THE MAYNOOTH GRANT.

Otago Witness, Issue 62, 24 July 1852, Page 4

THE MAYNOOTH GRANT.

The following declaration was adopted at a meeting of the archdeaconry of London held at Sion College on the loth January. The speakers were Archdeacon Hale, Dr. Croly, Dr. Worthington, Dr. Vivian, the Reverend Messrs. Hartwell, Home, E. Auriol, J. Gelling, Ellis, Dale, Cox, Ram, and Redware :—: —

" 1. That the rapid increase of the papal power throughout the whole extent of the Queen's dominions, and the facilities now possessed by the Church of Rome for the dissemination of her doctrines amongst all orders of the community, is a well-grounded cause of alarm to all who duly appreciate the value of that deliverance from Romish error which was wrought for our Church by the good Providence of God at the period of the Reformation.

" 2. That although it may now be, in a political point of view, a matter of difficulty that the Government of this country should at once depart from that line of policy under the shelter of which Romanism has made such rapid advances, it is nevertheless incumbent upon us firmly, but humbly, to express our opinion of the erroneous character of that policy, and our conviction that the full exercise of the supreme authority of the Pope over the clergy and laity of the Romish communion in England and Ireland is incompatible with the supremacy of the drown, and has endangered not only the Esta-

blished Church, but also the stability of the Throne.

"3. That whilst we deeply lament the circumstances in which Roman Catholic Ireland is placed, and are justified in avowing that the granting political privileges to Roman Catholics has conferred no benefit upon that country, either in social improvement or the increase of its wealth, we are also of opinion that the attempt to improve the character of the native Roman Catholic priesthood, and to attach them to the English nation and Government, by affording them the means of education at the College of Maynooth, in the place of education in foreign seminaries, has not less signally failed.

" 4. That when we call to mind the condition of England and Ireland at the time when the first proposition was made to establish a Roman Catholic seminary at Maynooth, and are therefore bound to give credit to the statesmen of those times for believing themselves justified by the peculiar circumstances of the case in advising a Protestant nation to take under its protection and to contribute to the support of such an institution, we still hold the opinion, that the measure was wrong as respects not only political expediency, but also religious principle, and that it is the duty of Parliament no longer to support that institution by endowment or by grant; being firmly convinced in our own mind, that the conduct of the Legislature in respect of religion is a part of our moral duty as a nation, and that neglect of duty and disregard of the pure faith of the Gospel causes nations, not less than individuals, to incur the displeasure of him by whom kings reign and princes decree justice."