THE PROTESTANT.

'A HAPPY new year to you, dear uncle. Hitherto God has prospered us; and I hope we shall still be permitted to pursue what is indeed an humble path, but not altogether unuseful.'

'I hope it is not. The wit of uninspired man never yet devised what would suit all tastes and circumstances; therefore I cannot expect your readers universally to echo your kind wishes for my continance as your helper. Some, with all sincerity, and out of pure good will to you, would willingly see me put hors de combat. However, here I am, heartily desirous to conciliate their good will, and to avoid offending any of their feelings. Now tell me, have you redeemed the pledge given at the close of our last conversation?'

'I have, uncle: not exactly within the fortnight, but only two days beyond its expiration.'

And what did you do?'

'Just what I wished to do; and what I most earnestly hope many may be led to attempt with the same pleasing result. The announcement in our last number, led a valuable friend to mention that he had with him a dear Christian brother, a clergyman from the south of Ireland, who could give us some striking details. Accordingly I engaged a moderate-sized room and by private invitation summoned such of my neighbours as I thought likely to take a kind

interest in the matter. We calculated on accommodating forty; and invitations to that number were issued: forty-seven attended.'

'Indeed! were you not equally surprised as gratified, at so large an assemblage?'

6

My gratification, uncle, was too great to be equalled by my surprise, or any thing else. However, it was far beyond my expectations. You may readily suppose that some doubt arose, as to whether I was not going to plunge my fair friends in an ocean of political turbulence and excitement: but my simple asseveration that they would be addressed by a godly, zealous, devoted minister of the gospel of peace, overcame all scruple: and when, at half-past one o'clock, our kind helpers arrived, they found a room full of sweet faces, beaming with Christian love, prepared to listen, and to believe. We had also several gentlemen.'

Right, right;' exclaimed my uncle. I honour the man who will give his countenance to such a proceeding. Not that you, ladies, have not an equal right with ourselves to congregate for such a purpose: but do you not feel it a sort of sanction, when some Christian husband accompanies his wife, some father his daughter, some brother his sister to such a meeting?'

'We do, indeed: it also gratifies those who come to address us. Well, uncle, our guest was the Rev. Robert O'Callaghan, of Clogheen, who, after an impressive prayer, proceeded to set before us a most touching picture of what my very soul longed to have pourtrayed to the dear sisters around me. He showed the afflictions and persecutions through which they have to struggle, who, constrained by divine love, la

bour among, yea, labour for the infatuated enemies of the faith. He repeated the appalling fact, that, in the county Tipperary alone, for the last two years, the deaths by violence—by the hand of actual assassination-have amounted to two murders in every three nights. He traced these horrors to their legitimate root-popery: and in pleading against that bitter adversary of God and man, he pleaded most touchingly for the souls ensnared in its net. He shewed the Irish character as it is, open, generous, ardent a rich soil to reward the culture bestowed on it; and he exhibited in his own person, and in those of his fellow-labourers, the force of that love for Papists which can daily brave a violent death, in resisting popery for their sakes. He told us, in a simple, but, oh, how affecting contrast to the peace and security of our own Protestant homes, that on leaving his parsonage, to undertake a tour for the benefit of the Church Missionary Society, he was obliged to apply for two soldiers to sleep under that roof during his absence, as a means of preserving his dear partner and little ones from the hand of midnight murder.'

Here my uncle was quite overcome: I did not wonder at it, for there were not many dry eyes in our meeting, at that stage of the proceedings. I

went on.

After Mr. O'Callaghan had concluded, by declaring that neither pecuniary loss, personal suffering, nor the dread of a violent death, should drive him from his post-and announced it as the united resolve of his dear brethren in the ministry, he sat down. The valued friend who had brought him, then rose; and briefly, but most powerfully, appealed

to our feelings of sympathy, assuring us that the knowledge of being remembered in our prayers, would be a great consolation and encouragement to his persecuted Protestant countrymen. He laid open to us some of the tremendous machinery of the society of Jesuits; and sounded a note of warning, which will be remembered, I trust, by some of us, who may not before have given much thought to the matter. We then deputed one of our gentlemen to return our thanks to those who had come among us, on behalf of their dear country: and Mr. O'Callaghan closed with a solemn blessing. So, uncle, your poor, happy niece, stood there, as clear from the charge of being a political firebrand, as she was from the design or desire to incur that hateful character.'

I give you joy, my dear: let it encourage you to go on, through evil report and good report, under all circumstances, to the goal of your longings—the good of poor Ireland.'

6

'I have not told you all, uncle: when we broke up, there was a general inquiry, Where are the plates?' 'Have you no collection?' None.' This was a new thing: English liberality was alive and awake; but the darling object of my heart was to excite English sympathy, and to exhibit it unconnected with any matter of pounds, shillings, and pence. We hear many appeals to our hearts, on behalf of poor Ireland and her children, all tending to an appeal to our purses: and this is right. But for once, surely, we may afford our suffering brethren and sisters the unmixed gratification of receiving a message of love, on equal terms. The effect of this plan on our dear friend was very striking: he declared to me that it was the happiest hour of his whole

public life and that expression, with the look which accompanied it, has left a ray of sunshine on my heart to this hour.'

'I don't doubt it, my dear. Do you expect your example will be followed by the assembling of similar meetings elsewhere?'

'Expect it? Yes, and know it too. This new year is to be marked by one in the next county, precisely similar in character and purpose; and I dare to hope that some who may read these pages will adopt the plan also. It is not in every place, nor at all times, that an Irish Christian can be found to plead the sacred cause: but any really Protestant Englishman who gives his mind to the subject, may undertake to address such an assembly. What is it, uncle, but that exhorting of one another which the Apostle enjoins? Stirring ourselves up to sympathize with the beloved, though distant members of Christ, in a church most truly militant; and to pray for those tried in the furnace, that they may be strengthened— for souls afflicted with deadly disease, that they may be healed. We have since affixed our names to a letter of affectionate encouragement, and sent the greeting to cheer our honoured brother, in the scene of his arduous and perilous labours. Let those who have never experienced the sweetness of Christian sympathy, the soothings of Christian friendship, in a season of difficulty or sorrow, denounce as idle, presumptuous, or uncalled-for, our humble tribute. Those to whom it is offered know how to appreciate it.'

'Ay, these warm-hearted Irish are indeed keenly alive to the voice of affection, in this dark hour. The more I consider the business, the better I like