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THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

From "Sunday at Home."

THE people of our Christian land
Have cause to bless the men who planned
That place of gentle power and rule,
The noble British Sunday School;

For there the poor man's child may come,
As to a consecrated home,

And in its hallowed precincts find
Knowledge and comfort for the mind.

The man of toil has many a care,
And little, haply, can he spare,
To teach and elevate his child,
And keep its nature undefiled;
But here, whate'er his creed, or none,
His offspring will be looked upon
With kindly eyes, and shown the way
That opens into joyful day.

Some men of toil, though husbands, sires,
May cherish selfish, low desires,

And waste the means which, wisely spent,
Would bring their household calm content;
Or they may be-how sad the case!
In language rude, of manners base,
And by a false and fierce control
Corrupt the young untutored soul.

Then more the need that there should be
This refuge of humanity,

Where one day, happiest of the seven,

The child may learn of love and heaven.

But if the mother does not feel

For moral and religious weal,
If all her better instincts sleep,
Well may the pitying angels weep.

'Tis pleasant on a sabbath morn,
When music on the air is borne,
To see young children, trim and neat,
Come forth from many a crowded street,
From mountain side, and vale and lea,
Where'er their dwelling-place may be,
To seek the Sunday School again,
Their own unbought and free domain.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

And is it not a joy, I ask,

To hear them at the holy task,

Like bees assiduous in the hive,

Hoarding the sweets on which they thrive?
Seeking to know, and know aright,
The sacred word, the gospel light,
The glorious gospel which has power
To cheer the Christian's darkest hour.

"Tis grand on some great holiday
To see their orderly array;

Marshalled by zealous men, whose pride
Is to be with them, side by side.
They go to spend a day of joy
Unmingled with the world's alloy,
In nature's presence to adore,

And learn from God one lesson more.

They seek the woodland's slumbrous shade,
Which the fierce sun can scarce invade,
Where, banquet done, and prayer preferred,
The foliage of the trees is stirred
With a thanksgiving hymn of power,
That sanctifies that sylvan bower;
Whilst angels listening with glad eyes,
Call the song upward to the skies.

Such days supply them through the year
With thoughts of pleasantness and cheer,
Enhance their love of harmless things,
And quicken young devotion's wings.
Ye careful parents, when ye find
Good seed sown in the youthful mind,
Foster its growth with all your power,
And bring it into beauteous flower.

Oh, Sunday schools! oh, Christian land!
Long may your institutions stand,
The wonder of the farthest zone,
The strength and glory of your own.
Be this the sabbath teacher's prayer,
For those beneath his watchful care,
"Father, thy countless flock behold,
And bring them safely to thy fold."

J. C. PRINCE.

ATTENTION.

It is necessary to recollect that all teachers have a great deal to do with the formation of the intellectual habits which will cling to their pupils for the rest of their lives. Of course, apart from the primary and immediate object of imparting instruction, we ought all to feel some interest in the sort of mental character which our little scholars are acquiring during their intercourse with us. We must look forward to the time when the children will be men and women, and consider what sort of men and women we would have them to be. We cannot help desiring that when hereafter they read a book, they shall read seriously; that, when they hear a sermon, they shall not bring pre-occupied or wandering minds to what they hear; that, as they move along in life, they shall not be unobservant triflers, gazing in helpless vacancy on the mere surface of things, but shall be able to fix their eyes and their hearts steadily on all the sources of instruction which may be open to them. If they are ever to do this, it is necessary that they should have acquired in youth the power of concentrating their attention. This power is the one qualification which so often constitutes the main difference between the wise and the foolish, the successful and the unsuccessful man. Attention is the one habit of the human mind which, perhaps more than any other, forms a safeguard for intellectual progress, and even, under the Divine blessing, for moral purity. Now, every time a child comes into your class, this habit is either strengthened or weakened. Something is sure to be done while the children are with you either to make them better or worse in this respect for the whole of their future lives. If you claim and secure perfect obedience; if, without being severe, you can be strict enough to enforce diligent attention to all you say, you are attaining another important end besides that which is usually contemplated by school work, for you are developing the intellectual vigour of your scholar, and familiarizing him with a sort of effort which will be of immense use to him hereafter. But every time you permit disorder, trifling, or wandering, you are helping to lower and vitiate the mental character of your pupils. You are encouraging them in a bad habit. You are, in fact, doing something to prevent them from ever becoming thoughtful readers, diligent observers, and earnest listeners, as long as they live.-British and Foreign School Society's Record.

THE WONDERFUL KEY.

(For Parents and Teachers.)

JANE was the most tiresome and wayward child in her Sunday school. She quarrelled with her companions, disobeyed her teachers, and behaved improperly in church. No one could manage her. The more she was scolded and punished, the worse she became. At length the superintendent decided that she must be expelled. She got no good herself, and her bad example injured the others; it would be better that she should be dismissed. He called Jane to him one afternoon, and gravely told her his intention of sending her away.

"I don't care," said Jane, angrily. "I hate the school, and I shall be glad to go!"

He endeavored to reason with her upon the ingratitude and sinfulness of her conduct. As he was speaking, one of the teachers, whom we will designate Miss Gray, came very near them to fetch a book which she wanted. Of course she did not pass without Jane's quick eyes seeing her. The girl's sullen demeanour instantly changed. A fresh thought seemed to strike her, and looking up at the superintendent, she said, hastily, "Well, I'll promise to be a better girl if you put me into Miss Gray's class." "How will that make you a better girl, Jane?"

"I don't know, sir. But I like her, and I'll do what she tells me." "And why do you like Miss Gray, Jane?"

"Because she's the first teacher that's ever spoke kind to me. She helped me to get my bonnet-strings out of a knot this morning, when I wanted to undo them because it was so hot; and she was so pleasant over it. She smiled and said, 'It only wants a little patience, Jane.' Oh, she is such a nice lady! If you would only let me go into her class!"

The result was that Jane went into Miss Gray's class, where she soon fulfilled the promise she had made of becoming a better girl. She grew so tractable, and industrious, and obliging, that everybody in the school, the grave superintendent not excepted, was perfectly astonished. "We must learn your secret," they said to Miss Gray.

"I have no secret but Love, was her reply. And that "Love" was the key which had opened Jane's heart. She loved her teacher, and from loving her teacher, she learned to love her Saviour. Years have rolled away since then; Miss Gray has finished her labours, and entered into her rest; and Jane the once troublesome, self-willed, unmanageable school-girl-is now the active and devoted wife of a faithful home missionary, winning the affections of children by the same irresistible charm which early attracted her own.

Take encouragement, dear reader, and resolve to make use of this magic key. Cultivate an affectionate attractiveness of manner. Strive to "be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves ;" for in a world like ours, where sin has planted not only sadness but suspicion in the mind, and natural pride and independence guard with careful jealousy the portals of the heart, it needs a tender and considerate touch to elicit another's confidence and sympathy. "He that winneth souls is wise." Let your children feel that you really love them, and they will soon reciprocate your love; and when you have secured their warm affections, you have accomplished much. For there is little hope of our doing the young any permanent good, unless we have first found out the way to reach their hearts; and this is one reason, we are inclined to think, why our teaching so often fails-it emanates rather from a mind imbued with a sense of duty, than gushes forth from a heart overflowing with love. Our pupils recognise us as their teachers; but do they look upon us as their friends?

"Mother," said a Sunday scholar one day to his mother, "I don't like my new teacher half so well as my old one."

66 Why not, Robert? Isn't he as clever ?"

"O yes, mother; he talks much grander than Mr. B― used to do, and he seems to know all that is in the Bible; but somehow I don't get so interested in what he teaches us, and I don't feel so inclined to mind it." "How is that, Robert ?"

"Why, mother, he never looks a bit pleasant at us, and he never says a word to us except about our lessons. I'm sure I could never tell him if I was in any sort of trouble, for I don't think he understands just how boys like us feel; but I could have gone to Mr. B- if I had wanted to, as easy as I could go to you, mother. He was a real gentleman, Mr. B— was, mother; but for all that, he was the best friend I ever had. I wish he would come back again !"

It is very evident that Robert's old teacher had got hold of the right key.

CULTIVATE THE UNDERSTANDING.

EVERY word that falls on a child's ear, that he does not know the meaning of,-every phrase repeated to him, that finds not some relationship within him, every article of belief,-every principle of moral duty, that he cannot see the necessity for, will not only be thrown away upon him, but by wearying and disgusting him, will do him and religion infinite mischief, and be the cause of much profanity and infidelity.

When a child assents to that which he does not understand, you make him a hypocrite and a liar. He will answer yes, or no, as you wish, but in doing this he does it to please you; but would you have him deceive you?

Reviews.

Lectures to Children. By Rev. John Todd, D.D. 18mo., pp. 152. Second Series. Knight and Son, Clerkenwell Close

WHEN We saw the above advertised, we naturally anticipated a little book, composed with much grace of language, and abounding in forcible illustration. Dr. Todd has already gained a high reputation as an author; and if he had written nothing more than his first series of "Lectures to Children," and "Truth made Simple," these books alone would stamp him as a man of genius. In these volumes he has combined the powers of a logician, united with a highly poetical imagination, and has also brought down the great subjects of which he has treated to the comprehension of a child. We have long entertained the opinion, that children can appreciate even an abstract truth, if set before them in simple language, and illustrated by natural objects; and, it appears to us, that our author has eminently succeeded in his two earlier books, not only in teaching the young to think, but more especially to feel. The bewitching style of these little treatises, and the great truths which they illustrate, have naturally led to a very large circula

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