places south and west. Many of the Churches are connected in an Association, which meets annually in Boston during the week of General Election in May. NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH, OR SWEDENBORGIANS. The founder of this sect, Baron Emanuel Swedenborg, was the son of a Bishop in West Gothia, Sweden. He died in London, in 1772. His works, which were not much known during his life, were widely circulated and read after his death. His followers are now found in considerable numbers in Europe, and in the United States. In this country they are organized into a General Convention, which meets annually. The Eleventh Meeting was held in Boston, in August, 1829. It consists of Pastors or Teachers, and Lay Delegates. GENERAL SUMMARY, as given in the Minutes of 1829. Ordaining Ministers, 9; Priests and Teaching Ministers, 6; Licentiates, 14; Total Clergy, 29. Receivers of the doctrines are found in 5 towns in Maine; 3, in New Hampshire; 24, in Massachusetts; 2, in Rhode Island; 1, in Connecticut; 14, in New York; 2, in New Jersey; 22, in Pennsylvania; 22, in Ohio; 17, in other States. Regular Societies are formed in 28 towns in the United States. - Next Meeting of the Convention, in Philadelphia, 1st Thursday in June, 1830. MILLENNIAL CHURCH, OR SHAKERS. This Society commenced under the ministration of Ann Lee, who was born in Manchester, (Eng.) in 1736. From the violent bodily commotions with which they are often seized, they have been denominated Shakers. In 1780, ten or twelve individuals came from England to this country. In 1787, they formed themselves into a Society at New Lebanon, N. Y., established a community of of goods in all respects. Their general employments are agriculture and the mechanic arts. They are remarkable for their neatness, sobriety, honesty, harmlessness, Their peculiar manner of worship is by dancing. dancing. Societies of Shakers are found at Alfred and New Gloucester, Me.; Canterbury and Enfield, N. H.; Shirley, Harvard, Tyringham, and Hancock, Mass.; Enfield, Conn.; Watervliet and New Lebanon, Ν. Υ.; Union Village and Watervliet, Ohio; Pleasant Hill and South Union, Ky. No. of Societies in 1828, 16; Preachers, 45; Population, 5,400. &c. UNIVERSALISTS. They trace their rise to Origen, who lived in the third century. Many individuals in the successive centuries cherished this doctrine. Societies of Universalists are now found in various parts of Christendom. In the United States there are probably about 300 Societies and 150 Preachers. A General Convention is annually holden, in which the several Societies in New England, and some from the other States, are represented. There are ten or twelve Associations under its jurisdiction. They publish a number of magazines and newspapers. A part believe in a limited punishment after this life; others believe that the future state of all will be alike happy at death. Note. In compiling our Historical Sketches of the various Denominations, we have made use of Benedict's History of all Religions, a book of great value. We have intended to be as impartial and accurate in our statements as possible. To be entirely so, is, of course, out of our power. Any corrections, which may be made in the spirit of kindness, we shall gratefully acknowledge. In such a multitude of dates and figures as occur in our statistics, some errors are unavoidable. NOTICES OF THE PAPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. The following article has been prepared for this work, by a gentleman of distinguished learning.* The principal source of information was Annales de l' association de la Propagation de la Foi-being a periodical continuation of the "Lettres Edifiantes," A Lyon et a Paris, 1829. Eds. The subject announced at the head of this article is one of great and increasing importance. Contemplated either in a civil or religious view, this is unquestionably the case; but it is more especially under the latter that it commends itself to the readers of this publication. We shall endeavour, in pursuing it, to bear in mind not only the imperious duty of the historian, to exhibit truth, but also that of the patriot and christian, to ascertain and feel its connexion and relations. OF But in this paper it is not intended to enter at large into the long protracted and voluminous controversy with the CHURCH ROME. Such we style her, and are backward to admit her title to the usurped but ordinary appellation of Catholic. This controversy has occasionally occupied, for more than three hundred years, some of the most serious minds and able pens of christendom; and indeed from an earlier age there have not been wanting individuals who have successively borne testimony against the assumptions, spiritual and temporal, of the Roman Court, or Churchterms, in this case, commutable-her grow ing superstitions, preposterous claims, and absurd pretensions. Yet, while we waive, for the present, a professed entrance on this controversy, it is not because we are under no apprehension of evil, nor because we do not feel that it is matter of surprise that the evil should be extending its influence so widely in our country. For we cannot forget the apprehensions of our puritan ancestors, and their conscientious opposition; nor the sufferings of many who preceded them. And it is equally impossible to forget the invaluable privilege of possessing God's Word, translated and accessible in our own language with the liberty of reading, expounding and practising its requirements, with out fear of molestation. That, in such circumstances, Rome should increase her votaries from among our freeborn citizens, in numbers almost equal to those who came as papists to this country from the shores of Europe, is indeed matter of surprise. Our main design is to give a statistical view of Romanists in the United States, as has been done in reference to other denominations. But, with our opinions and feelings, it will be impracticable, and would also we think be improper, to exhibit such a view without remarks. At the outset, however, it is to be distinctly and gratefully acknowledged, that, as in our own State government, 'every denomination of Christians, demeaning themselves peaceably, and as good subjects of the Commonwealth, shall be equally under the protection of the law; and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law:'* so likewise in the Constitution of the United States it is provided, that' Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'t Whatever remarks, therefore, be made in reference to that branch of the Church of Rome which exists in these States, it is to be considered that they have an equal right with ourselves to their own views, and opinions, and forms of worship, while they infringe not on the rights of others. And, as a consequence, they have an equal right with ourselves to publish their own opinions, and send out their missionaries to promulgate them through the Union, and multiply their converts-it being only the force of truth and sound argument, and the influence of a holy and useful life, which can justly be allowed to sway the public sentiment, and establish the prosperity of any denomination: every tendency to the union of the Church and State, in establishments professedly religious, militating as much with our feelings, as with the spirit of our free constitutions of government. Nor are the Romanists to be regarded as interlopers in the United States. One *Implicit reliance may be placed on its statements. * Constitution of Mass. Art. III. † Amend. to Constit. of U. S. Art. IIL. of the members of this Confederacy was indeed originally constituted, in great degree, by individuals of that faith. Maryland, settled by lord Baltimore, was intended by him as a place of refuge for such, and for their enjoyment of religious liberty. However strange, therefore, it may seem to us, that our ears are saluted with reports of the extension of the Romish Church in this Protestant country-we must be prepared to contemplate the fact. And why, some are ready to say, is this increase to be deprecated? Are we to charge on the modern professors of that faith the derelictions of their ancestors? Shall we hold the present Church of Rome responsible for the cruelties exercised against the Albigenses, six hundred years ago-and for the fires of Smithfield, the dragonnades of the Cevennois, the massacres of St. Bartholomew, and of 1641? Do we not find in that communion men of humanity, of elegant literature, engaging manners, sound science, and fervent piety? These questions would have weight, did we recognise in the acts of the Court of men themselves have slumbered. Specially is it to be regretted, that that important part of our territory, concerning which we are accustomed to hear that it will speedily, by its abundant population, give law to our Union, has been left open so long to the enterprises of Rome; and has obtained from the elder portions of our population so scanty means of resistance to a persevering and specious hierarchy. How important it is in the sight of Romanists this paper will soon evince. Had it been in our eyes as important at the commencement of this century, and had those means been in operation, which our tardy zeal is now employing, how different the result from that we have reason to apprehend! We have before us the numbers of a French periodical publication for the year just closed, containing several deeply interesting statements. It is intitled 'Annals of the Association for the propagation of the Faith.' At what precise period the Association was formed, or what station it holds in the Romish Church, whether it has succeeded the 'College de propaganda Rome any compunction for her past vio-Fide,' or is a new Body altogether, we are lences; did she express her abhorrence of the principle, 'that no faith is to be kept with heretics,' and abjure the dogmas of Jesuitic morality. But until this is done, she must be held responsible to the world -as indeed she will be to God, when He maketh inquisition for blood. The refinement of modern manners, the withholding of objectionable articles of faith, in soothing conversations maintained with inquirers, the specious glosses put on expressions startling to the lover of Scriptural simplicity-all these might seem to say, Rome has changed, and is far different from that power which Luther and Zuingle, Melancthon, Calvin and Bucer, and the host of Reformers combated. But the high tone of her present publications claims* an unchanged and unchangeable character for her faith and her practice. It is not therefore to be wondered at, that this whole subject is awakening investigation. Indeed the wonder is, rather, that curiosity has slept so long-and that watch not informed. These numbers are from XV to XVIII inclusively, and we propose to gather from them a few of the facts and representations which bear on the subject of this paper. But, as the subject, in all probability, is comparatively new to very many of our readers, it will be necessary to take previously a cursory view of what had been done antecedently to this period, in reference to the Romish Church in the United States. For this we are indebted to a publication in 1822 at New York, exhibiting its condition at that time. From this we learn that a Jesuit priest accompanied the emigrants to Maryland, in 1632, and from that date till the period of the revolution the American Catholics in Maryland and Virginia were constantly served by Jesuit missionaries, successively sent from England. The Rev. Dr. John Carroll having been elected the first Bishop, by the clergy, The Laity's Directory to the church Servics,' revised and corrected by Rev. Mr. Power, a distin * See The Jesuit, a periodical published in Bos- guished Romanist. ton, passim. ‡ Id. p. 73. = England, Aug. 15, 1790. He had been chosen by twenty four out of twenty six priests, assembled for the purpose. through a special indulgence granted them | who read. Equally known is the hatred by the Pope, Pius VI. a see was constitut- this celebrated society excited even in ed, and the Bishop elect consecrated in kingdoms, like France, Spain and Portugal, devoted, and the latter too almost blindly, to the interests of the See of Rome. This odium demanded at length the suppression of the order, which it was the glory of Ganganelli (in the eyes of Protestants at least, as well as of the petitioners) ultimately to effect in 1776. Rumour said it cost his life. At length, in 1810, the increase of the Romish Communion had become so great in the United States, it was judged best at Rome to erect the Episcopate of Baltimore 'into a Metropolitan or Archiepiscopal See, and to establish four new suffragan diocesses: namely, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Bardstown in Kentucky.' This was accordingly carried into effect 'with great pomp and solemnity.' Previous to this period, New Orleans had been erected into a bishopric, and in 1820 those of Richmond and Charleston were added. All these are intitled from the places where they are constituted, as in countries connected with the Romish gov= ernment, or as is done in Episcopal Eng= land-there being no occasion, such is American liberality or indifference, for the ecclesiastical figment, in partibus infidelium. Singular, therefore, as is the sound, Boston, the capital of the puritans, is designated as an episcopate subject to Rome. At her court, doubtless, this has been regarded as no small triumph, and on this side the water appears no trifling anomaly. To the above episcopal sees that of Ohio has been subsequently added, and is denominated from Cincinnati, the principal town, where the bishop's cathedral was consecrated, Dec. 17, 1826. Mobile has likewise been created an episcopate by Pius VIII, the present Pope. It remains that something be remarked in reference to the resuscitation of the order of Jesuits, especially as this relates to their labours in the United States. To no body of men whatever has the See of Rome been more deeply indebted than to this, for active, persevering and devoted service. Of their former history, their flexible principles, the abilities and accomplishments of their most distinguished members -the extent of their missions, their estimation in courts, and influence in the cabinets of princes-little need be said. It is a subject of general notoriety and familiar to all From the time of Clement XIV. the Society, which had been so powerful and so richly endowed, lay dormant for near forty years-at least so far as regarded its public appearance with its own name. It may, however, be useful to notice its previous extent. This we are able to do from a document, 'found among the papers of the Society at the time of their expulsion from Spain,' in 1767, and intitled, 'A general enumeration of the houses, colleges, residences, seminaries and missions of the Jesuits in all parts of the world. It states* that there were in the Society 273 Missions, A subsequent note adds, 'We thus see that the world is as it were environed by an extended net, composed, it is true, of wide meshes, if it were formed but of 22, 000 Jesuits; but these meshes are compressed when we inspect a copy found in the Imperial College, enumerating such as were connected with the Congregations throughout the Spanish Monarchy. In the Imperial College of Madrid alone the number amounted to near 2000 men or youths, and a thousand females; so that their "Congregations" among the subjects of his Catholic Majesty surpass 60,000.t It is not in our power to trace the members of this Society during its suppression. The name of Jesuit was, suffice it to say, but synonymous with all of ambition, craft, and treachery, duplicity and talent, to be conceived by the human mind. A history of the order was printed in France, and its * See Recueil des pieces concernant le bannissement des Jesuites,' etc. I. Suite, p. 46. † Id. p. 48. * See a Dissertation published in Paris, 1825, intitled, Les Jesuites et leur doctrine, p. 287. In the introduction the author observes, There have appeared lately many Histories of the Jesuits: but they have treated only of their political intrigues, and very little respecting their doctrine of which many have heard a great deal, but do not comprehend it. This has caused the production of the present work' -We presume to hope, that the public will be gratified to know thoroughly a Society, which formerly rendered itself so celebrated by its disorders, and which still, at the present day, threatens us with the evils it has never ceased to bring upon our kings and upon our country; pp. xiv, xv. ly printed, thick quarto volumes, and it was then incomplete. The caustic pen of Pascal had long before withered its laurels, and it seemed doomed to irremediable death. But Pius VII. ventured to resuscitate it; and by his bull of Aug. 7, 1814, brought it again into existence in all the States acknowledging spiritual subjection to Rome. Let then the Court of Rome bear the responsibility of its daring! Necessary indeed to its service may be the devotion of such a band but how perilous the determination to employ it!* A word or two must also be said in re gard to the College de propaganda Fide. We confess we are not informed of its present state. But it is not long since its funds appeared to be wholly exhausted. However, Spain contributed, as the public papers announced, an amount of 60,000 crowns, in the depth of her national poverty, not long ago; and Austria, at least, is able to furnish abundantly the cost of new and extended missions: and not only able, but, it is stated on good authority, actually engaged in doing it for the 'Mission to the United States.' Private intelligence also from Italy assures us, that, in the upper circles, the enterprise of reducing our western States to spiritual subserviency and subjection under the See of Rome, or, in other words, to convert them to the Faith, is the subject of most frequent and interesting conversation. In circumstances like these, we advert to the articles of information contained in those numbers of the 'Annals' before alluded to, occupying about 240 pages. They are introduced by the following editorial remarks: 'In the first and second number of these Annals we inserted two articles respecting Kentucky. We then stated the condition of the catholic religion in this vast mission. Since that time, the good which had been commenced has been confirmed, and truth has obtained new triumphs over error. Daily conversions, although not of a splendid character, are crowning the labors and animating the zeal of the vencrable bishop of Bardstown, and his indefatigable helpers. The Jubilee was preached in succession and with effect throughout all the parishes of the diocese. Infidels and the protestants of all denominations, who inhabit this country, were neither alarmed nor stirred up to opposition, as has often been the case elsewhere, at the sight of a few poor priests announcing to sinners the mercies of the Most High, or dazzling the eyes of heretics with the torch of the true faith. Beside the bishop and his co-adjutor, Monseigneur David, there are in all the diocese of Bardstown but twenty one missionaries. This diocese is formed of the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Illinois, the whole population of which amounts to 1,397,450 souls, comprising 207, 930 slaves. This population, in which are found not more than 30,000 Catholics, is spread over a surface a hundred leagues wide and two hundred and forty in length. The diocese possesses a Dominican convent, two nunneries, and thirty churches, of which eleven are built of brick, and nineteen of wood. The convert of the Dominicans is at St. Rose, near Springfield in Kentucky. It was founded in 1806, by M. Edw. Fenwick, the present bishop of Cincinnati, and has thus far furnished twelve priests. Some years since Mgr. Flaget instituted a community of Missiona ry Friars. They are intended for the of fice of catechists, schoolmasters, sacristars, etc. Their vow is for three years, and they engage in manual labour, gardening and agriculture. The nuns devote themselves to the ed ucation of young persons of their own sex. The Sisters of Charity, seventy in number, were established by Mgr. David. Their chief town is at Nazareth, one league from Bardstown. By the increase of pupils, they have been necessitated to build a boarding-house, that will contain a hundred and fifty. Nuns, of the Dominican order, were established six or seven years ago, to the number of fifteen, in the neighborhood of Springfield. They have but about thirty pupils, not being able to accommodate * The title of 'My Lord' is the qualification of Bishops abroad; but, very properly, we think, the editor of the U. S. Catholic Miscellany' published at Charleston, commenting on a notice copied from a Canada paper, objects to the use of it in this country. However, let it appear. It is only one exem plification of Romish aberrations from the simplici ty of Scripture, which allows not bishops to be 'lords over God's heritage-but ensamples to the flock. I. Pet. V. 3. |