt them for their own use, and the funds of charitable institutions confided to indi viduals for objects of benevolence, are to be torn fi-om tiustees selected by the donors, and engrossed by bishops obedient to the voice of Rome, instead of the demands of an enlightened benevolence, is nearly as bold an usurpation as the acts of Hilde brand, in the eleventh century. What right has the Roman pontiff, an alien in a foreign land, fettered by a narrow faith, by intoler ance and pride, to grasp at milUons, and bind those millions in perpetual mortmain, to be held in obedience to the single voice of a foreign poten tate? 172 THE CATHOLIC. It appears, however, that he has succeeded ; that ¦ he wields a power over temporal affairs which has co erced submission ; which, throughout this vast Union, has subjected to him such power and wealth as no Girard or Astor has ever held, at least one million in Erie, a remote county of New York, and untold milUons in nearly a thousand other counties of the Union. We learn from the speech of Mr. Putnam, that most of the proprietors and ttustees have obeyed the bishops, but that one set of tiustees, those of the church of St. Louis, at Buffalo, had the comage to resist their oppressive edict, and dared to brave the danger which impended, overcoming the fear which led others to submission. They would not yield even'to the nuncio, Bedini, sent by the Roman pon tiff to convince them. But what was the result ? " For simply refusing," as they state in their peti tion to the legislature, " to violate the tiust law of our State, we have been subjected to the forms of excommunication, and om- names held up to infamy and reproach. For this cause, too, have the whole congregation been placed under ban. To our mem bers, the holy rites of baptism and of bmial have been denied. The marriage sacrament has been refused. The priest is forbidden to minister at om- altars. In sickness and at the hour of death, the holy consola tions of religion are -withheld. To the Catholic churchman, it is scarcely possible to exaggerate the magnitude of such deprivations." Does not such coercion, whether it be spiritual or temporal, call for the intervention of the State ? Are not the rights of property and of conscience to THE CATHOLIC. 173 be protected by the civil power, or is it the policy of our. States to suffer diuiehes, schools, orphan asy lums, or trust funds to expand by the bequests of protestants and the contributions of the illiterate poor, and then allow a foreign colossal power, alien to om- institutions and policy, which has sworn its agents to persecute nine tenths of us as heretics, to usurp and -wield for ever with one will, an amount of po-^'er and of property, to which no other miUionaire in America has ever risen or aspired, and before which his accumulated millions sink into insignificance ? ! ^ The avidity of the Romish Hierarchy for po-wer. and -wealth is illustrated in the history of the Council of Trent, by Paulo Sarpi Veneto, published in 1620. By reference to page 460, it appears that before the Council had finished its sessions, the pope ¦was urged by France to grant the communion of the cup. This subject, -with the marriage of the priests and the use of the vulgar tongue in the services of the church, was discussed in a Consistory held by the pope, A. D. 1561. In the Consistory, Car dinal Pio di Carpi opposed all these measures, and urged that " the grant of the cup would open a gate to demand an abrogation of all positive constitutions, by which only the prerogative given by Christ to the Church of Rome, it preserved for by those which are ' de jure divino,' no profit doth accrue but that -which is spiritual." " From the use of the vulgar tongue in the service, the incon venience -would follow, that all would think themselves divine," the authority of prelates would be disesteemed, and all would become heretics." From the marriage of priests it would ensue, " that having house, wife, and children, they will not depend on the pope, but on their prince, and their love of their children will make them yield to any prejudice of the church. They will seek to make their benefices hereditary, and so in short space the au thority of tlie apostolic see, will be confined ivithin Rome. Before single life was instituted, the See of Rxime received no profit from 15* 174 THE CATHOLIC. If England, in ancient times, was obliged to forbid the payment of Peter Pence, to make excommu nication penal, and to sequestiate the property of the church, when Lord Hardwicke tells us it had absorbed more than half of England ; if France, Spain, and Sardinia have been obUged to confiscate and seU the estates of the Romish Hierarchy ; if, both the Roman and British empires have been obliged, by the avidity of the Church of Rome, to pass statutes of mortmain ; may not America derive some Ught from their example ? may she not prohibit by law any individual, whether alien or native, to hold more than a single church, or single ttust fund to be limited to a specific sum ? May she not provide that on the death of bishops, or in their lifetime, the churches they hold in tiust, and for which they have paid no consideration, shaU be tiansferred to ttustees for the societies who built them and use them for public worship ; that tiusts for charities -shaU be resigned by the Roman pontiff and his servants to public boards of trustees, acting under the direction of the State ; and that all interdicts from the pope be forbidden and nuUified by law, and that other nations and cities, and by it is . made patron of many bene fices of which marriage would quickly deprive her." Convinced by these and other reasons, the pope refused the request of France. We further learn from this history, that the pope having through the Jesuits, and his legates and bishops, the control of the Council of Trent, and the sole power of originating measures, prevented the reformation of the church, in these and other particulars, and subsequently rewarded with rich benefices the bishops most use ful to him in the Council. THE CATHOLIC. 175 such anathemas, when issued by priests or bishops, shaU subject them to penal law, except in cases of moral turpitude of chmch-members ? Should the thmiders of the Vatican have voice or echo on these shores ? And in States whose con stitutions secure '' to every religious society the ex clusive right of electing then- own teachers," and the right of worshipping God according to the dictates of conscience, should a foreign prince or prelate be aUowed to turn both pastor and people out of doors, unless they conform their faith and their worship to his direction ? ' Would not remiss ness on these points tend to perpetuate and increase among us a population, whose volitions would not be their own, and wlio would check also the progress of their fellow-citizens; and are not our Roman CathoUcs also as well entitled to the protection of law, as the protestant himself? These are questions -which demand the study of om- statesmen. Yours, tiuly and affectionately. " For effects and tendency of papacy, see extract from Barrow, Appendix, p. 269. LETTER XX. Lyhn Beach, Nov. 7, 1855. Dear S. . . : — In my preceding letters, I have questioned the supremacy of the Chm-ch of Rome, shown its departure from the worship of the early Christians, ttaced its rites and ceremonies to pagan ism, pointed out the successive changes it has adopted both in faith and doctrine, portiayed the character of its zealous aUies the Jesuits, and proved by their admissions that it is gradually substituting the worship of the Virgin for the adoration of the Deity. The question then recurs, what vestiges do remain of the apostolic church ; what evidence do we possess of its rules, faith, and worship, and how far have the reformed churches in general, and the Episcopal Church in particular, conformed to the same ? The inquiry is deeply interesting ; and, to use the words of Bunsen, one of the latest and .ablest -writers on this subject, " what tiue and reflecting Christian is there, who can be indifferent to learn how in the first cen turies, the apostolic men understood the letter of the gospel, and how they undertook to reaUze the mes sage of salvation in docttine, worship, faith, and life ? Here is the commencement of the church ; here is the apostolic realization of the Bible." ! And it is pleasant ' Bunsen's Hippolytus. (176) THE CATHOLIC. 177 to recur with this great minister of Prussia to the me morials of that primitive church he has so vividly pic- _tm-ed in his ti-eatise ; a work published by a Prus sian in our own language, a noble tribute from a foreign scholar and statesman to the cause of Chris tianity. He adduces proofs that there were in the first tsvo centuries, rules and forms derived fi-om apostolic times reduced at an early day to writing, and revered next after the Scriptures as the canons of the church and the rules of worship. Clement, the friend of St. Paul and contemporary of St. John, refers to them in his letter to the Corinthians ; Ire naeus, the pupU of Polycarp, aUudes to the sacred ordinances of the apostles. Hippolytus, or the work ascribed to him, composed early in the third century, recurs to the ecclesiastical rules. St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. Athanasius in the fourth century, and Eusebius and Epiphanius in a succeeding century, refer to or cite from these canons, and St. Chrysostom gives copious exttacts. At least sixty ancient manuscripts, in different languages found in Greek, Syrian, Coptic, Abyssinian, and Nestorian churches are stUl extant, and contain these ordinances. They were preserved in the great churches of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, and in others which separated from the mother church in the fifth century, as Uving, practical rules. They agree in many particulars, and in most essen tials, and the learned Chevalier, by expunging those features in which they differ, has restored them nearly to their original shape, and exhibits to us in their renovated form, — 178 THE CATHOLIC. 1st. The system of instiuction. 2d. The canons of church government. 3d. The order of worship.! 4th. The rules for private life in the primitive church. These steengthen our argument when we discover that they are in direct contiadiction to the forms, worship, and canons of the Church of Rome. Let us, then, in. the words of our author, " Instead of looking to medisBval forms, and to the enchanted gardens of Rome, or to the fanaticism of superstition for our canons, glance at the mirror which the church book and house book of the apostolic age hold up to us. We see in them the Christian school, the Christian worship, and the Christian life, the model of every thing great and noble, which has sprung up in renewed youth and beauty out of the tomb of the old world, and renovated the face of the earth." " Whoever," he adds, " idolizes the letter of Byzan tine Christianity, and the system of mediaeval divin ity, breaks with the church of the apostles, forfeits the spirit of Christ, and falls out of that very communion with the ancient beUevers which he pretends to cher ish. Whoever seeks the conservative element in the restoration of sacerdotal dominion over the con science, and of priest rule over national government, proposes not only great political revolutions, but the entire downfall of the Hierarchy. " Those who have sown superstition, have reaped and are reaping unbelief, and those who have sowed despotism, have reaped anarchy." Let us examine, then, those books of the ancient ' For these books, see Appendix, p. 193. THE CATHOLIC. 179 church, and see if we can find in them those features which are prominent in the Chiuch of Rome. Let us look into its catechism to learn if he who joins it is to swear obedience to a pope, or if the an cient church recognizes any supreme or infallible pon tiff. Let us inspect the ritual, and find what adora tion is prescribed for the Virgin Mary ; what hom age is to be paid to saints, statues, or images ; what waxen candles are to be lighted, and what incense is to be burned, or holy water sprinkled. Let us in quire for the sacrifice of the Mass, and the with holding the cup from the people. Let us criticize the canons of the church, and find which of them confers the ttiple cro-wn or the civic sword upon pope or bishop, or provides for the celibacy of the clergy. Let us study the rules for private Ufe, and discover which of them empowers the Christian to deceive, to calumniate, or to kUl. The spirit of inquiry is dispersing the phantoms which have started up between us and the early fathers, darkening that primitive age, and we can now pierce the gloom, place ourselves beside them, and test the bold pretensions of the Church of Rome. The first book of the primitive church, restored by Bunsen, contains the whole system of instruction. It provides that candidates for admission into the church shall be taught for three years the " Way of Life," namely, the precepts of our Saviour, the truth of Holy Writ, with purity, meekness, justice, and charity, and before baptism they shall be exam ined to learn if they have lived in purity, visited the sick, and performed every good work. When baptized, they shaU be dipped thrice in 180 THE CATHOLIC. the water, after renouncing Satan and all his works, and giving their assent to a brief creed, in which they recognize the only true God, his Son, our Lord and Saviour, born of the Virgin Mary, who was cru cified, and died for our redemption, ascended into heaven, whence he shaU come to judge the living and the dead; and, after expressing their beUef in the Holy Spirit, the quickener that purifieth the church, they were then to be anointed with oil, sealed upon the forehead, and to receive the commun ion of both bread and wine, and become members of the- church. The second book, restored by Bunsen, contains the canons of the ancient church. It recognizes the several offices of bishops, presby ters, readers, deacons, and deaconesses, and defines their duties, qualifications, and appointment, and permits a married man to become a bishop. The third book defines the order and formalities of the service or the Christian sacrifice and worship of the ancient church. It comprehends the liturgy or general order of the service, in two parts. 1st. A preparatory service for the hearers who have not yet taken the pledge, and do not belong to the communion of the believers : — A psalm or canticle ; a Christian hymn ; lessons from the Old and New Testaments ; a homily ; dismissal of the hearers, and blessing. 2d. The service of believers : — the oblation ; salu tation ; preface ; prayers ; communion of all believ ers present, taken both in the bread and the cup : the cherubic hymn ; a psalm from Isaiah ; the hymn THE CATHOLIC. 181 of thanksgiving; exhortations and admonitions to the congregation ; dismissal and blessing. And few early manuscripts of the liturgy are in the Latin language so uniformly adopted by the Church of Rome. In aU this ritual there is not the slightest allu sion to the pomp and ceremonies of the Church of Rome, or to her innovation of the Mass. The fourth book, restored by Bunsen, contains the rules of general conduct for all the members of the congregation. This enjoins upon members to fast in the holy week ; to keep the Lord's day as a festival ; regu lates private and public devotions, the allowance of time to servants, and the arrangement of funerals and cemeteries. It particularly enjoins, also, the reading of the Scriptures. The last work revised by our learned author, is the law-book of the ancient church, containing the canons of the apostles. These define the rights and duties of bishops, and the offices which warrant the suspension or depriva tion of the clergy. They determine also the canoni- car books of the Old and New Testaments, and the ecclesiastical rules and canons. This book, which forbids the clergy to embark in secular affairs, or to put aside their wives, is directly at variance with the practice of the Jesuits and the celibacy of the Ro man priesthood. These holy books stand out in bold relief against the instiuction, -worship, and canons of the Church of Rome ; but this is not their only value, for they bring before us in many of their detaUs, the instruction 16 182 THE CATHOLIC. and worship of our Episcopal church. In the lapse of time it has doubtless diverged in some respects from primitive forms, and it may not have entirely removed the accretions of the dark ages, but, in its form of government, in its noble liturgy, in its full communion and established forms, it preserves the features of primitive Christianity. The great minis ter of Prussia, himself a Lutheran, speaks of our Ut urgy as dignified throughout, notices the English prayerbook as a " national institution," and pro nounces it the most important of all Christian ordi nances since the Reformation. " It was," he teUs us, " a great and blessed thought, this placing in the hands of a Christian nation, a book impressing evan gelic tiuth, not by abstiact theological formalities, but by an act of worship and edification, and in lan guage intelligible to the congregation ; such a book alone was capable of becoming a church and house book, and such it has become. It is in itself as valu able as the text-book of the ancient church, the frag ments of which we have endeavored to restore, and in many points infinitely superior." WhUe, how ever, he bears such testimony in its favor, he would have it further improved. He would have it more free, and to breathe more faith in the Christian spirit, which inspires the praying or teaching speaker. Let me conclude this letter -with another extiact from that noble writer, who appreciates so well the Utiirgy and ordinances of our church, but whose views of Christianity are not bounded by any forms or ritu als, and who has faith in human progress. To use his words : — " The great work of Christianity is not a Hierarchy THE CATHOLIC. 183 with her rich rituals and scholastic ajt and conven tional science ; its miracle is the world in whieh we live. It is the individual standing before his God, with his Bible and his self-responsible conscience, whether man or woman, layman or clerk. It is the Christian household, founded on mutual trust. It is the congregation, ^vith its own shepherd and his pat tern household. It is the Christian municipaUty, governing itself by the self-government and mutual confidence which axe its members. It is the Chris tian nation and State, with her national schools, based upon the gospel of the persecuted church ; with her universities expanding in the Christian phi losophy founded by the martyrs ; with her national hospitals, grown out of the nurseries of the deacon esses of old ; and -with her poor-laws, consecrating Christian support as a national debt ; finally, -with her sovereignty of la-w, and -with her religious and civU Uberty, advancing by reform, and not by revolution. Where that work and that faith in its divine power five, there is apostoUcity, and there is the future of the world." Yours, truly and affectionately. LETTER XXI. Boston-, November 20, 1855. I CANNOT close this correspondence without recm- ring to the letter, in which you advanced the propo sition that " the Church of Rome is the only Catholic church ; the only apostolic and primitive church ; the only church which has preserved its unity ; the only church which has not varied one iota in its faith from the time of the apostles." And to the subsequent proposition, sent to you by a Roman Catholic bishop, substantially as follows, namely : " That our Saviour must have established a chm-ch sufficient to perpetu ate his religion, and consequently that system must be false which assumes the insufficiency of his church." I felt it my duty to refute your first proposition, before I dealt with the last. For if I could prove that the Church of Rome was neither universal, apos tolic, or primitive, that it had not preserved its unity, and had swerved from its original faith and worship, I could restate the bishop's proposition, and safely ask you to infer that our Saviour would never em ploy a chm-ch to perpetuate his religion which was neither primitive, catholic, apostolic, or united. And that consequently the Church of Rome is not the tiue church of our Saviour. The proposition of the bishop, however, deserves (184) THE CATHOLIC. 185 a few comments. It is clearly unsound, but is a fair specimen of the casuistry of the Chm-ch of Rome. It assumes, for instance, the purpose and action of our • Saviom:, an assumption manifestly unsafe, since they are beyond the scope of human vision. It assumes that our Saviour intiusted his religion to an associa tion of fraU, perishing men, assembled to worship the deity, instead of selecting his chosen apostles to make the record and ttansmit that record to posterity. It assumes that mortal men are more competent than records, or Holy Writ itself, to perpetuate reUgion. It assumes, finaUy, without proof, that the Church of Rome is the Primitive Catholic Church established by our Sa-viour. The Scriptures, and the history of religion, prove the frailty of men in every age. The Jews, the chos en people of God, were faithless to the Deity, and bowed do-wn before idols and stiange gods. Even sov ereign pontiffs have been proved to be apostates and libertines. The Church of Rome itself has been shown to be a different church from the church of our Saviour, The proposition, consequently, falls beneath the weight of its own assumptions. I will detain you no further -with such faUacies as this, but recur to our testimony. I have arrayed before you masses of evidence, to test the pretensions of the Church of Rome, and that evidence is nearly all Catholic. It comes principally from the saints that Rome has canonized. Let us apply that evidence to the claims you present, and ask an impartial verdict. And let us be guided in the apphcation by the rule of TertuUian already cited, namely : " That only is authentic and genuine 16* 186 THE CATHOLIC. which was first deUvered, while that is false and ex tianeous which was last introduced." Is, then, the Church of Rome the universal Catho Uc Church ? Has it pervaded the world ? Does it pervade Asia, Africa, and Northern Europe, or the an cient seats of Christianity, where it wore its primitive garb, so different from the vesture of modern Rome ? Our evidence gives to this an emphatic negative. Asia and Africa have either been subdued by Ma homet, relapsed into heathenism, or, if the Ught of the gospel shines upon them at all, it is either through the Greek Church or the Protestant missionaries, who are coloruzing the coasts of India, Asia Minor, China, and Africa. The protestant faith pervades the North, and it is the protestant faith which is now pervading the world. The Anglo-Saxon race, which sustained the great reformation of Luther, that race of northern Europe, which, in union with the Swede, met and resisted the tide of counter reformation, and repeUed the In quisition and the Jesuit from its shores, is now in the ascendant' The Anglo-Saxon race, numbering less than six mUlions of protestants in the days of Queen Elizabeth, now comprise at least fifty-seven miU ions of protestants in Europe, Austialia, and Amer ica, and in half a century bid fair to tteble their num bers. WhUe the nations subject to the inffuence of Rome, namely, Spain, France, Austria, Italy, and Por tugal, are comparatively stationary, or receding, the Anglo-Saxon race, trebling their numbers in each half century, possess ten mUlion tons of shipping, or four fifths the ships of the globe, contiol the com merce of the earth, and are diffusing their language, THE CATHOLIC. 187 their arts, their power, and then- religion thi-ough the world. They are fomid alike beneath the torrid zone and on the shores of polar seas. They are civUizing and reclaiming the -wilderness in America and Austialia, and akeady stand at the doors of China and Japan. Unless the Church of Rome can arrest their pro gress, the protestant faith -wUl pervade the world. As the religion of our Saviom- foUowed the language and commerce of Greece through the civilized world, thus in modern days the protestant faith follows the path of the Anglo-Saxon, wherever his saUs whiten the ocean. The Church of Rome neither has been, is, or wUl be universal ; it camiot, therefore, be the catholic church. But if it is not cathoUc, how far is it primitive ? We find in the records of the primitive church which we have recovered, conclusive proof that the Scripttires, and the bread and the wine, were accessi ble to .the laity. We look in vain in these records, and in the writings of the earUest saints, for the worship of virgins or saints, statues or pictures ; for sacred groves and oratories ; for shrines, relics, or ro saries; for processions, candles, or holy water; for tiaras, crosiers, or tiiple crowns ; for inquisitors, tor tures, or autos da fe. If the Church of Rome, as , we have proved, has sanctioned these innovations, do they not disprove its claim to be the primitive church ? And can that church be apostolic which clothes its bishops with secular power, which associates -with itself the Jesuit or the Inquisitor, which sends forth 188 THE CATHOLIC. the one to close the Bible to the laity, to distiibute tracts in honor of the Virgin, to ascribe supremacy and infaUibility to the pope, to grant indulgences to vice, to proclaim the startiing doctiine that the end sanctions the means, to urge that it is lawful to kUl or depose monarchs who exalt the Scriptures above the pope, or to bear false witness against their neighbors ; and which has sent forth the other to stiffe fi-ee inquiry, to forbid the exercise of private judgment, to prohibit reform, and to doom men, women, and children to the dungeon and the stake, or to a fate stUl more appalling, -without allow ing them the privUege of meeting their accusers face to face in fair and open trial ? Can such a church be apostoUc ? The gospels, the epistles, the act^ of the apostles, the earliest records of the church, sanction no such mission, but present one directly antagonistic. The Church of Rome is by the proof not apos tolic. Has she, then, been always united, and has she never swerved from the faith since the days of the, apostles ? Let us try her by the evidence. We find her at one period denying the real presence by the mouth of her sovereign pontiff, at another making ti-ansubstantiation, or the real presence, an article of faith ; at one time she sanctions the Arian, at another the Athanasian creed. At one epoch she canonizes the Calvinistic Au-_ gustine, at another denounces Luther and Calvin. At one time she recognizes neither purgatory, mo- nasticism, the mass, the celibacy of the clergy, in cense, holy water, homage to images, or the worship of the Virgin, or oaths of obedience to the pope; THE CATHOLIC. 189 at others, she insists upon each one of them as es sential. Esti-anging herself alike in gai-b, insignia, worship, and faith fi-om the ancient chm-ch, the Greek church, the Maronites, Nestorians, and Protestants, she claims she has been ever united. The proof faUs to establish either unity, or unfal tering fidelity to her faith. May we not then infer, as a necessary consequence, that an omniscient Deity would not select a church to perpettiate his reUgion, which is neither primitive, catholic, apostolic, or united, or ttue to its original faith ? It is doubtless unsafe for fraU man to argue upon the intentions of the Deity ; but, so far as evidence exists of those intentions, it is subversive of the claims of Rome. Far be it from me, in these letters, to proceed one tittle beyond the evidence necessary to tty the ex clusive claims and pretensions of the Church of Rome. WhUe I deplore her departure from the primitive church, I would cheerfuUy accord to her members the right to differ from our church, and full freedom to worship according to the dictates of then consciences. I would concede, too, the piety and moral exceUence of many of her members, who have yielded up their judgment to the Church .of Rome. Erasmus, Bossuet, Fenelon, Cheverus, are names I deUght to honor. I can bear personal testimony, also, to the devotion and piety of inmates of con vents, to the bounteous charities and religious feelings of many pious Roman Catholics; but when their 190 THE CATHOLIC. chmch is presented as the only primitive Catholic church, the sole depository and exponent of the gos pel, out of whose pale there is no salvation ; when the Jesuit seeks to control our education, and to bend towards Rome the ductUe minds of the young ; when vast power, inffuence, and possessions are ac cumulating in the hands of bishops, to be -wielded by the pope or Jesuits of Rome ; when our private circles are invaded in the search for prpselytes, it seems to me time to question the pretensions of Rome. True it is, that om- census proves that the Roman Catholics were, in 1850, less than one twentieth part of the worshippers in our favored land. True it is that the foreigners, as they mingle with our Protes tants, graduaUy modify their opinions, and begin to exercise the right of private judgment, that privUege so dear to the Anglo-Saxon ; but stUl we must re member that vast masses of Roman Catholics annu ally land upon our shores, cluster around the cities and vUlages of the northern States, and form a large and growing element in our population ; that they have been reared in blind submission to theu- priests, and debarred in most cases from education, by an un wise and oppressive government at home ; and that it is the mission of om- country in the present century to refine and civilize these exUes from Europe. Let it also be her mission at the same time, to guard our institutions from deterioration. WhUe our coun- tty performs its Christian office of kindness and phi lanthropy, there are duties which it owes to itself, — to Ulumine and elevate the masses who are to ride its destinies ; to deny access to the baUot-box, until the THE CATHOLIC. 191 yoter has at least learned to read and to -write, has famiUarized himself with our institutions, and knows how to appreciate then- value. The voters are our rulers, and those rulers must be enhghtened, if we would preserve our liberties. It is the duty, too, of our countiy to allow no ac cumulation of power in the hands of individuals responsible only to a foreign potentate. Why should a bishop of New England be permitted to withdraw more than fifty churches fr-om the humble artisan or menial who buUt them, and hand them do-wn in rigid mortmain to his successors ? Why should he be aUowed the privUege of closing the doors of such churches on the societies who buUt them ? Is his power to accumulate to know no limit to its ex pansion, and no resttaint upon its exercise, except the pleasure of a foreign potentate ? If laws against mortmain were necessary in the fourth century, in the days of Damasus, who had no army of .lesuits to execute his plans, may they not be necessary when we see that order invading our shores, aiming as of yore to contiol the education both of rich and poor, and to attiact the public mind by stately churches and cathedrals, by supe rior music and imposing ceremonies ? Why should not the civU law secure to each so ciety then church, the choice of their clergyman, and the power to modify their opinions with the progress of Ught, without the forfeiture of their property? Again ; if nunneries or convents have no sanction in Scripture, and have in the history of Europe proved adverse to the progress of nations in virtue, knowl edge, and power, why should not the law discounte- 192 THE CATHOLIC. nance their erection, and refuse its sanction to aU vows and contracts for celibacy and seclusion ? While I would protect convents and nunneries from lawless violence, scrupulously guard the rights of property, defend all institutions for learning, and respect the Roman Catholic hospital, infirmary, and asylum ; while I would contend for the utmost liberty of aff denominations of Christians to worship ac cording to the dictates of their consciences, I conceive it to be the most sacred duty of our country to watch -with jealous care, our public schools and seminaries, sustained by public funds, and prevent their perver sion, or the application of these funds, or any part of them, to institutions sectarian in their character. With respect to religion, as well as with respect to politics, the price of freedom must be perpetual vigi lance. Yours, tiuly and affectionately. APPENDIX. CHURCH BOOKS OP THE APOSTOLIC CHUKCH, AS RESTORED BY BUNSEN. BOOK L I. How they who require to be instructed are to he examined before they are admitted. Those that first come to the mystery of godliness, let them be brought to the bishop, or to the presbyters, [by the deacons,] and let them be examined as to the causes where fore they come to the Word of the Lord : and let those who bring them exactly inquire about their character, and give them their testimony. Let their manners and their life be inquired into ; and whether they be slaves or free men : and if any one be a slave, let him be asked who is his master. If he be a slave to one of the believers, let his master be asked if he can give him a good character. If he cannot, let him be rejected until he show himself to be worthy to his master : b;it if he does give him a good character, let him be admitted. But if he be a slave to a heathen, let him be taught to please his master, that the word be not blasphemed. If then he have a -ivife, or a woman hath a husband, let them be taught to be con^ tent with each other, and to live soberly; but if they be unmarried, let them learn not to commit fornication, but J^7 (193) 194 THE CATHOLIC. to enter into lawful marriage ; but if his master be one of the faithful, and knows that he is guilty of fornication, and yet does not give him a wife, or to the woman an husband, let him be separated. But if any hath a demon, let him be taught godli ness, but not received into communion before he be cleansed ; yet if death be near, let him be received. If any one be a maintainer of harlots, let him either leave off to prostitute women, or else let him be rejected. If a whore come, let her leave off her -whoredom, or else let her be rejected. If a maker of idols come, let him either leave off his employment, or let him be rejected. If one belonging to the theatre come, whether it be man or woman, or a charioteer, or a fighter in single combat, or a racer, or an exhibitor of a show of gladiators, or an Olympic gamester, or one that plays on the flute or on the lute at these games, or a dancing-master, or a keeper of a public-house, either let them leave off their employ ments, or let them be rejected. If a soldier come, let him be taught to do no injustice, to accuse no man falsely, and to be content with his al lotted stipend ; if he submit to these rules, let him be re ceived, but if he refuse them, let him be rejected. . He that is guilty of sins not to be named, a sodomite, an effeminate person, a magician, an enchanter, an astrol oger, a diviner, an user of magic verses, a juggler, a mountebank, one that makes amulets, a charmer, a sooth sayer, a fortune-teller, an observer of palmistry, he that when he meets you observes defects in the eyes or feet of the birds, or cats, or noises, or symbolical sounds ; let these be proved for some time, for this sort of wicked ness is hard to be washed away; and if they leave off those practices,^ let them be received, but if they will not agree to that, let them be rejected. ' APPENDIX. 195 Let a concubine, who is servant to an unbeliever, and confines herself to her master alone, be received ; but if she be incontinent with others, let her be rejected. If one of the believers hath a concubine, if she be a bondservant, let him leave off that way, and contract a legal matrimony; if she be a free-woman, let him marry her in a lawful manner ; if he doth not, let him be re jected ; if she liveth with a believing servant, let her leave off, or be rejected. He that followeth the Gentile customs or Jewish fables, either let him reform, or let him be rejected. If any one followeth the sports of the theatre, their huntings, or horse-races, or combats, either let him leave them off, or let him be rejected.^ If we have omitted any thing, the circumstances will teach you, for we have all the Spirit of God.^ II. How they who are admitted are instructed. He who is to be catechized, let him be catechized three years ; but if any one be diligent, and has a good will to his business, let him be admitted ; for it is not the length of time, but the course of life that is judged.^ He that teacheth, although he be one of the laity, yet if he be skilful in the word, and grave in his manners, let Hm teach ; for they shaU be all taught of God.*> 1 Greek Constitut. Book VIII. Compsire Copt. Can., Book III. can. 4. ^ Copt. Can., conclusion of can. 41. 8 Greek Const., Book VIII. ; Copt. Can. II. 42. ? Greek Const., Book VIII. 196 THE CATHOLIC. III. The Moral Catechism, or the Doctrine of the Two Ways. There are two ways, one is the way of life, and the other is the way of death : and there is much difference in these two ways. But the way of life is. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, who created thee, and thou shalt glorify Him who redeemed thee from death ; for this is the first commandment. But the second is, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets. Every thing that thou wouldest not should be done to thee, that do not thou also to another ; that is, what thou hatest, do not to another. Thou shalt not kill ; thou shalt not commit adultery ; thou shalt not commit fornication ; thou shalt not pollute a youth ; thou shalt not steal ; thou shalt not be a sor cerer ; thou shalt not use divination ; thou shalt not cause a woman to miscarry, neither if she has brought forth a a child shalt thou kill it ; thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbor's ; thou shalt not bear false witness ; thou shalt not speak evil of any one, neither shalt thou think evil ; thou shalt not be double-minded, neither shalt thou be double-tongued, for a double tongue is a snare of death ; thy speech shall not be vain, neither tending to a lie ; thou shalt not be covetous, neither rapacious, nor an hypocrite, nor of an evil heart, nor proud ; thou shalt not speak an evil word against thy neighbor ; thou shalt not hate any man, but thou shalt reprove some, and shalt have mercy upon others ; thou shalt pray for some, and • shalt love others as thy own soul. My son, flee from all evil, and hate all evil. Be not angry, because anger leads to murder; for anger is an APPENDIX. 197 evil demon. Be not emulous, neither be contentious nor quarrelsome, for envy proceeds from these. My son, be not of unlawful desires, because desire leadeth to fornication, drawing men to it involuntarily ; for lust is a demon. For if the evil spirit of anger is united with that of lust, they destroy those who shall re ceive them. And the way of the evil spirit is the sin of the soul. For when he spyeth a little way, quietly en tering in he wiU make the way broad ; and he will take with him aU other evil spirits ; he will go to that soul, and will not leave "the man to meditate at all, lest he should see the truth. Let a restraint be put upon your anger, and curb it with not a little care, that you may cast it behind you, lest it should precipitate you into some evil deed. For wrath and evU desire, if they be suffered al ways to remain, are demons. And when they have do minion over a man, they change him in soul, that he may be prepared for a great deed : and when they have led him into unrighteous acts, they deride him, and will rejoice in the destruction of that man. My son, be not the utterer of an evil expression, nor of obscenity, neither be thou haughty, for of these things come adulteries. My son, be not a diviner, for divination leadeth to idol atry ; neither be thou an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a magician, nor an idolater ; neither teach them, nor hear them ; for from these things proceedeth idolatry. My son, be not a liar, because a falsehood leadeth to blasphemy. Neither be thou a lover of silver, nor a lover of vair^glory, for from these thefts arise. My son, be not a murmurer, because repining leadeth a man to blasphemy. Be thou not harsh, nor a thinker of evil, for of all these things contentions are begotten. But be thou meek, for the meek shall inherit the earth. And be thou also merciful, peaceable, compassionate, cleansed 17* 198 THE CATHOLIC. in thy heart from all evil. Be thou sincere, gentle, good ; trembling at the words of God, which thou hast heard, and do thou keep them. Do not exalt thyself, neither shalt thou give thy heart to pride, but thou shalt increase more and more with the just and humble. Every evil which cometh upqn thee receive as good, knowing that nothing shall come upon thee but from God. My son, he who deolareth to thee the word of God, and hath been the cause of life to thee, and hath given to thee the holy seal which is in the Lord, thou shalt love him as the apple of thine eyes, and remember him by night and day : thou shalt honor him as of the Lord : for in that place in which the word of power is, there is the Lord; and thou shalt seek his face daily, him, and those who remain of the saints, that thou mayest rest thee on their words : for he who is united to the saints shall be holy. Thou shalt honor him according to thy power, by the sweat of thy brow, and by the labor of thy hands ; for if the Lord hath made thee meet that he might impart to thee spiritual food, and spiritual drink, and eternal life, by him ; it becometh thee also the more, that thou should- est impart to him the food which perisheth and is tem poral ; for ' the laborer is worthy of his hire. For it is written: Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the com ; neither doth, any one plant a vineyard and not eat of the fruit thereof. Thou shalt not cause schisms : thou shalt reconcile in peace those who contend with one another. Judge in righteousness, without acceptation of persons. Eeprove him who hath sinned, for his sin. Suffer not wealth to prevail before God, neither justify the unworthy, for beauty profiteth not ; but righteous judgment before all. Doubt not in thy prayer, thinking whether what thou hast asked of Him will be or not. Let it not, indeed, be, that when thou receivest thou stretchest out thine hand, APPENDIX. 199 but when thou shouldest give thou drawest thy hand to thee. But if thou hast at hand, thou shalt give for the redemption of thy sins. Thou shalt not doubt, thou shalt give ; neither when thou hast given shalt thou murmur, knowing there is a reward of God. Thou shalt not turn away from the needy, but shalt communicate with the needy in all things : thou shalt not say, these things are mine alone. If ye communicate with one another in those things which are incorruptible, how much rather should ye not do it in those things which are corruptible ? I beseech you, my brethren, while you have time, and he who asketh remains with you, if you are able to do good to them, do not fail in any thing to any one, which you have the power to do. For the day of the Lord draweth nigh, in which every thing that is seen shall be dissolved, and the wicked shall be destroyed with it ; - for the Lord cometh, and his reward is with him. Be ye lawgivers to your own selves ; be ye teachers to yourselves alone, as God hath taught you. Thou shalt keep those things which thou hast received ; thou shalt not take from them, neither shalt thou add to them.* rV. How, after the first course of instruction, the Catechu mens undergo an examination, and their conduct is investigated before they are admitted to hear the gospel, and how long their instruction is to last. When they have chosen those appointed to receive bap tism, let their life be inquired into, whether they have lived in chastity during the time of being catechumens : whether they have honored the widows ; whether they have visited the sick; whether they have fulfilled every good work. 1 Introduction to the Coptic Canons, Book I. 200 THE^ CATHOLIC. And if those who have introduced them have witnessed to them that they have done thus, let them hear the gospel. Let the catechumens be three years hearing the words ; but if one hath been diligent and persevereth well in the work, the time shall not decide, but the application alone shall en tirely decide it.* V. How they are dismissed with a Messing after the Sermon. When the teacher hath ended the sermon, let the cate chumens pray by themselves apart, and the faithful apart. And let the women stand praying in a place in the church, apart by themselves, whether the faithful women or the ¦women catechumens. And when they conclude praying, let them not give the salutation (peace) before they are pure. Let the believers salute one another, the men with the men alone, and the women with the women. But let not a man salute a woman. And let all the women not cover their heads with a costly veil, but with a fine cloth of cotton alone, for this is their veil. When the teacher after the prayer shall lay his hands upon the catechumens, let him pray, dismissing them ; whether he be an ecclesiastic or a layman who delivereth it, let him do so.^ VI. The ancient prayers of the Church of Antioch for the Catechumens, as recorded hy St. Chrysostom.^ ( The Catechumens pray silently, the congregation standeth.) Let us pray earnestly for the catechumens, that the all- loving and all-merciful God may hear their prayer : that He 1 Copt. Can. b. II. 45a, 42. 2 Copt. Can. b. II. 43, 44. APPENDIX. 201 may open the ears of their hearts, in order that they may perceive what no eye hath seen, no ear hath heard, and what is not come into the heart of any one : * that he may teach them the word of truth, and that he may sow in their hearts the seed of the fear of God : that he may strengthen the faith in their hearts : that he may reveal to them the gospel of righteousness : that He may give them a godlike mind, pure thoughts, and a»vii-tuous life always to think what is of God, to meditate what is of God, to care for what is of God. Let us pray stUl more earnestly for them : that He may preserve them from every evil and wicked deed, from every devilish sin, and from every deceit of the enemy : that He may make them worthy, at due time, of the laver of regenera tion, and of the forgiveness of sins : that He may bless their going in and their going out, their whole life, their houses, and their families : that He may increase and bless their chOdreu, that He may bring them to the right age, and make them wise : that He may thus direct all which they propose to do, as may be most expedient for them. The Deacon to the Catechumens : — Rise! Address to tlie siamling Catechumens : — Pray for the angel of peace, ye catechumens, that what you propose may be fulfilled in peace. Pray that this day and all the days of your life may be peaceful, and that your end may be Christian. Recommend yourselves to the Hving God and to His Christ. " Bend your heads. ( Theti receive the blessing ; the whole congregation saying : Amen.) ^ 1 Cor. ii. 9. ^ St. Chrysost. 2d Homily on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. 202 THE CATHOLIC. VII. That a Catechumen who suffered Death for the Faith, hath received Baptism in his blood. If a catechumen has been apprehended for the name of the Lord, let him not hesitate to give the testimony ; for if they have taken him by violence that they may kill him, he will be j"ustified and receive the forgiv.eness of his sins ; for he will have received baptism in his own blood.* VIII. How after the Course of Instruction has terminated, those Catechumens who are to he admitted are sep arated and sealed for being baptized at Easter. And when they shall be separated, let them lay hands upon them on that day, exoi-cising them. And when the day approacheth on which they shall be baptized, let the bishop exorcise each one of them, that he may know that they are pure. But if any one is not good, or is not clean, let them put him apart, that he may not hear the word with the believers ; for it is not possible that a stranger can ever be concealed. Let them teach those ap pointed for baptism that they should wash and be made free; that they should be made so on the fifth Sabbath (namely, on the Saturday in the fifth week of Lent, the Sat urday before Palm-Sunday). Let them, who are to receive baptism, fast on the prep aration of the Sabbath (Friday). But on the Sabbath, when those who shall receive have been gathered together in one place, by the advice of the bishop, let them all be commanded to pray and to kneel ; and when he hath laid his hand upon them, let him exorcise every strange spirit to flee from them, and not to return into them from that time. And when he hath finished exorcising, let him 1 Copt. Can. b. II. 44. APPENDIX. 203 breathe on them ; and when he hath sealed their foreheads, and their ears, and the opening of their mouths, let him raise them up ; and let them watch all the night, reading to them, and exhorting them. And let those who shall receive baptism not take any thing but that alone, which each one shall bring in for the thanksgiving ; for it is becoming him who is worthy, that he should bring in his offering im mediately.* IX. How the water is to be prepared, and the general order of baptism. And at the time of the crowing of the cock let tnem first pray over the water. Let the water be drawn into the font, or flow into it. And let it be thus, if they have no scarcity. But if there be a scarcity, let them pour the water which shall be found into the font ; and let them un dress themselves, and the young shall be first baptized. And after the adult men have been baptized, at the last the women, having loosed all their hair, and having laid aside their ornaments of gold and sUver which were on them. Let not any one take a strange garment with him into the water.^ X. How the oil for the anointing is prepared. And at the time which is appointed for the baptism let the bishop give thanks over the oil, which putting into a vessel, he shall call the oil of thanksgiving. Again, he shaU take other oil, and exorcising over it, he shall call it the oil of exorcism. And a deacon shall bear the oil of exorcism, and stand on the left hand of the presbyter. Another deacon shall take the oil of thanksgiving, and stand on the right hand of the presbyter.' 1 Copt. Can. b. II. 45b. « Copt. Can. b. II. 46. 8 Copt. Can. b. II. 46. 204 THE CATHOLIC. XI. How they are to renounce Satan and he anointed: and then say the creed. And when the presbyter has taken hold of each one of those who are about to receive baptism, let him command him to renounce, saying : " I will renounce thee, Satan, and all thy service, and all thy works." And when he has re nounced all these, let him anoint him with the oil of exor cism, saying : " Let every spirit depart from thee." And let the bishop or the presbyter receive him thus undressed, to place him in the water of baptism. Also let the deacon go with him into the water, and let him say to him, helping him that he may say : " I believe in the only true God, the Father Almighty, and in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, the quickener." And let him who receiveth baptism repeat after all these: "I believe thus." And he who bestoweth it shall lay his hand upon the head of him who receiveth, dip ping him three times, confessing these things each time. And afterwards let him say again : " Dost thou believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, the only son of God the Fa ther ; that he became man in a wonderful manner for us, in an incomprehensible unity, by his Holy Spirit, of Mary, the Holy Virgin, without the seed of man, and that he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and died of his own will once for our redemption, and rose on the third day, loosing the bands of death ; that he as cended up into heaven, and sate on the right hand of his good Father on high, and that he cometh again to judge the living and the dead at the appearing of him and his kingdom ? And dost thou believe in the Holy good Spirit, and quickener, who wholly purifieth in the holy church ? " Let him again say : " I believe." * 1 Copt. Can. B. II. 46. APPENDIX. 205 XII. How they are anointed by the Presbyter and clothed and conducted into the Cliurch. And let them go up out of the water, and the presby ter shall anoint him with the oil of thanksgiving, saying ; " I anoint thee with holy anointing oil, in the name of Jesus Christ." Thus he shall anoint every one of the rest, and clothe them as the rest, and they shall enter into the church.* xm. How the Bishop and the Elders bless and anoint the heads of the Catechumens with the Chrism, and how the Baptized give the Peace. Let the bishop lay his hand upon them with affection, saying : " Lord God, as thou hast made these worthy to receive the forgiveness of their sins in the world to come, make them worthy to be filled with thy Holy Spirit, and send upon them thy gi-ace, that they may serve thee ac cording to thy will, for thine is the glory, thou who art the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the holy church, now and always, and for ever and ever." And he shall pour of the oil of thanksgiving in his hand, and put his hand upon the head of each, saying, " I anoint thee with the holy anointing oil, from God the Father Al mighty, and Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit." And he shall seal upon his forehead, saluting him. And he shall say, " The Lord be with thee." He, who hath been sealed, shall answer, " And with thy spirit." Each one (of the presbyters) doing thus with the remaining. And let all the people pray together. And all those who receive baptism shall be praying ; let them say peace with their mouths.^ 1 Copt. Can. B. U. 46. ^ ibid. 18 206 THE CATHOLIC. XIV. How they receive the Eucharist and the Milk and. Honey. Let the deacons bring the eucharist to the bishop, and he shall give thanks over the bread, because of the simili tude of the flesh of Christ, and over the cup of wine, because it is the blood of Christ, which was poured out for every one who believeth on him ; and milk and honey mixed, for fulfilling the promises to the fathers, because he hath said, " I will give you a land flowing with milk and honey." This is the flesh of Christ, which was given for us, that those who believe on him should be nourished by it as infants ; that bitterness of heart may be dissipated by the sweetness of the Word. All these things the bishop shall discourse to those who shall receive baptism. And when the bishop hath divided the bread, let him give a portion to each of them, saying, " This is the bread of heaven, the body of Christ Jesus." Let him who re ceiveth it answer, " Amen." And if there are not more presbyters there, let the deacons take the cup, and they shall stand in order, that they may give them the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord, and the milk and the honey. Let him -who giveth the cup say, " This is the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord ; " and he who receiv eth it again shall answer, '' Amen." And when these things have been done, let every one hasten to do all good things, and to please God, and to take care to live in integrity, being diligent in the church, doing those things which they have been taught, proceeding in the service of God.* 1 Copt. Can. B. II. 46. APPENDIX. 207 BOOK II. A. THE FIEST SET OF ORDINANCES OF THE CHUKCH OF ALEX ANDRIA RESPECTING THE CLEEG-f.! I. How a Bishop is to he elected, and what is rectuired of him. K there should be a place having a few faithful men in it, before the multitude increase, who shall be able to make a dedication to pious uses for the bishop, to the extent of twelve men, let them write to the churches round about the place, in which the multitude of the believers (assemble and) are established. That three chosen men in that place may come, that they may examine with diligence him who has been thought wor thy of this degree, whether he have a good reputation among the people, as being guiltless, without anger, a lover of the poor, prudent, wise, not given to wine, not a fornica tor, not covetous, not a contemner, not partial, and the like of these things. If he have not a wife, it is a good thing ; but if he have married a wife, having children, let him abide with her, con tinuing steadfast in every doctrine, able to explain the Scrip tures well ; but if he be ignorant of literature, let him be meek ; let him abound in love towards every man, lest they should accuse the bishop in any affair, and he should be at all culpable.'' * Coptic Collection, First Book ; Ethiopic Collection. ¦' Copt. CoU. Book I. Can. 16. (207) 208 THE CATHOLIC. II. That the Bishop is to ordain two, or rather three Pres byters. If the bishop whom they shall appoint hath attended to the knowledge and patience of the love of God with those -with him, let him ordain two presbyters when he hath exam ined them, or rather three. It behooveth the presbyters that they should live in the world, after the manner of old men, removing far off, that they should not touch a woman, being charitable, lovers of the brethren ; that they should not accept persons, being par takers of the holy mysteries with the bishop, assisting in all things, collecting the multitude together, that they may love their shepherd. And the presbyters on, the right hand have the care of those who labor at the altar, that they should honor those who are worthy of all honor, and rebuke those who merit their rebuke. The presbyters on the left hand shall have the care of the people, that they may be upright, that no one may be disturbed. And they shall instruct them that they should be in all subjection. But when they have instructed one, answering contumaciously, those within the altar should be of one heart and one mind, that they may receive the reward of that honor according to its desert. And a,ll the rest shall fear lest they should deviate, and one of them should become changed, like one wasting away, and all should be brought into captivity.* m. How the Reader is to he proved, and what is required of him. The reader shall be appointed after he hath been fully proved ; one who bridleth his tongue, not a drunkard, not a derider in his speech, but decorous in his appearance ; obedient, being the first to congregate on the Lord's day ; 1 Copt. Can. 17, 18. APPENDIX. 209 a servant knowing what is meet for him, that he may fulfil the work of publishing the gospel. For he who filleth the ears of others with his doctrines, it becometh him the more that he should be a faithful workman before God.* IV*. How the Deacon is to be proved, and what is required of him. Let the deacons be appointed by three testifying to their life. For it is written : " By the mouth of two or three wit nesses shall every word be established." Let them be proved in every service, all the people bearing witness to them, that they have resided with one wife, have brought up their children well, being humble, prudent, meek, sober, quiet ; not vehement, nor mm-murers ; not double-tongued, nor wrathful, for wrath destroyeth the wise ; nor hypocrites. They shall not afflict the poor, neither shall they accept the persons of the rich; they shall not be drinkers of much wine, being ready to act in every good- service in secret. Cheerful in their habitations, constraining the brethren who have, that they should open their hand to give. And they also being givers, the goods being in common, that the people may honor them with aU honor, and all fear, beseech ing with great earnestness those who walk in dissimulation. And some they should teach, and some they should rebuke, but the rest they should prohibit. But let those who despise, and the contumacious, be cast out, knowing that aU men who are vehement or slanderers fight against Christ.^ IV. Additional Ordinance respecting the Deacons. Let the deacons be doers of good works, drawing near by day and night in every place. They must not exalt them selves above the poor, neither must they accept the persons 1 Copt. Can. 19. 2 Ibid. 20. 18* 210 THE CATHOLIC. of the rich. They shall know the aflSicted, that they may give to him out of their store of provisions ; constraining those who are able for good works to gather them in, attend ing to the words of our Master : " I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat." For those who have ministered with out sin, gain for themselves much confidence.* V. How three Widows are to be appointed, and what are their duties. Let three widows be appointed ; two that they may give their whole attention to prayer for every one who is in temptations, and that they may render thanks to him whom they follow. But the other one should be left constantly -with the women who are tried in sickness, ministering well ; watching and telling to the presbyter the things which take place. Not a lover of filthy lucre ; not given to drink : that she may be able to watch, that she may minister in the night. And if another desireth to help to do good works, let her do so according to the pleasure of her heart ; for these are the good things which the Lord first commanded.^ VI. For what purpose Deaconesses are to he appointed. Christ gave no place for the women, that they might help at the altar. Martha said of Mary, " See how she laughs." Mary said, " I laughed not ; but he said to us, teaching, that the weak shall be liberated by the strong." Some say, it becometh the women to pray standing, and that they should not cast themselves down upon the earth. Women are not to be appointed for a service, besides this service only, that they assist the indigent.' I Copt. Can. 22. '^ Ibid. 21. 8 Ibid, 26-28. APPENDIX. 211 B. THE SECOND SET OF OEDINAKCES OF THE CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA RESPECTING THE CLERGY.i I. How a Bishop is to he elected and ordained, and how he is to say the thanksgiving, A bishop shall be ordained who hath been chosen by all the people and is blameless. When the name of this one Lath been named and they have agreed, aU the people shall assemble together, and the presbyters and deacons, on the Lord's day, all the bishops consenting ; and the presbyters standing quietly, and they all being silent together, they shall pray in their heart that the Holy Spirit may descend upon him. And he who is worthy out of the bishops, every one standing, putteth his hand upon him whom they have made bishop, praying over him. And when he is made a bishop, let all give the salutation of peace to him, saluting him with the mouth. And let the deacons present the holy communion to him. And he, when he hath put his hand upon the eucharist with the presbyters, let him say the thanksgiving : " The Lord be with you all." Let all the people say, " And with thy spirit." He shall say, " Lift up your hearts." The people shall say, " We have them to the Lord." He shall say again, " Let us give thanks to the Lord." All the people shall say, " (It is) worthy and just." And let him pray thus, saying the (prayers) following these, according to the custom of the holy communion.^ * Coptic Collection, Second Book. 2 Copt. Coll. book ii. can. 31, 212 THE CATHOLIC. I *. The same, according to the Ethiopic Collection. The bishop shall be chosen by all the people. He must be without blame, as it is written in the Apostle (Epistle to Timothy). In the week in which he is to be ordained, if all the people say of him, " We choose him," he is not to be molested. And they shall pray over him, and say : " 0 God, show Thy love to this man whom Thou hast prepared for us." And they shall choose one of the bishops and one of the presbyters ; and they shall lay their hands upon his head and pray.* II *. How a Presbyter is to be ordained, according to that same Ethiopic Collection. When a presbyter is to be ordained, there shall be done to him in every respect as is done to a bishop, except plac ing him on the cathedra, and they shall pray over him all the prayers of the bishop, except the name of the bishop only; and the presbyter shall equal the bishop in every thing except the name of the cathedra and of ordination. For he hath not given to him the power of ordination.^ II. The same, according to the Coptic Collection. And when the bishop shall ordain a presbyter, he shall put his hands upon his head, and all the presbyters shall touch him. And let him pray over him, according to the form which we have spoken of concerning the bishops.' III. How a Deacon is to be appointed, and what is his office. And the bishop shall appoint a deacon who hath been chosen : the bishop alone shall lay his hands on him : be- 1 Ethiopic Coll. Can. 2. ^ Ibid. 4. = Copt. Can. 32. APPENDIX. 213 cause he shall not be ordained for the priesthood but for the service of the bishop, that he may do those things -^vhich he shall command him. Neither shall he be appointed, that he may be of the council of all the clergy, but that he may take care of the sick, and he shall make them known to the bishop. Neither shall he be appointed that he may receive the spirit of greatness which the presbyters shall receive, but that he may be worthy that the bishop may believe him in those things which it behooveth him. On this account the bishop alone shall ordain the deacon.* • rV. In what a Bishop differs from an Elder. But the bishop shall ordain the presbyter. He .shall lay the hand on him, because that same spirit cometh upon him : for the presbyter receiveth it only, he hath not power to give it to the clergy ; therefore he will not be able to appoint the clergy. The presbyter is only sealing (is only able to baptize and give the spirit to the baptized in anointing him), the bishop shall ordain him." V. TTiat a Confessor needeth no ordination to become Deacon or Presbyter. But if the confessor hath been in bonds for the name of the Lord, they shall not lay hands on him for the service (of deacons), or for the office of presbyter, for he hath the honor of eldership by his confession. But if they will ap point him for a bishop, they shall lay hands on him. But if he is a confessor, he shall not have been taken in before the authorities ; neither shall he have been punished with bonds ; neither shall he have been cast into prison ; neither shall he have been condemned in any injustice. But ac cording to the Word, because he hath been reviled alone for 1 Copt. Can. 33a. 2 Copt. Can. 33b. 214 THE CATHOLIC. the name of our Lord, and hath been punished with pun ishment in a house, and hath confessed, he is worthy of every sacerdotal oflBce from them, they shall lay hands on him, and every one shall pray according to his ability. But if he is able to pray suitably, and the prayer acceptable, it is good. But if, when he again prayeth, he sendeth forth a prayer in (a certain) measure, no one forbidding him, let him only pray entirely in a right faith.* VI. How a Reader is to be appointed. The reader shall be appointed. The bishop shall give him the book of the apostles, and shall pray over him, but he shall not lay his hand upon him." VII. How Widows are to be appointed. But when a widow is appointed, she shall not be ordained, but she shall be chosen by name ; and if her husband hath been dead for a long time, let her be appointed. But if she hath not delayed from the death of her husband, believe her not. But if she hath become old, let her be proved for a time ; for often even the passion long surviveth, and will have place in them. Let a widow be appointed by word only. She shall be united with the rest. They shall not lay hands on her, be cause she sh^ not put on the eucharist, neither shall she perform public service. But imposition of hands shall be with the clergy for the ministry. But the widow is appointed for prayer, and that is of all.' 1 Copt. Can. 34. " Ibid. 35. 8 ibid. 37. APPENDIX. 215 VIII. How Virgins are to he appointed. There shall be no imposition of hands on a virgin ; for it is her choice alone that maketh her a virgin.* IX. What is to he done with him who hath the gifts of healing. If one shaU say, " I have received the gifts of healing by a revelation," they shaU not lay hands on him ; for the thing itself wiU be manifest if he speak truth." C. THE THIRD SET OF ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH OP ALEXANDRIA RESPECTING THE CLERGY.' I. How a Bishop is to be elected, proved, and ordained. It is necessary that a bishop should be ordained ; first being chosen, being a holy person, approved in all things, chosen by all the people ; and when he hath been named and approved, let all the people, and the presbyters, and the honored bishops assemble together on the Lord's day, and let the principal among them ask the presbyters and aU the people : " Is this the man whom ye desire for a ruler ? " And if they shall say, " Yes, this is he in truth," let him ask them again : " Do ye all bear witness to him, that he is worthy of this great, honorable, and holy, authority ? and 1 Copt. Can. 38. " Ibid. 39. » Coptic Collection, Book IV. 216 THE CATHOLIC. whether he hath been pure in the piety which he hath towards God ? And whether he observeth justice towards aU men ? And whether he governeth his own house well ? And whether his whole life hath been blameless, and he hath not been apprehended in any thing, neither those of his house ? " And if they altogether have witnessed that he is such an one according to the truth, and not according to favor, God the Father, and his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit being judge that these things are so ; Igt them be asked the third time, if he be worthy of this great service, of sacrifice, " That out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established : and if they shall say the third time that he is worthy, let their votes be received from them all ; and when they have given these cheerfully, let them be silent and quiet. And one of the principal bishops shall take with him two other bishops, all the bishops standing near the altar, praying in silence with the presbyters ; all the deacons also holding the Holy Gospels spread open upon the head of him who is to be ordained, the bishop praying to God over him. And when he hath finished praying over him, let one of the bishops place the oblation upon the hands of him who is ordained, and let the bishops place him upon the throne which be cometh him.* II. How the Bishop is to ordain a Presbyter or Deacon. When thou, 0 bishop, ordainest a presbyter, lay thy hand upon his head, all the presbyters standing, and the deacons praying, ordaining him. Thou shalt also ordain the deacon according to this first ordination." 1 Copt. Can. 65. '¦ Ibid. 67». APPENDIX. 217 III. How he is to appoint Suhdeacons, and Readers, a?id Deaconesses. And concerning the subdeacons, and readers, and dea conesses, it is not necessary to ordain them.* IV. That a Confessor needeth no Ordination, unless made a Bishop. Ordain not the confessor, for this thing is of his choice and pa.tience ; for he is worthy of a great honor, as he who hath confessed the name of God and his Son, before kings and nations. But if there shall be occasion that he should be made a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, let him be ordained." V. Against arrogant and presumptuous Confessors. If a confessor, who hath not been ordained, hath seized for himself the dignity, on account of the confession, let him be anathematized ; for he is not one since he hath denied the command of Christ, and " hath become worse than an infi del." ' VI. Virgins not to be ordained. Let not a virgin be ordained, for we have no command from the Lord. For this struggle is her choice, and is not for the reproach of marriage, but for the leisure of serving God.* vn. Precautions in the appointment of Widows. A widow shall not be ordained ; but if it is a great dis tance of time since her husband died, and she has lived pru dently, and they have not found any fault against her, and she 1 Can. 67b. 2 Ibid. 68a. a Ibid. 68b. " Ibid. 69. 19 218 THE CATHOLIC. has taken care of those of her house well, as Judith and An na, women of purity, let her be appointed to the order of widows. But if she hath not waited from the death of her husband, believe her not, but let her be proved by the time. For the evil passion remaineth in old persons, with those wht) will permit it a place in themselves, if it be not restrained with a sharp bridle.* VIII. Precautions as to Persons who have the Gift of healing ' the Possessed. Exorcists shall not be ordained, for the design is of the choice of the will, and of the grace of God, and Christ Je sus. When the Holy Spirit is manifested in the man, he will receive the gift of healing ; it is made manifest by the revelation of God, by the grace of God which is in him, giv ing light to all men. But if there be a necessity that he should be a bishop, or presbyter, or deacon, let him be or dained." IX. Additional Ordinance as to the case of a Bishop having been ordained by one Bishop only. It is necessary that a bishop should be ordained by three, or two, bishops ; but if one bishop hath ordained him, let him be anathematized. But if a necessity hath happened to any one that he should be ordained by one only, because they are not able to gather together on account of the persecu tion which is without, or on account of any other such like cause, let the permission from many other holy bishops be received for doing this, which is requisite for him.' X. General Definitions of the peculiar Right and Power of the different Members of the Clergy. The bishop blesseth, but is not blessed. He ordaineth, layeth on hands upon men, putteth on the oblation, receiveth 1 Can. 70. " Ibid, 71. s ibid. 72, APPENDIX. 219 the blessing from the bishops, but not from the presbyters. The bishop anathematizeth (excludeth) every clergyman who deservetli to be anathematized (excluded) ; but to another bishop he is without power to do this alone. A presbyter also blesseth and receiveth the blessing from his fellow-presbyter and from the bishop ; and he likewise giveth it to his fellow-presbyter. He layeth his hands on men, but he doth not ordain, neither doth he anathematize. He putteth out those who are under him ; and if there are any deservin* of punishment, let him give it them. A deacon doth not bless, neither doth he give the blessing, but he receiveth it from the bishop and the presbyter. He doth not baptize, neither doth he put on the eucharist. But when the bishop and the presbyter have set on the eucha rist, the deacon giveth the cup, not as a priest, but as one who ministereth to the priests. There is no power in any other of the clergy to do the work of a deacon. And a deaconess doth not bless, neither doth she do any of those things which the presbyters and the deacons do, but she keepeth the doors only, and ministereth to the presbyters at the time of the baptism of women, because this is becom ing. A deacon can put out the subdeacon, and the readers, and the singer, and the deaconesses, if occasion leads him, no presbyter indeed being there. A subdeacon has no power to put out a reader, or a singer, or a deaconess, or a lay per son, for he is a minister to the deacons.* 1 Can. 73. 220 THE CATHOLIC. BOOK III. A. THE LITURGY, OR THE GENERAL ORDER OF THE SER-VICE. FIRST PART. Preparatory Service, or Service of the Catechumens. Accessible also to the hearers, who are learning the word, but have not yet taken the sacred pledge, and therefore do not belong to the communion of the believers. A Psalm of the Old or (New 1) Testament sung in the antiphonlc manner of the Hebrew poetry, according to hemistichs. Or also an act of humiliation and confession. The doxology, or the praise, at the end of a Psalm : Glory he to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, ' for ever and ever. Amen. Or, Glory be to the Father, fund to the Son, with the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen, Or, Glory he to the Father in (or through) the Son, and through the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. A Canticle of the Old Testament. Or a Christian hymn or sacred song. Lesson from the Old Testament. Lesson from the New Testament. Homily, or explanation of Scripture, especially of the Gospel, and exhortations to Christian faith and life. Dismissal of the catechumens or hearers, with blessing. APPENDIX. 221 SECOND PART. The Service of tlie Believers, or Service of Thanlsgiving {Eucharist). The Oblation, or placing of bread and wiue (and first-fruits) on the communion table. Generally a word of admonition premised, as : No pix)fane ! Wisdom ! The mutual salutation of bishop (or presbyters) and people : The Lord be with you : And with thy Spirit. The Preface, or introduction to the thanksgiving for the gifts of God and for Christ's redemption : Lift up your hearts : We lift them up unto the Lord. Let us give thanks unto the Lord : It is meet and right so to do. The Prayer of Tlianksgiving : either only The Lord's Prayer, to which, for that purpose, the following doxology or conclud ing praise was added, with the usual response : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. [Or, For thine is the power, for ever and ever.J Amen. Or, besides, a free prayer of the hishop, or elder, praising God's benefits from the creation of the world, and asking his blessing for the communicants. (The words of the institution formed no necessary part of this prayer of consecration, but may have been historically recited.) ^The communion of all the believers present, taken both in the bread and in the cup. Anttphonic verses used before the communion, according to the custom ofthe church. .The Cherubic Hymn, or Trisagion, from Isaiah : 19* 222 THE CATHOLIC. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord the God of Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. After this verse, or perhaps originally instead of it, was sung : The hymn of thanksgiving, or the morning hymn. (See the text at the head of the hymns.) Other antiphonic verses used before the communion : Hosanna to the Son of David : Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord. Or, God is the Lord : Who was made manifest to us in the flesh. Or, exhortations and admonitions to the congregation : He who is holy, let him draw near. If he is not, let him become so through penitence. Or, This is Maranatha ! (the Lord cometh !) After the communion. Prayer of thanlcsgiving, for the benefit and grace received, (sometimes the Lord's Prayer with doxology used at this place.) The dismissal of the congregation with the blessing. B. THE RECORDED EARLY HYMNS AND FORMS OF THANKS GIVING. I. ITie Hymn of Thanksgiving, or the Morning Hymn of the early Church. 1. According to the Alexandrian Manuscript of the Siile : also called Eymnus Angelicm. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good-will among men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship APPENDIX. 223 Thee : we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory ; 0 Lord, heavenly king, God the Father almighty 1 O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ ; and the Holy Ghost, O Lord God ! O Lamb of God ! Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For Thou only art holy : Thou only the Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. .'. The same reduced to its primitive form. Glory be to God on high : And on earth peace, good-will among men. [Or perhaps more primitively : And on earth peace among the men of good-will.'^ We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, We give thanks to Thee for thy great glory. O Lord, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty : Lord God! O Lord, the only begotten Son : Jesus Christ ! That takest away the sins of the world : Have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world : Have mercy upon us, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father : Have mercy upon us. For Thou only art holy : Thou only art the Lord Jesus Christ : To the glory of God the Father. Amen. 224 THE CATHOLIC. II. The Morning Psalm (Ps. xiii.), or the following morning verse between Psalm verses : Every day will I bless Thee : And I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Blessed art Thou. 0 Lord God of our Fathers : And Thy name be praised and glorified for ever and ever. Amen. III. The Evening Psalm (Ps. xii.), or the Song of Simeon, or the following Psalm composed of Psalm Verses. Blessed art Thou, 0 Lord, teach me Thy statutes. Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. I said. Lord, be merciful unto me : Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. Lord, I flee unto thee to hide mo. Teach me to do Thy will : For Thou art my God. For with Thee is the fountain of life : In Thy light shall we see light. O continue thy loving-kindness unto them that know Thee. IV. The Evening Hymn of the Greek Christians. Serene light of holy glory, Of the Father everlasting, Jesus Christ ! Having come to the setting of the sun. And seeing the evening light. We praise the Father and the Son And the Holy Spirit of God. It behooveth to praise Thee At all time with holy songs. Sons of God who hast given life, Therefore the world glorifieth Thee. APPENDIX. 225 V. The Evening Hymn of the Apostolic Constitutions. Praise, 0 ye servants, the Lord : Praise the name of the Lord. We praise Thee, we sing unto Thee, we bless Thee : On account of Thy great glory. O Lord the King, Father of Christ : Of the spotless Lamb, which taketh away the sins of the world. It behooveth to praise Thee : It behooveth to sing unto Thee. It behooveth to glorify Thee, God and Father : Through the Son, in the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Jimen. APPENDIX FROM THE SE-VENTH BOOK OF THF GREEK CON STITUTIONS. LITTJEGICAL FOEMULAEIES. I. A Form of Prayer of Thanksgiving before the Communion. We thank Thee, our Father, for that life which Thou hast made known to us by Jesus thy Son, by whom Thou madest all things, and takest care of the whole world ; whom Thou hast sent to become man for our salvation ; whom Thou hast permitted to suffer and to die ; whom Thou hast raised up, and been pleased to glorify, and hast set down on Thy right hand : by whom Thou hast promised us the resurrection of the dead. Do Thou, O Lord Almighty, everlasting God, so gather together Thy church from the ends of the earth into 226 THE CATHOLIC. thy kingdom, as this (corn) was once scattered, and is now become one loaf. We also, our Father, thank thee for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for us, and for his precious body, whereof we celebrate this representa tion, as himself appointed us, to show forth his death. For, through Him, glory is to be given to Thee for ever. Amen. IL A Form of Thanksgiving after the Communion. We thank Tiiee, 0 God and Father of Jesus our Saviour, for Thy holy name, which Thou hast made to inhabit among us ; and that knowledge, faith, love, and immortality, which Thou hast given us through Thy Son Jesus. Thou, 0 Al mighty Lord, the God of the universe, hast created the world, and the things that are therein by Him ; and hast planted 51 law in our souls, and beforehand didst prepare things for the convenience of men. O God of our holy and blameless fa thers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, Thy faithful servants ; Thou, O God, who art powerful, faithful, and true, and with out deceit in Thy promises ; who didst send upon earth Jesus Thy Christ to converse with men, as a man, when he was God, the Word, and man, to take away error by the roots ; do thou, even now, through Him, be mindful of this Thy holy church, which Thou hast purchased with the pre cious blood of Thy Christ, and deliver it from all evil, and perfect' it in Thy love and Thy truth, and gather us all to gether into Thy kingdom which Thou hast prepared. Amen. POWER CLAEMED FOR THE POPE BY THE ROjM- ISH HIERARCHY.' " It is notorious, that many canonists (if not most) and many divines of that party do maintain this doctrine ; affirm ing, that all the power of Christ (the Lord of lords, and King of kings, to whom all power in heaven and earth doth appertain) is imparted to the pope, as to his vicegerent." " This is the doctrine which almost four hundred years ago Augustinus Triumphus, in his * egregious work concerning ecclesiastical power, did teach ; attributing to the pope an incomprehensible and infinite power ; because great is the Lord, and great is his power, and of his greatness there is no end. " This is the doctrine which the leading theologue of their sect, their angelical doctor, doth affirm, both directly, saying, that * in the pope is the top of both powers ; and by plain consequence, asserting, that when any one is denounced ex communicate for apostasy, his subjects are immediately freed from his dominion, and their oath of allegiance to him. " This the same Thomas (or an author passing under his name, in his book touching the rule of princes) doth teach, affirming that the pope,^ as supreme king of all the world, may impose taxes on all Christians, and destroy towns and castles for the preservation of Christianity. ^ Extract from Barrow's works on the Pope's Supremacy, Vol. VII. ¦ p. 5 to 17. ^ Bell. V. I. " Bell, de Script, an. 1301. * Thomas in fine Secun. Sentent. dicit in papa esse apicem utrius- que potestatis. Bell. V. I. '' S. Thomas (in lib. iii. de Regim.Princ. cap. 10, 19.) Bell. V. 5, (227) 228 THE CATHOLIC. " This (as cardinal Zabarell near three hundred years ago telleth us) is the doctrine * which, for a long time, those who would please popes did persuade them, that they could do all things, whatever they pleased ; yea, and things unlawful ; and so could do more than God. " According to this doctrine then current at Eome, in the last Lateran great synod, under the pope's nose and in his ear, one bishop styled him," prince of the world ; another orator called him,' king of kings, and monarch of the earth ; another great prelate said of him, that * he had all power above all powers both of heaven and earth. And the same roused up Pope Leo X. in these brave terms : ^ " Snatch up therefore the twoedged sword of divine power, committed to thee ; and enjoin, command, and charge, that an univer sal peace and alliance be made among Christians for at least ten years ; and to that bind kings in the fetters of the great King, and constrain nobles by the iron manacles of censures ; for to thee is given all power in heaven and in earth." This is the doctrine which Baronius, with a Roman con fidence, doth so often assert and drive forward, saying, that ° there can be no doubt of it, but that the civil principality is subject to the sacerdotal : and, that ' God hath made the political government subject to the dominion of the spiritual church. § III. From that doctrine the opinion in effect doth not differ, which BeUarmine voucheth for the common opinion of catholics, that * by reason of the spiritual power, the 1 Zab. de Schism. " Episc. Sp.il. sess. i. p. 24. 2 Del. Rio, sess. viii. p. 87. * Episc. Patrac. sess. x. p. 132. 6 Ibid. p. 133. s Politicum principatum sacerdotali esse subjectum nulla potest esse dubitatio. Ann. 57, § 23. 7 Ibid. § .53. 8 Bell. V. I. APPENDIX. 229 pope, at least indirectly, hath a supreme power even in temporal matters. This opinion, so common, doth not, I say, in effect and practical consideration, anywise differ from the former ; but only in words devised to shun envy, and veil the impudence of the other assertion : for the quahfications, by reason of the spiritual power, and at least indh-ectly, are but notional, insignificant, and illusive, in regard to practice : it import ing not, if he hath in his keeping a sovereign power, upon what account, or in what formality he doth employ it ; see ing that every matter is easily referable to a spiritual ac count ; seeing he is sole judge upon what account he doth act ; seeing experience showeth that he wiU spiritualize all his interests, and upon any occasion exercise that pretended authority ; seeing it little mattereth, if he may strike princes, whether he doth it by a downright blow, or slantingly. § IV. That such an universal and absolute power hath been claimed by divers popes, successively for many ages, is apparent from their most solemn declarations and notorious practices; whereof (beginning from later times, and rising upwards toward the source of this doctrine) we shall repre sent some. The bull of Pope Sixtus V. against the two sons of -wrath, Henry, king of Navarre, and the prince of Cond^, beginneth thus : " The authority given to St. Peter and his successors, by the immense power of the eternal King, excels all the powers of earthly kings and princes — it passes uncontrolla ble sentence upon them all — and if it find any of them resisting God's ordinance, it takes more severe vengeance of them, casting them down from their thrones, though never so puissant, and tumbling them down to the lowest parts of the earth, as the ministers of aspiring Lucifer." And then he proceeds to thunder against them, " We deprive them and their posterity for ever of their dominions and kingdoms ; " and accordmgly he depriveth those princes of their kingdoms 20 230 THE CATHOLIC. and dominions, absolveth their subjects from their oaths of allegiance, and forbiddeth them to pay any obedience to them.* " By the authority of these presents, we do absolve and set free all persons, as well jointly as severally, from any such oath, and from all duty whatsoever in regard of dominion, fealty, and obedience ; and do charge and forbid all and evez-y of them, that they do not dare to obey them, or any of their admonitions, laws, and commands." Pope Pius V. (one of the holiest popes of the last stamp, who hardly hath escaped canonization until now)" beginneth his buU against our Queen Elizabeth in these words : ' " He that reigneth on high, to whom is given all power in heaven and in earth, hath committed the one holy catholic and apos tolic church, out of which there is no salvation, to one alone on earth, namely, to Peter, prince of the apostles, and to the Roman pontiff, successor of Peter, to be governed with a plenitude of power : this one he hath constituted prince over all nations and all kingdoms, that he might pluck up, destroy, dissipate, ruinate, plant, and build" And in the same bull he declares, that " he thereby deprives the queen of her pre tended right to the kingdom, and of all dominion, dignity, and privilege whatsoever ; and absolves all the nobles, subjects, and people of the kingdom, and whoever else have sworn to her, from their oath, and all duty whatsoever, in re gard of dominion, fidelity, and obedience." Pope Clement VI. did pretend to depose the emperor Lewis IV. Pope Clement V. in the great synod of Vienna, declared the emperor subject- to him, or standing obliged to him by a proper oath of fealty.* Pope Boniface VIII. hath a decree extant in the canon ^ Bulla Sixti V. contra Henr. Navarr. R. etc. " Briet. Chr. anno 15T2. " P. Pins V. in Bull, contra R. Eliz. (Camb. Hist, anno 1570.) * Clem. lib. ii. tit, 9. Vide Cone. Vienn, p. 909. APPENDIX. 231 law running thus : * " We declare, say, define, pronounce it to be of necessity to salvation, for every human crealure to be subject to the Roman pontiff.'' The which subjection, according to his intent, reacheth .ill mutters ; for he there chaUengeth a double sword, and assertcth to himself jurisdic tion over all temporal authorities : for " " One sword," saith he, " must be under another, and the temporal authority must be subject to the spiritual power ; — whence, if the earthly power doth go astray, it must be judged by the spiritual power." The -which aphorisms he proveth by Scriptures ad mirably expounded to that purpose. This definition might pass for a rant of that boisterous pope,* (a man above measure ambitious and arrogant,) vented in his passion against King Philip of France, if it Lad not the advantage (of a greater than which no papal decree is capable) of being expressly confirmed by one of their general councils ; for * •' We (saith Pope Leo X. in his buU read and passed in the Lateran council) do renew and approve that holy constitution, with approbation of the present holy council." Accordingly Melch. Canus saith,* " that the Lateran council did renew and approve that extravagant (indeed extravagant) constitution : " and Baronius saith of it, " that ^ all do assent to it, so that none dissenteth, who doth not by discord fall from the church." The which authority was avowed by that great council under this pope,' (the which, according to the men of Trent, did represent or constitute the church,) wherein it was or dained, that if a temporal lord, being required and admon ished by the church, should neglect to purge his territory 1 Exti-av. com. lib. i. tit 8, cap. I. 2 Ibid. s Binius in Vita Bonif. VIII. * Concil. Lateran. sess. xi. p. 153. * Canus, loc. vi. 4. < 8 Baron. Ann. 1053, § 14. • ' Cone. Later, cap. 3, in Decret. Greg. lib. v. tit. 7, cap. 13. 232 THE CATHOLIC. from heretical filth, he should by the metropolitan and the other comprovincial bishops be noosed in the band of ex communication ; and that if he should shght to make satis faction within a year, it should be signified to the pope, that he might from that time denounce the subjects absolved from their fealty to him, and expose the territory to be seized on by catholics, etc. Before that, Pope Paschal II. deprived Henry IV. and excited enemies to persecute him ; * telling them, that they could not offer a more acceptable sacrifice to God, than by impugning him, who endeavored to take the kingdom from God's church. Before him. Pope Urban II. (called Turban by some in his age) did preach this doctrine, recommended to us in the decrees, that " subjects are by no authority constrained to pay the fidehty which they have sworn to a Christian prince, who opposeth God and his saints, or violateth their precepts. An instance whereof we have in his granting a privilege to the canons of Tours ; ^ which, saith he, " if any emperor, king, prince, etc. shaU wilfully attempt to thwart, let him be deprived of the dignity of his honor and power." But the great apostle (if not author) of this confounding doctrine was Pope Gregory VH. (a man of a bold spirit and fiery temper, inured even before his entry on that see to bear sway, and drive on daring projects ; possessed with resolution to use the advantages of his place and time in pushing forward the papal interest to the utmost,) who did hft up his voice hke a trumpet, kindhng wars and seditions thereby over Christendom. His dictates and practices are well known, being iterated in his o-wn epistles, and in the Roman councils under him, extant : yet it may be worth the while to hear him swagger in his own language. 1 P. PascV Ep. vii. ad Rob. Eland. Com. " Cans. XV. qn. 7, cap. 5. " P. Urb.ILEp.l2. APPENDIX. 233 " For the dignity and defence of God's holy church, in the name of Almighty God, the Father, Sou, and Holy Ghost, I depose from imperial and royal administration, king Henry, son of Honry sometime emperor, who too boldly and rashly hath laid hands on thy church ; and I ab solve all Christians subject to the empire from that oath whereby they were wont to plight their faith unto true kin^ : for it is right that he should be deprived of dignity, -who doth endeavor to diminish the majesty of the church." * OATH OF ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS, AS PUBLISHED rs THE EOMAN PONTIFICAL, PEEPAEED BY OKDER OF POPE CLEJIEXT VII. SAXCTIONED ALSO BY COUNCIL OF TEEKT.'^ " I — , elect of the church of — , from henceforward will be faithful and obedient to St. Peter the apostle, and to the holy Roman church, and to our lord, the lord — pope — and to his successors, canonically coming in. I will neither advise, consent, or do any thing that they may lose life or member, or that their persons may be seized, or hands any wise laid upon them, or any injuries offered to them, under any pretence whatsoever. The counsel which they shall intrust me withal, by themselves, their messengers, or letters, I will not knowingly reveal to any to their prejudice. I will help them to defend and keep the Roman papacy, and the royalties of St. Peter, saving my order, against all men. The legate of the apostolic see, going and coming, I will 1 Plat, in Greg. -VH. et torn. 7, Cone. Rom. iii. apudBin. p. 484. " For this see Barrow's woeks. Vol. VII. p. 46, Ponti. Rom. Ant werp, A. D. 1626, p. 59, 86, find Cons. Trid. sess. xxiv. Chap. XII., which provided that every beneficed clergyman should vow and swear to abide in obedience to the Roman church. 20* 234 THE CATHOLIC. honorably treat and help in his necessities. The rights, honors, privileges, and authority of the holy Roman church, of our lord the pope, and his foresaid successors, I will en deavor to preserve, defend, increase, and advance. I will not be in any counsel, action, or treaty, in which shall be plotted against our said lord, and the said Roman church, any thing to the hurt or prejudice of their persons, right, honor, state, or power ; and if I shall know any such thing to be treated or agitated by any whatsoever, I wUl hinder it to my power ; and as soon as I can will signify it to our said lord, or to some other, by whom it may come to his knowledge. The rules of the holy fathers, the apostohc decrees, ordinances, or disposals, reservations, provisions, and mandates, I wUl observe with all my might, and cause to be observed by others. Heretics, schismatics, and rebels to our said lord, or his foresaid successors, I will to my power persecute and oppose. I wUl come to a councU when I am called, unless I be hindered by a canonical impediment. I will by myself in person visit the threshold of the apostles every three years ; and give an account to our lord and his foresaid successors of aU my pastoral office, and of all things anywise belonging to the state of my church, to the disciphne of my clergy and people, and lastly to the salva tion of souls committed to my trust ; and wiU in hke man ner humbly receive and diligently execute the apostohc commands. And if I be detained by a la-wful impediment, I wUl perform all the things aforesaid by a certain messen ger hereto speciaUy empowered, a member of my chapter, or some other in ecclesiastical dignity, or else having a par sonage ; or in default of these, by a priest of the diocese ; or in default of one of the clergy, [of the diocese,] by some other secular or regular priest of approved integrity and religion, fully instructed in all things above mentioned. And such impediment I wUl make out by lawful proofs to be transmitted by the foresaid messenger to the cardmal APPENDIX. 235 proponent of the holy Roman church in the congregation of the sacred council. The possessions belonging to my table I wUl neither sell, nor give away, nor mortgage, nor grant anew in fee, nor anywise alienate, no, not even with the consent of the chapter of my church, without consulting the Roman pontiff. And if I shaU make any alienation, I wiU thereby incur the penalties contained in a certain constitu tion put forth about this matter. So help me God and these holy Gospels of God. Such, says Barrow, is the oath prescribed to bishops, the which is worth the most serious attention of all men, who would understand how miserably slavish the condition of the clergy is in that church, and how inconsistent their obligation to the pope is with their duty to their prince. EXTRACTS FROM PASCAL.* INTRODUCTION. " The name of Pascal (that prodigy of parts, as Locke caUs him,") says Mr. Dugald Ste-waet," " is more familiar to modern ears than that of any of the other learned and polished anchorites who have rendered the sanctuary of Port-Royal so illustrious. Abstracting from his great merit in mathematics and in physics, his reputation rests chiefly on the ' Provincial Letters ; ' a work from which Voltaire, notwithstanding his strong prejudices against the author, dates the fixation of the French language ; and of which the same excellent judge has said, ' Molieee's best come dies DO NOT EXCEL THEM IN -WIT, NOE THE COMPOSITIONS OF Bossuet in sublimity.' " " A considerable portion of the merit of this performance, consists in the ingenious manner in which Pascal has brought together the extravagant maxims of the principal Jesuitical writers, so as to make them appear truly ridiculous. He does not, as Voltaire, (who, otherwise, bestows upon him great praise,) insinuates, collect his citations from a few in dividuals, whose sentiments are unwarrantably adduced as a fair specimen of the principles of the whole society, for he uniformly appeals to the very best of their writers, and particularly to the twenty-four elders who were so des- 1 The bishop of Lucon, son of the celebrated Bussy, told me, that asking one day the bishop of Meaux what work he would covet most to be the author of supposing his own performances set aside, Bos suet replied. The Provincial Letters. Examples of all the species of eloquence abound in them. — Voltaire. 2 Supplement to Encyc. Brit. Vol. I. p. 1. (286) APPENDIX. 237 ignated on account of the entire confidence which the -whole body of the Jesuits reposed in their statements. In fact, Pascal adopted no other than the usual and authorized method of obtaining the re.al opinions of miy extensive so ciety. If their own publications — the publications of their most eminent men ; be not the proper standard of appeal, by what other means can their opinions be obtained ? Be sides, none of their -writings were issued without the sanction of the superiors of their order." PROVINCIAL LETTERS. — LETTER XV. THE JESUITS OMIT CALUMN'T IN THEIK CATALOGUE OF CEIMES, AND MAKE NO SCKUPLE OF USING IT AGAINST THEIK ENEMIES. November 25, 1656. Reveeexd Fathees : — ^As your impostures are daily increasing, and you make use of them to scandalize in so cruel a maimer aU persons of piety who oppose your errors, I feel myself obliged, on their account, and for the service of the church, to expose a part of your mysterious conduct, which I promised to do some time since, that it may be fully known, from your own maxims, what reliance may be placed upon your accusations and injurious conduct. I am well aware, that persons who are not sufficiently ac quainted with you, feel it extremely difficult to come to any decision upon this subject, because they are necessitated either to believe those incredible crimes of which you accuse your enemies, or to deem you impostors, which would seem equally incredible. If these things were untrue, say they, would a religious society publish them — thus resisting the dictates of conscience, and giving themselves up by such atro cious calumnies to damnation ? In this manner they reason ; so that obvious and strUiing as are the proofs by which your 238 THE CATHOLIC. falsities are exposed, yet being so diametrically opposed to the opinion they cherish of your sincerity, they are held in suspense between the evidence of the truth, which they can not deny, and the duty of charity which they are apprehensive of violating. As, therefore, the only hindrance to their rejec tion of your scandal, is their respect for your character, if they should find that you really do not entertain that bad opinion of calumny, for which they give you credit, but think it to be no impediment to your salvation, no doubt the force of truth will immediately determine them to disbelieve your impo sitions. You see, fathers, the subject of the present letter. It is my purpose to advance a step further than merely to show that your writings are replete with calumnious rep resentations. Falsehoods may be stated under an impres sion that they are truths, but lying is characterized by the intention to deceive. I shall show that you design to de ceive and calumniate, and that you purposely impute crimes to your enemies, of which you know that they are perfectly innocent, because you believe it may be done without falling from a state of grace. And though you may be as well acquainted as myself with this point of your mo rality, I shall beg permission to state it, that no further doubt may exist, by showing that I challenge you personally and individually on the subject, without even your being able to deny it, with all your assurance, unless at the same time you own that for which I reproached you. For this is a doctrine so common in your schools, that you have not only maintained it in your writings, but even in your public theses, which is an act of the utmost presumption ; as for example, in that of Louvain, in the year 1645, in the following words : " It is only a venial sin to calum niate and ruin the credit of such as speak evil of you, by accusing them of false crimes, — quidni non nisi ve- niale sit, detrahentis autoritatem magnam tibi noxiamfalso crimine elidere ? " This doctrine is so current amongst you, APPENDIX. 239 that whoever dares to attack it, you treat as an ignoramus and a stupid fellow. Not long ago, this took place in regard to Father Quiroga, a German capuchin, who opposed this doctrine, and was im mediately attacked by Father Dicastillus, who speaks of this dispute in these terms : * '- A certain grave friar, bare footed, and deep cowled, (cucullatiis, gymnopoda,) whose n.ime I shall conceal, had the temerity to decry this opinion amongst some women and ignorant people, as pernicious and scandalous, contrary to good-manners, and subversive of the peace of states and societies, and opposed not only to all the catholic doctors, but to all who may become so. But I have maintained against him, and still maintain, that calum ny, when made use of against a calumniator, though it be a lie, yet is not a mortal sin, nor contrary to justice or charity ; and, as a demonstration of this, I furnished him with a crowd of our fathers, and whole universities whom I consulted ; among others, the reverend father John Gans, confessor to the emperor ; the reverend father Daniel Bastele, confessor to the Archduke Leopold ; Father Henry, who was the tutor of these two princes ; all the pubhc and ordinary professors of the University of Vienna (consisting entirely of Jesuits) ; all the professors of the University of Gratz (all Jesuits) ; all the professors of the University of Prague (of which the Jesuits are masters) ; from all of whom, I have in my pos session, a written, signed, and sealed approbation of my opinion ; in addition to which, I have Father Pennalossa, a Jesuit, preacher to the emperor and the king of Spain ; Father Pilliceroli, a Jesuit, and many others, who have all judged this opinion probable, previous to our dispute." You see, fathers, there are few opinions which you have taken so much pains to establish ; and, in fact, there are few which ar.e so serviceable to you. For this reason, you have impressed so much authority upon it, that your casuists have made use 1 De Just. 1. n., Tr. 2, Disp. 12, n, 404. 240 THE CATHOLIC. of it as an indubitable principle. " It is certain," says Cara muel, n. 1151, " it is a probable opinion, that it is no mortal sin to bring a false accusation for the sake of preserving one's honor : for it is maintained by upwards of twenty grave doctors, Gaspar, Hurtado, Dicastillus, etc. Hence, if this doctrine be not probable, there is scarcely any one that is so in the whole system of divinity." 0, what an execrable system is this, and how utterly cor rupt in all its main points and principles, — that if this doc trine be not probable and safe in conscience, " that a person may be accused falsely in order to preserve one's honor," there is scarcely any one that is ! What can be more probable, fathers, than that those who hold this principle should some times put it in practice ? The depraved passions of man kind hurry them on with such impetuosity, that it is incon ceivable, when all conscientious scruples are done away, how violently they proceed. For instance, Caramuel writes, in the same place, " This maxim of Father Dicastillus, the Jesuit, respecting calumny, was taught by a German count ess to the daughter of the empress, who, beheving that cal umnies were but venial sins, spread abroad so many scan dals and false reports every day, that the whole court was put into a state of ferment and alarm. It is easy to perceive the use they made of it ; so that, to quiet this tumult, it was found necessary to apply to a good father, a capuchin, nam ed Quiroga, of exemplary conduct (which was the reason Father Dicastillus had such a quarrel with him,) who told them plainly that this maxim was very pernicious, espe cially as held by women, and then took such especial care, that the empress totally abolished the practice of it." It is by no means surprising that this doctrine should have produced some bad effects ; it would have been more so had it been otherwise. Self-love is always ready to persuade us that an attack made upon ourselves is unjust ; much more youj fathers, who are so blinded by vanity, that you APPENDIX. 241 would make aU the world believe, from your writings, that an injury attempted against your society, is an injury done to. the honor of the church ; and thus it would be strange, if you were not to put this maxim in practice. We must not say, as those who do not know you do, — how is it these good fathers calumniate their enemies, since it is endanger ing their own salvation ? but we must say, on the contrary, — how is it that these good fathers would lose any oppor tunity of decrying theu- enemies, when they can do it with out risking their own safety ? Let us, then, no longer be astonished at finding the Jesuits calumniators : they are so with a safe conscience, and cannot be otherwise ; since, by the credit they have acquired in the world, they may revUe others without any apprehension from the justice of men, and by that which they have acquired in cases of con science, they have established maxims, by which they are empowered to do as they choose, without dreading the jus tice of God. Such, fathers, is the origin of so many base impostures. From this source, your father Brisacier drew, tUl he brought upon himself the censure of the archbishop of Paris. It was this which led your father d'Anjou, openly in the pulpit of the church of St. Benedict at Paris, on the eighth of March, 1655, to decry those persons of quality who received the subscriptions for the poor of Picardy and Champagne, to which they had so hberally contributed themselves ; and to declare (which was a horrible falsehood, and enough to have destroyed all charity, had your impostures obtained any kind of credit,) " that he knew for certain that these persons had misapplied this money, to employ it against the church and state ; which obliged the curate of the parish, a doctor of the Sorbonne, to preach next day, for the ex press purpose of confuting these calumnious representations. Your father Crasset, upon the same jprinciple, published from the pulpit so many impostures in Orleans, which rendered 21 242 THE CATHOLIC. it necessary for the bishop to interdict him as a public im postor, by a mandate of the ninth of September last, in which he declares, " that he prohibits brother John Crasset, priest of the society of Jesus, from preaching in his diocese; and all the people from hearing him, under pain of being guilty of a mortal disobedience; he having been apprised that the said Crasset had delivered a discourse from the pulpit, full of falsehoods and calumnies against the clergy of that city, falsely and. maliciously charging them with main taining such heretical propositions as these — that it is im possible to keep the commandments of God — that internal grace is irresistible — and that Christ did not die for all men, with others of a similar nature, condemned by Innocent X." This, fathers, is your ordinary imposture, and the first with which you attack those whom you deem it important to decry. And though it be as impossible to prove your charges, as it is for father Crasset to substantiate his against the clergy of Orleans, your conscience is quite easy, " be cause you believe that this mode of detraction is so certain ly allowable," that you are not afraid to declare it openly in the face of a whole city. A remarkable instance of this occurred in your disagree ment with M. Puys, a clergyman of St. Nisier, at Lyons ; and, as this affair furnishes a complete illustration of your spirit, I shall relate the principal circumstances. You know, fathers, that in 1649, Mr. Puys translated an excellent work, written by another capuchin, into French, " On the duty of Christians to their own parishes, against those who wished to entice them away," — without using any invectives, and without either pointing at any religious order or individual. Your fathers, however, took itfto themselves, and paying no respect to an aged pastor, a judge in the primacy of France, and much honored by the whole city, your father Alby wrote a violent philippic agajjist him, which you yourselves sold in your own church on Assumption-day ; in which, amongst APPENDIX. 243 other charges, he was accused of " becoming scand.alons by his ¦ gallantries, of being suspected of impiety, of being a heretic, an excommunicated person, and deserving to be burned alive." To this ]M. Puys replied ; but father Alby, in a second publication, persisted in his former criminations. Is it not then evident, fathers, either that you must be calum niators, or that you believed all the charges brought against the good priest ; and therefore that it was needful that you should have seen him fully exculpated before you deemed him worthy of your friendship ? Attend now to what passed at the reconcihation, in presence of a great multitude of the most distinguished persons of the cit}', whose names are in serted below, in the order in which they were placed in the paper drawn up on the 25th of September, 1650.* In the presence of this assembly, M. Puys made no other declara tion than the foUowing ; " that what he had written was not intended for the Jesuits — that he had spoken in general against those who seduce the faithful from their parishes, without at all meaning to attack their society, for which, on the contrary, he cherished a high regard." This is in itself sufficient, with regard to his apostasy, his revUings, and his excommunication, without any recantation or absolution. Father Alby afterwards addressed him in these words : " Sir, my conviction that you attacked the society to which I have the honor to belong, induced me to take up my pen to answer you, and I thought my manner of doing it was allow able ; but having become better acquainted with your inten- i M. de ViUe, vicar-general of the Cardinal de Lyon ; Mr. Scarron, canon and minister of St. Paul's ; M. Margat, chanter ; Messrs. Bou- vaud, Seve, Anbert, and Dervieu, canons of St. Nisier ; M. du Gue, president of the treasurers of Prance ; M. Groslier, provost of the merchants ; M. de Elechere, president and lieutenant-general ; Messrs. de Boissat, de St. Romain, and de Bartoly, gentlemen ; M. Burgeois, king's chief advocate in the treasury-office of Prance ; Messrs. de Cotton, father and son ; M. Boniel ; who all signed the original dec laration with JI. Puys and Father Alby. 244 THE CATHOLIC. tion, I now declare, that there exists nothing which can prevent my esteeming j-ou as a person of a very enhghtened under standing, of a profound and orthodox faith, of irreproachable morals, and in one word, a worthy pastor of your church. This declaration I make with high satisfaction, and beg these gentlemen to remember it." In truth, fathers, these gentlemen remember it perfectly well, and were more offended at your reconcihation, than at your quarrel. For who does not admire father Alby's speech ? He does not say that he retracts on account of dis covering M. Puys has changed his behaviour and his doc trine, but merely " because he found that it was not his in tention to attack your society, so that there is nothing to prevent him from being a good catholic.'' He did not, there fore, believe him to be a heretic at all ; nevertheless, after accusing him of it, contrary to his own convictions, he does not acknowledge his error, but dares, on the contrary, to affirm, " that he believes the manner in which he used him was allowable." THE JESUITS AND THE JANSENISTS.^ The primary engagement of the society of Jesuits was, to defend the interests of the See of Rome ; indeed it was instituted for that very purpose. But its connection with France and the house of Bourbon had become so strong and intimate, that in all the collisions -which gradually arose between the interests of Rome and those of France it almost invariably took the side of the latter. The works of the Jesuits were sometimes condemned by the Inquisition at Rome, because they defended too vehemently the rights of the crown. The heads of the French Jesuits avoided all intercourse with the pope's nuncio, for fear of incurring the suspicion of ultramontane opinions. Nor in other respects had the See of Rome much reason to boast of the obedience of that order at the period in question ; in the missions es pecially, the pope's decrees were almost always utterly dis regarded. Another of the fundamental principles of the Jesuits was, the renunciation of aU worldly ties, and entire devotion to their spiritual duties. The rule that every new member should renounce all he possessed on his admission, had for merly been most strictly enforced. At first the execution of this rule was delayed for a time, and when fulfilled, it was only conditionally, because the member was always hable to expulsion ; at last the custom was introduced, that a member should make over his property to the society 1 Extract from Ranke's History of the Popes, p. 198 to 209. 21 * (2«) 246 THE CATHOLIC. itself, taking care, however, that it should always fall to the share of the particular college which he entered, so as fre quently to keep the administration of it in his own hands, though under another title. It frequently happened that the members of the colleges had more leisure time than their relations, who were engaged in active life, and there fore managed their affairs, received their money, and carried on their lawsuits. This mercantile spirit became predominant even in the colleges in their corporate character. They wished to secure to themselves the possession of wealth ; and as the large donations they formerly received had ceased, they sought to effect this by means of trade. The Jesuits recognized little distinction between the cultivation of the soil, which had been practised by the earliest monks, and those commercial pursuits to which they addicted themselves. The CoUegio Romano had a manufactory of cloth at Macerata, at first merely for their own use, then for all the colleges in the province, and at last for general consumption. Their agents frequented the fairs. The intimate connection subsisting between the different colleges contributed to establish a sys tem of money-changing ; thus the Portuguese minister at Rome was authorized to. draw upon the Jesuits of his own country. In the colonies especially, their commercial specu lations were highly successful ; and the vast web of their commercial relations, the centre of which was Lisbon, ex tended over both continents. This was a spirit, which, when once called into activity, necessarily affected the whole internal character of the society. The Jesuits always formally adhered to the fundamental principle of giving gratuitous instruction. But they re ceived presents on the entrance of any pupil, and at certain festivals — at least two in the course of the year ; they were chiefly anxious to have scholars from among the rich. APPENDIX. 247 who naturally deriving from their wealth a certain f(?eling of independence, would no longer submit to the severity of ' the ancient discipline. A Jesuit who raised his stick against one of his pupils, received in return a st.ab with a poignard, and a young man in Gubbio who thought himself treated with too much severity by the father prefecto, killed him. In Rome itself the disturbances in the CoUegio furnished constant matter of conversation to the city and the palace. On one occasion the tutors were kept locked up a whole day by their scholars ; and at length the rector was actually dismissed in compliance with their demands. These were among the symptoms of a univeral struggle between the ancient order of things and the new spirit ; a struggle in which the latter was finally victorious. The Jesuits could no longer exercise that influence over the minds of men which they had formerly possessed. But indeed it was no longer their aim to subjugate the world, or to imbue it with the spirit of religion. On the contrary, the spirit which once animated them had fallen before the temptations and influences of the world, and their sole endeavor now was to make themselves necessary to mankind, let the means be what they might. To this end they not only accommodated the rules of their institute, but even the precepts of religion and morality. To the oflice of confession, which enabled them to exercise so immediate an influence on the most secret recesses of do mestic life, they gave a direction which wiU be memorable to the end of time. Of this we possess authentic and undoubted proofs. In numerous elaborate works they have stated and expounded the rules which they observed at confession and absolution, and which they prescribed to others. These rules are es sentially the same as those with which they have been so often reproached. Let u.? endeavor to understand the lead ing principles, by pursuing which, they acquired such exten sive power. 248 THE CATHOLIC. In confession every thing must inevitably depend upon the conception formed of transgression and of sin. Sin they define to be a wilful departure from the com mands of God. And in what, we may further inquire, consists this wilful ness ? Their answer is, in perfect knowledge of the nature of the sin committed, and in the full consent of the will to its commission. They adopted this principle from the ambition of pro pounding something entirely new, combined with the desire of accommodating themselves to the common practices of mankind. With scholastic subtlety, and with a compre hensive view of the various cases falling within its scope, they carried out this principle to its most revolting conse quences. According to their doctrine, it was enough not to will the commission of sin, as such ; the less the sinner thought of God, during the commission of his offence, and the more violent the passion which hurried him into its commission, the greater was the hope of pardon. Habit, or even bad example, which limit the freedom of the will, are sufficient exculpations. It is evident how infinitely the boundaries of transgression were thus narrowed ; since no man loves sin for itself They also recognized other grounds of excuse. For example, duelling is strictly prohibited by the church ; nevertheless the Jesuits asserted, that if any man were in danger of being held a coward, or of losing an office or the favor of his prince, by refusing to fight a duel, he was not to be condemned for fighting. Perjury is in itself a deadly sin ; but, said the Jesuits, a man who only swears outwardly, without inwardly intending, what he swears, is not bound by his oath ; for he does not swear, he jests. These doctrines are to be found in works which expressly describe themselves as moderate. Who would wish now, as those times have gone by, to trace further the tortuous APPENDIX. 249 aberrations of a subtlety destructive of all morality : or to explore the records of perverted acuteness in which these teachers have labored with all the ardor of literary rivalry to outdo each other ? But it cannot be denied that the most repulsive maxims of individual doctors, are rendered most dangerous by another principle maintained by the Jesuits, namelj', by their doctrine of probability. They maintained that it was permitted in doubtful cases to foUow an opinion, of the justice of which the individual himself was not con vinced — supposing always that it was defended by any author of credit; they held it not only allowable to be directed by the most indulgent teachers, they even recom mended it. Scruples of conscience were to be disregarded and contemned ; indeed the true way to free the mind from them, was to foUow the most tolerant opinions, even if they were less safe. The secret operations of that awful tribunal which is established in the inmost depths of the heart of man, were thus changed into mere outward acts. A slight turn of the thoughts was held to exonerate from aU guilt. In the manuals written by the Jesuits for the guidance of their novices, all the possible accidents of life are treated much in the same spirit as in the systems of civil law, and judged according to the gradations of their veniahty; it was only necessary to refer to these books and follow the directions therein contained, without any individual convic tion, to obtain the certainty of absolution from God and the church. With a singular kind of simplicity the Jesuits themselves were sometimes astonished to find how easy the yoke of Christ was rendered by their doctrines. 12. The Jansenists. It is obvious that all vitality must have been extinct in the Catholic church, if some opposition had not instantly 250 THE CATHOLIC. arisen to these most corrupting doctrines, and to the whole state of public opinion and public morals of which they were both effect and cause. Most of the orders were already at variance with the Jesuits ; the Dominicans on account of their dissent from Thomas Aquinas, the Franciscans and Capuchins on account of the exclusive power which the Jesuits claimed in the missions of further Asia : sometimes they were attacked by the bishops, whose authority they lessened ; at other times by the parish priests with whose duties they interfered ; even in the universities, especially in France and the Netherlands, they frequently encountered opposition. But all this desultory warfare constituted no vigorous or effec tive resistance, which indeed could only spring from a more profound conviction, quickened by a fresher spirit. For the moral code of the Jesuits was in exact accord ance with their theological dogmas ; in both they aUowed great scope to the freedom of the will. This, however, was the very point against wliich was directed the most formidable opposition ever encountered by the Jesuits, the origin and progress of which were as follows. During those years in which the disputes concerning the means of grace kept the whole body of theologians of the Catholic church in a state of constant contention, two young men, Cornelius Jansen of Holland, and .lean du Verger of Gascony, were pursuing their studies at Louvain ; both of whom, actuated by an equally profound conviction, had espoused the more rigid doctrine which had never entirely disappeared at that university, and had conceived an intense hatred to the Jesuits. Du Verger was the superior in rank and fortune ; he therefore took his friend with him to Bayonne. There they devoted themselves to a profound and unremitting study of the works of St. Augustine, and imbibed for the doctrines of that father of the church con- APPENDIX. 251 cerning grace and freewill, an enthusiasm which decided the complexion of their whole remaining lives. AVhile Jansenius who became professor at Louvain and bishop of Ypres, labored to restore the influence of these doctrines by theoretical, Du Verger, who was made abbot of St. C}Tan, strove to accomplish the same end by practical, as ceticism. The book entitled Augustinus, in which Jansenius fully and systematically expounded his own religious creed, is most remarkable ; not only as boldly assailing the moral code and religious dogmas of the Jesuits, but as making this assault for the purpose of restoring the doctrines of grace, sin, and forgiveness, which had degenerated into mere tra ditional formula;, to the efficacy of a vital faith. Jansenius sets out from the principle of the servitude of man's will ; he maintains that it is taken captive and held in bonds by the desire after earthly things, and unable of its own strength to raise itself from that condition; grace must come to the assistance of the will ; that grace which is not so much remission of sins, as liberation of the soul from the bonds of desire. We now arrive at his own peculiar views. Grace, he says, is manifested by that higher and purer pleasure which was felt by the soul in godly things. The effectual grace of the Saviour is no other than a spiritual delight, by which the will is impelled to intend and to perform that which God has decreed. It is the involuntary impulse given by God to the will of man, in consequence of which he takes delight in good, and is moved to strive after- its attainment. Jan senius repeatedly inculcates the maxim, that the motive to good should not be fear of punishment, but love of right eousness. From this point he ascends to the higher question — what this righteousness is ? The answer is, God himself. 252 THE CATHOLie. For we must not figure to ourselves God under a bodily form, nor under any image, not even that of the light ; -we must look upon him and love him as the Eternal Truth, from which flows all truth and wisdom ; as Righteous ness, not considered as a quality of the soul, but as an Idea, a supreme inviolable rule existing in the soul. The rules of our actions have their origin in the eternal law, and are a reflection of its light; whosoever loveth righteousness, loveth God. Man does not necessarily become good by directing his mind to this or that particular virtue, but by keeping in view the one immutable supreme Good, which is truth, which is God himself. Virtue is the love of God. In this very love consists the liberation of the will ; since its inexpressible sweetness annihilates the pleasure arising from the gi-atification of man's evil desires ; hence arises a voluntary and blissful necessity not to commit sin, but to live a good life : and this is the true freewill — a wUl freed from evil and exclusively determined by good. The degree to which the dogmatical deductions in this work are developed with all the clearness of philosophical argument, in the midst of the polemical zeal of hostile dis cussion, is worthy of admiration : the fundamental ideas are at once moral and religious, speculative and practical ; it opposes to the mere outward observances, and the relaxa tion of all self-discipline, of the Jesuitical system, a rigorous examination and government t)f the heart and mind ; the ideal of a system of action proceeding from, and terminating in, the love of God. Whilst Jansenius was stUl employed on this work, his friend was endeavoring to show forth in his own life, and practically to diffuse among his disciples, the ideas upon which it was founded. St. Cyran, for thus was Du Verger called, had formed for himself in the midst of Paris a learned and ascetical her- APPENDIX. 253 milage. He endeavored by an unwearied study of the Holy Scriptures and the fathers of the church, to imbue himself with their spirit. Those peculiarities of doctrine in which he concurred -with Jansenius, necessarily led him to their immediate application to the sacrament of penance. He was not satisfied with the penances enjoined by the church ; he -n-as heard to say that the church had been purer in her infanc}', as streams near their source ; that many of the truths of the gospel were now obscured. His demands were extremely rigorous. Lowliness, patience, dependence upon God, complete renunciation of the world, and the devotion of all the thoughts and words and deeds to the love of God — this alone would he allow to be Chris tianity. He had so profound a conception of the necessity of an inward. change, that according to him grace must pre cede repentance. '' When it is the will of God to save a soul, he works inwardly on the spirit ; if the heart is changed and true contrition felt, every thing else foUows ; absolution only marks the first ray of grace : as the physician must watch and follow the movements and internal operations of nature, so must those who minister to the soul's health, the work ings of grace." It was a frequent remark of his, that he had passed through the several phases of temptation and sin, to contrition, prayer, and exaltation. He communicated his thoughts to very few, and then briefly, and in a manner expressive of the serenity of his mind ; but his whole soul was filled with his subject, as he always waited for a fitting opportunity and a suitable frame of mind, not alone in him self but in others, the impression he made was irresistible ; his hearers frequently felt an involuntary change eome over them, and burst into unlocked for tears. He soon had as proselytes some of the most distinguished men in France, among whom were Arnauld d'Andilly, who was on intimate terms with Cardinal Richelieu and Anne of Austria, and was employed in the most important affairs of state ; and 22 254 THE CATHOLIC. his nephew Le Maitre, who though remarkable for being the most eloquent speaker in the French parliament, and with the most brilliant career before him, now retired from the world into strict seclusion. Angelique Arnauld, -n'hom we have already mentioned, and her nuns of Portroyal, attached themselves to St. Cyran with that absolute de- votedness which pious women are wont to feel for their prophet. Jansenius died before he could see his book printed ; St. Cyran, immediately after his first conversions, was thrown into prison by Richelieu, who had a natural antipathy to , efforts so directed and so successful ; but these calamities did not check the diffusion of their doctrines. The book of Jansenius gradually produced a deep and general impression, both from its inherent merits and from its polemical boldness. St. Cyran continued to make con verts even from his prison : the unmerited sufferings which had fallen to his lot, and which he bore with the greatest resignation, increased the reverence with which he was re garded ; and when he obtained his freedom by the death of Cardinal Richelieu, he was beheld as a saint, a John the Baptist. He died a few months afterwards, on the 11th of October, 1643; but he had established a school which looked upon his and Jansenius's doctrines as their gospel. " His disciples," says one of them, " go forth as young eagles from under his wings ; heirs of his virtues and piety, who again transmit to others what they have received from their master. Elijah left behind him more than one Elisha who completed his work." In endeavoring to obtain a clear view of the relation which the Jansenists bore to the predominant religious par ties, we are forcibly reminded of the early prptestants. They aim with the same zeal at sanctification of life ; they strive with the same earnestness to reform the system of faith, by a rejection of the additions and interpolations of APPENDIX. 255 the schools. But these points of resemblance are, in my opinion, very far from justifying us in pronouncing them to be a sort of unconscious protestants. The main difference, in an historical point of view, consists in this ; that they voluntarily admitted a principle which protestantism from the very first utterly rejected ; they remained steadily at tached to the most eminent fathers of the Latin church, whose authority had been thrown off by Germany as early as the year 15-23, such as St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory ; and even adopted some of those of the Greek church, especially St. Chrysostom. In the works of these illus trious men they thought they possessed a genuine and unadul terated tradition, from which St. Bernard had never deviated, but which, subsequent to the times of this " last of the fathers," had become obscured by the intrusion of the Aristotelic doctrines. We, therefore, find them far removed from that energetic zeal with which the protestants resorted directly to the Holy Scriptures ; their consciences were satisfied with the primary formations which had become the substra tum of the later system. They adhere to the maxim, that the visible church, in spite of moments of eclipse or of dis figurement, is yet of one spirit and even of one body with Clirist, infallible, and immortal ; they strenuously uphold the episcopal hierarchy ; they have the most profound con viction that St. Augustine was inspired by God to expound to the world, in all its fulness, the doctrine of grace, which is the very essence of the new covenant ; in him is to be found, according to them, the consummation of the Chris tian theology, which they desire to grasp at its very root, to understand to its very core, and to avoid the Pelagian errors which had often been mistaken for the opinions of St. Au gustine. The spirit of Luther was awakened by Augustine, but he then resorted without hesitation or compromise to the weUspring of instruction, the Holy Scriptures, the word of God, while on the contrary, orthodox Catholicism held fast 256 THE CATHOLIC. to the system matured by the lapse of centuries, in all its integrity ; the Jansenists, on the other hand, seek to enforce the creed of Augustine as such ; — as comprehending all that had gone before, and as laying the foundation of all that was to come after. Protestantism rejects tradition- Catholicism clings to it ; Jansenism seeks to purify it, and to reestablish it in its primitive form and authenticity, and thus hopes to effect the regeneration both of life and doctrine. A company of persons of some consideration, who em braced these opinions, soon assembled in the hermitage of Portroyal des Champs, whither Le Maitre had originally retired. At first indeed the circle was very limited, consisting principally of members and friends of the Arnauld family. Le Maitre induced four of his brothers to join him. Their mother, from whom they had imbibed their religious senti ments, was by birth an Arnauld ; Arnauld d'Andilly was the oldest friend of St. Cyran, who bequeathed his heart to him, and after a time he too joined the company ; his youngest brother, Antoine Arnauld, was the author of the first considerable work in defence of their opinions. Many other relations and friends soon foUowed their example. The convent also of Portroyal at Paris was almost exclusively in the hands of that family ; Andilly relates that his mother, who retired thither at the close of her life, beheld around her twelve daughters and granddaughters. It may not be superfluous to mention that the expulsion of the Jesuits from Paris in the year 1594, had been mainly owing to the potent and brilliant eloquence of an elder Antoine Arnauld, from whom all these were descended. Antipathy to the Jesuits appeared to be hereditary in the race. This narrow circle of friends, however, was soon largely extended. Many joined them, who had no other connection but that APPENDIX. 257 of similarity of opinions ; Singlin, a disciple of St. Cyran, and an eminent preacher at Paris, w,is especially active in the cause. He was remarkable for the peculiarity, that whereas in the common intercourse of life he expressed himself with ditBculty, he no sooner ascended the pulpit than he displayed the most overpowering eloquence. His most zealous followers were sent to Portroyal, where they were cordially welcomed. They were chiefly young ecclesiastics, and learned men, rich merchants, men of the highest fami- hes, physicians who had aheady acquired a station in the world, and members of various religious orders ; in short, aU of them were men who were induced to take this step from inward impulse and sincere conviction. In this retreat, which may be likened to a convent held together by no vows, many religious exercises were per formed ; the churches were zealously attended ; prayers were frequently offered up both in company and in solitude ; agricultural pursuits, or some handicraft, were followed by the members ; but they chiefly devoted their time to letters ; the religious society of Portroyal was likewise a sort of hterary academy. Whilst the Jesuits were hoarding up learning in huge foUos, or were losing themselves in the mazes of the revolt ing subtleties of an artificial system of morals and dogmas, the Jansenists addressed themselves to the nation. They began by translating the Holy Scriptures, the fathers of the church, and Latin prayerbooks ; they hap pily avoided the old Prankish forms which had till now been so prejudicial to the popularity of all works of that kind, and expressed themselves with an attractive clearness of style. The establishment of a seminary at Portroyal led them to compose school-books on the ancient and modern languages, logic, and geometry, which emanating from minds not trammelled by antiquated forms, contained new methods, the merits of which have been universally admitted. They 22* 258 THE CATHOLIC. also published polemical writings, the acuteness and precis ion of which confounded their enemies ; or works of the profoundest piety, such as " Les Heures de Portroyal," which were received with the iitmost eagerness, and were as new and as much in request, after the lapse of a century, as on the first day of their appearance. Men of the lofty genius and the profound science of Pascal, of the poetical originaUty and perfection of Racine, and of the wide range of knowledge of Tillemont were formed within their walls. Their labors extended, as we see, far beyond the circle of ascetic theology which Jansen and Du Verger had traced. It would not be too much to assert, that this union of men of high intellect, and filled with noble objects, who, in their mutual intercourse, and by their original and unassisted efforts gave rise to a new tone of expression and a new method of communicating ideas, had a most remarkable influence on the whole form and character of the literature of France, and hence of Europe ; and that the literary splendor of the age of Louis XIV. may be in part ascribed to the society of Portroyal. It was impossible that the spirit which had given birth to all these productions should not penetrate the whole nation ; adherents arose in all quarters, especially among the parish priests, who had long regarded with detesta tion the mode of confession practised by the Jesuits. Sometimes it appeared — for instance in the time of Car dinal Retz — as if the Jansenists were about to make converts among the higher clergy; and some important offices were actually distributed among them. We soon find them not only in the Netherlands and in France ; but even in Spain they had some partisans, and in the time of Innocent X. a Jansenist preacher publicly promulgated his doctrines in Rome. EXTRACT FROil PREFACE TO EXPOSITION OF THE XEW TESTAMENT BY MATTHEW HENKY. hksuccessful efforts of the jansekists to cieoulate the new testament. " Fathek Quesnel, a French papist but a Jansenist, pub hshed the New Testament in French, in several small volumes, with moral reflections on every verse, to render the reading of it more profitable, and meditation upon it more easy. It was much esteemed in France, for the sake of the piety and devotion which appeared in it, and it had several impressions. The Jesuits were much disgusted, and solicited the pope for the condemnation of it, though the author of it was a papist, and many things in it countenanced popish superstition. After much struggling about it in the Court of Rome, a buU was at length obtained, at the request of the French king, from the present pope, Clement XL, hearing date September 8, 1713, by which the said book, with what title or in what language soever it is printed, is prohibited and condemned; both the New Testament itself, because in many things varying from the vulgar Latin, and the Anno tations, as containing divers propositions (above a hundred are enumerated) scandalous and pernicious, injurious to the church and its customs, impious, blasphemous, savoring of heresy. And the propositions are such as these : " That the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is the effectual principle of all manner of good, is necessary for every good action ; for without it nothing is done, nay, nothing can be done." (259) 260 THE CATHOLIC. " That it is a sovereign grace, and is an operation of the Almighty hand of God." "That when God accompanies his word with the internal power of his grace, it operates in the soul the obedience which it demands." " That faith is the first grace, and the fountain of all others." " That it is in vain for us to call God our Father, if we do not cry to him with the spirit of love." " That there is no God, nor religion, where there is no charity." " That the Catholic church comprehends the angels and all the elect and just men of the earth, of all ages." " That it has the word in carnate for its head, and all the saints for its members." " That it is profitable and necessary at all times, in all places, and for all sorts of persons, to know the Holy Scriptures." " That the holy obscurity of the word of God is no reason for the laity not reading it." " That the Lord's day ought to be sanctified by reading books of piety, especiaUy the Holy Scriptures.'-' And " that to forbid Christians from reading the Scriptures, is to prohibit the use of light to the children of light." Many such positions as these, which the spirit of every good Christian cannot but relish as true and good, are condemned by the Pope's bull as impious and blasphemous. And this bull, though strenuously opposed by a great number of the bishops in France who were weU affected to the notions of Father Quesnel, was yet received and confirmed by the French king's letters patent, bearing date at Versailles, February 14, 1714, which forbid aU manner of persons, upon pain of exemplary punishment, so much as to keep any of those books in their houses ; and adjudge any that should hereafter write in defence of the propositions condemned by the pope, as disturbers of the peace. EXTRACT FROM D' ISRAELIS CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE.' THE POETROYAL SOCIETY,. EvEKT lover of letters has heard of this learned society, which, says Gibbon, contributed so much to estabhsh in France a taste for just reasoning, simplicity of style, and philosophical method. Their " logic, or the art of think ing,'' for its lucid, accurate, and diversified matter, is still an admirable work; notwithstanding the writers at that time had to emancipate themselves from the barbarism of the scholastic logic with cautious boldness. It was the conjoint labor of Arnauld and NicoUe. Europe has bene fited by the labors of these learned men : but not many have attended to the origin and dissolution of this hterary society. In the year 1637, Le Maitre, a celebrated advocate, re signed the bar, and the honor of being Conseiller d' Etat, which his uncommon merit had obtained him, though then only twenty-eight years of age. His brother, De Sericourt, who had followed the miUtary profession, quitted it at the same time. Consecrating themselves to the service of God, they retired into a smaU house near the Portroyal of Paris, where they were joined by their brothers De Sacy, De St. Elme, and De Valmont. Arnauld, one of their 1 Page 27. (261) 262 THE CATHOLIC. most illustrious associates, was induced to enter into the Jansenist controversy, and then it was they encountered the powerful persecution of the Jesuits. Constrained to re move from that spot, they fixed their residence at a few leagues from Paris, and called it Portroyal des Champs. With these iUustrious recluses many distinguished persons now retired, who had given up their parks and houses to be appropriated to their schools ; and this community was called the Society of Portroyal. Here were no rules, no vows, no constitution, and no ceUs formed. Prayer, and study, and manual labor were their only occupations. They applied themselves to the education of youth, and raised up little academies in the neighborhood, where the members of the Portroyal, the most illustrious names of literary France, presided. None considered his birth entitled him to any exemption from their public offices, relieving the poor and attending on the sick, and employing themselves in their farms and gardens ; they were carpen ters, ploughmen, gardeners, and vine-dressers, etc., as if they had practised'nothing else ; they studied physic, and surgery, and law ; in truth, it seems that from religious motives, these learned men attempted to form a community of primitive Christianity. The Duchess of Longueville, once a political chief, sacri ficed her ambition on the altar of Portroyal, enlarged the monastic enclosure with spacious gardens and orchards, built a noble house, and often retreated to its seclusion. The learned D'Andilly, the translator of Josephus, after his studious hours, resorted to the cultivation of fruit-trees ; and the fruit of Portroyal became celebrated for its size and flavor. Presents were sent to the Queen-Mother of France, Anne of Austria, and Cardinal Mazarine, who used to call it " Frutti beni." It appears that " families of rank, afflu ence, and piety, who did not wish entirely to give up their avocations in the world, built themselves country-houses in APPENDIX. 263 the valley of Portroyal, in order to enjoy the society of its reUgious and literary inhabitants." In the solitude of Portroyal, Racine received his educa tion ; and, on his death-bed desired to be buried in its ceme tery, at the feet of his master, Hamon. Arnauld, persecuted, and dying in a foreign country, still cast his lingering looks on this beloved retreat, and left the society his heart, which vas there inui-ned. Anne de Bourbon, a princess of the blood royal, erected a house near the Portroyal, and was, during her life, the pow erful patroness of these solitary and religious men ; but her death in 1679, was the fatal stroke which dispersed them for ever. The en-vy and the fears of the Jesuits, and their rancor against Arnauld, who with such ability had exposed their designs, occasioned the destruction of the Portroyal So ciety. Exinanite, exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ae ! Annihilate it, annihilate it, to its very foundations ! Such are the terms in the Jesuitic decree. The Jesuits had long called the little schools of* Portroyal the hotbeds of heresy. Gregoire, in his interesting memoir of " Ruins of Port royal," has drawn an affecting picture of that virtuous society, when the Jesuits obtained by their intrigues an order from government to break it up. They razed the buildings, and ploughed up the very foundation ; they exhausted their hatred even on the stones, and profaned even the sanctuary of the dead ; the corpses were torn out of their graves, and dogs were suffered to contend for the rags of their shrouds. When the Portroyal had no longer an existence, the memory of that asylum of innocence and learning was still kept alive by those who collected the engravings represent ing that place by Mademoiselle Hortemels. EXTRACT FROM SEYMOUR'S MORNINGS AT ROME WITH THE JESUITS.' " Mx clerical friend, after a pause, which I was unwilling to break, lest I should express myself as strongly as I felt, resumed the conversation, and said, that the worship of the Virgin Mary was a growing worship in Rome ; that it was increasing in depth and intenseness of devotion ; and that there were now many of their divines, and he spoke of him self as agreeing with them in sentiment, who were teaching that as a woman brought in death, so a woman was to bring in life ; that as a woman brought in sin, so a woman was to bring in holiness ; that as Eve brought in damnation, so Mary was to bring in salvation ; ^d that the effect of this opinion was largely to increase the reverence and worship given to the Virgin Mary. " I said that I had read something of the kind, and also that I had seen a sort of parallel in some of the Fathers on the subject, but that it did not go so far as the modern opinion. But in order not to misunderstand him, and to prevent any mistake as to his views, I asked whether I was to understand him as implying that, as we regard Eve as the first sinner, so we are to regard Mary as the first Saviour; one as the awthor of sin, and the other as the author of the lemedy. " He replied that such was precisely the view he wished to express, and he added that it was taught by St. Alphonso de Liguori, and was a growing opinion. He seemed to think, from my seriousness of manner, that he had made an 1 Seymour, p. 44-46. (264) APPENDIX. 265 impression on me very different from the reality, for I was deeply grieved at his statement, in which there was not the least allusion to Christ. Mai-y seemed to be substituted for Christ. "¦ I felt that he had gone very far, but I also felt he had not gone further than my own impressions as to the religion of Italy, so far as I had seen it. I therefore took the oppor tunity of saying what otherwise I would have been unwill ing to express. I introduced it by some courteous and apol ogetic expressions, to prevent his taking any offence, and assured him I felt happy in being able to speak my mind to one so capable of understanding and appreciating my feel ings, and I prayed him not to be offended at my freedom. I then stated, with aU the seriousness the subject demanded, and aU the solemnity I could command, that, from aU I had observed of the rehgion of Italy, whether as exhibited in the churches, displayed in processions, or expressed in pri vate ; whether as exhibited in the forms of prayer, in the object of worship, in the books of devotion, or in the con versation of the people, it appeared to me to be character ized by one great feature, which forced itself unceasingly on my mind. It seemed to me that all tended to the honor of Mary rather than to the honor of Christ ; and that this seemed to me to be carried to such an extreme, that I felt in my cahn and sober judgment that the religion of Italy ought to be caUed the religion of Mary rather than the religion of Christ ! I again apologized for so strong an opinion, but added that, feehng strongly on the point, I wished to express myself with a frankness and sincerity, which I hoped he would excuse. " I watched anxiously to see the impression of my words ; I feared that, as they would have eUcited a burst of indigna tion, real or affected, among the Romanists of England or of Ireland, so they might possibly cause some offence even in Italy ; but it was far otherwise. He seemed quite un- 23 266 THE CATHOLIC. moved, as if he received my words as a matter of course — as expressing something very natural and of no unfrequent occurrence. His reply was made with perfect ease and en tire frankness. " He stated that my impression was very natural ; that such was reaUy the appearance of things ; that, coming from Germany, where Christ on the cross was the ordinary object of veneration, into Italy, where the Virgin Mary was the universal object of reverence, it was no more than natural such an impression should have been created ; that such an impression was very much the reahty of the case ; and that, to his own knowledge, the rehgion of Italy was latterly be coming less and less the religion of Christ ; and that " the devotion to the most Holy Virgin," as he caUed it, was cer tainly on the increase. " I was perfectly startled, not, indeed, at the statement itself, for it was too palpably true to escape the observation of any one, but that a man, a minister of Christianity, should describe such a state of things with the manifest approval he exhibited." EFFECTS AND TENDENCY OP THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION.' It is evident, that the papacy hath devoured all the privUeges and rights of all orders in the church, either granted by God, or estabhshed in the ancient canons. The royalties of Peter are become immense ; and, con sistently to his practice, the pope doth allow men to teU him to his face, that aU power in heaven and in earth is given unto him. It belongeth to him to judge of the whole church. He hath a plenitude (as he calleth it) of power, by whieh he can infringe any law, or do any thing that he pleaseth. It is the tenor of his buUs, that whoever rashly dareth to thwart his wUl shaU incur the indignation of Almighty God, and (as if that were not enough) of St. Peter and St. Paul also. No man must presume to tax his faults, or to judge of his judgment. It is idolatry to disobey his commands, against their own sovereign lord. There are who dare in plain terms call him omnipotent, and who ascribe infinite power to him. And that he is in faUible is the most common and plausible opinion : so that at Rome the contrary is erroneous, and within an inch of being heretical. We are now told, that " if the pope should err by enjoin- 1 An extract from a Treatise on the Pope's Supremacy, by Dr. Bar row, vol. 7, p. 290. (267) 268 THE CATHOLIC. ing vices or forbidding virtues, the church should be bound to believe vices to be good, and virtues evil, unless it would sin against conscience." The greatest princes must stoop to his -wiU ; otherwise he hath- power to cashier and depose them. Now what greater inconvenience, what more horrible iniquity can there be, than that all God's people (that free people, who are eaUed to freedom) should be subject to so intolerable a yoke and miserable a slavery ? That tyranny soon had crept into the Roman church Soc rates telleth us. They have rendered true that definition of Scioppius : " The church is a stall, or herd, or multitude of beasts, or asses." * They bridle us, they harness us, they spur us, they lay yokes and laws upon us. The greatest tyranny that ever was invented in the world is the pretence of infalUbility : for Dionysius and Phalaris did leave the mind free, (pretending only to dispose of body and goods according to their wUl) : but the pope, not content to make us do and say what he pleaseth, wiU have us also to think so ; denouncing his imprecations and spiritual menaces, if we do not. Such an authority wUl inevitably produce a depravation of Christian doctrine, by distorting it in accommodation of it to the promoting its designs and interests. It will blend Christianity with worldly notions and policies. It certainly will introduce new doctrines, and interpret the old ones so as may serve to the advancement of the power, reputation, pomp, wealth, and pleasure, of those who manage it, and of their dependents.^ 1 The immaculate conception is one of these "new doctrines." The Abbe Laborde, of the Diocese of Auch in Prance, has published a work " On the impossibility of the Immaculate Conception as an arti cle of Paith," which has passed through three editions in Prance, and APPENDIX. 269 That which is called Kairr/Xiv^iv rbv Twyov wv Geoti, to m.lkc a trade of religion will be the great work of the teachers of the church. It will turn all divines into mercenary, slavish, designing flatterers. This we see come to pass, Christianity by the papal in fluence being from its original simplicity transformed into quite .inother thing than it was ; from a divine philosophy designed to improve the reason, to moderate the passions, to correct the manners of men, to prepare men for conversa tion with God and angels, modelled to a system of poUtic devices, (of notions, of precepts, of rites,) serving to exalt and enrich the pope, -with his court and adherents, chents and vassals. What doctrine of Christian theology, as it is interpreted by their schools, hath not a direct aspect, or doth not squint that way ? especiaUy according to the opinions passant and in vogue among them. To pass over those concerning the pope, (his universal pastorship, judgeship in controversies, power to caU councils, presidency in them, superiority over them ; right to confirm or annul them ; his infallibility ; his double sword, and dominion (direct or indirect) over princes ; his dispensing in laws, in oaths, in vows, in matrimonial cases, with all other the been republished in a translation by Hooker of Philadelphia. In this he demonstrates that in the days of Thomas Aquinas, the doctrine was not held in the schools, that it took its rise in the time of St. Ber nard, and that the friends of the immaculate conception are witnesses to its modern origin and progress. He exposes the anti-Christian code of morality of modern Eome, and asks, " why should it surprise us, then, that the men who have destroyed the practice of primitive morality, should balance their work by the introduction of a now faith," and urges, in a Catholic tone, " that the opinion of the immac ulate conception cannot be established as a dogma, and proposed as an article of belief, without shaking the foundations of religion." He has consequently been removed, and his book placed on the index of prohibited works. 23* 270 THE CATHOLIC. monstrous prerogatives, which the sound doctors of Rome, with encouragement of that chair, do teach). What doth the doctrine concerning the exempting of the clergy from secular jurisdiction, and immunity of their goods from taxes signify, but their entire dependence on the pope, and their being closely tied to his interests ? What is the exemption of monastical places from the juris diction of bishops, but listing so many soldiers and advocates to defend and advance the papal empire ? What meaneth the doctrine concerning that middle region of souls, or cloister of purgatory, whereof the pope holdeth the keys ; opening and shutting it at his pleasure, by dispen sation of pardons and indulgences ; but that he must be master of the people's condition, and of their purse ? What meaneth the treasure of merits and supererogatory works, whereof he is the steward, but a way of driving a trade, and drawing money from simple people to his treasury ? Whither doth the entangling of folks in perpetual vows tend, but to assure them in a slavish dependence on their interests, eternally, without evasion or remedy ; except by favorable dispensation from the pope .' Why is the opus operatum in sacraments taught to confer grace, but to breed a high opinion of the priest, and aU he doth? Whence did the monstrous doctrine of transubstantiation (urged with so furious zeal) issue, but from design to mag nify the credit of those, who by saying of a few words can make our God and Saviour ? and withal to exercise a nota ble instance of their power over men, in making them to re nounce their reason and senses ? Whither doth tend the doctrine concerning the mass being a propitiatory sacrifice for the dead, but to engage men to leave in their wills good sums to offer in their behalf? Why is the cup withholden from the laity, but to lay it low by so notable a distinction, in the principal mystery of our religion, from the priesthood ? APPENDIX. 271 Why is saying private mass (or celebrating the commun ion in solitude) allowed, but because priests are paid for it, and live by it ? At what doth the doctrine concerning the necessity of au ricular confession aim, but that thereby the priests m.ay have a mighty awe on the consciences of all people, may dive into their secrets, may manage their h^es as they please ? And what doth a like necessary particular absolution intend, but to set the priest in a lofty state of authority above the people, as a judge of his condition and dispen ser of his salvation ? Why do they equal ecclesiastical traditions with Scrip ture, but that on the pretence of them they may obtrude whatever doctrines advantageous to their designs ? What drift hath the doctrine concerning the infallibility of churches or councils, but that, when opportunity doth invite, he may call a company of bishops together to estab lish what he liketh, which ever after must pass for certain truth, to be contradicted by none ; so enslaving the minds of all men to his dictates, which always suit to his in terest. What doth the prohibition of Holy Scripture drive at, but a monopoly of knowledge to themselves, or a detaining of people in ignorance of truth and duty ; so that they must be forced to rely on them for direction, must believe all they say, and blindly submit to their dictates ; being dis abled to detect their errors, or contest their opinions ? Why must the sacraments be celebrated, and public devo tions exercised, in an unknown tongue, but that the priests may seem to have a peculiar interest in them, and abUity for them ? Why must the priesthood be so indispensably forbidden marriage, but that it may be wholly untacked from the State, and rest addicted to him, and governable by him ; 272 THE CATHOLIC. that the persons and wealth of priests may be purely at his devotion ? To what end is the clogging religion by multiplication of ceremonies and formalities, but to amuse the people, and maintain in them a blind reverence toward the interpreters of the dark mysteries couched in them ; and by seeming to encourage an exterior show of piety (or form of godliness) to gain reputation and advantage, whereby they might op press the interior virtue and reality of it, as the Scribes and Pharisees did, although with less designs ? Why is the veneration of images and relics, the credence of miracles and legends, the undertaking of pilgrimages and voyages to Rome, and other places, more holy than or dinary ; sprinklings of holy water, consecrations of baubles, (with innumerable foppish knacks and trinkets,) so cher ished ; but to keep the people in a slavish credulity and dotage, apt to be led by them whither they please, by any sleeveless pretence, and in the meanwhile to pick various gains from them by such trade ? What do all such things mean, but obscuring the native simplicity of- Christianity, whereas it being represented in telligible to all men, would derogate from that high admira tion, whieh these men pretend to from their peculiar and profound wisdom ? And what would men spend for these toys, if they understood they might be good Christians, and get to heaven without them ? What doth all that pomp of religion serve for, but for ostentation of the dignity of those who administer it ? It may be pretended for the honor of religion, but it really conduceth to the glory of the priesthood, who shine in those pageantries. Why is monkery (although so very different from that which was in the ancient times) so cried up as a superlative state of perfection, but that it filleth all places with swarms of lusty people, who are vowed servants to him, and have APPENDIX. 273 little else to do but to advance that authority by which they subsist in that dronish way of life ? In fine, perusing the controversies of BeUarmine, or any other champion of Romanism, do but consider the nature and scope of each doctrine maintained by them ; become the theme of poetry and history ; there the Roman legions had con quered ; the fame of Caractaeus had pervaded the empire ; nation after nation had been subdued ; Caractaeus himself had been made a prisoner and transported to Rome, to the spot where St. Paul stood in chains before Csesar, and made converts of every rank and condition of men, from the slave to the princess. The presumptive heir of the emperor Claudius was Britannicus ; the latest ovation bad been for British conquests ; the most intimate friends of the apostle were a British prince and princess, and the husband of the latter, all Christians. The wife of Plautius, who had subdued Britain, was probably his convert, and the apostle in the vast palace of Cassar, in the Prsetorian camp, and amidst these distinguished natives or friends of Britain, must have met also Brennus and Caractaeus. A way was thus opened for Christianity into Britain, apparently by the interposition of Divine Providence. The apostle was lib erated. The great men of Britain, like the man of Mace donia in his vision, were beckoning him onward. Did the zealous apostle require higher incentives ? APPENDIX. 287 May we not, then, presume that the .apostle of the Gen tUes, sent to preach the Gospel to every creature, feelinn- that he was released from the lion's mouth for that express purpose, would have accompanied the British monarch and his suite on their return, and have planted the church in Britain. What hght does history shed upon this subject ? Nearly all the ancient fathers concur in stating that he did preach " in the west," and Athanasius, Cyril, Epiphanius, Jerome, Theodoret, and Gregory ^ assert that he made the visit he proposed to Spain, and preached the Gospel there. Spain was on the commercial route to Britain,'^ and what more probable than this, that he passed through Spain on his way to or from the British Islands. But we have direct testimony on this point. Sophronius, a writer of the seventh century-, states expressly that St. Paul preached in Britain.* The historian, Eusebius,* in the third century, after nam ing the twelve apostles and their seventy associates, and de voting several pages to their exploits, writes that some of them visited the Persians, Armenians, Parthians, Scythians, Indians, and others passed over the ocean to the British Isles. Which of them could have passed over except St. Paul, the great missionary of the West? Lingard, the Roman Catholic critic, feels the force of this testimony of the first historian of the church, but endeavors to evade it by the suggestion that St. Paul was not one of these apos- ^ Chrysostom, Oratio in Paul. Tom. 8, p. 59 ; Theodoret on Philip. 1 : 25 ; Athanasius, Vol. I. p. 737 ; Burgess' Treatise,- p. 22. ^ Tacitus, a contemporary of St. Paul, states that Ireland was situate between Britain and Spain, and that it presented better harbors than Britain, which were known through commerce and merchants. — Tacitus' Life of Agricola. St. Jerome, speaking of St. Paul's visit to Spain, says : " In Hispaniam alienigenaram portatus est navibus." " He was carried in the ships of other nations into Spain." * Sophronius, quoted by Godwin de Praesul, p. 8. * Eusebius, Evang. Dom. Book 3, c. 5 and 7. 288 THE CATHOLIC. ties ; but he is uniformly classed either with them or above them by all the ancient fathers ; and such nice distinctions do little to weaken the evidence. The same Eusebius re peatedly speaks of the British Ocean as the Western Ocean, and elsewhere speaks of Gaul and " the western parts " be yond it, — evidently referring to Britain. Again, Gildas,* a British writer of the sixth century, in his Annals, written a. d. 564, before the final conquest of the country by the Saxons, informs us that the gospel -was received in Britain before the fatal defeat by Suetonius Pau linus of the natives under Boadicea, which defeat occurred about A. D. 61, in the reign of Nero. The evidence of the historian Eusebius to the fact that the apostles (and consequently St. Paul) planted the gospel in Britain, is of pecuhar value. Eusebius was the favorite of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, himself a native of Britain. 2 Eusebius -was a scholar and man of letters, having access to the best sources of information, and busy in collating church records and other documents as the mate rials for his Annals of the Church. This period was long prior to the invasion of the barba rians, and great dependence may be placed on his testimony. St. Jerome, the great Roman authority, and the principal author of the Vulgate, tells us that the design of God in liberating St. Paul from the lion's mouth, (his captivity in Rome,) was, that the gospel might be preached by him in the western parts also, (" occidentis quoque partihus,") and further says, that St. Paul " went from ocean to ocean." 1 Gildas. 2 Constantine, the first Christian emperor, was a native of Britain. His father, Constantius, resided many years at York ; and the em press Helena, his mother, was also a Briton. On his father's death, Constantine was proclaimed emperor in Britain. — Burgess, 137. Poly- dore 'Virgil says of Constantine : Se enim Britannica matre genitus, in Britannia natus, in Britannia imperator creatus hand dubio magnitu- dinis suEB glorise natale solum particeps effecit. — Hist. A. L. 1 . APPENDIX. 289 And what ocean can he refer to except the Atlantic, and that expanse of water known to the ancients as the British Ocean ? If to this evidence we add the testimony of Niccphorus and Dorotheus,^ the venerable Bede, and St. Paul himself, we find further confirmation. In his last Epistle to Tim othy,- the apostle writes : " Endure affiictions ; do the work of an evangelist ; make full proof of thy ministry ; for I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight ; I have finished my course." Such evidence confli-ms the proof that " the prince of the apostles," " the ruler of nations,"' the apostle Paul, planted Christianity in Britain. For we may well presume the zealous apostle, sent to aU the Gentiles, would not have felt - that he had given " full proof of his ministry," " would not have been ready to be sacrificed," or have assured his friend that he " had fought a good fight, and had finished his course," if he had omitted to preach the gospel in populous Britain, a region fUled with Roman colonies, and ready to welcome him, — the home, too, of his distinguished friends, Linus and Claudia, who join him in that epistle which pre cedes his martyrdom. It is a striking coincidence that the name of Linus, the British prince, and the name Claudia, a British princess, and of Pudens her husband, son of a Ro man senator, are aU grouped together by St. Paul in his last epistle to Timothy. Much hght is thrown upon the associates of St. Paul, by a modem discovery at Chichester, an ancient colony of the Romans in England.* 1 Usher, in his Britan. Eccles. Antiquitates, p. 9, cites from two ancient authors, namely, from " Menseis Graecoi-um," and from " Do- rotheus in his Synopsis," two distinct statements that Aristobulus, mentioned in St. Paul's Epistle to the Eomans 16 : 10, was ordained by St. Paul bishop of the Britons. -4: 5 to 7. 3 In Conybeare and Howson's Life of St. Paul, p. 500, is the ex tract here inserted. 25 290 THE CATHOLIC. The following facts, relating to the names of Pudens and Claudia, are taken from an ingenious essay on the subject, entitled " Claudia and Pudens." ^ " There are two epigrams of Martial, (iv. 13, and xi. 54,) the former of which describes the marriage of a distinguished Roman named Pudens to a foreign lady (peregrina) named Claudia ; and the latter of which tells us that this Claudia was a Briton, and gives her the cognomen of Rufina. When the latter epigram was written, she had grown up sons and daughters, but herself still retained the charms of youth. Both these epigrams were written during Martial's residence at Rome ; and therefore their date must be be tween A. D. 66 and a. d. 100. (See Clinton's Fasti.) The former of the two epigrams was not published till the reign of Domitian ; but it may very probably have been written many years earlier. Thus the Claudia and Pudens of Mar tial may be the same with the Claudia and Pudens who are - here seen as friends of St. Paul in A. d. 68. But further; Tacitus mentions (Agric. 14) that certain territories in the south-east of Britain were given to a Brit ish king, Cogidunus, as a reward for his fidelity to Rome. This occurred about A. d. 52, while Tiberius Claudius Nero, commonly called Claudius, was emperor. Again, in 1723, a marble was dug up at Chichester, with the following inscription, in which the brackets indicate the part lost by the portion of the stone broken off: — [N]EPnjNO ET MINEKV2E TEMPLtTM [pe]0 salute UOMUS DIVIN.E AUCTOKITATB TIB. CLAUD. [cO]GIDUBNI EEGIS LEGATI AUGUSTI in. BEIT. [cOLLe]gIUM EABROKUM et QUI IN EO [a sackis sunt] de SUO dedicavekunt donante aeeam [fudIentb pudenxini pilio. 1 By J. Williams, M. A. London, 1848. APPENDIX. 291 Now, the Tiberius Claudius Cogiduhnus here mentioned as British king of Chichester, is proved by Mr. Williams to be undoubtedly the same mentioned by Tacitus ; and we see that Cogidunus had, according to the practice in such cases, adopted the nomen and praenomen of his patron, the emperor Claudius. Hence, this king's daughter must, according to Roman usage, (see Smith's Dictionary of Antiquities, p. 640,) have been caUed Claudia. It is also in exact accord ance with that which was the common practice in such cases, that a daughter of king Cogidunus should have been' sent to Rome (as a pledge of his fidelity) to be there educated. If this was done, the young Claudia would no doubt be placed under the protection of Pomponia, the wife of Aulus Plautius, the conqueror of Britain ; for this Plautius had been the imperial legate in Britain, a. d. 43-52, and had been aided by the fidelity of Cogidunus. Now this Pom ponia, (as we learn from Tacitus, Annal xiii. 32,) was ac cused in A. D. 57, of being tainted with '^ a foreign super stition" — which may not improbably have been Christianity. And if so, she may have converted her supposed protegee Claudia. Another connecting link between Claudia and Pomponia may perhaps be found in the cognomen Rufina, attached to Claudia by Martial. For a distinguished branch of the Pomponian gens, at this period, bore the cognomen Rufus ; and if our Pomponia was of this Rufine branch, it would be agreeable to Roman usage that her protegee Claudia should be caUed Rufina. And this probability is increased when we find a Rufus (in Martial's Epigram) taking an interest in the marriage of Claudia. We know also that a Jewish Christian at Rome bore the name of Rufus, (see Rom. 16 : 13 and note) ; and it may be conjectured that this Rufus had assumed his Roman name, (as we know was commonly done by the Jews,) from his being under the protection of one of this powerful house of Pomponius Rufus, some of 292 THE CATHOLIC. whom would thus again be connected with Roman Chris tianity. Lastly, in the above inscription we find the name of Pudens, son of Pudentinus, united with that of Cogidunus ; which would exactly correspond with the hypothesis, that the former was a son-in-law of the latter. We may add that, according to the tradition of the me- diaaval church, (which could hardly be acquainted with these epigrams of Martial,) a certain Timotheus, son of a Roman senator named Pudens, took part in the conversion of the Britons to Christianity." I have thus accumulated the proofs that St. Paul preached the Gospel in the west of Europe, and planted the first churches in Britain. The evidence may not be conclusive, but it seems to me to be altogether stronger than the proof that St. Peter ren dered any effectual aid in planting the first church and the episcopate in Imperial Rome, and I can find no satisfactory proof, or even presumptions of any visit by St. Peter to Britain. Should my reasoning on this point be questioned, I can only add, that while it repels the pretence that the popes of Rome first pilanted Christianity in Britain, and confirms the historical proof that a British church was planted in Britain before a.d. 61, and continued there with its own bishops independent of Rome, until the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons in the eighth century, it is by no means essential to the case I have made against the usurpations and errors of the Church of Rome. Let me hope that my other arguments will sufiSce to prove, that an American citizen may be a good Christian and a Catholic, without subjecting himself to the Romish Hierarchy.-' i The reader who m.ay desire to examine tlio proof that the church in Britain was founded before the church in Eome, and preserved an independent existence under its own bishops for nearly ten cen- APPENDIX. 293 tunes, will read with much interest a modern work by Trelawnoy, entitled, ¦" Pcrran Zabuloe," or tlie lost church found. In this ho gives the history of a British church, buried in the sands of Corn wall, and disinton-ed after the lapse of many centuries, and gives a vivid picture of tlie gradual immersion of the British church in the quicksand of Eoman C.itholicism after the Norman invasion, and its subsequent recovery. Perran Zabulco has been republished in New York, from the fifth London edition. END. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 08837 7487 lilJili***