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MISSIONARY.
MR. WOLFF AT JERUSALEM.
The boldness wilh which this ardent Missionary of
the Grots reprove* the unbelief of his Jewish bre
thren would hardly be endured from one of anoth
er nation. The following is from his Journal:
Several Jew?, dona of the principal rab
bie?, called on me. They were very proud
indeed, and asked me in a very arrogant
tnaoer, Why I did not believe in their rah-;
bie? ? 1 said to them, I will tell yon why I
did not believe inycur rabbies; the rabbies!
are followers of those who murdered and
betrayed Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the
world! The rabbies are false teachers, who
teach lies—the rabbies are hypocrites, who
teach and act differently! Tell your rab
bies in my name, that they must undoubt
edly go to bell, if thay do not bow their
knee before Jesus Christ, the King of king 9,
and Lord of lords! Hear ye, son 9of the
rabbies, the profession of my faith: “The
Lord our God, is one Lord, Blessed be his
glorious name; His Kingdom endureth tor
ever and ever! and Jesus Christ is the Son
; of God, to whom be ascribed with the Fath
r, tbe same glory, honour, power, and
’ idoration forever!” Let these sayings sink
lown into your ears, and He will say unto
■ou “Peace be wilh you!” Tell your rabbies
hat I, Joseph Wolff, believe that Jesus
‘hrist is the Son of God; and that 1 coiue
:om England to declare to you this great
lystery: 1 That the Word became flesh,
ad dwelt among us. 1 And you must be
aptized in the name of the Father, Son, &
oly Spirit. Amen.
May 21.—Several youag and aged rab
es, of the Spanish and Polish denomina
on called od me. I addressed them in the
flowing manner.—
“ 1 weep for the Jews of Jerusalem, and
y eyes run down with water, for l see
em going about, stubborn, obstinate, and
ffnecked, and boasting themselves in
eir stubbornness, obstinacy, and stiff neck
oess, as their ancestors of old; and ooac
ainted with the wickednes? of tbeir heart,
>y boast themselves that they are Abra
m’s children; considering themselvos
be wise, they are become fools; they are
rs, unmerciful towards each other; de
tful, covetous, vindictive and despising
er nations —crying always, ‘Temple of
Lord,’ and never * Lord of the Temple
masting themselves to be descendants of
se who crucified the Lord of glory, and
troving of the wickedness of their ances
i. Their teachers who ought to shine
the brightness of the firmament, go in
kness, and the shadow of death ; and a
y were, not able to see the brightness of
face of Moses, so they cannot see the
■y of God in the face of Jesus Christ!
abbi Reuben Hasid called on me, and
:d me to tell him openly, whether I had
and such wise men among the Gentiles in
land, as the Jews are in general ? I told j
, that a boy eight years of age, in Eng j
, has often more knowledge than the j
learned Jew at Jerusalem ; that Sir j
o Newton wa a greater man than ever j
’ared among the Jews; and that even :
.nis present lime, there are among the
tiles, thousands, who are wiser than all;
rabbies who compiled the Talmnd—
that the Jews are the greatest fools on j
ace of the earth, on account of tlieirj
ig rejected Jesus Christ as their Mes- ;
—that professing themselves wise,
have become fools —their wise men
perish, and the understanding of their
ant men shall he hid.
From the Springfield Journal.
THE CHEKOKEES.
. I enclose yon a letter which I have re
) from John Ross, one of the priucipal men j
Cherokee tribe of Indians. Several gentle
vho have perused it, requested that it might !
blished. If you think it would gratify your
-s, or that it would have a tendency to cor- ;
le error, which is too prevalent, that all ex- j
, to extend the blessings of civilization and |
ianily to the aborigines of our country will j
Witless, or that it will strengthen the hands
icourage int hearts of those who have here*
. felt at. interest in this great work ofhunian
-1 benevolence, you are at liberty to give it
Hy
-1 am, with respect, yours, Sic.
Samvel Lathiiop.
it Springfield, June 21, 11)24.
Washington, May 15, 1824.
Jon. Samuel Lallirop.
—You have intimated that it would
!ere9ting to the people of your dis
o receive a statement respecting the
ess of the schools which have been
ished under the direction of mission
cieties in the Cherokee nation, from
ho is a native of that nation. 1 take
pleasure to give you a brief view of
bject, and I regret that it is not in my
at this time to give yon a more de
account, especially as the good peo- (
your state have taken such deep in- i
in the concern of those missions.—
rincipal school establishment of the
can Commissioners for Foreign Mis
amongst us, is that at Brainerd, and
imber of pupils of both sexes at that
is from 60 to 100, varying from in
il causes, sometimes by retiring into
;al schools which are more conveni
their abodes, &c. There are five
chools in connexion with this estab
nt, and the sixth, perhaps, ere now
iperation. In each of those local
i there are generally from 25 to 30
n under instruction ; besides these
is also an establishment under the
on of a Baptist Society, where there
iut the same number of pupils under
tion as at Brinerd, and also one other
he direction of “ The United Brelh
r Moravian school. It is one of the
Missionary establishments in the na
.dmuch good has resulted from it, as
the others which have been men
io all these sChodls the children are
the English, and when out ot school
s are employed in husbandry and
other useful employments, so as to inculcate
u habit of industry. The girls are taught
all the necessary vocations of domestirk
concern. The proficiencies made by the
pupils in their several studies have been
remarked with surprise bv every stranger
who has visited them—besides these plea
sing improvements, a happy, change has in
an extraordinary degree been also made in
tbe moral and religious condition of the na
; tion, and many are considered as ornaments
\ to the Christian churches in which they
I have been associated. Independent of
these missionary schools there are some
private ones in the nation, and it 19 in con
templation with the chiefs to establish a
national academy, as soon as the pecuniary
concerns ofthe nation will permit —and also
to put a printing press into operation.—
With confidence it may be said that the
state of general improvement in the oatioo
is advancing in a prosperous degree. Ag
riculture is a leading pursuit of the nation,
and it may not be improper here to state,
that there are some farms together with
their tenements, worth at least from ten to
fifteen thousand dollars, exclusive of stock ;
though but a few of such value, yet there
are many citizens ofthe nation whose means
are amply sufficient of extending their im
provements to such valuation, it disposed—
there are several native merchants employ
ing sufficient capital for any retail store in
any place affording the same population.
Although it is true that a majority of the
nation is poor, and greatly in darkness, yet
the same causes which have produced
Christianity, civilization and wealth in oth
ers, are in like manner accessible and may
io time be enjoyed by them all. It is there
fore an important consideration that those
who have tasted the fruits of civilization
should oot withdraw themselves from tbeir
unimproved brethren, but that they should
use all their influence ami exertion to ele-
vale them equal with themselves; under
this sense of duty the whole nation cannot
fail of being in due time completely civiliz
ed—to ensure which, wisdom and prudence
strongly forbid any precipitate change in
the administration of their government, but
the changes should keep pace with their
condition ; by such process they may he
completely civilized, and be made fully pre
pared to be incorporated with the United
States.
Every husbandman knows, that a fruit
must be folly ripe before its seed will
sprout and grow to perfection, and that the
seed of an unripe fruit can never grow, but
will putrify anil he unprofitable—just so
would be the fate of a large portion ofthe
Cherokee?, were they to be merged into
the population of this civilized community,
before they are fully prepared for the
change; but give them the necessary time
for preparation, and they may come into
the Union with all usefulness to themselves
and to the American family. And it is with
in the sphere of possibility, that a Washing
ton, a Newton, a Brainerd, or one equal to
the greatest man the world ever produced , may
spring from such confederation.
May yon return safety to your own fire
side, and there enjoy the fond embraces of
your family, io health, prosperity and hap
piness, is the sincere prayer of,
Sir, your very obedient servant,
JNO. ROSS.
MISCELLANY.
WAR OF THE PENINSULA.
From a Review of“ Recollections of the Penin
sula.” By a young English Officer.
The autumnal season in Estramadura is prover- j
bially unhealthy, and numbers of the inhabitants |
die anuually of the alarming fever in what our au
thor terms “the dreaded month of September.”
“The unwholesome vapours which arise
from the beds of the many stagnant pools
scattered over the surface of these plains,
and always dried up by the summer heats,
j are said to produce this evil. Be this as it
i may, towards the end of September this in
sidious and resislless enemy found his way
into our tranquil quarters, crowded our hos
pitals with sick, and tilled the chapel vaults
with victims, over whom we gloomily
mourned. We would have resigned them
in the field of battle perhaps witha9igb,
yet not without some feelings of consola
tion ; but here, to see the cheek blanched,
and the arm unnerved by disease, was a
constant source of affliction and desponden
cy. There is nothing about which English
men are so generally incredulous, or to
which they appear so indifferent, as any
report touching the danger of a season or a
climate, and the approach of sickness or
mortality; for that very reason, when once
an alarming disease appears among them,
they are overcome with surprise, they lose
all elasticity of spirit, hope forsakes them,
! and they sink unresistingly to the grave.—
i This does not proceed altogether from
weakness of character: on the bed of sick
ness the English soldier thinks more seri
ously of death and his accountability here
after, than perhaps any other, if we except
the Protestant soldiers of the north of Eu
rope.”
This is pleasing testimony to Protestantism,:
and may stand in contrast to the presumptuous ‘
confidence of salvation which our author states
as so generally entertained on the bed of death
by the members of the Roman and Greek Church;
a presumption founded on the supeistitious obser
vances of their forms, and the empty dependence
upon the absolution of a priest.
Our young officer was attacked with the pre
vailing fever to which he has alluded above, and
was so debilitated in consequence, that he was
ordered to Lisbon for the recovery of his health.
An incident which he met with on his road is too
pleasing and too honourable to the Peninsula to
be omitted.—
“You may frequently travel from one
town to another without passing a village,
a country bouse, a cottage, or indeed a hu
man being. If you are benighted, and the
weather be Gne, you must betake yourself
to the first tree ; if it be stormy, and you
| have no baggage or coveoiences for en
campiug, you must wander on. Luckily
however for us, we espied a ligHfUjit dis
tance from the road, and made lojjjjtds it.
It proceeded from a solitary cottagw|fcnd a
woman, who answered to our knocks, ex
pressed her willingness to receive us.
Wretched as was her appearance, I never
saw more cordial, more fearless hospitality :
she heaped up her little tire, killed and
stewed for us two out ofthe few chickens
she had, spread for us two straw matirasses
near the hearth, and regarded us the while
with looks of tbe most benevolent pleasure.
Seated on a rude bench of cork near this
cottage fire, 1 thankfully partook ofthe re
past she prepared ; and, while the thunder
burst in peals the most loud and awful over
our heads, and the pouring rain beat rude
ly on her humble dwelling, with a heart
felt sensation of gratitude I composed my
self to rest. Comfort is ever comparative,
and after all, if his wishes be moderate,
how little does man require! Sick, hungry,
and exhausted, I wanted shelter, food, and
repose ; I enjoyed all these blessings ; the
storm raged without, but not a rain-drop
fell on me. I never passed a night in more
sweet or refreshing slumbers. Yet where,
let me ask, was the hotel in England which
in the caprice of sickness would have satis
fied all my wants and wishes? When we
rose in the morning to depart, our good
hostess was resolute in refusing any remu
neration, though the wretched appearance
of her hovel, and the rags on her children,
bespoke the extremity of poverty. ‘No,’
said she, ‘ the saints guided you to my thres
hold, and 1 thank them. My husband, too,
was journeying yesterday; perhaps last
night, amid the thunder storm, he also
knocked at some Christian’s door, and found
shelter.’ We caught one of the children
outside, and forced some dollars into its lit
tle hands. 1 shall never forget that night
or that speech.”
In March he rejoined the army.—
“Alas! when I came again to staod on
the parade, for how many a face did my
eye inquire io vain! —ln the space of four
short months my regiment had buried Dear
ly three hundred men, all in the prime of
life and vigor of manhood.”
Dreadful as is the aggregate of slaughter retur
ned from a field of battle, it is probably but a
small proportion of the waste of life occasioned
by war.
Fond of scenery, retirement, and observation,
whenever the army halted be explored the adja
cent country. —
“ In one of my walks I arrived at a small
romantick chapel, such a one as you often
find in the Peninula, a league or more
from any human habitation. In the shade
near the door, I observed a small basket,
apparently filled only with the most beauti
ful flowers; when stooping, 1 beheld a
lovely infant about a year old; it was dres
sed prettily and tastefully; though pale, I
thought it slept: it was, however, cold and
lifeless.— I kissed its delicate fair face, and
thought, not without a sigh, on its parents.
A voice startled me, and turning, I behold
a decent looking peasant woman, with an
old man, and two or three children from
ten to fifteen years of age.—‘Are you the
mother of this babe?’ ‘ Yes, Senor.’ ‘ i pity
you from my heart.’ 4 How so, Senor ?—To
have borne and buried a Christian without
sin, I look od as a blessing.’— l gazed ear
nestly on (he woman. Was this insensibil
ity? or was it entbusiastick reverence for,
and pious resignation to, the will of God ?
I decided for the latter ; for I saw her bend
over her child with an expression of coun
tenance rapturously affectionate.—‘Your
child,’ said 1, 4 my good woman, is perhaps
ere now, a cherub in heaven.’ 4 Senor, you
caonot be a heretick!’ 4 No, I am a Chris
tian ofanothersect.’ 4 Ah! you must be aChris
tian: I thought so; but the Priest said you
English were all hereticks!’”
The British army was now entering into action,
and the interesting details before us, now lead us,
from observations on the peasantry and the man
ners of the country, to the horrors of war.
The whole army encamped upon the Sierra de
Buzaco. No sooner had the regiment piled its
arms than our young soldier walked to the verge
of the mountain in the hope to obtain a view of
the enemy’s forces.
“ Little however was 1 prepared for the
magnificent scene which burst upon my as
tonished sight. Far as the eye could stretch,
the glittering steel and clouds of dust raised
by cavalry and artillery, proclaimed the
march of a couDtless army ; while immedi
ately below me, at the feet of those precipi
tous heights on which I stood, tbeir picquets
were already posted: thousands of them
were already hailed in their bivouacks, and
column, too, after column, arriving in quick
succession, reposed upon the ground allot
ted to them, aod swelled the black and enor
mous masses. Tbe numbers of the enemy
were, at the lowest calculation, 75,000, and
this host formed in three distinct and heavy
columns: while to the rear of their left, at
a more considerable distance, you might
see a large encampment of their cavalry;
and the whole country behind them seem
ed covered with their train,tbeir ambulance,
’ and their commissariat. This then was a
i French army: here lay before me, the
men, who bad once, for nearly two years,
i kept the whole coast of England in alarm;
who bad conquered Italy, overrun Austria,
shouted victory on the plains of Austerlitz,
and humbled, in one day, tbe power, the
pride and the martial renowD of Prussia, on
the field of Jena. To-morrow I may for
: the first time hear the din of battle, behold
the work of slaughter, share the honours
-of a well-fought field, or be numbered with
1 the slain. I returned slowly to tbe line.
1 Though we bad neither baggage nor fires,
| we lay down rolled in our cloaks, and, with
> the stony surface of the mountain for our
bed, and the sky for our canopy, 9lept or
thought away the night.—Two hours be
fore the break of day the line was under
arms; bat the two hours glided away rap
idly aod silently. At last, just as the day
‘dawned, a few distant shots were heard on
i 1 our left, and were soon followed by dis-
{charge of cannon, and the quick, heavy,
I and continued roll of The first
wounded man 1 ever beheld in thr field, was
carried past me. He wm a fine young Eng (
lishman, and lay helplessly in a llanke<,|
with both his legs shattered by cannon shot |
He looked pale, and big drops of perspira
’ tion stood on his manly forehead, but he
spoke not, his agony appeared unutterable.
About this time Lord Wellington with a
numerous staff galloped up. and delivered
his orders to General Hill.—l distinctly
’ overheard him. ‘lf they a'tempt this
! point again, Hill, you will give them a vol
ley, and charge bayonets; but don’t let your
people follow them too far down the hill.’
I was particularly struck wilh the style of
i this order, so decided,so manly ; and breath
ing no doubt as to the repulse of any attark.
it confirmed confidence. Lord Wellington’s
simplicity of manner in the delivery of or
ders, and in command, is quite that of an
able man. He has nothing of (he truncheon
about him ; nothing full-mouthed,important,-
or fussy: his orders on the field are all
short, and clear, and to tbe purpose. The
French, however, never moved us through
the day—in the course of it our men went
down to a small brook, which flowed be
tween the opposing armies, for water; and
I French and English soldiers might be seen
1 drinking out of the same narrow stream, £■
even leaning over to shake hands with each
other. One pii ate of my own regiment
actually exchanged forage caps with a sol
dier of the enemy, a9 a token of regard &
g, od will.—Such courtesies, if they do not
’ disguise, at least soften, the horrid features
of war; and it is thus we learn to reconcile
our minds to scenes of blood an carnage.”
An interesting anecdote has been related
to us, concerning the Indian Chiefs who are
at present in this city. It is a well known
trait in the character of the Son of the For
est, that he seldom betrays surprise or as
tonishment at any thing he may behold,
however wonderful. These Chiefs among
other publick institutions, visited the asy
lum for the Deaf and Dumb. Tbe Inter
preter, explained to them the sit
uation of the children, and they were capa
ble of conveying to each other their wishes
and opinions, by means of their fingers.
This was too much for the credulity of tbe
Indian without having satisfactory evidence
of its truth. Accordingly he desired the
Interpreter to whisper to the teacher to ask
one of the boys by signs “who made him
dumb;” on tbe question beiog proposed,
the boy immediately with a piece of chalk,
wrote the word “God,” upon a black table
against the wall. The Indian looked at it
in silence, but as it conveyed no more idea
to him than the Hebrew Alphabet, tbe in
terpreter perceived the dilemma, and again
whispered to the teacher to direct him to
draw an animal something in the shape of
a Raccoon. The teacher made the requi
site signs, while the Indian watched him in
tently; the boy drew the figure, and the
uncultivated Son of the Forest was not too
proud to betray his astonishment at this tru
ly wonderful discovery, by which the con
dition of so many of our unfortunate fellow
beings will be rendered comparatively hap
py. [ Aurora.
“JEID SKtM£©JitAOT.
MOUNT ZtON, MONDAY, SEPT. 6, 1324.
To shew the Catholick Miscellany that we have
honesty enough to correct a mistake, we acknow
ledge that a slight errour obtains in our abridge
ment of the 32d Can. 6th Sess. of the Council of
Trent. The circumstances of the case are these :
In noticing the doctrines which had been pecu
liarly favourable to the existence and power Os
the Roman Catholick Church, we observed that
it had the right of determining what are the arti
cles of faith which should be believed, to which the
Miscellany replied, 44 the Church has no such
power.” We then asked why she assumed it,
aud referred to three canons to which anathemas
were attached. In one of these, we asked if it
did not determine an article of faith when it de
creed that the good works of justified persons were
truly meritorious, deserving not only an increase
of faith, but an increase of glory ; and anathe
matise all who deny this doctrine. It is now but
just to give his translation of the canon, though
it does not affect tbe question at all.
“ If any one shall say that the good works of a
justified person are in such manner the gifts of
God, as that they are not also the good merits of
the said justified person, or that the said justified
person by those good works, which are done by
him through the grace ot God and the merits of
Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, doth not
truly deserve increase of grace, eternal life, and
the obtaining of said eternal life (provided how
ever he shall have departed in grace) and also
the increase of glory ; let him be anathema.”
The errour it will be perceived, consists in say
ing an increase of faith instead of an increase of
grate.
As we have now confessed our mistake, will it
be uncharitable to suppose that the Miscellany
intended to divert his readers from the force of
the argument by carping at a word ? Whether
the canoD calls for an increase of grace or an in
crease of faith, is nothing to the purpose; but the
very face of the canon clearly stiews that the
Church does assume the power of determining
what are the articles of faith which should be be
lieved ; for it is nonsense to say that she does not
exercise that power, when for the edification of
her children, and as a guard against heresy, she
mingles anathemas with her doctrines; and es
pecially when according to Manning and esery
honest Catholick writer, 44 She teaches that the
Church established upon earth by Christ is infal
lible in ALL her decisions relating to matters of
faith.” As she tells us what should be believed
and what should not be believed, it is plain that
she considers the oracles of God committed ex
clusively to her, and what she cannot support
from the Scripture, she establishes by tradition.
We have now lyingbefore us a Catholick book,
written for the express purpose of defending their
faith from the pretended calumnies of Protestants.
Its title is, A Plain and Rational Account of Iht
Catholick Faith— By tbe Rev. Rt. Manning.
Fourth edition, revised and corrected London,
175 J. We shall select a few passage from that
work, as a further proof that we have not merited
the opprobrious epithets and cynical cunt which
the Miscellany has lavished upon us. “We be
lieve the Scriptures,” says Manning, (Art. xiii.
p. 126) “ because they contain the pure word of
God. and were written by Divine Inspiration.
But setting asid£ the authority of the Catholick
Church, men cannot without a miracle, have a
certain knowledge that all the bocks of Scripture
wore written in that manner If this be an er
rour, the learned St. Austin was deeply concern
ed in it. For he declared positively to the Mani
chees, That hr would not believt the gospels them
selves,unless the authority oj the Church . iducti
him to it. (Contra 1- pist. Fund. c. 4.) W hat a
gealous Papist did this holy and learned Father
here declare himself. Yet he advances nothing
but what is evident to common sense. For no
book is Scripture because it says it is so. Other
wise the Alcoran might be such.”
Now let this be compared with our Eighth Ar
ticle, viz.—“ That the sacred Scripture owes its
authority to the Church, (i. e. the Pope) without
whose testimony we should be no more hound to.
re<. ive it than Livy or the Koran,” and it must
he u critick who “ has thrice: sworn” that the:
Pope is not infallible, that will not he able to dis
cover a remarkable coincidence between them.
We committed another mistake , or i corse, in the
opinion of the Miscellany, when we said that
“No one of the laity is permitted to read the sa
cred Scriptures unless he shall have obtained
leave of the Bishop. The reason which they as
sign for this, is their obscurity.”
“ All that is forbid,” (says Mr. Manninz, p.
152) “is the people’s reading them (the Scrip
(ores) without leave. And where is the inconve
nience of it ? Can there beany harm in practising
humility, or paying a submission and obedience
to the pastors of the Church? Will the word of
God be less understood or profitless, when it is
read with leave, than without it? 1 should rather
think it probable that reading it with the leave of
those whom God has appointed to be our guides,
wil! be attended with a larger share of his blesiing
than when it is read independently of their allow
ance. Nay, I fear that they who are too proud
to ask leave, will not be humble enough to read
it with the Christian disposition they ought to
have.”
Yet our friend of Charleston tells us the propo
sition is not true.
“ Here we have another very pretty specimen
of had logick, if our friend ha= seen the decision
upon which he founds his assertion. It only con
tains two sophisms blended into one bad result.—
‘ There were at this time special ordinances in
particular places for a certain period. Therefore
says the Missionary, these were general regula
tions to be observed every where, for ever.’ Pro
tect us from 6uch logick ! ! Shall we give a spe
cimen— ‘ Io the days of King Edward (he Sixlh,
and of Queen Elizabeth, the Protestant clergy
men were forbidden to preach on account of their
ignorance, but they were ordered to read homilies
which bad been compiled principally by laymen,
therefore no one of the Protestant clergy is ever
permitted to preach. The reason which they as
sign for this is their ignorauce. l One statement is
quite as true ns the other. If on. Georgian friend
will be satisfied with the last, we shall not quarrel
about the first.
44 What is the fact ? There is no principle of
our church which prohibits the laity from reading
the Holy. Scripture ; but there is a principle which
prevents both clergy and laity from the wisest
Pope t<> the humblest child, from giving new and’
arbitrary explanations of tbe sacred text—which
confines tfiern to that meaning which ‘ has always
been held ’ Sometimes per°oris did not confine
themselves to this, but innovated upon doctrine,
inventing new notions, and profaning and distort
ing the sacred volume ; on such occasions, but
very seldom, temporary restrictions were placed
upon the ignorant, but those special provisions for
extraordinary cases are not the general law to
which they are an exception.
44 The obscurity of the Scriptures has been sla
ted as a fact by other churches, by the Roman
Catholick Church, for it has published the entire
of the sacred volume and amongst the rest a pas
sage which, in the Bible ofKing James of England
reads thus, ‘ even as our beloved brother Paul,also
according to the wisdom given unto him hath
written unto you, things hard to be understood ,
which they that are unlearned and unstable,wrest,
as they do also the other Scriptures nnto Ihpir
own destruction.’ ii. Peter, chap. iii. v. v. 15. 16.
Those Bishops who occasionally restrained the
unsteady, did nothing more than was done by St.
Peter when in the next verse he writes, 4 ye there
fore beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error
of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.”
Who said that this was a regulation of the Cath
olick Church to be observed every where, forever .?
The : Missionary did not. lie ouly mentioned
such doctrines as bad been favourable to the pre
tensions of Popery. There is no principle ,
then, according to their argument, which pro
hibits the laity from reading the ‘rcriplures—
but they are prohibited by special ordinances.
But on what are thes e special ordinances founded,
if not upon a principle that compels us to hold
our will and our reasoD in complete subjection to
the Catholick Church? It is upon the assumption
that the Church has a right to prohibit the laity
from reading the Scriptures, that this right has
been exercised. But whether it is a general or a
special ordinance, with or without any limitation
of time, moy it not be favourable to Popery ? Has
it not been ? We will leave it for them to decide.
Again—Mr. Manning says, (p. 155) “ I hearti
ly wish there were many such Christians as there
are in our English monasteries abroad, yet the
greatest part of these being ignorant of the lan
guages of the countries they live in, cannot read
the Bible translated into those languages, neither
are they furnished with English translations. And
how, then, have they the word of God and the
true spirit of the Gospel communicated to them ?
The question is easily answered: They re
ceive it partly from the mouth of their pastors like
the primitive Christians, and have besides, the
help of many pious books,” But why not fur
uish them with the Bible ? The reason is obvious—
“ Knowledge,” as we said in our thirteenth pro
position, “ is excluded from being the foundation
of faith, and ignorance is considered as haring a
better title to be connected with faith.” Pious
books and the preacher's word are substituted in
these monasteries for the lively oracles of God*