which military bands play. Their common practice of playing on parade on the First-day, is a cause of much dissipation and disorder; but this, as well as their playing for amusement in the parks, although evils, are yet small ones as compared with their occupation in connection with the field of battle.

associations it often leads into.* It may be considered
as one of those things which though lawful, are not
expedient.
W. N.

THE SLAVERY OF FASHION. To the Editors of THE BRITISH Friend. ESTEEMED FRIENDS, Thinking the following anecdote calculated to show the younger members of our Society the value of the freedom we enjoy, in being delivered from the obligation to conform to the varying fashions of the world, I forward it for insertion, if you deem it worthy.

My object at present, however, is to show that the almost universal practice of teaching young persons singing and music, especially in the schools and institutions for the poorer classes, naturally leads to the evil complained of in reference to First-days. In these institutions singing occupies a large portion of the children's time, and is made an important feature The anecdote illustrating the truth of the above in their education. Although there is no essential title, was related to my wife by a young female enevil in music, yet its accompaniments and its conse-gaged in the dress-making business. She said in subquences are often very injurious. I was told by a person who was long in a committee of one of these schools, that she had noticed almost all the girls who were good singers became unsteady characters on leaving school. Some took to singing for a livelihood, and others were drawn aside in one way or another, by the associations into which their singing talents introduced them. My own observations induce me to believe that such results are very common.

stance as follows:

There is a thorough spirit of rivalry amongst the ladies who frequent the church of as to who can appear there on Sundays in a style of dress surpassing in splendour their compeers. Their whole study and thought seem to be spent upon contriving something new. "We have," said she, "been making a dress for , the silk alone of which, before we touched it with the scissors at all, cost twenty-four pounds. We were engaged in making it last Saturday, and it was expected to be completed to appear at church in on the following day, but after toiling hard until ten o'clock at night we found it impossible to finish it, and having made it a rule never to work after twelve o'clock, nor yet to send any dresses home after that hour, we accordingly gave it up, but on the Sunday morning the lady sent her servant for the dress, who had to return with the unwelcome tidings that it was unfinished.

In some published reports relating to the morals of the large manufacturing towns, it was stated to be a common practice for many children, after attending a First-day school, to spend the evening at the low concert rooms. Of the immoral influences of these places, it would be superfluous to bring forward many proofs-they exist in abundance. It appears in a recent report of the inspectors of prisons, that "the chaplain of Salford New Bailey denounces the number of beer-shops and singing-saloons as the chief incitement to crime, especially with boys." It has also been remarked, that in the neighbourhood of those places where musical bands are played on the First-day evening, a large proportion of the children absent themselves from the First-day schools. And Does not this strikingly show the tyranny of fashion, is it a reasonable matter of surprise, that the transi- and verify the truth that our life (or the true enjoytion from the school-room to the park or the concert-ment of it) consisteth not in the abundance of the room, should appear easy and natural to these children, when they are taught to consider singing and music as such essential parts of education?

A late number of the Alliance Weekly News has some just sentiments on the effects of musical entertainments, in connection with intemperance. It says, "It is as certain as fact can make it, that the cheap concert will not drain the drinking shop; and it is not so clear as the disciples of Orpheus would imagine, that a love of musical cadence and harmony would be an antidote to the fascinating spells of alcohol. Between music and intemperance there has often been a close association, illegitimate most certainly, but sufficiently decided to prove that our national vice will not yield to any exorcism, which the mellifluous notes of the violin or clarionet may address." The same paper contains an appalling illustration of this association of music and vice, under the head of " An evening in an Amateur Singing Saloon, or a great harmonic gathering."

It would be easy to bring forward much more evidence in proof of the opinion, that the musical education, which is become so universal, contributes greatly to the playing of the bands on First-day evenings, and to the increased attendance of the low singing saloons; consequently of much vice and misery. An attempt to lop off the branches, which produce the bad fruits, while the root is so carefully watered and manured, is not likely to answer much purpose. I conclude that great wisdom is exhibited in the educational discipline of Friends, which excludes music on the grounds of the large portion of time occupied in its acquisition, and the ill effects resulting from the

66

Since then, another lady has called upon us, and her language was— Ah, you are happy compared to us; you can go out in anything you like, but we cannot-we must keep up a certain style."

things we may possess, or the means we may have of
gratifying our vain desires, but in being redeemed
from the bondage of the changeable modes and fashions
of a vain world.

"Why should our garments, made to hide
Our parents' shame, provoke our pride;
The art of dress did ne'er begin
Till Eve, our mother, learned to sin."
9th Month, 22d, 1856.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

W. J. M.

To the EDITORS of THE BRITISH Friend. DEAR FRIENDS,It is not uncommon for serious members of other religious denominations to hear their preachers or lecturers exclaim, in despondency, over those who have long sat, without proof of benefit derived, under their exhortations--"He has attended for many years the preaching of the gospel, and instead of being converted, is at ease and gospelhardened. There is more hope of the hitherto untaught than of him." On the other hand, the regular attender of regular outward ministrations, conscious of possessing the shell without the kernel of religion, often makes truthful utterances like these:-"I have known the Scriptures from my childhood; I have attended diligently on the services at my place of worship; I am a moral character in the estimation of the world; yet I have no religious comfort, my heart is not right in the sight of God, and I feel that I have not the true spiritual understanding." Without any intention to write depreciatingly of

* See "Rules of Discipline" on the subject.

322

THE BRITISHI FRIEND.

12th Month, 1856.

happy and numerous household, over which he ruled me men gave ear and waited; and kept silence at with truly paternal affection and love. He has reached, my counsel. After my words they spake not again.' if he has not already passed, the meridian of life, at Nor were these marks of deference paid him by the time when he appears before us, exciting our deepest interest. By thoughtful study and accurate those aloue who dwelt in the country; the same observation he has accumulated vast stores of know- I went out to the gate through the city,' or, acwere offered him when he entered the city. 'When ledge, which have been still further euriched and cording to some, through the gate into the citymellowed by his varied personal experiences. Nor when I prepared my seat in the street (or marketmust we suppose him to have stored his mind from place), the young men saw me and hid themselves, the labours of others, for, like the bee, he has gathered and the aged arose and stood up; the princes rethe sweets of knowledge by interrogating and inter-frained talking, and laid their hands on their mouth; preting nature for himself. Nor do these treasures the nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved lie cold and profitless in the chambers of his mind, to the roof of their mouth. When the ear heard me, like the dried specimens of nature's wealth in the then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave cabinet of the naturalist, but they live anew there, witness to me.' full of poetry and life, to proclaim with augmented force the glory and majesty of the great Creator. He (To be continued.) has watched for years the starry heavens, and counted their movements with the ardour of a lover, because it is the Almighty who maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south, and guides Arcturus with his sons.' The aurora, those golden lights of the north,' as they streamed forth in flashes of fire-like brilliance, awed his soul, for to him they seemed the gorgeous robes of the Eternal One. The eastern tempest, the simoom, and the whirlwind, as they drove along from the east, or swept with scorching blasts over the sandy deserts, were the executioners of his terrible judgments. And what those emblematical creatures, full of eyes and brazen feet, seen in the vision, were to prophets of after times, the leviathan and other monsters of the Nile were to Job. They were symbols of the might and majesty of the Lord of all. Nature was his Bible. And as such he studied every form and shape, every winged fowl and creeping thing, the snow and hail, the dewlution to the effect that capital punishment fails to

and the dawn.

He stretches out the north over the empty place,
And hangeth the earth upon nothing.

lle bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds,
And the cloud is not rent under them.
He holdeth back the face of his throne,
And spreadeth his cloud upon it.'

"From this brief sketch of Job's mental opulence,
we are led to speak of his temporal greatness; and we
are able to form an approximate estimate of the ex-
tent of his riches from the inventory of his substance
contained in the first chapter. Dr. Kitto, a very
competent authority on such matters, reckons Job's
possessions to have been worth something like £40,000;
which sum, at that period, would have been equiva-
lent to twice or even thrice what it is with us in the
present day. Nor does this represent the full amount
of his wealth; for to what has already been enu-
merated, we must add his servants or slaves. The
number of such dependants is not specified in the nar-
rative. But if it be safe to rely on any inference from
a comparison of Job with Abraham, these could have
formed no inconsiderable portion of his wealth, and
have added no little to his greatness and renown.
In the case of Abraham data are supplied in Gen.
xiv. 14, whereby we may reckon the number of his
household servants. For where so many existed
capable of bearing arms, the aggregate, including
women, and children, and aged persons, could not
have been less than 1200 or 1300. And whereas the
number of cattle and herds possessed by Job was
probably greater even than that of Abraham, it would
be safe to reckon the household of Job as at least
equal to that of Abraham, and especially so, as in
chapter i. 3, it is said to have been very great.'
"Such ample resources, combined with such men-
tal affluence, could not fail to command for their
possessor the greatest veneration and respect. Unto

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ABOLITION OF
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

WE quote from the Nonconformist of the 26th ult.,
the following notice of the great public meeting at
Manchester:-

inhabitants of Manchester was held at the Free Trade "On Thursday evening, a public meeting of the Hall, to promote the abolition of capital punishment. the objects of the meeting, were read from Mr. WilThere was a numerous attendance, and the chair was liam Ewart, M.P.; Sir Fitzroy Kelly, M.P.; Mr. MD. taken by Mr. George Wilson. Letters, approving of Hill, recorder of Birmingham; Mr. H. Mayhew; Mr. T. M. Gibson, M.P.; Mr. George Hadfield, M.P.; and Mr. E. Miall, M.P. Mr. C. Gilpin, of London, one of a deputation from the London society, moved a resc

effect the purpose for which it is inflicted, viz.--the prevention of the crime of murder; that the existence of a law for such purposes creates anomalies and inconsistencies in the administration of justice, and that justice and sound policy required its immediate repeal. The resolution was seconded by Mr. James cognizing the claims of the society to support, and reHeywood, M.P., and carried. Mr. James Simpson, of Foxhill Bank, Accrington, moved a resolution recommending that a special effort be made to enable total abolition of the punishment of death. Mr. A. H. the society actively to agitate the question, in order to obtain parliamentary inquiry, with a view to the Dymond, of London, seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously."

The following circular has just reached us:--OFFICES, 5, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT, LONDON, 103, MARKET STREET, MANCHESTER, annexed resolution, passed unanimously at a public "DEAR SIR,-We beg to call your attention to the "November 25, 1836. meeting, held in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, on Thursday evening, November 20.

chester, November 20,-1856, GEORGE WILSON, Esq., "At a meeting held in the Free Trade Hall, Manin the chair, it was moved by JAMES SIMPSON, Esq., and carried unanimously-"That this meeting cordially recognizes the claims of the Society for Promoting the Abolition of Capital Punishment to the liberal support of the community at large, and recomenable the Society actively to agitate the question, mends that a special effort be forthwith made, to in order to obtain parliamentary inquiry, with a view to the Total Abolition of the Punishment of Death."

order to urge the claims of this movement on your "We are assured that we need not add anything in attention. We may, however, mention, that at the present moment liberal support is needed, in order

1st. At Leeds, ANNA R., wife of John Whiting, a son; who was named William.

2d. At York, ESTHER MARIA, wife of Daniel H. Tuke, M.D., a son; who was named William Samuel.

20th. At Whalley Cottage, Moss Side, near Manchester, JANE SARAH, wife of James Halliday, a daughter; who was named Martha Elizabeth.

29th. At Ipswich, ELLEN, wife of Abraham Wallis, Junr., a son; who was named Algernon.

31st. At Newport, Isle of Wight, ELIZABETH, wife of Robert E. Davies, a daughter; who was named Mary Turner. At Croydon, Surrey, JANET, wife of Patrick Murdoch;

ing them, often spoke in strong terms of their great ability WANTED, by a Young Friend, a SITUA

WANTED, a COMPETENT ASSISTANT; Friends' Meeting.

also, an APPRENTICE to the Drapery Trade. Address, BRADY & RIDGWAY, Dewsbury.

WANTED immediately, by a Woollen Draper, required.

does not make up goods, an active ASSISTANT, of good address, who may have to travel a day or two in the week; age from 20 to 24. One who has a knowledge of cutting preferred, but it is not essential.

Apply to EDWARD WEST, Woollen Draper, Warrington.

WANTED, an AGENCY, or a Situation as

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER, or any place of

Trust where Active Business Habits would be appreciated. THE Editors of the Annual Monitor very grateReferences to men of business with whom the advertiser has had extensive transactions.

WANTED, for Newton School, near Water- been able to devise any better mode of supply, the Editors

will also be glad to furnish (carriage free) any Friends, or Meetings, with as many copies as they may incline to order, by direct application to BENJAMIN SEEBOHM, Bradford, Yorkshire; and they will feel particularly obliged to their friends for having such orders sent, as soon as may be, to insure an early supply.