how may its attendants, envy and strife, be excluded from the party? I know that emulations are reckoned by the apostle among the works of the flesh; and I also know that the same apostle elsewhere wishes to provoke to emulation them which were his flesh, and declares that salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke the Jews to jealousy. In what light are those passages to be understood? I have consulted different commentators without being able to decide. We all know, (if we know any thing of our own hearts,) the utter impossibility of engrafting any thing like an innate love of good;-nay, so prone are we all to self-seeking and self-pleasing, that even where the glory of God is ostensibly the object in view, how lamentably deficient are the real motives from which our actions spring. Are we then justified in instilling any other principle save love to God, into the minds of children, or any other incitement, save his glory, in order to promote their advancement in spiritual knowledge? Should you consider this point worthy of consideration, and feel inclined to suggest a few observations on the subject, you will greatly oblige AN INQUIRER TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN MADAM, AMONGST those for whose pleasure and edification your pages are intended, there are doubtless many engaged in the good work of the religious instruction of the young. To such, as feeling a peculiar sympathy with their labours, their anxieties, and their disappointments, I would offer a few words of encou ragement. I know well the dependant feeling with which the Sunday-school teacher often looks on the multitude of vacant or giddy faces around her, and, with more of disbelief than hope, asks: "Can these dry bones live?" And under the influence of such feelings, how dull and lifeless does that work appear, which ought to be peculiarly a "labour of love," and, of course, one of joy! Then there are the trials from without, as well as the anxieties within the walls, in the misconduct of those who have left the school, to act their part in the theatre of life; and whose goodness seems to have been but as the morning cloud and the early dew. Those teachers who have been only a few years engaged in this branch of Christian employment, are much surprised, as well as disappointed, to find, perhaps, that the chief ornament of the school,-the girl who could most readily bring forward texts of Scripture to prove every doctrine; who could give the best account of a sermon, and make the best remarks on the passages of Scripture read, that she should be as thoughtless, and as full of levity as others,- -a disobedient daughter, or a careless servant. But those who have had a longer practical acquaintance with human depravity, and who know that "folly is bound up in the heart of a child," though pained at the manifestation of evil, have yet learnt to hope in the promise, that the "bread cast on the waters shall be found after many days." Youth is the season in which to sow the seed: but often, instead of reaping the fruit, we find that the spiritual, like the natural seed, appears to decay and die. Yet after seeming to lie dormant for years, when the Spirit of God breathes upon it, the symptoms of life appear; it buds, and blossoms, and brings forth fruit abundantly. Now ere this takes place, the teacher and pupil are often separated; and the change thus manifested may be attributed to some more recent means of grace, or providential visitation. Thus "one soweth, and another reapeth." Had Legh Richmond been removed from Brading before the illness of the Young Cottager,' he would not have enjoyed the satisfaction of beholding, in the death-bed of the humble Sunday scholar, the triumph of the experienced Christian. But it is by a story that I wish to encourage teachers of youth; a story, which, short and simple as it is, strikingly illustrates the power of divine grace, and the blessing of God on religious instruction, in the most untoward outward circumstances. The scene of my narrative is very unlike the lovely landscape so vividly described in the history of Little Jane; it is a thickly-peopled district in the northern part of the great metropolis; a terra incognita to all in the higher walks of life, except the few who have wandered thither in search of misery and ignorance. Not far from this region I spent the winter of 18—; and wishing to know in what way my poor services . could be most efficiently bestowed, I was directed to a young person who was said to be well acquainted with the wants of the neighbourhood. Among the various excuses made for doing little amongst the poor, want of leisure, and want of money, are generally urged as quite sufficient.Harriet L might have pleaded both; she was an orphan, dependent on the labour of her hands for her daily bread. But she possessed that which is better than wealth, or leisure, or talents,—a heart filled with love to the Lord Jesus; and love, it is well known, is fertile in expedients, and persevering in overcoming difficulties. At the time I became her fellow-labourer, the district might be considered in a flourishing state, as compared with others, or with its own former desolation. There were several Sunday and week-day schools in it; and from time to time the glad tidings of the gospel was conveyed to the doors of those who never crossed their threshhold to seek it. But at the time when Harriet first took up her abode in the neighbourhood, its condition was very different. Every lane and court was full of rude and idle children, who spent the day in mischief and quarreling; while the parents seemed equally ignorant, and not much more civilized; never attending any place of public worship, living, in short, in a state of absolute heathenism. Harriet found it very difficult to prevail on either parents L or children to avail themselves of her offer of teaching a few of the latter at her own apartment every Sunday morning. While grieving over the ignorance and vice around her, she felt very + have the gospel proclaimed among them.sirous to her efforts to get them to church being totally unavailing. The first thing to be done was to procure a room; and this, as well as every thing else connected with her labours, she made a matter of especial prayer. After one or two repulses, a person to whom she had not before spoken, civilly accosted her, offering the use of her room for the purpose; adding that it was one of the largest and most convenient in the lane. The next step was to procure some one to proclaim the good message to these perishing sinners; and for this, as a matter of course, she was obliged to apply to a dissenter, since, unfortunately, it is they only who can preach when and where they please. The worthy Mr. H. of KTTreadily complied with her request; and gave a striking addresss, from the words, "This day is salvation come to this house." The room was well filled, and the people attentive, Harriet gave thanks, and entreated the blessing that alone can give efficacy to the preached word, A few days after, the woman in whose house the address had been given, came to her in a state of the greatest agony; disclosing a tale of guilt which I shall not repeat; and asking if it were possible e that the pardon so freely proclaimed could extend to a wr wretch like her! Oh ma'am!' said she, I cannot tell you what I felt, when the minister laid open the secrets of my wicked heart. It surely must have been God who revealed them to him; for I am sure none of $ |