MISSIONS AT HOME.

No. XXII.

or the matter will be taken out of their hands by parties far less capable, and the education of the country will be at the mercy of the radicals-of Mr. Cobden, of Mr. Bright, and their friends."

INFANT SCHOOLS.-"O what a happy shelter does the infant school present! rescuing the body from danger and from filth, and warding off every influence hostile to right morals and gentle dispo

-ST. CHRYSOSTOM.

66

NATIONAL EDUCATION.-Compulsory Rate. -At the last half yearly meeting of the teachers trained by the Home and Colonial Society, Mr. J. S. Reynolds, the chairman and the honorary secretary of the society, took occasion to remark, "It does deeply pain me to observe that there is a strong party now growing up, who want to take education out of the hands of those who are at present contributing, I do believe, more than a million a year, to carry it on, and to establish a compulsory rate in every parish and township, thus handing over the education of the people to the tender mercies of town-councils, guardians, select vestrymen, and others, many of whom delight to interfere when taxes are to be expended. Devoted as I have been, for many years, to the education of the working classes, I cannot join in the cry that all the people must be educated," unless we can give them an education based on the word of God-an education really religious. Look at the present circumstances of the continent. Has there been any want of education there? Yet what is the actual state of society? Look also at America. Is there any want of education there? Yet what would be the state of society in America if they had not millions of acres of land wherewith to stop the mouths of the thousands who have had a state education, from which, through the jealousies of different sects, religion is almost if not altogether practically excluded? Do we desire to see our population assimilated to the state of the continental, or of the American population, or to the state of any other population on the face of the earth? No; uneducated as it is represented to be, we would not exchange the population of Great Britain for any other in the world. Do, then, let us save it from those meddling gentlemen, whom the collection of a rate brings around as birds of prey round the dead carcass. If private enterprise is the well-deserved boast of the country-if it created the Exhibition, if it builds the Britannia bridge, if it plants the electric telegraph at Paris, O do let it employ itself in this work of mercy, this labour of love! I do not think Christians are at all aware of the importance of keeping the hold which they already have on the education of the people, or of the mischief which would be done by transferring it to the hands of others. Our schools on the whole are going on well. Christian education is making progress; and by God's blessing it will continue to do so more and more rapidly. As a Christian, I am most grateful for what the government has done their plan is admirable, and it has worked admirably; but they must not stop here. Having perfected their machine, it must not be left idle: they have now by far the easiest work to do and they must set about it in earnest,

not hope to derive, with the divine blessing, from these institutions! The importance of first impressions on the mind is proverbially great: it derives from them in a great degree its characteristic features; and all its after-impressions are modified by its original direction.... We have, indeed, the testimony of the wisest of men, that, if we train up a child in the way he should go, he will not depart from it.' Yet not till the consummation of all things shall we know the full influence of carly instruction-shall we trace all its efficacy in the resistance to moral evil, and in the inclining the heart to the precepts of virtue and the doctrine of moral truth. But, in order that an infant school may really produce the good which, under God, it is calculated to impart, it must be carried on in a right spirit. An infant school should be a sacrifice to the Lord, the humble and grateful offering of Christian zeal to him who once lisped in the accents of childhood, and tottered in the weakness of infancy. An infant school should not be made a plaything.' Ingenious machinery, amusing pictures, well-combined evolutions, and half-ludicrous movements, may have a certain subordinate use, but they are not the essentials of the system; and far, far too much attention has been paid to them, to the comparative neglect of what is infinitely more important. An infant school should not be an exhibition :' its object is not attained by exciting the wonderment of visitors, or even by astonishing the parents with the progress of their children. It matters little whether they have more or less fluency in repeating a few verses, or more or less dexterity in the application of the principles of numbers. It is not from things like these that we look for the moral regeneration of a people, or the preparation of the heart for the trials and glories of futurity. No, my brethren, in the establishment and conduct of infant schools let your aims be lofty, let them be pure, let them be holy. .... If we are coveting to ourselves the glorious privilege of turning many to righte ousness,' and would weave a crown of rejoicing of these tender plants, let us inscribe on the portals of our infant schools, Holiness unto the Lord.' Let the school of infancy be as the gate of heaven, and let the scenes of early instruction be regarded as holy ground" (rev. Dr. Mayo's ser mon).

HOME AND COLONIAL SCHOOL SOCIETY.The object of this institution is to meet the ac knowledged wants of society in an improved and Christian education of the poor. It has sent out already 1,200 teachers, and adds to that number from 200 to 250 annually; having always 130 teachers in training, and schools for from 400 to 500 children in operation. It not only trains teachers for a year or more, under the government plan, but receives teachers to be trained for six months; and even, when teachers have been

previously trained at some other institution, for so short a period as three months. The system pursued by the society continues to be highly spoken of, as well by her majesty's inspectors as by those who have made trial of its teachers. Governesses trained by the society are sought for in the highest circles, and the demand for teachers at least quadruples the existing means of the committee for supplying them. Since the last annual report in May, 145 teachers have been appointed to schools, more or less trained; and there were in December last 155 students in the institution. It is well that I should add, that the preparatory, the infant, and the juvenile schools are open to the public at the usual school hours; but Wednesday in each week, at half-past two o'clock P.M., is the most desirable time for visitors to see them, as special lessons to elucidate the system are then given.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND YOUNG MEN'S SoCIETY.-This society was instituted for aiding missions at home and abroad, and has been in successful operation since 1844. Its great work, among and by means of young men, is to convey to that most important class sound and extensive information on biblical, missionary, and general topics. It has a central library and readingroom in St. Bride's passage, Fleet-street. Classes for the stated weekly study of the holy scriptures have been formed: lectures by the parochial clergy and Christian laymen have been periodically delivered, and conversational meetings held in each of thirteen several districts, comprising the metropolis. From these operations the happiest results have already been obtained; and there are at this time 800 young men enrolled members of the society in London; and of these the greater portion are actively engaged in efforts of Christian usefulness, under the superintendence of the clergy of their several localities. An experience of nearly eight years having established the religious and social benefits accruing from the undertaking, the committee project the opening of more commodious rooms, together with a great extension of the library, and the institution of weekly lectures on religious, missionary, historical, and scientific subjects, as soon as the pious benevolence of churchmen shall render these desirable objects capable of attainment. The rooms of the society are at present at No. 10, St. Bride'spassage, Fleet-street.

JEWISH SOLDIERS.-The Jews in the native army in India are very good men; and there is a sprinkling of them throughout the army. "I believe," says a writer in the "Bombay Times," "the 19th regiment has from 70 to 80, more than any other corps in the service; the 4th, 21st and 24th regiments have from 20 to 35 each; but the remaining corps in the service have but a few, varying from 3 or 4 to 15 at the utmost. Almost every Jew in the ranks of the Bombay army has been either born or brought up from infancy in their respective regiments. This I can say, from personal experience: I always found the Jews among the most cleanly, well-behaved, and, I may say, by far the most intelligent of our native soldiers. And, with the exception of being addicted to drink, and when this was carried to excess to quarrels among themselves, it was very seldom that a Jew was ever brought up for any

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offence to the orderly-room. They never intermarry with the Hindoos or Mohammedans, and live by themselves.

IRELAND.-The Floating Temple.-The rev. W. Fitzpatrick, one of the Irish Society's missionaries at Doon, in a recent letter to the society, says: "My brother, who sailed from Portsmouth Society) to the Punjaub last June, wrote to me as a missionary (under the Church Missionary immediately after his arrival at Madras on Sept. 28, stating that during the voyage he had been permitted to celebrate divine service morning and evening every Sunday (twelve Sundays altogether), and to administer the Lord's supper three sion, amounting to nearly £7, was, by previous artimes; and that the offertory upon the last occarangement and notification, consecrated to the Lord's work in the parish of Doon. In such a temple princes-in such a place, upon the rolling waters -a ship belonging to one of England's merchantof the Indian ocean, far from home, and still at a distance from the wished-for port, twenty-one of God's children, as we should believe them to be, remember the dying love of Jesus, and, not forgetful of the duties flowing from the communion of the saints, offer at that solemn hour a tribute of their Christian sympathy with God's persecuted people in Ireland, and, with their prayers at the table of the Lord, devote this portion of their substance to our dear convert children in DoonIndia and Ireland are both one in Christ!"

MAYNOOTH COLLEGE.-We have been assured that Rome is no longer what she was formerly; or, in other words, that where she was a wolf as our Edward the Sixth, of blessed memory, styled her-she has put on the nature of a lamb, for meekness, gentleness, and tenderness. And all of us have heard her prelates and advocates vaunt of her as the champion of civil and religious liberty. But we must go to Maynooth, if we desire her to speak for herself, and bear witness to her own character. This she exhibits fully enough in the lesson she there sets her youthful votaries with regard to excommunication." Under this head they possess one special standard, the third canon of the fourth Lateran council; which, after providing for the punishment of the clergy condemned by the church, enacts that "impenitent heretics are to be punished by burning with fire; but 'penitent' are to be slain with the sword." In respect of the impenitent, it is further ordered that, when they "be burned with this fire, in this case their mouth and tongues should be bound up, lest they give scandal to the weak by their blasphemies." And this fire and sword onslaught upon all, who, for the love of God's saving truth, dare to rebel against the prince-bishop of Rome, they justify upon the authority of Jerome; for has he not said, "It is not cruelty but piety to punish crimes for God." Truly, here we have him, who, "as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God"-elevating the crime of nonsubmission to his human authority to the rank of piety and virtue. And it cannot be too often repeated, or too-continually remembered, that every baptized person, whosoever he may be, protestant or Romanist, is held by him to be a subject of his church and obnoxious to his sanguinary laws.

I have already adverted to the direct effect of the teachings of Maynooth upon the loyalty of subjects-the loyalty of those lieges of her majesty, whom the national purse is educating to sedition, disloyalty, and treason. Let the reader judge for himself, whether I am justified in the use of this strong language. If we turn once more to Reiffenstuel, whose manual is in the hands of every pupil in the college, we find him teaching them that "the pope, on account of this crime (lapsing into heresy), can for the sake of religion absolve the laity from an oath of fidelity, and from any other objection, though confirmed by an oath, which they held before to the delinquent." Is it any other religion than that of the bishop of Rome to which allusion is here made? Our text-book shall answer this question. For Reiffenstuel thus gives it: "It is concluded that vassals and slaves are ipso facto freed from their service and fidelity towards an heretical lord, as likewise male and female servants from obedience to the same." And Reiffenstuel has accurately stated the matter as between the heretical sovereign and the pope's power with reference to the allegiance of his or her subjects; for Aquinas had long before affirmed that power, quoting bishop Gregory VII. as his authority, and citing the bishop's very words: "We, holding the statutes of our sacred predecessors, absolve by the apostolical authority those who are bound to excommunicated persons by fealty or the sacrament of an oath. We absolve them from the sacrament of their oath, and prohibit them to observe faith towards them, by all means, till they (the excommunicated) make satisfaction." "Therefore must not obey apostate princes." Again, he atfirms, "As soon as any one is denounced as excommunicated " (which sentence the bishop of Rome passes upon queen Victoria once a-year), "his subjects ipso facto are absolved from their allegiance, and from the oath of allegiance by which they are bound to him." And to the testimony of this master of teachers at Maynooth, we must yet add that of one of no inferior weight: If," says Bellarmine, "a prince, from being a Christian" (say a papist) "becomes a heretic, the pastor of the church can shut him out by excommunication, and at the same time order the people not to follow him, and so deprive him of dominion over his subjects." Such are the lessons which the Maynooth students are sent forth to inculcate throughout the length and breadth of the sister-island. O! it is our sin, almost as much as that of its deceived people, that their country is a hot-bed of confusion, discord, strife, enmity, and disaffection to "the powers that be".

,we

EDINBURGH RAGGED-SCHOOLS."I will just tell you," said the rev. Dr. Guthrie, at the annual meeting in behalf of these schools-"I will just tell you, in one word, what we do with a child when we pick him up and bring him to our school. He is employed for four hours in acquiring moral, religious, and secular education; four hours of the day are devoted to play, amusement, food, &c.; the other four are given to thr industrial portion of the work. There are ten boys employed in the tailor's shop, five in the shoemaker's, four in the carpenter's, twenty-eight in the boxmaker's, twenty-four in the brace

....

maker's, and forty-three of the younger boys are employed in hair-dressing, net-making, and other simple work. I am glad to say that our industrial department is so well conducted that, after paying the wages of those who teach the boys these different kinds of work, and paying for the material and all other expenses, we not only educate these children to industrious habits, but we actually make money out of it; for it appears by the accounts that the profit, after paying all expenses in the industrial department, is about £40 a-year. We have at this moment about 300 children on our school-book. .. We have sent forth 216 children, who have gone out to employment. Of these 216 saved and renewed creatures, as large a number of them have done well as the children belonging to any other class would have done." Dr. G. afterwards stated that the average cost of a criminal to the country was £300. And he calculated, therefore, that, if only 150 of these ragged scholars had been left to grow up into criminals, their whole expense to the country would have been £45,000; whereas the schools had sent them into the world, as wellconducted and industrious members of society, at an expense of about £4,000; thus effecting a saving to the community of £40,000-to say nothing of souls saved, and misery and crine prevented! The question is often asked, What are we to do with our convicts? My answer is, support ragged-schools, and you will not long be troubled with them."

THE THORNY GROUND.

H. S.

BY MRS. H. W. RICHTER. WELL indeed are the earth-bound cares and evil passions and inordinate desires and grasping eager ness after the poor wealth of this world, and the thousand "other things" which comprehend so much, designated "thorns," which prevent and choke the seed of eternal life. Effectually do they destroy the celestial germ from springing and taking root in the human heart. While at the same time they are briars and thorns in the weary traveller's way through time's wilderness, ever leading him away to dreary paths of disquietude. For the God of the beautiful, the tender, and the true, has decreed that no real peace shall be there, no joy for the weary spirit, ever conscious of a sad unrest, an absence, in the hollowness of human things, of that "which nothing earthly gives, or can destroy." The mere seekers for gold in the dark and busy regions of worldly toil find, alas! that all must end in dust, disappointment, and most vain anxiety. For "where is that sanctuary which sorrow will not invade"? where the dwelling, the scene, however glittering in life's sunny ray, which the waves of time and change will not reach?

But "life," says Johnson, "must be always in progression:" we must always resolve to do more and better than in times past-more, in the reaching forth of the mind's energies after the permanent, the invisible, and the eternal; better, in measuring our advance on the path that leadeth beyond this "frail and feverish being." In the early days of Christianity, while yet the "glad

tidings" were new to the ear and to the newlyawakened hope, when emerging from the dreary hopelessness of paganism, the awful splendours of futurity beamed on the world, man grasped the golden link suspended from on high, to save him from sinking in the deep dark waters of doubt, annihilation, and despair. So great a contrast was the radiant light, so amazing the gift, the glad and wondering hearers scarcely believed themselves in possession of so precious a good. Anxious to secure it, they came out from among the evil things, which they knew by long experience impeded and darkened their better nature. Many left the world; at first for the hermit's lonely cell, amid the leafy aisles of some "dim old sounding wilderness," and afterwards for the "populous solitudes" of monasteries. They left the world; but with it the duties of life, the "wayside flowers," which are ordained to do "the free-born gatherer good"

"And cure the ills we rue."

And they left the cares, which by diligence, and self-denying patience, and hopeful waiting for the end, would have brought forth fruit unto life. As yet they knew not how to use these things "without abusing them.'' Alas! their self-imposed penances yielded not the peaceable fruit of conscious advance in the spiritual life, the calm selfapproval which time zealously spent for the good of others never fails to bring. They, in too many cases, pined through life's lingering day in selfimmolation, in self-inflicted misery, the death of energy and hope. As a modern writer has most ably pictured:

"To wrap a shroud around the heart still warm;
To see the sun reanimate all things
Except the dead and thee !

To pace the pillared cloister

From shaft to shaft, a moving shadow there,
Blotting the light a moment, silently-
The life wound up, and nothing left to do.
Time in those haunts moves on,

But nothing moves with time."

We live in clearer light: the very summer day of divine truth has burst upon us in its celestial glory. And yet, O yet, the "thorns" along our devious path so thickly scattered too often "choke the good seed" in our wayward hearts. Thank God, we can still retire to the heart's hermit cell, retire from the wrangling scene where all is of "the earth, earthy ;" not to dismal caves, but to the quiet sanctuary of chastened thought, leading ever upwards to the starry courts of heaven. There prayer, in humble and relying love, rises far, far above the clouds and mists of earth; and heavenly hope is there, for ever pointing onwards to the Fount of all good; and faith, with her beaming brow, gathering to her trusting heart the promise and the joy: charity visits that pure sanctuary, "believing all things," forgiving all, soothing all; and praise is ever there, giving fleet wings to the drooping spirit; and humility in contrite sorrow; while the angel peace hovers over all, softly telling of a home, a state, where no more temptations can arise, where the sorely wounded heart will be healed, the canker of care and the withering of earthly hope be forgotten, and the soul will find rest. Where now are the "thorns"? the seed of eternal life hath brought "forth a hundred fold." For, through the mercy

of our divine Disposer, all "seeming evil" will bring good when rightly used, and the faithful and the true will enter into the joy of their Lord and Saviour.

The Cabinet.

THE CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST Loss.-Thus doth

the soul of the very Christian wait upon the Lord in all troubles and adversities, and patiently doth bear the punishments of sin; and not only bear patiently the pain, but also considereth what is the greatest loss that may happen unto him by reason of troubles; not the loss of worldly riches, lands, and promotions, nor the loss of health of body by sickness, neither the loss of the body itself by death, ne yet the loss of the soul into eternal pains. But the greatest loss that he weigheth is the loss of the good will of him that made hin, and of great mercy redeemed him, and with much kindness always nourished him.-Bishop Hooper.

Poetry.

LUTHER AT WORMS*.

O 'TWAS a scene, heroically great And unsurpassed; save when the fettered Paul Lifted his eyes of light, and brow of truth Before Agrippa, till that prince of lust, Under the sway of his resistless words And bold harangue, did tremble like a tree Shook by the night blast. From the hills of Rome The Vatican in vain its thunders rolled; And thy huge palace, dark-wall'd Pleissenburg, Witnessed the brave defender, when he fell'd Those Anakims of intellectual might,

The proud Goliaths of theology.

But lo! at length, the very man of sin,

That crown'd blasphemer who travesties Christ,
Himself upon his throne of lies shall start
And shiver. "Pile for pile shall kindle now,
Bull, law, and canons, and Clementines, all
Shall in one sacrifice of flame expire!"
So spake the monk undaunted; and the blaze
Redden'd, and rose beside yon eastern gate
Of Wittemberg, above that papal mass
of fictions mould'ring, and impostures vile;
While with a shout, which should for ever ring
The heart of Europe with responsive tones,
Applauding thousands hail'd a deed sublime
Which kindled that protesting flame of truth,
Whose faint reflection scorches popedom now.

But, there he stands-in superhuman calm
Concentr'd and sublime. Around him pomp
And blaze imperial: haughty eyes, and tongues
Whose tones are tyranny, in vain attempt
The heaven-born quiet of his soul to move.
Crown'd with the grace of everlasting truth,
A more than monarch among kings he stood;
And, while without an ever-deep'ning mass
Of murm'ring thousands on the windows watch'd
The torchlight gleaming through the crimson'd glass
Of that throng'd hall, where truth on trial was,
Or evening mantle or a grander scene.
Seldom on earth did ever sun go down,

bert Montgomery, M.A. London: Blackwood. 1852. We have already called our readers' attention to the new edition, appearing very seasonably, of Mr. Montgomery's noble poem "Luther." We enrich our pages with another extract.-ED.

* From "Luther, or Rome and the Reformation;" by Ro