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employment, will furnish the means for carrying it into effect; and that the institution will be supported with a liberality proportioned to the degree in which its services are employed for disseminating christian instruction, and thereby promoting the best interests of mankind.

Previous to the establishment of Sunday Schools, the children of the poor were, it is well known, generally brought up in the grossest ignorance, and paid little or no attention to the christian sabbath. The change produced by this institution in the habits of the children, and the general improvement in their appearance is now so obvious, that the most superficial observer cannot fail to remark it, and is abundantly confirmed by numerous testimonies received from time to time by your committee.

If there be one object with which hardly any other can be placed in competition, it is Education; not that which is ornamental, but that which serves to supply principle, to induce active industry, to promote the love of God and of our neighbour, and to prepare us for our duty in our allotted station of life.

This society provides so effectually for educating those whose time is taken up in the days of labour by the calls of their necessary occupations, and also for recovering them from vagrancy, disorder, and irreligion on the sabbath day, and training them ap to a due observance of that holy appointment, that it must ever be regarded as an institution connected most nearly and vitally with the vigour, the improvement, and the stability of the country.

At present, the demands for its aid exceed any thing which has yet been experienced. Its operations are going forward to a great part of the British dominions; and there is reason to believe that, if suitably supported, it will penetrate into those parts which remain unenlightened, and supply the poor generally with the means of understanding and appreciating those Scriptures, which, through the blessing of God, may make them wise unto salvation.

LETTER from a Gentleman at NEW-YORK, to the SECRETARY of the SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

Dear Sir,

New York, 25th June, 1816.

YOUR acceptable letter, by Mr. D. gave me great pleasure. I am happy to find you so zealously engaged in so good a work as Sunday schools.

The institutions formed for their promotion and support, will, I trust, be of eminent service to the moral and religious interests of mankind. The same gracious God who raised them up by his providence, will crown them by his blessing. Missionary, Bible, Tract and Sunday School Societies, will render mutual services to each other, and united service to the cause of the Redeemer, and the good of souls.

Oh to live more in his spirit, and to walk more in his steps. How immense are the blessings, how abounding the privileges he has procured for our sinful race!

I send you, through Mr. D. care of Mr. S. a small packet containing a set of the Christian Herald, which will give you the reports for the first quarter of the Female Union Society, and the Gentlemen's Society for the promotion of Sunday Schools. These are multiplying through this country. I had yesterday two applications, one from New Jersey, and the other from the interior of this State, for the necessary materials to commence teaching a school.

I hope that in a few months I may be able to send you more enlarged accounts of Sunday schools in the United States.

It will give me pleasure to hear from you, as opportunity offers, of whatever may arise interesting to the friends of Sunday schools. I am, dear Sir, Yours, with regard,

D. B.

NEW YORK FEMALE SABBATH SCHOOLS. (For an Account of the formation of this Society see page 276.) THE rapid progress which Sunday Schools have recently been making among us appear at present to claim particular notice. It is a subject of astonishment and regret, that this superior method of improving the moral condition of the lower orders of society, should have been so long in active operation in the land of our forefathers, whose language we speak, whose physical and moral habits are so similar to our own, and with whom we have such an incessant and extensive intercourse, without the appearance of one solitary public effort on our part, to emulate their laudable example, and partake of the important advantages to be derived from the adoption of their practice. The omission must, no doubt, be in a great measure ascribed to the general ignorance which prevailed in this country of the benefits produced by those institutions in the old world. For the first attempt to pursue that excellent system here, on an extended scale, we are indebted to the benevolent enterprize of our female citizens. From the pious zeal and exertions of that better half of mankind, the majority of our most important charitable Institutions have originated, been well supported, and attended with the happiest consequences to the cause of humanity and religion.

Wednesday, January 31st, a very numerous assembly of ladies met in the lecture-room of the Wall-street Church. The Rev. Mr. Mathews opened the meeting with prayer. The room being full, and numbers pressing for admittance, it was found necessary to adjourn to the Church. The form of a constitution and rules for the Society and Schools, as prepared by the Committee, were read and approved of, and the following ladies chosen to preside over the Institution:

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Mrs. Bethune, first Directress; Mrs. Mumford, second Directress; Mrs. Bowering, Treasurer; Miss Mumford, Secretary.

April 17th, The Female Union Society for the promotion of Sabbath Schools held their first quarterly meeting in the lectureroom of the second Presbyterian Church, Present. Mrs. Bethune,

first Directress; Mrs. Mumford, second Directress; Miss Mumford, Secretary, and sixteen superintendents, and upwards of two hundred teachers. Mr. McCarty opened the meeting with prayer. The first Directress addressed the Society, and congratulated them on the abundant success which had attended their labours since their last meeting. The Secretary read sixteen animated Reports of the superintendents of the Schools belonging to the following denominations, viz.

2 Episcopalian, 1 Methodist, (215 scholars) 3 Baptist, 3 Reformed Dutch, 5 General Assembly Presbyterian, 2 Associate Reformed do.

All these Reports were expressive of the satisfaction experienced by the teachers in their new employment, and mentioned numerous instances of the great improvement of their pupils. Total number of scholars of all ages and complexions, from six to sixty-seven years of age, in the different Schools is two thousand one hundred and ninety-four.

Extracts from some of the Reports will here be given.

Extract 1st.

The teachers, with humble gratitude to God, would mention their belief, that one among their scholars will ever gratefully remember her first attendance at a Sabbath School. She is twentytwo years of age. On the first day of her admission, February 8th, she was observed to be much affected during prayer; and on conversing with her teacher found that for the first time in her life, as she said, she felt convinced she was a poor lost sinner; but being utterly ignorant of the way of salvation through the merits of a Saviour, she knew not where to look, nor to whom to apply for help, She could not read without spelling every word, yet so great was her desire for religious knowledge, that, though it must have cost her much labour, she has every week committed to memory a lesson in the Catechism, a portion of Scripture, and a hymn. The distress of her mind was plainly depicted in her countenance. At her request, our pastor came twice to the school, and conversed with her. Soon afterwards it pleased the Lord to loose her bands, to enlarge her heart, and to fill it with his love, so that, as she expressed it, she could not love her sweet Jesus, her Saviour enough. After frequent conversations with the Rev. Mr. M, and being approved by the Consistory of the Church, it was the unspeakable privilege of her teachers, to sit down with her at the table of her Lord and their Lord, and to welcome her as a sister in Christ. If this were the only instance in which it should please the Lord to follow with his blessing the feeble instructions of his handmaidens, surely our reward is great-we are more than compensated, and should be willing to labour early and late.

Extract 2nd.

The proficiency made by the scholars has been such as to equal, and in many instances to surpass, our most sanguine expectations. One of these only will be mentioned. A scholar, aged 14, who,

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being at service has the opportunity of attending only once on the Sabbath committed to memory in the course of one week, the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of Matthew's Gospel. To accomplish this, her leisure moments must have been very diligently employed, Let those who question the propriety of teaching to read on the Sabbath, visit this School, and witness not only the ardent desire to progress, but the lively emotions of gratitude expressed, and evidently felt, by those who are favoured with this privilege, whom Providence has placed in a situation to preclude the possibility of obtaining it in any other way; and we hesitate not to say, that, unless their hearts are strangers to philanthropy, and insensible to the blessings resulting from a knowledge of the word of God, they can no longer refuse to acknowledge their objections to be without foundation, and join with us in considering Societies for the promotion of Sabbath Schools among the most valuable of our charitable institutions.

Extract 3rd.

Mary Imanifests a serious concern for her soul. The fol lowing short interesting conversation took place between Mary and her teacher:

Teacher. Mary, if I may judge by your countenance, you are not altogether happy. If you can freely unbosom yourself to me, I may say something that may relieve you.

Mary. I am not happy, I feel that I am a sinner, and that I must be changed before I can be happy.

Teacher. But, Mary, your Catechism says, "Cannot your good thoughts, words or actious recover you?" Now suppose you read your Bible, attend to the preaching of the word, pray, and wish sincerely to be a Christian, don't you think that by so strict an attention to commanded duty, you would merit the favor of God.

Mary. No.

Teacher. Who then must satisfy for your sins, and present a righteousness which is acceptable?

Mary. Jesus Christ has promised to hear us when we pray, and he is the Saviour of sinners.

Teacher. Yes Mary, Jesus is the only Saviour, and an allsufficient one, he is indeed. Go to your offended God, and in faith plead the merits of his Son, and you have the promise that you shall not be rejected. Don't be angry with me, if I say I hope you may find no rest, until you find it in the experience of the precious blood of Christ applied to your heart by the effectual operation of the Holy Spirit.

This girl is about sixteen years of age-has attended school regularly from its commencement. Once she was missed. On inquiry it was found that she was sick. She was visited by two of the teachers, who found her in bed with her Bible near her. Upon being asked where she had been reading, she replied, "I have been reading the afflictions of Job;-how much sorrow and distress he experienced, how patient he was, and how the Lord supported him." After conversing with her in a suitable manner,

and deriving much satisfaction from her answers, one of the ladies went to prayer. When she concluded Mary appeared much pleased, while her mother stood by bathed in tears. She expressed much gratitude for the tender interest shown to her child.

A coloured woman, aged sixty-seven years, had attended the School regularly from its commencement. A few weeks ago she was carried to the Hospital sick with the pleurisy. She was visited twice. She is now on the recovery, and pleased with the hope of soon returning to School. She commenced by connecting letters, and now reads the first Scripture lessons with ease. She is not only desirous to read, but anxious to attain that knowledge which will point out her duty to God.

Extract 4th,

We are highly favoured in having teachers whose regular attention and orderly deportment cannot fail of being useful to the children. I cannot speak too highly of their punctuality. Considering the wild disposition of many of the children, I am much pleased with their attention, and have no doubt but the blessing of God will attend the Female Sabbath Schools throughout our City. You will be pleased to hear that a Dorcas Society has been established for the benefit of the children attending Sabbath Schools, by which means we have been able to furnish clothes to several children who could not otherwise attend. Garments, either new or partly worn, which are presented by the hand of charity for this benevolent purpose, are received and made up by Mrs. Bowering, Hudson-street, and the young ladies who have formed this establishment.

Extract 5th.

The general improvement of the scholars has been far greater than could reasonably have been anticipated in so short a period. There are many individual instances which afford striking proofs of the usefulness of the Institution. Several who did not know their letters when they entered the School can now read in the third class, and with ease commit to memory one of the cards, a hymn, and a portion of the Catechism every week. One woman fifty-four years of age, who did not know a single letter can now read; and a child of eight years who was entirely ignorant of the alphabet has made such progress as to be able to commit to memory not only her Scripture lessons and hymns, but the whole of Brown's Catechism. Two in the Bible class have also learned the whole of Brown's Catechism, and are now learning the Assembly's. Catechism, with Scripture proofs. Nor is this all: a good work appears to be begun in the hearts of several, who date their first convictions from their entering the Sabbath School. The superintendent and teachers are encouraged by these favourable appearauces to continue their exertions, looking to liim who is the Fountain of all knowledge for a blessing on their instructions; and hoping that their labours may not be in vain, but that he will be pleased to make them the humble instruments in rescuing many

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