UOME AND HER CUURCn. 143 



pears amongst them in every shape, and sadly obscures those good 

 qualities and commendable actions which their religion and liberty 

 inspire ! And now, at last, suppose him, whilst full of these different 

 reflections and feelings, to address a mixed and numerous auditory, con- 

 sisting, like this, of clergy and people, — may we not figure to ourselves, 

 that he would express himself in some such manner as the following ? — 

 ' Thrice happy Britons, if you had understanding to know and virtue to 

 improve your happiness ! — Your religion appears in itself divine : why 

 would you disgrace it by practices unworthy of it ? Would you display 

 its excellency to strangers, let it be seen in excellent lives. You have 

 departed from the tenets, depart from the spirit of Popery. Let your 

 devotion be solid and humble, your charity large and active. Let tem- 

 perance and integrity be your undivided companions, and the disinterested 

 love of truth your inseparable guide. Honour and defend your king 

 and your laws, both of them the best on the face of the earth. For 

 shame, Britons, do not show yourselves undeserving of both, bv actin"- 

 or speaking against them ; guard solicitously against eveiy encroachment, 

 against every attempt of Rome, — she is your natural foe'. Think on the 

 days that are passed, and adore that propitious providence which hath 

 delivered you from a thousand dangers, and blessed you in a thousand 

 ways. You are surely the most privileged of all people ; expect to be 

 the most accursed, if you are not the most grateful and worthy. For 

 you, who are the priests of Jesus, see that you preach his religion, and 

 his religion only. When you preach, think of Him, not of ' yourselves.' 

 Remember, real Christianity is not an engine of power, a banner of 

 popularity, or a badge of party. It is religious virtue. — It is universal 

 love. That virtue, that love, do you inculcate, breathe, and practise : 

 beware of giving ground to say, that the patrons of delusion and tyranny 

 show more ability, more assiduity, and greater zeal in promoting the 

 worst of causes, than you do in promoting the best. To make the pious 

 and peaceful honest and loyal, by the united force of jour prayers, your 

 instructions, and your example, — be this your sovereign pursuit, and 

 this your sovereign praise.' " 



We hope our readers may be as well satisfied with this excellent 

 legacy of Dr. Fordyce as ourselves. It should be read and re-read by 

 every devout and pious clergyman, whether priest or deacon, by our Pro- 

 testant militant bishops, and by all good churchmen. 



One word more in conclusion : — Let us not be misunderstood in what 

 we have said concerning this walking pestilence of Catholicity as a sys- 

 tem of spoliation — of human and religious degradation, and the " Catho- 

 lic Religion," apart from that horrid and victimising system. We by 



no means wish to impugn the whole body of Catholics — far from it 



we believe there are hundreds of good and pious catholics to be found 

 among the multitude. We take leave also to remark, that we hold 

 that there is as much difference between the Catholics of Ireland and the 

 Catholics of the Continent, as there exists between the Protestant reli- 

 gion of England, and the Catholic religion of Ireland. But the time is 

 at hand when Ireland shall be rendered peaceful, prosperous, and happy, 

 by means, firstly, of a code of poor laws — and, secondly, by educating her 

 five millions of starving, poor, and destitute peasantry, whose unhappy 

 and fearful ignorance in u lamentable pica for the improper influence of 



