Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

DECEMBER, 1828.

THE friends and supporters of the Baptist Irish Society are respectfully requested to read with attention the letters of the Rev. Messrs. Thomas and Franks in relation to the progress made by the labours of the Society in the County of Clare. They are reminded that in the year 1820, at the solicitation of the Rev. Sir John Read, (who is so respectfully mentioned in Mr. Franks's letter,) the Society founded ten day schools as noticed in the sixth annual Report. Until then there had been no protestant schools for the children of the peasantry : but now, in consequence of the blessing of God upon the labours of Mr. Thomas, such amazing effects have been produced, that it may with propriety be remarked, "According to this time it shall be said," of the western parts of Ireland, "What hath God wrought?"

It will be seen, that the hardships to which Mr. Franks has been subjected, and for which his previous habits had not prepared him, have brought him near to the grave: we rejoice that the divine care has been manifested towards him : and express in the name of the Society our sense of obligation to the tender hospitality of the worthy family at Birr, for their Christian attentions to him : to which probably the Society owe the life of one whom we expect will prove himself also in Ireland a useful servant of Christ; and who with his worthy colleagues, and the Readers of the Scriptures, will attain to the high distinction given to the apostles, "the beloved Barnabas and Paul:"-" Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Lest our Protestant friends should overlook one passage in the letter to Mr. Thomas, we shall quote it for the purpose of stirring them up to contribute towards our more than exhausted funds. The treasurer will require at least six HUNDRED POUNDS to meet the quarter's expences ending at Christmas! Speaking "I wish the genof his and Mr. Franks's inspection of the schools, Mr. T. says, tlemen of the Committee had been present-yes, and all our friends in England, and then the Society would neither want encouragement nor support!" The Rev. S. Davis of Clonmel has been, we are happy to say, well received at Birmingham and Worcester; and we doubt not he will be also at the neighbouring towns. The Rev. Mr. Wilson of Sligo is visiting places north of Liverpool.

From the Rev. Mr. Thomas.

preached three sermons at Kilkee near Kilfera, where the school is, and arrived in Limerick, Oct. 20th 1828. Limerick in time to meet the Rev. Mr.

MY DEAR SIRS,

Franks. He preached an excellent sermon in my house. We then went off visiting the I RETURNED from the West, a journey of schools, and preaching. I have travelled 130 miles, where I had been preaching and 184 miles with him and 50 since. I left visiting the Western Irish School: there is him, I am sorry to say, sick at our friend a fine Irish Testament class in it who read Mr. Joseph Anticell's, near Birr, or as it is very well; numbers of adults have been taught lately called, Parsons-town. He will be to read the Irish Scriptures, and the people well taken care of by that kind and amiable are taking the part of the Society's master family. I was sorry that I was obliged to and reader against the priest, who has pro- leave him, but was unavoidably compelled ceeded in the most violent manner. I have to come to pay the teachers and readers not time now to mention particulars. I their salaries, and to forward their journals

particularly Stephen Ryan, Thos. Bush, Jobn Nash and Patt Gunning, all of whom have been converted from the errors of Popery, and are evidently men of God, mighty in the Scriptures, and champions for the truth as it is in Jesus. In the afternoon I examined the girls' school at Limerick, which has been greatly injured by the opposition of the priests, but not destroyed, as has been the case with some schools in other places. Mrs. Thomas gratuitously devotes much of her time and attention to this school, in teaching the girls fancy needle work, the whole profits of which she gives them, whereby many of them are saved from disgrace and ruin in this world; which kind of blessings she could greatly extend by employing a greater number of them, could she meet with a suitable sale for the work.

I preached in the evening to a respectable and attentive congregation in Mr. T.'s house.

to you, at least such as have come to hand. | the Scripture readers, and school-masters; Though Mr. Franks has travelled 184 miles with me and saw all the schools but three, yet he has not been over more than half my district; he promises to return as soon as he can. He had appointed to go to Mr. M'Carthy. Mr. Franks was received with the greatest kindness wherever I introduced him, and was greatly liked: he has not yet seen some of our most respectable friends. He preached to numerous congregations in the large parlours of some of them, and with great acceptance. In remote places he was badly off, fasting all day until a late hour at night, when we came to the end of a day's journey. He laboured hard, and bad to sleep, after being drenched with rain, on a damp ground floor; bere we had not any fire; this caused his illness. I hope I did every thing in my power for him. I got him on to Nenagh, where he was taken every possible care of by our worthy friends Mr. and Mrs. Burr. In two or three days he got better, and followed me to Burris O'Kane, where I went to preach, but the journey to Birr brought on the complaint again. I trust he is better; his disease was brought on from cold and hardship. He was sometimes very much alarmed from the state of the country, from what he had seen. Last Friday week, as we were pass-heard most of the children read, spell, and ing through the town of Nenagh, I was attacked and narrowly escaped being murdered. He was so terrified that he would not leave the friend's house that evening and night, into which we fortunately got. I am very glad Mr. Franks has come to Ireland; we shall be glad to see him often, as I am sure it will serve the cause; and I am happy that he found the schools and every thing far better than I had represented them to be, and appeared much pleased with the Readers of the Scriptures. I wish the gentlemen of the Committee had been present, yes, and all our friends in England, and then the Society would neither want en couragement nor support. But Mr. Franks will make his own statement. I conclude, hoping you will excuse this hasty scrawl, as the post is just going off.

[blocks in formation]

2nd. Accompanied by Mr. T. I went to Camas, preached in the afternoon to a large congregation, chiefly Roman Catholics, in the house of Michael Bevan, Esq. (a magistrate of the county of Limerick,) and again on the morning and evening of the following day; visited the school in the afternoon,

His

repeat portions of Scripture; their progress certainly does credit to the diligence and qualifications of the master, who was educated in one of your Society's schools, and is an interesting and pious young man. mother (a widow) one brother, and six sisters, with himself have renounced Popery. This school has not long been established, the priests use every means to prevent the parents sending their children, but it is doing well and still likely to do better, under the influential patronage of Mr. Bevan.

5th. (Sabbath day,) preached at Cloghjordan and Nenagh, felt much as a Christian and a Baptist, at witnessing the state of things at C. A comparatively few years past, (I am told) the most respectable Baptist church and congregation in Ireland worshipped here; but it is now as low as it can well be, and the deacons and others informed me would long since have been extinct, but for the labours of Mr. Thomas, who preaches to them once a month, and administers the Lord's supper, and has done much to set the things in order which were wanting. There are still about thirty members, a good place of worship, and considerable endowments attached to it, which at present are withheld, but there is no doubt could be recovered; and Cloghjordan with the towns and villages around it, (many of which I have seen) would form a most important station for any suitable minister,

and it is for a lamentation that it is not occupied.

6th. Went to see Mount Pelier school: the mistress Cubo has lately married to a worthless man, had clandestinely left the school and neighbourhood, and as there was no one to attend to them, the children were not assembled. Several of the neighbouring gentry assured me of the prosperous state of the school previous to this circumstance, and lamented what had taken place, as they were fearful it would injure the school; but the injured patroness continues as firm a friend as ever to it, and Mr. T. has another mistress ready to send. Visited the Birdhill school, which school is under the patronage of Ormsby, Esq. and is in an excellent state, every child in it being regularly examined by Mrs. O. on the Sabbath, to ascertain the progress they have made the past week.

7th. Set off to see the schools in the greatly disturbed county of Clare, and after travelling several miles in heavy rains, we were obliged to seck a shelter, and which we found in the house of Sir John Read, who received us with the warmth, and treated us with the hospitality, of a genuine son of Erin.

8th. Visited the Mary's Philanthropic Girls' School, which is well conducted. Many of the children can repeat from 90 to 100 chapters, some of them more. One that has not been in the school more than a year, and at the time of entering did not know the alphabet, can now read the Testament, and repeat eight chapters, and another not more than six years old can repeat twelve chapters. There are six girls of from 14 to 17 years old who read particularly well, write decently, and their needle work is said to be very good.

Went to the Clonola School, which though in good order and many of the children can read and spell well, is not generally in so forward a state as most of the others. Returned to preach at Mount Shannon; in the morning the congregation was good; we were told could we have stayed for the evening it would have been treble the number.

it said, the children have committed a great number of chapters to memory, and many of them can read and write well.

Sevenoaks School at Aughnish. This is a large and prosperous school, the general proficiency of the children is surprising, and never did it before see such a number of fine, open, and intelligent countenances grouped together. The master is clever and diligent. Several of these schools are in great want of forms, particularly to write upon, as the poor children are obliged to write on the back of a book, or on a piece of board resting upon their knees.

Was detained from the 10th to the 14th, with a disease (a kind of cholera morbus) common to the inhabitants of this country, and particularly to Englishmen on their first coming here. Finding myself better, I recommenced my journey on the 14th. Visited Mrs. Davy's school at Burrisacane. The mistress is a pious and interesting aged woman, who in her youth bad taught the parents of the children, and which gives her considerable influence among them. The school is well conducted, and in a good state. The priests have opposed the children's committing the Scriptures to memory, but many of them have done it, and to a great extent.

15th. Went to Miss Davy's school at Birr. The progress of the children in this school since its establishment, several of the resident and neighbouring ladies, who are in the habit of visiting it, assured me is great, and that their needle work is good.

On the 16th the complaint returned, and the following day I had cause for alarm, but by the prompt use of suitable means the progress of it was checked, and through mercy I am now much better, though still a prisoner. I am at the house of a Mr. Antisell, a member of the church at Cloghjordan, and the kindness of whose family I fear I shall never be able to repay. Some who are well acquainted with the nature of the disease, have told me I should for a time give up all exertion, but as I find myself to be so much better and am so near to Raben, and wish to save time and increased future labour and expense, 9th. Examined the " Anacaraga," Ra-I purpose accompanying Mr. McCarthy (who hena," and "Sevenoaks Schools.' In the is with me) over his station. Anacaraga school found the children to be very deficient in spelling and reading, which was accounted for from the great opposition made to the school by the late Roman Catholic parish priest; but as he is succeeded by one less violent, the persecution has in a great measure ceased, since which the children have been improving, and the master promised all necessary future attention and diligence.

"

Rahena School. The master of this school is a Roman Catholic, but to his credit be

I have seen the greater part of the schools under Mr. Thomas's superintendence, but not the whole of his station, the remaining part I can with ease see at some future time. The number of children I found to be more in many of the schools than was returned the last quarter, and not in one of them were they less. The extent and success of Mr. T.'s labours have greatly surprised me. He has a number of valuable Itinerant and Sabbath Scripture Readers, school masters and mistresses, most of whom

CONTRIBUTIONS.

from their personal testimony to me, I find have been the instrument of converting from Popery, and many of them manifestly to real Christianity and it was pleasing to hear their expressions of gratitude (as well as those of various other persons with whom I have conversed) to The Baptist Irish Society," for sending the gospel to them, whereby they have happily been delivered from the darkness of Popery.

A pious and highly respectable clergy- | man, the Rev. Mr. P. of O, said in my hearing, that he (Mr. T.) had made more converts to protestantism than all the other ministers in the diocese of Killaloe.

I remain,

My dear Sirs,

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

12 0

0

9 19 10

Northampton ditto, by ditto.... 12 3 4
Part of Collection at the first
Union Meeting held at Ketter-
ing, per ditto....

....

....

Yarmouth, per E. Saymour
Friend in Somersetshire, per Rev.
Mr. Dyer

....

5 4

40 00

5 4 8

4 10

0

1

0

0

Paid by Wright the Collector.. 30
Remitted by Rev. Moses Fisher
of Liverpool, Collected at Brad-
ford, Leeds, Bacup, Howarth,
Rochdale and Bolton, for the
Schools

.....

[blocks in formation]

44 0 0

Collected by Rev. S. Davies.

At Clonmel :

At the Meeting-house

MY DEAR SIR, MR. SYNGE mentioned in a note I had from him, that you "had sowed a little seed once at his place," that he remembered your text was, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free:" he adds, "the chamber on the wall is vacant." He was here yesterday, and again said that he earnestly wished you would come whenever and as often as you could to sow more seed. I assured him I would communicate his wishes to you, and that I had no doubt you would be glad of an opportunity of preaching the word to the people about him when you could do so without interfering with your other engagements. If you wish to write to him at any time you may direct Carhue, near Corrifin, but there is no occasion for | At Birmingham.. your giving him notice as he is scarcely At Worcester ever a night from home. Remember however that this is always to be your Inn on your way to him, as we cannot allow you to pass us by without stopping to say something to our poor people and ourselves, and if Mrs. Thomas will come with you we shall take good care of her till your return.

Mrs. C. unites in kind regards to you and her with

Yours very truly,
J. COLPOYS.

*We take the liberty of printing this letter for the purpose of shewing the respect which is shewn towards the Society's minister in that disturbed part of Ireland.

Thos. Taylor, Esq..
Mr. Cuthbert

0 10 6

3 0 0

[blocks in formation]

1 0 0

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

....

Miss Coleman ('Tenby).

Received from Miss E. Pritchard a parcel of Pincushions for the " Keppel Street School" in Ireland.

Mr. Davis will spend the Lord's day, the | Rev. Mr. Copley. 30th inst. at Oxford, and preach for the

Subscriptions received by W. Burls, Esq. 56, Lothbury, Treasurer; Rev. J. Ivimey, 51, Devonshire Street, Queen Square; and Rev. G. Pritchard, 16, Thornhaugh Street, gratuitous Secretaries.

MISSIONARY

MISSIONARY HERALD.

Subscriptions and Donations in aid of this Society will be thankfully received at the Baptist Missionary House, No. 6, Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, London: or by any of the Ministers and Friends whose names are inserted in the Cover of the Annual Report.

BAPTIST MISSION.

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

NORTHAMPTON.

commenced and sermons were preached in aid of the Missionary cause, at Woodchester, Kingstanley and Stroud, by the Rev. T.Swan, at Hilsley, Wotton-under-edge, and Uley by the Hon. G. H. R. Curzon, at Hampat Eastcombs and Chalford by the Rev. B. ton and Avening by the Rev. W. Yates, and Francis.

The Anniversary Meeting of the Auxiliary in this town, was held on Wednesday, Sept. 17th. In the morning of that day a The following Sabbath, Oct. 12th, Dr. double lecture was preached by the Secre- Cox preached two sermons at Shortwood; tary of the Parent Society and the Rev. Dr. and at Gloucester the Hon. G. H. R. CurCox of Hackney. The chair was occupied zon, and the Rev. J. Davies (Independent) in the evening by J. C. Gotch, Esq. of Ket- of Rodborough, preached for the mission tering, and the respective resolutions were in consequence of the illness of our friend moved and seconded by the Rev. Dr. Cox, the Rev. W. Winterbotham, who was thereby Messrs. Simmonds, J. K. Hall, Gray, Bar-prevented from fulfilling his engagement. ker, Jayne, Deacon, Goodrich and Dyer. On Tuesday P. M. Oct. 7th, the public The attendance was very numerous, and the meeting was held at Shortwood for the forcontributions from this respectable town mation of the Auxiliary Society, our kind fully prove that the interest which was so friend the Hon. G. H. R. Curzon fulfilled early excited in it on behalf of the Society continues to subsist in all its vigour.

ance,

GLOUCESTERSHIRE.

the duties of chairman, and the various addresses delivered awakened a peculiar interest, which was regarded as a happy commencement of a series of meetings, all tending to advance the great cause of Immanuel.

The various services connected with the formation of the Gloucestershire Auxiliary Society in aid of the Baptist Mission, have There were also public meetings to form been of the most animating description; Associations in connection with the Auxevery meeting was crowded in its attend-iliary at Stroud on Wednesday evening, and the interest awakened is great. Kingstanley on Thursday evening, WottonFavoured with the assistance of our es-under-edge on Friday evening, and on the teemed brethren Dr. Cox, the Rev. T. Swan, following Monday evening the Rev. T. and the Hon. G. H. R. Curzon, their power- Whitta and friends favoured us with the ful and eloquent appeals have produced an Independent chapel at Chalford in which impression which will we hope still operate we held our last meeting. The glowing zeal on many minds. The friends of the Society of our kind friends who visited us produced have been greatly delighted, their zeal has such an impression on the different assembeen re-animated, their ardour augmented, blies that one feeling operated, and this the and their efforts increased to support the most lively concern to extend the gospel cause of missions. The Lord has graciously and hasten the auspicious day when all shall blessed us with tokens of good, and in the know the Lord. present state of our mission nothing could be more gratifying than the unanimous feeling of attachment manifested to the Society, and the determined zeal witnessed to support those whose conduct has been marked by every honourable and Christian senti

ment.

On Lord's day, Oct. 5th, the services

In all our churches we have established juvenile and Sunday School Associations, and many of the children have come forwards voluntarily as subscribers to the Mission. A pleasing incident which ought to be noticed occurred at Kingstanley, at the public meeting, when the children of the Sunday school presented a donation of 17. 10s. ac

« AnteriorContinuar »