I was going to say, the Bristol school, at Balleycar, county of Clare,
sixteen miles north west from Limerick, is a tremendous one. I went
there immediately after my last communication; gave several lectures to
Roman Catholics and Protestants, in the house of our afflicted friend,
Major Colpoys; I tried to comfort and encourage his mind in the prospect
of eternity--he is "looking unto Jesus." The school is in a very
flourishing state; 224 on the list, 146 present, 120 spelling, 104
reading the Scriptures; about 30 committed to memory, and repeated 153
chapters this quarter: they made great progress also in writing and
figures, which they are very fond of learning. There are only two or
three Protestant children in this school. It often excites the warmest
gratitude in my heart to God, that has put it into the hearts of his
people, to afford such great and important blessings to those who would
perish in ignorance and superstition. Oh what a mercy to see so many
children rise to read the word of life, and to commit it to memory, and
read it in the hearing of their poor benighted parents! At the close of
the examinations I give a little lecture on the advantages of a
Scripture education, on the love of God, on the sufferings of the
Saviour, and on the influence of the Holy Spirit, to bless all to their
present benefit, and eternal salvation. I find I can say a great deal,
and go a great length, without endangering the schools, which I know,
and am informed, would not be borne with from others. I try, also, to
impress their minds with gratitude to their kind friends in England, and
they appear very grateful and pray for them.
The Seven Oaks school, at Bushy Park, county of Tipperary, about
thirty-five English miles north east from Limerick is in a prosperous
state: the number of chapters the children repeat from memory frequently
surprises me: the children of a poor Baptist brother there, near Burris
O' Kane, are mighty in the Scriptures. The school discipline gave me
great satisfaction, and the spelling, reading, writing, and figures,
very pleasing: 74 on the list, 66 present; 62 spelling, 12 reading the
Testament, and repeated 63 chapters from memory. The master is a very
inoffensive and attentive man; I trust, truly pious.
In the Mary's Philanthropic school, Mount Shannon, county of Galway,
about thirty-five English miles from Limerick, north north east, there
are 98 on the list; 60 present, 39 spelling, 21 reading the Testament,
and repeated from memory this quarter 150 chapters: always a good
school, having more very poor Protestants in that village and
neighbourhood than many others, and not so subject to vary from priestly
attacks as some others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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