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Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ 11 se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouttes tors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela etait possible, ces pages n'ont pas ete f ilmetts. □ Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplementaires: This ijem is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filme au taux de reduction indique ci- nu-:^*. and the Pope, you have many alterations. Clirist has '.'t FATHER GAVAZZI'S LECTURES. 185 spoken but once for the rule of his Church ; the Pope speaks every day; he makes new rules in the church every day ; and, therefore, you have much confusion in the Church of Home (applause). There is a great dif- ference between the rules of Christ and the Pope : at present you have the infallibility of the popes in the Church of Ptome, you have it not in the gospel. You have transubstantiaticn in the Church of Home, you have it not in the gospel. You have auricular confession in the Church of Rome, you have it not in the gospel. You have the doctrine of purgatory in the Church of Rome, you have it not in the gospel. You ave the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary in the Church of Rome, you have it not in the gospel. You have images in the Church of Rome, you have them not in the gospel. You have works of supererogation in the Church of Rome, you have them not in the gospel. You have the worship of the Virgin, the invocation of the saints in the Church of Rome, in the gospel you have none of them. You have processions in the Church of Rome, none in the gospel. You have the celibacy of the clergy in the Church of Rome, none in the gospel. You have the supremacy of the Pope in the Curch of Rome, none in the gospel. All is in contradiction with the gospel (cheers). I cannot agree with both, because the Pope and Christ cannot agree together. You cannot have unity or conformity with that theory of the gospel. Is it consistent for a house of business to 1? ve two divergent heads 1 Certainly no. Is it right for a kingdom to have two opposite heads ? Oh, no ; certainly no. Two heads are always for confusion ; therefore two heads in one church are useless, certainly useless. Ii the Church of Rome be ruled by two heads, the Church of Rome will always be in confusion, in con- 186 FATHER OAVAZZfS LECTURES. tradiction to the gospel. I conclude, therefore, that there is no need of two heads, and I am for the head of Christ. In the opinion of the Roman Catholic Church both are represented, because the elective influence came from the invisible head of Christ to the visible head of the Tope himself. Was the grace, the inspira- tion, the assistance of Christ communicated to the head of the Popes through a tube ? (Laughter.) A church with two heads ! Is it possible 1 The symbol of it is only seen in Austria, the Austrian eagle with two heads (applause). But this double-headed eagle is the per- sonification of all European tyranny and despotism ; and if this is the symbol q{ the Church of Homo, you have not now in her the beautiful Virgin of Christ, but a monster ready to destroy by two mouths both freedom and truth of the Christian world. But it is said, without the Tope you will not have union in the Church of Christ. Oh, do not fear, ray dear brethren — do not fear. In the primitive church for three centuries, when the Pope was not the head of the Church, we had Christian unity more than at present. In the primitive Church, when there was not a Pope, we had millions of martyrs confessing their faith in the presence of pagan tyrants. This was the church without a Pope, where there was no Pope. If we preserved our unity for three centuries without Popes, we can also preserve our unity at present without Popes. Christian unity is not to have Popes in countrie of Christians. No ; Christian unity is Christ, is the faith in Christ, is the gospel of Christ, and we do not want the Pope for such a desirable unity : we have the grace of Christ to preserve it (loud applause). But the Pope claims for himself supremacy in the Church, because he is said by all Roman Catholic writers to be the successor, the legitimate successor of i i FATHER GAVAZZI S LECTURE3. 187 i i St. Peter. Was St. Peter ever at Rome 1 Yes, answer the Roman Catliolics, just because the priests have preached to them yes ; and these people answer as .1 flock of sheep, yes (laughter). No, my dear brethren, answer yes when you are allowed by truth to answer yes ; but if not, do not answer yes. But in opposition to your unreasonable yes, I maintain no, and firmly assert that St. Peter was never at Rome. No, because in the Acts of the Apostles he is not mentioned as being at Rome. No, because St. Paul, writing a letter from Rome, although employing fourteen verses on reciprocal salutations, it does not mention Peter at all ; no, because the Babylon reported by St. Peter, in his Epistle, is really no other thing than Rome itself, therefore the presence of St. Peter at Rome being unscriptural, I cannot admit it as included. But say the Roman Catholics, though we cannot show from the Scriptures that St; Peter was at Rome, we have certain apostolical traditions to show that he was. Papian is the first Catholic writer who admitted the presence of St. Peter at Rome. But Papian also reports of a true fact, the fall of Simon the magician, on the amphitheatre, in the presence of Nero himself. Now, the Church of Rome denies this statement from Papian, and in many other circumstances she will not admit the testimony of him. "When he is favorable to the ideas and sentiments of the modern Rome, Papian is a very good author and dilligent writer. When he says something against the present sentiments and opinions of Rome, Papian is no good, and she adds, do not believe all that Papian says, it is not at all to be admitted (laughter). In the Church of Rome the opinions are very elastic (laughter). But I also subjoin my doubts as to the presence of St. Peter at Rome. "Oh," says Cardinal Wiseman, with great 188 FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. severity, « you are a heretic, and, therefore, you deny the presence of St. Peter at Rome." Oh, my dear Cardinal Wiseman, you support the opinion that St. Peter was at Rome, hecause you are a Cardinal (laughter); but by what argument do you support it ? " By the chair of St. Peter in the Vatican. The presence of St. Peter is proved by the presence of this chair. If Rome possess at present the chair of St. Peter, it shows that he was really at Rome." In England, the testimony, the authority of Cardinal Wiseman is not very much regarded ; but, among the Irish Catholics, the authority and statements of Cardinal Wiseman are as anew gospel. Dr. Wiseman, with tlie holy impudence peculiar in our age to the Romish prelates, endeavors to prove that the chair of the Vatican is really the chair used by St. Peter, when he was at Rome. The ignorance o<* Cardinal Wiseman on this subject excuses his foolish assertions. Since that Cardinal Wiseman never has seen unmasked this supposed chair ; for, on the contrary, we have two » Roman Catholic, all learned, occular witnesses, in the last sixty years— namely, the Catholic monk, Cham- pollion, and the Catholic priest, Lanci,at present in Rome as professors of the Romish University, who state, that the so-called chair of St. Peter in the Vatican is a chair belonging to the fifth century of the Christian era, because the architecture and the structure of this chair were not invented before ; thc/efore, mathematically speaking, the chair of the Vatican was worked at least 400 years after the death of St. Peter (laughter). Do you believe that St. Peter ever sat in this ehair 400 yea-s after his death 1 (Renewed laughter.) Therefore, to say that the chair of St. Peter is at Rome is a gross stupidity ; and to say that the presence of St. Peter at Rome is proved by the presence of his chair, more than FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. 189 stupidity — is an imposture. But suppose tliat St. Peter was at Home, and was the first Bishop of Rome, and the present Tope, Pius IX., is the successor, in the bishopric of Pvome, of St. Peter, what would we conclude from that 1 The supremacy of the Pope, and his au- thority and juri, diction over all Churches ! No, not at all, dear brethren, because St. Peter was never selected by Christ as the chief of the apostles — or, as it is called, as the prince of the apostles. All the apostles were equally called, and equally sent by Christ to preach the gospel everywhere, with equal authority. There was no chief, no primate, no prince among them. In truth, St. Peter was never primate of the apostles. I cannot repeat all these statements that are made with respect to the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Using the keys of the kingdom of heaven is the preaching of the gospel everywhere ; because Christ said — " Go forth, preach the go§pel to eveiy creature ; whosoever shall believe, and shall be baptised, shall be saved." Therefore, to obtain salvation it is only necessary to hear the preaching of the gospel, and to embrace the faith preached by the gospel ; and, therefore, the opending of heaven, by usino- the key, is only the preaching of the gospel to every creature. There never was u primate among the apos- tles, as is to be seen by reading the Acts of the Apostles. But I do not require to go to the New Testament to prove the inconsistency of the supremacy of the Pope, when I have history to support me in my argument. In the seventh century, the Emperor Phocas, by a letter, elevated Boniface III. to be primate over all Christian churches, in order to reward Boniface for giving him absolution for his murders. This is the origin of the supreme suithority of tho Popes. It was conferred on Boniface III. by a murderous Emperor. The ancient 190 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. churcl; never recognised any supremacy in the Bishop of Home. The only distinction imparted to him was sanctioned in the Constunlinopolitan council — namely, to take the first chair. But it was also clearly stated in this same council that it was merely a kind of honor, and not for a sign of authority ; owing his first seat in the council to be Bishop of the metropolis of the western empire. I deny, then, that the Bishop of Rome has a right to claim any supremacy in the Church ; first, because he is not the successor of St. Peter at all ; and secondly, because if his successor, St. Peter has never been given by Christ any authority beyond the other apostles. And now,, dear friends, you will see supported such enormous and unscriptural doctrines of the Church of Rome by many kinds of things, as human passion, grandeur, and splendor, and violence. The Roman Catholics claim infallibility, authority, supremacy for their Popes. Your Popes, your Popes ! do not mention your Popes. Shame for your Popes ! Your Pope is the vicar of Christ, the vice-God on earth, the arbitrar of the Divine Being, the interpreter of the divine law, for two centuries (1 remember only one period in the Romish liistoryj — for two centuries your Popes were so bad that Cardinal Baronius (a cardinal, not a Protestant ; a car- dinal who enjoys now the title of venerable, and, there- fore, entitled in the first degree to become a saint in the Romish Church — a Roman Catholic writer, who wrote in Rome with the support and the approval of the Popes) said, in his history, that the lives of those Pontilfs were so perverse, as not only to dishonor the Christian Church, but to degrade human nature (great applause). You find in these times, murderers, adulterers, incestuous infidels, men acidicted to ali kinds of human passions, installed into the so-called chair of St. Peter at Rome. In this iatal FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. 191 period of the popish history, we find the history of Pope Formosus, made Pope by slaughter and blood, which covered the altar of his or(lin;ition. Pope Formosus died naturally, but, after death, his successor, Stephen VI. (who, by violence and arms overthrew Pope Boni- face VI.) ordered that the corpse of Pope Formosus should be disinterred ; and he ordered also that his corpse should be dressed as Pope, in his full canonicals, the apostolic ring on the finger, the mitre on the head, the sacerdotal cloak on the shoulders. He put this corpse in the consistory of bishops and priests, and questioned this corpse on all the faults committed by him when living. Not having got any kind of answer (laughter), this Pope, Stephen, excommunicated the corpse of Formosus ; ordered that three fingers of the right hand should be cu^ff ; he then undressed this infallible Pope, and allowed the people to cast him into the Tiber. This was the charity used at this period by one infallible Pope to another infallible Pope. At this same period, you have wretched women appointing Popes, especially Theodora, mother of Marozia, the wife of Adalbertus, Marquis of Tuscany. Sergius was was made Pope by the intrigue of these women, and he lived publicly according to his exaltation. After his death, four Popes were exalted to that dignity by the intrigue of Theodora and Marozia. I cannot be silent, I will speak out for the enlightening of the Irish Catholics. John X., the son of Marozia and Pope Sergius, was made Pope by his grandmother, while he continued to be her lover, till John XI., another sacrilegious son of this Marozia and Pope Sergius, was put in the chair of St. Peter, to scandalize the world by living incestuously witH his own glory, O Eoman Catholics (applause). You read in 193 FATHER GAVAZZI S LECTURES. some Protestant books, and Roman Calholic wiiters, of a female Pope, a Pnpess (laughter) — Pope Joan. It is not true that this Pope was a female, but he was so ell'eminate in his costume, that he earned the name of Niero and Heliogabolus, apd made a scandal in the Christian body ; and for this reason he was called Joan, as if he were a female. Go and glory, if you can, in such a Pope. Now, if human passions supported for many centuries the Pope in his authority, when the world became more civilized these of the Church of Home became more polite. You find now a change in the popish system — namely, grandeur and splendor. Christ said " My kingdom is not -^f this world. The princes of this world desire to be dominant over others, but it shall not be so among you ; I am so poor, so very poor, that I have no place to rest in the night." That is the principle on which the church is founded — simplicity, humility, as stated by the Apostle St. Paul. Now, I speak for my Italy. Who are the successors of the Apostles 1 The bishops, the primates, the cardinals, say the Roman Catholics. But mark, what grandeur, what splendid coaches, splendid horses, splendid liveries, splen- did palaces, splendid apartments, splendid tables, what luxury ! what magnificient society ! All this splendor, all this grandeur, in the humble and poor Church of Christ ! This is the church in my Italy. If you want to recognise the successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ, of Christ crucified, come with me. Priests of Rome, can you prove by the gospel, by the Bible, that the Vicar of Christ must have a temporal kingdom, temporal authority, temporal empire] — that the Vicar of Christ must have palaces, gardens, country houses, horses, stables, Swiss guards, dragoon guards, noble guards 1 Can you prove by the gospel, that the Vicar FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. 103 of Christ must have chamberlains, prelates, cardinals, bishops, a court, a splendid court, a magnificient court, a large court, a profane court, a pagan court, a court IJIled by priests apostate from their temples and altars? Can you prove to me such things, and I vill worship your Pope as Vicar of Christ. Is it true, that in order to support your spiritual mission, the spiritual Church, the spiritual laith of Christ, is it necessary to have a temporal kingdom, a temporal guard,a temporal splendor? No, no ; your church is not the Church of Christ ; it is the church of the apostacy,it is the church of Antichrist, it is the church of Satan (great applause). In the book of Revelations your church is described as a woman sitting on seven hills, with purple, crowns, jewellery; and a cup of lornication in her hand— this is your church (Cheers). My dear brethren, I have desired already to show, and 1 have shown you, that it is a mistake to believe that St. Peter was ever at Rome or was Bishop of Rome ; but suppose he was, and was to come again to this world, and in order to pay a compliment to his successor, Pio Nono, suppose this poor fisherman, without sandals, wished to pay a visit to his successor, and asked some Roman Catholic, where is my successor 1 The Roman Catholic, naturally looking on the Prince Pope as the successor of St. Peter, would despise the poor man so impertinently questioning, and would leave him without answer. Well, St. Peter would perhaps say, I shall find my successor as a fisherman, on the banks of the Tiber ; but not a trace of his successor is there to be found. He would say, perhaps my successor is in the street or square, preaching the gospel. Oh, there is no trace of him preaching the gospel. He would say, I shall go up, and perhaps I shall find him in prison, where I was myself in the time of persecution. I 194 PATHER GAVAZZI S LECTURES. St. Peter finds many men condemned by liis MJccessor to prison. ♦' Oh !" says he, " I was in prison myself, and my successor condemns others now to prison. \A^h«;re is my successor] I am St. Peter; the Pope is my successor ; and will you have the kindness to guide me to my successor ;" and then he is directed to the Vatican. St. Peter enters on the stairs, and two Swiss guards, with great halberts in their right hands, meet him, and direct him to proceed. Now, with great fear, he enters the apartment, and is met by some dragoons with long swords, strutting up and down the room; and he is asking and questioning them, where is my successor? But St. Peter, speaking in Greek or Hebrew, is not understood by the dragoons of the Pope ; is sent^ instead, to the noble guards, and from them to the chamberloins, and from these to the prelates, and from these to the steward ; so that, after five or six inspections, finally St. Peter has an audience, by particular license, with his successor. He is sitting under a canopy on the great throne, embroidered with gold, surrounded by courtiers, while one whispers in his ear, you nmst now kneel before the Pope, or you go the Inquisition. He is told also to kiss the feet of his successor. Well, St. Peter kisses the feet of his successor. Astonished at this, he asks, I suppose you preach the gospel ? and he is answered, we now have changed the system, our only mission is now for power and for money (laughter). St. Peter immediately withdraws, and says, this is no mc.*e a place for me (renewed laughter). If you think upon my supposition, you will find my statement a v jry serious one. There is a great change from the days of Christ at present in the Church of Rome. I will repeat what is said of the Pope at present, that without a temporal kingdom he cannot support and maintain the spiri- FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTUnES. 1 or* tual power of the Church of Christ. This is blasphemy, as are all the supporters of tlie Church of Jloiue at pre- «ent ; yes, bayonets. I shall not speak to-day on that suiycct, it is a large subject, especially when another kind of Christians aie to speak on religious equality ; J will wait for the religious-equality meeting-, and then I will answer (laughter). At present the popes requins the assistance of this strange army— the German army, the French army, the Swiss army, the Spanish army, i„ order to support their spiritual faith. Christ said, " The gates of hell never shall prevail against my Churc'i. I shali stay with you till the last, I will support you till the last';'' therefore when a church is the true church of Christ, she does not need the support of any army, any brutal power to support her spiritual position. Christ is the supporter of his Church, the grace of Christ, not a strong army, is the support of his Church (cheers). What is at present the support of the papucy 1 By what is the Pope main- tained in his kingdom] My Christ? No. [ly the grace of Ciirist? No. By the providence of Christ ? No. By the assistance of Christ 1 No, eternally no • Pope Pio Nono is the Pope at present. Yes ; but this Pio Nono is Pope only by the means of Austrian bayonets and French cannons (applause). In Italy we are not unbelievers ; no. We are not mfidels ; no. We seem infidels in Italy, because the popish system is an intolera- ble system. We are not infidels towards (:;od in Italy we are infidels towards the Pope in Italy, because' we Will no more support this infamy of the Pope's. The Pope at present has recourse to guns and bayonets to support his spiritual mission. In the mind of the Roman Catholic is not entered the maxim of Christ, that the true Church docs nut need any temporal support und especially cannon, to support a spiritual mission. My lU rATIJER OAVAZZI 8 LECTURES, ^j^Sf keilii en, when any cliurch has recourse to the urmy, bayo^'^*» nnd guns, it is not the Churc h of Christ, it is the ChurcL ol ANTiciiiusT — tlie Chui'ch of .Satan (great applaust). Now, in the brief period of my history, see wh.it has been done hy this I'ope in Italy at present. This Pope — unscriptaral,uni<'asonable,becanse supported by brutal force— -this Pope has altered, corrupted the Word of God ; and, therefore, the pure morality of the gospel. Oh ! I pray now that my voice may be spread around your isle. JM.vrk, by appearance in your kind and warm-hearted Dublin, I do not fear any one (cheers). I do not fear any one ; I only fear my (Jod (renewed cheering.) I fear only for when I have not spoken the truth in the face of tlie world. For that mission of truth God grant me strength of body, courage of heart, inde- pendence of mind (applause). My mission is to the Irish Ivoman Catholics, in my present cour -i of lectures. Now I apptial to you my old brethren, Irish llonian Catliolics, were you not deceived by your popes ] This is God — this is the Tope ; it is necessary either to obey God, or to obey the Tope. I have proved, in the fust part of my lecture, the contrast between the teacliing of God and the teaching of the Pope; and, therefore, the necessity thai you resolve to obey God or obey the Pope ; because the gospel says, a man cannot serve two masters. But God commands you to read the iiible ; the Pope prevents you from reading tiie Bible. Will you obey God or the Popel Christ never said, « Go and search the bulls of the Pope ;" but Christ said, <' Go and .^('"rch the Scriptures " (cheers). If you leave without ^Tc:. ao notice of Christ's commands, you will not certaiiuv '■ '•>* th'' rjmmands of Christ. You will never find t; o c n.,;: ds of ChHstin the teaching of the Pope ; becuusfc they have too j^ood reason to preach the TATIIER OAVAZZl's LECTUREa. 107 contrary to what was .stated by Clirist, in order to gaia inlltu-noe and mowy amon^^ tlioir blind bi<,n)ts. Now do not believe that I will prouch a ww ecclesiasticnl demorracy amonnj the Catholics in Jrchind. No; I well know that there is at present in Tndand a blind obci1i('n-e, a m .pid obedience, an obedience such as sla;e,s and brutes ojve, to the prit-sfs. 'i'here shoidd bo nn inlulli-ont obedience in the Christian, a reasonable obedience to the priests. Oh ! I know the test— the test of Christ—" He that hcareth you heareth me, and lie that desjtiseth yon despiscth me, and he that desi)iseth me de.spiseth hiin that sent me." "^^'s, when the apostles speak what Christ spoke, wlien the jiriests preach wiiat Christ preached, not when the priests preach what the Pope obliges them to preacli ; no, eternally no. Christ says—'- Go into all the workl," not preach what you will, preach what the Pope com- mands. No, no ; but go forth and preach the gospel, the gospel, the gospel to every creature. AVlule the Pvoman Catholic priests preach a corrupted gospel, an altered gospel, as o.t present in the Vulgate, obey not your priests. When they shall preach the true ( iospcl of Christ obey them ; I repeat, when your priests preach against the true Gospel of Christ, do not obey your priest^, because they are not to be obeyed, but C.irist is to be obeyed. My dear brethren,! do not preach obedience to Luther, obedience to Calvin, obedience to John Knox. Oh, no ; oh, no ; 1 say, hear Luther, hear Calvin, hear John Knox, because they say the Church of Rome is corrupted, perverted, apostatised from the gospel. Hear John Knox when he says, take your Bible, read your Bible, live up to what ^^ ^ ' "-■ ^ P'v je^pcCL Lu v^uivia, ijutner, Knox, because they preach the gospel ; they give tlu 108 FATIIKR GAVAZZI S LECTURES. gospel freely into the bands of all Christians (great applause). My dear brethren, follow the primitive Christians ; follov/ the primitive Church of Christ. I preach against the authority, the omnipotence of the priests, and I will not substitute myself in the place of your priests. Oh, no, not at all ; but I solemnly say to you, you live in a country in which the Bible is so well translated, so faithful to the original text ; take it in your hands, it is not the Protestant Bible, though it is used iu the Protestant Church ; it is the Bible of God— - it is the Bible of Christ. Your Bible, the Douay Bible, is corrupted. The Pwoman Catholic Bible has not less than 750 capital alterations from the original text ; there- fore, your Bible is not to be called the Bible of God, or the Bible of Christ ; it is the Bible of the Pope, the gospel of human passion. Do not read this corrupt Bible, I do not flatter you. It is true, in England, people say to me everywhere, " The Irish people is a first-rate people." Why are they so blind and oppressed in this country 1 Because you obey the priests, instead of the Word of God. Pvead the word of God, and you will feel your hearts, your minds, your souls elevated (cheers). I conclude my dear brethren. Take this Bible, go to your priests with the statements preached to you from this Protestant Bible. Oh, my dear brethren, it is the Bible of God. Salvation is not so difficult a work as in the popish church it is stated to be ; it is ob- tained by faith, not by works of supererogation — not by auricular confession — not by images — not by the worship of the Virgin Mary, saints and angels, and so-and-so. No, my brethren, the love of (iod and the love of man is all the gospel — is all the religion of Christ. Oh, that God may bless our eflbrts 1 We do not preach in order o make proselytes. No, my brethren, i will call you to FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. 199 my Italy, not to proselytise, but to preach the good news — the gospel of Christ — as T preach it now to my own brethren, the Irish Roman Catholics. My conclusion is only one. If you obey the priests you will become blind, poor, miserable, wretched, oppressed, enslaved. If you obey God, you will have hilarity of heart, happiness, the domestic comforts of life not forbidden by the gospel of Christ, peace on earth, eternal peace facilitated to your family, to your society. Oh, prefer obedience to the Lord to the obedience (o the Pope ; prefer it, my dear Roman Catholic brethren, prefer it. LECTURE II. Transtibstantiation as a mystery is unscriptural, as a miracle it is uiireasonable, and as a sacrijke it is idolatrous. Transubstantiation is a mystery. All our mysteries are scriptural. The unity of God, the trinity of the persons in God, the incarnation of the Eternal Son, the death and resurrection of Christ, the last judgment, all are mysteries and are scriptural, and I believe in them because they are scriptural. Is transubstantiation scrip- tural ? No, and therefore I don't believe in transubstan- tiation (hear). Oh, it is really scriptural, says Cardinal Wiseman in his lecture on the objections to the eucharist. Now, I know that in England and Ireland the high pre- lates of the Romish Church have the exclusive property of lies (hear, hear). I have never seen men with such brass foreheads (hear and laughter). They have a sub- servient people, and they speak to that blind people any words at their will. But, Cardinal Wiseman, you speak in England and not in Rome. There the Inquisition supports your lies ; but you speak in England, where we 200 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. can refute them. Cardinal Wiseman says that transuh- stantiation is sur/ported by the 6th chapter of the Gospel of St. John. This is the faith of the Romish Church. Cardinal Wiseman remember — you lie (applause). Car- dinal Wiseman, I shall prove that tins is not the universal belief of the Catholic Church. I shall prove again that it is not the theory nor the faith of the papal church. But suppose it to be the theoryand practice and faith of the papal church, if I prove that it is anti-scriptural, then Cardi- nal Wiseman, your 6th chapter of St. John will prove nothing. Now I will show that that chapter does not prove transubstantiation at all. Christ said in that chapter — " I am the living bread which came down from heaven, whoso- ever cateth of this bread and drinketh of this wine shall live everlastingly." My dear brethren, T have never heard that bread may be a living thing, and therefore it is necessary for you to take this in a figurative sense. But in the interpretation of Home and of Cardinal Wiseman, the bread is the body, the flesh, and the blood of Christ. What is the first conclusion from the 6th chapter of St. John ? " I am the living bread which came down from heaven." If this bread is the body of Christ, then the body of Christ came down from heaven — the humanity of Christ, the material person of Christ, came down from heaven. But this is against the faith of Home, which believes that the flesh of Christ came from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and not from heaven (applause). If the humanity of Christ be come from heaven, then is the spiritual heaven changed into a material manufactory — but this is heretical. What is the second conclusion from that chapter 1 " Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this wine shall have everlasting life." Therefore, in the opinion of Rome and of Cardinal Wiseman^ all heretics who eat this bread and drink this wine are saved. FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURE3. 201. and a!l Catholics wlio don't drink of this wine and eat of this bread, are condemned to eternal perdition. So that the good thief, crudfied at the right hand of Christ, who never ate this bread or drank of this wine, is now con- demned to eternal perdition ; and Judas Iscariot, who partook of both, is now going- to eternal salavtion. Shall we therefore believe that all robbers, assassins, and mur- dercrs,only by eating (his bread and drlnkingthis wine, will be saved against the belief of Home, which professes that without priestly absolution, contrition of heart, and amicu- h.i- confession, there cannot be salvation for sinners ? If you admit the literal sense of Cardinal Wiseman in support of transubstantiation, by the Gth chapter of St. John, all assassins and sinners, without any kind of contrition or of confession, but only by eating this bread anddriidcing this wine, will be saved everhstiugly. What is the third conclusion 1 In order to obtain eternal salvation it is neces- sary to eat this bread and drink this wine. But from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries to the present time the Church of Home has deprived the laity of the cup. Therefore, the Catholic laity cannot be saved, according to the words of Christ in the Gth chapter of St. John and only the priesthood are saved, by eating the bread' and drinking the wine. Is it possible that such a senti- ment came from Christ ? Certainly not. All the an- cient holy fathers, from TertuUian to St. Thomas Aquinas hold consent in stating that the Gth chapter of St. John is a spiritual chapter, and is to be understood in a spiritual sense. But the dhurch of Rome used to interpret the divine Bible by the consent of the holy fathers. There- fore, by the consent of the holy fathers this chapter does not prove transubstantiation. Secondly, all the aeneral Catholic councils, from the great Council of Nice to the Council of Ti ent itself, have declared that the Gth chapter ii 202 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. of St. .Tolui docs not prove the real presence of Christ in tlie wafer, but only proves that a tiynibol of the body and blood of Christ is (he bread and wine. Hut I lose my time. Christ, in conchulin<|; his speech, as related in the chapter in question, says — don't take my word in a ma- terial sense, or ye will not be saved ; ttike it in a spiritual sensc,and ye will be saved. My dear .a-ethren, the Jews — the men of Capernaum — will not believe in the Word of Christ, because they think that lie was speaking in a material sense when he used those words ; and if so, tl>ey would have good reason for not believing in llim. ile- causo if Christ had. spoke these words in a material sense they wouhl be against the Word of God in the Old Testament, in which the Jews were prohibited to eat any rtesh with blood. The conclusion then is clear. The Iicmish Catholics now, and Cardinal Wiseman, believe the Gth chapter of St. John in the jnaterial sense, and are condemned by Christ. We believe it in the spiritual sense, and agree with Ciu'ist. The true heretics, in the sense of the gospel, are the Eomi.di Catholics, and the Protestants are the true believers in the Word of Christ. Tnit the greatest support of transubstantiation, (p'.oted by Cardinal Wiscinan, is the words of consecra- tion, used by Christ at the last supper. Qbrist said, taking in his hands a piece of bread — this is my body. The lecturer contended that those words should not be taken in a literal but in a spiritual sense. Christ said — this cup is my blood of the New Testament ; or this cup of the New Testament is my blood. The cup is not the New Testament — the cup is not the blood. The cup is the cup— the testament is the testament — the blood is the blood (applause). Therefore it is necessary for you to explain in a figurative scwm the riccond part of the consecration, and to say with Protestants that the broad FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURE3. 303 is an emblem of the body of Christ, and the cup an cinbh;m of his blood. The seventh general oecumenical liomish Catholic Council declared that the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are merely images of the living body of Clnist in heaven. Therefore, when I conclude from the words of the consecration that the bread and wine are symbols of the flesh and blood of Christ, I am a Roman Catholic (hear and applause). ]Jut further, in support of my theory that tran substantia- tion is unscriptural, I have the words of St. Taul. St. Paul has said— When ye eat this bread and drink this wine, ye shall announce the death of Christ until he come. And when shall Christ come again 1 According to Scripture, and according to your own apostolical creed, O iloman Catholics, he shall come only once again, at the universal resurrection, to judge the quick and the dead. Therefore, if after the words of the priest's consecration Christ comes in the wafer, St. Taul is an impostor. But if Christ shall come only once again to judge the quick and the dead, then transubstan- tiation is an imposture (applause). Christ, in concluding the consecration, said—take this in commemoration of me. Commemoration necessarily supposes the absence of the object commemorated. The Passover was to commemorate the destroying of the (irst-born of Egypt ; but when the Jews eat it at faster, they do not eat the angel destroymg Egypt's first-born. You have at Apsley House, in London, dinners in commrmoration of the battle of Waterloo ; Jut those dinners are not them- selves the battle of Waterloo. My dear ancient Catholic brethren, Christ spoke not like a Jesuit, with mental reservation (hear, hear), when he said plainly— do this in cnvnmemoration of me. By these words he excluded all union, and therefore all real presence in the 204 FATHER OAVAZZIS LECTURES. I* li hi sacrament. It is easy for a Roman Catholic priest to say that transubstantiation is a mystery for which faith alone will suffice. No — faith alone cannot suffice ; for St. Paul says, give to faith a reasonable answer ; there- fore, my faith must be reasonable. If reasonable, my faith will discuss the matter, and in order to do so, it must be enlightened by the Word of God ; but in the "Word of God I find nothing to support the mystery of transubstantiation. Believe. If I do I am not a rea- sonable Christian, a reasonable man, but a mere animal, without spirit or mind. Believe, says the Roman Catholic priests, or if you do not I have my Inquisition in order to support your weak faith (applause). So kind, so con- clusive, and so persuasive has this argument been, that all people, until the present time, have believed in the mystery of transubstantiation. But if you don't believe in the mystery of transubstantiation, you will at least believe that it is the greatest miracle ever worked by the divine omnipotence. I have my doubts. In order to have a miracle it is necessary that it be not against the law of nature. Firstly, miracles must be recognised by all our senses ; secondly, miracles are over the law of nature. They are in an extraordinary line of providence, but never against tlie law of nature. God himself cannot work any miracle against the law of nature ; for, being all-wise and immutable, he has imposed a law to nature ; and if he should work against the law imposed by himself to nature, he would be no longer all-wise and iftimutabje. Now, the miracle of transubstantiation is .against tl^e law pf nature. You have the multiplication pf the body of Christ, liis fleeh and blood into milliv/ns of wafers, at innumerable places, and times. We believe that Christ is at the ri""ht ha .d of his eternal Father • this is founded on the Bible. But I do not find in the !*1- FATHER CAVAZ/j's LECTURES. 205 Bible that Christ may be everywhere, in hundreds of thousands of wafers in as many (lilforent phiccs. It is absurd. Such a mtdtiidicalion of the llooh and blood of Christ is against all reason and logic. Christ gave his body for human redemption ; but I liave never read that he gave his soul, his divinity, for human redemption. But in transubstantiation we iiave the blood, and the flesh, and the soul and divinity of Christ all togellmr, and we cat not only his blood and flesh, hut likewise his soul and his divinity. My dear brethren, the ancicmt Pagans invented the transmigration of souls; but they were reasonable in making it a transmigration from body to body, without conceiving the one soul to be at the some moment in two diflerent bodies. But we find Chris- tians conceiving the soul of Christ at the same moment in a thousand places and in a thousand wafers. I do not conceive in what manner it could be the same soul, or have the same allections and sentiments everywhere. But the miracle of transubstantiation is against the law of nature, materially speaking, because the teaching of Rome is that in the bread and wine we have the accidents, appearance or species, without the substance and reality. Ah ! can you have any kind of shadow without some body. No. Shadow necessarily supposes the presence of body, and so in iike manner you cannot have species or appearance without either substance or reality. They say that the substance of the bread and wine is transub- stantiated into the flesh and blood, and soul and divinity of Chiist ; and that you have only their appearance or accidents, namely— smell, taste, and color. I was once a blind Roman priest in my own country. It is usual there, in officiating mass, to change the wafers every fourth night, in order to avoid worms and corruption. I was invited once to eat all the remaining wafers, and 200 FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. 11 !• 1 iinforlunately for mc they were not less than two or three hundred. I ate tlmni, but had so bad an indigestion after this breakfast ol wafers (huigliter), tliat 1 said to my coinpanions— and I was faithful to my promise— that I never more would breakfast with the body of Christ. Now, the mere species or appearance of bread could not produce indigestion. Therefore, after the word of con- secration is pronounced by the priest over the wafer, you still have the substance of bread in it, and it is not changed into the body of Christ. Again, in every Iloman Catiiolic country three masses are celebrated on Christ- mas-day. If the supply of wine for the sacrament be good and abundant, after having tasted it for the third time, in my country, perhaps the priest will grow joyful, and speak loudly ; and after the masses are over he will be seen to tremble (a laugh). Can tiie accidents of wine make a man drunk ? Will you grow intoxicated if you look at a painted picture of a tumbler of sherry ? The conclusion then is, that the sacramental wine remains unchanged after the consecration of the priest ; and it is supported by three or four passages of the epistles of St. Paul, where, after the consecration of the bread and the wine, he still calls them by these names. But further, in order to recognise a miracle, I must have the evidence of my senses regarding it. In the resur- rection of Lazarus all human senses were satisfied that there was a real resurrection, and it was called a great miracle. At the marriage of Cana in Galilee, all the guests were satisfied that the water had been transmuted into wine. But where is the miracle in transubstatitiation ? You have bread and wine before the consecration, and you have just the same after it. But in order to supply all defects of argument on this head, the Church of Rome asserts that the faith of the Christian should be supple- FATHER GAVAZzfs LECTURES. 207 mental to the defect of the senses. Oh, no. Faith is necessary to heUeve a mystery, but evidence is necessary in order to recognise a miracle ; and if you caimot pro- duce any evidence of this miracle, lloinish priesthood, I deny it. I will only quote two instances of the miracles of transubstantiation on which the Church of Home relies. First — the great miracle said to have been wrought by St. John a Capistrano, while celebrating mass. As he extolled the wafer before all the i>eop]e, suddenly there appeared to him a beautiful baby. This "baby was Christ himself. Now, mark the inconsistency, and the folly of the Ilomish Church, llomanists profess to believe that Christ is in the sacramental wafer in the perfect measure of his greatness. Therefore, in the wafer held by St. John a Capistrano, Christ was in the full measure of his greatness, and at the same time as a little baby. The lecturer declared his belief that that was a pretended miracle, and proceeded. The otiier great miracle is the blood which llowed from the wafer at Bolsena, a town in Italy. The Ilomish fable says that blood llowed from an altar at Bolsena, from a broken wafer, and was diligently collected, and that it is now worshiped there, as the real blood of Christ. If this be not blood, it is a diabolical illusion ; if it is the real blood of Christ, thefc must be a rupture of his corporeal body, accompanied with suiTering. But the body of Christ at present is incapable of rupture or suft'ering ; therefore ths blood of Bolsena is an imposture. What, then, lastly, is transubstantiation 1 It is idolatry. My dear brethren, we read in the Scriptures that Christ concluded one eternal sacrifice for the remission of our sins on Golgotha, and is now our mediator in heaven, and that we dou'i need any other yacritlce ; but the *Pvomish Church says that the miracle of transubstantia- 208 FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. '^ ! ,.i I i \ tion is a great sacrifice for the Cliristian church. Oh, hlind, remember tlic wonls of St. Paul to the Hebrews, that without elVusion of blood there cannot he remission of sins. Therefore, if your sacrifice of Ihe mass be without eflusion of blood, it is no sacrifice. The lecturer, in conchision, proceeded to prove that the sacrifice of tlie mass was idoUitrous, by pointing out that it was the everyday practice of the llomish Church to oiler mass— or the Son of God, according to their own doctrine — in honor of saints, and for the purpose of obtaining good harvests, lost health, and other worldly objects. In Ireland people even paid for masses, in order that they might the more certainly recover a missing ox or ass. The angel Archbishop of Tuam, lamenting the proclama- tion of Queen Victoria against Catholic processions, had written — " We now cannot more honor our (lod under the form of bread." Were his followers more than Tagan? The gods of ancient and modern Paganism were worshiped under the forms of stones and of material objects. A great miracle was related in the history of St. Anthony of Padua — that a donkey kneeled before a consecrated wafer in his hand ? Let those who wor- shipped God under the form of bread remember that fable, and consider whether in kneeling to the wafer, they were not assimilated to the donkey (applause). LECTURE III. The Papal system is Blindness. I WILL divide my lecture into three parts. First, I will prove that the papal system is blind, because blindness produces obedience to the teaching of the Ptomisb cler'^y. Secondly, because it is necessary to the fixistence of the Ilomish clergy ; and thirdly, because blindness produces' FATHER GAVAZZl'g LECTURES. 209 superstition profitable to the authority of the Romish priests. ]n my hist course of leclures I said anil proved that it was impossible for the Pope anil the liible to exist tojrether, anil therefore the reailini,^ of the sacreil vohuno is prohibited in lloniish countries. The ]^ible, wliich has been so beautifully described as the lio;hr.of our feet, has been always strictly prohibited by nomish ecclesi- astics. According to St. Peter it was a prophetical lamp, and therefore without it there can be no light in a Christian community ; and as the Pope will not allow the sacred volume into the hands of the people, tiiose who^obey his dictates must be blind. It is certainly true that* some time since he gave permission to a portion of his flock to read a mutilated and corrupted Bible. In my opinion that was .0 liberty. It is the same not to read the Eible at all as to read a mutilated one. The Pope d(!clares that it is not necessary for the laity to read the Scriptures, and that it is the duty of the clergy to read it for them. What Christian charity !— what unparralleled devotion ! In order to nourish my body, I find that it is necessary for me to eat and drink ; and I know, my friends, that if all the priests in the land, to- gether with the cardinals and the Pope, were to take this nourishment on my behalf, in a short time I would be reduced to a skeleton (laughter). It is, therefore, necessary that I should consume food myself for the support of my body, and how much more necessary is it for me and for you to study for ourselves the Sacred Word of God for the support of our own souls (applause). But let me give you an example of the efficient manner in which the priests in my country study the Bible for their flocks. In the whole of Italy there was no per cent, of the clergy who had n copy of the- Scriptures. I believe in Ireland the priests do read the Bible ; but of 210 FATHEIl GAVAZZld LECTURES. what service is that to their flocks, for I know from experience that they never preach scriptiinil doctrines? Oh, my friends, let them oncejjreach the unadulterated Word of God from their altars, and farewell to Pope and l*opery (applause). JJut you will never find the Ivoiiian Oatholic priest committing such a suicidal act. In one of my last course of lectures in this city,l proved that the practices of that church were un<*criptiiral ; and I now repeat it, and challenge any of its priesthood to come forward and prove to me, hy the New Testa- ment, any of the tenets of that faith. Can they prove tiie supremacy or infallibility of the Pope ? Can they show me passages of Scripture in either the Old or #lje New Testament warranting indulgences, auricular con- fession, the belief in transubstantiation, in JMariolatry, in the conception of the Virgin, in the virtues of relics, in the celibacy of the clergy, or in the sacrifice of the mass. Let any of them come forward and do this, and I will freely acknowledge that the Church of Rome is the true i\postolic Church (applause). But it is impossible for the priest to preach the true Word of God, for, as I have before remarked, in the Douay Bible, which is the only edition they are allowed, there are so many import- ant passages changed and mutilated that it almost ceases to be a 13ible, and therefore under the Eomish system, the people must be blind (applause.) Is the Pope a god that he should be obeyed 1 No ; he is a man. Are the bishops gods, are the cardinals gods, or are the priests gods? No, no, my friends ; they are all poor fallible men, that you are taught to obey, instead of worshipping the one infallible God (applause.) You feel glorious and proud here in Ireland when you can say.. The Pope has spoken to us," or <' The holy father has written to us, and we are under divine protection, for the Vicar of Cod I'ATIIF.R OAVAZZia LECTUHliS. 211 Ims sent us an oracle." '< Wi-ll, what is this Pope who is so revered? I will quote two incidents from (he briefs which this henevoh;nt, this Chri^iun father wrote from (/acta. In one of these documents he accuses the lloman republicans of having allowed their brethren to die in the streets without the benefit and comfort of the hist rites of their rclij^ion. These were the words used by (he roi)e, ntid you in Ireland believe these words, because they come from the I'ope. Well 1 say that the Tope, in this instance, has not (old the truth. I was the chief priest of the military hospital, and I speak from experience. I am now exiled, and I was imprisoned because I dared to give the last sacrament lo those poor soldiers who fouglit gallantly for the freedom of their country. Did not the Pope, then, wilfully write an untruth? In the second letter from Gaeta this immacu- late rio Nono slanders the brave and virtuous ]loman women who gallantly volunteered to serve as nurses in the hospitals of the llomish republic. Oh! may God bless these Iloman women, these angels of charity, virtue, and meekness, avIio came from all classes of society, from the aristocracy as well as the democracy, to proceed with their angelic mission, in comforting the sick and wounded soldiers. These 6,000 women who were characterized by their modesty, their virtue and charity, were basely and foully maligned by this most holy man, who dared to characterise them as G,000 prostitutes. This is the infallible Tope. O false priest of Christ ! O false head ot the Pvomish priesthood. You have calumniated 6,000 honorable women, and I now sti^Tma- tize you, not only as a liar, but as an impostor and an infamous calumniator. After this, Irishmen, go and believe in the Pope, if you can. You are told to obey tlic pastorals of your bishops, but you are never instruct- 312 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTUHE9. u ed in the Word of God. It is not long since I read in the Irish papers that the sacrament of confirmation was refused to the cliiUlren of those who dared to vote against the dictates of the priesthood ; and I also have heard that the last rites of their religion were refused to some poor men who dared to support Conservative candidates (applause). This is now the practice of the Irish priest- hood. Oh ! my Roman Catholic friends, go to their altars and ask them does the religion of God sanction such a line of conduct. This is not the course a Chris- tian priest should adopt. During the war of the U-upublic in Home, I have carried wounded French soldiers, whom 1 looked upon as enemies, on my back to the hospital, because the doctrines of Christianity taught me to do so (applause). And yet in this Ireland men calling them- selves the servants of God have dared to withold the sacrament from men, because they acted in accordance with the dictates of their conscience in voting for mem- bers of parliament. O God ! open the eyes of the Irish, and enable those good-hearted people to understand the sacred Word. And you. Irishmen, do not submit any longer to be slaves to spiritual despots. Do not allow yourselves to be led astray by the uniformity of religion which your priests wish to uphold. The true Christian has no need of the teaching of priests ; he is competent to think and act for himself, 'i'he uniformity of exterior worship is no dogma. St. Peter loved his blessed Lord and Master in a different manner from St. John, yet both were beloved apostles of Christ ; therefore it is not necessary in the Christian Church to have strict uni- formity in exterior worship. In fact, this uniformity is unnatural. It is synonymous with death and with des- truction, and was only to be found in the cew.piry (applause). Oh! Irishmen, reflect patiently in your FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. 213 homes on my words. Where in the Bible do you find instruction to the priesthood to preach the bulls of the Pope, the briets of the Pope, or the bishops, or the catechisms of the clergy. There is no such thing. Christ said to his apostles, " Go and preach the gospel to every nation," and therefore the gospel was all that was necessary for salvation (applause). When your priests preach from the gospel believe them, and when they preach against the gospel turn away from them. The priesthood in general say that 1 am an unbeliever, and that my lectures are heretical. But, my friends, you can judge for yourselves; and when you hear me preach against the dictates of the Word of God, turn round and say that Father Gavazzi is a heretic (applause). In the second place, the system ot blindness in the Church of Home is practised because it is profitable to the existence of the church. In the Homish system there is neither education nor enlightenment. I speak from the experience of my country, and the description answers for the entire Homan Catholic world. Every- thing in the shape of progress is crushed in the Papal States, and even when the project of the Queen was sent over to Rome, the Pope and the cardinals consulted, and they decided that if the Queen's Universities in Ireland were sanctioned, the Roman Catholics of this country would become too enlightened, and would shake olf the manecles of popery. 'Jlierefore there was a ban set upon these admirable establishments, and in place of them it was proposed to build a Catholic University in the city of Dublin. Oh ! what a model college it will become in the hands cf the Jesuits, and under the dictatorship of his Grace Dr. Newman and Paul CuUen (applause). What good will this college- do ? I will tell you in a few words. It will promote riot, hatred, and Ill m ;!' ' t I' 214 FATHER GAVAZZl'd LECTUIIES. pestilence over the whole island. This U all you can expect from education conducted by Jesuits, and I think you have an example of what you may expect in the College of Ivlaynooth ; but may God grant that such an establishment will never be erected ! I hope and trust that in a few years Ireland will rise from her present miserable position, for it is not only in an intellectual view, but also in a temporal one, that the religion of Rome degrades a population. Let them compare any Romam Catholic country in either the Old or New World with a Protestant country ; and while, on the one hand, they will see misery, superstition, ignorance, and enslaved people, and a priesthood enjoying all the luxuries of life, they will, on the other, behold a fertile land— its people happy, educated, prosperous, and con- tented. The first picture represented Italy, the latter, England ; it was the same in America. The United Sta°tes were Protestant and prosperous, whilst Mexico was Popish and in misery (applause). And why was this ] Because the people considered on the one hand that if they gave the priests plenty of funds, it was better for themselves to live in misery in this world, and enjoy everlasting happiness in the next; but the Protestants looked close into matters, and were well aware that happiness in this life was no barrier against the life everlasting. In this country, some short time since, the priests encouraged the, people to emigrate in thousands, to make America a land of superstition and error. But they have now discovered their mistake, they have learned that the Irish in America very soon become Protestants, and they have therefore changed their tacties and consider that emigration should be shunned (applause). In Ireland the people are more superstitious than in any other country, and the reason is that they place their FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES 215 priests in the position of God. They fear the priests to such an extent, that if one looks sour at a -poor man he treinhles all over ; and in some cases they have need to do so— for ] have known some of these meek, pious, and truly benevolent gentlemen preach from the altars in strong language, and, in some instances, announce the death of a man who has not yet died, but whom the preacher thinks it would be desirous to have removed (applause). But, my friends, why should you fear the man who can only kill the body ] Rather worship the Saviour, who is alone able to save the soul. Some of these gentlemen have had the kindness to say that Father Gavazzi is not a man, that he never was a priest, and that he is a devil (loud laughter)— and that they should not go to hear the devil talk. Now, my brethren, do not be too credulous. Look at me carefully, and see if I am like Satan (applause and laughter). I am a man, I think I may be a bad one, but I was a piiest for twenty-four years, and a chief preacher (hear, hear, and applause). You need not fear being excommunicated— the priesthood have no such power ; I was excommuni- cated twice by the Pope, and yet, strange to say, I sleep well, and have a remarkable good appetite, and am in the enjoyment of sound bodily health. Why should you mind such men? Have you not frequent examples of then- hardihood ?— can you forget the treasonable and libellous letters of a priest named Cahill, who endeavor? to make you traitors. Why should you listen to men who spend more time in political haranguas than in the service ot God ? Look, for example, at a man who was a good r.iid great member of society when he was a Quaker,and who had now gained a seat in the English parliament, because he changed his creed. This man, of Tablet notoriety, wrote some time since—" We have a camp or field of Satan, and 216 FATlir.R GAVAZZIS LECTURES. I I a camp or field of Christ. The camp of Satan is aided by the Protestant government ot England ; the camp of Christ is aided by Napoleon the Third, the hope of all Christians, and of all Irish Catholics." Well, who is this Louis Napoleon 1 lie is a man who was at war against the Pope, and lost his brother in the struggle. lie is the man who made the attack against France at Boulogne. He is the man who accomplished the slaugh- ter, in last December, of such a number of Christian freemen in France. This is the man who is held up to admhation as the hope of all Irish Catholics. Oh ! my friends, reflect on this, and live after the dictates of you, Bible, and ycu will lead a peaceful and joyous life, and under the guidance of your God, you will r.o more be slaves. You will no more be in slavery or misery, and wdl exclaim, with a joyous heart, " Give us our daily bread, bless us now and for ever ;" and the Irish nation —all, all, all— will be a happy people, under the blessing of God. LECTURE IV. Papal Intolerance. I WILL prove it by three English topics: — Papal Aggression — Maynooth — Ileligious Equality. I have taken a retrospective glance of the state of the Pvoman Catholic religion in England, and I can see the time when it was very ijuiet, and when they were prosperous and contented in England, Ireland, and Scotland, and therefore I believe that the7 then had all that was requisite for them. Well, you did not consider so, but you granted them the emancipation act, and in doing so, you should have been prepared for its caects. x ou gave, then, emancipation to the Catholics, and ever since the ^I'i m FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES, 217 Catliolics have been endeavoring to destroy the Pro- testant faith. This is what should have been expected for it is not only a consequence ol their belief but a necessity also (applause). Since the passing of that act the Catholics have increased to a very large extent in England. Well, did the lloman Catholics ask anything more ? No, they were contented, but their priests were not. No, no, the ilomlsh priest and the Komish bishop still cried out, " More, more " (applause). The question of papal aggression is not a popular qiestion ; it is not a question of the Romish flocks, but a question of the Komish shepherds ; it is not a question of worship, for from the time of Queen Elizabeth down to the time of Queen Victoia, they enjoyed full liberty of conscience. Before the act of emancipation they t-ould go to confes- sion, they could go to mass, they were at liberty to receive the blessing from the holy water, and other requisite religious ceremonies. But this is not a question of religion ; it is a question raised by fhe priests and the Bishops, for it concerns their honor and their pocket, and that is all, (loud applause.) That it is a question of honoris manifest by their thirst for titles ; and now that those titles have been bestowed upon them, you need never expect to have the same peace in England as you had before. I remember myself Ibe peace and concord that existed in England before this question was mooted. When I was travelling through England before, it was very quiet ; but now all is discord smd trouble. My brethren, you are not aware what is the feeling of the Komish Church. She wishes to be dominant everywhere, in the belief that her church is the only true Church of Christ, and that all other churches are the productions of Satan. Hernripsfs o-n ci"<^>"i'e'wfn »nrlr TH"" s- ti-a first instance ask the Protestant government for a small 218 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. 11^ I! kt ' !!■■ corner of ground on which they can erect a chapel, and have a small altar at which to worship God in truth and love. Well, the Protestant government, in a spirit of kindness and Christianity, allows the Catholic Church this small portion of ground ; and once she obtains the slight- est recognition, she works with her head, her neck, her hands, her feet, and advancing slowly, cautiously, but surely, in her pretensions, more and more she enlarges her place and increases her pretensions, and after great and constant work she takes place among- other Christian eliurches, and when she finds herself in a high position h«r pretensions are without limit, and at last she seeks to be a dominant church in a land where a few years be- fore, in a spirit of meekness, she merely asked for a small comer. Look at Wiseman, who is a domineering big- oted man — bigoted by his Spanish birth, bigoted by his Romish education. Well, this Wiseman came to Eng- land, an obscure priest. He then became Dr. Wiseman, and then Bishop Wiseman, of Melipotamus, and vicar apostolic of the London District, and then Archbishop of Westminster, and the last move as yet was cardinal of the holy see- But remember my words, and you will find I am a good prophet. I know my business, and I see with surprise that an extraordinary envoy is to be sent to Rome to ask the Pope to interfere and procure peace and quiet for Ireland. Hah ! England at the feet of the Pope ! Hah ! hah ! (Great applause, and cries of " Never.") Englishmen, this extraordinary move may be answered of vessels and of armed men. What an idea ! — to send to Eome for peace for Ireland ! My poor Irishmen, remember my prophesy ; look well to this meek, pious Wiseman. He is workjing to become a Dooish legate in England, and if he e^ain his ooint it will prove ruinous and fatal to English freedom. But this I I !!fl FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTUBEa. 2J9 Wiseman is only a specimen of his class. Rest assured of this fact, that if you give those new-titled bishops the opportunity they will not rest satisfied until they rule the entire country (applause.) What has this cardinal re- cently done ; he has convened a synod, and he says in his letter that Constantino was the first to collect together the Citholic bishops in a great council. Well," now Cardinal Wiseman, have you asked the Queen's permis- sion for this synod at Oscott, or have you sought the countenance of the government ? No, indeed, you have not, and thus you have acted illegally. What was this but papal aggression 1 He had ocular demonstration of the immence number of new chapels that were being built in England, and in places where there were not^more than fifty persons tff that religion the chapels were built large enough to accommodate 600 people. This was done because they expected to proselytize the people of England, and was an additional proof of thdr intolerance How anxious they were to get possession of Eno-land ' Regent-street a few months ago was infested witirevery description of monk in their academical dresses, but I thank God that the proclamation of her Majesty has put an end to this popish carnival. The Romish people were constantly in the habit of boasting of their ancient faith. How different was the conduct of the bishops and priests of the present day to that pursued by Augustine when he was sent over to England by one of the Gregories to preach. He was a poor man, and his only mission was to preach the Word of God. Patrick also was a holy man, and preached pure doctrines which were retained by thj Irish people until the Jesuits came amongat them. They dared to reproach Protestant England with want of sin- cerity and holiness. W^hy do they not look at them- selves ] You, Cardinal Wiseman, with your triple red i II fp 220 FArTlIEa GAVAZZl^S LECTWRES^. had, in not holiness— the violence of Dr. CuUen is not hQliness— the fury cf iM'IIale is not holii>ess— the base- loss cakimaics of Newman are not holiness— the vanitf of Surrfell is not holiaess— tl<£ ungentlemanlike con- dvict of Cahill is not holiness — the madness of Mr, Moore is not holiness,— the unclwity and violence of Tuucas i& not holiness— the broken faith of Lord Field- ing is not Iwliness. Prstestants of England, look at th'^e men, and admire the candor of thos^ who reproach you with, want of sanctity. Th«re was a \mvit also oi^ which the Chivrch of Rome placed great faith— mimely^ that it had a large majoi-ity, and was consequently the Church of Christ. How frivolov!^ was thiii. Did they forget that the Mahometans were ten times their number,, and the Chinese, who were worshippers of Brahma, kid a much larger majority 1 Why not contend on the same ground, that Brahma and Mahomet were t\^ true Gods. I will now allude to tte College of iMaynooth, and exa- mine its connection with the English Government. Well, I do not wLsh to pretend that the Homish priests could \,e educated by Protestants, for it is necessary that tho doctrines and dogmas of their religion should be taught to them by professors of that faith ; but I object to many of the doctrines which they are taught, and which are pernicious to society, and, therefore, I condemn the Jiomish system as taught in that college. Before May- nooth was established, the Irish priests, generally speak- ino- were well educated and gentlemanlike; and the reason of this was, that it was too expensive for the poorer classes to send their sons to France, to Spam, or to Italy, in order to complete tl>eir studies, and conse- quently the sons of the aristocracy, nobUily, and gentry, became priests. But since Maynooth was establi^^hea every person was enabled to make his sons priests ; and FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES, 221 the consequftD^.e was., that these jiarties were well cdu- •cated as controversialists, but were never made ""entle- men. Tht'j belonocd to ro family, had no nan\e to suppoi-t, EG character to lose, and everything to gain ; and, they, therefore, in order to attract attention, became violent and audacious in their harangues, and by constant plotting and scheming they endeavored to become canons, bishops, perhaps prelates (applause). At present there was a supperabundance of priests in Ireland, but year after year Maynoolh was adding to the number. Many of these certixinly went over to England, and the violence •of their teaching was occasionally made manifest in a 33irkenhead or a Stockport. Have you not to denlore in this country the spreading more and more of the Eib- bon society? Who encourages that society? — The {iriests from IMaynooth. Who absolves the murderer if he is a Ribbonman ? — The priest from Maynooth. Yes, my friends, the priests of Maynooth oicoorage the system, and give it all the power, all the weight, all the assistance of the confessional (applause). Now, I will allude to the English government. They cannot inter- fere; with the dogmatical teaching in any college, but they must interfere with those docirines which prove so dan- gerous to society (applause). And when they find that those doctrines incite the Ribboamen on their fearful mission, they can and they must put an end to it. It is said that an inquiry will be made iato the colFcge, but that will do no good. They may examine the school- books, the scholars, the teachers, and the professors, and 5vhat will tliey learn ?— Nothing. The evil is manifest ; all the hnrm that Maynooth has done to this countiy is contained in the one phrase, " spiritual obedience to the Pope '' (applause). That obedience to the Pope implies disobedieace to the Queen and to the government, and 222 FATHER GAVAZZia LECTURES. gives rise to trouble and discord, and will probably lead to civil war (applause). Tliis is what the English go- vernment pay £',iO,000 a-year for ; and 1 tell them tiiat they are annually committing a suicidal act. I will now prove the intolerance of the papacy by the " Religious Equality society." No doubt, there are good, ver} good and pure men in this society (laughter). I like religious equality — 1 was always an advocate for it, and I earnestly hope that all Christians will yet be bound in a body of that description, but at present it would be quite impos- sible to unite the Christian Church with the fatal system of Rome (applause). What does the new society mean by reliii'ious eauality? With them it means spoliation and delusion, and that is the true end of this association. They modestly state in one of their resolutions that they want all the funds of tne English, Irish, and Scotch churches to be evenly divided, and they invite the Dis- senters to join with them. Well, T will say to the Dis- senters, remember the story of the wolf and the lamb. You are the lamb, and the Romanist is (he cute old wolf (laughter), and if you attempt to pull together with Ihis wolf you will certainly be devoured. What would be the first result of this union ? The time would come for the division to take, and then the bishops and clergy of Home will say, " Oh, we are the great majority ; we must have the lion's share, and you, who are only com- parativ^y few in number, must be contented with very little." That would be the first result ; but in a few years the second would come about, and then they would say, " Oh ! we must have all the spoil ; you have no right to any of it." Mark my words. Dissenters of Ireland ; if you now join with the Catholics to despoil the Church of England of its just rights, they will in the end turn on you and rob you of your possessions. They will act in FATHER OAVAZZIS LECTURES. 223 we the same manner as Louis Napoleon, who first sent an army to deprive the Roman republicans of their liberty, and in the end took away the liberty of his own subjects. There was one fact which should never be forffotten— that ihe first and last anxiety of the clergy of the Church of Rome is to make money. Oh ! my dear brethren, do not allow yourselves to be deluded. You are heretics in the eyes of the Cullens, Moores, Wilberforces, Mac- Halee, Cahills, and the entire popish brigade, and thejr would willingly rob you of all you possess. I do not believe thai the great body of the Catholics of Ireland take part in the violent theories of Mr. Lucas. No ; I hope that the Irish Catholic is more intelligent, more tolerant, more kind, and more Christian-liko, than this meek Mr. Lucas. Oh! fatal notoriety of the Tablet, you have stated that, where the Catholic Church is dominant, it is a crime before God and before society for a man to change his religion. You, Mr. Lucas, have written this. Well, have you not :Dmmitted such a crime when you became an apostate from the Society of Friends, and were you not guilty before God, and before society when you changed your religion 1 But why talk of religious equal- ity in England and Ireland, Avhen we look to the Conti- nent and see the Madiais persecuted — when we see the Pope perjuring himself, and breaking his promise to the American Ambassador — when we look at France, under the regime of Louis Napoleon — when we see the Bible excluded from Austria 1 Oh ! let us hear no more of re- ligious equality. Your Lucas is for religious equality, forsooth ! but he would not support the deputation in fa- vour of the Madiais. I say religious equality is a very good thing when it is reciprocal, hut there is no recipro- city in this association. I am not intolerant, but I would banish this popish system from Ireland with as much ri- mt. 'i ■m 1 1 1 1 S(24 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. gour as I would drive a madman from my presence, and have him locked up ; for remember that this popish sys- tem in a few years, if not stopped, wiM become tlierulinij power. But do not think that I preach iMegality ; I un- derstand your English laws ; I preach both toleration and charity when it is also given on the other side, and in supporting legality [ also wish to support security (ap- plause). In every place that Jesuits are, there must be infolerance, and, therefore, if you wish to enjoy peace, you must banish these Jesuits from the land. Now, do not misundcrsiand me. lam not preaclimg persecution. 1 am merely supporting justice (has, hear). You all remember the answer given by Cardinal AntonelH to Sir Henry Bulwer, m toe Murray case. He said — "This is a legal country ; we have laws ; these laws were bro- ken, and the party nmst suffer." Well, do you answer in the same strain; vou only want justice. There is an act styled the emancipation act, and one of its clauses forbids Jesuits, without license, to reside in England. — Give the Jesuits the same justice that th«-y gave Murray. Kemind them that this is also a legal country, and that they must abide by the laws, and you will soon get rid of them. This is not persecution, it will preserve the peace of the country, and is simply in accordance with the laws of the land. Bear in mind that with Jesuits you must have intolerance and slavery, and that without Jesuits you will enjoy peace among brethren, concord among friends, love among Christians, and civil and religious freedom in your entiie country. (Applause). LECTURE V. Marioltry is an insult — first, to Christ ; secondly, to the Christian uorshipi atid, thirdly, to human Teason » Mariolatry is an insult to Christ. Christ is our "Re- FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. 225 dcemer, our Mediator, and Justitlcator. The Church of Home, in order to allow a particular worship to the Vir- gin Mary, has called her co-iledecmcr, co-Mediator, and Omnipotent, and therefore the cause of our justification. 13y the instrMmentality of the Virgin Mary, it is true, in a material sense, came the llosh— the humanity of Christ, in order to accomplish human redemption; but from Abraham to David all the ancestors of Christ were in- st»umental to human redemption in this sense, but were n'jt co-Redeemers ; for the work of human redemption was wholly accomplished by J esus Christ. Have Roman Catholics redemption by the Virgin Mary ? No : all be- longing to redemption came from Christ. We have the gospel, not by the \'irgin Mary, but by Christ alone.— We have the preaching of the gospel by Christ alone. We have the institution of the s:u unents by Christ alone. We have the corami ion of the Apostles. We have faith in the mystei, We have justification by faith. We have the institution of the Church by Christ alone, and not by the Virgin Mary ; therefore Christ alone is our Redeemer— the Virgin Mary a co-Redeemer. When he was alive in Galilee she was not regarded as His co-Redee er. You remember what He said to her on two occasions—" Woman, what have I to do with thee ; do not interfere in things belonging to My Father." It is stated by one of the saints in \he Romish Church that Chri!st paid the price of our redemption, but that the Virgin iAJary gave the means to pay the price, because she gave his flesh, and that therefore she was His co-Re- deemer. In the popular hymn called Stabat Mater, it is represented that while Christ suffered on the cross, the Virgin Mary at the ioot of it endured the same suffer- ing, so that St. Eonaventure called this equality in both thp. passion of Christ—the compassion of the Virgin Mary j k3 M t.l;!!! t il 220 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. and accordingly, says he, she was really a co-Redeemer, not materially and naturally, but supernaturally, by com- parison with Christ. In the Romish Church it is stated that the oftering made by the Virgin Mary in her Son was the first case of our salvation. Even so, that offering was good, but a limited one — a finite offering, and therefore without any kind of value for our redemption. The Virgin Mary was the mother of Christ certainly, but she was a creature with a limited mind, and for the expiation of hu- man guilt it was necessary that there should be an infinite victim — an immense offering, and this offering was only ob- tained by the blood of Christ, who willingly gave the infi- nite merit of his sacrifice on Golgotha (applause). But as the effect of the redemption is by the Romish Church divided between Christ and the Virgin Mary, so also is the fact of the resurrection. In the sixlh century a legend or fable was invented, that on the third day after her death, Christ raised his mother from the sepulchre and carried her to heaven with him, and honored her before the universal resurrection with a particular resur- rection — that the Virgin Mary by Christ himself and by the Eternal Father was created queen of heaven, queen of all angels, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs. Nay more, God said to Christ, as stated in the Psalms, " sit down on my right hand," and Christ said to the Virgin Mary, " sit down on my right hand," and the Eternal Father divided, as is alleged, the kingdom of heaven — of justice and clemency — between Christ and the Virgim Mary. Thus is the Virgin Mary made a co- E-edeemer, and I repeat is most honored in the Church of Rome. In the Protestant Church Christ is very much honored as the Redeemer of the world, but when we have with him a co-Ptedeemer, the affection is Darted into two affections, and therefore the worship of Christ is PATHEB GAVAMl's LECTURES 227 not so pure, so fervent as if Christ were alone (applause). But not only is the Virgin Mary made a co-Redeemer, but a co-Mediator with him, also in the opinion of th« Church of Rome. St. Bernard has blasphemously said that Christ is always like God the Father, a judge, and cannot therefore supply human desires a? a mediator, be- cause he is too distant and too severe. Therefore, we need another mediator— a fneek mediator— a mediator, who is at the same time a creature and a mother, to con- trast with the divinity and severity of Christ ! In the opinion of Romanists Christ is a severe one, a cruel one, too distant from the prayers of Christian hearts ,- but in the Virgin Mary they say you will always find a maternal heart, a meek and benevolent creature, who will be ever near you, and will support you by her power over her Son, and in this way you will always find peace and cle- mency in the presence of God. Instead, therefore, of going direct to God, by means of Christ— go, says the Romanist Church, from the Virgin Mary to Christ, and from Christ to God, so, as in the opinion of Alphonso Ligouri, to be nearer to God. Romanism has also in- vented other mediators, pro-mediators — all the guardian angels and protecting saints. Therefore, go to St. Pa- trick, by him to the Virgin Mary, by her to Christ, and by him to God ; so that by three or four steps, like Jacob's ladder, you may arrive at God in your prayers. Oh, no ; w« have God directly by means of Christ— I go to my Christ, and am certain to receive all favors through his grace and mercy (applause). But the Virgin Mary is not only co-mediator in the Church of Rome, but omnipotent. She is called not the mother of our Redeemer, but the mother of God ! God has no mother. The Virsin Marv wns fhp rnnthor nf pv^-.Vf'o u..^ — u^ alone — certainly not of his divinity. The godhead of Ill i I dd8 FATHER GAVAZZI S LECTURES. Christ is united wi< h the Father and the Holy Ghost, and if the Virgin Mary is the mother of God, she is the mother of the Fathei — she is the mother of the Holy Ghost. What worse can be conceived in the Church of Rome than sucli heresies and such absurdities 1 (Applause.) 1 might quote passages from St. Bonaven- tura, St. Alphonso Ligouri, St. Bernard, and many others, to show that the most eminent writers of the Church of Rome ha\ e called the Virgin Mary omnipo- tent. All is the Virgin Mary in Romanism. To obtain strength against temptation, to obtain good health, a good journey, prosperity in business, in the hour of adversity, in the hour of death, recourse is had to her. In private families prayer to the Virgin — in public churches prayer to the Virgio — the town consecrates itself to the Virgin Mary — the nation is dedicated to her, as the kingdoms of Hungary, of Bavaria, of Naples — all is the Virgin Mary in the Church of Rome — nothing is Jesus Christ (applause). W^hat is it if this worship of the Virgin Mary is insulting to the worship of Christ] In the Litany she is called the " refuge of sin'iers," the " com- forter of the afflicted.'' In the breviary she is " mother of grace and clemency," who is invoked to receive us in the hour of death. ] »ut the finish is put to the absurdity and blasphemy of the Church of Rome against Christ by adulterating the Bible in favor of the Virgin Mary. We have a Bible published, remember, only a few years ago, in Naples, entitled " the Marian Bible " — the Bible of the Virgin Mary. From Genesis to Revelations is changed in her honor. Thus, for instance, " in the be- ginning God created the heavens and the earth," is altered to *• in the beginning Mary created." In the Psalms, " God said to my God, sit down on my right hand/' is changed to "said to my lady.'* Wherever ii»li FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. 229 you you find the name of God, St. Bonaventura reads the Virgin Mary, and the Pope has granted many indulg- ences to people who use this book; and at Rome there IS a religious body who pray every day in its lancniao-e. This is what I call idolatry— this blasphemous ins^ulti^'ng of Christ (applause). Mariolatry is also an insult to Christian worship. The true worship of Christian people IS well expressed in the brief words of St. John's Gospel, ' Worship God in spirit and in truth." When 1 see in the church pictures, images, statues, theatrical pomp and spectacle— all fr ternal display— I conclude that this IS not Christia -- a. bip_this is Pagan worship. But the Church of Rome is a church for low people, and ladies especially (laughter). The grand music and fine drapery, and all kinds of pomp and spectacle— these are for low people. Then there are for ladies nice flowers, in- cense, head-dresses, and embroidery—all very beautiful. The nature of woman is delicate— the heart of wo- man is very fantastic and enthusiastic (laughter) ; and there they are attracted by the flowers, and inc'ense, and beautiful sights, and are a devoted people. Now, the Church of Home endeavors to have as many women as possible, because they say that where there are women there will be money also (laughter). This is the great want of the worship of the Virgin Mary. All kinds of things in human life bear her name, all parts of the human body are consecrated to her, and in many instances entire families are in doubt what Virgin Mary will be their patroness— whether the Lady of Loretto or of Carmel. ]n the first three centuries she wasnot worshipped at all. and therefore there were no relics of her among Christian' people; but now the rdics are everywhere. ° Germany and Italy contend about the slippers of the Virgin Mary. In my own country we have her dress— in Perugia her !.!' m 230 FATHl GAVAZZIS LECTURES. ring. The Virgin Mary was also a fashionable lady, and wore a long voil every day ; and you need not be sur- prised if you see all the world filled with the veil of the Virgin Mary. Besides we have in Rome and Sicily a gre?t and special relic, the milk — fresh milk — of the Vir- gin -ilary ; and the peasantry go to procure a bottle of it, believing that it will enable the poor mothers to yield milk for the nourishment of their offspring. In conclu- sion, I will only say a few words in support of my last proposition — that Mariolatry is an insult to the reason of a Christian people. The worship of the Virgin Mary is supported by miracles, one or two of which I will repeat to you ; and remember they are recognised by the majo- rity of the popes, and all writers in the Church of Rome. The first is the house of the Virgin Mary at Nazareth, in which it was announced to her by the angel Gabriel that she would become the mother of Christ. This house remained until the beginning of the thirteenth century, but in that coimtry this house became desirous to travel, and, like a rich English lady, this house made all kinds ot preparations to accomplish her journey (laughter). In one night this house secretly left Nazareth for Dalma^ia, passing over hundreds of miles ; and after a ten months' stay there the house says — " Italy is a very fine country, a beauteous country, I will go and see Italy ;" and so, in a night, this lady's house travelled to Italy across the Adriatic Sea — accomplishing, in one night, 500 miles. The house took up its abode on a beautiful hill, com- manding fine scenery ; but after a few days the house of the Virgin Mary say — " The air is too keen ; it is hotter for me to go down into the valley ;" and accordingly it journeyed down to the valley, which after a time became too damn, and it savs. " I had better jro up aarain to the top of the hill " (laughter) ; and so it came to Loretto, FATHER GAVAZZl'a LECTURES. 23 1 where it is now worshipped. It was very good of the rich lady— for it makes money for the priests— not less than 60,000 scudi is a very beautiful thing for the ]lomish priests to have invented by the travels of the house from Nazareth. Tint you will ask by what means did it come. Hear— upon the wings of an angel ! Now for the second miracle. A wicked man was killed in the act of commit- ting a robbery— his head was cut off and cast into the deep well, while his soul was condemned immediately by CJod to eternal perdition, because he died in mortal sin. But the Virgin Mary immediately interfered, and said, " I will not havo this man condemned, because he was affiliated to me." What means did she adopt for hearing his confession ? St. Dominick happened to be passing near the well, when the head rose to the top and said, " I ask for confession." The saint was astonished at seeing a head which had been cut off asking for con- fession, and gave absolution to the head, which went down again info the depth of the well, while the soui im- mediately ascended to God (laughter). Such are the miracles in support of the worship of the Virgin Mary. Ah ! my dear brethren, I will conclude by making one remark. Between Christ and the Virgin Maiy it is necessary to select, because two redeemers, two media- tors, two justifiers, ;ire impossible in the Church of Christ. Do not fear, Pwoman Catholics, that if you give your af- fections to Christ, the Virgin Mary will be offended with you. Oh, no, she cannot have any part of the wor- ship paid to her son Jesus Christ. Go then to Him— leave the Virgin Mary— honor for the Virgin Mary- love for the mother of our Redeemer— no worship. No Christ alone may be worshipped— Christ in life— Christ in the hour of death— that by the nam« of Christ all peo- ple may be saved. (Applause.) 232 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. LECTURE VI. Roman Catholic Processions. PnocESSiONS are Pagan in their origin. Is there m the Old Testament a sanction for the practice of such cere- monies 1 — Certainly not. The old controversialists quote a passage from the Old Testament in support of proces- sions — namely, the ordinance of God that the priests should carry the Ark around the walls of Jericho. In the Latin vulgate it is said that God ordered the priests to have processions round the walls of Jericho. This is a corruption of the original text — one of the 750 alteratios, my dear brethren — because the original text and true translation of it say that God ordered the priests to " walk " round the walls of Jericho. To " walk in pro- cession " is a very different thing. The most prudent and learned Dr. Cahill said in his last letter that Catholic pro(;essions had a scriptural orioin. I am very glad to hear this learned doctor offer a " scriptural " support for the processions. He said that the angels ascending and descending upon the ladder of Jacob were a type sanc- tioning the practice of the holy Catholic processions. A very learned but rather stupid quotation (laughter). Some people think that King David meeting the ark when they carried it into his town, typified processions. No. It was not a procession, '^ut merely a meeting of the King and the people. The children of Sion in the same way met Christ when he came peacefully into Je- rusalem ; but it was not a procession. It was a simple meeting — nothing more. You have nothing in the Old Testament from which Catholic processioas can be sanc- tioned. Have you any thiag in the New 1 If you can prove by a single instance from the New Testament that Christ or hisaposties commanded processions, I will embrace your FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. 233 theory and will follow your practices. You do not even find processions used in the primitive Christian church. For three centuries the early Christians were with- out processions ; and it was not because tl.ey were persecuted, for during that time there were only ten per- secutions, and in the intervals between them the Catho- lics were, generally speaking, humble and secret. What is the true origin of Catholic processions? The learned Dr. Cahill has said that they began under the Emperor Constantine, in the beginning of the fourth century of the Christian era. Bad author. Was Constantine a Catholic ? No. Was he a Christian 1 No. He is supposed now to have been an Arian heretic. He was at the same time under the blessing of the Pope, and under the blessing of the Pagan priests, because he re- tained for a long time the title ot Pontifex Maximus of the Gentiles. Although the first prince, according to history, who favored the Christian people, he was a very bad prince. lie was a monster— like Nero, Tiberius, and Caligula— towards his friends and relatives, his wife and his son— he was a murderer and an assassin. This is the author of your Catholic processions (applause). The epoch of Constantine is one unpleasant to recall, for it is precisely the period at which all Paganism was transplanted into the Christian church. Before that period the Christian church was spiritual in faith, and pure in spirit and in truth. Afterwards you find it gra- dually adopting Pagan practices. With very few ex- ceptions, all the Romish practices are inherited from Paganism. The Pagans had their penatcs ; the Ca- tholics have their guardian angels. The Pagans had their ge?m tutelares; the Catholics have their saints protectors. The Pagans had their queen of heaven ; the Catholics have their queen of heaven. The Pagans had I,, i 234 FATHER GAVAZZIS LECTURES. their oracles ; the Catholics have their sanctuaries. 'I'he Pagans had their vestals ; the Catholics have their nuns. The Pagans had their votive tablets; the Ca- tholics have their votive tablets. The Pagans had their works of goodness ; the Catholics have their works to the saints, the Virgin, and even to Christ ^imself. The Pagans had eccentrical dresses for their priests ; the Catholic priests have eccentrical dresses. The Pagans had their dogma of purgatory with fire and water ; the Catholics have their dogma of purgatory with tire and water. Tiie Pagans had prayers for the sufl'ering dead ; the Catholics have prayers for the sulTering souls of the dead. The Pagans put money into the mouths ot their dead, with which they ween tt pay CMiaron the ferryman for conveymg them across the river ol Acheron; and the Catholics put money into the pockets of the priests, in order to have masses celebrated for the departed (applause). Ail that was Pagan is at present Rom- ish, with the exception that it is not called Pagan. Christianity Paganized and Paganism Christianized are the same, my dear brethren. The Pagans had proces- sions ; the Roman Catholics have processions. We read in history of the great Pagan procession of Diana of the Ephesians ; we read also of the procession at Pvome in honor of Vesta, the mother of all the gods. We have it also mentioned in the writings of Cicero and of Horace that once every year a great procession went to the fountain called Arethusa, in Rome, for the purpose of washing the image of the mother of all their divinities. You have at present processions amongst the Indian and Chinese devotees. You have the processions of Con- fucius and of Bramah, in which persons cast themselves beneath the wheels of the chariots of their divinities and call themselves martyrs. Processions, therefore, in their FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. 23i origin are Pagan. Now, I venture to repeat what I said briefly this morning, that the worship of God is a worship in spirit and in truth, as is stated by St. John. Where there is not spirit nnd truth, you have no worship but Pagan worship. Have you spirit and truth in pro- cessions ? No. All is exterior pomp and theatrical display. They have neither spirit nor truth. Beneath the sacerdotal embroidered and jewelled dresses of the priests in the procession there is concealed a bloody heart— a tyrannical heart— the heart of a despot— and their lies and impostures (applause;, i will now prove by facts that you have nothing of spirit or truth in the Catholic processions, and that the nature of them is Pagan. 1 call to mina some of those processions in mv native country. The procession of Corpus Domini, or the body of Christ, is the greatest in all Catholic coun- tries. What is it in Naples, for instance ? All English travellers at Rome gc to Naples after Easter, in order to enjoy this beautiful procession, because English people do not like to lose a good spectacle. The great square of St. Peter is converted into a great pit, with boxes at the sides; it becomes the greatest theatre in the world, because it is the theatre in which plays the Pope himself. Drapery, carpets, velvet, and silk decorations, citron and orange trees, flowers are arianged with the utmost precision and taste, such as is displayed by good stage managers. What is the spectacle of the Prophete at Covent-Garden to this procession, my dear brethren ? Nothing. Boys, priests, bishops, pre- lates, and cardinals arrayed in dresses, costly with gold and jewellery, and attended by servants in red liveries ; and after all comes the Pope himself— the successor of St. Peter (laughter)— carried upon the shoulders of his servants, and adoring Christ in the water. It is all a 230 FATIJER GAVAZZI8 LECTUREa. lil farce, and therefore the Pope must adore the water in the presence of the people, tliough I do not think be be- lieves in it. But after him, approach the noble papcl guard, on liorseback, dressed in splendid uniform, accou)- panied with silver trumpets and a great flag embroidered with velvet and gold. This concludes the procession; and all, especially the lovely VFomen who are spectators, ^are very much excited to devotion by the noble guard (laughter and applause). I will describe another proces- sion. In England and Ireland on Good Friday the peo- ple remain three hours in the chapel in adoration of Christ on the cross, and hear from the priest the saving words spoken by Christ ; also a little sermon. But in Ales- sandiia, a little town of Piedmont — my country — it is customary on that day to have Christ represented on the cross by a living man. On one occasion, when not a man could be found in the village to undertake the repre- sentation of the crucified Saviour, the mayor volunteered to do so. And accordingly tb's poor mayor was for three hours on a cross, speaking the saving words of Chi ist to the people ; and after it was over, he said to me — ** I will never more represent Christ in my life " (laughter). Then the procession consists of the Saviour bearing his cross to the place of execution, the two Marys, Jews and Ptoman soldiers — all represented by living per- sons in proper dresses ; and it sometimes happens that the persons thus disguised are of bad character. In Naples, on the top of a hill, between the castle called St. Omar and Toledo, there is a beautiful place called Ane- nella, where there is a parish church belonging to the Dominican friars. On Easter-day, the Neapolitan peo- ple met at Anenella, to witness a representation of the me(!ting of the Virgin Mary and Christ risen from the sepulchre. A procession formed, consisting of Domini- FATHKR OAVAZZl's LECTURES. 287 In can friars, two and two ; next an image of St. John < ar- ried on men's shoulders; then aa image of St. Mary Magdelane similarly borne ; and then an image of the Virgin, dressed in black. The procession stops in the middle of a hail, and the Virgin makes a sign to J ^hn and Mary to go and see if they can meet Christ. I'hey obey, and fet. Mary goes in one direction, and St. John in another. After a delay of about ten minutes, St. John returns and says (by the bearer of the image), " I have not found him." Afterwards St. Mary arrives, and makes a sigu that she iiad found Christ ; upon which the Virgm makes a sign to St. John to go and meet iiim. Both then go the way by which St. Mary had come. A II the people are meanwhile in great expectation, for Ihey are a lantastical people. After a few minutes St. John and the two Marys return, accompanied hv an image re- presenting Christ risen from the sej)ulchre, with a'vvhite ilag in its hand, and immediately all the bells begin to rmg, the military bands commence playing , a great bat- tery of guns is tired off, and a number of birds, which had been concealed beneath the veil of the imag(> of the Vir- gin, fmd their liberty and take to llight. The images of Christ and the Virgin Mary are then seen to kiss each other, which ends ?he representation ; and then all the images are taken to the ciiurch of the Dominicans to as- sist m the performance of the Te Deum. Some weeks ago our good friend. Cardinal Wiseman, was in France. Queen \ ictoria had forbidden Catholic processions in luigland, and so the cardinal, being a very devout jnan as regarded processions, went to France to take part in the great procession of the Virgin Mary at Cambray. Perhaps you don't know that St. Luke is held by the Church of Home to have been a gieat painter. Ju Italy, Spam, and France, there are not less than 2,000 Madon- nas, sa4d to have been painted by him. However, he was not a very good painter, for those pictures are un- pleasing, and very ill calculated to excite devotion. One of these repulsive Madonnas is in Cambray; and in order to honour this precious relic of St. Luke, the French 288 FATHER GAVAZZl B LECTURES. peopl' have a procession there every 100 years. There was one tliis present year, vvliich was very extraordinary for grandeur, splendour, and concourse of people. What were the cardinal points ot" attraction in this procession ? Do not think I exaggerate. I am only about to quote the French newspapers, which were copied by the Eng- lish newspapers, and especially by the J'higlish Catholic newspapers. The first great point of attraction, of spir- itual attraction, in this j)rocession was twenty beautiful girls, dressed to represent angels of God. These twenty beautiful girls — French girls — wore muslin opera dresses, and on their shoulders were beautiful silver wings, and in their hands were bouquets of Hoovers to wave belbre the image of the Virgin Mary ; and so eiVective was tliispart of tlni display, that the French newspapers say that all the people were excited to devotion and morality by it. But this was nothing to the second point of spiritual at- traction in the procession, which was — 1 still quote the French newspapers — Cardinal Wiseman himself (ap- plause ). You will all ask why was he so attractive in this procession. Was it by his faith — his zeal — devo- tion- -fervour? No. The French newspapers say that Cardinal Wiseman was pre-eminently distinguish- ed by his lace, his embroidered cloth, his jewelled mitro, and above all — by a very long red tail which was carried behhid him (great laughter and ap- plause). The Irish people rioted in mobs for the pur- pose of defending their processions. Ah! they defend them because they are spiritual. The nature of these processions is very — very holy. Yes ! Jloly and spiritual. Twenty beautiful girls and the red tail of Cardinal VVise- man (laughter) ! Oh ! go and defend your processions (laughter). I have plenty of reason to conclude the second part of my lecture, by stating that the practice of these processions in the Church of Home is pagan in their nature. But from practices which are pagan in their origin and pagan in their nature, what can you expect but pagan efl'ects 1 These processions are intended to materialize and deceive the Christian people. Present me by the Bible with an idea of God — pr?'-cnt mc by the gospel the redemption of Christ ; this is all for my spirit, ^ • FATHER OAVAZZl's LECTURES. 239 say and the effects will be very good. Faith, love, charity, and universal justice will result. But if you present me with material objects, you will materialize my faith and my heart. The wafer, the images, and the pictures used in these processions are objects of this kind. I say that the people who go to those processions have their curi- osity gratified, but come away from Ihem without any improvement in their hearts and n: i.tl:,. '^hey not only materialize but they demoralize 1 play their new dresses ; while gentlemen parade in the streets below. Then there is also drunkenness, noting, and mobs. When two small villages have pro- cessions on the same day, and there is rivalry between them as to which of their Madonnas is the more miracu- lous and powerful ; we have in many iiistanses iiotin«r if the processions chance to meet, and then they finish with l)roken heads. As it is a great honor in my country to carry the pole on which the image of the Virgin is fixed it is usual for the priest to dispose of the privileo-e of carrying it by public auction to the highest bidder. "This ^ good for the pocket of the priest, my dear brethren. But it may be said that such is not the state of things ir Ireland. The clergy may be good, kind, tolerant men. 1 have my doubts as to that; but without making any questions on the point, I would ask the people would they be better after those processions ? Would they be more spiritual and Christian-like after liaving witnessed them ? Would they not better perform their duty as fathers' mothern, wives, and husbands, by not losing entire days ot labor for the sake of going to those processions ? The last tact I have to state respecting them is, that they deceive the people who use them. Queen Victoria is a constitutional sovereign, who has no need of brute force to support her crown. No (applause). Her Eno-|ish subjects and her good-hearted Irish people suffice to pre- -."":• " '"^ luroisc. ojut uiuiiahan despots are not like her, and therefore they have need of lies,ecclesiasti- 240 FATHER GAVAZZl's LECTURES. cal impostures and processions, to maintain them on their thrones. ]n Italy, France, and Spain — in every country where there are despots, the religion of Rome is called on to support tyranny. In Piedmont before its govern- ment became constitutional, and when it was under the direction of the Jesuits, the government used to have religious processions in order to divert the people from the thought of renewing their ancient republic. And now, what is the means by which Louis Napolean deceives France 1 He is an infidel, without any kind of religion in his heart, but he aflects to be a bigot and a Jesuit in order to gain empire. This is the time for devotion in France. Processions everywhere — miracles everywhere. The clergy glorious, proud, and exalting themselves. Oh, discover what is concealed under the pharisaical cloak, and you will see the future tyranny — the future slavery of France. And you, Irish Catholics— shame ! You defend those Catholic processions — you were rioting for them. You think you cannot be true Christians without them. I have much respect for your hearts and minds, but your priests have graduated you to such a degree of blindness, that you believe those processions to form a dogmatical part of Christian worship ♦ No; you can be Christians without them (applause) — you can be saved, without them — you can be true sheep of Christ without them. Your priests gain in money and authority by them, because after processions you are guilty of immo- rality, and are obliged to go and "onfess ; and it is by the confessional tbat the priest derives his greatest power over you and your family. I < include by blessing God that in the proclamation of Queen Victoria against pro- cessions, I find another proof that England is the land of freedom, of Christian faith (applause). Your Queen has given a testimony lo all Europe that Protestants firmly believe that without processions a people can be Chris- tian ; and the En'^lish government have made a public confession that there is no need of processions to sup- port the crown and the law, because in this Christian and constitutional country fa 'in God, faith in the Queen, faith in parhament, and the ]< /p. of the nation, and free- dom itself are sufficient without them. (Applause.) em on their iry country e is called its govern- under the id to have eople from blic. And m deceives of religion I Jesuit in levotion in verywhere. ielves. Oh, lical cloak, ire slavery me ! You rioting for ms without and minds, degree of to form a l^ou can be be saved, ist without thority by / of immo- d it is by test power issing God lainst pro- the land of Queen has mts firmly be Chris- i a public IS to sup- ristian and [le Queen, : and free- ause.)