302 Revival in Fayette & Jessamine Counties (Ken.) in the neighbourhood where the work began, and seems to be in a prosperous state-it is composed of a few members who formerly belonged to the church at South Elkhorn, and a considerable number of young converts, the subjects of this revival; they have united their efforts in building a convenient house for the worship of God, and no doubt through the blessing of God will succeed. The neighbournood of mount Tabor, a few miles from Lexington, in another direction, have partaken in some measure of the blessings of the revival; and some mercy-drops have fallen on the churches at David's Fork and Bryan's, where I statedly labour. From the best information of which I am possessed, it appears that nearly four hundred persons have been baptized, and have united themselves to the church since the work began. O may it please the great head of the church to ride forth in the chariots of the everlasting Gospel, conquering and to conquer, until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. A few remarks on the characters and exercises of those who have become the happy subjects of this work will close my letter. That section of the country where this reformation began, was inhabited by a people famous for vice and immorality; drinking to excess, gambling, fighting, and other acts of dissipation, were prominent traits in their character. Indeed I have been told that. men of civility did not consider themselves safe when passing through those regions. I do not state these facts to detract from the present respectability of those people, but to show the goodness and power of God in the conquests of divine grace-that where "sin hath abounded, grace doth much more abound." Indeed, when it pleased God to convince them of sin, they with great bitterness and contrition of heart were made to acknowledge themselves the "chief of sinners." Their conviction for sin was truly poignant. It was indeed affecting to hear great numbers of them, with tears flowing from their eyes, crying, "what shall we do to be saved?" or "God be merciful to me a poor lost sinner." But as they drank deep of the wormwood and gall of their sins, it pleased God to give them to taste of the sweet comforts of redeeming love. On their deliverance by faith, it seemed that many of them were made to rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. However, time will prove the genuineness of this work; as yet those trees bid fair to produce a copious and rich load of fruit. They appear to be warm and zealous in the good cause of Christ, very attentive on the word and ordinances of God, and truly affectionate one to another, and to all men. 149 JEREMIAH VARDEMAN. DRAM SHOPS. From the Albany Gazette.. To the Honourable the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions, in and for the City and County of Albany.. The Grand Jurors in and for the City and County of Albany, deeply impressed with the evils resulting to the community from Presentment of Grand Jury respecting Dram Shops. 303 the great and increasing number of petty retail Groceries and Dram Shops within the said city, and feeling it a duty incumbent upon them to do every thing in their power for the good of Society, and for the preservation of public morals, have thought proper to present to your honourable body the Groceries and Dram Shops generally, as an evil and a nuisance to society, which strikes at once at the root of good morals and religion, destroys both domestic and public peace, and reduces hundreds of our citizens to beggary, and their families to a dependance upon the public for support. The time is within the recollection of many of the Grand Jurors, when a retail grocery or dram shop could scarcely be found in our streets. But within a few years they have multiplied beyond calculation, and almost without number. And in proportion as these sinks of vice and immorality, and schools for almost every species of crime, have increased, has the number of convicts in our prisons, and poor upon the town for maintenance, been augmented. The Grand Jury think it needless for them on this occasion to enter into a minute enumeration of the evils which daily spring from these useless, unnecessary, and demoralizing resorts of the indolent, the profligate, and wicked. They are calculated not only to allure the aged into vicious habits, but to ruin our young men, to fit our children for the gallows, introduce misery and suffering into families, and in many instances to sever the cords of affection, and lead to a violation of the most sacred vows upon the altars of God. Under these impressions, the Grand Jury have thought it their duty to present, and upon their oaths do present, the aforesaid establishments to your honourable body. The Grand Jury are well aware that the entire suppression of these institutions will be attended with many and serious difficulties. But believing that our excellent form of government depends for its durability in a great degree upon the preservation of public morals, and that the peace and happiness of society is liable to be undermined or entirely destroyed by the countenance hitherto given to these places of resort for the idle and depraved, they cannot but hope that the subject will receive that attention from the magistrates of the people, which its importance demands. Dated June 11, 1817. JESSE BUEL, Foreman The Mayor of the City of Washington on the 23d ult. addressed a communication to the Aldermen and Common Council respecting the police of the city, from which we copy the following paragraph, as another evidence that the friends of temperance and economy are awaking to their true interest. "The next great object connected with a system of police, which has come under my notice, and one that materially affects the morals of society, is the multitude of grog-shops and petty taverns which pervade our city. To punish crimes is an indispensable duty, but to prevent them is humane, wise, and consoling.. I therefore earnestly recommend to your consideration this source 304 Obituary.-Somerville Cent Sociely. whence vice, immorality, want and death is disseminated, to an alarming extent; if not an entire prohibition of them, i venture to hope that you will enact such additional restraints as will operate as a great diminution of their number and effects." The Superintendant of the Police of Boston has given notice to all Innholders, Victuallers, Confectioners, and Retailers, that if they neglect to renew their licences at the Court of Sessions or shall presume to sell without license, they "will assuredly be prosecuted, in conformity to the late law of the Commonweath." The Superintendant has also forbidden the driving on the Lord's day, during Divine Service, or while the inhabitants are going to or returning from public worship, any carriage at a greater rate than a walk or a moderate foot pace. 'Special persons have been selected to take notice that the law on this 'subject may be rigidly enforced." [Recorder. Died, at Alstead, (N. H.) on the 7th inst. Mrs. THANKFUL SHEPARD, widow of the late Hon. Amos Shepard, Esq. aged 71 years. In the death of this excellent woman, the poor have lost a hearty friend; society a useful member; the church of Christ a distinguished patron; and religion one of the brightest examples. Her whole life was a plain representation of practical piety. A happy union existed between the conduct without and the heart within. Firmly grounded in the doctrines of grace, while they formed a sure foundation for her hope of eternal life, prompted her, as the natural fruits, to manifest all those sweet charities of life which constitute the essence of benevolence and practical religion. Few possessed the means of doing so much good, and none a better heart to liberality. It is generally known the interest she lately took in establishing the Gospel in the society of which she was a member, and the almost indispensable aid she lent on that occasion. In her last will, she gave one thousand dollars towards the support of the Gospel in said society, and one thousand more to the New-Hampshire Bible Society, of which she was a life member. Like a faithful steward of the goods lent her by her Divine Master, she returned them into such a channel as she deemed most for his honour and glory; and we trust now reaps the blessed fruits of her benevolence. SOMERVILLE TRACT AND CENT SOCIETY. We have been informed that the Special Treasurer of the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church has recently received from the Young Ladies' Tract and Cent Society of Somerville and its vicinity," (in New-Jersey,) the sum of sixty dollars, to be appropriated to the use of indigent students attached to the Theological Seminary of that Church. THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. VOL. III.] Saturday, August 9, 1817. SUNDAY SCHOOLS IN TROY, (N. Y.) [No. 20. Our readers will remember that the place above named was highly favoured during the last year by a remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit upon its inhabitants. The encouragement thereby afforded to cultivate with religious knowledge a soil thus eminently prepared for its reception by the work of Divine Grace, appears to have been duly appreciated by those of its citizens who felt concerned for the prosperity of Zion, and the best happiness of their fellow men. When multitudes of immortals have lived in ignorance of the way of life eternal, and are made to hunger and thirst after righteousness, what a privilege is conferred on them, if illiterate, by opening to them an access to the treasures of heavenly knowledge contained in the volume of inspiration-qualifying them to search for themselves the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make them wise unto salvation. In many parts of this land, as well as in the old world, God has been pleased to testify his approbation of this labour of love by abundantly blessing the exertions of Christians engaged in promoting it. The city of Troy affords an illustrious instance of the advantages resulting from diligent and faithful attention to this truly Christian employment. We have recently received the First Annual Report of the Inspectors of the Sunday School Association in that city, read at a general meeting of the citizens on the 13th July, 1817. The details of this excellent Report are so interesting, that we shall give it nearly entire. The First Annual Report of the Board of Inspectors of the Sunday School Association of the city of Troy. It had long been a subject of deep regret previously to the establishment of these schools, that our streets on the Lord's day were often filled with idle children and thoughtless adults. It was no uncommon thing to witness the profanation of that sacred and hallowed day by companies of noisy wandering boys, who attended no place of worship, and viewed it as a mere holiday. The people of colour had also become a subject of much concern. Their condition was peculiarly calculated to excite commiseration : most of them had been originally slaves: prejudice had excluded them from our ordinary schools, and extreme ignorance was the condition of far the greater portion of them: as if it was not enough to hold them in bondage, to make them "hewers of wood, and drawers of water," by a most refined cruelty their very souls were enchained in the deepest ignorance In reflecting on their situation every sensibility of our nature as men and christians was awakened. To behold in the midst of an enlightened people, professing a religion speaking peace and good will to all mankind, a numerous class in a state of heathenism, by our inattention and U 306 First Annual Report of the utter neglect of them, cast a severe reproach on our christian profession. Their ignorance was our fault-they were treated as an inferior race of beings; and the debasement of their souls through our entire disregard of them, will long, very long, leave a reproach upon the character of this nation, even greater than that which lies upon it for tolerating slavery. Such reflections on the condition of this friendless class of our fellow creatures, furnished the most powerful motives to christians to attempt to meliorate it. As soon as correct information respecting the Sunday School system was obtained, it was believed that the introduction of it into this city would prove highly beneficial. About a year since four schools were opened, three for whites and one for people of colour. As soon as the organization of the Association was known, a number of pious young ladies and gentlemen tendered their services as teachers, and the schools were all supplied with very little difficulty. In the course of the year more than five hundred children and one hundred and sixty coloured people have been entered in the schools. Between fifty and sixty teachers are usually employed in conducting the schools, and four managers on the average have been assigned to each school. The schools are uniformly opened and closed with prayer, and a hymn is sung at least once a day. Although reading and spelling forms part of the exercises of these schools, it is entirely subordinate to the great, leading, and prominent object, which is the giving of religious instruction. Much is done in this way by familiar and personal conversation between the pious teachers and the scholars. In aid of the instruction of the teachers, and with a view to furnish proper subjects of religious conversation, a short and comprehensive catechism, embracing the leading doctrines in which all the denominations of protestants agree, and free from the peculiarities of any, has been introduced and learned. A portion of scripture or hymn previously committed to memory, often furnishes subjects of interesting conversation. While the teachers give individual and personal instruction to those under their immediate charge, the managers frequently address the whole school, and make some portion of Scripture or answer in the catechism, the subject of religious instruction. By these various means it has been the aim of the teachers and managers in the schools to impress the great truths or christianity upon the minds and hearts of the scholars. The reports made by the managers of the progress and actual state of the several schools, will render the subject more interesting, by going more into detail. The substance of these reports therefore will be here introduced. The Managers who have charge of School number One, consisting of children residing principally in the first ward, state in their report, that the novelty of the establishment of Sunday Schools in this city, and the want of a more general acquaintance with their great utility, especially among that class of society for whose bene. fit they were more particularly instituted, at the commencement |