Charles heard very attentively, all his father read to him from the Bible. But when he heard what God would do with wicked children, he was afraid, for he knew he had done wrong. His father then told him that God loved good children; and that he would not send them to that wicked place, but would make them happy in heaven. But Charles remembered that he had not been good, that he had told wrong stories; and while his father was telling him how God loved good children he spoke, and said, “I am afraid God will put me in the fire with the wicked children." When his father had done talking and had prayed with him, Charles did not forget how wicked it was to tell lies. That night he waked up crying, and said, "I am afraid God will put me in the wicked place with bad boys." He continued to think about the “great fire" where wicked boys will go, for three or four weeks, and it made him very unhappy. He would often wake up in the night and cry about it. And when he was told that good boys would not go there, he would immediately reply: "But naughty boys do go there, Aunty, and I am afraid God will put me there." -Charles had been told many times before, that it was wicked to tell lies, but he had always forgotten it. Now he did not forget; and he was very sad and unhappy when he remembered it. He seemed to be sorry he had ever told a lie, or had ever grieved his parents.

When his parents saw that he was so unhappy, and appeared to be so sorry he had ever done wrong, they felt very anxious for him, and often told him about Jesus, who loved even little children, and who came into the world to save them from the " great fire." They told him how he took them up in his arms and blessed them; and that if he would never tell any more wrong stories, and always be good, Jesus would make him happy. Charles always loved to hear about Jesus, because he knew he had been a bad boy, and Jesus was the only one who could make him happy.

Now, dear children, when you think how unhappy Charles was, remember it was because he was wicked. He had told that which was not true, and he knew God was angry with him. And remember, if you tell wrong stories, God will be angry with you, and you will sometime be very unhappy about it. I hope none of the dear children

who read these letters, will be so wicked as to go, when they die, to that great fire which Charles so much feared. I will tell you more about Charles in my next letter.

Your friend,

C. B. K.

For the Sabbath School Visiter.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS.

As no communication has been received this month from the kind friend who has so often interested us and our readers with his Questions, we are happy in being furnished with a few similar questions from another source. In the history recorded in the second chapter of Mathew, what prophecies are fulfilled?

To whom was dew once made an important sign?
Who manifested his submission by holding his peace?'

Who was the youngest king of Judah ?

Who was Mephibosheth?

Who died as a fool dieth?

Who was told to set his house in order?

At whose word did the sun and moon stand still?

What is given as an evidence of Paul's conversion?

Which chapter of Romaus contains the most practical duties of life?
What was a great blessing to Timothy?

Which chapter in Ephesians speaks of children?

What did Peter say when beginning to sink?

Who is the first Foreign Missionary mentioned in the Old Testament? Of what religion was Terah?

Of what occupation was Amos?

Which was the oldest, and which died first, Aaron or Moses?

What arts were understood before the tabernacle was constructed?
A READER.

For the Sabbath School Visiter.

PAPAL BUTCHERY.

ITALY, it is well known, is still under the iron bondage of the Pope of Rome. The degrading influence of Romanism is there seen in its full extent. The abominations thereof are not obliged to seek concealment. There the Bible is strictly prohibited; there the worship of saints and images is openly practiced; and there the ignorant population are made to believe that the pardon of all their sins can be purchased by the payment of money to the priest. Those who believe that popery has changed for the better, should visit that land, and see to what depths of degradation the fetters of superstition can bring down the soul,

It is well known that, in the time of Luther, light broke in on many of the nations of Europe, and that many and successful efforts were made to throw off the Roman yoke. It may not, perhaps, be so generally known that the light entered Italy, and that many received the truth even within the shadow of the papal throne. Such, however, was the fact and the persecutions which followed, and which resulted in the suppression of the truth by the slaughter of its adherents, form one of the bloodiest chapters in the history of the Romish church. A few facts will be given as illustrative of this assertion.

In the year 1370 the Vaudois who resided in the valleys of Pragela, found their limits too small for their increasing population. They accordingly sent some of their number into Italy to seek for a convenient settlement. These concluded to plant a colony in a part of the district of Calabria that was thinly inhabited and imperfectly cultivated. They obtained liberty from the proprietors of the soil to do so. In a short time the country assumed a new appearance. Villages rose in every direction. The hills resounded with the bleating of flocks. The valleys were covered with corn and vines. The prosperity of the new settlers excited the envy of the neighboring villagers, who were degraded followers of their priests. The priests too, charged them with heresy, because they read and obeyed the word of God. Persecution appeared to be But the proprietors of the lands, pleased to see them so well cultivated and productive, interposed in behalf of their tenants. They were regular too in paying their tithes to the priest, as was stipulated when they obtained permission to settle on the lands. Hence it followed, that the more prosperous they became, the larger were the incomes of the priests; and therefore they were the more easily persuaded to let them alone. They thus continued to flourish for nearly two centuries.

near.

The Reformation by Luther, had now been begun. The light enkindled, had dawned on Italy. Many embraced the truth as it is in Jesus. Persecution of the fiercest sort now began. The Pope and his followers resolved that whatever the heretics might do in other lands, they should never prevail in Italy. The colony we have been speaking of, was one of the first objects of attack. They

VOL. III.

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implored permission to retire to a distant land, but in vain. Their enemies had determined that they should all be destroyed. They fled to the woods for shelter; and those that perished not through hardship and want, were hunted like wild beasts. The outlaws and criminals of the country were pardoned that they might aid in discovering their places of retreat. The most cruel modes of torture were used without distinction of sex or age. The following account of the butchery of a large number at one time, is given in the language of a Roman Catholic witness of the scene.

"I have now to inform you of the dreadful justice which began to be executed on these Lutherans early this morning, being the 11th of June. And, to tell you the truth, I can compare it to nothing but the slaughter of so many sheep. They were all shut up in one house, as in a sheepfold. The executioner went, and bringing out one of them, covered his face with a napkin, led him out to a field near the house, and, causing him to kneel down, cut his throat with a knife. Then, taking off the bloody napkin, he went and brought out another, whom he put to death after the same manner. In this way, the whole number, amounting to eighty-eight men, were butchered. I leave you to figure to yourself the lamentable spectacle, for I can scarcely refrain from tears while I write; nor was there any person, who, after witnessing the execution of one, could stand to look on a second. The meekness and patience with which they went to martyrdom and death, are incredible. Some of them, at their death, professed themselves of the same faith with us, but the greater part died in their cursed obstinacy. All the old men met their death with cheerfulness; but the young exhibited symptoms of fear. I still shudder while I think of the executioner with the bloody knife in his teeth, the dripping napkin in his hand, and his arms besmeared with gore, going to the house and taking out one victim after another, just as a butcher does the sheep which he means to kill.

According to orders, wagons are already come to carry away the dead bodies, which are appointed to be quartered and hung up on the public roads, from one end of Calabria to the other."

Be it remembered, this is not the language of a protes

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tant, who might be suspected of exaggeration; but of a Roman Catholic; one who thought that "justice" was executed" in these horrible deeds. For what crimes, it will be asked, was this "dreadful justice" "executed”? It was for reading the Bible; for refusing to worship images and saints; for denying the existence of purgatory, and the power of the Pope and his priests to pardon sins. These were the crimes so called, for which they suffered so horrible a fate.

Scenes similar to this, followed through Italy wherever protestants were found. They were finally either killed or driven out of the country,—the light of truth was quenched in darkness, and popery regained its undisputed sway. Such was Romanism in days gone by, and such is Romanism Now. The Romanists in the midst of us, it is true, do not butcher the protestants; but they hold the same principles that have led them to persecute wherever they have possessed the power. Some protestants say that the Roman Catholic religion has changed from what it was, and become greatly improved; but Catholics do not pretend that their religion has changed. They cannot. It is one of the fundamental principles of their creed that the church cannot err; and hence it follows that the persecutions of former ages were right! And if it be right to persecute in one age and country, it is in another;-what then shall protect us from persecution if they once possessed the power?

I.

For the Sabbath School Visiter.

'SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO

ME.' Mark x. 14.

When Jesus in a mortal form,

Descended from above,

He took young children in his arms
And blessed them with his love.

'Forbid them not,' he sweetly says,
'But suffer all to come;

Of such my heavenly kingdom is,
My people's happy home.'