THE IRISH CRISIS.
[To ram Norma or Tax ••8rsorAren..1 SIII,—You will, I feel sure, agree with me in thinking it desirable that as much publicity as possible should be given to the enclosed utterance of the Dean of Westminster, as reported in the Westminster Gazette of December 29th, 1913.-
"Preaching at Westminster Abbey last ersalag, the Dean (Bishop Ryle) said that, with other churches in London, they had been asked to offer a solemn petition that in the coming year the country might be spared the crowning shame and disaster of a civil and religions war in Ireland. No experiment in the recon- struction of the Constitution could justify a mearmre which, if unaltered, would precipitate strife and leave • leguey of und hatred. It was not for him to say whether be thought the tentacle of Ulster were right or wrong, but the simple fact was that they were happy and contented, loyal and prosperous under the Government and the Parliament in Westminster, and con- vinced that under a Government in Dublin they would be sintdooted to a rule dominated by a religious influence which they conceived to be hostile to every Protestant and Reformed interest. They might be wrong in saying so, bet Irish history was full of terrible memories on one aide as well as on the other. They were in dead earnest in their belief that they could not expect to enjoy religions liberty or even-handed justice under Dublin rule, and they would resist with force. They were a united and resolute community, mill organized, long prepared, capably led, and enjoying the suppressed or openly avowed sympathies of half the inhabitants of England and Scotland."
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