The ecclesiastical subjects of the pope are variously estimated from eighty Present state of to one hundred and twenty millions, who are scattered over the Roman Ca- the whole world. The countries which are considered tholic Church. entirely papal, are the pope's dominions in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and South America; France, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Ireland, and Canada, almost entirely. Switzerland has seven hundred thousand; England more than half a million. Others are found in Russia, Sweden, Denmark, the West India Islands, and the United States.

As a temporal prince, the political power of the pope is now regarded with absolute contempt by all the European governments; but it is still supported by them as a matter of policy.

France, more particularly, appears almost ready to throw off entirely the trammels of the papal yoke; for, as the Catholic priesthood has been found uniformly to give its support to an arbitrary form of government, and to neglect the instruction of the people, the Bourbon dynasty has been overthrown by the revolution of 1830, and the Romish Church cut off from being the established religion, and free toleration granted. Still, as the Roman Catholic is the professed religion of the majority in the French nation, its clergy at present continue to receive their usual salaries from the new government. So grossly have the French been deluded with the popish ceremonies and superstitions, that the more intelligent have become infidels. Such, indeed, is the case throughout the Roman Catholic countries, and especially in Italy; the people, therefore, are ill prepared, at present, to embrace the pure Christianity of the New Testament, of which, indeed, they are almost universally ignorant. Nevertheless, the vigorous efforts of some devoted servants of Christ at Paris, with several agents from the Methodists, Continental, London, and Baptist Missionary Societies in England, and especially with the revival of religion among the Protestants of the South of France, all contributing to the circulation of the Scriptures, and the diffusion of divine knowledge, will, we trust, be blessed of God, to produce an evangelical reformation in that great country.

Education being vigorously promoted through many parts of Germany, and the Holy Scriptures being extensively circulated, popery will not be able much longer to retain its hold on the millions in Austria and Hungary. Even the Italian States, and Rome itself, have received many copies of the blessed word of God; and it is believed that not a few Catholics, and some of the priests, are sincerely studying the scriptures of truth for their internal salvation. Knowledge, by the British system of education, is increasing in South America; and, with it, the Holy Scriptures are circulated among the superstitious Catholics.

In British India and the East, the Roman Catholic Church has an establishment of three archbishops and seventeen bishops, with many priests, besides Romish missionaries; but scriptural knowledge, as we have seen, is advancing in those populous regions of the earth. Canada has the Roman Catholic system for the established religion; and efforts are being made to extend the influence of popery in the United States of America, particularly in the wondrous valley of the Mississippi; but its antidote is provided in the Bible.

Ireland is chiefly popish; and in that injured, degraded, and distracted

country, there are nearly five thousand Roman Catholic priests. But scriptural light and knowledge are advancing among the people, notwithstanding their prejudices against the Protestants.

England, at the commencement of this century, it is said, had not quite fifty Roman Catholic chapels: that the number should now exceed five hundred cannot be matter of wonder, when we consider the amazing increase of its population, the influx of Irish, and the ignorance of multitudes of the lower classes concerning the essentials of religion as taught in the New Testament. But a scriptural education of the people, with the diligent and faithful preaching of the gospel, will be the effectual means of subverting every false system of religion, and of converting the ignorant millions of mankind to the saving knowledge of God in Christ Jesus.

PART IV.

RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES OF PROTESTANT

COMMUNITIES.

UNDER the head of Protestant Communities it is proposed, for the sake of convenience, to treat of the principal denominations which, whether strict or lax, orthodox or otherwise, deny the supremacy of the pope of Rome, and the discipline of that Church; adopting for their profession of faith articles in their estimation more scriptural, and ceremonies and modes of worship varying according to their views of the requirements of the gospel.

SECTION 1.-LUTHERANS.

The Lutherans derive their name from Martin Luther, a celebrated reformer, who, in the beginning of the sixteenth century, opposed Origin. the church of Rome with great zeal and success.

of Faith.

The system of faith embraced by the Lutherans was drawn up by Luther and Melancthon, and presented to the Emperor Charles V., in 1530, at the diet of Augusta, or Augsburg, and hence called System the Augustan or Augsburg Confession. It is divided into two parts, of which the former, containing twenty-one articles, was designed to represent, with truth and perspicuity, the religious opinions of the reformers; and the latter, containing seven articles, is employed in pointing out and confuting the seven capital errors which occasioned their separation from the church of Rome: these were, communion in one kind, the forced celibacy of the clergy, private masses auricular confession, legendary traditions, monastic vows, and the excessive power of the church. From the time of Luther to the present day, no change has been introduced into the doctrine and discipline received in this church. The method, however, of illustrating, enforcing, and defending the doctrines of Christianity, has undergone several changes in the Lutheran church; and, though the confessions continue the same, yet some of the doctrines which were warmly maintained by Luther have been, of late, wholly abandoned by his followers. The Lutherans are far from allowing that good works are in any wise meritorious with regard to salvation. They acknowledge, generally, that Christ died for all who were partakers of Adam's transgression; but that those, only, who should believe in him, and persevere in that faith to their lives' end, should be saved. The foreknowledge of God from all eternity of this faith is made by them the basis, or foundation,

of the election or predestination of the faithful. They view election in the very same light as they do justification. If the instrumental cause of the latter be faith, God's foreknowledge of that faith of the faithful is their election. As to free-will, the Lutherans deny its power before the conversion of a sinner, and maintain that none are converted but by the prevailing efficacy of grace alone. The Lutherans acknowledge but two sacraments, that is to say, baptism and the Lord's supper. They deny transubstantiation, the mass, the elevation and adoration of the host, the ceremonies, and all that external worship which the church of Rome observes with respect to the body and blood of Jesus Christ: but they believe, that the real presence of the humanity of Jesus Christ is with, in, and under the elements of bread and wine in the holy communion, and maintain in vindication of their ubiquity, that all the perfections of Christ's divinity were communicated to his humanity. They reject the adoration of saints and relics. Although it be our bounden duty, they say, to imitate the saints, and set them before our eyes as great examples, yet we ought not to invoke them, nor imagine that there are any latent virtues in their relics, &c. They condemn all acts of penance and human expiations, such as solemn vows, pilgrimages, nine days' devotions, macerations, and other works of supererogation; that is to say, such mortifications, as, by the laws of Christianity, are no ways imposed upon us, &c. They reject all distinction of meats, and the observance of Lent, all monastic vows and convents, the celibacy of the clergy, and the performance of divine service in an unknown tongue; and, in short, all the ceremonies practised in the Romish church.

Consecration of their Churches.

Their pastors, with their several congregations, either meet at the parsonage, or at some convenient place near the church intended to be consecrated, and afterwards march in procession two and two, once at least, and sometimes thrice, all round it, singing certain divine hymns or canticles all the way. As soon as this previous act of devotion is over, they enter the church, where the service is opened with singing again; after which some portion of the sacred Scriptures is read to them, and a sermon preached on the solemnity of the day. If the income, or revenue, of the church will admit of it, or the congregation are able and willing to defray the expense, the superintendent of their metropolis is requested to assist at the ceremony, to give his benediction to the church, and consecrate it with some proper discourse of his own composing; which favour is acknowledged, not only by a handsome gratuity, but an elegant entertainment.

Two divines are generally appointed for the purpose of ordination, who not only inquire into the real merit and natural qualifications of the candidates, such for instance as a proper stature, a musical voice, health Their Ministers. and strength, but also into their knowledge of the learned languages, and their abilities to argue, on both sides, all controversial questions. They inquire likewise into the religious principles and particular tenets of the respective candidates. It is highly requisite and just that they should be sound and orthodox, that is to say, be in all respects conformable to the doctrines which they are intended to maintain and teach, and which the church they are to serve professes; and that they should be fixed and unalterable during their establishment in that sacred function. After such

due inquiries having been made, the candidate is ordered to preach before his examiners on some particular text of their own choosing. Upon the report of his being duly qualified, a church may be offered him; however, according to the Saxon discipline, he is obliged, before he is absolutely declared minister of any congregation, to preach several times before them; and the opinion of the people must afterwards be consulted, and their approbation and consent procured.

Ordination of Ministers.

66

The day of ordination being fixed, the candidate repairs to the church, where he is to be ordained in the presence of several ministers, ecclesiastical judges, and a numerous congregation of the faithful. He there makes a confession of his faith, either before or some time during the sermon. In the prayer after the sermon, the candidate is particularly taken notice of, and prayed for by name. As soon as the minister withdraws from the pulpit, the Veni Spiritus Sancte is immediately sung, and during the performance the superintendent, who is primate of the Lutheran clergy, repairs to the altar, accompanied by six colleagues, or coadjutors, and followed by the candidate, who falls down on his knees before him. Here the superintendent, addressing himself to his six colleagues, having first communicated the candidate's request, invites them to join with him in prayer on his behalf; in the next place he reads the formulary of election, which is accompanied with another prayer; and after that, directs his discourse to his six coadjutors, saying, Dearly beloved brethren in our Lord Jesus, I exhort you to lay your hands on this candidate, who presents himself here before us in order to be admitted a minister of the church of God, according to the ancient apostolical institution, and to concur with me in investing him with that sacred office." After this formal address, he lays his hands directly on the head of the candidate, and says to him, Sis maneasque consecratus Deo, which literally construed is, Be thou, and so remain to be, devoted to the service of God. The six colleagues repeat, after the superintendents, the ceremony of imposition of hands, and make use of the same form of words: after which, the superintendent addresses himself to the person thus ordained in the terms following: "Being assembled here with the aid and assistance of the Holy Ghost, we have made our humble supplications to God for you, and hope that he will vouchsafe to hear our prayers. Wherefore, I ordain, confirm, and establish you, in the name of the Lord, pastor and spiritual instructor of the saints belonging to the church, &c.; govern it in the fear of the Lord, and have a watchful eye over it, as a faithful shepherd over his flock,” &c. These words are, properly speaking, the very essence of ordination. The superintendent, after he has pronounced this exhortation, withdraws from the altar, and the stated minister of the place approaches it, dressed in his sacerdotal vestments, to read the communion service, and to consecrate the bread and wine, which he administers to the new pastor, who receives it upon his knees. Some few hymns, or canticles, and the usual benediction, conclude the ceremony.

At their first entrance into the church, both men and women put up an ejaculatory prayer, the former holding their hats and the latter their fans before their faces. The same ceremony is observed as soon Mode of as divine service is over. Worship. The prayer generally made use of on these occasions is the Lord's Prayer. When the congregation of