the university and the clergy; simply, to place a miraculous medal in the chair of each professor of the university. A chair should serve the purpose as well as a press. The medal cured the possessed of the devil in China; no doubt it will cure the pantheism of the professors of philosophy. What do I say? it will make each of them an absolute saint, and all will return to order, since it is certain that the clergy do not wish to take the monopoly from the university for the purpose, merely, of appropriating it to themselves." One miracle more from the "Notice." "In the year 1835, Marie Labassiere, aided by her lover, assassinated her husband; and constrained her son, a boy of fourteen years old, to steep his hands in his father's blood, assigning, as a reason for the enormity, that to protect herself against the danger of being denounced by the lad, she wished to have him as an accomplice. The Court of Assizes of Limoges condemned Marie Labassiere and Pierre G to the punishment of death, and the boy, as having acted without discretion (sans discernement) to be confined in a house of correction until his majority. There was an appeal to the Court of Cassation. In the interval between the sentence and the appeal, M. Laforest, a merchant, who recites the affair himself, took the miraculous medal from his own neck, and passed it round the neck of Marie Labassiere." The Historical Notice proceeds: "At last the judgment of the Court of Cassation is given. The process for these two great offenders was one-their crime the same-the same their condemnation. Marvellous effect of the merciful powers of Marie! The sentence on Pierre G-- is confirmed the sentence on the boy is confirmed-that on Marie Labassiere is annulled! The first underwent the sentence of death, while the womanmurderess of her husband-and, still more, guilty in a manner of parricide in the crime of her son, whom she rendered an accomplice in his father's assassination-is remitted by the Court of Cassation to the assizes of Gueret (Greuse), where she is released from the sentence of death, and condemned only to perpetual imprisonment. This she undergoes in the Maison Centrale of Limoges, where she leads a life void of reproach, penetrated with the liveliest gratitude towards the divine Mary, whom she regards as her deliverer, and ready to lose every thing rather than separate from her dear medal, in which she finds her sweetest consolation." We offer no comment on this execrable fiction, unable to find in language any terms which could describe the sensations with which we read it, or which could visit with due condemnation the guilt of parties capable of so disfiguring and debasing the system they misname religion. We may affirm, in sober sadness, that the enormities of the worst of pagan times are outdone by this miraculous medal," and by the abominable legends in which its virtues are recorded. Another indication of the state of this idolatry is contained in the "Catholic Directory," for 1844, which gives the following account of the "devotion to Mary, conceived without sin," and of the favour bestowed upon the Association instituted to promote this worship, in Ireland. "An association of prayers in honour of the immaculate heart of the most holy Virgin Mary, to obtain, by its merits, the conversion of sinners, is established in the parochial Church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, at Paris. All Catholics, of every age, sex, and condition, are invited to enter into this association, and recommended to bring to it such a zeal for the glory of God, the salvation of their brethren, and a holy desire to imitate, each according to his or her state of life, those virtues of which Mary has given us such admirable examples. To participate in the spiritual advantages appertaining to the association, members are required to give in their proper and their Christian names for enrolment in the register of the association; after which they get a ticket of admission, subscribed by the director. Each associate to receive, on admission, and to wear, with respect and devotion, the indulgenced medal, called, of the Immaculate Conception, and known under the name of the miraculous medal. He is to recite, from time to time, the prayer engraved upon it, viz.: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!' The associates will make it a practice of offering, every morning, to the sacred heart of Mary all the good works, prayers, alms, acts of piety, mortifications, and penances, which they shall perform in the course of the day, with the intention of uniting them to the merits of the sacred heart of Mary, to the homages which it renders without ceasing to the Divinity, and of adoring with it the most holy Trinity, the divine heart of Jesus, and of imploring, by His infinite mercy, grace and the conversion of sinners." That this association is acceptable to Roman Catholics in Ireland, is abundantly manifest "It is most gratifying to announce that, although scarcely twelve months since it has been introduced into Ireland, it has already been established in the Abbey of Mount Mellery, near Cappoquin; Church of the Conception, Marlborough street; St. Andrews, Westland-row; St. Audoen's, Bridge street; SS. Mary and Peter's, Rathmines; and St. Francis, Merchants'-quay. In all the con vents of the Sisters of Charity-of Loretto; Presentation, George's-hill; Carmelites, Warrenmount; St. Joseph's, Ranelagh; Firhouse, Churches of Waterford; Castletownroach, Dungannon, Derry, &c. With the approbation of the bishop of the diocese, by applying to the compiler of the Directory, any person will be directed to the Rev. Subdirector, who has the letters of aggregation specially sent to Ireland by the Rev. Mr. Desgenettes." The senseless but impious mummeries, practised by the Papists in all countries, where a sufficient degree of ignorance prevails among the people, seem even more revolting and contemptible than those ventured three centuries ago. In the recent work on Mexico, by Brantz Mayer, Esq., United States Secretary of Legation in that country, we find some very curious information on this subject. Among other practices described is that of the worship of the "Virgin of Remedios," a paltry doll, found in the capital after the defeat of the conquestador Cortez, which, when he came back, was placed in a temple erected for its reception, considered a miraculous image, adorned with millions worth of gems, hailed as the Virgin of Remedios, and since by the Romish clergy let out in times of drought and famine at thousands of dollars per day!* Mr. Mayer describes a visit to the church, on the day of the annual festival to the idol, in the following paragraph. "We sallied forth from the chapel as mass For proof of these statements, the reader is referred to Madame Calderon's Mexico, p. 226, vol. 1; Latrobe's Rambler in Mexico, p. 102; Humbold Essai Pol. vol. 2, p. 221. note. "The "On one occasion," says Latrobe, "it was settled that she should pass the night in town, as the weather was unfriendly; and a suitable lodging was provided; but when morning dawned she had vanished! The fact was, that nothing could keep her away from her own flock at los Remedios, where, accordingly, she was found at dawn in her usual place; covered with mud, however, with having walked a number of leagues in a dark and rainy night." image is a wooden doll," says Madame Cal deron, "about a foot high, holding in its arms an infant Jesus, both faces evidently carved with a rude pen-knife; two holes for eyes, and another for the mouth. This doll was dressed in blue satin and pearls, with a crown upon its head and a quantity of hair fastened on to the crown.-No Indian idol could be much uglier." commenced. Gradually the church began to fill with the half naked Indian crowd. Deputations of natives from the different villages arrived, bearing offerings of flowers and wax candles to the Virgin, headed by a band of musicians, with their tom-tom drum and flageolets, making a low monotonous music. The offerings were taken to the altar, under banners made of flowers; and after a wild dance of the Indians to their music before the image, they were deposited in the sacristy. A constant succession of these oblations poured in until near two o'clock, when, the morning services being finished, the image was taken from the tabernacle and placed under a canopy, whilst a priest bore the consecrated wafer, and the procession began its march. All heads were at once uncovered, and I went to the upper story of the church, to have a better view of the ceremony. At the door of the church stood a ragged Indian, with a large firework on his head, made in the shape of a horse, surrounded with squibs and rockets; behind him were five men and a woman from one of the villages, neatly dressed, their heads being covered with red silk or cotton handkerchiefs. The men bore thin staves in their hands, and small coops, made of cane, were strapped on their backs. The woman held a covered basket before her, forth the same monotonous tune of the flageoand one of the men trummed a guitar, giving lets and drum. As soon as the procession reached the portal, the whole crowd knelt, and a number of small rockets and cannon were fired by the Indians. The huge flowers-which I have before described as ascending and descending on ropes from the church tower to the gate-were pulled open by a secret spring, and a shower of rose leaves fell from them over the passing priests and images. 'Juan Diego's' knees were bent by some equally secret machinery, and he continued on his slack-rope pilgrimage through the air. The flageolet and the drum were once more put in requisition, and the Indian with the horse firework, accompanied by six others, began retreating in a trotting dance, as the holy image approached-whirling and hopping to the barbarous music, ever careful to keep their faces to the Virgin. Suddenly, an Indian stole behind the one who bore aloft the firework, and touched its match. At this mo ment the bells began to chime,—and thus, amid their clang, the detonation of squibs, cannons and rockets, and the loud cracking of the exploding horse, the procession sallied from the court yard to the village, to make a tour of the plaza among the gamblers, pulque shops and fruitsellers, all of whom suspended their ope rations for a moment, and knelt to the sacred figure." luded followers of Anti-Christ is thus deThe infliction of penance by these described by Madame Calderon de la Barca, wife of the Spanish minister in Mexico, in her recent work on that country. "Suddenly a terrible voice in the dark cried My brothers! when Christ was fastened to the pillars by the Jews, he was scourged!' At these words the bright figure disappeared and the darkness became total. Suddenly we heard the sounds of hundreds of scourges descending upon the bare flesh. I cannot conceive any thing more horrible. Before ten minutes had passed the sound became splashing from the blood that was flowing! At the end of half an hour, a little bell rang and the voice of a monk was heard calling upon them to desist; but such was their enthusiasm that the horrible lashing continued louder and fiercer than ever. In vain he entreated them not to kill themselves, and assured them that Heaven would be satisfied, and that human nature could not endure beyond a certain point. No answer but the loud sound of the scourges, which are many of them of iron, with sharp points that enter the flesh. At length, as if they were perfectly exhausted, the sound grew fainter, and little by little it ceased altogether. They say that the church floor is frequently covered with blood after one of these penances, and that a man died the other day in consequence of his wounds." Mr. Norman, of New Orleans, an intelligent observer, whose veracity no one dare question, is another of the travellers who have very lately been in the papistical Mexican states. He gives the following picture of the morals of the clergy in Yucatan, in a description of the festival of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin." "The people testify their respect for those festival days by processions and such amusements as are suited to their taste. Notwithstanding the acknowledged debasing effects of their sports and pastimes, which wholly consist of bull baiting, cock fighting and gambling, they are not disgraced by any riotousness or drunkenness. . . . The priests give countenance to these recreations, if they may be so called, both by their presence and participation. ..In a few minutes I was in a procession in honour of the 'Purification of the Holy Virgin,' &c. &c. . . . The men, women, and children, as soon as they had concluded their ceremonies here, started in a body, with a revolting precipitation, to the gaming tables, which had been set forth in the ruins of an old convent, adjoining the sanctuary where the procession had just been dissolved! Here we found all classes of society, male and female. The highest ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries were there, hob and nob with the most common of the multitude!". ... Yet one more authority, to show that in "morals and manners" "the church" is unchanging. Madame Calderon ex claims, speaking of the Conde de Revillanigedo and the reform he introduced among the Mexican monks,- "Alas! could his excellency have lived in these our degenerate days, and beheld certain monks of a certain order drinking pulque, and otherwise disporting themselves! nay, seen one, as we but just now did from our window, strolling along the street by lamp-light, with an Indian girl tucked under his arm!" And John L. Stephens, in his Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, confirms the general testimony: "Except at Merida and Campeachy, where the bishop, the padres, throughout Yucatan, to they are more immediately under the eyes of relieve the tedium of convent life, have compagneras, or, as they are sometimes called, hermanas politicas, or sisters in law. ... Some but, in general, it is regarded only as an amilook on this arrangement as a little irregular, able weakness, and I am safe in saying that it is considered a recommendation to a village padre, as it is supposed to give him settled habits, as marriage does with laymen; and, to give my own honest opinion, which I did not intend to do, it is less injurious to good morals than the by no means uncommon consequences of celibacy which are found in some other Catholic countries. The padre in Yucatan stands in the position of a married man. and performs all the duties pertaining to the head of a family. Persons of what is considered a respectable standing in the village, do not shun left hand marriages with a padre. Still, it was to us always a matter of regret to meet with individuals of worth, and whom we could not help esteeming, standing in what could not but be considered a false position. To return to the case with which I set out:the padre in question was universally spoken of as a man of good conduct, a sort of pattern padre, for correct, steady habits; sedate, grave and middle aged, and apparently the last man to have an eye for such a pretty compagnera!" One other proof is all we have now room to present, that Rome is the same in 1844, as when Luther and Calvin commenced the exhibition of her abominations. She has always taught, as she teaches now, that where her ministers have the power, they are to punish heretics with death;-that the blood of Protestants, of all who deny transubstantiation, or withhold reverence from the idols with which she fills her temples, "is not called the blood of saints, more than the blood of thieves, man-killers, and other malefactors, for the shedding of which by order of justice, no commonwealth shall answer." Dr. Kalley, the author of the following letter, is an earnest and faithful missionary in Madeira, where, for denying that the consecrated wafer is to be worshipped as God, Maria Alves is sentenced by the authorities to die. "MADEIRA, MAY 4, 1844. "My dear Sir,-Although very hurried, I cannot allow the steamer to go, without communicating to you the state of matters here. Last Sabbath two persons, when going home from my house, were taken prisoners, and committed to gaol, where they now lie, for not kneeling to the host as it passed. On Monday, a third was imprisoned on the same charge. On Wednesday, several were mauled with sticks, and some taken by hands and feet as in procession, and carried into the church, and made to kneel before the images. On the 2d of May, a girl brought me some leaves of the New Testament, telling me, with tears, that her own father had taken two and beat them with a great stick and burnt them. On the same day, Maria Joaquina, wife of Manuel Alves, who had been in prison nearly a year, was condemned to death. The counts against her were, that she denied the doctrine of the Trinity, and the virginity of Mary, and maintained that the sacramental bread is bread, and that images should not be venerated. A gentleman, who was present during the whole trial, assured me, that respecting the Trinity and virginity, there was no proof adduced. Respecting the sacrament, only one witness swore that he heard her say, that the host is bread. And respecting the images, all declare that she did not say that they should not be venerated, but that she did say that the Holy Scriptures forbid the adoration of them. My informant was astonished that the country people should have known the difference, and given so clear evidence before a prosecutor, who put leading questions, and tried to confound them. It will hardly be credited in our fatherland, that such a sentence could have been given in this century, but the mother of seven children, the youngest of whom was at the breast, when the mother was cast into prison, is now a prisoner in the jail of Funchal, condemned to be hanged, for having said that images should not be adored. And under such circumstances, she is forbidden the use of the Holy Scriptures, or any part of them. It is as likely that she will be actually execut ed, as it was that she would be condemned to death. We supposed it impossible to perpe trate such an act. We also suppose it impossible that such a sentence should have been given in any part of Christian Europe, in 1844. Yesterday, a young man, a father of two or three little children, came to speak about the rage of the enemies of truth in his parish, and the danger in which he found him. self. On the way home, a large company, among them, as ringleaders, the nephews of a priest, belaboured him. He went on quietly, that is, without answering or striking, but as fast as he could to be free of them. day, in bed, all black and blue, and his brother had to flee for safety. What is done to those who perpetrate such things? Nothing. Not one is taken up for them-they are said to be encouraged. I understand that the object is to make it appear, that I am inciting a commotion; but I always urge those who hear me to follow the command of Christ, love your enemies,' and that they resist not evil, but remember that they are sheep, and that their safety consists in keeping close to the Shepherd Jesus, and calling on, and committing themselves to him. The signal gun is fired for the steamer to be off. Pray for us, and believe me, ever your sincere friend, He is to "ROBERT R. KALLEY. "The condemned believes in the doctrine of the Trinity, and never said a word against it. She is a most clear-minded, intelligent Christian woman, and quite willing to die, if the Lord will.” THE BIBLE IN COMMON SCHOOLS. AMONG the earliest and most able opponents of Roman Catholic aggression in this country, was the Hon. HIRAM KETCHUM, of New York. At the recent anniversary meeting of the American Bible Society, Mr. Ketchum made a speech on the great subject of the day, -The Bible in the Public Schools-of which we present a brief report, from the New York Observer. The Romanists too soon threw off the mask; before their power equalled their ambition, they attempted to control the education of the people; and, in New York, at least, through the efforts of Mr. Ketchum and his associates, they have been defeated. In other places, where the same policy has been pursued by the Roman Catholies, the same result will be attained. Tumults, unprecedented in this country, have grown out of the warfare upon the Bible; blood has been shed; but no triumph is in the future for the Papists upon this question; nor, while the Bible continues to be the Book of the People, upon any question. At the meeting of the Bible Society to which we have alluded, the following resolution was presented Resolved, That the Bible, from its origin, parity, and simplicity of style, is a book peculiarly appropriate for use in common schools, and cannot be excluded from them without hazard both to our civil and religious liberties. Upon this Mr. Ketchum spoke substantially as follows: The great question of the day is this: -Shall the Bible be continued in use in common schools?—The southern mail of yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, brought intelligence of the depth of interest felt in that question by a portion of the American people. Inasmuch as the question is one of the most prominent topics of the day, Mr. Ketchum said, he might, perhaps, be indulged for a few moments, in endeavouring to state the origin and progress of that contest as exhibited here, for this opposition to the use of the Bible in common schools will be found to be one, in character, everywhere; it springs from one common source, from one fountainhead; and all its members act in unity; and whether observed in Philadelphia, or in Baltimore, it will be found to assume the same general character. This was one of the most interesting questions of the day. He hoped they were prepared to discuss it candidly, coolly, and when they had come to a decision, to abide by that decision, whatever might be the consequences. You are doubtless well aware, said he, that the common schools of the State of New York, are maintained, in the first place, by the interest upon a large fund set apart at various times for their support. It is a provision of the law, that before the interest shall be received, and appropriated to any county in the state, an equal, and in some counties a greater amount shall be raised by a direct tax on the people, to be added to that interest; and the joint fund is to be appropriated for the maintenance of schools, open to all the children of the community, of the rich or of the poor, of parents of one denomination as well as another. Now, it will be seen that this fact implies the principle, that it is the business of the state, that the state has a right, and that it is the duty of the state to provide for the education of all the children of the community. It adopts this great principle, that all the children of the community shall have an opportunity to receive a common elementary education. But it will be also perceived, that this education must be elementary, must be education in literature and science, in those ordinary branches which are necessary to fit them for the ordinary duties of life and of citizenship. I am thus guarded, for you all know that it is an elementary principle of American law, and of the American constitution, and of American hearts, that the government has no right to raise money by tax for the support of the Christian religion; and it is a great elementary principle of American law, and Ameri |