The neglect of this simple rule has been productive of the most lamentable consequences in the religious education of the young; for, by the want of attention to these three particulars, many active and noble-minded sunday school children have acquired such a distaste for religious instruction as could never in after-life be wholly removed. This is a melancholy truth.

The cultivation of a cheerful and intelligent, though serious style of teaching, as a part of the duty of a sunday school teacher, demands more attention than it has hitherto received. The effects produced upon the minds of children by scriptural truths are greatly modified by the feelings that are excited during the time these truths are being delivered. When the language employed is energetic, and yet full of tenderness, interest, if not delight will be awakened; but when it is tedious and melancholy, weariness and distress will assuredly follow. The aspect of your style while presenting the offers of mercy will be intimately combined with the great message which you have to deliver: you must therefore see that attention to the style of language which you adopt, as well as to the tones in which you utter the words, are no trivial matters; but necessary and important parts of your duty. If your words are unsuitable, and your tones full of harshness, you will certainly degrade your high profession, and you may cause those perishing sinners to whom you are sent, to treat with contempt the proffered pardon, and to reject those gracious conditions, on which alone reconciliation and everlasting life can be obtained and secured.

In a limited sense, you are, as a sunday school teacher, an "ambassador for Christ;" and the message which you have to deliver is truly sublime. Then let not the meanness of the dress in which you appear dishonour your Sovereign, or the inappropriate words in which you deliver his life-giving message make it of none effect. The continued love of the offended king for helpless rebels-his intense compassion for their wretched condition-and his unceasing offers of pardon and peace, are subjects which may, without prolixity or wearisomeness, be so set before guilty sinners, as to awaken penitence and call forth love. Dwell upon these subjects yourself in secret, and then you will be enabled to present them with power, brevity, and effect, unto your scholars.

Avoid a declamatory or argumentative style of teaching: instruction so communicated may be adapted to the pulpit, but it is very unsuitable for children in a sunday school class. It is far better, by easy questions and pointed remarks, to call forth the thoughts, and draw out the minds of your scholars, than to attempt to fill their heads with clever arguments, or burden their memories with lengthened essays. Long discourses, even though they be most admirably constructed, weary children. Be short-but be very plain.

Endeavour so to communicate knowledge that you cannot be misunderstood; and when the subject has been previously taught, always question each individual in the class, before you reiterate instruction: ascertain, as far as practicable, what opinions your scholars have formed upon the subject; and if these opinions are false or mean, try to remove them. Never ridicule opinions that are offered, however foolish or monstrous they at first appear :—the exertion of mind that produced these strange opinions may assist future efforts, and under your guidance lead to the attainment of more correct and elevated views.

The first steps in the path of knowledge are rugged and difficult; inequalities scarcely discernible to others, are serious stumbling-blocks to the little infant. The gospel which you have to set forth is very simple when it is understood, but it cannot be understood without an effort. The object which it presents is not tangible, and the early efforts of children to seize abstract subjects are always tiresome and sometimes painful; demanding at once the compassion and assistance of the teacher. Do not forget that the task which you have to impose on your scholars is not easy to their immature minds :-the great facility with which the instructor can grasp the whole subject, does not remove the difficulties which are felt by the little pupil in apprehending only a part:-lessen, therefore, by appropriate suggestions and unseen helps, the difficulty which the scholars are unable to surmount. Do not give direct help except it be required; even little children like to go alone-and why should they not, if they can? but, if aid be wanted, give it with a ready and liberal hand; for a little encouragement and welltimed assistance will work wonders. Two or three preparatory suggestions often lead to the desired point. Give help when it is needed, and not before.

During the whole time of instruction let no spare or idle moments be found. Teach in a lively and continuous manner, keeping all the scholars close to the exercises :—when the weather is very hot, the school-room much confined, and the children very young, this will require some ingenuity and application; but that principle which devises means to attain its object when greater difficulties interpose, will suggest many suitable contrivances. Consider the nature of children; they are active beings, and have minds which must be engaged; their thoughts will rove abroad if they are not fully occupied at school. Slow speech and lengthened sentences allow time for wandering thoughts; but cheerful and energetic teaching will engage the mind, and a rapid succession of ideas will prevent the thoughts from going astray. Remember, that it is possible to weary the most attentive class.

Do not attempt too much at one time-and let each lesson that you teach have " a beginning, a middle, and an end:" the beginning should arrest the attention—the middle should inform the mind-the end should affect the heart; four words sum up the whole-explain, illustrate, interrogate, apply.—Collins.

SCRIPTURE LESSON MEETINGS.

The scripture lessons for the present year, published by the Sunday School Union, are arranged with great judgment, and afford important aid to the sunday school teacher in his work.

In the school which I am connected with, a weekly meeting of the above name has been established, which is devoted to the study of the particular scripture lesson fixed on the list for the following sabbath. The useful effects which have attended these meetings induce me to make known our plan for the benefit of other schools. All the teachers instructing the testament classes, who can conveniently attend, are present. The superintendent presides. He opens the meeting with a short appropriate prayer. The passage is then read-the first time without remark. In the second reading, each verse or number of verses which may embrace a particular portion of the subject is read separately; the superintendent, who is of course ex

pected to have prepared himself by a thorough study of the subject, comments on the passage, explains difficulties, and endeavours to draw out the remarks of all the teachers. Each teacher is at liberty to ask any question on any part of the subject. The superintendent is also free to question the teachers in his turn. The main design of the meeting is to bring all the varied talents of the different teachers to bear upon one distinct point, so that the particular subject may be clearly and thoroughly understood. A delightful interest has frequently been excited; the most useful train of conversation has been suggested on subjects of eternal importance; and the teachers can all, I believe, bear their testimony, that on these occasions they have become more familiar with different portions of the divine word, and have acquired a fulness of knowledge on the subject of instruction which has eminently facilitated their labours and increased their usefulness on the sabbath.

THE STAMP OF CHARACTER.

We ought not to fix the reputation of any man from a remark made on one or two of his actions; but from observations of the usual habits of his life. Temptation may hurry him out of the command of his principles and constrain him to act below himself. An opposite class of excited feelings may prompt him with unusual ardour to act above himself. We do not, for example, judge of David's real character by the heroic bearing in which he met Goliah of Gath; nor by his unhallowed conduct toward Uriah the Hittite; nor by the mournful attitude in which his spirit is reflected in the fifty-first Psalm. It was the balance of these fitful displays of honour and dishonour against the habitual tenor of his course, that gained for him the appellation of " the man after God's own heart."

Besides, as most of our actions are done in concert with other minds, they partake of their wisdom or folly, their principles and their passions. We are thus made to wear the character of other men, which befits us perhaps no better than their garments would. To judge of a man when he is carried beyond himself by the power of accidental impulse from within, or by

the impetuosity of strong external temptation, is much the same as to say, that the air of a certain district is impure or wholesome, because the weather happened to be tranquil or stormy on that single day which we spent there.

Such, then, is the standard which reason and charity would employ in forming our opinion respecting the character of our fellow-men. It is still of vastly more consequence for man to have some test by which he may judge how he stands in the view of that eye which is ever on his heart. Human opinion here is of no importance, whether it lead to praise or blame. “He that judgeth me is the Lord.”

Some time ago I was deeply affected by an illustration of this point, by some remarks said to be from Dr. Owen. The sentiment is this:-As a minister, I must not judge of my personal religion by the delight I enjoy in the pulpit. The glorious theme is inspiring to imagination—to intellect―to feeling. The magic of the approving hearers stirs the heart; their earnest looks, and their tears too, are enchanting to the mind. The pleasure arising to me from these services, and such as these, may possibly be nothing better than the gratification of self-love, or the joyous fluttering of vanity.

Again, I may also be deceived by the happiness which I experience in the exercise of domestic religion. The discharge of mere duty soothes the keen sense of responsibility; the hope of training a family to habits of pious observances may feed parental pride; and even the desire of saving those whom nature has made unspeakably dear to us may, when closely examined, be nothing better than the emotion which inspired that unholy fondness of the mother, who approached the Saviour for the sake of obtaining for her two sons, that they might sit, "the one on thy right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom.” All this, and more than this, may be selfish joy. I can only regard real pleasures as the test of religious character, when they spring up within the conscious breast in the exercise of secret fellowship with God. When solitude is the paradise of the soul, then it may be safe to think of our feelings as being pure as well as pleasant. David dared not to trust to the excitements of public worship as infallible signs of piety. Hence referring to the delightful emotions of the sanctuary, he thought of a defect which private devotion alone could