DIED, at Walsall, on the 20th January, 1840, aged thirty-eight years, after a long and painful illness, Thomas Bowen, Esq., deeply regretted by a sorrowing widow and family, and by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Bowen's death, at a period most frequently the prime of life, will be severely felt by the Unitarian Society, of which he was an active and beneficent member, and in whose prosperity he felt a lively interest till the day of his death. He commended his spirit to God who gave it, without anxiety or dread, by faith in the Father of the whole family in heaven and in earth, obtained through the revelations of him whom God sanctified and sent into the world.

THE Second Anniversary of the Monday Evening Class connected with the High-Pavement Chapel Sunday-school, Nottingham, was held on Thursday, December 26, 1839, in the School-room adjoining the Chapel, which was tastefully decorated with evergreens, kindly furnished from the gardens of Mrs. Henry Turner and Matthew Needham, Esq. of Lenton. The class assembled at halfpast two o'clock, and at three, a lecture upon phrenology was commenced by Mr. F. Eames, Jun. a member of the congregation, and which, from its plain and simple manner, was highly instructive and amusing to the boys. At five o'clock, the class, with their teachers and friends, amounting to upwards of eighty, partook of tea in the Girls' School-room; after which, the company adjourned to the Boys' School-room, to hear a lecture upon the rise, progress, and usefulness of the steam-engine, by Mr. C. Thompson, a young teacher, who had been educated in the Sunday-school. The lecture was illustrated by an excellent model of a steam-engine, about seventeen inches high, made by Mr. James Fox, another teacher, who had also received his education in the same school. The evening's amusements were very agreeably diversified by the boys' singing-class singing several Christmas pieces in a most effective and pleasing manner. After an address had been delivered by the respected minister, the Rev. B. Carpenter, the company separated, much gratified with the proceedings of the day.

In the High-Pavement Sunday-schools, there are 170

boys and 130 girls, who are under the management of one president, six superintendents, and 42 teachers, with a secretary and treasurer. The boys are divided into 13 classes, and the girls into 10 classes. The children are taught reading and writing in the schools; and the Monday night's class, consisting of 30 of the elder boys, are instructed in grammar, arithmetic, geography, and the use of the globes, mensuration, &c. for which purpose they meet every Monday night at seven o'clock: they have also occasionally delivered to them, by the teachers, lectures on interesting and useful subjects, which is found to have a very good effect, and excites emulation among the teachers as well as the boys. There is also a singing class, consisting of 12 boys, who are instructed scientifically in the art of singing, the use of the notes, and every week write a copy of music. This and the Monday night's class are under the superintendence of separate committees, assisted by the minister, the organist, and the superintendents of the boys' school. There is a clothing fund connected with each school, to which the children contribute according to their circumstances; and, whenever they have paid two-thirds for the article they want, it is furnished to them, and the residue is paid by subscriptions from the teachers and congregations. Besides this, in the girls' school there is a sick fund,—the payment of one penny per week from children at the age of eight to twelve, entitles each member to 2s. 6d. per week in time of sickness, and £2 at death; and three halfpence per week, from the age of twelve to seventeen, 4s. per week in sickness, and £3 at death. These two funds are found to be of considerable advantage to the children of the poor, and cannot be too strongly recommended to the managers of other schools. Their usefulness requires no comment. A juvenile library, consisting of upwards of 600 volumes, of Voyages, Travels, History, Biography, is open every Sunday to all the Schools, on the payment of one halfpenny per week. The teachers have also a library provided for them, which is furnished with works on education, and other useful subjects. The Christian Reformer, and Christian Pioneer, circulate every month among the teachers; and a Society for mutual instruction has recently been formed for their

benefit, the meetings of which are held on the first Sunday in every month. The teachers have also free access to the Vestry library, which is well stored with the works of the best theological writers.

Connected with this place of worship, there are two Daily Charity Schools, in which are taught 40 boys and 24 girls. These children are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, &c.; and the girls, in addition to this, are taught sewing.

THE STYAL VILLAGE INSTITUTION, which was established in the year 1825, and derives its support from the weekly subscriptions of its members, chiefly working men in the neighbouring factory of R. H. Greg, Esq. M. P. held its Fifteenth Anniversary on the evening of Saturday, the 18th January, 1840, in the village school-room, kindly granted for the purposes of the Institution by Mr. Greg.

The Village of Styal is remarkable, in a parish otherwise little distinguished for the intellectual or moral culture of its working population, as being inhabited by a peaceful, well-conducted, intelligent people, and for the efficiency and success of its Sunday and Day schools. Not a few of these pleasing results may be traced to the excellent influences of the above Institution. Its objects, which have been steadily kept in view, and carried out into practice, are to diffuse useful knowledge, and afford rational amusement to its members, during their leisure hours; and the means it has adopted are, the circulation of books, lectures, classes for gratuitous and mutual instruction, a museum, occasional concerts, and a readingroom supplied with newspapers, periodicals, chess, and draughts.

The Annual Meeting, on the 18th, was attended by upwards of 100 persons, consisting of the members of the Institution, and their male and female friends, with a few visitors from more distant neighbourhoods. A plentiful and well furnished tea was supplied at the expense of the Institution; and the village band added to the enjoyment of the evening, by the performance of many lively and well executed airs.

At the conclusion of the repast, the Chair was taken

by the Rev. John Colston, President of the Institution, who opened the business of the evening. The Report was read by Mr. John Worthington, and addresses made by various speakers. The Rev. W. Smith of Stockport then delivered, in the name of the members of the astitution, a beautiful silver inkstand to Mr. Colston. Mr. Colston's remarks in reply were characterised by benevolent feeling and Christian principle. The Rev. W. Thomson, Curate of Cheadle, also spoke; and the evening was evidently one of high intellectual enjoyment and pure moral feeling.

UNITARIAN CHAPEL, ELDER YARD, CHESTERFIELD. On Sunday last (Feb. 9), at the close of the morning service, the Christian Society, assembling in the Elder-Yard Chapel in this town, were much distressed, by a letter from their highly talented minister, the Rev. Robert Wallace, announcing his resignation of the pastoral office amongst them, which was read to the Trustees and Pew-holders, by the Chapel Warden, Mr. J. Woodhead. The reverend gentleman has presided over the Unitarian Congregation in this town, during a period of nearly twenty-five years, with great satisfaction; and when the above intelligence was made known to his flock, their eyes were suffused with tears. The immediate cause of Mr. Wallace's resignation, which will take place at Midsummer next, is the acceptance of a unanimous invitation to fill the Theological Chair in the College at Manchester. Such a spirit of Christian unity exists between pastor and people, that we understand a successor to the office will not be even thought of during the term of Mr. Wallace's ministry. When that is expired, every exertion will then be used to obtain the services of one, who will fill the important situation with ability and zeal.-Derbyshire Chronicle.

VARIOUS Articles of Intelligence, as well as other Communications, for which their Authors will accept our thanks, are again unavoidably deferred.

THE

CHRISTIAN PIONEER.

No. 165.

MAY, 1840.

Vol. XIV.

IS MAN DOOMED TO TRIBULATION BY THE UNALTERABLE APPOINTMENTS OF GOD?

To the Editor of the Christian Pioneer.

SIR, Your readers are greatly indebted to you for the promptitude with which you have presented them with the eloquent discourse of Mr. Dewey, on occasion of the loss of the Lexington steam-vessel. With the sentiments expressed by the preacher, I am generally highly pleased. His address abounds in philosophic reasoning, as well as in religious reliance on Providence. His ideas of the existence, the origin, and the effects of error, are sound and encouraging. "Error" is admirably described as being "not a wild and ungoverned power that has broken into the domains of Providence. It is a part of our nature-a part of our discipline-[I would rather have said, its results are our discipline, under the constant action of the system of cause and effect]-it is a part of our progress and improvement." These are excellent notions; and show that, in whatever school, the author has studied deeply the constitution of man. If any of the laws of nature are infringed, pain-that is, punishment-follows, be the infraction that of a physical, an organic, or a moral law. The pain, the punishment, are effects; and they become the causes of other effects, till at length good is evolved. "All evils are the mind's teachers. Untimely death teaches prudence; and all death teaches virtue."

Similar enlarged views appear in the following extract: "The martyr dies, we say, for a principle. He dies for human progress; but so does every man who falls a victim to human imperfection, mechanical, medical, or political, die for human progress." All this gives a comprehensive and clear view of the course of human events -of the history of man, well calculated to remove the painful vacuity and unrest left on the minds of those who

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