prodigally bestows. There is an eternal war waging between wealth and labour. The poor man's wants are few-still they are denied. All this arises from a superabundant population. The humble bee points the remedy; each succeeding year the busy hive ejects the excess of its industrious tenants, and thus sets us an example which we have only to follow.

"Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth" is the command of Heaven. To whatever quarter of the globe we direct our attention, excepting Europe, we find thousands and tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, over which the British flag proudly waves, awaiting the industry of the husbandman. Will any man be bold enough to assert, that this vast portion of the earth has been created by an all-wise and munificent Deity for no other purpose than to be the haunts of wild beasts?

Do we not find it recorded in holy writ, that Abraham and Lot separated, when they found that "the land was no longer able to bear them?" Let us then follow the example set us by the holy Patriarch, and go likewise, the one to the right and the other to the left. Let those whom Providence has blessed with abundance, give liberally to provide the means of emigration; and in so doing, they will not only be relieving their poorer brethren, but serving their common country.

Unlike America or Russia, we have no vast forests or extensive prairies to fall back upon. We cannot add a single acre to our territory. But our North American possessions alone are capable of receiving and providing abundantly for any number of our popula

tion.

A total repeal of the Corn Laws, or free trade, in the fullest sense of the word, can only afford temporary relief. Machinery has supplanted manual labour; but now that we have taught other nations its use, we cannot retrograde, we must go with the stream; and thus one-third of our population become strictly speaking drones. The excess of hands in proportion to employment must ever keep down the rate of wages; and a reduction in the price of food is only a signal for a proportionate reduction of wages.

Relieve the country of its surplus population, and you immediately cause that which no legislative enactment can effect-an equitable regulation in the price of labour. This, I repeat, is the poor man's birthright, and woe to the man that denies it him!

To the clergy of our Established Church then, I appeal, in the name of Him whom they preach, to espouse the cause of suffering humanity" to stand between the dead and the living." Their example and influence, added to that of all true Christians and loyal subjects, will soon raise sufficient funds to carry out the good work. The Government will no longer have the excuse, that the state of our finances prevents the adoption of so wise and beneficent a measure; and under its parental management and control, such a system of emigration will be adopted as shall cause the smile of happiness and contentment once more to beam upon the now haggard and care-worn countenances of tens of thousands of our fellowcountrymen.

St. Paul tells us in his 1st Epistle to Timothy v. 8-" But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." Though this charge of the inspired writer alludes more especially to our own kindred, still I consider it applies equally to those of our own nation. Thousands are subscribed each succeeding year for the propagation of Christianity among the Heathen. If then we are mindful of the spiritual wants of those who to us are aliens, how much more ought we to provide for the temporal, as well as the spiritual necessities, of our fellow-countrymen.

Had half the amount expended on our various union-houses, salaries to commissioners and assistant-commissioners, been applied to emigration, a real service would thereby have been rendered to the community at large, and the unions would not, as now, be filled to suffocation.

A LAY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

THE REFORMATION

IN IRELAND.

(Continued from page 127).

THE second station is Dunquin, a remote and lonely spot, situated on Dunmore Head, about ten miles west of Dingle; the village-if a collection of cabins, placed in all and every direction, can be so called-is of some size, and very populous. We drove there on a week day, to be present at the opening of the new school-house for Divine Service. The day was magnificent, and many of the gentry of Dingle, together with four or five clergymen and several strangers from Dublin, were also there. It was a gay and striking scene along the broad sands of Ventry Bay (which, it being low water, we crossed a part of), and up the long steep rocky road over Marhyn hill, enlivened as it was by jaunting cars, gigs, and horsemen, all hastening to see this interesting event. And when we topped the hill-how glorious was the view of ocean stretched before us in the silver splendour of the noontide sun! near us the rocky Blasquet Isles, beyond them the boundless Atlantic. Arrived at Dunquin, we immediately went to the school-house, which is fitted up with reading desks, pulpit, and a small railed-off chancel, the wainscoting painted in oak, and all neatly finished with crimson cloth; Mr. Moriarty and Mr. Goodman being justly desirous to excite toward our simpler form of worship the respectful feeling of those who are accustomed to a religious ceremonial which is so much more addressed to the senses.

Between eighty and ninety converts were present, besides a large number of children. The evening service was performed in Irish by Mr. Brady, the language sounding rich and agreeable even to our unaccustomed ears. All the converts were extremely attentive, answering the responses with a warmth of devotion delightful to witness: they all joined in singing the psalms and hymns in Irish, with an expression and sweetness seldom heard in a country Church. Mr. Moriarty read the lessons in Irish, and also preached a sermon, which some friends who could follow him praised highly, and, judging by the

countenances of the converts, was deeply touching to them. Mr. Goodman addresssed them shortly in Irish, in a kind affectionate manner, which seemed to be very engaging to them.

After service was over we walked about this very poor nest of cabins, and were cordially welcomed by the Roman Catholic part of the population, who seemed quite as much pleased to see us as did the

converts.

This great work of change and conversion was the fruit of reading the Scriptures, and originated in Lord Ventry's having, several years back, previous to the efforts of the Irish Society, made a present of an Irish Bible to an old man, who, from his influence, might be called the village sage." Connor, for that was his name, studied it carnestly, and perceiving how unscriptural was the Roman Church, he quitted it, ceasing to go to mass or to confession, but not going to Church, because he did not understand a single word of English. He became, however, an excellent Christian, and by reading to them, prepared eleven heads of families to quit the Church of Rome. This they all did in a body, as soon as the Church service was performed in Irish at Ventry. Shortly after he had thus seen the desire of his faithful heart accomplished, he was called to enter "into the joy of his Lord;" but before his departure he received the sacramcnt according to the rite of the Established Church for the first and last time. The scene is described by those who witnessed it as having been most touching and spiritualizing. He partook of the eucharist in his own cabin on his death-bed, and in presence of a numerous assemblage of his Roman Catholic neighbours, all standing bare-headed around him.

Soon after this remarkable circumstance, the Dunquin villagers forwarded a petition, that the Church service should be performed in Irish at Dunquin; stating, that though their men could walk five miles over Marhyn mountain to Ventry, their wives and little ones could not.

The petition was granted, and ever since Mr. Moriarty, having first performed the Irish service and preached at Ventry, goes to Dunquin, where hitherto the service was held in a room, but will henceforth be in the new and very convenient school.

Whenever the sea is sufficiently calm to allow boats to cross the sound between the Blasquets and the main land, the island converts join the Dunquin congregation, which, when united, amounts to more than a hundred and ten persons, independent of a great number of children.

The Blasquets are a group of five or six small rocky islands, which lie about three miles from the main land; two only of them are inhabited -the largest, called the Great Blasquet, by several families; the second in size, only by one. These islands are the property of the Earl of Cork, from whom the Great Blasquet is rented by a Roman Catholic lady, and sub-let by her to a middleman of the same religious persuasion. However, notwithstanding their power and influence, some of the poor people, when the good tidings reached them of the Gospel being preached in their own language at Dunquin, immediately sent an invitation to the members of the Irish Society, who had been so active at Dingle, Ventry, &c. &c., requesting them to send a deputation to

the Great Blasquet to see for themselves, and judge of the state of religious destitution in which the islanders were left by the neglect of the priests, being, as they stated in their memorial, "left like the cows and horses." The call was responded to-some members* went, and were cordially received by the people: in consequence of this inspection, and of the earnest entreaties of a portion of the inhabitants, an Irish reader was appointed, and there being on the greater island a "plot of rocks," about a quarter of an acre in size, which belonged to Government, it was applied for, and a lease of it obtained, after some delay at the rent of 5. per annum! But even at that rent they were glad to secure this rocky foundation, on which they have built a residence for the reader, and a school-house, with a room attached to it for the clergyman when he visits the island. Thus a secure footing has been obtained for the reader, from which he cannot be driven by the proprietors of the Blasquet.

Four families have joined the Established Church, and there are others who seem preparing to follow their example, although the priests, having roused from their indolence, have become as active as they had formerly been the reverse; for, from the difficulty or the disagreeableness of crossing the rough sound, and the uncertainty of being able to return without a delay of perhaps several days, the priest of the parish of Ballinvoher, to which the Blasquets belong, in the Roman Catholic parochial division, rarely visited the island more than once a year, on which occasion he never staid, unless detained by stress of weather, beyond a day-a busy day; since, besides saying mass, he married, baptized, confessed the inhabitants according to their need, and, above all, collected his dues. These dues were paid in kind, for money they had none, and his reverence returned home with his boat deeply laden with lambs, pigs, geese, ducks, chickens, wool, yarn, and whatever else could be obtained from their poverty. But finding that the priestly influence was not as strong as was desirable, both the parochial priest and others have latterly paid more frequent visits, and during this summer have even crossed the sound once a month. The consequence of this, and of the unmitigated Popish influence which prevails in the island, has been a considerable severity of persecution of the converts, and more especially of Pat Connor, the reader. Orders were issued from the altar of the chapel not to sell any kind of food to him, not to bring him anything from the main land, and not to allow him the use of any of the boats, or to give him a passage when they were themselves crossing. The poor man was sadly distressed, and during the winter months would have been famished, but for the kindly nature of these poor islanders, who by stealth, in the night season, often left on his window sill two or three eggs, or an oaten cake, or a few potatoes, or a little jug of milk. His mild patience and quiet perseverance have received a blessed reward, by four families having quitted the Roman Church, in the very face of persecution, willing to bear the loss of all,

Among the visitors were our excellent friends Mrs. D. T. and her husband, who is the efficient and most benevolent agent to Lord Ventry's vast property, which extends over the greater part of this district.

"so that they may join Christ," and become Bible-reading Protestants of exemplary conduct.

The following letter is copied verbatim from one addressed by Pat Connor to Mrs. D. T., the active friend of, and collector for the Blasquet Island Mission:

"MADAM,

"Blasquets, August 26, 1842. "Since your last visit to this island the priest has been among us; he delayed some days on the island, which is a longer stay than any of the people recollect that a priest ever made with them: this island has been seldom visited by any of them oftener than once a year, and then would only stop for one day. I am sure that his object in coming was to oppose the reading of the Irish Scriptures to the people, and if possible, to frighten me out of the island. The parish priest, who always visited this place once a year, when he saw that cursing the people would not keep them from hearing the Bible read, or from sending their children to school, said, he would in future leave them in the hands of Father Pat: who is certainly as clever at cursing as any one could be. He prayed that the wrath and vengeance of the Almighty would pursue them until the day of their deaths, as close as their shadows in a summer's day; and not only that, but their seven generations, if they kept company with or talked to me, or if they would receive me into any of their boats, or carry a note for me out of the island, or bring a note to me, or any one thing. He told them to throw me overboard and drown me, if I went into any of their boats, and to serve any person who would be accompanying me in the same manner. He said that I would not be allowed to live in the part of the country I belonged to, for those turncoats are tied neck and heels, and left until they repent and return to mass again. But (said he) I am not telling you to tie him, but only telling you what is done in other places, and certainly he ought to know that his life is in daily danger in such a place as this island.

"Those who have their children at school, he cursed every member of their bodies and every hair of their heads; he said they were guilty of so awful a crime that they could not atone to God for it; he told them what a henious thing it was to make the devil a present of their children whom the Lord had given them, and as sure as they would send them to my school they would give them by the right hand to the devil, as I was his servant, and employed by him to fit any who would listen to me for hell and destruction. He endeavoured to convince the inhabitants that I and the converts were sheep-stealing on the island, which made them think the less of all he said, they knowing the converts to be men of blameless character; and even in three days after he said this, the thieves were detected in the very act of slaughtering a sheep, which made the priest a liar.

"I trust that the Lord will bring good out of evil, and enable these poor deluded people to form to themselves a just judgment of the character of these priests.

"As for the converts, the proceedings of the priest while here have served to increase their horror of Popery. A woman, who I feared was a little favourable to it, said to me, that though the priest had