perfect religious toleration. That is to say, every person is secure in such religious belief and practice as he prefers, provided he does not infringe on the existence and exercise of this right in his fellow-citizens. This principle of toleration, among those denominations which allow the benefits of it to others, as well as take advantage of it themselves, is perfectly safe and equitable. But under the dominion of popery we find a community of men, who claim the right to control, not only their own faith and practice, but that of all others. They are the oracles of truth: with them dwells infallibility: and all who differ from them are of course heretics: and as such, unworthy of the common civilities and rights of men. They claim it as their right, and regard it as their bounden duty, to compel by physical force, nay, by tortures and death, the assent of all their fellow-men to their belief, and conformity to their dictates. What, then, is the effect of toleration in regard to papists? It is simply this: they are protected and cherished in common with all other citizens, until they can gain power sufficient to subjugate and destroy all others. Popery takes advantage of toleration while circumstances require it, but it cannot, in consistency, extend that toleration to others. It takes advantage of a free govern ment to gain power, but it must, to maintain consistency, destroy every free government, just as soon as it has the power in possession. It is like the serpent, benumbed with cold, which a countryman brought to his fireside. But no sooner did the reptile feel the genial heat restoring his wonted activity, than he fell to biting the children. The uniform practice of papists, in all countries where they have possessed the power, shows that they well understand what consistency, with their principles, demands. For when or where did any one ever hear of toleration or freedom in a government wielded by their hands?

The number of papists bound together, and to the pope of Rome, by a tie, and by sympathies, which in their view are paramount to every other, is rapidly increasing and spreading in our country. And while we cannot turn away our eyes from this fact, we ought to recollect that our government is not only one of toleration, but also that it is elective. In other words, that it is entirely in the hands of the people. If the views and principles of the people change, a corresponding

change of the government must follow. There is no spell or charm in republicanism that can preserve it a moment after the people become bent on oppression. Look, then, at the floods of immigration which are pouring in upon us from popish countries. Look at the natural inclination of men of all countries to embrace false religion. Look at the boldness and activity of the emissaries of the pope in this country: the treasures which are opened in Europe for their encouragement and support: and say, is it not possible that popery may, in an evil hour, by adroitly adjusting herself to some party interest, seize the reins of our government? Suppose it done, and all our free institutions would wither as leaves touched with frost. Suppose it done, and what is the prospect at once presented to every other class of citizens? What says the record of past ages, the experience of the exiled, persecuted, worn out servants of the Lord, in past periods of the world, to this question? What could any who differ from them expect but the dungeons of the inquisition, the fire and faggots of persecution? Popery has hitherto taken advantage of the want of information respecting it, which extensively prevails in this country. It has not made efforts or pretensions here until recently, and what has been known concerning it, has been derived from the stories and reports of other times, and other parts of the world, but in which we have felt no personal interest. But this scantiness of information is highly auspicious to the cause of popery. Darkness is her element. And where ignorance and apathy reign, where the press is silent, there she will come forth, not to show herself, but to exhibit her delusive pageantry. She will artfully conceal her designs, while she amuses with many things that bear the epithet holy. There is the holy cross, the holy wafer, the holy water, the holy virgin, the holy saints, the holy priests, the holy There are pope, and many other things as holy as these.

the traditions of men, the orders and decrees of councils made for occasion, there are pictures, images, bones, garments, and hair of saints, and if you will implicitly believe, and ask no questions, there are miracles too. And while the attention of the ignorant and superstitious is rivetted by these shows, their bands are made strong, and like the heedless fly, they are implicated in a web from which there is little hope of

escape. But in all this, observe, popery shows only the fair side. She keeps back out of sight her apparatus of racks and tortures. She will mock at your fears of the bloodthirsty inquisition. And if you relate what popery has been in other countries and at other times, she pretends there is some relaxation of the system, and that popery has fallen violently in love with free government and republican institutions. Let this process go on without exposure, and who will venture to insure our own country against papal dominion? Moreover, this outside religion, this show and grimace, this buying salvation by bowing and muttering, and withal, by the virtue of the purse, is taking in our world. It is just what men will prefer, if their consciences and understandings are not too much enlightened to admit its moral deformity and its absurdity. What then is to be done? Shall popery be met with restrictive and penal statues, with the arm of civil authority or physical force? By no means. This would be utterly inconsistent with the genius of our free institutions, and the spirit of our religion. Popery may propagate her cause by fraud or blood, but no good cause can flourish by such means. How then shall it be met? The answer is, by evidence and argument. Let public opinion be enlightened, let popery be examined and exposed, leave no nook for it to hide. Pour in light upon its dark recesses. If it will intrude into our country, insist upon it, that it shall come in its true character. Tear away every mask, cloak and curtain, show it to the world as it is. Write, print, publish, read, converse, till the important facts respecting this subject have a general circulation in the community. If ship loads of papists are landed on our shores from lands of darkness, let them find that they have come into a land of light. If men and women will be papists in this land of freedom, they shall have no excuse. They shall know what they embrace, yes, and the world shall know likewise, and they shall take the responsibility of such a choice. To effect this purpose, however, the friends of truth and liberty must be on the alert. In several respects, misapprehension appears to prevail in this country in regard to popery. One is, that it is a branch of Christianity, and though a corruption, yet that it contains something of pure Christian principle. But attention to the facts in the case will show that this is an utter mis

take.

Popery has no more relation to Christianity than a dead carcass has to a living man. It has not so much. For it is not only destitute of vital energy, it is an apostacy, and an enemy to all evangelical principle.

Another respect in which the subject is misapprehended is, that in this land we have nothing to fear from it. And what are the grounds of this opinion? Are they, that popery changes its character by treading our soil, and becomes comparatively harmless? Fatal infatuation! Is not popery infallible and immutable? What change, then, can be expected, but that which is produced by present necessity, and is therefore temporary? Is it said the public mind will not bear its grosser parts, and therefore they will not be obtruded? But how long will it take popery to produce a state of public feeling that will bear all its enormities?

Another misapprehension is, that popery can be put down by railing and denunciation. This course favors popery, by exciting public sympathy, without enlightening public opinion. Popery may rail, and denounce, and banter, it will receive no injury. Like all error it has an affinity to such weapons. But truth cannot be defended by like means without a tarnish, if without a deep wound. And if the advocates of truth are provoked to take up these weapons, they should, as David did with the armor of Saul, lay them down again as soon as possible. Truth needs not such defence, error has no other. Some one has finely remarked concerning the course which Michael took, when disputing with Satan about the body of Moses, that he durst not bring a railing accusation, because he knew that he should then be on Satan's own ground, and that Satan, being an adept in the business, could outrail him. The rebuke of the Lord, and of this simple fact, is all the resort we need in meeting popery.

The foregoing views of this subject have had their influence in producing the following history. The plan is to give a connected narrative, in brief, of the rise, progress, and maturity of this power, and then to take a view of its leading doctrines and practices, as they have been exhibited in the course of events, and are to be gained from authentic

sources.

The following history, of course, will lay in no claim to originality. It is a compilation and abridgment. And

though the statements are designed and believed to be strictly authentic, yet, as it is an object in this work to avoid prolixity and expensiveness, it is not deemed expedient to specify the authorities. Few of them could probably be referred to by the reader, if they were named, and those who have access to the authorities will not need the reference. It may be here observed, however, in general terms, that the works from which the compilation is principally made, are Mosheim's, and Milner's histories, McGavin's Protestant, and Cramp's Text Book of Popery.

That the truth will finally prevail there is no doubt. But that it will prevail by efforts and means, is equally certain. If the present effort shall in any measure subserve the cause of truth, the best interests of man, and the glory of the Redeemer, the intentions of the compiler will be fulfilled.