IRISH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY.

The following extract from the Journal of one of the Scripture readers in the service of this Society, will serve to confirm and illustrate the truly affecting statements which have appeared in our previous numbers, on the" Holy Wells" of Ireland, which are the resort of thousands who vainly hope, by the ceremonies there practised, to atone for their sins, and to obtain a cure for every bodily malady. The devotees of Juggernaut cannot display greater ignorance, or evince grosser superstition than do these poor deluded visitants to these supposed sacred spots.

Sunday, the 28th of July. I arose early this morning, and, happening to look out of a window, I saw an unusual number of people travelling on the road; I inquired where they were going, and was informed this was one of the days on which Roman Catholics go to a holy well, about three miles from Sligo, to perform stations. The name of the spot is Tubbernalt, and is the most celebrated holy well in this county. I often heard of the crowds who go to this well on the last Sunday of summer, but I never beheld it before. Thinking I might never have another opportunity of witnessing the performance of the stations, I set out about five o'clock in the morning, and mingled with the throng. Some had their sick children on their backs, for whose recovery they were going to perform stations. Others vowed, when sick, that if they should recover, they would perform so many stations; and others went

VOL. I.

to make an atonement for sin. Although it was not more than five o'clock, yet the road was thronged with people returning home after performing their station. The stations differ in length, according to the vow, or according to

the penance; some are not more than an hour performing, others about two hours. When I got pretty near the well, which is at the foot of a large hill, near a beautiful lake, called Lough Gill, I stood to gaze on what was before me. There I saw some hundreds,men, women and children, all bare-footed, kneeling round the well, repeating prayers as fast and almost as loud as they could. Not having time to remain, I stayed just long enough to be pained at the absurdity of such a practice, and I turned away grieved to see people spend their Sabbath morning in such acts of superstition. There were thousands at that well this day, some of whom came from a great distance. As I could not learn that morning all I wished to know about the well, I went to it some time after, on a Thursday, and brought an acquaintance with me. When we got there I was very glad to have the opportunity of seeing a young man perform a station. There are two altars at the well, one north and the other south; the altar at the north side is about ten or twelve feet from the well, built under a large tree, venerable for age, whose wide spreading branches extend over the well; on this altar are placed two wooden crucifixes. Before these the young man was kneeling, as we approached, upon a very rough spot; he was repeating prayers, and count

P

ing his beads, but appeared to take no notice of any person who went near the place. Immediately after I saw him, I looked at my watch, and found he was half an hour before he moved; he then bowed before the crucifix, and stooped to the ground, and, with his hands and face on the ground, he muttered some prayers. While in the act of praying I observed him put back his hand and throw away some small stones from under his knees, for although the place is rough enough, one would think, yet he must put small stones under his knees to make it more painful, and of course more meritorious. Shortly after he arose, and could scarcely move his feet; he was evidently in great pain. I thought the ceremony was now ended, but there was more to go through; he turned up his trousers to his knees, and upon one knee began to move round the well and repeat more prayers; after this was done, and many other things too tedious to mention, he went to the well, stooped down, and took three sups of the water; he then walked with his bare feet to the altar, and taking a set of beads from his pocket, he took up one of the crucifixes with the most profound reverence, put the beads round its neck, and then kissed it three times, with every appearance of the greatest veneration; this closed the ceremony. I was shocked at the adoration paid by a fellow-creature to an ugly carved piece of wood, and the 17th verse of the xliv. of Isaiah came forcibly to my mind-" And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down to it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, deliver me, for thou art my God." While this young man was pressing the crucifix to his lips, I have no doubt but he said in his heart, Thou art my God. Let no Roman Catholic say that they do not worship the crucifix, for I

am confident if the Saviour was in the world that man could not embrace him with more reverence than he embraced the crucifix at that time. How will such superstition and idolatry be exposed? Certainly by some agency such as yours, who will not confine themselves to towns, but will penetrate through the country, visit the people in their cabins, and point them to Jesus, and, in God's own time, such superstition must give way to the scriptural worship of the true God."

It is to show to these deluded people

a more excellent way" that the Irish Evangelical Society was established, and still perseveres in its important labors. To meet the necessities of the case, not only must the faithful missionary be prepared to preach "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God," but, as our friend, from whose journal the above extract is taken, remarks, an agency must be employed which will 66 penetrate through the country, and visit the people in their cabins, pointing them to Jesus," as the only mediator between God and man. Well qualified Scripture readers are eminently adapted to this work, and it is pleasing to know that this kind of agency is extensively employed, not only by this Society but others, espe› cially by the" Scripture Readers' Society," sustained by the connexion of the late Countess of Huntingdon. Were ample funds provided, it is believed that many suitable men could be found who would penetrate to the remotest districts of the country, where the simple truths of the Gospel, untainted by the corruptions of Popery, have never been proclaimed. Under this impression the Committee have for some time been contemplating a mission to Connaught, in which, by Irish spoken Missionaries and Scripture readers, a suitable effort may be made

to evangelize that hitherto greatly neglected portion of the sister country. By the time the next number of this magazine is published, the plan, it is hoped, will be matured, which we shall feel great satisfaction in laying before our readers. T. J.

Donations and Subscriptions in aid of this Society may be paid either to the Secretaries, the REV. MESSRS. JAMES & SMITH, Bloomfield-street, or, by Letter, addressed to the Editor, at the Printers.

SCRIPTURE READERS IN IRELAND UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE LATE COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON'S CONNEXION.

COUNTY LONDONDERRY.-J. M'C. reader. TRACTS. Held a meeting in the evening, at Bogside. Twenty-four persons attended at the close of the meeting. I read the tract written on the loss of the Pegasus steam-boat, in July last, published by the Tract Society; the title of it is "The last Prayer." My own mind was considerably impressed with the important striking statements which it contains, and I trust so were the minds of others. Who the author of the tract is I know not; but I consider it a most useful one for distribution, especially among the people with whom I have to do, and one well calculated, through the divine blessing, to do much good. I should be very glad to possess a good number of copies of this publication, but have seen none but the one copy yet.

I have excellent facilities for distributing tracts, and would feel thankful if I had as many as I could circulate ; and it is my conviction that they might be very useful in the district in which I labour. There is a desire on the part of the people generally for reading small

publications; indeed I often feel sorry when they ask me for tracts that I have none to give them. I have frequently purchased a few out of my own means, but they are too small to allow me to do this to any extent.

SIN. This was my second visit to L-, since his affliction. When I saw him, last week, he was to human view on the brink of eternity, and yet he appeared totally indifferent and unconcerned about his state and character in the sight of God, though he is a man of some intelligence, and possesses some knowledge of Scripture. He began to tell me of a tract he had lately read on original sin, and to give me the author's views on that point. I told him that I thought he was called on to reflect more particularly on the fact that he was a sinner by practice to think not so much of his original depravity and guilt as of his actual transgressions, and asked him whether he felt that he was a sinner in the sight of God? He said, he knew that he was a sinner.

Have you reflected seriously on the consequences involved in this fact? in other words, what is the wages of sin? With perfect composure he gave me the Scripture answer, "death." Do you feel sin lying heavy on your conscience? No: I never was a great sinner. Is there no sin of your past life that gives you any annoyance now, when you may consider yourself as shortly to appear before God to give an account of the deeds done in the body? No: I never committed any great sin. I am surprized to hear a man of your knowledge talk thus. Is it not a great sin to live in the habitual and wilful neglect of a divine ordinance, and that one of the most important which the God of wisdom and love has appointed? He answered, " yes!" I have never known you to go to public worship on the Sabbath, and I have heard

individuals in the neighbourhood say, that they never saw you, and that they have not known you to go to the house of God for thirty or forty years; now, is not this disobedience to one of God's commands? Is it not rebellion against your maker? Have you not been pouring contempt on one of his institutions? And when we consider your relation in society, as a parent, a master, the head of a family, your sin is more heineous ; for you have not only been transgressing the commands of God yourself, but, as far as your example is concerned, you have been teaching your children and relatives, your friends and neighbours, to break them also. Is not this a great sin? He laid as if he heard not, while I was making these statements, and many others, of a similar kind; he did not appear to be offended at my plain dealing. This took place the first time I visited him. To-day he appeared glad to see me. I did not catechise him, as on the former occasion, but endeavoured to address him as a dying man, and as a lost sinner. After praying with and for him, he caught my hand and squeezed it, and said, with considerable emotion, he was much obliged to me. May the Lord cause him to feel the power of his word. Amen.

OLD BIBLE AND NEW ONE.-This (the last story) brought to my recollection something that happened about two miles from Glenmannes, a few years ago. I was lodging in the house of a Christian woman, who tried to render herself useful to her fellowcreatures.

One Sabbath evening, a neighbour woman came in. The woman of the house took down her large family Bible and read some of its historical parts, and made some remarks on what she read. The other appeared much interested and remarked, more than once,

that it was beautiful reading; adding, “I think there is much nicer reading in the old Bibles than in the new ones which are mostly used now."

MODE OF CONDUCTING PRAYER MEET

INGS.

s.—Held a meeting in M-, in the evening, at seven o'clock. Twenty-five persons attended and appeared much interested in our proceedings. My way of conducting this meeting (like most of the others which I hold) has been, after singing and prayer, to address the people from a portion of Scripture. As a few pious persons of the different denominations in the neighbourhood attend it, I thought of changing the plan of conducting it; accordingly, I told all the people who could read to bring their Bibles with them, and we would read a verse in rotation, and every one who chose might make a remark and propose questions on the passage read, tending to elicit and illustrate its meaning. This plan we adopted at the meeting referred to. Some few made observations, and asked questions, and the attention of all seemed to be arrested. Indeed I have every hope that the attention of the people will be more engrossed, and their minds more exercised by this mode of proceeding than by the former. I proposed a good number of questions, (and I intend, if spared, always to do so,) to answer which necessarily requires an exercise of mind. Still, wisdom will be requisite to carry on the meeting in this manner. Some of the people I dare not catechise, for the disclosure of their ignorance would offend their pride, and cause them in all probability to withdraw from us altogether.

GOOD EFFECTS OF SABBATH SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.-Visited Alex. H—, a

boy of fourteen years of age. His pa

rents have several children besides him, whom they were allowing to grow up in sin and ignorance. About fourteen