MISCELLANEA. JUVENILE MISSIONARY MEETINGS. DEAR SIR, SOUTH SHIELDS. We, at South ing and spirit-stirring appeal to Shields, have at length been the liberality of those who were aroused to create within the minds of our scholars an earnest zeal for the advancement of the cause of missions. On Lord'sday, November 7th, 1852, we held our first "Juvenile Missionary Meeting;" but it will not be the last, we trust. This being the first meeting ever held in the town, it was looked forward to with a great deal of interest. The meeting being opened by our esteemed young minister, Mr. In nocent, our worthy friend, Mr. H. Raeburn, was called upon to preside. He brought before the meeting the noble efforts put forth by some of our schools in the South. The report read by Mr. Innocent was of a very pleasing character; it is greatly in advance of anything hitherto done by the scholars. The sums raised by them are as follows:missionary box, 8s. 6d., collector's cards, £1 13s. 2d., and the collection after the Juvenile Missionary Meeting, £1 18s. 3d., making a total of £4. Several of the scholars recited pieces suitable to the occasion. The meeting was addressed by the Rev. John Innocent in an interest present. Messrs. Wm. J. Allon, George Smithson and George Welch also in maiden speeches brought before the meeting the great importance of the salvation of those who "are perishing for lack of knowledge." A large and respectable congregation was assembled, and a pleasing feeling pervaded the whole of the meeting; and we hope that, in future, vigorous action and untiring zeal for the extension of the missionary cause may mark our character. GEORGE SMITHSON, South Shields, Nov. 9th, 1852. TUNSTALL. ON Sunday, December 12th, 1852, we held our second Juvenile Missionary Meeting in our new school at Tunstall. The attendance was very encouraging, | the top school-room being well filled with the scholars, teachers, and friends. After the meeting was opened with singing and prayer, one of the scholars moved, and another seconded, that their Superintendent, Mr. George Barlow, should take the chair, which was carried unanimously. The meeting was addressed by the Revs. W. Pacey, G. Wood, Mr. Hodgkinson, and one of the scholars; also several pieces were recited by the scholars. The young friends showed the pleasure they took in our missions by their contributions. At the close of the meeting, seven of the boys made the collection, when it proved to be more than three times as much as at the first meeting. Also the scholars have raised double the sum this year with their collecting-cards. May others go and do likewise, and then we shall raise our three thousand pounds, which is the desire of your humble servant, J. ALCOCK, Sec. 6, Wesley-street, Tunstall. SCOTSWOOD. ON Lord's-day afternoon, October 24th, 1852, a Juvenile Missionary Meeting was also held at Scotswood. The chair was occupied by the Rev. T. G. Robey; and the cause of missions ably advocated by various friends. The collection, with a sermon in the evening from the Rev. T. G. Robey, amounted to £1. W. J. T. A GOOD PLAN TO HELP THE MISSION. DEAR MR. COOKE,-With many more of my dear sisters and brothers in Christ, it has been my most anxious wish to raise the number of our JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR to forty thousand. In my effort to do this I find that many who had taken them last year are now on their way to Australia; from this circumstance I was led to consider what would be done to send a missionary to them. The children of Independents, and also of the Wesleyans, have done much; and why not the children of the New Connexion make an effort? I find that one penny per head from forty thousand children amounts to £166 13s. 4d. We have commenced at New Durham, and I feel no doubt that this Circuit will do its duty in responding to this easy method of extending the kingdom of our Blessed Saviour. If you will have the kindness to suggest this undertaking in the February number, the money, I feel satisfied, can be raised with the greatest ease by the next Conference. I have not yet had the opportunity of ascertaining the number of scholars in the Sunderland Circuit, but trust it will be amongst the first to pay in their subscriptions to this desirable object. On the Sabbath before the New Year, some of the scholars of New Durham Sabbath-school requested it might be given out that every scholar, on the first Sabbath of the New Year, should bring a halfpenny for the commencement of this good work; and I can assure you that the children came forward on the occasion most liberally. Let not any of our friends be discouraged that we have commenced before them, as there is a sufficient time to carry out this project before the Conference; and our teachers will be ready and willing to help the weak ones if they need their aid. I hope that all will understand that this is an extra effort, and that we must not give less in our usual collections, I think it would be a most pleasing page in our INSTRUCTOR to see our schools alphabetically arranged, with their respective sums affixed to them. A FRIEND TO OUR MISSIONARY CAUSE. Durham, Jan. 6, 1853. OUR CHILDREN'S PORTION. SHORT SERMONS FOR LITTLE FOLKS.-No. IV. CHRIST PURIFYING THE TEMPLE. "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."-Matt. xxi. 12, 13. THAT we may obtain instruction by the interesting fact stated in this passage of Scripture, let us I. Fix the time when it occurred. There were two, if not three, purifications of the temple by the Redeemer. One took place very shortly after his public ministry commenced, which is recorded in the second chapter of John's gospel. And near the close of our Lord's life on earth, he again purified the temple, as we learn in the 21st of Matthew, the 11th of Mark, and the 19th of Luke. An Very shortly, then, before our blessed Saviour was nailed to the cross, and laid in the awful tomb, he purified the temple in the manner stated in our text. interesting period in his history was that! And his acts became more affecting as they were done nearer to his death. Do you not remember with strong feelings the last words and deeds of that dear parent, or brother, or sister, who has gone from your fireside to the home of heaven? So the Christian's heart is most deeply affected as he peruses the record II. Let us explain some things which might otherwise appear obscure in the text. of the last loving words and holy this traffic in the sanctuary. Even actions of Jesus. the "outer court" was for spiritual exercises, and for these alone. Religion and the world, prayer and trade, were not meant to be mingled in the house of God; therefore the Saviour sharply rebuked the traders, and bade them begone. They fled before The temple was a hallowed house, regarded by all rightminded Jews as sacred to religious services, and jealously guarded as God's own dwelling- him. Though a host, and Christ place. My young friends will therefore wonder, in reading the text, to find that it was actually "in the temple" where moneychangers did business. member But re 1. The merchandise was not carried on in the temple, properly so called, but in the outer court, or "court of the Gentiles." That court the Jews despised, and visited not; hence they would not care if it were profaned by worldly business. And as the Gentiles felt no veneration, even for the temple, except as it might help to benefit their business, it would be easy for them to convert their part of "the house of prayer" into a market or exchange-room. Besides 2. The animals they sold were sacrificial; that is, they were used as sacrifices for sin in the daily services of the temple. Only such as were thus used were sold. On this account, therefore, their sale would be tolerated even by the scrupulous Jew. But Christ could not sanction quite alone, unarmed, except by spiritual power, yet he caused them to "fear before him," and the market closed! 3. This fact shows how revered Christ must have been, what a majesty must have encircled him, and how thoroughly he was master of the consciences of men. And now, with all Christians, holiness is respected and honoured to the extent in which it is manifested. Eminent piety is always seen; and when seen must be reverenced, whether men will er not. Youthful reader, Do you know whether a man is pious? Look at him! His religion is made visible in his words, and temper, and actions! If you cannot thus see his religion, it would not be worth seeing if you could see it. wish to 4. This rebuke by Christ was given in two scripture passages. Compare the text with Isaiah lvi. 6-10, and with Jeremiah vii. 11. Mark. Christ loved the Bible ! III. Notice the lessons which this singular transaction teaches "WHERE SHALL I GO LAST us. 1. We should be deeply serious in the house of prayer. It is not the place for mirth or trifling. Its worship is not to be disturbed by worldly thoughts, or wandering eyes, or restless tongues. God is there. Hence, how very solemn we should be within the gates of Zion! 2. Our purification from sin was the great object of Christ in coming to our world. Sin is the only thing which makes the loving Saviour angry with us, the only thing he commands us to give up. And when we cry to him, and trust in his atonement, "his blood cleanseth from all sin." My dear young friend, you have sinned, and your heart is impure! Oh, come to Christ, and he will create a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within you. Finally 3. The goodness of God, as shown in the Christian religion. The middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile is broken down; and now the whole human family may come into the holy of holies by the blood of the Lamb. For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life! Your affectionate brother, CAROLUS. OF ALL ?" MANY of the heathen priests teach their followers that the soul, after it has worn out one body, passes into another. They say, if a person has not attended to the worship of the gods, or has neglected the priest, then his soul, at death, will go into a deformed and afflicted body; or, if he has given much money to the idol temples, then he shall be again born into the world, of a beautiful form, and shall be rich and happy. A soul, they say, may pass into the body of a bird, beast, or insect, and be punished in its new state for the sins of the previous one; so that it may dwell in a buffalo, or a butterfly, a fierce tiger, or a gentle dove, according to its character in this life. after many millions of changes, the highest state of perfection will be when it passes into the body of a white elephant! And A Hindoo was lying upon his bed, expecting soon to die. He was full of thought where his soul would go after death. He had been wholly given to idolatry, and now be felt he was not happy. A priest came to see him, when the dying man cried, "What will become of me?" "Oh," said the priest, "you will inhabit another body." "And where," said be, "shall I go then ?" "Into another." "And where then ?" "Into |