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faid down in the Methodist creed, yet it is certain that no class of professing Christians dwell more than do they on sudden and extraordinary manifestations of God's Spirit in the pro cess of conversion. The pretensions of nearly all sects in this particular, especially in scasons of revival measures and camp-meeting operations, weuld seem indeed to claim for themselves the same tokens of the special presence of Jeho hah, in these days, which were exhibited on the day of Pen tecost and in the age of miracles. And as do the Protestants, so has the Catholic Church always claimed for herself those visible evidences of Divine Inspiration which set the seal of heavenly origin to her faith and rituals, and characterize her priesthood as the legitimate succession of Christ and his apos. tles! It not being our purpose however to decide on the merits of the claims thus made, we shall proceed to consider the similarity of feature which the various creeds present on the subject of

THE ATONEMENT.

The Presbyterian Confession of Faith thus explicitly sets forth the doctrine:

"5. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacri. fice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once of fered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of his Fa ther; and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him."-p. 44.

"3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real and full satisfaction to his Father's justice in their behalf. Yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for any thing in them, their justi fication is only of free grace; that both the exact justice, and rich grace of God, might be glorified in the justification of sinners."-pp. 55—56.

"Q. 38. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God? A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience,

and intercession; and to satisfy God's justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting sal. vation."

The Baptist Creed (page 30 & 36) holds precisely the same language. The Episcopal and Methodist Churches. unite in the following statement of their views on this point:

"Art. 31. Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross. The offering of Christ once made, is that per fect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone."

In addition to what is here given, it is the generally re ceived opinion that a vicarious sacrifice was offered in the person of Christ--for the purpose of satisfying the claims of God's justice, vindicating his violated law, placating his wrath and reconciling offended Deity to his creatures.

So far as

we are certified, there is not a shadow of difference on this point. It is, moreover, a sentiment common to them all, that the violation of the law of God by the sinner involves infinite guilt, or that sin is infinite in character, and that the atone. ment to remove the same must likewise be infinite, and therefore the work of an infinite Being. Thus the proper Deily of Christ is proven by legitimate conclusions from false premises.

JUDGMENT DAY IN ETERNITY.

This is another dogma of the Church concerning which there is a perfect agreement in faith, between the Catholic and the various partial Protestant sects. Says the former,

"We must believe that Jesus Christ will come from heav. en at the last day to judge us all; that all the dead, both good and bad, shall rise from their graves at the sound of the last trumpet, and shall be judged by him according to their works."

Says the Presbyterian Confession of Faith

"God hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged; but likewise all

persons, that have lived upon earth, shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil."--pp. 135--136.

"Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the gen. eral and final judgment of angels and men."--Ans Q. 88. And the "Apostle's Creed," (so called) used by the Epis. copalian worshipper, says that Christ

"Was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell ; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heav. en; and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead."

On the same point, the Baptist professor coincides exactly with the faith of the Presbyterian before quoted. In fact, if unity of faith be a desirable thing, it can be found among all Trinitarian sects on this subject. So likewise in relation to two other tenets, which are the last we shall bring to the no tice of the reader, at this time—to wit:

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A PERSONAL DEVIL AND ENDLESS HELL. And who does not know the vast importance that is placed upon these doctrines by nearly all the Clergy of the day? They form in truth the main pillars of what is called Or. thodoxy," in these our times. Remove these pillars in the temple of partialism, and her time-honored walls and vener. able arches would crumble to the earth. Here indeed is the platform on which those of conflicting views on minor points can meet in amity and peace. Here is a sort of neutral ground, whereon the spiritual belligerents of the age may meet and ground their arms, of late directed against each other, and form an alliance offensive and defensive against the heretical Ephraimites, whom they look upon as the comThe Calvinist and the Arminian, the Protest. ant and the Catholic may here take each other by the hand, in token of fraternal fellowship, and, like Herod and Pilate of old, make a treaty of friendship, dictated alike by a commu nity of faith, sympathy and interest. The one grand hailing sign of endless damnation, passes from rank to rank, and by

mon enemy.

ats cabalistical influence harmonizes the discordant elements of sectarism and forms the commingling hosts into an united and determined phalanx.

Nor is there a vastly greater difference to be discovered be tween the customs and traditions of the Mother Church and those of her daughters, than is found to exist between them in doctrine. The hue and cry of Protestants on this subject, is not unlike that of the rogue who bawls vociferously "stop thief," in order to divert the attention of pursuers from the real culprit. They would fain impress the idea upon the public mind that some awful danger is to be apprehended from the diffusion of Catholic customs and opinions, while they, good souls, are infinitely removed from the least suspicion of heresy in theory or corruption in practice. All this may be so, but we are not blessed with the right kind of vision to per ceive the moral distinction which many affect to point out to us between Catholic and Protestant actions, when those actions are the result of the same opinions and the offspring of a similar creed. We never could see the propriety of allow. ing our minds to be so warped by prejudice, as to imagine that any remarkable variance of conduct could arise from the reception and practice of the same views on any subject, for a like cause will invariably produce like effects. If therefore we find the same spirit prevail, though under a different aspect, we should judge accordingly, without reference to names of obloquy which partizan zeal may conjure up to serve its purpose. That which is wrong in Catholic devotees, cannot, we may rest assured, be right in Protestant zeal. ots, for right and wrong are not to be estimated after this fashion, else, are the eternal principles of rectitude as mutable as the wind that bloweth. Let us then candidly look at the objections which the Protestant sects urge against the Catholics, in order to ascertain whether the former are indeed of that happy number, who condemn not others in the things which they allow themselves. And first, let us take into consideration the principle of

INFALLIBILITY.

The Catholics claim that their church is the oldest, (which all will admit,) and that it is derived, by regular succession, from Christ and his apostles, through the various Roman Pontiffs to the present day, presenting a unity of faith and concert of action, which betoken its divine origin and continued purity. Well, is not the same pretension visible in every Protestant church in the land? Do not all claim for them. selves the true faith and practice-consider themselves orthodox and those who differ from them heterodox? And is it not a very common circumstance to find this exclusive feel. ing manifest itself in the actions of various churches of the age. A dozen or two individuals unite in a religious capacity, and adopt a certain faith, to which they pledge them. selves to conform. They then consider themselves the Church of Christ, and of course feel that its interests are confided to their charge, and that to them belongs the right of keeping it clear of heresy in opinion and immorality in practice. In this situation of affairs, suppose one of their number openly departs from the faith of the majority-what course is pursued in his case? Why, he is "dealt with," or submitted to church discipline, forthwith, and is "cast out of the synagogue" by vote, if found guilty of the error charged. Thus this little band of believers-self constituted as they are-proclaim to the world that the majority cannot err in the matter; or, in other words, they say to the delinquent, we, the Church, are right and you are wrong. And if the confidence and au thority with which these things are managed, do not prove the claim of infallibility on their part, we confess ourselves ignorant of the meaning of the word.

And second; so likewise in reference to the objection of Protestants against the Pope as the Spiritual Head of the Church.

It is very much against their consciences to allow any such authority, and they look with contempt upon what they would call spiritual cowardice in the members of the Catholic commus nion, is submitting to such ecclesiastical domination. But at the same time, these very same objectors hesitate not to place