persons. In connection with this, permit me to make another observation; that where the schools are neglected (which, happily, is not the case in our country at present), there is no progress made in any way whatever in regard to divine things: where the schools are low, the cause of religion will almost always be found to be so too. We have generally instituted a circulating school first of all, if we had no teachers for a Sunday school, and afterwards set up a Sunday school; and, universally, the effects have been most beneficial; and where we began with few in number, we have increased from one or two hundred to a thousand.

"The case of grown-up persons has long lain near my heart, though for some time I could hardly fix upon a plan to bring them forward to receive instruction. The first plan I adopted was this; I catechized the children of the schools publicly, and invited all the country round to attend. We have often had these exercises in the open air, having no place large enough to contain the congregation. This was done with a view to enlighten the minds of the adults, and we have sometimes had delightful seasons; but still it did not fully answer the purpose. At last the thought occurred to me, after exhorting them, that I would endeavour to institute schools for them, as it struck me they would very probably attend if schools were established for adults only. There was one part of the country I used to travel over on a Sunday. I observed that the inhabitants spent their time in such a way as indicated a great degree of ignorance and inattention to divine things. It occurred to me that a school established there, for the instruction of these poor people, might answer a beneficial end. Accordingly I went there one Sunday, and published myself to preach. After the conclusion of the sermon, I told them what my ideas were of their state; that I was apprehensive they were very ignorant, and employed their sabbath days very improperly; and I gave them notice that a school would be established there. The next Sunday I sent a young man to teach them. This was the first school we had for adults, and I mention it because of the very surprising effects it produced. The person I sent was just fitted for it. I told him he must never smile at anything he saw in them, though it might appear rude and improper; that he must never be tired of repeating the same thing, if it were a dozen times; and that kindness and perseverance would be sure to succeed. I consider learning letters as profitable only so far as it is necessary to obtain the knowledge which is contained in words; I therefore desired the teacher to give his adult pupils a short verse from the Bible, setting forth the state of man by nature, and his recovery through the redemption of Christ Jesus; and to avail himself of other means of conveying ideas to their minds of those things necessary to the salvation of their souls. They were rather rude and barbarous at first, but in a Sunday or two their minds were engaged in endeavouring to learn so much, that they resorted to their children, who were taught in a separate school (for I thought their being instructed

together would operate injuriously on both), and availed themselves of their assistance to learn their lessons between one Sunday and another; and they carried their books with them to the barn, or the mountain, or wherever they worked. They have felt it so desirable an object that they have overcome every obstacle. There was one woman whose case just occurs to me, who wished to come to the school, but her husband objected, saying, 'They will want you to hear sermon next, and where do you think I can get shoes for you and the family?' The woman, however, determined to go, and her attention was such that she soon became quite different at home. The husband himself then came, and there is now a very promising appearance as to the amelioration of their morals; and they both constantly attend the preaching of the gospel.

"The young man whom I have mentioned began the first Sunday with eighteen adults, some of them from seventy to seventy-five years of age. The number soon increased to 120, as it was a populous part of the country. It was then found that the house was too small to contain the numbers; they were very frequently outside the door on a Sunday afternoon, with the rain beating upon their books. It occurred to them that it would not do to go on this way; and they determined, though they were very poor, to build a place that they might have preaching as well as school. They came to me, and asked me whether I would endeavour to support them, provided they could not go through the expense; I engaged to do so, and I am happy to say that the chapel is now built, and principally by the exertion and contribution of these poor people, who get their livelihood by digging peat in the mountains, and carrying it to the towns to sell. The chapel is not only built, but it is crowded, and this in a neighbourhood where, a year and a half ago, very few could read, and there was very little sense of religion; but we have witnessed within that short period an universal reformation in that part of the country, and a most pleasing awakening in the minds of the young people in the neighbourhood; we have received fifty of them into society, and the gratitude of those who have been instructed is very pleasing. Not long ago, a poor woman, seventy-five years of age, with tears of joy told me that she was now able to read a chapter in the Bible, which she had never expected to do as long as she lived.

"When we formed Bible Societies we were very desirous of knowing what was the state of the country as to Bibles, and we found on examination a most deplorable deficiency. In two counties there were 1,400 families in each who had no Bibles, and a proportionate number of persons who could not read. Finding the state of the country to be thus deficient in the knowlege of reading and the possession of the Scriptures, I spoke at one of our public meetings with all the energy I could, in order to encourage the establishment of adult schools, and they soon spread so universally that there were not spectacles enough in all the country to furnish the aged

scholars who needed them; and in many instances, persons who were extremely ignorant indeed, and careless about any attempt to obtain an acquaintance with religion, have been enlightened and brought to a knowledge of the truth.

"I will mention one instance more, with a view to encourage persons never to give up; they are sure to prevail if they feel that concern for the souls of their neighbours which they ought. How can I say I love my neighbour as myself, if I refuse to exert myself that he may obtain those blessings without which he must perish everlastingly? We ought to labour with all our energies, and to suffer no delay, because the aged are hastening to eternity. Let us never think that we cannot succeed; we have succeeded, with persons of all ages, ranging from four years of age to eighty. You may conceive a thousand difficulties, but you will never conceive any one that we have not met with and overcome. The instance I refer to is that of a poor woman in one of our towns who had heard me speak about the importance of learning to read the Bible. She was taken ill, and this subject lay upon her mind; she was afraid to die, and determined that if her life were spared she would go to the Sunday school the first sabbath she could walk there. The Lord spared her life, and she went three or four Sundays, but found that she made very little progress. She was distressed at this, and at length she went to one of the teachers, and complaining that she did not know what to do, she made so little proficiency, she inquired if it were too trifling a thing for her to go to the Lord in prayer, and ask Him to assist her to learn to read. The teacher, being a good man, told her it was not, and encouraged her to persevere in her endeavours, and to pray to the Lord to enable her to read His word. Prayer and exertion, united together, soon accomplished the object in view, and overcame every difficulty. When I conversed with her, she had learned two chapters; the Bible was her companion in old age, and she made a satisfactory profession of religion. This woman was above sixty years of age when she first went to the school.

"We find very great benefit from the character of the teachers, if they are thoroughly spiritual, godly people. If their minds are impressed with the importance of the work in which they are engaged, and they are endeavouring to bring sinners to the knowledge of those things necessary to salvation, they do great good. We employ all who come, but we do not entrust any but those who are serious, however zealous they may be. What we want is seriousness of mind, and an aptitude in teaching the poor people those things that concern the salvation of their souls. We find that when the scholars become pious, we can do anything we please with them; they learn Scripture passages without number. We have no other books but those that are elementary, except Bibles and Testaments, which we have received through the liberality of the British and Foreign Bible Society. We have supplied all our poor children with Bibles, though

not gratuitously, yet at a very small price. We endeavour, as much as possible, to keep their minds employed upon the Scriptures, and we do not find that they are above their comprehension; but, being familiar with the Bible, they understand its doctrines, and it is their great delight to search the Scriptures.

"I must just speak a few words to ministers. If they wish to promote the great cause in which they are engaged, let them pay every possible attention to the furtherance of Sunday schools. They should encourage the teachers, and they should visit the children, and catechize them publicly. I have often catechized our young people before hundreds of persons; if the children could not answer the question, I have asked the congregation, and if they could not answer, I have let them carry it home with them, and the next time, having searched the Scriptures, they have been able to give a proper reply. I have found this plan to be exceedingly profitable. I use every means in my power, whether it is regular or irregular, to get the work forward; and if we use the means within our power, we can never be disappointed, though we are grieved sometimes by the morals and conduct of some of our young people. This is what we must expect from the state of human nature, and the corruptions of the human heart. We have, however, generally found a very great amelioration of morals where the schools prevail, and are carried on with vigour.

"When a Sunday school begins to decay, I always send there a teacher of one of our circulating schools to revive it. I never give it up, though it decays. We have been blest with many most excellent young men for piety and the spirit of the gospel,—many who have walked ten, twelve, or thirteen miles, in order to teach ignorant people; they have succeeded, and we have preaching and societies now, where there was formerly nothing but impiety. Our young men who were first taught in the schools, are now the most active among our teachers; and it is a comfort to me when I think of dying that the work will not die with me.

It is right to state that Mr. Charles's efforts were ably supported by several of his brethren in the ministry, especially by the Rev. Ebenezer Richards, of Tregaron, and the Rev. Owen Jones, of Gelli; both of whom had the power, in an extraordinary degree, of infusing vigour into Sunday school operations, and of kindling the zeal of all connected with them.

It must also be mentioned, that although Sunday schools originated, as far as Wales is concerned, with the Calvinistic Methodists, of which body Mr. Charles was a member, all the other denominations, particularly of the Nonconformists, engaged heartily and successfully in Sunday school work.

Passing over a period of fifty years, from the first establishment of Sunday schools in Wales, during which they had gained a footing in every town, village, and hamlet in the land, and embraced the common people of all ages, I shall proceed to cull some notices of the institution given by

gentlemen who were engaged officially in inquiring into the subject of education in various districts of the Principality.

Mr. Seymour Tremenheere, in his report, dated 15th Feb., 1840, on the state of elementary education in the mining district of South Wales, says: "In reference to Sunday schools, unquestionably these schools have done inestimable service in communicating widely among the rising generation the elements of religious knowledge. A large portion of whatever information the working classes here obtain from direct instruction comes through the medium of these schools."

Mr. Lingen, the present secretary of the Committee. Council on Education, reporting, in 1847, on the state of education in the counties of Carmarthen, Glamorgan, and Pembroke, says:—

"The type of Sunday schools is no more than this:-A congregation meets in its chapel, it elects those whom it considers to be its most worthy members, intellectually and religiously, to act as 'teachers' to the rest, and one or more to 'superintend' the whole. Bible classes, Testament classes, and classes of such as cannot yet read, are formed. They meet once, generally from two to four p.m., sometimes in the morning also, on each Sunday. The superintendent, or one of the teachers, begins the school by prayer; they then sing, then follows the class instruction-the Bible and Testament classes reading and discussing the Scriptures, the others learning to read: school is closed in the same way as it began. Sections of the same congregation, where distance or other causes render it difficult for them to assemble in the chapel, establish similar schools elsewhere. These are called branches. The constitution throughout is purely democratic, presenting an office and some sort of title to almost every man who is able and willing to take an active part in its administration, without much reference to his social position during the other six days of the week. My returns show 11,000 voluntary teachers, with an allowance of about seven scholars to each. Whatever may be the accuracy of the numbers, I believe this relative proportion to be not far wrong. The position of teacher is coveted as a distinction, and is multiplied accordingly. It is not unfrequently the first prize to which the most proficient pupils look. For them, it is a step towards the office of preacher and minister. The universality of these schools, and the large proportion of the persons attending them who take part in their government, have very generally familiarized the people with some of the more ordinary terms and methods of organization, such as committee, secretary, and so forth.

“Thus there is everything about such institutions which can recommend them to the popular taste. They gratify that gregarious sociability which animates the Welsh towards each other. They present the charms of office to those who, on all other occasions, are subject; and of distinction to those who have no other chance of distinguishing themselves. The topics current in them are those of the most general interest, and are