National Republican., 1883-10-22
CHRISTIAN IRELAND.


STEWART ROSS, OF THE IRISH SOCIETY.
The Church of the Incarnation, notwith-
standing the iucement weather, was filed
last evening by those who woro gathered to
hear the sermon Of Rev. VIM. Stewart Ross,
deputation secretary to the United States of
the Irish society for promoting the religious
education and scriptural instruction Of the
Irish speaking population of Ireland, chiefly
through the medium of their own language.
This society was established in 1918, and
is sanctioned by the general synod Of the
church Of Ireland. Its sphere of operations
is wide the Irish language being still extern
sively spoken throughout Ireland. The eoun-
ties where the society pursues its labors are
Donegal, containing 63,135 speaking either
Irish only, or both Irish and English;
Leitrim, 6,s55; Sligo, 26,5S9; Mayo, 139,963;
Roscommon, S,103; Galway, 139,7O3; Clare,
5S, las Limerick, "a ,765; Kerry, 81, 96S; Cork,
1873, 359; Waterford, 47,337; Tipperary, 2l,92O;
Cavan, 1888.
After the usual services of the evening, the
speaker took as the basis of his remarks the
words, "And exhort you that you should
earnestly contend for the faith which once
was delivered to the saints" from the epistle
of st. Jude, first chapter and part Of third
verse, and said that the heavenly deposit left
with the church was faith, and we were eX-
nOrteu unaU III was our luUY 10 SUanu Dy anu uo-
fend the faith. The lack of this duty being
effectively performed, the faith and the truth
had sometimes beon beaten down, but its
God-given elements were certain to triumph
in the end. He was here to state facts con-
cerning the church of Ireland, which, he
urged, were worthy of the attention Of all.
Romanism was an alien in Ireland, and it was
not until England with strong arm thrust
Romanism upon Ireland that it found a
foothold there. AS far back as A. ID. 1877
IL was known that Ireland contained a Chris
tian church that sent missionaries to the con-
tinent of Europe. 1t had been stated that
st. Patrick was a Romanist, but this was not
true. Ho was educated for his missionary
work by the Gallican church, and sent in the
year 432 A. ID. to Ireland. In 431 A.
ID. the first emissary of the pope landed
in Ireland, but he was not well received.
st. Patrick, though not well received at
first, at length found place to work in what
is now the county of Down. He was the first
of the 106 bishops of the Irish church, an un-
broken line except when overrun by Rome.
According to noted papal historian, for 600
years the church of Ireland had stood free
and independent, church in itself,
and even Rome had been forced
to acknowledge it as "Insula Sane
forum" Uhe Island of the Holy One).
To-day, under the energy of free Protestant
Irishmen, the finest ocean steamers, the Sec
Olu clSCbTlChl railway III VIC NOIlut anu hhh y
fourishing manufactures, attested What this
class of Irishmen could do.
Continuing the speaker gave an interesting
history of tho effect of the disestablishment
and the land laws upon the Irish church, aud
the gradual growth of Romanism is Ireland.
In conclusion, he said that there were now
over one million people in Ireland who spoke
the Celtic tongue. What was needed to make
its people happy and prosperous was fair gov
ernment and such legislative privileges as
would enable bridge or tramway to be
built without having to go to Westmin.
ster for permission. Give Ireland the
true gospel and q relief from the blight
of Romanism, and she would yet redeem
herself and take her place among the nations
of the earth. Let the people of America
while they built up Gods kingdom in this
beautiful country, spare something from theiT
bounty to aid the Irish church, which, to-day
was earnestly contending for the faith.
After the sermon acollection for missionary
work was taken up.