THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARYI

163094

ACTOR, LILOX AND
-TIONS.

CONTENTS.

EPISTLE DEDICATORY. The Author's apprehension of danger, &c.

in conceding the Claims of Roman Catholics. Rumour of a de-

sign to grant their Claims clandestinely, as by
66 a side-wind."

Declarations by the Editor of the British Press. Exorbitant

demands of Roman Catholics, and certainty of their wish to sub-

vert Protestant Establishments. Priests' love of power and pre-

eminence, natural and not unreasonable. Dr. Dromgoole's frank-

ness in opening his predictions to the Public, of the Church's

downfall. Appeal to Mr. Wilberforce, grounded thereon. Reli-

gious liberty invaluable to Britons. The late Irish Secretary's

answer to excuses and pretences in support of Catholic Claims,

on securities, eligibility, exclusions, tranquillization, clerical in-

fluence, popular feelings, and Parliamentary distinctions, &c.

P. 1-8.

LETTER I. Man's attachment to civil and religious liberty. Mr.

Wilberforce's love to the Church, not consistent with his support-

ing the Catholic Claims. Judge Hale, Sir William Blackstone,

Lord Clarendon, Lord Somers, Milton, Locke, William III.

deemed the Pope's Supremacy inimical to the State. Edinburgh

Reviewer's opinion. Queries to Mr. Wilberforce. Philosophers

and Statesmen often ignorant of this subject. The chief points

to be considered in the following Letters.
P. 8-12.

LETTER II. Revival of Popery and its Institutions. The Inqui-

sition. Jesuits. Political power wanted. Means of obtaining

secular power. Unwise conduct of Protestants in supporting

Popish Charities. Letter of Mr. Andrews to the Duke of Nor-

folk, Catholic school-boys signed the late Petition to Parliament.

Propriety of a return being made of Popish Seminaries and Cha-

pels, &c. to ascertain the progress of Popery.
P. 13-16.

LETTER III. The Author wishes for no interference in religious
matters. Right of the Legislature to inquire what Sectaries and

Papists are doing. Reasonableness of a test or proof of Loyalty

insisted on. Unguarded conduct of liberal and wealthy persons.

Protestants give support to Popish Schools, and especially to St.

Patrick's. The evils of Education, if not well directed and

watched. Bishop Poynter unfriendly to the use of Bibles and a

scriptural education. The School-committee at St. Patrick's

oppose the Irish Free Schools in St. Giles's. Fraudulent pro-

ceedings of St. Patrick's Society.
P. 16-19.

LETTER IV. Mr. Kelly's Examination at the House of Com-

mons. The purpose of St. Patrick's Charity. Protestant Chil-

dren never admitted. This distinction injurious. Union of the

Irish Charitable Society with St. Patrick's, and transfer of

10911. 6s. Id. Conditions of this transfer. No religious partiality

is allowable. Forfeiture of money in the event of such partia-

lity. Appeal to Protestant Princes, Nobles, and Gentry. The

terms Papist and Popery used only as distinctive appellations by

the Author. Peculiar feature of all Catholie Societies, &c.

P. 20-23.

LETTER V. Gradual increase of Popery before the French Re-

volution. Rapid increase after French Exiles were maintained

in England. More than 4000 converts in the year 1818. Roman

Catholic population progressively advancing, and boasted of by,

Dublin orators. Comparative numbers in 1767, 1781, and 1819.

Decrease in last century. No new Schools then opened. But

three Schools of note at that period, and striking increase after-

wards. About fifty Colleges, and other Seminaries, at present.

School at Calmel Buildings omitted in Laity's Directory. Stony-

hurst College of Jesuits particularly described, and its import-

ance to the nation insisted on. Character of Jesuits given by a

Roman Catholic Historian. Mischiefs arising from Confession to

Priests. Influence of Jesuits, and their dispersion. No succes-

sors expected in 1781.
P. 23-29.

LETTER VI. Quotations from an History of the Jesuits; showing

their number, wealth, and power, &c. at Preston and Stonyhurst.

Reply to Mr. Dallas. Jesuits not bound by any oath to our Go-

vernment, but take an Oath to serve the Pope and Church of

Rome. Practical deductions from the statements here made.

Dean Milner's opinion.
P. 30-39.

LETTER VII. Increased number of Popish Chapels. Some very

large and magnificent. Glasgow Chapel. Moorfields Chapel,

and City-grant of freehold ground to build upon. Degenerated

Protestantism. Glory of the Reformation departed. False can-

dour and liberality of the Citizens of London. Popish Journals,

Printing Presses, Newspapers, Magazines, &c. Our Clergy

fighting for Orthodoxy, but not seeing their danger from Popery.

Statesmen do not mind affairs of conscience, but feel the evil of

religious persecution. Freedom of private judgment. Circula-

tion of the Scriptures by all Protestants. Opposed by the Pope.

Church Establishments generally intolerant.
P. 39-43.

LETTER VIII. Number of Priests in 1781. Their respective situ-

ations in England and Wales. Ex-Jesuits, and their decrease.

Their character drawn by a Roman Catholic Historian. Enter-

prising spirit of the Jesuits at St. Omer's, Bruges, and Liege.

Nuns, Dominicans, Franciscans, Benedictines, &c. P. 44-47.

LETTER IX. The spirit and genius of Popery unchanged. Its in-

tolerance evinced by re-establishing the Order of Jesuits. They

are named "vigorous and experienced rowers." Dr. Geddes

apologizes for the English Catholics. Oath of the Spanish Sove-

reign. Dr. Geddes rejects the Papal doctrine of exclusive salva-

tion. Politicians care little for dogmas which produce no civil dis-

cord. Absurdity of expecting all men to agree in religious opi-

nions.
P. 48-52.

LETTER X. Serious evils from the doctrine of Infallibility. Arch-

bishop Troy's Pastoral Instruction. Copious Extracts from it;

on the revolt of Henry VIII.-the jurisdiction of the Pope,-com-

munion with the See of Rome,-salvation only in that Church,—

the spirit of Proselytism,-infallibility of the Church, -General

Councils,-Errors of Heretics,-one true faith,-dogmatical de-

crees,-canonical obedience,-universal extent of Papal jurisdic-

tion,—ill-informed Protestants who advocate Catholic Emancipa-

tion. Mr. Sheridan's opinion of Popish doctrines producing

persecution. Bishop Bossuet, and his Biographers. P. 52-58.

LETTER XI. Intimate connexion of leading Popish doctrines. The
words of Pastors received as God's Word. Class-book of May-
nooth College. English Bible printed at Dublin in 1816; sanc-

name, and condemns the

Intolerance of the present

tioned by Dr. Troy, who retracts his

doctrine approved by other Bishops.

Pope, evinced by his own words. He disapproves of certain

Oaths. Dr. Troy and Dr. Milner at variance. Catholic Clergy

swear to support the Established Church. Such Oaths not valid.

Lord Colchester's observations on Oaths, May 14, 1813.

P. 58-64.

LETTER XII. Roman Catholic Oaths equivocal and dubious. The

Pope decides on the quality of such Oaths. But Popes may

differ in opinion. Protestants deemed Heretics by Pope Pius VII.

He refuses to allow of sacrilegious nuptials. Vain hope of a

brotherly reception from Roman Catholics. Bishop Challoner does

not admit the validity of Protestant Orders, or Sacraments, &c.

Rev. Mr. Gandolphy's animosity and sermons. No peace with the

Roman Church. Protestants declared by Dr. Delahogue to be

out of the way of salvation. The Trent Catechism says the same,

and describes who are Heretics. The Church defined by it, and

Protestants excluded. But still the Church is said to retain its

power to rule, denounce, punish, and curse all such separated

persons, &c.
P. 64-69.

LETTER XIII. Dr. Hawarden the successful disputant against

Chillingworth. Dr. Challoner, the Editor of the Rheims Testa-

ment, in 1749. Roman Catholic principles stated from the writings

of Hawarden. Zeal of the Booksellers in Dublin and London to

reprint Popish works, and Ward's calumnies. The Catholic

Church not deemed uncharitable in obliging men to believe its

articles of faith. Heretics always accuse the Church of coining

new articles of belief, &c. and of being uncharitable. None

saved out of the Roman Church; a general rule, but not univer-

sal. The Catholic Church does not include Protestants or mo-

dern Greeks, &c. This shown at large and illustrated by Hawar-

den. Exclusive salvation, therefore, is an essential doctrine

never to be forgotten,
P. 69-74.

LETTER XIV. The anathema of Papists does not exclude men
from the authority of the Church, or from being subject to its
punishment. The sentence of a Priest to be obeyed under pain of
death. The Church decides all controversies, and allows of no
appeal inflicts death on the disobedient, as was done by Church
guides under the Old Testament. This doctrine taught in all me