1. Have you been guilty of adultery or fornication, and how often? -2. Have you desired to commit either, and how often?-3. Have you intended to commit either, and how often.-4. Have you taken pleasure in thinking on any improper subject, and how often?-5. Have you endeavoured to excite your own passions, and how often?-6. Have you been guilty of indecent liberties, and how often?-7. Have you read indecent writings or lent them to others, and how often?-8. Have you exposed indecent pictures ?-9. Have you joined in indecent conversation, and how often ?-10. Have you committed any gross sin against chastity?

All Roman Catholic men and women, boys and girls, above twelve years of age, must study all the above questions, and carefully and truly answer them to the priest, or they cannot obtain absolution.

The above is the most decorous form in which that subject ever met the public eye-and notwithstanding all the gloss and concealment, enough is unfolded to testify the nature of the questions, which a profligate priest proposes to the person who attends the confessional.

But that this topic may appear before the American citizens in its true grossness, the precise inquiries, as they are presented to all females above twelve years of age, are introduced in the languages in which they are printed.

The volume entitled, " Office de la Semaine SAINTE, Latin et Francois, a l'usage de Rome," contains, "UN EXERCISE POUR LA CONFESSION." This Examination includes 149 questions. A correct idea may be formed of the whole from the eleven leading questions upon the seventh, and upon the first clause of the tenth commandments, which in Popish directories for confession are generally combined.

"Luxurieux point ne seras de corps, ni de Consentement.—1. N'avez vous point peché contre la chastité avec une personne de l'autre sexe? et quel a eté votré peche?-2. N'avez vous point tombé dans l'impurité vous seul, par quelque action sale, comme des attouchements deshonnetes sur vous memes?-3. Combien de fois cela vous est il arrivé? vous en etes vous confessé comme vous y etiez obligé ?—4. N'avez vous point satisfait votre passion ou votre curiosité, en jettant les yeux sur quelques objets naturels, que la pudeur veut qu'on tienne cachés? -5. N'avez vous point pris plaisir a faire des actions ou des postures indecentes, ou enfin a diré ou a entendre des paroles equivoques ?-6. Vous, fille ou femme de monde, n'avez vous point porté le sein decouvert, usé de fard ou de mouches ?-7. N'avez vous point trop pris de soin dans vos parures, et dans vos ajustemens, pour plaire aux hommes; ou eté dans ce dessein a quelques assemblées dangereuses?-8. N'avez vous point lu des livres d'amour, tels que sont presques tous les Romans, les Contes, et les Comedies?-9. N'avez vous point entretenue une trop grande familiarité avec des personnes de l'autre sexe? 10. N'avez vous point cherché la compagnie de ceux que vous saviez vivre dans la debauche?-11. N'avez vous point appris a quelques jeunes personnes a pecher contre la purité ?"

It might be presumed that this exploration was amply sufficient, especially for young ladies-but these inquiries, offensive as they are, unfold scarcely the minutest particle of the genuine abominations which have been contrived and enjoined by "the Mother of Harlots, with the

wine of whose fornication the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk."

It is to be regretted in reference to the effect which is designed by this publication, "to lift up the standard of the Lord against the enemy who cometh in like a flood," that the subsequent examination at confession must remain in the original language. The inquiry, therefore, is seriously propounded to every citizen, and especially to every woman, old and young, single or married; what must necessarily be the depravity of those Roman priests who write, and with the pope's sanction, publish volumes which dare not be translated into English for popular perusal? and what must be the nefarious contents of those volumes, extracts from which are necessarily restricted to a foreign tongue, with which few persons are conversant? although the quotations are adduced, expressly and solely for evidence, upon a topic vitally affecting the interests of the church, the republic, and mankind in all their diversified relations.

In the volume already referred to, and quoted—“ Ritual Formulario de Curas, para administrar los sacramentos," &c. are 236 questions upon the seventh commandment of the Mosaic Decalogue, which the priest is authorized and enjoined to propound at confession. hundred and sixty-one inquiries are proposed to the men. Of these, a few only shall be extracted.

66

4. Desde tu ultima confession, con quantas mugeres as ofendido a Dios?-118. As peccado con tu muger, o con otra qualquiera fuera del vaso natural, o por otra parte?-119. Que tantas vezes, que tanto tempo a que lo usas?-120. Con que tantas mugeres ?-121. As pecado con algun animal, oveja, perra, cabra, gallina, burra, mula, gata, pato, o con alguna oveja de la tierra?

Y si es muger, pregunten le: As pecado con algun perro, o con otro qualquier animal?"

These are some of the choice questions which the priests address to all females above twelve years of age.

"187. Etes donzella? 188. Etes amancebada ?-189. Desde tu ultima confession, con quantos hombres, as pecado?"-This produces several other questions of a more minute application.

"197. Antes que te casases con tu marido, estuviste con el amancebada? 199. Pecavas con el cada noche ? que tantas vezes? 205. As pecado con dos hermanos?" This question is applied to sixteen different relatives.

"210. As palpado con tus manos las verguencas de algun hombre? 212. As consentido, que toquen tus verguencas, o a tus pechos, o a otra parte de tu cuerpi? 213. As besado las verguencas de algun varon? o as consentido que te bese a ti las tuyas, deleytandote en esto? 231. As consentido que alguno, o algunos hombres duerman contigo, fuera de tu vaso natural? 233. Aste pueste sobre el varon? o as consentido que pequen contigo de otra manera, que la natural? 235. As tocado con tus manos tus verguencas? o entrando los dedos en ellas, as venido en pollucion? Quando esto hazias, pensanas en varon? en quantos varones pensanas? 236. Que tantas vezes?" The Spanish ladies must assuredly realize all the effects of Trachala's " Lavacrum Conscientia," when they have passed through this priestly ordeal.

It is not sufficient for the purposes of the Roman tyranny to debase

persons of both sexes apart, but the papal ecclesiastics must also fetter their disciples even in their matrimonial relations; and how a man, who knows that the ensuing questions are propounded by a profligate priest to his wife, can permit her to have the most distant intercourse with him; or how any woman, with natural feminine sensibilities, the proper affections for her husband, the instinctive tenderness of a mother, and the smallest degree of human pudicity, can enter a confessional to listen and reply to the following inquiries, is "the mystery of iniquity," which can be solved only by the apostle Paul's prophecy, that they are under "strong delusions, believing the lie!" The questions are applied both to the husband and wife.

The section is entitled, "Pecados que puede aver entre casados contra este sexto, it should be septimo, mandamiento."

"162. Pagas el devito a tu muger, o a tu marido? 163. As llegado a tu muger con animo, que llegatas a ella, aunque no fuera tu muger? O as llegado a tu marido, con animo que llegaras a el, aunque no fuera tu marido? 165. Gaurdas el orden, y vaso natural con tu muger ?" This delicate inquiry for a woman is succeeded by several others of a more minute character.

"169. Estando con tu muger en el acto, as puesto el pensamiento, en otra muger? o as dormido con tu muger pensando que es muger de otro? 172. Estando en el acto con tu marido, as tenido el pensamiento en algun hombre? 174. Por no aver dado el devito a tu muger, o por no aver consentido que tu marido tenga accesso a ti, ase seguido alguna incontinencia? 179. As tenido accesso a tu muger, o a tu marido, en la iglesia, o en cimenterio? 182. Despues de aver dormido con la hija de tu muger, o con el hijo de tu marido, o con alguna parienta de tu muger, y de tu marido, as buelto a dormido con tu muger, o con tu marido? 184. Casastete antes de tener catorze annos? Si es varon. Casastete antes de tener doze annos? Si tu muger."

To this examination at confession, of which only a concise specimen is extracted, the ensuing paragraph is appended. "Otras muchas preguntas dexo de escrivir en este interrogatorio que se podian hazer a varones, y a mugeres, que entre ellos se cometen; que son todas pecados mortales devolas por no offender les oydos castos y limpios, de los confessores letores, y por que en la lengua Quechua, no se pueden traduzir con la honestadad, que santo lugar requiere." The meaning of which sentence is this: Many other questions might be asked concerning the sins which men and women commit with each other: but that the chaste and immaculate confessors! who read the book might not be offended, those inquiries are omitted; especially as they could not be expressed with that modesty which that holy office requires. Ritual Formulario, &c., pages 210-231.

The above concluding paragraph was cited in the original, expressly to manifest the extraordinary duplicity of the Roman priests and Jesuits. After having taught and discussed, in all the pretended solemnity of the confessional, crimes, of which certainly nine tenths of American citizens never thought; the author apologizes for closing the interrogatories by pretending that the other impurities which men and women can commit, were even unfit for the chaste and uncorrupted ears of a Roman priest! and that they could not be divulged in language even fit for a popish confessor to read!

VOL. II.-92

It is a duty to the Christian church, and to society at large, to offer an apology for the above extracts in the Latin, French, and Spanish languages, thus to be embodied in a standard work. But it is also an imperative and solemn obligation faithfully to develop the atrocious wickedness which is inseparable from monastic institutions.

It is criminal to assert, and delusion to believe, that a Jesuit seminary or convent can be as pure, or can dispense equal intelligence, as Yale college, or a Protestant female academy. The principles upon which they are founded, the rules by which they are governed, and the course of tuition through which the students pass, amply determine this point. But the contrast in morals! No professor in any collegiate institution supported by Protestants dare to promulge, for a moment, any one of the abominable maxims which have been cited from papal authority, and which are constantly enforced in every Jesuit seminary. No Protestant lady, who superintends the intellectual and moral progress of fifty young ladies in any district of the United States, ever conceived one hundredth part of the nefarious corruption included in the above questions, which every Roman priest, and every superior of a Jesuit convent, male or female, proposes to the respective youth, from their earliest age, who are so treacherously committed to their snares.

The preceding extracts are all selected from those authors who have not only been approved by the popes of Rome, whom the papists believe to be infallible; but they are also the writers whose authority, as expositors of Jesuitism and Romanism, is ever adduced; and whose ungodly canons and rules, all those who enter their seminaries and convents, unless the grace of God interpose and deliver them from their worse than Egyptian bondage, never cease to "love, honour, and obey." III. The Monastic system is destructive of national prosperity. European annals assure us, that convents are the vortex in which all national morals and wealth are engulfed. Of their tendency to exterminate civil and religious liberty; and of their matchless turpitude, the evidence already adduced is amply convincing. But there are other points which more immediately advert to the welfare of the republic in its political and temporal relations, that require distinct illustration. These have been so elegantly delineated in Makray's essay on the Effects of the Reformation;" that it is indispensable to insert his luminous historical development of monastic institutions, not only on account of its intrinsic value, but also because the testimony affords such powerful corroboration of those principles which this disquisition inculcates. Effect of the Reformation upon Civil Society, by W. Makray. Pages 83-96.

"The reformation has promoted the internal security and prosperity of the states of Europe, by effecting the abolition of various customs and institutions which were calculated to corrupt their morals and to impoverish their resources. The cruelty of some of the heathen emperors, and the terrible persecutions with which they visited the primitive Christians, induced multitudes of the latter to escape into the solitary and uninhabited places, where the enthusiasm that distinguished many of them was inflamed to an extraordinary degree by the gloom of the surrounding desert. Fanaticism having continued the unnatural practice of leaving society, even after the cause which had given birth to it had ceased, the monastic life began to assume a regular form. Edi

fices were reared and appropriated to the purpose; rules were prescribed for the observance of their inhabitants; and eminent for piety was the individual esteemed, who, forsaking the vain pleasures and pursuits of a fleeting world, took up his final retreat in one of these solitary mansions. This was the origin of monastic institutions; and one of the most surprising subjects that can engage our contemplation, is the extent to which they increased. To think of a society that derived its existence from an obscure individual, who possessed no influence save what his fervid superstition conferred upon him, extending its ramifications over one kingdom after another, and over one region after another, till it could boast of an establishment over half the globe-numbering, too, among its members, statesmen, kings, and emperors, and actually grasping a great part of the wealth of the nations in which it prevailed—is one of the most astonishing scenes that history unfolds.

"The monastic life is unnatural,-for it is in direct opposition to an original principle of the human mind, by which our species are connected among themselves the desire of society; nor is there a more striking phenomenon in the history of mankind than this-that a wild enthusiasm should acquire entire superiority over an affection to which men in every region in the world do homage. The professed and primary object of monastic institutions is preposterous. Little can be said for the rationality of minds which could suppose that the duties we owe to the God who made us, may be better performed amid the gloom of the desert, and the dreariness of the cell, than in the scenes of social life!

"But, although it were granted that the object of monastic institutions is not irrational, their existence, from the very hour of their commencement, was one continued crime against God, and against human society, increasing every hour in magnitude and atrocity. Man is not a being formed for himself alone. Dependant on his fellows, his very circumstances point out his destination. He is a member of society, and there are duties which he owes to society of as much importance in their own place, as those that are more immediately required of him by his Creator. What estimate, then, must we form of the conduct of him who turns away with utter contempt from all those offices of social duty, and bursting through all the strong and endearing ties by which he is connected with the members of the same great family, resolves to live a solitary man?'

"Look, then, to the aggregate of injury which, in the withdrawment of its members, was inflicted on society by these institutions, during the long period of twelve centuries, and, negative though the crime be, it will not be easily counterbalanced. If the beings devoted to monachism during all that time be estimated at the permanent average of three hundred thousand,―a number, there is reason to believe, greatly below the truth,-forty generations passed away in that period, and a total is presented to us equal to the population of England-perhaps double or triple that number-of our fellow-creatures, to whose exertions in her service, society had a right of which she could not be deprived, snatched away from her, and with all those powers and faculties, which, under a kindlier influence, might have been her ornament and her delight, buried in the lone desert! Who can tell, amid all this prodigious overthrow of mind, how many mighty spirits were