{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_48100/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_48100","id":"gutenberg_48100","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48100","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: How To ...","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Teaching & Education","Sunday schools"],"text":"Transcriber's Note:\n\nApparent typographical errors, and inconsistent hyphenation, have been\ncorrected.\n\nSmall capitals have been replaced by full capitals. Words in italics\nare indicated by _underscores_, while spaced-out font has been closed\nup.\n\nReferences to purely decorative illustrations have been removed.\n\nText in smaller font (mostly consisting of quotations) has been\nindented one space.\n\n\n\n\n THE SABBATH-SCHOOL INDEX.\n\n POINTING OUT\n\n THE HISTORY AND PROGRESS OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS, WITH APPROVED MODES OF\n INSTRUCTION, EXAMPLES IN ILLUSTRATIVE, PICTORIAL, AND OBJECT-TEACHING;\n ALSO THE USE OF THE BLACKBOARD, MANAGEMENT OF INFANT-CLASSES,\n TEACHERS' MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS, INSTITUTES, ETC., ETC., ETC.\n\n BY R. G. PARDEE, A.M.\n\n\n PHILADELPHIA:\n J. C. GARRIGUES & CO.,\n 148 SOUTH FOURTH STREET,\n 1868.\n\n\n Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by\n J. C. GARRIGUES & CO.,\n\n In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States,\n for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.\n\n WESTCOTT & THOMSON,\n Stereotypers,\n PHILADELPHIA.\n\n Jas. B. Rodgers, Pr.\n 52 & 54 N. 6th St.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nA few years ago the author prepared a little Manual entitled \"The\nSunday-School Worker Assisted,\" etc., which was so favorably received\nas to call for a large edition without any special advertising. What\nhas seemed to be a most imperative call has again come up, from\nvarious sections of our land, and from many denominations of\nChristians, for a fuller and more complete work, illustrated with\nexamples. If our pastors, superintendents or teachers, wished for\nspecific details of all the departments of the Sabbath-school, they\ncomplained that they were compelled to purchase a dozen English and a\ndozen American works, and even then there were important topics of\ninformation still unreached. Besides, books written a quarter of a\ncentury ago will not fully meet the requirements of an intelligent\nSabbath-school man at this day. The cause is making constant progress,\nand many real improvements have been made during the past few years\nwhich are worthy of special record and notice.\n\nNever before has the Holy Bible been so exalted, so taught, so\napplied, and made so interesting as now. Never before were our best\nSabbath-schools devoted to such pure, simple, child-like worship of\nGod as now; and never before was the high and holy aim of _immediate\nconversion_ of the scholars to Christ, and then their thorough\nreligious training, kept steadily in view, as it is in many\nSunday-schools at the present time.\n\nThe Sabbath-school, as the true working-field of the Christian\nchurches (\"The Bible School,\" as Dr. Chalmers called it), is now the\ngrand rallying cry of the faithful.\n\nThe aim and design of this work is to observe, collate, and condense,\nas far as possible, the _best_ thoughts, experience, and observation\nof Sabbath-school laborers and authors, not only in this country but\nalso in Great Britain, and to combine these with the observation and\nexperience of the writer during the last forty-five years. The author\nis greatly indebted particularly to the London Sunday-School Union\npublications, and to _The Sunday-School Times_ of Philadelphia, as\nwell as to most of his fellow-laborers and writers in both countries.\nGladly would he give credit in every instance, but their works have\nbeen so read and their thoughts gathered up, preserved, and noted for\nuse during many years, and their views so assimilated with the\nauthor's and made his own, that he is now quite unable to trace them\naccurately to their right sources. They have become the property of\nall, and he has appropriated and adopted them into the line of his own\nthought in the one great work.\n\nThe best examples and the best new improvements are here given for the\nSabbath-school artist to copy. No one man or school or country\nembodies them all. None, however, are mere theories. Everything here\nstated has been tried and proved.\n\nThe future progress of the Sabbath-school will be carefully watched,\nin order to add to or modify subsequent editions of this book, so that\nthe Sabbath-school worker, with no other guide-board but this \"Index,\"\nmay be enabled, by divine grace, to enter the right path and to do a\ngood Christian work in training up the children and youth of his\ngeneration.\n\nTHE AUTHOR.\n\nNEW YORK, _February, 1868_.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n       I. THE SABBATH-SCHOOL                                         7\n\n      II. HISTORY AND PROGRESS                                      10\n\n     III. CONVENTIONS                                               23\n\n      IV. INSTITUTES                                                31\n\n       V. THE SUPERINTENDENT                                        39\n\n      VI. THE LIBRARY AND LIBRARIAN                                 53\n\n     VII. THE SECRETARY                                             59\n\n    VIII. THE TEACHER                                               61\n\n      IX. PREPARATION                                               63\n\n       X. THE TEACHER TEACHING                                      70\n\n      XI. ILLUSTRATIVE TEACHING                                     87\n\n     XII. PICTORIAL TEACHING                                        94\n\n    XIII. OBJECT-TEACHING                                          103\n\n     XIV. THE BLACKBOARD                                           112\n\n      XV. THE INFANT-SCHOOL                                        124\n\n     XVI. YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN'S BIBLE-CLASSES                      145\n\n    XVII. THE ART OF SECURING ATTENTION                            157\n\n   XVIII. THE ART OF QUESTIONING                                   163\n\n     XIX. THE TEACHERS' MEETING                                    174\n\n      XX. VISITING THE SCHOLARS                                    184\n\n     XXI. SYSTEMATIC DISTRICT CHRISTIAN VISITATION                 188\n\n    XXII. NEW MISSION-SCHOOLS                                      192\n\n   XXIII. THE CONVERSION AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN.--_Children's\n            Prayer-meetings, etc._                                 200\n\n    XXIV. PREACHING TO CHILDREN                                    208\n\n     XXV. CHILDREN'S MEETINGS AND MONTHLY CONCERTS                 212\n\n    XXVI. AUXILIARY ASSOCIATIONS.--_Temperance Societies.--\n            Missionary Associations_                               215\n\n   XXVII. SABBATH-SCHOOL MUSIC                                     221\n\n  XXVIII. MEANS AND MEASURES.--_Anniversaries.--Excursions and\n            Exhibitions.--Premiums and Rewards.--Benevolent\n            Contributions.--Catechisms.--Two Sessions.--\n            Constitution and By-Laws_                              224\n\n    XXIX. SABBATH-SCHOOL GUARDIANS.--_Parents.--Pastors.--\n            The Church.--The Community_                            230\n\n     XXX. MISSIONARY AGENCIES.--_Neighborhood Prayer\n            Meetings.--Bible Readers.--Industrial Schools.--\n            Boys' Meetings_                                        237\n\n    XXXI. THE QUESTION BOX.--_The Answer Box_                      240\n\n   XXXII. MISTAKES OF TEACHERS                                     248\n\n  XXXIII. HELPS FOR TEACHERS.--_The Teacher's Covenant_            251\n\n\n\n\nI.\n\nTHE SABBATH-SCHOOL.\n\n\nIt is a place where the churches of Christ meet with the children and\nyouth for the worship and service of God. It is the Church of God\ncaring for the children on the Sabbath day. Every song of praise, as\nwell as every prayer and reading and study of the Word of God,\ntogether with every exhortation, address or sermon, should rise to a\nhigh and holy act of simple, life-like, child-like devotion. The place\nshould be comfortable, attractive, light, airy and cheerful. It should\nbe dry and well warmed. The walls may be covered with prints, hymns,\nand Scripture mottoes; or, as some of our wealthy congregations have\ndone, they may be frescoed beautifully with illuminated texts or\npaintings representing Scripture scenes, to attract the children to\nthe house of God--to their _Sabbath Home_. Especial care should be\ntaken that the seats provided are adapted in size, height, and form,\nto all ages and sizes, from the wee ones in the infant classes up to\nthe larger scholars and the members of the adult classes. The\nthree-sides-of-an-octagon form of seat is found to answer well, and is\nmuch cheaper than the circular seats. Infant classes will need a room\nby themselves, and sometimes raised seats are to be preferred. A good\nblackboard and crayons, with good maps, should be furnished to every\nroom, together with a well-selected library, both for teachers and\nscholars. Keep on file a few good Sunday-school papers and magazines.\nIt would be well also to have a few reference Bibles and a Bible\nDictionary. But the glory of the Sabbath-school is the open Bible, the\nliving Teacher, the Church Militant and aggressive. Said De Witt\nClinton: \"The Sunday-school is one of the three great powers by which\nthe moral world is to be moved.\" Says the Rev. Dr. Daggett: \"The\nSabbath-school is to do vastly more than all other agencies of the\nChurch.\" Said John Angell James: \"In a few years we shall look upon\nall the past progress of the Sunday-school but as the beginning, as a\nkind of first-fruits, an earnest of the future of this great\ninstitution of the Christian Church.\" Said the Rev. Dr. Campbell, of\nthe _British Banner_, London: \"With respect to countless multitudes,\nit is mainly the work of the Sunday-school teacher to carry out the\ncommand of our Lord to preach the gospel to every creature. The\nSunday-school, for the _individual_, for the _family_, for the\n_Church_, for the _nation_, and for the _world_, is one of the\nprincipal mottoes to be inscribed on the banners of the faithful; and\nmany well-meant but feeble agencies on which much religious activity\nis now _frittered_ away, will, we believe, at length be merged in this\ngrand institution. The conviction is strong in our mind that the\nSunday-school Union, as a great central source of light, life, and\npower, is on the threshhold of a glorious career of usefulness, and\nwill speedily become, in the hands of the great Master, an agency for\ngood to an extent beyond all present appreciation by the Christian\nChurch.\"\n\n\n\n\nII.\n\nHISTORY AND PROGRESS.\n\n\nThe history of Sabbath-schools is nearly allied to the onward progress\nof the Church of God in the earth. In all ages, whenever pure religion\nhas been revived, it would seem that especial attention has always\nbeen given to the early religious instruction and training of children\nand youth by the Church of God; and herein lies the grand\nSUNDAY-SCHOOL IDEA. Says a Scotch divine: \"Vital religion, and the\ngodly upbringing of the young, have ever gone hand in hand.\" The soul\nis diseased, and a Bible education is the only remedy. In that\nwonderful BOOK, which extends its record over the long period of four\nthousand years of this world's history, there is throughout a\nwonderful regard for children. Of the patriarch Abraham, nearly four\nthousand years ago, it is written: \"For I know him, that he will\ncommand his children and his household after him, and they shall keep\nthe way of the Lord.\" Gen. xviii.\u00a019. With what wonderful power does\nthe history of the childhood of Joseph, and Moses, and David, and\nSamuel, and Daniel, illustrate the value of the instruction and\nreligious training of children.\n\nWhen Moses, the great lawgiver of Israel, received the law amid the\nthunderings and lightnings and earthquakes of Mount Sinai, he called\n\"ALL Israel\" together (Deut. v.\u00a01), and by divine direction his words\nwere (Deut. vi.\u00a06): \"Hear, O _Israel_.... These words, which I command\nthee this day, shall be (1) in thine heart: and (2) thou shalt _teach_\nthem diligently unto thy children,\" etc., _i. e._, the _Church's_\nchildren--not parents exclusive, but inclusive of course. \"Israel,\"\nthat was called upon by Moses, was the Church of God upon earth, and\nit is her express duty to the end of time to see that all her children\nshall be \"taught of the Lord.\" It is true that parents are the\ndivinely-appointed guardians and instructors of their children, and\nthis obligation rests upon them; and yet they are, alas! too often\nincapable of the religious instruction of their own children or of any\nother, besides being often indifferent; and the Church of God, by her\ncatechetical or Sabbath-school instruction, has always had, and\nprobably will always have, to supply the lack of unfaithful parents.\nThere is no agency which so supplies the lack of _mothers_ as a good\nSabbath-school.\n\nThus we find in Deuteronomy, nearly four thousand years ago, the great\nSabbath-school principle foreshadowed and embodied; and where, we may\nask, can be found in all the Bible a more definite authorization or\n_divine appointment_ for any of the great denominational Christian\nChurches which now so bless our land than is here found for the\nSabbath-school? It is ordained and blessed of God. The Sabbath-school\nis simply the Church of Christ putting forth its legitimate effort in\nits most inviting field of action. It is _the_ regular systematic\nworking department of the Christian Church--not an outside auxiliary,\nbut an inside,--the Church itself in action; and as such let it be\ncarefully guarded and cherished. The same Divine lips which said \"Go\npreach,\" said also and equally to his disciples, \"Go _teach_.\" Says\nthe Rev. J. H. Vincent: \"There is just as much divine authority for\nthe Sabbath-school as there is for the sanctuary--no more.\" Our Divine\nLord and Master himself repeatedly astonished his own disciples by his\nparticular notice of and care for little children, and with sore\ndispleasure he rebuked his followers for hindering them from being\nbrought to him.\n\nIt was not until nearly the close of the second century, or, according\nto Tertullian, in the year A.D.\u00a0180, that the Christian Church felt\ncompelled, in order to check the defection of heathen converts, to set\nabout the establishment of those celebrated catechumenical schools, of\nwhich Origen was one of the catechists, for the systematic religious\ninstruction by the Church of Christ of the children and youth.\n\nSo useful and necessary, however, did this work prove itself to be,\nthat very soon similar schools were universally established. They\ncontinued to flourish until near the close of the sixth century, when\nthey declined and became obscured for ten long centuries in the gloom\nof the Dark Ages, with only an occasional prince, or pastor, or layman\nin the spirit of the Master, to teach the children the way of life.\n\nIn the sixteenth century, however, on the dawn of the Reformation,\nMartin Luther established his celebrated Sunday-schools at Wittemberg\nin the year 1527; and soon after John Knox inaugurated the\nSunday-schools of Scotland, \"with readers,\" as the history of Scotland\ninforms us, in 1560; so that on the incoming of the Reformation the\nchildren were again \"taught of the Lord.\" In the year 1580, Borromeo,\nthe pious Archbishop of Milan, established a system of Sunday-schools\nthroughout his large diocese in Lombardy.\n\nIn our own land our Pilgrim Fathers early entered upon the work; for\nEllis, in his History of Roxbury, Massachusetts, says: \"In 1674, 6th\n11th month, is the first record of a Sabbath-school.\" The records of\nthe Pilgrim Church in Plymouth, Massachusetts, inform us that a\nSabbath-school was there organized as early as in 1680. Joseph\nAlleine, the author of the \"Alarm to the Unconverted,\" opened a\nSabbath-school in England in 1688, and many others might be mentioned\nin both countries in succession. But the first Sabbath-school of which\nwe have any _authentic, definite, and detailed_ account, extending\nover a period of a quarter of a century, was that established by\nLudwig Hacker in Ephratah, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, as early as\nthe year 1747. It was continued uninterruptedly during a period of\nmore than thirty years, until the building was taken for a soldiers'\nhospital in the time of the Revolutionary War. It enjoyed precious\nseasons of revival, and had its children's meetings, and we are\ninformed that many children were hopefully converted to God. We have\nbefore us a long letter from Dr. Fahnestock to the Rev. W. T.\nBrantley, D.D., of Philadelphia, written in 1835, detailing many\ninteresting facts connected with the history of this Sabbath-school,\ndrawn from living pupils and records.\n\nRobert Raikes instituted not only, but _organized_, the SYSTEM of\nSabbath-schools, and popularized them in England, in Gloucester, in\nFebruary, 1781. All benevolence was single-handed until such men as\nRobert Raikes and William Wilberforce _organized_ it, and sent it\nforth systematized on its errand of love, mercy and salvation\nthroughout the world. Before this, as we have seen, there were\nisolated occasional Sabbath-schools, but their influence was confined\nmainly to one city, one town, or one church, and expired with an\nindividual. But Robert Raikes \"founded Sabbath-schools for the Church\nuniversal.\" John Wesley preached and _organized_. George Whitefield\npreached, and did not organize. Robert Raikes _organized_\nSabbath-schools, but his predecessors did not do so. And we can in\nboth cases see the important difference. Within the short space of\nfour years from the period when Mr. Raikes established his first\nSabbath-school in Gloucester, England, more than one-quarter of a\nmillion of children in England were enjoying the blessing of\nSabbath-school instruction. All honor, then, to Robert Raikes!\n\nTo Bishop Ashbury appears to belong the honor of first introducing\nRobert Raikes's idea of Sabbath-schools into this country, in Virginia\nin 1786. How long the school was continued, or what was its influence\nin Virginia, we are unable to state.\n\nThe first \"Sunday-school _Society_\" was formed in London, September 7,\n1785. This was on the system of paid teachers, but when the plan of\nvoluntary, unpaid teachers had become established, this society gave\nplace to the present \"London Sunday-School Union,\" which was organized\nto meet this change on the 13th of July, 1803. Both of these societies\nwere formed on the union plan, including the various denominations,\nthe first including an equal number of Churchmen and Dissenters in its\nmanagement.\n\nThe First-day or Sunday-School Society in Philadelphia was organized\nin 1791, and Bishop White was its first president.\n\nWe learn from a carefully prepared editorial in the first volume of\nthe \"Sunday-School Teacher's Magazine and Journal of Education,\"\npublished in New York, 1823, that after a careful personal interview\nof the editor with the parties, he had been enabled to ascertain the\nprecise time and the circumstances under which the first\nSabbath-school was commenced in New York city. Mr. and Mrs. Divie\nBethune had spent part of the years 1801 and 1802 in England, where\nthey had observed the progress of Sunday-schools in Great Britain; and\non their return, in connection with their pious mother, the late Mrs.\nIsabella Graham, they arranged their plans, and \"in the autumn of 1803\nthese three Christian philanthropists opened the first Sunday-school\nin New York for religious and catechcetical purposes, at their own\nexpense, at the house of Mrs. Leech, in Mott street.\" Mrs. Graham and\nMr. and Mrs. Bethune then established two other Sabbath-schools in\nother parts of the city, and soon after one for the children in the\nalms-house in New York. It is to the same source, too, that _adult_\nschools owe their commencement in this country, or at least in New\nYork. Mrs. Graham, it is stated, opened the first adult school in\nGreenwich, in 1814, on the second Sabbath in June, only about two\nmonths before her death. We are thus particular to state these facts,\nfor we are aware that a later date has been insisted upon for the\ninauguration of the first Sunday-school of New York.\n\nSamuel Slater opened a school for his operatives in Pawtucket, Rhode\nIsland, in 1797. The Broadway Baptist Sabbath-school, in Baltimore,\nwas established in 1804, and it is said to be still in operation. Mrs.\nAmos Tappan (Miss Buckminster) opened a Sabbath-school in Portsmouth,\nNew Hampshire, in 1803. We do not learn that the Churches and\norganized Christian bodies took hold of the Sabbath-school movement in\nthis country, so as to _produce_ permanent and efficient _action_,\nuntil 1809, when we find an elaborate constitution and plan of action\nfrom Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1810 a Sabbath-school was organized\nin Beverly, Massachusetts, and in Boston in 1812. Soon after this\nthere began to be a more general and awakened interest in the Churches\nin behalf of Sabbath-schools, and the years 1814, 1815, and 1816 were\nyears of most triumphant progress, so that in 1817 Sunday-schools were\norganized in most of our flourishing churches and Christian\ncommunities throughout this country.\n\nEarly in 1816 the New York Sunday-School Union was established, and is\nthe first and oldest Union in our land, having just celebrated its\nsemi-centennial. The American Sunday-School Union was organized in\n1824, to provide a juvenile Christian literature (and from whence our\npublic school district libraries borrowed their first idea) and to\nplant a Sunday-school wherever there is a population.\n\nSurely, if any work in our land needs to be hastened, it is that of\nthe religious instruction of the neglected children and youth of this\nnation by means of Sabbath-schools. Not to mention the various modern\ndenominational movements, the above we believe to be a correct history\nof the Sunday-school progress, and we suppose it to be sufficiently\nfull for practical purposes in this work. We have ample materials on\nthis subject to fill a large volume, but this may here suffice.\n\nThere are other questions, however, which ought to be here recorded in\nconnection with the progress of the cause. In Great Britain the work\nis embarrassed from the fact that as a general rule only the children\nof the poor and middle classes attend their Sabbath-schools. In the\nearly stages of the Sabbath-school movement in this country the same\ncustom prevailed here, and it is certainly worthy of record by what\nmeans the change was effected.\n\nSeveral years ago, while in attendance upon a Sunday-school meeting,\nthe writer of this enjoyed a lengthened interview with the late Rev.\nDr. Lyman Beecher, then in his prime. Our conversation turned upon\nthat unfortunate feature of the cause in England which virtually\nexcluded all the better-to-do children of that country. Dr. Beecher's\neye lit up at once, and with great animation, as he said to me: \"It\nwas the same here at first, and I do not know but I had an important\nhand in producing the change. I saw the tendency of things, and feared\nthat our Sunday-schools would result in a failure if only the poor\nchildren gained the benefit of them in this land, and it troubled me\nfor some year or two. At last,\" said he, energetically, \"I resolved to\noverthrow that system, and went and called upon Judge W., one of my\nmost influential families, and said, 'Judge W----, I want you to bring\nyour children to Sunday-school next Sabbath.' '_Me_!' exclaimed the\nJudge in amazement. 'Yes, you,' calmly responded Dr. Beecher: 'I have\nmade up my mind to take _my children_, and I want you and a few others\nof the best families to popularize the thing.' A little explanation\nsecured the object. He then called upon Mrs. S----, the most\naristocratic lady in the community, and said, 'Mrs. S---- I want you\nto lead _your two daughters_ into our Sunday-school next Sabbath;'\nand, said the Doctor, 'Mrs. S---- almost shouted in astonishment;' but\na more particular and careful explanation than sufficed with Judge\nW---- succeeded here; and then the family of the first physician was\nin like manner secured, and we all turned our labor and influence on\nthe Sunday-school movement, and it gave an unheard-of impetus to our\nSunday-school, and by means of the press and by letters and personal\nconversation the facts became known and met with almost universal\napproval and adoption in our country, and the reform soon became\ncomplete.\" Blessings, a thousand blessings rest upon the memory of the\nman, or the men and women, who aided to bring about this glorious\nchange in this land!\n\nThe law of progress is very noticeable in the teaching of the\nSabbath-school. Robert Raikes's first idea was scarcely more than to\nkeep the children out of the streets and to protect the Sabbath. Then\nthe children were taught to read and write. After that a great advance\nwas made by the introduction of the Bible as the reading-book; the\nnext step was to commit the Bible to memory; and then the Christian\nChurches took hold of the Sabbath-school.\n\nFor awhile _Memory_ was crowded to its utmost extent, to the injury of\nthe scholar, and more memorizing became the hobby in most of our\nschools. After a while the physicians checked this, by telling us that\nby crowding the memory we were developing a new disease amongst\nchildren, viz., Hydrocephalus, or water on the brain. Then our schools\nwere in trouble, and resort was had to question-cards, and finally\nquestion-books became the hobby. In a few years question-books began\nto be stale and monotonous, and we appealed to the imagination and\nresorted to stories and anecdotes until they wearied, and then we\nsearched commentaries, and theology was administered to the children\nin large doses. After that what was called spiritual teaching was\nadopted, but that soon degenerated into mere exhortation. Now we find\nthat we must comprehensively grasp and rightly use them all, and make\na hobby of none. The _memory_ is the grand store-house of the mind,\nand it should be well filled; but it is folly to over-stock it and\noverwhelm the brain. The _imagination_ is God's grand medium of\nworship and communion with him and the spiritual world. We cannot\nworship God without it. Let us not exorcise it because some abuse it.\n\"The _imagination_ has the same place in the faculties that the eye\nhas among the senses.\" The _intellect_ is God's great gift which\ndistinguishes man from the brute. Let us never worship nor pervert it.\nThe _heart_ is the soul of man. To save it the Son of man came down\nfrom heaven to earth. Unless the heart is gained all is lost; but if\nwe appeal to the heart alone, we but develop the puny Christian. Let\nus, therefore, use all wisely, but misuse none. At first the aim of\nSabbath-school teaching was very feeble and indefinite: to keep the\nchildren out of mischief--teach them to read the Bible--correct their\nmanners and make them good children--not profane and disobedient. Then\nthe aim was to give them a general knowledge of Bible history and\ncatechism. The ablest early Sabbath-school works published under the\npatronage of the Queen of England did not even hint at the possible\nconversion of the children. The Bible was long introduced as a book of\ntask lessons to the young, and catechism and hymn learning engrossed\nour Bible classes. Now, the Bible is exalted, and so applied in our\nSabbath-schools as to be the most attractive of all books to the\nchildren and youth. _Now_, the aim of Sabbath-school teaching is, or\nought to be, the _immediate_ conversion of the children to Christ. It\nis a poor excuse to suffer a child to drown because we have but one\nopportunity of saving it. _Now_, many Sabbath-school teachers have\nlearned the great and precious art of leading even little children to\nJesus--\"Just now.\"\n\nSabbath-schools are, as we believe, about to enter upon a great and\nglorious career, compared with which all the past history of the cause\nis but as the early dawn before a bright and glorious day; and this\nera is the culture and training by the word and grace of God of all\nthat constitutes the best style of man and Christian; for we hold it\nto be the true teacher's position that there is no weakness or\ninfirmity of temper, habit, purpose, or character in any of our pupils\nthat the Sabbath-school, with its divine text-book and the promised\nSpirit of God, is not perfectly competent to remove. Let this be our\nstandard, and according to our faith be it unto us. May the great\nMaster so bless and prosper this heaven-born institution that speedily\n\"our children may _all_ be taught of the Lord, and that great may be\nthe peace of our children.\"\n\n\n\n\nIII.\n\nCONVENTIONS.\n\n\nThe object of these gatherings is to arouse, to instruct, and to\ntrain. 1. To explore the districts, report the destitutions, and\ndevise the best ways of filling up existing schools, of planting new\nschools, and reaching, if possible, every neglected child. 2. To call\nattention to the bad or inefficient habits in the modes of conducting\nand teaching in our Sabbath-schools, and to suggest a remedy by\ndetailing the more excellent ways. 3. To instruct and train teachers\nhow they may prepare and teach the lesson better, and how they can\nbecome better acquainted with children's character, language, and\nfeelings. It is of prime importance that there should be frequent and\nearnest conferences of pastors, superintendents, and teachers, in\norder to become acquainted with all the best modes and real\nimprovements that the most favored enjoy. A quarter of a century or\nmore ago, county Sunday-school conventions and anniversaries were\nfrequently held, but they were usually crowded into a single\nafternoon, giving the Bible Society the morning and the Temperance\nUnion the evening of the day. The time was insufficient to examine the\nstate of the cause, or the schools, with much care, although the\nmeetings were uniformly pleasant, and sometimes of considerable\ninterest; yet their influence was quite limited and evanescent.\n\nIt was during the early autumn of 1856 that the good Spirit prompted\nthe Sabbath-school teachers of Massachusetts, one thousand strong, to\npay a visit to the Crystal Palace and the Sabbath-school teachers of\nNew York. They were received with great cordiality, and mingled\ndelightfully with the Sabbath-school teachers of New York and Brooklyn\nduring two or three days, closing with a grand Farewell Meeting in\nPlymouth Church, Brooklyn. This religious festival afforded a good\nopportunity for the Sabbath-school laborers from the various sections\nof the country to compare views and converse freely about all\ndepartments of the good work. All this proved to be interesting and\nprofitable beyond all expectation, and the result was, there arose a\nvery general desire to renew these prolonged conferences of teachers,\nunder other forms, as soon as practicable.\n\nAccordingly, Massachusetts called a three-days State Sabbath-school\nConvention, in the city of Boston, later in the fall of the same year;\nand New York held its first State Sabbath-school Convention, of three\ndays, in the city of Albany, in the month of January, 1857. Both\nconventions were enthusiastic and useful, and those States have\ncontinued these meetings annually since that period; and most of the\nNorthern States, and some of the Southern States, have followed the\ngood example, with the most beneficial results. They have awakened\nmuch interest and aroused the people everywhere. Beside the State\nmeetings, County and Town Sunday-school Conventions have been organized\nquite extensively, combining counsels and efforts in all directions.\nThe States appointed County Secretaries or Vice-Presidents, and\ncounties gave the same office to the towns, forming a medium of union\nand communication, exploration and effort throughout.\n\nThese conventions are very useful; but care must be taken or they will\ndegenerate into dull, heavy routine, or wordy discussions, or tedious\nessays, or mere story-telling, or a waste of time in organizing.\n\nThe whole value of Sunday-school conventions depends, of course, upon\nthe manner in which they are conducted. Like the teaching by a wrong\nmode, they can be made profoundly wearisome, when they should always\nbe made profoundly interesting and profitable. Let the convention be\ncalled with GREAT CARE and EFFORT. Let the call always proceed from\nthe right source. Consider well as to the right time and the right\nplace. Then first carefully counsel with the leading pastors and\nsuperintendents of the various denominations, so that they may\nunderstand it and arrange for it. Get a pastor to speak particularly\nand personally beforehand to three or four of his most active,\ninfluential ladies, asking them to notify other families and arrange\nso as to favor the convention. Take the same course with the men; for\nwe must have much personal effort in getting it up. Let the call state\ndistinctly the object, and, as far as may be, the order of the\nmeetings, and send it out as early as three or four weeks before the\nmeeting, to all, and with particular care. Do not depend upon\nnewspaper advertisements to give notice. Get as many pastors,\nsuperintendents, and teachers as possible to _pledge_ a constant\nattendance at every meeting and be ready to aid at all times. Secure a\nlight, cheerful, comfortable room. Place a large, clean blackboard,\nwith crayons and rubber, on the platform, together with a supply of\npaper and pencils for taking notes. Appoint a good leader of singing.\nMeet promptly, and commence the meeting punctually, although but few\nmay be present. Let the first half-hour be one of warm, earnest\ndevotion. Have some appropriate, burning words of Scripture--two or\nthree verses--ready to kindle and glow in every heart. The prayers and\nhymns should all be brief and directly to the point of seeking the\nblessing of God, without which all the efforts will be vain. Without\nGod we can do nothing. Next call to order naturally, and waste not a\nmoment of time in a simple organization. Have an understanding\nbeforehand and call a good, influential man, fitted to preside, to the\nchair, and appoint a suitable Secretary, and, perhaps, a Business\nCommittee. Then enter earnestly into the work before you. Wait not a\nmoment for the business committee to report, but let the chairman call\nfor reports from some section as to the state and prospects of\nSabbath-schools. Gather information, and let that information be the\n_basis_ of systematic action.\n\nThe missionary and aggressive feature should first claim attention.\nCare must be taken that unimportant routine of particular schools does\nnot clog the convention. If in a State gathering, you can hardly have\ntime to hear reports except from counties. If a county meeting, hear\nfrom towns; and if in a town gathering, you can descend and hear\nsuggestive reports from schools, leading to right action. In other\nconventions, references to individual schools must be mostly in the\nway of some spirited illustration. Get a bird's-eye view of your whole\nfield, and then detail the best plans of meeting deficiencies, so as\nto reach effectually the whole outlying population, either by\nvoluntary effort, or by Sabbath-school missionaries, in filling up\nexisting schools and planting others as needed. After a thorough\ncanvass of your whole field, then inquire what are the great wants and\ndifficulties in our present Sabbath-school operations? and how can we\nbest remove them and introduce all the _real_ modern improvements?\n\nDescend next to details as to organization, good records, the library,\nsuperintendents, teachers, and how to get them and train them so as to\nbe efficient; good order, music, prayers, and good teaching in the\nInfant, Scripture, and Bible classes, with such helps as the\nblackboard, object-lessons, map-drawing, Bible geography, and history;\nteachers' meetings, and how successfully and profitably to conduct\nthem; missionary meetings, monthly concerts of prayer, temperance\nmeetings, social gatherings, mothers' meetings in mission schools, and\nespecially children's prayer-meetings; addresses, reviews, catechisms,\n&c., may all be considered.\n\nThen again we want help for the teacher; how to teach, with examples\nof various modes; illustrative teaching, pictorial teaching; on the\nart of securing attention, and on the art of questioning; visiting,\nconversions, and training for Christian work and usefulness; how to\nenlist the Church, the parents, and the community, the pastors and\nchurch officers, in this great work. These and other subjects should\nbe brought up, not for indefinite discussion and debate, but for\ncareful information, deliberate thought, and suggestions resulting\nfrom observation and mature experience.\n\nLet all things be so arranged that one topic will naturally flow into\nand call up another; and what you touch, handle well. If one subject\nis brought up, and no one is ready to take it up, pass on to another,\nuntil you come to one upon which some person has a question to raise,\nor a suggestion or information to offer, or an experience to refer to\nabout it. Waste not a moment of time in pointless and prosy harangues.\nA good time merely, pleasant anecdotes, or touching recitals of dying\nchildren, or sharp discussions, are not sufficient to constitute a\ngood Sabbath-school convention. The great idea of Sabbath-schools, be\nit never forgotten, is not singing, or exhibitions, or addresses, or\nconcerts. It is to meet together for the saving worship of God, in the\nthoughtful study of his Holy Word, in the singing of his praise, and\nin solemn, believing prayer, through our Lord Jesus Christ. These are\nthe high and holy objects to which all our conventions should\ncontribute.\n\nAn important National Sabbath-school Convention was held in\nPhiladelphia in the year 1859, and this gave an additional impulse to\nthe cause. It was, however, during the years 1863 and 1864, that it\nwas observed that these interesting Sabbath-school conventions were in\ndanger of losing their power. They had fallen into a sort of routine,\nand had begun to be monotonous and stale to the regular attendants,\nbecause they were not sufficiently practical and profitable. The\nquestions were, therefore, forced upon us, What must be done? What\ndoes the present crisis of the cause demand? How can our great\ngatherings be made more _useful_? Deliberation and counsel brought the\nanswer: \"We need more _instruction_.\" Teachers need training. They\nneed to be taught how to prepare the lesson; how to secure attention;\nhow to teach infants, juveniles, and adults; how to apply Bible\ntruths. Superintendents need instruction how to gain order; how to\norganize and classify; how to open, conduct, and address and review\nthe school; how to train the teachers and enlist the interest and\nservice of parents, pastors, and the churches. All need inspiring with\nthe spirit that will go forth and plant new schools, and gather in and\nsecure a good religious education to every child in the community. In\nthe way of accomplishment of these grand results the obstacles were\nforeseen--such as prosy essays, tedious discussions, formal addresses\nor sermons, which generalized everything and rendered it nought. On\nthe other hand, we found a surfeit of touching little stories and old\nanecdotes, and it became necessary to strike out boldly for a\nreformation and an entire change of base in our plan of operations.\nAccordingly resort was had to what are called Sunday-school Institutes.\n\n\n\n\nIV.\n\nINSTITUTES.\n\n\nThey have grown out of the idea of the Public-school Teachers'\nInstitutes, which have been sustained for many years with interest and\nprofit, the expenses being cheerfully met out of the State Treasury.\nOur Sabbath-school Institutes are modeled somewhat on the same plan.\nThe object is, by means of practical essays, model lessons, lectures,\nand drill exercises, to train the teachers and officers for their\nwork. Institutes differ from other conventions in calling out the\naudience in responses, recapitulations, and more detailed instruction.\nThey will take their character very much from the character and course\npursued by the conductor. No two persons, perhaps, would conduct them\nalike. For instance, one man would give more attention to\nsuperintending, addresses, public exercises, singing, etc. Another to\nthe blackboard, object teaching, and sacred geography; while another\nstill, would give more attention to methods of teaching, teachers'\nmeetings, normal classes, model lessons, etc. We would prefer to\ncombine ALL these things in their due proportion, in every Institute,\nand make as complete and clear work on every point as possible. The\ngreat object is to make them _useful_. If this is secured, they will\nbe all the more interesting. There are two great subjects which should\nalways be before every Institute, as well as every convention, viz.,\n1. The extension of Sabbath-schools, so as to reach all of the\nneglected; 2. The elevation and improvement of existing schools; and\nthey need improving, if not reforming, in every part.\n\nThe first idea of a Sabbath-school Institute that ever entered the\nmind of the writer was suggested to him by a pastor, Rev. W. A. Niles,\nin the State Sunday-school Convention at Buffalo, New York, in 1864.\nAn experiment was soon successfully made, and since then they have\nbecome almost universally popular and useful. The same thought, we\nhave since been informed, had been considered, and Institutes held by\nthe Rev. J. H. Vincent, in the Western Methodist Conferences; and as\nlong ago as 1827, the New York Sunday-school Union, in its Eleventh\nAnnual Report, particularly recommended this plan \"of a school for the\ntraining of Sabbath-school teachers.\"\n\nThe forms of these Institutes are various. Many are made up partly of\nconvention and partly of Institute exercises. Ordinarily two or three\ndays and evenings are entirely devoted to one, by a county, or\ndistrict comprising a dozen counties. Another plan, when held in a\ncity, is to devote all the evenings and a part of the afternoons of a\nweek to it; as in New York city last year, and recently in Brooklyn;\nalso, prefacing it with an elaborate sermon on the Sabbath evening\nprevious. Another plan still is to devote the usual weekly Teachers'\nMeeting of a school to a regular normal class or training Institute.\nAll these plans are useful in the hands of a good conductor.\n\n\n_The Subjects_\n\nfor consideration in an Institute may be suggested as follows:\n\n  1. How to form new schools.\n  2. How best to gather in the children.\n  3. Their conversion and culture.\n  4. Organization and classification.\n  5. Superintendents' duties.\n  6. Opening and closing exercises.\n  7. The library and record books.\n  8. The Bible classes.\n  9. The intermediate classes.\n 10. The infant-school.\n 11. Anniversaries and concerts.\n 12. Reviews and catechisms.\n 13. Children's prayer-meetings.\n 14. Training of converts.\n 15. How to teach; with model lessons and examples of good modes.\n 16. Illustrative teaching.\n 17. Object teaching.\n 18. Pictorial teaching.\n 19. The use of the blackboard.\n 20. The art of questioning.\n 21. The art of securing attention.\n 22. The preparation of the lesson.\n 23. Teachers' meetings.\n 24. Sunday-school music.\n 25. Children's prayers and devotions.\n 26. Map drawing.\n 27. Bible geography, history, etc.\n 28. Temperance meetings.\n\n\n_The Exercises_\n\nof an Institute may be--\n\n1. Devotional exercises for specific objects.\n\n2. Reports of superintendents and teachers as to how they do it, or\nreports of the destitution, wants, or difficulties.\n\n3. Instruction by the conductor to meet the above specific wants and\ndifficulties.\n\n4. Questions by teachers and answers by the conductor to meet the\npoints in the subject not fully explained.\n\n5. Preparation lessons, practice lessons, and model lessons.\n\n6. Explanatory and instructive addresses, lectures or essays.\n\n7. Model Opening Exercises and Teachers' Meetings.\n\n8. Drill exercises on activity, curiosity, inquisitiveness; or how to\ngain attention, how to instruct, how to impress, etc.\n\n_Every one_ should take some part in an Institute, _i. e._, take\nnotes, ask or answer questions, or give information or lessons. Let\nnone be mere spectators. Always have plenty of paper for taking notes,\nalso pencils, and provide a good blackboard and crayons, and perhaps a\nmap, together with a good warm, light and pleasant room to meet in.\n\nGet up the Institute with care. Have it all well understood, and then\ntalk about it, write and print about it, and get teachers and pastors\npledged to attend. Pray much for the Institute, and select the best\ntime, and do all that you undertake to do, thoroughly and well. Let\none subject naturally glide into the succeeding one. Waste no time\nwith outside men or topics, but adhere to your programme religiously.\nOne or two good helpers from abroad are sufficient, and do not invite\nmen out of compliment. Guard well all denominational interests and\nfeelings. Draw together in harmony and conciliate. Never become\nopinionated or dogmatic, for the moment we cease to learn, our\nusefulness will decline. Give change, variety and life to all the\nexercises.\n\nFinally, the spirituality of any Sunday-school gathering must be\nearnestly sustained, or all will be in vain. God alone can make a good\nsuperintendent, or a good Sabbath-school teacher. We are as nothing.\nThe cause only is great. Therefore, with the Word of God in our hands,\nlet _all things_ be done in a sense of real heartfelt dependence upon\nGod, and with earnest, believing supplication for the Divine direction\nand blessing.\n\nMany of our Sabbath-school Conventions and Institutes are now very\nproperly assuming a mixed character, combining whatever is wanted of\nboth, in every meeting. We need to arouse, instruct and train; and\nalso to know the details of \"how to do it.\" May the Master control all\nthese gatherings to His glory and the good of man!\n\n\n_Rules._\n\n1. Draw out the people to explain their wants, experience, and\ndifficulties.\n\n2. Then supply their wants.\n\n3. Get one conductor, pay his expenses, and assign him to a good,\nquiet, comfortable place of entertainment near the church.\n\n4. Commence promptly, and keep strictly to the programme and to time.\n\nThe following programme of an Institute we think most useful. It\nshould be sent out two to four weeks in advance of the time of meeting:\n\n\n_PROGRAMME._\n\n _Tuesday Evening_.\n\n 7 to 7.30, Religious conference and prayer for the Institute--two or\n three minute exercises.\n\n 7.30 to 7.40, Organization and miscellaneous business.\n\n 7.40 to 8, Sketch of progress and present position of the\n Sabbath-schools.\n\n 8 to 8.30, Brief reports from the counties or towns of their\n condition and destitution.\n\n 8.30 to 9, Instruction how to reach the neglected with schools,\n importance of illustrations, etc.\n\n 9 to 9.30, Review, with questions and answers.\n\n _Wednesday Morning._\n\n 9 to 9.20, Devotion--prayer for the schools.\n\n 9.20 to 9.50, Teachers' meetings by the Institute; how conducted, etc.\n\n 9.50 to 10.30, Review and instruction, by the conductor.\n\n 10.30 to 11, Blackboard and its uses, by the Institute.\n\n 11 to 12, Review and instruction, by the conductor.\n\n _Wednesday Afternoon._\n\n 2 to 2.20, Devotional: prayer for the scholars.\n\n 2.20 to 2.40, Object-teaching, by the Institute.\n\n 2.40 to 3.20, Review and instruction, by the conductor.\n\n 3.20 to 3.40, Infant classes; how taught and difficulties.\n\n 3.40 to 4.30, Review and instruction; examples, etc., by the\n conductor.\n\n 4.30 to 5, Questions; box opened and answers given.\n\n _Wednesday Evening._\n\n 7 to 7.20, Conference and prayer for superintendents.\n\n 7.20 to 8, Superintending, opening exercises, and the library by the\n Institute--four speakers, ten minutes each.\n\n 8 to 9, Review and instruction, by the conductor.\n\n 9 to 9.30, Questions and answers.\n\n _Thursday Morning._\n\n 9 to 9.20, Conference and prayer for teachers.\n\n 9.20 to 10, How you teach; examples, modes, difficulties, etc., by\n the Institute.\n\n 10 to 11, Review and instruction; systems and modes of teaching.\n\n 11 to 12, Model-lessons, examples of teaching, etc.\n\n _Thursday Afternoon._\n\n 2 to 2.20, Conference and prayer for parents.\n\n 2.20 to 3.20, Divide the Institute into six classes, to be taught\n half an hour by six teachers; then have reports from these teachers,\n and criticism by the Institute.\n\n 3.20 to 3.35, Bible geography, maps, history, etc., by the Institute.\n\n 3.35 to 4, Examples, instructions, etc., by the conductor.\n\n 4 to 5, Questions and answers generally, on all subjects.\n\n _Thursday Evening._\n\n 7 to 7.30, Conference and prayer for conversions, the Church, etc.\n\n 7.30 to 8.10, Enlisting the church in Sabbath-school work; conversion\n and training of children, by the conductor; four speeches, ten\n minutes each, to the point, \"how to do it.\"\n\n 8.10 to 9, Review of all by the conductor.\n\n 9 to 9.30, Closing addresses of five minutes each.\n\nIf no meeting is held on Tuesday evening, then drop out Thursday\nafternoon's exercises, and close up with the others. It is of the\nutmost importance that the pastors, superintendents, and teachers\nattend _all the exercises_. The Institute has an opportunity on every\ntopic. Perhaps some pastor will favor with a model-lesson or\ndrill-exercises on the subjects presented.\n\nWe need \"line upon line\" on some very important points, and,\ntherefore, it is hoped that the _repetition_ of some of these subjects\nin these articles will prove useful to many.\n\n\n\n\nV.\n\nTHE SUPERINTENDENT.\n\n\nThe whole character and influence of a Sabbath-school will depend\nlargely upon the character and adaptedness of the superintendent. What\nthe superintendent of a railroad, or the superintendent of a factory,\nor the commander of an army is, each in his place, so is the\nsuperintendent to his Sabbath-school. It is not every truly good and\npious man, nor even every talented or eloquent man, who will make a\ngood superintendent of a Sabbath-school. Sometimes the modest and\nretiring person, who shrinks from the acceptance of so holy an office,\nmakes the best superintendent. Neither is it always the wisest or most\ninfluential man whom the office wants, but the one who can the most\nreadily command the confidence and co-operation of the pastor, parents\nand church members, as well as the teachers and the children. Of\ncourse, the _best_ man in the church, next to the pastor, should\nalways be prayerfully called to the office, for it is difficult to\nraise a Sabbath-school higher than its superintendent.\n\nThe superintendent should have good executive, business talents;\nenergy; perseverance; self-control; tact to govern; a love for\nchildren; devotion to the cause; a warm, sympathetic heart; a\nlife-like, serious, yet cheerful manner; and, superadded to humble,\nardent piety, an ability to think, and to set others to thinking; and\nwithal, he should be able to express himself clearly, briefly, and\nforcibly. He should never allow the least harsh or irritable\nexpression to escape from him, and he should repress every symptom of\nlightness, stiffness, or discouragement, remembering that his look and\nmanner will give tone to the whole school.\n\nHe should know personally, and by name, and as far as may be, the\nparticular character of every teacher and pupil in the school; speak\nto them, and always treat them with confidence and respect--neither\ntoo coldly, nor too familiarly--and assure them each of his _personal_\ninterest in them, and respect for them all.\n\nHe should be wise to discern, select, and adjust proper teachers to\ntheir places, classify and arrange the scholars, and in these things\nhe should not be overborne in his judgment. He is usually chosen by\nthe teachers annually, and will do well to take them for his\ncounsellors, and often consult them, collectively and individually;\nfor while he is the superintendent, the head of the school, and as\nsuch a cheerful obedience should be tendered to him by all, yet, he is\n_not the sovereign_. His authority is not magisterial nor parental,\nbut he is a _constitutional_ ruler, governed himself by the rules of\nthe school; and he should so rule that no one should ever question his\nright to govern. He should never even speak of his \"rights.\"\n\nHe should be _spiritually qualified_ for his work, and should become a\nholier man of God from the hour in which he first receives the \"call.\"\nHe should be in daily communion with God about the work, talking\nfreely with Him on all that concerns the school, about every teacher,\nand about every scholar, and humbly watching for answers to his\nprayers.\n\nHe should also engage in the work with a good measure of scriptural\n_enthusiasm_. We do well to be very earnest and full of life, to be\nglowing and animated in our looks, words, and actions, if we would\neffectually reach the children, who are so full of life. Perhaps the word\nunction would more worthily express the idea. The superintendent's\ninterest should rise to this high point.\n\nHe should maintain good _discipline and order_, both for himself and\nhis school. Sometimes the most disorderly man in the whole school is\nthe superintendent. The two elements of good order are self-control\nand good temper. Let no man think he can control others unless he can\ncontrol himself. It will be in vain for him to insist on order,\npunctuality, and regard to all the rules of the school, unless he\nhimself is a living example of strict conformity to them all. When he\ncalls the school to order, let him always wait patiently, in silence,\nuntil every teacher, every scholar, officer and visitor, is in\n_perfect_ order, before he names a hymn or proceeds to do the least\nthing.\n\nHe should also be _disinterested_, and never overshadow his teachers.\nThey are the great workers, and his great work is to help the teachers\nin the teaching. He should not _forestall_ or _overshadow_ the\nteacher's work by an exposition of the lesson at the opening of the\nschool, so as to leave the teachers nothing to do but to glean after\nthe superintendent. His remarks and reviews of the lesson should\nusually come _after_ the teachers have taught the lesson.\n\nHe should likewise _sincerely respect_ all his teachers, and treat\nthem accordingly. Especially should he respect the weakest and most\ninefficient of his teachers. He will have the more to do to aid them,\nand he must needs visit, counsel, suggest and instruct them often. I\nhave always found it better to elevate and improve inefficient\nteachers than to dismiss them.\n\nThe superintendent should also be a man of good _executive ability_;\nand this is a very rare possession. He needs much discerning power, as\nwell as organizing and combining talent, so as to keep pastor and\npeople, parents, teachers, and scholars, all harmoniously at work. As\nDr. James W. Alexander used to say: \"That man who can well superintend\na Sabbath-school can command an army;\" and a well-known bishop has\nsaid, that \"the man who can organize a good mission-school can\norganize a diocese.\"\n\nAgain: The Sunday-school superintendent should always have a _spirit_\nand _temper_ such as will be safe to diffuse throughout the school.\nSays the Rev. S. Martin: \"If he stands at the desk like a cold,\nsnow-capped mountain, or floats about the school like a majestic\niceberg, the whole atmosphere of the school will be cold.\" If he is\nwarm and genial, such will be the school. A cheerful superintendent\nspreads cheerfulness throughout the school. A light and trifling, or a\ngloomy and morose, superintendent infects teachers and scholars alike\nwith the same spirit. Never should the superintendent allow the least\nimpatience or harshness to manifest itself in his look, tone of voice,\nor manner in the school; for its effects will prove most disastrous.\nIll-temper is a perfect barrier to religious improvement and\nusefulness.\n\nHe should also be a decided, _positive_ character; not fitful,\nobstinate, heady, but strong in purpose, strong in resolution, strong\nin the Lord. The boys in the streets never choose any but positive\ncharacters for leaders. A merely nominal superintendent is a curse to\na school, as is a weak, foolish mother, or father, in the family.\n\nFurther, he should study to gather hints and suggestions to help the\nteachers not only in the school, but also in the teachers' meetings\nand everywhere. Particularly should he observe the teachers during the\nteaching hour, and never interrupt them, but be ready at any moment to\ncome to their assistance. He should always _protect_ the teachers\nwhile teaching, and not allow the librarian, or secretary, or\nmissionary collector, to appear on the floor at that time.\n\nIt will be seen from these points that the superintendent needs great\n_general strength of character_. Willow will do for a basket, but it\nrequires oak and iron for a man-of-war. Never are the teachers called\nto a more important duty than when they prayerfully cast their votes\nfor the election of superintendent. No personal favoritism or interest\nor prejudice should be allowed for a single moment to prevail.\n\nIf I am here asked, \"Do you know of any such superintendents as are\nhere described?\" I must reply in the negative. I have endeavored to\nembody in the above list of qualifications all the best things of the\nbest superintendents whom I have seen during the last forty-five\nyears. Nevertheless, the things which are here detailed have their\ncounterparts in some of them. The standard is raised high, so that the\ntrue artist can copy after the great masters. Let none be discouraged.\nThe best superintendents now living were very distrustful of their\nqualifications, and shrank from the responsibility at the first call.\nIf God calls a man to a field of labor, he is abundantly competent to\nfit him for working in it. Then \"not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but\nunto thy name give glory.\"\n\n\n_Duties of the Superintendent._\n\nLet us look now at some of the _duties_ of the good Sabbath-school\nsuperintendent.\n\n_Before school_ he will, of course, prepare his mind, by meditation\nand prayer, for his duties; he will faithfully study the lesson,\nselect the hymns and Scripture lesson for the day, and carefully read\nthem and study them, until he has imbibed so much of their spirit as\nto be able to _feel_ them, and to express that feeling while reading\nthem before the school. He will, also, prepare his notices, and\narrange for all special duties. All the teachers, with the\nsuperintendent, ought to enjoy a twenty-minute prayer-meeting before\nthe hour to open the school, with two-minute direct prayers, one or\ntwo verses of singing at a time, and then only one or two selections\nof warm, appropriate verses of Scripture truth. We would characterize\nthe requirements of such a meeting by these words--_Impressive_,\n_Interesting_, _Devout_.\n\n_The Opening Exercises._--The good superintendent will always be\npunctual in opening, and at the precise minute calmly, but clearly and\nnaturally, call the school to order. Having done this, he will never\nproceed farther until every teacher, scholar, secretary, librarian, or\nvisitor _is in order_. He will remember that every eye is on _him_ for\nan example, and he will take no liberty himself with the rules of the\nschool. When perfect silence and complete attention are gained, he\nwill deliberately read the hymn and see that all sing, about two or\nthree verses; then read impressively the lesson for the day, if not\nmore than from ten to fifteen verses, or alternate with the school in\nreading if preferable. Be careful to mind all the stops and read in\nclear, impressive tones, so that the reading of the Scriptures by the\nschool will be almost as musical as singing. All will then unite in\nprayer with the superintendent, one of the teachers, the pastor, or a\nvisitor present, who may be called upon; this prayer should be short\nand to the point, and in short sentences and in children's language.\nHave the children join in and repeat the prayer, broken up into\nsentences of four or five words each. Thus teach the children how to\npray. The whole of the opening exercises should not usually exceed\nfifteen minutes. The school will then be given into the hands of the\nteachers, to proceed with the lesson.\n\n_During Teaching._--The superintendent will then quietly supply every\nvacant class with a teacher, or unite it with another class which has\na teacher, so that every scholar may be placed at once, temporarily,\nat least, in charge of some one, and that no one may be suffered to be\nidle. Next, he will check off the names of teachers present on his\nroll-book; and then proceed to receive the new scholars, learn their\nnames, residence, parents; gain their confidence; ascertain whether\nthey do not now belong to some other good school; inform them of the\ncharacter and order of the Sunday-school, and assign them a place,\ntemporary or permanent, in a class. He will then pass quietly and\ndiscreetly around the room, recognizing the teachers and scholars as\nfar as may be, without interrupting or embarrassing them, assisting\nany teacher who may need it to restore order and harmony, or to gain\nthe attention of any volatile youth in the class. With the approval of\nthe teacher, he will occasionally examine the class, notice all\ndisturbing elements in the school, the adaptedness, or otherwise, of\nthe teachers for the particular classes in their charge; occasionally\nrecommending and handing an appropriate book from the library to a\nteacher or scholar, and calling especial attention to it for their\nprofit. The Bible classes and infant classes will be timely noticed,\nand all strangers and visitors greeted with a courteous, Christian\nwelcome. Suitable suggestions will be made to the secretary and\nlibrarian; any call for assistance or explanation will be given to any\nteacher; and thus, in every appropriate, unobtrusive way, he will do\nwhatever he can to facilitate the work of all, while hindering none.\n\nSuperintendents should be very cautious whom they invite to address\nthe school, and particularly strangers of whom they know but little,\nonly that they are called very good men. Few persons can address a\nSunday-school with profit; and certainly, without important reasons,\nthe teachers should not be interrupted in their regular duties; for\nthe time allotted to them is _theirs_, and even the superintendent has\n_no right_ to take it to oblige a friend.\n\n_Closing the School._--At the appointed moment the superintendent will\ncall the school again to order, to sing over a verse of a hymn in\nharmony with the lesson; and then the superintendent may occupy not to\nexceed five or ten minutes in a clear, well-digested exposition of, or\nsome pertinent remarks or questions upon, the prominent points or\nteachings of the lesson. Unless he can succeed in interesting and\nfixing the attention of both teachers and scholars with thoughts not\nordinarily dwelt upon by the teachers, he had better not attempt this\nexercise; for few evils are greater in a school than a superintendent\nwho talks too much. Many of our best and most successful and\nacceptable superintendents never attempt to address their schools,\nexcept to give their notices and necessary directions in a clear,\norderly, business-like way, and then stop at once. An opportunity is\nthen given, to distribute the library books and papers, give out the\nnext week's lesson, sing a verse or two of the selected hymn, or with\na prayer dismiss the school in regular order.\n\n_After the school_ the superintendent will receive any suggestions or\nrequests from teachers or scholars; see that everything is left in its\nplace; review the events of the school, and note down all his plans\nfor improvement, and begin to study his next lesson.\n\n_During the week_ he will remember that his duties as superintendent\ndo not close with the Sabbath, or monthly concert, or teachers'\nmeeting. Every day he regards the Sabbath-school as his great field of\nlabor in the moral vineyard. Let us follow him, and we shall see him\non _Monday morning_ on his way to his regular business, when as he\nmeets little Johnny Smith, who, he remembers, was not in his place in\nschool yesterday, he very pleasantly inquires the reason. On the\ncorner of the next street he comes across an absent teacher, and\nsimilar inquiries ensue. On his return home at evening he sees in the\ndistance, in company with a lot of street-girls, Mary Jones, and he\nhastens to her, takes her aside with him, and learns the reason of her\nleaving school some weeks before, together with other facts in her\nhistory, which call out kind words of caution for the wayward child,\nand he leaves her with the warm assurance of her return. In the\nevening he is at the monthly concert of prayer for Sabbath-schools,\nand drops a few earnest remarks about the children, which have such an\neffect upon two mothers present that they go home and become more\nfaithful thenceforth in their Christian duty to their beloved little\nones.\n\nOn the way, _Tuesday_, he stops in a few moments to see a teacher who\nappeared quite perplexed and disheartened on the Sabbath by the\nrestlessness, inattention, or indifference of her class. He noticed\nlast Sabbath that that teacher could only interest the class for a few\nminutes. On looking over the next week's lesson he is reminded of that\nteacher and one of her scholars. The next morning he calls for a\nmoment upon her on his way to business, and says: \"Miss S----, there\nis one verse of the lesson that I think can be used with advantage\nwith one of your scholars--Frank Jones.\" He explains it to the\nteacher, and gives her an illustration or two. What has he done? He\nhas given that teacher the first real idea she ever had of teaching\nBible truth aright, and she goes to her class the next Sabbath a new\nteacher, and never loses the influence in future life. He soon\nsucceeds in dispelling the cloud, and causing a cheerful light to\nshine on her path of duty.\n\nOn _Wednesday evening_ he steps over to consult the pastor about the\nbest way of turning the hearts of parents to their children, and to\narouse the church in _sympathetic_ efforts on behalf of the lambs of\nthe flock.\n\nOn _Thursday morning_ he takes an hour before, or an interval of\nbusiness, to explore a desperate neighborhood, and succeeds beyond his\nexpectations in exciting interest and enlisting recruits for the\nSunday-school from among the juvenile portion of the disorderly gang.\nHe also takes occasion to call on little Pat Lawless's mother, and is\nsuccessful in getting her pledge to co-operate with him in the attempt\nto rescue her boy from untold depravity and almost certain ruin. Pat\nis notoriously the ringleader in the worst gang of boys in the\nneighborhood, and every body was surprised to see little Harry Page\nleading him into the Sunday-school for the first time on the last\nSabbath morning.\n\nOn his way back from business, _Friday_ evening, he calls for a few\nminutes on an intelligent young Christian who recently came into the\nplace, in order to seek his Christian acquaintance, and invite him to\nlook up for himself a class of scholars from the neglected\nneighborhood he visited the day before, and he succeeds in inducing\nhim to bring into the school and teach a fine class of street-boys the\nway of life; he takes a hint from the conversation with his young\nfriend, and concludes to get up a neat printed certificate of reward\nto the pupils for bringing in new scholars. In the weekly\nprayer-meeting he has a word about the school, just enough to enlist\ntheir sympathies and their prayers.\n\n_Saturday morning_, on opening the daily paper or a book, he sees a\nstriking providence, an interesting fact or incident of life, which,\nhe remembers at once, will aptly illustrate or enforce an important\ntruth in the lesson for the next Sabbath, and carefully notes it down\nand _thinks_ it over, and in the evening we find him full of hope and\ninterest at the teachers' meeting. Thus closes his labors for the\nweek. It is _only_ a week! but how valuable is that life of which this\nis but a week!\n\nNow, all this is no mere fancy sketch. We have had living\nsuperintendents--not _one_ but all together--sitting for the portrait\nhere drawn, and whose lives have supplied all the illustrations, and\nwho pursue a somewhat similar course every week, and on every\nreturning Sabbath-day. Thus, without scarcely an hour's interference\nwith his duties to his family, his business, or the public, the good\nsuperintendent has found time, and has been enabled every day during\nthe week, to do something for the Sunday-school, simply because he\nloves it; his heart is on it, and he loves constantly to devise ways\nof doing good by it. He never expects to be, and he never will be,\nsatisfied with the school as it is; but, however great the progress,\nhe will keep his mind actively at work to plan improvements in the\narrangement, the order, the discipline, the enterprise, or the\nteaching, and thus, _Upward and Onward_, will be his perpetual motto.\n\nA stagnant business, he knows, will soon droop and die.\n\n\n\n\nVI.\n\nTHE LIBRARY AND LIBRARIAN.\n\n\nWe have a very high appreciation of the value of a good Sabbath-school\nlibrary. It seems to me that no form of circulating sound religious\nreading is superior. The books, however, require to be selected and\nadapted with the greatest care. This is certainly a difficult matter,\nbut the object to be attained is so great as to reward the effort.\nMany schools are now flooded with the most vicious, improper books.\nThere is no justifiable excuse for this. Never were there so many good\nbooks for children and youth as now. Several hundreds that teach the\nsoundest Christian morals and are true to life, and filled with the\nsoundest evangelical Bible instruction, can now be selected. There is\nscarcely a shadow of excuse at the present time for admitting even a\ndoubtful book into our Sabbath-school libraries--unless some will\naccept the plea of ignorance and laziness. Our children's minds should\nbe as sacredly guarded from poisonous books as their bodies from\npoisonous drugs. There should be a judicious standing committee in\nevery school to select library books, while the pastor should always\ncarefully revise their selection.\n\nThe books of the Sabbath-school library must be attractive and\ninteresting, or they will not be read by the young. They must be true\nto life and fact, or they will prove pernicious. They must be\ninstructive, or they should find no place in the library. They should\nbe adapted to awaken, convict and convert, to nourish in the religious\nlife and morals, and throw light upon all the pathway of everyday\npractical life, or they will fall short of meeting the great want.\nThey must strictly conform in all things to the Bible standard, or\nthey should never be found in any of our Sabbath-school libraries.\n\nBetter have no books than to have unsound ones. Spare no pains to\nprocure an abundance of good, sound, attractive, and useful reading,\nand we will soon drive away the flood of bad books which is now\nthreatening to destroy our youth. _Several copies_ of superior books\nshould be placed in the library at the same time. Select such as are\nadapted to all ages and conditions, from the children in the\ninfant-school up to the wide-awake young men and women in our highest\nadult Bible classes, and to teachers. Let them also cover all stages\nof religious feeling and want. Books of narrative, history, biography,\nyouthful Christian experience and training, on temperance, good\nmorals, good habits and manners, should all be provided for the\nthorough religious instruction of our children and youth. The library\nshould also comprise a good teacher's library with good reference\nBibles, a Concordance and Dictionary. Then give the books the largest,\nfreest and most active circulation.\n\n_Managing the Library._--In a great many Sabbath-schools the manner of\ndistributing the books is a very bad one, and in consequence of this\nsome schools have improperly discarded the library altogether. The\ngreat difficulty has arisen from the fact that the librarian has been\nallowed to be on the floor and have access to and interrupt the\nteachers during the teaching hour. This should never be allowed. An\ninterruption to the teacher while applying divine truth may peril\nsouls for ever, and therefore should be carefully guarded. The only\naccess to the teachers which the librarian ought to be allowed during\nschool hours is to simply hand them the books, just at the close of\nschool. There are several good systems for distributing the books that\nconform to this idea and protect the teachers. I would never ask the\nteachers to write the scholars' names or numbers for books, or do the\nwork of selection, during the school hours.\n\nIn the management of the library, what is called \"The Check System\" is\nconsidered one of the best. We cannot describe the various good plans,\nbut I will detail one which seems to me to be more simple and to\nobviate more difficulties than any other that I am acquainted with. It\nfirst provides a carefully-printed numerical catalogue of all the\nbooks, with the number of pages. Give to each scholar one of these\ncatalogues, and replace it when lost. If the school is a small\ndistrict-school, a written catalogue will answer the purpose equally\nwell. Then a \"Library Card,\" four inches by two-and-a-half inches, is\nprovided for each scholar on the first of each month. On this is\nwritten or printed--\"Library Card,\" \"Class No. 6,\" \"John Smith.\" Each\nscholar takes his \"Library Card\" and catalogue home, and there, with\naid from his parents or a friend, he selects from ten to fifteen\nbooks, either of which he will be satisfied with during the next four\nweeks. The \"Library Card\" is then placed in his book, and kept there\nas a marker, and is returned to the librarian on the next Sabbath with\nthe book. Each scholar hands his book, with the card in it, as he\nenters the room, to the librarian, who is always to be found at the\nopening of the school at the outer door of the school-room, with a\nlarge basket ready to receive all the books from the pupils. When the\nschool is opened the librarian carries these books to the library and\nassorts them, as he ascertains from each book-mark to whom and what\nclass and name the book belongs. The book is then credited as\nreturned, and the new one charged. If any scholar wants one book\nparticularly that is on his list, he _underscores_ it, and if it is in\nthe library, it is given to him and charged. If any scholar is late,\nand the librarian has gone to the library, he loses his exchange of\nbooks on that Sabbath. The librarian keeps the account of all\nlibrary-books, and charges them all to each name and class according\nto the book-mark, and credits them when returned, and the teacher has\nno care of it. After the teaching is closed, the lesson reviewed by\nthe superintendent, remarks made, prayer, singing, etc., then the\nlibrarian, by a notice from the superintendent, passes down the aisle\nand hands each teacher his lot of books, and the teacher passes them\nto each pupil according to the library card, and then the school is\ndismissed. No scholar opens his library-book or paper in the school.\nThe teachers have no care of the books or their numbers, unless the\nscholar loses his library-card; in which case his teacher, at the\nclose of the school, accompanies him to the library and obtains for\nhim a new library-card and book. The librarian and his assistant\ncharge and credit all the books while the teachers are teaching. Each\nclass has a column or place in the register. This plan satisfies the\nscholar, he has his own choice, and never interrupts the teachers or\nthe school for a moment, or diverts the attention of the school, and\nno time is lost. It works admirably.\n\n_The Librarian._--The librarian's office is an important one. He\nshould be one of the most considerate, watchful, careful young men in\nall the community, for his office gives him much prominence. He should\nopen the library, arrange it in order, distribute hymn and class-books\nbefore the school opens, and allow no unauthorized person access to\nthe library. He will become acquainted with the general character of\nthe books, as well as know the scholars, that he may intelligently aid\nthem in their selections. He will, also, ascertain what class of books\nis most in demand.\n\n\n\n\nVII.\n\nTHE SECRETARY.\n\n\nThis indispensable officer of the school is a sort of clerk or helper\nto the superintendent.\n\n1. He should be a good accountant, prompt, watchful and attentive. He\nshould keep a record of the attendance.\n\n2. He should make a note of the opening exercises, with the names of\nthose who participate, and any interesting circumstances connected\nwith them.\n\n3. He should record the names of all the scholars and teachers who\nhave been or are now connected with the school, and note everything of\ntheir changes in life and history, especially their profession of\nreligion, marriage, etc.--keeping up a correspondence with them. This\nrecord-book will become very valuable as the years roll on, since it\nincludes parents' names, every removal and death, etc., etc.\n\n4. He will also count the number of scholars and teachers present,\nenter it in the minute-book, and note the absentees.\n\n5. He should write up the class-books, and deliver them to the\nteachers.\n\n6. He should enter in the minute-book the names of visitors,\nespecially if the pastor be one of them; note the addresses, what kind\nof weather, and all items affecting the school.\n\n7. He should give certificates of dismissal to every teacher or\nscholar about removing to another place, recommending them to the\nChristian fellowship of those who love Christ's lambs.\n\n8. He should know every scholar, so that he can check them off without\nasking the teacher the name, and should have a quick, vigilant eye,\nnot only for his own duties, but, also, in order to communicate\nvaluable suggestions respecting the school to the superintendent.\n\n9. In the absence of the superintendent, he may sometimes take his\nplace in the charge of the school, except in the case of very large\nschools, which may require an assistant to the superintendent.\n\n\n\n\nVIII.\n\nTHE TEACHER.\n\n\nThe true Sabbath-school teacher is one called and \"sent of God;\" for\nwe read (1\u00a0Cor. xii.\u00a028), \"And God hath set some in the church, first\napostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly _teachers_;\" and the same\ndivine lips which said \"Go preach,\" said also \"Go teach.\" Whosoever\nreceives this sacred call should devote himself to it by a holy\nconsecration, remembering that he is truly an ambassador from the King\nof kings to a small circle of his rebellious subjects,--a ransomed\nsinner offering pardon to precious youth condemned to die. His great\nbusiness is the preparation of young immortals for the kingdom of\nheaven through the application of heaven-revealed truth by a simple\nappeal to their intelligence and feelings through the power of the\nHoly Spirit. This is truly an angel's errand entrusted to redeemed\nsinners. Mr. Groser justly says: \"The office of a Christian teacher\ntranscends all others in interest and importance. No matter what his\nprecise sphere of labor may be, whether that of a professor like\nChalmers, a pastor like Oberlin, a schoolmaster like Arnold, or a\nSunday-school teacher like the 300,000 men and women who on each\nreturning Sabbath seek to instruct our youth in those truths which are\nable to make them wise unto salvation.\" He should, therefore, accept\nhis mission thankfully, and enter upon it heartily, and attend to his\nduties punctually, faithfully, and earnestly.\n\nHe is to teach Bible truth. That is the divinely provided aliment for\nthe human mind, and if rightly taught and received it will be\nattractive and satisfying to the soul, and all besides will be only\nsupplementary. To be able to teach Bible truth thus faithfully and\ntruly, calls for _hard_, _earnest_ work, for, says one of the English\nbishops, \"It takes all we know to make things plain.\" The teacher,\ntherefore, must needs be well furnished and thoroughly fitted for his\nhigh calling.\n\nThis brings us to the next article, on the teacher's preparation.\n\n\n\n\nIX.\n\nPREPARATION.\n\n\nThe work of teaching divine truth is so difficult and important that\nevery teacher should do himself the justice to make the most clear and\ncareful preparation. No teacher can impart more than he has prepared\nto teach, and he should therefore bring to his class only beaten oil,\nwell-digested and well-adapted thoughts, something worthy of being\ntaught, and that will command attention for their own sake. It is well\nfor the teacher to have method and system, as well as a set time and\nplace to begin that preparation. The time to commence, we think,\nshould be on the afternoon or evening of the previous Sabbath, and the\nplace in the quiet of the home circle or the study.\n\n1. Pray and read, and read and _think_ and PRAY over the lesson; the\nwords and the spirit of it. Here look for the best thoughts to use.\n\n2. Search the Scriptures with the aid of a Concordance, or good\nreference Bible, for the most pointed and practical parallel passages\nand references; they will wonderfully illuminate the lesson.\n\n3. By aid of the Bible references, and a good dictionary, be careful\nto get the clear, exact meaning of the important words of the lesson,\nin words adapted to your class.\n\n4. Next use your Teachers' Helps, Commentaries, Bible Geographies,\nBible Dictionaries, Maps, Antiquities, etc.\n\n5. Go out into the world and gather excellent things for illustration\nof the Bible truth from what you see, hear, read or do.\n\n6. Visit your scholars' homes in the preparation of your lessons, and\nlearn their peculiar trials and temptations. Study well your children,\nchild-nature and child-language, \"Peep of Day\" and \"Line upon Line\"\nare pure specimens of child-language.\n\n7. Get something for _each_ pupil, for Johnny is not at all like\nWilly, and Willy is not like Charlie, etc. Break up Bible truths into\nsmall pieces for the children and youth. Do not wander afar for\nsimile, but remember \"knowledge is _before_ him that understandeth,\nbut the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.\"\n\n8. Make full notes, write out your facts and references, etc.: (_a_)\nOf your best thoughts. (_b_) Of your best plan of teaching. (_c_) The\naim and object of the lesson illustrations. (_d_) Of the commencement\nand closing of the teaching lesson.\n\n9. Think it all over so carefully and repeatedly that you will need\nscarcely to look at the notes to the end. Select just what to teach,\nand do not stuff the children. Memorize the lesson and you will have\nspecial unction in teaching.\n\n10. Prepare more, far more, than you will want to use, that you may\nhave ample material for selections; for no teacher can impart all that\nhe is prepared to teach, and the teacher should be careful NEVER TO\nEXHAUST HIMSELF.\n\nFinally. Do not be tied down to any one plan or method of preparing a\nSabbath lesson, but invent new and fresh modes. Never suffer any part\nof your preparation or teaching to relapse into a dull routine. Be\nfresh, warm, and earnest in manner and matter, and raise yourself\nabove leaning upon any question-books or notes of lessons; use them if\nyou please, but do not lean upon them. The weekly teachers'-meeting is\nan indispensable assistant to every faithful teacher. Never forget\nthat the only sort of knowledge which can answer a Sabbath-school\nteacher's purpose \"must be at once thorough, detailed, abundant, and\nexact.\"\n\nIt is of the first importance that the teacher of children should\nstudy well child-nature, child-language, and all the child's\ncharacteristics--such as activity, curiosity, inquisitiveness, etc.;\nwhat are its wants and cares; its dangers and its duties; its hopes\nand fears; its sympathies and feelings, likes and dislikes. All these\nmust be candidly considered if we would prepare for the position of\nChristian counsellor and guide to the child. We must gain its\nconfidence, draw out its sympathies, and win its heart, and all this\nwill require the most diligent, earnest, prayerful study. In this\nprocess the teacher must needs often recall his own childhood, and\nlive that over again--become as a little child again--if he would\nbecome a child's teacher. Do not ever fall into the error of supposing\nthat your children are ever too young or too ignorant to appreciate a\nwell-prepared lesson.\n\nAfter these very full directions for the _teacher_, I am here\npermitted by Mr. Ralph Wells to give the notes of his actual\n_superintendent's_ preparation in the regular service of Grace\nMission-school, only one week before the previous part of this article\nwas written. The following are his exact notes:\n\n\n \"THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PREPARATION.\"\n\n Subject--_Hypocrisy._\n\n Time, 8 hours' _intense_ study.\n\n Commenced Sabbath evening previous.\n\n 1. Prayer for light. Do you?\n 2. Go to the Bible to see what it says.\n 3. Texts found. _Write all out._ Job xx.\u00a05; xxvii.\u00a08-10;\n xxxvi.\u00a013, 14. Prov. xxx.\u00a012. Psalms lxv.\u00a02-5. Ezek. xxxiii.\u00a031, 32.\n Matt. vi.\u00a02; xxiv.\u00a051. Luke xii.\u00a01. Mark xii.\u00a015.\n\n 4. _Definition of Hypocrisy._\n\n To seek to appear what I am not.\n\n 5. _Bible Examples._\n                                _Causes._        _End._\n\n Saul, 1\u00a0Sam. xv.\u00a014.         Love of gain.        --\n Gehazi, 2\u00a0Kings v.\u00a026.             \"              --\n Judas, Matt. xxvi.\u00a050.             \"              --\n Ananias, Acts v.\u00a01-26.     Gain and applause.     --\n Simon Magus, Acts viii.\u00a026.      Gain.            --\n Absalom, 2\u00a0Sam. xv.\u00a01-12.        Power.           --\n\n 6. Look into the lesson and examples until I _feel_ it myself.\n\n 7. _Emblems._\n\n      _Bible._      |  _Common._\n Leaven.            | The mask.\n Whited sepulchres. | Counterfeit money.\n Hidden graves.     | Paste jewels.\n Spider's web.      |\n\n 8. _Common ways for all ages._\n\n The store, the bank, and the office.\n Profession of religion for credit.\n Political, on 'change, fashionable, flattering.\n\n 9. _Children's Dangers._\n\n Don't tell mother.\n Boy getting my white-alley.\n Desire to please teachers or gain praise.\n The hypocrite lies with his hands, face, clothes, gifts.\n\n 10. _Illustrations._\n\n Photograph--Absalom's monument.\n Friar--Nelly and love of Jesus.\n Picture of a hypocritical saint--London beggar.\n\n 11. _Absalom's double face to his father and to God._\n\n Picture the scene. 2\u00a0Sam. xv.\u00a01-13.\n\n 12. _Hypocrisy._\n\n Its meaning.\n Its folly.\n Its causes.\n Its end.\n\nThe simple notes certainly give but a faint idea of how thoroughly\nhypocrisy is unmasked in this lesson. The teacher or scholar will\nnever forget it. \"_Intense_ study\" should be contrasted with the\n_easy_-chair, lounging, intermitting study of many.\n\n\"The store, the bank,\" etc., refer to rum shops; so named that\nhusbands and young men who return at late hours may say, I have just\nleft \"_the bank_,\" etc.\n\nThe \"photograph of Absalom's monument\" reminds us that, to this day,\nevery Jew casts a stone at it, and curses the hypocrite's memory; and\nso on with the other illustrations.\n\nThe following brief notes were taken at one of our New York\nAssociation's meetings: Subject--How to prepare a Sabbath-school\nlesson. \"Piety _alone_ is not what we want in Sabbath-school teaching\nany more than preaching.\" Take the lesson--Luke xviii.\u00a035--\"A certain\nblind man,\" etc. Take a good Reference Bible and a Bible Dictionary. I\nask myself, What is in this passage? A miracle. Say something about\nmiracles, but never lead a child into deep water. I can never make a\nthing plain to another that I cannot make plain to myself. You cannot\nteach more than you can put into words, etc.\n\nTell them about a particular part of the country: Jericho (Josh. ii.,\nand 2\u00a0Kings xvi.\u00a034), sixteen miles from Jerusalem, and about six from\nthe river Jordan. I find here a beggar--_two_, but one is silent.\n\"Jesus, thou Son of David\"--the sublime epithet applied to the\nMessiah. His suit is for mercy. \"Cried the _more_\"--evidence of\nfaith--plea for mercy--earnestness. Jesus is arrested in his progress\nby the prayer of the needy man. Prayer arrests all laws. Jesus stood\nand commanded. You have got to come to Jesus. Submission to Jesus\nabsolutely essential. What wilt thou? We are to tell Christ just what\nwe want. Prayer is absolutely necessary. Jesus made the blind man tell\nHim. Revive thy faith. Must believe. How apply. What last impressions\nto leave. Jesus was going up to Jerusalem for the last time. Only\nopportunity, or last opportunity. All go. This opportunity, dear boys,\nmay be the last.\n\nThe superintendent, as well as the teachers, needs the most ample and\ncareful preparation of the lesson, in order to suggest and aid and\nsympathize with the teachers and school, and to conduct the teachers'\nmeeting.\n\n\n\n\nX.\n\nTHE TEACHER TEACHING.\n\n\nThe teacher is the master and superior, and his character, attitude,\nbearing and words should be well calculated to govern and to guide.\nTeaching is not simply educating--namely, drawing out, nor simply\ninstructing the pupil, but _training_ him. It is taking my thought and\nconverting it to _his use_.\n\nWith this view great care should be taken to begin a lesson aright.\nThe teacher should come from communion with God, and his spirit and\nmanner should be at once thoughtful, earnest and cheerful, never cold,\ncheerless, indifferent, or severe. Let him give to each scholar a\nwarm, quiet, but hearty salutation; be early, be calm, be gentle, be\nfirm and seriously in earnest; never allow any scholar to take any\nundue liberties; and see that each one and everything is in its place.\n\nWith interest and reverence the teacher and his class will then enter\nupon the devotional opening exercises, joining in them. After which he\nwill gather his class around him, and first place himself on terms of\ngood-will with all, and find some _common ground_ for their minds to\nbegin acting upon. A well-timed, easy, and awakening question about\nthe former or present lesson will arrest attention, but it must be\nwell adapted, and readily answered. The first questions must never\nperplex or embarrass the pupil, for they are very important. From\nthence proceed and rapidly draw their minds up towards the great\ncentral thought of the lesson; awakening thought, arousing curiosity,\nand deepening impressions.\n\nThe teacher should question the lesson _out_ of the pupils, and then\nquestion it _into_ them. He will first get the _words_ of the lesson\nclearly into the minds of the scholars--mostly by catechising--and\nthen the _meaning_ and illustration of the principal words. Next the\n_lessons_ of instruction must be carefully drawn, and lastly,\n_applied_ to the heart and life of all.\n\nA severe test comes upon the teacher in the recitation and catechising\nupon the lesson. He is to remember: 1. To draw all the information\nthat he can from the class; 2. To induce the class to find out all\nthey can for themselves; 3. To give such information as is best for\nthe class, but before giving any information, be sure that no member\nof the class _can_ give it.\n\nThe true teacher starts from the _known_, and proceeds over short and\neasy stepping-stones to the faintly known, thence to the contrast, and\nthen to the unknown. Some very learned men utterly fail as teachers.\nThey take such tremendous strides that no pupil can follow them. It is\nlike the father rushing up three steps at a time to the top of the\nstaircase. If he would lead his child, he must be careful to take but\none step at a time. Let the child's present knowledge be the\nstarting-point for all future acquisitions. Reading, or even reciting,\na lesson, may possibly teach nothing. \"'Tis in vain that you make them\nread the life and doctrines of the Saviour, if you do not explain to\nthem that he lived for their example, that he died to redeem them, and\nthat those doctrines are to govern them in thought, word and deed.\"\nCare should be taken, to select the best plan of arranging the lesson.\n\"The _beginning_ should arrest attention, the _middle_ inform the\nmind, and the _end_ affect the heart.\" Let there be a natural order\nand method in all your teaching;--one thought gliding into and\nconnecting with the next, and so on. In no department of life is\nsystem and method of more value, and a child is as much aided by it as\na man. Robertson justly says: \"Memory without method is useless.\nDetached facts are practically valueless.\" Method is the laying out of\nthe lesson and proceeding in its natural order in conformity with the\nuniform laws of the human mind. It tells what shall come first and\nsecond, and puts everything in its right place, so that the mind can\ntake a clearer grasp, and memory a more easy and a more retentive\nhold, of the truths presented.\n\nWe should not, however, bind ourselves to any _one_ method of\nteaching, for there is no standard mode alike adapted to different\npersons and lessons. The most of our good teachers have wrought out\nsome way of teaching in a measure peculiar to themselves and adapted\nto them. Those who can do so, however, will be able to borrow much of\nvalue from \"Gall's Lesson System,\" with its thorough analysis,\nnumerous exercises, exhaustive doctrines and lessons of instruction,\nor from \"Stow's Training System,\" with its sympathy of numbers, its\npicturing out into life and training which will aid others, and\n\"Mimpriss's Gospel Harmony\" will help many. Let us ride no hobbies,\nbut gather the best suggestions from all for our Sabbath-school work.\n\nWhat we want in our Sabbath-schools is to add a sufficiency of\nteaching-power--to give efficacy to our teaching without stiffening it\nwith rules and forms.\n\nA few years ago hymn-learning, catechism, and task-lessons formed the\nstaple of even our Scripture-classes. Now there is a demand for good\nBible-teaching, that will equal the teaching of our best academies and\ncolleges. The Bible is so adapted and wonderful as to place us on\ngreat vantage ground. We want to know, How to use it? Mr. J. G. Fitch,\nof the Normal College, London, has given us an admirable synopsis of\nthe few simple principles which underlie the great art, and which, as\nhe justly observes, \"require to be pondered and thoroughly grasped by\nevery teacher:\"\n\n1. \"Never to teach what you do not quite understand.\" Clear knowledge\nmakes clear, pleasant teaching.\n\n2. \"Never to tell a child what you could make that child tell you.\" He\nwill thus remember it ten times as long.\n\n3. \"Never to give a piece of information without asking for it again.\"\nThe mind cannot retain what it does not expect to be called on for\nagain, or to have a future use for.\n\n4. \"Never to use a hard word if an easy one will convey your meaning;\nand never to use any word at all unless you are quite sure that it has\na meaning to convey.\" Mark--not \"long\" word, but \"hard\" word.\n\n5. \"Never to begin an address, or a lesson, without a clear view of\nits end.\" Then aim high and at the mark.\n\n6. \"Never to give an unnecessary command, nor one which you do not\nmean to see obeyed.\" Therefore, few commands; for in case you fail to\nsecure obedience the child rules you, and not you the child.\n\n7. \"Never to permit a child to remain in the class for a minute\nwithout something to do, and a motive for doing it.\" A child wants\nsomething to do, and cannot bear to be idle. Keep him busy.\n\nTeaching is an art, and like any other art, it has to be\nlearned--learned, too, by study, observation, and practice. It has its\nrules and principles. He who knows and practises them is a good\nworkman; while he who neglects them is necessarily inefficient. First,\nwe must get the ideas and _principles_. Secondly, we must _imitate_ or\ncopy the good examples or models; and thirdly, we are to practise\nteaching; for the best way to learn how to teach is to _teach_. Said\nRalph Wells, when asked how he learned to teach, \"By my mistakes and\nfailures.\" In teaching others successfully we teach ourselves\neffectively.\n\nIn seeking after our models or examples to copy, we need not, like the\nartist, go to Italy in order to copy the great masters; for the great\nMaster of teaching--Christ, our Model Teacher and the teacher's\nmodel--is always before us, and His example is perfect. He is \"the\nTeacher come from God.\" \"He spake as never man spake.\" Let us notice\nsome characteristics of His teaching:\n\n1. He was _very instructive_. He knew what was in man, and just how to\nmeet his wants. If our words do not instruct, they \"are simply\nimpertinent.\" Do our \"lips teach knowledge?\"\n\n2. He was _beautifully simple_,--child-like, but never childish; so\nclear that all could understand. So our words should be few,\nwell-chosen, simple, and adapted, softly and deliberately expressed.\n\n3. His teaching was _highly illustrative_. So should ours be. He\ngathered from all the common surroundings of life. The tiny sparrow\nwas made to illustrate His care; He pointed the magi to the stars; the\nfishermen were to be fishers of men; He taught a lesson to the\nmerchant-man from the goodly pearl; the water-bearer was offered the\nwater of life; while the wheat, the grain, the tares, the chaff, the\nvine, the tree, the field, and almost every object taught the\nhusbandman amid his daily toil. Heaven itself is represented by\nearthly things and objects the most valued--by \"songs,\" \"arches,\"\n\"harps of gold,\" \"rivers clear as crystal,\" \"rivers of pleasure,\"\n\"pearly gates,\" \"precious rubies and stones,\" etc. His illustrations\nalways threw _light_ upon truth--never _displaced_ it, as ours\nsometimes do. They were drawn from everyday life, and so well adapted\nthat they were joyfully received by the candid inquirer. Let all\nSabbath-school teachers herein copy the Master. Apt illustrations\nrender truth more permanent; for it is well said, that the \"simile,\nthe anecdote, the fable, is sure to be remembered, and the sentiment\nto which it was linked is sure to go with it.\"\n\n4. His teaching was, also, _sublimely courageous_. \"He spake as one\nhaving authority.\" His confidence in God and in His truth raised Him\nabove fear and doubt.\n\n5. His teaching was _singularly adapted_. It always reached the heart\nand life.\n\n6. His teaching was _mingled with prayer_. He went out to teach; He\nretired to pray. Let all teachers imitate His example.\n\n7. His teaching was _closely applied_. Let our teaching, also, be\ncarried home to the everyday life of the children, and applied\nclosely, particularly, personally, and privately to specific errors\nand sins; for we never should allow ourselves for a moment to doubt\nthat there is no infirmity in manner or purpose, in habit, temper, or\ncharacter, amongst our children, which the Sunday-school, with its\ndivine text-book, is not abundantly competent to reach and remove.\n\nSabbath-school teaching should combine at least--1. The art of asking\nquestions. 2. Keeping order. 3. The art of securing attention and\ninteresting the pupils. 4. The drawing of practical lessons and\napplying them to the daily, common life. We should never undertake to\nteach a truth of which we cannot see and make plain its uses;\ncertainly never convey to our children the idea that there is any\nunimportant portion of revealed truth. One or two Bible-truths and\nprinciples are generally better than many.\n\nThe art of drawing lessons is much more simple and easy even for\nchildren than most persons think. The only prerequisites for drawing\npractical lessons are--1. A knowledge of the facts. 2. An accurate\nperception whether they be good or evil. If the action or precept be\ngood, the practical lesson is but an echo of the fact; if evil, avoid.\nImitate the good and shun the evil. For instance: Cain and Abel were\nindustrious; from which we learn the duty to be industrious. Cain and\nAbel went up to worship God; from which learn to copy their good\nexample in going to worship God. But Cain became angry and slew his\nbrother; from which we draw the lesson of warning and danger.\n\nAnother important part of a teacher's work may be found in Mr. Fitch's\nthird rule, _i. e._, Every teacher before he leaves the lesson, should\ncarefully call back in a child's own language all that he has taught\nhim. Without this careful, thorough review and _recapitulation_ he\ncannot be sure that his instructions and the practical lessons taught\nare really received. A child is, as it were, compelled to remember\nwhat he is sure to be called upon for again; so that we can hardly\noverestimate the value of review and recapitulation. One\nsuperintendent in New York recently reviewed, by aid of a blackboard,\nthe whole of John's Gospel with his scholars on two consecutive\nSabbaths. The teacher should keep his eyes upon all the class, and\naddress the class generally more than the individual members of the\nclass; but be ready to sympathize with each and all.\n\nNever be in a hurry with the lesson; calmly, patiently, candidly\nproceed. It is far better to get the pupils to _understand_ the first\nverse or a single thought of the lesson, and proceed no farther, than\nto hasten over a dozen verses.\n\nPaul says: \"I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that\nby _my voice_ I might _teach_ others also, than ten thousand words in\nan unknown tongue.\" (1\u00a0Cor. xiv.\u00a019.) Be strictly impartial; have no\nfavorites in the school; be tenderly respectful to the weaker ones.\nParticular care should be taken to preserve order fully until the\n_close_ of the school, for then it becomes most difficult; and after\nthe school he will retire to his closet and commend his feeble,\nimperfect labors in prayer to God. He will ask himself the following\nquestions: \"Does any child leave me to-day with a clear, simple view\nof _one truth_ of the gospel of Jesus Christ?\" and, \"Is it a matter\nperfectly understood between me and my pupils to-day that I am seeking\ntheir conversion to God at _this time_, and under my instructions?\" He\nwill then think over the events of the hour, and commence his\npreparation for his next lesson. During the week the Sabbath-school\nteacher will find something to do every day. On one evening he will\nvisit an absentee, or look up a new scholar; on another, visit some of\nthe parents; then attend a social meeting, or the teachers' meeting,\nand on another call to interest one to become a new teacher. He gets\none boy a place to work, and another he introduces into the public\nschool; gives his scholars his name and residence on a card, and\nendeavors in all ways to prove himself to be a warm-hearted,\nsympathizing Christian friend.\n\nThe teacher's life is the life of his teaching. His character,\nmanners, habits, dress, and associations, all exert an influence of\ngreat power upon his pupils and upon his fellow-teachers; and he will\ndo well to adopt the noble, disinterested Christian motto: \"If meat\nmake my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world\nstandeth;\" or if the theatre, or dancing, or tobacco, or the wine-cup,\nor cards, or any minor evil, lessen my influence as a Christian\nteacher, I will cheerfully abandon them at once and for ever. \"Be ye\nholy in all manner of conversation and godliness.\"\n\n\n_Examples of Teaching._\n\nIn appending some examples or lessons in teaching, I have selected two\nvarieties from the \"Gall\" or \"Lesson System,\" of which the late James\nGall, of Edinburgh, was the author. I have done so, first, because it\nis a _system_ and conforms to all good rules of teaching; secondly,\nbecause, having used it for more than a quarter of a century, I have\nfound it to be of more value to the teacher and interest to the\nchildren than any or all others, if varied and _adapted_ with a sound\ndiscretion; and, thirdly, because there are more suggestions in it to\nteachers than any other; in fact, it includes all others. Particular\ncare must be taken not to attempt too much. Never attempt to use the\nwhole _ten_ exercises on any _one_ Sabbath lesson, or pursue the same\norder. Generally use the catechetical, the explanations, and the\nlesson every Sabbath. In some lessons five or six can be used. All are\nsuggestive.\n\nThe great leading principle of the system is to teach _the use of\nknowledge_--not to communicate information merely, but to train the\nyoung, by certain definite rules, to _make use_ of all the information\nthey receive. The first lesson here given is for younger classes; the\nsecond for more advanced:\n\n _Lesson No. 1._\n\n _As taught by the \"Gall Lesson System.\"_\n\n (Matt. viii.\u00a01-3.)\n\n \"When he was come down from the _mountain_, great _multitudes\n followed_ him. And _behold_, there came a _leper_ and _worshipped_\n him, saying, Lord, if thou _wilt_ thou _canst_ make me _clean_. And\n Jesus _put forth_ his hand, and _touched_ him, saying, I will; be\n thou _clean_. And _immediately_ his _leprosy_ was _cleansed_.\"\n\n Who came down from the mountain? From what did Jesus come down? What\n happened when Jesus came down from the mountain? Who followed him?\n Whom did the multitudes follow?\n\n Who came to Jesus? To whom did the leper come? What did the leper do\n when he came to Jesus? Whom did the leper worship? When did the leper\n worship Jesus? What did the leper call Jesus? Whom did the leper call\n Lord? What did the leper say? If who would? What could Jesus do if he\n would? What did the leper say Jesus could do? Who could make him\n clean?\n\n What did Jesus do? Who put forth his hand? What did Jesus put forth?\n What did Jesus do when he put forth his hand? Who touched him? Whom\n did Jesus touch? When did Jesus touch the leper? What did Jesus say?\n Who would? What was the leper to be? Who said he was to be clean?\n\n What happened when Jesus said he was to be clean? What was cleansed?\n Whose leprosy was cleansed? When was the man's leprosy cleansed? By\n whom was the man's leprosy cleansed?\n\n How many circumstances are mentioned in this passage? (Nine.) What is\n the first? (_Multitudes followed Jesus when he came down from the\n mountain._) What does that teach you? _Lesson._--We should follow\n Jesus, and take every opportunity of receiving his instructions.\n\n What is the second circumstance here mentioned? (_A leper came to\n Jesus to be healed of his leprosy._) What does that teach you?\n _Lesson._--We should apply to Jesus the Saviour to be healed of the\n leprosy of sin.\n\n What is the third circumstance mentioned in this passage? (_The leper\n worshipped Jesus._) What does that teach you? _Lesson._--We should\n worship the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and our only Saviour.\n\n What is the fourth circumstance here mentioned? (_The leper doubted\n the willingness of Christ to cure him._) What does that teach you?\n _Lesson._--We should never doubt the willingness of Christ to do us\n good and to save our souls.\n\n What is the fifth circumstance mentioned in this passage? (_The leper\n expressed his faith in Christ's ability to cure him._) What does that\n teach you? _Lesson._--We should cherish in our hearts a firm belief\n of Christ's ability to save us to the uttermost.\n\n What is the sixth circumstance mentioned in this passage? (_Jesus put\n forth his hand and only touched him._) What does that teach you?\n _Lesson._--Jesus is able to save us either by the use of means or\n without them.\n\n What is the seventh circumstance mentioned in this passage? (_Jesus\n assured the leper of his willingness._) What does that teach you?\n _Lesson._--We should assure doubting inquirers of Christ's\n willingness as well as ability to save them.\n\n What is the eighth circumstance mentioned in this passage? (_Jesus\n immediately commanded a cure._) _Lesson._--None will ever seriously\n apply to Jesus in vain.\n\n What is the ninth circumstance mentioned in this passage? (_The\n leprosy was immediately cleansed._) What does that teach you?\n _Lesson._--God is able instantly to cure the most inveterate diseases\n of both body and soul.\n\n _Explanation of Words to precede the Lessons._\n\n _Mountain_,--High hill. _Multitudes_,--Number of people.\n _Followed_,--Went after. _Behold_,--Take notice. _Leper_,--Man\n troubled with the disease called leprosy. _Worshipped_,--Paid divine\n honors to. _Wilt_,--Pleaseth. _Canst_,--Art able to. _Clean_,--Free\n from this disease. _Put forth_,--Stretched out. _Touched_,--Laid it\n upon. _Clean_,--Healed. _Immediately_,--At the very instant.\n _Leprosy_,--Disease. _Cleansed_,--Healed or cured.\n\n _Lesson No. 2._\n\n _As taught by the \"Gall Lesson System.\"_\n\n NOTE.--Only a part of the _ten_ exercises given are to be used in any\n one lesson.\n\n _Question._ What does God require of all those who will be saved?\n\n _Answer._ God _requires_ from those who will be _saved_, true _faith_\n in his Son Jesus _Christ_; true _repentance_ of _all_ their sins; and\n _a new_ and _sincere obedience to_ all his _commandments_, _from_\n love to _Him_ who _first loved us_.\n\n 1. _Verbal and General Exercise._\n\n _What does God require from those who will be saved?_ Who requires\n true faith? From whom does God require true faith? Who will be what?\n\n _What kind of faith does God require?_\n\n _In whom are we to have true faith_? Who is Jesus Christ? Whose Son\n is Jesus Christ? Who is the Son of God?\n\n _What does God require besides true faith?_ What kind of repentance\n does God require? From whom does God require true repentance?\n\n _Of what are they to repent?_ Of how many of their sins must they\n repent?\n\n _What does God require besides faith and repentance?_ From whom does\n God require new and sincere obedience?\n\n _What kind of obedience does God require?_ What is it to be new and\n sincere? To what does God require obedience? To whose commandments\n are we to give obedience? How many of God's commandments are we to\n obey?\n\n _From what are we to obey Gods commandments?_ Whom are we to love?\n What are we to do from love to God? What did God do to us? Whom did\n God love? Who loved us? When did God love us?\n\n 2. _Numerical Exercise._\n\n How many things does God require from those who will be saved?\n (_Three._--1. Faith. 2. Repentance. 3. Obedience.) What is the first?\n etc.\n\n How many things are here stated with respect to faith? (_Two._--1. It\n is to be a true faith. 2. It is to be faith in Jesus Christ.)\n\n How many things are here stated with respect to repentance?\n (_Two._--1. It is to be a true repentance. 2. It is to be a universal\n repentance.) What is the first? etc.\n\n How many things are here stated with respect to obedience?\n (_Four._--1. It is to be a new obedience. 2. A sincere obedience. 3.\n It is to be a universal obedience. 4. It is to be an obedience\n founded upon, and flowing from love.) What is the first? etc.\n\n 3. _Doctrines Separated._\n\n How many doctrines are contained in this answer? (_Four._--1. God\n requires true faith from all who will be saved. 2. God requires true\n repentance. 3. God requires a new and sincere obedience. 4. God\n requires us to obey all his commandments from a principle of love.)\n What is the first? etc.\n\n 4. _Explanations and Illustrations._\n\n _Requires_, asks, or demands. _Saved_, delivered from the power and\n consequences of sin. _Faith_, belief, and assured confidence.\n _Christ_, the anointed Saviour. _Repentance_, sorrow for, and hatred\n of, sin. _All_, the whole of. _A new_, not the former, but a better.\n _Sincere_, a pure, simple, and honest. _Obedience to_, submission to,\n and ready compliance with. _Commandments_, wishes, and orders.\n _From_, arising out of. _Him_, God. _First loved us_, had previously\n showed his love to us by sending his Son to die for us.\n\n 5. _Doctrines Proved._\n\n (1.) _God requires true faith from all who will be saved._--_Mark_\n xvi.\u00a016. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he\n that believeth not shall be damned.\n\n (2.) _God requires true repentance._--_Luke_ xiii.\u00a03. Except ye\n repent, ye shall all likewise perish.\n\n (3.) _God requires new and sincere obedience._--_Rom._ vi.\u00a017. But ye\n have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered\n you.\n\n (4) _God requires us to obey all his commandments from a principle of\n love._--_John_ xiv.\u00a015. If ye love me, keep my commandments.\n\n 6. _Lessons from the Doctrines._\n\n _From these doctrines we learn_,\n\n (1.) That we should beware of unbelief.\n\n (2.) That we should hate and forsake sin.\n\n (3.) That our obedience to God should be cheerful and constant.\n\n (4.) That all our duties should be done to please God rather than\n ourselves.\n\n 7. _Application of the Lessons._\n\n Of what should we beware? (1.)\n\n What should we hate and forsake? (2.)\n\n What should be cheerful and constant? (3.)\n\n Whom should we seek to please in the performance of duty? (4.)\n\n 8. _Devotional Exercise_ (_from the Answer_.)\n\n _Petition._--Bestow upon us, we beseech thee, those graces which thou\n requirest from all those who will be saved. Give to each of us true\n faith in thy Son Jesus Christ, true repentance of all our sins, and a\n new and sincere obedience to all thy commandments, arising from love\n to thee who hast first loved us.\n\n 9. _Devotional Exercise_ (_from the Lessons_.)\n\n O Lord, may we always be upon our guard, (1.) and constantly beware\n of falling into the sin of unbelief. May we sincerely repent of all\n our transgressions, (2.) and heartily hate and forsake all sin. And\n grant that (3.) our obedience to thee may be cheerful and constant;\n and that (4.) all our duties may be done to honor and obey thee,\n rather than to please ourselves.\n\n 10. _Paraphrase formed._\n\n _God_ [asks or demands] _from those who will be_ [delivered from the\n power and consequences of sin,] _true_ [belief and assured\n confidence] _in his Son Jesus_, [the anointed Saviour,] _true_\n [sorrow for, and hatred] _of_, [the whole of] _their sins_, _and_\n [not the former, but a better] _and_ [a pure, simple, and honest\n submission to and ready compliance with] _all his_ [wishes and\n orders,] [arising out of, and proceeding from,] _love to_ [God,]\n _who_ [had previously showed his love to us, by sending his Son to\n die for us.]\n\n\n_Other Modes of Teaching._\n\nThere are also various other modes of teaching that can be used on\ndifferent lessons. One plan is to raise the questions Who? What? When?\nand Where?\n\nAnother is to take the letters P. P. D. D. D. D., the two P's and four\nD's, and inquire for _P-ersons_, _P-laces_, _D-ates_, _D-oings_,\n_D-octrines_, and _D-uties_.\n\nAnother still is to take the word \"_F-i-d-d-l-e-r_,\" as a mnemonic for\nthe teacher's use. The first letter, _F_, will remind him to call on\nthe children to tell him what _facts_, and how many, are to be found\nin the first verse or in the lesson. The next letter, _i_, may prompt\nhim to call for _inferences or instructions_. The letter _d_ repeated\nwould remind him to ask for the _doctrines_ and _duties_, _l_ will\ncall for _lessons_, _e_ for _examples_ and _r_ for _rebukes_. This\nwill give active employment to the children--a thing which they\ndelight in, and it will aid the teacher in the difficult but sublime\nwork of teaching divine Truth.\n\n\n\n\nXI.\n\nILLUSTRATIVE TEACHING.\n\n\nTo illustrate is to throw light upon, to illumine, to make clear and\nplain. Illustration has, also, a decorating power as well as an\nenlightening power.\n\nIllustrative teaching is not merely entertaining or amusing the\nchildren with stories and anecdotes, but may comprise them\nincidentally. Explanation appeals to the understanding, while\nillustration appeals to the observation of the young. Says one writer:\n\"It is by illustration alone, which appeals to their observation, that\nideas are conveyed to children's minds.\" Anecdotes and stories are\ngenerally too long for Sunday-school teaching, and the danger is that\nthey will overshadow the truth. Illustrative teaching should be\nemployed in the Sabbath-school to make divine truth glow and become\nplainer, clearer, and better understood--nothing else. It must never\ndisplace the lesson, but be held in strict subordination to it.\nIllustrations of divine truths are very useful--in fact,\nindispensable; but dangerous, unless well guarded so as never to\nwithdraw attention from the Bible.\n\nThis was one of our divine Saviour's chosen modes of teaching, as we\nsee in the beautiful parable of the sower, and, in fact, in almost all\nof His inimitable parables. Mankind, as well as children, delight in\nthis form of instruction. Says Mr. Groser, in his excellent work on\nthis subject: \"Children have a passion for details and revel in\nanalogies. Mark their fondness for _stories_, however frivolous;\n_word-pictures_, however meagre, and _comparisons_, however\ncommonplace.\" Tupper says:\n\n \"Principles and rules are repulsive to a child, but happy illustration\n winneth him.\n\n In vain shalt thou preach of industry and prudence till he learn of\n the bee and ant.\n\n Dimly will he think of his soul, till the acorn and the chrysalis\n have taught him.\n\n He will fear God in thunder and worship His loveliness in flowers.\n\n And parables shall charm his heart, while doctrines seem dead\n mystery.\"\n\nIllustration is something laid alongside of--parallel--for comparison,\nand should be short, obvious, and appropriate. There must always be\nsomething to illustrate.\n\nFor instance: If we were teaching, \"Take us the foxes, the little\nfoxes,\" etc., we could illustrate the danger and influence of little\nevils or sins by saying: Chemists tell us that a single grain of\niodine will color 7000 times its weight in water; so a little sin may\ndiscolor and destroy a good character. A ruined man once said: \"It was\nthat ten minutes on the street-corner, reading a bad book, that\ndestroyed my whole life.\" \"It was that penny I stole when a very young\nboy,\" said an old man, \"that sent me four times to prison, and\nconfined me twenty-eight years out of sixty of my life, and all for\nstealing less than thirty-eight dollars.\"\n\nOr if the lesson was, \"No man can serve two masters,\" etc., let the\nteacher say: \"The other day I saw two men together walking down the\navenue, and a little dog was running behind them; so they went on for\na while, and I wondered to which of them the dog belonged. When they\ncame to the corner of a certain street they shook hands and went\nopposite ways. Then I saw at once to which of them the little dog\nbelonged. He could not follow both; so he trotted after his master.\nSo, dear children, it is with you; you may try to be Christ's servants\nand the servants of Satan at the same time, but it will be in vain;\n'You cannot serve God and mammon.'\"\n\nIf on the subject of falsehood, we would impress our pupils with the\nfact that the degree does not affect criminality. An apt illustration\nwill be found in \"Eve and the forbidden fruit.\"\n\nThe Bible is full of perfect examples, if rightly selected. \"Old\nHumphrey,\" the English writer for children, abounded in pertinent\nillustrations. I copy one: \"Think not that because you look like other\nteachers or scholars, and undertake the same duties, that no\ndifference is seen by those around you. You may look alike and be\naltogether different.\"\n\nIllustration 1. \"I came to two frozen ponds, so much alike in size and\nform that at the first view one might have been regarded as the\ncounterpart of the other. This was, however, very far from being the\ncase; for, after making a hole in the ice, I found one to be only a\nfew inches deep, while with my stick I could not reach the bottom of\nthe other.\"\n\n2. \"I picked up two walnuts as they lay among the dry leaves, under\nthe tree on which they had grown; both were large, and I thought that\neach would be good; but, no! one was altogether hollow, while the\nother contained a capital kernel.\"\n\n3. \"I bought two apples at a fruit-stand--ruddy and ripe; I do not\nbelieve the man who sold them to me could have pointed out any\ndifference between them; and yet, for all this, when I came to turn\nthem around and examine them, I found one of them to be firm and\nsound, and the other rotten to the very core.\"\n\n\"As it was with the ponds, the walnuts, and the apples, so it may be\nwith you. Some are shallow, while others have depth of understanding;\nsome have depth of understanding, while others are shallow; some are\nfull of knowledge, while others are empty; and some are firm and to be\nrelied upon, while others are unsound at their hearts.\"\n\nThese are short and very simple, but excellent and to the point.\n\nThe Bible is full of perfect examples of illustrative teaching. The\nparables are mostly of this order. The parable of the sower, with the\nfield and husbandman before him, as is probable, is a striking example\nof illustrative teaching. In the gospels, how constantly our Saviour\nbegan His parables with, \"The kingdom of heaven is _likened_ unto,\" or\nis \"_like_,\" etc. Said an old divine to a young preacher: \"I see you\ndo not follow Christ's example in your preaching; for you have no\n'_likes_' in your sermons.\" Do we _liken_ Bible truth to something\nwith which our scholars are familiar, and thus help them to understand\nit?\n\nIllustrations abound all around us. Some years ago there was published\na work entitled \"Spiritual Honey from Natural Hives.\" I do not know\nbut it is now out of print; but it contained no less than 258\nillustrations of various passages of Scripture--all drawn from the\nhoney-bee, and most of them were valuable. For example: \"Mercy comes\nnaturally from God, like honey from the bee; but justice, like the\nsting, only when she is provoked.\" \"If nature teaches the bee not only\nto gather honey out of sweet flowers, but out of bitter, shall not\ngrace teach us to draw, even out of the bitterest condition, something\nto better our souls?\" \"Many hate not sin, nor fly from it, because it\nis _sin_; but as children do bees; not because they are bees, but\nbecause they have a _sting_. So do these persons flee from sin; not\nbecause it is _sinful_, but because it is _hurtful_.\"\n\nThe following convey important lessons to Bible-students: \"If you do\nbut take and pierce God's word, and do but stay upon it, as the bee\ndoth on the flower, and _will not off_ till you have got something out\nof it; if you still be digging in this mine, this will make you rich\nin knowledge; and if you be rich in knowledge, it will make you rich\nin grace.\" Finally: \"Some use flowers only for the beauty or the\nsmell; the physicians, for health; the bees, for honey; so do wise and\nprudent persons apply their studies for the enriching and feeding of\ntheir minds.\"\n\nThe late eloquent Rev. Dr. Payson was accustomed to illustrate under\nthe form of apt _suppositions_. For instance, said he: \"Suppose you\nwished to separate a quantity of brass and steel filings mixed\ntogether in one vessel; how would you effect this separation? Apply a\nloadstone, and immediately every particle of iron will attach itself\nto it, while the brass filings remain behind. Thus, if we see a\ncompany of true and false professors of religion, we may not be able\nto distinguish them; but let Christ come among them, and all His\nsincere followers will be attracted towards Him, as the steel is drawn\nto the magnet, while those who have none of His spirit will remain at\na distance.\" Again: On a visit to a weeping mother, who refused to be\ncomforted for the loss of a beloved child: \"Suppose, now,\" said he,\n\"some one was making a beautiful crown for you to wear, and that you\nknew it was for you, and that you were to receive it and wear it as\nsoon as it should be done; now, if the maker of it were to come, and\nin order to make the crown more beautiful and splendid, were to take\nsome of your jewels to put into it, should you be sorrowful and\nunhappy because they were taken away for a little while, when you knew\nthey were going to make up your crown? He can take better care of them\nthan you could.\" The mother smiled through her tears at the thought\nthat her jewel was taken from her but for a season, and said, in meek\nsubmission: \"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be\nthe name of the Lord.\"\n\nThe question here arises, From whence shall Sunday-school teachers\ngather illustrations for use? I reply, generally, everywhere, and from\neverything; but to particularize: 1. From the home-surroundings,\ncircumstances, and home-life of the pupils. 2. Facts and incidents\nthat are constantly occurring around us. \"_Facts_ are the arguments of\nGod,\" said Rev. Dr. Chalmers. 3. History, biography, and\ngeography--sacred and profane. 4. Agriculture, horticulture, and\nbotany. 5. Proverbs, maxims, wise sayings, and poetry. 6. Emblems,\nsimiles, metaphors, etc. 7. Science and art; manners and customs.\n\nI need not extend this list, for these will readily suggest many\nothers to the teacher.\n\n\n\n\nXII.\n\nPICTORIAL TEACHING.\n\n\nPictorial teaching is only a slightly different form of Bible\nillustration, and, therefore, will appropriately follow the previous\nsubject.\n\nIt presents, first, pictures and maps to the pupils for examination,\nin order that they may get a clearer view of truth. It consists,\nsecondly, more particularly in picturing out in words, or in vivid,\ngraphic description, so that the truth will appear real to the\nimagination of the child. It awakens interest and deepens impression,\nand all good teachers avail themselves, more or less, of its power.\n\n\"But,\" says a quiet teacher, \"all this must be graphically done.\" I\nreply: \"Of course it must;\" and the answer returns: \"Well, I can't use\nit, then, for I am not graphic.\" I will give all such teachers a\nrecipe that will render them always graphic with children. If they\nwould dwell clearly and plainly on all the little details in their\ndescriptions to children, they will always be graphic. The\nimaginations of scholars of ten or twelve years of age are so vivid\nthat much of the teacher's power over them, to interest and impress\ntruth, will depend largely upon this power of \"word-picturing.\" Words\ncontaining objects largely should be most used, instead of a mass of\nsentiments and principles. Let the objective words preponderate.\n\nThe following statement embraces about a dozen words in _principles_:\n\n \"It was David's _duty_ to _know_ the _will_ of God, and as he had\n great _faith_ in the divine _power_, he went forth without\n _reluctance_ to meet the _foe_, and the _result_ was the death of\n Goliath.\"\n\nLet us now transpose the sentence into _objects_ mainly, and it will\nnot be difficult to see which will make the clearest and best\nimpression upon children's minds:\n\n \"Young David _stood_ in the _valley_ and slung a _stone_ into the\n _forehead_ of the _giant_, Goliath, and he _fell_ dead upon the\n ground.\"\n\nAbbott gives many illustrations. He says:\n\n \"You tell a man, 'He went down to the shore, and got into a boat and\n pushed off.' You would interest a child more if you say, 'He went\n down to the shore and found a boat there. One end of the boat--the\n front part, which they call the bow--was up against the shore, a\n little in the sand. The other end was out of the water, and moved up\n and down gently with the waves. There were seats across the boat, and\n two oars tying upon the seats. The man stepped upon the bow of the\n boat; it was fast in the mud.' And so on, describing the water under\n one end, and sand under the other; the one end rocking and rattling\n the oars, and the man walking back and pushing the boat off,\" etc.\n\nBe exceedingly minute, therefore, with little children. In all the\ndetails which you describe take very short steps, and take each one\ndistinctly. The Bible narratives are wonderfully adapted to good\npictorial teaching. Bible emblems, which so abound, must be carefully\npictured out; as, \"The Lord God is a sun and shield,\" a \"rock,\" and\n\"refuge.\" \"As the hart panteth,\" etc. Detail it so as to make the\nscene as real as possible to the child, and enable him to see the\nhart, the mountain, the water brooks, etc. Suppose you were on the\nlesson of the apprehension and trial of Christ:\n\n \"Children, see that crowd of people wending their way through the\n streets of Jerusalem! Some of them carry torches or lanterns in their\n hands; others have staves or swords. See, in the midst of them there\n walks one who looks very kind, but very sorrowful. Who is it? It is\n Jesus. The multitude, led on by the cruel priests, have just been to\n the garden of Gethsemane and hurried him away from His disciples; and\n now they are going to take Him before their rulers, that they may\n have Him put to death. Then describe the High Priest, Pilate, and\n Herod; the judgment hall, the drops of blood, the soldiers, and crown\n of thorns; the cross, the angry cries of, 'Crucify Him!'\"\n\nAll this must be done with care and exactness, and before adopting it\nthe teacher must make himself _very familiar_ with every part, so as\nnever to hesitate or labor in it; and then afterward call it all back\nby questions, in the children's own language.\n\nAgain: Suppose you wished to make a lasting impression on a child\nwhile developing a single important thought; as, for instance, the\nomniscience of God. Talk candidly to the child somewhat as follows:\n\n \"Mary, do you know that God knows all things? He saw Adam and Eve\n when they hid themselves in the trees of the garden. He saw Moses\n when he lay in his little ark by the side of the river. He saw\n Timothy when his mother taught him to read the Bible. He sees every\n person in the world just now. You know in Africa there are a great\n many millions of men and women. They are black. They are called\n negroes. God sees them all, and he sees the missionaries who are\n there teaching them God's word; and at the very some moment he sees\n all the people of this country, and every person in this town. He\n sees you, Mary. He saw you when you were a little babe in your\n cradle; he sees you at all your plays, and in the school; he knows\n what you say, and what you think; he sees every tear that falls from\n your eye, and every smile that plays on your cheek; he hears you sing\n his praises; and when you pray, Mary, God listens to everything that\n you ask; and when you lie down, and the room is dark and still, and\n there is nothing moving but your pulse, and nothing heard but your\n breathing, then God sees you, for the darkness and the light are both\n alike to Him.\"\n\nThus dwell _amply_ on a thought until you associate it in the child's\nmind with many circumstances. For Bible-classes, of course, a teacher\nwould not descend to all the details of some of these examples, yet in\nevery age and class be graphic and life-like in word-picturing. The\nparables of the prodigal son, and of the good Samaritan, are divinely\nbeautiful examples of pictorial teaching, for when our Saviour wanted\nto impress love to our neighbor he _pictured_ out for us the beautiful\nstory of the good Samaritan.\n\nThe following example is from \"David Stow's Bible-training,\" published\nin Edinburgh, and is the \"Training System\" pictured out in words:\n\n\n _Example._\n\n \"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after\n thee, O God.\" Ps. xlii.\u00a01. The more common way that the pious teacher\n or parent takes, is to pass over the emblem, and at once proceed with\n the spiritual lesson--_thus beginning at the end_--without any\n natural picture having been presented to the mind's eye of the\n pupils, by which they maybe assisted to the analogy--_as_ and _so_,\n as the Natural, so the Spiritual--which is so uniformly done by the\n Spirit of God in Scripture.\n\n _Points in the Natural Picture to be brought out._\n\n 1. Some points in the natural history of the hart--different names\n given to the animal--swiftness of foot--where generally lives. 2.\n Frequently hunted. 3. Where to flee to in a mountainous country, as\n Judea, when pursued--hills or valleys. 4. Heat, drought, dust--effect\n on the animal, particularly after running--thirst. 5. Running about\n seeking for water--increasing--not merely a drink, but a brook, where\n it may plunge in as well as drink. 6. Why, then, a brook, and not\n stream?--picture out a brook. 7. Brooks more likely to be found in\n plains--but animal pursued there. 8. The hart, heated and thirsty,\n therefore _pants_--what is panting? 9. Has the hart ever bathed in\n water brooks before? If not, would it have panted and longed for it?\n The full picturing out of these points (even in the incomplete and\n imperfect manner that can be done on paper) would greatly exceed our\n limits. The natural picture or condition of the hart being visible to\n the minds of the children, the analogy to the circumstances in which\n David was placed will appear, viz., pursued by his enemies, and\n especially by his own son, Absalom--fleeing to the mountains for\n safety--away from the sanctuary, etc., etc. He, no doubt, on seeing\n the harts near him panting and seeking for water brooks, mournfully\n and longingly expressed himself: \"So panteth my soul after thee, O\n God.\"\n\n _Teacher._--I must tell you, children, before we commence our lesson,\n that it is supposed this psalm was written by David, who was obliged\n to flee from his enemies to the land of Jordan, and that when there\n he probably took up his abode in the mountains, away from the public\n worship of ... _God's house_, and seeing the harts running ... Where?\n _about the hills_, and panting for thirst, most likely induced him to\n use the ... What metaphor or emblem did he use? Look at your books.\n David says: \"As the hart panteth after the ... _water-brooks_ (read\n on, children), _so panteth my soul after thee, O God_.\"\n\n The first thing we must speak about in this picture is the ...\n _hart_. What is a hart? Can you tell me any other names given to the\n hart? _Stag_--_deer_--_gazelle_--_roe_. Very right; these are the\n names given to ... _this animal_, or ... _species_.\n\n Well, the name of this animal or ... _species_, is called ... the\n _hart_. Is it a slow or quick moving animal? _Swift_. It runs ...\n _very swiftly_. What countries do harts chiefly live in? _Mountainous\n countries._ Why do you think so? _The Bible says, \"Like a young roe\n upon the mountains._\" And a young roe is ... _a young hart_. Well,\n that is one proof that they live in the mountains; but can they live\n in the plains? _Yes, sir; they live in plains in gentlemen's parks_,\n which are sometimes ... _plain_, or nearly ... _level_. Very well;\n but when allowed to roam and run about freely and ... _naturally_,\n they ... _prefer the mountains_. Is the hart spoken of in the psalm\n supposed to live in a warm or cold country, think you? _A warm\n country._ Why? ... Bring down the map, children, and show the country\n or countries you suppose to be meant. (The map of Palestine is\n presented.) Point out those parts you think harts live in. You think\n the Psalmist means ... _the mountainous parts of Palestine_. And\n Palestine is ... What sort of a country? _Mountainous country_, and\n ... _very hot_. Now, we must get smartly on. The hart lives in ... _a\n hot country_, and in the mountainous parts of ... _a hot country_.\n How does the sun shine? _Over head, nearly perpendicular_, and,\n therefore, the great part of the year the ground must be ... _very\n hot and dry_. In what state will the soil be? _Parched and dusty._\n And in mountainous countries, where the sun is very hot, what happens\n to the streams or brooks? _The brooks dry up._ It is then a dry and\n ... _thirsty land_, and where ... _no water is_. If you turn in your\n Bible to Job vi.\u00a015, it is said: \"And as the stream of brooks they\n pass away,\"--showing that the brooks in that hot climate are ...\n _very apt to pass away_, or ... _dry up_.\n\n Tell me, children, what you mean by panting? Show me what panting is?\n This boy thinks it is simply opening the mouth. (Take nothing for\n granted.) Have you ever seen a dog walking in a very hot and dusty\n day, after having run a long way? _Yes, sir; it opens its mouth._\n Does it simply open its mouth, as this boy did? _It pants, this way.\n It feels uneasy._ Why uneasy? Because _it is weary and thirsty_.\n Weary and thirsty from ... _the heat_; and a thirsty dog, that is\n weary and very ... _hot_, would--what would it wish? _To have a\n drink_, or, perhaps, to ... _plunge in the brook_. Of what had the\n hart drank before? _The brooks._ Well, the hart having both drank of\n ... _the brook_, and ... _plunged in the brook before_, longed and\n ... _panted to do so again_. In this sad condition, therefore--heated\n and ... _thirsty_, and running about, ... _panting_--how would the\n hart feel? Would he be satisfied to lie down? _No, sir; very\n anxious._ And what more? _Longing and panting for water._ Not at\n rest, because it ... _felt_--the ... _want of something_ it could not\n get at ... _that time_; and that was ... _the water brooks_.\n\n Now, let us look at the verse, and see in what state or ...\n _condition_ the hart is supposed to be. Repeat it, if you please,\n each word, separately, slowly, and distinctly. \"As, the, hart,\n panteth, after, the, water, brooks.\" What is a brook? _A clear\n stream_--not a muddy, stagnant ... _pool_. Do you think the hart had\n drank of a brook before? _Yes; else it would not have panted for it._\n What makes the hart so very thirsty? _Because it runs about the\n hills, where there is no water._ And as the hart opens ... _its\n mouth_, and ... _pants for water_, and runs about, it raises the ...\n What do you think it raises? _The dust into its mouth._ And what does\n the dust do? _Increases its thirst_, and causes the hart to long more\n for ... _the brooks_--which are now ... _dried up_--or, perhaps, at a\n ... _great distance_. What would you expect the hart to do were it to\n reach a brook? _Drink plentifully_--and, also, ... _plunge into the\n water_. Why? _To cool_ and ... _refresh itself_. The application, or\n spiritual lesson, is by recalling the _hart_, on the _mountains_,\n _hunted by dogs_, _shot at by arrows_, _hot and thirsty_, _panting_\n for _water brooks_, for a _plunge-bath_, and _drink_. So, David\n fleeing on the mountains for life, pursued by enemies, _longing_ for\n safety, and for the public worship of God at Jerusalem, _panting_ for\n the Lord's house, where _God's law_ was read, and the true God was\n worshipped, etc. He _desired, longed_ for, _panted_, _prayed_ for\n God, the living God. Children, do _you so long for_, and _pant after_\n God, the living God? etc., etc.\n\n\nAnother form of pictorial teaching is, after questioning the lesson\nout of the scholars, and then in again, and explaining all the words,\netc., to paint imaginary pictures of the events described in the\nlesson. Thus, in a lesson from Matt. xiv.\u00a022-33, taught by the Rev.\nEdward Eggleston, of Chicago, he said to the first pupil: \"Carrie,\nsuppose that you were a painter with your canvas before you, what\npicture would you draw from the 22d verse?\" She replied, \"Christ\nsending his disciples and the multitudes away.\" \"Mary, what from the\n23d verse?\" \"Christ on the mountain, alone, in prayer.\" \"Jane, what\nfrom the 24th verse?\" \"The ship tossed with the waves.\" \"Lily, what\nfrom verse 25?\" \"Jesus walking on the sea.\" The next, \"Peter sinking,\nJesus saving;\" and then, \"The sea calm, all safe in the ship,\nworshipping Jesus.\" From these the lessons drawn are \"Secret prayer,\"\n\"Looking to Jesus for help in danger,\" \"Not seeking danger,\" and that\n\"Jesus is God,\" to control the wind and waves. The doctrine is the\nDivinity of Christ: \"Of a truth, thou art the Son of God.\"\n\n\"Pictorial Teaching,\" by Hartley and Groser, on Illustrative Teaching,\nfurther illustrates these subjects.\n\n\n\n\nXIII.\n\nOBJECT-TEACHING.\n\n\nThis is presenting an object to look at, for the purpose of getting a\nclearer and more perfect view of the truth taught. It is simply\ncalling to our aid the _eye_. The eye is one of our two great learning\nsenses. It has been called \"the king of the senses,\" and it is\nemphatically so with children; for little children learn the most that\nthey do learn through the eye. Bunyan quaintly says: \"Come to the mind\nand soul through Eye-gate as well as through Ear-gate.\" This is the\nmost pleasant and effective way of giving and receiving some kinds of\nknowledge. It cultivates, also, the important habit of close and\naccurate observation. Says the Rev. Dr. Hill, the President of Harvard\nUniversity: \"It is the thought of God in the object that stimulates\nthe child's thought.\" The great object is to teach the child more than\nyou can express in words. In illustration, he says: \"I was walking\nyesterday with my little girl, and showing her plants, insects, and\nbirds as we walked along. We were looking at lichens on the trees,\nwhen she suddenly, and without hint from me, said: 'The maples have\ndifferent lichens from the ash. I mean to see if I can tell trees by\ntheir trunks, without looking at their leaves.' So for a long distance\nshe kept her eyes down, saying to the trees as she passed: Elm, maple,\nash, pine,' etc--never failing. The difference was easy to _see_, but\nthe difference could not have been so well expressed in _words_.\"\n\nOur schools of public instruction are largely using this mode of\nteaching in the early years of school-life, with great gratification\nto the children, and, also, with great success. The size, form, shape,\ncolor, origin, and uses of many articles are thus taught, incidentally\nweaving in spelling, reading, and a vast amount of useful knowledge.\nIf this were all, however, it would hardly avail much in our\nSabbath-schools above the infant class. But we apprehend that in some\nparticular Sabbath-school lessons, but not in all, object-teaching can\nbe used to great advantage by all classes and conditions of scholars.\nNever force or crowd object-teaching, however, upon any lesson.\n\nThe simple difference between object-teaching and illustrative\nteaching is this: If you were teaching on the words \"Though your sins\nbe red like crimson, they shall be as wool,\" in _illustrative_\nteaching, we should tell the children that the Turkey-red dyes are so\nfirm that no bleacher's salts will make them white, and therefore, we\nmake the Turkey-red rags into pink blotting-paper; in _object_-teaching,\nwe hold up the Turkey-red calico, explain it, and then _show_ the pink\nblotting-paper--making it, by help of the two objects and the\nexplanation, more impressive with children. In fact, there are lessons\nthat cannot be plainly taught without the use of objects. They need,\nhowever, to be used with discretion; and upon Bible lessons only on\nthose that will make the truths _better_ understood.\n\nWe have, however, the highest authority for the use of objects in\nteaching religious truths. Our Saviour himself practised this mode of\nteaching. It will be remembered that when the crafty Scribes and\nPharisees sought to entangle him in his talk, and proposed the\nquestion--\"Master, is it lawful to give tribute unto C\u00e6sar or not?\"\nhe, perceiving their wickedness, said, \"Why tempt ye me, ye\nhypocrites? Show me the tribute-money. And they brought unto Him a\npenny.\" Why did the divine Redeemer, who never did a superfluous\nthing, or spoke a superfluous word,--why did He, who is infinite in\nwisdom, call for this penny? We may safely reply, Because it was\ndivinely _best_ and needful. He wanted to bring to bear the two great\nlearning senses, to wit, _seeing_ and _hearing_. He then directed the\neyes of these scheming men to the coin, with this pointed question:\n\"Whose is this image and superscription? They said unto him, C\u00e6sar's.\"\nThen came the inimitable _application_ of the lesson--without which\nevery lesson is a failure--viz.: \"Render therefore unto C\u00e6sar the\nthings which be C\u00e6sar's, and unto God the things which be God's.\" We\nare told that \"when they had heard these words, they marvelled, and\nleft him, and went their way.\" The lesson was conclusive.\n\nAt another time, you remember that our Saviour \"called a little child\nunto him and set him in the midst of them,\" to teach his disciples the\nanswer to their query, \"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?\"\nHere the little child was the object. The lesson is obvious to all.\nEven in the memorial service of our Saviour's death, he called for two\n_objects_--the bread and the wine. It was divinely necessary.\n\nWe may seem almost to see the same divine Teacher bending forward and\npointing his disciples to the beautiful flowers at his feet,\nexclaiming: \"Behold the lilies of the field,\" or look at the \"fowls of\nthe air,\" or see \"the fields white unto the harvest,\" or the falling\nsparrow, or the fig-tree, and a multitude of similar objects all\naround them, which were used by him in his wonderful teaching, and\nwith such success that they were led to exclaim: \"Never man spake like\nthis man.\" The whole of the types and ceremonies in the Old Testament\nwere but a magnificent series of this mode of object-teaching. This is\nthe whole, in substance, of object-teaching. It is Christ's mode and\nthe prophet's way of teaching. \"It is nature's teaching,\" says a\nteacher at our side. There is _no_ teaching, scarcely, that is not, in\nsome sense, object-teaching. Said the Rev. Dr. Chester, when\ndescribing good teaching: \"This is object-teaching, as all good\nteaching of the young is. You must take their measure if you would fit\nthe garment of truth to them.\" Objects for teaching lie all over\nnature as clearly as in cubes and squares and octagons. It keeps each\nchild pleasantly and profitably employed. It is calling the eye and\nsenses to our aid in affecting the mind and heart. The eye is our\nfirst teacher. Hence it is indispensably necessary in an infant class\nto have plenty of objects. Every good mother and good juvenile\nclass-teacher will make great use of the _eye_ and _action_ and\n_motion_ to teach and impress the great truths of the lesson upon the\nlittle ones. Use the eye more, and make your words few and well\nchosen. \"Present to the children _things_ before _words_, or _ideas_\nbefore _names_.\" Even in manners and morals let the _person, life_ and\n_tongue_ of the teacher be the \"object.\" \"She openeth her mouth with\nwisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.\"\n\nHere is an art that every teacher should become facile in, _i. e._,\nlooking up and using objects that will serve our purpose in teaching;\nand for this reason, he should always wear his \"Sunday-school\nspectacles.\" A sprig of evergreen, or a bit of a vine picked from the\nbush as we pass our garden-gate for the Sunday-school, may serve to\nillustrate the duty of \"abiding in Christ\" as the branch must abide in\nthe vine. A little flower or grass, or a falling leaf, will\nillustrate, through the eye, the brevity of life, and that \"we all do\nfade as a leaf.\" Even a pin may be used as an object, from whence to\ndraw lessons as to the value, use, and importance of _little things_.\nWhen the pin is crooked and rendered useless, we can with it rebuke\ncrooked tempers or crooked tongues or characters.\n\nA child may be led to see \"the whole armor of God\" in a picture of an\nold knight with his \"helmet,\" \"shield,\" \"breastplate,\" and \"sword.\" A\nplaster cast of a _faithful_ dog, loving doves, little Samuel in\nprayer, or David with his shepherd's staff, have all been frequently\nused to teach divine lessons. A specimen of good fruit will teach us\nto bring forth good fruit--to be fruit-bearers; and the showing of a\nwatch may be made the means of much valuable instruction to children.\n\nBut we must sum up some of the leading things which may be used in\nSunday-school object-teaching, viz.:\n\n 1. Natural objects.\n 2. Texts, cards, etc.\n 3. Maps, charts, etc.\n 4. Pictures and drawings.\n 5. Word-painting, or pictorial teaching by aid\n      of the imagination.\n 6. Parables, parallels, etc.\n 7. Portable slates and paper.\n 8. The blackboard, which furnishes ample facilities\n      for object-teaching.\n\n\nOBJECT LESSONS IN BRIEF NOTES.\n\n_Examples._\n\nThe following is an outline lesson on a picture-print of\n\n_David and Goliath._ 1\u00a0Sam. xvii.\n\n Ps. xviii.\u00a032: Success is from the Lord.\n\n _First._ Remarks and questions on the print. Ask the children to\n point out the two principal figures--to tell you what difference they\n observe in them; one is an immense man--a giant; the other a young\n lad. The difference in their dress--one is clad in armor, with\n helmet, shield, and spear; the other has a light dress, with a crook,\n a sling, and a bag. Let them describe the manner and action of each.\n The giant looks fierce and angry, raising his spear and clenching his\n enormous fist. The lad appears calm and gentle; casting his look\n upwards, he points to heaven. For what purpose do they seem to be\n met? How can the youth escape so great and powerful an enemy? Where\n can he look for help? Ask the children what they would do under the\n circumstances.\n\n _Secondly._ The narrative. Give the children an account from the\n Bible of Goliath's size and his armor, and let them see how complete\n the latter was. Read to them how he defied the armies of the living\n God, and challenged any to combat with him. Who is able to stand\n against so mighty an enemy? All the Israelite soldiers are afraid. At\n last a slender youth comes forward and offers himself. How is he\n prepared for the contest? What makes him so bold? Read verses 32-37.\n He trusts in the Lord. It is His cause in which he fights. This is\n David. See how he prepares himself (verse 40). His spirit is shown in\n verses 45, 46. Success was with David (see 48-50). Contrast the\n appearance of the two, their different preparation and their spirit.\n\n _Lesson._ David fought in the name of the Lord, trusted in His\n strength, and sought His glory. How can we imitate him? All sin, all\n evil, is the enemy of the Lord: we must fight against them in His\n strength and seeking His glory, and He will make us more than\n conquerors.\n\n _Different Objects._\n\n 1. 1. Object, _a Leaf_. Children, what do I hold in my hand? _A\n leaf._ What can you tell an about it? One says it has _form_; others,\n _color_, _substance_, _length_, _breadth_, _thickness_, _branches_ in\n its frame like the tree, all _different_, etc., etc. What is a leaf?\n _The clothing of trees._ Gen. viii.\u00a011.\n\n 2. What does the Bible say about a leaf or leaves? Shall not wither,\n Ps. i.\u00a03--be green, Jer. xvii.\u00a08--not fade, Ezek. xlvii.\u00a012--fadeth,\n Is. i.\u00a030--sewed fig-leaves, Gen. iii.\u00a07--cast their leaves, Is.\n vi.\u00a013--fair, Dan. iv.\u00a012, 21--nothing but leaves, Mark\n xi.\u00a013--putteth forth leaves, Mark xiii.\u00a028. Enlarge and illustrate\n any points.\n\n 3. See Rev. xxii.\u00a02: And the _leaves_ of the tree were for the\n healing of the nations.\n\n See _bad_, _poisonous leaves_. Upas tree, poison-ivy, etc.\n\n See _good leaves_.--Sassafras, balsam, wintergreen, etc.\n\n The _leaves of the Bible_ are for the healing of the nations, etc.\n\n Corrupt _leaves_ or bad books blight and destroy.\n\n II. Object, _a Grapevine with cluster of fruit_. _Cut_ branch will\n not _unite_ again with the vine. _Prune_ so as to produce fruit,\n otherwise will run to leaves. Taste of good fruit. See fruits of the\n Spirit, Gal. v.\u00a022, love, joy, peace, etc. How bear such, etc.\n\n III. Object, _a Pin_. Sharp, straight, and shining. How many for\n a penny? Thirty persons to make it. So little\n and cheap, not valued. So of common blessings--air, light, water.\n Feel your pulse. Not live without it. _So learn to value little\n things._\n\n See its value in need, as in storms, cold, etc. So value Bible,\n health, school, church, etc., while you have them.\n\n Bend it, and it becomes _crooked_,--so crooked _tempers_, _tongues_,\n etc.\n\n IV. A _Sprig of Evergreen_, broken off, may teach us to _abide_ in\n Christ.\n\n V. _Salt_, as a grand _preservative_. A _Rotten Apple_, influence and\n decay.\n\n VI. _Flowers_, so beautiful and frail. A pansy may teach _humility_,\n a daisy, _cheerfulness_, a rose, _goodness and virtue_, a lily,\n _purity_, etc.\n\n\n\n\nXIV.\n\nTHE BLACKBOARD.\n\n\nWe would not undertake to conduct a Sabbath-school without a good\nblackboard. The great object of it is to direct, to concentrate, and\nto _fix_ the attention, sympathies, and prayers of the whole school\nupon that portion of the word of God which is embodied in the great\npractical thought of the lesson. It is affectingly interesting to see\na whole school, teachers and scholars, banishing their worldly\nthoughts, and raising their eyes and hearts apparently up to the great\nwarm thought of God, as they cross the threshold of the school-room,\nand see, in clear, distinct letters on the blackboard, the key-note of\nthe lesson for the day; as, \"My son, give me thy heart.\" \"Son, go work\nto-day in my vineyard.\" \"The soul that sinneth, it shall die.\" \"I will\narise and go to my father.\" \"Have faith in God.\" \"All waiting for\nJesus.\" \"Flee from the wrath to come.\" \"About my Father's business.\"\n\"The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.\"\n\"Founded on a rock,\" etc.\n\nBlackboards have long been used in public schools with great\nadvantage, but have only been adopted in Sunday-schools during the\nlast decade of years. They, however, prove to be so well adapted and\nuseful that they are meeting with universal approval, and are fast\ncoming into general use. We think a blackboard should be used in every\nSabbath-school, on every Sabbath, by every superintendent, and on\nevery lesson; for the dullest superintendent, in city or country, can\nplainly write or print one thought from the word of God on the\nblackboard, and thus fix the eye and concentrate the thought and heart\nof the otherwise careless, upon the lesson.\n\nWe have often seen the noisiest boys of the city calmed by this means\ninto thoughtfulness and interest in the lesson. Sometimes colored\ncrayons are used to attract as well as to impress. The names of the\nDeity are sometimes carefully written in crayon of one color, while\nwrath, sin, etc., may be put in another color, say _red_.\n\nA map, drawn by the superintendent or pastor on the blackboard in the\npresence of the school, will have many times the effect that it will\nhave, if we point to a regular map. A cross of two rough marks made by\na teacher on a slip of paper, to illustrate the lesson, will interest\na child more than will a jewelled cross,--it was made by teacher.\n\nFrequently the superintendent or teacher will write down the answer,\nor the main word of the _answers_ of the children on the blackboard,\nand this will interest them greatly. A teacher can use a piece of\nwhite paper to write or draw on for the scholars of a private class. A\nfew points must be heeded--\n\n1. Do not put any but well-digested, important words, thoughts, and\nobjects on the blackboard.\n\n2. Write or draw as plainly, neatly, and correctly as possible. Do not\nwrite too much.\n\n3. Let all the exercises of the school bear directly towards the one\ngreat thought of the lesson.\n\nThus let the freshest and most prominent object in the school-room aid\nthe teacher and superintendent, through the use of the eye, in their\ngreat work.\n\nA word of caution is needed, however, concerning the use of the\nblackboard. Sometimes it has been made to appear quite ridiculous by a\nfanciful and perverted use of it. The only justifiable use of the\nblackboard in a Sabbath-school is in order to make Bible truths more\nclear and attractive in the eyes of teachers and scholars. Men of good\ntaste, as well as those having tact and ingenuity, can and do use the\nblackboard with power in various ways. For instance, some years ago I\nsaw a lesson taught in Ralph Wells's school--and many of my examples\noriginated with him--from the text in Matt. v.\u00a016: \"Let your light so\nshine,\" etc. This was plainly written on the board, while on one side\nwas drawn a figure of a light-house, with the rays of light shining\nforth from the lamp. The superintendent in a review pressed the\nquestion, \"_How_ are we to let our light shine, according to the\nlesson, 'So shine?'\"--and very soon the children said they were to let\ntheir light shine by \"being pure,\" \"meek,\" \"merciful,\" etc., and soon\nthe beatitudes were each written on the separate rays from the\nlight-house lamp.\n\nAt another time I noticed the text, \"Founded on a rock,\" together with\nthe figure of a house firm on a rock, and another house crumbling and\nfalling down \"on the sand.\" See to the foundation.\n\nA catechism lesson on the question, \"What is sin?\" was placed on the\nboard \"_My sin._\"\n\n\n _Examples of Blackboard Exercises._\n\n The following examples are given as suggestive of several different\n lines of use to which the blackboard may be put:\n\n The substance of a lesson in the 6th chapter of Matthew was once put\n upon the board in two words, \"Outside\" and \"Inside,\" the children\n being asked to examine the chapter and tell what to write on the\n blackboard; at the end of the address the board appeared as follows,\n each specification having been vividly illustrated by an incident:\n\n _Outside._    _Inside._\n   Alms.         Alms.\n   Prayer.       Prayer.\n   Fasting.      Fasting.\n   Treasures.    Treasures.\n\n Another good lesson on the board is to take one of the commandments,\n for instance, the \"Third Commandment.\" Raise three questions and get\n the children to fill out the answers as follows:\n\n _The Third Commandment._\n\n  _How broken._               _Why broken._     _Why not._\n\n   Swearing.                   Get mad.          'Tain't right.\n   Oh gracious!                Don't think.      No use.\n   Make fun of the Bible.      Think its big.    Bible says we mustn't.\n   Praying careless.           Careless.         Mean.\n   Singing and not thinking.   Wicked.           Ungentlemanly.\n\n The following lesson has been successfully given by the Rev. Mr.\n Ostrander, of Albany:\n\n              THOU\n              shalt\n              call\n              His\n              name\n BELIEVE on |       | Christ and thou\n            | Jesus |\n   The Lord |       | shalt be SAVED.\n             for He\n              shall\n              save\n              His\n             people\n              from\n              their\n              SINS.\n\n Where ought Jesus to be? _Ans._ In the heart.\n\n Where did he get his name? _Ans._ From the angel. (Matt. i.\u00a021.)\n\n Why was this name given? _Ans._ (Matt. i.\u00a022.)\n\n How does he save from sin? _Ans._ \"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.\"\n\n Other points of instruction and application may be derived from the\n careful study of the above arrangement.\n\n The following, by E. D. Jones, of St. Louis, teaches a lesson from\n the text, John xii.\u00a032: \"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,\n will draw all men unto me.\" _First_, Notice the influences God uses\n to draw men: 1. The Holy Spirit. 2. The Bible. 3. The Churches.\n _Secondly_, Look at their relations: 1. As a Helper. 2. As a Teacher.\n 3. As a Trainer. _Thirdly_, Look at the chief work of these agents:\n 1. To Reveal.\u00a02. To Believe. 3. To Know. 4. To Train. At the close of\n the address or lesson the blackboard will appear as follows:\n\n [Illustration: Cross.]\n\n Two hearts, one bad, the other good, make an instructive lesson. Get\n the children to tell you what to write in them as below:\n\n     _Bad Heart._            _Good Heart._\n\n     Anger. Hate.             Love. Hope.\n     Selfishness.            Joy. Humility.\n     Covetousness.            Industry.\n      Hypocrisy.               Honesty.\n        Lying.                  Peace.\n         Sin.\n\n Still another is the following: \"Jesus is your friend.\" What\n qualities do you want in a friend? _Answer._ He must be TRUE. Write\n the word TRUE on the board, and then by questioning draw out of the\n scholars four different and prominent characteristics of Jesus as a\n friend, each answering to one of the letters of the word _True_, as\n follows:\n\n _Jesus is your Friend._\n     T--ried.\n     R--ich.\n     U--seful.\n     E--verlasting.\n\n The Parable of the Sower may be taught by the following arrangement\n in three columns and twelve words or particulars. The children give\n the words to fill the columns:\n\n  The Soil.     What became of the Seed.   Represented what Hearers.\n\n  Wayside.       The Devil seized it.        Careless.\n  Stony.         The sun scorched it.        Superficial.\n  Thorny.        Tares choked it.            Worldly.\n  Good.          Fruit.                      Pious.\n\n The lesson, \"Son, go work to-day in my vineyard,\" may be thus\n arranged:\n\n   Who?--\"Son,\n   What?--go work\n   When?--to-day\n   Where?--in my vineyard.\"\n\n How work? _Answer:_ W--illingly.\n                     O--rderly.\n                     R--egularly.\n                     K--indly.\n\n The next three examples are from Rev. J. H. Vincent's blackboard\n exercises:\n\n      _History of Joseph._\n\n 1. Bo (rn 1745 B.C.\n 2. So (ld       17 years old.\n 3. Imp (risoned  9 years in slavery.\n 4. Rel (eased    4 years--in prison.\n 5. Ber (eaved   29 years--loses his father.\n 6. Di (ed       51 years.\n                ---\n                110 years old.\n\n  _The Seven Principal Journeys of Christ._\n\n  1. Bethlehem to Jerusalem,  6 miles north.\n  2. J.        to B.          6 miles south.\n  3. B.        to Eg.       250 miles S.W.\n  4. E.        to Naz.      350 miles N.E.\n  5. Naz.      to J.         65 miles south.\n  6. J.        to N.         65 miles north.\n  7. N.        to Jer.       50 miles S.E.\n\n _Seven Golden Rules of Sabbath-School Order._\n\n [Illustration: Menorah.]\n\n     1st s, for silence.\n     2d  s, for system.\n     1st v, for vigilance.\n     2d  v, for variety.\n     1st c, for charity.\n     2d  c, for concentration.\n central C  for CHRIST.\n\n A more elaborate lesson, illustrating the parable of the Pharisee and\n Publican, and showing the characteristics of three kinds of prayer\n and their results, can be portrayed thus:\n\n PRAYER.\n\n -harisee prayed proudly.\n -ublican prayed penitently.\n -oor widow prayed perseveringly.\n\n -roud prayer proved worthless.\n -enitent prayer procured peace.\n -ersevering prayer prevailed.\n\n Another still is to write a part of the test and fill it up with the\n answers of the scholars, thus:\n\n                     { Repent.\n                     { Pray.\n \"At thy word I will { Believe.\n                     { Love.\n                     { Obey.\n                     { Suffer.\"\n\n A lesson on the _Beggars that cried to Jesus_, as found in Matt.\n xx.\u00a030-34, may thus be placed:\n\n What the { cried in distress.\n beggars  { cried with importunity.\n did.     { cried with faith.\n          { cried with humility.\n\n    What  { stood still.\n    Jesus { asked what they wanted.\n    did.  { had compassion.\n          { touched them.\n\n  Result. { He healed them.\n          { They followed him.\n\n\n_Map Drawing.--Palestine._\n\nAnother use for the blackboard in the Sunday-school is the drawing of\nmaps and outlines of the location of sacred places. Teachers have\nfound it difficult, however, if not impossible, to draw maps of the\nproper proportions and rightly to locate the places. The following\nsimple plan, used by Ritter and Guyot, has been extensively used in\nour Sunday-school Conventions the last year or two, and found to be\nuseful. It is called the \"Relative Measurement\" method. One line, say\nfrom A to B (see diagram on page 123), is taken as the unit of\nmeasurement. This line is 40 miles in length. Having drawn this line\nat the top or northern boundary of Palestine, next dot off five times\nforty miles south, and number it in proper proportions, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.\nThen run three times forty miles west, and number 6, 7, and 8. Then\ndraw a line from A, sloping to the figure 8, for the coast-line, and\nyou have the general outline of Palestine. Then run another dotted\nline from A to 6, and you have the Jordan line. The River Jordan rises\nopposite 1. The Sea of Galilee lies opposite No. 2. The Dead Sea\nopposite 4 and 5. The principal mountains are designated as /\\ H. for\nHermon, etc. Cities by * and letters, as Jer. for Jerusalem, C. for\nC\u00e6sarea, etc. (See table.)\n\nThe great divisions are made by drawing a curved line from Mount\nCarmel to the Jordan, midway between 2 and 3. Then equidistant between\n3 and 4 draw a circular line to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.\nThe length of the Holy Land is about 180 miles and the width from 25\nto 70 miles.\n\nThe Sea of Galilee is 12 miles long by 6 broad, and the Dead Sea is\nabout 50 miles long. The following outline, which appeared in part in\n_The Sunday-School Teacher_, of Chicago, is a good illustration:\n\n           _Table of Localities._\n                (_See Map._)\n\n    /\\ _Mountains._         * _Cities._\n\n       H-ermon.               H-ebron.\n       G-ilead.               B-ethlehem.\n       T-abor.                Jer-usalem.\n       P-isgah.               J-ericho.\n       C-armel.               Jop-pa.\n       E-bal.                 C-\u00e6sarea.\n       G-erizim.              Ca-pernaum.\n                              N-azareth.\n                              S-idon.\n                              T-yre.\n\n[Illustration: Map.]\n\nThe foregoing are samples each of several classes of blackboard\nexercises, which I have selected as being the most practical. Other\nmore fanciful ones are omitted, for it should ever be remembered that\nthe true, legitimate use of the blackboard does not necessarily\ninvolve any of these ingenious devices: simply the plain Word of God,\nplainly written, is all.\n\n\n\n\nXV.\n\nTHE INFANT-SCHOOL.\n\n\nThere is no department of the Sabbath-school work of greater\nimportance and interest than this. We have known marked cases of\nhopeful conversion of children from four to seven years of age to\nresult from the first hour of Bible instruction in the youngest infant\nclasses. Often the character and habits of scholars as such are formed\nat the very first interview with their teacher, who thus meets them at\nthe very entering in of \"the gates of life.\" It is well known that\nsome of our most distinguished divines, as well as active Christian\nladies, date their conversion back to the early age of four, five, or\nsix years. Therefore take measures in every Sabbath-school to organize\nand sustain a first-class infant-school department.\n\n1. Get a light, warm, airy room. A lean-to added to your chapel for\nthe purpose, or the use of the next-door neighbor's dining-room for an\nhour a week, will answer. Give the children a room by themselves if\npossible, to rise and sing, talk, recite, and pray. Furnish the room\nwith a good blackboard and crayons, and such Scripture prints and\ncards and maps as you can obtain for the walls and for use. Provide\nfor them small, comfortable seats.\n\n2. Select and call to the charge of this class the most pious, bright,\ncheerful, patient, loving, gentle, winning teacher for children there\nis to be found in the whole church, with a like assistant. Generally\nthe teacher will be a lady, although some men greatly excel as\ninfant-class teachers, so that the complaining remark of the little\ngirl to her mother, that she \"hadn't any teacher to-day--it was only a\n_man_,\" was quite too severe to be just. The little ones are greatly\nblessed in their love for their teachers, for they want a large share\nof demonstrative, life-like sympathy, expressed by a soft, loving\nvoice and a gentle manner--hands that will speak in all their\ngestures, and a patience that endureth and a heart that loves to teach\nthem for Christ's sake. If the teacher feels the need of learning how\nto do this good work, let him visit good week-day infant-schools, and\ngather up suggestions and lessons, as well as confidence and\ninspiration, for the great work.\n\n3. Visit and gather in all the children from the ages of three or four\nto seven years, whose parents are willing to send them, and at once\nteach them habits of punctuality, order, regularity, and pleasant\nworship. When they become well drilled and instructed, so that they\ncan clearly read the Bible, then transfer them to older classes,\nunless there are good reasons to the contrary. Although they are\nlittle, they are very precious, and amply worth all the painstaking\neffort you can make for them.\n\n4. Let the teacher of such a class ponder and consider the\ncharacteristics of his precious charge. 1. _Activity._--Says\nMr. Hassell, \"A healthful child abhors quietude,\" and rightly so,\nas much as nature does a vacuum. Every mother knows that her little\nones, if in health, \"cannot bear to be still for a minute.\" 2.\n_Curiosity._--Archbishop Whately says: \"Curiosity is the parent of\nattention.\" 3. _Inquisitiveness._--Happy is that child who is blest\nwith a mother or teacher who will \"bide patiently all the endless\nquestionings of the little one, and will not rudely crush the rising\nspirit of free inquiry with an impatient nod or a frown.\" Rather see\nin their many questions but the untutored pleadings of the little ones\nfor care and cultivation. Oh, how much they want and deserve to have\ntheir inquisitiveness satisfied by a kind, considerate answer to all\ntheir questions! 4. _Fear._--Oh, how much children suffer from this\ncause! Their natural timidity should be respected, and not cruelly\nwrought upon. 5. Then, too, children have _wonder_, and like to talk\nand hear of \"wonderful things.\" 6. They have also a proper love of\napprobation, and they should be cheered and encouraged when they try\nto do well.\n\nNow let the teacher take up the first of these well-known\ncharacteristics, and act upon it. An excellent teacher of an infant\nclass, some years ago, was accustomed to gain order by appealing to\ntheir _love of activity_. She would stand quietly at the desk and ask\nthe children: \"Children, will you please tell me what the gods of the\nheathen are like?\" This was always a pleasing request to them, and\nevery form would stand erect, with every hand by their sides, and they\nwould together begin the part of the 115th Psalm which answers that\nquestion. They would repeat all together, \"Eyes have they, but they\nsee not,\" and every pair of little hands would go with the teacher's,\npointing to, and resting upon, their eyes. In like manner, \"mouths\nhave they,\" \"noses,\" \"ears,\" \"feet,\" \"hands,\" etc., always suiting the\naction to the word. All are in perfect order, and the next step for\nthe teacher would naturally be to talk a little about the gods of the\nheathen, and then sing a verse about \"bowing down to gods of wood and\nstone.\" The transition is then natural and easy to \"Our God\" in\nheaven, where angels, saints, parents, and children too, are; and they\nsing the hymn to which all leads, viz.: \"Around the throne of God in\nheaven, Thousands of children stand,\" etc., etc.\n\nAnother mode of conducting an infant-school is to place the children\nin little classes, of six scholars, with a teacher for each, and\nproceed with singing, repeating commandments, singing, recitation for\nten minutes, study of emblems, a ten-minute address, and prayers,\nhaving a verse or two of singing between every exercise, and no\nexercise longer than ten minutes. Thus an excellent system of\ninfant-class instruction proceeds, while the lady who has charge gives\nthe address and superintends the teachers, etc., for the hour devoted\nto the school.\n\nAnother way is to take the two central verses of the regular lesson\nfor the whole school and bring it out on the blackboard, and question,\ninstruct, and pray and sing about the same thought of God in the\nlesson; as, \"Who formed you, child, and made you live?\" _Ans._ \"God\ndid my life and spirit give,\" etc., with singing and prayer.\n\nAnother infant-class teacher has a different plan, as follows: She has\narranged with a gentleman, who teaches a large class of young ladies\nof sixteen to twenty years of age, to come in with his class and\nconduct the opening exercises of the infant-school. He then goes into\nanother room and instructs his class for thirty minutes, and the lady\ninstructs the children for the same time. Then the Bible-class, with\ntheir teacher, return, and the infant-school is divided into classes,\nin which the young ladies teach the same lesson which they have just\nreceived from their teacher. In this way practice in teaching, and\nvariety are gained, and the lady teacher in the infant-school is\nrelieved of a part of her burden.\n\nI have never found two infant-class teachers who conducted their\nschools exactly alike. Each one has some peculiarity in his or her\nmode. There is no standard mode of infant-class instruction.\nAdaptation according to circumstances is the rule. The children should\nbe received with great care into the infant-school, and be given to\nunderstand that it is a place for the holy worship of God, and to\nlearn of him. The children should always be greeted by the teacher\nwith a loving smile, that is free from every trace of giddiness, and\nwith words of sincere, respectful welcome. Great evil is done if the\nteacher is cold, morose, or fretful in spirit or manner. The teacher\nshould pray with, as well as for, the children. They may repeat the\nwords of the prayer after the teacher; and it is well to prepare them\nfor the act, by some such remark as, \"Children, we want to thank God\nthis morning for this holy Sabbath, for the Sabbath-school, for kind\nteachers, for the blessed Bible, for our God and Saviour Jesus\nChrist,\" and so on, mentioning the different objects of desire. Let\nthe prayers always be short and simple, and sing but one, two or three\nverses at a time. The addresses should always be clear and suited to\nthe children. An excellent model of scriptural talks to infant-class\nchildren will be found in \"Peep of Day,\" \"Line upon Line,\" and\n\"Precept upon Precept.\" \"The Tract Primer\" and \"Child's Scripture\nQuestion Book\" have also some good things to work up for\ninfant-classes. There are various other helps from which good\nsuggestions can be gathered.\n\nThe children should recite their verse or verses simultaneously; then\nby benches, or classes, and then by a few individual scholars called\nupon, so as to ascertain if all have learned it. The time cannot be\nwasted by hearing each scholar recite in turn where there are only one\nor two teachers. Care should be taken not to burden the young mind. A\nsmall, bright, clear, pleasant Bible truth is best. As the good Dr.\nRyland used to say, \"Simplify and repeat: Simplify and repeat,\"\nremembering that simplicity is not poverty of expression. Learn, also,\nhow to carry thoughts _into_ a child's mind, and not leave them, as\nmany do, at the doorway. Aim at Christ and salvation. Let no hymn be\nsung which you are not, beforehand, careful to see that the children\nreally understand. Make every truth clear and simple, and let them act\nthe lesson out with appropriate gesticulations and motions. When\nspeaking of God, let them do it reverently, and perhaps by all\npointing their little fingers upward.\n\nBible stories and anecdotes are generally best and most interesting\nfor infant-classes. Use the blackboard freely with words and\nappropriate figures, for such little ones learn best that which they\nlearn through the eye. Teach little at a time, but teach that little\nwell and thoroughly, is a grand motto for the infant-class teacher.\n\nIt is of great importance that the children should always feel that\ntheir teachers are the best and happiest persons they ever saw, and\nthat they are always so very bright and happy because the religion of\nJesus makes them so full of love and joy, and they cannot help its\noverflow; and that they consider it the greatest privilege of life\nthus to tell their scholars of Jesus, and lead the little children\ncheerfully along Zion's road towards the heavenly Canaan.\n\n\n_Examples of Infant-class Lessons._\n\n_Example No. 1._\n\nThe following lesson was publicly taught by Ralph Wells before the\nPhiladelphia Sunday-School Teachers' Institute, in September, 1867.\nand phonographically reported for the columns of _The Sunday-School\nTimes_. The class was composed of some twenty children:\n\n _The Lesson._\n\n TEACHER.--Look around just for a moment, children, and see\n how many people are looking at us. I want you to have one good look,\n and then to give me all the rest of your attention. After you have\n had your look, I want you to sing a little with me. [The children\n face the audience for a moment, smiling, parents and teachers\n returning their gaze with fond affection, and shall we not say, with\n many prayers that the lesson might be abundantly blessed?]\n\n Now let me see how exactly you can repeat the hymn after me. I will\n speak first, and you will follow me:\n\n   \"Jesus loves me, this I know,\"\n\n [Children repeat, in earnest harmony.]\n\n   \"For the Bible tells me so.\"\n\n [Children repeat thus, after the teacher, the first stanza.]\n\n TEACHER.--\"Jesus loves me.\" Let us look at this a moment. We\n think that praying and reading the Bible, and saying the lesson are\n worshipping God; and so they are; but we often forget that in reading\n and singing these beautiful Sabbath-school hymns we are worshipping\n God, too.\n\n   \"Jesus loves me, this I know,\n   For the Bible tells me so.\"\n\n [After the hymn was sweetly sung, the teacher talked very pleasantly\n about the beautiful Letter which our dear heavenly Father has sent to\n us.] That Letter is the blessed Bible. We are going to have a lesson\n out of it to-night. But we cannot understand it unless our Father\n sends some one to open our hearts to understand it. We have sung a\n verse to him: now we will look to him in prayer and ask him to be our\n Teacher. [The class close their eyes, fold their hands, and repeat\n the prayer after their teacher.]\n\n Dear Lord Jesus!--We thank thee for the Bible--we thank thee that it\n tells us--that God loves us--that he sent Jesus to die for us.--We\n thank thee--for all its promises;--that it tells us--if we love\n Jesus--and trust in him--we shall go to heaven;--that if we love\n Jesus--and trust in him--he will never leave us.--To-night, dear\n Father--send the blessed Spirit--to make us attentive--to help us to\n find Jesus--and what he would have us to do--and how we can get to\n heaven.--O dear Saviour!--sometimes when we try--we find it very\n hard--to do right.--Let us never be discouraged--but whenever we\n sin--go to Jesus and tell him all--and get his help.--Dear\n Jesus--help us to live for thee--to do good while we live--to be a\n blessing to all around us--and to show that we love thee--in our\n homes--to little brothers and sisters--and to all our companions--at\n home--at school--and everywhere.--May we so live--that everybody\n shall see--that we are Jesus' little lambs.--Hear our prayer--and\n come to-night and be our Teacher--and may our little\n hearts--to-night--be given away to Jesus--to love and serve him--as\n long as we live.--We ask for Jesus' sake.--Amen.\n\n [This simple petition was offered by the children, as with one voice,\n the tone and accentuation of the leader being caught up and carried\n by them with affecting earnestness of pleading. One could not but\n feel that the exercise was _real_, with both teacher and class.]\n\n TEACHER.--Now sing with me one verse more, children, and we\n will take a Bible lesson together. It is new to you, but we sung it\n over once this afternoon, and I guess you can sing it now. I will\n sing one verse for you, because it is new to you, and then we will\n sing it together. It begins with\n\n   \"Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord!\"\n\n Let me sing it for you. [Teacher sings.]\n\n   \"Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord,\n   Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord,\n   Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord,\n       Or I can't go to heaven when I die.\"\n\n [The children then sing it with Mr. Wells, and finally by themselves,\n clearly, loudly and accurately.]\n\n There is a little sentence of only four words, children, that has\n been more precious to me than any other in the world. I wrote it on a\n piece of paper years ago, and put it in my pocket-book--here it is,\n with little flowers around it--[Producing it and holding it up to the\n class.] Would you like me to give you these four words? _Yes,\n sir!_ Well, I will write them on the board. [Writes:]\n\n _Christ died for me._\n\n I do not know whether you can read--[the children, quickly\n interrupting, read \"_Christ died for me_\".] Yes, if ever this world\n loves Jesus, it will be because these four little words get into\n everybody's heart. Try and remember them.\n\n I am now going to read a verse out of our Father's Letter. It is a\n sad story. After I read it, I am going to tell it to you in my way;\n and after I have told it to you, I am going to ask you, to see if you\n can tell me all about it. Then I am going to tell you the meaning;\n then the lesson--three things: the story, the meaning, the lesson.\n Can you give them to me? First, the--_story_, next, the--_meaning_,\n and last, the--_lesson_, [the children say.] Once more, give them to\n me.--_Story, meaning, lesson._\n\n I will read it first out of the Bible, for I always want to give you\n God's word first; then I will tell it to you. It is in the twelfth\n chapter of the Book of Exodus. \"Exodus\" means the \"going out.\" When\n you leave this room you \"go out\" of it--it is your \"Exodus\" of the\n room. So, in the Bible story, God's people went out. Let me read to\n you:\n\n \"Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them,\n Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the\n passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the\n blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two\n side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall\n go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will\n pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon\n the lintel, and on the two side-posts, the Lord will pass over the\n door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses\n to smite you.\"\n\n And it happened just as God said. Now, I do not want to tell you\n anything that you can tell me. In the first place, we want to find\n out where this took place. Can any of you tell me the name of the\n country? [_Egypt!_ shout three or four little voices--to the\n surprise even of the teacher, who, as well as the audience, was\n repeatedly astonished at the accuracy, promptness, and clearness of\n the children's answers.]\n\n The Israelites, or God's people, are spoken of in the lesson. They\n are now in Egypt. Let me mark it on the board. Here is _Egypt_,\n [drawing a rough outline of the Red Sea, river Nile, and the\n Mediterranean; and, proceeding northerly, of Palestine.] Pointing to\n the latter, the teacher said, Here is--_Canaan_, one child replied.\n Yes! that little girl has it. And what city is this? [making a dot\n near the corner of the Dead Sea.] Je-_rusalem!_ [a little boy\n finishes the word.] God's people had been dwelling in Canaan; how did\n they come to be in Egypt, where we find them in our lesson? Who first\n went down to get corn? _Joseph._ Yes. There was no corn in the land.\n What do you call it when there is nothing to eat? _Famine!_ a bright\n boy replies. Very well, indeed. Who, then, went first to buy corn?\n _Joseph._ And who followed him? _His brethren._ What did they go\n for?--to keep them from--_Starving!_ That is it, exactly. I like to\n hear children answer so well. Can any of you tell me how many\n Israelites or Jews there were in Egypt? How many is that? [Writing\n the figures 2,000,000 on the board.] _Two million!_ [eagerly\n responded a little fellow, who certainly did credit to his week-day\n instructors.] Yes, there were probably two million--men, women, and\n children. What was the name of the king of Egypt? It begins with\n P.--_Pharaoh._ Yes, God said to him, \"Let my people--_go_.\" but\n Pharaoh said, \"I--_won't_!\" Then God said, \"I will show him what I\n will do. My people shall go, that they may serve me.\" So God told his\n people to get ready that night, when our lesson begins.\n\n What should you think this was? [Drawing a rough figure of the face\n of a clock.] _A clock._ Yes. What hour is the hand pointing to?\n _Twelve o'clock._ What time of night do you call that? _Midnight._\n Yes, at midnight God said he would go from house to house in the land\n of Egypt, and every house where he did not see something on the door\n he would go in and kill the first-born. Let us make a door, now.\n [Drawing the outline of a door.] We won't take time to draw it very\n nicely. \"Every house where I see something on the door,\" God said.\n What was it he must see on the door? _Blood!_ _blood!_ [Taking the\n red crayon, spots of red are dotted here and there over the white\n door-posts, representing blood.] Yes; wherever I see the blood of a\n little killed lamb on the door, I will not go in and slay the\n first-born.\n\n This blood must first be in a--[Drawing an outline of a bowl or\n basin,]--_Basin_, the children reply. Yes; and how are you to get the\n blood on the door? [Taking the green chalk, and drawing a bush.] Here\n is a little bush, called hyssop, something like a huckleberry bush,\n and the people were to take that and dip it in the basin, into the\n blood, and do what? _Sprinkle it on the door!_ Yes. What part of the\n door? (A pause.) L-i-n-t-e-l; what does that spell? _Lintel._\n\n Then, \"when I see the--_blood_--on the--_lintel_--and on the\n two--_side-posts_--I will not go in and--_kill the first-born_!\" Yes.\n That was what God said.\n\n I have sometimes thought I could see an Egyptian soldier that night\n with his armor on, going up to one of the Israelites and asking,\n \"What is that you are putting on the door?\" \"It is some lamb's\n blood.\" \"What are you putting it on for?\" \"Because my God has told me\n to.\" Then with a strut he has turned on his heel and walked away,\n muttering to himself, \"What a big fool that Jew is!\"\n\n But see! the hands on the clock begin to get around. It is now\n pointing to--_midnight_. Yes, pretty soon it strikes one--two--three,\n up to--_twelve_. And then! Oh! the angel of death went from one house\n to another, and in every one that didn't have--_the blood_--on it,\n the first-born was--_killed_. Yes! And one wail of woe went up from\n Egypt that night. Fathers and mothers, from Pharaoh in his beautiful\n palace, to his poorest servant, were weeping and wailing and\n lamenting their first-born, slain by the hand of the angel of God.\n\n But some houses escaped. The ones with the--_blood_ on. Had there\n been any death in those houses? _No, sir._ Think. What had died? _A\n little lamb._ Yes; a little lamb had been killed and his blood put\n in--_a basin_. And then--suppose the basin had been set behind the\n door, would that have done? _No, sir._ The blood must be sprinkled on\n the--_door_, and it most be sprinkled by a bunch of--_hyssop_. Yes;\n it must all be done exactly as God had said. Then the door that had\n the blood upon it was passed over by the angel, was it? _Yes, sir._\n And what was done to the house where there was no blood? What did the\n angel do? _Went in._ Yes, and--_slew the first-born_. [Mr. Wells then\n called a little boy up to the board, drew a rough sketch of three or\n four door-frames, on two of which he used the red chalk, making marks\n to represent blood. The boy was then asked, with the class, to point\n out which houses the angel would enter, and which pass over, thus\n drilling the fact impressively and perfectly into the scholars'\n minds, as also the reason for the angel's choice--the _blood_ of the\n lamb.]\n\n How do you think I got here? _On the cars._ What drew the cars? _An\n engine._ Did you ever see an engine? _Yes, sir!_ (with emphasis).\n This summer, where I live, at Tarrytown, a gentleman said to me,\n \"Don't you want to go down on the track and see the express train go\n by to-night?\" I said yes: so we went. By-and-by I heard a rumble: it\n seemed to come nearer and nearer, and got louder and louder. What was\n coming? _The express train._ Yes, it was going to rush by us at\n thirty miles an hour. Could we have held out our hands and stopped\n it? _No, sir!_ (emphatically, and incredulously). Suppose we had had\n you to help us, could we then? _No, sir!_ Well, suppose all the\n people in this house had caught hold of the cars?--what then? _It\n would have pulled them to pieces!_ [a little girl says]. Well, in a\n minute or two I heard a sharp _toot! toot!_--what was that? _The\n whistle._ Yes, and the man on the engine put his hand on a little\n iron bar and pushed it, and the cars began to go slower and slower\n and slower until they stopped. The man put his hand on the right\n place, the place of power, the place that made the engine go or stop.\n Now, what does Jesus say to us? \"Behold, I stand at the door and\n knock.\" Can you tell me at what door Jesus knocks? _Our hearts._ \"If\n any man,\" or child, \"will hear my voice, and open--_the door_--I will\n come in and--_sup with him_.\" Yes, \"and he with me;\" and we shall be\n saved. But there must be something on the door, or we cannot be\n saved, any more than the Jews, if they forgot, or would not, put the\n blood on the doors of their houses. What must we have on the door?\n _Blood_. Yes. Well, will it do if you cut your finger, and sprinkle\n the blood on your house? _No, sir._ Suppose you kill a little lamb,\n and put the blood on your front door, will that save you? _No, sir,\n no, sir!_ What must the blood be on? _Our hearts!_ Yes, the blood\n must be put upon the right place, the place where Jesus knocks, the\n place of power. Our hearts then are--_the door_. And what must be\n sprinkled on the door? _Blood._\n\n Why did our soldiers go off to the war? _To fight_; yes, and to shed\n their--_blood_--for their country. And what does shedding their blood\n mean? _They died_--[a little girl answers]. Right; they shed their\n blood, they died for our country. Jesus shed his blood, That means\n the same as Jesus--_died_; yes; how? _On the cross._ He hung there\n for you, did he? _Yes, sir._ And for me? _Yes, sir_; and for us all?\n A little girl in a mission-school, named Mary, sat on the front seat,\n and when the superintendent was telling about how they hanged Jesus\n on the cross, the tears came to her eyes, and when he got to where\n they took the hammer and the nails to nail him, little Mary could not\n stand it any longer, but she had to get up and go out. In the\n afternoon she came back smiling, and the superintendent asked her,\n \"Mary, where did you go this morning?\" and she said, \"Oh, teacher, I\n could not stand it when you spoke to us about Jesus being nailed on\n the cross, for I felt just as if I helped to pound the nails in, and\n I went off a little piece from the school, and got down on my knees\n and told Jesus that my sins helped to hang him on the cross, and I\n asked him to please forgive me for helping to kill him--that I was so\n sorry; but now I feel so happy.\" Jesus forgave her, and to-day Mary\n is a little Christian girl.\n\n I have something in my pocket (drawing out a roll) that I want you to\n see. Years ago I went thousands of miles away, and I sent on to\n Washington and got this paper, It is called a \"passport.\" There is\n the great seal of the United States on it, and here is the\n Secretary's signature at the bottom. And when I was away, in strange\n countries, where I could not speak the language, all I had to do was\n to show this paper, and they said, \"Let him pass,\" or something that\n meant that, and I was allowed to go on. If I had not had this\n passport, I could not have got through. The blood of Jesus must be\n our passport. When God sees this blood sprinkled on the door of our\n hearts, he will say, \"Let him pass,\" and we will be allowed to go\n through this life in safety, and get to heaven when we die. But oh,\n how many times we have to use this passport! How often we sin and\n need to come to Jesus for forgiveness, and to point to his precious\n blood sprinkled on our hearts!\n\nThe teacher further continued the lesson, illustrating by pointed and\naffecting incidents, briefly recapitulating, and closing with a short\nprayer, in which the little ones feelingly joined. The above is all\nthat need be quoted to give an idea of the style of this successful\nteacher of the children.\n\n_Example No. 2._\n\nThe following lesson was kindly forwarded to the author, in\nmanuscript, from London, by the young lady teacher, \"S. E. A.,\" who\nhas been remarkably successful in public exercises of teaching very\nyoung children.\n\n _A Lesson upon Forgiveness._\n\n Harry and Fred went to school. They had to cross a road to get to it.\n A boy used to stand at the crossing with a broom in his hand to sweep\n it with; this boy was very rude to Harry and Fred: he used to try and\n keep them from crossing the road. Once he took away Fred's books and\n splashed him with mud. When the boy saw Harry and Fred running and\n making haste, lest they should be late at school, he would be sure to\n stop them. In the winter-time he made them walk upon the snow.\n Sometimes he held up his broom before their faces and cried out,\n \"Can't come across, can't come across; you'll be late, you'll have\n the stick.\" Then, again, when they were very early, he would tell\n them they were late, and so make them run. At last, one day all the\n children of the school to which Harry and Fred went were going to\n take flowers to their teacher, as it was her birthday. Henry said\n that he would bring a beautiful nosegay, for his papa's gardener was\n going to cut him a large one from the green-house for him to take to\n school. Well, the morning of the birthday came: the school-children\n brought a great many beautiful flowers; Harry and Fred did not come\n with the rest; the children wondered where they could be. At last\n though, in they came, but no nosegay: they made a bow, said\n \"Good-morning,\" and then both looked down on the ground. \"Where's\n your nosegay?\" said a little girl to Harry. \"I have not got one,\" he\n answered. How could that have happened? The gardener had cut them a\n beautiful large nosegay, and when they left home in the morning for\n school they had it with them--what had become of it? Had the boy\n taken it away? I will tell you all about it. As they were running\n along very fast to get to school in time, all at once they left off\n running and began to walk slowly. They were near the crossing, and\n they felt afraid of the boy; they need not have been frightened, for\n the boy was sitting down on a doorstep crying, with his head resting\n upon his knees, and took no notice of them. As they were going past\n him, Harry said, \"Oh, he will not hurt us; let us stop; I wonder what\n he is crying for?\" \"What is the matter?\" said Fred to him. \"Mind your\n own business,\" answered the boy; \"go on to school.\" So on they went,\n but as they turned away the boy saw the nosegay, and called after\n them to come back. \"Don't go.\" said Fred: \"he's a wicked boy; we\n can't help him.\" Well, they were going on when Harry looked again and\n saw him crying; so he and Fred turned back: then the boy told them\n that he was very hungry, that his mother and grandmother were both at\n home very hungry and ill, that a policeman had turned him away from\n his crossing, and he had not earned any money for three days. Harry\n said, \"Poor fellow!\" and he wished he had a penny to give the poor\n boy. Then Harry and Fred looked at their flowers; the boy looked too.\n \"He can't have our flowers, you know,\" said Fred; \"we want them for\n our teacher, she is so kind, and I want to show how much I love her.\"\n So they walked off slowly, and the boy looked after them and the\n nosegay as if he would like very much to have it. \"I say he does not\n deserve to be helped,\" said Fred. \"So do I,\" said Harry; \"and then\n these flowers are too good to give to him.\" However, they did not\n feel quite comfortable, and then they remembered a text they had\n learned at school the day before--\"_If ye forgive not men their\n trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses._\" That\n is, dear children, if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive\n us. So Harry said, \"Here, Fred! take the flowers to him.\" Fred took\n the flowers, went up to the boy, put them in his hand, and then ran\n away. A gentleman soon after gave the boy a shilling for the nosegay,\n and I dare say you can guess what he did with it. When Harry and Fred\n gave the nosegay to the boy, it made them feel very happy--more happy\n than if they had given it to their teacher; and it did the boy good\n too: their kindness made all his rudeness go away, and always after\n this day he did all he could to please Harry and Fred.\n\n _Tell_ me the names of the boys I have spoken to you about? _How_ did\n the crossing-sweeper behave to them? _What_ were they going to take\n to school one day? _Why_? _Did_ Harry and Fred take their nosegay to\n school? _What_ did they do with it? _Did_ the boy deserve to have it?\n _Why_ did they give it to him then? Yes, they gave it to him to show\n that they had forgiven him. Sometimes people are unkind to you;\n perhaps one day a boy went up to you James, and stole your marbles;\n perhaps your big sister one day gave you a slap, Mary. Now, if she\n ever slaps you again, or if the boy takes away James's marbles again,\n are you to hit them and call them hard names, or to forgive them?\n _Why?_ Yes, you should forgive them because God wishes you to do so;\n because it will be acting like Jesus to do so; because God will not\n forgive you if you do not forgive. Let us think a little about Jesus.\n You know that one evening when he was praying in a quiet garden, some\n wicked men came and dragged him away; you remember how the soldiers\n mocked him, took off his clothes, put on him an old robe, a\n make-believe crown made of thorns--dared to be so filthy as to spit\n in his face, beat him; and then they put great nails through his\n hands and through his feet, and nailed him to a cross of wood, put it\n up and let him hang there. How the nails most have torn his\n hands!--what great pain they must have given him! You know if a pin\n were put through your flesh how the pain would make you cry out; what\n then must have been the pain of the nails! And then he did not\n deserve this cruel treatment: he had gone about doing good. If any\n persons deserved to be punished, those who put Jesus, the kind,\n loving Saviour, to death, deserved to be; and Jesus could have\n punished them if he had chosen, for he was God's dear Son; but no, he\n did not punish them. Instead of that, he prayed for them: he said,\n \"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!\" Let us ask\n God, the Holy Spirit, to give us a forgiving spirit, and so make as\n like Jesus.\n\n Here is a story which Jesus once told, that he might teach us to\n forgive others: A king once had a servant who owed him ten thousand\n pieces of money. When the king called the servant that he might pay\n back the money, the servant had nothing to pay: not even one piece of\n money could he pay back, and he owed--ten thousand. Then the king\n ordered that the servant and his wife and children should be sold as\n slaves, and work until there was enough money to pay back the ten\n thousand pieces. When the servant heard this he fell down on his face\n before the king, and said, \"Lord, have patience with me, and I will\n pay thee all;\" in other words, \"Do wait a little longer and I will\n pay back all the money.\" Suppose Alfred's mother owes the baker for a\n great many loaves, and he was to come to her house one day and say,\n \"I must have my money; I won't go away till you pay it to me;\" and\n then your mother were to cry, and tell him how sorry she was she had\n no money, but that the children had been ill, and that she had had to\n give all her money to the doctor, but that if he would wait a week\n longer she would get the money and pay him. Well, suppose the baker\n was to feel quite sorry for your mother, and should say, \"Well, I\n won't ask you for the money: you need not pay me at all. I will give\n you the bread you've had.\" Now, that is what this king did. The\n servant said, \"Wait a little longer and I will pay you.\" The king\n said, \"You need not pay me at all: I forgive you it all.\" The servant\n went away. As he was going away he met a man who owed him a hundred\n pennies: he went up to him, laid hold of him very rudely by the\n throat, and said, \"Pay me what you owe me!\" The man fell down at his\n feet, and said, \"Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.\"\n _How_ much money had the king just forgiven the servant? _How_ much\n did this man owe the servant? _What_ ought he to have done? But he\n did not forgive him, but had him put in prison directly. Some\n servants were standing by and saw what this unkind servant had done,\n so they went to the king and told him all about it. He ordered the\n servant to be brought back before him, and then the king said to him,\n \"O you wicked servant I forgave you all that debt: ought you not to\n have forgiven the poor man what he owed you?\" The king was very angry\n with him, and had him put in prison until he paid the very last\n farthing. Then Jesus told the people to whom he was speaking that so\n their heavenly Father would not forgive them if they would not\n forgive one another.\n\n _How_ many pieces of money did the servant owe his lord? _Had_ he any\n money to pay back with? _What_ did the king order to be done to him\n and his wife and children? _What_ did the servant then say? _Did_ the\n king give him a little longer time? _How_ much did a man owe this\n servant? _Tell_ me how he treated the man? _Who_ went and told the\n king all about it? _What_ did the king _say_ to the servant? _What_\n did he _do_ to him? _Who_ was it prayed for those who treated him so\n cruelly? _Now_, when you go home, I want you to tell your mothers and\n fathers about the lesson. Repeat it. If we do not forgive others, God\n will not forgive us. Try and remember three things--about Harry and\n Fred; the king and the servant; the Lord Jesus.\n\n\n\n\nXVI.\n\nYOUNG MEN AND WOMEN'S BIBLE-CLASSES.\n\n\nWe can hardly find words to convey our impression of the surpassing\nimportance of these classes. To train teachers, to train mothers and\nfathers, to restrain from doubtful company, and to furnish good\ncompanions and Christian associations, reading, habits, impulses to\nthe young men and women of this generation, is a work worthy of the\nhighest aspirations of the best and noblest of our race. If we look at\nthe census, we cannot fail to notice the striking fact that a little\nmore than _one-third_ of the entire population of New York are young\nmen and women over fifteen and under thirty years of age, while more\nthan one-half of our population is under twenty years of age.\n\nIn a very short time the destinies of our country and of our churches\nwill be in the hands of these young people. To a large extent they\nhave been neglected in the family, in society, in the Sabbath-school,\nand in the Church; and as Dr. James W. Alexander said: \"Be it ever\nremembered, that the neglecters of the Church have been neglected by\nthe Church.\" These young people can no longer be petted as children,\nand they are not generally treated with the respect due to them as\nrising young men and women. Said a youth of fifteen once: \"Uncle, I\ndon't know what I can do with myself. I am too old to play with\nchildren, and I am not old enough to be interesting to the older\npeople.\" This anomalous position such young people sadly feel. They\nare sensitive, beyond any other period of life, to any slight or\nneglect, and after a vain struggle to gain a recognition and position\nanywhere, they rush to the gilded saloons or the giddy dance for that\nsympathy, kindness, and regard which they vainly seek for in the\nfamily, the Sabbath-school and the Church of Christ.\n\nThis should never be, and it must not be. But can these persons be\nreached and gained by the Sabbath-school? And how? After due\nconsideration, I reply, in the first place, that they _can_ be\nreached. My reasons are:\n\n1. Because earnest, warm-hearted, disinterested efforts in this\ndirection have ever been successful. When building the Brick Church in\nRochester, N.Y., the names of all the scholars and their ages were\ntranscribed and placed in the corner-stone, when it was ascertained\nthat, of the whole number--I think 652--the average age was fourteen\nyears and ten months; and other churches in that city present a\nsimilar record, because the able and influential Christian business\nmen and women of Rochester devote themselves to this great work.\n\n2. Because no class of persons is more susceptible to kind attention\nand real sympathy. They are quick to perceive and prompt to act. No\nclass is more hopeful.\n\n3. Because these senior classes, when appropriately conducted, are\nwell adapted to meet the wants of their personal, social,\nintellectual, and religious nature, and to fill a secret void that is\nkeenly felt by these precious youth.\n\nIn the second place, _How_ can our young men and women be reached? I\nanswer:\n\n1. Christian men and women of real talent and character, of religious\nand social position, must be thoroughly aroused to a self-sacrificing,\ndevoted, heartfelt interest for them. They must put their hearts into\nit. No feigned respect will do. Nothing but real sympathy will be\nreceived. No mere professions will answer. These youth are quick and\nsharp-sighted to detect anything insincere or unreal. The best men and\nwomen of our churches must be chosen to take charge of their\nclasses--persons who can and will understand, appreciate, and respect\nyoung people. They must evince a more anxious and watchful desire to\nnotice and approve what is right in them, than to condemn that which\nis wrong. They must be patient and forbearing, with a good control of\ntheir countenance, tone of voice, language, quick to discover the\nvalue and bearing of the half-uttered opinions of the class, with an\nearnest personal interest in each one and all things that concern\nthem. They should be enabled to prove themselves sincere friends and\ncounsellors of all--both for this life, in employment, business,\nsocial questions, amusements, etc., and for the life that is to come.\nThey should have an intelligent enthusiasm in the great work, with a\nstrong faith in God, in his Word, and in his Spirit, and a hearty\ngood-will to man.\n\n2. Lay your plans for these classes on so large and liberal a scale as\nto command the scholars' respect as well as your own. Render them as\npleasant and as attractive as possible. Make the best arrangements you\ncan as to room, seats, library, and periodicals. I am sure _The\nSunday-School Times_ and other Sabbath-school journals and magazines,\nwould be very useful in such a service. Do all you can to raise these\nclasses in their own estimation, and omit no opportunity to cherish\nself-respect on the part of each member, and try to inspire them all\nwith higher aspirations and better hopes. Manifest, as well as feel, a\n_personal_ interest in each one.\n\n3. Aim high and direct. Have a distinct, definite aim and object in\nall your teachings, and see that each member of the class clearly\nunderstands it. Young people want drawing out and leading forward in\ngentle confidence. In these classes we ought to select and train for\nthe purpose our best Sabbath-school teachers. If the exercises are\nallowed to degenerate into unprofitable discussions, the examination\nof curious questions, controversies, or skeptical subjects, they may\nbe productive of positive evil. Care should be taken, therefore, to\nengross them with the most ennobling themes. None can better\nappreciate what is truly excellent than these young people. An appeal\nto the Word and to the Testimony they will understand and respect.\nLead them to compare Scripture with Scripture. Illustrate the Old\nTestament from the New, and also bring illustration for the New\nTestament from the Old. Induce the young people to make the best use\nof a good reference Bible, searching out parallel passages for\ncomparison, inference, and illustration, and all will be interested\nand benefited. Use similes, metaphors, etc., which so abound, as well\nas comparisons and inferences. The following quotation may serve as an\nillustration of four figures of speech, all brought into one sentence:\n\n\"Imagine a father bewailing the loss of his son, by drowning.\n\n _Simile_--He stood firmly upon the beach, like an oak of the forest,\n\n _Metaphor_--and cried out, with trumpet voice,\n\n _Hyperbole_--louder than the cannon's roar:--\n\n _Apostrophe_--Oh ocean! thou hast robbed me of a beloved and\n courageous son.\"\n\n4. The character, interests, and feelings of the class should be the\nteacher's unwearied, daily study. This will be a noble work. Nothing\nwhich concerns them should be treated by the teacher with\nindifference. His profoundest thoughts, reading, observation, and\nstudy should be laid under contribution to his class. Painstaking\nsaves thousands, neglect ruins millions. Count no sacrifice too dear\nto win souls.\n\n5. It is indispensable that the teacher of such a class should always\nbe courteous. Religion should at least make its possessor a gentleman,\nand this the young people all know right well. His whole life and\nbearing will influence the little circle. The personal appearance also\nshould be duly regarded. Says a teacher: \"The manner of a teacher\nshould always be marked by these qualities: 1. Animation--a quickened,\nactive state of the whole soul; 2. Intention--the aim and endeavor to\nimpart the information required; 3. Earnestness--zeal in executing the\ninstruction.\"\n\n6. The class should be consulted, as far as possible, respecting the\nsubject of study. The teacher should lose no opportunity to evince his\nrespect for their opinions. His difficult questions should be asked\ngenerally of the class, while the personal questions should be easy\nand adapted. He should receive all their answers with an abounding\ncharity and confidence, and make the most of the feeblest responses. A\ntart reply to a single remark will ofttimes seal the lips and hearts\nof a whole class. They love confidence, and become afraid to trust a\nteacher with their stammering, half-uttered, imperfect answers,\nparticularly if he appears more anxious to be smart and witty than to\ndo them good and honor them. Let the lessons be systematic and\ncomplete. The teacher should aim to draw out the thoughts of his\npupils in an easy way, instead of pouring in his own. \"_Thoughts_, not\nwords,\" should be the class-motto, and none can appreciate them better\nthan young people. Let the illustrations be well-chosen and\nappropriate. If you strike an important practical question during the\nlesson, do not leave it until satisfactorily investigated, whether the\nlesson is covered or not. Let every mind be calm and unembarrassed, so\nthat it will work well; much depends upon the class, as well as upon\nthe capacity of the teacher. \"A few pebbles, a piece of leather, and a\ncord, are in some hands, a more formidable weapon than the sword of a\ngiant, although it be strong as a weaver's beam and keen as a blade of\nDamascus steel.\"\n\n7. These young people should be especially induced to look into their\nown hearts, and study their own mental and moral mechanism. Lead them\noften to converse about themselves. It has been truly said, that \"it\nis a law of human nature, that man is interested in nothing so much as\nabout himself.\" Whatever relates to his own personal experience always\nclaims his especial regard. Many quite fail as teachers, as well as\npreachers, because they are so impersonal.\n\n8. Social meetings of the class should be held now and then, and pains\nshould be taken to make them attractive and useful. Young men and\nwomen must have their social nature regarded. The teacher should on\nsuch occasions strive to recall the freshness and vivacity of his own\nyouth, and live it over again; enter into it heartily, and show the\nclass his acquaintance and sympathy with all their peculiar wants,\nfears, and trials. Band the young people together, in social bonds and\nmutual pledges if you please, to attend church, prayer-meeting, and\nSabbath-school, to read the Bible and pray _regularly_, and perhaps\npledge also against improper reading, associates, games, drinking,\nsmoking, late hours, neglect of the Sabbath, and unite them in\nassociated literary efforts, in tract missions, Sabbath-school work,\nin visitation, and in all ways of doing good. There should be social\nprayer-meetings of the class at convenient times. Have, also, a\nwell-chosen library for them, and point out from time to time the\nbooks best adapted to peculiar wants and circumstances.\n\n9. Give each pupil distinctly to understand that every step in your\nefforts on his behalf is intended to lead him to Christ; that all\nthere is to be desired in this life and in that which is to come, is\nembodied in this idea; that you expect, as soon as they get their\nminds clear upon the glad tidings of the gospel, that they will\nembrace them at once. Life is short, and there is no time to lose.\nBesides, young people when convinced are generally prompt to act, and\ntherefore there is great encouragement. In fact, no field of\nbenevolent effort is more full of hope and encouragement than this one\nof which we speak. In a Bible-class in one of our church\nSabbath-schools not long since, fifty-five persons united with that\nchurch during the current year; and in another church and class,\n_fifty_, and in another still, _thirty-four_--all as the results of\none year's labor. How glorious! Let then our sons and daughters, our\nclerks, scholars, and servant-girls, all be gathered without delay by\nthe churches of Christ into these adult classes. Thus let the warm,\nburning influences of the living teacher reach every youthful heart.\nSays an earnest worker: \"Among persons of all ages, truth most\nfrequently has power when spoken by the living voice. The words of a\nteacher's mouth should be ever warm with the Spirit's breath, and\nstrong with the vital impulses of his throbbing heart. Such words\nchildren feel.\" In the language of one of our Bible commentators, the\ntruth evidently is this: \"_That personal effort for the souls of\nindividuals_--the lip, the thought, and the heart of a living\nman--brought into contact with the lip, thought, and heart of a living\nman, IS A GRAND INSTITUTION OF GOD FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD.\"\n\nThere is such a great necessity for adapting each lesson perfectly to\nthe age, acquirements, etc., of the scholar, that I add a single\nspecimen lesson from \"The Sunday Teachers' Treasury.\" It is upon the\nsame subject as that taken up in Mr. Wells's infant-class lesson--\"The\nPassover\"--and is given that, by comparison of style, the adaptation\nof the same lesson to infant and Bible-classes may be seen:\n\n\n _Specimen Lesson for a Senior Class._\n\n _The Feast of the Passover._\n\n (Exodus xii.)\n\n Circumstances of the Israelites at this time; how solemn, how\n stirring, how intense in interest! The institution of the Passover\n seems to have a threefold design. It was--1. An act of faith and\n obedience on the part of Israel.\u00a02. A memorial of their deliverance.\n 3. A type of Christ. In the last view we will study it to-day,\n looking less closely at those points which we had on a former\n occasion, and connecting with the actual celebration of the Passover\n that which God connected with it--the feast of unleavened bread and\n the offering of the first-fruits of the barley harvest.\n\n The Passover, then, was a type of Christ.\n\n I. The victim was to be a lamb; and this title is applied to Christ\n (John i.\u00a029).\n\n The first altar exhibits a lamb slain; the first act of God for\n Israel is the slaying of the lamb; the first deed of the new\n dispensation was presenting, and then offering, the Lamb; the first\n opening of the sanctuary above, shows the \"Lamb that was slain.\"\n\n 1. Without blemish (Matt. xxvii.\u00a04; 1\u00a0Pet. i.\u00a019; Heb. vii.\u00a026).\n\n 2. Set apart four days (ver. 3, 6; John xii.\u00a01, 12).\n\n 3. Roasted with fire (Isa. liii.; Ps. xxii.; Luke xxii.\u00a044).\n\n 4. Not a bone to be broken (John xix.\u00a033).\n\n 5. All the congregation were to take part (ver. 6; Matt. xxvi.\u00a01;\n Acts ii.\u00a023-36).\n\n 6. The blood was to be shed and sprinkled. Where? On the side-post\n and upper door-post; not on the floor, where it would be trampled on\n (compare 1\u00a0Pet. i.\u00a019; Heb. x.\u00a029).\n\n It is not enough that Christ's blood is shed; it must be sprinkled on\n our hearts (Heb. xii.\u00a024; 1\u00a0Pet. i.\u00a02). The act of sprinkling it upon\n the door-posts was equivalent to a profession, \"I am the Lord's.\" It\n was the means of safety, \"When _I see the blood_,\" etc.\n\n What encouragement for timid Christians! Perhaps, as the angel went\n on his awful mission, the shriek and wail from some neighboring house\n would reach the ears of an Israelitish family. A mother might tremble\n and clasp her child to her breast with fear; her faith might be weak;\n but if the blood were on the door she was safe, though trembling.\n \"When I see the blood, I will pass over you.\" \"Pass over.\" The\n general idea that God was passing through by his destroying angel,\n and left those doors on which the blood was seen. This, perhaps, is\n not strictly the meaning. At least, Bishop Lowth, an eminent Hebrew\n scholar, says, \"Two agents are supposed--the destroying angel on his\n errand of judgment, and Jehovah Himself, as it were, accompanying\n him; and when he sees the sign, 'springing forward before the door,'\n he makes Himself the safety of his own\" (compare Isa. xxxi.\u00a05).\n\n Peculiar beauty of the type thus viewed. If the blood of the Lamb is\n sprinkled upon us, we are as safe, though not yet as happy, as the\n redeemed in heaven (Rom. viii.\u00a01, 31, 33, 34). Nothing but the blood\n of the great Sacrifice will save the soul. Have you come to it? No\n outward membership, no self-denial, no suffering, nothing but Christ\n can save.\n\n II. The paschal sacrifice was to be eaten.\n\n 1. The blood was to be sprinkled _before_ the food was eaten. It was\n consciousness of safety through the blood that enabled them with\n gladness to partake of the feast. We must have faith in Jesus before\n we can have communion with him.\n\n 2. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread--the\n former the emblem of their bitter oppression and the type of sorrow\n for sin; the latter showing that the redeemed must be holy. They are\n set free, but it is to be made pure.\n\n III. The Passover was to be kept.\n\n The feast of unleavened bread was to last seven days. It was, as it\n were, the continuance of the Passover. The one exhibits the _way_ of\n pardon; the other, the holiness which follows pardon.\n\n IV. In closing our subject, not exhausting it, turn to Leviticus\n xxiii.\u00a09-11.\n\n 1. \"On the morrow after the Sabbath,\" that is, the first day after\n Passover Sabbath, sometimes the third day after the Passover,\n sometimes later.\n\n 2. The sheaf is evidently \"Christ the first-fruits\" (1\u00a0Cor. xv.\u00a023).\n Jesus rose the third day after the Passover, and this has become our\n Sabbath ever since.\n\n 3. The first sheaf is the pledge of our resurrection--that is, of our\n declared acceptance and full freedom by our resurrection (1\u00a0Cor.\n xv.\u00a020).\n\n How full the meaning of the apostle's words, \"Christ _our_ _Passover_\n is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast!\" Ours is a\n greater danger, a nobler deliverance, a higher ransom, a grander\n freedom. Let as live as those who are not their own, but are redeemed\n from \"vain conversation\" as well as from death and condemnation.\n\n\n\n\nXVII.\n\nTHE ART OF SECURING ATTENTION.\n\n\nEvery one will acknowledge the indispensable necessity of a teacher's\nsecuring good attention. By attention we mean \"fixity of thought,\nsteadiness of mind.\"\n\n1. Says Mr. Fitch: \"Attention is--1. An act of the _will_. 2. It is\n_the one_ of all the mental faculties which is most under our control.\nTherefore the degree of attention we give depends upon our\ndisposition, and is therefore largely a matter of _discipline_, and\nother things being equal, that teacher will gain the best attention\nwho has most personal influence, and who is looked up to with the\ngreatest respect.\" (Teacher! is your character, conduct, and manner\nsuch as will entitle you to respect?) \"3. Attention is a _habit_. If\ntruly given, every day it becomes the easier. And every day we listen\nlanguidly to a lesson or sermon the habit of inattention is\nstrengthened.\"\n\n2. Attention is promoted by a deep and earnest interest in and\nsympathy with the child, as well as for him. We must enter into\nsympathy with him, so as to understand his nature, his weaknesses, and\nhis trials, and make all due allowance for them.\n\n3. If the teacher would secure attention, he must be _accurately and\nabundantly prepared_; for no teacher can teach all he knows, and the\nmoment a teacher approaches the limit of his preparation, he shows his\nweakness and embarrassment, the child detects it, and he is gone.\n\n4. Improve well the circumstances which surround the daily life of the\nchild, for you must here gather your best illustrations. Teachers can\ndo this, if they are industrious, and will keep their \"Sunday-school\nspectacles on.\"\n\n5. Give the children frequent change of posture to relieve them. Study\nto do this especially in infant-classes. Give much freedom of motion\nand gesture to the little ones. If they speak of God and heaven, let\nthem point and look upward in harmony, and thus teach them in a\nreverent manner to _act out_ their words and feelings.\n\n6. Simultaneous reading and making of ellipses, leaving the children\nto fill in a word at the close of the sentence or lesson, will aid in\nsecuring attention.\n\n7. Recapitulation is very important to gain the attention. The scholar\nmust give attention to be prepared for the expected review. Therefore\nalways ask in detail, in order to see that all is understood. No child\nor man ever takes pains to grasp a subject, so as to fasten it in his\nmemory, unless he expects to be called upon for it, or in some way to\nfind use for it hereafter. We cannot retain in our minds isolated or\nabstract knowledge. Todd beautifully says, \"Ask a child if he knows\nwhat whiteness is, and he will tell you no; ask him if he knows what a\nwhite wall or white paper is, and he knows at once. Ask him if he\nknows what hardness is, and he will only stare at you; but ask him if\nhe knows what a hard wall, or hard hand, or a hard apple is, and he\nwill tell you at once.\" Connect the lesson with previous knowledge,\nand take great care to sustain attention with abundant resources, for\nif it is once lost, it is a very difficult thing to regain it on the\nsame lesson.\n\n8. _Pictorial_ power. Word-painting by the aid of the imagination and\nample details; the power of describing scenes and incidents, so as to\nappear real to the child's imagination, will assist you in gaining his\nattention. If you will dwell on all the little details of a fact\nclearly, you will be graphic in picturing it out in words; and without\nthese details, the teacher may sometimes be very graphic with\nchildren, even in the simple act of reading with suitable _emotion_,\n_emphasis_, and _action_. Said a little girl, \"Oh, father, Mr. F., the\nminister, read the 21st chapter of Revelation in church to-day, and it\nwas just as if he had taken a pencil and paper and pictured it right\nout before us.\" It is St. John's elegant description of the Holy City.\nThe Bible makes great use of the imagination in its numerous emblems,\nmetaphors, similes, etc. In fact, we cannot worship God without the\naid of the imagination. God is compared to a sun and shield; a rock\nand refuge. Heaven itself is described with its streets and harps and\ncrowns of gold, its arches, mansions, rivers, etc. Even our divine\nRedeemer calls himself the vine, the tree, the lamb, the bread, and\nfountain of living waters.\n\n9. Avoid a stereotyped or routine mode of teaching. If ever so good,\nstrive to improve it; vary it, and freshen it up in some way, and thus\nkeep each child expecting something.\n\n10. Awaken _curiosity_. Archbishop Whately says: \"Curiosity is the\nparent of attention; and a teacher has no more right to expect success\nfrom those who have no curiosity to learn, than a husbandman has who\nsows a field without ploughing it;\" duly regard their love of\n_approbation_ by cherishing their self-respect; and if you would\nretain attention, patiently cultivate their _inquisitiveness_, for it\nwill prove one of the grateful rewards for your kindness. Says an old\nwriter: \"The general occupation of infancy is to inquire. Education\n_directs_ their _inquiries_.\" Therefore, bear patiently with your\nlittle ones, and answer all their endless questionings. Do not rashly\ncheck the rising spirit of free inquiry with an impatient word or\nfrown. Says the poet:\n\n  \"Answer all a child's questions, and ask others as simple\n  As its own, yet wisely framed\n  To waken and prove the young child's faculties,\n  As though its mind was some sweet instrument,\n  And you with breath and touch were finding out\n  What stops and keys would yield the sweetest music.\"\n\nNow, I will freely acknowledge--1. That attention, such as we want to\nget from children, is a very difficult thing for anybody to give. The\nincidents of yesterday and the cares of to-day and business and\npleasures of to-morrow, will divert and scatter attention. 2. That\nfixed attention to religious subjects is particularly hard for any\none, and _especially_ hard for children to give; but hard as it is,\n_we must have it_, and no half-hearted, languid attention either, if\nwe are to do any real good in the Sunday-school. 3. Says an old writer\nto Sunday-school teachers: \"Let me tell you, you will not get it by\nclaiming it; by demanding it as a right; or entreating it as a favor,\nby urging upon your pupils the importance of the subject, the\nsacredness of the day, the kindness of the teachers, or the great and\nsolemn character of the truths which you have to impart. All these are\nlegitimate arguments to be used with older Christians, but will not do\nto rely upon with children. Nothing in the long run--except fear,\nwhich is a very unsatisfactory motive--can keep a child's attention\nfixed but a sense of _real interest_ in the things which you are\nsaying. The subject must claim attention for itself, and therefore,\nthe teacher needs always to be accurately prepared and well furnished\nwith correct knowledge, parallel passages, illustrations, facts,\nanecdotes, definitions of hard words, allusions, poetry, etc. In all\nyour teaching, forget not to recall the fresh spirit of your childhood\nin all its warmth and earnestness, remembering that he is the wisest\nteacher who can combine the man's intellect with the child's heart.\"\n\nNow it may be, after all, teacher, that your children may be\ninattentive, or they will disobey your commands, or they will fail to\ntreat you with respect; but if that should be so, we will reply, in\nconclusion, in the impressive words of Mr. Fitch: \"Ask yourself in\nthat case whether your own behavior is uniform and dignified; whether\nyou ever give commands without seeing that they are obeyed; whether\nyou waste your words or your influence in an injudicious way; whether\nthere is anything in your conduct that reveals to the children a want\nof punctuality or order, or of earnestness or steadfastness on your\npart? For children are very keen observers of character, and, in the\nlong run, are sure to feel loyalty and affection for one who is\nmanifestly anxious to do them good, and who can be uniformly relied on\nin word and in deed.\"\n\n\n\n\nXVIII.\n\nTHE ART OF QUESTIONING.\n\n\nThere is a real _art_ in knowing where, when, and how to put a good\nquestion, that shall quicken the memory, set the mind to thinking, and\ncall back the reflective faculties. Such are the possibilities of a\nquestion. A large proportion of all the good teaching in our\nSabbath-schools is brought about by the simple process of questions\nand answers. \"A question unveils the soul. Nothing can escape a\nquestion. A question reveals decision.\" Hence the skill required. Mr.\nJ. G. Fitch says: \"The success and efficiency of our teaching depend\nmore on the skill and judgment with which we put questions than on any\nother single circumstance.\"\n\nThis art is to be learned, like any other art, by much study and\npatient practice, for we best learn the art of questioning _by\nquestioning_. Augustine says: \"A boy can preach, but a man only can\ncatechise,\" and Lord Bacon says: \"A wise question is the half of\nknowledge.\" Therefore the great skill in teaching consists mainly in\nthe right forming and asking of questions.\n\nIf this be true, it follows that this subject should be regarded as of\nspecial importance by every teacher. Teachers often say that they\ncannot succeed in asking questions without the book; that they do not\nknow what to ask. To this I reply, 1. There is never any difficulty in\nforming the question where there is an interest to obtain the answer.\n2. It is generally unwise to ask any question unless we have an\ninterest in obtaining the answer. Do not tantalize the little ones.\nSays Mr. Hassell: \"A question under some circumstances will merely\nproduce an exercise of the memory; under others an exercise of\nreasoning; and under others again it will stimulate inquiry,\" and we\nmay add, awaken curiosity. Mr. Groser says: \"The true scope of\nquestioning-power is as follows: To awaken curiosity or the desire to\nknow; to arouse the memory or the recollection of what is already\nknown; or to point out something unknown, which may be inferred from\nthat which is known.\" A question skillfully put will arouse, will fix\nattention, concentrate the thoughts, and so discipline the mind of the\npupil.\n\nThere are, however, many bad and indifferent questions put, in\nreligious teaching, which a little knowledge of the correct rules of\nthe art of questioning will enable us to avoid. Frequently a slight\nvariation in the form changes a bad question into a good one. For\ninstance: \"Moses was a good man, was he not?\" is a bad question. \"What\nkind of a man was Moses?\" is a good question, as it awakens thought.\n\"What do you understand by faith and repentance?\" is a bad question,\nfor it is ambiguous and indefinite, and perplexes the child. \"Will you\ntell me what is faith?\" is a good question, for it compels the child\nto think and to inquire--it puts into his hand the laboring oar and he\nmust row. \"Did David kill Goliath with a stone or with a sword?\" This\nis a bad question. It is involved and suggestive. Ask the child\nsimply, \"With what did David kill Goliath?\" and the question is a good\none, in strict conformity with the laws of questioning and of the\nchild-mind.\n\nAnother class of questions is very common, but well nigh useless,\nnamely, leading questions, such as, \"Was David a good man?\" \"Was\nGoliath a wicked man?\" These are mostly bad or indifferent questions,\nand are almost a total loss to the teacher. Slightly vary them in the\nfollowing way, and you make them at once, in every aspect, good\nquestions. \"What kind of a man was David?\" \"What kind of a man was\nGoliath?\" Teachers will remember, therefore, to avoid ambiguous or\nindefinite, involved or suggestive, and leading questions, which\nlatter are answered \"Yes\" or \"No,\" for they are generally of little\navail.\n\nWhat kind of questions, then, shall Sabbath-school teachers seek to\nuse? I reply:\n\n1. Questions of _Examination_, in order to find out what the pupil\nalready knows; to gauge his present knowledge, and ascertain what he\nneeds to know.\n\n2. Questions of _explanation_ of particular words, which should be put\nfreely while reading the lesson.\n\n3. Questions of _actual instruction_, or reflective questions, thus\nmaking the pupil teach himself, or find out as much as possible by\nthinking and inquiring, and thus leading him to correct his own\nanswers. Much instruction may be communicated by asking questions and\ncorrecting the answers, but great care should be taken to make the\nmost of the answers, and to do full justice to them. Socrates's plan\nwas to lead the pupil by a pleasant question to discover his own\nerror, instead of directly charging him with it. Encourage your\nscholars by all means to ask questions with freedom, and give your\nteaching more the form of an earnest conversation.\n\n4. Questions of _recapitulation_ or review. In this way you ascertain\nwhether your lessons are received, for the test is their telling it\nback to you in their own language. You question the lesson _into_ the\nminds of the scholars, and then question it _out_ again. Herbert, in\nhis \"Country Parson,\" gives us an illustration. After asking, \"Since\nman is so miserable, what is to be done?\" and the answerer could not\ntell, instead of telling him, he properly asked the following simple\nquestion, \"What would he do if he were in a ditch?\" This familiar\nillustration made the answer so plain that he was even ashamed of his\nignorance; for he could not but say, \"He would make haste out of it as\nfast as he could.\" Then he proceeded to ask whether he could get out\nof the ditch alone or whether he needed a helper, and who was that\nhelper? This is the skill; and doubtless the Holy Scripture intends\nthus much when it condescends to the naming of a plough, leaven, boys\npiping and dancing, showing that ordinary things are to be washed and\ncleansed, and serve as lights for heavenly truths.\n\n5. Questions with an _ellipsis_ are most useful in the review or\nsumming up of the lesson, as, \"He says, I am the good--_Shepherd_.\nCome unto--_me_,\" etc.\n\n6. Questions may often be used to kindle the reflective faculties, to\nexercise the mind and to develope ideas.\n\n7. And, lastly, questions _applying_ divine truth--softly,\nthoughtfully, and in a few words--should never be forgotten. Jesus did\nso and so. \"_Do you?_\" David said, \"Oh how love I thy law?\" \"_Do you\nso love it?_\" Solomon said, \"Remember now thy Creator.\" Charlie, \"_Do\nyou love to remember your Creator?_\" or \"_Why not?_\" etc.\n\nNot only are the character and adaptation of the question of great\nimportance, but the manner and look of the eye and the tone of voice\nand the manner of receiving the answer. The manner should be kind,\ngentle, life-like, and winning; the look of the eye should beam with\nlife and interest, while the tone of voice should bespeak great\ntenderness and sympathy. A cold, formal tone of voice will repel the\nanswer, even with a good question. It should be sprightly, and\nrespectfully familiar and natural. Children cannot endure coldness nor\ndullness nor dryness; therefore avoid all long pauses and sluggish\nmanner and heavy voice. The way which you receive the answers will\ndetermine the question whether your scholars will freely answer you or\nnot. Make the most of an answer unless it is absolutely wrong, and if\nwrong, say, \"Will some scholar tell me why that answer is wrong?\"\nSearch out for all the points or hints of truth you can find in the\nanswer of the child, and unfold it and hold it up in the most\nfavorable and gracious light.\n\nNever snap up a scholar, or neglect or ridicule his answers, however\nfaulty. Always be candid and sincere, and your scholars will soon\nlearn to trust themselves with you. A sharp, harsh reply will close\nthe lips of a whole class. Enunciate every word with clearness. Vary\nthe questions with all patience if not answered readily, and never\nthink a child does not know because he does not answer the question at\nonce. Be sure \"never to tell a child what you could make that child\ntell you.\"\n\nLet your questions have a regular connection, so that one will\nnaturally follow another, and in fact, glide into the next, and \"say\nas little as you can in questioning and teaching, but so say it as to\ncause the children to say as much as possible.\"\n\nThen again be careful to adapt your questions well. Do not tell much\nin your questions. Put the right question to the right scholar, for it\nwill not do to ask A or B or C a question which only D in the class\ncan answer, for we are not to ask any child any question unless we\nsuppose the answer is in the mind of the child.\n\nIt is of particular importance that in the commencement of a lesson we\nalways start aright. Have some easy, pleasant questions ready, which\nthey will be glad to answer. No matter what occurs, never manifest\nimpatience or severity, or descend to a witticism or a sneer. A\nsneering, sarcastic teacher should be left out of the school.\nTherefore gladly receive and develope, in the most charitable manner,\nthe half-uttered, stammering answer of the child at your feet, and\nyour children, in their hearts, will bless you.\n\nDr. Arnold, the great teacher at Rugby, said: \"It was his practice to\nteach by questioning, and as a general rule, he never gave information\nexcept as a kind of reward for an answer. His explanations were as\nshort as possible, and his questions were of a kind to call the\nattention of the boys to the real point of every subject, and to\ndisclose to them the exact boundaries of what they knew and what they\ndid not know.\" Let me add to this Archdeacon Bather's account of how\nhe became a catechist. He says in his \"Hints on Catechising:\"\n\n\"Perhaps, gentle reader, before I actually enter upon my task of\nteaching you to teach others by catechising, it may be as well to tell\nyou how I became a catechist myself; for the thought seized upon me\nand occupied me much in very early life. I was at school at Rugby, and\nat the time I speak of, was in what we called the '_upper third_.' The\n'_upper fourth_' was under the care of Mr. Innes, afterwards Head\nMaster of the Royal Free Grammar School at Warwick. As I was sitting\none evening in the room of my private tutor, Mr. Homer, some one\nknocked at the door, and in came Mr. Innes. 'Bather,' says he, 'when\nMr. Homer has done with you, will you come up into my room? I want to\nspeak to you; you will find nobody there but O---- (naming one of my\nschool-fellows) and myself.' Of course I went; and Mr. Innes,\nmotioning my companion to a chair and myself to another, took his own\nand addressed us thus: 'I am going to set you two boys very hard at\nwork. Pray, O----, do you know anything about astronomy?' 'Not much, I\nam afraid, sir.' 'And you, Bather?' 'Not so much as O----, I am\nafraid.' 'Well, now, do not flatter yourselves that I am going to tell\nyou anything about it, for I shall do no such thing. Nevertheless, you\nshall know more about it, and a good deal, too, before you go out of\nthis room.' He then put questions to us both, by which he soon\nelicited all the particulars of such little knowledge as we possessed;\nand then he questioned us further, soon causing us to make many\nblunders, and then making us correct our answers, so that we certainly\ndid quit the room with fuller and more orderly notions of the matter\nthan we brought into it.\" He says, although this did not make him an\nastronomer, yet it led him to think and discern what must be the most\neffectual way of imparting knowledge, for \"under Mr. Innes his\ninterest never flagged; he could have listened all night.\"\n\nFrom the same source is here added another illustration of teaching by\nthe means of leading questions. \"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit\ninto the wilderness,\" etc. \"Then was Jesus.\" What do you mean by \"then\nwas Jesus?\" (Hesitates.) \"Then took Mary a pound of ointment.\" What do\nyou mean by \"then took Mary?\" Then Mary took. What do you mean by\n\"then was Jesus?\" and the answer came readily, \"Then Jesus was.\" Now\nyou shall question me. Put me a question to which each clause shall be\na reply, beginning with the first. \"When was Jesus led up to be\ntempted?\" \"Then.\" So here you are taught--what? The time when these\nthings took place. Put me a question to which the words \"led up\" shall\nbe an answer. \"What was done to Jesus?\" He was \"led up.\" Put a\nquestion for the word \"Spirit.\" \"Who led him up?\" \"The Spirit.\" So of\nthe word \"wilderness.\" \"Whither did the Spirit lead him?\" \"Into the\nwilderness.\"\n\nLet us add one more illustration, showing how to put questions to help\nand lead. The manner must, of course, be right, for a clumsy method\nwill hinder rather than help, and if we expect a right answer the\nquestion must be a simple one, or one that will not admit of being put\nas _two_ questions. The following anecdote may serve as the\nillustration: \"A lady came one day to my school and requested me to\nlet her hear the children catechised. The class happened to be reading\nthe third chapter of the Acts, the first of which reads thus: 'Now\nPeter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer,\nbeing the ninth hour.' 'Well,' I said to the teacher, 'stop there and\nquestion them on that verse.' 'At what time of day?' said he, 'did\nthose things take place which are here set down?' 'At the ninth hour,'\nreplied the class. But then a poor boy became a little frightened at\nsomething or other, and consequently puzzled; and after some\nhesitation said, 'Well, then, at the ninth hour, _who went where?_'\nThe first boy in the class smiled a little, but made no answer; the\nnext seemed to think a little, but still no voice came. I took care\nthat nobody should answer out of his turn, and the question was put to\nevery boy severally to the bottom of the class. The lady turned to me\nand expressed her surprise that out of a class of five-and-twenty boys\nnobody could answer. 'Well, ma'am, I am afraid you will consider these\nfive-and-twenty boys very stupid, but let us look a little further\ninto the matter.' And then, turning round, my eye caught that of Jack\nThompson. 'Jack,' said I, 'how many stupid boys have we got in our\nsecond class?' 'One, sir,' says Jack. 'And who may he be?' 'The\nteacher, sir.' 'You must prove your words, Jack: come and teach the\nclass yourself.' Now Jack was not an impudent boy; but as he advanced\nand saw the lady looking at him, he did not appear so confused as poor\nPeter had done before, and he betook himself at once to business. 'You\nhave told us,' said he, 'that the things related in this verse took\nplace at the ninth hour of the day; to what was that hour wont to be\ndevoted?' 'To prayer.' 'And what was the building called that was\nopen, at that time, to receive the worshippers?' 'The temple.' 'Are\nnot some persons specially mentioned who came to the temple at that\ntime?' 'Yes.' 'How many?' 'Two.' 'What were their names?' 'Peter and\nJohn.' 'Where did Peter and John go at the ninth hour?' 'Into the\ntemple.' 'What for?' 'To pray,' etc. The lady began to perceive that\nthe children did know something about the matter, and Jack Thompson,\nbeing concerned for the conduct of his class, proceeded to ask them a\ngreat many more questions, to which the answers were very\nsatisfactory. The lady good-humoredly expressed her approval, and I\nsaid, 'Now, madam, you see that all that was the matter was, that poor\nPeter, being a little confused, put his questions in a clumsy manner.\nDepend upon it, he will not soon do the like again.'\"\n\nQuestions should be progressive, that is, they should proceed from the\nsimple and the known to the faintly known, and thence to the unknown.\n\n\n\n\nXIX.\n\nTHE TEACHERS' MEETING.\n\n\nA regular weekly meeting of Sabbath-school teachers for conference and\nprayer about all school matters, and a mutual contribution of thoughts\nand illustrations and plans of teaching adapted to each and to all the\nvarious classes on the next Sabbath's lesson, is now considered an\nindispensable necessity. And it is a great social and religious\nprivilege as well.\n\nWe are all unworthy, and need to learn how to teach Scripture truths\nattractively to youthful minds. All need training for the work, and\nthe weekly teachers' meetings ought to be the grand normal\ntraining-schools for Sabbath-school teachers everywhere. Every\nSabbath-school ought also to have a Bible-class or two for the\ntraining of teachers. The almost half a million of Sabbath-school\nteachers in our land--the _masses_--cannot mingle with us in council\nin our great Conventions and Institutes, and consequently the few\nfavored ones must imbibe the spirit and avail themselves of ample\nmaterials, and carry it down to the quiet, devoted workers in common\nSabbath-schools through the means of a well-ordered teachers' meeting.\nThe meeting can be held for one hour and a half on a week-day evening\nat the lecture-room, or, better yet, at the superintendent's house or\nthat of one of the teachers, alternately. It is conducted usually by\nthe superintendent, but sometimes by the pastor, or by one of the\nteachers who can sustain the interest.\n\nBut we are met at this point with a stubborn and overwhelming fact,\nviz.: a large proportion of all these meetings attempted to be held\nhave resulted in a failure, and have been abandoned, so that now in\nsome places not one school in ten or twenty holds such a meeting. With\nsuch an experience we can never ask Sabbath-school teachers to try the\nexperiment on the old plan. We must count the cost, and Sabbath-school\nmen, with only an hour or two in a week for it, cannot afford to make\nmistakes or failures. Time is too precious.\n\nThe great practical question arises, What are the causes of failure?\nIs it anything inherent in these meetings? or is it in the wrong mode\nof conducting them? After a most careful investigation of the subject,\nespecially during the last fifteen or twenty years, I have come to the\ndeliberate conclusion that it is owing almost entirely to the wrong\nplans on which they are conducted. What have been these wrong plans?\n\n1st. They have ordinarily been conducted on the Bible-class,\nquestion-book, commentary-studying, and theological-discussing plans;\nand on those plans they have, and will, in at least nine cases out of\nten, result in failure, whether in the hands of pastors or of\nsuperintendents. Teachers do not gain enough in such meetings to\nreward them for their time and trouble in coming, and consequently\nthey cannot be censured for non-attendance.\n\n2d. Another plan of conducting them is in the form of lectures. But on\nthis plan not even an expository lecture has prevented the meeting\nfrom being a failure. Occasionally a pastor or a superintendent, with\ngreat expository powers and a sprightly manner of analyzing truth and\na personal sympathy with the teachers and children, can sustain and\nmake these meetings interesting and profitable on this plan, and to\nsuch we can say--God bless you--_go on_! But we cannot afford to\nrecommend any plan for general adoption with such a prospect of\nfailure.\n\nWhat, then, must be done? We say decidedly, _revolutionize your\nplans_, and meet with the direct aim and purpose of _helping one\nanother_ in your work, and especially on the next Sabbath's lesson.\n\nWhat then are the objects of teachers' meetings, and how should they\nbe conducted? The objects appear to me to be--1. To get all the\nteachers well acquainted, socially and religiously, and as teachers.\n2. To combine our mutual confidences, sympathies and prayers. 3. To\nmutually help each other and relieve each other's difficulties by\nconferring together on such questions as--how best to secure and\nretain attention;--how to question;--how to prepare the lesson and\npresent it, and teach it;--how to draw lessons of instruction,\nillustrate and apply truth;--how to analyze the lesson, lay out the\nplan of it, and break it up into small, convenient parcels, adapted to\nall capacities from the infant up to the adult classes;--how to make\nthe Word of God most useful, most interesting and most impressive to\nyouthful minds, convicting of sin and converting to God; and the\nthorough training of the young in the Christian life, and in the sound\nknowledge of revealed truth.\n\nThe way to conduct these meetings is, to go to work naturally,\nsystematically and directly, in a common-sense way, to accomplish\nthese grand objects. Suppose, after singing two verses of an\nappropriate hymn, a direct prayer of two or three minutes, and one\nverse of Scripture that just meets the case, the leader inquires for\nthe next half hour the size, regularity, etc., of the different\nclasses, and asks counsel to correct irregularities. In this way the\nteachers will become so well acquainted with each other's classes that\nthey can intelligently pray for each other. Then have a recess of ten\nor fifteen minutes for introduction and social intercourse; after\nwhich another half hour should be devoted to inquiring of each teacher\nfor the various _best thoughts_ of the lesson for them to use. Let the\nnext meeting be directed to the difficulties, and how to relieve them,\nand the last half hour to asking for illustrations for the week or\nmonth's lesson. At the next meeting inquire, Have you _visited_ your\nscholars during the month, and what have you found of interest in your\nvisits? Then devote the last half hour to examples and _plans of\nteaching_ different verses by several teachers. At the fourth and last\nmeeting of the month inquire, Is there any special religious interest\nin your class? or, Why not? and lastly, How can you _apply_ the lesson\nso as best to make a saving impression?\n\nIn some such way I would meet real present wants, avoiding routine,\nand providing something fresh and varied at every meeting, just\nadapted to all. In some such way conduct your meetings, and no teacher\ncan afford to be absent.\n\nIn a country school district Sabbath-school let the teachers turn all\ntheir sociability into this channel, and set apart, say Thursday\nevening of each week, for a pleasant social teachers' meeting at the\nresidence of the superintendent or one of the teachers, alternating\nabout. Let the farmers arrange to leave their work an hour earlier on\nthat evening for the sake of the great blessing to their children.\nProvide attendants for the lady teachers. Suppose the superintendent\nlives one mile north of the school-house, and two teachers are one\nmile east, three south, and four west. The two young lady teachers\n\"one mile east\" have no escort, but the superintendent remembers that\nin the next house further east, the only son of Esquire Jones, a fine\nyoung man of sixteen years, has just drifted out of the\nSabbath-school, and is inclining toward fast horses and gay\ncompanions. The superintendent yearns to reach and save him. He thinks\nand prays over the matter until he feels deeply for the youth. He then\nvisits him, and approaches him with unusual respect--informs him that\nhe has come to ask a particular favor--will he accept the post of\nlibrarian in our flourishing little Sabbath-school? He readily\nconsents. The superintendent then says, \"Charlie, we teachers have a\ndelightful social gathering at each other's houses every Thursday\nevening, and as you have a fine horse and buggy, cannot you make it\nconvenient to bring up the two Misses S---- to that meeting?\" Why, of\ncourse, it is just what the superintendent wants, and it is also just\nwhat Charlie wants--something to do, and soon, by God's grace, Charlie\nbecomes a true Christian.\n\nIn whatever form the teachers' meetings are conducted it is\nindispensable--1. That the conductor feels a sincere respect for each\nteacher, and treats his opinions with candor. 2. That the conductor\nshall adapt his questions to each individual, and ask those questions\nwith real courtesy and consideration. 3. It is absolutely necessary\nthat the conductor should receive all replies in a life-like manner,\nwith due respect, and make the best of them. If the answers are not\nwell received, it will close the lips of the teachers. They must draw\ntogether, and a dull, prosy conductor will check them all.\n\nThere is great value in the combined counsels and experience of almost\nany common band of teachers if fairly and fully drawn out. It will\noften be seen that \"the commonest mind has thoughts worthy of the\nrarest.\" In this way the teachers' meetings can be sustained in the\nhands of ordinary superintendents, and will become the most attractive\ngatherings in the whole community. An accomplished young lady said to\nme: \"One such meeting as this is worth more than a dozen costly New\nYork parties.\" The teachers will regularly attend, for they need the\nassistance which can here be obtained. As well ask a brakeman to run a\nlocomotive, or a spinner to superintend a factory, or an untaught man\nto teach an academy, as to ask an inexperienced person, or even a\nclassical scholar, to teach divine truth when no one has taught him\nhow. James Gall says, most truly, \"Education is the highest of all the\nsciences, and teaching the most important of all the arts.\" Teachers\nthen, need training, and the teachers' meeting can be made one of the\nmost valuable means of securing it. One of the great objects of\nSabbath-School Teachers' Institutes is to train superintendents,\nteachers, etc., so that they can interestingly and profitably conduct\ntheir weekly teachers' meetings, which are the real institutes for the\ngreat mass of teachers.\n\n\n_Examples._\n\nThe following Examples are real, as taken from my note-book during the\npresent year:\n\n I. At one time the lesson was the parable of the Prodigal Son. The\n first teacher was called up for the best thought for his class in the\n lesson. He replied, \"Like the prodigal, all children want to have\n their own way.\" The second teacher, \"The farther he wandered the\n greater his misery.\" The third, \"When _starving_, came to himself.\"\n 4. He resolved to \"arise and go to his father.\" 5. \"He _returned_.\"\n 6. \"After his father fell on his neck, he _confessed_.\" 7. \"His\n confidence in his father when he returned.\" 8. \"His father saw him a\n _great way off_.\" 9. \"Father _ran_,\"--old men do not usually run. 10.\n \"With joy _embraced_ and kissed him,\" etc.\u00a011. \"The degradation of a\n sinful course.\" 12. The father's wonderful condescension and\n willingness.\n\n II. At another teachers' meeting the lesson was Luke xviii.\u00a018-27.\n The Young Ruler.--First, prayer, singing, and reading of the lesson.\n Then called on the teachers for their plan of teaching the lesson.\n\n The _First Teacher_ gave five heads. 1. Question, \"What shall I do?\"\n 2. Knowing the law. 3. Taking up the cross. 4. Rejecting the cross.\n 5. The great obstacle.\n\n _Second Teacher._--1. Eternal life, what is it? 2. Have you kept the\n law? 3. What else was required? 4. Come. 5. Overcome every obstacle.\n 6. You must love nothing better than Christ.\n\n _Third Teacher's_ plan was--The Young Ruler was, 1. Rich; 2.\n Pleasing; 3. Respectful; 4. Ready to learn; 5. Prostrate--the custom\n of the country; 6. Put first his love to neighbors; 7.\n Commandments--Pharisee. Show the children how far they can go and yet\n be lost. He was a church member, an officer in the church, a ruler:\n he came to Jesus prostrate, prayed respectfully--Jesus applied the\n touchstone and _all_ was _wanting_.\n\n _Fourth Teacher._--1. Young man's great desire. 2. It was to be\n saved. 3. Go to God's word. 4. Justified himself. 5. He loved money\n more than he loved God. 6. Hollow-hearted. Study the scholar as much\n as the lesson.\n\n _Fifth Teacher._--1. Young man's question and manner. 2.\n Asserting he kept all the law. 3. He thought himself honest and\n sincere, but was deceived. 4. Wanted satisfying peace. 5. Not willing\n to remove his idols. 6. Great ignorance of the young man. 7. Riches a\n great hindrance. 8. See our Lord's firmness.\n\n _Sixth Teacher._--We must show our love to Christ by love to our\n neighbors.\n\n _Seventh Teacher._--With man it is impossible, but not with God.\n\n _Eighth Teacher._--Something must be given up for Christ. What?\n Pride, sloth, ill-temper, bad company, bad books, love of dress,\n pleasure.--See Abraham going to a strange land. Offering Isaac, etc.\n\n _Ninth Teacher._--Ruler had his ideas of _doing_ something to gain\n heaven, and was at work for it. The great Teacher took him on his own\n ground and _convicted_ him of _sin_.\n\n _Tenth Teacher._--A child says: \"Why, here is an honest, sincere\n seeker, who went to Jesus in the right manner and way, but failed.\"\n How hard to be saved! But see--1. His question. 2. The Saviour's\n answer. 3. The obstacles and hindrances. 4. The greatest apparent\n defect is in the second table of the law. If perfectly convicted, why\n so confident? etc.\n\n III. Lesson, Matthew viii.\u00a01-4. Have eight distinct exercises. 1.\n Read the lesson. 2. Catechise or question upon it. 3. The numerical\n exercise or asking, How many things, etc.\u00a04. _Explanations_ and\n illustrations of difficult words. 5. Draw out great important\n _thoughts_ of the lesson. 6. Call forth the _lessons_ of instruction.\n 7. Make the _application_ to heart and life. 8. Review of the whole;\n and then, if desired, two more exercises can be added by turning the\n lesson into _prayer_, and next to a _paraphrase_ formed of the verses.\n\n There are _three_ kinds of teaching. 1. Catechising or questioning.\n 2. Conversational.\u00a03. Lecturing. Which is yours? We might add a\n fourth; but that is not teaching at all, only it is sometimes called\n so--viz., Reading questions from a question-book, and reading the\n answers. Good teaching is earnest, hearty work.\n\n IV. The fourth and last example is of the social form of teachers'\n meeting. I give the notes of one held on the evening of December 11,\n 1867. We met at 6 o'clock P.M., precisely, at the house of Mr. C----;\n opened with singing and prayer. Then had half an hour's studying of\n the lesson, which was upon the Atonement. Some of the thoughts drawn\n out were: Mediation,--arbitration,--the God-man,--dead goat and the\n goat sent away,--the passover,--the victim,--a substitute,--altar,\n victim, shed blood; vivid picture of offering the lamb;--atonement\n looks both ways;--blood cleanseth. How do you get the atonement? Have\n you got it? How do you prove gratitude to God for it? Exalting the\n great truth, \"Christ died for me.\" He is the only barrier against\n eternal death. The lesson was shown in three phases: 1. The Redeemer\n buys us from sin--is our ransom; 2. Saves us from sin; 3. Reconciles\n us to God. Take first under three heads: 1. Man is a ruined wanderer;\n 2. Man a captive; 3. Man is free in Christ and saved. After the\n lesson was thus considered, the next half hour was devoted to\n _business_. The library, Christmas exercises, singing, and length of\n opening exercises, and the treasury, were topics. The next hour was\n given to tea and social intercourse. The last hour was devoted to\n accounts of interesting or discouraging things in the teachers'\n classes, and work, and intermingled with frequent prayer and singing.\n All was conducted spiritually and in earnest, and it was a precious\n three hours.\n\n\n\n\nXX.\n\nVISITING THE SCHOLARS.\n\n\nEvery Sabbath-school teacher should regularly visit his scholars once\na month, and every Sabbath-school superintendent should visit his\nteachers regularly once in three months. These are very important and\nyet too often neglected duties. A superintendent can hardly discharge\nhis duties to the teachers without frequently visiting them. This\nshould be no mere formal visit. It should be a Christian conference\nabout all the details, particularly of their classes and their duties.\nThe superintendent is the regular counsellor and guide of the\nteachers. He should talk about their teaching, about each and all\ntheir scholars, their difficulties, their trials and successes, and\naid and encourage them by every means. These visits should be made so\ncheerful and pleasant, so free from fault-finding and complaint, that\nthe teachers will hail them with great joy.\n\nThe Sabbath-school teacher also, from his own necessities and from\nduty, must needs visit his scholars often. He has a real errand to the\nhome of every child. He can snatch intervals of time going to or\nreturning from business. He cannot teach that child aright and to good\nadvantage unless he is well acquainted with all his home influences;\nwith all there is in the child's surroundings to help or hinder the\nteacher's work; with all the dangers, temptations, and trials of the\nchild's everyday life; with all the characteristics of parents and\nfriends. It is from the vicinity of these homes that the teacher will\nbe enabled to see and hear things that will furnish him with good\nillustrations. He can obtain the parents' co-operation and friendship,\nand have personal interviews and gain the child's spiritual confidence\nin these visits to its home and fireside circle. \"My teacher has come\nto see _me_,\" is often the joyful utterance of the grateful little\nones.\n\nSabbath-school teachers should never neglect this privilege, neither\nshould they make careless or indifferent visits. Arouse up and think\nyour visit all out beforehand. Think what in substance you are going\nto talk about, what you ought to say, so as to make your visit as\nwelcome and as profitable as possible both to parents and scholars.\nHave an errand to every house. Carry some little book or tract or\npaper, if convenient. Give them some interesting and valuable\ninformation, or make earnest inquiries and give good wishes and\nprayers for rich blessings, temporal and spiritual. Choose the right\ntime and seek favorable opportunities. Absentees must, of course, be\nvisited without delay, for it may be sickness has detained them. \"The\nsickness of a child is a golden opportunity for the teacher; God\nhimself ploughs the ground and he must not withhold the seed.\"\nEspecially avail yourself of seasons when the heart is made tender by\nillness, afflictions, and trials. Then be constant and true, for it\nmay be your harvest-time of souls. \"Oh, to be the guiding star of such\na little circle is one of the highest privileges of earth.\" Teacher,\nmay that privilege and blessing be yours.\n\nWe add a single illustrative example from \"_The Teacher Teaching_:\"\n\n \"A decently-dressed woman calls at your house and begs for a shawl to\n protect a neighbor of hers from the cold when she goes out to her\n daily work. You have a shawl. You have laid it aside for this very\n purpose. Why not give it to her and have done with it? If you do not\n know the person who calls, it would be very injudicious to entrust to\n a stranger what you intended for a third person. It may be pawned for\n strong drink, or retained by one who is not in want. Better go or\n send and satisfy yourself that the need exists, and see that it is\n supplied. You wisely conclude to look for yourself. You find the\n object of your charity, and ascertain that she is a superior\n needle-woman, capable of earning her living, but not able to find\n work where there is none. If she could hire a room in some part of\n the city nearer the demand for work, she might succeed. You give her\n the shawl, and with it a few words of encouragement. In a day or two\n you are at a meeting of the directors of the Industrial Home or\n Orphans' Society, and allude to the case of this woman. A young lady\n present immediately recollects a poor woman, whom she has seen during\n the week, who has a room to rent, and perhaps it would exactly suit.\n The parties are brought together and the room is taken. Two wants are\n thus promptly supplied--the want of a _room_ and the want of a\n _tenant_. But how came the young lady to know of such a room? Why,\n simply by visiting the mother of one of her class in the\n Sunday-school. It was not any part of her plan to obtain any such\n information; nor could she have known that it might be of any\n advantage to her or to any one else for her to possess it. The\n indirect result of this simple visit accomplished--what? 1. It\n secured a tenant for a vacant room, and thus helped a poor woman to\n pay her rent. 2. It put another poor woman in a comfortable and\n convenient position to earn her own living. 3. It laid the mother of\n one of her Sunday-school children under great obligation to her, and\n thus increased her influence and her power to do good both to mother\n and child. It will take a strong force to sunder that tie. 4. It\n brought to the new tenant Christian care and sympathy, which she\n before lacked, and the way for her attendance on the stated means of\n grace.\"\n\nThus is exemplified, by a single real and comparatively unimportant\nincident in humble life, the power of the Sunday-school machinery, in\nits legitimate movements, to improve and elevate social condition and\ncharacter. It was all the work of that little wheel in our machinery\ncalled VISITING.\n\n\n\n\nXXI.\n\nSYSTEMATIC DISTRICT CHRISTIAN VISITATION.\n\n\nThe plan here given in its present form grew out of an exigency in the\noperations of the Missionary Committee of the New York Sunday-School\nUnion in the summer of 1856.\n\nIn their great endeavor to reach the neglected masses of children and\nyouth, more than sixty thousand seemed to be beyond their reach. A\nmore _thorough_ work was needed. Occasional visits and ordinary\nattention did not so gain the acquaintance and confidence as to rescue\nthese neglected ones. They were the most destitute and needy, and the\nmost important to reach in our city. After much consideration and\nprayer, this plan was adopted, presented to, and accepted by the\nchurches in New York and Brooklyn, and it was soon adopted by other\ncities and States also. Everywhere it has developed astonishing\nresults, increasing Sabbath-schools and churches, and speedily\ntransforming dark neighborhoods.\n\nForty-four churches of various evangelical denominations entered upon\nthe work within a few months after its introduction, and quite\nuniformly the Sabbath-schools _doubled_ their scholars within the\nfirst month or two, and in some marked instances church members and\ncongregations were more than doubled in numbers within six months. As\nlong as it was faithfully worked it everywhere prospered,\ndemonstrating that the plan was a good one.\n\nIt is based on the great command, \"_Go ye and teach_.\" It believes\nthat every church-member should be a working Christian, a real\nmissionary; that \"every man should _speak to his neighbor, and each\none to his brother_;\" that every Christian's business should be so\narranged as to give a wider scope for his religion, that he may\nbecome, in a degree, a voluntary missionary. It proposes to\n_systematize_ the work. Mere voluntary personal effort is at times so\nfitful and evanescent as not to be sufficiently reliable.\n\nThe plan is for every church to take a definite district as its\nspecial missionary field--in the city a certain number of blocks and\nstreets, and in the country a number of miles square, or\nneighborhoods, properly arranged so as to give every other church a\nportion of the field to work.\n\nAll this is to be subdivided by a committee of the church into small\nsub-sections of from five to fifteen families, proportionate to the\nnumber of able members. A sub-section is assigned to the member, and\nbecomes his or her little parish, on which to bestow especial labor,\nsympathy, and prayers. He is to visit it every month, invite all the\nchildren to some Sunday-school, the family to church, supply with the\nBible, tract, etc., and do all possible temporal and spiritual good.\nOnce a month each church devotes one of the weekly prayer-meetings to\nhearing reports from the visitors, and conferring and praying over\nthis great work. Special care is taken not to proselyte; not to take a\nchild from one school to another, or induce a person to leave one\nchurch for another, but to respect the rights of all. Individuals are\nnot considered under any obligations to _confine_ their visits to\ntheir assigned districts, but still enjoy the Christian liberty of\ngoing everywhere and doing good to all men as they have opportunity.\n\nThis work is--1. A holy work. 2. A deliberate work. 3. It is a work of\npure good-will.\u00a04. Says Rev. Dr. Chalmers: \"No other ministration is\nto be offered than that of respect and kindness.\" 5. They are to go\njust so far \"as they will be gratefully met by the population.\" 6.\nVisit rich and poor, but carefully select districts adapted to the\nvisitors. 7. Seek the confidence of parents and children; be patient,\nbe persevering, be courageous, be sympathetic, and take no notice of\nrepulses. 8. Enter no house in vain. Leave some kind suggestion,\ncounsel, or sympathy in regard to spiritual or temporal interests. 9.\nRelieve all want and distress possible; inculcate temperance,\ncleanliness, and economy. 10. Counsel with mothers with reference to\ntheir children. 11. Give a fraternal aspect to your visits, and avoid\ncontroversy, and generally even argument.\n\nIf each professing Christian in our churches who is able would become\nresponsible for the regular visitation of but four neglected families,\nevery family in our land would be faithfully visited. \"What a plain,\nsimple, magnificent idea is here presented!\" A regular Christian army\nof occupation for our whole country. Says the Rev. Dr. Guthrie: \"It\nwould everywhere bring life into contact with death, and cover the\nwhole outlying population, even as the prophet with his own body\ncovered the dead body of the child.\" The motto is: EVERY CHILD IN THE\nSABBATH-SCHOOL, AND EVERY FAMILY IN THE CHURCH.\n\n\n\n\nXXII.\n\nNEW MISSION-SCHOOLS.\n\n\nIn all our great cities, in the town and country, there are vast\nnumbers of immortal youth far beyond the reach of churches and church\nSabbath-schools, and therefore, it becomes necessary to carry the\nSunday-school to them. A room is obtained, conveniently located, with\nseats, books, etc. The children are gathered, taught to read, to sing,\nto pray, presented with library books, papers, etc., and thus\ninnumerable blessings are sent down into destitute families, and soon,\nlike leaven, the Gospel is seen diffusing itself everywhere among the\nmass.\n\nSomething like seventy of these mission-schools are now successfully\nsustained in New York City alone, with twelve to fifteen thousand\npupils in them. Roman Catholic, Jewish, and other classes of children\nare in this way easily and successfully reached, and permanently\nbenefited. This instrumentality must be largely increased everywhere.\nSome five or six different denominations often unite in the labors of\none of these schools, and all work together in the most beautiful\nharmony. This movement is in the highest sympathy with that\n_aggressive_ feature of the system, before named.\n\nBut to come to the details of this work, and how it should be begun\nand carried on: First choose wisely the location for a new church or\nmission Sabbath-school. Then select one or more men and women full of\nlife and zeal as a nucleus of interest and labor. Next survey and\nvisit systematically all the families in the district, and present the\nobjects and the value and adaptedness of the Sunday-school to their\nwants. Pray much and at every step, privately and socially, especially\nin the early stages of the effort.\n\nGet all ready for a good commencement. Have every thing arranged, so\nthat not a moment of delay in finding the right hymn, or in singing\nit, will prompt the children to find something else to do. Do not\nadmit children faster than you can conveniently control them. Some\nsuperintendents aim at gathering a rush of scholars the first Sabbath\nor two, and the result is that they lose months in getting to order\nand control of the children. It is often better to admit only a dozen\nor two new scholars at a time, and get them well classified and\narranged, and in the hands of good teachers. There most be order, and\nthe superintendent must wait for it, although he may not at the first\ndo much beside. Much depends upon starting right. Have Testaments,\nhymn-books, and Sunday-school papers, if possible, ready on the first\nSabbath.\n\nSelect a clear, distinct, easy lesson at the first, and whatever is\ndone, let it be well done. Select the teachers carefully, and admit\nnone who have not a good report, and are not of a teachable spirit.\nMeet with the teachers socially every week, if possible, to aid them\nwith your suggestions and help. Be cheerful, earnest, and respectful\nto all. Keep up a regular visitation of teachers and scholars, and let\nyour visits bear a fraternal and not an inquisitorial aspect. Prove\nyourselves the true friends of parents and scholars, and never get out\nof patience or discouraged because you cannot gain the children of\nRoman Catholics or Jewish parents at once: it may be only a question\nof time. At any rate, do them all the good you can at their homes,\nwhether you ever lead them to the Sunday-school or not. Duty is\nours--results belong to God. Through the children reach the parents,\nand through the parents reach the children. Let your errand to the\nhouse always be one of kindness and good-will, so that if they do not\nreceive you kindly it will be because they misunderstand you. These\nvisits, however, are almost invariably well received if made in a\nnatural, pleasant manner, proceeding from a \"charity which hopeth all\nthings.\" Respect and honor the parents all you can, whether they\ncommit their children to your care or not. Exhibit our beautiful\nlibrary books, our sweet songs, our attractive children's papers, and\nspeak of the great kindness and love of the teachers to the children.\n\nIt is very desirable to have a course of regular week-day evening\nlectures for the children and parents. One week it may be \"Jerusalem,\"\nanother \"coal,\" another \"coral,\" and the next \"the ocean,\" and then\nsome subject of natural history, as the \"elephant;\" and illustrate\nhighly to meet the eyes. Take especial care of the older boys and\ngirls, and strive to introduce week-day exercises that will interest\nand please them. Appoint them upon committees and to little offices,\nand give them all something to do--something that they can do,\nsomething that they will do cheerfully.\n\nThe following, from _The Sunday-School Times_, is a beautiful\nillustrative example of mission Sunday-school work and teaching. It is\nentitled \"Bill Jones; or, Our Colored Sabbath-school:\"\n\n It was one of those perfect Sabbaths in the early June, that I walked\n with trembling heart along the locust-shadowed sidewalk leading to\n our little chapel. On that day our colored Sunday-school was to be\n organized; and we, who only a few weeks since had professed before\n men and angels to love our Saviour, were to be enlisted as workers in\n our Master's vineyard.\n\n What can be done to improve the religious condition of our colored\n population? was a question which had long occasioned anxious thought\n among the godly of our village. Originally slaves, they had, when the\n law of liberation was proclaimed through New York, refused to remove\n farther than the grassy common, where, almost within the shadow of\n \"Massa's house,\" they were allowed to build their humble cabins.\n Increased afterward in numbers, the suburbs of the town had become\n edged with their miserable tenements. One or two attempts had been\n made to establish preaching among them by a minister of their own\n race, but thus far without success. True, in the \"brick church,\" a\n part of the gallery was set apart especially for their use. Still the\n \"dark corner\" (as the mischievous boys called it) was only occupied\n by a few old uncles and aunties, while the rest, though within sound\n of the sweetest of all Sabbath bells, were as utterly without God in\n the world as their brethren in Africa.\n\n At length a Sabbath-school was determined on. As most of those able\n and willing to work were already engaged, one of the officers of the\n church volunteered to superintend the school, provided he might have\n the assistance of a band of young girls, who hitherto had been\n privileged to assemble week after week as a Bible-class in the\n \"pastor's study.\"\n\n On the first Sabbath about thirty or forty children were assembled of\n all ages and sizes, with wondering eyes; and in a few moments I found\n myself seated in a chair before six boys, whom I at once recognized\n as some of the worst village urchins, always to be seen at the\n \"dep\u00f4t,\" or on the \"hotel steps,\" laden with baskets of apples and\n pea-nuts, their own best customers. I was about to ask for more\n hopeful subjects, but our earnest superintendent only held out to me\n the class-book and pencil--and I was alone with my destiny.\n\n Among the names, I registered Andrew Jackson, Andrew Jackson, Jr.,\n Marquis Lafayette, George Washington, and Byron Clarke. When about to\n inquire the cognomen of the last, I was forestalled by his calling\n out, in a stentorian voice, \"My name a'n't nothing but _Bill Jones_;\n but I guess you have heard of the boy who sings nigger songs and\n dances Jim Crow at the 'Harrison House.'\" He was unfortunately not\n mistaken in his notoriety, and the task before me assumed a new\n magnitude. None of them could read, and after half an hour of A B C,\n I proceeded to ask some simple questions of Bible history, of which I\n soon found that they knew absolutely nothing: their ideas of God,\n even, were as wild as those of the little Hindoos. So I began at the\n beginning. I spoke of the six days of creation; then of the deluge.\n When in my account of the ark and its wondrous freight, I was\n interrupted by one. \"Did they have bears?\" \"Yes,\" I answered. \"And\n lions?\" \"Yes.\" \"Elephants?\" \"Yes.\" \"Monkeys?\" \"Yes.\" And finally\n Billy Jones, all eagerness, \"Did they have a _clown_?\" And I found to\n my utter dismay that my youthful auditors, certainly not incapable of\n association of ideas, had conceived of Noah merely as the proprietor\n of a menagerie travelling in that wild waste of waters. Truly this\n was fallow ground. But our superintendent only smiled encouragement,\n and bade me go forward.\n\n Sabbath after Sabbath rolled on, and rain or shine my six boys were\n always in their places. They had learned to love the school,\n especially the sweet hymns; and their quick sympathies had gone out\n to one who at least always tried to treat them gently and kindly. Of\n their affection I had many unmistakable proofs. Once I remember\n walking in one of the quiet streets. I was suddenly startled by three\n sonorous cheers, and looking up I saw the \"Marquis,\" Andrew Jackson,\n and Byron Clarke. Though not precisely the most agreeable greeting\n for a young lady, I could not in my heart do less than wave a return.\n Again, they frequently brought to our door presents of flowers and\n fruit. In one instance the latter bore such a striking resemblance to\n some rosy-cheeked apples in a neighbor's orchard that I was forced to\n reprove the boy, and the next Sabbath took for our \"lesson talk\" the\n eighth commandment. Not many days after the same child made his\n appearance at the kitchen, his hands filled with the first\n pond-lilies of the season; and as he gave them to me he said, \"There,\n Miss Esther, you will like them, for _they's honest; God growed them\n in the outlet_.\" Never, from that day to this, have flowers brought\n more true gladness to my heart than did those pure white blossoms,\n plucked by swarthy hands in the \"outlet\" where \"God growed them.\"\n\n We established a missionary society among them, and many a penny,\n previously devoted to fire-crackers and the like, now found its way\n down the red chimney of our \"savings bank.\" Poor Bill Jones had less\n to give than any of the boys, and this I plainly saw troubled him a\n great deal. He had stopped dancing \"Jim Crow,\" first on Sabbath, and\n of late on week-days; and this being his chief source of revenue, his\n spare pennies were few and far between. One day, with a bright face,\n he asked me \"if it was not right to do good on Sundays?\" Of course I\n replied yes; and then \"if it was wrong to take money for doing good\n on Sundays?\" This was a nice distinction--one which I felt him not\n capable of understanding should I attempt it. So I simply said, \"No,\n I thought not.\" Though feeling rather curious, I had no opportunity\n just then of asking as to these pious earnings. Next Sabbath the\n teachers were requested to remain a moment. A gentleman arose, not a\n member of our school, saying that a few hours since he had witnessed\n a scene which had so touched his heart that he could not forbear\n cheering us with the glad tidings. Passing the \"Harrison House,\" he\n noticed that the invariable group of Sunday-noon loungers had\n deserted their post. Just then his ear was caught by a clear\n melodious voice singing. It seemed to come from the bar-room. Yes, as\n he drew near, from the open windows of that den of pollution floated\n out on the summer air the words:\n\n   \"Watchman, tell as of the night,\n   What its signs of promise are.\"\n\n He stepped upon the low platform and looked in. On a table sat a\n negro boy. About the room were hard-faced young men, and those older,\n on whose bloated features intemperance had set its livid brand. But\n they were all listening. The singer finished the last verse, and then\n began again. This time he sang, \"Jesus, lover of my soul.\"\n\n My own eyes were dimmed, said the gentleman, as he came to the lines,\n\n   \"Vile and full of sin I am;\n   Thou art full of truth and grace.\"\n\n It seemed as if for a moment an angel's wing brushed away the shadow\n from those darkened hearts, and tears moistened cheeks long unused to\n heart-rain. The singing stopped. \"Go on, go on, we will pay you\n more,\" said one and another. \"I cannot now,\" answered the boy; \"it is\n time for Sunday-school, but I will sing again next Sunday, if you'll\n come.\" And as he put into his pocket the coppers that were handed\n him, he said, \"I wouldn't take these, only I am going to send them to\n the heathen. I'll sing you the hymn--it's beautiful--about\n 'Greenland's icy mountains;'\" and humming it to himself, \"Bill Jones\"\n left the bar-room.\n\n Reader, should it ever be your good fortune to walk down this\n thickly-shaded village street on a Sabbath morn, you might within\n those very halls, now pure and white, hear the rich baritone voice of\n \"Bill Jones\" leading in some song of Zion, and with him many others,\n \"plucked as brands from the burning.\"\n\n\n\n\nXXIII.\n\nTHE CONVERSION AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN.\n\n\nImmediate conversion ought to be the aim and expectation of every\nfaithful Sabbath-school teacher. It is indeed a poor excuse to suffer\na child to drown because we have but _one_ opportunity of saving it.\nWhen a child is in danger of perishing, we do not first try to educate\nit, but to _save_ it. The fact evidently is, that the great mass of\nchildren ought to be led directly to Christ and become child-Christians\nwithout delay; and multitudes would so become, methinks, if parents\nand teachers and pastors had sufficient confidence in the power of\nGod's Word and Spirit, and had faith for the early conversion of\nchildren to God.\n\nNearly one and a third centuries ago that great divine, Jonathan\nEdwards, of Northampton, wrote the account of the conversion, as he\nthought, of little _Phebe Bartlett_, at the early age of four years,\ntogether with her Christian life for one year thereafter, and the\nevidences of a gracious change of her heart. The little book has been\npublished since in many of the languages of Europe. Little Phebe\nBartlett lived for sixty years after this, and neither herself nor her\nfriends ever doubted that she truly met with a saving change of heart\nat the early age named by President Edwards. Many of our most learned\ndivines and most devoted and useful Christian ladies date their\nconversion to the early age of three, four, five, and six years.\n\nWe have heard many pastors declare in Sabbath-School Conventions--two\non one occasion--\"That they never could remember when they did not\nlove the Lord Jesus with all their heart;\" and we believe with the\npious Richard Baxter that if Christian parents were faithful in the\nuse of the means God has put in their hands, the most of their\nchildren would be converted before they are old enough to understand a\nsermon.\n\nIt is a fact that should never be forgotten, that the children, even\nthe little children of our Christian families and Sunday-schools, all\n_want_ to be Christians more than they want anything else. Little ones\nof five or six years tell us that they wet their pillows night after\nnight with tears of sorrow for sin, and they long for some one to lead\nthem to Jesus, more than all earthly longings. Such is the testimony\nof devoted ministers and Christian ladies in great numbers, and many\nof us can realize it all, most bitterly, if we will only recall our\nearly childhood and live that over again.\n\nSaid one little girl of four summers: \"Mamma, I should think that\nanybody that knows Jesus would _love him_.\"\n\nThis is the feeling of properly-trained children in great numbers.\nThey want pure, simple instruction who Jesus Christ is, and what he is\nto _them_.\n\nAll the gospel knowledge really necessary for salvation lies, as it\nwere, in a nutshell. The knowledge of their fall and sinfulness, and\nthe atonement and redemption there is in Christ Jesus, and which, to a\nwilling mind, can be taught in a few minutes, is all the knowledge\nreally necessary for salvation. Really teach this and it will remain\nattached to the natural conscience for life, and only awaits the spark\nof grace from the Holy Spirit to descend and act upon it, and renew\nthe heart and change the life.\n\nThis subject is one of overwhelming importance. It is the vital point\nof all Bible teaching. When Sabbath-school teachers learn the holy art\nof leading children to Jesus, then we may expect constant conversions.\nSometimes we have known one-third of all the members of large\nSabbath-schools to unite with the Church of Christ in a single season.\nWhy should this not oftener be the case? Why should it not be the\ngeneral rule in all our schools? and will it not be if the teachers\nwill but have faith in God, faith in his Word, and faith in childhood,\nand _aim directly_ to bring the children to Christ for salvation \"at\nthis time and under my instruction?\" The great point is to get Bible\ntruth, the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, to bear\ndirectly on the conscience, heart and life of the child. Convince him\nthereby of his sin; then lead him by a simple trusting faith to Jesus'\nblood shed for _him_. Seek the proffered, willing aid of God's Holy\nSpirit believingly, and the work is done. \"This is life eternal, to\nknow thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.\"\n\n\n_Child-Culture._\n\nImmediately connected with conversion is Christian child-culture and\ntraining in Bible knowledge, religious habits and service, and\nChristian character. Oh how important it is for child or man to have a\nkind, judicious sympathizing Christian friend at hand at every step,\nespecially in the first year of life after conversion, to inquire and\ncounsel as to difficulties and dangers! Secret and social prayer, the\nregular study of the Word, the social life and habits, the reading,\nthe associations, the feelings, the imagination, the judgment, and the\ndesire and tendencies all want watching, counselling, checking,\nguarding or instructing by one who is tender, candid, sincere and\ntrue. The whole life and usefulness much depends upon all this. The\nchurches of Christ ought all to be such training-fields of Christian\nculture, but alas! we are sorry to confess that they are not generally\nso, and consequently largely fail in this their great work. To throw a\nlittle child, with only a spark of grace in the heart, into this world\nof wolves of temptation and error, with no one to watch over, counsel\nand guide, oh, it is sad indeed, and ought to excite the sympathy and\nprayers of all godly people. Let us associate and band Sunday-school\nworkers together in earnest, in this great work of Christian culture\nand holy living--in little prayer-meetings teaching the children how\nto pray, how to resist temptation and fight against sin, and stand up\nfor Jesus, how to overcome bad tempers and feelings, how to cultivate\nthe disinterested missionary spirit of the gospel in caring for\nothers, and doing good to others as we have opportunity. The children,\nlike young trees from the nursery, need early \"to be _planted_ in\ncourts of the Lord,\" if we would have them to grow up comely trees of\nrighteousness.\n\n\n_Children's Prayer-Meetings._\n\nChildren, even little children, need to be taught _how_ to pray. We\nall need to be taught to pray \"as John also taught his disciples.\"\nThis is especially true with children, because the prayers of the\nminister, or of the father around the family circle, are in most cases\nexamples which a child will not try to follow. The words and\nexpressions are, for the most part, quite unintelligible to a child,\nand consequently they must be taught in a different way. We must call\nthe attention of a child to the particular things which he wants, or\nought to thank God for, the particular sins which would be in his\nchild's confession, and just the things he wants to ask God for in his\nown language every day and hour mingled with adoration and praise.\n\nChildren's prayer-meetings are well adapted to this. Some of our\nSabbath-schools hold such a meeting at the close of each afternoon\nsession. A gentleman who is just adapted to the work leads off the\nlittle boys who choose to attend, and a motherly lady goes with the\ngirls into another room. We have known eighty to follow her into the\nroom, and as many as half the number voluntarily follow her in prayers\nof two or three or four simple petitions for just what the little\ngirls feel that they want. The meeting opens with singing a familiar\nhymn, and then a few appropriate verses and remarks, just adapted to\nkindle devotion in the little hearts, and then the little prayers\nfollow freely and almost spontaneously. They soon learn to love to\npray, and pray in real faith too, for the whole life of a little child\nis a life of faith. Of course it will all depend upon the manner in\nwhich these meetings are conducted, just as it is with any other\nmeeting or religious service. In good hands they prove to be eminently\nsuccessful and delightful. They teach the children how to pray, lead\nthem into the habit of praying with the heart and voice, and with each\nother, and the influence on them, on their families, and the\nSabbath-school is in every way most blessed.\n\nLet the exercises of such meetings be short, natural and simple, with\nfreedom and not constraint. A half or three-fourths of an hour is long\nenough, as they should not be prolonged. They ought to be universally\nadopted.\n\n\n_The Scholar._\n\nIt is a great privilege to become a faithful, punctual scholar in a\nwell-ordered Sunday-school. Unnumbered blessings follow in the train.\nHe should be enabled to appreciate this. It is a matter of primary\nimportance that on his first introduction to the Sunday-school, he\nshould be given distinctly to understand its true character, position,\nappropriate order and duties, and consent to a willing conformity to\nall.\n\nEvery scholar should be punctual, orderly, quiet, and respectful; he\nshould learn and recite his lessons perfectly; never leave his seat\nwithout permission; address no one but his teacher, as a general rule;\nbe obliging and pleasant to his class-mates, and set a good example of\nreverence for the holy Sabbath. In testimony of his appreciation of\nthe benefits, and in some return for them, he will be diligent in\nbringing in new scholars, and also be particular to invite his parents\nand friends to the Monthly Concerts of Prayer for Sabbath-schools. The\nlibrary book should be carefully read, so that a good account can be\ngiven of its contents to the teacher, if requested, and the special\ninstruction of the teacher may, also, profitably become a subject for\nconversation with the parents. Above all, it is the duty and privilege\nof the scholar in the Sunday-school to learn the way, and find without\ndelay, salvation by Christ in his own rich and joyous experience, and\nthen to fill his heart and mind with a general and particular\nknowledge of Bible truths, and learn how to practice all in his daily\nlife.\n\nNothing short of this experience should be the aim of every pupil.\n\n\n\n\nXXIV.\n\nPREACHING TO CHILDREN.\n\n\nGreater attention to the children in the public exercises of the\nChurch is becoming a real necessity. With one-half of all the members\nof the families of the church and congregation before the pastor, as\nwell as the population, under twenty years of age, and those in the\nmost hopeful forming period of life, the question should forcibly\narise, Are they not entitled to a far greater proportion of their\npastor's labors and efforts than they have hitherto received? The\nGeneral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, at Dayton, Ohio,\nrequested all their pastors to \"give at least one-half of every\nSabbath service to the children and youth.\" And Bishop Janes in a\nMethodist Episcopal Conference recently expressed the opinion that\n\"the time is coming when there will be two sermons preached to\nchildren and youth where there is one to adults;\" and Rev. Dr.\nMcIlvaine, of Princeton, took very strong ground in favor of preaching\nto children in the New Jersey State Sabbath-School Convention at\nElizabeth, two or three years ago. But we are met with this great\ndifficulty at the outset: Many ministers say, \"We cannot learn how to\npreach to children,\" to which we reply, confidently, \"If you would\nonly take one-quarter the pains to learn _how_ to preach to children\nthat you have to learn how to preach to adults, you would generally\nsucceed to so great an extent as to astonish yourself and all your\nfriends. Therefore, 1. The plan is practicable. 2. The subject is of\noverwhelming importance and imperative necessity. 3. Take a practical\ninterest in the children. 4. Set about gathering and arranging\nmaterials for it. Have blank books to record every thought, fact, or\nillustration, and scrap books in which file in all good illustrations\nof Scripture truths from newspapers, magazines, etc.\u00a05. Commence\nregularly and systematically to preach to children; for the way to\nlearn how to preach to children is--_to preach to children_.\"\n\nAll this will involve the necessity of a watchful study of\nchild-nature, child-language, and child-character. Something must be\nprepared especially adapted to attract and interest the children with\nfresh illustrations, etc. The Rev. Dr. Newton's sermons are admirable\nmodels. \"The Peep of Day,\" \"Line upon Line,\" and \"Precept upon\nPrecept,\" are fine specimens of pure child-language. Bible truths and\nillustrations are unequalled to interest children if they are only\nclearly presented, in a life-like, earnest manner, and broken up into\nlittle pieces for their use. It should ever be remembered that good\npreaching to children never fails to be most interesting to the older\npeople. Good preaching to children by the pastor every week will\ngreatly elevate all our monthly concert, missionary, and anniversary\naddresses, which should often be far more scriptural; and methinks, if\nthe pastor would but preach one good scriptural sermon to the youth\nevery Sabbath, both himself and his people would find a rich blessing\nin it.\n\n\n_Address to Children--In Outline._\n\n _The Child Jesus._\n\n Luke ii.\u00a040. \"And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled\n with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him:\" _Grew_ an infant,\n then a boy, afterward a man. Labored, suffered and _died_ for you,\n for me.\n\n I. See _The Child's Strength_. Not like Samson or David. Strong to do\n God's will, to do right. Resolute purpose, will, determination, etc.\n Jesus was strong to learn, to teach, to submit, to reprove and\n suffer. Strong to resist the world, flesh, and the devil. Strong for\n self-control.\n\n II. See _The Child's Wealth_. Not Gold, Diamonds, etc., but _Wisdom_.\n How he got it? He gathered it. Where? Bible, doctors in temple, from\n the Spirit, from the world, etc.\n\n III. See _The Child's Beauty_. The grace of God. Not beauty of face.\n Perhaps he had lost his beauty, \"his face was as marred.\" It was\n beauty within; meek and quiet spirit; beauty of holiness, of\n obedience, of humility, of love.\n\n 1. God thought him beautiful. \"In his Father's likeness,\" \"All of his\n glory,\" etc.\n\n 2. Angels thought him beautiful. \"They wondered and adored:\" \"Angels\n desired to look.\"\n\n 3. Men thought him beautiful. \"The Leper, the Demoniac, the Blind,\n the Palsied,\" etc.\n\n _Do you_ think him beautiful? or is there \"no beauty in him that you\n should desire him?\"\n\n His strength he will give to you. \"My strength is sufficient for\n thee.\"\n\n His wealth he will give to you. \"Filled with all the fulness of\n Christ.\"\n\n His beauty he will put upon you. \"No spot or blemish.\"\n\n _Oh! what think ye of Christ?_\n\n\n\n\nXXV.\n\nCHILDREN'S MEETINGS AND MONTHLY CONCERTS.\n\n\nThese meetings are now becoming not only very important, but very\ninteresting both to children and to adults. Sometimes Sabbath evening\nis set apart for it every week or every month; in other cases a\nweek-day evening is chosen, and familiar and instructive lectures\ngiven. In other instances, again, a public children's meeting follows\nthe regular teaching hour on Sabbath afternoons. If well conducted,\nthese meetings are among the most acceptable and profitable and\ncrowded of all the religious assemblages in a community.\n\nThe great word to study in the plan of such a meeting\nis--_adaptation_. It should be adapted not only to the little\nchildren, but also to the older ones, and especially to the young men\nand women, as well as parents and friends, who may be present. If it\nis held on the Sabbath, the great idea of worshipping God should never\nbe lost sight of for a single moment. The reply may be--\"To do this,\nand at the same time to adapt all the services to all the various ages\nand classes, is a very difficult matter.\" Of course it is difficult,\nbut not impossible. The speaker to children, when in the presence of\nadults, should always choose a train of thought and illustration which\nwill reach the children not only, but interest, instruct, and impress\nthe older ones. A little special preparation and saving of materials\njust adapted to such occasions will accomplish it. The hymns and music\nshould be appropriate and devotional, and only such as the children\nare familiar with and love to sing. The prayers should be short and\nsimple, in order that all the children can join in them. A few verses\nonly of Scripture should be read, but let them be made plain and\ninteresting to all.\n\nIn some schools the Sabbath lesson is reviewed by the superintendent\nand illustrated, followed by five-minute remarks on the lesson by the\nteachers or friends present. In other places the children will bring\nscriptural texts to prove \"what God says about obeying parents,\" about\nthe holy Sabbath, about intemperance, or gambling, or lying, etc.,\ninterspersed with remarks. At other times a verse of Scripture, with\nthe word \"love\" or \"faith\" or \"heaven,\" etc., may be given by the\nscholars, improved, with instructive comments upon the passages, by\nthe superintendent or pastor. At one concert we heard the children\nrecite, by classes, the Scripture lessons of the last quarter, and the\nteachers recited the pastor's texts which he had preached from during\nthe past three months. This was followed by an appropriate address,\nand all produced a most solemn effect. The history of a Scripture\nevent, or character, or epoch will always furnish an abundance to\ninterest. We do not favor elaborate or strained efforts. \"Simple and\nScriptural\" would be our motto, and full of life, and the children and\nall will enjoy it exceedingly. Sometimes a report of the school\nincidentally, or the reading of a Christian letter or the words of a\nChristian visitor, may be timely. Let everything be prepared\nbeforehand, and have no delay or hesitation.\n\n\n\n\nXXVI.\n\nAUXILIARY ASSOCIATIONS.\n\n\n_Youths' Temperance Societies._\n\nThe terrible scourge of intemperance is making sad progress in our\nland. Whole families, men, women, and children, are desolated by it.\nBeer, domestic wines, cordials, and even medical prescriptions, are\nall made to contribute to, and swell this river of death. The only\nsafe and sovereign remedy is--_total abstinence_. This conservative\nprinciple, in order to be the most effective, should be fully\ninculcated in early childhood; for our young men, after stimulating\ntheir appetites, often lose all power to stop. Therefore the children\nin our families and Sunday-schools ought to be early trained in\nabhorrence of all that leads to this dangerous and vicious course.\nDrinking leads to falsehood and deception, hypocrisy and dishonesty,\nimpurity, and sometimes to murder. No love of parents or children,\nhusband or wife, reputation, influence, character or wealth is\nsufficient to restrain.\n\nIt is therefore fitting that our youth be early instructed and guarded\nagainst the steps toward this great evil. Particularly ought the\nchildren in our Sabbath-schools to be made familiar with what God has\nsaid on this subject in the Bible. These texts should be often\nrepeated by the scholars and explained and enforced by their teachers.\nMany fathers will say: \"Rather let my son be an abject slave for life\nthan to fall a victim to this degrading, destructive habit of\nintemperance.\" The question arises, When and how this can best be\ntaught? We are always careful to protect Sabbath-schools from any\ndiversion from the regular Scripture lesson of the day. The Bible and\nBible-teaching is the glory of Sabbath-schools. Therefore we would\nnever allow temperance or missionary work, or singing, or addresses to\ninterrupt it. It is preferable in communities, we think, to take\nSaturday afternoons for a month or two for this purpose. Say, meet in\nthe largest church at three to four and a half o'clock or three and a\nhalf to five o'clock P.M. Organize a Youths' Temperance Society.\nAppoint a discreet youth of fourteen or sixteen years President, with\nother officers, with a committee to arrange for each meeting. Secure\ngood, fresh, appropriate speakers, and never allow a dull, heavy\norator to occupy the children's attention. Instruction, life-like and\nadapted must constantly prevail. Some of the older boys, twelve to\neighteen years old, may prepare and recite a ten-minute speech or\nappeal to their associates. The young ladies may write brief essays,\ngiving their views upon the subject, which may be read. Secure as\nspeakers the ministers, lawyers, etc., of the place, who can sustain\nattention, and who are known to be temperance men. Select and appoint\ntwelve boys and the same number of girls, who shall circulate the\npledge and obtain signatures. Continue the meetings only so many weeks\nas shall be needed and the interest shall be fully sustained, and then\ndiscontinue them for a few months. It will be necessary, however, to\nhave some such temperance revival once in six to twelve months, in\nevery place, to keep the cause in the ascendant and save the children,\nand the meeting and the result will be delightful to all. We have\nknown a thousand pledges taken in this way, within a few weeks, in a\ncountry village of twenty-five hundred population.\n\nIn some schools the children recite in the monthly concert, texts\nwhich tell us what the word of God says about intemperance, and brief\naddresses are added. Another plan, which succeeds admirably in many\nSabbath-schools, is to organize \"Bands of Hope,\" on the plan which\noriginated in Scotland in 1847, and in America in 1855. The pledges\nexclude not only other intoxicating liquors, but beer, cider, and also\ntobacco and profanity. They have a regular constitution, and forms of\nconducting them, with catechisms, hymns, dialogues, etc., all of which\nmay be obtained at a trifling expense.\n\nTheir mode of admitting members is very impressive. The Temperance\nCatechism brings out a mass of facts on \"The Origin and History of\nTemperance Societies,\" \"Nature of Intoxicating Drinks,\" \"Fermentation\nand Distillation Process,\" \"Brewing,\" \"Alcohol and Mixtures,\" \"Wines\nof Scripture,\" \"Bible Abstinence,\" \"Tobacco,\" \"Profanity,\" etc.\n\nUnder the head of wine at the Lord's Supper, it holds that the Bible\ndoes not say what kind of wine was used, but we think it was\nunfermented, because at the time of the feast of the Passover the Jews\nwere commanded to put away all leaven, and the word wine does not\noccur in any of the Evangelists when giving an account of the Lord's\nSupper. It was the fruit of the vine. Pliny, the Roman historian, has\nleft an account of the various wines used at that time, in which he\nstates that out of three hundred kinds of wine then in common use,\nonly one would burn--that was called Falernian wine; that proves that\ntwo hundred and ninety-nine kinds of wine did not contain alcohol, and\nthe chances, so to speak, are two hundred and ninety-nine to one in\nfavor of Timothy's wine being unintoxicating. These extracts will\nsuffice as specimens of what may be found in these little catechisms\nand tracts. They contain much valuable and needed information,\nwhatever form of temperance effort is made on behalf of the children.\n\nJuvenile Temperance Meetings are conducted, like any other good\nchildren's meetings, with much appropriate singing by the children,\nand prayer and reading of a few Scripture verses, and short, stirring,\ninstructive addresses, so adapted that the interest must never for a\nmoment flag. Sermons by the pastors are also amongst the most valuable\nways of promoting sound temperance principles and practice.\n\n\n_Youths' Missionary Associations._\n\nThese are usually formed for a definite object--generally to support\nmissionaries; to plant Sabbath-schools in destitute sections; or to\naid in supplying poor schools with libraries. Every month they receive\nletters telling what has been done. They are organized by the\nappointment of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and sometimes\nCollectors. A monthly missionary meeting is held and a yearly\nanniversary. At these meetings, besides reading the Scriptures,\nprayer, and singing by the children, reports are given of the doings\nand results, and letters are read giving details of the good\naccomplished. Addresses, brief and to the point, are then made by the\npastor, superintendent, or one of the teachers, or by some invited\nfriend of the cause. These missionary meetings should always be\nattended, not only by the pastor, teachers, and scholars, but also by\nthe parents and members of the church and congregation, and should be\nmade very interesting.\n\nIt has become quite popular now, in many schools, to organize each\nclass into a distinct missionary circle, with a name and motto, as:\n\"Earnest Workers,\" \"The Harriet Newell Circle,\" \"The Lambs of Jesus,\"\n\"The Buds of Promise,\" \"Dew Drops,\" \"Little Travellers,\" \"Willing\nHearts,\" \"Modest Workers,\" \"Cheerful Givers,\" \"Young Timothies,\" \"The\nSowers,\" \"The Guiding Stars,\" \"Youthful Disciples,\" \"Rose of Sharon,\"\n\"Little Samuels,\" \"The Reapers,\" \"Olive Plants;\" etc. Each circle or\nclass reports through a committee every month to the school. Sometimes\neach class has a small cheap banner, with its name printed on it.\n\n\n\n\nXXVII.\n\nSABBATH-SCHOOL MUSIC.\n\n\nThis is a very important and attractive part of the exercises of a\ngood Sunday-school, if rightly conducted. Good, pure, simple music,\nsuch as children love to sing, and words embodying the best Christian\nsentiments and feelings, should always be chosen. There is such an\nabundance of music at the present time, of an elevating, excellent\ncharacter, that there is no excuse for adopting that which is\ndoubtful. Some of the holiest Christian influences are carried weekly\ninto little hearts and numerous families by these sweet songs of the\nchildren. It is well worth while for every Sunday-school to obtain a\ngood supply of the best music, such as the children like; and they\noften love to meet on some afternoon or evening for the purpose of\npractising their music with their kind-hearted leader. It is the\nremark of a wise man: \"Let me make the ballads of a nation, and I care\nnot who makes its laws.\" How vastly important, then, it is to the\nfuture well-being of our youth that they be well supplied with the\nchoicest words and music to praise God in these little assemblies!\n\nA few words of caution may be appropriate: Sing no more than that\nwhich will be truly worship and devotional on the Lord's day.\nIntroduce all new hymns with great care to make the children\n_understand_ the true sentiment before they sing it. Consequently, not\nmore than one new hymn should be presented to the school on any one\nSabbath. Let the practice in them take place on a week-day, or so as\nnot to interrupt the worship of the Sabbath-school. Never should\nsinging be introduced as an entertainment or diversion in the\nSabbath-school, or made a hobby. Sacred music has a higher, holier\nmission. The hymns should be appropriate to the circumstances and\noccasion, and adapted in conformity to the Bible lesson of the day.\n\nThere is a great amount of music and hymns introduced into our schools\nof a very improper character. The hymns are nothing but a jingle of\nnonsense, and the music sometimes has very doubtful associations. All\nthis should be avoided most carefully. Several of our Sunday-school\nmusic-book makers, it is said, have made a large profit out of the\nschools on the sale of a single book. We think this is not right. We\nare opposed to paying thirty-five cents for hymns and music in a book\nfor children, when the music notes are of no use to the children, and\nthe hymns can be sold for one-half of the price. Let the\nsuperintendent and music choristers have the books with the notes, of\ncourse. Besides, some of our best Sabbath-school superintendents are\nlargely using Watts's and Wesley's and Cowper's hymns from our church\nhymn-books in their schools with great success, and they even sing\nchurch-music. If the hymns are adapted to the lesson, and are\ncarefully explained to the children, so that they get a clear idea of\ntheir meaning, they sing them with great spirit and gladness of\nheart--such hymns as \"When all thy mercies, O my God;\" \"On the cross\nuplifted high;\" \"Jesus, and shall it ever be;\" \"Hail my ever-blessed\nJesus;\" \"My Saviour, my almighty Friend;\" \"There is a fountain filled\nwith blood;\" \"Jesus, I my cross have taken,\" etc., etc. These, and\nmany more like them, are used in preference to Sunday-school hymns,\nand the children greatly enjoy them. By the aid of stencil plates\nthese hymns as needed, one for each Sabbath, are placed in large plain\nletters on sheets of white muslin, and suspended so as to be easily\nread by the whole school. Thus, every head is kept erect, and there is\nno diversion in looking over the hymn-book, and as a result the order\nis better, and the singing is better in every way.\n\n\n\n\nXXVIII.\n\nMEANS AND MEASURES.\n\n\n_Anniversaries._\n\nAnniversaries have been quite common of late years; they seem to be\nvery appropriate, and when well conducted, are productive of good. The\nsumming up of the labors of the year in the annual report is often of\nmore than local interest. The presence, orderly deportment, and\nsinging of the children are all calculated to leave a happy, salutary\nimpression. They are conducted with alternate hymns, prayers,\naddresses with the report, and are usually on the afternoon or evening\nof the Sabbath, with crowded audiences.\n\nHere are brought out for prayer and review all the plans and work of\nthe school for a twelve-month. The addresses should always be\nappropriate, instructive, and interesting to all, tending always to an\nincreased spirituality and higher religious tone to the school. They\nshould always reach the parents and friends present, as well as the\nchildren.\n\n\n_Excursions and Exhibitions._\n\nPic-nics, exhibitions, and the like, are all rather dangerous things\nin connection with Sunday-schools. In very sound, discreet, judicious\nChristian hands, they are often productive of good to all concerned;\nwhile under young, giddy, thoughtless management, they sometimes\nresult in evil. Great caution should, therefore, be used. It will\nrequire much more grace and wisdom to conduct a Sunday-school\nexhibition than it will an ordinary service of the school. Says one\nwriter: \"Show-children are sometimes gotten up and exhibited, as if\nthey were insensible to flattery as prize poultry.\" \"A word to the\nwise is sufficient.\"\n\n\n_Premiums and Rewards._\n\nWe would carefully avoid entailing upon any Sunday-school a _system_\nof premiums and rewards, for several reasons. 1. It is needlessly\nexpensive; 2. It is almost impossible to find a corps of teachers who\nare so good accountants as to be enabled to administer the system\nimpartially; and thus jealousies and dissatisfactions arise both on\nthe part of teacher and pupils; 3. Some of the very _kindest_ teachers\nare often induced to reward those not _strictly_ entitled to them, and\nas a consequence, loose and dishonest habits of business are taught\nthe scholars; 4. After the novelty is worn off, the children learn to\ndepend upon and claim their reward as a matter of right which they are\njustly entitled to, having earned it--thus an improper habit and\nmotive of action is entailed.\n\nThe pupils are debtors to the teachers, not the teachers to the\npupils. We would not discourage the occasional judicious awarding of\npremiums to deserving scholars by the school, the teacher, or by\nbenevolent individuals only let them be given for a specific extra\nservice--such as gathering new scholars, extraordinary punctuality,\nrecitations, or sober attention for a long period of time; and let\nthem be awarded so seldom as to be valued and influential.\n\n\n_Benevolent Contributions._\n\nBenevolent contributions in our Sunday-schools are assuming an\nattitude of much importance, and it is, therefore, a point that needs\nto be well guarded from danger. It is very important that our children\nbe early taught the principles and practice of benevolence; of caring\nfor the ignorant and destitute, and doing them good according to their\nseveral abilities. They should especially be taught to _earn_ and\n_save_ money, instead of asking parents for it. Let it all be real and\nsincere. Great care should also be taken with the children to give for\ndefinite objects, and thus secure for them careful reports of what is\ndone with their money. We should, however, most strictly conform to\nthese legitimate objects, and on no account permit them to interfere\nin any way with the great work of teaching the Bible; and guard them\nespecially against being so conducted as to foster pride, envy, and\nvain-glory. This can and should be done. The small penny rivulets of\nthe millions of Sunday-school children, uniting, have swelled to a\nmighty stream, enlivening and refreshing many a dark, moral waste in\nour own and other lands, carrying untold blessings to myriads, and\ntherefore, we are the more solicitous to keep the fountain pure and\nfree.\n\n\n_Catechisms._\n\nMost church and many mission schools adopt and successfully and\nregularly teach the great system of religious truths contained in\nthese excellent compendiums of Christian doctrine. Sometimes one\nSabbath a month, and sometimes a part of one, is allotted to this\nservice, and not unfrequently the pastor meets with them, and reviews\nthe lesson. It is preferable, however, to appoint a special service\nfor the catechism, so as to let nothing interfere with the Scripture\nlesson of the day. \"To the law and to the testimony.\"\n\nThere is a great want, however, of a sound, good catechism, translated\ninto the best language of children of the present day, so that they\ncan the more readily receive the truth into their understandings.\n\n\n_Two Sessions._\n\nMost of the schools in the city of New York and vicinity, and some\nother cities, hold two sessions a day. The reasons they give for this\ncourse are, that teachers have not time faithfully to make the deep,\npermanent impression on the hearts of their pupils in one session that\nthey think is necessary; that they cannot do justice to themselves,\nthe children, or the lesson; that no thorough system of teaching can\nbe carried out with one session; that the schools with one session, as\na general rule, have only a struggling, lingering existence, and that\nneither pupils nor teachers will consent to return from two, to one\nsession a day. With two sessions, they say, they have time to go over,\n_finish_, and _apply_ the lesson, hear the enforcement or\nillustrations of the superintendent, and several times sing their\nsweet songs of Zion. Besides, they find their rest in the hearty\nservice. Change from the Sabbath-school to a sermon is a relief, and\nchange is rest. So that faithful, earnest teachers very rarely\ncomplain of too much labor or fatigue. Every church and school,\nhowever, determines this question for itself.\n\n\n_Constitution and By-Laws._\n\nSunday-schools usually adopt a few plain rules to govern them; we\ntherefore give a simple form:\n\n ART. 1. This Sabbath-school is connected with the ---- Church, or\n shall be called the ---- Sabbath-school.\n\n ART. 2. It shall consist of a Superintendent, a Secretary, a\n Librarian, and as many teachers and scholars as may be duly received\n and appointed. The usual duties will be assigned to the different\n officers of the school.\n\n ART. 3. This school shall open at ---- o'clock in the morning, and\n ---- o'clock in the afternoon, and each session shall continue one\n hour and ----.\n\n ART. 4. On the first ---- of January, or July ----, the terms for\n which all the officers are elected each year shall expire, and the\n teachers shall proceed by ballot, at such time, to elect new\n officers, or to re-elect the old ones.\n\n ART. 5. Strict order shall be observed, and all the rules conformed\n to, by every one connected with the school, and no one shall leave\n the room until the close of the school, without permission.\n\n ART. 6. The annual meeting, or anniversary, shall be held in the\n month of ----, at which time reports for the year shall be made, and\n an address by the pastor, or some other person who may be invited.\n Quarterly meetings for business, and weekly meetings for mutual\n assistance and counsel, and for the study of the lesson, shall be\n held by the teachers and officers.\n\n ART. 7. This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, and\n By-Laws may be made or amended at any quarterly meeting, by a\n majority of all the teachers.\n\n The By-Laws should define when and where teachers' meetings,\n missionary meetings, temperance or boys' meetings, or social\n Christian gatherings, may be held; and also what penalty, if any, for\n absence from teachers' meetings, etc.; also any other necessary\n objects may be included in the specifications of the By-Laws.\n\n\n\n\nXXIX.\n\nSABBATH-SCHOOL GUARDIANS.\n\n\n_Parents._\n\nParents are the divinely appointed guardians of their children. There\nis no shrinking from their responsibility except by unfaithfulness,\nand no evading it without guilt. In a few short, fleeting hours\nparents hold a position of honor and responsibility unparalleled in\nthe duties of any human being.\n\nIn the case of Christian parents we believe that God has given them\nthe power to paralyze the influence of the best Sabbath-school teacher\nor pastor in the land. If they give the cold shoulder to the\nSabbath-school, they ought to understand that they will generally\ndestroy its entire influence for good upon their children. Therefore\nthey ought actively and heartily to co-operate with the Sabbath-school\nteacher and pastor in this work with the young. Parents who are not\nChristians cannot present so mighty a barrier; but every parent holds\nan important relation to the teachers and the school.\n\nParents should watch over the school, often visit it, and manifest a\ndeep interest in it. They should also notice and kindly check any\ntendency to error in doctrine or practice. They may counsel and\nsuggest in every appropriate way whatever will advance its best\ninterests, and they should personally know and kindly recognize the\nteacher as the friend of their children, and welcome and aid him in\nhis visits to their homes. They should also contribute liberally and\ncheerfully to the support of the school, and particularly to the\nlibrary. They should see that their children punctually attend school,\ncommit their lessons to memory, and thus co-operate with the voluntary\nunpaid teacher, in giving their children the best and most valuable of\nall knowledge, and by God's blessing leading them to Christ for\nsalvation.\n\nParents, accept the teachers to supplement and aid your efforts to\nsave your offspring, but never, in any case, allow anything to\nsupersede or lessen your obligations or spiritual labors for your own\nchildren.\n\n\n_Pastors._\n\nWe are fully convinced that our Sabbath-schools will never rise to\nwhat they ought to be until our pastors become the well-instructed\nleaders in this great work. We laymen are not in all cases\nsufficiently reliable nor fitted to be the leaders. We should take the\nplace assigned to us by the Rev. Dr. Kirk, of Boston, in the State\nSunday-School Convention of Massachusetts, when he said he \"loved to\nrecognize Sabbath-school teachers as lieutenants in the great army in\nwhich Christ Jesus has made him one of the captains.\"\n\nOur Sabbath-schools, churches and ministers must all rise together.\nThey should always keep closely together. It is here that Christians\nfind a good working field under the training of the pastor, who is the\npastor of the Sunday-school as well as of the church. It is here that\nthe Church finds a great field of labor and her largest additions.\nSome pastors simply give their Sunday-schools their patronage and\napprobation. This is not sufficient. Much more is needed. Active\nco-operative service and direction are wanted. Sometimes pastors must\nneeds act as superintendent of their own Sabbath-schools, and conduct\ntheir own teachers' meeting for a time, until they can train brethren\nand fit them to be superintendents. It is not lecturing, or preaching\nto, on the subject that we so much need as how to superintend, how to\nprepare the lesson, how to visit, what to teach, how to teach and lead\nto Christ, and how to conduct teachers' meetings.\n\nThe Sabbath-school enfolds the lambs of the flock. The pastor should,\nof course, watch over it very carefully and very tenderly. Every\nSabbath he should at least walk through the school to encourage, by\nhis presence, the weary teachers and scholars in their work of faith\nand labor of love. Many of the best pastors in our land make this an\ninvariable rule. The teachers need their pastor's counsels and\nassistance in the school, the teachers' meetings and concerts of\nprayer, as well as in the pulpit. Here he will find his true working\nmen and women, and if any of the church have especial claims upon him,\nthey surely do have.\n\nWe need our pastors' presence and counsel in all our conventions and\ngatherings of teachers. They are _ex-officio_ members of all. We also\nneed their help in calling out the membership of the churches; in\nmodel sermons and model scriptural addresses, and teachings to\nchildren for instruction and for example. In fact, we feel that we\nmust rely upon our ministers to raise up and make our Sunday-schools\nwhat they ought to be--the great training-schools of the Church, and\nthe fitting field of labor for her large membership. As a matter of\nnecessity, and as a matter of propriety, we throw ourselves as\nSabbath-school workers upon the pastors, and call earnestly upon them\nfor personal aid and comfort, in the strong assurance that our appeal\nwill receive a warm and favorable response.\n\n\n_The Church._\n\nThe Church of Christ is the grand centre and radiating point of all\nour Christian efforts. The Sabbath-school is simply the Church of\nChrist _itself_ putting forth its legitimate _action_. Says Dr.\nBaldwin: \"It is the _workshop_ of the Church for all working\nChristians.\" Here she trains her members for personal service and\nleads the lambs into the true fold. The nearer in sympathy our\nSunday-schools are kept to the churches the better it will be for all;\nand if superintendents and teachers wish to give their labors a\npermanently successful character, they cannot make too short work in\nleading their pupils to the Church of Christ; at first, perhaps, as\nonly attending, hearing members, then believing, obeying members. The\nouter, or mission-schools, are stepping-stones to churches. If\nmission-churches are established with those schools, as is often the\ncase, the Church will be on convenient ground. Sunday-schools, Bible,\nand tract mission efforts should be superintended and sustained by the\nchurches. Especially should the churches stand by the Sunday-schools--the\nnurseries of the Church--and see that they want no good thing. Rooms,\nseats, books, and all appliances, should be freely provided for the\nschool; for the future hopes of Zion are there. By far the greater\nnumber of her additions from the world come through the Sabbath-school.\n\nNot one-half of the children of our land, or scarcely of any State in\nour land, can be found on the Lord's day in any of our Sabbath-schools.\n\nThe churches ought, without delay, to supply this lack. Surely we can\nask no less of them. The churches are abundantly able to do this. They\nhave never trained and sent forth as Sabbath-school teachers as many\nas fifteen per cent. of their great membership, and not half the\nchildren are yet taught. Let the churches train and send forth thirty\nper cent. of their members, and the neglected are all reached and the\nwork is done. Therefore the question is one of disposition, will--not\nability.\n\n\n_The Community._\n\nThe community has a deep personal interest in the Sunday-school, and\nhas corresponding duties. Thousands of youth are every year saved from\nprison and from crime by this institution. The three hundred and fifty\nor four hundred thousand voluntary Sunday-school teachers of our land\ncomprise a moral police, to which the community are immensely\nindebted, whether they are sensible of it or not. It recently cost New\nYork city more than twenty-five thousand dollars to convict one\nmurderer, who had been neglected from a child. That sum of money would\nhave paid his board for sixty years, or sustained twenty thousand\nchildren in mission-schools for a whole year. The Sabbath-school is a\ncheap and simple agency to give the gospel to the millions. It is the\ncheapest civilizer extant.\n\nThousands of the best patriots, statesmen, and Christians of our own\nand other lands love to acknowledge their immense obligations to the\nSabbath-school, for what they are, and what they hope to be. Said the\nBishop of London: \"The Sunday-school has _saved_ the manufacturing\ndistricts.\" And the Earl of Shaftesbury declared: \"To you,\nSunday-school teachers, is entrusted the future of the British empire.\"\n\nMany thousands of parents in our land, who are entirely neglecting the\nreligious instruction of their children, can bring them to the\nSabbath-schools, where four hundred thousand voluntary teachers stand\ncheerfully ready to teach them, without money and without price. Like\nthe waters of the river of life, this stream runs free. Let parents\nsee to it that their children are regularly there. The community\nshould do all they can to help forward this beneficent voluntary\nscheme of public education, acknowledge their real obligation to the\nteachers, offer them rooms in their public school buildings, and by\nthe pressure of a sound public sentiment, increase the uniform\nattendance, particularly from the ignorant and neglected classes.\n\n\n\n\nXXX.\n\nMISSIONARY AGENCIES.\n\n\n_Neighborhood Prayer Meetings._\n\nThe Sabbath-school teacher in his work finds it convenient to do\nincidentally a vast amount of good. He distributes copies of the Bible\nand Testament, tracts and good reading, helps the needy to a place for\nwork, relief, etc., etc. Among other means the opening of neighborhood\nprayer-meetings has been greatly blessed. A score or two of friends\nand neighbors meet on a week-day evening in a tenant-room or house\nconvenient, and there two or three of the Sabbath-school teachers\nconduct a familiar religious service, which, if appropriate and\ninteresting, often results in conversions and bringing individuals\ninto Christian associations and influences, and sometimes leads to the\nreformation of a whole neighborhood. Our young women teachers\nsometimes conduct these meetings with great success and profit.\n\nA good mission-school of teachers has sometimes sustained a dozen\nweekly neighborhood prayer-meetings. All these plans are equally\nadapted to cities or country villages.\n\n\n_Bible Readers._\n\nOf late years the employment of pious and discreet women as Bible\nreaders has accomplished the most blessed results. These constant\nvisitors penetrate many a dark alley and cellar, and rescue from\nintemperance, starvation, destitution and crime those who would not\notherwise be reached. They also comfort, and instruct, and aid\nmultitudes of poor ignorant mothers who really know not what to do,\nand sustain many neighborhood prayer-meetings and mothers' meetings.\nSometimes they are supported by the Bible Society, and in other cases\nby the City Mission, but oftener by the mission or church\nSabbath-schools and churches.\n\nYoung women who are adapted to the work leave their sewing and other\nlabor, and receive a salary sufficient for their support in this\nservice. Some of the poor ignorant, reclaimed women make, when trained\nfor it, most excellent Bible readers.\n\n\n_Industrial Schools._\n\nIndustrial schools are usually for girls from the streets, who are\npicked up, washed, supplied with a dinner, taught to read, to sew, and\nother useful employments; besides, good manners and good dispositions\nare carefully cultivated. They are also taught to sing our choicest\nSabbath-school hymns, and receive much valuable counsel and sound\nChristian instruction from their kind teachers and friends. These\nschools are doing a most excellent work. They are held every day in\ninstitutions. In Sunday-schools they are generally held only on\nSaturday afternoons, and a score of ladies volunteer to come and teach\nthem. In either form they are very useful.\n\n\n_Boys' Meetings._\n\nThis is a modern thing, but it grew out of the warm, earnest sympathy\nof excellent Christians for the worst class of street-boys of New\nYork. They were attracted by the fine music taught them, the interest\nand kindness manifested toward them, and the stirring, pointed,\ninteresting stories in which religious truth was clothed as it was\nspoken to them; and the energy and capability which first started\nthose meetings could sustain them now on the same basis. Latterly,\nthey assume more the general form of young people's meetings, being\ncomposed of a majority of boys and girls from Christian families, or\nat least Sunday-schools, and most of them contain but a few of the\nrough street-boys. They are a stepping-stone to a good Sunday-school.\nYouths' attractive papers are circulated at the close. Interesting\npopular lectures, made very familiar and plain, on practical subjects,\nare sometimes enjoyed on the week-day evenings.\n\n\n\n\nXXXI.\n\nTHE QUESTION BOX.\n\n\nAmong the modern improvements in our Sabbath-school meetings the\n\"Question Box,\" or \"Drawer,\" is worthy of particular mention. Slips of\npaper are placed in the hands of the members of the Convention or\nInstitute, who are requested to write upon them any question which may\nbe suggested to their minds, and on which they would like to gain the\nopinions of others. These questions are, from time to time, dropped\ninto a box provided, and left at the door or on the platform.\nOtherwise, they are collected by a committee and handed up to the\nconductor, who, at the proper time, either answers them himself or\ndesignates some other person or persons to answer them. In this way a\nvast amount of clear and correct information is often gained, and that\nof a kind exactly adapted to present wants. No exercise in an\nInstitute is more directly profitable than the question box often\nproves to be.\n\nIt of course depends entirely upon the correct knowledge and grasp of\nthe persons who essay to answer; for either truth or error are alike\nrapidly propagated in this way. Therefore the greatest care should be\ntaken that no one be allowed to answer questions in this way, who\ncannot, as the result of mature and deliberate observation or\nexperience, comprehensively look on all sides of the question, and be\ncareful to do justice to all its points. No \"snap\" judgment should be\ntaken, no witticism indulged in, and no dogmatic answers allowed. On\nthe contrary, the utmost fairness and candor is indispensable.\n\nFor illustration of this subject, the following examples of questions\nand answers will suffice:\n\n1. How can we obtain good teachers? _Answer._ Train them up in your\nBible-classes and teachers' meetings. Be on the lookout for suitable\npersons and excite their interest by conversations on the value, the\ndetails, and working of the Sabbath-school.\n\n2. Would you recommend the grading of Sabbath-schools? _Answer._ We\nlike the word _adaptation_ better, for there must be _that_ in all\ngood teaching; there must be, also, advancement and thorough Bible\ninstruction. But we fear that an attempt to grade Sunday-schools would\nstiffen and injure them, for we have but one hour in a week, while the\npublic schools have six hours per day and five days in a week, with a\ndozen grades of text-books, and paid, disciplined teachers. Besides,\nwe have never found a successful Sabbath-school with more than the\nthree regular gradations; viz., the infant-classes, the intermediate\nclasses, and the young men and women's classes.\n\n3. Would you ever employ unconverted teachers? _Answer._ Get the\n_best_ teachers you can; the most pious, the best skilled and regular.\nWhen you have taken the _best_ you can get, you have done all your\nduty, and God does not require any more, for he accepts according to\nwhat we have. In some remote sections it is simply a question between\naccepting moral and upright young people or no teachers. They can\nteach the elemental truths of religion, and God has repeatedly\nemployed the most unworthy persons to deliver his most solemn\nmessages. Therefore get the _best_ teachers you can. It is the\nmessage, not the messenger.\n\n4. Do you approve of one uniform lesson for the whole school?\n_Answer._ Yes, by all means; and then concentrate all the exercises,\nthe prayers, the hymns, the addresses, as well as all the teaching,\ndirectly upon that one portion, so that it will be impressed upon all,\nas it was upon a little boy who walked up to the blackboard and\npointed to the drawing of an altar and the bleeding lamb upon it,\nsaying, \"It was _that_ all day, wasn't it, Jimmy?\" Let the\ninfant-class have the central verse for their lesson.\n\n5. Would you expel a bad boy? _Answer._ I never did, and never would\ndo so, except as a last resort, after trying every available resource.\n\n6. How can we get the parents, pastors, etc., interested in the\nSabbath-school? _Answer._ Go to them and respectfully ask their\ncounsel and advice about the Sabbath-school. Get them to investigate\nand inquire, give them hints and information, and thus excite their\ninterest.\n\n7. Is it consistent for a Sabbath-school teacher to play at cards,\ndance, etc.? _Answer._ Cards are gamblers' tools, and we should beware\nof them. Besides, the teacher's time is too precious. I have never\ndanced since I first became a Sabbath teacher, nearly forty years ago.\nIt will lessen Christian influence. \"If meat make my brother to\noffend,\" says Paul, \"I will eat no flesh while the world standeth.\"\n\n8. What is the best way to get rid of inefficient teachers? _Answer._\nTreat them with the most tender consideration. Call upon them and give\nthem some hints about a verse in the lesson, which they can use with\nthis or that scholar in their class. I have always found it better to\nmake poor teachers over, than to look up and train new ones.\n\n9. How can you restore order in a disorderly class? _Answer._ The\nteacher mast first be in the most perfect order and control himself,\nand he will soon control the class, if his patience holds out.\n\n10. What is the pastor's position in the Sabbath-school? _Answer._ He\nis the pastor of the lambs in the Sabbath-school as well as of the\nchurch.\n\n11. Is it best to reprove scholars or teachers in presence of the\nclass or classes? _Answer._ NEVER.\n\n12. Who are to elect the superintendent? _Answer._ In most cases he\nshould be elected by the teachers, not by the scholars.\n\n13. Who appoints the teachers? _Answer._ They are generally appointed\nby the superintendent.\n\n14. How long ought a lesson to be? _Answer._ Six to ten verses, and\nforty minutes' time for the teacher.\n\n15. What is the best way of training teachers? _Answer._ Get for them\n_The Sunday-School Times_, and attract them into the regular weekly\nteachers' meeting.\n\n16. How shall we retain young men and women? _Answer._ Get a teacher\nwho loves, honors, and respects them and can understand young people,\nand does not forget that he was once young. Then elevate the\nSabbath-school, so that the young people will not be belittled in\nattending it.\n\n17. Is there not danger that the Sabbath-school will induce a\ndisrelish for the preaching service? _Answer._ We must certainly guard\nagainst such a result. The Sabbath-school must cling close to the\nChurch of God.\n\n18. How much money should be expended annually on a large\nmission-school? _Answer._ A fair Christian economy is _best_. I know\nof mission-schools, of four hundred scholars, sustained at an expense\nof less than four hundred dollars, including rent, that are better\nevery way, they are more regular and successful, than some similar\nschools which expend from one thousand to twelve hundred dollars per\nyear.\n\n19. How many children are there in all our Sabbath-schools? _Answer._\nIf the question refers to the United States, I think we may safely say\nthat now we have, in Sabbath-schools, about four million children and\nyouth, with about four hundred thousand teachers. A quarter of a\ncentury ago or so, the numbers were estimated at two million five\nhundred thousand, but this was when the great Western States were in\ntheir comparative infancy. The number rapidly increased to three\nmillions, and then to three million five hundred thousand, and now our\nreturns and estimates reach four millions. Great Britain has about the\nsame number, both of teachers and scholars; but we do not think all\nother countries can raise the full number of Sabbath-school children\nquite up to _ten millions_, or the number of Sabbath-school teachers\nto a grand army of _one million_ strong. The census of 1860 gave the\nnumber of persons in the United States, between the ages of five and\nsixteen, at nine millions (or only a few thousands less). As a\nconsequence, we have the great aggregate of _five millions_! of\nunreached and uncared-for children and youth in our land. What an\nimmense and hopeful missionary field here lies open at our doors!\nThere is scarcely a State in our whole Union or a city which can truly\nreport _one-half_ of her children in any kind of a Sabbath-school on\nany given day. And yet some of our great States are working very\nenergetically and systematically. Witness the State of Illinois, which\nhas organized every one of its one hundred and two counties during the\npast two or three years, by the voluntary and Sunday-school missionary\nlabors of its Sunday-School Association, aided by other agencies. What\nthis State has done, other States, if they will, can do, and the\nimmense work before us, when systematically undertaken, is by no means\na hopeless task.\n\n\n_The Answer Box._\n\nNearly allied to the question box is the answer box. It consists in\nthis: At an appropriate time in an Institute, the conductor writes an\nimportant question on the blackboard--blank papers are distributed and\nall the members are requested to write their answers. For instance,\nall are requested to write upon the question, What is the great want\nof our Sabbath-schools? One writes, \"The Holy Spirit, praying\nteachers, aim at conversions,\" etc. Another writes, \"Good\nsuperintendents, devoted pastors and parents.\" Another writes, \"Clear\nteaching, good order, and devout singing.\" Others, \"The Bible needs to\nbe exalted and applied;\" \"Make the Bible attractive to the children;\"\n\"Living, earnest teachers who love the children;\" \"Aim at salvation\nand Christian training.\" Or if the question should be, \"How to prepare\na Bible lesson?\" one answers \"1. Pray. 2. Read it over carefully. 3.\nThink and pray. 4. Look up the parallel passages. 5. Examine\nCommentaries, Dictionaries, etc. 6. Search out illustrations for each\npupil. 7. How to apply truth to each and all.\" Another writes: \"1. Fix\non the subject early in the week, keep it constantly before the mind,\ntrying to find illustrations anywhere and everywhere. 2. Endeavor to\nmake it simple, yet interesting and practical. 3. Constantly seek\ndivine direction.\"\n\nAt the close of a recess of ten minutes for writing and receiving the\nanswers, they are taken up and read by the conductor, and then\nreferred to a committee of three to digest and report upon at a future\nmeeting. We get at the heart of the people in this way.\n\n\n\n\nXXXII.\n\nMISTAKES OF TEACHERS.\n\n\nIt is a mistake to suppose that mere _talk_ is teaching.\n\nIt is a mistake to think that hearing a Bible lesson recited, or the\nreading of questions from a book, or telling stories, is good\nSabbath-school teaching.\n\nIt is a mistake to think that one who in manner and temper is\nimpatient, dogmatic, overbearing, slow, heavy or dull, can be a good\nSabbath-school teacher.\n\nIt is a mistake to suppose that one who is not understood, or is\nmisunderstood, is a good teacher.\n\nIt is a mistake to suppose he who gossips with his class is a good\nteacher.\n\nIt is a mistake to suppose, because we have a general idea beforehand,\nthat we shall be able to supply the details and illustrations as we go\nalong.\n\nIt is a great mistake to underrate oral teaching, and overrate merely\nreading and reciting from the Bible.\n\nIt is a great mistake to think that our scholars are too young to\nappreciate a well-prepared lesson or a well-governed school.\n\nIt is a mistake of teachers to expect attention from motives of duty,\nor the sacredness of the day or importance of subject--nothing but\nreal interest will secure it.\n\nIt is a mistake to teach as if all young children had the same\n_tastes_.\n\nIt is a great mistake to fail to arouse curiosity and awaken interest.\n\nIt is a mistake to suppose that we shall be understood without careful\nsimplicity of language.\n\nIt is a mistake not to recall by questions the last Sabbath's lesson,\nand to treat lessons as if they were isolated; by all means connect\nthem.\n\nIt is a great mistake for teachers to think that giving good advice or\nexhortation to children is as good as \"breaking down\" Bible truths\nwith questions and answers.\n\nIt is a mistake to suppose that many common terms, such as\n\"Providence,\" \"grace,\" repentance, justification, etc., convey any\nmeaning to children, ordinarily.\n\nIt is a mistake to attempt to purchase affection or attention by\nfrequent gifts to children; neither by threats nor punishments.\n\nIt is a great mistake of Sabbath-school teachers to suppose that their\nwork is that of a mere philanthropist--or a moral educator, or a mere\npromoter of social good order, or raising up of good citizens and\nchildren.\n\nIt is a mistake of teachers to expect a cold reception from parents.\n\nIt is a mistake of teachers to suppose that their manner and habits\nare unobserved by the children.\n\nIt is a mistake to avoid repetition with children--simplify and repeat.\n\nIt is a mistake to teach our children, that if they will be good and\nread the Bible, pray and join the Church, they will thereby go to\nheaven. Nothing but repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus\nChrist will secure that.\n\nIt is a great mistake for Sabbath-school teachers ever to teach Bible\ntruth without being really in _earnest_--calmly, cheerfully, seriously\nin _earnest_.\n\n\n\n\nXXXIII.\n\nHELPS FOR TEACHERS.\n\n\nEvery thorough workman ought to have the best of tools to work with,\nand the teacher should be furnished with all needful helps. The\n_indispensable_ books for a Sabbath-school teacher are--1st. A\ncomplete reference Bible--your own Bible. 2d. A Concordance. 3d. A\ngood Bible Dictionary. Add to these, accurate and careful observation\nto see in the opening flower, the falling leaf, the events of the day\nand the providence of God, rich and apt lessons for youthful hearts.\nOn opening my library door I notice upon the shelves most of the\nfollowing books, which, with others that are now out of print, have\naccumulated to meet my real wants as a Sabbath-school worker, and none\nof which I would be willing to part with:\n\n _Bibles._\n\n Family Bible, with Notes and Instructions.\n Annotated Paragraph Bible, 2 vols.\n Reference Bible, with Index and Maps.\n\n _Dictionaries, Cyclop\u00e6dias and Commentaries._\n\n Dictionary of the Bible. 1 or 3 vols.--_Smith._\n Dictionary of the Holy Bible.--_Robinson._\n Biblical Cyclop\u00e6dia. 3 vols.--_Kitto._\n Cyclop\u00e6dia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical\n   Literature.--_McClintock and Strong._\n Encyclop\u00e6dia of Religious Knowledge.--_Brown._\n Daily Bible Illustrations. 8 vols.--_Kitto._\n Comprehensive Commentary. 6 vols.--_Jenks._\n Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical Commentary.--_Lange._\n Expository Thoughts on the Gospels.--_Ryle._\n Studies in the Gospels.--_Trench._\n Notes on the New Testament. 11 vols.--_Barnes._\n The Gospel Treasury.--_Mimpriss._\n A Year with St. Paul.--_Knox._\n The Parables.--_Guthrie._\n Notes on the Miracles.--_Trench._\n Introduction to the Study of the Holy Scriptures.--_Horne._\n Notes on the Old Testament. 5 vols.--_Barnes._\n Notes on the Bible. 8 vols.--_Bush._\n\n _Books of Reference._\n\n Complete Concordance.--_Cruden._\n The Bible Hand-Book.--_Angus._\n The Treasury of Bible Knowledge.--_Ayre._\n Bible Months.--_Groser._\n Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures.--_Nicholls._\n Biblical Antiquities.--_Nevin._\n Scripture Text-Book and Treasury.\n English Synonyms.--_Crabbe._\n Works of Flavius Josephus.\n The Steps of Jesus.--_Mimpriss._\n A Theological Dictionary.--_Buck._\n\n _Bible Geography and Travel._\n\n Historical Text-Book and Atlas.--_Coleman._\n Biblical Researches in Palestine. 3 vols.--_Robinson._\n The Land and the Book. 2 vols.--_Thomson._\n Geography of Palestine.--_Groser._\n Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels.--_Jones._\n Little Foot-Prints in Bible Lands.--_Vincent._\n Bible Atlas and Gazetteer.\n\n _Hand-Books of Instruction._\n\n The American Sunday-School and its Adjuncts.--_Alexander._\n Forty Years' Experience in Sunday Schools.--_Tyng._\n Thoughts on Sabbath-Schools.--_Hart._\n The Good Teacher.--_Henderson._\n The Sabbath-School.--_Inglis._\n The Christian Teacher in Sunday-Schools.--_Steel._\n Rise and Progress of Sunday-Schools.--_Power._\n The Teacher Taught.--_Packard._\n The Sabbath-School Teacher.--_Todd._\n Our Sunday-School.--_Abbot._\n Sunday-School Photographs.--_Taylor._\n The Teacher Teaching.--_Packard._\n Nature's Normal School.--_Gall._\n The Infant Class.--_Reed._\n The Young Men's Class.--_Blacket._\n End and Essence of Sabbath-School Teaching.--_Gall._\n The Sabbath-School Concert.--_Trumbull._\n Hours with the Youngest. 2 vols.--_Gill._\n Helpful Hints for the Sunday-School Teacher.--_Vincent._\n Our Work.--_Groser._\n Teacher's Model and Model Teacher.--_Groser._\n The Use of Illustration.--_Freeman._\n Art of Questioning.--_Fitch._\n Illustrative Teaching.--_Groser._\n Model Sabbath-School Lesson.--_Wells._\n Art of Attention.--_Fitch._\n Introductory Class.--_Groser._\n Diamonds in the Dust.--_Reed._\n On Memory.--_Fitch._\n Training-Classes.--_Groser._\n Sunday-School Teaching.--_Whately._\n Teacher's Keys.--_Reed._\n Pictorial Teaching.--_Hartley._\n Bible Training.--_Stow._\n How to Teach.--_Groser._\n Senior Classes.--_Watson._\n Early and Infant-School Education.--_Currie._\n The Child and the Man.--_Greenwood._\n Our Material.--_Groser._\n Sabbaths with My Class.--_Green._\n\n _Anecdote and Illustration._\n\n The Biblical Treasury.\n Illustrative Gatherings. 2 vols.--_Bowes._\n Pilgrim's Progress.--_Bunyan._\n The Power of Illustration.--_Dowling._\n Illustrations of the Commandments.--_Cross._\n The Young Christian.--_Abbott._\n Anecdotes on the Old and New Testaments.\n Moral Lessons.--_Cowdery._\n Bible Blessings.--_Newton._\n Bible Jewels.--_Newton._\n Lectures to Children, 2 vols.--_Todd._\n Great Pilot.--_Newton._\n Grapes from the Great Vine.--_Breed._\n Safe Compass.--_Newton._\n Truth made Simple.--_Todd._\n Rills from the Fountain of Life.--_Newton._\n Addresses to Children.--_Green._\n The Child's Bible Stories. 4 vols.--_Kelly._\n Children and Jesus.--_Hammond._\n Peep of Day.\n Line upon Line.\n Precept upon Precept.\n Little Crowns, and How to Win Them.--_Collier._\n\n _General Education._\n\n Theory and Practice of Teaching.--_Page._\n Methods of Instruction.--_Wickersham._\n Outlines of Object-Teaching.--_Hailman._\n The Student's Manual.--_Todd._\n Home Education.--_Isaac Taylor._\n Primary Object Lessons.--_Calkins._\n The Elements of Moral Science.--_Wayland._\n The Observing Faculties.--_Burton._\n The Teacher.--_Abbott._\n\n _Periodicals for Teachers._\n\n The Sunday-School Times.--Weekly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Sunday-School Teacher.--Monthly.--_Chicago._\n The Sunday-School Teachers' Journal.--Monthly.--_New York._\n The Sunday-School World.--Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Sunday Teachers' Treasury.--Monthly.--_London._\n The Sunday-School Teacher.--Monthly.--_London._\n Scottish Teachers' Magazine.--Monthly.--_Edinburgh._\n\n _Periodicals for Youth._\n\n The Wellspring.--Weekly.--_Boston._\n The Youth's Evangelist.--Semi-Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n Sunday-School Advocate.--Semi-Monthly.--_New York._\n The Sabbath-School Visitor.--Semi-Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Child's World.--Semi-Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Young Reaper.--Semi-Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Child's Paper.--Monthly.--_New York._\n The Child at Home.--Monthly.--_Boston._\n The Children's Hour.--Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Carrier Dove.--Monthly.--_New York._\n The Child's Treasury.--Monthly.--_Philadelphia._\n The Youth's Temperance Banner.--Monthly.--_New York._\n Kind Words.--Monthly.--_Greenville, South Carolina._\n\n\n_The Teacher's Covenant._\n\nImpressed with the serious nature of the charge, will the faithful\nSabbath-school teacher enter into a written engagement with his\nSaviour, in words somewhat like the following?--\n\n 1. _I promise_ to be in my place punctually every Sabbath, at the\n time appointed, unless prevented by sickness, or some other cause so\n urgent that it would in like manner keep me from important worldly\n business.\n\n 2. _I promise_, in every such case of unnecessary absence, that I\n will use my utmost diligence to secure a suitable substitute, whom I\n will instruct in the character of the class and the nature of the\n duties to be performed.\n\n 3. _I promise_ to study carefully beforehand the lesson to be recited\n by the scholars, and to have the subject in my mind during the week,\n so that I shall be likely to lay hold of, and lay up for use,\n anything that I may meet with in my reading or experience that will\n illustrate or enforce the lesson of the approaching Sabbath.\n\n 4. _I promise_ to be diligent in informing myself about the books in\n the library, so that I can guide my scholars in selecting such books\n as will interest and profit them; also in becoming acquainted with\n other good books and tracts, so that I can always be prepared, as\n opportunities may occur, to lead their minds into right channels of\n thought.\n\n 5. _I promise_, whenever a scholar is absent from the class on the\n Sabbath, that I will visit that scholar before the next Sabbath,\n unless prevented by sickness, or by some other hindrance so grave\n that it would, under like circumstances, keep me from attending to\n important worldly interests.\n\n 6. _I promise_ to visit statedly _all_ my scholars, that I may become\n acquainted with their families, their occupations, and modes of\n living and thinking, their temptations, their difficulties, and the\n various means of reaching their hearts and consciences.\n\n 7. _I promise_, if any of my scholars or their parents do not attend\n statedly any place of worship, that I will make the case known to the\n superintendent and pastor, and that I will use continued efforts to\n induce such children and their parents to go to church regularly.\n\n 8. _I promise_ that every day, in my hour of secret prayer, I will\n pray distinctly, by name, for each one of my scholars, for their\n conversion, if they are still out of Christ; for their sanctification\n and growth in grace, if they are already converted.\n\n 9. _I promise_ that I will seek an early opportunity of praying with\n each scholar privately, either at his house or mine, or in some other\n convenient place that may be found, and of asking him in a serious\n and affectionate manner to become a Christian.\n\n 10. _I promise_, when I have thus prayed and conversed with each\n scholar once, that I will begin and go through the class again, not\n omitting any, and not discontinuing my attempts, but going on\n faithfully, week by week, month by month, and year by year.\n\n _Signed_,\n\n ____________________.\n\n\nTHE END.","title":"The Sabbath-School Index: Pointing out the history and progress of Sunday-schools, with approved modes of instruction.","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":59151}