The Evangelical Witness and Presbyterian Review Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 Excerpt: ...But this was only to be expecced. The failure of the prolific potato, which barely furnished the means of subsistence to a redundant population before the famine, rendered an enormous decrease of the population, in the circumstances of the country, absolutely necessary. Foitunate it was for the Irish race that the wants of Great Britain, and the requirements of a friendly and kindred nation across the Atlantie, and of our numerous colonies, rendered this transfer of population so easy, and so beneficial both to those who went and those who remained at home. Dr. Hancock incidentally alludes to the decrease of the Protestant population, which he thinks is among the farming classes as great as that of the Roman Catholic population. It is not improbable that this is so. The last religious census (prior to that of 1861) was taken in 1834, and between that year and the famine there was a very considerable emigration of Protestants--much greater, we should say comparatively, than that of Roman Catholies. In the period since the famine we do not think that the emigration of Protestants, and especially of Presbyterians, has been so great comparatively as that of Roman Catholies. But we should by no means be astonished if this comparative greater decrease of Roman Catholies should not continue. At nil events it should not be forgotten by those who believe with us, that the presence of a large number of Protestants in Ireland is conducive both to the welfare of Ireland and the power of the British nation, that Protestants--industrious, intelligent, and enterprising Protestants--love independence and security certainly not less than their Roman Catholic fellowcountrymen. It therefore well behoves those in whose hands, humanly speaking, rests the fate of our Protestant ...