20 TESTIMONIES IN FAVOUR OF PENITENTIARIES.

vants of Christ; doing the will of God from the heart." (Ephe. vi. 5, 6.) Not attending to such things as you think will attract notice, and neglecting those which you may expect will pass unobserved; nor even doing what you do rightly with a simple view to please an earthly master; but doing all as "the will of God;" knowing that you are His servant; and that the rule of your obedience in all things is his will, and that he requires your hearty and willing obedience. And doing all as to Christ, "with good-will doing service to the Lord, and not to men," knowing that whatever you do as his servaut, and for his glory, will be acknowledged by Him; that not the least or the most insignificant duty which you fulfil in any relation of life, as from regard and love to Him, will be forgotten in that day when the faithful servant, and the faithful master will be equally accepted by Him.

(To be concluded in our next.)

TESTIMONIES IN FAVOUR OF PENITENTIARIES. NO. 2.-REV. CHARLES HYATT.

I do not intend to occupy a moment in stating the necessity of Penitentiaries, but will introduce two facts which have come to my own knowledge, which will serve to remove every objection against them. Providence has assigned me a situation where the vice deplored by this Society prevails in an alarming degree.-When I mention the neighbourhood of Ratcliff and Shadwell, every one must know the truth of this representation; but I will present two objects, with a view of shewing, that in neighbourhoods the most degraded, good may be done, and the midnight wanderer restored to habits of in

TESTIMONIES IN FAVOUR OF PENITENTIARIES.

21

dustry and the fear of God.-About ten years ago (and I mention the date to shew how long the individual referred to has continued in the paths of virtue) I was applied to respecting a poor creature, who, convinced of the evil of her ways, had ventured to open her mind to another, and with much appearance of contrition to make some inquiries. Upon this I requested two females of my acquaintance to visit her, they returned, and informed me that they judged the poor girl sincere, and that she discovered every mark of true repentance. Immediately I endeavoured to arrange some plan to snatch this poor creature from ruin, by finding some honest employment for her, by which she might obtain her livelihood. With a proposal of this nature she cheerfully complied, and continued for twelve months orderly and industrious, and affording increased evidence of her real reformation. After this I introduced her into the family of a female friend in my connection, where she has remained until now, discovering every satisfactory mark of genuine repentance, and now every Lord's day she is seen a humble worshipper of Him, who has graciously forgiven all her sins.

About two years ago I was again solicited to notice another unfortunate creature of the same description, -one who had been a midnight wanderer for bread, in the neighbourhood of St. Catherines. I followed the same plan as before, requesting some females to visit, and propose some employment; this poor creature had moved in the lowest scenes of wickedness, and, convinced of her folly, she would, on some dark evenings, slip into a place of worship, and often went home with resolutions no more to pursue her abandoned course; but as often failed in the fulfilment of that resolution.

When first introduced to me, I in

quired, can you read?' 'No,' and directly added, I have reason to regret that when I was a child, there were no Sunday Schools, and the consequence is, I have been pursuing sin, inconsiderately, and without any proper apprehension of the consequences.' She has now entered into a small shop, and is supported by her own industry, and is regarded by every one who know her as a reclaimed character. She says

her greatest grief is, that she is obliged to retail the articles in the shop to individuals who are now following the same wicked course she has, by grace, been enabled to abandon; to these characters her warnings are faithfully administered, and in two instances already have been accompanied with a blessing."

OPERATIONS OF THE LONDON FEMALE MISSION. AGENTS' REPORTS.

Catherine D- -, a poor Irish girl, left my care this week for service. My acquaintance with her originated in the following manner: Being solicited some months since to visit two abandoned females in Black Boy Alley, I did so, and in my visit I noticed Catherine D- standing at the door of a wretched abode in that locality. I accosted her, and inquired if she could read? She replied that she could not; but judging from ber manner that she was anxious to be taught, and that it was either timidity or fear that kept her back from attending the class, I took an early opportunity of repeating my visit, in order to rescue her, if possible, from the danger to which she was exposed.

On my second visit I was exposed to much insult from her brother, (who is seldom for a month

together out of prison,) and by a group of thieves who are his associates in crime; but the energetic conduct of Catharine effectually protected me from any ill-usage, for she personally accompanied me out of the court. This gave me an opportunity of conversing at more length with her, and getting from her a promise to attend our class at its next meeting. This she did, but though she was present I could not get her to receive a lesson in reading, for fear it should come to the knowledge of her father. Having, however, removed this difficulty, and at subsequent meetings directed her attention to some girls of her own age and country, who, though once as ignorant as herself, were now able to read, her scruples were overcome, and she consented to be taught. Being a quick intelligent girl, she made great progress in the attainment of elementary and religious know. ledge, and she is now likely, I trust, to make a useful member of society.

BENEFITS CONFERED.

Three families, during the past week, have been visited and relieved, and two afflicted girls have also been supplied with those comforts which their illness required, but which their parents' scanty means would not afford. A situation in a pious family has also been obtained by your agent for one of her scholars, who, for a period of four years, has been under her care.

Until placed in service she had been living with her parents in R-L- Alley. Her father is a very illiterate man, and has always exhibited the most decided opposition to religion and religious instruction. He would never allow his daughter to attend a Day or Sabbath-school; and it was only after much and

frequent entreaty on the part of the child as well as of myself, that I succeeded in getting her to my class. When admitted she was very ignorant, and her mind appeared so weak from neglect, that it was a work of much difficulty to get her to understand a single sentence of what she heard or read. But her anxiety to learn caused her to be seldom absent from the class, and also to give the greatest attention to the instruction afforded there, so that she gradually but completely overcame these difficulties, and before she left my care I had the pleasure of presenting her with a New Testament; a book which she now can both read and value as the word of God.

A FAITHFUL SERVANT.

Having been asked by Mrs. B. who took A. S. out of the class into her service as housemaid, to visit her, I this day accepted the invitation. Mrs. B. received me with great kindness, spoke in the highest terms of her young servant's piety and diligence, and concluded her statements by saying, that her mind had been so powerfully impressed by the conduct of her servant as to the value of your Agent's instructions, that she requested that her own daughters, two in number, might enjoy similar religious advantages.

When first invited to the class, A. S. was a poor ignorant girl. Her father was a profane character, and her mother was a woman almost destitute of maternal affection. A. S.'s position at home, therefore, was altogether a most disadvantageous one. But it pleased God to bless the instruction given, to the conversion of her soul, and she is now a humble follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a truly faithful servant to her employers.