ing him to say, "Our Father who art in heaven,”-came afresh to his mind with such power, and such strong and happy associations, as to restrain and save him from error and sin.

It is true, that the scenes by which the child is surroundedhis companions-his brothers and sisters-his father-do their part in forming his character:-but the mother does the most. Her eye and voice-her smiles and tears-her reproofs and commendations-are the first objects of his observation, and the latest in his remembrance. Her expressions, her feelings, her passions become almost imperceptibly a part of his nature, and give a direction to his mind which will go down with him through all his future life. Did our space permit, we might here give illustrations and multiply incidents almost without number, to prove and place in bold relief these plain truths. The history of almost every community, and the experience of many, whom we now address, will, we think, bear testimony to the correctness of these views. The station of a mother is indeed one of as great responsibility as a human being can sustain; and the extent of her influence, on the mortal and immortal interests of those upon whose minds she makes the first impressions, is beyond our conception.-S. S. Journal.

THE influence of women is, or ought to be, a moral influence; and that it may have its full effect, the main object of their education ought to be to expand and perfect their moral nature, and to implant deeply the fact of their influence, and their own consequent responsibilities. This foundation being laid, let women be elegant, be accomplished, be everything that society requires of them; but let them not forget that these powers are not given for themselves, but for God's glory and the good of their fellowcreatures. Thus shall they be not only caressed, admired, honored, but happy, happy in the happiness of unselfishness, of devotedness, of love-the only happiness here below which can give us any foretaste of that which is to be enjoyed above.

You ask me to furnish you with a short document from the minutes of "Surry Chapel Maternal Society" under an impression that it might be interesting to some of our Transatlantic friends who were the first to act upon the axiom that "Union is strength" in reference to maternal efforts: and as it is always wise to take a review of our past hours, whether of individual or social enjoyment, I cheerfully comply with your request, and will endeavour to give you a brief outline of a few of the most important and interesting subjects which have occupied our attention since the commencement of our association, leaving you to make what use of it you may think proper.

Surry Chapel Maternal association was, as you will remember, formed January 2, 1837. We began with 9 mothers and 43 children, it now consists of 24 mothers and about a hundred children, exclusive of the Maternal associations among the poor, conducted by our own members: which includes about 70 mothers and upwards of 200 children. And here my dear friend surely we have reason to thank God, that nearly a hundred Mothers directly, or indirectly connected with our Church have at least professedly united together to seek the Salvation of their children, and though this is only the seed time with us, we are not without hope that this is a Field of Christian culture "which the Lord hath blessed."

Since the formation of this society some very young persons have joined the Church, whose decision to be "on the Lord's side," we may fairly conclude, has been expedited by the influence of Maternal prayer, example and advice, which have been awakened by these associations, and the following extract from one of the monthly reports of our beloved President in reference to the poor Maternal Association conducted by herself, is very encouraging.

"Though the attendance of Mothers fluctuates in numbers, the testimonies of the benefits of the association decidedly increase: scarcely a meeting occurs in which there is not at least one Mother, who expresses gratitude for the privileges of the association.

Some months since a broken hearted Mother excited the sympathies of her fellow members on account of a son, who was the grief of his parents and friends: it was resolved that the meeting should be one of special prayer on his behalf, and that each Mother should bear him on her heart in secret daily prayer.

About a month since, this Mother came with a countenance beaming with joy, and stated that she believed that rebel son was now converted to God: and she attributed it to the fulfilment of that gracious promise, "If two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven." We will therefore "thank God and take courage." I trust we have reason to conclude that our Maternal band has been refreshed and invigorated by the showers of holy influence that have of late fallen upon the Church, with which we have the privilege to be connected, and we would unite our earnest prayers that their effects may long be seen in our growth in grace, and in the realization of that delightful promise "I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring, and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses-one shall say I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel."

But in order to stir up our minds by way of remembrance, I will revert to a few of the subjects that have more particularly claimed our attention and excited our feelings. Amongst the first was the following important question.

"What are the encouragements held out in Scripture to the faithful discharge of parental duties ?"

The decided and frequent commands of God which involve Parental duty, imply, that obedience will be followed with the blessing. "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your hearts, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hands, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes; and ye shall teach them diligently to your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, that your days may be multiplied and the days of your children," &c. Deut. 6.

God said of Abraham. "For I know him, that he will command his children and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment." Gen. 18. 19.

With God's repeated commands, are connected his gracious promises: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee." Gen. 17. 7. On this subject Mr. Hall remarks—

"If God commanded Abraham to educate his family religiously, and entered into covenant with him and them, because he knew he would command his children after him, can a reasonable doubt be entertained with regard to the results, any more than about the faithfulness of God in saving those who believe in Christ?" The next encouragement may be derived from the Bible, which offers striking examples that simple, believing, earnest, effort on the part of Christian Parents, have been attended with the most happy effects.

The history of Samuel in the old, and Timothy in the new Testament, are beautiful instances of the results of a pious education, not to mention many others where parental fidelity may be

inferred by the distinguished blessings and decided piety that have characterized their offspring, and "as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of our God, that he has been ever mindful of his covenant, with his children, that it should be established for ever."

Of this truth, Christian biography furnishes ample and satisfactory evidence; among others stands conspicuous, Monica, the Mother of St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, who being herself possessed of very lively faith and hope in Christ, was unwearied in her prayers and endeavours that this her son should be made partaker of the same blessed hope, and though for many years the desire of her soul was withheld, at length she had the happiness to see her prayers answered in his conversion and evident usefulness.

Another beautiful testimony from one who, in mature life, contended earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, and which he utterly dispised is as follows.

Alluding to his exertions in preaching the gospel he observes, "As to my labours, to a spectator I may appear to do much, to myself it appears scarcely any thing, I look back with dismay and horror to the time when I led the van in wickedness

'Dared to attempt the infernal gate

And force my passage to the flames.'

"Regardless of the tears, the prayers, the advice, the groans of a pious Mother, I rushed upon the thick bosses of God's buckler, and in the worst parts of the kingdom of darkness, invented new schemes of wickedness, and dared the Almighty to do his worst. -even now my heart bleeds at the thoughts of the nights when, mad with intoxication, I have returned to my tender and injured Mother between two and three o'clock, burst open the window, poured out a torrent of abuse, and sunk on the bed a monster of iniquity-the next morning at seven I have been aroused by a mournful voice, broken with heavy sobs and tears; I have listened, and to my inexpressible astonishment found it was my mother, pouring out her soul in this language,-'Oh! Lord my