her bended knees, this young disciple spontaneously poured forth the gushing feelings of her glad heart. A few days after this she came to my house, paced to and fro, her eyes shut, and heaven seeming to beam on her countenance, whilst she repeatedly sung―

"My load is gone, my grief is o'er," &c.

It is now nearly two years since. The little girl still attends class, is spiritually-minded, and delights much in singing. "This is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes." "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings He perfecteth praise." To His great name be all the honour and glory for ever!

What a beautiful harmony there is betwixt the simplicity of the Gospel and the simplicity of little children! Without hesitancy, doubt, or fear, they place the same confidence in the promise of their heavenly Father they would in the promise of their earthly father. They have no deeprooted habits of evil to contend with, no false reasonings, no erroneous doctrinal conceptions, no God-dishonouring views. They come just as they are; believe what they are told, and as they are told; and, having obtained salvation through faith in the blood of Christ, with joyous hearts sit down at the Gospel table, and feast on its dainties. Whilst at their homes, and in the factories, they break forth into songs, "making melody in their hearts unto the Lord."

But how do these youthful converts stand?-In reply, I may observe that this "little class" has been continued about ten years; a time sufficiently ample as a test of their standing. The average attendance of girls in the school hardly reaches fifty; and, during the ten years, a number about equal to the whole number in the school have availed themselves of religious instruction in this way. Fifteen have become accredited members of the church. Four have departed this life in the faith and hope of the Gospel. Of those accredited as members, four have been removed; one of whom attends the Church of England; two have married unconverted husbands, and fallen away; the fourth married a converted man, and is still a member. The rest continue accredited members. In the entire number there have been seven other removals; and three, at least, have joined the Society in the places where they now reside. The average attendance at the little class at present will be about fifteen or sixteen. Of those who cease to attend, I have observed that some return in the course of a year or two. A large majority of those who now attend, I have no doubt, are children of God by faith in Christ. Nearly all those who are now accredited church-members were from ten to thirteen years of age on their first admission. Through the abounding blessing of God, they still stand rejoicing in hope of glory. One of them has lately been laid on a bed of affliction, and brought nigh to death; when she gave every satisfaction that she had indeed become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Ten years ago she occasionally paid a visit at my house. The conversation turned on religion she was spoken to seriously on the great danger of living uncon

verted, and was then asked if she were willing to pray with me for the pardon of her sins. She consented. There and then we knelt together, and, after some considerable time spent in prayer, when we arose she declared what God had done for her soul. On the same day, a few hours later, four boys, about fourteen years of age, called at my house for religious conversation. They had for some time attended class; but I soon discovered that they had not obtained a satisfactory assurance that they were the children of God by faith in Christ. After a little instruction, we retired to another room. They prayed, and the result, through the Divine blessing, was, that they returned home justified. Three out of the four still stand, active, laborious, and useful, of whose sterling piety there can be no doubt. Of all those who are now standing, it must be added, that they have never left the fold of Christ from their first attendance at the little class.

Let me ask Superintendents, Teachers, and Managers of Sunday-schools, What is there to hinder you from adopting the same means, or an improvement of this system? Why should you not, with God's help, accomplish even greater things? AIM AT THE CONVERSION OF THE CHILDREN. Go straightforward to work. Doubt not but a blessing shall attend your labours. Appoint one or two persons, if you please, to conduct the meeting alternately. Give public notice in the school that you will hold a little class, stating how you intend to conduct it. Invite all the seriously disposed to attend. May not the salvation of thousands of children in the Methodist Sunday-schools hinge on this very point?-namely, the prompt, prayerful, and proper use of means for their conversion. Can you expect this result if you do not aim directly to accomplish it? What is most wanted is diligent, devout, and direct effort. Anything short of this will avail but little.

It may be objected, that children are not sufficiently convinced of their lost condition, and not in a penitent and prepared state to become subjects of saving grace. But children who attend a truly Christian school have more thought, more light, and more conviction than credit is given them for. I have often asked the question, "How did you feel before you attended the little class?" and have again and again received this answer: "I frequently felt very uneasy, and was afraid to die." What is this but conviction? It cannot be wrong, at all events, to teach children to forsake sin, to obey God's commandments, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that they may be saved. It is the duty of all, young and old, to obey God, whatever their feelings may be. The season of youth is the most favourable for conversion. Now is the accepted time. It is God's time; it ought to be yours. The future is a contingency, hidden in the bosom of Deity. Seek to have the children converted; keep them in a heavenly atmosphere, and God will bless and prosper you abundantly.

It may be said, that it is a very difficult thing to address children in a captivating manner. So it is. Yet the difficulty vanishes when you get to work, and become deeply interested in their salvation. Nor should it be

forgotten that there is grace sufficient for you, and light and wisdom too. Ask for it. I have sometimes purchased a considerable number of penny monthly magazines, (how could Sunday-school funds be appropriated better?)—and have read select portions from them, commenting on these, frequently asking questions, sometimes remarking on a passage of Scripture, a verse of a hymn, some story, anecdote, or passing event. Go, fellow-labourer, straight to work; do your best; pray, and meditate upon what you say; and you will be astonished how rapidly you improve as a speaker, and how fresh ideas spring up and multiply in your mind. Try— persevere-and God will crown your efforts with success.

A few words to Christian parents, and I conclude.-You are the children of God through faith in the one Mediator Christ Jesus. It is natural to desire your children should become partakers of so unspeakable a blessing. You often pray that they may be converted: it is right to do so. But have you ever put forth direct efforts for their conversion? If you have not, there is nothing wonderful in their remaining in sin. Could the farmer expect to reap, were he neither to plough nor to sow his land? Of what avail would be his prayers? You pray, but neither plough nor sow: therefore you reap not. Let your prayers be united with direct efforts, and you may rationally and scripturally expect the recompense. Have you children ten, twelve, or fourteen years of age, unconverted? Why should this be? It cannot be pleasing to God. His will is their salvation. He has said, "I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me." Why not embrace a favourable opportunity of speaking seriously to each child on the subject, with warnings of the great danger of living unconverted, and matchless motives drawn from the thrilling story of the Cross? Why not kneel with your beloved ones, and teach them to repeat a prayer for forgiveness? Begin early; be beforehand with the watchful enemy. A twig will more easily bend than the giant oak.-Have you children, twenty, twenty-five, or thirty years old, unconverted? Whose fault is this? Have you ever aimed directly at this object? The springtide of early youth is gone, and they are not saved. There is a consideration, awful, appalling, overwhelming: AT THE JUDGMENT-DAY WILL THẸ GREAT GOD HOLD YOU GUILTLESS? There may be many professing Christians, who will be ready to exclaim in that day, " Hide me, ye rocks! ye falling mountains, hide." O the scrutiny of those all-seeing eyes! Let us awake up to our responsibility. Delay no longer. If it is true that Christians should put forth every effort for the salvation of the children committed to their charge, then, at least, let objectors be silent, lest they should be found fighting against God. If it is true that it is not pleasing in His sight not to put forth every such effort, let all Superintendents, Teachers, and Managers of Sunday-schools, and all Christian parents, look well to this matter, lest at the second advent of the Lord Jesus the blood of these young immortals be found in their skirts.

ALPHA.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON PREACHING-IS IT USELESS?

AN eccentric divine is reported to have strangely termed the time of Sunday afternoon service "the devil's hour." In hundreds of cases, on the contrary, it has been the hour of the great adversary's defeat; and the Gospel then preached has proved itself the power of God unto salvation : and this, not only in the far-off village where the afternoon preaching is the chief service of the day, but also in the Circuit-town, where morning and evening the appointed Ministers make known the word of life. In many such places the afternoon service is discouraging to the Preacher, but not useless to the hearers.

In a certain town well known to the writer, where the other congregations are numbered by hundreds, the afternoon one rarely doubles the score. A band of zealous Local Preachers long took turn in occupying the pulpit on these latter occasions; but many of them would far rather have walked a number of miles to preach in the village-chapel or the old farm-house. Let the following instance serve to animate all who are thus employed :

A few years ago, a gentleman's yacht neared a lonely watering-place, having on board a lady apparently marked out shortly to tread the shores of the unseen land. She was conveyed to a house on the quay, and medical advice was obtained; but little hope of recovery was held out. The invalid then inquired, if a Wesleyan Minister resided in the town. The hostess professed not to know, but strongly urged the attendance of the Minister of her own church,—a man who looked with strong dislike on all the doings of Methodism. At length, the lady persisting in her wish, the Wesleyan Minister was sent for; and, having received a strict injunction from the hostess not to say much, was admitted. He found the invalid simply and sincerely conscious of the guilt of a life wasted in folly, but ignorant of the way of salvation. The duty of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ was plainly stated; and, having earnestly commended her to the care and mercy of God, the visiter departed.

Again and again he called, but, on various pretexts, was refused admittance. Feeling confident that the afflicted lady desired to see him, he persevered, and prevailed. Her distress of mind now bordered on despondency. She knew not how to pray for many years, words of prayer had never passed her lips, nor had her knee bent in homage to the Most High. How could she now begin? "Could I pray as you do," was her language, "I would but I know not what to say." The nature of prayer was then explained; and she was invited to think on the character of God, who, listening to our feeblest breathing, reads the heart's desire, and never turns away the broken spirit; and on the atonement of Christ, through whose merits God receives all who come to Him simply trusting therein. A few days intervened ere the next visit. A delightful change had then taken place. As you entered the room, it was perceptible. The countenance of

the invalid was illumined with a smile of tranquil joy. Reaching forth a feeble hand, and grasping the hand of her visiter, she exclaimed, "Who could have thought it was so simple? I did just as you said, and I felt that God received me, and pardoned all my sins." The Hymn-Book was lying on her pillow. She had sent into the town to buy one, expecting to find in it songs of praise which would express her grateful feelings. As it were by accident, (though, surely, the "accident" was as God would have it,) on receiving the book she opened on the 210th page. The words arrested her attention, exactly describing what her new-born soul felt :"Jesus, to Thee I now can fly,

On whom my help is laid;
Oppress'd by sins, I lift my eye,

And see the shadows fade."

From this time she gradually recovered physical strength, and, on leaving the town, seemed resolved evermore to glorify God.

Shortly before her departure, I inquired how it was that one who had lived a life so gay, and with so little observance even of the form of religion, should, under conviction of guilt, have sent for me? Her reply encouraged me, and it may encourage others :-One Sabbath afternoon, strolling through a street in one of the large towns in the north of England, she had passed by a Methodist chapel in which some one was preaching. She stood by the door and listened: salvation was earnestly offered, and the impression produced in her mind, He believes what he preaches. Now, when she was under strong conviction, and apparently nigh unto death, that earnest voice offering salvation came back to her remembrance, and the desire was awakened, "O for one who would thus show me what I must do to be saved!" Let every sower of the Gospel seed, whether in the almost empty town-chapel on Sunday afternoon, or in a more inviting sphere, sow in faith. The harvest may be richer, and earlier too, than we imagine.*

Alderney.

H.

* Never let the thought be entertained, that services held in the afternoon of the Lord's day are "useless." Rather let exertion be made to give new interest and importance to them. This appeal is urged in behalf of a numerous and valuable class of persons whom we can rarely address from the pulpit but in the afternoon, and also in behalf of the excellent and self-denying men on whom the afternoon duty frequently devolves. Why should the town-chapel be "almost empty" on this occasion? It is easy to conceive all that can be said in reply. Granted, that many meet in class at the time, and many are busy in Sunday-schools. Granted, further, that, as a rule, two full services in the day are amply sufficient for profit, if supplemented by secret prayer, and meditation on God's word. Still, there are multitudes who ought to be in our chapels on Sunday afternoon. What can be done to collect them?—In some cases, where paucity of attendance is inevitable, would it not be advantageous, on various accounts, to select a smaller place of assembling? Nothing is more chilling, or less creditable to a flourishing denomination, than a first-class chapel with a score of worshippers.-EDITORS.