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CONTENTS.

No.

Page

1. Sufficiency of the Bible as a Rule of Faith and

Guide to Salvation,

2. The Source of Heresies,

3. Private Interpretation,

4. Popery Unscriptural,
5. Evil of believing too much,
6. The Nine Commandments,
7. Catholic hostility to the Bible,
8. Something for the Rev. Mr. H.

9. Distinction of Sins into Mortal and Venial

7

10

11

15

18

21

25

30

33

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22. Specimens of Catholic Idolatry,

23. More Specimens of Catholic Idolatry,

24. Image Worship,

25. Relics,

26. Seven Sacraments, 27. Transubstantiation, 28. Half a Sacrament, 29. Extreme Unction,

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The lamented author of the following articles had long mourned over the influence of Romanism, as essentially a political rather than a religious institution-attracting men by its splendid and imposing exterior, to the neglect of that spirituality of heart, without which no man can "see the kingdom of God." He had made repeated endeavors to engage what he considered abler pens in exposing its absurdities; and at length, as a means of reaching the greatest number of minds, commenced the insertion of brief miscellaneous articles bearing on the subject in a widely circulated weekly newspaper-the New-York Observer-using the signature M. S. the finals of his name. In familiarity of style, kindness and cheerfulness of manner, and plain common sense, they are adapted to secure the attention and carry conviction to the heart of the general reader; while their richness of thought and clearness and conclusiveness of argument will render them not less acceptable to mature and cultivated minds. Finding the reception they met, it was the design of the author to comply with requests from numerous sources entitled to his regard, by himself (when the series should have been somewhat further extended) embodying them in a volume; but the failure of his health and the early close of his valuable life prevented the fulfillment of that design. They are now given to the public in accordance with general suggestions of the author, but essentially in the form in which they at first appeared.

THOUGHTS ON POPERY.

1. The Sufficiency of the Bible as a Rule of Faith and Guide to Salvation.

This is the great matter in controversy between Protestants and Roman Catholics. We say the Bible is sufficient. They say that it is not. Now, suppose that Paul the apostle be permitted to decide between us. We are agreed to refer the matter to him. Can our opponents object to this reference? Let Paul then be consulted in the only way in which he can be, viz. through his acknowledged writings. It is agreed on all hands that he wrote the second epistle to Timothy. Well, in the third chapter of that epistle, and at the 15th verse, he writes to Timothy thus: "And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation." That the Greek is here correctly translated into Engiish, any scholar may see.

Here then we have what Paul wrote, and I cannot believe that he would write, in a letter to Timothy, that the Holy Scriptures are capable of being known by a child, and able to make wise unto salvation, and then say, to be handed down by tradition, that they are so obscure and abstruse that one can make nothing out of them.

But what did Paul write to Timothy about the Holy

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