been manifested in them to disparage them in the eyes of the
population of those parts, I hasten to make the following public
Declaration:

That such individuals--if it be certain that there are such--have in this
respect acted upon their own responsibility, without permission and even
in direct opposition to the intentions of the Bible Society, inasmuch as
on the principles of the New Testament similar attempts are to be
reprobated and regarded with horror, being in direct opposition to the
express commands of the Saviour and His Apostles, who in their addresses
and writings have on various occasions exhorted the faithful to shew
respect and obedience to their masters and superiors, even when they were
heretics or idolaters.

And as it has been stated that certain persons, under pretext of being
agents of the British and Foreign Bible Society, have shown zeal in
persuading, and have actually in some cases persuaded, various
individuals to sign documents purporting to be declarations of separation
from the Catholic Faith--I herewith publicly declare that the British and
Foreign Bible Society has no connection with such persons; and should
there be any such, it is not disposed either to confirm or to approve
their proceedings, but on the contrary is desirous of stating in the most
energetic and solemn manner that it disavows and rejects all connexion or
intercourse with them.

The British and Foreign Bible Society is composed of individuals
belonging to all sects, in which those are divided who follow the faith
of Jesus Christ, amongst whom are seen co-operating for one grand and
holy object, followers of the Apostles, Romans, and members of the Greek
and [of the] English Church, whose design is the propagation of the word
of Christ in all countries, separating wholly from the forms of
discipline of the Church, [which are] matters of secondary consideration,
which for a long time have filled the world with bloodshed and calamity,
and have tended to keep up in the hearts of Christians unhappy and
malignant feuds. Far from being desirous of making proselytes among
those professing the Catholic worship, the Bible Society is at all times
disposed to hold out the hand of Christian fraternity to the clergy of
Spain and to co-operate with those who believe, as the Catholic clergy
assuredly do, 'that all shall be saved, who, believing in Jesus Christ,
show it by their good works.'

Madrid _May_ 12, 1838,

Office of the B