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gress. My Lords, if this be an evil, as, confined to themselves alone ;) well, page
undoubtedly it is, instead of leaving it to 5, the rev. incumbent says-
cautious and distant observation, is it noi

“We have to contemplate the foe whom we our duty to grapple with it, and overcome

are compelled to dread. That foe is Poperyit, as you have so lately done? But if, a system of religious belief and practice which, on the other hand, these feelings are to go in every age of its existence, has proved itself unchecked and unrestrained, governing to be a master-piece of evil, exquisitely the very Government itself; if having adapted to the unrenewed heart of man, and conquered we are now to yield; if they for the destruction of the soul. are to become a recognised principle in much as it inculcates the payment of Divine

“ The system is idolatry in religion ; inasthe Commonwealth, exercising dominion honours to other beings than God ;-angels, over the most important destinies of the men, and women, the Virgin Mary in particucountry; it behoves us at the very least to lar, are the objects of its adoration, &c. examine them more closely, to sift the “The system is treason in politics, inasmuch means by which they have obtained so as it teaches that kings have no dominion over fatal an ascendancy, and to see whether it their subjects, if the Pope be pleased to debe not possible to counteract them by cate; and also, that the oath of allegiance to

clare the said kings deposed or excommunisome other method.

any sovereign not thus deposed, is not binding, My Lords, they who represent these if the cause and interests of Romanism can be feelings in Parliament, and they who con served by breaking it, &c. stilute them out of doors, tell us, one and “The system is vice in morals, inasmuch as all, that they have their origin and their it teaches that it is not murder to kill men who force in the doctrinal errors, and tainted oppose the system; that it is not perjury to

break morality--the superstition and idolatry of it, you did not intend to abide by 11, &c.

any oath or promise, if, when you made Rome. Let us begin with those without.

“Once more, the system is absurdity in But in dealing with this subject, do not general, &c., &c. fear that I shall detain you long, or weary “Such, brethren, is Popery; idolatrous, you with an argument on every point; 1 treasonable, vicious, and absurd, &c., however shall select one only as a sample, and for fostered by our rulers, and likely to obtain asthat even I crave your indulgence, though cendancy in this country!"

.! I think I have a right to it-for remem- Again, p. 10– ber, that we are continually accused of

“In the second place, we distinctly charge high crimes and misdemeanor before the sin of gross idolatry upon the Church of God and man, and if it were only to rescue Rome.

Through each of these (the ourselves from dishonour, putting all con saints) is the Divine Majesty to be approached, sideration of the well-being of the country and prayers are to be addressed to them. To out of the question, I do think that I have them, did I say ?-nay, to their images and a right to demand your attention for a few pictures ! And this surely is idolatry, beneath

its grossest form.” moments. My Lords, I will bring but one witness

Now let us see his proofs for this last to the means by which these feelings are

point:created and sustained throughout the “ The Creed of Pope Pius IV.," says he, country : it is a Sermon, and a pretty one “ thus states this doctrine :- I believe that it is, with this title, “ Popery our Giant the saints who reign with Christ are to be Foe: a Sermon preached in the Church worshipped and prayed to.'—' I most firmly of St. Matthew the Evangelist, Rugby, on Mother of God, who was always a Virgin, are

assert that the images of Christ, and of the Sunday evening, the 18th May, 1845, to be had and retained ; and that due honour being the evening previous to the Third and worship is to be given to them. The Reading of the Maynooth Endowment Council of Trent declares, that it is lawful to Bill, by the Rev. C. R. Alford, M.A., in represent God and the Holy Trinity by cumbent.”

images,' in defiance of the Second Command. After a deal of fanatical trash, page 5, and the saints are to be duly honoured, wor

ment, and that the images and relics of Christ the rev. incumbent is pleased to say, shipped, and venerated; and that in this (but I should first

serve that the con- veneration and worship those are venerated gregation were so delighted with it that who are represented by them.” they requested it might be printed for the

Now, my Lords, will you believe it?benefit of the world at large, thinking it a that this minister of justice, charity, and pity that so much knowledge should be truth, while he vouches for the accuracy of

his statement-he may have taken it from tained ; and that due honour and veneration another, but that is no excuse, for he are to be given them.” vouches for its truth-ill you believe it, Now for the Council of Trent. The Sythat he has had the audacity to interpo- nod decreeslate these three passages, each placed

“ That images of Christ, of the blessed Virbetween inverted commas, to show them

gin, and of other saints, are to be exposed 10 be scal and true quotations-he has and retained, particularly in churches, and that had the audacity to interpolate every one due honour and veneration are to be shown to of them with the word, and the only word them; not as believing that any divinity or upon which his whole argument turns, his virtue is in them, for which they should be whole accusation reposes-the word wor- honoured, or that any thing is to be asked of ship; without that, he knew that bis ac

them or any trust placed in them, as the Gencusation could not stand, for that the real tiles once did in their idols, but because the

honour given to pictures is referred to the doctrines of the Church were precisely the

prototypes, which they represent; so that contrary to that which he represented ihrough the images which we kiss, and before them; but he was determined 10 carry which we uncover our heads and kneel, we his point, and he carried it by the most may learn to adore Christ, and venerate his unblushing forgery !

saints,"--Sess. xxv. De Invoc, S, S. My Lords, this is a sample, and only a Now let us see how this doctrine is exsample, of the many blasphemous — as plained in the catechism drawn up by some of them are—and disgraceful false order of the Council. Amongst other hoods contained in this blind, strange things, in explaining the lawful use of effort of bigotry. I wish it were as soli- images, the pastor is enjoined totary as it is strange, and yet has the

“ Inform the unlettered, and those who rev. incumbent the effrontery to put his may be ignorant of the proper use of images, name to it, as a further guarantee for its that they are intended to instruct in the truth !

history of the Old and New Testaments, and

to revive the recollection of the events which Are you then surprised, my Lords, that

they record ; that thus excited to the contema petition numerously signed should bave plation of heavenly things, we may be the come up from Rugby against Maynooth, or more ardently inflamed to adore and love that wiih such appliances as these, your God. He will, also, inform the faithful that Table should have been loaded with the images of the saints are placed in churches, them? To be sure, the rev. incumbent not only to be honoured, but that, also, admodoes say in the next paragraph, that

nished by their example, we may imitate their

lives and emulate their virtues.”—Pages 351, 2. “The later writers (that is, subsequent to And again, in explaining the different the Council of Trent, meaning there were none such previously) of the Romish commu

manner of addressing prayers to the Alnion have endeavoured to meet the charge of mighty and to the saints, they say— idolatry, by making a distinction between the

“In the performance of this duty, it is worship that is paid to God, and that which is strictly incumbent on all not to transfer to offered to the saints. But this is a mere equi- creatures the right which belongs exclusively vocation, and it is brought forward, not to

to God; and when, kneeling before the image caution the Romanist against idolatry, but of a saint, we repeat the Lord's Prayer, we merely to silence the Protestant oppo- are also to recollect, that we beg of the saint nent,” &c.

lo pray with us, and to obtain for us those faHere, my Lords, are two fresh falsehoods, vours which we ask of God in the petitions of iwo new calumnies, in one short sentence, the Lord's Prayer; in fine, that he become against his Catholic fellow countrymen ! That this is an office which the saints dis

our interpreter and intercessor with God. Now let us just see how these passages charge, we read in the Apocalypse of John really stand. The passage cited from the the Apostle." - Page 467. Creed of Pius IV. stands thus in the original :

Now, my Lords, I will ask what war

ranty is ihere in all this for the accusa“I constantly hold, that the saints reigning tion of the rev. incumbent ? And I together with Christ are to be honoured and will also ask what warranty is there for invocated, that they offer prayers to God for the reiterated assertion of the noble Duke us, and that their relics are to be venerated. I most firmly assert, that the images of Christ, upon the cross benches (Newcastle), that and of the Mother of God, ever a Virgin, and Catholics are idolaters, because they put also of the other saints, are to be had and re. up images in their churches 10 worship

-as

them-an assertion which was cheered |fession by their vices--still do I defy the when he made it, and which the noble noble Duke to show, that, under any Duke said he would persist in making, in change of circumstances or condition, did presence of the Catholic Members of this she ever once inculcate or connive at the House as well as in their absence, before heinous crime of idolatry, that is, the pay. their faces as bebind their backs. But I ment of divine honours idolatry is must tell the noble Duke that as long as very justly defined by the rev. incumhe persists in making it, so long must I bent at Rugby-the payment of divine persist in contradicting it; but I beg of honours to any other than to the one, only your Lordships to observe the difference true, and living God! between us-that the noble Duke asserts My Lords, in approaching the next porwithout his proofs, I contradict with my lion of this question, I mean the declara. authority by my side. And why will not tion so long made by the Legislature that authority convince him, and those against the so-called superstition and ido. who think with him? It is as accessible latry of Rome, and which, though abanto him as it is to me. Am I yet to tell doned as a test, save in one solitary inhim, before he will disbelieve it, am I stance, is still so prominently brought for. yet 10 tell him that there are 150 millions ward, I will at least promise not to detain of Christians now in existence ready to you long. But that declaration having swear that his assertion is false? Am I been very recently appealed to by noble yet to tell him that he may in vain ransack Lords and right rev. Prelates, in a solemn the whole history of the Christian Church protest on our Journals, not only as a for one single authority-for one single warning to your Lordships, and for the authority in favour of picture or image purpose of influencing the policy of the worship, from the first rude efforts of the country, but also as a proof of the truth pencil in the catacombs of Rome, to the of what it asserts, it seems necessary, matchless wonders of Michael Angelo and besides what I have said already, to conRaphael, in St. Peter's and the Vatican-sider under what circumstances that declafrom the day on which St. Augustine, the ration was first framed and accepted by apostle of England, advanced in procession the Legislature, and what right it has acto King Ethelbert, as the envoy from Rome, quired thereby to exercise the control with the cross, the emblem of redemption, which, used as it is, I believe it does, over carried before him, to that on which bis the feelings and delusions of the people. venerated shrine was pillaged and made Your Lordships are too well versed in desolate by the rapacious hands of the the history of those times, for me to do Iconoclasts of the sixteenth century?- more than just to remind you that that and, my Lords, I have ever fancied that declaration was the immediate consequence the weight of gold and jewels which en- of Oates's plot, commonly called the Popish cased them, was far more precious in the Plot, sight of the profaners of these relics, than Here the noble Earl was interrupted by the principle for which they contended. Lord Brougham, who declared that there Am I yet to tell the noble Duke, that also must be limits to the debates in that House; from that time to this, do I defy him to the noble Earl was going into questions bring one single atom of evidence in sup- which had nothing whatever to do with port of his assertion, more worthy of credit the subject before ihe House-he was inthan the interpolations of the rev. introducing a theological controversy for cumbent of the church of St. Matthew which there was no occasion, the Evangelist at Rugby? My Lords, I The Earl of Shrewsbury: I am sure defy the noble Duke to show that the that theological questions have not been Church Catholic, from the first day of her introduced by me: I am only on the deexistence to the present hour, occupying, fensive. I had always understood it to be as she ever has done, the most civilized conformable with the usage of the House portions of the globe; exposed to the gaze to enter upon the state of the country, and and scrutiny of all; the nurse and mistress the influences under which measures were of the arts and sciences, both sacred and passing through the House. A Minister profane ; whether filling the world with of the Crown had told them that a partiber learning, and illustrating her doctrines cular measure bad not been introduced in by her virtues; or in less happy times, 100 deference to the feelings of the countrymany of her members disgracing their pro. I a measure analogous to that now before

them-and he thought it necessary to dis. | England, venerable for his years, remarkcuss the nature and cause of those feelings. able only for the quiet innocence of his Would the noble and learned Lord promise life, his only crime that he was a Catholie, not to introduce theological questions him- his only offence that he was a man of unself?— would he promise to desist from pretending talent. For this, was Lord indulging in his invectives against the Stafford selected from the five Catholic Catholic religion-against the religion of Peers who were imprisoned, and selected the Catholic Members of this House? to stamp the judicial proceedings of that

Lord Brougham would pledge himself unhappy period with eternal infamy! But on the preseni occasion to avoid going into why, my Lords, do I dwell upon this what the noble Earl tempted him to go scene? Why! but to show the charinto, by his most gratuitous defence of the acter, the iniquity of the men who Catholic religion, and what had not been proposed, and the ferocity of the times brought into question.

that accepted that declaration; and The Earl of Shrewsbury continued :- from which noble Lords and right rev. My Lords, I was saying that the declara- Prelates still seem to draw the inference, sion in question was the immediate conse- that because it was accepied by the Lequence of Oates's plot--a plot hatched gislature, therfore was it true. My Lords, and supported on those very same popular it was not likely that men who were imdelusions, those very same charges against bruing their hands in the blood of so many Catholics, and their religion, which noble innocent victims should stop to inquire Lords and right rev. Prelates brought into the truth or falsehood of anything forward on the Maynooth Bill; a plot that they found so adapted to their pura which characterizes the most disgraceful pose, the exclusion of Catholics and the period of our history, which was eagerly destruction of their religion, to gratify the seized by the unprincipled leaders of the fanatics ---Parliament too largely and too factious opposition of the day for their own fatally participating in the crime, to gratify unprincipled ends, chiefly to support the the fanatics through whom they aimed at credit of the party which they represented, power and place. For this was the plot (the fanatical or country party,) to main- devised and prosecuted; and when Shaftestain the belief throughout the kingdom in bury, the principal leader in those inithe truth of these very charges, and thereby quitous transactions, was taxed by a to raise themselves to power; a plot, the friend with the improbability of its inciincidents of which were so improbable, nay dents, what did he answer? “ The more so impossible, that Mr. Fox declared they nonsensical the better; unless we can could not have been believed even from make them swallow worse nonsense than the mouth of Cato, but which were never- that, we never shall do any good with theless, though secretly discredited by the them.” Such, my Lords, was the man, leaders, eagerly received as so much gos- and such the Parliament, that proposed pel by the credulity of the unreflecting and accepted that declaration, and which multitude ; a plot which speedily immo- now carries such weight with it because it lated no less than seventeen innocent india was accepted by the whole Legislature of viduals, one of them seventy, another England! My Lords, from the Parliaeighty years of age, (for the plot itself was ment-and remember that one House was a pure, pure fiction,) and which, con- the prosecutor, and the other the judge of demning seventeen others to death, some Lord Stafford, both involved in one comof whom died in prison, and subjecting mon guilt; and remember, too, that thes the whole Catholic population of the king- things were done not in the green wood, dom to the extreme of misery and vexa- but in the dry, when the new principles tion during two whole years, at length had enjoyed 150 years of fair play to terminated-no, it did not terminate with purify the faith and improve the morals of Lord Stafford, for there was still another the country!- from the Parliament, let victim to its thirst for blood in the vener- us ascend to the Sovereign, the third estate able Archbishop Plunket, the Primate of of the realm. My Lords, the Sovereign Ireland—but requiring at that particular / who gave his unwilling assent to that dejuncture a higher and more distinguished claration, sealed his disbelief of it by dying victim, lest its credit should slacken and ' a Catholic! depart, Lord Stafford was selected for the But why do I still dwell upon those purpose. Sprung from the best blood in 'limes ?

Why, but because these very same charges of noble Lords and right, he," that principles-and those pretended, rev. Prelates were then, as now, ever fore- of faith too, should be imposed upon men, most on the scene;- because ihey then, which they themselves renounce and detest?

If the Turk's Alcoran should in like manner as now, governed the feelings and regu- be urged upon us, and we be hanged up for lated the legislation of the country-be- Mahometans, all we could do or say in such cause I verily believe them to be even now

a case, would be, patiently to die with protesthe cause of ihe defective character of this tations of our own innocence. And this is the very measure now before us-because upon posture of our present condition.” them the whole framework of Oates's My Lords, he speaks feelingly in this plot was built-because they were thrust matter; for he was a Benedictine monk, forward at the opening of the prosecution and one of those tried for Oates's plot, against Lord Siafford, to prejudice the but fortunately acquitted. minds of your Lordships' House, then

“We abhor, we renounce, we abominate trying thal innocent man, and which con

such principles; we protest against them, and sequently-consequently, as is well at: seal our protestations with our dying breathis. tested, for the evidence iiself was not fit What shall we say ?--what can we do more? to hang a dog—which consequently con- To accuse men as guilty in matters of faith demned him by a verdict at which pos. which they never owned, is the same thing as terity will never cease to shudder.

to condemn them for matters of fact which Do not fancy, my Lords, that these they never did.” charges were not contradicted and dis. The author then proceeds to give a true proved then, as they are contradicted and and candid explanation of his belief in disproved now; Lord Stafford himself the main points of faith and loyalty, conappealed for their contradiction to a work troverted between Catholics and Protestthen recently published, and universally anis, as they severally relate to God and considered to be, as it has been ever since, a the king; and, in conclusion, saystrue, correct and faithful exposition of the real doctrines of Catholics on those points. these the idolatries and superstitions which,

“ These are the principles, these the treasons, li is entitled, “ Roman Catholic Principles though no other than what we have received in reference to God and the King.” It passed from our forefathers, and what the greatest through no less than twelve editions during part of the Christian world now professeth ; the first six years, has been printed and yet have drawn upon us poor Catholics in reprinted ever since, has frequently been England such dreadful punishments. Sweet distributed gratuitously through the coun- Jesus, bless our sovereign ! pardon our ene

mies; grant us patience, and establish peace try, but yet has it never proved any suffi- and charity in our nation! This is the daily cient aniidote to the poison, for the charges prayer of, Sir, your faithful though distressed themselves are as rife as ever.

friend." There is one passage in the Preface so Now, my Lords, as I said, I have done; exceedingly apposite to our present pur- but I trust that an impartial survey of the pose, that I trust your Lordships will allow history of those times--and a careful reme to read it to you, and I have done.

perusal of it will amply repay the trouble “You tell me,” says he-he is writing to a

-ic is beautifully given in Lingard_I friend—“and you are in the right, that the trust that it would serve as a caution to thing which hath rendered credible the testi- every man of station and influence not 10 mony of otherwise incredible witnesses against eucourage, nor yet to yield to these popuus, and which hath invalidated all contrary lar delusions, now seemingly become heevidence given in our behalf, is a persuasion reditary in the country, though resting many Protestants have, that the Catholic religion is made up of traitorous principles, de (only upon so many traditionary falsehoods. structive of peace and government. You

My Lords, if I have mistaken the true

say you have been inforned by common report, import of what fell from the noble Presiby printed books, nay, by some ministers in dent of the Council, or if I have overtheir very pulpits, that Catholics hold it an strained my inferences, though I do not article of faith to believe that the Pope can think that I have done; for I have a very depose kings, absolve their subjects from strong additional argument in favour of allegiance, and dispose of their kingdoms to whom he pleases

. That to murder Protestants my opinion, in a declaration made only and destroy the nation by fire and sword for the other day in another place, that you the propagation of the Catholic faith, are do not mean to relax the penal laws works oi piei', and meritorious of heaven. against the Regulars; for

what And is it not strange, and severe," continues conceivable principle is it that you