little or nothing more to do in the sick-room, except to prevent any Popish "Mrs. MacNab, who still seemed anxious to have the Bishop admitted, asked me to speak to her, and I consented to sit down on the couch beside her in the hall, while the Bishop sat opposite to us, and his attending priest stood in the background. She went over what the Bishop had said to me, almost word for word, about Sir Allan's intentions to become a Roman Catholic, the noise it would make if done here, the intended retirement, return to England, and admission at the hands of Dr. Manning. She then informed me that after he had received the rites of her Church, she asked him if she should publish it to the world. That he replied, "No, Sophia; if you did so, the world would throw the blame upon you for it; I will tell it myself," although (she remarked to me) the opinion of the world outside the Church is nothing to me, I can bear its reproach. She further remarked, that she felt greatly incensed at me for behaving towards her as I had done; assuming authority to which I had no right; entering Sir Allan's room without her permission; keeping possession of it all day, and even threatening to lock her out. That she was nearest to Sir Allan, knew him most intimately, and all his ways of thinking. That I had insulted her Church, saying I would not suffer any Popish ceremonies to be celebrated in the sick-room; that my conduct was outrageous, and would, if published, bring down upon me the scorn and indignation of the world. I replied, that would sit lightly upon me, when I felt actuated by a sense of duty. That I usurped no authority in that house where I knew that she was at the head of affairs; that she was not, however, Sir Allan's spiritual adviser, or the guardian of his faith; neither was she the nearest to Sir Allan, for his sisters were present, who entreated me to stay with them, and not desert them. That I had no desire to insult her Church; that if the word Popish were considered reproachful, I would substitute the "Church of Rome;" that I had never threatened to shut her out of the sickchamber, but only the ceremonies of the Romish bishop and priest; that instead of her being incensed, I felt that I was the party aggrieved, because I was debarred from Sir Allan, kept completely in the dark as to what was going on, and had been the victim of duplicity and deceit. Upon this she left me, highly indignant, intimating that she had the entire control of Sir Allan's affairs, and that it rested with her whether I should be there or not. I imagined that she had reference to the funeral. "The Bishop then took up his cloak, said he was going, and advised me to do the same. I told him I was much obliged to him for his advice, but intended to He then said he protested against my staying. I replied, I did stay where I was. not care two pins for his protest, that I had a right there, and would stay. He then left the house, and I remained in the hall, for I could see the entrance to the sick-room, and I knew by the movements of those around that the breath was fast departing. I did not desire either to excite opposition to my entrance from Andrew Stuart, who stood apparently guarding the door. A few minutes more, and it was announced that all was over, and I took my departure, having first shaken hands with Andrew Stuart.' "It was during that mysterious Thursday that the Romish Bishop was admitted to the bedside of the dying man, who baptized and confirmed him according to the forms of the Church of Rome. It was probably intended that no one should see him again except the Popish Bishop to administer extreme unction. "The last scene is equally instructive. The question now arose, "According to what rites must the dead body be buried ?" Rome, in the present day, generally so lays her plans as to succeed in her object, and, with her, success is everything. Immense excitement prevailed at Hamilton; riots were threatened, and so forth. Meantime Rome succeeds by the extraordinary means above described in carrying off her prize, as will be seen by the following narrative. Further comment is unne cessary; but surely Protestants should avoid the agents of the mystic Babylon :"Great excitement continued to prevail in the streets, and it was currently Mr. Mayor M'Elroy was urged reported that men were ready to turn out and take possession of the body, in case the Roman Catholic Bishop attempted to bury it. to swear in special constables to prevent a breach of the peace, but he did not con sider it necessary to do so. About two o'clock, Mr. Hillyard Cameron received a message, asking him to go to Dundurn, to ascertain, on behalf of the deceased Baronet's three sisters, whether there was a will, in order that it might be ascer tained who were the executors. Mr. Cameron at once left for Dundurn, and on his arrival the will was placed in his hands. It had been in possession of Mrs. David MacNab, who was confined to her room through sickness. Meanwhile, a large number of persons were proceeding to Dundurn on foot and in carriages. A large crowd assembled in front of the castle, a great majority of whom were females. About three o'clock the Common Council of Hamilton, headed by Mr. Mayor M'Elroy, and a detachment of police, entered the grounds. The police men took up a position in front of the mansion to preserve order in the event of their services being required, but there was no occasion for their services, all present conducting themselves in the most orderly and decorous manner. Parties of gentlemen, including those we have mentioned, and many of the principal citizens of Hamilton, began to arrive in carriages, among whom were Isaac Buchanan, Esq., M.P.P., Rev. Mr. Geddes, Rev. Mr. Inglis, Rev. Mr. Burnett, John O. Hatt, Esq., A. Stuart, Esq., H. Monro, Esq., Archd. M'Donald, Esq., and H. Case, Esq. The gentlemen crowded into the hall and drawing-room, where animated conversations were carried on in whispers, one subject engrossing the attention of all. The crowd of persons outside were no less interested. The buzz of conversation suddenly ceased when the three aged sisters of deceased walked through the assemblage, and proceeded up-stairs, to see the will opened and hear it read by the Hon. Mr. Cameron. They were followed upstairs by Mr. Sadlier, solicitor to the late Baronet, Andrew Stuart, Esq., brother-in-law, John O. Hatt, Esq., J. T. Gilkinson, and other friends of the deceased. Mr. Cameron having informed those present that he had been called upon to act on behalf of the nearest of kin, opened the last will and testament of the deceased, executed in 1856, and read the clause relative to the appointment of executors. The will provided that Mr. T. C. Street should act as executor, and Mrs. David MacNab as executrix. As Mr. Street was not present, a messenger was despatched for him, and he soon arrived. Mr. Cameron read over the entire will, and then inquired what were Mr. Street's wishes relative to the burial of the deceased. Mr. Street renounced all connexion with the will, and declared that he would have nothing to do with the estate or funeral. He informed the persons present that he had given the same refusal when Sir Allan requested him to act as executor. Mr. Cameron then stated that under these circumstances it would be necessary to learn Mrs. MacNab's wishes about the funeral, and, at his request, Mr. Sadlier proceeded to her room. On his return, Mr. Sadlier stated that Mrs. MacNab wished the deceased buried according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Cameron gave it as his opinion that, as executrix, she could claim possession of the coffin, shroud, and other articles enclosing the body, and as the body could not be buried without them, it consequently, by law, became the right of Mrs. MacNab to have the body interred as she deemed proper. He then left the room and went down stairs. In an instant it was known among the gentlemen assembled in the hall and chambers, that Sir Allan was to be buried according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, and many hurriedly left the house. In a couple of minutes, not half-a-dozen of the gentlemen above mentioned were left standing in the hall. Chief-Justice M'Lean, Chief-Justice Draper, Hon. Mr. Cameron, Chancellor Vankoughnet, and the other gentlemen left in the carriages by which they had come. All appeared sad, and many said it was scandalous to bury a gentleman as a Roman Catholic who had all his life been a Protestant. It was at one time feared that there would be a riot; but it is gratifying to state that good order was preserved. Bishop Farrell, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hamil fon, who up to this time had not been present, made his appearance in the hall in full canonicals, accompanied by two priests, one of whom carried a vessel containing holy water. They proceeded to the east room of the building, where the coffin was resting on a table. Here the prayers for the dead were read according to the formula of the Church of Rome, by Bishop Farrell. At the termination of the prayers, holy water was sprinkled on the coffin. This finished the ceremony within the building, and the coffin was carried out to the hearse standing in front f the castle.' PROTESTANT MAGAZINE. DECEMBER 1, 1862. PROPOSED MONUMENT TO O'CONNELL. " CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION." THE Roman Catholic portion of the population of Ireland may, no doubt, very justly feel that they are greatly indebted to the late Mr. O'Connell for his energetic and eminently successful labours on their behalf. That they should wish to record their gratitude by erecting some monument to the memory of one who has achieved so much for them is no matter of wonder. Nor, indeed, should we here have invited attention to the circumstance, but for the language which we find used at a late public Meeting in Ireland to promote that object, as reported in a Romish newspaper, the "Tablet" of Nov. 22. The Most Rev. Dr. M'Evilly, Bishop of Galway, in moving the first Resolution, spoke of Mr. O'Connell as "the Father of his country," adverted to the "varied incidents of his life," to his various "successful triumphs," and expressed his admiration of the whole course of his career. He is not, however, satisfied. with "Catholic Emancipation" as it now stands, and thus proceeds to point out that it falls very short of the hopes and aspirations of the Roman Catholics in Ireland. They seemed, however, grateful when the measure passed. They now require much more. Dr. M'Evilly thus proceeds : "Take, for instance, one of his most brilliant and successful achievements-Catholic Emancipation. Without meaning to depreciate or detract from O'Connell's priceless exertions-and I believe had Providence spared him, he would have completed his own workI have no hesitation in asserting that the Emancipation of the Catholic people of this country is still incomplete, and a dead letter in regard to the great masses of the population, from whom its most substantial advantages, extending to their very lives and personal liberties, are still withheld. (Cheers.) Emancipation, no doubt, in a religious point of view, has removed those cruel penal restrictions imposed on the free exercise of our religion. But even in this respect it is not complete-[Is not] boasted equality before the law, of which we hear so much, perfectly meaningless? Has Emancipation restored to us those VOL. XXIV. New Series, No. 266. Р temples built to the worship of God by the piety of our ancestors? Has it restored to us those temporalities—the pious gifts of our sainted fathers, destined for the support of religion, and the solace of the widow and the orphan, and as yet consigned to minister to the worst purposes of worldly pomp and dissipation? (Cheers.)" The italics are our own. The expressions so marked indicate a feeling on the part of Roman Catholics, that "Catholic Emancipation" is not, after all that was said and done, the final measure which some of its promoters described, and probably intended it to be, but only a step in advance-a step leading to some ulterior end and objects, among which plainly enough may be reckoned the destruction of the Established Church in Ireland, and the appropriation of its revenues to Roman Catholic purposes in that country. Something of this kind was apprehended by those who were amongst the opponents of "Catholic Emancipation." They were not wrong in their forebodings; and as power and opportunity allow, we may expect to see Romanists pressing their claims for augmented power and endowments with more and more pertinacity, and, if Protestants are indifferent, with more and more success. Supremacy is the object of the Papacy, and Romanists would like once again to see their Church become the dominant Church in every part of the United Kingdom. That such will ever be the case we do not apprehend, but we are apprehensive that the power already given to Popery by us will be an increasing source of trouble and annoyance, it may be even of danger. We may incur the just displeasure of the Almighty, who in His great mercy blessed the efforts of our forefathers to the rescue of this Church and nation from the errors and evils of Popery. We may experience His wrathful displeasure for national unfaithfulness in respect of the great trust confided to our care; and then see, one by one, many of the bright prospects in which we now indulge of national glory, prosperity, and peace, clouded and blighted for ever. For what have we long been doing? What are we now doing? We are helping to erect and to intensify an antinational system, which, under the name of religion, cloaks the most ambitious projects, and which, as history testifies, is tyrannical and unscrupulous in the use made of power when it has been once acquired. There are not wanting indications that the influence of the Papacy presses more constantly and more heavily than is desirable for Protestant interests upon those who make, or desire to make, the laws, or to administer the affairs of this Protestant kingdom, whether in its foreign or domestic relationships. If we sow the wind, must we not expect to reap the whirlwind? If we place power in the hands of the Romish Church, must we not expect to see it made use of for anti-Protestant purposes? If, as a Church and people, we withdraw our protest against Popery-" the great Apostasy of the West"-and give our gold and influence to promote the cause of anti-Christian errors, how can we expect to enjoy the continued blessing of Him who is the God of truth, and the great Ruler over all? POPISH CHAPLAINS IN THE ARMY. FROM a Parliamentary Return* procured through the instrumentality of Sir William Verner, Bart., the following are found to be the sums paid to Popish priests, as Chaplains in the army, for the year 1861-2: 1. To Popish priests as commissioned Chaplains 2. To ditto, as officiating at military stations throughout Great Britain 3. To ditto, ditto, Ireland 4. To ditto, ditto, abroad, exclusive of India 5. For Testaments, Prayer-books, and Bibles Total £3,393 15 0 6000 1,923 O 1,251 O 1,152 O 579 2 9 £8,298 17 9 Thus, during last year, no less a sum than 8,2981. 17s. 9d. has been paid by this country for propagating Popery in the army. Mr. Whalley said, the other day, in the debate in the House of Commons, on the Roman Catholic Prisoners Bill, that "all attempts to conciliate, under the name of toleration, not the Roman Catholic people, but the Roman Catholic priests, had entirely failed, and had led only to increased demands. He had in his possession a statement by a military officer, that such had been the encouragement given to priests in the army, that in case of any question involving Roman Catholic feeling, not he and his brother officers, but the priests, would have the control of our soldiers." Now, it is very easy to imagine such a question to arise, and we are convinced such a question will yet arise, when the Protestants will feel, to their cost, and perhaps to the jeopardy of this country, the truth of this most important statement. The above sum of 8,000l. does not represent, however, the full amount. It was brought out by a former return that a sum amounting to not less than 6,8407. a year was given to Popish priests as Chaplains to our soldiers in India. Hence the total amount for the last year cannot be less than 15,1387. for Popish priests in the army alone.-The Bulwark, or Reformation Journal, Sept. 1, 1862. Return (Army Chaplains, &c.) ordered to be printed by the House of Commons, June 17, 1862. "Times," July 10, 1862. |