gregation here, for procuring them recognition by the state, on condition of their consenting to form an Episcopalian Catholic church. The said deputation attended the divine worship of the Schneidemühl congregation; and, when it was ended, commenced their negociations with the church committee of management. But it very soon appeared clear to all who were present at the conference, that whoever desired to follow the dictates of his own conscience, must decline all share in hringing about the wishes of the deputation, the purity of whose motives, to appearance at least, were too equivocal to recommend the signature of the document, which had been brought by them for acceptance.

"The deputation, therefore, left Schneidemühl without accomplishing the object of their journey; and, under a feeling of mortification at their want of success, so far forgot themselves, as to calumniate both Czerski and his church. Among other misrepresentations, they are said to have propagated the report, that Czerski celebrates an almost heathen worship, as in old times, with the censer and the рух. But Czerski having retained the servitors and the bell in the celebration of mass, is justified by the state of mind prevalent among many of his congregration, who, so recently emancipated from Rome's fetters in essentials, still cling to some outward ceremonies; but no one at all acquainted with Czerski will suspect him of undue regard for mere externals. In this respect, he is isolated from the other congregations in his neighbourhood, with the single exception of that at Thorn; but we confidently trust, that this courageous professor of the faith as it is in Jesus, who has sacrificed all for conscience' sake, will be enabled to recover that full share of acknowledgment of his worth which is so justly his due, and of which he has been (we hope) only momentarily deprived.

"In the Schneidemühl confession of faith more recently given in to the Prussian government, the congregation declares, "That after having carefully examined and tested the Augsburg confession, they find it in all essential points so conformable

to their own views, that they have no hesitation in avowing themselves one in faith with the Lutheran church, in the main; even as they hold in all points with the Catholic church, save and except in regard to the abuses and errors which Rome has introduced.' There is reason to hope that, abiding as they do, by the principle, of taking the Bible for their rule and guide, any unscriptural usage which habit and long-accustomed reverence for the sanction of antiquity has rendered sacred in their eyes will, by degrees, be relinquished; and that the young of the flock will be educated in so full an acquaintance with the word of God, as to render adherence to superstition of any kind by them as unlikely as it is undesirable.

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CHAPTER VIII.

REFORMATION OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

(CONTINUED).

Dr. Theiner-His History-Secession from the Romish Church-Its Important Consequences-Extracts from his Work, "Efforts at Reform in the Catholic Church"-His Observations on Papal Relics-The Host-Use of the Latin Language in Divine Worship -Compulsory Celibacy of the Priests-Mixed Marriages-Doctrines and Practices of the Romish Church.

THE importance attached to Theiner's renunciation of Rome renders some slight account of this Roman Catholic ecclesiastical teacher necessary. John Anton. Theiner, doctor of theological and canon law, late parish priest of Hundsfeld, is the son of a master shoemaker who, emigrating from Moravia into Silesia, settled in Breslaw, where the subject of this notice was born, December 15, 1799. His education commenced in the cathedral school, then under the direction of Canonicus Krüger. From that he passed to the Catholic gymnasium in Breslaw, which he attended from 1811 to 1818, and finally devoted himself to the study of theology, under Dereser, in the Breslaw university. Imbibing the spirit which animated the venerable and enlightened Dereser, Theiner's future life received a decidedly scientific theological direction, which was still further advanced by his appointment to the office of

amanuensis of the university library. On the 17th of April, 1823, he obtained the degree of Doctor of Theology, and soon after the chaplaincy of Zobten, near Löwenberg. He afterwards officiated for a short time, in 1824, as chaplain in Liegnitz; and, in the autumn of that year, was appointed extraordinary professor of the Catholic theological faculty in the university of Breslaw; and, in December, 1826, obtained the dignity of a Doctor of Canon Law, from the faculty of jurisprudence in the same university.

This year was memorable in the annals of reform, for it witnessed the appearance of a very celebrated work, entitled, "The Catholic Church in Silesia," which, though at first published anonymously, was generally ascribed to the vigorous mind, if not wholly to the pen, of Theiner; and the dean and chapter were so entirely of this opinion, as to insist on his removal from his professorship, lest the students should be infected with his views. But though among the most eminent, Theiner was far from being the only Silesian ecclesiastic who felt the imperative necessity for reform; and very many clerical associates, among others, Henkirch (at this moment acting prebendary at the Breslaw cathedral), joined with him in trying to effect some purification of the Romish liturgy from various unnational and unecclesiastical additions. They petitioned their prince bishop to sanction the introduction of the German language into the church service, and besought him to consent to a modification, at least, of antiquated ceremonies; but their efforts remained fruitless of any good result, only drawing upon themselves severe reproof, and an insinuation that their views savoured of revolutionary intrigue. They, in fact, belonged to the working clergy, and therefore could count on no support from the hierarchy, and little from the government. Even when the nobility afterwards joined the inferior clergy in an application to the late emperor of Germany (in his capacity of king of Bohemia), imploring his interference to procure them relief from a long list of ecclesiastical grievances, they were referred back to the prince bishop, the government

alleging its unwillingness to meddle with the internal affairs of the church. The only consequence of the petition therefore was, the deposition of many clergymen, and the compelled declaration of others (on which hung the bishop's forgiveness of the past), that they would in future regulate their conduct, not by Scripture, nor even by the rules laid down by the best doctors of canon law, but solely by the decisions of the council of Trent. The mortifying rigour of this exaction was not suffered to be softened by any public statement of their motives; the affair gradually fell to the ground, and things went on in Silesia as before. But Dr. Theiner, although forced to yield to ecclesiastical domination, was neither induced to recant nor wholly conceal his sentiments, which, there is reason to believe, were both known and approved by men high in civil authority, who saw with prophetic glance the coming events of 1845, and therefore desired to introduce, in 1826 and 1827, a progressive and unobtrusive reform; but all such attempts were then suppressed.

In the summer of 1830, Theiner, in conjunction with his brother, Dr. Augustus Theiner (now resident in Rome), published his work on "The introduction of compulsory celibacy among the clergy;" and this led to his half-voluntary, halfcompulsory relinquishment of his professorship; after which, he accepted a call from Count Blücher to undertake the pastorate of Polsnitz, near Canth. In 1836, an exchange to the parish of Grüssau was proposed to him: he accepted, and removed thither in August of that year; but finding his health suffer, and himself debarred from the literary intercourse to which he had been accustomed, he became a candidate for the then vacant parish of Hundsfeld, on which he entered on the 26th of November, 1837; and where he continued to officiate until, in obedience to the dictates of his conscience, he resigned his charge, and his connexion with Rome, on the 17th of June, 1845.

It is, therefore, with full justice, that Dr. Theiner is regarded as having paved the way for the present reform move