PEOPLE, LANGUAGES, AND RELIGIONS. 
43 
a burdened conscience, while extreme unction holds a 
very high place in the estimation of the people. 
Discourses in French are, I thinlc, more frequently 
delivered in Trinidad than in other Catholic countries. 
What is their precise character I cannot say, but from 
all that can be gathered, moral subjects seem to be 
most dwelt upon. The Catholics are, for the most part, ' 
devout and attentive to their religion ; yet they remain, 
and seem to wish to remain, in their own twilight. We 
cannot say they have no light; still less can we say 
that they enjoy to the full the light of the glorious 
gospel of the blessed God. They are most respectful 
and obedient to their priests; but this is required of 
them as part of their religion. The Avorship of the 
Virgin Mary is the favourite worship, the Catholic 
church in San Fernando being dedicated to the “ Virgini 
Auxiliatrici ; ” these blasphemous aa' ords, as aa"o cannot 
but regard them, being painted in large letters over the 
front door of the church. Hoav sadly erroneous to sup- 
pose that the Virgin is in any AA^ay a helper to Christ 
or to man in the sah^ation of immortal souls. But this 
and such like, as is Avell knoAvn, is the teaching of the 
Bomish Church. Hoav much longer is she to be per- 
mitted to enthral the minds, and destroy the souls of 
men, by her many and pernicious errors ? May Ave not 
liope thbit her poAA^er is waning, and that the sceptre 
shall soon fall from her hand ? In Trinidad the Epis- 
copal is the established church as in England. Trinidad 
is in the diocese of the Bishop of Barbadoes, who occa- 
sionally visits the island. The country is divided into 
parishes, in each of Avhich a rector is located, Avith a 
salary of £350 per annum, Avith a free house and church 
fees. There are chaplains for the troops, the hospital, 
and the gaol. There is an archdeacon, and AA^e have a 
rural dean. Some of the parishes are large in extent of 
country; and hence there are a feAv curates and ministers 
of particular chapels. There are also a feAv licensed 
catechists. The governing, official, and higher classes are 
