-and the people are now convinced, both there and in our own State, that instead of the school being taught but part of the year by a man called from the plough or from behind the counter, it ought to be taught the whole year by a regularly educated professional teacher.-New York State Official Journal.

FAITH AND WORKS.-By faith are we justified and saved; and therefore St. Paul doth, in a manner, always call those saints whom we now call Christians; who, if they have not Christ's spirit, are none of Christ's; and, consequently, no Christians at all. But if they have the spirit of Jesus Christ to rule and govern them, we must not doubt, but that although they know well that they be made righteous through faith only, yet for all that they will become never the more slothful to do good works. For Christ's Spirit is the spirit of love; and love cannot be idle, nor cease from the doing of good works. But if we will say the truth, a man can do no good works, except he know himself to be become righteous by faith; for before he knoweth that, his doing of good works is rather to make himself righteous, than for the love and glory of God; for he defileth all his works with self-love, for the love of himself and his own profit. But he who knoweth himself to become righteous by the merits and righteousness of Christ, (which he maketh his own by faith,) laboureth happily, and doth good works all day, for the love and glory of Christ, and not for love of himself, or to make himself righteous. And therefore it cometh, that the true Christian (that is, to wit, he who accounteth himself righteous by reason of Christ's righteousness) asketh not, whether good works be recommended or not; but being wholly moved and favoured with a certain virtue of godly love, he offereth himself willingly to do all the works that are holy and Christian-like, and never ceaseth to do well.-Paleario,

THE BASUTA GIRL.-Some little Basuta girls were standing near the door of their missionary one day, when one of them picked up a flower, and smelling it, held it up gracefully to her companion, saying, "O that our hearts were like this flower, and would send up such a sweet odour to God!"

THE HOTTENTOT GIRLS.-Mr. Read, in one of his missionary excursions, says: I perceived a farmer's little girl, of five years old, constantly going, as secretly as she could, behind a bush. Coming to my waggon, I said, "What do you do so often behind the bush?" "I go to pray, sir." "To whom do you pray?" "To Christ." "What do you ask from Christ?" "I ask for grace.' To another child of her age, I said, "I hear you often pray; what do you pray for?" "I say, Lord Jesus, here lies a poor sinful child at thy feet; Lord be gracious to me, and give me grace, and thy Holy Spirit; forgive me all my sins."

THE PRAYING LITTLE GIRL.-Among the children connected with a Sabbath-school in Illinois, is a little girl, eleven years old, from an irreligious family. She had been taught in the Sabbathschool that it was the duty of little children to pray, that God loves to have little children tell him their wants in prayer. She believed this, and practised it. Her little cousins came to see her one day, and she took them to a grove, knelt down with them, and prayed for them. These children told the mother of the praying girl what had happened, when she sought explanation of her little daughter, and found that for months she had practised secret prayer.

CORRESPONDENCE.

STORIES FOR SUMMER DAYS AND WINTER NIGHTS.

SIB,-If you think the following remarks correct, I shall feel obliged by your inserting them in your next publication:

There is now a series of juvenile books publishing by Groombridge, entitled "Stories for Summer Days and Winter Nights;" the first, "Carl Thorn's Revenge," a most attractive story, in an attractive form, requires some notice, (if it may, and I suppose it must, be considered a fair specimen of the principles of the writer,) by those who are engaged in instructing the young, and wish to place none but good books in their hands. There is in it only one quotation from Scripture, and that is the concluding sentence, introduced as a "favourite saying, picked probably out of some old book: indeed, we have seen it somewhere ourselves.”

Can this arise from the ignorance of the writer? Does he despise the sacred volume? or is he ashamed of Christ, and the words of his disciple, St. Paul?

If either of these be his lamentable case, I pity the writer, and seriously warn all who are engaged in the training of children against his publications.

Yours,

A FRIEND TO THE YOUNG.

Bromley Common, Kent.

SUMMARY OF NEWS.

“There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."

SINCE our last, we have with much thankfulness to report, that the Cholera has been declining in London and the provincial towns—in the former with great rapidity. The Public Form of Prayer was first used in London on the 16th of September, (which was also observed, by the Bishop's order, as a day of humiliation there,) and in all the churches and chapels of the Establishment throughout the kingdom. From that period until the present time, special days have been set apart in almost all the large towns in England, and in a great number of the country districts. God's hand has been acknowledged, his blessing implored, his anger deprecated, and the scourge is stayed. Had the nation been roused sooner, the

visitation, we doubt not, would have been more brief. There are some, indeed, who refer it wholly to natural causes, as though these natural causes were not under the immediate superintendence and guidance of the Almighty. Such a spirit must exclude the first great cause from every national calamity which visits the world. For all work through second causes. Scarcity and famine are always joined with unfavourable seasons: the parching drought, the plague of rain and waters, the ravages of insect hordes, or some such secondary cause of disaster and distress. And thus the world's physical laws govern it, and God is left out. His moral retribution for sin, or blessing and favour to a nation's righteousness, is disavowed and disregarded. We merely make this comment in passing, to shew to what extent the arguments of the advocates of 66 'natural causes" must go, if legitimately and fairly carried out.

Our readers will have noticed the measure brought forward by the Post-office with reference to Sunday Letters. Its object is to forward country letters through the London office to their destination on the Sunday. It is not intended to have, at present, any delivery of letters in London itself on Sunday-though we believe, if it is carried out, the measure must eventually lead to this-but merely to sort, arrange, and despatch by mail on Sunday, letters for the country, so as to reach their particular districts on Monday or Tuesday. With this, the Post-office have coupled their determination to have all country offices closed from ten to five every Sunday. An excellent arrangement; but why join with it a measure which in principle contradicts it? It is said by Government, that only about 25 clerks will be additionally employed on Sunday in London, there being now about that number engaged; but those who are acquainted with the nature of the duties required, state, that at least 100 more in that department must be employed. It is calculated that 650 bags must be opened, and an average of 50,000 letters sorted, sub-sorted, and arranged; when, further than this, an Indian mail arrives on that day, which brings its 24,000 letters, the labour will be increased one-half. A great many meetings, in different parts of the country, have been held; and a deputation, consisting of the Lord Mayor of London, and the Bishop and others, waited on Lord John Russell, to beg him not to persist in carrying out the measure. In consequence of this, it has been delayed from the 14th to the 28th of October. At the time we write, matters remain in this position; but we are not without hope that the proposed alteration will be negatived.

Passing to foreign countries, there is little to interest at present. Turkey has refused to give up the Hungarian refugees, whom

Russia had demanded; but it is not thought that this will lead to any open rupture between the two powers. Austria is negociating a loan for £7,000,000 in London, to defray the expenses of the late war.

There has been a serious misunderstanding between the Government of the United States and the ambassador of the French Republic. His passports have been returned to him, and he is ordered to withdraw.

Serious disturbances have taken place in the Island of Cephalonia: but they have been quelled by military force. They appear to have originated with a party of robbers, who passed through the Island, desolated the villages, and carried off the property of the inhabitants.

Returning homewards, we are sorry to find that Lord Roden, with two other magistrates for the county of Down, have been dismissed from the Commission for the Peace. The cause is the part which they took in the Orange demonstration of the 12th July. Our readers will remember that a large body of Orangemen went in procession to Lord Roden's residence, and were entertained by him. In returning home, they were met at Dolly's Brae by a large party of Roman Catholics, Ribandmen-who disputed the passage. The result was a sanguinary conflict, in which 50 or 60 persons were killed. We fear that this act of Lord Clarendon's will increase that party spirit which, we doubt not, it is his desire to allay.

The Repeal agitation has re-commenced at Conciliation Hall, Dublin, under the auspices of Mr. O'Connell's son.

Our readers will be surprised to hear how great has been the increase in the consumption of brandy during the continuance of the cholera. There was an increase in the month of August over the same month of the preceding year of 69,589 gallons, and during the first seven months of the present year, compared with the foregoing, an increase of nearly 1,000,000 gallons.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received several communications which we are obliged to postpone. Narratives and anecdotes are always very acceptable. We do not require papers of a general nature, and not immediately connected with the object of a" Teacher's Magazine."

The paper on the Liturgy was not in time for our present number.

J. FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE.

TEACHER'S VISITOR.

No. 68.

DECEMBER, 1849.

VOL. XI.

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.

USE OF THE MEANS OF GRACE.

OUR SAVIOUR has said, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." (Luke xiii. 24.) And the word which he uses is a very strong one-" Agonize to enter in ;" which implies, wrestling, straining, striving, labouring, with all the power of which the body is capable. But does not entering the strait gate mean the same as conversion? Doubtless it does. And this is spoken of as the work of the Holy Ghost: and we are told that "he who has begun a good work will continue it until the day of Christ." There can be no question but that entering at the strait gate, means, not only a giving up outward sin, but a having the heart divorced from sin. The love of sin is to receive its death-blow in the heart. Now, none but the Almighty Spirit can effect this. It must imply also, that not only is the world to be left and given up externally, (this might be done unwillingly,) but that the heart must give it up. Who shall dispossess the world of its power over the heart? None but the Holy Ghost can do this. Does not entering at the strait gate also imply, that trust in our own righteousness is to be renounced? No habitually self-righteous man-no man in whose heart self-righteousness has been ruling, ever went through the strait gate. There must be "a submitting to the righteousness of God." Can man bring himself to renounce his own righteousness as being filthy rags," unless the Spirit of God bring him to it? Certainly he cannot. Nor will he similarly give up a trust in his own strength, in his own ability to do that in coming to Christ, or in walking in his ways, which Scripture says that he must