Star.
London, England, 1831-05-13 00:00:00

y J

SOCIETY.
held at Exeter Hall, on

, Chair. The object ofthfs
institution is the improvement of the lower class cf the Irish, by the
es•ablishment of schools in the different parts of that kingdom, where
they are not only taught to read the Bible, &c. but etc also required to
commit it to memory ; and it is only according to the proficiency of
the scholars in this respect, that the masters receive their remuneration.
Of the good effect', of this institution some idea may be formed by a re-
ference to the report and the observations made by the different gentle-
men who addressed this meeting. From these it would appear that
in the province of Munster, where the late disturbances have princi-
pally existed, they have 117 schools, and 4.576 scholars, with the at.
tendance only of 11 clergymen whilst in Ulster, where the greatest
order prevails, the Society hey: 925 school', and 53,174 scholars.
with the attendance of 295 clagymen. In Clare. Limerick, and
Kerry. there are only 31 schools, and 1.522 scholars. The total selloclt
of the Society in Ireland are 1 595, and scholars 1.'5,755. Day scholars,
53,450, of whom 2:1,093 are Roman Catholics. The incren!. of these
since the last report arc 1.768, and Protestants 611. There ore
1.374 taught in Irish. Tiv.re have been distributed in Bibles ni,tl
Testaments 19,763, of which 493 were in the Irish language, which is
taught to all pupils who may dcsite it. It appears ::Is°, that al-
though the Schools have increased, the funds of the Society fro.o
different causes have fallen off, and the expenditure ha• exceeded th-
income To remedy this, most strenuous efforts were made by the
different gentlemen who addressed the meeting ; the prospective advan-
tages, through the medium of this socitty, of forwatding the trornl
improvement of Ireland, and the rescuing it from the yoke of 'rot-tree
and demoralization tinder which it at resent is labouring, was most
energetically ret forth, but by none more so than that powetftil speaker,
the Rev. Nicholas Armstrong. Ile stated in glowin; colour• the bodily
misery and mental degradation under which his wretched countryrun
had sn long laboured, and from wi ich it was the duty of the nation to
step forward and remove them. Only 3.. for each scholar covered th.-
expense. He sons rapturously applauded throughout hi. rddress.
Amongst the other speakers, and directing their observ-tions to the
same points. were Lord Bexley, the Rev. J. Burnett, Hof Cork; the
Rev. S. d Bastille.. of Lublin; the Rev. J. it'ockney, the Hon. C.
.1. Shore, the Rev. Wm. Marsh, with whose pleasing i.tel effective style
we were all delighted ; particularly with the humour in which he in.
troduced what he caled his extempore poctry,—" Now or never,
Ireland for ever,"—the room was convulsed with laughter: Arch-
deacon Packtnham, the Rev. Dr. Henderson, the Rev. Mr. Caw-
thorne, &c.
The report was read by the Rev. THOMAS Writ/err'', the secretary
of the Society, who acknowledged donations from Lord Bexley and
Lord ALunt-Sandford ; and after a vote of thanks to the latter, the
meeting broke up. The greatest unanimity and good feeling prevailed
throughout.

TIIF. LONDON 111117.RN1 AN
ti lhe 25th arigivcrory of thi. Society was 1
83011.41 - Leo. Lord Mount Sandford in tile CI
institution is the improvermut of the lower cl
es.ablishment of schools in the different parts