Farnworth, near Bolton.-On Monday, November 6th, at a Tea party, prepared by the Congregation of St. John's, Farnworth, in order to present their late Curate, the Rev. W. Sutcliffe, with a handsome Gown, Cassock, and Communion service, the Teachers of the new Bury school presented him with a beautiful Bible and Prayer Book, as a token of their high esteem.

Halifax.-SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.-The anniversary of this Union was celebrated on Christmas Day, at Square chapel. Mr. Robert Crossley in the chair. The attendance was more numerous than that of former years. The report, which was read by Mr. W. Corke, one of the secretaries, presented a gratifying statement of the usefulness of the institution; and after paying a well-merited tribute to the laborious and self-denying exertions of Sabbath school teachers, referred with satisfaction to the extraordinary attention which is now being directed to the cause of popular education, and expressed a hope that there would be a corresponding effort on the part of all who are engaged in imparting religious knowledge, to furnish themselves with every qualification requisite for the discharge of their duties. Connected with this union there are now 42 schools, containing 2130 teachers, and 8350 scholars; of this number 3500 are able to read the scriptures; 32 schools have lending libraries, and 25 schools have classes for senior scholars. During the year 42 scholars have united themselves to the church of Christ. Statements like these are calculated to excite gratitude in the hearts of those whose instrumentality it has pleased the Almighty thus to honour, and to afford additional motives to a more unreserved consecration to the great object of their labours. The independent school at Holmfirth, and the baptist school, Meltham, have this year been added to the union; aud two schools have received libraries, at the reduced price, from the London Sunday School Union. The various resolutions submitted to the meeting, were proposed and seconded by the Revs. B. Shimwell, Samuel Oddie, John Taylor, James Pridie, A. Ewing, M.A., Samuel Whitewood, John Harrison, J. M. Obery, M. A., and Messrs. Campbell, of the Town Mission; John Denniston, of Wakefield; and John Edwards.

Hulme.-On Monday, January 15th, the clergy, visitors, teachers, and monitors of St. George's Church assembled, and presented an elegant Bible and Prayer book to Mr. C. J. Brown, one of the teachers, on his departure for India. Each book has the following inscription :-' Presented to Charles John Brown, by the clergy, visitors, teachers, and monitors of St. George's Church, Hulme, as a token of their sincere esteem and affection, on his departure to a foreign land, January 15th, 1844. The Rev. W. Whitelegge, the Incumbent, delivered an admirable

address.

New York.-By a recent communication from our American Correspondent, we learn that at an examination of the Deaf and Dumb Institution, a very touching scene occurred. A class of fourteen young persons passed their examination and received their Testimonials, when one of them, in the name of the rest, stepped forward, and presented Mr. Peet the works of Milton, elegantly bound, and thus addressed him in the expressive language of signs :-'Will you accept this volume as a token of friendship and remembrance from your class? Several weeks ago, we resolved to make you a present, as a slight expression of our love and gratitude for your kindness to us, while under your care and instruction. We hope you will always remember your class. We shall never forget your name. We shall always remember you while you live. We have long

enjoyed each others company, but now we are about to separate, with no expectation of meeting again on earth; but we hope we shall meet you again in heaven after death, through faith in our Saviour. My classmates appointed me to make this address to you. Receive our expression of gratitude to you. We bid you an affectionate farewell.' The vast company was taken by surprise. The whole class burst into tears during the silent address of their Teacher, and the spectators wept aloud in sympathy.

Widford, Essex.-The Rev. W. Buswell, whose kind and indefatigable exertions in promoting the spiritual welfare of the young around him, by the establishing of Sunday schools, have secured for him the high esteem of his people, has just received a handsome cream jug, bearing this inscription-Presented to the Rev. W. Buswell, Rector of Widford, by his hearers, os a token of their esteem, Dec. 23, 1843.' In the address which accompanied it, they express their gratitude for the noble part he has taken in diffusing religious knowledge among the young of his parish, and their prayer that he may very long be spared to 'Point to better worlds and lead the way.'

Manchester.-EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.-We can truly say that during our entire Editorial career we have never had an announcement to make of a more delightful kind than on this occasion. It would have been made last month, had we not been compelled to go to press unusually early. At length the various sections of the Church of Christ are awaking to a sense of their duty in reference to week-day education. To this topic we adverted in our recent preface. We can at present do little more than express our devout rejoicings at the movement which has been commenced. The Church of England has raised about four hundred thousand pounds. The Wesleyans have proposed to raise two hundred thousand in seven years. The Congregationalists propose to raise two hundred and twenty-five thousand in five years. All this is to be expended in securing denominational schools, attached to their various sanctuaries. The Baptists also are ready for action, but they prefer acting in concert with other bodies, and encouraging schools of a more neutral or general character. Protesting as we were last Summer against the compulsory educational scheme of Sir J. Graham, we delight in the voluntary exertions to which the British Churches are now pledged. We do not regard education as within the province of Government. It is too high, too important for any merely civil machinery to effect. It must be done to be efficient for both worlds-by the Church of God. All souls are God's. The public mind has such a bearing on eternity, that nothing but spiritual and holy communities can mould it aright.

The present duty of every Sunday school is now at once to make provision for such day tuition, and thus to make ready a people prepared for purely religious matters on the holy Sabbath. Vast num

And

bers of school rooms are now unoccupied through the week. Let them at any rate be used. Let intelligent and devout Sunday school teachers meet the scholars on the week evenings. A beginningthough only a beginning--may be made in this way. Let each congregation commit itself to do a something in this great matter. we are sure that these voluntary unbought exertions of all the sections of Christ's one church, will as far exceed compulsory and government efforts, as the miracles of Moses and Aaron eclipsed the pretensions of the magicians of Egypt.

We can often illustrate things which we cannot fully explain. This is the case in reference to the sign which God gave Hezekiah, that he should recover from his afflicton. That a miracle was wrought we fully believe. None but God could have given Hezekiah his choice, of having the shadow on the dial carried either backward or forward, and none but God could have brought it to pass, according to the wish of the pious king. Our young readers, however, must not suppose, as many do, that God caused the sun to go back again in the sky, this would have thrown the universe into confusion: it would have affected most injuriously the temperature of our earth, and caused the waters to overflow their beds. We believe the effect was caused on the sun dial, by the power of refraction which

D

the air possesses. The miracle in reality was wrought on the atmosphere, not on the earth or sun; the atmosphere being the medium through which the miraculous effect was caused. Perhaps the simplest illustration we can give, is the following:-let a child put a piece of money at the bottom of a basin, and then walk gently backward, until he has just lost sight of it; then let another child pour some water into the basin, while the first child keeps himself exactly in the same place: directly the water goes into the basin, the picce of money will be seen by the child, who, before could not see it. This is caused, not by a miracle, nor by the rising of the money, but simply by the refraction of the light, or the reflection of the coin. By increasing the density of the atmosphere around the court of Ahaz, the rays of light might have been refracted in an uncommon degree. In March, 1703, the shadow on a dial at Metz, was observed to deviate from its right position an hour and a half. In December, 1826, the clergy of a village in France, were engaged in exercises, preceding the festival of Christmas. A priest was reminding the people of the cross which is said to have appeared to Constantine, when suddenly, a large cross appeared in the sky, of a bright silver colour, tinged with red. This was no miracle, because a large cross had been erected near the church, and the atmosphere being just then in a peculiarly refrac tive state, the marvellous wonder had of course taken place. In fact, each day we see the refractive power of the atmosphere; the sun appears above the horizon many minutes before he has actually risen above it; and thus, all the convenience of twilight is secured, preparing us for perfect light and perfect darkness.

We are happy in having it in our power to give engravings of three ancient dials. The one on the left hand side is a concave dial of white marble, found at Civita, in 1762: the one in the middle is a compound dial, preserved in the British Museum, and originally found at Athens, in one of the cross-ways of the city: that on the right hand, is another concave dial, which was found near Rome. The first and third are thought to resemble the famous dial of Ahaz. For a more full explanation of this miraculous event, our young friends will, with advantage consult Mr. Milner's Astronomy and Scripture,' noticed in page 64. The scriptural account of Hezekiah's sickness and restoration will be found in 2 Kings xx., and Isaiah xxxviii.

THE TREE OF LIFE.

Proverbs iii. 18.

Wisdom is the tree of life to them that lay hold upon her.' Preached on the first Sabbath of the year, to the Sabbath school children connected with Providence Chapel, Whitehaven, by R. G. MILNE, A. M.

My dear Young Friends,-It was once said about a people who were named Athenians, that they spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. Now, children are very like this race of men. They want to hear and to talk about some new thing under the sun; they, therefore, ask a great many questions on this subject, and on that subject, and this is the best way of adding to their knowledge. I remember having read about a philosopher or a wise man in Persia, who, on being asked by what means he had obtained so much wisdom, answered, By not being prevented by shame, from asking questions when I was ignorant.' One great danger, however, into which the young often fall, is that they inquire about subjects, which, when known, will give them neither happy hearts nor holy thoughts. Now I am going to tell you some news, which will, I am sure, if listened to, bring you a great deal of joy. I am to speak to you this afternoon about a most wonderful tree, which was planted in the earth many hundred years ago, a tree which Daniel and David, Moses and Isaac, Abraham and Adam saw in their day, -under whose wide spreading foliage they used to sit down, and sing to their children about the Lord they feared, about his amazing works, and about his only Son, Jesus Christ, who was to come down from heaven, and to die on Calvary for sinners. And strange to tell, this tree still stands. Bad men have tried to hew it down, and very severe storms have beat against it, but its trunk is nobler in appearance now than ever; its roots strike deeper and deeper every day. But some of you will be beginning to ask what sort of a tree can this be? It must indeed be a curious one. I should like to see it.' Well, there have been many, many singular trees seen by men in different ages of the world. Adam saw a curious tree in the garden of Eden. Can you tell me its name? The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In what part of the garden did it stand? In the midst of the garden. And what kind of appearance had it? It was good for food and pleasant to the eyes. But were our first parents at liberty to eat of the fruit? No, God forbade them, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou