jtt

I "if

m?

Ill " *
' ;j I I 1 I P
I

fv."

"/ give ihtfi. Books
\far, the faurncling of_a, CoUtgt in this, CoUiH.pi

Gift of 190 *f ^

HENRY AND ANTONIO,
OR
THE PROSELYTES
OF THE
ROMISH AND EVANGELICAL
CHURCHES;
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN
OP
©. G." BRETSCHNEID:gR, D. D., &c. &c.
General Superintendent at Gotba,

ADDITIONAL NOTES,

A MINISTER OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH.

BALTIMORE;
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY LUCAS & DEAVER,
19, South Calvert Street.
1834.

jy TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
States as in popish countries, the same corrupt state of
morals would exist among us, which now prevails £o such a
lamentable extent in them.
It is believed that the American public are ready for
works on this subject. There have been some very excel
lent books relating to this controversy already published, and
very lately, it has been very vigorously prosecuted in the
public papers. But it is thought that all this has only cre
ated a desire to read more.
The form of the following work is peculiar, and on that
account particularly interesting. It combines the attraction
of romance and the power of argument. It is perhaps
best designed for those who have neither time nor inclina
tion to read large and learned works on the subject, and
that is a very numerous class of readers in this country. It
is very popular in Germany, having reached the fourth edi
tion in 1831.
To theologians it is not necessary to say any thing in fa
vor of the author as a theological and controversial writer.
Though not decidedly with the orthodox party of Germany,
yet his opponents give him credit for fairness in controversy,
elegance and clearness of style, and integrity of character.
The translator does not wish it to be understood that he
agrees with him in every sentiment contained even in this
little volume, but those which are in the least objectionable,
do not relate to fundamental gospel truth, and about that
every reader is permitted to think as he pleases.
Most of the quotations from the scriptures in the original
volume are from Van Ess's translation. Van Ess (Leander)
was a Catholic priest, and since 1813, professor extraordinary
of theology and preacher at Marburg, whp has distinguished
himself by his translation of the New Testament. The
pope has lately prohibited this version, but it is still exten-

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. y
sively circulated in defiance of the papal interdiction, and
exerts great iniuence upon the German Catholics. Van
Ess has also published several works in favour of the gene
ral and free use of the scriptures by the laity, containing
copious extracts from the fathers, and Catholic writers, sub
stantiating his opinions. It will be seen by all readers why
the quotations were made from that version, rather than
from Luther's, and the reason will be considered good. I
had once determined to translate from Van Ess's version
for the sake of fairness, but on comparing his with the one
in common use among us, I found that they do not diifer
in one single idea of importance, and therefore I concluded
to adhere to the authorized version. The Romanist cannot
complain of this, for he will find Van Ess's testament as de
cidedly against the errors of his church as our English Bible.
THE TRANSLATOR.
Baltimore, September 1, 1834.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

The object of this little work will best appear from its
contents. — It is not intended as an attack but a defence,
and is only polemical in cases, where the defence could not
be conducted in any other manner, than by turning the
weapons of the opponent against himself. It is principally
conducted by a comparison of the declarations of Jesus
and the apostles with the doctrines and ceremonies, which
the Romish priesthood established as universally binding at
the council of Trent and in the Romish Catechism. This
catechism and the decrees of that council, being the prin
cipal creeds of the Romish church, are frequently quoted,
so that the objection might not be made, that the doctrines
of that church were misrepresented. For the benefit of the
unlearned reader it is here observed, that the council of
Trent was held, with some interruption, in the years 1545
to 1563, — that the Romish priests assembled there made up,
as they thought, for what the Evangelical church had done
in abolishing certain doctrines and ceremonies, which were
gross abuses and wanted public confirmation, by widening
the line of demarcation between them and the Evangelical
church, and pronouncing a decree of eternal excommunica
tion against her. The Romish Catechism was first prepared
in Rome by order of pope Pius V. in 1566, it was after-

viii AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
wards frequently published, in which many things that were
altogether passed over at Trent or but slightly touched,
were more fully established. To set this gospel of Rome
beside the gospel of Jesus, was the principal object of this
work, and hence only a subordinate place was given to the
argument from history.
The defence of the gospel of Jesus against the gospel
of Rome is fully justified in the frequent assaults made upon
the former. The Evangelical church sees herself continu
ally attacked in books, pamphlets and periodicals in France
as well as in Germany. It is not only obscure scribblers,
who might be despised, because they are not read, that pre
fer these ceaseless accusations, but periodicals join the
clamor, which, on account of other circumstances, find their
way into the reading rooms of the higher classes of society,
and fling old and new charges against the Evangelical church
like fire rockets, into places where they soonest ignite, and
when ignited, soonest occasion mischief. The Jesuits have
also been revived — the order whose especial aim it is to
oppose and extirpate the Evangelical church; they op
erate in various ways, they assume various forms, they
establish their posts, send out their agents, and insidiously
try to gain influence among the higher classes. The work
of proselyting is zealously and publicly prosecuted and not
without success. Many are gained by dishonorable means,
and barter the gospel of Jesus for that of Rome, because
they love the world and the praise of men more than God
and the truth. Many are won by sophistry and fraud, by
specious argument which they are too ignorant to refute,
and by unfounded accusations are filled with mistrust
against Evangelical Christianity. Duty demands of every
one who is not indifferent to Evangelical truth, to extend a

AUTHOR'S PREFACE. jjj
guiding hand to such, to undeceive the deceived, and es
tablish the wavering. Silence in season, is laudable ; out
of season, culpable; but silence, when duty commands us
to speak, when the truth calls upon her friends to defend
her, when many a troubled and wavering heart longs after
light and strength, — is wicked. Who are more loudly
called upon to speak on this subject, than those whose of
ficial duty it is publicly to acknowledge, honor and defend
the truth?
What the author wishes and hopes for both churches, is
expressed at the conclusion. May it be fulfilled! He
has thought that it would be of some service if a book
like this, were, put into the hands of young persons about
to attach themselves to the church, that it might secure
them against the proselyting schemes that are now so
insidiously and industriously prosecuted. B.
Got.ha, April 7, 1826.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

I have had an opportunity of perusing some detached parts of a work
in manuscript, entitled, "Henry and Antonio, or the Proselytes, of (he Ro
mish and Evangelical Churches, by 0. G. Bretschneider, D. D., &o. &c.,
translated from the German by a Minister of the Lutheran Church."
Although my engagements allowed me only a slight and cursory ex
amination of a few parts, it was quite sufficient to convince me that
the work is worthy of the distinguished author, and adapted to be ex
tensively useful. Its structure is eminently fitted to render it interest
ing to many readers who could scarcely be prevailed upon to g-o through
a volume of similar size written on almost any other plan. I shall
be greatly disappointed if it should not prove more than usually ac
ceptable to the religious public. Its learning; its vivacity; its dramatic
form; and its admirable spirit cannot fail of attracting much attention.
SAMUEL MILLER, D. D.
Professor of Church Histor.y and Ecclesiastical Polity
in the Theological Seminary, Princeton.
Princeton, March 10, 1834.
Having read a large portion of the above mentioned work, I feel
prepared to concur fully and cordially with the opinion expressed by
Dr. Miller of its merits.
C. HODGE, D. D.
Professor of Biblical Literature, 4'c. ^c. ^e.
Princeton, March 10, 1834.

Bretschneider's Heinrich and Antokio is an able exhibition of the
points in dispute between Romanists and Protestants, and a satisfactory
refutation of the principles of the former. The argument is conducted
in a form so attractive that it is adapted to interest the general reader,
and is fortified by statements which are suitable to the learned. In
Germany it has been very popular, and favorably noticed in some of
the best journals.

jjjj RECOMMENDATIONS.
The translator has accomplished a work which cannot fail to be fa
vorably received by Protestants in the United States, particularly at
the present time. That the translation has been made with ability
cannot, in my judgment, be doubted — the translator being well ac
quainted with the language of the original, and master of his own.
C. P. KRAUTH,
Professor of Biblical Literature and Eccl, Hist, in the Theological Seminary
of the General Synod of the Ev. Luth. Church in the U. S.
Gettysburg, March 5, 1834.

That the publication of works treating the question between Catho
lics and Protestants, is called for at present, will be admitted by all
conversant with the history of our times. But it is to be desired that
the selection of them be judicious. The aXrieeww en aymri of the Apostle
(Eph. iv. 15.) ought not to be lost sight of. Books discussing the ques
tion in a tone of personal bitterness and empty invective, will only
injure the cause of religion. This being my view, I congratulate you,
dear brother, on the selection of "Henry and Antonio" for translation.
That work deserves to be read. Bretshneider understands his subject,
and treats it in the tone and spirit of a man who wishes to serve the
cause of truth. Among his numerous works I know of none better cal
culated to benefit the general reader than this. May it find as large a
circle of intelligent readers in this country, as it found from the date of
its first appearance, and still finds, in the country in which it was
written. CH. R. DEMME, D, D.
Pastor of Zion^s Church, Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, March 12, 1834.

Mw York, March 7, 1834.
We have examined with as much attention as our leisure allowed,
the manuscript of a work entitled, "Henry and Antonio, or the Proselytes
of the Romish and Evangelical Churches, translated from the German of C.
G. Bretschneider, D. D. &c. &c., by a Minister of the Lutheran Church,"
and it gives us great pleasure to say, that we think it an excellent and
timely production. The name of the author alone, as a scholar is sufficient
security to the public that the work is able, and though on some topics
we should be indisposed to recommend his opinions, in the present case
he is essentially orthodox, and eminently good. The discussion is so
conducted as to be particularly adapted to general use, and cannot fail
in doing extensive service to the cause of truth at the present crisis.
While many able works have been g-iven to the public on the Romish
controversy, they have been frequently wanting in vivacity and simpli
city, and neither attract nor instruct the mass of readers. "Henry and
Antonio" supplies we think, a great desideratum in these respects.

RECOMMENDATIONS. jjjj
We have not examined the work in the original, but from the transla
tor's standing as a scholar, and his familiarity with the tongue of Luther,
we cannot doubt that he has done justice to the original.
JOHN BRECKINRIDGE.
GARDINER SPRING, D. D.
Pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church, JV. Tffrh.
G. W. MUSGRAVE,
Pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church, Baltimore.
R. J. BRECKINRIDGE,
Pastor oftheSecond Presbyterian Church, Baltimore.
BENJAMIN KURTZ,
Editor of the Lutheran Observer, Bait.

Baltimore, September 10, 1834.
I have read with great delight the manuscript of a work entitled,
"Henrt and Antonio," &c. The author shows not only great ability,
but an intimate acquaintance with the subject which the narrative
is intended to illustrate. The controversy between Protestants and
Papists does not, perhaps, admit of any new arguments — but this little
volume affords a compendious view of the subject, while the colloquial
form of the narrative will awaken, and keep alive the interest of all
classes of readers. The design is happily conceived, and the execu
tion is every way worthy the design. THOS. E. BOND, M. D.
Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

CONTENTS.

Page.
Chapter I. Henry and his education, 13
Chapter II. His residence at Rome, and conversion to the
Romish Church, 18
Chapter III. His journey towards home — Antonio — God
and the heretics — The true christian, 24
Chapter IV. Henry's arrival at home — The privilege of
changing our faith, 35
Chapter V. Going to church — The Latin Liturgy, 43
Chapter VI. The relation of the Romish church to the de
sign of Christianity — The relation of the propitiatory sacra
ments to christian virtue — Priestly absolution, John xx.
23; Matt, xviii. 18, - 49
Chapter VII. Mixed marriage — The condemnation of
heretics — What is demanded to obtain eternal life, 62
Chapter VIII. Antonio — Matt. xix. 16 — 19 — Influence of
the Catholic sacraments in composing and comforting the
mind, - 70
Chapter IX. The only true Catholic and apostolic church
and her popes, 82
Chapter X. Antonio and Matt. ch. 23 — The acknowledg
ment, 105
Chapter XI. Tradition and the infallibility of the church, 123
Chapter XII. The necessity of an infallible judge to unity
of faith — The freedom of opinion among Protestants, 182
Chapter XIII. The priesthood and consecration, 152

xvi CONTENTS.
Chapter XIV. The Romish and Evangelical worship —
The Mass, 163
Chapter XV. Antonio and Purgatory, - 174
Chapter XVI. The saints and martyrs, 179
Chapter XVII. The morality of the Romish church —
Christian perfection — Indulgence and good works, 188
Chapter XVIII. Continuation — Absolution from oaths —
The Jesuits — The Popes — Marriage — Blind obedience —
The government, - 196
Chapter XIX. The cup in the sacrament — extreme unc
tion — Antonio's resolution, 206
Chapter XX. Henry in a dilemma — A man can be a good
christian as a Catholic, - 213
Chapter XXI. Henry and Antonio — Letters of recommen
dation— End. - - 220
Appendix. 237

HENRY AND ANTONIO,

PROSELYTES OF THE ROMISH AND EVANGELICAL
CHURCHES.

CHAPTER I.
HENRY AND HIS EDUCATION.
Henry, the only son of a wealthy and respectable mer
chant in L  in Saxony, had travelled to Italy to study in
the schools of celebrated painters. His return to his pa
ternal home was expected with the most intense anxiety by
his parents,, and his sister Wilhelmina, who had just then
entered into a matrimonial engagement. But with this feel
ing of joy at seeing him who had now been absent three
years, there was mingled an emotion of deep solicitude,
yea, of melancholy foreboding, which diminished in the fa
ther's heart at least, all the pleasure of the anticipated
meeting. Henry had become a Papist in Rome, and had communi
cated it to his parents only a short time before his arrival.
This inconsiderate step deeply pained the strictly evangel
ical father, who firmly convinced of the superior advantages
of his own church, regarded the Romish communion in a
very unfavorable light. He was mortified that his only son
had attached himself to a church, which in his view, was
totally unsupported by the bible.
2

14 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
The family had as yet kept the apostacy of the son a se
cret; but it was very often the unpleasant subject of their
private conversation. Henry had informed them that he had
become a Romanist from conviction ; he had earnestly en
treated them not to consider him as one of those unworthy
proselytes, who change their faith as they do their garments,
for the sake of a benefice, or a pension, or an advantageous
marriage; but all this did not mitigate the grief of the fa
ther, who painfully felt, that now a great partition wall se
parated him from the affections of his Son. "How can Hen
ry — he said in deep mortification — have any confidence in
us now; how can he any longer respect us, when according
to the principles of his church'he must look upon us as he
retics, as children of the devil, and devoted to eternal de
struction? For my part, I know not how I could trust or
esteem those, of whom I believed thatthey were full of soul
destroying errors, that they were wholly under the influence
of satan, and that they were devoted by God to everlasting
damnation ! — and he vehemently added — "if he has professed
the Jesuitical faith and cursed father and mother and teacher,
because they educated him in heresy — 0, then I never wish
to see my child again !"
"That, replied the mother with earnestness, that Henry
has certainly not done. I know my son too well ! What?
to curse the mother who bare and nourished him — that would
be too awful ! — that my son has not done! He has assured
ly not forgotten that passage of scripture, (Prov. xx. 20.)
'Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be
put out in obscure darkness.' "
"I can myself scarcely believe any thing so bad of him,''
said the father.
"And I, said Wilhelmina — cannot believe that the Ro
mish church demands any thing so unchristian of her
proselytes." "We should really think so, added the father — But a
church which condemns and curses us all without distinc-
tian as heretics, acts at least consistently, when she demands

OR THE PROSELYTES. X5
of her proselytes, not to exempt their friends and relatives
from this malediction. Certain it is, that the Jesuits at least,
have required such malediction of the proselytes which
they have made, as was a short time ago proved by the pub
lication of such confessions, and an examination of their
genuineness.* But that other Romish priests of a better
character than the Jesuits, do the same, or that it is a gen
eral rule, I do not believe. But yet every Romish confes
sion of faith which the proselytes must adopt, may contain
something by which they must declare themselves free from
the spiritual supervision and communion of their parents.
At least, the confession which Charles B  adopted in
Vienna in 1812, when he became a convert to the Romish
faith, contained these express words : "I swear never to fall
back again into the errors which I have abjured, and never
to afford any aid, counsel, favor or relief to any who hold
these errors." How could Henry, if he had also taken this
oath, feel any esteem for his heretical parents, or afford them
aid, favor or relief? — alas! — I have lost my son — lost him
forever." •The principal work on this subject is, Authentic history of the so
called profession Fidei Tridentinae, and several other Roman Catholic
confessions of faith, by G. C. F. Mohnike, Greifswalde, 1822, Germa
ny. In the confession of faith which was adopted in Hungary by pros
elytes to the Romish church, and which originated among the Jesuits,
it is said towards the end — "We confess that the Romish doctrine is
the catholic, pure, divine, saving, old and true doctrine, but the Protes
tant is false, erroneous, blasphemous, accursed, heretical, damning, se
ditious, ungodly, &c. — Hence we curse (maledictos pronuntiamus) our
parents, who educated us in the heretical faith ; we curse also those,
who raised in our minds any doubts of the Roman Catholic faith. We
curse the books which we have read, and which contain those hereti
cal and blasphemous doctrines. We curse also all the works we read,
whilst we lived In the heretical faith, that we may not be answerable
for them hefore God at the last day. We moreover swear, as
long as a drop of blood runs in our veins, to pursue that accursed pro
testant faith, in every way, secretly and openly, with force and fraud,
(clam et aperte, violenter el fraudulenter) with word and deed, yea,
even with ihe swokp." See Mohnike, p. 91.

16 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
The tears of the mother, which now began to flow, and
with which Wilhelmina mingled hers, interrupted the con
versation, and were, as usual, the beginning of a long, but
melancholy silence, during which nothing was heard but the
sighs of the mother, and the footsteps of the deeply excited
father, who, under great agitation hastily traversed the room.
"How was it possible, he thought to himself, that Henry as
a well instructed Protestant christian, could suffer himself to
be blinded by such fallacies! What poison must they not
have secretly administered to him! — By what religious le
gerdemain must they not have deceived him !"
What appeared inexplicable to the father, is very easily
solved. Henry was instructed in his boyhood by an ortho
dox Lutheran minister. He was soon able to recite the
whole catechism by heart, and his father believed him to be
well grounded in the orthodox system of faith. But in his
instructions on christian duties, the teacher did not go be
yond the ten commandments. Of the discourses of Christ and
his doctrines as taught by the apostles, Henry knew little more
than he had learned from the passages quoted in his cate
chism. He received no instruction in the history of the
christian church, and excepting a very few points, he did
not know the difference between the Evangelical and Ro
mish confessions of faith. His instructor very inconsider
ately taught him to believe that the duty of love which
we owe to the persons of heretics extended even to their
errors, and maintained that it was very intolerant to give
ourselves any trouble about the differences between the Pro
testants and Romanists ; and that the Romanist Could be as
good a christian as the Lutheran. Henry's obligations to
his own church were altogether overlooked in his instruc
tion, and he was sent into the world liable to be carried
away with every wind of doctrine. He was now sent to a high
school, where religious instruction was indeed given, but
where he had no opportunity of supplying the deficiencies
of his juvenile education. The rector, who had the charge
oi the higher classes, believed that he had performed his duty,

OR TIIE PROSELYTES. 17
when he merely read the New Testament with his scholars,
and as he was teacher of languages, all his explanations had
reference exclusively to grammar and idiom. He was so
extensive in his illustrations, that during the four years in
which Henry attended his class, the learned professor had on
ly proceeded as far as the ninth chapter of Matthew. Of the
peculiarities of Christianity and of the Evangelical church,
Henry heard nothing. He was thence sent to the univer
sity. It was celebrated and popular, and every thing could
be learned except — religion. Henry heard lectures on phi
losophy. The professor was a celebrated man and orthodox
besides, and hence he was favored with the chair of philoso
phy by the pious trustees of the University. He belonged
to the school of Schelling. The result of the whole was that
Henry became a sort of philosophical christian ; he would
sometimes also settle down in religious melancholy — his
mind was harrassed by apprehensions and doubts, and he
was far from being contented; and yet strangely inconsis
tent as he was, he entertained some fanatical notions, and
abandoned those studies which had a tendency to excite
pleasurable emotions, because he thought that would ren
der him unfit to receive the grace of God, and disqualify
him for eternal life. In this unhappy state of mind, he de
termined at the end of his academical years, to bid adieu
to his studies and devote himself exclusively to painting,
which he had hitherto pursued merely as an amusement. His
father did not object, and thus in the twenty-fifth year of his
age, Henry travelled to Italy to study the great masters of
his art.

18 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
CHAPTER II.
HIS RESIDENCE AT ROME AND CONVERSION TO THE ROMISH CHURCH,
A new world now opened to his view, of which before
he had only known the name ; the Roman Catholic world.
He heard masses and high offices, he saw episcopal conse
crations, pilgrimages, pictures imparting grace, bishops in
princely vestments, cardinals, and the pope, as he dispens
ed his blessing to the kneeling multitude ; he was much
astonished at all this ; but he understood nothing of it,
because he had never heard an explanation of these
solemnities, and what religious representations they were
intended to set forth. His tcuriosity to discover this,
often led him to the Romish chapels. The muhitude of
the faithful which were often assembled there, their silent
prayers, their devout appearance affected his mind, and he
often felt himself edified by the sight. Not to appear
singular, he followed their example ; he kneeled and kiss
ed the cross, and was soon so well acquainted with the ce
remonies that he was no longer distinguished from the Ro
manists. The art, to which he had devoted himself, he here
found in the closest connexion with the external practice
of religion. All the churches were adorned with splendid,
paintings, but the principal always was a representation of
the "mother of God," in which the artist exerted his highest
skill to set forth a perfect picture of chaste loveliness.
All this was, however, as yet not detrimental to his faith,
about vv-hich to his astonishment he had scarcely been asked.
But it did not long continue so. As that which related to the
history of the saints and legends in the pictures which he
viewed and copied, was not yet understood by him, he found
it necessary to ask for explanations, which were very obli
gingly and zealously given to him. He thus received the
first accurate information of the historical traditions of the

OR THE PROSELYTES. jg
Romish church, and of their connexion with her doctrines,
ceremonies and organization. Incredible and curious as
much of what they said in illustration of their pictures and
other works of art appeared to hira, and though much, es
pecially in the legends of the saints, was offensive to his
inexperienced mind, yet he began gradually to regard these
things with a less unfavorable eye. The confident assu
rance with which they related to him the most incredible
stories, and often repeated and spoke of them as things
which no man doubted, did not fail to produce upon Henry
the usual impression. BeUef is contagious, like unbelief.
When men constantly hear the same thing, and hear it ut
tered in full confidenpe, they become inclined to regard it
as true arid to mistrust their own judgment.
Henry as an artist of taste, was a creature of imagination
and feeling, and he often permitted his fancy to sway his
judgment. He yielded to delusions of this kind when his
reason secretly reproved his decision. He gradually be
came better prepared to receive the most wonderful stories
as true, for they operated upon a set of feelings which were
developing themselves more strongly every day. He began
to invest religion with a sort of poetic dress, and to regard
it as a matter not of pious practice, but of use for the ima
gination. He indulged that disposition, for it created emo
tions of a pleasurable kind, and this, more than any thing
else, prepared him for the step he was about to take.
His melancholy and religious sentimentalism did not
abandon him in Italy, but they were rather nourished by his
studies. The contests and self-mortifications and tempta
tions of the saints which he copied, operated powerfully on
his easily excited feelings. He wished to be a saint, to live
in a cell, to practice the deepest self-denial, to be attacked
by the great enemy of mankind, — to repel his assaults, — to
be distinguished for piety, and then his name would blazon
in the calendar, and his person and deeds be recorded on
canvass for some future artist to study and copy. He ar
dently longed for some one to converse whh on this sub-

20 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
ject, — some sentimentalist like himself who would encour
age him in his determination, and flatter him into its vigor
ous prosecution. Full of tender sensibility, and what he
mistook for genuine religious ardor, he was in a proper
frame of mind to be captivated by pompous religious dis
play, to be dazzled by gorgeous ceremonials, and to be de
luded into the belief that profound awe in a magnificent
temple was religion, and the performance of a splendid
church service, to which music, and painting, and statuary
lent their charms, was piety.
He did not wait long. He was acquainted with a priest
who had been in Saxony. They soon became friends, for
Rossi (that was his name,) could speak to him of his be
loved native land. Rossi had expfained to him many of
the legends, which the pictures illustrated, and it was per
fectly natural that the Romish priest should hold forth the
legends of the saints and martyrs as genuine history. Hen
ry could not reasonably take offence. Rossi had not yet
even mentioned the Protestant faith, yea, he even pretended
not to know that Henry was a Protestant ; — Only gradually
and very cautiously did he mingle religion with his conver
sation, and in several expressions, which appeared quite in
cidental, he set forth the most advantageous side of Roman
ism. Henry in the beginning contradicted nothing, because
he did not wish to wound the feelings of his friend; but
gradually this fear vanished, and Henry made objections,
which were very few indeed, for he had never been instruct
ed in the differences between the confessions. This con
tradiction Rossi was wating for, for now he had an oppor
tunity without appearing urgent, of making his inexperi
enced friend intimately acquainted with all the peculiarities
of Romanism, and of exhibiting all the grounds, which
would most powerfully affect the unfurnished mind of Hen
ry. The seed did not remain without fruit. Henry felt
more and more that his wisdom would not hold out against
the profound arguments of his friend. He gave up one
point after another, and it proceeded so far, that the thought

OR THE PROSELYTES. gi
really occurred to him, that in Rome he had first found the
true church. The priest soon saw through the undissem-
bling youth, and now first uttered a few words about a change
of ecclesiastical confession, to which the late conversion of
a Protestant artist in Rome, who wished to gain the patron
age of a cardinal, gave the unsolicited occasion. It was
not hard to convince Henry that a change of confession was
a conscientious duty, if we have heretofore lived in gross
error, and this was the basis on which Rossi continued dili
gently to build. He now ventured to express his serious
apprehensions for his friend, because he was not in connex
ion with the true church, — to let him see the ecstacy which
the remotest thought of Henry's return to the true church,
would create within him, — and finally to express this thought
as the most earnest desire of his heart.
Unable as Henry was to withstand the arguments of his
friend in their conversations on the advantages of the Ro
mish church, still a certain something, — a secret feeling of
the great importance of the step, which Rossi urged him to
take, restrained him. But this gradually vanished, as he
reflected on the subject. He at length told his friend how
for a long time he had been harrassed by doubts about his
salvation, and his perplexed state of mind generally. Ros
si, far from removing these doubts, only magnified them
by saying, " itis true, we cannot expect that our faith should
be always equally strong, and it is a very uncertain thing,
lor the human mind is not every day the same, and a doubt
which a man with the best disposition cannot avoid, may
destroy all our confidence, and consequently the saving
power of faith, but we Catholics, — he added as though inci-
dently — cannot be disturbed by such doubts, — in the midst
of the most perplexing doubts we are yet perfectly certain
of our salvation." He did not explain how that could be
until the next day, when Henry himself asked for an ex
planation. "The Catholic, said Rossi; has every thing good that be
longs to the christian religion which Protestants have; far

22 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
they first received it from us, and took it with them into
their church. We have, as you, the Holy Scriptures, and
honor them as the original fountain of all christian know
ledge, and it is the Catholic church upon whose testimony,
you regard the Holy Scriptures, especially the New Testa
ment, as authentic. You have the Apostolical, the Nicene,
and Athanasian creeds; we also, and you have them from
us. You have baptism and the Lord's Supper; we also.
You teach the mystery of the Trinity, the incarnation of
the Son of God ; you believe in original sin, and in the
condemnation of all men on account of sin, and in their de
liverance from this condemnation by the sufiicient sacrifice
of the God-man ; and all this we also believe. Then, what
you have, we have also ; but we have more than you, and
hence you are not certain of your salvation, because" you
have rejected it. The Catholic church, as a benevolent
mother of the faithful, and aware of the infirmity of men,
has not made the operation of propitiatory exercises depend
ant on the faith of the laity, (which as you yourself com
plain, is so uncertain,) but on the power of the priest
and the nature of the propitiation itself, which promotes
salvation ex opere operato, as we are accustomed to say, that
is ; that the operation will be experienced and all the saving
benefits will result from it, whether the christian accompa
nies it with right faith or not. Hence the Catholic need
not trouble himself about the question, whether he has
enough of faith, or the right faith in order to obtain justifi
cation before God. It is sufficient that the priest absolves
him, — that he offers the sacrifice of the mass for hira. Up
on the same ground the Catholic church has not connected
reconciliation with God with the internal act of faith, but
with external actions which, when they are only properly
performed, assure the poor sinner of his justification. You
Protestants have only the Lord's Supper, which you cele
brate three or four times a year ; we have the daily sacrifice
of the mass for all sins, the confession and absolution, in-
dulgencies, and a whole series of good works, as fasting.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 2,3
the Angelic Salutation, Aves Maria, Pilgrimages, Sacred
Places connected with indulgencies, and the like. Hence,
the Catholic christian lives in happy contentment and se
curity about his eternal salvation. Whatever scruples he
may have, whatever sins he may commit, if he only avails
himself of the confessional, of the mass and indulgence,
all that will not endanger his salvation. The human heart
is weak, and wavering in faith and virtue ; hence it is neces
sary for man to ground his salvation on something more
firm and unchangeable than internal faith, and to have some
thing which will aid him in his weakness. For this weak
ness the Protestants have no remedy, but we have."
In this way Rossi sought to convince his friend that he
would be a very happy and contented man, if he would
avail himself of the numerous propitiatory means which the
Catholic church affords the christian. After this idea had
taken root in Henry's mind, Rossi proceeded further, and
began to show to his friend, that in the Protestant church
there is nothing but confusion, uncertainty, infidelity and
error ; that it is not a true church, that it has no valid priest
hood, and no effectual sacraments. It was easy to con
vince the stranger of this, after he had once begun to be
lieve the contrary, namely, the exclusive truth of the Catho
lic church. It was only the result of his defective religious
education, for as was before observed, he had never been
instructed in the differences between the two churches, and
of course, had not been furnished with arguments against
the errors of Rome. He could not withstand the wily
Rossi, who taking advantage of his ignorance, easily infus
ed into his mind these pernicious tenets.
Finally convinced, that the Romish church was the only
true one, and which alone by the efficacy of her sacrifices
could assure him of justification before God, six months be
fore his return to Saxony, he went over to that communion
and uttered his renunciation of Protestantism in the pre
sence of Rossi.

24 HENRY AND ANTONIO

CHAPTER III.
HIS JOURNEY HOMEVFARDS-ANTONIO^GOD AND THE HERETICS-
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN.
He communicated this immediately, with all the ardor of
a new convert to his father, and said that he would assuredly
justify the measure, when he had heard his' son state the
reasons of his conversion. He would have acted more con
siderately however, if before taking so important a step, he
had consulted his father or some other intelligent friend.
But Rossi earnestly advised him not to do it, and said that
it would only excite the opposition of his parents, and that
his conversion to the true and only saving church, would
only thereby be rendered more difficult. Henry suffered
himself to be persuaded. He did as many apostates do ;
he solicited no counsel from a sensible man. He had such
great confidence in his own judgment, that he thought he
stood in no need of the advice of others. Rossi had ex
plained the grounds so clearly, that he felt confident he
could defend them against any opponent, and he even in
dulged the secret hope, of converting his parents also to
the true and infallible church.
He flattered himself with this confident expectation the
more, because his father did not express any disapprobation
in his answer. He insisted however, upon his immediate
return, which Rossi earnestly tried to prevent, and even
said, that disobedience to parents when salvation is con
cerned, is a meritorious act. But Henry determined to
obey his father's command. Respecting his conversion, his
father only said a few words to this amount, that they would
speak of that when he should arrive at home, and that he
hoped, Henry had not become a Romanist from impure mo
tives. As he was not conscious of that, he commenced his
journey homewards full of confidence and joy.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 25
His mind continued to be elated as long as he breathed
the air of Italy. But when from the summit of the Alps he
for the first time again beheld the German sky, it appeared
as though his spirits began to droop, and this actually was the
case more and more, the nearer he approached his native
land. Displeased at himself, that his heart now began to
fail, especially as he could find no cause of uneasiness in
his understanding, for he was not conscious of having done
wrong, he again went over the whole ground of argument,
by which Rossi had persuaded him lo become a Romanist,
and thereby sought to gain the necessary confidence of
conviction, by which he might suppress that wonderful
emotion of heart which harassed and humbled him. This
contributed somewhat to his relief, but not enough. His
heart began to beat again with unusual violence the near
er he approached home, and he at length found the most
effectual source of contentment in the confidence, that
he was so dearly loved by his parents, that even if he
failed in convincing them of the propriety and sincerity of
his conversion, yet that they would kindly extend their in
dulgence to him. But to be better prepared to meet the
objections, which he expected would be made, he tarried a
week in Frankfort on the Mayne, and employed this season
of rest, in writing down the reasons of his conversion,
which were only so many accusations against the evangeli
cal faith, that he might study them in their connection, and
impress them more deeply on his mind.
The arrival of the son was anticipated by the family at
home with no very pleasant sensations. True, they were
not precisely ashamed of his rash and precipitate act, but
they experienced a certain feeling of mistrust against the
proselyte, and a painful uncertainty whether the internal
man had not also changed with his confession of faith, and
whether he could now sustain to them the old familiar rela
tion in which they all formerly rejoiced.
Whilst Henry was employed in his preparation for the
theological contest he expected to have with his father,
3

26 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
another opponent rose immediately by his side, a circum
stance which he did not at all anticipate. Shortly before he
left Rome, he took into his service a young man, whose
handsome personal appearance, sound understanding and
honesty of character highly recommended him to his new
master. Antonio, — that was his name, — was by birth a
Neapolitan, and was as an orphan brought up in a monas
tery. As he was anxious to learn and industrious, he gain
ed considerable information for one in his circumstances,
which together with his beautiful person, procured for him
a station in the retinue of a German baron, with whom he
performed many journeys, and finally came to Rome. Here
Henry saw him, and after the death of Antonio's master
took him into his service, with the determination of taking
him to Germany, for he was pretty well acquainted with the
language of that country. Henry soon became much
pleased with him, and it afforded him gratification to give
further instruction to the young man, as far as circumstan
ces would admit. He permitted him to take books out of
his own library, and Antonio always selected German books,
that he might improve himself in the language. Henry
cheerfully assisted him in acquiring the language, and he
was soon able to understand a German book with facility.
He was particularly fond of historical and geographical
works, the contents of which he soon mastered, for he had
a most retentive memory. Henry did not precisely know
what he should do with him in Germany. He hoped how
ever, to procure some profitable employment for him ; espe
cially as Antonio had several very flattering recommenda
tions to Romish priests.
With respect to religion, Antonio knew no more than his
teachers, the padres in Naples, had taught him. As for
himself, he had read the Romish catechism, and an Italian
translation of the decrees of the Council of Trent, and thus
for a layman, was a learned Romanist. His teachers had
done every thing in their way to make hira a good Catholic.
He believed that no man could be a christian, who did not

OR THE PROSELYTES.

27

hear mass, keep the fasts, pray the pater noster, receive the
priest's absolution, and humbly believe every thing which the
church commanded him to believe. The padres had particu
larly excited within him such an utter abhorrence of all here
tics, that he was agitated with fear whenever he met one in
Rome. The clearest of all truths to him was, that God looks
upon heretics with anger and abomination, that they are un
der the dominion of the devil, and that they are devoted with
him to everlasting damnation. His fancy had pictured a
wonderful representation of those heretical countries, where
according to his expression, "faith ends, and the dominion
of the devil begins." Hence he was at first doubtful, whe
ther he should accompany Henry to the heretical Saxony,
and only finally determined when he heard that there were
also Catholic churches and priests there, who were zealous
ly engaged in the diffusion of the true faith. From many
expressions of his master he even indulged the hope that
there his fortune would soon be made.
As long as they were travelling over the Alps, the magnifi
cent displays of nature's works alone occupied the atten
tion of Antonio, and without observing it, he had already
trodden on the heretical soil of Zurich. He highly e-xtoll-
ed the beauty of the country, its thriving agriculture and
substantial buildings, and admired these still more as he
passed through Stuttgard, Carlsruhe and Heidelberg. Yet
it appeared strange that in these delightful regions he had thus
far seen no monk, and very seldom a priest, whilst in Rome
and Naples they are met at almost every step. He express
ed his surprise to Henry, and was evidently much confused,
when he heard that these prosperous countries were the
possession of heretics. Henry was too much occupied with
himself to observe the agitation of his servant. As they
proceeded on their" journey and continued to see finely cul
tivated fields, a prosperous and moral people, and yet saw
no priests, monks, images of saints or monasteries, the
theology of Antonio was not equal to this remarkable cir
cumstance, and he was utterly at a loss what to think of the

28 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
evident smiles and blessings of Providence upon these ac
cursed heretics. He could not reconcile this apparent con
tradiction. He at length took courage to awaken his mas
ter out of his reverie, and freely disclose his heart.
"You are a good Catholic, said he, and hence do not
doubt that the Catholics alone can be saved, and that all he
retics will be cursed. For they have not the true faith;
they have not (rue repentance, no true sacraments, no true
worship ; their preachers cannot effectually absolve ; they
reject the vicegerent of God and of Christ, the holy father,
and are therefore rebels against Christ and God ; they are
beset by the devil and are led by him into all error and wick
edness; heresy is the mother of all licentiousness. All this
is very certain, for the holy church teaches it, and she can
not err. And yet I see these heretical countries abundant
ly blessed of God, more extensively and beautifully cultiva
ted, more populous, their population better clothed and shel
tered, and the houses more numerous and commodious than
those of the dominions of the holy father. How can God
be so favorable to these accursed reprobates? And it aston
ishes me still more that here where heresy prevails, 1 find
good order, good morals, public security, industry and gen
eral prosperity. Here I scarcely see a single beggar, whilst
with us, they besiege every street; here men know nothing
of robberies and assassinations, whilst with us they are very
common. 0 tell me how is this possible? So much I see,
that in this country a false and pernicious faith prevails, but
the people are honest, whilst with us the true faith prevails
and the people are not remarkably moral. Were I not so
ofood a Catholic, I would be tempted to believe that these
people also have religion, and that they cannot be worse
than we."*
Henry looked upon his servant with astonishment. This
*We may also observe that in the Protestant countries, agriculture
and industry were enriched by the suppression of numerous holidays,
lost to labor in Catholic countries, and which are in reality, negative
quantities, that diminish by all their amount, the aggregate of natioa-

OR THE PROSELYTES. 29
speech was quite unexpected, for Antonio had until then
concealed his thoughts from hira. But they related to a
point, upon which, he himself had not meditated, and to
which he was unable at the moment to make a reply. "God
is also merciful to unbelievers, — he finally stammered out
with considerable reluctance, — that they may have time and
room for repentance." But he felt very sensibly, how un
satisfactory this reply was, and he was almost alarmed at
the thought of what he should reply to his father, were he to
al industry and riches. Villers'' Essay on the Reformation, p. 138, Dover,
J^.H. edition, 1807.
"Agriculture, economy and its various branches were in a deplorable
state of degradation. Such is nearly their present condition in the fine
provinces of Naples and Rome, in Spain and Portugal. Poverty, in
dolence and immorality, all sorts of vices are engendered among peo
ple of such dispositions. What activity, on the contrary, what im
provements in agriculture, in rural economy, in the government, strike
the attention of an observer in the midst of the cold and infertile fields
of Scotland, in England and Holland ! The contrast of these indu
bitable effects of the two religions is more particularly perceptible in
Germany and Switzerland, where the different territories which are in
termixed, cause the traveller to pass continually from a Catholic to a
Protestant country. Does he meet with a miserable mud cottage, co
vered with thalch, the fields badly kept, wretched rude peasants, and
many beggars ; he will be in little danger of erring, if he conjecture
that ho is in a Catholic country. If, on the contrary, neat, pleasant
houses are seen, offering the spectacle of affluence and industry, the
fields well enclosed, a culture well understood, it is very probable he
is among Protestants." Ibid, p. 213.
"It is a fact that more crimes are committed in catholic than in pro
testant countries. Cit. Rabman, President of the special tribunal of
eloquence, in his coup-d'oeil sur cetat, &c. says, that the number of
malefactors in the catholic and protestant cantons is in the proportion
of four, if not six to one. Al Augsburg, the territory which offers a
mixture of the two religions, of 94 6 malefactors, convicted in the course
of ten years, there were only 184 proteslants, that is to say, less than one
in five. The celebrated philanthropist Howard observed that the pri
sons of Italy were incessantly crowded — while he affirms that the pri
sons of Berne are almost always empty ; that in those of Lausane he
did not find any prisoner ; and only one at Shaffhausen ; here are facts,
I do not draw any conclusion." Ibid, p. 213, ?io(e.
3*

30 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
ask the same question. He included this question among
his present investigations, but found that the more he
reflected upon it, the less satisfactory was his answer.
Antonio suffered himself to be put off with this reply,
but he was not satisfied. This double contradiction con
tinually revolved in his mind ; heresy is an abomination
before God, and all heretics are cursed, and yet God blesses
them ; they are children of the devil and full of soul de
stroying errors, and yet they are moral, upright and honest.
Whilst Antonio was perplexed by these doubts, he passed a
church, when the bell was ringing for Sunday worship, — he
took courage to follow the multitude, and for the first time
in his fife, he entered a heretical church. It is true, that
his father confessor had before his departure from Rome,
forbidden this as a grievous sin ; but his curiosity to see
heretics at their worship was too strong to be resisted, and
Antonio hoped to be absolved from this at the next confes
sion, even if he were obliged to undergo some severe
penance, for as a good Catholic he was determined to con
fess it.
Antonio entered shyly and timorously, just like one who
is about to commit a heinous sin. There was no conse
crated water there, that is so effectual in driving away evil
spirits from the faithful, and none of those who entered
availed themselves of that wonderful preservation from dia
bolical influence so powerful in the Romish church. "The
poor wretches ! (thought Antonio,) how can they escape
the temptations of the devil without the holy water?" He
looked round upon the walls and pillars, but there was no
saint, and not even the Virgin Mary to be seen. "The piti
ful fools ! (he sighed again,) to whom do they pray, for they
have neither saint nor the Mother of God." It also ap
peared very strange, that none of those who entered, bow
ed down before the altar; but as he approached nearer, he
saw that there was no pyx* containing the body of God.
"Alas, the miserable creatures! (he thought again,) how
*The box in which the consecrated host is kept. — [TV.

OR THE PROSELYTES, gj
can they receive grace, when they have no sacrifice! " He
already began to repent that he had mingled with a congrega
tion without holy water, without saints, and a pyx, for with
out these, it appeared to hira to be little better than a hea-
than assembly. In the mean time the service commenced,
and the earnest singing of the whole congregation, which
he heard here for the first lime, and the simple beauty of the
tune, deeply engaged his attention. Of the portion of
scripture read, he understood nothing; but the next hymn
which the congregation sung, made a deeper impression on
his mind than the tones of the hired singers in the papal
chapel, and he could not refuse the friendly offer of a neigh
bor who handed to him a hymn book. He read, and the
congregation sung the following hymn :
Mistaken souls, that dream of heaven,
And make their empty boast
Of inward joys and sins forgiven,
While they are slaves to lust.
Vam are our fancies, airy flights.
If faith be cold and dead ;
None but a living power unites
To Christ the living head.
A faith that changes all the heart ;
A faith that works by love ;
That bids all sinful joys depart,
And lifts the thoughts above.
Faith must obey our Father's will,
As well as trust his grace ;
A pard'ning God requires us still
To perfect holiness.
Is this also true ? thought Antonio to himself-— or have
the heretics only fancied these things to console themselves,
knowing that they have not the true faith ? He was soon
to hear more than this. The sermon commenced and
treated this very subject; that without holiness no man can

g2 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
be a true christian, and can have no claim to salvation,
however orthodox, and zealous he may be in works of ex
ternal devotion. Antonio was all ear, and the longer he
heard the more attentive he became. The portion of scrip
ture on which the preacher grounded his observations, im
pressed Antonio more than the sermon. It was the gospel
for the eighth Sunday after Trinity, Matt. vii. 15—23. "The
words of the wise, says Solomon, Eccles. xii. 11, are as
gaods and as nails," and so Antonio felt the words of the
text in his heart, and he finally believed here to have found
an explanation of the difficulties which lately harassed him,
why in the land of heretics there were witnessed the mani
fest blessing of God and christian uprightness.
The Saviour says, ' (for by degrees this became the gene
ral course of Antonio'^s thoughts,) that sheep's clothing does
not constitute the true prophet, consequently the surplice
does not make the true bishop, and the rosary, fasting and
hearing mass do not complete the true christian. "Ye shall
know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles ? " If true priests are known by the good
fruits of a christian life, how much more christian laymen ?
Hence from true christian faith nothing vicious can proceed,
and from heresy nothing virtuous can come. "A good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit." This reminded Antonio of one of
his acquaintances, the servant of a Neapolitan duke, who
told him in confidence, that at the instigation of his mas
ter, he was going to assassinate another Neapolitan noble
man, and when Antonio tried to dissuade him from it, he
received for reply : "Fool, the priest has already absolved
me twice from the guilt, and if he does not do it the third
time, another will." That appeared to Antonio to be evil
fruit, which showed that the tree which bare it, was evil also.
Whilst he was thinking whether a priest had the power to
absolve a man from the crime of murder, the preacher re
cited the words of the nineteenth verse, and they struck
him with peculiar force ; "every tree that bringeth not forth

OR TIIE PROSELYTES. 09
good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire." Is not
the following exception made, thought Antonio ; "unless a
priest or a papal indulgence absolves him ? " He thought
the exception must be made, but he heard nothing of it.
The preacher from this passage iiTsisted forcibly on the un
conditional necessity of christian holiness for the attainment
of salvation.
Much more deeply did the following passages impress
him; "not every one saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the
will of my father which is in heaven ; many will say unto
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name, and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works ? And then I will profess and
say unto them, I never knew you ; depart from me, ye that
work iniquity." So, said Antonio to himself, it is not
enough, that we openly profess Jesus to be the Lord, and
have the christian confession of faith ; not enough to work
miracles to be a good christian ? If that is not enough, then
by all the saints ! it is not enough for the Catholic church
to be the true church, that she alone has the true confession
of faith, that miracles still continue with her, that her priests
can banish evil spirits by holy water and benedictions ! If
that is not enough, then the Lutherans can also get to
heaven if they lead christian lives.
Full of these thoughts, Antonio left the church and went
home, and as his master had just gone out, he asked his
landlord whether he had a bible in the house, and could
find the text of the sermon he had just heard. Antonio
wished to see whether the preacher had left nothing out, for
he thought there must be something there which made fast
ing, confession and absolution, and the rosary essential to
salvation, and that the indulsence or the wearing the cloak
of a penitent monk also protected the sinner from damna
tion. But he found nothing else but the naked words
which the preacher had read. "But is there nothing left
out in this translation," he asked the landlord, as he re-

34 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
turned the bible. The landlord who well understood with
whom he had to do, said nothing but brought a little book,
which he presented to Antonio with these words; "Here is
a translation of the bible by a Catholic priest." It was the
New Testament translated by a Catholic minister Van Ess.
Antonio found in it the same, and nearly in the same words,
but nothing more.
"Then, thought he, with a degree of ill nature, the
heretical preacher is right! but how can that be when
the church teaches differently, and she cannot err! But he
certainly has the words of the Saviour on his side. Which
is now more infallible, his words or the decision of the
church ? Can the latter be more infallible, when she re
ceives all her doctrines and infallibility from Christ?"
Antonio was evidently in a dilemma, from which he could
not extricate himself He hoped to be able to solve it after
he had read more of the New Testament, and the benevo
lent landlord seeing that the book afforded him pleasure,
begged him to accept it as a present. He received it. very
thankfully, but was soon troubled by conscientious scru
ples, for it just then occurred to him, that only heretics al
lowed so free a use of the bible, and that the holy father
had only lately again represented the reading of the
bible in the language of the country as extremely pernicious.
Yet the thought that the translator of this testament was a
Catholic priest, gave him courage to look into the book,
and all apprehension immediately vanished, when he saw
on the title page the episcopal approbation of the work.
Antonio now read this testament with uncommon zeal, and
had sufficient time to devote to it, for his duties as a servant
were quickly despatched, and his master spent nearly the
whole day in his own room. When they left Frankfort, he
had read the whole testament through twice. It was with
him as with Luther, when in Erfurt he first read the bible ;
he was astonished at the many new things which he found,
and much more at the many old things which the Romish
church maintains as essential to Christianity, but of which

OR THE PROSELYTES. 35
he found nothing in the testament. The old and new things
were continually revolving in his mind, and often perplexed
him not a little. In such moments of perplexity, when the
old had the preponderance in his mind, he occasionally mur
mured to himself, "it is certainly very dangerous for a good
Catholic to travel through heretical countries." At other
times, when the new which he had seen, and heard, and
read, gained the mastery in his thoughts, he acknowledged
with an emotion of joy, that he could become a quite dif
ferent spiritual being, if he dared trust and surrender him
self to the new. He felt a strong disposition to communi
cate his thoughts and feelings to his master; but Henry's
moroseness, his short and sometimes severe replies, alarmed
Antonio, and induced him to hold his peace. But this also
gave him much uneasiness. He saw plainly that some deep
anxiety oppressed his master. He also became affected,
and finally asked him in a tone of sympathy, what it was
that made him so unhappy, and kept him so silent, when
his near approach to home ought to enliven him. Henry
was silent, and Antonio did not repeat the question.

CHAPTER IV.
HENRY'S ARRIVAL AT HOME— THE PRIVILEGE OF CHANGING OUR
FAITH.
Henry was only fifteen miles from home, as one day at
noon he entered a village where his mother and sister met
him, and with tears of joy locked him in their arms. This
sincere gush of unchanged affection dispelled the gloom
which had for some time oppressed him. He felt that they
still recognized in him a son and a brother, and that his
change of faith had not changed their love. He was now
inspired with the hope of meeting his father without even a

gg HENRY AND ANTONIO,
look of displeasure on his part, although Henry immediate^
ly observed that his father had not accompanied them. The
apology of the good mother, that business had prevented
him, was only a pretence. He could no longer be sincere
ly pleased with his son ; he could not altogether suppress
his deep mortification ; he was determined to let the son
feel that he had alienated himself from his father's affections,
and hence he did not go out to meet him. Henry had an
ticipated something of this, and it became more certain,
when after the first gush of joy, a silence and interruption of
the conversation occurred between him and his mother, which
was very painful to them both. It was evident that there
was one point between them which needed explanation,
but which each was reluctant to introduce. But genuine
affection does not long endure such reserve ; they came to
an explanation, and Henry consoled his mother with the
assurance that he was still the same loving and dutiful son,
and by the promise that he would faithfully and honestly
lay before his father the whole ground of his conversion,
by which he would be convinced, that neither a disordered
fancy, nor inclination to mysticism, nor any other dishon
orable motive induced him to embrace Romanism, but
grounds reasonable and deeply matured, which the father
himself could not but justify. The mother thought that the
latter was hardly to be expected, but consoled the son by
saying that much already would be gained, if he could
convince his father that he had acted honestly. With a
lightened heart, Henry proceeded to L  with his mother
and sister, and fell upon the bosom of his dear father, who
received him with friendly composure. The conversation
of the first few hours related to the subject of his tour, and
the changes that had taken place in his native land during
his absence ; but in the evening when the family was sitting
together alone, and mutual confidence restored, Henry
himself introduced the subject of his conversion, for he felt
more courage in the immediate presence of his amiable fa
ther, than he did at a distance.

OR THE PROSELYTES. gy
" Dear father, said he, you will doubtless look upon your
son with suspicion, because he has gone over to the Ro
mish church ; you are perhaps displeased with me, and I
cannot complain of that, for I know your principles. 1 feel
it my duty faithfully to state the whole case, and I hope
that you will kindly hear me, that on this point there may
be a correct understanding between us.
Father. — I expect such a disclosure from you, my
son, and I am pleased that you have commenced the sub
ject, for I should have felt it my duty to demand it of you.
1 do not deny it (he said with earnestness,) that your course
has erected a partition wall between you and me, which
must be broken down before our hearts can be united as
formerly. Henry. — I hope to be able to reconcile you, if you only
hear me attentively, and judge impartially.
Father. — You can expect both of me, and the more
certainly, for we will not speak of this subject unless your
mother and sister are present; for they have as good a right
as 1 have to know your sincerity.
Henry. — In the general you would not blame a man for
leaving one christian church and joining another. I well
know that it is a principle strongly maintained, that it is
not allowable for a person to change his confession of faith;
that every one must remain in the church in which He was
born and educated, and to which he promised fidelity when
he was first received as an adult member. But I never
could justify this principle in its full extent. I willingly
admit, that a man is under the same obligations to the
church to which he belongs, as to the state in which he was
born and brought up. Only unfeeling, unreasonable and
bad men can leave their own church from mere grounds of
selfishness or aggrandizement. But it is not meant that a
man under all' circumstances is to remain in the church
with which he is connected. For we are all sacredly
bound to follow the truth, as the Saviour says, "he that is of
the truth, heareth my voice!" Now if my church has
4

38 henry and ANTONIO,
departed from the truth, and I find that another church has
been faithful to the truth, then I have good grounds to leave
my church and go over to the other. For however thankful
every one should be to his own church for the first instruc
tion he received within her pale, yet it is not to be denied,
that we do not exercise any choice in our original con
nection with the church ; we feel attachment to it because
our parents do, and have no other grounds of preference ;
and even if persons are admitted to full communion at an
early age, they generally do not know why they join that
church rather than any other. Is this promise made so
young to be forever binding ? Even when we see that we were
in error, shall we continue to walk in that way which we
have discovered to be wrong, merely because we walked in
it as children, and continued in it to mature age ?
Mother. — But suppose we have found ourselves hap
py in this way? And millions of others walk in it and are
happy also ? And when we see parents and friends, whose
understanding and piety we honor, walking contentedly in
this way?
Henry. — You think, dear mother, that I am speaking of
the lawfulness of going over from the Protestant to the Cath
olic church. I am not speaking now of a change of one
good church for another, but of the liberty of changing our
confession of faith in general, and my remarks will also
apply to the Catholic who goes over to the Protestant
church. Father. — It is so, my dear wife. In general, the
change of one confession for another cannot be regarded
as unlawful or immoral, and that position which some main
tain, that he who wishes to be an honest man must remain
in his own church, is utterly groundless. If it were correct,
then Jesus and his apostles could not have abondoned Ju
daism, the first christians could not have forsaken heathen
ism, our German ancestors could not have turned from
the worship of Wodan to the service of the true God, and
our fathers of 300 years ago could not have separated from

OR THE PROSELYTES. 39
the Romish church. Abraham went out from his idolatrous
country, from his father's house, and in a strange land serv
ed God, who made the heavens and the earth. Besides, the
truth is so sacred a thing, that we should never, at least in
religion, sacrifice it to circumstances.
Wilhelmina. — Your examples, father, with the excep
tion of a single one, relate only to conversion from a re
ligion altogether false as heathenism was, or from a cor
rupt one, as Judaism, to true religion or Christianity, and
are not applicable, as it appears to me, to an exchange of
one christian church for another. Here we have in each
church, I mean the Evangelical and Catholic, baptism and
the Lord's supper, the same bible, the same Christ, the same
God. If then both churches have the essentials of Chris
tianity, the other smaller differences do not appear to justi
fy the leaving of one for the other, but every one should
continue in connection with the church, to which he be
longs. You yourself taught me, that a wife, who does not
see all perfection in her husband, or discovers unexpected
faults, and observes more amiable qualities in other men,
could not be justified in separating from him, but must con
tinue faithful to him, bear with his faults and only look upon
his virtues. I should think that every one bore a relation
somewhat similar to his church, as a wife does to her hus
band. Every church has its imperfections, but also its
good qualities. It can demand inviolable fidelity. <
Father. — I wish, Wilhemina, that your intended husband
were present; he would be pleased with your objection. As
respects your comparison, it is not at all applicable to the
case, but is lame, like most comparisons. You should have
added, that the obligations of married persons to bear the
faults of their partners have their bounds, for instance,
when one party no longer performs the promised duties and
no longer fulfils the object of matrimony. So long as your
husband keeps his promise, so long you are bound as his
his wife fahhfully to obey him and to observe your vows, even
if another man pleases you better. If he commits a fault

40 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
inadvertently, then you must forgive him, for you also
may have faults which will require his indulgence. If
however, he designedly neglects his duties and frustrates
the object of matrimonial life, he then himself dissolves
the bond which held you to him, and the laws will annul
your obligations. It depends upon yourself whether you
are resolved to endure his conduct, remain with him, aud
perform the duties of a wife; you thereby do no injury and
commit no fault against a third person, for you are not un
der obligations to any other man. But quite different is your
relation to the church. Christianity has a fixed and high
object in view, and the church is established for the purpose
of accomplishing this object in every individual man. If
it is so constituted that it not only does not hinder but
promote this object, and guide its members to the at
tainment of it, then it is a good church, for it affords what
it promises. Then men must remain faithful to it, even if it
has faults and imperfections, just as you, dear Wilhelmina,
are bound to be faithful to your husband, if he-performs the
duties of a husband, even if he has many imperfections.
But if a church is so constituted, that it does not promote
the object of Christianity in individuals, and moreover, if it has
doctrines, customs, and an organization, which oppose this
object, and prevent its attainment in the minds of its mem
bers, then you are not at liberty to remain in connection
with it, as you are at liberty to continue with your husband
from whom you could be lawfully separated. You are much
rather bound to dissolve your connection with such a church,
for here you have duties to perform towards a third person,
who has commanded you to do this. Ask not who this
third person is? There is more than one. The first is God,
who in Christ has sent you a guide to perfection, whom you
are bound to hear. You are not allowed to be satisfied
with any thing less than perfection. The husband at the
altar does not bind himself to exhibit all the perfections,
which the imagination of his bride may demand of a man.
For how could he know, what wonderful picture of mascu-

OR THE PROSELYTES. ^J
line perfection the tender heart of a sentimental girl has
created? But here you know, that we are to be perfect,
as our father in heaven is perfect. You dare not be satisfied
with any thing short of it; the church dare not substitute
any thing else in place of it, but it should be "a glorious
church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephes.v. 27.)
Then you dare not retain your connection with a corrupt
church, as a wife may continue with a bad husband. Again ;
the third person towards whom you have duties to perform
is your Saviour himself, — the church is his property, and
that the church might accomplish the object in view, he sa
crificed his life. He is the invisible Lord, the supreme head
of his church, and he cannot acknowledge any communion
as his church and a true church, whose doctrines and rites
oppose the design for which he was sent of God, even if
that communion does call him Lord. But again: this third
person is yourself. For in a corrupt church you can hardly
be a true christian, well pleasing to the Saviour, and if from
your superior illumination you might possibly be, yet it is
immoral to expose yourself continually to the dangerous
and corrupting influence of such doctrines and rites, which
may lead you from the path of true Christianity. You are
morally bound to flee from such temptations, and to inform
and strengthen your better judgment; so for your own sake
you are bound to leave the corrupt church and unite your
self with the purer. That third person is finally your fel
low christian. Whilst you remain connected with a church
which opposes the design of Christianity, you encourage
others to persevere, who know not how to resist its evil
influence — you contribute to the support of a pernicious
system — you prevent the prosperity of your brethren, and
commit treason against true Christianity.
Henry. — Dear father, you have expressed my sentiments
precisely ! 0 how I am cheered by these words ! I hope to
be able to prove to you, that the Roman Catholic is the true
church, which promotes the object of Christianity — but the
4*

42 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Protestant church opposes it. At least this is my firm con
viction, supported on substantial grounds. And when I
have laid them before you, and you are are brought to ac
knowledge their force, O then dearest father — ¦ 
Father.  (Interrupting him sternly)— I must follow
you and also become a Catholic ?
Henry was silent: — he felt that the inference was natu
ral, but not daring to confirm it, only remarked, that he
hoped to receive forgiveness of his father.
•rhe father did not let him off so lightly ; he rather gave
a direction to the subject, which made the young man trem
ble. "If you — he said solemnly — are an honesl man and a
christian, and we prove to you that the Romish church op
poses the design of Christianity, you must abandon her
communion and return to ours !"
Henry was reluctantly silent.
"Promise me — continued the father, extending his hand —
promise me that you will do it, if I am to believe in the sin
cerity of your Catholicism and not to regard you as a hypo
crite." Henry took courage ; — he grasped his father's hand and
solemnly promised. He was certain of his opinions ; he
was a Romanist from conviction. Why should he be ap
prehensive ?
"With this agreement said the mother, let us close the
conversation on this subject, and devote the remainder of
the evening to amusement." Father and son willingly ex
pressed their consent; the former only upon the condition,
that Henry would prepare himself to bring forward his argu
ments for his church against Protestantism the next evening.
The numerous visits, however, which Henry received and
paid, prevented the fulfilment of his promise until the third
evening.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 40
CHAPTER V.
GOING TO CHURCH,— THE LATIN LITURGY.
It was Sunday morning, and the parents and Wilhemina
were preparing to go to church. Henry did the same, and
the mother secretly rejoiced at it. It was not so with the
father. He was silent, but his stern countenance too plain
ly discovered that his mind was deeply disturbed. Finally,
as they were about to depart, and Henry reached after his
hat, the father asked: "do you intend to accompany us? —
to go with us to church ? "
Henry. — Yes ! — 1 hope that you will not disapprove of it.
Father. — I think it exceedingly strange, my son. You
regarded us as so grossly erroneous in our religious opin
ions, that you separated from us, and yet you will go with
us to church ? so you will do a thing, which you know
to be wrong! And is it not directly against the principles
of your church to enter a heretical place of worship ? Is it
not forbidden by your priests ?
"That prohibition, said Henry with great confidence,
does not affect me, for before my departure from Rome, I
received the papal permission, not only to go to Protestant
churches, but also to celebrate the Lord's Supper with them,
and to observe all their church rites."
"Silence, sir, cried out the father with great violence,
silence, and stay back ! you cannot, you dare not enter our
church so long as you hold us as cursed heretics, and our
worship as cursed heresy. No man can give you authority
to act the hypocrite and deceiver, and none but a paltry
fellow would make use of such permission."
Henry stood confused, ashamed; — he remained behind;
The mother wept; — the devotion of the day was lost to the
father. The abominable examples of secret Catholics, who
with the papal permission, for so many years played the

44 henry and ANTONIO,
part of Evangelical christians, occurred to him. He thought
of king Charles the second of England, who repeatedly and
publicly vowed fidelity to the English church, and yet after
his death in 1685, it was made evident, that for a long time
he had been a Romanist. He thought of the Saxon crown
Prince Frederick Augustus, the son of Augustus the Strong,
whom they secretly made a Catholic in Italy, and gave him
permission to conceal it from 1712 until 1717; he thought
of the permission given to Frederick, the crown prince of
Hesse Cassel to conceal his conversion from 1749 to 1754.
He remembered, how the Duke Moritz, William of Saxony,
administrator of the Protestant institute Zeitz, was secretly
converted to Romanism in 1715, by the Jesuit Sohmeltzer,
who insinuated himself into his favor under the title of a
Secretary of legation, and how he concealed it even from
his wife, and continued to manage the institution for two
years. How could he have forgotten the recent examples
of this kind ? for instance, that of the duke of Stolberg,
who as late as 1798, appeared a zealous Protestant in a
pamphlet which he wrote, and yet in 1800 publicly avowed
that he had been a Romanist for seven years ? And that of
the court-preacher, Stark of Darmstadt, who performed the
duties of an evangelical minister until his death, but during
his life, secretly published a defence of the Romish church
and an attack against the Protestant, and after his death
was buried in the Romish grave yard ? And that of Mr.
Von Haller, who in a letter to his family, himself acknow
ledges that in 1820, he was secretly admitted into the Ro
mish church by a Romish bishop in a private country
house, but that a dispensation was granted him to continue
externally an evangelical christian, and a member of the
council of his native town, which is sworn to maintain the
evangelical faith ? This same Mr. Von Haller confessed in
that letter that the apostate duke Adolphus of Mecklenberg-
Schwerin assured him, that there are many secret Roman
ists in Germany, who are allowed the liberty of concealing
it from the people.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 45
To find Henry in the society of such men, whose con
duct he regarded as contemptible hypocrisy, or at least as
unpardonable weakness, was exceedingly painful to him,
although it was nothing more than what he might have ex
pected, since he knew so many instances of the kind. He
was so much excited, that he could pay no attention to the
services of the church. His dark and troubled eye was
steadfastly fixed on the floor; only once he looked up to
wards the pulpit, and immediately under it he saw Antonio
standing and listening most attentively to the sermon. This
gave his mind another direction. Perhaps, thought he, the
seed of truth will be sown in the heart of this young man,
which will produce good fruit, and he could not conceal it
from himself, that it would have been much better, if he
had permitted his son to accompany them to church. He
recollected how Henry himself had accounted for the con
version of so many Protestants in Rome, by saying that
they would have been obliged to remain in the capital of
Romanism So long without spiritual nourishment, so that
they were forced of themselves to seek the supply of their
religious wants in Romish churches, and thus gradually at
tached themselves to it. It occurred to him also, that Wil
helmina had apologized for the conduct of her brother, by
maintaining that he never would have been unfaithful to his
church, if he had remained in the bosom of his family,
and had enjoyed the privileges of evangelical worship. He
felt the force of this observation so strongly, that he regret
ted his vehemency, and with a tranquil mind he returned to
his son.
"Henry, said he, I was wrong in forbidding you to attend
our church. The sick man must not be prevented from go
ing to the physician. I have nothing against your being
present at our worship ; I rather wish it. But do not men
tion the dispensation again. To worship God in a proper
manner and to hear his word, cannot be authorised by any
man, because no man has a right to forbid it. He who
believes that such permission is necessary, plainly shows,

:s^

46 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
that instead of being a servant of God, he has become
the slave of men. What is the object of your Pope's
dispensation ? Either it is right and good that you worship
God with us, then you need no permission ; or it is impro
per and injurious, then the Pope has no right to give it to
you, and if he had, you have no right to make use of it."
Henry rejoiced that the tranquility of his father's mind
was restored, and in apology only remarked, that he regard
ed the prohibition to visit any other than Catholic churches
not as moral, but only as disciplinary, — that the Catholic
church only thus cautions her members not to expose their
faith to danger, and that a dispensation from this did not ap
pear lo him improper. The father thought that Henry's
opinion of this subject was utterly erroneous, and that ac
cording to the principles of the Romish church respecting
heresy, such a permission could only be compared to that
which a general gives to his spies, occasionally to wear the
uniform of the enemy, and to mingle with them as friends, but
only for the purpose of deceiving and ensnaring them. But
still he thought, that though Henry was in error, yet that
he acted from the purest motives.
The mother who had been deeply pained at the vehe
mence of her husband, was now the more gratified at the
reconciliation. Desirous of changing the subject of con
versation, she asked Antonio, who just then entered the
room, and whom she had observed at church, how he was
pleased with the Protestant worship ? "By the holy St. Jan-
uarius* he cried out in Neapolitan ardour, I was exceed
ingly well pleased ! "
Mother. — And why ?
Antonio — Because I could understand it.
*The patron saint of Naples, a portion of whose blood kept in a vial
is annually exhibited to the multitude, who fall down and adore it ! ! !
It is a chemical preparation of a red color, which dissolves by the
warmth of the hand. This the priests know, but yet teach the people
that it is the genuine blood of the Saint ! — [Tr.

OR THE PROSELYTES, ^ly
Mother. — And that is, because you have learned the
language of our country.
Antonio. — I do not mean that, but because here the wor
ship is not performed in Latin, as with us, but in the lan
guage of the country.
Mother. — You are certainly joking, good Antonio ! how
could worship be edifying to the people if it was perform
ed in a language which they did not understand ?
Henry. — Antonio speaks the truth, Mother. In the sacred
services, particularly the mass, the church retains the Latin
language, partly because it is rendered sacred by the high
antiquity of the ritual, and partly because it is better suited
to the holy mysteries. The people would only be disturbed
in their devotion, if the ritual were celebrated in the lan
guage of the country, and they would have less reverence
for the holy mysteries, which while they do not understand,
yet they can feel their power in their hearts. Hence, the
church does not allow the worship to be conducted in any
other than the Latin language.
The Father. — What language, my son, did the Saviour
and the apostles use, when they taught and instituted the
mysteries ?
Henry. — Certainly the language of their country, that
of Palestine, or perhaps the Greek, which was very com
monly spoken by the people.
Father. — And in what language did the christians of
the early centuries celebrate their religious service?
Henry. — I cannot deny that every congregation used
the language of the country in which it was located ; the
Greeks the Greek, the Latins the Latin, the Syrians the
Syriac. Father. — You see, dear Henry, that christians had a
right to hold their worship and celebrate the sacraments
in their mother tongue. This right we also have. That
the western christians employed the Latin in their worship,
was right, for it was the language of the country; but that
the German, English and French also use the Latin in wor-

48 henry and ANTONIO,
ship, is a manifest perversion and gross impropriety. If igno
rance of the language promotes devotion, or if any impor
tance is to be attached to its antiquity, and men attach a sort
of sacredness to it, then the language of Palestine, or at
any rale the Greek, in which the New Testament was
written, and the mysteries first celebrated, should be em
ployed rather than the Latin. Why do they adhere so per
tinaciously to the Latin ritual? does it not appear as though
they were afraid that it should be understood by the laity ?
Wilhelmina. — For my part I would not consent to be
married out of a Latin ritual, for I would not know whether
the priest was marrying or divorcing me. I should think
that that which is unintelligible cannot awaken devotion.
Would a person ignorant of English be more deeply moved
if he saw an English representation of Hamlet and Mac
beth, than if he witnesssd the performance of those mtister
pieces in a German translation?
In the mean time, Antonio who bad suddenly left the
room, entered with a book, in which he was hastily turning
over the leaves. It was the German translation of the New
Testament by Van Ess. "I have here, he said to Henry,
I have here found a passage which makes me doubtful
whether our priests do right in holding their worship in La
tin. Paul writes to the christians in Corinth, in his first
epistle, (ch. ivx, 2.) " For he that speaketh in an unknown
tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God ; for no man
understandeth hira ; however in the spirit he speaketh mys
teries ; but he that prophesieth speaketh unto men, to edi
fication, and exhortation and corafort." V. 6. Now brethren,
if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I pro
fit you, except I shall speak lo you either by revelation, or
by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine ? v. 9. So
likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be
understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye
shall speak into the air. v. 13. Wherefore let him that speak
eth in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret, v. 19.
Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my

OR THE PROSELYTES. 49
understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also,
than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." The
apostle, dear sir, certainly understood the matter well, and
I know well, that he was right; for the German worship
edified me much more than the Latin mass, which I do not
understand. Henry was taken by surprise ; they all asked him where
and how he had procured that book ; — Antonio related the
whole story ; the parents, particularly the father, were pleas-
with the sound understanding of the young man, and ex
horted him lo read the word of God diligently, which would
be of great advantage to him.

CHAPTER VI.
THE RELATION OF THE ROMISH CHURCH TO THE DESIGN OF CHRISTI
ANITY—THE RELATION OF THE PROPITIATORY SACRAMENTS TO
CHRISTIAN VIRTUE— PRIESTLY ABSOLUTION, JOHN JX. 23j MATT.
xviii. IS.
The evening gave occasion to recommence the conver
sation on the subject of the change of Henry's religious
principles. The father reminded them, that they had agreed
to proceed at once to the main point, and discuss the ques
tion, in what relation the Evangelical as well as the Romish
church stood to the design of Christianity ? They seated
themselves socially at the table, and before the conversation
began, the mother secured the son against any probable
ebullition of the father's passion. "Look upon your son,
(said she) not as an apostate from our church, but as a Ro
manist from his birth, whom you desire to convert to the
Evangelical church." This idea, the father also thought,
would create tenderness and patience in his heart, which
was already well disposed, and at the same time it awaken-
5

50 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
ed the hope, as he expressed it, that Henry would agaiil
find in his father's house that understanding, which he had
lost in Rome. He also agreed to a suggestion which Wil
helmina made, that in quoting scripture passages they should
use Van Ess's translation that all possible impartiality might
be shown towards Henry.
They al! soon agreed, that the object of Jesus was, to be
ihe Saviour of men; for this his very name, Jesus, implies.
They also agreed, that he became a Saviour of men in this,
that he redeemed and delivered them from sin. For thus
they read in Matt. i. 21. "And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his
people from their sins." But when they discussed the ques
tion, how Jesus became a Saviour, and what must take place
in the hearts of men to secure this salvation, then they dif
fered in opinion. After a long conversation, they agreed
to adhere to the declaration of the apostle Paul, for he cer
tainly must have known what effect Christianity was intended
to have on the heathen to whom he preached it, and in what
manner Jesus was to become to them a Saviour, He thus
writes. Tit, ii, 11 — 14. The grace of God (in Christ) that
bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men ; leaching us
that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world ; look
ing for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself
for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
These things speak and exhort."
The parties agreed, that here the apostle represents Jesus
as a Saviour, not only from the punishment of sin, but that he
reforms men and redeems them from the service of sin, and
that his object, consequently the object of Christianity, was,
to lead men to a knowledge of God and his law, to excite
them to the obedience of that law, or to virtue, and to se
cure for them, as thus reformed, the grace of God and eter
nal life.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 51
This is, said Henry, precisely the doctrine of the Catho
lic church, and thus far it agrees with that of the Evangeli
cal church. But I maintain, that in order to accomplish
this object in the case of individual christians, just such an
institution as the Catholic church is necessary, and that
on the other hand, this object cannot be fulfilled by means
of such an organization as the Evangelical church presents.
The peculiarities of the Catholic church, which determine
this matter, and in which she principally differs from the
Evangelical, are the following. In her alone redemption
can be found, for she was instituted by Christ and the apos
tles, and consequently, is the true church ; she alone pos
sesses the means of an infallibly correct knowledge of
christian doctrine, a legitimate and valid priesthood, and
therefore regularly consecrated, and lawfully appointed to
teach and administer the sacraments ; a legitimate arbiter of
church government, (the Pope) and means of grace not de
pendent on the state of the mind in order to secure to be
lievers the forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Hence
she alone can fulfil the object of Christianity, and redeem
men from sin."
Father. — You say a great deal at once, dear Henry,
We will consider it hereafter, I grant that your church
has very many means lo release men from the punishment
of sin, but I maintain that for this very reason, she is alto
gether incompetent to deliver them from the rfominiore of sin.
As she is continually absolving men from punishment, she
does not wean them from sin, but rather encourages them in
immorality. Henry. — But the Catholic church demands penance and
contrition of all who desire to receive the benefit of her
means of grace.
Father. — I know that well enough; but men are not
yet. thereby reformed! If a sinner does not perform the
promised penance, but continues to sin on, can he again
be absolved, if he goes to confession?

52 henry AND ANTONIO,
Henrt. — Certainly, if he again promises penance. For
the holy council of Trent leaches, very expressly, (in the
14th session,) "Sinners can be absolved by the priest not
only once, but as often as they penitently go to him."
Father. — But if he does not reform, and although often
absolved by the priest, sins on until his death, will his last
confession on his death bed, and the last absolution, or ex
treme unction secure salvation for him ?
Henry. — Undoubtedly ; herein consists the extent of
priestly power, that they, so long as body and soul are not
separated, can yet bring the sinner into a state of grace.
Father, — Then you grant, my son, that your priests ab
solve the unreformed. Then if a man, though often promis
ing reformation, yet never reforms, can be assured of the
pardon of God and eternal life through the repeated abso
lution of the priest until his dying hour, it follows that re
formation is not necessary to eternal life, but only occasion
al advice on the subject. In my view this is precisely as
if the masters of a trade would certify that he was a travel
led journeyman, who ten times pretended to set out on his
tour, but always turned back at the gale of the city,*
Henry, — But, dear father, God also forgives as often as
the sinner reforms, and the example of the thief on the
cross shows, that sinners can receive pardon even on a
dying bed, if they feel sincere contrition. So the Catholic
priest only forgives those who truly repent, for the council
of Trent says expressly, (I4th session,) that the penitent
must exhibit "a proper stale of mind,"
Father, — The sincere penitent, according to the scrip
tures, will certainly never find the way of grace closed
against him. But the difference is this, that we direct him
to the infallible God, the searcher of hearts, and tell him,
that sorrow for sin which proceeds merely from fear of pun
ishment, is not true and evangelical repentance, and can-
•Every journeyman in Germany is obliged by law to travel and work
in the principal towns and cities, before he can establish himself iu
business — [Tr.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 53
not be acceptable to God, but that alone which arises from
an internal haired of sin, exhibited in abandoning sin, is well
pleasing in his sight; but you direct the sinner to a fallible
priest, who cannot see the heart, or know whether that
" proper state of mind " exists, or at least can only be as
sured by the word and behaviour of the penitent, and yet
absolves, which, as you think, is so powerful, that it will be
always valid before God, Our ministers when they absolve
those who confess, do not forgive their sins, but only de
clare to them the divine promise of pardon, console them
by the assurances of the grace of God, only upon the con
dition, however, of sincere repentance,* But with youj the
efficacy of absolution, as well as of all the sacraments, de
pends not on the moral character of the christian, but on
the power of the priest, and the service operates as you
say, ex opere operato, that is, if it is only performed,
Henry. — That is a great advantage of Catholic absolu
tion, that its efficacy depends on the priest and his service,
and not on the moral character and disposition of the peni
tent. The priest demands the external evidences of repent
ance, if he sees these, he absolves, and if he absolves then
it is efficacious.
Father. — You perfectly establish what I said. In order
lo be saved, you require nothing more than a mere verbal
acknowledgment of sin, or the "external evidences" of "a
proper slate of mind," upon which this efficacious absolution
always follows. The journeyman need not even buckle his
knapsack nor go beyond the city gate, but only repeatedly
promise that he will travel, and it is just as good as if he had
•In the Lutheran churches, on the day the special service preparato
ry to the Lord's Supper is performed, the minister propounds several
questions to the communicants, to which they respond in an audible
voice. This is called the confession. The minister then says, "Upon
this humble confession, &c. I declare to you all, who have sincerely
repented of your sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the divine
promise of the forgiveness of your transgression in the name of the
Father, &o, &c,"— [Tb.
5*

54 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
travelled. This is very convenient for persons of high and
low degree, who indeed wish to die happy, but also wish to
spend their whole lives in dissipation. In what sense then
does your Catholic church redeem men from sin? She for
gives your sins without end, and secures you from the pun
ishment of them in eternity, without it being al all necessa
ry that you should be delivered from the dominion of sin.
You can tranquilly indulge your lusts and desires all your
days; the priest who carries the keys of heaven will with
out fail unlock the gales for you in your dying hour. Do
you not see, that thus the genuine reformation of men is
really superfluous, and that your church does not'promote
the object of Christianity, which is, first to reform men and
make them new creatures in Christ Jesus, and then only to
promise them forgiveness and eternal life. Is it not plain,
that the Romish church is an institution which delivers men
not from the dominion of sin, but rather lulls the consciences
of sinners lo sleep, and yet after all by the power of the
priest, conveys the most depraved to heaven ? Do you think
there is any thing great and efficacious in this priestly
power ? — no, no, my son, it is destructive of all morality !
Henry. — i must freely grant, that the Catholic doctrine
of the efficacy of priestly absolution and the sacraments,
may greatly tend to encourage the sinner in transgression;
but yet we also insist strongly on christian reformation.
Father. — But all that will be fruitless, if the sinner be
lieves that the priest can at any time forgive him all, and
that his absolution must be acknowledged as valid by God.
Thus most manifestly you make God submissive to the
priests, whose declarations he must obey, even when they
absolve men whom God's righteousness could not absolve,
or when they refuse absolution lo men, whom the grace of
God would certainly forgive. It is truly foolish and shock
ing at the same time, that in your church men teach and
believe that God has surrendered his judgment into the hands
of fallible priests, who have to contend with their own pas
sions, and yet, who according to their own contracted views

OR THE PROSELYTES. gK
and the ever changing emotions of the human mind, can be
stow grace or invoke wrath, and consequently, eternal salva
tion or everlasting misery upon their brethren. Forgiveness
is a transaction between the divine love and the heart of the
sinner. The sinful priest dare not interfere between ihem,
and prescribe to the love of God, whose sins should be for
given, and whose should be retained. This is superstition,
in which God is made an idol, which draws away the heart
of the sinner from God and fixes it upon man, the priest.
Mother. — In this your "father is perfectly right, dear
Henry. 0 listen not to the voice of a priesthood, which
would prescribe rules and usages to the divine righteousness,
what is proper to be done and what to be left undone; but
hear the voice of the Saviour and his apostles, who promise
no man admission into the kingdom of heaven, who is not
truly reformed and leads a pious life. Does not your Sa
viour say, John iii. 3. "Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God ; " and does being "born
again" mean, confessing to the priest or undergoing pen
ance ? Hear how the apostle Paul explains this new birth.
He says, (Ephes. iv. 2\, &c.) "If so be that ye have heard
him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus;
That ye put off concerning the former conversation, the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind ; and that ye put
on the new man, which after God is created in righteous
ness and true holiness." The apostle Peter also, whose
successor the Pope pretends to be, demands of christians
the reformation of their whole life, and is not satisfied with
contrition and penances. "As obedient children, he writes
(I Pet. i. 14.) not fashioning yourselves according to the
former lusts in your ignorance ; but as he which calleth you
is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation."
Henrt. — But, dear mother, the Catholic church insists
equally as much as the Evangelical on true holiness of life.
She only maintains, that Christ gave to the priesthood the
power of absolving sinners, so soon as they manifest con-

56 HENHY AND ANTONIO,
trition. For the word of the Lord, (John xx. 23.) which
he spake to his disciples, certainly empowers the priesthood,
who are the successors of the apostles, to forgive or lo retain
sins. "Receive ye the Holy Ghost ! whose soever sins ye
remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whose soever sins
ye retain, they are retained," Or is it not plain enough,
when the Saviour says, Matt, xviii. 18. "Verily, I say unto
you, whatsoever ye shall bind on eartb, shall be bound in
heaven ; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven," Here there is no escape; here you
must unavoidably acknowledge that the priesthood has the
power of unlocking heaven, and delivering men from tho
punishment -of sin.
Father, — You are altogether wrong, my son. As it re
spects the latter passage, the sense is plain enough from its
connection with the two preceding verses, 15 — 17, in
which the apostles are instructed how they shall act, not
when they hear confession, for that they did not do, but
when they had contentious and troublesome persons in the
church. They were first to admonish such privately and
then in the presence of several witnesses. "And if he ne
glect to hear thee, (he says in v, 17,) tell it unto the church,
let him be unto thee as a heathen man and publican ; verily
I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, &c."
Here, my son, you see plainly, that the Saviour only says,
that it will be valid before him and his Heavenly Father,
when the church excludes from her communion an unwor
thy and persevering sinner, or again receives him. There
is no reference at all to forgiveness of sins before God, or
to release from punishment in eternity, but only lo exclu
sion from, or restoration to the christian communion.
Henry, — I see plainly that the connection of the words
perfectly justifies your explanation of this passage. But
how is it with the other? In that forgiveness of sins is ex
pressly mentioned !
Father. — That is true, but it proves nothing, for the ab
solution of the priesthood. I believe, and many learned

OR THE PROSELYTES.

57

men of our church, for instance, Reinhard, Morus and
many others, who highly venerated the bible, also believed
that here "the forgiveness of sins" is lo be understood of
the miraculous cures, which the apostles after the exam
ple of Christ were lo effect by the power of the Holy Ghost.
According to Matt. ix. 2. John ix. 2, diseases were consid
ered as punishments of sins, so that a miraculous cure could
be regarded as a forgiveness of sins, inasmuch as the punish
ment then ceased. Thus Jesus often says lo the sick whom
he healed ; "thy sins are forgiven, — sin no more, lest a
worse thing come upon thee! " You will find an example
in Acts, ch. iii, where Peter healed a lame man, and ac
knowledged, V, 12, that he did not "make this man well by
his own power or holiness" but God through him.
Henry, — Although your explanation is plausible, yet in
my view, it is too far fetched to convince me.
Father. — I will not force it on you, my son. But even
if this "forgiving sins" is lo be understood of pardon be
fore God, it still proves nothing for priestly absolution in
confession. Where does Jesus say in this passage, that ab
solution can be received more than once — that it can be re
pealed at every confession ? He does not even at all say,
that forgiveness of sins is such an external act, which can
be repeated at the pleasure of the priest. Without forcing
a meaning the words can be thus interpreted; whomever
ye pardon for what they have done against me and the king
dom of God, and re-admit into my church, them will 1 also
pardon. At any rate, the passage affords not the least
ground to justify the repeated absolution of sinful men. For
John i, Ep, iii. 5, 6, expects and demands of christians that
they sin nomore habitually, and of course need no absolution,
"And ye know that he was manifested lo lake away our
sins ; and in him is no sin ; whoever abideth in him sinneth
not; whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, neither known
him." But the same apostle directs christians, if they sin,
not to priestly absolution but to God and Christ, He thus
writes, i. Ep, i. 9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and

58 henry AND ANTONIO,
just to forgive us our sins," ch. ii. 1. And if any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righte
ous." Finally, dear son, you must certainly acknowledge
that in both the passages under discussion, the Saviour is
speaking to his apostles only, and that consequently, the
power which he bestows upon them, whatever be its nature,
is only personal. That they could confer this power on
others, yea, that it is al all communicable, is not established
by a single word.
Henry. — But the words of the Saviour to his apostles al
the last supper; "this do in remembrance of me," the evan
gelical church considers as a command lo all christians in
every age ; why then should not the power of forgiving sins
also be extended lo the successors of the apostles ?
Father. — Your conclusion is very singular, my son; it is
this; if one command given to the apostles is binding on all
christians, then all the other commands are equally binding
on all christians. If that were so, why is it that your priests
alone forgive the sins of the laity? Then each layman could
forgive another, and a layman could also forgive the sins of
a priest. These words, "this do in remembrance of me,"
as they were addressed to the apostles, would not of them
selves, afford us any ground for the celebration of the Lord's
supper. But they would not only, because it is the duty of
every christian gratefully to commemorate the death of Je
sus and thus follow the example of the apostles, but also on
this account, because we see from the New Testament, that
the apostles established that ordinance at the same time for all
other christians, and that immediately after the death of Je
sus, by their direction it was introduced into the churches.
But the power of forgiving sins, if it were really conferred
on the apostles, was in its nature not capable of being com
municated to all christians, or any portion of them. We
read not a single word about it, that the apostles conferred
it on others ; and often as the rights and privileges of elders or
Bishops are extensively mentioned in the New Testament,
not the slightest intimation is given, that they had the pow-

OR THE PROSELYTES. 59
er and should exercise it, of forgiving sins. We know
moreover from ecclesiastical history (with which every edu
cated christian should make himself acquainted) that con
fession and absolution had their origin in the church peni
tence, which those who had been excommunicated were
obliged to submit to.
Henry, — And what was that ?
Father. — Those whose lives were irregular, and gave
offence lo the church were excluded, and were obliged, if
they wished to be restored, not only to confess their sins
publicly before the whole congregation, but submit to
certain penances, or exhibit external signs of the sin
cerity of their repentance. Thus it was in the early cen
turies. But as the churches were multiplied, especially
when by the conversion of the emperors, Christianity spread
through the whole Roman empire at the beginning of the
fourth century, this public confession and penitence was
gradually changed for a private one before the bishop and his
ministers, and absolution, as well as remittance of the pen
ances, followed from these alone.* In the progress of time
your auricular confession grew out of this, and this extended
to all sins, even the most secret. Absolution no longer re
ferred to the pardon of the church, but to the forgiveness oi
sins before God, and release from punishment in eternity.
This is the origin of your confession and absolution, and
what the Romish church still maintains concerning the valid
*A new method also of proceeding with penitents was introduced
into the Latin church. For grievous offenders, who had formerly been
obliged to confess their guilt in the face of the congregation, were now
delivered from this mortifying penalty, and obtained from Leo the Great
a permission to confess their crimes privately to a priest appointed for
that purpose. By this change of the ancient discipline, one of the
greatest restraints upon the licentiousness, and the only remaining bar
rier of chastity, was entirely removed, and the actions of christians
were subject to no other scrutiny than that of the clergy; a change
which was frequently convenient for the sinner, and also advantageous
in many respects lo the sacred order.
Mosheim. Cent. v. ch. i. part. iii. — (Tr.)

60 henry and ANTONIO,
authority of priestly absolution is altogether an abuse and a
wretched imposition,
Henry, — Pardon me, dear father, if I call into question
this account of the origin of the sacrament of penance.
The holy council of Trent expressly says ; (14th session,
ch, 5, of Penance.) "As secret sacramental confession is
recommended with great unanimity by the holiest and most
ancient fathers of the church, and was practiced by the holy
church from the beginning, it is a calumny, when men are
not afraid to aver, that it has no divine authority, but is only
a human invention, and was first established by the Lateran
council." Father. — In this matter the holy council is undoubtedly
in error. I will leave you to read through the writings of
the holiest and most ancient fathers of the church, such as
Hermes, Ignatius, Clemens of Rome, Tertullian, Clemens
of Alexandiia, and even the Apostolical constitutions,* and
wait to see whether you can find a single passage which
confirms the Romish Auricular Confession. They all treat
merely of the penitence which the lapsed and the excommu
nicated were obliged to show before the bishop and the
other ministers, and refer the words "whatsoever ye shall
bind on earth, shall also be bound in heaven," &c. exclu
sively to the right of excommunicating unworthy members
from the church, and of restoring penitents. But they say
not a word in favor of the doctrine of your church, that the
priest has power to release sinners from the punishment of
the future world, t
Henry, — Good ; dear father, I will read those works, and
will give you notice of the result.
•The eight books of the Apostolical Constitutions are the work of
some austere and melancholy author, who having taken it into his head
to reform the christian worship, which he looked upon as degenerated
from its original purity, made no scruple to prefix to his rules the names
of the apostles, that thus they might be more speedily and favorably re
ceived. Mosheim, cent. 1. ch. ii. sec. 19  [Tr.
tSee Appendix No. 1.

OR THE PROSELYTES, gl
Father, — That will be of great benefit lo you, for you
will find that in this point, as well as in many others, the oft
repeated confident assertion of the Romish theologians,
that the ancient church taught the doctrines of the present
Romish church, is altogether without foundation.
Mother. — As respects myself, I do not care for your
learned investigations, but adhere in all simplicity to the de
clarations of the Saviour and his apostles. In them I have
never yet read a word of the sacramental confession and
priestly absolution. According lo the scriptures, the justi
fication of a sinner is a much more simple affair. I no where
find that God, who as the searcher of hearts, alone can per
form the office of an Almighty Judge, has surrendered it to
sinful men, who might spare him the trouble of judging and
forgiving. The prodigal son (Luke xv. 12.) simply returns
to his father and prays for forgiveness, and the father re
ceives him with open arms, without first having him absolved
by the priest. And where the Lord describes the judgment
(Matt. xxv. -31, &c.) which he himself will hold and will
surrender to no priest, he only asks whether they fed the
hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, but not
whether they were absolved and anointed with oil before
they died. On this word of my Lord I rely more securely
than upon all the indulgences and absolutions of men.
Father. — Your mother has come lo the point, my son.
It is certainly clear, that God cannot resign his office as
judge to sinful men, who themselves need grace and cannot
see the heart, and that as respects the "binding and loosing"
of the priesthood, it refers only to the excommunication and
restoration of church members, that is, lo their pardon before
men. But it is equally clear, that the Saviour is not satisfied
"that a man at confession should be in a proper state of
mind," and be absolved, but that he demands the whole life
devoted to piety; but nothing more.
Henry. — I confess that I am at a loss how to answer
you. But do not overwhelm me ; give me time to think of
6

62 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
he matter more thoroughly; perhaps it will become clearer
to me.
Father. — With great pleasure, my son ; only seek the
truth honestly.

CHAPTER VH.

MIXED MARRIAGE— THE CONDEMNATION OF HERETICS— WHAT IS
DEMANDED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN ETERNAL LIFE.
The next evening Henry acknowledged that he had not
yet found an answer to the arguments of yesterday, and
begged that they might in the mean lime proceed to some
other subject. The father observed, that it would be well if
Wilhelmina's intended husband (he was lately settled as
assistant minister in L) also took part in these discussions,
especially that he might afford his aid in those parts which
related to church history and biblical interpretation. Henry
had np objections, but still observed, that then the parties
would be unequal, for he had no one on his side. The father
remarked, that Henry also possessed the advantages of a
knowledge of the ancient languages, of history and philo
sophy. At the same time he promised, that the young min
ister would only be appealed to when he and the mother
found it necessary. Henry was satisfied, and the father
sportively asked, whether Wilhelmina had anything against
it. "I shall be much pleased, she replied, lo have an oppor
tunity now, of forming some idea of the extent of Bern-
hard's learning, for our conversations have not been of the
scholastic order. I will only beg, however, that Henry is
not lo make a Romanist of him; for then, much as I love
him, I would most certainly not marry him."
Henry — (Feelingly) — 0 what intemperate zeal ! Cannot
then a Catholic be an amiable man, and worthy of your af-

OR THE PROSELYTES. gg
feclions? Does love inquire about confessions of faith? You
do not marry the confession of a man, but himself,
Wilhelmina,— rYes, but dear brother, because I wish to
have the whole man, soul and body, his confession of faith
is to me a very important matter. Whether men can ex
plain what love is, that the philosophers may settle, I know
it not, Bernhard told me, that an old philosopher was of
opinion, that the soul originally was divided into two halves,
which sought each other in life, and when they found each
other, united into one. This explanation does not appear
to me to be wrong, for there is such an elective affinity of
souls in true love, in which not only the hand and ring are
given, but also the heart. But a Romanist and an Evangel
ical soul, if each is faithful to its creed, must repel each
other; for the former regards the latter as sunk in ruinous
error, and the latter holds the former as obscured by narrow
prejudices, and filled with a superstitious fear of the power
of the priesthood. How shall they be one? Either they re
pel each other, or the one draws the other over to its faith.
Henry. — You contradict all experience, dear sister. In
countries of promiscuous faith, you also find promiscuous
marriages very numerous, and they agree happily.
Wilhelmina, — That may be. I am only speaking my
own sentiments, according lo which such a marriage can
only be agreeable in case one party or both are either irreli
gious, or indifferent, or unfeeling, and the marriage only re
garded as a civil contract, or entered into for the sake of
fortune and place, or — and this may often be the case — if
the Romish party does not believe all that the priests have
established as articles of faith and is in heart a Protestant,
Henry, — But why cannot the faith of both churches be
endured in matrimony? Cannot one parly leave the other
in the undisturbed enjoyment of his faith?
Wilhelmina, — The Protestant can well think so, but not
the Romanist, The latter, because your church declares all
heretics as eternally cursed, cannot cease trying to con
vert his or her Protestant partner to the Romish faith, and

64 henry and antonio,
must be sadly troubled if this is not accomplished. How
can the Romanist be one heart and one soul with another
devoted to eternal misery ?
Mother  I agree perfectly with Wilhelmina; especially
as it respects the education of children. Each party will
wish to have the children brought up lo his or her confes
sion, and must wish it if they are true to the faith of their
church. It will be intolerable to the evangelical party, and
an everlasting thorn in the heart, if the children are seen
brought up to a blind faith, lo convictions, which are regard
ed as erroneous, to practices, which must be considered as
superstitious. Equally intolerable must it be to the Romish
party, if it is seen that the children are instructed in soul
destroying error, and led directly down to the bottomless
pit. There can be no peace there. That which pleases
the one saddens the other; that which is cheering to the
one fills the other with despair. That person alone can be
contented in such a situation, who is totally indifferent
about Christianity and religion.
Father. — You will not take it ill, Henry, if I also utter
precisely the same sentiments. It would be intolerable to
me, if I had a wife, who with superstitious anxiety, would
run away to mass, when she should attend to her children
at home ; who would pray lo the saints, when she should be
thinking of God ; who would conscientiously tattle to the
confessor all the secrets of matrimony ; who would mortify
herself by fasting and penance ; who would sympathise
with me as a miserable and accursed heretic ; whom, as the
secret confederate of proselyting priests, I would always
have to watch, lest the children might be seduced to Ro
manism ; with whom on the Lord's day and other festivals,
I could not go to the same church; by whom, finally, I
would always be secretly tormented about taking care of
my soul's salvation according to her opinion, and becoming
3. Romanist. Henry. — 0, dear father, how black you paint this affair!
I do not believe that experience will establish your posi
tions.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 65
Father. — That you only say, because you as yet have
no experience. Only read the Romish writings, and you
will every where find proof, that your priests enforce it as a
conscientious duty on the Catholic party in marriage, to
bring up all the children in the Catholic faith. They de
mand this promise when about to solemnize a promiscuous
marriage, and will perform the rite for no couple, who do
not make this promise ; they absolve no man or woman at
confession, if they do not promise to exert themselves to
the utmost, to lead their children to the Romish church.
And this is not only done by a few of the most zealous, but
by all ; they are so instructed, they must do it, agreeably to
the directions of the Pope.
Henry. — You are certainly wrong in this matter, dear
father. Then the father of the christian world, the Pope,
must regard Protestants not as christians, though they are
his children, yet straying, but as heathen, and as it were,
infected with the plague.
Father. — My poor son, how little you know of your
own church ! (He brings a book, "Authentic Correspon
dence of the court of Rome and the French government,
translated into German, by Kassler, 1814," and read the
following, on page 158, from a circular of the former Pope,
dated Feb. 27th, 1809, to the French priesthood.) "Several
among you have prayed me to bestow upon you the power
of granting liberty to such persons to marry, one of whom
acknowledges the Catholic faith, and the other holds to a
heretical doctrine. But I believe it is known to you that the
true Catholic church has always disapproved of marriages
with heretics ; for the church abhors them, as my predeces
sor, Pope Clemens XI. said, on account of the great sin,
and the no small danger of the soul which they occa
sion, and almost on the same grounds that she has for
bidden the marriage of christians with unbelievers, has she
also discouraged Catholics from marrying heretics, because
it is not a pious act. Hence it is very much to be regretted
that there should be among Catholics any, who are so led
6*

66 Henry and ANtoifJW,
away by shameful passion, as not to be shocked af Such
marriages so highly to he disapproved of, which the holy
mother, the church, has always reprobated and forbidden.
For besides the great danger of a perverted mind which the
Catholic party is exposed to, and that the child which is to
be brought up cannot under these circumstances be well enough
attended to, it is also very difficult to live together in domes
tic concord, without being united in faith."
What the Pope here says of the discord which is created
by these intermarriages is very true, and it should determine
a prudent Protestant not to marry a person of the Catholic
faith, because the principles of the Catholic party would
prevent every thing like domestic harmony. You also see
frorn this, my son, that your church abhors such marriages,
and that the apprehension that the Catholic party, and the
children could not be sufficiently guarded against the in
fluence of Protestant principles, induces Catholic priests
to exert all their efforts in the conversion of the Protestant
party, or at least the children : Hence, they are al liberty lo
solemnize such a marriage only upon the condition, that
the children (yet to be born,) be brought up to the Catholic
church. This you may learn from a proclamation of the
king of Prussia, dated March 2d, 1819, in which he declar
ed, that the conduct of the Romish clergy (in the Rhine
provinces) in requiring a promise, that Catholic persons
who wish to marry Protestants should bring up the children
of both sexes to the Catholic religion,'' is not to be allowed.
This is proof sufficient, that in such a marriage the Pro
testant parly can have no peace. You also see, that the
father of the christian world, as you call the Pope, regards
us as nothing better than heathen and infected with a
plague, in whose company a good Catholic must be "shock
ed" because of our daring impiety, and amongst whom he
exposes his "soul to no small danger," And what is it
that makes us such abominable beings ? Do we deny Christ?
Do we allow or connive at licentiousness? Do we refuse
obedience to the government ? Nothing of all these ! we

OR The proselytes.

67

only do not believe in the Pope, nor in the power of the
priests, nor in the seven sacraments, nor in the mass and
the eflrcacy of holy water. Is this sufficient ground to re
gard good christians, who strive after the example of Christ
to be perfect in love, as worthy of abhorrence, as destroyers
of souls, as nothing better than heathen ? But all this pro
ceeds from your uncharitable principles, which irretrievably
condemn all lo everlasting death, who do not believe in the
Pope and the priesthood, and this principle your clergy
have established only because in it they find the surest sup
port of their power.
Henry. — I must confess, that this rigor of their princi
ples on mixed marriages was unknown to me, and that I do
not feel inclined to justify them. But as respects the sen
tence of condemnation, which the Catholic church declares
against all heretics, and consequently all Protestants, that
is certainly true ; she excludes them all from eternal salva
tion, and absolutely recognizes no grace for them. It was
this severe condemnation which particularly brought me to
a stand, when I first adopted the Catholic faith; my heart
thought of you! It was equally as impossible for melo con
demn you, as to regard you as condemned. After a long
conversation with my friend Rossi, on this subject, he at
length solved the difficulty which harrassed me, and my
mind was restored to peace. The Catholic church, said he,
as the only true church, — the only one instituted by Christ,
must hold every other church establishment as false; and
as the scriptures teach that only those who belong lo the
kingdom of Christ, or to the church will be saved, she
must consequently declare all who are not Catholics, as
damned. But in doing this, she only maintains her dignity
and value. Still she does not deny, that God according to
his grace may also bestow eternal salvation upon individual
christians of other church communions, who are particu
larly pious and zealous in doing good, Bui yet she cannot
determine this, nor establish it as an article of faith, for it
is dependent on the extraordinary grace of God. The

68 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
church does not know what God will do; she only knows
that agreeably to the way of salvation which God has pub
lished, he who is out of the church is also out of salvation,
and this she acknowled'ges ; the secret counsel of God re
specting the salvation of men, who are out of the church,
she commits lo the divine grace, and avoids a positive de
claration about it, partly because she knows nothing about
it, and partly because such a declaration would only tend
to confirm men in their folly and error.
Father. — Your objection to the position does honor to
your heart, but your acquiescence finally in this distinction
speaks but little for the soundness of your head. Where
has your church granted liberty for such a private opinion ?
Whatever your church, or rather the priests, as the lords and
tutors of the church teach, that you as a layman must be
lieve, consequently you must believe that we are all damned;
for this your church teaches most expressly. She does not
allow any private opinion; for that is heresy, when a per
son maintains any opinion, which is different from the unal
terably established doctrines of the church. Your friend
Rossi deceived you. He never would have dared lo declare
publicly what he told you privately. If private opinion is
allowed in one, must it not be allowed in others ? Could yon
entertain a different opinion from the church on the sacra
ments, the power of the priests, or purgatory, without being
a heretic ?
Henry. — It is true, that liberty of opinion does not ex
tend so far.
Father. — Then you see that the professed liberty of
thinking what you please about the^ damnation of heretics
as only ?l pretended one, which your church condemns and
must condemn. The Romish catechism says expressly,
"As this is a church (the Romish church) which cannot
err, because she is guided by the Holy Ghost ; then it fol
lows that all other professed churches are guided by the spirit
of the devil and maintain the most corrupting errors both of
faith and practice."

OR !i'Hi! proselytes. 69
Mother, — Can you really believe, dear Henry, that God
will condemn a man, because he rather trusts Christ and his
declarations than the Pope, the apostles rather than bish
ops, the doctrines of the New Testament rather than the
decrees of your councils ? Only read how simply our Saviour
declares, what is necessary for eternal life. He says, John
xvii. 3, "And this is life eternal; that they might know
thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent," Further, John iii, -36, "He that believeth in the Son
hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not in the Son,
shall not see life." And in ch. v. 24. ''Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death into life." See,
my dearest son, how consoling this simple word of the
Lord is lo the christian. He demands nothing else than
faith in the true God, in himself, as the messenger of God,
and obedience to his moral commandments. He no where
demands faith in the artificial doctrines, which councils and
Popes have established, and which the unlearned, and per
haps also the learned, cannot understand. It has always
thrilled me to read in Acts xvi, 25, &c. about the jailor that
came trembling to Paul and fell al his feet, asking, "what
must I do to be saved?" Who immediately answered, "Be
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and
thy house," Either Paul deceived him, or faith in the
Pope, the priesthood, the mass, purgatory and other things
are not necessary to salvation, and your priests condemn us
with most uncharitable injustice,*
Father, — Just so, precisely. For we believe as you do,
in one true God, and in Jesus Christ, whom he has sent.
Both these doctrines are founded in the apostolical, the Ni
cene, and Athanasian creeds; and these our church has
also adopted, so that in these points we have your doctrine
precisely. If Jesus in John xvii, 3, distinguishes these two
points, as those which men must believe in order to be
*See Appendix No, 2,

70 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
saved ; then you make Christ a deceiver, when you would
eternally condemn us on account of other doctrines, which
your priests have established. Verily we do not need your
affected sympathy, when you say that God may perhaps
save a few of us, by his unrevealed and uncovenanted grace.
We know certainly, that we will be saved, if we obey the
word of God.
Henry. — I must acknowledge the force of that declara
tion of Christ. But there is something still, which prevents
me from agreeing with you entirely. It impressed me deep
ly when Rossi first introduced it, — it is this, there can be
but one true church, that this is the Roman Catholic church,
aud that consequently, salvation can be found in her com
munion alone.
Father. — That subject we will discuss when we meet
again, and invite the presence of Bernhard, In the mean
time, my son, believe this firmly, that your church does not
thereby serve the object of Christianity, which in general
is, to make men moral, when she without respect lo their
moral character condemns all who do not believe her doc
trines, and thus makes salvation depend merely on opinions
of faith and the observance of certain practices.

CHAPTER VIII,

ANTONIO— matt. xix. 16, 19 -INFLUENCE OF THE CATHOLIC SACRA
MENTS IN COMPOSING AND COMPORTING THE MIND.
The next morning whilst Antonio was performing his duties
in his master's room, he gradually led the conversation to the
subject of the bible, and finally asked Henry whether he had
ever read the New Testament. When Henry replied that
he had been acquainted with it from his youth, Antonio ex
pressed his great joy, and added, that he hoped Henry

OR THE PROSELYTES, yj
would now answer several questions, which for some time
had been revolving in his mind. "No religious scruples, I
hope?" asked Henry, with a degree of ill humor. "Yes,
they are," answered Antonio. I find not a word about so
many things, which from my youth up I have been taught
to consider as essential to Christianity, that I really am very
doubtful whether every thing is true, whoever may have in
troduced it. You would very much oblige me, by giving
me some information on these points, which you, as a gen
tleman of education, and certainly well instructed in your
youth, are so well qualified to do.
Henry. — You ask loo much of me, Antonio. I was ed
ucated in my youth for the Lutheran church, and have been
a member of the Orthodox Roman Church but one year,
I am myself but a young convert, — I am yet learning and
I cannot solve your difficulties on all these points.
Antonio. — I well know that you became a Catholic only
last year. You then made a real leap of it, 1 have all the
trouble in the world to continue a Catholic, and I wish that
you would help me. That you must certainly be able to do,
inasmuch as all that now disturbs me must have occurred lo
your mind, but which you so easily overcame.
Henrt, — Go, Antonio, drive these things from you mind,
and adhere in pious symplicity to your paternal faith.
Antonio. — Pardon me, sir ; this good advice you did
not follow yourself.
Henry. — There you are certainly right. But I had stu
died, and was therefore well acquainted with the learned
controversies of the theologians. But you lack all pre
paratory knowledge.
Antonio. — Ah I since I have several times read the New
Testament, I do not appear to myself to be as ignorant as
formerly. True, I find some things in it, which I do not
understand, because I am not learned ; but the discourses
of Jesus I understand very well, and I perceive that it is not
at all hard to learn from the Scriptures, what is to be be
lieved and done in order to be a true Christian and assured

72 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
of eternal life, (With excitement) I do not at all see whj
among us the reading of the bible is forbidden to the people.
Henry, — But how many a one has become heterodox by
the reading of the Scriptures ! Take good care, that you do
not fill your head with foolish notions,
Antonio, — Heterodox ? does that mean to be foolish in
our notions of faith ?
Henry. — Not exactly that, but it means to believe differ
ently from the general doctrine of the church.
Antonio. — Then, truly, that has already happened to
me — I am heterodox, as you call it, and for that very reason
I want you lo clear the matter up. But give yourself no
uneasiness about my foolish notions ? I can assure you, that
the doubts, which have occurred to me by reading the New
Testament, do not trouble me, but rather that which I have
learned from it, makes me a happier, and as I think, a bet
ter man. Al least since that lime I am always in good hu
mour! have you not observed it?
Henry. — Well, what have you learned that makes you so
happy ?
Antonio. — But — perhaps you will laugh al me. —
Henry. — Then for once you were foolish in your faith.
Antonio. — Well, if you will have it, then listen ! — It is
the passage here in Matt. xix. 16, 19. And behold, one came
and said unto him, good master, what good thing shall I
do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him,
why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that
is, God ; but if thou will enter into life, keep the command
ments. He saith unto him, which ? Jesus said, thou shall
do no murder. Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou
shall not steal. Thou shall not bear false witnesss. Hon
our thy father and thy mother, and, Thou shall love thy
neighbor as thyself. This passage, sir, has made me very
happy. Hear, how it came !
It was about six years ago, when in Naples we were cel
ebrating the holy week and good Friday, My mind was
quite full of the sufferings and death of the Lord, and I was

OR THE PROSELYTES. 73
so distressed and melancholy, that I could no longer remain
in the streets of the city, but went out in a southern direction
towards St. Elmo where an extensive prospect of Naples
and the sea is presented. There I laid down under a tree.
All was silent around me, the sun was sinking in glorious
majesty beneath the distant waves of the sea, and the blue
canopy of the high heavens every moment became darker
above me. There, thought I, — is now the Redeemer in his
splendor and joy ; and no earthworm Pharisees or Jewish
priests can again obscure his glory or mar his happiness.
But where is the heaven, which received the Saviour after
his sufferings, and whither I shall also go to eternal joy and
everlasting rest ! — I looked up — as far as my eye could reach,
but there were no limits, my vision stretched farther and
still farther, my thoughts penetrated farther still ; but im
mensity was there.
I could imagine nothing. My thoughts fled from me.
Only an unutterable longing after the life of the blessed re
mained as a deep fixed sorrow in my soul. The father of
light, the sun, had gone down ; the crimson clouds and sky
began lo grow pale ; gray night approached from the east,
the evening star soon glittered in the west, brighter — and
still brighter, until like a pure consecrated lamp it burned
in silvery brightness on the face of heaven. May not heaven,
I thought in my ignorance, be located in this beautiful star!
The paradise of the blessed may well be displayed in such
pure, undimmed glory. In spirit I elevated myself from the
earth to this enchanting paradise, and wandered under its
trees with angels and saints and my beloved parents. How
happy 1 fell ! I plucked fruit from the tree of knowledge,
and ignorance and folly fell like scales from my eyes. I ate
of the tree of life and felt, that henceforth I would not grow
old, — that sickness and death would have no more doihi-
nion over me, — that I wOuld flourish in immortal youth. I
was blessed indeed ; — I forgot the world. It was the hap
piest hour of my hfe ! But the coolness of the night dew
awakened me from my dream, and brought me back again
7

74 henry AND ANTONIO,
to the earth. — Then it appeared to me, as though I had lost
paradise for ever; I was Adam, as he was driven out of the
garden of happiness. To return — to return was the ardent
longing of my soul. But which way leads thither? who
will give me security that I will find it ? "Ah ! I cried out
in agony — if thou 0 Redeemer, didst yet wander on earth,
or if I had lived in the days of thy earthly pilgrimage, that
I might have asked thee, that I might have heard from thy
lips, what I must do to obtain eternal life !" That was in
deed an inconsiderate desire ! I said to myself it was foolish.
But it clung to my soul, and it was awakened very often
afterwards at the sight of the evening star, just as a longing
for home at the remembrance of our native land. But see 1
in the days when the Saviour wandered among mortals, a
young man felt the same longing that I did, and he ap
proached the Lord with the question, what shall I do, that
I may have eternal life? — 0 how I bless the holy evangelist,
that he recorded the answer which the Saviour gave ! Now
I also have asked him ; and he has also directed me : hence
it is that I am so happy.
Henry. — (Thoughtfully) Good Antonio ! I also once look
ed upon the evening star and felt the same longing. Why
was I not able to find the answer, which you have found !
I was directed to the church,
Antonio, — (With earnestness) To the church, to Rome
you need not betake yourself Believe, sir, that heaven will
not continue silent, if the heart sincerely asks. When I on
that evening looked up to the high vault of heaven, which
encompasses sea and land and stretches into immensity,
Italy and holy Rome were to me only a miserable clod of
earth, St, Peter's church a molehill, and the sacrificing priest
a poor creature like myself, equally distant from the evening
star and equally infirm. From him, from him, who came
from heaven, and again ascended to heaven, did I desire lo
hear, how I also might reach that abode of bliss.
Henry, — (Collected) But why, Antonio, hadjou no con
fidence in the church, which prefigures and visibly represents

OR THE PROSELYTES. 75
the invisible chuich of heaven, and to which the Saviolir
delegated the power of securing paradise to the faithful by
means of the sacraments.
Antonio, — I knew and now well know all that the church
teaches and promises. But since that time her consolations
have appeared to me very melancholy, richly fraught with
fear and alarm. Therefore they could never cheer me, but
I only became more distressed and perplexed. Ah sir, to
the sincere Catholic who desires to save his soul, it is a
work of anguish and misery. For only see! according to
the Catholic faith, we by bii:th belong to the kingdom of the
devil, who retains us in his power, until the priest delivers
us from him at baptism through the influence of exorcism.
That is already something terrible to me, to think that I ever
was in the power of the devil, without knowing a word about
it. Ah! how great is the advantage I have with my Saviour!
He called little children to him, who were yet unbaptized,
kissed and blessed them, and said, 'the kingdom of heaven
is theirs,' and all who wish to enter the kingdom of heaven,
must become as innocent children. But even baptism does
not yet secure me against the wiles of the devil. The sa
crament of confirmation must be added, of which the
Romish catechism says; "it fortifies us against the tempta
tions of the flesh, the world and the devil." I believe in
deed, that confirmation is good, because the church has
established it; but I find in my New Testament not I word
that Jesus and the Apostles confirmed the baptized in the
same manner thai the Roman priests do. But still this
protection is not sufficient lo secure the grace of God and
eternal life. The sacrament of holy confession must now
be used, at least once a year. The Holy Council of Trent
says, that at confession the priests are, "judges of sinners
and their sins, and in the stead of God and Christ," They
can absolve or refuse it, and lo whom they refuse it, upon
him sin and its punishment rest, to him the gate of heaven
is closed, and baptism and confirmation are of no avail.
Ah ! dear sir, confession often distressed me exceedingly t

76 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
I thought in my simplicity, why has the Almighty God set
up a man as judge between me and Him ? and that loo in
a matter in which I offended only Him, the Almighty and
not the priest? why dare he not forgive me, if the priest
should please to refuse me absolution? He is certainly
merciful, but only when the priest declares he shall be mer
ciful!! — Here I was brought to a stand, and I was always
very sorry to think, that the great God held us poor laymen
in such low esteem as not to receive our confession, nor to
judge and absolve us himself But since 1 have read what
our Saviour says of the prodigal son, how the father received
and forgave him, all my apprehensions have been quieted.
But the misery is not yet at an end. For if the priest does
absolve me and I begin a new and christian life, the church
still commands me to do works of penance in order to ap
pease the divine wrath, such as fasting, giving alms, saying
prayers and many other such things. The Holy Council of
Trent says expressly ; (in canon 13th, Session 14th,) "he
who denies this and says the best repentence is a new life,
let him be accursed." But my Saviour says in that passage,
(Matt. xix. 16, 19.) that I shall only keep the command
ments in order to be saved.
But even if 1 have diligently performed all those works of
penance, and besides all this, lived a christian life, yet I
still need the last sacrament, or extreme unction. This
has ^e efficacy of expiating minor sins and of driv
ing away the devil in the hour of death. "For— ^says the
Holy Council (I4th session) although the devil embraces
every opportunity during our life to devour our souls ; yet
there is no period in which he so zealously employs all his
his wiles to destroy us, and to rob us of our confidence in
the divine mercy, as when he sees we are about to die,"
This doctrine, dear sir, always alarmed me very much.
What a miserable being man is, that even baptism, confir
mation, absolution, peiiance and a pious life, cannot so far
secure him against Satan, as to prevent him from dragging
away the soul even op a, dying bed, unless the helping hand

OR THE PROSELYTES. 77
of the priest is present with his holy oil! Truly, the merci
ful God has not made it an easy thing for the sincere Catho
lic to obtain mercy from him !
But notwithstanding this, the terrors are still not at an
end. Our catechism and the church teach; "there is also
a purgatory in which the souls of the pious will be tormented
for a fixed period and be thereby atoned for, that an en
trance into eternal happiness may be opened for them, into
which nothing unclean can come." Of what avail will it
be to me, if from my birth to my death, I have conscien
tiously submitted to all the sacraments ? The priest must
now read masses for souls, through the efficacy of which he
will deliver me from purgatory, so that if my soul has already
departed from the world, it is not yet delivered over to the
mercy of God alone, but it needs the sacrifice of the priest,
which moves that mercy! Hence, I think, that the soul of
a sincere Catholic is indeed to be pitied. In life and in
death it is not in the hands of God, but in the hands of the
priest. Henrt. — But, Antonio, do you not see, that it is particu
larly consoling to us when oppressed by a sense of sin, to
know that the church has so many means of grace, which
accompany us all through life? Who need be dismayed,
since the church so securely shelters him, when even the
departed soul is not left to itself, but is conducted to the
gales of paradise by the holy sacrifice of the mass.
Antonio. — But it is exactly this painful system of fortify
ing arid securing my soul, that creates in me the feeling, as
though it were like a besieged town, in which breaches were
continually made, the enemy pouring in here and there,
and reluctantly driven back by the garrison. By all this, I
feel myself cut off from God, just as a besieged city from
the governor of the country, and just as dependent on the
power of the protecting priests as such a town is on the
good will of the garrison. There is no certain security.
ihete. I, must be in constant dread,
7»

78 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Henry. — Fool! the power of the church is so infallible,
that her sacraments afford the strongest security against all
the attacks and manoeuvres of the enemy of the soul, so
that you can be in perfect peace, and may compare your
self not to a beseiged city, but to one that is delivered, and
is ringing with the shout of victory,
Antonio, — Pardon me, sir, this jubilee can only come,
when I, redeemed from purgatory, enter the gates of para
dise. Until then, there is danger and strife.
Henry. — For that reason the church leads you that far
by her sacraments, and affords you by means of their infal
lible efficacy an invincible protection. That is the great
advantage of our orthodox church over the Protestant, that
she makes the attainment of salvation dependent on the per
formance of the sacramental services themselves, and not
as the Protestant church, on faith or the firm conviction of
the necessity of the grace of God for the sinner. The Pro
testant christian cannot know whether his faith is firm
enough, he must always be afraid that his faith may waver,
he must then always be full of dread and anxiety about his
salvation, Antonio, — I do not think so, my dear sir, I have an
unshaken confidence in the truth of the reply which Jesus
gave to the question — what must I do that I may have
eternal life, — and lo all eternity I will believe in the
grace of the father, who received the prodigal son, as he
returned repenting. The matter is very simple in my
view. If I believe in God, I must also believe that he is
merciful ; if he is merciful, he will forgive the penitent
without the mediation of the priest. So soon as I deny
that, I also deny God, and then of course I no longer need
the sacraments.
Henry. — But I should still think that the saving power
of the church was more to be relied on than the saving
power of your confidence in the grace of God.
Antonio, — I think not. If I have not yet a strong con
fidence and faith in the grace of God, then I can have no

OR THE PROSELYTES. 79
confidence that the sacraments will be effectual in procur
ing for me the grace of God, If God in general would not
forgive the sinner, the sacraments would possess no effica
cy, so then we would have to believe that they operate like
magic, and force the Almighty to dispense his grace. I
must also then in the Catholic church have confidence or
faith in God's grace, or no sacrament will quiet my con
science. Henry. — It may quiet your conscience or not, you may
have faith or not, it will still be of great advantage to you.
That is the most comfortable part of it, that it helps him,
who has no confidence in it, just as a medicine heals a sick
man, who hopes nothing from it.
Antonio. — That would surely be very agreeable if it
were only certain, and we could be assured of it by any
means, and if the efficacy of the sacrament were not made
to depend on the faith of another, of which I cannot be
certain, that is, on the faith of the priest who administers
the sacrament. You know, that the church teaches, that
every sacrament is only then effectual to the faithful, when
the priest who administers it, has the intention of adminis
tering a sacrament. I cannot clearly express myself in
your language.
Henry. — I understand ; you mean he must have the will,
the disposition of mind lo administer a sacrament.
Antonio. — The necessity of this intention the holy coun
cil maintains very strongly, when it says (Canon II. Sess. 7)
"If any one maintains that intention is not necessary lo the
priest to do what the church does when he administers the
sacraments, let him be accursed." That is a very doubtful
affair to me. I can be certain of my own faith, for I can surely
know what is in my mind, but how can I be certain of the in
tention of the priest ? If his mind had been disturbed, or occu
pied by any thing else when he baptized, confirmed, absolved,
and even gave me extreme unction, then I am as good as not
baptized, confirmed, absolved or anointed. Who will assure
me that the priest has the right intention ? You well know

gg HENRY AND ANTONIO,
how men are, and how through mere habit, they at length
thoughtlessly perform what they are called upon lo do daily.
But it is still worse, when the. priest himself does not be
lieve in the efficacy of the sacrament. Since then I have
no means in the world of being assured that the priest had
the right intention, I must be forever uncertain whether the
sacraments were of any benefit to me, and it can very easily
happen, that after all I may be deceived, although I may
have received the sacraments devoutly. It is very hard in
deed, dear sir, that we cannot receive our salvation imme
diately from God, but that the priest must conclude the
contract with God for us, and that the whole contract may
be void, if the priest commits some error in the formalities.
Henry. — Antonio ! Antonio ! your prattle disturbs my
mind ! I became a Catholic chiefly because I believed that
I could be more certain of my salvation in the Catholic
church than in the Protestant, in which I was taught to de
pend on my own faith. But I now see that it is more dan
gerous to be obliged lo rely on the faith of another, of which
we cannot al all be certain. Go now — leave me ! I wish
to be alone !
Antonio, — (Sorrowfully,) — I communicated to you my
joy upon the answer which I found after a long enquiry,
and hoped to gladden your heart. Dear sir, why then can
not you rejoice with me? the word of the Saviour is also
applicable to you, "keep the commandments and thou shalt
enter into life." Cling to this word and dismiss every thing
else from your mind. 1 thought that you could place as
much, yea, even more confidence in the word of the Sa
viour himself, than in the declarations of his vicegerent in
Rome. Henry. — You are right, my friend, I will do it. Now
leave me !
Antonio obeyed. Henry felt his faith considerably shaken
by this conversation with his servant. We know in what
disposition of mind he was led to the Romish church. He
had hoped, there to be quite certain of his salvation, as it

OR THE PROSELYTES, 81
no longer depended on his own faith. He felt, that in this
respect his condition was not meliorated, but rendered
worse, and with that there was connected the painful expe
rience that he had deceived himself in the whole object of
his conversion. He well knew that Antonio had no other
teacher than the New Testament, and could not avoid the
thought, that Antonio's sound understanding was leading
him in a way, which he regretted he had not himself sooner
entered. He became indignant at the thought, that the re
ligious teacher of his youth had not explained to him the
scriptures in their relation to the Catholic church ; for he
felt that the step which now occasioned the disagreement
with his family, and gradually also with his own heart,
would never have been taken, if the gospel had been ex
plained to him, as it explained itself to Antonio. Antonio,
as he read it as a Catholic, interpreted every word in refer
ence to his own church, and hence. very quickly observed
that, which a Protestant unaquainted with Catholicism easily
overlooks, and which for that reason does not afterwards
immediately occur to him, when an attempt is made to
alienate him from his church. Henry regretted, that whilst
pursuing his philosophical studies with so much zeal at the
university, he had totally neglected the New Testament,
and he silently resolved to begin the work anew, hoping,
that the simple word of the gospel would afford a guide
which would extricate him from the labyrinth of theological
and philosophical subtelties. At the same time he again
took up the paper which he had written in Frankfurt, on
which all the grounds of his conversion were fully develop
ed. He found that much which he had written down as
undoubted certainty had vanished into nothing; but he also
yet found much, which seemed to him irrefutable, and
which gave him fresh courage. Particularly, that appeared
to him to be removed beyond all doubt, which was to be the
subject of the next evening's conversation, namely, that
the Roman Cathohc is'the only true apostolic church.

82 HENRY AND ANTONIO,

CHAPTER IX,
THE ONLY TRUE CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH AND HER
POPES,
The next evening the family assembled for their usual so
ciable conversation, at which, according to the agreement,
Bernhard was also present, yet only on the condition, that
he was to take part when particularly requested, with which
he was perfectly satisfied. He had been convinced from
his short acquaintance with Henry, that he had become a
Romanist merely from having misapprehended the nature
of his religious wants, and that from this a sincere convic
tion followed. Hence he believed, that Henry deserved for
bearance, and should not be violently assaulted, if he were
again to be won back to the church, from which he had se
parated. He flattered himself with the hope that Henry
might again be won, since he had become a Romanist not
from impure motives, but from conviction. In his opinion
that time was misspent which was devoted to disputing with
those who had become proselytes from mere selfishness,
politics, or indifference to all religion. The assembled
friends now challenged Henry to communicate his reasons,
why he held the Roman Catholic to be the only apostolic church 1
"You will grant, Henry began, that Jesus, or at least his
apostles, founded a church, that is, an external society of
christians, bound together by the same faith, the same go
vernment and the same rites. Of this church Jesus says,
Matt. xvi. 18, that the gales or power of hell shall not pre
vail against it. The church founded by the apostles cannot
then have been destroyed, it must yet exist, and it also can
be the only true church of Christ. The question now, is,
where is it to be found? Not in the evangelical churches,
for they have only existed for -300 years; we know their

OR THE PROSELYTES. gg
founders, namely, Luther in Saxony, and Zwingle in Swit
zerland. But we do not know an uninspired founder of the
Catholic church. Her origin, and the succession of bish
ops in her, extends to the apostles themselves, she is then
the church founded by the apostles personally, therefore
quite certainly the true church, to which alone all the pro
mises and privileges which Jesus gave to his church, refer.
She and she only is in possession of true Christianity, of the
lawful priesthood, the proper church government, and the
true means of salvation. All those, such as Lutherans and
Reformed,* which separate from her, depart from the true
church of Christ, and must hence be regarded as heretics.
These positions appear to me so true and withal so con
nected, that I know nothing that can be said against them,
and now my friends, I will wait and hear your objections.
Father. — You have brought forward two very different
propositions, as though they were one and the same, and
include both in your idea of the church. When you say, that
Jesus founded a church which can never have been destroyed,
you speak of the great christian communion, or of Christiani
ty, which comprehends in it the Romish, EvangeUcal, Greek
and other churches and sects as its parts. Christianity, or the
church of all churches, was surely founded by Jesus and the
apostles, because it can have no other origin. That is the
church which cannot be destroyed. In the course of time
"the churches," that is the Romish, Evangelical, &,c. church
sprung from it. When then you speak of the truth of the
church and refer this expression to the origin of Christiani
ty, then Christianity only was instituted by Christ ; but not
the'Catholic, Evangelical and Greek divisions into which
Christianity was subsequently split. In this sense an untrue
church would be equivalent lo an unchristian church, as for
example, Mohamedanism, Judaism, the church of Fohi in
China, or of Dalai Lama in Tartary. In respect to origin
from Jesus and the apostles, Christianity is the true church.
*The Calvinistic Churches on the continent of Europe were called
reformed. — (Trans.)

84 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Henry. — I do not mean it in that sense, but I hold the
Roman Catholic to be the true church, because she was
founded by Jesus and the apostles personally. By the word
church I did not mean Christianity or the great communion
of christians, but the Roman Catholic church which is sub
ject to the Pope.
Father. — Then you were wrong in starting out with the
idea of Christianity in general, and yet in the progress of
your reasoning confining your use of the word church to
the Romish communion. You know that all reasoning is
false, in the course of which a different sense is attached to
the principle idea,
Henry, — That is unquestionable, agreeably to the rules
of logic, I will then slate my position thus : That can be
the only true church among all existing churches, which as
the oldest was founded by Jesus and the apostles personally,
and from which all others first separated themselves.
Father. — You have now staled your position correctly,
but yet it is to no purpose. You lay much stress upon it,
that the Romish church was founded by the apostles per
sonally. If this is to be the mark of the true church, then
only the churches of those cities and countries in which the
apostles themselves lived and taught could constitute the true
church, and the Romish church in Germany, Ireland, Po
land, and all America would not belong to the true church,
because these churches were not founded by the apostles
personally, but by other christian teachers.
Henry. — But yet they are apostolical, for they have re
ceived the apostolical instruction from other persons of
the true church.
Father. — Then you acknowledge that it is the same thing
whether the apostles founded a congregation by their per
sonal oral instruction, or by their peronsal written instruction,
and that the other persons who impart to it the instruc
tion of the apostles, do npt take away from it the character
of apostolical. It is not they, properly, but the gospel,
which establishes the new church. Thus it was in the

OR THE PROSELYTES. 85
institution of the evangelical church. She was also a branch
which proceeded from the Romish church and received from
her the holy scriptures, the three general confessions and
some other things, and only rejected that which was op
posed to the written instructions of the apostles. It was not
the reformers who founded our church, but the gospel, after
it had been brought out of its concealment by them. They
were only the means — the missionaries of the gospel, and
hence with great propriety we call ourselves an evangelical
or gospel church. That church founded by the written in
struction of the evangelists and apostles is more safely a true
church, than one founded by oral instruction, because
written doctrine is more certain and secure than oral doc
trine which has passed through the heads of so many other
teachers. The former proceeded immediately from the spirit
of Ihe apostles and was reduced to writing which cannot be
changed, but the latter has been subjected to constant
change through many centuries, and it is not to be doubted
but that every one who imparted it, shaped it according to
his own peculiar views,
Henry. — The difference, dear father, consists in this, that
those churches founded by the Catholic church also assum
ed her organization and whole character, and thus became
one with her, but other churches, the evangelical for in
stance, changed many things. In judging of the genuine
ness of a church every thing depends on its character.
Father, — Then you see, my son, that when we speak of
the true church, we must not inquire about its apostolical
orig"t»,'but whether it possesses the true character; so that
the question, which among all existing churches is the true
church, can have no other meaning than this; which is the
best, that is, which most perfectly answers the design which a
christian church should generally have in view. What was
the object of Christianity in your opinion ?
Henry, — We have already agreed, that the object was
to deliver men from the punishment of sin. The church
is the means of accomplishing it.
8

86 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Father, — Good, so then that church is the only true one
which serves that purpose, that is, is capable not only of quiet
ing the apprehensions of men about the punishment of sin, but
also of delivering them from the dominion or service of sin.
We have not then to ask which is the oldest church, but
which is the best, that is, best adapted to fulful the object
of Christianity, Consquently our Augsburg confession is
very right in saying, "The true church exists where the gos
pel is properly taught, and the sacraments are administered
according to the directions of Christ," If it should now
be found that the evangelical church better answers the de
signs of Christianity, then she would also be the truest or
the best church, but the Roman Catholic would be either
less true or altogether a false church, if she answered this
purpose in a less degree, or really opposed it,
Henry. — It is not possible, dear father, that the Roman
Catholic church, as the oldest, could ever be a corrupt
church; for she has the spirit of God, is infallible, and
hence among all other churches is the only one protected
against errors of faith and practice.
Father. — Experience contradicts that. Jesus himself
says, that false teachers will arise in his church ; the apos
tles had experience of that, and no century has elapsed in
which the church has not been disturbed by controversies
about doctrine and practice. The councils decided many
points, but they were not always unanimous ; many things re
mained undecided. The early church herself adopted some
measures which were afterwards abandoned, for instance,
the love feast, and the administration of the Lord's supper
to children. You see then, that it is possible for the church
founded by the apostles to be in some degree corrupted in
the course of time. But if such corruptions exist, if, for
instance, the church introduces so many means of reconcil
iation, that it is no longer necessary for men to abandon sin,
but sufficient to declare it their intention to do so ; if in
public worship she regards instruction and edification as
matters of minor importance and the ceremonies as the

OR THE PROSELYTES.

87

principal thing; if she introduces superstitious rites and
considers them as essential, as for instance the adoration of
saints and relics ; if the organization is so shaped that the
church is no longer serviceable to Christianity, but only
to the priesthood ; if every thing is so perverted, that instead
of Christ, a pope is set up, in the place of apostles, bishops,
and in the room of the church, a priesthood ; then the
church is different from what she originally was, and no
longer answers the design of religion, but the purposes
of the priesthood. Under these circumstances it is the right,
yea, the duty of Christian congregations to reform the church
and to abolish the abuses that have crept in, I would de
signate this as the right of reformation. This right was ex
ercised about 300 years ago by many congregations of the
west, and thus was established the Evangelical church.
After emperors and kings had often, but always in vain, in
sisted upon a reformation in the "head and members" as
they expressed it, that is, in the pope and priesthood, but
the popes had baffled these attempts, as well as the ex
ertions of the two great Councils of Constance and Basel in
the fifteenth century, that finally occurred to which the
church had a natural right ; she reformed herself and followed
Luther, Zwingliand other pious men, who showed from the
writings of the evangelists and apostles, how the church
should be constituted. It was not these men who brought
about the reformation, but the general will of the people,
who adhered to the gospel or the doctrine of Christ, which
these men explained to them anew. As the popes, instead
of encouraging the reformation, proscribed and excommuni
cated the reformers and all their followers, they were per
fectly right since unjustly excommunicated, in joining
together in a christian communion or church, which they
called evangelical, because it was founded on the gospel.
From the right of reforming the church, necessarily follows
the legitimacy of the origin or constitution of the evangeli
cal church. Another person as reformer would not have
been necessary, if the popes had been more solicitous about

88 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
the hnnor of Christ, than about their earthly dominion. It
is then beyond controversy, that the evangelical church is a
christian and apostolical church, and that, she, as one re
formed according to the gospel, is also a true church, and
at least possesses more of the character of the true church,
than the Romish, which retains and perpetuates all the de
ficiencies and abuses which rendered the reformation ne
cessary, Henry. — Even if I grant all this, yet there still remains
the objection, that she is not a catholic church, and has de
clared herself off from the first church founded by the apos
tles, which is united under the bishop of Rome as the
head. Father, — I must ask Bernhard for an explanation of the
meaning of the word catholic.
Henry,' — I can give it to you myself Catholic is a
Greek word and signifies general. The expression was
commonly used in the second and third centuries by the
church, and was occasioned by certain teachers 'of false
doctrine, to whom it was objected, that all the other chris
tian congregations believe differently from them, and that
hence their doctrine as opposed to the general belief, could
not possibly be true,
Bernhard. — That is correct; but it is to be observed in
addition, that by the expression catholic church was meant
the congregations in the Roman Empire, the imperial church,
and not all christian congregations in the world. The
word oDioufjievTi, which expresses the same as catholic, fre
quently signifies the Roman Empire, hence also an oecu
menical council did not comprehend all christian teachers,
for instance, from Aethiopia, Persia, India, Arabia, &c. but
only the bishops of the empire. Only under these circum
stances was it possible that the Roman Emperors, as Con
stantino and Theodosius the Great, could call together gen
eral, or oecumenical, viz. imperial councils, and give the
sanction of law to their decrees. The title also of oecumen
ical bishop (which I will mention here) which the bishops of

OR THE PROSELYTES. 89
Rome arrogated to themselves, and which was finally granted
to them, meant nothing more than .^rsf or chief bishop of the
Roman Empire, and by no means, as was subsequently
maintained, general or sole bishop of the whole christian
world. Catholic church originally then, meant nothing
more than the imperial church, the church of the Roman
Empire. When the Roman Empire was divided into two
great parts, the western and eastern, or the Latin and the
Greek, then there naturally arose two Catholic churches, that
is, two imperial churches, the western and the eastern. The
latter or the Greek church after her separation from the
western, continued to call herself a catholic, that is, an im
perial church, and the Latin church never disputed the title.
It was only after the dismemberment of the Latin Empire,
that men in the ignorance of the middle ages began in the
west to use the expression, catholic church, in the sense of
general, consequently only true church, although after the
destruction of the Roman Empire, there could not properly
any longer be a catholic or imperial church. Roman Cath
olic church then properly designates the christian church of
the Latin-Roman Empire, and thus has a correct meanincr.
But if catholic, as men now wish to use it, is to designate
the general church in all places of the world, then Roman
Catholic is as great a contradiction of terms as "wooden
iron" inasmuch as, besides the eastern church, the evangeli
cal church has arisen, and Roman now since the dissolution
of the Roman Empire, only yet extends to that particular
church, which acknowledges the bishop of Rome as its head.
At the present day Roman Catholic signifies the Romish
Particular General Church, which is a sad contradiction.
Hf.nry. — I never viewed it in that light and readily con
fess that no importance can be attached to the title catholic,
yea, that on account of the totally changed political rela
tions of the empire, it no longer has any meaning. But
even if I do regard the Romish church as a particular
church, yet you must grant that she is the oldest, and that
she was founded immediately by the apostles. And this is
8*

90 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
certainly an advantage. The evangelical churches are all
new, instituted only three hundred years ago, and surely
the promise of Christ, that his spirit should guide the church,
does not refer to them.
Father. — I well know that you Romanists are always
quoting this sentiment, "where the church of God exists,
there is also the spirit of God, and he who declares himself
oft' from the church also departs from communion with the
spirit of God." But you are wrong. The spirit of God is
not exclusively bound to the Roman pope or church ; of
that the scriptures say nothing. The converse is rather
true, where the spirit of God is, and operates, there exists the
church of God. I do not feel myself bound to the head,
Christ, by the members, but to the members by the head.
And what you say about the advantage of antiquity and the
modern organization of the evangelical church, that is al
ready refuted by what was said before. There are old errors
and nfew truths ; so that in the investigation of every sub
ject, the question should not be, is it old? but, is it true?
Christianity was also once new, and so was every truth,
which is now old fo us.*
Henry. — But is it no advantage at all to the Romish
church that she is the oldest ?
Father.-^— She is by no means the oldest. Only read
your New Testament, and you will have a more correct idea
of the establishment of the christian church, for the Roman
papal church is altogether out of the question. That the
church was established in the Roman Empire, was not the
choice of the apostles, but it necessarily occurred, because
they lived in that empire. They founded individual con
gregations wherever they could, especially in Asia Minor
and Greece, of course in districts, which do not belong to
the present Romish church, but to the eastern church. If
then any church in the world could claim immediate de
scent from the apostles, it would be the Eastern or Greek
See Appendix, No. III.

OR THE PROSELYTES, gj
church, for in her provinces, in Egypt, Syria, Pisidia, Pa-
phlagonia, Galatia, — in Greece, Thrace, Macedonia, the first
congregations were founded, and by the apostles themselves.
If then the truth and genuineness of a church depended on
her antiquity, the Eastern or Greek church would be the
true one, and the Roman a spurious one. For perhaps not
a single one of the Latin churches can show that it was
founded by an apostle. It is true that during the life of the
apostles, a congregation was founded at Rome, as we learn
from the epistle which Paul wrote to them, but it was es
tablished before an apostle went there. The congregations
scattered throughout the whole Roman Empire were the
first churches, they may have been founded by the apostles
themselves or by others. But they had not yet an external
bond of union. They governed themselves and managed
their own affairs, but they had yet no church government
common to them all. This and the external form of a uni
ted society, they first received in the fourth century, when
they were publicly acknowledged in the empire as a church,
at the time that Constantino the Great became a christian,
and called together the bishops to an imperial synod or diet,
and shaped the church government according to the politi
cal divisions of the empire. But that, my son, was not the
the Romish church, that is, the one subject to the pope, but
the imperial church, which embraced all the congregations
in the empire, and at whose head the emperors stood, and
not the bishops. The bishop of Rome then first became a
patriarch, and enjoyed equal rights with the patriarchs of
Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, and
only afterwards received the precedence over them. But
he was subject to the emperor as well as the other bishops.*
Henry, — Then the Roman bishops at that time were not
popes, and did not rule the church.
Father. — I will leave you to answer that question, Bern-
hard. •See Appendix, No. III.

92 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Bernhard. — What you have said agrees perfectly with
history. The bishops of Rome were at an early day very
highly distinguished and influential, because they were the
bishops of the great capital of that iramense empire. The
splendor of the city also cast its broad beams over them.
But they were not lords of the church, and only stood on an
equality with other great bishops.* Every bishop was called
papa, pope, i. e. father, particularly the patriarchs of Alex
andria, and every church founded by an apostle called itself
sedes apostolica, apostolical seat. The precedence was allow
ed to the Roman bishop only because he was the bishop of
the capital of the kingdom, but no superior power or au
thority was bestowed upon him. It was the christian em
perors, Constantine and his successors, who established ec
clesiastical law, who appointed bishops and deposed them,
who called general church councils and confirmed their de
cisions, by which alone they received the authority of law.
And when Charlemagne at the beginning of the ninth cen
tury again restored the Western Imperial dignity, he also
exercised supreme authority over the bishops of Rome, and
summoned church councils. It was only in the eleventh
century that popery was established by the Roman bishop
Gregory the VII. and with it the Romish church, and he
was the man who first arrogated to himself exclusively the
title papa, (pope) notwithstanding that the Eastern bishops
never recognized this assumption.! The Romish church then
in the present sense of the word, where it desitrnates those
congregations which acknowledge the Roman bishops as
pope, or as supreme head of the church, was first establish
ed in the middle of the eleventh century under the Roman
bishop Gregory the VII. after the eastern christians public
ly and solemnly separated from the Western in 105-3, be
cause they would not recognize the supreme authority which
the Roman bishops began to assume. Hence the Roman-
•See Appendix, No. IV.
¦fTo this day the ministers in the Greek Church are called papa, (pope)
father .

OR THE proselytes. gg
papal church was first established only one thousand years
after Christ. When then in the sixteenth century the evan
gelical christians separated from the Roman church, they
did not leave an old but a new church, which had been in
stituted but about five centuries before, and returned again
to the old church,
Henry, — But did not Jesus appoint the apostle Peter
the supreme head of his church, and did not Peter, when
he was bishop at Rome, bequeath this supremacy to the
Roman bishops as his successors ? Has not this official pre
eminence of the Roman bishops always been acknow
ledged in the churcj^ ? Ifad not then the Roman bishops
the right from the very beginning, of being popes ?
Father. — This error has been so often and so conclu
sively refuted, that it is almost idle to say any thing more
about it. You found your pretension on the words of
Christ, Matt. xvi. 18. "And I say also unto thee, that thou
art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church; and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (v. 19.) And I
will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
Heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be
loosed in Heaven." The words of the 19th verse, which
speak of the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, we will not
now consider. For we have already (ch, vi.) discussed
that subject, and again, they do not bestow any pierogative
upon Peter, for the Saviour, Matt, xviii. 18. John xx. 2-3,
addresses the same words to all the apostles. The I8th
verse then remains to be considered, Jesus here, accord
ing to the custom of antiquity, gave Peter, who was pro
perly called Simon, another name, just as Paul was first
called Saul, and the apostle Matthew's first name was Levi.
The internal character of Peter, namely, his courage and
stability, (for which reason our Lord compared him to a
rock,) gave occasion to Jesus to change his name, which
was very common at that day. Thus David calls God his
rock, upon which he trusts. Hence the Saviour means;

94 henry and ANTONIO,
upon this your courage and stability, unshaken as a rock,
(which will not yield to the Pharisees and Scribes, and will
not be moved by any persecution) I build the hope of es
tablishing a perpetual church ; or you by your courage and
activity will be distinguished above all in the establishing
of my church." But our Saviour says not a single word
about Peter being the lord of the church, or even the chief
of the apostles. What Jesus said, was only an evidence of
what he hoped, from the character and courage of the apos
tle, and nothing more.* It was neither a commission nor a
charge ; and we would act just as unreasonably, as if we
would conclude from that other address of Jesus to Peter,
(Matt. xvi. 23.) that he had for ever excluded Peter from
his church. "But he turned and said unto Peter, get thee
behind me Satan ; (deceiver,) thou art an offence unto me :
for thou savorest not of the things that be of God, but those
that be of men."
Henry. — I grant that in those words Jesus gave no com
mission, and bestowed no supreme power on Peter ; but
they only show, what Jesus hoped from Peter; but yet it
still cannot be denied, that Jesus at another place gave
Peter paramount authority over the church or the chief epis
copal office. For we read that after his resurrection he
he said three times to Peter, "Feed my lambs.'' John xxi.
15—17, Father. — But he does not say you alone shall feed my
lambs ; he does not thereby exclude the other apostles.
This whole commission rather shows, that Peter should
thereby be stimulated to devote himself anew to the per
formance of his apostolical duties. He had denied Jesus,
and the intention of the threefold question of the Redeem
er, "Simon, lovest thou me? " must have been well under
stood by him. After the death of Jesus he betook himself
again to the sea of Tiberias, and devoted himself to his
former occupation, that of a fisherman ; and so he well
*See Appendix No. V.

OR THE proselytes. gg
needed the renewed encouragement, "feed my sheep," that
is, abandon your business and devote yourself to the work
of an apostle. For the words of Jesus by no means em^
brace the idea, you shall be chief of the apostles, and the
only bishop of all future christians,
Henry. — But according to the records of, the acts of the
apostles, did not the other apostles always yield the pre
eminence to him, and did he not always stand at their
head ?
Father, — A distinguished apostle he most certainly was,
because he had talents and energy, but that he exercised
authority over his fellow apostles or the whole church, is not
true. You find no evidence of it, but plain proof of the
contrary ;* Paul (Galat. ii. 9.) says that James, Peter and
John "seemed to be pillars, of the church," and thus attri
butes equal influence and authority to them all. Paul was
chosen by Jesus to be the apostle of the Gentiles, and ac
cording to Galat. ii. 9. the other apostles acknowledged him
as such, and declared that they would confine themselves
exclusively to the gentiles. t Now if we reasoned as the
Romanists do, we could maintain, that Peter was only the
supreme head of the Jewish Christians, but Paul the su
preme head of the Gentile christians.
Henry, — But if Peter had no supremacy over the other
apostles and the church, then he could not have transferred
it to the bishops of Rome ?
Father. — And that was never done. If Jesus had really
(Matt, xvi, 18,) bestowed any prerogative on him, yet he
would have received it merely on account of his personal
qualities of firmness and solidity, for which reason he was
compared to a rock. But since personal qualities cannot
be bequeathed to others, so this prerogative of Peter could
not be transferred to others. Of course then it must have
become extinct at his death, or it would certainly sooner
have been bestowed upon the apostle John who survived
Peter, if upon any one, than upon the then bishop of
Rome.t "See Appendix VI. fAppendix VII.

96 henry and ANTONtO,
Mother. — I cannot but believe, that the Saviour would
have spoken much more explicitly, if he had wished to
make Peter the supreme ruler of the church. Rights so
important and exerting such an unspeakable influence on
Christianity are not bestowed on any one in a short figura
tive expression, "thou art a rock, and upon it will I build
my church." I should think that the Lord could without any
difficulty have said, 'you shall be the head of my church,
and at your death you shall bequeath this right to the bish
ops of Rome.' Why would not the Lord have said that, if
he had even remotely thought of it? But in the discourses
of Jesus and in the writings of the apostles, we read of only
one head of the church, and that is Christ himself Your
position, dear Henry, that you Romanists alone can be true
Christians, because you adhere to the pope, and claim de
scent from the first church, reminds me of the Jews, (John
viii. 37, 45.) who maintained that they alone were the true
children of God, because they descended from Abraham,
The Lord tells them, that they only then shall be the chil
dren of Abraham, when they do the works of Abraham, — ,
be as pious as Abraham, Thus he will acknowledge only
those as true Christians, who "have the same spirit, the
same mind" with him, whether they are papists or not, I
would suppose, dear Henry, that the matter might be settled
in this manner, we might dispense with all learned investi
gations, whether in the first church the bishops of Rome
were recognized as supreme rulers of the christian world or
not, Henry. — Yes, it may be so. Neither can I deny, that
this acknowledgment cannot be proved. I have read the
writings of the fathers, and confess that I found nothing
which establishes a recognition of the Romish pontiff.
Although I have seen that the church in Rome was regarded
as one of the oldest and most distinguished, yet I could
not find, that any jurisdiction over the church was ascribed
to her bishop,
Bernhard, — Your observations are very correct and im-

s>

OR thje proselytes. 97
partial, dear friend. There is a great difference between
highly venerating a church and inquiring about her confes
sions of faith, because she is one of the oldest and most
distinguished, and venerating her, because her bishop is
supreme head of the church.
Henry.— But even if the supremacy of the popes cannot
be established by the New Testament, and was not recog
nized in the early centuries, as I now myself grant, yet it is
so necessary to the church to have a pope that one would
have to be appointed, if we had none already, so that it is
highly improper to reject him. For, first, there must be one
point of union in the church, to bind all things together and
keep them in connection, if the whole is not to fall to pieces,
There must also be a unity of church government, a central
point of faith, in fine, all that we have in the pope.
Father. — You here combine several things together,
which we must separate. What do you mean by a point of
union in the church respecting its faith ?
Henry. — One, that can pronounce a decisive judgment
upon all doctrinal controversies, and thus maintain peace in
the church, or restore it, when it is disturbed.
Father. — Have your popes been able to do that?
Henry, — Not altogether, it is true ; but in most instances
they have maintained the unity of the faith,
FATHER.^They could not prevent, they rather occasion
ed the separation of the whole eastern from the western
church; they could not prevent it, that since they found
ed their kingdom in. the 11th century, there have been Wal-
denses, Wicklifites, and Hussites; and that Dominicans,
Franciscans and Jesuits, conducted the most violent con
troversies among themselves about the immaculate concep
tion of Mary, original, and sanctifying grace, which remain
undecided to this day. They could neither prevent the
commencement, nor afterwards arrest the progress of Quiet
ism and the Jansenit controversies in the French church, —
it was thus with the great fundamental principle established
by the councils of Constance and Basel, that the pope is
9

98 henry and ANTONIO,
subject to a general council; it was thus also with the great
and powerful reformation in which nearly half of the West
declared itself free from Rome, Of what avail then was
your point of union in faith to you ?
Henry. — A great deal, for it was the popes alone, who
amid the storm of parties, bound the greater part of the
church in unity, and by their influence held it together. If
it had not been for the popes, the whole church would have
been divided into sects.
Father. — Rather say, if it had not been for the popes,
ihe reformation would have been general, and the whole
western church would have been converted into an evan
gelical communion. You say, you have a point of union,
the pope, to whose decrees all must subject themselves; but
we also have a point of union, the gospel, whose instruc
tions every evangelical christian follows,
Henry. — But we are better off than the evangelical
christians, for amongst them every one explains the gospel
as he pleases, but the decrees of the popes are not subject
to the interpretation of every one. Hence among you there
is diversity of opinion, amongst us, there is unity.
Father, — The difference is rather this, that we follow
the divine revealed word, but the Romanists obey a fallible
man, and are forced to confess as true and good whatever
pleases the Roman bishops. And it has pleased them, to
establish as an article of faith above all others, that they
are the unlimited lords of the church and the whole chris
tian world, and that it is a most heinous sin not to believe
and obey them. The difference is, further, that the gospel
contains a sum of truths unalterably fixed, but the faith of
the Romanist can always receive a new, and often an un
welcome addition from the pope. The difference is, again,
that amongst us, the variety of religious opinions can be made
uniform only through the influence of the truth, but in the
Romish church uniformity of sentiment is produced by vio
lence and excommunication. For what means did the
popes employ to maintain the unity of the faith? — Think of

OR the proselytes. 99
the fearful and terrible wars of extermination which they
waged against the Albigenses and Waldenses — of the cru
sades, by which many towns were utterly destroyed, of that
monster, the Inquisition, which according to the authentic
report of the unfortunate Llorente, burned alive in Spain
alone, from the year 1481 to 1808, 32,382 persons, and im
prisoned and robbed of their property 291,450. Of the
abominations which were allowed in England under the
bigotted Mary, at the introduction of popery, — of the horri
ble massacre on St. Bartholomew's day at Paris, for joy at
which the pope instituted spiritual festivals — of the thirty
years war in Germany which was instigated by the Jesuits —
of the dreadful violence by which the reformation was sup
pressed in Austria and Bohemia, and of all those streams
of blood which pollute your church, and condemns her be
fore God as guilty of the most dreadful murders, and then
yet boast to me, that the pope maintains union and peace
in the church. A pretty point of union indeed, whose only
means of operation are, fire and sword.*
Henry. — You set too much to the account of the popes,
that was owing only to the inconsiderate zeal of the princes.
Father, — Now, you know very well, that the popes in
flamed the wars against the Waldenses and the evangelical,
that in the seven years war a consecrated hat and sword,
were presented by the pope to the Austrian field marshall
Daun, that with it he might annihilate the heretical king of
Prussia, — that the popes established the inquisition, — that
pope Innocent IV, augmented its severity, and that they
commanded and promoted its general introduction. And
only hear, what 'the father of the christian world' wrote to
the king of France in 1712, when he sent the bull unigeni-
tus. "The kingdom of heaven, that is, the Catholic church,
receives this advantage from the civil power, that those who
act 'contrary to the confession of faith and order of the
church, are destroyed by the rigor of the civil princes, and
*Appendix, VIII,

100 henry and ANTONIO,
the punishments which the church herself, the pope may not
wish to inflict are laid upon the necks of the obstinate by
the civil authority,"
Henry. — You believe then that the unity of the faith
could be maintained without a pope ?
Father, — 1 believe it; and that it is very possible I see
in the example of the Greek church, which has no pope.
Henrt. — But who is to decide in religious controver
sies ?
Father. — Let it be as was done in the christian world
for nearly a thousand years before there was a pope ; let
the ruler of the country convene a synod of his kingdom
fo settle the dispute. In this manner were the greatest
controversies of the ancient church settled for the space of
900 years. But it is still better, to leave these different
opinions correct themselves, for the truth will most infal
libly appear in the end, it will always triumph. This agrees
with what the Saviour said. He compares the church to a
field, (Matt, xiii, 24, 30,) in which a man sowed the good
seed of truth, but among which the enemy scattered the
tares of error. The servants wished to pluck up the tares,
just as the pope desires to exterminate heretics and here
sy, but the householder said, "let both grow together until
the harvest," We are then taught to endure the erring
until the last day, if they cannot be brought to the truth by
instruction. Henry, — But there must at least be unity in the church
government, and this cannot be well maintained otherwise,
than by a common supreme head.
Father, — Before there were popes the Roman Emperors
governed the church, * *^ * * * »
A system of church government that is to extend over all
christians in all quarters of the world is not possible, and
exceedingly expensive and oppressive.
Mother, — I confine myself to the apostle Paul, who
proposes another point of unity, not the pope, but Christ,
He writes thus to the Ephesians, (ch, ii. 20, &c.) "Ye are

or the proselytes. JOI
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Je
sus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, (point of
unity.) In whom all the building, . fitly framed together,
groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord." In the fourth
chapter, in which he maintains the unity of the church, the
apostle does not even mention the pope or the vice-gerent
of Christ, but in the eleventh verse he recites the ecclesias
tical offices thus, "And he gave some oposfZes ; and some,
prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and
teachers;" but he does not say that Christ ordained one to
be the supreme head of all.
Henry. — That is true, dear mother; but it is still cer
tainly of great advantage to the church, to have a spiritual
chief, who is equal in rank and dignity to kings and empe
rors, or elevated above them, who by the independent pos
session of an extensive country belongs to the rulers of
this world, and who blazes in all the brilliancy of a sovereign
prince. It is of great advantage for those who are placed
near him, the cardinals and archbishops, to hold the lank
of princes, and that bishops subscribe themselves like prin
ces, "by the grace of God." This exalted hierarchy con
stitutes an indissoluble chain, which reaches from the low
est hut to the most elevated throne, connects every thing
together, and secures to the church her glory, her indepen
dence on the authority of kings, and her great influence
upon the minds of the people. The rank of this exalted
body of ecclesiastics every where secures them a place
among the great of the earth ; they sit among kings and
princes. The ears, the hearts of the powerful are open
to them ; they learn and make proper use of their infiimi^
ties. On the other hand, look at the poor, miserable, evan
gelical clergy, — how far separated from the great men of
the world, not allowed to approach nearer than the com
mon people, — how they are excluded from the most insig
nificant princely court — and how the most distinguished
clergyman in the employ of a court is not more highly re
garded than the gentleman of the bed chamber. Is it at all
9*

102 henry and ANTONIO,
to be wondered at, that since the reformation, so many prin--
ces, dukes and lords have become Catholics ? Assuredly
posterity will yet see all the princes of Europe and other
nations join the Catholic church. The advantages which
the church gains from the grandeur of the pope and clergy
is certainly very great. What cares the pope, who is him
self a great independent prince, about the opposition of
another king? If this king desires to have any thing from
the pope relating to ecclesiastical affairs, he must send an
ambassador to him as to another king, and the supreme
head of the church treats with him as an equal, as one po
litical power with another. If any thing is asked which is
prejudicial to the church, the matter is rejected without fur
ther discussion, and the submission in the end is on the
p,art of the princes. In what exalted dignity did not the
supreme head of the church appear, when after the Con
gress of Vienna several German princes sent an embassy
to Rome to negotiate a concordat for their Catholic sub
jects! the embassy was obliged to wait eight weeks before
they could lay their propositions even before cardinal Gon-
salvi, at that time secretary of state. He immediately re
turned their papers, after having marked with his pencil the
alterations which must be made before the matter could be
submitted to the holy father. It finally progressed so far,
that their business was proposed to the pope, who was in
no hurry about his reply, aud at last, when the embassy in
sisted upon an answer, told them, that he could do nothing
in the matter, and with this decision the embassy left Rome,
How is it, on the other hand, in Protestant countries, when
the ruler desires fo to have any thing — He commands, and;
men must obey, however unwilling the clergy may do it.
No, only grant that the Protestant church is subject to the
arbitrary authority of every prince, but the Catholic church is
free and independent in the world, because she has a pope.
1 still am right when I say that a pope would have to be
appointed if we had none already.
Father,— There is truth and falsehood mingled in your

OR THE PROSELYTES. jgg
discourse. It is true, that the Evangelical church has no
protection, when the ruler undertakes any thing prejudicial
to her, and it is high time to adopt some measure, by which
the relative dignity of church and state would be establish
ed. But to effect this we do not need a Catholic hierarchy
and pope, but only ecclesiastical synods or councils, which
are now introduced into many Evangelical countries. But
the'experience of 300 years in Germany, Sweden and Den
mark, teaches us that the Evangelical church is exposed to
no danger from the power of her Evangelical monarchs,
and is only opposed in those districts, or provinces, where
the rulers were, or became Romanists. It is also true, that
the Evangelical ministry is too slightly regarded in the state,
that on accounnt of their want of rank they are excluded
from intercouse with princes, statesmen and high nobility,
and hence cannot frustrate the proselyting schemes of the
Romish dignitaries, who are identified with the courts.
Yet this is only the case in Germany, not in Denmark,
Sweden and England ; and even in Germany, Prussia has
taken a step towards improving this matter by the restora
tion of the episcopal dignity.* But if it is not good to re
gard the ministry as of equal respectability with the com
mon people only, yet it does not follow, that it is good to
make them princes and rulers. The one extreme is just as
injurious as the other. The middle course is the best. But
it is very plain that it does not become him who wishes to
be the father of the whole christian world, to possess also a
wordly kingdom. He who desires to be the only bishop of
all Christendom, certainly must have enough to do in per
forming the duties of his office, that he need not besides
burden himself with the weight of a wordly government.
Your pope is only thereby involved in the strife of poli
tics, and often wavers between the interests of the church
and the advantage of his political kingdom. He and his
cardinals are always more of politicians than clergymen,
*The kiijg has lately conferred the honorary title of bishop upon some
distinguished divines. — [Tr.

104 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
more of jurists than theologians, more learned in worldly
affairs, than in the things of the kingdom of God. Only
read the history of the popes, and you will find that they
were involved in political transactions without end, and that
in truth they did not always act an honorable part. Or
does it become those-who wish to represent the apostles to
be ministers of state, and commanders of armies, as Riche
lieu, Mazarin in France, as cardinal Sourdis, who command
ed the fleet, and as cardinal La Valette, who commanded
an army of the king of France in the thirty years war?
Mother. — We do not need history. The testimony of
Jesus himself, condemns every thing you have said about
the glory of a pope. He says expressly, John xviii. 36. "my
kingdom is not of this world." And also in that passage.
Matt. vi. 24, he condems the pope, who is at the same time
a vice-gerent of God and a worldly king, "no man can serve
two masters; for either he will hate the one and serve the
other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon," The devil showed
(Luke iv, 5.) the Saviour all the kingdoms of the world, in
order to excite his ambition for an earthly kingdom : but
the Lord said, "get thee behind me Satan." What the master
did not wish and would not do, does not become the ser
vants. The disciples had certainly a desire for a political
.government. But what did Jesus say to them when he ob
served it! "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exer
cise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise
authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you ; but
whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister,
and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your ser
vant." (Matt, XX. 25. Mark x, 35,)
It really appears, as though the Lord had foreseen, that one
of the successors of the apostles would make himself a pope.
Father. — The result then of this evening's conversation
IS this — that Christ did not intend that there should be a
pope in his church — that there was no pope and no Ro
mish church until the Ilth century — that the pope, as a

OR THE PROSELYTES. JQS
worldly prince, is not suited to the spiritual character of
the kingdom of Christ, and that it is a groundless position,
that the Roman Catholic church was founded immediately
by Christ, and to draw the inference, that therefore she is
the only true church, and that the evangelical is a false
church, is totally illogical.
Bernhard. — I will take the liberty of adding but one ob-'
servation. What were adopted by the church in the first
five centuries, as public articles of faith, are all contained
in the three general christian confessions, the apostolical,
the Nicene, and the Athanasian, These confessions, the
evangelical church has adopted, and consequently she agrees
with the church of the first five centuries. When then she
rejects the doctrine of the pope, the mass, the seven sacra
ments, the adoration of saints and other innovations, she
only rejects what was introduced into the church at a later
period, without any scriptural ground whatever. For those-
three confessions contain not a particle of these doctrines.
As false then, as is the position, that the Roman Catholic
church as she is at present is the church of the first centu
ries, so false is also the accusation that the evangelical com»
munion has seceded from the old church. She has rather
returned to her and the Romish church has apostatized.

CHAPTER X.

ANTONIO AND MATT. XXIII.— THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The father was absent for eight days on a journey of busi-»
ness, and the discussions were in the mean time suspended.
Henry found time to think over the subjects that had been
debated. But he came to no other conclusion than that he
felt, that his strongest arguments, by which he expected to

106 HENBY AND ANTONIO,
justify his apostacy, were utterly untenable. He had yet
one thing, upon which he laid great weight; but he feared,
that he would fare no better than before. He began to ac
knowledge secretly to himself, that he certainly had acted
precipitately, and with this secret acknowledgment there
was associated a regret that he had abandoned his philologi
cal studies, devoted himself to painting, and had gone to
Rome to be misled. Before he travelled to Rome, he trans
ferred his philological books to his father, and since his re
turn had not even inquired about them. Now he opened
the book case, that, as he said, he might pass away his time
during the absence of his father. He looked over them and
here and there turned the leaves of an author. On the third
day, he ordered the books to be conveyed to his own room,
and soon after he was seen reading Plato very diligently,
Antonio wondered at the new taste of his master, for he
was not accustomed to see him reading Latin and Greek
books. He could not repress his curiosity to ask, what the
contents of these books were, and what was to be learned
from them.
"From them — answered Henry abruptly — we learn, that
we should not pretend to know, what we do not know."
"They must be very singular books, replied Antonio, I
thought that was plain of itself"
"One should think so, said Henry; but the art is very
difficult, and I feel that 1 myself am but a novice in it."
Antonio. — If it means, that we are in error about many
things, which we thought we understood very well, then I
also have a book, from which 1 can learn a great deal of the
same character.
Henry. — And that is?
Antonio. — (Draws a small book from his pocket, and
gives it to Henry.) Here — this is my treasury of wisdom.
Henry. — Ah, your New Testament, translated by parson
Van Ess. Have you again found any thing remarkable.
Antonio. — Yes, something very remarkable, and I only
wonder that I did not find it at the first perusal.

OR THE Proselytes. 207
Henry. — Let me hear it.
Antonio. — It is the 23d chapter of Matthew, Here,
only read it,
Henry. — (After he had looked over it) Nothing more ?
Antonio. — Is not that enough and more than enough?
Itis a description of Rome, of the pope, of the clergy.
Henry. — You are foolish, Antonio; whoever found any
such thing in it.
Antonio. — I have found it, and Christ's description of
the Pharisees and scribes, in all respects suits the pope and
the clergy. But what was blamed in the Jewish priests as
wrong, that must also be wrong in Christian priests, for
Jesus warns against it.
Henry. — In that you are perfectly right. But what sim
ilarity is there between the Jewish and the Roman priests.
Antonio. — If you will patiently listen to me, I will give
you an explanation of the whole chapter, which will be so
plain in its reference to the Romish clergy, that you will
have to agree with me. It is, as though Jesus spoke of
Rome, only in other words. Let us take up one point after
another, and permit me fo explain each in reference to the
circumstances of our own times.
Verse 2-4, The scribes and the pharisees sit in Moses'-
seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe (ac
cording to the law of Moses) that observe and do ; but do
not ye after their works; for they say and do not,"
This I would interpret thus; the pope, the cardinals, the
bishops, in one word, the priests sit on Christ's seat; all
therefore which they bid you observe according to the law of
Christ, that do ye, that is, follow them when they teach
you these words of Christ; "Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself: judge not, that ye be not judged; blessed are
the meek, the peace makers; love your enemies, bless those
that curse you, bless and curse not." But do not ye after
their works, for they themselves do not, what Jesus says,
Jesus says, judge not; do not curse your neighbor, not even
your enemy, but bless and do him good. But in the con-

108 henry and ANTONiO,
fessional they judge all sinners and all who differ from them
in faith; they curse all heretics and heresy most solemnly;
they have an inquisition, in which they imprison and torture
those who doubt what they say. The christian high priests
have in many of their bulls frequently cursed those who do
not obey them. The celebrated bull of Green Thursday,
which is annually read in Rome on that day, contains no
thing but curses, of which there are seventeen. It begins
with the horrible words, " We excommunicate and curse in the
name of the Almighty God, the Father, the Son and the Holy
Ghost, and in the name of the apostles Peter and Paul and
our own, all Hussites, Wicklifites, Lutherans, Zwinglians,
Calvinists, Hugenots, Anabaptists, and apostates from the
christian faith, as well as all other heretics, whatever they
may call themselves, and also those, who believe them, re
ceive them, patronize and defend them, all those who read
their books without our permission, or keep, print, and de
fend them, for whatever reason it may be, publicly or pri
vately, whatever the pretext or design may be, also all schis
matics and those who through obstinacy withdraw their
allegiance from us and from the Roman pope then on the
throne," Now in opposition to all this I listen to the apostle Peter
in whose name this bull utters such fearful curses, (1 Ep, ii.
18.) "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye
may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and ch, iii.
8. "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of anoth
er; love as brethren, be pitiful; becourteous; not rendering
evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing;
knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a
blessing," And what says the apostle Paul, in whose name
the bull also utters its maledictions against the unfaithful?
Rom, xiv, 1, "Him that is weak in the faith, receive ye, but
not to doubtful disputations, that is, not to judge his doubt
ful thoughts and views," Verse 4, Who art thou that judg
es! another man's servant? to his own master, he standeth
or falleth." Verse 10, ''But why dost thou judge thy bro-

OR THE PROSELYTES. JO9
ther? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we
shall all stand at the judgment seat of Christ." Verse 13,
Let us not therefore judge one another anymore; but judge
this rather, that no man put a stumbling block, or an occasion
to fall in his brother' s way." That, dear sir, is language that
we might expect from an apostle of the benevolent Saviour,
who cursed none of his bitter enemies, but prayed for them
on the cross, and who according to Luke ix. 51, 56, severely
reproved the disciples, when they wished to bring fire from
heaven upon a Samaritan village, because the people there
would not receive the Saviour, On the other hand, I have
read something in that book, (pointing to an Italian work in
Henry's book case, on the Council of Trent) which made
me shudder. The holy bishops assembled at Trent, closed
that great Catholic Synod by a general acclamation, which
was done at the suggestion of the presiding officer. Cardi
nal de Lothringen, Towards the^close, the cardinal cried
out, "curse all heretics," and all the reverend bishops, these
followers of Christ and the apostles, responded as with one
voice; "curse, curse, curse" — O then an angel should have
thundered amongst them the words of Paul, "judge not,
another's doubtful thoughts — bless and curse not!" but hear
more of our text; Verse 4, "For they bind heavy burdens,
grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but
they themselves will not move them with one of their fin
gers," The pastor of this parish lately explained this in reference
to oppressive doctrines, which the later teachers of the law
introduced in addition to the law of Moses, and with which
they oppressed the people. It then occurred to me, that
our ecclesiastics had also bound a burden on the laity, for
instance, that all the laity must confess their sins and small
est infirmities to the priests ; that, though men repent of
their sins, yet they must do works of penance, pray Pater
nosters, but especially bestow offerings to churches, monas
teries and priests; that for forty days no flesh must be eaten,
that mass must be read for the dead; that the indulgence
10

1 10 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
of the church must be purchased ; and that all that the priest*
say mu,st be unhesitatingly believed.
Henry. — Stop, Antonio, there you say what is not true.
Such a blind faith our priests do not demand,
Antonio. — What ! will you not believe the holy Council
of Trent?
Henry. — Did the Council estabfish that ?
Antonio. — Does it not curse in all the canons all those
who teach differently from the bishops of that council ?
Henry. — Yes, that is true,
Antonio, — (Taking dOwn the book on the Council of
Trent,) Permit me ! Please to read here what the Council
says in the thirteenth session. "The holy synod in estab
lishing the doctrine of the Lord's supper, hereafter forbids
all faithful christians, from believing, teaching and preach
ing any thing else, than is here determined." Precisely this
rule is found in the twenty-first session. But let us further
hear what our Saviour says.
Verse 5, "But all their works they do to be seen of men ;
they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders
of their garments."
The Jewish Rabbis or teachers of the law and the priests
wore strips of parchment with portions of the law inscribed
upon them, bound round their wrists and their foreheads or
attached to the borders of their garments, that they might
appear very zealous for the law before the people. Now
our priests do not exactly this. It would look very singular
indeed, if the priests of the inquisition, who know no mer
cy, would wear this passage on their foreheads, "blessed are
the merciful," or if the pope, the cardinals and other priests
would wear on Green Thursday, when the bull of seventeen
curses is read, this passage ; "bless and curse not," but our
priests are rich in splendid mass vestments, in palls, in
robes, violet garments, red hats, and all possible gorgeous
apparel that can be imagined, and the pope has a triple
crown towering on his head, by which we are easily remind
ed of the pictures representing the tower of Babel. And

OR THE PROSELYTES. JJl
how much is there not in the church service, which seems
to be intended merely to show off the priest before
the people! Take the mass, for example. Does it not
glorify the power of the priest, who through the act of
consecration creates the body of the God-man, locks it in
the pyx and carries it about, much more than the power of
Christ, who subjects his body to the declaration of the priest,
and more than the power of God, who obeys the declaration
of the priest? — and the holy sacrament of confession; does
it not much more establish the power of the priest, who can
forgive and retain sins, open and shut the kingdom of hea
ven, than the mercy of God, who is gracious or not ac
cording to the command and judgment of the priest?
Henry. — Antonio, cease, you are becoming a heretic !
Antonio. — Not exactly ; I am only translating the words
of our Saviour into the language of our times ; he says
further ; — v. 6, 7. "They love the uppermost rooms at feasts,
and the chief seats in synagogues, and greetings in the
markets, and to be called of men. Rabbi, Rabbi." — This
suits our times; the holy father, as vicegerent of God and
Christ, claims a higher rank than all emperors and kings ;'
his legates desire to have the preference above the ambassa
dors of all other princes ; in the councils they look for the
chief seats ! I remember perfectly well, with what triumph
the good fathers in Naples who brought me up, used to tell
me, that the mighty emperor Frederic Barbarossa in Venice
held the stirrup while the pope mounted his horse, and that
another emperor, Henry IV. stood three nights as a peni
tent in the open air, before Pope Gregory VII. at the castle
of Canusium, At that time I rejoiced at this not a little.
But hear now what the Saviour says to his disciples and
apostles ; — ver, 8-10, But be ye not called Rabbi ; for one
is your master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren ; and
call no man yom father upon the earth; for one is your fa
ther which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for
one is your master, even Christ,
I cannot but be convinced that Christ here spoke in pro-

112 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
phetic spirit of the Pope. For every word suits him, just
as if it had been lately written. Tell me, what is the pro
per meaning of Rabbi ?
Henry, — Rabbi was an honorary title of the Jewish
teachers, and literally means, exalted, most excellent,
Antonio, — You see it suits the cardinals, who bear the
title of eminence, which precisely means exalted, most excel
lent. But when the Saviour says that they shall call no one
father upon earth, for God alone is worthy of that distin
guished name, he certainly forbids us to call the Pope, holy
father. If none of the apostles were permitted to bear
that title, what authorizes their successors to bear it ? That
epithet holy is also offensive to me. When the Saviour
was addressed by one as "good master," he reproved him,
(Matt, xix. 16, 17.) and said "there is none good, but one,
that is God,'' "Good master" is about equivalent to our
present expression "holy father,'' With this phrase "holy
father" Jesus prayed to God, (John xvii. 11,) and hence I
maintain that it is wrong to apply it to a man, 1 will never
again call the pope, holy father. Neither should he be call
ed the supreme head of the christian world, for it is said,
"One is your master, or supreme head, even Christ." But
hear further, ver. 1.3. "But wo unto you, scribes and pha
risees, hypocrites ! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven
against men ; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer
ye them that are entering to go in." This I translate in a
two fold way. First, our priests shut up from the laity the
writings of the evangelists and apostles, which show the
way to the kingdom of Christ, yea, they are the very doors
of it. They declare it as ruinous to the soul, if a layman
wishes to read for himself, what his Saviour and the apos
tles said for all, and not only for the priests.* They them
selves do not read if, but rather the breviary, and the papal
bulls, the canonists and the fathers of the church, and thus
neither do they go in ; for of the kingdom of heaven they
have made an earthly kingdom with great treasures, many
*See Appendix X.

OR THE PROSEtYTES. 113
subjects and royal splendor, in comparison to which the
kingdom of heaven may appear to many a very poor thing.
Secondly, they shut the kingdom of heaven, because they
do not zealously exhort the people to a christian life, but so
prominently hold forth the hearing of mass, fasting, a blind
faith in the instructions of the priests, praying the pater
noster and other such holy works, that christian virtue is
overlooked. For what is the most shocking of our sins,
when we confess to a priest ? — that we are passionate, en
vious, unfaithful,— -that we lied, cheated, were unchaste,
took unrighteous gain ? it is true, the priest does not justify
all these, but we are absolved from them on easy penance-
But tell him, that you ate meat on a fast day ; that you read
a heretical book; that you laughed at a priest ; that you
doubted the efficacy of the holy water or the picture of a
virgin ; then you may be certain of not getting through
without a severe penance, and you may take care lest you
fall into the hands of the holy office.
Verse 14. "Wo unto you, scribes and pharisees, for ye
devour widow's houses, and for a pretence make long pray
ers ; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."
This verse reminds me of the incalculable treasures which
our priesthood possess in most countries and which they have
received from pious souls, to pray for them that they might
be delivered from purgatory, to give them indulgence and
secure heaven for them, A Spaniard belonging to the em
bassy to Rome once said, that the priesthood in Spain, had
twice more income than the king. How it is in Italy, you
know well enough, I have also heard of not a few instan
ces of rich widows who disinherited their poor relations, and
bequeathed all their property to an order, monastery, or
church, which is the same as to the priesthood.
Verse 15. "Wo unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypo
crites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte,
and when he is made, ye make him two fold more the child
of hell than yourselves.''
10*

114 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Henry. — You will not disprove of it, Antonio, that men
attempt to convert those who have not the true faith ?
Antonio. — Not in the least. Neither does Jesus mean
that. The missionary societies for the heathy have always
been much admired by me. What Jesus condemns, is
partly, that the Jewish teachers sought to make a heathen
not only a Jew, but a pharisee, and the latter was more
important to them than the former; partly, that they com
passed sea and land not to make him a good man, but a
pharisee. In this respect it suits our priesthood. Their
zeal is not directed towards making christians, but Catho
lics. If an evangelical christian comes to Rome, immedi
ately the net is cast around hira on all sides, just as if he
were yet a heathen. To make a Catholic of hira is so great
a triumph, that the most degraded and dissolute subjects are
not slighted, who as Catholics, are not a whit better than
they were before, but often worse and more daring in ini
quity, because now, they hope by absolutions, indulgences
and penances to be delivered from all guilt, which they did
not believe before, "To compass sea and land" also sig
nifies to employ all means, good or bad, to make a Catholic.
You have also lived in Rome, and know that money, or
a promise, or a marriage, or a pension, or protection, or an
office, or any thing else is used as a means of making Catho
lics out of christians, that is, to induce them to hear mass,
to fast, to pray the rosary, to adore th* saints and Mary, and
to regard all heretics as damned. For often the whole
change of a man consists in nothing more than in -the adop
tion of these external signs of Catholicism,
Verse 16. "Woe unto you, ye blind guides^ which say,
whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but
whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debt
or ! — Ver, 18. And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is
nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon
it, he is guilty."
Here the Jesuits occurred to me, who constitute such a
considerable, and now so highly esteemed a portion of our

OR niE PROSELYTES. JJg
priesthood, and teach as did the pharisees, that a false oath
'is nothing,' if only something else is thought of at the
time, or something else added in thought. For example, if
a man swear, that he had not done something, (although he
had done it) he must only think at the same time, "not from
my youth up — not at another time." The popes also occur
to me, who often absolved subjects free from the oath of fi
delity to their monarchs, or monarchs from the oath sworn
to their subjects, and generally claim the right of annulling
an oath sworn before God. Pope Clemens the VI. gave
authority to the confessor of the king of France, to absolve
this king, his wife, and all his successors in consideration
of some works of penance, from all oaths, the observance
of which would be unpleasant, only with the the exception
of the oaths and vows relating to religious affairs. This
the good fathers in Naples related to rae as a proof of the
great power of the pope, and I admired it very much at that
time. But now, I think when one has sworn by the Al
mighty, it is a most heinous sin, if a man undertakes to ab
solve him from it, and that such a man thereby insolently
elevates himself above God. The good fathers also told
me, for the purpose of inspiring me with reverence for the
saints, that Lewis the XI. King of France, believed himself
bound by no oath, but one sworn by the relics of the holy
Lupus, and they maintained, that an oath was much more
holy and binding if taken by the relics of a saint or martyr.
Verse 23. Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypo
crites ! for ye pay tithe of mint, and annise and cummin,
and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judg
ment, mercy and faith; these ought ye to have done, and
not to leave~the other undone. Ye blind guides, which
strain at a gnat and swallow a camel."
This the note in my New Testament beautifully explains
thus; "of trifles you make a great deal, of important mat
ters nothing," This text has already been illustrated by
what has been said. In the view of our priesthood it is a
greater sin, not to hear the mass,, than not to hear the voice

116 - HENRY AND ANTONIO,
of justice and philanthropy ; to refuse obedience to the
priests, than to deny fidelity to God and man; to eat flesh
during a fast, than to be unchaste.
Verse 25, "Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hyo-
crites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and plat
ter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."
This lelates to the great importance which our priests at
tach to fasting and other mere external works of penance,
which do not reform the internal man, but leave him full of
all moral uncleanness. And the matter becomes still worse,
for fasting is ranked amongst those exercises, by which
men can atone for sin and remove its punishment, that is,
punishment for uncleanness of heart.
Henry. — But Jesus himself fasted, and so did the apos
tles. Shall not then the christian do it? Have you not read
that the Saviour once fasted forty days, and do you not
know, that on this the great quadragesimal fast was founded?
Antonio. — 1 know that very well. But there is still a
great difference. First, Christ and the apostles did it volun
tarily; hence every christian should be left free. Again ;
Christ did it on an extraordinary occasion, when by severe
examination he prepared himself for the hardships which
he was to endure from man. Further ; Jesus and the apos
tles did not practice it as something meritorious, as atoning
for sin, or removing punishment. Finally, they fasted so,
that they became hungry. But in our fasting we are satis
fied, yea, crammed full. For our fasting is abstinence from
flesh, just as if that prevented devotion, for it oppress no
stomach and is easy of digestion. On the other hand, we
eat all kind of indigestible food made of flour, and other
victuals prepared in all the refinements of cookery, which
only oppress the stomach and stupefy the mind. Is not
this rank folly? And who can persuade himself, that the
flesh of fish, which the Catholic fast allows, is not flesh ?
I should like to know, how our church came to the singular
fancy of declaring that the flesh of fish is not flesh ?

OR THE PROSELYTES. II7
Henry. — It was believed justifiable to except fish in the
prohibition of eating flesh, because Jesus in the wilderness,
according to Matt. xiv. 19, where he probably fasted, had
bread and fish with him, and because after his resurrection
according to John xxi, 10, 13, he also ate bread and fish.
Reference was also made to what Paul says, (1 Cor. xv.
39.) All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind
of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes,
and another of birds."
Antonio. — Let us examine these passages of scripture
a little more closely. Where is it recorded in Matt, xiv,
19, that Jesus then fasted? There is not a single trace of
it in the text, and the conjecture is altogether gratuitous.
But that he had fishes, was not his mere choice, but the
consequence of his being with the apostles at the sea of
Gennesaret, as the 13th and 22nd verses clearly show. The
same may be said of John xxi. 10, 1.3. where the Redeemer
ate fish with the apostles for this reason, because they had
just caught some in the sea. As it respects the passage,
I Cor. XV. 39. it is almost ridiculous to apply it to this sub
ject. The apostle wishes to show, that the future body at
the resurrection will not be formed like the present body,
and illustrated it by examples, namely, that already in the
form of earthly bodies there is a great difference. He does
not seek this difference in the flesh of four footed beasts,
fishes and birds, but in the difference of the form and the
parts of their body. But this you must acknowledge, that
the apostle ascribes a body to fishes, consequently it is ab
solutely ridiculous to conclude from that, that the body of
fishes is not flesh.
Henry. — But, Antonio, do you not consider it an exer
cise well pleasing to God and conducive to self govern
ment, if we occasionally abstain from palatable food ? The
genuine christian, who desires to gratify his lusts, must first
be strong enough to to deny his palate the accustomed food,
Antonio, — That may be, if it is voluntary, and not
compulsory; it might answer, if men did not substitute for

118 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
flesh a variety of other delicate victuals. But that men
please God by a selection of particular food ; that they de
file themselves on a fast-day by food which is allowed on
other days ; that especially there is something meritorious
in it ; this, dear sir, I no longer believe, because the Saviour
and his apostles have taught me differently. For Jesus
says, Matt, xv, II, 18 — 20, "not that which goeth into the
mouth, defileth a man, but that which coraeth out of the
mouth; this defileth a man. But those things which pro
ceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they de
file the man ; for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, theft, false witnesses, blas
phemies. These are things which defile a man. But to eat
with unwashed hands defileth not a man." So then it is not
eating flesh. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink,
says Paul, Romans xiv. 17, but righteousness and peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these serv-
eth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men." —
This is surely expressive language of the apostle, according
to which no essential importance should ever have been
attached to fasting aud other works of penance. Yea, the
same apostle warns us against teachers of false doctrines,
I Tim. iv. 3, who "forbid to marry and command to abstain
from meats, which God hath created to be received with
thanksgiving," and he assures us, ver. 8, "that bodily exer
cise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things,
having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come." I will fast no more, dear sir ; but I will exercise
myself in godliness.
Verse 29, "Woe unto you scribes and pharisees, hypo
crites ! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and gar
nish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, if we had
been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been
partakers with them in the blood of the prophets,"
When I think how many churches, chapels, and monas
teries, are dedicated to the Saviour, the mother Mary, the
apostles, the saints and martyrs amongst us, and what great

OR THE PROSELYTES. Jjg
honor we pay them, it has often occurred to me how it
would be, if in our day, Jesus, or Peter and Paul were to re
visit some rigid Catholic country, for instance, Spain or
Italy, and were to teach the same things, which we now
read in the writings of the evangelists and apostles? wheth
er they would be regarded as good christians, or not rather as
heretics, if they administerfed the cup in the sacrament, at
tached no particular importance to fasting, called none fa
ther or holy father, made eternal life dependent on obe
dience to the commandments of God, and recognised no
pope, no service of the saints, or mass, holy water, monas
tic life, penance, indulgences, auricular confession, and
many other things, by which Catholics are now distinguish
ed ? I should think that the Saviour and the apostles would
not be permitted to come to Spain or Italy, and would be
acknowledged as good christians only here among the Pro
testants — in Spain or Italy they would certainly fall into
the hands of the inquisition, and be regarded by the pope,
as Jesus was regarded by the Jewish high priest Caiaphas,
Henry, — Antonio, you are surely no longer a Catholic,
you have become a Protestant ! take care and do not let
your opinions be known!
Antonio, — Whether 1 am yet a Catholic or have already
become a Protestant, I really do not know myself. But this
I know, that I am a christian, and am truly a genuine chris
tian, for I have been taught by the discourses of Christ in
the evangelists, and by the doctrine of the apostles in their
writings alone, I do not appear to myself to be a Catholic
any more, at least I am not a good one. But I do not give
myself any trouble about that, if I only dare believe that
I am a good christian. But I must speak about it, dear sir;
the truth must not be concealed, so that others also may be
brought to acknowledge it, and not be strengthened in their
errors, Henry. — It may do well enough here in Germany ; but
in Italy you would soon be silenced.

120 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Antonio. — Bad enough, that there they know no better
means of maintaining their faith, than by force. It does
not become the successor of the apostle Peter to employ
force ; for when Peter (Matt, xxvi. 51, &c.) drew his sword
in defence of Jesus, the Lord said "put up again thy sword
into his place ; for all they that take the sword, shall perish
by the sword, Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my
father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve le
gions of angels.?" I should think, that thus the pope should
wait, until God promotes the true faith, in a proper manner
and not by force. Jesus did not establish an inquisition,
he did not allow it, he did not command it, he did not em
ploy it.
Henry. — I see, Antonio, that you are so well versed in
the scriptures, that you have an answer for every thing.
But you do wrong, in confining yourself exclusively to the
bible. For we have tradition, which from the apostles
through the bishops and holy church fathers has come down
to us, which we must highly honor, for it determines many
things, of which the New Testament contains nothing, and
settles other things besides,
Antonio. — To discuss and judge the subject of tradition,
requires more learning than I possess. But this I know, that
it dare not contradict that, which the evangelists and apos
tles have written, for then they must have contradicted
themselves ; and that a knowledge of and belief in tradi
tion are not reckoned among the things demanded as neces
sary fo salvation. For in none of the many passages in
which we are taught what is essential to salvation, is one
word said about tradition. The whole matter appears to
me very strange. Suppose your father had made a written
will in presence of a magistrate and honest witnesses, and
after his death there should come one of his friends and say,
'your father also made an oral will and entrusted it to me,
and in it, he has appointed me your guardian, transferred
to me a portion of his paternal privileges, and has left me
a handsome legacy;' what would you think ? If the oral

OR THE PROSELYTES. Jgl
will frequently contradicted the written one, annulled many
parts of it, contained a number of additional articles, made
new dispositions of the property, and finally, was very much
to the advantage of the man, who said your father had en
trusted it to him ; would you attach as much credit to it as
to the written one ? Or would any person find fault with you
for adhering exclusively to the written one ?
Henry. — Your simile is lame, Antonio.
Antonio. — It may be lame, but it goes ! 1 wish it would
go into your heart !
Henry. — I really believe, you wish that I should abandon
Catholicism. Antonio  I wish you were as I am, a disciple of Christ
and the apostles, and ceased being a disciple of the pope
and the priesthood.
Henry. — Then you are no longer the latter?
Antonio. — No ! I am no longer such unconditionally,
only in as far as I see, that our priests teach the doctrines of
the New Testament.
Henry. — Then you are evangelical !
Antonio. — It may be ; but the gospel was in existence
before the pope and all the cardinals. — (With deep solemni
ty) Sir! I am a poor orphan, I stand alone in the world;
my kindred are also unknown to me — 1 was left truly
destitute. You are ray only friend on earth! But even
at the peril of being dismissed by you, I will not con
ceal from you, what is in my heart. (With excitement)
Really, sir, I have become a better man, even though I yet
may be a sinner ; a faithful servant also have you got in me.
Hear, what occurred to me, when I left Rome with you. I
cannot conceal it from you any longer. I once more con
fessed to father M  , who belongs to the Jesuits, and re
quested his blessing on my journey. "Go in God's name,
my son," said he, — ''but do not forget, what you owe the
holy mother, the church. You are in the service of a stray
ing sheep, which has but lately been brought to the true
faith. Much of the poison of heresy imbibed in his youth
11

122 henry AND ANTONIO,
yet remains in him, and it is to be feared that he will again
be drawn over to the cursed Lutheran heresy by his family
and friends. The mother of God has enjoined it upon you,
as a good Catholic, to watch over his faith. Observe him
closely; pry into the conversation between him and his family
and friends ; if they become too familiar, dexterously try to
excite discord and mistrust between them. You may also
employ falsehood, for it is not sin, when it is done for the
honor of God, and the church will absolve you from it.
But above all, my son, do not neglect to communicate every
thing that occurs to your master, to the reverend father N.
who will give you further instructions. But this correspon
dence you must keep secret, and especially do not let your
master discover that you are watching him. Be zealous
and wise, my son, you shall be well rewarded. The rever
end father will faithfully provide for you," At that time,
dear sir, when I received this commission, I was very glad,
and believed I would perform a good work and merit heav
en, if I executed it. But since this book was presented to
me in Frankfurt, and I have read it, I have changed my
mind. You can be easy ! I will not betray you, I will not
sow discord between you and your parents, neither will I
write to father N  .
Henry ordered his servant to withdraw, for he did not
wish him to be the witness of emotions which he was not
able to overcome. He felt ashamed and indignant, that his
servant had been employed to watch him. Father N 
was a bosom friend of Rossi, who had converted him. He
saw plainly that both priests had acted in concert. He had
become a Catholic from such honest and deep conviction,
that it mortified him exceedingly, that any should yet doubt
his sincerity and firmness. This apprehension of theirs ap
peared to him at the same time irreconcilable with a good
cause, which trusts alone to its merits. And then, the com
mission about the secret correspondence and discord with
his parents ! With what snares was he beset, if Antonio
was not honest ! He felt it painfully, that they did not seek

OR THE PROSELYTES, 123
him, but the honor of the church, and it now was clear to
him, what a friend once said to him, that they make prose
lytes, not that they may be saved, but that the church may
be filled.

CHAPTER XI,
TRADITION AND THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE CHURCH.
When the father returned, the evening conversations
were resumed, and the subject of discussion was the sour
ces of our knowledge of the christian religion. Henry main
tained that besides the Holy Scriptures, tradition was a
source of this knowledge, and defined tradition to be, that
oral instruction in matters of faith, morals, church ceremo
nies and church government given by the apostles and trans
mitted by the christian bishops in an uninterrupted series.
He said this was an essential point in the faith of Catholics,
and hence the Council of Trent has established it; (in the
first decree of session 4.) "The holy synod adopts all the
books of the Old and New Testaments, and the traditions,
those which relate to faith, as well as those which relate to
morals, with equal pious reverence. He who wilfully rejects
the traditions, let him be accursed,"
The father acknowledged that he was not well acquainted
with the nature of tradition, and requested Bernhard to
converse with Henry on that subject, with which he readily
complied, Henry, — You will grant, dear friend, that the apostles,
when they taught in the churches, must have said many
more things than we now find in their epistles.
Bernhard, — Wore? certainly; but whether any thing
else, than their epistles contain, is a question, the affirmative
of which you cannot prove.

124 henry and ANTONIO,
Henry. — I am satisfied with the more, which you grant.
You will further acknowledge, that all the epistles are mere
ly occasional writings, in which the apostles do not treat of
the whole system of faith and morals, but only partially, just
as they found occasion in the circumstances of the churches.
Bernhard. — That I cannot wholly grant. It does not
apply at least to the evangelists, the epistles to the Romans
and Hebrews, neither to the epistle of James, nor the first
of John, for their general design is to instruct the reader in
all that relates to Christ and his doctrines,
Henry. — But you will grant, that Paul refers to this oral
instruction which he gave to the churches, (2 Thes. ii, 15,
I Cor, xi, 2, 23, 24, 1. Tim. vi. 20.)
Bernhard, — I grant this, and confess that we Protestants
would diligently search and highly esteem this oral instruc
tion, if we had it, for it would afford an explanation of
many parts of the apostolic writings. We only regret, that
this instruction is lost, and that there is no where any credi
ble account of it.
Henry. — What? do you not know that this is the tradi
tion of the Catholic church, that it was transmitted by the
bishops, and gradually introduced into the writings of the
church fathers and into the decrees of the councils,
Bernhard. — This your church maintains, but it is not
so, I have read the church fathers, and know how it is
with respect to tradition,*
Henry. — But you must admit the general ground for tra
dition, namely ; whatever was believed by christians at all
times, and all places, from the beginning of Christianity, must
necessarily be regarded as having been taught by the apostles
themselves. For it would be impossible, that an error should
have become a general doctrine from the beginning,
Bernhard, — I can admit all that, and yet you will gain
nothing by it. What was taught in the beginning by all
christians, that the apostolic confession contains, which
*See Appendix XI.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 125
our church also possesses. It is that which the fathers until
the third century call the tradition of faith; that was the
general faith of all churches, to which they appeal, and
which they oppose to the new doctrine of the heretics.
Nothing else. They have nothing of your mass, the adora
tion of saints, the pope and his power, purgatory, confes
sion and absolution, withholding the cup in the Lord's sup
per, transubstantiation, seven sacraments, indulgence, pil
grimages, the rosary, holy water, and I boldly challange you
to the proof, that any of the church fathers of the firs't four
centuries ever appealed to tradition with respect to these
things. On the contrary you will find, that it is the doctrine
of the apostolical confession or a similar short summary of
general doctrine, that they understand by tradition,
Henry, — I can scarcely believe this.
Bernhard, — Then only hear. The great church father
Tertullian who flourished at the end of the second, and be
ginning of the third century, contends in his book de Prae-
scriptione against the errorists of his time, who gave out
that their doctrine — they were the so called Gnostics, who
boasted of superior wisdom — was taught by the apostles as
a secret doctrine. Tertullian on the contrary maintains that
those churches, which were undoubtedly founded by the
apostles, knew nothing of that kind, but taught differently,
and that the general doctrine of the apostolic churches must
be regarded as the "rule of faith" (regula fidei.) He calls
tradition the rule of faith, but he also mentions, what it con
tains. This he does in the 13th chapter of his book, where
it is said ;
"The rule ef truth is this; there is but one God, and
besides him there is no creator of the world ; who made all
things out of nothing, by his word; as the word, also called
Son of God, he was at different times seen by the patriarchs,
and heard by the prophets, but at last descended into the
Virgin Mary, became flesh, and was born as the man Jesus
Christ; who afterwards proclaimed a new law and anew
promise of the kingdom of heaven ; was crucified, rose on
U*

126 henry and ANTONIO,
the third day and ascended to heaven, and sits at the right
hand of God ; who sends the power of the Holy Ghost in
His stead, by whom believers are directed; who will come
again, to bring the saints to eternal life and the enjoyment
of the promised heavenly rewards, but to condemn the un
holy to everlasting fire, after both with the restoration of
their bodies shall have risen again. This rule (of faith)
proceeds from Christ, &c."
Besides Tertullian, let us only hear the celebrated bishop
of Lyons, Irenaus, who died about the year 202, and who
in his book against the heretics also refers to the tradition
of the general church, and in the 10th chapter of the first book
writes the following confession, which he also (in ch. 22nd)
calls the rule of truth.
"The church dispersed over the whole earth was taught
by the apostles and their disciples, that there is but one God,
the Almighty Father, the maker of heaven and of earth, and
the sea, and all that is in them ; and one Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, who became flesh for our salvation; and the
Holy Ghost who through the prophets proclaimed the insti
tution of the new covenant, the advent of Christ, his birth
from a virgin, his sufferings, his resurrection, his bodily
ascension to heaven, and his second coming, that he might
complete all things, awaken all men, — hold a righteous
judgment over all, — consign the wicked to everlasting fire,
but to give life and immortality to the righteous and holy,
and to all such as have kept his commandments," This faith,
adds Irenaeus, "the christian churches in all countries held as
unanimously, as if they had all lived in one house. Let the
learned alter nothing of the sense of this faith, but only
seek to illustrate it further,"
From the latter you see, dear friend, that at that time they
had no tradition about the more specific explanation of
these doctrines, and that the faith generally adopted by the
old church fathers was nothing more than what is here set
down, all of which agrees precisely with the apostolic creed,
and that, as no man will deny, accords perfectly with the

OR THE PROSELYTES, 127
New Testament, Every thing additional, then, which was
subsequently introduced under the name of tradition, was
not transmitted from antiquity, but is newly invented doctrine,
which can by no means be regarded as apostolic. With
respect to the more explicit illustration of these doctrines,
which, as Irenaeus says, was left free to the opinions of
the learned, there was so little unanimity among the church
fathers, that the Jesuit Daniel Petau in his learned work on
the doctrines of faith himself grants, that it is uncertain what
the fathers of the first four centuries taught about the di
vinity of the Son and of the Spirit. The monk Paul Sarpi
also says in his celebrated history of your principal council,
that of Trent, that the bishops assembled there were very
doubtful what authority they should ascribe to tradition, and
that only at last the numerous Italian bishops and their well
directed threats brought it about, that the council ascribed
equal authority to tradition with the scriptures.
Henry, — I must indeed grant you all this, but still I jus
tify the judicial authority of tradition, by the infallibility of
the church, even if this authority was established at a later
day. The church has the spirit of God and hence cannot
err, and Paul himself calls her (1 Tim. iii. 15.) the pillar
and ground of the truth.
Bernhard. — As respects this passage, Paul can call the
church the pillar of truth, that is, of the christian doctrine,
and yet nothing follows from it in favor of her infallibility.
For it is the church, through which the christian doctrine
is maintained and propagated in the world. Without the
christian church the existence of Christianity cannot be
conceived. But the words, "pillar and ground of the truth"
do not even belong to the word church, but to the following
verse. That, the Catholic translator of the New Testament,
Van Ess, has himself acknowledged, and has properly united
them with the following verse. He has it, "The mystery
of godhness is the pillar and ground of the truth, and
without controversy, great, &c," But when you say that

128 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
the church has the spirit of God, and hence is infallible, I
ask you, whom do you comprehend as the church ?
Henry. — The bishops assembled in council,
Bernhard. — Have the priests alone the spirit of God and
not also the laity ?
Henry, — The priests alone for the decision of doctrines,
for in that the laity have no voice. But for sanctification,
the laity have also the spirit of God,
Bernhard. — But dOes not John write to all christians,
(I Ep, ii. 20.) "Ye have an unction from the Holy One and
know all things." Does not Paul say to all christians at
Ephesus, (Ephes. i. 16.) I cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers, that the father of
glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his
calling, &c, and on what grounds will you divide the gift
of the spirit, which affords both wisdom and sanctification ?
and appropriate to the priests the wisdom, and to the
laity, only the sanctification ? Who are ye, that ye thus
prescribe to the spirit of God, and set limits to his op
erations ? And can there be sanctification, without know
ledge ? Have not your councils determined what belongs
to sanctification, when they gave their decision about
penance, forgiveness of sins, the duty of unconditional
faith in their declarations, and other things ? And now,
dear friend, in what light will the infallibility of this priest
hood appear, if you enquire into the contradictions of
which they are guilty ? A few examples will suffice. The
doctrine of Arius was condemned by the council of Nice
in 325, but was declared as true by the council of Antioch
in 341, and was finally again condemned by the council of
Constantinople in 381, through the influence of the Empe
ror Theodosius, The doctrine of Eulychus prevailed at
the council of Ephesus in 449, and was afterwards condemn
ed at the council of Chalcedon in 451, The great councils
of Constance (1414) and Basle (1431) solemnly declared

OR THE PROSELYTES, 129
that a general council was superior to the Pope, and the
high priests at Rome declared with equal solemnity in their
bulls, that that was a wicked heresy. Where then is the
infallibiUty of the priesthood ? And is not the whole priest
hood of the eastern church in continual controversy with
the western priesthood on many points of faith ? You may
now then give up this infallibility.
Henry. — But if you hold the church as fallible, then
the case might occur, that she would embrace errors, and
they would gradually become so numerous, that the truth
would be wholly obscured, yea, finally altogether lost. Thus
the object of Christianity would be totally frustrated, which
God cannot permit, and hence it is reasonable to infer that
by his spirit he would make the church infallible.
Bernhard. — The church is composed of men, and all
men are subject to error, consequently also the priests.
But such an exclusive order of men as the priesthood of
the Catholic church, is exposed to double danger of erring,
because it has an interest peculiar to itself — a party inte
rest, and it is very natural and almost unavoidable that its
own advantage would sway its judgment, and influence all
decisions. This party interest is promoted to an extraordi
nary extent by the fact that the supreme head of the Catho
lic priests has a temporal kingdom in Italy, and the priests
themselves in all Catholic countries, France excepted, pos
sess extensive landed property, and in Spain, I might say,
a kingdom in a kingdom. It would in truth be demanding
something super-human, if we were to ask the priests to
abolish and declare as erroneous, ceremonies, customs, and
opinions, which are of great advantage to them ; on the other
hand, it is very natural that in their councils they should ratify,
or at least not reject every thing which their power and
wealth can secure, and strive to maintain it. So that we can
not think it strange of the popes, that they as kings of the ec
clesiastical state, would never recognise the principle, that
a general council was superior to them and could depose
them. Easy as it is for an exclusive order of men actuated

130 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
by feelings of party interest to err, yet on the other hand it
is difficult for the whole christian world to err, or that it
should long continue in error, if only the investigation of
truth is not hindered by prohibitions, or these investigations
prematurely terminated by establishing unalterable articles
of faith. Easy as it is for an individual to err, yet the crea
tor has bestowed so much understanding upon men gene
rally, that sooner or later they will be delivered from error,
and finally discover the truth. Great as has been the num
ber of errorists, by you called heretics, from the first cen
tury to the present day, yet Christianity has always con
tinued to exist, and will yet longer endure. The infalhbili-
ty imputed by you to the priesthood only makes the matter
worse in every respect. That the priesthood is not infalli
ble, we have already seen, and history abundantly proves it.
Even all the principal heretics came out of this infallible
priesthood. The great presbyter, Tertullian became a Mon-
tanist. The arch-heretic Arius was a presbyter in Alexan
dria; Apolinaris, bishop of Laodicea; Paul of Samosata,
bishop of Antioch; Notorious, bishop of Constantinople ;
Maletuis, bishop of Antioch, all these became heretics and
founders of heresies. The bishops of half the christian
world were Arians in the middle of the fourth century, and
were deposed en masse by the emperor Theodosius. The
great and lasting heresies on the doctrine of the trinity and
the two natures in Christ, were particularly prevalent among
the priesthood and not among the laity, and the whole
priesthood was on account of these heresies split into par
ties, which mutually condemned each other at councils.
How can men ascribe infallibility to such a priesthood? —
And who originated the idea of this infallibility? Not the
laity, but the priesthood itself? You see then, that the tra
dition of the Catholic church, the truth of which is ground
ed on the infallibility of the priesthood, has no foundation,
and that the Evangelical church is perfectly right in holding
to the written word of God in the holy scriptures, but not
to that which a fallible priesthood in later ages wishes to
declare as the word of God-

OR THE PROSELYTES. jgj
Henry. — You have completely vanquished me, dear
friend, and I really do not know what more to oppose to
your arguments. It is true that half of the priesthood of
the christian world was once Arian, and it was only the po
litical usurpation of the emperor Theodosius that overthrew
the Arian bishops. That I certainly do not know how to
reconcile with the infallibility of tradition and of the priest
hood. Father. — J. can add another ground, my son, which
was always sufficiently strong to me as a layman, to reject
that tradition professedly transmitted by the priesthood.
Amongst the Jews in the time of Christ there was also an
oral tradition, to which the Pharisees and Scribes attached
great importance, and through which, just as in the Catho
lic church, many ceremonies, opinions and precepts were
established, which the Mosaic law did not contain. But
Jesus rejected this tradition most decisively ; only read
Matthew, xv. I — 9.
Henry, — But the Mosaic law contained every thing the
Jew was to believe and practice. But it cannot be proved,
that it was the object of the writers of the New Testament,
that it should contain every thing which the christian must
believe and practice. Hence tradition was necessary to
supply what was wanting.
Father, — There is nothing wanting. You have heard
that until the fourth century, that only was regarded as es
sential christian faith, which our apostles' creed contains,
and that was distinguished by the name of tradition. All
this you will find complete and full in the writings of the
evangelists and apostles. You will also scarcely deny that
the gospels were written for the instruction of those who
desire to become christians, and certainly contain every
thing which is necessary to be known for salvation.
Mother, — On this matter we have decisive testimony in
John XX, 30, &c, where it is said ; "And many other signs
truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are
not written in this book ; but these are written that ye

132 henry AND ANTONIO,
might believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that believing ye might have life through his name. "
The Saviour also says, John xvii, 3, "Andifhis is life eter
nal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Je
sus Christ, whom thou hast sent," And on these subjects
the scriptures surely give us full and sufficient instruction.
Henry. — You always drive me from the field with the
scriptures, dear mother, and I see that you are as conversant
with the scriptures as ever. But still I think I can easily
prove, that the bible is a very unsafe source of knowledge
of the christian faith. But I think we had better postpone
this subject until to-morrow.

CHAPTER XII,

the NECESSITY OF AN INFALLIBLE JUDGE TO UNITY OF FAITH—
THE FREEDOM OF OPINION AMONG PROTESTANTS.
Henry. — It occasioned me not a little uneasiness when
Rossi incidentally brought forward the following argument
against the Evangelical church,
"The Evangelical church holds exclusively to the bible
and rejects the authority of the infallible church. But the
bible is written in dead languages and must be explained.
But who will explain it ? Your theologians ever since the
reformation have contended about a great number of pas
sages, and are not even now agreed ; and they never will
be of one opinion, because to effect unity there must be an
infallible interpreter, which we have in the church and tra
dition. With you, every theologian proposes his private
opinions, and you have nearly as many theological systems
as learned divines. Nothing but confusion arises from such
a state of things. What one adopts, the other rejects ; ma
ny will not approve of any thing in the christian system.

DR THE PROSELYTES. 133
which cannot be proved by the light of reason ; some try to
explain away from the scriptures the doctrine respecting the
devil, others, the miracles and prophecies, and others, this and
that doctrine, Vour creeds do not bind your teachers, for
you desire freedom of conscience and of investigation.
The consequence is, that the most diverse opinions and ca
prices are published, so that the people do not know what
to believe, — they become confused and finally believe no
thing at all. Hence, your liberty in teaching what you
please, your want of an infallible judge in matters of faith
is a great evil, which will yet lead to the total dissolution of
your church. This evil can only be opposed by abolishing
all freedom of instruction; by unconditionally submitting to
an infallible judge of faith, whose decisions dare not be in
vestigated, and even the grounds of which dare not be asked.
This judge of faith we have in the pope and priesthood,
whose declarations all must submit to, without the liberty
of examining them. By this means the valuable blessing of a
perfect unity of faith is secured to us. What one believes,
all believe ; one and the same creed is adopted by all,
and what is once established as an article of faith by a coun
cil of priests, that can never become a subject of doubt."
I knew nothing satisfactory that 1 could reply to my
friend. What say you to it ?
Father, — I would first reply by merely denying that your
vaunted infallible judge of faith, the pope, and the priests,
ever accomplished that which you attribute to them. For
as respects the interpretation of the scriptures, men were
never of the same opinion in the church.
Bernhard, — Only read the commentaries of Clemens of
Alexandria, Tertullian, Augustin, then in later ages, those
of the scholastics, and you will find that they are much-
much more discordant, than the commentaries of the pre
sent theologians can possibly be. The reason of this is,
that the principles of correct scripture interpretation were
unknown. But since these have gradually become better
known in the Evangelical church, and more firmly establish-
12

134 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
ed, divines have become more unanimous on the sense of
the scriptures, aud this unanimity would be more general, if
there were not always some, who are anxious to make the
scriptures say what they wish, or think they ought to have
said. But such foolish caprices as the church fathers had
by thousands, and which the Romish church declares as obli
gatory, none of our theologians now dare to utter; for in
stance, when Clemens of Alexandria, (Paedagog III. 10.)
employs the words of the Saviour, Matt, xviii, 20, ("Where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there I will
be in the midst of them,") to prove that marriage is pleas
ing in the sight of God, and interprets the word "three" as
meaning the husband, the wife and their child! Or when
Irenaeus (Against heretics, IV, 12.) explains the three spies
whom Rahab sheltered at Jericho, to be the Father, Son
and Holy Ghost, But when you say, that we have almost
as many theological systems as distinguished divines, 1 re
ply that the case was not different in the early church, and
in the Romish church. Tertullian had a different system
from Clemens and Origin ; Augustin had another ; Gregory
Nazianus still another. Amongst the Scholastics, Anselm,
Thomas, John Erigena, Duns Scotus, Occam, Biel and
Others until the reformation, all had their peculiar systems.
The popes and the priesthood could as little prevent this
as an uncounted number of so called heresies, the majority
of which proceeded from this priesthood itself. Of what
avail then was your infallible priesthood to you ? It did not
prevent a difference of opinion ; this it could not do, but
the fact of the matter was essentially this; the majority
always persecuted and condemned the minority, and the
party that was put down by force was always wrong and
heretical, and the party tliat conquered was orthodox and
right. This, in a few worub, is the history of your ecclesi
astical infallibility, which exhibits your position of the utility
of an infallible judge of faith in all its nakedness.
Wilhelmina. — I should think that it requires two parties
to complete this matter : one V' ¦lich maintains its infallibili-

OR THE PROSELYTES. I35
ty, — the other which believes it, and blindly subjects itself.
Of what avail is infallibility to the first, if the second does
not believe it and takes the liberty of judging for itself?
Hence the unity of faith is but little promoted by your in
fallible Pope and his bishops, if they have no means of
convincing the laity of their infallibility. What means
have the Popes used for that purpose ?
Henry was confused and did not reply.
Father. — According to history, the means were outlaw
ry, sentences of condemnation, the inquisition, and perse
cutions of every kind, which the Popes, the clergy and the
princes who aided them, brought down upon the refractory
with tremendous violence,
Wilhelmina. — In that they showed their infallibility
pretty much as our neighbor the wild blacksmith, who is ac
customed to convince his wife of the correctness of his
opinions, with an iron rod.
Father. — The refractory were silenced, and with that
the priests were satisfied. They did not certainly con
vince them, for as is well known, conviction cannot be
forced. The Romish priesthood has itself experienced
that ; for to this very hour the controversy is prosecuted,
whether the Pope is always infallible, or only in certain
cases ? — whether he can be judged by a general church
council ? Whether his decrees alone are valid, or only after
ratification by the church ? Whether he alone is the bishop
of the church and all other bishops only his vicars, or wheth
er he is only first among the bishops, and equal with them?
The popes indeed, have decided all these to their own ad
vantage, and have declared the contrary opinion as hereti
cal, but the other bishops have never yet believed them.
They have rather expressed the opposite opinion, but that
the popes again have not believed. Hence the infahible
priests have never yet been able to maintain or even to pro
duce unity of faith among themselves, to say nothing of the
laity.

1-36 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Henry, — I see plainly, that the Romish priesthood could
not create a perfect unity of faith. But it is certainly very
natural that controversies about faith should be decided by
the clergy.
Father. — Certainly, bnt only by argument and good
reasons, and not that their decisions should be arbitrary an4
subjected to no further examination. For no man can be
obligated to a blind faith. It is immoral to regard any thing
as a duty, of the propriety of which you are not convinced.
Jesus and the apostles do not demand a blind faith.
Henry. — But Paul writes to. Timothy who was bishop of
Crete, (Tit. i. 9 — 13,) that he should "stop the mouths" of
"gainsayers," Yea, in verse 13, he says, "rebuke them sharply
that they may be sound in the faith," In this he certainly
authorizes the bishops to employ severity in holding gain
sayers to the faith.
Father. — You draw a very unsound, I may say, a foolish
conclusion, my son. The apostle is only speaking to Titus
about rebuking the perverse ; and because the Cretans
were as the apostle says, (vr, 12.) "evil beasts and slow
bellies," he admonishes him, (vr, 13.) "to rebuke them
sharply," that is, for their immoral and licentious practices.
But thus to rebuke, does not mean "to employ severity in
keeping them to the faith," Titus was only commissioned
to teach and to rebuke, but it is not said, you must with all
severity insist upon others, that they believe what you say,.
for what you and other bishops say is infallible, and the
laity are bound unconditionally to believe if. This is what
your priests maintain, and by which they set themselves up
against the apostle's will, as lords of your faith !
Henry. — But surely the apostles did not allow the laity
to examine and judge what they delivered to them ; and con
sequently the successors of the apostles, the priests have
the right to demand unconditional obedience to the faith
from the laity.
Father. — But the great apostle Paul writes to the chrjp-.
tians at Corinth, (1 Cor. x, 15,) and says, "I speak as to

OR THE PROSELYTES, 137
wise men, judge ye what I say." Again, 1 Cor, i, 24, "Not
for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of
your joy," But that the priesthood is not infallible, and has
not dominion over the faith of the laity through the Holy
Ghost, as is maintained, is abundantly shown by the rule,
which the apostle lays down lo the christians of Thessalo-
nica, (I Thes, v, 20, 21,) "Despise not prophesyings ;
Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good." But what
on the other hand did the Catholic bishops at Trent say,
"We command, that no one dare to believe or teach other
wise than is here established." How modestly the great
apostle speaks, and how arrogantly the insignificant bishop
at Trent speaks directly the contrary. In vain then, did
the apostle Peter, (1 Pet. v, 2, 3,) warn the christian bishops
against the proud conceit of being lords and judges in the
church, when he says, "feed the flock of God, — not as being
lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock."
Henry. — But experience has proved, that where liberty
of faith is allowed, very different opinions are entertained
and published, and thus the people are perplexed.
Father, — Different views on religious subjects have al
ways been entertained in the Romish church as well as in
ours, both when men were forced in their faith, and when
they were free to think as they pleased. But, unless these
different opinions are persecuted, experience proves, that
they have no effect on the essential substance of religion,
that is, on the practice of religion. The different learned
systems of our religious teachers exert no essential influence
on their official duties, as long as they do not become he
retical in the pulpit. It can be said of all, that they aim at
making their congregations more perfect in christian know
ledge and virtue. I have heard many evangelical preachers
during my travels, but did not find one whose doctrine gave
me offence ; all edified me. You need only read the great
multitude of printed evangelical sermons, to convince yon,
that their authors, although of different sentiments, yet all
labour for the same end, namely, to promote christian life
12*

138 henry and ANTONIO,
among the people. There are some indeed, who make the
pulpit the theatre of learned brawling, but they are few and
they are finally silenced, because the people withdraw
themselves, for they desire to have edification and not con
troversy. Mother, — But even if it were not so, yet every christian
has the bible for himself, and truly, the will of God with re
spect to us and what we must do to be saved, is so simply
and plainly written in it, that on that point even a layman
cannot doubt. Remember what I told you before on this
subject. I think that men entertaining different opinions,
can still lead christian lives. I only hold those religious
opinions as injurious which make men indifferent about vir
tue, secure in their sins, and inspire a false, delusive conso
lation. Such opinions are indeed erroneous and supersti
tious, Bernhard, — You are perfectly right, dear madam. The
effect which a doctrine has upon the conduct of a man, is
a principal mark of its truth or falsehood. This Jesus him
self says, when he warns against false teachers, wolves in
sheep's clothing, and lays down this rule: "by their fruits
ye shall know them." And why shall we not follow the
church of the early centuries, when, as Irenaeus assures us,
the simple doctrines of the apostles' creed were maintained,
and liberty was given to the theologians to think of other con
troverted points as they pleased, Christianity was free, and
grew and flourished. It will not now decline, even though
this difference of opinions exists,
Henry, — Even if I should grant this, still it is very evi
dent that this liberty of investigation in the evangelical church
has also attacked the doctrines of the apostles' creed. Men
believe that the name Protestant, with which many are so
much delighted, allows them the privilege of protesting
against every thing, which they cannot discover by their own
unassisted reason, and they take pride in gradually rejecting
alhthe peculiarities of Christianity, and maintaining nothing
but natural religion.

or THE PROSELYTES. 139
Bernhard. — I do not deny, that the name protestant has
been the occasion of some mischief Some men have abused
it. But the name is not suited to us. The evangelical
states of the German Empire received the name of pro
testant three hundred years ago, as it is well known, because
at the second diet held at Spire in 1529, they protested against
the revocation of the power which had been granted by the
former diet to every prince, of managing ecclesiastical mat
ters as he thought proper. These protesting princes did
not thereby intend to secure to every one of their subjects
the right of doing what he pleased in the affair of religion,
but merely fo prevent the operation of the decrees of the
diet in their states. The name protestant, never should
have been substituted for the name evangelical. The pro
testant states of the former kingdom were such, as claimed
the right of constituting and managing church matters in
their country according to the directions of the divine word,
and protested against the authority of the pope or emperors,
to forbid this. Hence that use of the word protestant, which
was lately attempted fo be made, and which you properly
denounced, is an abuse. Our church expressly recognizes
an authority to which every christian must subject himself,
namely, the word of God in the holy Scriptures; how then
can Protestantism consist in the rejection of all authority,
excepting reason? But still it is true, that since the time of
Frederick the Great there arose in our church a spirit of illu
mination, which would explain every thing that is peculiar
in Christianity, but what a delusion!
Henry, — I am glad that you acknowledge this, and I
hope, that you will also grant that the Catholic church has
kept herself free from that, and that a unity of faith has
also existed in her, of which the evangelical church is to
tally destitute.
Bernhard. — There you are wrong, dear friend. That
liberalism which ridiculed genuine Christianity and scarcely
lefl natural religion untouched, came from France, catholic
France, Voltaire, who signed his letters Christomoque

140 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
(mocker of Christ) and boasted that "he alone was able to
overthrow the edifice which twelve men (the apostles) had
erected." Boubanger, Frenet, de la Mettrie and others,
who called themselves philosophers, were the men, who
transplanted this mockery of religion to Berlin and Germany.
But what awakened this infidelity in France, was the stren
uous perseverance of the Romish church in all errors and
abuses. In a country where the massacre of St. Bartholo
mews was witnessed, in which after the revocation of the
edict of Nantes, the twentieth part of three millions of
reformed were in a short time horiibly murdered, and more
than half a million driven away, no wonder that a combi
nation of all the more enlightened men was formed against
such abominable cruelties of the Romish church. That
they should attempt to overthrow Christianity with the Ro
mish church, was a lamentable, but a natural mistake. Such
extravagance is opposed to the spirit of the Evangelical
church, and you must grant, that it was evangelical writers
who conquered that bold infidelity and finally exhibited it
in all its nakedness,
Henry, — But you have a party among the evangehcal,
the so called Rationalists, who elevate reason above the
scriptures, and who attempt to reduce Christianity to mere
natural religion,
Bernhard. — That we lament, but has not the Romish
church also such a party? Were not the French liberalists, the
Encyclopedists, also Catholics? Were not they Catholics who
in the'revolution abolished Christianity, but yet were magnan
imous enough to decree, that France should at least have a
God to believe in ? We had very few such free thinkers, and
not one of them was a teacher of religion. But those were
also very few who denied divine influence of every kind in
Christianity, of whom but one was a teacher of religion and
he was deposed from office. But those who are now called
Rationalists, with all their errors, are very different from
these. They at least universally regard Christianity as a di
vine institution established for the salvation of men, they

OR THE PROSELYTES. 141
consider Jesus Christ as sent by God, and the holy scrip
tures as containing the eternal and true word of God.
Henry. — But still it is not good that there should be such
a diversity of religious sentiment.
Bernhard.— But how will you prevent it ? God has so
created man that he can only believe on good evidence, and
this evidence has not the same effect on every man. This
is the case in the catholic just as in the evangelical church,
and the difference is only this, that the Romish church by
punishment and the inquisition forces to silence or to hy
pocrisy, those who have other sentiments in matters of faith^
but the evangelical church leaves the decision of such
things to the force of truth and argument, I should think
that the latter was most conformable to the will of God,
who, if he had desired perfect unanimity of religious opin
ion, would have found other means to that effect than the
horrors of the inquisition and the condemnation of heretics,
in which fallible men punish those presumed to be erroneous,
by taking away their life or liberty, or property or reputa
tion, without being able to convince them to the contrary.
You cannot then bring it as a well grounded objection
against any church, that parties exist within her pale. This
objection, the heathen also brought against christians of the-
early ages, of which Clemens of Alexandria (Stromat vii.
15.) correctly says:
"They (the heathen) say, that they cannot believe us
(christians) because of the different opinions and parties
existing among us. There are also parties and different
opinions amongst the Jews and.Greeks, and yet you do not
say, that on that account no one should be a philosopher
or a follower of the Jewish religion. The Lord has said
before, that tares should be among the wheat. Shall a man
for this reason never make a contract, because many break
it? Henry,— You do not intend to maintain that diversity
of religious opinion is useful and desirable? That certainly

142 henry and ANTONIO,
can never have been the conviction of the church, which
always must insist upon unity of faith.
Bernhard. — I do honestly believe, that diversity of views
on unessential points is salutary, and prevents narrowness of
opinion and intellectual languor, which are the death of reli
gious activity. Just as God did not wish men to become vir
tuous without conflict with sin, so he did not desire that we
should become wise without conflict with error. This conflict
of opinions it is true, awakens in many a blind party spirit, but
it is still to most men a beneficial excitement to learn and
understand the truth. The controversy between the chris
tians converted from Judaism and those from heathenism
in the apostolical church, was of much benefit; it produced
the apostolical resolution, which made Christianity forever
independent of Judaism. (Acts xv.) Hence the old church
fathers did not lament this diversity of opinion as you do.
"By comparison with error says Origen (Homil. in numb.
ix. 1,) truth only shines more brilliantly." Were the doc
trines of the church not attacked, and not encompassed by
the opinions of heretics, our faith would not be so pure, and
not appear so well investigated and proved. But hence the
attacks of gainsayers are directed against the general doc
trine, that our faith may not slumber from inactivity, but be
filed to smoothness and beauty by frequent collision. For
this reason, says the apostle (1 Cor, xi, 19,) "there must
be also heresies amongst you, that they which are approved
may be made manifest among you," In like manner the
venerable bishop qf Carthage, Cyprian, expresses himself.
(de unit, eccles, p, 197,) -If then the church of the first
three centuries, although persecuted with fire and sword,
endured different religious opinions among her members
without injury, we at present, when the church is at peace,
will have less harm to fear from diversity of sentiment,
Wilhelmina, — I should think, that the beautiful saying,
"that a virtue, which requires watching, is not worth the
watching," is also applicable to truth, A truth which re-

OR THE proselytes. 143
quires force and punishment to prevent it from extinction,
is not worth the labour bestowed on it, — it is not a truth.
Henry. — But the liberty of the use of the scriptures,
which you ajlow to the unlearned, has certainly led to much
confusion and fanaticism.
Bernhard. — It was not the fault of the scriptures. Men
became fanatics without the use of the bible. Witness the
Mystics in your own church. But even if diversity of senti
ment arises from liberty of opinion and scripture interpreta
tion, or should a few christians occasionally be led into ex
travagance, it would be an unavoidable, but an unimportant
evil that could be easily endured, and which as abundant ex
perience shows, is most safely met by mild persuasion. But
to employ for this purpose the desperate means which the
Romish church uses, and to subject all christians uncondi
tionally to the caprice of the priesthood, and to pursue with
excommunication and punishment as heretics, all those
who doubt their infallibility, is to me such intolerable tyran
ny over the conscience, that every other evil appears infi
nitely smaller. Why should all he deprived of a privilege
allowed by nature and by no means to be forced from us,
because a few among thousands abuse it ? Is the whole
state converted into a mad house because a few citizens are
insane ? The rule by which you abolish all liberty of inves
tigation, and prescribe a blind faith in a few hundred priests,
in order to prevent the circulation of one or another erro
neous opinion, appears to me to be acting just about as
rationallyras if a great state would prohibit navigation to
its subjects, because now and then a ship is wrecked, and
grant the privilege only to some inhabitants of the islands,
(for instance, Spain to the inhabitants of Majorca,)
. Henry. — I see plainly that the expedient of obligating
all the laity to an unconditional faith in what the priests
say, is a foolish one.
Bernhard, — Only Jmrsue the matter to the end! The
few hundred bishops, who assembled at the councils since
the fourth century, are to have the right of prescribing to

144 HENBY AND ANTONIO,
the millions of christians of their own time and of all sub
sequent ages an unalterable creed ! Who will ensure to us
their wisdom and impartiality? How few of them are well
enough known to us, to trust them ? Did they not live in
times of great excitement, in which the judgment is liable
to be perplexed, and when men are not qualified to take a
dispassionate view of subjects? Do we not see from many
of their writings, that they interpreted the Bible very differ
ently, that the majority did not at all understand the Hebrew
language, and many of them not even the Greek ? Had
they been inspired by the Holy Ghost, as you maintain, they
would have been unanimous in the establishment of the
doctrines, — they would have spoken as it were, with one
tongue by one inspiration, as the prophets of old. But they
disputed, entertained different opinions, and were forced,
like other men, to come to conclusions by argument, and
thus were dependent on their own powers. And some
times their meetings were stormy enough. The council of
Ephesus in 449, supported its opinions by soldiers armed
with swords, and monks with clubs. The council of Trent,
so decisive for the interests of the Romish church, was
frequently in the greatest discord, and the bishops wrang
led so fiercely that there was danger of a total dissolution,
so that at last the archbishop of Palermo, Tagliava, threw '
himself upon his knees in the midst of the assembly and
with tears and outstretched hands, begged the bishops to
conduct themselves decently and come to an agreement.
The number of priests also at these councils who had the
right of voting, was always very small, and it is indeed alto
gether unfair, that a few hundred priests, amongst whom
there have always been many stupid and few learned heads,
should prescribe a system of faith to the 125, 000, 000 of
Catholics who now may be living in the world, and among
whom there are many learned, wise and good men. When
the council of Trent was opened, there were only twenty-
five priests present entitled to vote, their number gradually
increased it is true, but even at the end of the council there

OR the proselytes. 145
were but two hundred and twenty-five voters, of whom the
Italian clergy alone composed more than the half. The most
of the resolutions of this council however. Were passed by
less than one hundred votes. And are these few persons
to represent the whole christian world, and be able to pre
scribe a faith for ever valid to all christians to the end of time,
and is every one who dares to reject any article, to suffer
as a heretic in reputation, liberty or life ? Here truly, if any
where, the warning of the apostle is applicable, (1. Cor. vii.
23.) "Ye are bonght with a price; be not ye the servants
of men," And I would ask, if God had found it. good
to make the priesthood infallible by his spirit, why did he of
ten permit a great part of the priesthood to fall into error
and heresy, which again had to be condemned at other ex
pensive councils and not without violence, by another part
of the priesthood?
Henry, — I know not what to reply to that. But what
expedient would you propose, for maintaining the necessa
ry unity of faith ?
Bernhard. — None at all ; — Unity of faith in your sense
is not necessary, because it is not possible. Hence, Jesus
also (Matt. xiii. 24 — 30.) was willing that the wheat and
the tares should be left together until the harvest. It is not
a part of the plan of God to deprive the human mind of all
self dependence by means of the bare letter of creeds, and
to produce such a unity as a clock-maker wishes, when he
sets several clocks to the same hour. In every age divine
truth has been differently viewed by different men, and
yet it has not been destroyed. If it were not so, two
branches of history would not now exist, namely, that
of biblical doctrines, and that of christian creeds and the
changes and difference of doctrines. Then, if a complete
identity of all religious opinions is not possible, and can be
attained by no expedient ; if the Romish priests are not
quaUfied for the office of infallible judges of faith, and could
never produce or maintain the unity of faith, then itis folly,
to subject the laity to the declarations of the priesthood,
13

J46 henry and ANTONIO,
and thereby fetter the conscience and enslave the mind,
which not only fails of its design completely, but is also
highly injurious.
Henry, — But still it appears to me, as though there were
a certain unity and perpetuity of faith produced in the Ro
mish church by the judicial authority of the priesthood.
Father, — You say right : "a certain;" for I have before
showed you the true character of this boasted unity of faith.
It is indeed only a certain unity, for it was produced, not
by the force of sound argument, but by the force of exter
nal power, that is, by the fiercest persecutions of those,
who would not believe without good grounds, for which
reason it is not a true, internal unity, but specious, exter
nal, and hence exceedingly unworthy of confidence.
Bernhard. — Indeed, your professed unity and perpetui
ty of faith is partly, a mere outward show, partly a very great
evil. Henry. — I should like to hear the proof of that ! If you
produce it, I will recall every thing I said this evening
against your church.
Bernhard. — I can and will produce it. Tell me, do you
mean this by unity of faith, that the creeds and confessions
of the church remain the same and agree with each other ;
or this, that all Catholic christians entertain precisely the
same opinions founded on the creeds and no others ?-^— cer
tainly the latter, for we have the former unity of confes
sions, and to a much greater extent than the Romish church,
in which popes and councils have so often publicly contra
dicted, and condemned each other.
Henry.— I also understand it in the latter sense ; for on
that account a creed is established, that all may have the
same view of christian doctrine, and hence in our church
the creeds are patterns of faith for each individual, whereas
the Evangelical church regards yours not as patterns, but
only as evidences of that, which the church acknowledges
as the meaning of the holy Scriptures.

OR the proselytes. 147
Bernhard. — Perfectly right! but do you think it possi
ble that all men with the best intentions will understand a
formula of doctrine in the same way, or will they not ra
ther interpret it very differently ?
Henry, — (Reluctantly) Certainly experience teaches that
men are not likely to take the same view of a subject.
Bernhard. — Say rather, it is impossible. All for in
stance, acknowledge the formula ; we believe in one God.
But how different are the conceptions of christians con
cerning Grod ? The unlettered man conceives him a person
in human form ; the enthusiast, a light, which is stationed
atone place as the focus of all life; another, a spirit per
vading the universe ; another, an abstract idea, and at the
same time the cause of all the laws of nature ; again another,
an undefinable something, exalted above human concep
tion, incomprehensible to the understanding, and only to be
apprehended by faith and feeling. It is just the same with
respect to men's conceptions of the trinity, angels, original
sin, sacraments, church, resurrection, purgatory, heaven,
hell, and other things. The word is an empty sound, which
can give us no idea if we had it not before. Language is
only the sign of an idea; it only awakens the ideas in the
mind, which we had before. Hence we must ourselves form
our ideas of supernatural things from the instructions of
others, and our own reflection. This process every one
must go through for himself, and it is this which produces
an unavoidable difference of conception about the invisible
subjects of religious faith, because men are infinitely differ
ent in natural talent, habits of thought, industry and appre
hension, and hence never view a subject exactly in the same
light. And hence that unity of faith so loudly boasted of
in your church, is nothing more than that which we have,
namely, a unity of language in the public confessions,
Henry. — But cannot these confessions be expressed
with so much precision, that it is not possible to think dif
ferently about them, but that all who understood the lan
guage must entertain the same idea ? 1 should think, that the

143 henry and ANTONiO,.
Athanasian creed for example, speaks so precisely, that it
must necessarily create in all the same ideas of the doctrine
of the Trinity,
Bernhard. — It is certain that this is the most precise
and least equivocal creed we have, and yet theologians
have disputed, whether the Trinity is an attribute of God,
or something else ; all the illustrations which have been
attempted, produced a different result, and either de
stroyed the unity of the divine being or the distinction of
the persons. Your popes themselves saw, that a unity of
faith was not secured by the decrees of the council of Trent,
and hence they publicly proclaimed that no one should pre
sume to interpret the decrees and language of the council
of Trent; but that this is the exclusive privilege of the
popes. They really established in Rome a particular com
mission of priests for this object. Thus in truth they make
to the world this remarkable- acknowledgment, that the
meaning of the public confessions is variously apprehended,
and that a general council is not competent to produce
unity of faith among christians.
Henry.^ — I must confess, that this committee of explanof^
tion to which the decrees of the council of Trent are re
ferred, is in open contradiction to what is maintained, name
ly, that the creeds of councils produced unity of faith,
Bernhard. — To pursue the matter to its' legitimate re~
suits, we might say, that the explanations of this committee
needed explanation ; for that purpose another must be ap
pointed, and for the arbitrement of this one, again another,.
and so on. Thus the whole priesthood would be nothing
but a series of committees, which explained each other's
explanations, and on which no final decision, could be made,
because the last as well as the first would be understood by
the faithful in different ways.
Henry. — But what then does the Evangelical church do ?
Where does she look for the final decision ?
Bernhard. — The first and final decision we seek, in Ui«
holy scriptures.

or the proselytes. 149
Henry. — And on what authority do you believe that the
instructions of the scriptures are infallible ?
Bernhard. — Certainly not on the authority of one or
several men, but on the authority of argument, which every
one has liberty to advance, because by argument alone a
genuine and lasting conviction is made, and conviction up
on good grounds only is worthy the dignity of religion and
rational man. Paul also tells us prove all things; holdfast
to that which is good.
Henry. — But this occasions among you a great variety
of opinions.
Bernhard, — That is true, and we do not try to pre
vent it, because as I have showed, God has so created men,
that every one is a living responsible being in himself, and
must arrive at the truth by the exercise of his own powers.
This variety of views among individuals does no harm to
the grand object, namely, christian life, and affords us the
opportunity at least, of acquitting ourselves of the duty of
sincerity. But the assumed infallibility of your priesthood
in councils, renders it impossible for the Romish church to
correct an error once committed, or an abuse once estab
lished. Your council of Trent about 200 years ago adopt
ed purgatory, masses for souls, withholding the cup, tran
substantiation, celibacy of the clergy, the damnation of all
who are not papists, indulgences, satisfaction by penance,
and other things as eternal articles of faith, and it is in vain,
that now so many sensible Catholics desire an alteration.
In a church which claims to be infallible, error is eternal,
and proscription and punishment support this error as irre
versible truth. By this means the Romish church comes
into inextricable conflict with the progress of the sciences
and social cultivation. She cannot, like the Evangelical
church, keep pace with these things, but she must sink in
the stream of time, or she must try powerfully to check the
developement of the human mind, or to bring back again
the times of the middle ages, in which she sprung up, and then
only could flourish. And to accomplish that is the avow-
13*

150 HENRY and ANTOKIO",
ed object of the Romish priesthood at the present day, but
which can be as little effected, as if an attempt were made-
to bring a full grown man back again to childhood. Our
public confessions on the other hand, are not* intended as
patterns of faith or prescriptions, but are only evidences of
the views which men entertained of the doctrines of the
scriptures at the reform,ation. We then can correct an
error if it is discovered, and avail ourselves of all the im
provements in the science of interpretation, but in essen
tial points, this has not been necessary. Hence the gospel
of Jesus will endure and be extended, but that of Rome and
Trent will decay and perish.
Henry. — I am myself almost persuaded, that we boast
too much of perpetuity and unity of faith in our church; —
that difference of religious views is unavoidable, and that
the defence and explanation of the word of God by argu
ment is still the best.
WiLHEiMiNA. — If it were not presumptuous in me to take
part in this learned controversy, I would also have a word
to say to enliven your serious faces a little.
Father. — Truth may lie concealed in a jest; let us hear !
Wilhelmina. — The scriptures say to the woman, "thy
desire shall be (subject) to thy husband, and he shall rule
over thee." This is very plain, but yet in all ages it has
been differently understood. The inhabitant of the east
was the lord of his wife in the strictest sense of the word,
and she his servant. Among the Greeks the wife was also
subjected to servitude, although in a milder form, Bern-
hard explained this matter to me very beautifully. You
know how that expression is understood now. Many min
isters when they come to the words "he shall rule over
thee" in the form of matrimony, add "in allreasonable cases."
But what is gained thereby ? Every wife and every husband
have their peculiar views of these "reasonable cases," and
they would hardly agree in sentiment, if a whole book were
written on that subject. Yea, if an explanation were given
by a whole assembly of infallible popes, it would be no bet-

OR THE PROSELYTES. 15J
ter, for every wife will never be any thing else than she can
be, either mistress or servant. It depends altogether upon
the relation she sustains to the man whom she has received
as her husband, with respect to talents, accomplishments,
respectability, character, influence and the like. It appears
to me to have been thus already in ancient times, for I
think that Sarah and her daughter-in-law Rebecca inter
preted the old saying, "he shall rule over thee," in their own
way, although in their times the strictest interpretation was
generally prevalent. But what injury is to result from a
different interpretation of that passage among wives, I
really cannot see. Until now at least, the world and do
mestic life have always proceeded along tolerably well.
Henry, — Yes, you ladies ! you interpret every thing as
you please and in your own favor. But it would become
you very well, if you all said, as the virtuous Mary did,
"behold the handmaiden of the Lord ! "
Wilhelmina, — Yes, but Mary when she said this, had
not a selfish, growling bear of a husband before her, but —
an angel. We do not read that Mary ever said any thing
like that to Joseph, her husband. If indeed the men were
all angels —
Bernhard, — (Inrerrupting her,) and the women all an
gels, then they would be on an equality. But jesting apart !
You see, dear Henry, that the views of men about the for
mulas of faith will ahvays be various, and that there could
not be popes and councils enough to decide every thing,
and to drive every thing into the heads of men in the same
way. But still every church may continue to have her
written creeds. Nothing is however, gained but a unity of
language in the public formulas, and not a similarity of
views in the understandings of men. Variety of religious
opinion is natural, and cannot be avoided. Hence it
is wrong, to condemn each other as heretics on this
account, and to employ authority and violence to force
men to entertain the same views on this subject. It is this

152 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
violence which renders religious opinions dangerous, for it
perpetuates error, begets enthusiasm and hatred, and retards
the natural developement of the human mind.

CHAPTER XIII,
THE PRIESTHOOD AND CONSECRATION,
One principal argument in favor of the Romish church,
which had deeply rooted itself in the unfurnished mind of
Henry, was the doctrine concerning the priesthood, which
he introduced for discussion the next evening. He had
been convinced, that the Catholic priests were the only
persons divinely authorized to give religious instruction and
administer the sacraments, and that they were fully empow
ered to forgive sins. The mother thought that this was a sub
ject which deserved no investigation, inasmuch as little de
pended on it; but the father maintained the contrary, inas
much as the doctrine concerning the priesthood was a prin
cipal ground of the Catholic church, presumptuous in its char
acter and encroaching exceedingly on the rights of others,
and Bernhard observed that the proselyters of ancient
and modern times had attempted to impress very deep
ly on the minds of the people, the objection that the
Evangelical clergy had no right to the office they sustained.
To prevent unnecessary dispute, they at the commencement
granted to Henry, that Jesus and the apostles designed that
there should be teachers and officers in the church, inas
much as the apostles appointed presbyters and deacons in
the congregations, or permitted them to be appointed by
the churches. The father and Bernhard argued, that on this
was founded the legitimacy of the clerical office establish-

OR THE PROSELYTES. I53
ed in the Evangelical church, and then asked Henry why
he controverted this legitimacy ?
Henry,— The Romish church teaches, that Jesus and the
apostles not only appointed teachers and officers in the
churches, as you think, but that they estaWished a distinct
priestly order, to which belongs exclusively, and without the
participation of the laity, the government of the church,
the right to teach, to administer the sacraments, to forgive
sins, and to decide controversies. Hence, without the
priest, the layman can do nothing. The priest must bap
tize him, and thus he first becomes a christian. The priest
must confirm him, must absolve him at confession, offer the
sacrifice of mass for him, help him out of purgatory, and by
all these means unlock for him the gates of Paradise, which
the priest alone can do. Finally, it is the priestly order,
which on account of its infallibility, has the exclusive
right of determining what the layman must believe as true^
and reject as false, and what is real sanctification, and the
proper means to promote it.
Father. — Then the Catholic priests are not guardians of
the souls of the laity, but lords of their souls ; their unlimit
ed monarchs, because in matters of religion and salvation
they have not only executive authority over the laity, but
legislative. The laity are — pardon the comparison ! — the
negroes, and the priests, the planters. We have no such
priests in the Evangelical church.
Henry — You cannot have them ; for the rights of the-
priesthood are derived from the apostles, and are only com
municated by priestly consecration. Hence they can be
possessed only by that priesthood, which descends from the
apostles in an uninterrupted chain of consecrations, and
thus perpetuates and communicates these priestly gifts. The
Catholic clergy can show historically the series of their
bishops up to the apostles, consequently, derive their priest
hood as genuine, from its founder, Christ; but the Evan
gelical clergy cannot do this ; they can only derive their or
dination and authority from the founders of the refermation.

154 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Luther and Zwingli, who had it not in their power to found
a priesthood. Father. — Have you forgotten, my son, that Luther and
Zwingli were consecrated priests of the Romish church,
and also trace their consecration to the apostles, and could
impart it to the clergy of the Evangelical church ? Have
you forgotten, that at the time of the reformation, very ma
ny Romish clergymen in Saxony, in the imperial towns, in
all Germany and Switzerland, and also in Denmark and
Sweden became Evangelical clergymen, and hence brought
over with them the consecration of the Catholic church into
ours ?
Henry. — Indeed, dear father, 1 did not think of that. —
But I should think that Luther and the other Catholic cler
gymen had lost the consecration, inasmuch as they declar
ed themselves independent of the Catholic church, and of
the high priest at Rome.
Father. — (Smiling,) That is heresy, my son. You know
certainly that your church and the council of Trent have es
tablished the position, that consecration imparts a sacerdo
tal character that cannot be lost, — which is not destroyed by
deposition and expulsion from the church, and which of
course, could not be lost by all the Romish clergymen, who
became Evangelical, Once a priest, always a priest,
Henry, — You are right, father. We must grant that Lu
ther, Zwingli and others always remained legally consecra
ted priests. But I believe, they could not consecrate
others, because they separated from the Pope and Catholic
priesthood, and fell into heresy.
Father, — Their heresy consisted in this, that they as
cribed to the holy scriptures a higher authority than to the
decree of popes and the priesthood; that they elevated the
authority of Jesus and the apostles, the founder of the
priesthood, above the priesthood itself, the master above
the disciples. For this reason, it is impossible to rob them
of the legitimacy of their consecration before God and
Christ. But if they whom you call heretics, had lost the

OR THE PROSELYTES, I55
authority of perpetuating sacerdotal consecration, then you
would render doubtful the rights of the Romish clergy
themselves. For from the first to the tenth century, it was
the clergy among whom very frequently, and for a long
time the so called heresy reigned. In the middle of the
fourth century the half of the christian clergy were Arians.
Bernhard. — I just remember, that the bishops Dyonysius
of Mailand, and Eusebius of Vercelli were Arians, and that
the Romish deputies to the council of Aries (in 354,) them
selves subscribed the condemnation of Athanasius, whose
doctrine subsequently prevailed over that of Arius.
Father, — If then these avowed heretical bishops con
tinued to consecrate without afterwards re-ordaining those
consecrated by them, and if consecration was further ex
tended by these, then a great proportion of the present Ro
mish priests received their consecration from Arians and
other heretics, and consequently are not lawfully conse
crated. Henry, — I feel that my ground is untenable. But just
now the principal point occurs to me. The consecration
of priests can only be performed by a bishop, consequent
ly, Luther, Zwingli and other Catholic clergymen, who
were not bishops, could not transplant it into the EvangeU
cal church.
Father. — You will only get into greater difficulties by
that, my son. How do you know, that a bishop only can
consecrate ?
Henry. — It seems to have been the custom from the be
ginning. Father. — But custom does not create a necessity. Be
sides it was not so at the beginning, but a custom intro
duced at a later day. The apostle Matthias, (Acts i, 15-—
26,) was not elected in the place of Judas the traitor by
Peter and the apostles, but by the congregation at Jerusa
lem, which also (vr, 24,) prayed ov^r him, Paul and Bar
nabas were consecrated apostles to the heathen, not by an
apostle, neither by a bishop, but according to Acts xiii. 1—

156 henry and antonio,
3, by three pious private persons at Antioch, If then only
a bishop could legally consecrate, Paul, Matthias and Bar
nabas were not lawfully consecrated, consequently the el
ders ordained (Acts xiv. 23,) by Paul and Barnabas, and
all those consecrated by these again, which certainly con
stitute a great portion of the Romish clergy, have not re
ceived lawful consecration. Besides there is no reason why
a bishop only should consecrate, since by consecration,
agreeably to your opinion, every one receives the same su
pernatural gifts, consequently can also communicate them,
if they are at all communicable. Then you must grant,
that our clergy are validly consecrated, or acknowledge,
that the Romish priests are destitute of it also. But I at
tach no importance to it, because the whole doctrine of the
power of consecration and the transmission of a superna
tural gift, which renders the priestly order infallible and
makes them the spiritual tutors of the laity, is altogether
groundless. For by what means do you believe these su
pernatural gifts are transmitted ?
Henry. — By the laying on of hands at ordination, by
which the Holy Ghost is communicated to the priests, and
they receive the authority of teaching infallibly, effectual
ly administering the sacraments and offering to God the
sacrifice of the mass.
Father. — And what authorizes you to ascribe such ope
ration to the laying on of hands ?
Henry. — The scriptures themselves impute it.
Mother. — In that you are mistaken, my son. The lay
ing on of hands was not first introduced in the time of
Christ, but it was a very ancient Jewish custom, and was
a sign of the conferring of something invisible. That which
was conferred may have as well been something good as
bad, something spiritual or temporal. Hands were laid on
the animal that was sacrificed, as a sign that the guilt of sin
was laid upon it, and that it must expiate this guilt ; (Lev.
i. 4, iii, 2, iv, 15, xvi, 21,) on blasphemers, to show that the
guilt was theirs, and that they deserved the punishment,

OR THE PROSELYTES, 157
(Lev, xxiv, 14,) on Levites, as a sign that the care of the
temple and the holy things were committed to them, (Num.
viii. 10,) upon Joshua, to show that the dignity of a leader
of the nation was conferred on him. (Num. xxvii. 18 — 23,
Deut. xxxiv. 9,) In the New Testament you find that Je
sus laid his hands on children when he blessed them, (Matt.
xix. 1.3—15,) that the same was done to the sick to heal
them, (Mark v. 23, vi. 5, vii. 32, viii, 23, xvi, 18, Acts ix,
12, xxviii. 8,) and that hands were laid on newly converted
christians to bless them and impart the gifts of the spirit.
(Acts xix. 6.) When then it was practised at the admission
or installation of elders and deacons (Acts vi. 6, I Tim, iv,
14, 2 Tim. i, 6,) it was nothing peculiar, but something
common, and they received thereby no extraordinary gifts,
but the gifts of the spirit, which all other christians also re
ceived by the laying on of hands, and these gifts were so
little connected with this custom, that even the yet unbap
tized heathen received them after the mere hearing of the
sermon of the apostle Peter without the laying on of hands.
Acts X. 44 — 46,
Henry, — I never before knew that the laying on of hands
was so common, and that it equally exerts an influence on
the laity. From this it certainly follows, that this custom
is not essential in the consecration of priests, and cannot
be the means of communicating gifts peculiar to the priest
ly order.Father, — You will be yet more deeply convinced of this,
if you remember, that the apostle Matthias, according to
Acts i. 24 — 26, was consecrated without the laying on of
hands by mere prayer, and Jesus himself when he commis
sioned his apostles observed another custom, lie said to
them, (John xx, 21) "As my father has sent me, even so
send I you. And when he had said this, he breathedon them,
and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost, Whosesoev
er sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose
soever sins ye retain, they are retained,"
11

y

1-58 henrVand anTonio,
By laying on of hands, then, Jesus did not consecrate the
apostles. Consequently it cannot be essential or necessa
ry to consecration, or the apostles were not properly con
secrated, and of course the whole Romish clergy. Priest
ly consecration can then communicate nothing, but exter
nal authority, to perform ecclesiastical services. But the
internal consecration which qualifies for this office, cannot
be inherited like apiece of land or a lordly title, and it can
not be received by the laying on of the hands of men ; for
it consists in the religious spirit and gifts necessary for the
performance of the official duties.
Henry. — According to that, the priesthood would have
no supernatural gift, which it appropriates to itself as a pe
culiar possession, in which the laity have no part?
Father. — What foolish questions you can ask ! If you
want another proof, only look at the bishops, the elders,
and the deacons, from the first to the sixteenth century.
They were seldom unanimous in religious opinions; the
priestly order was the most fruitful source of opinions, which
another portion of this order declared as heresies. The
Phocians, Sabellians, Nestorians, Arians, Novatians, Adop-
tians, Eutychians, and many others whom you designate as
heretics, had priests as their founders, and priests as their de
fenders. The Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits, all
consecrated priests, carried on among themselves the most
scandalous and prolix theological controversies, which in
part are not yet discontinued. And these priests, of whom
one part was always contending against the other, who con
demned each other as heretics, are to be infallible, full of
the Holy Ghost and of wisdom, and to have the right of
determining in an infallible manner, what all christians are
to believe or not to believe ? And these priests who them
selves first introduced the opinion of their presumed pri
vileges, and made it an article of faith, we are to believe
upon their bare assertion, when they themselves so grossly
contradict the opinion by their actions!

or the PROSELYTES. I59
Henry, — I see very well that I cannot dispute the legiti
macy of the consecration of the evangelical clergy on the
grounds stated.
Bernhard. — That does not yet settle the matter, dear
Henry, We have granted your conception of the priest
hood, and only showed, that the evangelical clergymen had
all the right of appropriating to themselves, what the Ro
mish church ascribes to the priesthood. But we could
have cut the matter short, and said, that Jesus and the
apostles did not design to establish a priesthood in the chris
tian church.
Henry, — You can scarcely be serious,
B-ernhard. — Perfectly serious. Teachers of the gospel,
and overseers of the congregations they appointed, but no
priests. For what is a priest?
Henry. — The Romish catechism says: "the office of a
priest is, to offer sacrifice to God and to administer the sacra
ments." The correctness of this definition is derived from
the Old Testament.
Bernhard. — From the old truly, but not from the new.
We have already showed you, that the New Testament de
clares all sacrifices as abolished by the death of Christ.—
There is then no sacrifice to be repeated, and consequent
ly in the New Testament, no priest who has a sacrifice to
bring. Besides, the apostles never regarded themselves as
priests. Henry, — That I grant, but the administration of the sa
craments is surely exclusively committed to them,
Bernhard. — No, no, only read the 11th and I2th chap
ters of the first epistle to the Corinthians ! There you will
see that the gifts of the spirit were common to all christians,
that every one, the wora-en alone excepted, could rise and
teach in the congregation and explain the scriptures.
Teaching then was confined to no order, but it was free for
all, who felt themselves moved to it. And there is not the
least proof, that baptizing and administering the Lord's
supper was exclusively committed to the apostles, bishops,
fOr elders, Paul says, (1 Cor, _i, 14 — 16,) that in the large

160 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
congregation at Corinth, which he established, he had bap
tized only two persons and one family, and adds, what is
very decisive, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to
preach the gospel,"
Henry,—! cannot surely dispute the assertions of the
apostle Paul. But the apostles expressly received the pow
er to forgive and retain sins, and through them the bish
ops received it?
Father. — Remember what we said on that subject before,
which you could not refute.
Henry, — The matter was thus represented to me, dear
father ; the principal design of Christ is, to be the mediator
between God and men. After his ascension to God, inter
cession for his people is alone ascribed to him. Whence
then shall mediation between God and men come after this
time? How are we placed in a situation to fulfil the condi
tions, under which the mediation is to be of benefit to us ?
If it was not the will of Christ to continue his mediation
personally to the end of the world, and the scriptures speak
only of one part of his personal mediatorial office, which
he continues after his ascension to heaven, it is easy to be
lieve, that he committed to others the other part of his
mediatorial office,, that which is visible to men on earth.
And this mediatorial office in all its parts continued by
Christ on earth, although not personally, is the Catholic
priesthood. It is Christ acting and living on earth until the
end, in substitutes furnished with his authority and the ne
cessary grace..
Father. — All that is pure nonsence, it has no support
from the scriptures, yea, it is contradictory to the scriptures.
Show me but one passage in which the Saviour says, that.
the apostles should be his substitutes after his death, and
carry on his mediatorial office in his stead. On his depar
ture from, the earth the Lord said to his apostles, (Acts, i, 8,)
"Ye shall be witnesses unto me," but not, ye shall be medi
ators in my stead, my substitutes in the mediatorial office.
And according to Matthew xxviii,, 18, 20, the Saviour just,

or THE PROSELYTES. IQl
before his ascension said, "All power is given unto me in
heaven and on earth. I am with you always, even unto the
end of the world." How foolish then for you to syeak, as
though Christ could or would not any longer exercise power
on earth, and for this reason appointed priests in his stead?
The apostle Paul contradicts that notion most decisively,
when in Heb. ch. vii. he ascribes to Christ an etonoi priest
hood, that is forever in exercise, continually in operation,
and hence draws the conclusion, that there is no more ne
cessity for a priesthood to perform its functions through men
as his substitutes. In ch, ix. 10, &c. he says, that the ha
man priesthood was only necessary until the appearance of
Christ, "the time of the reformation" he offered himself once
for all, "having obtained eternal redemption for ms,"(v. 12.)
and that now there is no more occasion for continual sa
crifice, (v. 25, 28.) So my son, weneed no further sacrifice
and no priest ; and Christ is not, as they wished to persuade
you, separated from his church. Your^ idea of "the priest
hood's substitution in the place of Christ on earth" is an
idle whim, directly in opposition to the scriptures.
Henry, — Then there would be no priesthoood in the
christian church ?
Bernhard, — It was not the design of Christ that there
should be a priesthood in the sense of the Romish church.
The bishops and elders of the apostolical church did not con
stitute a distinct and privileged order, but they were partly
teachers, partly overseers of the congregarions and stewards
of the public affairs of the church. Hence every one could
be a bishop, if he was qualified for transacting this business.
The deacons of the apostohc church were nothing more
than stewards of the public alms, and took care of the poor
(Acts. vi. 1, &,c.) and not even clergymen in the sense of
our church. Hence there were also deaconesses, (1 Tim.
iv. 9, &c,) which affords certain proof that there was no
thing sacerdotal in their office. The bishops, elders and
deacons first began gradually to be regarded as a distinct
exclusive order in the third and fourth centuries. All that
14*

162 HENPlYAND ANTONicT,.
was peculiar to the Mosaic priesthood was attributed' to
them, and hence the idea of the priesthood first originated.
According fo the representation of th-e apostle all christians
are priests, and Peter says (I Ep. ii. 5, 9.) "Ye also as lively
stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices. Ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation."
But by 'spiritual sacrifices' the mass is not understood, but
according to Rom. xiii. I, 2, Heb. xii. 14, 16, the laying off
of sin, and the putting on of christian virtue.^ But when
Peter says, all christians are priests, he is rather to be be
lieved, than when the pretended successor of Peter asserts
the contrary.* Hence the Evangelical ministry is fully
authorized to perform its functions by the appointment of the
church, and very properly leaves the forgiveness of sins and
the opening of Paradise, to him whom it becomes, the
most high in heaven, and does not presume to repeat
the sacrifice of Christ to God, since Christ offered him
self once for all.
Henry, — I can say nothing against that; but yet there
is something consoling in the belief, that the clergy pro
vide for the forgiveness of our sins, for our salvation and
the genuineness of our faith !
Father, — Yes, just as the eulogists of slavery say; it is
certainly very consoling to slaves that they need not be
solicitous about shelter, food and clothing, inasmuch as
the master must provide all these. But they do not thereby
reflect, that the slave has nothing of his own, that he must
yield unconditional obedience, must bear with all the whims
of his master, and endure all the stripes of his overseer
without a murmur. And these stripes the Romish priests
have laid right lustily over the shoulders of the laity.
But all that might be endured, if the clergy were able to
fulfil what they promise, and on which account they de
mand such unlimited power over the souls of the laity.
•See Appendix, No. XI.

OR THE PROSELYTES. jgg
The master gives his slaves real shelter, food and clothing,
because he is their master; but the priests only give direc
tions towards Paradise, which is not their own, but God's,
they promise forgiveness of sins, which does not depend
on them but on the mercy of God, that is, their blessings
are all prospective. They themselves possess them not,
and only expect them from the grace of the great mas
ter above. And how can you believe, that these men are
under the influence of the Holy Ghost, and filled with wis
dom and holiness, when you read the complaints of all ages
against the pride, cruelty, licentiousness and crimes of popes
and priests ? I do not deny that there have been very many
pious, venerable, and excellent bishops, priests and popes ;
but it is equally undeniable, that there have been many
others, who were wicked, licentious, ignorant, lewd and
despicable. There is then among them the same mixture
of wisdom and folly, virtue and vice, v;hich is observed
among the laity; consequently the priests can possess no
spirhual gifts above the laity, but are equally subject to error
and to sin.

CHAPTER XIV.
THE ROMISH AND^EV ANGELICAL WORMSIP— THE MASS.
The next morning after this conversation, Henry again
read over the paper which he had prepared in Frankfurt, for
the purpose of seeing what yet remained that he could
advance in justification of his conversion to the Romish
church. He found only two things, first, that the Catholic
worship was preferable to the Evangelical, and secondly,
that the Catholic church receives especial dignity from the
saints and martyrs, which^ belong to her. Difficulties oe^

164 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
curred to him on both these points, but still he determined'
to bring them forward, to hear the opinions of his friends,
that there might be a perfect understanding between them
on all the points involved in the controversy. Hence on
the next evening he introduced the subject of the Catholic
worship, to which he ascribed two principal advantages
over the Evangelical, first, that it is much richer in festivals,
and hence awakens and promotes more ardent devotion ;
and secondly, that it addresses- the senses more powerfully,
and by its splendor and ceremonies presents a more tangible
and effective view of invisible things,, and brings them
nearer to our feelings. But he soon had occasion to wish,
that he had been silent about the multitude of festivals in
the Catholic church, for his friends framed a strong argu'-
ment against the Romish church from that very circum
stance. The festivals have been multiplied to such an ex
tent, they said, that they seriously interfered with the business
of the citizens and retarded public industry, so that the
Catholic princes themselves were obliged to remedy this
abuse, and to prevent the introduction of new church festi
vals, except by their permission. The friends of Henry
also objected on the ground, that many festivals were
founded on things which must be regarded as indubitable-
historical or religious errors, for instance, the festival of the
immaculate conception of the virgin Mary, the commemo
ration of the chair of St. Peter, the Corpus Christi, of the
chains of St. Peter, the ascension of Mary, of All Saints,.
(those which are in purgatory,)- the numerous festivals of
saints and martyrs, many of which are founded on very
uncertain legends. They opposed him on the ground, that
in the Old Testament the law was in full force ; "six days
shalt thou labor and do all thy work," and that although now
the celebration of the seventh day was abrogated, and the
first day of the week was selected as the Lord's day, yet
that the prescription of six working days was still in
full force, and that hence it was opposing the design
of God, when men multiply holydays at such a rate, that

OR THE PROSELYTES. Ig5
finally they have become almost as numerous as the working
days. They consumed more time in discussing the second point,
which was, the superior advantages of the Catholic worship
on account of the deep impression it made on the senses-
of men. Henry laid much stress on the salutary influence
which the church solemnities in Rome exerted on so many
strangers, and which Schiller so eloquently pourtrays in the
character of Mortimer in his tragedy of "Mary Stuart." They
objected to this, that Rome afforded no criterion of the
effect of the Catholic woi-ship generally. "In a city said
the father, where the high priest is at the same time a
temporal king, and his person, when he publicly appears as
a priest, is at the same time surrounded with the tempo
ral majesty of the throne, where the subordinate priests are
at the same time officers of the kingdom, and the church
solemnities are performed in all the gorgeous magnificence
which the unlimited will and wealth of a monarch can be
stow upon them — in such a city, the worship will naturally
be distinguished by a brilliance which can be found no
where else. But the city of Rome with her sumptuous
St. Peter's church is not the Catholic world, and the king-
priest, the pope, and the sacerdotal court surrounding him
are not the Catholic church. We must consider the cere
monies in themselves, and not as they are performed at
Rome." "But altogether irrespective of Rome, replied Henry,
yet the customs and service of the Catholic church are of
that nature, that they make a much deeper impression than
the service of the evangelical church. The latter employ
only the understanding, but do not awaken religious sensi
bility; hence they are only suited to the inhabitants of the
cold north, who have no sensibility or taste, and not to the
sprightly French, Italians, Spanish, and the inhabitants of
the south generally. They require something entertaining,,
something addressed to the senses, wliich wUJ excite their
imagination and feeling."

166 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Father.- — I have often heard similar speeches, especiall'y
frpm enemies of the Evangelical church in France, and was
always not a little astonished, for one single example com
pletely prostrates this baseless idea, and that is derived from
the Mohamedan system. No religion in the world has such
meagre ceremonies as the Mohamedan. Their mosques
are destitute of all ornament, of all pictures, of every thing
that could gratify the senses or intoxicate the mind, and are
only decorated with passages from the Koran, their holy
writings. Their worship consists in fastings, ablutions and
prayers. They are perfectly satisfied with their frugal and
dry service, and are complete fanatics in their rehgion.
And yet they live in the warm, yea, hot latitudes of the
earth, in comparison with which, Italy, Spain, and France,
must be called cold countries. You find them throughout
all Asia Minor, in burning Arabia^ in India, in Persia, in
Egypt, in the interior of Africa, and in the torrid deserts.
That stupid prattle then, that the climate of France-,
Italy and Spain demands that we convert the worship of
God into a theatrical exhibition, and that pilgrimages, pro
cessions, masses and pictures of Saints and Madonnas are
essential, has always been exceedingly abhorrent to me, and
is only depreciating those noble nations, Tho people, it is
true, are every where the same, and they take delight in
that which plea-ses the eye and charms the ear. But
their imperfection is not our law, but we must elevate them
to more refined spiritual enjoyments. That this can be the
ease in southern countries, you see in the reformed chris
tians of France and Switzerland, whose church service is
much more simple than ours, but yet they are zealously
evangelical, and in France many of them have been un
shrinking martyrs of their faith, and steadfastly withstood
all temptations to apostacy. And was it necessary to es
tablish another mode of worship for the Hollanders and the
English in the colonies, which are situated beneath the
burning equator, in West India, in South Africa, East India,
and the Indian peninsula, because there a hot sun burns

•OR THE PROSELYTES. I57
Over their heads, and the cold fogs of their native land do
not surround them ? But even if it were true, as you say,
that the south cannot dispense with its theatrical worship,
and that the north only begets men insensible to feeling be
cause employed with the understanding alone, then it would
be an expression of the Creator himself, that Romanism
was not calculated for the north, and consequently you have
no right to condemn and calumniate us. It is nothing but
foolish, groundless prattle! If the inhabitant of the south
is already a creature of lively sensibility, then his inflamma
ble temperament should not in addition be flattered by re
ligion; he should not be entertained by religious shows,
and the extravagancies of his warm blood should not be
encouraged by endless ablutions and indulgences. By
these means he is only made worse, more volatile, and care
less, — he is by the climate already disposed to idleness, and
by your endless fasts you only nourish that disposition.
You should rather give him a church service which would
cool the blood, moderate his fire, and lead hira to reflec
tion, and not to fanaticism,
Henry. — Even if I grant that, dearest father, yet there
is still one advantage which we have, of which you are al
together destitute. The Catholic worship represents the
invisible things and mysteries of religion in splendid paint
ings and ceremonies which promote devotion in a great de
gree. Father, — Bernhard, I leave you to reply to that.
Bernhard, — Let ut see Henry, what you have more than
we. We have public preaching and much more frequently
than you ; the Lord's supper also, and we do not adminis
ter it half, as you do, but whole, as Jesus instituted it. We
have singing, prayer, and baptism. We also celebrate the
principal festivals of the church. We also have, as you,
churches, organs, clocks, choirs, the ordination of the
' clergy, and their solemn installation into office. What you
have besides, are processions, and pilgrimages, of which
it must be acknowledged, that they cherish devotion in a

Ig8 henry and antoni-o,
very small degree, yea, not at all; you have pictures of
Saints, holy water, incense, the baptism of bells;— mere tri
fles, which are unworthy of notice. The principal thing is
the mass, and that alone.
Henry. — You are right! itis the mass, which consti
tutes the grand distinction ; that is the principal part of the
Catholic worship, which exceeds every thing in importance,
even the sermon.
Bernhard. — If we attend to the writers of your church,
the mass is the most exalted service that can possibly exist,
and awakens devotion more ardently than any thing else
imaginable. But let us hear what your mass is, I mean that
which the priest alone celebrates, and not the Lord's sup
per, which we also have. The mass, says the Council of
Trent in the 22d session, is an unbloody sacrifice, in which
the priest ofters to God the same Christ who hung upon the
cross, as an atoneraent for sins and transgressions, even if
they be enormous ; (etiam ingentia;) a sacrifice, which the
priest offers not only for the sins of the living, and in the
place of punishraents and penances, and for other necessities,
but also for the departed, but yet not wholly purified chris
tians in purgatory. The council not only authorizes public
masses, at which the congregation is present, but also au
thorizes, yea, comraands private masses, which the priest
may hold in a retired chapel, and enjoins that the mass
shall be celebrated in the Latin language. Is it not so?
Henry.— Even so.
Bernhard. — The principal idea, then, which lies at the
bottom of the whole affair is this, that the priest, in per
forming the service of the mass, offers the body of Christ,
as a sacrifice fo God anew. The fact that the sacrifice of
the mass is the principal feature in the Catholic worship,
should afford you a complete development of the whole
character of the Romish church, of her service and of her
fundamental difference from the Evangelical church. The '
character of the Romish church is priestly. From the fourth
century onward, the christian bishops were regarded as

OR THE PROSELYTES. I59
counterparts of the Old Testament priesthood ; they were
believed to correspond in all respects ; they were no
longer considered what the apostles had been, and what
it was the wish of the apostles they should be, namely,
teachers, examples and overseers of the church, but as me
diators between God and men, who sacrifice to God for
men, and who thus procure for them grace and pardon
from God, So soon as this view became prevalent, so soon
was there attributed to all the services of the bishops and
other clergy, a priestly, that is, a propitiatory influence with
God, which was productive of grace. Their services in
baptism, confirmation, the solemnization of matrimony,
and the like, produced, as christians believed, that effect
on the supernatural world. And this is the principal
distinction between the Evangelical and Catholic worship,
that we do not ascribe to our worship any supernatural ef
fect on God, but only a moral effect on men, and we arrange
and conduct it accordingly. Our worship is intended to
enlighten the understanding, to incline the will to the
practice of christian virtue, and to purify and sanctify the
feelings. Hence the preaching of the divine word, in con
nection with singing and prayer, is with us the principal
matter. The Catholic worship, as a sarcerdotal one, is intend
ed to operate on the invisible world, on God, and to move
him to absolve you from punishment, and to exercise grace
towards you. Hence preaching is with you a subordinate
service ; at every time of worship there is required a sacri
fice, and this is performed in the priest's celebrating the
Lord's Supper for himself, and thus a continual sacrifice is
offered to God.
Henry, — But is there not something consoling in this
continual sacrifice, that amid our daily infirmities, the grace
which we so much need is daily operating ?
Bernhard, — This sacrifice of the mass which is always
to be had for money, may certainly be very consoling to
him, who desires constantly to sin. He will not be apt fo
let his sins become very old. They will always be young
15

170 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
and blooming. For as the church father Arnobrius, (Adv.
Gentes, XII. p. 128,) correctly says, "The multitude
of sins will only be increased, if the hope of absolution is
held out, and men will willingly submit to penances, when
the grace of the pardoning power can be purchased." But
this consolation of the mass is not only dangerous to mo
rality, but it is entirely without foundation. What idea
must men entertain of God and of his grace, if they can be
lieve, that so often as the priest sacrifices, God is compel
led to be gracious to the sinner, and to change his mind re
specting him ? For such a compulsion is inseparable from
the idea of the sacrifice and its effect on God, because, if
God were voluntarily gracious, there would be no necessi
ty of the sacrifice of the mass by the priest. But besides,
this whole view of the mass has not the least foundation in
the scriptures. I challenge you to show me a single pas
sage in the New Testament, in which the Lord's Supper
even in the general, is represented as a sacrifice offered to
God. For I will not even ask you for the proof that apriesl
is to offer it. You will not attempt to prove that. In the
whole New Testament, although reconciliation through the
death of Christ is often spoken of, you will not find one pas
sage, in which it is even remotely intimated, that the sa
crifice offered by Christ of himself, was or is to be repeated
among christians. On the other hand, the whole epistle to
the Hebrews expressly contradicts that sentiment, for it is
the object of that epistle to show, that by the sacrifice of
Christ, which he once offered, a?Z sacrifices among christians
are rendered unnecessary. To quote only a few passages
from that epistle, will be sufficient.
Heb. vii. 27. Chrirt needeth not daily as those high
priests (of the Old Testament) to offer np sacrifice, first
for his own sins, and then for the people's, for this he did
once, when he offered up himself. Ch. ix. 12. The high
priest Christ "by his own blood, entered in once into the ho
ly place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Ch,
ix. 25 — 28. "Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as

OR THE PROSELYTES. J7I
the high priest entered into the holy place every year with
blood of others ; for then must he often have suffered
since the foundation of the world ; but now once, in the
end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself, And as it is appointed unto men once
to die, but after this the judgment ; so Christ was once of
fered to bear the sins of many." Ch. x. 10. "By the which
will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. (Verse 14.) For by one offering,
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, (Verse IB.)
Now where remission of these (sins) is, there is no more
offering for sin,"
Can any thing be plainer than these passages? Is not the
repetition of the sacrifice of Christ in every form, here de
clared untenable and perfectly superfluous ? And where in
the first epistle to the Corinthians, which treats so exten
sively of the Lord's Supper, does the apostle Paul express
the opinion even remotely, that the sacrament is a se
cond sacrifice, that the priest shall partake of it for himself
only, and that thereby the priest sacrifices Christ anew ?
Henry. — I acknowledge that a second sacrifice is no
where spoken of in the New Testament.
Bernhard, — Say rather, that the second sacrifice is dis
tinctly represented as unnecessary. From all this, then,
it is evident that the fundamental doctrine of your church
respecting the mass is an error, unfounded in the scriptures,
and consequently every thing that your church teaches of
the efficacy of the mass, particulariy the private and soul
masses, is fundamentally erroneous. But this is not the
only thing erroneous, that lies at the foundation of your
mass. The second error equally great, upon which the
whole rests, is this, that bread and wine are changed by the
consecration of the priest into the body and blood of the
God-man, with which at the same time, (as the Council of
Trent, session 13th says,) the soul and divinity of Christ are
nresent, (verurn domini nostri corpus, verumque ejus san-
j[uinem cum ipsius auima et divinitate existere.) But this

172 henry and ANTONIO,
change is not supported by a single word of the scriptures.
And the whole matter is in itself a palpable contradiction.
Henry. — -I know what you are after. You think, we
teach that the bread in the Lord-'s Supper is bread, and not
bread at the same time; that would certainly be contra
dictory. But the church teaches, that the substance of the
bread is changed- into the body of Christ, but that the form
and the external appearance of the bread and wine remain
unchanged. Bernhard, — I did' not believe, that you — pardon me !
would betake yourself to such a groundless subterfuge.
Tell me, what is the difference between the substantial and-
the accidental in the bread ? If the bread still smells like
bread, tastes, nourishes, and is, and has every thing like
real- bread, what is then that substance, that can fall away
and be displaced by the body of Christ ?
H«nry continued silent, una'ole to reply,
Bernhard. — How can you suffer yourself to be deceived-
by such miserable subtleties ? This whole doctrine of
transubstantiation, as history tells us, first originated iu the-
ninth century only from PaschasiMS Radberlus ; it was at
that time violently assailed by the most distinguished di
vines, such as MauTus, John Erigena and Ratramnus, and
was only first ratified in 106-3, at a council held at Rouen.
The belief that the host is the body of God, and is offered-
to God as a renewed sacrifice is founded on that doctrine.
I will not even mention the contradiction that arises from
the fact, that the priest himself consumes the host, and
hence appears to ofl'er the sacrifice not to God, but to him
self, which militates against all the customs of the Old
Testament, in which that which was to be offered to God,.
was either sprinkled' towards the altar or burned, but never
consumed by the priest, although the priest received a por
tion of the offering. With this there are connected many
other errors, for instance, that of purgatory in masses for
souls; of other masses, you believe that they can serve alh
the various wants of life, and hence, you can have a mass.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 173
read for good weather, for a safe journey, for the thriving of
cattle, and for other things, to which surely the exalted sa
crifice of Christ, never had any reference. If then the fun
damental ideas of the mass are errors, it is very clear, that
it cannot eiccite a salutary devotion, unless the believer be
comes an unbeliever, and entertains very different opinions
of the mass, and by his own devotion attributes to it a dif
ferent efficacy. But all ceremonies which exhibit an error,
and which men conscious of that error, must interpret to
themselves in a sense totally different from that designed,
in order to excite devotion, are false, useless, and supersti
tious, and dare not find a place in the worship of christians.
For a ceremony is the picture of a thought held up to the
senses, and must hence be conformed and suited fo that
thought, just as a garment to the body. It only receives
dignity from the thought of the truth on which itis founded,
and thus impresses the mind ; independent of that it i»
empty and injurious.
Henry. — I feel the truth of what you say, I myself have
often at the mass thought of something else for my edifica-
cation. I regarded it as a representation of the omnipre-
Bence of God.
Bernhard. — The sensation of the greatness and glory
of God will be more powerful in your soul, if you contem
plate the starry heavens with the worlds revolving in eternal
silence, than a vaulted church with the priest at the altar. 
And did you not miss our admirable hymns in the Romish
church ?
Henry. — Indeed I cannot deny, that the Evangelical
church singing, in the matter and form of the hymns, exceeds
every thing that we have in that part of our service, and
that it is peculiarly calculated to excite devotion. I will ac
knowledge to you, that that old hymn, "Commit thy ways,
to God," &c. and that beautiful one of Gelkrt, "My days on
earth are ending," still afforded me the most heartfelt edifi.-
eation even in Rome.
15*

174 HENRY AND ANT'ONTC,
Bernhard. — Neither dare you forget the influence of our
preaching. We have indeed an infinite advantage over
you, that instead of the mass we have made preaching the
principal part of the service. And thus pulpit eloquence
with us is elevated to a height, which has produced the
most excellent results in the extension of knowledge and
religion. Our preachers have become models fo Catholic
Germany, and one single sermon of Reinhard, Draeseke-
and a hundred others, affords more solid religious nourish
ment than the most solemn mass with its eternal saraenessr
Tell me, what kind of sermons did you hear in Italy, which
edified and made you a better man ?
Henry. — Here I must grant you every thing, my dear
friends; for it is too true, that the sermons which I heard in
Italy were not only not edifying to my ear, accustomed to
better sermons, but were often in the highest degree offen
sive. In Catholic Germany it is different; but I myself be
lieve that it is owing to the proximity and influence of the
Evangelical preachers, that the Catholic preachers ate bet
ter here than in Italy.

CHAPTER XV.
ANTONIO AND PURGATORY.
"Sir, — said Antonio the next morning with a lively coun
tenance to Henry, — I have got rid of a great fear, which
has hitherto often tormented me, and I feel as if I was born
anew, free as a bird in the air.
Henry. — (Smiling,) It is no doubt something again that
you have found in your New Testament, that puts you into
such high spirits.

OR THE PROSELYTES, 175
Antonio. — And is there any thing wrong in that, dear
sir? Is not this book given to us that we should search it?
O I bless the hour it came into my hands ! It has made day
out of the night which surrounded me, and instead of the
chains which fettered me to the earth and the mercy of the
priests, it has given me wings which raise me to God, who
is also my father, to whom I am not, as to the priest a mean
servant ; He permits me to experience his grace, and no
man is able to separate me from him.
Henry. — Well, what is it that you have found?
Antonio. — That there is no purgatory in which my soul
is once to be tormented!
Henry. — What is your idea of purgatory ? surely a gross
and vulgar one, as though it were a kitchen fire in which
the soul will experience all the pains, which you feel when
you burn yourself. But many good Catholics have a more
refined idea of if. Their opiuion of it is, that the soul will
be purified of all the dross of sin, and they leave it undeter
mined, how it is to occur. For the holy council of Trent has
certainly established the doctrine of purgatory, but did not
determine what representation men should make of it to
themselves. Antonio. — That is a mere subterfuge, dear sir. The
holy council could have had no other conception of it, than
that which has been general among men until now ; their
idea was, that it was real fire, and hence the council says,
that souls will be "tortured" by it. Your so called refined
idea is nothing but a subterfuge, by which men seek fo
avoid the offensiveness of a doctrine, the falsehood of which
is too evident. If the condition is one of torture, and if
men for mercy's sake are bound to have a multitude of soul
masses read, to deliver the soul from this torment, we must
believe that, it is real fire, or some, other condition of in
describable agony.
Henry. — You are right; the church believes that it is
such a state of agony.

J76 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Antonio. — But is not the expectation of a purgatory, in
which pious souls are to be tormented after death some
thing frightful, that will not only embitter the dying hour
of a good christian, but fill hira with alarm during his
whole life? And what a terrible thought, when a friend of
ours, a husband or wife, a father or mother dies, that we
must believe notwithstanding all their piety, that they are
in awful torment, the very idea of which fills us with
horror! Henry. — But Antonio, you certainly know that the
church has the means of delivering souls out of purgatory,
namely, the masses for souls.
Antonio. — Certainly I After the church has first made
us fear and tremble, then she offers us help. If really ap
pears as if men were frightened for the express purpose of
consoling them, and as if purgatory were invented for the
masses, and not the masses for purgatory ! And how can
Buch a poor fellow as I am be benefitted by these masses,
for they cost money? The church does not make it an
easy matter to get out of purgatory ; for one mass is not suf
ficient; for the rich, who can pay for many masses, many
are read, and for princes they are read by thousands. If on«
mass were sufficient to get a soul out of purgatory, it would
be sinful extravagance to suffer the body of God to be sacri
ficed by the priest a hundred, yea, a thousand times, for a
thing already accomplished by the first mass. If then many
masses are used, I do not exactly know how many, in order
to escape the tortures of purgatory; then you see plainly,
that the consolation of the church is consolation only for
the rich and exalted, who can pay for many masses, but
not for the poor, who must serve out their time in purgato
ry, "The gospel is preached to the poor," says the Sa
viour, when he (Matt, ix, 5,) replied to the messengers of
John the Baptist, But purgatory is no gospel or good
news, — for the poor it is tidings of horror. But the whole
New Testament contains not a single word about purga-
Sory.

OR THE PROSELYTES. I77
Henry. — You do not perhaps know, Antonio, that the
passage I Cor. iii. 13, 15, is generally quoted in its favor,
Antonio. — I know that very well ; but only read for your
self the passage, ver. 9 — 19 in connection, and the purga
tory of souls will immediately be extinguished. Paul warns
the Corinthians against creating parties, and following one
distinguished teacher rather than another. All the teachers
he says, by their teaching helped to build the temple of
God, that is, the christian community; but what their ma
terials were, whether stone, or wood, or hay, the fire of
trouble and persecution wouJd prove and decide. Then the
building constructed of wood and straw will be destroyed
by fire, and the master builder, that is the teacher himself,
if he is saved, it will only be by fire, that is, certainly not
without great damage to himself. The words do not refer
to souls after death, but to the church on earth in times of
persecution. The fire represents severe trials, but is by no
means intended as real fire; for the building is also figura
tively spoken of the christian community, and stone, wood,
and hay, which are to endure the fire, are figuratively spo
ken of good and bad doctrines, of truth and error. It
would be foolish, if in this whole simile you were to inter
pret the expression fire, literally, but the others, temple^
stone, wood, hay, figuratively.
Henry. — Certainly that passage proves nothing, and I
myself never used it as such; but you have found nothing,
I suppose, that directly disproves the existence of purga
tory. Antonio. — Most certainly have I found enough, and it
is just that which to my joy has delivered me from such
great fear. It is already enough for me, that Jesus and the
apostles, who so often and extensively spoke of a future
state, said not a word about a purgatory; for they could not
have been silent about it altogether. But they speak in a
manlier, which shows that there can be no purgatory for
pious souls. Of poor Lazarus, Jesus says, (Luke xvi, 22,)
"And it came f o pass, that the beggar died and was carried

178 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
by angels into Abraham's bosom ;" therefore not into purga
tory. To the thief on the cross he cried out (Luke xxiii. 4-3.)
"To day shalt thou be with me in paradise," and this man was
a robber, whose soul certainly was less purified than that of a
pious man. On this I trust, and hence I have abandoned all
faith in purgatory and am free from all fear. What could I
think of the mercy of God? Can I praise the mercy of a
father, who still suffers me to be tormented by a horrible
fire and as it were burnt out, although his son sacrificed his
life for me that he might forgive me, and the priest has un
ceasingly repeated this sacrifice in the mass for me, although
I tried my utmost to fulfil his commandments! And, sir,
how can you conceive at all of the whole affair, without
making the soul something corporeal? The whole idea is
certainly taken from metals, which are melted and purified
by fire. The soul surely cannot be any thing as coarse as
a piece of metal, which is burnt out in the fire!!
Henry. — Such a vulgar idea of it cannot certainly be
entertained, although that is the idea of the church,
Antonio, — I believe that it cannot at all he understood, —
that men can have no conception of it, I come to this con
clusion from the manner in which I was purified of the dross
of sin, which I brought with me from Italy by this blessed
book, (holding up the New Testament.) There was no fire
and no torture, although there was sorrow. I was brought
to see the truth; I learned to love it; I resolved to prac
tice it; I do practice it to the best of my ability; this is the
history of my purification, and no man can be purified in
any other way. Sorrow purifies him, as it did the prodigal
son, whose father did not first let him go through a purga
tory before he received him, but immediately prepared for
him a feast of joy. Of this sorrow Paul says, (2 Cor. vii.
10.) "For godly sorrow worketh repentance fo salvation
not to be repented of;" "to salvation," observe, not to
purgatory. "He that is dead (says the same apostle, Rom.
vi. 7.) is freed from sin."

OR THE PROSELYTES, I79
Henry. — 0 Antonio, your soul is full of light! You are
a happy man,
Antonio. — That I feel, and thank God. But 1 owe it al
together to the gospel, to which alone I will hereafter cling,
I have experienced to my salvation the fulfilment of what
the Saviour says, "Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall
be opened unto you,"
Henry, — In God's name cleave to it, Antonio, I at least
will not lead you in any other way than that in which you
yourself walk, conducted by the gospel.
Antonio, — That would also be in vain! — how blind I
was that I wondered so much, when we first entered the
evangelical countries, that presumed heretics weie also pros
perous, and that they were industrious, honest, and moral,
I see plainly that the gospel daily exerts on them the same
influence that it has on me; it makes them better and more
contented men, and with such a people our heavenly father
will be pleased.

CHAPTER XVI,
THE SAINTS AND MARTYRS.
Henry did not end this conversation with his servant
without some feeling of shame, Antonio, by the simple
guidance of the gospel, had delivered himself from gross
errors which his education had engrafted on him. This
fact filled Henry with shame, inasmuch as he had suffered
himself to be seduced from the evangelical truth into these
gross errors. He became more and more sensible of the
precipitancy with which he had acted; his regret became
more painful, and he would have given much, if he could
have-recalled all that he had said and done. The thought
of returning to the Evaneelical church, occurred tb hiih

180 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
frequently. But the sensation of shame always suppressed it,
inasmuch as such a step would appear fo exhibit him to the
world as changeable and fickle, or as a weak headed youth
who easily suffered himself fo be outwitted. The custom
ary expedient of quieting his mind in this painful state of
uncertainty, was the consolation that as a Catholic, he
might be a good christian, and yet think of the doc
trines as he pleased. The next evening he for the first time
communicated to his friends the change which the reading
of the scriptures had occasioned in Antonio's mind. The
family had been not altogether ignorant of the fact, but still
did not believe that Antonio had proceeded so far. Henry
confessed, that he could not withstand in the least degree
Antonio's scripture proofs, and that this morning he had so
clearly demonstrated the non-existence of a purgatory, that
he himself no longer believed it.
Bernhard, — I only wonder, dear Henry, that you ever
have believed it, as it so evidently is a remnant of paganism.
The whole idea originated from the system of Zoroaster,
who lived before Christ in Media, He was a worshipper
of fire, and taught, as his works still extant show, that at
the end of time the whole world must go through a stream
of fire, by which if will be purified and glorified in light.
From him also the platonic philosophers among the Greeks
took the idea of a purification after death. From these
sources the opinion was also received by several church
fathers, as Origen and Augustin. But both seem to have
regarded it rather as a figure of moral reformation. It was
by no means a doctrine of faith at that time. It became
such only through the Roman bishop Gregory, in the sixth
century, and then was gradually extended through the
church. But the fear of purgatory, from which the priest
alone could redeem, was too useful to the priesthood, and
the masses for the dead founded upon it, were too profitable
to them, that they should permit this opinion to be abolish
ed, when it was once prevalent. The council of Trent
established it as an eternal article of faith in the Romish

OR THE PROSELYTES, J81
church, and thus stamped as a christian doctrine, a thing
that in its origin was as foreign to Christianity, as the invo
cation and worship of angels, saints and martyrs,
Henry. — What? You declare this invocation and wor
ship to be foreign to Christianity? I see an advantage of
the Catholic church in that very thing, that she has so large
a number of saints and martyrs who are her ornament and
glory, of which the Evangelical church is wholly destitute.
These heroes of faith and humility bear strong testimony
to the truth of Catholic Christianity, and their example is a
powerful stimulus to the faithful.
Father, — As far as I am acquainted with the legends of
your pretended saints, we have no reason to envy you that
advantage. But even granting, that the saints of your
church were real saints, yet your glory on their account
amounts to nothing. For as your church was first founded
only in the 11th century, the apostles, saints and martyrs of the
first thousand years, are not yours exclusively, but are com
mon to the whole church, and hence belong also to us. But
to worship them and the angels, fo consecrate churches, al
tars and festivals to them, to pray to them, to depend upon
their intercession with God, all this on the best grounds we
regard as wrong. What do your confessions teach on this
subject ?
Henry. — The council of Trent in the 25th session says:
"The bishops shall teach, that the saints intercede with God
for men ; that it is good and useful humbly to invoke them,
and to take our refuge in their intercessions, merits and as
sistance for the attainment of blessings from God through
his Son Jesus Christ, who is our only Redeemer."
The Romish catechism in the third part says ; "The an
gels are also to be invoked, partly, because they continually
see the face of God, and partly, because they willingly un
dertake the defence of our salvation. There is evidence
in the holy scriptures of this invocation. Jacob (Gen. xxxii,
26,) prayed to the angel who wrestled with hira, that he
would bless him.'' The same catechism in the fourth part,
16

182 HENRY AND ANTONiO,
says, "The holy church with great propriety directs her
thankful prayers and invocations to the most holy mother
of God, that she may by her intercessions reconcile us sin
ners to God, and obtain for us temporal and eternal bless
ings." Hence the Catholic church renders to these interces
sors a sort of worship, and permits them to be chosen as
protectors of individual men, churches, provinces and coun
tries, and teaches, that men can receive from them protection
against every kind of misfortune and the attainment of every
kind of blessing.
Mother. — I am indeed an unlearned woman, but I think
that I could refute the whole episcopal assembly at Trent
from the scriptures. For the doctrines of your bishops are
so directly at variance with the scriptures, that it is wonder
ful, how these shepherds of your church could speak so de
cidedly against all scripture. They say, that we must invoke
the saints and Mary, but the Lord says, (Ps. I. 15.) "call
upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou
shalt glorify me." In Ps. cxlv. IS, it is said: The Lord
is nigh unto all them that call upon him. (ver. 19.) He will
fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he will also hear their
cry, and will save them." Hence it is not necessary that
it be first introduced to his notice, and recommended to
him by Mary and the saints. Jesus also teaches us to pray
to God without such mediators, when (Matt. vi. 9.) he says :
"After this manner therefore pray ye ; Our Father who
art IN heaven."
Henry. — But, dear mother, is not intercession for others
a general duty ? And shall not the saints in heaven, also
perform this duty ?
Mother. — Intercession for others is undoubtedly a duty
of love according to 1 Tim. ii. I, Luke vi. 28, James v. 15.
but all the passages of scripture treat only of the intercession
of the living for the living, and not of the dead for the liv
ing. But this intercession is no where represented as
something necessary in order to obtain help from God. The
New Testament recognizes only one mediator for us, not

OR THE PROSELYTES. 183
Mary, not the saints, but Jesus Christ. In Rom. viii. 34,
it is said, Christ is at the right hand of God, who also ma
keth intercession for us. And in 1 John ii. 2, "if any man
sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous." This is also said in Heb. iv. 15, 16, and vii. 24,
25. We do not then need the intercession of saints and
angels. "Ask," it is said, "and it shall be given unto you."
But it is still less allowable for the christian to worship the
angels and saints in any manner. In Isaiah xiii. 8, it is
said "I am the Lord; that is ray name; and my glory will
I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."
Jesus commands. Matt. iv. 10, "Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve." And in Rev,
xviv. 10, xxii. 8, 9, we read, that John was about falling
down before the angel to worship him, but he declined the
honor with these words: "see thou do it not, I am thy fel
low servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of
Jesus; worship God." Neither did the apostle Peter accept
of this honor, and said fo Cornelius, as he fell at the apos
tle's feet, (Acts x. 25.) "stand up, I myself am also a man."
Fou find not a single example of intercession of the dead
for the living, or of angels for us in the New Testament.
That example of the angel by whom Jacob desired to be
blest, which is quoted by the council, is not at all applicable
to this case. Thus Esau and Jacob were blessed by Isaac
and Ephraim, and Manassah by Jacob. (Gen. xxvii. xlviii.)
Can any one on that account say, that they worshipped
Isaac or Jacob? — You see then that the scriptures direct us
to pray immediaiely to God, and not fo angels or fo saints,
and they are still farther from allowing them divine hon
ors. Henry. — But you are wrong, mother, if you believe that
the Catholic church approves of the adoration af angels
and saints; that is only paid fo God ; she only allows a
religious veneration of them by invoking them for their in
tercession and assistance.

184 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Mother. — That distinction is nothing more than a mere
play on words. It is written in the scriptures "call on me
in the day of trouble," but not on an angel. To call on the
name of God, or to call on God, is in many places in the
scripture equivalent to worshipping God, or praying to him,
and if there were yet a difference between praying fo God,
and worship or invocation, if would certainly be unintelligi
ble to the people, and that would reaUy seduce them into a
sort of idolatry.
Father, — That is also the offensive feature of the sub
ject to me, that the abuse of regarding the saints and angels
as subordinate Gods, can scarcely be avoided. For he who
seriously believes that IVIary and the saints heard his prayers,
must make out of them a sort of omnipresent and omnis
cient beings. Gregory, for example, is at the same time
invoked in Naples, Rome, Piedmont, Sicily, Austria, Bava
ria, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Chili, Peru, Brazil,
St, Domingo and other places. Either he must be, like
God, present at all these places, to hear these invocations,
or he must like God, be omniscient, to know all these
prayers, sighs and silent vows, or he can ascertain nothing
of all these, and of course, render no assistance. Particu
larly is this worthy of observation with respect to Mary,
who is worshipped and invoked most generally. It is cal
culated that there are 125,000,000 of Catholics in the
world and 40,000,000 of Gj-eek christians, of whom the
majority daily pray "Hail, Mary." They live dispersed
over the whole earth. But the blessed spirit of Mary is to
hear and present all their prayers to God. Is it not evident,
that men must presuppose that Mary is a sort of goddess,
hearing all, omniscient, and omnipresent?
Henry. — Really I never represented the matter to my
self in that light, and see plainly, that it militates against
all OUT conceptions of a human soul. But it is still a con
soling thought, to believe, that the saints pray to God for
us. God is such an exalted being, that we feel ourselves
separated from him as it vi'ere by a great gulf, which Mary
and the saints fill up»

OR THE PROSELYTES. 185
Mother. — That cannot be your sincere opinion, if so,
you must not know God at all. The Psalmist says of him,
"thou understandest my thoughts afar off; lo, there is not a
word on my tongue, but thou knowest it altogether.^' Read
the whole of the l-39th Psalm, and learn from that, how
foolish it is to seek for an interpreter of our desires to the
omnipresent God, who knows our inmost thoughts before
they are distinct to ourselves, and to ask for a sainted interces
sor with him, who is our gracious and merciful father. Your
worship of the saints tends fo alienate the hearts of christians
from God; he becomes strange to them; they accustom
themselves to think only of men ; God appears to them in
the unworthy aspect of an eastern king, whom no man can
approach, excepting through flattering intercessors and
courtiers. Where is that love, that filial confidence which
the christian has iu God as his father? The Romanist
prays more frequently to Mary and the saints than to God.
But since you also pray to God I wish fo know, why you do
not always pray to God, but most frequently to the saints?
If you believe that he accepts prayer generally, and if con
sistent with his wisdom, hears it, then you must alsO be
lieve, that he always hears, and feels disposed to answer it.
Consequently the intercession of saints is very superfluous,
and in truth an insult to God, as though he were first to be
reminded of his mercy, and rendered gracious through men,
Henry, — You may not be wrong in that, dear mother,
but yet it is not to be denied, that the martyrs and saints de
serve to be venerated and praised by us.
Father. — Yes, — but only as all other pious christians
generally, not as mediators between God and men. For we
have only one mediator, and that is Christ, We may honor
the heroes of virtue, and the martyrs of the faith. We may
cherish their memory and celebrate their courage ; but pray
to them we dare not.
Henry. — But the religious veneration of martyrs and of
saints is so ancient in the churchj that it can be traced back
to the first century.
16*

186 HENRYAND ANTONIO,
Father. — All that Would follow from that is, that the er
ror was ancient ; but certainly an error, for it militates
against the scriptures most decisively.
Bernhard, — And besides that, an error, which is indebt--
ed for its origin to an opinion, which was to be exploded by
Christianity, The ancient world before Christ, even the
Jews believed, that the souls of all men after death went to
a subterranean world, that is, a place of abode under the
earth, an opinion, which the first church fathers also yet en
tertained, and which you will find extensively set forth by
Tertullian, if you read the 55th and 58th chapters of his
book "On the Soul." To explode this idea was the design
of Christianity, and hence, it every where promises true be
lievers freedom from death, or from this subterranean abode,
and eternal life in heaven or with God. But the thought,
that souls after death leave the earth entirely and go fo
heaven to God, appeared very singular and difficult fo the
ancient world, so that for a long time they adhered pertina
ciously to the old idea of the subterranean world, and re
garded immediate ascension to heaven as something ex
traordinary, — as a very distinguished reward. This they
ascribed, as is seen from the oldest fathers, exclusively to
the martyrs. They believed, that the reception of the mar
tyrs into heaven was like that of Christ, because they like
Christ, suffered death. Of many passages of the old fathers
which I could quote, I will only select the words of Tertul
lian, ("Of the resurrection," ch. 43,) who says ; "No one
who has departed from the body in death (without going
into the subterranean world,) can immediately abide with
the Lord, unless he suffered martyrdom, in which case
he at once goes to paradise and not into the lower
worlds." You can now easily see, how men could
come to regard the martyrs as intercessors, namely, because
they and they alone, besides the angels, were considered
as inhabitants of heaven, who surrounded the throne of
God, and consequently (for so humanly did they conceive
of this matter,) had the opportunity of praying to God for

OR THE PROSELYTES. 287
the living. The ancient church then had still some ground
in a prevailing, though erroneous and anti-christian idea,
for regarding the martyrs as intercessors with God ; but there
was no ground for extending this at a later day to the so
called saints, than at most the desire of substituting in the
imagination of the converted heathen, in the place of their
gods of which they were deprived, something else, which
did not appear fo militate against the unity of God.
The saints and martyrs were substituted in the place of
those demi-gods, or those men, whom the Greeks and Ro
mans regarded as demi-gods, because they were considered
not fo be in the lower world, but in heaven.
Henry, — If that be the case with respect to the interces
sion of saints, it is certainly founded on an erroneous
opinion. But, dear Bernhard, why do you call the saints,
so called or pretended saints? Do you not believe that their
virtues are genuine and worthy of imitation ?
Bernhard, — As the evening is far advanced, let us post
pone that to another time.
Father. — That is also my desire ; for Henry, we have
hitherto heard your accusations against our church, and
your representation of the advantages which you ascribe to
the Romish church. We have defended ourselves against
the former, and the latter we have examined by the light of
scripture and history. If you have joined the Romish com
munion from full conviction, you must also consider our
arguments against your church, that you may know how
to answer us. It will not be much, for in our defence thus
far, many principal points have been discussed and decided.

188 HENRY AND ANTONIO,

CHAPTER XVII,
THE MORALITY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH— CHRISTIAN PERFECTION-
INDULGENCE AND GOOD WORKS,
Henry had nothing to object to this request of his father.
It was reasonable. They had heard him ; he must now
also listen to them, for he h-^d nothing more that appeared
worthy of bringing forward in his justification. With gieat
reluctance he was obliged to acknowledge to himself, that
every thing, by which he hoped triumphantly to justify him
self, had vanished into air. True, none of his relations had
yet uttered an expression which alluded even to the abso
lute necessity of his return to the Evangelical church; but
he certainly expected such a requisition from the resolute
character of his father, and thought with trerabling of that
agreement which he had entered into with him at their first
conversation, respecting the duty of abandoning an erring
church. To receive more light on several points, which
Bernhard had refuted from the nature and character of the
first church, he took up the writings of the apostolic fathers,
Justin and Tertullian, and read them with diligence. But
they set before him a picture of the ancient church, which was
less and less like the present Romish church. These wri
tings, far from affording him any weapons for the defence
of his church, on the other hand only sharpened more and
more the weapons of his opponents. The state of mind
which this occasioned was intolerable. He felt that he
must soon come to a decision, and at the same time, that
nothing but a return to the truth so precipitately abandon
ed, could again restore peace and harmony in his soul. So
soon as he had once acknowledged this conviction, he be
came more contented, and hence in the evening he went
considerably composed, to hear what his dear friends would
advance in opposition to the church of Rome.

OR THE PROSELYTES. Jgg
"The principal thing which I object to in your church,
said the father, is this, that she has corrupted the science of
morals, and has attached to a false virtue, which deserves
not the name, the character of special holiness. The ma
jority of the saints of the middle and latter ages, received
the honor of saints from this false virtue,"
Henry, — That is no doubt also your view of the subject,
Bernhard, and hence you yesterday said, "the pretended"
saints. Tell me your reasons.
Bernhard. — On that subject I must necessarily be some
what lengthy, and I pray you to grant me your attention a
little longer than usual. Before the time of Christ, there
was an opinion prevalent in the east, that the body was the
prison of the soul, and that matter was the origin of evil.
This view of the body was not unknown to the philosophy
of Plato and Pythagoras, and was also entertained by the
hellenistic Jews, as the example of Philo of Alexandria
shows; yea, it pervaded all that part of the world where
Christianity first flourished, and hence was adopted by the
first christian teachers. But unfortunately it perverted mo
rality. It was believed, for instance, that the soul could
only approximate perfection, or be made an acceptable instru
ment of the spirit of God, and rendered worthy of union
with God, partly, by abstaining from every thing that would
be agreeable to the body, and that would excite the natural
desires, or gratify the senses, and partly by employing all se
vere measures to weaken and blunt the natural appetites,
to mortify the body, and thus afford the soul a greater liber
ty in spiritual meditations. Even before the time of Christ,
such abstinence or mortification of the flesh as it was called,
was not uncommon. The moral zeal of the first christians
led them to adopt this, and they soon carried it much far
ther. The natural appetites, which occasioned carnal en
joyments in satisfying them, were now regarded as sinful,
and abstinence from this satisfaction of them, as meritori
ous ; the enjoyment of delicate food, matrimony, in fine
every sort of luxury, indulgence, or mere carnal gratifica-

190 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
tion was considered incompatible with christian perfection ;
on the other hand, fasting, the most simple food and drink,
severe abstinence from all public amusements and enjoy
ments, voluntary poverty, celibacy, the voluntary perform
ance of humiliating services, were regarded as particularly
merilorious, and especially holy. Hence a second marriage
was reprobated as an evidence of great incontinence ; the
priests, if they made any pretensions to sanctity, lived with
their wives as brother aud sister, and many laymen did the
same.* From this was evolved very gradually the doctrine
of the Romish church respecting christian perfection, or a
piety which does raore than the moral law enjoins, and
which God does not precisely demand, because it is not
possible to all men, but which the apostles have still recom
mended as particularly acceptable to God. This constitutes
the "evangelical counsels" of the Romish church, and the
actions flowing from them, the pretended "good works" of
that church. This perfection, according to your church,
consists in celibacy, voluntary poverty, alms giving, fasting,
prayer, blind obedience to priestly superiors, retirement
from the world and its business and enjoyments, or monastic
life, and every sort of voluntary severe treatment of the
body. Those who distinguished themselves in this kind of
abstinence and self-mortification received j3W excellence the
name of sainls.\ But this pretended virtue was carried fo
tfie greatest extent at the time when the innumerable men
dicant monks arose, who made a peculiar merit of idle
ness, of supporting themselves by alms, and of living
and wandering about in the most disgusting filthiness.
Henry. — But will you condemn such voluntary absti
nence, which was often founded on deep leligious feeling?
•See Mosheim. Cent. III. Part II. ch. II. sec. 6.— (Tr.
fClemens of Alexandria sajs on this subject, (Cohort ad Gent. §. 11.)
"The counsels, whether a man shall marry, hold an office, and beget
children, are contemptible. The general commandments relating to
piety are the principal matter; to live in conformity to them is alone
necessary iu order to attain eternal life."

OR THE PROSELYTES. I9I
Bernhard. — I grant that in the case of many it was
founded on deep religious feeling; but it was evidently a
false sanctity after which they strove. For it proceeded
from incorrect views of human nature and the design of
human life, and to the greatest prejudice of Christianity it cast
into the shade the moral law, upon which the welfare of
man depends. To live in lawful marriage, faithfully fo bear
all the burdens of domestic life, to bring up pious children
for the state and the church, all this, according to this doe- .,
trine of perfection is nothing ; but, not to marry, not to lead
a domestic life, not to have and educate children, is sancti
ty. To live among men, to work for them, to be engaged in
trade, or any kind of business, to serve the state and to be
useful to society, all that is nothing; but to lock up one's
self in monasteries, to renounce the world and to be con
stantly engaged in pious exercises, is sanctity. But why
should I e.xpatiate on this subject? I will merely state the
grounds on which I must reject this whole doctrine of per
fection. That which cannot become general, because if it
became general, it would dissolve the constitution of civil
life and human society, consequently, frustrate all the designs
of the creator with man, and render the extension of the
church impossible, is and never can be proper ; it is not
perfection, but aberration from the truth, and enthusi
asm. Against this principle, you can indeed say nothing.
But your pretended christian perfection, would unavoida
bly produce such a dissolution of church and civil society,
and hence the whole system is pernicious fanaticism,
Henry. — But the church does not intend that this chris
tian perfection shall become general, because all men have
not the spirit necessary for it,
Bernhard. — Then it is not perfection, not sanctify, for
according to the directions of Christ and the apostles, every
man is comraanded to be perfect and holy. That which
would be folly and corruption if it became g-encra/, cannot be
virtue, when only a/cjo practise it, Itis then somethingmerely
allowable, but nothing good, A country filled with merely

192 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
holy monks and nuns, instead of industrious fathers and
mothers would show very distinctly the complete folly of
monkish virtue. And do you expect to reconcile the blind
obedience which constitutes a part of this perfection, with
morality, which must rather obey God than men ? Has
not this blind obedience in the monastic order been often
most shamefully abused, particularly by the Jesuits ?
Henry. — But the church surely did not authorise such
abuses. Bernhard. — But she should not authorise the principles
from which such abuses proceeded,
Henry, — Has she really approved these principles of
christian perfection ?
Bernhard, — Do you yet ask that? Has she not approv
ed them in every monastic order? Has she not founded on
them her whole doctrine of penances, which the council of
Trent declared as highly necessary ? Has she not express
ed her approbation of them in the worship of pretended
saints ? Has she not on them fried to justify the celibacy of
the priests ? But, my friend, this subject has yet another
feature, very serious and very destructive to morality. If is
taught, that the saints have by their voluntary good works
of christian perfection, done more than God demands of
men: they practiced virtue above virtue, ox works of supere
rogation, and thus purchased merit before God, of which
they do not themselve stand in need. This extra merit, it
is further taught, remains in the church, and in these su
perfluous merits of the saints, the church possesses an inex
haustible treasure, of which the pope in Rome possesses
the key. To all those persons, who fail in obedience fo
the moral law, and instead of merit have the guilt of sin,
the pope can supply from that treasure as much merit as
they need, to efface their guilt before God ; that is, he can
grant them indulgence, and the written document certifying
that he has out of this treasure of merit given them what
their necessity required, is ^ — a bill of indulgence.

OR THE PROSELYTES. J93
How conveniently a man can procure virtue in your
church ! Why need he fulfil the law of morality with dili
gence and anxiety, and procure for himself any moral merit,
since the multitude of saints have heaped up an inexhaus
tible treasure of merit, which he need only permit to be im
puted to himself, and with which the church has always
been very liberal !
Henry. — Bernhard, I cannot believe that it is so! This
would be a real trade, which would vasUy depreciate the value
of morality, Bernhard. — Well then, only hear the papal bull, in
which the late year of jubilee and the distribution of in
dulgences is proclaimed.
"We have resolved to exercise the power which has
been given to us from above, to open the fountains of hea
venly treasures, which have accrued through the merits of
our Lord Jesus Christ, through the blessed virgin his mo
ther and the saints, to dispense which the author of man
kind has granted us the power. We grant and vouchsafe
grace in the Lord, forgiveness and complete pardon of all
their sins to christians, who in the time of jubilee confess
with true penitence and sorrow, strengthen themselves with
the holy comraunion, and who devoutly visit at least once
a day, for thirty days in succession, or periodically, the
churches of St. Peter, and of St. John, of Lateran, and St.
Mary Massora, and fervently offer prayers to God for the
glory of the Catholic church, the extirpation of heresy, the
harmony of Catholic princes, the salvation and peace of the
christian community."
Thus you hear whence the pope distributes his gifts; from
the treasures not only of the merits of Christ, but also of
Mary and the Saints, which the pope, we know not why,
represents as heaped up at Rome. You can also receive
a portion of them, if you go to Rome and pray for the ex
tirpation of the church of your native land,
Henry. — 0 Bernhard that was an unkind reflection !
17

194 henry AND ANTONIO,
Bernhard, — Pardon me ! ray remark was really not in
tended to apply to you, but to the bull of the pope, which
demands this from the faithful, I did not mean to wound
your feelings, but to show you the monstrous absurdity of
the doctrine, and the moral mischief it occasions. But
surely you cannot justify this use of the presumed holiness
of the saints, for it subverts all the principles of morality,
and exhibits virtue, that is, the fulfilment of the moral law,
as a matter of small importance, and thus depreciates it
very low,
Henry, — Certainly I do not justify that use, but consid
er it an abuse; 'but if any one chooses to follow the "evan
gelical counsels," as they are called, I cannot blame him for
it ; the alms giving that is included in it, is certainly very
useful, and is a work of christian mercy.
Father, — That is the only one of your so called good
works, that is of any benefit to human society, and it has
established among you many excellent charitable institu
tions. But you will not deny that the other virtues of the
saints, as celibacy, fasting, monastic life, prayer daily con
tinued for hours in succession, blind obedience to the cler
gy, self-mortification and the like, are not of the least bene
fit to human society, and only draw men away from the
commandment, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
And I cannot even approve of your alms-giving. With
you the merit is not in the giving, and the good you do
thereby, but you seek it in the voluntary parting with your
money or property. Alms-giving with you is a work of
penance, by which you render satisfaction for your sins, as
if you pay God for pardon, and yet in it you only do your
duty and nothing, more. Hence you go and cast money
into the poor man's lap without choice or object, and thus
you only make idlers and beggars, in which Italy particular
ly is so immeasurably rich, that one would believe, that beg
gary and idleness themselves belonged to christian perfec
tion. With us, the merit does not consist in the sparing of
our abundance, but in the aid we render. Hence we do

or the proselytes. 195
not support the idle, but the weak and those unable to work,
and thus what we do, and it is really a vast deal, is not in
jurious to the public good, but useful,
Bernhard. — Your religious veneration of saints also en
gendered the veneration of relics, which the council of
Trent established, and in which, as the whole world knows,
so much deception and gross mischief are practiced. This
merit of relics, together with the pretended miracles con
nected with them, only nourishes the superstition of the great
mass, but the effect is also this, that with the more enlight
ened it renders Christianity itself and its history suspicious,
if not contemptible. 1 often wonder that intelligent bish
ops of your church do not feel, that a miracle working relic
is nothing more than the miracle working fetisch* of a ne
gro in Africa.
Henry. — I cannot contradict you in that, and neither
will I deny that 1 have often heard sensible Catholics highly
disapprove of these things, and volatile ones ridicule and
scoff af them most wickedly.
Father. — But if you acknowledge, my son, that the
whole system of saint virtue militates against the spirit of
genuine christian virtue, then you see here another proof,
that the Romish church has failed in the principal design of
Christianity, which is to deliver men from the dominion of
sin, and lead them into the path of christian virtue. But
let this suffice for this evening. When we meet again I
will invite your attention to some other things of a similar
character, *An African idol.

196- HENBY AND ANTONIO,

CHAPTER XVIII.
CONTINUATION— ABSOLUTION FROM OATHS— THE POPES— MARRIAGE
— DLIND OBEDIENCE— TIIE GOVERNMENT.
Father, — It would not become me, my son, as an
evangelical believer, to exalt the christians of my own
church above the Romanists in respect fo their morals.
You have yourself seen Catholic countries, you have seen
the seat and cradle of the Catholic church, and you are also
acquainted with your native land; judge for yourself. If i
am to believe the accounts of travellers, Italy is precisely the
country, where domestic and civil virtue flourish least.
Now I believe that I am not demanding too much when I
say, that in Rome where the pattern and supreme head of
christians reside, where the sacred and infallible priesthood
reigns not only spiritually but temporally, where all receive
the true faith from the fountain head, where the temporal
power, which the clergy hold in their pious hands, offers no
hindrance to their activity in promoting morality, but every
possible means of advancing it; in Rome, where alone
sentence is pronounced on the holiness and sinfulness of
men, where heretics are condemned, and saints canonized ;
in Rome, where the vice-gerent of Christ with his apos
tles, the cardinals, resides as spiritual and temporal mon
arch ; in Rome christian morality must flourish more than
in any other place in the cliristian world, there the whole
influence of Christianity upon men, must exhibit itself, Ro
man christians must be patterns for the christian world. Is
this so, Henry ? — speak.
Henry. — No, truly, dear father, you will not only not find
more christian morality there, but less than af other places.
Father, — Then I am fully justified in the conclusion,
that genuine christian faith, genuine christian character^
in a word genuine Christianity is not found there. It is not

OR THE PROSELYTES. 197
to be imputed fo the cUmate, for ancient Rome exhibited
many splendid virtues, but if is to be attributed to the fact,
that the pope and the clergy with their temporal power
and glory have set themselves up in the place of Christ and
the christian church, and that the whole design of calholic-
ism is not, to make men virtuous and acceptable to God,
but to make them obedient servants of the priesthood. —
Hence that eternal series of sacerdotal measures, by which
men, without ever being really reformed, are always absolved
and conducted to heaven. But on this subject I have al
ready spoken at the commencement of our discussions.
Hence that praise of the virtues of the saints, which fills
monasteries and monkish orders, and enriches the churches
and clergy. But of that we spoke last night. This even
ing I will yet direct your attention fo several things which
evidently must have an injurious effect on the morality of
the Catholic population, and is indeed a serious charge
against your church. The first is the cruelty, which she
has always exercised against those differing from her in opin
ion, the persecutions which she has in all ages excited
against those, who would not recognize the supreme au
thority of the priesthood, the monster of the inquisition
which was begotten by them, and which the popes nour
ished and supported, the millions of bloody sacrifices which
your priests have occasioned for the maintenance of their
dominion, and that everlasting unchristian condemnation
and cursing of all evangelical christians.
Henry. — I cannot deny that the popes of the earlier
ages did charge themselves and their church with many
sins of blood, but I still believe, that now a milder spirit
prevails in Rome, and that they no longer practice the
barbarities of the dark middle ages.
Father. — It is a miserable deception, only played off by
the proselyters for the purpose of soothing the abhorrence
which the cruelties of their church have excited in the minda
of men. Did not the former pope Pius VII. solemnly pro
test against it at the congress of Vienna, that the evangeli-
" 17*

198 HENRYAND ANTDNW,
cal christians in Germany should enjoy the same prfviTege^
as the Romanists ? Did not the same pope address a circu
lar dated Nov. -30, 1808, to all foreign Catholic courts, in
which he said :
"It is as false as slanderous, that the concordat (with
France in 1801) established the toleration of other worship.
This religious treaty contains not a single word, that has
reference to any worship condemned and forbidden by the
church of Rome."
But this worship condemned by Rome was that of the
Reformed church in France. The same pope in May 1808
wrote to the French clergy: "The indifference (of the
French code of laws) which prefers no religion (confession)
above another, is highly insulting to the church of Rome,
and is opposed to her spirit, for this church on account of
her divinity aud necessary unity cannot unite with any other."
If then the Romish church until this hour condemns us as
heretics, does not acknowledge us as a church, and contin
ually protests against our civil existence, you must confess
that it is not the will that is wanting, but the power, to treat
us according to the spirit of the middle ages. Does not
this continual hatred and unceasing intolerance stand
in open contradiction to the spirit of Christianity, which
commands us to love those who differ from us, yea, even
our enemies, and every where enjoins mercy and liberality.
Henry. — I must confess that, my father, and I myself
believe that the world would fare badly with respect to lib
erty, if the Catholic princes and people would act out the
principles of hatred and persecution, which are incessantly
preached to them from Rome.
Father. — ^But the clergy of your church have also ex
erted a very corrupting influence on the morality of their
brethren of the faith, in openly advocating and supporting
immoral principles. I will say nothing of indulgences, for
we entertain the same opinion of their pernicious effects.
But how often have your popes of ancient and modern days
declared the solema oath of christians invalid, and thus-

OR THE proselytes. Igg
undermined the sacredness of swearing by oath and rev
erence for God in the hearts of men ? And did they not
establish the principle that no faith was to be held with
heretics? But all this would have been of comparatively
small importance, if only the Romish church had not given
birth to the Jesuits, received and nurtured them, yea, even
now again restored them. The morality of the Jesuits has
become proverbial in Europe, They maintained the abomi
nable principle, that the end justifies all, even the worst
means, and that hence rebellion, regicide, perjury, falsehood
and every thing infamous, was allowable for the glory of
God, They established the scandalous doctrine of proba
bility, as they called it, according fo which a wicked action
was allowed, if only probably a good effect might be ex
pected from it. They taught mental reservation in oatha
and promises — taught, that an immoral action is not sinful,
if in the execution of if men only thought of God. They^
in a word became so impious and dangerous, that the uni
versal complaints of the Catholic courts procured the disso
lution of the order. According to a calculation made, it
was found that sixty-eight Jesuitical writers encouraged
and enjoined the crime of regicide.
Henry. — But the Catholic church did not sanction such
abominable doctrines.
Father. — No, that she did not do, as the desire for the
dissolution of the order shows. But the popes connived at
these doctrines; they protected the order against the reign
ing powers as long as possible; they have again restored it,
they cherish and recommend it every where. But what
your infallible pope, the inspired head of the inspired priest
hood, to which the Jesuits also belong, does, is chargeable
upon your whole church, which recognizes him as the general
father of all christians. Suppose a prince, who had dis
missed a minister of corrupt principles for injustice and
fraud, would again restore him to favour, and highly honor
him, who would not be forced to believe, that he also sanc
tions those principles and the practice of them ?

200 HENRY AND ANTONIO^
Henry. — It is certainly bad enough to restore an order,
which the moral voice of the Catholic world condemned,
without disapproving of their former corruptions and false
principles universally known, and without giving to the
world some security, or only intimating, that it had been
reformed. Father. — Generally speaking, the pope cannot be con
sidered distinct from the Romish church, for the Romanists
themselves connect him so closely with it, that they will
scarcely regard those as christians, who will not submit to
him, and all the bishops and clergy of the Catholic world
at their ordination must swear "true obedience" fo him.
Now see, my son, how the popes have always maintained
principles which are directly opposed fo the gospel, and
thus also led Romish christians to disobey the declarations
of Christ and the apostles. They have always maintained,
and of course, their bishops also, that evangelical christians
are damned, because they do not believe more than the
gospel contains, and hence show no disposition to know any
thing of the peculiar and modern doctrines of the Romish
church; and yet you have seen from the passages quoted
from Christ and his apostles in our earlier conversations,
that the bible every where declares simple evangelical
faith in the divine Saviour, as sufficient for salvation
and makes our eternal destiny pre-eminently dependent
on a christian life. Besides this, the popes have set this
bad example to the christian world, that although they wish
to be successors of Christ and the apostles, and receive all
their power from them, yet they have estaWished doctrines
and ceremonies which are opposed to the express direction
of Christ and the aposties. They have set the example of
conscious and premeditated disobedience. Thus Jesus at
the last supper distributed the cup, so also the aposties and
the whole apostolical church, but the popes and the bishops
deny the cup to the laity, Paul thus several times writes,
(1 Tim, iii, 2, 12. Tit. i. 6.) "a bishop shall be the husband
of one wife," but the pope and his bishops have established

OR THE proselytes. gQl
as law, a bishop shall be the husband of no wife. Paul 1
Tim. iv. 3, censures those who forbid marriage and com
mand abstinence from meats, and in ver. 8, utters the correct
principle : "bodily exercise profiteth littie, but godliness is
profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that
now is, and of that which is to come," but the popes and
the bishops^ forbid the priests to marry, declare celibacy
to be a more blessed state, and teach that men avert the
punishments of God and render satisfaction for their sins,
by works of fasting and other bodily exercises.
Henry. — I can scarcely believe, dear father, that our
church has ever declared ce/iiffcy to be a more pious state
than matrimony. For how then could she honor marriage
as a sacrament !
Bernhard,— The 10th canon of the 24th session of the
council of Trent reads thus:
"If any one declares that matimony is to be preferred to ce
libacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to remain in
celibacy than to marry; let him be accursed.''
Here indeed there is no prohibition of marriage, but still
marriage is declared as not good, a sort of necessary evil,
and it is maintained that it is more blessed, (beatius) that
is, it more certainly leads to salvation to be unmarried. In
this your church stands in open contradiction to the apos
tle, who says, the bishop shall be the husband of one wife,
who blames those who forbid marriage, and in 1 Tim. ii, 15,
says of the married woman, "she shall be saved in child
bearing, if they continue in faith and charity, and holiness
with sobriety." It contradicts the institution of God from
the beginning, who (Gen. ii. IS.) said at the creation of the
woman : "it is not good for man to be alone," inasmuch as
you teach, it is better and more blessed that he remain alone.
Yea, you thereby censure God, who in creating two sexes
and commanding them "be fruitful and multiply,!" rendered
matrimony necessary for establishing a state that was not
good and blessed. Whilst the whole Old Testament de
clares children to be a blessing of God, you censure the

2Q2 henry and antonio,
lawful union of the sexes, which provides for the propaga
tion of the human race, as a condition not so good and
blessed as celibacy.
Mother, — And how low does the Catholic church thereby
degrade the one-half of the human race? Does she not
consider women as a sort of evil and seducers of men into
a less happy and blessed condition ? Does she not thereby
express her disapprobation of the high and noble duties of
mother and housewife ? O really it is much more difficult
to bear the burdens of domestic life, to fulfil the duties of
mother at the sacrifice of health and peril of life, to bring
up with anxiety and care pious children for the world and
the church of God, than to sit idly in a convent and sing
psalms, Wilhelmina, — And if it be true, that both sexes have
their peculiar natural character, that the unmarried and dis
tinct life of both sexes only makes selfish beings of them,
but that the true character of mankind is only developed
in domestic, married life, when the parties communicate to
each other their natural good qualities, then the declaration
of your unmarried bishops at Trent appears still more un
becoming, and contradictory to the designs of the Creator.
What could these bishops, neither of whom ever had a wife,
understand about matrimony and the nature and condition
of-the female sex! It is already bad and unreasonable
enough, that the men alone without consulting the woraen,
make all the laws respecting raatiiraony; but ten times
worse, when the law-makers are officially unmarried.
Henry, — Do you not know, Wilhelmina, that the apostle
(1 Cor. xiv. -34,) says, ''it is not permitted unto the women
to speak in the church ?"
Bernhard. — The apostle is there speaking merely of
their preaching or holding discourses on doctrines, which
certainly would not comport with the modesty of the ten
der sex, and for which their soft feminine voice is not adapt
ed. But when men frame laws relating to marriage, or a
system of domestic discipline, or any thing else, which con-

OR THE PROSELYTES, 203
cerns the maternal state, 1 regard it as highly proper to con
sult intelligent women on the subject,
Henry, — True as all is that you have said about the
praise which our church bestows upon celibacy, yet I must
observe, that the doctrine of the council of Trent has the
declaration of the apostle Paul in its favor, who (I Cor. vii,
1, 8,) says, "It is good for a man not to touch a woman ;" —
"I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for
them to abide even as I ; But if they carinot contain, let
them marry,"
Bernhard, — I am well acquainted with those passages ;
but their application is totally different. For why does
Paul advise against marrying at that time ? Not because he
thought it better and more blessed to remain unmarried, not
because thereby the way to christian perfection and virtue
would be found raore easy, as you teach ; but because he
expected the approach of very troublesome times, when
misfortune could be more easily borne, if persons were alone,
than if bound by wife or husband and children. This he
says in 26th verse ; "I suppose therefore that this is good
for the present distress, 1 say, that it is good for a man so to
be," that is, remain unmarried. The apostle, as was the
case with the first church generally, believed, that the se
cond coming of Christ was very near and also the approach
of the melancholy times and alarms, which Christ (Matt,
24,) had prophesied would precede his coming. On that
account they held if good (not more blessed) fo remain un
married. Now since these apprehensions were unfounded,
the whole ground of their well meant advice is removed for
modern christians,
Henry, — But therein you seem to lessen the reputation
of the apostles, if you believe they erred about the time of
the second coming of Christ.
Bernhard. — By no means ; for Jesus repeatedly told
them, that they would receive no revelation on that point;
hence they were left to their own conjectures on that sub
ject, like all other christians. For after Jesus (Matt, xxiv.)

204 HENRY AND ANTONtO,
had spoken of his coming, he added; (vr. 36,) "but of that
day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heav
en, but my father only," And when the apostles asked him,
(Acts i. 6,) whether he would at this time restore again the
kingdom fo Israel, he answered, (vr. 7,) "It is not for you
to know the times or the seasons, which the father hath put
in his own power."
Father. — You see then, Henry, that the popes and the
bishops have spoken of matrimony, in a manner that con
tradicts the doctrines of the holy scriptures. And how do
the principles and actions of your priests and the popes
militate against the commands of the gospel respecting hu
man government? Paul writes, Rom. xiii. 1. "Let every soul
be subject to the higher powers ; for there is no power but
of God ; the powers that be are ordained of God." And
1 Tira. ii. 1. "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplica
tions, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made -
for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority ; that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
honesty." And Peter says, 1 Pet. ii. 1-3, 17. "Submit your
selves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake !
whether it be fo the king as supreme, or unto his governors.
Fear God ! honor the king." This is the voice of the holy
apostles. But what has the pretended successor of Peter
done ? He dissolved the oath of allegiance of the subjects
of the German emperors, of the kings of France, of Eng
land, and Naples, he set up and deposed emperors and
kings, bestowed away kingdoms, and maintained that he
could give and take away crowns,
Henry. — But that was only in the times of the dark
ages !
Father. — Well only hear what the Pope wrote as late as
April 16th, 1701, to the king of France and other Catholid
rulers, on the occasion of the elector of Brandenburg,
Frederick the 3rd, taking upon himself the dignity of a king
of Prussia.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 205
"Beloved son in Christ! Although we beUeve that your
majesty will in no Wise sanction the proceeding of Frede^
rick, Margrave of Brandenburg, who setting a most infa
mous example to the christian world, has undertaken pub
licly to usurp the royal titie ; yet we cannot let it pass by
in silence, because such a deed is opposed to the character
of papal institutions, and is injurious to the reputation of
the sacred chair, inasmuch as the sacred royal dignity can
not be assumed by a person who is not a Catholic, without
a contempt of the church."
But the kings and governors, for which Paul and Peter
command men to pray, and fo whom they enjoin obedience,
were even heathen, namely, the Roman emperors, their
governors and magistrates. But the popes do not even
"honor" christian kings, and wish to be the rulers, not only
of Catholic, but also of Evangelical princes; the pious apos
tles wished that christians should pray for heathen emperors
and governors, but the late Pope Leo in his bull on the ju
bilee warns the faithful fo pray for "Catholic princes," but
not for Evangelical rulers, and also for "the extirpation of
heresy." But the contradiction extends still further, Paul
commands the christians at Rome, (Rom. xiii. 6, 7,) to pay
without refusal the tribute imposed by the heathen authori
ties, but the popes maintain that without their consent no
prince has a right fo impose taxes on his subjects.
Henry. — What pope ever uttered such monstrous arro
gance ?
Father. — Urban the 8th, who in 1627 issued the famous
Green Thursday Bull, containing seventeen maledictions,
which on every Green Thursday is read in St. Peter's church
at Rome, in which it is said word for word ;
"We ex-communicate and condemn all, who in their
countries impose or increase, or demand to be imposed or
increased, any new taxes or assessments, except in such
cases which are granted them by right, or by particular
permission of the apostolical chair."
Confess, dear son, that in these things your popes have
18

206 henry and ANTONIO,
exalted themselves above Christ himself and the apostles,
and demand more obedience for themselves, than for those
whose vice-gerents and successors they pretend to be. Yet
Jesus says, (Matt. x. 24,) "The disciple is not above his
master, nor the servant above his lord." And here is the
ground of their prohibition to the laity to read the scrip
tures in the language of the country, not so much, because
they believe that it would be injurious to the laity, but be
cause they fear that the laity might find many things in the
bible quite different from what the popes and bishops have
established.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE CUP IN THE SACRAMENT— EXTREME UNCTION— ANTONIO'S
RESOLUTION.
Sunday arrived, and the whole family as usual, attended
church where the Lord's Supper was administered to nu
merous communicants. Antonio did not fail to be present,
and lost not a single word of the whole service. As the
members of the family after church were collected together
in the garden, and the young Neapolitan was engaged in
some business near them, the mother, who entertained
a very favorable opinion of him, asked him how he had
been pleased with the Evangelical celebration of the Lord's
Supper ? Antonio extolled it as very appropriate and edify
ing. He was particularly pleased, that the Lord's Supper
was not administered as amongst the Catholics, in Latin,
but in the language of the country, and that the cup was
also distributed.
"How did it happen, Henry, (asked the mother,) that in
the Romish church the cup is refused to the laity ? there
appears to me to be no reason at all for it."

OR THE PROSELYTES. OQ7
Henry. — The council of Trent in the 21st session, says,
"We dare not doubt, that the partaking in one kind is suffi
cient for salvation. For, although Christ instituted the sup
per in both kinds, of bread and wine, but yet it does not
follow, that all faithful christians are bound to partake in
both kinds.*
Mother. — I should like to know, why not? If the words
of the Saviour, "take and eat" authorizes the partaking of
the bread, whh equal right do the words "drink ye all of
this," authorize the partaking of the cup. If the latter is
not obligatory on all christians, I cannot see how the for
mer is binding on all. The whole ancient church partook
of bread and wine, as the passage, 1 Cor. xi. fully shows.
Henry. — The council acknowledges that, in as much
as they say, "though it is true that partaking in both kinds
was common in the beginning of Christianity, yet that cus
tom in the lapse of time changed to a very great extent."
Antonio  But if did not follow from that, that this cus
tom was good and right, and that they were authorized fo
establish it as law. In doing that they certainly sinned
against the express words of Christ; "drink ye all of this."
Father, — Neither is it true, what the council says of this
custom. It first arose only in the twelfth century in England;
hence the Greek church which separated from the Latin, as
early as the eleventh century, always distributed the wine.
But the ground of it was the opinion which was first raised
in the ninth century, that bread and wine were changed into
the body and blood of Christ, Because if was feared, that
the laity would let a drop of the blood of the Godman fall
to the earth, or wipe it from their mouth, they gradually
withdrew the cup from them in consequence of this super
stitious fear,
Henry, — The Romish catechism also gives other grounds;
namely, the wine would become sour, if it were kept, like
the host. *See Appendix, No, XII.

208 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Father, — And yet why do you preserve the wine? Be
cause you believe it is no longer wine, but blood of the
God-man, But that it becomes sour shows plainly that it
is yet wine,
Henry. — The catechism says further; there are also
many who cannot endure the taste of wine, yea, not even
the smell, and in many courrtries there is great scarcity of
wine, and the procureraenf of it difficult and expensive.
Father. — Unfounded reasons ! Wine is not offensive to
one in a million of men ; why should it be withheld from
all? Shall we abolish preaching, because a few in the con
gregation are deaf? If wine in some cold countries is diffi
cult fo procure, it should not be also forbidden in warm
countries. But the small qnantity that is used in the Lord's
supper, can be procured in all countries of the world, Alt
these things could at farthest only justify an exception to
the rule, but never could constitute a rule.
Antonio, — Eating and drinking belong together, and are
essential to human life. As these in the sacrament are
figures of heavenly food or of grace, both must be given to
men, as Jesus gave not only bread to eat, but also wine to
drink, A half a sacrament is no sacrament at all,
Henry, — The Romish catechism furnishes another rea
son, and that is the doctrine of concomitance, which the
Council of Trent also established in the 13th session, viz:-
that the blood is also contained in the body of Christ, and
hence the partaking of the bread is at the same partaking
of the blood of Christ,
Father. — 1 ara acquainted with that invention of the
scholastics, but can never think of it without disgust. For
the thought of the bloody flesh of Christ is something ex
ceedingly indelicate to me.
Mother. — But they certainly do not mean that.
Henry. — Assuredly ? For the Romish catechism in ex
press words declares it fo be a heretical error, if any one
maintains that the bread contains the mere bloodless body
(exsangue corpus) of the Lord.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 209
Mother. — Then I must confess, that 1 can have no con
ception of what you call the bloody body of the Lord. That
fresh killed meat is bloody, I well know ; but to apply this
to the glorified body of Christ, is to me out of all reason.
This vulgar conception also flatiy contradicts the apostle
Paul. He describes the bodies of those risen, and the body
of Christ since his resurrection, (1 Cor. xv. 42, &c,) quite dif
ferently. He says, "It is sown in corruption; itis raised
in incorruption ; (but not consisting of flesh and blood ;) it is
sown a natural body; (consisting of flesh and blood;) it is
raised a spiritual body, Ver, 50,. "Now this 1 say brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God ;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." In Phil. iii.
21, he says: "Christ shall change our vile body, that it may
be fashioned like unto his glorious body."
Antonio. — As respects myself, I hold to this, that Jesus
took the cup and said, drink ye all of this ! The learned
subtlety, that the blood was in the flesh, Jesus certainly
knew as well as the bishops of Trent, and hence, if it had
had any application here, he could have spared himself
the distribution of the cup. It would also follow from that,
that the cup was not at all to be taken, and that the priests
in no case had to drink it.
Father. — Antonio is perfectly right. Thus they could
also baptize in the name of God, and not according to the
command of Christ, in the name of the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, because according to the doctrine of the Trini
ty, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are in God.
Henry. — I must acknowledge to you, friends, that there
is no tenable ground for withholding the cup. But the
evangelical church has not done right in abolishing extreme
unction, inasmuch as it was undoubtedly instituted by the
apostle James.
Father — Let us read the passage in its connection;
James v. 13 — "Is any among you afflicted, let him pray. Is
any merry, let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you,
let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray
18*

210 HENRT ANDANTDITiO-,
Over him, anointing him with oil in the name of tfie Lord.
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall
be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and
pray one for another, that ye may be healed. ' The effectual
fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much." You
see that the apostle gives good rules, which refer to three
conditions, namely, affliction, joy, and sickness. You can
not contend that the third good rule is the institution of a
sacrament, or you must also grant, that it is also a sacra
ment to pray in the days of affliction, and to sing psalms in
the days of joy. The first two rules, no one has ever ex
plained as prescribing a sacrament, and consequently the
third cannot be so considered. But what the apostie here
advises is not your extreme unction. Among you itis per
formed by one man, and he is the priest; but the apostie
says the elders, not the elder. He did not regard it as a
priestly business, and hence at the conclusion, he says, pray
one for another; confess your faults one to another. He ex
cludes none; he speaks of that which all should recipro
cally do, not of that, which concerns the priest. But he
does not deduce any particular effect from the anointing with
oil. We see from Mark vi. 1-3, where it is said, "they cast
out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick,
and healed them," that anointing with oil was a medical ap
plication, which is yet practiced in the east. You on the
other hand teach, that oil, because consecrated by the bish
ops, has a sacramental influence in driving away the devil
from the departing soul, and procuring for it the grace of
God. James only mentions the use of oil, because at that
time it was customary, and rather refutes the opinion that
oil had a particular effect, inasmuch as he says, "and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick — for it availeth much."
It is not the oil, but the prayer that he holds out as the
principal thing, so that christians should not think that any
dependence was fo be placed on the use of oil. If then an
evangelical christian in sickn-ess calls for pious friends, or

OE THE PROSELYTES,

211

his minister to pray for him, he conforms to this direction
of the apostle, who gives it, not fo ordain a sacrament for
the dying, but to aid the sick in their recovery. Only for the
last object does the Greek church practice the anointing
with oil.
Antonio. — I am at least convinced that my Saviour will
not reject me, if I die without being anointed by a priest,
provided I do what he demands of those, who enter into-
life, that is, keep his commandments. With the genuine
christian his whole life must be an extreme unction.
Father, — You are right, Antonio ! Adhere to that and
be constantly diligent in the practice of christian virtue;
then you dare not fear that a priest can close the gates of
Heaven against you. But you do not need him to open
them for you ; priests and laymen are equally subject to the
judgment of God, and both need his grace.
Antonio. — I am glad that you think so precisely with
me, and this gives me courage to ask two questions ! They
are these; whether I dare celebrate the Lord's supper with
the congregation here, and whether the pastor would reject
me as a Catholic?
Father. — Antonio — you appear too intelligent, that I
should consider these questions, with which you surprise
me, as the result of inconsiderateness. Hence I must tell
you, that you cannot celebrate the Lord's supper with us,
if you still regard us as heretics and condemned, and not
as your christian brethren ; for the Lord's supper is a feast
of brotherly love, and they who celebrate it, must regard
each other as brethren.
Antonio, — If that is the condition, then I can commune
with you with a good conscience, I am no longer a Ro
man Catholic, but an evangelical christian, and I acknow
ledge the christians of this country as my real brethren,
and will hereafter hold to them. Do not look at me with
so much surprise! I am. in real earnest, and it is my mature
ly considered determination.

212 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
Father.- — But who, dear friend, taught and instructed
you? Antonio, — Here, — this book ! the gospel, — the discours
es of Jesus, and the writings of the apostles. These alone
I will hereafter hear, for they alone are the original teachers
of Christianity. The pope I will leave in possession of his
dignity and honors, but I can no longer consider him as the
vice-gerent of Christ, nor the supreme bishop of christians,
and 1 can no longer believe him and the bishops, except in
as far as they teach out of this holy book.
Father. — If that is your sincere conviction, then you
have adopted the fundamental princple which we maintain
against the Romish church; then you are in so far an evan
gelical christian. But — Antonio, have you considered every
thing! 0 be precipitate in nothing; for it is dangerous to
be rash in such an important matter. I will not dissuade
you from taking a decided step, but far be if from me, to
persuade you to it. Your own inclination must actuate
you, your own conviction guide you; for you alone are an
swerable for what you do, and not another.
Antonio. — I have considered all things well. No earth
ly expectation, no hope of gain actuates me ; my faith draws
me, — my own heart. 0 if you only knew, how it was with
my soul once, and how it is now ! Once, anguish, fear, anx
iety; now, contentment, joy, confidence!
Mother. — I believe you, Antonio! You are not deceiv
ing us! — grant him his request, dear husband!
Father. — In this matter I can properly neither grant
nor refuse; but I can advise, and especially, because Anto
nio has here no friend, except ourselves, and is a stranger
in the country. Remember, Antonio, that you as a Roman
ist can reckon upon much support and aid from your breth
ren in the faith in this country, which you will loose, so
soon as you unite yourself with us.
Antonio. — I have thought of that and do not desire to
be aided and preferred to worthy natives of the country oa
such grounds.

OR the proselytes.

213

Father, — If you are really in earnest, you must do one
thing before hand ; you must go and mention your determi
nation to some minister of this place and must suffer your
self to be examined and instructed as far as is necessary.
My son will allow you the necessary time,
Antonio. — I feel, that this, even if not necessary, is still
proper, and am prepared to do it. But have the goodness
yourself to speak to the pastor before hand on this subject,
so that he may know what my object is, when I come to
him. Father. — That I will do; but then you must go to him
yourself and inform him of your determination.

CHAPTER XX.

HENRY IN A DILEMMA.— A MAN CAN BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN AS
A CATHOLIC.
The conversation of this evening related exclusively fo
Antonio, The mother extolled the extensive knowledge he
had gained of the New Testament, the father applauded
his clear understanding and correct views, Wilhemina spoke
in admiration of his amiable disposition, and Henry bore
testimony to his fidelity and honesty. Henry related the
interviews he had had with Antonio about his religious
scruples, by which the father was yet more deeply convinced,
that it was nothing but the silent power of the divine word
which had here purified a mind from erroneous opinions
engrafted upon it in its youth; which gave him occasion to
say jocosely, that after this he would not think it strange in
the pope to exhibit so much zeal against the reading of the
bible by the laity.
These remarks relative to the change of mind in the
servant, were so well suited to the master, that he could

214 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
not avoid feeling their applicability to himself. The youth
ful sincerity of Wilhemina had often induced her earnestly
to request him to abandon his Romanism, and without say
ing any thing more about it again to return to the evangeli
cal church. A formal, public adoption of the faith did not
appear to her to be necessary. Henry would willingly have
submitted to that proposal, if his conversion to the Romish
church had really been so littie known to the public, as he
at first flattered himself. Notwithstanding the family had
kept it a secret, yet it became extensively known, they did
not know how. Even the day, on which Henry adopted
the Romish confession, and all the minute circumstances
attending it were spoken of in public. Only a short time
before, a Romish physician, by the name of S. Frederick
had settled in the place, where he was much esteemed for
his intelligence and moral worth ; — he was distinguished
for his liberality to the poor, for he not only accepted no
thing for his services, but even furnished the medicines at
his own expense. Only a few days before, he had saluted
Henry in public company as his brother in the faith, and
unpleasant as was the salutation, yet Henry had publicly to
acknowledge himself a Romanist, At the same time the
doctor told him, though secretly, that his conversion had
been heard of in D. and that it was expected, he would be
take himself thither for protection, where he would be most
heartily welcomed. Under these circumstances, it appeared
to Henry that a silent return to the Evangelical church, as
though nothing had happened, would only give occasion to
greater clamour and public conversation.
The mother entertained a different view of the subject.
She could not refrain from telling the son, how happy she
would be, if he would retrace the precipitate steps he had
already made. How cheerfully would he have done it, if it
could have been accomplished without shame and exciting
public observation ! For he had to acknowledge, that he
was no longer a Catholic in faith, that all his doubts against

OR THE PROSELYTES. 215
the Evangelical church had been removed, and that he had
completely failed in justifying his conversion.
The father had thus far maintained a total silence. But
it was this silence which made Henry feel, as men do on a
sultry day before an approaching storm. He well knew the
decisive, resolute character of his father ; and was not de
ceived on this occasion. For the father, after he had asked
him in the evening, whether he had yet any thing important
to advance in justification of his conversion to the Romish
church, and Henry had answered in the negative, at once
demanded his immediate return to the Evangelical church.
"You have, said he, yourself acknowledged and was forced
to grant, that all the advantages which you plead in favour
of the Romish church, and by which you sought to justify
your course, are either possessed by our church, or are
unfounded, and on the other hand all the charges you
preferred against our church, were groundless. Yea, what
was most important of all, you were forced to grant that the
Evangelical church admirably serves the whole design of
Christianity, but that this was not the case with the Romish
church ; you yourself proposed and sanctioned the princi
ple, that in such a case it was the privilege and duty of a
man fo abandon his church, and to choose the church which
really answered the design of Christ ; — you have (he con
tinued in an elevated voice) given me your solemn promise
to fulfil that duty; I now demand the fulfilment of that
promise." Henry. — But, dearest father, what a noise will such a
step occasion ! In what a disadvantageous light I shall ap-
appear! I shall be regarded as a fickle minded youth, and
they will believe that I became a Catholic from motives of
worldly policy. The Catholics will hate me ; the members
of the Evangelical church will mistrust me — perhaps despise
me ! Ah ! ' dear father, release me from my promise !
Father. — Only see, how conscientious you are about the
opinions of the world 1 — But you did not think, when you
abandoned your own church, that you would grieve your

216 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
parents, forfeit their love, become offensive to your fellow
citizens, and that at your return they would look upon you
with mistrust, contempt, or the better disposed of them
with pity? Then, when error was in question, all this was
nothing; but now, when the truth is in question, you seem
to be very tenderly concerned about the judgment of the
world! take care, Henry ! You yet have time to regain the
esteem and love of your friends, or to lose them forever!
Mother, — Speak more mildly to your son, dear husband,
only think, that he was far distant from us and from all his
friends when he made that inconsiderate step. If he had
become unfaithful to the truth, here in our midst, then your
severe judgment might have been justified,
Wilhelmina. — Besides, it was not a fault of his heart,
but of his head. If we had had such evening conversations
with Henry, before he went to Italy, as we have had since
his return, he would most certainly have continued faithful.
And I think, dear father, you should have done that, for you
might have expected, that your son would not be permitted
to live in Rome unassailed.
Father, — I confess my fault, and I have exerted myself
to the utmost to repair the injury it has done. But he ac
knowledges his fault, and yet desires fo persevere in it, —
persevere in it from vanity, on account of the perverted
judgment of a few, although his conscience fells him fo do
what I demand of him. And if I was at fault for not warn
ing him when he went to Rome, he is doubly fo be blamed
for becoming a Romanist without asking intelligent advice
on the subject. He did precisely as some great characters
do, who suffer themselves to be made Romanists because
they are too exalted to consult an intelligent Evangelical
minister, who would soon drive away the mist from their
eyes, which the proselyters have raised before them.
Mother. — But do you believe it right, dear husband, to
employ compulsion in matters of faith and duty ?
Father. — How can you ask that question ? We only
compel obstinate children with the rod ; intelligent men

OR THE PROSELYTES, 217
must subdue themselves. But what application has that to
this case?,
Mother. — Do you not believe that you are exercising
compulsion towards your son, when you let him feel your
displeasure, and press the subject upon him with an earnest
ness, which powerfully affects his filial heart ? Dear hus
band, I as heartily desire as you do, what you demand of
him, and it will greatly add fo the happiness of my life, if
Henry fulfils our wishes. But his determination will only
then be of any value to us, if he voluntarily makes and exe
cutes it.
Father, — I agree with you perfectly. But it is not ap
plicable here, for I do not wish to force him to do a thing
about the moral necessity of which he is doubtful, but
merely to overcome the infirmities which hinder him from
following the dictates of his conscience,
Henry, — But, dear father, there are many excellent
Catholics, who do not believe all that their church has even
established as true, but are entirely Evangelical in their
sentiments, and yet remain in the communion of their
church. Will you on that account condemn them ?
Father. — That is quite another case. The Romanist
who lives in a country where the Evangelical faith is for
bidden as heretical, may well be excused, if he does not
separate from his church. For in that case there are im
portant duties, which he has to perform for his civil
welfare and the happiness of his family. And I have al
ready said, that a few errors and abuses, which we observe
in our church, will not justify us in abandoning it, but
that this is only the case when the church to which we
belong, does not serve nor promote, perhaps hinders the
, design of Christianity, which is to deliver men from the do
minion of sin. In a country, such as Italy, Spain or Por
tugal, a Romanist will not easily come to this opinion about
his church. But if this were the case, he would be bound
by his conscience, to withdraw himself from his church.
But a Romanist who lives in a country where the Evangelical
19

218 henry and ANTONIO,
church is lawfully tolerated, and who comes to the opiniofl
that the Romish church does not answer the design of
Christianity, but that the Evangelical church does, him I re
gard as absolutely bound in conscience, publicly to honor
the acknowledged tiuth and to join that church, which does
not serve the kingdom of the worid, but the kingdom of
God. This is your case, — and the obligation is doubly
binding on you as an apostate from the true church,
Henry. — Only one question, do not become angry, dear
father! let me ask only one question more. Do you not be
lieve, that as a Catholic I can be as good a christian, as if
I were again to return to your church? Must you not ac
knowledge, that in all christian denominations there are
good and bad christians, and that even with an erroneous
confession of faith a man may attain to the object of Chris
tianity for himself?
Father. — I have already said what was equivalent to an
answer to this question in our first conversation, when I
proved fo you, that it is a duty to leave a church under cer
tain conditions. But I will say a little more on this point.
I by no means deny, that there may be many excellent men
and very good christians in your church. But that is no
ground to maintain, that in every church alike, a man may
become a good christian, and that therefore, if is not neces
sary fo unite himself to the better church. What would
you have said, if the Greeks and Romans at the time of the
first publication of Christianity, had thus expressed them
selves ; "incur heathenism we have also many excellent
men, as Socrates, Plato, and others ; men can also be good
even as idolaters, who fear God and do right; therefore we
continue in it?" Or do you regard schools as superfluous,
because among all nations, even where there were no learned
institutions, learned and intelligent men have risen? We
should never depend upon the hope that we would be excep
tions to the general mass, that we would be unhurt by the in
fluence of erroneous opinions, and of customs injurious to
morality, and that we did not need the influence of the

OR THE PROSELYTES, 219
truth. You would not certainly sanction it, if a man would
associate with persons who were full of errors, and aban
doned to licentious indulgences, in the hope, that he could
counteract the influence of such society. Thus you cannot
say, that you will keep yourself free from the pernicious in
fluence, which the doctrines of your church respecting the
priesthood, forgiveness of sin, indulgence, penance, the
duty of blind obedience, and the condemnation of heretics,
would have upon your mind. And even if you could do
this, yet you would be without the excitements to a know
ledge of the truth and the practice of piety, which the
Evangelical preaching, the free use of the scriptures, and
the Evangelical worship afford. In my opinion it is easier
and more certain to be a good christian in the Evangelical
church, than out of her, and that men can become better
christians within her pale, than out of it. And it is a duty
not to despise such aid, but to employ it.
Mother. — You must also remember, dear Henry, that
the Saviour expressly demands of you to confess his gos
pel, and that you dare not slight the word of God without
offending him. If all men had thought as you do, namely,
that a man may be a good man, and may believe whatever
he pleases, your Saviour would not have found fault with
the doctrines of the Pharisees, the apostles would have
continued to be Jews, and the fathers of the church, hea
then, and there would have been no witnesses of the truth
in the christian church,
Wilhelmina; — I believe that I can illustrate the matter
very plainly to my brother by a simile, which you will no
doubt think very proper for a lady expecting shortiy fo be a
bride. If I had to choose between two gentlemen, one of
whom bore so very good a character for intelligence and
morality, that I must believe, he would make me a happy
wife, but the other by his selfishness and many imperfections
threatened to make me miserable, I would be very much to
blame, if I would reject the former and choose the latter,
flattering myself that I was strong enough to resist all the

220 henry and ANTONIO,
pernicious influence of his daily intercourse and most in
timate society. Thus you stand, dear brother, between two
churches, to choose for yourself one or the other as your
companion and guide for life. But it is usual and proper,
that pei'sons require time for consideration in such an im
portant choice, and I think, father, that we should allow
Henry time for meditation that he may make up his mind
fully. This proposition of Wilhelmina met with general appro
bation ; — all acknowledged it was very reasonable, and they
agreed, that only after the lapse of eight or ten weeks
would they again introduce this subject of conversation.

CHAPTER XXI,
HENRY AND ANTONIO— LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION— END.
Whilst Henry was fluctuating, Antonio was rapidly pro
ceeding in the proper path. He had gone to the pastor of
the place, and mentioned his desire of attaching himself to
the Evangelical church. The pastor examined him very
closely on his motives for this step ; for he suspected that
there was something impure at bottom. The candor of
Antonio, his deep religious feeling, his general character
and circumstances, soon convinced the pastor, that the
Evangelical church would gain in Antonio a sincere and
respectable member. At length he sanctioned the deter
mination of Antonio, and with great satisfaction devoted
himself to the work of instructing hira. But he soon saw
with astonishment, how little he had to do. The young
proselyte was so well acquainted with the New Testament,
and had attained so distinct and fundamental a knowledge

OR THE PROSELYTES, 221
of the essential features of Christianity, founded upon the
declarations of Christ and the apostles, which he quoted
with facility, that his teacher found littie to add to it. He
only illustrated some truths more clearly, reduced them
to order and systematic arrangement in his mind, removed
some apparent difficulties, supplied some deficiencies, and
made hira acquainted with the Old Testament and the his
tory of the christian church and reformation, of which An
tonio had been yet ignorant. After the lapse of eight
weeks he declared Antonio sufliciently instructed and quali
fied to be received into the comraunion of the church.
The day on which this was to fake place, had already
been appointed, when the change of climate manifested its
influence on Antonio's health. A cold brought on a fever,
which soon assumed a serious character, and endangered
his life. The whole family felt the deepest anxiety in his
behalf, and Henry parficulary repaid the fidelity of his ser
vant with the closest attention to his wants. He was con
tinually at his bed side, and nursed him as he would a friend.
But nothing could check the rage of the disease, which had
now assumed a nervous type. Antonio himself knew his
own condition well ; he was certain of dying and prepared
for his end.
"Dearest sir, I am dying! " he feebly said during one of
his worst nights, whilst Henry was watching at his bed, "I
am dying, but willingly and in peace. For what great thing
have I to expect in this world. Only one thing grieves me,
that I did not before my death publicly profess the gospel,
and render that honor fo the word of my Saviour before
men, which is his due."
Henry. — Be comforted, Antonio ; God will yet grant you
life, to carry out your resolution,
Antonio, — Be it so or not ; the will of God be done !
Ah ! I thank him most ferventiy, that he honored me so
highly, as to bring me to a knowledge of the truth ! What
a miserable man would I not have been on my dying bed
at an earlier day ! Then I would have trembled in view of
19*

222 henry and antonio,
purgatory, I would have tormented myself with painful
confessions, I would have been perplexed about the power
of priestly absolution, and felt myself separated from God
through the mediation of the priest, O how happy am I,
that I know my soul is not in the hands of the priest, and
that it needs not the intercession of the saints, but is in the
hands of God my Saviour ! I have done, according fo my
ability at least, what the word of God enjoined upon me,
and I am certain, that I shall enter info life, depending only
on the all sufficient merits of Jesus Christ, my God and Sa
viour, whose "blood cleanseth from all sin,"
Henry, — Cling to that consoling conviction, Antonio.
Antonio, — I will — I will — I am certain I will! God grant
me grace to persevere fo the end ! But — (extending his
hand,) — hear the dying request of a sincere heart ! — Do you
also again honor the word of God before the world !
Henry, — Antonio, if I do the will of God, as you have
done, am I not then a good christian, and can I not be as
happy as you are, whatever church I belong to ?
Antonio. — But it is the will of God that you abandon
error, and publicly honor the truth. Such a confession be
fore the world the Saviour demands. "Let your light shine
before men, (said he, Matt. v. 16,) that others seeing your
good works may glorify your father which is in heaven."
But particularly hear his earnest language, (Matt, x, 32, 33,)
"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him
will I confess also before my father, which is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also
deny before my father which is in heaven." O then go still
farther and confess Jesus, and not his pretended vice-gerent,
his gospel, and not the edicts of priestly councils, the ne
cessity of filial obedience to God, in order fo be saved, and
not the necessity of obedience to priests ; the need of the
grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ, and not the
need of the absolution of men.
Henry. — You move my heart, Antonio ! Yes, I will de
termine ! I will lay aside that shame which has hitherto

OR THE PROSELYTES. 223
held me back ! I will follow you, dear friend, so that at last
I also may meet death with the same composure and joyful
anticipation of a blessed eternity !
Antonio. — God bless you in that resolution ! Thus you
do right! Thus you are more faithful and honest than those-
Pharisees, who, though they believed in Christ, yet did not
confess him from the fear of men, because they, as the
Evangelist reproachfully adds, (John xii. 43,) "loved the-
praise of men, more than the praise of God." Thus you are
a worthy disciple of the aposties, who in the midst of all
persecution acknowledged the truth, and cried out, (Acts v.
29,) "We ought to obey God rather than men." Ah ! how
utterly vain and worthless is the judgment of men when we
are near the judgment seat of God! But we are exposed fo
it also in the days of our health, and know not how soon
we may be called. 
The sick man was silent ; — he seemed to have sank info
a deep slumber. But as Henry approached nearer, he saw
his face covered with the paleness of death. No respira
tion — no pulse was longer observable. Henry was power
fully affected, and in silence vowed to fulfil the last word of
admonition of his departing friend. But he hastened after
help, if help was any longer necessary. The physician was
soon at the bed side of the patient ; the body was placed
in a warm bath. — .411 in vain ! If was again laid in bed,
and they were convinced, that the last spark of life had ex
pired. But still he only slumbered. The deep swoon of
the sick man was the crisis of his restoration. The win
dows were opened and the entrance of the fresh breeze
awakened the faint spark of life anew. The father observ
ed, as after some time he visited the presumed dead man,
that his pulse had changed. He examined the body, and
it appeared to him to grow warm. The physician being
again called in, applied anew all the means of his art. After
some hours the patient was restored to his senses, and soon
after to his speech.

224 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
i
He was saved, and in a few weeks was again perfectiy
restored. His gratitude to Henry and his parents was unbounded.
Before this he had been attached to them tenderly, but now
his heart was fettered to them. Henry's parents also loved
the stranger ; they also felt deeply obligated to him when
they heard, how much the young man had contributed to
induce Henry to retrace his steps and thus remove a burden
of anxiety from his parents. Just as the father was consult
ing with his wife on the most proper course to be pursued
with respect to Antonio, and procuring useful employment
for him, he himself approached the father and requested
advice as to his future pursuits in Germany. The father
examined the acquirements of the young man, which were
not very extensive. He spoke and wrote German and Ital
ian, he had a littie knowledge of Geography, Natural His
tory, Arithmetic and French. As he wrote a very beautiful
hand, which without instruction he learned by his own prac
tice, and what was the principal thing, had good natural
abilities and a disposition fo improve, the father resolved fo
employ him in his own counting room as assistant clerk,
allowing hira at first a sraall salary with the promise of in
creasing it as Antonio became more expert in business and
useful to the establishment.
No one was more happy than Antonio. His most fervent
wish was to remain in the family of these benevolent persons,
in whom he seemed to have found his second parents. He
could scarcely wait until the time when he was to enter
upon his new office. Every hour he was not employed in
the store, he devoted fo the improvement of his mind,
and thus daily became more useful to his patron.
It was a peculiarly happy day for him and the whole fam
ily, on which he with Henry was received into the bosom
of the Evangelical church. In order to avoid observation
and gratifying idle curiosity, their reception or the confir
mation did not take place publicly before the congregation,
but in a church used for week day services, which was little

oa THE PROSELYTES. 225
frequented, but on the next Lord's day, both publicly cele
brated the Lord's supper with the other members of the
family. Henry had resumed his philological studies, against
which all his predjudices had vanished, and prepared him
self for a professorship in a gymnasiura. He had conceived
a prejudice, though unfounded, against painting, which had
been the occasion of leading him astray.
After some time he quite incidentally took up, from among
his papers, some letters, which he had brought with him
from Italy, which purported to be recommendations to the
Rev. Father N — . They were now useless and he had de
termined to destroy them. But the father, when he heard
of it, was of a different opinion, and believed that they at
least deserved fo be read, that they might ascertain the good
opinion of his Italian friends and their expectations of him
which were now blasted by Henry's return to the Evangel
ical church. The curiosity of the mother and Wilhelmina
seconded that resolution, which Henry rather reluctantly
consented to from a secret apprehension that something un-
pleasent might be discovered. The letters were opened, and
they contained nothing but praise of Henry, with the request
to promote in every possible way the worldly prosperity af
this "faithful son in Christ." The father wondered at their
barren contents. He examined the letteis very closely, fo see
if nothing secret could be found; but all in vain. At length
he observed that the space between the lines was very great,
and that one whole page was left blank. He expressed the
presumption, that the paper might contain another letter
written in sympathetic ink, the writing of which would only
become visible, when the paper was dipped in a certain
chemical solution. He was well acquainted with that pro
cess and determined on the spot fo fry the experiment.
He was not deceived. When the paper was taken out
of the solution, a writing before invisible became distinct,
the contents of which were not gratifying to Henry. His
friend Rossi gave Ihe Romish priest, fo whom the letter was
addressed, a correct description of Henry's character, par-

226 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
ticularly of his infirmities, through which he might be influ
enced. "Although (it was said among other things) he has
become a Catholic from conviction, yet certain dependence
is not yet to be placed on that, because he has not yet been
properly brought to an unconditional faith in the word of
the church. Besides, his early principles may again be
easily awakened, especially through the influence of his
parents, who, as I am told, are zealous Lutherans. For
this reason, his servant has been instructed to watch him
closely, and our excellent doctor Frederick will also know
how to perform his duty. But yet it will be necessary fo se
parate the young man from his parents as soon as possible.
You will invite him to come fo  . You will hold out
the most brilliant promises to him, and introduce him to the
society of such of the faithful, as are capable of watching
and taking care of him; if he shows any disposition to re
tract, you will particularly remind him of the uncharitable
judgraent he will expose himself to before the world, an
argument which is more powerful with hira, than all others.
You will fake care that a faithful sister wins his affections,
who is instructed to declare that she can love none other
than a Catholic; you will in a word, know how to manage
every thing, so that he may be retained in the church. For
although nothing particular is gained in him, inasmuch as
he is a mere dauber in his art, yet the honor of the church
demands that he be retained, and the extensive wealth of
the father deserves that we take especial care of his heir.
The servant, a good Catholic, who is educated in obedience
to the church, you can easily keep to his duty by spiritual
punishments. But whether the alarm of spiritual punish
ments is yet to be applied to his master you can judge of
by circumstances, and easily ascertain from some attempts
very carefully made."
At the reading of this letter Henry's face changed colour,
he blushed and grew deadly pale by turns. Sharae for his
weakness and indignation at these deceitful instructions
filled his heart at the same time. He found that Rossi, had

OR THE PROSELYTES, 227
without his knowledge, held a correspondence about him
and his parents; he saw with shame how littie importance
they attached to him, and how they only regarded him wor
thy of notice inasmuch as he was the heir of a considerable
fortune. Yet this feeling of shame purged his soul of the
last reranant of vanity, which had so long prevented him
from fulfilling the desires of his parents, and hearing the
voice of his own better convictions. He was glad that the
letters were now first decyphered, after his return to the
Evangelical church. The father said nothing. He saw
that this letter required no illustration for his son. The
mother laughed at the mistake of the wily Rossi about An
tonio, and wished that he might learn to his shame, how
the gospel had done more, than all his well arranged in
struction. Henry told his parents, how Antonio himself had
revealed to him the instructions he had received at his last
confession at Rome, The parents esteemed the young man
still more highly on that account, and reposed still greater
confidence in him.
The real character of Dr, Frederick, now began to be de
veloped, from the mention made of his name in the letter,
and it became gradually better known, as they comptred
together what they had heard of this man. It was not
known whence he came. His manners were refined ; his
acquirements not inconsiderable; his conduct externally
proper. Only towards the last, several things were said of
him, which excited supicion. As a physician he had been
so charitable to the poor, that it was at last no subject of
surprise that several of his patients had become Romanists.
They were poor persons, who lived in obscurity. But it
was more remarkable, that he attempted to convert to Ro
manism a distinguished lady, and the report even went so
far as to say, that she was really converted before her death,
and that the doctor administered extreme unction fo her.
He was applauded for persuading the few members of that
communion in the place to establish a Romish school, but
men wondered that he himself contributed such a conside-

202 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
rable sum towards it, when it was not known whence he
obtained it. It was also attributed to his influence that the
few Romanists of the town, who before had frequently at
tended the evangelical church, had since his residence
among them absented themselves altogether, and had even
withdrawn themselves very much from the society of evan
gelical christians. A Romish midwife was also established
there by his influence, and was remunerated for her servi
ces out of his own pocket, Henry now remembered in
what a remarkable manner this man publicly distinguished
him as a Catholic, and how frequently he invited him fo
travel to M  ,
Taking all things together, the father concluded that Dr,
Frederick was a proselyter, and perhaps a secret Jesuit, as
this society now seeks in all possible ways, and in every
disguise to insinuate itself in the favor of the people in Ro
mish and evangelical countries,
I should think, said the father at last to Henry, it must
now be very agreeable to you, my son, to be delivered from
the power of a priesthood, which always surrounded their
church members with a sort of secret police. On the oth
er hand, how worthy of the religion of the Spirit is not the
relation of the laity to their ministers with us! Our religion
demands voluntary obedience, and faith from conviction !
The truth does not need secret inspection and artifice. It
maintains itself by its own innate power. It is only error,
which is always in danger of annihilation from want of ar
gument fo support it, that must be laboriously maintained
by this police system of espionage, but which only answers
the purpose for a limited time, I cannot understand how
it is, that whilst secret societies are dissolved and prohibited
in all countries, (of Europe) yet that the much more secret
and mighty sacerdotal orders, particularly the Jesuits, are
still not only tolerated, but highly patronized!
Henry. — Not only in Rome, but in many other countries
is the restoration and patronage of the priestly power re-

OR THE PROSELYTES. 229
garded as the surest support of all religion, and of the Catho
lic church particularly, and for this reason the pope was
prevailed upon to annul the bull of his predecessor, Cle
mens the 14th, (1773) which dissolved the order, and re
stored it again. Particularly in France they promise them
selves every thing from the restoration of the power of the
priesthood. Father, — It was a strange piece of business indeed, that
the former pope, who certainly was as infallible as his pre
decessor Clemens, recalled his solemn and maturely con
sidered bull of dissolution, and I wonder, how after such
experience there can yet be a Romanist who can speak of
the infallibility of the popes without blushing. But yet the
history of the popes presents many stronger instances of con
tradictions, and still men act with respect to them, as though
they had never occurred. But the hope, which men indulge
from the power of the priesthood, and especially from the
Jesuits, is delusive. The more powerful the influence is, the
more intolerable will their yoke be for our times, and the more
certainly will they promote the cause of the evangelical
church,* For it is the greatest folly for men in the 19th cen
tury to act as though they lived in the 15th, and to conduct
themselves as though three centuries vrith their astonishing
changes had not elapsed. Such unwise proceedings will
only advance the progress of the reformation in the Romish
church. Henry, — That they certainly do not believe. The Je
suits have also attempted to disseminate the opinion, espe
cially in high places, that the French revolution was the
consequence of the dissolution of the Jesuits, and that the
•General Sebastiani, deputy of Corsica, in a speech delivered in the
Chamber of Deputies on Feb., 26, 1827, expressed the effects which
the new power of the priesthood had in France. "Already, he said,
youknow it! — already the apostacies (from the Romish church) are nu
merous — already more than 3000 persons in the vicinity of Lyons,
have gone over to the Protestant communion ! " This was not contra
dicted in the chamber. The powerful and dangerous reaction against
the hierarcy in France since the revolution of July 1830, need not be
related here. 20

230 HENRY AND ANTONIO,
priesthood ruling absolutely in the church was the strongest
support of thrones, and the surest means of suppressing
the constitutional fever of the populace.
Father. — But how can they convince any man of such
a chimerical notion, who has the least knowledge of history!
Frederick the Great, in his writings foretold the breaking
out of the revolution in France, and grounded it on the dis
ordered state of the finances, and the corruption of the
higher classes. He could have added, the proximity of En
gland and her parliament, the influence of North America, but
above all the immense number of internal abuses. He who
wishes to understand the French revolution, let him only read
the memoirs of the times of Lewis the 14th, 15th, and 16th,
which will afford him the deepest insight into the character
of the court, the courtiers, and the higher classes. But as
respects the presthood of the Romish church, ever since
the existence of popery, the annals of all the western king
doms are full of narratives of the most fearful contests they
have carried on against the princes.* Many princes main
tained their thrones against the priests with the greatest
difficulty; many were really deposed by them. How could
it be otherwise! In the evangelical church (in Europe) the
ruler of the country is the supreme officer of the church,
and thus through him, church and state are firmly united.
Thus in Russia the Emperor is at the same time patriarch
of the Greek church of his kingdom. But the Romish
priesthood is bound in perfect obedience to a foreign mon
arch, the king of the ecclesiastical state, and hence consti
tutes a state within a state. Hence the Catholic princes al
ways have their difficulties with their clergy, who under the
protection of the pope, so willingly, and often with such fa
vorable result to themselves, oppose themselves to the prin
ces. They also possess this advantage over the Greek
and evangelical clergy, that the Jesuits belonging to the
holy priesthood, and so highly celebrated by them, have alone
*See Appendix, No. XII.

OR THE PROSELYTES. 231
among all christian priests, assumed to themselves the right
of regicide and rebellion ! Has all this knowledge of these
men no effect on the minds of the people ?
Henry, — Many persons cannot be at all affected by ex
perience of this kind !
Father. — So it would seem ! For how else could men in
in our day believe what the enemies of our church have so
often repeated, namely, that the religions liberty of the
evangelical church encouraged a spirit of political revolu
tion ! Catholic France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the whole
of Catholic America has revolted since 1790, and has thus
given proof that the Catholic priesthood cannot protect the
government against revolution,* This priesthood rather
took an active part in these revolutions. In France the
Catholic priests and inferior clergy powerfully promoted
the revolution. In Spain and Portugal they were seen
in great numbers under the Cortes, The Spanish priests
constituted a very strong party under the name of the
Aposfolicals, who exerted themselves fo the utmost to raise
recruits for the king, and to be serviceable fo him in every
way. If our politicians wish to have proof of the happi
ness of a country in which the Romish priesthood exerts
much influence, they need only look at Spain ! The peace
and quiet of the evangelical countries during this whole
stormy period, should convince every one of the political
harmlessness of the evangelical church. If you wish fo
read something solid and conclusive on this subject, then
peruse the admirable book of Dr, Tzschirner of Leipzig:
"Protestantism and Catholicism, considered in the light of
Politics." (Leipzig 1822, second edition.)
Henry. — You know dear father, that the political system
most prevalent now, is to uphold that which is old and long
established, and to oppose innovation ; the reformation is
regarded as an innovation, and the Romish church as that
which is stationary or an old established institution, and
hence the latter is supported.
•More recently France again, Belgium. Po'and, and Italy itself.

2-32 henry and antonio,
Father. — Strange confusion of ideas ! Which is the
more ancient, the gospel or popery? When the reformation
began three hundred years ago, popery was abandoned as '
an innovation, and men returned to the gospel, as that
which was ancient and long established. And are not three
hundred years, during which the evangelical church has
existed, a period long enough to entitle her fo be ranked
amongst those things that are of "ancient establishment ? If
this time is too short to entitle any thing to that distinction,
then the present political condition of things cannot be jus
tified, and every thing would have to return to the same state
in which it was before the reformation. At that time there were
no standing armies, no sovereignty or confederation of Ger
man princes, no absolute monarch, no permanent taxes, and
the boundaries of the countries were different from what they
are at present. But any man would be with propriety re
garded as insane, who would wish to bring back the old or
der of things. The old state of things in pohtics only re
fers to the times preceding the great revolution. It should
be so with respect to the church, and hence the evangelical
church which has existed for three hundred years, should also
be reckoned among the old established institutions.
Mother, — If only the evangelical subjects of Catholic
princes do not suffer themselves to be persuaded to any
thing like rebellion ! If they did that, with some appear
ance of truth, they could say, that we were bad subjects.
Father, — You need be under no apprehension about
that, dear wife. The members of the Evangelical church
in Austria, Hungary, Transylvania, Russia, Bavaria and
Saxony, have always proved themselves good subjects, and
they will continue to be so, unless severe oppression rouses
them. But the governments are too wise, too just, too
christian, ever to surrender themselves to the blind zeal of
the priesthood, I believe, that no people wdl ever rise
against their rulers, if they are governed j.ustly and mildly.
Thus also, the Romanists under rulers who were not Ro
mish, as in Russia, Silesia, lately in Prussia, Wirtemberg,

OR THE PROSELYTES. 233
Bavaria and Holland, have proved themselves good subjects
even if their priests did not always set them a good exam
ple. Mother. — But is it not to be hoped, that finally the
members of the Evangelical and Cathohc churches will unite
themselves into one communion?
Father, — That hope is as yet chimerical. If a unionris
ever to take place, the Romish church must separate herself
from the pope, must restore the bible to its proper place,
abandon the infallibility of the priesthood and the edicts of
the council of Trent, especially discontinue the unchristian
condemnation of all who are not Romanists, and thus form
within herself an Evangelical Catholic church. This, I
think,- may be hoped; yea, from many appearences I would
conclude, that there is already such a church, though invisi
ble, among the Romanists, which will gradually be more
fully developed and manifested to the world. The reforma
tion of the Romish church must come from herself Then
they will consign to oblivion their decrees of the council of
Trent, and their Romish catechism, and the Evangelical
church will lay aside her symbolical books. They will sub
stitute in their place the gospel, and learn from that to love
each other as brethren, and to endure difference of views
on non-essential points, without condemning each other
as heretics. Then there will be true peace, and the prophe
cy of Jeremiah will be fulfilled (ch. xxxi. 34.) "And they
shall teach no more every man his brother, saying, know
the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of
them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord,''
Mother, — But will this ever take place ?
Father, — Certainly ; but we will not live to see it. But
in the mean time, let us honestiy do what may contribute
to bring about this desirable state of peace.
Henry. — And above all, let the Evangelical church set
a good example, and not wage an everlasting war against
the Catholic church in writings and conversation. For
what else will result from this, but hatred and alienation,
which will only separate them still farther ?
20*

234 henry anix antonio,
Father. — My son, it is our duty also to love our Romish
fellow citizens and to do them good. But duty does not
command us to love their errors, to consider their abuses
as right; that would be "man pleasing and eye service."
Henry, — But would it not follow from our principles of
freedom of conscience, to let the Catholic enjoy his faith
and not contend against him?
Father, — You are wrong. By freedom of conscience
we mean, that no one is to be punished' by the civil or spir
itual authority for religious opinions, as the priests do who
punish heretics as criminals; and further that every one
have permission to express his religious sentiments, and
publicly to state his reasons, but this the Romish priesthood
forbids. We members of the Evangelical church of course
do not give up the latter privilege for ourselves in granting
it to others, but lay an equal claim to it. If we allow the
Romanist publicly to confess and defend his faith, it would
be ridiculous, if we considered ourselves bound to maintain
silence towards him, Jesus was not silent about the errors
of the pharisees and scribes,
Henry, — There you are right. The- Catholics have no
reason to take if so hard of the members of the Evangelical
church, that they express their opinions, and they should
not feel insulted and wronged, when they are opposed.
Father, — The Romish priesthood would certainly be
pleased to say every thing themselves. But really they can
not complain, if we regard them always as enemies, and
prove to them the strength of our well tempered weapons.
For since the reformation, they have waged a continual
war against us. The pope has from the beginning repeat
edly, and then again at the council of Trent, condemned all
Evangelical christians as heretics; he has never revoked
this sentence of condemnation, and never acknowledged us
as a church. On the other hand, at the peace of Westpha
lia (1648) and at the congress of Vienna, he repeatedly pro
tested against the existence of the Evangelical church, and
at the last Romish jubilee, he enjoined it as a duty on all

OE THE PROSELYTES, 2.35
Catholics, not only to pray for the illumination of the erring,
but also ^for the extirpation of heresy." Here are in truth
all the conditions of the most perfect warfare, and nothing
is wanting but political power to effect the charitable desiro
of Rome in the extermination of all heretics. Whilst then,
Evangelical christians are continually declared by Rome to
be a rebellious mob of heretics not to be endured, but ex
terminated ; whilst the priests of this church continue to
persecute us with the shameful accusations, as though we
were nothing but revolutionists, who aimed at the destruc
tion of Christianity ; shall we be silent, lay our finger on
our mouths, and conduct ourselves as though we had a bad
cause, which could not be defended ? Yes, I know weU
that there are Evangelical christians, who either from weak
ness, or hood winked ignorance, or indifference fo all truth,
yield to all the presumption and arrogance of the Romish
priesthood, make them the most obsequious salutations,
speak of truth and error only in equivocal terms, for the
purpose of winning the favour of these priests, by whom
after all they are only despised. This is not confessing the
Lord and his gospel before men ; this is not seeking the hon
or of God rather than that of men. No! the truth demands
that those who know it, should boldly confess it, and defend
it against calumny. Christian love also demands that for
our erring brethren. To maintain, to teach, fo confess, to
defend the truth, — let these be the distinguishing marks and
symbols of genuine christians. But let it be only the evan
gelical doctrine, which we confess and defend. We will
not be called Lutheran, or Zwinglian, or Calvinistic, but
evangelical, so that when we invite the Romanist to hear
the gospel, it may not appear, as though he were to go to
Luther, Zwingli or Calvin. He will not go to them ; but to
Jesus and the apostles — I confidently hope ! — to them will
he go ; them will he hear. Hen ce let us remain unwaver
ingly with these !
Henry. — (Extending his hand) Thus let it be, dear fa
ther ! and nothing in the world shall turn aside your son
from this straight path !

236 henry and antonio.
Father. — Then you are again wholly mine ! — come to
my heart, my dearest son !
Mother. — God be thanked for this blessed day !
Wilhelmina. — 0 Henry, how happy you have made your
parents !
Henry, — I myself am the happiest of all ! Now again
is my heart at peace ; for only in the truth is lasting peace
to be found.

APPENDIX.

It will be expected of me to explain my object in appending the
following extracts lirom the fathers of the church, that is, of the
most distinguished teachers of the church of the first four centu
ries. The testimony of these ancient teachers is not intended to
prove the evangelical system of doctrine ; for the gospel does not ,
need such evidence, for upon its truth rests the truth of the church
and of the doctrines promulgated by her teachers. Neither is it in
tended to prove that the doctrines of the first four centuries, were
those contained in the gospel, or that they agreed with the gospel.
For this in reality was not the fact. But these men lived and taught
in an age, when, though there was a Roman bishop, yet there was
no pope, when the church had as yet a quite different external or
ganization from the present Romish-papal church, and when no
thing was known of so many doctrines and customs, which in sub
sequent ages were established as essential. These extracts are in
tended to show the extent of the influence which the gospel exert
ed, and of the estimation in which it was held in the early ages — 1»
exhibit the groundlessness of the pretension, that the church, from
the beginning, taught what the popes and the council of Trent es
tablished as truth at a later day, and to prove how far in many re
spects the Romish church has departed from the church of the first
four centuries.
The following brief notices of the men, whose testimony is here
mtroduced, are intended for those readers who are unacquainted
with ecclesiastical history.
Clemens of Rome, perhaps a disciple of the apostle Peter, and
aflcrterwards bishop of the christian congregation at Rome. He is
said to have died at the beginning of the second century. Hermas,

238 APPENDIX.
a disciple of the aposties, whom Paul mentions in the epistle to the
Romans, (ch. xvi. 14) and from whom we yet have a book under
the title of The Shepherd, but which many ascribe to a later
Hermas, who lived about the year 140. Papias, bishop of Hier-
apolis in Phrygia, who lived near the times of the apostle John;
Hegesipptjs wrote a church history in the second half of the se
cond century, of which there are yet several fragments extant.
Irenaeus, of Asia Minor, after he had heard the cotemporaries of
the apostles, went to Lyons, in France, became a bishop there in
177, and died in 202.
Clemens, to distinguish him from Clemens of Rome, called the
Alexandrian, was presbyter of the church in Alexandria, and
teacher of the celebrated catechetical school there; was well ac
quainted with the Greek philosophy — died about the year 220. His
most distinguished successor was Origen, born in 185 at Alexan
dria, died at Tyre in 264 — at the same time presbyter of the church
at Alexandria, principal of the above named school, and one of the
most prolific writers of the fathers.
Tertulliak lived at the end of the second, and beginning of the
third century — was presbyter at Carthage in Africa, and one of the
most important writers of the early church. In the latter year of
his life he embraced the opinions of the Montanisfs. Cyprian
was bishop of Carthage in 248 or 249, and died a martyr in 225,
Arnobius, teacher of eloquence in Sicca in Africa, lived at the
beginning of the fourth century.
Laotahtius, born in Africa, at first was teacher of eloquence
in Nicodemia, thence was called to France as preceptor of the son
of Constantine in 317, where he probably died.
Eusebius was bishop of Caesarea about the year 314, and was
the author of the first history of the christian church, which has
come down to our times. The so called Constitutions of the Apos
tles are directions about the organization of the church, the wor
ship, the life of christians, &c. which are said to have been compos
ed by the apostles. But they are of a more recent date, and uncer
tain age, but containing much that is old of the second and third cen
turies, besides somethings new.

APPENDIX.

239

TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS OF THE FIRST
FOUR CENTURIES.

ON PRIESTLY ABSOLUTION.
Clemens of Rome, knew nothing of a priestly power, which was
capable of opening and closing the gates of heaven. But in his se
cond epistle to the Corinthians, chsip. iv. 6, he earnestly insists upon
the conviction that those only will be saved who persevere in the re
formation promised at baptism, and at the end of chap. 6, adds, "if
we do not preserve baptism pure and unadulterated, upon what else
will we trust, that we may come into tho kingdom of God? or who
could be our advocate (^ra/ju/cA;?™?) if -.ve had not performed holy
and religious actions."
Origen, in his homilies on Leviticus, Homil. 12, sec. 6, says, "If
any of us christians commits sin, he is rejected, (by Christ) even if
he should not be rejected by the bisliop, the bishop may not know
the transgressor's faults, or may occasionally judge by favor; the
sinner, however, is cast out on account of his sins. Neither will the
favor of men be of any service, for Christ will not take up such a
soul into his communion; it is rejected. " Homil. 14, sec. 3: "On
the other hand, it may happen that a person is cast out by an un
righteous sentence of the principal olliccrs of the church. But if
he did not before himself go out, that is, if he did nothing, for
which he deserved to be cast out, it will be of no injury to him
(with Christ,) though he has \-esn excommunicated through the
unjust sentence of men. And thu-? it happens, that sometimes, he
that is cast out (by Christ) remains in the church, and he whom
men seem to retain in the church, is raally out of it."
Tertullian, (On shame, ch. 21,) o-.jiresses himself strongly
against it, that the priest shouKl have ji(rv\'er to forgive sins of un-
chastity, which he regards as enormous tran.'ii2;ressions, such as God
alone can pardon. The bishop can only forgive minor faults; the
greater, God alone can remit. He says, "produce an apostolical
or prophetical example that imjiutcs to you the power of forgiving
such sins. As you are only en(ru?'icf with the business of exer
cising discipline, and do not wield -lO'.ver, but are a servant, how
can you arrogate fo yourself to forgive sins? Whence will you as-

240 APPENDIX.
cribe this right to the church ? Perhaps, because the Lord said to
Peter (Matt, xvi.) "upon this rock will I build my church," or,
"whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven, and what
soever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven ? " If you pre
sume that on this ground the power of loosing and binding has
come to you, then you dare to change and frustrate the object of
the Lord, who spoke this to Peter for his own person. For Jesus
says, I will give to thee, and not, I will give to the church the
keys ; and, whatsoever you bind and loo.se, not, what they, (the
bishops,) bind or loose : — "The church is the spirit which operates
in the spiritual man ; but the bishops are not the church. To the
Master belong the right and the decision, not to the servant ; to
God and not to the priest."
Cyprian in his book On the Lapsed, says, "let no one deceive,
no one delude you. The Lord alone can exercise mercy. He
alone can release from sms, which have been committed against
him who bore our sins, whom God gave as a ransom for ovir sins.
Man cannot be greater than God, and the servant cannot forgive
what has been committed against his master, so that it may not be
added to the guilt of the lapsed, that he did not know the declara
tion of Jeremiah, (ch. xvii. 5.) "Cursed be the man who frusteth
in man." II.
WHAT IS DEMANDED OF US IN ORDER TO BE SAVED.
Hermas in his Shepherd, 2. B. ch. 7, says, "Fear God and you
shall live; All who fear him and keep his commandments, have
their life in the Lord ; they who do not obey him, have not life."
Irenaeus against the Heretics, 4. B, ch. xv. sec. 1, says, "God
first admonished men by the natural commandments which he from
the beginning implanted in men, that is, by the ten commandments.
He that does not observe these, will not be saved."
Cyprian on the Lord's Prayer, says, "Since the word, our Lord
Jesus Christ, has come for all, and has gjiyen the commandments
of salvation to the learned and unlearned, to each sex, and every
age, he embraces his commandments in a very short expression, so
that they, who were learning the heavenly doctrine, might easily
impress it on their memory, and soon learn what is necessary to
simple faith. As he wished to teach, on what the attainment of sal
vation depended, he comprehended the mystery of salvation hi the

APPENDIX, 241
short, divine words, (John xvii. 3.) "This is eternal life, thatthey
might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
hast sent." For this reason, as he wished to select the first and
most important commandments out of the law and the prophets, he
said ; "Hear, O Israel ! the Lord thy God is one God ; and thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul,
&c. &C.'-' III.
THAT IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE TRUTH, WHETHER IT BE OLD
OR NEW.
Tertullian, on the Veiling of Virgins, says, (ch. i.) "Our Lord
Jesus Christ called himself the truth, not a derivation. Thus as
Chri.9t is eternal, and older than all ; so is also the truth an eternal
and old thing. Heresies are recognized as such by the truth, and
not by their novelty. Whatever opposes the truth is heresy, even if
it be of ancient origin.
Again, (ch. xvi.) "I defend my opinion by the scriptures, na
ture, and the moral feeling. The scriptures are God's, nature is
God's, the moral feeling is God's. If hat is opposed to these, is not
divine. If the scriptures are uncertain, nature is distinct; is na
ture doubtful, the moral feeling shows what is pleasing to God."
Arnobius, (against the Heathen, in B. 2.) says, "Our subject
which we treat (religion) is new ; but it will once become old ;
yours is old, but when it beg3,n, it was also new and uncommon.
The validity of a religion is not to be estimated according to its an
tiquity, but according to its deity, (numine,) and men must look
to what they worship, not to when they began to worship."
Lactanctius, (Instruction in Divine Things, B. 2, ch. 8.) says,
"As striving after truth is natural to all men, they withdraw them
selves even from the love of wisdom, who without exercising their
own judgment, sanction the caprices of their ancestors, and suffer
themselves to be led by others, like irrational brutes. What pre
vents us from following the example of our (heathen) ancestors,
but that, as they delivered to their successors the error discovered
by them, we deliver to our successors the truth discovered by us,
as that which is much better ? "
Cyprian in his 31st Epistle, says, "Some, who must grant us our
principles, in vain oppose to us the origin of our system ; just as if
the origin of a thing, was of more importance than the truth, or
that in spiritual things it was not right to follow that which is best,
21

242 APPENDIX.
which the Holy Ghost reveals. And in Epis. 74. "The origin of
the truth cannot prevent the final triumph of the truth. For a
source which is not true, is an old error."
IV.
The Emperor Constantine the Great, wrote (about the year 314,)
to his governor in Africa on the subject of a controversy which had
arisen about the bishop Caecilian in Carthage, (see the council of
Mansi, vol. II. p. 463,) and said, "In order to decide the contro
versy, I had commanded, that Caecilian, as well as several of his
opponents should personally appear in Rome. I had also ordered
that several bishops from Gaul should come fo my city of Rome,
(ad urbem nostram Romam,) that they, and also the bishop of the
dty qf Rome, should bring this matter to a decision. They
have made known to me every thing which was done in their pre
sence, and have exhibited to me their proceedings, with the assu
rance, that they judged according to the equity of the case," &c.
The same emperor wrote on the same subject to bishop Chrestus
in Syracuse, (see Mansi, p. 466,) and said; "In order to end the
controversy, I had commanded that several bishops from Gaul, and
at the same time the opponents from Africa, should come to Rome,
so that, at the same time in presence of the bishop of Rome, (prae-
sente insuper Romano episcopo,) every thing which had been agi
tated, might by a close examination be settled in the presence of
all," &c. (Constantine the Great called together not only the coun
cil of Aries, but also one at Rome on account of the Donatists,
and then the first General Council at Nice in 325. He always con
ducted himself as lord of the bishops and of the bishop of Rome.)

THE ROMAN BISHOPS WERE ON AN EQUALITY WITH OTHER BISHOPS
WHO ALSO BORE THE TITLE, "PAPA "
In the "Apostolical Constitutions" in B. 7, ch. 46, the bishops
whom the apostles ordained are mentioned by name, and there
stand the two first bishops of Rome, Linus and Clemens, without
any distinction among the bishops of other places. In B. 8, ch.
10, it is enjoined ; "The christians must pray for the whole holy
apostolic church; for all bishops ; for James, (bishop of Jerusa
lem,) for Clemens, (bishop of Rome,) for Exodius, &c. &c. in

APPENDIX. 243
which the bishop of Rome stands in the series and is placed after
the bishop of Jerusalem.
The bishops at the council of Aries, (in 314) gave the Roman
bishop, who was not present, notice of their decisions in a letter,
(Mansi, vol. II. p. 469,) in which they say, "Faithfully adhering
to the common bond of brotherly love, and the unity of the mother,
the imperial church, we, assembled in the city of Aries at the com
mand of the Emperor, salute you, illustrious father, (papa) with
proper reverence. For it seemed good (placuit) to us, that from
thee and by thee, who hast a larger diocese, all should be notified
(of our decisions.")
Particularly important are the letters of Cypkian, bishop of
Carthage, and his correspondence with the Roman bishops. The
Roman bishop gives Cyprian the title of papa, (in 30th and 31st
letters,) and in a letter to Cyprian, (2d letter) says, "We have
heard that the blessed papa (pope) Cyprian was dead." Cyprian
in his letter to the bishop of Rome, not only calls him his colleague,
(letters 3, 52,) but throughout treats him as a colleague, and never
as a superior. The most important of his correspondence with
Rome, the authenticity of which is not doubted, is the following.
In letter 29th, he writes fo the bishop of Rome, thus : "The mu
tual affection which our relation demands, as well as my disposition,
not to keep any thing from you, what I undertake, so that we may
agree in our decisions, respecting that which is of benefit fo the
church, &c." The Roman bishop answers thus, (let. 13,) "You
have conducted yourself as is your custom, in communicating unto
us a matter, which occasions anxiety. It is the duty of us all, to
take care of the body of the whole church, whose members are
scattered through so many different provinces." He again writes
to Cyprian, (let. 31,) "Although an honest mind is satisfied with
the approbation of God, and neither seeks the praise of others, nor
fears their blame, yet those are worthy of double praise, who,
whilst they know, that they are accountable only to the judgment qf
God, yet wish fo see their actions also sanctioned by their brethren.
That you do this, dear brother Cyprian, is not fo be wondered at,
inasmuch as you with your natural modesty and circumspection
wish to have us not so much judges, but rather partakers of your
decisions, so that we by sanctioning your actions gain praise, and
can become heirs of your -good counsels, because we follow them.
For men will consider that as our mutual work, in which we will
be found united in harmony of opinion and discipline." Cyprian

244 APPENDIX.
(in let. 52) after mentioning that he had called a council of African
bishops, to settle a controversy about the lapsed, continues; "Lest
the number of African bishops might not appear sufficient, I have
also written to my colleague, Cornelius (bishop of Rome,) on this
subject, who with several fellow bishops at a meeting held by them
expressed the same opinion with us." In requesting the^Roman
bishop Stephen to adopt the decision of the African bishops on the
baptism of heretics, he writes to him, (let. 72,) "These things I
have communicated fo you, dear brother, partly because of our
common office, and partly because of sincere love, for I believe that
to you, according to the truth of your piety and faith, that will be
agreeable, which is as pious as it is true. Moreover, as I know,
that many persevere in their opinion, and without at all loosing
the bond of peace and unity among colleagues, desire to cling to
the custom of their churches, I will force no one in this matter, or
prescribe any thing, inasmuch as every bishop dare preserve his cum
judgment in administering the affairs qf his church, for he must
give an account to the Lord for Ms actions."
At the council of Carthage, (in 256,) where the bishops of the
provinces of Africa, Numidia and Mauritania, were assembled ;
Cyprian, who presided over the assembly said ; that he would not
force his opinions on any one, and added : "for no one of us makes
himself a bishop of bishops, or by any tyranny constrains -his col
leagues to a forced obedience, as every bishop according to his
liberty and power is free to his own resolution, and is as little bound
to follow the directions of others, as he is authorized to give them
to others. We rather all expect the decision of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who alone has the power of delivering to us the government
of the church, and to judge our actions."
VI.
ON MATT. XVI. IS.— JOHN XX. 23.
Origen (Comm. on Matt. Tim. XII. 10. F.) makes the following
observations on the words "Thou art Peter," ^-c. "Every disciple
of Christ is a rock, and upon such a rock the whole ecclesiastical
doctrine, and that which belongs to it, are built. But if you would
believe that the whole church of God is built on Peter aZone, what
would you say of John and the other apostles? Or would any one
dare to maintain that the gates of hell could prevail only not against
Peter, but are stronger than all the other apostles and the pious?

APPENDIX. 245
Are not the words ; "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,"
addressed to all and to each ? Just as the words, "upon this rock
will I build ray church ?" Were the keys of the kingdom of heav
en given fo Peter alone, so that none of the other apostles received
them ? But if the words, "I will give to you the keys of the king
dom of heaven," refer to all, (Matt, xviii. 18.) why not also the pre
ceding, which seems to be addressed fo Peter alone ?" (He maintains,
that every one who has the same disposition and character of Peter,
is a spiritual Peter, and that the words of Christ are applicable also
to him.)
Tertullian. — See the remarkable passage under No. 1.
Cyprian refers the words "thou art Peter" &c. to the institution
of the episcopal dignity generally, and says in Letter 27 ; "Our
Lord in founding the episcopal office and order in his church, says
to Peter (Matt. xvi. 18, 19.) "I say unto thee, then art Peter, and
upon this rock," &c. From this is dated the establishment of epis
copacy and the orginization of the church, by means of the succes
sion in the course of time so that the church rests upon thebishops,
and all the business of the church is conducted by them, as supe
riors." In his book "On the Unity of the Church" in which he
particularly labours to show, that the clergy subject to the bishop
cannot be separated from him, because the episcopal ofiice, upon
which the church rests, is one and the same ; in that book, he also
labors to show the unity of the episcopal ofiice, because it began
with one, namely Peter ; for although Jesus afterwards bestowed
the same ofiice on all the apostles, yet it was given to Peter first
eo that the episcopal authority began originally from a unity. The
remarkable and often misapprehended words of Cyprian are as
follows ;
"The Lord says to Peter (Matt. xvi. 18, 19) I say unto thee,
thou art Peter, and upon this rock," &c, after his resurrection, he
says to him (John xxi. 15, 17.) "feed my sheep." Upon him he
builds his church, and makes it his duty, to feed his lambs. And
although after his resurrection, he imparts the same power to all the
apostles, and says (John xx. 21.) "as my father hath sent me, even
so send I you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose soever sins ye
remit, &c. yet in order to show the unity of the episcopal ofiice he
determined it, that the origin of this unity should begin with one.
All the other apostles were in every respect, what Peter was, par
taking of the same employment, ths same honor, the same power, but
the beginning was with one, the honor of the begirming was given
21*

246 APPENDIX,
to Peter, to show that the church of Christ was one, and that the
episcopal ofiice was one." The words; primatus Petro datur, do
not in this connection mean, that Peter had any authority over the
other apostles, but only, that he was _^rsi nominated bishop, and the
others at a later period. The passage from Cyprian's 71st letter
in No. VI. proves this irrefutably. VII.
Tliat Peter was not supreme among the other apostles, not only
the passages above quoted fully show, but it appears very plain
from other expressions of the fathers.
Origen (Hom. Exod. Hom. ix. § 3.) compares the christian
church to the tabernacle, and says ; "The pillars of the church are
the teachers and servants, of whom Paul (Galat. ii. 9) says ; James,
Cephas, (Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars." But the
head of the pillars is he, of whom the apostle (1 Cor. xi. 3.) says.
"the head of every man is Christ." — Origen in the third Homily
on Numbers calls the apostle Paul, the greatest of all the apostles.
Clemens of Alexandria says, (according to Eusebius B. ii. ch. 1)
Peter, James and John, much as they were honored of the Lord
above others, yet did not contend among themselves about the place
of honor after the ascension of Christ, but chose James the righteous
as bishop of Jesusalem.
In the "Apostolical Constitution" Peter stands in the catalogue
of other apostles without any distinction, and they say of him (B.
vii. ch. 7.) "our fellow apostle, Peter."
Cyprian in Letter 71, writes, "Peter also, whom the Lord first
chose, and upon whom he built his church, when Paul afterwards
contended with him about circumcision, (Gal. ii. 11, &c.) did not
assume a proud and arrogant stand, as if he had said, that he was
first called, and the new converts and those called subsequently must
obey him. VIII.
That the primacy in the church was not given to the bishop of
Rome, after the death of all the apostles, is plainly proved from
some passages which Eusebius quotes in his church history from
ancient writers :
Hegesippus, who lived after the middle of the second history
writes thus; (Euseb. II. 23.) "After the apostles, James, the bro
ther of the Lord, by all called the righteous, received the church."

APPENDIX. 247
Eusebius says, (Hist. iii. 20. ) In the time of the Emperor Domitian
there were yet several relatives of Jesus, grand-sons of Judas, the
iiill brother of Jesus, whom Domitian summoned before him, but
as they were inoffensive men, without wealth, they were released.
"After their release they are said to have had the government of the
churches, because at the same time they were witnesses and rela
tives of Jesus." Of the same men Eusebius says (III. 32) "they
govern the whole church as witnesses, and because they are of the
family of the Lord."
How could this have been entrusted fo the relatives of the Lord,
if Peter had been the chief of the apostles, and had given his su
premacy to the bishops of Rome, as the Romish church maintains?
IX.
NO CONSTRAINT IN MATTERS OF FAITH.
Tertullian (to Scapula) says ; "According to human right and
natural liberty, every man may worship, what he esteems (as di
vine ;) the religion of the one does not promote or hinder another.
But it is not in accordance with religion, to force it upon men, but
it must be rather accepted voluntarily, not by constraint."
Lactantius (Instruction in Divine Things, B. v. ch. 20.) says;
"There is no need of force or injustice, because religion cannot be
forced. The business is to be done with words not with stripes,
so that it may be voluntary. Let thom (the heathen) rather apply
the keenness of their understanding, and if they have right princi
ples, let them advance them. If they want to teach, we are ready
to hear them ; if they remain silent, wo will not believe in them,
and if they rage, we will not be moved. Let them imitate us, and
bring forward the grounds of the whole matter.
X.
PRIESTS ARE NOT TO BE LORDS.
Origen in the 16 th Homil. on Genesis, says in his explanation
of ch. xlvii. 21, &c. "Do you wish to know the difference between
the priests of Pharaoh and the priests of God ? Pharaoh gave land
to his priests, but the Lord did not give to his priests land for their
portion, but said: "I will be your portion." Numb, xviii. 20.
Hence, consider well, all ye priests of the Lord, this difference,
that ye may not appear to be the priests of Pharaoh rather than the

248 APPENDIX.
priests of the Lord, if ye possess land and apply yourselves to earthly
business. Pharaoh wishes, that his priests should own land, and
be more intent on agriculture than doing good to men's souls — more
intent on the field than on the law. But Christ commands his
priests (Luke xiv. 33 ) "whosoever of you that forsaketh not all
that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." In the 6th Hom. on Isaiah
§ 1, he says : "he who is called as bishop, is called not to the do
minion, but to the service of the church." In his commentary on
Matthew § 61, he says : "every bishop, who does not serve his
brethren as a servant, but as a lord or master, sins against God."
In his commentary on Romans B. 9, ch. iii. "he who is set over
his brethren or the church, dare not be burthened with the anx
iety of human cares and worldly things."
XI.
THE FREE USE OF THE SCRIPTURES.
Origen (Hom. on Jeremiah iii. 6.) admonishes fo the reading of
the scriptures as the best means of moral reformation : "true re
formation is (that is, is occasioned by) the reading of the Old
Testament, the consideration and imitation of the righteous, — the
reading of the New Testament and the words of the apostles, which
after reading, men must write on their hearts and live according to
them, &c. &c.
Cyprian (on the Theatre) admonishes men, instead of looking on
the heathen exhibitions, to contemplate the great theatre of God ;
"particularly must the believing christian always be employed
with the holy scriptures, where he finds worthy exhibitions of faith."
Pamphilius (the friend and contemporary of Eusebius) is praised
by Jerome (Apol. I. against Rufin) "that he very cheerfully dis
tributed the holy scriptures, not only to be read, but fo be kept, fo
men and women, whom he saw diligently reading."
The Emperor Julian, who apostatized from Christianity pre
ferred it as a charge against Christians (according to Cyril Alexan
der vi. 9.) "that they allowed women and children to read the
scriptures." XII.
TRADITION.
The oldest fathers certainly attached some importance to that,
which the apostles orally taught in the first churches, because their

APPENDIX. 249
writings were only gradually committed to paper, and in the be
ginning, partly on account of the distance of the churches from
one another, and partly on account of the high price of transcription,
were not every where to be had. But as the writings of the evan
gelists and apostles were more extensively diffused and gradually
collected together in the second century, and this collection form
ed itself into what we still call the New Testament, the fathers
attached the greatest importance to these, as the most certain
source of the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ and the apostles,
and were far removed from the thought, that tradition contained
any thing else, than what the writings of the evanjjelists and apos
tles taught. We learn from their writings, that in the course of
time tradition not only became uncertain, and that heretics ap
pealed to tradition in favor of their errors, but also that the teach
ers of the church judged the truth of tradition by the scriptures,
as the safest criterion.
Papias, bishop of Hierapolis in the beginning of the second cen
tury, wrote five books in explanation of the expressions of Christ,
which have been lost. But Eusebius relates, that Papias said;
every thing that he had written down he had received from the
oral instruction of apostolic men, for he had only asked, what John,
Peter, Philip, Thomas, James, and Matthew, had taught. He is
the first who bears testimony to tradition. Eusebius (Hist. III.
last ch.) says of Papias ; "This writer also brings much more for
ward, which is said to have been received by him from oral tradi
tion, some very strange parables, and expressions of the redeemer,
and some things which are hut too fabulous."
According to Irenaeus (adv. Haer. 5.) there was a controversy
between the Roman and Asiatic churches on the continuance of
fasts, in which the former appealed to traditions received from
Paul and Peter, and the latter to those received from John. Ire
naeus attached great importance to oral tradition, yet he says, (adv.
Haer. B. 3, ch. 1, § 1.) "We have learned the order of our salva-
vation from none others, than those, through whom the gospel came
to us, who at first it is true delivered it orally, but afterwards ac
cording to the will of God, reduced it to writing for ris, so that it
might he the ground and pillar of our faith." He then speaks of the
compilation of our four gospels, and continues ; "He who does not
agree with these scriptures, despises the partakers of the life of
the Lord, despises Christ, — which all heretics do. And in ch. 4,
§ 1, he says; "If a controversy arose on a question, however un-

250 APPENDIX.
important, would we not have fo go back to the oldest churches, in
which the apostles lived, so that we might receive from them the
truth of the matter ! Put if the apostles had not left behind them
writings, would we not have to follow the oral traditions which they
gave to the churches in which they taught? " (Irenaeus here evi
dently prefers the scriptures to traditions.)
Origen (2d Homil. on Ezek. § 2.) "Hear the heretics, how they
maintain, that they have the tradition of the apostles. -But if a
thousand persons would hold my discourses as true, and they were
false according to one expression of God, (in the scriptures) of
what avail would it be to me? Th-dt is the thing, after which we
must long, that the Lord stands by me as witness of my instruc
tions, that he himself establishes by testimony of the scriptures,
what I bring forth."
Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, resolved wilh the African bishops,
at a synod, that those christians baptized by heretical parties, if
they should turn to the general church, must again be baptized, be
cause the baptism of heretics was not valid. He communicated
these resolutions to the Roman bishop, Stephen, who did not agree
with him, maintained the validity of heretical baptism, and referred
fo tradition for his grounds. He had expressed the principle against
Cyprian, that no innovations must be made, unless they were sup
ported by tradition. In his 73d letter Cyprian expresses himself
on that subject thus; "Whence does tradition originate? from the
authority of the Lord and the evangelists, or from the commands
and letters of the apostles? for God himself testifies (John i. 8.)
that only that which is written, shall come to pass. If then either
in the gospels, or in the letters of the apostles, or in acts of the
apostles, it is commanded or forbidden to baptize those coming
over from the heretical parties, but only to lay hands upon them,
such a divine and holy tradition would have fo be observed. But
it is hardness of heart and prejudice to prefer a human tradition to
the divine command. If we go back to the head and source of the
divine tradition, (that is, the scriptures) human error stands aside,
and yields. If a canal abundantly flowing suddenly dries up, do
we not go to the source, in order fo find out the reason of the drying
up? Thus must the priest do, (in this controversy) when the truth
on a subject is uncertain and wavering, we must go back to the
source which springs from the Lord, and to the scriptural doctrine
of the evangelists and apostles. On the same subject Firmilian
(letter 17.) "As respects the assertion of Stephen, that the apos-

APPENDIX. 251
ties orally gave the prohibition to baptize those returning from
the heretics, you answer perfectly right, when you say, no one can
le so foolish as to believe it. That those at Rome do not observe
every thing that was originally taught, and in vain refer to the au
thority of the apostles, we can see from this, that on the cele
bration of the feast of the passover, and many other mysteries of
religion they entertain erroneous opinions, and do not observe every
thing in like manner, as it occurs at Jerusalem."
XIII.
ALL PIOUS CHRISTIANS ARE PRIESTS.
Clemens of Alexandria (Strom. IV. 25.) says; "only those who
live purely are the true priests of God." (Strom. VII. 2.) where
he speaks of the wise and pious man, adds, "He alone is the real
royal man; he is the holy priest of God."
Tertullian (Exhortation to Chastity, ch. 7.) says, "We woulderr
vastly, if we believed, that what does not become a priest, can be al
lowed to the layman. Are not also laymen priests? It is written
(Rev. i. 9.) he made us kings and priests unto God, his father."
The church has made the distinction between the priestly order and
thepeople. Where three are assembled, there is a church ; even if
they are laymen. For each one lives by his own faith. If then
you have in yourself, where you necessarily must have it, the right
of a priest, this priestly right must render necessary the exercise
of priestly duties. Origen in Homil. 9, on Leviticus, § 9, says ;
All who (in baptism) have been anointed with the holy oil, are
priests, as Peter (1, Ep. ii. 9.) said to the whole church ; ye are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy people. Every one
of us also has his (priestly) sacrifice within himself If I bestow
ray goods upon the poor, take up my cross and follow Christ, — If
I love my brethren, so that I lay down my life for them, if I con
tend for rigteousness and truth until my death ; if I mortify the
lusts of the flesh within me ; If the world is crucified unto me, and
I unto the world ; then I have offered a sacrifice on the altar of God,
them I am myself the priest of my sacrifice.
XIV.
WITHHOLDING THE CUP.
In the more ancient church there is not a single trace, that men
ever made it a question whether the cup should be administered ;

252 APPENDIX.
the cup was every where administered. The so called "Apostolic
Constitutions," but which are of later origin, determine the mode
of administering the Lord's Supper expressly thus, (B. 8, ch. 13.)
"The bishop shall hold out the sacrifice (the bread) and say ; the
body of Christ ! and he who receives it, shall say. Amen! But
the deacon shall take the cup and extending say, the blood of Christ,
the cup of life ! and be who drinks it shall say. Amen ! "
The veneration of the fathers for this institution of Christ was
so great, that they declared it as highly unbecoming, that some of
fered not wine mixed with water, but only water in the cup. Cy
prian writes on this subject, (letter 63.) "You know that we are
bound, in the administration of the cup to observe the directions of
the Lord, and to do nothing else, but what Christ did first, that is,
offer wine mixed with water. Put that we are not at all to depart
from the gospel directions, and that the disciples are to observe and
to do, what the master teaches and does, Paul insists upon very ex
pressly. (Gal. i. 6.) As neither the apostle himself, nor an angel
from heaven can teach differently from what Christ and the apos
tles have taught, it surprizes me much, that at some places (mere)
water is offered in the cup of the Lord, against the gospel and
apostolic institution. For if in that sacrifice offered by Christ,
Christ alone is to be followed, we must observe and do, what Jesus
commanded to be observed aud done. For men must follow divine
truth, not the customs of men. If according to Matt. v. 19, if is
not allowed to destroy the least divine commandment, how much
more is it our duty, not to break or to change out of human tradi
tion into any thing else than what the divine institution is, that
which belongs to so great a mystery, having reference to the suf-
fermgs of the Lord and our redemption." XV.
Cardinal Bellarmine himself counts eighteen popes who occa
sioned the dethronement of temporal princes. In the Glossas to
the papal decretals, the most extravagant representations of the
papal power are made. Glossa in cap. 2, c. 15, quaest. 6, it is said,
"The pope can grant dispensation against the gospel, the apostles
and natural rights. The Glossa to canon 3, tit. 7, lib. 1, decret.
Gregor IX. says, "The only reason, which is to be given for every
thing the pope does, is, because it is his will. And who would be
bold enough, and hazard the presumption to say unto him, why
dost thou act thus ? As he is exalted above all privilege, so he can

APPENDIX. 253
also grant dispensations from all ! Unrighteousness itself he can
justify ; all imperial acts he can according to his pleasure change
or subvert." The Glossa ad cap. 4. Exlravag. Joann. XXII. de
verbor. signific. says, "If any one is bold enough to maintain, that
the Lord, our God, the pope, the author of these decretals, could
not command them, he must be considered a heretic," (afterwards
they became ashamed of the blasphemous words, "the Lord, our
God" and omitted them ; but they are yet to be found in several
old editions, ex. gr. those of Lyons, 1584 and 1606, and of Paris,
1585, 1601, 1612.) Pope Gregory VII. declared the German em
peror as deposed, and absolved all his subjects from the oath of al
legiance. Pope Adrian IV. gave permission to Mary II. of Eng
land to conquer Ireland, under the promise that the king would
send to Rome an annual tribute from every house. Pope Innocent
III. absolved the English from the oath of fidelity fo king John,
and bestowed England to France, and John was obliged fo purchase
the favor of the pope with the promise of sending annually to Rome
1000 marks, as farm rent for England and Ireland. The principle
established by the popes, "that the pope is the only bishop of the
christian world, and that the whole church property is his," they
employed in such a manner as to tax all the countries of the west
in a variety of ways. They withdrew ^Jie monasteries from the
inspection of the bishops, and took them into their own iirotection
in consideration of a large sum of money ; they now maintained,
that they alone had the right to appoint bishops, and had large sums
of money paid to them by the newly appointed bishops, particular
ly in Germany, for that honor. But they did not stop here. Pope
John XXII. assumed for the popes the yearly revenue of every
vacant parish. Paul II. commanded (1470) that the revenue
of every parish in every fifteenth year must be delivered over
to the papal treasury. Further, they claimed for themselves
the revenue of all the parishes during their vacancy, and the right
of inheriting the property of all deceased priests. The largest
sums of money were procured from the sale of indulgences. Not
satisfied with those, which were requested of them, they often
sent bills of indulgence into different countries, particularly to Ger
many. Very profitable also was the year of jubilee ; it was intro
duced by pope Boniface VIII. in 1301, (which he founded on Lev.
ch. xxv.) in which all pilgrims coming fo Rome received perfect in
dulgence. It was designed fo be celebrated only every 100 years,
but was so profitable, that this time was found too long. Hence
22

254 APPENDIX.
pope Clemens VI. commanded it (1350,) to be celebrated every
fifty years; pope Urban VI. ordered it to be also celebrated in the
33d year of every century , (because Christ lived thirty- three years)
but Paul II. ordered it every 25th year, to which Boniface IX.
(1390) yet added, that the indulgence should be received, if only
the money, which the pilgrimage to Rome would cost, was sent to
Rome. None were more weary of these endless oppressions than
the German princes. They did not cease to state their grievances,
and to insist upon a removal of them ; hut all in vain. They had
to endure these oppressions, until the reformation made an end of
them.

YALE UNIVERSIPf LIBRARY

3 9002 08837 6885

1

I, f '
i-l *'
i ,/,K . »

0 : 1' I
¦¦"5s  ' -^ ¦¦ ' "

-i