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<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 62002 ***</div>
<p>Transcribed from the 1827 [Third edition] M. Goodwin edition
by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p>
<p style="text-align: center">
<a href="images/cover.jpg">
<img alt=
"Pamphlet cover"
title=
"Pamphlet cover"
src="images/cover.jpg" />
</a></p>
<h1>A PLAIN STATEMENT<br />
<span class="GutSmall">OF THE</span><br />
<span class="GutSmall">DOCTRINES OBJECTED TO</span><br />
<span class="GutSmall">IN THE</span><br />
CHURCH OF ROME,</h1>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">AND
THE</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">REASONS
FAIRLY ASSIGNED FOR SEPARATING FROM</span><br />
<span class="GutSmall">HER COMMUNION.</span></p>
<div class="gapshortline"> </div>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">By</span>
JOSEPH REILLY,<br />
<i>Late a Roman Catholic Student</i>.</p>
<div class="gapshortline"> </div>
<blockquote><p>“The Ancients are to be followed not one
step further than they follow Truth.”—<i>Just.
Mart.</i> c. i. <i>ad. Ant. Imp.</i></p>
<p>“Prove all things, <i>hold fast</i> that which is
good.”—<i>St. Paul</i>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">THIRD
EDITION.</span></p>
<div class="gapshortdoubleline"> </div>
<p style="text-align: center"><b>DUBLIN</b></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">PRINTED BY
M. GOODWIN, 29, DENMARK-STREET.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center">1827.</p>
<div class="gapspace"> </div>
<h2><a name="page2"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 2</span>TO THE
READER.</h2>
<p><span class="smcap">Having</span> never before had any
necessity of appearing before the Public, especially on such an
occasion as this, it is with much reluctance I am, in defence of
my character, now compelled to give a fair and candid statement
of the motives that induced me to leave the Church of Rome; which
I did not do, until I tried every means to quiet an anxious mind,
and troubled conscience, and after many private and public
interviews with my Pastor, each of which only augmented, nay,
confirmed my doubts of several of the doctrines of the Church of
Rome, (hereafter stated,) because I found by such interviews I
had nothing from God’s word to rely upon; nothing but
tradition and the assertions of interested men to rest my hope of
salvation upon; and even these when <i>fairly examined</i> could
not afford me any plausible authority for the articles of
religion doubted of. I little thought, after having acted
as I did, by continuing to meet the Priest at every time and
place he appointed, to remove my doubts of certain doctrines
which I conceive were unauthorised by God’s Holy Word, and
therefore not taught by our Lord and his Apostles; (these
interviews I continued, until he candidly told me he <i>was not
able</i> to satisfy me, and said he could not blame me to follow
the dictates of my conscience.) I say, then, I little
thought that after this I would be obliged to vindicate myself
from aspersions, resorted to evidently to deter others from
pursuing a similar course; that, at the expense of my reputation,
they might suppress the general and so much dreaded inquiries of
the public mind after truth. I therefore lay before the
public and the candid reader a plain statement of facts, and let
my motives, and necessity for so doing, be my apology for its
inaccuracies.</p>
<p style="text-align: right">THE AUTHOR.</p>
<h2><a name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 3</span>A PLAIN
STATEMENT, &c.</h2>
<p><span class="smcap">Having</span> been intended by my parents
for a Clergyman of the Church of Rome, I was brought up and
educated for that purpose, under the immediate care of my late
uncle, the Rev. Edmund Reilly. P.P. of Killesandra, until his
decease in 1814. I persevered, however, and having finished
the studies requisite for admittance to College, I was
recommended to the Rev. Dr. Reilly, Bishop of Kilmore, for
admittance on the establishment of Maynooth. I received for
answer, that in consequence of the many applications, prior to
mine, his Lordship could not then procure me a place; but being
desirous for that office, (as intended,) I renewed my application
for the American mission, and obtained from my Bishop an
“<i>Exeat</i>,” and recommendatory letter for that
purpose as follows:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Fargalus, Dei <i>et Apostolicæ sedis
gratia</i> Kilmoriensis Episcopus in Hibernia, &c.</p>
<p>“Testamur per presentes, Dominum, Josephum Reilly,
nostræ prædictæ Dioecesis alumnum, natum ex
legitimo thoro, hactenus ibidem probe, and Chrsitiane vixisse, et
multa solidæ pietatis specimina dedisse, cum autem
educationis et missionis gratia Americam (seu allo) proficisci
decreverit, eundem omnibus et singulis intime commendamus,
&c. &c. datum hoc die decimo septimo junii.</p>
<p>“Anno Domini Nostri Jesu Christi, millessimo
octingentessimo decimo octavo.</p>
<p style="text-align: right">FARGALUS, qui supra.”</p>
</blockquote>
<div class="gapshortline"> </div>
<blockquote><p><a name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
4</span>“Fargalus, by the Grace of God, and of the
Apostolical See, Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland, &c.</p>
<p>“We testify by these Presents, that Mr. Joseph Reilly of
the aforesaid Diocese, legitimately born and brought up, has
hitherto lived there in an honest and Christian manner, and has
given many proofs of solid piety. But having for his
learning and mission’s sake resolved to proceed to America
or elsewhere, we earnestly recommend him to all and every one of
our brethren, &c. &c.</p>
<p>“Dated June 17th, in the Year of our Lord Jesus Christ
1818.</p>
<p style="text-align: right">FARGALUS, qui supra.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>During my preparation to go on said mission, I was informed by
several clergymen of the Church of Rome, who had correspondence
with the then Roman Catholic Bishop of New York, that no person
would be received there as a clergyman, unless well qualified to
preach and defend the Gospel; as in that free country every
person has the liberty of objecting to any doctrines unauthorized
by the Gospel. This led me to apply myself seriously to the
study of the Scriptures, in order to be capable of vindicating
the religion I was about to teach; to whose sacred contents, till
then, I was nearly as great a stranger as to the Koran of
Mahomet. Why, oh! why should any person, designed to teach
the Christian religion, remain so very ignorant of the foundation
of all true and saving knowledge, as if the knowledge of that
which alone can make men wise unto salvation, were of minor
importance, if not altogether unnecessary? But, alas this
is the case with regard to candidates for the Roman Catholic
Priesthood.</p>
<p>I also had several conversations with some of my Protestant
neighbours, on many of the controverted points of doctrines
taught in the Church of Rome, which still made me feel more
forcibly the necessity of being well versed in Scripture, in
order to be able to withstand and confute every objection that
might be raised against my creed, which was the sole object of <a
name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>my pursuit thus
far. In the course of my reading the Scriptures, I was
particularly struck with our Lord’s last charge to his
disciples, as in Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. Also the following
passages, “Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you, and lo! I am with you always even to the end of the
world,” &c. Mark xvi. 15, 16. “Go ye
into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; he
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.” Luke xxiv. 47,
48. “And that repentance and forgiveness of sins be
preached in my name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem.” Gal. i. 8. “Though we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel, let him be
accursed.” Col. iii. 16. “Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns,” &c. Acts xiii. 38,
39. “Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that
through this Man is <span class="GutSmall">PREACHED UNTO YOU THE
FORGIVENESS OF SINS</span>, and by him all <i>who believe</i> are
<i>justified from all things</i>.” Acts v. 31.
“Him God hath exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give
repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
Compare with Acts x. 43. And Acts x. 35. with Rom. ii.
8–11. “Glory, honour, and peace to every man
that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the
Gentile. But indignation and wrath upon every soul of man
that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile, for
there is no respect of persons with God.” “The
Gentiles having not the law, are a law unto themselves; their
conscience in the mean time accusing or excusing them.”</p>
<p>From all these testimonies of holy writ, I saw with great
astonishment, 1st. That to the end of time, every preacher
sent of Christ, and really belonging to him, must preach
diligently to all people, every thing which He preached, and must
not add nor diminish ought, on pain of eternal wrath; and that in
the <span class="GutSmall">GOSPEL</span> alone are to be found
all these things which must be so taught. 2dly. That
<a name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
6</span>“repentance and remission of sins,” appear to
be the essence of the Gospel. 3dry. That the people
are to be informed of this, or “that this is to be made
known and preached to them.” That in order to obtain
these great gifts of God, and be saved, they must repent, believe
in Christ, and earnestly ask them by importunate prayer to God,
and to God alone; which if they neglect not, they shall succeed,
“for every one that asketh receiveth.” Matt.
vii. 8, and vi. 12. “Our Father—forgive us our
trespasses,” &c. and thus shall they, according to the
Gospel, this message from God delivered them, “be
loosed” by the Holy Ghost (whom God given to all who thus
obey his Gospel) from all their sins, condemnation, and liability
to punishment: and this, through the alone infinite merits and
“blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all
sin.” 1 John i. 7. But that such as will
neglect or not believe this Gospel, this divine message,
“must be bound,” (i.e.) be condemned; and therefore,
that it is God himself, not his servants, that will most
assuredly confirm to all believers severally, the message thus
delivered by his faithful messengers, and will loose or bind
them, forgive or condemn them, severally, according to his
Gospel; and therefore, that in the Gospel it is no where found,
that any power, farther than this, is given to the servants of
God. For though Jeremiah was commissioned of God “to
build and to plant kingdoms and nations, to pull down and to
destroy them,” (Jer. i. 10.–xvii. 7, 8, 10) yet he
never did any such thing in whole or in part, actually, but
declaratively only; he delivered his message from God, and
according as it was obeyed or rejected, so were those to whom it
was sent planted or destroyed—rewarded or punished.
And in this sense were the apostles, by preaching the Gospel, to
forgive sins, to bind and loose; and also to remove, in
conjunction with the members, from the society or church,
incorrigible offenders, or to receive them again on true
repentance. 1 Cor. v. 1, 5.–2 Cor. ii. 7, 10.</p>
<p>4thly. That, whereas Christ commanded his Gospel to be
given and carefully taught to every creature, <a
name="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 7</span>that it might
dwell richly in them; so every creature, therefore, should, above
all books and things have the Gospel, and that, to prevent this
in any wise, it not to obey Christ, but to contravene his will,
which would, of course, be the designation of false and
antichristian prophets.</p>
<p>To claim, then, an authority from Christ, to prevent even
children from hearing, learning, or having the Gospel, (for
Timothy from a child knew the Scriptures) is claiming authority
from Christ, to contradict himself, which it blasphemy.</p>
<p>Contrasting these impressive charges, which we must believe,
and these doctrines and observations so plainly and so legibly
contained therein, with many of the present doctrines and
practices of the Church of Rome, I found them in my mind so
incongruous, that it became a matter of serious and anxious
inquiry how to reconcile such mighty difficulties. Hearing
that the ancient Fathers had authorised the doctrines and
practices of the church, I had recourse to their writings, and to
my astonishment found that they had exalted the authority of the
Holy Scriptures, and extolled their divine precepts as the only
true and unerring guide to eternal happiness.</p>
<p>This led me to inquire the reason why the present Church of
Rome, which professes to be the only true, infallible, holy, and
apostolic guide to heaven, differed so essentially both from
Scripture and the Ancient Church; and why, instead of following
the parting injunctions of our blessed Lord, her priests teach
many contrary doctrines, to the injury of many piously disposed
minds, leading them from the essential truths of salvation, by
faith in the atonement alone, to church authorities lately
invented, (to say no worse,) which cannot profit, and to
ceremonies and forms of worship unknown in the Primitive Church
of Christ?</p>
<p>I anticipate the inconceivably awful condition of a <a
name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>dying sinner,
knowing scarcely any thing of the religion of the Lord Jesus but
what is represented to his senses by the ceremonies of the mass,
the gestures of the Priest, and some vague notions he may form
from what is repeated for him in a strange tongue, and I could
not but conclude that such ceremonies were ill calculated to give
sinners a well grounded hope of salvation; and this I was
convinced of, even from seeing the Roman Catholics scramble on
Sundays after mass for holy water, holy candles, palm, ashes,
&c.—I found on the other hand that the Holy Scriptures
reveal Jesus Christ to be the <i>only true</i>, <i>and yet</i> an
<i>all</i> sufficient Saviour.—Acts iv. 11, 12, and Heb.
vii. 25. That he is made unto all believers, wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,—1 Cor.
i. 30. And that they who ask from our heavenly Father for
his Son’s sake, shall receive this salvation, and the
fruits of their having received it, will be afterwards manifested
in their life and conversation.</p>
<p>No Christian will deny that this is the Gospel way of
salvation from sin; and if so, why lead the unwary into the
labyrinths of useless ceremonies? One who knows the value
of souls cannot but feel deep concern and regret for the delusion
of a generous, zealous, and unsuspecting people.</p>
<p>These considerations urged me to state some of the many errors
which caused me to separate from a people, whose welfare I shall
ever have at heart. I have experienced many signal favours
from them, and know the unbounded confidence they place in him,
to whom they intrust their salvation. My heart’s
desire and prayer for them is, that they may be saved; for I bear
them record, they have a zeal for God, but not according to
knowledge. To them also were committed the oracles of God,
but they have preferred the traditions of men, and awfully
surrender their Bible, their only unerring guide, and submitted
to learn the doctrines of Jesus Christ, not from his holy word
and that <a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>of
his Apostles, but from men in general very deficient in
Scriptural knowledge. <a name="citation9"></a><a
href="#footnote9" class="citation">[9]</a></p>
<p>Could I address them, it would be thus: Believe no teacher
that comes in the shape of man, or angel; but try the spirits;
consult the word of God, that cannot deceive you; compare the
words and the actions of men with what you read there, and he who
comes nearest to the doctrines of Christ, listen to him, for the
Apostle Paul has said, “Though we, or an angel from heaven
preach any other Gospel than that already delivered unto you, let
him be accursed.”</p>
<p>From all the above considerations and many others which cannot
be contained in the limits of a small pamphlet, a serious
impression was made on my mind for years, which was increased by
being sometimes called on to defend the doctrine of Invocation of
Saints, Purgatory, &c. on all such occasions, I found I had
not Scriptural, not even rational arguments to support their
authenticity; but being still strongly prejudiced in favour of
the mother church, I considered her authority was founded by
Jesus Christ, and that doubting of her doctrine, would be a
glaring breach of the faith of our blessed Lord.</p>
<p>Let me now for a moment advert to that which held me so long
in suspense, namely, being instructed from my infancy to believe,
“that to doubt of any article of faith taught by the
church, would be dangerous to my salvation;” and this, I
know, keeps many from following that plain and most necessary
direction of the Apostle, “examine yourselves whether ye be
in this faith or not; know ye not yourselves, how that Christ
Jesus dwelleth in you, except ye be reprobates.” It
appeared a most necessary duty for the Apostle to <a
name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>impress on
his flock, to examine themselves, to prove and try whether they
were <i>now</i> in the faith or not; whether they enjoyed it, or
whether they might not be resting in the name, without the power
or practice of experimental religion, as taught by him; he knew
the name availeth nothing without the spirit of genuine religion,
influencing both the heart and life of its professor. May
this salutary, and most necessary command be no longer
overlooked; and the mere name (which is but the shadow,) be no
longer vainly substituted in its stead.</p>
<p>I again had recourse to Scripture, tradition, &c. to be
able to defend her doctrines, but in every attempt to do so, I
was secretly forced to feel my incapacity to withstand the
convincing truths of God’s word. Here the reader may
easily imagine what anxiety of mind I felt, on discovering errors
in my mother church, so manifest, that all endeavours to gloss
them over with far-strained arguments, and make them appear
plausible, to individuals even of ordinary capacities, proved
ineffectual, and recoiled with double force on my own
conscience. Thus, after various perplexities of mind, I
communicated my sentiments to a near relative, (now in College)
whom I considered more competent in such important matters, whose
superior knowledge I presumed would be capable of removing my
doubts, without any further exposure of what I then considered so
dangerous to entertain.</p>
<p>Oh! what infatuation—the offspring of prejudice was
this; how many blessed religious enquiries are thus stifled by
bigotry! How preferable was the conduct of the noble
Bereans, Acts xvii. 11. who, when they heard Paul and Silas
preach to them the Gospel, searched the Scriptures daily whether
these things were so, and many of them believed. But the
fear of man, a false notion of honour, and a reluctance to
forsake a system, though evidently erroneous, and supported by
hereditary custom alone, deter many from yielding to
conviction. I must say, my friend equally <a
name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 11</span>felt the
importance of our inquiry; we spent whole days together,
comparing the texts of the Douay and Protestant versions; but
this proved ineffectual, to support the doctrines I doubted of,
and only contributed to increase the anxiety of my mind.
The idea of having so many of my relatives connected with the
church of Rome from time immemorial, often induced me to imagine
my doubts originated in some weakness of mind and want of
understanding; it would be endless to describe all the various
fluctuations of mind I underwent, and the different means
resorted to, to quiet such.</p>
<p>At length, unable to sustain a burdened mind any longer, I
went to my Clergyman, the Rev. Mr. M‘Gouran, for whom I had
the highest veneration and esteem, stating plainly to him the
situation of my mind, and the particular articles of his creed I
doubted of; solemnly avowing (which was the case) that I only
sought instruction, if I were in error, as I believed I was; for,
after reading the Scriptures and a great part of the ancient and
modern works on the authenticity of the Roman Catholic Religion,
I could find no tenable proofs for these following doctrines,
viz. Invocation of Saints, Purgatory, Indulgences,
Transubstantiation, Auricular Confession, and the Sacrifice and
the Ceremony of the Mass in an unknown tongue, substituted for
the Preaching of the pure Gospel; but that, which of all other
doctrines shocked and disgusted me most was, the Adoration of the
Host, or Wafer, in Masses, Processions, &c. I therefore
humbly appealed to him to satisfy me from any part of God’s
word on the above articles, declaring to him I wanted only to be
convinced of the above doctrines; and if so, I would remain an
obedient son of the church during life, or if not, that as my
salvation was dearer to me than life, I would separate from his
church.—In this the searcher of hearts knows I had nothing
in view more than to rest my belief and hope of salvation on
Jesus Christ, and to be guided by his doctrines contained in his
holy word.</p>
<p><a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 12</span>In
justice to this Gentleman, I must say he tried every possible
means with me, at different times and places, but to no
purpose. At length, seeing my uneasiness, and feeling for
my situation, he requested me to go to his house, and if he could
not succeed in removing my doubts, he would allow me to follow
the dictates of my conscience. Accordingly I went
repeatedly, and he very patiently heard all my objections to his
creed, produced various authorities, chiefly from the Holy
Fathers, all inconclusive, and insufficient to maintain the above
doctrines. In vain we sought for Scriptural authority from
them in any part of the sacred volume; (for such were my
convictions, that no inferior or after devised authorities could
satisfy my inquiry after truth,) at the same time I asked him,
how could I be blamed for separating from him and following the
dictates of my conscience? To which he then agreed, and so
we parted with the same candour and friendship that ever existed
between us, deeply sensible of the favour he had conferred on me,
by patiently hearing my objections to the doctrines and practices
of his church.</p>
<p>My doubts being now confirmed, the situation of my mind cannot
be easily conceived. To follow the dictates of conscience I
was fully resolved, God being my helper; yet, I could not but
foresee the difficulties that lay before me; my mother a widow,
in a great degree dependant on me; my friends and acquaintances
who, I knew, did not see or feel as I did, but on the contrary
would look on me as mad, and consequently must consider myself as
separated from them for life; I felt all this to its utmost
extent. I thought on that saying of our blessed Lord,
“he that loveth father or mother, or houses or land, more
than me, it not worthy of me.” I considered my
salvation dearer than all the world beside; with these views and
reflections I resolved to commit my cause to him who has said,
“cast your burthen on the Lord and he will sustain
you,” and leave the event to him, who has also said,
“fear not them who kill the body, but are not <a
name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>able to kill
the soul, but rather fear him who it able to destroy both soul
and body in hell.”</p>
<p>Thus far, having laid before you, candid reader, and my dear
fellow-countrymen, whom, at God knows, I love, a true statement
of the origin, progress and confirmation of my doubts of the
doctrines I objected to in the Church of Rome, together with the
various means I had recourse to for instruction and certainty on
these matters, till the final interview as above mentioned.
After this I little thought of ever hearing the voice of calumny
raised against me, and sinister conjectures put on the motives
that induced me to act at I did, this being a matter that could
be judged only by him who reads the secrets of all hearts.
No slanderous insinuations that could be devised against my
person, nor fear as to their consequence where I am known, could
induce me to take any notices of such on my account; but I feel
myself called upon as a duty I owe to my merciful God and his
holy truth, and for the sake of others that may be in similar
circumstances, to vindicate the propriety of leaving the Church
of Rome, a Church whose doctrines I saw could not be supported by
divine truth. And many such I know there are on whose minds
the light of truth is beginning to dawn, therefore if this
humble, unadorned, yet true statement may prove useful to any of
those, the object I have in view will be fully attained, and
outweigh all the sneering invectives that may be poured on this
artless production.</p>
<p>The narrow limits of this small tract do not allow me to dwell
as extensively as I wish, en the above controverted points, so I
shall only request the seriously inquiring reader to compare all
the present doctrines, ceremonies and practices of the Church of
Rome with the Gospel, and find out their origin and authenticity
in the Scriptures, (to which nothing may be added for ever;) and
in the practice of the Primitive Church, before he passes the
rash opinion on me, that I then left the Church of Christ,
“Judge not that ye be not judged,” is written in holy
Scripture. I <a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
14</span>beseach you read attentively the 2nd and 15th chapters
of St. Paul to the Romans, and consider that the Scripture is the
rule to direct the Church of Christ, and that no particular
Church or people can arrogate and usurp the power of establishing
or retaining any thing incongruous with, or contrary to the
sacred texts.</p>
<p>Any Church thus counteracting the authority of God’s
law, cannot be the Church of Christ, but must be Antichristian,
and should be forsaken by all that are willing to take the divine
counsel of Christ for their guide to eternal life. Is it
not the bounden duty of every rational mind, to prefer the will
of God to his own or any other man’s, to discover error and
reprobate sin, in whatever shape or form it may appear; let the
name and pretensions of any Church be what they may, a mere name
is nothing.</p>
<p>Reader, let not your own, nor the will of any man, or party be
the model of your life, and actions, but “be ye holy as I
am holy, saith the Lord,” and hearken not to the counsel of
any man who does not in all things comply with, follow, obey, and
practise the law of Jesus Christ. I am afraid that
deep-rooted prejudices formed and nurtured by undue influence
will prevent many from embracing the plain truths of the
Gospel. Every Christian reader must allow that our Lord has
done all things necessary for our salvation, and expressly
ordered his followers to neither add to, nor diminish from the
Gospel. Adding any thing would be superfluous, taking from
it, blasphemous. All Christians, and the Council of Trent
too, Sess. IV. agree that the holy Scriptures are the fountain of
all saving truth and good morals, written by divinely inspired
men, under the immediate instructions of our Lord, as St.
Augustine and St. Irenæus testify. If this is
believed by all, and as they say they believe it, why do some
exclaim against them and prohibit their general use, yea, and
anathematize any who dare look into their sacred contents?
Is it because they know that if the Bible be read, its superior
light will dispel all the darkness <a name="page15"></a><span
class="pagenum">p. 15</span>of superstition, and ignorance?
If this volume were not prohibited, in vain would they even by
mere sophistry, attempt to build the invocation of Saints, on the
message and salutation of the Angel Gabriel, mentioned in the 1st
chapter of Luke, 26, and the five following verses. Do they
not understand that our Lord did not then begin his mission,
which they might easily learn by reading the New Testament.
But how can it be expected they would allow a book to be read
that the Bishops of Benonia said, “was the cause of all the
storms and tempests, that almost ruined the Roman Catholic
Church.” I do not wonder that they should prohibit
and vilify the reading of that book, which contains all that is
sublime in doctrine and holy in tendency—all that is
consolatory to the human heart—all that is requisite to
make men wise unto salvation—that militates against all
doctrines and inventions of men, and the unedifying and
unscriptural ceremonies of masses, and prayers in Latin, so
contrary to the revealed will of God.—1 Cor. xiv.</p>
<p>Why are they not as zealous to expunge the unauthorised abuses
that stain almost every page of their common prayer-books, called
the “Key of Paradise,” “Poor Man’s
Manual,” &c. a few extracts whereof I shall lay before
the reader. I ask them can they meet the approbation of any
rational mind having any just views of the atonement of Jesus
Christ? <i>Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo
Maria</i>.—“Virgin Mother we humbly crave thy
blessing, and thy Son’s,”—“Jesus, Mary
and Joseph grant us rest, peace, pardon and
glory,”—“Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy, our
life, our sweetness, our hope; to thee we cry, poor banished sons
of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mournings and weepings;
turn, thou most gracious advocate, the eyes of mercy towards us,
and after this miserable pilgrimage receive us,”
&c. See the Litanies of St. Francis and the Virgin
Mary, the Golden Litanies, &c.</p>
<p>Let me here pause, and ask the reader, does he <a
name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>believe did
Jesus Christ, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world,
make a full, free and satisfactory atonement to God, for fallen
man? Is he now the only mediator between God and man?
Does he need other advocates to procure the pardon of our sins
from Almighty God? If he did make full atonement, to
attribute the mediatorial office to any created being, is
blasphemy; if he did not, then the whole of the Christian
religion is destroyed. But he did make a full and ample
atonement, therefore the mediatorial office cannot be invaded nor
in any wise attributed to any other, without awfully and
irreverently confounding the infinite atonement of the Son of
God, with finite man. It may be said, by way of evasion,
not their mediation but intercession is solicited by their
votaries. Does the above “Virgin Mother, we humbly
crave,” &c. and “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,”
&c. imply nothing but intercession? Is it not evident
that the name of the adorable Jesus is blasphemously confounded
with his creatures, Mary and Joseph? Do we not read above,
“Most Gracious Advocates,” &c. and many such in
the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, &c.? Oh! what narrow
views must they have of the infinite mercy of Jesus Christ, that
suppose he must be influenced by saints or angels to hear our
supplications; they forget what is said in Mat. chap. vi. 6,
7. “For your father knoweth what things ye have need
of before ye ask him,” but not one sentence of either
asking or soliciting the interference or intercession of any
saint <i>departed</i>, or angel, is ever sanctioned or mentioned
in holy writ, nor, even when our Lord resided on earth, it was
never known that the Blessed Virgin’s intercession was
solicited by any sinner, though then it might appear a natural
occurrence; yet, he publicly avowed, “No man cometh unto
the Father, but by me.” And as this doctrine of
intercession of angels and departed saints is an addition to the
gospel, so it must be, according to St. Paul, Gal. i. 8.
“accursed.”</p>
<p>If your prejudice be strong enough to make you believe the
above prayers intimate only intercession, <a
name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>I will prove
at once the absurdity and utter impossibility of this man-devised
system. Do you believe in the omnipresence and omniscience
of the Holy Trinity, and that no other being possesseth these
attributes? It must be answered, yes, for none dare believe
otherwise. Therefore, omnipresence, (i.e. being every where
present at the same instant of time,) it follows that being the
attribute of God alone, no saint or angel can hear, at the same
time, millions of votaries praying in different places of the
earth. Hence, the inconsistency (to say no worse,) of such
prayers, and of attributing as it were, omniscience, that is,
knowing the secrets of the hearts of all men at the same time, to
any creature whatever. Consequently, as they cannot know
the secrets of the heart, they cannot be intercessors for
man. How absurd the idea! how fruitless the attempt, to
pray or to solicit their intercession, as it cannot be known but
some of those prayed to, might have died in sin.</p>
<p>From all these plain reasons, it is easily seen, how slippery
is the path they tread in, who do not follow the plain road
marked out by our Lord Jesus Christ. How easily may every
system, not founded on the rock of ages be upset, when looked at
through the gospel glass. Let me particularly address
myself to my Roman Catholic brethren.</p>
<p>Have I not laid before you a plain statement of facts as a
sufficient cause, founded on Scripture, reason and common sense,
for my separating from your church? But not in the mean
time particularly touching, by way of argument, on any but this
one point of doctrine, leaving that to abler pens. I am
sure it will be told you that I am among the followers of false
prophets; you will allow our Lord must be the best judge of this;
let us hear him—He declares “there shall arise false
prophets that <i>if it were possible</i> shall deceive the very
elect.”—Mat. xxiv. 24. He does not leave us in
the dark to know and ascertain them, and that by his usual and
unerring guidance, and his short but comprehensive rule “by
their fruits <a name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p.
18</span>ye shall know them;” that it, by their lives and
doctrines agreeing with what he commanded and taught, or the
contrary, their adding to or taking from his word, for he that
does so, God declares “he shall add to him all the plagues
in his book.” See Rev. xxii. 18, 19. And by
taking away any of the words of his book, he also declares,
“he shall take away his part out of the book of
life.” Now, if none of the aforementioned tenets, to
which I object, were ever taught by our Lord or his Apostles, in
the Gospel, consequently by such additions or false teaching, the
teachers may be easily discovered, and these awful plagues must
ensue. And if withholding the Scriptures, commanded to be
searched, read, and taught, is taking from his words, this may
create strong suspicion that the dreadful curse of “taking
away his part out of the book of life” must follow.
But if the Gospel be God’s truth, they who strictly adhere
to, and teach it, must of course, be true, and cannot be false
prophets.</p>
<p>Oh! my friends, think of these things: judge for yourselves,
for no man will stand for you in the judgment of the great
day. I well know the effects of prejudice in favour of long
customs and habits; but this, you are aware, will be no apology
in that dread day. I am also aware you have been told
“that I was bribed for turning.” Believe it
not, nay, I am certain you do not, cannot believe it. You
have long known me, and you can now say, if I have ever acted any
part that was base, or could leave room for suspicion. No,
no, my soul I shall never sell—God forbid. Nothing
but conscientious motives, causing any man of character to do as
I have done, could ever be thought of by any man of common sense
or piety, much less by that God who will shortly judge you and
me.</p>
<p>Such were my motives, and no other object had I, or have I now
in view, as the searcher of hearts knoweth. You see I did
not do so from influence, or the impulse of a moment. I
examined and tried every <a name="page19"></a><span
class="pagenum">p. 19</span>matter with the utmost caution and
deliberation, and from the best authorities. Seriously
reflect and examine for yourselves, before you rashly condemn;
and my sincere prayer to God is, that in all things you may be
directed agreeably to His will; that at the last we may meet at
God’s right hand, where dissentions and differences shall
for ever cease.</p>
<p style="text-align: right">JOSEPH REILLY.</p>
<h2>FOOTNOTES.</h2>
<p><a name="footnote9"></a><a href="#citation9"
class="footnote">[9]</a> I have known several Roman
Catholic Priests, who even have not had a Bible or testament in
their possession.</p>
<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 62002 ***</div>
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