THE PROTESTANT PEOPLE. [From the "Britannia,"]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 533, 24 May 1851, Page 4

THE PROTESTANT PEOPLE. [From the " Britannia," ]

" Give me leave to afliUtn before this great assembly, that, even abstracted from Religious considerations, the Piotestant religion ought to be held m the highest reverence as the surest barrier of our civil constitution. Ecclesiastical usurpation seldom fails to end in civil tyranny. The presenthappy settlement of the Crown, is, in truth, and not in name only, The Protestant Succession."— Harris's Life of Lord Hard■wicke. The spirit of the Reformation kindled once more— -the feeling! of Christianity once again in action — religious loyalty and loyal religion the universal impulse of tbe Nation : such are the results of a single act of popish aggreision in the nineteenth century. They have at once given an irresistible answer to all the conjectures, that England had become apathetic, and that Rome had become popular. Since the Revolution of 1688, England hai never been so completely roused, nor Rome been so unequivocally an object of uiigusl and disdain to the people. The attitude of the kingdom ii now magnificent. We doubt whether England has ever attained a loftier position in tbe whole course of her national gieatness, if poiition ii to be estimated by superiority of principle. For, what it the state of public feeling at this moment ? Tl>e country hat risen as one man — hat spoken as with one voice ; and only demands leaden, to act as one body — with one solemn purpose, and for one sacred principle. And in using this language, strong as it may seem, we are actually uting language inferior to the subject, from the vigour of the demonstration, and from the purity of the motive. If the object of the present feeling weve political change, we could comprehend any degree of boldness, energy, or hazard in the seekers after the honours and opulence of revolutionary success. If the object were military renown, we could equally comprehend the daring, dexterity, and uncalculaling lelf.sacrifice. If the object were private wealth, or public revenge, or any of the higher impulses of our nature— if it ewer ereti the fire of zeal fora new form of religion, the national feeling, vmt at it might be, would not exceed human experience; but it it a most remaikable thing, to tee ft whole people contending for the iiitegiity of an old Religion, contending against corruption within, as well aa assault from without, md shaming the one ' and defeating the other by the simple firmness of its moral resolution. I When ProtctUnism under Elizabeth defied tbe tyrant I of the Continent, its spirit was stimulated by tin sight of imminent danger— the fleet and army of Spain were the necessary summons to all ths means of desperate defence. When Jnmes 11. attempted the | introduction of Popery, the act wat before the na'ional | eye. the power of the Throne was visibly under arms, ■ and the national feeling could not disguise from itielf the sword* and cannons, the dungeons and scaffolds tt rayed for the assault. But now, the Nation has risen, on the mere anticipation of evil, has pronounced itt determination almost before the menance had been spoken, and has sprung to its arms on the fiist and simplest suspicion of danger to the faith that it honours, and which has been endeared to it by civil and religious freedom. Not that tbe feeling is premature, or the danger slight, or the preparations unnecessary; on the contrary, we believe that a time of the rarest peril it at hand, that Popery has mcceeded in corrupting the vigilance, or exciting the ambition of tbe Continental tbronei, and that a spark would inflame Europe into a religious war. While we admit that the policy of the Continental Monarchs leads them in general to peace, and that religion exhibits but feeble influence in royal councilf; while we also admit that the active and intelligent part of the population are too busy or too profligate for religious impulses; still vre are fully convinced that a great papal conspiracy has ramified itself through Europe within the last four years, and that unless itt traitors shall be disheartened by the resistance of England at this hour, we shall tee it break out in general convulsion. It is against this conspiracy that we must prepare. Every act of Rome for the last four yeart, hat been especially directed to its furtherance. The propaganda hat been indefatigable in tending its agents through Europe, and every art has been used to diveit England of all sutpicion. For the development of that conspiracy we mutt wait the meeting of Parliament, when we hope that « party will be formed devoted to this object alone. Let the reason be what it may, or the success be what it will, Rome ha« now commenced tier warfare. J Let her menaces be strong or weak, she has engaged the whole popery of Europe in her cause, and let the policy of the Continental Princes be however subtle and slippery, or however apparently reluctant to , engage in that hostility, the maturing of that hostility ' will come.