time since the days of Henry the Eighth, land is bought for a monastery in Leicestershire, to contain one hundred and forty Monks of the Order of La Trappe. At Bath, a cathedral is about to be built by Bishop Baines, on the plan of St. Peter's at Rome. In connexion with the Roman Catholic chapel at Bermondsey, which was mentioned in the preceding letter, as proving "the triumph of their faith," they have DOW a convent of the Sisters of Mercy also, and others are projected in various places; whilst in Portugal, and the Portuguese dominions, "all convents, monasteries, colleges, &c., are henceforth extinguished." The Popish Bishop in London has £70,000 at his disposal to build a cathedral in this city, which is to cost £120,000; and it is said, ground is taken in St. George's Fields for this purpose. The report has obtained currency for some time, that the Pope is to consecrate it; and I think it highly probable, that if my life be spared to the usual period of men, I shall live to see the idolatrous ceremony of the Host carried in procession through the streets of London. From the Catholic Institute of Great Britain, the most brilliant results are anticipated. The following is a summary of their masshouses, &c. :-In 1839, the number of chapels in England and Wales was four hundred and fifty-three; in 1824, the number was three hundred and fifty-seven; which gives an increase of ninety-six. The number of chapels in Scotland in 1829 was fifty-one; it is now seventy-nine; the increase in ten years being twenty-eight. Total number of chapels and stations in Great Britain is five hundred and thirty-two.

There are fifty Priests in London and its environs; in the remaining parts of the London district, fortyone Priests. The Bishops are to be increased from four to eight for England. In the progress of Popery, it is stated, that the number of conversions to the Catholic faith in England averages about two thousand annually; and Dr. Walsh is said to have confirmed six hundred and thirty-two converts recently in

Under these

the eastern counties. circumstances, it can be no subject for surprise to those who read and think on "the signs of the times,” that Mr. O. W., Romish Priest in Leicestershire, should have published the following statement:"Through these islands our divine religion is making rapid progress. Churches, chapels, colleges, convents, and schools are rising up in such numbers and magnificence, as to make our enemies quake for fear." In reference to the last remark, it is unfortunately but very partially applicable; for one great cause of this prodigious increase of the apostasy in England, is the unbelief and apathy of Protestants on the subject; whilst some of them regard these fearful omens of increasing evil as "a healthy state of things," which is sufficiently absurd and irrational, but just as the Papists would have it to be; respecting whose delusions, this should be our motto, "No peace with Rome!"

Such is the general aspect and rapid growth of Popery during the last few years; but the increase and spread of Puseyism and Socialism have been much greater; and the three combined present a fearful view of "the signs of the times," as if God was about to begin some new and great period in his church, even to the reform of reformation itself, or the renewed exemplification and fulfilment of his own fearful promise: "I will overturn, overturn, overturn, &c., until He come whose right it is to reign, and he shall have the dominion;" yea, "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow," notwithstanding the following awful declaration by H. H. Horton, a Socialist :-" If Jesus Christ were again to visit this nether world, supposing him to have done so once, and were to witness the disastrous consequences of the religion he taught, after the lapse of more than eighteen hundred years, he would, if he had any feeling, either blush for himself, or for his religion; and if he have succeeded no better with regard to the other planets than he has to this, it were far better for mankind if his

visits were dispensed with altoge ther."* Such is the infidelity and blasphemy of the nineteenth century in England! and these sentiments and delusions of Socialism, as well as those of Puseyism and Popery, are, like a coral-reef, increasing daily in dimensions and extent, unseen and unsuspected by most persons; and demand of every Minister of Christ, that he should erect a beacon, or more openly and decidedly unfurl the standard of truth, in his parish or neighbourhood without delay, in such manner as to him may seem best; whilst every Protestant and disciple of the Saviour, who values his privileges, should lift up his voice like a trumpet on all suitable occasions, and not only avow his sentiments, but do what he can, and all he can, to guard others against these devices and delusions of the devil, which are overspreading the land rapidly like a deadly pestilence. For Jesuits, like the locusts of Egypt, swarm in the country; and mass-houses, like plague-spots, are starting into existence with ominous and increasing speed. The Lord's people of every name will, I trust, be increasingly diligent in the important business of tract and Bible distribution, and fervent prayer for preservation and deliverance from these corruptions and snares of the wicked one. The Ministers of the Lord Jesus will, I hope, generally follow the example of my esteemed friend, C. Stovel, in preaching against Popery,† as

The principal teacher and advocate of this outrageous blasphemy, the infamous Owen, was, some time ago, formally introduced to the maiden Queen of England, by the first Minister of the Crown!-EDIT.

The following are the subjects of the Rev. C. Stovel's Lectures on the injurious influence of Popery in England 1. In the dishonour it casts on the inspired Scriptures. 2. In its assumption of unwritten Oracles. 3. In its corruption of divine Ordinances. 4. In its degradation of the Christian Ministry.

Dr. Morison has against Puseyism; and at the commencement of the new year, a course of lectures will be delivered on behalf of the London City Mission, for the counteraction of the infidelity of Socialism; whilst I rejoice to have heard that a course of lectures on the corruptions and abominations of the Popish system is also to be delivered by the Ministers of the Congregational board. In this important and necessary duty, I trust the Wesleyan Preachers will be similarly engaged throughout the Connexion, "warning every man, and exhorting every man to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." In this way, and by these and similar means, it may please the Lord to avert from us his righteous displeasure as a nation, defeat the designs and endeavours of his adversaries, enable his followers to "discern the signs of the times,” and their solemn duty in connexion with them; as also increasingly to strive for "the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace." For Popery is essentially the unchangeable enemy of every human being; and with such principles and tendencies as are inseparably connected with it, and have ever manifested themselves, it ought never to be admitted into power; yet civil abuses and religious divisions have fearfully restored it, and are endangering the peace of the country, by the increase and ascendancy of this "mystery of iniquity," bane of society, and curse of Almighty God, who "shall consume it with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy this wickedness with the brightness of his coming." The command of the Lord, therefore, is, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. xviii. 4.)

S. T.

5. On the demoralizing tactics of the Church of Rome. These valuable discourses are now printing; and I trust will prove an extensive blessing.

OPPOSED, as we think, the Papal system is to the liberties of mankind, and overlaying the truth which it contains with a vast heap of errors by which its influence is counteracted, still, the Roman Church has always held firmly what may be considered as the grand and distinguishing articles of Christian verity. Even the Council of Trent, which first of all reduced the Papal errors to a regular system, begins by reciting that admirable compendium of Christian truth which is contained in the Nicene Creed. A true Protestant cannot do otherwise than maintain that the materials employed in the construction of the Papal system have been wood, and hay, and stubble; but he will, at the same time, acknowledge, that the erection has rested on the right foundation. To the Romanist, therefore, the name of "Christian" properly, though not exclusively, belongs; and the controversy with him is a controversy with parties within the limits of the visible church.

But the case is different with Socinianism. With its professors the controversy refers not to the structure alone, but also to the foundation. And, in all strictness and fairness of speech, the name "Christian," if their opponents be right, does not belong to them. A controversy with them is carried on between a party in the church, and a party out of it. So we understand the Apostle. Mistakes may be made which, how ever serious, do not affect the Christian name. The errors are connected with fundamental truth. Thus, to allude again to the Tridentine Confession, there is, in the first place, an unequivocal avowal of the grand doctrines of Christian verity; and afterwards, to complete the system, the wood, hay, and stubble, as Pro

testants believe, are extensively employed. The consequence is, that the removal of all erroneous opinions from the Romanist mind, would leave it, not unoccupied, but firmly maintaining the distinguishing doctrines of divine revelation. Whereas the Socinian takes another foundation, and thus departs from Chris. tian ground altogether. The “salvation" of the Socinian is not the "salvation" which, it is believed, the word of God describes. "Christ" according to the Socinian, is not the "Christ" acknowledged by the unbroken train of believers from the days of the Apostles. Nay, the divine character, as presented by these opposite forms of belief, is anything but one and the same. God, as declaring the glory of united righteousness, holiness, and love, in the gift of his incarnate Son for the expiation of human guilt, cannot possibly be regarded in the same light as when described by the Socinian as pardoning sin by the mere motion of his goodness. Nor is the doctrine of the Trinity, with how much mystery soever it may be connected, a merely speculative one. It stands connected with deeply important duties, with invaluable privileges; and we see not how it is possible that they who totally reject the doctrine, should even think of performing the duties, or enjoying the privileges. Not only, therefore, will the form of the buildings be different, but their foundations likewise; and the Apostle, in the very place in which he allows that the man who builds up a structure of error, which shall all be destroyed, when tried "so as by fire," may yet himself be saved, because he has built on the right foundation, puts it down, as one of the preliminaries of his brief, but most important, discussion: "For other foundation can no man lay

than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." He directs as to the mode of building, intimating that there is a right and a wrong method; but his words are most significant,"Other foundation can no man lay." As if he had said, "I give you no directions on that subject. You may, through human infirmity, employ wood, hay, and stubble, when you ought to have employed gold, silver, and precious stones: take heed, therefore, how ye build; but remember, other foundation cannot be laid." Certainly the Apostle did not mean to deny the plain fact, that men might form to themselves systems having other foundations. His meaning was, that another foundation of the Christian religion could not be laid. He, therefore, who departs from this, though he may take with him some of the materials which the Christian employs, has given up his title to the Christian name. The Mohammedan acknowledges much to be true for which the Christian also contends. Is the Mohammedan, therefore, a Christian?

It is, perhaps, the more necessary that these points should be noticed, because of the struggle which is now going on, of which one of the objects is, to cast them into the back-ground. The plan is, to represent the discussion, as not only needless, but even improper. A favourite description of the grand doctrines for which Trinitarians contend is, that they are "metaphysical subtleties; " and that none but " 'bigoted theologians" would seek to draw them from the "awful obscurity" in which they are involved; that, in point of fact, it is all the same, as to the all-important duties of religion and morality, whether the Socinian be right, or the orthodox believer. To this view of the subject a worldly, literary philosophy will always tend. If we did not know that the "minding of the flesh" is "enmity against God," we should wonder that men of philosophical genius could not perceive the glory, the magnificence of that aspect of the divine character, in which it is placed by the doctrine of "Christ crucified." What can be more tender and attractive in

goodness; what more pure and elevated in righteousness; what more lovely, and yet awful, in holiness? But all this is connected with statements which call upon man for lowliness; and human pride refuses to acknowledge the difference, vast as it is, between the abasement that permanently degrades, and the humility which prepares for advancement, and leads to the highest honour of which human nature is capable. Let the word "salvation" be taken in its proper extent, and the idea which it represents will be seen to be one of the noblest, and one of the most ennobling, that the human mind can entertain. And yet, from all that thus tends to purify the nature, to strengthen the faculty, to expand the capacity, to bring the whole man to true dignity and enjoyment, the literary philosopher turns away, not always, we fear, without contemptuous feeling, and endeavours to justify himself, and put his opponents in the wrong, by describing these unstudied subjects, -for such to him they are,-as metaphysical subtleties, in which theological recluses delight to entangle themselves, but which are altogether unworthy the notice of men of enlarged mind and active habits.

And to what, having laid aside all these metaphysical subtleties, to what do these philosophers design to bring us? Very meager will be that scheme of religion and morals from which all is excluded that is comprised in the term "theological and metaphysical subtleties." The at tributes of God which relate to the physical world, perhaps, will be admitted; but, consistently with their other speculations, our literary philosophers can scarcely bring in his moral perfections. The establishment of these would bring us within sight of Calvary. And a God of almighty power presents an idea so awful, that even the goodness which his power expresses is either overlooked, or apprehended with difficulty; and, sooner or later, the divine Being becomes to us merely an Epicurean Deity, reposing in his own self-sufficiency, and practically leaving man to himself: so far leav