CHARLES II. DYING AS A ROMANIST.

THE following extract from Macaulay's "History of England" proves the true influence which was secretly at work during the whole mischievous reign and profligate personal career of Charles II. This came out still more clearly in the next reign, James throwing off the mask and openly declaring himself a Papist, which, by the blessing of God, led to the glorious Revolution of 1688.

"The Duke then, in the King's name, commanded all who were present to quit the room, except Lewis Duras, Earl of Feversham, and John Granville, Earl of Bath. Both these Lords professed the Protestant religion, but James conceived that he could count on their fidelity. Feversham, a Frenchman of noble birth, and nephew of the great Turenne, held high rank in the English army, and was chamberlain to the Queen. Bath was groom of the Stole.

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"The Duke's orders were obeyed, and even the physicians withdrew. The back door was then opened, and Father Huddleston entered. A cloak had been thrown over his sacred vestments, and his shaven crown was concealed by a flowing wig. Sir,' said the Duke, 'this good man once saved your life. He now comes to save your soul.' Charles faintly answered, He is welcome.' Huddleston went through his part better than had been expected. He knelt by the bed, listened to the confession, pronounced the absolution, and administered extreme unction. He asked if the King wished to receive the Lord's Supper. Surely,' said Charles, if I am not unworthy.' The host was brought in, Charles feebly strove to rise and kneel before it. The priest bade him lie still, and assured him that God would accept the humiliation of the soul, and

would not require the humiliation of the body. The King found so much difficulty in swallowing the bread, that it was necessary to open the door and to procure a glass of water. This rite ended, the monk held up a crucifix before the penitent, charged him to fix his last thoughts on the sufferings of the Redeemer, and withdrew. The whole ceremony had occupied about three-quarters of an hour; and during that time, the courtiers who filled the outer room had communicated their suspicions to each other by whispers and significant glances. The door was at length. thrown open, and the crowd again filled the chamber of death."—Vol. I. Pp. 435, 436. (Thirteenth edition.) London: Longman, Brown, & Co.

THE PURITANS.

LORD MACAULAY says:-"The Puritans were men whose minds had derived a peculiar character from the daily contemplation of superior beings and eternal interests. Not content with acknowledging in general terms an overruling Providence, they habitually ascribed every event to the will of the Great Being, for whose power nothing was too vast, for whose inspection nothing was too minute. To know Him, to serve Him, to enjoy Him, was the great end of existence. They rejected with contempt the ceremonious homage which other sects substituted for the worship of the soul. Instead of catching occasional glimpses of the Deity through an obscuring veil, they aspired to gaze full on His intolerable brightness, and to commune with Him face to face. Hence originated their contempt for terrestrial distinctions. The difference between the greatest and the meanest of mankind seemed to vanish when compared with the boundless interval which separated the whole race from Him on whom their own eyes were constantly fixed."

POPISH LOTTERIES.

Ar length the illegality of Popish lotteries has been declared by the Attorney-General, and yet it is sad to observe the levity with which such a man as Mr Gladstone speaks of an open and systematic violation of the law. This, of course, proceeds from political motives, but is not fitted to create respect for law and order. The following conversation took place in the House of Commons on the 8th of June:

LOTTERY TICKETS.

Mr VERNER asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he was aware that lottery tickets of an illegal character had been extensively circulated amongst the public offices for general distribution.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he had himself received an envelope containing tickets, which appeared to relate to some raffle. He believed that other officials had received similar tickets, but he was not aware whether they were illegal or not. In most cases he believed they were consigned to the waste paper basket, and he had not thought it necessary to make any further inquiries.

Mr VERNER asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if his attention had been drawn to the distribution of lottery tickets to and by the Irish constabulary, and if their employment for this purpose had the sanction of their superior officers and the Government; and if, after the recent opinion of the Attorney-General, he was prepared to censure and prohibit the practice.

SIR ROBERT PEEL replied that the employment of the constabulary in this occa

pation had not received the sanction of the Government. He was aware that tickets of this character had been sent to the Irish constabulary, but not that they had been distributed by them. After the opinion of the Attorney-General, the constabulary would be liable to censure if they did so.

ILLEGALITY OF PUBLIC LOTTERIES.

ON Thursday, June 1, Mr Newdegate put a question to the AttorneyGeneral in the House of Commons, in regard to the legality of lotteries as carried on so extensively at present and with such perfect impunity by the Romanists. The answer was so far distinct, and so far evasive. No lawyer could deny that such lotteries were thoroughly illegal; but several hints in the way of palliation were thrown out. The objects for which the lotteries are held were delusively said to be "charitable," and it was hinted that the illegal proceedings in question might perhaps be covered by the "Art Union Act," a supposition without the slightest foundation, although if this use is to be made of the "Art Union Act' the sooner it is abolished the better. One part of the question besides is totally evaded, viz., whether the Government are prepared to prosecute the offenders. The conduct of Government in thus openly conniving at the violation of their own laws is deeply humbling, and highly reprehensible. The following is the report of the conversation to which we have referred :

Mr NEWDEGATE asked the Attorney-General whether the attention of the Government had been directed to the circulation of lottery tickets by different societies in Ireland, great numbers of which had been sent by post to different persons in England; whether the issuing, circulating, disposing, and purchasing of such lottery tickets was not illegal, and did not render the parties liable to heavy penalties; and whether, if the practice were continued, the Government would be prepared to prosecute the offenders.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said his attention had been directed to the fact that certain charitable associations in Ireland had lately endeavoured to raise money by the circulation of tickets, which appeared to him to come within the meaning of the law relating to lotteries, unless they were authorised under the "Art Union Act," which to some extent they might or might not be; but unless they were, it appeared to him that the practice was illegal, and that those who engaged in it were liable to serious penalties. He need not say, that in order to justify a prosecution a charge must be made against particular individuals, and that charge must be proved by evidence.

Meantime the Romanists, emboldened by impunity, are prosecuting their demoralising but gainful traffic with increasing energy, whilst we are glad to see, on the other hand, that the Protestant spirit of resistance is being gradually aroused. In the Dundee Courier and Argus the following advertisement lately appeared :

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR.

A GRAND DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES, in aid of the Institution, will be held in the Hall of the Young Men's Society, Dundee, on Friday, the 8th September (instead of 29th June, as announced on the Tickets.)

The Prizes embrace a MAGNIFICENT CAMEO, SET IN GOLD, gift of his Holiness Pope Pius IX.; PAIR OF SEVRE VASES, the gift of the Emperor and Empress of France; SPLENDID SILVER TEA SERVICE; A MAGNIFICENT EIGHT DAY CLOCK; GOLD WATCHES; GOLD RINGS; and other Rare and Valuable Ornaments, the Special Gifts of Distinguished Persons.

WITH FIVE HUNDRED ADDITIONAL PRIZES, varying in value from One Shilling to Twelve Pounds, including:-Silver Coffee Pot, Kettles, Gold Rings, Necklaces,

Statues, Pictures and Prints, Boxes of Knives, Silver Tea Services, Spirit Case in Ebony, Embroidered Screens in Velvet, Indian Fan, Flower Vases, a Case of Champagne, a Chest of Tea, a Highland Dress for a Boy, &c., &c.

Tickets (6d each) may be had on application to the Office-Bearers of the Catholic Churches in Dundee, at a number of Shops in town, and from other parties.

The vendor of a Book of Tickets shall have a right to retain one of the Twenty as a gratis ticket.

The Dundee branch of the Scottish Reformation Society, a most active and valuable Association, immediately addressed the following circular to all the Protestant ministers in Dundee and the neighbourhood, which we hope will be productive of good results :

28 CASTLE STREET, DUNDEE, June 7, 1865.

REV. SIR, We humbly deem it our duty to call your attention to the fact, that lotteries, which are at once unscriptural, illegal, and demoralising, are becoming very common in this land, and that tickets for lotteries in aid of Popish objects are sold in large numbers in this place; not only by Papists but by Protestants, and are bought not only by members of the Church of Rome, but by members of Presbyterian and other Protestant churches..

These tickets are usually put up in books of twenty, with a free ticket attached of higher value, by way of compensation to the person who sells them. To such an extent is this system now carried on, that in some instances over a million of tickets are issued for one object.

Lately an extensive drawing took place at Lanark under the patronage of Lord Brougham, and others are going on at the present moment encouraged by professed Protestants. The evil is aggravated besides, by the fact that these lotteries are generally got up in the sacred names of religion and charity.

Believing that you will agree with us as to the sinful nature and tendency of lotteries, we would respectfully, but earnestly, request you to call the attention of your people to the subject, in order that they may abstain from countenancing them in any manner of way. (Prov. xiii. 33.)

We beg to enclose for your perusal, copy of a paper published by our parent society on this subject, and praying for your hearty co-operation in our efforts.-We are, rev. sir, your obedient servants; for the Society,

J. JACK, President.

R. J. NIVEN, Corresponding Secretary.

The Free Presbytery of Dundee have resolved to draw the attention of their people to the subject, and to warn them against the illegal traffic of lotteries, and the begging system which has been established in that town by the so-called "Sisters of the Poor."

EXTREME UNCTION.

UNCTION is administered to none but such as are affected with some mortal disease, or in a decrepit age. It is refused to so-called impenitent persons. The parts to be anointed are the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the hands, the feet, and the reins. The laity are anointed in the palms of the hands, but priests on the back of them, because the palms of their hands have been already consecrated by ordination. In the times of miraculous healing, the sick person was to be anointed with oil in the name of the Lord. It is thought that this anointing with oil was only done by such as had the power of working miracles, and that when miracles ceased this rite was laid aside. The anointing mentioned (James v. 14) was applied to those whose recovery was expected, whereas in the Roman Church extreme unction is used before the dying man is put into his coffin. An extraordinary sign of an

extraordinary cure has become an ordinary sign of ordinary death by Rome's order.

Dr Wiseman before his end underwent extreme unction, administered as the dying man's viaticum. This ceremony is a strange perversion of the apostolical practice of anointing the sick with a view to their recovery. It bears this name as the sacrament of the dying, because it is the last anointing, oil having been previously employed in baptism and in confirmation. Mark informs us, that when their Master sent forth the twelve by two and two, they anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them (vi. 13.) James directs that the elders of the Church should pray over the sick, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: adding, the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. The efficacy was ascribed not to the anointing, but to the gift of healing. And we find a form of prayer in Pope Gregory's Sacramentary, which shows that the object then sought by this anointing was the recovery of health, as is still the case in the Greek Church. In the twelfth century, failure was so frequent, that the notion was introduced that it was meant for the benefit of the soul, and only of the body if bodily health would not prove prejudicial to the former. A change in its administration now took place, for they anointed no longer the diseased organs, but the five senses. Prayer had been always offered for the soul of the sick as preparatory to bodily cure, but now anointing became the principal part. The schoolmen brought it into a sacramental form, and it was decreed by the Council of Florence, and confirmed under anathema at Trent. The Church, instead of pastors, was to have oilmen, and the "oil fever" was spread over the country. Rome's Ecclesiastical Petroleum Company did not only beguile people of their money, but laid flattering unction to their souls. Alas! Papists deny Christ as a King in setting up the Pope as a Priest as setting up the mass: as a Prophet in their human traditions as opposed to the Holy Scriptures: and the Holy Spirit is denied: oiliness is respected-holiness is disregarded!

TRACTARIAN POPERY.

THE following description of certain proceedings at Norwich, by two ministers of the Church of England, given in the Daily Telegraph, must be read with disgust and indignation by all true Protestants. It is neither more nor less than a close imitation of the grossest form of idolatry in the Church of Rome :

A veiled crucifix was then removed by Mr Ouseley from the top of the altar, the crape which covered it was partially removed, and Mr Ouseley holding it aloft said, "Behold the wood of the cross!" Brother Ignatius and the congregation responded, "Come, let us adore!" The crape was then further removed, the crucifix again held aloft, and the words, “Behold the wood of the cross" repeated, with the same response. Then the crape was entirely removed, and the figure of the Saviour was exposed, Mr Ouseley saying, “Behold the wood of the holy cross, on which hung the salvation of the world." The response having been sung, the crucifix was lowered to the ground, and Brother Ignatius, creeping towards it, reverentially kissed it. Mr Ouseley followed his example. Brother Ignatius then said that, "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," he desired to say a few words to the congregation, whom he addressed "as men and women, sons and daughters of our fallen race." He accordingly ascended a kind of pulpit, and, in a tone of impassioned entreaty besought all present to show their love for Jesus by coming to adore His