Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Next Page
OCR
y,
Ay
&
t
as
ad
ir
id
Zz.
v
&
as
c
le
6
a
&
&
4
-_Orators, and. indignation at beholding, at this period,
_ sovereign panacea, with a certain class of persons for
‘all the evils of unfortunate Ireland—it is, in fact, to
* meshodistical jargon, .the renowned Captain Gordon
> culated, in'spite of tlt Priests. \'The gallant Captain,
"of course, supposing that there ‘were no, persons pre-
_, burn bis bible, and reluctantly complying with the or-
der, the child -exclaimed— I thank God you’ cannot
| “TRUTIL IS POWERFUL, |
VOL.
EW-YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1825.
AND WILL PREVAIL.
. ‘
NO. 12
IRELAND,
“DHE © SAINTS.” -
That “Saints” may claim a dispensation,
To swear, and forswear, on occasion, *
‘ I doubt not. . “
Huprsras.
_ We find, in ‘arecent number of the Manchester Ga-
ette, an account of the annual meeting, held in that
: town, of the Manchester and Salford Auxiliary Bible
Society, Sir Oswald Mosely in the Chair. In present-
ing to our readers a brief abstract of the proceedings
of this meeting, we do so with mingled feelings of dis-
gust and indignation ;—disgust at the maudlin metho-
distical cant which pervades the speeches of the Rev.
when Ireland groans beneath a load of accumulated
wrongs, the good sense of the-English people -divert-
ed ‘from the consideration of the real causes of the
misery, of the Irish, by such itinerant knavish hypo-
crites, ° . La - .. fev f
The Rev. Thomas Webster remarked in his speech,
that’“none who had heard the, reports of travellers,
who had recently come from ‘Ireland, could avoid
coming to the conclusion, that the majority of its pop-
ulation must be ina wretched condition—in a state that
reflected disgrace upon the country with which it was
comected.”: So far the Rev. Orator told truth. But
to relieve this population from wretchedness—to place
them in,a state of comparative happiness and comfort,
what does he recommend?. The ‘Bible, the Bible,
‘nothing but the Bible ? e Reader stare not—this is the
believe them, the rand medicine, which, when ad-
ministered in sufficient doses to the starving peasant
will give him “meat, drink, and dry lodging.” . Ilea-
yen knows, Paddy has a hard life, here below—his
oppressors haye deprived him of the merit of believ-
ing in a future purgatory, by affording him the sad
reality even on this side of the grave—whenever the
poor fellow calls out for relief, the Cabinet Ministers
of Great Britain recommend cold iron, while the Par-
son lus*ily bellows out, « there’s nothing like leather.”
‘Aftcra Rev, W. Roly delivered a speech, filled with
rose, and eulogised ‘the Society in good set’ terms;
stated the number of schools and scholars they had in
beland, and the vast quantity of Bibles they had cir-
sent capable of contradicting him, began to practise
his tricks on ‘the gullibility of Jin Bull. | “On one
occasion,” said he, “the Priest ordered ‘a child to
take from me the twenty, chapters that I have ‘in’.my
mind? ” ‘This ancedote drew forth great applause
from his fanatical auditory, who, no doubt, put impli.
cit faith in the Captain’s veracity. We, however,
who happen to be better acquainted with his tricks,
and those of is associates ‘feel strongly inclined to
consider this story a pure invention.’ Indeed, what
he shortly afier relates as a fact, we have no hesita-
| tion in asserting to be the very contrary—namely, that
there are at this moment, eight thousand adults learn-
ing to read the Scriptures. ia Jrish. - We are certain
there are not one hundred .adults among the poorer
classes in Ireland who can read their language. “The
gallant Scotchman concluded by reading, as he ‘said,
a passage from the Catholic Catechism, which de-
nounced all who did not belong to that’ religion as
“heretics, infidels, and excommunicated persons.” We
shall see how well hé was answered on this head,
The Rev. Richard Pope, who was so lately worsted
by a Catholic Layman at the Kildare-placo Meeting,
then came forward to act his part.” After railing for
some time against the bigotry, ignorance, and mental
degradation of the Irish, he proceeded (says'the Man-
chester Paper) to relate several instances of their su-
perstition, particularly in the County Kildare, which
he said could scarcely be exceeded by the worshippers
of Juggernaut. Ye then praised the Society, “as in
duty bouad,” and calumniated the Catholic Clergy —
In the course of his tirade, he related the following as
a fact, and having’ given names and places, (a thing
seldom done by Biblicals,) we shall quote his’ words,
feeling assured that the respectable Clergyman he has
calumniated, will not fail to’ expose this’ absurd false-
hood:—* A soldier quartered at Carlow, attended a
lecture that.was delivered by one of the missionaries
of this Society. He found, on his entrance, the room
extremely“ crowded, and among the auditors he ob-
served not fewer than two. hundred Roman Catholics,
who appeared to listen with the deepest interest to
what was going forward, and conducted themselves
with the greatest decorum, * This was another among
the many proofs that he (the Rey. Gentleman) had
seen and heard of, of the kindly feelings that existed
among the friends of the Institution, and the Laity of
the Romish Church. (Cheers)’ One of the Roman
Catholic Curates told the soldier who ‘attended this
lecture, that, as a public penance for the sin he had
committed, hg must wear his jacket inside out for a
certain period.’ The soldier boldly replied, that if he
(the Priest) insisted upon this measure, he would never
set foot ina Roman Catholic Chapel again as long as
he lived; the Rev. Mr, O'Connell, therefore, desisted
from his purpose. ‘This proved that the Roman Ca-
thelic Clergy were obliged to give way to the spirit of
enquiry and trath ‘which so generally _prevailed,—
(Cheers,) ‘Another’ man who had’ committed ‘the
crime of attending this lecture, went ‘to Dr. Doyle to
know what must be done. Now, said the- Priest, did
you not hear as good a discourse in your own Chapel ?
The man made no reply. The Dector then said, ¢if
you'll take my advice, you wilivead the Testament.’
Thus, said the Rev, Speaker, he is obliged to zive way
to that. powerful .and enérgetic spirit’ which is now
pervading his people,” \ Upon the foregoing extract
we shall offer no comment—we are sure it will receive
could only catch detatched parts of his speech,
Another Catholic Gentleman, Mr. Flinn, adverted
to the statement of Mr. Pope, relative to 1,300 Bi-
bles being disposed of in Dublin in one week. These
Bibles, said Mr, Flinn, he had no doubt proved ex-
tremely useful, particularly to the Irish bucksters, for
the lapping up of tobacco, tea, &c.—(Laughter.)
Captain Gordon then rose to reply, and retailed.
over again the various calumnies he had already ut-
tered. . Towards the conclusion of his oration, some
one asked the Captain if he had never been over-
powered by the logic of the Roman Catholic Clergy ?.
He replied that “he certainly had, if logic could pro-
ceed from bludgeonsand missiles ; for it was an «ctu-
al fact that he and Mr. Noel were beaten in Munter,
not by the logic of the Clergy, but by the stones whick
were flung at them by the orders of the Roman Cathe-
lie Clergy. : Co
Good God, can it be possible that a man, who pro-
fesses to venerate the Gospel, could so far forget its
commandments, as thus openly, and in the face of the
world, give utterance to so foul, so false, so diabolical
acalumay ? It is impossible, when speaking of such a
fellow, to pursue the common courtesic’ of Janguage,
Ile who has thus basely violated the kuown truth, and,
with fiend-like malignity endeavours to blacken the
character of a venerated body of men, deserves not to
be treated with respect. von .
This gallant Captain may be assured, that neithe
the people of England nor the people of Ireland will
soon forget the many .signal defeats he and his con-
freres suffered in this campaign. The triumphant re-
futation alone which they received in Waterford, from
the Rev, Mr. Esmonde, should shame them into
silence. : ey ‘ ‘
‘After the gallant tar, who can thus, with the most
unblushing effrontery, state as facts,the most noto-
rious falsehoods, sat down, a member of .that cruelly
calumniated body, the Catholic Clergy of Ireland,
rose, and in the following speech, repelled the vile
attacks of these fanatical assailants :
The Rev, Mr. O'ITAGAN (a Roman Catholic Priest, from the
parish of Kilcoo, ja the gounty of Down) rose to observe, that,
he was a perfect stranger in this town, and as such had attend-
ed the meeting, understanding that its. object was the ameliora-
ton of the poor Irish. Ue himself had come over from the
North of freland for the sole and express purpose of raising
moucy for the establishment ofa school, which he intended ta
conduct upon principles equally as liberal as those alleged to be
adopied by the Hibernian Society. He had no expectation that
opics of a sectarian nature would be introduced, aud fecling
himself grieved and wottnded at the false misrepresentations
which had becn made of the principles of his religion, he had
een Induced »trude himself upon the mecting, .~He dis-
claimed, in every sense, the principles which had been ascribed
toit. (They (the Roman Catholic Priests,)' did not hinder the
reading ofthe New Testament, with such explanatory notes
and comments as were approved efby the priesthood, ‘and
which were calculated tu prevent the ignorant from interpreting
the sacred writings according (0 theit undevstanding and will,
a circumsthade which might not only Prove injurious to the
peace and the safety of socicty, but of great danger to the dors
tine which the Churel incnicated upon the minds ef her chil-
dren. {As to the ch: tion which the gallant Cap.
tain had brow; 212, he uiterly donied it. They con-
demned superstition, and all their wor y confirm-
ed this point. It wes mere
Penance, as 21a
an ample contradiction from the proper quarter. .
A Catholic Gentleman then commenced a refata~
tiow of the statements of Mr. Pope, but the reporter
t fr b6fav
ion,to Almighty God
work of self hua mn and mortification—a pray g under
corporeal pain. ‘Tradition had banded down an account of
miracles baving been performed in past ages, by St. Patrick,
and other Saints? aad consequently the people had a vencration
‘
says that, from the distance he was from him, he
: . peg etcnnce NA
ge Domini inane peste tet ACO AT SA HS