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against the swelling tide of national embarrassment, which is flowing in continually upon us from the nature and influence of the poor laws, combined with the present unprecedented state of our national affairs.

This view of things justifies the remarks which are contained in the preface of this work, concerning the importance of the Sunday School system, as throwing into our hands the whole laboring population of the kingdom, to form their minds and manners in what way we please. If we may judge from the present state of things this is an advantage which should be eagerly seized by every friend of his country as well as by every friend of religion.

No. 5.

On the proper way to judge of the benefits arising from Sunday School teaching.

SOME persons have frequently experienced considerable discouragement in this great and good work by not seeing more visible benefit result to the lower classes of society from these efforts. I have said much already on this head,

vide p. 161. I beg leave however in addition to what I have there said, to remark, that there are two ways by which to judge of the benefit resulting from this mode of education. The first is by considering the good communicated, and secondly, the evil prevented. On the first I have already had occasion to dwell. This is incalculable and inconceivable. I shall, however make a few remarks upon the second criterion-the evil prevented. Now, admitting all that can be said about the present profligacy of multitudes of the laboring classes, and the alarming increase of juvenile delinquency which has been discovered in the metropolis during the last two or three years, still let us take into the account the evil which has been prevented.

It should be recollected, that since the Sunday School system has been in operation, the commerce of this country has swelled to unparalleled greatness. This has been attended of course with a proportionate increase of population. It is not perhaps saying too much if we affirm that the laboring classes in most manufacturing districts, have doubled in number since Robert Raikes commenced his exertions

at Gloucester. Let it be conceived then what might have been the state of things now if these accumulated masses of the population had been left as an intellectual chaos for the spirit of mischief to brood upon amidst the clouds of ignorance. The period now alluded to has been a season of uncommon peril to the national morals. Infidelity at one time made desperate efforts to corrupt the public mind not only of the higher, but also of the lower classes of society. Paine's writings were especially addressed to the passions and the prejudices of the multitude. During the greater part of this period the lower classes of society have also been exposed to the demoralizing influence of a state of warfare. The military system which has been adopted to such an unprecedented extent in the annals of British history, has had a direful influence upon the morals of the poor. It must also be admitted, that while they have thus had an opportunity of trying their physical strength, very many efforts have been employed at different times to inflame their passions against one party or other in the troubled regions of politics. Their just importance in the body politic was never

so well known before, nor were they ever before in such danger of abusing it. To all this must be added the impossibility, if they were generally so disposed, of gaining access to the solemnities of public worship, on account of the disproportion between the population and the temples of religion. Now let all these things be taken into the account. Let it be remembered what increased opportunities have been afforded for their corrupting and being corrupted: let it also be recollected what principles of corruption have been actually at work, and then it will be evident that it can be ascribed only to the gradual diffusion of moral principle through the means of Sunday Schools that these mischiefs have been counteracted, and the laboring classes restrained in any degree within the bounds of subordination and order. When therefore we look at them as they are, and lament how little real good has been done, let us consider what they might have been, and rejoice to contemplate how much probable evil has been prevented.

No. 6.

Freeman's Card for the Instruction of Adults, extracted from Dr. Pole's History of Adult Schools, vide p. 128, second edition.

"The author, in compliance with the solicitations of some of his friends, has here introduced what is known amongst the Adult School Conductors and Teachers as Freeman's Card. This card contains seven lessons, and has been found highly useful in the schools. Adults do not like the idea of going to school to learn their A, B, C. This card contains all the letters of the alphabet, both great and small ; and consequently will fully answer the purpose of a simple alphabet, with this important additional advantage-that the scholar, whilst he is learning the letters and their sounds, is at the same time learning to spell and read; the teacher, pointing to the letters, says n, o, which the learner repeats, then he is told that n, o, spells no; thence he is lead on to n, o, t, which he is told spells not; in this manner he is led forward to know the letters, their simple sounds, and their combined sounds: and thus he is made a reader of small words as soon as he has a knowledge of the alphabet. It will prove a great encouragement to the learner to be informed that those few simple lessons ac

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