dowed, and you will see the good effects not of a change in the character of the people of this country, but the good effects of their being more enlightened of the strength and the value of education among them. The usual public examination of the boys' school took place before the meeting, in the presence of Earl Russell, who congratulated the teachers and pupils upon the results exhibited. by Mr. Marshall, Mr. B. Baldwin, the superintendent of the Sunday school, Mr. H. Jelley, and Mr. Foulds. During the evening Mr. C. Gadsby stepped forward and presented to Mr. Hester, on behalf of the class, the third volume of Dr. Alford's Greek Testament (he already having the first and second), as a small acknowledgment of his kindness to them, and the benefit they had derived from his instructions. Both the rooms were beautifully decorated, especially the large one, in which GENERAL BAPTIST CHAPEL, WOOD GATE, hung a series of maps and large views LOUGHBOROUGH. IN connection with the above place of worship, a Bible class is conducted through the winter season, by the Rev. Giles Hester, the pastor. This class consists of about twenty-seven young persons of both sexes. On Tuesday evening, April 21st, the session was brought to a termination by a soirée of the members of the class, and a number of friends whom they had invited to join them. A very substantial tea, with sandwiches, salad, &c., was provided at half-past five o'clock, to which about seventy-five sat down. After this repast the friends all assembled in the large school-room, the Rev. G. Hester acting as president. The following Essays were read by the members of the class upon the subject which has engaged their study during the past winter, being the Judges of Israel : 1. "The Conquest of Canaan, under Joshua;" by Mr. Frederick Goadby. 2. "The History of the Jews, from the death of Joshua to the Judgeship of Gideon; by Mr. H. Chapman. 3. "The Life and Times of Gideon;" by Mr. C. Gadsby. 4. "The History of the Jews, from the death of Gideon to the time of Jephthah;" by Miss L. Wilcocks. 5. "The Life of Jephthah, with an especial reference to his Vow;" by Miss M. A. Wilcocks. 6. "The Life and Times of Samson;" by Miss S. A. Palmer. All the essays were well read, and reflected great credit upon the writers. Addresses were then given of remarkable cities, coins, and ruins of the Holy Land; appropriate mottoes, such as "Search the Scriptures," "Knowledge is Power," "The Bible the Secret of England's Greatness," "Excelsior," &c., &c. The names of the judges were nicely worked in evergreens, and a number of portraits were exhibited, amongst which was a large photograph of Dean Alford. The following is the inscription contained in the volume referred to : "Presented to the Rev. GILES HESTER, by the Members of his Bible class, as a small token of their gratitude and thanks for the manner in which he has laboured for the advancement of their spiritual interests." RAGGED SCHOOL UNION. THE Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Union was held in Exeter Hall, on Monday evening, the 11th of May, the President, the Right Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury, K. G., in the Chair. The Honorary Secretary, Mr. W. LOCKE, read the Annual Report, which stated: The number of Sunday schools is now 180, with scholars in attendance averaging 23,360. The number of Day schools 199, and scholars 17,970. The Weekday schools 205, and scholars 8,320. This gives a total of scholars, 49,650. But as many week-day scholars attend on Sunday, the Committee take one-half of the above total as the probable number who thus enjoy the benefits of their purpose; and in this way about 1,400 schools; that is to say, 26,000-nearly were so treated at Petersham Park, in the same number as last year. September last. The INDUSTRIAL SCHOLARS Now number 2,850. The VOLUNTARY TEACHERS, 2,700. The PAID TEACHERS, 360. The PAID MONITORs, 460. The number attending Parents' Meetings is on the increase, more men being induced to come than formerly. The average attendance is now 3,117. This is independent of the Ragged Church Services, conducted mostly by City Missionaries, which now secure an attendance of 5,460 persons. There are 26 Bands of Hope, with 4,200 members; and the number of School Libraries has increased to 66, with above 10,000 volumes. The number sent to situations in this year is still large, though not easily ascertainable. Many facts go to show that a large proportion of them keep their places and do well. The SHOE-BLACK SOCIETIES Continue to prosper. They are now eight in number, comprising 372 lads, whose united earnings for the year lately ended, amounted to no less than £6,222. The REFUGES which take in children from Ragged Schools, continue to be very useful to the Union; but some are very badly off for want of funds, and the Committee cannot help them beyond the capitation grant, their own funds being at present very circumscribed. The SUMMER TREATS to the children have been given to some extent, though, perhaps, not so extensively as in former years. Many have been given by wealthy friends at their own country seats. In addition to these the Committee have returns from about thirty schools, which managed, from funds raised for the express purpose, to give a day's holiday in the open-air to above 12,000 of the children. In addition to these a special fund was raised, through the kindness of Lord Shaftesbury, to give a treat to those schools who could not raise money themselves for such a MEETINGS FOR MOTHERS AND FATHERS are more numerous. Strenuous efforts have been made in some localities to get fathers to meet together by means of reading-rooms, where coffee and other refreshments (omitting beer and spirits) can be had; and success has, in some cases, attended such efforts. The PENNY BANKS and Clothing Clubs have increased since last year. The former are now 88 in number, with about 30,000 depositors. The balance remaining in hand at Christmas was £1,510. The Clothing Clubs number 63. The amount gathered was £899., spent in useful articles in the year. The FINANCES of the Union are reduced. In a year of trial and much distress, war in America and poverty in Lancashire, every religious and philanthropic society has felt its means reduced. The International Exhibition also tended to absorb people's thoughts, and to draw away money from missionary objects. The CHAIRMAN said-I see nothing but a want of a due estimate of the duty that devolves upon us that prevents the whole of this great metropolis being covered with those noble citadels of virtue and of piety, the Ragged Schools belonging to our Ragged School Union. Why, look what has sprung of them. Have you not heard in the report what has sprung out of them by the great inventive and Christian genius of those men who devised it? First, take the shoe-blacks: was there ever a greater triumph of order, and decency, and Christianity, and truth, and feeling, over everything that anarchical, indecent, unprincipled, and disorderly, than to see nearly 400 of those lads, dragged from the very depths of degradation, filth, and misery, and brought into a condition to earn their own livelihood, to be a credit to the metropolis, and to attract the attention and admiration of all the passers-by, was to; you have given them that knowledge which is not to be found even in dignitaries of the church of a certain character. And I was delighted the other day by a clergyman telling me what had occurred in his own school. There came down to him a dignitary, an official person, for the purpose of examining the children; because this clergyman, I am sorry to say, had been weak enough to take a grant from her Majesty's Government, and therefore he was exposed to the invasion of these official gentlemen. But this official gentleman, not having very strong sympathies with that course of education which is administered in these schools, said with a taunting air before all the children, "Oh, talk to them about Scriptures and texts! I should like to ask them if they could tell me a text with the word 'if' in it;" when up sprung a little child and said, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." For myself I should say, I would rather have been rebuked by the Speaker of the House of Commons; I would rather have been called to order by the Lord Chief Justice; I would rather have submitted to any penalty, than have been brought to order upon Gospel truth by a little child out of a Ragged school. and of all who study their private and pel truth; you have given them that individual history? Why, look what knowledge which hundreds of thousands you have heard to-day about the new in a better position have not yet attained effort that is being made in the formation of what is called the Rag Brigade, which, if it be supported and fostered as it ought to be, will give maintenance and occupation not to three hundred, but to four hundred, five hundred, and I dare say a thousand, of these ragged and destitute boys, who were growing up for nothing but mischief and lawlessness. Observe what has been the issue of all your operations; observe how God blesses your efforts; when you appear to be encumbered by the number of children you have taught, and don't know how to devise plans for obtaining situations for them, see how, time after time God puts it into the hearts and minds of men to strike out some new course and some new career in which these children may walk, an honour and a comfort to themselves, and a support and a dignity to their country. Ay, and I may recall to you again, as I ever will from this platform, the numbers that year by year pass in review before us, to receive prizes as the results of good conduct in having retained their situations during the past twelve months. Why, what a triumph is that! What other country, what other school, could present such a spectacle? What other society has ever attempted, or having attempted has ever produced, such results over such a hopeless, as it appeared to be, such an unapproachable mass of children? Children who were thought to be utterly beyond the reach of all effort; children of whom it was thought that they must be consigned to the miserable destiny that was offered to them, that they must be passed by almost without a regret, certainly without an effort, because they were among a condemned class, fit only to be the hewers of wood and the drawers of water to the more happy and the more comfortable in this world's condition. Ay, and you have given to these children a sure foundation of sound Gos The Bishop of GOULBURN, in moving the first resolution, said: As the secretary for the last twelve years of a society formed mainly for the spiritual benefit of the colonies, I have met with pleasing illustrations of the blessed effects of Ragged school operations. It will be quite sufficient if I mention one which has come immediately under my own observation and knowledge. A few years ago, I was called to preach in a temporary church in London, for the incumbent, who was absent. When the service was over I remarked to one of the gentlemen," I grieve to see no children attending Divine service this me, No power over the children, nobody who was more capable of riveting the attention of the whole gallery while he was giving them a Bible lesson. The worthy bishop said, "That is the man for me." It was agreed that he was suitable for him, and our committee 66 morning." "Oh, sir," was the answer, to take their departure, one of them "there is no room for them in the inquired where he could find a model He wanted one with temporary church: the congregation schoolmaster. has grown. But we do not neglect the such and such qualifications, and he children they are in the room ad- heard that at such a training-school joining." "And how are they taught there was just the young mar.. during the service?" "A young man body had ever entered it with more is there this morning who has great power and influence over the children. He rivets their attention, and talks to them about Jesus." I was thankful to hear this, and departed. On the following day the incumbent called on and said, "You made some enquiries about the children, and you surrendered him, and he was taken by heard something of a young man teaching this admirable bishop-for he is one of them. I will briefly give you his our best colonial bishops-to the colony history. We opened a Ragged school of Australia, to which I am going in our new district, and one evening a myself. After the voyage, this young rough-looking animal, wonderfully man wrote me a letter of thanks for clothed, opened the door. He seemed the services of our society; and his amazed to find a number of gentlemen account of the voyage is to this and boys assembled together, and he effect:called out, 'What are you doing here?' Although the majority of the emiThe gentlemen said, 'We are teaching grants on board, 179 of them, were these young men to read and write, and Roman Catholics and infidels, thoughtsomething for the good of their souls: less and careless about their souls, I would you like to come in and learn?' am happy to say by a little persuasion 'Yes, sir,' he said; and in he came, in I got many of them to attend Divine his rags. He proved to be intelligent service on Sunday. I held school daily and quick, and he soon learned his for 75 days, having a daily attendance alphabet. He presently began to appear of 29 females, 9 children under 14 years in better garments, and became a re- of age, and 6 married men. gular attendant at the Ragged School." them attended school very regularly, Within three or four months he attended and to all appearance seemed very the confirmation class. He then became thankful for the instruction given to a Sunday school teacher; and I went to preach there about the time he was teaching in the school, and it was then his turn to take charge of the children during Divine service; and the clergyman said, "He is just the person for a Colonial and Continental society to take up, and train, that he may become a teacher in the colonies." I requested an interview. I was struck with the appearance and intelligence of the young All of them. I held Divine service twice on Sunday during the fine weather, and once during the rough, at the same time not neglecting to read one of those sermons that you supplied me with in the evening. The hymn-books you gave me proved very useful indeed. Had it not been for them I do not know what we should have done on Sundays; but having been well furnished with these hymn-books, and with sermons of Our committee at once accepted all descriptions, and having two seamen him, and sent him to one of our admira- on board who played the accordion well, ble training-schools in London; and I must say our services became a when two colonial bishops were about pleasure to the people and not a task." man. The Ragged School Union produced for that voyage the services of that young man, and for the colony one of the most admirable teachers that ever entered it; and I, in the name of our Colonial and Continental Church Society, and in the name of the settlers in the colonies, have to thank you for the gift of such a young man for the cause of Christ and the benefit of our fellow men. theorist looks on, and is ready to despair. He says, Nations must have their rise and fall; "we ripe and ripe, and then we rot and rot." And the religious theorist sometimes, too, I am sorry to say, looks on and despairs also, folds his arms in satisfaction that he is travelling to heaven, and says, "These people that know not the law are accursed." That is not your spirit; that is not the spirit of the Ragged School Union. The Rev. F. TUCKER, said:-The It is not for you to look on bleeding, Bishop of Goulburn moves this reso- plundered, wounded humanity, lying lution, a Baptist minister seconds it. there by the road, and to pass on by the That is the Ragged School Union all other side. It is not for you to say, over. I have been reading lately a "That case is so hopeless, the man must description of an Oxford boat-race. The bleed to death, and there is no help for hard workers, as you know, my lord, are it." Nay, you will search among your in the boats: there are the bending backs stores, whether you have not some wine and the straining muscles. But I am told and oil to pour into that wounded side; that the banks of the river are generally and you will search, too—and I hope tolined with eager spectators, who cheer night there will be a good search in your the oarsmen on; and one cries, "Well purses-for the "two pence" that are done, Exeter !" and another cries, "Bravo, needful to provide accommodation for St. John's!" I feel this evening as if I that outcast one. Talk of the difficulty of were one of the spectators on the bank the work, my lord? Talk of its being of a great river; and here are the oars- impossible? Difficult? Impossible? I men-this noble body now thronging dare say my honoured friend Mr. Payne this hall; and I feel inclined this even- will correct me if I am wrong when I ing to say, "Well done, Field Lane! say that there was a Frenchman just Bravo, Lamb and Flag! With a will, took his pen and struck those two words Holloway! Keep her up, One Tun !" out of the dictionary. He said they This is the least one can do on an occa- had no business to be there; they had sion like the present; and I seem to see no business to be in any language the gallant fleet sweep by me; and all I spoken under heaven. I do not know, can wish is the Irishman's wish, that whether I should do that. I think I they may all get first, and all obtain the would rather put the words in the dicprize. My lord, I love and honour the tionary, and then attach an Englishman's Ragged School Union, because you are meaning to them: "Difficulty, something grappling with one of the most tre- to be overcome; a thing impossible, a mendous difficulties that ever oppressed thing that must be done." And that I a nation. It is not for me to say what take to be not merely the Anglo-Saxon the 2,700 voluntary teachers, blessed be meaning of the words, but the Christian God for that noble army, could tell me meaning too. "I can do all things so much better than I can tell them, through Christ that strengtheneth me." what is the state of the masses of the I am the servant of an Almighty God: population in this great city. It is not is there anything too hard for Him? for me to portray to you the social and Nay, with Him nothing is impossible. moral maladies that fester and rankle in I love the Ragged School Union, not the hundreds of thousands that are merely because you grapple with this around us. Why, my lord, the political difficulty, but you do it in so wise and |