It is a duty to the Christian church, and to society at large, to offer an apology for the above extracts in the Latin, French, and Spanish languages, thus to be embodied in a standard work. But it is also an imperative and solemn obligation faithfully to develop the atrocious wickedness which is inseparable from monastic institutions.

It is criminal to assert, and delusion to believe, that a Jesuit seminary or convent can be as pure, or can dispense equal intelligence, as Yale college, or a Protestant female academy. The principles upon which they are founded, the rules by which they are governed, and the course of tuition through which the students pass, amply determine this point. But the contrast in morals! No professor in any collegiate institution supported by Protestants dare to promulge, for a moment, any one of the abominable maxims which have been cited from papal authority, and which are constantly enforced in every Jesuit seminary. No Protestant lady, who superintends the intellectual and moral progress of fifty young ladies in any district of the United States, ever conceived one hundredth part of the nefarious corruption included in the above questions, which every Roman priest, and every superior of a Jesuit convent, male or female, proposes to the respective youth, from their earliest age, who are so treacherously committed to their snares.

The preceding extracts are all selected from those authors who have not only been approved by the popes of Rome, whom the papists believe to be infallible; but they are also the writers whose authority, as expositors of Jesuitism and Romanism, is ever adduced; and whose ungodly canons and rules, all those who enter their seminaries and convents, unless the grace of God interpose and deliver them from their worse than Egyptian bondage, never cease to "love, honour, and obey." III. The Monastic system is destructive of national prosperity. European annals assure us, that convents are the vortex in which all national morals and wealth are engulfed. Of their tendency to exterminate civil and religious liberty; and of their matchless turpitude, the evidence already adduced is amply convincing. But there are other points which more immediately advert to the welfare of the republic in its political and temporal relations, that require distinct illustration These have been so elegantly delineated in Makray's essay on the "Effects of the Reformation;" that it is indispensable to insert his luminous historical development of monastic institutions, not only on account of its intrinsic value, but also because the testimony affords such powerful corroboration of those principles which this disquisition inculcates. Effect of the Reformation upon Civil Society, by W. Makray. Pages 83-96.

"The reformation has promoted the internal security and prosperity of the states of Europe, by effecting the abolition of various customs and institutions which were calculated to corrupt their morals and to impoverish their resources. The cruelty of some of the heathen emperors, and the terrible persecutions with which they visited the primitive Christians, induced multitudes of the latter to escape into the solitary and uninhabited places, where the enthusiasm that distinguished many of them was inflamed to an extraordinary degree by the gloom of the surrounding desert. Fanaticism having continued the unnatural practice of leaving society, even after the cause which had given birth to it had ceased, the monastic life began to assume a regular form. Edi

fices were reared and appropriated to the purpose; rules were prescribed for the observance of their inhabitants; and eminent for piety was the individual esteemed, who, forsaking the vain pleasures and pursuits of a fleeting world, took up his final retreat in one of these solitary mansions. This was the origin of monastic institutions; and one of the most surprising subjects that can engage our contemplation, is the extent to which they increased. To think of a society that derived its existence from an obscure individual, who possessed no influence save what his fervid superstition conferred upon him, extending its ramifications over one kingdom after another, and over one region after another, till it could boast of an establishment over half the globe-numbering, too, among its members, statesmen, kings, and emperors, and actually grasping a great part of the wealth of the nations in which it prevailed-is one of the most astonishing scenes that history unfolds.

"The monastic life is unnatural,-for it is in direct opposition to an original principle of the human mind, by which our species are connected among themselves-the desire of society; nor is there a more striking phenomenon in the history of mankind than this-that a wild enthusiasm should acquire entire superiority over an affection to which men in every region in the world do homage. The professed and primary object of monastic institutions is preposterous. Little can be said for the rationality of minds which could suppose that the duties we owe to the God who made us, may be better performed amid the gloom of the desert, and the dreariness of the cell, than in the scenes of social life!

"But, although it were granted that the object of monastic institutions is not irrational, their existence, from the very hour of their commencement, was one continued crime against God, and against human society, increasing every hour in magnitude and atrocity. Man is not a being formed for himself alone. Dependant on his fellows, his very circumstances point out his destination. He is a member of society, and there are duties which he owes to society of as much importance in their own place, as those that are more immediately required of him by his Creator. What estimate, then, must we form of the conduct of him who turns away with utter contempt from all those offices of social duty, and bursting through all the strong and endearing ties by which he is connected with the members of the same great family, resolves to live a solitary man?'

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Look, then, to the aggregate of injury which, in the withdrawment of its members, was inflicted on society by these institutions, during the long period of twelve centuries, and, negative though the crime be, it will not be easily counterbalanced. If the beings devoted to monachism during all that time be estimated at the permanent average of three hundred thousand,—a number, there is reason to believe, greatly below the truth,-forty generations passed away in that period, and a total is presented to us equal to the population of England-perhaps double or triple that number-of our fellow-creatures, to whose exertions in her service, society had a right of which she could not be deprived, snatched away from her, and with all those powers and faculties, which, under a kindlier influence, might have been her ornament and her delight, buried in the lone desert! Who can tell, amid all this prodigious overthrow of mind, how many mighty spirits were

crushed in their opening energies? How many individuals were con demned to live in vain, through whose enterprising efforts light might have been shed on the paths of literature, or on the truths of religion! Who can tell whether the combined exertions of many of these lost myriads might not have prevented the disastrous reign of darkness that ensued, and rendered the reformation unnecessary? At all events, who can doubt, that, in all this inconceivable multitude, there were many who would have occupied important stations in society;-many who would have proved the centre of domestic charities, the lovers of freedom, the friends and benefactors of their species? What can redeem, from the charge of atrocious guilt, the system which occasioned such gigantic ruin of intellectual and moral, as well as of physical powers! "This, however, is not the precise view of the injury done to society by monastic institutions, nor is it that in which their criminality appears invested with its highest aggravation. It is, indeed, much to deprive society of the benevolent exertions of millions of her members; but it is a painful addition to set all these millions in hostility against her. From the principles on which these institutions were established, and the conduct which characterized their members, they were arrayed against her prosperity and her peace. The principles on which they were instituted, were those of entire devotedness to the court of Rome, and absolute independence on the civil power. Now, the exemption of such vast numbers of ecclesiastical persons from all subjection to the secular authorities, was utterly at variance with national security; yet this exemption was claimed for them, and during many ages afforded ground of contention and warfare in almost every nation of Europe. It was too late, after the reformation had taken place, to think of continuing such a state of matters; but its continuation was attempted, and, in the articles decreed by the council of Trent, for the reformation of princes and civil magistrates, which were, in fact, but a collection and confirmation of the decrees of former councils, we may read at once a description of the state of Christendom for ages previous to the refor mation, and of the state in which, if papal influence had been sufficiently powerful, it would still have remained. The principal decrees of this council, on this subject, are the following: That persons ecclesiastical, even though their clerical title should be doubtful, and though they themselves should consent, cannot, under any pretext, even that of public utility, be judged in a secular judicatory. Even in cases of notorious assassination, or other excepted cases, their prosecution must be preceded by a declaration of the bishop of the diocess. That in causes spiritual, matrimonial, those of heresy, tithes, &c., civil, criminal, mixed, belonging to the ecclesiastical court, as well over persons as over goods, pertaining to the church, the temporal judge cannot intermeddle, notwithstanding any appeal, &c.; and those who, in such causes, shall recur to the civil power, shall be excommunicated, and deprived of the rights contended for. Secular men cannot constitute judges in causes ecclesiastical; a clergyman, who shall accept such offices from a layman, shall be suspended from orders, deprived of benefices, and incapacitated. No king or emperor can make edicts, relating to causes or persons ecclesiastical, or intermeddle with their jurisdiction, or even with the inquisition; but are obliged to lend their arm to the ecclesiastical judges, when called on. Ecclesiastics shall

not be constrained to pay taxes, excise, &c. not even under the name of free gifts, or loans, either for patrimonial goods, or the goods of the church. Princes and magistrates shall not quarter their officers, &c. on the houses or monasteries of ecclesiastics, nor draw thence aught for victuals, or passage-money, &c. And there was an admonition to all princes to have in veneration the things which are of ecclesiastical right, as pertaining to God, and not to allow others herein to offend, renewing all the constitutions of sovereign pontiffs, and sacred canons, in favour of ecclesiastical immunities, commanding, under pain of anathema, that, neither directly nor indirectly, under any pretence, aught be enacted or executed against ecclesiastical persons, or goods, or against their liberty; any privilege or immemorial exception to the contrary notwithstanding."

"Such are the privileges which, not the monks only, but all the orders of the clergy, insulted the powers of Europe by arrogating to themselves, and in asserting which, they frequently threw whole kingdoms into confusion. It is evident, that these articles imply a total independence of the ecclesiastic on the secular powers, inasmuch as the latter could, on this plan, use no coercive measures, either for preventing the commission of crimes by the former, or for punishing them when committed-could not, even for the eviction of civil debts, or discharge of lawful obligations, affect the clergy, either in person or property, moveable or immoveable; and could exact no aid from them for the exigencies of the state, however urgent. Besides, the independence wassolely on the side of the clergy. The laity could not, by their civil sanctions, affect the clergy without their own concurrence; but the clergy, both by their civil and by their religious sanctions, could affect the laity, and, in spite of their opposition, whilst the people had any religion, bring the most obstinate to their terms. The civil judge could not compel a clergyman to appear before his tribunal; the ecclesiastical judge could compel a layman, and did daily compel such, to appear before him. And in all the interferings and disputes between individuals of the different orders, the clerical only could decide. Moreover, though the kinds of power, in the different orders, were commonly distinguished into temporal and spiritual, the much greater part of the power of the ecclesiastics was strictly temporal. Matters spiritual are those only of faith and manners; and the latter only as manners; that is, as influencing opinion, wounding charity, or raising scandal. Whereas, under the general term spiritual, they had got included the more important part of civil matters also, affairs matrimonial and testamentary, questions of legitimacy and succession, covenants, and conventions, and wherever the interposition of an oath was customary. Add to these, that they were the sole arbiters of the rights avowedly civil of the church and churchmen, and in every thing wherein these had, in common with laymen, any share or concern.' The popish clergy generally, and especially the monastic orders, were 'a sort of spiritual army, dispersed in different quarters, indeed, throughout Europe, but of which all the movements and operations could be directed by one hand, and conducted upon one uniform plan.' The monks of each particular country were a particular detachment of that army, of which the operations could easily be supported and seconded by all the other detachments, quartered in the different countries round about. Each detach

ment was not only independent of the sovereign of the country in which it was quartered, and by which it was maintained, but dependent on a foreign sovereign, who could at any time turn its arms against the sovereign of that particular country, and support them by the arms of all the other detachments.'

"The monastic institutions were injurious to the states of Europe, inasmuch as they absorbed a vast portion of national wealth. It is not merely true of them that they were supported in affluence and splendour-at the expense of the very community whose claims on their services they had spurned; but aided by the delusions which popery had spread over the world, they drew into their possession immense riches, the greater part of which, as to any advantage resulting from it to the state, became from that moment utterly dead.

"But the revenues which they derived from their endowments in land, and from their church livings, although quite enormous, were not the only sources of wealth to the monasteries. Sums exceeding conception came into their possession from the sale of relics, and the voluntary offerings of superstitious devotees. Perpetually were the religious of the monasteries exhibiting a vast variety of relics, whose virtues were marvellously adapted to all the exigencies of human life: there were, for example, three or four arms of Andrew, some dozens of Jeremiah's teeth, the parings of Edmund's toes, some of the coals that roasted Laurence, the girdle of the Virgin Mary, shown in eleven several places, two or three heads of Ursula, some of Peter's buttons, and many rags, of the muslin and lace of Margaret and Clara, and other illustrious female saints! A thousand marvellous properties were attributed to these precious relics. They had power to fortify against temptation, to infuse and strengthen grace, to drive away the devil and all evil spirits, to allay winds and tempests, to purify the air, to secure from thunder and lightning, to arrest the progress of contagion, and to heal all diseases! Indeed, it was much more difficult to tell what they could not, than what they could do! To be permitted to touch, or even to see these hallowed things, was a privilege for which the people had to pay; but the possession of them was to be obtained only with a very great price; and the virtue by which they were distinguished, was also proportioned to the rate at which they had been procured.

"In addition to the immense sums received for their relics, the monasteries were ever attesting some new miracle, for the purpose of attracting the unhealthy, the penitent, and the pilgrim; all of whom were expected to leave an offering behind them to the wonder-working saint. The wealth of which, by these means, the monks became possessed, was enormous. An English historian informs us, that the offerings at the shrine of Thomas Becket amounted, in one year, to nine hundred and fifty-four pounds,-a sum equivalent to fifty thousand dollars; and that the gold taken from the shrine, at the time of the demolition of the religious houses, 'filled two chests, which eight strong men could hardly carry.' The jewels, the plate, the furniture, and other goods, which belonged to all these houses, must have amounted to a prodigious sum, of which no computation can now be made. In many of the rich monasteries, their vestments were of cloth of gold, silk, and velvet, richly embroidered; and their crucifixes,