threshold, when the president called him back.

The ploughboy was in a few minutes hired as a man of all-work, and boot-black to the college.

The next scene which we give the reader was in a new and magnificent church, rich with the beauties of architecture, and thronged by an immense crowd, who listened in deathlike stillness to the burning eloquence of the minister of Heaven, who delivered the mission of his Master from the altar. The speaker was a man

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in the full glow of middle age-of striking and impressive appearance-piercing and intellectual eye, and high intellectual forehead.

Every eye is fixed on him-every lip hushed-and every ear, with nervous intensity, drinks in the eloquent teaching of the orator.

Who in all that throng would recognise in the famed, the learned, the eloquent president of college, Pennsylvania, the humble boot-black of college, in Kentucky?

KING EDWARD RAGGED AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS AND EASTERN REFUGE.

THE Anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of this institution took place on the 5th November, at the Refuge in Albert Street, Spitalfields. The Lord Mayor presided, and was supported on the platform by a number of the friends and patrons of the institution. After singing and prayer

ago a large Ragged School had been opened in that district, capable of receiving for instruction between 200 and 300 children of the most degraded classes. The premises originally comprised a stable, cow-house, and piggery, and were altered into one large room, which cost about £150. The necessity for this step had been clearly shown by a canvas of the neighbourhood, when it appeared that out of 320 houses, containing 843 families and 1,327 children, only 145 could read, and only 166 attended any school. Among these families were found only 140 Bibles and 12 Testaments. A more recent canvas gave the following result:-In 800 houses visited, there were found 7,200 inhabitants; of these about 320 occasionally attended public worship, and 400 children attended Sunday School, one-half of whom only received daily instruction. In these 800 houses there were found only about 200 Bibles and 40 Testaments. The school had been open at almost all hours, from Sunday morning till Friday evening. On Sunday evenings, last winter, upwards of 300 children were usually present, presenting a deplorable spectacle of destitution and misery. Some of those were now engaged in daily work, and others had emigrated, through the help of that school and the Ragged School Union. The premises being found altogether unsuitable to the operations of the schools, the committee resolved on the erection of a Juvenile Refuge and School of Industry on a scale sufficient to accommodate 700 children, besides dormitories for 40 boys and girls, laundry, kitchen, and work-rooms, with suitable residences for teachers. The first stone was laid by Mr. T. B. Proctor, on the 5th of November last, just a year ago. The institution was opened on the 23rd July last, when, after two public meetings, no fewer than 400 children were admitted to the Sunday Evening School. The old scholars were accompanied by many who were attracted to the schools from the somewhat elegant exterior of the building, mostly, with the expectation of an excursion to the hospitable mansion of Henry Edmund

His Lordship said they were met to commemorate the anniversary of the laying the first stone of that structure, which took place in November last; also, to assist in liquidating the debt which remained still unpaid for the expense of building and completing the edifice. Although, as chief magistrate of the city of London, he had been occasionally told that it was his duty to confine his patronage, attendance, and influence to the institutions within that city, he thought he might safely extend his usefulness a little beyond the city. He was happy to say this was not the first time that he had had the privilege of attending a meeting similar to that. Not long since, in the southern part of the metropolis, he had presided at a meeting of an institution erected for the reception of the poorest of the poor, and had been exceedingly gratified on that occasion, as he doubted not he should be now. The object which the meeting had in view was one which, at this particular period, demanded their attention above all others-the instruction of the children of the lowest of the low; and they felt confident that Divine Providence would prosper their handiwork. He trusted they should succeed in wiping off the debt from this building, so that those who needed it might continue to come there for instruction, and might afterwards be enabled to communicate it to others; nay, probably to those more advanced in years; and thus would succeeding generations have reason to bless the efforts now made by the friends of this institution. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. H. R. Williams, Honorary Secretary, read the Report, which stated that about five years

Gurney, Esq., (and at his sole expense,) and love for the new school, swelled the numbers to the extent of 686 children on the evening of the Lord's-day, August 10th. A fortnight afterwards, the number increased to 686. On the 11th August, the Day School was opened, under the superintendence of a paid master, and in a few weeks the scholars in daily attendance amounted to 170. It was then found necessary to engage a mistress, and the numbers steadily increased to 250. A third teacher had since been added; and the number in attendance was now 300. The children were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and singing, and the girls needlework. The advantages afforded by the spacious playground had been duly appreciated by the children, who took exercise there at stated hours every day. A ladies' committee had been formed, who were engaged in preparing garments for the children. Almost all the articles had been sold to the parents at a very small price, the proceeds being appropriated to the purchase of materials for a fresh stock. The savings bank for the pence of the children had had due attention paid to it; there had been 159 contributors, whose savings had amounted to £6. 138. 10d. The liabilities of the institution were now not less than £700, to meet which the committee had only £100. 2s. 6d. The amount received up to the opening of the institution was £2,050, since which time, £362 had been received. It was earnestly hoped that the debt would now be extinguished. A sum of £1,300 would now be required to complete the master's and mistress's residence. The committee regretted that industrial pursuits had not engaged the attention of the boys, nor had the dormitories been used as sleeping apartments, but they were occupied for the usual purposes of the school. There were two or three facts which indisputably showed the necessity of an institution like this. The schools which demanded payment for the education of children in the neighbourhood had not suffered in their numbers since that building had been opened. No child had been admitted into the school whose parents were believed to be able to send their children to a pay school; and, of the parents of the children admitted, scarcely any had attended any place of worship. The trades and occupations of the children's friends were as follows:-Weavers, dock and bricklayers' labourers, and costermongers. Samuel Gurney, Esq., knowing the difficulties attending the opening of this institution, had generously promised fifty guineas per annum for three years, and T. Beauchamp Proctor, Esq., was a donor of £25 per annum.

The Meeting was afterwards addressed by the Rev. George Smith, Charles Buxton, Esq., Rev. J. Kennedy, Mr. A. Anderson, Henry Althans, etc.

KING'S CROSS INDUSTRIAL RAGGED

SCHOOL.

THE first Annual Meeting of the supporters of this school, which is situated in Britannia Court, Gray's Inn Road, was held in the British School House, Calthorpe Street; Benjamin Bond Cabbell, Esq., M.P., in the chair.

The Report stated that an attempt which had been made to render the labour of the boys productive, by employing them during their training in the chopping of fire-wood for sale, had not been successful, the return being only sufficient to replace the sum expended in the purchase of wood and in payments to the boys for their labour. This disappointment had rendered the task of providing funds for the institution very onerous, and it had been feared that it would have been found necessary to close the workshop in Britannia Court. The encouragement, however, which the institution had met with in its first year had exceeded the expectations of the most sanguine, and it was no longer to be regarded as an experiment. The total number of boys which had been admitted, to the end of August, 1851, was 59. Of these, 20 had left the school for situations or other work; 2 for the Shoe-black Society; 1 for the Bridewell House of Occupation; 1 for the Marine School; 8 had become dissatisfied, and returned to their former evil habits; and 3 had been dismissed as incorrigible.

Several plans which had been suggested for increasing the efficiency of the institution, among others the establishment of a dormitory for the most destitute children, it was found impossible to carry into effect for want of funds. The children had been instructed in tailoring and shoemaking, in addition to the ordinary branches of education, reading, writing, and knife and shoe cleaning had been introduced. It was stated that donations of clothing, boots, and shoes would be most acceptable, and firewood could be supplied to families on being ordered of the superintendent. The funds applicable to the school during the year, from all sources, amounted to £148. 58. 6d., which had been scarcely adequate to meet the expenditure.

After an appropriate address from the chairman, resolutions expressive of the Christian duty of supporting such institutions were moved and spoken to by the Rev. W. Norman, Lieut. Blackmore, R.N., Rev. G. A. Rogers, Rev. Owen Clarke, J. Pearce, Esq., and other gentlemen. Twelve of the boys, decently clad, were present, and joined in singing the hymn, with which the proceedings of the evening commenced; they terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman.