6 PREFACE. excuse for idle children to absent themselves from the school and play truant, tó the disappointment both of their parents, their teachers, and their benefactors. X. When children have continued a proper time under the instructions of the school, and you find they have so much knowledge, as may lay some foundation for religion and virtue, and as may render them useful in some of the lower stations of life, endeavour then that they may be placed out, and fixed either in country -labours, in domestic services, in some inferior post in a shop, or in mechanic trades, that so they may notrun loose and wild in the world, and forget all that you have taught them, and lie exposed to tempta- tion and misery. If this cannot be done immediately, take some care that their parents or friendsemploy them in proper business at home, and keep them to reading, and writing, to knitting, sewing, or domestic work, that all your labours, and expences may not be lost. XI. Whensoever these children are to be placed out in families, see to it that these families have a due character for sobriety and diligence : Engage their masters or mistresses to take some care that these servants read their bible daily, and that they make use of any other part of their learning, as their post of service or employment will admit, that if possible, the benefits which you havebestowed on them may be lasting. XII. For this purpose, enquire now and then into their behaviour in those places where you have fixed them And if it appear they have behaved well, give them some tokenof your favour ; ten or twenty or thirty shillings the first year or two, after they are gone from the school. This will greatly encourage them to pursue the practise of piety and virtue. I know some of you do more than this. I wish it were the universal customof all the schools. In the last place, as I hope you pray for divine success in every good work in which you are engaged, so let your prayers accompany this your la- bour of love, for the temporal and eternal welfare of the poor children, who taste of your bounty. May the God of light and grace succeed all your de- signs to train up those young destitute creatures to be a blessing to the world, and that your schools maybe nurseries for the church of Christ : And may your liberality and your pious cares meet witha rich reward from heaven, in the abundant blessings of this life, and that which is to come. AMEN. 1728.
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