all suitable means, to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

How is the word of God regarded and treated? Do you search the Scriptures daily; and are they the man of your counsel, and guide of your conduct? Are the truths of the Bible precious to you; sweeter than honey or a honeycomb?

How is it in regard to the duty of religious meditation? Do you know what it is to maintain from day to day a spiritual walk with God? When engaged in your worldly employments, do your hearts often spontaneously rise to God in devout ejaculations? Or are your thoughts and affections engrossed with the cares and business of the world?

Where is your intercourse with your Christian brethren? Do you speak often to one another, and endeavour to stir up one another's minds by way of remembrance? Is your intercourse such as is suited to promote each other's growth in grace, and spiritual consolation? Do you cultivate brotherly love, and endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace?

What is your intercourse with the world around you? Is it such as to recommend the religion which you profess? Is it such as is suited to disturb the consciences of wicked men, and to produce in their minds the conviction that there is a power and an excellency in the religion of the Gospel, to which they are strangers? Or is it such as prompts the inquiry, "What do ye more than others?" Is your conversation such as becometh the Gospel? Do you conscientiously abstain from all trifling conversation, and from all vain and foolish jesting? And are you careful not to say or do anything which is suited to harden the hearts of sinners, and prove the means of ruining souls? Oh, brethren, the eyes of the world are upon you, they are watching for your halting. They eat up your sins as they eat bread. It is the food which nourishes their unbelief, and security in sin. Beware that you be not stumblingblocks over which they will stumble into hell.

In what manner do you spend the holy sabbath? Are you careful to abstain, not only from all secular employments and vain recreations, but from the reading of books and papers which are not religious, and from all worldly conversation? Do you call the Sabbath a delight, and do you spend its saered hours in such holy employments as are suited to aid your progress in the Christian life?

THE WEEKLY PRAYER-MEETINGS.

And how is it in regard to the weekly prayer-meeting, and other meetings for social worship? Is it your fixed purpose to be always there, unless you are providentially hindered? Do you esteem it a privilege to meet with your brethren for supplication and united prayer; and thus to strengthen each other's hands, and encourage each other's hearts?

Are you duly sensible of your dependence? Have you seen an end of all human exertions; and are thoroughly convinced that "except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it"? And are your hearts fixed, trusting in God? Do the interests of Zion lie with great weight on your minds? And is it the resolution of each one of you, "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace; and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth"?

Brethren, is it so? Or do you find yourselves sunk into a state of melancholy stupidity? Is the spirit of prayer, in a great measure, gone? Has a spirit of slumber come over you? Have you left your first love? Oh, then, consider from whence you have fallen, and repent, and do your first works. The time was, dear brethren, if you are the disciples of Christ, when your hearts glowed with love-when Christ was precious-when prayer was a privilege when the Sabbath was a delight-when the Bible was a choice

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companion-and when you could individually say, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." And "where is the blessedness ye spoke of ?" Whither have your comforts fled? Where is that warmth of religious affection which once glowed in your bosoms-that heavenly temper, that spiritual frame of mind, that sweet communion with God, and fellowship of saints, which constituted an antepast of heaven-that ardent desire for the salvation of souls-those midnight wrestlings with God-that lively faith which brought God and heaven and all the realities of eternity nigh-whither have all these things fled? And why has your love grown cold, and your zeal abated? Is not God as worthy of love now as ever? Is not Christ as precious as when you first beheld his glory? Are not the great things of eternity as important now as they ever were? Is not the soul as valuable? Are not death and judgment as certain? And is it not as true now, as it ever was, that all unconverted men must perish eternally? Why, then, have these things, in which you took so deep an interest, ceased to excite any lively emotions in your hearts? Why do hosannas languish on your tongues? Why is the spirit of devotion gone? Why can you look with cold indifference on a world lying in wickedness, and see sinners dropping around you into perdition, with so little concern? Oh, brethren, does not sin lie at your door? Has not Christ somewhat against you? Is it not high time to awake out of sleep?

You remember the days of the right hand of the Most High. You remember the time when the Spirit descended on many of our churches, like rain upon the mown grass-when there was joy on earth and joy in heaven over many sinners that were seen repenting. But how is it now? Alas, how melancholy the contrast! The Holy Spirit is withdrawn. The means of grace have, in a great measure, lost their efficacy. The Gospel preached from week to week, makes no lasting impression. Sinners are hardened in sin, and are ripening for a fearful doom. And is this state of things to continue? Have we entered on such a fearful night as that in which the church was shrouded during the last half of the eighteenth century?

ALARMING DECLENSION.

If this declension is to continue for a course of years, what is to become of the churches? One individual after another is dropping into the grave. Others are removing into distant parts of our country. And who are to give testimony for Christ here in years to come? Who are to occupy your places when you shall be sleeping in the dust?

If this declension is to continue, what is to become of our unconverted children, and friends, and neighbours? Are they to be given over to a reprobate mind? Are they to live only to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God!

In view of these considerations, brethren, can we slumber and sleep? If Jacob were here, how would he pray? If Moses were here, how would he pray? If Daniel were here, how would he pray? And are there none in our churches, who have power with God? Are there not many who will enter into their secret chambers, and rend their hearts, and not their garments, and offer up the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous, which availeth much? God has not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. There is forgiveness with him. "Return unto me," says he, "ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. I will accept you graciously, and love you freely." And shall we not return? Can we desire to live "at this poor dying rate"? Can we desire to feed on husks, and dwell with the swine, when in our Father's house there is bread enough, and to spare? Come, then, let us return unto the Lord, with broken and contrite hearts; and who can tell but he will turn again our captivity? Who can te but we may be permitted to

sing again, "Lo! this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him; we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation."

N. Y. E.

FEMALE EDUCATION IN CHINA.

Is presenting the accompanying letters to the Christian public, it seems requisite to give a sketch of the circumstances attending the formation of that institution for which the prayers and the aid of Christians are thus solicited.

In the year 1824, Dr. Morrison, after eighteen years spent in China, returned on a visit to England. Still true to his sacred mission, he endeavoured, while here, to influence others to enter on that field of labour which he has rendered comparatively light. His efforts were not wholly unsuccessful. Among the auditors of one of his missionary addresses was Miss Aldersey, a lady of fortune, talent, and piety. As she listened to his vivid portraiture of the degradation of her sex in China, as she heard how often, reduced to a condition of hopeless toil, of helpless subjection, and entire ignorance, woman's heart sickened at the load of life, and her timid nature turned to the grave as the least evil, her tenderest sympathies were awakened. She knew what was in woman, and she felt an unutterable longing to bring out from these enslaved and wretched beings the intelligence and the affections which should restore them to their proper sphere, and give them the influence of wise and loving companions, and tender and judicious mothers. She consulted Dr. Morrison on the best method of accomplishing her de sires and he advised that two ladies should proceed to Malacca,-China Proper not being, at that time, accessible to foreigners,-to establish schools there, for its mixed population of Chinese, Malays, Klings, speaking Tamul, and Indo-Portuguese. Not being able to win the consent of her aged father to her undertaking this mission in person, Miss Aldersey could only aid it for a time by her fortune, though she devoted herself to the study of the Chinese language, hoping, at some future period, to be able to accomplish all her benevolent designs. In the meantime she found valuable agents, first in Miss Newell, and afterwards in Miss Wallace. It was not till 1837 that Miss Aldersey obtained the consent of her father to the accomplishment of her generous self-devotion. She selected Sourabaya, a large city at the eastern extremity of Java, numbering many Chinese among its inhabitants, as the place of her residence. There she established a school for girls, which counted, at one time, as many as forty pupils, and was blessed to the conversion of more than one soul. In March, 1840, she writes from this her first field of labour, to a friend, "I have now five interesting girls living with me, four of them Chinese-with the prospect of more. I had twenty-seven children in my school-room to-day, about half of whom were Chinese, the rest Javanese and country-born."

In 1842, in the prospect of obtaining an entrance into China Proper, Miss Aldersey left Sourabaya for Hong Kong. In December, of this

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year, she was joined by two young Javanese girls, who had fled from their parents, after enduring the most bitter persecution on account of their religious faith. The severities inflicted on them having failed to drive them back to idolatry, they were betrothed, by their parents, to Chinese husbands: and had they not found safety in flight, would have been sent to their houses to remain there till their marriage, in a slavery as complete, as degrading, and as cruel as any the world has ever witnessed. These girls have continued with Miss Aldersey, aiding her in her school as teachers, and, by their consistent conduct as Christians, giving efficacy to her lessons. From Hong Kong, under date of May, 1843, Miss Aldersey writes thus to a friend: Dr. and Mrs. Lregard Shanghae as their ultimate station, and I, Ningpo, as being better suited to my object; but we locate ourselves, for the present, at Chusan, not being allowed to proceed to the consular stations until the consuls have been appointed and established. It is my determined purpose, if possible, to reside in a Chinese family, for the sake of the advantages of every day's familiar intercourse with the people and acquisition of their language. I mention, lest you should not have heard of it, that Ate and Kit, two of my persecuted pupils, are with me, and I hope may prove useful in this land of their fathers. Ah, my beloved sister! when I think of the Lord's goodness to me in owning my worthless endeavours to promote his glory, my heart is filled with adoring gratitude, and I take fresh courage with respect to the future. There are others, two of whom I hope that they are humble followers of the Lamb, but I was obliged to leave them behind, as it is only in such peculiar circumstances as those in which Ate and Kit are involved, that I could feel justified in allowing them to leave a parent's roof. The two still in Sourabaya are Javanese. I trust the work of grace has begun, but I tremble for them when I think of the weakness of their faith and the strength of their many adversaries. Should they, however, possess faith as a grain of mustard-seed,' we know that neither earth nor hell shall ever prevail to destroy the work."

In the course of this year, 1843, Miss Aldersey reached the point at which she had aimed so long and with such untiring perseverance: she entered China, and established herself at Ningpo. The following letter, written from Macao, in 1844, describes her at this interesting field of labour ::

"Macao, November 17th, 1844.

"I saw yesterday a gentleman who left Ningpo about twelve days since. He saw Miss Aldersey, and I suppose, from his manner of mentioning her, frequently. She is living at Ningpo, and occupies the upper part of a Chinese house, boarding with the family who own the house and all the ground-floor. She has living with her two Javanese girls, Christians, who followed her from Java, and whom my informant described as well-educated, well-behaved girls, of great assistance to her. She has, also, an English girl, who assists in the school and lives with her. She has five Chinese girls as boarders, and 'a number,' he did not know how many besides, as day-scholars. She keeps a stock of medicines, which she dispenses to the natives. One morning, my informant said, he saw there about forty men and women surrounding Miss Aldersey, and receiving from her the medicines, which she accompanied with such religious instruction as she thought best. He says she enjoys very good health, and appears in excellent spirits.

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"Here Miss Aldersey still continues, with increasing prospects of usefulness before her, and but one obstacle to her progress. Her means are limited. Fortune, talents, time, she has given all she had, and now she cries, from the heathen land to which she has exiled herself, to Christians, to those who have, equally with herself, pledged their all to Christ and his cause-' Come and help me. How great is the need of this help the accompanying communications will show. The first is a letter from Miss Aldersey to a well-known, influential, and benevolent woman in this city; the others were enclosed in it, and were written, as will be perceived, by two of her pupils. In style, penmanship, and orthography, they would do credit to the pupils of any seminary. Ningpo, January 24th, 1845. "MY DEAR MADAM,-Your excellent relative, Dr. M'Cartee, may probably have mentioned my name to you, and you may have heard from him or from Miss, how many years I cherished the desire of engaging in the missionary field, and that I am, at length, privileged to do so in one of the most interesting spheres. I have had great difficulties to overcome in the suspicons and prejudices of this heathen people. On collecting a few girls to instruct, the report has been raised more than once that I was about to ship them off to England, and thus my hopes of establishing a school have, for the time, been disappointed. Through the influence of my embroiderer, however, who has entire confidence in me, and who is greatly interested in the subject of religion, many children, as you will see from the enclosed, are being gathered into my school. It would appear the more important to avail ourselves of the present opening of usefulness, as, with the prejudices which this people entertain, a married lady could not hope to succeed in establishing a boardingschool for girls. My embroiderer tells me it would be a thing of ill-report were a young girl to reside in a family where a foreign gentleman resided; indeed, she assures me, although so anxious to reside in a Christian family, she must deny herself that privilege because a young widow. were there no family in Ningpo such as mine, where all are females. With respect to the hope I entertain that this interesting woman may, at no distant period, become a real Christian, I shall ascribe it, under God, greatly to the upright and consistent conduct of my three pupils from Java, two of whom are referred to in the enclosed. What, then, my dear Madam, may we hope the influence of fifty girls to be in their several connexions, as they enter upon the duties of life, after a residence of five or six years in a Christian family for the purpose of Christian instruction? I earnestly hope you will kindly use, to the utmost, your extensive influence in promoting the interests of this important school; and hoping you may enjoy much of the divine blessing and presence in your avocations, I subscribe myself, my dear Madam,

"Yours, in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,
MARY ANN ALDERSEY."

[Written by Kit, one of the Indo-Chinese converts, who, fleeing from the persecution of their relatives in Java, joined Miss A. at Hong Kong, December, 1842.]

"Boarding School for Chinese Girls, in Ningpo, China. "Miss Aldersey, who left England for the purpose of instructing the IndoChinese females of Java, in the year 1837 (China Proper not being open at that time), has, in the good providence of God, spent the last year and half in the north of China, with a view ultimately of establishing schools in this city. The instruction of females is of rare occurrence in the middle and higher classes; but any wish to enlighten the lower classes of females, awakens suspicions which it has taken a long time at all to remove.

"Miss A., with the two young converts who followed her from Java, have now gained the confidence of their immediate neighbours, and they hope that, in the course of a short time, many girls may be induced to dwell with them;