the Christian Sabbath in some parts of this island, is a subject of great promise. New South Wales.-Several Sunday schools have been formed in this colony. The Wesleyan Sydney Sunday School Union, consists of 4 schools, and 180 scholars. Van Dieman's Land.-A Sunday school is formed at Hobart's Town, in this colony, and others are expected. South Seas.-A considerable Sunday school is formed at Huahine, by Mr Charles Barff, who was formerly a Sunday school teacher in London. The number in the school is 230 boys, and 120 girls. The number of boys is the greatest, because the girls were more frequently murdered in their horrid custom of infanticide, which is now abolished with their idolatry. The children are instructed by pious native teachers, six males and six females, besides the superintendent. At Wilks' Harbour, from 100 to 150 adults attend every morning at sunrise. children are catechised on Sundays by native teachers. Papara, 700 children and adults attend school, and their progress is encouraging. The West Africa. The scholars educated by the Church Missionary Society, amount to upwards of 4000. The Sunday school at Freetown, contains 120 scholars, to whom the scriptures are explained in the evening. South Africa.-Sunday schools are established in five of the settlements. In the Sunday School Union, for the district of Albany, the schools proceed regularly and effectually. Pacalsdorp.-At Pacalsdorp, since the institution of the Sabbath school, the slaves (anxious for learning) come to the settlement from every quarter. CELEBRATION OF A SUNDAY SCHOOL ESTABLISHMENT. New-York, 16th November, 1823. This evening we attended the celebration of the establishment of Sunday schools in the north-west district of this city, in the Presbyterian church in Spring-street; when a solemn and im pressive address was delivered by the Rev. SAMUEL H. Cox, (the minister of that church,) to a congregation of probably 3000 persons; for the church was entirely full many who came, returned for want of room, and nearly 800 children were in the galleries, accompanied by their respective teachers, presenting a scene highly gratifying to the patriot and the christian. The services began with an affectionate address by Mr. Cox to the children, in which he recommended to them order and quiet; an exhortation which they honoured throughout the whole service. An appropriate hymn, composed for the occasion, was then sung, and followed by prayer; when an address was delivered by Mr. Cox, which, we regret, we have not room to report fully. Mr. Cox proposed as his theme, the excellency of the Sabbath school system; in unfolding which, he presented as proofs of that excellency, the four following considerations: 1st. The object of Sabbath schools ; 2dly. The means used to attain it ; 3dly. The manner of applying them ; and 4thly. The success attending their efforts and operations. The object, he said, was to instruct the young in their duty as christians. It was an object so great, that it had engaged the attention of kings, nobles, statesmen, and, above all, of eminent christians; who, like their blessed Master, "went about doing good." He said the system had a general and a special excellency. The extension of its influence over the whole of mankind, without distinction, showed its general excellency; and its method of operation, by prevention rather than cure, showed its special excellency. Mr. Cox illustrated this by reference to the sciences of medicine and legislation. The sublimest attainments of the healing art, he said, are those which are preventive rather than curative; and the laws which erect gaols to punish, are not to be compared to those which erect schools to prevent human delinquency. Another special excellency, he said, was, that the system operates on the young, at the happiest period of human life, and when the mind is most susceptible of impression. According to Christ's teaching, it aims indeed to "make the tree good," in order "that the fruit may be good also :" but it begins with the tree when it is but a twig; takes it in its pliancy; prunes it; erects its stem towards the skies, and teaches it to expand its foliage to the sun; to drink the dews of heaven; to shed its fragrance through the air, and bring forth its fruit to maturity and perfection: but to bend a full grown oak, how vain is the attempt! Mr. Cox here noticed the fact, that the pious kings of Judah had all commenced their career of piety in youth; and that Timothy had been instructed from his youth by his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois. This led the preacher to make an animated and impressive address to the mothers present, urging them to send their children to the Sunday schools, and second the efforts of the teachers to impress upon them the " image and superscription" of Christ. He said, that in the last age, piety was passive; and that orthodoxy and passivity were considered almost synonymous: but now something is felt of the active disposition of the first age of christianity. Paul was an active christian was he not orthodox? Had he too much zeal? No seas or mountains could stop him in his course of active philanthropy until he had “finished" that "course with joy." In speaking on the 2d and 3d heads, the preacher said, there was nothing secular or sectarian in the means, or in the method of prosecuting the system. We have a clear judication of the will of God that all should be taught to read; and it would be well if Congress would pass a law punishing the neglect of this imperious duty wherever that neglect was wanton or unnecessary. There is nothing in it to alarm society; it cannot be suspected of treason; it seeks no earthly reward; it proceeds in its noiseless, unoffending course, without ostentation or parade, and looks for a recompense in the approbation of GoD and of CHRIST. As to the success of the system, the preacher stated it to have been so rapid, that Great Britain (where it originated only about 40 years ago,) there are now upwards of 6000 schools, 60,000 teachers, and 700,000 Sunday school scholars. He stated its rapid progress in this city, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other places; and was decidedly of opinion that it was one of the principal means by which the millenium was to be introduced upon the earth. The preacher here spake of the Sabbath schools as being nurseries for great men, and destined to produce the Newtons, Whitfields, Howards, Buchanans, Martyns, and Vanderkemps of a future age. He then addressed parents on the necessity of their aiding by their example and their prayers, the efforts of the teachers, and admonished them faithfully, "To try each art, reprove each dull delay; "Allure to brighter worlds, and lead the way." His next address was to teachers; and here he emphatically said, "I am glad they are to have a better encomium than any I can pronounce. If their motives are what they ought to be, (and let them look to that infinitely vital point.) CHRIST will pronounce their eulogium when they have finished their labours, and will award them the honour that cometh from GoD only." His closing sentences were addressed to the auditory in general, on the honour, ornament, and dignity" of doing good; enforcing the sentiment with a quotation of the following beautiful lines : "No radiant pearl which crested fortune wears, "Nor gem, that, twinkling, hangs from beauty's ears; "Nor rising suns that gild the vernal morn, "Shine with such lustre, as the tear that breaks "For others' wo, down virtue's manly cheeks." **The great length of the Survey of Sabbath Schools contained in this number, prevents the Editor from introducing several original compositions, which were prepared and sent to the press; but they will appear in the next number. In the former number the meekness of Christ, his patience and perseverance, with his manner of instruction, were recommended to the attention of Sabbath School Teachers. A few additional observations on the divine example of our blessed Master as a teacher will not, it is hoped, be unacceptable. And first, the memoirs of his life which the four evangelists have recorded, exhibit in him a course of intense and incessant peety. In reviewing these sacred records for particular instances, such a large number is to be found that it is difficult to select any; nor is it perhaps necessary to do so, since those for whom these observations are intended cannot be unacquainted with the fact that the life of Christ was a life of ardent and unwearied devotion; and that whether he walked in the streets of the city of Jerusalem, or retired to the hills that surround it, the employment of his divine mind was prayer. It is recorded six times that he gave thanks to God before partaking and distributing food; and the whole night before he chose the twelve Apostles who were to be the companions of his life, and the witnesses of his resurrection, was spent in prayer. * In the midst of his lamentation over Chorazin and Bethsaida how piously and emphatically does he express his thanks, that while divine truth was "hidden from the wise and prudent it VOL. I. *Matthew 11. 25. Luke 6. 12. |