London it was remarked that "we are entering upon a new era, even if a complete revolution is not before us; new organizations will be required." It is evident, too, that the organizations which are required will mainly be denominational in form and operation. In the isolated position which Sundayschools occupied during the earlier stages of their history, the only possible combinations of officers and teachers for the improvement of their work were undenominational in their character and administration. The Sunday - School Union of London was established in 1804, the Sunday-School Union for Ireland in 1809, and the American Sunday-School Union in 1824. These associations have filled an important place in the Sundayschool system, and have done much, by promoting intercourse between Sundayschool teachers, by creating a Sundayschool literature, by grants in aid of school and class-rooms and libraries, and by instituting voluntary competitive examinations, to extend Sunday-schools in Europe and America. But the rapid growth of Sunday-schools soon made it apparent that these institutions could not supply all the needs of such schools in any religious community. The Sundayschools of every Church had special wants which special agencies only could meet, and hence sprang denominational Sunday-School Unions. The SundaySchool Union of the American Methodist Episcopal Church was the first of these, established in 1827, but re-organized and recognised by the General Conference in 1840, to concentrate and direct efforts for the efficiency of Sunday-schools within the denomination itself, and in connection with its own societies and congregations. The Church SundaySchool Institute of this country dates from 1844, and has branch associations in the metropolis and local associations in the provinces affiliated to it, exclusively belonging to the Church of England. The Sunday-School Union of the Wesleyan-Methodist Church in Canada was instituted in 1868. In 1871 the Baptists and Presbyterians of America followed the example of the Methodist Episcopal

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Church in organizing denominational Sunday-School Unions, in the appointment of general superintendents, and in the publication of periodical lessons. The Primitive Methodists here have also had under consideration the desirability of a general union of all their Sundayschools, and a draft plan of proposed legislation, comprehending rules for circuit, district, and connexional unions, was presented to the Conference of that body last year, but was again referred to the Connexional Committee sitting during this year. All these denominational proceedings point to one issue, the recognition of Sunday-schools as Church agencies, their inclusion within ecclesiastical organizations, and the control of their own schools by the several Churches.

WESLEYAN CONNEXIONAL UNION SCHEME.

The scheme for a Wesleyan-Methodist Sunday-School Union, submitted by the Education Commitee to the last Conference, the draft arrangements of which were then provisionally approved, has during the year, by the direction of the Conference, been considered by the financial District Meetings, made special for that purpose; again revised, with the advantage of suggestions from those meetings, by the Education Committee; and weighed by a special meeting of ministers and laymen, which the Conference authorised the President to convene, and which met at the Centenaryhall on the 14th and 15th of April last. The main objects of the scheme were all but unanimously approved by the district committees, and the special meeting, after full deliberation, expressed its great satisfaction that the principle of a Connexional Union had been sanctioned by the Conference, heartily approved of its objects, and adopted a series of resolutions for their attainment. The report of this important meeting will be laid before the Conference for its decision;* and should that be favourable, nothing will be wanting but a liberal response to the appeal for funds needful for the outfit and furnishing of the central

*The decision of Conference was favourable. -Ed.

agency of the Union and to commence the work, to give practical effect to its arrangements.

CIRCUIT UNIONS.

The organization of local associations within the limits of Circuits themselves has received fresh impulse from the anticipation of Connexional Union. I have attended meetings of existing Unions at Alford, Bilston, Bolton (Bridge-street and Wesley), Castleford, Clitheroe, Haworth and Oakworth, Hull (Waltham and Great Thornton-street), Keighley, Lambeth, and Rochdale (Wesley), all of which are in vigorous life and usefulness. I have likewise held meetings of officers and teachers for friendly conference in 44 other Circuits, at most of which the desirability of united action was discussed, and the best, way of securing it pointed out; and at Barnsley, Barnstaple, Carlisle, Dudley, York (Wesley), and other places immediate steps were resolved upon. An additional motive for the formation of Circuit Unions is likely to be furnished by legislation for the direct representation of such Unions in the quarterly meetings of their respective Circuits. This matter was favourably entertained at the last Conference; but was referred to the consideration of the special meeting of laymen and ministers on Connexional Union, which recommends to the Conference that "in each Circuit in which a Wesleyan Sunday-School Union exists,

or

shall hereafter be formed, the committee of such Union shall annually elect two of their number, being members of Society, who shall be specially charged with the representation of Sundayschool interests in the Circuit, and be entitled to vote in all respects as members of the Circuit quarterly meeting." Should this recommendation be adopted, the organization of a Union will be indispensable to the enjoyment of this privilege.

Circuit Unions are reported as having been established during the year in 25 different Circuits, as in course of formation in 10 more, and as being contemplated

in yet 25 others. Norwich, Portsmouth, and Swansea are the only districts in

which no Unions exist, and in the first of these they are taking shape in Lynn and Bungay. The Channel Isles, Devonport, and Exeter Districts have 1 in each of them; Bristol, Carlisle, Isle of Man, Lincoln, and Macclesfield have 2 in each; Bath, Bedford, Cornwall, London First, Oxford, Sheffield, Whitby and Darlington, 3 in each; Hull, Leeds, and Liverpool, 4 in each; Birmingham and Shrewsbury, London Second, Newcastle, and Nottingham and Derby, 5 in each; Kent, Manchester, and York, 6 in each; South Wales, 7; Halifax and Bradford 9; Bolton, 11; and North Wales, 20. These make up a total of 132 Unions, or 18 in advance of last year.

CONFERENCE ON SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK.

A Conference on Sunday-school work was held at Denbigh in March last, under the presidency of the Rev. Samuel Davies, chairman of the North Wales District. The Superintendent of every Circuit in the district, and several other ministers, with representatives from the schools of nearly every Circuit, either from individual schools or from Circuit Unions, were present. Three sittings were held, and a paper read and discussed at every session; one by the Rev. H. Evans on "The Present Position of our Sabbath-schools in the District; " a second by T. Roberts, Esq., on "The Sabbath-school in its Relation to the Church;" and a third by the Rev. W. H. Evans on "The Teacher, his work, qualifications, and responsibility." A public meeting was held in connection with the Conference, at which several ministers and laymen advocated the cause of Sabbath-schools. The experiment was in every respect a success, and is likely to be followed by similar Conferences in succeeding years.

PROGRESS OF SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS.

It is now ten years since my first Report on Sunday-schools was presented, and in that time we have had an increase of 892 schools, 18,848 officers and teachers, and 156,467 scholars, or 24 per cent. on the entire number, and nearly double the per-centage of increase in the population of Great Britain during the

same period. This is by far the largest advance we have made in any corresponding period of our Connexional history; it removes all doubts that we are not keeping pace with the progress of population; and it forms a strong motive for the complete organization of this department of our work, so as to derive the largest measure of spiritual fruit from it. It is gratifying to observe that there has not been a positive decrease in any one district of the Connexion in the decade, though the increase has been unequally distributed. The Channel Isles, Exeter, Edinburgh, Isle of Man, Norwich and Lynn, and Zetland Districts have been comparatively stationary, while all the rest exhibit a fair proportion of increase, and, as might be expected, the districts which include the great centres of our manufacturing industry, and draw to themselves the surplus population of other places, a very considerable increase; Birmingham and Newcastle, 7,000 respectively; Leeds, Liverpool and Macclesfield, 9,000; Halifax and Bradford, 10,000; the united districts of Manchester and Bolton, 15,000; and of London, 22,000.

The accession on the year has been 98

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schools and 22,000 scholars, about 50 per cent. above the average annual increase of the ten years. Our satisfaction is, however, somewhat qualified by information from one district that "7 small village schools have been discontinued," and from others that there are many villages in which our chapels have no schools attached. One minister writes:-"The village schools are small and do not increase in number of scholars, while the town school is efficient and prosperous;" and another:-"Our interest in the villages connected with this Circuit diminishes on account of the increasing activity of the Church." But the activity of the Church, and specially that of the Ritualistic section of it, may excite our emulation. How can we hope for the Methodism of our villages to be sustained if our schools be not kept up in them? This object can best be secured by Circuit Union. It is stated that "the Witney Circuit Union has given a great impetus to Sunday-school work, as may be seen from the increased number of schools and scholars reported as compared with the returns of two or three years ago. The country places especially have been benefitted."

The

BOOKS.

which these were the outcome. The author has striven with considerable success to produce a complete portraiture. Francis Asbury was so intimately connected with the rise of the Methodist Episcopal Church of America, that to tell the story of his labours is in great measure to describe that interesting part of Church history. The chapters that treat of this subject furnish a clear and succinct summary of that Church's early history, certainly the most comprehensive and accurate account ever compressed into the space. Nevertheless, besides its many other merits, the book is most valuable as "a Biographical Study for Christian Workers." Here they may find an example worthy of all imitation, an example of sustained devotedness, of dauntless courage, of self-sacrificing zeal, of patient endurance of privation

and pain. Hence they may learn a lesson that cannot be too frequently repeated or too closely laid to heart, that the keeper of others' vineyards must keep his own most carefully; that the men who accomplish much for God are men that walk humbly with Him; that deep and strong love to man must be founded on deeper and stronger love to Jesus. We should wish this book to be in every Sunday - school and Local - preachers' Library, and on the shelves of every minister of the Gospel.

An Allegory Treating of Sin and Salvation, their Sources and Operations. By THOMAS SAMPSON. London: John Kempster and Co. 1874.-A praise

worthy attempt to explain, by means of pictures and descriptive letter-press, the progress of sin and of grace in the heart. Delivered as a lecture, it would probably be more impressive and interesting than it appears in print. The illustrations are clever and striking, and, above all, true to fact. They would help all who studied them, particularly elder children, to realise the existence of the beast and devil in their souls. Mr. Sampson's views are generally in accordance with those held by the majority of Evangelical Christians. We demur, however, to the treatment of penitents under conviction of sin as "God's dear children," as "these babes in Christ."