Townly, a gentleman of Lancashire, who in consequence, (the paragraph being anonymous) wrote to the Mayor of Gloucester, desiring further information, which produced the following letter. Colonel Townly having desired leave to publish this letter in the Gentleman's Magazine, (see Gentleman's Magazine for 1784, vol. 54. p. 410.) that publication diffused the subject throughout the kingdom.

"SIR,

"Gloucester, Nov. 25, [1783].

"My friend, the Mayor, has just communicated to me the letter which you have honoured him with, inquiring into the nature of the Sunday Schools. The beginning of this scheme was entirely owing to accident. Some business leading me one morning into the suburbs of the city, where the lowest of the people (who are principally employed in the pin-manufactory) chiefly reside, I was struck with concern at seeing a group of children, wretchedly ragged, at play in the street. I asked an inhabitant whether those children belonged to that part of the town, and lamented their misery and idleness. Ah! Sir, said the woman to whom I was speaking, could you take a view of this part of the town on a Sunday, you would be shocked indeed; for then the street is filled with multitudes of these wretches, who, released on that day from employment, spend their time in noise and riot, playing at chuck, and cursing and swearing in a manner so horrid, as to convey to any serious mind an idea of hell rather than any other place. We have a worthy Clergyman, said she, Minister of our parish, who has put some of them to school; but upon the Sabbath, they are all given up to follow their inclinations without restraint, as their parents, totally abandoned themselves, have no idea of instilling into the minds of their children principles to which they themselves are entire strangers.

This conversation suggested to me, that it would at least be a harmless attempt, if it were productive of no good, should some little plan be formed to check this deplorable profanation of the Sabbath. I then inquired of the woman, if there were any decent well-disposed women in the neighbourhood, who kept schools for teaching to read. I presently was directed to four. To these I applied, and made an agreement with them, to receive as many children as I should send upon the Sunday, whom they were to instruct in reading, and in the church catechism. For this I engaged to pay them each a shilling for their day's employment. The women seemed

pleased with the proposal. I then waited on the Clergyman before mentioned, and imparted to him my plan. He was so much satisfied with the idea, that he engaged to lend his assistance, by going round to the schools on a Sunday afternoon, to examine the progress that was made, and to enforce order and decorum among such a set of little heathens.

"This, Sir, was the commencement of the plan. It is now about three years since we began, and I could wish you were here to make inquiry into the effect. A woman who lives in a lane where I had fixed a school, told me some time ago, that the place was quite a heaven upon Sundays, compared to what it used to be. The numbers who have learned to read and say their catechism are so great, that I am astonished at it. Upon the Sunday afternoon, the mistresses take their scholars to church, a place into which neither they nor their ancestors ever entered, with a view to the glory of God. But what is yet more extraordinary, within this month, these little ragamuffins have in great numbers taken it into their heads to frequent the early morning prayers, which are held every morning at the cathedral at seven o'clock. I believe there were near fifty this morning. They assemble at the house of one of the mistresses, and walk before her to church, two and two, in as much order as a company of soldiers. I am generally at church, and after service they all come round me to make their bow; and if any animosities have arisen, to make their complaint. The great principle I inculcate, is, to be kind and good-natured to each other; not to provoke one another; to be dutiful to their parents; not to offend God by cursing and swearing; and such little plain precepts as all may understand. As my profession is that of a printer, I have printed a little book, which I give amongst them : and some friends of mine, subscribers to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, sometimes make me a present of a parcel of Bibles, Testaments, &c. which I distribute as rewards to the deserving. The success that has attended this scheme has induced one or two of my friends to adopt the plan, and set up Sunday Schools in other parts of the city, and now a whole parish has taken up the object; so that I flatter myself in time the good effects will appear so conspicuous as to become generally adopted. The number of children at present thus engaged on the Sabbath are between two and three hundred, and they are increasing every week, as the benefit is universally seen. I have endeavoured to engage the clergy of my acquaintance that reside in their parishes. One has entered into the scheme with great

fervour; and it was in order to excite others to follow his example, that I inserted in my paper the paragraph which I suppose you saw copied into the London papers. I cannot express to you the pleasure I often receive, in discovering genius and innate good dispositions, among this little multitude. It is botanizing in human nature. I have often, too, the satisfaction of receiving thanks from parents, for the reformation they perceive in their children. Often I have given them kind admonitions, which I always do in the mildest and gentlest manner. The going among them, doing them little kindnesses, distributing trifling rewards, and ingratiating my. self with them, I hear, have given me an ascendancy, greater than I ever could have imagined; for I am told by their mistresses that they are very much afraid of my displeasure. If you ever pass through Gloucester, I shall be happy to pay my respect to you, and to show you the effects of this effort at civilization. If the glory of God be promoted in any, even the smallest degree, society must reap some benefit. If good seed be sown in the mind, at an early period of human life, though it shows itself not again for many years, it may please God, at some future period, to cause it to spring up, and to bring forth a plenteous harvest.

"With regard to the rules adopted, I only require that they come to the school on Sunday as clean as possible. Many were at first deterred because they wanted decent clothing, but I could not undertake to supply this defect. I argue, therefore, if you can loiter about, without shoes, and in a ragged coat, you may as well come to school, and learn what may tend to your good in that garb. I reject none on that footing. All that I require, are clean hands, clean face, and the hair combed; if you have no clean shirt, come in that you have on. The want of decent apparel, at first, kept great numbers at a distance, but they now begin to grow wiser, and all are pressing to learn. I have had the good luck to procure places for some that were deserving, which has been of great use. You will understand that these children are from six years to 12 or 14. Boys and girls above this age, who have been totally undisciplined, are generally too refractory for this government. A reformation in society seems to me only practicable by establishing notices of duty and practical habits of order and decorum at an early stage. But whither am I running? I am ashamed to see how much I have trespassed on your patience; but I thought the most complete idea of Sunday Schools, was to be conveyed to you by telling what first suggested the thought. The same sen

timents would have arisen in your mind, had they happened to have been called forth, as they were suggested to me.

"I have no doubt that you will find great improvement to be made on this plan. The minds of men have taken great hold on that prejudice, that we are to do nothing on the Sabbath-day, which may be deemed labour, and therefore we are to be excused from all application of mind as well as body. The rooting out this prejudice is the point I aim at as my favourite object. Our Saviour takes particular pains to manifest that whatever tended to promote the health and happiness of our fellow-creatures, were sacrifices peculiarly acceptable on that day.

"I do not think I have written so long a letter for some years. But you will excuse me; my heart is warm in the cause. I think this the kind of reformation most requisite in this kingdom. Let our patriots employ themselves in rescuing their countrymen from that despotism, which tyrannical passions and vicious inclinations exercise over them, and they will find that true liberty and national welfare are more essentially promoted, than by any reform in parliament.

"As often as I have attempted to conclude, some new idea has arisen. This is strange, as I am writing to a person whom I never have, and perhaps never may see; but I have felt that we think alike: I shall therefore only add my ardent wishes, that your views of promoting the happiness of society may be attended with every possible success, conscious that your own internal enjoyment will thereby be considerably advanced.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Yours, &c.

"R. RAIKES."

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

on

Ar a Meeting, held in the Hall of the BLACK BULL INN, the 5th of October, 1815, it was unanimously resolved to form a Society, under the following designation," THE GLASGOW AUXILIARY SOCIETY IN AID OF THE BAPTIST MISSION AND TRANSLATIONS IN INDIA." The Funds of this Society, are to be applied to the support of the Mission in general, including the Schools and Translations; or of the Schools, or Translations of the Scriptures, in particular, as Subscribers shall direct. How much the Baptist Mission in India is distin

guished for zeal and success in preaching the Gospel, in teaching Schools, and in translating the Holy Scriptures into the numerous languages of the East, has long been well known to the public.

Dr. Carey and his associates have seen their labours. crowned with remarkable success, in a part of the world, supposed by many, to be peculiarly unfavourable. India was the boast of the infidel, who thought that no efforts of Christianity should ever overcome the Cast, and other barriers of idolatry, among those whom he termed the amiable Hindoos. This boast is now put to silence; and, in a great measure, by the Baptist Missionaries. Others have done, and are still doing worthily, in the same work. But the most eminent of these unite in giving distinguished praise to their Baptist brethren. It is universally allowed that they are executing a remarkable number of translations of the Holy Scriptures; while, at the same time, there is reason to think, that each is made with care and fidelity. In the study of the Oriental languages, they have made several discoveries of great importance to general literature. But their literary researches have been always subservient to the preaching of the Gospel. By this means, many natives have been turned from idols to serve the living and true God. Missionary stations, and Christian Churches have been established in several places of that immense country. Good has been done not only among the natives, but the Europeans also resident in India. In Calcutta, where, at no distant period, a serious Christian was hardly to be found, there is now a religious public, a regular supply of the means of grace, and a growing disposition among the people to profit by them.

At home, Brother Fuller (a name which will be long remembered with the warmest sentiments of affection and esteem) was the judicious correspondent of his brethren in India, and the zealous, indefatigable advocate, in recommending and vindicating their cause. In promoting the India Mission, he was honoured to promote, very extensively, the general cause of Christ both at home and abroad. His situation, as Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society, greatly enlarged the sphere of his usefulness, and wonderfully excited the energy of his mind, even in the decline of life. For many years, he was in the habit of undertaking frequent and extensive journies. To the very last, these continued to be increasingly acceptable. The excellent sermons; the amiable simplicity; the decided superiority of talent combined with modesty and candour; the affection, and the holy ar