CHAPTER V.

FAITH TRIUMPHANT.

"Behold this midnight glory: worlds on worlds!

Amazing pomp!

Ten thousand add.

Redouble this amaze.

Add twice ten thousand more.

Then weigh the whole.

One soul outweighs them all,

And calls th' astonishing magnificence

Of unintelligent Creation, poor."

YOUNG'S Night Thoughts.

ALTHOUGH the aspect of affairs at Clare Island

after the visit of Dr. M'Hale, related in the last chapter, was anything but encouraging, it was resolved, if possible, not to abandon the Mission. A few days after the violent expulsion of the schoolmaster and the Scripture reader, the island was visited by the Rev. Joseph Baylee, who found that the malignant spirit evoked by the Archbishop was still exercising to the full its baneful influence. At the risk of his life Mr. Baylee remained two days in the island; and at the end of that time he was compelled to make his escape. He succeeded with great difficulty in getting into a boat by descending a steep cliff, and thus got back in safety to Achill. Some of the natives afterwards expressed their regret for what had occurred, but they did not

dare to disobey the commands of their clergy. For the time, therefore, a stop was put to all further efforts in the direction of missionary work at Clare Island.

During the year 1837 the Mission rented from Sir Richard O'Donnell the Island of Innishbegil, in Achill Sound. The farm at Dugort was found to be too small to afford shelter to the persecuted converts, who, at the close of the year, amounted to eightythree persons, sixty of whom were natives of Achill. In order to obtain the desired amount of space, and also to ensure security from danger, Innishbegil was taken, and has since remained in possession of the Committee. It has been a peaceful home to many who have lived and died in the steadfast profession of the faith.

Amongst the events of this year was one which, more than any other, has contributed to give publicity to Mr. Nangle's work, and to enlist on his side a large number of sympathising friends. This was the establishment of a monthly paper called the Achill Missionary Herald and Western Witness. For many years this paper, under the superintendence of Mr. Nangle, gave information concerning every event of importance which occurred in Achill and the West of Ireland generally; whilst it, at the same time, dealt with the religious questions which were being discussed in England, in our Colonies, and in America. I have already mentioned the establishment of a printing-office at the Settlement;

and when I add that the Herald was printed in Achill, and remarkably well printed too, it will at once be seen that Mr. Nangle was no ordinary man. His enterprise, his skill, his ingenuity, his diligence are beyond all praise. Few men indeed, with the burden laid upon them of providing funds for the Achill Mission and governing the little Colony connected with it, could have found time or could have possessed the inclination to edit a newspaper; and this he not only did, but did most successfully. The preface to the first number, which is dated Achill Island, July 12th-a day of good omen1837, gives us an insight into the feelings which influenced Mr. Nangle when he launched this new enterprise upon the sea of public opinion. "While

our paper," he says, "shall bear a faithful and uncompromising testimony against the superstition and idolatry of the Church of Rome, it shall also proclaim the glorious truths of the Gospel, and the progress of the Redeemer's spiritual kingdom; and believing, as we do, that the Church of England is based on the authority of Scripture, and is the most effective instrument, in this country, for arresting the progress of error and forwarding the cause of truth, our paper shall stand forward in its defence against the motley host of its adversaries, avoiding, however, that unholy spirit of faction which would screen or palliate the iniquity of individuals because they belong to our party, and we shall watch with equal vigilance against any approach to the bigotry

which confounds the essential and eternal principles of the Gospel with things circumstantial and temporary, which makes the boundaries of our own denomination identical with the pale of salvation, and puts all who are outside the one beyond the enclosure of the other."

I may here remark in passing that in the expression "Church of England" Mr. Nangle included beyond all doubt the "Church of Ireland." The two Churches were then united by a legal bond. That bond has been rudely severed; but the Churches are still one, and it is to be hoped that their spiritual union will never be dissolved; that they will continue ever to be as they are

now,

"One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity."

The providence of God was wonderfully displayed in the circumstances which gave this periodical the widest circulation of any Protestant journal of its class in Ireland. From the beginning the Achill Herald was a stamped publication, and therefore entitled to the privilege of free transmission through the Post-office. It began with a circulation of six hundred. For eight months it was suffered to go forth on its mission without molestation; but just as the ninth number was about to be issued, the editor received the following official letter ::

G

"GENERAL POST-OFFICE,

"DUBLIN, March 12th, 1838.

"SIR, I have to apprise you that as the Achill Missionary Herald has not as yet been recognised as a newspaper entitled to the privilege of free transmission by post, as required by the 32d section of the Act, 1st Victoria, cap. 34, it cannot be legally forwarded by the post free of charge, and orders will be issued accordingly for that publication to be charged the full letter rate of postage, until the decision of the Postmaster-General on the subject shall be made known.-I am, Sir, your obt. humble servant,

"Rev. EDWARD NANGLE.

"AUG. GODBY,
Secretary."

The first exclamation of any person on reading such a communication as this would naturally be, "An enemy hath done this." So, indeed, it proved, for Mr. Nangle says that he afterwards learned from one holding a high official position, that this despotic attempt of the Government to crush the Achill Herald was made at the earnest request of an Irish Roman Catholic Bishop.

But the enemy is not always allowed to triumph. When this attack on the liberty of the press-for such it really was-became widely known, several editors of publications which could hardly be regarded as newspapers sounded an alarm. What about the Athenæum, the Literary Gazette, and