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who prayed by her, and gave her the ". wafer," and this being done, or, to use their own phraseology, "the clergyman having prepared her for heaven," her relatives appeared perfectly satisfied respecting her condition, whilst the soul of the stranger almost groaned in anguish over her soul. Both these women were very powerful, complete giantesses. On my mildly expostulating with them on one occasion, whilst intoxicated, I was beset

* It may be well to state, for the information of any young reader who may be unacquainted with Romanism, that the "wafer" is a lozenge of paste, administered as the sacrament, at the altar, and also privately to Roman Catholics, when in dying circumstances.

The Trent Catechism, and all authoritative Romish books which allude to the matter, define the wafer as containing, after consecration by the priest, "the very body of the man Christ Jesus, composed of flesh, blood, and sinews, together with his soul and divinity.” A Roman Catholic, to whom I was made useful to some extent, on attending a Protestant place of worship to receive the ordinance, when offered the bread, opened his mouth. This occasioned surprise to some, but so holy is this "wafer God" esteemed by Romanists, that the laity are not permitted to handle it, but receive it from their priest into their mouths. When our blessed Saviour brake the bread, and gave to his disciples, saying, "This is my body," etc., "this do in remembrance of me," (Luke xxii.,) he was still alive on earth. According, therefore, to the Roman Catholic view, his twelve disciples were actually each eating and drinking up our Lord's body and blood, whilst he sat placidly before them. That our Saviour simply meant, the bread and the wine should remind us of his body and blood shed for us, is plain. After speaking of it as a figure of his blood, our blessed Lord, in the next verse, himself declares it only to be the fruit of the vine, Matt. xxvi. 28, 29.

One

by them, and could not avoid doing so. declared resolutely she would drive me out of the neighbourhood, and actually commenced carrying her threat into execution, driving me before her like a child. When sober, she apologised for her conduct, but in a strange manner.

The genius of the Romish teaching is to harden in criminality, for however the fact is attempted to be evaded, the ignorant Romanist believes his priest can forgive sins. It is said, "by repentance;" be it so-but the measure of the repentance, we must remember, is not the amount of sorrow to God, but of obedience to the priest-the execution of any penance he may enjoin. Whether every Romish priest teaches his flock that he can remit their sins without repentance is another question; but that the ignorant masses of Romanists confess and execute any penance enjoined, and then rest satisfied that their sins are forgiven, or rather care no more about the matter, I cannot doubt.

Even a common prostitute, a Roman Catholic, has said to me, "Why do you reproach me; I confess my sins once a week to my priest, pay my dues, and am forgiven them. I attend strictly to my religion."

The following conversation, extracted from my

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Journal, illustrates the dependence placed upon the guidance of blind guides, by the Roman Catholic laity :

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"At the corner of - I observed Mr. a man named in conversation. I stopped and addressed them, presenting a tract, and introducing a remark of a spiritual character. I said, 'We must repent truly of all our sins, my friends, and trust for forgiveness to what the Lord Jesus Christ has done and suffered for us.' 'Yes,' said Mr. 'we must repent and be doing penance, and make amends by good works for what evil we do.' I made a remark in a quiet manner, knowing the character of my companions, to the effect that if our good works could save us, we did not want any other Saviour, but that the Holy Scriptures declared a man to be "justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Mr. wished to know, 'Whether it was reasonable to suppose that a layman could understand the Scriptures as well as an ecclesiastic, who devoted his whole life to their study.' Mr. persisted that a poor, unlearned man could not, if he read it, understand the Bible; adding, that it was said therein that it was hard to be understood, and that 'the unlearned made a bad use of it.' I said, I would quote the passage to which he alluded: 'In which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction,' 2 Pet. iii. 16. It was the unconverted, I said, who were spoken of; those who were destitute not of worldly wisdom, for we were informed that 'the world by wisdom knew not God.' It was those who were destitute of

'the wisdom which is from above,' who were spoken of, I said; and explained to Mr. the difference between the wisdom of this world' and spiritual wisdom, enlarging upon the fact that the one might be acquired from earthly tutors and books, but the spiritual wisdom in nowise so; adding, that the only way pointed out to us whereby to obtain it, was by prayer and supplication, by becoming beggars before the throne of God, as St. James speaks, 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given. him,' James i. 5. Mr. now began to kick his heel against the wall, and another Roman Catholic present, who had not hitherto taken any part in the conversation, complained of the cold, and proposed retiring. I made a suitable closing remark, and our little gathering dispersed, to meet at last-I pray-in heaven.”

The teachings of the Roman Catholic church are ever directed to the end of inducing the laity to forego the right of private judgment, and to surrender the ideas they may form, to the proclaimed infallible teachings of the church.

The worship of the saints of the Romish calendar, as practised by Roman Catholics, develops the opposition of their religion to genuine faith in our Divine and all-sufficient Redeemer. The following is an instance:

A young Irishman I visited interested me very much. He was very ingenious, and, during a

severe illness--produced, as I verily believe, by want of food, having been long destitute of employment— constructed a pair of very melodious Irish pipes, on which he one day offered to play me a tune. As he appeared desirous I should hear him play, I thought proper to humour him, but asked him to play a hymn. He said, "I only know one hymn. tune," and played a very sweet little melody. "Do you know the words of that tune," said I. "I know one verse," said he :

"Saint Dominic sits at God's right hand,

At God's right hand on high;

Says he, My children, come to me,

And you shall never die."*

* Saint Dominic is held to be a very important saint by Romanists. He was the founder of an order bearing his name. A little work, published at Antwerp in 1611, in Latin, is entitled, "The Life and Miracles of St. Dominic." There is a print on the cover which is inscribed, “ Dæmon studiis incombenti in forma simiæ apparens jussus est candelam ardentem tenere," "The devil appearing in the shape of an ape to St. Dominic, intent on his studies, is ordered (by the saint) to hold the burning candle." Another print represents our blessed Saviour seated upon a cloud in the heavens, and in his hand are arrows of vengeance, which he is about to shower upon the earth and upon the sea. On his right hand is the Virgin Mary. On the earth are seen the two saints-Saint Dominic and Saint Francis. The print is inscribed, "Christum iratum et minas orbi intentante B. Virgo S. Dominicum et S. Franciscum representans placat,"-" Christ enraged and holding out threats against the world, and the Blessed Virgin, pointing to Saint Dominic and Saint Francis, appeases him." Copies of these prints, which are exceedingly rare, may be seen in the "Scottish Protestant." Butler, also, in his "Lives of the Saints," eulogises this saint as pos

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