organs; and with these, properly wielded, before the next Election, the mass of Nonconformist Electors in Scotland may be fully prepared to "fight the battle" of Christian patriotism "at the pollingbooth."

POPISH WORSHIP OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

IN May last a French Protestant pastor, M. Philip Boucher, and editor of the Protestant daily journal recently established in Paris, and called Voix Nouvelle, was in London, and addressed several public assemblies. On one occasion he exhibited, as an illustration of the present state of Catholicism in France, an illuminated card, with gothic characters and coloured capitals, on which was the following prayer to the mother of our Lord, and which excited much grief and indignation amongst the audience:

"TO MARY.

"Our Mother who art in Heaven, let your name be blessed for ever, let your love come to all hearts, let your desires be accomplished on earth as in heaven, give us this day grace and mercy, give us the pardon of our sins, as our hope is from your goodness without end, and leave us no more to fall into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."

Sir Culling Eardley, Bart., having obtained possession of the card, exhibited it at a public meeting of the Evangelical Alliance, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in June last. A Roman Catholic layman of that town, who was present, demanded Sir Culling's authority for the statement, who immediately gave the name of the printer in Paris.

One of the Catholic clergy of Newcastle wrote to some parties in Paris, and a letter, of which the following is a correct translation, was received in reply:

"16th June, 1847.

"Alcan and Co., Publishers, au Saint Cœur de Marie, 55, Rue de Vaugirard, Paris, (formerly Victor Janet.)

"Reverend Sir,-More than a year ago we made the unreserved purchase of the business and stock-in-trade of the old firm of Victor Janet. Our transaction, however, was not effected with Mr. Janet. Messrs. Debost and Desmottes were at that time the proprietors. These our immediate predecessors affirm, that they never published the absurd piece which impudently bears the signature of the house, and know not terms sufficiently strong to designate so daring a procedure. For a number of years past Mr. Janet has been residing in Algeria; and as he has no longer any right to publish, it may safely be asserted that he has not been so mean as to do so, particularly to publish a piece that contains as many heresies as words.

"For our part, Rev. Sir, we affirm, on our honour, that neither among the old or the new stock of the firm have we met with any single prayer similar to the one we received in yours of the 12th instant; and we hesitate not to set down the publication, as well as the forgery of our honourable signature, to the account of the Protestants, it not being the first time that our separated brethren have had recourse to such discreditable artifices in order to cast ridicule

on us.

"In conclusion, then, we intentionally repeat our assertion, we are not the authors of this prayer, and do not hesitate to affirm that the Protestants are the sole authors of it. "We remain, Rev. Sir, your humble servants, "ALCAN AND CO."

This letter Mr. Dunn forwarded to Sir

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Culling; and, "in behalf of the Catholic as a fair and body," called upon him, honourable man, to acknowledge to the public" that he had "been made the instrument of slandering" his "Catholic brethren." Sir Culling lost no time in communicating with Pastor Boucher on the subject; and in Voix Nouvelle for July 3rd, there appeared an article in reply, of which the following passages are the most important:

"In reply to the audacious letter of Messrs. Alcan and Co., we have now to remark:

"1st, and foremost, we hold at our office at the disposal of the public, a copy of the Romish prayer, beneath which is printed at full, Victor Janet, 55, Rue de Vaugirard, au Saint Cœur de Marie.'

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2dly. The firm of ALCAN may not have published the article-no one said that they had; but the firm of Alcan has sold, within two months, to a person who will give his name, if required, the article which the same house denominates in England absurd and heretical. Not only this, but they sold that person the last copies, declaring that they were going to publish a new edition.

4thly. In regard to the honourable signature Alcan and Co., no one has mentioned it in England or elsewhere as far as we know. It has only been said, and it is maintained, that thousands of persons possess the absurd and heretical document, published by Victor Janet, 55, Rue de Vaugirard, at the Saint Coeur de Marie, a business purchased by MM. Alcan, and where, two months ago, the last copies were sold, with a declaration that it was going to be reprinted. All the priests in France and England cannot change that fact. The only thing they can do is to consign to the flames the copies of a piece which cannot stand the full blaze of Protestant day; though they will find it to be more difficult, accustomed as they may be to fire and flame, to burn down the Bibliotheque Royale [which preserves a copy of everything that is published], and the Direction de la Libraire,' otherwise than in intention.

"5thly. In the name of the Protestant body, we in our turn bid all honest men admire a church, which circulates through its chosen publishers, the Maison du Saint Coeur de Marie, a piece which, in other places, and in consideration of the times, that same firm declares to be calumnious, to escape from the embarrassment caused by it!"

This M. Boucher sent to Sir Culling, together with the following extract from a letter of M. E. Verrure, a student at the Faculty of Montauban, and who was employed to purchase the card in question :

"I regret that in all simplicity, and forgetting how Jesuits can make the end justify the means, I had not the prudence to take a couple of witnesses with me when I went, on the day of your departure for England at the end of April, to the establishment of the Saint Cœur de Marie, 55, Rue de Vaugirard; but failing that precaution, I begin by opposing to an individual assertion the word of a man, who is not, and never has been, a Jesuit; and I give you the following minute details in support of my statement:

"On the above-mentioned day I left the office of the Voix Nouvelle at half-past seven o'clock, and took a cabriolet from the station on the Boulevard de Capucines, just opposite, which took me straight to the Rue Vaugirard, where I arrived about a quarter past eight. The person at the gate directed me to the offices, which are at the further end of the court-yard, up one pair of stairs. I went there and entered a sort of counting-house, where I addressed a gentleman, who said that some one should attend me: he rang the bell, and a lady came who took me into the sale-rooms (magazins). When I first spoke to her, she appeared not to understand what I wanted, and I was obliged to add particulars to induce her to look for it. The minute description, however, which I was enabled to give of the enamelled prayer, induced her to take me into the back-room; there she opened a closet (armoire) with large drawers, containing numerous collections of similar images, with prayers addressed to Saints, Angels, the heart of Jesus, the heart of Mary, and one entire sheet to St. Joseph. After some minutes' search two copies of the prayer in question were found by myself. Another gentleman then entered, and as I wished for more copies, he continued the search with us. This we did for half an hour, but we could not find any other copies than the two which I purchased. As I expressed great regret at not having more, he said that new copies might be struck off. I asked him when I might hope to have more? he replied that it would be two months at least, because each colour in the enamelling must be struck off separately, and required long preparation, especially the gilding; that it was a work of patience, and that the printing could only be done in the establishments of the Pères Jesuites; that all the designs were made and printed off there. If these details can be in any way useful to you, I place them at your disposal, authorizing you to employ them as you think fit. Your devoted, E. VERRURE.

"To M. Boucher, &c. &c., Paris."

Although no additional evidence were wanting to refute the statement, yet the following testimony from our brother, M. Panchaud, pastor of the Congregational church in Brussels, was addressed to Sir Culling:

"About five years ago we discovered at a stationer's, in the Montagne de la Cour, Brussels, a great number of prayers in honour of the Virgin. Amongst them was the one you mention. I showed it to a great number of friends in England during the journey which I took there two years ago for the Belgian Evangelical Society. Unfortunately, having lent it to some friends, I have not had it back; but I perfectly remember the name at the bottom of the page, Victor Janet, au sacre Coeur de Marie.' I cannot affirm that the priests put it in circulation at Brussels; but, I can declare on my honour, that it was a house of business, which had a large stock of richly illuminated prints on the worship of Mary and of the Saints, a Catholic house with which the Protestants had no relations whatever. After having lost the article in question, I made various efforts to procure copies again, but without success. Probably the use which we made of that publication, the manner in which it has been shewn up in our tracts and reports, may have led the Romish priests to cause its disappearance. We wrote to Delay at Paris to procure some, and he succeeded in sending several sheets; among which were the Creed (changed to the name of Mary), and the Pater Noster changed into Mater.

"[The writer has caused one of these sheets to be sent to Sir C. Eardley, containing six pieces splendidly enamelled, with the same publisher's name at the foot of each- Paris, Victor Janet, Rue de Vaugirard, No. 55, au Saint Cœur de Marie.' The first is headed, To Mary, Act of Hope;' the second, To Mary, our Mother who art in Heaven;' the third, To Mary, Act of Faith; the fourth, To Mary-I give you my heart, Mary;' the fifth, To Mary, Act of Love;' the sixth, To Mary-O felix Maria.' The first begins: Virgin Mary, I hope in your name and in your mercies, and I await from your heart all the graces which are necessary for my salvation.' The second is the prayer read at Newcastle, The third begins: I believe, O Mary, in thine immaculate conception, thy spotless virginity, thy divine maternity, thine immense griefs, thy glorious assumption, &c.' The fourth is the following: I give you my heart, O Virgin Mary-take it, if it pleaseth you, that poor heart! To you, from this moment, and for all the days of my life, its thoughts, its most intimate sentiments-my fears, my alarms, my regrets, all my desires and all my sweetest hopes, belong; I give you, O my mother, I consecrate to you my heart, my soul, all my being, for life, death, eternity.' The fifth begins: I love you, O Mary, my tender mother, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, &c.' The sixth runs thus: 'O blessed Virgin! O blessed mother! you are the mother of Jesus, and my mother-the mother of a thrice holy God, and the mother of a poor sinner. Ah! since you are the mother of two children, suffer not that your son, the God, the King, and the Judge, should condemn to death your son, the exile, the guilty,

*

*

but appease Jesus in my favour, and save me.' These six pieces need no comment. Surely, English Catholics will not say to the Virgin Save me! There is but one name given under heaven whereby we may be saved, and woe to the so-called Christian who calls upon any other name to save him. If so, then let English Catholics know that the description of the enamelled parody on the Lord's Prayer was sent to Messrs. Delay, a well-known and first-rate publishing-house in Paris, that, acting on that description, they sent down this sheet to Brussels, and that this sheet bears on each of its sections the very same address of the publisher as that upon the single prayer purchased in April last of Messrs. Alcan, the successors to the said Janet. Who, that does not wish to be imposed upon, can doubt that both the sheet and the single prayer are the work of the same press, the same publisher, the same church ?]"

To complete the odd narrative, the following memorandum must be inserted:

"Memorandum, Brussels, July 19.-M. Panchaud has this morning visited the establishment where he purchased the prayer, and related to me the result immediately afterwards. The house is kept by M. Daems-Schöy PapitierImagier-Montagne de la Cour, No. 56. Papitier-Imagier' means that his trade is to sell images and other ornamented materials for Roman Catholic worship. The proprietor and his wife remember to have sold the prayer in 1842, and to have procured it from the firm of Janet in Paris, to which they offer to write for more.

"When M. Panchaud lost his copy thus purchased, Mr. Tiddy, agent of the Bible Society for Belgium and Holland, wrote to MM. Delay, of Paris, to procure more copies. Mr. Tiddy informs me that he described the article by the publisher's name Janet. In a few days he received back from Delay, either six or twelve copies of the sheet described in the enclosure No. 3."

All these documents were enclosed by Sir Culling in a letter, which concludes with the following appeal to Mr. Dunn :

"I have confidence in you, Sir, as an honest Englishman, and in the English laity of the Roman Catholic body, that you will share my indignation at the audacious attempt to disavow this blasphemous production.

"No one supposed that the French or Belgian bishops and priests had authorised in writing this abominable composition. It is enough to make them responsible, if it is notorious that their printers print, their publishers publish, their booksellers vend to their adherents as laudable acts of devotion certain prayers, without any ecclesiastical censure or reprehension. And who can have any doubt, after this correspondence, that all this has been donethis prayer has been printed by the Jesuit fathers and published by Janet some years ago— not in Algeria, but in Paris; not fraudulently after selling his business, which no one suspected, but deliberately before he parted with it; not by MM. Debost and Desmottes, which was never asserted, but by Janet. This prayer was procured by a Roman Catholic house of business in Brussels, and vended there. This prayer was, in April last, sold by Messrs. Alcan themselves,

the successors of Janet, and the purchaser was encouraged to expect a speedy republication of it!!! Add to this, that this prayer to the Virgin is substantially the same with a prayer to the Virgin's parent, printed under the very shadow of the Vatican.*

"Sir, once and for ever abandon all participation in these iniquities. Visit France, and Belgium, and Austria, and, above all, Italy, and witness with your own eyes the things done, and the books sold, under the name of Catholicism. Your English priests and your French connections have endeavoured to throw doubt on one of the facts which I mentioned at Newcastle. They have not ventured to refer to the other which happened to occur to me at the time out of hundreds which might have been mentioned. A wax image of the infant Saviour, kept at one of the Roman churches, constantly traverses Rome to visit the sick; a handsome equipage is kept for it; the fee for each visit is five Roman crowns. I have seen crowds on their knees as its carriage passed!! And these are as nothing compared to the innumerable corruptions, which you have only to visit the Continent in order to witness.

"In the meantime you will judge for yourself, and the public will judge for itself also, whether the prayer to the Virgin quoted at the meeting at Newcastle, on the 7th June, 1847, was or was not, to use Messrs. Alcan's phrase, a forgery of their honourable signature, to be set down to the account of the Protestants.'

"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"C. E. EARDLEY.

(Signed)

"Postscript, July 19.-I subjoin further particulars relative to the sale of the prayer in Brussels. These are so conclusive that I consider it unnecessary to add anything more. The prayer is the unquestionable publication of Janet, the Roman Catholic publisher in Paris. How far it was creditable to shift the guilt on Protestants, the public in England and France will judge. Messrs. Alcan must know perfectly well that their refutation was no refutation. To give an air of proof when there is no proof, is a prime art of sophistry; and to pretend indignation against others, is an old method of diverting public indignation from the really guilty. To attempt further denial now would be utterly

This refers to a prayer which was also enclosed, similar to the one in question, but addressed to the father and mother of the Virgin Mary. It was extracted for Sir Culling by the Rev. James Currie, Rusholme, Manchester, from a book published at Rome in 1668, entitled "Ave Maria, parodiis et paraphrasibus Beatissimæ Virginis, principibus festivitatibus ac mysteriis pie et non injucundé accomodata. Auctore Carolo Tomasio. C. R. Romæ, typis Ignatii de Lazens, 1668. Superiorum permissu." The reader is aware that nothing can be published at Rome without permission of the authorities. It is as follows:

To the most holy parents of the mother of God, Joachim and Anna.

"O Joachim, father of the mistress of ourselves, as well as of heaven and earth, hallowed be the name of this thy great offspring, Mary. Let her come from her kingdom at thy bidding to our aid, that by us God's will may be done in earth as it is in heaven; Jesus her son, our daily bread, may she give us this day! May she obtain for us the grace of the Holy Spirit, by which our trespasses will be forgiven us, and we will forgive them who trespass against us. May she help us in temptation, and deliver us from evil. Amen.'

fatal to the character of the parties. This correspondence will be published in Newcastle and elsewhere."

This controversy is inserted in the CHRISTIAN WITNESS, to show,

First, That Mariolatry, or the worship of the blessed Virgin Mary, is practised by the Church of Rome in France and Belgium as in the dark ages, and that that system is unaltered and unalterable.

Second, That no confidence can be placed in the most positive disclaimers of Jesuits and their adherents, who, to answer a purpose, have always been prone to sacrifice truth to expediency.

Third, That it is of great moment to increase the intercourse between the evangelical Protestants of France, Belgium, and other Catholic countries, and ourselves, by which authentic information may be diffused of the true character of Popery, and the modest colours it assumes in Britain may be understood as only illustrating its chameleon character, but in no way showing its real

nature.

Fourth, That aspersions cast by Irish Catholic writers on Sir Culling Eardley, in the Daily News, and other journals, on this affair, are unwarranted and slanderous. J. B.

MORALITY OF ANONYMOUS ADVERTISEMENTS.

(Reprinted from the Patriot.)

"It is most carefully concealed whence this book has proceeded. Nobody is to know. Well, I am content to remain, likewise, in ignorance on the subject. Nevertheless, I shall call into action all my own adroitness, and endeavour to strike a blow at the lion's skin, satisfied, if I hit the ass who is concealed beneath it, no fault will be imputable either to me or him, but solely to the covering in which he has enveloped himself."-Luther.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PATRIOT.

SIR,-Considering the pamphlet, "THE MARROW OF THE CONTROVERSY," everyway unworthy of notice, I had resolved to pass it by; but from the Advertisement contained in your Paper of Monday last, and the illustrative circumstances referred to in the letter of our excellent brother, Rev. John Alexander, of Norwich, it appears to be only respectful to the public to address to them a few words, which I now crave permission to do through your columns. The Advertisement just mentioned has the following appendage, which is what chiefly concerns me :"In consequence of the advertisement

of this Pamphlet being refused insertion in the Advertizing sheets of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS, other arrangements have been adopted to make it extensively known in the provinces.

"Ministers of County Associations are accordingly requested to apply to the Secretaries of their several districts, with whom they will, for the most part, find a copy addressed to them, gratis."

The refusal of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS, then, is the ground alleged for this extraordinary measure. Now, I confess to the refusal, and confide in the public approval of the deed. I am so satisfied of its propriety, that I should have remained silent and unmoved, amid a thousand such charges, were I not desirous to call attention to the principle involved in the complaint. These gentlemen "of the night and of darkness," assume that a Journal is bound to receive whatever is offered on terms of advertisement, despite its character and concomitant circumstances. On this ground, a public carrier, if required, is bound to be the bearer of stolen goods, knowing them to be such! On this ground, the conductor of the public stage is bound to admit to the company of respectable passengers every ruffian, although known to be such, that chooses to present himself for the clear purpose of plunder! Such is not our view of the matter. Between us and Advertisers it is implied, as an unalterable condition, that what is for our sheets shall do no violence to either truth or decency, and in no respect militate against the public good. On all these grounds, the said "Pamphlet" was, in the highest degree, objectionable. Its chief characteristics are, concealment, perversion, distortion, exaggeration, and falsehood. We shall instance in a case wholly indisputable, and that the simplest will comprehend :-To aggravate the charge concerning the Jubilee, the Writers exclaim, "Thirty-two thousand pounds on such an occasion, raised by a denomination numbering about four thousand churches, exclusive of other communities, which, according to its catholic principles, rightfully belong to the London Missionary Society!" How flexible is language in the mouths of reckless men! Four thousand churches! Would we could take the really efficient churches for Mission-support at a fourth part of that number! Had our two reformers deigned to look into the Year-book for 1847, p. 89, they would have found the churches in the UNION reckoned at about

1,700; and that "the exact number that remained unassociated is not yet known, while it is certainly small, and the bulk of those able to do very little for the Jubilee. This is a fair specimen of the figures, facts, and arguments of the Pamphlet. The authors resemble a certain genius of other days :—

"Too warm on niceties to dwell,

He fagoted his notions as they fell,

And if they rhymed and rattled all was well!" They seem to care little for logic, less for truth, and nothing at all for common sense. Such things are beneath the notice of "Luther and Melancthon."

But, in addition to the "four thousand churches," there "are other communities, which, according to its catholic principles, rightfully belong to the London Missionary Society." "Other communities!" Where are they? In Scotland there is not one, nor a fragment of one! In England where are they? Except the few, and mostly poor churches of the Countess' Connexion, and some feeble fragments of the Calvinistic Methodists, where are these "communities?" Nowhere but in the reckless imagination of "Luther and Melancthon!" But this does not matter; the expression is great, and swelling, and, as it caps the accusation, down it goes. Finally, I can no more admit an advertisement than a letter, reflecting on the conduct of an individual, or a body, without the real name and address of the author or authors.

On these grounds alone, then, had there been no other, we felt bound to reject the Advertisement, that we might not be partakers of other men's sins. To have received their money had been not only to share their guilt, but to become associates in their infamy, without the benefit of their mask. I hold that, for the sake of gain, to give currency to falsehood, clothed with hypocrisy, steeped in malice, and supplied by cowardice, is not only in itself a high immorality, but also a flagrant crime against society. It is, in my judgment, much to be deplored that the Religious Press is so ready to become the vehicle of advertisements of the most disreputable character. From the first the CHRISTIAN WITNESS has not only testified against the foul and multiform abominations of Quack Advertisements, but, at a heavy pecuniary loss, resolutely and undeviatingly sustained its testimony by its example; and having crushed the vampire, it will give no quarter to the viper!

The deed of these traders in turpitude

is so full of indecency, that it is no wonder they shrink from the public eye. In the mind of every honest man acquainted with the subject, the question is settled, and for ever set at rest. Examination has followed examination into the affairs of the Society, by delegated bodies of the ablest and most upright men that England could furnish. They have reported to general assemblies of the constituents, who have received, approved, and confirmed their Reports with harmonious and fervent acclamation. The Directors for the current year-the best and most eminent ministers and laymen that London and the provinces can supply—were nominated by delegates from every part of the nation, and that nomination was fully, publicly ratified by the annual assembly. Their whole proceedings will be reviewed again next May, when their trust will be restored to the Society, that is, to the constituent body, who will form a fresh Directory by a new election. All has been done, is being done, and will be done, in broad daylight, and in the face of the country. The anonymous had, has, and will have no place in these proceedings. Is it, then, meet, right, or decorous for individuals, skulking in darkness, to arraign the work, and impeach either the competency or the integrity of these delegated bodies,-to charge the masses composing the said annual assemblies with error, delusion, and neglect of obligation, and to address themselves by Circular to the whole body of Secretaries of Associations throughout the empire, summoning them, by appeals to their "honour, to see them (the copies of the Marrow,' &c.) safely delivered," as they have it, "to the brethren in your Association, whom we shall desire, by public advertisement, to apply to you for them?" Such is the language of the Circular before us, and they have fulfilled their promise.

Such are the facts of the case, and such the circumstances under which these persons are labouring, as for life, to disturb the peace of this great, and heavenhonoured Society. But, while firing the temple, they profess zeal for the Divinity! They may have imposed upon themselves, although I much doubt it; but whatever the motive, the inevitable tendency of their lucubrations is pestiferous and deadly; for it is nothing less than to shake confidence, to excite suspicion, to sow dissension, to impair strength, to impede progress, to convulse, and to destroy this all-blessing and all-blessed Institution!