408 Report of Sabbath Schools hope profitably, in this place, according to the appointment of yesterday. Friday, 2, and Sat. 3.--Went on our way to Chickamaugah, did not quite reach the Mission House, but brother Kingsbury metus, spent the night with us, and conducted us in on Sabbath morning. I must leave you to judge of our feelings on meeting our dear brethren here, to find them all well, and join with them and their Cherokee congregation in the public worship of God. Our hearts are united, our spirits refreshed, and we trust in God that in all our labours he will cause us to be of one heart and one mind. Brother Butrick sends his Christian salutations. Accept, dear Sir, my sincere respects, &c. ARD HOYT. FREDERICKSBURGH SUNDAY SCHOOL. On Sabbath morning, Jan. 2, about 200 children and adults belonging to different Sabbath Schools in Fredericksburg, Va. and its vicinity, assembled in the Presbyterian Church, where an appropriate Sermon was delivered by the Rev. Samuel B. Wilson, the following Report read, and a collection taken up for the benefit of needy children. The congregation was large, and the whole scene highly interesting. Dec. 25, 1817.-Fredericksburgh, Va. The Committee appointed to superintend the Sabbath School under the care of the Presbyterian Church in this place, submit to its friends and patrons the following Report: Our Sabbath School commenced in June, 1816. Previous to this time, the mode of catechising commonly pursued in the Presbyterian Church had been attempted, but under very discouraging circumstances. and with but little effect. Hearing of the good consequences resulting from Sunday Schools, both in Europe and America, we determined to make the attempt in Fredericksburg, and our success has exceeded our most sanguine expectations. Our School is divided into two departments. The first includes children and adults learning to spell and read. The second includes children and youth learning Brown's, Watts,' and the Assembly's Catechisms; together with select portions of Scripture, Psalms, Hymns, &c. The instruction of our pupils is undertaken and conducted by a number of teachers of both sexes, who discharge their duty with a degree of fidelity, disinterestedness, and zeal, that entitle them to the gratitude of the church, and of society in general. In the first department of our school, a considerable number of our pupils who could not read at all, and some of whom were ig norant of letters, when taken under our care, can now read the Bible with facility. Many others are in a progressive state of improvement, which excites hope that they will soon be able to read for themselves, and their parents, that book which makes the simple wise, and guides the wanderer to eternal rest. In the manners and whole deportment of many of our poor children, we have been highly gratified by an improvement which in Fredericksburgh, Virginia. 409 does equal credit to themselves, the institution, and the teachers who superintend their conduct. In the second department of our school, we hope our labour will not be in vain. A number of the children have recited, with accuracy, Watts' first and second Catechisms; his Historical Catechisms of the Old and New Testament; his Preservative against the sins and follies of youth; and the Assembly's Catechism with Scripture proofs. These recitations have been accompanied, almost every Sabbath, with a Psalm or Hymn, and a select portion of Scripture. A few of the most advanced in this department, have been formed into a Bible class, and have progressed regularly through the Gospel by St. Matthew. Besides the improvement of our pupils in religious knowledge, (which was our chief design) we have found many other good effects resulting from this institution, The rich, the intelligent, and benevolent, are made acquainted with the character and wants of the poor; and, in many instances, a concern for their welfare has been excited which was never felt before. The wants of our poor children gave rise to the Dorcas Society, which has proved so useful in furnishing clothing to the destitute among us. We have often witnessed with pleasure the exertions of our teachers to procure eligible situations for deserving and needy children; and the comfortable situations in which not a few of our pupils are now placed, may be ascribed to our Sunday School. The change which has been observed by many of our citizens to have taken place in our streets on the Lord's day, is also another of the good fruits of Sabbath Schools. Instead of associating with the worst and most corrupting society, our poor children are now in the house of God, learning to read his word, and to reverence his name. There is something in the very appearance and employment of a Sabbath School, that commends itself to a benevolent and pious heart. Several strangers who have visited our school have gone away with a fixed determination to engage in the same good work; and one young lady, more than 100 miles to the west of this has actually opened a Sabbath School in the village where she resides. In the portion of our Church which lies in Falmouth, a Sunday School has been in operation about twelve months. It is conducted with great spirit, and promises to be very useful. The benevolent exertions of the members in that detached section of our Church, in training up youth around them in the way in which they should go, has given additional strength to that bond of Christian affection which binds us together. We are highly gratified in reporting the exertions of a few young gentlemen who have lately opened an evening Sabbath School in a very destitute place, adjacent to this town. Their prospects of usefulness to thirty or forty poor children already collected together, must afford to themselves, and all the friends of humanity, the purest pleasure. Our Baptist brethren instituted a Sunday School on the third 410 Reformation among the Females in Newgate. Sabbath of October, which is now in successful operation, and promises to extend its benefits to a very destitute, but numerous and important portion of society. We wish them 'God speed' in their labour of love, and pray the King of Zion to give them many souls for their reward. We are rejoiced to report that in the prosecution of this recent but noble work, for the spread of knowledge and divine truth among the destitute poor, the greatest harmony, in general, prevails. Sectarian bigotry and prejudice are yielding to the benign and cheering influence of Christian benevolence. The pulse of divine love that animates every Christian, beats high in sympathetic concord with every kindred spirit that prays and labours for the extension of salvation to a ruined world. We hail, as an omen for good, the union which has taken place between the Sabbath Schools in the Baptist and Presbyterian churches. While each school is to be conducted independently, their superintendants and teachers esteem it their duty to declare, that it is their fixed purpose, unitedly and harmoniously to prosecute their great object: To enlighten the ignorant, and extend the kingdom of their common Lord. The number of pupils now attached to our Sunday Schools, will appear by the following list: Under the care of the Presbyterian Church in Falmouth, Stafford, 110 25 36 171 65 Total 236 REFORMATION IN NEWGATE. FOR THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. Extract of a letter from a respectable friend in London to his correspondent in this city, relative to the female department in the prison of New Gate. It may afford thee satisfaction to learn, that a Committee of women friends have had permission to try their strength in the endeavour to bring about some reformation in their own sex in that prison. It is now somewhat more than three months since they commenced their operations; and it is admirable to see the astonishing improvement which has in this short period taken place. Some months previous, myself with some others visited New Gate, and we were at that time shocked to observe the extreme depravity, licentiousness, and wickedness of the females. Drunkenness and blasphemy was continual, accompanied by quarrelling and fighting, and other vices consequent on the degradation they were then plunged into. The scene is now different.-About a month, or five weeks since, I again went there, ac Remarkable attention to religion in a child. 411 companied by Lord Nugent, one of our honorary members of the Society for the diffusion of knowledge on the criminal laws, &c., where we beheld a very different scene. There was no swearing, no drunkenness, no lewd conversation, no quarrelling or fighting; there was a strict attention to various employments given them, the earnings for which were reserved for them when they left the prison. It was commenced by Elizabeth (Joseph) Fry, and is continued by ten female friends, and two women, wives of clergymen, some of whom daily superintend the management. Among other work that has been done by the prisoners, they, to the end of three months, made more than 4000 shirts, besides knitting many pairs of stockings. And the week before last the person employing them having occasion to make up a large shipping order, had 100 shirts made for him by these females in one day. This I look upon as the commencement of a new era in prison discipline; and I earnestly hope in a short time some effort may be made towards reformation among the men; which, if carried rightly into effect, will evidently show that there will be no necessity for taking away the life of human beings so long as they may be thus made extensively useful to society, and, it may be hoped, reformed themselves. DEAR SIR, JUVENILE DEPARTMENT. To the Editor of the Christian Herald. At E. N. H. New Jersey, the following remarkable traits appeared in a child of Mr A-L-, whose age was about two years and eight months. It was seized with a disorder in its throat, which occasioned its death. It had always been a fine child. During the progress of the fatal disease it was never heard to complain. It sometimes desired to have the word of God read to it by its mother, listened with earnest attention, and manifested considerable satisfaction when the reading was finished. Two or three days before its death, while it could walk about, somewhat late in the afternoon, it said, Come, let us give thanks; and kneeled down by its chair. Its grandfather replied, It is not yet time for evening worship; by and by we will read the word and go to prayer. The child was very sorry, moaned and wept, and looking up to them, said again, Come, let us give thanks. Its grandmother observed, This is somewhat more than common, we must comply. Accordingly they all kneeled down with the child, its grandfather offering up prayers and thanksgivings to God. When they arose the child was joyful, like one that had received spiritual edification, like one that had been with Jesus. In a few days it died, (Feb. 1817.) The following verses are inscribed on its head-stone. This tender plant just rais'd its head, 412 Revival in Dartmouth.-Poetry. For buds of grace were seen in thee; FOR THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. C. T. D. Extract of a letter from New-Bedford, (Massachusetts,) to a gentleman in this city dated 28th February, 1818. As it respects religion in this place, we are rather in a low state. But we have great reason to bless God that he is pouring out his Spirit in a most wonderful manner in the town of Dartmouth, four miles from this place. All business of a worldly nature has for several days been suspended, and sinners are flocking from every direction to the house of God, inquiring what they shall do to be saved. The subjects of this work, in most instances, are those who have been most violently opposed to every thing that is serious. From twenty to thirty, within a few days, have been hopefully converted; and many more are bowed down under a sense of their sins. FOR THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. Written on the decease of the Rev. William Boardman, late Pastor Which mark the guilty scenes of life, The special service which he chose In prime of life Death's message came. Meek BOARDMAN! may my soul, like thine, Seen shining through thy people's tears. New-York, 9th March, 1818. D. B |