The President of the Conference for that year was the Rev. George Morley, who the following year became governor of the school. The boys arrived at the chapel (Brunswick), and took their places in the gallery as before, Mr. Parker sitting behind the first boy, Roadhouse. The lads were ready to discharge their rockets, and to let off their speeches, but all the previous preparation was in vain. The President and the principal members of the Conference were absent in the Stationing Committee, and before the lads entered the chapel the "brethren" had come to a resolution to dispense with the exhibition of juvenile eloquence. After listening to a short discussion on some indifferent subject, the lads were withdrawn, and returned back to Woodhouse Grove. The visit was, however, much enjoyed by the boys, the day having been fine.

In after years Bradford also became a Conference town. and as the station of the Midland railway, running from Leeds to Bradford, is near the entrance to the Grove, the boys were generally taken to these Conferences. They were admitted into the Conference, and were addressed by the President, and sometimes by another minister, but were not expected to make any reply, and in about half an hour were marched back to the station.

Latin speech delivered at the Leeds Conference, 1824, by Francis Derry.

Quum nobiscum volutantes, Patres Reverendissimi beneficia plurima, quibus benignitate, studioque vestro potiamur, perpenderemus, nostræ sensa mentis de vestr

nunificentiâ saluberrimâ, quàm integerrimè enuncianda utamus. Neque enim nobis quidquam aptiùs videtur, quàm ut qui accipiant, animo gratissimo benefacta eloquantur. Si nostræ saluti consulere vestrum esset, non solùm Terentii fuit, meritas laudes vobis sententiâ sequente attribuere.

Isthuc est sapere, non quod ante pedes modò est,
Videre, sed etiam illa quæ futura sint.

At etiam nostrum est, et gratias maximas, quas vobis patronis que benevolis debemus agere et dicere, ut nostra bona quoad habemus, nobis quæsito, posteaque culto opus sit. Etiamque hâc copià fandi datà, Domino Dominœque Martindale, qui per penè duo lustra, salutem, mores, felicitatemque nostram assiduissimè pervigilaverunt, oportet grates plurimas præbeamus.

Speech of William Towler.

Reverend Fathers,-Six years have now elapsed since our predecessors had the honour of standing before this venerable assembly. To ascertain the feelings that occupied their minds on that memorable occasion, it is necessary only to refer to our own at the present time. Had we to speak before any public convocation, being but children, we should feel, and our feelings would be in proportion to the dignity of the characters before whom we had to appear. But when we recollect that, on this day, we have to stand before a solemn assembly of men who sustain not a temporal but a spiritual office; who are ambassadors, not

from some foreign clime, but commissioned from the KING of Kings with the Gospel of peace and everlasting salvation, we feel that the serious awe which pervades our minds dictates the necessity of some humble apology for any interruption of the solemnity of your deliberations.

But when we recall to mind that the most dignified personage that ever appeared on earth, the great Head of the Church, did once say, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not," we feel some hope that this example of divine condescension will plead in our behalf. To this apology we esteem it a matter to us of the greatest honour as well as pleasure that we can add that you are our fathers, and we are your children. And to whom should we go but to our heavenly Father, and to you, who, through Him, can shew us the words of eternal life? May, therefore, the blessing of your prayers descend on us, that the dew of heavenly grace may rest on our fleece in this the morning of our days, and qualify us for every age and duty in life, that we may not only have the pleasure of meeting you on this solemn occasion, but that hereafter a more abundant entrance may be administered unto us into the kingdom of CHRIST's eternal joy, to partake with you of the enjoyments of the Church triumphant in the realms above.

The Two Famines.

Amongst the notable events must be mentioned what were known as the two "famines," or "interdicts," which occurred during the governorship of John Stamp. Notwithstanding the old Latin advice, "De mortuis nil nisi

bonum," one cannot help saying that it has always appeared to have been a great mistake to have treated a number of boys in the way about to be described, although no doubt in the first instance the lads were in

the wrong.

One day a boy was passing through the scullery, and saw the ladle used for the porridge in the swill tub. On his reporting the circumstance to his fellows, great indignation was aroused, and it was resolved not to submit to such an indignity, but to refuse the porridge when next it was served out. Accordingly, on the next occasion, the “ pobs,” as it was called, were placed before each boy, but were refused by the bigger boys, who were served first, and their example was followed by the middle boys; whilst the little ones of eight and nine years of age looked wistfully at it, but only some half-dozen, fresh from a mother's tender care, found that their appetites were too strong for them, and with tears in their eyes gave way. At the mid-day meal all the little ones gave way, and at the third and closing meal of the day several of the middle-aged boys surrendered. Next morning several of the lads were sick, and at breakfast Mr. Stamp announced that no food would be given until this porridge, the same which had been three times previously placed before them, was eaten. But a remarkable circumstance occurred at prayer that morning. It was the practice for the boys to repeat the Lord's prayer audibly after the governor. But on this occasion not a sound was heard but the governor's voice until he came to one of the petitions, when the whole school vociferated "Give us this day our daily bread," and

they left the governor to finish the prayer. The effect on his mind must have been strange.

At dinner time on the second day a few others gave in. By this time the stuff on the plates was falling to pieces, and was not quite so sweet as on the first morning. Many of those who had surrendered, and received their ordinary fare, saved some portion of their bread for their brothers and friends. A gloom was settling on the school; even the biggest boys began to be ill. It might become a case of starvation to death. On the second night many boys were sleepless. The third morning came, when very few, and those the oldest and highest boys in the school, occupied the position of "protestants" against the porridge. On this morning the stuff was found to be so offensive that the Governor wisely gave way, and permitted all the boys to have their regular food. Distrusting my own memory in some measure, the foregoing account is the narration of Mr. Thomas Evans, now of Swansea.

A second famine, or "interdict," as it was called at the time, occurred, under rather different circumstances, in August, 1826. In regard to this the narration of Mr. Joseph Gostick is followed: "I have a very clear remembrance of it, as it occurred in my time. Before and after meals it was our rule to sing a verse of grace or thanksgiving, and a boy named Howarth had for some time had the duty of starting the tune.' When he left, silence followed on the Sunday morning at breakfast time, as no boy would start the tune. Mr. Stamp then said several boys must agree to take the duty in (weekly) turns, or we must have no dinner. But at dinner time all refused.