premium of 20s. By way of consolation, there is presented to each unsuccessful spinner, half-a-crown, and to every disappointed knitter eighteen-pence. The Treasurer, at this meeting, pays to the Inspectors their demands for the several classes, to be distributed by them to the Trustees; whose office it is to see that proper articles of clothing are taken for the amount of the children's prizes. By the direction of the Chairman, some draper orders, yearly, a sufficient quantity of gingham at about 14d. per yard, and stuff at about 1s. for all the children, whose prizes will admit of it, to have a gown and petticoat. A certain number of pieces are distributed by him among the other drapers in the chief towns, to whom the children are directed to apply, and from whom they receive the residue of their prizes in any other useful articles they choose to také, subject only to the approbation of the Trustee, who pays the bill..

Such is the original constitution of our society; upon which has latterly been grafted an encourage ment for sewing. The Fund for premiums on this account arises almost solely from subscriptions of 3s. each, assisted by a few donations, amounting alto. gether to the sum of about 281. The premiums we give are 10s. to the maker of the best man's shirt;— 7s. 6d. to the second best, and ten premiums of 5s. each, to girls above the age of nine, and under that of fourteen, in each of the five classes. The plan adopted in this part of the institution is essentially different from that of the other, for in this they work on the materials of the society and in that upon their own. In order therefore to a proper limitation of the candidates, they are required to shew specimens of their ability before a shirt is given them to make. For which purpose the inspector sends a person in the week before the two months spinning commences, to the different parishes, (collecting the children of two or three contiguous ones to work together) provided with small pieces of such cloth as the shirts are afterwards to be made of, about five or six inches long

by nine or ten wide, with a piece of about five or six inches long for a wristband, to be double stitched, and with a button hole, into which the larger piece when hemmed is gathered, so as to exhibit all the different kinds of work required in a shirt. For this they are allowed two hours. In each class there are commonly between twenty-five and thirty-five candidates, out of whom are selected by sufficient judges the best qualified, with the single limitation that they be not fewer than sixteen nor more than twentyfour. If, however, the selected candidates be less than twenty-four, the number of the lower prizes must be so reduced as to make the whole number of them equal to one half of that of the competitors. When the gentleman, who undertakes to get the cloth provided for the shirts, is informed by the inspectors of the number wanted, he employs a person whilst the children are engaged in spinning to cut out the shirts, and then has them conveyed in time for the Inspectors to distribute to the several Trustees, in order to be made in the schools of the different parishes. The time of making them is within a fortnight after the conclusion of the two months spinning, and before the spinning specimens are done. The space of time allowed for this is five days, during which the shirts must not be taken out of the mistress's possession; whose duty it is to see that none of the children are in the least assisted. When done, they are delivered to the Trustees, who return them to the Inspectors. On the day of adjudication the Inspectors take or send the shirts of their class to the Chairman's, where a committee of Ladies, one of whom is appointed for each class, assemble to examine the work, and judge the prizes; each assisting to determine all the classes but her own.

When

these are settled, all the first shirts are examined together to decide upon the best; the maker of which is honoured with the title of Queen of the sewers, and rewarded with an additional 5s. When this award has been confirmed by the general committee, the

shirts are once more sent to the Trustees, to be delivered to their respective makers, who are allowed the privilege of having them at the reduced price of half-a-crown, (which is about 1s. 6d. less than the prime cost) whether they have been successful in obtaining prizes or not. If this endeavour to explain the process of our society prove insufficient to direct any persons who may be desirous of establishing an Institution upon our plan; the Chairman for the time being, will I doubt not readily supply a copy of our printed rules or any information that may be required; or at any rate you have my full permission to refer such persons to myself for the removal of any practical difficulty, which I shall be very happy to attempt either through the channel of the Monthly Visitor or in a private letter. I am Sir,

A most sincere well wisher to your work,
EXPLANATor.

March 19, 1823.

PROPHECY.

THE fulfilment of Prophecy being universally ac knowledged to be one great evidence to the truth of our holy Religion, and the force of this proof being almost lost to those, who have not time or opportunity to collect and compare the prophecies, dispersed as they are in all parts of the Old Testament, an examination of a few of the most distinct and most important, as relating to our Saviour, is here offered that all may see how convincing a testimony they give to our faith. The exact and minute agreement between the predictions, and the events recorded in the Gospel, is, in many instances, so striking, that some might be tempted to think that the predictions were added to the Old Testament after their accomplishment, but this could not have been the case; as they are found in the copies possessed by the Jews, who would, we may be sure, never have allowed any thing to be inserted in their books concerning a person in whom they do not believe.

The promise of a great Deliverer was, from time

to time, revealed to his prophets, by God himself, to whom, alone, future events are known, to comfort and support his people under those evils which our first parents brought into the world; and we are encouraged to study the prophecies by our Saviour who tells us that they "testify of him."

Prophecies, declaring that John the Baptist should come as a Forerunner to the Messiah, compared with his Life.

Isaiah calls John the Baptist, The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight, in the desart, a highway for our God. Isaiah xl. 3.

The same prophet adds, Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the carth with a curse. Mal. iv. 5, 6.

The last Prophet in the Old Testament, speaking in the name of Christ, says, Behold, I will send my messenger and he shall prepare my way before me. Mal. iii. 1.

When the Jews asked John the Baptist whether he were the Christ, or not, John answered them, saying, I am not the Christ, and, when they repeated the question, Who art thou then? he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias (Isaiah), Luke xx. 23.

Our Saviour himself testified of John the Baptist, and said, "If ye will receive it, this is Elias or Elijah which was for to come." Matt.xi.14.

John preached repentance and amendment of life, warning the Jews to flee from the wrath to come. He renewed also that expectation of a redeemer in whom their fathers, the Patriarchs believed. Christ assures the Jews that their father Abraham rejoiced to see his day, and he saw it and was glad. St. Paul calls Abraham the father of all believers. John viii. 56. Romans iv. 16.

St. Matthew says, In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at band. Matt. iii. 1, 2. (To be continued.)

METHOD OF SUPPLYING THE POOR

WITH FUEL.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. Fulham, June 12th, 1823.

SIR, HAVING seen two articles in your last Visitor, upon the subject of enabling the poorer classes to provide against the possible scarcity and dearness of coals in the winter, I am induced to send you the details of a plan for the same object, successfully pursued for ten years, by the Vicar of this parish, in which I reside. It appears to have some advantages over those mentioned by your Correspondents; and at all events it proves that much good may be done in this way, even amongst the largest population, by a single person of sufficient means, leisure and activity.

When Coals are at their probable lowest rate, he purchases 40 chaldrons at the ready money price, which are laid up in a cellar at the Workhouse, and measured out to the buyers on New-year's day. He fixes that day for the delivery, because it rarely happens that any extraordinary pressure arises from the weather before; and he delivers them at once, to lessen the expence.. Each family is allowed to have six bushels, on condition of having previously paid six shillings in small sums, at their own convenience, beginning and ending when they please. This occasions perhaps a little more trouble at the Vicarage-House, where the names of the persons who pay, together with the dates and amounts of the several payments, must be carefully registered; but it opens a wonderful facility for the accomplishment of the object, and none are deterred by being tied down to any established rule of times or sums. It is supposed also that six bushels are in general quite sufficient for the purpose, and that it would