IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS.

The SECRETARIES and TREASURERS OF ASSOCIATIONS are earnestly requested to forward their LISTS OF CONTRIBUTIONS and CASH STATEMENTS as soon as possible, to facilitate the publishing of the REPORT.

Just published.-Part I.

THE STORY OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS.

BY THE

REV. ALEXANDER DALLAS, M.A.

Price, neatly bound in cloth, 28. 6d. May be had at the IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS' OFFICE, 11, Buckingham Street, Strand; also of Messrs. HATCHARD, NISBET, SEBLEY, and MACINTOSH ; or through any Bookseller.

Valuable for Distribution.

Illustrated by Eight Romish Pictures.

Price 2d.; Six copies sent for Twelve stamps.

Apply to IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS, 11, Buckingham Street, Adelphi, London, W.C.

THE

Recently published, price 28.,

"THEM ALSO:"

STORY OF THE DUBLIN

MISSION.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "HOLLY AND IVY."

Published by NISBET, 21, BERNERS STREET, LONDON.

To be had also at 35, UPPER FITZWILLIAM STREET, DUBLIN; GEORGE HERBERT'S, 117, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN ;

AND AT THE OFFICE OF THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS, 11, BUCKINGHAM STREET, ADELPHI, LONDON. POST-FREE FOR 2s. 2d.

CONNEMARA ORPHANS' NURSERY.

From a friend in Edinburgh, Five Shillings.

⚫ Several other kind responses have been received, which will be acknowledged in the next Report of the Connemara Orphanages. These Reports may be had on application to the IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS' OFFICE.

1

The Banner of the Truth in Ireland.

JANUARY 1, 1868.

LET US PRAY.

(Our Motto for the Year.)

T can scarcely be necessary to remind our readers, or any supporters of the Irish Church Missions, that the Society dates its existence from the 16th of January, 1846; that it was then launched into active life by the earnest prayers of a little company of seven, who assisted in its first exercise of living

power, and that it has long been our practice to invite all who love and help its work, to keep this birthday as an occasion for similar fervent and united prayer, supplication, and giving of thanks.

Very graphic and touching is the record of this first prayer-meeting, as given by Mr. Dallas himself:-"The whole of the seven persons who alone were in the secret assembled in that little room, while the cart was waiting at the door. We all knelt down upon the very parcels, which left us no other foot-room, and I solemnly delivered them to the Lord, entreating Him so to guide the way of each of those thousands of letters, that his own glory might be magnified in the salvation of the souls of unhappy Romanists, and that many might be brought 'from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.' I feel sure that this prayer was echoed from the hearts of all the seven; the answer that has been vouchsafed let the records of the Irish Church Missions proclaim.

"Wafted by this prayer, the parcels were put into the cart, and conveyed to their several starting points. The day on which the letters were delivered at the doors of those to whom they were addressed was the 16th of January, 1846."*

But even this our first prayer-meeting was itself the answer to the earlier and persistent petitions which for nine or ten years before had, *"The Story of the Irish Church Missions," p. 58.