effected by the Holy Spirit, through the instrúmentality of the inspired word. The grand object, then, which I was bound to keep steadily in view, and humbly to beseech God to accomplish, was the communication to the minds of the people, of the knowledge of the oracles of Divine truth. And it was equally binding upon me earnestly to seek, in the appointed way, those blessed, enlightening, and sanctifying influences of the Spirit of all grace, without which all means employed to recover man unto his Maker must prove abortive; and, unaccompanied by a confiding reliance upon such Divine influences, every human effort to attain such an end, must be regarded as being not only vain, but in the highest degree dishonouring to God.

He alone, who created the soul at the first, can create it anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. The same Almighty Power which called into existence an archangel, is requisite to turn the apostate heart of man back again to God, and to restamp upon it the Divine image. Salvation is wholly of the LORD. He only can provide the righteousness in which the sinner can be justified and accepted; and He alone can subdue the enmity and the pride of the sinner's heart, and dispose and enable him to put the provided robe of righteousness on, unto justification of life. In dealing with convicts, it is necessary that our minds be constantly under the influence of these and similar views. We cannot too completely set aside self as nothing less than nothing-than sinful dust and

ashes; we cannot too deeply feel that it is utterly impossible for us to impart to the mind of a fellowsinner a single truly spiritual idea, either respecting himself or the Divine Saviour: and let it, at the same time, be observed, that we cannot put too much confidence in God, that He will give efficacy to His own word; nor can we too earnestly plead with Him, in humble and scriptural prayer, in behalf of those whose souls He requires us, in His strength, to seek to bring to Him who, by His blood, redeemed them to Himself. Proceeding in this manner, we are warranted to expect that the God of all mercy and grace will, through our humble and unaffected instrumentality, speak to the heart of the convict, and accomplish in him that moral renovation of his nature and principles, which is necessary to his acceptable obedience, and will

entitle him to the future confidence of his fellowmen, on whom he had, in the days of his darkness and rebellion, inflicted the wrongs which necessarily result from a life not only at variance with the spirit and the precepts, of the Gospel of Christ, but opposed to the spirit and letter of the law of the land. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth's sake" (Psalm cxv.).

H

CHAPTER VIII.

EXAMINATION OF THE SCHOOLS-AWARDING OF PRIZES.

THE names of all the pupils were, in their schoolorder, beginning with school No. I, entered into a small book, provided with four columns perpendicular to the lines on which the names were written; the schools being divided by a small space from each other, and having written over them the names of their respective teachers. These columns anticipated four special examinations of the schools during the voyage, about the period of a month being allowed to interpose between each. The first three were conducted by myself, in the presence of the general inspector of schools and of the respective schoolmasters. In the first column was stated the date of the first examination, and notes of the progress made by the pupils were entered opposite to their respective names. In like manner were the two following columns filled up.

The advantages resulting from these examinations are very obvious: they afforded so many points, or stages, to which the minds of the pupils were par

cicularly directed, their arrival at which should be marked with a special and faithful report of the diligence and success with which they might be found to have applied their minds to the great business of their education; and opportunity was furnished of giving to each his due meed of praise or reproof, and of exhorting and encouraging all to put the shoulder to the wheel with manly purpose of effort; and to encourage and assist each other, with all benevolent and courteous readiness of mind. And occasion was likewise taken to give such hints, both to teacher and pupil, as seemed to be called for, and might appear calculated to further the grand object we had in view. Sometimes it was thought fit that a pupil should be translated to some other school; and occasionally a "private teacher" was appointed to such as appeared of obtuse intellect, to assist the efforts of the schoolmasters, especially during leisure hours, when the schools were not assembled. These stated and special examinations of the schools did not of course supersede my daily visits already noticed.

At my second examination, I was under the necessity of dismissing three of the schoolmasters from their charge: two for incapacity, and perhaps wilful indolence; and one for culpable neglect of duty. With the conduct of this last teacher, I had reason to be much displeased, when in reply to my inquiries into the causes of his having so shamefully neglected his pupils, he intimated to me, that he belonged "to a communion which did not approve

of the people reading the Scriptures." Such a reason for his conduct as this, could not fail to grieve any man possessed of the smallest measure. of soundness of mind and true benevolence; and it afforded no palliation whatever of his treatment of the unfortunate men committed to his care; for all the schoolmasters, without a single exception, were chosen from a body of volunteers; and this man, having volunteered to take upon him the care of a school, and having heard my charge to teachers and pupils, and the specification of the duties which they were respectively required to perform, could not possibly take honourable refuge under the prohibition which he, for the first time to me, alleged, had been imposed upon his conscience. If such a prohibition existed, it was known to him before he gratuitously offered his services as a teacher; and had he, upon reflection, found that he had violated an injunction which he believed to be lawful, he could have tendered his resignation. But, instead of pursuing this open, honest, and manly course, he continued to keep his pupils back in their education during a considerable portion of our voyage; and neither voluntarily gave up his charge, nor confessed his reason for conniving at the perpetuation of that ignorance, the tendency of which was, to secure the destruction of his fellow-prisonersuntil I had dealt closely and solemnly with his heart, in reference to his character and conduct, and had denounced him as being totally unworthy of the trust I had, unfortunately, reposed in him.