But this was not enough, the faithful teacher, in his wise love for souls, could not count on thorough work being done apart from the very words of God. So the lime-light was again used to make every young eye see this short unmistakeable declaration

and this also

66

"All have sinned;"

God saw that the wickedness of man was great

in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts

of his heart was only evil continually."

The pictures were beautiful, the hymns appropriate, the anecdotes touching and impressive, but these verses were like "nails fastened in a sure place."

The same picture of Bunyan crushed by his burden was again shewn ; and attention called to his wife and children, with two or three neighbours standing in the door. This furnished the opportunity for a characteristic bit of most effective teaching. It took the form of catechising. Mr. Mackeith asked, "What is the burden Pilgrim has on his back?" The children instantly answered, "Sin." He did not say they were wrong; but quietly responded, "Look at the others; have they burdens?"-"No." "Have they sin?""O yes!" 66 Then, what is the difference between Pilgrim and them?" To clinch the lesson by making the truth still more clear, the lantern was again brought into play; and amid the darkness it enabled all to read

"He feels his sin."

"Sense of sin and fear of wrath,
Make the burden Pilgrim hath.
Art thou burdened with thy guilt?
Look to Him whose blood was spilt,
That the guilty might go free,

And the Judge still Righteous be."

Led by Mr. Mackeith the children joined in singing the lines with much apparent seriousness.

In the same clear, simple, impressive way he dealt with all the principal incidents in Bunyan's allegory. Step by step he shewed the children the way from beginning to end. Fully and freely, faithfully and lovingly, did he preach Christ crucified to the little ones. Humanly speaking, it is next to impossible for them ever to forget either the views, or the Gospel truth taught in connection with them.

A word about results. As for the interest excited, it is enough to say that about 1,000 children, night after night, sat for more than an hour in almost total darkness, behaving with perfect propriety. At the close of each meeting all who wished to remain for conversation were invited to do so. About one-third usually waited. All under eleven years of age were spoken to in the church. Those above eleven were taken into the halls, and dealt with personally by a large number of Christian workers who had come for the purpose. Many shewed deep concern about their salvation. Not a few professed to have found the Saviour. The writer conversed with numbers of both classes, and cannot but record his deep conviction that the Holy Spirit was effectually calling many of the lambs into the fold.

How the expenses of these meetings are defrayed does not appear. Very considerable expense there must be; but the word was never mentioned. The Christian friends, however, whose liberality make such meetings possible may rest assured that never was money better spent. May the Lord bless all the workers, and extend the work through all the land!-Free Church Monthly.

Vale of Leben Sabbath School Union.

MUSICAL COMPETITION.

SINCE this Union was formed, some 15 months ago, the various subcommittees have not been idle. The 15 schools composing the Union have all been visited, and words of encouragement given. Quarterly meetings have been held, and conversations relating to Sabbath school work have been found productive of much good. Lectures were delivered; and last, though not least, a competitive examination in singing was arranged for by the Committee on Music. The competition was followed by an interesting musical recital in Bonhill Parish Church, when the schools which took part at the competition attended in full strength. The sacred edifice was well filled, there being 700 adults present in addition to the scholars. Alex. Wylie, Esq. of Dalquhurn, the honorary president of the Union, presided; and supporting him were the Rev. Messrs. Simpson, Sutherland, and Bell, and Mr. Parlane of Paisley, (one of the examiners.) The proceedings opened with the audience singing the hundredth psalm, and the Rev. Mr. Simpson engaging in prayer,

after which

The CHAIRMAN rose and said-The few remarks I am going to make are intended for the adults, in order that they may have a little more information regarding the Union, and that they may take a still livelier interest in its work. The object of the Union is to increase and foster the Sabbath schools of the district. It has only been in existence for a short time, having been formed on the 15th March, 1882. It consists of 15 schools, 267 teachers, and 2655 scholars, the average attendance being above 2000. For the furtherance of the work of the Union the members have been divided into three committees,—namely, the Visiting Committee, the Lecture Committee, and the Music Committee. It is in connection with the work of this last committee that we are met to-night, and I think you will have a practical illustration of the good work done. Too much importance can scarcely be attached to praise in the service of the sanctuary. The Music Committee, in order to stimulate the children, have used the means common in all duties of life-namely, competition. They began their work by getting up a competition among the Sabbath schools of the district. Seven schools took part, with 735 scholars, including teachers. The rules for the competition were very just. The committee were successful in securing the services of judges of great experience in this work, one of whom is present to read the report. The examinations have already taken place, and the result

will be read to the meeting. After the training, the committee thought it right to have a grand meeting of all the classes. The result of their labours is, that a large number of the children of the Vale have received a careful and scientific musical training. The Chairman then introduced the Rev. Mr. Bell, of Renton, who wielded the baton during the evening with great success-the rendering of the various hymns by the large body of scholars being most enjoyable, and giving evidence of the good training undergone. Ten beautiful hymns comprised the programme-these, of course, being the best hymns prepared for the examination. Mr. R. F. Taylor, organist of Bonhill Parish Church, very kindly and most effectively played the accompaniment. During the evening, while the scholars were taking a rest, Mr. Lewis Seymour Taylor, (brother of Mr. Taylor,) contributed a beautiful organ solo, in which the various notes of this powerful instrument were tellingly heard. After the programme was gone through, the Chairman introduced Mr. Parlane, of Paisley, who, in name of the other two examiners-Rev. Mr. Lamb, Old Kilpatrick, and Mr. John A. Brown, of Paisley-read the following report:

VALE OF LEVEN SABBATH SCHOOL SINGING COMPETITION,

21ST APRIL, 1883.

REPORT BY EXAMINERS.

Of the Vale of Leven Sabbath School Singing Competition, which took place at Alexandria on the 21st April, the examiners are pleased to be able to report generally in favourable terms. Considering that this was a first effort, the singing of the pieces was more or less creditable to all the choirs.

Time and Tune.-Though there was in most cases a little flattening, which is almost inevitable in choirs of children, the intonation was generally accurate, and the pitch fairly sustained. One choir (No. 6) was, however, in this respect more at fault than the others, partly, perhaps, from the want of any support from tenors or basses, or other mature voices; while on the part of another choir (No. 7) there was at least one instance of the more objectionable fault of sharpening. In a few cases the tunes were pitched in a higher key than that named, to the manifest detriment of the music. The alto part was, in general, weak; and the basses were not always accurate in their notes. The time was, as a rule, well kept, and the tempo generally suitable; but in Choir No. 2 a little more animation would not have been out of place; while on the part of Choir No. 6 their rendering of the pieces generally was much too slow, especially in the hymn, "Above the clear blue sky," which should have been sung beating twice in a measure.

Pronunciation.-The pronunciation was, on the whole, clear and correct, though at times somewhat broad. The word "Jubilee" was mostly pronounced as if spelt with a "u" instead of an “i.”

Style and Expression. By all the choirs there was a fair attempt made at expression, but in many, if not in all cases, it was limited to mp. and f-the piano being wanting in purity and delicacy, and the forte in many cases rude and coarse. On the part of all there was a want of gradation in tone, and usually the expression aimed at seemed to be that of the mere

174

THE SABBATH SCHOOL MAGAZINE.

How the expenses of these meetings are defr Very considerable expense there must be; mentioned. The Christian friends, however, meetings possible may rest assured that r May the Lord bless all the workers, ar the land!-Free Church Monthly.

Vale of Leben

SINCE this Union was f
committees have not b
have all been visited
meetings have been
work have been four
and last, though
arranged for by
by an interest

MU

instance,

f the line, s the quiet nis beautiful

greater variety ercise was fairly en systematically as a considerable one or two leading f. The same might wever, that this test Had the money at

might have been desirable which case some of the choirs, would have earned a higher place

..), for instance, would, in this case, have wever, the marks for the hymn-singing and e been slumped together in the totals fixing consideration of the position occupied by Class exercises, the examiners have made the two last schools whic in value as regards the prizes. The principle of The sacred

est

addition+dopted was to fix a maximum of 10 marks to each point in

presider Messrs of th

the af'

Equal.

the

thus-10 marks for tune and time; 10 for pronunciation;

Style; and 10 for expression, being 40 possible marks for each which, multiplied by the number of hymns (4), gives 160, and number of examiners (3), gives 480. In the same way there were for the tests, or multiplied by 3—the number of examiners-90, added to the 480 for the hymns, gives a grand total of 570 possible Of these 570 possible marks the choirs gained as under :

marks

which, marks.

Col. of Badge.

:

Schools. Alexandria Free.

Red,

I.

Blue,

III.

Bonhill Parish.

Red & White,

V.

377,
(Conductor-Mr. J. F. M'Farlane.)

£2 10s. Jamestown Parish.

e a better idea of the relative position of each of the schools ious tests, we publish the following detailed statement of

while they have been candid enough to

all, the outstanding defects, do not wish to unfavourable impression. On the contrary, the

onductors are fairly entitled to commendation for the dering of the hymns, which could not have been attained uch patient labour. With the findings of the examiners, they

there may be a general acquiescence. With slight differences they were in general agreement among themselves, and those most closely interested may feel assured, that in the combined judgment of three examiners they have realized a tolerably fair verdict.

JOHN A. BROWN.

JAMES LAMB.

JAMES PARLANE.

The Temptations of Youth.

OUR attention has been called to an advertisement which appears in The Christian of 12th April, under the heading, "Caution to young women and girls seeking employment." The notice states that Lord Shaftesbury has recently described the treatment to which numbers of the above are subjected as 'more horribly cruel and detestable than anything contained in the records of the world.' These young people are entrapped under false pretences into bad houses, chiefly by means of personal solicitation, advertisements, and registry offices. Therefore, young women and girls are hereby WARNED to avoid conversation with strangers of either sex, and neither to answer advertisements nor apply to registry offices except under the guidance of a trustworthy friend." Commenting upon the subject, the Editor says-" Our advertising columns this week contain a caution to young women and girls seeking employment. A new horror has come before us within the past week, which adds a dreadful emphasis to this warning. A young servant travelling in an omnibus was given a tract by a fellow-passenger, apparently a lady. They alighted together, and the latter invited the young woman to her house. She went, and found it, to her life-long sorrow, a whited sepulchre, fair outside, but within full of all uncleanness. We hope this case may be followed up, and the guilty brought to justice.