morning, Caulfield and Irwin waited on the Bishop with our address, and a copy of our resolutions. He seemed greatly amazed....He professed great attachment to us as individuals, but he never could approve of, or sanction our Association; and dwelt upon the hackneyed objections of 'setting ourselves up—censuring others of our brethren-causing division in the Church-obtaining great influence on account of our union.' C.

and I. endeavoured to expostulate ; and stated that our meeting was open. Yes, but it is a meeting. That it has existed six years. I am sorry for it.' He plainly and positively said he could not sanction it. He was then asked would he prohibit us from meeting; to this he answered, he could not say that. We have asked him for his sanction and support, and he at once refused both. It was then our subject of deliberation, whether by another deputation we should bring him to say no;' or meet on still till he should issue his prohibition. We have been unauimous in the adoption of the latter opinion; and with the blessing of God, shall meet as usual on the first Wednesday in October. Things are now coming to a crisis. The eyes of the whole diocese are upon us; and if we were to betray indecision, or fear of man, all our past profession would be regard ed as hypocrisy. In the Kilkenny club hunt there are eight clergymen, and yet this association is not reprobated.

"October 2nd, 1806.-The Bishop has not objected to our doctrine, but to a public meeting. Yesterday we had many hours' deliberation at Mr. Pid

geon's, and sent Shaw and Caulfield to

the Bishop, to know whether he meant to prohibit us by an episcopal mandate ; and to state that our situation was a very trying one, as we had to preserve a good conscience in the sight of God-to preserve consistency of conduct in the eyes of the religious and irreligious world; and, at the same time, to yield obedience in many things to him as our Bishop. He received them most kindly; but did not say he would prohibit us, as he mentioned this would be to set himself up as a butt for calumny, &c. He requested us not to push him on this point; that he had no objection to our private meetings as often as we pleased; that he entertained the highest respect for us all; that if we were like others we would have set the diocese in a flame and excited great commotion; and that he could not but approve of our pru

dence and coolness. He said much more in the same strain, and seemed greatly alarmed lest we might press CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 61.

him; for, however unpleasant our meeting might be, I do not see any legal ground he could have for dissolving it. I trust we have shewn firmness and consistency, without pertinacity; and, perhaps, if the truth were known, he respects us more than the tale-bearers that are about him. Our Association now stands, I trust, upon firmer ground than ever. We purpose meeting every month at each other's houses, viz.-Kilkenny, Caulfield's, Hamilton's, Irwin's, Roberts's, &c. We shall be more select : and that blessing which was so long confined to this city, will now be extended to many other places. We had but one mind on the business, and have been brought through without sacrificing one jot of either principle or practice, except the public meeting."

These clerical meetings, thus restricted according to the Bishop's direction, were continued during the life of Dr. Kearney, who died in 1813; and also during that of his successor Dr. Fowler, who survived till 1842; and who has been succeeded by Dr. O'Brien, whose invaluable work upon Justification we reviewed with so much pleasure (see our Volume for 1836, p. 285) that we cannot but congratulate the diocese of Ossory, and the Church of Ireland, upon the elevation to the episcopal office of this learned, able, and scriptural divine, who is well-gifted, not only to discharge the more tranquil duties of his responsible office, but to meet and repel some peculiar dangers which threaten our beloved Church at the present moment. We believe indeed that in Ireland the peril to which we allude is not so great as in England; first, because the extensive revival of scriptural piety in that church has, by God's mercy, fenced it in from the inroads of unsound doctrine, to a greater degree, perhaps, than on our side of the Channel; and secondly, because the Irish clergy have had such mournful occasion to study the workings of Popery in all its windings, that they have learned to dread "the abomination of desolation" even in its specious

G

A few

Before quitting our reference to Mr. Roe's several diocesans, we ought to add, that though he never received from them any mark of professional distinction, he conciliated their good opinion and respect; and we have great pleasure in mentioning the kindness of that munificent prelate, Bishop Fowler, to him, as long since as the year 1815, when he was advised to visit Harrogate in consequence of ill-health. Finding it desirable to remain there longer than he had at first intended, he wrote to his diocesan, stating the circumstances, and requesting a prolongation of the period of his absence from his benefice. This was most readily granted: and the Bishop, aware of Mr. Roe's narrow circumstances, and anxious that he should be enabled fully to avail himself of the benefits to be derived from the salubrious climate and waters of Harrogate, added these words to his kind permission "And that your return may not be hurried on account of any financial circumstances, I beg you will permit me to be your banker for whatever you want." This kind offer was deeply felt by Mr. Roe; and not the less so, because he had not occasion to avail himself of the liberality of the Bishop.

But we must trace back our steps to an earlier period of Mr. Roe's life and labours. We saw him setting out in his ministry conscientious and zealous; and, by God's blessing, rapidly acquiring, and

An entry in his diary on the first day of the year 1801, exhibits a soul deeply anxious to serve God faithfully; and, at the same time, feeling, in the emphatic language of the Apostle, that "what he would he did not."

"When I look back upon the year just past, and reflect upon how little I have done in it-what little advantage I have taken of that health and strength I have enjoyed from my heavenly Father

how much time I have spent in thoughtlessness, and in a total neglect of my duty, and how little in communion with my God, in reading the Holy Scriptures, and in praying over them; self before the Ruler of the universe, it is sufficient to make me humble myand confess that I am a great sinner, and cry aloud for mercy. Notwithstanding I do not, as I ought, see or acknowledge my own corruption, or depend upon the have not in my breast that love and gratitude which ought to be excited by a contemplation of the love and mercies of my God; of the many times he has called me from my wanderings by the gracious whispers of his Spirit. I ought to be thankful; I am bound to be thankful: and I trust, therefore, I shall. I trust that this century will be the beginning of a new life; and that I shall give the most unequivocal proofs of such a change being wrought, by the whole tenor of my thoughts, words, and actions. I shall, for the future, under the Divine assistance, pray to God at least three times a-day; and shall attend more closely than ever I have done, to the visitation of the sick. And I shall, as far as in me lies, endeavour to fulfil the great purposes of my ministry, by reading the Holy Scriptures, meditating on them, and drawing from them observations for the regulation of my conduct. May I be enabled to put into practice all those resolutions which I have this day formed in my breast. May I not be any longer under the fatal delusion of worldly gratification; but having experienced how comfortable the way of the Lord is, may I press forward to the mark of my high calling, as it is in Christ Jesus. May I be endowed with zeal and perseverance in the great cause in which I have embarked; may I every day derive fresh comfort and

sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ. I

satisfaction; and see in the reformation of the people, the effects of my ministry.'"

A letter to his mother affords a concise view of his ministerial engagements at this period:

"I have preached every Sunday since I came home, and Mr. Pidgeon was but once at church; so that I have had the entire duty without any assistance three times of a Sunday, twice in the week, and lectures three evenings, independent of catechising the children

to the amount of one hundred and se

venty, thrice in the week. I have every reason to bless God for the great measure of health and strength he gives me; and I feel a sufficient reward for all my feeble exertions, in beholding the astonishing change among all classes of people here. It would delight you to be here of a Sabbath, and see the attention of the people to religious duties; and also, what numbers attend the evening lectures. On the third Sunday of last month there were one hundred and fourteen communicants at St. Mary's. I was not out of church till half-past three o'clock, as I had no person to assist me... . On Friday week we had a confirmation here, and one hundred and fifty young people were confirmed. I preached a sermon on the occasion. The Bishop was quite delighted at seeing such a number of young people, such an immense congregation, and such great regularity.""

Hitherto Mr. Roe was little known beyond the sphere of his own pastoral duty; but now his character began to be known at farther distances from home, and a desire was manifested to engage him in behalf of the charities in the Metropolis. In July, 1801, he preached his first charity sermon in Dublin, at St. Thomas' church, in behalf of the Royal Hospital School; and the collection amounted to one hundred and thirty pounds. From this time Mr. Roe became "a very popular preacher" in Dublin and elsewhere.

But the work of the ministry, if it has its lights, has also its shades: and they who bear the precious seed are said to go forth weeping; and while, on the one hand, they may "thank God and take cou

rage," when they see the work of the Lord prospering in their hands, they have often cause to ask, with heaviness of heart, “who hath believed our report?" Besides this, they have often to endure much from the evil surmisings of men, who, not understanding their motives, are prone to attribute their exertions to some sinister or unhallowed principle. Often, too, "a man's foes shall be they of his own household." This bitterness was now tasted by Mr. Roe; and it must have been peculiarly trying to him, as it was administered by a parent whom he loved and venerated. Dr. Roe's letter has not been preserved; but his son's reply exhibits respectful and firm self-defence, highly characteristic of the writer. says:

666

:

He

My dear Father, ........ You seem in your last letter to censure me for the exertions which I am making here, and to ascribe them to the effervescence of youth and bigotry. It must ever grieve me so to act as not to meet your full approbation but in the present case, if you inquire, you will, I trust, find that I have been guided by a desire to save immortal souls-to do away the reproach that now, for near a century, has rested upon the clerical character-and to revive the doctrines and discipline of our Church. If this be not done universally and speedily, I fear for the existence of our Establishment. We are called a reformed Church. In what does the conduct of the Protestants, who are thus called, differ from that of the Papists ? Take them as two large bodies, and which is most holy? "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." While

Popery is increasing in some places — while Methodism is increasing in others -we have here the pleasing reflection, that the bigotry of the former is daily wearing away, and that a stop is put to the growth of the latter. The Methodists themselves (who are more candid and more religious than the world will allow hesitate to declare, that if similar exerthem to be) acknowledge, and do not tions were made throughout the kingdom, their preaching would not be necheck here; and numbers who used to cessary. Sin has received a severe live in a total forgetfulness of God, are now faithfully serving him; and feel

:

more solid enjoyment in spending their leisure hours at lecture, or in friendly meetings, where God is the subject of conyersation and prayer with reading his word the employment. The world may regard such persons as idle, morose, and self-righteous but they are not so. Nothing but grace can enable a soul patiently to bear up against a continued course of persecution; and those whose lives condemn the practices of a sinful world, must ever suffer it; for it has from the beginning been the portion of all God's servants." Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you."

"As to the charge of hypocrisy, the world has no right or authority to make it; and had they a spark of that religion, the form of which they keep, but the power of which they reject, it would teach them to judge not, lest they might be judged. Even among men it is uncandid to condemn without hearing; or to brand any body of men with

names, or to attribute to them false motives of action, without the most unequivocal proofs of the truth of the charge. "The more simply the Gospel is preached, the greater opposition it will ever meet with it therefore requires a steady and determined boldness and perseverance in the professors of it, and particularly in its ministers. The cross must be taken up and borne; and if those who preach it bear no burden, but live in indolence and ease, and in the enjoyment of those pleasures by the world called innocent, in what do they differ from those idle shepherds (Zec. xi. 17) who feed not the flock, but them

selves?

them, was a step calculated to draw down upon him much censure and enmity. But Mr. Roe, to use his biographer's phrase, had nailed his colours to the mast; and through God's grace determined to leave them there in defiance of all opposition. He writes to his father in October 1802 :

"My dear Father,-Yesterday I received a letter from you, and it gives me much pain to think of the idea you have formed of me. By your last letters you seem to think that I am a hot-headed zealot, without reason, knowledge, or discretion; that I preach doctrines which have no foundation in reason, and that I shall blast all my future expectations. As to my conduct, I would appeal to every candid person here, whether I have in any instance exceeded the bounds of propriety; or whether I am that bugbear that a sinful world would represent me to be. I would even appeal to my Bishop, with whom I had a long conversation yesterday, and who told me that I

should be very wrong to go to the plays, &c., or do any thing which my conscience told me was not right. Liberty of conscience is one blessing we enjoy in this land, and indeed it is a great one; and those who are sticklers for it as to themselves, are enemies to its being extended to others.

"As to what I preach, it is the truth. Nothing but the truth could have produced such a change in a town, not exceeded in wickedness by any other in Ireland.

"As to my future expectations, I know that if they arise from the world, or the promises of man, I shall be disappointed. Besides, I cannot avoid believing that if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all things shall be added to us.' I would also gladly obey that special command, Lay up your treasure in heaven!' "Deus providebit.' I mean not, however, to say, that human exertions are useless; but that they never will succeed without the Divine will, and that they ever must be subordinate to and guided by it.

"Humility is a great virtue, and no man can get to heaven without possessing it; and I feel that I am in just as good a situation for the growth of it in my heart, as if I were preaching to please the public, and joining in all their societies, where time is murdered, health destroyed, the active powers of reason

enervated, the human soul debased and

corrupted. Tis better to suffer,' says the Apostle, 'for well-doing than for

evil-doing; and indeed, it requires at least a small degree of humility to bear up against continual opposition. Nothing but the consciousness of my own utter unworthiness, and the mighty power of God's grace, could enable me to do this. The Lord has certainly worked by me, and made me the instrument of good to many souls; and having put my hand to the plough, I dare not, nor would I wish, to look back, lest I might forfeit the favour of God, and lose that happiness I feel in my soul.""

The writer of this letter

must have rejoiced, with thanksgiving to God, when, soon after, he saw his father, whom he so deeply venerated, avowing those principles which he now deemed madness, enthusiasm, and bigotry.

Having followed Mr. Roe so far on his journey, we are unwilling to part from him abruptly; and therefore propose resuming our inter

course next month.

(To be continued.)

ton, Herts.

THIS elaborate discourse consists chiefly of three parts;-a hypothesis to be proved and illustrated; facts in proof and illustration of it; and warnings, exhortations, and consolations grounded upon it. The hypothesis is, that we are living under the outpouring of the sixth Apocalyptic vial, (Revelation xvi. 12); upon which the able and pious author founds many remarks relative to the events which he considers are about to come to pass. We fear he will think we

an improper word in styling his opinion an hypothesis; for he sets it forth, at least as to its broad outline, as a scriptural interpretation so clear and irrefragable that he cannot see how it can be questioned by any serious inquirer; and his adduction of facts and illustrations is striking; but every writer who has connected a scheme of interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy with passing events in his own day, has been able to find illustrations which appeared relevant to many of the cotemporary generation,

but which Time, that faithful expositor of inspired prediction, has proved to have had no such reference. Some writers have considered the Book of the Revelation as a prophetical description of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the events therewith connected. The primitive Fathers, Greek and Latin, generally applied it to the persecutions of the Church under the heathen emperors of Rome, and its subsequent encouragement by Constantine and his successors. Protestants have usually considered it as referring to the Roman Antichrist, and his final downfall; though some have thought that Infidelity is the predicted Antichrist. May not both Popery and Infidelity be included in the denouncement? But the application to the Romish apostacy is so remarkable and minute, that this at least cannot, upon any consistent principles of interpretation, be exempted. The Romanists have had no other resource in this difficulty than to retort that Luther, and the rise