peror Henry and gave it to Rudolphus. He had reached his grand climacteric in the days of Wickliff, and Luther gave him a mortal thrust, which introduced into his system that chronic consumption under which he has ever since lingered. But it remains for John the apostle, and last prophet of the church, to declare his last agony and final overthrow. As we have no time more than to sketch the naked outline, we shall hasten to the consummation, as respects the Babylon of John, so exactly identified with the subject before us. In his apocalyptic developments, 18th chapter, he declares her final doom. My proposition carries in it the indication of a monster. She is the Man of Sin! Babylon the Great-a city, a beast, a woman, a state, a persecuting power; scarlet, purple, drunken with the blood of the saints, with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus!! MYSTERY! By mystery she rose, she reigns;-her mystery of purgatory, transubstantiation, relics, miracles, signs, sacraments, and unfathomable doctrines, have given her power: for, says Paul, (2d Thess. ii.) describing the advances of this son of ruin, and lawless one, "His coming is according to the operation of Satan, in all power and lying wonders."-Douay Testament. Babylon, the ancient capital of Chaldea, great as it was, was but the type. Her antitype is the spiritual city. This city sits upon. the seven mountains of the "Holy Roman Empire," which the heirs of Pepin erected. For thus did they blasphemously designate the new empire erected out of the seven grand electorates of Germany; the seven heads of that empire which sustained the assumptions of the papal see.

But we have now to do with her overthrow. The means of her decay are, first, the spirit of the Lord's mouth. The reading, preaching, and circulating of the Bible. The second is the hatred of the ten horns; "For the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire." Flesh is the symbol of riches. And riches she has had beyond comparison. It is said, that in two churches in Spain, some fifty years since, there were more gold and silver, in saints, apostles, and angels, than the richest sovereign in Europe was worth. Her real and personal estate has never yet been valued. But the political powers shall get tired of the cupidity and insatiable appetite of this monster, and shall plunder her resources and confiscate her estate, as in France and England, and thus shall her ruin com mence. But at the moment when judgment shall be given in favor of the saints of the Most High,-when the hour of her destruction has come suddenly and in an instant, as when an angel hurls a millstone into the sea, shall Rome with all her glory be swallowed down, and engulphed in immediate and eternal ruin. We do expect in the final catastrophe of Papal Rome a combination and concentration of Almighty wrath. The vials of God's fiercest anger await her. The Plagues of Egypt, Sodom, and Jerusalem are in store for the Son of Perdition. In the battle of Armageddon, blood shall flow for 1600 furlongs, to the bits of the horses' bridles. It is remarkable, that this 1600 furlongs make exactly the whole extent of the State of Rome, which the popes have so long held. From the Tiber to the Po is just 200 miles or 1600 furlongs. Still the last act of this appalling drama will be short. The artillery of Heaven's vengeance shall burst upon her in a moment; for Omnipotence has a long controversy against her for her evil deeds. I have only time to add, that

all things said by Daniel, Paul, and John perfectly harmonize in the suddenness and completeness of her destruction. However gradual, for a time, the consumption and decay of her strength and glory, she will die a violent death; for all the witnesses attest that a sudden and overwhelming destruction awaits her.

But amid the tremendous darkness of this dread hour, the bright and morning star of Israel appears: for as soon as the flying angel, as it flits across the heavens, announces in words of everlasting joy, that the hour of her judgment has come, the angel in his rear, attendant on his flight, shouts triumphantly from east to west: "It is fallen! It is fallen! Babylon the great is fallen!" Then shall there be "voices and thunders, and lightnings, and the universal earthquake which shall bring the cities of the Gentiles to the dust." Then will be the time when a voice from heaven exultingly shall say: "Rejoice over her, ye holy apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her! Then the immense multitude of saints,-the martyred millions in heaven shall say: Hallelujah! Salvation, and glory, and power to the Lord our God: for his judgments are true and righteous: for he has judged the great harlot, who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged the blood of his servants shed by her hand! And a second time they said, Hallelujah! and the smoke of her torment ascended forever and ever!"

Then, indeed, shall the kingdoms of the whole earth become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his anointed. Then the cause, so long oppressed, shall universally triumph: for ages of prosperity and joy are yet to crown the labors of Messiah; and untold millions, the trophies of his mediation are yet to gladden heaven and earth by their cheerful submission to his authority, who shall then be acknowledged the rightful King of kings and Lord of lords.

Such a catastrophe is even feared at Rome itself. The popes have uttered it abroad; they have proclaimed to the world that they felt St. Peter's chair tremble under them;-that the throne of the prince of the apostles now totters to its fall. In dolorous strains they lament in their encyclical letters the prevalence of liberal (with them infidel) principles. Even in Italy and in Spain the sovereign pontiff observes indications of the spirit of the age. Free discussion, the liberty of the press, or even a whisper about free government, in the environs of Rome, grievously afflicts him. It has been said by the most intelligent in the internal affairs of Roman Catholic countries, that it would not be the most unexpected event if the present incumbent of the Papal chair should be the last of the popes of Rome.

Public opinion is fast changing even in those countries, and there is an under-current which, like a subterraneous fire, is liquifying the foundations of the hills and mountains on which this proud superstructure rears its aspiring head. The pope is looking abroad, perhaps to the "mountains of the moon," or to the great valley, as to a wilderness, in which there may be an asylum reared for him in such a contingency as might drive him from the Eternal city. Who knows but that the ecclesiastic politics of Roman Catholic Europe have aided the tide of emigration prospectively, on the chances that are to decide the fortunes of the hierarchy in the Old World.

But the destinies of western Rome, the theatre of the prophecies before us, exhaust the symbols of these predictions. The fortunes of our country and of the Papacy here, belong to another chapter.

Whether it shall simultaneously fall in the New world, or shall seek here to recruit its shattered interests, and seek to found a great American Roman Catholic hierarchy, is a question of grave import, which it is not my province to examine.

Such, however, are its origin, its history, and its doom in the Old world, as sketched by the finger of God. And the history of Europe, for twelve hundred and thirty years, proves, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Daniel, Paul, and John spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

I cannot sit down without an apology for the rudeness of this great outline. It would require hours to fill up the map which I have laid before you. I have endeavored only to establish the grand landmarks, and point out the bearings of prophecy upon this institution. In hopes that my learned opponent will give me an opportunity to fortify the weak points, and to illustrate the obscure, I give place; having, as 1 judge, redeemed the pledge which I tendered in my fourth proposition: for in the history of all time, no person will ever find any one subject in which so many-nay, all the grand characteristics of this prophetic tyranny, so clearly, literally, and harmoniously meet as in Papal Rome. On this point I challenge special investigation.-[Time expired, plus 9 minutes.]

Before I take review of my friend's last speech, I wish to complete my previous one. I was speaking on the subject of auricular and private confession, when I was last up, and endeavoring to prove that it was a practice not contrary to scripture, nor immoral. I have, in proof of this position, quoted authorities from scripture, from the ancient records of the Catholic church, and from the divines and practice of the English church. I now add to them, a quotation from the discipline of the Methodist church, edition of 1835, New-York. And, to show that every argument addressed to you by my friend, falls with as great force, nay greater, on Protestants, I will read the following extract, (p. 84.) You will observe, my friends, that I do not arraign the Methodists, as immoral, or quote their discipline from insidious motives; but, to show that our practice is imitated in a way, by which it is not improved, but liable to great abuse; and that every thing that is said against us, may be said against others.

Section III.-"Of the Band Societies. "Two, three or four true believers, who have confided in each other, form a band.-Only it is to be observed, that in one of these bands, all must be men, or all women; and all married or all unmarried." p. 83. "Rules of the Band Societies." "The design of our meeting is to obey that command of God, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." James, v. 16.

"Some of the questions proposed to one, before he is admitted among us, may be to this effect." p. 84. 1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins? (a pretty hard question, my friends to answer, when the scripture assures us, Eccles. ix. 1, Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred;" in other words, whether he hath, or hath not, forgiveness of his sins.) 5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you? (What scrutiny!) 6.° Do you desire to be told of your faults? 7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home? 8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you from time to time, whatsoever is in our heart, concerning you? 9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear concerning you? 10. Do you desire that in doing this, we should come as close as possible. that we should cut to the quick, and search

your heart to the bottom? 11.o Is it your desire and design to be on this and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak without disguise, and without reserve? Any of the preceding questions may be asked as often as occasion requires: the four following at every meeting. 85. 1.o What known sins have you committed since our last meeting? 2. What particular temptations have you met with? 3.o How were you delivered? 4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin, or not?"

They must reveal the whole soul and body, inward and outward sins; and I defy my friend to quote any thing, even from Smith's Liguori, to surpass that. In the Catholic practice, the confession is to the priest alone; who is bound by holy vows, before God and man, not to abuse his trust; and it is unheard of, that a priest has ever violated his oath, by divulging the secrets confided to his ear, as the minister of the sacrament. But tell such secrets to one woman, and, as the witty Frenchman said, when asked why he began a deed with the words, "Know one woman," &c. : "Why, if one woman knows it, it is equivalent to "all men," for they will all know it soon enough from her." (a laugh.) I suspect, that my opponent also suspects by this time, that he has got into a pretty bad fix. I shall be amused to see how he will eel out of the noose.

Now, my friends, I have advanced Protestant testimony, to show, either that the champion of Protestantism has trodden most awfully upon Protestants' toes, or to prove that the Catholic practice of confession is not immoral. Did time permit, I might cite the most convincing testimony, from the fathers of the reformation, and from the German princes, to show, that when the restraints of the confessional were removed, the barriers of virtue seemed to be broken down. I do not choose to use their testimony before this audience. It is sufficiently well known, and it follows from it, that my opponent ought not to speak ill of confession; for it has every where proved itself to be a useful practice, and one beneficial to society. It has been one of the most remarkable aids to justice, in cases which legal process could not reach. To show this, I will relate an anecdote. Some one, in New-York, stole a quantity of silver spoons, and, having confessed the crime to the priest, was told, that neither confession nor absolution could be of any avail, without restitution of the ill-gotten goods. Restitution was accordingly made. Here is a fine practical comment on the subject. The police, having heard of the affair, insisted that the priest should disclose the name of the thief, and wished to compel him to do so, to promote thereby, as they supposed they should do, the cause of justice. The priest, of course, refused to commit a flagrant breach of trust, and modestly contended, that the cause of justice was much more effectually promoted, by the course which a priest in such case pursued. Restitution had been made was not this enough? The police subpoenaed him to appear before the mayor of New-York, the celebrated De Witt Clinton, who decided that the priest could not be compelled to give up the name. The lawyer employed by the priest, was Mr. Sampson, a Protestant, and an ornament to the bar. He reported the trial. Before reading his speech, touching on this very topic of the morality or immorality of auricular confession, hear the admirable, but too brief preface, he has prefixed to the volume. I am sure, every high-minded and honorable man here, whether Protestant or Catholic, will subscribe cheerfully to his sentiments. "The general satisfaction given to every religious denomination, by the de

cision of this interesting question, is well calculated to dissipate antiquated prejudices and religious jealousies; and the reporter feels no common satisfaction in making it public. When that adjudication shall be compared with the baneful statutes and judgments in Europe, upon similar subjects, the superior equity and wisdom of American jurisprudence, and civil probity, will be felt; and it cannot fail to be well received by the enlightened and virtuous of every community, and will constitute a document of history, precious and instructive to the present and future generations." Having produced before the court a book called, "The Papist misrepresented, and truly represented," and read the misrepresentation first, he continued:

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The papist truly represented, believes it damnable in any religion to make gods of men. However he firmly holds, that when Christ speaking to his apostles said, John xx. 22, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained;" he gave them, and their successors, the bishops and priests of the Catholic church, authority to absolve any truly penitent sinner from his sins. And God having thus given them the ministry of reconciliation, and made them Christ's legates, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19, 20, Christ's ministers and the dispensers of the mysteries of Christ, 1 Cor. iv. and given them power that whatsoever they loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven, Matt. xviii. 18, he undoubtedly believes, that whosoever comes to them, making a sincere and humble confession of his sins, with a true repentance and a firm purpose of amendment, and a hearty resolution of turning from his evil ways, may from them receive absolution, by the authority given them from heaven, and no doubt but God ratifies above the sentence pronounced in that tribunal; loosing in heaven whatsoever is thus loosed by them on earth. And that, whosoever comes without the due preparation, without a repentance from the bottom of his heart, and real intention of forsaking his sins, receives no benefit by the absolution; but adds sin to sin, by a high contempt of God's mercy, and abuse of his sacraments."

No wonder then, this latter being the true character of confession, if the bitterest enemies of the Catholic faith have still respected it; and that discerning minds have acknowledged the many benefits society might practically reap from it; abstracted from its religious character. It has, I dare say, been oftener attacked by sarcasm than by good sense. The gentleman who argued against us, has respected himself too much to employ that weapon, and I believe he has said all that good sense could urge against it, which we take in very good part. But while this ordinance has been openly exposed to scoff and ridicule, its excellence has been concealed by the very secrecy it enjoins. If it led to licentiousness or danger, that licentiousness, or that danger, would have come to light, and there would be tongues enough to tell it. Whilst on the other hand, its utility can never be proved by instances, because it cannot be shown how many have been saved by it: how many of the young of both sexes, have been in the most critical juncture of their lives, admonished from the commission of some fatal crime, that would have brought the parents' hoary hairs with sorrow to the grave. These are secrets that cannot be revealed.

Since however, the avenues that lead to vice are many and alluring, is it not well that some one should be open to the repenting sinner, where the fear of punishment and of the world's scorn, may not deter the yet wavering convert? If the road to destruction, is easy and smooth, si facilis descensus averni, may it not consist with wisdom and policy, that there be one silent, secret path, where the doubting penitent may be invited to turn aside, and escape the throng that hurries him along? Some retreat, where, as in the bosom of a holy hermit, within the shade of innocence and peace, the pilgrim of this checquered life, may draw new inspirations of virtue and repose.

If the thousand ways of error, are tricked with flowers, is it so wrong, that somewhere there should be a sure and gentle friend, who has no interest to betray, no care, but that of ministering to the incipient cure? The syren songs and blandishments of pleasure, may lead the young and tender heart astray, and the repulsive frown of stern authority, forbid return. One step then gained or lost, is victory or death. Let me then ask you that are parents, which would you prefer, that the child of your hopes should pursue the course of ruin, and con