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IRISH CHRONICLE.

SEPTEMBER, 1852.

TO THE TREASURER AND COMMITTEE.

Conlig, County Down, August 19th, 1852. MY DEAR BRETHREN,-Again I have the pleasure to address you from that island which is the object of your special solicitude and care. Last Saturday morning, after a voyage of twelve hours from Fleetwood, I landed at Belfast, where I found Mr. Eccles on the quay, waiting to conduct me to his habitation. Belfast, the largest town in the province of Ulster, and the principal place of trade in Ireland, is not only prosperous in comparison with other parts of the country, it is absolutely increasing in population and wealth.

The

manufacture of linens, damasks, and diapers is carried on with great activity. Ginghams, muslins, quiltings, fustians, velvets, are also made here; and in the town and its vicinity are numerous dye works, bleach works, and print fields. There is an extensive trade in cured provisions; the imports and exports have for some years been large, and are rapidly increasing; and steamers now run to London, Liverpool, Fleetwood, Whitehaven, Plymouth, Glasgow, Dublin, and many other places. The population amounts to one hundred thousand; of whom about thirty thousand are Roman Catholics, and thousands of professed protestants are content with a religion which is as destitute of vitality as that of the majority of professed protestants in Britain.

Our brother Bain of Banbridge hap

pened, through family circumstances, to be spending a few days in the town, and this conduced greatly to the pleasure of my visit. On Lord's day morning he preached for brother Eccles, at Academy Street, from the words, "Here am I, send me." There were not more than a hundred persons present, I think, the number of attendants being greatly diminished, as I was informed, by an epidemic which in our own land is not unusual in August, but which was prevailing at this time in an uncommon degree. After the public service, about forty, with whose appearance I was much pleased, staid to commemorate the Lord's death. Brother Eccles presided, and I delivered a short address.

In the afternoon we returned to the chapel that I might examine the sabbath school. There are sixty scholars on the books; but in consequence of the prevalent malady, with which many of the teachers and children were affected, the number present was not more than forty. About half of them were reading the new testament, and I found the teachers interrogating them suitably on the meaning of the lessons. I asked them some questions myself, the answers to which were similar to those which I have been accustomed to receive from children of the same ages and social rank in England. After this I addressed the children and teachers.

In the evening I preached to a com

pany somewhat larger perhaps than that which had met in the morning.

the country that his efforts to annihilate it have not been already successful; and he believes that though the accessions to the church have been generally from the poorer classes, yet, if it were not for the debt on the place of worship, there is hope that the congregation would soon be able to meet its regular expenses without foreign aid. It should be told, to our friend's honour, that within the last year he has declined two invitations from other churches, which it would have been advantageous in a pecuniary point of view to accept, one from the United States, and one from the northern part of our own island.

Conlig, where I now am, fourteen English miles east of Belfast, is two miles beyond Newtownards, about the same distance from Bangor, and the same from Donaghadee. Thus, though in the village itself there are but four hundred inhabitants, it is in the centre of a triangle at each point of which there is a considerable population. The men are employed principally in adjacent lead mines, and the women in flowering muslin for manufacturers at

In a cottage in which brother Eccles has recently conducted a service, in the outskirts of the town, I preached on Tuesday evening to an assembly with which I was much delighted. Having been informed beforehand that it was likely to consist principally of persons quite ignorant of the gospel, I explained the way of salvation as simply as I could to about forty decent looking men and women who had crowded into the room and its precincts, and who listened with as much attention and seriousness as could have been given to an elaborate discourse by one of the most polished congregations in Middlesex or Surrey. Brother Eccles has been at Belfast about five years. When he formed the church it consisted of seventeen members; there are now fifty-seven. The church is united; and some young persons, male and female, have recently joined it, who are active and useful. He tells me that the attendance at prayer-meetings increases, and that the tone of the supplications offered indicates earnestness respecting the conver-Glasgow, a species of work for which sion of sinners and the enlargement of the church. His main difficulty arises from the debt on the chapel. You will remember that with the approbation of the then committee, when he removed from Coleraine he purchased a place of worship formerly used by an episcopalian congregation who had erected for themselves one of smaller dimensions, but of a style of architecture which they decmed preferable. The sum which he gave for it was nearly £400, about one half of which remains unpaid. course we cannot undertake to discharge this; but I am sure that you will wish him success in the efforts that he is making among his friends in Great Britain for the removal of the burden. He considers it to be owing to the potato blight and the consequent difficulties of

the district is celebrated. Here the society owns a substantial chapel which might seat two hundred persons, a house for the minister to reside in, a schoolhouse, and a house for the school-master. These are built of the rough hard stone with which the country abounds, and slated. The church was formed twelve years ago, during the ministry of Mr. John Young, who was its first pastor, but who soon after removed to Andover in Hampshire, and afterwards went to Of the United States. There were originally twenty-seven members; 122 have since been baptized and added; but through emigration and other removals, the present number is but fiftyfive. Mr. Mulhern who succeeded Mr. Young, and Mr. McKee who succeeded Mr. Mulhern, followed the example of

their predecessor in emigrating to America. Mr. Brown has removed hither very recently as you are aware; and I hope that, aided by his excellent wife, he will be the instrument of much good in the neighbourhood. He has begun already to visit Bangor with tracts, and he tells me that these, especially Mr. Pottenger's "Bible the Friend of the Poor," are received eagerly both at Bangor and Conlig. Of the acceptableness of this tract I also heard at Belfast. Yesterday I visited the day school. A portion of the master's and mistresses' salaries you contribute; the remainder is supplied by the National Board of Education. There are on the books eighty-two boys and girls, fifty-five of whom were present. An hour every day is spent in reading the scriptures; and the other books with which they I

are furnished seem to be suitable. heard them read both in their common school books and in the New Testament, and after questioning them, examined their writing and ciphering. sults were satisfactory.

The re

In the evening I preached in the chapel. As nearly as I could judge, one hundred persons were present. At the close of the service, Mr. Brown requested the members of the church to stay awhile. remained, and moved, seconded, and passed unanimously a resolution expressive of gratitude, in terms which I shall hope to lay before you some weeks hence, acknowledging your "Christian liberality in providing them with gospel ministrations agrecable to the word of God."

Between thirty and forty

May you be enabled, dear brethren, to go forward with increasing energy and wisdom; and when all shall be reviewed in the light of eternity, may you find cause to rejoice in the abundant success of your counsels, and especially in the approbation of our gracious

Lord!

I am, my dear brethren, Yours faithfully,

WILLIAM GROSER.

POSTSCRIPT.

Solitude, County Derry,
August 23rd.

On Saturday, the 21st instant, I arrived at this place, which is rightly named, as there is no other house near it. For many years it was the residence of the late Dr. Carson, and it is now the habitation of his youngest son, who is his successor in the ministry, and of

some other members of the family. Its distance from Tubbermore would be according to English estimate at least two miles; and yesterday I had the pleasure of addressing the congregation there of which Mr. Robert Carson is pastor, and uniting with them in worship. All details, however, it will be best to leave till I have opportunity to write again.

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In consequence of the absence of the Secretary, who is in Ireland, sums remitted since the 12th of August are not acknowledged in the present Chronicle.

Subscriptions and Donations are thankfully received by the Treasurer, JOSEPH TRITTON, Esq. 54, Lombard Street, London; by the Secretary, the Rev. WILLIAM GROSER, at the Mission House, 33, Moorgate Street; and by the Pastors of baptist churches throughout the Kingdom.

COLLECTOR FOR LONDON, REV. C. WOOLLACOTT,

4, Compton Street East, Brunswick Square.

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