BETHNAL GREEN SABBATH SCHOOLS.

LAST month we furuished a brief account of the extensive buildings occupied as day and sabbath schools in Abbey Street. We then referred to the day schools; we now refer to the sabbath schools.

We are anxious to point out one of the regulations of this well-managed school, in the plan adopted for the dismissal of the scholars on the sabbath-day, which

will be found below.

"The number of scholars in the Sunday school has been tolerably uniform, having usually amounted to 500 on the books, with an average attendance, in the summer months, of about 280 in the morning, and 400 in the afternoon. Mr. Henry Althans is the superintendent. The

division of the school is made in agreement with the capacities of the scholars for receiving religious instruction. A very useful rule in this school is, that at the end of every quarter, any scholars who have not attended for the last month of the quarter are omitted from the class books; and should they attend again, they are sent to the secretary to account satisfactorily for their absence, otherwise the parents are required to attend the school and obtain their re-admission; they are then re-entered in the class books, but not in the general register, as they take their former register number.

On the morning of the sabbath day, the scholars are assembled in the large school-room at half-past nine o'clock, where they join in the devotional services of singing, hearing a short portion of scripture read, and in prayer, which altogether occupy a quarter of an hour. The infant classes, and the senior classes, then proceed to their respective rooms. The teaching exercises are then continued for three quarters of an hour; after which, the elder scholars proceed to their several places of worship; the scripture and elementary classes stay in the large room for a separate service; and the infant classes have a service adapted to their capacities in the infant school-room.

In the afternoon, a similar mode of procedure is adopted, except that all the scholars of the elementary classes, and those above them, assemble in the large room to receive an address at the close of the school; and the infant scholars re

ceive an address by themselves in the infant school. Great care is exercised in the dismissal of the school, that it may be done with order, and without confusion in the street. To obtain this desirable object, the younger portion of the scholars are sent away slowly, while the elder scholars sing some pieces of music, or anthems which they have learned. The orderly dismissal of the girls is attended with no difficulty; but the boys are sent from their classes one by one, so as to prevent them from getting together in the street, and occasioning disturbance while going from the school. Upon this plan, it takes about twenty minutes of the afternoon, to send about 400 scholars home in an orderly manner.

The instruction of the school is entirely scriptural: the infant classes being taught by the box of moveable letters, and the lessons on boards provided by the Sunday School Union. The elementary classes use the three class books published by the Union, and the scripture class teachers prepare themselves from the monthly notes. The library of this Sunday school has been the accumulation of many years, and at the present period, amounts to upwards of five hundred volumes, containing a great variety of religious, instructive, and useful reading. The scholars are supplied with printed catalogues, and each pays one halfpenny on taking out a book, to be returned in a fortnight.

The Sunday school is under the direction of a Committee, elected at its annual meeting, and is supported by funds entirely distinct from the day school. It is wholly unconnected with any church or congregation.

Of the usefulness of this Sunday school in the populous neighbourhood where it is situated, much might be said; but we forbear, under the full conviction, that whatever real good has been effected, has resulted from the direction and blessing of the Great Head of the church. The senior classes do, however, claim some attention, because they are both, male and female, under their excellent teachers, in a most satisfactory state, indicating a spirit of inquiry and improvement highly useful to the scholars; and because they are continually recruiting

BAPTIST.

FOREIGN.

SWEDEN. A few years since, the stereotype plates of "Pengilly's Scripture Guide to Baptism," were presented to Mr. J. G. Oncken, by the American Baptist Publication Society. A copy of this valuable work was placed in the hands of a Lutheran minister from Sweden, during a brief visit to Hamburgh. On his return to Stockholm, it was prayerfully read, and his views of infant baptism were shaken. Afterwards he read "Hinton's History of Baptism," and "Carson on the Mode and Subjects of Baptism." Like the Bereans, he "searched the scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so," and finally embraced the sentiments he had once opposed. There was no one in Sweden to baptize him, for the Rev. F. O. Nelson had been banished. Partly on account of health, and partly with a view to be baptized, he came to this country. Rev. Andreas Wiberg, whose case we have described, is now in Philadelphia, engaged in the preparation of several works in the Swedish language, to be issued at the expense of the Society.

From the letters recently received from Sweden, we learn that a remarkable religious movement is in progress, attended with severe persecution. Brother Forsell writes from Stockholm:

"In the parish of Orsa, over one hundred have been sentenced for receiving the Lord's supper, and also for breaking the sabbath in receiving the Lord's supper. Oh, what darkness! What darkness in this country! Soon again are the prisons filled; not with bandits, thieves, adulterers, drunkards, murderers, devil-worshippers, and blasphemers, of whom Sweden is full; but them that are quiet in the land-the children of God. O Lord, thou faithful Father, thou who seest all the misery and distress which is here prevailing, and the spiritual thraldom that is here predominant, stretch out thy hand, gracious Father, and deliver thy heritage. Thou hast indeed, brought us to be thy peculiar people; therefore do thou sustain us in the contest that we here have to go through. We have, as it seems, to expect a hard contest. But meanwhile it is good to know, that although our bodies be offered up and exposed to death, we are not using any other weapons than those of the word. Yet Jesus keeps the soul in safety, and carries it home to the eternal mansions with greater joy than any victorious warrior carries home the prey after victory. I have also to inform you that brethren Heidenberg,

myself, Per Person, and Dordlofra, Eric Fricson, in Orsa, were at one and the same time sentenced to a fine of one hundred rix dollars for holding conventicles — myself, because I, among some persons, read the eighth chapter to the Romans. Also in Elf Dalarna, are now fifty-three persons prosecuted, and likely all sentenced. If we sum up all the sentenced christians in our country, they will amount to many hundreds. It is remarkable with the friends in Orsa. The most enlightened among them have got baptist sentiments; and although not all the others have got the same conviction, yet brotherly love is maintained among them. The friends at Hudiksvall certainly try to exert their influence on them; but the Lord. has so established them in the truth of his word, that it is not an easy thing to make them servants of men. Even in and around the town of Oerebro, are found baptists in sentiment, as well as in Bergsjo, where Per Larson has been deposed from his ministry for cherishing the same conviction. Here at Stockholm, not many baptists are now left, as they go away for America: but the word of the Lord is powerful. We can do nothing against truth; but with it we shall overcome many prejudices." We also learn that "a fisherman of Hudiksvall was sentenced to a fine of two hundred rix dollars, which would swallow up all his property, consisting, for the most part, in fishing things, wherewith he had to support himself, his wife, and his five or six little children. Thus our state church manages to maintain the praised unity." Among the cheering indications of a brightening day for religion in Sweden, is the fact that "among the students at Upsala a great revival has taken place. Yea, it is even said that about twenty of them have come to spiritual life." Among the noble instances of fortitude and martyr courage, amidst fines and imprisonments, perhaps the most remarkable is that of Anna Persdotter, a Swedish female, who "has been carried home from the prison at Fahlun three several times, but resolutely denied that she had sinned by leaving the state church, whence she every time has been carried back seventy miles to Fahlun, in order again and again to be punished with imprisonment on water and bread." Many have fled to the United States to obtain religious liberty. Several Swedish baptist churches have already been formed in Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Brother Nelson, banished from Sweden, is now labouring among the Swedes and Norwegians in Iowa and Wisconsin. From a letter just received by him from Sweden, "from a dear

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brother at Carlshamu, it appears that " great interest is awakened among a part of the readers' (a nickname for the pious people of Sweden) on the subject of baptism. A pious and intelligent man of that town, named Locunerberg, is fully convinced, and anxious to be baptized. Beside him there are other believers who stand more or less in a process of transition. Who can tell what fields in all parts of Sweden are now hastily ripening to harvest?"

Can such facts fail to arouse American baptists? Are not these tidings similar to the unexpected news which thrilled the hearts of those who heard that Judson and Rice had embraced baptist views? While religious liberty is denied our Swedish brethren, yet the press is unshackled. While preachers may be banished, and "readers" may be imprisoned, the colporteur may carry tracts to every hamlet. The Macedo nian cry has reached our ears from Sweden, "Come over and help us." Can we hesitate? Shall not special prayer be offered that God would speedily grant full religious liberty in Sweden, and shall not our alms accompany our prayers?

FRANCE.-Some four years ago, a baptist missionary by the name of Crowe, on his way to British Honduras, passed through France, and remained some time in Bordeaux. While there, he baptized his own mother and a sister, who gave evidence of piety. This was the commencement of a work of grace. Afterwards he baptized a Mr. Renard, the writer of the following letter and of several tracts now forwarded to us for publication, who had been previously engaged as a pædobaptist colporteur. Six or seven others were subsequently baptized. Among them were two brothers by the name of Aubrey, one of whom, Charles Aubrey, is now pastor of the church. The baptist cause, though encountering great obstacles, is evidently gaining a strong foothold in Bordeaux; and in Lemousin we are assured baptist preaching would be cordially received. The struggling church, in the following communication, solicits aid from our Society, not only to publish their French tracts, but also to support their colporteur.

"Dear Brethren,-Our object in sending this letter is two-fold. First, we request you to publish for us the accompanying tracts, all of which, except No. 3, have been prepared by brother Renard. These writings have already done much good, and the brother hopes, by their circulation, to promote the glory of God. Second: our other request is, that you place us, if possible, in such a connection with the baptist churches, or with the American Baptist Evangelical Societies, that we may obtain from them pecuniary aid to enable us to devote all our powers and faculties to the work of God. Baptist christians! France sent you bayonets

more than three-score years since, to aid you in founding your Republic; now we solicit your aid, by the help of the Lord, to evangelize that same France, if it be dear to you. We pray you to respond favourably to the appeal which we have the honour to address to you. Send to our beloved native land the means to enable us to fight against the Goliath of infidelity, and to establish the republic of Christ. Salutation and blessing in Jesus Christ. RENARD."

BAPTIST COLPORTEURS.-One of these laborious men says:-"The truth that I am circulating, must do good among the people every where. In some of the churches that I have visited, I have found but few families who have regular family worship. In some families I have succeeded in getting them all together and praying with them. I conversed with the captain of a canal boat who appeared to be somewhat uneasy in his present state. His wife, who is a pious woman, evinces such concern for his salvation, that it renders him uncomfortable. He declares that he must either strive to become a christian or leave home altogether. It has given me much pleasure to learn that a Roman Catholic woman, with whom I very earnestly conversed last summer, has since joined a baptist church, having given abundant evidence of conversion to God. She dated her conviction of sin from that conversation. I furnished her with several good books which she appeared eager to possess. Another case has come to my knowledge in which a tract given away last summer has resulted, with the blessing of God, in the conversion of its reader. have sold books during the month in many families, some of them unconverted, that would, without the agency of the colporteur, probably never have possessed them."

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GRAND PICTURE OF BUNYAN'S PILGRIM.We are indebted to Mr. Bancroft, the agent of John P. Jewett and Co., Boston, for a copy of the superb engraving illustrating Bunyan's Immortal Dream. It may justly be regarded as one of the highest triumphs of art. On a sheet of the finest India paper, is presented to the eye at view, the whole Progress of the Pilgrim from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. It gives every character and scene and object in the very order of Bunyan, at a single glance; thus setting before the mind visibly every christian duty, difficulty, danger, and discouragement. This unrivalled picture is the product of eight years' labour in the designing and engraving, and is cheap at five dollars. We commend it as one of the best ornaments of the parlour, and educators of the family.

[The above are from the Philadelphia Bap

tist Record, for January, 1854, published by the "American Baptist Publication Society."]