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good plant of renown. And thus, my friends, the work is done. "Instead of the thorn there comes up the fir-tree; instead of the briar there comes up the myrtle-tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." I take it, my lord, that this is common-sense; and commonsense is always the best wisdom all

common-sense a way. You try to nip the evil in the bud. You try to crush the oak in the acorn. I am not here tonight to speak a word against those who attack the full-grown and full-blown developments of the evil. Not a word, against city missions, against midnight missions, against Bible-women, against preaching in the theatres of London. Ah! if I were to condemn the world over. And now, my lord, those who preach in the theatres, I am I congratulate you. I congratulate this a very great criminal myself. You will Union. Only think of the good you remember, my lord, when we agitated have done already. Often I remember, the question whether we should employ my lord, and I have often taken the these large edifices for such a purpose, liberty to repeat, an anecdote which we appointed a sub-committee to see if I heard from your own lips about we could find capacious and commodious that worthy female who went to Adebuildings that were not theatres. Back came the sub-committee and said, "We cannot find them." Then, said I, for one, to a brother, "I will go to the theatre;" another cried, "And I will go to the theatre;" a third cried, " And I will go to the theatre ;" and in came Lord Shaftesbury and said, " And I will go with you." In candour let me say, that at first, if you could have found an Exeter Hall or a St. James's Hall in the eastern part of London, or the northeast, or thereabouts, I should have preferred it; but now, if you were to put down an Exeter Hall by the side of the Victoria Theatre, Lambeth, or a St. James's Hall by the side of the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel, I am so utterly depraved that I would rather go to the theatres than I would go to the halls; and simply for this reason; I feel that in these theatres I get down to a lower stratum of the people than I could ever have reached in any other kind of building. We, however, in work like that, are trying to pull down a giant upas-tree. We throw a rope over this branch, and throw a rope over that, and try to throw a rope over every one; and we haul, and haul; but the work will not be done to-day or to-morrow. Your Ragged School Union comes and plucks up the saplings, and then, in the place of those upas saplings, plants some

laide, but sent a letter to you before she went, signing herself, "Your affectionate friend, Charlotte." She was one whom his lordship had picked up out of the mire of society, and had filtered through a Ragged School, and had then drafted off to that distant colony; and I cannot doubt that she meant what she said when she signed herself, "Your affectionate friend, Charlotte." I am very much afraid, my lord, that I have been guilty now and then, in some little correspondence I have had with your lordship, of a similar breach of etiquette; and really, my friends, I find it very difficult to finish a letter to my Lord Shaftesbury, with the words, “Your lordship's most dutiful and humble servant." Talk of the good you have done! I do not know a soil on earth more promising than that on which you are working, brethren. It is like the soil that some felicitous orator described in these words: "Only tickle it with a hoe, and it will laugh with a harvest." Well, here is a letter from Nova Scotia, come this afternoon. It is dated from Milton, Queen's County, and is addressed to the teacher of one of your schools :

“Dear sir,—It is with great pleasure I now write to you. I have long wanted to write to you; so I have made up my mind to write this evening. Dear

fortunate enough to get his lordship there; and then they looked across from St. Kilda to a beautiful strip of parky land, with fine trees and delicious grass.

sir, I feel very happy at this moment. I have an excellent situation: such kind people. I am as happy as I should wish to be. My master and mistress are religious people. I may say with the poet,-"There," they said, "that is the place

For what the Lord has done for me,
For boundless love so rich and free,
For all his mercy which is past,

I'll praise him whilst my life shall last.' Dear sir, as soon as we landed at Halifax I asked my Father in heaven to guide my feet to some place where I could have the privilege of the means of grace; and, bless his name, he answered my prayer. I was never better off in my life. I can go three times in the week, and three times to service and once to school on the Sunday. Oh how I love the Sabbath School! I am never so happy as when I am in the house of God, and in company with his people." The letter ends thus: "Dear sir, I have not forgot the happy time I used to spend with you in Sunday School; how you used to explain the word of God to us, and try to make us good boys! May that God, who is the rewarder of all such, bless you, for Jesus' sake! Amen. I have much more to say, but my paper will hold no more. Please to give my love to your class, and tell them to be good boys, and God will bless them. Give my best love to all at Great Queen Street Home, and accept the same yourself." This lad came to London utterly destitute, found his way to St. Giles's Home, and here is the result. Why, you "tickled the soil with a hoe," and it is "laughing with a harvest !" And then, think of the good your society is yet to do! But lately I lost from my own congregation a respected friend, who only twenty-seven years ago drove the first stake into the soil where now stands the city of Melbourne, with its 150,000 or 200,000 in habitants. He told me, only a few weeks before he died, how their little schooner rounded the Indented Heads, and stood into Port Philip Bay. They landed where now is the fashionable suburb of St. Kilda, where most likely Lord Shaftesbury would have a house if the colony were

for our sheep farming." Now the sheep
are all gone, my friends, from that part
of the bay; but there stands that
majestic city, with its nearly 200,000
inhabitants. And so the work is going
on. Mr. Locke insisted the other day that
I should say one word to-night which I
said here a few days ago; and it is
something to this effect. When speaking
of this noble band of Ragged school
teachers, and the healthy character of
their work, I might have added, These
are the persons who are not likely to give
up their time and minds to poor, petty,
puerile speculations in religion. These
are the people that are attending to the
practical part; and "if a man will do
his will, he shall know of the doctrine
whether it be of God." These Ragged
school teachers would be always willing
to listen to the Bishop of Goulburn: they
would not be as willing to listen to his
right reverend brother of Natal. My
friends, pity me to-night; have pity upon
me! I never had the advantage of a
Zulu education; and therefore it comes
to pass, perhaps, that I am such a foolish,
ignorant man that I believe my Bible.
I believe all that " Moses, in the law, and
the prophets, did write." I believe that
Noah "built an ark unto the saving of
his house;" I believe that the sun stood
still in Gibeon, and the moon o'er the
valley of Ajalon; and I can believe still
more that Balaam's ass opened its mouth
and spoke, for surely some creatures of
hardly higher rationality have followed
his example. What! my dear Lord
Shaftesbury, this work going to lag?
Impossible! Any one here present going
to withhold his hand? Impossible!
I will just utter a rhyme or two and
conclude.

A tear-drop of the morning
Hung on a blade of grass;
A simple bead of water:
A thousand you might pass.

But when the slanting sunbeam
Came down in morning pride,
Then you might see my water-drop
Transfigured, glorified.

I looked it shone-a diamond,
Bright, sparkling, clear, and keen.
I looked again: an emerald
Hung, pure in vivid green.
Again it gleamed out golden,
A topaz to the view;

Then flamed a ruby, fiery red;
Then sapphire, summer blue.

I saw thus how a water-drop
Is kin to all things fair;

Can give as bright and beauteous hues
As arching rainbows wear;

Can shine with light as radiant,

And show as varied gem

As the city, fresh from glory,

The New Jerusalem.

And I thought how many an action,
Of simplest, lowliest guise,

May yet beneath the beam of heaven
Shine lovely in all eyes;

May show such beauteous motive
As angels will applaud :
Truth, honour, virtue, justice,
Love of men and God.

Two mites, that make a farthing,
Ensured the widow's fame.

A single cup of water

Can buy a deathless name.

The humblest work for Jesus

The gentle word or look,

The soothing sigh, the cheering smileIs written in his book.

Fear not, then, lowly Christian;
Though deep in shade thou dwell,
Thy Lord will mark thy faithfulness,
He will requite thee well.

The dew that waits the dawning
Shall glitter in the ray,

And bright shall shine thy jewell'd-crown
When Christ shall bring the day!

The Rev. J. RICHARDSON said,—I have been trying to imagine to-night why a country clergyman should be asked to speak at Exeter Hall, at a meeting of the Ragged School Union of London; and one answer that I have been giving to my own thoughts has been this: that we from the country, I am afraid, send up a great quantity of bad blood to London, and that we like it should come over the lungs, so to speak, of your Ragged Schools, that there it may be

oxygenized afresh, and driven in a purer form through the great body politic than that in which we sent it to you. That is one reason. Another reason is this: that I find that the circulation at the extremities of the body is apt to get somewhat languid, and that it is good for us from the country to come up to the May Meetings, in order to get a little stimulus, to go to our work with all the better spirit, all the fuller hope, and, I trust I may say, all the simpler faith in the great God that has so markedly blessed you. I am here, however, to-night, because in God's good providence it has happened that in former years I had to take part in a very large Ragged School in Manchester. It was in connection with this Ragged School that a circumstance occurred that has always given an interest to this movement in my own mind. I went one Sunday evening into my Ragged School, and a wonderful sight met my eye. There was a lad of about some twelve years of age, dressed in a remarkable costume. He had no shoes, he had no stockings, he had no trousers, he had no shirt, he had no hat; all his clothing was a coat, a soldier's old red coat. All the buttons had been cut off; but by a skilful arrangement of string it had entirely furnished the lad with a very fair and decent habiliment. Our attention was drawn to him because of his costume; and a kind friend was found to give him a better suit. The suit to which he was afterwards introduced was one of salmoncoloured corduroy, trousers and coat to match; and on the following Sunday, to my great delight, I found the boy, not at the Ragged Night School, but at the day school, into which these ragged children did not come; and the twinkle in the boy's eye told me at once what he meant me to understand, namely, that the fact of having given him decent clothing had raised him in his own selfrespect, and that he was now aiming at being something higher and better than he ever hoped to become while he was

in the miserable garments in which we found him. We inquired where he lived, and I myself visited the home. He was the eldest child but one of a family of five, that were the children of a blind widow, living in a damp cellar. We found employment for this lad. He first got eighteen pence a week, then half a crown, and at last four and sixpence; and when he received this four and sixpence he went home to his mother, and he said to her, "Mother, I don't think it right that a young man earning four and sixpence a week should live in a cellar." His mother agreed that that was not the thing; and when the room above the cellar became vacant, the family literally rose in the world, and came upon the first floor. I visited this family some short time after, and the mother said to me, "Sir, do you know that since I have come out of the cellar I have been able to see on which side of the room the window is?" I brought in a Christian friend, a medical man. He took the case in hand, and, to make a long story short, it is interesting to my mind, and it will be to yours, to know that by the blessing of God that the once blind widow was restored to the perfect use of her eyesight, and when I left the neighbourhood was earning a very honourable and honest livelihood for her family. And the blessing was not simply here; for although I cannot tell you anything as to the spiritual good of the boy, I can tell you, that to the sister older than himself, whose constitution had been undermined by the sad home she had lived in too long, God the Holy Ghost spake with his own mighty power, and revealed to that poor dark soul the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal precious Saviour, and she died, and passed from the cellar-for she died there-I believe into the mansion that had been prepared for her in heaven above.

SIR CULLING EARDLEY EARDLEY, BART. THE death of this good man took place at his seat, Bedwell Park, in the 58th

year of his age, under peculiar and painful circumstances. A case of smallpox having occurred in the house, he thought it desirable that the whole family should be vaccinated. The disease thus communicated to the system proved too much for his weak constitution, and led on to his death. He was the son of Sir Culling Smith, and on his mother's side grandson of the first Lord Eardley. He was born in 1805, and in 1847 he assumed, by royal licence, the name of Eardley, in lieu of the family name, and was from that time known as Sir Culling Eardley Eardley. In 1831 he represented Pontefract in Parliament. He is succeeded by his son, Sir Eardley Gideon Culling Eardley.

The deceased baronet may be said to have devoted his time, his energy, and his influence to the establishment of a friendly alliance of all Protestant sects, and also to resist the encroachments of the Church of Rome. About twenty years ago he succeeded in the formation of the association now well known as the Evangelical Alliance; and if Sir Culling could not always persuade others to see as he saw, and think as he thought, he always succeeded in gaining their esteem by his courtesy, his tact, his patience, and good temper; so that where men could not agree in opinion, still, through his Christian example, they learned "to agree when differing." Many who were never classed among his friends, can bear witness to friendly deeds received at the hands of a benevolent Christian man, a courteous English gentleman.

PURE LITERATURE SOCIETY.

A MEETING of this Society was held at Willis's Rooms, King Street, St. James's, on May 19th, 1863; the Earl of Shaftesbury in the chair.

Mr. M'GREGOR, Honorary Secretary, stated the constitution and objects of the Society, and, in the course of his

statement, spoke as follows:-"Now, not been money thrown away; this has amongst the various publications, we been money well embarked in a good might mention a great number that cause-money which has been repaid to have largely increased in circulation; those who bought this Bible." The but I do not want to dwell on them- Honorary Secretary then stated that a rather to let you find out the merits for catalogue of the works circulated by the yourselves. There is, however, one type Society had been prepared from thirty of the others-one representative-which or forty other catalogues, and it was is to be brought forward somewhat now found that publishers were anxious prominently to-night, and which has to have their works included in the list. been mentioned upon the circular which Through the kindness of a gentleman called us together. It is, in one sense, who paid a sum of money to the Society a periodical; and yet it is a thing which yearly, they were enabled to make is not complete until it is finished: I grants of books, at half-price, for public refer to the Illustrated Bible' published lending libraries. The speaker concluby Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, who are ded by exhibiting some of the cheaper well known as having published in- works circulated by the Society. numerable-indeed, millions of publications. This Bible came out in penny numbers, beautifully illustrated, on very excellent paper, with good type, and well assisted by notes. This went on until, for 178., the Bible was completed

Mr. OLIPHANT-FERGUSON gave an account of the operations of the Society during the past years of its existence, and read extracts from letters, showing the advantages which had resulted from the library grants. In detailing the a Bible which would be an ornament agencies employed for the circulation of upon any family table, and which we the works of the Society, he said: "I intend, having purchased one for the know that in some localities a very purpose, to present, with all due respect, great deal has been done, in the way of to Her Royal Highness the Princess of promoting the circulation of periodicals, Wales. That Bible is at the end of the by city missionaries. One of them said room, having been handsomely bound; that, in Bristol, for 'Cassell's Illustrated and I am sure, amongst the many gifts, Bible,' there were fourteen shoemakers and even amongst the many Bibles | subscribing to it at one time; therefore which Her Royal Highness will possess, we may infer that there were a great there will be scarcely one that will many subscribers to it of other trades be more interesting than a Bible which and other professions. He also has mentioned the case of a man who was a sceptic. He was induced to take in the copies; he completed the work; and he asked this man's advice as to where he should get it bound."

been as popular as this has been-permeating into the homes of the far-off parts of England, and getting into every out-of-the-way place-a Bible which may be emphatically called the 'People's Illustrated Bible.' To show The Bishop of Mauritius, the Bishop you the success which has attended so of St. Asaph, Lord Charles Russell, and excellent an effort to do good, I may the Chairman then addressed the meetmention that some of the earlier num-ing, after which, the benediction was bers of this Bible have attained a pronounced by the Bishop of St. Asaph. circulation of 300,000 copies; and if all the sheets, such as I now hold in my hand, were put together, you might lay them down before you and walk upon them round the world. This has not the mothers of the children of the large been a charitable undertaking-this has Sunday school held in Worley-street,

A MOTHERS' TEA.

ON Thursday afternoon, the 9th April,

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