which, if further illustration be desired, it may be seen in the pastoral of Dr. Hussey, the most distinguished Roman bishop of his day, charging his clergy 'to remonstrate with any parent' who should expose his offspring to places of education where his faith is likely to be perverted. 'And,' adds this zealous bishop, ‘if he will not attend to your remonstrances, refuse him the participation of Christ's body; if he still should continue obstinate, denounce him to the church, in order that, according to Christ's commandment, he be considered as a heathen and a publican.' Or it may be seen in the testimony of Bishop Doyle, 'one,' as he says, 'of the most moderate divines in the empire,' that if the parents sent their children to a school after the warning of the priest, as to their danger, they would be guilty of mortal sin or, that if Catholics were desired not to suffer their children to frequent a London Hibernian School, yet did so, being apprised of their danger, he 'should think it proper to withhold the sacrament from them when dying;' and that there need be in the schools no other stumbling-block than the Scriptures being read and got by heart,' for 'that is quite sufficient in order to make the schools obnoxious to us."" Such are really the facts of the case; for, as we have observed, they are very fairly stated by the Rev. Author, who, taking them as the ground-work of his argument, goes on to show to his readers the evil tendency of the National System of Education, and the wrong which would have been inflicted on the country, by Protestants taking any part in it, so long as there was a hope that, by their opposition, Government would have been induced to discontinue to it their countenance and support: on this point he winds up his argument thus: "To take aid in a single case, however urgent, before a conservative administration should be fully and fairly tried, was to assist in perpetuating a most pernicious public experiment. It was practically contending for a continuance of an antiscriptural grant; and thus helping the priest to carry into effect, upon generations of poor children, that worst feature of Romish discipline, the withholding from Christians the holy Book, which is their birth-right, and which neither Church nor State, nor priest, nor parent, has a right to take from them." "When, therefore, in 1836, the clergy of Derry and Raphoe published an address in favor of a general junction of the clergy, on obtaining such modifications of the National System, as were afterwards substantially granted, they erred, for two chief reasons; first, because this would be to surrender the great principle of a National Education, essentially scriptural, on the persevering maintenance of which rested all our hope for securing such education for the mass of poor Romanists; and next, because the address maintained that we should acknowledge-which we never can—the right of a parent, in opposition to the Divine command, to deny the Bible to a child, who is able and willing to read it." And again, in reference to the Presbyterians having joined the Board, the Rev. Author, very clearly discerning the error in their conduct, observes, "When, in 1840, the Synod of Ulster joined the Board, they erred too, for similar reasons, viz. first, because the Synod were thus helping to perpetuate a pernicious system, then trembling for its existence; and next, because the ablest of its depu tation maintained that the original principle of the National System was right; and of course that the scriptural principle, before supported by the Synod, and the Church, and the Government, and the Parliament, was wrong." - This is, indeed, writing like a Christian minister and a Protestant Divine; but such being the avowed conviction of the Rev. Gentleman who, could have supposed that, the next moment he should have turned round, and, because Government would not do what was right, become the adviser of his brethren in the ministry to do what is wrong -to act upon the expediency principle, to give up their opposition to the Board-take the MONEY offered on the proposed terms thus surrendering what he himself denominates "the great principle of a National Education;" and as he describes it, thereby acting "in opposition to the Divine command?" And yet, strange to say, with the most singular inconsistency, the Rev. Dr. Martin, after the convincing statements he himself brings forward, devotes the greater portion of his pamphlet to arguments which would do credit to a Loyola, in order to demonstrate that it is the duty of Protestant clergymen, situated in remote districts of the country, now to avail themselves of the MONEY offered by Government, by connecting themselves with the Board, although thereby they become participants in all the evils which he very justly attributes to their system. And some of them, we are sorry to say, “took the money, and did as they were taught." See Matt. xxviii. 15. That we are not giving a distorted view of the matter, the following brief extract will fully prove: at page 21, he says, "Obviously, the clergy, without absolute sin, may undertake to do one thing clearly lawful, if it be indispensably necessary and manifestly sufficient for enabling them to do another which is their paramount duty:" and, again, "Now, that there is not sin in taking aid under such circumstances, I believe, for sin is the transgression of the law, and no law can De produced against it:" and he quotes a passage from Deuteronomy in proof, and because he cannot find in Deuteronomy any law against taking money from the National Board—he argues the money may be taken with a safe conscience! Oh! where is Protestant principle or Christian consistency here? But, as we have said, our object is not to write a review of Dr. Martin's pamphlet; we therefore dismiss it for the present; leaving the few extracts we have given to speak for themselves to the hearts and consciences of those whose minds may at present be unsettled on the subject. But, some may ask, what are the specific rules of the Board on the particular points referred to? We reply, it is impossible to say explicitly what they are. We have taken the trouble of going over a number of folio pages, printed by the Board, from time to time, as containing its fundamental rules, and this we can assert, that it has proved itself a very Proteus, changing one rule after another, as circumstances required, and as the cases of Presbyterians or Roman Catholics demanded; but invariably insisting on the Bible not being read in any of the schools to which it gives support, in the presence of Roman Catholic children, if the priest, through the parent or guardian, expresses a wish to the contrary; while on the other hand, the Prayer-Books and Catechisms of the Church of Rome may be used, if there be no Protestants present, and, in fact, these are read in four-fifths of the National Schools of Ireland. The reader will, therefore, perceive, that the great point at issue is, whether, to please the priests of the Romish Church, in schools deriving aid from the Government, the Bible shall not be read, nor shall any thing like religious instruction be given to the children, except at an hour, during which no Roman Catholic child shall be permitted to remain in the school to receive religious instruction, even should the child himself wish, if the parents of the child (acted upon by the Roman Catholic priest) shall have expressed a wish to the contrary. Now we earnestly request our readers, especially such of them as have been in the habit of instructing in Sunday Schools, to think of this unholy interdict-that while the Roman Catholic child must be received into the school, and instructed in secular education, the moment any thing is to be said calculated to benefit the immortal soul-the moment a verse of the Bible is to be read, that moment the teacher is required to turn out the inquiring little one, or else violate the contract on which he receives payment from the Board, lest it might be blessed by the droppings of religious instruction imparted to Protestant children around. These are, in truth, the simple facts of the case, and we do indeed join with Dr. Martin in deprecating the conduct of our Presbyterian brethren, who, for any benefit they themselves might derive from the System, could consent to enter into such a compact, not only to keep the Bible closed against the poor Roman Catholic children who might attend their schools, but actually to turn them out as soon as the Bible is opened; for this, by the rule, they are bound to do, if the parents have expressed their wish to this effect; and, by their acquiescence, thus sanction a principle, the effect of which must be to decry and undervalue the Bible in the eyes of the people, and to perpetuate Popery throughout the country. The principle of religion being the foundation of National Education, is no doubt a right one, where the religion is the religion of the Bible—but when, on the contrary, the Bible is in nine-tenths of the schools not only altogether excluded, but where it is imperative that one hour or two in each day shall VOL. I. M be set apart in every school, during which the children shall be drilled into the peculiar tenets of the Roman Catholic religion, by monks and nuns, and priests and friars, and during which time no Protestant, clerical or lay, shall dare to interfere or ask a question, nor even to enter the school, unless authorized- —we say, that such a system should raise against it the voice of every one who knows the value of the Bible, and who would not wish to see Ireland continue in the deplorable condition in which she is at present as regards temporal or spiritual matters. That the System adopted by the National Board, and which costs the nation £75,000 per annum, gives satisfaction to no party in the country, save to the Church of Rome, and the Arians and Socinians, is a point which we believe must be admitted by all. It gives neither united nor scriptural education; while the great body of the Presbyterians, and a few of the High Church Protestants, by getting special reservations made for their particular cases, but by which the interests of all the poor Roman Catholics of the country are thrown overboard, have been induced to connect themselves with the Board; it is quite certain that as a System even they are by no means satisfied with it. The line of duty then is plain; let a determined opposition be maintained to that part of the System which, while it professes to make religion the ground-work, at the same time excludes the Bible, and will not suffer a Roman Catholic child to hear it read, in case the parent of such child have any objection. Let this point be fairly mooted-and let Protestant England, in its length and breadth, express its voice in petitions to the Legislature, against such a principle of Popery being perpetuated by Government influence. The subject has led us beyond the limits we had prescribed to ourselves; but it is one of deep interest, and we feel we cannot better bring it to a close then by calling upon the friends of truth, to make an exertion in favor of Scriptural and United Education in Ireland. As we have said, the London Hibernian Society, originally established by Churchmen and Dissenters, has ceased to exist. The Kildare Place Society struggles on, although neither patronized by Church or State-it has a fine model school in the Metropolis, in which 700 children are educated-and a number of efficient schools in various parts of the country, and it might be made the nucleus of an association to be carried forward on scriptural principles. But we must close for the present. *In reply to several communications relative to a continuance of the article on "The Early Churches of Ireland," the writer begs to say, that as it will require very considerable research, press of business will prevent his resuming it for a month or two. He will, probably, give another article on "The Holy Wells." Missionary Stations and Labours. [The Conductors of this Magazine do not pledge themselves to a concurrence with all the sentiments advanced in its various articles. They have, however, very readily admitted this paper; in which, it will be seen, the writer takes a different view, of the system of national education in Ireland, from that entertained by our esteemed friend who wrote the article on that subject for the present number.]—ED. IRISH EVANGELICAL SOCIETY. A VISIT TO THE MOUNTAINS OF CLARE. To the Editor of the Irish Missionary Rev. and dear Sir, Having, from my first settlement in this land of darkness and destitution, heard much of Feakle, and the good work going on there, I have purposed all the summer to pay a pastoral visit to our beloved brother, whose labours have been so abundant and so greatly blessed. And having in vain waited for a vacant Sabbath, that I might minister to the mountaineers, yet perceiving that you had published the district as part of my diocese, I resolved to make a visitation in the week. Never did I meet a warmer welcome, and in no way was I disappointed, high as were my expec tations. The country, for many miles, is wild, indeed, as wildness itself, though cultivation might make it fair and fertile. And it seems to a stranger's eye desolate, without inhabitants, so that I said to my host, as he was driving me home in his gig, from the public car, which does not go within ten miles of his house, "Well one would think that there was not much need for schools about here, for there are no children or people of any kind." He replied, there are thousands living among these mountains; and pointed me to a number of heaps of mud, stones, and straws, from some of which a little smoke was issuing, which proved to be cabins, in which I found, on the following day, large families living in the most pitiable destitution destitution, such as I never saw in any land, not even under the immediate shadow of the triple throne. In the midst of these desolate and dreary mountains, where in all probability no respectable person ever resided, our friend lives and labours; enlightening the minds and encouraging the hearts of the poor peasantry round him, doing everything in his power, for their temporal and spiritual interests, and giving a good word to every one-a word that goes at once to their heart and gladdens it-an Irish word. The chapel which he has built is a neat little place, bearing the appropriate name of "Union," being open to ministers of every evangelical denomination. The visits of such, however, being very few, a sermon is seldom preached in it, but there is usually a social service on the Lord's-day. I had hoped to address the few poor Protestants about, but the weather turned out too bad for them to meet at all. However, my main wish was to see the schools, which this best of Ireland's benefactors has originated and sustained: which wish was gratified I visited three, and a sight more grateful to a benevolent and reflecting man I never saw. Though it was the time of the potatoe harvest, which necessarily engages many of the elder boys and girls, there were a great number at the schools, reclaimed from the darkest degradation, and now receiving most suitable and valuable instructions from very competent teachers. All the scholars being Roman Catholics, the Bible cannot be a school-book, yet they have a sound scrip |