holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Ver. 10.) It appears the object was accomplished for "All the people made great mirth because they had understood the words that were delivered unto them." (Ver. 12.) T. J.

SHOULD CHILDREN BE TAUGHT TO

DEAR MR. EDITOR,

PRAY?

The following questions were put to me a few days since, and not being very clear on the subject myself, I should be glad if you would reply to them in the pages of your valuable magazine.

1. Is it right to teach young children to pray? Have we any scriptural warrant for doing so?

2. If a right thing to do, should it be by a form of prayer, or their own thoughts put into words?

3. At what age should they begin, and how early should they be told of "Jesus and His love?"

As a mother and Sunday-school teacher I feel these are important questions, and which every christian parent should be clear about.

We give no reward tickets in our Sunday school. Do you think they are an encouragement to good behaviour, as well as committing to memory texts of scripture?

The Lord is stirring us up to greater interest in the school, and we look for His blessing and the conversion of some of our scholars as the result of it. Any suggestions you can offer will be valued by A TEACHER.

It is clearly the duty of a christian parent to

instruct his own children in the scriptures. It was so under the law. The Israelites were commanded to "lay up" the words given by Moses for themselves, and then it was said, "Ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deut. xi. 19.)

In the New Testament it is, "Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. vi. 4.)

Now a part of this training would be to teach that every good and perfect gift cometh down from God, and that He will in no wise cast out those that go to Him. As Creator He watches over all His creatures and feeds them: "He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry." (Ps. cxlvii. 9.) Not a sparrow falls without the knowledge of God: how much better is a man or a child!

Thus a child should be taught that every temporal mercy comes from God, and all should thank Him for His goodness.

Then of course would come instruction as to right and wrong and the evil of our nature, and the work of Christ in dying for little children as well as men and women. And that Jesus is as ready and willing to receive and bless young children, as He was when He was on earth and took them up in His arms. They can be told that, though in heaven, the Lord Jesus hears all requests from the youngest child-none can be too young. Luke xviii. 15, says that they brought to our Lord infants, and He rebuked His disciples for attempting to hinder their being brought. Again, "out

of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise," bringing it down to children at the breast.

Now in this there would be the teaching children to pray and to thank God for all His mercies, not in any set form of words-for who would venture to make up a prayer for even a child? but in their own simple words that they themselves can understand. They should also be taught that as their parents do not give them all they ask for, neither will God give them what they ask for, unless He sees it is for their good; so they must not be discouraged if they do not get all they ask. As to rewards. Can we do better than follow the example God has set? A cup of cold water given to a disciple shall in no wise lose its reward. Rewards must not be our motive, but they may be encouragement.

FRAGMENTS.

Or the Missionaries who have gone from Great Britain to the heathen, nineteen-twentieths are said to have received their first religious impressions in the Sunday school, and of the evangelical ministers under forty years of age, more than twothirds were converted at these schools.

A table of statistics says, out of nine hundred convicts only forty-seven had ever ever been in a Sunday school, and of these only seventeen had ever been regular scholars.

"Do you not think it a hopeless work to attempt to carry Christianity into India?" said a fainthearted young minister to the Duke of Wellington. "Obey your marching orders, sir," answered the brave old soldier, "Do not they say, Go preach the gospel to every creature?"

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"COME YE YOURSELVES APART."

Mark vi. 31.

COME apart, ye busy workers,

To the one "Chief Shepherd's" side,
Come where His dear flock are resting
In the stillness of noontide:
Other voices hushed and silent,

Listen to His voice alone,

Learn His" thoughts of good toward you,"
Far, far better than your own.

Closer, closer gather round Him,
Sit like Mary at His feet:
Tarry till your hearts grow warmer,
Quicker all your pulses beat.
There behold His wondrous beauty,
The perfection of His ways,
Then, if you are cold and silent,

Shall the stones not speak His praise?

Come with Him, in thought retracing
All His path of matchless grace;
Who from highest heights of glory,
Stooped to take the lowest place-
Offered love for cruel hatred,

Glory in return for shame,
Life for death, and joy for sorrow-
Oh such love is worth the name!

Strength renewing for the conflict,
Grace supplying for your need,
Happy, then, thrice happy servants,
Ready for your Lord indeed.

Soon shall your own eyes behold Him,
Grown familiar to your heart-
Yes, "Himself" and "not a stranger"-
Nevermore to dwell apart.

Here a little while to serve Him,
Jewels for His crown to bring,

Then to cast your crowns before Him,
Whilst His endless praise you'll sing.

M. A. W.

London: GEORGE MORRISH, 20, Paternoster Square."

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