May I remind you further that penitence has nothing to dread in God ? He meets the penitent, not with frowning brow and upbraid. ing lip, but with outstretched arms and loving welcome. He whispers words of pardon, hides all defects beneath the seamless, spotless robe of Christ's righteousness, cleanses the heart, quickens the spiritual nature, and redirects and purifies the whole current of being. No penitent soul has ever rued the day when with fear and trembling it ventured alone into the holy place and bent before the mercy-seat, for there the burden of guilt and fear was left, and the “ peace of God” was found. And better is it if that solemn interview be courted when just starting out in life, rather than postponed to later years, Every young man or woman who cannot, after bidding farewell to parents, confidently look up and say, “I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me," should seek the earliest opportunity of supplicating the guidance and help of God. The path of life is slippery, it is beset with allurements and temptations, it is thronged with the emissaries of Satan ; what necessity, then, on leaving home to commit your way unto God, and to implore the Divine companionship ! So shall that crisis-hour be safely passed, and a solid foundation be laid for future prosperity and bliss !

A STORY OF A RAGGED SCHOOL.*

In one part of London there ex- an effort, started a new work, and isted, in the midst of some seem- then, with “ constitutional obstiingly decent streets, a court, two nacy," as he was wont to say, or three alleys, and two or three “stuck to it.” He could not but streets of six-roomed houses. In see the evils that existed in this this court, these streets and alleys, part of his over-large parish. He there lived a population of above felt it a scandal that streets should 3,000 people. Few of the families exist down which no respectable squatting there possessed more than person could pass with safety; that one room, and any one wanting to hordes of immortal souls shoull be learn the art of vegetating in the left uncared for: and so he tried smallest possible space of ground, method after method to reach them. would only have to spend a few All efforts, however, were but of days there to have got his lesson to little avail while the streets swarned perfection. None of the houses with half-naked children, who went contained more than eight, and the to no school, and submitted to no great mass had only six rooms, and discipline. It is true that there many of the worst principles of in- were schools nigh at hand, but they

ercommunism prevailed there to a were all too respectable; and if, verrible extent. The clergyman of perhaps, some of the parents ought the parish, at the time of which I to have sent the r children to these am writing, was a man of wonder- schools, they certainly would not ful energy and enterprise. He saw do so. What, then, could be done a necessity, made up his mind to but start a ragged school ? An

*“ Parson and People.” Seeley and Co.

old carpenter's shop existed between attention to female grace or deli. two houses in the court; it was un-cacy. All efforts to catch this little occupied ; it was seized upon; and woman, or to find out where she the school was opened. But the lived, were for a long time unchildren would not be caught ! successful; but, at last, she ap“Billy, Billy, Billy, come and be peared one evening at a lecture taught!” was echoed and re-echoed, at the night school, and took her but all in vain for a while ; and it seat amongst the grown-up people. was only after desperate efforts She had not long been seated, howthat a few children were coaxed in. ever, before low murmurs began to When once, however, the ice was spread amongst the boys in the back broken, scholars began to flow in seats ; and some of them, pointing apace, and before many weeks the to the old woman, whispered, “It's little shop was overcrowded. The Jack Long! It's Jack Long!” new scholars were scholars indeed;! “ It aint!”. they had everything to learn, and, “It is !” above all else, they had to learn The controversy waxed strong, obedience. To sit still was to many and at last the master was forced to of them a moral impossibility; to interfere, and to ask the cause of fight or fidget was, as it were, their the disturbance. He was told their normal occupation. Kindness and suspicions; and, walking up to the firmness were brought to bear upon little old woman, he gazed steadily this excitable horde, and their at her. It was Jack Long, who, effects soon began to tell. Many emboldened by the way in which of the pupils were professional he had outwitted the police, was thieves, and all of them had a power determined to try whether his old of abstracting which would have comrades would detect him or not; charmed a Highland freebooter. but, alas for him! their eyes were

“Where's Billy to-day, boys ? ” | too sharp to be so easily imposed

“Oh, sir, he's in for a copper upon, and the story getting buzzed scuttle."

about, the police knew exactly “ Where's Tommy?”.

where to wait when their old plague "He's in for some lead gutter recommenced his depredations.

The curious feature about many “In" of course meant in gaol- parents is this : they will chastise, a place with which many of them often most intemperately, their own were very familiar. I remember children, but they will not permit giving one day a lesson on the any one else to chastise them; and Cities of Refuge ; and, in question- this peculiarity often evinced itself ing the boys, asked, “If the fugi- in the visits of what the head of tive reached the city, in what state one of our great public schools would he be ?"

called “the schoolmaster's greatest “ All right, sir."

scourge—viz., anxious and irritated “But if he went out again ? " mammas." These “anxious and “ He'd be nabbed.”

irritated mammas " were, however, The police at that time were not at all accustomed to 'conceal wonderfully plagued by a little old their feelings, or even to keep them woman, who committed innumer- under decent control, and their able petty depredations in our wrath was often violent. I reneighbourhood," and who, when member, on one occasion, the chased, outran them all, and more master had corrected a little boy than once popped over a succession for gross misconduct. The little of garden-walls, without paying any | boy had threatened “to tell

mother.” The threat was carried great, coarse, and most vulgar out; and when the school opened woman, one whom he always shrank after dinner, a huge virago entered. from-looking over the hedge. He Walking up to the master, she drew back, and quietly turned into said

a side path ; but escape was impos“ So you've whopped our Billy.” sible. In a voice which could not

“Yes,” replied the master; "he but be heard, his neighbour behaved very badly."

screamed out, “Mr. Archdeacon ! "Well,” screamed the virago, Mr. Archdeacon! I want to speak “ no one shall whop him but I; and to you.” The Archdeacon turned I'll learn you how to do it !” back, and drawing nigh to her,

In an instant she attacked him, politely asked what she wished to struck him violently in the chest, say. “A lovely sermon that of & serious matter to a very delicate yours on Sunday-a lovely sermon, man-and it was with difficulty sir. I hope we shall all profit by it. that he escaped her. Of course it I've acted on it at once. Our Bill, was necessary to interfere in such a sir, was a bad boy yesterday, so I case, and a summons soon brought took a stick and larruped him till I her to her senses. She came and couldn't stand over him any longer." humbly asked pardon, and pro- Need I say the poor sensitive mised-a great condescension on preacher slunk away, overpowered her part-that “he might whop by such delicate flattery ? Billy to his heart's content, if only To return to our ragged school. he wouldn't have her up before the If the day school was difficult to beak ; ” and some kindness shown manage, the night school was her shortly afterwards in her con- doubly so. Great rough lads and fineinent, by the master, entirely young men swarmed to it, because broke her proud spirit, and made it was warm and well lighted; but her a steady friend.

in reality they came for a spree, and Talking of punishment, I must not to work. To teach in such needs here intrude a story of a scenes is a complete gift. Some of scene which occurred in quite those most successful with orderly another spot.

children could never do it; while, A dear and valued friend of my on the other hand, I have seen a own, a dignitary of the Church, mere lad sway at will a large class and a most accomplished and ele- of men and lads double and treble gant scholar, thought it his duty to his age. Firm kindness, a good preach a sermon on the correction temper, and a loving heart, are all of children, and took as his text essential for this task; and, for my Prov. xiii. 24. He dwelt ably and own part, I always prefer, for a eloquently on the necessity of chas- rough school, women teachers. tisement for the young, and care. The pupils are used to blows and fully pointed out on what occasions rough usage—it is the atmosphere and under what limitations it ought they have always lived in, the to be administered. His congrega- dialect they best understand-but tion was attentive, and he thought gentle firmness is a weapon they to himself that he laid down every have never met with, and against condition necessary to ensure that which they have no guard. In one chastisement, if needful, should be of my Sunday-schools I was obliged wisely and judiciously administered to keep a class of incorrigibles in & Poor man! Two mornings after- separate room by themselves. Man wards, as he was walking in his after man took this class and failed ; garden, he spied a neighbour-a I dared not give it up, and dared

scarcely keep it on. At last a lady I opened school, a young man entered. took it; chaos was reduced, and He was dressed in a respectable after a short time her complaint black coat and waistcoat, and had was that boys were being all re-on a silver watch-chain and watch; stored to the regular school, and in fact, his appearance was promoted there.

thoroughly respectable. Walking If our ragged school abounded in up to me, he said difficulties, it abounded also in en- "Do you want any teachers, couragements ; its fruits were mani- sir ?'. fest. In the course of about seven “I turned towards him. The years nearly 1,500 children passed moment he saw my full face, he exthrough it; and on one occasion no claimed fewer than 112 boys and girls were "• Why, Mr. Sinden, is it you, found to have been rescued from the sir ? streets, fitted to gain an honest "6. Yes,' I said, my name is livelihood, and provided with good Sinden; but do you know me?' situations. I was preaching there "• Yes, sir-yes, full well; and one Sunday evening, when I saw you ought to know me, for I once amongst my hearers a sergeant of plagued you rarely. Do you reartillery, in full uniform, decorated member H- E ? with several medals, and with a "Oh, yes,' I said, "and often good conduct badge. After the wanted to know what had become service I went up to him, and asked of him.' him what had brought him there. " I'm him, sir.' “I came, sir, to see the old "You ?-impossible!'

6. Yes, sir, I am. You wonder “ What! do you know this at my looks, sir, but I've changed school ? "

masters; I served Satan hard, and “Yes, sir; I got all my learning he brought me down lower and here. It took me out of the street; lower; but, thank God, I now and as I sail for China on Tuesday, serve the Lord, and he is bringing I thought I must come back and me up; but I owe it to what I have one more look at the old place learnt at your school, sir.'”. and the old folk before I sailed.” The seed sown was found here The superintendent told me that he after many days, and he became as had attended both morning and great a comfort to his old master as afternoon schools and the young an assistant as he had formerly been men's Bible-class, and seemed al- a plague as a scholar. together delighted with his visit. Two or three moral tales, the

We have spoken before of the truth of which we can vouch for, rebellious ones; there was one lad may be pardoned here. whom we lost sight of for some Some of our pupils required a years, not knowing in the least marvellous deal of breaking in, but what had become of him. The ex- well repaid the trouble. To give cellent superintendent had given an instance. On one occasion one up the ragged school, and was of the teachers told a boy to sit gone elsewhere. One day, however, down in his place. he called on me, and in the course “I shan't!” was the surly reply. of conversation said

" You must.” “I have taken part in a night! “I shan't !”. school in my new neighbourhood, "Then Imust stand by you till you sir, and had a curious surprise a do." He stood for some little time, few weeks ago. Just after I had | but seeing no symptoms of the lad

yielding, called the superintendent, “You don't know me, sir?" who said to the boy

66 What, George ! is it you?” “Now, you must sit down in “Yes, sir.” your place, or you cannot leave “Come in, lad," said his kind the school, if you stay here all friend, who took him downstairs, night."

made him take a wash at the sink, The lad continued obstinate, tbe and then gave him some tea, which master firm. At nine o'clock the was eagerly deyoured by the faschool was dismissed, but the lad mished lad. After tea, the following was not allowed to leave. Ten facts came out. The boy had gone struck, eleven struck-the superin. to Tewkesbury with his father, but tendent and the lad were still in had there been treated with great their respective situations. At a sternness; had run away from quarter-past eleven the fatigue on home, after having broken open a young muscles overcame the ob- cupboard and taken a sovereign stinacy of a young will, and the lad which had been put aside for rent; dropped into his seat. No sooner had made his way to Bristol, hoping was he down, than with a face of to get a berth on board ship, but, becoming impudence, he said having no character, could not get

“You'll take me home now, sir, employment; his money had soon won't you? for my father and been spent, and he had then started mother will be anxious about me !" to walk to London, in the hope that

The operation once performed his old teacher would be able to was thoroughly successful; he never reconcile him to his father. The gave the superintendent any more teacher took him next morning to trouble.

his dear old clergyman, who ordered Another tale about unexpected him to provide for the lad for some fruit may, perhaps, be given here. days, and to write at once to the A poor lad, who was not very re- parents, who gladly consented to fractory, but uncommonly idle, was receive back their truant, and sent in the habit of coming to school. His the money to pay the expenses of very idleness made him a great his journey home. Some time trouble to his master and to his elapsed, and one day a most grateparents, and at last, more in the ful letter arrived from the boy, hope of doing the son good than stating that the kindnesses shown from other objects, his father deter- to him had opened his heart to feel mined to accept an offer of work, the yet greater love of his Redeemer, and to remove to Tewkesbury. and that he who had been once They had been gone from our rescued from the pit was now enneighbourhood a year and a half, deavouring, as a Sunday-school when one day the superintendent teacher, to aid others also. was told that a lad was at the door, desirous of speaking with him. He Such stories might be multiplied, went down stairs, and there saw a but we forbear. tall, ungainly, and most ragged! Who will not say, GOD BLESS boy awaiting him,

| THE RAGGED SCHOOL?