every trust, honor, and office of the state, above that of a petty constable. At that period, every calumny was levelled against them which is now pointed at the catholics; and every alarm sounded, which now disturbs the public mind. And all this was done by a faction, which now arrogates the lofty title of ascendency -by the placemen and pensioners of the dayby corrupt corporations, and a numerous body, whose office is so venerable, and name so sacred, that it would be deemed impiety to mention them with a venal train of sycophants and expectants, gaping for the spoils of the public.

Let me now ask you; were the representati ons of these men founded in truth?-Ye know they were not! And I now tell you, that the reports so industriously circulated, of danger from the catholics, with which the weak and the ignorant are alarmed and terrified, are equally false. They are worse than false-they are insidious; They are circulated, not only with a view to inflame your minds against your brethren, but to divert you from seeking-humbly and constitutionally seeking-that reform of government, which would deprive their authors of the spoils of oppression; but would raise your country to prosperity and happiness! A reform, without which the catholics must continue slaves in their native land; and yeeven the proudest among you-have nothing left

to boast of, but the exclusive honor of being. dri en to market once in seven years, and having your honor, your understanding, your conscience, and your allegiance to your country, which ought to be sacred, publickly disposed of, by your lordly masters: while your drivers are goaded on by some more powerful dependent on a foreign influence, which behind the curtain of state, manages the springs of your political puppet-show.

To accomplish this, national jealousy, distrust and division are absolutely necessary: and all these rumours are forged and circulated to excite and diffuse them. Treat such therefore, with contempt. Let them not blind your understanding, bias your judgment, or corrupt your hearts, so as to inflame you against brethren, who desire to be united with you, in order to swell that voice, with which ye may demand your long violated rights and liberties. Union is, not only the bond of peace, but the foundation of power, prosperity, and happiness: and union can have no place between the persecutor and the persecuted, the oppressor and the oppressed, the tyrant and the slave. Let these distinctions then be done away; and the evils of which we complain will vanish with them. Say ye, with the firm, but respectful tone of free-born subjects, "they should be done away, and the blessings of government extended to all with equal hand." This, as I hope to prove

on

to

on a future occasion, it is my duty to inculcate, and yours to do. At present I shall only mention, that the relief to which it points, is the will of God; and, as we have devoted this day. to religion, that it alone can render the services of religion acceptable to him. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen," saith the Lord, loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burthens, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? If thou put away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity: then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer: Thou shalt cry, and he will say, here I am."

Let these bands of wickedness then be broken, which bind down our catholic brethren to contempt, slavery, and wretchedness-Let' their heavy burthens be undone, and their yoke broken then shall the light of our prosperity break forth as the morning; the blessing of God shall unite us as brethren; and we will have cause, as far as our country is concerned, to celebrate the accomplishment of that happy revolution, which angels sung, in prospect only: Glory to God, among the highest-on earth peace-goodwill among men."

Preached

Preached to the presbyterian congregation of Portaferry, December 25, 1792.

N. B. The specimens of reports, &c. which this sermon presents, afford sufficient evidence of the vileness, villainy, and cruelty, of the alarmists of the day; and the consequent danger of interfering with them. Yet these reports are but a specimen of the least alarming and dangerous rumors. On several occasions, the presbyterians and catholics were alternately terrified with the apprehension of being murthered, in their beds, by each other, to such a degree that many spent sleepless nights in the fields. Written papers of the most atrocious tendency, were also pasted on the doors, or thrown into the yards of chapels and meetinghouses, on nights between Saturday and Sunday. One of these, found in the chapel-yard, near Portaferry, about this time, and traced to an origin, not catholic, I have in my possession, of which the following is a correct copy.

TO THE CATHOLICS

Gentlemen,

OF THE

BARONY OF ARDS.

I have been for these some years a most attentive observer of the opinions and actions of the protestants of this our kingdom towards us, and I think I am a perfect master of our history---for these reasons I take the liberty of offering my advice to you, and I can with truth assert it is the advice of a man whose forefathers bled most freely in our cause; and although I have lost by the fate of war, their large estates, yet I have not lost the feelings of their hearts or their attachment to our holy religion-the advice I intend to give you will be short, but before I give it I will make some observations to you, the truth of which I defy any man to deny; How comes it that the presbyterians are so fond of us now, or rather appear to be so fond of us-because they want to betray us-king George the third, whom God Almighty bless, has been to us the best friend that ever sat on the throne of England, and these rotten hearted presbyterians want us to join them and assist in ruining him our best friend-I beg of you to look at the ruins of our forts and castles in every part of the country that they deluged with the blood of our forcfathers, I beg of you to remember how they used their king and us when they were in power.

Remember