Who

that draws from the same eyes tears of rejoicing and tears of grief; a joy which, strange to say, melts us into sadness, while it gives a calm, holy, peaceful satisfaction for the full and complete assurance that those we love are for ever safe with JESUs. This joy is the birthright of God's children; and this the balm with which, in our funeral service, we strive to staunch the mourner's tears. that has ever wept beside the open grave can fail to remember those hallowed words :-"I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, Write, from HENCEFORTH, BLESSED are the dead which die in the LORD, even so saith the SPIRIT, for they rest from their labours." But the Church of Rome, at one fatal blow, robs us of all this; and, in "the Catechism of the Council of Trent,"* declares" Besides (hell), there is a fire of purgatory, in which the SOULS of the PIOUS, being TORMENTED for a definite time, expiate their sins, that so an entrance may be opened to them into the eternal country, into which nothing defiled can enter."+

O'CONNELL is just dead. We apprehend that Papists will allow he was as likely, in their view, to be happy in death as any one ; but, oh! no, far otherwise; see the numbers of masses said, the requiem, &c., &c.

O'Connell, on the faith of Roman Catholics, is " TORMENTED in this flame." (Luke xvi., 24.) His prayers to the Virgin Mary, saints, and angels, his penances, absolutions, extreme unction, masses, dirges, requiems-all, all can do nothing for his POOR SOUL!!! Such is Popish consolation for their dying-such the tremendous horrors experienced by their dead.

"How many masses," said an inquirer to a Cardinal, “does it require to get a soul out of purgatory ?" "How many snow-balls," replied the Cardinal, "will it take to heat an oven ?"

"Præterea est purgatorius IGNIS, quo piorum animæ ad definitum tempus cruciate expiantur, ut eis in æternam patriam ingressus patere possit, in quam nihil co-inquinatum ingreditur."-Pars. I. Art v., §§ 5.

+ Sermon on the Scriptural Principles of our Protestant Church, by the Rev. Edward Hoare, M.A., Curate of Richmond, Surrey, London: J. Hatchard and Son, 1845. A most excellent little work, which we cordially recommend.

THE

BRISTOL PROTESTANT.

THE SOLEMN CAUTION.-CHRISTIANS, BEWARE! “We do not hold (says the Ven. Archbishop Usher)* that Rome was built in a day; or that the great dunghill of errors, which we now see in it, was raised in an age ;" neither do we hold that Rome could be rebuilt in any country where she has been cast down, in a generation; nor that the re-construction must necessarily be called Rome, and have all the forms and outward and visible signs of that inward and spiritual departure from grace which is usually denominated POPERY. Should we conceive of the grand enemy, actually employing a band of men, concealed under the garb of Protestants (and we may do so for the sake of illustration, without offence) to lay open a secret road for POPERY, into the very citadel of the Protestantism of England,† we could readily understand that they would select the most gradual means, as the most effectual; the most noiseless and unseen, as the most ensnaring; that they would seem to be great opposers of Romanism, in some points, while insinuating it in others; would break ground at a distance, where they would be least feared and remarked; get their position fixed in peace," while men slept ;" then cautiously commence approaches, gradually familiarizing the watchers upon the walls with the sound of their working, and never putting forth a new approach, till the novelty of the former was forgotten. We can readily conceive that the weapon of such a siege would not be as the Roman Catapult, * Answer to a Jesuit, p. 4.

"Whoso readeth let him understand."-Matthew xxiv. 15.

D

hurling, in open day, its bolts and fiery darts. Some Christian Archimedes, with the bright mirror of the WORD, would soon burn up the engine, and put the workers to confusion. But the weapon would be the pick of the sapper, digging at the base; and the foundation selected would be that of the bastion, which, while in reality the key of the fortress, is least known in that importance to the multitude, and therefore the least watched; and their object would be, like that of the Gun-powder Plot, under the Senate-House and Throne, to subjugate the whole, in the ruin of the head; and could they only persuade some honoured and trusted men of the city, under the sincere supposition, on their part, that they were only searching after hid treasures of antiquity, or endeavouring to effect some useful restoration in the old walls of a venerable monument of ancient prowess, to do the digging for them, till they themselves could work unseen in the mine, it would indeed be great gain. By and by, it would be seen that a portion of the wall was fallen-then another, but each with such interval, that all lookers-on had grown familiar with the sight of the first dilapidation, before the second was permitted. By and by, that bastion is in ruins, and the city at the mercy of the enemy, but all has gone on so gradually and imperceptibly, that it excites but little apprehension. Now because there is little change to the eye; no change of accustomed names; no overt invasion of old attachments and usages; no hoisting of the flag of the Pope, men may be saying, where is the fear of his coming-for all things continue as they were from the beginning. But, like Sampson asleep, their strength is departed, and the Philistine is upon them. That STRONG BASTION of our Reformed Church is JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, erected " upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets-JESUS CHRIST Himself being the chief corner-stone." That gone, the Temple is taken, the Ark is in captivity; "from the daughter of Zion, all her beauty is departed." What then if there

never grow up over the desolate Courts of the LORD's House, the thorns and thistles, and all those rank growths, whose names are in the BREVIARY of abominations indigenous to Romanism? Satan is well content. The land is desolate. The work is done. A greater display of ruin might make it only the less permanent."“Amisso Articulo justificationis, simul amissa est TOTA DOCTRINA CHRISTIANA."-Luther.*

ON CONFESSION.

THE IRISH BOY AND THE PRIEST.

"I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."-Psalm xxxii. 5.

An Irish boy to Church on Sunday stole,
And evidenced a wish to save his soul.
At length one Sunday morn, it came to pass,
His father dragged the struggling boy to Mass;
The zealous Papists help'd to force him in,
And begged the priest to pardon all his sin.
"No, by the Mass," he said, "I cannot bless,
Nor pardon, till the Culprit first confess."
"Well," said the boy, "supposing I were willing,
What is your charge?" The priest replied, a shilling."
"Must all men pay, and all men make confession ?"
"Yes, every man of Catholic Profession."
"And whom do you confess to ?" "Why, the Dean."
"And does he charge you?" "Yes, a white thirteen,"t
"And do your Deans confess ?"-" Yes, boy, they do,
Confess to Bishops, and pay smartly too."

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"Do Bishops, Sir, confess-pay-and to whom?"

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"Why they confess, and pay the Church at Rome."

"Oxford divinity compared with that of the Romish and Anglican Churches," by the Right Rev. Charles P. McIlvaine, D.D. London: Seely and Burnside, 1841. p. 21-26. An excellent work, which we cordially recommend.

† An Irish shilling.

"Well," quoth the boy," all this is mighty odd;

"But does the Pope confess?"-"O yes, to GOD."

"And does GOD charge the Pope ?" No," quoth the Priest,

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“HE charges nothing.”—“ O, then GOD's the best;

GOD's able to forgive, and always willing;

To Him then I'll confess, and save my shilling."

AN APPARITION OF THE

A GHOST STORY.

BLESSED VIRGIN, ON A MOUNTAIN OF LA

SALETTE, CANTON OF CORPS, DIOCESE OF GRENOBLE.

"At three o'clock on Saturday, the 19th of September, 1846, two children, Germain Giraud, about eleven, and Melanie Mathieu, about fourteen years, were keeping some cattle on Labessay, a mountain of La Salette, overlooking the village of Corps. They had lulled themselves to sleep on the bank of a rivulet which runs into a nook where they had led their flock. Melanie, on awaking and not perceiving her cows, aroused her companion. Both ascended the rising of the mountain to look for them. Seeing them lying down, they returned to the spot where they were wont generally to stop, when, suddenly lifting up their eyes, they were astonished at seeing a lovely lady sitting on a small hillock. The lady rested her feet on the spot whence, till then only occasionally, a fountain sprung up; but which since that memorable day has never ceased to flow, though before her appearance it was perfectly dry. The lady sat with her head reclining on her hand. She was weeping, and the children saw her eyes bedewed with tears. Terrified at this sight they stood still. But the lady arising advanced towards them and said, "Do not fear, my little children, but come on." They obeyed her. She spoke the language of these children. She made them sit by her, and then turning to the little boy she said to him, "Do you love the good God?" "Not much," replied Germain. "Do you ever pray to Him ?" "Not much, as we are compelled to rise before dawn of day to go into the fields." "But though you have not the time to pray, you should at least say a Pater and an Ave before going out." The conversation proceeded,