what he wrote on the paper in which he wrapped it for transmission :"God speed thy journey, my dear Bible! Farewell.-T. C."

Chambers died a few months ago, a patriarch of more than fourscore and ten, in the possession of his faculties to the last, and trusting in the one Saviour. Though a plain man in humble life, his letters contain touches of the graphic and even of the poetic. Dr. Kennedy's removal to another diocese, in 1791, interfered with the working of the school, Through his absence, and consequent changes in the management of parish affairs, it lingered dwindling for some time, and became almost extinct. However, it afterwards revived. The present minister of the parish writes to me, "You will, I think, be glad to hear that what he (Chambers) called the 'Bright Light' is still burning, and I hope will continue to do so till eclipsed by a brighter day."

Passing on to about twenty years later, a gentleman informs me that in the year 1806, as he was walking along in a midland town one Sunday morning, he met a Methodist lady, who told him that she was hurrying to the opening of a Sunday school, pursuant to the directions of the Conference. He accompanied her to the place. There they found a crowd of children in utter confusion, without any provision for putting them in order. He describes that, in those days, even the Protestant children were "no better than heathens." By degrees, something like arrangement was made. The gentleman himself undertook the superintendence. Several tradesmen a grocer, a chandler, a shoemaker, and a weaver-engaged to teach the boys, and the wives or daughters of some of them, while a respected lady did the same for the girls. But there were no books such as the work required, except one, the Belfast Spelling Book, and from that they had to cut out bad words before it could safely be given to the scholars for use. Even of that, a supply could not be had without sending to Dublin, for in those days it was not a singular case that a country town in Ireland should be without a bookseller's shop.

That school was only one of many which were formed in consequence of resolutions passed by the Methodist Conference in 1805, desiring that Sunday schools should be established in every "circuit" in Ireland. The Rev. Adam Averell, for many years before his death president of the Primitive Wesleyan Conference, went preaching through the four provinces with the view of promoting the system, he having witnessed its working in England when there on conference business. Funds were wanting beyond what Ireland was prepared to furnish. The Sunday School Society in London was applied to, but could not afford help to Ireland. In this difficulty, Joseph Butterworth, Esq., whose name yet lives in many memories as forward among the christian philanthropists of his generation, offered to ask aid for Sunday schools in Ireland from English Christians. In a circular, issued by him in 1806, returns are given from twenty-five "circuits" out of the forty into which Ireland is divided. These returns present

But as the fifteen

a total of 204 schools, containing 12,180 scholars. "circuits" for which no returns appear included Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast, and some other large places, we may presume that the country had at that date a considerable number of Sunday schools besides those reported in Mr. Butterworth's circular.

As the system spread in the country, need for assistance, particularly in books adapted to the population, increased. The desirableness of having a local organization for obtaining and administering aid, also became growingly apparent. Indeed, it could not be supposed that a person in Mr. Butterworth's position, and with his occupations, could give the time and work required as an English collecting agent.

The gentleman already spoken of as concerned in the Sunday school in a midland town, had attentively watched its progress. He also carefully reflected on the probable effects of such schools being generally established. Nothing could be more settled and gratifying than were his convictions of the utility and importance of the system, for improving the social condition of the people as well as their more sacred interests. He threw himself into its support and furtherance with his whole heart.

This gentleman dining one day with an Englishman, who had come to reside in Dublin, the Rev. Mr. Averell and a friend who was connected with a Sunday school in Bethnal Green, London, being of the circle, the table-talk turned upon Sunday schools, and on the difficulty of obtaining help for those in Ireland. In the course of conversation, he is reported to have said, on the impulse of the moment, "As the English Society can't help us, why should we not have one of our own for Ireland?" The suggestion took instant hold of every one in the company; they were all of one mind for the project. He then asked Mr. Averell, "What would you give to the society if it were formed?" "Ten guineas donation at once, and two guineas a year subscription," was Mr. Averell's reply. It is not every dinner-table that is graced with such good things as were there; and Ireland had a hand in providing them.

Forthwith, the gentleman who had started the idea took further and decided action upon it. In November, 1809, a meeting of leading christian men was held in the banking-house of the Messrs. La Touche, in Dublin. Then and there the "Sunday School Society for Ireland" was formed. At the same meeting, the co-operation of James Digges La Touche, Esq., was secured as secretary, of whom it is next to impossible to speak too highly for his talents and attainments, his genuine and catholic christian piety, his business capabilities, and his untiring devotedness, during seventeen years, to the interests of the society. By his death, after a week's illness, in November, 1826, the Irish Sunday school enterprise sustained an irreparable bereavement, and Ireland lost one of the purest, brightest, and most precious gems in her crown.

Under the guidance of this admirable secretary, the society's committee

--men worthy of him as their fellow-worker—first completed its arrangements, and applied themselves to the preparation and printing of books. Among the latter was one entitled "Hints for Conducting Sunday Schools." In a long article on this volume, years afterwards, the British Review and London Critical Journal said, "Almost every line of it bears testimony to the soundness and discretion of those minds whose impress it carries, and we should be very glad to make it known and respected as it deserves." The committee provided also alphabets, two spelling-books, and Freeman's card for adults. These, with the Holy Scriptures of the authorized version, or extracts therefrom, without note, comment, or other addition, were from the outset, and continue to be, the only books supplied by the society. And these were to be supplied, on application, at reduced prices or by free grant, to all accredited Sunday schools in Ireland, regardless of sect, locality, or other distinction.

Only two schools were aided by the society in its first year. Forty-two others received its help in the second. Its third brought seventy-three new applications. Its sixth annual report stated, "Out of 350 schools which have been assisted by the society, 307 schools, containing 35,859 children, have been established since the year 1809, the date of the commencement of the society." The seventeenth report--that for the year in which Mr. Digges La Touche died—gave a total of 1,945 schools, with 14,404 gratuitous teachers, and 163,484 scholars, in connection with it. The following are the numbers of schools, teachers, and scholars for each of the last three census years, occurring in decades, together with the population returns of the census for that year. I must observe, however, that the school statistics given are those of schools actually in connection with the society on the 31st of December in the year before that in which the census was taken :

These statistics show that while the population in 1851 was less than that of 1841 by upwards of 1,600,000, the falling off in schools during the same period was only 24, and in scholars little more than 4,000, though the teachers fell off nearly 2,000; so that, notwithstanding those numerical reductions, the proportion of Sunday school work to the population was much greater at the end of that sad decade than at its beginning. The census returns of 1861 show a further decline in the population to the extent of more than three-quarters of a million, making a total reduction in the number of inhabitants of 2,410,531, during the twenty years commencing from 1841. But the society's report in 1861 shows that during the ten years from 1851, the number of teachers had rallied by an increase of 1,549

above what it had been in that year, and that there had been an increase of scholars during those ten years of 6,878, although there had been a decrease of 299 in the number of schools. Altogether, then, at the end of twenty years there had occurred a loss of nearly two millions and a half in a population somewhat exceeding eight millions; but by the end of the same twenty years the teachers were fewer by only 360, and the scholars numbered 2,700 more than they were at its commencement. So there was light in the cloud.

Within the half-century up to 1861, the society issued 454,153 Bibles, 890,123 New Testaments, and 238,765 Portions of the Scriptures. It obtains its supply of the Scriptures from the Bible Society. Of elementary books, containing lessons from the Scriptures, its issues in the same period were 1,707,393, making a total of 3,290,434 volumes, besides roll-books, class-books, &c. At the first, the society made grants of money, but they were only to a small amount, and the rule authorizing them was rescinded many years ago. The society holds no property in the schools, nor does it interfere with their internal arrangements; but it requires that the Holy Scriptures shall be used for instruction, and it declines giving aid to schools of the Unitarian persuasion.

Soon after the society was formed, a leading friend, already referred to, was asked by a gentleman who had influence in the Irish executive, what the Government could do to help it, intimating that liberal aid might probably be afforded. The reply perhaps created some surprise. It was in substance, "If you consider that the society should accept money from a parliamentary grant, the money would be like a blast of mildew; wherever it would touch it would rot." The declinatur thus frankly expressed was re-affirmed as that of the society, though not in the same terms, by Mr. Digges La Touche in his examination before the Commissioners of Education Inquiry in 1824. I may be allowed to think that the society was herein right in principle. It certainly was wise in policy. Had it consented to receive state support it would have been involved in the same wreck that befell the Kildare Place Education Society, which, in the hope of doing more good by obtaining large resources, took help from the national purse. Dependence on the government funds naturally, if not necessarily, binds to dependence on the government will.

The statistics I have now given are only those of the Sunday School Society for Ireland. There are, however, a number of other Sunday schools in the country, affording, generally, the same kind of instruction. No reliable returns of them are forthcoming, and their statistics are matter of conjecture. It is supposed that they amount to about 530, and if we assign them teachers and scholars in the same proportion as those of the society, they will contain about 4,250 teachers, and about 45,600 scholars. Among these additional schools are included the First-Day Schools of the Society of Friends, Accepting the statement thus offered, in the absence

C

of certain information, we shall, so far, make up a general total for the country of 3,251 Sunday schools, 25,552 teachers, and 274,028 scholars.

I have hitherto said nothing of Roman Catholic Sunday schools. In the beginning of Sunday school movements in Ireland, many Roman Catholic children attended, and, in some cases, Roman Catholics joined with Protestants as teachers. Instances occurred of applications to the society for aid being recommended by the Episcopal rector or curate, the Presbyterian minister, and the Roman Catholic priest of the place conjointly. One or two applications, it is said, were made from Roman Catholic schools, and were responded to by the committee, the schools being much on the same plan as those conducted by Protestants. But now, except here and there a few Roman Catholic children among the scholars, such things as I have named have been long unknown. Since the general attack made by the Roman Catholic hierarchy and clergy, in 1824, on the circulation and reading of the Sacred Scriptures, and the use of them for instructing the young, a conjunction between Roman Catholics and Protestants for Sunday school work—indeed, for any religious purpose-has been simply impossible.

It does not appear that Sunday schools which combine secular instruction with spiritual, more or less resembling those formed in Mr. Raikes's movement, are contrary to the law of the church of Rome. About the middle of the sixteenth century the Cardinal St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, on the death of his uncle Pope Pius IV., retired from the pomps and pleasures of a court life, and occupied himself in promoting reforms among the clergy and works of charity for the poor. One of the latter was providing useful secular teaching, for the children of the lower orders, in the churches on Sundays. It was, however, objected to by many as a profanation of sacred places. Probably his stringent dealing with the clergy for their evil habits was the chief cause of the hostility. Though his life was attempted, he was put under no ecclesiastical censure, and he was canonized by Pope Pius V. in 1610. There are no Sunday schools of this kind connected with the Roman Catholic church in Ireland.

In reply to inquiries made at Roman Catholic sources of information, I have been told that "catechizing" has always been a practice in the "Catholic church," and that what are called "Sunday schools" for it are as numerous as the congregations, with the exception only of a few very poor parishes, in remote and wild parts of the country. I have sought in vain for statistics of these schools; none are published, and I am led to believe that none are attainable, or, rather, that none are kept. Allowing one school for each parish in Ireland, the number would amount to 2,348. But if there be one to each congregation, since the number of congregations exceeds the number of parishes, the number of schools must be greater too. We can only guess as to the number of scholars; considering, however, the anxiety of the Roman Catholic clergy respecting the young, through fear