The New York Herald Newspaper, February 18, 1872, Page 4

4 RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. February 18—First Sunday in Lent. Religious Programme for To-Day. HERALD RELIGIOUS CORRESPONDENCE, Religious Notes, Personal and General. Services To-Vay. Rev. P. L. Davies will preach morning ana even- ing in the Berean Baptist church. Rev. Henry Warren, of Philadelphia, will preach in the Central Methodist’ Episcopal chureh this Morning, and Key. Mr. Longacre will officiate in the evening. Rey. J. M. Pullman will preach in the Church of Our Saviour this morning and evening, His sub- Jectin the morning will be “Consistency. Rey. W. W. Andrews will preach in the Catholic Apostolic church this evening on ‘fhe Melchisedek Priesthood of Christ." Rev. Dr, Osgood will preach in the Church of St. don the ngelist this morning on ‘Temptation ‘and Victory,” and in the evening on “The Agita- ‘Alons of Our City Life and the Need of God’s Peace.” Rev. U. D. Northrop will preach in the Twenty- Qhird street Presbyterian church this morning and ‘evening. The sudject of his evening discourse will be “Vernictous Amusements,” Rey, Dr. Merrill Richardson will preach morning wnd eventing in the New England Congregational whureh, Rev, Dr, Flagg wil preach in the ball corner of Fitty-fiftn street and Third avenue this morning, Rev. 5S. OC. Sweetser will preach in the Bleecker Bireet Universalist church morning and evening. Rev. Dr. True will peach this morning tn St, Duke's Methodist Episcopal church, and Key. Dr. Brown will oMictate in the evening. Rey, J. S. Willis will preach this morning and Bvening in the Seventeenth street Methodist Epis- ©opal church. Key. Morgan Dix will deliver the sixth lecture in his conrse this evening, in Trinity chapel, “Walking by Fuith’? will be the subject of Rev. Charles ¥, Lee’s aiscourse this morning, in Chicker- ing Hail (#ith Universalist church), and in the aiter- Doon his sabject will be “The Church Militant.’ Free religious services will be held in the Brook- Ayn Academy of Music this evening, when Rev, lenry Powers, Rev, George Whipple and Dr. uward Eggleston will address the congregation. Bishop Snow will preach this aficrnoon in the Whiversity, Washington square. Mr. Thomas Gales Forster will lecture before ine Society of Progressive Spiritualists in Apollo Hall Unis morning and eyening. Kev. Hugh Miler Thompson, D. D., recently plecied recior of Curist Protestant Episcopal church, Corner of Filth avenue and Tiurty-fith street, in place of Rev. F. C. Lwer, will preach this morning, Bnd in the alternoon will deliver the first of a series Of Jectures on “Church History." from aa Religious Whe Godiens Constitution—Protest Jowlst Thinker Aguiust the Amendme: To Tur Epiror oF THE HERALD:— The Americans are addicted to conventions, We have commeretal conventions, political conventions, musical conventions, agricultural conventions, cap- atal-moving conventions and conventions to regu- Yate all possible and impossible subjects. The “con- 0 the American mind, 1s what the fearful of “writing to the Tunes"? ts to the full- blooded Englishman. IVs an extinguisher, It see Ues forever—in the sangulue mind of the couven- on, at |cast—what otherwise would ve lavolved in painful doubi, and the members thereof adjoin sine diem the fall copsctousness of naving ftaithfolly discharged their duty, and retarn home in a bloated Condition of patriotism and morality. If ts one of the peculiar “institutions” of our country, and acts as a sort of satety valve, which is never tied down, to 1et of over the heads of the quict, thinking world all sorts of “isms”? and ‘“valins of Gilead” ‘which are guaranteed to cure ‘‘all the ills that flesh Or aught else is heir to.” Social, religious and polltico-economical pyro- gechnics blaze and bang and gyrate and splutter and 0 up very fast and bright and come down equally fast, bui shorn of all brightness —in fact, the stick 13 the only visible remains, which is neither useful nor ornamental. Such was the result of the last con- wention which assembled in Cincinnati the past week. The “Pecksniff” family, with throats encased in Immaculate white chokers, aud in very many cases suffering [rom conscientious motives, which, upon warefui examination, may de fonnd to be nothing ut aggravated and chronic dyspepsia, have had wt pr much ail their own way, and have “whereas”-ed and “resolved’? themseives, in the extilaration of the moment, almost “into thin alr’? anc lo their very hearts’ content. Like the stalwart fellow who, when being whipped dy lis tue wife, exclaimed, “It amnses her and docsn’( hurt me,” so we'll say, “If the ‘Pecksnu?’ fam- diy enjoy their own lituie entertainment, all well and good,’ but they must excuse the non-PecksniMfans Yor not joining in and seeing their “uttie game” tn ahe light whica every jover uf true religious liberty Miust View itin. No one great principle in our revered constitatton Stands out in bolder relief, as compared with the avriitea laws and practice which Ovtain ta other countries, than that of religious freedom and separa- Won of Church avd State, For us our torefatners Yourht, aud oul of Whose sufferings and experience Suey reared a government the blessings of which meenjoy to-day aad hardly Know how mach to ap- reChAve. « 1. has been well said that “eternal vigilance ts the price of lverty,” and itis this exercise of vigilance mich should prompt every Ataerican ¢iuzen to Brown oown and visit witir contempt ever; efort, come from what quar mpon tle constitution any expr alin, Which Is DOW sought to miay, to engr slon of religious e done by alew Canatics. True, the cloud upon the politi- co-reigious horizon 1s no larger than a Bnan’s hand; but so jong a8 i is in view bt so ufust be sharply watched and deprived wf iis power to do Injury. The sagacious framers of Qbe constutuuon purposely and advisedly omitted Ate name ol the Almigtty, and as @ paturai sequence wll expression of sectarian belief. That this was Proper ail experience goes to show; yet these “wise n ther own generation,” i convenuon us- ed in Cinchinali—tnese "ihree tailors of Tooley .' ia their “We, the people of Englana,”’ styie wf cfrontcry—dare to claim tuat the people demand ‘an acknowledgment ja this sacred instrument of the xisience of God and belief in the Saviour of man- kind. Ail this is unnecessary, and in our Judgment ecksuifian. We hold that the constitution of our loved country 18 next only in holiness to the Bible itself, that the spirit of God is in its every word wand sentence, and has reference, as it should, ‘wo cartliy allairs aud not to those of beaven; Anat the conscientious convictions of every human Peing, whether based upon the laws of the Bible or ‘otherwise, are the connecting links between Bitmself aud bis Goa, mm which government has wv right to interiere, either directly or inairectiy; fi more hat this is not a Christian country any Bea itis a Jewish, Pagan or Mobamm i that fo declare in‘ favor of one r omination would be to we ranifest tn i others; for, While to-day the majoriiy ans, lo-morrow the votaries of auother sect may predominate; and, suriher, that In this respect the Consutulion “was hol made lor a day, but for all me,’ ‘To tue credit of @ very large majority of the press Of tha counuy be tt said, tne would-be takers of Bue constitution have received Sut cold comfort where tiey huve not been met by positive opposi- fiov. Every liberai-minded Christian sees the anger of a change-and ta Iree to acknowledge it; ut to the Jew the injustice and danger are still more appalling, and arouse jus Jears and memories of ecw’ days whose history is written In the carts’ blood of his ancestry. ‘The Jews (the writer baving the honor of being One) are always willing to acquiesce 1a the customs prevailing in the countries whereta Urey dwell, and ec ever loyal 10 “ihe powers Liat ve,"’ aibelt local Jaws nfake it obligatory apon thei almost every. ‘where to apstain from javor on Sunday and otner Wuristain holidays, while their own religious obi- Walions necessitate their doing the same on Satur- Gay, which is their Saovath. 1 » together with bout twelve festivais anu fasts, make sixty-four NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, Sundays and festivais, too—do you not think, Mr. Editor, they would become a little restive and claim 80 me exemption ? Besides t evidences of good citizenship it may not be improper to mention that the Jews are sel- dom, if ever, @ care upon the Siate; tor they support their own poor, house their own widows and orphans, and the coors of their many large hospitals freely opened to their Gen- e as ule brethren in need of medical or surgical aut as to their own “sons of the covenant.” Are not these facts to be considered, and is not the prince involved the same whether 1t applies to is hundreds of thousands of Jews or its millions of Christians? These are some of the reasons why the Jews und several other religious denominations of non-believers in the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth respectfully and with all due deference to the opiniol { oihers protest against any change in the constitation Of the United States which will give to it a religious or sectarian bias, SEMI-OCCASIONAL. WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb, 6, 1872. Confes: in the Episcopal Church. To THE EpiTow oF THE Henaup:— Recent developments in the Episcopal Church have so brought (ue topic of confession and its law- fulness or unlawfulness tn that Church vefore the public that it were folly to attempt to blink it. 16 1s the toptc in the counting room, and it was the topic in our parlors on New Year’s Day. The move- ments of the ritualists are bold, determined and re- gardiess of fear or favor. We have to deal with a set of men who, whatever we may think of them, are at any rate thoroughly in earnest, One of them astonishes the moneyed men of bis vestry by calling upon them to cease interfering with and cneckmat- ing him with their money, or that he would resign and go where he could be free, Another sets up one of the most magnificent altars in this or any other. country, and covers it with lighted candies, A third openly adyertises in one of our journals that he hears confessions on 8 certain day. ‘hese men, struggiing in poverty and through much unpopularity, evidently mean work, ‘They may be ridiculed, bat the day is gone-when we can afford to despise them, Money does not seem to weigh @ featner with them, nor abuse to swerve them from their purpose, ana they daily gain ground, It 1s high time for’ a general rubbing of spectacles and examination of what 13 going on. First along they were laughed at for their candies and their vestments, ‘hey were thought to be eccentric folk, But it seems that all the time they have been burning candies and wearing vest- ments tney have also been hearing confessions. then a third. Morning meetings for prayer and in- quiry have been continued, and children's meetings in the afternoon of each day. About one hundred and fifty children, from the age of six to sixteen, and @ large number of adults, have thus far been carefully examined by the pastors of the several churches, and have given. satisfactory evidence of a change of heart. esterday afternoon more than three hundred rose for prayer, part expressing the hope that they have found the Saviour, the rest earnestly desiring to find Him, ° Interesting Church Re: RL The Baptist Union mentions an event which took place at Newport, R, 1, five years ago, and repeated every year since, which it represents as {uil of in- terest. It 1s the intercommunion of the Congrega- tional, Baptist and two Methodist churches upon the Sunday evening ci the Week of Prayer. This year four congregations assembled im the edifice of the egationa: church for the celebra- tion of the Lord's Supper. The spacious edifice was fillea by an audience numbering probably a thou- sand persons. Mont of those present were church members, representing not only the four churches mentioned, but also representing almost every church in the city, Spirhied Revival Ohio. An interesting revival has been in progress in the church at Chagrin Falls, Onio, Rev, G. W. Walker pastor. A correspondent of the Herald and Presbyter says of 1t:—‘*The church had observed the ‘Week of Prayer,’ and was in @ good state of preparation for an outpouring of the Spirit, Up to this time seventy persons, mostly adults, have ound peace in believing in Jesus. Yesteraay torty-elght of the number stood up in the great congregation ana bt kp expressed their faith in the rd Jesus ‘nrist. A large number of these were baptized, among whom were five whole families,”’ Religious Notes—Perseonal and General. Rév. M. R, Deming was installed pastor of the First Baptist church at Greenpoint, L. 1, on the 8th inst. The Hudson church diMcuity has been arranged by the translation of the Rev. James S. O’Sullivan to another fleld, Rey. Dr. Bridgeman, of Albany, N. Y., has been called to the pastorate of the Tabernacle Baptist church of Philadelphia. Six women commenced the new year at St. Anne, Kankakee county, Il, by renouncing their former faitn and becoming Protestants. Rey. Dr. Osgood has taken charge of the Wain- wright Memorial church, in West Eleventh street, where his fine pulpit ‘abilities will be appreciated, The new Methodist Episcopal church tn Washing- ton street, corner of Eignth street, Hoboken, wilt be The whole affair ts evidently deeper than candles, lace and eccentricity. This is clear from the follow- ing:—When the Bishop of New York prohibited excessive ritual he was obeyed by all the ritualistic clergymen instanter, Of came their colored chasubles, and there has peen no excessive ritualism in New York since. But the moment the Bishop of Connecticut took one of these New York clergy- men to task for ialking m his diocese about seven sacraments (and, among the seven, confession), the said“ priest” bristied up, showed fight, did no: budge | an inch,and pubiished the correspondence. And the moment the Bishop of Pennsyivania takes an- other to task for the contessional that other, tuo, shows ight, wins his case and publishes his corre- spondence also. And the instuat the question of ritual mm the General Coaveation touches the doc- trine of the real presence of Christ, under tne torms of bread and wine in the sacrament of the aliar, & third shows fight on tne flvor of the Convention, and defes any ian to present mim for trial, il he ares; and no one dares. It 18 evident that it 13 not a mere matier of empty forms, and candies, and tomfoolery, and taste, and colored cloths with these men, it is sometuing More profound and Tundamental, Snrewd fellows, they keep 23 quiet as night while the world is wasting ils powder on teic candies, But men do not willingly go ito un- popularity and abuse, nor leave lucrative positivas on mere quesitous of taste. In sooth, 13 11 not ciear that ritualism imeans something else besides ritual- ism? J#m credibly informed that 1s it not merely e1ghé or ten persons that go to confession, and they Jadies, but that kpiscopalians are quietly fockiug by we hundreds; and that among those that go ile unen, Mf anything, are In tue majority. Also Watthe phenomenon is by no means confined to New York, Dut that 1% has shown Itself simul- taneously in Maryland, Massachusetts, Khode Isiaul, Connecticut, Lexas, Illinois, Lennessee, F10) ida, Loutsiana, Canada, kngiand, scolland—eve) where, Mere ridicuie before so great and grave a movement 1s rdiculous, ana mere scorn 1s tmpotent. Jam oredibiy informed, Loo, that this auiair of Ly ing conte=si0ns In the Protestant Kpiscopal Church 4s not of recent Occurreuce eitier, a5 has been sup- posed, nor coutined to one or two New York priests. Jndeed these facts are incontrovertibie, Now, Mr, Editor, were this ritualism @ mere local piece of Whunsicauty we might lauga at it and let it go. But it, 18 a Movement too sviemu, and widespread, and steady, and sient lor that.” 4 hear that there 1s actually more of tois ritual movement in Baltimore than were 1s In New York. Atone ef the churcaes there Lam informed that there Is an attendance at the early communion of no less than tity every day m the year, And the early atieadance at st. Lu<e’s, in Balumore, 18 Said to be somethug won- dertal. liere, im New York, on Christmas morning at daylight, it 18 said that there were no less than @ hundred communicants at St. Igoauus’ church. Now old-fasuioned churchmen Must wake up and face the music. We are sorely troubled about confession. The dilemma is this—aoes the Protestant Episcopal Church sanction the comession Of one’s sins to a priest? I so, then there is an end of the matter, and it is the Church herself, and not ‘the Litualists, at we should ridicule and oppose, if any ridicule 18 to be thrown or oppomtion to be made. Ji their Church sanctions coniession then how can churchmen wave the face or temerity to oppose ity ‘The churchman toinks everything of nis Church, and when te opposes confession he 1s sim- py, hoist on his Own petard. But if, on tne other and, the Protestant Episcopal Church does not rer- mit sinners to open their griefs to their pastors, for the purpose of getting comfort, advice and absolu- ton, then an example ought promptly ta be made of some of these ritualists by trying and deposing One who hears and excommuntcating one who makes confessions. li, however, the Anglican Church does not sanction the confession of one’s sins to a priest, how happens it vnat I find in the Prayer Book of the English Church (with which the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Unied States of America 1s avowedly at one “4n ull essential points of doctrine, discipline and worship,'’ as sue says she 13 in the preface to her Prayer Book), the followlag:— “Here shall the sick person be moved to make a Special coniession of his sins if he feel his con- science troubied with any weighty matter; alter Which contession the priest shall apsolve him, it he hambly aud heartily desire it, after tis sort:— Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who hath left power to His Cuurech to absolve all siuners who truly repent and believe in Him, of His great mercy lorgive tnee thine offences; and by His authority committed unto me I absolve thee irom all thy sins, in tke name Of the Father, and of the Son and ot the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Now, Lam @ churcuman and have opposed confession; but this bothers me. Will any a your correspondents enlighten us? Who are right, tne churchmen who oppose or the rituaitsts who are not afraid to practise aud openly to deiend confession’ Li we are Feed to have confessions it 13 not manly to hide the matter under a bushel. If itis right to hear them it 18 right, and no one need be ashamed of it; if 11s wrong now 13 tue time to stop it, If itis wrong will some one tell me what I sball say in answer When @ ritualist asks me what the Protestant Episcopal bishop meaus when, in ordaining @ priest, he says, “Whose sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven, and whcse sius thou * dost retain they are retained; :and ve thou a: laithful dispenser of the Word of God and of His holy sacraments?’ and when the ritualist asks me, moreover, whether a priest can be a faithful dispenser of Christ aud His merits to the sinner unless he uses the “authority” thus “committed” to him? And will some one tell me what our rectors mean when they tell us, every Sunday morning and evening, that Almighty God hath given power and that He hath given command- ment Lo His ministers to deciare and pronounce to His MeN eat the absolution and remission of theirsinsy Mr. Editor, I have worshipped in the Protestant Episcopal Church and partaken at her aitar nearly thirty years, it 1 am atraid [ have heard and read her words tnnimerabie times with- out realizing what they me: and if the Protestant dedicated to-day. It is one of the Mnest buildings erected in Hudson county. Rev. Dr, Hamilton, the venerable Methodist min- ister who died recently in Washington, met his death from a fallon his back while crossing an icy walk. He expired soon after. Rev. 8. W. Pratt, late of Hammonton, N, J., has succeeded Rev. D. H, Palmer as pastor of tne Pres- byterian church of Prattsburg, N. Y. He com- menced his labors with the beginning of the year. In the Superior Criminal Court at Boston, last Fri- day, Judge Lord sent Dr. James McDonough, a Catholic witness, to jail because he refused to kiss tne Hoos preierring to “‘aflirm’’ with the uplifted aT According to late news from Rome the Rev. Fatner MeNierny, Archoishop McCloskey’s secre- tary, has been having via as coadjutor bishop to the Ordinary of the Albany diocese, Dr. Conroy. The bulls are expected to arrive in a few days. The laymen of the Lutheran Churci are to hold a convention in York, Pa., on the 21st inst., for ne purpose of discussing the subject of publication and devising means by which the Lutheran publishing house 1a Philadelpnoia may be placed upon a perma- nent and enduring basis. Rey. W. E. McLaren, of the Westminster church av Detroit, has notified his congregation taat he nad decided to leave the Presbyterians and take part with the Protestaut Episcopal Church, His congre- had left home and gone to other lands, ana during nis absence nis mother sickened, and he was written to to come home if he desired Lo see her alive, He hurried back, but to find that nis mother had died the day before. Kneeling down alone, as he sup- posed, beside her corpse, he asked God's forgive- ness, and as he rose {rom ils knees he saw his fatuer, who, in another part of the room had been praylug also, rise and come toward him. Reaching HIS HAND ACKOSS THE DEAD BODY of his Wile, he took his son’s hand and said v son, you have broken your mother’s heart apd near- ly broken mine; but J iorgive you; let us live to- gether in neace and love the rest of our lives.” “Even 80,” said the fair preacher, “God reaches out His hand over His dead Christ and seeks recoucilia- ton with every one of you.” The effect of tix In- cident, told as it was with touching pathos, wax very profound indeed. Miss Smiley 1s to preach in the same place this evening. gation united m Kind resolutions, and requested the Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relation. The Bangkok (Siam) Advertiser of the latest mail date reports:—Dr, C, Vrooman, the medical mission- ary, Who has heen appointed vy the American Pres- byterian Missionary Board to labor at Chiengmai, the capital of a Laos State under the protectorate of Slain, has lett tnts city tor his destination, Rey. James Marshall, of the Westminster Presby- terian church, of Troy, N. Y., has accepted a call to the Presvyterian church of Hoboken, N. J. A year ago he assumed charge of what was then but a Tuission enterprise. His faithiul labors have been richly blessed oy its rapid development iuto a promising church organizauon, On Sunday, February 4, the new Church of St, Joseph, at Youkers, N. Y., was dedicated to tne service of Almighty God by the Very Rev. Dr. THIRTY-FOURTH STREET SYNAGOGUE. Moses the Greatest Human Discover—Signifi- cance of the Sanctuary. Yesterday the synagogue in West Thirty-fourth street was fille] with worshippers, Jew and Chris- tian, and the éloquent rabbi, Dr. Vidaver, seemed to have been unusually inspired for the occasion. He preached from the text, “And let them make me & sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” — Exodus, xxy., 8. ‘The history of nations, as well as tne kingdom of nature, he suid, testifies to the glo- Tious fact that Providence bouotifully supplies all the wants of nature and of nations. Whenever in the history of mankind there has been a demand for some master spirit to meet any extraor- dinary emergency or to grapple with any pressing events arising in the life of a people that demand has been supplied, Israel's history, as well as that of other nations, confirms this proposition. Samuel, people. They were the benefactons of their people. Aud thus ai80 Greece and Rome show a phalanx of great men who blessed their day and generation, OUR OWN AMERICAN HISTORY bears glorious evidence of tnis fact also, When the cry ot the American colonies ascended to God He raised up George Washington, wio led the con- Unental armies in triumph and became the liberator ola nation. And when a race was to be ireed from the hideous shackles of slavery Abraham Lincoln @ppeared, and the cry of this people for complete ireedom was satisiied. And ail the achieve- ments of these men are graven upon the pages of history and are remembered with profound grautude, And thus likewise are the invenuons or discoveries which elevate one race or nation, but which conduce to the weliare of humanity at Jarge. As, for instance, the discovery of this Western world; the discovery and application of steam, of the printing press and of electricity to the affairs ot men. These are surrounded with @ halo of glor. and usefulness, and men will never cease to lool Upon them as well-spriugs of human happiness. And yet far higher than these discoverers and their discoveries rises Moses und bis great discovery. True, he was great also as @ liberator of an en- slaved race, as the wisest of legisiators, as the best Of teachers and educators, and as the frst and greatest of Israel’s prophets. But, more than cis and above all, he was chosen to be the benelactor of mankind and THE EDUCATOR OF THE HUMAN RACE. And the great discovery made by Moses 18 not the bringing to light of hidden countries or unknown Poruons of the earto, but te revelation to our mina’s eye of the heavenly land, whose everlasting radiance Uilis us with joy unspeakavie. His uis- covery briugs the most distant parts of Gou's uni- verse together, and has the power to elecirily the human soul, 1 brings man and God together and unites earth and heaven. And it is of this great discovery that the text speaks—the erection oi a sanctuary, the butiding of a house of God, the insti- tution of @ plan oO! Worship, Which, accoraing to the ancient rabbiea, is an achievement little less than that of creation; for thé sanctuary is the spot where man 13 to be recreated—created anew. And Moses, as Josephus declares, was the first mortal who instituted # nouse for the public worship o1 God where all the people might mingle tneir prayers and praises together, Betore Moses and Israel there were Inany Civilized DawONnS, bUL None could BLOW public tte) where the masses could assemble to worsulp ou. In Egypt, that most ancient land of cuiture, the priests gathered in her pyramids, where the bones of her kings iay buried, or assemblea in sub- terranean vauits, to witch tae people were not al- loved access, and there performea their mysteries. The Assyrians and Phunicians erecied altars on hills and Mountain tops, where the masses dare not approach; and even tue Persians, Greeks and Ro- mans had no house for public worship where the people cowd uassemule, The Greek philosopher scorned THE IDEA OF CONFINING GOD within walls; the Persians in their wars with the Greeks destroyed all the altars and statues which had any relation to religious cites, and the Roman had his penates—nis household gous; but the idea Starrs, V.G. He also preached an appropriate dis- course Oa the occasion. Many clergymen were present and a large congregation. ‘Ihe Rev. A. A. Lings 1s the pastor of the new church. Rev, Johu Seyes, D. D., died at his residence in Springtiela, Ono, on Friday night last, aged seven- ty-tive years. He was tor many years Resident Minister from the United States at Lideria, and also @ missionary in West Airica, He made ten “eg | between this county and Alrica previous to final return home in 1870. The Chicago Standard has a correspondent who Wants to know what should be done with a candl- dave for admission to the Church who 1m all oiner respects 1s sound apd acceptable, but who hesitates to accept the doctrine of eternal punishment. ithe Standard sensibiy quotes Paul’s advice:—*Him that is weak In the laith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations; and adas:—“We think the Aposue’s Tule has respect to precisely such a case,” On the Feast of the Purification, February 2, four young ladies received the habit of novices im the Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, in Savannah, Ga., at the hands of cy Rev. Bishop Persico, The names of the julants were:—Miss Anne Broderick, of Augusta, Ga., who receives in religion the name of Sisier Mary Alphonsus; Muss Kilen Kennedy, of Savannah, who now bears the mame of Sister Mary Magdalen; Miss Agnes McMahon, of Savaunah, now sister Mary Rose; Miss Agnes Brown, of Savannah, now Sister Mary Paul. The ministers of the Congregational, Baptist, Uni- versalist, Methodist and Visciples churches in Dane bury, Conn., have pubi.shed w statement tn the local papers to the effect that, while neither of them wishes to be held as eadorstng the opinions of the others, they desire cordially to unite im Christian work, 30 far as they may. A union prayer meeting 1s held every Monday evening, in which all the churches mained participate; and they also unite in their thanksgiving and fast-day services, » This oag been golug on now for several months, and at the last advices novody had been hurt, MISS SMILEY AMONG THE METHODISTS, During the past week Miss Sarah smiley, the preaching Quakeress, whose ministry ia Dr. Cuy- ler’s church at one service only created such a sen- sation that Brooklyn came near being turned upside down, has ministered in the pulpit of Trinity Meth- odist church, Thirty-fourth, street, near Eighth ave- hue. The church is one of the iargest in the city, aud it has been filled every evening. On Weanes- day night it was literally packed with human be- ings. A very large number, it may be presumed, were drawa thither by Curiosity, and @ great many came [rom other churches and from distant parts of the city. The lady has already made her mark and the Brooklyn Presbytery have given her such an excellent advertisement that she will find very little dim culty tn securing large audichces wherever she goes, Miss Smiley 1s a very pleasing ahd interesting speaker, to be heard once or twice or half a dozen times, but it is doubtful whether a p omiscuous congregation Of any denomination would sit pa- uenuy under her ministry for a tweivemouth, or even half that time, HER STYLE IS VERY PATHETIC, and she appeals very strongly to tne more tender feelings aud affections Of the soul, Sue is given to anecdote and illustration in her sermons, and can Episcopal Caurch sanctions confession I am either going to leave her or | am going to stay in her and defend coniesston, and, in man-fasnion, derend those who hear and those who make conlessions. [ Miust at jeast be honest, and one or the other as an honest man I must do. A CIIURCHMAN, A Charch Hubbub in Baltimore. ‘The Baltimore American says:—sir John Hutch. ison, @ clergyman of the Church of England, a member of the Passionist Society, and a disciple of ihe advanced school of ritualists, oMciated at Mount Calvary Episcopal church, corner of Madison avenue and North Rutaw street, on last Sunday, Inthe celebration of the coimuaton ser- Vice the titied divine introduced sume oi those cere- monies Which are designed to symbolize tie faith of the celebrant in the “real presence,” in the con- | secrated elements. These gepuflections und other | riiv@lsuic postures are practisea vy the Oxford | adiviues, but are vot prescrived by any of the | authorized standards of the Episcopal Church m | this country, and the rule of faith whicn they teach was expre-sly declared against at the late General Convention, These unauihorized proceea- ings coming to the cars of Bishop Whittingham, ne Jortuwith interdicted Rey. Sir Jonn Huteminson from oMciating at Mount Calvary, or in any omer » piscopal church in the diocese of Maryland, Since the resignation of Rev, Alired Curtis, Mount Calvary has been without a rector, and tor better security hereafter the Mishop bas placed the church under the care of Rev. Dr. Leeds, of Grace church, and Rev, Mr, Randolph, of Emanuel charca. ys, besides the Christian Sundays and polidays, iich sum Up ID the aggregate about ove hundred wud Lweuty non-working days in a year, or }e= id of Weir enure ume! The Opp iveness of bis double #et Of holidays 1s ObViONS; yet Lue Jews mever complain, but go ou Lucir Way rejoicing and moh HO iimtounity, Let us Buppose the Jowlsi laws predominated ud Curisians lad Wo keep (ue Jewish sabbath and ais. Wille they observed a4 moly Licit OWwo Revival in Leavenworth, Kanens, A correspondent of the Observer states that a powersul work of graco is in progross tn this piace, It began with the weex of prazer. A fow earnest Christians !rom each of the evangelical churches observed the appointed season in dally union meetings. Their hearts were warmed and encouraged. Thay observed # sovoud WEOK, preseat both with remarkable patuos and thriling effect. Her voice is sweet and her manner casy in the pulpit, She speaks slowly aud distinctiy, and without raising her voice much above the pitch of ordinary conversation she can be heard and under- stood distinctly even im @ large building. On Friday evening Miss Smtiey preached in the Methodist church om che love of God, its manifesta- tion in Lord Jesus Christ and the results of the Saviour’s propitiation. Without opening the Bible she recited @ couple of verses from one of the epis- ties of Jobn—‘‘In this was the love of God mani+ fested,” &c. Three lines of tate EA suggested by three words im the text—‘“love,” “lite” and “propitiation’—and these lines, or pathways, as | she called them, she followed, not very logically, to be sure, but certainly very theological mildly discarded an old theological theory which prevailed here not many years ago, that God had littie or no love toward the human race untti Jesus Christ came in the flesh and stood side by side with humanity, and then vhe fountain of love in the Great Father's heart was opened up for His gon, abd through him tor all men. This was contrary to the Bible, whicn declares that ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” to die ior our iallen race, And in THIS MANIFESCATION OF THE FATHER’S LOVE and the Son’s love an appeal Was made to the corre- sponding attribute in we human soul. An tliustra- Uon of the power and force of such an appeal vo hu- mun hearts was drawn irom her own experience on one occasion among the ragged chtidren of Lonaon, vo whom she was mvited to speak. She told them how toterested she nad been in her childhood days in reading about them and hearing her father read, and how sue frequently lay awake at night thinking about them and joving them inner heark All at once she sald she heard a deep sigh heaved ana simultane. Ously Coal sleeves were raised vo brusa away the Jaliing tears, and she then tuok advantage of this tenderness of spirit to speak to them about Gou’s love tor them, wniie the big tears continued to roll down their cheeks. And as tne good lady related the incident to her Methodist congregation many were seen =6to =6brush = away the tears: from their cyes, So, again, she rela ao lucidcent of & wilt youne man ol a sanctuary lor the puolic worship of God was forcign to taem ail. it was lett tor Moses to insu. tute and for Israci to perpetuate a public sanctuary for the worship of the Most iligh, wnere rica and poor, high ana low, the culuvated and the ignorant, the Lond and the iree, the priest and the layman, alike May meet on equal terms as cuildren of one Father in heaven an be bound together by the most sanctuying cords of faitu and devotion and the Knowledge o: God. Moses tangut Israel not as the priests of Benhadad taught that God was a God Of the mountains but not of the valleys, but that He 1s the Gou of the spirits of ali flesh, the God who made the heavens and the earth, wno created the sea aad the dry land and filled them with veeiming itie. And in this discovery of Moses was opened the house of God and the gate of heaven to the human race. 1s it not, therefore, the most blessed of all dis- coveries? Indeed it 13, and the civilized world, ‘Who have learned from Moses to butld public houses’ Tor the worship of God, testify to this fact, and that religion 1s uot the heritage of the priesthood onty, but isthe common heritage of all mankind. For we are all chudren of one Father, and have a right to approach Him with our till affection, aevotion and iove. And by this discovery and within the sacred wails of the sanctuary all the differences which exist among men and Which grow out of the adventitious circumstances of rank, fortune or birth or social position are thrown down and for- gotten. ‘These must vanish and disappear where Inan recognizes in his fellow man a brother whose suul {3 fashioned like unto his own. Having thus treated of the erection of houses of worship, the Doctor next discussed the spiritual idea of TUR SUPPORTS OF THE SANCTUARY. The two pillars upon which it rests (Jachin and Boaz) are prayer and instruction. ‘The nature and effects of these rightly exercised were beautiiully elaborated aud enforced. The need of such a sanc- tuary for poor, fallen humanity was aiso shown, where, from its Eden stream, the thirsty may drink aud be refreshed, and where they may rest and cieanse themselves from the filth and impurities Which earth heaps upon thém. We do not, he said, by the erection of sanctuaries manifest # disbeiuet in the omnipresence of God’s glory, but rather admit that thougn God is with us everywhere, we are not with Him everywhere. “The swallow ath found her house aud the sparrow her _ nest, even thine altars, my God and King,’ ex- ciaims the Psaimist. “As the hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God! My soul tnirstetn for the living God and for the courts of His house.” There upon the seraphic Pinions of fervent prayer man rises above the level Ot every-day liie and 13 borne up to the mount of Goa, where the purest air obtains, to refresh and revive his spirit. A very nice distinction was also drawn by the Doctor between erecting a sanctuary for God and of God, and with @ thriuing portratture of the heavenly land and its sanctuary ana God's dwellmg among his people the eloquent Kabvi closed nis discourse with an appeal to his people to honor the Lord God of sabbaoth tm his sanctuary, and to make nis house a house of prayer and of in- struction for all nations, PROPOSED CREATION OF CARDINALS, (From tne Saturday Review, Feb. 3.) The Roman Catholic papers, which on such & point are likely to be well informed, report that the Pope contemplates very shortly filling up some fourteen or fitteen of the twenty vacancies in the College of Cardinals, and eleven names are men- Uoned of those expected to receive the red hat, Prominent among them is Archbishop Manning, and with him come the Archbishops of Munich, Cologne, Mechiin (Dechamps), Posen, Baltimore (Spalding), and the Patriarch of Lisbon, who makes an ex oficio claim to the dignity by virtue of @ privilege accorded by Clement XI. To these are added the names of four high oMcials of the lormer Papal government—Ranai, Pretect of Police; Negroni, Minister of the Interior; Vitellescht and De Merode. Of the ciaims of many of these per- sonages to reap tae reward of tueir labors in the cause of “curilism” there can be no sort of ques- ton, There isa story told of an Erglish Catholic visitor expreaving to @ very distinguished German ecciesiastic is regret that Yr. Newman was not made @ Cardinal, “My dear friend,” was the prompt reply, ‘‘ihatis not the stuff Cardinals are made of,” Exactly #0; but such men as Manning, Dechamps, Meichers and tue reclaimed Archbishop of Munich, who has been good enough © excom- municate his oid friend and counsellor, Dr. Déi- linger, are just ‘‘the stuf Cardinals are made ot,” and have fairly earned their promotiou, The Arch- Dishops of Westininster, Mechiin and Baltimore were leaders of the infaliibilist party at the Council, while their brothers of Munich and Cologne, who were rather troublesome at Rome, have still more creditabty distinguishea themselves since by tneir ersecution of their former associates. Considering ow Important, though hardly conspicuous, a part ‘Was played by the police in the management of the Council, the bestowal oc the purple on Mgr. Randi can only be regarded as a fitting and graceful ac- kKnowledgment, Of the services of Negron! and Vitellescnt jess 18 generally known; but De Merode is @ man Of mark in his Way, and a stanch sup porter oi Papal interests, though his fraternal affec- ton betrayed him into the impropriety of order- ing a solemn requiem for the pious, but too liveral, Montalempert, which 11s Holiness, being quite superior to the superstiuon De mortuis nil nist bonum, countermanued, Dot without a tolera bly free expression of his seatimonts ou the subject, On the whole, the proposed nominees ap, to us admiraoiy qualified for their elevation, ago in the present state of things at Rome the precise mar- kelable or other value of the dicaly may Detiaps 72.—TRIPLE SHEET. be considered ambiguous, There 1s something omit. nous in the statement that the solemuities usual in the preconization of Cardinals “will, on thus occa. sion, Of course haye to be dispensed with,” though the necessity, in fact, arises solely from the as- sumed captivity of “the prisoner of the Vatican.’? As regards Archbishop Manning, Indeed, we were @ little surprised, not that (he Pope should be ready ‘o promote him, but that he should be desirous, if he is sealneus, of accepting an honor key to amper action and to tmperi rather to en! his influence» tn his own conniry, Cardinal Wise- man, whose genins was greater than {js common sense, fully expected to be received at Court as Carat and was not w litte disappointed, if not soured, at Onding that his new aignity conferred no social rank or = position im nngland, and, | being received from a foreign sovereign with- ; out the sanction of his own, could not be r ed by the government at wil, so that alt ofictal iotercourse WO be carricd on through Bishop Grant, of southwark, instead of himself, Dr. Manning will be under no such tilusions, and neither 18 he likely to apply to tne Queer. for per- Mission toaccept his new title, which was, we be- Meve, asked and obtained in ‘the case of Cardinal Weld, He is, however, the best judge of what will be most conducive to his ecclesiastical aspirations; and a@ higher status in Roman © tholic society, Soapies with the reverstonary chances of influence in future conclaves, may perhaps seem a suMicient compensation for the drawbacks of a princely rank which will not be recognizeu and cannot be Jaid aside, For tt 18 a curious circumstance, and one which oddly ulustrates the composite charac- ter of the Papacy, that the highest position in the Roman Church next to that of the supreme and iufallible Pontit is @ secular and not a spiritual office, Which may be, and ofien has been, hela by laymen. ‘The whole history oi the institution 18 so rewarkable that it may be worth while briefly to recall 1t at @ time when the anomalous Court in which Cardinais rank as princes of the blood is pane through a momentous, if not final, crisis of its Jong and chequered existence. ‘The Catholic Church,” said M. About, in Ns peculiar manner, ‘43 governed by the Pope*and sevent Cardinals, in memory of the twelve aposties, Th! 4s not quite an accurate account of the matter, but it represents with tolerable fidelity the popwar im- pression among Catholics and Protestants as to the de facto government of the Church, But when we proceed to inquire how the body which was once ruled by twelve apostles came to fall under tne do- minion of a Pope and seventy Cardinais the answer can hardly be compressed mto the limits of an epigrammatio sarcasm. r many centuries, even after the Bishop of Rome had attained in practice to a position of un- challenged supremacy in the Western Church, his election was dependent on the joint action of the who civic community in its threefold division—the government, the clergy and the people. It was not Ull the middle of the eleventh cenvurvy that Nicolas iL, acting under the mnspiration of Hildebrand, who ‘was soon afterwards to succeed nim on the Papal throne, effected the great revolution—tor such 1t undoubtedly was—which transierred the election of the supreme Pontiff from a large and mixed constituency, m which the civil authorities heid a prominent place, to a small ecclesiastical senate nominated by bimseif alone. The preamble of Nicolas’ Buil, after rehearsing the troubles and con; fusious of former elections as the cause for this mo- mentous change, decrees that henceforth the right shall appertain it to the Cardinal Bishops, then to the Cardinals of lower rank, and that the clergy and people shall merely express their acquiescence. About a century later Alexander IIL made the votes of two- thirds of the Conclave essential to a valia election, and this provision still continues in force. Thi eign composition of the Savred College is fixed y @ later enactment, dating irom the. reign of Sixtus V., i 1685, which limits the number of tem- bers to seventy, divided into six Cardinal Bishops, ty Cardinal Priests and fourteen Cardinal Dea- cons. It must, however, be reinembered that the nomenclature is purely technical; a Cardinal Deacon may in priest’s orders, as is the case with Gardinal Antonelli at this moment, and many Cardinal Priests are bishops, on thé other hand, there may be Cardinal Priests who are not in priest's orders, as was for many years the ease with Cardinal Dandini, who was also, while only a deacon,:BisPop of Usimo, There have even, according to Moroni, been Cardinal bishops who were only in diaconai orders. ‘the fact 13 that the cardinaittual title 18 @ purely secuur one; H 18 & grade in the Court of Kome, not in the Church; but as the Court is a strictly ecclesiastical one all who belo to it have to wear the _ ecclesi- asuc: habit, and to remain’ unmarried. Monsignori, “for instance, many of whom are laymen, dress as priests, and cannot marry without resigning their digaity. ‘There 18:no ordie nation for a Cardinal ag sucn, and he only requires the Pope’s permission to return to secular live and marry, a3 many lay Cardinals have actually done. As recently as 17385 Don Luis of Bourbon was hamed by Clement XII. Archbishop of Toledo and Cardinal, at the mature age of eight; and Sixtus V. made his nephew a Cardinal when a boy of fourteen. ‘There are several instances on record where Cardi- nals in holy orders have been allowed to renounce their dignity and marry, generally on political grounds. Ouly two centuries ago Casimir, brother of the King ot Poland, who was both @ Uardinal and a Jesuit, recelved a dispeusation to marry, and to marry his brother’s widow, on the Jewish principle of “raising up seed to is brother.” Several other instances occurred 1m the same century of Cardinals in sacred orders being allowed to marry. ‘The real fact 1s nat this hybrid dignity, while not @ sacred, is yet, as belonging to the Papal Court, an ecclesi- astical one. 16 is conferred on laymen vy & legal ticuon of appointing them for twelve months, with an obligation of taking deacon’s orders within that period, which, however, can be renewed lolies quo- ties by the plenary power of the Pope, just as French Protestants were tavested with the Cross of St. Louts for ninety-nine years, when their right to wear it would be forfeited if they remained in heresy, It was, however, ordered by @ Bullof Pius 1V. that Carai- nals not in deacon’s orders should not vote in con- clave; but this exclusion 1s explained in a later Bull of Gregory XV. to be suvject to Papal dispensation, and accordingly the Cardinal Archduke Albert, who afterwards married, voted in the election of Sixtus V. by virtue of a special license from the late Pope. it was the express wish of Pius IX. that all the Cardinals snould be at least in deacon’s orders, and there are a ingly no members of the present College below that order. ‘The process of creating Cardinals is almost aa sin- gular as their position when created. ‘They pass, xo to speak, through a chrvsalis aud an unfledged state of existence—i such a con(usion of metaphors may be allowed—betore the fully developed butter- fly displays its painted wings. First there are the cardinals in petio, who are eventually destined by the Pope to that high dignity, though no one but himself need know anytning of the fact. It was usual at one period for the Pope to mention their names in secret Consistory, a% was done by Martin V.; but this Imperfect promulgation did not entitle them to act as Cardinals, Then the practice was adopted of simply intimating in Cone , sistory the number, but not the names, of the per- sons designated jor the purple, which had no other effect than to limit the range of the Pope’s power of creation, a3 these unknown members were held to belong to the Sacred College. A custom has since sprung up of the Pope’s writ:ng out in seaied packets tue names of Cardinals promoted in petio, lor the guidance of is successor, who, however, is not bound to carry out his wisnes in the case of his death, and does not invariably do 30, Pius 1X, has the dim credit of supplying the first example of a Pope an- nulling his own ix pet/o nominations, and that, too, alter it had been formally intimated by letter to the nominee, Who was, moreover, by tar.the most Ccis- unguisned Italian ecciesiastic of the present cen- tury—Rosmint. The future Cardinal, after recety- ing notice to make preparations for his public re- ception, not only found himself summarily rejected, but his latest work, published by the express direc- uon of the Pope, placed on the index. So much for the chrysalis or in petto stage of development, from whica a freshly named Vardinal emerges into what was formerly @ kind of novitiate, during which he is called @ cardinal cum ore clauso, invested with tae dignity, but debarred trom ali active exercise of ofiice, untl the Pope has solemnly “opened his mouth.” Eugenius IV. declared cardinais in this state incapable of voting in Consistory; but the re- striction was removed by Pius IV, a century jater, and accordingly Gregory XV. has ruled that every promulgated cardinal—as distinguished from those im pet inalienable right of the franchise. cardinais “with — closed mouths’ voted in the election of Clement X. in 1670, one of them being Clement him- self. But in recent times this latter distinction has become a mere formality, though it sull exists in theory, and might at le f Moment be revived, the nd unseaiing of a new Cardinal’s mouth being accomplished in the same Consistory, Ou the other hand, @ Cardinal's right of franchise in Papal elections once acquired is so strictly ‘‘imalienabie,’ vo use the term of Gregory XV., that no suspension, interdict, or excommunicauon can deprive him of it This strange regulation was introduced by @ bull of Clement V. as @ security agaist the yg or caprice of parusan Popes hke Bonitace Vill, who degraded the two Coionna Cardinals from their rank, Cardinal Soderim, who had been de; led and imprisoned for conspiracy by Adrian V1., was actually let out of prison, in spite of the dying injuactions of the Pope, to vote in the eiection Of his successor, and sald the Mass of the Reig Ghost at the opening of the Con- clave. A still more notorious case occurred in 1740, when Cardinal Coscia, who nad been imprisoned for the most scandalous crimes, was taken out of the Uastle of St Angelo to vote in Conclave. This precedent has never since been reversed. Plus IX., bie ae af. fected by @ brief in 1867 to deprive tie late Cardinal Andrea of ail “active and ve voice” In Papal elections; but the Cardinal's death, under sufiiciently suspicious circumstances, two years later, makes It impossible to say whether the vatdity of this une precedented and iliegal stretch of authority would have beep admitied jad he sarvived the Pope. 1 It 18 obvious that a rank and title 30 bes cea es f connected with the Papal Court as Giatingaishes from the Church must be materially aifect if not eventually superseded, by the loss ce the temporal sovereignty. For centuries four-fifths at least of the Cardinals have always been Italians, as was only natural when they formed the senate of an Italian prince and the constituency that was to elect his successor, and from whom practically. for there 18 no canonical restriction on their choice that successor was to be chosen. Un the contrary, nothing can be more nureasonable than that a body which 1s to jorm the ordimary council | o! the chief pastor of the universal Church, and son Whose ranks he 1s to be elected, snould represen any one particular country or nationality. ten hecessury that the sovereign of “Rome should ‘S Roman, any iocal resyiciuon 1s singularly Cd : place in choostog the spiritual Father of Kage ey dow. Pins 1X, has aiready lived to fit oy on H the whole Sucred College twice over, » f oare wateh with some curtosity his next batch o| nat if the twenty places DOF eenaitng more tuen ort ardiy have an opportu MS be suowtlod, can once awain. are indeed avout THE GHOST OF LAFAYETTE A Voice from the Wires Against Churchly Assertions. The Late Archbishop Spalding and the Living Prof. Morse. ; Revival of an Old Know Noth- ing Controversy. | To THE EpiTorR OF THE HERALD: — De gustibus non est disputandum, It is the choice of a strange time, while the remaine of the jate Archbishop Spatding were lying in state | m Baltimore, and the solemn ceremonial and tmpos- ing pageant were there being enacted, for your Bal- tumore correspondent to make a personal attack upon me in his account Of the ceremonies, He may | have supposed i was dead and would not see his Misrepresentations, not recognizing that your jour- nal is before me every morning. I assure lim I am Bull alive, and, sltnongh beyond four score, have yet vigor enough to repel any attacks from that quarter. In your jcurnal of the llth February your correspondent thus discourses, speaking of the lave Archbishop's literary !abors;— His love for history arose to the di; f a pasal his wonderful memory: made litn a dangerous Sppongae We any contest which necessitated @ reference to pi He said himsalt that « date or any event once impressed om hfs mind was never erased. His ‘Kk of Cathol- icity" will forever remain ‘the stable bulwark of the Church tor whose protection he wrote it, and Professor Morse, of telegraphic fame, can give feeling evidence of the rude torce with which hia blows fell, an the accuracy with which they were directed. About the time that the “Know Nothing party” began to gather strength the Professor inad- vertently published as a fact th fayette had sald to hime that the liberties of this coumry, if ever overthrown, would succumb to the tyrannical encroachments of Cthohie priesta. Yhe Archbishop, at that time Bishop o* Louisville, flatly de- nied the ussertion, and in the coutroveray that ensued, Pre- Testor Morse helug compelled to retract the allegation thas he had heard Lafayette make wse of the expression, played a much mote intimate knowledge of French hi and the books: and papers of the great French patriot tham his discomfitea opponent, His manner partook of the. re- gion whence he came, Tt was surely a strange time to make such an at- tack upon me, to bring me forward prominently by Dame as a sort of wopny to grace the tomb of the deceased, a slain victim of the “rude force” and Wonderful skill in controversy of the late Arch- bishop; but the time chosen and manner are mat ters of taste on which I have nothing to say. Bas to denounce me as a ‘discomfited opponent,” as “compelled to retract,” under the “rude force” of the Archoishop’s biows, &c., 18 a little more than I am willing tamely to submit to, The victory in the controversy ts claimed for the Archbishop; before L have done I will show to whom, 1n this controversy, waged in the Western papers some eighteen years ago, the palm of victory is due. Your correspond- ent in the exercise of his taste has chosen the ume of his attack; I have therefore no choice tn the ume of my reply. 1 beg # brief space in your columns to correct his misstatements. TH CRIGIN OF THE CONTROVERSY. In the heated poitical controversies of the times of 1854 and 1855, the motto or saying attributea to Lafayette that ‘if the liberties of the United States are ever destroyed it will be by Catholic priests,” Was producing a disastrous efect in the view of some parties at the West on the elections at those dates, especially among tne Roman Catholics, Hence it was deemed a vital necessity to devise some mode of destroying the influence of that solemm Warning of Lafayette; and now, gentle reader, pre- pare yourself for the manner in which this ing Motto was to be disposed of. An article appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer in 1854, under the title of “Disgraceiul Forgery,’ which went the rounds of the newspaper press, and in which it was stated that the motto in question was “dug out’? by some villanous wretch from a letter of General Lafayette written in 1829 (please note the date)to a gentie- man in New York, in which letter the General is madg to that the tears expressed by the “New York gentleman trom perusing that motto were undiess, The pretended letter of Lafayette to this gentlemen in New York 18 snort, and 1s as follows. General Lafayette is made to say:—‘“I cannot but admire your noble senuments of devotion and attachment to your country and tts institutions, But 1 must be permitted to assure you that the fears, which in your patriotic zeal you seem to entertain, that ‘if the liberty of the United States is destroyed 1t will be by Romish priests,’ are certainly without any sbadow of foundation whate ever, Aninumate acquaintance of more than halt a ceutury with the prominent and influential priests ‘and inembers of that. Church, both in Europe and America, warrants me in pastiriag, Jou that you need entertain uo apprehension of danger to your republican institutions irom quarter.” Ne sooner was this pretended letter of Latayette read by me than I was thoroughly convinced that it was @ base forgery. Forgery was stamped upon it m almost every line. I therefore called upon the writer through a Poughkeepsie paper to give to tme public the evidence that sucn a letter was ever writ- ‘ven by Lafayette. He replied under the nom de plume of “Old Line.” I leave out of the quotation frem “Old Line” his passionate phraseology, imterlardea. as his reply 18 with such terms as ‘base falsifica- n,’? “infamous and self-convicted falsitiers,’” mning exposure,”’ “damnable crime,” “damn. able desecration,” *‘‘villanous falsifier,’”’ ‘diabolical machinanon,” &c., which he very liberally Srpiies to those he charges with ‘digging out” of the lettes of 1829 the motto of Lafavetie—“It the liberty of the United States is destroyed it will be by Catnotie priests.”” Mr. “Old Line” says:—‘‘In the excitement consequent on the discovery of the stupendous fraud at the time I prepared the articie for your ed the proper credit was inadvertently omitted. e work was obtained from the private library of @ French gentleman residing near this city, and is entitied ‘Essai sur la mye des Ktats Unis d’Amerique, par M. Jeane Bap. Marchand, a Paris, 1836, 12 mo., pp. 245,’ being an essay on republicam overnment, With his correspondence, &c., which ¢ published on his return to Paris,” &c. ‘Now here 1s a Startling array of professed facta, which, ene them to be indeed tacts, would without close scrutiny seem to establish the more important and central fact that such a letter had been really written by Latayetic. For here is the taule in full of @ work, the name of its author, the Jace of publication, the size of the book, the num- r Of pages and the date of publication, Surely this was enough, but, further, a copy of the book was said to be in the library of a gentieman near Cincia- nat. Was not this suficient to convince me that the pretended letter of Latayette was genuine and that he had repudiated the sentiment of the motto attributed to him? Not at all; I was only tae more thoroughly conyinced that indeed a “stupendous fraud” had been practised. I cailed for the book from the French gentieman’s ttbrary to be shown to relfable gentlemen in Cincinnatl. it was not to ve Tound, and to thts day, after eighteen years have elapsed, has never been seen. I determined to ferret out the forgery. It 18 not necessary at this ume to give im detail the process by which I dis- covered and pronounced the whole array of pre- tended tacts base forgeries. No such book was ever printed in France, no such letter from Latay- ette in 1829 was ever written, (rom beginning to end the whole story is a gross labrication. THE ORIGIN OF THE LAFAYETTE MOTTO. The venue of the controversy was now changed to Loutsville, the residence of ai’ § Spalding, who enters the lists in support of Mr. Old iiae’s for~ gery, on the plea that hé found the letver in Protest. ant papers, an‘, therefore, ne considere. it genuine; andas such he inserts ‘it in his “Miscellanies,’* Basing bis attack on me on this fimsy foundation, he charges me with inventing or circulating te motto, because in 1836 1 edited the work Of @ con. verted Vatnolic priest, entitied, “Confessions of » Catholic Priest,” on the tile paye of which Work ta the motto in question, expressed in these words, in “america liberty can only ve destroyed by tae Popish clergy’’—Lafayette. in rebutung this charge of originating the mvtto, I showed not only that the motwo was inserted ta the title page of his work by the author himseif in 1886 and not by me, out also that this very motto had been in current use for morethan ayear at least previously, ft being used as the motto of three different journals: in 1835, and thereiore could not have been invented by me th 1836, But this dave of 1835 18 not the earliest use of the motto, & the forged letter of Lafayette of 1829 1s supported as enuine. Whence did the pretended author of the etter to Lafayetie from New York, to which tt ia satd Lafayette repiled in 1829, ootain the motto? for he quotes it in full and tn tpstssimis verdis in We letter to Lalayette, snowing conclusively that the Motto was current at least as far back as 1829, Is the nating ih hen of this corer @ proof of my being @ ‘‘discomfited opponent 1 also asserted and proved that Lafayette had used nearly the very words of the motto to two Amert- cans, Whose names are given, and.n nis conversa. tion with ne had expressed the same sentiments, Uknew him to be hostile to the machinations of the Popian ciergy, and I quoted trom bis published speeches passages Which showed his hostiity to them, 1m words by iar more scathing than anything con. tained in the motto. 1 will cite from many exam- ples which { quoted bat one only at present in proof of what taverred, im is speech in the Cham- hers, September, 181, he says:—‘Behold the success with which we abolished the system of robbery” (in Tualy), “which has been resumed with more audacity thanever. Robbery, injact, will always subsist in @ country governed by priests and aristocrats, ene- mies of every liberal sentiment,” Does the motte in question denounce priests in stronger term#® One word more. Where is the proof tnat | was “com. pelled to retract” anything? for L nad nothing to retri If the public desire te see and judge tor themselves the merits of that con- troversy, Lhave had the whvle controversy ready for the press for many years, whenever, trom any circumstances Which might arise, lt might be neces- sary to publish it. Thave no desire to disturb the reigtous or social feels feeliugs of the irtends of the deceased Arcibishop, nor vo revive old controversies; but I shail not permit such paipadle musstatements Of the facts and resuita I retracted nothing, of that controversy as your correspondent has ipade © pass Without reouke and refutation, even i tue re- sult be the damaging of the tmumpnal chapiet thrown a& ny expense upon Lie bier of the deceased prelate, “Kesvectiully, your obedient ib, SAMURL FB, B, MORSE,