Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-19
Mptes Of Trarelim Gnrupe.
OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.
BY REV. r. LATHAM.
Written for the Yorkville Enauirer.]


Written for the Yorkville Enaurer.
In the beginning of the fifth century of
the Christian era, ST. Patrick as has been
stated, began his labors as a minister of
the gospel in Ireland. We are not, how
ever, to conclude that St. Patrick introduced
the Christian religion into Ireland. 1t is
claimed, not on first-class historical evil
dence, but on evidence that has been re-
garded for many centuries as reliable, that
the Christian religion was introduced into
Scotland toward the close of the first CEN
tury, or early in the second. In the ear
ly period of the history of the two coun-
tries, Ireland was far in advance of Scotland
and the probability is that Ireland was visit
ed by missionaries of the Cross as soon, if
not sooner, than Scotland. These mission
aries came from Spain, or perhaps from
some other region by way OF Spain, to
Ireland. Strictly speaking, they were not
missionaries in the modern sense of that
word, but persons who were forced to flee
from their country and their homes that
they might escape the prosecutions of DOM
titan. They were either Jews or Gentiles
who had embraced the Christian religion
The persecution was inaugurated and car
ried on against the Jews, but utincluded Chris
tian Gentiles since the Romans at that time
classed Jews and Christians under the same
head.
Historians agree that the Irish Church for
a long period was Protestant in its features.
It would be ridiculous to claim for the early
Irish Church that it was exempt from the
blemishes Of Paganism on the one hand
and the inroads of Popery on the other.
Safely and positively it may be said for the
Irish that they are tenacious people, dis
inclined to change. They gave up slowly
and by degrees their Paganism and embrac-
ed a comparatively pure Christianity and
clung to it until about the middle of the
twelfth century.
In 1855 Pope Adrian the Fourth issued
a bull, in which he formally granted Ireland
to Henry the Second, ofEngland. The con-
dition of this grant was that Henry was to
reduce the Irish to unqualified subjection to
the Pope of Rome. The Irish church soon
lost all of its original features and be-.
came thoroughly Papal in doctrine and
worship and so continues to be, in the main,
up to present time.
From the time of Henry the Second to the
present time, Ireland has given England
trouble, or if that be objected to, England
has given Ireland trouble, or if that be not
agreeable, England and Ireland have mutu-
ally troubled each other.
Henry the Eighth, when he renounced the
authority of the Pope of Rome and assumed
to himself all the powers and prerogatives
of Pope, attempted to reduce the Irish
Catholics to obedience to his faith in the
take to reduce rebellious subjects to sub
mission. Ireland troubled Henry all the
days OF his infamous life, and he bequeath-
ed it to his children to veX and annoy
them. Elizabeth left it, subdued as she
vainly thought, to James the First. Poor
Ireland was not subdued. 1t was only de-
populated and devastated. The Catholics
were not made Protestants, but they were
terribly embittered against Professionalism.
The only section of the Island which was
partially brought under the power of Prot
estant Christianity was the province of Ul-
ster, and this was effected not by convert
ing the Catholics, bat by killing them out
or driving them out by fire and sword
and colonizing their deserted and cOntiscat-
ed country with Scotch and English settlers.
For this James had some excuse. The Ro-
man Catholic priests and nobility used all
the privileges they enjoyed-and these were
very few-in fomenting rebellions which
goaded the pedantic king to desperation.
These rebellions led either directly or indi-
rectly to the forfeiture to the crown of Eng
land six counties in the Province of Ulster.
These contained nearly half million Of
acres of land which were allotted condition
ally to individuals and corporations. In
history this territory is known as the Ulster
Plantations. With the exception of Lon
donderry, which was settled in part by the
English, the whole was settled by the
Scotch. This is the origin of Scotch-1rish
1t is simply a Scotchman in Ireland. These
Scotch-Irish were Protestants of the Pres
byterian type. Hence the origin of the
Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
To-day more than seventy-five per cent
of the population of Ireland is Catholic
Henry the Eighth and his immediate sue
cessOrs for several reignS attempted to in
fict upon the Irish that form of religion
which was, either from convictions of right
or for purposes of self interest, embraced
by the sovereigns of England, but the effort
was attended by marked want of success.
The main body of Presbyterians are in
Ulster Province but there are nearly twice
as many Catholics in Ulster Province as
there are Protestants. This to me at first
sounded marvellous. l was of the opinion
that there was only Catholic here and
there, at long intervals, in Ulster. Such is
not the case. In Ulster Province there are
more than eight hundred thousand Catho-
lies, and there are only about four hundred
and siXty-siX thousand Presbyterians.. In
fact there are only four hundred and eighty
five thousand Presbyterians in the whole OF
Ireland.
The Catholic, Episcopal and Presbyterian
population of Ireland is decreasing rapidly.
The Methodist is increasing. The decrease
of population is due mainly, if not entirely,
to emigration. The province of Ulster suf-
fers most of all from emigration. Here
again, l was surprised. Facts are strange
things. In the year 1881, more than seven
ty-eight thousand persons left Ireland, and
of this number tWenty-four thousand were
from Ulster Province. The main body Of
the Protestants in Ireland, including Pres
byterians, Episcopalians, Methodists and all
otherdenominatons are in Ulster Province,
but all these together are not much more
than equal to the Catholics in Ulster.
This, to me, at least, is another astound-
ing fact. | was not prepared for any such
state of things. Ireland, religously con-
sidered, stands thus: Catholics 7G.Gpercent.; ;
Episcopalians 1873 per cent. Presbyterians
9.4 per cent. Methodist 8 per cent; all
others 8 per cent.
In Ireland there are but very few Jews.
There are more Jews in some of our north
ern cities than in the whole of Ireland. l
do not pretend to be able tOaccOunt for this.
It is generally regarded asa sign Of prosper
ity to see city crowded with Jews. They
will not stay, it is said in decaying place.
Be this as it may, there are less than five
hundred Jews in all Ireland.
The Presbyterian Church Of Ireland, from
which sprung the overwhelming majority
of the people of the Southern States, no
matter what may be their present ecclesias-
tcal connection, was organized at Carrlck-
fergus, on Friday, June 10th, 1912. This
was during the reign of the ill-guided and
ill-fated Charles the First, and one year pre-
vious to the meeting of the Westminster
Assembly of Divines. The English people
were quarrelng with their king, the Scotch
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