liberty, in submitting to rule; and the teacher who consults his own happiness, the comfort of others, and the prosperity of the cause, will be as rigid a disciplinarian upon himself, as if the permanent well-being of the school depended upon himself.

Nor will the teacher who desires to be acquainted with his work content himself with the mere routine of orderly duty. He will seek to do everything as efficiently as possible; and for this pur pose, he will constantly be aiming at self-improvement. All his duties will be gone about with intelligence and energy. He will be invariably interested himself in what he is doing, because he understands it, and feels its importance; and the result will be, that his class will be interested too; for you rarely see a teacher who takes pains with his mind and methods of teaching, who has the mortification of addressing himself to a listless class. In going round the classes in a school, I would engage to report, from the very look of things, what number of efficient teachers are engaged in the work.

In the present day, the aids to the right discharge of Sunday-school duties are so numerous, that it is a teacher's own fault if he remains unqualified. And yet, even here, I cannot but suspect some danger in the Sunday-school teacher's path. When we had fewer helps, perhaps we drew more on our own resources; and thus probably secured for ourselves an equal, and, in some instances, a higher average of suitable qualification. The most important thing is to learn to think; for if we have thoughts, and feel their importance, we shall be able, with some degree of in

* I should be unfaithful to my convictions,

if I did not make honourable mention here of

the valuable aids afforded, of late years, by the Sunday-school Union, to teachers, in its Scriptural Lessons. But teachers should not confine

their studies to these. Most valuable assistance may be derived from Mrs. David's late work, and from the able and interestive manuals of Mr. Mimpriss.

terest, to impart them to others. I observe,

IV. THAT THE "SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHER, ACQUAINTED WITH HIS Work," will WATCH OVER HIS SPIRIT.

Every sphere has its besetments and temptations; and the Sunday - school teacher is by no means exempt from the operation of this common law. There is danger, lest pride and vanity should mar his whole work. I am sure I have seen this happen. Nor do I wonder at the fact, when I look at the circumstances of the case. A youth, often but ill-instructed himself, becomes a teacher in one of our Sunday-schools. His new position attaches importance to him; and, if he is not sensitive to his danger, he is apt to forget how little he knows, and to think mainly of himself in the character of instructor. Where this is the case, there is ordinarily an end to all improvement; and the once hopeful youth becomes stunted both in intellectual and spiritual growth, and is really injured by his accession to the Sunday-school.

Now, the only effectual counteraction to this state of mind is a calm and steady determination to seek, by all legitimate means, an increase of knowledge. This will show the aspiring youth his remaining ignorance, and will preserve him from wrecking his little barque on the rock of spiritual pride. A Sunday-school teacher who aims steadily at the cultivation of his mind, will not be likely to give pain to those who have reached higher attainments than himself; and he will be sure to receive the aid and greeting of those who are able to direct his reading, and to give a useful bias to the knowledge which he may acquire.

I take it that humility, zeal, affection, and devotion, combine to constitute that temper of mind which is the ornament, the dignity, and the protection of the Sunday-school teacher. If he is humble, he will ever realize his infirmity and short-coming in the sight of God, and this will prompt him to exercise forbearance and lowliness of mind towards others, his associates in the work to

which he has been called. It will moreover, also, draw down upon his labour that blessing, without which all will be in vain; for "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." If he is full of hallowed zeal, kindled at the foot of the cross, and sustained by the power of faith, he will never become "weary in well-doing;" he will never be unwilling to make sacrifices; he will never be absorbed in self; he will never yield to discouragements; he will never sacrifice the great object to which he has devoted his life for any of those trifling mortifications which may spring up in his path; -but will go forward with persevering determination in his work, feeling that he is devoted to the noblest undertaking that can engage the energies of any human being under the sun. If he is endowed with a loving spirit, he will be a link of hallowed fellowship among all who take part with him in his work of faith. His will truly be a labour of love; there will be an atmosphere of kindness surrounding him, which will endear him to his class, and to his fellow-teachers. Never will he fan the embers of strife; never will he originate petty and unmanly jealousies; never will he wait for the halting of any of his associates; but, studying the meekness and gentleness of his Divine Master, he will diffuse the fragrance of his character all around him, and will prove himself, though unconscious of it, to be a "Sunday-school teacher, acquainted with his work." If he is eminently given to prayer, he will lay hold upon Omnipotence, and will draw down upon all his labours the smile, the approbation, and the blessing of God. I observe,

FINALLY: THAT "THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHER, ACQUAINTED WITH HIS WORK' WILL KEEP HIS EYE STEADFASTLY FIXED ON THE COMING REWARD.

He forgets not the present reward-the reward of a good conscience, that he is seeking in his work to please God, and to save souls; the reward of faithful

ness and diligence which attends on him who is no loiterer in his work;— the reward of the approbation of the wise and the good, who see and smile upon his unostentatious and faithful toil; the reward of that success with which God crowns his endeavours in the attention, the improvement, and the affection of his class;—the reward of the co-operation and esteem of his fellow-labourers, who regard him as "a brother-beloved," and who would look upon his retirement from office as a calamity to the school. But, beyond all this, he looks forward to a higher and more permanent testimony to the work in which he is engaged. He lives in the immediate prospect of an eternal world. He anticipates the period when he and his youthful charge shall meet before the great white throne. To that final and solemn hour he seeks to refer the results of his present anxious endeavours to save the souls of the young committed to him; with humble hope he expects to meet some of them as his "joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord;" he thinks with rapture of seeing them as sparkling gems in the crown of the glorious Mediator; he looks forward to the reward of faithful service; he endures all his toil, and anxiety, and self-sacrifice, in prospect of listening at last to that welcome and joyful plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The Sunday-school teacher, who thus labours in the full view of eternity-in full prospect of his great and solemn account-in full purpose of heart that he will be faithful unto death-in the full consciousness that he is Christ's servant, and that from Christ at last he shall receive his crown and his rewardaffords demonstrative proof that he is acquainted with his work, and that he is one who gives himself to it in the spirit of faith, self-sacrifice, prayer, and dependence on the grace and blessing of God.

GREAT efforts have been made, for the last fifty years, to benefit the young; and the labours of pious and devoted sabbathschool teachers have unquestionably been greatly blest. Still we firmly believe, that if Maternal Associations had commenced at the same time, the good would have been tenfold. It would seem that we began at the wrong end-to purify the streams, while the fountain has been permitted to retain all its impurity: the consequence is, that much of the good done by the teacher on the sabbath-day, has been more than undone by the ungodly parents during the week. Nor are all professing parents free from the same charge. There is often too much indulgence among them;-it is painful to see the conduct of the children of many who call themselves Christians, not only among the poor, but in the circles of somewhat educated families. Maternal meetings are of great importance on many accounts; and we have often been surprised at the opposition they receive from many, who certainly ought to do everything in their power to encourage those who conduct them. All must admit, that the mother can train the child to almost any way of thinking and acting she pleases;-is it not important, then, that her mind should be rightly informed and directed on the subject of her duties and responsibilities? It appears to us that the intention of Maternal Associations is first to awaken in the minds of mothers a proper sense of these duties and responsibilities. We think it will not be denied, by any who have thought on the subject, that mothers generally, and even many Christian mothers, have thought very little of these things; one design, then, of these meetings is, to bring the mind to deep and serious reflection on these points; and secondly, to impart and receive instruction on the subject of maternal duties, and the best method of performing them. Many mothers must necessarily be very ignorant on the subject of their duties, because they are

unable to read the word of God; too many think, that to procure food and raiment for their little ones is all that is required of them: their ignorance will be no valid excuse for their neglect at the bar of God. There are others who can read, but who give little or no attention to what the Bible says on the subject. But suppose they did, even then they may surely learn together the best modes of imparting instruction to their children. The commands of God are most plain and positive to parents. He holds out great and precious promises for their encouragement, and places before them some pleasing and painful examples of parental neglect, or parental fidelity, that they may imitate the one and avoid the other;-but he does not state any particular method of instruction in his word. Is it not important, then, that mothers should have the instructions of wise and holy men, who have studied the word of God on the subject? and also the experience of wise and pious mothers? The members of the association should, as far as they can, study not only the inspired writings, but others also. Every mother should get all the information she can, consult all the best authors she can have access to, and then share the fruits of her labour among the members of the society. There are many who have not the time and means, and many more who have not the ability of acquiring the necessary information. Societies are intended to meet the case of such, as well as for the mutual improvement and benefit of all. Pious and educated members should be all working bees; and all the honey gathered from every source should be made the common property of the whole. Pious and affluent mothers, will you leave ignorant mothers and children to perish? Seek to benefit them, and you will benefit yourselves and your children. Thirdly, they afford mothers an opportunity of meeting in social prayer for their husbands, their children, and themselves. By means of maternal meetings, many