The Pope’s Encyclical.—The Pope’s Encyclical Letter of 26th May, says the Protestant Alliance Magazine, has raised a storm of indignation throughout Protestant Germany. Count von Moltke, leader of the Imperial Conservatives, will ask the Government what action it intends to take to prevent a repetition of the Encyclicals of this character so insulting to the Reformation, the reformers, and the Protestant faith, and jeopardising the peace of the country. It is significant of the attitude of the Government that the Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung gives great prominence to a hot protest against the Encyclical, characterising the Papal letter as filled with hatred of Protestantism, and marked by gross ignorance of History and of the essence of the German Reformation. The Deutsche Evangelische Correspondent (says Reuter) declares that the Pope’s reference to “the most degenerate princes and peoples” is an attack upon the ancestors of a Hohenzollern Emperor and upon the German peoples who began the Reformation.
The Power of the Priest in the Sacrifice of the Mass.—Liguori, a Doctor of the Church, and one of Rome’s saints, in referring to the power of the priest in the Mass, says:—”But our wonder should be far greater when we find in obedience to the words of the priest, Hoc est Corpus meum (This is my body) God Himself descends on the altar, that He comes whenever they call Him, and as often as they call Him, and places himself in their hands even though they should be His enemies. And after having once come He remains entirely at their disposal.” Again, Abbe Gaume says of the priest:—”He is a man who, every day,
when he pleases, opens the gates of heaven, and addressing himself to the Son of the Eternal, to the Messiah of the worlds, says to Him: ‘Descend from your throne, come!’ Docile at the voice of this man, the Word of God, He by whom all things were made, instantly descends from the seat of His glory and incarnates Himself in the hands of this man, and the man says to Him: ‘Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee, Thou art my victim,’ and he lets himself be immolated by this man, placed where he wills, given to whom he chooses.”
These are not the random utterances of irresponsible theologians, but of men high in the esteem of the Church of Rome. Neither are these sentiments in books that Rome does not acknowledge, but in those bearing her imprimatur. Surely the words of the Royal Declaration are not too strong when it describes the Mass, which raises the priesthood to such daringly blasphemous heights, as superstitious and idolatrous.
Acknowledgments.—Mr. Angus Clunas, 18 Ardconnel Terrace, Inverness, acknowledges, with thanks, 10/- from Mrs. Stewart, Latheron, for Sustentation Fund; and £3 3s. from Mrs. Gibb, Weston Super-Mare, for Foreign Mission Fund.
Memoir and Sermons by the late Rev. D. Macdonald, Shieldaig.—Copies of this interesting and spiritually instructive book are still to be had from the author, Rev. D. Macfarlane, F.P. Manse, Dingwall—price 2/-, postage 3d. extra.
Correction.—At foot of page 143 in August number, the words, “Faith does war after the flesh,” should read, “Faith does not war,” etc.
We regret to have to hold over till next month, “Recollections of Betsy Lindsay,” a sketch of late Miss Manson, Wick, and other articles.