The eafieft method we have heard of is, that the vifiter, juft before the children are difmiffed, examine the book for the day, and give to each scholar who has behaved well a fmall printed ticket, which the child muft take home and preferve; twelve of which produced at the end of a quarter, fhall entitle him or her to three pence, or whatever fum the managers may determine.

This will be far better than giving a half-penny at the. clofe of the day, which is too frequently fpent in trafh, and a cuftom of buying on the fabbath established. Or a small book may be occafionally given, and a flock of tracts from the Cheap Repofitory, &c. kept for that purpose.*

Articles of drefs, as a pair of fhoes, a cap, ftockings, gown, &c. are given annually in fome places. Gifts of this fort operate ftrongly on the minds of the poor parents, and induce them to fend their children more regularly. But if this be done, a difference must be made between good and bad children, or the defign is defeated.

It may be neceffary, for the fake of admitting younger children, that the elder scholars who can read well, and have been three or more years in the fchools, should be difmiffed; but if they are willing to ftay, it is a pity to remove them till they go out to fervice; and it were to be wifhed, that even then they might attend in a fuperior clafs, one hour in the day, for religious inftruction, fuited to their circumstances.

Children fhould not leave the school without notice. They fhould be difmiffed by the gratis teachers, vifiters, managers, or minifter, with a folemn word of caution and exhortation: this has been blessed to some. A little trac fuited to the occafion may be given them;† and if it can be afforded, the books they have used at fchool, particularly their Teftament or Bible, with a charge to keep and ufe it.

In fome places, a library confifting of fmall and ufeful books, is kept for the ufe of the children, and teachers, &c. this may be done any where, by foliciting gifts of books from a congregation or fubfcribers.

*Befides the books published in the Cheap Repofitory, the following may be useful: Mrs. Trimmer's books for children; Tom's Humble Attempt; Reynold's Compaffionate Addrefs; Pilgrim's Progrefs; Token for Youth; Early Piety; Abridgment of Jenks's Prayers; Abridgment of Doddridge's Rife and Progrefs; Addrefs to the Parents of Sunday Schools; Two Farmers and Servants; The Reward Book. Thofe may be had of Chapman, Button, Knot or Marshall.

A penny tract for this purpofe has been published by a Mr. Smith, fchoolma fter, at Long Buckby, Northamptonshire.

"The

"The end crowns the work." The good effects produced by this inftitution, art apparent to the whole kingdom. Peace and quietnefs is enjoyed in many a parith, where noife, riot and mifchief before prevailed. Many thousands have already learned to read the fcriptures, who would otherwife have remained in heathen darknefs. Multitudes have been brought to the house of God, who would have lived and died in contempt of all ordinances. Many have been converted to God, and are now useful fervants, and valuable members of civil and religious focieties; and not a few have died in the faith, enjoying the peace of God, and triumphing over the laft enemy. The annual reports of the Society established in London in 1785, for the fupport and encouragement of Sunday Schools in the dif ferent counties of England," bear ample teftimony to this pleafing fact.

We are happy in an opportunity of announcing this exexcellent inftitution, to thofe who may not have heard of it. The great extent of its utility may be judged of by the report published in 1793, when the Society had affifted in the fupport of 892 schools; in which 56,820 children were inftructed; and had given away 76,705 Spelling Books, 21,010 Teftaments, and 4,756 Bibles.. Thofe congregations in the country who are unable to provide books for the fchools eftablished among them, might probably receive affiftance from that honourable Society, by applying to their fecretary.*

We conclude with carneftly recommending to our ferious readers, the establishment of Sunday Schools where none are yet formed; and the extenfion and improvement of thofe already erected.

WIDOWS' FUND.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.

DEAR SIR,

WAS lately much affected in reading the hints of Benevolus, relating to the establishment of a fund for the fupport of minifters' widows. It must be a benevolent mind indeed which has felt fo much for, and now has ventured to give a general call to the friends of Jefus, to discuss a

Mr. T. Peftill, at the Society's Office, Mo. 47, Cornhill.

I 2

point

point in which is involved much of the happiness of su many of the dear fervants of Jefus Christ.

It does not become me to recommend to chriftians in general, the adoption of the plan propofed by Benevolus, or of a more matured one on this occafion; because I am the man (with many others), described by Benevolus, in his pathetic representation of things in your magazine for October, 1797. There the diftrefs which I have been in for many years, is as well defcribed as if Benevolus had repeatedly been prefent with me in fecret; and had often feen the diftrefs and agony of my foul, the wormwood and the gall in the cup, of which I have long been drinking. My faith has been tried to the uttermoft, and fo it is now!

I have an affectionate wife and feven dear children, with whom I would live in a prifon on prifoner's fare, rather than roll in affluence and be separated from them! What fenfations of pain muft I and others in like circumftances endure, when for thefe, our other felves, we cannot procure the common neceffaries of life, fuch as food and raiment; but a fcanty allowance, juft enough to keep them in mifery. Far be it from me to reflect upon Providence, for I have much more from the hand of God than I deferve; nay, I am lefs than the least of all his mercies; and I know that my God could, if he fo pleased, give me as much of this world's good as he hath given to fome of my people: but yet this acknowledgment does not excufe thofe chriftians who profefs to love the gofpel, and yet think more of what they do towards the fupport of it, than they think of what they do for the support of a common domeftic fervant, or a day-labourer. I have often fimiled and fighed to think, how much a phyfician or an apothecary is esteemed by good people; and how ready they are to pay off the long bills of thofe valuable members of fociety; how freely fome will give fix or feven pounds a year, besides a maintenance, to a poor fordid wretch to drive a team; and how willingly others will give thirty or forty pounds a year to a porter to carry out goods; and yet fome of thefe good people think it is not prudent for them to give above one or two guineas a year to have the gofpel ftatedly, with all its ordinances; and perhaps give that poor pittance with reluctance; and rather as a donation, than as a debt they owe to God and to themfelves.

Sir, it feems to me, that many who belong to churches and congregations, think that gofpel minifters and their families have the art, (peculiar to themselves,) of living upon

half,

half, or a third part of what is neceffary for other families: or, as if they were fo many chamelions, which fome naturalifts fay, live chiefly upon air.

66

What a gloomy profpect have fuch poor minifters before them, who often feel fo much of the heart-ache at their tables, that they are scarcely able at times to crave a bleffing upon the scanty supply with which their tables are furnished, for themselves and their dear families! and what an heartrending thought it is, "If it fhould please God to take me "away by death, I have not a penny to leave behind, to fupport a difconfolate widow and mourning orphans." Oh! if any thing in this world would caufe me to leave it with reluctance, and make Jordan overflow its banks, or plant my dying pillow thick with thorns, it would be to leave my dear family to be toffed with tempeft on the agitated waves of adverfity, without the means of fubfiftence; or to lie at the mercy of thofe capricious, covetous, hardhearted profeffors, who can feel for no one but themselves. O! I tremble when I think how much (in a fecondary way,) depends on my precious life! As it would be a great relief to my mind both living and dying, to know that a certain provifion was made for the widow and fatherless, I muft heartily fecond the motion of Benevolus; and as I fhall be willing to exert myself in the best way I can, towards carrying fuch a laudable defign into execution; I have only to exprefs an ardent with, that this bufinefs may be taken up in good earnest. God grant that fomething effectual may be done!

Thus far had I written when your Magazine for December came to hand; which exhibits a plan on the above bufinefs, which, if acted upon, I may venture to fay would certainly defeat the very end proposed by Benevolus, which is to provide for the widows and orphans of poor minifters. Sir, as I am interested in this bufinefs, I beg leave to urge two or three objections against this plan laft propofed.

Firft, The fum propofed to be fubfcribed annually by minifters, is too great. I take it for granted, that thofe gentlemen who formed this plan, are not poor minifters, but perfons at least in eafy circumftances, and who could themfelves fubfcribe five guineas annually without difficulty; but really Sir, it is not in my power, nor of others in like circumftances, to fubfcribe three guineas a year; confequently those poor widows and orphans who would noft need affiftance, would derive no benefit from a fund on this plan, on account of their prefent circumftances.

Sécondly,

Secondly, What will fifteen or even twenty-five pounds a-year do for a widow, with, it may be, four or five young children, and perhaps herself weak and fickly? What would the above fum do in fuch circumftances, except to keep them in mifery?

Thirdly, I object to the divifion of minifters into different claffes; and alfo to the pofitive, the comparitive, and fuperlative; both as it refpects the fubfcription to the fund, and the benefit to be derived from it.

Sir, this plan involves it in an abfurdity; for it is formed on this principie, viz. that thofe widows who fhall need the leaft affiftance, fhall receive the greateft; and thofe who fhall need the greateft fhall receive the leaft; and therefore, I moft heartily, for one, difapprove of the plan.

But as I have objected to the plan propofed, it will be expected that I fhould propofe a more eligible one. Sir, I think that is already done by Benevolus: the outlines of his plan, in my humble opinion, approach nearer to perfection than this which is now exhibited to the public; for on his plan, a fund will be constituted or established on a more reasonable principle, maintained with greater ease to poor minifters, and the benefit derived from it to poor widows, will be greater than on the prefent plan,

First, Let poor minifters fubfcribe one guinea a year; it is as much, and more than they can do without feeling the want of it in their families; but let this be done,

Secondly, Let thofe minifters of the benevolent Jefus, who are in eafy circumftances, have an opportunity of fhewing that they have learned of him to be benevolent too, by fubfcribing to the fund according as God hath prof pered them; and thereby fhew, that they are not only in word, but in deed and in truth, lovers of Chrift, and of good men.

Thirdly, Let each minifter preach an annual fermon on the occafion, and make a public collection among his people; and though there may be profeffors in moft places, who appear to be deftitute of the feeling of humanity, yet, I am confident there are many who would contribute liberally on fuch occafions; and were we to extend our views no farther, I am perfuaded more may be funded this way for the above purpofe, than could poffibly be by laying the whole weight upon minifters, according to the prefent plan: but, as Benevolus obferves, much is to be ex pected,

Fourthly, From pious women. Such honourable perfons

as