have so many christian friends watching around him, and highly valued the kind and frequent visits of the Rev. J. Lumb and his esteemed teacher, to whom he was much attached He frequently conversed upon God's great and undeserved goodness towards him, and traced His leading hand in all the incidents and events of his life, which he felt was crowned with mercies. He often bade me not to weep, and said, 'God will take care of, and provide for you.' On one occasion, taking my hand and fixing his mild expressive gaze upon his mother, he said, with touching tenderness, 'Mother, it is hard to part." To which she replied, 'It is, my dear; but I hope you can give her up.' 'Oh, yes,' was his unhesitating answer, 'I can for Jesus-he died for me.' "His consciousness was retained to the last, and the enemy was not suffered to tempt, or dim the light which illumined the dark valley of the shadow of death. His serenity, joy, and peace of soul were sustained uninterrupted, and when the closing scene approached, with great energy he exclaimed, 'I am on the brink of eternity! What are worlds to me now, but empty bubbles!" "A short time before he died, he took his leave of me, and commended me to God, and then committed, in prayer, his soul into the hands of his Saviour. Shortly after, without a sigh, he breathed his happy spirit into the bosom of Jesus, on the 10th December, 1855, in the sunshine of whose presence he is now basking, singing in sweet strains, in company with the blood-bought throng, those praises of God which he so much delighted to celebrate upon earth. "His death caused an unusual sensation in the neighbourhood; where he was generally beloved, and his meek, obliging disposition had gained him much esteem. The Revs. P. C. Turner and J. Lumb very impressively and ably preached funeral sermons on the following Sunday, at North Malvern and the Link, to full and affected congregations, the result of which, perhaps, may not be known until the last trump shall have sounded, and time shall be no more.' "In feebly attempting to perform a duty in making known the grace, love, and power of God, thus exemplified in the christian experience of the dear departed, she who mourns his loss prayerfully hopes it may under the divine blessing, especially encourage the hearts of Sunday School Teachers, who amidst much discouragement, often labour many years without any apparent success. Let the above simple narrative incite such to continue their work in faith, humbly, prayerfully, and perseveringly, and God will bless their efforts. He is faithful who has promised to give reward to those who are not weary in well doing.' They who sow in tears, shall reap in joy.'' 6 The Rev. J. Lumb remarks, "It was permitted me to spend several hours with our departed friend, when he realized death as immediately at hand. It was an impressive and cheering season. Among other things he said, on the occasion referred to, 'Christ is very precious to me.' To his dear partner, in tears-Do not weep for me, I shall soon be better off than you. Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.' He said repeatedly, I shall soon be gone.' He ex-. pressed his assurance of meeting his dear mother and other friends in heaven made grateful allusions to Sunday school impressions: "The dear chapel :" and Rev. Mr. Turner's address at a tea meeting. "On one occasion he said 'It is hard' then 'Oh! my Jesus, fetch me quickly:" asked me to pray for him. What for?' I said. To take me,' he answered. Rather for patience and strength,' I suggested. 'Yes' he meekly answered. On another occasion, earnestly looking up and pointing with his finger, he said, 'Yonder is my home-I shall soon be there.' 'Home'' Home:' soon after-Lord Jesus receive my spirit.' Reviving a little, I said, What is the great thing? He answered, 'Seek the Lord." 'Prepare to meet your God.' He began at intervals to repeat verses of scripture, such as- -Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' "It was my privilege to visit our departed friend, and hear him speak of the love and preciousness of Jesus. He several times said, ‘It is a mercy that I have not been tempted of Satan, and that I suffer so little pain.' On being asked if he was resting on Christ, he replied, 'On him alone I have no other hope.'. Is Jesus precious to you now? 'Oh yes, precious.' To a friend he said, 'This day twelvemonths I was as strong as you are,-This day next year you may be as weak as I now am. What should I do if I had a Saviour to seek now? O prepare for Eternity— Eternity!' "One hour only before he died, he said, 'I am a poor creature. It wont be long now.' 1 said, No: Jesus will come very soon, and receive you to himself. He replied, 'In his own good time-I cannot talk— Good bye-God bless you.' And shortly after he fell asleep in the arms of Jesus. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." A RAMBLE IN CORNWALL. Cornwall, so rich in antiquities, mines, peculiar geological formations, and his torical recollections, is perhaps the most interesting county in England, especially to the antiquarian, the philosopher, and the christian, and yet is less known and visited by tourists than any other English county. The limits of a brief article will only allow us to glance at a few of its interesting objects, and even this must be in a cursory manner. To begin then with the beginning, viz.: its numerous ancient monuments, such as the kairns, encampments, and cromlechs. The latter are decidedly the most ancient of all its monuments. They seem to have been erected by the Druids, and are supposed to have been altars, whereon they sacrificed their victims. For the information of our youthful readers it is necessary to State that a cromlech is composed of upright stone pillars, with one large recumbent stone resting upon the others, something like an old fashioned table. Some have three, four, and five pillars or legs. The far-famed "Lanyon Cromlech" called "the Giant's Quoit," four miles from Penzance, has three pillars. It is sufficiently high to allow a man on horseback to pass under it. This cromlech was blown over during a violent storm in 1815, and was set up again by means of the apparatus used to restore the Logan Rock. That magnificent cromlech in the parish of St. Cleer, called Trefethi or Trethevy, has six upright stones, and is one of the largest in Cornwall. The next subject we shall notice is the Crosses, which are very numerous in this county, and generally set up in every churchyard, and at the entrance of the towns. They are all of granite, the same as the cromlechs, but of much more modern workmanship. The one did not immediately follow the other. A long interval must have elapsed, at least 600 years between the decline of druidism and the rise of popery in Great Britain. Let us now refer for a moment to the celebrated Logan Rock, or rolling stone. This consists of a group of stones of the most grand and romantic appearance, forming an amphitheatre, weighing about seventy tons, and so poised as to be moved by a succession of impulses. Who has not heard ofits overturn by Lieutenant Goldsmith and his men, in 1824? But he made ample amends for his indiscretion by the toil and expense he incurred in replacing it. Then there are the Roche Rocks, about seven miles from Bodmin, consisting of a peculiar kind of granite, composed of quartz and schorl. There are three separate masses, the centre one crowned with the ruins of an ancient chapel dedicated to St. Michael, and said to have been the abode of a leper, and many and curious are the legends connected with this elevated residence. Close by is a huge block of stone with a perforation, evidently artificial, in which a spring runs that is said to ebb and flow, and is supposed to have been employed by the priests for the purpose of some religious imposture. The well of St. Roche is still resorted to on Holy Thursday by the country people. Pins are thrown in, and certain rites and incantations performed to obtain good luck. We regret that so much superstition is still to be found in Cornwall. Then there is Carn-bræ, a lofty conspicuous hill 740 feet above the level of the sea, near Redruth, probably the great focus of the mysterious rites of our forefathers. Cornish historians appear to have discovered the whole apparatus of druidism centred on this hill, rock basons, some capable of holding a pint, others a gallon, cromlechs, kairns, circles, a grove of oaks, and a gor seddan, an elevated place whence the Druids pronounced their decrees. A large indented rock near the summit of Cairn-bræ is said to be the fossilated hand of an immense giant who lies beneath, who could stride to St. Agnes, five miles distant!! Such a locality as this, one may readily suppose, is not without its marvellous stories and strange legends. An hour's walk from Redruth will bring us to the well-known " Gwennap Pit," a circular excavation on the slope of a hill, formerly the scene of the labours of the late John Wesley. Sermons are still annually preached here on WhitMonday to thousands who make it a holiday more than anything else. We must not omit to notice St. Michael's Mount. Its circumference at the base is about one mile, its height 250 feet. It contains 70 acres of land. Ptolemy describes it as the place where tin was discovered by the Britons. The Benedictine monks resided here, and it is said to have been visited by St. Michael the Archangel, in 495! St. Michael's chair is an object of curiosity and attraction to visitors. This is no other than the remains of a projecting lantern, erected by the monks to warn the sailor of the dangerous rocks below. To sit in this chair above the fearful abyss is a feat requiring considerable nerve and dexterity, and to the lady who can perform it, promises, it is said, as a reward for the danger incurred, future domestic pre-eminence !! The Land's End must not be overlooked Here we gain a magnificent oceanic view. Whilst standing on this most westerly point of England words fail to convey the full impression made on the mind. Even in a calm its effects on the imagination are truly sublime; and when the tempest rages it is awful and terrifically grand. It seems as if the elements of earth, water, and air are engaged in a most desperate struggle of utter destruction. On either side are large dark rugged rocks of fantastic forms, and various aquatic birds which wildly scream at the sight of man. To the west you see the light house on the Longship rock, built in 1797, 52 feet in height, and dovetailed into the rock on which it stands, the rock being 60 feet above the level of the sea, making an entire elevation of 112 feet. Notwithstanding this height the spray not unfrequently dashes over it. Close by is Whitesand Bay, the place at which king Athelstan embarked on his voyage to the Scilly Isles, and where Stephen landed on his return to England, and king John on his return from Ireland. Beautiful shells are to be picked up here. Before closing this brief notice of Land's End, we refer our youthful readers to Captain Arbuthnot's perilous adventure, nearly fifty years ago; who, on visiting this spot with another officer, rashly attempted to ride down the declivity in spite of the warn ing of those present. The horse became terrified and unmanageable as he approached the cliffs; by a desparate effort, Captain A. threw himself off, the horse fell over the rocks below into the deep Atlantic and was dashed to pieces. The inhabitants of Cornwall are divis ible into three great classes, the agriculturists, the miners, and the fishermen : those who profit by the surface of the earth, by the depths of the earth, and by the depths of the ocean. They have a character for civility and kindness. The English language is universally spoken. On the whole the Sunday is well observed, though among the young there is a great passion for dress. In looking for the causes of the prevalence of religion amongst the miners and fishermen, much must necessarily be attributed to the early and zealous labours of Whitefield, as well as of Wesley. In looking over Whitefield's journal, we find that he went from the exciting scenes of Gloucestershire into the dales and districts of Cornwall, preaching most zealously to vast numbers, and not without success. On one occasion that indefatigable Evangelist writes, "I have just returned from near Land's End, where thousands and thousands heard the gospel gladly. Every where the word of God has run and been glorified. I preached at St. Ives, to many who gladly attended to hear the word, a great power seemed to accompany it. On the Lord's day I preached twice to large auditories at Redruth I preached to nearly ten thousand souls. Arrows of conviction seemed to fly fast. At St. Ann's we had a very powerful season." In writing to the Countess of Huntingdon he says, "I have been very near the Land's End, and every where souls have fled to hear the word preached like doves to their windows. The harvest is great, very great, but the labourers are few. O that the Lord of the harvest would thrust out more labourers. I want more tongues, more bodies, and more souls for the Lord Jesus. Had I ten thousand he should have them all." Thus did this remarkable man labour in Cornwall when all was dark and uninviting. It has been too much the custom to overlook the labours of the renowned Whitefield in Cornwall and to attribute all to Wesley and his followers, but honour to whom honour is due. St. Ives, August. E. S. II. The Sunday School Register. Abstract of "a Paper on the Statistics and General Position of the Sunday Schools in the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion," read at the last Conference by the Rev. R. S. Short Statistics constitute the basis of correct information upon all subjects. It is to be regretted that until of late years they have been so much neglected by all religious denominations. Previous to the compilation of the present paper no record of the numerical position of the Sunday Schools of the Connexion existed. The want of such a document was much felt; and at the meeting of the Western District, at Hereford, October 10th, 1855, the writer of the present paper was requested to obtain the necessary information, and to communicate the result of the inquiry at the next meeting, This was done, upon which it was further resolved to extend the research to the whole of the Connexion, and to have a paper read at the July Conference embodying the particulars of the investigation. The questions forwarded to the various Schools embraced the following comprehensive topics, viz:-Name and date of formation; Scholars on the books; average attendance; number of teachers; scholars passed through the school since its commencement; volumes in the library; sick and other ciubs; scholars who have become ministers or teachers; cases of conversion; system of teaching; catechisms; infant classes; prayer meetings; hymn book used; magazines taken in the School; and also the suggestion of any hints for increasing the efficiency of the Schools generally. The replies returned were prompt, copious, and cordially rendered. As was to have been anticipated difficulty was experienced in furnishing information, in some through the inefficiency of the record of bye-gone years; but the details will be found generally correct so far as they go, and it is hoped that in a little time they will be even more complete. cases The oldest Schools making returns are Swansea, established in 1789; and Tyldesley, which was formed in 1790. All the others have been formed since 1800. Avebury was established in 1825 and revived in 1849, Many Schools have no club of any sort for the children. One has both a savings' and a clothing club; four have sick and clothing clubs, in one of which 4s. per week are allowed in cases of sickness, and £4 for a funeral in case of death; seven have clothing clubs only, and one has a sick club only. These clubs are very important, particularly in some localities. They link the children to the school; render them important assistance in time of need, and teach them provident habits. Nearly all the Schools report many, once scholars, who have become Sunday and in some instances Day School teachers In one School two scholars and fourteen teachers have become either ministers of the gospel at home or missionaries in foreign lands. Two ministers, one local preacher, and one town missionary have gone out from another school; whilst a third reports that one minister, a student, now at New College, besides several local preachers and Sunday School teachers have been raised up from the School. In one School no less than thirteen members of the bible class are now in communion. Nearly all speak of persons being now communicants who were once Sunday School scholars. In ten Schools the Sunday School Union Notes are used, in two a portion of Mimpriss's system; in one Stowe's Collective System; but in nine no particular system of teaching is adopted. Watt's Catechism is used in six schools and the Assembly's in three. Two use Lloyd's. Many use none, whilst one has no less than three different catechisms in use. Five Schools have no separate class for infants. Some have two. One has a class of 200 scholars in regular attendance, and another a class of 85. Some have weekly, some monthly, some quarterly, and some only occasional prayer meetings. In some cases they are held after the service on Sabbath evenings, in some after a week-night service, and in others on a Sabbath afternoon. In a few instances the elder scholars are invited to the teachers' prayer meeting, which is attended with good results. One School uses no less than three hymn books, viz: "The Cottage," "Watts's" and the "Children's Hosanna,"-Three use the "Evangelical Hymn Book." Several have two hymn books in use in the school, and a third for the use of the teachers. The Union Hymn Book for scholars is used in eleven schools; Curwen's "Penny' " in six; the "Appeldore" (now out of print!) in One School uses only the Cottage hymn book. No less than fifteen hymn books are used among 28 Schools. The desirability of having One hymn book for our Sunday Schools is obvious. one. Among the magazines taken are the following:- The Harbinger British Messenger-Sunday School Teachers' Church of England Quarterly-Band of Hope-Teacher's Offering-Sunday at Home-Mother's Friend-Leisure Hour -Juvenile Missionary-Child's Companion-Sundy School Union- Bible Class-Child's Own-Evangelical Magazine - British Workman - Missionary Chronicle-Dew Drop-Christian Witness-Christian's Penny-The Adviser Pictorial Pages Sunday School Teacher's Journal of Education-Biblical Literature and the Tract Magazine. One School alone circulates 200 magazines per month. In some cases they are given as rewards; in some lent, and in some purchased by the children and teachers; whilst in others they are purchased out of the general funds. - The following hints have been received: "More prayer; forming Bands of Hope; punctuality of teachers; regularity; punctuality and systematic visiting; quarterly examinations of the whole School; meetings for elder scholars; young people's bible classes; canvassing |