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THE RHEIMISH TESTAMENT AND THE

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IRISH CATHOLIC BOARD..

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been created in the sister island by the article of the British Critic; and the leaders of the board seem to have T was my full intention to have been seized with a sort of voluns renewed the strictures on the tary alarm, which have rendered base conduct of the British Critic them nearly non compos mentis ; at and its worthy associates of the least such is the inference: which press, towards the learned annotators may be drawn from the report of of the Rheimish testament; but cir- their second meeting, as given in the cumstances have arisen out of this aforesaid paper. On the very first conduct, which call for immediate day the board assembled, Mr. attention; I shall therefore close this O'Connell gave notice of his inten volume with some remarks on the tion to move, at the next meeting, transactions which took place on the for the appointment of a committee, recent opening of the Irish board," to draw up a disavowal of the very but particularly on the speech de- dangerous and uncharitable doer livered by Mr. O'Connell, for a retrines contained in certain notes to port of which I refer the reader to the epitome. I am well aware that in bringing before my readers the public acts of so justly celebrated a character as DANIEL O'CONNELL, I shall incur the displeasure of some portion of them; nevertheless, I consider my duty, as the impartial editor of an independent print, and my veneration for the cause of truth, should be paramount of every other consideration, and I therefore request that the admirers of Mr. O'Connell will set aside their partiality in this instance, and scan my dissent from the sentiments imputed to him with candour and equity. From the accounts published in the Dublin Evening Post, which has been very severe in its condemnation of the reprinting of the Rheimish. notes, it appear that a more than usual degree of interest has ORTHOD. JOUR, Vol. V.

the Rheimish testament." Now what right these gentlemen have to assume to themselves the power and authority to decide on doctrinal points, I have yet to learn; ɛ and I really think it would be more be coming in them to confine their pro ceedings to political subjects, than to be meddling with matters which do not come within the province of a lay-assembly. Indeed, I cannot help thinking, that, by their present conduct, they resemble more the character of inquisitors, which they appear to abhor, than of men com, bined for the purpose of forwarding a legal and laudable object. If these gentlemen are such strenuous advo cates for the liberty of the press, as they pretend to be why not have recourse to it, in defence, of their principles, instead of erecting themselves into a tribunal for the general

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answerable in its propositions, tha
no one dared to assume the task of
refuting it. Chagrined and deject
ed, it was resolved by the puritan
critics, in order to hide their defeat
and confusion, to raise a cry of into
lerance against the learned author
and catholics in general. This was
accordingly done, and the cringers
in our body became alarmed, lest it
should injure them in the good opi-
nion of the advocates of emancipa-
tion, which we all were seeking to
obtain. Under these apprehensions,
our self-appointed boardmen applied
to the ecclesiastical superiors of Mr.
Gandolphy, and by them he is de-
sired to suppress his work as contain-

tion comes on for discussion, and the
bigots having found an organ to pro-
mote their unworthy plan of en-
kindling the dying embers of pre-

rence of every Irish catholic? If his objection to the circulation of the notes affixed to the Rheimish testament is grounded on their liability of having abominable doctrines" deduced from them by bigotted pro testants, to calumniate and slander the principles of catholics, he must, if he wishes to be consistent, disown the text as well as the illustrations, because our fanatic opponents are as much in the habit of adducing the former in support of their accusations, as they are of deducing from the words of catholic expositors sentiments favouring their uncharitable charges. But will he forward the cause of emancipation one step, by this denunciation of our controvering erroneous doctrines. He refuses sial writers? No; he will injure it, to suppress, but is ready to cancel ; by creating an alarm in the mind he is therefore suspended, not inof the rigid catholic, lest it may deed by the neck, but only from lead to an abandonment of principle, using his sacerdotal faculties. Shortand weaken that steady adherencely after, the question of emancipato the unalterable doctrines of our church, which has ever marked the sincere and disinterested professors of them. I cannot here help, noticing thejudice to a flame, several garbled exnear approximation this conduct of tracts from Mr. Gandolphy's work Mr. O'Connell bears to the now rul- were quoted by Mr. Leslie Foster, to ing maxim of the self-constituted shew that the opinions of catholics English board, to suppress and rewere still of the most uncharitable nounce all works which may be connature. I have, in former numbers, sidered obnoxious to the present li- placed the author and the critic in beral taste of protestants; notwith-their proper colours; I have shewn standing the latter are not very de- that the former was governed by the licate in the dishes they serve up for sublime maxims of truth, and that a popish palate. Somewhat more the latter was influenced by contrary than twelve months ago, the Rev. motives. But how were the obser Mr. Gandolphy completed a series vations of Mr. Foster met in the sẽof controversial discourses, which nate? Why the hon. Mr. Elliot was embraced nearly every topic of dis- instructed to offer a general dis pute between the various sects of claimer of the work, and to assure protestants and the catholics. In the members that the author was sus this arduous undertaking the rever-pended for the tenets it contained.end author entered into the subjectThus, instead of meeting our adverwith peculiar animation, and dis-saries with a broad and open avowal played the most acute reasoning. of our principles, and shewing the As soon as the work appeared, a perfect inocuousness of them, our copy was carried to the den of bi- friends are directed to advance the gotry, were it underwent a critical thing which is not, and hazard the examination, and was found so un- confusion of an exposure. For what

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is the result of the attack made upon Mr. Gandolphy? Why, that he has been released from his suspension, with his principles unbent and unblemished; not a single proof having been advanced to convict his works of doctrinal errors; and they are now in the highest estimation among the catholic clergy and laity in England, Ireland, and America, as well as the divines at Rome. Just so will be the result of the disclaimer of the Irish board against the notes of the Rheimish testament.The bigots finding the clamour raised against our most esteemed controversial writers to operate much better on the votaries of religious prejudice than an attempt to refute their arguments, determined upon trying the experiment again; and, as they succeeded so well in England, having received assistance from several weak-minded catholics, it is resolved to change the scene of action, and accordingly, they deluge the sister island with their outrageous libels on the Rheimish annotators, and at the same time exclaim against the republication of their very learned and argumentative expositions of the lext of the new testament, as an insult to the advocates of emancipation, and dangerous to the protestant.community at large, inasmuch as the most diabolical and perfidious tenets are therein set forth for the instruction of the Irish catholics. In an instant the public mind becomes agitated in an alarming degree-the protestant is filled with disgust and indignation at the presumed delinquency of the catholic; and the catholic is seized with dismay and despondency, lest a second edition of Mr. Faster's speech should be repeated in the ensuing discussion of our claims, and a deep-immorality, like the Albigenses; or er impression be made against them than was produced by the first. As Dr. Troy was announced in the titie page as the approver of the work, he was induced to issue a declaration

against its circulation; and, although he did not suspend the reviser, yet he called upon the clergy to use their utmost endeavours to suppress the work. Unluckily for the truly-venerable prelate, the proprietor of the work was a protestant, and not, as he supposed from the title page, a ca tholic, who not being willing to have the sale of his property injured by the denunciation of a dignified ido | later, caused an action to be entered against the titular archbishop for da mages. The Loudon vicar was more fortunate.

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1 should here remind the reader, that on the 2d of June last, Mr. O'C. attended a meeting of the English board, and took an active part in the proceedings, notwithstanding he must be perfectly aware that they were no more the representation of the English catholics than the Turkish divan, being no other than a self-appointed club, assembling to forward their own special interests, contrary to the general sentiments of that, body they have the audacity to presume to re, present. At this meeting, according to the official minutes, Mr. O'Con nell hinted at an "union which he trusted was on the eve of being ef fected between the catholics of Great Britain and Ireland." Whether the Irish patriot was inoculated with the virus matter which infect the Eng lish servile adulators of bigotry and faction, I assume not to know; but really the whole tenor of his language on the present occasiou, whether we consider his unqualified renunciation of the sentiments of the Doway divines, or his bold claim for " "every human being to have his religious creed, whatever that creed might be, (whether it promoted unpiety and

sedition and rebellion, like the Lollards) unpolluted by the pious in terference of bigotted and oppressive laws," discovers a strong resemblance in sentiment with the Newcastle re

solutions, and those generally entered | prevent a recurrence of such danger

ous proceedings ? If he refers to sir J. C. Hippisley's report, he will find that the city of New York has already began to guard against the effects of mistaken zeal or ill-natured bigotry, by preventing any religious public exhibition on St. Patrick's day; but will any rational man accuse that city of violating the sacred rights of conscience by enforcing such a law? The laws enacted by our catholic ancestors, or I should rather

into by the would-be board of British catholics. I have proved in my last number, that in the time of the "dark ages" of popery, persecution for conscience sake was unknown amongst catholics, the church claiming no further power over heresy than a denunciation of its erroneous principles, and the exclusion of its fautors from the benefit of her sacraments. But, as in the case of the Albigenses, and the Iollards or Wickliffites, as well as the more moṣay the law, as only one appears to dern reformers, Luther, Calvin, &c have been passed, inflicting the puwhen sedition and rebellion became nishment of death, was for the purimbodied with heretical doctrines of pose of restraining civil commotion, reform, the different states of chris not the restriction of conscience. tendom were necessitated to frame The penal code of Elizabeth and her Jaws, not for the purpose of religious successors originated in the desire of persecution, but for the preservation the professors of the new system of of the property and lives of the peo-religious worship to extirpate the ple, and the stability of the respec-old faith of christendom, which they tive governments. And will Mr then called popery. Hence restricO'Connell'say, that in so doing they tions were put upon conscience, and were guilty of an "impious interfer an attachment to the ancient reliEnce" with the freedom of man's gion of the kingdom was made high conscience, by framing "bigotted treason; upon which same principle and oppressive laws?" Let him cast the Roman emperors were justified his eyes across the Atlantic, where in shedding the blood of so many he will perceive a state whose funda- martyrs as fell in their cruel persemental basis is civil liberty and reli- cution. Mr. O'Connell cannot be gious freedom. Where, in reality, ignorant, that the catholic who folevery man has the power of exercis-lows strictly the precepts of his diing his right of conscience, "unpol-vine religion, can be neither a perseluted by the impious interference of cutor nor a traitor. To be either, bigotted and oppressive laws." But he must violate the laws of his let me ask the learned patriot, if any church. How ridiculous and disdivine, of whatever religious persua- gusting must it then be, to see him sion he might be, were, under pre-disclaiming against doctrines never tence of reforming the government held, and protesting against legislaof the united states, and bettering tive acts never decreed by our ancesthe condition of the people, to instil fors, but the inere unfounded deducsuch doctrines as would create simi- tions of intolerance and bigotry. lar scenes as those recorded of the disciples of Wickliff in our own country, or the hugonot adherents of Calvin and Beza, in France, whether he would not be punished by the American executive with a rigour due to his crime, and provision be made by the legislative bodies to restrain and

Eager, however, to evince his spirit of conciliation, and to manifest his desire that the Irish board should coincide in the inquisitorial conduct of the English juuto, to suppress and condemn the bold attempts of controversial writers to clear away the clouds of prejudice by which the

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heavenly light of truth has been ob- a copy of which has been addressed scured, and thus erect a censorship to me in his own hand writing :→ on the press, he seizes the first op- But if it were possible for Dr. portunity which prevents itself, and Troy," says this malignant and insimoves the assembly to appoint a dious writer, "to satisfy the public,' committee of inquisitors, to pre- that he has used his utmost endeavours pare a disavowal and denunciation of to discourage this abominable Rheimthe intolerant doctrines contained in ish new testament (for the old testhe Rheimish notes, to be afterwards tament is more bearable, and the same submitted for the sanction of an ag- as that of bishop Challoner), it would gregate meeting, and a copy of it still remain a saleable work; being sent to every member of both houses praised by most of the other Irish of parliament, to the dignitaries of prelates and clergy, and by some of the protestant church, and the synod the vicars apostolic in Great Britain. of Ulster! I have no room to enter In bishop Milner's life of the late farther on the absurdity of this con- bishop Challoner, he eulogizes the duct; it is however matter of some Rheims testament and Douay bible," consolation to the catholics, that Mr. and the long annotations with O'Connell's motion was the occasion which it is enriched,' calling it of producing the eloquent address this excellent work.'-tu such of Mr. Eneas M'Donnell, which I predicament, then, the work will be have inserted at the end of this num sold, read, and circulated, notwithber. This gentleman very ably op-standing the private or individual posed the motion of Mr. Ŏ'Connell, sentiments of archbishop Troy: and and it was agreed by the board to ap-nothing which he alone can do, will point a committee to draw up an ad- tranquillize the feelings of considedress on the subject.-At a subse-rate and candid protestants; nothing quent meeting, Mr. O'C. informed the board that the committee would probably adopt the disclaimer of the archbishop of Dublin, omitting, the preliminary part, with which they Such is the expiation demanded had no concern, for it was couched, of us for the heinous offence comhe said, in language, as strong and mitted in daring to republish the luas general as could be desired.-And,minous and invaluable labours of the does Mr. O'Connell expect this won-Douay doctors, at the time we are derful panacea will effect the cure it is seeking for emancipation. And is intended to perform? It may pro- Mr. O'Connell prepared to go the bably operate on some of the sena-lengths here chalked out to him? tors and the synod of Uister; but I apprehend it will make no impression on the bench of bishops; and, as to the band of bigots, who have been instrumental in creating the clamourdered orthodox, by the most eminent against us, the reader may soon form divines of the church, to please the an idea of the degree of influence it intolerance of English bigots, aud will have upon them, when he has allay the tremblings of Irish conciliaperused the following declaration tors: But will the patriarchs of the which has been put forth by their hierarchy of Ireland commit such an trumpet-major, the theological-phar-act of cowardice? Will they be macopolist of Bloomsbury, in his guilty of such an abandonment of seventh number of the Antibiblion, principle? Will Dr. Milner recall

short of a synodical and explicit aer OF CONDEMNATION by ALL the Roman catholic prelates, can make any atonement to the British public."

In this case he must move for an address to the venerable prelates, requesting them to call a synod to condemu what has hitherto been consi

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