Gloucester, England. "One day," says he, "in the year 1782, I went into the suburbs of my native city, to hire a gardener. The man was from home, and while I waited his return, i was much disturbed by a group of noisy boys who infested the street. I asked the gardener's wife the cause of these children being so neglected and depraved. "Oh, Sir," said she, "if you were here on a Sunday, you would pity them indeed. We cannot read our Bibles in peace for them." Can nothing be done, I asked for these poor chidren? Is there nobody near who would take them to school on Sundays! I was informed that there was a person in the neighborhood who would probably do it. I accordingly hired a woman to teach these poor children on Sundays, and thus commenced the first Sunday School." The plan succeeded. Raikes died in 1811, and during the nineteen years from the time he commenced the first Sabbath School, up to the time of his death, Sabbath‍Schools had multiplied in Great Britain to the number of 300,000.

Considering the condition and too often the character of those whom it was designed especially to benefit, the institution was at first unpopular with the upper classes in Society. It was thought it might be very useful to the poor and ignorant, but that the more wealthy and better informed did not need its assistance. It was found, however, that all, of all classes, might be benefitted, and it has now for a long time been common for scholars of all descriptions to attend these schools. The first adoption of the system in this country was in the city of Philadelphia. Something similar had been attempted by way of catechetical instruction, but this was all. And now besides a more varied and efficient system of teaching, an entirely new field was to be cultivated in the way of providing more suitable books for the young to read.

The first Sabbath School Society in the United States was, "The first Day or Sunday School Society in Philadelphia," established in 1791; among the founders of which were Bishop White, Dr. Rush, Robert Ralston, Esq., Paul Beck, Jr., William Rawle, Thomas P. Cope, Matthew Carey, and Thomas Armat.

In 1803, Sunday Schools were formed in New York, by Mrs. Isabella Graham. In 1806, in Kent (Maryland,) by the Rev. S. Wilmer, and in 1813, in Albany. Since that time, they have been in all parts of the country constantly increasing. "Where there is a population, there is a Sab

bath School." This system prevails throughout the length and breadth of the country.

The American Sunday School Union was formed at Philadelphia, out of the Philadelphia Sunday and Adult School Union, at its seventh anniversary, in May, 1824. Its officers are, a President, a large number of Vice Presidents, a Corresponding and a Recording Secretary, a Board of Managers, and several Committees, of which the Commit tee on Books is the most important, it being understood that it is always to be composed of men of differ religious denominations, and that no book is to appear as a book of the Society, without having first received the approbation of each and every member of the Committee. The present officers (1833) are, Alexander Henry, Esq., President; Frederick W. Porter, Corresponding Secretary; Frederick A. Packard, Recording Secretary; and Paul Beck, Jun., Treasurer. The Auxiliaries of the Society are 790 Schools connected with the Union, 9187. Scholars, 542,420. Teachers, 80,913. Teachers and scholars reported to have become pious during the eight years of the Society's existence, 26,393; and during the year ending March 1, 1032, 6,444. Expenditures for the same time $117,703, 64, and Receipts, including the balance on hand at the commencement of the year, $118,181, 19. The Society has made special exertions in behalf of the Valley of the Mississippi, and the destitute parts of the country generally. The reso lution which was adopted at the Anniversary of the Society in 1830,-" That the American Sunday School Union, in reliance upon divine aid, will, within two years, establish a Sunday School in every destitute place where it is practicable, throughout the Valley of the Mississippi," has, to a very considerable extent, been carried into effect.

The only Sunday School Society of other countries, from which a report has been obtained, is the Sunday School Society for Ireland, formed Nov. 1819. From the twenty-first Report of this society, its receipts for the year were £3,330 33. 3d.-£2,771 11s. 8d. by subscriptions and donations. The number of schools connected with the Society, Jan. 1, 1831, was 251. Gratuitous teachers, 18,687-scholars, 202,332. The Society had distributed, in all, from the time of its formation, 283,616 Testaments. A considerable number of Associations, in aid of the Society, have been formed in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Besides the Society for Ireland, there is the. Sunday

School Union for England, and the Sunday School Society for Scotland. Though not for exactly the same purpose contemplated in Sabbath Schools; there is also the National Education Society of England, established in 1813, and the British and Foreign School Society; the latter of which particularly is said to exert a salutary influence over the schools in France, Spain, Russia, Germany, Italy, Malta, the British Provinces in North America, Hayti, and the West Indies. The London Christian Instruction Society also, formed 18, is a very useful institution, nearly 20,000 families and 100,000 individuals receiving the visits of the constituted agents of the Society.

On the importance of the Sabbath School system, a more just remark has not been met with, than that of Dr. Alexander, of Princeton. "I do not know," says he, "that the beneficence of Providence has been more manifest in any thing which has occurred in our day than in the general institution of Sunday Schools."

The extent to which Sabbath Schools have been instituted is as wide, almost, as that of the spread and establishment of the Gospel. They have been formed every where in Protestant Europe and America, and at almost all the missionary stations among pagans and semi-barbarians. The whole number of children and youth connected with Sabbath Schools it is difficult to state exactly, but it has been computed that not less than about two millions are receiving the weekly instructions of this benign and heavenly institution.-The American Union published for several years a monthly periodical of 32 pages, 8vo., called the Sunday School Magazine, but it has now discontinued it, and publishes in its stead a weekly paper entitled "The Sunday School Journal, and Advocate of Christian Education." It also publishes the Youth's Friend and Infant's Magazine.

(I.)

Temperance Societies.

The primary origin of Temperance Societies is wholly American. The first considerable movement on the subject was in 1811. A committec was then appointed by the General Association of Massachusetts to co-operate with

committees of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church and the General Association of Connecticut, in devising ways and means by which the then existing evils from the use of ardent spirits might be remedied, and greater threatening evils provided against. This resulted in the formation, Feb. 15, 1813, of the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance. This Society was not formed on what has proved the successful principle, but that principle was about this time suggested in a course of articles published in the Panoplist, and written by the Rev. Heman Humphrey, of Fairfield, Conn., now Dr. Humphrey, President of Amherst College. To suppress intemperance, while continuing the moderate use, as it has been called, of ardent spirit, proving impracticable, the successful principle, namely, total abstinence was at length more particularly advocated in 1822. Sufficient time had elapsed for the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance to make trial of its success, and prove its insufficiency. In the mean time, articles had been published on the general subject, and the public mind was becoming more and more prepared for the movements which have since followed. Dr. Rush had written on the use of ardent spirit, as early as 1804, showing its evil effects; and besides the Essays of Mr. Humphrey, in 1813, a Tract was published in 1814 against the use of it in entertainment; and Judge Hurtell published his Exposè in 1819. The doctrine was at length insisted on, that ardent spirit is not necessary. In 1825, the present Corresponding Secretary of the American Temperance Society wrote the tract entitled, "The well conducted Farm," exhibiting the results of an experiment in carrying on a farm without the use of ardent spirit. About the same time, the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance began to revive, and took the ground of total abstinence; and though as yet there was no general movement, many were becoming prepared for action. At length, arrangements were made for a general meeting of men of various religious denominations, at Boston, Jan. 10, 1826, and at an adjourned meeting, Feb. 13, 1826, the American Temperance Society was formed. Of the first meeting, the Hon. George Odiorne was Moderator, and the Rev. William Jenks, D. D., Clerk. The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Merritt, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and resolutions were offered by Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., Secretary of the

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. At the second meeting, the Society was formed, and the officers chosen, viz. :-The Hon. Marcus Morton, LL.D., President; the Hon. Samuel Hubbard, LL.D., Vice President; William Ropes, Esq., Treasurer; and John Tappan, Esq., Auditor. Executive Committee, the Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D., the Rev. Justin Edwards, John Tappan, Esq., the Hon. George Odiorne, Esq., and S. V. S. Wilder, Esq. On the 12th of March succeeding, the Society met, and the Committee reported an Address to be published and circulated, and 84 men, from the northern and middle States, were chosen additional members of the Society.

While this was in progress in Massachusetts, the Rev. Calvin Chapin, D. D., of Weathersfield, Conn., was publishing, in the Connecticut Observer, a series of articles, which had a happy effect, illustrating and enforcing the doctrine of total abstinence. In 1827, an effort was made to establish a fund for the support of a Corresponding Secretary and General Permanent Agent of the Society, and considerable sums were obtained in Boston, Salem, Newburyport, Andover, and Northampton. This year, the Rev. . Justin Edwards, who had acted as Secretary and Agent, not being permitted, on account of his pastoral duties, to continue his labors for the Society, the Rev. Nathaniel Hewit was appointed in his place. In this year, also, several of the most popular and affecting temperance addresses and sermons were published, as Kittredge's first Address, the Address of Dr. Mussey, and the Sermons of Mr. Palfrey and Dr. Beecher. Medical Societies also came forward this year, in resolutions, seconding the cause, and declaring the uselessness and injurious tendency of ardent spirit. Tracts, too, were multiplied, and all sober men seemed to be of one mind on the subject. In November, of this year, Mr. Hewit, who had finished his temporary agency, was appointed again for three years; and, accepting his appointment, prepared to enter on his labors, the beginning of the year 1828. Other temporary agents also were appointed in different parts of the country, and the cause prospered every where. More, probably, was done this year in Massachusetts than in any one state, but considerable was effected in Connecticut, Maine, New York, Georgia, Alabama, and other States. There was generally a great increase of societies, and the various ecclesiastical bodies passed resolutions expressive of their estimation of