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of Martin Luther, and was made very instrumental in sowing the seeds of the Reformation in many lands. Another was Miles Coverdale, who, after various vicissitudes, settled in Geneva, where he assisted in translating the Bible, and returned to England on Queen Elizabeth's Accession. Bishop Jewell now returned, and with him Richard Cox, afterwards Bishop of Ely, Archbishop Grindall, John Foxe, the martyrologist, Deane Nowel, and Thomas Cartwright, all celebrated men, who, during their absence, often received much comfort and encouragement from frequent intercourse with their brethren. Many of them found a friend in Christopher, Prince of Wittemberg, and received the tenderest sympathies from the great reformers of the Church, Luther, Calvin, Melancthon, and Zuinglius. In the various parts of the continent where they had been, each proclaimed the same reformed doctrines of the truth. Thus, in the providence of God, the flame kindled in Wittemberg by the immortal Luther, spread through many lands. The truth extended daily in England, and she gained both strength and power. The Roman Catholics soon discovered that the queen was more than a Protestant in name. Elizabeth made new laws, and enforced them with rigid exactness. It must be admitted that the spirit of Protestantism was naturally more intolerant and exclusive, after the cruelties of Mary's reign, than before. The queen, knowing her enemy, walled herself round with laws more severe than before. The Romish party eyed the advancing liberty in England, and determined if possible to destroy it. Macaulay writes thus:- "A succession of dark plots formed by Roman Catholics against the life of the queen, kept society in constant alarm. Whatever were the faults of Elizabeth, it was plain, to speak humanly, that the fate of the realm, and of all the reformed churches, was staked on the security of her person, and the success of her administration." Nevertheless, plot after plot was set on foot, and the result was that the severest laws were of necessity called into force, and some were brought to the block. In the person of Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth found an enemy. This misguided princess identified herself too signally in different conspiracies against the sovereign's life to claim from us any amount of sympathy, such as could be accorded to innocence. It is not for us to determine her motives or designs in so warmly supporting the Babington conspiracy, but we cannot say the circumstance spoke much in her favour. Even here Rome stepped in to the help of treason, and supplied a deficiency that occurred in bringing it to a close. John Ballard, a Jesuit priest of Rheims, resolved to compass it. Of course, his plan involved the death of the queen, and therefore, in all appearance, the revival of the Popish power. This man (acting only in full accordance with the laws of his Church, which enjoins the death of a heretic as an act of faith) addressed his scheme to several Popish zealots, who at once engaged in the deadly plot. But God had designed it otherwise, and through His gracious intervention it came to nought. In the condemnation of Mary of Scotland, which Elizabeth subsequently signed, she put to death one who, during the English queen's life, had no legitimate claim to the throne. And before any censure is cast upon the memory of Elizabeth, let us look at the circumstances as occurring three hundred years ago, when England had but just been freed from the trammels of Papal darkness. The people were but beginning to enjoy the gospel's light, when Rome came forward to place upon the throne another Popish Mary, while the

deeds of the last one were still fresh in their memories, and many a heart still bled for a dear one slain by her command. Mary of Scotland, it is true, never exhibited much proof of a nature so cruel and bigoted as her namesake of Tudor; but there is not a doubt that she was the instrument Rome intended to use to effect the overthrow of truth in England. This the sagacious Queen Elizabeth saw, and resolved to leave her land in possession of that happy freedom which she herself had been made the means of bringing to it. Let it be borne in mind, while we speak of Elizabeth thus, we do not vindicate Mary's execution. It is only viewing the queen as a rightful sovereign, and Mary as the seditious and treasonable disturber of her kingdom and people, that any would venture to offer the slightest remark in palliation of so deplorable a deed.

INCONSISTENCIES.

SOME men talk like angels, and pray with fervour and meditate within deep recesses, and speak to God with loving affection and words of union, and adhere to Him in silent devotion; and when they go abroad are as passionate as ever, peevish as a frightened fly, vexing themselves with their own reflection; they are cruel in their bargains, unmerciful to their tenants, and proud as a barbarian prince; they are, for all their fine words, impatient of reproof, scornful to their neighbours, lovers of money, supreme in their own thoughts, and submit to none. All their spiritual fancy is an illusion. They are still under the power of those passions, and their sin rules them imperiously, and carries them away infallibly.-Jeremy Taylor.

GROWING LIBERALITY OF SOUTH AMERICA.

NOTWITHSTANDING the undiminished intolerance of the Popish priesthood, it is most interesting to see the gradual progress of liberal opinions in such a noble country as South America. The result of modern travelling-of "running to and fro and increasing knowledge," is illustrated by the following speech in the Parliament of Chili on the subject of religious toleration :

:

10th June 1865.

Senor Vicuna Mackenna, on rising, said-As he had resolved to support the motion that the Fifth Article of the Constitution be amended, the House would permit him to state the reasons he had for so doing. The honourable member, after demolishing in a masterly manner some of the arguments raised by the Opposition as to the impracticability of the measure, on the ground of national policytheirs being a Catholic country, &c.-took up the objection that the country is intolerant and unprepared for this great reform; and during the course of his argument, depicted most graphically the history of his own conversion from an intolerant to a liberal spirit.

"But it is alleged," he continued, "the country is intolerant, and is not prepared for this great reform. My internal conviction is, notwithstanding, that the people of Chili are prepared to concede this privilege, as they have shown themselves ready to grant other privileges, and, in speaking thus, I judge by what I find in myself, and by the reaction which has been insensibly operating in my own mind. I, also, have been intolerant to all who are not born on our soil; I was of that class of children who would go in procession to spit at the Jews, and if I met a Protestant in the streets would run with my brothers to hide in the furthest corner of my house; such were the ideas which used to float in the very cradles of the children born

beneath the roofs of the capital of Chili. But when I grew and began to think, but above all, when I travelled, and found in California the Pagoda of the Chinaman side by side with the Catholic Chapel; when in New York, I attended worship alternately at the Protestant Trinity Church and at the Catholic Church of St George; when I witnessed in Paris, in London, in Vienna, liberty of worship established as a constitutional act, tranquilly and peaceably approved by all; and when in Rome itself, the capital of the Catholic orb, in one of the most conspicuous places, almost in front of the Christian Cathedral of St Peter, I visited the humble Protestant chapel, What!' I exclaimed, 'is this the toleration of religion of which I have heard in my childhood? Can it be that whilst these things are being done in Rome, that in Santiago, which claims to be the Rome of America, it shall be declared impiety simply to pronounce the proposition of religious toleration?'

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"Sir, I have been made tolerant by what I have witnessed of toleration, the most beautiful and sublime quality of Christianity."

The following testimony to the state of public opinion from another eminent member of the Parliament of Chili is not only cheering, but ought to rouse to missionary action the whole Protestant churches of the world. There is not a more noble field for missions than South America.

Senor Matta said "I am not here only to lift up my voice in favour of ideas which are dear to me, but also to perform a duty which I owe to those who elected me."

Senor Matta then went on to establish his position by showing that four provinces, and they the most important in the Republic, viz., Atacama, Valparaiso, Concepcion, and Valdivia, had most decidedly expressed themselves in favour of freedom of worship, and that he should not fear to accept the challenge of the honourable member of the Opposition that the suffrages of the whole people should be taken, when it would be proved to the honourable gentleman, that the country, so far from being adverse, is favourable to liberty of conscience.

THE BISHOP OF LONDON AND ROMANISING.

LAST week the Bishop of London consecrated a new church at Shoreditch, St Michael and All Angels'. The report in the Times only spoke of the munificence of its founders and builders, the self-devotion of the incumbent, the kind things said by the bishop, and the sensible way in which all parties, though not in every point agreeing in their opinion, were as one in their loyalty to the Church, their earnest desire to work for her, and their honest respect for one another. The abstract of the bishop's speech is not, indeed, very intelligible; for immediately after remarks that "the clergy differ from one another in opinion-why should they not?"—and that "differences between sects would gradually disappear," he is made to observe that the "people of the metropolis, however ecclesiastically sepa rated, were not averse to co-operation in sanitary matters "—a fact which, though we never heard it questioned, it is satisfactory to learn on high authority, but the connexion of which, with what precedes it, is not easy to discover. All, however, is described as having been most harmonious and pleasant. But another report, in the Star, gives a different side of the proceedings. The bishop, according to this account, took objection to two or three pieces of what he considered extreme ritualism on the occasion, and testified his displeasure on the spot in the most emphatic way. There were four bunches of flowers on the communion-table. The bishop asked what was the meaning of them, and at once ordered them to be removed before he would proceed to consecrate. Next, we are told, "surveying the assembled clergy, most of whom were habited in surplices, with richly-embroidered stoles, and other (?) High Church' insignia, he said, quietly but sternly, 'The clergy here of my diocese must appear in the simple dress of clergymen of the Church of England." After an awkward pause, in which it is said the clergy looked at one another very innocently, as though at a loss to comprehend his meaning, he is reported to have said, "somewhat peremptorily, 'I must ask you to take off those ribbons, gentlemen.'" The "ribbons," accordingly, were taken off. He then ob

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jected to a small cross in polished oak, which had been placed at the top of the wardrobe; "he asked what it meant, and being answered, Nothing,' ordered it to be taken down and put in the cupboard." He also observed "that it was a great pity that the arrangements were not completed at the time of the inspection, so that the objections might have been then raised, and all unpleasantness on the day of consecration avoided." When he reached the church, he noticed a rough sketch in charcoal of the Crucifixion on the reredos, which gave him great offence; and he refused to proceed with the consecration till a written undertaking had been entered into, on the part of the incumbent and churchwarden, that the "cartoon" should be removed.-Guardian.

[We are glad that the Bishop of London has at length begun to deal with this enormous nuisance, but we hope he will not allow himself to be trifled with. The newspapers allege that as soon as his lordship's back was turned the offensive emblems were restored. This, of course, is only a report, but the proceeding is eminently characteristic. We shall watch the result with interest.]

DUTY.

She hath done what she could! What a record for the judgment of the last day! Happy they on whose life-work in their day and generation the tribunal of eternity will pronounce this glorious verdict. May the Divine lips which pronounced these words of eulogy over the personal work of Mary Magdalene, and which made His own everlasting gospel a trumpet to speak forth her piety and praise to the generations of all coming time, even to "the whole world," may even those same lips pronounce over your life-labours and mine, reader, the grateful thrilling words, "He, she, hath done what they could!"

SCOTTISH REFORMATION SOCIETY.

THIS Society, since our last report, has been continuing its opposition to Popish Lotteries, and has been in communication with the officials of the Government in London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. It has also constructed and published, in the Bulwark and otherwise, a map, showing the localities of Roman Catholic chapels, convents, monasteries, and colleges in Great Britain, collated from the Roman Catholic Directory of 1865 and other sources. The Rev. Alexander Jamieson has meantime delivered lectures in connexion with the Society in Greenock, Kirkintilloch, Port-Glasgow, Kilsyth, Dumbarton, Helensburgh, and has otherwise visited Gourock, Largs, Millport, Rothesay, Dunoon, and Duntocher. The Rev. J. M. Porteous has delivered sermons and lectures in Aberdeen, Ardersier, Ardclach, Alves, Banff, Burghead, Cruden, Clola, Cullen, Cromarty, Dingwall, Dornoch, Ellon, Elgin, Fraserburgh, Fochabers, Findhorn, Fortrose, Garmouth, Huntly, Hopeman, Helmsdale, Inverury, Inverness, Invergordon, Kintore, Keith, Kilmuir, Keiss, Lossiemouth, Lybster, New Marnoch, New Deer, Nairn, Old Meldrum, Old Deer, Pitcaple, Peterhead, Portsoy, Pultenytown, Rafford, Rothes, Strichen, Tain, Thurso, Watten, and Wick. In Orkney, addresses have been given by Mr Porteous in Birsay, Deerness, Evie, Firth, Harray, Kirkwall, Rousay, Stronsay, Sanday, and Stromness. In Shetland also, at Bixeter, Catfirth, Mossbank, and Brae of Delting, Lemna, Ler

wick, Raewick, Scalloway, and Trondra, Unst, south and north, Vassa, Vidlin, Walls, Wiesdale, and West Yell; and has otherwise visited Beauly, Forres, Golspie, Macduff, &c.

Mr D. Smith has visited Stirling, Bridge-of-Allan, Dunblane, Callander, Crieff, Comrie, Auchterarder, Perth, Dunkeld, Pitlochrie, BlairAthole, Aberfeldy, Coupar-Angus, Blairgowrie, Alyth, Kirriemuir, Forfar, Brechin, Montrose, Laurencekirk, and Stonehaven. Mr Baker has visited Bathgate, Corstorphine, Colinton, Slateford, Juniper Green, Currie, Broughton, Lanark, Lesmahagow, Douglas, Biggar, Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Hexham, North and South Shields, and is now in Ireland.

Contributions from all true Protestants are earnestly solicited to carry on the important operations of the Society. They may be sent to the Treasurer, or to the Secretary, Rev. G. R. Badenoch, 17 George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh.

LIBRARY OF THE PROTESTANT INSTITUTE OF SCOTLAND.
THE following books have recently been presented to the Library of
the Protestant Institute of Scotland, 17 George IV. Bridge, viz. :—
By the late Rev. John Gerard of Stromness:

"Townsend's Bible, arranged in Historical and Chronological Order;" New Edition: London, 1834.

"Biblia Sacra," (Tremellius & Junius :) London, 1593.

Scott's Bible, (6 volumes;) New Edition: London, 1861.

Whitby's "Commentary," (2 volumes;) 10th Edition: London, 1808.

By the Rev. David C. A. Agnew, Wigtoun :

"Memorial from the English Protestants to the Prince and Princess of Orange." "Bishop Hough's Sermons and Charges," with Memoir: Oxford, 1821. Goldsmith's Miscellaneous Works: London, 1778.

By the Rev. Dr Duns, Edinburgh:

"Biblical Natural Science." 2 vols.

By the Rev. Dr W. L. Alexander, Edinburgh:
Bonacina's "De Clausura:" London, 1628.
Baluzias "De Emend. Gratian:" Paris, 1672.

By W. G. Cassels, Esq., of Blackford House, Edinburgh :
"Owen's Works," Edited by Dr Goold. 16 vols.

P.S—Presents of books, especially such as bear on the Popish controversy, will be most acceptable. A number of rare and important works were lately secured for this library in Italy in connexion with the breaking-up of the monasteries there, and the library is now becoming very good; but the directors are still anxious to improve it, and to establish similar libraries of reference at Glasgow and Aberdeen.

PROPOSED UNION OF THE GREEK, ENGLISH, AND
ROMAN CHURCHES.

THE first of a series of services was held in the church of St Mary Magdalen, Munster Square, in connexion with a new movement which seems to have received much support amongst the members of the Church of England. So much attention, indeed, has the scheme commanded,

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