find as guides to their eyes and lanterns to their feet;" but they also contain a system of divine philosophy which may afford its highest exercise to the sagacity and intelligence of the deepest and most enlightened thinkers. They have been truly described as containing "fords where the lamb may wade, and depths where the elephant must swim ;" and, surely, when rude and undisciplined minds are encouraged to roam at large over a commonage such as this, without pastoral care or guidance, it is not to be expected that they will confine themselves to the consumption of just so much as is good for them; and it would, indeed, be greatly to be admired if they did not tread down and disfigure more than they can appropriate with advantage.

In the Eighth Report of the education commissioners, our readers will find full details respecting the College at Maynooth. Its existence, we conceive, is not very conducive to the peace of society, and is adverse to the progress of reason; and we cannot but lament the endowment of it, as affording a direct and positive encourage. ment to the profession of Popery, in its worst form, in Ireland. It was founded at a time when that intercourse with the continent, to which candidates for holy orders in the church of Rome were obliged to have recourse, was considered, in a political point of view, objectionable and dangerous. We have not been able to discover that the dangers thus apprehended in theory were ever experienced in practice; on the contrary, the enquiries respecting the state of Ireland before select committees of both Houses of Parliament, furnish strong ground for believing that the "old priests," those who were educated abroad, were by far the safest and most manageable of the Roman Catholic clergy. They, certainly, were men of gentler blood, milder manners, and kindlier dispositions, than the race by whom they have been succeeded. They had been, many of them, eyewitnesses of, and some of them actual partakers in, the miseries of the French Revolution. Having witnessed the de

struction of their order, the subversion of government, the ruin of property, the rapine, the anarchy, and the bloodshed which afflicted unhappy France, they returned to their own country but little disposed to co-operate with the disturbers of the public tranquillity, in disseminating the pestilent principles, the consequences of which they had observed. We believe that numerous instances of unswerving allegiance, in the very worst of times, are upon record, to the credit of that respectable, and, we are sorry to add, rapidly expiring body of men; that they contrived, (no easy matter,) with a perfect fidelity, to reconcile the duty of the faithful pastor with that of the loyal subject; and that their flocks were, on many occasions, indebted to them for excellent advice, and the government for timely information.

But now the case is sadly changed; the Roman Catholic priesthood of the present day are taken from a different class, and actuated by different feelings. They are, with few exceptions, the children of small farmers, who would, in the natural course of things, be plying the shuttle or following the plough, but who, from the facility of procuring, what is called in Ireland a classical education, and the provision made by government for students in Roman Catholic theology, are induced and enabled to enter into holy orders

"Olim truncus eram ficulnus, inutile lig

num,

Cum faber, incertus scamnum faceretne Priapum,

Maluit esse Deum: Deus inde ".

would that we could add "furum maxima formido!" but we differ widely from those who regard these gentlemen as the pacificators of Ireland. They are demagogues in canonicals; they unite the intemperance of the agitator with the bitterest polemical bigotry. The "Catholic Association" now claims them as its own; and, infusing into that body a portion of the "odium theologicum" which belongs to themselves, they have received in return a large supply of the political

rangour which so well qualified them to be firebrands. It has been chiefly through their instrumentality that the "Catholic rent" has been collected.

How far it would be either wise or prudent, at present, to withhold the annual grant by which Maynooth is supported, may be doubtful; although little doubt, we apprehend, can exist amongst well-judging persons as to the impolicy of having at first conferred it. But these are topics upon which we may take a more suitable opportunity of dilating; and we have adverted to them at present, merely that the reader may the better understand the precise position occupied by the Roman Catholics of Ireland. Under present circumstances, it is impossible that there must not be many of their more respectable members seeking for light;-many, who are not only galled by the disabilities under which they laboured, but disgusted by " the priests," and offended by " the association." How deplorable soever, it is, we believe, a melancholy truth, that there are many in the open profession of popery who are secret despisers of revelation; and who are actuated by a spirit of party to persevere in their attachment to the sect with which they have been identified, long after they could have been influenced so to do by spiritual considerations. The spirit of popery would seem to be cast out, only that other spirits worse than it "should take possession of them," and their " last end” be rendered" worse than their first." It is obvious that these different cases require different modes of treatment; and they are, we conceive, peculiarly entitled to the consideration of enlightened members of the Church of England.

Associations should be formed for the purpose of diffusing a knowledge of the proofs by which revelation is established, and for affording all the information that may be useful or necessary respecting the doctrine and discipline of the national church. And in thus seeking to inform the minds, and remove the prejudices, of those whose conversion is so desirable, care should be taken not to wound their feelings, or inflame their passions. Many a dark and stubborn spirit has been won, by love and kindness, to lend a willing ear to arguments and discourses which have ended in the salvation of their souls. The Irish are fond of resting

much upon the antiquity of their religion, and may, we should suppose, with great propriety, be addressed in the same spirit with which St Paul addressed the Athenians, when he would fain recommend the gospel to their notice by representing it, in one important particular, as identical with their ancient belief." The God whom ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you." The occasion would justify Protestant advocates in addressing Roman Catholics in a similar strain: "the religion which ye profess, that religion, defecated, purified, and spiritualized, is the same which we preach." And, doubtless, it would be easy to shew that the faith which prevailed in Ireland, before the conquest, or rather the purchase of that country by Henry II., was as different from the creed now taught by the better educated part of the Romish clergy of Ireland, as that is from the rational and spiritual belief of the Church of England.

There are, in Ireland, a variety of societies which have, for a number of years, been silently making inroads upon popery. Of this kind are "The Bible Society," the "Hibernian School Society," ," "The Baptist Missionary Society,' "The Kildare Street Society," &c. &c. &c.

These bear the same relation to "The Reformation Society," which sappers and miners do to a be sieging army: their operations have been carried on in a quiet way; but have not, on that account, been the less successful in detaching many from the Church of Rome, and disturbing others with doubts, which must, sooner or later, end in their becoming converts. The Roman Catholic clergy, who are unaccustomed to any sceptical laxity of opinion on the part of their flocks, treat those who presume to question any of their received dogmas, with a degree of harshness and insolence which completes the impression as yet only partially formed to the disadvantage of their church; and thus, by their clumsy brutality, co-operate with the reformers.

Such are the moral causes that are, and have been for many years, thinning the ranks of Popery; which, we believe, depends chiefly, if not wholly, for its continuance and increase, upon the unfortunate circumstances of the country, where, unless strong and vigo. rous measures indeed be resorted to, hu

man beings must continue to be produced faster than they can be educated or moralized, and improvement of all sorts to follow tardily in the rear of population. Much, however, has been done, and is doing, to weaken the hold which the Roman Catholic religion has had upon the minds of its votaries. Making every allowance for mis-statement and exaggeration, for false converts and relapsed converts, the numbers who have, within the last two years, read their recantation, are very great indeed, and afford the most en couraging ground for believing, that temperate and judicious measures would be still more decidedly and extensively successful. The only draw back, and it is a considerable one, to our perfect satisfaction at what has been done, consists in an apprehension, that the attack has been carried on against the Church of Rome upon principles which may lead to the subversion of the Church of England.

Of what is called the "aggressive" system, we have not seen many desirable results. The "Reformation Meetings" are of this description. They are promiscuous assemblages convened by the members of the "Reformation Society" in different parts of the country, where the objects of the society are set forth, and the doctrines of the Roman Catholics are at tacked and defended. In general, the speakers on the Protestant side exhibit more zeal than either discretion or ability; and their adversaries, amidst a profusion of vulgarity, ignorance, and misrepresentation, sometimes display an ingenuity worthy of a better cause. But, as far as we have had an opportunity of observing, these meetings are always more calculated to exasperate the feelings than to win the affections, or inform the judgments, of those for whose edification they are especially got up; and who, when they do attend them, attend them more from an idle curiosity than any real anxiety upon the subject of their salvation. Before the sickle can be thus employed with advantage, "the fields must be" more "white for the harvest;" and, until then, truly enlightened Protestants will be content with converting Roman Catholics according as it pleases Providence to prepare them for conversion, by exciting within them yearnings after a more pure and perfect way of righte

ousness, when they will be led to adopt the genuine doctrines of the gospel as something corresponding to the newly-awakened religious appetite which they experience, and by which they will be drawn, as it were, instinctively, to the spiritual food most healthful for their souls.

66

It sometimes happens, that language of an offensive kind is used at the Reformation Meetings," in re probation of the religion of the Roman Catholics. This, assuredly, is not calculated to bespeak their favourable attention. They are called "idolaters ;" their priests are called "deceivers ;" their Church is denominated "the

of Babylon," &c. &c. We mean not, at present, to dispute the abstract propriety of these imputations; much, undoubtedly, may be said to prove some of them, at least, well deserved; we only question the expediency of resorting to them in the first instance, and as preliminaries to a discussion, which can alone be productive of advantage when it proceeds in a spirit of the most affectionate candour, kindliness, and charity.

A different course would, we are persuaded, be more prevailing. The Established Church takes a high stand in the country; it claims and receives large revenues and considerable immunities; and is, therefore, bound by the most solemn obligations to promote the moral well-being of every individual who is not excluded from the benefits of the social compact. Nor is the Church disposed to shrink from this arduous responsibility; her clergy are, we know, always ready to give a reason "for the faith that is in them." They are more quiet, temperate, and unobtrusive, than their brethren of other denominations, but not less disposed to aid in the diffusion of religious knowledge, or to extend the influence of the Gospel. We beg leave, therefore, with great earnestness, to express a wish that, in the parochial churches,controversial sermons should, at stated periods, be more systematically preached than they have been hitherto. The preaching, on such occasions, should be chiefly left to able men, selected by the ordinary, and eminent for their piety, learning, and orthodoxy; for whom it would be desirable that some provision were made, which might relieve them from the ordinary cares of parochial duty, and

enable them to pursue their great object with an undivided attention. Ser mons, we are aware, have been preached within the three last years, with very considerable success. They were the first and most remarkable indica tion of the spring-tide of zeal which set in with the commencement of "new reformation." We have no doubt that many have received benefit from them, but they also gave offence to many; partly, because they had more the appearance of a desultory enthusiasm, than the regular performance of an appointed duty; and, partly, because they were not, in all instances, executed with the requisite temper or discretion. But let it be well understood to be a part of the duty of the established clergy to explain, to all who may choose to listen to them, the grounds upon which they reject the dogmas of Popery; and let this be done with calmness, clearness, and ability, and it is morally impossible, in the present state of men's minds, that our churches should not, on such occasions, be filled with anxious and attentive hearers.

There are, however, many who would feel a reluctance to be seen at our places of worship, but who, nevertheless, entertain doubts upon the subject of their religion, which, if it were possible, it were no more than charitable to assist them in resolving; for the benefit of such as these, it would be desirable that committees were appointed in every diocese, or, if it were judged expedient, in every parish, consisting of learned men, skilled in the controversy, and able to give a ready and an appropriate answer to such questions as might be submitted to them by serious enquirers. Let it be publicly known, that such a body exists for such a purpose, and we stake our credit upon it, numerous and interesting applications will be made. They might be made either personally or by letter; either anonymously, or the applicants might subscribe their names. We cannot contemplate such a process going on for a series of years without the most gratifying anticipations. It would be slow but sure; it would be fishing with a line rather than a net. The committee should count their cost; they should be content to labour modestly and in secret, and without the glare or eclat which

attend the "Reformation Meetings;" and they should also be prepared to encounter, occasionally, a stupid hoax, or a disputant dogmatical and uncandid. But the majority of those who came to them for information would be of a different stamp, and their efforts, though silent and gradual, would yet be constant and uniform, and free from most of the disturbing influences which embarrass and perplex moral investigations. After a few years the results of such a system would asto nish the most sanguine reformers.

The employment of "Scripture readers," men of the humbler class, who frequent the cottages of the poor for the purpose of instructing them in the "word of God," is said to have produced good effects; but how little qualified such persons, generally speaking, must be for conducting contro versy upon enlightened principles, is but too apparent; and it is certain that, in many instances, conversion will, under their auspices, consist in little more than changing one set of errors for another. We entertain the belief, however, that there are to be found, amongst the lower orders, and in considerable numbers, too, individuals who might, with proper training, be made serviceable auxiliaries in furtherance of the principles of the reformation. These we would have regularly taught and disciplined for that purpose; and we are anxious to see such an "institute" established for their instruction as would give them a thorough knowledge of the doctrine and discipline of the national church. They would thus be positively as well as negatively qualified for this useful vocation, and enabled to build up as well as to pull down ; to plant in and to cherish, as well as to root out and destroy. We would desire to see them in close connexion with the church; and, to be truly useful, they should not proceed on their mission without a certificate of qualification from the superior of the institute, and a written permission from the ordinary of the diocese where they proposed to carry on their operations. Such persons, so prepared, would be precisely the "internuncii" best calculated for carrying on a friendly correspondence between the upper and lower classes, and serving as a kind of cement between the or

ders of society, which but too many circumstances are at present conspiring to divide.

There is one part of the plan proposed by the " Reformation Society" of which we most cordially approve, viz. the publishing, in a cheap form, and diffusing through the country, useful controversial works. Thanks to the champions of our venerable church, little remains to be said in addition to what they have written; and the most strenuous opponent of Popery will find their writings an armory where he may completely equip himself for the contest.

We need not apprehend that, in thus laying themselves out for the conversion of others, our clergy will neglect their own. The time has, we trust, for ever gone by, when so culpable a neglect of their bounden duty could be fairly charged upon them. It is truly gratifying to hear the testimonies which pour in from all sides, that they never were more deserving of public confidence, gratitude, and respect. Under the greatest privations, and in the midst of calumny and misrepresentation, they have borne themselves with a meekness truly evange lical; they have requited insolence with kindness, and returned blessings for curses; and more than justified will be their holy confidence-" that, by a patient perseverance in welldoing, they will put to shame the ignorance of foolish men."

It were gratifying and auspicious to see them take a lead, a real and efficient lead, in the great moral revolution at present going on in their country. Notwithstanding the boasts of "the priests," the Church of Rome is tottering to her fall. Let "the powers that be" look well to the species of Protestantism by which she is supplanted. Conversion may be carried on in two ways:-it may be carried on so as to infuse a spirit which would eventually lead to the subversion of government, and the separation of Great Britain from Ireland; or it may be carried on so as to establish

and corroborate those principles which are the firmest bond of their union. We have now to choose between these ;

nor is it as yet too late to make a wise election. Nor can we entertain the shadow of a doubt, that the conversion, by which the interests of religion would be best promoted, and which would prove a blessing to the empire at large, must be identical, both in spirit and principle, both in kind and degree, with that which it pleased Providence to produce in this country at the era of the reformation, and which gave rise to what Mosheim so truly describes as “ILLA QUIDEM VETERIS RELIGIONIS CORRECTIO, QUE, BRITANNOS ÆQUE A PONTIFI

CIIS ET A CÆTERIS FAMILIIS QUÆ DOMINATIONI PONTIFICIS RENUNCIA

VERUNT, SEJUNGIT.""

Such are the opinions, and such the views, which we entertain on this important subject. They are at variance, we are sorry to say, with those of great and good men, the prelates and the other eminent individuals of the Church of England, who patronise the "Reformation Society." It is impossible to hear the names of the Archbishops of York and Dublin, and the Bishop of Salisbury, without feelings of the deepest respect and admiration. In us they have been so strong as all but to overpower the conviction under which we labour, and which we have endeavoured to express, that the confederacy to which they are pledged is not well calculated for effecting the moral regeneration of Ireland. We áre aware of the disadvantages under which our opinions must go forth, when opposed to such high authority; but as they have been formed with deliberation, so we hope they have been expressed with charity and calmness, and we must be content to let them pass for what they are worth. By none, we are persuaded, will they be received with more kind indulgence than by the eminent individuals from whom we have, most reluctantly, dissented.