contradicted their self-invented dogmas; and lessened the respect for the priests, and their power to tyrannize over the souls, and bodies of an ignorant people. Gali leo, the illustrious Florentine astronomer, was in the cells of the Inquisition in 1615, and again in 1633, and was allowed his life on condition only, of denying that he ever believed the truth of his greatest discoveries. He had proclaimed that the world moved around the sun, and he was compelled to tell a falsehood to save his life, and to say that it did not move around the sun, and in this way escaped from the horrid Catholic inquisition! Copernicus, a native of Thorn, in Prussia, made discoveries that astonished his friends, and in 1530 he completed a work that is now constantly referred to by scientific men. This work he did not dare to publish till 1543, when the Cardinal, and Pope's legate, were bribed to allow its publication. An Irishman by the name of Hughes, recently delivered a lecture before a scientific society in the city of New York. In this lecture he argued that the reformation was a great error, and that oral teaching for the people was more beneficial than the teachings of the Bible, and all men should be guided by Popes, and should not have a Bible, or be divided in religious sentiment. This insult to an intelligent audience, was repeated more recently, by a man by the name of Ives, who stated before a New York audience, that oral teaching for the masses was preferable to thinking for themselves, because all could in this way be made to entertain the Pope's view, which must always be right. These views, he said, Catholics had always held, and they always would. These sentiments came from a man, whom charity compels us to say, is too ignorant, or too imbecile to utter any truths. He has preached the doctrine of too many sectarian parties, to command respect from sensible men, while in the benighted school which for a short time he is advocating. The sentiments advocated by Hughes and Ives, have by retaining the masses in ignorance, deluged the world in blood. Every thing English, every thing American, was denounced by these men, but every thing Irish, and every thing in Catholic Europe, was worthy of all commendation. These men stated as a great triumph, that in Catholic Europe, not a church was open for the worship of a Protestant, and not a cemetery for the reception of his remains, and they were sure there never would be! It is a singular circumstance, that Hughes, in his recent address in an Engish Colony, paid the President of the United States a high compliment, by saying that he was Hughes' friend. Now it is no less singular, that if the President should visit Rome, and there hold his Presbyterian prayer-meetings, he would be imprisoned. This is the treatment of a class of men who call us infidels, and wish us to pay for schooling their children in their own pernicious doctrine. Not a book can be read in a Catholic school in this country which is not approved by the Pope-and not a book can be imported into Catholic Europe that has not his approval! Pope Innocent the third, by his famous bull, prohibited the reading of any book but those called theological; and whole libraries of scientific works, and classic literature, were destroyed! Very recently a priest in Ireland was accused of burning a cart-load of books, among which were the works of our greatest poets, and a liberal stock of Protestant Bibles: the whole of which were brought to him at the confessional. These same Catholics have always claimed that we owe them a deep debt of gratitude for the classic literature that they have transmitted to us. Hughes will not find it in good taste to insult another audience with his Catholic dogmas. The Roman Catholics have always opposed the elevation and advancement of society, and always will. Newton, and his followers in the schools of science, have done more in recent times, to dispell the darkness of preceding ages, than all the Popes and all the priests have ever accomplished, or ever will accomplish. The truth of this is familiar to all who have visited Catholic Europe. Protestants, and all reflecting men, should read the works of those who have seen the condition of the lower classes in Catholic Europe. The reading world do not know, and cannot know, the condition of European Catholic demoralization. Mr. Thackeray has exhausted a course of lectures in enlightening us in the degrading habits and the disgusting vices of English royalty and English aristocracy. For the credit of England, if not for the credit of Mr. Thackeray, I wish he had not proclaimed the depravity of his own sovereigns, and his own times; enough was known of these before we were favored with his disgusting developments. The lower scenes of life, the scenes of suffering, are not detailed in books, and they cannot be. Mr. Lyman of Boston some years ago visited Europe, and in Italy he paused in astonishment! I cannot tell you what he saw. Mr. Lyman was a gentleman of wealth and literary taste, but he had never given any attention to human life, in its varied aspects. In Italy, his astonishment knew no bounds! When he returned he wrote a book, and gave loose reins to his descriptive powers-but still kept within the bounds of truth. The book produced such a sensation, that his friends begged him to suppress it, and he did suppress it-and you will never have a description of Catholic life in its lowest condition till you visit Europe. The lower classes are brutes in their habits of life, and intercourse is promiscuous. Southern blacks are elevated, civilized, and pure, compared with the masses found in countless numbers in every Catholic city. From these most degrading classes we are constantly receiving their lowest, spawning, animal life, and it will soon be too late to hope for any improvement in the condition of our own degraded and suffering classes, said Mrs. Putnam. Sister, is this religion or philosopny which you have given us ? asked Mrs. Phelps. It is neither it is common sense, said Mrs. Putnam. I must admit that there is both truth and beauty in some of your views-but are you sure they are orthodox? I can believe no new doctrine till I consult my minister. I understood you to say that the Catholics have four Gods, and one hundred saints who are Gods, and that they are not all one God, and no more. Now I must say that the Catholics are correct, and in that particular I differ from you. Our minister is always correct, and he says that three Gods are all one God, and one God is three Gods. Now is it not probable that four Gods and one hundred saints are one God, and therefore not idolatrous? asked Mrs. Phelps. I advocate no sectarian doctrine, but I wish to construct a temple and dedicate it to the Known God, and in it I wish to see the whole intellectual world bowing in adoration to our Creator. For your religious faith you must go to your minis ter and your Bible, and not look to me, said Mrs. Putnam, as she left the parlor. CHAPTER VIII. THE PLEDGE. Yet here high passions, high desires unfold, That will not, cannot but with life expire! ROGERS. WELL, sister, we will leave preaching to the ministers, and science to the professors. This is my reception day, and I am sure we shall have calls. Mr. Cox, my sister thinks you have some miraculous power -not exactly to turn things into gold, but into something better, said Mrs. Putnam. Mrs. Putnam, this is your sister's house; around it, and in |