was revealed unto babes ;" and with what readiness and simplicity of language does he teach his disciples to pray, immediately after he had taught them by his example; for it was just at the time when he had been praying himself that one of his disciples said unto him, "Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.' "* Thus, as the scholars of Christ were taught both by his precept and example to pray, should the Sabbath School scholars be taught by the precept and example of their teachers to do

the same.

The next great lesson given to us by the example of our divine Master, and which should be transcribed into the life of "This is my every Sabbath School teacher, is benevolence. commandment," said he to those whom he taught, "that ye love one another as I have loved you." Let every teacher inculcate the same lesson: let it be manifest to every scholar that the teacher really loves him, and has his interest at heart; and that it is equally the duty and interest of scholars to love one another. Let this lesson of Christain love be frequently and earnestly enforced, and every learner be taught that selfishness is a sin. The boundless benevolence of CHRIST is a theme on which the Christian teacher will delight to dwell.

This is not the place for expatiating on that immeasurable love which brought our blessed Master from Heaven to suffer and to die for us; but let the glorious truth never be forgotten. Our present design is rather to contemplate his character as a teacher, and to inculcate the doctrine that the same mind must be in us that was in him, for "if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his." Now, it is evident that with the teachings of Christ were connected the most benevolent feelings towards those who were attending him: With what promptitude and tenderness did he administer to their temporal wants, and heal their maladies; how readily did he go from one place to another to do them good, or to do good to those with whom they were connected ;—and although he had not a piece of money when called upon to pay tribute, nor even a place where to

lay his head yet, it is evident, from incidental circumstances, that out of the little means occasionally at his disposal he contributed to the necessities of the poor.* The Sabbath School teacher should follow this example, so far as it is in his power. He should endeavour to find out, and do what he can to alleviate, the temporal necessities of the children under his care; he should visit them and their parents in sickness, or in any other affliction; he should endeavour to find suitable situations for the children when they are old enough to go from home for employment, and should watch their progress, and endeavour to preserve in their minds a recollection of the lessons they have learnt.

Thirdly. The instructions which CHRIST gave to his disciples were generally short, and might easily be comprehended by the plainest understanding. They were often illustrated by parables, and were well calculated, by the simplicity of the style and the beauty of the illustration, to fix the attention of his hearers. And there is nothing more worthy of imitation than this. Let teachers but once fix the attention of their scholars, and they will be sure of success. The youthful mind is naturally volatile: it has to learn the habit of attention; and when this habit is acquired education is easy.

Lastly. It is of the highest importance that the example of our divine Teacher should be followed in referring to the scriptures: He repeatedly appealed to them to enforce the truth of what he taught; and the appeal was never made in vain. In his contention with Satan, and in his arguments with the unbelieving Jews, as well as in his conversations with his friends, and even when nailed to the cross, he either referred to the scriptures then extant, or adopted the language. He constantly spake of them as books of authority: he quoted them for instruction, for admonition, and in prayer; and he inculcated the spiritual sense of them. Let the Christian teacher do the same : the rich treasures of the Old and New Testaments are in his hands, and he must bring forth from thence things new and old with discretion, and so teach his scholars not only to read, but also to "mark, learn, and inwardly digest," the sacred truths of divine revelation.

*John 13. 29.

Thus will a good foundation be laid for a Christian life, and both teacher and scholar be richly rewarded. But after all, let this great truth be deeply impressed on the minds and hearts of those for whom these observations are designed, that of themselves they are but unprofitable servants, and that this great work of religious instruction, and all our works, must be begun, continued, and ended in God: they must be performed with "fear and trembling :" with fear, lest we should fail of the grace of God; and with trembling, lest we should forget that of ourselves we can do nothing, but that it is "God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure;" and to him let all the glory be ascribed.

HINTS FOR THE FORMATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS-continued.

By experience it has been found, that the good will and cooperation of parents are as essentially requisite to the success of every Sunday School, as the regular attendance and willing attention of their children. Experience has also taught, that nothing will gain that good will sooner than an introductory visit; and if the visit be conducted in a proper manner, it will insure the co-operation of the parents with every plan of the teacher, and will lay the foundation of future visits, which, if pursued with regularity and discretion, will form the links of a chain that will bind the scholar to his duty.

There are instances, perhaps, in which introductory visits have produced no good; but this has happened through the injudicious manner of conducting them. Some teachers, sanguine in their expectations, and eager to attain their object, have met with a repulse through the harsh, abrupt, and arbitrary manner of introducing the subject of the school: they expected that a hint would insure success; but meeting with direct opposition to their views, they have retired disappointed, and sometimes discouraged-regretting that parents should be found so blind to the welfare, and so opposed to the improvement, of their own children. Let such teachers reflect for a moment on the opposition to the introduction of Christianity, and the persecution

of those who laboured so hard to introduce it, and that such persécution was by the most enlightened of that age, then will they neither be surprised nor disheartened should they meet with opposition from the most ignorant of their own. Teachers may

say, if parents will not be persuaded that any good can result from the schools; if they will continue to oppose every benevolent effort; if the children, Sabbath after Sabbath, must be driven as it were to school, "and forced to participate in its benefits, then let their blood be upon their own heads-we can, and will fill our schools with such as willingly and cheerfully attend, and whose parents, with heart-felt gratitude, will thank us for the opportunity thus kindly and disinterestedly offered." If such be their language, they have forgotten the very object of Sunday School instruction. When Sunday Schools were first instituted they were intended to benefit the worst and most ignorant of children; and there are now many who, in the whole course of their lives, have never received one word of moral or religious instruction, and who have been allowed by their careless and unthinking parents to loiter round our docks, streets, and market places, Sabbath after Sabbath, without instruction; such children and such parents most need the assistance of a Sunday School; and with such, too much prudence and circumspection cannot be used even when introducing the name of Sunday School instruction.

Many parents are so indifferent to any mental or moral improvement of their children that they would only be interested. by views of advantage of a temporal nature. To such persons such views should be laid open, and instead of endeavouring to excite the feelings on the side of religion or conscience, at the first visit, let this be the work of some future visit.

As to the children, let the first object of the teacher be to bring them willingly to school, by exciting their curiosity and making them anxious for information when they are there. That eminent philosopher, Professor Stewart, observes, that it is the first business of education to rouse the curiosity of the pupil, and direct it to its proper object.

In the exposition of the object and rules of the school, then, let some minute relations be given of interesting facts relative

!

to Sunday Schools, such as the history of any child who has derived. considerable good from being connected with such, an institution, and curiosity will be excited to go to a place where any thing so strange and extraordinary has occurred, when a higher motive may fail.

In the introductory visit to parents, and on every subsequent interview, teachers are recommended to be affable, circumspect, and above all, unassuming. Before entering the house they should reflect seriously on their duty; which is to obtain, if possible, the willing and regular attendance of the children, that they may be morally and religiously instructed, and receive a little of that common learning which is requisite for the daily purposes of life. Prudence is necessary in forming the plan with discretion, in accommodating it to the various dispositions of mankind. How much discretion is necessary when teachers discuss with parents the topic of governing their children. Too often teachers have been so imprudent as to blame parents for their mode of management in the presence of their children. This is humbling, it is degrading their parents in the eyes of those very children who are constantly to be taught to obey them. To govern and to correct are generally synonymous terms with some parents, and by being acquainted with the habits and dispositions of the children they think they are much better qualified to correct them than others; but sometimes their opposition is founded more in a sense of mortified pride than any conviction that their method is superior to the one recommended by a teacher.

The following course of conduct, adopted by one of the best regulated schools in New-York, has been crowned with all the success that could be expected. The parents of every child, previous to the admission of that child into the school, have been visited; the object of the school has been explained to them, the rules for the behaviour and attendance of their children have been minutely detailed, and an agreement has been entered into between the parents and the teachers to act in concert. Measures of this kind, by showing parents how much depends upon their own exertions, will give them some idea of their own consequence, and will attach more importance to