WELL SPENT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 4, 23 May 1890, Page 19

WELL SPENT.

(From Truth, March 27.)

" GENKBAIi " HAIG (presumably an officer of the Salvation Army) was recently sent by the Irish Church Missions Society to inquire into what was doing io. Ireland, with a view to convert Catholics into Protestantß. The " General " has discovered that there is " comparatively little to show in the shape of direct and openly-confessed conversions," and he therefore feels inclined to doubt " encouraging reports." "But," somewhat illogically continues the "General," " for the sake of the poor people themselves we are obliged to be silent about results." Under those circumstances what does he suggest? "That the older Missions should be closed in the West, where the people have heard the Gospel for thirty or forty years, and that the staff employed there should be sent to evangelise other parts of Ireland." The report winds up with the usual demand for funds.

The Irish Church Missions have spent about £200,000 in the last ten years. They have no converts, for de non apparentibus et de non existentibus is oue and the same thing. Tbis vast 6um of money has been expended in salaries and travelling expenses in the West of Ireland. Failure having resulted there, they have now the impudence to ask for funds to try elsewhere. Tbe society appears to be little more tban iin association for collecting funds to secure salaries to officials, and it is to be hoped the public will not be so silly as to part with more money for this purpose. It may be desirable that Jews Bhould become Christians, and that Catbolics should become Protestants. I see no reason, however, why largo amounts should be subsciibed to I'nablo persons to mike a livmg by not converting Jews or Catholics, aad yet this is really the outcome of the Society for tbe Conversion of the Jews and ths Irish Cburch Missions Society.