The nature of their various engagements might prevent their attending the Bible class, held on Sunday afternoons, but their intercourse with the school need not wholly cease; it was the custom to give out on the first Sunday in each month, a Scripture subject on which a paper was to be written and sent in on the first Sunday of the following month. The subject at present was "the life of Jonah :" they should carefully read the passage through, and write a simple explanation of it, noticing passages bearing upon it in other parts of the Bible, and any practical lessons to be learnt from it, such as, conduct to be imitated, or avoided, and useful subjects for meditation. The superintendent would examine and correct these papers and return them, and thus that bond of union and love which had lasted so long, need not be broken.

Amongst the many temptations to which they would be exposed, not the least would be "evil companions." They will be thrown amongst those they know nothing of, and a feeling of shame may arise which would prevent their showing their true character at present. Although they cannot choose their companions they yet may choose who they will make their friends. Another great evil of the present day was the desire which almost all young people possessed to appear above their proper station, a habit calculated to lead to much extravagance, and oftentimes to worse sins. The Scriptures exhorted them to attend to the words of St. Peter, and "to put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great price."

He then concluded by entreating them to resolve, with God's blessing and help, to commence the new year by devoting themselves to his service.

A hymn having been sung, one of the teachers then addressed them. He begged them to remember that religion was something more than outward acts,

something more than coming to school or church, something more than reading the Bible or singing hymns, it was something really taking place between them and God, it was giving their hearts to Christ. Had they done so? did they feel and know that God was their Father? Did they know Christ as their Saviour and friend? They had just been reminded to be careful in choosing their friends, they should make Christ their special friend, and tell Him every. thing. And did they know the Holy Spirit as their guide, especially as the author in their hearts of all real prayer?

"Salvation, Oh the joyful sound," was then sung, and a neighbouring Scripture reader proceeded to address them. He said.-The strongest bond was that of love.-Love was the string on which this world hung, for "God so loved the world that He gave his only-begotten Son." Love throws a mantle over us to preserve us, and it was their teachers' love which brought them all together that evening. That love did not cease when they ceased to be scholars in the Sunday school, but followed them into the world; many a hardened sinner had been softened by the recollections of the Sunday school. They would through life be subject to many temptations-these they must strive to resist, and should be careful particularly to strive against the first, for if not firmly resisted at once, it would return with double force and overcome them. They should pay attention to reading; there were many bad as well as good books, but their chief study should be God's Word, they should not be content with reading only, but should act as well; as a builder who, having received from an architect the plan of a house-kept always looking at his plan, or reading it, but never commencing to build, would not succeed; so they should act as well as study.

After a few parting words from the

On Tuesday, January the 10th, an interesting and instructive meeting was held at Kendal, calculated to strengthen and perpetuate the bond of union which ought ever to exist among the teachers of Sunday schools.

The superintendents and teachers of St. Thomas' Sunday school invited to tea the superintendents and teachers of the various other Church Sunday schools in the town. The number present, including four clergymen, was ninety. Several subjects of a useful character were discussed. One excited considerable interest. "How, and at what periods should rewards be given to the children?" The principle that rewards are allowable having been settled in the affirmative, it was further considered that a reward given at the end of each month had some disadvantages: :

First. It was of too frequent occurrence to make the gift of a reward of much value practicable.

Second. If dependent upon punctual attendance, as well as good conduct, the absence or late attendance of a child in the early part of the month, whilst it entailed the forfeiture of the reward, also withdrew some of the usual inducements to punctuality during the remaining Sundays, as was evidenced by their neglect.

3. The title to reward being only recorded in the roll book, was not so tangible as the adoption of tickets. It was therefore concluded that the best

plan that could be pursued was, that tickets should be given weekly, and at the end of the quarter, the rewards should be given equivalent to money, i.e. 6d. 4d., or 3d., (according to merit) to be appropriated in augmentation of the child's subscriptions for Bible, Prayer, or Hymn Book, or to the clothing fund, as the parent preferred; and if no such election were made, then in the purchase of a book of the above value.

Another subject discussed, was the propriety of admitting into the school the children of parents, whose position as respectable shopkeepers, or whose education, warranted the belief that they ought to be able to educate their children at home. It was suggested that the permission for such children to attend appeared to be the relieving of parents from their responsibility. On the other hand, after mature deliberation, it was decided that such children, if early attached to the school, would probably, when grown up, themselves become teachers; and from having had practical experience of the routine of a Sunday school, would be most likely to prove efficient ones.

The next subject considered was 'the establishment of a missionary society in connexion with all the schools." It appeared that in one school monthly collections were made by the teachers in their classes; and that in another school part of the first Sunday after

did not depend upon the House of Commons or the House of Lords-no, nor upon any politicians in or out of Parliament-it depended upon the members of the church-(hear, hear); and as they were faithful or unfaithful to their trust, resolute or irresolute in their determination, cold or warm in their service, so would the education of this country be religious or not religious, and England would be a name of glory or of shame. (Hear, hear.) That was sure; and it would be very much indeed connected with the acts of bodies like the one he was addressing as to how this great question was to be settled. For what was the fact? At this very time by far the greatest proportion of the education of England was in the hands of the Church, and if they were faithful to their trust, and made use of the means and opportunities which God had put into their hands, that proportion would still remain in the hands of the church. (Applause.) But it was not petitioning, memorialising, or getting up political movements that would do it. All that might be done and some result might be arrived at; but depend upon it that it did at last turn upon this -who put their shoulders most vigo rously to the wheel; that would turn the point-not talking alone. (Hear, hear.) (Hear, hear.) The man and the woman who were most anxious in their own circle to promote true religion and a sound education-who took care that their own household were religiously taught, that the children in their own neighbourhood were sought up and taken to the Church Sunday schooland who were found on the Sunday morning wending their way to the school to take the work into their own hands, and do all they could to promote the great work of scriptural Church education-these were the persons who were doing what in them lay for the glory of this country, the advancement of religion, and for the settlement of this educational question. (Hear, hear.)

Willing as he was to give all due praise to those who were earnestly labouring in this good work-he must say that there was a large class of persons belonging to the church who ought to be taking a part of this work but who were not doing so. Now it was upon those persons being interested in the matter, that the issue of the question turned; for every one who was holding back, at this day, was in deed and in truth playing false to his cause; he was injuring the Church in the most vital part, and playing into the hands of those who would instruct the children and shut religion from the schools. (Hear, hear) Therefore he would call upon the meeting to feel not only the responsibility of scriptural education resting more than ever upon them as members of the Church and as Sunday school teachers, but also the vital importance of trying to the utmost of their power to influ ence other persons of their own standing and in their own circle to come forward in this work and be no longer neither hot nor cold, playing most fatally into the hands of their enemies. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. JOHN FAWCETT briefly seconded the resolution, and it was carried unanimously.

The Rev. S. KETTLEWELL moved a vote of thanks to the retiring committee, in doing which he referred to the great good which had been derived from the excellent lectures which had been de livered.

MR. GILLBANKS seconded the resolu tion, which was unanimously adopted.

The REV. JAMES FAWCETT, as one of the retiring committee, returned thanks, expressed his regret they had not succeeded in establishing a library. At the meeting last year he strongly felt and he felt yet, that it was of impor tance to provide some means by which the rising generation of young men at their schools could be kept from scenes in which they would learn anything but that which is good. It was for that