Cljenp Expository. 
 
 THE 
 
 BUND AY SCHOOL. 
 
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 ■ PRICE ONE PENNY, Or6s. per Hundred. 
 
 I cmerea at gtfatfonws tyail* 
 
11 
 
r 
 
 THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. 
 
 ■ 
 
 ■OMISED, in The Cottage Cook, to give some 
 account of the manner in which Mrs. Jones set 
 her hool. She did not much fear being able 
 raise the money, but money h of little use un- 
 Hme persons of sense and piety can be found 
 Hct these institutions, Not that 1 would dis- 
 ara|e those who set them up even in the most: 
 Hry manner, or from mere views of worldly 
 H It is something gained to rescue children 
 ^■ling away their Sabbath in the fields or the 
 H. It is no small thing to keep them from 
 ^Bricks to which a day of leisure tempts the 
 e am the ignorant. It is something for them to 
 ^■ht to read; it is much to be taught to read 
 ^■le, and much indeed to be carried regu- 
 
 ■ church. But all this is not enough. To 
 ^ftese institutions to answer their highest end 
 Hy be effected by God's blessing on the fol- 
 ^■fleans, the choice of able teachers, and a 
 ^ '•attention in some pious gentry to visit and 
 ^Bhe schools. 
 
 ■ On RECOMMENDATIONS, 
 ^■ones had one talent that eminently quali- 
 ^H to ^° good, namely, judgment; this even 
 ^■y part of her life had kept her from many 
 
 but though she had sometimes been de- 
 ^■^elf, she was very careful not to deceive 
 ^commending people to fill any office 
 
 Bv M Sel8shness or Mse kindness. She 
 ^Ki i 6 is alwa y ss ome one appropriate 
 H UCA evej 7 person must possess, in order 
 
4 
 
 to fit them for any particular employment, 
 in this quality," said she to Mr. Simpson, the 
 S y nan, "I do not expect perfection; but if the 
 destitute of this, whatever good qualities they 
 possess besides, though they may do for some, 
 employment, they will not do tor this It I 
 a pair of shoes, I go to a shoemaker; I do t 
 to a man of another trade, however mgenio 
 may be, to ask him it he cannot cpntrmta 
 me a pair of shoes. When 1 lived in Loi 
 learnt to be much on my guard as to recorm 
 tions I found people often wanted to imp 
 me some one who was a burthen to thems 
 Once I remember when I undertook to get - 
 tron for an hospital, half my acquaintance 
 one to offer me. Mrs. Gibson sent toe an c 
 vvhom she herself had discharged tor vvasW 
 own provisions, yet she had the consciejc 
 commend this woman to take ^eare^ h 
 sions of a large community. Mrs. Gie) * 
 nfsct aed "housekeeper whose con^ 
 been ruined by sitting up with M s b 
 husband, but who she yet t^ght 
 enough to undergo the at.gue o ftak 
 hundred poor sick people A th,rd mej 
 a woman who had no ment but that o f W 
 poor, and it would be a charity; to p. ' 
 
 the truth is, the lady ™&W-*J* 
 small pension till she could get he a - ; 
 hands by turning her on those ot o l^ ^ : , 
 " It is very true, Madam, saiu • j 
 « the right way is always to.prdta ^ 
 many to the good ol one; i\ inde J ^ 
 doing good to any one to place them 
 fn which they must feel unhappy, V 
 
w to disch. je the duties of it. I will tell 
 »ow I manage. If the persons recommended 
 Mbjects of charity, I privately subscribe to their 
 
 Is* I pity an( * ^ e *P them, Dut I never promote 
 M \ a station for which they are unfit, and 
 urt a whole community to help a distressed 
 ■idual." 
 
 lus Mrs. Jones resolved that the first step to- 
 s setting up her school should be to provide a 
 ble mistress. The vestry were so earnest in 
 amending one woman, that she thought it 
 I looking into. On enquiry, she found it 
 scheme to take a large family off the parish; 
 never considered that a very ignorant womin, 
 ■ a family of young children, v as not fit for a 
 Hoi. all they considered was that the profits of the 
 iqpl might enable her to live without parish pay 
 H Jones refused another though she could read 
 Hand was decent in her conduct, because she 
 H to send her children to the shop on Sundays, 
 ■she objected to a third, a very sensible woman, 
 ■ise she was suspected of making an outward 
 ■ssion of religion a cloak for immorral conduct, 
 pi Jones knew she must*not be too nice neither, 
 ■new she must put up with many faults at last, 
 ■now/' said she' to Mr. Simpson, ''the imper- 
 ■ n of every thing that is human. As the 
 ■ess will have much to bear with from the chil- 
 
 ■ so I expect to have something to bear with 
 
 ■ mistress, and she and I must submit to our 
 ■*ive trials, by thinking how much God has 
 ■ r with in us all. But there are three things 
 
 Bv a m ! stress must not be without, good sense, 
 my> <md piety. Without the first she will mis- 
 H ers > without the second she wiU neglect 
 
6 
 
 r 
 
 th«W), and without the third, though she may J 
 lize, yet she will never christianize them." 1 
 Mr. Simpson said, " he really knew but of J 
 person in the parish who was fully likely to aid 
 her purpose : this," continued he, " is no others 
 my house-keeper, Mrs. Betty Crew. It will m 
 be a great loss to me to part from her, and to h( 
 it will be a far more fatiguing life than she at J 
 sent leads But ought 1 to put my own person 
 comfort, or ought Betty to put her own easel 
 quiet, in competition with the good of above i 
 hundred children? This will appear still more ii 
 portant if we consider the good done, not as/ 
 but seed; if we take into the account how man) 
 unborn may become christians, in consequence 
 our making these children christians. For I 
 can we calculate the number which may beta 
 after trained for heaven, by those very chili 
 we are going to teach, when they themselves si 
 become^parents, and you and I are dead and I 
 gotten? To be sure, by parting from Betty 
 peas-soup will not be quite so well flavoured, i 
 my linen so neatly got up ; but the day is fast" 
 preaching when ail this will signify but little; 
 it will not signify a little whether one hundred 
 mortal souls were the better from my making 
 petty sacrifice. Betty Crew is a real eta! 
 has-' excellent sense, and had a good eauca 
 from my mother. She has also had a little sor 
 training ; for when the poor children come to 
 parsonage for the broth on a Saturday eve 
 Betty is used to appoint them all to come 
 same time;, and after she has filled their 
 she ranges them round her in the garden, a 
 mines them in their catechism. She isjusu 
 
7 
 
 ■ dealing out the broth and beef, not making my 
 ■your to the parents depend on the skill of their 
 ■ildren. Bat her own old caps, and ribbons, and 
 ■st-ofF cloaths, are bestowed as little rewards on 
 ■e best scholars. So that taking the time she 
 Rnds in working for them, and the things she 
 ■res them, there is many a lady who does not ex- 
 ■d Betty in acts of charity; this I mention to 
 Bfirm your notion, that it is not necessary to be 
 ■h in order to do good ; a religious upper servant 
 
 ■ great opportunities of this sort/' 
 f/ly readers I trust need not be informed, that 
 
 is that very Mrs. Betty Crew who assisted 
 s. Jones in teaching poor women to cut out linen 
 cook cheap dishes, as related in The Cottage 
 k.— Mrs. Jones in the following week got to- 
 ller as many of the mothers as she could, and 
 ke to them as follows : 
 
 I Mrs. JONES'S EXHORTATION. 
 
 I My good women, on Sunday next I pro- 
 w to open a school for the instruction of your 
 'Ajdreri. Those among you who know what it is 
 Be able to read your Bible will, I doubt not, 
 !i #ce that the same blessing is held out to your 
 cnBren. Yoa who are not able yourselves to read 
 V your Saviour has clone and suffered for you, 
 H*t to be doubly anxious that your children 
 reap a blessing which you have lost. Would 
 that mother be thought an unnatural monster 
 should stand by and snatch out of her child's 
 ft the bread which a kind friend hid just put 
 Ml tr But such a mother would be uuratul com- 
 with her who should rob her children of the 
 ■Jtunityof learning to read the word of God 
 
 u Is out to them, Remember chat if 
 
8 
 
 you slight the present offer, or if after having ^ 
 your children a few times, you should afterward 
 keep them at home under vain pretences, yo u y 
 have to answer for it at the day of judgment. L e 
 not your poor children then have cause to say r J 
 fond mother was my worst enemy. I plight h\ 
 been bred up in the fear of the Lord and she op 
 posed it for the sake of a little paltry pleasure 
 for an idle holiday I am now brought to the gatej 
 of hell/ My dear women, which of you cqul 
 bear to see your darling child condemned to ever, 
 lasting destruction ? which of you could bearfij 
 hear him accuse you as the cause of it? Is there 
 any mother here present who will venture to saj 
 * I will doom the child I bore to sin and hell, ri 
 ther than put them or myself to a little preseu 
 pain by curtailing their evil inclinations; I will ie 
 them spend the Sabbath in ignorance and idlene 
 instead of sending them to school ! ' Let that mote 
 tvho values her child's pleasure more than his sou? 
 now walk away* and I will set down the names 
 all those who wish to bring their young ones up! 
 the way that leads to eternal life, instead of n 
 dulging them in the pleasures of sin which are! 
 for a moment." 
 
 When Mrs. Jones had done speaking mosM 
 the women thanked her for her good advice, j 
 -hoped that God would give them grace to » 
 it, promising to send their children constant^ 
 Pthers, whoVvere not so well disposed, were! 
 afraid to refuse, after the sin of so doing had* 
 so plainly set before them. The worst of the 
 men had kept away from this meeting, resM 
 to set their faces against the school. Most of 
 who went present, as soon as they got noni 
 
9 
 
 I about providing their children with what little de- 
 I cent apparel they could raise. Many a willing 
 I mother tent her tall daughter her hat, best cap, and 
 I white handkerchief, and many a grateful father 
 I spared his linen waistcoat and bettermost hat to 
 I induce his grown-up son to attend ; for it was a 
 ■ rule which Mrs. Jones began, that she would 
 I not receive the younger children out of any fa- 
 I mily w ho do not send their elder ones. Too many 
 [ made excuses that their shoes were old, or their 
 hat worn out. But Mrs. Jones told them not to 
 bring any excuses to her which they could not bring 
 to the day of judgment; and among thoss excuses 
 I she would hardly admit any except ^accidents, sick- 
 Iness, or attendance on sick parents, or young 
 I children. 
 
 I SUBSCRIPTIONS. 
 I Mrs. Jones was very desirous of getting the help 
 land countenance of the farmers and trades-people, j 
 I whose duty she thought it was to support a plan, 
 ■calculated to improve the virtue and happiness of I 
 I the parish. Most of them subscribed, and pro- 
 raised to see that their workmen sent their children. j 
 She met with little opposition till she called on 
 farmer Hoskins. She told him, as he was the i 
 richest farmer in the parish, she came to him for 
 a handsome subscription. "Subscription!" said I 
 be > " }t is nothing but subscriptions I think; a'-l 
 roan had need be made of money."— « Farmer/^ 
 said Mrs. Jones, " God has blessed you with abun- 1 
 jant prosperity, and he expects you shall be 1U 
 -™ m proportion to your great ability."— « I d 3 > 
 not know what you mean by blessing," said he 3 <; 
 
 I hq5 a r? i been Up ear] y and late ' lived hard whUeil 
 lutle, and now when 1 thought I had got for r 
 
10 
 
 ward in the world, what with tythes and subscrin 
 tions it all goes, I think."— " Mr. Hoskins," said 
 Mrs. Jones, " this is but an ungrateful return h 
 all your blessings. " — « You are again atyourbles. 
 'sings/' said the farmer, "but let every one work 
 as hard as I have done and I dare say he will do as 
 well. It is to my own industry I owe what I have 
 My crops have been good, because I minded my 
 plowing and sowing.' — " O farmer!'' cried M rSi 
 Jones, "you forget whose suns and showers make 
 your crops to grow ; but I do not come here to 
 preach but to beg.' ? — " Well, madam, what is it 
 now ? Flannel or French ? or weavers, or a new 
 church, or large bread, or cheap rice ? or what other 
 new whim-wham for getting the money out of ones 
 pocket?'— e: I ani going to establish a Sunday School, 
 farmer, and I come to you as one of the principal 
 inhabitants, hoping your example will spur on the 
 rest to give." — " Why then," said the farmer, "as 
 one of the principal inhabitants I will give nothing, 
 hoping it will spur'on the rest to refuse. Of all 
 the foolish inventions^ and new-fangled devices to 
 ruin the country, that of teaching the poor to read 
 is the very worst." — "And I, farmer, think that to 
 teach good principles to the lower classes is the 
 most likely way to save the country. Now in order 
 to this we must teach them to read." — " Not with 
 my consent nor my money," said the farmer, "for 
 I know it always does more harm than good." — 
 ft may," said Mrs. Jones, " if you only teach them 
 :o read and then turn them adrift to iind out books 
 br themselves. There is a proneness in the heart 
 | .o evil which it is our duty to counteract, and whi$ 
 n see you are promoting. Only look round y GU * 
 >wn kitchen, I am ashamed to see it hung round 
 
11 
 
 with loose songs and ballads. I grant indeed it 
 would be better for young men and. maids, and even 
 your daughters, not to be able to read at all than 
 to read such stuff as this. But if when they ask 
 for bread you give them a stone, nay worse, a 
 serpent, your's is the blame." Then taking up a pen- 
 ny book which had a very loose title, she went on, '* I 
 do not wonder if you who read such books as these 
 think it safer that people should not read at all." 
 The farmer grinned, and said £t It is hard if a man of 
 my substance may not divert myself ; when a bit of 
 fun costs only a penny, and a man can spare that 
 penny, there is no harm done. When it is very 
 hot or very wet, and I come in to rest and have 
 drank my mug of cyder, I like to take up a bit of 
 a jest book or a comical story to make me laugh." 
 — a O Mr, Hoskins," replied Mrs. Jones, <( when 
 you come in to rest from a burning sun or shower, 
 do you never think of him whose sun it is that is 
 ripening youi corn? or whose shower is filling the. 
 ear or causing the grass to grow? I could tell you . 
 of some books which would strengthen such 
 thoughts, whereas such as you read only serve to.' 
 put them out of your head." Mrs. Jones having! 
 taken pains to let Mr. Hoskins know that all the ] 
 genteel and wealthy people had subscribed, he at f 
 mt said, i< Why as to the matter of that I do not \ 
 vaiueacrown ; only I think it might be better be-!" 
 ?to\ved, and I am afraid my own workmen will fly § 
 W face ^ once they are made scholars, and 1 
 inatthey will think themselves too good to work."! 
 
 said°M you talk sob erly and g ive your reasons/*! 
 * Mrs. Jones, " weak as they are they deserve ' 
 
 o rtif 1 ' Do y° u think thateither man, woman, ? 
 ^nna G y er did his duty the worse, only because'.! 
 
he knewitthebetter?"— "No, perhaps not."— "Now 
 the whole extent of learning which we intend to give 
 the poor, is only to enable them to read the Bible, 
 a book in which every duty is explained, every 
 doctrine brought into practice, and the brightest 
 truths made level to the meanest understanding, 
 The knowledge of that book and its practical 
 influence on the, heart is the best security you 
 can have, both for the industry and obedience 
 of your servants. Now can you think any man 
 will be the worse servant for being a good chris- 
 tian ?" — " Perhaps not." — "Are not the duties of 
 children, of servants, and the poor expressly set 
 forth in the Bible?"— « Yes."— " Do you think any 
 duties are likely to be so well performed from any 
 human motives, such as fear or prudence, as from 
 these religious motives which are backed with the 
 sanctions of rewards or punishments, of heaven or 
 hell ? Even upon your own principles of worldly 
 policy, do you think a poor man is not less likely 
 to steal a sheep or a horse, who was taught when a 
 boy, that it was a sin to rob a hen-roost or an or- 
 chard? Will your property be secured so effec- 
 tually by the stocks on the green, as by teaching 
 the boys in the schools, thdtforall"tbese things God 
 will bring them into judgment? Is a poor fellow 
 
 If :who can read hisBible so likely to stefrp or to drin 
 laway his few hours of leisure as one who cmnoi 
 iread? He may, and he * ften does make a bad use 
 lof his reading, but I doubt he would have been ® 
 bad without it. And the hours spent in learnj 
 to read will always have been among the nw 
 harmless ones of his life." , 
 « Well, madam," said the farmer, " if you J° 
 
 j not think that religion will spoil my young servant 
 
13 
 
 t d0 not care If you do put me down for half a: 
 „irea What has firmer Dobson given " Haifa] 
 Sa" said Mrs. Jones. " Well/' cried the far- 
 8 L "it shall never be said 1 did not give more 
 than he, who is only a renter. Dobson give half 
 I guinea? Why, he wears his coat as threadbare 
 as a labourer.^—- Perhaps," replied Mrs. Jones, 
 « that is one reason why he gives so much."— " W ell, 
 put me down a guinea," cried the farmer. "As 
 scarce as guineas are just now, Til never be puj 
 upon the same iootingwith Dobson neither."— "Yes 
 and you must exert yourself besides in insisting tha; 
 your workmen send their children, and often looi 
 into the school yourself to see if they are there; 
 and reward or discourage them accordingly," added 
 Mrs Jones as she took her leave. The farmer mf 
 sisted in waiting on her to the door. When the [ 
 got into the yard, they spied Mr. Simpson, wh 
 wasstandingnear a little group of females,consistin . 
 of the farmer's two young daughters, and a coup! 
 of rosy dairy -maids, an old blind fiddler, and a w<| 
 man who led him. The woman had laid a bask>; 
 on the ground, out of which she was dealing son 
 songs tu the girls who were kneeling round it, a| 
 eagerly picking out such whose titles suited the!; 
 tastes. On seeing the clergyman come up, tl 
 fiddler's companion (for I am sorry to say s| 
 was not his wife) pushed some of the songs to t| 
 bottom of the basket, turned round to the coi; 
 pany, and in a whining tone, asked " if they woij 
 please to buy a godly book." Mr, Simpson si 
 through the hypocrisy at once, and instead of mi 
 ingany answer, took out of one of the girl's hail 
 a song which the woman had not been able to snal 
 away. He was shocked and grieved to see t| 
 
1 n 
 
 these young* girls were about to read, to sing, andto 
 I' learn by heart such ribaldry, as he was ashamed 
 even to cast his eyes on. He turned about to the 
 girl and gravely, but mildly, said, " young woman 
 what do you think should be done to a person who 
 should be found carrying a box of poison round 
 the country, and leaving a little at every house?" 
 The girls all agreed that such a person ought to be 
 banged ; " that he should," said the farmer, if [ 
 ,vas upon the jury.'' The fidler and his woman 
 #ere of the same opinion, declaring they would not 
 lo such a wicked thing for the world, for if they 
 vere poor they were honest. Mr. Simpson turning 
 o the other girl, said, " which is of most value, 
 he soul or the body ?" — " The soul sir," said the 
 ill. " Why so?" said he. " Because, sir, I have 
 ea-rd you say in the pulpit the soul is to last for ever." 
 Tien cried Mr. Simpson in a stern voice, turning 
 , I) the fiddler's woman, " are not you ashamed to 
 HI poison for that part which is to last for ever ? 
 oison for the soul " Poison!" said the terrified 
 irl throwing down the book, and shuddering as 
 'djpople do who are afraid they have touched sorae- 
 \ing infectious. " Poison!" echoed the farmer's 
 jiughters, recollecting with horror the ratsbane 
 hich Lion the old house-dog had got at the day 
 More, and after eating which she had seen him 
 op down dead in convulsions. " Yes, ""said Mr. 
 jmpson to the woman, l< I do again repeat, the souls 
 j these innocent girls will be poisoned and m; ) 
 j| eternally ruined by this vile trash which you 
 try about." 
 
 h i now see," said Mrs. Jones, to the farmer, 
 jhe reason why you think learning to read does 
 ||| bre harm than good, It is .yyJeed far better that 
 
■ 15 
 
 ■hey should never know how to tell a letter, unless 
 ■on keep such t rash as this out of their way, and 
 provide them with what is good or what is harm- 
 less. Still this is not the fault of reading, but the 
 ■buse of it. "Wine is still a good cordial, though it 
 ■3 too often abused to the purpose of drunkenness. 
 
 ■ The farmer said that neither of his maids could 
 read their horn book, though he ov/ned he often 
 
 ■eard them singing that song which the parson had 
 ■hought so bad, but for his part it made him as 
 f merry as a nightingale. 
 
 ■ "Yes," said Mrs. Jones, u as a proof that it is not 
 : merely being able to read which does the mischief, 
 
 ■ have often heard, as I have been crossing a hav- 
 ■eld, young girls singing such indecent ri'baldy as 
 ■as driven me out of the field, though 1 well knew 
 ■hey could not read a line of what they were sing- 
 
 ing, but had caught it from others. So you see 
 ■ou may as well say the memory is a wicked talent 
 Because some people misapply it, as to say that read- 
 ing is dangerous, because some folks abuse it." 
 
 ■ While they were talking, the fidler and his wo- 
 ■lanwere trying to steal away, but Mr. Simpson 
 ■opped them and said, " woman, I shall have some 
 ■rther talk with you. I am a magistrate as well 
 ■s a minister, andlf I know it, I will no more al- 
 low a wicked book to be sold in my parish than a 
 »ose of poison." The girls threw away all their 
 ■togs, thanked Mr. Simpson, becged Mrs. Jones 
 
 J ould take them into her school after they had 
 ■one milking in the evenings, that they might leant 
 
 tW ? ly What was P ro P er - The y promised 
 hon T°u never more deal with but sober 
 ■hrfet kers ' such as sel1 g° od iittie book*, 
 the fidH?^*^ 1013, and harmless songs, and desired 
 
 ■ mr s woman never to call there aeain. 
 
16 
 
 This little incident afterwards confirmed Mrs 
 Jones in a plan she had before some thoughts of 
 putting in practice. This was, after her school had 
 been established a few months, to invite all the 
 well-deposed grown-up youth of the parish to meet 
 her at the school an hour or two on a Sunday even- 
 ing, after the necessary business of the dairy and of 
 serving the cattle was over. Both Mrs. Jones and 
 her agent had the talent of making this time pass 
 so agreeably by their manner of explaining scrip, 
 lure, and of impressing the heart by serious and 
 affectionate discourse, that in a short time the even- 
 ing school was nearly filled with a second company 
 after the younger ones were dismissed. In time, 
 not only the servants, but the sons and daughters 
 of the most substantial people in the parish attended, 
 At length many of the parents, pleased with the im- 
 provement so visible in the young people, got a 
 habit of dropping in, that they might learn how to 
 instruct their own families. And it was observed 
 that as the school filled, not only the fives-court 
 and public-house were thinned, but even Sunday 
 Gossiping and tea-visiting declined. Even Farmer 
 Hoskins, who was at first angry with his maids tor 
 learning of those merry songs (as he called them 
 was so pleased with the manner in which the psalms 
 we^e sung at the school, that he promised m 
 Jones to make her a present of half a sheep towar s 
 her first May day feast. Of this feast some accou 
 shall be given hereafter, and the reader may ex^ , 
 some further account of the Sunday School ne. | 
 month in the History of Hester Wilmot. 
 
 END OF TftE FIRST PART,