able body of Protestant Dissenters. Amid these several and
often combined attacks, how is she to maintain herself? From which of
these enemies has she most to fear? Some are of opinion that Papacy is
less formidable than Dissent, whose bias is republican, which is averse
to monarchy, to a hierarchy, and to the tything system--to all which
Romanism is strongly attached. The abstract principles embodied in the
creed of the Dissenters' catechism are without doubt full as politically
dangerous as those of the Romanists; but fortunately their creed is not
their practice. They are divided among themselves, they acknowledge no
foreign jurisdiction, their organisation and discipline, are
comparatively feeble; and in times long past, however powerful they
proved themselves to overthrow, they are not likely to be able to build
up. Whatever the Presbyterian form, as in the Church of Scotland, may
have to recommend it, we find that the sons of the nobility and gentry
of Scotland who choose the sacred profession almost invariably enter
into the Church of England; and for the same reason, viz. the want of a
hierarchy (you will excuse me for connecting views so humiliating with
divine truth), the rich Dissenters, in the course of a generation or
two, fall into the bosom of our Church. As holding out attractions to
the upper orders, the Church of England has no advantages over that of
Rome, but rather the contrary. Papacy will join with us in preserving
the form, but for the purpose and in the hope of seizing the substance
for itself. Its ambition is upon record; it is essentially at enmity
with light and knowledge; its power to exclude these blessings is not so
great as formerly, though its desire to do so is equally strong, and its
determination to exert its power for its own exaltation by means of that
exclusion is not in the least abated. The See of Rome justly regards
England as the head of Protestantism; it admires, it is jealous, it is
envious of her power and greatness. It despairs of being able to destroy
them, but it is ever on the watch to regain its lost influence over that
country; and it hopes to effect this through the means of Ireland. The
words of this last sentence are not my own, but those of the head of one
of the first Catholic families of the county from which I write, spoken
without reserve several years ago. Surely the language of this
individual must be greatly emboldened when he sees the prostrate
condition in w