Whilst writing this brief notice, the heart, and causes (like as with the disciples following letter from our beloved Friend going to Emmaus) the warmth to kindle and Brother (the Rev. J. W. GoWRING) within us, "His countenance is as the sun came to hand. As it bore upon the sub-in its strength." And when He lifts up the ject at the same moment under consider- light of his countenance upon us, there is ation, we cheerfully add his testimony light, warmth, and comfort; yea, all that is to our own, in support of the value of good and precious. the beloved Mr. KRAUSE's works. May the Lord grant you much of this shining, and when the clouds intervene, cause you to see the rainbow, and so remind you of his presence. With our nuited Christian love, believe me, WORDS FOR THE WEARY AND HEAVY-LADEN. TO A SUFFERER. PREVIOUS to the arrival of your affecting letter, these words had been laid upon the mind as a New Year's portion for you. "FEAR NOT-ONLY BELIEVE." At the moment of its application, we could scarcely doubt its being of the Lord. Your letter has given additional confirmation. And now we would ask, Can anything be more applicable? Your very position (trying and painful as it is) renders the word so much the more blessed and appropriate. The Lord help you, then, to take it as from Himself. Face the year, and face the trouble, and face the enemy; aye, more-with reverence we speak it-confront the Lord Himself with it. Take to Him, in the hand of your faith, his own precious saying, "FEAR NOT-ONLY BELIEVE." Oh, think of the circumstances under which this word was first spoken; contemplate the difficulties; what a hopless case as to appearances; and yet, in the face of these difficulties, and when, in one sense, there was every ground for fear, hear Him sayink, "FEAR NOT-ONLY BELIEVE." But not only so―and here is the greatness of the mercy-with the word the Lord gave followed power; the exhortation with the ability. His commanding was His enabling. And thus was it all of grace-all His own work.---Beloved and sorrowful one, as you found the Lord faithful to the last New Year's Portion, assuredly you shall find Him equally so with the present New Year's Portion, the up "FEAR NOT---ONLY BELIEVE." To AN AGED PILGRIM. "I HAVE seen 76 years of temporal sorrow upon sorrow, and for many years knew not where to cast my burden.' 76 years! Wonderful! And Satan out دو witted to the present moment! How precious that word (the Lord, in mercy, apply it to your heart) "By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy hath not triumphed over me." It is wonderful-and all so richly proves the power and faithfulness of our God-that his poor, and his needy, and his affrighted ones, are so astonishingly helped on and helped out. At your age, thou mother in Israel, we wonder not at your feelings with regard to Prayer. A seventy-six years' Pilgrim in the wilderness must know, and feel too, not a little of bodily infirmity; and mind and body deeply sympathize one with the other. Your exercises about Prayer are neither new nor strange. We know one who suffers not a little on this ground. He often rises from his knees half-resolved not to make the attempt again; it does seem such mockery-such absolute hypocrisy. The thoughts wandering to the very of the earth, so that it is often considered perfectly marvellous that a connected string of words and sentences should have been preserved. Plans, and devices, and imaginings a thousand times more vivid at these so-called prayer-moments than at any other period. And the petitions (such as they are) commonly summed up with a sigh, and the mental ejaculation, "Lord, have mercy upon my prayers. Don't add to all my other sins, that of what seems only mockery." And, if we are not mistaken, there is more prayer in this sigh than in all the words that had previously been used. The Lord will, moreover, come in upon this very his tender love and mercy; saying, “It ground, and open up tenfold more of is not for your sake, but for mine own sake, I will do this." ends 53 Supplementary Pages. IRELAND AND ITS PAROCHIAL WORK. BELOVED READERS,-But for the pecu-! liar position in which in God's Providence we are placed, we should scarcely deem the subject of the annexed pages compatible with the nature of our work as a Gospel Magazine. But, as a wild district in a remote part of Ireland is totally distinct from the rural parishes of England, the labours of the Parish Clergyman must widely differ also. This subject was most ably handled a few months since by one who had for some time laboured in Ireland-we refer to the beloved Editor of the Gospel Standard.* We never remember to have read a clearer or more truthful account of the true nature of Irish work than that to which we refer; and we have since seen a further elucidation of the subject from the same gentleman's pen, which we regret we are not at liberty to place before our readers. In entering upon the Industrial work of this parish, there were two Scriptures which awakened no small degree of anxiety as to the lawfulness of our course. The first was Acts vi. 2, "It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables;" the second was 3 Tim. ii. 4, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." These passages. produced considerable hesitation and much perplexity. Again, there were other Scriptures which seemed to have a contrary bearing, and to justify, under certain circumstances, a different course. Paul, we find by the 18th of Acts 3rd verse, wrought as a tent-maker. In his farewell to the elders of the Ephesians, he says. "I have coveted no man's silver or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these Both before our personal acquaintance hands have ministered unto my neceswith Ireland and since, our opinion has sities, and to them that were with me;" never changed as to the real nature of its and again in his 2nd epistle to the requirements. We felt assured from Thessalonians, 3rd chapter, 8th and almost the first moment that its welfare following verses, he says "Neither did was laid upon our hearts, that occupa- we eat any man's bread for nought; but tion-industrial pursuits- were the wrought with labour and travail night great desideratum. It was in this spirit and day, that we might not be chargeable in our second interview with our beloved to any of you: Not because we have and respected Bishop, we introduced the not power, but to make ourselves an subject, and as early as the year 1845, ensample unto you, to follow spoke of an INDUSTRIAL PRINTING For even when we were with you, this SCHOOL in connection with a PAROCHIAL we commanded you, that if any would SCHOOL; and we well recollect the not work, neither should he eat." peculiar interest exhibited by his Lordship Moreover, we find that though perhap on that occasion, when he put the ques-not after his more public entry upon the tion, Would it be possible to find Ministry, yet most certainly before it, work for such ?" And when on the eve of the Lord Jesus Christ himself was subour entering upon that great work, the ject unto his parents and wrought as a printing of Dr. GILL'S Commentary, we carpenter (See Luke ii. 51, and Matt. again brought the subject before the xiii. 55). Bishop, he said he was thankful for thing that would afford honest industrial occupation for the young of his diocese, and wished us God-speed in the under taking. any Some four years and a half have rolled away since that period; and now that we have arrived at the close of another year, and are presenting you, beloved readers, with the annual balance-sheet, although this is a Gospel Magazine, we hope it will not be considered out of place to address a few words to you, as a kind of review of our progress. * See Gospel Standard for Feb. 1854. us. These portions of the word of God when brought to bear upon our own position in this most desolate locality, this moral wilderness, had an encouraging tendency; for it would be difficult for any but an eye and experienced witness to conceive of the vast change from an active London-life to the extreme quiet of a small country-and most desolate---parish; a parish too where pauperism, and indolence, and wretchedness in the extreme, prevailed to an almost incalculable extent. We might enlarge upon this subject, and illustrate it by plain matters of fact. The Irish Clergyman, whose lot is cast in a country district, and who is called to take the oversight of, and labour among, a few-say, from twenty to sixty-scattered Protestants, is exposed to trials and temptations, to which a Minister labouring in a more extensive sphere is a stranger. After a course of study, he is ordained; he goes forth to his work with zeal and affection. His heart is enlarged towards his poor and benighted neighbours, as well as towards those over whom he is more immediately placed. But though he gives "the line upon line, and the precept upon precept" to the latter, he must give them time to digest the same. "Too much familiarity," says the adage, "breeds contempt.' The claims of some thirty to fifty souls-however valuable those souls are cannot (speaknig after the manner of men) absorb the whole of his time. Much, it is true, may be, and is, with propriety spent in his study; but in this he is to avoid extremes also, or the mental and spiritual darkness and desolation in which the majority of his neighbours are enveloped, will operate upon the already-sensitive mind, and depression and gloom-if not absolute physical lassitude and disability-will follow in due time, reach the head. We know this is a little reversing the order of things. We feel, however, it is nevertheless the correct way. Touch an Irishman's heart; and, as a rational creature, you will set him thinking; and, despite the mass of prejudice by which his mind is bolted and barred against the admission of light, his natural shrewdness and powers of comparison will be set going; the result under God will be true and lasting enlightenment. It was under these convictions, beloved readers, and with a mind bowed down under the crushing necessities, both temporally and spiritually, of one's parishioners, that we first appealed to you, and at length ventured upon that course of labour respecting the progress of which it now behoves us to address you. With what amount of fear we entered upon that work; with how keen a sense of responsibility; and with what dread lest it should blunt the edge of spirituality, God only knows. Yet, we felt again, as a timely set-off, the integrity of our motives-that it was but the carrying out of what had long possessed our minds, as we hoped implanted there by our God-and that the occupation of printing was of a character calculated in the highest degree to infuse light into the previously dark and benighted mind, as well as to inculcate habits of self-esteem and dependence. Readers, by the help of our God, notwithstanding internal fears, and external foes, we have been enabled to persevere to the present moment. In what was begun in the extremest weakness, we have been holpen. And, in looking back, we can but exclaim, "What hath God We know at this time sundry cases where men of mind-of power-of zeal of true spiritual light and affection, are thus, as it were, crushed by the weight and pressure of external circumstances. They long to minister to their poor and benighted countryman; they would fain tell the sweet story of peace to their perishing neighbours; but, as objects of suspicion and avoidance, their every movement is most narrowly watch-wrought ?” ed, in so far that they can scarcely ex- We have still heavy responsibility, it change with the poor Romanist the common salutations of every-day life. The disheartening, depressing effect of this state of things can only be understood by those who are called personally to encounter them. We know men -godly men-thus circumstanced, who would cheerfully exchange such a position for any amount of legitimate parishlabour. Under these circumstances, what is one to do? We say, it behoves him to make use of every lawful means which God may have placed in his power. And, if he can get at the people in no other way, let him try the Industrial movement. Let him begin with the hands; that will gradually affect the heart; and, is true. We have about one hundred and fifty, young and middle-aged, almost exclusively dependent upon ourselves for their daily bread, and this in the midst of a most expensive war. Our supplies have all to be derived from distant—and not in the least wise from local-sources. Our parish is at once remote and expensive; for both our materials and our produce necessarily incur the cost of transit. This forms no small part of our current expenditure. We have, for example, elsewhere stated, that the cost of carriage of the Commentary alone was upwards of £300, and the freight by long sea to London upon the Volume just completed, amounted to within a frac tion of two-pence a copy. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Notwithstanding all these disadvan-sponsibility, both for the present and tages however, and leaving the PRINTING the future, Not unto us, O Lord, not SCHOOL out of the question, it will be unto us, but unto thy name be the glory, seen by reference to our balance-sheet, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake." that the sum of £300, or thereabouts, has been paid during the past year to the Girls of the EMBROIDERY SCHOOL. Very many of our readers are already in a position to know the quality of the work rendered in return. And it will be for our readers, generally, to imagine the amount of application, quiet, and steady perseverance, that must have been brought into exercise upon the part of those employed. There is a change-a most obvious and an equally desirable change in those who were once the wildest and least controlled of the villagers. Of our other Schools, it is not necessary that we should speak. They have during the last week undergone the usual annual examination of the official Inspector, an extract from whose Report we shall subjoin, as well as that of the Parochial Schoolmaster, who has also the charge of the Agricultural School. I have spent part of three days in visiting the Parochial, Agricultural, and Infant Schools. In the Parochial School, which is and efficient Teacher, I minutely examined 29 admirably conducted by a most intelligent children, whose answering, in both secular and scriptural matters, was most satisfactory and creditable; and whose interest in their studies (a thing scarcely found in a school-room), was very gratifying. Since my former visit to this parish, a little more than a year ago, there has been an Agricultural class formed in connexion with the Parochial School. This class was examined by the master in my presence, and I was much surprised at the amount of useful knowledge, both theoretical and practical, which has been imparted to the boys in a very short period, in addition to the ordinary business required. In the Infant children. This school is also well conducted, Shool I found an average attendance of 47 Shall we close? Have we nought to cared for, and attended to, and every exertion and the children are in every respect well add about the spiritual aspect of the used to "train them up in the way they parish? Must all be confined to the should go." The children get one meal a merely secular advancement? Readers, day, and clothing is occasionally distributed we have the best of reasons for saying among them. There is also here an Embut little upon this subject-not that we broidery School, in which between 20 aud feel the less. We have ample materials 30 girls are instructed in this useful branch We would state facts-encouraging, of employment, not only giving them habits deeply interesting facts; but we are un-of industry and occupation; but also affordder the ramparts, and almost within hear-ing the means of earning from 4s. to 7s. per ing of the enemy. Emissaries are employed to report progress; and, by some means or other, they will doubtless be in possession of this record before it falls into your hands. It behoves us therefore to be mindful of the exhortation, "Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." This we know-for we have daily proof of it-" That a great and effectual door is opened unto us; AND there are many adversaries." Lastly, we would add-for we dare not close without it-that any little good which by our feeble instrumentality may have been effected, we do in the most unreserved manner, ascribe to our God. It is alone to his wisdom, his strength, and that opening of hearts and practical sympathy which He has been pleased to effect and awaken, that our success is to be attributed. The withdrawal of either the one or the other of these would be to us disastrous in the extreme. Hence, as it becometh us, we say in reference to the past, and under a deep sense of re week. Of the origin and progress of the Printing establishment, the details of which are almost incredible, it is not my province to speak, nor indeed is it necessary; but I must say that all these works must have required and above all deep and heartfelt reliance on ivast and uot common energy, perseverance, God's strength and blessing. Dec. 15, 1855. J. E. CUPPAIDGE. AGRICULTURAL TEACHER'S REPORT. REVD. SIR,---In submitting the following Report of the AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL FARM, I beg to state for the information of those who take an interest in the Schools, and have that the Farm is situated on the cliffs, not had an opportunity of visiting Boumahon, exposed to the sea blast; and in nowise the It would be running a great risk to attempt best adapted for a regular course of cropping, rience, having in 1854, in a field adjoining, a wheat or oat crop, as yon know by expenearly lost an acre and a half of oats; even the straw, was, I think, of but little value. Under these circumstances I must, therefore, keep up, at least for some time, a course of we had to work. Having examined the soil previous to working, I found it of a light porous nature---in fact, too much so to retain any moisture; and such being the case, I very naturally inferred the gases of whatever manure would be put in as it then was, would soon be lost. To remedy this, I determined on having nearly two inches of the subsoil, a blue weald, in many places dug up, and well mixed with the surface soil, in the course of working explained my reason for so doing to the boys. It turned out as I expected, the crops retaining a very luxuriant appearance through the season, which I accounted for, by the soil retaining a sufficient quantity of moisture, and the essential parts of the manure. Except the trenching, all our labour was done with the forks, which are well adapted for turning up a strong soil. The boys took a great pleasure in working with them, especially. when with a few vigorous thrusts, they found they were able to unlock the stiffest clay subsoil. part for half an hour in the schoolroom. But, for the last five or six weeks our course has been more continuous and regular. And now that the boys are able to read, I think it would be essential to success, if some cheap works on agricultural chemistry were placed in their hands. The I THE CROPS.-These, as I before stated, turned cut fairly; especially the Mangels, Turnips, and Parsuips. Bnt the carrots were badness of the seed, and the dry season we in a great measure a failure, owing to the had after sowing. Those that did grow were very fine-some were 18 inches in length, and weighed in several cases 4 lbs. Potatoe crop was also a partial failure, though among the most luxuriant in appearance had seen during the season. After I got the potatoes out, I had the land well turned up and sowed winter Vetches and Rye, which at present look very promising. Knowing by experience, that on the quality of seeds in a very great degree, depends the amount of produce to be realized, I feel much pleasure in bearing my humble testimony to the quality SUTTON'S, of Reading. Their Turnip seed in and purity of the seeds I had from Messrs. particular, I found much superior to that I had from an Irish grower. I tried the two descriptions in the same field, and gave each the same treatment. at first a strong coarse plant, and I expected The Irish seed gave a right good crop, but I was disappointed, for well-there was too much stalk; and they it turned out poorly. The bulbs did not form SUTTON's did not look so strong at first, but were of a woody, stringy nature. well-the bulbs were of a good size, did not a healthy appearance, and finally turned out run into stalk, and were not of the stringy Messrs nature as the other. As nearly all my other seeds were in when Messrs SUTTON's parcel arrived, I was, with the exception of some Mangel and Cabbage seeds, which also held their superiority, unable to give their other seeds a trial. THE MANURE HEAP.---This we have been THE AGRICULTURAL CLASS.---This was formed immediately on the Farm coming into our hands. It consisted at first of eighteen boys, of ages ranging from 10 to 15 years-making up for some time---collecting weeds latterly, of only twelve. I regret to say, I cleansing old headlands, and turning all into was not able to give them as regular a course a pit; remembering that a good manure heap of Agricultural instruction as I intended, in is the farmer's sheet anchor. consequence of having to give so much of my time at the Farm, almost daily, from 2 till 6 P. M.; and by doing so in the forenoon, it would intrench too much on the time and other business of my schoolroom. The back wardness of the state of education of the major part of the class was also a great barrier in the course I had hoped to pursue. However, I managed to inculcate some agricultural knowledge as the boys were at work [See Inspector's Report] illustrating practically what they were taught theoretically. Occasionally of a wet afternoon, when unable Dec. 19, 1855. go to the Farm, I carried out the theoretical I return sincere thanks for the warm in terest taken in promoting the welfare of the Agricultural Class. Nor would I close without publicly acknowledging the goodness of God in supporting and prospering our labour thus far; and asking Him for a renewed continuance of His favour and blessing through the year that is now opening eventfully upon us. I am, Sir, Your most obt. Servt. W. S. MOORE, Parochial Teacher. |