cording to their age, and the time of attendance, well instructed. They were at home in the history of their fathers, contained in the Bible, they were well acquainted with the law, and their answers showed that they understood its meaning. I was much delighted with their ability to quote passages which treat of the sinfulness and depravity of human nature, and with their understanding this humiliating truth. Many old Jews would have been put to shame by these children on this point. They showed a great acquaintance with the promises concerning Messiah. They could quote, when asked, the passages which speak of his person, nature and work. 66 They were likewise no strangers to the truths of the New Testament, though some schools have not been favoured to do herein so much as others; those at Inowraclaw, Posen, Schlichtingsheim, and one at Kempen, have done more than the others. The reason why I cannot include the other school at Kempen is, that its teacher has been but a short time there, and to teach the children the New Testament, depends entirely on the degree in which the teacher possesses the confidence of the children, which it is not so easy to obtain; and when he has the confidence of the children, he loses that of the parents. In schools, as at Margonin and Storchnest, the enmity of the Jews prevents much being done in this respect, though of the two, Storchnest has the advantage.' Mr. Minarski, the teacher at Rogasen, has according to his reports, continued to teach the children the word of God, of the Old as well as of the New Testament, and it is only to be regretted that he is so frequently interrupted by the best children being generally taken away. We conclude with inserting the report of an examination on the Creed, at one of the schools, communicated by Mr. Graf: "It was highly interesting for me to hear Mr. Bartel catechising on the second article of the Apostles' Creed. His children (at the school at Inowraclaw) answered promptly the questions he put to them about the first article; they were but a few, to serve as introduction to the second; he then asked: 66 T. What is taught in the second article? "Ch. Redemption, or of redemption. "T. Who is the Redeemer ? "Ch. Messiah. "T. What is the Messiah. ? "Ch. A man. "T. Nothing more than a man? "Ch. He is also God. "T. How do we express it, when we say Messiah is God and man. 66 Ch. God-man. "T. Where in the Bible is it said, that Messiah shall be God and man in one person? "Ch. Isaiah ix. 6, and Micah v. 2. (they recited those passages). 66 T. Who was to be the mother of the Messiah? "Ch. A virgin. "T. Where is this said? "Ch. Isaiah vii. 14. "T. When shall the Messiah be born? "Ch. While Israel is still a people by himself, and the second temple is standing. "T. Prove this from Scripture. "Ch. Gen. xlix. and Haggai ii. "T. From what tribe shall the Messiah come forth? "Ch. From Judah. "T. Where do we find this written? "Ch. Genesis xlix. "T. From what family? "Ch. David's. "T. Who says this? "Ch. Nathan, the prophet. 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13. "T. How manifold shall be his office? "Ch. Threefold. "T. Name it. "Ch. Prophetic; or, he shall be a prophet: High Priest; and King. T. Where is it said he shall be a prophet? "Ch. Deuteronomy xviii. 15. “T. What is he to do as prophet? "Ch. To teach. "T. Can you quote a passage from the prophets, which shows that he shall teach? "Ch. Isaiah lv. and lxi. “T. Where is Messiah said to be High Priest? "Ch. Psalm cx. “T. What has he to do as High Priest? "Ch. To offer up a sacrifice. "T. What is the sacrifice he offers ? "Ch. He offers himself. "T. For whom? "Ch. For mankind. "T. Who says this? "Ch. The prophet Isaiah liii. 66 T. Shall Messiah remain in the sepulchre ? "Ch. No, he shall arise from the tomb. "T. Where is this said? "Ch. Psalm xvi. and Isaiah liii. "T. Is he to remain on earth? "Ch. No, he goes to heaven, as it is said, Psalm lxviii, and cx. "T. Where is the Messiah called King? "Ch. Psalm ii: Jeremiah xxiii. "T. What has he to do as King? "Ch. He reigns, according to Psalm cx. “T. What shall he do at the end of the days? "Ch. He shall come to judge all men, as Daniel says, chapter vii. "All answers were given with the named passages, verbatim, and as above, by the children simultaneously, which made a deep impression upon me, as well as upon the other four individuals who were present. This was especially the case when they recited Isaiah liii. (the whole chapter), without any hesitation. "So far, as above reported, all was well, but when the teacher asked: 66 6 My dear children, tell me now, who may the Messiah be?' 66 66 They were all silent. "T. Do you think that he has not yet come? They all said: 'no, he has not yet come; he will come.' "T. When is he to come? "Ch. While Israel has still a king of his brethren, and the second temple is standing, then will he come? "T. Has Israel, then, a king of his nation? Stands the second temple? Who has driven your fathers out of their land, and destroyed your sanctuary? "Ch. The Romans. "T. Now, tell me, can Messiah yet be expected? or has he not already come? "Ch. Some said, but with a very low voice, 'he has not yet come;' and others, less loudly, 'he has come.' "T. Yes, children, he has come; and who may it be? 66 They all blushed and were silent. "T. You know who it is: I have proved it to you from the New Testament, you know it very well. "And he was about to go on urging them to say it, but I requested him to pass on to another subject, as I saw the severe inward struggle of the children. He then showed them, shortly, how all that was predicted concerning the Messiah, had been fulfilled in Jesus, and having done this, he passed on to reading. "I have, however, never felt so deeply the prerogative which I have, as a Christian, in this respect, as I did on this occasion; and I pitied the poor children, when I felt how difficult it was for them to utter the name which is sweeter than honey. And I thought, can these children really remain Jews, who are taught so well from the Old Testament as to the main point of the doctrine of Christianity? I cannot believe that they will all persevere in the Jewish religion.” THE PAST AND THE FUTURE. I. WHEN the joyful widow smiled, II. When the gathering multitude |