of a weekly meeting for the general welfare of the teachers would prove to be a mutual blessing. turn with me to a few passages: in Genesis ii. 1, 2, 3, it is stated, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Agreeably to a former arrangement, The obligation of the Christian Sabbath was the subject for consideration; and the minister opened the conversation by inviting the teachers freely to propose any inquiries which might suggest themselves to their minds, as best calculated to elicit a scriptural investigation of the subject. As the eyes of all seemed directed to the superin-eval with the creation of man. The tendent, he commenced by inquiring, "What do you, sir, consider the principal ground on which the perpetual obligation of the Sabbath is based?" Minister. The principal ground of obligation lies in the fact, that the observance of one day in seven, as a day separated from worldly toil, and consecrated to religious purposes, is a moral duty; and like all moral duties, is of original and perpetual obligation. It belongs to man under all dispensations-to Adam in Paradise, to the Patriarchs, to the Jews, to the Gentiles, and to Christians-to man in all ages, and in all climes. F.-Then, sir, you do not consider that the injunction to keep holy the Sabbath, as expressed in the fourth commandment, was the origin of that institution? From this you clearly see that the appropriation of one day in seven to rest and religion, was co first day after man's creation was a religious day-a day of devotion. It was a day sanctified and blest by God himself, immediately on finishing the stupendous and glorious work of creation, and ordained to be a perpetual memorial of his power, wisdom, and goodness, as the Author and Lord of the universe. D.-I see it is quite clear, sir, that the Sabbath was ordained from the creation, and was observed by man in paradise; but permit me to ask, Is there any scriptural evidence that it was kept by mankind during the ages intervening between the fall and the giving of the law? Minister. From the prevalence of sin in the world, the evidence of man's neglect and rebellion is always more conspicuous than the evidence of his duty and obedience; and if there were no historical evidence at all of its observance during that period, the proof already fur Minister. Certainly not. The first word in that commandment implies that the Sabbatic institution was not a new one. God said to the Israelites, "Remember the Sab-nished of it as an orignal and a bath-day to keep it holy." You need not be told that to "remember" implies previous knowledge of an object; and if the object be previously known, it must have previously existed. Sacred history fully confirms this view, and accounts for the use of the term, 66 Remember." You are each supplied with a Bible; primeval institution, would not be shaken thereby. But short and compendious as are the historical records of the first book of Moses, there are proofs that the original division of time into periods of weeks, or seven days, continued to obtain from Adam to Moses, Gen. xxix. 21-30. Here we find the term "week" used familiarly as a common and well-known division of time. Now every mention of the period of a "week" includes the mention of a Sabbath-for what is a week but six days of work, and one of rest? It is manifest, too, that the Israelites not only were familiar with this divison of time, and the Sabbath comprehended therein, but that they kept and observed the Sabbath, prior to its being proclaimed on Sinai. Indeed, almost as soon as they had left Elim, and a considerable period before they approached that sacred mount, we find them observing the Sabbath, and speaking of it as a duty to God's command. That it is spoken of as a day "holy to the Lord." Thirdly, That the injunction to keep it holy is expressly called "God's commandment and law." Fourthly, That the miraculous supply of manna was withheld on this day. Now all these circumstances occurring prior to the giving of the law, prove that the Israelites were familiar with the Sabbatic institution prior to its formal announcement from Sinai. Looking, therefore, at the original institution of the Sabbath, on the first day after the creation, and the general acquaintance which mankind must have had with its origin and design, we can easily perceive the reason why the fourth commandment begins with the word, Let us turn to Exodus xvi. 22," Remember." God called their 23, "And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." .-25, "And Moses said, eat that to-day; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the field."-26, "Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none."-27, "And it came to pass that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.' 28,"And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?" Now I call your attention to the following facts, which are clearly embodied in the passage we have just read. First, That the Sabbath is here introduced by the sacred historian, not as a new institution, but as one with which the people previously familiar. Secondly, were solemn attention to a duty which they previously knew, and because that duty was of moral and permanent obligation, he assigned it a place among the precepts of the moral code. Superintendent. It would be interesting to know, sir, whether there is any concurrent testimony of a totally separate kind among heathen nations. Minister. A very important intimation. For if the Sabbath be indeed an institution of such high antiquity as to date its origin with the commencement of our race, it is probable that as mankind diverged and spread themselves abroad on the face of the earth, they would carry with them, and hand down to posterity, some customs which would, at least perpetuate the original division of time into weeks, and some traces of the importance and sacred character of the seventh day. Now this probable supposition is made fact, by the clearest evidence. We have the singular coincidence of all nations using the periodical division of time into weeks, and many of them assigning some superiority to the seventh day. The Egyptians, Arabians, Greeks, Celts, Indians, Assyrians, Italians, used this division. Look at our own custom of reckoning by seven days, and this custom is evidently not of Christian origin: it existed among our pagan fore fathers, prior to the introduction of the gospel into this island. The names of the days are heathen, and prove a heathen origin. It is worthy of notice too, that Aristobulus, Clement, and Eusebius quote heathen writers who speak of "the seventh as the sacred day." NEVER DESPAIR. J. R. CRAWFORD, who died July 14, 1847, aged twenty-six years, had formerly been about seven years under the influence and instruction of the teachers in one of the Sunday-schools of this town. After he left the school, about twelve years ago, he became sceptical and deistical in his sentiments. His character formed an epitome of his creed. When spoken to on the subject of religion, he was uniformly repulsive and morose. During the winter of 1846, this young man became conscious that consumption had fixed itself in his frame, arising, it is supposed, from the rupture of a blood-vessel in the lungs. Although his illness was lingering, medical aid seemed to be of no avail. Several persons who were anxious about the salvation of his soul waited upon him, and wished, if possible, to bring the gospel message home to his conscience; but he resisted all their efforts to do him good, and treated both them and the subject with ingratitude and contempt. He was removed into the country, his friends hoping that a change of air might produce a favourable effect upon his health. But, no! the arrow from the quiver of the king of terrors had gone too deep into a vital part to be removed. Still he remained firm in his unbelief for some time: at length, however, I received a letter from him, which indicated to me that a change of views and feelings had taken place on the theory of a future life; but how or by what agency I could not tell. On returning home, a few days after, I found him a truly broken-hearted penitent. On inquiring how such a change in the entire constitution of his moral sentiments had been brought about, he told me that all the kind visits of religious friends he could refuse without any feeling of compunction or uneasi ness whatever. But, he said, (and here is the pertinancy and force, the unmistakable character of the whole case ;)"But the counsel, advice, and instruction which I received in the Sunday-school, I could not resist." Those impressions which he had received more than twelve years before, and of which no person knew anything but himself, and the All-seeing Spirit, those impressions haunted him in his moments of reflec tion, and during his midnight hours, until he became a broken-hearted penitent. He found peace with God through the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ; and a greater change in the disposition, and demeanour of any person I never saw. He died in the full triumph of 'Looking for the mercy of our Jesus Christ unto eternal life!" What is the appeal made by this case to every earnest Sunday-school teacher: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou canst not tell which shall prosper, this or that." faith, Lord J. DRESSER. Darlington, April 5, 1848. GREYFRIARS parish, Aberdeen, conained at the last census nearly 5000 souls, with a great deficiency of church and school accommodation. An additional church was therefore built in 1834, with a district population of about 2500; for whose benefit two schools, an Infant and Juvenile, were soon afterwards erected. These were called John Knox's Church and Schools, after the great Scottish Reformer of that name. The remaining inhabitants, 2500, still remained unprovided with educational places, and these were remarkably poor. A temporary school was opened; but though the best that could be got, it was in a miserable place. About this time a court on the Porthill, so called from being the most elevated part of the city, was offered for sale. It contained several houses, forming the residence of the most abandoned characters. The court was purchased by the minister of the parish the dens of darkness and of crime were all pulled down, and a school-house, capable of accommodating 500 children, was erected on their site. A commodious and comfortable residence for the masters was built adjoining to it. Immediately on its being opened, the school was well filled in its various departments; boys, girls, infants crowded to it for the week-day lessons; young women from the factories were taught on the week-day evenings; once a week there was Divine service for the inhabitants of the neighbourhood; on the Lord's day, there was a morning-class for the more advanced; and on the Lord's day evening, several hundred children assembled for religious instruction. In addition to all this, it having some years before been found that there were no less than 280 children under fourteen years of age in Aberdeen who gained a livelihood by begging, and eighty, at the same time of life, thrown into jail or bridewell for their crimes, it was considered desirable to unite industrial training with secular and religious knowledge. With this view half an acre of ground was taken; but this would not furnish occupation for the young folks in rainy or wintry weather. Knitting, sewing, and straw plait for female children was contemplated. As for the boys, it happened that the press and other printing materials of a low, contaminating periodical, published in the parish, were for sale about this time; these the minister bought up and em ployed, partly through the boys, in the printing of tracts, and other publications of a very different kind. But this branch of the school was not fully carried out. The disruption of the Church of Scotland took play in May, 1843, when the minister of the parish forsook the Establishment, and several large sums, formerly received from public sources, being in consequence withheld from the school, it was resolved that in the mean time the industrial department should cease. The minister and teachers of John Knox's dis trict having left the Established Church when the disruption took place in 1843, | they were deprived of their schools, but the people very nobly have since erected others, which continue flourishing. The minister of the original parish retains his school, to which boys, girls, infants. and female factory operatives resort as formerly, on the week-days, whilst the Sabbath-school work is plied as di gently as ever. May it be indeed a school set upon | a hill, and that cannot be hid. Reviews of Sunday-school Union Reports. Report of the North London Auxiliary. WE have just received the above Report, and have derived much pleasure from its perusal. It is a thorough business-like document-no prolix' enunciation of principles admitted by all, but a succinct statement of facts connected with the operations of the Auxiliary during the year, some of which have been already chronicled in our own columns. The subdivision of the districts made in the preceding year is represented as having been attended with beneficial results in the fraternal intercourse to which it has led between teachers and officers, and in the discussion of important topics calculated to promote the work in which they are engaged. Branch Auxiliaries have been formed under favourable auspices at Finchley, Ponder's End, Tottenham, and Edmonton; and the long-pending boundary question, between this and the West London Auxiliary, brought to a termination satisfactory to both parties. Four schools have been closed; others have been removed, and five new ones have been formed. Eight schools formerly unconnected have joined the Union. There are seventy-nine schools now connected with the Auxiliary, with Male. Female. Total. 909 939 Teachers Scholars 8312 9916 1848 18,228 287 The total increase of the year is, The usual attendance of Scholars has been about two-thirds of the number on the books. From eight schools no returns have been made. In connec tion with many of the schools, there have been meetings of old scholars. Religious services on Sunday mornings for the young have been commence in the Tabernacle and Silver-street school-rooms. No less than nine libra-i ries have been furnished during the year, and pecuniary grants have been made to two schools. Conferences have been held on Ragged Schools, and on Mimpris's system of graduated simul taneous instruction. Lectures also have been delivered to the Auxiliary by Mr Mimpris on the latter subject. Ar rangements have been made for hold ing prayer-meetings, and classes have been formed for the study of the notes on the Scripture lessons. To the following statement the Committee claim serious attention, and we add our claim to theirs : "Of the 1848 teachers in the connected schools, 1424 are church-members From 77 of the connected schools, containing 17,367 scholars, 123 have been The unconnected schools are eighty- admitted to the church during the past seven, with year." |