originally interested themselves in its establishment, had
mainly in view the exertion, by the Principal, of a decided moral and
religious influence over the hearts of the pupils. Knowing, as they did,
how much more dutiful and affectionate at home you would be, how much
more successful in your studies at school, how much happier in your
intercourse with each other, and in your prospects for the future both
here and hereafter, if your hearts could be brought under the influence
of Christian principle, they were strongly desirous that the school
should be so conducted, that its religious influence, though gentle and
alluring in its character, should be frank, and open, and decided. I
need not say that I myself entered very cordially into these views. It
has been my constant effort, and one of the greatest sources of my
enjoyment, to try to win my pupils to piety, and to create such an
atmosphere in school, that conscience, and moral principle, and
affection for the unseen Jehovah, should reign here. You can easily see
hew much pleasanter it is for me to have the school controlled by such
an influence, than if it were necessary for we to hire you to diligence
in duty, by prizes or rewards, or to deter you from neglect or from
transgression, by reproaches, and threatenings, and punishments.

The influence which the school has thus exerted has always been
cordially welcomed by my pupils, and approved, so far as I have known,
by their parents, though four or five denominations, and fifteen or
twenty different congregations have been, from time to time, represented
in the school. There are few parents who would not like to have their
children _Christians_;--sincerely and practically so;--for every thing
which a parent can desire in a child is promoted, just in proportion as
she opens her heart to the influence of the spirit of piety. But that
you may understand what course is taken, I shall describe, first what I
wish to effect in the hearts of my pupils, and then what means I take to
accomplish the object.

1. A large number of young persons of your age, and in circumstances
similar to those in which you are placed perform with some fidelity
their various outward duties, _but maintain no habitual and daily
communion with God_. It is very wrong for them to live thus without God,
but they do not see,--or rather do not feel the guilt of it. They only
think of their accountability to _human beings_ like themselves, for
example