it; inasmuch as it requires much preparation and exercise both to hear what is said, and to regulate the life and conversation, and to advance to that righteousness which is beyond the righteousness of the law.

The final state of the Gnostic is perpetual contemplation of GOD. In this consists his blessedness: the Gnostic soul, in the grandeur of contemplation, passes beyond the state of the several holy orders, with reference to which the blessed mansions of the gods are allotted; and reputed holy among the holy, transferred in a state of integrity from souls which are in a similar state, advancing continually from better to better places, embraces not the divine contemplation in a mirror, or through a glass, but feasts eternally upon the vision in all its clearness-that vision with which the soul, smitten with boundless love, can never be satiated and enjoys inexhaustible gladness for endless ages, honoured by a permanent continuance in all excellence. This is the contemplation attained to by the pure in heart; this is the operation of the perfect Gnostic, to hold intercourse with GOD, through the great High Priest, resembling the Lord to the utmost of his power, in every exercise of piety towards GOD.

The Gnostic possesses the true logic, which alone leads to true wisdom; that wisdom is a Divine power, knowing things as they are, having in itself perfection, exempt from all passion; not to be obtained without the Saviour, who, by the Divine Word, removes from the eye of the soul the film of ignorance spread over it by evil conversation, and gives us that which is best, the power of discerning between GOD and man.

The Gnostic possesses the true and spiritual meaning of the Scriptures; that Gnostic explanation, to which reference is made when Isaiah is directed to take a new book, and to write certain things in it; the spirit thereby predicting that the sacred knowledge, which was then unwritten, because it was not yet known, should afterwards be published through the Scriptures. For from the beginning it had been spoken only to the intelligent. But as soon as the Saviour taught the Apostles, the tradition (before unwritten) of the written Word, was delivered unto us, inscribed on new hearts by the power of GOD according to the renewal of the book.

Truly, as when, from a life passed justly, and those things which are included in such a life, he intercedeth with GOD, speaking as if in conversation, a certain glorified appearance of lustrous hue sat on the countenance of Moses; so also a certain divine virtue of goodness inherent in the just soul, through internal vision, prophecy, and the

power of administration, impresses, as it were, a conspicuous stamp of holiness, like to a hue of sunlight-a lustre native to the soul through means of the perpetual charity, which trusts to, and is received from, GOD.

PSALM CXXXVII.
(Super flumina)

By Babylon's waters we sat down and wept

And remember'd thee, Sion! our lost native land;
While the harps which our fingers once tunefully swept,
We hung on the trees of that desolate strand.

For they that threw o'er us captivity's chains,
Had asked of us songs of less sorrowful days;
O give us of Sion the heart-stirring strains!

But in bondage shall Judah sing anthems of praise?

Let my right hand, Jerusalem, her cunning forget,
When I cease to remember thee, land of my birth !
May the withering signet of dumbness be set

On my tongue, should my thoughts stray from thee in my mirth.

Remember the children of Edom, O Lord!

In the day of Jerusalem how loudly they cried;
Down, down to the earth! and with fire and sword,
Be ravag'd the sites of Jerusalem's pride.

Doom'd daughter of Babylon! blest shall he be,
Who the terrible trump of thy ruin shall sound,
As thou unto us, who shall do unto thee,

And ruthlessly dasheth thy babes to the ground!

57

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CATHOLIC INSTITUTE.

THE Catholic Institute of Great Britain held its Fifth Annual Meeting in Freemasons' Hall, on Thursday, the 12th ult., and we are happy to record that the Meeting was, in all respects, what the best friends of the cause, for the support of which it was assembled, could desire. Lord Camoys presided with that tact and ability for which he is so peculiarly distinguished.

The Noble CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, expressed his pleasure at being called on to preside on this occasion, having the honour to be surrounded on all sides by many ladies belonging to the Catholic aristocracy (cheers), many of the Catholic clergy (renewed cheers), and a vast number of the Catholic laity of this great metropolis. (Great cheering.) It was gratifying to find the Catholic Institute supported this year by as numerous a meeting as that of last year, and this, too, notwithstanding the absence of that distinguished individual who had fostered the Institute from the period of its formation (cheers) and who was only prevented from attending the present annual meeting of its supporters, for the purpose, as he (Lord Camoys) hoped, of bringing to some satisfactory conclusion the unfortunate destinies of his distracted country.* (Loud and long-continued cheering, and waving of hats and handkerchiefs.) Nothing would give greater uneasiness to that individual (Mr. O'Connell) than that anything should occur in any way calculated to mar the prosperity of the Catholic Institute (cheering); and in alluding, as he must be allowed to do, to the late Duke of Sussex, he could affirm truly that no disagreement or difference of opinion prevailed amongst the great Catholic body of Great Britain respecting the memory of that illustrious individual—a memory which would ever live green in their souls. (Cheers.) He felt it incumbent upon him to allude to the objects of the Catholic Institute, for the purpose of dispelling the cloud of ignorance which prevailed in reference to

* It is not to be inferred, from these warm expressions of sympathy towards Ireland, that Lord Camoys is a repealer. His lordship's sentiments are, we are certain, participated in by all the English and Scotch Catholics, almost to a man. They ardently desire justice to Ireland; but justice and repeal are as yet distinct things. Till lately, repeal was merely the alternative; but it is no wonder that when justice has been so long withheld, or rather so scantily doled out, because it could no longer with safety be withheld, the question of repeal should now be argued unconditionally. Justice, or repeal-there is no other alternative. Fiat justitia, ruat cœlum. But ruin will not follow, if justice be done; the real danger lies, not in yielding, but withholding it; and who that values peace, and the integrity of this great empire, can hesitate as to the course which a wise government should adopt to conciliate the right arm of England, as Ireland most unquestionably is?

those objects, those peculiar objects, which it was their only wish to attain. (Cheers.) It was complained by some-and a Catholic gentleman had refused to join the Institute a short time ago for the very same reason--viz. that they (the Institute) went sometimes into politics. (Hear, hear.) Now, so far from this being the case, one of their leading rules strictly confined and restricted them to the carrying out of the legitimate objects for which the Catholic Institute was established; and he could not, for his part, call to mind one single instance in which that rule had been violated. (Loud cheers.) The objects in question were principally confined-1st, To the exposure of the falsehood of the calumnious charges made against the Catholic religion,-to the defence of the real tenets of Catholicity,—and to the circulation of all useful knowledge upon these subjects. (Cheers.) And secondly, to the protection of the poorer classes of Catholics in the enjoyment of their religious principles and practices. (Cheers.) But these objects could not possibly be attained without increased contributions on the part of the Catholic public. (Cheering.) And he had to lament and deplore that the contributions of the past year had exhibited a marked falling off, in comparison with those of preceding years—a circumstance which he attributed solely to the depression of the times, and the consequent inability of the more needy and dependent Catholics in Great Britain to contribute to their support. The noble Lord then alluded to the proceedings of the committee (the secrecy of which had been complained of in some quarters) and observed that it was not thought advisable to give constant publicity to them; but if any unpopularity should arise from such silence, steps might be taken to publish them. His Lordship, after alluding to the assault on the Rev. Patrick O'Moore of Croydon, and other topics, proceeded to denounce the grievances of the poor Catholics (who were compelled to become inmates of gaols and workhouses) in not being freely allowed to receive visits from Catholic priests, and expressed his strong disapprobation of the educational clauses in the Factory Education Bill now before Parliament. Without the Catholic Institute, what opposition could have been brought to bear on the part of the Catholics against that objectionable measure? (cheers.) The Institute had, in this instance, shown its great utility in advocating the cause of Catholicity (cheers); and it had been mainly, if not solely, instrumental in organizing an opposition against the clauses in question. (Loud cheering.) And how much more might yet be done! (Cheers.) Look at the controversy now going on in the Established Church, especially at Oxford. (Cheers.) There was one Regius Professor (Dr. Pusey) just condemned and suspended for having advocated the doctrine of the real presence in the Eucharist; whilst another Regius Professor of the same university (Dr. Hampden) had been subjected to an action for damages for his maintenance of an entirely opposite doctrine. (Loud ironical cheers.) Now, if the action were to terminate against Dr. Hampden, he thought that the University of Oxford would be in what the Americans were accustomed to call a "fix!' (Cheers and loud laughter.) He had heard at one of the meetings of the Institute a

hope expressed that they (the Catholics) might live to see the day when high mass would be celebrated in Westminster Abbey. (Tremendous cheering.) He knew not how probable such an event might be, but this they knew, that the doctrine of the mass had been preached in the cathedral of the university of Oxford (loud cheering); and it had been authoritatively declared, that if Dr. Pusey's sermon had not been condemned (as we understood the noble lord), six or seven colleges of Oxford University were ready to have mass said directly. (Tremendous cheering and applause.) There was indeed a very slender barrier between Puseyism and the Church of Rome; and, oh! what a field was now presented for the Catholics to demolish that slender barrier at once, and to restore this great country to that Catholic union which was so exceedingly desirable! (Vociferous cheering.) Having adduced other instances to show the usefulness of the Catholic Institute in general, the noble Lord exhorted the meeting to come forward in its support, and resumed his seat amidst shouts of approbation.

The cheers of this excellent speech are not ours, but those of the Times, which has bestowed two elaborate and abusive leaders upon it and the speech of the Rev. Mr. O'Neal. The last article exceeds in virulence anything we ever read in that journal. The proceedings at this Meeting have, in fact, set the leading portions of the press in commotion, and an importance has been thereby given to the Institute in the eyes of our separated brethren, which few persons could have anticipated. We are sorry that our limited space prevents us from giving a report of the other speeches delivered, which were every thing that could be desired; but this omission is to be less regretted as the speeches have been already reported in the newspapers.

We annex the Resolutions passed at this important Meeting, and think we cannot do better, in concluding this short notice, than by giving the conclusion of the Fifth Annual Report.

"In conclusion, your Committee would strongly impress upon all Catholics the great necessity of being united in their efforts to carry out the objects for which the Catholic Institute was established. Sanctioned as it is by the visible head of the Church, and patronized by the episcopal body, it will, by the blessing of God, be instrumental in effecting much good to the cause of our holy religion, if strenuously supported. And your Committee hope that whatever differences of opinion may arise as to the best mode of working out details, such differences will not prevent any Catholic who loves his religion from giving the Institute his cordial support."