for 30 words, and Id. for each additional word. BRAlfred Clark, B.A. (Lond.), receives RIGHTON.-EDUCATION. - Mr. about 20 Sons of Gentlemen, from seven". to fourteen years of age. Terms from 40 to 55 Guineas. Pupils are thoroughly grounded in English subjects, Latin, Greek, French, German, and Mathematics. Personal care, Christian influence, and a healthy, happy home.-Address, 84, Buckingham Road, Brighton.-Referees: Rev. W. Poole Balfern, Brighton; Rev. F. Cruse, Christ Church Vicarage, Worthing; Rev. J. B. Figgis, Brighton; Rev. W. Haslam, 19, King's Road, Brownswood Park, N. CLAPHAM -9, COMMON The Grove.-Miss Winterbottom receives a limited number of young ladies as boarders; and combines an excellent education with Christian training and attention to health. Terms moderate. Miss W. also receives boarders for the Clapham High School. Can be highly recommended by Dr. Eugene Cronin, Old Manor House, Clapham Common, S. W.; and Miss Caroline G. Cavendish, Addlestone, Surrey. 66 CATTERED SCRIBBLING SOCIETY."-Members under 30 years of age wanted for an Essay Society. HE PRINCIPALS of a Young Ladies Boarding School, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, have vacancies for pupils. Careful training. Healthy neighbourhood. The care of Indian children desired. For terms and references, address The Misses Atkin, Addiscombe House, Elloughton, Brough, E. Yorks. THEATRES, CAND HRISTIAN REGISTRY UNION, SERVANTS' HOME.Servants seeking situations can have accommodation in the Home. Good references required. Terms from 3s. 6d. weekly. Good situations always_vacant. Apply to Miss Richardson, 186, Edgware Road. EDUCATION FOR GIRLS. -The undersigned can, with much confidence, recommend a School, where thorough education is combined with happy, healthful, religious influence. Rev. C. Moore (China Inland Mission), Winchmore Hill, N. EA-SIDE BOARDING SCHOOL, Edelightfully Situated in South Vacancies for Young Ladies. Resident ARE URGENTLY ED to enable the "Lahore Additional Clergy Society" to preach the Gospel to our European and Eurasian fellow subjects in India. Many of them are placed in lonely outstations, and it is only by the monthly visits of the Chaplains of this Society that they are kept from being worse than the heathen around. Who will help? Contributions may be sent to the Rev. Hector Macduff, A.C.S. Chaplain, Sukkur, Sindh, India; or to the Rev. E. Boys, Sidcup, Kent. AND ALL ABOUT THEM. A Series of Papers on this subject will commence in the June number of The Churchman's Penny Magazine. It should be read by all who wish to know whether they should support theatres or not. (See notice in "Christian Progress" this month, page 92.) MAY BE ORDERED OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. S. W. PARTRIDGE & Co., PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.C. NEW WORK ON CHRISTIAN LIFE. PRICE ONE SHILLING, CLOTH. BY THE REV. ERNEST BOYS, M.A. MY LORD'S MONEY: or, THE CONSECRATION OF TALENTS. This volume deals in a suggestive way with the talents which may be consecrated by each one to the Service of God. The subjects treated of are as follows:-Life, Influence, Social Position, Educational Advantages, Musical Gifts, Time, Money, and the Pen in letter writing. "I have never read any book so minutely practical." "A great help to those who desire to consecrate all to Christ."-Extracts from letters. May be ordered of all Booksellers. Sent post-free for 12 stamps. LONDON: J. NISBET & Co., 21, BERNERS STREET, W. IN the present chapter, we shall indicate some sources of Recreation in which we believe the Christian can safely take part. We desire to make it clear that it is only those Recreations which are dangerous in their nature that we strongly object to; and that, putting these aside, there is plenty left to afford the most thorough and enjoyable relaxation of mind or body as the case may require. - We are the more anxious to do this, because we would remove an objection which we often hear raised against a religion which utters its protest against dangerous Recreations. If you speak against dancing, theatricals (both public and " private "*), card playing, * Very sound reasons for objecting to theatres will be given in the series of papers which will appear in "The Churchman's Penny Magazine," and we hope that our readers will not fail to procure them (see further on, page 92). Several have asked us to speak of "private theatricals." We regard their relation to theatres as that of the opening bud to the full-blown flower. They are but "nurseries " for the public performances. They create and foster tastes which, in time, will not be otherwise satisfied; and our objection to them is accordingly as strong as to the theatre itself. Parents who provide them for their children in hope of saving them from theatres, are doing a perilously foolish thing. They are actually training them for what they would have them avoid. Parents who try to persuade their children-whom they have trained by private theatricals to crave for the stage-that there is a difference between the two, are trifling with their children's common sense. and one or two other very likely sources of moral and spiritual danger, people at once begin, "Oh! if you are going to take away all our Recreation, etc., etc.," or else they pleadingly declare that "young people really must have Recreation, and what are you to do if religion takes it all away ?" It is very sad to hear people talk as if all their ideas of Recreation centred round these dangerous things. And it is to our mind one further argument of great weight against such things, that those who indulge in them at all freely, get wound up to such an unreal and excited condition of mind, that they can think of little besides as real Recreation. Everything else appears so tame; and nothing seems so to satisfy the cravings of a false and vitiated appetite, as these exciting pastimes ; that they are Recreations and nothing else. On the other hand, we shall undertake to show that there are Recreations to suit every class of life, and every degree of intellectual or social distinction, which are quite consistent with a sincere profession of Christ. Recreation, roughly speaking, may be classed under two general heads-out-door and in-door; although these may, in some cases, run the one into the other. We shall, however, for convenience, follow these general outlines, taking the former of them first. Of out-door Recreations there are really very few to which any serious objection could be taken. Out of doors, in the open air, is just the place for all indoor workers to find their relaxation. They should choose it in preference to any other, so as best to preserve their health and vigour of mind and body. The air itself does them good, conveying, by means of the circulation of blood, heat and life and renewal over the whole frame. To drive or to sit merely in the open air, has a beneficial effect, so long as a proper precaution is taken against catching a chill when it is cold; and to those incapable of bodily exertion this becomes a necessity. But bodily exercise taken in CONSECRATED RECREATION. 83 the open air is the most advantageous form of all possible Recreation. Walking longer or shorter distances, according to one's strength, or to the time at one's disposal, is within every one's reach. Then the Recreative power, as well as the pleasure of a walk, may be increased by pleasant conversation, whether about Divine things in the strictest sense, or about general matters, which, to a consecrated mind, have all their bearing on, and connection with, the works and will of God. Or in the country, and indeed in the neighbourhood of most towns, the interest and pleasure of a walk may be immensely increased by the student of nature,* who is always searching for something (either plant, flower, butterfly, insect, etc.), and who has an eye to see on all sides countless objects of interest which are not observed by others. Indeed, if there were no other sources of out-door Recreation opened to anyone but those which can be made to gather round a walk, there would be plenty to afford all the relaxation which can possibly be required. But we will turn now to other sorts of out-door Recreation. We do not think it possible for the Christian to object to any one of the usually recognised out-door games which boys and young men are accustomed to play. And we would recommend them, not only to these, but, so far as is suitable to their condition, to girls and young ladies also. If the latter were more accustomed to take part, so far as possible, in good healthy out-door games, we should hear of fewer "delicate" daughters, and chronic invalids among middle-aged ladies. "Weak spines "would be rare. Moreover, we do not hesitate to recommend the Christian to seek proficiency in such matters, not only for his own sake, by way of recreation and health, but * In a future paper we hope to speak more fully of Natural History as a boundless source of Recreation. also for the Lord's sake. Untold influence, which may be used for God, may be gained in this way over numbers, especially of young people, who would never be reached by those who shrink from all such bodily exercise, or who appear to despise it. Only, of course, we should see that influence thus gained really is used for the Lord, in the way spoken of in our chapter on that subject. (See the Article on page 90.) * We hardly think it necessary to specify particular forms of out-door games when all are good. But when we mention cricket, croquet, football (and all games of ball), riding, skating, rowing, jumping, all athletic exercises, we think that we have given a good list from which to select. As we have been specially asked to write about Lawn Tennis, we do so. Not only do we see no objection to it, but we most strongly recommend it to all who have it within their reach. For those who have little time for Recreation it is specially valuable, calling into exercise almost every muscle of the body. It affords an agreeable opportunity for meeting friends, and lies open to none of the special objections which may justly be urged against dancing. The only possible objection to out-door games is when the company into which they may lead is bad. This is an important question; and when there is danger on this score, the Christian must not expose himself to it with the idea of getting or doing good. But, of course, we presume that those who have followed us thus far in our subject, will apply to every form of Recreation the tests which we have laid down in former chapters. Next month, we hope to speak of in-door sources of Recreation. * In the March number. A few copies still remain on hand, and may be ordered from any bookseller. |