The Catholic Mirror of September 18 contains a letter from Cardinal Gibbons, in which he announces to the clergy that Pope Leo XIII. has formulated certain prayers which are henceforth to be “said” after every Low Mass, instead of those now in use. Such is the order of the Pope. We do not know the nature of the prayers now declared to be out of date, nor why it is that they have lost their efficacy; but we have the text of the prayers which are now declared to be official, and we will favor our readers with them. The first is as follows:-SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.1

“O God, our refuge and our strength, graciously look upon thy people who cry to thee; and through the intercession of the glorious and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Joseph, her Spouse, and of thy holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, and all the saints, in thy mercy and kindness hear the prayers which we pour forth for the conversion of sinners, and for the freedom and exaltation of Holy Mother the Church. Christ our Lord, Amen.”SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.2

The reader will notice that in this prayer Christ is not altogether ignored. After “the faithful” have implored the intercession of Mary, Joseph, Peter and Paul, “and all the saints,” they are permitted to close with a reference to the name of Christ. It requires no great discernment to see that among Catholics the name of Christ is not considered to be “above every name.”SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.3

The second prayer is as follows:-SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.4

“Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in the battle; for our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Rebuke him, O God, we suppliantly beseech thee; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the divine power drive into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.5

Among the “other evil spirits” who are thus charitably consigned to hell are, of course, all those who oppose the Catholic Church; for “the Church” regards all souls as ruined, who reject her dogmas and ceremonies. The two prayers, taken together, coming as they do from the Pope himself, afford a fair view of Catholicism at its best. But this is not all. The Cardinal closes with the following announcement:-SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.6

“His Holiness Pope Leo XIII. grants to all who recite these prayers, as aforesaid 360 days’ indulgence.”SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.7

Here we have the veritable antichrist itself revealed. The granting of indulgences fitly accompanies the rejection of Christ as sole Mediator. Here we find the Pope promulgating, as a matter of course, the very things which aroused the holy zeal of Luther, and against which the Reformation was directed; yet to-day not one Protestant in ten thousand will give the matter a second thought. Professed Protestants now regarded Catholicism as a “branch” or grand division of the Christian Church, and the National Reformers urge the necessity of courting its favor, and even of submitting to repeated rebuffs if in the end they can but secure the alliance of the Catholic Church. When we consider the increased civilized population of the world in the last four hundred years, we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that Rome have already more than regained that which she lost by the Reformation. We think we are warranted in drawing the following conclusions:-SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.8

1. The Roman Catholic Church is the same to-day that it was four hundred years ago. The general diffusion of knowledge has changed her tactics, but she still works for the same ends as then and secures them. What she accomplished then by force, she now gains by flattery. But her doctrines and principles have not changed in the least, and she is just as ready to use force now, when she can, as she was then.SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.9

2. Protestantism is now little more than a name. “Protestants” as a class have ceased to “protest.” They are content with the knowledge of the fact that they are the descendants of those who did protest, and they view with indifference the rapidity with which the Church of Rome is extending its conquest of the world.SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.10

3. This indifference must arise from the fact that “Protestantism” so-called, has degenerated until it is very like Catholicism. If men were actuated by the spirit of the Reformers, they would as strongly protest against the evils of the “the church” to-day, as those noble men did. The Reformation has been deformed and that which the reformers regarded as the enemy of the truth, their children are ready to embrace as the conservator of truth. Since “Rome never changes,” Protestantism must have changed, in order to bring about the state of things.SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.11

4. “National Reform” is Romanism under a different title. The Reformers withdrew from Rome, because Rome and they were antagonistic. If there had been oneness of thought and purpose, instead of antagonism, they would not have separated from Rome. But National Reformers are now seeking an alliance with Rome, and so anxious are they for this alliance, that they are determined to press their suit even though they may be repeatedly rejected. If the separation of the true Reformers from Rome indicated their antagonism to her, certainly the desired union of the National Reformers indicates there likeness to her.SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.12

5. If professed Protestants are so nearly like the Catholics that they cannot see any menace to the liberty of our country in the insidious advances of the Papacy; and if a degenerate Protestantism is anxious to ally itself with Catholicism, that both “branches” of “the church may be” thereby strengthened,-then when this degenerate Protestantism, under the name of “National Reform,” shall have succeeded in its purposes, it will certainly adopt the tactics, as it already has the principles, of Rome, and will not scruple to persecute those who cannot be won to its support by milder measures. Indeed, the National Reformers themselves concede this point, for Mr. Sommerville, in the Christian Nation, says that it is most certainly right “to take public money to teach principles, enforce laws, and introduce customs to which many members of the committee are conscientiously opposed.” Papal Rome, in her highest period of exaltation, never did more than this. When a Government or power of any kind enforces laws and customs against the conscientious convictions of upright citizens, it is persecution for conscience’ sake. The National Reformers make no secret of their adherence to principles like this.SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.13

Therefore we say that when national reformers shall have succeeded in their designs, they will have nothing other than an exact image of the Papacy. Scripture is not silent upon this point. The leopard beast of Revelation 13:1-8 is quite generally admitted to represent the Papacy; if any doubt this, their doubts may easily be silenced by the most convincing proof. The power brought to view it in the verses following is said to “make an image” to this papal beast, and that image we now see in process of construction. Once men predicted from this prophecy just such an image to the Papacy, in this country; now they do not need to refer to the prophecy to be aware of the fact. It certainly is time, all who value civil and religious liberty to sound the alarm. And the urgent necessity of warning the people against the adoption of papal principles, whether under the name of Romanism or National Reform, is made still more evident by the following announcement of divine wrath upon all who take any part in such iniquitous alliances:-SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.14

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11. W.SITI October 7, 1886, page 614.15

September 30, 1886

October 21, 1886