women who come forth on Sunday, as if that sacred day were set apart for them to exhibit their unbecoming finery, and God's house the theatre for display. They enter the sacred building-not to pray-alas! no; the wandering eye and whispered conversation prove they are profaning God's house.

We, as Sunday-school teachers, may tremble lest, owing to our neglect, such characters should go forth from our classes.

Let us, then, take counsel together, and mutually advise and encourage each other in our efforts to eradicate, both by precept and example, this pernicious weed from the minds of our children. O, let it not be said that it is impossible for Sundayschool teachers to give up their artificial flowers, or any other redundancy of ornament which to the child's mind might seem to say, our example contradicts our precept! Children are prone to copy-especially those they love and respect. Let us, then, endeavour, according to our instructions," to be what our children ought to be, and to avoid what they ought to avoid." A general prohibition of artificial flowers will merely just keep them out of school; unless practically condemned by the teachers, we cannot expect that this prohibition will have any moral effect on the minds of our children, or influence their conduct in after-life.

We must therefore show them that, with the means to dress gayly, we prefer neatness and simplicity. Let us also take every opportunity to impress their minds with the duty of denying themselves, that they may have the privilege of helping forward some work for God; reminding them of the blessing pronounced on the widow's mite. To create any interest of this sort will greatly facilitate our efforts. But before we can expect God's blessing on our work, we must feel that we are endeavouring to do it "heartily, as unto the Lord;" remembering that it is heart-service only He will accept.

My dear friends, will you listen to a few words from a fellow-teacher,—from one who addresses you in all humility, knowing she is but a feeble unskilled labourer in the Lord's vineyard; but she loves her work, and is deeply impressed with its importance and her responsibilities. You also have engaged yourselves to work in the Lord's vineyard; are you working for Him? Do you daily pray that the Holy Spirit may fit you for His work? that He may pour into your hearts such love towards your Saviour, that you may shrink from no sacrifice, but press forward in your work undaunted by difficulties? At the same time, let all perseveringly avail themselves of every opportunity of receiving instruction and strengthening themselves for their work. In most places there are periodical meetings of the teachers, at which the minister presides. O, why are any of you ever unnecessarily absent! why deny yourselves the benefit of those prayers and that instruction! What does your absence say?-that you value not the prayer, that you do not need the instruction. What frivolous excuses are often given for non-attendance!-excuses which a tea-party would have overcome.

I have written this in the hope that others may follow my example, and with an abler pen seek to advise, exhort, and warn us all; lest, when called on to give account of our stewardship, we receive the doom of the unprofitable servant.—I am. &c. HENRIETTA.

THE OBJECT OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS.

SIR,-It has given me great pleasure, as a subscriber to your Paper for upwards of seven years, to find that you have acceded to the proposal contained in your July Number to devote a space monthly to correspondence relating to Sunday-schools, because, although deeply interested in the whole question of education, my experience has been confined to Sunday and evening schools.

I was not prepared for the announcement, "that for the last ten years there has been a growing tendency among zealous educationists to undervalue the importance of Sunday-schools." Like your correspondent, I cannot think of assenting to the argument, that they are to a great extent superseded by the increased efficiency of week-day schools. To me it appears that the two institutions are different in kind, and not merely in degree.

But in order to make this point evident, it is necessary to define what is here meant by a Sunday-school, for the expression does not convey the same idea to all minds. Let it be supposed, then, to mean: 1. The parochial school, which on weekdays is conducted by the master or mistress (under the superintendence of the clergyman), assembling on Sundays in order to be trained in the principles of Christianity by voluntary teachers acting in subordination to the clergyman. 2. A school (or class, or classes) consisting of boys or girls who have left the week-day school, and are so

far removed from the superintendence and control of the clergyman. Assuming this to be what is meant by the expression "Sunday-school," it is clear that it is not merely an inferior substitute for a week-day school, but that it possesses distinct features of And it may be worth while to consider these features, with a view to the

its own.

discovery of their intrinsic value.

The leading object to be pursued in the Sunday-school is, the development of the Christian character of those young persons who are receiving, or who have received instruction, and, it may be, good moral training, as far as that is possible, in the weekday school. In my judgment, it is not the province of the Sunday-school to impart instruction in any other branch of knowledge than that of Christianity, and not in that except distinctly as subservient to the purpose of giving a right direction to the motives of those who are taught. The bearing of the teaching in the Sunday-school is intended to be directly upon the heart; the teacher trusting to the intellect receiving its appropriate development elsewhere, but believing in the light afforded to the understanding by a willing obedience to the commandments of God.

Such being briefly the kind of teaching which appears to me to be alone appropriate to the Sunday-school, I next submit that there is value in employing the agency of voluntary teachers, assuming them to be actuated individually by a desire to take such part in the training of the younger members of the "Body of Christ" as is suitable to the positions which, in the providence of God, they respectively occupy. Such persons readily submit themselves to the guidance of the clergyman, and seek to impart to their young fellow-Christians those principles which they themselves so highly value, as the means, under God, of preserving them in the only path of safety and happiness. Surely there will always be something attractive and influential in a personal agency of this kind brought to bear regularly and systematically upon the young impressible mind.

There is also much to be said of the value of this work on the individual engaging in it,-how it tends to deepen his own principles, to expand his sympathies, &c.; but I must defer any reference to other points on which I could enlarge in advocacy of Sunday-schools, sufficient having been said to indicate the line which I shall be happy to take should a discussion arise on this important subject in the pages of your useful Paper.-I am, &c. WILLIAM SPENCE.

CORRESPONDENTS' ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

ADULT CLASSES.

SIR,-In reply to a letter signed "A Sunday-school Teacher" in your last Number, I beg to state, that in the Rev. T. Newland's Sunday-school there were on the lists of the adult-classes from fortyfive to fifty young men and forty young women. The average attendance was about forty in each. I am not aware of there being any particular age for their admittance. The population of the parish was from 15,000 to 20,000.

The subject usually under examination was one of the Gospels; the history of the Evangelist; object of his writing; references to types, prophecies, sacrifices, institutions, typical persons, places, and things; the doctrine of the Atonement; natural depravity and justification by faith; contrast between Levitical and Christian dispensations. These and each of these excited an interest and inquiry. But sometimes the difficulty will perhaps exist how to cloak over the ignorance of some of those who may be present, if individual questions are put to each by name. To remedy this, it was considered well to induce inquiry by addressing to those who were present general questions, or those questions to individuals such as they could answer pretty well, and encouraging them, rather than by proposing questions they could not answer. Interesting anecdotes illustrative of the subject under consideration were always well received; and any thing like restraint seemed to give place to confidential investigation and inquiry, while firmness and decision were tempered with gentleness and kindness in the teacher.-I am, &c. JAMES B. CLARKE.

"C. H. H.," "E. L.," "Trent," "H. G. A." Your communications are in type, and we hope may appear in our next.

THE Committee of this Society has now resumed its sittings.

Building Grants.

The Treasurer has been authorised to pay the Grants voted to the following schools, the several undertakings having been reported as completed:

The following is a List of Donations and new Annual Subscriptions to the Society, made up to the 20th of last month. The Committee very thankfully acknowledges the kind assistance of several teachers, and other friends of the Society, in using collecting-boxes and gathering small sums which otherwise would probably be lost to the great work in which the Society has been so long engaged.

Contributions may be paid to Messrs. DRUMMOND, Bankers, Charing Cross; to Mr. HENRY STRETTON, the Society's Receiver, 67 Lincoln's Inn Fields, to whom all Remittances should be made; or they will be received at the National Society's Office, Sanctuary, Westminster, or by any of the Local Treasurers to the Society, or by the Society's Travelling Agents.

Remittances from Local Treasurers.

The following remittances have been made by the Society's Local Treasurers during the quarter ending September 29th.

The Committee beg to express their warmest thanks to the increasing body of, gentlemen who, as local correspondents, are rendering most valuable assistance to the Society. They earnestly ask that all accounts and lists for the current year

may be sent in before Christmas to the Society's Receiver, 67 Lincoln's Inn

A sermon was preached in the Cathedral Church of Lichfield on Tuesday, October 14th, by the Hon. and Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, in behalf of the Society, under the authority of the Pastoral Letter issued by the Bishop of Lichfield. The Bishop of the diocese, the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Lichfield, and a large number of clergy, were present. The collection in the Cathedral amounted to 601. 10s.

A large number of parochial choirs, amounting to about three hundred voices, from various parts of the diocese, attended the service. In the morning they joined in the 100th Psalm; and in the evening-service they took part in chanting the Psalms, and in the chorus of the anthem.

A meeting of the friends of the Society was held in the evening at the Guildhall of the city. The Bishop of the diocese presided; and the meeting was addressed by the Bishop of Sodor and Man, and other persons, who advocated the claims of the Society. A collection was made at the close.

York Diocesan Board.

The Forty-first Annual Report of this Board, whilst acknowledging the steady progress which education based upon religious principles has made, regrets that the limited funds of the Board preclude it from supplying adequate assistance for training and general purposes.

With respect to the Training Institutions the Report states:

"That during the year 1855 the number of pupils admitted into the Male Training School was 23, of whom seven only were Queen's scholars; the total average number resident during the year was 51; in the preceding year it was 53; at the present time it is only 37.

It appears, therefore, that, notwithstanding the removal by the Committee of Council of the limitation on the number of Queen's scholarships granted by them, the supply of candidates for admission has decreased. The effect of that measure upon provincial institutions is not exactly what was anticipated. The number of pupil-teachers who desire admission into training-schools on the expiration of their term of apprenticeship is not so large as was expected; and of those who obtain Queen's scholarships, the majority enter the metropolitan and central institutions, leaving to the smaller provincial colleges an undue proportion of vacancies to be filled up by pupils dependent upon their own resources, which may account for the present reduction in numbers in this institution.

The result of the Government examinations for certificates has been very satisfactory.

of

Forty-six students were presented for examination in December 1854, of whom 40 were successful. For these a bonus of 5761. was received from the Committee Council. In December 1855, 45 students were presented for examinati have been classed. The amount of bonus money received for them

un, and 35

15 5677. 10s.