DANGEROUS BOOKS.—ENGLISH PUBLISHERS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 84, 5 December 1874, Page 9

DANGEROUS BOOKS.— ENGLISH PUBLISHERS.

Tt is a noteworthy fact that Great Britain, the most Protestant of all Protestant countries, is remarkable above all other countries for the ability and learning of her infidel writers. During the last century David Hume, in Scotland, and Edward Gibbon, in England, were facile jprimevpes, the most prominent masters of the European school of infidels. The enemies of revealed religion in every country rallied round their standard. The influence of the celebrated Voltaire, as an infidel teacher, -was probably small compared with that exercised by Hume and Gibbon in the literary and political -world. The manner in which Gibbon sought to undermine Christianity was a masterpiece of cunning, worthy of the great enemy of man himself. He and Hume were both, historians, and we may say the founders of the modem school of English history, along with Dr. Robertson, the friend of Hume and Gibbon, but a man of a very different character and principles. They were — the two former — the artful and deadly enemies of the religion of Christ, and, as a necessary consequence they hated the Roman Catholic Church above every other church, and lost no opportunity of attempting, by fair means or foul, to prejudice the public mind against it, They were the natural successors of Luther, Knox and other reformers. From the pernicious principles, which the ■writings of Lutlier and Knox, Hume and Gibbon inculcated, sprung the first great French Revolution ; for a revolt against the authority of Christ, and the Pope, his lawful representative on carth — the supreme visible head of Ms Church is ever associated with rebellion and treason in the civil order of society. The French Communist of our day, and the disciples of Bradlaugh, at Home, are only " advanced " ref ormers and lineal descendants of Luther and Knox. England, as a Protestant country, is still true to her mission as the chief progagator of infidel principles by the writings of the most learned of her scholars. I notice, by a letter from a London correspondent of the Auckland ' New Zealand Herald, 1 that the English press has just had the honor of publishing one' of the most able attacks on Christianity that lias ever appeared in modern times. It is more than an attack on Christianity. Its tendency is to destroy, in the mind of the people, all belief in the deity — "to substitute an inexplicable abstraction for the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of all mankind." Such, we are told, is the aim of this dangerous book. It is issued by one of the oldest and most celebrated publishing firms in the metropolis. John Bright once said that the English newspapers were ready to barter every interest, however sacred, for money. It appears that this severe remark may be justly applied to publishers as -well as newspapers. We see one of the most respectable publishing firms in London— the Messrs. LongmaD— for the sake of filthy lucre, publishing a work which, if it served the desigu of its able author, would banish the Christian religion from the world. To make tie matter worse, the work is supposed to have been written by an Anglican divine, Bishop Sherlock. This has been denied, it is true — not by Bishop Sherlock himself, but by a church brother, Dr Plumptre, of King's College. The very fact, however, of such, a suspicion being entertained speaks volumes against the Anglican clergy. That a member of their body should be deemed capable of such an act is tantamount to regarding them as fit for any treachery. Well might a writer in a recent article of the ' Westminster Review ' say that the English clergy are coming to bo regarded as valuing their office simply for its pecuniary emoluments. Such events as those must precipitate the downfall of the Anglican establishment, and the triumph of atheism at the same time. The Catholic Church alone can save society from the attacks of the infidel party ; and as the English Church loses' ground, thank God, the Catholic Church keeps advancing. Magna est veritas et prevelalit. Truth may be borne down for a while, but will triumph, at last. England will yet prove a tower of strength to the Catholic cause and to the cause of loyalty, peace and order throughout the world. England and France united will curb the wicked crew of infidels and revolutionists who now seek to disturb society, in spite of the malign influence of such dangerous books as that imputed to Bishop Sherlock. These books, though they fail in their ultimate aim, will yet do much mischief. They will upset tlie Christian faith of many, and lead to a widespread laxity of public morals, as other works of a similar kind have done in past times. This new apology for infidelity, we are told, is written with a consummate knowledge of " modern thought," whatever that may imply, and evinces great ability and learning, and is " immensely read," the style being fascinating. It may, for anything I know, be read to some extent— if not "immensely" read in Auckland. No wonder Bishop Cowie and Ms clergy should address themselves by " special sermons " to counteract its power, and the power of all such publications.

THE Mabqttis op Kipon.— The « Hour ' gives the following account of the manner of Lord Ripon's secession . — tt would seem that it is only within the last six months (it says) that the marquis directed his attention to the controversies between the Aoglican and Roman Catholic creeds. He was first led to do so by the intention he had to write a pamphlet in defence of Freemasonry, and against the pretensions with regard to the craft. But after a long course of reading he became a convert to what he formerly disagreed with. He never saw or directly or indirectly, any Romish bishop or priest, until he had fully made up his mind to be received into the Catholic Church He then came to London, called at the Oratory, and asked to see one of the fathers whom he knew by name. The latter saw him, but had no idea who he was until after he had been examined as to his religious Knowledge, baptized, and formally received into the Church. He was then asked his name and residence, in order that the same might be entered m the registry of the Oratory, and surprised those present not a little when he said he was the Marquis ot Ripon. He attended Mass, and partook of Communion for the first time on the followine Sunday, a day or two before his resignation of the office of GrandMaster of Freemasons was read at the meeting of the Grand Lodge The Marchioness of fiipon has not, as yet, followed the example of her