ground at the back of the original building; and this has been in progress for some months past, and is expected to be finished shortly. On the completion of this addition to the property, which will cost about £300, there will be ample accommodation for vigorously prosecuting mission work in a locality specially adapted for such labours. The premises will then consist of a large hall capable of holding 400 adults, with two smaller halls to hold 100 each, and a large room where upwards of 50 can be accommodated, with two small retiring rooms for the use of male and female teachers. In addition to the congregation's operations there is also conducted in the premises a flourishing branch of the Foundry Boys Religious Society, which occupies the halls on Sabbath forenoon, and on most of the evenings during the week. On Sabbath evenings the Mission schools and Bible classes meet at 5.30, the former at present occupying the large hall only, and the latter being accommodated in the church session-house and managers' room; but when the addition to the building is completed, the large hall will be occupied by the children who can read, the non-reading children will meet in one of the smaller halls, and the other two will be used for the young women's Bible class and young men's religious society. A service for adults is conducted by the Missionary in the large hall on Sabbath evening, at 7 o'clock; and on Thursday evening he holds a prayer meeting in the same place at 8 o'clock; while his Bible class for young men and young women is held on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. The members of this class are also being trained as visitors and tract distributors in the district; and already the Missionary feels the benefit of their assistance. A Penny Savings Bank is open every Saturday evening, from 7 till 8 o'clock; the number of transactions last year was 4874, and the amount deposited £164. Such is a brief record of the long-continued efforts of this congregation on behalf of the careless and neglected masses to be found in every destitute district of the city. It is only a sample of the work many other congregations are also engaged in; but if every member of the Christian Church were engaged in sowing the good seed, how much more plenteous would the harvest be! Children's Day Refuges. DAY Refuges, like not a few of our other charitable institutions, had their origin in revived Christian life. In the summer of 1874, a year memorable as one of great spiritual awakening, the Magistrates granted permission to the Directors of the United Evangelistic Association to erect a tent on the Green, for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to the non-church-going masses. The Joint Committee of the Sabbath School Union and the Foundry Boys Religious Society were granted the use of the tent, to hold meetings for the "Street Arabs." In addition to the Gospel, bread and soup were supplied, which brought together the right class. The workers began to inquire, what more can we do for these neglected little ones? This question was answered in a great variety of large section unreachable. For their benefit Day Feeding Schools, or as they are now called, Day Refuges, were started. ways by the devoted body of voluntary labourers who had come to the rescue. But after all had been done, and after every existing charitable institution had been made the most of, it was found that there was a SKETCH OF JAMES MORRISON STREET HALL-SABBATH AFTERNOON CHILDREN'S SERVICE. What is a Children's Day Refuge?-As the name implies, it is a place of safety for children during the day. The compulsory clause of our Educational Act, says every child of school age must be at school. In the case of not a few this clause is, and must be a dead letter, owing to the poverty of the children and the want of parental oversight at home. The following facts will shew to what we refer. During the past three years 647 children have been admitted to the two Refuges in Glasgow. Of these 14 were orphans; of 263, either the father or mother was dead; of 355, the fathers were unable to provide for their children, on account of illness, crime, or drunkenness. In every case the child required home care before it could reap any benefit whatever from school attendance. This the Refuges, which are open every week day (Saturday excepted), seek to supply. The children assemble in the morning, and after breakfast and worship, they go to certain of the Board schools; at mid-day they return, and receive soup and bread; in the evening they are again sup plied with porridge and milk; and after family worship, return to their homes. The superintendent does his best to see that they are clean and tidy, have their lessons, books, &c., and are in a fit state for school. In other words, the "Refuge" supplies, as far as possible, the place of the parents. Where do you get the Children ?—From all parts of the city, and through every variety of agency. The main reaping ground, however, is the large Hall in James Morrison Street, where a dinner for poor children is provided every Sabbath afternoon. From statistics taken on three successive Sabbaths, it was found that representatives from no fewer than 255 streets, lanes, &c., were present at these dinner meetings. How do you find out the Deserving Cases?-By careful personal investigation. Every Friday evening the "Inquiry Committee," consisting of business men, meets in the Hall, James Morrison Street, and with the written report of the visitor before them, takes up and disposes of case after case. Last year they gave advice and help to 662 individuals. Since a tabulation of cases was made, no fewer than 5985 have been aided by this most important city agency. Sabbath school teachers, or other Christian workers, who know of poor neglected children, should bring them or report them to this Committee. If they are helpable, this Committee will see that they are helped. Are Day Refuges really Needed?-This question occurred to the Day Refuge Committee itself some time ago, when it was found that the Juvenile Delinquency Board had opened a "Day Industrial School;" but members of the School Board, who know the real position of matters, expressed the strong conviction, that no other agency can reach effectually the class the Refuges now reach, and that such work is absolutely necessary in a city such as Glasgow. Where and when can the Day Refuges be seen?-In the Evangelistic Hall, James Morrison Street (enter by Steel Street), or in the Mission Hall, 40 Clyde Street, Anderston, any week day (Saturday excepted) at 8 a.m., 1.30, and 5 p.m. How many Children are in the Refuges ?—The number on the roll at present is about 250; on an average 200 children have three meals a-day during the winter months. How much does it take to keep the Refuges going?—The work is carried on at a cost of from £60 to £70 per month. About £2 10s. will provide for a child for a year; 1s. will do so for a week; and 2d. will provide the three meals for a day. We submit these facts, in all confidence, to the careful consideration of superintendents, teachers, and others interested in the welfare of neglected children. Many illustrative cases, shewing the need for the work, and the good it is accomplishing, might easily be given. Those who subscribe may rest assured that every penny given will be carefully and wisely expended, as in the sight of Him who said, “Let nothing be lost," and who shall yet say, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these, ye did it unto me.' [The Directors of the Union unanimously agreed, at a recent meeting, to make the next Annual Collection on behalf of the Children's Day Refuges, and the foregoing statement has been prepared with the view of supplying information and awakening an interest in the scheme. Letters addressed to the boys and girls have been sent to superintendents for distribution in their schools. Should any superintendent require more copies they may be had by making application to the Secretaries, at No. 7 Room, Christian Institute, 70 Bothwell Street, Glasgow. The Collection falls to be made, this year, on the 2nd of December; but if found more convenient, superintendents may arrange for a different evening, or extend the Collection over any number of Sabbaths. Contributions may be sent direct to the Honorary Treasurer, MR. JOHN S. KELT, 207 Ingram Street, or may be left at the Sabbath School Union Rooms in the Christian Institute, with MR. CRAWFORD, Assistant Secretary, either of whom will give receipts for all sums received.] Accuracy in Bible Knowledge. APART from, and subsidiary to, the essential qualifications of a Sabbath school teacher, such as personal godliness, a clear knowledge of the three R's, viz., Ruin by the Fall, Redemption by Jesus Christ, and Regeneration by the Holy Spirit,- —a strong yearning to win souls, and wisdom to do it, there are others sufficiently important to make their acquisition a necessity. In this short paper we have only space enough to call attention to two of these:-viz., a correct knowledge of Eastern manners and customs, and of the meaning of Bible words and phrases. That such knowledge is more limited than it ought to be, is illustrated by the following quotation from a paper read by the Rev. C. J. Graham at the annual meeting of Sabbath school teachers, held in the Metropolitan Hall, in April last, under the auspices of the Sunday School Society for Ireland: "In a certain Sunday school a class of boys was reading the chapter how David walked on the roof of his house. One of the boys, looking through the school-room window at the steep roof opposite, after a pause, and some moments' anxious thought, said, 'But, teacher, how could David walk on the roof of his house? The teacher, on this point - as ignorant as his scholars, at once checked all inquiry by saying, 'Don't grumble at the Bible, boy.' Meanwhile, the teacher of the next class had overheard the conversation, and turning to his fellow-teacher, whispered, 'The answer to the difficulty is, With men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible."" Another illustration, directly bearing on the same point, came under the writer's own notice some time ago. A teacher, in going over with his class the first chapter of Daniel, explained, to the great amusement of the tittering children, most of whom were quite able to correct him, that the word "pulse" in the 12th and 16th verses, was only a short way of spelling "porridge." While it is to be hoped that such exhibitions of ignorance on the part of Sabbath school teachers are rare, and are likely, in the future, to become rarer still, it is not less certainly to be feared that, in far too many cases, necessary explanations are withheld because the teacher is unable to give them. Previous to the introduction of the art of printing the English language was continually changing, both in form and meaning. The printing of the Bible in our mother tongue, not to mention other works, helped largely to crystallize our language, so to speak, so that since then the changes in the meaning of our words have been comparatively few. Still, there is a number well worth noting, as also some that are no longer in use. Let the following illustrations suffice: Genesis xlv. 6,—“And yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest." The word in italics has nothing to do with ears of corn, as some may imagine. It is derived from an AngloSaxon word, meaning to plough. Earing means ploughing. "Arable" was formerly written "earable." Judges ix. 53,-" And all to break his skull." The expression in italics should be printed as one word, and means not "in order to break," but altogether, or entirely, broke his skull. "Al" is an adverb, meaning utterly. Isaiah ix. 9,-"Stoutness"-stubbornness, obstinacy. Psalm lxxix. 8, lxxx. 13,-" Prevent." This word had formerly two meanings, the one exactly the opposite of the other. Literally, it signifies "to come before," "to precede." Now, it has only one, to hinder. Isaiah xliii. 13,-"Let," like "prevent," has now only one meaning, in place of two, also opposite. In the text quoted, as well as in some others, it signifies "to hinder." Now, it is never used in any other sense than "to allow." Acts xxi. 15,-"We took up our carriages"-baggage, the things carried, not vehicles, its present meaning. In the meter version of Psalm xviii., verse 26, the words run "Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth'st The word ending the first line is a puzzle to many. Indeed, these lines have been frequently quoted by the writer to persons professedly well acquainted with their Bibles, who have denied their existence until it was shewn them "in black and white." The word "kythe" is in use still, colloquially, in certain parts of the country, but it has entirely lost its |
