Costa Rica, Central America

“La Union Catolica” publishes a circular from the Bishop of Costa Rica, addressed “To the curates and other priests of the diocese.” He says:― “Again I must call your attention to the sale and distribution of Protestant books, tracts, and periodicals. I am advised that on market days advantage is taken of the concourse of people coming from the near towns to distribute them with much zeal. I have before me some numbers of a Protestant periodical which is distributed in profusion. Any religious person, little instructed in the Catholic religion, would find the periodical good, because it contains long quotations of Bible texts, and speaks much of the Saviour. Nevertheless, in each number of those I have seen, it teaches, under the appearance of sanctity, the most grave errors... From among the different errors contained in these tracts I will bring forward only one, which is repeated with tenacity, and that is the uselessness of good works. The great argument which is used is the following Jesus Christ did all for us in His life and death upon the cross, therefore we have nothing more to do with in the Saviour is sufficient. Our good works, the sacraments, the holy mass are not only needless, but are even a lowering of and a detraction from the infinite merits of our Saviour.’”