The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-06-13
FROM IRELAND.
BALLYMENA, May "a, 1906.


few lines from Ireland may not be uninteresiing
to your readers. Since L last had the pleasure of
writing to you we have had change of government.
The new government to do great things for
country-improve the land laws, settle elementary
education and adjust all matters requiring adjust
ment with reference to the university question As
yet matters very much they were. The gov
eminent is a big body. 1t had multtudinous ma
jority, and large bodies slowly must remem-
Der that British Liberal governments are better at
destruction than construction.
IRELAND ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
The relative strength of denominations here at pres
ent is: Roman Catholic 33OS, 6Gl or 1921 per cent
of the population; Church of Ireland, So 0S9 994
per cent; Methodists, 62006, 39 per cent; Pres
byterians, 1926, or 1903 per cent All Others,
33743, or l49 per cent There beside 80 other
denominations with 1000 who unspecifed. In the
80 other denominations have various nationa
ties-Jews, 1899; Mahometans, s; Buddhists, 6;
Tarsees, 3; l MussuIman. The Agnostic is not
largely represented. There is county county
borough where the Church of Ireland stands highest
Antrim stands highest for Presbyterans having sos
per cent; 344 per cent of the inhabitants of Belfast
are Presbyterians. In all other counties and county
boroughs Roman Catholics stand hghest 9S per
cent of the people in County Clare Roman Cath
Ollie. The Church of Ireland is strongest in County
Fermanagle, having 1913 of the population. And
this county is also the greatest stronghold of Meth
odism at ~ per cent. of the population. The others
interesting giving birds eye view of Ireland &C.
Realistically. The population of the country is 60
ing down. but the same | fear could not be said of
Romanism in Ireland 1t still visible and it is be-
coming more every year in the North of Ireland.
Formerly Rome content to keep the back
ground in the counties of Antrim and Down. but she
is pushing to the front, throwing down old
rckety chapes and constructing in their stead mag
niicent edfces the choicest sites procurabe,
CARELESS of expense Rome is at its very best in
Ireland There does not to be any IGpsed
among the Romanists in this country. They have no
children of the dispersion; they are all connected
with their chapel, and the very tramps who stray up
to the cold North make straight for the place of their
sOlemnities on the Sabbath morning. They put many
of our PrOtestants to shame in this respect. l do
not believe the Protesants of this country are as
careful their fathers were about Sabbath day at
tendance at worship. This evil is specially prevalent
in the great working class centres of population
Forty years ago Ulster proverbial for Sabbath
day attendance at worship The usual practice then
was for each minister to preach two sermons each
Sabbath day-one service from II till 2 o'clock with
interval of onehalf hour, when the service would
commence again and continue till after 4 o'clock The
interval between the was what was called
seating. And what sermons then preached
they both long and strong They would not suit
the Ulster man of the present day. The demand now
is that the shall be short and sweet There
X craving for singing and less preaching.
lady in this neighborhood lately observed that in the
olden times they placed the clocks the outside of
the church to tell the people when to in, but
that they the inside to tell the people
when to come out. There a moral in the state
ment
SCOTTISH GENERAL ASSEMBLIES.
am just returned from visit to Edinburgh.
where the Assemblies in session ] visited in
tur the three Assemblies that are sitting there at
present, almost within hearing of each other. The
Established Assembly commenced its proceedings with
a great amount of outward pomp and show. Lord
Coebrook held the usual levee at Holyrood Palace
IN the forenoon of Tuesday 22d May. which was at
tended by large gathering OF clerical and military