The senior class of boys consisted of about a dozen promising lads, whose ages varied from nine to fourteen.  They were placed under the care of two respectable moral young men, but who, with very many excellent qualities, were devoid of religion.  The boys were encouraged to commit to memory portions of Scripture, for which they received small rewards; and thus a spirit of emulation was created as to who should possess the greatest number of these.  Among those who distinguished themselves were three brothers, named James, Thomas, and George.  James, the eldest, remained but a short time in the school:  but Thomas and George continued much longer, and learned the whole of the three first Gospels, and part of St. John.  They were very regular in their attendance, and when in school behaved just as others did, only that for their generally correct answers in the catechetical exercises, which usually followed the reading of Scripture, they were almost constantly at the head of the class.  They had comparatively little time during the week; but often on a Sabbath morning have they repeated one or two hundred verses of Scripture.  And here let me remark, that Thomas has since assured me, it was not a love for the Scriptures, nor a desire to become acquainted with them, which induced him to commit such large portions, week after week, to memory! it was a desire,—­a kind of emulation,—­to be at the head of the class, and to be thought highly of by his teachers and the superintendent.  In this he gained his reward; for he was looked upon by them as the most promising lad in the school.

There was one thing connected with M——­ Sunday-school, which is worthy of notice and of imitation.  The superintendent never dismissed the children without giving them a short address of from five to ten minutes.  It was usually his custom on these occasions to impress upon the mind of his young hearers some important truth, through the medium of an interesting anecdote, or some well-conceived figure; so that, though the remarks he made might be soon forgotten, yet the anecdote and subject illustrated by it remained, and will, I doubt not, be remembered to the latest period of their lives by many of those who were privileged to listen to him.  I am thoroughly satisfied that an effectual method of reaching the ear and the understanding of children, is through some such medium as that used by the superintendent of M——­ Sunday-school.  I hope the period is not far distant, when it will be more generally adopted.

A few years ago, the village of M——­ was visited with a very gracious revival, during which a great number were soundly converted, most of whom have continued steadfast in the faith.  Many of the teachers and scholars were among the number of those who gave their hearts to God.

The following extracts show the extent and reality of the revival:—­