WOULD it be wise or politic to give a state provision to the Roman Catholic clergy? That is the question which the pamphlet before us discusses, and, we would add, decides, although the decision to which we must come is very different from that of the writer. We are obliged to him for his premises his facts are invaluable-but we must take the liberty of forming our own conclusions.

Mr. Croly treats the question almost entirely with reference to the prejudices of his own party. He gives a most deplorable picture of the internal condition of the Roman Catholic church in Ireland. Its priests he describes as a species of sturdy beggars, alternately bullying and wheedling the people; finding it necessary to resort to the most degrading meanness to obtain the means of subsistence; and perpetually disgracing the sacred cause in which they are engaged, by the most disgusting insolence and brutality. Although our own experience fully bears out the Rev. Gentleman's statements, and we are perfectly persuaded that, if he "nothing extenuates," neither does he "set down aught in malice," yet they are, we confess, statements which we should not

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ourselves have ventured to make; as we could scarcely hope that they would be implicitly received by even our most unprejudiced readers. The simple truth we have long known; but the simple truth appeared so like extravagant falsehood, that, coming from a Protestant witness, it must needs have passed for one of those party exaggerations which could only do discredit to those by whom it had been disseminated or believed. Come," our English friends would say, “this is really too bad. O'Connell and his tail may draw the long bow a little in describing their priests as the most excellent and exemplary beings upon the face of the earth, but you, surely, do them less than justice in thus confounding them with publicans and sinners." And such an impresssion would be most natural. But, happily, the subject has been taken out of our hands, and it is a Roman Catholic priest who himself discloses the facts, which in any other hands would appear to transgress even the laws of fiction, and induce the cautious reader to exclaim—

"Quodcunque mihi sic ostendis, incredulus odi."

The object of the Rev. Gentleman is, to shew the inconveniences attend

VOL. IV.

2 s

ing the present dependent condition of the Roman Catholic priesthood, and to reconcile his own laity to the measure for a state provision, against which, for factious purposes, they have hitherto made loud objections. For this purpose he goes into a statement of "the ways and means" at present employed in his church to raise the sums requisite for the maintenance of the clergy; and has thus been led to make disclosures by which the more intemperate of his persuasion have been grievously scandalized. We shall make a few quotations for the amusement and the edification of the reader.

"The mode of exacting clerical dues is quite arbitrary and capricious; fixedness and uniformity are out of the question. Almost every thing depends upon the temper and disposition of the clergyman. There are salutary regulations in every diocese respecting church dues as well as other points of church discipline, put forth by episcopal and synodical authority. Specific sums are laid down as the remuneration to be demanded and paid for the performance of such and such religious rights for the celebration of marriage, or the oblation of the mass, or the half yearly administration of the eucharist. These authorised exactions, as may be supposed, are moderate enough, and would not be at all adequate to supply the wants of an aspiring priesthood. Every priest, therefore, looking to his peculiar necessities, or to self-interest, makes the most he can of his ministry, and multiplies his exactions without any reference to statute law or episcopal authority. Owing to this departure from fixed rules, the strangest discrepancy prevails, even in the same diocess, as to the church demands made upon the people. Some priests, in consequence of their extravagance or their avarice, are much more severe in their exactions than others. They make high demands for christenings, for weddings, for masses, for confessions, for funerals. It is a fact, also, that the exactions are continually on the increase, and that the main attention of the clergy appears to be directed towards the enlargement of their incomes. The dues are now double what they were thirty years ago; so that, strange as it may appear, amid the decay of trade and commerce, agriculture and manufactures, the revenues of the Irish Catholic Church are in a constant, steady, progressive state of improvement."

With respect to the decay of trade, Mr. Croly is mistaken. He has, we suppose, taken for granted the assertions of the popish demagogues, whose antiEnglish views it suited to represent Ireland as a kind of "unfortunate Miss Bailey." But their falsehood has been so fully shown in the late repeal discussion in parliament, that we are surprised a gentleman of the intelligence and candour of Mr. Croly, could, for a moment, lend them any countenance. This, however, is an inadvertency on his part, all things considered, natural enough, and to be accounted for by the obvious fact, that great as has been the increase of Irish prosperity, both trading and agricultural, the increase in the incomes of the popish clergy has been still greater; so that a phesimilar to that which is exhibited at nomenon has been presented somewhat sea, when a vessel, sailing with the current seems to run against it. tide, so far outstrips its speed, that the

That the increase of clerical exactions is no more than reasonable, Mr. Croly thus proves :

"In former times the Catholic clergy lived in the most homely style. In their dress, their manners, their dwellings, their tables, they stood little higher than the common farmers. With a few exceptions, they had no idea whatever of high lifeof being clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day. They needed not, therefore, such an amount of revenue as is necessary for the more consequential and more expensive clergy of the present times. The state of Catholic society and of the Catholic Church in Ireland, is considerably altered. The humility or the obscurity of former times has entirely disappeared or is forgotten. The country priest now copes with the country squire, keeps sporting-dogs, controls elections, presides at political clubs, and sits 'cheek by jowl,' at public dinners and public assemblies, with peers of the land and members of parliament. Would the former humble standard of church revenues be adequate to the expenditure of men of this aspiring and consequential description? The extraordinary exactions, therefore, that are so much complained of, are the necessary consequences of the extraordinary change of circumstances; and if the people, in their savage obstinacy, refuse compliance, what follows but that the present system of finance being unsuited to the times, yet still espoused

by the inconsiderate multitude, the matter should be taken entirely out of their hands, and a new system substituted which would be fully adapted to meet the alteration that has taken place in the religious and political world."

But it is when he descends to particulars, that Mr. Croly is chiefly edifying. The following account of the mode of collecting confession-money will not a little astonish the simple reader :

"The priest selects one or two houses in every plough-land in the neighbourhood, where he holds, according to appointment, stations of confession;' and it is required that the families of all about should meet him when he comes among them on these occasions, should make their confession, receive the holy sacrament, and finally pay the customary dues. It sometimes happens that this business is not transacted quietly. If increased dues are demanded—a thing of occasional occurrence-disagreeable and sometimes scandalous altercations ensue. Similar scenes occur when individuals attend and crave time for payment; while such as absent themselves, unless they send the dues as an apology, are generally made the subject of public abuse and exposure. All these things take place in connexion with the celebration of mass, and the administration of the sacraments, penance, and the eucharist, or supper of the Lord!

"The custom on the face of it bears an unholy complexion. It transforms religious rites into merchantable commodoties; which the priest prices and turns to his own advantage, in the best manner he can. He gives and he gets quid pro quo. This is the appearance of the thing; and the common people do imagine that they pay their money in lieu of getting confession and absolution. So deeply indeed is this persuasion engraven on their minds, that they consider themselves exempt from the obligation of payment, unless they actually get absolution and the holy sacrament, that is, value for their money."

The scenes which take place at Roman Catholic marriages are then described. Mr. Croly tells us :—

"The first thing done when there is question of marrying a couple, is to make a bargain about the marriage money.

This sometimes causes a considerable

delay. The remuneration or stipend

prescribed by the diocesan statutes is never thought of for a moment. Indeed, all statutes respecting money matters are a mere dead letter. The priest drives as hard a bargain as he can, and strives to make the most of the occasion. Marriages are sometimes broken off in conthe demands. All this is in opposition sequence of the supposed exorbitancy of to the intention of the Church, and the spirit of religion. It is simony to all intents and purposes-that is, selling a sacrament or spiritual thing for money, and putting on it a worldly value according to the dictates of avarice or caprice, without any reference to fixed rules and regulations. But this is only a preliminary proceeding. Demands of money are made upon such as are present at the marriage—at least, upon the male portion of the assembly. This gives rise not unfrequently to a new and unhallowed scene. The transaction may by chance pass off quietly; that is, when every one contributes according to the wishes and expectations of the clergyman. But this does not always happen. In general the demands are considered unreasonable, and the priest is disappointed in his expectations. Some endeavour to evade the payment of any contribution; others give but little; and the few that please the priest are mere exceptions to the general rule. The clergyman, after begging and intreating for some time to little purpose, gets at length into a rage, utters the most bitter invectives against individuals, abuses perhaps the whole company, and is abused himself in turn; until at length the whole house becomes one frightful scene of confusion and uproar; and all this takes place at the administration of one of the sacraments of the Roman Catholic church!"

Now we soberly ask the intelligent reader, could any caricaturist of rustic life in Ireland, venture, even in fiction, to present to the public so extravagant a picture as this? And, yet, that it is strictly agreeable to matter of fact, is well known to all those who are familiar with the workings of the Romish system. What a comment does it furnish upon the "Traits and Stories" of our admirable countryman, Carleton! How fully does it bear out, how much does it even go beyond his lively and graphical descriptions! Carleton's volumes, as much as they are admired, have not, as yet, had their full praise. No writer has ever depicted

or

the virtues and vices, "the lights and the shadows" of life, as it is exhibited amongst our peasantry, with a more exact or felicitous adherence to nature. Indeed, an intelligent reader may learn more of the moral and political state of Ireland from an attentive perusal of his interesting pages, than he could glean for himself from a ten years' acquaintance with the country, gather, by any effort, from any other writings with which we are acquainted. Not the least valuable portion of his labours is that which shows his profound and accurate acquaintance with the character and the workings of the church of Rome; and we would earnestly advise him, when he prints again, not to lose the opportunity of verifying, by quotations from the tract before us, the almost literal correctness of his representations.

The practice of anointing the sick gives rise to some scandalous abuses. What can be more shocking than the following plain description of what takes place?

"The rite is often administered under most distressing circumstances-amid sickness, lamentation, destitution, and want; yet money is demanded in most cases, particularly in the country; and instances occur of payment being demanded before hand, and even of money being pocketed by the priest, which was given as alms for the relief of the dying." Often when the money is not to be had, bitter words take place in the very hearing and presence of the dying per

son."

Every man looks to his own private emolument, regardless of all covenants or agreements, expressed or implied. The curate does not make a fair return to the parish priest, nor the parish priest to the curate; nor the curates, where a number is associated, to one another. Every man gets in what he can; and seems to think that he would be justified in appropriating the entire to himself. But this he cannot do; for he must make some return of his receipts; and this he does; but an arbitrary return, maimed, docked,

and curtailed. There is no lack of reThe

fined casuistry in this matter. curate says he labours more than the parish priest, and therefore that he is entitled to more than his allotted proportion of the dues. The parish priest, perhaps, will say, that the curate is too well paid, and that he himself should have a larger dividend; and where there are several curates together, one will say that he is the senior, and that he should not be placed on a level with the others. Sometimes they assign a sweeping reason for this clandestine abstraction from the common revenue-namely, that the dues being in themselves indeterminate, and a sort of arbitrary exaction, they are at liberty to make an arbitrary return! The consequence of all this is, that church revenue has become a mere scramble every one striving to seize upon a larger share, and deciding for himself in the appropriation."

Such is the picture which this worthy gentleman, in the simplicity of his heart, gives of the church of Rome in Ireland! Such are the evils which he exhibits and deplores, with a view to convincing his own party of the necessity for a state provision for their clergy. He writes as if he feared that the demagogues of his persuasion were utterly averse to any such measure; but we know them a little better, and can assure him, on good grounds, that, however they may affect to bluster, no such hostility on their part need be seriously apprehended. The liquorish leer with which the sacerdotal agitators look upon the revenues of the establishment, while they affect to cry "sour grapes," can now deceive no one. They feel that their present position is disagreeable; they know that it is insecure; and gladly would they accept of any alternative which held out to them the prospect of a comfort

able independence. Glad and fain would they be to get the means of keeping sporting dogs, controlling elections, presiding at political clubs, and sitting cheek by jowl at public dinners and public assemblies, with peers of the land and members of parliament," without the necessity for resorting to the invidious and disagreeable expedients which Mr. Croly has so well described. If government should only press the provision, in a handsome manner, and upon public grounds, although a little make-believe coyness may, at first, be exhibited, the splay-footed gentry are far too wise in their generation, to persevere in an ungracious resistance. In fact, there is now no concealing the fact, that the "night is far spent, and the day is at hand;" and the Romish clergy well know that their hay is not to be made when the sun shines.

We will, therefore, set it down as an axiom, that there is very little, if any, difference of opinion between Mr. Croly and his confreres, upon the subject of state provision. They are quite as anxious as he is, to be relieved from their present humiliating position; and, instead of being obliged to their own people for a precarious subsistence, to lay the government of the country under an obligation to them for accepting, in lieu of it, a permanent stipend, which may render them easy and independent.

They feel, moreover, that the interest of the order is at stake. It does not require a moiety of their sagacity to perceive, that, if things continue much longer upon their present footing, "the craft" will be in danger. The very warfare which they have been instrumental in raising against the established clergy, is already beginning to tell, with a fearful reaction, against themselves. Alecto or Tysiphone could not readily take upon them the appearance of angels of light; and just as little can the sponsors of the passive resistance system-the patrons and encouragers of the merciless tactics of Captain Rock continue to personate the meek and gentle-hearted ministers of the Gospel. When the pastoral crook has been converted into a sword, and when the word of God is never referred to, but for the purpose of drilling false witnesses in the swearing of an alibi,

they may be tolerated as so many sleeping partners in that dreadful conspiracy which is at present arrayed against the property of the church, and which, if successful, will soon be felt to be fatal to all the other protestant property in the kingdom. But to suppose that the same men can ever be respected, in their purely spiritual character, as religious teachers; and that, when the objects of their hatred and jealousy have been removed, they will be able, still, to tax the credulity and the pockets of their flocks, for the expensive maintenance of a system of gainful delusion ; to suppose this, would be to fall into an error by which, we may be perfectly satisfied, they are not deceived; and, accordingly, there is nothing they so earnestly desire, as that their adherents should be relieved from any onerous contributions.

At the present day, popery contains nothing which could render it, in this country, properly self-subsistent. It is buckramed, as it were, into an ostensible erectness and vigour, by the violence of the democratic principle and the hatred of our Protestant institutions. Whatever hold it may have upon the superstitions of the vulgar, by the demagogues it is regarded and used as a political engine; it is looked upon less as an end, than as an instrument; and as soon as its work of destruction is accomplished, it will, itself, be disregarded. The high-priests of popery see this, and with their usual foresight, would fain provide against it. Never were men who more strikingly exemplified the wisdom of this world, or who exhibited more of practical adroitness in regulating their conduct by the signs of the times. As long as agitation could serve their purposes, it was "agitate, agitate." When a peaceable demeanour became the more advisable course, the disguise of sheep's clothing was always at hand. At one time, when an obnoxious establishment was to be overturned, they scorn any stipend which could, even for a moment, detach them from the people, that they may the more effectually "ride the whirlwind, and direct the storm" of democratic violence, against the mild pastors of that holy religion, by which their senseless superstitions are put to shame. At another, in the full anticipation of the success of their schemes,