tual benefit of the rising generation, though we could see no immediate good fruits following our labours, equally as though instances of apparent benefit to them, were numerous and striking.

It would not correspond with the usual methods of the divine procedure, to incline the hearts of so many of his people to labour with perseverance and zeal as Teachers of the young, and to bring together from Sabbath evening to Sabbath evening, upwards of Four Thousand Children to places where prayers are offered to God for them, and endeavours used to teach them the first principles of religion, and impress them on their hearts; and yet no advantage whatever result from all this to immortal souls. The seed which is thus sown, though it lie long under ground, it may be hoped, will not all perish. In a few instances, perhaps, it may spring up almost immediately, in hopeful appearances of youthful piety; but when this is not the case, yet, in many instances, some portion of it, buried deep in the memory and long out of view, may, through the divine blessing, at length spring up, and bring forth fruit unto eternal life.

Your Teachers have not, in general, the means of knowing minutely what influence the instructions and advices of the Sabbath evening, have on the conduct of the children. On many cases, therefore, they can only report to you what has fallen under their own observation at school, or has incidentally been communicated to them, concerning the good effects of the attendance of the children, apparent otherwise in their conduct.

The greater number of the Teachers report favourably of the children's diligence in learning their prescribed tasks; of the regularity of their attendance at school; and of the spirit with which they enter into the exercises of the even. ing. Many of them report a visible improvement in regularity, propriety of behaviour, and diligence, during the last year. And some bear very pleasing testimony to the general progress made by their scholars in religious knowledge. In a variety of instances, parents have reported a general improvement in the conduct of their children; and especially in regard to the sanctification of the Sabbath; and have expressed; their gratitude to the Society and to the Teachers. One of your Teachers in giving in his report, mentioned a striking instance of the beneficial effects of Sabbath school instruction on the morals of youth. The village in which his school is situated, stands on the side of a public road. Previous to the erection of the school, complaints were

frequently made against the boys of the village. They were in the practice of annoying and assailing the passengers, especially on the Sabbath ecenings, so that their comfort, and even safety was often endangered. Since the erection of the school, there have been no such occurrences; and there formation in this respect has been particularly remarked to him by respectable persons residing in the neighbourhood.

But in addition to these general accounts of a favourable nature, we have to report more decided evidences of the success of our labours. It will give, we are sure, very particular pleasure to all, to be informed, that Bible Societies have been erected in some schools, and are conducted by the children themselves. It will not be less pleasing to be informed, that in other schools the children are subscribing to furnish themselves with Bibles and Testaments, at the rate of twopence per week for the one, and a penny per week for the other; and that many children have already obtained them for themselves, in this manner, without the aid of any Bible Society. It may be added, that in a considerable number of schools, the Teachers report their opinion of the decided piety of some individuals, and the hopeful appearances of others; and that in four or five schools, a number of the boys have united in the formation prayer meetings among themselves, which promise to be of singular benefit for their growth in knowledge, and establishment in grace.

of

It appears from the following narratives,-the first respecting a scholar yet alive, and the second and third respecting three lately deceased,—that God is blessing the schools to some as the means of saving benefit.

"I had called," says the Teacher who communicates the the first case, once or twice upon the mother of two of the scholars, when she thanked me for my attention to her children, the good effects of which she saw illustrated in their

conduct.

"Not long after this, I missed her eldest girl from school, and on enquiry learned she was unwell. I called and found her so altered that I did not at first recognize her. Her mother informed me that she was affected with a violent fever, and that for some days her medical attendant would express no opinion of her case.

"My pupil then said she was very unwell, and thanked me for my attention in calling to see her. I replied she was in the hand of God, who would do nothing to the hurt of those who trusted in him; when she expressed the

joy she felt at the kindness of God, in not being unmindful of the most unworthy of his creatures.

"Either at this, or at a subsequent visit, I asked her how she stood affected in regard to any thing sinful in the eye of God. She said, that she now trusted she often felt sin her heaviest burden, and she well remembered a time when this indeed was not so. I observed to her, she had expressed one of the best evidences of a renewed mind, and that the sincerity of the remark would afford her satisfaction.

The vigour of youth was in her favour; her constitution surmounted her disease; and after sometime I saw her resume her seat in school, where her conduct is becomingly decorous, and what might have been looked for from her.

"I trust, if God really has begun his work in her soul, that she will be spared for his glory, for the ornament of the church below, and for adorning the Christian profession in her humble walks through life."

The same Teacher further states:

"I beg leave also to submit to you the following particu lars of another female scholar.

"She joined the school in May 1814, and it does not appear from my roll-book, that she was absent a single night, from that period down to the new year. Her tasks were uniformly repeated with correctness, and her deportment was strikingly modest and engaging. She caught cold about the end of last year, but was present at school on the evening of the first of January. Here, however, she grew worse and I had to send her home about the middle of the evening, little imagining I was conveying her from a place to which she never should return.

"I think I have observed that those whom Providence intends to call out of this world at an early age, are often brought to exhibit proofs of maturity beyond their years; and such seemed the case with the subject of this narrative. She anticipated her dissolution with solemn composure.She looked forward to happiness beyond the grave with serenity. She said, that her Lord, when on earth, had declared that of little children is the kingdom of Heaven. But a friend remarked to her that she was a sinner; on which she replied, that she felt this as true; that she knew all unrighteousness was sin; and that there were none righteous; no not one but then, as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

"She requested another person to pray with her; and on being asked what he should pray for, she replied, that she

might have a new heart and a right spirit, and be washed in the precious blood of Jesus, that so she might be among the happy number of the redeemed in glory.

"She desired the 12th and 53d chapters of Isaiah to be read to her, and she expressed in the most energetic manner, the hopes which the fifth verse of this last chapter afforded her," He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed."

"She soon got so low that speech nearly failed her, and in this state she faintly articulated the words "mercy" and "evermore." Upon which the verse she was attempting to express was repeated to her, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever," when she replied, "Yes, yes, that is it."

"I saw her on Monday the 23d January, and found she had then nearly lost the faculties of hearing and speech. When she saw ine, she raised herself, while she grasped my hands for a few moments,-the only expression she now could give of the satisfaction she felt at seeing me.

"I saw her again on Tuesday, when I found her indeed. sensible; but every other faculty was gone, and she died in about four hours after, when I trust her spirit took its flight to

-the blissful seats

of everlasting day.'

On the following Saturday, her body was consigned to the dust, to await the morning of the resurrection.

Another Teacher communicates the following particulars: "Margaret attended my school for upwards of three years, and during that time distinguished herself by her regularity and attention. When about nine years of age she was seized with a complaint, which, in twelve months thereafter, terminated in her death. During the period of her affliction, she gave evident marks that the instructions which she had received at the school, had not been, as they too often are, like the seed which has no sooner fallen upon the ground, than it is scattered by the winds; but that they had taken deep root in a soil prepared by the Spirit of God, and now brought forth the fruits of peace and righteousness. She was aware, that her disease was fatal; but this, instead of filling her with disquietude, was the source of unspeakable joy. Death, whose dreaded approach fills with consternation so many of the great, and the mighty, and the

noble, was to her entirely divested of his sting: she viewed him as the messenger of her Father, whose office it was, not to blast her peace or mar her happiness, but to convey her to new scenes of bliss. While I conversed with her, she with evident satisfaction, declared that her hopes of such happiness rested solely upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

"On the day she died, she was exceedingly anxious that a psalmi should be sung before her departure. Wishing to comply with her request, her mother endeavoured to get some of her neighbours to join in this act of devotion, and also to pray with her. Not being able to find one in the village, her mother gave her notice of this want of success; and to soften her disappointment, said that she would have psalms sung better in heaven in a short time.' While she acknowledged her conviction of the truth, of this remark, she felt a strong inclination that the heavenly exercise of praise should be engaged in, and said in answer to her mother, I know that, but I should like to have had them sung before I had left this place.' Her mother then told her, that one of the Teachers of the Sabbath school would call upon her that night, and would do what she so much desired. She replied, O mother, I shall never see them till I see them in Heaven! She spoke with prophetic language. She did not live to see her teachers. Before either of us got there, she had departed hence, and was no more! but I am convinced, that she died in the Lord, and that, borne by ministering spirits to the realms of bliss, she now mingles her notes of praise with the hallelujahs of the heavenly host, and rejoices with a joy unspeakable and full of glory.

"My confidence in this happy result is strengthened by what I have learned concerning her since she died. She was deeply impressed with the importance of attending to the performance of religious duty, and felt an ardent concern for the welfare of her dearest relatives. Her father having died when she was young, family worship, as too frequently happens in such cases, was not attended to. Margaret was sensibly touched with this omission, and earnestly entreated her mother to begin it, saying. Surely we ought to have family worship although my father is dead.' She likewise dircovered a great affection for the school in which she had been taught salvation through Jesus Christ; and with almost her dying breath charged her mother to continue her attendance after she was gone, and to cause her little sister to do the same.