will have any effect. It is remarkable to observe how all this is losing its power over the people. There are nearly 100 children of Roman Catholics attending the three schools of which I send returns. Not a single one has been withdrawn by their parents, notwithstanding all the endeavours of the priests to make them do so.

I have opened a weekly service at within the last month. Two of the coastguards stationed there have recently married convert girls from the neighbourhood. Many Roman Catholic young men attend the three night-schools, and value very highly the instruction given.

About a fortnight since one of the convert young men of our congregation sailed for America, being unable to find sufficient employment here to support himself and his aged mother. He was obliged to leave the latter behind in the care of a married sister, who is also very poor. The priest having heard that he was about leaving, sent a message to him, offering him aid for himself, and promising to provide for his mother, on condition that they should both return to Popery. Without the slightest counter-inducement being held out to them, they both indignantly refused. Indeed, I did not become aware of the circumstance until the very evening before he left, when he showed me a letter which he was just about to post, written in a firm yet temperate tone, giving the priest "a reason for the hope that is in him," and saying that he valued his soul's salvation far above any hopes of temporal prosperity.

The Banner of the Truth in Ireland.

JULY 1, 1868.

THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING.

HE Society for Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics has now entered upon the twentieth year of its existence. Its nineteenth anniversary, held in London in May last, was certainly one of the most encouraging that it has had for many years. The attendance, both at the breakfast and meeting, was large; the addresses weighty and to the point; and the testimony borne to the value of the Society's operations hearty and full. The Archbishop of Armagh, ever the steady friend of the Irish Church Missions, made time, notwithstanding the pressure of the great questions which now occupy all minds, to be present at the meeting, and bear his testimony to the work, which His Grace did in these words:" I have come here to express the deep interest that I take in this Society, and the conviction that it is doing a Christian work. . . I have great confidence in the Society."

Before passing on to the meeting, we must glance at the valuable addresses of Doctors Blakeney and Taylor, given at the breakfast. The topics they had to handle were, "Have the principles of the Reformation declined ?" and "The best means to be employed in their revival and extension"? We would give at length Dr. Blakeney's valuable paper on the first topic, but space will not allow. We therefore content ourselves with inserting the conclusions to which his arguments lead, and his closing remarks thereon.

"The conclusions to which I arrive are these:

·

"1st. Evangelical truth was never stronger in the Church and country than in the present time.

"2nd. Mediævalism since the days of Edward VI. was never so developed in the Church.

"3rd. Open Popery since the reign of Mary was never so powerful in Britain.

"If the truth is strong, so is error, and the decline of the State Church principles of the Reformation have cleared the way for a great conflict. While I feel that Protestant truth occupies a powerful position in the Church, I am convinced that our perils are extreme. The contest now going on is precisely the same as that which took place in the reign of Edward VI., between Medievalism advocated by Gardiner and Protestantism advocated by Cranmer. In some respects the Mediævalism of this age is more audacious than that of the reign of Edward VI.; for, while the Ritualists profess to accept the Protestant formalism, Gardiner and others rejected them altogether.

"But it is to be observed particularly that the decline which has taken place in the State Church principles of the Reformation leaves room for the development of Romanism within and without. In the reign of Edward VI. or Elizabeth, Ritualism would have been crushed at once. Either the Crown or Parliament would have speedily disposed of the evil; but liberalism is now so prevalent, and our modern system of ecclesiastical judicature is so cumbrous, that while proceedings are going on at a marvellously slow pace, the enemy seizes the opportunity to advance his views.

"The Ritualists are few in number and weak in their cause, but resolute in purpose, daring in resolve, and strong in energy. Whether they are Jesuits or not, they are doing the work of Rome most effectively; for while she is engaged outside they are busily employed within, advocating the whole cycle of Roman doctrine.

"The decline of the State Church principles of the Reformation has operated powerfully in favour of the Papacy. Liberals, as they are called, demand liberty of action for her, forgetting that she will avail herself of liberty to crush it in the end. Religious equality is the popular cry, and Dr. Manning swells the chorus in his pamphlet on Ireland; but he declares in his pastoral, lately issued, that the Encyclical of 1864, which condemns religious equality, was given by inspiration of God. Rome never gives but demands equality as the step to ascendency.

"The religious principles of the Reformation are still strong in the land, but the decline in the State Church principles of the Reformation affords to Rome the opportunity which she has long sought of developing her canon law and intolerant system.

"The battle for Romish ascendency has begun; it has not yet reached its height, but if, by means of Ritualism within and Romanism without, the Established Church be destroyed, we shall be reduced to a state of anarchy, for the Throne will not long survive the Church. I believe that Rome looks for chaos that she may reconstruct her system.

"The Irish Church Missions in the knowledge which it imparts to Protestants in general, the training which it gives to its missionaries in particular, and the gospel which it bears to Roman Catholics, as its main object, has done, and is doing, a great work for the truth and glory of God, and also for our national wellbeing.

"To sum up my observations, I believe that, while the religious principles of the Reformation are as vigorous as ever, its State Church principles have declined, and that, in consequence of this fact, a war of opinion has begun which may involve the empire in the most serious results."*

Dr. Taylor then dealt with the second proposition. He showed

*We are indebted to "The Record" for the extracts which appear in this article.

how desirable it is that the public mind should be convinced of the transcendent importance of the principles of the Reformation, both in spiritual and temporal concerns. In the former as being identical with the principles of the gospel, and in the latter as being absolutely essential to civil liberty, national independence, domestic sacredness, and material prosperity, because these are the natural and necessary outgrowths of the individual freedom, private judgment, personal energy, self-government, and sense of personal responsibility which constitute the genius of Protestantism.

He then went on to describe the importance of lodging deeply in the public mind a conviction of the absolute necessity for controversial teaching, i.e., not merely the positive, but the exclusive aspect of Divine truth. This Dr. Taylor did in terms which so well describe the principles upon which the teaching in the Irish Church Missions is conducted, that we would solicit thoughtful consideration of his remarks. It would be difficult to exaggerate their value. Referring to the manner of controversial teaching, Dr. Taylor said :

"The element of limitation must be introduced as expressed in the word only; as otherwise, truth may be taught without eradicating error. This is evident from the nature of the case.

"The human mind is not a mechanical vessel of given capacity, by filling which you may exclude all else. It is rather a prolific living soil, full of indigenous, and, alas! noxious weeds and roots in the shape of evil tendencies and corrupt fancies. The Georgics of the mind, therefore, require a somewhat similar process to that of the natural world. There must be eradication, and constant pruning away of the errors which naturally and spontaneously spring up out of corrupt human nature. If not, the merely positive teaching will be mentally supplemented by pre-existing errors. There are, in fact, two classes of errors, and consequently two modes of treatment. Errors of defect, such as Socinianism, merely require to be supplemented by positive teaching concerning the Divine nature in Christ and the vicarious character of his propitiatory atonement. But errors of excess require the element of limitation to be introduced. That is, the error which overlays the truth must be pointed out, cut off, and eradicated. It must be stated and refuted, otherwise it will remain in the mind and act as a poison, and adulterate the pure food of Divine truth. Of this error the Galatians were guilty, and of this, Rome is the most awful instance. Her errors are all errors of corruption by addition. She teaches all our positive truth, but without its element of limitation. She holds two sacraments, but not two only; justification by faith, but not by faith only; the Bible as a rule of faith, but not the Bible only; the sacrifice on the cross, but not that sacrifice only; Christ the Head of the Church, but not Christ only; Christ the Mediator between God and man, but not Christ only, etc.

"This, in fact, is the radical error of fallen nature-not so much openly to deny the revelation of God, but to corrupt, destroy, and neutralize it by human inventions and additions. Hence we read in the Divine Word the solemn cautions :"Thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish therefrom.'

"Add thou not to his words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.' "Full well have ye made void the law of God through your traditions.'

"If any man add to these words, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book,' etc.

"On this principle of exclusiveness and limitation the Reformation is based; on this it was carried out by our Reformers. In our Articles and Catechism we have abundant illustrations. The Sacraments are two only.' We are justified by faith only.' 'In such only as rightly receive' the sacraments have they a wholesome effect or operation. The Body of Christ in the Supper is given, taken, and eaten 'only after an heavenly and spiritual manner.' The written Word of God only is the rule of faith and practice. Christ alone' is without sin; and there is none other sacrifice for sin but Him alone,' finished on the cross."

The Bishop of Tuam, who was warmly received, after some prefatory remarks, expressed astonishment at the ignorance and misconception which exists, even among the educated classes in this country, on the subject of the history of the Irish Church, that—

"Even legislators spoke as if the Irish Church were occupying a false position with reference to their revenues, as if those revenues were once the property of the Roman Catholic Church. All, however, who wished to know the facts would find this to be the case-that the tithe of the Irish branch of the Church never belonged to the Roman Catholic Church at all. They would find that the tithe had no existence before the Reformation, except in the four counties within the English pale. All the revenues enjoyed by the Roman Catholic Church were chiefly the property of monastic institutions, which property, when confiscated, never came to the Irish branch of the Church, but became the possessions of the laymen; and therefore, if the Roman Catholics want their property back, they must go to a very different quarter to get it. They would also find that eight-ninths of the tithe-rent charge that is paid to the Irish branch of the Church is paid by Protestant landlords. That only one-ninth is in the possession of Roman Catholic landlords, and that much of that has been acquired within the last few years through the operation of the Encumbered Estates Court. They would also find that five-sixths of the glebe lands have been granted to the Protestants since the Reformation. And more than this, that with the exception of a very few of the old cathedrals, every church has been built since the Reformation with Protestant money, and never used for anything but Protestant purposes. Every rectory house has likewise been built since the Refor mation. So that when Cardinal Cullen talked about the Irish branch of the Church being maintained by money for Roman Catholic purposes, he was stating what, to say the least, showed an utter ignorance of Irish history. (Applause.) The fact is, a Roman Catholic does not think the Church a grievance at all, for he knows he doesn't pay for it. The Roman Catholics are with us. It is a great mistake to suppose they are not, except where pressure is put upon the people by the priest. They feel that it is the security of their liberties."

At the meeting, the Bishop of Ripon was the first speaker. His lordship had the advantage of having just returned from Dublin, where he had gone as a deputation from the Society to the April gatherings, and had personally witnessed the work in that city.

In concluding an able speech on the attack now being made on the Irish Church, his lordship said :

"My sympathies are as warm in favour of the Irish Church Missions Society as