constitute some of its brightest orna- | wish of Ministers to enforce the said order. Whatever may be the professions of Ministers to the few Catholics who court their favour, their deter mined hostility to the Catholic religion is rendered notorious by the Instructions sent out to Canada. Their earnestness, therefore, in pressing the

ments and most valuable members. To society they are eminently useful, devoting their time to constant supplications for the blessing of heaven upon their country, and to the important ofice of training up youth in sound morality and virtue. From the members of the church to

long, and from the stoWhich they be- order in question speaks for itself.

long, and from the state, whether Ca- They well know what powerful pillars tholic or Protestant, in which they to the venerable fabric of Catholicity live, they have a strong and just claim religious houses are. They know too for protection. Renouncing by their how much the efficacy of these estaown free choice the allurements of the blishments depends upon their strict obworld, and consecrating themselves to servance of their rules, and the carethe service of God and their neigh- ful support of those fences which the bour, they adopt a habit or dress, wise founders of religious orders have which, while by its simplicity it strikes thrown round them. No wonder then at the root of worldly vanity, by its that our adversaries should direct their religious form and fashion continually efforts to the removal of those fences, reminds them of the sacred obligations and the destruction of those pillars of of their profession, and at every step Catholicity, as the readiest means of operates as a powerful aid to the prac-effecting their grand object, the utter tice of Christian perfection. Their extinction of the Catholic religion in habit is the happy companion, the wit- this country. ness and the encourager of their de- Enough, Mr. Editor, has, I trust, Totion and penance. They regard it been said, to shew that this order for with a degree of veneration; they unclothing the religious is not a trivial look upon it as the pledge of their matter, either to them or to the Cathochaste union with Christ. To tear it lic Body. To prove that the enforcing from them is is to r rob them of one of of this order would be an act contrary their greatest consolations, and to both to law and justice, is not neces overwhelm them with one of the hea- sary after what has appeared in your viest of afflictions. It is to exercise last number. Every subject of this against them one of the most cruel of realm is certainly at liberty to wear persecutions; a persecution which just what he pleases, any dress, or no even the infuriate Demons of the dress, in his own house. I believe, if French Revolution did not inflict. any one of the advisers of this odious What then must be the grief of the measure of rough unpolished bigotry, religious nelled on finding the stroke thus chooses to sit at home, equipped, in those to whom they looked ups! them quietly assented to by addition to other appropriate decorafor tions, with a pair of long ears, a due comfort, support, and protection? proportion of tail, and a cloven foot, Ask them yourself, Mr. Editor, and there is no law, nor a wish for a law, you will soon be satisfied how near to to prevent him. Some of those gen their tenderest feelings is the object at- tlemen are perhaps in the habit of fretacked by the order in question. quenting masquerades. Though I neIn another point of view, the said ver was present at one of these masked order is equally far removed from being assemblages of persons tired of their a matter of trifling consequence. I own character and station, I have been mean as it is connected with the vital told that it is no unusual thing to meet interests of the Catholic religion. there with persons in the dress and ap needs no farther proof of this pearance of monks and nuns. In dethan the declaration that it was the ference to the wishes of Ministers,

There

ORTHOP, JOUR. VOL. III

E

fast and pray, and chastise their bo dies, and bring them into subjection; they atone, not for their own sins alone, but for the sins of others: they implore the mercy of God for a sinful world; they doubtless entreat the Lord of clemency and love that he will spare his people; that he will deliver the wretched slaves of sin from their thraldom; that he will not visit them with death, but that they may rather be converted and live. If this be the conversion apprehended from them, they may, indeed, be terrible to the powers of darkness; but to every professor of Christianity they ought to be highly valuable. At any rate the Catholic should be grateful for their exertions, and venerate their calling; and, instead of exulting in their overthrow, sbould with heart and soul beseech the God of heaven to protect his servants, and to "preserve every Order of the Church in the profession and practice of Holy Religion."

slippery age of life, and by their in-
structions have rescued me from many
dangers to which I have been since
exposed-when I read that they were
required to put off their habits-La!
Sir, how were my nerves affected?' I
was agitated to a degree-I thought I
should expire! What can be the cause
of all this? Put off their habits! I
assure you. And what shall we have
next? I suppose Mrs. D's winter
and summer calashes, for they resem-
ble the convent veil, will hardly be
secure from danger. Well, Sir, I have
to tell you, that we are exasperated at
the presumption of some folks; we
don't know who they are as yet, but
L-y S- -n vows she will get to the
bottom of it, and shame the authors of
the deed. We are going to establish
a Board, and I hope, Mr. Orthodox,
you will insert our Resolutions. In
return, we promise, all of us, to con-
tinue our subscription to your excel-
lent Journal. We are in great hopes
we shall know the rights of this busi-
ness: we are convinced we have found
a clue that will be of service to us,
and it was you that helped us to it.
You remember you have informed us
more than once, of attempts made to
hinder the circulation and sale of your

I have trespassed, Sir, most grievously on your paper, to the prejudice, I fear, of more valuable correspondents, but the subject is of moment, and this may be my last obtrusion. At least I promise to be less prolix in future. With hearty congratulation on the past success of your publica-Paper.-There we have it, Sir. Jeation, and wishing it all success in future, I remain, Sir,

Yours, &c. F. T.

To the Editor of the Orthodox Journal.

lousy; depend upon it, Sir, mere Jealousy! The green-eyed monster has taken hold of their minds, has got possession of their hearts, and they sicken at the sight of your success in the cause of Honour and Orthodoxy. But

SIR-It does not often happen, II can let you farther into the secret conjecture, that a letter from a female than, perhaps, you are aware of. We hand comes before you soliciting are afraid that this Order that has been admission into your Journal: but issued against the Religious, requiring when a lady, who received her educa- that they should lay aside their relition at a convent, requests to say a gious habits, is all on your account. word in favour of her dear Nuns, IPon honour, we think so: for a gene hope, Sir, nay, I am confident, you tleman of our acquaintance has informnot will deny her the favour she soli-ed us, that your name, EUSEBIUS, cits. When last month I took up your Journal, and read in your Epitome of Monthly Intelligence, that these dear ladies, the friends of my youth and the guardians of my advancing years; who supported me in the

means a Religious MAN; and not having it in their power to hurt you, they have turned all their rage against the poor, defenceless Religious WOMEN. Well, Sir, don't fear; I can tell you you are a prodigious favourite

with the Ladies, and, under their patronage, I think, you may be confident of success, and defy your enemies. If the former are hearty in your cause, if they take you in tow,

Then shall your little bark attendant sail, Join in the triumph and partake the gale, All my interest and influence are at your command. I am, Sir,

Yours, D. M-X.

For the Orthodox Journal.

females who have fled to their native country for that protection which the convulsions and revolutions of the Continent denied to them, have actually, it seems, been obliged to lay aside those dresses which, as they were the emblems of innocence and purity, it was their happiness to wear, and which, of course, they hoped and expected never to lay aside but with their lives. They have been stripped by a single blow of those robes with which they had been invested with great reliMr. EDITOR-It was with much gious solemnity, and which were only pleasure that I noticed the insertion of to be attained by a long course of prothe Cork Catholic Petition in your last bationary piety and devotion,—without Journal; and, for three reasons, one expression of sorrow or regret,should strongly recommend it to be without one ray of consolation to sooth adopted by the British Catholics at the the grief occasioned by so violent a present moment. First, it would unite proceeding. The venerable religious, us in one common cause with our bre-whose age alone should entitle her to thren in Ireland; secondly, it would respectful attention, is treated by this extricate us from almost all our pre-order with as little ceremony as the sent difficulties; and, thirdly, it would youthful novice, whose course of pious greatly assist his HOLINESS in bring- exercises can scarcely be said to have ing our question to a successful issue commenced. with the British Government. On the strength of these just and solid reasons, Sir, I have no hesitation in declaring my sentiment, that the PETITION would be well received by the Catholic Clergy, Nobility, Gentry, and People of Great Britain, were it presented to them for their signatures. I have the honour to be, Mr. Editor, your obedient humble servant,

PETER GANDOLPHY.

London, Jan. 28, 1815.

ON CATHOLIC AFFAIRS.

For the Orthodox Journal.

The veil is rent asunder; the faith which is attacked dreads no other scandal than that of silence. St. Hil. ad Constant. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit. Psalmist.

MR. EDITOR,-By the publication of the last number of your Journal, the various reports which were circulated within the preceding month, and which, for the honour of religion, I fervently hoped were unfounded, are too sadly verified. Those venerable

ORTHOD. JOUR. VOL. III.

I am well aware, Sir, that in writing on such a subject as the present, I am treading upon delicate ground: but, when I look around me, and see with what dangers the common practices of our religion are likely to be surrounded; when I observe the indifferent manner in which this important case is regarded, even by many persons who call themselves Catholics, then must I repeat in the words of the motto I have chosen, that "the faith which is attacked dreads no other scandal than that of silence." If this question was suffered to pass unnoticed and unregarded, as some well meaning persons seem to wish, then would I contend, that in a very short time the consideration for Catholics will be, not whether they shall petition the legislature for free and unrestricted emancipation, but whether or not we shall prepare ourselves to suffer in our persons and properties, for the exercise of that religion in which consists our happiness here, and our hopes for felicity hereafter, but which our legislators, even in this enlightened age,

F

swear to be superstitious and idoIatrous.

Schools. I beseech all my fellow Catholics, blessed with the means of alleviating sorrow and misfortune, who may hitherto have suffered themselves to remain supine and inactive upon this very important topic, to come forward and prove themselves to be worthy of the name they bear. Let them, instead of shewing an idle and contemptible thirst of worldly honours and temporal distinctions, lend their aid and assistance to the support of those Catholic charities for the education of youth, which have shewn themselves to be conducted upon real Catholic principles, and consequently worthy of all the support which can be rendered to them.

It is true, that since the publication of the Canadian Instructions, in the Orthodox Journal, and even for some time anterior to that period, we received significant hints, that we must prepare for persecution;-that the strong arm of power would soon be held forth to crush our religion, and parsecute our persons. I must admit, however, that I certainly conceived a more dignified, a more manly, mode of proceeding would be adopted, than that which now occupies my attention. But what seems to me the most inexplicable part of this business, is the futility of the alledged causes of it-the fear lest the members of the I cannot conclude this letter withestablished church should be con- out adverting to a melancholy subject verted to the Catholic religion, by which has recently come to my knowthe protection afforded to those ve- ledge, and to which I earnestly ennerable females, is in itself ridiculous. treat the attention of your Catholic How, I would ask, can the mode or readers. I am confident that no lanshape of the dresses worn in those guage of mine can do justice to so disreligious establishments affect the se- tressing a circumstance, and shall curity of the Protestant religion?-therefore, without any apology, lay The pious ladies living in community in this kingdom, have, as is very well known, no communication with the world; they have no greater connection than is necessary even with Catholics, and none at all with Protestants; how, then, I would fain inquire, shall they convert those persons to the Catholic faith whom they never saw, and by whom they are never seen? The other cause assigned, viz. the facility which those institutions afford for education in the principles of the Catholic religion, I conceive to be equally devoid of reason or justice. It is very well known that there are in this metropolis, numerous charitable establishments for the education of Catholic children, and surely if the government appréhend any serious danger on that score, the world would have known something of it long before the present period. The mention of this point brings me to a subject which I wish to impress most seriously upon the minds of your readers, viz. the present state of the Catholic Charity

before your readers the following pathetic appeal, which is extracted from a Calcutta newspaper :

"The Catholic Missionaries, who now, through their agent deputed hither, apply to the public of Calcutta, were originally attached to the Society of foreign missions in France. The unhappy distractions of their native country involved them in its consequent distress, deprived them of the property subservient to their efforts in the cause of sources on which they had, till then, been acChristianity, and cut them off from the recustomed to depend. The charitable contributions of the inhabitants of Mexico enabled them to replace their losses by a slender fund, which the unvarying economy and attention of fifteen years had rendered adequate to the support of the mission. The same cáre had even added to the supply, and to be accompanied by the augmentation of the progressive nature of the expense seemed their means. It has pleased Providence to check the current of their prosperity; and to reduce them, in one moment, from comparative affluence to more than their former poverty. The late conflagration at Penang, comprehending the most valuable part of the property of the Society, has again annihilated their resources, and frustrated their hopes.

..

The establishment of the Catholic Mission

aries at Pulo Penang, was founded with