I was an interested visitor a few Sabbaths ago at a Welsh Sabbath School. In most of the classes the work was carried on in English. In two, or perhaps three, of the classes consisting of adults, it seemed that Welsh was used. But the general work was done in English. The announcements were made in English. The children were called together in English to say "Rhodd Mam." The pastor conducted the catechising. The questions of the book. were asked and answered in Welsh, but all the explanations and exhortations were English. It was a new experience to me. When I was attending Welsh Sunday School years ago all was done in Welsh. When I left home and lived away from the Welsh, of course, all was English. never before had I seen a mixture of the two.

Ever since that Sunday when I listened to the older people using incorrect Welsh and the youth in the next class using quite good English, I have felt that it would be better for

the young to be by themselves to study the lesson and the cathechisms in the language they use best. There cannot be a strong bond of union between the young and the old in a place like that. I know the older people will cling to the ways and the speech of their childhood, and it is proper; yet, as they are fewest, it seems that the school should be conducted in English, and then have a compartment for the old people. In that school the other Sunday, a number of bright little boys refused to gather with their classmates to recite "Rhodd Mam." They did not seem to be bad, and their refusal may have been mainly due to their inability to master the catechism in Welsh. Indeed most of the little folks that did recite seemed to be parrot-like.

This backwardness was also a hinderance to making the best of the singing. The song book used was a Welsh version of the songs published in the "C. E. song book," and the singing was characteristically

Welsh hymn singing. There is a good deal of the music in the little book mentioned that I do not admire, but there are ways of singing which makes some of this music very acceptable. There was a fine pipe-organ in this church, and also a small cabinet organ in the school room, but neither was used in the singing. The superintendent lined the first stanza and then repeated the first two lines, and an elderly man started the singing. His pitch was correct, and his voice was melodious, but the time which he observed was altogether inappropriate for the sentiment of the song, and it seemed to me that those bright and lively children, having heard, probably, those hymns sung in the day schools, could find no pleasure in the mournful tone and time that they heard in the Sabbath School.

The Welsh Sabbath School has certain features which I would like to see preserved, and for that reason it seems that everything should be done to attach the young people of Welsh parents to the best that is in the school.

I noticed that in the classes the teaching was good. The young people seemed to enjoy the lesson, but as soon as those exercises were

begun which were carried on in Welsh, then the interest died, and the active minds became otherwise engaged. In a city in this country everything that a child looks up to is American and is associated with the English language in the child's mind. On the other hand the Welsh

speech is associated in their mind with what is foreign and humble, and as far as success here is concerned, the Welsh language is connected with the incompetent. A young boy could find no profitable employment if he knew only Welsh. The Welsh girl hopes to find something to do to earn money when she acquires English. Thus unconsciously, children associate respectability and success and capability with the language of this country and not with the Welsh language. Even if a child could be made to believe that the old language is the language of religion, yet that is unfortunate, for the child, as it uses English every day, will come to imagine that religion is for Sunday and Welsh Church and Sabbath School, but not something for every day and to talk about in English. It is a matter of history that a child will love its native land. When our parents came to America 60 odd years ago, they did not dream that their children would not love Wales as dearly as they. They were pained to find the children manifest not only indifference, but even contempt, for a country that could not offer better opportunities to its people than Wales offered. But it is the history of all nations. Even the Jews, though they were captives, yet only a small part went to Palestine. The greater part remained where they were born and reared. This is the history wrought in the United States. The children and grandchildren of immigrants lose all at

tachment for the land of their ancestors, and invariably love the land of their mother's hearthstone and tombstone.

Thus in view of those facts it seems that parents especially in the cities should not endeavor to enlist the interest of their children in religious doings, rather they should endeavor to have the children's religious training be associated with the people and the language, the sentiments and the customs that they admire. To force religion upon a child through the medium of a speech and custom that it secretly dislikes, or, at least, does not admire, is to risk the future stand of the child in matters pertaining to its spiritual welfare. Whichever view

we may take it is unfortunate that parents and children cannot worship together, yet it cannot be helped as long as people migrate from one land to another. When the Welsh come here, they intend to remain, and hope to see their children enjoy advantages denied them in the old country, and the sooner parents realize that the children born and reared in a country will hold that country dear, the better it will be. This love is especially strong when, as it is in this country, their country offers the best opportunities; and parents should take advantage of this attachment to inculcate deep religious convictions by the most efficacious means.

Among the many musical attractions of Chicago, and other cities, we notice a tendency to fall back upon the quaint and exquisite melodies of old nations. For the first time in Chicago, the renowned Geo. Henschel, will give "Servian Romances"-a program of Servian Folk songs. Who will graciously condescend to give a program of Cambrian Romances? Can any nation excel us in the matter of melodic beauty? Are our "Welsh solo

ists," "Welsh Parties" and "Prize Singers" conscious of the melodic perfection, form-perfection, and historic value to art of most of our Welsh melodies? Judging from their programs while "sojourning in our midst," we must answer in the negative. True, we get an occasional reminder that they are Welsh boys and girls. These "reminders" have proven to be the best numbers in each and every program. Strangers to our language and literature

have invariably pronounced their Welsh songs and Welsh concerted pieces to be their best. A Welsh melody arranged for four voices, seldom fails to stir the souls of singers and listeners. We deeply regret the folly of a Welsh party, no matter how excellent their voices may be, in filling up their programs with English songs and quartets that have become quite stale, and almost obsolete in American communities. A most appreciated exception in this matter was the Song Recital given here a few years ago by Mr. Ben Davies. He gave to enthusiastic listeners an exemplification of artistic excellence in songs sung in English, German, Italian and Welshthe latter being "Mentra Gwen," "Y Fam a'i Baban," and "Gwlad fy Ngenedigaethau.” "Ein Ben ni” excelled himself in that matinee, and honored his nation and himself. Will our coming Welsh parties and soloists from our beloved homeland, take the hint of the foregoing remarks? If they will, the result will be much satisfaction, and an impression remaining of which we shall be proud.

Apropos of our quotations from an English magazine, in the last number of "The Cambrian," concerning the Cardiff Eisteddfod adjudications of Sir Frederick Bridge, the October number of the same, Novello, Ewer & Co.'s publication, gives an account of a paper read by Mr. Harry Evans (Cefn Coed), on "Music in Wales," before a threeday convention of choirmasters and

music teachers held at Bristol, during September last, at which J. Spencer Curwen presided. The following quotation ought to set us all to think, and especially the musicians of Wales, including Eisteddfod promoters:

"Wales, he said, was called the land of song, but whether the people were really musical in the true sense was a debatable question. From a natural point of view they were a musical nation, but from an artistic standpoint he did not think they

were.

As to Welsh choral singing he thought every one would agree that they were superior in quality and equal to the best the world could produce. Then there was the Celtic enthusiasm, which was such a potent force in Welsh singingsometimes for good, sometimes for evil. The natural enthusiasm was responsible for the vigor, brilliancy and warmth of feeling which were the characteristics of their chora! singing. But what they sadly lacked was technique and finish, and the purely Welsh people were slow to believe this. The weak spot in their chorus was reading at sight. It was really amazing how they were able to produce such good singing with so few readers. The lack of readers was a serious matter to conductors, and was a barrier to the production of complete works. The learning by heart, which took a great deal of time, was responsible for the splen did attack noticeable in their choral the competitions. He thought remedy for the lack of readers was in