together as learners with their peers, to become instructors of their juniors. But my decided opinion is that you cannot accomplish the preliminary at which you aim. I took a good deal of interest in urging, some time ago, the establishment of infant schools for the middle ranks. They were tried in some few places, but I fear have long been abandoned.

I am inclined to think, that the only way in which you can lay hold of the youth of the middle ranks, is through the direct agency of the Clergy or Ministers; and here another difficulty stares you in the face, for where are the Clergy of the true stamp, who are not either fully, or more than fully worked on the Sabbath? and therefore it appears to me the only effectual way of meeting the difficulty, is by Catechumen classes during the week, where they are impossible on the Sabbath. I know one excellent Clergyman who has begun this plan, and I shall anxiously watch the result.

Another likely plan is the encouragement of young men's Christian Associations, or Institutes; a leading feature in which is generally Sunday afternoon Bible Classes, with library (in a comfortable room) for reference every evening, and lectures addressed specially to, and suited for young men. After all I am inclined to think, that much must be done by the personal suasion of the Clergy; and in most cases-I write it with great deference-this pre-supposes considerable relaxation of manner. In too many cases, I fear young men acquire a feeling that they are between two stools, the ministerial and parental, and are therefore neglected, being too old for the latter, and too insignificant for the attention of the former.

I state this merely as the fact; it is in many, I hope most cases, discredi table only to the parties entertaining the feeling.

This is certainly one of the questions of the day. Take an illustration of the remark. The Wesleyan Body has long been sighing over her young men; they have been leaving the Sunday school, perhaps, greatly because the Ministers in most cases—from sheer inability owing to press of other duty-took little personal interest in the schools. Their parents, perhaps, placed very high before them the stepping-stone of conver sion, and therefore if they lacked conversion, and were disinclined to play the hypocrite, most likely they placed themselves in the category of wayside hearers, and no wonder if they dropped off to the world, or to some other denomination, and so at all events their own denomination missed them. During the late Conference they appear to have risen to the emergency, and have at once put their Catechumen Classes on a clear system of registry, and have in reality made the members of them probationers for membership.

Many illustrations might be given but I fear you will think me too prosy already; I know, however, you will excuse my dotting down what occurred to me on the moment, without asking you to take the opinions for more than they are worth.

Has the question of domestic servants and Sunday schools ever been brought forward at any of your meetings? I think it a very important one and have very little doubt it will be more prominent ere long. I should like to see an article by Mr. Roach, or some other of the Morning Chronicle's correspondents on this subject.

GENTLEMEN,

The question to which your able correspondent (Mr. Jno. Martin) alludes, is certainly an important one, and I freely confess that his remarks had well nigh convinced me of the truth of his observations. I had almost given in to the idea that taking children to church was productive of injurious rather than beneficial results-until that idea was checked by seeing the positive good arising from the practice in a case which came under my own notice. The circumstances are simple and such as may perhaps have been often observed by the minister or careful teacher.

A short time ago one of our little Sunday scholars was taken ill, of the typhus fever, and as might be expected, the pains of the poor sufferer were very acute. It soon began to be evident, that in spite of all that the doctor could do, the disease would terminate fatally.

Now it was that the benefits of her previous instruction and training appeared. During the intervals of pain, when her mind was more composed, and her thoughts occupied about the future world. She was heard to express her desires for pardon and to be made fit to go to heaven, and often when lying alone in her sick bed, did she repeat

the prayers which she had been accustomed to repeat when joining with her fellow-scholars in the services of our Church. This she did without any one telling her to do so; a simple conviction that she ought to pray &c., childlike feeling, yet God would hear her prayers, alone influenced her, and who shall say that the fervent repetition of some well-remembered cry for mercy, shall not have been answered by that gracious Being who loves to listen to an infant's prayer. It may be necessary to remark that the tender age of the child, rendered it unlikely that she should have remembered any of the prayers used in Church save the Lord's prayer. Surely this is a sufficient answer to those who may have thought that little good is to be gained by the practice of taking the younger children of our schools to church. Whilst I agree in some of the propositions mentioned by your correspondent, I certainly do not think it well to deprive the little ones, of the opportunity of assembling, with the elder scholars, in the Lord's House, on the Lord's day.

I remain,

Your's faithfully, 3. 6. Barnsdall.

THE following Letter was originally inserted in the Monthly Paper of the National Society. The Rev. writer has very kindly given us permission to insert it here, which we are glad to do, as it really appears to us the true solution of the difficulty, where practicable. At the same time we must express our fears, that there are many cases in which the parents are such habitual absentees from Church, that there would remain a large body of children in charge of the superintendent. Our excellent friend Mr. Martin's question, would in

such cases still apply,-do they profit by attendance at Church?

Further communications on the subject, embracing the plan now suggested, will be welcome; and we shall hope to enlarge on it, (with the kindred topic of Children's Services) in our next Number.

ATTENDANCE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN
CHURCH.

Kidsgrove, Newcastle, Staffordshire, 22nd.
October, 1850.

SIR,-As I am glad to find that your very useful publication is obtaining an increased circulation amongst the Clergy and school

teachers, I avail myself of your kind permission to draw the attention of the managers of Sunday schools to what I consider a very important subject.

I do not know what may be the experience of others of my brethren, who have long and anxiously laboured in Sunday schools, but certainly the results I have in many places observed, are not as satisfactory as I could wish. There may be many causes assigned for the comparative failure of Sunday schools; the most obvious, perhaps, is the extreme difficulty of procuring efficient and devoted teachers. I do not speak absolutely, but relatively, when I say that our Sunday schools do not effect that amount of good, nor do they secure that addition to the ranks of our regular attendants at Church, which the labour be stowed upon them by the clergy and laity might reasonably lead us to expect would be the case. I therefore think we are entirely mistaken when we at all rely on the teaching of the Sunday school as a substitute for the regular, constant, and efficient training of the week-days; and I am persuaded that the Clergy will find themselves much better repaid for their labours if they do not overlook the religious teaching of their children during the week. As it is, however, a painful fact, that there are a vast number of children of the poor who have no other opportunities of instruction than in Sunday schools, it is well worthy of our serious attention how we may render them more efficient than at present. But this inquiry is foreign to my present subject, except so far as it may be affected by an investigation as to the best method of dealing with the Sunday school children in Church.

It has often occurred to my mind that we have not taken the most judicious way to attach the feelings of our children to the Church. We send them in a body to church, to remain for full two hours in perhaps the darkest and most comfortless part of the building, where they may be most out of observation, or have the least power of disturbing the congregation; and, in addition, we often place them under the care of teachers in whom they feel no interest. This treatment has, I fear, been regarded by the children more as a species of punishment, against which they felt disposed to rebel, than as a means designed for their spiritual improvement. No wonder, then, that our services have become wearisome to many of our children, and that their early attendance in the house of God has been surrounded with so few agreeable associations. Can we feel surprise that many of our children have seized the first opportunity to emancipate themselves from a service which could not have proved otherwise than irksome to them? Again, it has often occurred to my mind that our present system has worked very injuriously by contri

buting to weaken the bonds which ought to subsist between parents and children; it has tended to sever them, not only in the Sunday school, but likewise at divine worship. We have thus too much encouraged parents to neglect their proper duties, to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and we have, to the detriment of the children, imposed upon ourselves a heavy burden, by taking charge of them both in School and Church. From the former I fear there is no hope of our being released by the parents undertaking the duty of instruction upon themselves, or by bringing their children to be catechised; but from the care of the children in Church I think we may in a great measure be relieved, at least, I have for some time been making the attempt, and with complete success. The sittings in my church are all free and unappropriated, holding generally eleven persons. I had a small division in the shape of an elbow put into each; and then I gave public notice that I would apportion or lend sittings to each family applying; making it as a condition that the parents themselves should attend and take charge of their own children, and stipulating that the seats should not be reserved if the occupants were not at church in proper time. This movement has given the greatest satisfaction; the sittings are nearly all disposed of, and the only difficulty now likely to present itself is the crowded state of the church. I have already the satisfaction to report the following results:

1. A very marked improvement in the conduct of the children; some of those who were amongst the most unruly are now, apparently, most attentive.

2. Increased self-respect is observable amongst the children; they are now mingled with the congregation, and bound to their good behaviour.

3. They have provided themselves most eagerly with books for divine worship, and manifest an increased desire to use them.

4. They appear not to be weary of the service, but, on the contrary, seem to take a pleasure in attending church.

5. It gratifies their best feelings to be near their parents, and to be under the care of those they love, instead of those they once only regarded with fear.

6. There being nothing to distract their attention, I find they remember the sermon much better than formerly.

7. A very great increase has taken place in the attendance of the parents; those who came before now come more regularly, and many whom I could never induce to attend, now find a new and powerful motive to bring them to the house of God,—to take charge of their own children.

8. It is now really a gratifying sight to see

If it be objected by any of my brethren that the peculiar circumstances of their sittings will not admit of this arrangement being carried out, let them try it as far as they can. Why not use the many empty free seats in our new churches for this purpose? they need not be enclosed; let there simply be added a division to enable families to sit together. And again, if it be urged that parents cannot be induced to come to church to take care of their children. (which should never be taken for granted until tried), then let us get as many as will do so, and with the remaining portion of the children we can go on as at present. I have several children so circumstanced; but every Sunday, I am thankful to say, their number diminishes, and I trust ere long to appropriate the sittings which they now occupy to several families. In no case where parents are willing to take charge of their own children should they be hindered from doing so; and if it should be urged, "does not this arrangement create con

I answer, "None whatever." All the children having sittings appropriated, walk out from the school first, and go to their respective places; and those who are to sit together follow under the care of their Superintendent, as formerly. I have found this plan so simple, so easily carried out, and so effectual for good, that I venture to direct the attention of your readers to it. I do not think I view it with too sanguine expectations, or that I calculate too highly on the impression it has produced on the minds of the parents and children; and in the more kindly feelings it has tended to awaken in both child and parent to our beloved houses of prayer, I think I see in what I have attempted, that which, with the Divine blessing, will greatly tend to endear the church to the poor of our land.

As I now look over the interesting and novel sight which the congregation each Sunday presents, the parents surrounded by their youthful offspring, teaching them the way in which they should go, I cannot help hoping that those little lambs, the special object of the Redeemer's love, thus "planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God." I have the honour to remain, &c. FREDERICK WADE.

We have received an interesting communication on this subject, from Mr. Lomas, the secretary of the Holy Trinity Sunday School (Manchester), consisting of continued reports on what are called Night Schools, detailing the history of these important adjuncts to the Sunday school from their formation in May, 1848, to July, 1850.

The compelling reason for establishing these schools, or, as they are called in London, classes, is set forth as being that 80 children are many under the necessity of working the whole of the day, and are thus debarred the privilege of daily instruction; as well as the benefit of adults, who not having had in their earlier days the opportunity or inclination of attending school are desirous of being taught.

We do not call attention to these reasons as novel ones; they must be familiar to all who have engaged in Sunday school work; but we re-produce them to awaken attention to, and an interest in such classes, as being productive of great good to the taught, and as means to render the Sunday school more attractive, more useful, and under God's blessing, to render these the means of more extensive spiritual advantage.

The narrative before us presents some points of interest, which, as briefly as the importance of the subject will admit, we proceed to lay before our readers; and that in the hope that it will stimulate others to set on foot similar schools or classes, and to per severe in continuing them.

The "Night Schools" in question, were formed under the sanction of the

Minister, the Rev. Thomas Todd, in conjunction with the Rev. J. D. Mereweather; twice a week for boys, and the same for girls. In order to meet expenses, a payment of a half-penny per week was required. The instruction seems at first to have been confined to writing and arithmetic: the experiment at the end of the first quarter appeared to be very successful, the number of scholars admitted, and the teachers willing to undertake the task of instruction was encouraging, as was also the attendance; the cash account, at the close of the quarter, shewed a balance in hand of £1. 13s.

From the date of the first quarterly report, to that of the last in July, 1850, the several reports exhibit a fluctuating state of things; one reason given for a decrease in attendance of the girls more especially, is worthy of notice, that the elder ones might possibly be ashamed of exhibiting their want of knowledge before the younger an obstacle to be overcome only by very judicious management, where the classes are of mixed ages, or by the formation of adult evening schools.

In noticing these Reports, it will be unnecessary to dwell on the local causes which injured the progress of the Schoolss—one general cause (we lament to say) is frequently dwelt upon, the want of steady perseverance in a good work as shown by some of the teachers; we earnestly call attention to this, it affects the progress of our schools, it is at the root of much of the want of success of which we complain, which we deplore, and which we strive to remedy. Oh, that our teachers would lay this matter to heart, that they would remember it is the Lord's work, and that to do it negligently is a sin, for which they will have to give account.

Another ground of failure appears to have been the want of novelty or

variety, writing and arithmetic seem not to have had attraction enough to gather together those who prefer play to instruction; but a variation, introduced by the clergyman, appears to have produced, for a time, a good effect, viz :the reading and explaining of the Fables of Esop, and also of the History of England: but what after all appears to have conduced to the prosperity of the schools is the better attendance of tea. chers. In the last report but one, it is noted that the teachers in the boys, school have increased and have been punctual, and that consequently the attendance of scholars is better!

In the girls' school "sewing and knitting, important branches in female education," are taught on one evening instead of writing, &c.: while engaged on this, history is read to them: "the result of the experiment" has yet to be arrived at, but we can scarcely doubt what it will be.

The last Report is a cheering one, the Schools are going on sufficiently well to enable us to say that the experiment is successful, and that it is one which should (as a duty) be tried wherever there is a Sunday School; for it is well observed in this Report, much has been done in Sunday Schools, but with night Schools co-operating with them, it will induce parties to attend the latter who could not the former, and by a systematic and proper course of instruction gradually arouse them to set a proper value upon themselves, and influence their future conduct in life."

We give the average of the first and last quarters.

First Quarter, Scholars' Nightly
Average Attendance

56