Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

tion in the church at Rothwell, in the county of Northampton; rebuilding a gallery in the church at Upham, in the county of Hants; building a gallery in the church of St. John, Maddermarket, in the city of Norwich; building a chapel at Appledore, in the parish of Northam, county of Devon; enlarging, by rebuilding the chapel at Chapel Haddesley, in the county of York; building a chapel at Newton Abbott, in the county of Devon; repewing and repairing the church at Norbury; building a chapel at Moulsham, parish of Chelmsford, county of Essex; enlarging the church at Horfield, in the county of Gloucester.

The Annual General Court of this Society will be held at No. 4, St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, on Wednesday, the 18th of May; his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury will take the chair, at one o'clock precisely.

POPERY.

To the Editor of the Dublin Record.

SIR-The subjoined Rules of the "Roscrea Christian Doctrine" Society are printed and pasted on the inside of the cover of each book. Your inserting it in your Journal, as a specimen of the manner in which money is extracted from the poor deluded Roman catholics of this country, may be of service in opening the eyes of protestants to the spiritual thraldom in which they are held. I purpose looking over some of the Society's books, and may let you have some further extracts, and am faithfully,

Roscrea.

J. S. S.

"The Roscrea Christian Doctrine Society is under the immediate direction of the parish clergyman.

[ocr errors]

Rules, &c. of the Extern Members of the Roscrea Christian Doctrine Society. "The extern members are entitled, by the weekly subscription of one penny, to the following important privileges,-viz.

"To the benefit of the society's prayers; to getting a book at the Religous Circulating Library, under the conditions hereafter specified; to a mass before and after death, and to a participation in the benefit of a mass offered up in the chapel on the second Saturday of every month for all the members and benefactors; besides which, another is to be said on the third Saturday of every month, for the departed members, and the departed near relatives of the members in general. To these great advantages is to be added, the EXTRAORDINARY MERIT OF AIDING SOCIETY IN ADVANCING THE GLORY OF GOD by the spiritual instruction of youth, to which the most ignorant person contributes effectually by a small subscription.

"Donations received by the clergyman of the parish and council. "No member can retain his book longer than a month.

"Any member in the habit of not punctually returning his book in a month ceases to get one at the library.

"Those becoming members, when ill, or in a dangerous state of health, are not entitled for the first six months to the MASSES BEFORE and AFTER death, though enjoying the other privileges from the commencement.

"No member to get the mass before death, until prepared by the clergyman. "This mass each should reserve as long as possible, being entitled but to one during life.

"When mass is required for a dying member, notice is to be left with the librarian, &c.

"As all must be anxious to attend at the monthly masses, they should not forget THE DAYS.

"The library is open on every Sunday from 9 until 4 o'clock.

"In order to prevent trouble and inconvenience, it is requested that members may not fall into arrear, or allow their subscription to be often applied for; otherwise they forfeit their privileges, and their names are erased from the book."

A NEW POPISH MIRACLE.

THE unchanged character of popery certainly manifests itself more completely every day. Dr. Wiseman and Bishop Baines, at Rome, explain away all its offensive parts, in the true Bossuet style, to the educated classes, and Mr. Woolfrey, at Whitwick, aided by Mr. Ambrose Phillipps, performs well-attested miracles, to convert the uneducated. The matter really speaks too plainly and strongly for itself, to require any comment whatever. But it is most desirable that the English liberals, who are quite sure that papists have renounced all their follies, should see what is the line of conduct which they adopt. The following is an extract from a tract, by a Mr. Woolfrey, who quietly calls himself parish priest of Whitwick, and is attested by Mr. Ambrose Phillipps, and a certain quantity of his footmen, grooms, and housemaids,-most competent and disinterested witnesses!

"The circumstances of the case were as follows:-Anne Fullard, who is an inhabitant of the village of Whitwick, the wife of a man named Fullard, had for some months been desirous of embracing the holy catholic faith, being convinced that it was the ancient and true form of Christianity; and on the second Sunday of Advent she was present at the vespers in Grace Dieu Chapel. It was remarkable, that the subject of my discourse on that afternoon was to prove, from the promises of Jesus Christ, and from the universal testimony of church history, that the gift of miracles has ever been the prerogative of the true church. Just at the conclusion of my sermon, Anne Fullard was seized with an epileptic fit; to which malady I afterwards discovered that she had been subject, at frequent intervals, from her very childhood. She was immediately carried out into the entrance hall; where the servants of Mr. Ambrose Phillipps, and others of the congregation, endeavoured to render her every assistance in their power; but she became so strong, that it was with difficulty that four men could hold her. Her contortions were very awful, and she endeavoured to bite everything that came in her way; so much so, that it was necessary to force a cloth into her mouth. In the meanwhile, I concluded my sermon; after which I recited, according to our usual practice, the litany of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the prayers for the examination of conscience. As soon as the service was concluded, I went out into the hall, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Phillipps, Miss Clifford, and about fifty individuals of our congregation. We found the patient in a terrible state: her feet were plunged into hot water; sal volatile and brandy, as well as cold water, were applied to her temples; but without producing the slightest effect. Her face wore a sort of purple hue; her features awfully distorted; and her violence so great, that it was almost impossible to hold her. Upon this, an individual, whose name I am not at liberty to mention, suggested to me the propriety of applying to her one of the miraculous medals of the Blessed Mother of God, which are solemnly blessed by the Archbishop of Paris, and concerning which I will give you, in a few words, the history. In the year 1830, just before the last revolution broke out, in consequence of the ordonnances of King Charles the Xth, a holy nun, (a Sister of Charity,) who is now living in Paris, had a vision,* in which she beheld the blessed Virgin Mary, who foretold the terrible calamities that were about to befal France; commanding her, at the same time, to cause a medal to be struck, on which her holy image should be engraved; and promising her miraculous protection to all those who with faith and devotion should wear it. The nun caused the medals to be struck; they

* Acts, ii. 17, 18, 19.

were solemnly blessed by the Archbishop of Paris; and ever since that time they have wrought innumerable miracles in France, in England, and in other countries. But to return to my narrative. I immediately assented to the proposal of the individual alluded to before; and I thereupon requested Mrs. Ambrose Phillipps to bring down one of the miraculous medals, a parcel of which she had lately received from her cousin, the Hon. Mrs. Stourton, who lives in Yorkshire. As soon as Mrs. Phillipps had brought me the medal, I placed it on the poor woman's bosom. That very instant her contortions and the darkness of her face disappeared; her excessive strength left her. In less than a minute she could speak; and, in less than five minutes, she rose up and walked to the kitchen, perfectly cured. Since that time she has had no return of the disorder; and I trust that He who mercifully vouchsafed to cure her, will preserve her for the future from that terrible malady. After the fit, she declares that she had none of those symptoms which she states that she always felt after any previous attacks; no headach, no pains in the wrists and ankles, and none of that debility which always used to oppress her for several days on those occasions. On the contrary, she declares that she never was so well before; that the health of her body has only been equalled by the peace and contentment of her soul. She blesses God, &c. &c.

"That God should operate wonders in the present age of the church, is quite what we might expect; when we reflect that this is an age peculiarly guilty of infidelity and general scepticism. In France, the catholic church has but just emerged from one of the most cruel persecutions that she has ever endured, from the time of Christ up to the present day. In that kingdom, and in Italy, she is indeed becoming more glorious than ever (!) But we have only to turn our eyes to Spain, in order to behold new trials, to which the inscrutable providence of her Divine Founder is subjecting her. In England, for near three hundred years, has she endured a long night of persecution; during that period, it was wonderful that any vestiges of catholicity should subsist at all. Blessed be God, the spell is broken. He in whose hands are the hearts of princes, who ordains in wisdom, and executes his purpose with a divine sweetness, has broken the fetters which his church has so long worn in these kingdoms. And once more, to Englishmen, to Irishmen, and to Scotchmen, the ancient faith of their pious ancestors is freely proclaimed. Throughout these islands our divine religion is making a rapid progress. Churches and chapels, colleges, convents, and schools, are rising up in such numbers and magnificence as to make our enemies quake for fear. And well may they fear; for the arm of the Lord is with us, and we defy them in the name of God to resist us. Heresy, already grown old, and tottering on its last stage, will soon be no more; and then these three kingdoms will again become faithful portions of the church. Whether we shall live to see this happy, this blessed day, we cannot certainly say; but happy and glorious will he be who contributes to accelerate its arrival."

IRISH TITHE BILL.+

(From the Times of April 26th.)

LAST night came on the Irish Tithe Bill in the House of Commons.

It appears that, with a laudable anxiety to supply the deficiencies of the last

Really, one dislikes to speak of such things, for a simple remark looks like levity. But do Mr. Woolfrey and Mrs. Stourton mean, that they can send by the stage-coach, to any quarter of England, parcels of medals, which can work innumerable miracles?-ED.

†The debate having taken place only on the 25th, there is no time for a single comment on the iniquity of this bill.-ED.

year's measure, among which was the non-appearance of any positive materials for the so-much-talked-of surplus, after satisfying the wants of the clergy, the noble Secretary for Ireland has laboured hard to fill up this vacuum in the machinery of the former bill. The formal deduction in the shape of per centage from the church is now to be about 32 per cent., leaving the clergy a computed sum-total of about 450,000l. a-year. Well, then, we shall be asked, whence comes the surplus? Why, as we always foretold it would-from grinding down the unfortunate ministers of religion. Parishes of a congregation from 50 to 500 protestants are to afford the incumbent an income not exceeding 2001. per annum; from 500 to 1,000 protestants, one not exceeding 300l. per annum ; above 1,000, and under 3,000, are not to yield their minister more than 4007. per annum; and in a very few, we believe about 50, with more than 3,000 protestants, the maximum is to be 500l. per annum. Hence it follows, through this happy recipe for leaving three-fourths of the livings in the church of Ireland with stipends to their clergy of 2001. a year, Lord Morpeth has contrived to reduce the gross revenue of the church of Ireland, after having already levied upon it, in favour of the landlords, a tax of above 30 per cent., from somewhere about 450,000l. a year to 360,000l. a year,-that is to say, 20 per cent. in addition to the 30-in other words, rather more than 50 per cent. altogether!

CHURCH MATTERS.

TITHE BILL.

THE remarks made in the article on the Tithe Bill, in the last number, having been misunderstood by one or two friends, a few words shall be said to explain them. No intention of advocating this or any other tithe bill, compulsory or voluntary, which should deprive the clergy of their original tenure-no intention of saying that any better method can be found for paying the clergy than by tithes was ever entertained. On the contrary, notwithstanding all the popular objections made to tithes, the writer fully believes, and always has believed, that they tend far more, on the whole, to unite, than to disunite the landoccupiers (not owners) and clergy. This point has been urged over and over again in this Journal. It is at once a great misfortune and a cruel injustice, that the clergy are to be deprived of that tenure which they now possess, and which, while law and justice have any force in England, is better than any title or tenure now existing, and incomparably better than any which can be given to them. These are, were, and will be, the writer's opinions. But it is a clear case, that all persons, of all parties, conservatives as well as liberals, are fully bent on doing away tithes, partly from one motive and partly from another; and that there is no one single point of the political world (either among the present or future possessors of power) from which any thing but an alteration can be expected. And more than this, and more to be regretted, the cry and wish for commutation (of course on

It is curious that a French liberal, and apparently sceptical, writer, M. Salvador, is quite of opinion that tithes are the very best possible mode of paying clergy.

fair terms) comes from a large body of clergy themselves, who unhappily and fallaciously promise themselves peace by removing what is a common cause for clamour. In these circumstances, any power or possibility of resisting alteration seems utterly out of the question; and it is simply on the ground that, this being so, the present tithe bill, if passed, as it was proposed, and fairly carried into effect, seemed as favourable as anything which the clergy could expect, that the writer could not feel himself justified in attacking it. But still, farther than this, one would gladly see a protest against it, or any bill whatever which did away the original tenure; if any means could be devised for making such a protest, as a protest, and not as an act of undignified and idle resistance, which should engage the church in a hopeless and useless quarrel about money. If the church, indeed, (the church, i. e., clergy and laity,) made up their mind to separate from the state on the question, as a question of principle, that would be another matter. But if they mean to preserve the connexion, an useless resistance to overwhelming power can only make their condition worse, and themselves less respectable; while a protest, distinctly stating their dislike to the measure itself and their inability to resist it, would at once show their principles and their judgment. He who will die in defence of his castle, whether wise or not, (which must depend on circumstances,) is always respectable; but he who fully means, at all events, to save his life, will certainly command no respect by struggling and shrieking, when ten lusty soldiers carry him out of it in perfect safety. If he knows that he must be forced out by oppression, let him utter his calm protest, and go forth with the peaceable dignity which becomes him. With respect to convocation, as a means of making this protest, very different views are and must be taken. They who consider it as a right and proper representation of the church, will naturally desire it to be assembled, and will reasonably expect God's blessing on it. They who see the propriety and necessity of the church having a voice, even as to money, but who yet consider convocation as far more a part of the policy of our connected church and state than a proper church body, and who also think of the privileges of the lower house of convocation as an usurpation dangerous and almost anti-episcopal in principle,-even if convocation could be more properly considered as a pure church synod,-cannot reasonably expect a blessing on its meeting and deliberations, and therefore cannot desire it, though they might submit to it as an ancient part of the constitution of England. More especially, when the democratic principle is so much afloat everywhere, and when agitation, by means of speeches, newspapers, and reporters, can effect anything, they would expect to see what they (whether rightly or wrongly) consider as a wrong principle, and a seed of evil, bring forth its natural fruits, and the upper house, though nominally possessed of independent powers, virtually obliged to give way to the lower. Such, however, are the difficulties and perplexities which attend on this subject, that one is almost tempted to give it up in despair. Whether clear precedents can be alleged to show that convocation had ever any right, or had ever the habit, of dealing with endowments, or of interfering as to

« FöregåendeFortsätt »