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authority of the Scriptures, and even from the knowledge of their existence. To a proposal, having such an object, the bishops of a Protestant Church could not yield their assent; it has accordingly been rejected with firmness in two communications addressed to the commissioners by the Primate of Ireland: in perusing which, every man must be deeply impressed with a sense of the Christian temper and wisdom with which they were composed.

late to the reality, and to the importance of the changes, which, in the preceding year, ar Archbishop had chosen to represent as neither practicable nor desirable; and we should bear in mind that this testimony has been given not in some secluded retirement, where little vigilance had been exercised by the Romish Church, but almost in the presence of the ablest and the most strenuous of the Roman Catholic prelates of Ireland.

This commission appears to have been formed In this interesting Charge, interesting at in consequence of a petition of the Roman once by the occasion of such an address and Catholic prelates, addressed to the House of by the wisdom and temper with which it admoCommons, in the hope of obstructing the opera-nishes the Protestant clergy, every minister of tions of the Kildare-Place Society. We hear- their Church in Ireland may find useful rules tily rejoice that the effort has failed; we re- for the regulation of his exertions to promote joice that Ireland is not to be subjected to the the Reformation. We shall, however, particuoperation of a compromising system, which larize only two of its topics, as more remarkamust, if such a system could be carried into ble than the rest. One of these is a compariexecution, arrest the dissemination of Scriptu- son of the two different methods of teaching ral knowledge, and establish on a lasting foun- our religion which are used in the Protestant dation the ignorance and the superstition of its and in the Roman Catholic Church. In the people. And while we rejoice that Ireland is Protestant Church an appeal is constantly made to be left to the free energies of those who to the Scriptures, and young persons are envalue the authentic records of their religion, couraged to become familiarly acquainted with and are solicitous to communicate to the rising these Sacred Records. In the Church of Rome, generation some knowledge of the saving on the contrary, the Scriptures are a sealed truths which they reveal, we must not omit to book, and the religious instruction of the young express the gratitude which we feel, and which is communicated exclusively by catechisms. we trust the Christian public will generally The Bishop does not indeed maintain that the feel, towards Mr. Foster and Mr. Glassford, doctrines of religion may not be much more whose steady opposition to the Arianism of the briefly expressed in other words than those in Belfast Academical Institution is recorded in which they are presented in the Scriptures: the Fourth Report of the Committee, as their "But will he," it is demanded, "who thus resistance to a compromise with the Popery of learns these great truths be thereby imbued the Church of Rome is recorded in the Ninth. with those feelings which arise on learning The latter record, indeed, their brother-com- them, more slowly indeed, but with an impres missioners would willingly have suppressed, sion how different, from the Scriptures themand actually refused to receive; but the effort selves?" On this topic the Bishop has largely has served only to strengthen our conviction and forcibly dilated, urging particularly this of the importance of having in such a commis- consideration, that we cannot, except from the sion two men so prepared to maintain the au- perusal of the Scriptures, collect that example thority of the Scriptures against both the self- which our Saviour is said by the apostle to sufficient arrogance of human reason and the have left for our imitation. The other topic debasing usurpation of ecclesiastical tyranny. specially demanding notice is, that in those The last article on our list is a Charge de- books in which Roman Catholics profess to livered by the Bishop of Leighlin and Ferns to support their peculiar doctrines by references his clergy, on the subject of the Irish Reforma- to the Scriptures, citations are found not cortion, instructing them how they should con- responding to the passages to which they are duct themselves in the happily altered circum-referred, and of such a nature, that even charistances of Ireland. Among the wonders of the times, we have been recently shocked by the publication of the Charge of a Protestant Archbishop, in which he exhorted the clergy of his whole province to avoid carefully all alterca- Three of the examples of a text actually altion with Roman Catholics concerning the mattered or mutilated in the citation, are taken ters in which they differ from the Established from The Abridgment of Christian Doctrine, Church; representing our peculiarities as nei- with Proofs from Scripture of Points controther essential nor even important to the Chris-verted, a book much read by Roman Catholics. tian religion. We are proportionally gratified when a Bishop of distinguished ability stands forward to hail the actual commencement of a Reformation of Religion, and to say to his clergy, "At such a period I feel it to be my duty to lay before you, my reverend brethren, clearly and explicitly, the view which I take of the

ty must attribute the misquotations to design, the changes being specially favourable to the immediate purpose, and in themselves considerable.

One of these is a citation of a passage from the fifth chapter of the book of Joshua, verses 14 and 15, alleged to prove, from the conduct of that leader of the Jews, the lawfulness of worshipping saints and angels; in this passage d was altered, even from the Douay translation,—I am the Prince of the

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as pleading that the word goxunov, is limited to the named latria, whereas the Protestant prelate is, on the o ing general, it includes wor gree. But this is Greek, Doyle beyond the Vulgate. Instances of misquotation from "The Catholic Christia the same writer, the celebrat one of these, to prove that th Mass is mentioned in the Act

to the Vulgate and the Rhei changed to were sacrificing. obviate the objection, that the by James, v. 14, 15, was pre raculous cure, instead of b to eternity, the words the HIM UP are changed to these EASE HIM. On the latter of t Bishop Doyle has not thoug any remark. Concerning the sents Challoner as choosing Vulgate and the Douay v Greek original, being himself, rant of the meaning of ti ATCUPY CUVTOV.

In the notes annexed to right reverend author has cite book used at Maynooth by the ology, the blasphemous defen man Catholic, if in error, is fearlessly to his Judge at t Trial. We give it here.

sense the passage was understood by the ancient Christians, particularly by Justin Martyr. Bishop Doyle has, indeed, since stated, in a letter published in the newspapers, that in a recent edition of the work he has corrected the misquotation; but this certainly does not invalidate the assertion of the prelate whose Charge we are considering. Bishop Doyle professes to think the difference unimportant, in which, however, no man can concur who sufficiently considers that the Being who describes himself in the text, claimed for his presence the same reverence which Jehovah de-xiii. 2, the word ministered, v manded of Moses, requiring him to loose his shoes from his feet, the place whereon he stood being holy; and also that, in the second sentence following, the same being is in the original actually named Jehovah, as speaking to Joshua. Bishop Doyle has endeavoured to reconcile to his own doctrine the former of these considerations, but the latter he has left wholly unnoticed, his religion, it may be supposed, not permitting him to look beyond the Vulgate, which does not distinguish the term. Another example is even more remarkable, for the misquotation consists in a direct suppression of a part of each of two citations from the Apocalypse, which would plainly have defeated the purpose of the writer of the Treatise. The two passages thus imperfectly alleged are found in chap. xix. ver. 10, and chap. xxii. ver. 9; from which have been omitted the prohibitory words, See thou do it not; worship God. The author has, indeed, acknowledged a prohibition to have been given in the former of the two passages, but without any allusion to the direction enjoining that worship should be addressed to God; and he has even ventured to assign a reason for the prohibition different from that which was given by the angel: See thou do it not; I am thy fellow-servant, said the angel. The Abridgment of Christian Doctrine, on the other hand, represents the angel as giving this prohibition in consideration of the apostolical dignity of John. Between these two reasons there is this important distinction, that the first lowers the character of the speaker, as not being a fit object of worship; the second exalts the importance of the person addressed, as too considerable to offer worship to the other, who might nevertheless be worshipped by persons of less dignity. The subjoined injunction, worship God, which has been prudently omitted in the citation, demonstrates that the angel spoke in reference, not to the worshipper, but to the object of worship. The Bishop has further observed, that the word used in the original, gorxuncov, precludes every evasion, since it proves that the prohibition does not relate merely to that higher degree of worship, which Roman Catholics express by the term latria, considering it as the only worship limited to God. In regard to this observation, we have again the advantage of the animadversions of Bishop Doyle, who has indeed admitted that we have here, if any where, a full exposure of the bad faith of his Church, and a convincing proof of their idolatry or su

"O Lord, if that be an erro followed, thou thyself hast de command, that we should hea thyself. Thou thyself hast di apostles, by the pastors and appointed in thy Church. F O Lord, if it be an error wh lowed, thou thyself hast dece stand excused."

Human presumption canno for such a declaration main more probable that a meanin Church of Rome to certain d of the Scriptures is true, tha God should not have led it truth, the absurdity of the pa its impiety; for it sets up the Church, on which the meaning passages depends for support, of Him from whom only that have been received.

We can only mention one which occurs in these notes, racteristic to be omitted. when examined before the C Education Inquiry, appeared any modern translation of the cept a recent version in the by Martini, with notes, which ed. Of this, when asked whet of the peasantry who can r session of the Scriptures in th he replied with proper cauti

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The accounts which have been received from that country within the last and the present year, of a new and important movement of religion, appear to deserve a special inquiry, and we have accordingly used our best efforts to ascertain the truth. So agitated is that portion of the empire by the violence of party, that the influences of religion are unavoidably viewed through a political medium; and their operation is too often represented rather as it may suit the views of partisans, than as it may ap prove itself to the sober and serious consideration of Christians. While one of the two great parties by which Ireland is divided speak of this movement as a new reformation, not only commenced, but hastening rapidly to a consummation, which must speedily unite the whole island in the profession of a common faith; the other, even in the senate of the empire, treat the notion of a religious reformation as a visionary chimera, which may amuse the imagination of a weak enthusiast, but cannot engage the attention of a man possessing a sound and reasonable mind. Amidst this diversity of representation, the reflecting public of England do not know what opinion they should form on the subject. That some extraordinary movement has occurred, is certain, and cannot be denied. When during many years the public conversion of a Roman . Catholic to the Protestant faith had been a very rare occurrence, and in the lower classes of society, by the influence of intermarriages, the current of conversion had even taken the contrary course, the public was surprised with numerous and public instances of conversion, continued from week to week, and though at first confined to a single county, yet soon appearing also in various and distant parts of the country; so that they could not be regarded as the effects of any causes merely local. As this movement has not been limited in place, so neither has it been a merely temporary effervescence, in which some occasional discontent has exploded. The instances of acts of conformity were more numerous in the beginning, but they have never been discontinued. It seems as if some accumulation of force had been necessary for commencing a practice so novel, and had been expended in overcoming the primary difficulty; but the force, whatever it may be, continues to act; the movement, whether it be a religious reformation or not, is uninterrupted.

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diffusion of pure religion. If these questions can both be satisfactorily answered, the former in the negative, the latter in the affirmative; if it shall appear that the movement is in its main character separated from the influences of worldly policy, and that not only the stream of conversion continues to flow, but that plain indications of a disposition to listen to religious truth are discoverable in the minds of those who still adhere to the religion of Rome; we may surely conclude that a real reformation has been actually commenced, and that the wide and general extension of it may be reasonably expected. But if, in addition to these considerations, it should appear that the changes which have occurred are not events for which no adequate cause can be assigned, but the direct and natural result of agencies, by which such changes might have been, and actually were, anticipated, we perceive no reason why our assent to their reality and importance should longer be withheld-why we should not joyfully hail the new dawn of religious truth, now breaking upon a land with which we are so closely and intimately connected.

Independently, indeed, of all these considerations, ought it to be deemed an improbable and almost incredible event, that a new era of religious reformation should be at this time begun in Ireland? What is there in such an occurrence so contrary to the general analogy of God's dealing with his creatures, that we should receive all reports of it with suspicion and distrust? If the ignorance and superstition of the majority of the people of Ireland have hitherto rendered them insensible to the animating truths of religion, we may say to the worldly politician of the present day as the Apostle demanded of Agrippa, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?" Is it agreeable to the course of the Almighty's providence, that the popular mind, which has once sunk in the moral death of ignorance and superstition, should never be restored to the animation of reason and religion? Should we not rather expect that, at some time or other, the Almighty would vindicate his superintending care of his moral creation, and call forth light and life from the very abuses and corruptions in which they seemed to be for ever lost? When the general religion of Europe had been reduced to a mass of senseless superstitions, which offended the pious, and were ridiculed even by the priests who practised them for gain, the reforming efforts of an obscure Friar, who himself did not see clearly the way in which he the Power of Darkness, and began the deliverwas proceeding, were successfully opposed to ance of the Christian' world. Such a change as was begun for Europe in general in the sixteenth century, may well be supposed to have been begun for Ireland in the nineteenth.

while he was labouring to restrain the enormity | land by acts of authority, did, of a practical corruption.

But it is said that attempts to reform the Irish have been repeatedly made without effect. If, however, it should appear that the efforts heretofore exerted were not fitted to attain this end, and if a different method of prosecuting the same purpose has at length been adopted, no argument for despondency can be drawn from these circumstances. When the Grecian Orator laboured to animate the exertions of his countrymen, he told them that the general mismanagement of their affairs in times past, augured most favourably of their future success; while no hope could remain if they had been reduced to their actual condition, in spite of having done all which their duty demanded. Those who are now solicitous for the diffusion of the knowledge of true religion in Ireland, may surely apply to themselves this consolatory reflection, for it may without difficulty be shown, that the modes of conversion heretofore chiefly, and almost exclusively, employed, could not be effectual to the propagation of genuine religion. It is even more applicable to the subject of our present inquiry, because no Protestant can consistently doubt that the truth of his religion will ultimately prevail over ignorance and superstition, whereas the Orator could not be assured that his country might by any efforts of duty be rescued from subjugation. A Protestant of this empire may, without inconsistency, doubt whether the time has yet arrived when he might reasonably hope to bring all the people of Ireland to the knowledge of the truth; but if he be sincere in his profession of religion, he cannot for a moment entertain a doubt whether such a time must arrive, and the sole deliberation which he should hold with himself on the question, is whether it has already come, and demands of him his most strenuous efforts for assisting in the important work.

adopt the more reasonable and thod of causing the Service of the performed in the Irish language. Testament, as translated into tha be read to the people. This tr mode of propagating just notion was earnestly adopted by the cele Bedell, who was advanced to th more in the year 1629. That pic prelate had, however, fallen on twelve years after his advancen the bloody rebellion of the sevent which had been preceded by r agitation. The voice of the pre cordingly raised amidst the tum ritation of an excited people, which that voice produced was away in the flood of violence whelmed the land. But even in dismal period of the history of ou inquirer may discover one gleam to cheer him in the hope of at le ing the resistance of bigotry. whom the Romanists had imp living, because he would not abai had fled to him for protection, ti ed with reverence when dead. nized his funeral with the ill-ass of a volley of musketry, wish might rest in peace the last of and from the lips of a Roman issued the half-converted prayer might be with Bedell. When furiate massacres of a sangui even so much impression could should we despair of the influer a season, not merely of tranquill kind and amicable intercourse?

In the interval of thirty-thre was interposed between the yea commencement of the great re gitimate method of propagating The Protestant religion was first promul- tion by making known to the pe gated in Dublin in the year 1551, the fifth of Scriptures and the Liturgy, wa the reign of Edward VI., the Book of Common gree put in practice, but many Prayer being in that year printed in Dublin; rated to defeat its success. Th and considerable exertions were made by the troubles which disturbed the Archbishop of Dublin, for propagating a know- Elizabeth, having been terminat ledge of it among those who understood the fore her death, the university English language. Little time, however, was founded in Dublin for the purpo allowed for the success of these exertions, Ed- prepared to furnish to the Prot ward dying two years afterwards, and being a sufficient supply of educat succeeded by Mary. The reformation of reli- James, though willing to commu gion in Ireland was resumed by Elizabeth, but, ledge of genuine religion to the at first, without giving any attention to the more solicitous to form a Proto case of those who were ignorant of the lan- by the introduction of English guage of the neighbouring country. The settlers, to the exclusion of th queen, indeed, in the year 1571, sent Irish sessors of the lands, who must n types into this country, in the hope that God been irritated and alienated; and would raise up some persons to translate the influence of the Roman Catholic New Testament into the original language of augmented by the success of Jar Ireland. The pious hope was, however, noting the connexion of the Irish accomplished till the year 1602, nor was the detaching the vassals from the Book of Common Prayer published in the Irish their lords, was during all this language until the year 1608. The period of employed in preparing the peopl time preceding this latter year, may be conrebellion, which after two postpor sidered as having only announced the inten- out in the year 1641. If, there tion of extending the reformation of religion for spreading the reformation a throughout Ireland. neral population of Ireland, we date, ineffectual, the cause is

James, though he did not refrain from en

had placed their church in hostility to the state, and consequently had imposed upon the state the necessity of reducing them to a condition in which they should be no longer formidable. From the commencement of the rebellion to the Restoration, Ireland was a scene of public commotion, in which the voice of genuine religion could gain no audiênce, though its language was perpetually assumed to stimulate the evil passions of the time. The bigotry of the Roman Catholics was then punished by the Act of Settlement, which confiscated so large a portion of the lands of the Irish, that their possessions were reduced to less than a third part of the island, though before the war they had been estimated at double of those of the English. A change of property so enormous must have caused irritation, sufficient to present insuperable difficulty to all efforts of religious conversion; nor can we suppose that this difficulty was in any degree diminished, until the struggle of parties had been decided by the War of the Revolution, and further resistance rendered hopeless to all, except the clergy, who, as we now know, were creatures of the Pretender, as long as a Popish claimant of the crown existed. Neither, indeed, are we aware, that any effort was in this interval exerted for the purpose of conversion, excepting by the truly Christian philosopher, Mr. Boyle, who caused the Catechism of the Established Church to be printed in the Irish language in the year 1680, a new edition of the Irish New Testament to be published in the following year, and in the year 1655, an Irish Translation of the Old Testament.

Soon after the Revolution, some exertions were made for the conversion of the Irish, and with a good prospect of success. Two individuals, in distant parts of Ireland, the Reverend Nicholas Brown, in the diocese of Clogher, in the year 1702; and not long afterwards, the Reverend Walter Atkins, in the diocese of Cloyne, applied themselves to this important work, by addressing the people in the language which they understood. Of the former of these zealous clergymen, it has been recorded, that he took care to attend a congregation of his Roman Catholic parishioners just when their service was concluded, and then to read to them, in their own language, the prayers of the Established Church. On one of these occasions, the Roman Catholic clergyman, to draw away his congregation from their new devotions, for they joined earnestly in our service, cried aloud that those prayers had been stolen from the Church of Rome. "If it was so," said a grave old native, "they have stolen the best, as thieves generally do." Of the other, we are informed, that the native Irish were so much gratified with the offices of religion, which he performed for them in the Irish language, that they sent for him from all parts of his very extensive parish; that one of them was heard to say, at a funeral at which he thus officiated, that if they could have that service always, they would go no more to mass;

most of the Roman Catholic clergy, by de clining to swear the oath of abjuration, ha rendered themselves liable to great penalties if they should exercise their function, som clergymen of the Established Church, deem ing it lamentable that the Irish should be lef without religion, resolved to imitate these tw persons, and their efforts were rewarded with the pleased attention of the Irish Roman Ca tholics. Delighted with hearing our prayers in their own language, they openly declared that our service was very good, and that they disapproved of praying in any unknown tongue; some of them also were observed to be much affected, when they listened to the Scriptures thus, probably for the first time, brought within their knowledge.

Here was a fair opening for prosecuting a reformation of religion in Ireland. The country was not then, as in the time of Bedell, agitated by treasonable intrigue, or by open rebellion, for the strife of parties, had been decided by the success and ascendancy of the Protestants. The Roman Catholics also, as far as they were tried, appear to have received with gratitude and interest the exertions of pious Protestants, to give them more just conceptions of religion. Why then was the salutary work interrupted? Did the Protestants become indifferent to the propagation of a purer faith, or were they obstructed by new difficulties, which they were unable to surmount? The answer to that interesting inquiry has been furnished by the Reverend John Richardson, who, in the year 1712, gave to the public the narrative from which these particulars have been collected. This pious clergyman has intimated, that the principal reason why the Reformed religion had not made a greater progress in Ireland, was, that dependance had been placed on political, rather than on evangelical means, for its propagation; and his own narrative shows, that these very men, pious and zealous as they undoubtedly were, fell into this grievous error, and so were led away from the right path, by which they might have extensively communicated the knowledge of the Gospel. The very success, indeed, of their efforts, was the occasion of their ultimate failure. It was deemed expedient to interest the government of the country in the prosecution of the work which had been so happily undertaken. The government expressed a disposition most favourable to the wishes of the friends of the measure; but the convocation and the parliament, were also to be consulted, and the latter of these assemblies though they too approved the principle of addressing the Irish Roman Catholics in their own language, judged it necessary, to the maintenance of the connection with Great Britain, to enforce the acquisition of the English tongue. When it is also considered, that the parliament had two years before this time, completed the penal code, it will be easily understood, that the principie, wnica au nad joined in commending, was speedily forgotten. and that the antiva da

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