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Protestant Association also."-Cheers.) Oh, that of course must be supported. He looked upon it as the mother and mistress of all the Protestant Associations in Ireland. (Cheers and laughter.) Their principles were extending, and he had reason to believe that 60,000 Orangemen would meet that day in one spot in Ulster. (Tremendous cheering, Kentish fire, &c.) He would not commend the conduct of the Orangemen did he not know they were contending for the liberty wherewith Christ had made his people free. (Hear.) Their Association was a strictly religious one; they were contending for the cause of God as well as for themselves and their families; they were fighting for the Roman Catholics of Ireland, to deliver them from thraldom and death. (Applause.) In conclusion, the Rev. Gentleman regretted the absence of the Dean of Ardagh, whose invaluable work of "Ireland and her Church" contained a refutation of the Popish assertions against the Church, and an eloquent and triumphant maintenance of her principles. (Applause.)

The hymn, "All hail the power of Jesus' name," was then sung.

The following is the Very Reverend Dean's letter of apology; also a letter from the Rev. Charles Boyd:

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mittee my best thanks for the compliment paid me, and my mite towards defraying the expense of the Meeting. -I am, Dear Sir, yours faithfully,

"CHARLES BOYD.

"W. C. Espy, Esq., Secretary.”

THOMAS H. THOMPSON, Esq., moved the first Resolution, and was loudly applauded. He said his first duty was to apologize, on the part of the Rev. Hugh Prior, for his absence from the Meeting, which was caused by illness. He then read the following Resolution:-"That the victory of the Boyne, under William III. of glorious, pious, and immortal memory, which we this day commemorate, crushed Popish despotism, and invested with effectual bulwarks against tyranny the professors of the true religion; that we deplore the relinquishment of the securities, which were established by the spirit and patriotism of our forefathers; and that we hereby testify, that at the present moment the sincere profession of the Protestant faith is, in Ireland, detrimental to a man's temporal interests, and not unfrequently attended with danger to his person." He considered that there was scriptural warranty for commemorating so glorious a deliverance, and the universality of the cusIt may be said that such commemotom bore out the idea. (Hear, hear.) rations created bad spirit among Roman Catholics. If such were the case, it should not prevent them from celebrating a glorious deliverance, which was not gained by the aid of kings or soldiers, but by the outstretched arm of God. (Hear.) The victory of the Boyne was only the climax of a struggle which had been going on for a century, in order that the Gospel might have free course, that knowledge, enlightenment, and wisdom might increase, and that the Word of God should be the standard of the nation's conduct. He would detail to them a few of the extraordinary events of the early part of the seventeenth century. After the Reformation there still remained some of the spirit of Popery, and of the seeds of civil and religious despotism, and in 1604 there was a great Conference held at Hampton Court

to obtain a new and complete translation of the Bible, to cause an increase of zeal in preaching the Gospel, and to establish full liberty for the clergy in non-essentials. The new translation of the Bible was effected by the Conference, but he did not believe that the other two objects were accomplished. In 1629 a levy of taxes was made with consent of Parliament; and it was at that time that Oliver Cromwell made his first speech, and it was against the public preaching of Popery. In 1637, three gentlemen were pilloried -a barrister, a physician, and a clergyman, had their ears cut off, and were branded with hot irons, because they asserted that surplices were not necessary for the clergy. In 1648 happened one of the most extraordinary events that ever took place in the history of nations-namely, the conviction of the highest authority in England of high treason, and his execution accordingly. After the death of Charles I., Oliver Cromwell governed, and by his maintenance of Protestantism the empire flourished. At his death, in 1660, Charles II., a concealed Papist, was restored, and brought misery and judgment upon the realm; and finally, in 1685, James II. was called to the throne. heavy aggressions were made upon the people, who did not submit to despotism, but called to their head William III., of glorious, pious, and immortal memory. (Tremendous cheering, waving of handkerchiefs, &c.) His motto was "The Protestant religion and the liberties of England." (Immense cheering.) He (the speaker) would ask, could those liberties have been maintained while James had a footing in Ireland? ("No, no.") Well, then, the Protestants of Ireland, with William at their head, gave them battle at the banks of the Boyne, and then was the struggle of the century consummated and brought to an end by the achievement of that glorious victory which they that evening met to commemorate. (Loud applause, Kentish fire, &c.) They were, he may say, within an hour's drive of the Boyne, and living so near to the locality they should be ungrateful and negli

Then

gent not to keep up the remembrance of the triumph for truth and liberty there effected. The same God that ingulphed Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea led William on to victory, and as Moses and the Israelites sang their songs of triumph, so should they also rejoice with thankful hearts in the blessings which the victory of the Boyne handed down to them. (Applause.)

Mr. LARMINIE, Primitive Methodist missionary, was called on to second the Resolution, and was received with loud applause. He was thankful for what God had been pleased to do for him, through the persecution in past ages of his ancestors; for He had enabled him to commemorate on that night, with the Association, the victory of the Boyne. He was the descendant of a persecuted Hugunot, although he had not much of the Frenchman about him now; for he was an Irishman to the back-bone. ("Hear," and laughter.) He was a Connaught man, but he was a Protestant at all events. (Loud cheers.) He would endeavour to spread Protestantism, which was the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the Bible. (Hear.) With their respected Chairman he would draw a marked line of distinction between Popery and its professors. There were thousands of Roman Catholics who were longing to be freed from Popery, and to embrace the truths of the Bible. He had the key of every Irish heart-the knowledge of the Irish language. (Cheers.) The speaker then delivered a few sentences in Irish, which called forth the cheers of the audience. Why, said he, what I said in Irish was, "Listen to me, and I'll tell you a story," and you did the very contrary. (Loud laughter.) He then told some most interesting anecdotes, and proceeded-Though Popery was politically rising, it was not spiritually rising. He could give names and particulars of Roman Catholics reading the Bible unknown to their Reverences. They can't find it out, and may they never find it out. (Cheers.) He then called upon the Meeting to live as well as profess Protestant principles, and then they would see

their principles flourish and prevail. They would then live nearer their principles than heretofore, and their motto should be, "No Surrender." He concluded by narrating a few more anecdotes about the progress which the Word of God was making among the Irish-speaking portion of the people, and showed that they were enabled by their knowledge of that Word to refute and overthrow all that their priests could say against them.

The Resolution was put and passed, after which a version of the 124th Psalm, to the tune of the "Boyne Water," commencing with

"Unless the Lord his arm of power," was sung, the whole assembly joining. The Rev. FRANCIS IRWIN, Ruskey Rectory, moved the following Resolution, and was also very warmly received:-"That we attribute the deplorable condition under which Irish Protestants now exist to their own neglect that, instead of viewing themselves as a nation of witnesses for God and for his truth, whose mission was the conversion of all the people of Ireland, they considered themselves as a conquering host, whose privilege was the subjection of a party that we believe their calamities to have sprung from this neglect, and that we believe repentance is not yet too late." He would take up the words of the Resolution and say, that repentance was not yet too late; and the Protestants of Ireland would show that they were not to be put down by a Minister of State. At the battle of the Boyne it was proved that the spirit which animated the Protestants of Ireland was one which neither the world nor the devil could suppress. (Cheers.) That Meeting proved that the Protestant spirit still existed; and although some of the gentry may forget, while enjoying the comforts of life in their castellated mansions, the case of the poor Protestants, still the spirit of these men could not be quenched or put down. (Hear.) The proprietors of land at first kept Protestants upon it to protect them in the enjoyment of their property, but Popery began to be encouraged by the State. They thought Papists

and Protestants were alike, but they had sowed the wind, and were now reaping the whirlwind. They were captivated by the tinkling of Popish gold on their agents' desks, and gave their land to the highest bidder, and the result was, that now, instead of having a Protestant tenantry to protect them, they had a police force and a stipendiary magistracy; instead of whom, they could have as their protectors

"A bold peasantry, their country's pride." But there was a space for repentance, and the Protestants of Ireland would still prove to Papists, Puseyites, and trimming Ministers, that they were members of a Church against which the gates of hell should not prevail; and though the storm may rage around, and angry tempests threaten desolation, they would place their trust in Him by whom the very hairs of their head were all numbered. (Hear, hear.) Protestants had been unfaithful, and if they would, as his friend Mr. Larminie had said, not merely profess but live Protestantism; if they would be epistles known and read of all men, then would they have on their side the Lord as the Captain of their salvation, and in his strength go on conquering and to conquer, till the knowledge of his name would cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. If they were true Protestants, they would show to their Roman Catholic countrymen that their only mode of escape was in the blood of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world; in the merits of Him who was willing and able and ready to save them; and that they should therefore cast off their dependence on those roaring lions who were going about seeking to devour. (Hear.) Yes, the priests of the Church of Rome were the emissaries of lies and of the father of lies, Satan. (Hear, hear.) There was an under-current of Protestantism running through the land, and the Bible was read by multitudes in spite of the priests. He (the speaker) had no fear of man; he laughed to scorn the threats of Grattan and the Repealers, and he would speak out his sentiments fearlessly on all occasions. (Cheers.) It was the trimmers, the

cowards, who were disrespected, but they who went with their faces Zionwards feared not to reach the goal. (Applause.)

SIMON ARMSTRONG, Esq., D.L., J.P., Hollymount, seconded the Resolution. He said that he had been called upon to occupy a position which he had little idea of on entering that Meeting. He did not imagine that Connaught would give so large a quota of speakers on the occasion, but he was happy to say that there were as warm-hearted and zealous Protestants in Connaught as in any part of Her Majesty's dominions-men who knew the truth, and loved the truth as it was in Christ Jesus. He cordially and sincerely subscribed the sentiments of the Resolution, and of the speaker who proposed it; and he would contend for these principles through evil and through good report. (Hear, hear.) From the parting address of the Premier, he feared that an attempt was in progress to break up the Church Establishment in Ireland; and that the Whigs would be gin their legislation on the Irish Church. That was implied from the words, that Ireland should be put on the same footing, in point of politics and religion, with England and Scotland. Then was the time for men to advocate, profess, and live their principles, and live to the glory of God, so that they should be enabled to shout, “ Victory, victory," with their latest breath, through the blood of the Lamb. (Applause.)

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The Rev. T. D. GREGG rose to move the following Resolution, and was received with loud demonstrations of applause :-"That we are convinced that if all Irish Protestants, without exception, organized themselves in order to show the nature of Christian laws, and constitutionally to demand their enactment, the power of truth, and the numbers on their side would soon convince the Protestant community of Great Britain that the path of safety ran side by side with the path of duty, and that both led to the ascendancy of truth, its sole maintenance, encouragement, and countenance; and that we are further convinced that so long as British statesmen are led by any expediency to

countenance religious falsehood and to pension idolatrous apostasy, they need not expect aught but overthrow, disaster, and disgrace." The Reverend Gentleman proceeded to say that there never was a crisis more imperatively demanding the anxious consideration of the Protestants of Ireland than the present. Sir Robert Peel had been justified in his original statement that his difficulty would be Ireland-he encountered that difficulty and fell before it. It was O'Connell who turned out the British Ministry; he had organized a power, invested with so much of what appeared formidable in Ireland, that the late Ministry sunk beneath it. In fact, both in Parliament and out of Parliament, the Repeal force was so organized as to constitute a preponderating force; that force being on the side of bad legislation rendered good legislation impracticable, and Peel, in attempting to carry out what he regarded as good legislation, fell. It was then unquestionably the Irish difficulty which destroyed the Ministry. (Hear.) He (Mr. Gregg) did not blame the Repealers, but rather the reverse. Their policy he despisedhe considered it mean and paltry. If they realized their object, Ireland, instead of being an integral portion of the greatest empire on the earth, would sink down into a contemptible tenth-rate state, that would exert as little influence upon the condition of the world as did Sardinia, Sicily, or Corsica. (Hear, hear.) Yet such an independency was the professed ambition of the Repealers. Despicable as this policy was, he could not but admire the determination which they manifested. Bound together in an immoveable phalanx, they relied on themselves, and were determined to die on the floor of the House, rather than allow a measure to pass into law which they felt to be at variance with the interests of their country. (Hear, hear.) Had such determination as they manifested been developed amongst the Protestant representa tives of Ireland, would the Maynooth Bill have ever become law? (Loud cries of "No," and cheers.) It was then, the Irish difficulty that discomfited Peel. But what was the source

of that difficulty? It was the apathy of Irish Protestants. If Irish Protestants all stood out as that Association did, they would constitute a party on the side of good legislation, which would be an insurmountable obstacle in the way of bad-an Irish difficulty on the right side of the question. The Reverend Gentleman then at much length urged on those present the employment of renewed exertions to create a great party in Ireland, who should be witnesses for the truth. (Hear, hear.) Sir Robert Peel had gone out of office, and, as far as he could make them so, his last words rung the knell of the Irish Church. Such was the sense which they must deduce from his statement, that Ireland should be reduced to a level in religious matters with England and Scotland, whereby he meant that, as the religion of the majority was established in England and Scotland, so should the religion of the majority be established in Ireland. That, no doubt, was what he meant by the equality he spoke of. There was, however, a view of the subject which rendered his statement altogether sophistical. Certainly the religion of the majority was established in England, but then that religion was true; and the religion of the majority was established in Scotland, but that religion was also true. Now, if the religion of the majority was established in Ireland, that religion would be false —a delusion—a snare (cheers); and therefore its establishment, instead of placing this country in point of religion in a like condition with England and Scotland, would create a most injurious inequality between the three countries. As it was, there might be said to be a religious equality between England, Ireland, and Scotlandnamely, because the true religion was established in each. (Cheers.) But if Ireland were made an exception, and the false established here, then, indeed, there would be created an injurious inequality-an inequality infinitely greater than could be created by any discrepancy in point of mere numbers. (Hear, hear.) There were two ideas before the world. One was the American idea of liberalism; the other was the old English

idea, much more stern and severe, of rectitude. The American idea was, that the State had nothing to say to any man's religion; that whether he were Jew, Turk, or Atheist, worshipped God, or worshipped Belial, was a matter that the Government should not interfere with. The English idea, instead of growing out of that which could scarcely be denied to be a convenient indifference, was grounded upon some chapters of Deuteronomy, and other parts of the Scripture, which commanded the ruler that if any one bowed down and worshipped strange gods, he should be stoned with stones until he was dead. That was unquestionably the principle of all the Old Testament Scripture, and he repeated, that on that was founded the English idea. Yet here he felt it necessary to draw a most important distinction. The English principle did not warrant the persecution of individuals for conscience' sake, but it did warrant, and demand, too, the extirpation of false principles by the exclusive promulgation of the true. It held unquestionably that the eradication of religious error was a function of the State. He (Mr. Gregg) took it that the only effectual way whereby error could be eradicated, was by sound educational laws-laws to diffuse and propagate right principles. The English idea, then, presented a Government raising, refining, chastening, correcting the national mind, and elevating its subjects in the scale of being, by an active interference to increase the spread of truth amongst them. The American idea allowed every man to do in religion what was right in his own eyes. that idea Sir Robert Peel seemed to have become enamoured, and in consequence, he was bound on letting the religion of the majority in Irelandthat religion being false-have a free course through the country, without obstacle, opposition, or protest. He (Mr. Gregg), as an individual, most humbly said that he regarded such a design as utterly wrong; and he could not avoid recollecting with much satisfaction a bold and manful statement which had been made some time since by the men of Fermanagh, in an address to the Queen. They boldly

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