considerations on the infernal pains. Indited by F. Pinamonti, S. J.

If the reader does not consider the aforesaid prayer repugnant to the Almighty God, who says, my honour ye shall not give to another. I cannot account what is to be called idolatry and worshiping the creature, instead of the Creator.

Although the papists deny when in controversy that they do anything of the sort, yet it is evident from this prayer which is sanctioned, as the title page states "With lawful authority," that the prayer is a standard prayer used by Roman catholics, soliciting the majesty and protection of an angel in preference to the sacred blood of Jesus, who, said when he bowed his head in obedience to his heavenly Father, "It is finished." But it appears by the aforesaid prayer nothing is finished in Jesus, but all in angels and saints.

WORSHIPING THE VIRGIN MARY AND THE SAINTS, CANNOT BE PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE.

If we would address the saints, it were nece sary that they should be always present and that they should hear our prayers. Whereas, priests know beyond a doubt, that God alone is always present, that he alone sees every thing, hears every thing, knows every thing, even unto our most secret thoughts, and doubtless, they have also read in the

Holy Scriptures: "that when man passeth away his sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." In the gospel according to St. Luke (xi. 1, 2, 3, 4.) we read, "that it came to pass that as he (Jesus) was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord teach us to pray,”—" And he said unto them, when ye pray, say, Our Father which is in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth; give us day by day our daily bread; and forgive us, our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."

At the time when some of his false disciples had abandoned Jesus, was it not the apostle Peter who exclaimed :-" Lord to whom shall we go,-thou hast the words of eternal life ?" Is it not, then our Saviour alone in whom we ought to place our whole trust? Is it not in him alone that we shall find eternal life? Is it not he who has said: "I am the door; by me if any man enter in he shall be saved. I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you." (John x. 6.-xiv. 6. iv. 37.) Now, if we were bound to uplift our voices to the saints,

there can be no doubt but that our divine Saviour would have commanded us so to do. Yet, not only has Jesus Christ no where thus ordained it, but he says, on the contrary, in the Gospel according to St. John: (xiv. 13) "and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." Jesus Christ has not said: "whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father, in the name of such or such a saint, that will I do." We are told in the Acts of the Apostles that "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."—ii. 21. But it is no where said in the scriptures that whosoever shall call on the name of such a saint, or saints, shall be saved. We also read in the xiv. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, after Paul and Barnabas performed a noted miracle in restoring the "impotent cripple at Lystra," to the use of his footing, which he was at a loss for from his birth, and when the people who witnessed the miracle thought to offer sacrifice to them, saying they are "Gods in the likeness of men;" Paul immediately, hearing of their intentions, rebuked them sharply, saying, they were themselves men of the "like passions" as they were, who only preached the Gospel of truth for their salvation, and requested of them to turn their hearts from those superstitious and vain practices, and "worship the living and true God." This would be a seasonable time for the Apostle Paul to encourage "saint worship," if there was any necessity

for it towards the salvation of our souls-though anxious as these deluded people were to extol the services of the apostles-as the Roman Catholics do the God wafer of the Priests-they indulged in no such thing when living, and it is not reasonable to believe that they wish to be prayed to when dead,—“for the dead know nothing." Ecclesiastes ix. 5.

Is it not written: "There is none other name (the name of Jesus) under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved." John iv. 12. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." John i., Eph. ii. 1. "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." Eph. ii. 18. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. iv, 16.

To these scriptural testimonies, I will add the following words of St. Chrysostom: "We have no need either of a mediator, an usher, or of any other person to present' us to God, according to the custom of the mighty in this world, God is always present; always every where; he hears always, he is with us always." Could we, then, address our prayers to others, or place our trust in others, without having to fear condemnation? Perhaps, in no instance does the gross corruption of the Church of

Rome appear more plainly, than, in its treatment of the Virgin Mary. The names by which she is called sound dreadfully, to the highest degree, in the ears of him whose rule of faith is the Holy Scriptures. What can be more shocking, than that a mere creature, saved by divine mercy, should receive the appellations to which I call the attention of my readers; such as "Mother of Mercy," "Refuge of Sinners," "Gate of Heaven," "Morning Star," &c.; surely, if we could suppose her speaking to those who call her by such names, she would say, "Cease, blasphemers, cease to dishonour my Lord, by giving me titles which belong exclusively to him." The poor deluded Roman Catholics of Ireland are taught to venerate the Virgin Mary from their earliest years, by telling over their beads, five by five, ten by ten, and fifteen by fifteen, which plainly shews to any one of common sense, that there is more acceptance with God in repeating the Lord's prayer once, than in repeating the "Hail Mary," and "Holy Mary," one hundred and fifty times, yea, than millions of millions of times. When they want to express their best wishes for you it is by calling on God and the blessed Virgin to bestow their benefits upon you, an expression which can scarcely be heard, where there is true religion, without horror. What makes this adoration of the Virgin more surprising is, that our Lord, foreseeing it, seems to have plainly declared against it. Only