{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_11966/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_11966","id":"gutenberg_11966","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11966","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - British","Category: History - Religious","Category: Parenthood & Family Relations","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Sunday schools"],"text":"[Illustration: JAMES, THOMAS, AND GEORGE.]\n\n\nTHE VILLAGE SUNDAY-SCHOOL:\n\nWith brief Sketches of\nTHREE OF ITS SCHOLARS.\n\n\nBY JOHN C. SYMONS.\n\nREVISED BY DANIEL P. KIDDER.\n\n\nNew York:\n\nPUBLISHED BY LANE & SCOTT,\n\nFOR THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL\nCHURCH, 200 MULBERRY-STREET.\n\n\nJOSEPH LONGKING, PRINTER.\n1850.\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nThe writer of the following pages makes no pretension to authorship. He\nis deeply conscious that many defects characterize his production; and he\nhopes that they will be treated with the consideration which so candid an\navowal merits, and which the fact demands.\n\nThe narratives are substantially true; but, for obvious reasons, the\nnames of persons and places are changed.\n\nThe reason why this little book is sent into the world is, the writer\nconsiders the details which it contains of an exceedingly encouraging\ncharacter, and calculated to support and strengthen the pious teacher in\nthe discharge of his important and sometimes discouraging duties.\n\nThe writer has felt the need of encouragement while laboring in the\nSabbath-school; and he has had that need supplied in no small measure\nfrom the consideration of the facts now before his readers. He hopes that\nthe effect which these facts have had upon his mind, will be produced\nupon the minds of all who may peruse these pages. If such be the case--if\nbut one devoted, self-denying teacher derive encouragement--his end will\nbe more than answered.\n\nWith earnest prayer that the great Head of the Church will grant his\nblessing upon this little work, the writer submits it to his reader.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\nCHAPTER\n\nI. THE VILLAGE--THE NEW SUNDAY-SCHOOL--THE SUPERINTENDENT--A REVIVAL.\n\nII. THE HISTORY OF JAMES.\n\nIII. HISTORY OF THOMAS.\n\nIV. HISTORY OF GEORGE.\n\nV. CONCLUSION--BENEFITS OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS.\n\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nTHE VILLAGE--THE NEW SUNDAY-SCHOOL--THE SUPERINTENDENT--A REVIVAL.\n\n\nM---- is a small village in the west of England, delightfully situated in\na wooded pleasant valley. Through it runs the parish road, which--as it\nleads to the seashore, from whence the farmers of that and the\nneighboring parishes bring great quantities of sand and seaweed as\nmanure--frequently presents, in the summer, a bustling scene. The village\nis very scattered: on the right of the beautiful streamlet which flows\nsilently down the valley, and runs across the road just in the centre of\nthe village, stands an old mill; which for many a long year has been wont\nto throw out its murmuring sound, as the water falls over its broad and\ncapacious wheel. On the other side of the stream, and just opposite the\nold mill, a few yards from the road, stands a neat, commodious, and\nwell-built Methodist chapel, which, from the prominence of its situation,\nand good proportions, has often attracted the eye of the passing\nstranger.\n\nIt was about the period when my narrative commences that the chapel was\nbuilt. For many years the Methodists had preached in the village, and\nthere had been a small society under the care of an aged patriarch, whose\ngray hairs and tottering frame bespoke the near approach of the last\nenemy: soon he came, and suddenly removed that good man to \"the palace of\nangels and God.\" In consequence of the preaching-place being far out of\nthe way, and the place itself--an old barn--anything but inviting, there\nhad been for many years but little success.\n\nIn 18--, two or three zealous brethren from another part of the circuit\nsettled in the vicinity of M----, and steps were at once taken to get a\nfavorable site, and to raise subscriptions towards building a chapel as\nspeedily as possible. The neighboring \"squire\" was waited upon by two of\nthe new members, with whom he was personally acquainted; when, without\nhesitation, he gave them the spot of ground on which the chapel now\nstands. The chapel was soon built, and opened for divine worship; and\nmany of the old members, who had witnessed the introduction of Methodism\ninto the village, were constrained to exclaim, \"What hath God wrought!\"\n\nThe village, though small, was surrounded by a populous neighborhood, and\nmany of the friends were anxious for the establishment of a\nSabbath-school. In this they had many difficulties to contend with;\narising principally from the awful carelessness of parents about their\nchildren's spiritual welfare, and the want of adequate help to carry on a\nschool. However, they determined to make an attempt: and, accordingly, at\nno great period after the new chapel was erected, a school was\nestablished. As the society was small, pious teachers could not be\nsecured, and they were under the necessity of employing persons of good\nmoral character, or of abandoning the school altogether.\n\nFew, perhaps, are more sensible of the advantage of pious teachers, than\nmyself: and, whenever it is possible, I would have no others in a school.\nHow is it to be expected that a teacher, careless--at least comparatively\nso--about the salvation of his own soul, can faithfully and earnestly\nenforce the duty of salvation upon his young charge: and yet this is the\nprincipal design of Sabbath-schools. It is not so much to teach the\nchildren to read,--though this is a great object,--nor even to give them\na superficial acquaintance with the Bible; but to lay before, and as it\nwere rivet upon, their minds the practical duties of Christianity. How\ncan one who loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, successfully enforce the\nduty of love to God with the whole heart, and soul, and mind, and\nstrength? How can one who knows nothing of the saving faith of the\ngospel, successfully exhort his children to believe on the Lord Jesus\nChrist? For, as he does not feel the necessity of these and kindred\ntruths himself, he cannot enforce them so as to win the affections, and\ntouch the hearts of the children. But of the privilege of pious\nteachers, M---- Sunday-school was deprived.\n\nThe superintendent was a man well known and much respected, and was\neminently qualified for his arduous task. With the exception of the\nsenior female teacher, he was the only decided person in the school. He\nhad much to contend with: and I am sure, from my own observation, had\nmany been situated as he was, the school would have been speedily\nabandoned. He resided about a mile and a half from the chapel, but\nmorning and afternoon, winter and summer, wet or dry, he was at his post!\nThe numbers which attended the school might have been about seventy. The\nteachers, considering that they were not members of society, were pretty\nattentive for a year or two; but after that they began to fall off, and\nfrequently was the superintendent obliged, in addition to his regular\nduties, to place the senior boys of the first class over the lower ones,\nand take the remainder, with the second class, under his own care.\nLaboring under so many disadvantages, it cannot be expected that M----\nSunday-school should in any respect be very prosperous: yet this I may\nsay, that though I have been connected with Sabbath-schools for some\nyears, and have had an opportunity of examining several, I have rarely\never met with a more orderly set of children, or a better conducted\nschool.\n\nBut who, from such a school as this, would have expected anything like\nsuccess? and yet the sequel will show, that, even under such unfavorable\ncircumstances as these, God did not fail to work for his honor and glory!\n\nThe senior class of boys consisted of about a dozen promising lads, whose\nages varied from nine to fourteen. They were placed under the care of two\nrespectable moral young men, but who, with very many excellent qualities,\nwere devoid of religion. The boys were encouraged to commit to memory\nportions of Scripture, for which they received small rewards; and thus a\nspirit of emulation was created as to who should possess the greatest\nnumber of these. Among those who distinguished themselves were three\nbrothers, named James, Thomas, and George. James, the eldest, remained\nbut a short time in the school: but Thomas and George continued much\nlonger, and learned the whole of the three first Gospels, and part of St.\nJohn. They were very regular in their attendance, and when in school\nbehaved just as others did, only that for their generally correct answers\nin the catechetical exercises, which usually followed the reading of\nScripture, they were almost constantly at the head of the class. They had\ncomparatively little time during the week; but often on a Sabbath morning\nhave they repeated one or two hundred verses of Scripture. And here let\nme remark, that Thomas has since assured me, it was not a love for the\nScriptures, nor a desire to become acquainted with them, which induced\nhim to commit such large portions, week after week, to memory! it was a\ndesire,--a kind of emulation,--to be at the head of the class, and to be\nthought highly of by his teachers and the superintendent. In this he\ngained his reward; for he was looked upon by them as the most promising\nlad in the school.\n\nThere was one thing connected with M---- Sunday-school, which is worthy\nof notice and of imitation. The superintendent never dismissed the\nchildren without giving them a short address of from five to ten minutes.\nIt was usually his custom on these occasions to impress upon the mind of\nhis young hearers some important truth, through the medium of an\ninteresting anecdote, or some well-conceived figure; so that, though the\nremarks he made might be soon forgotten, yet the anecdote and subject\nillustrated by it remained, and will, I doubt not, be remembered to the\nlatest period of their lives by many of those who were privileged to\nlisten to him. I am thoroughly satisfied that an effectual method of\nreaching the ear and the understanding of children, is through some such\nmedium as that used by the superintendent of M---- Sunday-school. I hope\nthe period is not far distant, when it will be more generally adopted.\n\nA few years ago, the village of M---- was visited with a very gracious\nrevival, during which a great number were soundly converted, most of whom\nhave continued steadfast in the faith. Many of the teachers and scholars\nwere among the number of those who gave their hearts to God.\n\nThe following extracts show the extent and reality of the revival:--\n\n\"There has been,\" writes the superintendent, \"an extensive revival in\nthis circuit. On Friday, the Rev. Mr. V---- preached at this place. A\nprayer-meeting was held after the sermon, when several began to cry aloud\nfor mercy--one professed to have obtained pardon. We have held\nprayer-meetings nearly every night, and a very gracious influence has\nrested upon us. We had, on one occasion, no less than twelve penitents\ncrying to God for the pardon of their sins, amongst whom are some of the\nmost thoughtless in the neighborhood. So many of our teachers and\nscholars were under conviction, that we did not think it proper to have\nschool in the morning, but held a prayer-meeting, at which the presence\nof God was eminently felt, and several cried aloud. Nearly every female\nteacher or scholar, in our Sunday-school, is convinced or converted, and\nsome of the males also. Glory to God!\"\n\nOn another occasion he writes,--\"Our revival still continues, though we\nhave not had any crying aloud for mercy lately, but every time we meet in\nclass we have some new members. The numbers, small and great, who had\nbegun to meet in class, amounted to nearly one-third of our general\ncongregation--their ages vary from eight years old to above sixty. Mrs.\nR.'s, our sweet singer, was a delightful conversion. She had long been\nseeking the Lord sorrowing. One morning she went into a neighbor's house,\nto inform them that a young woman had found peace: while in the house she\nwas herself constrained to cry for mercy. One of the leaders was called\nin to pray with her, and, after a severe struggle, she found peace. The\nnext Sunday I asked her (for she was singing delightfully) whether it was\nnot sweeter to sing as she did, than before? She laid her hand on her\nbreast, and with uplifted eyes, said, 'Yes, it is indeed, for I have\noften been condemned while singing words in which my heart did not join,\nbut now I can sing with all my heart.'\"\n\nOne of the teachers, writing to a friend, says, \"You will rejoice to\nhear that the work of God is steadily progressing in this part of his\nvineyard. Many are found crying, in bitterness of soul, 'What must I\ndo to be saved;' while others are enabled to adopt the language of\ninspiration, and exclaim, 'O Lord, I WILL praise thee; for though thou\nwert angry with me, thine auger is turned away, and thou comfortest me.'\nYou will have heard that many members of Mr. T.'s family have been truly\nconverted. Sunday-school teaching is now a delightful employment; most of\nour children are feeling the power of religion; and many of them, perhaps\none-third, meet in class. Four out of seven, whom I teach, are, I trust,\nadopted into the family of God, and two others evince a desire to 'flee\nfrom the wrath to come.' I think I may venture to say there is not a\nfamily in the vicinity of our chapel, but has some one or more praying\npersons belonging to it.\"\n\nIt is exceedingly gratifying to know that the great majority of those\nwho were converted belong to the school, continue steadfast, and are now\npious and useful members of the Methodist Church.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nTHE HISTORY OF JAMES.\n\nThere is a something connected with early associations which is almost\nindescribable. Every one has felt it, but few, very few, have been able\nto excel in a description of it! Who has not felt, as he gazes upon the\ncottage,--the home of his childhood,--his youthful days flash with all\nthe vividness of reality before his mind; and as he stands and muses on\nthe bygone years, numbered with those before the flood, he is almost\nspell-bound to the spot! All his childish pastimes and youthful pleasures\npass in review before his mental vision; while the little trials with\nwhich his cup was mixed, are not without their influence in mingling a\nmelancholy with the pleasing reminiscences of the past. Much has been\nsaid on this principle of association, and truly much remains unsaid on\nthe subject. Scarcely is there a green sod, or a purling brook, a shady\nforest-tree, or a smiling flower, an enchanting and fairy landscape, or\na barren and desolate heath; scarcely an object in nature, or a work of\nart, which does not awaken some gratefully pleasing, yet painful\nrecollections of the past!\n\nIt is to this principle I attribute much of the good which results from\nSabbath-schools. Often has the pious teacher to return from his onerous\nduties in the school, and retiring to his closet, to mourn on account of\nthe fruitlessness of his efforts; and Satan never fails, at such seasons,\nto fill his mind with discouraging thoughts, which weigh down his\nspirits, and lead him almost to decide on retiring from the work. To\nsuch, let the precept and promise of God's word,--\"Cast thy bread upon\nthe waters; for thou shalt find it after many days,\"--be a source of\nnever-failing encouragement. How frequently, in after life, has it been\nfound, that the instruction of the Sabbath-school, though it may have\nlain dormant for a time, has not been annihilated; but, through some\ncircumstance, or by some object, it has been resuscitated in the memory,\nand it germinates, blossoms, fructifies, and brings forth glorious fruit,\nwhich has cheered the hearts and upheld the hands of many thousands of\nthe most self-denying and arduous laborers in God's vineyard.\n\nJames, the eldest of the three lads mentioned, was a youth of\nconsiderable promise. He had one of the most retentive memories I have\never met with. Having reached the age of seventeen, his parents placed\nhim with a Methodist in a neighboring town, as an apprentice. For twelve\nmonths after his removal, he stood aloof from all connection with the\nChurch and people of God; after which period, as he remarks in a letter\nto his brother, \"at the request of the superintendent of C---- school, I\nbecame a teacher in that school, and for four years remained as such.\"\nJames continued as a teacher in the school for about twelve-months\nprevious to his becoming a member of society; at the expiration of which\ntime, he was induced, by the persuasions and invitations of his\nfellow-teachers, to meet in class. From this period he became a steady\nand devoted follower of the Lamb, and was at all times anxious to do what\nlay in his power to further the cause of the Redeemer. From his first\nconnection with Sabbath-schools, when about five years old, he had\nconceived a love for them; and as he grew up his love and attachment to\nthem increased, and his delight now was to devote all his energies to\ntheir promotion. As he more than once remarked to me, he conceived he was\ngreatly indebted to Sunday-schools for the benefits he had received from\nthem, and he determined, so far as in him lay, to discharge the debt of\ngratitude he owed.\n\nHis qualifications as a teacher were of no mean order. To an earnest\ndesire for the salvation of his young charge, he added a large store of\nScriptural and general knowledge, all of which was brought to bear upon\nthe edification of his class. He was firm and resolute with his children,\nand at the same time kind and affectionate; so that I may safely assert\nthat there were few, if any, more efficient teachers in the school than\nJames. And the secret of the matter was this;--his heart was in the work;\nhe delighted in it, and many of his happiest hours were those spent on\nthe form with his class. The responsibility which he justly conceived\nattached itself to the Sabbath-school teacher, was shown by his attention\nto any of his own class who were sick; and not a few interesting records\nhas he given of Sunday-school children, who, dying in the Lord, have left\na bright evidence behind them that they are gone to glory.\n\nWho can count the number of those who, through the instrumentality of\nSunday-schools, are now before the throne of God, joining with angels,\nand archangels, and the spirits of the just made perfect, in singing,\n\"Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon\nthe throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.\" Truly, there is no\nindividual who verifies the truth of the Psalmist's declaration,--\"He\nthat goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come\nagain with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him,\"--more frequently\nthan does the pious Sunday-school teacher. Methinks I see him enter the\nparadise of God, met and surrounded by those who sat in his class, who\nlistened to his teaching, and who were directed by him to \"the Lamb of\nGod who taketh away the sins of the world.\" Joyful indeed will such\nmeetings be. O may such bliss be ours!\n\nAfter serving five years as an apprentice, James removed to London. There\nare many persons who imagine, that to settle in London is the very acme\nof happiness; how little do such persons know of the reality! It is true,\nthat in the religious sphere there are many advantages possessed by the\nresident of the metropolis. He has the teaching and counsel of ministers\neminent for their piety, usefulness, and talent; he is brought into\nconnection with some of the holiest and best men of the day; and, if\nhis time be not altogether absorbed in the world, he has constantly\nnumerous means of grace within his reach, so that he can frequently and\ndelightfully join the great congregation, mingling his voice with theirs,\nswelling the anthems of praise and the solemn accents of prayer, as they\nrise like incense to the skies. But there is, on the other hand, much\nmore allurement and temptation; there is everything around to draw away\nthe attention from heavenly objects. Those with whom you have to\nassociate, and who constantly surround you, are men of the world; men\nwhose whole _delight_ is in _forgetfulness_ of God!--men, in many\ninstances, whose whole energies are directed to ridicule, blaspheme,\nand overthrow the pious and devoted Christian; so that, being thus\nsurrounded, the temptations of our great enemy are powerful, and often\nmore fatal.\n\nMany a promising young man within the range of my own limited\nacquaintance, has, through coming to London, made \"shipwreck of faith,\nand of a good conscience;\" and to any into whose hands this little work\nmay find its way, let me earnestly and faithfully say, \"Flee the very\nappearance of evil;\" parley not one moment with temptation; but when\ntempted, fly at once to the cross, lay hold there, nor let that hold be\nloosened, till the enemy is vanquished, and your soul filled with\nperfect peace. Be particular what companions you have; \"a man is known\nby the company he keeps.\" And let me warn you to be careful how you\ncomply with the invitations of ungodly associates, in attending places of\namusement and scenes of gayety. The wise man says, \"My son, if sinners\nentice thee, consent thou not.\" Many and specious are the arguments which\nwill be adduced to gain your consent; but take the precaution to ask\nyourself, honestly, and as in the sight of God, Can I get any good there?\nMay I not get harm? Can I ask God's blessings upon it? Should I like to\ndie while there? If these questions can be answered satisfactorily, then\ngive your consent; but beware, even under those circumstances, how you\nchoose for your companions those who know not God!\n\nIt was at the end of March, 18--, that James left his native country. On\nhis arrival in London, he was at once provided with employment at a large\nestablishment. Here he had much to contend with, being surrounded by, and\nbrought into immediate contact with, a great number of men, many of whom\nwere not only devoid of religion themselves, but ridiculed and sneered at\nthose who made the least profession of respect for the commandments of\nGod. Being known as a \"Methodist,\" and refusing to work on the Sabbath,\nwhen ordered to do so, or leave his situation, he came in for a\nconsiderable portion of their obloquy and contempt.\n\nThere are few persons more social in their character than the subject of\nour narrative. To such, how beneficial and salutary is the influence\narising from that friendship and communion so well provided for among\nthe Wesleyans, and of which he soon availed himself. For want of this,\nmany suffer; and, surrounded by the temptations and seductive influences\nof the giddy and polluted votaries of pleasure, they look back to the\nempty enjoyments of the world--they eat, drink, and are merry, while\nto-morrow they die. Providentially for James, there was one person in the\nestablishment in which he labored who feared God, and to whom the gospel\nhad come with life and power; he was a class-leader at a neighboring\nWesleyan chapel. He took him to his class, where he constantly met,\nuntil his leader was translated from the Church militant below to the\nChurch triumphant above. It was the privilege of James to witness, in his\ndying hours, his firm and unshaken confidence in the Redeemer. He was\n\"ready to depart, and to be with Christ.\"\n\nIn July, 18--, James became connected with a Sunday-school in T----\nstreet. At this period the number of scholars was fifty, and teachers\nsix; while the school required every assistance that he could render.\nWith the assistance of a devoted young man, who soon became his\ncolleague, the school was put into order and efficiency. Here, in\nconsequence of the want of teachers, and the close, unhealthy,\ncellar-like appearance of the place, the school was not very prosperous;\nbut the society and cause were still less so. In fact, but for the vigor\nand vitality evinced in the Sunday-school, the chapel would have been\nsoon given up. In September, 18--, he writes, \"I have been fifteen months\nin connection with this school. The future may show to me great good\nresulting from this school, but at present we have only enough to\nencourage us.\" For five years he had much to contend with from the apathy\nof friends, or from the neglect of those who ought to have been the\nfriends and patrons of the school; as well as from the indifference of\nparents to the religious welfare of their children. There have been a few\npleasing indications of good; and, considering the difficulties they have\nto contend with, the conduct of the children was generally favorable. The\nfew exceptions were forgotten in the sweet smiles and affectionate\nremembrances of others.\n\nI will conclude this sketch of James with a remark or two of his own:--\"I\nam,\" says he, \"one of those who owe much to Sabbath-schools; to deny it,\nwould be foolish and sinful. Many a happy hour have I spent in the\nSabbath-school; many more I hope to spend. My firm belief is, that the\nSabbath-school should have every Wesleyan child, whether he be rich or\npoor; and I cannot but deplore that false pride, evinced by many\nrespectable religious people in the present day, which prevents their\nchildren being sent to the Sabbath-school, 'because they have learning\nenough through the week;' while they will let them ramble out, or play\nwithin the house instead: thus training them for Satan rather than for\nGod!\n\n\"Sunday-schools are the militia of the Church: it is from them the most\nefficient youth are drafted into the service of Jehovah, to fight\nmanfully under the Captain of their salvation, numbers of whom win the\nwell-fought day, and receive the prize of victory.\n\n\"Sunday-schools are the nurseries of the Church; they compose the youth\nwho are to live when we go down to the dust. When the teachers are aged,\nor dead, their children will rise up to fill the ranks of Immanuel. Where\nare the additions to our church to come from, but from Sunday-schools? Do\nnot most of those who join the Church in the prime of their days, and\npresent whole sacrifices to God, come from our Sabbath-schools? The\nchurches of Christ should see to it that good nurses are provided for\nthem, and not, as is too often the case, leave them in the hands of the\ninexperienced and the youthful.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n\nHISTORY OF THOMAS.\n\nThomas, the second brother, remained much longer in the school.\nPossessing a retentive memory, he learned the whole of the three Gospels\nof Matthew, Mark, Luke, and part of John. After remaining as a scholar\nfor about three years, during which time he was often employed in\nteaching the junior classes, he was formally admitted as a teacher, in\nthe presence of the whole school, the secretary delivering an interesting\nand affecting address to him, on the duties and responsibilities of his\nposition as the guide of youth; at the conclusion of which he presented\nhim with a book, entitled \"The Guilty Tongue,\" as a reward for his good\nconduct and proficiency. Thomas had not long been a teacher, before a\nvacancy occurred in the first class, to which he had formerly belonged as\na scholar, and he was at once nominated to it.\n\nAfter continuing as a scholar for three, and a teacher for about two\nyears, he removed to a neighboring town, as an apprentice. Absent from\nthe parental roof,--placed in the midst of temptation, and surrounded by\nmany allurements,--Thomas soon became forgetful of his former\ninstructions, and his Sabbath-school engagements: instead of connecting\nhimself with the school, and being found on the form by the side of his\nclass, he might be seen ranging over the fields, and wandering through\nlanes, in company with those whom he had chosen as his associates. One\nthing is worthy of remark, and it shows the force of habit, and the power\nof early associations: he was regular in his attendance at the Wesleyan\nChapel twice a day. This happened, perhaps, not more from choice than\nfrom a partial restraint which he felt, from the knowledge, that if he\nneglected this duty, it would come to the ears of his parents, and not\nonly grieve them, but bring down on him their displeasure.\n\nThough thus, for a brief space, led away into the sins of youth, Thomas\nwas far from falling into what would be called gross sins.\n\nThe superintendent of the H---- circuit at this time was the Rev. J.R.,\na man who, in the work of the Lord, was instant in season, and out\nof season; and who was made very useful, not only by his public\nministrations, but in his numerous and constant private visits among his\nflock, and the members of his congregation.\n\nUnder a sermon by Mr. R., addressed specially to the young, the subject\nof our sketch was powerfully wrought upon by the Holy Spirit, and\nawakened to a right sense of his danger as a sinner. But he strove to\nbanish these convictions, and soon again became careless and indifferent\nto the great concerns of his soul's salvation.\n\nAbout this period Thomas's father, anxious that he should become decided\nfor God, told him he would send Mr. R. to visit him. But so averse was\nThomas from seeing him, that he declared should Mr. R. walk in at one\ndoor, he would walk out at the other. However, Mr. R. called; and Thomas\ndid not, and could not, put his threat into execution. Mr. R. urged upon\nhim the danger of a course of sin,--the necessity and advantages of\nseeking God in youth,--and begged him to join his class, which met at\nseven o'clock on Sabbath mornings. Thomas promised to go; but when the\nmorning came he broke his promise, and remained at home. In the\nsucceeding week Mr. R. again called. Thomas again promised; and on the\nfollowing Sabbath met in class for the first time. In about a month after\njoining the society, he was enabled to exercise faith in Christ, and\nobtained a clear evidence of his acceptance with God: this took place on\na Sabbath evening, in company with one of his religious friends; while\nthey were pouring out their souls at the throne of grace, light from\nheaven beamed upon his soul,--he was enabled to believe.\n\nConnected with Thomas's joining the people of God, there is an incident\nnot unworthy of mention here. A short time previously he had, with his\nelder brother James, paid a visit to their father's house. During that\nvisit, the subject of union with God's people was strongly urged upon\nboth of them by their parents. They had each been the subjects of the\nHoly Spirit's striving for some time, and were fully awakened to their\ndanger and duty. While walking through one of the shady lanes situated\nbetween their home and the chapel, and conversing on the subject of\nreligion, and the necessity of devoting themselves to God, Thomas said,\nif James would join the society he would. No immediate result followed;\nbut about a fortnight before Thomas's connection with the Church, James\nhad joined the Wesleyans, and had written to his father informing him of\nThomas's promise. It was in consequence of this, that Mr. R. was\nrequested to call on him; the result of which, through the blessing of\nGod, was, as the reader has seen, his becoming connected with the Church.\n\nThomas had joined himself to God's people but a short time, when he\ndetermined, by the advice and invitation of his friends, to become a\nSabbath-school teacher. His experience and success in this sphere of\nlabor will be best described in his own words: \"Soon after my union with\nthe Wesleyans, I became a teacher in the Sunday-school, which, at that\ntime, was not very prosperous. Here, as teacher of one of the junior\nclasses, I strove to do my duty to God and the children placed under my\ncare. A few of our teachers determined to establish a school at I----, a\nsmall village about two miles distance from H----, in which the Wesleyans\nhad preaching at a private house, and a class of five members, to whom I\nwillingly gave my assistance. But where should we get a room? was the\nnext question to be solved. After some difficulty on this point, we got\nthe use of an old barn; but which, by the way, had no window in it, and\nwas consequently so dark, that we were obliged to keep the door\nconstantly open, and, it being winter season, we found it very cold. Yet\neven this was too good to last long, for we were soon told that we could\nnot have the barn any longer, and we were, therefore, obliged to look out\nfor another place. Our next remove was to a different part of the\nvillage, to a room over some stables, the floor of which, besides having\nsundry large holes in it, was so rotten that we were obliged to range the\nchildren around by the walls, fearing lest the floor should give way from\ntheir weight, if placed in the centre. Even in such a place as this, our\nschool increased from twenty to forty.\n\n\"After remaining in this room for some months, I may say truly, in\ncontinual fear of our lives, we removed to a much more commodious place,\noffered us by a Mr. H----, the only person in the village who was in\ncircumstances of ease. But his love after a time grew cold, and we were\nsurprised on our arrival one Sunday, to find that, without giving us the\nslightest intimation of his intention to do so, he had turned out forms,\nboxes of books, and all our paraphernalia, and locked the door; alleging\nas a reason, to the persons who lived at the next house--members of our\nsociety--that he wanted the place for potatoes; but to do him justice, I\nmust add, that the room did not see a potato for many months after. I\nhave before stated that we had preaching at the village, in a private\nhouse; the persons in whose house the service was held, were, I should\nsay, both past sixty. They were poor, but excellent people. At the same\nhour with our school, the class used to meet at their house; and as they\nhad only two rooms, it met in the one in which preaching was held. But no\nsooner did these good old people hear of our being turned out of our\nplace, than they at once--before our arrival--got the forms and books\ninto their house, and seated and arranged the children; so that you may\njudge of our surprise, when, on finding ourselves shut out from the one\nplace, we were so unexpectedly put into the other. These noble-minded\nChristians consented that the class should meet in their sleeping-room,\nand that we should have the use of the other for our school. We could not\nallow such generous and self-denying devotion for the cause of God to go\nunrewarded, and we therefore determined to pay them a small sum per annum\nfor the use of the room.\n\n\"I have not done with our difficulties yet. The road leading to the\nvillage was anything but a good one; indeed, in the winter it was very\nbad: so that, though in summer we could get plenty of teachers, yet when\nwinter came we could get none, and the whole concern of the school then\nfell upon three or four. In the midst of our discouragements, one of our\nsuperintendents left us. The other was taken ill, and was prevented from\nbeing with us for six months. I was nominated to the office of our friend\nwho had left, and excepting when a substitute could be found--which was\nnot very often--I had to take the place of our sick one also: add to this\nthe fact that we had only two other teachers who regularly attended, and\nyou will see that our difficulties were of no light character. Often have\nI been at our little school with only one teacher and myself; and,\nindeed, at length things were come to such a crisis, that I said on my\nreturn home one afternoon, 'I will go no more; I'll give it all up,' But\nmy friends reasoned with, and showed me the impropriety of such a\ndecision; they told me that as the school was now entirely dependent\nupon myself for support, I should be much to blame if I gave it up. I\nlistened to their advice, and continued to discharge my duties as well as\nI was able.\"\n\n  \"Beware of desperate steps; the darkest day,\n   Live till to-morrow, 't will have pass'd away.\"\n\nSo sang Cowper, and so it proved in the case of I---- school!\n\n\"I determined,\" writes the subject of our narrative, \"not to abandon the\nschool. I made its position a matter of earnest prayer; canvassed our\npeople for teachers; and God raised us up friends, so that soon we had a\nsupply of teachers, and things went on smoothly. And here I would remark,\nthat during the lack of teachers the attendance of the children was most\ngratifying, considering that most of them had to come a distance of from\none to two miles, through roads which a 'Londoner' would consider almost,\nif not quite, impassable.\n\n\"Our little school, from this time, began to attract some notice, and we\nhad an examination or two, had sermons preached, and gave the children an\nannual treat. This mode of procedure we found absolutely necessary; so\nthat, by coming out prominently, we might draw the attention of our\nfriends, and so reach their pockets.\n\n\"Our school continuing to prosper, we began to talk about a chapel, and\nseveral subscriptions were promised toward it; but in consequence of the\nlandowner's antipathy to Methodism, we could not obtain a spot of ground\nto build upon. The death of the landowner, some time after, obviated the\ndifficulty; a suitable site was obtained, and a chapel built, in which, a\nfew years after, I had the pleasure of addressing the children on one of\ntheir festive occasions. The scene had changed, the new chapel which had\nbeen erected was well attended, the school prosperous, and the blessing\nof God evidently rested upon the place.\"\n\nIn my former narrative I made a remark or two on the evils and dangers\nto which a young man is exposed in coming to the metropolis, and the\ndreadful consequences to which a yielding to them leads. Those remarks\nwill, I think, be fully borne out in the case of Thomas; for, although,\nby the preserving grace of God, he was kept from all gross and outward\nsins, yet it will be seen that he lost the sweets and comforts of\nreligion, which before he had possessed. But I will give his own account\nof his residence in London.\n\n\"I have said,\" he writes in continuation, \"that in the beginning of 18--\nI removed to London: but I should have remarked, that, for some time\nprevious to my leaving H----, I was impressed with the conviction that it\nwas my duty to be engaged in a more prominent sphere of labor in the\nChurch. This impression received countenance and strength from the fact,\nthat several persons connected with the society urged such a step upon\nme. I had for some months been accustomed to accompany a very excellent\nfriend of mine, a local preacher, to his appointments in the country, and\nnow and then to take part of the service: but by natural temperament, my\nyouth, my inexperience, together with the overwhelming feelings of\nresponsibility which I attached to the office, prevented my acceding to\nthe request of my friends that I would preach; until just a month before\nmy leaving for London, when I made an essay at the house in which our\nschool was held, at I----. Had I remained in the country, it is likely\nthat I should have continued in the work of calling sinners to\nrepentance; but on coming to town, I had not moral courage to obey the\ndictates of my conscience, and to offer myself for this work. I shall\nrepent this step as long as I live!\n\n\"I had not been in London a week, before I succeeded in procuring a\nsituation in a very respectable house on the Surrey side of the Thames;\nand being nearer to Southwark than any other Wesleyan Chapel, I decided\non making that my place of worship. Here again I fell into error. I did\nnot, as I had been warned and entreated to do--and as I knew I ought to\ndo--join myself to a class at once; but, at the end of a month or six\nweeks, I connected myself with one which met in the vestry, at seven\no'clock on Sunday mornings, and for about eight or ten months I went on\npretty well; but when winter came, I was not regular in my attendance,\nand as every one acquainted with the benefits of class-meetings will\njudge, was not so prosperous in my soul's health.\n\n\"Nor was this the only error into which I fell during my stay in town. I\nfell into others which have often proved fatal to the piety of youth,\nand, but for the amazing goodness of God, would have proved so to me. One\nof these was the evil of itching ears. I could not be contented with my\nown place of worship, and our own ministers: but must be running here and\nthere, to hear Dr. So-and-so, or Mr. Somebody; or, when indisposed to\nramble after popular men, must go to this or that church or chapel, to\nsee some beauty or peculiarity which it was said to possess: thus a kind\nof spiritual dissipation was kept up, which was far from being beneficial\nto growth in grace. Instead of going to the house of God that the soul\nmight be fed with the bread of heaven, it was too frequently the case\nthat I went to gratify a taste for curiosity, or to get an intellectual\nfeast. Another error into which I fell, and that, too, a serious one, was\nindolence. I was in no way employed for God. Instead of taking my seat in\nthe Sabbath-school, or going from house to house as a distributer of\ntracts, or being in some way or another employed for God, I stood aloof\nfrom all, and preferred idleness to employment. And in thus acting I\nsinned against my conscience. I have before stated what were my\nconvictions respecting preaching; but fear kept me from that path of\nduty. I ought to have been engaged in the Sabbath-school; but constant\nand excessive confinement--our hours of business being from seven to nine\nin the winter, and from seven to half-past ten in summer--and the alleged\nwant of fresh air, were pleaded as an excuse for not engaging in this\nduty.\n\n\"I cannot reflect on this period of my life without painful emotion. When\nI think of the precious time murdered, time which might, and which ought\nto have been employed for the glory of God,--I am filled with sorrow. O,\nhad I been faithful; had I but improved the grace imparted; had I yielded\nto the strivings of the Spirit, and the convictions of my conscience, I\nshould, I am confident of it, now have been occupying a different\nposition in the Church, and should at this moment have been in the\npossession of more vital godliness. These are painful reflections: yet I\ntrust they are not without their benefits, for they lead me to humility\nbefore God, and I hope will ever have the effect of keeping me\ndistrustful of self, and dependent upon God alone.\n\n\"But to go on with my narrative. After about fifteen months' residence in\nLondon, my health began to fail, from the labor and confinement of my\nsituation; and at the expiration of nineteen months, I was under the\nnecessity of quitting the metropolis, and returning to my native county.\nHere I again took up my residence with my late employer, at Y----, with\nwhom I remained about five months.\n\n\"I had never, during the whole of my stay in London, been free from the\nconviction that it was my duty to call 'sinners to repentance;' and I\nmade a solemn vow, that should God again lead me to my native place, I\nwould at once offer myself to the Church. Now came the trial. 'Remember\nyour vow,' said my conscience. 'You are not well enough yet; wait till\nyou have got better,' answered inclination: and as there was much truth\nin the answer--my friends, together with myself, for some time thinking\nme in a consumption--inclination was listened to. But as I grew better,\nconscience was not so easily silenced, and a mental conflict was for some\ntime kept up, which is more easily felt than described; and such was its\neffect upon me, that I began again to sink, and to get very ill.\n\n\"Well do I remember the day on which I became decided. It was on a\nSabbath evening: I had been hearing a very faithful and powerful sermon\nfrom the Rev. Mr. G----, on the responsibility of individual Christians,\nand the duty of all to be employed for God. I saw my duty, and felt that\nI was grieving the Spirit by the course I was pursuing. I determined that\nI would open my mind to a friend with whom I was spending the evening. I\ndid so; and the counsel I received was, 'Parley with temptation no\nlonger; but to-morrow go to Mr. G., and open your mind to him,' 'I cannot\ndo that,' said I. 'Then write to your leader,' answered my friend. This\nwas just the advice I wanted; and I determined, by the help of God, to\nact upon it.\n\n\"Monday evening, at the close of business, I retired to my room; and\nafter earnest prayer, commenced a letter to my leader. It was nearly\nfinished: but on reading it over I was not pleased with its composition,\nand tearing it in pieces, commenced another. The agony of my mind was now\nat its height: my head seemed ready to burst; my brain was bewildered,\nand I was in a state bordering on distraction! While I write I seem\nalmost to pass through this agony again. I finished a second letter! What\nI said in it I no more know than a child: I feared to read it over, lest\nI should be displeased with and destroy it, as I did the former. I at\nonce sealed it up, and thrust it out of sight. I then threw myself on the\nbed, where I lay for a considerable time, till the exquisite excitement\nof the struggle being over, I retired to rest, thankful to God for the\nvictory I had gained. In the morning my first work was to send the letter\nto my leader: after which I had another struggle with the powers of\ndarkness. 'You cannot retract now,' whispered the enemy. 'You have done\nit; and now where are your sermons to come from? You know you have only\ntwo in the world: suppose you should make a failure in your first\nattempt, what a fool you would look like! how you would get laughed at!'\nBut the step was taken, and I rejoiced to feel that I had done my duty: a\nload which had long been too heavy for me was removed, and I felt\naltogether a new man.\n\n\"I fear I have been tiresome; but I will now soon conclude. I was\nproposed at the local preachers' meeting, accepted, preached several\ntimes before the brethren, with some degree of acceptance; and after\nremaining about four months in Y----, from the period referred to, my\nhealth being re-established, I again removed to the metropolis, where my\nname was regularly inserted on the plan. Having passed my examination in\nthe usual way, I was received into full connection as a local preacher. I\nneed not tell you that I am now fully occupied in this blessed work; that\nmy happiest hours are those spent in it; that, were it the will of God,\nI am willing to live and die in the work.\"\n\nThomas is now a local preacher in one of the London circuits; and\nalthough by his occupation he is necessarily prevented from much study,\nbeing in business, as unfortunately most young men are, from early in the\nmorning till late at night, he is, nevertheless, an acceptable, and, it\nis hoped, a useful preacher.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n\nHISTORY OF GEORGE.\n\nThe third brother, George, remained in M---- school for some years after\nthe elder brothers had left. As a scholar he was well-behaved and\nattentive; and after conducting himself with propriety for a considerable\nperiod, he was appointed a teacher. He had not long been thus engaged\nbefore, during a gracious revival of religion in the circuit, he became\ndeeply impressed with the necessity of salvation, and determined to seek\nthe forgiveness of his sins. He joined the Wesleyan society, and after a\nshort period, professed to have obtained peace with God through Christ,\nand the remission of sins through faith in his blood.\n\nShortly after he had joined the Wesleyan society, he was sent for some\nmonths to a boarding-school in a neighboring town. At that period the\nRev. J.B. was one of the resident Wesleyan ministers. Mr. B. had, a\nlittle time previous, preached a sermon to the young; and at the close of\nthe service had invited those young people who were not connected with\nany church, and who were determined to begin to serve God, to meet him on\nthe ensuing Thursday evening. Thirty came, whom he formed into a class,\nand continued to meet while he remained in the circuit. To this class\nGeorge united himself; and the instructions and kindness of this devoted\nminister, exercised a beneficial influence on his character and conduct.\nBy the grace of God he was enabled to persevere amidst the enticements of\nhis youthful associates, and to keep a conscience void of offense\ntowards God and man.\n\nSoon after this, he was removed from the parental roof, and placed with a\nlocal preacher at B., as an apprentice. Here his religious experience\ndeepened, and he enjoyed more of the favor and love of God; continuing\ninstant in prayer, and adorning the doctrine of God his Saviour. His\nSabbaths were indeed days of rest; but not the rest of the idle, for he\nengaged heartily in the duties of the Sabbath-school, and was a regular\nand punctual teacher. Some of his friends, who knew the state of his\nhealth, were rather opposed to his leisure moments being thus occupied,\nand considered that he ought to take exercise and recreation in the open\nair. Such were not his views. He shortly had to remove from business for\na time, and to take one or two sea voyages, which happily restored him to\nhis former health, and enabled him to return to his duties.\n\nAfter exercising as a prayer-leader as well as a teacher for some time,\nhe became impressed with the conviction that it was his duty and\nprivilege to preach the gospel. He was encouraged to proceed, and his\nname placed on the local preachers' plan. He then ceased to attend the\nSunday-school.\n\nIn a letter to a brother, George observes: \"I can scarcely remember\nanything of serious impressions while at school; though, I doubt not, the\ninstructions I there received had a salutary influence upon my mind. If I\nremember rightly, several of the elder children were converted during the\nrevival at M.; and most of those who continued steadfast were, or had\nbeen, connected with the school, either as teachers or scholars.\"\n\nGeorge was not satisfied with his attainments in the divine life, but\nsought to possess higher enjoyments and more extensive usefulness,--\"to\ndeeper sink, and higher rise, and to perfection grow.\" He was soon\nenabled to testify that \"the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all\nsin;\" and had much delightful evidence that to be more holy was to become\nmore happy and useful. He labors devotedly and successfully as a local\npreacher, and is determined to live to the glory of God.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n\nCONCLUSION--BENEFITS OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS.\n\nHaving now brought my sketches to a conclusion, I would here make a few\nremarks, before I take leave of my reader. First: the benefits resulting\nfrom Sabbath-schools are not confined to those which are present and\npalpable. How often do we hear of children leaving the school, and going\nout into the world, without any apparent effect being produced in their\nminds; but yet, in the course of time, through the blessing of God, the\nmost beneficial results have appeared from these instructions.\n\nNot a few instances of boys who have been excluded on account of bad\nconduct, but who have been brought to the knowledge of the truth, through\nthe blessing of God upon the instructions received in the Sabbath-school,\nhave been laid before the public. And who will say, that in many cases\nwhere there seems no connection whatever between the instruction and the\nconversion of the individual, no such connection exists? It is my firm\nconviction that a person who has received instruction in a Sabbath-school\nis much more likely to receive the truth in the love of it, than is the\nindividual who has been brought up in complete ignorance of the truths of\nthe gospel. The heart and understanding of the former may be compared to\nthe ground broken up, and prepared for the seed; while those of the\nlatter are like the field through which the plow has never passed, and\nthe face of which has never been prepared; to sow seed on which is, in\ngeneral, to cast it upon \"stony ground, where\" it is either picked up by\nthe \"birds of the air,\" or, should it chance to take root, soon \"withers\naway, because it has no deepness of earth.\"\n\nSecondly: if no positive good resulted from Sabbath-schools, the amount\nof negative good produced would be sufficient to compensate for all the\nlabor and toil of the teachers, and to warrant their continuance and\nsupport. How much Sabbath-breaking is prevented by these instructions! A\nvery great proportion of those children who attend Sabbath-schools would,\nbut for them, be spending their time in running about the streets, and\nin profaning the Lord's day; and, by the unholy companionships which they\nmust form, into how much of profligacy and vice would they be led! Is it\ntrue on the one hand, \"train up a child in the way he should go; and when\nhe is old, he will not depart from it?\" Then it is equally true, that if\na child be trained up in the way in which he should not go, when he is\nold, he is not likely to depart from it! So that by the prevention of\nSabbath-breaking, and its consequent train of evils, you actually lessen\nthe amount of crime in riper years. Children _will_ be educated; and if\nthe _people of God_ do not educate them for _their_ Master, and train\nthem for heaven, the servants of the _devil will_ not be slow in\neducating them _for theirs_, and in training them for hell! I conceive\nthat none, save the _Tractarians of Oxford, and their party_, will deny\nthe beneficial moral influence which such Sabbath instruction has exerted\nupon our teeming population. Go to the gloomy prisons, and search in the\nlonely cells for those wretched beings who through crime have become\ntheir inhabitants, and make the inquiry as to who are the tenants of\nthose places; and the result of that inquiry will be, an overwhelming\nmajority stands on the side of the ignorant--of those who never had the\nbenefits of Sabbath-school instruction. Search into the history of those\npoor wretches who people our \"Union Houses,\" and you will find that but\nfew of them enjoyed the benefits of Sabbath-school instruction. And it\nmay be relied on as a fact, that in the black catalogue of the annals of\ncrime comparatively few are to be found who were instructed in\nSabbath-schools. Let Sabbath-schools become universal, let proper\nteachers be provided for the children, and let religious instruction of\nan orthodox character be instilled into their minds, and next to the\npreaching of the gospel, it will do more towards the establishment of the\nreign of grace--towards the universal reign of Christ--than any one thing\nbesides.\n\nThirdly: let it be known that the immediate, positive results of\nSabbath-school instruction, are incalculable! Scores, yea hundreds,\nhave, during their connection with them, been soundly converted to God.\nHundreds and thousands date their conversion from the instructions and\nadmonitions received at those noble institutions; and not a few of the\nmost devoted missionaries, illustrious divines, laborious commentators,\nand translators of the Bible, and most popular preachers of the age, have\nbeen among those very persons who owed--and have rejoiced to own that\nthey owed--their conversion to Sabbath-school instrumentality.\n\nI cannot take leave of the reader, without adverting for a moment to an\nobjection which may be raised with reference to the subjects of the\npreceding narrative.\n\nSome persons, perhaps, may be ready to say, that in all probability these\nbrothers would have become what they are, had they never seen a\nSabbath-school. To this objection I answer: That such a position would\nprove fatal to all instrumental means of salvation. God could,\nundoubtedly, save man without any instrumentality whatever. He _could_,\nwe say, do this; but such is not God's method of procedure; and we are\ntherefore justified in believing, that to the various instrumentalities\nin operation is the salvation of man attributable: and if so, why should\nwe deny that God can and does bless the labors of Sabbath-school\nteachers, and, through their instrumentality, render Sabbath-schools\nchannels of salvation to many?\n\nI will only add,--and I rejoice that I am able to do so,--that each of\nthe brothers is now actively engaged in the work of God. James is the\nsuperintendent and manager of a Wesleyan Sunday-school; and in point of\nperseverance, and constancy in the prosecution of duty, he is quite a\npattern. Thomas and George are very acceptable local preachers in the\nWesleyan connection. May they ever be zealous in every good work, and\nhave grace to continue faithful unto the end.\n\n\"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless\ncome again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.\" Psalm cxxvi,\n6.\n\n\"Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.\"\nEccles. xi, 1.\n\n\n\n\nAPPENDIX.\n\n\nThe following letter has been put into the writer's hands since the\npreceding pages were in the press, and will be read with deep interest,\nas containing an account of the death of one of the teachers of\nT---- street school, from the pen of her brother, James's colleague:--\n\n\"My beloved sister entered into the joy of her Lord about half-past\ntwelve this morning. I sat up in company with Mrs. B. and another\nfriend--it was a delightful night, there was a calm and cloudless sky,\nand the full moon shone in at the window in spite of the blind and\nrush-light. I rose at last, and extinguished it, and drew up the blind;\nit was a beautiful and a solemn sight! I shall never forget it. Jessy\nfound it hard work to breathe, and at times, I almost indulged a wish\nthat she might be speedily released. But I did not dare to pray for life\nor death; 'Thy will be done,' was my motto, and all was well. Seeing her\neyes often turned upward, I spoke, and pointed upward,\n\n  'Yonder's your house and portion fair;'\n\nshe hesitated a moment, and then added,--'M--y tr--easure--and--my HEART\nare there.'\n\n\"At another time, observing her in great pain for the want of breath, and\nat the same time moving her lips in silent prayer or praise, I said,--'As\nthy day, so shall thy strength be,' She replied with feeling, 'Yes.' At\nanother time we understood her to say 'Jesus,' with something like energy\nin her voice; but whether in prayer or praise we could not decide, as the\nvoice was thick, and rather indistinct, although loud, and many words\ncould not be understood because of this.\n\n\"The last word I caught was 'Glory,' and a very appropriate one it was to\nbid adieu to this lower world, and enter that which is above. I attempted\nto move her head a little, in order to let her see the beautiful moon\nonce more, as it shone on every part of her, except just the forehead and\neye; when she said, 'Don't bring me back from heaven,' and when we could\nnot understand her words, we were convinced by the tone of her voice that\npleasure and joy reigned within. Her hands had been for some time down by\nher sides; but a few minutes before death she raised them gently up, and\nclasping them together, seemed by her motions to commend her soul to\nJesus. O! I shall never forget that scene: there lay the dying saint\nbefore my face,--it was the solemn, still hour of midnight--the calm\nserene without beautifully harmonized with the scene within. The virgin\nwas ready, with her lamp trimmed, and the cry came, 'Behold the\nbridegroom cometh; go ye forth to meet him,' The summons was obeyed, and\nthe faithful servant entered into the joy of her Lord.\n\n\"As regards my own feelings, I was without agitation; and that sweet,\nsweet peace, which is the peculiar property of the people of God, kept my\nheart and mind: but when the spirit had fled I felt a little excitement,\nand could have disturbed the house by shouting her dying word, Glory!\n\n\"She selected a verse for the funeral sermon; it is the last in the\nseventh of Revelation: 'For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne\nshall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and\nGod shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.'\"\n\n\nTHE END.","title":"The Village Sunday School, with brief sketches of three of its scholars","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":10489}