72

LIFE OF NICHOLAS BURTON.

Thus lived, "died in faith," and triumphed, one of the most honored servants of Christ, and one of the most exalted benefactors of the human family whose names are recorded in the annals of the church and the world.

tody by one of the inquisitorial officers.

On his examination the president demanded if he had, by words or writing, said or insinuated anything disrespectful to the Roman catholic persuasion.

To this Burton replied in the negative, saying that "he was sensible, in whatever country we were, respect ought to be paid to the religion of that country; that such knowledge to him was essential, who, as a merchant, was obliged to visit various countries, and conform to the religious and civil ceremonies of all."

This defence, however, availed bim nothing: they proceeded to torture him, in order to gain information. Failing in this, they condemned him for invincible obstinacy, and at the next auto-dafe he was burnt. When the flames first touched him, he bore the torments with such exemplary patience, and appeared with so smiling a countenance, that one of the priests, enraged at his serenity, said, with great malice and absurdity: "The reason why he does not seem to feel, is to me very evident: the devil has already got his soul, and his body is, of course, deprived of the usual sensations."

"Jesus, who dies a world to save,
Revives, and rises from the grave,
By his almighty power;

An old gentleman, travelling through one of the counties north of James river, came in company with a stranger, whose broken speech soon proved to him that he was a foreigner. The old gentleman being a professor of Christianity, of course was desirous to know whether or not the people of the stranger's country were religious. The stranger having answered the question, felt at liberty to ask one for his own gratification, which was, "Are there any baptists here ?" The old gentleman having answered in the affirmative, required of the stranger his reason in asking that question. His reply was: "I was brought up a Roman catholic, and from my infancy taught to believe that the priests could actually pray off sins. I was a poor man, and labored hard all the week, and Sunday I paid to the priest all I made to pray off my sins. A few weeks ago, passing through Richmond, I called at a meetinghouse, and heard a baptist man preach. He told me that salvation was of the Lord; that He that forgiveth sins was above; that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only priest that can forgive sins, and that none but he can make intercession for man. He opened my eyes; I now see that the priests have no power to forgive sins; I shall pay them no more money to pray off my sins. I want to hear a baptist preach, for I love them baptists. They tell me that Jesus don't charge anything to pray off sins, that his gifts are without money or price, and that all he asks of the sinner is his heart."

76

AMERICANS, LOOK AT THIS.

MIRACLE OF THE SKULL.

Two men, digging a grave in a churchyard at Macon, upon the river Seine, found a skull, which they threw upon the grass by them, with the common unconcern of grave-diggers; but soon perceiving it to stir, they ran to the curate of the parish, and told him what they had seen. The superstitious curate immediately supposed it was the skull of some saint that had been buried in that place, and therefore posted thither, where, to his great surprise and joy, he found the skull still moving, upon which he cried out, "A miracle! a miracle!" and resolved to have the precious relic deposited in his church with all proper ceremonies; for which purpose he sent, in all haste, for a consecrated dish, a cross, and holy water, his surplice, stole, and cap, ordered all the bells to be rung, and sent to give notice of the joyful news to the parishioners, who thronged in crowds to the place. Then he had the skull placed in the consecrated dish, and, being covered with a napkin, it was carried to the church in procession; during which, great debates arose among the parishioners, every one insisting that some of their family had been buried in that place, in order that they might assume to themselves the honor of having a saint in their family. Upon their arrival at the church, the skull was placed on the high altar, and a Te Deum was begun; but when they came to the verse, "Te per orbum terrarum," a mole unluckily crawling out of the skull, discovered the secret cause of its motion; upon which a stop was put to the ceremony, and the congregation, being greatly disappointed, dispersed.

AMERICANS, LOOK AT THIS.— -A rancorous paper in New York holds the following language:" The Bible society is the deepest scheme ever laid by Satan, in order to delude the human family and bring them to his eternal possession."

Here is the cloven foot of popery, with a vengeance. The people ought to derive instruction from this audacious paragraph, and to consider what sort of religious liberty may be expected under papal domination. The Bible has made this country what it isand the Bible society is doing more to break the fetters of oppression, and scatter the mists of delusion, than all the patriotic associations and military orders in the world.