Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE BIBLE AND ELOQUENCE. The Honourable Fisher Ames was one of the most enlightened and eloquent patriots of the United States. In piety and consistency of character he was not less distinguished. His estimation of the word of God was great. "No man," he said, "ever did, or ever will, become truly eloquent, without being a constant reader of the Bible, and an admirer of the purity and simplicity of its language."

PRAYING IN LATIN.

The following anecdote is related of Svend, a Danish bishop: When raised to the episcopal dignity, Svend, though well versed in his own native literature, was miserably deficient in Latin. The preference shown him by the King excited the envy of many, and by way of making him ridiculous, it was contrived, when he had to celebrate mass, to lay before him a book in which the first two letters of Famulum tuum ("thy servant,") in the prayer for the King, were erased, so that, in his ignorance, he prayed to God to protect his majesty mulum tuum. On inspecting the book, the King perceived the trick, and caused the bishop (whom he loved for his virtues) to apply himself to the study of the liberal arts, in which he

afterwards excelled.

ANCIENTS AND MODERNS.

:

THE DILEMMA OF

PROTAGORAS.

Protagoras maintained that all is illusion, and that there is no such thing as truth. But Aristotle refuted him by the following dilemma. Your proposition is true, or false: if it is false, then you are answered; if true, then there is something true, and your proposition fails.

THEOLOGICAL STUDIES.

"Of all studies, theological studies seem to need most prayer and watching in the midst of them, lest while our intellects are feasting our souls starve; lest we keep touching holy things, and having them in our mouths, and writing of them, while we are not advancing in grace and holiness.

After much familiarity with the gospel scheme, pursued without any fervency of spirit, it is hard beyond all expression to recover a feeling for it; when the ground has been hardened by our treading over it, it is indeed difficult to distinguish between the theory of faith and the life of it."-Bishop Armstrong.

MIRACLES.

"The Jewish history is full of miracles from the time of Abraham to the Babylonish captivity; but after the restoration of that people until the birth of Christ, there was intermission of them for more than five centuries. John the Baptist was "a prophet, and more than a prophet;" but it is expressly said of him, that he

an

We live upon the Ancients; we squeeze them; we get all we can out" wrought no miracle." After so long of them, and swell out our works with theirs and when we become authors, and think ourselves able to stand alone, we rise against them, and illuse them: like those pert children, who having grown strong with the milk which they have sucked, afterwards beat their nurse.-La Bruyère.

an interval, it was reserved for our Lord Himself to excite the attention of His people by miraculous operations; which, though at all times awful and astonishing, must have struck men with an additional force by the novelty of their appearance."Newcome's Observations.

Entelligence.

THE NORMAL CLASS. SOUTH WEST DISTRICT, WEST LONDON AUXILIARY SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

idol-worship, but that it was common amongst English children, and even amongst Sunday school scholars. Several instances were given. COVETOUSNESS. Gold was a beautiful idol, but though worshipped and sought after greedily, it was of no use when help was most needed. An illustration was given.

On Friday, March 25th, 1859, this class brought its sixth session to a close. The evening was devoted to the consideration of "Sunday School Addresses;" two addresses being delivered on one A steamer, with a large quantity of topic, intended to show different me- Californian gold on board, was wrecked. thods in which the same subject might All were in the utmost danger. The be treated. gold, which many of the passengers had risked so much to obtain, was strewed over the sofas in the cabin, on the floor, and on the deck; none cared for it; none would burden themselves with it, but it was cast aside as useless.

After the usual devotional exercises, the President called upon Mr. C. Beard to give the first address, the text selected being-1 John v., 21., "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

Mr. Beard commenced by stating that having to speak about idols it was necessary to find out what an idol was, and proceeded to instance Juggernaut, the idols in the Missionary Museums, the deities of the Greeks and Romans, and the image-worship of the Church of Rome, showing how all this was in opposition to the command of God (Exodus xx)—that it excites his anger, and will bring down his judgments. The example of the Jews was adduced-their tendency to idolatry, and the punishments that came upon them in consequence. The prevalence of idolatry at the present day was spoken of, and the duty of helping to do away with it

enforced.

The speaker then referred to the apostle John, and his letter to the Christians, containing the precept which formed the subject of the address: to the city of Ephesus, where for a long time he lived; to its splendid temple, and the great goddess Diana; to St. Paul's visit, and to the uproar made by Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen on behalf of their deity.

After dwelling for some time on the topics thus presented, allusion was next made to the fact that it was not necessary to go to India or China to find

AMBITION, was next instanced. The foolish and wicked-attempts of Alexander to attain universal dominion, and the career of Napoleon, being adduced as illustrations; and the sad close of the life of each was adverted to as proof of the vanity of the idol they served.

FINE DRESS, was then spoken of as an idol very common among children. The temptations to pride, dishonesty, &c., to which it is likely to lead, were pointed out, and commented upon.

In conclusion, the scholars were exhorted to love God aright-with all the heart; this would leave no room for idols to occupy the place that belonged to God. The speaker concluded by suggesting as a prayer, the hymn,

"The dearest idol I have known,

Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,

And worship only Thee."

The president then called upon Mr H. Barker, to give the second address, (he according to arrangement not having heard the first.) He remarked that it appeared a strange subject upon which to speak to English children; they pity the idolaters when they hear of their cruelty and ignorance, yet it was necessary to think whether we were not in danger of becoming, in a sense, worshippers of idols. U

The heathen have some notion of a God, and try to some extent to serve him. We, know his will. Those who best know, and do it, find it no hard service; those who do it not, are most troubled and unhappy. We must see that we give Him our most faithful service. We cannot have two masters; we cannot serve God and mammon. We are naturally inclined to love something-something to which we can look up; God has given this power that it may be given back to Him. Man naturally prefers this life, and what seems pleasant and desirable-choosing earth rather than heaven; but we do wrong if we thus give to earth that which should be given to God.

was shown by reference to the fact that the sheep and the silk-worm had worn our clothes before we could get them. Contrasted with this, was the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, and the robe of righteousness. PLEASURE, was next alluded to, and its insufficiency to give happiness was shown. AMBITION-the desire of excelling others—of getting to the top of the class, even by unfair means-of being thought the swiftest, the boldest, &c.

As closing remarks, the love of God was set forth as the chief thing to be sought after. The service of Satan was shown to be a "hard service," and all were urged to "set their affections on things above."

At the close of the addresses, the members expressed their opinions upon them, and the subject in general.

Reference was then made to various things that usurp the place of God: that there was pride in heaven once, even among the angels of God, and how One, deprecated set, formal, theoloit caused their downfall; that Alex-gical discourses, and recommended the ander, after all his conquests, found free use of illustrations, and of adaptaonly sorrow and disappointment from his ambition and love of dominion; that Wolsey, notwithstanding the greatness he had won, closed his days in trouble and affliction; that the desire of fame sustains the spirit of the soldier; that the love of money is a form of idolatry, as shown in the case of the man who works even seven days in every week to get wealth; that the statesman labours for the triumph of his party, or to secure a statue for himself.

All, indeed, have their idols; but the subject refers to "little children." They may say they are not guilty of these things, yet we see the beginnings now.

Is the Bible most read? Is the Sabbath more prized than a holiday? Is Christ best loved, or do you please self? Do you live to Him now, that you may live with Him for ever? If not, you do not love God most.

tion to the capacities of the children,
suggesting that the teacher should re-
call the memory of his own childhood,
and speak as a child to children. An-
other pointed out the similarity of the
addresses in many points, in the illus-
trations and practical lessons, especially
instancing the references to
"Alex-
ander," to "ambition," and to “fine
dress;" by both speakers recommending
also the use of questions, energy and
liveliness of style and manner, and
condemning written addresses as a gene-
ral rule.

The use of the verse of a hymn, at the close of the first address, was much approved of. The length of addresses was adverted to by another speaker, and some were instanced as occupying only four minutes, whilst others extended to 55 minutes-the short ones being usually the best.

A few things likely to prove idols to The failure of many addresses was children were then pointed out. FINE attributed by the next speaker, to an CLOTHES-the danger of being proud of attempt on the part of teachers to do them. This idol often keeps God out of too much: brevity, point, and earnestthe heart. The folly of this idolatry ness were insisted on as special requisites,

and an instance was narrated of an indi- | was 550. The average attendance has vidual who had given an address, dis- been mornings 384; afternoons 487.

tinguished by these characteristics, to the scholars of a ragged-school. At the close, one boy whispered pretty audibly, "That's a very decent preach; that old chap can come again." An opinion in which his companions appeared fully to

concur.

The morning separate service for those too young to join intelligently in the service of the sanctuary, had been held every Sunday; and also a distinct one for the infants only, in another room. All the children however, except the infants, had the option of attending the service at the church, or other places of worship with their parents.

Sunday evening services.-During the year, this branch of the school operations which is carried on without any expense except that of gas, had continued to draw together a large number of children and their parents.

The President summed up the remarks made, drawing especial attention to one or two points, and in conclusion, urged upon the meeting the desirableness of endeavoring during the vacation to make the class more widely known, so that on recommencing operations, in the autumn, a larger number might receive the benefits of the course of instruction provided; the general adop-year, tion of the plan originated in the Normal Class, rendering it very important that it should be sustained in perfect efficiency.

The total number present during the was 15,667, or an average of 301 for each Sunday. As far as could be ascertained-with very few exceptions these persons had been drawn not from other congregations, but from T. J. C. the large body of the inhabitants who had hitherto disregarded the claims of the Sabbath.

KENTISH TOWN
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

SUNDAY SCHOOL.

THE Annual Meeting of this Institution, was held on the evening of Good Friday.

About 250 persons took tea together, after which the large room (formerly the chapel), was thrown open to the public, and was speedily filled to overflowing by the friends of the school, among whom were a large number of the parents of the children.

Mr. FLEMING, the pastor of the church, and president of the school, presided, and having offered prayer, and addressed a few words to the meeting, called upon the secretary to read the report:-a few extracts from which may prove interesting and useful

There were at the close of the year 1858, 704 children on the books, under the instruction of 64 teachers. The largest number present at any one time

A prayer meeting had been held after each service, which had an average attendance of 80.

During the summer months open air services had been held in a field close by-one at half past 5, and another at half-past 8.

The teachers had had much to encourage them in connexion with this service, and did time permit, several interesting facts could be stated.

Some of the regular attendants had subscribed together to purchase a very handsome pulpit bible, which they had presented to the school, accompanied by a letter expressing the deepest gratitude for the pleasure and profit derived from the service. A leather label in the cover, contained the following inscription :

"Presented to the Teachers of the Sunday School, by the Parents, Children, and others attending the Evening Service."

The Missionary subscriptions of the
U 2

school had been £18, 18s. 5d., which of the children their parents and friends availed themselves of the opportunity. The charges were so arranged as to pay all expenses, and leave a small sum to go to the school funds.

together with £8. 18s. 6d. from the Evening Service Society, made a total of £57. 17s. 1d. contributed for this purpose during the year. A portion of this amount is devoted to the support of 8 Hindoo girls, and one young man of caste, in the Madras missionary schools. The Library contains 700 volumes, and 4,409 issues had been made by the librarians during the year.

The Magazine committee completed its third year of existence in June last. During the year, ,the following magazines had been disposed of by the committee.

158 Sunday at Home.
193 Leisure Hour.

24 Sunday School Teachers' Treasury.
47 Sunday School Union Magazine.
61 Christian Miscellany.

26 Ragged School Union Magazine.
16 Christian Treasury.

35 ditto Witness.

10 British Messenger.

156 Mothers' Friend.
242 Bible Class Magazine.

789 British Workman. 1,224 Childs' Companion.

46 Children's Paper.

99 Christians' Id. Magazine.

24 Tract Magazine.

291 Teachers' Offering.

19 Day Star.

27 Friendly Visitor.

13 Sabbath School Messenger.

691 Band of Hope Review.

563 Dew Drop.

92 Juvenile Missionary Magazine.

565 Child's Own Magazine.

76 Gospel Trumpet.

100 Miscellaneous.

5,587 Total.

Total for 3 years 17,418.

The Band of Hope continued its meetings fortnightly during the winter months, the average attendance being about 120. There are now about 200 members; 80 having been added during

the year.

Christmas Entertainments.-A series of meetings designed for the instruction and amusement of the children, were held during the Christmas and NewYear's weeks.

They consisted of lectures by Messrs Baron and A. Shrimpton; a tea and treat for the Infants only, and on the fourth night a musical entertainment followed by the distribution of 200 books from two large illuminated Christmas trees, to 130 children recommended by their teachers, and 70 parents of those who had attended most regularly through the year. The expenses of these meetings were met, and a small surplus, secured by a small charge made for admission.

Lectures to the children had been delivered at intervals of a fortnight. Those who had been punctual every time during the previous month, were admitted free; and a small charge made to those not so entitled.

On Christmas day about 120 teachers and friends met to breakfast, and after wards held a Conference upon the following subjects:-" Recent instances of usefulness, and causes of failure."

A Situation Register had been opened during the year upon which the names and other particulars of those boys and girls requiring situations are entered; the book being kept for inspection in a central position in the neighbourhood.

The Provident Investment Society, commenced in September, had progressed satisfactorily, there having been 121 depositors, who had invested £53., in the Society.

The Summer Excursion to Hampton- The Mimpriss System of graduated Court passed off successfully, and gave simultaneous instruction, was brought such universal satisfaction, that the to a close at the end of the year; but teachers have arranged to repeat the had been so far approved by the trip this year. teachers that they resolved to recommence the course at the beginning of

A special train was engaged, and 995

« PreviousContinue »