THE CHURCH OF ROME (Vail)

FOR THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

BROTHER BEEBE:—The following is a parody on a communication published in the New York Observer—signed M. S. or a translation from the original partial religion of the Roman Church, alias, Benevolent Societies of the day, into the true impartial religion taught in the Bible.

“There is nothing of which I am more perfectly certain than that the religion of the church of Rome, or of the Benevolent Societies of the day, is not the religion taught in the Bible. You say to Mr. M. S. that you “do not care what it is.” I do care, and I do say, it is not Bible religion, but is of its father the Devil. “How can they be the same when they differ so widely? Midnight and noon are not more unlike—I will specify one point of difference.” The religion of the church of Rome, or the Benevolent Societies, is partial. It “is a respecter of persons.” The religion taught in the Bible “is the very opposite of this, and not only is the “religion of the Benevolent Societies” partial, but its partialities are all in favor of the rich. Now, the religion taught in the Bible, if it leans in any direction, it inclines towards the poor. It was one sign that the Messiah had come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, that the poor had the Gospel preached to them.” It seems “they were not overlooked” at that time, as they are in these benevolent times.—“Hearken,” says one, “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him.” “The poor had never such a friend as Christ, He was himself poor. So poor was he, that he had not where to lay his head. No lodging-place at night,” was found for him in the Inn. “The poor are peculiarly his Brethren. And think you then, that he has opened a wider door of entrance into Heaven to the rich than to the poor?”—Think you Mr. M. S. that the rich man by contributing his money to the various Benevolent Societies, “will more easily obtain admittance into the place of his glorious presence? I do not believe it. But this is what the religion of the Be’vt. Societies teach. It “preaches better tidings,” more conspicuous situations, higher seats in the Synagogue, to the rich than to the poor. But I must make this charge good against the” religion of the Benevolent Societies. “I do it thus—according to their creed, all those who do not contribute to the Benevolent Societies, like the church of Rome, believe that after the souls leave the body, it will go to Purgatory. They call upon us to “contribute our money to replenish the Treasury of the Lord,” and say they, in the language of Dr. Beacher, it will “SAVE MILLIONS FROM GOING TO HELL,” and the Rev. Mr. Judson says, it will save “MANY PRECIOUS SOULS FROM THE QUENCHLESS FIRE OF HELL.” Thus, it is proven that the poor cannot obtain an entrance into Heaven as easily as the rich, as there is no other way pointed out by the religion of the B. Societies to obtain salvation other than contributing cash. “Christ’s sacrifice does not give rest to the soul according to the' religion of the Benevolent Societies, unless there is a sacrifice of cash added to it. The Roman Priest says, give us money and we will relieve the soul from Purgatory. The Priest of the Benevolent Societies says, give us money and we save the soul from going to Purgatory. Now, do you not see the advantage money gives a person in obtaining salvation both in the church of Rome and in the Benevolent Societies? “I wonder if any poor man should think the' religion of the Benevolent Societies' the religion of the Bible. What did our Saviour mean when he said: “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God.” According to the Catholic and Benevolent Societies doctrine, they are the very men who enter most easily. They have the where-with-all to purchase indulgences and masses. It is the poor, according to this scheme, that with difficulty enter in.” The poor, according to the Catholic religion, have to serve their time cut in Purgatory; whereas the rich can buy their time off.” So it is with the religion of the Benevolent Societies; they can pay their money and keep from going to Purgatory. “But is this thing managed in this way? Aren't masses said for all that die in the Catholic faith?” Yes, there is a day in the year called All-souls day (it comes on the 3rd of November, alas for the poor Catholic who dies on the third, for he has to wait a whole year for a mass;) when all of them are prayed for.” But is the thing managed in this way by the religion of the Benevolent Societies? Yes, there is a day in the year called Thanksgiving Day, it generally comes on the second Thursday in December in this State, and is held annually in the different States, agreeable to usage &c. Alas for the poor who have to wait a whole year before they can publicly thank the Lord for his goodness, and then the Lord is informed they cannot thank him for any more of his mercies (that is by proxy) till the next year. But to return—“I do not believe that it is the religion of the Bible” that makes this distinction in favor of the rich. I believe that Christ brought as good news from Heaven to the poor as to the rich. I believe that every blessing which he has to dispense may be bought without money, and without price—See Isa. lv, 1. “There was poor Lazarus, I reckon he went to Heaven as soon after he died as he would have done if he had millions of money to leave the church of Rome, or to Benevolent Institutions,—And I reckon the Angels were as tender and careful of his soul as if he had been clothed in purple and fared sumptuously every day.” And I do not “think that Joseph of Arimathea, rich as he was, could have got to heaven any sooner than” poor Lazarus. [will close with a syllogism. The religion taught in the Bible “makes it as easy for a poor man to get to Heaven, as for one that is rich.” This is my major proposition. Who dare dispute it? But the religion of the Roman church and of the Benevolent Societies “make it not as easy for a poor man to get to Heaven as one that is rich. This is my minor proposition. Now my conclusion is that the religion of the Roman church, and of the Benevolent Society, is not the religion taught in the Bible. “Who dares deny it?” Dare you, Mr. M. S.?—I wait for an answer.

C. LEBBEUS L. VAIL.
Goshen, OR. Co. N. Y.