will learn how far all have departed from it in doctrine and practice: returning to their fource, they muft approach to each other, and, if they cannot entirely meet, they will find it positively enjoined to bear each others differences of opinion with charity and indulgence: they will find the distinguishing mark of Christians is mutual love; they will be afhamed of their paft errors, and promife each other that they will never be led into them again.

For the diffufion of religious knowledge it is neceffary, that it fhould be conveyed in the language the people understand. I have reafon to believe, from various enquiries, that at least eight hundred thousand of our countrymen fpeak Irish only, and there are at least twice as many more, who speak it in preference. One of the fundamental principles of the reformation was, that every perfon fhould addrefs his Maker, and read his word, in his native tongue; yet this was neglected in Ireland, with a view of making the English language univerfal; but it is easier to alter the religion of a people than their language.

The first and most effential step to be taken now is, to diffeminate the Scriptures in the Irish language, or rather fuch portions of them as fhall come within the purchase of the people. Diftributing for nothing is doing well for the prefent, but establishing a scheme by which they will continue to be diftributed to the end of time, is doing better.

It will be faid, very few indeed can read Irish; but this must have been the cafe of every language,

before

before printed books were in common circulation. It must have been fo in the Highlands of Scotland, Wales, and in the Ifle of Man, where the bible has been published in the native dialects, and extenfively circulated; and fo far would our countrymen be from neglecting the fcriptures, if they could get accefs to them in their own dialect, that I know it to be fact, that they purchase Erfe bibles in that part of the country, of Longford near Lough Derg. I have also been affured, that in the county of Waterford there are Proteftants, who cannot speak English, who preferve their religion by oral tradition, without a Clergy, and without a bible. The Clergyman of a Prefbyterian congregation in the county of Armagh, near Dundalk, is obligéd to preach a certain number of fermons annually in Irish. There are many books of Devotion, and fome Sermons, circulated in Irifh for profit, and we may be fure the Scriptures would be fo too. Archbishop Usher, and many other of our beft prelates, have been earneft to have the fcriptures circulated in Irish, and feveral editions were printed at different times, but from neglect they have become scarce, and fo nearly useless. The prefent Primate has teftified his approbation of this scheme, by fubfcribing to an edition of St. Luke's Gofpel, and of the Acts of the Apoftles, which Mr. Watfon is now printing in English and Irish.

Preachers in the Irish language would alfo do ef fential fervice. About forty years ago, a perfon was employed and paid by government to preach

in Irish throughout Connaught. The methodists frequently address the people in their own language, and are received with enthufiafm; we ought to imitate them, either appoint refident clergy who understand the Irish language, with inftructions to preach and perform the fervice in that tongue, or else appoint itinerant clergy for that purpofe. They fhould generally enforce the moral precepts of the gofpel, enter but little into controverfy; when they choose to enter into fuch a fubject, it fhould never be done by furprife, but with notice, fo that no one should be deterred from coming to hear moral discourses, from a fear of his having his peculiar notions attacked. Clergymen, who would undertake fuch a miffion in the prefent ftate of the country, might be expofed to fome danger, but I am convinced we have many clergymen, who would hazard their lives for the diffufion of pure chriftianity. Indeed with refpect to our clergy at large, whatever objections may be made to their conduct in other refpects, they can never be reproached for want of perfonal courage, and we muft fuppofe they had made up their minds to die for that religion, for which they were fo ready to fight. On their miffion however they might be exempted from their duty as yeomen, and take no other arms than the helmet of falvation, and the fword of the fpirit; they should be peace-makers; they fhould ftudy to make themfelves the friends of the poor, live in their houses, fhare their potatoes, be their advifers,

their mediators with the magiftrates, their arbitrators, their physicians.

I do not think it at all unlikely that the Catholic clergy might be prevailed upon, to give up the prac tice of using Latin prayers, and to teach their people to pray in their own language. I understand a fcheme for effecting a change of this kind was in contemplation among their laity fome years ago, and would in all human probability have fucceeded, but for a circumftance which would be confidered very extraordinary: it would be for the intereft of the clergy to take the lead themselves in a change which a fhort time will make inevitable. The use of Latin prayers is not at all effential to the difcipline of the Roman Church, as there are many countries whofe inhabitants acknowledge its authority, and, by the confent of the Pope, ufe their mother tongues in prayer.

But you may say these things may be of fome ufe, but we have not time at present to attend to them; our fituation is critical, and requires rapid and decifive meafures, which may inftantly put us in a state of safety. Be calm, and attend, human wifdom cannot devife any fuch meafures, unless it be a public peace, which you feem far from ftill. I defy any man to mention any political arrangement, which is capable of instantly converting every difaffected man into a loyalift, although it is eafy to find a measure that will convert every loyalist into a difaffected man. Mischief might be done in a moment; good can fcarcely arife but by a gradual procefs, and if you will confider the extenfive operation

operation on various claffes of fociety of the meafures I fpeak of, and how much more than any other they go to the root of our evils, you will after a little confideration not think thefe fchemes fo flow in their operation, as you fuppofed. The leaders of the United Irifhmen have declared upon oath, that they found the people of the South little interested in political measures, but that they obtained their fupport by perfuading them, that if they got into power they would better their condition; but many were engaged who were not in want, and is it poffible to fuppofe, notwithstanding all their crimes, that there were not fome of thefe men actuated by a fincere defire of bettering the condition of the poor? If these men fee you doing in a better wa what was their object, will not their feelings towards you be greatly changed? And as to the peafants themselves, do you fuppofe them fo utterly deftitute of the feelings of human nature, as to have no gratitude for those advantages, freely given them, for the chance of which they were ready to lay down their lives? Suppofe that Irishmen are fo extraordinarily constituted as to have no capability of gratitude, will you not gain, byremoving them from the the temptation of abfolute want? What produced the Roman revolutions, and at laft the confpiracy of Catiline? The multitude of thofe who were fo involved in debt, and poverty, that it was common for them to be fold as flaves. Although our fituation is in many refpects not fo defperate, yet are not our poor to be pitied in the country, where