Anecdotes, calculated to show the utility of distributing Religious Tracts-from the Appendix to the Report of the Bristol Tract Society. A pious tradesman, who resides in a place which was totally destitute of the Gospel, felt much concern for the spiritual welfare of the inhabitants. He prayed earnestly that God would make him an instrument of some good to his fellow mortals. Being recommended to the Tract Society, he purchased a considerable number, with a design of distributing them among his ignorant neighbours. Among many characters, his attention was particularly fixed on two or three, whom he considered as the ringleaders in vice; to each of them he sent Tracts, which he deemed suited to their condition; nor were his pious endeavours in vain. One man, the most abandoned in the place, became a striking monument of divine grace. Like Saul, he exclaimed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And proved the sincerity of his language by his acts: he gave a piece of ground for the purpose of building a place of worship, and rendered considerable assistance in its erection. The chapel is built, the congregation is numerous, a church is formed, and the man by whose means it was began, is an honourable member of it Thus, by the means of a single Tract, a benighted place, and its vicinity, are likely to be illuminated with the light of truth. A person lately called at this Society's Depository, and inquired for the Tract entitled "SERIOUS THOUGHTS ON ETERNITY ;" and after remarking that much good was done by the dispersion of those publications, said he particularly prized that Tract, for it had first led him to discover his sinful state; and added, that as he was going to work on a Saturday, last January, he had dropped it from his pocket, in the Old Park; but that one of his companions while walking in the Park on the following day, whither he usually resorted to profane the SABBATH, had picked it up-read itand was led to see the error of his ways.-He returned home; and a visible alteration has since been apparent in his life and conversation. The owner of the Tract inquired the cause of the change; when his companion showed him the Tract, and told him where, and how he had met with it.—This turned his sorrow into joy, to find that it had been blessed. The owner of the Tract has since gone out into the villages on the Sabbath, where he teaches children, reads this Tract, and occasionally exhorts his hearers to turn unto the Lord. The Tract entitled "A WORD TO THE PROFANE," was given to a female who was known to be much addicted to that vice. It powerfully impressed her mind; in consequence of which, she put it into the hands of her relations, who not only became reformed characters, but gave evidence that their minds were evange lized. SUNDAY SCHOOLS. Extract of a letter to a gentleman in New-York. SHEFFIELD, (Eng.) 1816. "We have had another most interesting anniversary of our Union. Every year, prejudice wears increasingly away, and the union of hearts is more and more effected. Indeed there seems to be but one heart and one wish among us, and that is who shall being the most glory to our Redeemer's kingdom. "At our first anniversary there were three thousand children, and four hundred teachers; at the fourth anniversary, which was on Monday last, there were six thousand five hundred children, and fourteen hundred teachers, and we have every prospect of extending our borders the present year. "We are going to establish branch Unions in all the villages which are about six miles around Sheffield, and we anticipate a great accession of numbers and teachers from this plan. The triumphant car of our beloved Immanuel is rapidly advancing through the nations; we are anxious to follow in his train, and take with us all that are within the range of our influence. "Since our anniversary has been formed, there has been a Union established at Birmingham, and another at Leed, and a third at Chesterfield. To the two former our union has been very useful, and the Chesterfield school has been formed on our plan. "Thus we hope that the little leaven will be more and more extended, until it leavens the whole lump. "We have rejoiced to learn, that you have established a Sunday School Union in New-York. We mentioned this to the Society at our last meeting, and the information was received with great joy. Could the teachers of the Sunday Schools in New-York have been brought to the burying ground at the top of Broad Lane, some few days ago, where four thousand children were arranged in a beautiful hollow square, four deep; the boys without in two rows, and the girls within in the same order; the whole neatly dressed, with joy beaming in every eye, and pleasure in every countenance; while two thousand more were in the Wicker, and seven hundred at Loxley; the whole belonging to the Union, and all singing the praises of God in the open air, to the gratification of thousands of admiring spectators: could they have noticed the interest which all classes of people in the town and country seem to take in the Union; could they have seen Carver-street, and Queen-street Chapels, the largest in the town, thronged with children, every seat containing double rows could they have heard them lisping the praises of the Redeemer in exact time, and with beautiful harmony: could they have heard the affectionate sermons preached, and witnessed the impressions they have made upon the audience : could they have been present at our meeting for business in the afternoon, and have heard our report for the present year, crowded with important particulars, and the animated speeches then delivered: could they have witnessed that ardor of zeal, that intenseness of love, and that anxiety for the salvation of all: we are sure it would have been to our American brethren, a scene that would have proved stronger than ten thousand arguments of ours,/ to prove the advantages of Union Sunday Schools." 1440 An ingenious expedient adopted by a teacher to cure Idle ness. Having lately met with two instances of sloth, I resolved to show my displeasure in such a way as might afford hopes of a speedy and effectual reformation. I had some time before given directions to my gardener to part off a small piece of ground, and to leave it totally without culture. As a natural consequence it was soon covered with weeds. One day I conducted my boys thither, and in their presence I singled out the two delinquents, and commanded them to put on a cap which had in its front the following inscription, "Idleness shall cover a man with rags." I then ordered them to walk about among the weeds for one hour in the view of the whole school; this punishment produced the desired effect :-The boys were reclaimed, and are now among the most diligent of my pupils, reaping the reward of their subse quent assiduity; and I have never since had occasion to recur to a similar procedure. The place is named "Sluggard's corner." I have preserved it for the sole benefit of the rising generation; and all that I require will be a certificate from the parent or tutor of any youth, stating the bearer to be an idle boy, which will secure him a place in the Sluggard's corner," until he is reclaimed; and I will venture to express a hope, that even in the most obstinate cases, this will be effected in the space of two or three days. CRITO From a late London Paper. On reading the works of the Rev. R. Cecil, late minister of St. John's Chapel, Bedford-Row, we met with an interesting piece of poetry, combining strong Christian feeling with powerful imagination; and as the volumes are likely only to fall into particular hands, we cannot forbear the pleasure of extracting most of the verses. them to his wife, with a view to divert her sorrow and soothe her mind, on a child, only one month old, being removed at day-break, and whose countenance in death was most heavenly. The following are the verses: Mr. Cecil wrote the verses and gave "Let me go; for the day breaketh." Cease here longer to detain me, Lately launch'd, a trembling stranger, Now my cries will cease to grieve thee, THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. VOL. II.] Saturday, February 22, 1817. [No. 22. COLONIZATION OF THE FREE PEOPLE OF COLOUR. AMONG the several schemes for meliorating the social and moral condition of mankind which Christian philanthropy has for sometime past been engaged in promoting, with a benevolence and zeal characteristic of the times, the plan for colonizing the free people of colour of the United States appears to deserve a distinguished rank. The considerations addressed to the government of this country in the following MEMORIAL, with a view to engage their patronage in favour of this benevolent undertaking, are certainly weighty, and, in our humble estimation, deserving of the serious attention, not only of those who manage the public concerns of the nation, but likewise of all who feel interested in the welfare of their fellow men and the advancement of the cause of christianity. Man, degraded in his social condition, and totally excluded from the enjoyment of those civil rights and privileges which are calculated to give elevation to the human character, and which stimulate to intellectual and moral improvement by holding out powerful incentives to the attainment of excellence, must inevitably remain far below that point of eminence to which his natural faculties, under circumstances of more favourable culture, are capable of raising him. It cannot, therefore, be uninteresting to humanity, to have an opportunity afforded of restoring, in an unexceptionable manner, a large portion of our fellow men now dwelling among us, to those social and civil privileges which their Maker has given them, the natural capacity of enjoying, and which they may possess in a different state of society, free from the collisions necessarily attending their exercise in the situation in which they are now placed. That this is not a Utopian project, originating in the brains of visionary theorists, the flourishing state which an establishment on the coast of Africa similar to the one in cóntemplation, has attained within the few years of experiment to which it has been subjected, furnishes ample and satisfactory evidence. In order to make this position obvious, we subjoin to the memorial above mentioned, a sketch of the state of the colony at Sierra Leone, 23 years after its formation. We there behold a large community composed of this description of people collected from various quarters, who, in their former situation, though they may have possessed the name of freemen, sustained a rank in society very little above the real slave,—now enjoying complete equality of social as well as civil rights and immunities with every member of the same. society; governed by magistrates of their own cast, chosen from their own body, and to every individual of whom the highest offices of trust, honour, and emolument are open, provided he possess the requisite qualifications, notwithstanding the colour of his skin. We view this community successfully cultivating all the arts which promote the comforts and conveniences of life; instructing their children in all the branches of useful learning; forming charitable institutions to relieve the wants of suffering humanity; and projecting enterprizes designed to extend the blessings of civilization and christianity among the numerous and barbarous hordes of their own colour who inhabit the extensive regions of that long neglected quarter of the globe. We hope our fellow-citizens will be soon publicly called upon to deliberate on this interesting subject, and we trust they will imitate the laudable example set them in some sister states, by a co-operation of efforts to further the object in contemplation. The nature of our publication, if we had the ability, does not permit us to indulge in that full discussion which this question ought to receive. We present these few remarks, in the hope that the subject will engage the attention, and employ the pen, of persons better qualified to do it justice. MEMORIAL. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled The Memorial of the President and Board of Managers of the "American Society for colonizing the free people of colour of the U.S." RESPECTFULLY SHOWS, That your memorialists are delegated by a numerous and highly respectable association of their fellow-citizens, recently organized at the seat of government, to solicit Congress to aid, with the power, the patronage, and the resources of the country, the great and beneficial object of their institution; an object deemed worthy of the earnest attention, and of the strenuous and persevering exertions as well of every patriot, in whatever condition of life, as of every enlightened, philanthropic, and practical statesman. It is now reduced to be a maxim, equally approved in philosophy and practice, that the existence of distinct and separate casts or classes, forming exceptions to the general system of polity |