Irish Chronicle.

From W. Moore to the Rev. J. West.
Templehouse, June 6, 1825.

REV. SIR,
I am returned after thirty-four days'
travel, and did not sleep the fourth night
on the same bed, and seldom the second,
so that I cannot but have some interest-
ing accounts to lay before the Society,
which I will endeavour to do as briefly as
in my power.
And first, to shew the
cause of this pilgrimage, about four
months ago I had an invitation from a cer-
tain man, about forty-five miles distant,
to converse on religious subjects; but as
yet his name and the subject is not ripe
for further insertion. However, I was
taken unwell at the time, and it was a
great uneasiness to my mind. At length,
I took the resolution at all events to go to.
I think, at the smallest calculation, I tra-
velled 200 miles; and I praise my heaven-
ly Father am as well in health and consti-
tution as the day I set off. Another
thought occurred to me, that perhaps it
would be the last time I should be spared
to see all the people, wherever I travel
in the western direction, and that I would
not return until I should see them, and
encourage them, if they were to be tried
with further fiery trials: but, to my com-
fort, I found them unshaken. The Lord
has promised his people, that according
to their day so shall their strength be,
and so I found it. The next thing I wish
to remark is, the state Ireland was in,
when the Lord inspired his people with
one consent to endeavour to dispel that
cloud of gross darkness which prevailed,
through the means of circulating the glo-
rious gospel: so there is not one quarter

of a mile I travel where there is not a Testament to be found; and though, at present, we cannot see the desired effect we would wish, we must wait patiently

the Lord's time.

The next day I went to Crossmolina, and spent a day with the Rev. Mr. Iwho, I may say, is a faithful servant of the living God. I let him know the object of my journey to that country he urged, and encouraged me to proceed. I had brought a man from near Foxford, who was to introduce us, as it was the most profound secret; after we had gone on some distance, we were informed that the man we were in quest of had passed to Ballina, back again the same ground. My companion at last made him out; circumstanced as he was, he said, at the

time, it would be imprudent of us to meet, as he was critically circumstanced, and desired I would state to him on paper all things for and against, and for some time we would hold a correspondence, until it would be in his power to appoint a time we could meet; and I think it will answer as well, as his mind will be better prepared. According to his wish so I did write, as long a letter as this, exhorting him, as he would read the letter, to compare it with the scriptures, and that he would see the great mystery of godliness compared with the great mystery of iniquity; so with impatience I wait his answer. It was at his own earnest desire I undertook this long journey, and hope yet it will have the desired effect; and though I failed in this I do not regret my journey. The following narrative is full compensation for the whole: I took the Tyrera direction home, and called at R. M.'s, where he is lately gone to live; he told me that there could be no part of the kingdom in greater need of instruction than that place; and indeed so I found it. I was determined to go that day as far as Easkey, and told him as the season was late, and the people hurried, they would not quit their labour. Never mind, said he, if the hook be in the corn you will have plenty : so it turned out. Protestants and Papists assembled; and what astonished me most, in that part of the country the great proportion the Protestants bore to the Papists, where I thought there were very few. I never was in that part of the country before; however, they flocked in, old men that were, in their early days, bred Protestants inclining to popery, and, I was told by R--, leaning strongly to the ointment: but there was this advantage, Protestants or Papists, they were the most simple I ever met, neither party contending for any principle; but they staid a long time, and requested I would stay another day. Next day being Sabbath, we were to go within two miles of Easkey, where there is a meeting, appointed at nine o'clock every Sabbath; here was a large assembly of different sects. The Testament was handed to me as soon as I went in, and my object was to declare the truth, and to steer as clear as possible without touching their feelings as to prejudice. I read the fifth chapter of 2 Cor. on reconciliation, and it turned out that there

was not an individual that did not shew the greatest token of approbation. From that to Easkey, where we had about two hours more, from that back again to R-'s, where we had a thronged house, and did not break up until a late hour. Next morning, before I was up, they began to assemble, and very civilly requested I would spend that day with them, and numbers of Papists would come; and added, that it was a holy day, being Whit-Monday. I told them, for the past it was the happiest time to me I ever spent, and not to spare me. I began the third of Romans, but was interrupted, that I should read and speak Irish, as many of them did not under: stand English. I told them I was glad that I spake better Irish than English, which is the truth. However, a long part of the instruction was to make them understand what the law was, and for what purpose it was given, and until they understood this they could not understand the gospel--how a sinner, condemned by the holy law of God, could stand justified before the same God. I did not quit the subject until I was persuaded every individual understood me: this is plain, as with one consent they acknowledged they did not know what law or gospel signified: so you see what a pity it is so many perishing for lack of know ledge. They beseeched I would go again, saying that there is a great extent of that country would be glad of the opportunity. But in all places I ever travelled I never found any soil so prepared for the seed of the word. There were some respectable men in the company, as to worldly circumstances. I spent the next day in Easkey, and another near it, but with enlightened brethren; two days more in

and about Ardnaglass, a day in Collooney, and the next home. As this is the longest journey I ever took, so it is the longest journal I ever wrote; and some places I have omitted, and also occurrences that took place; and my sole reason for this tedious journal is, to shew the difference this year of Ireland to what it was twenty-five years ago; that in all the places I have mentioned, at that time there was scarcely one who had a glimpse of gospel light, or was inquiring after it; and now, there is no direction that a man will face, but there will be both men and women having clear gospel views; some that were obstinate bigoted Papists, that now would die martyrs for the truth. So I conclude, whether I live or die, fervently praying that the Lord will prosper his own word, and raise faithful men as he hitherto has done, to bring poor benighted souls to the light of that glorious gospel.

To the Secretaries of the Baptist Irish
Society.

Limerick, August 15, 1825.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

Ennis. I preached to considerable conI have been twice, since I wrote last, to gregations, most of whom were Roman Catholics. It is a most dark and dreadful place. I saw a man there who had been to Counsellor M--'s for books, to teach a school for the London Hibernian Society, near Tullo; the counsellor and I asked him some questions, he said he was forty years of age, nine of which he was a schoolmaster-never saw a Bible but when he heard them spoken against or a Testament, nor never heard of either, by the priests. But this is not a rare instance. Mr. M-- is a most worthy man, is not ashamed of the gospel of in the dark town of Ennis, which is si Christ, and is a bright and shining light tuated twenty miles north-west of Limerick, and is the county town of Clare. Preached twice at Partheen; expounded the scriptures at Bally Car, where I was most kindly received by M-C- and his worthy lady: he continues to read the scriptures to his poor people, and a sermon every Lord's-day evening, and has he has a little congregation of from his parlour open for all that wish to come twenty to thirty. I had a great discussion at six-mile bridge, in the street; all the people nearly in the town were assembled. Three popish advocates opposed and spoke till nearly night, at which me. I replied to all their arguments, time I had eight Irish miles to come, quite exhausted in bodily strength: the which all my adversaries were not able "Lord gave me a mouth and wisdom, appeared quite divided, some said I to gainsay or resist;" the multitude the doctrine of supererogation on the rich was right. They endeavoured to support man's authority, who said he kept the satisfactorily proved to the people that he commandments from his youth. But I risee, entirely ignorant of the depravity was an idolater, and a self-righteous phaof his own heart, and the necessity of a Saviour, from which I took occasion to exalt the Redeemer to the utmost of my power, and proved, from the united testimony of prophets and apostles, that there was no salvation but through him. One of the popish advocates acknowledged that he was an idolater, and as such he could not enter the kingdom of God, which had a good effect. They asserted that the Roman Catholic church was the only one which descended from the apostles, and was the only right one.

proved that the church of Christ always existed entirely separate from the popish

church; showed the constitution of the first christian church established at Jerusalem; traced the history of that church, and proved, and openly declared to the multitude without the least fear, that the popish church was the antichristian, false, and heat'henish one. I spoke of the necessity of a diligent attention to the scriptures, and insisted on every man's right to think for himself. While I spoke with the greatest faithfulness, I did also with civility, and gave them to understand it was their welfare I sought, and left them under the impression that I was their sincere friend. This is only a glance at what transpired.

Preached at Mount Shannon and Clonwella, in the county of Galway, and was well attended. At Clonwella I saw a very old man, I wished to speak to him, and did so; I said, "My friend, you appear to have been a long time in the world." He said he was in the one hundred and eighth year of his age, that he wished he had died thirty years ago, that he was very sick lately, and he thought he should have died. I said, "If you had, where do you think you should have gone?" He said, he did know that, the priest had prepared him. "Did he tell you about Jesus Christ, and what he had done for sinners?" He said not, that he knew nothing about Jesus Christ, nor that there was such a person. I told him, that if he died depending on the priest's preparation, that he would be certainly lost; this startled him, and appeared to prepare him for what I was going to say. I took every possible pains to convince him of the indispensable necessity of an interest in the Saviour; he appeared very thankful. I did not part with him until he appeared to have a head knowledge of how he was to be saved. I gave him something, as I found he was a poor man who had to beg at the end of his days. I said I would speak to him again next morning, and requested him to think deeply of what I had said. He told the woman of the house, that it was a good thing that he had not died when the priest prepared him, that he should have gone to hell, and did not cease to thank me. I saw him again next morning, and said a great deal to him, when he told me that he depended entirely for body and soul upon the Saviour. I preached at Nenagh, Birdhill, and O'Brien's Bridge, in the county of Tipperary: had two considerable congregations at Nenagh.

Preached twice, since my last, at Kilfinan and Ballyorgan, in the county Limerick, and went to Glanasheen, on the borders of the county of Cork: there were two large congregations at Kilfinan. The Sunday school, which Lestablished there

about six years hack, has flourished in a most superior way; about a hundred children regularly attend; their knowledge of the scriptures is surprising; I should not be ashamed to compare it with any in England: the greatest praise is due to the worthy, the pious, and the zealous Mrs. C. D. O~~, and amiable family.

to large congregations in Limerick. A I preached from the decks of ships Baptist chapel would be of the greatest use here; it is the greatest trial to my mind, when the people ask where is your chapel; to reply I have not one. of his people to build one for his glory. I hope the Lord will put it in the hearts Never was there such a time of inquiry; heaven, having the everlasting gospel to surely the angel is flying in the midst of preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.

ning from heaven, and every system of May Satan and antichrist fall as lightreligion, which has not the Bible for its authority, and Christ for its foundation. May the efforts of the Lord's people still be abundantly blessed, that his truth may prevail, his salvation be received, and his name glorified throughout the earth.

REV. SIR,

W. THOMAS.

To the Rev. J. West.

Collooney, Aug. 12, 1825.

I have been reading, and lecturing, as usual, since my last (in the native language) on the doctrines of salvation, and the danger of neglecting it, and endeavoured, in my feeble way, to engage the attention of the illiterate, and learned, to the great and inestimable benefits, which are connected with a saving knowledge of God's word. And have had the satisfaction of hearing many of them acknowledge the force of divine truth, exclaiming that they violated God's holy law by transgression. That Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life, and that none cometh to the Father, but by him. I commenced reading in Ballinvalley beyond Collooney, where about twenty persons came toge. ther, to hear the word, I declared to them that Christ died for sinners, according to the scriptures: and the next day, I addressed an increased number in Carrownedin, the word of God seemed quick and powerful, and the people seemed to rejoice for the privilege of having it sent to them, in their own language. From thence I travelled to Doomow, where sixteen persons attended; I read and shew

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