TEMPERANCE EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS IN THE FRIENDS' SCHOOL AT ACKWORTH.

By JOHN NEWBY.

It is an old and time-honoured maxim, bearing to the sanction of inspiration, that we must train up a child in the way he should go, in order that when he is old he may not depart from it. And it is a fact, illustrated by tens of thousands of lamentable cases, that when children are trained up in the way they should not go-as they grow in years, they mostly grow in evil, and never depart from it. There are exceptions, but they are tens against tens of thousands. These considerations, while they bear on many forms, perhaps on every form, of moral evil in society, have especial force in reference to the Temperance question. If prevention is better than cure, where cure is possible, but difficult-how essential is it where cure, alas! is often hopeless, if not impossible! We have reason, indeed, to rejoice with overflowing gratitude to the Father of mercies, for the miracles of grace, which have crowned the otherwise insufficient labours of Christian philanthropists to reclaim the drunkard. But from the hopeless efforts so often made to recover the adult victims of intemperance arose the happy and natural conception of educating the young in temperance principles. The sapling may be bent, shielded, reared, when the oak will never yield, unless to the thunderbolt that rends, or to the hurricane that lays it low. Hence arose our Bands of Hope, juvenile associations, in which moral force is brought to give direction to the future life. How hopeful we may be in reference to the success and happy results of these associations, facts already bear abundant witness; and it is by facts and results we must test our agencies. "The tree is known by its fruits."

Ackworth School, in Yorkshire, is a national boarding school, belonging to the Religious Society of Friends in Great Britain. It was founded about eighty years ago, under a serious conviction that a sound Christian education is one of the most imperative obligations due from a Christian church towards all its members. The principle was broadly avowed, that any member of the church, if unable by his circumstances to give a good education to his children, should be assisted so to do by his fellow professors. It was not a mere advancement in life that was contemplated, but that all the children in the society should be brought up, as the Apostle expresses it," in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

The institution has, ever since its formation, been conducted under the care and open supervision of the religious body to which it belongs. It is freely subject to inspection, and twice every year its condition is submitted to a general meeting, composed of representatives from all parts of the kingdom. Experience has gradually opened up its deficiences; improvements have been introduced in accordance with the general advance of education at large; and perhaps no point has received more attention than that of moral and religious training. To impart a comprehensive knowledge of Holy Scripture, even more than a direct exposition of the tenets of the Society as a sect, to inculcate a love of philanthropic and

Christian enterprise, and the practice of self-control and self-denial, have been primary object with the conductors of the school.

Yet, notwithstanding this noble design and these good intentions-and notwithstanding, too, the strict, oversight and discipline of the Society of Friends (a discipline reaching to every individual),-deplorable instancces have from time to time occured of individuals who had, with all these advantages, fallen into vice and degradation from the sin of intemperance. With the best of dispositions they had been led aside their generous frankness, and amiable cordiality, and good fellowship, often being as the outside ripple that drew them into the vortex, and they were lost before they knew their peril. It is a sad and serious truth, that even among the Society of Friends, as among society at large, there are comparatively few families who have not felt in some of their connctions a part of that woe immeasurable which the drinking habits of our country entail upon all ranks of society, from the prince to the beggar. It was therefore thought desirable in the school at Ackworth to bring the moral power of association to the aid of instruction and discipline, in the struggle against this giant evil. A juvenile Total Abstinence Society was formed among the boys in 1854. The measure was rather a late than hasty one. By that time the Temperance cause had made considerable progress in the country. The subject was not new to numbers of the children. Their friends in many instances, and their teachers were teetotallers. By the domestic arrangements of the school they were all water drinkers within its precincts. But such had not always been the case: and as somewhat illustrative of our subject, we will glance back at previous customs. The writer of this paper remembers in his youth the four grades of beer-tins; the largest holding, perhaps, half a gill for the biggest boys, the next somewhat less, the next still less, till the smallest contained the two tablespoonfuls, for the least of the flock. Moderate drinking, indeed, but by no means harmless. If the little dose was ridiculously small, a notion of growth was connected with its increase, and above the largest ration of all, the boy looked forward to the full cup of manhood. The child was trained in the way he should not go.

It may be worth while also to note the steps by which, about five-andtwenty years ago, the practice was given up. Individual remonstrances were uttered in private and in public. The children's small beer was home-brewed; but the officer, to whom was intrusted both the brewing and baking, himself became a teetotaller; and on the occasion of his marriage set the example of a teetotal wedding. On the other hand, the stale argument that moderation, not monastic abstinence, should be inculcated, was urged in favour of the small beer and the small beer tankards. The school is under the immediate direction of two large committees, and the decisions of each are submitted for confirmation to the other. But after the Yorkshire committee had concluded to brew no longer, the other, meeting in London, vetoed the proposition, and directed that wholesome malt liquor should continue to be used in the school. Exactly at this juncture one of the boys got access to the wholesome beverage alluded to, and drank himself into a state of stupidity. Thenceforward

the brewing was stopped, and in due time the vats were disposed of for water-tanks.

At the formation then of the Total Abstinence Association in 1854, the pupils were water-drinkers while they were within the walls of the school. More than this could not be said. They were often taken off the premises on little excursions by visitors, and during the annual vacations were exposed to other influences. The adoption of a pledge was thrown before the assembled boys. It was explained to them as a voluntary movement, in which each must decide for himself: the painful experience of the past, the danger and snares of the future, and the safeguard afforded by total abstinence, were represented to them: and they were cautioned not to make a hasty decision, but come to a deliberate choice in the matter, and in every case to have the approval of their parents. The result was, that many of the boys enrolled their names; and two of the first secretaries were sons of brewers, acting under the sanction of their parents. At the present time the family of one of them is now entirely clear of the traffic, and that of the other is preparing to wind up the concern. In all, four hundred and fifteen boys have entered their names in this promising Band of Hope. Some are since deceased; the names of fourteen have been erased or withdrawn by request; and of the bulk of the members we cannot speak with certainty, as they are scattered in all parts of the country. For this reason the pledge was drawn in the simplest form: "I hereby agree to abstain from all intoxicating liquors, except for medicinal purposes." An ornamental card of membership was engraved, with the motto, "Water is best," and "Lead us not into temptation." On the left is a miniature view of Ackworth School, and on the right that of a crowded street in a large city. Between them is the sentiment "While total abstainers, we altogether avoid the most prevalent temptation to crime in the world;" and underneath runs the legend, "May the resolution formed at school be maintained with perseverance in after life."

It is understood that on leaving school the boys remain members of the Ackworth Association, unless notice to the contrary be given to the secretaries. They cannot, however, remain under any close oversight after leaving school; and this may be considered a weak point. Nevertheless, their minds have been enlightened; they do not go out into the world ignorant of the snare: they have been taught, that "wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." And instances from time to time come to our knowledge, in which the resolution of youth has been earnestly maintained. One boy was known to adhere to his pledge, though the inmates of his father's family freely indulged in intoxicating liquors. Several, in different parts of England, have thrown their energies, both as workers and speakers, into local societies; and in some instances have been the means of founding them, either simply, or in connection with others. To maintain direct communication with four hundred individuals scattered about the country, would be rather difficult, if not impracticable. The first who signed the Ackworth pledge, for instance, after labouring diligently in the

small town where he spent his apprenticeship, has now emigrated with his total abstinence principles to Canada. On the whole, therefore, the results of this educational effort are encouraging, though it may be capable of improvement in its details.

The means employed to keep up the children's interest in the cause are occasional lectures from approved Temperance agents, and meetings conducted by the teachers; and the addresses of the latter probably touch more directly the immediate position of the scholars. The British Workman and the Band of Hope Review are freely circulated, and much read among the boys; and tracts have been sold to them at merely nominal prices, to give away on the road, and in the villages, when they walk out into the country. Some time ago, a circular letter was addressed by the Ackworth Association to the pupils in other Friends' Schools, suggesting the importance of their forming similar societies.

There are in the school about one hundred girls as well as boys; and it was at an early period suggested that they should be invited to take the pledge also. It was considered that they were equally interested in the question, and exposed to the same snare,-nay, as keepers of the keys in their future homes, capable of filling a most important position in the Temperance camp. A girls' association was therefore formed, and the two often unite in attending the same lectures. That girls can show equal earnestness in this good cause, as in every other, no one need dispute. A great impression was made on their minds some two months ago by a travelling agent of the Temperance League; and they requested their teachers to call a meeting on their side of the school. The writer of this paper was invited to address them, and when the enrolment of uan.es was made on the following day, about seventy new members were added to the list.

To conclude, we can from the experiment at Ackworth recommend the formation of juvenile associations. Let them be cautiously begun, and judiciously managed. Some little privileges and innocent emjoyments may be united with them by way of encouragement; but never let the serious bearing of the question on private and public happiness be lost sight of. Children have great influence over each other, and great influence with their parents; and the degraded victim of intemperance has more than once been drawn back to the paths of virtue, by the gentle solicitations and the speaking example of a tender and earnest child.

CLEAR THE WAY.

By J. LAWRENCE GANE.

Some time since, when in the country, I was rambling one bright and beautiful morning across some green and pleasant fields, when, just beyond a style, over which I had clambered, there lay right across the narrow pathway a large, rugged, prickly, dead branch. My first impulse was to step carefully over it, and pass on, but the thought occurred to me,-"It may not be a stumbling-block to me-I see it and can guard against

it; but it may trip up some one. Some weary wayfarer, treading this path at night, may fall over this branch and injure himself; some little child may come bounding along with heedless gladness, and catching his foot here, may tear his tender limbs ; it may harm some one, and can do no good, so I'll move it out of the way;" and I was not content until I had kicked it down in the deep ditch, by the hedge-side, and I then felt all the happier, feeling that I had done something to clear the way.

As I pursued my path, amidst sunshine and song, I thought how well it would be, if we all, in our daily pathway through the world, would act on this simple principle, of clearing the way for those who may follow us. In our journey from the cradle to the grave, from time to eternity, we see many a stumbling-block, over which our brothers fall; many a useless branch of custom, which catches tripping feet, and causes them to stumble and bleed. And there is one of these in every path; in village and city, in highway and byeway, which is more dangerous than all the rest. That stumbling-block is STRONG DRINK. The young and beautiful, the manly and noble, pressing forward in the crowd of life, stumble over it, and fall, maimed and wounded; and yet we carelessly allow it to remain there, when with a little trouble we might easily clear the

way.

Mother! you say that you have passed over this hindrance for many years, and that it has never caught you tripping. Perhaps so; but you have in your home, by your side, a little boy, your only son; you love him right well. Ever since he came into the household, you have felt a deeper joy, and a nobler purpose. His father, years since, left you sorrowing by a husband's grave, but you have this boy to solace you. When your husband died, it was with one hand in yours, and the other on the head of your little darling, and gave him to you to cherish, and to guide. The child has grown a noble boy. You love to gaze in his bright eyes and handsome face, for you see there a resemblance to him, who, long years since, won your love. At times, some word or look or gesture smites your heart with pain, for it reminds you so forcibly of him who has 'gone before." Not long ago that boy was ill. The physician despaired of his life. Oh! how you knelt, and wept hot tears upon his fevered brow, and implored God to spare him. The prayer was answered, and the lad is by your side now, with the hue of health on his cheek, and the hope of boyhood in his heart. He will leave you soon; he must go out into the school, and by-and-bye into the world, to fight its battles, and strive