perhaps, surprise you when I inform you that, in addition to the Roman catholic college at Ascott, they are going to have a similar establishment as ASTON HALL, the ancient and magnificent seat of the HOLT family, and which has lately been given up by HENEAGE LEGGE, Esq. many years the good and tried friend of Birmingham, and whose retirement we all lament. I send you this additional proof that they are semper eadem, ever active, busy and intrusive; they must be met by corresponding energy or we shall awake too late. The laity must take up the measure with ardour, they must cry aloud to the government, for an increase of places for protestant worship and zealous ministers, men who will be instant in season and out of season; not those who put off their religious conduct with their gown and cassock, but such as have made it their choice, and will make it their business also, to attend to the religious welfare of their flocks. Your's, But let us proceed a little further. He says we are always the same, ever busy, active and intrusive;" that when our priests find a man wavering, &c. they are with him morning, noon, evening, and night, until they have brought him into our communion.-I have no doubt of the zeal of catholic clergymen, but I am certain the labours of dissenting ministers have been such, as to add considerably to the number of unhappy persons in the new Bethlem hospital, in which they are continually singing hymns and spiritual canticles,some preaching sermons, &c, to the no small annoyance of the neighbours; and what is still more affecting is, that the greater part, thus bereft of their senses by the idle, dangerous and latitudinarian doctrines, (I mean stuff) rung in their ears by these "nice," these "hea venly men," are young females.. Had the correspondent of The Sun confined himself to bis subject, I should have finished my remarks sooner; but, like most of his brethren, he must travel from his text, and talk about the old story of catholic disIt is well known that the college at loyalty, and the dangers to be appreOscott, which this old churchman hended by our protestant countrytalks so much about, is nothing more men of the safety of their lives, prothan a seminary for the instruction perty and religion, from the increase of catholic youth in the principles of of papists: and then he gives a hard religion and literature; but, not-rub to the ministers of the establishwithstanding its insignificance, when ment. But, good Mr. Churchman, compared to the numerous protest-know you not, that an evil tree canant establishments, this bright cor- not bring forth good fruit? You will respondent, and the still brighter find notwithstanding all the correseditor of the journal in which it ap- ponding energy of the dissenters, peared, could not help publicly ca- (the ministers of the established lumniating the whole catholic body. church have better sense than to medThe chief spleen, however, seems to die with the affair) a time will come have been directed against the new when we shall be found worthy of seminary at Aston Hall. If the trust and notice-our religion worthy Birmingham churchman could have of respect and imitation, perhaps turned those establishments into meso as totally to eclipse all puritan zeal thodist conventicles or schools to and loyalty!-I sual for the present, train up the " pious youth" for pudismiss the subject, and remain, Mr. ritan bible-brawlers, I fancy no Editor, your's, c. ALOYSIUS. such letter would have appeared.. London, Dec. 17, 1817.ma AN OLD CHURCHMAN. "Birmingham, Dec. 4, 1817." 1 QUERIES TO PROTESTANTS. To share the honours of the state? The lash of Persecution's hand ? The sacred bands of social life? To quell Rebellion's direful strife? To serve my king, and please my God? Inflicted on a loyal race, Whose loyalty has brightly shone Through centuries of unjust restraint.... Must still their chains be fastened on, And still unheeded their complaint? Epitome of Intelligence, AHE following account of the late extraordinary proceedings of the Irish catholic board, regarding the republication of the Rheims testament, is copied from the Dublin Evening Post : A remarkably full meeting of-the ca tholic board took place, on Thursday, the 4th instant, pursuant to adjourn ment. Owen O'Couor, esq. in the chair, After some preliminary business, Mr. O'Connell rose to make his proposed motion, for the appointment of a com mittee to prepare a denunciation of the intolerant doctrines contained in the Rheimish notes. Mr. O'Connell said, that on the last day of meeting he gave notice, that he would move for a committee, to draw up which are ever silent when any thing disavowal of the very dangerous and uncharitable doctrines contained in certain notes to the Rheimish testament. He now rose to submit that motion to the consideration of the board. The late edition of the Rheimish testament in this country, gave rise to much observation. That work was denounced by Dr. Troy-an action is now depending between him and a respectable bookseller to this city, and it would be the duty of the board not to inferfere in the remotest degree, with the subject of that action; but, on the other hand, the board could not let the present op portunity pass by, of recording their sentiments of disapprobation, and even of abhorrence, of the bigotted and intolerant doctrines promulgated in that work. Their feelings of what was wise, consistent, and liberal, would suggest such a proceeding, even though the indecent columns of their enemies had not rendered it indispensable. A work, called the British Critic, had, no doubt, been read by some gentlemen who heard him. The circulation of the last number has been very extensive, and exceeded, almost beyond calculation, the circulation of any former number, in consequence of an article which ap-ed by the catholic church, so that they peared in it on the late edition of the Rheimish testament. He (Mr. O'C.) said, he had read that article it is extremely unfair and uncandid; it gives, with audacious falsehood, passages, as if from the notes to the Rheimish testament, which cannot be found in that work; and, with mean cunning, it seeks to avoid detection, by quoting, without giving either text or page. Throughout it is written in the true spirit of the inquisition-it is violent, vindictive, and uncharitable. He was sorry to understand that it was written by ministers of the established church; but, he trusted, that when the charge of intemperance should be again brought forward against the catholics, their accusers would cast their eyes on this coarse and illiberal attack-here they may find a specimen of real temper ance. But the very acceptable work of imputing principles to the Irish people which they never held, and which they abhor, was not confined to the British Critic; the Courier, a newspaper whose circulation is immense, lent its hand, and the provincial newspapers throughout England-those papers, not only condemned and suppressed try. He would not be surprised to read, faith might be innocently broken with of speeches in the next parliament on the subject. It was a hundred to one but that some of our briefiess barristers have already commenced composing dull ca. Jumuies, and that we shall have speeches from them for the edification of the legislature, and the protection of the church. There was not a moment to be lost. The catholics should with one voice disclaim those very odious doctrines; he was sure there was not a single catholic in Ireland that did not feel as he did, abhorrence at the prin ciples those notes contain. Illiberality has been imputed to the Irish people, but they are grossly wronged. He had often addressed the catholic people of Ireland. He always found them applaud every sentiment of liberality; and the doctrine of perfect freedom of conscience, the right of every human being to have his religious creed, whatever that creed might be, unpolluted by the impious interference of bigotted or oppressive laws. Those sacred rights, and that generous sentiment, never uttered at a catholic aggregate meeting, without receiving at the instant the loud and the unanimous applause of the assembly. were It might be said that those meetings were composed of mere rabble. Well, be it so; for one he would concede that for the sake of argument. But what followed? Why, just this, that the catholic rabble, without the advantages of education, or of the influence of pofished society, were so well acquainted with the genuine principles of christian charity, that they, the rabble, adopted and applauded sentiments of liberality, and of religious freedom, which, unfortunately, met with but little encouragement from the polished and educated of other sects. He owed it to his religion, as a catholic and a christian; to his country, as an Irishman; to his feelings as a human being, to utterly denounce the abominable doctrines contained in the notes to the Rheimish testament. He was a catholic upon principle-a stedfast and sincere catholic, from the conviction that it was the best form of religion; but he would not remain one, one hour longer, if he thought it essential to the profession of the catholic faith to believe that it was lawful to murder protestants, or that heretics. Yet such were the doctrines to be deduced from the notes to the Rheimish testament. He would conclude by moving for the sub-committee. The disavowal, he said, might be very properly submitted for the sanction of an aggregate meeting, and a copy of it should be sent to every member of both houses of parliament, to the dignitaries of the protestant church, and the synod of Ulster. Mr. O'Kelly seconded the motion. Mr. Eneas M'Donnell opposed the motion. Our space will not allow us to follow the learned gentleman through a long speech. He said he did not think it the duty of the board to become in spector of bibles, and that if they interfered in this instance, they would be bound to take notice of every future publication; he confessed he was not so inflated with liberality as to feel himself called on formally to disavow the publi cation in question, however strongly he might disapprove of it. He said he brought an address ready prepared, which he thought would meet the ob ject of all parties, which he would read. Mr. M Donnell then proceeded to read his address, for which see page 477. Mr. Nicholas Mahon objected to the motion of Mr. O'Connell; he thought the matter should be left to the discretion of the clergy, who would discharge their duty to the satisfaction of the country, and the vindication of the catholic religion; he shortly ob jected to the introduction of religious subjects in popular meetings. Mr. O'Connell. I said that it was a mere religious question. He asked, was there a member of the catholic body who did not disclaim those doc trines; where was the man who did not hold them in abhorrence? Why then should they hesitate to disavow them; you have, said he, entered into a discussion on the subject, and it is impossible for you to recede; and if, under the pretence of this being a polemical subject, you stop sort, the people of Eugland will say, that you had not the spirit or the liberality to condemn those very scandalous notes, and that you got rid of the subject by a side wind. He did not see how it was taking the subject out of the hands of the clergy, and it certainly was extraordinary enough to say, that it would be disrespectful to them, as if the vindication of our character could be painful to their feelings; or as if the refutation of calumnies could give them offence. possibility of completing so comprehensive a work; I must, therefore, reserve for another, and, I trust, not remote period, the intended compilation of all the circumstances and documents with which, in my delegate character, I became connected. Mr. N. P. O'Gorman considered such discussions a misfortune. He could not too strongly disapprove the introduction of religious subjects; for I shall endeavour, however, in this his own part he never looked into the report, to make such a general statebible, and he never would-(a laugh)ment as will enable the board to form a I mean, said he, the Rheimish bible. He said that such topics would tran's form the gentlemen of the board into a conclave of cardinals. One gentleman would say such a work is very illiberal; another would say, I do not think so: they dispute on the point, and quote most copiously from the holy fathers (u laugh.)-and then our time would pleasantly pass away in old-womanish disputes. Mr. O'Connell's motion was put and carried, the words being amended thus. "That a committee be appointed to draw up an address on the occasion of the late publication of the Rheimish testament, with a view to have the same submitted to an aggregate meeting," and the following gentlemen were named as the committee: The chairman, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Scully. Mr. O'Kelly, Mr. Mahon, and Mr. Eneas M'Donnell. REPORT OF THE correct notion of the conduct of my On the 16th of September, 1815, the remonstrance of the Roman catholics of Ireland to the holy see was confided ceeded to my destination with all conto my single charge, and having provenient speed, I reached the Roman capital on the 25th day of October-I lost no time in obtaining an interview with his eminence, cardinal Litta, prefect of Propaganda I disclosed most unreREVEREND RICHARD HAYES, servedly to his eminence the objects of Late Delegate of the Catholics of the assurances of support with which my mission, and was much gratified by Ireland to the Holy See, present- he was pleased to honour me--he denied ed to the Catholic Board, on Sa- that the Genoese letter conceded the turday, 13th December, 1817. veto, and gave me a copy thereof, in MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN- order, by its publication, to allay In compliance with the wishes of the the alarm in Ireland. I found, howgeneral board of the catholics of Ire-ever, at the onset, that my mission was land, I shall now proceed, in as ample destined to meet the implacable resist. a manner as the time allowed to me, ance of his eminence, the cardinal se and my infirm state of health will per-cretary of state, Consalvi, who made mit, to state the circumstances attend- it a subject of much complaint, that I ing the commencement, progress, and had not selected him as the organ of my conclusion of my mission to the holy communication with the holy see-L did not conceive that I should be war It had been my intention to publish, ranted in submitting, contrary to all for the information of my countrymen right and usage, the religious concerns at large, a Narrative, detailing every of the catholics of Ireland to the politimaterial consequence and developing, cal cabinet of the Roman court, and I in a minute manner, all the incidents felt satisfied that I should incur the just affecting the object of my deputation. censure of my constituents, were I to But my state of health since my de-recognize in this Roman minister, or parture from Rome, has precluded the any other foreign political authority see. |