massacred as a matter of course; and the very Union, any attempt at infracting which is high treason, made the object of unmasked attacks on the part of a man who has armed and marshalled her millions in open rebellion against the British government, which, judicially given over to infatuation, fawns on his person and courts his patronage. In England, disaffection to the crown, combined with and strengthened by principles of gross infidelity, an increasing contempt of old institutions because they are based on Christianity, an open scorn of the Sabbath, and an immense falling away to popery in the mass of the people; while, within the church, even in its pulpits and among its most distinguished ministers, prevails a revival of more than semi-papal error, such as must wholly destroy the spiritual life of that body if it be not speedily and summarily checked. Instead of this, we too well know that it is daily extending, bearing in itself the seeds of a future and cruel persecution of God's people. We cannot look on these things and deny that they have come upon us in just retribution for 1829; we cannot, without expecting at the Lord's hand such a compromise of his Majesty and Truth as he will never make, look for deliverance from these fears and dangers until we have, by a national act, put away the evil of those doings which have provoked him to forsake us,

290

A WORKING CHURCH.

LETTER XIV.

EMPLOYMENT.

How is it that Christians so often complain they can find nothing to do for their Master? To hear some of them bemoaning their unprofitableness, we might conclude that the harvest indeed is small, and the labourers many. So many servants out of employ is a bad sign; and to obviate the difficulty complained of I purpose shewing you two or three ways in which those who are so inclined may bestir themselves for the good of others. What a blessing were a working church! and by a church I mean "the company of all faithful people," whomsoever and wheresover they be.

In the village where I lived, there was a very good national-school, well attended; also a Sunday-school; and the poorer inhabitants generally were of a respectable class, with many of a higher grade, such as small tradesmen, and the families of those in subordinate offices about the Military College. I always took a great interest in the young; and as love usually pro

SABBATH MEETING.

291

duces love, there was no lack of affectionate feeling on their part. It occurred to me, as the Sunday was much devoted by most of them to idling about, that assembling such of them as wished it at my cottage would afford an opportunity for scriptural instruction; and without any thing resembling a school, or any regular proposal, I found a little party of six or seven children assembled in the afternoon, to hear a chapter read, answer a few questions upon it, and join in a short prayer. Making it as cheerful and unrestrained as possible, I found my little guests greatly pleased; and on the next Sabbath my party was doubled, solely through the favourable report spread by them. One had asked me, Please, Ma'am, may I bring my little sister?' and on the reply being given You may bring any body and every body you like,' a general beating up for recruits followed. In three or four weeks my assemblage amounted to sixty, only one half of whom could be crowded into the parlour of my small cottage. What was to be done? The work was rather arduous, but as I too had been complaining not long before of having little to do for the Lord, except with the pen, I resolved to brave a little extra labour. I desired the girls to come at four, the boys at six, and allowing an interval of half an hour between, we got through it very well. A long table was set across the room, from corner to corner; round this they were seated, each with a Bible, I being at the head of the table. I found this easy and sociable way of proceeding highly gratified the children they never called, never thought it a

school-they came bustling in with looks of great glee, particularly the boys, and greeted me with the affectionate freedom of young friends. A few words of introductory prayer were followed by the reading of one or more chapters, so that each had a verse or two; and then we talked over the portion of scripture very closely, mutually questioning each other. Many of the girls were as old as sixteen or seventeen, beautiful creatures, and very well-dressed and what a privilege it was so to gather and so to arm them in a place where alas! innumerable snares beset their path. We concluded with a hymn; and long before the half-hour had expired that preceded the boy's entrance, they were clustering like bees at the gate, impatient for the joyous rush; and to seat themselves round their dear table, Iwith all that free confidence without which I never could succeed in really commanding the attention of boys.

Our choice of chapters was peculiar. I found they wanted stirring subjects, and I gave them Gideon, Samson, Jonathan, Nehemiah, Boaz, Mordecai, Daniel, all the most manly characters of Old Testament history, with the rich gospel that lies wrapped in every page of that precious volume. Even in the New Testament I found that individualizing as much as possible the speaker or the narrative produced great effects. Our blessed Lord himself, John Baptist, Paul-all were brought before them as vividly as possible; and I can assure those who try to teach boys as they would teach girls, that they are pursuing a wrong method.

Mine

have often coaxed an extra hour from me; and I never once saw them willing to go, during the fifteen months of our happy meetings. If the least symptom of unruliness appeared, I had only to tell them they were my guests, and I appealed to their feelings of manliness, whether a lady had not some claim to forbearance and respect. Nothing rights a boy of ten or twelve years like putting him on his manhood; and really my little lads became gentlemen in mind and manners, while, blessed be God! not a few became, I trust, wise unto salvation. Their greatest temptation to disorderly doings was in the laughable, authoritative style of Jack's superintendence. He was now rapidly fading, but in mind brighter than ever. Seated in a large chair, a little to the rear of me, he kept strict watch over the party, and any deviation from what he considered correct conduct was noticed with a threat of punishment, conveyed by pinching his own ear, slapping his own face, kicking out his foot, and similar indications of chastisement, with a knowing nod at the offender. But if he saw an approach to levity over the word of God, his manner wholly changed. Tears filled his eyes, he looked all grief and entreaty, and the words, God see,' were earnestly spelled on his uplifted hands. No one could stand the appeal; and very rarely had he occasion to make it. I am sure his prayers helped forward the work mightily. It was wonderful to see thirty-two robust, boisterous fellows, from nine to seventeen years old, sitting in perfect delight and perfect order, for two and even three hours, on a fine

6