JANUARY, 1835.

The Rev. S. Davis, of Clonmel, will come from Ireland this month, for the purpose of collecting on behalf of the Society in the West of England. Our friends, that he may visit, especially our ministering brethren, are respectfully and earnestly requested to encourage his application to the utmost of their power; as, on the success of such efforts the continued operations of the Society greatly depends.

In the Rev. Wm. Thomas’s letter will be found a grateful reference to the Committee of the Tract Society, and to a parcel which he has received from England, containing many useful articles for the children of the schools. And the Secretary begs to acknowledge the receipt of a number of “Magazines for Ireland,” from a female friend at Hammersmith.

Extract of a letter from Rev. S. Davis
to the Secretary.

Clonmel, Nov. 21, 1834.

We are in the Lord’s hands, and he will finally accomplish the purposes of his own glory, and I am persuaded we cannot do better than steadily to pursue the purpose in which we are engaged, to make the people acquainted, as far as it is in our power, with the Holy Scriptures, which will undermine the power of Antichrist, and promote happiness in proportion as they obtain an access to the heart.

My son, at Ardee, recently assisted in the public examination of 400 adults in their knowledge of the Irish Scriptures, and he has given a very interesting account of the meeting in the last Quarterly Papers of the Irish Society. He was astonished and delighted to think, as I do also, that the teaching of the people in the Irish Scriptures, is one of the most important benefits that can be conferred upon the country.

Our Society has had the honour to take the lead in this respect; and, however we may be looked down upon, and whatever may become of the institution, I have no doubt it has been a greater benefit to the country than words can express; it is a pity, therefore, that it should not be in more prosperous circumstances, and that your hands should not be held up more by those who have it in their power to afford us assistance; but when we have done what we could do we cannot reproach ourselves, and we must leave the event with Him who will appreciate our good intentions, and forgive all our infirmities.

S. Davis.

Rev. W. Thomas to the Secretary.

Limerick, Nov. 21, 1834.

My dear Sir,

You will have the kindness to excuse the brevity of these few lines, as I have only this moment arrived after a journey of preaching and inspecting some of the schools, and it is necessary that the readers’ journals should go off by this day’s mail, which will proceed immediately. I have, I trust, some interesting things to communicate, which, please providence, I shall shortly do; and also, offer my grateful thanks to the Committee of the Tract Society, for a precious parcel of tracts, forwarded with a kind letter from their worthy Secretary; and also my very grateful acknowledgments to an excellent lady, for a very acceptable parcel for the female children in the schools; this good lady says, they are “from one who wishes well to the cause of instructing the rising generation.” The thimbles, bodkins, thread-cases, needle-books, work-bags, scissors, and five shillings, inclosed in the “old purse,” shall be judiciously distributed: the five shillings we will apply to clothing some naked creatures. May the Lord of glory clothe the dear lady’s soul with the beautiful and glorious, the spotless and eternal, robes of the Redeemer’s righteousness, which will never wax old!

With the kindest wishes for you, my dear Sir, and all the dear friends of the Society, ever most affectionately yours,

Wm. Thomas.

Rev. J. Bates to the Secretary.

Sligo, Nov. 31, 1834.

Dear Sir,

Through mercy I am spared to give you an outline of my imperfect labours during the month that is now past, and gone into eternity. When I think of the rapid flight of time, and view the condition of my fellow-sinners around me with regard to their religious circumstances and eternal prospects, I feel that my situation is such as should lead me to Jesus, to seek more of his mind and more of his spirit, that “whatever my hand findeth to do, I may do it with my might.”

Since my last letter, I have visited several villages in the country where I never went before. Castledargin, Corringuncor, Drimnagooli, and Ballindrist. There are a few brethren in the neighbourhood of Corringuncor, and they feel rejoiced when any one pays them a visit. The congregation at that place was large and very encouraging. Mr. Berry is going on a missionary tour amongst them this next week. May the Lord bless his own word to their everlasting welfare, and his own glory!

Ballindrist is an interesting little station, and, by the blessing of God, I trust good will result from the proclamation of his word; but at Drimnagooli, there exists the greatest spirit of inquiry. I have only been in that neighbourhood three times, and I am happy to say that, each time, the congregation increased. They are continually saying, “Visit us as often as you can.” The clergyman in that neighbourhood has preached against baptism; but I have lately observed, where there is the most opposition, there is the greatest spirit of inquiry, and the largest congregations.

Since I have been in this superstitious island (and surely this is the place “where Satan’s seat is”), I have sometimes thought of what my affectionate pastor told me when he was living, just before I left England. Calling me by my name, he said, “Whatever others do, let it be your determination to preach Jesus; wherever you take your stand, there let the cross be erected. Dagon fell when the ark of God was set up in his presence; they set him up the second time, but behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground and broken to pieces; so if you set up Christ, with a single eye to his glory, Antichrist must fall; ‘my word shall not return unto me void.’”

During the next month, if all is well, as I shall have a long journey inspecting the schools, I hope to have many opportunities of proclaiming the gospel to those that are now sitting in darkness. I pray that the Lord may command a blessing, even life for evermore.

J. Bates.

To Mr. Thomas.

Ballycar, Nov. 13, 1834.

October 29. Being asked by a Roman Catholic why I would not pray to the Saints, and implore their intercession; I replied, Because I have no authority in Scripture for it. But on the contrary, St. Paul says, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus;” and the Saviour himself says, in John xiv. 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me;” and he also says, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, I will do it.” Now since all we ask the Father, in the name of the Son, is granted unto us, why should we address ourselves to other mediators? We also read in 1 John ii. 1: “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Nov. 2. In Quin, entering into a conversation with two persons, on the necessity of reading the Scriptures, one of them replied, that their clergy would not permit them to read them. I asked him, which should he obey, his priest or God? He replied, God. “Therefore you should read, and not only read but search, the Scriptures; for Christ himself says, ‘Search the Scriptures;’ and again he says, ‘Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it:’ and the apostle Paul strongly commends the people of Berea for reading the Scriptures; he expressly says in Acts xvii. 11: ‘These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.’ Now if these people doubted the words of that eminent apostle, how much more should we search the Scriptures in the present day, and see if the doctrine taught us be consistent with the Scriptures or not!” After reading different passages of Scripture, and reasoning for some time on this subject with these people, they replied that it appeared consistent with truth, that men should read the Scriptures.

Nov. 7. Entering into conversation with one person, on the immediate state of happiness of those who die in the Lord; he replied, that no person can enter heaven, without being purged from their sins in purgatory. I asked him, Did he not think that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ was sufficient to cleanse him? He replied, He was confident it was, but we must also suffer for some time in this place. I read to him different passages of Scripture, to prove to him that the blood of the Lord Jesus cleanseth us from all sin, such as Isaiah i. 18, 1 John i. 7, Prov. vii. 13, 14, 15, Heb. i. 3, &c.. After reading this passage, the man took the book out of my hand, to see if the words were expressly the same as I read them; after seeing they were, from his conversation after, he seemed very much to doubt this doctrine. I read at intervals to the Major’s workmen, himself being in a delicate state of health, which renders him at different times unable to do it. He had been very ill this day or two past, but is now getting better. Sir, I remain yours,

Samuel Cross.

To Rev. J. Bates.

Temple House, Nov. 14, 1834.

Rev. Sir.—I feel happy to state to you that since my last I have been permitted to read the word of life for vast numbers of Roman Catholics and others who were ignorant of those precious truths which are revealed in it; and indeed many of them have heard the word with remarkable attention, and seemed to receive instruction.

Oct. 20. In the house of widow Sweeny, where there were assembled about fifty Roman Catholics, the man of the house having got a sudden death; whilst I sat amongst them one of them said, “Let us pray for the soul of the departed.” Then they all took off their hats and prayed; this they did every half hour, and in the interval talked of consecrated ground, &c., and of the benefits of being interred in consecrated ground. I was indeed much grieved on seeing and hearing such ignorance and superstition; and, addressing myself to one of the most respectable and well informed among them, I asked, “What reason have we to believe that either consecrated burial-ground or prayers for the dead, or any other office, can help the state of the departed soul?” Two of them answered and spoke alternately. One said that no devil or evil spirit could come near consecrated ground; the other told me that they believed in the doctrine of purgatory, and that the prayers of the faithful are necessary for the relief of the souls in purgatory. I told them that it is written in the word of God, that “blessed are the dead which die in the Lord,” for they rest from their labours; that those who believe in Jesus Christ, “his blood cleanseth them from all sin,” and that consequently they need no other purgatory. I referred to the words of the Saviour in the 3rd of John, “He that believeth on the Son bath everlasting life, but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” One of the men above mentioned said, that he read in the Scriptures that we are purged by fire. I showed, from 1 Peter iv., the fiery trial spoken of means persecutions and sufferings for Christ’s sake to be endured in this life. I also showed, from Acts viii. that on the death of Stephen there was not a word about consecrated burial-ground or prayer for the dead. All this time the people heard with most eager attention. I showed them from many parts of Scripture that Jesus is an all-sufficient Saviour, and that all who believe in him are justified from all things, &c.

On the 26th, went to the house of J. Foley, where many were assembled visiting a sick person. While they talked of the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of being prepared for eternity, I endeavoured to show the need we have of a Saviour, and the blessings of being interested in him. I proposed to read for the sick person, and was permitted; I read very many of the most suitable parts of Scripture, showing that the Saviour is a sure foundation to build our hopes on for salvation, and that there is no other. The people present were nearly all Roman Catholics; and seeing them so attentive, I continued nearly an hour reading. The sick person seemed to receive comfort from the Word, and the people of the family were extremely thankful. On the following Sabbath I again visited the same house. They told me they were rejoiced to see me enter their door. I read Acts iii. 4, showing that Peter, to whom they are in the habit of praying, directed the people to the Saviour, telling them that there is not salvation in any other, and that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

Robert Beaty.

To Rev. J. Allen.

Ardnaree, Nov. 11, 1834.

Rev. Sir,

I am happy to inform you that many instances present themselves in this part of the country, of persons forsaking their former wicked course of living, and giving themselves to the study of the Scriptures, and that through the instrumentality of the Baptist Institution; persons who, if left to themselves, in all probability, would have lived and died ignorant of a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.

On the 23rd, ult., I went to the neighbourhood of Castlebar, among our schools. In that part I read and talked to many of the inhabitants regarding the “one thing needful;” left the persons with whom I thus read and conversed, religious tracts as usual. M. M?Kelvey, with whom I had several conversations regarding the ordinance of baptism, intends to offer himself as a candidate to the Ballina Baptist church soon.

We have great cause for thankfulness that the Lord is pleased to grant us so many favourable opportunities of reading and explaining his holy word to our countrymen and fellow-sinners, being aware that if they knew the truth the truth would make them free.

In the neighbourhood of Foxford, I have strove to be useful, particularly in Shrakum, had a seasonable opportunity of reading applicable portions of the Scriptures in the hearing of many persons, young and old, who answered their various questions respecting religion; we also joined in prayer. The people then present seemed to be satisfied with my answers to the questions which they asked on several occasions.

There are three new places in which I frequently read the Scriptures in this neighbourhood, namely, Rakep, Caltrough, and Bunzee; in all those places I read portions both of the English and Irish Testament, diligently endeavouring to draw the serious attention of my various hearers, as usual, to the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

There is a man of the name O’Donell in Hill-street, Ballina, to whom I have given a Testament some time ago; he comes to your preaching, and does not care for either priest or pope, for so doing. On the 7th instant, went among our schools in the Tyrarough district; remained in Easkey two days; met and had conversation with many of our Christian friends there. May they daily receive all needful grace and strength out of the fulness that is in Christ Jesus!

There is a man and his wife that lately came to live in this town; she is a nominal protestant, but he is a papist, they frequently come to my house for the purpose of getting religious instruction. They were with me on Saturday last, at which time I read several applicable portions of the Scriptures to them, and also answered their questions respecting religion, from the criterion of truth. They both can read. I have given them several useful tracts, and a book entitled, “The Errors of Popery.” I intend to visit them often, and they promised to attend your preaching. I hope these visits to my home, with the blessing of God, will be the means of directing them to the Saviour, who alone is able and willing to save to the uttermost all that put their trust in him.

Roger Mullarky.