THE first Methodist preachers in Ireland in the 18th century came from England, and it was not until 1799 that Irish Methodists began to take the Irish language seriously. In that year men like Charles Graham and Gideon Ouseley began a tradition of the use of the language in Irish Methodism that lasted for over 100 years. This bicentenary gives a particular appropriateness to a book just published.
Risteard O Glaisne is one of a very small number of Methodists who prefer to use Irish in everyday conversation. His latest publication is Modhaigh: Sceal Pobail - Sceal Eaglaise. In it he sets out to tell the story of now the Methodists came to Ireland, what happened to them here, what they believe, and how they are organised. He even ventures to peer into the future in the final chapter.
The title itself is important. He rejects the clumsy word Meitidisteach, which is an attempt to give an Irish spelling and an Irish ending to what remains an English word. Instead he goes to the roots of the English word Methodists and then gives it a natural Irish translation - Modhaigh. It is to be hoped that his initiative will be followed by those responsible for public signposts pointing to Methodist churches where such are bilingual.
It is almost impossible to find an unbiased book. Every writer has a point of view, and to some greater or lesser extent that point of view is reflected in his writing. Risteard O Glaisne, however, makes a determined effort to free his work of that bias, and he quotes the critics of Methodism as well as its advocates. It is part of the measure of his fairness that he does not translate his quotations. If the original was in English, then the quotation is in English. This has the additional value of assisting those of us whose use of Irish is much more limited than his.
This in an important book, telling the Methodist story from a viewpoint which has not found such articulate expression in Irish or, one ventures to suggest, in English. It is published in hardback by An Clochomhar at £15.
Tomorrow the president of the church, the Rev David Kerr, will preach at the morning service in Knock Methodist Church in Belfast. In the evening he will preach in the Methodist Church at Newtownards. Towards the end of next week he will be in London, and will visit Southlands College which is a constituent college of the Rockhampton Institute associated with the University of London, and one of the leading Methodist colleges engaged in teacher training. On March 28th, the president will preach at Wesley's Chapel, City Road, London.
Next Friday is the date of an exhibition and sale of paintings, collectables and gold and silverware in aid of the Mount Tabor Nursing Home. It is taking place in Christ Church Hall, Sandymount Green. Viewing will be open to the public from 4.30 p.m. and the exhibits will be auctioned from 7.30 p.m.
The Bible Society in Russia has acquired a new premises in the centre of Moscow, in which it will establish its headquarters. It is hoped that renovations on the building will be completed by the end of the year.