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and sterile. He has not the wand of Moses, to convert the veins of flint into fountains of living water. To profit by the word you must prepare your minds for its reception, by prayer, by study of the holy Scriptures, by humility, penitence, and resolutions of obedience: you must "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" nor hope that your pastor can accomplish the task for you by his own solitary efforts: they are auxiliary only to those who are willing to profit by them. If you would overcome the world, and prove victorious in your spiritual warfare, you must exert your own powers, and not depend on the exertions of another, however ready, and however well accoutred he may be for the conflict. Implore God to strengthen you to "fight the good fight of faith." "Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace: above all, taking the shield of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints, and for your pastor, that utterance may be given unto him, that he may open his mouth boldly, and make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which he is an ambassador, that therein he may speak as he ought to speak." May the union between you be cordial and lasting, such as becomes those who are joined in the most serious and important of all concerns; assisting, cheering, exhorting each other, with perfect unity of heart and mind, and going on your way rejoicing, till death shall dissolve your earthly tie, only to reunite you in the indissoluble bonds of everlasting love, in the kingdom of heaven: and may the God of peace make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

G

AN APPENDIX,

CONTAINING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATIONS IN DUBLIN,

BY THE

REV. JAMES ARMSTRONG, M.A.

THE curiosity of many of my hearers having been excited by the slight sketch given by me of the history of the Society in Eustace-street, a general wish has been expressed for a more extended account of the Presbyterian settlements in Dublin. In compliance with this desire, I have thrown together, in a connected form, a number of insulated and desultory notes, which I have been collecting from various sources, on this subject, for many years. I have reason to believe that the following account is perfectly correct; but having been compiled from a great variety of scattered materials, there may be some inaccuracy with respect to dates, or the succession of Ministers. In this case I shall be glad to amend any mistake, on receiving more authentic information.

Presbyterians were a numerous and very influential portion of the population of Dublin, more than a century ago; and comprised within their communion several noble families of high distinction. The gradual cessation of religious persecution, or rather of civil disability, under the paternal government of the House of Hanover, has tended to diminish their numbers, by removing that powerful bond of union which sympathy in suffering universally creates. Sectarian asperities have been thus smoothed away; intermarriages with Episcopalians have neutralized many families; and the great temporal attractions of the Established Church have combined their influence to relax the strict tone of Presbyterian principle, which formerly pre

vailed. They are still, however, a most respectable body of opulent and useful citizens, ranking among the very highest in professional and commercial pursuits, and distinguished for industry and intelligence, integrity and public spirit.

The first congregation of Protestant Dissenters collected in Dublin, consisted of families of English Puritans, who settled in this city in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Of the early history of this society little is known, except by tradition. Amongst its members were some Scotch Presbyterians, of whom several were afterwards much distinguished in public affairs.

The civil discords that prevailed in Ireland during the calamitous reign of Charles the First, were severely felt by Presbyterians in all parts of the island. Many of the congregations were dispersed, and most of the ministers and members fled for safety to Scotland or England. After the pacification of Ireland by the Parliamentary forces, the Presbyterian congregations revived; and though they were decidedly hostile to the measures adopted relative to the King, and had even the spirit to publish a solemn Protest* against his trial and execution, they were yet suffered to remain unmolested during the period of the Commonwealth, and the usurpation of Cromwell.

On the passing of the Act of Uniformity, soon after the Restoration of King Charles the Second, the Presbyterians of Dublin received a great accession to their numbers, from the conscientious scruples of many Protestants, who considered that Act as imposing unwarrantable restrictions upon their religious liberty. The disinterested and noble conduct of the Rev. Dr. Winter, Provost of Dublin College, and the Rev. S. Mather, Senior Fellow of the same Seminary, has been briefly noticed in my account of the Ministers of Eustace-street. Several other Fellows of the University, and Parochial Clergymen in Dublin, resigned their emoluments and benefices at the same time, and for the same cause. As they were all men of distinguished piety, learning and eloquence, and were manifestly suffering for conscience' sake, many members of the churches in which they had officiated adhered to their pastors after they were deprived of their church livings, and attached themselves warmly to the cause of Nonconformity. The names of these upright Ministers deserve to be recorded, not only as affording

* To this Protest, a very able, but harsh and indignant, reply was drawn up and published by the celebrated Milton, at that time Latin Secretary to the English Government.

matter worthy of attention to the curious investigator of local ecclesiastical history; but as objects of respectful remembrance to all who duly estimate the manifestation of conscientious principle. I do not pretend to give a complete list; but the following have occurred in my researches into the early history of the Presbyterian Congregations in Dublin :

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Rev. Samuel Winter, D.D. Provost of the University;

Rev. Samuel Mather, Senior Fellow of Dublin College;

Rev. Edward Veal, Senior Fellow of Dublin College;
Rev. Josiah Marsden, Fellow of Dublin College;
Rev. Stephen Charnock, Fellow of Dublin College;
Rev. Nathaniel Hoyle, Fellow of Dublin College;
Rev. Robert Norbury, Fellow of Dublin College;
Rev. Gamaliel Marsden, Fellow of Dublin College;
Rev. Thomas Harrison, D.D. Minister of Christ Church;
Rev. Edward Baynes, Minister of St. John's;

Rev. Robert Chambres, Minister of St. Patrick's;
Rev. Samuel Coxe, Minister of St. Catherine's;
Rev. William Leclew, Minister of Dunboyne.

It is now nearly 170 years since those worthy Clergymen were compelled, by the strictness of their religious integrity, to resign their ecclesiastical emoluments.* The number of families who adhered to them, formed a very considerable portion of the Protestant population of this city, and comprised many individuals of high note in rank, fortune, the learned professions, and commercial enterprise. The Dissenting Congregations then formed in Dublin, possessed, in fact, so much of the opulence and influence of the community, that they were not for a considerable period disturbed in the exercise of religious freedom; but were permitted to worship God according to their conscience, without hindrance or molestation. In this respect they were more happy than their brethren in England, against whom most severe statutes were not only enacted, but in many cases very rigorously enforced. The consequence was, that many families of English Dissenters, particularly from large manufacturing towns, emigrated to Dublin, and considerably augmented the Presbyterian population in this city. By these settlers the trade of the metropolis, especially her woollen manufactures, which for many years formed a principal source of her wealth, were much improved and extended. Presbyterian merchants were then, and have

Many other Protestant Ministers, in different parts of Ireland, were ejected by the Act of Uniformity. Of these I may mention the Rev. Cuthbert Harrison, Minister of Lurgan, who endured severe persecution. A correct list of all these ejected Ministers would be an interesting document.

continued to be ever since, among the prime leaders of her commercial interests.

The persecution of the Huguenots in France, in the reign of Louis the Fourteenth, brought another valuable accession to the Protestant Dissenters of Dublin. A numerous body of that suffering people found places of refuge in Ireland, in various districts, being encouraged to settle here by the liberality of the British Government, under that true patron of religious freedom, King William the Third; a monarch who, during his glorious reign, disdained to be the King of a party, and whose "MEMORY" is dishonoured when it is made the watchword of a faction. The encouragement afforded to the settlement of French Protestants was amply repaid by the great advantages accruing to Ireland from the profitable arts which they introduced, particularly the refining of sugar, and the manufacture of cambric and damask. By them a new impulse was given to industry, and new sources opened, leading to individual opulence and national wealth. The descendants of this conscientious race have not been unworthy of their progenitors. Many of them have risen to great distinction in Ireland; and, with very few exceptions, they have always been forward to promote whatever conduces to the true prosperity of the country.

In Dublin the French refugees formed two Presbyterian Congregations. On their settlement in this city they were received with particular kindness by the Dissenters, who were attracted to them not only by similarity in the events of their history, but by agreement in religious worship and in the principles of their ecclesiastical government. Between them there was, in fact, a common cause; and to this cause the Dublin Dissenters evinced their attachment by marked liberality towards the exiled strangers. The most distinguished in munificence on this occasion, and indeed on every other connected with true Presbyterian principles, was Sir Arthur Langford, Bart. who (I mention it with a feeling of gratification, which I hope the reader will excuse) was a leading member of the Congregation amongst whose descendants and representatives I have the happiness to be a Minister. With the pastors and "anciens" of the French Presbyterian Societies, the Dublin Presbytery held ministerial communion, recognising them as brethren of the common reformed church, concurring in their ordinations, and affording them counsel and aid on every emergency. Of this brotherly intercourse and mutual recognition some remarkable instances could be detailed from the records of both bodies. The French Congregations in Ireland have all, in process of time, been gradually amalgamated with other Protestant denominations. A scattered remnant still remains in Dublin, with a provision for a

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