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the teacher sets on them-that the teacher should exercise the prayer of faith when engaging in such a taskthat in the case now before us all seems to have depended on the perseverance of an individual, who undismayed by defections and coldness, the love or zeal of many waxing cold, has gone on in his endeavour; and, by the blessing of God which ever has and will attend such efforts, he will succeed in conferring great benefits on those perishing for lack of knowledge.

We ask, if all would follow this example, and they can, what would be the result?

Sunday School Enstitute.

QUARTERLY RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS.

DURING the past quarter the following have been the

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would deliver a Lecture to the Members on the egregious Claim of the Pope to Spiritual Supremacy in this Protestant Land, his offer was gladly accepted, and arrangements were accordingly made for its delivery on Thursday Evening, Nov. 14th, at the St. Saviour's, Southwark, Infant School Room. It was determined to admit only by tickets, but not confining the privi lege to Members of the Institute: the Lecture was listened to with close attention by a crowded, attentive, and applauding audience, and it well deserved the approbation it called forth; it was an eloquent, scriptural, and conclusive argument against the impious claims of the Bishop of Rome. The Committee, by permission of the Rev. C. A. Alford, have the Lecture on sale, and they recommend it to teachers as containing all that can well be said on this (at all times, and most especially now,) highly important subject.

We cannot refrain from adding a regret, that the want of funds prevented the Committee from hiring a larger

place, the compass of the room necessarily confined the issue of tickets; otherwise, Exeter Hall might have been filled, for as it was, hundreds were necessarily refused admittance ; nor must we omit to mention, that the use of the school room was at once kindly allowed by the Rev. W. Curling.

THE CONVERSATIONAL MEETING, for the 4th of December, was, on account of the few members present, who courteously agreed to the proposition, postponed to a future evening, of which proper notice will be given. The subject for conversation will probably embrace an important question, viz: the efforts of Romanists to entice children to their schools.

THE QUARTERLY PRAYER MEETING, was held in its proper course, when the devotions of the evening were, as advertised, conducted by the Rev. Edward Auriol.

On the 8th of October, was held the

SUPERINTENDENTS' MEETING,

at which about fourteen schools were represented. We would take this opportunity of expressing a hope, that these meetings, which are intended for the discussion of questions less general in their character, than those selected for the conversational meetings, will in future be better attended; they afford opportunities for a free interchange of opinion and experience, between those who are mainly responsible for the efficiency of Sunday schools, the suggestions, facts, and advice thus elicited, might be made available to important uses, and exercise a great influence in the conduct and management of our Sunday schools, in connection with the Institute. We proceed to give an outline of the proceedings.

Prayer having been offered, the CHAIRMAN stated that the question before the meeting was, Sunday Schools for the Children of the Middle Classes, in which he included Merchants and the Professions. It was his opinion, that it was not the lower but the middle classes who exercised the greatest

influence in national affairs-if so, how im portant that they should be Christians. Also, that the children of the rich were acted upon by a larger circle of intellectual than physical influences; then came the inquiry-to what extent are such children Christianized? His own experience proved that most of the superintendents and teachers were the offspring of pious parents. The paucity of their numbers led to the inference that comparatively few of the young of our congrega. tions, looking at the state of our Sunday Schools, had a truly religious training; the same might be said with regard to private academies; when candidates of this class were examined for confirmation, they sometimes exhibited an amount of ignorance of Scripture history and theology which would be accounted discreditable in scholars from our National Schools.

Then came the question of the cure for this evil, what plan could be adopted? The state of things in America-Scotland-Canada-was widely different; in those places when a man joined a congregation, his children, as a matter of course, went to the Sunday Schoolhow could this be effected in England? He doubted whether the plan suggested in the Magazine, by a Correspondent, of a separate class would be judicious. He concluded by asking, if any present had the children of the rich in their schools ?

To this question three superintendents answered in the affirmative, one of whom had four of what might be called the better class in his school; another stated that his school was composed of all ranks; and the third, that during an experience of sixteen years 4,000 children had passed under his notice composed of all ranks of society, all were classed together; he was against a division, as likewise were the two previous speakers, the grounds of objection being, that it would be a difficult and invidious task to make the distinction, that there was too much exclusiveness already, and that the task of a teacher in a school, especially devoted to the children of what might be called wealthy people, would be exceedingly difficult, as they would to a great extent exercise an independence of action, which would be detrimental to that good dis cipline so necessary for the welfare of those taught, and which, if it were attempted to control, would lead to the withdrawal of the scholars from the school.

A communication from Norwich stated, that that there was great need for an effort on behalf of the class of children in question, but pointed out that if anything were done, then immediately the question of caste would arise-a difficulty which it was suggested might be overcome by establishing self-supporting Sunday Schools for the children of the

wealthier classes, payment being made for the expenses incurred in maintaining them.

It appeared to be the feeling of the meeting, that any attempt to gather in a Sunday School children of all classes would end in a failure, but that it was highly desirable, and even necessary, to bring under the influence of Sunday School teaching the children of the rich as well as the poor. Mr. Cecil's Gallery Schools were instanced as a means to this end, but the old way of catechetical instruction was mentioned as being more likely to effect general good, and instances were given in which it had appeared to work well, and it was stated that in Ireland this mode was adopted with good success.

The CHAIRMAN, after a few general remarks by way of summing up, then put the two questions following to the meeting :

Ought the children of the most respectable classes have Sunday Schools provided for them ?

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COLLECTIONS

poor

Sermons at Epsom, on Sunday, Nov. 10, by the Rev. R. P. Clemenger

9 12 0

9 10 3

Should the children of the rich and the be taught together in Sunday Schools ? No decided opinion was given. Concluded by singing and the benediction.

TRAINING CLASSES

have been held in Southwark and Pimlico, and at both places under the conduct of the Corresponding Secretary of the Institute, Mr. J. G. Fleet; the attendance of teachers on each occasion is such as to encourage the Committee to continue these important means of improvement.

FUNDS.

With gratitude to the Giver of all Good, the following Donations, &c. are thankfully acknowledged; our friends will see that an application to the Corporation of London has been most successful; it would not be doing justice to that body to omit mentioning, that the appeal of the Committee was met in a cordial and cheerful manner.

Sermon at St. Clement's, East Cheap by the Rev. A. Mc Caul, D.D.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Sunday School Almanack for 1851. Approved List of Reward and Library Books.

Reward Tickets with questions, the dis

tinguishing feature being that many
of the texts are historical; pains
have been taken to render the ques-
tions pertinent to the subject of the
text.

Lecture on Papal Supremacy.
Scholars' Slips for 1851.
Teachers' Notes Books for 1851.
New Year's Prayer for schools.
Key to the Elementary Class Book,
nearly through the press.
The Monthly Magazine, ready for de-
livery.

Notices of Books.

THE FOUR GOSPELS COMBINED. 12mo. pp. 356. Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. W. Evans, & Co. THIS is a book for the study, and for that purpose we cordially recommend it. Its design is "to present one con

tinuous narrative of the Life of Christ, without deviating from the words of Scripture." It is observed in the Preface, and, we think very justly, that "comparatively few readers of the Bible can recollect the chronological order of

the touching scenes and impressive facts in the Life of Jesus Christ, * * with as much precision as they remember other biographies, though read comparatively seldom, and in which they have little or no personal concern." It is not difficult to find the reason of this. Absorbed, as a pious reader is, in the momentous doctrines contained in the Gospels, the chain of events is to him comparatively unimportant. Whether one miracle or the other was anterior in point of time, is of infinitely less consequence than the account of each miracle per se. We have also four distinct Gospel narratives, each one supplying much fresh matter, and very frequently fresh information on matters contained in the other Gospels, whilst neither one is arranged in strictly chronological order; moreover, the divisions of chapter and verse, so useful in one sense, tend occasionally to ren der the connection of events indistinct.

We repeat, that in reading for spiritual improvement, this is of no great moment, but the case is far different when reading for study; whether in acquiring a critical knowledge of the Scriptures, or in preparing to explain them to our school children. Then we ought to master the connected biography, the various circumstances of different occurrences, the various and (undesigned) supplementary accounts of the same event, and the additional matter which each Evangelist contributes. Failing in this, we leave untouched a weapon of great power, whether in defending the truth against the caviller, or in enforcing it on the learner, viz:-the thorough harmony and consistency of Scripture; which is not always clear without that particular line of investigation which we have pointed out.

The principle we contend for, has been of late, diligently upheld; and several harmonies of Scripture have been published. We believe a large number of our Readers are in the habit of using Mimpriss's, and an excellent one it is,

founded chiefly on Greswell's Dissertations. The work now before us, will be found an excellent companion to it, containing as it does, a continuous narrative, without any break of chapter or verse; the Book and chapter of the several passages being given in the margin; parallel passages are necessarily omitted from the text.

THE TWO ROCKS, CHRIST OR PETER, and WHY DOES THE CHURCH OF ROME HIDE THE SECOND COMMANDMENT FROM THE PEOPLE? By Rev. A. McCaul, D.D. Wertheim and Macintosh.

THESE two Tracts are from the pen of a Clergyman whose name is a guarantee for the Christian spirit and the talent by which anything he may publish is sure to be distinguished. They are most seasonable tracts for the present time, and we should be very glad to promote their circulation.

In the former, especially, our readers will find a brief but conclusive and really masterly treatment of those texts on which Romanists rest the monstrous superstructure of Papal Supremacy and Infallibility. We would willingly have given an extract or two, but space fails us, and moreover, we could scarcely touch the argument without injuring it, so compactly is it stated. In addition to demonstrating that the texts in question will not bear the construction which Romanists put on them, Dr. McCaul proceeds to collect irresistible evidence from the Acts and Epistles that the claim made by the Popes on behalf of St. Peter was utterly unknown in apostolic times; on which he justly observes, that "even if Peter have suc cessors, he cannot transmit more than he received."

THE CHILD'S

The

BOOK OF THE SOUL. By Rev. J. H. Gallaudet, 12mo., pp. 210. Seeley's, Fleet St. This is intended as a strictly elementary book, containing the very first steps in a child's knowledge of his own spirit, and of God's spiritual existence, power, goodness, and eternal duration. information is conveyed in a catechetical form, and the author very properly recommends that the book should be read to infants, and only children of a higher standing permitted to read it for themselves. We have examined the whole, and there is certainly much to commend both in the matter and the manner. We think simplicity has been almost uniformly attained, and that parents and teachers will do well to avail themselves of the assistance here rendered them in bringing great and important truths down to the level of a child's capacity. We are bound to add that we think the book defective in a most important point. The author states, in his preface to Part II., "that he would not mean to say that a child of five years of age may not be taught other important truths, and those which involve the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel." But even after this avowal we did not expect to find little Robert left without any instruction on the grand doctrine of Redemption through Christ. Surely the simple "story of peace" is as intelligible to a child as many of the points here treated and its importance none can overrate.

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THE EDUCATIONAL POCKET BOOK AND ALMANACK. Ramsay, Brompton Row.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S POCKET BOOK. B. Green. Paternoster Row.

THE first of the above is an old and established favourite, and the present Number will fully sustain its reputation; the extracts are excellent.

The second contains much useful information; especially on the topic of Educational Societies. We notice in it a spirited Article by the Rev. J. B. Owen, of Bilston.

The third enters more at length into the topica especially applicable to Teachers, and contains much matter that will be found both useful and interesting; whilst its provision for actual

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