wonderful versatility and powers of adaptation of the human mind to new modes of thought, feeling, and expression, is, in this case, strikingly illustrated. But are we not mistaken in imagining this versatility, this power of adaptation? Are none of these men Jesuits? We do not mean Jesuitical; for of that we are certain. But do none of them belong to the Society of Jesus literally? Has Mr. Newman ever been at Rome? Are the public announcements true that he spent some considerable time in that celebrated city? If so, may he not have been initiated into the mysteries of the order, and been adopted as one of the fraternity? Of one thing we have no doubt; namely, that he not only ought to belong to the Society, but also forthwith be promoted to its generalship.

(To be continued.)

ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE LATE MRS. FLETCHER, OF MADELEY, TO MR. JOHN VAUGHAN, SEN., LONDON.

Madeley, April 28th, 1792.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-I have to thank you again for another kind present. I have just got a message from our William, that the cask of cider you have been so kind as to forward is come up, and I am going to send Mr. Yates's cart for it this afternoon; but what shall I do for you in return? O that I could procure for you the living water! Well, I will pray for it; and may a few drops fall on this letter !

I am deeply sensible of the melancholy state of your present situation, which only the presence of a loving Saviour can render easy. Though my loss is now almost seven years back, believe me, it is to me as if but yesterday our souls are equally united as when we walked together to the house of God. But here is my consolation,-the will of my God is done; and my language many times a day is, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities are overpast.” That is a sweet word,-"None ever trusted in the Lord, and was confounded." We know by experience, the more confidence any one places in us, the more we are inclined to help and succour them. And shall it not be the same with the God of love? Yes, yes! as far as the heavens are above the earth, so far is his mercy above our warmest conceptions. I can therefore only recommend my friend to what I practise myself. I mean, to make trial of that word, "Casting all your care upon Him, for he careth for you." But perhaps you say, "There are some particular things which hold me back. I resolve, and re-resolve; and yet I am slain by the same

'Unhappy dart

Which, ah! too often wounds my heart." "

Well, I still say the same; for faith is that alone which quenches every fiery dart: this is the victory which overcometh, even your faith. I pray, therefore, that your faith may grow abundantly; and then I am sure all other graces will keep pace with it. I find, the more I strive to look at Jesus, to forget myself, and rest my mind on the great Atonement, the more I get forward. I remember a good man who kept his mind stayed on God by a constant repetition of those words: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen, Jesus!" He said, he scarce ever

drew his breath twice without repeating them; and after his soul had thus waited on God for a time, he was brought into that perfect rest where “the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." If we do not repeat the same words, let us, however, keep in the same posture of soul, offering up our whole selves, body, soul, and spirit, into the hands of God, that all his will may be done in us; let us feel deeply, "Without me ye can do nothing;" and he will undertake our cause, and conquer for us.

Mr. Horne's leaving us has caused me much difficulty. We have been near four months without a Minister; and I had great trouble to get supplies, as the Vicar left it wholly to me to choose a Curate, which was very kind. At last we have got one, I trust, from the Lord; a plain, earnest, active man, whose heart seems to be set on the glory of God: the people like him, and he them; so, I trust, we shall be blest together.

Mr. and Mrs. Horne are to take ship next week in the “ York :" all the ships that have gone already, as far as we have heard, have met with hard weather, and most have put back to refit. So we bear them on our hearts, and give them up to the will of the Lord, as it is thought the place will be very unhealthy for a time. The English are to live in their ships for near a year. The scheme is a noble one; but it calls for much faith and patience. O that the name of Jesus may be glorified in Africa! I must now conclude.

Your much obliged, affectionate friend,

M. FLETCHER.

grave.

The

P.S. I thank God I am tolerably well in health, able to do a little for the Lord; though I always see myself as with one foot in the book of letters is much blest to many: I trust the same to you. To Mr. John Vaughan, sen., Symon's-Wharf, London.

THE VICTORY OF THE BIBLE OVER POPERY.*

MR. and Mrs., lately residing in Calais, had taken great pains to bring up their children in the strictest accordance to the Church to which they belonged. They were not of that class of Roman Catholics (which is often to be met with in France) who are guided by superstition; but were, in the strictest meaning of the term, rigid Roman Catholics. The eldest daughter, after having passed the usual routine of examination and preparation, (which consisted of committing to memory a number of Catechisms, and repeating numerous prayers to the Virgin, to saints, and angels,) went to her first communion, to which she was admitted at an earlier age than usual, on account of her piety and devotion. As a proof of the approbation of her Confessor, he gave her a chaplet, which consisted of beads; for each of which a prayer was to be said to the Virgin: and this chaplet, by an especial blessing of the Pope, was to be the means of obtaining indulgence for the souls in purgatory. Every time that these prayers were said, it gave forty days of indulgence to the soul for which it was desired; and on

*The following narrative may be relied upon as strictly true. It has been transmitted to us by a Minister of the Wesleyan Connexion, who knows the parties, and attests its authenticity.-EDIT.

All-Saints'-Day, if said with fervour, after having been at mass, it was supposed to save a soul entirely from purgatory. By this means she supposed that her grandfather and other relations had been delivered out of purgatory: it would have delivered herself had she so pleased; but this she left for those who came after her to do. However, "it cost more than a man can give to redeem a brother from death." The prayer to the holy Virgin, which was repeated ten times to each bead, is the following:-" Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us poor sinners, now, and at the hour of death. Amen."

From this time, years passed rapidly on in the same manner, and the younger members of the family were brought up in the same sentiments. There was a statue of the Virgin, which belonged to the ancestors of the family, and which was given to the two daughters; and morning and evening might these two sisters have been seen addressing to it their prayers and adoration. All their pocket-money was spent in adorning it, and all their leisure-time in dressing it, &c. At the age of nineteen the eldest daughter came to England, where she was so situated as to be far from any Roman Catholic place of worship; but she had made the arrangement never to go into a Protestant church, and to fast the appointed days. She read with attention her Mass-book. The friend with whom she resided laid a French Bible on her table, saying, it was there for her perusal whenever she liked; but the Bible was gently pushed away by the elbow, and remained untouched for at least six months. It would seem the servant dusted daily every other book but this Bible; and although the dust annoyed Miss very much, yet she would not wipe it off, lest it should be imagined she had read the Bible. The truth was, Miss always heard that it was a most improper book, and she durst not open it. After some time, she agreed to accompany Miss L. to the English church, taking at the same time her Mass-book, which she diligently read; and not being able to understand English, thought herself secure, particularly as there was no ceremony that could hurt her feelings; but for this she was severely reproved by a French Priest in London, where she went to confess, at Easter.

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had

One Sunday morning, Miss not being well, remained at home, and read her service as usual; after which, she laid the book on the chimneypiece, where it was when Miss L. returned from church. She opened it, and the first thing that met her eye was the Litany of the holy Virgin. She exclaimed, "O Miss is it possible you read that?" Miss replied, "Certainly." But," "added Miss L., "what sort of prayer can you address to a creature who, like yourself, had need of a Saviour? If your religion teach you thus, I wonder that your good sense does not tell you, that God is the only one who can hear and answer prayer." Miss replied, "Do not say any more; you have your faith, and I have mine: I can only add, that I have the greatest confidence in the Virgin, and it is through her I ask for everything I need from God." "But," said Miss L., " where in the Bible do you find such an assurance?" Miss replied, "Not in your Protestant Bible, but in the Bible founded on the Apostles." + "Then," said Miss L., with tears in her eyes, "if you can

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* How many Protestants have dusty Bibles on their shelves?-EDIT. The meaning of this expression is evidently, that she conceived the Protestant Bible to have been altered and perverted; but the Roman Catholic version of the Bible to be the true one, and not mingled with errors.-EDIT.

but show me such a passage in the Bible, I shall not only embrace your religion, but at once adore the Virgin."

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From this time Miss read unceasingly the Bible approved of by the Archbishop of Paris, in hopes of finding the passage she wanted; but, before she had got half through, she returned to France, meaning to keep her reading the Scripture and attending the Protestant church a profound secret from her family. The first evening after her arrival, as she and her sister were alone, the latter said, "I have been reading a book which, if true, is either very bad, or we are in the principles of the most dreadful error." Miss replied, "What book ?" "It is a book translated from the English, called 'Father Clement." "But how did you procure it?" "It was an old book, which was sold amongst some things belonging to an English lady." "But what is it about ?" "It proves, from the Bible, that the Roman Catholic faith is not founded on the Scripture; and that the Protestant faith, on the contrary, is the pure religion founded on Jesus Christ you, that have been for nearly a year in a Protestant country, what do you think of this belief?" "O, my sister, do not ask me! All I can say is, I have the greatest esteem for the Protestants; but let me read the book." "No," replied her sister: "it has made me very unhappy; and you had better not." But Miss insisted, and they sat up all night reading it. The question now was, whether the book was really founded on Scripture or not; upon which Miss replied, that she would search for all the references to the Bible when she returned to England. Morning came, and found the two sisters exactly in the same state that they were in the night before; and, without expressing to one another their views on prayer, they each went away as far as possible from the Virgin for their morning devotion. They then gave the book to their mother, who read it, and returned it to them without making any observation; so that they durst not ask her any question on the subject. Four weeks soon passed away; and a few days before returning to England, Mrs. O called her eldest daughter, and asked whether she was not going to mass, and also to confess; as she had not these privileges in England. She consented; but still kept putting off the day as long as possible. Scruples of conscience now arose in the hearts of these two sisters, as to whether they ought to confess or not; knowing that their feelings with regard to praying to the Virgin had undergone a great change, and yet at the same time aware that if they did go, they must tell all that had occurred. At last they resolved to go together, trusting that they should be enlightened. When there, they felt the only prayer they could offer was, "O God, teach us what we are to do! Shall we confess, or shall we not?" Being near the confessional, they let every one pass on before them, till they were last; and then the youngest said, "Are you going?" to which Miss replied, "No, I cannot." They returned home; and the first words Mrs. said to them were, "Well, I am glad you have been together;" but they did not reply.

Miss left France the next day, to return to England; and the first thing she did on arriving was to purchase a Bible for her mother and sister, entreating them to read it; and at the same time quoted all the texts that had reference to "Father Clement." It is unnecessary to give these texts here, as those who are interested in this story can, like these sisters, take this book, which has been so much blessed, and compare it with Scripture. Day after day passed on, and the Holy Spirit was doing his work in her heart. The Mass-book had been replaced by the Liturgy of the Church of

England; her views became more and more enlightened on the subject of those things belonging to her everlasting peace.

Having had occasion to make an engagement with a person of the greatest religious principles, combined with every grace that can adorn a Christian character, she wished, before finally taking up her residence with Miss P., again to visit her family.

The first Sunday that she and her sister were alone, the latter asked her whether she intended going to mass. She answered, "No: I suppose, however, you are going." Her sister replied, "No; I shall remain with you." A week elapsed before either of them touched on the all-important subject of religion, as they had not the courage to inquire of each other what was the state of their minds. The next was a wet Sunday, and Miss

took the occasion of asking her mother whether she was going to church. She replied, "Make your own arrangements: I shall not go." Their father then got up, and said, in a grave manner, "Times are sadly changed now: there seems not to be a heart which desires to go to church."

The same evening, Miss going to her apartment, naturally turned her eye to the place where the statue of the Virgin stood, and saw that it was in a neglected state, and bearing evident marks of having been long untouched; then, turning to her sister, she said, “Is it after this that I am to judge of your thoughts?" She threw herself into her arms, and they wept mutually. The fire having now burnt within them, they at last spoke with their tongues, and made each other acquainted with the Lord's dealings with them. Their state of mind was now truly wretched, not knowing what to do. They consulted together, whether they should ask the advice of some good Priest. "But then he will say we ought not to have read the Bible, to give us such doubts.” "Then let us consult some Pasteur" (that is, a Protestant Minister). "Ah! then he will prove that Protestantism is right." "No; let us continue to read our Bible, with prayer: God has done his work hitherto, and he will carry it on."

At this time they discovered that their mother also read the Bible, and was exactly in the same state of mind; only that, as she was the head of the family, the difficulties of coming to a right decision fell with double weight, feeling her responsibility in guiding her children aright. Miss

had then to leave her parents and sister, hoping that more enlightened days were yet to come.

She arrived at Miss P.'s house in England, and continued to study the Bible with attention and prayer, and became thoroughly convinced that it ought to be her only guide. The question of importance now was, “Must I change my religion, and can I not retain my principles without making any public show?" Conscience told her she must "give up all, and follow Christ;" but, at the same time, she resolved that she would not avow her principles publicly, till she obtained her father's consent. The first opportunity she had of returning home, she found her mother and sister convinced of the errors of the Roman Catholic church, but still their hearts not sufficiently enlightened openly to acknowledge the true faith. Her sister had occasion to hear a sermon on Good-Friday, some passages of which had so forcibly struck her, that she made the courageous resolution of going to the Priest, and demanding an explanation. This Priest was not the one she was accustomed to hear, but a stranger in the town. The following day she asked to see him at the confessional, at the same time not intending to confess, (at least, not on that day,) but was resolved to find out what 3 Y

VOL. I.-FOURTH SERIES.