the father cried out, "Come, neigh bours, let us keel down, let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children; let the house go; I am rich enough!'" This providential escape was ever remembered by John Wesley, through life, with the deepest gratitude. Under one of his portraits, there is the representation of a house in flames, with this motto: Is not this a brand plucked out of the burning?"" To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I am an old man, and have lived to see great things; things which have been the joy and rejoicing of my heart. All the religious institutions which have fallen under my notice, tend to promote the glory of God, and the salvation of men ; and to most of them have I been a contributor. It is not my intention, sir, to institute any comparison of their relative excellency: but certainly the British and Foreign Bible Society is one of the most important; and perhaps no society has met with such general accept ance, both at home and abroad. Nor is this matter of surprise, when we consider the simplicity of its plan, the magnitude of its object, and the blessings it has imparted to the poor as well as to the rich; to the captive as well as to him who is at liberty; to persons in work houses, hospitals, and other mansions of sorrow and pain. There is, however, one department in which I suspect the want of Bibles is great: I mean, in inns, hotels, &c. &c. This first struck me when I was at a large inn in the West of England, between four and five years ago; and again, with still more force, when lately at an hotel and inn in London. I most devoutly wish that some plan were adopted for supplying these places with Bibles, for the use of the servants. Every one knows They are exposed to great temptatious-have very few means of re If To the Editor of the Christian Observer. It will be found, on the fullest inquiry which can be given to the subject, that the ROMAN CATHOLICS at large, and the JESUITS in particular, are merely parts of the same great aggregate. The head of the Catholic Church is, as it were, the centre of a system, round which those Catholics who are not Jesuits revolve in more regular orbits; while those who are Jesuits (like the comets of the solar system) describe more eccentric courses. The Jesuits, however, still derive all their heat and influence from the same source out of which the other members of the Catholic hierarchy are supplied in common with themselves. the Jesuits, like the fiery stars of our system, occasionally cross the path of the Catholics, and threaten them with injury or destruction, it is not the less certain that both the Jesuits and the Catholies at large are constituent parts of one comprehensive circle, whose centre is at Rome, and whose circumference is every where. It is therefore to be expected that until the Papal Church can cordially tolerate a Protestant state, the JESUITS will still continue to be, what they have been from their origin, the most active and formidable of her agents, to whom she will look with confi. dence for the destruction or hu miliation of those who either con demn her religious errors or op pose her political pretensions. No two descriptions of men could be more opposite to each other, in principles and conduct, than the Pharisees and Sadducees of old; yet they were alike enemies to real Christianity and its Divine Founder. In like manner, the Catholics proper, and the Jesuits, although in many things of very opposite sentiments and feelings, are yet pledged to one common hostility with Protestants of every name; because they are equally agreed in asserting and maintaining such fundamental errors, both in religion and policy, as Protestants can never fail to protest against, so long as they retain any more than their name. It will, perhaps, therefore, appear that, until POPERY shall lose her intolerant character (in which case she must cease to be Popery), JESUITISM will have lost none of her PECULIAR DANGER. The restoration of the order of Jesuits took place on the 7th of August, 1814, by a bull of the present Pope, Pius VII., which is well worth consulting: it sets forth the duty of the Pope" to employ all his power to relieve the spiritual Iwants of the Catholic world,"recites the revival of the order in Russia in 1801, on the prayer of the EMPEROR PAUL, and in Sicily, in 1804, on that of KING FERDINAND: it then states, that the Pope would "deem himself guilty of a great crime towards God, if, amidst the dangers of the Christian Republic, he should neglect to employ the aids which the special Providence of God had put in his power; and if, placed in the bark of St. Peter, and tossed by continual storms, he should refuse to employ the vigorous and experienced powers who volunteer their services." It then declares, that the Pope," in virtue of the plenitude of apostolic power, and with perpetual validity, had decreed that the concessions made to the Jesuits in Russia and Sicily should extend to all his ecclesiastical states, and to all other states." All necessary powers are then granted to the present General of the So ciety, "in order that the said states may freely receive all who desire to be, or shall be, admitted into the order; and power is granted to the members to apply themselves to "the education of youth, to direct colleges and seminaries, to hear confessions, to preach, and administer the sacraments.". The several colleges, houses, and members of the order, and all who shall join it, are then taken under the protection of the holy see, which reserves the power of prescribing and directing all that may be necessary to consolidate the Society more and more; to render it stronger, and to purge it of abuses, SHOULD THEY EVER CREEP IN." The Society and all its members are then recommended strongly "to temporal princes and lords, to archbishops and bishops, and to all persons in authority, who are exhorted and conjured, not only to suffer them to remain unmolested, but to see that they are treated with all kindness and charity." The apostolic constitutions of the founder of the order, Pope Paul III., and others, are revived in favour of the Jesuits; and, in short, they are placed in the same condition of privilege and power as they anciently enjoyed. The bull is directed to be inviolably "observed in all future time, and that it shall never be submitted to the judgment or revision of any judge, with whatever power he may be clothed; declaring null and void any encroachment on those regulations either knowingly or from ignorance." The bull of Pope Clement XIV. who abolished the order, is then expressly abrogated! [one infallible head of the church abrogating the decree of another infallible head of the church!]-and it is lastly stated, that" if any one shall attempt, by an audacious temerity, to infringe or oppose any part of this ordinance, he will thereby incur the indignation of Almighty God, and of the holy Apostles!!!" The publication of this bull was followed by an act ordaining the restitution of the funds which were the patrimony of the Jesuits, and making compensation for their confiscated property. The order of the Jesuits was founded by Pope Paul III., who by his bull, dated March, 1545, permits them to alter, annul, or revive, at pleasure, as times, places, and circumstances may require, their constitutions made, or to be made: and, in another bull, dated November, 1549, he sanctions the despotism of the General, by giving him complete jurisdiction over the members, and power over the funds of the Society, together with the privilege of sending any individual of the order wherever he may please. The above statement is taken from the introduction to the "History of the Jesuits," lately published in 2 vols. 8vo. by Baldwin and Co. C. J. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THOUGH your pages are devoted chiefly to religious subjects, I trust you will not think a small part of them ill occupied by an attempt to call the attention of your readers to the practice of cleansing chimnies, by means of climbing boys. This practice seems to involve so much sin on one side, and so much misery on the other, that it seems impossible that any persons of common humanity, above all, that any "who call themselves Christians," should not rejoice in the opportanity of diminishing, and finally doing away the evil, by using and by recommending the new plan of sweeping chimnies by means of a machine. Were I not fearful of taking up too much space in your publication, I would mention some of the evils we inflict on friendless infants, and some of the crimes we encourage, by a continuance of the present system; but such of your CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 182. readers as are unacquainted with them, may find them detailed, in fearful array, in a short "Report of the Society for superseding climbing Boys" where they will also find the names and addresses of many chimney-sweepers in and about London who use the machine. Very active exertions are now making by some great and good men, to promote the object of this Society; and there can be no doubt of their being crowned with suécess; but as publicity is of great importance, the introduction of the subject in your magazine may tend in no small degree to hasten the period when this reproach shall be wiped away: for such an appeal as this can hardly be so well di rected as to the readers of the Christian Observer; to each of whom I would humbly and affec tionately recal our blessed Saviour's declaration, "Forasmuch as ye did it to one of these little ones, ye did it unto me." I am, &c. A CHURCHMAN. For the Christian Observer. LINES WRITTEN IN SICKNESS, ON PS. XXX. 4, 5. Sing unto the Lord, O ye suints of his; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment: in his favour is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comethin the morning." WHAT thanks I owe thee, Heav'nly LORD, Thy chast'ning anger soon is past; * Sold by Baldwin, Paternoster-row ; Hatchard, Piccadilly; Colburn, Cons duit-street; and Wilson, Royal Exchange. Price 6d. N Full soon awake, with cheering light, And in "the darkness of the sky" When deep affliction deals the blow, He speaks the word, and " there is When fever'd pain or anguish'd smart O! then Thou bidst to faith arise C. J. H. And oh! at glimpse of early morn, When holy monks their beads are telling, 'Tis sweet to hear the hunter's horn From glen to mountain wildly swelling. And it is sweet, at mid-day hour, Beneath the forest oak reclining, To hear the driving tempest pour, Each sense to fairy dreams resigning. "Tis sweet, where nodding rocks around The nightshade dark is wildly wreathing, To listen to some solemn sound From harp or lyre divinely breathing. And sweeter yet the genuine glow Of youthful Friendship's high devotion, Responsive to the voice of woe, When heaves the heart with strong And Youth is sweet with many a joy, In tranquil thought and silent pleasure. For He who gave the life we share, With every charm His gift adorning, Bade Eve her pearly dew-drops wear, And drest in smiles the blush of Morning. TRANSLATION OF AN ITALIAN SONNET (WRITTEN UPON THE SUMMIT OF PLIN LIMMON, A MOUNTAIN IN WALES, BY JOHN SARGENT, ESQUIRE.) WITH pensive heart and trembling steps I tread These savage heights, with Alpine horrors crown'd; While eagles scream around their stormy head, And the hoarse torrents pour a solemn sound. can dwell, To the Editor of the Christian Observer. PERMIT me to offer you a few more of the poetical effusions of Tis awful! here no grovelling thought the same lamented friend, some of whose posthumous lines have appeared in your two last Numbers: they cannot fail to be acceptable to your readers. I am, &c. CANZONETTE. S. "TIs sweet, when in the glowing West The sun's bright wheels their course are leaving, Upon the azure Ocean's breast, To watch the darkwave slowlyheaving. Where all is vast, magnificent, and high; I feel, I feel the ascending spirit swell, Though faint the foot, and wearied be the eye. Ah! treacherous heart by earth-born cares depress'd, Why rove thy thoughts amid the sordid throng, Where sensual pleasures clog each valgar breast, And gold and glory trail their pomp along? PSALM XXIV. PARAPHRASE. JEHOVAI'S throne is fixed above, And bright through all the courts of love His Cherub Choirs apppear: Ah! how shall man ascend so high, A feeble race condemn'd to die, The heirs of guilt and fear! Yet think not that with fruitless pain, Even now from Earth's remotest end Ye heavens, the triumph share: PSALM XLII. PARAPHRASE. PART I. As panting in the sultry beam But rising griefs distress my soul, Ah! why, by passing clouds oppress'd, Should vexing thoughts distract thy breast? Turn, turn to Him, in every pain, Whom never suppliant sought in vain; Thy strength, in joy's extatic day; Thy hope, when joy has pass'd away. PART II O God! my heart within me faints, And pours in sighs her deep complaints; Yet many a thought shall linger still By Carmel's height and Tabor's rill, The Olive Mount my SAVIOUR trod, The rocks that saw and own'd their God. The morning beam that wakes the skies, Shall see my matin incense rise; The evening Seraphs as they rove, Shall catch the notes of joy and love, And sullen night, with drowsy ear, The still repeated anthem hear. My soul shall cry to thee, O LORD, To thee, supreme incarnate WORD, My Rock and Fortress, Shield and Friend, Creator, Saviour, Source, and End; And thou wilt hear thy servant's prayer, Tho' death and darkness speak despair.. Ah! why, by passing clouds oppress'd, Should vexing thoughts distract thy breast? Turn, turn to Him, in every pain, PSALM CXXIII. PARAPHRASE. LORD, before thy throne we bend, › LORD, to thee our eyes ascend; Servants to our Master true, Lo, we yield the homage due; Children, to our Sire we fly, Abba, Father, hear our cry! To the dust our knees we bow; Bound to earth, and rooted here, From the Heavens, thy dwelling place, Leave us not beneath the power |