The million-peopled city
Garwood, John
1853
" The testimony of no single missionary is materially different."
Indications of a Reformation among the Irish in London, which shall resemble in its Extent and Reality that which has recently been effected in . It may be hoped, however, not only that the Irish will not bring over the English to the Romish faith, but that the English will bring over the Irish to the Protestant faith. There is very much to encourage such a belief. Mr. Garratt's sentiments on this subject are our own:- | |
" There is no denying that, in spite of every check, the current of opinion among those who influence society (in England) is setting Romeward . . | |
"But while on the upper surface of society the tide is going towards Rome, at the very bottom, among the lowest class, among the Irish, not only in London, but everywhere, there is a tide from Rome. These men have no influence. It would not affect the general religious aspect of the nation, if, instead of being Roman Catholics or Protestants, they were heathen or Mahometans. But though they can do nothing, they may suffer much. They may glorify Christ by patient endurance of persecution for his name's sake. We may be training martyrs. It is in this light I look upon the work among the Irish in London. I trust that, however dark the days that are coming, God is lighting lamps to | |
289 | shine brighter as the night grows blacker. There is much in the Celtic character to justify this hope. Slow in acting, they are patient in enduring. When they once have their minds opened to the truth, they embrace it with a cordiality and love which seems to say that they will not let it go. And I think, if we look at the records of the past, we shall find that, for the most part, God has honoured with the crown of martyrdom men poor in this world but rich in faith, like the Celtic Waldenses of Piedmont or the Celtic Protestants of London. It may be that God will suffer England once more to fall under the power of the apostasy, and yet enable some of our despised Irishmen to keep alive the light of truth in the recesses of our city, and when the pomp and splendour of this world is given to the beast, to overcome him through the blood of the Lamb, and not to love their lives unto the death." |
A further quotation from the last referred to, will illustrate the general open- ing of the minds of the Irish, to a greater or less extent, to scriptural instruction :- | |
"It is ordinarily the case, that after a time opposition becomes very strong, through the interference of the priests, so that missionaries find visitation more and more difficult. This, however, in its turn ordinarily gradually subsides, by perseverance, prudence, and kindness. We add a few extracts from the Reports of missionaries, who have been a long period on their districts, in illustration. | |
" One missionary writes:-' Of the 79 Romish families on my district, 10 have received the Scriptures from me, and many Roman Catholic families who have left have also had a copy. There are also very few of the remaining families who will not listen while I read the Scriptures to them. The priest has been about among the people in general in the low parts of the district, and asked Protestant families to | |
290 | send their children to the Romish school, and to attend Mass, but I do not know of one instance in which they have succeeded. The priests, I believe, dare not go among the Protestants in the other parts of the district.' A second missionary writes:--' In some cases, the Roman Catholics refuse the tracts, being told to do so by the priests, and yet, strange as it may appear, they will allow me to sit down and read with them the . While I have been thus engaged, such remarks as the following have fallen from their lips:- " And sure that's very good." " And that's no lie." I have met with one case of a member of the inclined to go over to Popery, but, by God's blessing, he was prevented from so doing by the visits of the Mission.' A third missionary, who has been very long on his district, writes:-' I find but little difficulty in gaining access to all the Roman Catholics, except one, who is an aged widow.' A fourth missionary, after some length of service, writes:- 'There are ordinarily from 70 to 100 Roman Catholic fami- lies on my district, but they all open their doors to me, and willingly and cheerfully receive my visits. The great draw- back is that they seldom continue more than a few months.' Another missionary, whose length of service has been less, and who has also been less successful in gaining access to Roman Catholics, yet writes:-' Although about one-third of the Popish families refuse the tracts, on the ground either of their not being able to read them, or because they are opposed to their religion and they fear to offend their priests; and although, sunk in ignorance, depravity, and bitter pre- judice against all instruction from a Protestant teacher, they constitute a most difficult and discouraging class for the missionary to deal with, I yet feel that there is ground of hope and encouragement. In many cases the tracts are received; in some cases I have the opportunity of reading the Word of God; and even in those cases where I fail of |
291 | success in both these particulars, I am generally able to leave with them a verbal testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus.' The statement of another missionary is:-' Of 118 Roman Catholic families on the district, I have free access to 98, and am accustomed to read the Scriptures and con- verse with them.' |
" Even on a district where, with 17 exceptions, the whole of the families are professedly Roman Catholic, the mis- sionary is allowed to visit all but two. The workhouses are another striking illustration of the willingness of the Roman Catholics in general to receive the instruction of the mis- sionaries. In almost all the Unions there is a large number of Papists; but the missionaries find much opportunity of usefulness among them. Where the number of Roman Catholics on a district is small, there is probably even more readiness to receive instruction. The following extract will give an illustration:- | |
"' I have only 9 Roman Catholic families on my district. To 4 of these I have supplied the Scriptures. 1. To Mr. - , a journeyman tailor, who has 5 young Irishmen work- ing with him. When I first called, they all refused to listen to me, saying they were not of the same religion. After several visits and much opposition, they, however, accepted a , and now the master reads it aloud, and the men offer their remarks on it; so that in this house a Bible class may be said to be held daily. When I call, they ask me to explain the difficulties which have occurred. 2. To Mr. - - , whose mother died in a nunnery. His grandmother was also in a nunnery, and used to make the wafers. He was brought up in a Romish school. I lent him a loan copy of the Scriptures, which he has been induced to read for himself. He has now nearly read it through. He has been once to , and expresses himself as edified by what he heard. 3. To Mr. -, a journeyman shoe- | |
292 | maker, who, when I first visited him, called me a soul- destroyer, and spoke many bitter things against me and all Protestants. He has accepted a loan , and appears anxious to understand it. 4. To Mr. -, also a journey- man shoemaker. He worked with others who professed to be Deists. He has received a loan , which is read to them all.' |
"In such cases as the following, the useful working of the Mission is also apparent:-The parties connected with the parish church have lately sold the National School-room of the parish to the Romanists. These latter, by a great effort, had nearly 300 children for some time, but they now do not average 100. I attribute this decrease mainly to missionary exertions." [1] | |
What is being effected among the Irish of London may be illustrated by a reference to a single church, that of , in which a great work has been for some time going on. In little more than a year about 340 adults have renounced Popery there! At first, this was done pub- licly in the church, but it exposed the converts to so much opposition that the renunciation has been of late made in the house of the Incumbent. Most of these have since become communicants in the Protestant Church, and it is believed that they have been generally impressed with the spiritual power of the truths which they have received. It has not been with them a mere change of creed, but also a change of habit and life. So much has this been the case, that converts may be distinguished from others by their very dress, which has become so much more respectable; and by even their countenances, which appear changed and lit up with animation, through the freedom which they have received. Fully 20 of them have been engaged in seeking | |
293 | to convert their fellow-countrymen, as Scripture-readers, in different parts of and in English towns. The chil- dren also of these converts are brought under Protestant instruction. Five only of the converts have gone back, although most strenuous efforts have been made for that purpose. The woman to whom the priest used such violence, as referred to in a former page, was one of these converts, as her husband had been before. And so great was the disposition manifested to interfere with her at that time, that the missionary felt it necessary to secrete her between the trials in his own house; while a neighbouring missionary, also much implicated in the occurrence, by the advice of the clergy around, felt it a needful precaution, for the purpose of intimidation, to furnish his house with loaded pistols. |
Footnotes: [1] Since this extract was written by the missionary, the average attendance at the school has further declined to about 30. |
