Irish Sunday School Society. 349 EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORTS OF THE IRISH SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY. Callowhill, County of Fermanagh. (88 Scholars-9 Gratuitous Teachers.) April, 1830. THE Sunday School seems to me to produce the very best effects on the scholars and their families, and has been the instrument, under Providence, of introducing a spirit of religion into many families which had been, before its introduction, living in a state of apathy and unconcern as to their eternal interests-and I am constantly told by the heads of families, that they look upon the Sunday School, as the greatest blessing, and the best means of doing good that ever has been introduced into this parish. Divernagh, County of Armagh. June, 1830. Nearly one half of the children of this School, who have attended it since its commencement, have received instruction from it alone, and have been enabled to teach not only in the School, but in their own families; which has been the means of diffusing knowledge very generally, where families have not had the advantage of attending Sunday Schools from want of clothing and poverty. Saintfield, County of Down. July, 1830. I have great pleasure in informing you that the attendance of Sunday scholars, at the Annual Sermon, amounted to 1441, (exclusive of teachers), exceeding any former attendance by 440. This statement will no doubt be very gratifying to you, as well as to all friends to Scriptural education. It shows how much the great cause of Sunday school instruction is spreading over the country. May it increase still more and more, and not only civilize, but evangelize the whole land. Galgorm, County of Antrim. (83 Scholars-8 Gratuitous Teachers.) July, 1830. When the scholars who regularly attend our School are receiving their instruction with gratitude and attention, other children, who have, from the negligence of their parents, lost this opportunity of improvement, are wandering in the streets or fields in idleness and vice-the contrast shows how much the moral and religious education received by the Sunday school scholar, generally, is superior to the sinful and wicked course usually followed by the children who have not attended to such an example. Lisbellaw, County of Fermanagh. (190 Scholars-15 Gratuitous Teachers.) July, 1830. We see some effect of Sunday school instruction in our scholars in point of cleanliness, as the poorest of them appear on Sabbath mornings clean and neatespecially the females. Upon their conduct it has a good effect also-they abstain from those diversions and follies with which they formerly occupied the Sabbath, such as playing ball, and kicking foot-ball. Their parents are led out by their example to the School and to Church, and also they take the Scriptures to their houses, and Religious Tracts, which we provide and send with them to read to their parents. Bellaghy, County of Londonderry. (100 Scholars-3 Gratuitous Teachers.) August, 1830. I have made particular inquiry, and I am informed by persons whose testimony I cannot doubt, that the chil dren who attend this School shew strict regard to truth. They are affectionate and obedient to their parents. They read the Word of God with care, and they reverence the Lord's Day. From their spirit, temper, and conduct, I trust several of them fear God. I hope the scriptural instruction they receive, and the religious knowledge they enjoy, under the Divine blessing, will have a tendency to form their principles, and their conduct aright. ON VACCINATION. [Taken from "A few observations on Vaccination, together with testimonies in its favour; extracted chiefly from the reports of medical boards."-Rivingtons.] SINCE the introduction of Small-pox into Europe, there is, perhaps, no disease which has produced a greater number of deaths. It has been supposed to destroy a sixth part of all whom it attacks; and until Vaccination was practised, nearly one-tenth, and in some years more than onetenth, of the deaths in London was occasioned by Small-pox. When Vaccination first came into practice, some ignorant and obstinate persons violently opposed it; and a few scrupulous persons received it with diffidence. It was asserted that Vaccination produced new diseases in the constitution, and that it was no protection against Small-pox; whereas the advocates of Vaccination contend that if its practice were generally adopted, Small-pox might, by degrees, be altogether put an end to. On a matter so important, it seemed good to parliament to address his Majesty, requesting that the Royal College of Physicians of London might be called upon to state their opinion. This they did, after investigating the subject fully and impartially. The report which they made was to the following effect, and it was ordered by parliament to be printed for the general information of the people, viz. "That Vaccination does less mischief to the constitution, and less frequently gives rise to other diseases, than the Small-pox, either natural or inoculated; "That the security derived from Vaccination against the Small-pox, if not absolutely perfect, is nearly so; "That amongst several hundred thousand cases, the number of alleged failures has been surprisingly small; so much so, as to form no reasonable objection to the general adoption of Vaccination; since it appears that there are not nearly so many failures in a given number of vaccinated persons, as there are deaths in an equal number of persons inoculated for the Small-pox; "That in the few cases where Small-pox, whether by inoculation or by casual infection, had succeeded Vaccination, the disease has varied much from its ordinary course; it has neither been the same in the violence, nor in the duration of its symptoms, but has, with very few exceptions, been remarkably mild, as if the Small-pox had been deprived, by the previous Vaccination, of all its usual malignity; "That Vaccination seldom prevents those under it from following their ordinary occupations; "That it has been communicated with safety to persons in the most delicate state of health; to children during the time of teething, and in their earliest infancy; in all which respects it possesses material advantages over inoculation for the Small-pox; "That towns, and whole districts of the country, in which Vaccination had been general, have afterwards had the Small-pox prevalent on all sides of them, without suffering from the contagion; 66 That the objections urged against Vaccination ori ginate in gross ignorance, or proceed from wilful misrepresentation; 66 That, from the whole of the above considerations, the College of Physicians feel it their duty strongly to recommend the practice of Vaccination; and they conclude by stating, that they have been led to make this recommendation by no preconceived opinion, but by the most unbiassed judgment, formed from an irresistible weight of evidence, which has been laid before them. For when the number, the respectability, the disinterestedness, and the extensive experience of its advocates, is compared with the feeble and imperfect testimonials of its few opposers; and when it is considered that many, who were once adverse to Vaccination, have been convinced by further trials, and are now to be ranked among its warmest supporters, the truth seems to be established as firmly as the nature of such a question admits; so that the College of Physicians conceive, that the public may reasonably look forward, with some degree of hope, to the time when all opposition shall cease, and the general concurrence of mankind shall at length be able to put an end to the ravages, at least, if not to the existence, of the Small-pox." Nor is the above the only testimony that may be adduced in favour of Vaccination. After a further experience of thirteen years, and after the most minute attention had been paid to the effects of Vaccination, in every part of the world, the following voluntary declaration was made by the Royal College of Surgeons of London: "We, the undersigned, Master, Governors, and Members of the Court of Assistants of the Royal College of Surgeons in London, deeply impressed with the many fatal instances of Small-pox, which daily occur in the metropolis, and in various parts of the kingdom, assured that such results are in a great degree the consequences of the support and propagation of that disease by inoculation, and unshaken in |