There is no religion there! The priests having withdrawn the children under their influence into seminaries of their own, next make demands that a portion of the public school money, raised by general taxation, shall be paid over to them. They do not ask that they may receive the proportion of money paid by their people toward the tax (which would be pitifully small), but that they may receive in proportion to the number of children which they can muster. If they can succeed in this demand, they secure two important objects. First, they draw a large tax out of Protestant purses for the support of Popish seminaries; and, secondly, they effect a union of Church and State, on which their hearts are fully set, by getting the money of the State to pay their sectarian teachers, who are mostly all ecclesiastics, for imparting religious instruction. Furthermore, it is expected that if the Papists succeed in this demand, then all the other religious bodies and denominations will demand the same thing for themselves. Thus the funds provided for schools common to all, being dissipated among the different sects, the common-school system must perish. "Consequently, it is of the utmost importance that the several States should so legislate upon this subject as to keep the common-school system intact and impartial towards all sects, and the funds provided for it expended for the benefit for all who will avail themselves thereof, without preference of any sect, whether Protestant or Romanist, over others.

"THE TENURE OF CHURCH PROPERTY. It is a singular fact, that in the United States the Romish Church enjoys privileges on this point which are denied to it in most countries where hers is the religion established by law, and alone recognised and tolerated. In this country there is no limit to her accumulation of real estate. In the Papal countries of Europe she cannot augment her possessions, except under very rigid limitations.

"As the laws of this country now stand, it may not be more than a hundred years before the people of the United States will find themselves in a

frightful predicament. The Church of Rome is buying up all the land she can in city and country. She sees her chance-a chance denied her in Europe and elsewhere among her own followers; and she is eagerly availing herself of it to become the great landlord over our posterity, to the peril not only of their spiritual interests, but of their civil rights and liberties, and all their sources of prosperity and happiness. It is absolutely required by the supreme law of self-preservation, and by our impassioned love of freedom, that such a calamity be made impossible by wise and timely legislation. Recent statutes have been enacted in New York, Connecticut, and Ohio, with this end in view. We want laws, in all our States, so framed that they may and must be enforced; laws which shall not bear upon the Romish Church alone, but which shall judiciously and impartially limit the tenure of church property, and the amount to be so held by Churches of all denominations, be they Popish or Protestant.

In

"THE INSPECTION OF CONVENTS.These Institutions are getting to be somewhat numerous among us. There are above an hundred of them. their very nature they are anti-social, anti-human, and anti-Christian. They especially militate against the spirit of our laws and the genius of our Institutions, which guard with vigilant jealousy the liberty of all who enjoy the recognised rights of citizenship.

"No other prisons are allowed among us but those for the punishment of crime and the custody and remedial treatment of the insane, and also these dungeons of which the priests hold the keys. Now the State will not surrender her own penitentiaries and asylums even to officers of her own appointment, and leave the latter to act irresponsibly in the premises. And shall the State watch thus jealously over the welfare of her criminals and madmen, and abandon her innocent and too conscientious sons and daughters to the tender mercies of proud priests and stern ascetics? If convents must be, then the least the State can do, is to see that the Republic receive no detriment thereby, and that due protection be secured to the inmates, even

against the consequences of their ignorance or want of consideration. Let it be enacted, that every convent shall be so built that every inmate may be able to leave it at will. Let it also be provided, that they shall be thoroughly inspected from time to time by competent and reliable magistrates or other public officers."

Intelligence.

ROME-INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCII IN ROME. It is asserted on good authority that the French soldiers are very deficient in reverence. That is, they do not take off their hats whenever they pass a miserable picture of the Madonna on the corner of a house, or by the road-side; neither do they drop on their knees at the appearance of a priest with a crucifix, and a few forlorn looking monks with candles. Indeed, they rarely salute these processions by the way. They laugh at the wood images of the virgin which are carried on men's shoulders through the streets, accompanied by a mob of priests and monks of all orders. They dispute the right of way even with the procession accompanying the "host," on occasions of visiting the sick and dying. One day this week a few French soldiers, carrying baskets of wood, intercepted a procession with the "host" at a street-crossing, when the priest ordered them to stand till the procession passed. One of the soldiers replied, No; we have the largest burden to carry, and you must wait for us; at the same time passing in front of the host-bearer, causing the whole procession to halt. They speak freely and tauntingly of the puerilities of the Roman ceremonies, and the priests see with mingled sorsow and anger the growing irreverence of the people. We may hope a kind Providence will overrule the advent of the French to Rome for the good of its deluded and debased population. They will hasten the construction of railroads in all directions from the city, by which the influx of foreigners will be greatly increased. Possibly the Papal Government will not be able

altogether to resist the civilizing influence of gas, the magnetic telegraph, and good railroads. If by these civilizing agencies the chains of religious intolerance can be loosed, the people cannot long escape the better influences of true Christianity.

ROME. A private letter from Rome says that the misery of the poor there is very great. Bread is represented to be exceedingly dear, and grain is exported in large quantities, while its importation is prohibited. Recently two ships arrived at Civita Vecchia laden with grain. The news soon reached Rome, and the prices of grain fell immediately, and the Romans expected to have cheaper bread in consequence; but they were terribly disappointed, for it appears that the brothers Antonelli and Messrs. Feoli and Silenzi, who are the great corn-dealers of the place, managed to send these vessels on to Leghorn, and food remained as dear as before. Commercial men complain much of the vexations to which trade is exposed. Cardinal Antonelli and his brother the Director of the bank, have the monopoly of everything, and nothing can be done without their consent. They are at the same time judges and clients in every case of commercial dispute, and it is needless to add, they always gain their cause.-From the Times, August 5, 1857.

MALTA. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE PRIESTHOOD.-Mr. Kinnaird asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether any steps had been taken, or any order in Council issued to remove from the Legislative Council of Malta any priest or other minister of religion, and to prohibit them in future from being elected or sitting as Members of the said Council. Mr. Labouchere said that the Crown had been advised to issue the order in Council by which priests of any persuasion would be ineligible to sit in the Legislative Council of Malta. (Hear, hear.) That order, however, was not retrospective in its operation, so that, though it did not prevent those who had already seats in the Council from continuing to occupy them, the rule would be strictly observed in all future elections. (Hear.) Herald, Augt. 18, 1857.

DAY OF HUMILIATION.-THE INDIAN MUTINIES.

OUR September number contained a letter on the above subject. The view taken by the writer of it was not singular, and it is satisfactory to know that a day for national humiliation has been since appointed. The atrocities which have taken place in India will continue, unless the Almighty, in his infinite mercy and goodness, shall be pleased to restrain the wrath of man. Day adds to the horrors of the preceding day, while imagination fails to picture the cruelties which have been perpetrated upon the helpless and the innocent. God is righteous in all his ways, and any chastisement which He directs or permits is far less than we deserve.

But as regards the conduct of man to his fellow-manwell may the question be asked as concerns those who have been slain by rebels and mutineers"These sheep, what have they done?" They merited no such treatment as they unhappily have experienced, from those in whose fidelity

VOL. XIX. Oct., 1857.

M

The appointment of a day for national humiliation is certainly a step in the right direction, and one which, we hope, will be instrumental in bringing down rich and abundant blessings from our Heavenly Father, who heareth and answereth prayer.

The following is from the "Times" of Monday, 28th of September:-

(From the Supplement of the "London Gazette" of Friday, Sept. 25.)

"Saturday, Sept. 26. "By the QUEEN.

"A PROCLAMATION FOR A DAY OF SOLEMN FAST, HUMILIATION, AND PRAYER.

"Victoria R.

"We, taking into our most serious consideration the grievous mutiny and disturbances which have broken out in India, and putting our trust in Almighty God that He will graciously bless

our efforts for the restoration of

lawful authority in that country, have resolved, and do, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, hereby command, that a public day of solemn fast, humili

New Series, No. 214,

ation, and prayer be observed throughout those parts of our United Kingdom called England and Ireland, on Wednesday, the 7th day of October next, that so both we and our people may humble ourselves before Almighty God, in order to obtain pardon of our sins, and in the most devout and solemn manner send up our prayers and supplications to the Divine Majesty for imploring his blessing and assistance on our arms for the restoration of tranquillity; and we do strictly charge and command that the said day be reverently and devoutly observed by all our loving subjects in England and Ireland, as they tender the favour of Almighty God: And, for the better and more orderly solemnizing the same, we have given directions to the Most Rev. the Archbishops and the Right Rev. the Bishops of England and Ireland to compose a form of prayer suitable to this occasion, to be used in all churches, chapels, and places of public worship, and to take care the same be timely dispersed throughout their respective dio

languages. Amongst the few English who addressed the Conference on these subjects was James Lord, Esq., who expressed the satisfaction he felt in being present and able to take a part in the proceedings. He had great hope, not unmingled with some anxiety, as to the Conference and its consequences, lest either it should go too far, or not far enough. A movement was set on foot which no human power could control, and the full results of which no human sagacity could foresee.

In reply to the question as to the proper "attitude to be assumed by Evangelical Christians in relation to the aggres sive proceedings of the Church of Rome," he would venture a few remarks, as he had been officially connected for many years with Protestant movements in London and elscwhere.

The contest between Popery and Protestantism was increasing in intensity from day to day, and one of the best modes of meeting Papal aggressiveness was by carrying the warfare into the enemy's country, and by an aggressive course upon Popery. In some places colporteurs were employed. In England and in Ireland we had set on foot special missions to Roman Catholics, by which great good had been effected. Now, as like causes produced like effects, was it not reasonable to suppose that if a similar course was adopted in Germany, Italy, &c., &c., &c., similar good results might be expected?

Missionaries were sent out to convert the pagan idolaters of the East; why should they not also be sent to the victims of Papal superstition in the West?

In all such movements the Bible must be taken as the basis of their operations. It was so in the olden time. With the Bible in their hands our ancestors won the Reformation; with the Bible in our hands, God being our helper, we will keep the Reformation. The Bible alone is the religion of Protestants. Such was the spirit and language of the Church of England. While teaching her children to rely upon the one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, the only but all-sufficient Saviour of sinners, she says, as to the rule of our faith, in the seventh of her Articles :"Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation." In England we have long since made up our mind to have the Bible without tradition for our guide, and the Queen without the Pope for our ruler.

As regarded religious liberty, there ought to exist'freedom of conscience, freedom of thought, freedom of word, freedom of action in all things needful to the soul's salvation. The Almighty had given us his written Word, and where was the human

power or authority that had a right to forbid its circulation?

Persecution, in all its shapes, was odious. It could make hypocrites, Christians it could not make. It might be the duty of some to endure martyrdom; it was no one's duty to inflict it.

There must be a free circulation of the Bible, and freedom of conscience in reading it. If there were any truth in the maxim that the day which makes a man a slave takes away half his value, it was much more true, if possible, when applied to moral, intellectual, and spiritual affairs.

In England we had long enjoyed freedom, civil and religious. We regarded them as the twin glories of our land; and to their auspicious influence, through the blessing of God, we were indebted for the high position which we had attained.

But we are no monopolists of freedom, and wish other Churches and nations, as they can bear it, the same liberty, civil and religious, which we enjoy. We could not the more enjoy the light of the sun, or the pure air of heaven, because many of our fellow-countrymen were shut up in dungeons and excluded from them; nor was our enjoyment of liberty augmented by the slavery of others.

Multitudes of Roman Catholics, lay and clerical, were desirous, it was said, of shaking off the yoke of Rome, if they could do so with safety. Would it not be a Christian and a brotherly act to help them to