use that, and not the improved version), and reading them in the exercise of the judgment God has given me, if I come to a conclusion opposite to that at which you have arrived, am I therefore to be damned?

"Dr. CUMMING-I will reply to your question. Reading the Word of God in a spirit of dependence upon divine teaching, I have come to the conclusion that Socinianism is a deadly error; but upon you individually I am not called upon to pronounce judgment. I am not your judge; and, therefore, while I abhor your system, and implore you to escape from it, I leave you, as an individual, in the hands of One who will judge all things well.

"Mr. MONTGOMERY expressed himself satisfied with this reply, and resumed his seat.

"We cannot refer to the very brief report which we have given, without adding our willing testimony to the admirable zeal and judgment which marked the whole of our distinguished visitor, Dr. Cumming's, conduct on this interesting occasion; nor less so of his coadjutor, the Rev. R. P. Blakeney. Dr. C.'s calmness and patience, and his reference to incontrovertible documents, whch he presented to the meeting, in reply to the many interruptions with which he had to contend from the Rev. Mr. Fanning, the Roman Catholic priest, and Mr. Henry Leigh and others, was most efficient. His exposure of the errors of the Church of Rome, the doctrines taught by her emissaries, now spreading the contagion of her superstition and idolatries in our colonies, and throughout the world, with an activity worthy of a nobler cause, left us nothing to wish for, except that a sincere and a sound Protestantism would arouse itself to deeds of heroism, like the Luthers and the Knoxes of by-gone days."

"Protestant parents," writes a clergyman from Taunton, "are now withdrawing their children from the Romish schools, and sending them to Protestant schools. The Romanists and Socinians both, have been deeply struck with the irresistible reasoning and the imperturbable temper and uninterrupted affection of the Protestant advocates; and there is no doubt, that never were meetings so eminently useful held in Somerset."

In our next there will be an account of the remaining

meetings.

DONATIONS, SUBSCRIPTIONS, &c.

Received from September 26th to October 25th, 1845.

THE BRITISH

PROTESTANT.

No. XII.-DECEMBER, 1845.

PROTESTANTISM AND POPERY.

A VERY erroneous idea prevails in the minds of some persons, that because the Church of Rome theoretically believes in the Holy Trinity, therefore her religion and that of the reformed Catholic church are essentially the same. Nothing can be more unfounded than such a notion. The Church of Rome, and the reformed churches severally present to their respective communicants the cup of faith. The cup of the Church of Rome, in the first century, contained only pure wine from the apostolic vineyard; but in the lapse of succeeding ages, her popes and councils poured into it the deadly poison of idolatry, superstition, priestcraft, and heresy. For many hundred years past the cup of Rome has contained a poisoned mixture, sparkling to the eye, and captivating to the taste of the unconverted and worldly, but death bearing and ruinous to their souls. In the sixteenth century, the reformed church cast away the Romish poison, cleansed her cup, and filled it with the pure wine of apostolic truth. From that period she has professed the faith of the Holy Trinity not only in words, but in spirit, recognizing and glorifying all the attributes and perfections of the Deity as

M

they are pictured in the divine word, and exhibited in the true gospel; whilst her faith and practice are unpolluted by the idolatry, priestcraft, and doctrinal corruptions of the church of Rome.

"Beware," it is said by the shallow sophists to whom we refer," how you strike at the religion of Rome lest you destroy your own hope." But was it not by striking at Romish errors, that the hope of the reformed church was purified, and rendered a most glorious hope? Was it not by striking at the mass that the Reformers restored the oneness and completeness of the infinite sacrifice at Calvary? Was it not by striking at purgatory that they presented believers with the blessed persuasion that when absent from the body they shall be present with the Lord? Did not the destruction of transubstantiation, and of the idolatrous worship of the consecrated host, revive the scriptural simplicity, and beauty, and spirituality of the eucharist, the sacrifice of thanksgiving and love? Was it not by striking at the papal supremacy, and the blasphemous titles, and usurpations, and tyranny of the bishops of Rome that Jesus's unrivalled dominion over the universal church was reproclaimed, and that for Christians was obtained their emancipation from the cruel and ignominious bondage of priestly despotism? By abolishing auricular confession, one of the most powerful engines of priestcraft was destroyed; and by the sweeping away of traditions, which had no claim to apostolicity, the written word of God was set forth as the sole and all sufficient rule of faith. In fine, by striking off, and casting to the moles and to the bats, Romish idols, superstitions, corruptions, ungodly usurpations, and tyranny, the fabric

of apostolic Christianity was restored to its original beauty, and the glorious wisdom of its divine architect was again fully displayed. Beware, then, we would say, not of striking at Romanism, but of supporting and endowing Romish priests, chapels, colleges, and schools, and of then seeking to cover your inconsistency and criminality by lessening the vices and exaggerating the seeming, and only theoretical, virtues of the Romish system.

IMPORTANT REFORMATION MEETINGS.

ON Tuesday, 30th October, two meetings, referred to in the last Protestant, were held in Bristol.

"The Bristol Times," reporting the morning meeting, says, "on Tuesday, a meeting of the friends and supporters of the British Society for promoting the religious principles of the Reformation, was held in the Victoria Rooms. There was a very large assemblage present, and at a few minutes after one o'clock, the chair was taken by the Rev. John Hall, who, after stating that the Society had his best wishes, called on the Rev. J. B. Clifford to commence the proceedings by imploring the blessing of Almighty God upon their labours: prayer having been offered up, the Rev. E. Parker said:-Never had it been his lot to be acquainted with a Society more Scriptural in its principles, more important in its objects, or more suitable to the times, than the British Society for promoting the principles of the Reformation. They ought to be thankful to the Almighty, for Bible and Missionary Societies, for the Pastoral Aid, the Scripture Readers, and other kindred institutions; but among them all, there was not one in the present critical position of their Church and Country, which had such strong claims on their support, as that whose principles they were assembled to advance."

The Rev. Gentleman, in a very able speech advocated