A FRAGMENT ON THE IRISH ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Such is the title of an octavo pamphlet of 32 pages, from the pen of Rev. Sidney Smith. The manuscript was found, unrevised and unfinished, among the writings of its distinguished author. Mr. Smith was a bold and devoted friend of religious freedom, and exerted himself to the extent of his powers for its promotion. He wrote much against the policy of England towards the Catholic church, and did as much perhaps as any man to change that policy. Though himself an Episcopalian, and occupying a high station in the church, he did not fear to denounce the tyranny by which the Catholics were oppressed and denied their rights. The tone of his writings on this subject may be gathered from the following paragraph with which he commenced an article in the Edinburgh Review,

"The various publications which have issued from the press in favor of religious liberty, have now nearly silenced the arguments of their opponents; and teaching sense to some, and inspiring others with shame, have left those only on the field who can neither learn nor blush."

In the pamphlet before us, Mr. Smith shows that the only way for England to stop the cry of Repeal among the Irish, is to feed the priests. "The way," he says, "is not to reason with them, but to ask them to dinner. They are armed against logic and remonstrance, but they are puzzled in a labyrinth of wines, disarmed by facilities and concessions, introduced to a new world, come away thinking more of hot and cold, and dry and sweet, than of Newman, Keble, and Pusey. So mouldered away Hannibal's army at Capua! So the primitive and perpendicular prig of Puseyism is softened into practical wisdom, and coaxed into

common sense."

We do not wonder that Mr. Smith should say, the way is not to reason with them. England would appear ridiculous enough in attempting to prove by reason the propriety of her course. Not one tenth part of the Irish have any faith in the established church! and yet they are compelled to give it a rich support, and see all their tithes devoted to that purpose. Well may he ask, "And what if Daniel dies, of what use his death? Does Daniel make the occasion, or does the occasion make Daniel?-Daniels are made by the bigotry and insolence of England to Ireland; and till the monstrous abuses of the Protestant Church in that country are rectified, there will always be Daniels, and they will always come out of their dens more powerful and more popular than when you cast them in." And well too may he say, "Though I have the sincerest admiration of the Protestant faith,

I have no admiration of Protestant hassocks on which there are no knees, nor of seats on which there is no superincumbent Protestant pressure, nor of whole acres of tenantless Protestant pews, in which no human being of the 500 sects of Christians is ever seen. I have no passion for sacred emptiness, or pious vacuity."

The condition of the two churches is happily described in the following extract :

"The revenue of the Irish Roman Catholic Church is made up of half-pence, potatoes, rags, bones, and fragments of old clothes, and those Irish old clothes. They worship often in hovels, or in the open air, from the want of any place of worship. Their religion is the religion of three-fourths of the population! Not far off, in a wellwindowed and well-roofed house, is a well-paid Protestant clergyman, preaching to stools and hassocks, and crying in the wilderness; near him the clerk, near him the sexton, near him the sexton's wife,―furious against the errors of Popery, and willing to lay down their lives for the great truths established at the Diet of Augsburg.

"There is a story in the Leinster family which passes under the name of She is not well.' A Protestant clergyman, whose church was in the neighborhood, was a guest at the house of that upright and excellent man, the Duke of Leinster. He had been staying there three or four days; and on Saturday night, as they were all retiring to their rooms, the Duke said, 'We shall meet to-morrow at breakfast.'—'Not so (said our Milesian Protestant ;) your hour, my lord, is a little too late for me; I am very particular in the discharge of my duty, and your breakfast will interfere with my church.' The Duke was pleased with the very proper excuses of his guest, and they separated for the night; his Grace perhaps deeming his palace more safe from all the evils of life for containing in its bosom such an exemplary son of the Church. The first person, however, whom the Duke saw in the morning upon entering the breakfast-room was our punctual Protestant, deep in rolls and butter, his finger in an egg, and a large slice of the best Tipperary ham secured on his plate. Delighted to see you, my dear vicar,' said the Duke; but I must say as much surprised as delighted.'' Oh, don't you know what has happened?' said the sacred break faster,' she is not well.' Who is not well?' said the Duke: 'you are not married,-you have no sister living,-I'm quite uneasy; tell me who is not well.' Why the fact is, my lord Duke, that my congregation consists of the clerk, the sexton, and the sexton's wife. Now the sexton's wife is in very delicate health when she cannot attend, we cannot muster the number mentioned in the rubric; and we have, therefore, no service on that day. The good woman had a cold and sore throat this morning, and, as I had breakfasted but slightly, I thought I might as well hurry back to the regular family dejeuner." I don't know that the clergyman behaved improperly; but such a church is hardly worth an insurrection and civil war every ten years."—pp.

7-9.

?

."

From the above extracts, it will be seen that England is guilty of a monstrous injustice; and that Ireland is most shamefully wronged and oppressed. The plan of Mr. Smith, however, would not remove the evil. And we are surprised that he did not see its defects. The wrong

was not in withholding from the Catholics support; but in giving support to the English Church. Had he gone for a separation between Church and State, he would have aimed his blows at the real evil.

Our thanks are due to Haliburton & Dudley, State Street, for this interesting pamphlet.

REMOVAL OF Br. T. J. SAWYER TO CLINTON, N. Y.

Br. T. J. Sawyer has removed from New York city to Clinton, and taken charge of the Clinton Liberal Institute. When Br. S. located in New York the cause of truth was entirely prostrate. The defection of Mr. Kneeland had produced a most disastrous effect; the church in which he preached had been sold, and our friends were generally disheartened. True, there were two small societies, one under the charge of Mr. Mitchell, and the other worshipping in a small building, which was but a poor apology for a church. Besides, Mr. Mitchell and his friends had but little sympathy for Unitarian Universalism, they being Trinitarians. Such was the discouraging state of things when Br. Sawyer commenced his labors there. A few good friends, however, rallied around him ; and though it was a long time before much was accomplished, he did not yield to discouragement, knowing that, if faithful, he must ultimately succeed. And he did succeed much beyond the highest expectations of his friends. His society has become one of the largest and best in our denomination. Besides, there are three others permanently established in the city, and one in Brooklyn. There are two others formed in the immediate vicinity of the city,-one in Jersey City and one in Williamsburgh. Br. S. has had able co-workers; and though to them as well as to him much praise is due, it must be allowed that Universalism in New York owes more to him than to any other The Messenger, under the charge of Br. Price, has been an efficient aid in the upbuilding of truth there.

man.

We know of no man in our denomination so well suited to take charge of the Clinton Liberal Institute as Br. Sawyer. He is not only a superior scholar, but he is a man of unblemished character and of great discretion. He enjoys the entire confidence of our whole people, and we know he will have the love and esteem of all his pupils. We believe that the Institute will flourish under his charge, and become one of the most popular seminaries in the country.

We are glad that there is to be a theological department connected with the Institute; and we most sincerely hope that the Circular which

has been sent out, asking for assistance, will receive prompt attention. Every minister should make it his business to procure contributors.

THE ROSE OF SHARON FOR 1846.

We present our thanks to Mr. Tompkins for a copy of this popular annual. The present volume we think superior to any of its predecessors. The mechanical execution is equal to any American annual. The plates, seven in number, were all engraved by Sartin of Philadelphia, who does this kind of work better than any other man in this country. They are mezzotinto engravings, which we think are prettier for an annual than any other. The literary contents of this volume are all good. Many of the articles are excellent. There is a pleasing variety in the subjects. There is also a fair proportion of poetry and tales. We are glad to see the names of several new writers. Their productions prove them worthy of the honor conferred upon them.

Miss Edgarton displays great talent and industry in the management of the Rose. All the articles she has furnished for this volume are written with great care and taste. The Rose will be for sale at the Convention.

REV. JOHN BISBEE, JR.

We commence in this number the publication of a series of short sermons from the pen of this lamented and distinguished preacher They will be of great interest to our whole denomination, and especially to those who knew him personally.

DEATH OF REV. 1. SMEAD.

By a letter received from Br. S. Miles, we are informed, says the Luminary, that Br. I. Smead, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, died at Detroit on the 7th inst., aged about 68 years, after an illness of only three days. He has left an aged wife to mourn his loss. Br. S. had the reputation of being an excellent preacher, and our friends in Ann Arbor have lost in him a faithful watchman on the walls of Zion. May they be successful in obtaining another as faithful.

MONTHLY RECORD.

REMOVALS. Br. C. Clark has removed to Concord, Vt.; Br. H. Lyon to Williamsburgh, L. I.; Br. E. Partridge to Provincetown; Br. F. F. Thayer to Chelmsford; Br. O. H. Tillotson to Lynn Second Society; Br. L. C. Browne to Norwich, Ct.; Br. A. H. Curtis has removed to Patch Grove, Wisc. Ter.; Br. J. H. Stewart has removed to Louisville, N. Y.; Br. D. H. Strickland to Genoa, N. Y.; Br. D. H. Kellogg to Mesopotamia, Ohio; Br. S. Bennett to Cabottville; Br. J. Nichols to Holliston.

RECOGNITION.-A church which has been gathered at Newton, Upper Falls, under the labors of Br. S. P. Skinner, was recognized on the last Sunday in July. Sermon by Br. O. A. Skinner. Right Hand of Fellowship by Br. A. P. Cleverly. The church consists of about twenty-five. Three were baptized by immersion, and eight by sprinkling.

NEW MEETING-HOUSES.-Our friends of Hermon, Me., are erecting a house of worship. The meeting-house in Ashfield, formerly occupied by the Baptists, has been refitted by the Universalists, and dedicated to the Universal Father.

NEW SOCIETIES.-A society has been formed on Saines Creek, Indiana. Another has been formed in Couvis, Michigan.

ORDINATIONS. Br. D. M. Reed was ordained in Oxford, N. H., on the 27th of August. Br. J. W. Hanson in Wentworth, N. H., on the 28th of August. Sermon by Br. H. G. Smith. Br. J. M. Westfall was ordained in Franklin, Ia., on the 3d of Aug. Sermon by Br. B. F. Foster.

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

AN ALARMING FACT.-It appears from the statistics of the Congregational Churches of Massachusetts, now publishing, that the dismissions, deaths, and excommunications, exceed the admissions by 325. Was it ever so before? In this result the churches of Woburn, Essex North, and Suffolk South Associations are not included. Their statistics will probably increase the number to 400 or more.-Puritan.

"THE BURNT DISTRICT."-This is the expressive epithet applied by many to the western portion of the State of New York, which has been burnt over by what were called the new measures and new doctrines for promoting revivals, under the auspices of Finney, Burchard, and company. The sound ministers in that region with sadness acknowledge the truth and expressiveness of the term, and painfully feel that it is indeed a burnt district, showing the lamentable results of having been overswept by the fires of fanaticism. The churches are slowly, and but slowly, recovering from the disasters resulting from those misnamed revivals. I was told that, in Buffalo, Mr. Burchard, at the opening of his career, had a great revival, conducted wholly after this manner, and that for twelve years after that there had been nothing there that deserved the name of a revival, and but very few conversions.-Letter from Parsons Cooke to the Puritan.