plans for churches-but not the modern antiquity, which better suits the purpose of the critics in question. The subject of church arrangements is a most important one, but it belongs not to architects to decide, and stil less does it appertain to the self-sufficient gentlemen, composing the "we" of an insignificant periodical. The whole Church is interested, and the, laity especially so, in determining the proper form to be observed in the structures devoted to the pure worship of God, according to the principles of the Established Church; but the form being determined, the style is a mere matter of taste. The Gothic style has certainly superior claims on Englishmen, because, independent of its great beauty and flexibility, this country had a considerable share in developing it.

We have seen that every feature in the great structures of the Gothic ages is either indirectly derived through other styles from constructive peculiarities, or owes its origin directly to such influence; and we may, therefore, judge of the absurdity of those symbolical notions revived and enforced in the present day with such solemn gravity, and supported by reasonings and statements too puerile and improbable for a nursery book.

The Gothic cathedral offers a glorious specimen of man's skill, and so does the Grecian temple; they are both matchless in beauty; but the latter was erected by a people who, though possessed of such consummate skill in art, excelling in all human learning, were yet sunk in iniquity, reeking with impurity, and believers in the most absurd, monstrous and debasing superstitions; and the former was erected when superstitions scarcely less absurd, monstrous or debasing, deformed and overlaid the pure features of Christianity; when her fanatical professors, with such a marvellous contempt for the precepts and example of their divine Master, indulged in such an idolatrous veneration for the spot supposed to have inclosed his mortal remains ; flinging away six millions of human lives, and producing an inconceivable mass of sin and misery for the gratification of a superstition; yes, these were the races, these the times, when, according to our modern

ecclesiastical romance writers, men conceived such pure and lofty notions of Christianity, that they only have been enabled to produce material embodiments of its spiritualities, leaving examples that all future Christians were meekly to bow down to and humbly follow; if they had but understood Christianity half as well as they understood architecture, we might do well to follow them as our guides; as it is, they have, unhappily, but rendered error more dangerous by enshrining it with such beauty, like impure thoughts but the more insidious when clothed with the fascinations of exquisite poetry.

The cathedrals and great edifices of the middle ages do, in truth, embody the spirit of the times, and they became the records of the vices as well as the virtues of their builders; having no newspapers or Punch in which to give vent to their satire or their fun, they embodied them in wood or stone; and, according as a Cruikshank or a Flaxman, the sensualist or the spiritualist, the forgiving or the revengeful, were the designers, so was the work. The cathedral is thus full of the strangest conceits; unlucky demons in the most ludicrous attitudes; subjects the most sacred rendered ridiculous by the way in which they are treated; caricatures of each other, portraying without any ceremony the most abominable vices which the different orders of monks and nuns accused each other of practising; and yet occasionally we find the most beautiful conceptions most beautifully worked out.

And we must look with the greatest suspicion at the motives of those who erected such magnificent works, when we know that they entertained the degrading notion, that by a money payment here they could compound for their sins on earth and secure a place in heaven. In fact, a regular system of barter prevailed; a church or a cathedral, or a contribution to these, in exchange for an indulgence, a sort of bill of exchange, drawn on St. Peter payable at sight, and much more convenient to carry into the other world than the cumbersome goods and chattels given as the equivalent.

The gorgeous church of St. Peter's at Rome was built chiefly with the funds raised by the sale of these indulgences, and it was the impudent extent to which this abominable abuse was carried in Germany, that was the immediate cause of the glorious Reformation, in which Luther led the way.

EFFECTS OF POPERY

THE following extract from Macaulay's History of England, just published, will open the eyes of those who are desirous of spreading by supporting Popery; the source is as important as the matter.

"From the time when the barbarians overran the Western Empire to the time of the revival of letters, the influence of the Church of Rome had been generally favourable to science, to civilisation, and to good government. But during the last three centuries, to stunt the growth of the human mind has been her chief object. Throughout Christendom, whatever advance has been made in knowledge, in freedom, in wealth, and in the arts of life, has been made in spite of her, and has everywhere been in inverse proportion to her power. The loveliest and most fertile provinces of Europe have, under her rule, been sunk in poverty, in political servitude, and in intellectual torpor, while Protestant countries, once proverbial for sterility and barbarism, have been turned by skill and industry into gardens, and can boast of a long list of heroes and statesmen, philosophers and poets. Whoever, knowing what Italy and Scotland naturally are, and what, four hundred years ago, they actually were, shall now compare the country round Rome with the country round Edinburgh, will be able to form some judgment as to the tendency of Papal domination. The descent of Spain, once the first among monarchies, to the lowest depths of degradation, the elevation of Holland, in spite of many natural disadvantages, to a position such as no commonwealth so small has ever reached, teach the same lesson. Whoever passes in Germany from a Roman Catholic to a Protestant principality,

in Switzerland from a Roman Catholic to a Protestant canton, in Ireland from a Roman Catholic to a Protestant county, finds that he has passed from a lower to a higher grade of civilisation. On the other side of the Atlantic the same law prevails. The Protestants of the United States have left far behind them the Roman Catholics of Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. The Roman Catholics of Lower Canada remain inert, while the whole continent round them is in a ferment with Protestant activity and enterprise. The French have doubtless shewn an energy and an intelligence which, even when misdirected, have justly entitled them to be called a great people. But this apparent exception, when examined, will be found to confirm the rule; for in no country that is called Roman Catholic has the Roman Catholic Church, during several generations, possessed so little authority as in France." (Macaulay's Hist. of Eng. vol. i.)

THE REFORMERS.

"Bishop Hooper, who died manfully at Gloucester for his religion, long refused to wear the episcopal vestments. Bishop Ridley, a martyr of still greater renown, pulled down the ancient altars of his diocese, and ordered the eucharist to be administered in the middle of churches, at tables which the Papists irreverently termed oyster boards. Bishop Jewel pronounced the clerical garb to be a stage dress, a fool's coat, a relic of the Amorites, and promised that he would spare no labour to extirpate such degrading absurdities. Archbishop Grindal long hesitated about accepting a mitre, from dislike of what he regarded as the mummery of consecration. Bishop Parkhurst uttered a fervent prayer that the Church of England would propose to herself the Church of Zurich as the absolute pattern of a Christian community. Bishop Ponet was of opinion that the word bishop should be abandoned to the Papists, and that the chief officers of the purified church should be called superintendents. When it is considered that none of these prelates belonged to the extreme section of the Protestant party,

it cannot be doubted that, if the general sense of that party had been followed, the work of reform would have been carried on as unsparingly in England as in Scotland.

"The man who took the chief part in settling the conditions of the alliance which produced the Anglican Church was Thomas Cranmer. He was the representative of both the parties which, at that time, needed each other's assistance. He was at once a divine and a statesman. In his character of divine he was perfectly ready to go as far in the way of change as any Swiss or Scottish reformer. In his character of statesman he was desirous to preserve that organization which had, during many ages, admirably served the purposes of the bishops of Rome, and might be expected now to serve equally well the purposes of the English kings and of their ministers. His temper and his understanding eminently fitted him to act as mediator. Saintly in his professions, unscrupulous in his dealings, zealous for nothing, bold in speculation, a coward and a time server in action, a placable enemy and a lukewarm friend, he was in every way qualified to arrange the terms of the coalition between the religious and the worldly enemies of Popery." (Macaulay's Hist. of Eng. vol. i.)

JOURNAL OF PROTESTANT SCRIPTURE

READER.

WHEN I came home. I found a man of the name of S- from No. 2, B- C-, V, at my place, threatening my wife with severe threatenings, for my exposing the Roman Catholic Church, in the manner that I am, he said. When I came in, he jumped off the chair, and said to me, is your name H- ? I said, yes. He said, do you mean to live in the devil's religion, and be exposing the holy Roman Catholic religion as you are. I said, sit down my friend, and I will talk to you; he would not, but he seemed to be half mad, and on some bad intent. I