ties of the girls' school, and the sister gets married; all these difficulties would vanish, by having man and wife in one school, and boys and girls under their mutual superintendence. In the one case, where the wife is unfit to attend school regularly, the children must suffer; and when the sister, as mistress of the girls' school, gets married, the school is without a teacher; but let man and wife be together in the same school with boys and girls, and the one can for a time occupy the other's place, when sickness or any other cause happens to overtake them.

I take the liberty of stating this much to you in a very cursory manner, as it is evident that in all things you seek after truth. I know mere arguments will not convince, I therefore state facts. Eighteen years ago, when I first set about working out this system, I had the fullest impression of the power and efficiency of what we now term the Training System (from "Train up a child," &c.) ; and the event in every case where faithfully followed, fully equals my expectations. I remain, Sir, yours, with much respect,

DAVID STOW,

Honorary Secretary of the Glasgow Normal Training Seminary.

The whole of our Correspondent's letter proceeds upon an assumption which we cannot admit, that he "trains," and that the clergy of the Church of England only endeavour to teach. On the contrary, the whole system of the Anglican Church is one of training, as Mr. Budd-though we do not adopt all his opinions-has strikingly shewn. Our own pages, for more than forty years, have urged the bounden duty and unspeakable importance, both for this world and that which is to come, of not merely teaching a child the way he should go; but in the words of Holy Writ, "Train up a child in the way in which he should go, and when he is old he shall not depart from it." We do not say that the training in our Sunday or daily schools; or in families or private seminaries; is such as it ought to be very far from it; though we bless God that great efforts are in progress to improve it; but still, training -moral, religious, and physical training-is the great and avowed object of every right-m nded parent, schoolmaster, and pastor; and so far from the classification which prevails in our large schools being fatal to this training, we consider it essential to it. The observation is almost proverbial, that in those of our schools where boys and girls are taught together, as they are in some places from the difficulty of maintaining two schools, the boys behave ill, and the girls become bold. Families do not like to receive girls from such schools, or parents to send their daughters to them. We did not misrepresent Mr. Stow's arguments. He spoke of young persons of "fourteen or fifteen" having "the same class-rooms, galleries, and play-grounds," and being never separated except at needlework;" and he extended the same system to young men and women "between the ages of eighteen and thirty." Now it is just begging the question to say that if he were the regulator of Eton, Winchester, or Harrow, or of Oxford and Cambridge, and had had the entire training of the students according to his plan from childhood, the familiar association in class and play-ground of young men and women at these establishments would be not only "without hazard," but altogether the best plan; for till this is proved, we shall not be able to credit it; and it is not likely to be proved; for few, we presume, in the middle and higher stations of society would be willing to expose their children to the risk.

Mr. Stow takes for granted throughout his remarks, that the training of CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 63.

Y

boys and girls together is the ordinance of God. This again is begging the question. We no where read in Scripture of large assemblages of young persons of both sexes being taught together, and not separated either in study or the hours of recreation-" never except (when the girls are) at needlework." Even in private families, brothers and sisters, during the Jewish theocracy, were separated at an early age. The daughters were rarely permitted to leave the women's apartments; those in the higher circles were almost wholly immured in them; the poorer girls being forced to leave them to draw water for the service of the household, not for indulgence, but by necessity. The sons, after they attained their fifth year, were consigned to the entire management of the father; who, if he could afford it, had a private teacher, or sent them to a Priest or Levite; or to the school belonging to the temple; and to this hour the Jews, even in our own country, separate boys and girls, women and men, in the synagogue itself. We do not mention these facts as precedents; for in families, and in the social circle, the well-regulated intercourse of young persons of both sexes is highly beneficial to both, and is consonant to the spirit of the Christian dispensation: but when Mr. Stow speaks of God's ordinance, he should be sure that he has Bible usage on his side, which is not the fact.

We have already stated our opinion that it is not so much the nominal system, as the teacher, that gives character and tone to education; and we have paid our just tribute of respect to Mr. Stow and his coadjutors, in whose skilful hands, and under whose vigilant eye, their plans have worked well; and they deserve to a considerable extent to be adopted in other seminaries; but in the particular of breaking down the wall of partition between the schools and play-grounds of boys and girls, young men and young women, we more than hesitate.

CAUTION RESPECTING SCHOOL-BOOKS :-BAKER'S “BIBLE
CHARACTERS."

For the Christian Observer.

It is our duty to urge our reverend brethren, as well as parents and instructors in schools, to examine with rigid scrutiny the books which they introduce among children, as many are now printed, which, though in the main unexceptionable, have yet in some lurking corner a taint of unsoundness. We do not place in this mild class those infected with Tractarian errors, for these are not "in the main" sound; their frequent character being, that, under a plausible exterior, and with little or nothing to startle the majority of readers, diluted poison pervades the book; so that the effect of imbibing it may be fatal, though there is no concentrated solution.

But sometimes we meet with books for children which have an indirect aspect of Tractarianism, where we do not know that it was intended. Thus in some useful little books just printed, entitled "The Book of Bible Characters," and "Questions on the Book of Bible Characters," by C. Baker, Doncaster, published by Samson Low, Lamb's Conduit Street, the Apocrypha is incidentally recognized as a portion of "The Bible" at least a child would infer this; for we read under the head of "Bible Characters; Old Testament:"

"Malachi was the last of the prophets; he is supposed by some to be the same

as Ezra; he spoke of the coming of Christ as the Sun of righteousness, and of the coming of John the Baptist as the messenger of Christ.

"Antiochus Epiphanes was one of the kings of Syria, who many years after their restoration to Judea, was a most cruel persecutor of the Jews.

"Mattathias was a descendant of the house of Aaron, and a very brave man, whom God raised up to protect the Jews, and to destroy their enemies. He was the father of five sons, among whom Judas Macabeus was the most celebrated."

In the Questions for the use of the teacher, these statements are suggested under the head of "Bible Characters; Old Testament," without the slightest distinction between what is proved by the Old Testament and what is apocryphal. The questions upon Antiochus Epiphanes and Mattathias follow those on Malachi. So again, after Isaiah, Nahum, Manasseh, and other "Bible characters," we read an account of "Tobit," and have questions on his history; the narrative and questions then going on to Amon, Josiah, &c.

It would be easy for the teacher to cross out such passages.

We

do not know that these insertions under the head of "Bible Characters " were intended to foster the opinions of Papists and Tractarians relative to the Apocrypha; but they warrant our caution respecting the careful scrutiny of books for children.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

MADDEN'S MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF THE REV. P. ROE.
(Concluded from page 100.)

WE will now conclude our extracts from the Memoir of Mr. Roe, which we have reviewed somewhat at large, not only as furnishing an edifying account of an excellent clergyman who was well known in England as well as Ireland, but because the facts related cast much light upon the condition of the Irish Church during the last half century. As we have obtruded sufficient of our own remarks in our former Numbers, we will economize the time and labour of our readers by presenting our remaining series of miscellaneous extracts without comment, and merely docketed with headings.

Funeral sermon for one of his children." A short time previous to the death of his daughter in 1825, Mr. Roe had been presented by the Crown, through the interest of the late Mr. Canning, to the Rectory of Odogh, a parish without about four miles of the

City of Kilkenny. Accordingly he now resigned the Parish of Dungarvan, in the county of Kilkenny, which he had held since the year 1808, but still retained the Perpetual Curacy of Saint Mary's, the scene of many labours and of many evident manifestations of the Divine presence and blessing. It was his intention to have preached his first Sermon to his new parishioners on Sunday, the 28th of February; but the Lord had ordered it otherwise, and on that day the bereaved parent was mourning over the lifeless remains of his beloved child. But Mr. Roe was not one to sink under affliction, or to suffer himself to be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow. Through grace he could look beyond the darkest cloud, and see the Sun of righteousness still shining with undiminished beauty and glory, and this upheld and cheered him, and urged him on to renewed activity and exertion in his Master's work. Accordingly we find him in the pulpit of Odogh on the Sunday immediately succeeding that on which he originally intended to occupy it; and addressing those newly committed to his care with earnestness and affection from the im

portant words,- For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' In the opening part of his subject the preacher remarks,-'How often is man called to suffer, when he would gladly have done the will of God? And is it not well that this is the case; and that all our concerns are in the hands of Him who has wisdom to direct, who has power to execute, and who loves when he chastens. Little did I think when I purposed to commence my ministry last Sunday in this church, that I should spend that holy day in the chamber of death, trying to learn a lesson of resignation to the Divine will, whilst kneeling by the remains of a much-loved child, of whom I shall here say no more, than that the Spirit of God, through means of his holy word, had long and effectually taught her to love his truth, his service, his people, and his cause.'

Popery in Ireland. "It may, perhaps' excite some surprise in the minds of many of our readers, that in this attempt to pourtray the character, and to exhibit the ministerial activity and faithfulness of an Irish clergyman, so little, if indeed anything, has been said respecting the great and paramount evil of the country -the blasting and withering influence of Popery; but the truth is, that while Mr. Roe was a decided and uncompromising opponent of Popery, and cordially, and from deep conviction, joined in the Church's noble and open protest against its unscriptural dogmas, he was not one who felt anxious, or deemed it the best or surest mode of doing good, to enter deeply into the thorny field of religious controversy."

"We would not have our readers to imagine that Mr. Roe never openly and boldly entered his protest against what he conscientiously believed to be most unscriptural and destructive errorsfond conceits, 'repugnant to the word of God.' When due and fit occasions offered he was not one to desert his post, or to shrink from openly avowing what he conscientiously believed. But still the manifestation of the truth was the weapon he loved to use: and he gladly left to others the more thorny subjects; while he loved to exhibit in his own teaching the salvation which is by the Son of God."

Bishop Ryder." From the year 1825, when it had pleased the Lord to afflict him with the death of his daughter, Mr. Roe's health began to fail; and few, if any years passed by from that occurrence until his release from earthly sufferings in 1841, without his being obliged to seek for restoration of health and

recovery of strength, by a temporary

absence from the arduous and incessant duties which pressed upon him while at home. In the year 1828 he visited Buxton. One of the last entries in his journal of this tour is as follows: Oct. 30. Spent this evening with the valuable Bishop of Lichfield and his family. He is a spiritually minded man-speaks very freely upon Divine truth-possesses a very child-like spirit, and is a warm supporter of all plans now in operation for disseminating throughout Ireland the blessings of the Gospel of peace. It is a cause of thankfulness to see a person placed in so elevated a situation, devoted to the service of our God and Saviourencountering the obloquy of the world, and casting in his lot with the children of God. The example of such a man outlives his present existence; for, although he may be dead, yet he speaks."

an

Extempore preaching.- -" From early period of his career Mr. Roe was an extempore preacher. None will understand from this that his sermons were unpremeditated or unstudied—or, if any should be inclined to form such an opinion, we can assure them that such was not the case. Deeply convinced that the preached word was a divinelyinstituted method of converting sinnersthat faith cometh by hearing, and hearing be the Word of God, and at the same time being remarkably free from that temperament which separates effects from causes, and ends from the use of means, it was not likely that he would neglect a due preparation for that work which he believed to be the appointed means of effecting the salvation of men, and of promoting the glory of God. He was not, however, in the habit of committing much of his sermons to paper. He meditated much on his subjectdoubtless, read upon it too, but trusted to the moment for a supply of words in which to dress the ideas already familiar to his mind, and arranged in his thoughts.

"In after life, Mr. Roe often spoke with regret of his having neglected, or rather having been prevented, writing his sermons in the early part of his ministry. Oppressed with a very extensive cure of souls, and having almost the entire care of two large parishes, he had but little time for writing his sermons. This he afterwards very much deplored; and now, when on account of his failing health, his physicians wished him to preach written sermons, under the idea that they would injure him less in the delivery than unwritten ones, as being less exciting and more easily confined within narrow limits, he keenly felt the disadvantage of being

unaccustomed to this species of composition. At this time his custom was to select a text early in the week, and having thought over it for several days, to commit to paper the leading ideas which it suggested, the divisions under which he meant to treat it, and a collection of texts of Scripture bearing upon the subject. A large number of sermons prepared in this manner, have been preserved."

Pastoral visiting.-" In his Journal of a Tour in 1829, he remarks of one place where he sojourned for a time:The principles of Dissent have taken hold on some minds in this place, and, it is to be feared, will spread, as the people are left very much to themselves, in consequence of the want of parochial visitation. I never saw the value of it more fully than at the present moment, and I pray that the Lord may give me grace to attend to it on my return, more than I have done." "

standing proof of the ignorance, weakness, and too often of the pride of man. He likes to embrace novel opinions, and to see strange sights. In fact, he likes any thing rather than the self-denying doctrines of the cross. He will even delight in mortification, if he be able to indulge his self-will and self-love at the same time."

Conference on unfulfilled prophecy.— "1832. Sept. 29th.-Spent from Tuesday morning to Friday evening at the meeting at Powerscourt House, for the consideration of prophetical subjects: and upon the whole it was unprofitable. Many of the subjects were evidently difficult to be understood. The most extravagant assertions were made, and dogmas quite opposed to each other maintained with the greatest pertinacity. The duty of seeking for miraculous gifts was strongly insisted upon! Oh, what a fool is man!' With this expression of Mr. Roe's matured opinion of the gifts, we close this subject."

Millenarianism."1830. Aug. 26th. -I have read with delight, and I hope Revival in Ireland." Doubtless, with profit, Wardlaw's last volume of says Mr. Roe, the Church remained Sermons, including one upon the Millen- long insensible to the privileges with nium, which is written with great ability, which she was invested; but the Lord and evinces great humbleness of mind. has roused her, has shaken her from the He is a candid, perspicuous, and argu- dust, has put on her beautiful garments, mentative writer. He writes for edifi- has spoken comfortably to her, has cation, not for fame:' and again, read acknowledged in an abundant manner Wardlaw's Sermons, concluding with the labours of her devoted and spiritually the one on the Millennium, which is very able, and to me satisfactory.' This, which is perhaps the strongest expression of Mr. Roe's opinion to be found in his remains, quite sets at rest any question which may be raised concerning his views on this controversy. Mr. Wardlaw, it is well known, took what is called the anti-Millenarian side of the question, denying that our Lord should come at the commencement of the thousand years, or that there should be a first and second resurrection."

:

Irvingism.--"1830. Sept.-Met Mr. Irving of London at Mr. Kelly's, and heard him lecture upon John xvi. What he said was in the main very commonplace some thoughts were sublime; but he spoke in a very mystified manner about the dwelling of believers in Christ after death. He expressed his decided conviction that the miraculous gifts which were conferred upon the Apostles would never have been taken from the Church, but for her unfaithfulness; and said that he looked upon the work now going on among the Roweites in Scotland as a work of God. How a man of education, understanding, and piety, could sanction such enthusiasm, appears very strange. Yet we have seen it in all ages of the Church; and it is a

minded ministers, and is employing her as a chosen vessel to bear his name among the despisers of it. Truly we may say - The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad ; and we are called upon to 'give him no rest,' until he make his spiritual Jerusalem a praise in the earth.' Let the Gospel's joyful sound be heard from every pulpit; let the Lord Jesus Christ be lifted up in an uncompromising message; let there be no water mixed with the pure wine of Divine truth; let no alloy appear in the pure gold.

"There is a Spiritual Temple to be built; let no attempt be made to lay any foundation, save that which is laid, even Jesus Christ. There is a way to eternal blessedness to be pointed out; let the eye and the heart be directed to Him who is that way. His name is

above every name and as it was announced from heaven by an angel, so ought it be re-echoed from earth by all who make mention of it-that both worlds way be filled with his glory."

Mr. Howels.-" During our stay in London, in 1831, I became acquainted with that eminent servant of Christ, the Rev. William Howels, and heard him preach several times. His manner is very peculiar, his expressions striking,