The annual meeting of the Society Friends in Limerick Ireland was held recently. At the gathering, special emphasis was placed on the epistle from the Friends and their continued prayers for King Edward VII that he is supported in leading the country in the footsteps of his mother. Following the meeting, the Right Rev. Dr Chadwick, Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe addressed the gathering.
Bishop Chadwick, whilst noting the current prosperous state of the Spanish Reformed Church in Limerick, drew attention to the similarities between the slander and persecution perpetrated against both it and the Church of Ireland. Bishop Chadwick specifically cited the Limerick persecutions as an example of this shared adversity. However, despite the ongoing challenges and potential decline faced in recent years, Bishop Chadwick reports that membership of the Spanish Reformed Church amongst the Irish community continues to be stable and healthy.
The Reverend J. Pulvertoft also addressed the meeting, further referencing the Limerick persecutions. In his speech, the Reverend Pulvertoft stressed the similarities between the adverse actions against Irish Protestants as perpetrated by opponents of the Reformed Church in Spain. He cited an influential French Ultramontane writer, who argued that Catholics sought liberty and equality for their principles when Protestants held power, but that they refused to grant the same to Protestants were Catholics were in control, as it would be contrary to their principles. In this context, Reverend Pulvertoft suggested that the organisation of the Irish Catholics to disrupt districts is due to the pressure of ecclesiasticism.
Belfast News-Letter – Saturday 22 June 1901
