Consciousness of unworthiness to be employed, and consciousness of weakness when once engaged, these, these are dispositions which were never felt in vain—and never yet ended in nothing being accomplished.

Surely no considerate reader will ever suppose that there is one word said here which should for a moment discourage any one servant of God, much less prevent him from going out by himself; nor can there be in an idea, which seems, without violence, to be deducible from many parts of the divine word, a single consideration which should depress him, when going out alone. In an age wherein the secret of primitive success seems to be lost, is it strange that we should search about in all directions till we find it? And could we find it, we should then perhaps see that both methods being employed, the other, of course, never followed, save when this fine harmony of spirit,—this sweet interweaving of interests,—this abnegation of self was both felt and seen. Among a set of men, who, as individuals, had so devoted themselves,—so yielded themselves unto God, and their members as instruments of righteousness unto him, nothing was more natural than that peculiar friendships should be formed, and that a number of individuals should as it were pair off. At the same time, the unintentional-the almost imperceptible occasion which gave rise to it would often afterwards excite both wonder and gratitude in their own minds.

Mysterious are His ways, whose power
Brings on that unexpected hour,
When minds that never met before
Shall meet-unite-and part no more.
A transient visit intervening,

And made almost without a meaning;
Hardly the effect of inclination,
Much less of pleasing expectation,
Produced a friendship, then begun,
That had cemented them in one.

But in the meanwhile the idea thus thrown out does in no respect whatever militate against many another divine assurance. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." A venerable servant of God, who, on the high places of the field, has laboured in India for the usual period of a generation, said, at an early stage of his exertions, "It

has been a great consolation to me, that Abraham was alone when God called him." I called Abraham alone, and blessed him, said Jehovah; nor was this all-" I will bless thee, and thou shalt be a blessing." Besides, if we know Him that redeemed us from the curse of the law, we cannot overlook his intention in so doing, "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Is any thing more wanted for accomplishing whatever Ireland may still require? more especially since He hath said, "Lo I am with you always even to the end of the world."

In addition to those ministers of Christ resident in Ireland, and daily surrounded by the Irish tongue, there is another class of our countrymen on this side of the channel, if not more than one, and to certain gifted individuals of this class, one should suppose the existing state of the Native Irish must become a subject of thoughtful consideration. I refer to those who speak Gaelic or Manks-but especially Gaelic. The reader has seen that at one period there were several Gaelic congregations in Ireland, and that, summoned as by the sound of an Irish harp, the Irish attended. The business between the Hebrides and the Galway coast has been transacted for years through this medium, common to both parties. The experiment of a Highland minister being intelligible has been tried again and again with sucOne lately, when on a visit last year, had I believe as many as two thousand hearers at one time.

cess.

These descendants of the Native Irish are, in a peculiar sense, your brethren; and if the soul is to be considered as the standard of the man, you may well be pleased with this alliance. You will suppose that I am in some degree aware of the connexion existing between Ireland and the Gael of Scotland,— that it was once rather a delicate subject of reference with some, and the matter of needless controversy with others. But the days of petty jealousy may well pass away, for there is nothing left now which need create dissension. Already the writer has had some opportunities of evincing his interest in our Highlands and Islands, and in all such cases as the present, when the Gael of Ireland and Scotland are brought into con

tact, it is time to remember the words of Archbishop Ussher. "It is known to the learned, that the name of Scoti in those elder times was common to the inhabitants of the greater and the lesser Scotland; I will not follow the example of those that have laboured to make dissension between the Mother and Daughter, but account them both as of the same people.”

Individuals, therefore, to whom the Gaelic language is familiar, who are qualified in other respects, and in whose hearts it is to do somewhat for the advancement of the divine glory upon earth, would seem to be here specially addressed. You require no Native Irishman to appear in vision after what you have read. May you not assuredly gather that there is a call here to go and preach the Gospel? In one short month, or perhaps less, you would be perfectly intelligible in many districts. Your brethren too, the descendants of the Albanian Gaels, are there. You may have observed the period when a number of your countrymen left the Hebrides and Highlands for Ireland. How many I cannot ascertain, but they must be their grandchildren and great grandchildren who now live in Ireland. Is there to be no such thing as kindly going to see how they do, on the mountains of Donegal or the sea-coast of Antrim ? As an encouragement to proceed farther, if you will, one of your own ministers was intelligible even far down in the south. You are aware who it is that hath said, "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." How worthy of the best and most powerful talents, and the warmest heart, would be such an employment! His special presence and aid would not be denied, who hath said so much, in such tender terms, about searching for souls when they are scattered abroad, and who, in his word, laments so deeply when no shepherd can be found conscientiously and carefully and wisely to do so.

SECTION X.

TO THE NATIVE IRISH,

More especially to such Individuals among them as are interested in the Progress of Literature, Education, and Oral Instruction.

WHILE it is desirable that your fellow-subjects should befriend you, and certainly incumbent on them so to do, the writer cannot conclude without returning to you yourselves, with a view to whose benefit every line has been written. He has not disguised, or rather he has been incapable of disguising, that he feels a peculiar interest in every thing relating to your present circumstances, and has only to lament its not having been in his power to discover it in some more substantial form; while at the same time he can never forget the warm and grateful language which has been so repeatedly conveyed to him in reference to a slight Memorial on your behalf, published about thirteen years ago.

On reading the preceding pages, he trusts that you have not found any one passage inconsistent with fairness or candour, or respect for your feelings as neighbours and fellow-countrymen ; and should there seem to be any thing bordering upon this, of which, however, he is unconscious, he has no doubt that you will give him credit on the whole for the kindness of his intentions. It is very possible that individuals among you may possess something valuable in Irish type, and that you may be acquainted with facts of which he is ignorant. Should it be

so, in a second edition of this volume they would certainly not be omitted. On the other hand, it is as probable that many among you may here find a variety of things, in regard to both your ancestors and your present state, of which you had but imperfect information, and which are not only interesting in themselves, but which seem, as with one voice, to assert, that the improvement of the mind and the progress of knowledge, are among the great ends of our existence.

You have read also how the Welsh have been acting for generations back by their language, and may inquire of them whether they have not gained by the attention which they have paid to it. I know it has been said, that "crowded numbers and great wealth together give prodigious advantages for educating, civilizing, and enlightening a people;" and you may be ready to add-the first we have, but not the second. But Wales in past ages was actually in as destitute a state as almost any part of Ireland is at this moment. It would be easy to describe this, and even substantiate the account so as to leave no doubt of the fact here stated. Various causes, it is granted, have contributed to a better day; so that Wales, though about five times as populous as our Highlands, is supposed to be four times as rich. But among these causes, I again refer you to the way in which they have been proceeding with their own vernacular tongue, and see whether this will not account for many of the advantages which they now enjoy.

Lay hold then of the medium of the Irish tongue in the same spirit-act by it in the same manner, and be not discouraged. The noblest use certainly, though not the only use to which your Irish types can ever be applied, is that of conveying to your countrymen the volume of Revelation entire; and the noblest use to which your ancient and expressive language can ever be applied as spoken, is when it is employed in uttering the words of Him who gave us this soul. As men of other tongues and former days have proved, your countrymen will then find, that "all the words of his mouth are in righteousness-that there is nothing froward or perverse in them—that they are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge ;" and that, let the pressure or peculiarity of a man's earthly state be what it may, there is nothing which can prevent him from borrowing comfort from this fountain of life and wisdom.