the middle ages frequent tournaments were held in it. The modern Castle, from some unexplained cause, was seldom used. It was long unoccupied, and was ultimately let as private dwellings. Iu the year 1831 Nottingham was much affected by the wide-spread agitation for Reform, and on the rejection of the Bill by the Lords an indignation meeting was held in the large marketplace, and the rabble becoming furiously excited soon proceeded to acts of violence. The houses and shops of obnoxious persons were robbed and sacked, and a local reign of terror began. A mob marched to Colwick-hall, forced its way in, and destroyed indiscriminately paintings, furniture, and articles of vertu, endeavouring to set fire to the building. Returning to Nottingham the House of Correction was attempted, but the Castle, as the most prominent object for assault, was now singled out for outrage. The lodge gates were forced open and the walls scaled, and, as the building was uninhabited, no check was experienced, and the Castle was deliberately set on fire in various quarters, and, with the exception of the bare walls, was totally destroyed. The rioters proceeded to commit similar havoc on a silk mill at Beeston, and were meditating a like fate for Wollaton-hall, Lord Middleton's, but meeting with a stout resistance they returned into Nottingham. The ringleaders, or those who were pronounced to be such, were arrested. Three of them were hanged and several transported. The Duke of Newcastle received from the town £21,000 to rebuild the Castle, but no attempt has yet been made by the Duke or family. The lower apartments are now used as the drill room of the Robin Hood Rifles, the Castlegreen, or lawn, forming their parade ground. Fetes and galas are held here during the summer months. Season tickets are issued and also tickets to private parties. The writer will not soon forget the view from the summit of the rock, which is very fine, overlooking Wilford, (the favourite retreat of Henry Kirke White, and who resided some time in the picturesque village), the Trent, Wollaton, Belvoir, the railway stations, lines, and town generally. The rock is a favourite place of resort. May the writer and his numerous readers be found resting on the Rock of Ages, see the King of kings in his beauty, and dwell for ever in the heavenly mansions—that house above not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Oh, come hither, ye sons of ambition, ye children of pride, ascend this lofty summit, and think of the past! Come, and pass a few silent moments in this lonely ruin which boasts the most noble inhabitants, and let pride no more dwell or vanity rise in your hearts! P. DAYKIN

GATHERINGS FROM MEMORY.-NO. X.

A CHAPTER OF ODDS AND ENDS.

My dear young friends, you have read or heard of the Sunday scholar who, through reading pernicious and unprofitable publications, became not only a doubter, but an unbeliever, and who, when in this state, was brought to the gates of death. A kind member hearing of the case, went to see him. He had got to know of the sad alteration in his old pupil's mind; for after a short conversation he asked him if he might pray with him. Now had this youth

been a real believer, and fond of his Bible, do you think that the teacher would have asked him the question, "May I pray with you?" No, the teacher would have known how acceptable such an act would have been to one who loved the God of all grace; and he would therefore have said, "Let us pray!" Well, what was the reply? In a voice and manner which showed that he would rather the teacher did anything but pray, he said, "You may if you like!" Not long after, this miserable young man departed hence.

I will give you another case to shew the ill-effects of reading books on infidelity. An old school-fellow of mine became a teacher, and joined the church. By-and-bye he thought it would display greatness of mind if he began to read and criticise sceptical books. He became so desperately fond thereof that he brought them to the Sunday-school, and read them both there and in the chapel, whenever he had the least chance. By-and-bye his attendance in school duties ceased, his place in public worship was vacated, and although we were bosom friends while he was good and prayed, he now passed me in the streets with a haughty nod of the head. He was the most captious young man I ever knew, and made all about him wretched, so much so that people at last shunned his company. However it often happens that men who in early life have had a Sunday-school warning, but who leave their first love, are mercifully restored. After many years of wanderings in the dreary road of doubt, he at last was led to renounce his sceptical notions, and return to the church of his early life.

Allow me to say, while on this subject, that there is something dreadfully captivating in sceptical literature; so that it is not surprising that young and inexperienced persons are drawn away by it. It's boldness has a charm in it, and the levity with which it speaks of old and cherished truths fairly enamours some minds. It tells us that our religion is all a mistake; that it was instituted as a spiritual police to keep the poor in awe, while the rich revelled in pleasure: and that only simpletons allow themselves to be governed by its teachings. Thus it caters to our vanity, for all who renounce Christianity think they are the reverse of simpletons.

I was struck the other Sunday night by the admission of a man with whom a brother in his rounds in the prayer-meeting fell into conversation. He said he would like to be happy and settled in his mind, but that he had read certain works which had upset his faith in spiritual things, and he was in such a state of bewilderment that he found it impossible to believe. Here you have an instance of the truth of what I have said to you. Now let me advise you to turn aside from all such reading. You really have no need to study such books to find out the truth. The best way-indeed the only way-to be assured of the truth of the Bible is to be an experimental Christian. If we are Christians simply because we are in our judgments persuaded of the truth of the Bible, we may soon be persuaded in our judgments of its untruth, because some men can make error seem truth, and truth seem error, so clever are they in argument. But if we have got a knowledge of salvation by the remission of our sins, and tasted that the Lord is gracious, we get higher up than the region of argument, where no argument can reach us; so that as the blind man said so may we, "I cannot argue the point, but this one thing I know, whereas I was once blind, now I see."

When I named some of the local preachers who laboured amongst us in my

boyish days, I omitted to name the female part of such labourers. This I ought not to have done, as they took a very prominent part in the cause in those early days. There were two such, especially the one, Elizabeth Glaisher, and the other Mary M'Dowell. Now I will not enter into the discussion respecting the propriety or otherwise of female preaching. I simply deal in facts, and it is a fact that these two women were capital preachers, and were well received. Miss Glaisher was tall, grave, and very sedate; and her preaching was always sober and solid. The "Friends" were fond of her, and I have now and again seen a few of this people at our chapel when she was in the pulpit. She laboured hard and with unblemished reputation for many years; but at last she got her mind wounded by some misunderstanding, and went over to the "Friends."

Mary M'Dowell, whom I have named, was a remarkable young woman. She began to preach about the time that Miss G. gave over. Although very short in stature, and a cripple, through a fall in her childhood, she had a voice of remarkable power and flexibility, and when she was excited its tones moved and thrilled a large audience. Had she had a commanding figure, she would have been idolized, I am certain; as it was, she drew large audiences, and it was believed that she did a deal of good. Mary was in full work when I left home, but a while after she got married, and removed into the county of Durham, where I am told she still is. May we meet in heaven.

As I am filling up omissions, I will here put in one, as the case may be of use to you. One of the first local preachers raised up in my native circuit was a man named Isaac Thompson. He was a tall man, with a sweet voice, which he knew well how to use. He soon entered the ranks of the itinerants, and laboured in a few circuits, where he is yet remembered by old members. But for a reason I do not know of, he sat down and located in Liverpool, where for years he moved in a very respectable position, a credit to our cause. But strong drink was his ruin. Both he and his wife indulged freely therein. At last, ruin fell upon them all at once, and he was willing to work at anything. After passing through many privations, he went to London, where one of our ministers, who knew him, found him in great poverty. Mr. Davies, the BookSteward at that time, put him into the book warehouse as a helper on a small salary, where he remained until he ended his days.

Naming this sad wreck leads me to name another. Early on in my Christian career, a young man named William came amongst us from the Wesleyans, on purpose to take a place in our regular ministry. Now it is seldom that persons of this order do well. This one did not. He soon got tired, and came home. A shocking disturbance took place in our church, owing to this man marrying a person with money, and leaving one with whom he had long kept company. The storm at last subsided, and he preached with great acceptance for years. He was a remarkably good speaker; his voice was sweet, and he could use it well; and he had withal a gentlemanly bearing. Well, he did not thrive in his temporalities, so he left the town. After this he fell into intemperate habits, and his home was a cellar. He at last came to Liverpool. One morning, as I was about to ascend the stairs leading into my office, I chanced to turn my eyes towards a group of men who were standing at the corner of the street, awaiting the chance of being engaged for a day of labouring work.

I thought I knew the face of one in this group. I looked more attentively, and then discovered it to be the face of poor, wretched William.

Many, many are the cases of good and clever men, falling as did this man, first by forsaking the ministry, and then taking to drink! Mind well your steps!

Let me name another sad wreck, not through drink, but through reading bad books, and then I'll close this chapter. A Yorkshire man named Charles came to our town soon after my conversion, when he opened a shop. For many years he had been a travelling preacher, but, for some cause or other, he retired from the ranks, married an excellent woman, and became a local preacher. A more laborious man, or one more upright, kind, and true, I never knew. As a local preacher, he was in labours more abundant, and I never knew a man who could deliver an address on the spur of the moment so fresh and powerful. O, how beloved and useful was this man! Well, all at once he declared himself an unbeliever in the main items of our faith; and, not wishing to be dishonest, he offered to remain on the plan if he might be allowed to utter his convictions. This could not be allowed; so he was left off the plan. Some have thought that, had he been borne with for a time, he would have been saved. Be this as it may, he got further and further from the faith, all owing to reading the writings of one whom he knew in early life, and who had become an infidel. At last he came out as a thorough secularist. He still, however, remained a staunch teetotaler and a kind, benevolent man. He crowned his apostacy by marrying into an infidel family. His worldly affairs, however, went the wrong road, and he had to go back to his native town. My heart ever aches for this true friend of my boyhood, and I hope he may yet see his way back to Christ. But his case is to many a perplexing one. Be warned, -and let books which assail your faith be unread, and let the Bible be the chief companion of your reading hours.

[NOTE BY THE EDITOR OF THE "GATHERINGS.”—On the appearance of "Auld Andrew," in the March Messenger (or as a native would pronounce it, "Auld Andru,”) I wrote to my old friend Alderslade a letter of thanks, and in return I received this characteristic reply. Therein Mr. A. says:-" Although more than thirty years have intervened since I saw you, I still see you mentally as you were in '39, amongst the teachers and scholars in the old belfry. The silver medal which you gracefully handed me in that revered spot, in the name of your ex-teachers, has formed an item in many an interesting conversation." This incident had quite escaped my memory, as indeed had almost everything concerning my old friend except his person and manners. My brother (the writer of the "Gatherings,") had made respectable mention of him in his Voluminous Scribblings, as indeed he had of nearly every minister who had occupied the pulpit of his early days; but in preparing them for the press it was, of course, needful to abridge, thus dropping Mr. A. and many others. But the reading of Mr. A's letter (which I sent my brother) seems to have shaken up the far-down contents of his memory, for he thus writes :--"I cannot call to mind a young man who was so generally liked by the folks as H. Alderslade. He was cheerful and pleasant, genial and familiar, with a smile for everybody, and a kind word for all. His countenance was so fashioned as to be incapable of aught but smiles. I see him now as he strutted along (naturally though) with that high-shouldered stoop, which gave a sort of oldmanishness to his carriage, but which his active movements and rapid step disproved. When in 1849 I was in my native town for a while, I undertook the management of the school anniversary. Alderslade had been got to preach, and the sermons were of the old stamp, full of fire and energy; and being, as you know, a sweet singer, he gave us two nice little ditties during the afternoon sermon. Of quick thought and sudden impulse, hence liable to be overwrought, I am not surprised that he has been long laid aside. Well, whatever may befall us here, may we all meet where sorrow and sighing shall have fled away.]

ON THE NUMBER SEVEN.

THE frequent mention of the number 7, and its application to so many subjects throughout the Sacred Scriptures induces me to write an article on it, which I shall divide into two sections. The first section will consist of selections from the Old Testament, and the second, of selections from the New Testament.

Seven, as a number, is composed of the two most perfect numbers, equal and unequal-3 and 4: as the number 2, consisting only of repeated unity, is not a perfect number. The number 7 comprehends the primary numerical triangle, or triune; and is likewise square or quartile-conjunctions considered to bear the most benign influence and aspect by those who favour planetary influence. Genesis.

The Almighty God appeared first to use this number, for in six days He completed the great and grand work of creating the universe, and rested on the 7th day-set it apart for rest, consecrated the first Sabbath; one of God's greatest gifts to Adam's posterity. After the murder of Abel by Cain, had any one found him and slain him, vengeance would have been taken on him 7 fold. If Cain shall be avenged 7 fold, truly Lamech 70 times 7. Lamech lived to the age of 777. Holy Enoch who was translated, was the 7th from Adam, and Jesus Christ the 77th in a direct line, genealogically speaking. Noah had 7 days' warning of the flood, and was commanded to take into the ark of every elean beast by 7's; fowls also of the air by 7's. On the 17th day of the 7th month after the flood, the ark rested upon Mount Ararat, in Armenia, between the Black and Caspian Seas. After 7 days Noah sent forth a dove; she returned with an olive leaf in her mouth. Seven days' after he again sent her forth, she returned no more. The name Beersheba was given to a place because there Abraham gave Abimelech 7 ewe lambs for a well. The patriarch Jacob, who so successfully wrestled with the Lord, served twice 7 years for Rachel the youngest daughter of Laban, "and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her." He also served 7 years for Leah the eldest daughter. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid were 7. When Jacob left Padan-aram, Laban "pursued after him 7 days' journey, and they overtook him in the Mount Gilead." At the meeting of reconciliation between Isaac's sons, Jacob bowed before Esau 7 times. The mysterious dream of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, representing to his imagination 7 fat oxen and 7 lean ones; 7 full ears of corn, and 7 withered and blasted. These stood for the "7 years of plenteousness" and "7 years of dearth." Joseph made a mourning for his father at the threshing floor of Atad 7 days; and the Egyptians mourned for Jacob 10 times 7 days.

Exodus.

Reuel, the priest of Midian, had 7 daughters, "who drew water for their father's flock. After the first plague with which God afflicted Egypt, “7 days were fulfilled." At the conclusion of the ten plagues the feast of the Passover was instituted to commemorate the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt. They were then commanded to eat unleavened bread 7 days. On six days the Israelites gathered manna, on the 7th none fell. The 7th day was commanded by God to be always kept holy. Every 7th year there was a