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GRAMMAR-SCHOOLS FOR DISSENTERS' CHILDREN. religious principle and pure morality so much prevails. Against our public grammar-schools, in which the foundation of a solid and liberal education is generally well laid, the more important of the above objections is with just reason made: there, even by boys, principles are often embraced, and vices practised, with which sinners of more mature years are but seldom chargeable. What then is to be done? Shall the friends of the gospel who dissent from the Establishment, still have to lament that they cannot obtain a liberal education for their sons, without exposing their morals and their principles? It is admitted on all hands that. the evangelical dissenters, of various denominations, form a part of the religious public, encreasingly prominent and respectable: and could their youth enjoy the advantages which are obtained in our public grammar-schools, united with the still superior advantages of pious instruction and proper discipline, what happy consequences might not be expected! Might we, not expect, that in due time our higher seminaries, where candidates for the ministry are instructed, would receive a large proportion of their students from amongst those who had been educated in such a school, and who had afterwards been called by divine grace. Might we not also expect that, from among youths thus well trained, many would be raised up to undertake the glorious work of missionaries? Let a deep and solid foundation be laid between the years of 7 and 15, and the superstructure may, with case, be raised to any extent. Academical studies would be entered upon with delight, and prosecuted with advantage, by those who in early youth had been inured to close application. Their spirits would not be broken, and their time consumed, as is now very often the case, at the very threshold of learning.

But even if few ministers or missionaries should be raised up from among those who had been thus educated, do we not want men of enlarged minds and respectable education in our churches and committees? Is it not universally allowed, that they whose early education has been much superior to that of others, generally act a more distinguished and useful part in religious societies, when brought to the knowledge of the Saviour?

To prevent then the cause of Jesus, especially among dissenters, from falling into the hands of an illiterate ministry and an illiterate people, let an effort be made to establish a school that shail equal the first school in the kingdom. Let men of the first classical attainments and genuine religion be chosen as mastes. Let it be superintended in its rise and progress by a respectable and active committee. Let every stimulus be used to promote ardour among the boys in the pursuit of learning. Let the importance of the doctrines of the gospel, and of person religion, be studiously inculcated by regular catechizing, and by fatherly and faithful admonition: and from such a seminary

may we not indulge the hope, that young men would go forth who should become intelligent and warm supporters of our different inte ests, and build up the walls of Zion from age to age?

Were such a school wisely established, and well superintended in the metropolis, our large towns in the provinces might soon be induced to copy the example.

Hoxton.

T. A.

ANECDOTES.

DISINTERESTEDNESS was a leading feature in the character of M. Luther: superior to all selfish considerations, he left the honours and emoluments of this world to those who delighted in them. The following extract from a will he executed some years before his death, proves how little he regarded that wealth, to attain which millions sacrifice every enjoyment in this life, and every hope of happiness in the next!-The Reformer says, "Lord God, I give thee thanks, that thou hast willed me to be poor upon the earth, and a beggar. I have neither house, land, money, nor possessions of any kind, which I can leave. Thou hast given me a wife and children; I commend them to thee; nourish them, teach them, preserve them as thou hast hitherto preserved me, O Father of the Fatherless, and Judge of the Widow!" The poverty of this great man did not arise from his wanting the means of acquiring riches; for few men have had it in their power more easily to obtain them. The Elector of Saxony offered him the produce of a mine at Sneberg; but he nobly refused it. "Lest," said he, "I should tempt the Devil, who is lord of these subterraneous treasures, to tempt me." — The enemies of Luther were no strangers to his contempt for gold. When one of the Popes asked a certain Cardinal, Why they did not stop that man's mouth with silver and gold-his Eminence replied, "That German beast regards not money!" It may easily be supposed, that the liberality of such a man would often exceed his means. A poor student once telling him of his poverty, he desired Mrs. Luther to give hin a sum of money; and when she informed him they had none left, he immediately seized a metal cup of some value, which accidentally stood within his reach, and giving it to the poor man, bid him go and sell it, and keep the money to supply his wants t. In one of his Epistles, Luther says, "I have received 100 guilders from Taubereim; and Schartts has given me fifty: so that I begin to fear, lest God should reward me in this life. But I declare I will not be satisfied with it. What have I to do with so much money! I gave half of it to P. Priorus, and made the man glad ‡.

T. P. B.

* Vita Lutheri, p. 134. Lutheri, p. 333.

+ Ib. p. 167.

Tom. ii. Epist.

RESPECT FOR THE AGED.

THE present season, by a natural transition, leads the mind to the contemplation of that period when a few years and infirmities introduce the winter of age. I fear it is too common, even amongst professors of religion, to withhold that tenderness and attention which the weakness of age solicits, and that our children are sometimes educated without encouraging those gentle charities, and that respectful deference which the Bible professedly teaches, and which the Christian should diligently practise and inculcate. I was charmed with a delicate and tender admonition which I read in Leviticus a few evenings since: "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God." Alas! how differently our youth in these days flaunt by the aged, or gaze with vacant indifference upon infirmities fraught with moral lessons, and which seem to say, "Pity me oh, ye my friends; such as I am, Time will cause you to be!" In our zeal to establish the doctrines' of religion, the preceptive parts of the divine word are sometimes unhappily omitted; and I scarcely remember to have read or heard a sermon which defined the duties to be exercised towards the aged, although the Bible connects the command with one of the first principles of revealed religion in the passage already quoted. The consideration of this kingdom towards every species of suffering, the asylums, hospitals, and public charities, declare in language too energetic to be mistaken. Yet some claims upon benevolence remain unnoticed; and in our places of public worship, I confess, my heart has often ached to see our aged poor exposed to sit upon uneasy seats, liable to be jostled and molested by the healthy and robust; sometimes placed with palsied and rheumatic limbs between the doors; and often in the aisles of our large churches, where the damp stones are particularly injurious to complaints in the limbs and lungs.

Whilst the aged and infirm suffer these inconveniences, our healthy charity - children have snug seats allotted them, and are warmly clad by the hand of Benevolence. Far be it from my design to undervalue any attempt to protect and instruct the rising generation; but I should esteem it a peculiar honour if, through the medium of your useful publication, I could invite my fellow Christians to make religion the nursing-mother to our aged members; and I cannot but think it would ornament our places of worship if every congregation fitted up a warm pew for the infirm and decent poor, particularly those who engage in church-communion; and also, if they subscribed, according to their ability, to establish a fund to purchase warm great coats and clokes to comfort them whilst they attend the ordinances of divine worship. If we take delight in beholding decent rows of our youth clothed and taught (and surely it is a pleasant sight)

would not the heart be doubly gratified to see the retiring multitude warmly clothed and comfortably accommodated, whilst they would perhaps be more frequently induced to listen to those sounds which alone revive the winter of the breast and breathe resignation to the desponding soul? Hope stimulates us to protect our youth; gratitude impels us to soothe our aged. Not a poor man breathes but he must have urged his strength to improve the common benefits of society; his hands have planted our trees or guided our sickles, or worked in our looms: in the sweat of his brow he has eaten bread. Our aged women too have nursed our sons; and our daughters have been dandled upon their knees. From youth we expect much; from age we have already reaped our harvest; and if, in our respect and attention to the aged, we more closely imitated the Chinese, - from an heathen soil we should transplant a Christian grace.

-

I conclude with an anecdote: A very poor and aged man, busied in planting and grafting an apple-tree, was rudely interrupted by this interrogation: "Why do you plant trees, who cannot hope to eat the fruit of them?" He raised himself up, and, leaning upon his spade, replied, Some one planted trees for me before I was born, and I have eaten the fruit; I now plant for others, that the memorial of my gratitude may exist when I am dead and gone!'-- Let us honour the face of the old man and fear God.

M. G.

BENEVOLENCE IN THE POOR.

Mr. Editor,

It is impossible fully to express the great good which God has made the Evangelical Magazine instrumental in producing, especially among all classes of religious characters; yea, it records events which make their appeal to minds not generally accustomed to reflect. Benevolence is commendable in all; but when exercised by the abject poor, it becomes peculiarly impressive.

The paper inserted in your Magazine concerning the sufferings of the Germans, was read by the teachers of a Sunday School in Spital-fields. The account so affected the minds of the dear little children, that on Lord's Day last they made a collection amongst themselves, amounting to 11. 7s. 94d. One child brought a new shilling, probably a hoard; some presented a sixpence, some a penny, some a farthing, and all with a cheerfulness that deeply affected their teachers,-and doubtless will affect you, especially as you know the inhabitants of the spot where this contribution was made, may be ranked among the most abject poor in the environs of the city.

W.

In the country also, we hear that little children, who could hardly reach the plate, put in their mite for the relief of suffering Lumanity!

JOHN OLDING, Esq.

Obituary:

On Saturday, the 23d of November last, died, at his house in Freeman's Court, Cornhill, John Olding, Esq. banker, aged 60. The death of this excellent man was the peaceful termination of an arduous struggle with almost habitual disease, for many of his last years, and the close of a life of uncommon usefulness and virtue. His character, though shaded by his habits of retirement, and in itself not marked by those qualities which lead to general fame and distinction, was yet pre-eminent in the circle of his connexions for every thing which renders a man estimable in his family and in society. In the one, he was the centre of domestic order, affection, and happiness; in the other, his memory will be cherished with high respect and pleasure by the few who enjoyed his acquaintance, and with grateful recollection by the many who partook of his extensive beneficence.

punctual, conscientious, and liberal in his commercial engagements; a tender husband, a wise and affectionate parent and brother, a kind master, a generous friend, and a sincere Christian, - was really exemplified in the subject of this account.

The appellation of Christian he considered "the highest style of man ;" and it would be unjust, equally to him, to the religion which be loved, and the profession of which he studiously and diligently. adorned by his exemplary conduct, not to acknowledge that his character was formed upon the model of the gospel. The holy Scriptures were the subject of his daily and delightful contemplation. With all humility and gratitude he received and embraced them as revealing the rule of his life, the object of his faith, and the ground of those consolations and hopes which supported him under the pressure of affiction, and in the prospect of death and eternity. That habitual reverence for his Bible which he had imbibed from the instructions of his parents, he afterwards maintained on the issue of personal and serious enquiry, and inculcated on all proper occasious in his intercourse with his children and friends. He possessed considerable powers of conversation, and, according to the observation of the judicious friend before alluded to, excelled in the art of giving to it a profitable direction, without violating the feelings, or awakening the prejudices of those who were not prepared for such a bias.

It has been observed by one who knew him intimately, and who is very capable of appreciating his example, that it is peculiarly worthy of being exhibited to survivors; because it is not, like many which are held up to the admiration of mankind, too far removed from the common sphere to admit of imitation. Whatever, indeed, is worthy of emulation in a sound understanding, early and assiduously cultivated by judicious reading and select society; in a mind deeply imbued with the principles, and habitually regulated by the influence of evangelical religion, evincing its undeviating uprightness and integrity by a uniform consisicucy Mr. Oiding was the son of the of conduct, and by the most en- late Rev. Joti Olding, of Deptford, gaging frankness of demeanour; in and was born in the city of Gloua heart warmed with all the benevo- cester on the 18th of Nov. (o.s.) lence of genuine Christian charity, 1745. His early education, both at both in principle and in sentiment, school and in business, he received unand delighting in the exercise of der the late well-known Mr. Fuller, personal and social virtues; in a once a schoolmaster, and afterwards Word, whatever claims our esteem a banker in Lombard Street. Into his or imitation in the character of an office he was introduced when a honest and amiable man, diligent, very young man, and arterwards, viz.