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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 29, 17 April 1891, Page 7

We lately qusted some very plain words of Mr. C. H. Spurgeon ab.ut tte present state of the Nonconformist religion ; bur we hardly exptc ed to find bis opinions re-echoed «nd amplifi d in the columns of that popular Dissenting journal the British Weekly. In an article, not an editorial, we should explain, ia tut; last issue ot that periodical, it is roundly asserted that English Protestantism, especially in its Nonconformist form, is in a moribund state. None of the sects, it appears, is increasing in proportion to tne growth of the population, except tbe Church of England, and that body gains its recruits. no r , from tbe lrrebeious masses, but from the ranks of Dissent. Worse still, faith is decliniog, not ooly among the people, but among their pastors. Tbe whole element of miracle is " deeply suspected "Oy the youDger preachers, says our contemporary. Even the Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ are '• obscured, doubted, aud secretly denied " by those appointed to teach and preach Christianity I Avowedly one aspect only of the question is dwelt upou ; but if these accusation are true at all, whai a revelation do they furnish of trie hollo wness of much of the chapel religion which nukes so brave a show in tbe eyes of tbe world. We cannot but hop<j and believe that the Catholic Church will before long secure many more couverts among Protestant Dissenters than she now does among Ritualists. — Liverpool Catholic Times.

One of the evangelical papers contains aa account of a visit paid by a Protestant clergyman to the chapels and sohools of his coreligionists in tne Peninsula. From it we learn tuat the Protestant cojgrega'ions in Spain are generally very small, and are only held togeiher by means of money grams from Eaglaad. Ireland, and Hollaud. In oue case — at Huelva — the visitor was told that the work was " m ist encouraging "; but triere the chairman of the Bio Tmto Mining Company provides part of the cost of tbe Protestant eat blishmen f , not out of bis own pocket, however, but out of the company's cash-box. To apply the funds of the company in subverting and destroying the religion ot tbe company's servants aud workmen seems a most unwarrantable use of other people's money. One other point mentioned in this report may be noted. l\ie children wno at «')d the Proteotant schools geiier-lly leave without having been made "Christians," in the cmt seusa of the term. "Few, if any, have a saving knowledge of Christ," says the report, "and little gooi has been done beyond preventing tnem from haviug idolatry instilled in'o their minds by th-i priests." In other words, the Protesant teachers destroy tbe religion of tbe children without being able to put auytbing vu its room. Tuey deliberately manufacture freethinkers, thus proving only too well that they hate the c hurch more than they love even tbe Christianity in which they believe.— Liverpool Catholic Times.