IRELAND PAST AND PRESENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1107, 19 May 1883, Page 3

IRELAND PAST AND PRESENT.

Last Thursday evening the Rev Mr Gordon gave a lecture on the above sub- ‘ ject to an attentive though not exception- • ally large audience. The lecture was in • aid of the prize funds of the Presbyterian Sabbath School. Mr Wood occupied the chair, and in introducing the lecturer to the audience said : Ladies and gentlemen, we have met here to-night to hear a lecture by the Rev Mr Gordon on * Ireland "Past and Present.’ I have no doubt that • we will all find it an interesting one. Ireland is attracting great attention at present. The history of anything is always interesting and the history of a nation doubly so. Air Gordon has come from Ireland very recently, and of course knows all about it. He then called on Miss Blyth for an overture, which gave every satisfaction. Mr Edmonds gave ‘ Oushla-ma-Chree” ; very well indeed, and Mrs Edmonds fob* iowed with *O, Steer my bark to Erin’s Isle.’

The Rev Mr Gordon then commenced bis address. On rising he was greeted with loud applause. He said he wished to speak to them that night on ‘ Ireland Past and Present*’ He would give them first of all a little geography and speak of its natural scenery. It was a country with 92 harbors. In the harbor of

Queenstown the whole of the navy of might ride in safety, and there were others equally as safe. Sixty two lighthouses were erected along the coast which enabled mariners to reach their destinations in safety and in joy. Much of the scenery was very beautiful. Any of them that had walked along the Shannon and many other rivers would know something of the beauty of its scenery. Its lakes wore as lovely as any world. The lakes of Killarney, as well as others, were lovely to the eye of any person. He. then referred to the Giants Causeway, and said he doubted /whether they could find anything like it in any other part of the world. It was one of the grandest pieces of the work of Nature. After viewing it they must believe that it . -Avaa the work of God. The history of / Ireland commenced almost with Noah, ’ * and it was no wonder that the native Irishman felt a pride in his country when they spoke of this. Ireland was first colonised by people from Migdonia, in Greece, 2000 years before the Christian

era. These passed all over Europe and in parts of Scotland and Ireland. They came to Ireland under the leadership of : Partholun, and possessed the country for three centuries, when they were entirely destroyecLby a plague. In * one of the towns a monument was erected in commemoration of this plague, and it was still standing. Another lot of 1 invaders, from nearly the same place, went over to Ireland—the Ferbolgs, Their name denoted that they had been engaged in carrying earth. These were in turn dispossessed by the Tuatha-de-Danaana, who held the country for forty years. ’ After these came the Milesians, who came from Spain. They were not of Spanish origin but had come originally from Syria.

They found their way from their Eastern hone to Spain and then to Ireland. The , Damnonians tarried with them the ‘ Lia Fail,’ the Stone of'Joseph, or the Stone of Destiny as it was called in the West. This stone was given by Nebuchadnezzar to the prophet Jeremiah, whom he per- : nutted to take what he pleased front the temple. It was probable that he took other articles of value at the same time—probably the Ark of the Covenant The stone wassuppoaed to be the dne on which’ Jacob laid his head at Galeed. It was supposed that wherever this stone waspreserved there a Scottish or Irish Prince would reign. It was said that Fergus the Great took it to Scotland, and it were now in Westminister Abbey. Queen Victoria was crowned ' over it. He then referred to the early form of Government extant. The Scotch, Welsh and Irish were all of the same Celtic origin. The people were ruled by chiefs and these chiefs had the power of select- , ing a king. A chief’s successor was not necessarily Lis descendant. When a chief was near, death his successor was appointed. ■ He was selected because of his learning and fitness, and as he was k selected before the old chief died, there ’ was no occasion for quarrels or bloodshed Every five years the chiefs met, and that was the first government that was known in Europe. It was no wonder Irishmen felt a pride in their ancient history, The lecturer then referred to the bolding of the lan 1. The tribe held the land in common. It was not the property of the chief or king, but the property of the tribe. This idea they probably brought

from Palestine. Ibis was the reason why the Feudal laws of 1155, in the days of Roman conquest, were totally at variance with the old laws. They have never been able to instil the Feudal laws into the people. The people adhered to their old idea, and this was the cause of much of the trouble and bloodshed. No matter where they met an Irishmen they would find that he was fond of his native soil, and ready to shed the last drop of his blood for it. The family loved to posses the soil. With this established form of Government it continued some years after our Ohristain era. He then referred to the religion introduced by Julius, Celestus and St. Patrick. St. Patrick was taken to Ireland as one of the nine hostages taken by Niall from Scotland. He was a slave and attendant to the swine for five years, at the end of which time he ho went to his native home. Ha there studied for a time and finally returned to •Ireland. Here he preached and made spacial efforts to convert Niall’s son, but he would not hear of it. His family was however converted. The establishment of the monasteries were then referred to. They were the great seats of learning, and missionaries went forth from them to Britain and all parts of the world. Columbanus and Columbkille were then referred to, the monastery of lona founded by the latter being specially mentioned. The monasteries were also places of safety and retreat. Their time spreads over two or three centuries, and it was during this time that the power of Ireland began to dwindle. They were constantly at war among themselves. When the Danes came to the country they were first met by one and then another. The people did not unite. If they had done so their history would have been different. Brian Boru, however met the Danes on Good Friday, in 1014, near Dublin, and inflicted on them a terrible defeat. The battle of Clontarf put an end to Danish invasion, but it did not drive all the Danes from the land. We have thus come to the last battle with the Danes, but during this period Irelandjlost ground; The wars prevented all prosperity alike in Church and State. The Danes now became as the Irish. The first Danish bishop refused to be consecrated by the Bishop of Armagh, and went to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Arrangements were made in 1162 to connect the Church with the Church of Rome, butprevious tothere this was no connection. He then referred to the Norman Conquest and the famous rescript of Adrian IY to Henry 11, the authenticity of which some The union of the Norman and the*L'elt had only been a union in name, it had never been a union in love. Since the time of Strongbow in 1171, there had been trouble between the native Irish and what are termed the English invaders. During the period of the Norman power no good was done for Ireland. Effort after effort was made touring them under British power but without success. On the early division of the land there is no peace between the two. Now the Irish say they have been robbed four times. First, under Henry II of their independence as a country, and again by the Reformation which robbed them of their Church land, when the King of England ordered that the religion of the Reformation should be received in Ireland or their property should be confiscated. The next century was the century of confiscation. The O’Nfiills and the O’Donovans were great sufferers. Henry VIII, that strange monster, was the only one they seemed satisfied with, He promised them religious liberty but he never gave it to them. He gave to O’Donnell the title of Earl, and to many others he gave titles. This brought them under his subjection. They knew he was no Protestant while they also’knew he was no Catholic. He attended mass up to the day of his death, Edward YI reigned but a short time, and did nothing for them. Miiry restored what they wanted, but reigned so short a time that the struggle soon began again. Elizabeth’s reign was looked upon as a reign of cruelty. Queen Anne’s reign was the reign of the Penal Laws, and no one would now uphold it. The Irish were deprived of their holdings, and banished from their places of worship. About two thirds of the land was confiscated. This was not all done by Protestants, it was dons By Roman Catholics before the Protestants laid hands on it. How was the Reformation introduced into Ireland] The ministers that had its propagation were of the worst, and he did not wonder that the Irish were the staunchest Roman Catholics in Europe. It was thrust upon them, but Irelan d never received the words that Jesus had spoken. It was no wonder that there was a hatred of Protestantism in every Irish heirt. The 17th century was one of confiscation and of the Penal Laws. It not only robbed them of their lands but of their religion. He then referred to the rebellion of 1798 and said that this had left an impression on Ireland that would take centuries to obliterate. In 1785 the Irish Parliament was independent. It gained its independence through Graf an and others During this time relief was granted to the Catholics by the removal of the instructions on the clergy and by enabling the Catholics to hold land the same as the Protestants. They knew the power of the Volunteers of 1782. England was at war with France and America (who was fighting fur her indepcdeuce)

and had to withdraw her soldiers from Ireland, leaving many towns entirely unprotected. The people formed themselves into a body of Volunteers, and the period of their power —from 1788 to 1793, a period of fifteen years—was looked upon by Irishmen with much pleasure. In 1793 the United Irishmen arose, who struggled against the rule of the English. The members were not composed of Catholics only but of Protestants, so there must have been scune other cause besides religion for wanting more liberty. In 1798 they but were defeated. Then the two countries were united, but as he had said it was not a union of hearts, but of laws. We then find O’Connell standing up for what he deemed Ireland’s rights. He formed the Repeal Association after the rebellion of 1798, which in a short time had an income of £SOO per week. Every week they met, and this went on until, supported by Grattan and others, he got a seat in Parliament, and carried the Emancipation Act. The Catholics could then plead at the Bar, hold freehold land, etc., and had the same rights as Protestants. This did not satisfy Ireland. During the struggle O’Connell became worn out and started for Rome, but only reached Genoa, where h® died, committing his body to Ireland and his soul to God. Next came the Young Ireland Party, who, when many nations were being shaken, thought it was the time to rise. They knew of the effort of Smith O’Brien, They then came to our own times, and the efforts made to satisfy Ireland during the last hundred years, Many honest attempts had been made to satisfy them. The time was coming it must come—when both nations would look on each other as brothers, if they were not of the same faith. The spirit of toleration was gaining ground. The lecturer then concluded by stating that the Irish question was the burning one of oiir time, and yet many people were ignorant of the reasons why the people were dissatisfied. He hoped they would *otn know each other better. He had no time to speak that evening of Irish poetry. When an Irishman went into the heroics of poetry he threw his whole soul into it, and meant no morn than to express his poetical nature. He concluded after a humorous ancedote by thanking them for their attentive hearingMr Gray proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, stating that hehad head more, about Ireland than he had ever heard before and hoped that Mr Gordon would give them another address on the subject at some future time, Mr M. Qninn seconded the motion. They all knew that Ireland had been suffering. He trusted that the day was not far distant when justice would be done, and Ireland, Scotland and England made one great nation. As an Irishman ho might say that he had a horrcr of the murders and explosions that were now going on. He thanked Mr Gordon for his address. The Rev Mr Gordon thanked them for their vote of thanks. He felt inspired by the remarks of the mover and seconder, .with fresh, ardour and might give them more on the subject another time. Miss McNair then gave the ever popular ‘Eileen Allanah,’ with chorus, and vyas applauded, after which, with the singing of the National Anthem the proceedings (terminated. Applause frequently burs* forth during the course of the lecture,