R

0 THE FLOWERS

dark delusions in which it was involved in
my younger days.

It is possible that my youthful readers may
not precisely understand the points on which
the Protestant and the Papist are at variance.
These particulars are numerous, and many of
them are not easily ascertained, because the
Papists do not present the doctrines of their
church in a simple or well-defined form.
When a Protestant refers to the works which
are held in authority among them, and points
out the errors contained therein, they shift
their ground, and in all possible ways evade
a straightforward line of argument. Their
most authenticated modern formularies are
deduced from the decrees of the council of
Trent, which commenced its sittings in
1545, and continued, though a long interval
intervened, until 1563. That council was
held by the command of the pope at Trent, a
city in the north of Italy, and many autho-
ritative decrees were issued by it, both as to
matters of . faith and ceremonies. These
were sanctioned by the highest authority of
the church of Rome, and never have been in
any way repealed or modified ; they may