missionaries came from abroad, to announce the truths of the Gospel to
our pagan Anglo-Saxon ancestors, it is related that an aged and
venerable, but unconverted Thane thus addressed his pagan prince on the
subject. "When," said he, "O King, you and your ministers are seated at
table in the depth of winter, and the cheerful fire blazes on the hearth
in the middle of the hall, a sparrow perhaps, chased by the wind and
snow, enters at one door of the apartment, and escapes by the other.
During the moment of its passage, it enjoys the warmth; when it is once
departed, it is seen no more. Such is the nature of man. During a few
years his existence is visible: but what has preceded, or what will
follow it, is concealed from the view of mortals. If the new religion,
offer any information on subjects so mysterious and important, it must be
worthy of our attention." (Ling. His. Anglo-Sax. vol. i. pp. 29-30.)
Happy shall I consider myself, O Englishmen, if in the above pages, I
have advanced anything, that may be thought worthy of your attention on
the subject of religion. Our lives, as this pagan, but aged and venerable
Thane justly observes, are beautifully pictured by the short flight of a
sparrow, flying through the narrow space of a hall, with a door open at
each end. But after this short passage of life, there is something most
awful, and mysterious awaiting us, and the true religion of God, only can
unfold to us, how we may best prepare ourselves for the revelation of
those awful moments, when time shall end, and eternity begin. Surely
then, the sincere search after the true religion, must be a subject
worthy of your information, of your attention, and of your frequent
consideration. Happy, again I repeat it, shall I consider myself, if
anything that I may have said, shall tend to assist you in the above
important, and essential investigation. Refer, however, the glory and
honour, not to me, but to the holy Catholic Church, under whose guidance
I have been instructed. O holy Church, the pillar of truth and the child
of Jesus Christ, if I stray from thine unerring word, I shall soon (a
weak and frail child of Adam) fall down the awful precipice of spiritual
inconsistencies, contradictions, and errors. Should I have advanced
anything contrary to any article of thy holy faith, I am ready publicly
to recall it. Under the safe shelter of thy unerring authority, I will
fix my resting-place, and there, fear neither the scoffs of the infidel,
nor the flimsy reasoning of those, who have unfortunately strayed from
thy secure paths. O Englishmen, if you would only seriously, and
conscientiously examine the _real_ merits of the Catholic Church, you
would soon find that she is built upon the pillar of truth, and that she
is the admirable work of that wise builder, Jesus Christ, who built His
house upon a firm foundation. "And the rains fell, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, but it fell not, for it
was founded upon a rock." (St. Matt. vii. 25.)
ERRATA.
FIRST ADDRESS.
Page 1, line 23, for "rights" read "rites."
8, note line 6, for "Gospels" read "Gospel."
PRINTED BY RICHARDSON AND SON, DERBY.
FOOTNOTES:
[H] In the preceding pages, I have asserted, that the Protestant Church,
is unjust, in taking from the poor their portion of church property,
which was left them by our charitable Catholic ancestors; nay, that it is
also unjust, to exact tithes from those, who do not belong to the
Protestant Church of England. Now this bold assertion against the
Protestant Church, certainly requires a little explanation. A law may be
considered in _two_ points of view, as a law of the _land_, and as a law
of _God_. Now as the law of tithes in the Protestant Church, is
sanctioned by act of parliament, of course the Protestant Church, is
justified in exacting these tithes, for it has the law of the land at
_its back in this respect_. But then, the Protestant law of tithes,
considered in a _moral_ point of view, is certainly an unjust law. And
why? Because it takes from the poor, what was _justly_ left them by our
charitable ancestors, and it exacts money from the Catholics and
dissenters, without doing any thing to them _in return_ for this money.
Thus you see, that the law of _man_ and the law of _God_, sometimes
_contradict_ each other; and this is _often_ the case, in your scriptural
Church as by law established. But is not _God_ _always_ above _man_?
Certainly; and therefore the _law_ of _God_, ought _always_ to have the
preference to the _law_ of _man_. But this subject of Church tithes,
reminds me of the famous Dr. Hook of Leeds, who is _often writing_
against the Roman Catholic Church, but slyly _never_ condescends to
_answer_ any of her replies. Now, _mark well_, I am going to prove, _even
to a demonstration_, from the words of Dr. Hook, that the Roman Catholic
Church, is _really_ the _true_ Church of _Christ_ in _these realms_.
Well, you will say, if you _can_ do _that_, Dr. Hook must be a _very
strange_ and _inconsistent_ doctor of our Church. Really, do you know, I
was just thinking the same. In the year 1832, the Somerset County Gazette
informed the public, that Dr. Hook, in a sermon which he preached _before
the Queen_, uttered the following _remarkable_ words: "Were all
connection between church and state, at this very moment to cease, the
church (that is, the Protestant Church) would remain _precisely_ as she
_now_ is; that is to say, our bishops, though deprived of _temporal_
rank, would still exercise all those _spiritual_ functions which,
conferred by higher than human authority, no human authority can take
away; still to vacant sees they would consecrate new bishops, still
ordain the clergy, still confirm the baptized, still govern the church."
Such are the famous words of Dr. Hook, in his sermon before the Queen.
Now let us see how _nicely_, they _prove_ the _Roman Catholic Church_, to
be the _true_ Church of Christ in these realms. Whether this prophecy of
Dr. Hook respecting the _Protestant_ Church, would be _really_ verified,
were his church to be _separated_ from the state, I will not here
enquire; but _this_ I will say, it has been already really verified with
regard to the _Catholic_ Church _in England_. For although at the
Reformation, the _Catholic_ Church was deprived of all aid from the
state, although she was unjustly spoiled of those temporal riches left by
her charitable children, and although the exercise of her faith,
subjected her followers to the most _severe pains_ and _penalties_,
(which must be for ever a disgrace to this country), still, Catholicity
could not be extinguished in these kingdoms; for her bishops "_still
continued_ to exercise all those _spiritual_ functions, which, conferred
by _higher_ than _human_ authority, no human authority can take away,
_still_, to _vacant_ sees, they consecrated new bishops, _still_ ordained
the clergy, _still_ confirmed the baptized, _still_ governed the church."
And hence this _Catholic_ Church, notwithstanding all the _stormy
trials_, which she has undergone _in England_, exists now, and is exactly
the same in spiritual power, as she was before the time of the
Reformation. If, therefore, Dr. Hook considers that _this_ would be a
_mark_ of the _true_ Church of Christ, were it to be _verified_ with
regard to his _Protestant_ Church, we may _justly_ infer, according to
the _Doctor's_ principle, that the _Roman Catholic_ Church, is the _true_
Church _of Christ in these realms_. And why? Because the doctor's
principle, has been _already really verified_, with regard to _this_
church in these kingdoms. Really, I begin to think that the _famous_ Dr.
Hook of Leeds, must be some relation to Martin Luther; for Martin, _even_
after he had left the Catholic Church, proves, in the following words,
that the _Roman_ Catholic Church, was the _true_ Church of _Christ_. In
his book against the Anabaptists, he makes the following _candid_
confession: "Under Papacy are many good things; yea, _everything_ that is
_good_ in Christianity. I say, moreover," continues he, "under Papacy is
_true_ christianity even the _very kernel_ of christianity." Here we have
two doctors of the Protestant Church, leaving, _even after_ they had
strained every nerve to _overturn_ this Catholic Church, we have, I
repeat, these two Protestant doctors, leaving in their writings to
posterity, _one_ by his line of _argumentation_, and the _other_ by his
_own_ words, the most incontestible proofs that the Roman Catholic
Church, is _really_ the _true_ Church of _Christ_, and that her fabric,
is adorned with all the rich treasures of christianity. O how true is the
declaration of the wise man! (Prov. xxi. 30,) "there is no wisdom, there
is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord."
[I] Joseph Hume, Esq., is, or nearly I believe, the oldest member of the
present House of Commons, and it may be _truly_ said, that, perhaps, no
one in that House has acted with _greater_ consistency, and more
_disinterested_ zeal, for the promotion of the welfare of his country. He
has _always_ been a staunch advocate for reform, a patriot for the rights
of the poor, and a manly defender of civil, and religious liberty _to
all_. Hence, poor Dan. O'Connell, was sensible of the _distinguished_
political merits of this _great_, and consistent statesman; and hence,
when an _English_ constituency rejected this worthy member from a seat in
the House, Dan. _honourably_ obtained in _Ireland_ a seat for _this
useful and consistent_ member. Now, I am glad to find, that the _remarks_
which I have just made, agree with the opinion of _this eminent_
statesman, _respecting the loaves and fishes of the protestant clergy_.
The following, are the words which Joseph Hume, Esq. has _just_ uttered
on this subject: "but their zeal (that is, the zeal of the protestant
clergy,) against the Catholics, looks to me, to originate from _fear_ of
the _loaves_ and _fishes_, which they now so _largely_ enjoy for doing
_little_, and in _many_ cases _nothing_ of public duty." (Joseph Hume's,
Esq., letter to W. J. Cole, Esq., Lechdale, Gloucestershire, 24th Dec.,
1850.)
[J] I cannot help relating here a circumstance (I hope it is not foreign
to the purpose) that happened to one of my acquaintance. He was
travelling in a coach, in which were three other respectable passengers.
Among other subjects, the conversation (as is often the case) turned on
Catholics. One of the gentlemen, immediately commenced a philippic
against the Catholics, and called them idolaters, superstitious,
murderers, and many other _pretty_ names. My acquaintance allowed the
gentleman, to pour out his abuse for some time _without interruption_,
and appeared much amused by his bold assertions, and flaming descriptions
of the poor _deluded_ papists. During the conversation, a person in
liquor, rode up to the coach window, and began to annoy the passengers,
by his yells and impertinent behaviour. My acquaintance immediately said
to the gentleman, who was telling such pretty things about the Catholics,
let us have this drunken man taken up, he has murdered two or three
people. The gentleman replied, "Are you, Sir, _certain_ that he _has_
murdered two or three people? Can you _prove it_? Because it would be
very _unjust_ to take the man up, unless you could _prove_ the crimes
which you mention." "No," answered my acquaintance, "I am not certain.
And let me ask you, if _you_ are _certain_, that all the charges, which
you have just brought against the _Catholics_ are _true_? I am a
Catholic, and must tell you they are _false_, and if _you_ would only
follow the advice, which you have just given _me_ about this man, you
would find the truth of what I say. If _you_ would not wish _me_ to
accuse this man of a crime, which I am not certain he _has_ committed, I
beg that _you_, for the future, will _never_ accuse the _Catholics_ of
charges, which _you_ cannot _prove_ to be true, and which, if you would
only take the trouble to examine, you would find to be _absolutely
false_." The gentleman looked _much perplexed_, and was so ashamed of
himself, that he never spoke another word until they parted. The other
two gentlemen _enjoyed the joke wonderfully, and laughed most heartily_.
[K] We read of the ancient prophets, whom God sent to reform the Jews
that they began their prophecies by admonishing the people, that the Lord
had spoken to them: "Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the
Lord hath spoken." Isai, c. i. v. 2. Whereas God has permitted that the
doctrine of the Reformation, should have been originally announced to the
world, by a man of insupportable pride, who disclaimed the authority, and
doctrine of all Churches then upon the earth; who made no difficulty of
acknowledging, that it was from _the devil_, he learned _one_ of the
principal articles of the Reformation, and who might therefore, have said
to his followers, "Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the
_devil_ hath spoken."
[L] But some will perhaps ask, why did the _first_ reformers inveigh _so
much_ against _Purgatory_ and _Prayers for the dead_? Why the first
reformers liked _spiritual_ commerce, _without_ duty if they could only
contrive it. Now, as a remuneration for Prayers for the dead, our
charitable ancestors had left certain handsome sums of money; now these
reformers liked the _money_, but _not_ the _obligation_ of the Prayers;
and, therefore, they inveighed _right lustily against_ the Prayers, but
took care to slyly pocket the money. But when this spiritual commerce
could _not_ be carried on unless the duty was _performed_, they very
kindly retained the popish practice, and thus secured the money; witness
the tolling of the bell for persons _just_ dead, the churching of
females, and of burying the dead. These and other are in reality the
remnants of popish ceremonies, and the performance of them inspire on the
_Catholic_ mind _devotional_ feelings; but by Protestants are, _in
general_, looked upon very lightly, in a _spiritual_ point of view. But
then take away these popish ceremonies, and off flies the fee. Will the
fee for baptism be now demanded, as baptism has been _lately_ declared to
be an unnecessary act of religion in the Protestant Church? Our Saviour
said to His Apostles, "Go, teach all nations, _baptizing_ them," (that
is, all nations,) but the Protestant Church says to her ministers, "Go
teach all nations," but as to the _absolute necessity_ of baptism, our
Saviour _must_ have been wrong, and, therefore, go please yourselves
about it.
[M] Appendix to "Reasons why I am not a member of the Bible Society. By
the Hon. Arthur Philip Percival, B.C.L. Chaplain in Ordinary to His
Majesty."--Fifth Edition.
[N] Would my Lord Harewood, who _lately_ figured so conspicuously on the
platform in York, as the advocate for the pure and unadulterated Word of
God, without note or comment, point out to the people _the sure guide_,
which they are to follow, amidst this _awful Protestant_ falsification,
and mutilation of the Sacred Scriptures? The Spanish chemist (as related
above) cut his master into pieces, and put the pieces into his
sublimatory glass, with the hope of raising his master, to a more
perfect state than he enjoyed, when God made him. Now, my Lord, from
what I have said above, has not the Protestant Church, cut the
Scriptures into pieces, and put them into the sublimatory glass of
falsification and mutilation? but, my Lord, will she be ever able to
raise them again, to as perfect a state as they were in, when God made
them, or when your Protestant Church received them, from the hands of
the Catholic Church? I am sure, my Lord, she will be here at _fault_.
Another remark or two, my Lord, and I have done. The man, who embraces a
religious opinion from conviction, has undoubtedly the right to maintain
it by argument. But truth will be his first and principal object, and
the champion of truth, will disdain the petty artifices of substituting
assertion for truth, and misrepresentation for fact. He will never
condescend to swell the crowd of idle disputants, whose ingenuity first,
frames a creed for the Church of Rome, and then, after combatting a
phantom of its own creation, exults in an easy and a decisive victory.
My Lord, just adopt this advice in all your _future_ observations on the
creed of Catholics, and then, you will escape two ridiculous
consequences; of exalting the Scriptures on the one hand, and of
transgressing on the other, one of the golden precepts of that sacred
volume, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." But
far be it from me, my Lord, to _assert_ that you have _already done_
this. I merely wish to guard your Lordship, against the above ridiculous
consequences. Now, as your ideas, with regard to the _Catholic_ doctrine
on the Scriptures, appear to be rather vague, I will just state, in
short, our doctrine on that subject. Our Saviour commanded his apostles
to go and preach his gospel, and after they had done this for a certain
time, he then inspired some of them to write certain books, for the
fuller instruction of those persons on certain points, which they either
did not perfectly understand, or of which they were ignorant. For, as
the apostles were absent from these persons, (for twelve men could not
be in many places at the same time,) they found it necessary to
communicate by their pens, certain instructions which these persons
required. Now, as what the apostles _wrote_, as well as what they
_preached_, was _equally_ the inspired Word of God, the Catholic Church,
afterwards, carefully collected those sacred books, which were written
by some of these inspired men, gave to the whole of these sacred books
thus collected, the name of the New Testament, and presented this volume
to the people as the inspired Word of God, and has handed it down as
such to her faithful in every age, in as perfect a manner as possible.
And in the distribution of it to her faithful in every age, she has
followed the example of the apostles. For she orders her ministers to go
_first_, to preach and teach the gospel to the people, and _afterwards_,
for their further instruction, she puts the sacred Scriptures into the
hands of the faithful. But mind, as your Protestant Reformers have
_shamefully_ corrupted and mutilated the sacred Scriptures, she rejects
your human and metamorphosed translations, forbids the use of your
incorrect, corrupt, and mutilated translations, and puts into their
hands, _well-authenticated_ copies of that sacred volume. Hence, on
account of her _great anxiety_, for the distribution of _correct_, and
_well-authenticated_ copies among her faithful, certain Protestants have
the _audacity_ to assert, that the Catholic Church, forbids the use of
the Scripture to her people, or at least, will not let them read the
pure word of God without note or comment. Do I impeach the veracity of
these Protestants! Of some indeed I do, but not of all. But this I will
say, most of them might know better, if they would only seek information
from proper sources. I hope, this short explanation of the _Catholic_
doctrine on the Scripture, will satisfy Lord Harewood, and caution him
never to speak on matters, which _essentially_ concern _his neighbour's_
interest, _unless_ he _first_ perfectly understands them.
One word more, and I have done. I once heard, that a Noble Lord,
attending a great County Meeting, in the York Castle-yard, had achieved
for himself a lasting notoriety, by declaring, that in his opinion, "the
Bible ought to be read by all men, and women, and children, and _even
idiots_." And scarcely had the merriment excited by this memorable burst
of sound sense subsided, before his Lordship was heard thus resuming his
exhilarating eloquence. "Yes, even by idiots. I myself have derived great
advantage from that book." The effect upon the meeting was electric. The
noble advocate of the unfortunate idiots, had so completely identified
himself with his clients, that laughter became irresistible, and to what
class of intelligent beings, his Lordship belonged, most evident. I
believe this is the only instance on record, of a Noble Earl,
establishing his religious opinions, at the expense of his understanding.
[O] Here follows a long extract from Lord Tenterden's Speech, which it is
unnecessary to reprint.
[P] By the fundamental rule of Protestantism, every individual, possesses
the right of private judgment, and of course, is allowed to interpret the
Bible, as his reason, or his feelings, suggest; and yet, _mark_ the
contradiction, he is _not_ allowed, to interpret the _thirty-nine
Articles_. For in the declaration prefixed to this singular code, it is
said: "His Majesty, prohibits his loving subjects, the least difference
from them, or putting their _own_ sense upon them; but requires them, to
be taken in _their literal_, and _grammatical_ sense." Now, Dr. Paley
says, that "the Thirty-nine Articles, will be found, on dissection, to
contain about two hundred and forty _distinct_, and independent
propositions; many of them, inconsistent with _each_ other." In fact, few
of the English Clergy subscribe the articles in the literal, and
grammatical sense; "and Burnet says, that in his own times, the greater
part of the clergy, subscribed the Articles, _without examining them_,"
and that others do it, because they _must_ do it, _though they can hardly
satisfy their consciences_, about some things in them. Dr. Balguy says,
that "the Thirty-nine Articles impose upon us doctrines of dark, and
ignorant ages." How just, then, must the observation of Gibbon be, "that
the great body of the English Clergy, sign the Thirty-nine Articles, with
a _sigh_, or a _smile_." Really, to require that men, should take these
Articles, in their literal, and grammatical sense, whilst many of them,
have _no literal_, or _grammatical_ sense, nay, moreover, to oblige men,
to swear that they believe them, is, in my humble opinion, a violation of
common sense, and of decency. In all this, there may be some degree of
political wisdom, but it is surely, an act of very gross, religious
inconsistency.
[Q] The name of Ireland, brings to my mind, the great O'Connell, the
pride of his country, the wonder of England, and the admiration of the
world. When I read the direful grievances of that ill-treated nation, I
wish, for the sake of England, (which I dearly love) that those
grievances had never been written, either on the pages of history, or on
the records of heaven. Oh, Ireland, how thou remindest me of the
sufferings of my Saviour! "a man of sorrow, and the outcast of the
people." Had not _his_ divine example been continually before _thy eyes_,
thou never couldst have endured thy load of miseries, of sorrows, and of
persecution, and so nobly have proved thy loyal allegiance to thy
sovereign, even amidst a deluge of insults, and of wrongs, and of
injustices, that would have maddened any other nation, into a whirlwind
of fury, and revenge, and rebellion; but thou rememberedst the words of
thy Saviour, "love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and
persecute you." But thy days of sufferings and of sorrow are, I hope,
hastening to a close; but perhaps, the time of retribution for England
has yet to come. Oh, may Heaven avert this dreadful day of reckoning for
my dear country! But, Oh, Ireland, I must not forget the pride of thy
heart--the great O'Connell--the much-abused and calumniated Dan. He is
now, indeed, beyond this land of misery; but alas, he died a beggar! Yes,
HE whom the newspapers _formerly_ held up, as a _most base knave_, a
_deceiver_, and a _money-hunter_, _even he_ at last, died a beggar, for
the _love_ of his country. He nobly sacrificed his, from ten to fourteen
thousand a year, which he was making by his profession, and in lieu,
accepted the comparatively small and precarious offerings of his
countrymen, every farthing of which he spent in promoting their welfare;
he blasted all the patrimonial prospects of his own family, and at last,
died a martyr and a beggar, for his country; and yet, there is not one
English Protestant newspaper to do him common justice, by _even hinting_
at these _heroic_ actions. Oh, how justly may I address them in the
severe words of the poet:
"You all did hate him once, but without cause,
What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for him?
Oh, judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts!
And men have lost their reason."
But, Oh immortal Dan! their praises or censures to thee are equally
worthless, for thy colossal deeds during life, and thy heroic death, have
immortalized thy name. But of all thy sorrows, the _stab_ that _burst_
thy generous soul, was the "_unkindest cut of all_;" for when some of thy
countrymen, whom thou hadst _raised and honoured_, wished to take into
their hands the maddening weapons of injustice, revenge, and rebellion,
and wished to bury thy dear country in the ruins of bloodshed and
revolution, thou,
"Then rushing out of doors, to be resolved,
If these men so unkindly knocked, or no,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished thee, then burst thy noble heart!"
On which was engraved, in vivid characters, love for thy religion,
patriotism for thy country, loyal and sincere allegiance to thy Queen,
and a burning desire for civil and religious liberty for all mankind. Oh,
how justly may we apply to thee, the words of the poet,
"Thou art the ruins, of the noblest man,
That ever lived, in the tide of times."
I, formerly, like many other Englishmen, thought only very lightly of thy
actions; but thy noble deeds convinced me of my _rash_ judgment; and as
some little retribution, I have paid this small tribute to thy memory.
Oh, may God forgive me for my rash judgments, and may thy colossal soul
rest in peace.