rected statement of the places from which these addresses were sent, and of the numbers who signed them :—

After these were sent to the prisoners, the following additional addresses were forwarded to Mr. Dallas for sub

HAVING entered a lodging-house for the night, I soon found myself surrounded with travellers from different places, all of whom seemed perfectly cognizant of the nature of the work in which we are engaged. They did not know me nor my employment. It was a matter of much

surprise to me to hear how soon we were made the subject of conversation around a fireside. They spoke in mild terms of our work, and the plain, open way in which it was carried on, remarking that it was extraordinary their priests did not do something in the same way. After indulging in comments upon us, they went off on controversy. I felt myself now at home; we discussed very freely. I did not conceal the fact that I was an Agent of the Society for Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics. One young man confessed that he was twenty years of age, and the like he never heard before. Oh, said he, but the priests keep us in the dark. The house being crowded, he asked me if I would allow him part of my bed; at first I hesitated, but at last I gave him a corner of my "shake-down," such as it was. I soon found that he wanted more knowledge, and that my bed was not for sleep on that occasion, but for a controversial class. Those who slept in the same apartment, and in the next, which was only separated by some boards, all being engaged in the discussion going on between me and my bedfellow. In the morning I was cheered with a real good wish from all as I proceeded to the end of my journey, and, in the evening, with a hearty welcome on my arrival in my old quarters, by my old Roman Catholic champions.

Reports from the Missions.

KILKENNY-BORRIS.

(From the Missionary.)

I AM happy to say that since I came in connection with this Society, the work never seemed to me to go on more successfully than it has done here for the last month. The Agents have had free intercourse to the Roman Catholics almost all through this district, and, except in the town of Kilkenny, they are able to pay visits in the houses of the people with very little opposition.

There is more difficulty in working in Kilkenny still than in any other part of the district, but this I am not

surprised at. However, the men have considerably more access (even there) to the people than they have had. The school in Marley continues to go on most satisfactorily, and the Sunday congregation keeping up, and the Readers are most welcome to all the people in the neighbourhood.

We have had a great deal of excitement in Graigue for the last three weeks. A pervert from England came there and advertised for a lecture he was going to deliver in the Court House, on the subject of "Syria and the Druses." I suspected that he would not confine himself to this subject, so I got my chief Reader, M'Namara, to go to the meeting to hear what would go on. So the following handbill will explain the whole matter to you :

"To the Roman Catholics of Graignamanagh.

"FELLOW TOWNSPEOPLE,-You have heard the lecture delivered by K. G. B——, Esq., the subject of which he noticed would be 'Syria and the Druses,' to be delivered in the Town Hall of Graigue on the evening of the 12th February. I attended the lecture by direction of my Missionary, to learn if he would confine himself to the published subject, or if he would introduce the subject of religion, which, if he did, I should inform him that he would have a Protestant clergyman to engage with him in public religious discussion, if he would agree to it. He did not confine himself to the subject published, as you are aware; but his object seemed chiefly to be to revile the Protestant religion, and the Missionary work amongst the Roman Catholics in Ireland.

"I waited on him the morning after his lecture at Mr. M's hotel, and had the following conversation with him in the presence of Mr. J. M-- who came forward in the coffee-room of the hotel to be a witness to our conversation :

"READER. I have come here, sir, by the direction of my Missionary, to challenge you to meet him, or any other Protestant clergyman, to discuss those subjects of religion which you introduced in your lecture last night publicly in the Town Hall; and that you may prove the truth of those statements regarding Protestantism and the Irish Missionary work which you have made. In fact, to enter into a public discussion on the Twelve Articles of Pope Pius's Creed, namely, Purgatory, Transubstantiation, the Sacrifice of the Mass, Priestly Confession and Absolution, etc., etc., etc.

"Mr. B -I will not come in public vocal discussion as I suffer from disease of the heart, and I fear to injure myself, but I will enter into a newspaper discussion.

"READER. Oh, sir, very few of those people who heard you last night would have an opportunity of seeing a newspaper. Will you provide a substitute, if you are not able for public discussion yourself?

"Mr. B.-I will not provide a substitute, I am leaving this place to-day.

"READER. Well then, sir, you boasted last night that you were a convert from Protestantism to Romanism. I am a convert from Romanism to Protestantism. If you have no objection I will meet you this morning before you leave in the Town Hall, and discuss these subjects with you in public. We are both_turncoats, and can speak the more freely to each other. I am sure I will get fair play in Graigue, and I will undertake to prove, from God's Word, that the religion you have adopted is contrary to what is taught us by God.

"Mr. B. I will not meet you in public discussion, I am going away this morning.

"READER. Then, sir, I will guarantee to have your expenses paid from any part of Ireland to this place, provided you give me six days' notice, and come forward to meet a clergyman of the Protestant Church.'

"This he declined again, and we went out to the hall of the hotel, where some more people were present; and I again pressed him to come forward in public vocal discussion, which he again refused doing. I said to him, 'Sir, it is strange that you, a convert, as you say you are, from the Protestant Church, are not able to give a reason for the hope that is in you.'

"Townspeople of Graigue, I publish this conversation to let you see that this boasted convert from Protestantism has got the opportunity of proving in public that the Protestant religion is false, and that the Roman Catholic religion, which he has joined, is true. But he has declined doing so. Why? "It is not because of his 'heart disease,' for you know he did not fear to exert himself to abuse Protestantism when there was no one to answer him; but he did fear to meet the Word of God in the hands of one who could and would prove that not one of the Articles of the Creed of Pope Pius is to be found in it, while every doctrine taught by the Irish Church Missions Society can be proved thereby.

"The only way to prove which religion is true is to get your Bibles and read them, and, by prayerful examination of the Word of God, to find out the true way of salvation.

"Christ says there, I am the way, the truth, and the life,

no man cometh unto the Father but by me,' John xiv. 6. And St. Paul says, 'Prove all things, hold fast that which is good,' 1 Thes. v. 21.

B

I remain, your sincere friend,

"MICHAEL M'NAMARA,

"Agent of the Irish Church Missions Society."

I got this bill printed and widely circulated in the district, and it has caused great excitement and great opening for discussion all through the neighbourhood, particularly amongst the more respectable portion of the Roman Catholics, who have almost all taken our part and condemned Mr. B. as a deceiver. A respectable Roman Catholic told one of the Readers that there is scarcely a house in the town of Graigue but is a scene of controversy, the Roman Catholics in general taking the Protestant side, and condemning B. A very intelligent man said, "We will never be right until we all have our Bibles, and can have the free use of them."

PORTARLINGTON.

(From the Missionary.)

ONE of the most important parts of this district, which was visited during the past month, is the property of Lord Cavan. I do not think that the Readers ever returned so thankful and so pleased from their work as they have now done after their visits on this property. In every case but one their reception was most cordial, and presented a striking contrast to their experience on a former occasion some months since. Some gleanings from their journals will testify that they had good reason for encouragement and thankfulness. One man with whom they conversed was engaged in the study of the Bible for himself. His simple mind soon detected how opposed gospel truth is to the errors of Rome, and he expressed his convictions in these words: "As far as I am acquainted with the Bible, there is not a word in it about Purgatory. I cannot understand, if the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, how any remains for Purgatory. I was the other night reading John xiv., and the words,' Whatsoever ye ask of the Father in my name I will do it,' struck me very forcibly.