"Considering that the London Bible Society has caused the establishment of several affiliated Societies, particularly in Germany, and that several such Associations in the Imperial Hereditary Dominions, particularly among the Protestants, have more intimate connexion in view; His Sacred' Majesty has been graciously pleased to ordain, that care be taken that printed copies of the Bible be not circulated gratis, nor at a low price, by such foreign Associations and Societies in His Majesty's Hereditary Dominions, nor the establishment of a Bible Association allowed. For the rest, His Sacred Majesty is graciously pleased to allow the trade with Bibles, as with all other books, by booksellers, according to the ordinances published on THIS SUBJECT:

"The Royal Government hereby publishes this His Majesty's resolution, that the most punctual care may be taken to observe it in every point.

"Given at Buda the 23d of December 1816, in the Assembly of the Members of the Royal Hungarian Government.",

"A Declaration of the Most Reverend the Bishops of Hungary against Bible Societies.

"That the Bible Societies, not long ago formed among the English, and aimed to be promoted in all the world, have failed to produce that general good for which they are extolled, the most clear-sighted English themselves now perceive, and openly acknowledge. And, therefore, it becomes us to be peculiarly grateful for the very provident care of our government, which has hindered the entrance of these Societies into the empire of the illustrious House of Austria: for, the old adage truly' says, "It is more infamous to turn out a guest than not to admit him. But, that these Bible institutions, although they have a plausible appearance, by no means agree with the principles of the Catholic religion and Church, the SOVEREIGN PONTIFF; Pius VII. has al

ready declared: and indeed, by an Apostolical Letter, addressed to the ARCHBISHOP OF GNEZN himself, on the very day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, June 29th, 1816, praised his exertions, and also those of the other Bishops of Poland, because they combined with might and main to repel the attempts which, by means of the Societies called Biblical, its enemies have made for the utter destruction of our most holy religion; especially in so depraved an age, when our holy religion is assailed on all sides, with subtlety, and the most grievous wounds are inflicted on the Church.

"Likewise, in another Apostolical Letter, dated Sept. the 3d in the current year, sent to the ARCHBISHOP OF MOHILEFF, His Holiness speaks thus:

“We are worn down with poignant and bitter anguish, when we learn that a pernicious design was not long since undertaken, by which the most sacred books of the Bible are every where dispersed in the several vernacular tongues; and published, contrary to the most wholesome rules of the Church, with new translations, and these cunningly perverted into bad meanings. For we observed, from one of those versions which was brought to us, that it tends to destroy the sanctity of pious doctrine; so that the faithful may easily drink deadly poison from those fountains, whence they ought to draw the waters of salutary wisdom. But we were even still more deeply grieved, when we saw that some were made a stone of offence who are placed to show the ways of righteousness to others.

"These ought to have kept in view, what our predeassors constantly apprised them of; namely, That, if the Holy Bible in the vulgar tongue be permitted every where without discrimination, more harm than good would hence arise. Moreover, the Roman Church, receiving only the Vulgate edition, by a well-known decree of the Council of Trent, rejects the versions of other languages, and permits those alone which are published with annotations properly se

lected from the holy Fathers and the writings of Catholic Doctors; lest so great a treasure should be laid open to the corruptions of novelties, and in order that the Church, diffused all over the world, might be of one lip and the same speech.

"Indeed, since we perceive in the vernacular tongue very frequent changes, varieties, and alterations; truly, from this immoderate license of biblical versions, that immutability would be destroyed, which becomes the divine testimony, and the faith itself would be shaken. Wherefore, by this means the Sectaries have usually brought forth their de praved and most ruinous machinations; as, by publishing Bibles in the vernacular tongues, on the wonderful variety and discrepancy of which they nevertheless mutually accuse and cavil among themselves, that each might obtrude their own errors dressed up in the holy garb of the divine word. For heresies do not arise, saith ST. AUGUSTINE, except when the excellent Scriptures are ill understood; and what in them is badly understood, is also rashly and boldly af firmed.

"But if we lament that men, most renowned for piety and wisdom, often have failed in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures; what may not be apprehended, if the Holy Scriptures, translated into every vulgar tongue, are given to be freely perused by the ignorant common people, who mostly judge, not from any preference, but from a sort of rashness? Is it so? justly exclaims St. Augustine, that you, untinctured by any poetical skill, dare not open TERENCE without a master, but you rush without a guide on the sacred books, and venture to give an opinion upon them without the aid of a teacher? Wherefore, it is clearly and sincerely to be held and taught, that the Christian truth and doctrine, both dogmatical and moral, are contained not only in the Scriptures, but also in the traditions of the Catholic Church; and that it belongs to the Church itself alone to interpret both. Besides, it should be maintained and in

culcated, that the reading of the Scriptures is not for all the Faithful indiscriminately; but for the Clergy, or at most those of the Laity who were sufficiently instructed in the opinion of their Pastors, and deemed rightly prepared to read therein with profit.'

"The Sacred Congregation for propagating the Faith, by the like authority of His Holiness the Pope, on the 3d day of August in the current year, sent letters to the Vicars Apostolic and Missionaries in Persia, in Armenia, and in other Eastern countries: wherein he cautions them against a version of the New Testament into the Persian tongue, recently made, as if canonical; but yet dispersed very numerously, by means of the English Bible Society, even among the Infidels; and he warns them against all connexion with these Bible Societies, speciously pretending to promote Christianity. Thus the provident and Most Holy Chief of the Apostolic See, and the provident and most august Sovereign of this Kingdom, by uniting their care, watch lest any injury should in our days befall religion and the State."

SIR,

LETTER XXII.

THE last official document was transmitted by a Ròman Catholic Clergyman of high respectability and character, who regretted that the two Papal Rescripts therein cited had done so much mischief among bigoted religionists on the Continent, &c. The small number of " clear-sighted Englishmen themselves" who have opposed Bible Institutions, will now behold (as in a Popish Mirror) the exact resemblance of their own objections.

It is particularly deserving of your notice, that when

A PRINCIPLE OF ACTION has been once laid down by the See of Rome, no circumstances of place or distance, &c. will prevent the rigid application of that principle.-I shall illustrate and prove this by an example, which might perhaps escape your attention in perusing the above official "Declaration of the Hungarian Bishops." You there see, that the principle of excluding all unauthorized versions of the Holy Scriptures from the common people is carried to a length so extravagant and preposterous, that even Mahomedans and Idolatrous Nations are not allowed to read a New Testament, because it was not made from the LATIN Vulgate edition, and accompanied with the edifying notes of Popish Theologians!!!

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The words of that "DECLARATION" are remarkable :“Ejusdem Sanctissimi, Pontificis authoritate Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide ad Vicarios Apostolicos et Missionarios in Persia, in Armenia, et in aliis Orientis partibus die 3 Augusti anno currente dimisit literas: quibus eos contra versionem Novi Testamenti in idioma Persicum recenter utut canonicè factam ; sed tamen agente Societate Anglorum Biblica, etiam inter Infideles numerosissime dispersam; cautos reddit, et contra omnem cum his Biblicis Societatibus, speciose propagationem Christianissimi prætexentibus, nexum præmunit. Ita nempe unitis studiis providus Sedis Apostolicæ Antistes Sanctissimus providusque Regni hujus Apostolici Rex augustissimus pervigilant, ne quid religio ac respublica detrimenti capiat diebus nostris."

Thus, Sir, it appears, that, if Turks, Jews, Greeks, Syrians, Armenians, Arabians, Persians, Hindoos, Chinese, and other Oriental nations, could obtain (by means of the Bible Society in London) copies of the Sacred Volume free of expense, and were disposed to study it privately in their own vernacular tongues; this act would be deemed contrary to the laws of the Pope, and must therefore be prevented by his Missioners and Apostolic Vicars, wherever they can do