apostolic see, and also of very many of our well-beloved children of the Catholic clergy and laity, from whom we had received the most urgent entreaties to the like effect. The same prayer had repeatedly been made by their ancestors to our predecessors, who, indeed, had first commenced to send Vicars Apostolic into England, at a time when it was impossible for any Catholic prelate to remain there in possession of a Church by right in ordinary; and hence their design in successively augmenting the number of Vicariates and Vicarial districts was not certainly that Catholicity in England should always be under an extraordinary form of government, but rather, looking forward to its extension in process of time, they were paving the way for the ultimate restoration of the Ordinary Hierarchy there.

"And therefore we, to whom, by God's goodness, it hath been granted to complete this great work, do now hereby declare that it is very far from our intention or design that the Prelates of England, now possessing the titles and rights of Bishops in Ordinary, should, in any other respect, be deprived of any advantages which they have enjoyed heretofore under the character of Vicars Apostolic. For it would not be reasonable that the enactments we now make at the instance of the English Catholics, for the good of religion in their country, should turn to the detriment of the said Vicars Apostolic. Moreover, we are most firmly assured that the same, our beloved children in Christ, who have never ceased to contribute by their alms and liberality, under such various circumstances, to the support of the Catholic religion, and of the Vicars Apostolic, will henceforward manifest even greater liberality towards Bishops, who are now bound by a stronger tie to the Anglican Churches, so that these same may never be in want of the temporal means necessary for the expenses of the decent splendour of the churches, and of divine service, and of the support of the clergy, and relief of the poor. In conclusion, lifting up our eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help, to God Almighty and All-merciful, with all prayer and supplication we humbly beseech Him, that He would confirm by the power of His Divine assistance all that we have now decreed for the good of the Church; and that He would bestow the strength of His grace on those to whom the carrying out of our decrees chiefly belongs, that they may feed the Lord's flock which is amongst them, and that they may each increase in diligent exertion to advance the greater glory of His Name, and in order to obtain the more abundant succours of heavenly grace for this purpose.

"We again invoke, as our intercessors with God, the most Holy Mother of God, the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, with the other heavenly patrons of England; and especially St. Gregory the Great, that, since it is now granted to our so unequal deserts again to restore the Episcopal Sees in England, which he first effected to the very great advantages of the Church, this restoration also which we make of the Episcopal Dioceses in that kingdom may happily turn to the benefit of the Catholic religion. And we decree that these our Letters Apostolical shall never at any time be objected against or impugned, on pretence either of omission or of addition, or defect either of our intention, or any other whatsoever; but shall be always valid and in force, and shall take effect in all particulars, and be inviolably observed. All general or special enactments notwithstanding, whether Apostolic, or issued in Synodal, Provincial, and Universal Councils; notwithstanding also all rights and privileges of the ancient Sees of England, and of the Missions, and of the Apostolic Vicariates subsequently there established, and of all Churches whatsoever, and pious places, whether established by oath or by Apostolic confirmation, or by any other security whatsoever; notwithstanding, lastly, all other

things to the contrary whatsoever. For all these things, in as far as they contravene the foregoing enactments, although a special mention of them may be necessary for their repeal, or some other form, however particular, necessary to be observed, we expressly annul and repeal. Moreover, we decree that if, in any other manner, any other attempt shall be made by any person, or by any authority, knowingly or ignorantly, to set aside these enactments, such attempt shall be null and void. And it is our will and pleasure that copies of these our Letters, being printed and subscribed by the hand of a Notary public, and sealed with the seal of a person high in ecclesiastical dignity, shall have the same authenticity as would belong to the expression of our will by the production of this original copy.

"Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Seal of the Fisherman, this 29th day of September, 1850, in the fifth year of our Pontificate.

"A. CARDINAL LAMBRUSCHINI." To the Bull for the resuscitation of the Pope's hierarchy within this realm of England, we add the certificate of its due reception and execution. THE CERTIFICATE OF ITS EXECUTION.

"October 30, 1850.

"Nicholas, by the Divine mercy, of the holy Roman Church by the title of St. Pudentiana Cardinal Priest, Archbishop of Westminster, and Administrator Apostolic of the diocese of Southwark.

"To our dearly beloved in Christ, the clergy, secular and regular, and the faithful of the said archdiocese and diocese, health and benediction in the Lord.

"If this day we greet you under a new title, it is not, dearly beloved, with an altered affection. If in words we seem to divide those who till now have formed, under our rule, a single flock, our heart is as undivided as ever in your regard. For now truly do we feel closely bound to you by new and stronger ties of charity; now do we embrace you, in our Lord Christ Jesus, with more tender emotions of paternal love; now doth our soul yearn, and our mouth is open to you; though words must fail to express what we feel on being once again permitted to address you. For, if our parting was in sorrow, and we durst not hope that we should again face to face behold you, our beloved flock, so much the greater is now our consolation and our joy, when we find ourselves, not so much permitted, as commissioned, to return to you, by the supreme ruler of the Church of Christ.

"But how can we for one moment indulge in selfish feelings when, through that loving father's generous and wise counsels, the greatest of blessings has just been bestowed upon our country by the restoration of its true Catholic hierarchical government, in communion with the see of Peter?

"For, on the 20th day of last month, on the Feast of the Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the Heavenly Host, his Holiness Pope Pius IX. was graciously pleased to issue his Letters Apostolic, under the Fisherman's Ring, conceived in terms of great weight and dignity, wherein he substituted for the eight apostolic vicariates heretofore existing, one archiepiscopal or metropolitan and twelve episcopal sees, repealing at the same time and annulling all dispositions and enactments made for England by the Holy See with reference to its late form of ecclesiastical government.

"And, by a brief dated the same day, his Holiness was further pleased to appoint us, though most unworthy, to the archiepiscopal see of Westminster, established by the above

mentioned Letters Apostolic, giving us at the same time the administration of the episcopal see of Southwark. So that, at present, and till such time as the Holy See shall think fit otherwise to provide, we govern, and shall continue to govern, the counties of Middlesex, Hertford, and Essex, as ordinary thereof, and those of Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Berks, and Hants, with the islands annexed, as administrator, with ordinary juris

diction.

"Further, we have to announce to you, dearly beloved in Christ, that, as if still further to add solemnity and honour before the Church to this noble act of apostolic authority, and to give an additional mark of paternal benevolence towards the Catholics of England, his Holiness was pleased to raise us, in the private consistory of Monday, the 30th of September, to the rank of Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church, and on the Thursday next ensuing, being the 3rd day of this month of October, in public consistory, he delivered to us the insignia of this dignity, the cardinalitial hat; assigning us afterwards for our title, in the private consistory which we attended, the Church of St. Pudentiana, in which St. Peter is groundedly believed to have enjoyed the hospitality of the noble and partly British family of the Senator Pudens.

"In that same consistory we were enabled ourselves to ask for the archiepiscopal pallium for our new see of Westminster, and this day we have been invested, by the hands of the supreme Pastor and Pontiff himself, with this badge of metropolitan jurisdiction.

"The great work, then, is complete; what you have long desired and prayed for is granted. Your beloved country has received a place among the fair churches which, normally constituted, form the splendid aggregate of Catholic communion; Catholic England has been restored to its orbit in the ecclesiastical firmament from which its light had long vanished, and begins now anew its course of regularly adjusted action round the centre of unity, the source of jurisdiction, of light, and of vigour. How wonderfully all this has been brought about-how clearly the hand of God has been shown in every step, we have not now leisure to relate; but we may hope soon to recount to you by word of mouth. In the mean time we will content ourselves with assuring you that, if the concordant voice of those venerable and most eminent counsellors to whom the Holy See commits the regulation of ecclesiastical affairs in missionary countries, if the overruling of every variety of interests and designs to the rendering of this measure almost necessary, if the earnest prayers of our holy Pontiff and his most sacred oblation of the divine sacrifice, added to his own deep and earnest reflection, can form to the Catholic heart an earnest of heavenly direction, an assurance that the Spirit of Truth, who guides the Church, has here inspired its supreme head, we cannot desire stronger or more consoling evidence that this most important measure is from God, has His sanction and blessing, and will consequently prosper.

Then truly is this day to us a day of joy and exaltation of spirit, the crowning day of long hopes, and the opening day of bright prospects. How must the saints of our country, whether Roman or British, Saxon or Norman, look down from their seats of bliss with beaming glance upon this new evidence of the faith and Church which led them to glory, sympathising with those who have faithfully adhered to them through centuries of ill repute, for the truth's sake, and now reap the fruit of their patience and long suffering. And all those blessed martyrs of these later ages, who have fought the battles of the faith under such discouragement, who mourned, more than over their own fetters or their own pain, over the desolate ways of their own Sion and the departure of England's religious glory. Oh! how must they bless God, who hath again visited His

people, how take part in our joy, as they see the lamp of the temple again enkindled and rebrightening, as they behold the silver links of that chain which has connected that country with the see of Peter in its vicarial government changed into burnished gold; not stronger nor more closely knit, but more beautifully wrought and more brightly arrayed!

"And in nothing will it be fairer or brighter than in this, that the glow of more fervent love will be upon it. Whatever our sincere attachment and unflinching devotion to the Holy See till now, there is a new ingredient cast upon these feelings: a warmer gratitude, a tenderer affection, a profounder admiration, a boundless and endless sense of obligation, for so new, so great, so sublime a gift, will be added to past sentiments of loyalty and fidelity to the supreme see of Peter. Our venerable Pontiff has shown himself a true shepherd, a true father; and we cannot but express our gratitude to him in our most fervent language, in the language of prayer. For, when we raise our voices, as is meet, in loud and fervent thanksgiving to the Almighty for the precious gifts bestowed upon our portion of Christ's vineyard, we will also implore every choice blessing on him who has been so signally the divine instrument in procuring it. We will pray that his rule over the Church may be prolonged to many years for its welfare; that health and strength may be preserved to him for the discharge of his arduous duties; that light and grace may be granted to him proportioned to the sublimity of his office; and that consolations, temporal and spiritual, may be poured out upon him abundantly, in compensation for past sorrows and past ingratitude. And of these consolations may one of the most sweet to his paternal heart be the propagation of holy religion in our country, the advancement of his spiritual children there in true piety and devotion, and our ever increasing affection and attachment to the see of St. Peter.

"In order, therefore, that our thanksgiving may be made with all becoming solemnity, we hereby enjoin as follows :

:

"1. This our pastoral letter shall be publicly read in all the churches and chapels of the archdiocese of Westminster and the diocese of Southwark on the Sunday after its being received.

"2. On the following Sunday there shall be, in every such church or chapel, a solemn benediction of the blessed sacrament, at which shall be sung the Te Deum, with the usual versicles and prayers, with the prayer also 'Fidelium Deus, Pastor et Rector,' for the Pope.

"3. The collect 'Pro Gratiarum Actione,' or thanksgiving, and that for the Pope hall be recited in the mass of that day and for two days following.

"4. Where benediction is never given, the Te Deum, with its prayers, shall be recited or sung after mass, and the collects abovenamed shall be added as enjoined.

"And at the same time earnestly entreating for ourselves also a place in your fervent prayers, we lovingly implore for you and bestow on you the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

"Given out at the Flaminian Gate of Rome, this 7th day of October, in the year of our Lord, 1850.

"NICHOLAS,

"Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.

"By command of his Eminence,

“FRANCIS SEARLE, Secretary.”

THE DETAILS OF THE DEVELOPMENT.

The principle of our oath being legislatively renounced by the State is the only and sufficient ground of our rejection of the oath. Yet the guilt of the nation must increase in proportion as the ungodly concession is developed; and few minds fail to apprehend more clearly the point of an argument when that point is illustrated by practical facts. It will be remembered that the Pope's ecclesiastical and spiritual jurisdiction has been defined to consist of his power of governing his clergy, and of directing the opinions of his laity; the exercise of this power will be evident in the following illustrations. The majority of the examples are ordinary newspaper paragraphs, such as to a mere newsmonger appear to be of no moment; but to the eye of faith they reveal the internal energy of English Jesuitry, and the well-selected steps of certain progress. That such facts should daily and hourly occur within the once strictly and solely Protestant kingdom of England is a marvel of Satanic agency: and that such facts should be endured with most complete apathy, is a fearful augury of England's destiny.

We extract first from the Evening Mail, December 9, 1850:

"ENTHRONIZATION' OF CARDINAL WISEMAN.

"The ceremonial prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church for the induction of an Archbishop to his see was performed at the church of St. George's, Southwark, yesterday, with a rather uncommon solemnity. Considering the great excitement which prevails on the subject of Cardinal Wiseman's installation, it might have been expected that some indications of that excitement would have been presented to our view as we approached the scene of the ceremonial. But the reverse was the fact. The precincts of the building wore the usual aspect of Sabbath tranquillity, and the exterior calm was reflected by the most stilly and decorous silence inside doors.

The sombre character of St. George's derived additional dimness from one of the

foggiest mornings of the winter season. Nor was artificial lustre, that gorgeous accessory to the service of the Roman Catholic Church, much resorted to in aid of the feeble light which glimmered through the gothic windows of St. George's. For half an hour after we occupied our seat nothing preparatory was observable, the organ was hushed, and the choir was silent: but about half past eleven o'clock the preparations were observable in every part of the edifice. An acolyte came in this direction with a thurifer. Another carried a crucifix to the spot were the procession was to form. A chalice was transferred from one altar to another by a third. At length the order for forming the procession was given by the tolling of a bell, and the attendant clergy of the new 'archdiocese' formed into regular order at the summons. The Cardinal himself, robed in scarlet and white, and wearing a small scarlet cap, proceeded from the sacristy, his flowing train borne by two train-bearers. After a brief pause, at the extreme end of the nave of the church, the choir commenced chanting the Hallelujah, from Beethoven's Mount of Olives,' and presently the procession was observed to move up the nave in the direction of the centra

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