. Gospel is preached," and to them we look for reformation. Much has been done, and much more may reasonably be expected, by the inftitution of Sunday Schools: and indeed we may always look for the bleffing of God upon every attempt to refcue the rifing generation from ignorance and fin: your repeated fupports of this charity, for which I have the honour and happiness to plead, are proofs of an approbation, to which 'nothing that I can fay may be fuppofed to add: but in recommending it from the pulpit, it becomes me to urge motives infinitely fuperior to thofe, which are temporary and political. You profefs and call yourselves Chriftians: and would to God ye were fuch," not in word and in tongue only, but also in deed and in truth!" You afk, what claim have these children upon us as christians for our fupport? and you fhall have their claim in "words which the Holy Ghost teacheth; we are orphans and fatherlefs, and our mothers are as widows." We a Lamentations, v, iii. F may may have "fathers of our flesh," but thro' their poverty or wickedness, or perhaps both, we are deprived of the chief benefits, which we ought to receive from them. We look to you for parental inftruction and care: to be fnatched, as by an angel's arm, from prostitution and ruin, and to be conducted "to a little Zoar, that our fouls may live:" and our misery is our plea for your mercy. Let the richest and the best of us go to "the throne of grace," and what better can we fay of ourselves, than that we are or phans and fatherlefs ?" and what can we fee in ourselves, that could induce God to have mercy upou us, but the compaffionate confideration, that we are "wretched and "miferable and poor and blind naked?" but when God brings us to a throne of grace, He furnishes us with a plea, which fuperfedes the neceffity of every other; unto us He hath given JESUS CHRIRT, and unto "HIM a name which is above every name. "Ask whatever ye will in my name, and it shall be given you." We are taught also to to remember, that the fame bleffed and adorable Jefus, who is our Advocate with the Father, is alfo an advocate with us "I was hungry for the poor of mankind. "and ye gave me meat, thirsty and ye gave "me drink, naked and ye " and in prison aud ye fick clothed me, Verily vifited me. verily I fay unto you, for as much as ye " have done it unto one of the least of these 66 may have done it unto me." brethren, ye my Then God bless this little feminary-God enlarge your hearts towards it-and God grant that this day's collection abound with much thanksgiving to himself, much profit to these children, and much comfort to those, who have two objects at heart, which are ever connected, the glory of God and the good of mankind.' ? Mat, xxv, 42, &6. FINI S. |