The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-21
IRELAND.
The Irish rro,o.,an,s and Their Religion.

From the Saturday Review.]
All these fierce Irishmen at Chesterfield House and
elsewhere Keep asserting and bowling over the nev
liable ruin Of Professionalism In Ireland They take
1t as ndispuable that their religion must die out
amount OF money. They speak of themselves az Il
they were converted Jews ut Jerusalem, and could
only be kept converted II they got their pastres
regularly. What an uncommonly poor religion Irish
Professionalism must be II they are right Here IL .
religion which has had all the advantages OF State
support for three centuries, which Is protested by
persons holding nine-tenths of the Irish SOIL and
which, rs Its friends aege Is secured by the impas-
stoned support Of all the most intelligent. thriving
and prosperous part Of the lsh population, and yet
it Is going to die out like the wick OF burned up
candle II 1t Is now placed on an equality with other
religions. SuppOSlng the Irish PrOtestants really be-
leyed in Irish Professionalism, would they dtshOnor
their religion by the most distant approach to
to beeve that besides these great external
ana mundane advantages they have got the over
Wasmng @ Of beng n
committed to their sole charge and yet this embOdl
ment OF truth, this genuine unadulterated Gospel.
backed up by almost all the landed wealth OF tne
country by the inherited traditions OF centuries
and BY the vast preponderance of Irish education
and Irish Industrial energy, is to melt away like dew
Will throw down all its adversarles before it, No
body Of sincerely and moderately intelligent Pre-
tesants before spoke with such outrageous con-
tempt OF Professionalism. fthey are right they have
got hold Of the most puny, rckety abortion OF re-
tual lOOngings Of civilized man. Is 1t true then.
that they are not sincere Professionals, or that
PrOteStantSln Is tne SCkly Waru OF the SCaJ6
they represent IL to beS There Is no reason
for believing either proposition. They are doubtless.
honest Protestants, and Professionalism is, we may
trust built solid rock. But the fact Is that the
peculiar history OF their church has nursed them
IRON their cradle into habit of regarding Protest
antism, not as expression Of spiritual and intel
lectual truth, but as an embodiment OF political
supremacy. They held 1t as the NOrmans held the
tiefs and manors and honors OF conquered England.
To be Protestant Ireland Is not to entertain GER
tain views to the destiny duties OF man. but to
enjoy kind Of patent n0tabillty. Let us hope these
Irish PrOtestants may themselves some day come to
bless the misunderstood and unapprecated friends
who, against their will, WIN have taught them to be-
gin to look on pr0testanism a religion. We have
not, We own. much hope OF the Rev. John Flana-
gan. He will, we fear 90 down to his OOlite grave
cursing Mr.. Gladstone and the House OF Commons,
and possibly the House Of Lords tOo, and the whole
nature of things in the British empire, because his
enemies have tried to free him from the Illusion that
IN this world and the next he must necnssarily be
justified because be has the battle OF Boyne to his
credit But mder men and younger generation
may show themselves more accessible to the whl6-
perings of reason and may see and rejoice IN the
splendid opportunity they have given them OF push
ing forward Professionalism on Its own intrinsic
merits.