startling figures were considerably reduced in committee, a sum nevertheless was granted which will raise the Schoolboard tax to 9d. in the for the ensuing year; and I have not the least doubt that all remonstrance will fail to reduce these figures at the present, as they have failed in the past. This is one proof, then, of the power which the School Board has in London, at all events, if not in all large towns and cities of this country.

Add to this, that the bitterest of all pills to an Englishman's digestion I mean "interference with the liberty of the subject," is either swallowed with ease, or forced down the throat without any serious inconvenience. Let an attempt be made to close the public-houses on Sunday, or to close them earlier during the week than at the present time, and you at once arouse a universal cry that you are "interfering with the liberty of the subject." But the London School Board has the power to send its officers to the houses of children who have not made the legal number of attendances, and summon their parents before the magistrates, to atone for their neglect either by imprisonment or fine. Another fact I may mention is, that not only is the School Board, from the very nature of its foundation, unable to permit any definite religious teaching in its schools, but there seems to be no great disposition in favour of religious teaching at all. This comes out by a comparison between the terms that are made in renting the Board Schools for educational purposes, and the terms made for Sunday-school purposes; and if any clergyman require further proof of this indisposition, let him apply to the Board to place him on the committee of management for the district in which he lives.

*

The teachers, too, employed by the Board have to undergo a very severe test as to their Secular knowledge; but no question, as far as I am aware need necessarily be asked as to what their religious opinions are the master or mistress might be a "Churchman" or a "Unitarian," or a member of the "Salvation Army." Now it appears to me that nothing could possibly be more painful to the clergy, or more frightfully injurious to the welfare of the Church, of the State, and of society generally, than this state of things. Educate your children in matters secular only, and leave out of sight the matters spiritual, and you are making scourges to punish yourselves. The history of the French Revolution, with all the atrocities of Robespierre and his disciples, are proofs of this fact; whilst, alas! to come nearer home, the diabolical practices of men who certainly are not lacking in intelligence, and are not without even scientific knowledge,

are too fresh in our memories. These violent men come from a land that boasts of a most perfect system of education only to abuse the hospitality of our own. Not for one moment would we seek to depreciate "secular teaching." And as a member of the Committee of Management under the London School Board for my own district, I most ungrudingly bear my testimony to the efficiency of the education given in Board Schools. No clergyman, be he opposed to the system or otherwise, can deny the fact that it must be highly beneficial for poor and degraded neighbourhoods to have in their centre a spacious building like a Board School, with its many ramifications, its well ventilated rooms, its admirably appointed furniture, and, above all, its excellent discipline administered by a class of men and women who, for intelligence and ability, will compare most favourably with any class of the community. I, for one, am by no means opposed to a national system of education, whereby every child born into the State shall have a sufficient amount of knowledge imparted to him which will enable him to make his way in the world.

I would make education as free as it could be,-nay, I would even wish to see it perfectly free; but pari passu I would also like to see that higher education which alone can fit a man for the duties of this life, and prepare him for the life which shall be hereafter. We have seen that, supposing I am right in my reasoning, this latter will not be given in the Board Schools. Although when I make this sweeping assertion, I do not deny for a moment that there are many excellent men and women occupying the position of masters and mistresses in schools who do indirectly, by the beauty of their lives, give a tone to their scholars; but to impart anything approaching to definite Church teaching during school hours would be as much as their situation was worth. Nor would I pass by without an expression of gratitude-in which I am sure all of us will join-to Sir Henry Peek, for the annual prizes he gives at the examinations that are held in scripture history. But anyone who has ever attended those examinations must admit that they are of a purely elementary character. So, even from this quarter, we, the clergy, cannot get what we deem absolutely necessary as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. The number of Church schools is rapidly diminishing-right giving way to might; and upon the difficulty of maintaining those that do exist, the clergy themselves are the best witnesses. Those who have endeavoured to retain their Church school in opposition to the London School Board have had one of the most arduous tasks it is possible to conceive;-a task which must

C

have cost them many an anxious hour and many a sleepless night, to say nothing of the drain upon their own private resources. If we cannot get, then, what we require in the Board School, and if Church Schools are gradually being devoured by Board Schools, how are we to meet the difficulty? I assume that every one would admit that the Sunday School, though a powerful agency, is not sufficient in itself; and I maintain that no one ought to be satisfied with it: hence, then, the raison d'être for Christian schools. It would be most unjust on my part were I to lay any claim to having established these schools in my own parish; indeed, I must confess to never having heard of them until I had as my colleague the Rev. F. P. Downman, who brought with him the idea from his former curacy at Southwark. He established them in St. Mary's parish some three years ago; and they have been most ably and successfully carried on by my present colleague, the Rev. G. A. L. Browne. The practice is to invite the children who attend the Board School in the parish to come to the church twice a week, immediately they are dismissed from the Board School. The invitation is given, not, of course, in the schools, but by means of notices distributed to them in the streets as they are returning from school; and sent also to every house and room in the parish, so that there is not, and cannot be, the slightest infringement of any of the laws of the London School Board. A short bright service is held for them, consisting of a few collects and hymns that are well known; and then they are addressed and catechised-on one evening upon the scriptures, and on the other upon the teaching of the Church. I have purposely used the expression "invited," and it is a fact that the invitation is accepted by the children in the most enthusiastic manner. Some short time ago I had occasion, as a manager, to enter the Board School in my parish; and one of the teachers informed me that nothing could exceed the eagerness with which the children looked forward to the service in the church upon the two evenings they are held; and that no greater punishment could she inflict upon them than to detain them, once the church bell was heard ringing. It is also worthy of note that not only is the attendance good at the "Christian Schools," but it is also of a permanent character, the same faces being observable evening after evening. Of the behaviour of the children during their little service, it would be impossible to speak too highly; and when I tell you we have an average attendance of nearly 200 children, and that the most perfect order is maintained, as well as instruction given by only four persons, you will understand the feeling that exists between the children and their teachers. The

boys are placed on one side and the girls on the other; and, perhaps, not the least affecting part of what anyone who saw it would admit to be a deeply interesting picture is the number of quite young children carrying babies almost as big as themselves in their arms. The children get a ticket for each attendance, and for every twenty-four tickets they get a "picture card"; and once in the year they are examined by the diocesan inspector, when rewards are given for proficiency. Through the kindness of the children of the parish of Cobham, in Surrey-who have heard of our schools through the Rev. Mr. Browne, a tea was given to the "Christian Schools" at Christmas, the expenses being defrayed from the channel I have mentioned; but with this exception, no inducement whatever of an eleemosynary kind has been held out. The clergy who were present in the vestry of Shoreditch Church when the parochial clergy and the missioners were asked to give their experience of the "London Mission," then being held, may remember one or two of the clergy spoke of " the successful services that had been held for children, and expressed the hopes that such services might be permanently established." I feared at the time that it might be considered egotistical had I stated that such services had been in existence in my parish for the length of time I have mentioned; but I have no hesitation. now in joining in the hope that has been expressed, that in every parish in which there is not a church school there may from this out be a school similar to that which I have de-. scribed-call it by whatever name you please,—where definite religious instructive may be given. And I will only add that if any words of mine should be the means of inducing: the clergy to consider this matter, I shall not have written,. and you, my readers, will not have perused in vain what I fear must have been a somewhat long and tedious paper.

N.B.-I may mention that the evenings upon which the Christian Schools are held in my parish are Tuesday and Friday, and that the hour is 6 o'clock, upon which occasion we shall be only too pleased to welcome visitors; and anyonerequiring further information upon the subject can obtain it on writing for it.

FOR

A STRANGE NURSERY.

OR some time past, an artist of my acquaintance has been giving lessons in wood-carving to an Anglican sister. This sculptor, like myself, is not a man who cares for rigid creeds; but pretty constant visits to his pupils' community have imbued him with a wonderful enthusiasm for sisterhoods. Possibly all sisterhoods are not as perfect as that of St. Mary-at-the-Cross: I should think it altogether probable that there is not one better association of the kind in our country. So ignorant was I of such communities that I mistily believed they never allowed male creatures within their walls. But my friend disabused my mind of this notion, and urged me to make the acquaintance of his charitable heroines as soon as possible. These sisters carry on their work in the Convent of St. Michael's, Shoreditch; and thither I wended my way on a certain afternoon, having previously ascertained that my visit would not be regarded as an intrusion.

The St. Michael's Sisters of the Poor have now been at their work in the East for nineteen years. In 1865 the first two of their number took up their abode in a corner of a dirty, ill-drained lodging-house, close to St. Michael's Church, Mark Street, Finsbury. Their first night was rendered a restless one by a variety of causes; and tradition asserts that in the stillness of the early morn one of the missionaries was heard to say, in the calm tones of a true martyr, "Sister, that makes fifty," referring to a slaughtered insect of bad repute. However, while the sisters are capable of doing all things that genuine ladies can usually do, they likewise enjoin on themselves a rule that they shall be able to perform thoroughly every kind of menial work. They are instructed and refined women, but hearty devotees to the broom and the scrubbing-brush to boot. So the wretched quarters in which they began their history were quickly rendered as bright as cleanliness could make them; and soon they had organized a regular system for teaching, feeding, nursing, advising, comforting, burying the really helpless poor of this neighbourhood. All their efforts were superintended by the Rev. H. D. Nihill, then, as now, vicar of the parish. The progress made from the small beginning in the unhealthy lodginghouse may be at once realized when I say that the sisters