The Express.
London, England, 1850-05-03 00:00:00

IRISH SOCIETY OF LONDON.

Yesterday the twenty-eighth annual meeting of
this society wee held t the Hanover-square Rooms; the
Marquis of BLANDrOItD, M.P. (the president) in the chats.
The meeting was very numerously attended.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings of the
meeting, said that it might be proper to direct their attention
to one or two subjects suitehle to the occasion. o.le wise the
present condi.ion of the society, as regarded the people and
country of Ireland. No one but could perceive a signal
instance of God's penal justice in the pestilence and famine
which bad decimated the land, and in the re )ral and
spiritual darkness wLiela covered the mass of the people.
The question, therefore, was to consider how tar those
things were instruments of the divine vengeance, while
perhaps they might infer that those juogments were sent
with a double view, not tidy to warn but to prepare the
people for the reception of the eternal truths whte it was
the privilege of that society to set before them. The work
of this society in Ireland was a patriotic one, for her
interests and welfare were indissolubly connected with these
of this country, and if England brought blessings up in Ire.
land she would reap them tenfold in her own bosom. What-
ever might be the responsibility of the government as re-
garded Ireland, the country would look with gratitude to the
working of this and similar societies. It was a matter of
importance that the means which were adopted should be
such as would produce the results intended,*snd the best
means was the unlimited and unrestricted diffusion of the
Word of God. The peculiar ignorance this society had to
deal with had led them to consider that the weapons they
were to use must not be carnal ones, and that sue es must
follow those means which were most assimilated to
the example of our Saviour. It was ditticult
to teach those whose minds were impregnated with error,
and yet not wound or give offence, rod he believed ti:er the
message of a kind and compassionate Saviour, brou4ht to
their bonus and placed ►ffectionately before them, wthild be
more effectual than any system of controversy, which, even
though it might convince the judgment, yet lett the heart
untouched.

The S iCILETART then read the report, which stated in
substance that the labours of the society had been blessed in
the conversion of many persons in Ireland from R•manism
and in proclaiming the truth to those who wire in error.
The officers of the society in England had been reduced at the
end of the year 1848-9, but it was found that the agency of
the society suffered, and the services of tour or five
clergymen had been secured in different parts cf England to
promote the interests of the society, and the system had bees
I round to answer. The income el the society front all sources
was 9,0531. 135., the actual receipts being 6.758/. 10s., being
a decrease of 8641. on those of last year. The labours of the
society in Ireland had been successful, especially in having
I obtained for its agents • footing in Tipperary. At exten-
sion in the number of clergymen employed in the leak mitt-
hoes hod taken place, there being now 14 spe.ktng Irish
instead of seven, as before, while the total of the teachers
employed by the society was 116. In Cork.
80 families, amounting to 400 persons, had become
converts from Romanism. la Kerry, in one village, there
had been 40 converts, in another 103, and in another about
200 ; and an English lady had given a sum sutfi:ient to pay
the stipends of three teachers, and had offered to give half
the stipend of • clergyman speaking Irish. lu Mayo, 450
persona, inhabitants of Lswisburgh, had renounced popery
lin the last twelve months, and the schools were filled with
children, there being at Ballynahinch 100 sebo!arr, while
in the wild district of Erris there had been no
less than 1,000 converts. The conclusion to be
Idzawn from the operations of the society's mission, which
reached from Donegal to Cork, was that the peasantry were
willing to learn the truths of the gospel despite of the
priests • and no leas than 26 distinct congregatons of the
'native Irish hal been aediered from popery by the society.
The report concluded by an expression of belief that the Irish
language was the key to an Irishman's heart, and that the
Drat bible was extensively read ; and an appeal for Massed
pecuniary aid was earnestly made by the society.
According to the financial statement the gross income from
all sources for the past year had been 9,0531. 131 , and,
the expenditure 7,4941. 8.. Ild., leaving • balance df
1,66 W. 4s. Id.
_ _ _

'Th. Ea.zl-04 GALLOWAY moved the first resolution for
t►e adoption of the report, which was seconded by the Bev.
Z. TOTTENHAM.
The Bishop of CASHEL morel a resolution to the effect
that the 'meeting rejoiced in the ►lessing which had attended
the effort, of the society, and expressive of its belief that that
success was owing to its foundation being laid by the teaching
of t►e Irish posaentry and the circulation of the scriptures
ansoog them in their own language.
The Rev. F. Ct.OSE seconded the resolution.
Several other gentlemen and clergymen addressed this
meeting, which was concluded by the usual vote of thanks to
the chairman.

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Tax WINDOW Tex.—An active movement has
been made in Hastings to petition the House or Commons
for the repeal of this most obnoxious impost. A committee,
meeting at the Marine Hotel, consisting of gentlemen of all
political parties (Mr. Alderman Clitt in the chair) unani-
mously passed resolutions for this purpose. Tne petition hay-
ing been adopted br the committee, and signed by "seven
hundred " householders, headed by the mayor, and followed
by His clergy, magistracy, municipal authorities, and the
medial profession, dtc , almost all electors furls:
has been entrusted to Lard Duncan for presnntati tM:tl. z•
members for the borough, and eastern division titllie bitsity;
have been requested to support the prayer of thi postures. r'
The committee, before departing, unankilbudt eapreseedi
their great surprise at the unareounta Ateeitqcot beep.
their members on tne late division upon Ddlas.f.'e me-'
lion for the repeal of the window-tan, rlaousaiodjklarp
chairmen to communicate the same. 1 "P,
S SalicLlC2l