that all true Protestants, and particularly that important class engaged in the blessed work of Sunday-school teaching, should be fully instructed in the fallaciousness of the arguments urged against evangelical truth. They are possessed of a very great privilege in the Sabbath; but are they well acquainted with their title to that privilege? They believe it to be of Divine; the Tractarian asserts that it is of human institution. It is the title he would wrest from us, the enjoyment he cannot dispute about; he is utterly ignorant of its nature, he knows not what it is to be "in the Spirit on the Lord's day." He has to do with candles, and crucifixes, and genuflexions, and is an entire stranger to the spiritual joy which Philip Henry felt when, at the close of the Sabbath, he exclaimed, "Well, if this be not the way to heaven, I do not know what is." He takes then the more direct way, and denies the title: he directs us to Colos. ii. 16. for the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath, and denies that the observance of the Lord's day was of Divine institution, but thinks it most probable that it was set apart by the Apostles, not with apostolic, but merely with episcopal authority, just as all other festivals have been appointed. Complaining a few days ago, that on Quinqagesima Sunday, the lessons for the purification (taken from the Apocrypha,) were read, instead of the proper Sunday lessons; I received the above as an answer, and was told that the purification was the greater festival. If a festival of human institution is to be placed before the "queen of days," may we not soon expect to see that blessed day reduced to a level with the festivals of St. Richard de Wicke, (April 3rd) and other gentry of the same class, so affectionately spoken of in the "Christian (?) Calendar," (just published by Burns,) which would bring down the fourth commandment to the standard of the "book of sports?" Let, then, some plain and concise arguments on the subject be laid before our Sunday-school Teachers, that they may be able to give an answer to those who deny the divine institution of the day they so deeply revere and love. May I be allowed to refer those, who have the means of reading them, to Dr. Dwight's convincing and Scriptural sermons on the fourth commandment. I think the last clause of our Church's seventh article proves, that she holds the fourth as well as the other nine commandments of the decalogue to be of moral obligation, making no exception for it in that article. Leaving it to your own view of the expediency of publishing this letter, I remain, Rev. and dear Sir,

Your faithful Servant in Christ, E. W.

College, Oxford, Feb. 18th, 1845.

CONSTRAINING LOVE, AND THE DUTY OF PRAYER. HONOURED SIR,-On referring to your October, No. of the "Teacher's Visitor," I was much delighted, and I trust edified, by the first article, viz. "A few hints on love." It would be egotism, to a degree to which I cannot but plead guilty, to suppose myself capable of penning anything worthy the attention of your numerous readers, but the subject is one so deeply interesting to my own mind, that should the following remarks be thought deserving a place in your invaluable periodical; I trust the earnestness here offered, may, in some measure, compensate for their defects. For my own part, truly may I say, during the former period of my labours in the Lord's vineyard, even amongst his beloved lambs, I was frequently much discouraged by the apathetic coldness evinced both by the teachers and the taught; and though we have reason to bless the Giver of all good, who has, within the last few months, sent a faithful and devoted servant amongst us, whose life is spent in imitation of that blessed Master, whose service is perfect freedom, who went about doing good; and though he has made considerable outward alteration, rousing us from our lethargy, and calling us forth to more active exertions, yet I fear a spirit far from what it ought to be still prevails. Oh, I call upon you, my fellow labourers, to pray for us. Send up your united prayers to the throne of grace, that we may be taught of God what and how to teach; and, in return, we will pray that the Lord will reward you a hundred fold into your own souls. But to return. Our acknowledged aim is to win souls to Christ; and if our own exterior be morose and frigid, what will avail all our inculcations of love? No, the first alteration must be in ourselves. We must be kindly affectioned to those dear ones, remembering that though we may have to bear with a wayward ungrateful child, two, three, five, or even twice that number of years, we must, I say, remember that love which has spared us thus long-which has led us by a way we knew not, and which is still untired, longsuffering, and of great goodness. Without love, which, as your correspondent observes, "must be the mainspring of all our actions," how can the principles of the Word of God be taught? Surely the Bible must be a sealed book to those whose hearts it does not warm with love; for we cannot open it in any part without finding pourtrayed in some way, that amazing love which passeth man's understanding. Again, the immortal souls thus in an especial manner placed under our care, must be the subjects of prayer; yes, of fervent, heartfelt prayer, that the seed sown may be watered from on High, till it take root

downward and bear fruit upward. Were all our solemn duties thus prayerfully performed, I think we are warranted from God's word in saying, we should not have so bitterly to lament the apparent fruitlessness of our labours. I say apparent, for I verily believe, till the sea restore her dead, and the earth no more cover her slain, all the souls brought to Christ by the weak instrumentality of sabbath-schools, and sabbath-school Teachers, shall not be made known to us: for he sometimes designs to work by very weak (and speaking after the manner of men, we should say inefficient) means but how can we give anything that name which is used by Him for so glorious a purpose? how will that Redeemed One's crown shine which has one such jewel in it?

That the Lord may most abundantly bless the work you have taken in hand to the good of souls, is the sincere prayer of your unworthy servant in Christ.

Feb. 1845.

W. C.

PLAN FOR SCRIPTURE LESSONS.

REV. SIR,-In looking over your valuable little work, ("The Teacher's Visitor,") I have not seen any regular plan suggested for Scripture Lessons in our Sunday-schools; will you therefore allow me to lay before your readers one which has been used for the last five years in the school to which I have the privilege to belong, and which, during that period, has worked very well. Our minister (who is considered the first officer in the school) chooses a subject, and selects a sufficient number of texts, bearing on that subject, to last for either three or six months; by which means a body of information is pressed on the mind of both Teacher and children, which perhaps neither would or could be attained in any other way: added to which, it is a guide and help to the Teacher, particularly to the young and inexperienced. The subjects gone through are the following:

On Prayer.

The Fall and Recovery of Man.

The Duty of Children to their Parents.

Our Duty to our Neighbour.

Our Duty to those set in Authority over us.

The Duty of Christian People toward their Ministers.

The Sabbath.

The Public Worship of God.

The Use and Abuse of the Tongue.

The Necessity of Inward Purity.

Prophecies relating to the First Coming of Christ, with their Accomplishment.

The Second Coming of Christ, and our Duty in reference to that Great Event.

The Personality, Divinity, and Work of the Holy Spirit.

The Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I have copied the list in the order we have had them, and enclosed one as a specimen of the way in which they are given to the children.

We usually have them printed, as it is much less trouble than writing them. Each child in the first six or seven classes has one of the cards to take home, that she might come to school on the Sabbath prepared with her lessons.

Should you think the plan useful to any one who are engaged in Sunday-school teaching, I shall be happy to copy the whole of the texts on each subject, and forward to you.

Our plan for Reading Lessons is, in many respects, similar to that recommended in the January number. The morning Reading Lessons commence with the creation, and end with the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, and occupies two years. The afternoon Lessons is the history of Christ, as compiled from the four Gospels, and occupies one year.

We have also a very nice method, by which each Teacher keeps an account of the early attendance, good conduct, &c. of the children of her class, which, while it does not increase the work of the Teacher, takes much from the arduous duties of the Superintendent; but as I am not aware how far such information would be useful to your readers, I will not now trouble you with the details ; but

should feel great pleasure in forwarding any information likely to be useful to those of my fellow-labourers in the vineyard of Christ, whose heart's desire and prayer is, that they might win souls, and be made instrumental in the salvation of sinners, and the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom; and now, my dear sir, hoping that the work of the Lord may prosper in your hands, and that you may be the honoured instrument of stirring up the young Christians of this our highly favoured land, to give themselves to this work of faith and labour of love, allow me to subscribe myself

A SABBATH-SCHOOL TEACHER IN THE WEST OF ENGLAND. March 13th, 1845.

ON THE CHOICE OF SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHERS. MR. EDITOR,-Surely, it is a very important point to decide who should be selected as Sunday-school Teachers. The opinions of even godly persons differ so widely, that most thankful will many feel for a few hints on this head from our worthy Editor. I have always considered that none ought to be appointed to teach others who have not themselves been taught of God. And it seems delightful to see the pastor of a village selecting as his fellow-labourers those whom he hopes are taught by the Spirit of God. They have one Lord and Master to serve, one main object in view, and are sure of sharing one glorious home in eternity. They drink out of one fountain, and can strengthen the hands of their minister by their earnest prayers and faithful labours.

But I meet with many who differ. They say: "Get hold of some respectable young persons; put them in your Sunday-school as Teachers, that they may get good." This seems doing evil that good may come. Our first object in Sunday-school teaching is trying to educate the children. Surely we ought not to sacrifice the children's for the Teacher's good. How can we expect those who care not for their own souls to labour after the souls of others? How is it possible that the dear little ones can be taught the right road by a Teacher who is going the wrong road? Then we know that children pick up evil sooner than good. How can we warn children against worldly pleasure, vanity, dress, and show, when their very Teachers do not carry into practice our advice? O give us (if possible) pious Teachers; for gracious principle is the only sure hold on a person. Talk to a worldly Teacher of the evil of temper, or love of dress, or pleasure, you may talk, and talk in vain. But let the Spirit of God once guide a heart, and then we