Thanks to the liberality of many friends the Christmas Festival at the Stockwell Orphanage was a memorable time for the orphan boys. There was enough and to spare. It was a very joyful day from morning to night, and we unite in thanking God, and all the kind people who helped to make so many little hearts happy. Some little time ago our friend Mr. Bath, who often aids the Orphanage, gave us six dozen bunches of turnins, and merrily added, "I hope somebody else will send you the mutton." About an hour after Mr. Priest, of Morden, sent a whole sheep, and so the mutton and turnips were both on the spot. God bless and prosper both these donors, and many others who help our orphans. Our heavenly Father raises us up many generous helpers. One esteemed lady friend, and the young ladies of her school, have now made us, we think, in all 700 shirts for the boys. May their labour of love be richly rewarded. "Aunt Patty" is hereby informed that aunts and mothers usually visit the Orphanage on the first Wednesday of the month, but not during February, as we are afraid of epidemics being brought into the house. If she would like to know "Bob's" name, we shall be happy to write to her. Those many friends who have sent sums of money for motherless Bob are informed that there are several boys in the same condition equally deserving; and we should like the sums sent to be divided among them. Our co-trustee, who was with us when Bob made his appeal, remembered the boy's face well and picked him out at once. Although we called him Bob, his right name is William. He will be well supplied with pocket-money for some time to come at least. May he turn out to be an honour to the Institution, and grate fully repay the generous sympathy of friends. With much gratitude we record the freedom of the Orphanage from those epidemics which are raging all around at this time. May the Lord preserve us in answer to many prayers. The Infirmary is nearly finished, but we could not hope to use it for a month or two; so that the health of our large family is peculiarly important just now. The Annual Meeting of the London Baptist Association at the Tabernacle was a very happy one. It is, however, a matter of deep regret that the increase of our churches during the past year has been comparatively small. May the Lord again build up Jerusalem. We have been called to account in several papers for calling the Church of England "an apostate church." We marvel that her best friends do not sorrowfully confess that there is all too much ground for the charge. What hope is there of a people who are so blinded as not to see their faults? To say that there are some Dissenting churches which are apostate is not to better the case, but to mention another cause for sorrow. We hope to hold a series of special services, at the Tabernacle, during the end of February and beginning of March. May a great awakening among us be the result. The annual meeting for the College was well attended, and the enthusiastic feeling of the congregation was most cheering to us. May many scores of valiant men go forth from our College to bless the world with the old-fashioned gospel, which we so highly prize. W. G. asks us to say that he has received two halves of a five pound note safely. He is a poor minister, of the age of threescore-and-twelve. We have received a letter from the Baptist Brethren in Paris. The Lord sustains them. The money which we sent before the gates were closed has been of the utmost service. We are anxious to have a good sum in hand to give them as soon as the city capitulates, for they will be in great need. Recognition services in connection with the settlement of Mr. G. Hill, from the Tabernacle College, as pastor of the Baptist church, Commercial Road, Oxford, were held on December 29th, 1870. The occasion was considered a fitting opportunity to present the minister, who had been recently married, with a substantial token of their appreciation of his labours as а preacher of the gospel. RECOGNITION SERVICES AT MILTON.-Dec. 1st, 1870, recognition services were held at Milton, near Northampton, in connection with the settlement of Mr. W. Willis as pastor of the Baptist church at that place. Mr. Willis succeeds Mr. W. Marriott, who has for nearly fifty years past fulfilled the pastorate of this church. Our friend Mr Whale has removed from Sudbury to Ipswich. Mr. Harrold has become the pastor of the church at Shoreham. Mr. Knight has accepted the invitation of the church at Lowestoft, where the pulpit has become vacant through the avowal of annihilationist views by the late minister. First Fruits An Orphan A Sinner Husband and Wife Pastors' College, Metropolitan Tabernacle. Statement of Receipts from December 20th, 1870, to January 19th, 1871. 026 £ s. d. 0 10 0 Statement of Receipts from December 20th, 1870, to January 19th, 1871. Mr. W. J. Orsman, 153, Downham Road, London, N., thankfully acknowledges the following Donations for General Expenses Fund: £ s. d. £ s. d. 0 5 0 1 1 0 10 0 0 0.10 6 0.10 Mr. Keeble 0 20 0 1 0 0 The Misses Challiner 110 1 0 0 100 2 0 0 0 15 0 Christmas Presents for the Orphanage.-Basket of Apples, "H. B."; Box of Raisins and 1lb. of Almonds, The Misses Raines; Hamper of Fruit and a Football, “A."; Two Cases of Oranges, per L. N. W. Ry.; Box of ditto and a Box of Biscuits, Mr. Greenfield; Box of Figs, Mr. Mayers; Small Parcel, Mrs. Arnold; Basket of Apples. Little Boy at Totteridge; Box of Oranges. S. E. Goslin; Basket of Apples, Mr. Tewkesbury; Box of Sweets, Mr. Best; Box of Oranges, a small Cake, and some Nuts, Mr. Wigner; Box of Prunes, Mr. Harrison; Basket of Apples, Mr. Bath; Toys for Christmas Tree, Mr. Zimmerman; Two Boxes of Oranges, Mr. Brown; Two American Cheeses and some Toys, Mrs. Tyson; a Turkey, Mr Tubby; a Plum Pudding, Miss Wright. Presents for the Orphanase.-A Bag of Rice, Mr. Warmington Error last Month.-"Fifty Shirts" should have been "One Hundred," per the Misses Dransfield. Mr. For a Christmas Festival at the Orphanage.-A Friend, Sittingbourne, 108.; Dei Gratia, 58.; Eastly 3s. 6d.; Bromsgrove, 58. ; G. J. G., 208.; Trottie, Sam, and Gussie, Goldston, 158.; An Orphan, 28. 6d.; Mrs. Snow, per Rev. J. J. Irving, 68.; D. E. G., 58.; Mrs. Jeffrey and Children, 68. 4d.; An Orphan, 10s.; A Friend, per Mr. Mills, 5s. For Bob.-Miss Carter, £1; M. B., 1s.; Henry and George 4d.; A Lover of Sermons, Is.; A Friend, ed. THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL. MARCH 1, 1871. Our Sunday Schools. T is believed that since the year 1851 the number of Sundayschools, of teachers, and of scholars, has more than doubled in this country. In America, however, the Sabbath-schools are not only more numerous and more largely attended, but are regarded as of greater importance than in England. All who pay flying visits to that country-and it will soon be a sign of heterodoxy among Nonconformist ministers not to have made a Transatlantic tour-are struck with the large measure of attention given to this important branch of Christian effort. We believe our American brethren are right in holding the Sabbath-school in the highest repute, and regarding it as the pet scheme of their churches. Our English churches have been too neglectful of the children, and as a consequence, we lose many adults who might be worshippers at our half-deserted chapels. The unceasing devotion of ministers and Christians generally to the Sabbath-schools of the United States is manifested in a variety of ways. It falls to our lot to scan many American religious papers, and there is scarcely any that do not devote one of the pages of their large broad-sheets to lessons, illustrations, and counsels for teachers. The existence of this feature of their religious journalism is essential to an extensive family circulation. Moreover, the handsome, well-lighted and ventilated and furnished school-rooms are a marked contrast to the delightful dungeons in which so many thousands of English children are immured every Lord's-day. In this respect, it is to be hoped that we are improving, if we may judge from the published accounts of new |