Irish Chronicle.

THE letters of Mr. Wilson respecting the Schools in the counties of Mayo, Sligo, and Leitrim,-and of Mr. Thomas concerning those in the county of Clare,-will afford satisfaction to those who are supporters of the Society; and will, it is hoped, induce others to contribute towards carrying on the various means employed for disseminating scriptural instruction and evangelical knowledge among our suffering fellow subjects in Ireland. The fact stated in the letter of Mr. Thomas, and confirmed by others of the agents of the Society, that there are no breakings.out" in acts of outrage, cruelty, and rebellion, in the districts of the Schools, speaks loudly in favour of the beneficial operation of such establishments. What benevolent Englishman but would wish the number of such Schools to be increased, till they fill that unhappy land?

From Mr. J. Wilson to the Secretary.
Ballina, March 12, 1822.

Dear Brother,

for

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in the county of Sligo. As some of these are but recently established, much proficiency cannot be expected at present. One fact respecting the Enclosed you have an account Bedford-court School will show the of the Schools at present on the esta- necessity for it, which is, that out of blishment in this part of the country, eighty children which had entered a and the number of pupils in each. short time after it was opened, only Their state is highly gratifying; one of them could read, about twenty though, from various circumstances, could spell monosyllables, the rest some of them are not in the most flou- knew not their letters. Several inefrishing condition, yet their general fectual attempts had been previously character is truly pleasing. Many of made to establish a School there; but the youth during the past year have by the united exertions of three neighleft the Schools for different situations bouring gentlemen, who are magisin life, several of whom have been trates, we at length succeeded. May apprenticed to trades; and it is rethe Lord now send prosperity. In the markable, that nine from one School Carter-lane School sixty-seven girls have left for this purpose; others who had been entered in three weeks. With remain have made a considerable pro-respect to the other Schools receiving ficiency in the various initiatory branches of education, and many new scholars have been admitted to the Schools.

It will be seen that the number of Schools which had been broken up by order of the Committee, as mentioned in the last report, has been made up by the Schools, which, when in England, I received permission to establish; half or more of the expense of each being engaged to be paid by different congregations or individuals; so that in this district there are now 59 Schools, containing 5,110 scholars, independent of Sunday Schools. The new Schools are, the Burton-street, the Devonshire-square Female, the Mitchell-street, the Haddington, the Lymington, the Bedford-court, the Dean-street Female, and the Carterlane Female. The three former are in the county of Mayo, and the other five

similar support, whose names have already appeared, very considerable progress has been made in some of them, particularly the Hammersmith, the Hackney, the Walworth, and Aliestreet Schools. In the latter there are nine girls who can repeat the whole gospel of John, and six of them can add to it the sermon on the Mount and the epistle to the Ephesians. At the last inspection I had promised a Bible to the best repeater of the Ephesians, when two of them, in class, went through it without a single mistake, and one of those two repeated all the parts of John which I had time to hear, in the same perfectly correct manner.

In the Walworth Lion-street School

there are some remarkably diligent girls, eight of whom can repeat the gospel of John; three, thirty-four chapters; two, sixty-four chapters; and one, seventy chapters, in addition to

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their learning knitting, needle-work, &c. Of the 5,110 scholars in all the Schools about one-fifth are reading the scriptures, three-fourths of whom are committing them to memory: among them there are some striking evidences of great attention, and of very retentive memories.

The opposition that is now given to the Schools is of a more private nature than formerly, and consequently the more difficult of detection, though by no means the less evident in its effects. But yet the work goes on, and it is pleasing to be able still to say, that the desire for instruction prevails among parents and children; and also that assistance from the resident gentry increases, which I am happy to add, is confirmed by some additional subscriptions, which I have succeeded in obtaining, notwithstanding the very great scarcity of money here. As means, these things are encouraging; but in the Lord alone is our hope: on him we may depend, for ourselves and for the cause in which we are engaged. A poor woman, in dying circumstances, the wife of one of our Sabbath readers, whom I visited yesterday, seemed well to understand this subject. She had formerly depended on other things; but now "Christ alone, Christ alone" is her language, and she can venture to trust him though passing through the dark valley. May we be enabled to do so, through time and in death, and then a glorious eternity shall be ours. Yours affectionately,

J. WILSON.

Extracts from a Letter of Mr.
Thomas, dated

girl, not ten years old, repeated the Epistle to the Romans. I promised a new frock, as a premium, which excited great emulation. Oh what a pity that children with such capacities should be in such misery and wretchedness!

A fine school-house is nearly finished on the borders of the county of Galway, by Counsellor R. on his estate; this gentleman is a great friend to religious education. Sir William and Sir John Read are desirous of building school. houses at Tomgrany and Moynoe: these worthy and active Magistrates are very friendly to the interests of the Society.

John C. Esq. under whose patronage I have established a school at Bally. car, thirteen miles north of Limerick, has fitted up a very fine school-house, with desks, and every thing_complete. This pious servant of the Lord, and most respectable and active Magistrate, sits in the school and teaches the poor children: he also pays the greatest attention to the Clare school for me. He and his excellent lady have given me their second subscription, £2.5s. 6d. I cannot sufficiently express their kind attention to me, and good wishes for the Society. May the Lord abundantly bless them, and give them an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

In the Nenagh school there are 346 children, boys and girls. The girls are taught also spinning and needle-work. Mrs. B. the excellent lady under whose patronage the school is established, is about to build another school-house for females, as large as that she has already built, as there are crowds of children. She has also given me £10 for the Society. The Seven Oaks school has eighty-five children in it, who reWm.peated 197 chapters: twenty of them repeated ninety-five. It is situated at Scariff, and is taught by an excellent master.

Limerick, March 18, 1822. The fourteen schools under my inspection contain 1,179 children, boys and girls. Several of the schools in Clare are kept in Roman Catholic chapels. I am happy to say, that those places in which the schools have been established for some time are quiet; you will observe it is those parts of the country where opposition has been made to the circulation of the Scriptures, and to education, and where the people are most neglected, which are most generally the scenes of rebellion and desperation. In one of the Norwich female schools two of the little girls, one of them a poor orphan, repeated 36 chapters each. In the Bristol school, which contains 100 children, a

HOME INTELLIGENCE.

The following is an Extract from the Liverpool Courier of March 13, 1822, written by the Editor, for the Purpose of recommending the Society to the Attention of the Inhabitants of that large commercial Town, who have annually contributed towards its Funds:

"We wish to direct the attention of our readers to an advertisement relating to The Baptist Society, for affording scriptural instruction to the native Irish, by means of schools and readers of the Scriptures.' The moral condition of the great bulk of the teeming population of the Sister Kingdom is truly deplorable, and the contemplation of it must fill the mind of every lover of human kind with the most painful sensations. Vice and superstition have there fixed the foundations of their throne broad and deep in the gross ignorance of the people; and nothing but the most persevering, the most determinate efforts of religion and knowledge can ever achieve its overthrow. The Bible Society, the Tract Society, and several other pious associations, have already done much towards the accomplishment of so desirable an object; but much remains yet to be done. In this moral warfare, the efforts of the Baptist Society, during the eight years it has been in existence, have been unremitting; and a reference to the advertisement already alluded to will show, that they have been crowned with the most cheering success. In the southern counties of the island, the most horrid tragedies have been acted within these few months; but in those districts where schools have been long established, the holy volume circulated, and the Gospel preached, not only have no crimes been perpetrated, but the inhubitants are quite peaceable. This single fact speaks volumes in favour of the vast importance and utility of religious instruction. We have, indeed, no hope of the permanent tranquillity of Ireland until her people shall be more enlightened and better educated than they are at present; and he who is desirous of accelerating a consummation so devoutly to be wished,' must aid, by his purse, the benevolent objects of those who are endeavouring, by diffusing among them the light of moral and religious instruction, to elevate the Irish people in the scale of civilization.”

SCOTLAND.

The "Irish Chronicle" has been during the present year,stitched up with a respectable publication printed at Glasgow, entitled, "The Christian Recorder, and British and Foreign Religious Intelligencer." In the number for MARCH, there is an account of the distribution of the funds of the

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Eagleshain Society," respecting which a writer under the signature of HIBERNICUS, says, "I think the Sos ciety might have divided this £30 into seven separate donations, and have given one of these for the support of the Presbyterian Missions to the South and West of Ireland, by the United Secession Church, and the other to the Baptist Irish Society, whose Chronicle has lately been stitched up with the RECORDER.

"You have done well in pleading the cause of poor Ireland, and I hope such societies as that at Eaglesham will not in future forget the Missions of the Secession Church in Ireland.The Baptist Irish Schools are not supported for the purpose of making the scholars BAPTISTS, but for making them CHRISTIANS."

The Rev. Mr. Hinton of Oxford, has been preaching in London on behalf of the Society, and powerfully pleading the cause of the destitute and long neglected Irish. The first sermon was preached at the Meeting-house in New Broad-street (readily granted for that purpose by the Rev. Mr. Berry and his friends), on Friday evening, April 5. The text was Psalm xlv. 2—6. In consequence of its being a church-holiday the congregation was not numerous: the collection notwithstanding amount. ed to upwards of £13.

On the following Lord's-day evening Mr. Hinton preached at the Meeting in Eagle-street to a crowded congregation from Matt. vi. 20, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. The collection amounted to £12 12s.

The Committee intend to avail them. selves of the labours of respectable Ministers to preach occasionally in London, in aid of the funds of the institution.

The Ladies' Auxiliary Society in London has been assisted by the Independent Congregation in Queen-street, Cheapside. The Rev. Mr. Heap preached on the occasion, from Luke xiv. 23, and £20 12s. was collected after the sermon.

Rev. Thomas Thompson of New. castle, in Staffordshire, has sent £6 for the support of the Society.

The Secretary acknowledges his obligations to the friends of the Society who have so kindly received him, and so freely contributed during the last and present month. At Liverpool, Manchester, Newbury, and Whitchurch, upwards of £160 has been collected; and it is exceedingly gratifying and encouraging to the Committee to learn that the objects of the Society are uni-trievable ruin. The soul is of the versally approved, and the warmest wishes expressed by Christians of all denominations, that success and prosperity may attend all its operations.

My visit to Ireland I hope will be over-ruled for good. I am convinced I fectionately,

Missionary Herald.

BAPTIST MISSION. ing-house, Hammersmith, on Friday,

Home Proceedings.

DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES.

THE Ocean, with Mr. and Mrs. Bourne on board, sailed from Shields, on Monday, the 17th of March, and arrived off Deal on the 22nd. Mr. and Mrs. Tinson embarked immediately; and as the winds have been since almost uninterruptedly fair, they are, it may he hoped by this time, near the end of their passage. The cordial thanks of the Society are due to the friends at Newcastle, Shields, and Deal, by whom our Missionaries were so kindly entertained during their stay in those places.

ANNUAL MEETING.

April 5, for the purpose of forming a Missionary Union for the West of Middlesex and parts adjacent. The morning service was commenced in prayer by the Rev. D. Washbourn, the much respected pastor of the Independent

church in Hammersmith. An interesting sermon was then delivered by the Rev. J. H. Hinton of Reading, from Matt. xxv. 40, And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me, followed by an animated and pathetic appeal on behalf of the Mission, by the Rev. James Hinton of Oxford, whe closed the service in prayer.

For the accommodation of friends

coming from a distance, a plain dinner joining the Meeting, of which about was provided in the school-room adfifty persons partook. The afternoon was agreeably occupied in conversation, and at six the public meeting commenced, for the purpose of trans

acting the business of the Union. The chair was taken by W. B. Gurney, Esq.; prayer was offered by the Rev. W. Groser of Brentford, and a statement given of the nature and objects of the Union, by the Rev. John Dyer, Secretary to the Parent Society; after We have the pleasure to an- which, the meeting was addressed by nounce that the Rev. William Jay the Rev. Messrs. Uppadine of Hamof Bath, and the Rev. Micah mersmith, Hinton of Reading, Torling of Thomas of Abergavenny, have Harlington, Day of Hammersmith, Bailey of Datchet, Clarke of Chelsea, Dawengaged. Providence permitting, son of Staines, and Mr. Hanson of Hamto preach the Sermons at the An-mersmith. The opportunity was internual Meeting of the Baptist Mis-esting in a high degree, and not being sionary Society, on Wednesday, the 19th of June next. Further particulars in our next number.

MISSIONARY UNION,

FOR

West Middlesex and its Vicinity.

ACCORDING to the notice which appeared in our last Number, a meeting was held at Rev. Mr. Uppadine's Meet VOL. XIV.

protracted to an unseasonable hour, did times fear has been the case) of family not involve the sacrifice (as we some

devotion to the more public services of the sanctuary.

This Union is formed upon the suggestion thrown out in the Report of the Parent Society for 1820, page 42, and according to the Rules published in the Herald for August of that year. John Broadly Wilson, Esq. of Battersea-rise, has kindly accepted the office of President; the Rev. Owen Clarke of Chelsea, was appointed Secretary ;

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