form your parts in defending the citadel of Protestant truth, even as your immortal ancestors did theirs in defending the bulwarks of Protestant liberty; and both truth and liberty, together with light, knowledge, prosperity, and peace, will take up their abode and dwell for ever among the mountains and valleys, in the castles and the cottages of our green island.

We remain, &c.,

THE MEMBERS OF THE DUBLIN PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION
AND REFORMATION SOCIETY,

THE ISLINGTON PROTESTANT INSTITUTE.

A MEETING of the clergy and laity was held on Monday evening, the 19th October, in the School-room, Church-street, for the purpose of considering the present position of this country, as regards the progress of Popery.

The Rev. DANIEL WILSON, the Vicar, was in the chair, and commenced by imploring the Divine blessing upon the deliberations and proceedings of the evening. He then remarked, that the clergy of Islington had abstained hitherto from joining any association, or forming any institution in the parish for the purpose of opposing Popery, though they had frequently been urged by various lay members of their congregations to do so, as well also as by the Secretaries of the Protestant Association and Reformation Society. The time, however, seemed now to have arrived when it was no more their duty to remain silent, but rather to come forward and adopt some positive, active measure, to stay the progress of Popery, and avert the evils with which we were threatened by it. Things had recently assumed a very different aspect to what they wore some time ago. Popery was increasing the number of her members, and engaged in a more public and active hostility against us. We had witnessed, too, many very unhappy secessions from our own Church to the Church of Rome; and statesmen had avowed their willingness, if not their desire and intention, of endowing the priesthood of the Church of Rome in Ireland. These and other points had all conduced to impress him and the other clergy of the parish with the importance, if not absolute necessity, of taking up the subject of Popery in a more prominent manner than it had hitherto been brought under the notice of their people. The force of public opinion in the present day was well known. It was not, however, in a merely political sense that the present move was to be regarded. The object was to form some Protestant Institute, which if it succeeded here might also be successful elsewhere, and serve to evoke a right feeling, and proper course of action, on the part of Protestants throughout the land. Foreign Protestant Churches and nations looked up to England. They looked up to her, he regretted to say, with grief and surprise. Dr. Steinkopff, well known to many present, had only recently left conversing with him. He stated that in Germany, from which he had not long since returned, he had heard the utmost astonishment expressed at what

was now passing in England, and that in the course of his interview with the King of Wurtemberg, his Majesty expressed much solicitude and alarm at the course events were now taking in England as regarded Popery. Now he (the Vicar) trusted the people would move in the matter; and it would probably be one course adopted in this parish to have series of lectures, sermons, and meetings upon the subject. He then apologized for the absence of Rev. J. Hambleton and Rev. J. Sandys, who were kept away by indisposition, and called on the Rev. C. F. Childe to read certain papers, which had been prepared to be submitted to the meeting for their adoption.

Rev. C. F. CHILDE then read the proposed Address and Resolution. He disclaimed political Protestantism, which would not wear long, and observed, that a sanctified zeal for the truth would alone stand in the time of trial. He for one blamed himself for having so long remained silent, as it had long appeared to him a duty to bring the subject more fully under the notice of his people from the pulpit. There were those, however, he knew, who thought that the plain preaching of the truth was quite enough. To do so was certainly essential. But it did not appear to go far enough. Ordinary precautions, and ordinary remedies, will do well enough in ordinary occasions; but when a pestilence was abroad, some means, specially adopted to point out and arrest its progress, seemed called for. Such was the case now as regarded Popery. Some said we were too late, that Jesuits were now at work in almost every quarter. There was, however, no need for despair, though much call for activity and energy.

The proposed Address and Rules were then read.

The

We

JAMES LORD, Esq., was then called on to address the Meeting. In doing so he desired to express his concurrence in what had fallen from preceding speakers as to the object in view, and the spirit in which the attainment of that object was to be sought after. weapons of our warfare were not to be mere carnal weapons. were engaged in a cause in which we could only hope for success from the blessing of God, and we could expect his blessing only as we acted in conformity with his will and Spirit. To maintain the purity of our faith, and the integrity of our constitution as a Christian Church and nation, were the objects of the projected movement. Popery was assailing both one and the other, and would be successful in her efforts, unless, by our counter efforts, we prevented her. Her unscriptural and intolerant principles remained what they were, and if her practices had altered, it was only in those places where the influence of Protestant feeling, directly or indirectly, acted upon her. This system, however, was increasing amongst us. Its population, its convents, colleges, priests, chapels, political and theological influence, had rapidly and extensively increased. This by no means proved the goodness of her cause, nor the badness of ours. It was referable to her activity and our supineness. We were suffering from the neglect of the preceding century. The population of this country possessed but a superficial acquaintance with Popery. They were not prepared to meet its sophistries. The distinctive marks of Popery and Protestantism had not formed a portion of the education of the people in any private or public institution. Hence the comparative indifference to the increase

of Popery, arising in a great degree from an ignorance of its nature. Hence vast advantages had accrued to the Church of Rome, who had been sending forth her missionaries, picked and tried men, educated at our expense, to corrupt our faith, and subvert our institutions! But people were now becoming alive to the evil, and by vigorous, energetic, united exertions, they might be instrumental in warding off many of the dangerous consequences justly to be apprehended as the fruit of past supineness.

Rev. E. HOARE observed, that information on the nature of Popery was much required. He would relate an instance which had occurred in his late congregation illustrative of this. He received a letter one morning from a parent in great distress and agony, informing him that his son had resolved to secede from the Church of England, and join the Church of Rome. He felt this information to be very painfully distressing, but resolved by the Lord's assistance to do what he could. He therefore instantly went off by train, first putting the decrees of the Council of Trent in his pocket. He reached the residence of the young man, and was shortly in conversation with him. "Of course," said he, "you have read the Council of Trent?" "No, he had not." "You have it by you, I suppose ? "No, Mr. says, I am to see it." "But do you know what it contains?— Are you prepared to receive the traditions of the Church with equal veneration as the Word of God?" "Certainly not," he replied. "But the Council of Trent requires it." "No," rejoined he, 66 I cannot believe it does." "But here it is, read what the Council says." He did so, and found to his surprise and astonishment, that he was required to receive the uncertain and unknown traditions of the Church as they are called, with equal reverence and obedience as the written Word of God. The young man then cast away the Council of Trent, in perfect abhorrence at the manner in which he had been almost ignorantly entrapped to join Popery. We must bear in mind, we desired to work with God, and for God, and so we might expect his continued blessing upon us.

Edward SAXTON, Esq., of Highbury-park, then moved the first Resolution.

Rev. T. B. HILL seconded it, and in doing so recommended to their perusal a little pamphlet, " Rome and England; addressed to the Clergy and Laity of the Parish," by a Resident Laymen; and read from it an extract from the speech of Lord John Russell, in which he stated himself favourable to the endowment of the Romish priesthood in Ireland, if he found the people of this country willing to give the money, and the Romish priesthood willing to take it. He trusted, therefore, there would be a strong and holy determination manifested to prevent any such measure from passing into law.

Mr. BUCKLER moved the next Resolution, observing he had often been asked what we were doing at Islington, and he rejoiced he should now be able to inform them that we were at work. He had seen many evils from Popery, and was much gratified to find the question was being taken up by the clergy and laity of this parish.

Rev. W. B. MACKENZIE seconded the Resolution.

The Rules were then again read seriatim, and adopted.

A FORM OF PRAYER TO ALMIGHTY GOD;

FOR RELIEF FROM THE DEARTH AND SCARCITY NOW EXISTING IN PARTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, OWING TO THE FAILURE OF SOME OF THE CROPS OF THE PRESENT YEAR,

To be read in all Churches and Chapels in England and Wales, and in the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, on Sunday, the 11th Day of October, and the two following Sundays, immediately before the Litany; and when the Litany shall not be read, before the Prayer for all Conditions of Men.

"O GOD, at whose bidding the earth, which sustaineth the life of man, hath withholden in parts of these islands the wonted provision of food, and turned abundance into scarcity, withdraw, we beseech thee, the judgment, of which we are justly afraid, that the poor perish not by famine.

"We acknowledge, O Lord, that by our strifes and divisions, our misuse of thy gifts, and forgetfulness of thy manifold mercies, we have justly deserved punishment: we have sinned, we have grievously sinned against thee: yet, knowing that thou art full of compassion, we beseech thee to pardon the offences of thy people, to relieve the poor and the needy in their present necessities, and to give, and preserve to our use, the fruits of the earth in their seasons.

"But whatsoever may be thy pleasure concerning us, give us grace to receive thy dispensations, whether of judgment or mercy, with entire submission to thy will, endeavouring to abate thy displeasure by repentance, and showing forth our sense of thy goodness by faithfully keeping thy commandments.

"Of ourselves we are unable either to will or to do that which is acceptable in thy sight. We therefore pray thee so to open our hearts to the influences of thy good Spirit, that showing compassion and mercy each man to his neighbour, and bearing the burdens one of another, we may obtain of thy favour the supply of our wants, and, with hearts knit together in brotherly love, may partake of thy bounties in peace and contentment, to the honour and praise of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

REPORT OF THE CLARE PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.

WE wished to have devoted more space to this excellent Report, but can now only give the following quotation from p. 12. Ireland is the field on which the cause of British Protestantism and the British Constitution is to be fought :

"Ireland still exhibits the same melancholy picture of turbulence and crime-murders are not unfrequently perpetrated in open day, and in the presence of numerous spectators-who so far from attempting to arrest the criminal, have been known to afford him every facility of escape: even in instances where the law has triumphed, the people have been taught to consider the murderer as a martyr, who has been unjustly put to death-while the culprit himself has been induced to leave the world with a lie upon his lips, and with loud protestations of innocence. When it is remembered, that Popery declares the murder of heretics to be a meritorious act-and that

even if guilt were incurred, the absolution of the priest is considered sufficient to remove it altogether, it will cease to be a matter of wonder that the parts of Ireland disgraced by such exhibitions, are those where Popery holds the most undisputed power. Notwithstanding this melancholy state of things, there are not wanting grounds of encouragement with regard to the progress of true religion, even in that unhappy portion of the empire. A spirit of inquiry is abroad, which all the efforts of the Romish priesthood are unable to repress; and the effects of which are seen in the open secession of multitudes from the apostate Church of Rome. The colony at Achill, under the management of its able and indefatigable superintendent, the Rev. Edward Nangle, continues to hold forth the light of truth, and to afford an asylum to many who must otherwise have either stifled the convictions of conscience, and continued in outward communion with a Church which they abhor-or encountered a series of persecutions similar to those with which the converts at Dingle are at this moment visited. Thus it is, that experience is every day attesting that the regeneration of Ireland is to be effected, not by the maintenance of a system of education, from which the Scriptures are avowedly excluded-not by the State endowment of the Romish priesthood, or of that seminary of superstition and treason, the Romish College of Maynooth, but by the wide and unrestricted circulation of the Word of the living God; that Word, which, when received into the heart, will be found not only to impart a sure and certain hope of future blessedness, but to teach its recipient to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.""

*

ENDOWMENT OF THE ROMISH PRIESTHOOD.

A SHORT time will decide whether this shall take place or no. We object to it on principle. We object to it on expediency. On moral, religious, political, and scriptural grounds we feel alike called on to protest against it, and to exhort our readers to do the same.

We wish to see a strong, an irresistible opposition testified to any such dangerous measure. But we wish above all to see an intelligent, right-minded, Christian opposition evinced.

Let every information at once be given as to the real nature of Popery, her objects and designs, the evils it has brought on Ireland, on other nations and people. Let us not be found fostering in our bosom the Roman viper. Torpid though we found her, we have already imparted the genial heat of British patronage; and returning life and vigour are the results. But we may rest most assured that we shall realize the fable of the viper and husbandman, and instead of gratitude shall feel the sting of Popery when it may be too late to apply either an antidote or a remedy.

Our Protestant readers will, we trust, bring this matter under the notice of others, as we endeavour to bring it under theirs. They may well ask further, where is the one million, or one million and a-half, to *For the support of this so-called national system of education in Ireland, and of the Popish College of Maynooth, upwards of 100,000l. out of the national treais annually expended, and this, exclusive of large sums of money from the same treasury, for the maintenance of Popery in our colonies.

sury,