THE earnest and increasing desire which has for some time past manifested itself throughout this country, to obtain information concerning the progress of Christianity, and its influence upon the happiness of mankind, indicates a growing interest of feeling in favour of the sublime objects of the true religion.

In proportion to the extent of such a disposition, will be its tendency to counteract the taste which has so long and so generally prevailed, to gratify curiosity about things of a much less important and less interesting nature.

Were that the only benefit produced by publications of this sort, no time nor labour bestowed upon them should be deemed an employment unbecoming a Christian.

To such as love the prosperity of Zion above their chief joy, the intelligence of its boundaries being enlarged, the number of its citizens augmented, its waste places built up, its work revived, its cause flourishing, must be a source of joy, thanksgiving, and praise, and tend to enkindle zeal, and give activity to exertions in promoting the interests of that kingdom which endureth for ever.

In the desire to advance these ends, the design of attempting such a publication as this originated. If they shall in any good degree be attained by it, the best feelings of the heart will be gratified, and fresh motives afforded for continuing the work.

The subscriptions to the paper having filled up with a rapidity far exceeding the expectation of the editor, he has been induced to commence the publication at a much earlier period than was anticipated.

This circumstance, while it exhibits an auspicious indication of the opinion of the religious public in favour of works of this kind, will be an additional incentive to make the paper deserving of their encouragement and support.

A more ample explanation of its plan than is given in the prospectus, is considered unnecessary at present.

The communication of general reports of the proceedings of religious and charitable institutions and authentic statements of facts tending to further the objects of this paper, are respectfully solicited, will be thankfully received, and meet suitable attention.

1

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

AMONG the several institutions which are the offspring of Christian philanthropy, and which do honour to the Christian name, that of Sunday Schools certainly holds no ordinary rank. In Great-Britain, where the system appears to have originated, its value has been amply tested, by an experience of more than thirty years of its benign effects upon the lower orders of society.

The attention and interest which this subject has excited in the United States, and especially the exertions in its favour which it has recently called forth in this city, have induced us to give it a prominent place in this paper.

The benefit which the cause of religion derives from teaching the illiterate poor to read the Bible, is of itself one of the greatest that can be promoted by human agency upon that large, and formerly much neglected, portion of the community.

It has other highly important advantages also, which will be fully developed in the history and progress of that institution; a summary of which it is intended occasionally to exhibit in the course of this publication.

We shall commence that history, by furnishing an account given of its origin by its venerable founder, Robert Raikes, in a letter addressed to Col. Townley, of Lancashire, premised by some remarks respecting the reflections which prompted that philanthropist to plan this laudable undertaking: as extracted from The Sunday School Repository, published in England.

At a period of life when success rarely inspires moderation in the pursuits of fortune, Mr. Raikes remembered the great law of his Christian profession, that no man liveth to himself. He looked around for occasions of disinterested, yet not unproductive, exertion, and found them near at hand. Prevention of crimes, by instruction or reproof, and compassion

for even justly suffering criminals, were united in his idea of Christian benevolence, which

To every want, and every wo,
To guilt itself, when in distress,
The balm of pity will impart,

And all relief that bounty can bestow.

According to the European Magasine for 1788, (xiv. 315.)

"The first object which demanded his notice was the miserable state of the county Bridewell, within the city of Gloucester, which being part of the county gaol, the persons committed by the magistrate out of the Sessions for petty offences, associated, through necessity, with felons of the worst description, with little or no means of assistance from labour; with little, if any, allowance from the county; without either meat, drink, or clothing; depending chiefly on the precarious charity of such as visited the prison, whether brought thither by business, curiosity, or compassion.

"To relieve these miserable and forlorn wretches, and to render their situation supportable at least, Mr. Raikes employed both his pen, his influence, and his property, to procure them the necessaries of life: and finding that ignorance was generally the procuring cause of those enormities which brought them to become objects of his notice, he determined, if possible to procure them some moral and religious instruction. In this he succeeded, by means of bounties and encouragement given to such of the prisoners as were able to read; and these, by being directed to proper books, improved both themselves and their fellow-prisoners, and afforded great encouragement to persevere in the benevolent design. He then procured for them a supply of work, to preclude every excuse and temptation to idleness."

Mr. Raikes could not pursue his generous purpose towards these forlorn outcasts from civilized life, without many serious reflections. His mind must have been peculiarly affected with the sad consequences arising from the neglect, or rather the total absence, of opportunities for early instruction. among the poor. He was thus prepared to indulge a second project, the success of which he lived to see extending, probably, beyond his most sanguine expectations.

Mr. Raikes in the year 1783, inserted a paragraph in his weekly Journal, giving a short account of the good effects resulting from the first little trial of a Sunday School. This paragraph chanced to fall under the inspection of colonel