would ever be known except by his own family or perhaps his Irish teacher?

In the county of Cork, also, much is doing that is hardly known beyond its immediate locality, except to the Committee of the Society: therefore, even at the hazard of being tedious, we cannot refrain from adding from the same journal a few extracts, because they give so distinct a view of how things are going on, and the manner of conducting them :

On Sunday we attended service at the Church of Kineigh: there were but few converts present, as they do not understand the English service. Mr. Brady, the clergyman, has therefore three services every Sunday: the usual service in English at Kineigh; the second in Irish at Shanevah, a part of the parish about six miles distant, in the wilder hills; and evening service at Enniskeen, in a miserable place, which was crowded to excess; where, however, we were much pleased with the respectable appearance of the people, and with Mr. Brady's manner of addressing them.

On Monday we went with Mr. Brady to Shanevah, where Mr. Scely, a neighbouring gentleman, has kindly lent a large room for the meetings of the Irish teachers and scholars, attended by the three readers. There were twenty Converts present, and above eighty Roman Catholics. Business began by reading and translating a portion of Scripture, which was followed by some discussion upon it, Mr. Brady and another clergyman presiding. The subject for the day was then given out: it was-The difference between the service of the Mass as contained in the Missal, and the Communion service of our own Church as contained in the book of Common Prayer. A grand man, Daniel Cummins, the Priest's Clerk, stoutly defended his Church; but, as no rule but Scripture was allowed, he was often left without an answer; he more than once said, he knew it was his own ignorance, not the fault of the Missal, that he could not give better proof of its being according to God's Word. "You know," said he, "I seek the truth, I long earnestly to have and to know it." I cannot describe the interest of this meeting; one must witness to fully appreciate its value. The desire for Scripture knowledge may be inferred from the circumstance that, although it was harvest, there were eighty of them present in the middle of the day for several hours, and that the Priests had done all they could to put a stop to a single Roman Catholic's attending such meetings. In the neighbourhood of Shanevah there are about twenty-two families of Converts.

Would space allow, similar accounts and highly interesting details might be laid before our readers from various other parts of the kingdom, from Donegal to Cork; for so have these excellent societies gently, noiselessly, extended their genial influence, that they have what may be called missions in the northern, western, south-western, and midland counties. Hitherto the eastern and south-eastern parts of the island have been the most difficult to enter upon. It may be truly said, the difficulty is to obtain entrance; for when that is once secured, the future progress seems to be certain: it may be slower or quicker; but, still, progress is made, and after patient working the effect becomes evident.

One reason why there has been less success in the eastern counties, is, that in them the Irish language is much less spoken; in some places, indeed, not at all in use: the charm, therefore, is wanting there, which it brings with it in the more remote un-English, perhaps they should be called uncivilised, parts of the country.

A second reason may also be that there is in these counties much more activity among the Romish Priests, and the populace are, we will not say better taught, but certainly more taught, and are therefore more strongly wedded to the errors of doctrine and the crowd of superstitions in which they have been educated.

Another cause may be in some degree derivable from the nearer neighbourhood, and therefore superior influence, of the Maynooth and Clongows-wood Jesuit establishments, together with the Trapist Monastery in the Cumeragh Mountains, not many miles from the City of Waterford.

But even in those parts of the country where the Word of Truth is making such steady progress, let it not be imagined for a moment that the opposition of the Romish Priesthood is withdrawn: in a few spots, where the numbers of those who have quitted their fold is so large as to convince them that violence is useless, it seems to slumber; and in two or three localities some awful dispensations of Providence have given a check to their extravagant efforts, and left a feeling of fear on the minds of their flocks. Thus, in the retired parish of Kineigh, in the County of Cork, the Priests are at present particularly moderate, because at an adjacent Roman Catholic chapel, whilst the Priest was in the act of denouncing the converts and their readers, he was taken ill, and died that same night: this event, which occurred while the writer of the letter mentioning the fact was on a visit at Kineigh, struck all the people with alarm and awe.

Another instance of a similar nature occurred in a Northern parish, near the coast, which is described in so chracteristic and graphic a manner, that it must not be withheld from our readers:

The Priest on a Sabbath morning informed the congregation that the inspector had got entrance into the parish: he implored them "in the name of the Lord to raise up their hands and voice against him; for that already he had that infernal machine, the Irish Bible, at work. Oh, forget not the unhappy results in Clontibert parish! there, out of thirteen teachers, eight have already joined the Protestant Church, and the rest will soon follow: after the Bible has set that parish in a blaze, the flame has entered ours. But I am resolved to extinguish it."

For this end he went the following day to the teacher's house. On entering, he enquired where was the Devil who lived there?

"God save us!" cried the affrighted wife, "there is no Devil lives here."

"There is," said the Priest; "there are two Devils in this house-your husband and the Irish Bible."

Whilst the trembling woman was telling him where her husband was, he spied the Irish Bible, some Testaments, portions (i. e., extracts from Scripture used as lessons) and tracts on a board fixed to the wall: laying hold on them, he deliberately drew out the fire, spreading it on the hearth, and burned them all to ashes, whilst the poor wife remonstrated in vain.

The teacher's aged mother, who was entirely unacquainted with English, and had long listened to her son reading the Irish Bible, when she beheld it burning in the fire, burst into tears; and, in an agony of grief, uttered in Irish (in which they were much stronger and more impressive than they are in the translation) the following exclamations:

"Oh, God! Oh, God! now is burned the book of books, and father of all good stories; there were stories in it from Heaven, stories from angels; oh, yes! and stories of Jesus; stories of his Apostles and Saints; and, amidst all, was the dreadful-but, oh, the joyful for sinners-the story of the crucifying Friday! O! it's burnt, it's burnt-the book of my soul, the book of my heart, the book of my Saviour!"

This very Priest went to bathe a day or two after committing this violence, and was drowned in the sea!

Except in these and such places as have been before mentioned, Bell, Book, and Candle, together with all the horrors of excommunication,

* Fires of turf are made on the hearth, grates being used when coal is burned. †The oriental turn of expression is here plainly observable.

all the profanity of cursing, all the violence of denunciation, continue to be put in execution. One or two late instances may be cited as showing the animus of the priestly spirit:

In October last a Priest in the Tuam district visited a weaver, a very poor creature, and, having burned all his Irish Tracts and Primers, asked him, had he not a big book? "Yes," said the poor man, "but I will not give you that, unless you promise not to burn it." The promise was given, and the Priest, taking the Bible, endeavoured to prove anointing from James v.: the man replied, "That referred to healing." The Priest was enraged, and told him to choose between that book and himself, as it was impossible to serve both. The man chose the book, and he and his whole family joined the Church of England. He has suffered great persecution, and, being a weaver, was left destitute of work; for the men who had pieces (of freize) in his loom, cut them out, and would not let him finish them. "I," writes the clerical inspector of the place, "have been obliged to give him work in my farm, though he is but a bad labourer, to keep him from starvation."

At Fealebridge a frightful system of persecution has been established under a new Priest, placed there for the purpose, as he himself says, "of being a scourge to the turncoats." Since the new school-house has been opened, this has become more severe; the people being forbid to afford fire, food, or lodging to a convert. In consequence of this the poor creatures have found it difficult to procure the necessaries of life, until very lately, when the landlord interfered, to have milk and other things sold to them, under pain of his displeasure. "It is interesting to observe the spirit in which this cruel treatment is endured by the poor converts; their constant practice is to meet night after night to pray for their persecutors, and this, above anything else, has the effect of subduing the people around."

These are but two out of a multitude of instances which might be added, proving the truth of what one of the inspecting gentlemen declares, that, "were there common protection for their lives and property, numbers would leave the Church of Rome." Such instances also afford convincing testimony that it is from conscientious conviction the people quit the Romish communion and join the Church of England; since in so doing they sacrifice peace, worldly advantage, too often their whole subsistence, and sometimes even life.

That this conscientious conviction is founded on the intimate knowledge of Scripture which, from the mode of teaching pursued, they cannot but acquire, may be judged from the following extract from the inspecting clergyman's notes, of one of the quarterly examinations of Irish readers, held at Athboy, in July, 1842.

The portion of Scripture they had been desired to read and consider during the last quarter was the first six chapters of St. Luke's Gospel. After having read and translated a good deal of it, and shown that they had read it very carefully, they were examined for about three hours on "The right of all men to read the Scriptures," on "Justification by faith," on "Sanctification by the Spirit," "The connection between justification and sanctification," &c., &c. There were several excellent answers given on these points: among others, the question was asked, "Is there any other intercessor but Jesus?" Answer: "Yes." "Prove it." The man turned instantly to Romans viii. 26: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not

what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

They were desired to explain the difference between the intercession of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit.

The answer given was, "Jesus Christ is the only intercessor to God for man; the Holy Spirit intercedes for God with us in our hearts."

Question: How can a man be just with God?

Answers: "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. iii. 24.

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. v. 1.

That, being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life." Titus iii. 7.

These answers were given by several of the men, the verses being quoted without the slightest hesitation, giving the words in Irish, then their own translation, and stating the place whence they were taken.

Question: Is it sufficient for a man to say he has faith?

Answer: "No; What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?" James ii. 14.

Q. Can a man know that he is saved?

A. "Yes; The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God." Rom. viii. 16.

Q. But have not some persons deceived themselves, supposing that the Spirit of God bore witness with their spirits, when it did not?

A. "There is another criterion in John: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." 1 John iii. 14.

Q. Explain how that could be brought as a proof to a man's own heart?

A. "Why, we would choose for our acquaintance and companions those whom we loved; we would like to walk and talk with those we loved. If we like the company of Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, and swearers, can it be said we love the brethren ?" No," said another man; "for they that lie down with the dogs will rise up with fleas, and know what company they have been keeping."

Q. Can you give me any other proof that would be sufficient evidence to a man's own heart of his salvation?

A. "Yes; if a man be justified, he will also in due course be sanctified by the Spirit ; and if so, the fruits of the Spirit will show themselves in him."

Q. What are these fruits?

A. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." Gal. v. 22.]

Q. What are the works of the flesh?

A. "Now, the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness," &c. Gal. v. 19, 20, 21.

Q. Is salvation a present or a future gift?

Several answers were given; such as, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him.” “And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us." John iii. 24; also John v. 14; v. 1, &c.

This sample of the manner in which the readers, and those who become converts and join the Church, are trained, is sufficient to show that, by degrees, a perfect knowledge of the Sacred Volume must be gained; not merely gained, but the full sense, the bearing of the verses and their parallel passages, and their explanatory and confirmative value. Thus taught, they can scarcely fail of becoming good Christians themselves, and leading others in the same track.

Their translations into their own uncouth English often convey the

meaning with peculiar strength, and are often highly characteristic; as, for instance,

"He will cane and rack the farmers." Mark xii. 9.

"If I have told you of things that pass away, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of things that last for ever." John iii. 12.

"He was a bright and shining torch." John v. 35.

"He that cometh to me shall never be turned out." John vi. 37.

“Ye, knowing where money and gold could not open you or bring you out from evil things, that you followed like or in the track of the old people, that the blood of Jesus Christ, that was without any chaff or fault, brought you out." Peter i. 18, 19. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall sorrow, or distress, or banishment, or famine, or nakedness, or the sword?" Rom. viii. 35.

"Jesus saith unto her, Go call thy own man, and come hither." John iv. 16. "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never go to loss, nor shall any person sweep them out of my hand." John x. 28.

"Hate that which is evil; stick like glue to that which is good." Rom. xii. 9.

The word Hypocrisy is frequently translated cold holiness; the Devil, the harm of all the earth; the Gospel, the story of peace.

A remarkable feature belonging to this subject must not be passed over unmentioned, since it seems to rise in the minds of every one of the people the moment their understandings are opened by a knowledge of the Bible; and that is, the eager desire for further knowledge on religious subjects. Whether they be young, or whether they be old, the same vehement desire for increase of religious information springs up in their minds, with such strength as to cause the most energetic endeavours to acquire it: people of all ages, both men and women, all feel and act upon the same desire. There have been more than one instance of persons of eighty learning to read the " Blessed Book."

The following anecdote is a striking example of the effect that hearing the Word of Truth has upon their ardent minds, and of the extraordinary energy it produces :

In the north-eastern district, during the summer of 1842, an old man, of seventy-five years of age, was in the habit of constantly attacking one of our female teachers on the score of her Bible-reading, warning her of her danger, and assuring her that she was on the high road to hell and destruction. She met this man on the road, who, as usual, attacked her. She asked him how he could talk of a thing of which he knew nothing, and begged permission to read a wee bit to him out of this condemned book. At length he consented, saying, he would just listen to her for this once; in return for which, he hoped she would give it up for ever. Down they sat upon the road-side, and, drawing forth her Irish Testament, she commenced reading the first chapter of St. John's Gospel, to which the old man listened with great attention. When it was concluded, "Now," said she, "what do you think of that?" "Go on, jewel," said the old man, "I'll listen to a little more." She then read the second chapter, and appealed to him the second time for his opinion. "You may read another, jewel," said he, "I'm not tired yet." She then read the third chapter; and, closing the book, asked him if he would advise her to stop teaching? "In troth, jewel," said