BOSTON SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY.

THE second annual public meeting of this interesting institution, was held on the evening of the 11th of December, at Mr Ware's church in Boston. After the devotional services, conducted by Mr Motte, the secretaries of the society, Mr Gray and Dr Flagg, read the reports which follow this notice. The President, Hon. Jonathan Philips, then addressed the meeting in a very impressive manner. He spoke of the nature and methods of early education, and of the joy he felt in the success that had so far attended the efforts of the society. He was followed by the Rev. Mr Whitman of Waltham, who described the benefits resulting from Sunday schools, as connected with manufacturing establishments. Rev. Mr May of Brooklyn, Connecticut, bore his testimony to their happy effects on agricultural communities, and, in the course of his remarks, adverted particularly to their indirect influence upon parents through the children, which he had often found to be in. a high degree salutary. Dr Channing expressed his conviction of the useful tendency of these institutions, when well conducted, and made some discriminative observations, of great moment, on the ends of juvenile instruction, and the modes of imparting it. He believed that valuable improvements were to be looked for in these respects. He rejoiced in the perfect freedom that characterized the operations of this society, as he anticipated much good from the independent exercise and unrestrained communication of thought which it allowed. He dwelt upon the peculiar advantages of Sunday schools to the poor, and suggested a wish for greater sympathy be

tween them and the rich. Dr Flagg gave some explanations that seemed to be called for, and glanced at the difficulty and importance of obtaining always well educated persons for teachers. Professor Follen, of the University, interested the meeting with remarks on the benefit which the teachers themselves derived from their efforts to impart religious instruction to the children of these schools. He knew of no better means of personal improvement. For himself, he could say that he was not aware of any pursuit from which he had received greater advantage. Rev. Mr Pierpont confessed that he had once doubted the utility of these institutions. He wished now to declare publicly that his views were changed. He referred to the good effects of the one established in his parish, and spoke of the importance of having the children of the different ranks in life brought together into the same school for religious culture, as they were in his own society. He concluded with commendatory remarks on the devotedness of females to the useful and honorable employment of Sunday school teaching. Dr Tuckerman was able, from the relation he sustained to the poor of the City, to attest, in strong terms, the valuable influence of Sunday schools upon this portion of the community, and insisted upon teachers frequently visiting those families of this class, to which their pupils respectively belonged. Rev. Mr Gannett was strongly in favor of the schools as means of nourishing the devotional spirit of the teachers, felt deeply the necessity of vital piety to the success of the religious instructer, and pressed these topics upon the attention of the meeting in a strain of impassioned eloquence.

After the addresses, of which we have given but a very imperfect account, resolutions were passed to accept the Reports, and to have them published. The meeting was large and respectable, and its proceedings were marked with great intelligence and an excellent spirit. It was gratifying to see so many present from a distance, and to learn that they entered so deeply and cordially, into the designs of the Society. These meetings cannot but be useful for the sympathy they awaken, and the interchange of thought they produce. No one, we think, could have gone away from the one we have noticed, without a stronger conviction of the utility of Sunday schools, and a warmer zeal for their prosperity. We congratulate the society on their success thus far, and invoke the blessing of Heaven on their future endeavors.

ERAL

THE RECORDING SECRETARY'S ANNUAL REPORT, OF THE SEVSCHOOLS IN THIS CITY, IN CONNEXION WITH THE BOSTON SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY, FOR THE YEAR 1928.

THE reports received by the Directors from the several schools in this city in connexion with this society, are highly interesting and encouraging. Two new schools have been established within the past year, making nine now in operation, connected with which are 1089 children, and 202 teachers. The management of these schools, and the different methods of instruction pursued in them, are under the direction of the superintendents and teachers particularly connected with them, and at the quarterly meetings of this Society an opportunity is afforded to make known improvements, and listen to suggestions tending to advance the general interests of the schools.

Every teacher is called upon not only to devote himself to the moral and religious instruction of a class, but freely to give his opinion and experience respecting any plans he may think most conducive to the general good. By this means, mind acts on mind and produces improvement, and teachers are diligently seeking after, and carefully considering the plans of others, in order to adapt them to the situations and wants of their particular schools. We will give a brief abstract from these reports, commencing with the Sunday schools in the Rev. Dr Lowell's society, which were established in 1822.

The school for boys consists of 44 pupils, and 4 teachers. In this school there have been a few engaged as teachers, who were once pupils in it, evincing already some happy results from the labor bestowed. In addition to scriptural and oral instruction, various manuals. and catechisms are used, and among the general exercises is the giving out a portion of scripture on one Sabbath to be read on the next, for the purpose of requiring the explanation of any words and passages they may be called to read, which is caculated to interest and excite inquiry, and to overcome the habit of reading without understanding.

"In the school for girls, there are 77 pupils, and 17 teachers. This school is entirely separated from the boys, and is under the direction of the ladies. Within the past year the reward system has been entirely discontinued, and no inconvenience has been experienced. The children have attended as punctually as before, and have appeared quite as much interested. There is in this school a library, formed in 1826, which has not only greatly interested the children, but the books loaned have been gladly received, and proved highly interesting to

many of the parents. Singing has lately been introduced, and is found very pleasing to the children, and adds much to the interest of our exercises."

The Hancock Sunday school, according to the report, is in as flourishing a condition as at any former year. "The number attending the school has not diminished, being 130 on an average, out of 164 belonging to it. There are 27 teachers, 15 ladies, and 12 gentlemen, several of whom have been in the school from its commencement in June, 1823. No material change has taken place in the exercises the past year, except the introduction occasionally of a general lesson on some subject in natural history, which has been highly interesting, and afforded an opportunity of strongly impressing the mind with the wisdom and goodness of Him, who is over all, in all, and through all. The intercourse of the teachers with their classes," adds this report, "is in some respects different from what it has been. There is less formality, and more frankness. The best feelings of the child are addressed, and every day occurrences treated upon familiarly. Thus the teacher in very many instances, is made the confidant of the children, who have exposed to him their weaknesses and faults, and with a softened heart have felt the want of a teacher's counsel, and the approbation of their own minds, and at an early age, even, to see the suitableness of what they are taught to meet those wants which they have been made to feel. We notice this more particularly, fearing that those who are not intimately acquainted with Sunday schools, have the impression, that there is acquired at them " a religion of the head only, and that the religion of the heart can only be drank in with the accents