churches, and everywhere administered an oath to Chap. XLVI. the occupants of the land that they would not pay tithes. Throughout the counties of Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, Waterford, Clare, and Kilkenny, it became necessary for the Government to provide compensation for the clergy, so far had the organized system of defrauding them of their tithes proceeded.*

Statutes.

Meantime, a more enlightened spirit began to Relaxation prevail in the Legislature, and the mischievous of penal penal Statutes against Romanists began to be repealed. This work, commencing in 1774, had, by the year 1795, so far advanced that the Parliament at that period made a grant for the building and supporting an educational college at Maynooth for the maintenance and instruction of 200 students intended for the ministerial office in the Romish Church.

It was unfortunate for the advocates of these The rebelconciliatory measures that within a short time after lion of 1798. the first grant of public funds for the support of the Romish religion had been made, the disastrous and savage rebellion of 1798 broke out. This insurrection, greatly due as it was to French intrigue, did not take, it is true, the form of a religious war, but in Leinster, where it most prevailed, the outrages of the rebels were studiously encouraged by their priests, were chiefly directed against the clergy and their families, and were accompanied with the demolition and burning of churches and glebe houses. The immediate effect * Mant, ii., 713

Chap. XLVI. of the Rebellion was to bring about that great and wise measure—the complete union of England and Ireland.

The Act of Union.

By the Act of Union it was settled that "the Churches of England and Ireland, as now by law established, be united into one Protestant Episcopal Church to be called The United Church of England and Ireland,' and that the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of the said United Church shall be and shall remain in full force for ever as the same are now by law established for the Church of England." The Irish Church had already by its own act surrendered its original Articles and adopted those of the Church of England. It had retained, however, its own distinctive Canons, which by this Act it now Question of surrendered. It would appear also that by pledging itself to the doctrine, discipline, and government of the Church of England, it also surrendered its right of holding a Convocation or having any direct voice in enunciating doctrine and regulating worship, discipline, and government. If this be so, it certainly appears to be an arrangement much to be regretted. Under the Under the very different circumstances of the two countries, it would seem to be in the highest degree important that the Irish Church should preserve its individuality and be able to legislate for itself in matters of discipline. A Church cannot be in a state of vigorous life without having a voice and a power of expression, and though it may be true, as Bishop Watson argued, that a united Convocation would be suffi

the Irish Convocation.

cient for the Churches of England and Ireland, Chap. XLVI. "both at present and as to all future changes, if it should ever be thought expedient to make any,' yet as the machinery for holding such a Convocation does not exist, it is unfortunate that anything should have been done to impair the use of the National Synod. It was decided in 1703 that the proper Convocation of Ireland was a National Synod in which all the bishops sat in one Upper House, all the representatives of the clergy in one Lower, the whole under the presidency of the Primate. Such a Convocation, if still allowed to meet, might effectually co-operate with the Convocations of Canterbury and York, while a sufficient opportunity would be afforded for bringing forward matters of local importance and even for making canons of limited application.

But if the union inflicted a blow on the nation- Benefits of ality of the Irish Church, it conferred great benefits the Union. upon it in other ways. The Irish House of Lords being composed in so large a proportion of bishops, the Government had always looked to the spiritual peers, whom it was easy to oblige by translations and advancements, for carrying its measures and supporting the English interest. The effect of this was to secularize the bishops, to impair their independence of character, and to take them away from residence and the care of their Sees. With the Union all this ceased, only four representative bishops being admitted to the Imperial Parliament. Gradually, also, as public opinion was brought to * Watson's Autobiography, ii., 92.

Chap. XLVI. bear upon the Church in Ireland, the mischievous system of foisting Englishmen upon it has been discontinued, while the complete repeal of all civil disabilities on account of religion has taken away the chief cause of reproach and discontent.

Revival of energy in the

The vigour of the nineteenth century has been Irish Church. displayed in Ireland as in England by a general revival of life and energy. The great and longstanding difficulty of the Church-its isolation from the majority of the population—is now being met by well-directed efforts to reach the natives in their own language. It is attempted, with success, to convince them, in a method not repulsive to their ancient prejudices, that the Church which is established by law among them, is not only the Church of the Scriptures but the true ancient primitive Church also-the Church of their venerated St. Patrick-with far greater claims to their allegiance than the medieval barbarism and superstition of Rome, which has ever displayed in their island some of its most offensive characteristics.

CONCLUSION.

HE Church history of the nine- Conclusion. teenth century must hereafter be treated as a whole, and no part of it can be written adequately by one of this generation. The object of the present work is to bridge over the interval between the period of the Reformation and the thoughts, feelings, and interests of the present day, but not actually to enter upon the details of modern times. It has noted the rise of the Anglo-Catholic school of divines and their deterioration and loss of influence through secular tendencies, misuse of power, and contempt of popular feeling. It has exhibited the saturnalia of a triumphant Puritanism, and the disgust and weariness with which the nation at length threw off its yoke and welcomed back the old faith. It has recorded the natural but reprehensible vindictiveness which prompted to persecution after the period of rebellion was passed, and spoken of the great divines who adorned the restored Church. It has narrated the triumphant popularity of the Church during the reign of James II., and its trials and dangers at the Revolution. It has told of its