during the past year for good, but much still remains to be done. We have now between two and three hundred members, of every denomination of Protestants; and considering the locality, the number, and the spirit of the opposing party, this is a good year's work. Amongst us we have fifteen of our pastors, men who preach the truth in the love of it. Politically we have done much. Some few Protestants had been induced to make themselves enrolled as Repealers; these, without exception, we have brought back, and in our town there is not now a single Protestant avowedly joined to their ranks, or induced by the specious artifices of their emissaries to aid in the attempt to dissever and dismember the common country of our love. I do not think there is a single other town in the South could make a similar boast at this juncture. We have also sent forward numerously signed petitions this session against the National Education system, the grant to Maynooth, and the Dissenters' Chapel Bill; and on three occasions in the neighbouring parishes, we have as a body attended the annual appeals in favor of the Church Education Society (one of which was made by the Rev. E. Dalton); we have been active at the registries, and if we progress as heretofore, have little doubt but that we will secure our representation by a faithful supporter of true Protestant principles-at all events we will be enabled to prevent our being represented by a Papist and a Repealer; in our local politics we have now a majority in the town council, and this tells well for our exertions. But this is the least beneficial part of our employment we have been endeavouring to raise the moral and religious character of our poorer brethren, and with God's help we have effected much good-many who were a bye-word and reproach from dissolute habits have been reclaimed, and are steady and consistent, and among all a higher sense of their great privileges as Protestants has been raised and excited. Among our poor benighted countrymen we have also done a little, and trust we will soon see the fruit of our labours. At our anniversary meeting we had a good many Romanists, none of whom were displeased, and we had two converted Roman Catholics from the country also over with us on that occasion. I trust you will forgive my entering into such minute details, but I know your heart is in the matter, and you will wish to hear good of your poor neglected Irish Protestant brothers.

The object of my addressing you on this occasion is more particularly respecting our

literary resources. We have opened a reading room for the Protestant tradesmen, where they meet every night, and are kept from temptation and from vice, and feel a great want of good, popular, and instructive reading for them, something beyond the periodical or the newspaper. I made an application to the Religious Tract Society, and received a promise of a small grant of books on payment of one half-this, however, I cannot avail myself of just now in consequence of our finances being of course crippled on the start, and for the first year; but I had hoped you would be able from your extended intercourse to let me know if through any channel I could procure a free grant of books suited for a library. If you could think of any way or means, and acquaint me with it at your leisure, it would be gratefully remembered by your obliged servant,

**

[Should any of our friends feel disposed to forward us through our Publisher any small contributions for this purpose, we will see them faithfully applied. Ed. P. P. O.]

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

AN ANECDOTE.

MR. OLIVER HEYWOOD was one of the persecuted servants of Christ in the 17th century. It is said that at one time he was reduced to great straits, his little stock of money was quite exhausted, the family provisions were quite consumed, and Martha, a maid servant, who had been in his family for several years, and who had often assisted them, could now lend no more assistance. Mr. Heywood still trusted that God would provide for them-he said,

"When cruise and barrel both are dry We still will trust in God most high." When the children began to be impatient for food, Mr. Heywood called his servant, and said, "Martha, take a basket and go to Halifax, call on Mr. N. the shopkeeper, and tell him I desire him to lend me five shillings; if he will be kind enough to do it, bring some cheese, some bread, and such other little things as you know we most want; be as expeditious as you can, and the Lord give you good speed. In the mean time we will offer up our requests to Him who feedeth the young ravens when they cry, and who knows what we have need of before we ask him." Martha observed her master's directions, but when she came near the house where she was ordered to solicit the loan of five [shillings, through timidity and bashfulness her heart failed her, and she passed by the door again and again without

having courage to tell her errand. At length Mr. N., standing at the shop door, and seeing Martha in the street, called her to him, and said, "Are you not Mr. Heywood's servant?" She answered, "Yes." He added, "I am glad of having this opportunity of seeing you; some friends at M-have remitted to me five guineas for your master, and I was just thinking how I could send it." Martha burst into tears, and for some time could not utter a word, the necessities of the family, their trust in Providence, and the seasonable supply, entering upon her mind at once, quite overpowered her. At length she told Mr. N. upon what errand she had come. The gentleman could not but be affected with the story, and told Martha to come to him when the like necessity should press upon them at any future time. She made haste to procure the necessary provisions, and with a heart lightened of its burden, ran home to tell the success of her journey. Though she had not been long absent, the hungry family had often looked wistfully for her arrival. When she knocked at her master's door, which now must be kept locked for fear of constables and bailiffs, it was presently opened, and the joy to see her was as great as when a fleet of ships arrives laden with provisions for the relief of a starving town closely beseiged by an enemy. The children danced round the maid, eager to look into the basket of eatables, whilst she recited all the circumstances of her journey. Martha wiped her eyes; the father smiled and said, "The Lord hath not forgotten to be gracious, did not I tell you that God would surely provide for us?" How applicable the advice of the Psalmist, "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed."-Ps. lvii. 4. The Christian poet also sweetly says:

"The birds without barns or storehouse are fed, From them let us learn to trust for our bread, The saints what is fitting shall ne'er be denied, So long as 'tis written,-the Lord will provide."

Peter was zealous, repentant, and true,
He proved his love—not as the Papists do
And all that he ever wrote or taught
Was with purity, clearness, simplicity fraught.
He never addressed the Virgin mild
To know if he dared approach her child!
He pour'd forth his soul at his Master's feet,
Mercy and pardon, and grace to entreat!
And when his Lord had gone up on high,
His last fond wish was, like Him to die!
When Peter had sinn'd, in his utmost need
Did he fly to the Virgin to intercede?
Or even while this our earth he trod
Address her as "Holy Mother of God!"?
The cross in a scriptural sense he bore,
But the cross of wood did he ever adore ?
He never utter'd the fearful ban,
Or cursed or murder'd his fellow-man;
He never used the rack or screw,
Or the bed of spikes, as the Papists do!
Oh! could St. Peter look down and see
The blindness of those who bend the knee,
With upraised eye of tearful grief,
To some sainted spirit for sweet relief;
Or the castigations by whips and thongs,
Themselves to atone for their sins and wrongs,
Or the mortifications by penance and woe
Which the votaries of Popery undergo!
With unfeign'd horror he surely would say,
Away, ye blasphemers! away! away!
Nor mock the Most High with such vile
pretence,

Foundationless prayers and works of sense. Could saints shed tears, they would weep and grieve

At the blind adoration themselves receive. Oh! woe to the Papists, and shame to the Pope,

They magnify creatures—they'll die without hope.

Oh! burst then the fetters by which ye are bound,

And hurl those false images down to the ground!

Give worship, and honor, and glory, and praise,

To Him the exalted-the 'ancient of days!' Pervert not the precepts contain'd in His word,

Lest the fierce wrath of heaven should be thy reward.

The ransom is paid-Christ sits on the

throne !

Hotel, in the evening of Monday, Oct. 28, Rev. S. Shipley, A.M., in the chair. The meeting was addressed by Rev. R. Macklin, of Derby, Rev. Hey, Rev. T. S. Mosse,

and Mr. Lord.

Brailsford.-A meeting of the members and friends of this Association took place on the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 29, the Rev. W. A. Shirley in the chair. The meeting, which was respectably attended, was addressed by the chairman, Rev. R. Macklin, and Mr. Lord.

Matlock. This branch of the Protestant Association held their anniversary meeting in the large school-room, on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 30, the Rev. W. K. Melville, the Rector, in the chair. The meeting was addressed at some length by the Rev. Chairman, Rev. G. G. Harvey, Rev. Barker, Smith, Rev. Roseingrave Macklin, and Mr. Lord.

Derby. A lecture was delivered here to the members and friends of the Operative Association on Thursday, Oct. 31, by James Lord, Esq. The chair was taken by the Rev, Roseingrave Macklin, President of the Operative Association, and the meeting 'appeared to take a deep and lively interest in the statements of the chairman and lecturer. At the close of the lecture the Rev. chairman made some important remarks by way of encouragement to the operatives and others to proceed in their good work. Amongst other facts to which the Rev. chairman alluded was this, that there had been in Derby several conversions from Popery, and that he had in his own congregation one who, till a recent period, had been the verger, or beadle, or some office-bearer, in the Popish chapel of Derby, and that this man was about to read publicly in his (Mr. Macklin's) church his recantation of the errors of the Church of Rome. The Rev. chairman also stated that many of those persons who had, within the last few years, fallen a prey to the delusions of Popery, had again returned to the Church of England, fully satisfied that Popery affords no place for sinners' souls.

Chelsea.-Historical Lectures.-A course of four lectures on the History of the Reformation have been recently delivered in the Christ Church National Schools on the following subjects:-1. On the Political Principles of the Church of Rome, by the Rev. A. S. Thelwall, M.A.; 2. Luther and the Reformation, by James Lord, Esq., barrister-at-law; 3. The Life of Edward the Sixth, by Rev. R. W. Dibdin, M.A., Minister of the Episcopal Chapel, West-street, St. Martin's-lane; 4. The Reign of Queen Mary, by Rev. W. H. Howard, M.A., Incumbent of Christ Church.

The Quarterly Prayer Meeting of the Metropolitan Associations will be held (D.V.) in the rooms of the Protestant Association, 11, Exeter Hall, on the evening of January 1, 1845, the first day of the year, being the time when many Christians, at the suggestion of the Rev. Haldane Stewart, of Liverpool, repeated annually for some years past, have been in the habit of meeting together for special prayer. The meeting will commence at half-past seven o'clock.

Ireland. The "Nenagh Guardian," Nov. 20, states that a priest has forbidden his flock, on pain of having all the religious rites withheld from them, to use either snuff or tobacco; remarking, that "it was fitter to give the two millions of money that goes to the Queen for duty on tobacco in the year, to their poor clergy, who are labouring day and night for the benefit of their poor souls, than to support a Queen." Two very strong instances are added, in which the priest has carried on this anathema to the very fullest extent.

Malta. We are rejoiced to learn that in spite of all opposition, the great and good work at Malta is still progressing.

Portugal and Madeira.-We have heard with regret, though without surprise, that the formation of more stringent laws against all opposers of the Roman Catholic religion in Portugal, and her dominions, has been under the consideration of the Portuguese Government. We learn, too, that this is expressly with the view of meeting the case of Dr. Kalley, and similar cases.

France." The Hon. and Rev. Mr. Spencer," says the Tablet, Nov. 30, "is in Paris labouring in the great work to which he has devoted himself-the conversion of England."

Irish Education Board. -The "Dublin Warder," Nov. 30, says, "We understand that two vacant inspectorships in the Board have been filled up this week, one by a Papist, and one by a Socinian, We are informed, that of the thirty-two inspectorships now extant, seventeen are Papists, two Socinians, three Presbyterians, and ten Protestants of the Church of Ireland."

Popish Outrage at Shinrone.-On Tuesday night, Nov. 26, between ten and eleven o'clock, a party of three men entered the house of the school-master of the Church Education Society of that town, and without saying a word, presented a pistol at him, which fortunately missed fire, and then beat him in a most violent manner and broke his ribs. His wife, in attempting to save him, also received dreadful treatment; both are under medical care, and it is doubtful if either of them will recover.

Five Roman Catholic clergymen in Ireland, Messrs. Frost, Burke, O'Brien, Basbie,

and Macnamara, have lately renounced Popery, and are now preparing for the ministry of the Church of England.

Le Valais.-The following is an extract from a petition which is circulating in the Canton de Vaud:-" To the Grand Council of the Canton de Vaud. Gentlemen,-For some years past the Protestants resident in Le Valais (Popish Canton), nearly all Swiss, the greater part Vaudois, have met together to worship God according to their eonscience, They have neither churches nor a chapel, but meet in particular houses. The Government of Valais now refuse them the right of private worship. It prohibits them from exercising their religion. The Vaudois population is grievously affected. What will become of the relations of canton with canton if each imitates this intolerance. . We pray you, gentlemen, to adopt such measures as your wisdom shall dictate, to induce the government of Valais to change its policy."

Lucerne. Jesuitism in Switzerland-Those emissaries of evil, the Jesuits, who, wherever they carry on their operations, act with secret and determined hostility to every interest dear to mankind, are convulsing Switzerland from one extremity to the other. For some time they have been established at Fribourg and Schwyz, from whence they have directed their operations to bring the other cantons under their control. The question of education was agitated by them, and in more than one Popish canton they demanded to have the public schools placed under their direction. Some years back, the Protestant cantons of Zurich and Berne were pushing and extending, even in remote and mountain districts, their system of education. Unhappily, the Radicals of Zurich carried their ideas of educational reform so far as to appoint the famous Strauss to be professor of their new university. The Popish priesthood of Lucerne (Popish canton), under the direction of the Jesuits, immediately raised an outcry, and professing to dread the spread of the principles of Strauss to their canton, the sacerdotal party carried the elections, established a new government, and proceeded to imitate Fribourg, by committing the education of the canton and its schools to the Jesuits. This attempt met

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with much opposition. The Grand Council, however, sanctioned the recall of the Jesuits, in spite of the popular repugnance, In certain parts of the canton of Lucerne, especially in the western part bordering upon Berne, the population shewed symptoms of a determination to resist this measure. In the little town of Willisau, these symptoms were evident. The government sent a detachment of its militia to arrest several persons known for their opposition to the Jesuits. The population of Willisau rose, surrounded the soldiers, who disobeyed an order from their officer to fire, and finally retreated. Since that there has been an engagement between the Government troops and the Liberal party, in which the former have proved victorious, after a great number killed and wounded on both sides. A letter from Lucerne, Dec. 10, says: "The Jesuits triumph to the full extent of the word, thanks to the means of seduction that they have employed." It is believed that though the affair is for the moment put down at Lucerne, a very serious struggle is impending between the Papists and the Protestants of the republic generally. This popular movement has broken out on the very eve of the epoch when Lucerne ceases to be Vorort,* and as such to wield the executive. That power now passes to Zurich, a state governed by zealous Protestants, and as much opposed to the Jesuits as to any scheme for putting down Popery by Straussim. The Morning Chronicle says "If bloodshed or collision be suspended or warded off in Lucerne, Zurich, so well situated to act arbiter, may interfere between the Radicals of Berne and the ultra-Catholics of Lucerne, to bring about an accommodation. At all events it is not likely that the Jesuits can keep their ground in North Switzerland. Many of the Conservative states, such as Bâle and Neufchatel would declare against them; and even the Catholic canton of Schwyz is divided in opinion on the subject." We only hope it may be so; but such is the influence obtained by the Jesuits, that we very much fear, if they do not triumph, they will continue for a long time to embroil Switzerland.

The VORORT is the assembled Helvetic council of all the Swiss cantons, held alternately (annually which it meets possesses, for the time, much influwe believe) in various cantons. That canton in

ence.

[Gilbert-street.