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Mr. BERRY Supplies the following intelligence, under date of August 5th:In my last I informed you of our increase in the church, of our interesting open-air services, and of our prospects of a greater increase; and now it affords me great pleasure to say that our service yesterday, at the waterside, was, if possible, even more interesting than on any former occasion. The number of protestants was not so great; but the Romanists mustered stronger. I was greatly pleased to see a very considerable number of young persons. Our friends assembled early. After prayer we went to the water, and were soon surrounded by a large and attentive congregation; and I think that almost all, if not altogether the whole, felt that God was with us. After the baptism, I administered the Lord's supper, and had the pleasure of admitting two other persons, besides the one baptized; and thus three were added to our little band yesterday. The other candidates will be baptized in September and October.

I had also the satisfaction of preaching to a large congregation of Romanists, at a funeral. I went to the house, and was at once asked to preach. I never remember to have seen greater attention. Deep impressions were made on some, as the numerous applications by them for bibles plainly proves. My congregations in the country, and towns, are very cheering; that at Kyle much so; and at Maryborough even more.

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established a school in opposition. Notwithstanding, we expect a full house, when the busy season is over, as the people of the town consider our school superior to any other. Besides the teacher, who is indefatigable, as well as some members of his family, there is a lady who gratuitously supplies the school with maps and tablets, and also materials for knitting. She attends likewise two hours each day to teach knitting, sewing, and reading. I heard a gentleman, who visited the school, say, he never saw one better con

ducted.

Besides the regular service at Birr, I preach at Whiteford, River's Town,Banagher, Clough-Jordan, and Borrisokane; and occasionally in Castle-Otway. I also visit almost daily from house to house. We are endeavouring to establish a meeting in the county of Galway, through the means of a respectable family, recently gone thither, who lately left the Romish church, and joined our congregation at Birr. They are anxious to introduce the gospel among their friends. We have at present three candidates for baptism, all of whom once were Romanists.

The church at Cork is prospering greatly under Mr. WATSON, whose removal thither is clearly proved to be ordered by providence. The annexed particulars are taken from several letters received from him during the months of August and September.

We have commenced our Sunday-school, and have succeeded pretty well. With regard to a day-school, it is important that it be established as soon as possible. I have several subscribers of £1 per annum ; but we must still look to the Society for some help. The congregation increases considerably, and last Wednesday evening we had upwards of forty, and a full prayer-meeting on Friday. Appearances are so far cheering.

A few days ago I heard of a very eligible schoolmaster, who was trained in the Kildare Place Establishment. He will take our school for £26 per annum, and I have engaged him, and taken a room in Fish Street; a capital situation—no school near. The rent is £4; and towards these expenses I have had subscribed £10 annually, and will pledge myself to raise £5 more ; and I trust the Society will give us the other £15. As the room offered, and a teacher too, and friends were urging me on, I was compelled to close at once. I trust English friends will not let me fall through for this. They know the importance of laying hold on the young too well to permit this to happen. Nothing shall be wanting on my part in the way of

IRISH CHRONICLE.

superintendence; and many friends will cooperate. I am already promised many children of the poor.

Last Lord's day, the 25th, our congregation exceeded a hundred. To-morrow I baptize a lady from Limerick. Our dayschool, only opened two weeks, has forty scholars, nearly all Romanists. I shall have to enlarge my borders, unless the committee fail me. Several of the scholars come to our

Sunday-school. We had a large congregation at the baptism.

A union meeting of the neighbouring churches has been held in Mr. McCARTHY's district for some years past. Subjoined is an account of the last, held about the middle of August; which seems to have been one of more than usual interest. Mr. McCARTHY writes:

On Thursday, the 22nd ult., my dear brother Hardcastle came to my help, accompanied by two esteemed friends. On Saturday, the 24th, brother Sharman preached at Rahue, to a full congregation. We met on Lord's day morning, at 7 o'clock, for prayer. The more general service commenced at 10. Brethren Sharman and Hardcastle preached. As the day threatened rain, we could not have our usual out-door service; and the meeting-house was not large enough for the people. After service we proceeded to the river-side, the banks of which were crowded. Some of my friends think a thousand people were present. Our two brethren conducted the devotions; and after an address from brother Hardcastle, I proceeded to explain and enforce our views of the ordinance to which we were about to attend. When I

was next.

had baptized the two female candidates, I heard the voice of brother Cleary, whose turn What he said was short, simple, and to the purpose. "For years I have read the word of God as a dead letter. It was only lately that it came home to my heart; and I trembled, prayed, and found mercy. It may be so that some of you are in the same condition. The same mercy is free for you all. Ask me why I thus stand before you, and am going to be baptized? I will tell you. I find it so ordered in the scriptures. Let me beseech you to receive the whole counsel of God." I then baptized him. These three make eight additions this present year, and over Two HUNDRED since the commencement of my mission ! Yet we still hear a whisper your side of the water, that nothing has been done in Ireland. Brother Hardcastle preached a powerful sermon in the evening, and I summed up the mercies of the day; and we went to our homes pleased, profited, and blessed.

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Mr. BATES, who has laboured for many years in one of the most remote and benighted parts of Ireland, writes as follows, dated August 24th:

We are still going on in our Master's work, and I hope, in some measure, his blessing is enjoyed. I have lately visited some places where I never went before. In one of them the congregation was small. Indeed, there are only three protestant families in the neighbourhood; and we could not persuade the Romanists to come in. But in another, the congregation was quite large, and the people came from some miles around! It is true many of them, as Jeremiah says of the Jews of old, "They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return." But after all there is an increasing spirit of inquiry. Truth is stronger than error; and if we are faithful our labours shall not be in vain in the Lord.

I have visited some of the schools lately; and found them very thin, on account of the opposition that the priests are making just now. They seem to be more violent than ever; but I expect it is only a sudden stir, which will soon blow over. Indeed, in many places the people will send their children. Notwithstanding all opposition, light is spreading. There are some interesting facts in the journals again this month. Oh, for more faith, devotedness, and zeal !

The following, from Mr. MULHERN, dated September 6, will show that the cause at Conlig is still cheered by tokens of the divine blessing.

four times a week; one day is set apart for In my stated labours I preach regularly visiting, which I consider a very important part of the duties of a missionary. These labours, feeble and inadequate though they be, are in some measure owned and blessed of the Lord. The week before last I had the pleasure of baptizing two persons, who were subsequently added to the church. I am anxiously waiting a reply to my application for a scripture reader. If Christian friends who the need and usefulness of such an agency care for perishing souls, were fully aware of in this district, they would supply the means. We have still a suitable person willing to be employed. It is remarkable that there is not a scripture reader in this district, employed by any denomination of Christians.

JOHN MONAGHAN, whose letters supplied some interesting facts for our last Chronicle, writes again, August 19th, as follows:—

In my former letter I mentioned that the priest of this parish called upon some of his

flock, and admonished them for going to hear the scriptures. Since then he called upon one of these again, and inquired if he persevered in this practice, and being answered in the affirmative, he got very angry. The young man produced his bible, saying, "Sir, this is the book you speak of-point out the errors to which you allude, and if they are so, I will never read it again." He took the book, and walked off with it, telling him he was an impudent cur, and that he would punish him according to the laws of the church. On the following day this young man called at my house. He was greatly distressed at losing his bible, and asked my advice how he should act about it. I gave him another, for which he seemed truly grateful, and expressed his fervent hope that God would enable him to read it with profit to his soul.

The foregoing extract shows that priestly intolerance is not always submitted to: what follows will exhibit our reader in personal contact with priests. It is from a letter, dated August 17th,

from RICHARD MOORE.

When I was in the lower part of the county of Mayo, I was told that the priest who lived in a village there, was raging furiously against the bible, and all who professed to believe it a sufficient guide to glory. I entered his cottage, and after a short conversation, asked him if he could direct a sinner to heaven. He said he could; and mentioned doing good works as the way. I tried to show him the straight and narrow way, as his was the broad road to destruction. As I had so far succeeded in this attempt, I thought of

making another effort. I called to see father D—, of M—. After putting several questions of a personal kind to me, he wanted to know what denomination of Christians I belonged to. I told him to the baptists. He said we made too much of baptism. I replied by saying we did not baptize any one until he was a believer, as Peter said, "Can any man forbid water," &c. "Please lay your finger on that passage," said he, handing me a New Testament. I opened the 10th of Acts, for which he thanked me. I then added that it was his church, and the established church, that made too much of it, by making regeneration of it; and quoted the 1st of John, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." "Right," said he; "but what will happen if the child die unbaptized ?" I asked him what it was that damned the soul. "Sin, to be sure.” "What is sin ?" "The breach of a known "What does a child know about any Would it not be a bad law that would hang you for my crime ?" "You are right," he answered. I then read the 8th of Acts, and showed him that Philip baptized the eunuch on a profession of his belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. "I am obliged to you for these passages," he said; "and I admit they have changed the mode." and the subject too," said I. We then went on to the question of baptism standing in the room of circumcision, and the doctrine of regeneration by the Holy Spirit alone; reading 2nd of Ephesians, the 4th of 1 Tim., and Matt. 10, and other suitable portions of truth, He kindly went with me to the door, and told me to call again to see him. May the Lord water the seed thus sown, as the work is his.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS, &c., RECEIVED SINCE OUR LAST.

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"Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! praise thy God, O Zion! For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee; he maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat."

JERUSALEM was the metropolis of Judea; Zion was a hill, or mount, in Jerusalem, on which David built a new city, called it after his own name, and had his royal palace erected therein. The words of our text were addressed to the inhabitants of those two places especially, to remind them of the goodness of God, as manifested towards themselves in various important instances, and admonish them not to forget his benefits, but to render the gratitude and adoration which he so justly and so fairly claimed. In some parts of this psalm the writer refers the people to those religious privileges which the Father of mercies had bestowed upon them; but, in the verses I have read as a text, he is specifying some of those signal favors which Jehovah, as the God of Providence, had communicated, and which, though less valuable by far than spiritual blessings, were very excellent in their VOL. 6.-N.S.

places, and very deserving of their grateful acknowledgments.

"He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates," &c., that is, though the cities in which you dwell are surrounded by walls, and though the gates through which you go out and in are fastened by means of bars, yet you must remember, that nothing of that description would be found. sufficient to keep back your enemies, and preserve you in a state of peaceful security, without the constant aid of the Lord Almighty. Then, as to the food with which you are so abundantly supplied, is not He the bountiful bestower of that likewise? may talk about the fertility of the soil in the surrounding country; you may talk about the industry and skill of those who cultivate your fields; but, while you give unto them all the praise to which they are fairly entitled, forget not your obligations to that adorable Being "who giveth

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According to notice, I intend speaking a little this morning in relation to the harvest, and the delightful weather so graciously afforded for the gathering in of the precious fruits of the earth. I am well aware that the greatest of all our temporal blessings are not worthy to be compared for a moment with those spiritual blessings in heavenly things which are by Christ Jesus. The body is as nothing in comparison with the soul: time is as nothing in comparison with eternity. It was with a view to the precious soul's salvation that God the Father sent his only-begotten Son into this world of sin and death; it was with a view to the precious soul's salvation, that Jesus, the Mediator of the better covenant, spontaneously came to "bear our sins in his own body on the tree;" it is with a view to the precious soul's salvation, that the Eternal Spirit is communicated, to enlighten our minds, and change the disposition of our hearts. For the same purpose the sacred scriptures are bestowed, and the ministry of the gospel is maintained. And what can be so important and so essential as blessings like these? O, my brethren, if the God of Providence were to favor us with three or four abundant harvests every year; yea, if he were to shower silver and gold upon the earth every day of our lives; all this would be as nothing when compared with the blood of Christ, the influences of the Holy Ghost, the privileges of the gospel dispensation, and a well-grounded hope of everlasting life. But, while temporal blessings are confessedly so much inferior to spiritual and eternal ones, still they ought not to be overlooked and undervalued; they display the paternal

care and kindness of our Heavenly Father; they are adapted to our present circumstances and requirements; they demand our thanksgivings and praises; and they are calculated to assist in stimulating us to "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service." Hence we find the inspired writers frequently specify and enlarge upon the ordinary allotments of Providence; such as food and raiment, health and friends, security and peace. Blessings like these are spoken of at considerable length by men of God, who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." In imitation of such excellent exemplars, then, I invite your attention, for a few minutes this morning, to some brief observations respecting the power, the goodness, and the faithfulness of Jehovah, as displayed so clearly in the appointed weeks of harvest."

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I. Let us contemplate the power of Jehovah. I allude especially now to the increase of corn which ordinarily takes place from year to year; to the largeness of the quantity gathered out of the fields in autumn, as compared with the smallness of the quantity deposited in those fields in seedtime. Many of you, who are engaged in agricultural pursuits, understand this matter very much better than myself, and could give more accurate and detailed accounts than I am able to furnish; but, without attempting to go into particulars, all of us know enough for my present purpose; we know that it is quite a common occurrence for farmers to gather many quarters of wheat, for instance, off a piece of land on which, a short time before, only a few bushels were scattered; and thus the quantity of grain is remarkably increased from year to year. Now, I want us all to consider by what means this increase is effected; and to ask ourselves whether it does not supply a convincing proof of the amazing power and skill of

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