ROMISH SUPERSTITIONS-INFLUENCE OF THE PRIEST IN PROCURING RESTORATION OF PROPERTY LOST OR STOLEN.

[Just now, when the public press is teeming with evidence of the power of the priesthood over the blinded, superstitious minds of the hapless peasantry of Ireland, it may be well to give our readers a sketch of an ALTAR HARANGUE. Persons ignorant of the nature and operations of Popery, may be apt to imagine that, with all that form, ceremony, and professed devotion, so rife at the altar, sermons were preached-addresses given-in good keeping with the same: instead of which, the Sabbath is chosen for the day, and the altar for the place, where the most libellous language should be adopted, and, in a way of insinuation, the most daring threats directed against any poor unfortunate individual, who may have rendered himself obnoxious to either priest or people. The minds of an easily-excited peasantry thus inflamed, and with the well-assured fact of absolution, is it any marvel that the most disastrous consequences should follow? Witness Major Mahon, for example, who was denounced from the altar on the very day in which he was cruelly assassinated. The following has been furnished us from undoubted authority: it comes from one who has been many years a resident in a thicklypopulated locality, where he has had constant opportunity of watching the influence of the priests over his unhappy neighbours. We give the story in his own words. -ED.]

SEVERAL years since, there resided in the county of Waterford, a jovial fox-hunting squire, of familiar habits, large hospitality, and small fortune, who, on the occasion of his marriage had 360 sovereigns stolen from an old trunk. There was no remedy for it, but to send for father Dillon, the kind-hearted parish priest, and try to induce him to speak of it next Sunday from the altar. "And shure I'll do that same, honey, with all the veins of my heart," said he ; "there's not one of them shall dare even to drink a drop of it this warm weather; and I'm glad I heard it afore the confessions, for in them we're bound-ye untherstand." Next Sunday, Father Dillon, from the altar, made the following proclamation:

"Good people-though, 'pon my conscience, that's more than I can say to ye all;-but, good, bad, and indifferent, then, just as ye now stand afore me, My good friend and parishioner, Dermont O'Duyer, Esq., who has lived, man and boy, in the one place over three hundred years (generation after generation) without ever spending cross or coincross or coin, as I said, in foreign parts, but spends every farthing he has, and ten to the back of them, amongst ye, ye unruly pack of devilsarving creatures-like a gentleman as he is, seeing he could not be otherwise. Well Mr. O'Duyer has had the misfortune to drop out of a blackguard hole in his thrunk a matter of about-but the sum's no consarn of yours-I know what it is; and, what's more, I know who's got it; and, if every farthing o'the money isn't returned by to-morrow morning, either to me or to his honour, I'll publish ye, and penance ye, and excommunicate ye; and it's the devil 'll have nice pickings then, when none dare say, God save, or God speed ye! And shure it's the black shame has come over me, to think that the minute ye see the

timptation, the 'ould boy' threw in yer way, ye did'nt come straight to me, and let me know the rights of it. Oh, you in the blue cloak (about sixty women wore no other garb), "'twas ill luck took ye so soon from your own hearthstone last Tuesday. But, if ye repent, and return the money, I'll contrive a penance that will clear ye once more, for yer poor soul's sake. O! O! O! to think how buisy the ould one was in my parish; aisy known I was sleeping at the same time. There's fresh holy wather at the door--take plenty of it-sure I never begrudged ye; for, God save us, poor ignorant craythurs like ye can't see how the very air is full of evil spirits-things that go buzzing about like bluebottles, and whisper ye to forget yer God, and yer duty, and yer priest. And in regard, as I said, of Mr. O'Duyer's money, look to it, I say, distinctly, or else—and ye'll have rayson to think o' my words-every coin will be changed into a torch of fire and brimstone to scorch the flesh off yer bones; look to it, I say, once more, for if yer do'nt-then, be off wid yerself, every mother's son of ye, and no blessing (benediction) from me 'ill any of ye have this day. Take care, you with the white stockings and bran new beaver (hat) how you got them--pack, I say.

It is no less true than extraordinary, as showing the power of the priest over the minds of the people, that, before the next morning dawned, the money was returned, with the exception of ten or a dozen Sovereigns, which, doubtlessly, were lost, as some heavy rain had fallen during the night.

Two years since (says the same writer) a pound note was taken out of my drawer. I condemned my servant (a Catholic), having carelessly left my keys in the pocket of my coat which hung up in the room, and which she searched while I was at church. She denied it. In the evening I said to her, "Ellen, be up early in the morning; I understand father James will hold a station' in the little new row, to-morrow morning, and I will go down to him early, before confessions begin, about the pound." Early next morning, the note, wrapped in an old rag, was thrust through a pane in the parlour window; so I recovered my pound, cheaply enough-at the expense of a pane of glass only. A few years since we had some timber stolen one night from our establishment. The priest was told of it; the next Sunday he published it from the altar. After having done so, taking up "a big lump of a stone," he had carried under the altar table, "Kneel down, every one of ye," said he, "that I may have a fair aim at the vagabond thief down there"-pointing down the middle of the chapel. "I'll grind him to powder." The real thief fell on his knees. "Ah, ye thief of the world," said the priest; "ye thought I did'nt know ye, did ye?" &c. All the stolen timber was found the next morning, having been thrown over the yard wall. The fellow had to perform severe penance, and there the matter ended.

J. W. J.

CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD.

[The following reflections were suggested by an able discourse preached from Acts xxiv. 12-But the word of God "grew, and multiplied exceedingly."

Ir was well remarked that the expression, "the word of God," pointed out our Lord Jesus Christ; in some parts of Scripture the allusion is too evident to be mistaken; in others, perhaps, it is less obvious, yet even where not so distinctly visible, when shone upon by the light of God's Spirit, the prayerful disciple will discern scattered up and down the Bible, traces of those features which he longs to discover, and beamings of those glorious lineaments, on which it is his delight to fix a lingering gaze: hence, we arrive at the just and beautiful conclusion, that the whole Bible may be regarded as exhibiting the portrait of Him who "is the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely." Sometimes, indeed, we only dimly discern him in type and shadow; at others, he shines forth conspicuously, radiant with beauty. Sometimes" we behold Him as the "Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, crowned with thorns, and having his countenance more marred than any man's;" at others, we are privileged, with the three favoured disciples on the mount, to witness his transfiguration, with "the fashion of his countenance altered." Nor is the portraiture confined to his face; deeper and more glorious glimpses are occasionally vouchsafed into the inmost recesses of his heart; and who may count up the rich mine of treasure contained in the fulness of that heart, and stored up for the use of his beloved ones; infinite grace for the supply of every need'; entire exemption from the curse and fall, and full and free pardon for every transgression; the ocean of deep and tender sympathy and boundless compassion towards his afflicted ones; and the producing cause of all these inestimable blessings, the immeasurable love of God in Christ. Truly, it appears as though the heart of the Mediator were a focus, to which tend the love and mercy of Father, Son, and Spirit, and which love, flowing as through a burning centre, circulates life to each of the members of his mystical body. If it be sweet to exclaim with the Spouse in the Canticles, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine," it is not less sweet to remember there is not a pang which his beloved ones suffer, but he enters fully and minutely into that pang; and who can measure the depth and intensity of that heart's overflowing tenderness which it pleased the Father to bruise for their sake. This overpowering idea, replete as it is with consolation, might seem too vast for the human mind to grasp, were we not assured of the intimate nature of that union which subsists between our glorified Head and his members the Church; so that, while the temptations and sufferings which the latter are appointed to undergo may be regarded as so

many means of purifying and preparing their hearts for the reception of that love which he intends to bestow; yet the effects of those trials and sufferings end not here. They pass on, so to speak, from the members to the Head, and having accomplished their destined purpose in the former case, through the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, the greater weight falls on the sympathizing heart of that faithful High Priest, which it so deeply touched with the feeling of their infirmities, that they may not inaptly be designated as wounds, through which flows, as through numerous channels, that rich and full tide of love and mercy, which He is waiting to pour into their heart from his own, till their earthen vessels can hold no more of this heavenly treasure, but require to be enlarged and strengthened anew, ere they can contain an increased measure of grace. Nor is this all. The whole Mediator, God and man, even the man Christ Jesus, yet Jehovah, is strikingly revealed and displayed throughout every part of Holy Writ, till it shines forth most gloriously as a brilliant manifestation of the Son of God. Who would not be deep in the study of its sacred pages, while each as in a mirror reflects some new beauty, unfolds some hidden grace, till, by "looking" upon, and "unto" Him, they become "changed into the same image." Language is too feeble to express, and thought is o'ermastered in its attempts to soar the heights, and fathom the depths, of such a mystery.

But, to return to our starting point, whence we have somewhat diverged. We proposed to consider more closely the expression, "the word of God," as applying to Christ. There can be but one opinion as to the person intended in the following texts: "There are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.' "And his name is called the Word of God." We prefer selecting more particularly those passages which are less apparent at first sight, till, by a more minute inspection (with the Spirit's light, whose peculiar office it is to take of the things which are Christ's, and show them unto us), there is discovered a glory and a beauty and a fitness, which before were hidden from our view, and then we perceive the lineaments of the Son of God, engraven and stamped in indelible characters in the balance of our Father's will; and thus it is that the Word of God, or Christ Jesus, grows, and is multiplied exceedingly in the hearts of the chosen seed. The Book of Psalms, especially the 119th, is redundant with examples in which the Word is mentioned no less than forty times. We quote a few verses. In the 11th it is said, " Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Who does not perceive how accurately this corresponds with the "hidden man of the heart" elsewhere mentioned, even the man Christ Jesus.

Verses 49, 50, "Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me."

Verses 81, 82, "My soul fainteth for thy salvation; but I hope in thy Word. Mine eyes fail for thy Word, saying, when wilt thou comfort me?"

Verse 89, "For ever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven," com

pared with Isaiah x 8, "But the Word of our God shall stand for ever."

Psalm cxix. 103, 162, compared with Jeremiah xv. 16.

Psalm." How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." Verse 162, "I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil."

Jeremiah xv. 16," Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart."

In Psalm xviii. 30, "The word of the Lord is tried (margin, refined); He is a buckler to all them that trust in him," compared with Prov. ii. 7, "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; he is a buckler to all them that walk uprightly." In the latter passage, the word wisdom occurs; but, as that equally refers to Christ, who is the wisdom of God, as well as the word of God, it is too important an instance to be omitted.

Psalm cvii. 20, "He sent his word, and he healed them." Is not our Jesus the Omnipotent Physician, the sent of the Father, for the healing of our sin-sick souls?

Psalm lxviii. 11, “The Lord gave the word ; great was the company of them that published it."

"God so loved the world, that He gave his only-begotten Son," &c. Psalm cxxxviii. 2, "For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."

In the 1st chapter of Jeremiah, of Amos, and other of the minor prophets, the word of the Lord is repeatedly spoken of as personified; thus-"The word of the Lord came to me saying."

Isaiah lv. 11, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." We select a few instances from the New Testament.

Acts x. 36, 37, "The Word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all), that word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout Judea," &c.

1 Peter, i. 23, 25, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

Verse 25," But the word of the Lord endureth for ever; and this is the word, which by the gospel is preached unto you" (2 Thess. iii. 1).

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of God may have free course, and be glorified, &c.

DEAR SIR,

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

ANNA.

Would some of your correspondents, if so led by the Spirit, write a paper on the difference between a burnt-offering and a sinoffering. I am, my dear Sir, yours truly,

WILLIAM