taken a collection for the Synod's Mission in his own church, and has kindly offered to preach for it in other parts of Scotland. Mr. Macfarlane has moved in the Synod with which he is connected, that the ministers of the Synod of Ulster be taken into communion with the Church of Scotland. For these expressions of good will, it is hoped the Synod will confess itself to be deeply indebted to these brethren. We have great pleasure in laying Dr. Macleod's letter before our readers, in the hope that it will both entertain and edify them. It has been kindly furnished by the Rev. G. Bellis, the Secretary to the Synod's Mission, under whose zealous and effective management, the Society has been attaining to great importance and usefulness.] TO THE REV. GEORGE BELLIS, SECRETARY TO THE PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY FOR IRELAND. REV. & DEAR SIR, CAMPSIE MANSE, 23d Oct. 1833. My time has been so entirely occupied since my return from Ireland, that I really had it not in my power to write to you before now. Having communicated so fully to the Committee of the Presbyterian Missionary Society for Ireland, at the late meeting in Belfast, the result of my observations during my short excursion to Galway and the other districts which I visited, I do not conceive it necessary to enter into any minute detail in this letter. I proceeded, agreeably to the request of your Synod, to supply the station in Galway, where I preached for two Sabbaths, and on some week-day evenings. I made it my business, during my stay, to call frequently upon the Presbyterians and others who attended at the place where I preached, and upon several members of the Church of Scotland who are resident there; and I endeavoured, especially, to ascertain the actual condition of the population in that town and neighbourhood who speak the Irish language. Without visiting Galway, it is not possible to form any adequate idea of the deplorable condition of that dark place. It is unquestionably the most Popish town in the whole kingdom. The palpable triumph of monkish superstition and Popish tyranny, cannot fail of attracting the notice of the stranger in every step of his walk through this town and neighbourhood. The mental desolation of the Roman Catholics in Galway, and woeful prostration of intellect, is truly astonishing. Popery is not to be judged of by what is seen of it in some of the other districts of Ireland, where there is such a constant and free intercourse between Roman Catholics and Protestants, as to prevent the full development of the latter in its true and genuine characters. In Galway, Popery is seen in its real colours. There the root of all the errors of Popery-the self-righteous bias of the human heart, and its deep-rooted hatred of the grace of the Gospel, is fully and continually manifested. The disposition to submit to any thing rather than the humbling, selfdenying truth, that we must be justified before God, if justified at all, upon the footing of what Christ has done, is at every hour of the day and in all places evidenced by the endless train of rites and ceremonies of daily masses, and high masses, remembrance masses, scapulars, penances, pilgrimages to holy wells, and by the blind idolatry paid the monks, and priests, and friars who cross our path, go where we will, in public or private, in the open day or in the dead of night, If there be a spot in all Ireland, in behalf of which an effort of Christian zeal should be more especially directed than another, it is Galway. The Rev. Mr. Wilson, from Scotland, in connexion with the Independents, is a zealous and an active labourer in that neglected field. But there are Presbyterians in Galway who are anxious to be in communion with your churchnot certainly many in numbers; but more ardent and attached members the Synod of Ulster have not in Ireland. Truly they are an affectionate and interesting band: consisting of some who appeared to me to be holy and devoted Christians, firmly attached to the doctrines, worship, and discipline of your church, and ardently anxious to enjoy the comfort and edification of Gospel ordinances. I cannot, indeed, imagine a station which has more touching claims upon the sympathy and benevolent aid of your Society, and that of all Presbyterian Churches in the land, than Galway. The privations of the Presbyte rians there are peculiar: deeply do they feel, and gratefully do they acknowledge, the attention of the Presbytery of Dublin, in sending them supplies from time to time. They have at present a respectable place of worship, which they rent. They have procured ground, on which to build a church and house for their clergyman. Subscriptions have already commenced for erecting the chapel; and I do think, if their case was made known to the Christian public in Scotland and England, that it could not fail of calling forth cordial sympathy and effectual support. There are, in Galway and the neighbourhood, some respectable Scotchmen, formerly members of the Church of Scotland, who feel deeply grieved by the spiritual darkness around them, and who are anxious to unite (as some of them have already done) with the members of your church, and who, I am persuaded, will make every effort in their power to promote the permanent establishment of a Presbyterian chapel. I had much conversation with them upon this subject, and I fondly anticipate cordial union and zealous co-operation with the Presbyterian congregation at Galway. It is not in my power to state the precise number of Presbyterians in Galway. With the exception of the first Sabbath forenoon after my arrival, when it was more generally known that there was to be sermon, the place of meeting was quite full; and a more attentive and apparently devout congregation I never addressed. Their affectionate kindness I cannot forget. My fervent prayer is, that the Lord may be pleased to bless them individually and as a congregation; and few circumstances would afford me greater pleasure than having it in my power to evince the grateful sense I cherish of their attentions. The great body of the people in Galway, and the entire population of the adjoining districts, speak Irish. They can receive instruction through the medium of that language only. Here, however, Irish reading has made little progress. The opposers of the Irish Scriptures and of Irish reading (I mean the priests, monks, and friars) are here in their greatest numbers-in the full height of their power and influence-every where on the alert, so as to prevent the Word of Life from coming into the hands of the poor and ignorant. The most determined opposition, and, in some instances, the severest persecution, extending to personal violence, has been directed against the Irish readers. Two of them were lately brutally assaulted on the streets of Galway in open day, and one of them nearly killed.* In Galway, the Roman Catholics have not as yet lost much of their superstitious veneration for their priests; their command is seldom questioned-there public opinion has not yet so far advanced as to prevent the priests from declaring in public, that men have no right to read the word of * Of these observations, the prosecution of the Protestant, for quoting the Scriptures to a priest, is a melancholy confirmation.-EDIT. God, or from denouncing (as I am credibly informed they do) the Bible from the very back of their altars. The great excitement and the discussions which have followed the general reading of the Irish Scriptures in other districts of Ireland, are well-known to the priests of Galway. Irish instruction is dreaded as the greatest evil; so that every effort which authoritative command can effect, and all that the arts of policy and craft can contrive, are used to keep the Irish Scriptures and Irish reading from entering the district. While I make these statements, I rejoice to say, that it is the general opinion of well-informed people in the place, that the great obstacle to the universal spread of the Gospel in Ireland, (I mean the fear of the priests,) is in the way of being undermined, even in Galway. The political agitation which the priests themselves have excited and fostered for the last few years, has given a considerable impetus to the minds of the people; so that they cannot be kept many years longer in a dormant state. They are already aroused to exercise their judgment upon political matters; and I doubt not but, in a short time, they will exercise them on matters of infinitely greater importance. I had much intercourse with the poor people who speak the Irish language. I entered into their miserable cabins, walked with them on the public ways, and sat with them by the shore-side. On ordinary familiar subjects we conversed with tolerable facility, varying the phraseology, and trying several expressions, to enable us to comprehend each other. They could not follow me in my lengthened discourse, nor could I follow them. When they repeated poetry to me, I could scarce understand a word they said; nor could they understand me when I read to them, except when I pronounced each word slowly by itself; so that I am quite satisfied they could receive no instruction from a Gælic discourse. Such was the excitement at the time against Irish teachers, and such the vigilance and influence of the priesthood, that it would have been impossible to bring any number of the people together. I would, however, have tried it, had I not been fully satisfied that they would not have understood me, although I speak the Gælic language as familiarly and plainly as it can be spoke. I am, however, quite certain, that, in the course of a few months, I could have made myself quite intelligible, and as acceptable to them as if I had been born in the county. In my inter course with these poor people, I had abundant opportunities of observing their enthusiastic attachment for the beloved language of their fathers. When I addressed them in their own language, their enthusiasm was immediately kindled, and they welcomed me as a countryman and friend. more convinced than ever that the Irish language is the key, the very key to the Irish heart-the proper and very effective channel for carrying scriptural truth to the great mass of the population in these dark and extensive districts. I am In the course of my journey from Dublin to Galway, I met with an influential and intelligent member of the Presbyterian congregation at Westport, who had been at Dublin on matters connected with the chapel which they are endeavouring to finish in Westport. He seemed to think that a visit from me to Westport, might be of some service to the interest of the congregation there; and he so earnestly urged me to return to Belfast by that route, that I consented. The chapel at Westport has, for some time past, been roofed in and plastered. It is a very handsome and commodious place of worship, and it is exceedingly grievous to see it so long in its present unfinished condition. There are several very influential persons in Westport, who would attend the Presbyterian chapel if it were once finished. They are reluctant to attend in the place of worship used at present; but if the chapel was finished, I am firmly persuaded there would be a numerous and respectable congregation in Westport. Mr. Creighton, the Presbyterian clergyman, directed my attention to various objects connected with the interests of the congregation, and I hope my visit was not altogether unprofitable. Mr. Clendinning, agent for the Marquis of Sligo, appears warmly disposed to promote the interests of your congregation, and he does effectually evince his interest in it. His noble constituent contributed very liberally to the commencement of the building of the chapel, and I hope he may yet be induced to assist in finishing it. Such an accommodation could not fail of proving a mighty encouragement to Presbyterians from Scotland and from the North of Ireland, to settle in that beautiful and flourishing town; and I understand that no man is more duly aware than is his lordship of the extent to which industry, good order, and happiness has prevailed, wherever Presbyterianism has flourished in Ireland. At present Mr. Creighton in Westport, is under the necessity of devoting much of his time to private teaching; this he deeply regrets, as he finds |