Reasons why the priests of Rome deny the laity under their charge the divine right of private judgment, by an Irish layman [F. Bell].

Published in the 19th century, this polemical volume reflects the intense sectarian and theological tensions characteristic of Irish public discourse during the era. Written by Francis Bell of Portadown, a town historically associated with strong Protestant identity and activism, the text addresses the contentious issue of private judgment versus ecclesiastical authority within the Roman Catholic tradition, serving as a contribution to the broader religious controversies of its time.

The work was designed as an argumentative tract meant to reach laypeople on the opposite side of the sectarian divide. By framing his critique from the perspective of an Irish layman, Bell sought to undermine the Catholic Church's hierarchical control over scripture interpretation. The publication remains a distinct piece of regional religious literature, valued today primarily for its insight into the rhetoric employed by anti-Catholic authors in pre-partition Ireland.