The ocean-eagle soar'd From his nest by the white-wave's foam, There were men with hoary hair There was woman's fearless eye, What sought they thus afar? The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod! They have left undimm'd what there they found- An Address to a Redbreast which flew into my Room in the Month of October. POOR fluttering bird, a needless fear Compose thy wings, and safely here, Thou tremblest still, if I could speak I'd tell how truly I detest The cruelty of those Who pillage thy secluded nest And weigh thee down with woes : Lydiate. That here, no foes will do thee wrong, But friends desire to hear thy song, The scatter'd food which I have brought Now Autumn's with'ring breezes sweep Then, Redbreast, all thy fears dispel, And then thou shalt be free as wind, Thou wilt not rest; thou dost not know Then, trembling songster, go thy way; Though thou would'st not consent to stay, God teaches us by whom he will; As on thy bosom, so, on mine, A load of trouble, which, like thine, T And though, in language understood, That seeming evils, for our good, Still instances I call to mind, For, could'st thou half the kindness I In me as I, altho' his care By fears which border on despair, J. N. Mr. Matthew Henry's Plain Catechism for Children, SIR, abridged, In the year 1784 I had the satisfaction of being favoured with the privilege of establishing, in Hanover Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the first Sunday-schools in the four Northern counties. Thay were soon followed by numerous similar institutions, both in the Established Church and by the various denominations of separatists: and among the working classes of this large town, and especially in the populous colliery-villages which surround it, they have been productive of the most beneficial effects. For the use of our own schools, I drew up an "Abstract of the History of the Bible," which has gone through seven editions, several of them of three thousand copies each; it may therefore be presumed to have been found useful in many other schools, as well as in many private families. At the same time the following "Plain Catechism" was adopted, for the purpose of leading the children to an acquaintance with the first principles of religious truth and duty. When the first set of scholars had made themselves fully acquainted with this Catechism, so as to be able to repeat it before the congregation, I gave them, once a fortnight, after the ordinary morning service, a short, familiar lecture on the several questions and answers in their order. These have since been repeated at different periods (as the children of the school, and also of the congregation, changed); and if you should be of opinion that their appearance in the Christian Reformer will be interesting to its numerous readers, they are very much at your service. It may not be improper to mention, that the scholars, during several years after the first opening of the schools, consisted very much of young apprentice boys, and of girls nearly ready for going to service: the provisions previously made for the instruction of youth among the labouring classes having been very inadequate to ground them even in common elements of education. But since the establishment of our Lancasterian and Bellian Schools, our Sundayschools have consisted very much of children who attend these schools throughout the week, and resort to the Sunday-schools for religious instruction and worship. The schools, both for boys and girls, are under the personal superintendence and tuition of the young men and women of the congregation; much, however, of the laborious part is done by that class of young persons who at first formed the bulk of the scholars, but who now are more generally capable of teaching, instead of requiring to be taught. These, as well as the young people of the congregation in general, the Lecturer has endeavoured to keep in view, as well as the children more immediately addressed. WILLIAM TURNER. SECTION I. 1. Ques. What must you do in the days of your youth? Ans. I must remember my Creator. 2. Who is your Creator? The great God that made the world. 3. Who is your Preserver ? The same God that made me preserves and maintains me, and in him I live and move and have my being. 4. What are you made and maintained for? To glorify God by being and doing good. 5. IVhat do you believe concerning God? I believe that he is every where present; and that he is most wise and powerful, holy, just and good. 6. What is your duty to God? It is my duty to fear and honour Him, to worship and obey Him, and in all my ways to trust in Him and to please Him. SECTION II. 7. Have men always discharged these duties to God? No; they soon forgot the God that made them, imagined false gods, and became very wicked. 8. What measures did God take to teach them better? He sent good men from time to time to warn them of their sins, and to give them good rules for their belief and practice. 9. In what book are these rules contained? In the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which we call the Bible. 10. What is the excellence of that book ? It contains the word and will of God. 11. What use will it be of to you? It is able to make me wise unto salvation. 12. What is the chief design of the Old Testament? To teach us that God is One, all-powerful, wise and good; that He made and governs the world, and that to Him alone our religious worship is due. 13. What account does it give of the means employed for preserving the knowledge of the True God? It teaches us that God separated one people from the rest of mankind; and directed holy men among them to teach them the right knowledge of himself, and the practice of the duties which arise from this knowledge. 14. What are the religious doctrines of the New Testament? Like the Old Testament, it teaches us that we ought to obey and love God; it reveals the mercy of God to peni tent sinners; and, besides, it promises eternal life to the penitent, sincere and faithful. SECTION III. 15. By whom did God give the promise of eternal life? By his Son Jesus Christ. 16. In what manner did the Son of God live here on earth? He appeared in a low and mean condition; but he |