No themes like these our hearts inspire, A joy, unsullied by passions of earth, 'Tis sweet to retrace the events of the year, How we counsell'd, and strove for the palm of success; On the track of a Birkbeck delighting to press; The volume of Nature and Truth to explore, And to rear up a temple where concord should dwell. And Charity's glow in each bosom is found. While the social delights of the banquet we taste, And a larger, a loftier home to possess; Oh! slack not your efforts in brotherhood's cause, To Order united, may Liberty smile; May we merit the blessings pour'd down from above. The thanks of the audience were given to the lecturer by the chairman, David Lyons, Esq., of the Audit-office, Somerset House, who called the attention of those present to the allusion in the latter part of the song, to the necessity for increased accommodation. He said, that the plan for a building, which had been accepted by the committee and members, was engraved, and impressions were struck off for distribution; he stated that subscription lists were opened, and collecting cards issued, and he must entreat all friends to the cause to give their pecuniary aid as early as possible; and by their influence and personal exertions, to induce others to follow their example. DINNER OF THE ATHENIC INSTITUTE AT BIRMINGHAM. ON Tuesday evening, April 14th, the members and friends of the above newly-formed institute met at their rooms, in Great Charles-street, to celebrate the fourth anniversary of their society. About four years ago the institute was first established by a few working young men, with a view to revive those ancient and manly exercises and sports, considered so conducive to the health and improvement of those who followed them. For the first two years the society made little progress, until it came under the notice of Lord John Manners, who consented to become their president, and who, as our readers are aware, is an advocate and supporter of all such associations. The first dinner took place in 1844, which was presided over by their Hon. President, and attended by a great number of highly respectable gentlemen. At the second festive meeting of the Institute there were not many distinguished visitors present. After the cloth had been removed, Lord John Manners, who presided during the dinner, rose and read letters from the following gentlemen-G. F. Muntz, Esq., M.P.; R. Spooner, Esq., M.P.; C. N. Newdegate, Esq., M.P., and several others, expressing their regret at not being able to be present on the occasion. The Noble Lord again rose and proposed in appropriate terms the health of her most gracious Majesty the Queen, which was warmly responded to. Mr. TAYLOR, Vice-President of the Institute, next rose, and said he was about to propose a toast which he felt confident would be responded to and appreciated by all in that room, and that was the health of their noble President. (Great cheering.) Mr. Taylor dwelt at some length upon the merits and kindness of Lord John Manners; after which his health was drunk, with three times three. The Noble Lord briefly returned thanks. Mr. Burns, Mr. Bently, and Mr. Tranter, members of the Institute, successively addressed the meeting in appropriate observations relative to the various departments of the society, and were followed by Lord John Manners, who made one of his most brilliant speeches. We regret that our space will not permit its insertion. Next month, however, we shall give our readers the pleasure of its perusal. REPORT OF THE YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION. Read at the Third Half-yearly Meeting of the Members and Friends, held at Radley's Hotel, Bridge-street, Blackfriars. IN London, the centre of civilisation and commerce, the seat of the great benevolent institutions of Britain, and whence knowledge and religion are sent to the remotest regions of the earth-a large, perhaps the larger, proportion of the young men-those who are so shortly to occupy the position of the present generation, and to carry on the noble projects which it has set on foot-are "lost to every high and spiritual purpose;" and it is to the spiritual and mental elevation of this vast body, that the Christian Young Men's Association has applied itself. We trust that, with God's blessing, this important object will be speedily realised. The following extracts will show that God approves of the instrumentality, and has crowned its first efforts with success "exceeding their expectations": The first is a letter, addressed by a member to the Secretary, "One of respecting a fellow-assistant in a large house of business. his principal reasons for wishing to come and live in London about twelve months ago, was that he might derive pleasure from the theatres and Sunday excursions; but he now tells me, that by his being taken to the prayer-meeting at Swallow-street, he was very seriously impressed, and I firmly believe him to be now a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, or I never should have proposed him as a member of our Association. I can also add, that we have, for the last month, commenced family prayer on the morning and evening of the Lord's-day; this, I think, would not have taken place had there not been our Young Men's Christian Association.' With what emphasis may they say, ' God leadeth the blind by a way which they know not.' Another member in a large house writes: "It gives me much pleasure to inform you, that our evening meetings for prayer have been continued nightly with but little opposition. Since our last report, I rejoice also to add, that family prayer is established morning and evening every Sabbath-day. Our meetings are generally attended by about one-third of the whole establishment, and since the first introduction of them, we seldom or ever hear or see any open violation of the law of God, either in business or elsewhere; the swearer and profaner keeping silence, rather than offend the ears of any professor who might be within hearing. A constant check of this kind, accompanied by a continual warning, will, doubtless, by the grace of God, be much blessed to such persons.' Many who have come into the house inclined to be serious, have, we trust, been confirmed in their principles, though from our continual and much-to-be-regretted change of companions and associates, we have not been privileged to see any thorough conversions while with us. Yet we have testimony from several who have enjoyed our meetings, as having been to them times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. In the full hope, and with earnest prayer that many souls have taken and are taking away seeds, which, in the Lord's good time, may germinate and grow up in them a tree of everlasting life.'" We quote the concluding passage of the report:— "In the absence of a better instrumentality, or agency, we earnestly and affectionately ask for the sympathy, more efficient prayers, and aid of God's people. We trust it may, through grace, prove a fruitful expenditure of either. "In conclusion, labour, dear brethren, to keep the design of the Association-the deathless interests of the souls of young men, constantly upon your hearts and in your lives. With this object, imitate the skill of the sculptor, who so wrought his own name in the shield of the goddess on the Acropolis at Athens, that it was impossible to efface the one without destroying the other; so while grace is in your hearts, may it be impossible to efface this design from all works. In your your prayers, desires, and efforts, strive that God in all things may be glorified through Christ Jesus; then, though the sphere of our enterprise is vast, and the difficulties many, we need possess but little of the vision and the faculty divine,' to proclaim the result. It shall be like a field which the Lord of Hosts hath blessed.'" We select the following passages from some of the speeches delivered at the meeting after the reading of the report: - "I have listened with very great interest to the Report. It has deeply affected my mind. There is something exceedingly touching about it. I am glad to find that there are to be some lectures, as means of increasing your religious and biblical knowledge. For, much as I approve that you should meet together for prayer, I know also that there is great danger about social religious exercises-danger of certain natural feelings, not of the best kind, coming into play. These must be balanced by your not thinking too highly. neither of religious excitement as such, or of your power or opportunities of producing it; I like, therefore, the idea, that you are to be called together, with some others, not members of your Society, not supposed to be possessed of those spiritual principles that qualify them for membership, but yet your associates and companions; that thus solid instruction may be conveyed, and your minds interested in exploring the Scriptures in another way, not contrary to, but distinct from, the mere reading of them for devotional purposes. You know, there are two ways of reading the Bible. You may read it to get some spiritual food for your soul; and a single text, at times, may do for that. But there is also an intellectual reading of the Scriptures, reading them to obtain enlarged and general views of their wonderful character, to see and understand something of their varied information; and I am persuaded of this, that a young man of good sense, already pious, who brings his intellect and his understanding to the study of the Scriptures in this way, will find his piety all the stronger and the healthier for it. "I was very much struck with some of the passages in the Report, on the subject of what we may call the secondary influence of these bodies of young men in some of the large establishments. One of the greatest things upon the earth, one of the chief manifestions of the divine power of Christianity, is its secondary influence upon society,-the influence of the church upon the world; so that, by its silent, gradual modification of the views, the opinions, and habits of individuals and nations, the world that is not converted, the world that does not become spiritual, is yet a great deal the gainer. I observed, that in some of the instances in the Report, there was a manifest influence going forth, and exerted over the whole body of young men and they felt it, even though there might not be positive cases of what we call actual conversion; and that is a step gained. "Ah! you do not know so well as I do, and some of us that are older men, that have been called in to see those whose course of sin has been run, and who have had strange revelations made to us of the human heart and conscienceyou do not know the difference between the recollections of a man that has been the means of bringing a soul to God, and the recollections of a man that has been the means of leading one away. Oh, my dear friends, to be the means of influencing some young man, fixing his character, saving him from temptation, leading him to God; and for that young man to rise up, and to exert his influence as a child of God! Or for a man to have to reflect-By lending that book, I polluted that mind; by taking that individual to the theatre, I led him further-led him from purity and righteousness, and made him bad; by this and that, I sapped the principles of such a man, and infused sceptical suggestions! Ah, I have known it, when men have been themselves converted, and have awoke to all the turpitude of this, that they have gone and entreated and besought the individuals whom they had injured in their opinions and their characters, to reconsider and reform; - and they have been laughed at and spurned by their own disciples! and they have gone away with this dagger in their hearts; and it has stuck there as long as they lived, in spite of their hope that they had themselves reecived pardon, and were safe in God's mercy." Rev. T. Binney. "The influence which you may exert upon your employers, likewise, is not to *These were delivered during the months of December, January, February. As they are shortly to be published, we postpone any notice of them. be overlooked. If that high character is maintained, which those who ente into an Association like this ought to labour hard and pray fervently to secure. I can hardly conceive anything more calculated to make the employers of London desire, that all the young men of their establishments should join it. If, in addition to that manliness and good sense of which Mr. Binney has spoken, you are anxious to acquire common knowledge, as far as your leisure permits, so that in all ordinary matters you may have perhaps a wiser opinion and more information than the ungodly young men with whom you are associated; if your employers perceive that you have more sagacity in the management of business than other young men of equal ability; if they see that there are no youths in their establishment, on whose honour, integrity, and faithfulness, they can so thoroughly rely; if they feel that you are precisely the men who most watch for their interests, and best secure them; you perceive at once how you may recommend religion to any employers who are thoughtless, and instead of leading any to use their influence against such an Association as yours, make them heartily desirous, that in their establishments also those prayer meetings may be begun, those libraries raised, and those associations of a religious kind be seen, which are found to promote the good morals of a community, as well as the salvation of the soul. "It was interesting also to consider the influence which your Association may have upon some who would otherwise be placed in very painful circumstances in this metropolis. A young man, placed among many who make a mock at religion, would be in a position exceedingly trying; and perhaps many a young man has come up to this metropolis, to whom, because he was unacquainted with any religious friend and saw nothing but irreligion around him, it has had the gloomiest possible aspect. Your Association tends entirely to alter his ideas; for he may find his solitude at once changed into a blest society; instead of finding himself alone, he learns that there is a large brotherhood, on whose frien liness and affection he can rely. What an unspeakable comfort and advantage to a young man coming up to this city, to think-Here are two hundred warm hearts ready to welcome me; I may find at once two hundred, to whom, by the sole passport of similar principles and similar faith, I may gain access, to obtain their confidence and their friendly services!' I once travelled from Geneva to the foot of Mont Blanc, and when I set out, along that beautiful valley, the day was lowering and cloudy, and nothing could be more gloomy than the scene, for there rested a mist upon all the face of nature, and I could see nothing else around me: such is the aspect of London to a young man, finding nothing about him but ungodliness, and temptation, and selfishness. But as the day advanced, the sun burst through those mists, and as they evaporated, I saw forest after forest, and mountain rising above mountain, till the glittering snow summits around me were reflecting a cloudless sun, and all nature at my feet caught the glowing radiance, and the scene lately so dismal was blooming like paradise: such is London to that young man, when he comes into this Association. He thought all was vice, and he finds those who have learned through faith in Christ to soar high above those vicious indulgences, that mar instead of causing happiness: he thought all was folly, and he finds in many an early wisdom that urges him on in its pursuit; he thought all was selfishness and coldness, and he finds that the grace of God, here as elsewhere, can give an affectionate heart and a warm sympathy to the disciples of Jesus; and when he has spent a few years among such friends as these, to whatever part of the wide world his steps may carry him, London will be the home of his heart; because he will remember that there he found what most strengthened his principles, doomed his character, fixed his course for eternity, and helped him on his way to God. This is as it should be. What an important blessing may such an Association be to young men, who are beginning to feel their way towards Christ, and who yet need support!"-Honourable and Rev. Baptist W. Noel. "I do not know a single object, in which we are more bound to unite, than that which has convened us. I do not know a class of people in London, more neglected than the assistants in the great establishments, which have been coining money, honestly or dishonestly. Why, what, in the mass of cases, is the aspect in which these young men have been regarded? Of course there have |