�"37 :f84 .. J._�- ' ' !bser'VlIJiotlS oj a Catholic, occasioned by the First Report qf the .Jtlanagers oj the Kentucky J1.uxil .. , �ary BïlJle Society. --¡¡¡¡¡¡ __ iiIiiiii)I�� ;j¡¡t " The Mallagers of the Kentucky .Auxillarj' Bible Society, having recommended to the no­ .íce of the Roman Catholic people in Kentucky, , statement orthe Louisiana Bible Society, marlt) n May 1816, I bave paid some attention to heir Report. 'I'he followinj; observations presented them­ ielves which it is confidently hoped and reques­ .erl, that the Editor of the 'Vestern Monitor wiII llave the liberality to publish, that both sides, of the question may be understood, It has been generally supposed among the O.lo ther denominations, that Catholics would not read the Bible; it has even been questioned; whether they believe its con tens. I t is universally asserted by Protestants, that Oatholica arc priest ridden; they are represen .... ted as a kind of ideots, who pin their faith 011. their Priests' sleeves: and it is thought that IlO : Priest will permit his parishiouer to keep a Bi ... ble. It has been also maintained, in some Theolo­ gical Magazine, edited in America, that Deism is preferable to Catholicism; and not a few me are impressed with a notion, that Catholics ar Dot christians. Now aU Roman Catholics will be happy t find, that these prepossessions must be quite r moved by the above Report. "Professing chris tian love and candor, the reporter's ha ve offi dally informed the public, that the Catholics o Louisiana, even the strictest of them, are all willing, with scarce an exception, to receive and read the Bible, and never think of an objection to it, until informed by a Priest. But instea of complying with bis advice, they became mor anxious and willing to read the Bible." Will not this information, thus officially given to the public, with the spirit of christian candor and love, be uncommonly animating to the Ro. man Catholics? Will it not afford them well grounded, hopes, that Protestants will cease to preach, print, and incessantly repeat that Pa. pists are led by the nose, he.? 'l'he reporters add: " The expresslons used by some, ou being presented with aNew Tes­ tament, deserve some notice. One observed, ,. this Book contains the truth, and nothing but the iruth/'-Quel'Y. How did this Catholic come to believe the truth of the New Testa ment, if he had not previously been so tau1Jbt by tho (4.) (.5) Priests orthe Church, in whose bosom he Was regenerated and educated, whose faith be fol­ lows? I would not belie-ve the gospel, said the great St. AugusUn, if the authority oj t�-e Catho« lie Church did not induce me to it, , The report goes on :: '"' Anotherj on reading' the title page of the N ew Testament, as soon as Ile came to the words Jesus Christ, stopped and said w íth much earnestness, This is'my King" and my God, he is my all."-1 beg leave here to ask, how a Church, which inspires her children' with such sentiments of piety by her lessons and' examples, can with propriety he called S1tpersti.,.­ tious idolatrous, �c. as it is so much the fashion to nick-name her, even from pulpits professing christianity. " Another (says the reporters) on being ask­ ed, if the Spaniards were satisfied with the New Testament, observed; they could not be chris ... tians who were not." This iscertainly boue, sup­ posing the version to be correcu---J beg reave' again to ask, how a church; in whose bosom such faith is received &. nurtured, can with pro­ priety be called anti-christian, and bel' Pastors, I anti-chrits? A true answer will be easy for any pe r son actuated by the spirit of christian candor and Jove, who will attend to the definition given in the New 'I'estamcnt of all anti-christ, to wit: (.7) A'1!gustin, Hœr. 84, St. Epiphanit.\8".-Hrer. 77.