He was not one of the lambs of my flock. He neither attended the church, nor the classes which I had formed for the instruction of the young. He was the child of irreligious parents: but his grief moved me much; and never do I refuse to employ every exertion for the eternal welfare of those who are commonly abandoned as outcasts. The case he so shortly explained, struck me as strange, and some undefined terror for a moment possessed me. No one to read the Bible in the chamber of death! I instantly accompanied the boy to his dwelling. No neighbours were at hand, though it was situated in the most populous part of the village. The labourers who were in the habit of standing about the doors, in friendly and familiar converse with each other, enjoying the cool air, and grateful leisure, after a day's hard toil in the fields, were not to be seen. Some frightful intelligence seemed to have scared both them and their humanity. Could it be that the plague which was raging in a near town had at length come, and that doors were now barred, and every mode of intercourse cut off? A dismal foreboding-in which my fears for self had no place-seized me. We found the door fastened on the outside. Here was palpable confirmation! Resolved that the deadly contagion should go no farther, or fearing that its victims, in the madness of being altogether deserted, might sally forth and leave on the healthy the touch of premature corruption, perhaps the neighbours had thus secured the entrance. We forced our way in, however. I took my station beside the deathstricken couple. Into their countenances the dark spots seemed to be burned. They were shouting for water to cool the fever. They were alone; for their grown-up sons and daughters, devoid of sympathy, save for self, had fled as soon as the symptoms appeared. The woman had but a few moments to live. The wild roving of the eye was settling into a fixed stare.

'Oh, sir,' she said, as I asked how she felt, I fear not death-its bitterness is past-but I tremble for the judgment! Open not your Bible to me-it is too late. Another-another book will soon be opened on the great white throne! Plague! Cholera! soon, soon will the plagues of eternity prey upon me!'

Shifting herself on the pallet, to ease the pain and crush the cramp (for the malady had reached that ultimate stage), she also changed her conversation.

is it worse for the mother, while the child is at her breast, to take it and dash it against a stone, or to foster it for Hell! Oh, sir, have mercy upon my boy, and take him under your care. See that he attend your class on the SundayP. LANDRETH.

(To be continued.)

MUSIC SALOONS.

The methods employed by Satan to entrap the young are neither few nor small. Every day he seems to be inventing some new artifice and laying some new snare to catch the unwary. Among these, Music Saloons occupy a very prominent station. These places of amusement have within the last few years risen up in almost every town of any importance, and have succeeded iu their object as much as their inventor could desire. The youth of our Sunday Schools have fallen victims to them, and it becomes a very serious question for Teachers to consider if these Saloons have not been the cause of the great majority of our scholars leaving school, neglecting the house of God, and giving themselves up to all the depraved passions of human nature.

The Board of the Manchester Sunday School Union have taken up the subject, and collected evidence sufficient we think to prove that they are robbing the nurseries of the church of many of their most promising plants. One friend states about two years ago I visited one of these dens in company with a friend in search of his son. The room was in shape not unlike the letter L, in the space formed by the junction of the sides so as to be seen by each division, there was a raised platform, and upon it a piano forte; a coloured female, decorated with tinsel and artificial flowers was playing, and at the same time screaming an immoral song. But what was my surprise to see in the midst of the crowd one of my own Sabbath scholars. I beckoned him out, entered into conversation with him, and enquired the reason of his being there; he told me that a number of his fellow workmen being paid in one sum, were obliged to go to the public house for change. He promised to come to school again, which he did for a short time, but again being induced to frequent the saloon, he fell away, and after every endeavour to bring him back, we were obliged to give him up, firmly believing that the first step in his career of sin was visiting the Music Saloon.'

This is sufficiently appalling, and were this all the evidence

we could offer, we think it enough to induce every christian to set his face against them. But hear another witness.

6

"On sunday evening, Nov. 27th, we visited seven public houses having music saloons attached to them. The first we visited was in one of the most public streets in Manchester. The room is fitted up like an amphitheatre; at the back of each form was a ledge for holding glasses. Here we found upwards of 200 young people of both sexes. The young men were both smoking and drinking. At one end of the room was an enclosed platform, within it three men sat fiddling, and before it stood two ballad singers, who were singing Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, &c., &c. At the close of it, there was an uproarious cheer, and in the movement occasioned by it, my companion recognised one of his most promising scholars, a youth of about eighteen years of age. We called him out and pointed out to him his sin in visiting this place, and he promised us he would never enter it again. In the same street we visited four other Saloons which were crowded by both old and young, engaged in the way we have mentioned. In another public street we found a saloon fitted up to hold 500 people. Here they were singing and playing as before; adjoining the platform a small bar was railed off, in which we saw glasses filled ready for sale, and several waiters in their shirt sleeves.

'On December 4th we visited a saloon to which was attached a picture gallery, which was crowded with adults and young people of both sexes. We afterwards went into a beer house, having a large room over several adjoining houses, in which dancing is taught three nights a week. Before entering we had to pay twopence, receiving in return a tin ticket, for which beer might be had in the room. We found about 130 young people from sixteen to twenty years of age. The boys were smoking and drinking, and most of them were engaged in a play the most disgusting and ruinous to every feeling of modesty. Here we found one of our sunday school girls; she ran out on seeing us, but we followed her, and endeavoured to point out the great sin of which she was guilty. We told her that our object was to save her from ruin; we promised to pray for her, and urged upon her the great importance of praying for herself. She seemed much affected, cried bitterly, and promised to forsake her wicked companions.'

Can any teacher now doubt or profess to disbelieve the evils these Music Rooms are inflicting upon Sabbath

schools? Let teachers visit these places on the Sunday evenings, and they will find many of their most promising scholars there. It is the duty of all, but especially of Sabbath school teachers, to set their faces against these institutions-against the public houses which have established them-and against the intoxicating drink which they are the means of selling; the love of which has enticed many a youth from the paths of peace into the vortex of intemperance, and into those 'foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destitution and perdition.' The Board of the Manchester Union, do therefore most earnestly call on all the friends of schools to make every effort in order to close these Musical Saloons, as also the spirit vaults and in the mean time to visit them frequently, that the scholars may be deterred from resorting to these scenes of ruin, or may be rescued from ruin should they have approached it. On some have compassion, making a difference; others save by fear, pulling them out of the fire.' J. GRIFFITHS, Chairman of the Board.

QUESTIONS.

Answers to the following Queries given through this Magazine will oblige some of our friends in Edinburgh.-EDITOR.

1st.-Are any of the Schools with which you are acquainted designed exclusively for the children belonging to the Church with which they are connected; or when the School has not this exclusive character, are the children of the Church members in any case expected or required to attend?

2nd. What has been the practical effect in the case of the children of christian parents attending the Sabbath School, as regards the increase or decrease of parental religious instruction and care, and profit to the children themselves?

3rd. On what extent of experience and field for observation is the answer to question second founded?

HOLY BIBLE WITH 20,000 EMENDATIONS.

It may, perhaps, relieve anxiety and prevent confusion, if we state, that the 2,000 copies of this beautiful Bible, which the kind editor had appropriated to Sabbath school teachers at one-third the charge are exhausted. The demand has been great beyond expectation. The editor has authorized us to say, that at whatever loss, he will redeem his pledge. All persons who have applied in the

prescribed way, will be supplied on renewing the application during the month of May.-No letter can be answered, and no copies sent out. The application of some person at the counter of Mr. Bartlett, 66, Paternoster Row, on any day in May is indispensable.

Poetry.

WHAT HATH TIME TAKEN AND LEFT?

What hath Time taken?

Stars that shone

On the early years of earth,

And the ancient hills they looked upon,

Where a thousand streams had birth;
Forests that were the young world's dower,

With their long unfading trees;

And the halls of wealth and the thrones of power-
He hath taken more than these:

He hath taken away the heart of Youth,
And its gladness, which hath been
Like the summer's sunshine o'er our path,
Making the desert green.

The shrines of our early hope and love,
And the flowers of every clime-

The wise, the beautiful, the brave,
Thou hast taken from us, Time!

What hath Time left us? Desolate
Cities and temples lone,

And the mighty works of Genius, yet
Glorious when all are gone;

And the lights of Memory, lingering long
As the eve on western seas-
Treasures of science, thought, and song-
He hath left us more than these:

He hath left us a lesson of the Past,
In the shades of perished years—

He hath left us the heart's high places waste,
And its rainbows fall'n in tears.

But there's hope for the Earth and her children still,

Unwithered by wo or crime,

And a heritage of rest for all

Thou hast left us these, O Time!

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT.

Notes on Books.

TEACHERS REgister and DiARY, 1843. London: Union.

THIS is a continuation of the Manual which we very cordially recommended last year. It contains the Lessons as arranged by the Union for the year-an almanack-pages for the names and residence of the scholars-attendance-contributions for books-notes of sermons, &c. It is published in a very beautiful form, and must, if used, greatly benefit both teacher and scholar.