The hand of God in history, or, Divine providence historically illustrated in the extension and establishment of Christianity

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1849 Excerpt: ...is at the expense of the despotism of the priesthood. Mexico, just at this time, is, providentially, brought into a condition of great interest in a religious point of view. Precisely what God will bring out of the unrighteous war we are waging against Mexico, we cannot predict. We cannot but indulge the sanguine expectation that this war, however unjust and unnecessary on the part of the United States, is, in the permissive purposes of God, a providential occurrence, that shall overthrow another of the strong-holds of popery, and open a vast field for the diffusion of the principles of the Reformation and the Bible. A reverend gentleman writing from Mexico, says a political party exists there whose avowed object is to limit the power of the priests; to confine them to their proper duties; to break down the overgrown religious establishments of the country, and to devote their great wealth to the cause of popular education. They are not pratestants, yet they desire to have the Scriptures circulated as a means of opening the eyes of the people to the abuses of the church. Another meeting, a sign of the times, too, has taken place in the Broadway Tabernacle. It was a meeting of Protestants to congratulate Pope Pius IX., on account of his liberal principles! And auother meeting still, the New England Society, the genuine descendants of the Puritans, to be sure--all good Protestants--not a Jesuit among them--met, forsooth, to commemorate the spiritual emancipation of their fathers--with Bishop Hughes for their invited guest, and a toast and congratulations for Bishop Hughes' master at Rome!! THE MONARCHS OF EUROPE. 207 Another general feature of the present condition of Europe, betokening the hand of God at work for her amelioration, is the character of her pre...