of this wicked
world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh_. I say she was
distressed on finding that these were not merely certain words which
she was bound to repeat, but certain conditions which she was bound
to perform. She was sadly puzzled to know how this was to be done,
till she met with these words in her Bible: _My grace is sufficient
for thee_. But still she was at a loss to know how this grace was to
be obtained. Happily Mr. Simpson preached on the next Sunday from
this text, _Ask and ye shall receive_, etc. In this sermon was
explained to her the nature, the duty, and the efficacy of prayer.
After this she opened her heart to Mrs. Crew, who taught her the
great doctrines of Scripture, in a serious but plain way. Hester's
own heart led her to assent to that humbling doctrine of the
catechism, that _We are by nature born in sin_; and truly glad was
she to be relieved by hearing of _That spiritual grace by which we
have a new birth unto righteousness_. Thus her mind was no sooner
humbled by one part than it gained comfort from another. On the
other hand, while she was rejoicing in _a lively hope in God's mercy
through Christ_, her mistress put her in mind that that was only the
_true_ repentance _by which we forsake sin_. Thus the catechism,
explained by a pious teacher, was found to contain _all the articles
of the Christian faith_.

Mrs. Jones greatly disapproved the practice of turning away the
scholars, because they were grown up. Young people, said she, want
to be warned at sixteen more than they did at six, and they are
commonly turned adrift at the very age when they want most
instruction; when dangers and temptations most beset them. They are
exposed to more evil by the leisure of a Sunday evening, than by the
business of a whole week; but then religion must be made pleasant,
and instruction must be carried on in a kind, and agreeable, and
familiar way. If they once dislike the teacher, they will soon get
to dislike what is taught, so that a master or mistress is in some
measure answerable for the future piety of young persons, inasmuch
as that piety depends on their manner of making religion pleasant as
well as profitable.

To attend Mrs. Jones's evening instructions was soon thought not a
task but a holiday. In a few months it was reckoned a disadvantage
to the character of any young person in the parish to know that they
did not attend the evening school. At first, indeed, many of them
came on