to induce them to relax or to withdraw their efforts for Ireland's evangelization; for, surely there and not here, the great battle of freedom is to be fought. There and not here will be won the great and crowning victory over every form of superstition, will-worship, and priestcraft, which now exalt themselves against the freedom of humanity and the claims of God.
ANCIENT IRISH CHRISTIANITY.
The ancient Christianity of Ireland was not Romanism. It neither corre ponded with the doctrines and discipline of the papacy, nor acknowledged its supremacy. From its beginning, through the age of St. Patrick and his immediate successors, and for several centuries afterwards, the Christianity of Ireland was distinguished by several points of known and avowed opposition to the peculiarities of popery. The opposition became more defined and apparent as the papacy developed its character, and as the churches of Britain and western continental Europe surrendered their liberties to its usurpations, and added its inventions to the ancient faith. Romanism in Ireland is the creature of English usurpation and Italian intrigue. It is the badge of national degradation and foreign authority; it has been the source and cause of the greatest social evilsthe parent and instigator of most of those national peculiarities by which Irishmen have been made contemptible in the eyes of the civilized world. The venerable Bede says that the ancient Irish observed "only such works of charity and piety as they found in the prophetical, evangelical, and apostolical writings.'
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St. Bernard, in his life of Malachy, says that "they rejected auricular confession, as well as authoritative absolution." They confessed to God alone, as believing that God alone could forgive sins; they would neither give to the church of Rome the tenths nor the first-fruits, nor would they be legitimately married, that is, according to the forms insisted on by the Romish church. Before the council of Cashel, in 1172, marriage was regarded as a civil rite, and was performed by the magistracy; at that council the priests were ordered to perform the ceremony, and therefore we find the ancient Irish Christians denounced as "schismatics and heretics" by St. Bernard, and as being in reality, pagans, while calling themselves Christians. Henry the Second, in his letter to Adrian, alleges "that as the Irish were schismatics and bad Christians, it was necessary to reform them, and oblige them to own the papal authority, which they had hitherto disregarded, and that the most probable means was to bring them into subjection to the crown of England," which he says, "had ever been devoted to the holy see."-Life and Labours of St. Patrick.
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THE CHANGE TO ROMAN CATHOLICISM.
"It was not till the 6th Lateran council of Trent, in 1546, that they reluctantly consented to the new arrangement. The inferior clergy could not for a long time give up their ancient usages, and still nominated to ecclesiastical office and dignities. The Irish church, as it was then called, had not put on her gaudy robes of popery. The Druids, whose relics of worship now remained, had been routed entirely, and this "land of saints" had her colleges and schools in every part; strangers flocked thither for education from neighbouring nations, and from these colleges men emanated into England, France, Switzerland, and Italy, to re-establish colleges and monasteries. Ireland was then catholic, but not Roman catholic. The authority of the pope she had not acknowledged, and this I have found, by reading the early history of the nation, is the reason why they still shrink from being called Roman catholic, considering it a term of reproach, although they have gradually submitted to all her terms and creeds, yet, as it is in regard to the English yoke, as bishop Hughes, of New York, has said, it was incomplete conquest that put it on, and it never has nor ever can sit easy."—From Lights and Shades of Ireland. By an American.
THE MISSION OF THE BAPTISTS IN IRELAND.
"Besides saving souls and collecting churches, some of the nonconformists in
Ireland have placed before the public mind principles of the utmost importance
to the religious welfare of the people. The baptists have carried on their
operations there by great effort and self-denial. What have they effected?
What are their prospects? Have they exerted a greater influence than can be
indicated in their reports? In the great coming struggle with antichrist, is an
especial work assigned to them? Comparatively, they are a small body, will
they be lost among their friends in the battle-field? If the strength of the
Lord's host be reckoned by numbers only, they will stand for one of the smaller
divisions; but if it be a struggle for principles, they may occupy an important
place in Jehovah's army.
"The baptists have always been a peculiar people. They have held one view
especially by which they were distinguished from the whole of Christendom.
They consequently became a marked people. They have suffered in the public
estimation, in their influence, and in their standing in society, from their firm
adhesion to what they consider an important truth. They have been moved to
do so by their love for truth and their fidelity to God, but it is worth while to
inquire, will their stern maintenance of their distinctive doctrine serve them at all
in the great conflict which is before the church? The bearing of the baptists'
peculiar view on the theological controversies of the future, is a subject of great
interest, especially when considered in relation to the papacy.
"It is, however, in relation to popery and Puseyism that the importance of the
baptists' mission is best seen. In the general struggle with a bigoted ecclesias-
ticism, in the broad conflict with sin, other divisions of the evangelical force will
be able to present a broader front, and present a wider influence, but when some
of the distinctive features of popery are the subjects of contention, the baptists
will be found of essential service in meeting it hand to hand and foot to foot.
Indeed, as the sword fish follows the monster of the deep, so the baptists should
track the man of sin, to give him mortal thrusts. Like the creature referred to,
they may be small as compared with their huge antagonist, but their power is in
their principles, not in their number."-From an Essay, by the Rev. B. C
Young, of Cork.
Our venerable friend, Mr. M'CARTHY, | God made me the instrument of the conver-
the oldest agent of this society in Ire- sion of seventeen souls here. I baptized
land, furnishes us with a most interesting them, both men and women, and formed
letter, of which the following is an ex-
tract. He was privileged in his young
days to sow the seed, and now in his
old age, he is gratified to see that the
word of the Lord both "grew and mul-
tiplied."
them into a church. I was the first baptist
minister that ever visited this little world of
palatines. Time has proved it was not a
mere intellectual change, but a heart-conver-
sion, they had experienced, as some of these
died rejoicing in Christ; and more of them
are living witnesses of the Lord Jesus. Their
joy was great at once more seeing their old
father in the gospel. On Wednesday the
10th, I preached in the beautiful glen of
Renaghmare. The place was too straight
for the people. My text was from Joel ii.
27, And indeed, he was in the midst. On
Thursday the 11th, I preached at the pictu-
resque valley of Boulay. Here, again, the
hearts of the people seemed to yield to the
I have long been of opinion that friendly
interchanges between the ministers in this
country, would be productive of very benefi-
cial results in our missionary field. I never
feel so happy in my labour as on such occa-
sions. Practically to carry out this feeling,
agreeably to an arrangement made with bro-
ther Wilson and brother Berry on the 9th
of July last, I started for the hills of Kil-power of the gospel. In so short a time, I
cooly. As soon as I ascended these lofty
and majestic mountains, many feelings of a
very pleasing nature, about some of my
bygone days, arose in my mind. It could
not be otherwise; as about thirty years ago
couid hardly believe, the introduction of the
gospel, with the establishment of schools,
could have improved the places, the minds,
and the manners of the people so much as it
has done. It would be endless here to recite
the various conversations, and the curious
remarks some of them would make. With
gladness they rallied round their old preacher.
Many of them recited some of the texts
preached years ago, and also some portions of
my sermons.
But above all this, they said
they had reason to bless God, who had
opened their hearts and disposed them to
receive the truth from my lips. On Friday,
the 12th, brother Wilson and I visited Bal-
lingarry, and the widow M'Cormick's house,
which in every part shows that the combat
between the police and the people, while it
lasted, must have been fierce enough. It
was highly gratifying to me to be informed
not one of those brought under the influence
of the word of God, had any thing at all to
do with this sanguinary ourage. Saturday
13th, we went on an exploring mission to
Kilkenny. Lord's day 14th, in the forenoon
I again preached at Renaghmore. We had
to change our place of preaching for one
double the size of where we had preaching on
Wednesday evening. The people heard with
the most earnest attention, and we had strong
indications of the divine presence. In the
evening, I preached again at Boulay. This
was in the school-house; which is not only a
suitable place for the school, but also large,
and commodiusly fitted up for preaching.
Several came from Renaghmore. The house
could not conveniently contain more than
we had. Indeed, brother Wilson has before
him a fine prospect of usefulness in this hill-
country, and is alive to the eternal interest of
the souls committed to his charge. On the
19th, I took a reluctant, and perhaps a final
farewell of my beloved palatines, whose fore-
fathers had to fly before the bloody sword of
persecution, out of their own country, and
take refuge in these mountains, then wild,
rude and uncultivated hills and dales, sooner
than submit to the dogmas of the man of sin.
Another old and respected missionary,
Mr. THOMAS of Moate, writes to us as
follows:
I have the pleasure to state that I have
had very good congregations at Moate. There
was scarcely a single seat unoccupied last
Lord's day morning. The people came con-
siderable distances from the country. Con-
tinued efforts have been made to prevent any
from attending, and money and influence
have been employed to accomplish it, and to
scatter and take away the children from the
Sunday-school which I commenced, and also
to disperse the day-school. I have preached
six times this week, and travelled about 120
miles, besides much discussion and exposition.
I preached twice at Mount Sharon; the
people appeared glad to see me, and treated
me with great respect; the house was filled
each time. At Clonola I inspected the
school, preached twice, and baptized a worthy
person, of high character, good conduct, and
conscientious piety. Her brother, a pious,
and fine-minded youth, to whom the Lord
was also pleased to make me useful, wished
to be taken out, and baptized with his sister,
but illness for the present prevented his con-
fession of faith in the Redeemer. An aged
man of eighty-nine, whom I often visited, and
spoke to, declared "that his only hope of
salvation was in the blood of the Lord Jesus,
he is on his dying bed. On the deck of the
steamer from Athlone to Killaloe, there were
a number of persons from various quarters;
the subject of religious and civil liberty was
introduced; I spoke a great deal; they
seemed greatly pleased, and when I was
leaving, at William's town, they all came
forward and shook hands with me, though
I did not expect it. I trust I spoke fearlessly,
faithfully, and affectionately.
schools under his supervision:-
Mr. Thomas writes respecting the
The inspection of the schools at Clonola
gave me much pleasure. Though the chil-
dren were very poor, and badly clad, they
were clean, and went through the examina-
tion very well-spelling, reading, writing,
arithmetic, and repeating the scriptures from
memory. There are fifty-three in attendance
in the Clonola school: thirteen Protestants,
and forty Roman Catholics: in the Moate
school forty-five; twenty-five Protestants,
and twenty Roman Catholics. They com-
mitted a great number of chapters to
memory.
Some interesting Lellers from Messrs. M'Kee, M'Donnell, and others, omitted for
want of room.
Subscriptions and Donations thankfully received by the Treasurer, JOSEPH TRITTON, Esq.,
Lombard Street; by the Secretary, Mr. WILLIAM P. WILLIAMS, at the Mission House,
Moorgate Street; and by the Pastors of the churches throughout the Kingdom.
COLLECTOR FOR LONDON, REV. C. WOOLLACOTT,
4, COMPTON STREET East, BRUNSWICK SQUARE.
Dick's Diffusion of Knowledge
Dickerson's Religion Teaching by Example
Crawshaw's Lectures to Children
Cudworth's Looking to the Cross
Cumming's God in History
Davidson's Comprehensive Pocket Bible
Davidson's Introduction to the New Testament
Davis's Bible, its Profitable Use
Fetherstone's Sabbath School Teacher's Reward
Duncan's Help to the Knowledge of the Kingdom of God
Eardley's (Sir C. E.) Imprisonment and Deliverance of Dr. Achilli
Eardley's (Sir C. E.) Life of Rev. E. Bickersteth
Ellet's Family Pictures from the Bible
Gamble's Scripture Baptism
Gildart's Truth is Everything
Gill's Funeral Sermon for the Rev. S. Wilson
Grant's Letter to the Marquis of Clanricarde
Grant's Popular Elevation the Work of the People
Green's Biblical and Theological Dictionary
Green's Working Classes of Great Britain
Greville's Letter to the Marquis of Clanricarde
Haldane's Ministry of John the Baptist
Hall's Christian Philosopher
Hall's God's Approbation the Study of Faithful Ministers
State of the Disembodied Just, by the Rev. J. W. Todd
Supply of Water in Jerusalem, by the Hon. and Rev. B. W. Noel, M.A.
Transatlantic Errors
Transfiguration of Christ, by the Rev. James Lister
Usefulness of Biography, by the Rev. W. Walters
Wants of the Church for the New Year, by the Rev. C. Elven
Word of Encouragement from one Christian Minister to another
On the Death of Sir Robert Peel, Bart., by the Rev. Wm. Brock
Speaking the Truth in Love, by the late Rev. Dr. Ryland
Lines addressed to a Brother on the Death of his Wife, by Mr. J. H. Scroxton
Lines composed on the West Cliff, Ramsgate, by the Rev. J. H. Hinton, M.A.
Lilies, The
Rest of the Saints, by
Sabbath School Hymn
Think of Jerusalem
Triumph of Love
REVIEWS AND BRIEF NOTICES.
Abbott's Histories, Albertus Magnus-Treatise of Adhering to God
Alexander's Memoir of E. Stanley, D.D., Bishop of Norwich
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