THE Eleventh Anniversary of the Baptist Irish Society will be held, Providence permitting, at the City of London Tavern, on Friday, June 24, 1825. The Chair will be taken by Joseph Butterworth, Esq. M.P. at seven o'clock; when the doors of the Tavern will be thrown open. Breakfast will be provided at six, for those persons who may be desirous of securing seats in the large room.

It is discouraging to find, that after the Society has for so many years steadily pursued its course, by endeavouring to teach the rising generation in Ireland to read the scriptures, without having introduced any catechetical instructions; that it should be represented as if their designs were proselytism. The evidence given by Mr. O'Driscoll, one of the King's Counsellors in Dublin, before the "Select Committee appointed to enquire into the State of Ireland," affords proof of the influence of prejudice on an enlightened and cultivated mind. As this evidence was printed in a Limerick newspaper, "The Irish Observer," the Secretaries considered it necessary to send a letter to the Editor, for the purpose of counteracting the probable injurious influence of such misrepresentations; and now present both for the information of the members of the Society, in vindication of their agents, from a statement which involves the charge of their having violated the printed regulations of the Institution.

Mr. O'Driscoll was asked by the Commissioners: "Are there not some of the Societies that profess proselytism? Does not the Baptist Society?" "The Baptist Society practise and profess it generally." "Has not a great deal of the opposition of the priests been occasioned by those efforts to make proselytes?" "An apprehension that such efforts would be made, is, I believe, the cause of the opposition of the clergy."

"Can you inform the Committee of any places in which the Baptist schools have been established?" They have been pretty generally established throughout the county of Cork; but a great many of them, to my knowledge, have failed, and others that I have heard of."

"Are they conducted by any Committee or Body in Ireland, or under the di

rection of a Body in this country "They are under the direction of a Society, I understand, in London."

"Do you know the nature of the establishments; were they endowed with funds or salaries for the masters?" "They paid the masters in the beginning very liberally, thirty or forty pounds a-year; they afterwards reduced these salaries to the masters in consequence of their funds failing, and latterly they have given so little, that some schools were obliged to be given up."

"When you describe the principle of the establishment to be proselyting, do you mean that they endeavoured to convert to the Protestant religion, or to the particular profession of Anabaptism?"

Their object is to convert to Protestantism generally, as I understand." "In fact to convert from Catholicism ?" "Yes."

To the Editor of the Irish Observer.

SIR,-Your paper of April 16, 1825, contains observations respecting the Baptist Irish Society, of which we are the gratuitous Secretaries, which seem to demand from us some explanation.

In the "Extracts from the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on the State of Ireland,” Mr. O'Driscoll answers several questions respecting the Baptist Society, as if he was well acquainted with its history and opera.. tions; when it is evident he cannot have read its Annual Reports, nor taken any means to obtain information respecting it.

He states, that our schools "have been pretty generally established throughout the county of Cork;" so far from this, we have never had more than six schools at any one time in that county.

He further states, "they paid the masters in the beginning very liberally, thirty or forty pounds a-year, they afterwards reduced these salaries to the masters in consequence of their funds failing, and latterly they have given so little, that some schools were obliged to be given up." The salaries to the masters in the county of Cork have been from the first sixteen pounds a-year; no school has been

given up on account of a reduction of salary, or from a failure in the funds.*

Mr. O'Driscoll states, that the Society "practises and professes proselytism generally;" and that "an apprehension on the part of the priests that such efforts would be made, has been the cause of their opposition to the schools." He afterwards explains his meaning to be, that it is not to make converts to their peculiar principles as Baptists, but "to convert from Catholicism to Protestantism generally."

We cannot better reply to these statements than by copying part of the last Annual Report, which relates to similar charges. Referring to opposition from a few Roman Catholic priests in the county of Clare, it is said, "The Committee would not have mentioned these painful proofs of the hostility made to the holy scriptures by persons calling themselves ministers of the Christian religion, had it not been necessary for the vindication of men whose characters have been malignantly traduced, and to repel the charge that the object of the Society was proselytism, and not the good of the Irish peasantry. If by proselytism be intended, attempts to bring persons over to their own sect, they indignantly deny the allegation; for, without undervaluing their own distinguishing sentiments, their only wish has been to make the Irish acquainted with the doctrines of the scriptures, in order that they may become genuine Christians. But, if employing suitable means for making them Bible-Christians be called proselytism, they admit the accusation to be just;--and, if this be to be vile, they hope the Society will become yet more vile, and that still larger accessions will be made to the church of Christ in Ireland by the humble labours of this Institution. They have not so learned Christ as to think lightly of the doctrines of the Reformation, nor of its political influence on the civil and religious liberties of their native country; and they most ardently pray that the Society may never cease to propagate those scriptural and evangelical sentiments, which were so successfully taught and defended by Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, and Knox; as laying the only solid foundation for a sinner's hope in the righteousness and forgiving mercy of the Saviour alone, and not in human merit, or

When the Society was first established, the schoolmasters in Connaught received twenty pounds per year for a short time: they were then reduced to sixteen, and this, unless the school is small, is still the salary.

the absolution of the priest. Surely those Christians who owe all their scriptural knowledge, and all their liberties to the Reformation from Popery, will never be negligent in using that liberty to impart the knowledge of salvation, to enlighten those who sit in darkness, and the shadow of death, and to turn their feet into the way of peace. Never may this, nor any similar Society, relax in its efforts to make known the light of the glorious gospel of Christ in Ireland, till all its inhabitants are emancipated from that most degrading and dangerous of all slaverythe bondage of the mind."

We do not attribute the replies of Mr. O'Driscoll to a spirit of hostility, while we lament he should have made state. ments which are likely to excite prejudices, both in Ireland and in England, against the Society. We wish the learn ed gentleman had recollected a letter, sent to him in November, 1820, by the Rev. Mr. Keen, of Cork, at that time the Superintendent of the Society's Schools, written for the purpose of correcting some mistakes which he had made respecting the Baptist Society, in a pamphlet on the "Education of the Peasantry of Ireland." Had not the Committee concluded, from the answer of Mr. O'Driscoll to Mr. Keen's letter, that he was fully convinced he had misrepresented the Society, they would then have published a reply to the erroneous statements of that pamphlet.

The increasing liberality evinced this year, by gentlemen in Ireland contributing towards the funds of the Society, especially by persons in Connaught, where the schools are chiefly situated, affords the best practical evidence, that the agents of the Society have not used any improper means for "converting the children in the schools to Protestantism:" if insisting, however, that the New Testament be used in the schools, and encouraging the children to commit portions of it to memory, subject them to that charge, they consider that, as Protestants, they could not do less; and, as Protestant Dissenters, they have no wish to do more. It is their anxious desire to assist in raising the moral and religious character of the peasantry of Ireland, and for this purpose to lay, as the basis, a scriptural edu cation: and, they have no doubt, should the blessing of God follow the labours of the Baptists, and other similar institutions, that, in a few years, a superstructure of personal religion, domestic comfort, and loyal obedience, will be raised upon it.

We shall feel obliged, Mr. Editor, if you will find room for an early insertion

Through the kind providence of God Mr. Davis and I came safe to Dublin. We left this for the north of Ireland near the end of March, and went to Castleblany, where I preached Lord's-day the 3rd of April, and Mr. Davis at Ballybay. We met the following Monday at Monaghan, where Mr. Davis left me, and proceeded to Moneymore and Cookstown, where he preached the 10th instant. I visited Clonas during the week, preached in the Methodist house there, and returned to Monaghan for the Sabbath. We met at Amagh on Monday, the 11th; Mr. Davis gave an exhortation in the evening. Tuesday we went to Londonderry, where Mr. Davis preached on the 14th. On that evening I left Derry, and went to Newtown, Limavady, where I preached the Lord's-day, the 17th. Mr. Davis baptized five persons at Derry, and preached on the above Sabbath at Letterkenny, and returned to Colerain, where he preached at Mr. Whiteside's and Mr. M'Calder's meeting-houses, the 14th. I left Newtown, Limavady, on the 25th, and preached at the Methodist meeting, Ballimena; from thence I went to Antrim, and preached Lord's-day, the 24th. We met by appointment in Belfast, where I preached on Thursday, the 28th. Collected subscriptions, and made arrangements for Mr. Davis to preach at the Rev. Mr. Carr's meeting, on Sabbath evening, the 1st of May. I left Belfast on Saturday, and proceeded to Tulleleah. I preached at the Rev. Mr. Johnson's meeting, in the morning, and at Tanderagee, and at the Methodist house, in the evening. Mr. Davis left Belfast on the 3rd, and went to Saintfield, where he preach ed two sermons; and from thence he proceeded to Killeleagh, where he preached on the Sabbath morning, and at Downpatrick in the evening. I left Tanderagee and came to Newry, and preached there Monday evening, and from thence to Dublin. We collected at the places where we preached; at those places to

which we had not been before, very little was obtained: but the operations of the Society are now known, and the way is opened for future success.

The sums collected in the North amount to £93, and we expect about £20 to be sent us in a few weeks.

Mr. Davis and I met with kind attention from our Presbyterian brethren. Some to whom we applied for a collection, informed us they had recently collected for other Societies, but if we would visit them next year, they would be happy to assist our Society.

I preached in a number of places belonging to the Methodists, who, with much christian candour, granted the use of their places of worship. We were at Belfast at the Academical Institution, during the examination of the students, which was conducted with very great propriety, and gave us a high opinion of that seminary. The ministers and gentlemen of the Committee, in a very friendly manner, invited Mr. Davis and I to dine with them, which we accepted.

I am yours respectfully,

J. WEST.

Through the good providence of God Mr. West and myself have been returned in safety to this city, after our third an. nual tour through the North of Ireland. We have experienced increasing favour from all denominations of Protestants, and particularly from the Presbyterians, who happily abound in those parts of the country; and we have been generally encouraged to expect a continuance of assistance in future years in promoting the objects of the Society. It was very delightful upon the Sabbath days to see from 600 to 800, and in some places over 1000 people collected for the worship of God; and I felt constrained to acknowledge to them, upon several occasions, that if our respected friends, who originated the Baptist Irish Society, had confined their attention to the North of Ireland, the Society would never have been instituted; for the lines have fallen to them in pleasant places, and they possess a goodly heritage.

Mr. West's health is so much improved, and the introductions we received were so numerous, that we were separated from each other nearly the whole time. We preached and collected in upwards of twenty different towns and villages. The particulars we shall reserve for the Ap