Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1834, BY JOHN P. HAVEN, in the Office of the Clerk of the Southern District of New York. THOMAS GEORGE, JR. PRINTER. Examination of historical testimony relative to the INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. THE Popish controversy has lately assumed an aspect in our country which must render it deeply interesting to every sincere and intelligent Christian. Ten years ago, the revival of this controversy, as an object of general attention, and of zealous effort, would have appeared unreasonable, if not liable to the charge of something approaching to persecution. At that time, the adherents of the "Man of Sin," being regarded as not more than a fortieth or fiftieth part of our population, and maintaining generally that silent and inoffensive course which might have been expected in the nineteenth century, on the part of a small minority, who at once respected their own claims, and remembered what was due, in a free country, to the claims and the influence of a predominant Protestant community, gave little occasion for public animadversion. Of late, however, the aspect of things is not a little changed. The native and well known spirit of their sect is beginning with more distinctness to disclose itself. Feeling their body strengthened by large emigrations from the old world; enabled, by rich pecuniary contributions from various foreign sources, to multiply and invigorate their sectarian establishments; having received, with their recent importations, a considerable increase of that vulgar ferocity which might have been anticipated from the character of those importations, and imagining that the time had come when they needed nothing but a public controversy, and a confident tone, to ensure their triumph; they have lately assumed an attitude, and indulged in a language to which we have not hitherto been accustomed; and have even ventured, in some memorable instances, after inviting discussion, to meet dignified and irresistible argument, with insolent threats or with brutal violence. 66 In these circumstances,-when the old and well known claims of these children of Anti-christ" have been urged with more than wonted noise and offensiveness; when Protestants have been assailed, and challenged in a manner which indicated a fixed purpose, and the largest hopes, of encroachment on their ranks by proselytism;it surely became a duty to show that the "faith once delivered to the saints" had friends willing and able to stand forth in her defence. The controversy, as it exists in the United States, originated with the Romanists. It is of their own seeking. It ought, however, to be matter of joy, not of regret. These votaries of the "mystery of iniquity" have provoked Protestants to do what ought to have been done before. They have been met with a spirit and a force of argument truly gratifying to the friends of apostolic purity. But there is yet room for much more to be written and published. The battle, as I take it, is but just begun. And now that Protestants have been compelled, in fidelity to their master in heaven, to gird on their armour, and to lift the weapons of consecrated warfare; I trust they will never be laid aside, until every family and individual in our land shall be distinctly put on their guard against the character and design of these foes of God and man. It is earnestly to be hoped, however, that all who enter the lists in this warfare will be careful with respect to the weapons which they employ. Our weapons must not, like theirs, be "carnal," but "spiritual." These alone will be "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong |