History of the Irish (Presbyterian) Church from the Reformation to the Great Revival of 1625 (3)

From Scotch and Irish Seeds in American Soil by Rev. J. G. Craighead

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CHAPTER VI. … continued

The reign of Elizabeth was favorable to the spread of the truth in Ireland, but owing to the distracted state of the kingdom its beneficial effects were not apparent at once. Many of the ecclesiastical arrangements adopted by Bloody Mary were reversed, and an order was sent to the dean of Christ’s church, Dublin, to remove from the walls of his cathedral all relics, images, pictures, and other memorials of Romanism, and to substitute in their place appropriate texts of Scripture. The credulous multitude were more readily reconciled to this change owing to the exposure of a gross imposition that had long been practiced by the priests of the cathedral—that of making an image of our Saviour sweat drops of blood by means of a sponge saturated with blood concealed in the head of the image. Soon after this change was made, Heath, archbishop of York, sent over two large English Bibles to be fixed in the centre of the choirs of the cathedral, to be read not only in divine service, but to be accessible at all times to the people. They came in crowds to hear the word of God read, and eagerly availed themselves of the opportunity to peruse it after the congregations were dismissed. In this way knowledge was increased, and a large demand for Bibles sprung up. One bookseller, in less than two years, disposed of more than seven thousand copies, to which the progress of the Reformation in Ireland was largely due.

Much less, however, was accomplished than might have been had the government adopted a wiser policy. In removing the sanction of the law from the Romish faith, as was done by the Parliament of 1560, and substituting the prayer-book for the missal, provision should have been made for that large class of persons who were ignorant of the English language. The first necessity was to have divine service conducted in a language understood by the worshipers. In the place, however, of providing for the translation of the prayer-book into Irish, the absurd order was given that the public service should be conducted in Latin, which neither English nor Irish understood. Surely, prudent and wise rulers who had the welfare of the community at heart, and who wished to promote the truth, would not have kept the masses in ignorance and cut them off from the benefits of public worship. Nor was it of much service to Protestantism that of the nineteen prelates who had conformed to popery under Queen Mary only two adhered to their Romish profession. All the others took the oath of supremacy in order to retain their places. But their adherence to the doctrines of the Reformation was merely nominal, and their conformity in worship was but to escape the penalties that were inflicted for neglecting to attend the Established Church. And so indifferent were the civil authorities to the spiritual condition of the native population that even the prominent sees, including the primacy, were left vacant for years, and those who controlled the more remote offices cultivated intimacy with the pope rather than with the English Church. So that, between shameful neglect on the one hand and harsh and violent measures to secure external conformity on the part of a prejudiced and ignorant people on the other, the Irish Establishment only alienated those whose confidence and affection it should have endeavored to win.

Even if Elizabeth and her ministers had had the religious welfare of Ireland at heart—which they did not have—their time was almost exclusively occupied with measures of defence against Irish chiefs instigated to rebellion by the Holy See. As fear and interest were the chief agents in effecting the changes in favor of Protestantism, no sooner did the queen’s political power begin to be menaced by Spain than the priests became bold and active in their opposition, and in every possible manner fomented the discord which had always existed between the natives and the English. A few zealous and benevolent individuals did what they could to remedy this deplorable condition of things. A translation of the New Testament was partly completed and the translation of the Liturgy in the Irish tongue commenced, but neither was rendered available during Elizabeth’s reign. The greatest of all hindrances to the Reformation was the want of learned and pious ministers, since nothing short of sound scriptural teaching could overcome the deep-rooted errors and superstitions of more than three hundred years.

We have a description of the deplorable state of the Irish Church in 1576 by Sir Henry Sidney in a letter sent to Queen Elizabeth on the subject of an evangelical ministry, wherein he proposes that she shall adopt the means which he suggests for the removal of this great evil. In a diocese of two hundred and twenty-four parish churches, only eighteen of the curates were found able to speak English; “the rest are Irish priests, or rather Irish rogues, having very little Latin, and less learning and civility, and were wont to live upon the gain of masses, dirges, shriving, and such-like trumpery.” Nearly all the parish churches were in a ruinous condition, and many of them were necessarily abandoned. Earnest and pressing were Sir Henry’s recommendations to have these sad deficiencies supplied; especially did he insist upon the necessity of repairing the neglected churches and supplying the parishes with Reformed ministers. But though coming from so influential a quarter, no attention was given to these recommendations, and the religious condition of Ireland was altogether neglected. How could the gospel be expected to prevail against prejudice and ignorance without the presence of ministers to make known its doctrines and illustrate the excellency of its principles?

At a subsequent date, 1590, a measure of much importance to Ireland was carried into effect. This was the establishment of the University of Dublin. Its chief object was to educate ministers for the national Church, the want of which, as we have seen, had been the main obstacle in the advance of the Reformed doctrines. It was founded on very liberal principles. Those questions which had divided the Church in England into conformists and nonconformists were suffered to rest in Ireland, and whatever preacher of the gospel made his appearance in the latter kingdom was gladly received and left unmolested in his work. He might verge almost to Romanism or he might be a zealous Puritan, and yet be undisturbed by any authoritative imposition of terms of conformity.

In the early history of the University of Dublin this liberal spirit was freely displayed. Its first elected fellows were two Scotch Presbyterians, one of them tutor to the celebrated Usher. Its first two regular and official provosts, Travers and Alvey, were also nonconformists. The latter, persecuted in England by Whitgift for his nonconformity, found refuge and freedom and honor in Ireland. The presence of both men was welcomed, and their services were in demand and were valuable to the country in the honored positions they occupied. There was truly great need in that country of educated men, and particularly of a pious clergy who would care for the spiritual welfare of the people. Even so late as 1596 the poet Spenser, describing the people of Ireland, says: “Not one amongst an hundred knoweth any ground of religion or any article of his faith, but can, perhaps, say his Paternoster or his Ave Maria without any knowledge of what one word thereof meaneth.” The common clergymen he represents as leading disorderly lives and guilty of the grossest vices, while the bishops in the remoter dioceses retain the benefices in their own possession “and set their own servants to take up their tythes and fruits.”

This was the deplorable condition of the Irish Church in the closing years of Elizabeth’s reign and after seventy years had passed since Protestantism was introduced into the kingdom. For the very limited progress which the Reformation had made two causes are apparent—the first, the formidable rebellions which almost constantly agitated the kingdom, and which produced a state of things most unfavorable to the spread of the truth; the second, the inadequate means employed for its propagation, the defence of the kingdom occupying the almost exclusive attention of the government. But peace was at length restored through the military triumphs of the English forces, the authority of the laws was extended over the entire island, and Elizabeth left to her successor the more pleasing duty of promoting peace and social order among the inhabitants and diffusing throughout the community the blessings of education and of true religion.

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