O'Driscors Vi 



have reuil an<l learned tlicii dtjlirs, ;\\ tliis 

 liigh and only int:illililc aullidiity, tlio 

 irmnant of disonloi' mid haibaiity lli;»t 

 is in (ho woild, shall disappotir, and no- 

 thing remain, which is not, nnha[)|iily, 

 ttic inalienable iuhcritanco of human 

 nature. 



The religious contrivances of men are 

 without authority ; no one is deceived 

 by them. This man preaches forms and 

 ceremonies of one kind — lliat pcrs<tn in- 

 sists upon observances of anollier de- 

 scription : even in the same church, caeli 

 individual gives to the religion ho preaeli ■ 

 cs the tinge and colouring of his own 

 peculiar character and views; he lays it 

 down, as a rule of strict discipline, or he 

 shades it away as a system of amiable 

 and loose morality ; or he presents it 

 decorated, and overlaid wilii ceremdiiiais. 

 In whatever way he exhibKs it to public 

 view, tlie people can well distern and 

 understand, that his religion is not tiic 

 religion of the next parisli : nor llie re- 

 ligion of tiic former incumbent, nor, pro- 

 bably, that of liim who will succeed the 

 present. 



Take tho peasantry of Ireland, — and 

 what monstrous imaginations, what wihl 

 and strange conceptions, will they not 

 be found to entertain coiiecrning leli- 

 gion I Can they be cahed Chri.'-tians? — 

 'i'ako tlie peasantry of jMiglaiid, and 

 what dull and stupid ignoran<;e, upon 

 these important topics, will you nottind 

 amongst (hem? Yet all these have been 

 reared up ifi the bosom of establishments, 

 and arc the lailhl'iilsons of the two oldest 

 and greatest establishments in these 

 countries. 



Is it much, then, to ask tiiat tho peo- 

 ple b<! made Christians? And who arc 

 (licy who o|i|)osc the process by which 

 v\o vvotdd (-lirislianize (ho people? W'e 

 have seen liie ministers of tlie two great 

 cs(al)lislimen(s opposed to each other, 

 as they are in many things, yet combi- 

 ning in this work. Uut not all. There 

 arc some, even in the ebmeli of llomc, 

 who feel the urgency of tlie occasion, 

 and know that an ellectual Christianity 

 is the only .security for the peace of tho 

 country; the only moun<l whiel; can stay 

 this wild ocean, (his overllouing po|inla- 

 (ion, which struggles niui roars aloud to 

 leap over tlic embankments and defences 

 of the law. 



An cdueafed popidation makes a thou- 

 sand ch.'uuiels lor itself, and flows olf 

 inipeiceplibly and without injiny to the 

 establishments that sustain the state. 

 An educated man has many resources. 

 Uo can apply bimsclf tu vuiious |iur- 



ews of Ireland. 6^9 



suits. He can seek a livelihood in fo- 

 nign lands, if his native country should 

 not afford him emplojmont. At honu', 

 (lie intclligen(!e he has acquired will 

 make him an object of some respect ami 

 consideration ; abroad, his enl;uged ca- 

 pacities open the way (o nsei'iiiiiess, and 

 be falls readily into some place prepared 

 for him. 



But the imbrutcd peasant is a cIoJ 

 attached to the soil ; ho has no re- 

 source iu calamity ; he is generally un- 

 acquainted with theotitjels \vhi(^h may be 

 open to him ; he isunqualilied to improve 

 any advantage whitii may occur; he has 

 but one mode or means of subsistence ; 

 and his general want of intelligence, and 

 ignorance of all bcsidi; the n.-irrow spot 

 uj)()n which he toils, and the dni;'igery to 

 which he is accustomed, take away all res- 

 pect from liis character. He is exposed 

 to every insult and injury; abused, wrong- 

 ed, oppressed, with impunity ; he stands 

 a forlorn and defenceless victim; his ab- 

 ject poverty places him without the pale 

 of law ; he sinks lower than (he level of 

 the brute ; for man, in a state of deep 

 ignorance, and utter destitulion, is tar 

 beneath the wild animal of the woods. 

 But low as he may sink, he is not un- 

 mindful of his wretchedness and injuries, 

 and he is ever ready to take a fearful 

 vengeance upon society, which has op- 

 pressed, neglected, and brutalized him. 



We recommend to educate the peo|)le: 

 wc strongly recommend a religious edu- 

 cation. Aitl the labours of the ehiircluis 

 by (he dissemination of the gospels; for, 

 without this, experience has shown that 

 they labour to no purpose. 



Educate (he people — How many col- 

 leges and establislimcnts are tlicMo richly 

 endowed, and well taken care ol', for (he 

 education of the higher classes — of (hose 

 who can well aftord (o educate them- 

 selves; while the tunds, a|)propriate<l to 

 the education of the poor, by the piety 

 of past ages, or tiie benevolence of indi- . 

 viiluals, have been lost and sfpiandered, 

 and become the prey of impious pecula- 

 tion ; and rulers and parliaments have 

 looked on with cold iudilference, while 

 the indigent were cheated of their most 

 precious inheritance. 



'i'ry e<hication: try what tlie Holy 

 Scriptures will do: be not alarme<l, lor 

 these <an do no evil. Are you appre- 

 hensive for this or that esta!)lishnicnt ? 

 I r these establishments are I'onnded upon 

 (he truth, you need not !'e:ir for them: 

 if they have not this foundation, how arc 

 they to l>e su|>porteil ? Or how can you 

 wish to uphold tlicm? Are not the peo- 

 ple 



