GOSPEL OF CHRIST HAVE SHONE, THERE HAVE

BEEN THE GREATEST EXERTIONS IN FAVOUR OF THE POOR AND THE NEEDY.

Until the year 1553, there appears to have been no provision made in England in favour of the poor and miserable. At this period a benevolent reformation commenced. From an ancient document in my hand, the case was this-Bishop Ridley, preaching before King Edward VI. on the subject of charity, he deplored the wretched state of the numerous poor and miserable in the land, particularly those in London; recommending their case to the rich for commiseration and relief. The King immediately entered into the subject; and, by the Bishop's own hand, sent a letter to Sir Robert Dobbs, then Lord Mayor of London. By the aid of proper officers, the poor and the wretched were sought after in the various parts of the city, and formed into the following classes, with their several divisions; and which, for the ' sake of antiquity, I shall give you verbatim.

"They consisted of nine special kinds of poore people, and those same brought into these three degrees: The poore by impotencie-poore by casualtie-thriftlesse poore. First. The poore by impotencie are also divided into three kinds;

that is to saie, 1. The fatherless poore man's child; 2. The aged, blind, and lame. 3. The diseased persons by leprosie, dropsie, &c. &c. Second. The poore by casualtie are of three kinds, that is to saie, 4. The wounded soldier; 5. The decaied householder; 6. The visited with grievous disease. Third. The thriftlesse poore are of three kinds in likewise, that is to saie, 7. The rioter, that consumeth all; 8. The vagabond, that will abide in no place; 9. The idle person, as the strumpet and others. For these sorts of poore, three several houses were provided; for the support of which, a grant was made to hold lands at a certain yearly value; and King Edward himself subscribed four thousand marks by yeare, and then said, in the hearing of his councell, Lord God, I yeeld thee most heartie thanks, that thou hast given mee life thus long to finish this work to the glorie of thy name!"* The historian further adds, that in two days afterwards the King died. This, to us, should enforce the Scripture admonition, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest.

It is possible that this arrangement in favour

* Hollinshed's Chronicle, reign of Edward VI. Reprinted in the Christian Observer, Vol. ii. No. 6, p. 349.

of the poor and the miserable in London, had a salutary influence upon the whole kingdom, and upon the neighbouring nations. However, in the year 1773, it pleased God, by his grace and providence, to raise up that good and great man John Howard, Esq. high sheriff of the county of Bedford; by whose philanthropic labours a more benign aspect was cast upon the needy, the poor, and the criminal. By virtue of his office, he visited all the prisons within his jurisdiction; found them in a most deplorable condition; and, by his benevolent efforts, materially ameliorated the miseries of the sufferers. After this, he visited all the gaols and receptacles of human misery in England, Scotland, and Ireland; producing that reformation which justly entitled him to the thanks of the British Parliament. Stimulated by the love of his Saviour, and possessed of compassion to fallen humanity, he procured special permission from his government to leave his native soil, and make several tours through France, Germany, Holland, and other nations, to explore the state of prisons, penitentiaries, hospitals, and schools, for the benevolent purposes of redressing the miseries of his fellow creatures, and promoting the public benefit. At last, by pestilential disease, he died a martyr in the cause of humanity. What success attended those benevolent exertions of Howard,

are sufficiently known by those who have read his History of Prisons; a work which will embalm his memory to the latest ages of posterity. Why did Howard leave his native land, when affluence surrounded him, to explore foreign climes, on a mission so grating to human feelings, and so extremely hazardous to his personal safety? Was it for the love of gain; to collect the productions of nature and of art; to ingratiate himself into the favour of his own, or of foreign princes? No. It was to ransack the hords of human wretchedness; penetrate the dark and dreary dungeon; to wipe away the sufferer's tears; and to convince posterity, that mercy should always season human justice. Permit me to say, that upon this occasion, I should have deemed myself inexcusable, had I not paid this small tribute of respect to the memory of so distinguished a philanthropist as Howard.*

* From Dr. Aiken, and others, it appears that John Howard was born in the year 1726, at Enfield, in England. He was a member of the Baptist congregation in Little Wild-street, London, then under the care of the Rev. Samuel Stennet, D. D. He travelled three times through France; four Germany; five Holland; twice Italy; twice Russia; once Spain and Portugal; and once the northern States and Turkey. He died of a pestilential fever at Churson, Jan. 20th, 1790, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. In the Introduction which Howard wrote to his valuable History of Prisons, he says, "These journies were not undertaken for the traveller's amusement; and the collections are not published for general entertainment; but for the perusal of those who have it in their power to give redress to the sufferers."WHO WILL GO, AND DO LIKEWISE ?

Little did Columbus know the designs of God in his Providence, by sending him to discover America. We now know, that it was, eventually, to establish a government congenial with the spiritual kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ; and which is declared to be, not of this world. For here, in America, the rights of conscience are sacred; and every peaceable citizen can worship his Lord in that way which he believes is most agreeable to his revealed, holy word.

In proportion to the light of the Gospel shining upon our land, the history of the poor becomes increasingly interesting. Searching the public records of this city, under the old administration, the population of its inhabitants, in 1699, amounted to 6000 souls. The poor, at this early period, received partial relief in their own habitations, or lodgings were provided for them by the Vestry. Johannes De Peyster, Esq. was then Mayor. In 1707, greater attention was paid to the indigent, both by food and clothing; every person so relieved had a badge upon the sleeve of the garment, formed of the letters N. Y. in blue or red cloth. As population increased, certain persons of humanity and opulence, in 1714, presented a well written petition to Robert Lurting, Esq. the Mayor, and to the Corporation, on the utility of