"Again, in the same book, we find this most unscriptural prayer: ́O blessed Mary, who can adequately pay the debt of gratitude, and the meed of praise, to thee who by thy wonderful assent didst help a ruined world?' What praises shall the frailty of the human race pay to thee, who by thy sole agreement, didst find out the way of recovering it? Receive thou our empty thanksgivings, disproportioned to thy merits; and when thou hast received our vows, obtain pardon for our sins by thy prayers. Admit our prayers within the sanctuary of audience, and bring back to us the remedy of reconciliation.' "We read, again, the following: Let what we offer through thee be pardonable by thee; let that be obtainable which we entreat with believing minds. Receive what we offer, bestow what we ask, pardon what we fear, because thou art the only hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the pardon of our sins; and in thee, most blessed one, is the expectation of our rewards. Holy Mary, relieve the miserable, help the weak, comfort the mourners; pray for the people, interpose for the clergy, intercede for the troubled female sex. Let all feel thy help, as many as celebrate thy conception.' * "And now," said Mrs. Gracelove, "I will read you an extract from a Roman Catholic book, entitled the Devotion and Office of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, with its Nature, Origin, Progress, &c., including the Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Mary, &c., and the Indult of His Holiness Pope Pius VII. in favour of it; for the use of the Midland District. London, printed and sold by Keating and Brown, Duke Street, Grosvenor Square. 1821.' 66 6 "Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Mary. "SECTION I. As the adorable heart of Jesus was formed in the chaste * Rom. Brev. at the Feast of Conception, B. V. M. Dec. 8th. 6 womb of the blessed Virgin, and of her blood and substance, so we cannot, in a more proper and agreeable manner, show our devotion to the sacred heart of the Son, than by dedicating some part of the said devotion to the ever pure heart of the Mother. For you have two hearts here united in the most strict alliance and tender conformity of sentiments; so that, 'tis not in nature to please the one, without making yourself agreeable to the other, and acceptable to both. Go, then, devout client, go to the heart of Jesus, BUT LET YOUR WAY BE THROUGH THE HEART OF MARY. The sword of grief which pierced her soul, opens you a passage; enter by the wound love has made: advance to the heart of Jesus, and rest there even to death itself. Presume not to separate and divide two objects so intimately ONE, or united together; but ask redress in all your exigences from the heart of Jesus, and ask this redress through the heart of Mary.' "This form and method of worship is the doctrine and the very spirit of God's church; it is what she teaches us in the unanimous voice and practice of the faithful; who will by no means that Jesus and Mary should be separated from each other in our prayers, praises, and affections. This consideration has engaged the sovereign Pontiffs, and head Pastors of the church, to give the self-same sanction to the pious practices instituted in honour of the sacred heart of Mary, as they give to those of the adorable heart of Jesus; both within their proper limits. They both have equally their feasts and solemnities; both their associations; and those, too, equally enriched with the treasures of the church, under the liberal dispensations of its governors. Many are the pious and virtuous souls who have drawn most signal fruit and advantage from their devotions. "Come, then, hardened and inveterate sinner, how great soever your crimes may be ! Come and behold! Mary STRETCHES OUT HER HAND, OPENS HER BREAST TO RECEIVE YOU; though insensible to the great concerns of your salvation, though unfortunately proof against the most engaging invitations and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, FLING YOURSELF AT THE FEET of this powerful advocate. Her throne, though so exalted, has nothing forbidding, nothing dreadful; her heart is all love and tenderness.' 66 6 SECTION II. "Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Mary. 66 7 O holy mother of God, glorious queen of heaven and earth! I choose thee this day for my Mother, my Queen, and my Advocate, at the throne of thy Divine Son.' "At page 205 are given various salutations and benedictions to the honour of our blessed Lady,' among which are the following: 66 'Hail, Mary, Lady and Mistress of the world, to whom all power has been given both in heaven and earth. "Hail, Mary, Queen of my Heart, my Mother, my sweetness, and my love.' "Listen to the following, my dear friend," said Mrs. Gracelove, "and doubt, if you can, after all that has preceded it, whether the Roman Catholic Church be an idolatrous church. Indeed, in this passage, as in many others, the more awful charge of blasphemy might be preferred. "It is entitled, 'An Angelical Exercise.' "I reverence you, O sacred Virgin Mary, the holy ark of the covenant; and together with all the good thoughts of all good men upon earth, and all the blessed spirits in heaven, do bless and praise you infinitely, for that you are THE GREAT MEDIATRIX BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, OBTAINING FOR SINNERS ALL THEY CAN ASK, OR DEMAND, of the BLESSED TRINITY. Hail Mary!' I shall again astound your ears, as I cannot but believe I have done already, said the missionary guest to her half, if not wholly convinced hostess, by reading the following extract from a work entitled The Glories of Mary,' in great request and estimation among Roman Catholics.-Fifth edition, printed by Coyne, Dublin, and originally composed by Liguori, who was canonized on the 26th May, 1839, by Pope Gregory XVI. "Mary is, then, queen of the universe, since Jesus is its King. Thus, as St. Bernardine again observes, as many creatures as obey God, so many obey the glorious Virgin : every thing in heaven and earth, which is subject to God, is also under the empire of his most holy mother.' (p. 28.) 66 6 'Pity us, then, queen of mercy, and think of our salvation. Say not (that I may use the expression of St. Gregory of Nicomedia) that our sins render us unworthy of your aid, for your clemency surpasses our malice. Nothing resists your power, because the Creator of all honours you as his Mother, regarding your glory as his own. Mary owes her Son an infinite debt of gratitude, for choosing her for his mother, but it is not less true to say-THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS CONTRACTED A SPECIES OF OBLIGATION TOWARDS HER, FOR THE HUMAN EXISTENCE HE RECEIVED FROM HER, and in return for this benefit he honours her by hearing her prayers' (p. 34.) Especially mark this," said our friend,—“The omnipotent God considered a debtor to the creature of His own hand! -sinful dust and ashes!-But to proceed 66 "Let us go, then, Christians, let us go to this most gracious Queen, and crowd around her throne, without being deterred by our crimes and abominations. Let us be convinced, that if Mary has been crowned Queen of mercy, it is in order that the greatest sinners, who recommend themselves to her prayers, may be saved by her intercession and form her crown in heaven. (p. 35.) 66 6 Queen of heaven and earth! Mother of God! My Sovereign Mistress! I present myself before you as a poor mendicant before a mighty queen. From the height of your throne, deign to cast your eyes on a miserable sinner, and lose not sight of him till, by your prayers, you render him truly holy. "O illustrious Virgin! You are Queen of the universe, and consequently mine; I desire, then, to consecrate myself more particularly to your service. Dispose of me according to your good pleasure; direct me; I abandon myself wholly to your guidance; never more let me be guided by myself; chastise me if I disobey you; your correction will be sweet and agreeable. I am, then, no longer mine, I am yours: Save me, O powerful Queen, save me by your intercession with your Son.' (p. 38.) "We read in the second Book of Kings, that a woman of Thecua (and she is praised for her wisdom) having once presented herself before David, said: My Lord, I had two sons, both quarrelled, and one of them killed the other; the officers of justice have seized on the former, and after having lost one, I see myself on the point of losing the other; have pity on me, and do not permit them to take his life. David, being greatly affected, caused the aggressor to be set at large. This is precisely Mary's language to the Sovereign Judge, when she sees him irritated against sinners, who fly to her for protection. "Lord,” does she say, "I had two sons, Jesus and man: man nailed Jesus to the cross, justice loudly demands vengeance-can you deprive me of the second, after I have already lost the first? Ah, no, certainly God will not condemn the sinner who has recourse to Mary, and for whom she prays. Having given her to him for mother, he is quite willing she should exercise the duties of a parent, and this she does with a goodness, fidelity, and love, that cannot be expressed. Let every sinner, then, address himself to this |