in his name, Lid the dry bones live-it will enforce the conviction, that religious teaching can come only from one whose heart God has touched, and that without that Divine influence, without deep personal piety, they cannot claim the character, nor fulfil the duties of Christian educators. The tract was originally delivered as a sermon, on behalf of the Metropolitan Training Institution. Let the managers of that institution adhere to the principles here laid down (which, from what we know of them, we feel confident this will be the case,) and they need not fear but that an ample blessing will rest on their efforts. SPIRITUAL DESTITUTION: α Sermon by the Rev. Robert Lamb, M.A., Incumbent of St. Paul's, Manchester. pp. 28. Parker, Strand; and Whitmore, Manchester. THE cause of spiritual destitution— "lack of knowledge," and its consequence-"my people are destroyed," are set forth in this Sermon with much power, and in forcible, though unadorned language. The Rev. Writer adduces painful testimony to the natural results of over-rapid increase of population in the startling amount of ignorance revealed in the last three reports of the Rev. John Clay, Chaplain to the Preston House of Correction, and in the prevalent Sabbath breaking and intemperance. At the same time he gladly acknowledges the good qualities which are yet to be found amougst the working classes, and thankfully speaks of the ascertained decrease of crime, which in Lancashire was more than 14 per cent. during the five years ending 1847. Few will doubt the justice of Mr. Lamb's assigning this encouraging change in a great degree to the Sunday school; few but will echo his appeal for increased support to such honoured institutions. The schools at St. Paul's for which this Sermon was preached are conducted on a large scale, and offer many educational advantages in the course of the week, such as writing, singing, sewing, instruction in teaching, in addition to the usual Sunday instruction. The profits arising from the sale of this Sermon will go to the support of the schools, and we hope our readers will buy it for themselves. THE JEW, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. By Marianne Parrott, pp. 67. Wertheim and Mackintosh, Paternoster Row. Our young readers will find in this little Tract much useful comment and explanation of the Scriptures relating to God's chosen people, conveyed in a very pleasing form. ON THE USE AND MEANING OF SACRIFICES, pp. 8. Prichard, Chester. A short but useful Catechism, designed to assist the student in reading the book of Leviticus, and likely to be a valuable help to the teacher when traversing the same ground. PRAYERS FOR THE PRESENT TIME OF CHOLERA, pp. 16. Wertheim and Macintosh, Paternoster Row. Very seasonable and very well drawn up. TEXTS WITH QUESTIONS, for the This little book is intended to be given to a child to take home, and supplies him with Scripture texts in a good clear type, the chapter and verse being pre fixed, that thus "the whole class may learn the same text, and be questioned upon it together." A few leading questions are attached to each text, "to guide the teacher in others of his own." These seem well arranged, and likely to be useful, though we fear in many cases the questions are scarcely full enough for the Teachers who are generally found in care of such classes. A Lecture by a NEW ZEALAND. We gladly recommend this pamphlet to our friends. It contains a brief but well drawn up and interesting account of the moral (and civil) change which has made New Zealand one of the bright spots in the world's surface. BOOKS RECEIVED. Lives of Illustrious Greeks. p.p. 412. Educational Series.-Religious Tract Society. The Working Classes. G. SIMMONS, Civil Engineer. p.p. 316.-Partridge and Oakey, Paternoster-row. The Christian Emigrant. By J. LEIFCHILD, D.D. p.p. 260.-Religious Tract Society. The Sabbath School Preacher and Juvenile Miscellany. By the Rev. ALEXAnder Fletcher, D.D. Vol. for 1848.-Arthur Hall & Co., Paternoster-row. A Brief Memoir of the Rev. Charles Simeon, M.A. By the Rev. J. WILLIAMSON, M.A. p.p. 145.-Wertheim and Macintosh, Paternoster-row. Loiterings among the Lakes. By the AUTHOR of "Wanderings in the Isle of Wight." pp. 208. Religious Tract Society. What can I do to Benefit my Country? By the Rev. C. S. BIRD, Gainsborongh. p.p. 16.— Wertheim and Macintosh, Paternoster-row. Canticles and Hymns of the Church. By the Rev. J. J. SCOTT, Barnstaple. pp. 40.-Rivington's, St. Paul's Church-yard. Letter to His Grace the Duke of Buccleugh on the Education at Putney College. By the Rev. MORGAN COWIE, Principal. pp. 12.-Dalton, Cockspur-street. Prize Essays on the Sabbath by Working Men. With prefatory remarks by the Rev. E. BICKERSTETH, A.M., Rector of Watton. pp. 211. Religious Tract Society. Jacob's Well. By the Rev. G. A. ROGERS, M.A. pp. 197. Religious Tract Society. The People of Persia-Life of Alfred the Great-The Crusades. Monthly Series.-Religious Tract Society. Child's Guide to Duty and Devotion. By a LADY. pp. 76.-Arthur Hall and Co., Paternoster-row. Missionary Stories in the South Sea Islands-Serial Magazines.-S. T. Williams, Moorgatestreet; B. L. Green, Paternoster-row. For British India; extracts from a Sermon by Rev. H. HARPER, late Archdeacon of Madras.— Deighton, Cambridge. New Zealand; a Lecture by a YOUNG MISSIONARY. pp. 32.-S. Low, Fleet-street. What is Chance? by G. W. Mylne. p.p. 48.-Wertheim and Macintosh, Paternoster-row. Notices to Correspondents, Members, &c. Communications received from Avena-G. T. S.—M. B.—R.-Lucilla.-W. R. -J. E. S.-A Teacher of St. Mary's, Islington-J. R. Neal-F. C. S. We are sorry to have been compelled to postpone inserting the last Prize Lesson till our next Number, having already exceeded our limits. G. H. W's. letter should have been inserted, had his name accompanied it. Were we to publish the Broad Sheet issued to School Masters by the Council of Education, with its long list of requirements, we think our readers would fully confirm the view taken by the writer whom G. H. W. criticises. The subject of Sick and Benefit Societies has been laid by us before the Committee of the Institute. We are authorized to state the willingness of some Members of that Committee personally to join in an attempt to set on foot such a Society, though as a body they cannot officially take the steps required. Probably a short circular addressed to the Church Sunday Schools in London, convening a private meeting, would be the best preliminary step. We shall be glad to further the views of our friends as far as we have the power. R. D's letter would lead to a discussion which we do not think would be profitable. His objection to Mant's Bible we believe to be widely and justly participated in. The two excellent societies he mentions are both rendering increasingly good service to schools by their publications, but our advice to all teachers would be to follow the plan adopted by the Committee of the Institute, and to issue no books, from whatever quarter they may come, without a full examination. Contributions for our next Number must be sent in by November 30th. PRIZE FOR SCHOLARS. We have been requested by two of our Members to offer on their behalf prizes for the three best essays by Sunday scholars. We therefore offer books to the value respectively of 10s. 6d.—7s. 6d.—and 5s., to the writers of the three best Essays on "The fulfilment of Prophecy in the Life and Character of Christ." The manuscripts must be forwarded to us, for our adjudication, by the 1st February, 1850. Each manuscript must be signed by the scholar, and a note must be added by the teacher, stating that, to the best of his belief, the Essay is the bonâ fide production of the professed writer. The competition is confined to Sunday scholars under the age of sixteen. The Essays will be the property of the gentlemen offering the prizes. The following is the list of Lectures and Meetings for the next quarter: Oct. 10.-The Best Methods of Maintaining Order in Sunday Schools. Dec. 5.-The Most Efficient Method of interesting our Sunday School Children in the Missionary Work at Home and Abroad. To commence at 8, P.M. The Lectures at St. Dunstan's School Room, the Meetings at the Institute. Also at the Institute-The Training Class, every Wednesday Evening, 7, P.M.; and The Female Teachers' Training Class, on alternate Mondays, commencing Oct. 1st, at 3, P.M. Public Affairs. CASTING our glance once more over the world, we find the moral convulsions that marked last year still continuing to subside, and Authority again resuming her accustomed sway, though with 'bated breath and lower pretensions, as conscious of a narrow escape from utter ruin, and half-afraid of a lurking danger in this apparent prosperity. And strongly indeed must the lesson of 1847 have made itself felt, in the conviction that the elements of entire disruption exist in prodigious force amongst all classes of society. It is the Christian's task to mingle the religious element with the rapidly rising tide of education, to teach men the fear of the Lord as the one purest gem of all the treasures that man's intellect can reach, or man's affections rest upon, and if that work be progressing he looks with an eye of Faith, Hope, and Patience, on the turmoil of human affairs, descrying the hand that raises the tempest or spreads the calm, both alike the means whereby Almighty wisdom and power work out their ends. A few words will embrace the chief political events that have occurred in Europe during the last quarter. HUNGARY. Hungary has, as we expected, yielded to the Russian interposition, and Austria regains her rebellious subject, not (we trust) to be again alienated by bad faith, or misled by selfseeking, ambitious demagogues. RUSSIA has withdrawn her armies with a promptitude which falsifies the predictions of the alarmists, and it is to be earnestly hoped that the Emperor of Austria will pursue a liberal conciliatory policy towards all the various Nations that compose his empire. ROME. The French entered Rome by capitulation (though after much bloodshed) soon after the publication of our last Number; but their difficulties have only increased, they can neither withdraw with honour, nor remain to any good purpose. The Pope, for whom professedly they interfered, appears heartily weary of his self-constituted champions, and ready to throw himself into the arms of any other power able to defend him, whilst this quondam popular idol is struggling tenaciously for a full restoration of his ancient authority, temporal as well as spiritual, and evidently purposing to exercise it with a strong arm. He has not yet returned to Rome, and matters even now do not promise a peaceful entry for him were he to attempt it. FRANCE. A large meeting has recently been held in Paris to forward the views of those who style themselves, with more arrogance than good taste, the Friends of Peace. We see with sorrow a noble cause spoiled by the extravagancies and absurd crotchets of its professed champions. Of the evils of war there can be but one opinion, but we have yet to learn that defensive war is forbidden us, or that the vaunted plan of international arbitration could be carried out, without a large standing army to enforce its decisions. Were men all actuated by the fear of God and the love of their neighbour, we might disband our armies and discharge our police; but while crime continues, the law that punishes it must be supported by physical as well as moral force, and when murderers, thieves, and forgers voluntarily surrender to the law, and voluntarily submit to its penalties, then and not till then may offending nations be left to the same internal Tribunal and Judge-conscience. HOME AFFAIRS present, with one exception-the Cholera, little to attract attention. That dreaded visitant has filled all hearts with awe, and carried mourning into thousands of families. Here again the Christian recognizes the chastening of a Father, or the judgments of the Great King. "Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it ?" Amos iii. 6. It is cause of great concern that our authorities have not proclaimed a day for National Humiliation under this plague and pestilence, nor can we imagine a reason for this neglect which could satisfy any but those who reject the truth of God's superintending Providence. In the mean time however, the matter bas been taken up by several Bishops as well as individual Clergymen; and as far as personal experience goes, we rejoice to record that the day was marked by a solemnity and feeling far surpassing what could have been anticipated. The Churches and Chapels were crowded with attentive worshippers, and it can be added, without fear of contradiction, that the prayers then offered, appear to have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, the decrease in the mortality being marked and immediate. May it prove to many the day of refuge from the more fatal pestilence of ungodliness, the day for returning to "the Lord our God, from whom we have fallen by our iniquity." Adams & King, Printers, 30, Goswell-street, London. THE Church of England SUNDAY SCHOOL QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. DECEMBER, 1849. The Teacher in his Closet. UNFINISHED! While lately passing a stone-mason's yard, my attention was attracted by a striking variation from the usual form of those monuments, with which the upper ranks of society are wont to gratify their affection for a lost friend. A well-shaped marble column sprang upwards from a finished pedestal, but the shaft terminated abruptly at half its usual height, bearing the evident marks of incompleteness. It is thus that men sometimes record, over the tombs of the departed, the sad tale of strength, ability, and energy, arrested when in full pursuit of noble ends and objects, by the dread hand that opens "the narrow house" for all living. It is thus they record their conviction that he whom they miss from their circle was one endued with the power and the will to raise and benefit his fellow men and leave a name " behind him. What a crowd of sad reflections comes thronging through the mind of a stranger, as he pauses at such a monument! It may be that he, whose sun has thus gone down whilst it was yet day, was a man of science, full of ardour to unfold still further the great secrets of nature-the paths which even yet "no vulture's eye hath seen, nor the fierce lion passed by it;" and thus to add another echo to the cry, How wonderful are Thy works, in wisdom hast Thou made them all!" Y |