earth in the extensive parish of Marylebone who sigh over the moral desolation of the teeming masses around them, and who will readily co-operate upon the plan you propose, I write to say that it will afford me much pleasure to contribute 5l. per annum, and to collect 107. annually, towards the support of a Missionary for the central district of this parish, if other friends will unite with me for that important purpose. By the central district, I refer to an important, densely-populated section which might be selected at the back of Oxford-street, between Vere-street and Orchard-street, or to the right and left of High-street, or Paddington-street.

"Sincerely praying that the period may soon arrive when from every Christian dwelling, as well as from every Christian Church, the Word of the Lord may go forth into all the region round about, either by pious residents or well-adapted agents in their name, "I remain yours, very truly,

"To the Secretaries of the London City Mission."

I VISITED Mr.

EARLY IMPRESSIONS.

"W. B. LEACH."

2

and another young man ; they are shoemakers. It is worthy of remark, that Mr. though addicted to all kinds of vice, but especially drunkenness, always receives me kindly, and I generally read the Scriptures, and sometimes pray with him. The other young man referred to is a stranger to me, but with Mr. -, gave his consent for me to read a portion of Scripture. I selected Proverbs ii. and iii., and while making some remarks on the advantage of having heavenly wisdom or religion, the young man said it was certainly the best, but there were so many temptations in the way, that he thought it difficult to obtain it, or, at least, he added, "I find it so, for I have had all that is good put before me, but I have gone astray. I was educated in - Chapel Sunday-schools, and my parents are now members of that church, and all the family attend except myself. I am the only outcast. My father has tried me many times, and I broke out each time, and now he has given me up." He then asked, If I thought impressions made in early life could be erased? I said, "Why do you ask that question? Do you feel those made on your mind rise up sometimes and mar your fancied enjoyments ?" He said, "I do, indeed, for let me go where I will, or do whatever I may, it is always uppermost.' I exhorted him to cherish those impressions, and at the same time warned him against trifling with them, because God has said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." These, with many other suitable directions I gave him; he seems to be brought to a turning point, or at least he sees the folly of his past life. As he is coming to reside in my district, I shall have an opportunity of seeing him again, and I hope at a future time I shall be able to report favourably of him.

A FAMILY ON THE WAY TO DESTRUCTION.

;

I AM thankful to report that I have been instrumental in reclaiming a young female from the paths of public vice, and she is now in the London Female Penitentiary, Pentonville. Her name is she resided with her father at ; she has been in the paths of vice about twelve months, and is eighteen years of age. I had seen her several times previously to her making application to me to use my influence to get her into an asylum, but did not know her course of life. I have heard from her since she has been in the Penitentiary; her conduct is good, and she expresses her determination to stay. I have since visited her truly miserable drunken father, to whose bad treatment and example she in part owes her ruin. His conduct is an illustration of that text of Scripture, "One sinner destroyeth much good." He has a family of seven children, none of whom attend either Sabbath or day school; they are covered only with rags, and are suffered to wander in the streets day after day without any one to protect them-the mother being obliged to go out to work to support them, as the father's earnings are spent at the public-house. I warned him faithfully of his danger, and did not fail to tell him of the dreadful amount of guilt he was contracting, and the misery he was treasuring up for himself while living in his present state, by the influence his conduct had upon his family, and his criminal neglect in bringing them up in poverty, ignorance, and sin. The neighbours tell me that two of his children are addicted to petty acts of thieving. He is a well-informed man, and not insensible to his folly: he lays all the blame to his want of resolution, the force of habit, and the influence of his companions in sin. He told me there was not a public-house within one mile round the neighbourhood but what he was well known at. I spent some time with him in endeavouring to persuade him to abandon his course of life, but could not get him to a point. By his consent I read a suitable portion of Scripture and prayed. He thanked me for the interest I took in the welfare of himself and family. He said, "I know what you is right, and could I act up to it I know I should be happy, as I am well assured you are, but I cannot; but I shall have a turn some day I hope." I have visited him several times since the above interview, and am happy to state he appears to take an increasing interest in my visits. He has been intoxicated but twice since, which is rather uncommon, as it is seldom for a day to pass without it.

say

SEEKING THE LOST.

UNDER this head I mention an encouraging case, which occurred during my visitation to It is that of a person named On one occasion he asked me to sit

living at No.

down, when he said, "Sir, these tracts are very good, I wish I

followed the advice they give." He then quoted several passages of Scripture. I remarked, "You know something of the Bible, my friend." He replied, "Yes, Sir, I have known the Scriptures for many years, but I do not live up to what they teach." I then said, "You may remember the words of God to those who neglect him, or backslide into sin." To which he replied, "You have mentioned what I am, I am a backslider. I was convinced of my sins when but a young man. I became religious, and for some time enjoyed religion very much. About fifteen years since I came to London, married a Roman Catholic, seldom attended public worship, and at length gave it up altogether. Now I am miserable; I often think I shall destroy myself; I am frequently tempted to do it." I said, "Do you ever pray?" He replied, "I cannot pray if I try. I have sometimes kneeled down to pray, and have got up worse than ever, and it is always in my mind that it is no use for me to pray— that God has given me up." After a conversation too long to insert here, I read several passages of Scripture and proposed prayer, during which he was affected to tears. He thanked me, and promised to attend to what had been said, and to return unto the Lord. I continue to visit him, and am thankful to say, he has joined the Temperance Society, and attends the ministry of the Hon. and Rev. B. W. Noel, of whose preaching he speaks in the highest terms.

THE TIME OF NEED.

IT frequently happens that those who disregard the advice and counsel of the City Missionary while in health and strength, are often the first to seek him out as their friend in the time of affliction and trouble. These remarks will strictly apply to the case of a family named -residing at This man and

his wife generally contrived to make an excuse when I called to see them, by saying they had no time, &c. But it has pleased God to visit the husband with a severe affliction, so that his life was despaired of. About the time it was at the worst I met his wife in the street one day—she was weeping bitterly. I asked her what was the matter? She said, "Her husband was dying, and she wanted some one to pray with him. Would I go?" I went immediately. The poor man was apparently in a dying state, but he received me willingly. I conversed, read, and prayed with him, but I found him awfully ignorant of spiritual things. I have continued to visit him with increasing interest, and hope to report favourably of him; he is now a little better. He said to one of the neighbours, who told me again, "I have often despised that man and treated him with contempt, but I shall not do so again, for I was very glad to see him when I thought I was going to die." His wife is equally grateful for my visits.

Macintosh, Printer, Great New Street, London,

THE LONDON

CITY MISSION MAGAZINE.

SEPTEMBER, 1841.

SUNDAY TAVERNS.

TO THE MINISTERS OF RELIGION AND THE MAGISTRATES OF THE METROPOLIS.

GENTLEMEN,

THE office you sustain as ministers of religion, or as magistrates in the metropolis, necessarily awakens in you a deep interest in the welfare of our population. No benevolent man in office, or out of office, can think of 1,900,000 human beings living within the bounds of the metropolis as defined in the weekly "Table of Mortality," or upwards of 2,000,000 living in the parishes within eight miles of St. Paul's Cathedral, without considerable anxiety for the education, improvement, and happiness, especially of the humbler classes of this immense population. It cannot be concealed that there is a great amount of ignorance, wretchedness, and crime, and the question has no doubt often engaged your thoughts, "By what means can it be considerably, and permanently diminished?” Aware that this question opens up an extensive field for inquiry, we shall not attempt in this letter to consider it, our only object being to bring before you some facts in reference to one of the greatest sources of iniquity polluting the youth of the metropolis, we allude to "Sunday Taverns."

By common consent, certain public-houses, in consequence of being thronged on the Sabbath evening equally, if not more so than on any other evening, have obtained the designation of "Sunday Taverns," and it is only necessary to visit them, and attentively to observe who are there, and how they are engaged, and the conclusion will force itself upon every one wishing well to society, that these places are schools not of folly merely but of vice, and that to obtain the means of attending them many

youths are under the most powerful temptation to rob their employers.

These places are generally licensed for concerts under the Twentyfifth of George II. The proprietors of several of them, under the name of "concerts" perform regular plays-they have large theatres-large companies of actors-and all the paraphernalia of the licensed and regular theatres, with this disadvantage, that spirits and water and other liquors and cigars are served to the company during the whole time of the performances. These are the places which are the rivals to the larger theatres, and if the matter be not looked into, we shall soon have the metropolis covered with theatres whose "respectability" will be determined by the locality and by the means of the proprietor to attract attention.

Our object is, however, to refer to the state of these "Sunday Taverns" on a Sabbath evening. The Committee of the London City Mission recently sent ten Missionaries to visit five of these places, and their accounts render it necessary to bring the subject before the ministers and magistrates of the metropolis.

At the "Royal Eastern Vauxhall," or new Globe Tavern, there were present on the evening of August 1 nearly 3,000 persons, and a large proportion of them under twenty-one years of age. One of the Missionaries entered into conversation with a man who was distributing bills announcing "a concert," and wished to know how many persons were usually present. The man replied, that it was impossible to tell how many were there, because a ticket admitted a lady and gentleman, or two ladies and a gentleman, and that they sometimes sold 3,000 or 4,000 tickets, but that there were not more than 3,000 persons present on that occasion. Their employments were smoking and drinking.

The Missionaries who visited "Copenhagen House" report that in the Caledonian-road, on the way to the tavern, they saw an "up-and-down," a swing consisting of four cars, each one capable of holding ten persons; two of these were filled with young people of both sexes; and a number of people were congregated on the spot playing at "Kiss in the ring." Further on they met with another swing, and in Copenhagen House there were (including the gardens) about 700 persons. One of the waiters observed, it was "a very bad day." Seats are provided in the gardens for 1,300.

The "White Conduit House was also visited the same Sabbath evening, and about 1,200 persons were present during the evening. At this house on every night, except the Sunday, theatrical performances are exhibited. There are twelve theatrical and ten musical performers, connected with this establishment, according to testimony that can be relied on, and on 66 a benefit night," it is not unusual for 2,000 persons to be present to witness the perform"At one period of the evening," says the Missionary, "there

ance.