and school, and its noble orphanage. This is the brother institution to that for girls in Clifden. Dr. McCarthy gave the boys a sifting ex amination, with which I was greatly pleased. "On Friday, I had the great pleasure to be present at an assem blage of all the schoolmasters, mistresses, and readers at Clifden, and was exceedingly gratified with their earnest character and intelligence. The clergy, who were all likewise assembled on the occasion, dined together at the Rectory, and I felt it a great privilege to be amongst them. "Let me offer a few observations in conclusion. No person can visit the Irish Church Missions without noticing the singular fitness of all the agency. Everywhere the right man seems to be in the right place; and such men, so thoroughly expert in controversy, and yet so spiritual and solid in character. The undertaking is vast and Herculean. Ireland is, indeed, an Augean stable; yet one has only to see the workmen, and one cannot doubt of the result in God's own time. The schools appear to me the most hopeful part of the work in the rural districts. I would have said so of Dublin, but what I have witnessed of other branches of the work among the adults, forbids my expressing such an opinion. The whole operations of the Society are wonderfully effective, and I thank God for what He is doing, and not less for the benefit which I feel that I have received for my own soul and my own small work at home." THE BANNER DISPLAYED: A CONTRAST. JUST thirty years ago, in the winter of 1842, there occurred in India a scene in which no inconsiderable part was played by one who has lately passed from amongst us- Field-Marshal Sir George Pollock, Bart., G.C.B., and G.C.S.I., one of the Vice-Presidents of the Irish Church Missions Society. It is so graphically described by Sir Herbert Edwardes, in his "Life of Sir Henry Lawrence" (Vol. I. p. 424), that we cannot forbear transcribing a few sentences, in the hope that some of our readers may be led to read for themselves, and may be encouraged by reading one of the most suggestive biographies of the day. 66 The place is Ferozepoor. On the one side is the Army of Reserve; on the other the returning troops of Sale, Nott, and Pollock. Sale with the remnant of his 'illustrious garrison,' Nott with the reconquered gates of an Indian temple, Pollock with worthier trophies—the rescued British captives." The contrast is thus drawn : :-ཡ "In the Army of Reserve the bugle sounds or the drum beats, and out of those snowy tents the fair-faced British soldiers and the dark Indian sepoys come swarming forth, all clad alike in the red uniform of England, bright and new, with belts of spotless white. They fall into their ranks and their brigades. No regiment there less than a thousand strong, and their colours (glorious in silk and gold device, and fresh-embroidered names of bygone battles) fly proudly out, as they march by in faultless lines to the music of their bands." "Dwindled low in numbers, half-clothed in Affghan goat-skins, and bronzed with a long campaign, their standards rent and smoked in many a fight, and nothing bright about them but their musket-locks and swords, the horse and foot of Pollock, Nott, and Sale take up their ground. No martinet would praise them, as loosely and easily they move along like men who, long ago, have thrown their leather stocks away at some mountain's foot. A few fifes, drums, and bugles are all the band' that is left them. But they march with the habitual step of victory and endurance, and an irrepressible cheer bursts from their comrades of the reserve as the arid plain resounds under their tread. Together the two armies are a gallant sight-forty-five thousand soldiers of all arms passing in review before the chiefs of the two great States.” The thirty years that have passed since then have witnessed the formation and the progress with varying experience, of our Missionary agency having for its object the recovery of other "captives." By God's mercy, the "step of victory and endurance" has characterized many who have been called up higher, and yet characterizes some who are permitted to bear and to display "The Banner of the Truth" in this branch of Christ's Church still militant here on earth. For winning in days to come new trophies to the glory of the Captain of our salvation, we need men of the stamp of Sir George Pollock, concerning whom we are permitted to bring before our readers the following notice: "He was the child of pious parents, who taught him early to know and love the Scriptures, and to read them daily, with prayer, which good habit he never neglected. It was his daily habit in India, and up to the time of his death. He always rose before six o'clock that he might have time for intercourse with the Lord. During the war in Affghanistan his little Testament was buttoned up in the breast of his uniform, to be ready at any spare moment for perusal; and he continually prayed for wisdom and guidance in all his difficulties, and he received help from the Lord.” "O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee: be Thou their arm every morning, our Salvation also in the time of trouble.". Isa. xxxiii. 2. DUBLIN, THE accounts of the Mission work in Dublin are most cheering. The classes every evening are full, and deeply interesting; schools wellattended; institutions overflowing; Sunday schools well filled. A teameeting, recently given for shop-people, was attended by over five hundred, among whom were a great many Romanists, who were thus brought under the sound of earnest Gospel addresses. The Dublin friends who support the Mission work with so much self-denying activity, are deeply thankful and greatly cheered by the tokens of God's blessing vouchsafed to their labours. A RECENT HANDBILL. "OLD TRUTHS AND NEW DOGMAS." Did not the Pope define, on the 8th December, 1854, the doctrine of the "Immaculate Conception ?" Was this an OLD TRUTH, or a NEW DOGMA ? Does not the Scripture say, "That all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ?"-Rom. iii. 23. And again, "Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned ?"-Rom. v. 12. And again, "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe ?"-Gal. iii. 22. Are not these OLD TRUTHS, and safer to trust in than any new dogma? Is Cardinal Cullen justified in saying in his recent Pastoral on the Immaculate Conception:" And you, too, who have fallen away from the paths of virtue, oh, hasten to the bosom of this Refuge of Sinners, our common Mother. No matter how strong the ties which render you the slaves of sin, no matter how heavy the yoke which your iniquities have imposed on you, rest assured of pardon and reconciliation, if, with humility, with contrition, and confidence, confessing and detesting your sins YOU TURN YOUR EYES TO MARY."-Freeman's Journal, Nov. 25, 1872. Could more be said of the Blessed Saviour, who says Himself "COME UNTO ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."-Matt. xi. 28. Did not the Pope, on the 8th of December, 1864, issue his Encyclical Letter and the Syllabus of Condemned Propositions, in which he denounces liberty of conscience and of worship as the liberty of perdition; and was not the last doctrine that of the Personal Infallibility of the Pope, proclaimed on the 18th of July, 1870 ? Is Papal Infallibility an OLD TRUTH or a NEW DOGMA? Do recent events in Italy justify the following statement of Cardinal Cullen, in the pastoral above quoted : "It is now eighteen years since his Holiness defined the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, and though he has passed through the severest ordeal in that period, and is still surrounded by dangers, yet we cannot but perceive that the Holy Virgin, as a reward for the honours decreed to her by his INFALLIBLE DECISION, has watched over him, and given him health, and strength, and wisdom, and preserved him in a thousand ways from all the snares of his enemies. Notwithstanding all the plots and attempts of armed conspirators and unprincipled politicians, the Pope, THOUGH A PRISONER, is still at Rome, attending with zealous watchfulness to the administration of the affairs of the universal world, and calmly and courageously resisting all those who are leagued against him, and conspiring for his ruin, and the overthrow of religion. The Holy See was never so powerful as in the weakness of the present Pontiff." Is not the Lord Jesus Christ the only Saviour, and the Holy Spirit the only infallible guide of the Church? Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me."-John xiv. 6. SUMMARY OF MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. Roundstone.-This last month has been one of much interest. The people in this district are all alive on the subject of education. It appears that the new parish priest has been preaching to them on that subject, and finding fault with them for allowing their children to grow up in ignorance. The effect of his preaching was to cause a large influx of children to our school at C. Our teacher there is a first-rate man, and much liked by his Roman Catholic neighbours. Many evenings previous to the day on which the children came to the school, several of the parents and elder brothers came to his house and had most interesting conversations with him, and finally resolved that as the priest had accused them of bringing up their children like beasts of the field, and as they had a good teacher so near them, they would risk the priest's wrath, and send their children. An influential man set the example by sending his son, and immediately the numbers increased from four to thirty-two. I cannot describe the pleasure with which I visited this school soon after. Many and earnest had been the prayers on its behalf, and with deep thankfulness to Almighty God I examined the children on the first five texts of the 100 text sheet, and explained their meaning. It was pitiable to find how ignorant they were of the simple truths of the Gospel. When I next examined the change was wonderful. Though only a week had elapsed, many of them seemed quite familiar with truths of which they had been previously totally ignorant. Two more weeks elapsed, and then came a change. The hedge schoolmasters, finding that "the hope of their gains was gone," informed the priest, who on the following Sunday, thundered forth his anathemas against the delinquents; and when I next visited the school it was almost empty. Our hearts were cast down, but we resorted to prayer, and ere long, one by one, many returned; but again came the calling out of names from the altar, and threatened excommunications, but this time the effect was not so great. Many of the children still remained, but, owing to their not coming very regularly, the monthly average is small. On one occasion, whilst visiting the school and examining in the 100 texts, about a dozen lads passed by from a neighbouring hedge school. Our master invited them in. They came in, and stood in a row behind the chair, listening to all I said, apparently taking an interest in it. Only one of these boys had ever been in the school before. I had several conversations with the parents of the children, and the schoolmaster has had very many, and the unanimous feeling expressed is one earnest desire to send the children, and bitter wrath against the priest for prohibiting them from doing so. One man, a leader amongst them, told me he would not keep his son away, whatever the priest might say, as he was educated in a Protestant school himself, and was none the worse, but all the better for it. "I would consider it a sin," he said, "to keep my son from a good school when I had one so near." I cannot but feel that the Lord is working in this place, and if He be for us, who can be against us. district we have In the Bmet with much opposition, and the consequence has been a falling off in the numbers attending the day school. Strange to say, however, the night school is well attended. Six young men who never attended before have been attending regularly this winter, three times a week. Our reader has most earnest and interesting discussions with them. There is no doubt that, but for the power of the priests, we should have all our schools filled to overflowing. I find the people willing enough to converse when they are alone, but in company they are silent, owing to the strict injunction they have received not to speak a word on religion to any Protestant. A few nights ago, when driving home from a meeting some miles distant, I picked up a man, with whom I had a most interesting conversation. He seemed deeply in earnest about his soul, though very ignorant. "God help us," he said, Iwe are like the beasts of the field. You. Protestants put us to shame; you know your religion, and have such confidence in it." I spoke to him simply, pointing him to Jesus as his friend, instead of the Virgin. He learnt for me the little 66 prayer, "Oh God, for Christ's sake, give me thy Holy Spirit," and left me promising to repeat it at his prayers every evening. May God answer it, and give him peace, for Christ's sake! Moyrus. We have great reason to thank the Lord for the many tokens of success in the progress of the good work in this retired region, in the face of the most violent opposition on the part of our enemies. Though the most determined efforts have been made by the priests at the head of their persecuting followers to crush the good work, none but an eyewitness could realize the malignant, persecuting, unmerciful spirit of Rome against those who were brought out from their wicked system into the marvellous light of the Gospel. The Lord had been with us in the fiery persecution to which we were exposed, and I rejoice to bear testimony to the self-denial, patience, and forbearance of young and old in the most trying circumstances, not rendering railing for railing, or evil for evil, but contrariwise blessing. A missionary spirit pervaded our brethren, old and young, prayer was made for our enemies; and I now rejoice to say that some of those who persecuted us most are now on the Lord's side, rejoicing in the precious things that belong to their peace, attending the house of prayer, and encouraging others to follaw their example. It is very cheering to witness the great desire of the people for Scriptural knowledge. The Word of God is heard with deep respect and great attention, notwithstanding the terrible denunciations of the priests. The opposition schools are languishing; in fact, there is scarcely any attendance, and I am glad to say our pupils attend very regularly, even in wet and cold weather. The children of our school never made more progress in Scriptural knowledge at any former period. I regret to say I have not remembered for the last twenty years such a period of distress among our numerous poor-food and fuel very scarce, yet neither murmur nor complaint escapes their lips, and they feel full confidence all their wants will be supplied in due season. The attendance at our Sunday school, and the services of our church is very cheering, and the members of the congregation heartily join in the responses. We are now looking forward with hope for a greater extension of the work than at any former period. Renvyle.-Our schools have suffered much from a priestly storm, absolution refused to the trembling parents till a solemn promise was given to withdraw the children from the Jumpers' school. It was very sad and melancholy to go into the schools on the day that a station was held close at hand, and to find it thoroughly emptied of the children of Romanists. Now that the storm has blown over, I am happy to say that the timid are gaining courage. I found five of the little scared ones back in the Nest to-day. I have established a weekly controversial class at C-school-house, which is a lonely place at the foot of a mountain. Thank God it is, so far, a great success. During the two moonlight nights, we had twenty and seventeen respectively; the other two nights were extremely dark and stormy. On each night there were Romanists present, and two of them took part in the friendly discussion. One is a rich and intelligent farmer, who knows his Bible, and has several knotty points to propose; the other is an old weaver, not very intelligent, but very sincere, and possessing more of the truth, I think, than the farmer. The farmer is almost a Christian; he does not go to confession, and does not believe in the Pope's infallibility. When I proposed it for a subject at our meeting, he said it was no use, as he did not receive the doctrine. I have great hopes that these little meetings will prove a blessing, and that God will open the hearts and minds of these poor blind Romanists to receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save their souls. May God grant it for Christ's sake. Amen." Aughrim.—The past month has been one of great trial to our schools. The emissaries of Romanism, taking advantage of the absence of the Rev. J. Crampton through iH health, have sent a young priest as missionary into this parish. He at once assailed our schools, and visited every house that sent a child to them, trying, by every artifice that could be adopted, to induce the parents to withdraw their children. I visited each house after him, and found that he used the controversy to his own advan tage. He spoke of the Bible as a book only for infallible men, too difficult for young people to understand. Fortunately, the Rev. H. C. Cory had the previous week examined the children on the simple texts of the Bible, showing the children that they were easy to understand, to all who would read them with a proper spirit, and only to be |