enough in denouncing, not the habit of well or artistically dressing, but that love of perpetually seeking after new forms of attire, which is a sad, and far too common, error of Christian women. There are those who sail into our places of worship every Sunday morn with some new and frequently glaringly-conspicuous article of dress; and even those whose circumscribed means will not permit them to indulge in every new fashionable whim, fall into the same bad principle of weekly changing-for the mere love of gaining attention their personal adornments. Against these follies Mrs. Bartlett heads a crusade amongst her followers. She is determined that her example shall not be the excuse for any of her class who may share this weakness. And herein she sets a most commendable pattern for imitation. Every evangelist who has laboured amongst the middle and lower classes of society will affirm that the love of dress is one of the strongest inducements to sin and one of the greatest hindrances to the reception of the Gospel. Over the mouth of Gehenna may be seen, inscribed, I fear, by many a lost soul, the doleful warning words, " FOR FASHION HINDERED US."

The Bible-class has now grown to such proportions that the work of attending to it requires Mrs. Bartlett's undivided attention. This is given in many ways. On Tuesday night the class meets at the Tabernacle for Bible study, prayer, and exhortation; and on Friday evening for prayer only. These services have conferred lasting benefits on those who have attended them. Then, again, Mrs. Bartlett's house is open during the week for enquirers, and for such only. Mr. Spurgeon has very fittingly described this house as the "house of mercy," for indeed many souls have found mercy there.

There have been some most remarkable instances of the display of Almighty grace in those who have belonged to this class. On one occasion, after prayer, a feeling seemed to possess Mrs. Bartlett that souls would be saved that afternoon. Six were converted. On another afternoon, she expressed her conviction that there was a sinner present, and she consequently appealed directly to her; the appeal was owned of God to the salvation of an adult who, indeed, was a sinner, and in whose heart the words of exhortation entered and lodged, to the praise and glory of God's grace. A young girl, who was a sad blasphemer, is now a Bible-woman in Northamptonshire, where, it is hoped, her better language may be abundantly blessed. Six girls from one house of business dropped into the room one afternoon, their object being, it appears, to ridicule the whole proceedings. Four out of the six were converted; one is now a devoted missionary.

A person belonging to the theatrical profession was induced to

attend the class. The service did not approve itself to her taste. On her third visit, however, the Lord was pleased to trouble her soul, and her anguish of mind was exceedingly great. She felt she was condemned already, and she cried out in great distress, "Lost, lost, lost." While Mrs. Bartlett was engaged in prayer at her own house on behalf of this convicted sinner, the clouds of despair rolled away, and the bright beamings of Divine love possessed the distressed soul. She found peace on her knees. This same person persuaded her sister to go to the class; and as she had heard sufficient to convince her that a continued attendance upon the means of grace could not harmonise with her devotedness to the theatre and the ball-room, she decided to give up the former that these amusements might be more readily enjoyed. Mrs. Bartlett saw this young woman one Sunday afternoon about to enter through the chapel gates, and she thereupon prayed that God would give her that soul before the afternoon had passed. He did so, for whilst the speaker was relating the case of a giddy girl who had died during the week while dancing, she was led to confess her sins, ask for pardon, and by believing on the Son of God this weary soul found

rest.

Perhaps the following case is one of the most singular ever met with in the annals of sudden conversions. An elderly person, who had listened to Mr. Spurgeon's voice for two years without being led to the Saviour, was entering the room when Mrs. Bartlett looked round and said, without intending the words for the late comer in question, "Flee from the wrath to come, my sister, flee from the wrath to come!" These words, so appropriately spoken, were the means of her instantaneous conversion.

A girl fresh from the country, wandering by the Tabernacle one afternoon, went into the room just as Mrs. Bartlett was appealing to case-hardened sinners. She was pathetically asking them, "Can you perish, will you perish my sister?" and in doing so provoked the silent but effectual reply of the stranger, who was saved on the spot.

A very singular case once occurred, and may here be mentioned as displaying the discriminating grace of that God who "will have mercy on whom He will have mercy." A friend recently introduced an anxious enquirer to Mrs. Bartlett at her house. It was for this seeking soul's especial benefit that Mrs. Bartlett was pointing out the way of salvation and the only method whereby Christ could be found. Whilst speaking of that simple trust in Christ which brings peace to the troubled soul, the young woman who had accompanied the enquirer exclaimed, "Is that all, Mrs. Bartlett? Only trusting

Christ? Then I am saved," and such was indeed the indisputable fact, for though the enquirer went away sorrowful for a time, the woman who had not visited Mrs. Bartlett with any expectancy of salvation obtained it to her surprise and joy.

On one occasiou a young woman was led to self-examination by a mere sigh. Having deplored the fact that there were many present who resisted the Holy Spirit's strivings, the leader involuntarily drew a deep sigh. "Ah! thought the girl, this lady sighs for me; but I have never sighed over my own soul." Convinced of her sinfulness and estrangement from God that afternoon, she subsequently found relief and happiness at the foot of the Cross.

There was a small group of women around Mrs. Bartlett at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on one occasion, and in the course of conversation our warm-hearted friend remarked to one and then to another, "You are my spiritual child, and you, too, my daughter. Ah, so you will be some day," added she, of a woman with sceptical tendencies who was standing by. It seems that the person referred to at once called to remembrance the goodness and long-suffering of God, and her own unhappy alienation from Him, and she soon took to agonising prayer. It was some months after this event that she found Christ as a Saviour; but it was a happy day for her when the relief came.

[The above has been extracted from a pamphlet entitled "THE EARNEST WOMAN: a narrative of the remarkable work of Mrs. Bartlett in the Woman's Mission of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. By Edward Leach. London: Elliot Stock, pp. 16, price One Penny." It was sent us for review; but we trust we shall have met the desire of the author and excited the interest and zeal of our readers by the use we have made of this interesting narrative.]

ENCOURAGEMENT.

Ar a Sunday School meeting held some weeks since at Bury, in Suffolk, the Rev. C. Elven greatly interested the friends present by a brief history of one of their scholars. On reading the narra tive, we found it referred to Mr. James Stiff, for many years the zealous and able superintendent of Regent Street School, Lambeth. It seemed so well calculated to encourage teachers to perseverance and prayer, and likewise presented so admirable an example of the results of steady industry, that we felt a great desire to present it to our readers. We wished however to ascertain the accuracy of the details, and also to learn whether Mr. Stiff would object to this further publicity being given to the history of his progress to his

present position, and therefore wrote to him on the subject. His answer leaves us at full liberty to make whatever use we please of his communication.

Mr. Stiff says:—

"I was not aware of Mr. Elven's statement about me; I am glad you have called my attention to it, as it affords me an opportunity of correcting some mistakes he has made. What Mr. Elven says about my ignorance and stammering is quite true, but I am not aware that the Bury teachers ever thought of dismissing me from their school; surely they would not for my ignorance and stammering. Mr. Elven does not appear to refer to any thing else as the cause for such an act. It is true I started from Bury by a road-waggon, on the 20th of April, 1826, and was two days and nights in getting to London; but I was much richer than Mr. Elven makes me to be, for I had 20s. to start with in the place of 1s. 6d., which my mother got advanced to her on her quarter's washing bill. I did not begin to work at a Pottery when I first reached London, but apprenticed myself to a Plasterer and worked at that trade for about four years, after which I was out of work for six months, and then engaged myself to a Lambeth Potter, where I remained twelve years. At the end of that time I commenced business as a Potter, and am now what I am. I was connected with one Sunday school for about thirtyfive years, part of the time as a teacher, and part as the superintendent. I am now the superintendent of a new Sunday school at Stockwell, where I have devoted £4,108. 10s. 7d., leaving a debt on the chapel of £4,000., to be paid by the people that may worship there; the chapel will seat 1,300; there are class rooms and vestries, with a good Sunday school room, to teach 300 children in. There are many richer men than myself in London who have not devoted their money to the cause of Christ as God has enabled me to do; to Him be the praise and glory, and not to myself. My love to Sunday schools will, I think, keep me connected with them as long as I live.

"I have long felt that God will require a strict account of the talents He has committed to us to use in this world for His glory. I would not be idle or unemployed on the Sunday as long as God gives me health. I very much love good Mr. Elven, but I think he makes too much of his old Sunday school scholar.

"It was as he says, that'a teacher took me home to his own house, and to his own bed-room, we both knelt together, and when he prayed for me by name, my heart began to feel the power of God's converting grace.' May other teachers follow his example, as I have often done, and God will give the same result as followed the prayers of the Bury teacher. We are to provoke to love and good works.”

The lessons to be learnt from the preceding narrative are, that teachers should never be disheartened by the ignorance and apparent insensibility of their scholars; that prayer is often the most effectual means of reaching the human heart, and that the poorest and most ignorant boy in our land may, by industry and prudence and integrity, with the Divine blessing, raise himself to respectability and affluence.

THE DUTY AND HONOUR OF SUNDAY SCHOOL
TEACHING.

THERE are many teachers who engage in their work with carelessness and irregularity, and who act thus because they do not feel themselves called to it; or, because they have never considered whether it was their duty to be engaged in the Sunday school or not; or, because having no sense of duty at all, they attend their school for the accomplishment of other purposes. Of course, we cannot expect those teachers who have not the love of God in their hearts to engage in the work of God from a sense of duty; but those who are converted have no excuse for discharging it in a careless and irregular manner. They should at once ask themselves the question: "Am I called by God to labour in the Sunday school?" They must either be called to labour there, or they are not. If they are not, they should at once leave the Sunday school to those who are called to labour there; but, if they are, they should do their duty, with all their might, knowing that there is no knowledge nor wisdom in the grave. If you are not called to the work, you are standing in the way of others, you are doing a work for which you are not adapted, and therefore may probably do more harm than good; at the same time you are neglecting to perform some other duty to which you are called, and leaving precious souls to perish. All Christians are called to do some work for Christ. The Apostle Paul, says, "God hath set some in the church: first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers." The teacher is as much called to his work as a prophet (minister) or even as an apostle. Again, the same Apostle says, "He" (that is God) gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ." A Sunday school teacher is as truly sent of God to do his work, as the minister of the gospel to do his. In order that a person may know whether or not he is called to labour in the Sunday school, he should examine himself and see whether he have the necessary qualifications. There are some who are evidently adapted for and called to work in Sunday school teaching, or to the fulfilment of the duties of some of the offices connected with the school. Whilst there are others engaged in the work who are evidently unfitted, and therefore uncalled to the work, who have, no doubt, another sphere to fill elsewhere. If a man is evidently unfitted for the performance of any duty in connection with the Christian church, it is