صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

to the north. It is situated in the province of Leinster, is of itself a county, and contains from 15 to 20,000 inhabitants. The bay, which bears its name, and on the west of which the town stands, is the estuary of the Boyne, furnishing an excellent harbor, and navigable for large ships to the quays or docks. It is a place of considerable commerce, and small craft can proceed as far up the river as Navan. Drogheda stretches from the bay along the north side of the river, and com. • mands very striking prospects of the scenery on both sides.* There are many recent improvements in fine taste, as well as some remembrancers of the ancient wars, for which the place has been noticed in history. Several times, in the strife of ages, the town has been taken and retaken by the belligerents; and when stormed by General (Oli. ver) Cromwell, in the days of the first Charles, all its inhabitants were put to the sword. In the victory of William over the forces of his father-in-law, James II., it met with milder treatment; for it peaceably yielded to the sum. mons of the conqueror. The victory is commemorated by an OBELISK, erected at the old bridge, two miles above the new structure over which the main road now passes. Near old bridge there have been discovered some

objects interesting to the antiqua. two large crosses, on the south side of the ruins of the church of Monaster. bute, at which a modern grave.

rian. There are

* At the mouth of the river in Meath county, is Mornington Castle, where the Duke of Wellington first drew the breath of life. It is elegantly situated.

digger found some old coins, one bearing the inscription EDMUND REX, and another ATHELSTANE. This cathedral took its name from St. Bute: for it has been the fashion in these Roman Catholic countries, to canonize and so to name eminent men, who were reputed saints. The place is now called Monasterboice. St. Bute himself lived about 60 years after the time of St. Patrick, and died in 521, the year of St. Columba's birth; an evidence that Christianity was introduced into Ireland at a very early period; and long before the church of Rome became papistical. Churches, saints, seminaries, and monasteries, existed here at least two hundred years before the emperor Phocas passed an edict that pope Boniface III. should be own. ed as universal bishop. This church was plundered in 968 by the Danes: but it is certain that the ancient Romans and the Anglo-Saxons had some hand in the erection or endowment of the neighboring monasteries. Grange, near Drogheda, there is still seen a vaulted cave, dug in the shape of a cross, in which was discovered a gold coin of the emperor Valentinian, who flourished in the fourth century.

At

There are indeed striking indications, everywhere, over this country, of the transitoriness of worldly things. Arts and industry change hands; the face of the ground undergoes mutations; nobles and even sovereigns are as uncertain of continuance as the vulgar whom they contemn. Near the same spot of earth, you may see traces of the footsteps of the Celt and the Scythian, the Greek and the Roman, the Dane and the Gaul, as well as of the Briton, the Scot and Hibernian. The Druid, the Christian, yea, the many sects and mixtures of both, are severally commemorated by the tumuli, the towers, and the steeples, discovered amidst the ruins of Erin.

The providence of God is displayed in the shaking of thrones and removal of dynasties; and especially in the preservation of his church during the great, and almost bloodless revolution, effected in the three kingdoms by the brave and prudent prince, who, for years, had been the principal bulwark of Protestantism against the combination of powers in Popish continental Europe. The prince of Orange was a native of Holland, but married to the Lady Mary of England, daughter of James duke of York, who afterwards became James the II. of Eng. land and the VII. of Scotland, where he reigned with the most barbarous and intolerant despotism.

The principles, nevertheless, which were espoused by the martyrs of Great Britain, illus. trated in their testimonies, and sealed with their blood, were not altogether forgotten during the persecution. The cloud of heroic witnesses had not been seen in vain. The valiant contendings for religious and civil liberty, which many a man and woman, upwards of twenty thousand in Scotland alone, sealed with their blood, at last served to convince the nation of the necessity of wakening to a sense of danger and exertions for reform. The house of Stewart, long tottering, and always faithless and vicious,

Rev.

at last fell from the throne to rise no more. The revolution of 1688 deserves to be had in everlasting remembrance. With all its imperfections, it has but few parallels in the history of the Christian dispensation, in regard to the political movements of the world. Inferior in splendor to the revolution of the Roman empire from Paganism to Christianity, A. D. 323, under the sixth apocalyptical seal, there was in it a nearer approach to civil and religious freedom than could have been expected in the system established by Constantine the Great; and it may justly be considered as the closing of the fifth vial, which was poured on the seat of the beast. xvi. 10. The American revolution, which commenced the era of the sixth vial, and the effects of which are still to be recognized in the modern political agitations of the nations, brings down the history of Messiah's providence still nearer to the time of the end of the antichristian reign. The liberties of men are since better understood and more firmly established; and the rights of the church better guarantied, notwithstanding the criminal neglect of mere politicians, than they could have been by the exclusive establishment of popery or prelacy, or indeed of any ERASTIAN intermixture of ecclesiastical and civil concerns. Yet, however much we ought to appreciate the good accomplished through the instrumentality of the illustrious Washington and his confederates, there is much to be remembered, with gratitude to God, in the more defective settlement which obtained in the

[blocks in formation]

own children could no longer endure the yoke of bondage. They deserted him. His son-in-law was the renowned patron of civil liberty. His name was now dear to the friends of freedom in Europe, and those who were high tories from principle looked to him for the personal safety which is naturally desired by every man. All parties agreed to employ his power in their defense, and he speedily followed with decisive actions his judiciously composed and well received declarations to the British nation. On the 21st October, 1688, he embarked from Helvoet sluice with a fleet of 500 vessels, and an army of 14,000 men, and landed them safely in Torbay on the 5th of November. England was in commotion. James was terrified. He sent off to France the queen and in. fant prince, and on the 12th of December, having thrown away the reigns of government, he disappeared in the night. As he was striving to make his escape in disguise, he was seized by the populace at Feversham, and soon conducted to London. No per. sonal injury was threatened. He requested permission, which was granted, to retire to Rochester ; VOL. I. APRIL, 1832.

and after lingering some days on the coast, he embarked on board a frigate, and soon arrived at Ambleleure in Picardy, whence he hastened to St. Germains.

On the 12th of January, 1689, the prince of Orange, for he made no attempt to usurp the crown, took the advice of the Scottish gentlemen whom he found present in London. Thirty noblemen and fourscore others met together on the occasion, and having chosen the duke of Hamilton as president, they made an offer to William of the administration of the kingdom of Scotland. The English very soon followed the prudent exam. ple. On the 22d of January, a convention of lords and commons met; and after many delays and protracted debates between whig and tory, the memorable vote was passed in these words:

"That king James II. having endeavored to subvert the constitution of the kingdom by breaking the original contract between king and people; and having by the advice of Jesuits and other wicked persons violated the fun. damental laws, and withdrawn himself out of the kingdom, has abdicated the government, and that the throne is thereby vacant."*

The convention passed a bill in which they settled the crown on the prince and princess, committing to him the sole administration, and annexing a declaration of RIGHTS, circumscribing the royal prerogative, and de. fining it more exactly than in any former period. The Scottish

* HUME, London, 1794, duod. vol. xiii., p. 107 and 115. 59

convention met in Edinburgh 22d March, and passed a vote, "that king James, by his malad. ministration and abuse of power, had FORFEITED all title to the crown; and that a tender be made of it to the prince and princess of Orange." Thus was William elected king, persecution of the saints arrested, and although the abominable practice of subjugating the church of God to the political management of the nations was recognized in both ecclesiastico-political esta. blishments and in the act of tolera. tion, the people were protected and allowed to live in comparative peace. Zion might now again sing the 82d Psalm : "God stand. eth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

In this kingdom the advocates of liberal principles were a small minority; and the lord lieute. nant, TYRCONNEL, a crafty politician, undertook, Jesuit-like, to deceive William, and raise an army for James. He succeeded in enrolling nearly 40,000 men ; and his king came in person, with the aid of France, to lead on his papist armament. James II. embarked at Brest, 7th March, 1689, and on the 22d landed in Kinsale, Ireland. Before the end of that month he entered Dublin, and May 7th met the Irish parliament. King William set out from England on the 4th June, 1690, and landed in Carrick-Fergus on the 14th. He thence proceeded to Belfast, where he reposed a few days, and then marched for the capital at the head of an army of 36,000. His father-in-law came

in search of him, and they met near the Boyne Water on the 12th July. The battle of the Boyne was fought. James fled back to Dublin, and William slowly pursued. Ere he arrived, however, in the city, his rival was on ship-board, on his way back again to St. Germains. William soon returned to Eng. land. The contest lingered until the battle of Aughrim and the surrender of LIMERICK put an end to the war in 1690.

Such reflections occurred at my visit to this now peaceful, flowing stream, for really it is in my eye nothing more than a creek, though named a river. I left it, however, at noon, and took a seat in the Armagh coach, in search of other objects. A fine day, a smooth road, and an excellent conveyance rapidly over a picturesque country, are pleasant accompaniments to the traveling, and they are not unfrequent in beautiful Ireland. This day's journey was a good speci. men. It was not long before our drive took us through Dunleer, Greenmount, and Lurgan green, across the White water, the Dee and the Fam, to the ancient town of Dundalk. In the reign of Edward II., this was a royal city, and it is the last place we read of where a monarch of all Ireland was actually crowned and resided. It is a large town, and still a thriving one, commanding an excellent inland trade, with a commodious harbor and extensive manufactories, and in the neighborhood of several fine seats and villages; it wears the aspect of neatness and industry. From this to Newry river, which divides the province of Ulster from Leinster, is a delightful ride of an hour. The distance does not exceed nine miles. The town of Newry is situated on this river at the head of Carlington bay, and is one of the most considerable in the county of Down. There is also a canal connecting Carlington bay with Lough Neagh. In 1689 the town was burnt by order of the Duke of Berwick, of the army of James II., to secure the retreat of his forces to Dundalk, when pursued by the English army under the Duke of Schomburgh, a veteran general of eighty-two years of age, who was commander in chief until William himself had arrived in Ireland. The venerable sol. dier fell by the accidental fire of his own troops at the battle of the Boyne, while bravely fighting at the head of the French protestants. Here I relinquished the Armagh coach, and took up my lodging for the night. It was early in the afternoon, and there was time enough to take a view of the place, which was diligently improved.

NEWRY is almost surrounded by rocks and hills; but to the northwest the prospect opens along the canal, through a luxuriant and well cultivated valley, in which may be seen vessels of sixty tons burden, passing through the heart of Ulster. The export trade and the manufactories are extensive. It is thirty miles from Belfast, and in lat. 54° north, long. 6° 15' west. The popula. tion 17,000.

Wednesday, 17th March, my repose was disturbed by the noise of mirth and song, ushering

in the morning of St. Patrick's day. It was wet and dark; yet at two o'clock I took a seat in the mail for Belfast. Darkness still precluded me from a sight of Banbridge, in the valley of the Laggan; but light began to dawn as the coach halted at Hillsborough, a town comparatively of recent origin, pleasantly situated, and built much in the style of an English town. The country around is rich, and finely variegated. It commands a prospect of Lisburne, the bay and the castle of Carrick Fergus, and of Belfast, the commercial capital of the north. Here I rested at eight in the morning, and will permit you, my dear S., to rest from following my hasty course, and my imperfect animadversions.

A REPLY TO SIGMA, ON THE QUESTION, P. 277, IS BAPTISM BY A ROMISH PRIEST VALID?

This is a question more easily asked than satisfactorily answered. Presbyterians are not prone to the exercise of implicit faith in the words of any man. They must have a reason for the decision to which they will agree. I say Presbyterians, for this question cannot be seriously agitated by any other denomination than that to which they belong. The principles involved in the inquiry are essentially Presbyterian; for it implies that a valid ministry is necessary to the administration of the sacrament of baptism. Papists, however, and both Episcopalians and Independents, do not insist on this as necessary, though

« السابقةمتابعة »