The Remonstrant or Arian body has not increased in like proportion. After their withdrawal from the ortho- dox majority in 1829, the Unitarians formed themselves into an association which assumed the name of "The Remonstrant Synod of Ulster." This body has since maintained a lingering existence in the north of Ire-
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES 532 PRESBYTERIAN C'lHTICIIES
land; but doctrinal laxity does not flourish among Presbyterians; and though the Unitarians ran reckon some forty congregations in the Island, their numbers, including the adherents of the Presbyterj ol Antrim, amount, according to the government census of L871, only to 9373 individuals.
The Covenanters, or Reformed Presbyterians, who are all Btricl Calvinists, arc considerably more numer- ous. There are besides a few congregations in Ireland connected with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, as well as a few others known by the designa- tion ofSeceders; but they form a very small item in the national census. The Irish Presbyterian ( hurch now consists of about t>00 congregations, and has not only displayed much zeal for the advancement of Protestant- ism in Ireland, but also of Christianity in other pans of the world. Immediately after its formation, the Gen- eral Assembly inaugurated a Foreign Mission. India was selected as the scene of it- missionary operations, and its agents have ever since been laboring there with em raging success in Gujarat and Kattiawar. Con- nected with it there are now nine ordained European missionaries, assisted by a staff of native catechists, col- porteurs, and school-teachers. Within the year 1876 there were ninety-two baptisms, and the total number connected with the native Church amounted to 1636 in- dividuals. The mission has been maintained during the year 1877 at an expense of nearly £10,000. Its operations have been recently extended to China, where three mission stations have been established. In addition to this mission the Presbyterian Church of Inland supports a Jewish mission, a Continental and Colonial mission, and a mission for Soldiers and Sailors. In 1876 the Presbyterian Church in Ireland reported five synods, thirty-six presbyteries. 639 min- isters, 78,445 families, and 107,262 communicants. The susti ntation fund amounted to £122,000; the total min- isterial income for the previous year was £513,000. The average salary of the ministers was i.'.s70. In the scl la of the National Board of Education, the Presby- terian children, in 1874, numbered 115,258, equal to about 11 percent. A Presbyterian college (Magee Col- lege) was opened at Londonderry Oct. 10, 1865. In 1846, Mrs. .Magee. widow of the Rev. William Magee, a Presbyterian minister, left £20,000 in trust for the i rei - tion and endowment of a Presbyterian college. This sum was allowed to accumulate for some year-, until eventually the trustees were authorized, by a decree of the lord-chancellor, to select a convenient site at or near Londonderry. The Irish Society have granted an an- nual endowment of i.'"_'."><> to the chair of natural philos- ophy and mathematics, and £250 for five years towards the general expenses of the college. The Rev. Richard Dill, who died in L858, bequeathed £5000 to establish two professorships. The appointment of the trustees is \ est* d in the General Assembly. The professors arc re- quired to sign the Wot minster < lonfession of Fail h, but no religious test is prescribed for students. The major- ity of the Irish Presbyterian ministers are educated in
Mi i. nerai Assembly's Theological College at Belfast. It has a faculty of six professors, but provides only a theological curriculum. The Btudents attendingTl re- ceive their undergraduate education in the adjoining Queen's College. The Assembly College ha- an at- tendance of from 7<t to 150 Btudents; the students of
the younger college are not yet nearly so numerous. Previous to the passing of the Irish Church Act in 1869, a parliamentary grant of £1750 per annum sufficed for the maintenance of six professors, at £250 each, leaving £250 to defray the expense of management. The gov- ernment, on the passing of the act. granted a sum of £43,976 a- compensation; and the interest of this sum. together with thai on £5000 subscribed by friends "i
the institution, and the fees Of the -indent-, make up
the annual income. Patrons have recently added prizes.
worth from £20 to £50 per annum. A most valuable
sustained by the Church and of comparatively
[recent establishment is the Orphan Society, which al- ready supports 2400 poor children deprived of one or both of their parents, and has an annual revenue of about £9000. See Ikkland.
8. Pki.-I'.I I 1 IRIAN Si \ u Si < I DER9 IN Il:i I \M>.
This denomination of Christians was formed by a union, which was effected in 1818, between the two sec- tions of the Secession Church in Ireland, the Burghers and \nt iburghers. From the commencement of the pres- ent century negotiations had been carried on with a view to the accomplishment ot this most desirable object ; but such negotiations had uniformly failed, from the <ir- cumstance that the Antiburghers. who were Bubjecl to the general synod in Scotland, had been prevented by that court from taking effective steps in the matter. At length, however, they resolved to act independently ol the Scottish judicatory, and the two synods ofSece- ders in Ireland, having agreed upon a basis of union, I met at Cookstown July '.». 1818, ami formed themselves ini ie body under the designation of "The Presbyte- rian Synod of Ireland, distinguished by the name Seced- ers." The ministers of the united synod at this period amounted in number to 97. The basis on which the union rested consisted of the six following points: