_Drumahair, September 26, 1834._
To Rev. J. BATES.
Since my last, I have visited more than twenty different places, and
some of them are about twenty miles asunder. This, together with my
occasional visits in this neighbourhood, has afforded me very many
interesting opportunities of directing sinners to the Saviour. In my
visits to the Night Schools, I have been highly gratified in observing
an increase of scriptural knowledge among those who attend. In J.
Monaghan's Night School, I found many adult persons assembled together,
some of them heads of families with their children, solely for the
purpose of reading the Scriptures and inquiring after their meaning,
some of these being Roman Catholics, asked me several very important
questions, to all which I endeavoured to give scriptural answers, with
which they were highly gratified and thankful, and wished that I might
soon visit them again.
November 24th, visited the house of a poor tradesman in Balli Murray,
read the 3rd of John, and pointed out the way of a sinner's acceptance
with God. All who were in the house quitted their several employments,
and drew around me. They all heard with eager attention, whilst I
pointed out the dreadful nature of sin, showing that nothing but the
blood of the Saviour cleanseth from it. One of them told me, that the
priest teaches that there is a purgatory, and that those who are not
guilty of mortal sins are cleansed from venial sins in purgatory. I told
them that there are no sins venial in the sight of God, for that it is
written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written
in the book of the law to do them;" that the blood of Jesus Christ
cleanseth believers from all sin, and that there is no other purgatory.
On the 4th inst. read the word near Ballymote. A poor man, named Rooney,
told me of a sermon which he had heard from the priest on the last
Sabbath; the priest, he said, preached on the General Judgment, and so
terrified him that he was almost in despair. He told his hearers that
not only for every evil action men must give an account, but also for
every idle thought; and oh, said he, if you had heard the Priest, you
would be terrified. I asked him, did the Priest tell him what he must do
to be saved? but he was totally ignorant of this. I then endeavoured to
bring to the understanding of this poor man the gospel plan of
salvation, which seemed to be the only thing calculated to give him
comfort and peace of mind.
On the 8th visited Killoran; met with a young man, a Roman Catholic, who
is a hired servant; he told me that he had been studying on the subject
of baptism; that when a school-boy he got a Testament, which he had
since kept very carefully; that in it he read that our Saviour was
baptized in the river Jordan; that from this he was led to believe that
immersion is the proper mode. I then read for him the account of the
baptism of the eunuch by Philip, also of Lydia, and the jailor, &c. He
heard with eager attention, and said that he was fully persuaded that
believers were the proper subjects for baptism, and that immersion was
the primitive mode. On the 12th March, travelled in company with several
people with a hearse going to a burial. I told them that it is appointed
unto all men once to die, and after death the judgment; and that it is
of the highest importance for us to be prepared for judgment. I was
sorry to learn that they did not know the Saviour, nor their need of
him. I made the best use I could of the short time I was with them. One
of them said he was sorry I was leaving them, &c.
ROBERT BEATY.
_Carintavy, Dec. 14, 1834._