this wretched family being reclaimed from the awful state of degradation to which they had sunk; but we scarcely dare hope that such is the case, for long indulged habits of intemperance are hard to be broken. We present the picture as a fearful lesson to those who have not yet reached this dreadful state, but who are indulging in habits which may in time lead them on, step by step, until they are brought to the same condition.

READER, BEWARE!

Impressed as we are with the difficulty of casting aside drunken habits, without at once resolutely abstaining from all intoxicating drinks, and, by prayer, seeking for strength to keep the good resolution, yet there is, by these means, hope even for cases as bad, or worse, than those which are here described as evidenced in the history of the Laudanum Drinker, see our Tract, No. 26; in that of Ralph the Soldier, No. 29; in Tract 33, David the Shoemaker; in that striking picture of the Drunken Couple, No. 34; in that interesting narrative, No. 47, John Jarvis; also in narratives to be found in Tracts, 67, 68, 80, and 89 of this series ; besides also the life of Poor William, No. 127; and in that deeply interesting history of J. B. Gough, in Tract 132, all of which we would recommend for circulation in districts containing houses similar to those represented in this "SCENE FROM LIFE."

EDITOR OF IPSWICH TRACTS.

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THE

CHRISTIAN SABBATH BREAKER.

The following is a copy of a private letter addressed by an INLAND REVENUE OFFICER

to T. B. Smithics, of London, which clearly shows that every maltliquor drinker is implicated in Sabbath desecration.

London, March 25th, 1850.

MY DEAR SIR,-I have much pleasure in furnishing you, as requested, with a few particulars on a subject on which I know you feel deeply interested.

It is a very gratifying fact to every lover of the holy Sabbath, that the Christian public is manifesting such a lively concern in reference to Sabbath labour in connexion with the Post-Office. But is it not somewhat strange, that whilst so much sympathy is generously and justly evinced on behalf of Post-Office clerks, another numerous and equally respectable and responsible class of government servants is altogether overlooked? I refer to Excise (or Inland Revenue) officers! This, especially with reference to the public advocates for the better observance of the Lord's Day, has been to me, for some years past, a matter of surprise. How is it to be accounted for? Is it because ́this class of persons have less reverence and love for, and less need of the Christian Sabbath, than their fellow-servants of the Post-Office? I have no hesitation in saying, decidedly not. On the contrary, they would greatly rejoice at being freed from obligation to Sabbath-labour, which is felt, by very many of them, to be an oppressive and galling burden upon the conscience, and necessarily pernicious to the moral and religious feelings.

This apparent inconsistency on the part of the Christian public is, perhaps, partly attributable to their want of information upon the subject. They are probably unacquainted with the fact, that there are about three thousand Excise

(or hand Zereme offers scattered over the Cited Kligion, every me if whom is stiged to vist and Surver every mas-vome iʼn tis residence and móer his survey, suce In every batéri, vien any mat is being manufactured tuersa; and frequency twice or mre, woring to the sage of operation then in process. Mary officers are mder the necessity of frequently trading considerable discanoes on the Sabbath, to visit and survey makr-bouses danced out of their residences, and in villages several art from each other.

You will, doubtless, remember, that a few years ago, a versin dcer of Excise, then residing within a hundred miles of York Minster, became connected with a large and popular Sanday-school, well known to yourself. At the time of his doing so, the nature of his business did not necessarily involve Sabbath-labour. But, subsequently, certain alterations were made, by which there was placed under his survey, amongst other things, a malt-house, which, somewhat singularly, belonged to two of the superintendents of the Sunday-school in which he himself was the conductor of a class of senior youths. Sabbath-labour now became indispensable to this Sunday-school teacher. The malt-house of these two superintendents must be visited and surveyed by him once, or more, every Sabbath. Often, after accompaning the school to its usual place of worship, has he, with permission of the respective superintendent for the day, repaired to the Excise-Office, in an adjacent street, to make the necessary entries concerning the malt-house, returning before or during the opening service. Or, otherwise, he has performed this necessary part of his duties at the close of the service. I refer to this merely as an instance which has fallen under your own observation.

Sabbath-labour in connexion with the manufacture of malt, is not only involved in its survey, but is indispensable to its accomplishment. It would be difficult to give an exact description of the process of manufacture, as it varies considerably, according to the mode adopted, and the state of the weather. The following sketch, however, may be regarded as an average specimen, and will give you some idea of the nature and amount of Sabbath-labour required

in the manufacture of an article so extensively patronized by the religious public!

The almost universal practice of maltsters is to commence a fresh operation every fourth day; and as the grain used in each operation is legally required, in the first place, to be steeped in water at least forty hours, and can only be begun to be so steeped during certain hours of the day, and subsequently can be emptied from the cistern only during certain hours of the day, it is evident that, on two days of every four, there will be either a steeping or an emptying of the cistern, and, consequently, that either one or the other will frequently occur on the Sabbath. Part of the labour of steeping may be avoided on the Sabbath, by either running the corn, or pumping the water into the cistern on the previous day. The grain used in each steeping is required to be manufactured separately; and during such process, from the time of being emptied from the cistern to being placed on the kiln, is termed a "floor." There are generally three or four floors in consecutive stages of manufacture, spread out from two or three, to five or six inches in depth, all of which require to be turned over, or ploughed, (a partial turning) from time to time, varying in frequency, according to circumstances, especially in reference to the weather-say from one or two, to four or five times each day. The last part of the process of manufacture, is drying on the kiln. A floor is placed on the kiln, and dried off, either whole or in two or more parts. During the time it is on the kiln, it will require occasional turnings, or ploughings—say two or more each day. The loading and unloading of the kiln, on the Sabbath, might generally be avoided, but is seldom done. Steeping and emptying the cistern on the Sabbath might be avoided, but either of them would interfere very materially with the business, and would entail the entire loss of a day. Cases of this kind are of very rare occurrence. Generally speaking, the amount of labour performed on the Sabbath, in manufacturing malt, is but very little less, if any, than on any other day; and, under no circumstances whatever, is malt made without a very considerable amount of Sabbath labour.

It is, therefore, undeniably, a question of deep and

individual importance, whether a religious professor can consistently and conscientiously countenance either the manufacture or the use of an article, the making of which necessarily involves so large an amount of Sabbath-labour, and which is declared by the most eminent medical authorities to be not necessary to health, and the customary use of which is continually producing such a fearful mass of wretchedness, crime, and sin.

[The Maid Servant sent for the Beer for her Master's Sabbath Dinner.]

Societies may receive 24 Sixpenny Packets of Tracts and Hand Bills in any part of London, by a post-office order for 10s. 6d., or 50 packets for 21s., being sent to Richard Dykes Alexander, Ipswich. All Country Booksellers may obtain Tracts through Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., London.

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