Priestly influence is reluctantly endured by the Catholics, though ignorant of pure Christianity, while sensible men groan under its oppressive intolerance. Hence, the intelligent author of “Rome in the Nineteenth Century,” referring to the jealousy and domination of the priests, remarks, concerning a Catholic friend, who had travelled in other countries, that he cherished the utmost repugnance regarding the established practice of _Confession_. But still he complied with the custom, for fear of the priests; arguing, “What can I do? If I neglect it, I am reprimanded by the parish priest; if I delay it, my name is posted up in the parish church; if I persist in my contumacy, the arm of the church will overtake me, and my rank and fortune only serve to make me more obnoxious to its power. If I choose to make myself a martyr to infidelity, as the saints of old did to religion, and to suffer the loss of property and personal rights, what is to become of my wife and family? The same ruin would overtake them, though they are Catholics: for I am obliged, not only to conceal my true belief, and profess what I despise, but I must bring up my children in their abominable idolatries and superstition; or, if I teach them the truth, make either hypocrites or beggars!” Romanism, as will appear from these various facts, instead of promoting the pure and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ--by keeping the people in ignorance of the holy Scriptures, it impedes the advancement of true religion. And, while the intolerant jealousy of the priests disgusts the people, their whole system produces that infidelity which so fearfully prevails in all the states of Europe, to the hindrance and dishonour of pure Christianity. Our confidence is, however, that the whole system of popery will, in due time, be utterly destroyed, by “the brightness of the coming of Christ,” in the full light of the holy Scriptures! J. Unwin, Gresham Steam Press, 31, Bucklersbury, London. Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: the most renowed=> the most renowned {pg 63} that was establised=> that was established {pg 339}