"On this day we should enter into the spirit of the church, to give God thanks for the great favours he has granted to the blessed Virgin, whose protection we should implore, promising to serve her, and imitate her virtues, particularly her purity." "The blessed Virgin Mary has been always without stain, as the church teaches; the slightest imperfection never sullied her heart." "We thank God for having preserved the Christians from the invasion of the Turks, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin."

The high veneration in which the Virgin Mary is held by the Papists further appears from the following hymn. Its author was Pero Lopez de Ayala; its translator, as supposed, Mr. Bowring.

"Thou art like the fragrant bough
Of the beauteous cassia-tree;
Like the orient myrrh art thou,
Whose sweet breath is worthy thee.
Lady, when the sufferer mourns,
'Tis to thee he bends his eye;
'Tis to thee the sinner turns,
Virgin of the cloudless sky!

"Thee has wisdom's son compared

To the towering cedar trees;

And thy church, which thou dost guard,
To Mount Sion's cypresses.

Thou art like the palm-trees green,

Which the richest fruits have given;

Thou the olive-radiant queen,

Blooming in the bower of heaven!

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Brightest planet of the sea,
Dazzling gate in heaven's abode,
Virgin in the agony,

Mother, daughter, spouse of God.

Though the curse that Eve had brought
O'er her children threatening stood,
All the evil that she wrought,

Lady! thou hast turned to good."

At Florence, in the church of Santa Croce, is a chapel, called "The Buonaparte Chapel," where are deposited the remains of some of the Buonaparte family. Under the altar is inscribed, "This altar is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the great consolation of the afflicted, by Julia Clary Buonaparte, in memory of her beloved daughter who reposes in this chapel."

CHAPTER X.

THE CRUEL, PERSECUTING SPIRIT OF POPERY-THE

CRUSADERS.

CHRIST, his disciples, and apostles, did not propagate religion by fire and sword. There is no instance of it. Their compulsion was that of persuasion only. Persecution may make men hate religion, but it can never make them love it. It may make them change their professions, and become hypocrites, to avoid its severities, but it can never change the heart and make them "new creatures in Christ Jesus." But the Popish religion is renowned for its cruelties. Wherever it has had supreme power it has in all ages been tyrannical in

the highest degree, and the Catholics have equalled or excelled the Pagans in the fury of their zeal against those who would not submit their consciences to the slavery of their authority. The sword, tortures, and fire and faggot have been their common instruments of cruelty.

Of their use of the sword, THE CRUSADES will furnish an evidence.

THE CRUSADES, or croisades, is a name for warlike expeditions undertaken for the sake of religion; but the term is generally used with less latitude, to denote that series of adventures in which Europe for a long course of years, with burning zeal, engaged against the infidels residing in the Holy Land. The adventurers wore the badge of the cross, worked with red worsted, on the right shoulder. These enterprises were carried on in those dark days under the notion of serving religion, and were greatly promoted by the ecclesiastics, with whom the first crusade originated. The Holy Land changed owners in 1064, the Saracens gave place to the Turks, after which the difficulties and dangers of the pilgrims in that quarter increased. The spirit of pilgrimage about that time was unusually high, owing to a prevailing notion that the period of Christ's appearance at Jerusalem drew near. The ill-treatment which the pilgrims received from the Turks was, therefore, matter of public notoriety, and of universal reprobation, over the Christian part of Europe, and a growing dissatisfaction was felt that the Turks should retain the Holy Land in their possession. Peter the Hermit has become celebrated in history for the part he acted on this occasion. He had himself been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and could, therefore, speak freely of the difficulties and dan

gers of the way. The removal of these, as well as to free the Christians of the East from the oppressive tyranny to which they were subjected, were his reasons for attempting to raise an army for the conquest of Canaan. This was a bold undertaking for a hermit, but in those days the ecclesiastics had greater power over people's minds than they now have, and Peter might hope to procure a host of warriors if the Pope would favour the scheme. He sought the concurrence of his Holiness, who summoned a council on the business at Plancentia, which consisted of the amazing number of four thousand ecclesiastics, in addition to thirty thousand seculars. They met in the open air. The vast assembly was successively addressed by Peter and the Pope. The reasons before mentioned were urged in their harangues, and the meeting declared for war and engaged to carry it on. Another council was summoned at Clermont in Auvergne, with similar success, the council having proclaimed a plenary indulgence to those who enlisted under the cross. The assembly was wrought up to enthusiasm and shouted, "It is of God!” these words were said to have arisen from Divine impulse, and were adopted as a signal in their subsequent exploits. Multitudes enlisted for the warfare, and wore, as was said, the badge of the cross, So populous was this holy war, that persons of all ranks embarked in it; estates were sold, and money was profusely subscribed to carry it on. Even the fair sex caught the war-spirit so as to put on armour and act the warrior. The forces were thought to be too numerous to proceed in company; they, therefore, went out to the place of destination in two separate hosts. The first army consisting of about three hundred thousand was conducted by

Peter the Hermit and Gaultier or Walter. It took a route of its own. The department of the commissary had been neglected, and being in want, committed depredations which provoked hostility towards them, and produced assaults by which vast numbers were slain. The army which followed was better disciplined, though much larger, for it consisted of seven hundred thousand men. The general rendezvous was Constantinople. They were not without some success. The troops commanded by Godfrey, took the city of Nice. Jerusalem itself was captured, and Godfrey chosen king. At Ascalon à battle was fought with the Sultan of Egypt, in which he was defeated. And here the first crusade ended. 1144 is the date of the second. In this the Emperor Conrad III. and Louis III. of France, took the lead. It did not succeed. Another army was equally unfortunate, to the failure of which the treachery of the Christians of Syria contributed. 1188 is the date of the third. An army was raised which in time mustered three hundred thousand. The kings of England and France were engaged in this. The crusaders did not preserve their union sufficiently to carry on successful operations. They retired after concluding a peace with Saladin the Sultan of Egypt. 1195 is the date of the fourth. Saladin had died. The Emperor Henry VI. headed this crusade, and in several battles he was victorious; but death arrested him and then that expedition terminated. 1198 is the date of the fifth. originator of this was Pope Innocent III. The plague diminished the number of the crusaders. Party dissensions also prevailed, and they were defeated by the Sultan of Aleppo. 1228 is the date of the sixth. Damietta was captured, but

The