should not think for a moment of ex-might "be made useful" by giving adpecting children to be able to render dresses to the children, not forgetting labour like the man-to toil at the oar-that those addresses should be short, to follow the plough-or render service pithy, and as full of anecdotes as poswhich requires the nerve and strength sible; might they not feel, that "whilst of the man, whom nature has fitted for watering others, their own souls are toil. If it would be wrong thus to seek watered ?" premature development in the labours of life, is it not equally wrong and pernicious to expect the same amount of spiritual service from our children? Do they not require "line upon line, here a little, and there a little ?" Does it not become us to imitate our divine Lord, who said, when his disciples could not watch one hour, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak ?" Did not Christ, as man, feel for man in his weakness? And ought we not to feel likewise for our children, to sympathise with them, and not to lay on them any burdens they are not able to bear? To how many does the present system become the means of positively setting them altogether against the services of the sanctuary? The writer has a friend who told him, that he traced his objection to religion, to the prolonged services which he was compelled to attend when a boy. Now the parents of this boy, no doubt, thought they were doing God service, when in fact they were helping the prejudices of the human heart against divine realities, by requiring from their children services which they felt unable to render. Nature seems to recoil from such Sabbath services. Is there not to be found in almost every Sunday school, young men who would volunteer not be overlooked. in the Separate Service movement, who Does not the Master say, "Son, go work in my vineyard ?" Do not our church members too often forget the aggressive spirit of our holy religion, and seem to settle down in unconcern about those around them? We are told "not to be hearers of the word only, but doers." Speaking to a Superintendent of a large Sunday school, he made the objection that the difficulty was to obtain competent men to address the school: but if we consider the matter in its great importance, and how little the children now profit from the public services of the church, I think we shall soon find, by God's blessing, that we possess in most of our churches, a sufficient number of young men, who are capable of talking to children for a short time on a Sabbath day; and by this small beginning, they might afterwards become village preachers. I trust our young men will rouse themselves to the work: as a young man, I feel deeply anxious there should be a general adoption of the special service. I find where it has been introduced that it works well; and may all remember the Saviour's command to Peter, "Feed my lambs." Whilst our pastors are leading the sheep beside the still waters and in the green pastures, may the lambs of the flocks A RAGGED SCHOOL TEACHER. Passing Events. THE only intelligence which has reached us this month, relating strictly to Sunday schools, has been the following: An annual treat to the division of the CRAVEN HILL CHAPEL SCHOOL, was given on January 1st, when between 70 and 80 infants took tea in company with a number of teachers and infant friends of the school; after which, while the tables were being cleared, the children marched round the room to the sound of the fife played by one of the elder scholars. When settled in their appointed places, the teacher having briefly addressed the little ones, the pastor (Rev. A. McMillan) gave them an address previously to their joining in several games; after which their young hearts were made glad by each receiving a prize from a large and well furnished Christmas tree. The proceedings were enlivened by the children singing a number of familiar hymns, accompanied by the harmonium. the New Road, leading from FinsburySquare to Paddington, in order to reach the lines leading to the north-west and northern parts of our island. But this was soon felt to be a great grievance, and for some years efforts have been made to remove it. It was at length suggested that a railway might be constructed below the surface of the roads, proceeding from Paddington, and passing near the stations of the North Western and Great Northern Railways, having a terminus in the valley of the Fleet near Holborn Bridge. It was long before the design took any practical shape; adeA MEETING of the senior scholars, quate pecuniary support was not obtained, formerly, and now, in the SYDNEY STREET and all hope of carrying out the plan CHAPEL SCHOOL, TWIG FOLLY, BETHNAL seemed abandoned. The failure of anGREEN, was held on Twelfth-night, 6th other undertaking, however, opened the January, 1863. About sixty, including way to the carrying out this, as it is the teachers, sat down to tea; after commonly called, underground, but more which the Rev. T. Temple, president of correctly, METROPOLITAN RAILWAY. The the school, took the chair; the superin- Corporation of London had been induced tendent, Mr. B. Pryor, Messrs. Burt, to open a new road from Holborn Bridge Ellison, Fletcher, and some of the scho- in continuation of Farringdon Street, lars addressed the meeting. Refresh- with a view of making a more convements were provided, together with mu-nient way to the north. A large quantity sic, &c., and it was manifest throughout of property was necessarily destroyed, the evening that each one present en- the road was constructed, but no one joyed the opportunity of seeing each other after a lapse of years. Whatever opinions our readers may entertain on the subject of excursion trips, they will probably all admit that the examples here set are worthy of imitation. The manifestation by the teachers of sympathy with the scholars in their innocent recreations cannot but be productive of good. would erect buildings on either side of it, and a large quantity of land belonging to the City was thus lying unoccupied. It occurred to the late Mr. Charles Pearson, the Solicitor to the Corporation, that if this new railway could be constructed, this land, which would be wanted for the station, would become valuable; in addition to which great facilities would be afforded to the dead meat market, which it was proposed to establish in Smithfield. He therefore induced the Corporation not only to promote the scheme, but to render large pecuniary help, aided by which it has at length, after more than ordinary difficulties in its construction, been completed, and was opened for traffic on January 10th. We were coming out of Gloucestershire that morning, and availed ourselves of this opportunity of getting Ir will be in the recollection of many, that when the great lines of railway from London to various parts were opened, care was taken that their metropolitan stations should be kept at a distance from the business parts of London. Thus it became necessary to travel to Paddington to take the rail to Bristol; to Euston Square or to King's Cross, both on the north side of to Fleet Street. The motion was re markably smooth, and no inconvenience nate in the metropolis. From day-break was sustained from the tunnels, which to midnight, the stream of life rushes occupy a considerable portion of the through our streets; it never ebbs, exdistance, although not the whole. The cept for the few cold hours that come rail appears to be found exceedingly con- between extreme night and the earliest venient, and the number of passengers dawn. Before the man of fashion-and already exceeds 20,000 daily. There is not even he is idle-has left his last another line approaching Farringdon party, the market-carts are rumbling Street from the South, connected with into Covent-garden, and Billingsgate is the London, Chatham, and Dover Rail- awake. London never sleeps throughway, and which will cross the Thames out her whole length and breadth. At near Blackfriars Bridge. By the aid of all hours there is some twitching in her these lines, there will be connected mighty limbs--some muttering from her railway communication between the giant lips-some restless tossings to and Continent and the whole of the North and West of England, as well as Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. fro. Our citizens relieve each other, even as sentries do; but perpetually there is some one on the watch. No imaginative drama was ever so full of strange and startling contrasts, of sudden surprises, of splendour and squalor, of enjoyment pushed to its wildest heights and sorrow thrown into its most hidden In addition to this, other lines are in progress, and still more contemplated, which will carry railways through some of the busiest districts of the metropolis. The comfort of the residents, and the aspect of the public ways, are not in-depths, as one single day of real metrocreased by these undertakings, which politan life. There was never a painter in the South of London require arches and bridges, but the continually increasing traffic seems to render them a necessity. On the day the Metropolitan Railway was opened, The Daily Telegraph published an article on the streets of London, part of which we extract for the amusement of our readers : who could limn the scene in its entirety. No smaller man than Turner could ever suggest to us the sombre splendour of our London sunsets, when the sun burns slowly down through clouds which are blurred with the smoke of a mighty city; no weaker hand than Hogarth's could reproduce the busy and bustling crowds who sweep onward, intent on pleasure or on gain." "Wonderful are our London streets; no city in the world presents a panorama at once so swift, so varied, and so full. Life with us is at fever heat; no hour of the day is without its business or its excitement. We are a nation tremendously at work; as ceaselessly as the hammer beats upon the anvil, so ceaselessly throbs the brain. There is little idleness in England. Our country gentlemen, when they are not labouring through thick covers or charging at fivebarred gates, are visiting gaols, attending quarter sessions, or examining bluebooks. Age itself has not the privilege of being lazy. Genially and cheerfully of the raw material, and of the manuto the last, the Englishman of sixty factured article bear a fairer proportion labours away. This activity, this in- to each other. The kind and liberal cessant toil, this fiery speed, all culmi- effort made in New York to assist in this The DISTRESS IN THE COTTON DISTRICTS has somewhat abated, so far as can be judged by the number of applicants for parochial relief, but it is feared that it is beginning to be felt more severely by many whose means have enabled them to encounter it hitherto. It is not the want of cotton which is felt now, but its high price, which renders the manufacture of it unprofitable. Trade cannot be resumed to any extent until the prices season of trial has been most successful. We copy from The New York Times an account of the departure of the ship "George Griswold," which, it will be remembered, has been gratuitously granted by its owner, from New York for England on the 10th January. It is gratifying to our common humanity to have to record such acts of sympathy with our Lancashire sufferers. were on board of that ship, 11,236 barrels of flour, 200 boxes of bacon, 50 barrels of pork, 500 bushels of corn, 500 barrels and boxes of bread, 200 boxes of bacon, 1,500 barrels of flour, and 50 barrels of pork by the Produce Corn Exchange. There remained yet in hand 30,900 dollars in cash, a sum sufficient to inaugurate another movement similar to this. More sums were being sent in." We notice in The Sunday School World a collection made for this Fund at Yonkers, New York, after a very singular service, which we record as being the only instance of the sort which ever came under our notice. "So peculiar an event as the sending of a ship laden with food from our shores to the land where dwell our bitterest enemies and our most malignant traducers,* is too significant and too thoroughly an exponent of our national habit to be permitted without the custo- "Six congregations were united on mary reception, Accordingly, the good the occasion, completely filling the ship was decked in her brightest holiday first Presbyterian church, and six garb. From every available point waved pastors, representing the two schools of to the breeze an emblem of nationality the Presbyterian church, the Dutch and an insignia of power. Upon her deck was gathered a company of New York merchants and philanthropists, with many of the fairer sex, who, though not of the former class, are honorary and working members of the latter. But more especially we noticed the Rev. Dr. Vinton, Rev. Dr. Adams, Rev. Dr. S. H. Cox, Rev. Dr. Cuyler, Rev. Dr. Smith, J. C. Green, A. T. Stewart, W. A. Dodge, A. A. Low, S. B. Chittenden, G. Griswold, David Dowes, H. W. T. Mall, Jonathan Sturges, B. H. Field, J. T. Johnston, S. Sloan. "The Rev. Dr. Adams invoked the blessing of God upon the work so auspiciously begun. "Mr. Green gave an account of the proceedings of the Executive Committee. It was distinctly asserted that they had no object in the work in which they were engaged other than to come to the rescue of suffering humanity. "Mr. Ariel A. Low, the treasurer, reported the amount contributed to be over 108,000 dollars. There were two other organisations not reported. There We wish our American friends would not use such strong language. They will do us more justice by and by.-ED. Reformed, the Episcopal, the Baptist, and the Methodist churches, took part in the services, and joined in preaching one and the same sermon! The text of the discourse was Eph. v. 20, 'Giving thanks always, for all things, unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.' The Dutch Reformed pastor introduced the sermon, and very naturally divided it into six parts. Each part had been assigned to one of the preachers, and at the end of an hour the large congregation had heard, with evident satisfaction, a well-jointed, and interesting sermon, preached by six ministers of as many different denominations! At the close of it, a collection was taken up for the suffering operatives of Lancashire, England." The contributions from Sunday schools towards relieving the Lancashire distress remitted to the Sunday School Union, have amounted to £2,792. 18s. 4d. The EMANCIPATION OF AMERICAN SLAVES is proceeding. In addition to the measure proposed to the Congress by President Lincoln (as recorded in our last number) for effecting the voluntary emancipation of all by the year 1900, he has issued, pursuant to his threat as formerly announced, a proclamation declaring the freedom of all slaves in the territories now in revolt against the Federal Government. This proceeding is so important, that we feel it our duty to place it fully before our readers. After reciting his former proclamation, the President proceeds : free, and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognise and maintain the freedom of said persons. "And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free, to abstain from all violence unless in necessary selfdefence, and I recommend to them that in all cases, when allowed, they labour faithfully for reasonable wages. "And I further declare and make dition will be received into the armed service of the United States, to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service. "Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested, as Commander-known that such persons of suitable conin-Chief of the army and navy of the United States, in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and Government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days from the day of the first above-mentioned order, and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit: 66 Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana-except the parishes of St. Barnard, Picquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terre Bonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans-Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia-except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued. "And, upon this sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the constitution-upon military necessity-I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favour of Almighty God. "In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of Our Lord one thousand [SEAL.] eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh. (Signed) By the President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Secretary of State." The importance of this measure can hardly be exaggerated. It seems to sound the knell of slavery throughout the whole North American continent; for although its provisions only profess to affect the States now in rebellion against the Federal Government, yet they will certainly come to the knowledge of the slaves in those slave States which still adhere to the Union, and must be carried out there. The President has been reproached with inconsistency in not making the emancipation universal; but |