Rev. Cotton Mather was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 12, 1663. He was a Puritan, hard and fast. In 1700 he delivered a sermon in honor of the arrival of Gov. Bellomont, calling it a “Pillar of Gratitude.” In this sermon occurs the following: “There has been formidable Attempts of Satan and his Sons to Unsettle us: But what an overwhelming blast from Heaven has defeated all those attempts.... At length it was proposed that a Colony of Irish might be sent over to check the growth of this Countrey: An Happy Revolution spoil’d that Plot: and many an one of more general consequence Than That!” Mather was rather late in his opposition to Irish comers, for they had been arriving in this “Countrey” before he was born. Were he alive to-day he would doubtless realize that instead of checking the country’s growth, they have greatly contributed to that growth. Passing through Bridgeport, Conn., by train recently, we recalled the Rev. Robert Ross of that place. He was a son of Irish parents, and was ordained to the Congregational ministry in 1753. His biographer states that he was a remarkable man, six feet in height and well proportioned. His presence was imposing, and his ruffled shirt, wig and cocked hat seemed peculiarly in keeping with it. But he most strongly impressed himself upon the community through the warmth of his patriotism, and the decisiveness of his political convictions. He became a man of influence on the patriotic side and proportionally obnoxious to the royalists. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he preached on the text, “For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.” A company of soldiers, raised to join the invasion of Canada in the fall of 1775, mustered in his door-yard and was commended to God in a fervent prayer by him before starting on their expedition. The dangers encountered by Irish immigrants who came over in the old days of sailing vessels is well illustrated by the following incident: The ship _Lime_ with 123 passengers sailed from Portrush, Ireland, July 26, 1738, bound for Boston. Three days after leaving Portrush she was leaking badly, so she put into Killybegs where twelve days were spent making repairs. She again sailed, but had to put into Galway to be again repaired. While at Galway, John Cate, the master, died of smallpox, and Matthias Haines, the only mate, was afflicted with the same disease. While at Killybegs and Galway 25 of the passengers deserted the ship, and but little blame could attach to them for so doing. With the captain dead and the mate sick, the contractors hired Gabriel Black as master of the vessel. She finally sailed from Galway on Sept. 19, and reached Boston harbor Nov. 16, 1738. Mention of the incident may be found in the _N. E. Historic, Genealogical Register_, Oct., 1897.