Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Love's redeeming work is done;
Fought the fight, the battle won:
Lo! he sun's eclipse is o'er;
Lo! he sets in blood no more!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal,-
Christ hath burst the gates of hell:
Death in vain forbids his rise;

Christ hath opened Paradise.

Lives again our glorious King;
Where, O death, is now thy sting
Dving once, he all doth save;
Where's thy victory, boasting grave?

Soar we now, where Christ hath led,
Following our exalted head;
Made like him, like him we rise,
Curs the cross-the grave-the skies.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

CONNEXIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE Jubilee Services in connection with Bethel Primitive Methodist Sunday-school, Cambridge-st., Sheffield, were preached on Sunday, November 27th, 1870. In the morning by the Rev. I. R. Barnsley; in the afternoon by the Rev. R. Bryant, and in the evening by the Rev. W. Price. During the services, hymns and anthems were sung by the children, assisted by members from the Tonic Sol-fa Choral Society, conducted by Mr. S. Hadfield. On Tuesday November 29th, a tea was provided in the large school-room, when there was a goodly number in attendance, after which there was a public meeting, W. Sissons, Esq., President of the Sheffield Sundayschool Union, in the chair. Addresses were delivered by the circuit ministers, the Rev. J. Barfoot, of the second circuit, and the Rev. J. Hargreaves, Wesleyan. The history of the school from its commencement was read by the secretary, as written some years ago by our late friend and school superintendent, Mr. Matthew Boyes, of which the following are extracts :— The society from which this Sundayschool first took its rise, commenced in the year 1820, at the house of Mr. Charles Mounsey, Waingate. From thence it was removed to a room in Watson Walk, where it was joined by the Rev. Jeremiah Gilbert. At this room the society endured much persecution, but the Lord made bare his arm in our defence, and brought many of our bitter foes to his footstool, who became valiant soldiers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Here the infant society increased, which necessitated our removal to a large room in Paradise-square. At this place, wishful to extend our usefulness, it was suggested we should

commence a Sabbath-school. The suggestion was no sooner made than a resolution was passed in favour, and a subscription entered into, but the members all being very poor, 59. was all that could be raised. With this a few books were bought and the school commenced with five scholars as a nucleus. The Lord prospered our labours and increased our numbers, which occasioned another removal to a house in Hawley Croft. Here we soon required more teachers for carrying on the good work, and not being able to get any more from the society, we secured the services of good moral characters, many of whom became soundly converted to God.

This

house was soon too small for us, so we removed to a large room in Hicks Lane, which had been occupied as a joiner's shop. Here we had more room and less rent to pay. The Lord prospered our work abundantly. The active members of the school put forth every energy to make the work of the Sabbath-school a success, and spared no pains to promote the welfare of the children. In this room we commenced our monthly teachers' meetings and prayer meetings, which we kept as strictly as any other part of our duty. To these prayer-meetings we may attribute much of our prosperity; many blessed seasons have we experienced, and both teachers and scholars have been converted to God upon these occasions. We had much reason for complaint in consequence of lateness and non-attendance of the scholars, for which apparently trifling excuses were offered. These excuses occasioned us to hold meetings quarterly, for the purpose of calling the parents of the children together, urging upon them the responsibility

of their position as parents, faithfully showing them how they were bringing upon themselves the anger of that God whose day they so utterly disregarded. At these meetings there was one question which we regularly used to ask, viz.: "Do you see any improvement in your childrens' learning or piety ?" On one occasion after this question had been proposed, an aged female came up to the desk leaning on her staff, "Yes!" said she, “I have great reason for thankfulness that my granddaughter ever came to this school. When she returns home she reads to me from the bible, and tells me of the many good things you have told her about the love of God to the vilest of sinners, in sending his son Jesus Christ to save them from eternal rain; and blessed be God he has opened my eyes, and I can now say that he has saved me." God owned our labours in the happy deaths of some of our scholars,-one boy especially, who used frequently to send for our late friend, Mr. Boyes, to talk to him about the love of Jesus, or to sing to him, of which he was very fond, his favourite hymn being: "My soul's full of glory, which inspires my tongue,” &c., a full account of which with others, may be found in the Annual Report of the Sunday-school Union for that year. In consequence of the very delapidated condition of our School-room, and unable to get any repairs done by the landlord, we experienced a serious check in our hitherto continued success. This obliged us to remove into the old chapel vestry, which proved a very lamentable change. The vestry was small and dark, and ill-constructed for a school; few scholars and fewer teachers followed us into this vestry; every week their number became less, until they were reduced to eight or nine scholars; Mr. Boyes alone re

maining as a teacher. At this time Mr. Boyes writes, "I was under fearful apprehensions that the school would be broken up; many times did I lift up my heart to God in earnest prayer that he would let the light of his countenance shine upon us again and open our way for a convenient room, and that he would give me grace and patience to cleave to the work whilst there was a scholar remaining." Shortly we heard tell of a school-room in the Brocco, which was unoccupied on the Sabbath day. Losing no time, the necessary inquiries were made. The room was engaged, forms and desks were bought, and we began our labours there on the following Sabbath, attended by a staff of fresh teachers; having made our opening as public as possible, we had more scholars than we had anticipated for the first day. The teachers were very diligent in making the school known to the neighbourhood round about, canvassing for all children who did not attend any other school, which resulted in a large increase in a very short time. This success raised our spirits to a high degree, and we all went about our work with joy and cheerfulness. Rent day came, and we were enabled promptly to pay what we owed to the school master. We were now in the highest hopes and expectation of seeing our school in still greater prosperity, but alas! our expectations were suddenly cut off, and our hopes perished; we had leaned on a broken reed. This gentlemanly looking school master forgot to pay his rent, and the landlord distrained upon our school property for the payment. The sale was duly advertised for the Saturday afternoon, and one of our teachers, hearing there was to be a sale of school furniture, &c., in the Brocco, went, and to his surprise found that it was our desks, forms, and

« ZurückWeiter »