stroke, is again attempting to destroy the defences of the Throne, and the institutions of the country. Her plans are deep laid with marvellous forethought and profound sagacity. Her vigour is unabated, and gathers strength progressively. She makes use of every instrument that presents itself, avails herself of every favourable opportunity that occurs. Step by step she steadily advances. Her assaults become more bold, powerful, and incessant. Her proud and impious claims are urged with increasing audacity, and she hesitates not to tell us that in a very few short years every free-born Englishman shall again become the slave of the Pope. Brother Operatives! with these facts before us, and knowing from her own lips that Popery is unchanged, and therefore as cruel and persecuting as ever, we cannot look upon the rapid strides she has lately made towards power in this Protestant land without great fear and alarm. We behold her chapels for idol worship springing up in every direction -her power in the House of Commons fearfully great, her influence at Court alarmingly manifest. We see with grief and shame her college at Maynooth, in Ireland, receiving 8,9241. of the public money every year. We have seen within the last month with deep and heartfelt sorrow, another of her colleges, viz., St. Mary, Oscotts, in England, receiving a charter from the Queen. Brother Operatives, these things fill us with serious alarm, for we know well that Popery is "the curse of nations," and has always brought with her, wherever she has come, ruin, misery and persecution. But this is not all; neither is this the thing that gives us the greatest uneasiness, or that fills our minds with the most pungent grief, fear, and apprehension. In the midst of all these evils, brother operatives, with Popery coming in like a deluge, bringing in its train, every imaginable evil-the Protestants of England are asleep-asleep, with the volcano heaving beneath them, ready to explode and bury them in its ashes. This, this, brother operatives, is the most dangerous of all the fearful" signs of the times." The majority of British Protestants appear to be almost blind to their dangers, careless of their privileges, and heedless of the host of enemies that are banded against them. We see on all sides open and reckless immorality: Socialism and every kind of blasphemy and infidelity running like torrents of water down our streets. And in the midst of it all-where are the souls faithful to truth? Where are the zealous servants of God striving and protesting against these "aboundings of iniquity?" Where are the noble witnesses for Christ, clothed with zeal as a cloak, lifting up their voices with strength, vindicating the injured cause of their Divine Master? Where are the true and patriotic souls who "sigh and cry for the abominations of the land?" We scarcely know where to find them They are few, scattered, and divided. Instead of great, earnest, constant, and united efforts to stem the torrent, we see only here and there a solitary individual struggling in the strength of God to defend the perilled cause of truth, and stave off the mighty tide of national desolation. Brother Operatives, ought this to be? We put it to the conscience of every one of you-ought this to be? Ought God to be thus insulted, Christ thus despised, derided, and blasphemed; his glorious Gospel thus shamefully vilified, by Papists, Socialists, and other infidels, and we stand idly by? Ought the liberties of Englishmen to be thus threatened-our rights to be thus invaded— the peace and security of our wives, our children, and our children's children thus endangered by the persecuting system of Popery, and the demoralising system of Socialism? Brother Operatives, we know you are too generous, too warmly attached to your domestic comforts, too paternally fond of your offspring, to be inactive. You will not-you dare not permit this tide of desolation to sweep over your hearths and the safeguards of society unopposed. Brother Operatives, we feel convinced you love your Bibles too well to permit them to be torn from your grasp you know the value of that precious charter of salvation too well quietly to permit any system to gain power, which would use that power to deprive your offspring of that glorious gospel. We know right well that you merely want information; you only require, as we did, to have these things pointed out to you, to engage heart and hand in the glorious work of opposing anti-Christ, and beating back the deluge of Popery and infidelity which threatens to destroy our once happy land. Brother Operatives, we feel sure that you love and reverence your God, the God of Britain, too devoutly not to come forward boldly, quit yourselves like men," and "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." We trust that you love your Lord and Saviour too fervently not to confess him faithfully and serve him truly in these days of "trouble, rebuke, and blasphemy." We call upon you, then, brother operatives, with all the affection of a common brotherhood-one with you in truth-one with you Committing you to God, who is able to make all grace abound towards you, and to render you fruitful in every good word and work; humbly praying that the words we address to you in much feebleness, but with equal earnestness and strong affection, may be blessed by the life-giving energy of the Holy Ghost, and so redound to the glory of God and the spiritual benefit of our fellow men We remain, Brother Operatives, your affectionate brethren in Christ. Signed for the members of the Finsbury WHY DO WE HATE POPERY? THIS is an important question. Let us see if we can answer it in a few words. Now, if we love any one, we naturally hate that which hurts him; our love to him makes us dislike what is likely to do him an injury. If we love God we do not and we cannot love that which dishonours Him, and makes Him a liar. If we love our neighbour, we do not and we cannot love that which deceives him, leads him away from his Saviour, teaches him to put his trust in a refuge of lies, and thus endangers his immortal soul. in occupation-one with you in creed-bound tian power, however formidable, ever yet to you with the closest ties that can bind prevailed. man to man; with one common faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all-one with you in our temporal duties, and in our hope of a glorious immortality. We call upon you, brother operatives, by your zeal for your God and Saviour; by your reverence for the Bible; your love to your country, your wives, and children; your attachment to your civil and religious liberties; your loyalty to your Queen; your pity, love, and conpassion for your poor deluded Roman Catholic brethren, to be up and stirring-to unite-Arm yourselves with the whole armour of God," and be " valiant for the truth." We do not summon you to perform a task from which, in slothfulness, we ourselves would shrink. We are willing, with God's help, to spend and be spent in this work. We are Protestants from rational conviction -Protestants upon principle-operatives by occupation. We find the consolations of the Gospel our support in affliction, our solace in adversity, the soother of our cares, the sweetener of our daily toils, the soft quieter of our anxieties and fears; and we know that they will be our comfort and support in death. We cheerfully earn our bread by the sweat of our brow, cheered in our daily work by the abundant love of our compassionate God and Saviour; and while we learn from our pure and undefiled religion the duty and the privilege of labouring for our sustenance, and are taught that the Christian operative is as acceptable to God as the Christian monarch or the pious nobleman, our principles lead us to be operative and energetic in defence of our religion. We have formed our selves into a society for mutual edification, to receive, at monthly meetings, information on these vital matters, and to arm ourselves with arguments and facts with which to refute the falsehoods of the enemies of our God and of his truth. We call upon you to do the same. We warn you, brother operatives, that Popery unresisted will soon be Popery rampant. She cannot be-she will never be, content with anything short of undivided power over every man's body, soul, and spirit. Our enemy is formidable-our danger is imminent-but the strength in which we stand, the weapons with which we war, are mighty, spiritual, and never yet failed the man who trusted in them. We stand in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is omnipotent. We take the Bible for our weapon, which we know to be eternal truth, the word of the living God, "sharper than a two-edged sword," against which no form of error, however subtle, no anti-Chris Now, Popery dishonours God by her wicked traditions; she pretends that her priests can create God whenever they like, by merely saying a few words; she dishonours Him, by pretending that her Popes, Bishops and Priests can pardon sins, and grant indulgences; she dishonours Christ, our dear and only Saviour, by making Him a liar, and stating that what He has solemnly promised and engaged to do for all who come to Him, He neither can nor will do for them. Our God and Saviour said, "Look unto me, and be ye saved."-Popery says, "Look to our Lady, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Mother of Divine Grace, Queen of Angels, and she will save you." Our Saviour said, "Come unto me.”—Popery says, "Go to Angels, go to Saints, go to the Holy Mary, go to Holy Mother Church, go anywhere and everywhere before you go to the Lord Jesus Christ." Our Saviour, when dying, said to the penitent thief, "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."-Popery says, "The thief did not go into Paradise, but went into purgatory." Our Saviour, in the last agonies of death, said, "It is finished." :: Popery says, "It is not finished but man's merits and man's sufferings are necessary to complete his redemption."-Popery says, The sufferings of the Eternal Son of God are not sufficient to take away sin; but immortal souls and the souls of our poor de- We also love Roman Catholics. We know that their souls are of as much value in the sight of the great God as those of Protestants. Papists are the creatures of God, as well as Protestants; and we pray for them daily, that the bright beams of the glorious Sun of Righteousness, whose rays have warmed and cheered our hearts, may likewise gladden theirs, and dispel the darkness in which their souls are wrapped. Now, Popery is an enemy to the souls of Roman Catholics. It is the greatest enemy they have. It blinds them; it deceives them; it tells them lies; it binds them hand and foot, body and soul, to their priests, whom it teaches them to look upon as in the place of God; it gives them cunningly devised fables as the word of God; it leads them away from Christ, teaches them to break His commandments, and gravely bids them repose with confidence in the Blessed Virgin as "the sole foundation of their hope." Therefore, as we love Roman Catholics, we hate their cruel enemy, POPERY. We also love God's word, which we believe is able to make us wise unto salvation, and to be given us for the express purpose of instructing us, guiding us in the paths of righteousness and peace, and leading us to heaven. We therefore hate any thing that contradicts this precious word, that opposes it, or would take it from us. Now, Popery does this; she kept the Bible shut up from the common people as long as she could, and when she could do so no longer, she published a Bible with notes, which directly contradicted the Bible, and told people it was a religious duty to persecute and murder heretics. She also to the present day, where she has the power, punishes people for distributing or even possessing the Bible with out notes. Therefore, as we love our Bible, we hate that wicked system, which has been and still is, in practice, so great an enemy to God's word. More than this, the God of the Bible hates Popery. That precious book denounces Popery as an enemy to God and to the souls of men, and therefore, as we hate God's enemies and the enemies of man's salvation, we feel ourselves bound to hate Popery. In proportion then, as we love God, as our Almighty Creator and our All-sufficient Saviour; as we love His glorious word, the gospel of our salvation; as we love our own TRUTH AND LOVE. WHEN we would convince men of any error by the strength of truth, let us withal pour the sweet balm of love upon their heads. Truth and love are two of the most powerful things in the world, and when they both go together they cannot easily be withstood. The golden beams of truth and the silken cords of love, twisted together, will draw men on with a sweet violence, whether they will or not. The spirit of the Bible throughout is "love." God himself is declared to be "Love," the same God who is elsewhere called "The God of Truth." Our Saviour has set us an example of love, to which no earthly language can do justice. The precept "Love your enemies came from His lips. The apostle who was privileged to lean on His sacred breast, dwells more than any other inspired writer upon "love." And we know, from the authority of God Himself, that" He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him." Let us, therefore, love one another, and show our enemies also that the effect produced upon our hearts and lives by "the truth" is that it makes us love all men, yea even our enemies. The christian's life is a life of love; he draws his life from Christ, who is the very fountain of love. The gospel, by which he is converted, is a message of love. As the Christian grows in grace, his love becomes more intense; his heart glows more and more with that holy flame, kindled by the Spirit of God, until at last he enters heaven, the abode of perfect, uninterrupted and eternal love. Truth without love is nothing. It can neither save a man, or benefit those around him. Though a man know all mysteries, and be the most learned man upon earth, if he have not love in his heart, he is nothing. Yea, even the condemned, at the day of judgment, will know the truth then, though they have turned away from it on earth; but it will not profit them in that awful day. Even Satan himself knows the truth, though he hates it, and is the father of lies. He has often, and still does become an angel of light, that he may deceive souls. We see, then, how important love is. How earnest we should be to entertain such a heavenly guest in our breasts. How diligent we should be to warm our cold hearts in the beams of the Sun of Righteous. ness, and feeding upon His love, fill our souls with the same holy fire. THE above wood-cut represents Paul's Cross, at which our glorious Reformers used to preach the gospel to the people. There is one account connected with it which shows what cruelty and ingratitude the Church of Rome can be guilty of even to those who show her members kindness. We trust the noble example of John Bradford upon the occasion will always be imitated by our operative brethren, in their conduct towards Roman Catholics, recollecting the words of our dear Lord and Saviour, love your enemies." The act was this. Immediately after the accession of queen Mary, Bourne, afterwards bishop of Bath, a papist, preached at Paul's cross, when he spoke so reproachfully of the late king, so justified Bonner, and said so much in favour of popery, that the people were indignant, and a tumult ensued. A dagger was hurled at the preacher, who shrunk back, and entreated Bradford, who stood near him, to come forward and speak to the people. Bradford addressed them, and sharply reproving their conduct, prevail upon them to desist. Having obtained a respite, he and Rogers assisted the mayor and sheriffs in conducting the trembling preacher into the grammar school, Bradford following Bourne, and sheltering him with his own person. Many pressed after them, loudly expressing their regret that such a character should be so protected. One gentleman who had made a direct attack upon Bourne, told Bradford, "Thou savest him that will help to burn thee !" The same Sunday afternoon, Bradford preached at Bow church, and sharply reproved the people for their proceedings. ed Such conduct ought to have procured Bradford favour from the queen, but he was one of the most eminent of the protestant divines, and against them every opportunity was to be taken! Three days after, on August 16, 1553, Bradford was summoned before the council, and committed to the Tower on a charge of seditious conduct, shown while protecting Bourne! The people's having listened to his rebukes, was alleged as a proof that he had excited them to tumult! Fox thus speaks of Bradford's imprisonment," He was committed first to the Tower, then unto other prisons, out of which nei. ther his innocency, godliness, nor charitable dealing could purchase him liberty of body, till by death, which he suffered for Christ's cause, he obtained the heavenly liberty of which neither pope nor papist shall ever deprive him. From the Tower he came to the King's Bench in Southwark; and after his condemnation, he was sent to the Compter, in the Poultry, in London, in the which two places, for the time he remained prisoner, he preached twice a day continually, unless sickness hindered him; where also the sacrament was often ministered, and through his means, the keepers so well did bear with him, such resort of good folks was daily to his lecture, and to the ministration of the sacrament, that commonly his chamber was well nigh filled. Preaching, reading, and praying was all his whole life. He did not eat above one meal a day, which was but very little when he took it, and his continual study was upon his knees. In the midst of dinner, he used often to muse with himself having his hat over his eyes, from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on bis trencher. Very gentle he was to man and child, and in so good credit with his keepers, that at his desire, in an evening, when prisoner in the King's Bench in Southwark, he had licence, upon his promise to return again that night, to go into London without any keeper, to visit one that was sick, lying by the Steel-yard. Neither did he fail his promise, but returned unto his prison again, rather being before his hour, than breaking his fidelity; so constant was he in word and in deed. "Of person he was somewhat tall and slender, spare of body, of a faint, sanguine colour, with an auburn beard. He slept not commonly above four hours in the night, and in his bed till sleep came, his book went not out of his hand. His chief recreation was not in gaming or other pastime, but only in honest company, and comely talk, wherein he would spend a little time after dinner at the board, and so to prayer and his book again. He counted that hour not well spent, wherein he did not some good, either with his pen, study, or in exhorting of others. He was no niggard of his purse, but would liberally participate what he had to his fellow prisoners. And commonly once a week he visited the thieves, pick-purses, and such others that were with him in prison where he lay, on the other side; unto whom he would give godly exhortation to learn the amendment of their lives by their troubles, and after that so done, distribute among them some portion of money to their comfort. While he was in the King's Bench, and Saunders in the Marshalsea, both prisoners, at the back of those two prisons they met many times, and conferred together when they would, so mercifully did the Lord work for them, even in the midst of their troubles; and the said Bradford was so trusted with his keeper, and had such liberty, that there was no day but that he might have easily escaped away, if he would, but that the Lord had another work to do for him. In the summer time, while he was in the said King's Bench, he had liberty of his keeper to ride into Oxfordshire, to a merchant's house of his acquaintance, and a horse, and all things prepared for him for that journey, and the party in a readiness that should ride with him, but God prevented him by sickness that he went not at all. One of his old friends and acquaintance came unto him whilst he was prisoner, and asked him, if he sued to get him out, what then he would do, or whither he would go? Unto whom Bradford made answer, as not caring whether he went out or no; but if he did, he said he would marry, and abide still in England secretly, teaching the people as the time would suffer him, and occupy himself that way. He was had in so great reverence and admiration with all good men, that a multitude which never knew him but by fame, greatly lamented his death; yea, and a number also of the papists themselves, wished heartily his life. There were few days in which he was thought not to spend some tears before he went to bed, neither was there ever any prisoner with him, but by his company he greatly profited, as all they will yet witness, and have confessed of him no less, to the glory of God, whose society he frequented among many, one special thing is this: Bishop Farrar being prisoner in the King's Bench, was vehemently urged by the papists in the end of Lent, to receive the sacrament at Easter in one kind, who after much persuading, yielded to them, and promised so to do. Then, so it happened by God's providence, on the Easter even, the day before he should have done it, was Bradford brought to the King's Bench, prisoner; where the Lord making him his instrument, Bradford only was the mean that the said Bishop Farrar revoked his promise and word, and would never after yield to be spotted with that papistical pitch; so effectually the Lord wrought by this worthy servant of his. Such an instrument was he in God's church, that few or none there were that knew him but esteemed him as a precious jewel, and God's true messenger. THE SCRIPTURES. THE Church of Rome professes to be wiser than God, and declares that "THE BOOK" which God the Holy Spirit wrote by His inspired prophets and apostles, is not fit for all people to read. She actually claims the power of forbidding or permitting people to read God's most holy Word, which is His gracious message of salvation to ALL MEN. Just contrast this wickedness of the Church of Rome, with the following beautiful and simple extract from the First Homily of the Church of England, and then decide which Church best obeys the will of God, and deals most truly towards the souls of men. 66 Concerning the hardness of Scripture," says the first Homily, "He that is so weak that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he may suck the sweet and tender milk; and defer the rest until he wax stronger, and |