small. We leave him and his friends to make their choice.

The following account of this Sermon and its publication illustrates the whole subject, and is on various accounts deserving of serious attention.

This Sermon was not intended for publication, and has remained unopened, among my papers, since the day after it was delivered.

An extract from it has however appeared lately in a letter addressed to the Editor of the Morning Chronicle, by Mr. Eneas Macdonnell. That gentleman had in a former letter accused me of bringing a specific and false charge against the Roman-Catholic clergy of Ireland-namely, that 66

they had been placarding Pastorini's prophecies in every quarter of their country, in order to excite the peasantry to deluge it with Protestant blood. particular charge I had not brought, consequently I denied the gentleman's assertion.

That

In his second letter, after repeating this accusation, of which I shall take no further notice, he advances to the general subject, and attacks my Sermon for the Irish Society (of which he appears to have taken notes), arguing, from the sentiments expressed in it, the possibility of my having been the author of the abovementioned special charge. The Sermon is now laid before the public as it was delivered. It was written in the month of March last year, and is now printed from the original manuscript.

The observations upon Popery in general, and its operations in Ireland in particular, as well as the theological opinions contained in these pages, are in accordance with the best information I have been able to acquire, and the most deliberate and unbiassed judgment I have been enabled to form. I make no pretensions however to infallibility.

I am aware that this Sermon breathes a spirit at complete variance with the plausible affectation of charity which is so widely circulated in these days. I am aware that the voice of the Protestant Reformation is now considered the voice of a party, a bigoted, illiberal party; that our arguments are not fairly heard, because they are conceived to arise from personally interested motives; while the assertions, without argument, of our opponents, are trumpetted forth with all the proud boasting of anticipated triumph. I am aware that the Bible is pronounced to be so complicated and unintelligible, that no man (except the Pope, and he only ex officio) can possibly know the meaning of it; that consequently no man should presume to proselyte a fellow-creature to his view of it; and that therefore the Bible is

of no practical benefit to society whatever. Men may amuse themselves in private, forming various theories upon it; but woe to that self-sufficient interpreter who dares to reduce his theory to practice for the good (as he thinks) of his fellow-creatures. I am aware that the endless variety of interpretation, which has arisen among men of learning, each freely exercising his own private judgment, affords the enemies of Divine truth a wide field for plausible, and, to ignorant, irreligious minds, very amusing declamation against the Bible.

It is, however, remarkable, that the particular point of Divine Truth, which Mr. Macdonnell accuses me of insisting upon in my Sermon, is precisely that point in which all true Christians, of every denomination, do agree; and to call any man of any church a Christian, who does not agree to it, is to degrade Christianity to a level with those various human schemes which usurp the name of religion. He says, I assured my hearers, that all who died without knowing the "sufferings of the Just for the unjust" must be damned.

I did indeed, and do again say this. This is of a truth the very foundation stone. I believe that no man, who rests exclusively on the sufferings of Jesus Christ (the Substitute for the sinner, the just One for the unjust), can be lost: for God is faithful. I believe that no man who passes into eternity, resting on any other foundation, can be saved: for God is just. I can understand a Roman Catholic (in spite of all the superadded absurdities which he professes to believe) resting on this foundation and being saved; and I can understand a Protestant, professing to depend upon Christ, but secretly depending, after all, upon his own merits, and being lost. I am happy to perceive that this was the leading truth impressed upon Mr. Macdonnell's mind by the Sermon, and am thereby much encouraged to the step I now take in giving it to the public, convinced, as I am, that this, which seems to be its most prominent statement, is the fundamental truth of the Book of God, the true line of separation between the Christian and every other (or, in other words, between the true and every false) religion. Pp. v.—ix.

The text is Acts ii. 11, "We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." The pious and eloquent preacher introduces his subject by referring to the confusion of tongues at Babel, and to the miraculous corrective of that. evil which took place in a limited degree at the day of Pentecost.

After a few years these miraculous gifts were discontinued, and it has pleased God

ever since to use the ordinary movements of his providence, and the ordinary operations of human exertion, for the extension and establishment of the religion of his dear Son.

This leads to the special object for which we are here assembled at this time. My brethren, under the providence of Almighty God, and by the instrumentality of human exertions, you enjoy the inestimable privilege of hearing and reading the wonderful works of God in your own tongue, the language with which you have been familiarized from your infancy. But there are thousands of your fellow-creatures who have never enjoyed this privilege, and I stand before you this day to rouse your exertions, to engage your sympathy, and solicit your abundant liberality, in behalf of a vast multitude of your fellow-subjects; not in some remote colony of India, or some unfrequented island of the ocean, but within a few miles of your own shores; in a country which you are in the habit of calling by the endearing name of sister; towards which we gratefully acknowledge the existence in your breasts of many sisterly feelings; but towards a large, a very large number of whose inhabitants, we are constrained to say, few, if any, acts of sisterly kindness have as yet been performed.-Pp. 16, 17.

I will not take upon myself, my brethren, to specify the number of our Irish fellowsubjects who are ignorant of the English language. It is commonly estimated at two millions; there may be more, or there may not be quite so many, but those who are desirous to make it appear the smallest possible, must, I should imagine, give their ready assent to the statement, that thousands of the peasantry of Ireland have never heard, and at this moment have no opportunity, no human possibility of hearing, in their own tongue, the wonderful works of God. It is true, indeed, that even among them, God "hath not left himself without witness, in that he giveth them rain from heaven and fruitful seasons." (Acts xiv. 17.) It is true that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work one day telleth another, and one night certifieth another; there is neither speech nor language, but their voice is heard among them." But, my brethren, the heavens which declare God's glory, declare nothing about man's salvation; the firmament, which sheweth God's handy-work, the sun, and the moon, and the stars, which he hath ordained, and which proclaim to all the world his power and godhead, are perfectly silent upon this grand, this allimportant subject: how a guilty rebel is to be reconciled to his offended Almighty Sovereign, how a corrupt spirit is to be renewed to holiness, how a fallen sinful man is to saved from hell, and made partaker of that everlasting joy, of those rivers

of holy pleasure which are at God's right hand for evermore. No! for that wisdom which leadeth unto salvation, we must leave the natural world, and look into the revealed Word of God. We must behold that spiritual firmament in which the Sun of righteousness shineth forth, like a giant in his strength, and rejoiceth as a bridegroom to run his course, bearing in his wings, to all his adopted children, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. We must look into that Divine record which testifies of the birth, life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Till we find him, we have found nothing as we ought to find, till we know him we know nothing as we ought to know, we know nothing for eternity. For if we knew all things else most perfectly, if we were acquainted with the principles and details of every human art and science, if we were the most learned philosophers, the most profound politicians, the most experienced moralists, the most distinguished statesmen, and if, in addition to all this, we were intimately acquainted with the nature and properties of every production of the earth, from the cedar on Mount Lebanon, to the hyssop that springeth out of the wall, yet, if we knew not Jesus Christ, and him crucified, the Just for the unjust, we are fools still; and if we die so, in spite of all our other attainments, we must be damned.-Pp. 17-20.

The

And here, the assertion already made must be repeated, that many thousands of them are ignorant of the English language. An English traveller indeed, passing through Ireland, does not discover this, because along all the public roads, and in ́ all the public houses, there are individuals who speak English. But let such a traveller forsake the great road, let him enter into the little villages scattered about the bogs, and heaths, and mountains, and swarming with a growing population; let him join the domestic circle of one cabin after another, and he will not hear (unless addressed to himself) one word of English. husband addresses his wife in Irish, and the wife her husband. Parents speak Irish to their children, and children to their parents. Irish songs are sung; Irish anecdotes are told; Irish witticisms are enjoyed; all is Irish. And although some individuals, who are in the habit of going to the nearest market town, may be able to understand a short question, and return a short answer, in English, although also they may have learned the peculiar phrases of traffic, and be able to transact their own peculiar business, yet they are totally incapable of understanding a lengthened address, or receiving any useful instruction by means of the English language. Neither is this confined to the southern and western counties. I can confidently affirm it to be the case in some populous districts of the county of Antrim, and al

most universally among the inhabitants of the Island of Rathlin, on the Antrim

coast. I dwell upon this point, because it is of the utmost importance that it should be plainly understood, that there is a large body of the peasantry of Ireland whose understandings cannot be reached, nor their affections interested, nor their characters improved, nor their souls saved, but only through the medium of their own native language. This is what gives its peculiar and pressing interest to the Irish Society.-Pp. 24-26.

After enlarging upon this subject, Mr. M'Neile insists upon the correctness of those charges which have been brought against Popery as still existing in Ireland. These are the more important, because a Roman Catholic bishop has, if not absolutely denied, yet endeavoured to evade and blink the question, in a late examination on the subject.

But we are accused of railing without proof against the Roman Catholics. Al low me, therefore, brethren, to give them an opportunity of speaking for themselves. I hold in my hand two of their books in common circulation in Ireland, both in the English language, and if they speak in this manner, where they are open to the observation and exposure of Protestants, it is not unreasonable to suppose that they say the same things (and we do not accuse them of saying worse) where they are not so exposed.

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This is their" Path to Paradise,” from which I will read to you a specimen of their prayers: Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us. Mother of Christ, pray for us. Mother of Divine Grace, pray for us. Mother most pure, pray for us. Mother most chaste, pray for us. Mother undefiled, pray for us. Mother inviolate, pray for us. Mother most amiable, pray for us. Mother most admirable, pray for us. Mother of our Creator, pray for us. Mother of our Redeemer, pray for us. Virgin most prudent, pray for us.-Pp. 33, 34with another page of such stuff from the "Litany of Loretto," and followed by a specimen of prayers to St. Michael, &c. Will the Catholics deny this? They are not very nice about such matters. When Mr. Gordon read at Manchester, a few weeks ago, some extracts from a Romish catechism, insinuations were thrown out that it was not a correct document, but in the course of the

subsequent discussion the very objectors turned round, and shewed, by their attempts at defence, that they were well acquainted with and highly esteemed the work they affected to question.

The other book I mentioned is entitled "Fifty Reasons or Motives why the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion ought to be preferred to all the Sects this day in Christendom," and from this I will give you a specimen of their controversial teaching.

"What still confirmed me in my resolution of embracing the Roman Catholic faith, was this, that the heretics themselves confess Roman Catholics may be saved; whereas these maintain there is no salvation for such as are out of the Roman Catholic Church."

"After this, I appealed to the saints of God, and asked them what was the faith they lived in, and by which they arrived at eternal bliss. And they all made answer, it was the Roman faith." "My next step was in thought to hell, where I found condemned to everlasting torments Simon Magus, Novatus, Vigillantius, Pelagius, Nestorius, Macedonias, Marcion, &c. And I asked them, how they came to be condemned to this seat of sorrow without hope of being ever rescued from these flames. And they told me it was for their breaking off from the Roman Catholic faith." "Besides that, the Catholics, to whom I spoke concerning my conversion, assured me, that if I were to be damned for embracing the Catholic faith, they were ready to answer for me at the day of judgment, and to take my damnation upon themselves: an assurance I could never extort from the ministers of any sect, in case I should live and die in their religion."

It is in vain to say, that these are not the sentiments of the Roman Catholics, or at least of some of them. These books were printed, the one in the county of Derry in the year 1811, the other in Dublin in the year 1801, and in the year 1821 they were both in active, and I must add, pernicious operation, in the gaol of Lifford, the assize town of the county of Donegal-Pp. 36—38,

We consider this Sermon as highly important, and deserving of extended perusal. It is not a finished production, but it shews the author's deliberate sentiments; and it is highly important to listen to the testimony of Irishmen, and of those who speak from personal knowledge and observation of the state of things in Ireland.

heartfelt sorrow; in tears such as our Saviour shed over Jerusalem, and say, "O Ireland, Ireland, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

J. E. GORDON, Esq. then rose, and stated the grounds on which he had become a member of the Hibernian Society, to which he had once been decidedly opposed. About six years ago he heard that such a society existed; and was at the same time informed that it was decidedly sectarian. But by dint of much patient inquiry, and examination into the principles of government in the schools of the society in several parts of Ireland, he met with a decided contradiction to the report which had occasioned his prejudices; he found that the schools were conducted upon the broad basis of the word of God, and that there were such guards and guarantees against the innovations of any particular sect or party, as to convince him that the only object of the society was the amelioration of the morals of the Irish peasantry. He observed that there were certain persons appointed to examine, at different periods, the state of the schools and the progress of the scholars, and, as many of these persons were of the Roman Catholic persuasion, they had full opportunity of ascertaining whether the intention of the society was merely (as was alleged) to make proselytes, or, in good faith, to ameliorate the moral condition of the children. They had liberty to steal upon them at any hour, or at any moment, and, like Inquisitors, might subject any of the scholars to the most rigid examination. And thus, he trusted, he had fully answered the objections of the Roman Catholic clergy. It being found that numbers of the parents of the scholars were in the most deplorable ignorance, and not able to read, schools for adults were established, and numerous were the candidates for admission. In the winter of 1822, 2000 adults presented themselves, and were accepted. In the winter of 1823, the number had swelled to 4000. In 1824, it again doubled itself-there being 8000 adults in attendance at the schools; the last winter the number was 10,000, and at the present time there were not fewer than 12,000 of grown-up persons learning to read the Holy Scriptures. So long as a child remained at school, he had the benefit of the word of God; but when he left school, the Priest would not allow him to read it. On one occasion the Priest ordered a child to burn his Bible, and, reluctantly complying with the order, the child said, "I thank God that you can't take from me the twenty chapters that I have in my mind." Nothing could exceed the desire that was manifested among the peasantry to learn to read the word of God. He had been told by men MAY 1825.

who had passed through these schools, that had they been more acquainted with the sacred volume, they should have been less familiar with the gaols of the country. Adults, in their ardent zeal to peruse the Holy Scriptures, had been known to learn to read, in a very fair manner, in the space of four months, and the Priests found it a more difficult matter to force the Bible from them, than from children. The pa rents of some children, it had been found, would learn to read the Scriptures in no other than the vernacular tongue, and therefore schools had been formed for that purpose; and during the last year there were not fewer than eight thousand adults learning to read Irish; and such was their increasing thirst after divine knowledge, that, at the present time, there were at least eighty itinerant readers of the Scrip tures, who travelled about from cabin to cabin for this useful purpose, and were every where the most welcome of visitors.

The Rev. RICHARD POPE (of Trinity College, Dublin,) addressed the meeting at very considerable length, and with admirable eloquence. After a few preliminary observations, he proceeded to state his personal knowledge of the wretched and benighted situation of Ireland-its political and moral aspect; the former was gloomy and suspicious, and the latter, it pained his feelings, as an Irishman, to depict. After several eloquent and pathetic observations, he came to the conclusion, that neither martial nor civil law would have any effect; the only panacea for the cure of the evils of Ireland, was an amelioration of their physical and their moral condition. The greater part of the peasantry of this unhappy country, had no idea, no sense, of comfort, from the cradle downward to the grave. The wretchedness of their cabins was indescribable; indeed, he would venture to say that an English farmer would be sorry to lodge a beast of burden in one of them; and yet in these disgusting hovels were a numerous class of our fellow-creatures living from day to day, and from year to year, in the most deplorable ignorance, and were thus gradually gliding down the stream of time to the ocean of a dread eternity. The superstition of these poor creatures was equal to that of the American Indian; they had holy wells in different parts of the country, round which they paid a blind devotion, in the belief that some miracle would be worked in their favour.-They believed that the clergy had not only the power of working miracles when living, but they also believed, that the very ashes of a dead priest had the power of imparting health and vigour to a disordered frame. The Reverend Gentleman recited to the meeting several other instances of the gross superstition of the peasantryparticularly those of the county of Kildare. -Our prescribed limits, however, totally

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