The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-11-15
Entered at the Post-O Office at Richmond, Va, as
second-class matter.
CORRESPONDING CE.
Letter from Ireland.

MeSSr8. EditorS,-Having some time at
my disposal to-day avail myself of the
opportunity to pen you few lines. 1t
is not that [ have much of startling ma
ture to communicate, but wish to keep
Ireland and the Irish in the recollection
of your readers.
The Disestablishment of the Irish Church
a Blessing in Disguise to that Church
Irish Presbyterians, with few excep-
tions, longed for the disestablishment OF
the Irish Church. In this they were bit
terly opposed by Irish Church-men.
Even yet it is no uncommon thing to
hear the Episcopal platform orator
denounce Gladstone for pressing what
he is pleased to designate as the Church
Plunder Bill. Recent utterances, how
ever, Of Episcopal authorities on this sub
Ject go far TO favor the old Presbyterian
doctrine that the disestablishment of the
Irish Presbyterian Church would be ulti-
mately a gain to that Church Lord
Piunket, Bishop Of Meath, has had the
lie statement which goes far to settle
the point at issue. Disestablishment, he
says, which at the time was thought dis
astrous for the Church in Ireland, has
turned out for its good His words are
Before we give way to querulous MUIR
murings let us remember that this dark
cloud has not been allowed to burst over
our country until in the providence Of
God our Church had been prepared to
abide the fury of the storm. Had we
been obliged to face Land League agi-
tation at the time when our clergy re-
celved their tithes from the poor, how
intolerable would have been our position
both as regards the obloquy and outrage
we should have had to endure, and the
cruel straits to which we should have
been inevitably reduced. Our separa-
tion from the State has taken away one
at least of the handles whereby our enc
mics were wont to bring us into disrepute.
The clergymen of our Church are not now
singled out as special objects for molesta-
ton. After listening to utterauces such
as the above we are inevitably shut up to
the conclusion that disestablishment was
a boon, an infinite boon, to the Irish Epis-
copal Church. Nor is this all. Men in
the British Isles are beginning to think
that If the time has not actually come
when the Establishments in England and
Scotland should be pulled down, that the
age for their overthrow is at least not far
distant A large section of the popula-
tion of Scotland would not object to see
operations in this direction begun. At
present the leaders in the Free and United
Presbyterian churches are holding meet
ings all over Scotland in the interests al
disestablshment. DIR. Rainey is the
prominent figure in the Free Church /;
while Drs. Hutton and Paisley rally the
disestablishment forces in the United
Presbyterian Church. The generally ez-
pressed opinion in Ireland on this sub
ject is that the whole matter is scarcely
ripe for legislative interference yet. Still
the matter is moving and di8establish-
ment is the goal to which it is tending
Moody and 5ankey.
So we are to be favored with visit
from these brethren previous to their
leaving the British Isles When they
last visited u.s. some eight or nine years
ago, much religious enthusiasm was Gre
ated and much permanent good accom-
plished. On that occasion Belfast was in