deeply interesting and important station. A vast number of young people might be brought under religious instructon, while an ample field is presented for tinerating missionary labour. I trust the funds of the Irish Evangelical Society will enable its Committee to locate an active agent on this spot immediately. Would that our money-giving friends in England could only pay a visit to B― at present, I am quite sure the meetings I have had would cheer their hearts, and lead them to double, aye, perhaps to treble, the amount of their free-will offerings, for the furtherance of the cause of Christ in Ireland. A great work remains to be done in this land. The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few. We greatly need a large accession of warmhearted energetic men, to plant the standard of the cross in every corner of this dark but interesting country. theology, and on some questions too of ecclesiastical policy, yet there is something in the zeal and devotedness of the body, to their high vocation of evangelizing the dark parts of the country, which must entitle them to respect and brotherly sympathy. On the evening of Friday, 17th, I preached a sermon to young men on the improvement of time, which was well attended. I preached in the Court-house, B-, on the Sabbath afternoon following, to an overflowing congregation. A deep feeling of interest seemed to pervade the entire assembly. January 22.—Visited C—, county of C—, and preached in one of the Presbyterian meeting-houses in the town. The attendance, owing to several causes, was but poor. An active devoted Missionary would have an ample field in this town and neighbourhood for the preaching of the Gospel. At D-, a small village from C-, about three miles distant, I preached to an interesting and attentive congregation. This locality seems to be greatly neglected, the only minister exerting himself to any extent in efforts to do good, being the minister of the Established Church. I preached in R-, another small village, about four miles from D-, on the evening of 24th. The congregation was not large, owing to the shortness of the notice. The Methodists here, much to their honour, have been doing a great work, while others slept. On the Friday evening I preached again SCRIPTURE READERS IN IRELAND in B-, to a good congregation. On the afternoon of Sunday, the 26th, I preached to a congregation in the Court-house, at B, exceeding my most sanguine expectations. The place was crowded to excess, while some had to stand, and some, I believe, did not even get in. Great seriousness was manifested by all, and some, I trust, were led to inquire, with all earnestness, what they must do to be saved; and that some found rest in their agitated minds in the faith of the Gospel. Altogether, I regard B- as a The circulation of our periodical, I trust, increases. Pardon me, when I express my full assurance of its success under its present management. Hitherto you have not laboured for Ireland without encouragement and success, nor will your labours in this casebe in vain in the Lord. Anything in this communication, which may suit your periodical, you are at perfect liberty to use. I am, my dear sir, Yours fraternally, A. G. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRUSTEES COUNTY ROSCOMMON.-T. B. Reader. First week.-A change for the better. Visited the villages of C- and TM- and B-. Read portions of the Holy Scriptures to more than ninety persons. Some heard me with attention and interest. My reception varies generally with the locality visited. In a locality entirely Popish, I meet with rebuff; but even these are not of the character, nor so frequent as in bygone days. It is really astonishing how greatly changed the conduct of Popery is, as far as the opposition to the spread of Protestantism is concerned. 'Liberty, civil and religious,' is the cry of Rome, at present; at the same time holding the doctrine of infallibility, and the unchanged and unchangeable dogmas of a Church, that can bear neither an equal nor a rival, is, to say the least of it, rather paradoxical. Third Week.-Missionary Magazines and Tracts. Visited Band T-, read to about thirty persons, and distributed tracts to sixteen, which were very thankfully received. One man, a Protestant, to whom I gave Missionary papers, was very thankful. He lives in an entirely Popish locality! and is suffering a good deal from his neighbours, and from the priest of the parish in which he lives. It is a lamentable fact, that Popish priests and Romish emissaries kidnap whole families, in consequence of their living isolated from Protestant Society, and having no opportunity of hearing the Gospel preached; living seven or eight miles from any Protestant place of worship, in the midst of a people nurtured in ignorance and hatred to the persons and creed of the Protestants, and looking on them as the plague-spot and curse of their neighbourhood. In order to save their lives and property, the Protestants so circumstanced, were obliged to truckle. The priests laid hold of the first symptoms of disaffection to their creed, and whether this was real or affected, it served the purpose of a system, with which appearances served as genuine piety. Intermarriages have also contributed their quota to the ranks of Rome. Causes of the increase of Popery.— Four things have contributed towards maintaining Rome in any thing like a standing in this kingdom. 1. Igno rance of her real principles. 2. Inconsistency of Protestants. 3. Neglect of parochial ministers. 4. Isolation, and, I may add, intermarriages. Fifth week.-Romish tracts and novels. Visited T-and B-. In both places I had an opportunity of directing sinners to the Saviour. In these villages Roman Catholic tracts are being freely circulated, as are also religious novels — "Gertrude; or, a Tale of Conscience," "D'Alton Hall," is another. These works exhibit a religion of Rome ou paper, which is very imposing; they also exhibit a clergy on paper, which appears the very acme of perfection; but it is not on paper we are to learn what the Church and Clergy of Rome really are. They are not creatures of fancy; they exist in awful reality, both at home and abroad. To know what Rome really is, let us compare her pretensions with the word of God. In fact, I would rather have to pentwentyfour real living moving priests in a village, than one priest on paper; and Popery, as exhibited in living reality in her most zealous votaries, would not be half so dangerous as the Popery of the novel. To Protestant youths these books are likely to be very dangerous; their influences should be counteracted by an issue of cheap tracts, taking up all the subjects of controversy in all its bearings. Let the paper Church and Clergy of Rome be exploded: the other will ruin itself. Eighthweek.-Discussions with Roman Catholics. During these six days my labours were chiefly confined to the vicinity of C-. Read portions of the Holy Scriptures to about forty persons, at different times. In some instances I was heard with apparent interest. Had two very interesting discussions with Roman Catholic devotees on the authority of the Church, or rather of the clergy; for, in the language of Rome the terms mean or designate the same thing. six Missionary Magazines and three Sermons. Tenth week.-Deadness of Protestants Visited all the Protestant families, with several Roman Catholic families in the villages of L-, K—, and A-; had several interesting conversations with the inmates on religious subjects. Some appeared interested, others cared for "none of those things." In fact, a general apathy is spreading amongst professing Protestants in this part of the country. Roman Catholic tracts, or rather pamphlets, are being circulated in vast numbers. I do what I can to counteract their influence, by lending and circulating tracts of an opposite character; but my means are not at all commensurate to the necessity. In the course of this week read to about ninety persons at various times and places, chiefly from the Gospels. In talking to Roman Catholics on this topic, Protestants labour under great disadvantage; the thing to be proved is taken for granted by the Romanists, and from this position nothing less than the enlightening of the Holy Spirit can dislodge him with profit to his soul. If obliged to give up the tenet by the force of reason, it commonly leads to Infidelity or Atheism: which as generally settles down into Popery again; for the appearance of religion answers the purpose of Satan more effectually than the open disavowal of all religion. I have lent a few of the Rev. W. H. Cooper's Sermons on the Romish Apostacy, in answer to Dr. Todd. These are read with interest. I hope the Lord will make them useful to the cause of truth. Ninth week.-Arguments with Romanists. Visited B—, K—, and L—. Read and talked to forty persons on various topics, amongst which was extreme unction and the sacrifice of the mass. Showed from the 5th of James that ex-nity of C-; read to more than eighty treme unction was not taught there, for the text expressly declares, that if the visitation of sickness be for sins committed, the afflicted man shall be forgiven, and the Lord shall raise him up (either to health or heaven surely). This would destroy the doctrine of Purgatory. The sacrifice of the mass rendered, as I showed, the sacrifice of the cross unnecessary and useless; or the sacrifice of the cross, the sacrifice of the mass useless. Some Roman Catholics who were present seemed rather surprised at the doctrine, when pointed out in this way. Others were very angry, and began to abuse all Reformers and the Government. A book called the "Black History of Ireland," was produced. This book deals in wholesale falsehoods and exaggerated facts; and is calculated to madden the ignorant portion of the population. During the week I lent Twelfth week.-Want of tracts and books. My labours during these seven days were confined chiefly to the vici persons at sundry times. Lent some tracts, and endeavoured to press on the attention of the hearers the duty of improving their time, that they might know the grounds of their faith, and be able to give a reason of their hopes. I showed that as ignorance is the lifesustaining principle of Popery, so knowledge is of Protestantism; and as a fool can put a question in an instant, that a wise man cannot solve for a longer time, I pressed on the young men the duty of studying the religious principles of the Reformation. There is a scarcity of materials in these parts for conveying information on this subject, which, it is to be wished, was removed. Donations or Subscriptions in aid of this Institution are received by MESSRS. JACKSON & WALFORD, 18, St. Paul's Church Yard, or by MR. STROUD, Tunbridge Wells. Essays, Extracts, and Correspondence. THE JESUITS AND THE EDUCA- There is a remarkable coincidence between certain educational movements on oppose it directly. The most salutary expedient now was, no longer to attack secession, but to manage it in such a manner as to prevent its becoming hurtful... . . . . To satisfy the universal desire for knowledge, manifested by the age, the Court of Rome destined the artful companions of Ignatius. .... Their directing principle was, to cultivate and carry to the highest possible degree of perfection, all those kinds of knowledge from which no immediate danger could result to the system of the hierarchal power..... By means of this command of the opinions of men, it became easy for them either to prevent the growth of those branches of knowledge which might bear fruit dangerous to the Papal power, or to bend, direct, and graft upon them at their Continental Europe and those now taking place in Ireland. It will not be difficult to trace the same agency at work in both instances. That agency, which is openly and boldly avowed on the Continent, is, we dare to say, directing the national education machinery of Ireland. The cunning and master-hand of Jesuitism, at which no attempt at concealment, in reference to education, is made at the present moment in France and Switzerland, may be detected also in the present Irish National Education Scheme, which we believe to be, not only "calculated to perpetuate Popery in Ire-pleasure....... The study of the original land;" but positively intended to have that effect. Proceed we to prove this assertion. The Jesuits, it is well known, were organized immediately after the Reformation, to recover the Church of Rome from the shock which she received from that glorious and blessed movement. The direction of education was to form one of their principal duties; such an education, of course, as was best calculated to resist the revived Christian influence which was spreading over society, and to perpetuate the spiritual ignorance and mental slavery of Popery. This is apparent from one of the vows taken by their Order, which binds them to "peculiar care in the education of boys." Of the manner in which the Jesuits carried out this vow at an early period of their history, the following extract from "Villers' Treatise on the Reformation,”* will show: "The Jesuits were put in possession of the principal direction of public instruction in all Catholic countries. Europe had tasted of the tree of knowledge; light was diffused on all sides, and had made rapid progress. It had become impossible to * Villers' Essay on the spirit and influence of the Reformation of Luther, published in France, and translated by Mill, p. 379. charters of religion was prevented; or, if the Gospel and other pieces appeared sometimes in their books of devotion, (and this it was impossible to avoid, when the translations given by the Protestants were public), they were accompanied with interpretations. and even alterations, suitable to the main views of the society. Their great watchword was, the utility of the sciences, and beauty of the belles lettres. All that relates to the moral improvement, to the ennobling of human nature; all that relates to the philosophical and theological sciences, the Jesuits endeavoured, and in reality were enabled, to retain in oblivion. . . . . . . How Jesuitical mode of instruction, which became can it be determined to what a degree this the prevailing mode in Catholic countries, and differs so prodigiously from the mode of species of culture, and the particular turn of instruction among Protestants, modified the mind in Catholic countries, so different in general from what is discovered in the Protestants." "To produce some things in the clearest light, and to retain others in the thickest darkness; to fertilize the kingdoms of the memory and the imagination, by rendering that of thought and reason barren; to form minds submissive, without being ignorant of any thing but what could affect their submission; such was the system of instruction adopted by the Jesuits." These extracts will show what was the educational policy of the Jesuits, from the period of their establishment (September 27, 1540,) by a bull of Paul III., to their suppression by Clement XIV. in 1773. Pope Pius restored the order by a bull, dated 7th August, 1814. From that time to the present they have been true to the original Vow of the Order, and have manifested “peculiar care in" seeking "the education of boys." In Austria, Sardinia, and other parts of Italy, and in Belgium, they exercise almost unlimited control, both in education, in the affairs of State, and in directing the whole social machinery. The three great theatres on which hitherto they have had but little to do with the direction of education, but in which they are now seeking to monopolize it, are France, Switzerland, and Ireland. The following brief sketch will give our readers some idea of the contest which has been going on for some time in France, between the government, as it is represented by the University of Paris, and the Papacy, as represented by the Jesuits, which latter are open and avowed in their operation, The French University has the sole direction of education throughout France, from the highest colleges to the lowest grammar schools; no educational establishment, not ecclesiastical, can exist in that country, except under the superintendence of this central authority. From the highest professors to the lowest ushers, all the teachers hold their appointments from, and at the pleasure of, the University. Diplomas, also, for the exercise of all the faculties, are given solely by the council of this Institution. Its grand masters, inspectors, professors, and lecturers, are always among the most eminent men of letters in the kingdom. Their posts are posts of high dignity. The mind itself of the French nation is placed within the shaping hands of this great national power. VOL. I. The Jesuits, in the attempt to recover their former position, have grasped after the power which we have described. In the name of the Popish Church in France, they have demanded what they are pleased to term " liberty of instruction." Under the plea that the professors and lecturers disseminate irreligious and anti-christian principles throughout the colleges and schools under their sway, the disciples of Loyola have required that the Church, (i. e. themselves,) shall occupy a prominent position in all the educational establishments. This would be directly contrary to the freedom guaranteed by the National Charter of 18:30, into which liberty of instruction was introduced with the same right as any political liberty. M. Isambert, in a speech on this subject, in the French House of Deputies, January 25, 1843, declared that the Jesuits wished to establish, with regard to public instruction in France, a state of things exactly similar to that which exists in Belgium. Their demand, he said, was addressed to the Minister of Public Instruction in the form of a measure, threatening to withdraw the chaplains from the colleges if it was not complied with. Now, in Belgium, the University is under the immediate control of the Jesuits; the professors take an oath at the hand of the bishops; the clergy are sovereign and constituted in independent power, whilst the Government has not the right to interfere, either in the nomination of chaplains or professors; nor will they pay a farthing to the State. Such is the independence which the Jesuits have been wishing to create for themselves in France. The attempt has placed the bishops in open hostility to the Government. M. Villemain, Minister of Public Instruction, brought a Bill into the French Parliament, to regulate secondary instruction, (that of the middling classes); and to resist the attempts of the Jesuits. The attacks made upon that gentleman, by the Jesuits, and the 'anxiety of mind which the whole affair caused him, have been such that he has been driven into a state of insanity; and is now in a lunatic asylum. The approaching sounds of the renewed contest are |