LIBRARY OF THE University of California. GIFT OF Mrs. SARAH P. WALSWORTH. Received October; 1894. Accessions No.y^/SVj . Class No. *ir^ ^»sE*g-Jc?£>"jr> V. '4^ 0? XEDB • [UJsrivsisiT m mpi ■HHH Engraved fcFruitedat J:M.Butierk Esta.'Mislnn THE ihht\ Sc|dM Catjrcr; DESIGNED TO AID HJ ELEVATING AND PERFECTING THE > ' SABBATH SCHOOL SYSTEM BY JOHN TODD, D.D., AUTHOR OF " LECTURES TO CHILDREN," " STUDENT'S MANUAL," ETC. author's edition. NORTHAMPTON, MASS: HOPKINS, BRIDGMAN & CO PHILADELPHIA : H. COWPERTHWAIT & CO. CINCINNATI: MOORE, WILSTACH, KEYS & CO. 1856. *&qL Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by HOPKINS, BEIDGMAN & Co., In the Clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts. PREFACE TO THE AUTHOR'S EDITION. Few things strike the Christian traveller with more force than the fact, that let him go where he will, the Sab- bath School has gone before him, and meets him on his arrival. The Church of God, however her separate branches may differ on small unefsentials, has come to the firm conviction, that this is a mighty inftrumentality, which she cannot forego without heavy lofs, and which she cannot faithfully use without great succefs. And this suc- cefs, like everything else that is valuable, must be the child of patient toil and earnest effort. The whole plan of God in redeeming, enlightening, and training men up for heaven, involves individual responsibility and individual labor. Were it in my power to mark out a plan for a Sab- bath School, which would promise great success with little or no labor and anxious responsibility, my little book would be hailed through the world as a great benefaftor. This I cannot do. I know of no way to rear a beautiful flower, or a fruit-bearing tree, but by careful planting, till- (8) 4 PREFACE TO THE AUTHOR'S EDITION. ing, and training. I have not, in this unpretending vol- ume, undertaken to diminiih labor ; but to show how it may be most available. Not how the tree, full grown, may spring from the ground, at the touch of the teacher's wand ; but how he may plant the seed, and watch its growth, and rear it to be a tree, that shall eternally grow in the garden of the Lord. The author cannot feel too thankful that this little work has found so much favor on the other side of the waters, and has pafsed through so many editions. It is iiow reduced in size and price, and sent forth again into the world, with the hope that many will find in it hints that will aid them, or facts that will encourage them to rely on the great promise, " In due season we shall reap, if we faint not." PiTTSFiELD, March, 1856. CONTENTS. Chap. I. — First principles in Christian Education. Chap. II. — Superintendent — Character and Duties. Chap. III. — Qualifications of a Good Teacher. Chap. IV. — Other means of Doing Good besides Teaching. Chap. V. — Acquiring Information in order to Teach. • Chap. VI. — Communicating Religious Instruction. Chap. VII. — Infant Sabbath Schools. Chap. Vm. — Singing in the Sabbath School. Chap. IX. — Connection of the Missionary Cause with the Sabbath School. Chap. X. — Duty of the Church and Pastor to the Sabbath School. Chap. XL — Encouragement to Faithfulness. (5) THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. CHAPTER L FIRST PRINCIPLES IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. In every science, and in every department of know- ledge, there are certain points, or what may be called First Principles, which must be definitely understood, and which must be used as starting-points by all who would succeed. These are not theories which each one adopts for himself, but they are discoveries of the combined wisdom and experience of all who have examined the ground. Some of these first principles I wish to present to the Sabbath School teacher. I take pains to present these clearly and distinctly, be- cause I deem them of great importance. 1. Lay it down as a first principle in Christian edu- cation, that the first object of the teacher is to form right habits in the scholar. Were you to give the most solemn and impressive instruction possible, to a company just as they were about going into the theatre, it would do no good. The impressions would all be gone in an hour, and THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. First principles— right habits. Experience of men. Amount of knowledge. other and deeper impressions would take their place. The same feelings awakened in an audience who were in the habit of daily prayer, would be likely to abide, and to bring forth the fruits of eternal life. Those children who are prodigies of learning and at- tainment in early life, often prove to be very ordinary men ; and the surprise is, that a tree so full of blos- soms should produce so little fruit; while, in other cases, a child giving but faint promise of mind, in early life, frequently becomes great, and wise, and good, in mature years. This difference is not merely to be attributed to the slowness with which these minds were developed, but to the habits formed in early life. A child may acquire thought slowly, yet if he has formed the habit of acquiring each thought fully and distinctly, and of retaining it when acquired, he will eventually become a wise man. On the other hand, that boy so bright before you now, who com- mits to memory so readily, or who is so prompt in undersanding and so quick in answering your ques- tions, may be forming habits which will more than destroy all that he now obtains. All great men have attributed their success more to the mental and moral habits acquired in early life, than to any thing else. Even the temper, — the disposition, is formed by acquired habits, so that one who is naturally irrita- ble, may become a calm man. Let it be impressed on the mind of the teacher, that it is not so much the amount of knowledge which THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Illustrated by the orphan. Want of right habits lamented. you communicate to each scholar, that is to make your teaching a blessing, as are the habits which you aid him in acquiring. He may or may not have gone over much ground, — but has he subdued it ? Have you created in him a taste for patient thought and investigation, till he has thoroughly understood every idea, and mastered every subject presented 1 Here was one great error in the old system of committing an amazing amount to memory, when the child was praised or blamed according to his success or want of success in loading the memory. You will frequently meet with a man who in early life was left an orphan. You see that he has risen up from obscurity, through difficulties and trials, till he has become successful in his pursuits. The facts, on investigation, would be found to be, that on being thrown upon his own resources in early life, he was compelled to form habits of sober thought, of prudence, foresight, economy, and diligence, which in more in- dulgent circumstances he could not have acquired. These habits made the man. And it is of unspeaka- ble importance that the child now under your care form right habits. Do you not yourself daily lament that you have some wrong habits hanging about you which you acquired in childhood ? I have not unfre- quently met with men who would readily acknowledge that thousands of money would be no object, could they, with it, purchase such habits, mental and moral, 10 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Necessary to meet temptations. Example of Daniel. Perseverance. as might and ought to have been formed in the days of childhood. It ought never to be forgotten, that right habits are indispensably necessary to enable a child, or even a man, to meet and resist temptation. Piety and cou- rage were prominent in the character of Daniel ; but after all, I should tremble to place any man in his circumstances, with the lion's den before him, who had not Daniel's habit of daily prayer. " The man," says the venerated Porter, " who is so much the slave of circumstances in common affairs as to forego his regular food, and exercise, and rest, may live, but cannot enjoy life ; he cannot for any length of time possess vigorous health of body. He who has so little firmness of religious principle as to intermit his regu- lar, secret devotions, from indolence or hurry, or com- plaisance to friends, may be a Christian still, perhaps in a state of temporary but woful backsliding. But certainly he is not a decided, consistent Christian. He does not " keep his own heart with all diligence." He is not prepared for his upward flight to live in heaven, like Enoch, who " walked with God." Nor yet is he prepared to live in Babylon, like Daniel, who " kneel- ed upon his knees three times in a day, and prayed and gave thanks." The habits so beautifully described above, are as essential to the well-being of the child, as to the man and the Christian. The habit of perseverance should be cultivated with unremitting assiduity. It is what every child, THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 11 Curious illustration. and I may add, every teacher, needs. The habit, once acquired, is invaluable, though exceedingly difficult to be attained. Take every method to en- courage the child, and to show him the possibility of producing very great changes from slight beginnings. I cannot better illustrate this point than by telling the short story, from the London Quarterly Review, as related by Lochman. * A Visier, having offended his master, was compelled to perpetual captivity in a lofty tower. At night his wife came to weep below his window. " Cease your grief," said the sage, " go home for the present, and return hither when you have procured a live, black beetle, together with a little ghee, (or buffalo's butter), three clews, — one of the finest silk, another of stout pack-thread, and another of whip-cord ; finally a stout coil of rope." When she again came to the foot of the tower, pro- vided according to her husband's commands, he di- rected her to touch the head of the insect with a lit- tle of the ghee, to tie one end of the silk thread around him, and to place the reptile on the wall of the tower. Seduced by the smell of the butter, which he conceived to be in store somewhere above him, the beetle continued to ascend till he reached the top, and thus put the Visier in possession of the roll of silk-thread. He then drew up the pack-thread by means of the silk; — the small cord by means of the pack-thread, and by means of the cord, a stout 12 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second principle— fixed principles. Taste of the age. rope capable of sustaining his own weight, — and thus he escaped from the tower.' 2. That the teacher should endeavor to fix the great principles of God's truth in the mind of the child. What I mean by this, is, that while you lead the child to commit to memory, do not fear that he can- not be made to comprehend and embrace the great principles of revealed religion. The fashions, the plans, I had almost said, the rage of the present day, is to bring every thing in mechanics, literature, morals, and religion, down to the test of present effect, and present apparent good. As if God had not wisely ordained that good shall always flow from the embracing great, fixed principles. We feel that it is a loss of time to pause long enough to give or receive deep, solid instruction, or to endure the task of thinking. How difficult to get men to sit down and read a sober, original, deep book ! Our ideas must all be thought out for us, and poured into the ear just as a song would be. In our preachers, we demand men who have popular talents, — who can electrify, lighten and thunder, sweep like a whirl- wind, carrying men into the kingdom by violence and before they know it, and move them on in the growth of grace by successions of powerful impulses. Our teachers must be men of popular address, with the power of communicating knowledge, which can be obtained in the least possible time, and at once be applied to use. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 13 Dangers of the times. Should Catechisms be used ? Public opinion. As if men, in this agitated state of the world, could come up amid the rockings and the storms of the age, without deep, fixed principles for a sheet-anchor. The waves of excitement already run high, and will run still higher ; and he who acts as a teacher in the theological School, or as an author, as a teacher in the day or Sabbath School, who does not try to lay the foundations of character on fixed, definite prin- ciples, even the everlasting foundations of truth, falls far short of his duty. You might as well neglect to place anchors in the bow of your ship, as you send her from her moorings, because she does not now need them, as to neglect to fix deep and definite principles in the mind of the child, because he has not immediate use for them. This leads me to take this opportunity to answer the question so frequently asked in Sabbath Schools, is it best to teach Catechisms in these schools ? Till within a short time, Catechisms of all kinds have nearly been proscribed in most of our schools, and the impression seemed to be gaining ground, that they were to be laid aside with the rubbish of other times, with things and modes, good, perhaps in their day, but not adapted to the day in which we live. The objections seem to be, that the memory alone is cultivated by learning catechisms ; that the child can- not understand them, and that they are sectarian in their tendency. After looking at this subject long, and in various 2 14 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Answer to objections. How to teach Catechisms. lights, I am not altogether certain that these objec- tions are not directed chiefly, if not solely, against the Assembly's Shorter Catechism ; and that a sort of tacit compromise has not been made, that all cate- chisms should be laid aside for the sake of getting rid of that. In regard to the two first objections, I believe they may be reduced to one and the same : viz., that the memory is burdened, because the child does not com- prehend what he tries to learn. The answer to these objections, is two-fold. First, that it is one very im- portant part of education to exercise and cultivate the memory; and few things will do it better or faster than the Catechism. Secondly, that it is not true that the child cannot be made to understand the Catechism. Till within a few years it was thought that a mere child could not be made to understand Arithmetic, Grammar, or Geometry. He was told to commit the rules to memory, to be applied to use at some future time. But all this is justly exploded. The child of six years old, can now be taught Arith- metic on the plan of Colburn. It is only the substi- tution of things, for the signs of things. I do not believe there is any greater difficulty in teaching a Catechism, than in teaching many parts of the Bible. The book of Romans, for example, is a very difficult part of the Bible; and yet I have never seen a school more interested in any study, than in this book. The great obstacle with which I have met, THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 15 Mrs. Sherwood. Assembly's Catechism. Third principle— power of example. has been, that the teachers seemed to make up their minds that the Catechism must be difficult to teach, and thus made it difficult But let any one begin and proceed just on the plan of Colburn's Arithmetic, and I will warrant success and pleasure. Let any one read Mrs. Sherwood's beautiful stories on the Church Catechism, and he will be satisfied that even catechisms can be made bewitchingly interesting. The man who shall make the Shorter Catechism equally interesting, will do a great work for his fellow-men.* Then as as to their being sectarian, — if this be so, let each sect select its own catechism. While I frankly say that I prefer the Assembly's Catechism before any other, and, indeed, before any other unin- spired compendium of revealed religion, I should indeed sink low in my own estimation, did I not feel willing that every one should enjoy the same liberty of choosing ; and I trust I should love no one the less for the exercise of such a right. Perhaps those schools which have the Catechism taught in short lessons once a month, are wise in their course ; for it ought not to be taught every Sabbath. 3. A process of education, from example, is con- tinually going on in the mind of every child. * By the experiment of delivering a few lectures on the Shorter Catechism, I am satisfied that it may be brought down to the comprehension of every person, though I had many doubts wliea I commenced. 16 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Example of a real Christian. The parent who supposes the few lessons of instruc- tion which he bestows upon his child, constitute any considerable part of the education of that child, is greatly mistaken. The child is at play in the corner of the room, with his blocks or his toys, and the pa- rents are talking together without heeding him. But ever now and then the little prattler stops talking to himself to catch the tones and thoughts of his parents, and he is there receiving impressions which form his character, and which will abide with him through life. It is on this principle that example is so power- ful a teacher ; and that a real Christian can do so much for his Master. " God has not permitted the world to despise a true Christian ; they may pass by him with a haughty and supercilious coldness, they may deride him with a taunting and sarcastic irony ; but the spirit of the proudest man that ever lived will bend before the grandeur of a Christian's humility. You are at once awed, and you recoil upon your own conscience, when you meet with one whose feel- ings have been purified by the Gospel. The light of a Christian's soul, when it shines into the dark den of a worldly heart, startles and alarms the gloomy passions that are brooding within. Is this contempt ? No: but all the virulence which is excited by the Christian graces can be resolved into envy — the feel- ings of devils when they think on the pure happiness of angels ; and to complete their confusion, what is THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 17 Watching over example. Teachers watched. that moment the feeling in the Christian's heart? Pity, most unfeigned pity." Those influences hardly noticed or thought of, the every-day acts of parents, and teachers, a word, or a look even, may permanently and mightily influence the character of the child. What then 1 Must we so reverence that little one, as to be always subject to painful restraint and anxiety in his presence 1 The little mimic would be sure, in that case, to " catch the truth" of concealment, and would never grow up with an open countenance, or an ingenuous mind. There is no way but to be, habitually and perma- nently, such as the child ought to see you appear. You must be in the law of justice, truth, love, holi- ness ; not under it. It must be the perfect law of liberty to you ; so as to manifest its presence, not as an outward, restraining power, but as an inward, well-spring, whose waters flow out freshly and plea- santly in all the channels of social life and Christian duty.' A teacher who has not carefully noticed the fact, will be surprised to find how narrowly he is watched, how every part of his character, and almost every habit of his, becomes a part of his pupil's. You will frequently see a class eyeing their teacher as he delivers an exhortation, or tries to impress a truth of great importance upon them, just as a child will eye a father when he receives a command, — not because he does not fully understand the words of the com- mand, but because he wants to know just how much 2* 18 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Influence of little things. Adam Clark. Story of the young lady. his father means. A congregation will look at their minister in the same way, and are impressed, not more certainly by what is said, than by the looks and appearance of the preacher. These little folks can- not reason about great principles of action, — cannot make allowances for the temperament of their teach- er, but they judge of character and of religion by looking at small things, and receiving repeated im- pressions. A word too much, or a word too little, may be forgotten ; but impressions made upon a child by example are at once moulded into his character. What Adam Clark so pertinently says of a minister, is wonderfully applicable to a Sabbath School teach- er. ' It is impossible that he should ever be a private man ; even in his most trivial intercourse with others, it is never forgotten what his office is : the habit of every one's mind, is to expect information or example from his company and conduct ; he is constantly liv- ing under the observation of mankind, and he who is always observed, should never venture on dubious conduct, or suppose for a moment that what he does in the view of another can ever for a moment be a matter of indifference, or be regarded as a trifle. I will tell you a curious circumstance that happened to me some years ago. In a day or two from the time that I refer to, I was about to set off from London to Ireland: a friend desired me to take charge of a young lady to Dublin, to which I readily agreed, and -she was sent to me at the coach. I soon found from THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER- 19 Moral honesty to be observed. her conversation that she was a Roman Catholic, and also quickly perceived that she had been led to en- tertain a very high opinion of me. After we had travelled some distance, talking occasionally on vari- ous subjects, the day-light began to sink fastly away, when she took out of her reticule a small Catholic book of prayers, and commenced seriously her even- ing devotions. While she was reading, such thoughts as these occurred to me, — * I believe this lady to be sincere in her religious creed, which I think to be a very dangerous one ; she appears to be of an ingenuous temper, and to feel much personal respect for me ; is there not here, then, a good opportunity, as well as subject, to exercise my influence, and to deliver her, if possible, from her erroneous creed V But, contin- ued I in my thoughts, * was she not entrusted to my care 1 would her friends have so entrusted her, had they ever suspected that an attempt at proselytism would be made 1 Would not the attempt be a breach of trust, and should I, even were ultimate good to accrue to her, be a morally honest man V I instantly felt that my own honesty must be preserved, though the opportunity of apparent good might be apparently lost In a short time Miss closed her book with this observation, ' We Catholics, Dr. Clarke, think it much better to believe too much than too little.' I replied, * But, Madam, in our belief, we should recol- lect that we never should yield our assent to what is contradictory in itself, or to what contradicts other 20 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. — 1 Interesting result of the story. ascertained facts? This was the only observation that I made that looked at all towards Catholicism. In process of time we arrived at our journey's end, and I deposited her safely in the hands of her friends.' 'From that time till about two years ago, I never heard of her, till we met in the following way. I had been preaching at Chelsea Chapel, and on en- tering the vestry after service, a lady followed me, shook hands, spake with much emotion, and said : ' Do you not recollect me, Dr. Clarke I I am Miss , whom you kindly took care of to Ireland : I was then a Catholic ; now I am a Protestant, and have suffered much in consequence of the change.' I inquired how the alteration in her views was effected, and she gave me in detail the account which I will shortly sum up to you. When she heard to whom she was about to be entrusted, she resolved to observe and watch closely this eminent Protestant minister ; she was pleased with the conversation and friendliness shown her ; and was so struck with the ob- servation I had made in the coach, that she said it afterwards absolutely haunted her, caused her to examine and think for herself, aud at last led her to freedom from her thraldom : ' but,' said she, ' I should never have been induced to examine, had it not been for the previous examination I had made of you. From the first moment you entered the coach, I watched you narrowly ; I thought, now I have a fair opportunity of knowing something of these Protest- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 21 Convert of behavior. Inference from the story. Power of a good name. ants ; and I will judge if what I have heard of them be true. Every word, every motion, every look of yours, Sir, was watched with the eye of a lynx ; 1 felt you could not be acting a part, for you could not suspect that you were so observed ; the result of all was, your conduct conciliated esteem, and removed prejudice; your one observation on belief, led me to those examinations which the Spirit of God has blessed to my conversion; and I now stand before you, the convert of your three days' behavior be- tween London and Dublin.' You see from this ac- count, how all ministers should ever feel themselves to be public men ; how cautious should be their con- duct, and how guarded their conversation. Had I attempted to proselyte this lady, all her prejudices would have been up in arms ; had my behavior been unbecomingly light, or causelessly austere, she would have been either disgusted or repelled, and her pre- conceived notions of Protestants would have been confirmed; she saw and heard what satisfied her: thus, even in social intercourse, the public teacher should always be the Christian instructor.' If the above account cannot be commended for the modesty of the narrator, it certainly contains sound sense, and ought to be well weighed by those who, in any sense, are teachers of God's word. The reader should observe too, what is always true, that a Christian is more likely to do good, if he has earned a good reputation by his life and conduct It 22 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Patrick Henry. Fourth principle— religion early taught. A wrong notion. is thus that "a good name is better than precious ointment," and the example of such an one grows more and more influential till he reaches the grave, and has finished his work on earth. A young man might make the remark, and probably hundreds of young men might make the remark, and it would be forgotten, — * that every man makes his own charac- ter ;' and it makes no deep impression. But see the father of the late Dr. Rice leading his son, just as he entered manhood, and introducing him to the vene- rable Patrick Henry, that he might receive some im- pression that would do him good. The father intro- duces his son, and the venerated Henry turns his kind and powerful eye upon the stripling, and in tones full of benevolence says, " My son, remember that every man is the maker of his own character !" This falls from one who made his own character, — from one whose life entitled him to speak with mean- ing. The sentence sank deep into the soul of young Rice, and was probably the means of leading him to make his own beautiful and symmetrical character. 4. Religion should be taught from the very ear- liest dawn of intelligence. Among the many crude notions which prevail among men, we often hear it gravely advanced, that a child ought to grow up unbiassed, without having his head filled with creeds and religious impressions ; so that when he becomes mature in after life, he may make his own choice in religion. I verily believe I THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 23 Why children early taught religion. First reason. have heard people advance these sentiments who would be exceedingly mortified to have views im- puted to them on any other subject, equally super- ficial and puerile, — views as far from common sense, as they are from the Bible. The mind of every child must and will be growing and strengthening every day ; and daily, too, will it receive new impres- sions and new thoughts. These must educate that mind ; and a child who sees his parents and teachers careless about religion, and ignorant of God and of his government, is not left to choose for himself, — lie is educated to forget his Maker, and to trample on his laws and commands. But without stopping to discuss this point, and without more than alluding to the severe reproof of Coleridge, who showed one of these wise ones his garden full of weeds, saying * he was leaving it without bias, and letting it choose for itself,' I would mention a few familiar reasons why religion should be the first thing taught to a child. (a.) It is the most important thing with which the child becomes acquainted. The warrior feels that war is the highest end of man, and the noblest employment of a being bearing the image' and likeness of God, is to destroy his fellow-man. This highest end of man he wishes his son to pursue, and for this he educates him. Now how does he begin, and when docs he begin ? He would rear that child up to be a man of blood, a terror to men, and a destroyer of all that is fair and 24 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Education of worldly people. We educate for eternity. Second reason. beautiful and good. We know how he does it. He makes the very play-things of the nursery to consist of drums, and plumes, and mimic guns, and the splendid glitter of the warrior. He teaches him to lay his hand on the cannon, to shout at its roar, and to have his soul speak through his sparkling eyes at the sight of the sword and the weapons of death. The son of Buonaparte was walking his post as a centinel, in the ranks, as a common soldier, at the age of seven years. And Hannibal made his son swear on the altars of his gods, at the age of twelve, that he would be the everlasting enemy of Rome. These men understand what they do ; and they begin the work in early life. We look upon the character of God, the govern- ment under which he has placed us, the services in which he proposes to employ our souls for eternal ages, as the most important subject ever presented to the mind. We would educate the soul for immor- tality, we would train it up to be a burning and a shining light here while passing over the globe, and when removed hence, to shine as the sun in the firmament forever and ever. We cannot begin too early, — we cannot be too anxious to make the proper impressions upon the soul, before it is otherwise occu- pied. (b.) The command of our Savior is, "preach the Gospel to every creature," and especially, "feed my lambs." THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER- 25 Third reason. Recollections of childhood. There can be no doubt that children, even from a very early age, are included in this command. They are immortal, they are sinners, they need the wash- ing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost By preaching the Gospel to such, or by feed- ing such, must evidently be meant, communicating religious instruction according to their capacity and age, giving " line upon line, and precept upon pre- cept" Of such is the kingdom of heaven ; and we are to bless God, that out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, he has perfected his own praise. Never, perhaps, did the blessed Redeemer appear more in- teresting than when he paused at the threshold of the temple, while the daughter of Zion shouted for joy, fill tilling the words of holy prophets, and doing it by the mouth of the children who shouted Hosannah in the Temple. (c.) The mind of the child is tender and susceptible to impressions. Who has not seen the old man, who could hardly remember what he saw or felt during the last year, sit down and distinctly and vividly recal the scenes of childhood ? Who does not remember things which took place when he was but little more than an in- fant — the words of a parent — the example of a sis- ter — the gate on which he swung — the brook m which he played — the pond on which he used to slide — the tree under whose shade he used to sit — the grove through which he used to walk — the trees that 3 26 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Power of habit upon the wicked. Fourth reason. stood by his father's door — the very countenance of the stones and rocks on which he used to gaze in childhood 1 And how is this so 1 Because he then received deep impressions from every thing around him, — impressions which will probably last as long as the memory lives, even forever. Then, every im- pression, every look, the words and tones of our pa- rents and teachers, sank deep into the soul, and all left their image there. The soul of the child is emp- ty, and you may fill it with the treasures of life. It is confiding, and you may imprint your own soul upon it ; it is yielding, and you may train it up for the skies. You speak to that youth who had little or nothing of these religious impressions made upon his soul in childhood, and how little do you move, or restrain, or affect him by religious motives ! Speak to that man who has grown up without religion, and whose habits even from childhood have all been formed for this world, and why do you not move him by conversa- tion, or by the solemn sermon ? Because his soul has been educated to habits which almost forbid religious impressions; and I sometimes feel that instead of wondering why no more of such men, in manhood's strength, are not converted to God, it is rather a mat- ter of astonishment, that any are permitted to receive impressions which lead them to God and to holiness. (d.) The effects upon the community are such as to demand that religion be the first thing taught Nothing ever expanded, enlarged, quickened, and THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 27 Encouragement to the teacher. as it were, created mind, like the truths of the Bible. They make wise the simple. A nation of people who were taught religion the first thing, and who had grown up under the impressions of religion, would be more enlightened, intelligent, free, than any which the world has ever yet seen. They could do almost any thing towards enlarging the bounds of in- vestigation and knowledge, they could give an exam- ple which all other nations would feel and acknow- ledge, and they would show what men could do, when virtuous enough to govern themselves. The earlier, the deeper religious truth is impressed on the mind of the child, the more intelligence will he possess, the more influence will he have in life, and the greater blessing will he be to the world. Let the Sabbath School instructer think how much vice he will pre- vent, from how many temptations he will shield, how much strength he will create for the hour of tempta- tion, how much the world needs men sanctified even from the cradle, and he will feel that it is impossible to begin too early. I make these remarks, because somebody must take the youngest classes, and cheer- fully and faithfully instruct them in religion ; and the teacher will find it a laborious piece of work, unless he first be convinced, that this is the very time to begin. The wax is more soft, and you may mould it as you will. The mind is curious and thirsty ; you may give it the waters from the wells of salvation. Never repine that your class are young, perhaps the 28 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fifth reason. Examples— ancient and modern. youngest in the school. They may become trees in the garden of the Lord, they may be vessels of mercy to this world, they may give you more joy beyond the grave, than the brightest crown ever worn here, could give its possessor. (e.) Once more, religion ought to be the first thing aught, because it will add to the everlasting happi- ness of the child. The promise is that if you train up a child in the way he should go, when old, he will not depart from it. The character will be formed in the morn- ing of life, and it will be fitted to be a glorious spirit in eternity. You have seen men converted to God in manhood, — and in old age; seen them live and die in peace; but did you ever see a character equal to that of Joseph,— of Samuel, — of David, who did not in early life receive deep re- ligious impressions ? We have seen men live and die, such as Payson and Evarts, and many others whose sun went down in glory, and whose bright spirits could almost be traced as they went up to the re- wards of heaven ; but such men were instructed in childhood. Their earliest, deepest impressions were made when they were children. And will not their eternal condition be altered in consequence ? — their songs be louder and sweeter ? — their robes purer, and their crowns brighter? Those who are early and faithfully instructed, will shine brighter in heaven, because they will have fewer sins to be forgiven ; THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fourth principle— aversion to religion natural. First reason. ^ they will have made the service of God the business of life ; they will have turned many to God, who shall go with them to the hill of Zion above. Per- haps it is not speaking beyond bounds, to say, that a child of ordinary capacity and destitute of proper- ty, but converted to God in childhood, is frequently worth more to the church than ten wealthy men converted at the noon of life. 4. A child is more averse to receiving religious instruction than any other. Those for whose benefit I am writing, do not wish me to stop to prove this point. Their ingenuity has been too often tasked, their patience too often and too severely taxed when trying to fix and keep the attention of their class, to doubt the truth here laid down. Instead of spending time on its proof, there- fore, I prefer to mention some of the causes of this aversion to religion, in order to aid you in over- coming it (a.) Every one naturally dislikes to contemplate the character of God. All who teach religion feel the difficulty, though all do not confess it. Some try to escape it in one way, and some in another, — but all meet it. Some deny it in words, but acknowledge it in practice; for they are forced to draw the character of God widely different from that drawn in the Bible. They hold him up dressed in robes of mercy and love, indifferent to the violations of law, winking at 3* 30 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. This aversion always felt. Expansion of the principle. sin , — a representation of God about as correct, as a beautiful picture of the ocean sleeping in the silvery light of the moon, is a true and faithful repre- sentation of that awful bed of waters. Others do not, and dare not bring the true character of God before the mind of the child, but, instead of it, they give beautiful illustrations of this and that duty. What need of this 1 Why is the character of God an object of aversion to every unrenewed heart, whether in a child or in the full-grown man 1 I an- swer, that when the mind fully sees the greatness of God, it receives the full impression of his awful and holy nature, — of his unchangeableness, — of his power and right to govern and command us, — of our con- sciousness that we have sinned, and are daily sinning against him, — and the soul is at once open to fear and forebodings. Tell the child that God is almighty and can protect him, and he knows too, that this almighti- ness may be used to crush him, — and he is afraid. Tell him that God sees him and knows all things, and therefore will forever shield him from injustice, and he knows that this very knowledge has counted up his sins, and will bring every thing into judgment. Tell him to rejoice, for ' the Lord God omnipotent reigneth ;' and he cannot do it, — for he knows that his government extends over him, and will to eternity bind him to obedience. Now what shall be done 2 Shall we avoid leading the child to contemplate the character of God, be- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER oil Duty of the teacher. Second reason. cause it is unpleasant to him 1 By no means. Take every possible method to make the child understand the whole and the true character of God ; — his eterni- ty, is time and years continued forever : his skill is seen in the painting of the rain-bow, and in every limb of the child ; his power is seen in all creation, the flood, the mountain, the ocean, the wind : his holiness is seen in the Red Sea becoming the grave of Egypt, the wilderness becoming the grave of all one genera- tion of Israel, and in judgments upon individuals and nations; his mercy in sending his Son, giving the Bible, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, in pre- serving the life of the child, surrounding him with friends, and the means of grace ; — and then try to show the child the guilt of carrying a heart which does not rejoice under this government. If he trembles and is unhappy at the idea of having the eye of God continually upon him, it is because he is constantly doing wrong. This will open the door to teach him the doctrine of repentance, and to lead him to Christ. (b.) The same consciousness of guilt in the pupil which makes religion irksome, is more or less felt by the teacher, and makes him cold in presenting truth. Hence religious instruction is not given by the teach- er or by the parent with that cheerfulness and interest which they ought to feel, and winch perhaps they would feel on any other subject. If the teacher feels chilled or lukewarm, he will certainly add to the dis- taste which the child naturally feels in regard to reli- 32 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Third reason. What to be done. Fourth reason. gion. He will present all he has to communicate in a very dry light. (c.) Ignorance of the best methods of reaching the heart and conscience will add to the aversion. There is a tact, a kind of skill, which some have, and which brings a circle of children around them at once, and continues to hold them. This tact is in some apparently natural ; but it may be acquired to almost any degree. The great thing wanted to create it, is a strong love for the souls of men. Let the heart be filled with this love, and you will have be- nevolence seen in the countenance, — have it felt in the tones of your voice, and so spread over your char- acter, and all that you do, that the children will love you at once. This will lead you to think much on the subject of the best methods of doing good. You will study to simplify and make plain the truths of the Bible, — to illustrate and fasten them upon the memo- ry. No man can hope to gain the confidence and affections of children who does not try to let himself down to their condition, try to conceive how he should look upon this or that thing, were he a child. I shall probably resume this topic again. I introduce it here, because I am confident it is one cause of the aversion which children have to religious instruction. If you give it with hesitancy, with reluctance, and as a task, you may be certain that it is received in the same way. (d.) There is one thing beyond all this, which ren- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Mistakes of wicked men. ders religion irksome to the unrenewed heart, — its own unhappiness. Every one knows by experience, that an unsancti- fied heart is unhappy. The soul may be sunk near the state of the beast, it may live in an ideal world, — it may revel in sin, — it may fly from flower to flower, and from fountain to fountain, for peace and happiness, but cannot find it. It is unsatisfied, it is uneasy, it is unhappy. It must throw away thought, and be a mere trifler, or it is wretched. Every child has more or less of this feeling. The restraints of conscience and the voice of conscience are now a burden. But having no clear idea of reli- gion, (and can he have, before feeling its power 1) he feels that religion will only increase the restraints of conscience, give her voice new power, and give her new fetters, and this is all ! He thinks he shall have the same wicked heart after conversion as before, and all the addition he will obtain, is, that conscience will have new power over him, and the clashings be- tween his conscience and feelings will be seven-fold increased; — consequently, that every addition of piety is another addition of gloom, and of wretchedness. He has hitherto known nothing that looks so much like religion as conviction of sin, and he imagines that real religion is only adding to these convictions till the soul stops sinning, and this is religion ! Is it any won- der, then, that there is naturally an aversion in the mind of all, whether children or adults, to religion 1 34 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. How to correct this mistake. Illustration. Dialogue. They conceive it to be only an accumulation of iron in the fetters, — only an addition to the bad feelings which already fill the heart. How shall this difficulty be met and overcome 1 I would advise the teacher to become familiar with the workings of his own heart, and to become well acquainted with the reli- gious experience of other Christians. Let him learn the manner in which those who are now Christians, once looked at this subject, learn what misapprehen- sions and distortions their feelings and imagination gave them, and in this way learn to pour light into the heart that is darkened by sin, and that aches under a sense of its unworthiness. I illustrate this point by a conversation which is similar to many which I have had since I have been in the pastoral office. Nothing is altered but the name of the indi- vidual. " Mr. G., I am glad to see you of late at our even- ing meetings, at our Bible-class, and even out three times on the Sabbath. I have long been hoping that you would be brought into the fold, and that I should have the pleasure of seeing you a decidedly religious man." "Thank you, Sir; but I am not certain that I shall continue to attend these meetings much longer. I have often thought I would have religion, but the more religion I obtain, the more gloomy and unhappy I feel." " I am surprised, Mr. G., — for I did not know that THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 35 Dialogue continued. Expansion of the principle. you had * obtained' any l religion If Do you mean to say, that you have repented of your sins, forsaken them all, — that you are now trusting in the blood of Jesus Christ, with a heart contrite for your past life, full of gratitude for mercy and pardon, and full of holy resolution for the future V " Not exactly so ; but I mean, I have attended your meetings, and have heard all you have to say, — that I have given my thoughts somewhat to religion, but the more I have done it, the more dark it seems, and the further I am from being happy. If conscience now gives me so little peace, what should I do, were I to give up all my thoughts to religion, and let conscience have full swing ?" " My dear Sir, conscience will have * full swing/ as you call it, to all eternity, even if you are lost, and have your portion with unbelievers and hypocrites. But this is not religion. Pharaoh and Judas had this kind of religion, and it drove them to madness." " I don't wonder at it" " You have mistaken the lashings of conscience for religion. It is true, that the more of such religion you have, the more wretched you will be. But have I not often explained to you from the pulpit, that religion is something widely different from this V " I don't know ; you often seem to preach contra- dictions. I cannot understand why the very first movements of the soul towards religion should make me more and more unhappy. You tell me it is all 36 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The stubborn son. Clear illustration. gold, and when obtained it will render me happy. How can a great quantity of gold make me happy, when the first small piece I get renders me so miser- able?" " Mr. G., you recollect, some days since, you gave me an interesting account of your boy. You said he ran away from school, and spent three days in the company of vicious and idle boys. You recollect that you told me, that when you called him to account, you shut him up in a chamber without food, till he would acknowledge his sin, ask your pardon, and the pardon of the school. Am I right ?" " Yes, Sir ; but I don't see what this has to do with the subject." " Did you not tell me, that he held out for three days, and that every time you went to the door he seemed more stubborn and hardened V* " Yes." "Do you suppose he was growing happy during this time?" "No, he grew miserable; and my going to his chamber and asking him if he would submit, seemed almost to render him distracted." " Was that submission to you V " No, to be sure not." " Well, did he not grow more and more miserable and wretched, till at last he was brought to submit, bow his will to yours, ask your pardon, and the par- don of the school V 9 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 37 Conclusion of the illustration. "Yes." "Well, he undoubtedly looked upon the feelings of submission, just as you do upon religion ; the more he thought of these feelings, the more he dreaded them, and supposed that the feeling of submission would be intolerable to bear ; whereas, you said that the moment he submitted, the cloud all rolled off, and he was perfectly happy. So it is with you. God is coming and calling you to repentance ; you are stub- born, refuse to repent, and dread to be a penitent, because you think your present unhappy feelings will continue, and the present agony be increased seven-fold ! Sinners frequently think that a change of heart consists in nothing but an increase of their present feelings, till they become almost insupporta- ble. That which your boy finally felt, and which we call submission, was not an increase of the feelings which he had when you shut him up, but an entirely new feeling. And if you ever do really * obtain re- ligion,' it will not be an increase of your present feelings, which you call * religious,' but which in fact are awfully wicked, but feelings entirely new. It seems to me that God permitted your child to do as he did, that you might have a glass in which you could plainly see your own character. You are wading in miry waters in order to lay the founda- tions of your hopes, and complain that God suffers the waves to dash over you, to show you their bitter- ness, and their filth." 4 CHAPTER II. SUPERINTENDENT.— CHARACTER AND DUTIES. In- almost all communities it is better to have one mind preside and direct, than to have more, if we can safely trust so much power to one man. But as in most cases, this power is in very great danger of perversion and abuse, we are careful not to delegate it. The government of God is the government of one mind, and is the most perfect conceivable. An earthly monarchy is, in theory, the most perfect of human governments ; but human nature is too selfish and too wicked, to make it desirable in practice. The family government is that of one presiding, directing mind, and as the power is not very liable to abuse, it is by far the best possible. The Sabbath School is like it; and every Sabbath School must have one directing, presiding mind at its head. The church is one body : the members are not all alike, though all may be useful. One is the eye, another the mouth, another the hand, the foot and THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 39 Most good men need a leader. Influence of the leader in an army. the like. She can furnish many willing hands, and ready feet, but they want the eye to guide them. In other words, there are multitudes of good people who can do good, become very useful, but they want to lean on some one for direction. Some are too young, and lack experience ; some are, by habit and educa- tion, diffident of their own powers; some are com- paratively ignorant ; and some are naturally timid and indifferent These are all willing to labor to do good, — are desirous to do so; but they want some one to guide, direct, and to lead. The best army has been routed, and the tide of victory rolled suddenly back, by the fall of a leader. The army remained the same, the courage the same, but they could do nothing without the presiding, directing mind. What Xenophon says to his generals, may be said to those whom God has raised up to be the leaders among his people. "All the soldiers direct their eyes to you. — If they behold you dis- pirited, they themselves will be cowards. But if you appear preparing to attack the enemy, and encour- age them onward, be assured they will follow you, and attempt to imitate you. And it is fit that you should excel them." So many qualities of the very highest order need to be united in a Superintendent, that I feel afraid of beginning to enumerate them, lest the reader say, * he has drawn a character neither to be found nor attained/ I am afraid too, of so estimating some 40 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Difficulties of the present subject. Arrangement. Where teachers get power. parts of his character as to lead to the impression, that they may be sought and cultivated, to the loss, or to the neglect of others. The prosperity, life, character, and usefulness of a school, depend more upon the Superintendent than upon any, and perhaps all other things united. Thus, you will at one time see a school flourishing, full, and prosperous. It is the glory of the congregation. You call a few years after, and find it small, drooping, and almost lifeless. The reason of this difference, in most instances, is to he traced to the different men who superintend it. I will first mention the duties which belong to the office, and then the traits of character needed to meet and fulfil these duties. What I shall try to say in a few pages, ought to be drawn out and illustrated through a whole volume. I would here remark that the teachers ought to be annually elected by the church ; and the meeting of election ought to be one of examination of the school, review of the past, prayer for the teachers and school, and of plans for aiding the teachers. This makes the teachers feel that they are elected by somebody, have a trust committed to them, and are accountable to the church. It will give their characters and in- structions weight in the sight of the children. Should new teachers be needed during the year, the Super- intendent ought to nominate, subject to the accept- ance of the teachers. I would, then, have the Super- intendent annually elected by the teachers ; and for THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 41 How Superintendent to be elected. Importance of the office. these reasons ; that if he does not do well, a change may be easily made; that he may feel that he is called into office by the teachers, and is responsible, in a measure to them; and especially, that being elected by the teachers, he may seem, in the eyes of the school, to represent all the teachers, and embody their views, feelings, and plans. His office expires at the end of a year ; and, if re-elected for a suc- cession of years, the greater is the testimony to his worth, and the more is he held in honour by the whole community. Let him be the very best man in the church ; a man of age, — that the teachers may feel that they are not under the direction of youth, that the parents may feel that they are committing their children to experience ; and that the children may feel that they are guided by worth and respect- ability. " A good name is better than precious oint- ment," and what falls from the lips of such a man has weight with the school. Under the present sys- tem, the office of the Superintendent is the most im- portant office in the church, next to that of the Pas- tor ; and every pains ought to be taken to secure the best man possible, and the man who enters upon that office, should feel that he is assuming a very heavy responsibility. Another reason why the school should be under the supervision of the church, besides the desirable- new of having the church cherish it as the apple of the eye, is, that if the teachers are not elected by 4* 42 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Supervision of the Church. Proper place of the Sabbath School. the church, if they organize by themselves, and stand alone, distinct from the church, there is danger lest they feel that they have a distinct organization, dis- tinct interests, and may lay their plans, and pursue their ends, not only without consulting the wishes of the church, but without consulting her interests. I shall, in another place, describe the duties of the church towards the Sabbath School ; but I wish dis- tinctly to say here, that I should lament most deeply to see the day, when the teachers in our Sabbath Schools shall be found acting independently of the churches, and in array against them. There is not, cannot be, in nature, any separate interests in the two bodies. But should the day come when the fash- ion shall prevail, that Sabbath Schools shall be or- ganized and carried on, as independent organizations, then will heart-burnings commence. Then will many of the church withhold their children, the church and the minister stand aloof, or become subordinate to the school, the power of the church will pass into the school, and the church, in fact, take that parti- cular shape. Then will the school control the elec- tion of the Pastors of the churches, and do all that which is now done by our churches, as such. No man can think more highly of the Sabbath School system than I do. I trust these pages will prove that point. But woe the day, when they shall strive to " lord it over God's heritage," and concentrate every thing pertaining to the church of Christ in the Sab- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 43 First duty— govern and direct Self-government necessary. • bath School. Christ did not organize his church in the shape of the Sabbath School, nor can she ever assume that shape without destroying her proportions, and her existence. The attempt so to shape the church can never succeed ; and I trust it will never be made. I am not, however, making war upon a man of straw; nor would I make these remarks without intending to have them mean something. I proceed to the duties of the Superintendent. 1. It belongs to him to govern and direct the school. Men, and indeed, all created beings, must be under law, and government You cannot find the spot, whether it be the family, the church, or the Sabbath School, in which constant supervision and government are not necessary. Some schools will require more of government than others, — those in cities more than those in the country, — but all require it, and no school can be prosperous without it It is a wise provision in this system, that the Superintendent is the Execu- tive, and that the teaching and the governing, are, in some measure, disconnected. The very first ingre- dient in genuine government, is, that the Superintend- ent govern himself. Without this, he can never ex- ercise a wise control over the school. If he speak harshly, or quickly, or peevishly, to the teachers or scholars, if his color comes and goes, and the school is expecting some out-breaking of impatience, he has not self-government This he must have, and this he 44 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Must have plans. Ingenuity necessary. Discipline necessary. is inexcusable for not having. The teachers should feel that the government of the school is in his hands, and they are to sustain his decisions. At the same time, it is well to remember, that the more he can conceal his authority, and not make it prominent, and continually felt, the better. He should have his plans matured, whether they are, or are not, drawn out on paper before the school, and silently, steadily, and un- hesitatingly, see them carried out. As corporeal punishments are properly excluded from this system, he must have an accurate knowledge of human na- ture, that he may ingeniously contrive modes and sub- stitutes. He needs ingenuity to plan, and cool judg- ment to execute. I have been fearful that the good effects of government and discipline in the Sabbath School are not sufficiently appreciated. In most in- stances, it will correct evils, and what is better, will prevent them in future. Many instances might be cited in which boys, who were vicious, disorderly, troublesome, and corrupting, have been reclaimed, and have become, in after years, efficient, and devoted teachers. I will illustrate this by an example or two, from undoubted testimony. " In a flourishing school connected with one of the churches in the city of Washington, there was a very rude and unmanageable boy. As all mild measures failed to make him better, it was deter- mined that he should be sent away from the school. To make a deeper and more lasting impression upon THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 46 Interesting case of discipline. Effects of the experiment. himself and all present, it was also determined that this act of discipline should be administered in a formal and solemn manner. Accordingly, whilst the exercises of the school were going on, the Superin- tendent knocked upon the table and called for atten- tion. He directed the teacher of the class to which the little culprit belonged, to take him by the hand, and lead him out into the view of the whole school. This done, the Superintendent, in a solemn manner, told him, that he had been so bad a boy, the teachers were under the painful necessity of sending him away from the school, and go he must. After a few words of admonition and advice, he gave out an appropriate hymn, and the whole school sang it standing. The teacher, by the direction of the Su- perintendent, then took the boy by the hand, led him out of the school, through the vestibule, through the enclosure, and through the gate; then closing the gate upon him, let him go. The boy wept; the teachers and scholars wept; the whole scene was wost affecting. A salutary influence was exerted upon the whole school by this transaction, and it is hoped a lasting and most beneficial effect was pro- duced upon the little exile himself. For who should come the very next Sabbath morning, but the same little boy, entreating with tears that he might be taken back, and promising that he would hencefor- ward be a good boy. The teachers were not un- moved by his tears of penitence. They received him 46 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. A second example of discipline. Results. again into the school, and since his restoration he has been altogether another hoy. He gives no trouble to his teacher since." Another instance of discipline will show the sym- pathy of the school. " It appeared that two of the boys had misbehaved, and were, of course, injuring the rest of their class. The school was called to order, and the usual exercises suspended by the Su- perintendent. He then informed the children that something was about to take place quite unusual among them, but which, he regretted to say, was ex- ceedingly necessary. After some very appropriate remarks, the two boys were called up to the head of the room, in view of the whole school. The teacher was then requested to state the offences of which they had been guilty; and every other teacher in the room desired to give his views of the matter. After- wards the Superintendent spoke some time on the nature of their conduct, and the consequences that might result from it. " And now, children," said he, addressing the whole school, " what shall we do witk these boys 1 Shall we expel them 1 I want every child who is in favor of their expulsion to rise." The children in favor of this course arose, and strange to say, there were nine only out of about one hundred and eighty, who were in favor of expulsion ! The Superintendent then enquired what was to be done with the two boys, — they ought not to be suffered to injure those around them. " Try them a little THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 4'> Direction and classification of the scholar. Exercises of the school. longer" was the answer; — and accordingly they were permitted to remain on trial for six weeks longer." In all such cases, the Superintendent requires judgment, firmness, and persuasion mingled with au- thority." But discipline of this kind, judiciously ad- ministered, will always do good. The whole school, teachers and pupils, will feel it It belongs to the Superintendent to direct the school. It is pretty well ascertained that seldom more than six scholars should be committed to one teacher ; but to classify these, to put the right chil- dren-together, to give the right scholar to the right teacher, belongs exclusively to the Superintendent Here his wisdom will all be needed, — else he will be liable to place the stupid and the quick in contact, — the timid, trembling learner, under the bold, off-hand, decided teacher ; and the rough, headstrong boy, un- der the gentle, timid teacher. The Superintendent ought to arrange the classes, become acquainted with each class, individually, and make his supervision, as far as possible, extend to each member of every class. A general supervision, and a general care, are not enough. It is his business to open and close the school promptly ; — to conduct all the exercises of the school, and to give all no- tices. He should open the school with prayer, — select the hymns for singing, — make the prayers and devo- tional exercises short, to the point, fervent, and reve- 48 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Exercises to be short. Second duty,— forming character of teachers. rent. He should not address the school more than once each Sabbath, by way of application or exhort- ation ; and then, he should not speak, as Witherspoon used to tell his pupils, " before he has something to say, and should always stop when he is done." He should not have more than one point, selected from the lessons, upon which he tries to pour light, or with which he tries to make an impression. The greatest difficulty with these exhortations is, that they are apt to be too long, — far too long ; and to become tedious by sameness. To avoid the latter evil, some read stories and anecdotes ; but stories and anecdotes are very uninteresting, unless introduced to illustrate some point of instruction. To read and tell them without illustrating some important weighty instruc- tion, is to make your dinner of the spices which are designed as a seasoning to your meat. Always re- member that the great art of public speaking is to be short. You can easily weary an audience of men, and almost crucify one of children, by prolixity. Even clergymen, who ought, of all men, to under- stand this, are often complained of for being too long ; and any man is in danger of falling into prolixness, in proportion as he is unaccustomed to public speaking. 2. The second duty of the Superintendent is to advise with the teachers as to the interests of the school, and especially to aid in forming their char- acters. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 49 Influence of Superintendent on teachers. One of the deepest impressions which I should like to have made upon the Superintendent, is, that he has almost the whole responsibility of the prosperity of the school resting upon him, while he must have the help and co-operation of others to do the work. Let him feel that the most decided influence which he can exert upon the school is through the teach- ers, — not by direct precepts and teachings, or reproofs, perhaps, but by the general spirit which he creates and diffuses around him. Some of these teachers may be young and inexperienced: they want the example of one who knows how to let himself down to the heart of childhood. They will have their characters materially shaped and formed by the general character and spirit of the Superintendent. These teachers must at times be aroused, — for they have forgotten the object at which they aim ; — the end for which they commenced their journey. He must do this by his spirit of prayer, and by an exam- ple that reproves, warns, and encourages. It will often be desirable to have a kind of review of the ground, with the teachers, by themselves, — to advise with them as to the progress made, the evils noticed or growing into notice, the plans pursued, and the im- provements desired. Has the Superintendent, or any of the teachers, found any new light, or received any new hints from any source ? Have they seen or read of improvements which might be introduced into their school 1 Have the teachers a habit of observation, so 5 50 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEaCHER. Suggestions to the Superintendent. Private record. that they can gather materials for teaching from every thing— or do they need hints on this point? The Superintendent ought not merely to notice who among the teachers is absent, and note it down, and at the next meeting, kindly, but decidedly ask the reason, but he ought also to be able to know the absences from each class, — to know the reasons of them from the teacher or the absentee, — to know as far as possible, the temperament, habits, and feelings of each scholar. And I would here suggest to a Su- perintendent to do, — what I am in the habit of doing, in regard to each member of the church under my pastoral charge. I keep a book in which I write the name of each person on the top of the page when he enters my church. The whole page under the name is left blank. This blank page is to be filled up at a future time, — by such memoranda as these ; — when the person left us, — where he went, — when he died, — traits of character, — influence, &c. &c. By this means, I know what has become of all who have been under my charge. Such a private record, would, in the course of years become not merely in- teresting, but invaluable to the Superintendent ; and its review would recall the past, and suggest much for improvement. It is the duty of the Superintend- ent to see that the scholars are visited statedly by the teachers. In some schools this is done monthly, quarterly, or yearly. The most faithful and most successful teacher I have ever known, visited his THe SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 51 Hints concerning visiting. Influence of innovations. class, or saw each scholar, every week. This duty- must be insisted on by the Superintendent in his vis- its to the classes, and in his private conversations with the teachers. I say statedly, whether the visits be more or less frequent ; for what is done by impulses is seldom well done. I need hardly say that in order to train the teachers to habits of regularity, and punctuality, the Superintendent must be a pattern himself. He must also insist on this as an indispensa- ble requisite for the teacher. He can give hints, more or fewer, almost every Sabbath. One new hint and valuable suggestion dropped by the Super- intendent each Sabbath, will soon make an impres- sion that will be felt in the school. Some Superintendents are frequently making inno- vations, introducing new plans, and making new dis- coveries of a more excellent way. Not unfrequently, indeed, we find a school in which a great improvement is said to be made, and with vast success. Awhile afterwards, you find the improvement laid aside, and the school fallen to its original state. I would not speak against improvements ; I believe that they are yet to be made; but in most cases, the advantage consists solely in the increased zeal and effort with which the teachers apply their supposed improve- ment. The school is benefited so long as the novelty keeps alive exertion, and no longer. Hence, the great thing needed in this, and indeed, in every de- partment of the Church, is an increased zeal, and an 52 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. What is the great thing needed ? Examinations. untiring energy in applying the means already in our hands. And laboring for the Church, whether as a minister at the altar, or as a teacher in the Sabbath School, I should study more to have the means al- ready provided for our use, faithfully applied, than to invent new. This general remark, of course, applies to the whole movements of the Church ; and if it be said that I am voting to keep the Church in the dark, and to have her grope her way in twilight, instead of walking in new and clearer light, I answer, that the history of the Church clearly shows, that changes, are not, of course, improvements ; — and that she has lost more by experimenting upon theories, than in any other way. Labor, hard, persevering, untiring labor, will make any Sabbath School prosper ; and without this, changes and inventions will soon be found to be useless. Let this thought be well understood by the Superintendent, and it will frequently prevent his wasting time in seeking to improve his school by new schemes, when the difficulty lies too deep to be reach- ed by any such changes. The school ought to be examined statedly, — and publicly, — once a month, or certainly once a quarter. These examinations will be conducted by the Super- intendent ; but he will wish to consult with the teach- ers in relation to them, — to have their advice, co-op- eration, and aid. They should be spirited, short, and with no desire of display. To meet these, — to make them pleasant to the school, satisfactory to the teach- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 53 Third duty,— teacher's meeting. Pastor should instruct teachers,— first reason. ers, instructive and useful to the parents and specta- tors, — there must be previous training, and adapted- ness in the teaching. 3. Aid in the teachers' meeting, and feel respon- sible for it. Perhaps my own views may be singular, defective, or erroneous; but my impression decidedly is, that the teachers ought to meet weekly, for the purpose of obtaining a good knowledge of the lesson, and of mutual benefit by prayer and conversation ; and that, as a general rule, the Pastor of the church ought to be the instructer, when the teachers sit down to get their lessons. My reasons are these : — 1. The Pastor is responsible for what food is given to the lambs committed to his charge. The Sabbath School takes the children, in a measure, out of his hand, and that becomes the Pastor to the little flock; but it does not, and it cannot, release him from the responsibility of seeing that the word is " rightly di- vided." He can see that this is done only by sitting down weekly with the teachers, and going over the lesson familiarly, and teaching them just as he would have the lambs taught. This will release his mmd from any fear lest wrong interpretations are given to Scripture, — lest wrong impressions are made upon the mind of childhood, or lest modes of thinking or of teaching prevail, such as he cannot but feel are mis- taken, useless, consuming time, if not in themselves, dangerous. 5* 54 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second reason. Third reason. 2. The Pastor is, as a general thing, the best qual- ified to aid the teachers to understand the lesson. He is, or ought to be, familiar with the tenor and spirit of the Bible, knows its great plan, and has that in mind when looking at its several parts ; he has long been in the habit of studying it, for the purpose of understanding and explaining its meaning, has helps and aids by which to understand it, which few pos- sess; and, he has the habit of communicating thought, and ought to be able, in a given time, say an hour, to communicate more thought than any other man. To " be apt to teach," is one essential ingredient in his character. What would cost another man days of hard study, and perhaps weeks, not knowing on what books to lay the hand for information, the min- ister can at once communicate; for the ground is familiar to him, and he has been over it all repeatedly. 3. The Pastor should aid the teachers in their meeting, because it will give him a deeper interest in the school. I have known teachers to shut out the minister from all their meetings, from giving his views on the lesson, and then bitterly complain be- cause he took no deeper interest in the school. But who can feel interest in a factory in which he never entered, — in a stock of which he owns none, — or in a business with which he has nothing to do ? I never have known any schools so well conducted, so efficient and spiritual, as those in which the minister exerted his influence by means of the teachers' meeting. It THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 55 Business meetings. Misconception of teachers binds the Pastor and the teachers together ; it pre- vents all feelings of jealousy and complaint, and it makes the school the nursery of hearts whose piety is kindled at the very altar. There are, undoubtedly, exceptions to these remarks ; and perhaps I am speak- ing too much of my own delightful experience. But besides, or in addition to this hour devoted weekly to obtaining a correct and familiar knowledge of the lesson, perhaps at its close, there should be a meeting under the direction of the Superintendent, to review the last Sabbath, — to lay plans for the fu- ture, to talk over difficulties and discouragements, cases of discipline, irregularities observable in the teachers and in the scholars, the state of religion, and the means to be used to advance it, &c. This meet- ing should be a sort of " to-do-good meeting," for mu- tual improvement, and for the benefit of the school. It might be short ; and if there was little to say, at times, the season would be no less profitably employed in prayer, and in seeking aid and wisdom from God. But even without such meetings, for the purpose of going over the lesson, and of laying plans and the like, your school cannot prosper. As a general thing, teachers loith whom I have been acquainted, have no adequate conception of the amount of furniture necessary in order to teach a class in the Sabbath school. Some schools have never had these meetings with a view to study the lesson; others have but part of the teachers present. Those schools, and 56 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. How the school to be increased. those teachers, who are neglecting these meetings, are suffering a loss, — to say nothing of enjoyment, — which is unspeakably great. I have seen teachers who felt too wise or too indifferent to attend such meetings, — when they came to teach the lesson, find it hard work to fill up the hour, and have had to fold their hands, and be silent for the last few minutes, — wondering why the time to close the school had not arrived. The Superintendent ought to be as particular in in- quiring for absences from the teachers' meeting, as from the school on the Sabbath. The increase of the school is a very important part of the duties of the Superintendent. Unless great pains are taken, every school will diminish, — by the removal of scholars, — by deaths, — by the indifference of parents, — by the age of pupils, and by other causes. The Superintendent will find his little con- gregation diminishing from year to year, unless he make this an object of special attention. There will be new families moving into your precincts, new chil- dren growing into the age to attend, but who, through negligence, do not enter the school, and there will al- ways be materials to fill up the school, at least equal to what are withdrawn from it. The object of the teachers is not merely to keep the school full, but to bring every child in the community under the influ- ence of religious instruction. Let the Superintendent advise, encourage, and co-operate with, the teachers, THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 57 Superintendent should not be dogmatical. and have one, and in cities two, special efforts made every year, to fill up the school with new scholars. But let the Superintendent be careful lest he be- come dogmatical ; * lest in consultation,' to use the somewhat obscure, but. powerful language of John Foster, ' his manner indicate, that when he is equally with the rest in possession of the circumstances of the case, he does not at all expect to hear any opinions that shall correct his own ; but is satisfied that either his present view of the subject is the right one, or that his own mind must originate that which shall be so. This striking difference will be apparent between him and his associates, that their manner of receiving his opinions is that of agreement or dissent : his man- ner of receiving theirs is that of sanction or rejection. He has the tone of authority deciding on what they say, but never of submitting to the rejection of what he himself says. Their coincidence of views does not give him a firmer assurance of being right, nor their dissent any other impression than that of their want of judgment. If his feeling took the distinct form of reflection, it would be, * mine is the business of comprehending and devising, and I am here to rule this company, and not to consult them : I want their docility, not their arguments ; I seek not their co-operation in thinking, but to determine their con- currence in what is already thought for them.' Thus many suggestions which seem important to those who make them, will be disposed of by him with so slight 58 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Division of schools. Use of sympathy. an attentioD, that it will seem very disrespectful to those, who may possibly refuse to admit that he is wiser than all men, or that they themselves are idiots.' All this must be studiously avoided. It may sometimes become a question whether, in a single village, for example, the same set of teachers shall have one school, or several ; i. e. one large, cen- tral school, or several different branches. It is im- possible, in answer to all such questions, to do any thing more than to lay down general principles. There can be no question that a large school has many decided advantages over a small one, or several small ones. These advantages arc obvious. There is more excitement and interest in the teachers and in the scholars in a large school, than in a small one. The Library is managed to better advantage, every thing is on a larger scale, and is more animated. If the responsibility of the Superintendent is increased, so are his means of doing good, and so are the mo- tives to exertion. There is something in sympathy, mysterious indeed, but exceedingly powerful, and which, in a large school, may be used to great advan- tage. We know its influence upon the Senator, upon the Advocate, and especially upon the pu'pit orator. The man who is effective, powerful, and almost be- yond what is human, before a large audience, is tame when speaking to a score of people. Probably the man has never yet lived, who could long be an orator before a small assembly. Even Cicero could not de- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 59 The principle of sympathy to be used. Used by the Jews. liver his famous Oration in behalf of the Poet Archias, though addressed to a single man, without having all that was learned and great in Rome to hear him. People in the country know that their minister speaks more eloquently, and the meetings are more interest- ing in the summer, than in the winter, — because the meetings are more fully attended. Having made allusion to a certain principle, per- haps I shall not have a better place than this, in which to give my views and feelings to those who guide our Sabbath Schools, on the possibility of per- verting the human sympathies in promoting religion. I have long been of the opinion, that regular philo- sophical principles are as really employed in revivals of religion, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, as in any other case. The whole Jewish system of wor- ship was designed and arranged to meet the social sympathies of man. Read the sublime description of the march of the children of Israel as they fol- lowed the cloudy pillar, which the luminous, but too sceptical pen of Jahn has drawn. Read the songs of Degrees in the Psalms of David, which the glad- dened tribes sang, as they went three times a year up the hill of Zion, to meet the scattered nation, and to bow before God in solemn worship. They met on the sacred hill of Zion, — mingled their songs, their sacrifices, their prayers, their joys and sorrows, formed new acquaintances, revived old friendships, and learn- ed the condition of every tribe and corner of the land. 60 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Example of Paul. Remarkable example of Christ. Example of its abuse. John the Baptist made use of the same principle; so did Christ, and so did Paul, in that remarkable in- stance when he held up his clanking chains, and wished them all Christians like himself, " except these bonds !" The iron of those chains went to the heart, and the king and all the court rose up hastily. One more such appeal would have opened the flood-gates of sympathy, and the king would have felt that he was a man. The most remarkable instance of the use of the social principle by Christ, was when the curious, gazing crowd were for a short time all in raptures, cutting down branches of trees, and even stripping off their garments to do him homage, as he gloriously en- tered Jerusalem on the borrowed ass, to fulfil the words of prophecy. The Hosanna-Rabba began on the mountain east of Jerusalem, and ran down the mountain's side like wild-fire, passed over the valley of Jehoshaphat, till it had gone even through the crowd of market-men in the court of the temple, and reached the little children within. Scarcely any thing among men is so awful and ap- palling as is this principle, when highly awakened and wrongly directed. Let any one read the fear- ful history of the Reign of Terror in France, when men wore the ears of their butchered fellow-citizens in their hats for cockades, — and women were stripped to the elbows, and ancle-deep in blood, butchering the multitudes as they were brought out of prison, — and when the painter David, with a soul refined by THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 61 Second example. Example in case of Lafayette. the most Tefining art, for days together, assisted to condemn and execute victims, that he might see how the blood gushed, and how the livid countenance of sudden death looked, — so that he might transfer these to the canvas ! Could the history of the iJark world be written by the pen of the archangel, it would seem impossible to exhibit more awful scenes of guilt and sin. Read the history of the charges made and re- ceived in the battle of Waterloo, and inquire if you could gather fifty thousand slain upon an area of two miles square, were it not for the awful power which sympathy gives, when once excited, and so fearfully directed. Mather's Magnalia, and the history of the Salem Witch-craft, will afford abundant and notable exam- ples of what I mean. It seemed as if common sense and conscience were thrown away, when they most needed these commodities. The whole, or almost the whole, may be traced to the power of sympathy. We all witnessed its-power, harmlessly exhibiting, and expending itself, when Lafayette came to this country on a visit, a few years since. A minister of the Gospel told me that he was on the common in Boston when Lafayette arrived, — amid the rushing, the enthusiasm, — and the wild waves of sympathy. " I could not help weeping," said he, " and all around me were weeping." "Pray, Sir, for what were you all weeping?" "0,1 don't know. I hardly got near enough the 6 62 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Example of Dr. Franklin. The principle to be used in religion. General to see his figure distinctly; but the bells were all ringing, the cannon roaring, the people shout- ing, — it was such a time! and every body was so much delighted, that all were weeping, and so I wept too !" A very philosophical reason, if not a very good one! Probably few could have been by his side without feeling the power of sympathy, and weeping too. But why were they weeping? Because the rest did, — and this is reason enough. Who has not been amused at Dr. Franklin's de- scription of the effects of Whitfield's eloquence upon himself? The Doctor had gold, silver, and copper, in his pocket, but resolved that he would not give a cop- per. He sat, heard, sympathised : first resolved that he would give the copper ; then the silver ; and when the time came, in went copper, silver, gold and all. Now we use this principle very abundantly, and, in general, rightly, in religion. Let any one attend the great anniversaries of our benevolent Societies for the first time. He sits and hears the glowing, thrilling, overwhelming appeals there made, and is captivated, melted, and almost delirious. He resolves that he will now do more for the salvation of men in one year, than he has done in any ten preceding years. He goes out, thrilling, aching, weeping. The next day he feels lassitude, and undoubtedly has some feelings not greatly unlike those which the votaries of the theatre have. This was not religion ; it was THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 63 To be used in Sabbath Schools. sympathy wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. Just suppose this man to be destitute of religion. Let him see all this, feel all this, and have all his sympa- thies highly awakened ; let him there resolve that he will hereafter live and act as a Christian. He leaves the meeting with this solemn resolution: is he a Christian ? Possibly he may be ; but most probably he is not; — it is only an unsanctified feeling kin- dled up. This sympathy may be used, and must be used, in the Sabbath School. I introduce the subject to guard against making it a standard of action, and mistaking its power for the power of the Holy Spirit. In a school where the Superintendent and teachers are faithful, there will be seasons of special tender- ness, susceptibility, and seriousness. The teachers will unconsciously, and unavoidably, and very pro- perly, make use of the principle of sympathy. There will be ardent feelings among teachers and among pupils ; these will be kindled to a glow. A teacher finds a scholar tender, or awakened. He urges him to submit to God, — gets him to go home with him, — prays with him, and tells the scholar to delay no longer, — now is the time,— and he must now kneel down, and pray, and give his heart up to God. He himself feels as if a crisis had come ; and that the salvation of the scholar turns upon this hour; the scholar feels so too. He is highly, — unspeakably ex- cited. The whole system trembles. He kneels, 64 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. How it may be abused. Hints for safety. prays, makes the consecration, and says he gives him- self up to the service of God. " Do you feel any differently from what you did before]" " O yes, widely different." " Well, do you now solemnly resolve to be a Chris- tian from this hour ?" " Certainly I do. I never felt so before ; — I will serve God, come what may." Now I do not say that this scholar is not a Chris- tian, or that this is not conversion ; it may be, and it may not be. And here is the danger of such machin- ery. Like steam, it is powerful, and may be made to do almost any thing, if properly directed ; would it were as easy to direct and manage human sympa- thy when excited, as to manage steam. Could this sympathy always be under the direction of devoted, discriminating, judicious, well-balanced minds, there would be comparatively little danger. But as this is a day of excited sympathy, as the young are easily excited, as multitudes have thus been aroused and have mistaken this excitement for conversion, the Superintendent should understand it. The teachers should understand it. Just in propor- tion as the passions are excited, let the cause be what it may, the judgment is unfitted for its office. In this state, no man can judge correctly and surely of him- self or of others. It seems to be a settled principle of action with some teachers, that if they can only THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 65 Fourth duty, — raising up new teachers. get men excited, they have no fears but all will be well, and the more excited they become, the sooner conversion will take place. I cannot too earnestly recommend that every Superintendent should own, and often read, Edwards on the Affections. The reader will understand me to say that I have but little fear of the abuse of this principle, except on one single point ; — viz., that of mistaking excited feeling for the conversion of the soul to God. How often was this mistaken by the old church ! Read the his- tory of their joy on the banks of the Red Sea, when Pharaoh was destroyed, — of their solemn vows at the receiving of the law, and in multitudes of similar cases. Might I specify evils which I have seen re- sult from the abuse of the sympathies, — what I have said above, would seem any thing, rather than an unmeaning digression. 4. It belongs to the duties of the Superintendent to lay plans to raise up new teachers. In the late arrangement of the United States' government to send several ships in an exploring expe- dition to the South Seas, they had to build a number of new vessels. Why did they 1 They had ships enough, good ships, and of the right size; but they were not built for this business, nor adapted to it. It is so with every thing. The Indian constructs the canoe which is to be used on the swift river, differently from what he does, if it is to go on the smooth lake. The horse, the dog must have early and careful training, if they attain 6* THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. How to raise up teachers. Classes especially organized. their highest perfection ; and we all know that a boy becomes perfect in any business very much in propor- tion to the age at which he began to apply himself to it. There will be a very great gain to the power of the Sabbath School, when we can have teachers who are raised up, and trained for years for this ex- press purpose. The Superintendent should early and constantly lay his plans for this. For this purpose he must know each scholar personally, his habits, modes of thinking, talent of communicating, and, above all, the condition of his heart. Were there no other reason why he should strive earnestly for the conversion of his school, this would be one of great weight. As soon as practicable, I would organize classes of those who give promise of becoming suitable teachers, place them under the instruction of the very best teachers you have. I would not have the idea very prominent before the minds of these classes, that they are fitting to become teachers, — perhaps it would not be best to say anything about it to them for some time ; but the teacher ought to understand it, to feel the full weight of the charge, — to make it his constant desire to instruct these properly, and his earnest prayer, to lead them to Christ and to holiness. No judicious means ought to be omitted to lead them to God. The teacher should feel that not a single exertion should be relaxed so long as there is one who is not converted to God. The Superintendent THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER- 67 Habits of Superintendents. Bad examples cited. should feel this; and the teachers at their prayer- meetings should make them the subjects of fervent prayer. These classes should be selected with care, formed on right principles, led by an even hand, and most thoroughly and judiciously instructed. In order to do this, the Superintendent ought to bear in mind unceasingly, that his school must be a model. He must try to be, and to have his teachers, and the whole school, just what he would wish these scholars to make their schools, when they come to have the care of schools. He must indulge himself in no habits which they may not safely follow. For example, I know one Superintendent who as regularly sleeps during the sermon, as the sermon is preached. I doubt whether he has heard a sermon for years. And yet, when he comes to take the head of the school, he feels that every word which he says, must be attended to, and would feel that a scholar ought almost to be sent from school, who should sleep during one of his exhortations ! I know of another, who uses tobacco in such profusion, that his person is slovenly almost to loathing, and his breath is positively annoying. Can such men feel that they are setting examples which the teachers and the school may safely follow 1 What an exhibition would a Sabbath School make, should they all sleep soundly through every sermon ? It may be said that this is an infirmity, and that such men cannot avoid sleeping in the house of God, — the habit is too strong. I reply, that if for twenty or THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Lightness of conduct. To be a model. Fifth duty,— retaining older scholars. even ten years, they have been inducing habits, which, if followed by all, would destroy all effects of the Gospel, and even public worship itself, it is time for them to begin to form better habits ; and if they will not do that, I have no hesitation in saying, it is time for them to leave superintending the Sabbath School. Some Superintendents have a lightness about their conversation and manner, which seem wholly incompatible with a deep sense of responsi- bility ; or a foppery about their dress which indicates great thought and care about their beautiful per- sons, and which cannot be imitated by the school without ruining it. It will not be necessary to specify all the little things which must be avoided by the Superintendent. Let him constantly feel that his is to be a Model School for the imitation of all those whom he is en- deavoring to qualify to become teachers, and he will be likely to walk circumspectly. 5. It is a part of the Superintendent's duties to form plans by which the older scholars shall be kept in the school. It is a great mistake running through all classes of this country and of this age, to suppose that the mind can be matured and educated quick, and while it is young. Our young men must be educated and all ripe for active life by the time they have com- pleted their teens ; and our girls,, almost by the time they have entered them. Hence the Sabbath School THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 69 First method of doing this. has been considered a sort of nursery, for the benefit of children; and as soon as scholars have become mature, so that they can begin fully to reap the ad- vantages of the system, they are taken away, or they take themselves away. As a general thing, the scholar who has arrived at the age at which he feels that he is too old to belong to the Sabbath school, would receive more good by the next year's instructions, than by any four or five of the previous years. The Superintendent will find it somewhat difficult to alter this fashion ; but he should strive to do it ; and he can do very much, even if he cannot do all that he would wish. I will suggest a few hints as to the manner in which it may be done. (a.) Make the impression that it is dishonorable to leave the school without a regular tvritten dismis- sion from the Superintendent Let this impression once be made, and the charac- ter thus acquired will be worth much in after life. I have known of several young men coming from.Europe to this country, who have found their certificates of having been regular members of the Sabbath School, a number of years, worth more to them than all the other papers which they brought. Such a certificate gives confidence, that the character of the bearer is based upon a valuable foundation. Now, if you are in the habit of giving a correct certificate when the pupil leaves the school, and can make the impression that it is really valuable, you will find the scholars more will- 70 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second' method. Third method. ing to continue in the school ; and if it be disreputa- ble to leave without such a certificate, few will be willing to lose what they have been so long in ac- quiring. In order to effect the object aimed at, every Superintendent will see the necessity of not receiving scholars, except in very extraordinary cir- cumstances, from other schools, without a regular written dismission. (b.) Do not let the older scholars get in advance of the teachers. Some teachers are absolutely stationary ; they ac- quire no new thoughts, or if they do, they do not re- tain them long enough to make them of any use. They read little, think less, and soon have their stock of thoughts exhausted. The scholars are sure to know the depth of their teacher. They will be inquisitive, quick, bright, and it may be, will go be- yond him. As soon as the pupil has arrived at that point, he will be uneasy, — his duties will become irksome, and he will wish to leave the school. The remedy is obvious. Teaching must be provided, which is sufficiently advanced to meet the wants of every class, and of every individual. This is a point at which the Superintendent ought carefully to look ; and perhaps he will find that the uneasiness and restlessness of the scholars have been blamed, when the fault is not wholly theirs. (c.) Be careful to keep the library filled with books THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 71 Fourth method. suited to the advanced age and improvement of your oldest scholars. This is one of the best bonds to keep the scholars with you, and one on which you may usually rely with certainty. Books of a high character should be selected, kept in such order as to be inviting ; and I am not sure that it would not be wise to have a library separate and distinct for the sole use of the older scholars. I once made the experiment of forming a library for young men and young ladies separate from the Sabbath School. There were shortly several hundred volumes gathered, and they were probably of much greater use than the same number of books are to a Sabbath School in the ordinary way. (d.) Labor and pray for the conversion of the older scholars, if not already converted. This will give them the spirit of little children. As soon as a scholar is converted to God, he feels that the Sabbath School is more precious than ever before. His pride will not take him from it, for his pride is subdued, and his feelings will lead him to stay. This is the great thing to be attained. Once bring these learners into the fold of Christ, and they will then continue in the school, will improve rapidly, will add a blessing to the school, and you will have the pleasure of seeing them sitting at the feet of Jesus, like a young church, fitting to meet temptation, to do his will, and to receive his rewards. 72 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fifth method First trait of character needed by the Superintendent. (e.) When the time arrives, when the scholars can be more benefited by going into the Bible classes under the care of the Pastor of the church, by all means encourage them to do it. This supposes that every Pastor has a male and a femjile Bible class, which ought to be the case, ex- traordinaries excepted. These classes will lie at the foundation of the church, and of all that is good among you. I am aware that it is sometimes the case that the Superintendent and teachers are un- willing to transfer their precious charge ; and they feel as a Pastor feels, when his flock is passing out of his hands into those of others. It is human nature, to wish to keep all the ground which ice have ever occupied. This renders dismissed ministers some- times unpleasant parishioners, — it makes churches unwilling to colonize and plant new churches, and it makes Sabbath School teachers sometimes clash with the true interests of the cause of religion. Re- member that though this is human nature, it is hu- man nature fallen, and the principle is a selfish one. I have now mentioned, briefly, the duties of the Superintendent. I need not again go over the whole ground in describing the traits of character which he needs, and which he needs assiduously to cultivate. A few words will be sufficient to sum up the most prominent points of character needed. 1. Age and experience ; — In order to have a know-, ledge of the human heart, — a deep knowledge of TIIE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 73 Second trait. Third trait. Fourth trait. his own heart, — the habit of close self-examination, — in order to have the confidence of the teachers, the community, and the scholars ; — in order to speak and pray in public acceptably, and appropriately ; — and in order to have that weight accompany his advice, directions, and instructions, which can be obtained only by a character known, and tried, and approved. 2. Devotedness to religion; — that he may be a man of prayer, by which alone wisdom that is profit- able to direct can be obtained; — that he may be unwearied in his attempts to aid the teachers, that he may thoroughly understand the lesson himself, and communicate it with a simple and sincere desire to save the soul. 3. Fjvenness of temper ; — that the school may feel that the hand which holds the helm, never varies, — that the teachers may find their intercourse pleas- ant, and may go to him as to a friend, without "ever expecting to be wounded by irritability; — that parents may find it pleasant to go to the school, and witness the improvement of their children, — that strangers may find a courteous reception, and their visit be ren- dered profitable. Self-government is invaluable, — indispensable to the Superintendent 4. Great promptness of character; — that the school may be opened and closed with great exact- ness, that no exercises may be long and tedious, that the teachers and school may know what to depend 7 74 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Firth trait. Sixth trait. upon, — that they may kqow that no changes will take place without great deliberation and thought. 5. Growing humility, — otherwise, his station, the deference exacted and paid, and the influence exerted, will make him a Diotrephes. He must cul- tivate piety in his own heart, and become like the angels who are ministers to worms of the dust, and are good ministers in proportion as they are humble. True exaltation and greatness consist in great hu- mility. 6. An example in all that is good; — he should be fervent, simple, unaffected in prayer, increasing in a knowledge of the Bible, prompt, liberal, noble in charity, untiring in labors, warm in Christian inter- course, growing in all the Christian graces, and living for the salvation of the earth. Such should be the Superintendent of the Sab- bath School. CHAPTER III. QUALIFICATIONS OF A GOOD TEACHER. In the enumeration of the qualities desirable in a Sabbath School teacher, it is not to be supposed that every teacher will possess them all in due proportion. Few characters are perfectly symmetrical; and where there are great excellencies, there are usually great defects. The latter must be overlooked for the sake of the former. The success of men in doing good to the souls of men, from the apostle down to the distributor of tracts, depends greatly upon the state of the heart. Indeed, without a right state of heart, all other qualities will for the most part be useless. I begin to describe the Sabbath School teacher, then, by saying, that 1. He should be a devotedly pious man. The office of a teacher is, and must be, one of self-denial ; the labor necessary to acquire the lesson to be taught, to understand the best way of commu- nicating truth, the stupidity, restlessness, listlessness, 76 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Testimony of experience. and trying appearance of the class from week to week, the want of government at home, and the utter indifference of most of the parents, the return of the same routine of duties, the obscurity of the station, the amount of labor bestowed unknown and unappre- ciated, and the entire loss of so much labor, all unite to make the office of a teacher a drudgery and a burden. I cannot express my own views on this point better than to give an extract of a letter addressed to me by a Superintendent, — a lady, — and one of great experience and character. " My own opinion is, that the Sabbath School teacher sustains the same relation to the children of his charge, that a Pastor does to his flock. He is emphatically the spiritual guide of the little ones committed to him, and his responsibility as touching the eternal interests of the six or eight deathless souls who cluster around him on the Sabbath, seems to me to be precisely that which the Pastor sustains to the same number who sit under his ministry, and receive from him the bread of life. If children are blessed with pious parents, who not only teach them to read the word of God, but are wont to enforce it with their admonitions and prayers, why place them, during the sacred hours of the Sabbath, under the care of one who cannot be expected, with a heart overflowing with earnest de- sires for their salvation, to point them to a crucified Savior? If, on the contrary, the neglected one is from a family where the holy name of God never THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Results of experience. falls upon his ear, except from a profane and intem- perate father, and where no praying mother com- mends this child to God, (and alas ! how many such are found in our schools !) is the class of the teacher who has never felt the love of Jesus, the refuge for this ignorant and wretched child ? I have often, as a Superintendent, in my experience, had my feelings severely tried on this very point, although of late years no teachers have been admitted to the school with which I am connected, except such as entertain the hope that they are the children of God. A child is introduced into the school, perhaps well knowp to be greatly neglected at home. My anxious eye is invariably turned to the seat occupied, — not by the cold, uninterested teacher, even though a professor of religion, — but by the devoted, praying teacher, who constantly pours into the ear, and presses home upon the hearts of her pupils, the truths of God's holy word. If no vacancy is found in such a class, I feel that almost a wrong is inflicted upon the child who is committed to the charge of one who feels but little for the priceless gems she is forming for eternity. I can well recollect, a few years since, an aged and holy mother in Israel entered our school, leading by the hand two little grand- children. As I went forward to meet her, she took my hand, and addressing me in a familiar man- ner, with a solemnity of countenance, and an im- pressiveness of voice I can never forget, she said, 7# 78 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The grand-mother. Great and absorbing design of Sabbath Schools. ' these are my grand-children ; remember that you take care of their souls. I commit them to you.' I felt constrained to take these to the class of a teacher whom I knew to be faithful, and to repeat the solemn admonition I had received. It may be possi- ble, and there probably are cases, where it would be more desirable, than to leave them without a Sab- bath School, to place children who have no religious instruction, under the charge of those who do not possess true piety, but who are competent to teach them to read the word of God. In desolate portions of our country where Christians are few in number, such teachers, under the direction of a devoted Su- perintendent, who as far as possible will endeavor to make up this deficiency, by giving special religious instruction himself, may be better than none; but where large churches in our cities and villages con- tain great numbers of the followers of Christ, every method should be used to impress upon their hearts the importance of fulfilling the injunction of our blessed Master, " feed my lambs." " I know it is said that teachers in great numbers have been converted in the Sabbath School, and therefore, we should admit those to be teachers who have not piety, for the sake of doing them good. But I ask, what is the great, absorbing design of the in- stitution of Sabbath Schools 1 Is it not to train up the rising generation for God? If this be its first and commanding object, then clearly our duty is to THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 79 Powerful influence of the teacher. make every thing bear upon securing this great end. A teacher is now and then converted ; but how many children may have passed from under his care un- warned and unholy into eternity ; or, led astray by his example, others may have entered upon the busy concerns of life with hearts unsubdued by the grace of God ! The providence of God may have taken from one a beloved father, and his heart softened by afflictions, and under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he may be just upon the point of submitting to the blessed Savior. He goes to the Sabbath School, but his teacher is not watching with eager solicitude to see the tear of penitence, and to lead the burdened sinner to the foot of the cross. The inquiry which was ready to break from his lips, is driven back, by the look of indifference from his unconscious teacher. The blind cannot lead the blind. A Superintendent, under such circumstances, if faithful, will not fail to do his duty ; but I am persuaded that no Superin- tendent can gain that influence over the children of the School which each individual teacher may possess over his class. Those who have had most experience cannot have failed to observe the strong hold which teachers have upon the hearts of the children of their class ; and how astonishing is the influence exerted over them by their faithfulness or unfaithfulness. I will mention one fact to illustrate this point. On the distant shores of China lives and labors a youthful missionary, who, I think, was but twenty-one years 80 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Testimony of a young missionary. Discussion continued. of age, when h left a happy home, to go and fulfil the dying command of his Master, ' go preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven.' He was nurtured in our Sabbath School from his earliest boy- hood ; and when of sufficient age, filled with much zeal and faithfulness, for several years, the responsi- ble office of teacher. On the evening preceding his departure from us, at our accustomed weekly meeting of teachers, when taking his leave, he made this re- mark, " Do not be discouraged in your work. I am indebted to my faithful Sabbath School teacher for the first desires which were kindled in my bosom, and my final determination to be a missionary of the cross." It is not certainly for us to say what other way the providence of God might have opened to lead to the same result, had this lovely youth been placed under the care of a teacher possessing a different spirit ; but this seems certain, that this teacher, who had in charge the training of the future missionary, will find him a bright gem in the crown of his re- joicing." I know I shall be pardoned for this long extract of a letter so judicious, and so much to the point. Let the question be plainly asked — what is to be taught in our Sabbath Schools ? And the answer is plain, — the way of salvation. Each child is to be trained up so far as is possible, for the service of God. Need the question be discussed, who are to be the guides, as a general rule, to lead the child to the THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 81 Holiness needed. What the duty of teachers not pious. Lamb of God 1 It certainly is a work which none but a pious heart can appreciate, — it is to be done by means which none but a heart taught of God can understand and use, — and it requires a continuance of virtues which none but a renewed heart can exer- cise. I am confident I speak the language of thou- sands when I say, that as a parent seeking the best, the eternal welfare of my children, T should not, — could not, commit such interests into hands which were not guided by a pious heart. My own feelings have done more to convince me, and to enlighten me on this point, than pages of argument. We want more than the professor of religion for our Sabbath School ; — we want holiness — that holi- ness which, in times that try men's souls, would give up all, and go even to the stake, with the song of life upon the tongue ; — that holiness which in these times, can resist the temptations of Mammon, the bewitch- ing allurements of the world, — which are almost as trying to piety as persecutions and the stake, — and which can live for God and his glory. What, then, do I say to those who are already en- gaged in teaching the Sabbath School, but who have no evidence that they have been born of God 1 Shall they at once leave their seats, their classes, and re- tire ? I reply, no : but I say to such, just as I would say to ministers of the Gospel, who should confess that they have never felt the power of religion on their own hearts ; — shall they leave the pulpit, and 82 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second requisite,— good habits. cease to preach — because they are blind leaders of the blind ? I say to such, — no ! brethren, no ! You have ordination-vows upon you. You have put your hand to the plough ; you may not look back ; — but you ought not again to go into that pulpit with an unholy heart. You ought this hour to go before God, and with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to con- fess your sins, ask for pardon, and sin no more. I do not ask you to stop preaching because you have an unholy heart ; but I do ask you no longer to be so basely ungrateful as to cherish such a heart. Just so I say to the unconverted teacher in the Sabbath School ; you do wrong, — you profess to teach the child what you do not understand, — you try to make him love that which you do not love yourself; you profess by the art of teaching, to show the child that his soul is the great object of life, when you are in- different and stupid about your own. This is wrong every way. Would the child pray ? Your example is against him. Would he work out his own salva- tion with fear and trembling ? Your example shows him that it is not necessary. Would he weep in se- cret places over his sins, and a hard heart 1 He is afraid to tell his feelings to you, knowing that you are a stranger to them. 2. The second qualification of a good teacher will cover the extensive ground of good habits. This may seem at first view to embrace the whole of personal character. Perhaps it does. I shall not THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 83 First habit,— perseverance. stop to analyze, but at once proceed to mention the habits desirable in a Sabbath School teacher. (a.) Perseverance in whatever you undertake. No one ought to enlist in this cause without having first well counted the cost ; and having once enrolled yourself as a teacher, let there be no turning back. Some are never willing to walk the same path that other people do, — they must strike out something new, and will persevere so long as they feel that they have a new road, and that it will not lead, ultimately, into that which is occupied by other people. Others will set out with great zeal for a time, and it seems as if they were to do something great ; but their zeal soon cools, and their courage relaxes. Like some of the beautifully equipped soldiers, who have never known real, hard service, they at the first call of the bugle move off* to admiration ; but a few miles de- stroys all their courage, and even their arms seem too burdensome. We do not want soldiers for parade- days, who can show a nice uniform, and who can manoeuvre to admiration when on parade, but who cannot endure a long march, and who are worn out by a single campaign of hard service. Remember that you came into the business voluntarily, — of your own choice; and if there were reasons why you should commence these duties, there are many more why you should continue in them. You feel like shrinking away, at times, and can say, 4 that I had the wings of a dove, then would I fly away and be 84 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. May not withdraw. Apply the principle to ministers. at rest.' You see no fruits of your labors, and you feel discouraged ! You cannot persevere ! Let me tell you that if we might fall back when we meet with discouragements, then would most of the minis- ters of the Gospel take off the harness, and retire from their anxieties and responsibilities. I venture to say, there is not a minister in the land who prays for faithfulness, and who weeps over his own deficiencies, that does not at times wish, to retire and leave the work, were it not that he is bound by conscience. You find that the retired, but repeated labors of the school-room are fatiguing, — that you are cut off from many hours of reading, meditation, and even devo- tion, — that you cannot often go and see your friends abroad, because your class cannot well be left ; that you cannot spare time to get your lessons, and besides all this, you do not see that you do any good ! I reply, that the children whom you instruct may be young, may be ignorant, may be spoiled by bad example at home, — yours may be the only impressions about reli- gion they ever receive ; they are soon to be a part of the nation, and will help to form its character ; — and above all, they have immortal souls to be saved or lost. Would you not condemn a minister of Christ who should turn back, and give up his profession be- cause he met with discouragements ? Would you not blame a missionary of the cross, who left his field and came home with his hands hanging down, and his heart failing him, crying out, ' that he met with THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 85 Noble example of Mr. Charles. difficulties, and could not persevere? You do not persevere, — and you chill the hearts and freeze the ' zeal of all who are engaged with you. You cease to persevere, and perhaps your class is scattered, — per- haps others become discouraged, and your example may, for a time, destroy the school. You desert a work which God has most abundantly blessed, — by which he has raised up multitudes of new friends, and by which thousands have been led to heaven ; — you abandon the work, too, at a day when we need a thousand active, devoted men, to every one whom we now have. Stand, then, at your post, and in your lot Do not attempt too much at once. Do not be fickle, and change often. I admire the spirit of Mr. Charles, one of the most successful teachers in Wales, — a man of a noble spirit " My maxim has been for many years past," says he, "to aim at great things, but if I cannot accomplish great things, to do what I can, and be thankful for the least success, and still follow on without being discouraged at the day of small things, or by unexpected reverses. For years I have laid it down as a maxim to guide me, never to give up a place in despair of success. If one way does not succeed, new means must be tried ; and if I see no increase this year, perhaps I may the next. I almost wish to blot the word impossible from my vocabulary, and obliterate it from the minds of my brethren." You must not expect to see the mind of each scholar shoot up, and mature at once,— 8 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Like the work of the sculptor. Interesting example of perseverance. to see old habits at once thrown off, the effects of a had training at once counteracted. It will require time, and persevering labor. " We cannot and we do not expect that the human marble, (to borrow the figure of an old philosopher,) is to leap out upon us, self-formed, and self-wrought, from the quarry. But it requires the force and the art of the chisel, to fash- ion it into all those shapes of grace and beauty which it ought to wear." Teachers are moral sculptors, and must be contented to labor long and faithfully to fit these models of all that is good, for the various niches of society. One single teacher in the school who has genuine perseverance, will do more for that school than a score of fickle, changeable, and easily-discou- raged teachers. Who can help admiring the follow- ing specimen of this quality 1 "I knew a pious young man who was sustaining himself at a literary institution by the labors of his own hands, and almost as a matter of course, the true energies of Christianity began to develop themselves. His feelings became much affected by the spiritual condition of a popu- lous neighborhood, which had never enjoyed religious privileges, and consequently did not appreciate them. He visited the families of that neighborhood from house to house, and endeavored to open a religious meeting among them. They would permit no such thing. Not discouraged, this young man turned to the children, and went round and invited them, one by one, to meet him on Sunday-mornings in a Sun- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHLAt. 87 School in the stable. Second habit,— punctuality. day School. Several children acceded to the propos- al, and then he again went round to find a room for them to meet in ; but every door was closed against him. He told the children to meet him under a shady tree upon a grassy bank ; and thither they came, and he prayed with them, and taught them to study the word of God, and the children were de- lighted with their Sunday School. So it went on from week to week, with increasing interest, and in- creasing numbers, till one Lord's day opened with a cold storm of rain. The teacher repaired to his tree at the usual time, supposing some few children might be there; and there indeed he found almost his whole school ; wet and cold, it is true, but they had warm hearts in their bosoms, and how could they forego the enjoyments of their beloved Sunday School for a single morning ? The teacher took off his hat and prayed as usual for the blessedness of God upon the exercises, and began to teach, when a man in the place told him that for that time he might take the children into his stable. The teacher tuined to the children and said : ' This man offers us the use of his stable, and it was in a stable that Jesus Christ took shelter when he was a little child. Let us go.' This is what I mean by the energies of Christianity." 2. The second habit to be mentioned is that of PUIfCTUALITY. The teacher should constantly bear in mind that the great thing which he wishes to accomplish is to THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Testimony of a correspondent. form proper habits in his class. These form the char- acter ; for as has been quaintly remarked, " man is only a bundle of habits." The remark of Robert Hall is a weighty one — that " if we look upon the usual course of our feelings, we shall find that we are more influenced by the frequent recurrence of objects, than by their weight and importance ; and that habit has more force in forming our character than opinions have." In all the instructions given to teachers, this habit is insisted on ; and yet I fear it is not sufficiently felt. " A requisite," writes one of my most valued correspondents, " which all will agree to be indispensable in a Sunday School teacher, is punctuality. No one can be a good teacher who is not a punctual one. Every thing valuable in a class depends, under God, upon this. In my experience I have never seen a blessing follow the labors of a teacher who failed in this particular. It is al- ways sufficient ground to believe that a teacher does not love his work, if he be found absent from his post, when his fellow-laborers are pleading for the blessing of God upon their labors. As a certain con- sequence of his delinquency, the children become dilatory in their attendance. I have long since made up my mind that the duty of the Superintendent in such cases is to enforce the rules of the School, how- ever great the trial may be to his own, or to the feelings of others. When the interests of the school are thus at stake, he is not at liberty to choose his THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 89 Loss of time by tardiness. course. The path of duty is always that of safety, though it may lead through trial. I do not value the labors of any teacher who is unwilling to step out of his path of ease or convenience, in order to fulfil the responsibilities which he has voluntarily assumed in his Master's vineyard." Teachers err here, frequently, through want of consideration. Suppose a school consists of one hun- dred and fifty scholars, and the teachers twenty-five. Suppose several teachers come so late that the Su- perintendent must delay opening the school for five minutes. This seems a short time to wait. Take the one hundred and seventy-five which compose the school and multiply it by five, and you have eight hundred and seventy-five minutes lost. Suppose this take place once on every Sabbath ; the loss for one year is seven hundred and fifty-eight hours; and sup- pose the same set of teachers continue this for five years, it would be three thousand seven hundred and ninety hours. If, now, we suppose the habit to be by them perpetuated in the school, and transmitted down, and, above all, be woven into the habits of the hundreds of pupils, and become a part of their char- acter, no arithmetic can compute the evils of such a habit You come late this morning to your class. The results are, that your scholars are disappointed ; they take their seats, see the school opened, and feel lonely, having no teacher. The Superintendent feels 8* 90 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. School confused by tardiness. at a loss what to do. He sees the lambs without a guide. He waits as long as he dares to do. He goes round the house to find somebody whom he may lay hands on and press into the service. Finding none, he has to come back, and take the class, and unite it, most reluctantly on all sides, with some other class. The whole school is disturbed by the process. He kindly says, he " presumes the teacher is sick." This is done, and soon you come hurrying in, with that quick, noisy step, which always indicates a con- sciousness of being too late. The class must again be disunited and taken to their own seats, while the school is again disturbed, and the mortified Superin- tendent sees that you are any thing but sick. Let me assure you that you have attracted notice, — shown that you were of some importance, — but you have lowered yourself in the estimation of every one in the house. A want of punctuality amounts to rob- bery. • A short time since at a village in the neigh- borhood of London, a committee of eight ladies, who managed the concerns of an institution which had been formed for the relief of the neighboring poor, agreed to meet on a certain day, at twelve o'clock precisely. Seven of them attended punctually at the appointed hour, the eighth did not arrive till a quarter of an hour after. She came in according to the usual mode, with " I am very sorry to be behind in the appointed time, but really the time slipped away without my being sensible of it ; I hope youi THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 91 Rebuke of a Quakeress. Curious and melancholy example. Remiss teacher. goodness will excuse it." A Quaker lady replied, " had thyself only lost a quarter of an hour, it would have been merely thy own concern ; but in this case, the quarter must be multipled by eight, as we each lost a quarter, so there have been two hours of use- ful time sacrificed by thy want of punctuality."' The following description of a teacher who lacked the quality of punctuality, though longer than I could wish, is yet so graphic, that I may not withhold it. "About this time a new teacher offered his ser- vices, who was deemed in every respect qualified to instruct this class ; he possessed good natural under- standing, a well-cultivated mind, and, in some respects he was industrious and persevering. He rose early, except occasionally on Sabbath mornings, when he though it prudent to indulge himself a little. Sun- days were the only days when he ever left home without private prayer for a blessing on the concerns of the day. Indeed, he found no time : as it was, he generally went late to the school, and on more than one occasion, he came in just in time to hear a stran- ger address the children on the importance of always being early and punctually at school. When he thus lost an hour in the morning, he felt somewhat dis- pleased with himself, and nothing seemed to go right all day. The children soon acquired the habit of coming late ; perhaps they did not wish to hurt the feelings of their teacher by being in their places an hour before him. However this may have been, 92 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Effects of remissness. Amendment proposed. from his indifferent manner, one scholar after another strayed away altogether ; as his class diminished, the Superintendent continued to fill it up with new scho- lars Sunday after Sunday. The Superintendent soon found that he might as well turn the scholars out of school, for it amounted to the same thing; and he found it necessary to urge upon this teacher the im- portance of complying with a rule of the school, which made it the duty of the teachers to visit the absentees, and report the cause. Indeed the teacher soon began to feel ashamed of his reduced class ; per- haps he was fearful it might be thought by some that he did not possess natural ability to interest and in- struct the class ; and he determined that he would inquire after the absentees. About the middle of the week he found leisure, but then recollected that his roll-book was locked up in the schoolroom ; and by the time he found it convenient to see the Superin- tendent and obtain a list of the names, it was Satur- day afternoon. n li proved to be an exceedingly unpleasant day, but he was determined to do something before another Sabbath ; and off he went with a list of absentees sufficient to have formed a large class, with hardly time to call upon half the number. " He had considerable difficulty to find where many lived ; some had removed, and one or two had some time since tried some other Sunday School, which they liked much better. He inquired at one place THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 93 Visits to his scholars. The absent scholar. for Mr. J., and found no such person. When the mother of the boy appeared, he informed her that Joseph had not been at the school the last two Sun- days. Joseph being there, said he was at school on Sunday afternoon week ; and the teacher just recol- lected that he himself was absent that afternoon, and could not contradict the child; and after saying a few words on the importance of regular attendance, he went his way. " The next house at which he called, he saw the father of George, and told him that his son had not been to school for a few Sundays past. " No," said the father, " he has not been for five weeks. Previous to sending him to the Sunday School, he stayed in the house and read, or went to church with his mother. As we knew much good had been received in Sunday Schools, and many of our rich neighbors sent their children, we were per- suaded to send George, and we had him ready every Sunday, and thought that he attended the school regularly ; but last Sabbath he came running home, followed by a friend of mine, who informed me that George spent every Sunday with a crowd of bad boys near his house, and they had just broken his parlor window. And now, as I cannot be certain that he will do any better, I shall keep him in the house." "At the next place the teacher knocked very gently at the door, for he had lost some confidence in himself. He did not knock again, or wait long, for 94 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The dead scholar. he had no time to lose ; and perhaps quieted his con- science with the thought, " well, I have called, and if no one comes, it is not my fault ;" and away he went, without ever looking back. " We shall only mention one more call which he had some difficulty in making, not knowing exactly who to ask for. Here he saw the mother of a boy who had been in his class ; — introduced himself as the Sunday School teacher, and inquired about her son James, who had been absent from the class. She looked sorrowful, and said she believed " James was better off, — she hoped he was in heaven." " What ! is James really dead ?" " Yes," said his mother, " he died of a fever from taking a severe cold one Sunday, in the street : he was ill just thirteen days on Thursday week last." " When the teacher recollected himself a little, he said, " he could not have thought it so long a time since James was at school" — inquired " whether he thought he was going to die, and what were his views." The mother replied that as he became worse, he was very much alarmed at the thought of death — talked about the Sunday School, and longed to see the teacher he used to have, and wished me often to read the Bible to him ; and when he became very ill, and near his end, seemed resigned to die. We asked him if we should send for you, and he did not seem to desire it. He said, " the Sunday School teacher we have now has never been here, and may THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 95 The result. Obedience necessary. be he would not like to come," and then he held up his poor, thin arms, and said, "I don't think he'd hardly recollect me, I 've fell away so much." " James died without seeing his teacher ; and his poor mother entertained the hope that he was happy, because — he once loved the Sunday School — was desirous of hearing the Bible read, when he could not do any thing else, — and appeared willing to die, when he found he could not live. This teacher ! — he sel- dom thought of James while he lived, but he never forgot him when he was dead !" I will add here, that a teacher can never obtain implicit and unhesitating obedience in his class, un- less he is a man punctual in every respect : and to be a successful teacher, he must have unyielding disci- pline over his scholars. This, if properly obtained, will greatly increase the respect, the esteem and affection of his class. If a teacher cannot succeed in securing the obedience of a scholar, the way is hedged up for doing any good to that individual. I think the remark is as true with regard to the Sab- bath School class, as to the family-circle. Every thing goes wrong where children are disobedient and undisciplined. The point which the teacher will have to urge the hardest, probably will be, the habit of punctuality, — in getting the lesson, in reciting it, and in being present when the school is opened. And let every teacher understand that he can never 96 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Third habit,— self-improvement. How to obtain it. secure this habit to his class, unless he has it in per- fection himself. 3. The third habit which I would mention, is that of constantly improving the mind with a view to teaching your class. One thing which makes all teaching so weari- some, is the great effort made at the moment of giving instruction to create thought, illustration, and materials by which to excite and keep up an interest. You may just as well plunge into business, and expect to create capital to meet your engagements from day to day, as to expect to do this. You must lay up materials beforehand, and be in the habit of doing so. And here, too, unless I am careful, I shall send you off on a wrong track. I do not mean that you must sit down and read Rollin's ancient history, or the voyages and travels of the day, for the sake of finding something by which you may interest your class ; but I mean, that when you read a book, — when you meet a stranger, when you hear an inter- esting conversation, save all that you can. It will all be of use in your instructions. Make it an object to cultivate your memory ; for without a good memo- ry you cannot long be an interesting teacher. Mon- taigne could write books on philosophy, and was a man of great learning ; but he neglected his memory, till he could not call his own servants by name, and could remember nothing which was not written down . in his memorandum-book. Such a man, though he THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 97 Memory to be cultivated. Children not to be hurried. How lay plans. might embody the learning of his age, would never be fit to teach a class in the Sabbath School. See every thing at which you look ; — hear every thing to which you listen ; and, like the bee, have the habit of gathering honey, even if it be but little, from every flower with which you meet. Every fragment of knowledge, every illustration of truth, every de- lightful impression which you receive, will aid you as a teacher. Aim to improve from week to week in your manner of teaching. Do not hurry children over the ground faster than they understand every thing as they advance. Some will take long steps, and expect the child to follow and take steps equally long. Some will try new schemes, — find they can- not always be original, and soon fall back into the old course. Others will find that when the time for teaching comes they have no materials on hand, and so they resolve, in despair, to resign. Now you should neither resign, nor yet plod on in the same old, dull way. Make it your business to discover the different dispositions of your class, see what their habits are, — how they came by their habits, what have been the defects in their education, and study by what means you can counteract and correct those habits and de- fects. This will put your own mind and ingenuity to work. The teacher must seek for self-improvement f if he would do good in the Sabbath School. There are but three thoughts on this subject which I would suggest at the present time. 9 93 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. First,— do something every day. Second, — read judiciously. Third,— reflect. 1. Lay your plans to improve the mind by studying a little every day. This portion of time may be short, — probably will be — owing to your business; but let it be improved. Do not say, ' I will study two hours,— or one hour,' — but that you will daily spend at least twenty or thirty minutes in the cultivation of your mind. Have a particular half-hour selected, and do not let any thing shove you over it. Let it be the time of day when nothing can cheat you out of it. One-fourth part of an hour every day, dili- gently and wisely improved in self-cultivation, will help a man to grow in wisdom. 2. Let this season of self-improvement be devoted to the most judicious reading. The mind of ages is on the pages of books, laid up — and a little digging will give you gold. Original thinkers are the minds with which you should come in contact. Do not try to read much — too many pages, — but make every thought your own — so completely your own, that you can retain it through life. You will, of course, use your influence to have your Sabbath School Li- brary contain books of a high order. 3. Acquire the habit of reflection. Without so doing, your observations, your readings, your facts, your conversations, will all be useless. Who would often go to a store to make purchases, where the goods were thrown in, scattered, heaped up, hardware and crockery together, oil and linen, muslins and groceries, Essences and tobacco, — all there indeed, but no one THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 99 Close attention necessary. Power of a single remark. thing at hand, and no power of saying where the thing wanted may be found 1 Make your own mind the laboratory into which materials are gathered, and where they are analyzed and reduced to their proper elements. And do not be discouraged. Cold wishes will not discipline your mind ; cold wishes will not add to the furniture with which they are adorned ; but once acquire the habit of making self-improve- ment, and you will shortly be surprised at your ad- vancement, — at the ease with which you advance, and at the pleasures connected with the process. Teachers will complain that they cannot interest their scholars; or that the scholars leave them as soon as they reach a certain point ; but if they will faithfully improve themselves, — acquire the habit of doing it, they will not feel these discouragements. You can hardly be too careful in cultivating a habit of close attention. It is a great thing to be able to read the human heart, or in common language, un- derstand human nature. This can be obtained only by close and careful observation. You will wish to create a desire for thorough study, — by which every thing may be understood as the child proceeds. How can you do it ? You will wish to create a strong love of books, and a desire to read. This will be an im- mense blessing to the child. How can you accom- plish this 1 You will need to know how much good or hurt a single exhortation, or even a single word may do, if timely or untimely used. An incident in 100 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Mrs. Hemans. The mind dislikes to think. the life of Mrs. Hemans will illustrate this point. As a child, Mrs. Hemans was an object of admiration, and almost devotion, for her extreme beauty ; her complexion was remarkably brilliant ; her hair long, curling, and golden. Who can tell how little or how much impression passing words, carelessly spoken, may make upon one so sensitive ! One lady incau- tiously observed in her hearing, " I know that child is not made for happiness ; her color comes and goes too fast !" She never ibrgot this remark, and would mention it, as having caused her much pain at the time it ivas spoken. The teacher should understand, and understand it well, that there is scarcely any thing so painful to the human mind in its undisciplined state, as think- ing. To overcome this repugnance, and to teach the child so that he will love to think, is perfection in the art of teaching. Said a prisoner, in one of our new State Prisons, where a chaplain regularly preached and taught them from the Bible. — " You do not understand it. [He was comparing the old prison, which he preferred, to the new.] There, by day and night, it was hale fellows, well met; and here, the last thing at night is prayer, then retire- ment, where we see no one and speak to no one during the evening ; then go to bed, but cannot go to sleep ; but think, think. If we get to sleep, and awake in the night, we see no one, and hear no one, but think, think. When morning comes, and we go THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 101 Third habit,— patient labor. out, the first thing is prayer. We see our fellows, but say nothing ; and at night, again, after prayer, we go alone, and THINK, THINK." 3. The third habit to be cultivated is patient labor. The remark is too trite to be dwelt upon, that nothing of value can be obtained in this life, without labor. You need, not merely the power to compel yourself at times to sit down to patient labor and drudgery, but you need the habit, so that it may be a thing of course. You need it in the weekly duty of improving your mind, and in getting the lesson to be taught You need it when you meet the class and endeavor to instruct them. You need patience in your intercourse with your fellow-teachers, and in the thousand, little, nameless trials and vexations in- cident to and inseparable from the duties which return upon you every week. You will not be sur- prised either, if you find mental labor and patient habits of labor somewhat irksome to yourself .at times ; but every regular return and performance of any duty will render it less irksome, till it becomes a positive pleasure. The very penances of the dark- ened Catholic, we are informed, if regularly per- formed, at. stated, periodical times, soon become a part of the devotee's happiness, and he is lost without them. This power of habit is one of the greatest aids to good men in all their efforts at self-discipline or usefulness. 9* 102 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fourth habit,— watchfulness. The Quaker's philosophy. 4. Cultivate the habit of watchfulness over your- self. We can see many imperfections in others, — even a mote in the eye. We should remember that others are as quick to see them in us ; and that children, of all others, are quick and good judges of character. You have not a single habit, good or bad, with which your class will long be unacquainted. If you are quick and irritable, they will be quick to see it, and what is far worse, will be long in losing the bad im- pressions which they receive. I can truly say, that no impressions of my own childhood remain so vivid and so deep, as those received during two winters, while under the instructions of an irritable teacher. He never struck me, — he never inflicted any pain upon my body, and yet I shall carry to the grave those deep, unpleasant associations and feelings which his irritable temper created. And this will be found to be the testimony of not a few. By all means, command yourself, and keep the current of your pas- sions quiet and even. The Quaker who said that he was naturally quick and passionate, but who cured himself entirely by always speaking in a low tone, — as he who could command the tones of his voice, could command his passions, — had not a little of genuine philosophy in his theory. You will always find that irritable men speak loud ; and on the con- trary, when you hear a man who is a loud talker, you instinctively associate his voice with a quick and THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 103 Gravity necessary. Must not show partiality. passionate disposition. Your own character will com- municate itself to your class. If you are light and trifling, they will be so ; if you are talkative, they will talk much and think little ; if you are irregular, they will be ; if you forget your promises, they will forget theirs. You should watch over yourself also, because your usefulness depends upon the opinion which children entertain of you. They cannot respect a man who is wanting in a proper degree of gravity ; who is not far above them in knowledge in general, and in a knowledge of the lesson in particular; and who is not consistent and exemplary in all his deportment. Never forget that you meet the children on the Sab- bath, and that yours is the work peculiar to that sacred day. Let all your influence be hallowed. The eyes of the school are all upon you ; and not only your own class, but the whole school, watch and weigh your character; and you aid in giving a coloring to the whole school. The parents of the children too, are watching you, — some praying for you, — that you may be able to lead their beloved child to God and to holiness ; others looking to see if there be really any thing in religion above a mere form. Of this they judge partly by seeing you, and still more by seeing the character which you are giving to their child. You will have ' some children more amiable than others ; watch yourself that you do not feel, and still more, that you do not show par- 104 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fiftli habit, — prayer. tiality. This is a delicate part of your duty. It is absolutely impossible to love all alike ; but it is a duty not to show partiality in your class. This watchfulness will do more for you than to aid you in teaching and influencing your class. It will help you to be a more perfect Christian, — it will make you every way more happy. No teacher should live without self-examination, and that, too, at stated times. At the best, this is a season none too plea- sant ; but if you can review the Sabbath, and sec that you have had circumspection, and watchfulness over yourself, and have set a guard around your conduct and character, as a Sunday School teacher, you will find that even the hour of self-examination is pleasant. It is always delightful to feel that we are making progress in self-discipline. 5. The habit of prayer. No language can adequately describe the effects of converting one sinner to God, — the effects exhibited in time and in eternity. And the teacher should have nothing lower as his standard than to see every child committed to him converted to God, and trained up to be a devoted Christian. Do you go to your class with less interest than you go to your worldly business 1 Do you hear the lessons as a task ? You may be sure your heart is not in the work ; and you do not pray over it. Do you feel cold or indifferent towards the school, or towards any particular pupil in your class 1 If so, you do not pray for that school THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACIIGR. 105 Example of a school. or that scholar. You cannot pray for a child without feeling a deep interest in his welfare. Do you labor year after year, without seeing your scholars convert- ed to God 1 The reason is probably to be found in your want of prayer. Notice the following curious fact. * A writer says that he witnessed a revival in a Sabbath School of which he was once a member. It was principally confined to those between the ages of seven, and twenty. A large number professed an interest in Christ. But all were of one sex, all were girls. Although some of the boys were considerably impressed, yet not a single individual of them was known to have been converted. One after another of the little girls gave her heart to the Redeemer, — while the boys, members of the same families, — their brothers, lived on in sin, the enemies of God. What does this mean ? How is this to be accounted for ? Does not the following fact explain the mystery? The teachers of the little girls came apparently from their closets, from the very presence, the audience- chamber of the Most High. Their hearts seemed glowing with love for their Savior, burdened with a sense of the worth of the soul, and the immense re- sponsibility which rested upon them. They warned and entreated their scholars on the Sabbath, and re- peated their instructions during the week. A rich blessing followed, — a blessing proportioned to the fidelity of the teachers.* No one can discipline his own heart, and grow in 106 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Power over temptation by this habit. Heart not be engaged without prayer. Christian character, without prayer. No one can ac- complish any thing, either good or great, without it. You should be a man of prayer for yourself, your class, the school, and for the world. You will be in no danger of over-estimating the effects of the habit of daily prayer upon your own character. I look at it not merely as a means of drawing down blessings upon your labors, but as a thing of inestimable value to yourself. Seasons of temptation, — of luke-warm- ness, — of backsliding, will come, — the love of many will wax cold, — the light within your own heart will burn dim, — and nothing but the habit of daily prayer will make you safe. Peter, probably, had not been in the habit of prayer before his conversion. His habits were not fixed, and therefore, in the hour of tempta- tion, he sinned ; — while Daniel, who, for many years, even from his youth, had been a man of prayer, and had formed habits of prayer, withstood temptations incomparably greater than those which overwhelmed Peter. Let it be most distinctly impressed on the mind, that we never accomplish any thing in religion in which the heart is not deeply engaged; and the heart is never engaged, when the closet is neglected. A teacher never can enjoy teaching, or do good to his class, who is not habitually at the throne of grace at stated periods. The following is invariably the result of the labors of a prayerless teacher. A visiter was sent out to call upon the families represented in THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 107 Dialogue with a scholar. How to cure such evils. the school. In the course of his calls, the following conversation took place between him and a little girl. " Do you attend Sunday School V "Yes, Sir." " How are you pleased with the school V 9 " Not so well as I have been." "What is the matter?" " I have a new teacher, and I do not like her so well as my old teacher." " You will probably become better satisfied after you have become better acquainted with the method of your teacher's instructions." " I do not believe I shall ever love my new teacher so well as I did my old one." " Perhaps the fault is in you." " Perhaps so ; — but I cannot love her so well as I did the old one." " What can be the cause of this difference in your feelings V 9 " My former teacher took a great deal of interest in me ; and while hearing me recite, took great pains to explain every thing in my lesson, so that I could understand it; and after the lesson was ended, she spent the time in reading something to the class which is useful, or in telling us how we ought to live. But my present teacher just hears my lesson, appears distant, seems to have but little interest in the class, and as soon as the lesson is closed, she leaves the class for another part of the house." 108 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Third requisite,— humility. Tests of humility. Such cases as the above would occur but seldom, if our teachers were habituated to prayer from day to day, and always remembered their class in their prayers. I return from the habits of the teacher, to consider briefly the remaining qualifications which do not come under the general head of habits. 3. Humility is a most desirable qualification in a teacher. The teacher has to deal with the heart ; and that is so universally and naturally proud, that it does not love to admit any advances but those of hu- mility. The humble man can always have access to any man's heart; while the proud or vain man is uniformly shut out. In the business of teaching in the Sabbath School, you will need not merely the appearance of humility, but the thing itself, if you would feel happy. Without this grace, you will be in danger of feeling that the Superintendent or the teachers do not do right, — they usurp authority, or they violate rights, or they misuse you ; that you do not have your proper place, — the class you have is one of the lowest, poorest in the school, — perhaps the most uninteresting of all. Why should that class be given to you 1 Another teacher is more popular, more noticed, more thought of than you, and pride tells you that you are almost a martyr to injustice. If you are constantly thinking of yourself, wanting praise, unhappy without it, talking about yourself, — THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 109 Jeremy Taylor. giving hints of your own estimable qualities ; if you use stratagems to obtain praise, such as inquiring about your faults in order to learn your excellencies, — if you find yourself constantly consoling yourself with the thought that you are not appreciated, and that you are of more consequence than others seem to think you are ; — if you are pained when others receive praise in your presence, and feel disposed to detract from their merits, perhaps by speaking dis- paragingly of them ; if you find yourself comparing yourself with others greatly to your own advantage, if you feel ready to excuse every fault in yourself, to palliate and defend, — you lack that humility which is essential to the comfort, the happiness, and the usefulness, of the Sabbath School teacher. Let the sentiment so beautifully and quaintly expressed by Taylor be engraven on the memory ; — " Give God thanks for every weakness, deformity, and im- perfection, and accept it as a favor and grace of God, and an instrument to resist pride and nurse hu- mility ; ever remembering, that when God, by giving thee a crooked back, hath also made thy spirit stoop, or less vain, thou art more ready to enter the narrow gate of heaven, than by being straight, and standing upright, and thinking highly. Thus the Apostles rejoiced in infirmities, not moral, but natural and ac- cidental, in their being beaten and whipt like slaves, in their nakedness and poverty." 10 110 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fourth requisite,— benevolence to men. 4. Benevolence to the souls of men is an indispen sable requisite to a good Sabbath School teacher. No one who has not made the trial can know how many little trials and vexations attend the faithful teacher. He meets with ignorance and stupidity, de- plorable, and apparently incurable ; with habits per- verse and corrupt, which have been woven into all the education of the children ; — with dispositions which seem to have no right side ; and yet he must love these children, or he can do them no good. He must love them all, for however unlovely and un- amiable the child may be, he will never let the teacher do him any good, till he is sure that he loves him. You must not consider that class as some do, a company but little better than apes, whose mischiev- ous pranks are to be the source of constant misery and vexation. You must have the confidence and the affection of your class, or you can do them no good. In order to this, you must have an unquenchable love for the souls of men, — a love like that of Christ, which many waters cannot quench, nor floods drown. This will lead you to overlook the many little vexa- tions which beset you ; just as a man who is bent on reducing and subduing his farm, for the sake of the gains hereafter to be received, learns to forget the trees, the stones, the roots, and the brush which have to be removed before he can effect the object at which he aims. This love to the souls of men will render you elastic, and yet firm in your labors, easy THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Ill Benevolence should be warm. Contracted feeling natural. of access to your scholars, and ready to communicate information and hints to your fellow teachers, or to receive it from them. Every hint you will receive with gratitude; and every ray of light which you receive, you will reflect upon the path in which your class are walking, that thereby they may be led to heaven. Any man who is not warmly affected to the souls of men should not be a teacher. You should have so much of this interest that you are led to the duties of your station by the bent of your own in- clinations. The zeal should be a true zeal to labor for Jesus Christ, — the oil that feeds the flame should be of heavenly origin, and not the result of an ardent temperament, or a splendid imagination. Your piety should be constant as well as burning. You should know that you are capable of great self-denial, and can be regular in all your habits. You need not possess " the razor's edge, but must have the blade of a well-tempered knife." Divest your character of all sloth, effeminacy, and indulgence. We are too apt to feel that the object of life is to move in our own little circle, enjoy the full cup of mercies which God bestows, and to creep into heaven at last, — a kind of selfishness which has no example, and no parallel in the lives of Christ and his Apos- tles, and no countenance in the Bible. We look for- ward to the millennial day, — believing in the explicit language of prophecy, that * truth and mercy, the peace and righteousness of our Messiah's kingdom, 112 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. What the Christian should be. The teacher should have noble views. whatever temporary checks they may suffer, shall, in the end, overcome all opposition; and though the river of God may, for a time, be discolored and pol- luted, by the pernicious soil over which it rolls its tide, yet it shall, at last, free itself from every foreign mixture, and send forth its ten thousand pure streams, to gladden all the nations of the earth.' Such is our belief; but so far from feeling that we have individ- ually a part to bear in the great work, we lay our head on the pillow of down, and feel it hard that any one should even knock at our door and ask for bread. We want our missionaries to take their lives in their hands, and go and wear down and die among the heathen ; we want our ministers to be in season and out of season, — to labor in the study, and bring no oil into the sanctuary which has not been beaten, while we lay out work enough for them out of the pulpit to consume all their time and strength ; but when we come to act for the souls of the young, and for the conversion of the world in the Sabbath School, we are apt to feel that a frozen heart, a dead piety, narrow views and stinted labor, will do. It is not so. I know the field is comparatively a humble one, and that ambition would not go there, — for the crown which she seeks is not there. You may not be able to train up an Apostle ; but you may prevent one from becoming a Judas. Had Mahomet, when a child, been placed under the care of a faithful devo- ted Sabbath School teacher, who can believe he THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 113 Conclusion. would ever have been what he did become 1 The fact is, in the kingdom of Christ, great learning is not demanded, great and striking and splendid talents are not necessary, in order to be useful, to bring souls to Christ, and to win the crown of life, but holy, devoted, disinterested piety is the great thing needed. This will bring wisdom from above ; this will overcome difficulties, bear up under dis- couragements, enable us to see the fruit of our labors here, and to anticipate their reward hereafter. Let me invite you, as we close this chapter, to unite with me in the beautiful prayer of a glowing heart. " And thou, Lord Jesus, afflicted Father of the Christian name, blessed Martyr of humanity, blameless Pattern, universal Priest, unerring Teacher, omnipotent King of truth, of righteousness, and of peace, deign from thy glorious throne to smile on this weak attempt, and to accept this poor offering ! It is a tribute, for the life thou hast given, for the blood thou hast shed, and for the joyous hopes thou hast inspired, to cheer, and to direct our mortal pilgrimage. Meek Spring of heavenly Wisdom, — boundless Ocean of universal, ardent, unprovoked, and undiscou raged charity, pour thy Spirit into my breast, and into the breasts of all thy servants whom I here address. Teach them to interest themselves in this blessed work*, as becomes men, who are distinguished by thy venerable name, and honored by the ministration of thy glorious Gos- pel ! Baptize us all with the fire of that love which 10* 114 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Beautiful prayer. is stronger than death ! Delightfully oppress our gra- titude with the everlasting mountains of thy benefits, until every sentiment of frail mortality be suppressed, — until faith give us the victory over the world, — over life and death, — until love compel us to exclaim, Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but dross that I may win Christ ; and I am willing not only to suffer bonds, but to die for the sake of my Lord Jesus Christ, by whom I am crucified unto the world and the world unto me" CHAPTER IV. OTHER MEANS OF DOING GOOD BESIDES TEACHING. It is no dim mark of the wisdom of God, that since he has planted in the human soul a love of variety and a desire of change, — the present never satisfying the heart, — he has made abundant provis- ion in all the departments of life to meet these wants. The employments of life, so wearing upon the spirit, must be checked and broken up every day by sleep, — the cares of life must be laid aside for food and to supply the wants of the body ; — the change of sea- sons must change the employments, and, in some mea- sure, the dress of every family. From childhood to the grave, provision is made for us to pass through changes almost infinite. The farmer, whose employ- ment is more necessary to the sustenance of the world than any other, would find it drudgery, and life itself a dreary, prolonged misery, were it not for the constant changes in his business. As it is, this constant change, the new objects continually coming 115 116 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. God lias provided variety for man. Factories. Useful to ministers. up, render his employment one of the most delightful and bewitching possible ; and I doubt not that Wash- ington had more happiness and saw more charms in life while making his experiments, inventing his tools, and managing his farms, than while he occu- pied the chair of state, the admiration of his country and of the world. This variety, incident and neces- sary to every kind of business, ought to be regarded as one of those decided marks of the wisdom and goodness of God, which he has devised to keep the mind from being too weary, and the habits of the soul from becoming monotonous, and itself torpid. Is it not an admitted fact, that when a man does but one thing, — such, for example, as grinding the glasses for the lens of a telescope, from sun to sun, and from year to year, from childhood to old age, that such a man is not cheerful, intelligent, or in our sense of the word, happy ? All elasticity of the soul is naturally destroyed by monotonous labor. The more laborious and responsible the duties and station, so much greater is the need of variety to relieve the mind and feelings. A minister of the Gospel would wear out shortly, were it not that God has connected variety with his office. Were he to write all the time, he would become exhausted and nervous. Were he to speak all the time, he would either destroy the mind by keeping it keyed up too high, or become insuffer- ably dull. Were he to visit all the time, his mind would be too undisciplined to allow him to be even a THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 117 Useful to the Sabbath School teacher. First means of doing good,— visiting. tolerable preacher. It is from the fact that these various duties are connected so as to relieve tedium, and to call different powers and sympathies into exer- cise, that' the pastoral office perfects the character of a minister, making all parts more symmetrical and well-proportioned, than any other station in the ministry. These remarks apply in their full force to the du- ties of the Sabbath School teacher. His great duty is to instruct his class, but collateral with this, there are other duties equally necessary, and equally im- portant to render his character complete, and the sphere of his usefulness full. They will add equally to his happiness and usefulness. I propose, then, in this chapter, to mention some of the collateral means of doing good, which the teacher has in his power. 1. A regular system of visiting the families to which the scholars in your class severally belong. You have seen friends become cold, distant, and finally break away, and never again become recon- ciled to each other. You have seen husband and wife change, revile and hate each other, separate, while every year only seemed to render their enmity more intense. The link once broken between hus- band and wife can Seldom be mended. But you do not often see children and parents becoming enemies. Let the child be deformed and diseased, and it does not wean him from the love of his parents ; let him become an idiot, and their love will not change ; let 118 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. A powerful principle brought into exercise. Trust committed to the teacher. him become vile, and they will throw the mantle of charity over him, and still encircle him in the bright- ness of hope ; let him leave his home and herd with the vile, and throw away all that is lovely or valua- ble, and they will still cling to him. And even when he is so degraded that he feeds with the swine in the field, on the first appearance of his return, how- ever poor and wretched, the father sees him afar off, and runs to meet him, — to fall on his neck, and to call him his son. It is hardly possible to wear out or to annihilate this heaven-planted love between parent and child. And it is the existence of this love which gives the Sabbath School teacher such power. In committing his children to you, the father commits his highest hopes, — the mother her richest treasure. It is like a deed by which they commit their all to you. Does not the Apostle recognize this principle, and appeal to it, when he says, that God, who spared not his only-begotten Son, will with him freely give us all things ? By having the children put into your hands, you have a means of doing good to those pa- rents and to their family, unspeakably great. You wish to know the influences, under which, this and that child has thus far been placed. A visit to his parents will help you to understand them. You wish to have this and that trait of character corrected. The parents either do not see the faults, or know not how to correct them. A few hints from you may aid them greatly. Perhaps the family are not in the habit of THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 119 Usefulness of visits. Illustrated by a physician. going to the house of God. You may, by a careful use of your influence, lead them there. They may have notions and impressions concerning your school, or concerning religion, which counteract all that you can do on the Sabbath. A few visits may remove all these impressions. They may be bringing up their children in idleness, ignorance, and sin: and your counsels may alter the whole course of conduct in this respect You can see their condition, and shortly, can place in their hands a tract, or something of the kind, which will exactly meet the evil which you wish to correct Knowing the habits of the family, you can aid the child in selecting such books as will be useful at home, and encourage him to rea<$ or to have them read at home. If you can once gain the confidence of the child, the way is open, and it will be easy to gain the confidence of the parents ; and when that is gained, it will add to your former influ- ence over the child. A physician once said to me, that he had a patient in whose cure he could make no progress. Every visit found him in a new condi- tion, and with new symptoms. Every medicine pre- scribed seem to work by a new and unheard-of rule. At length the physician set himself to work to find out the difficulty. It was this : the mother of the patient took it into her head that the prescriptions of the physician were too powerful for the constitu- tion of her child, and in order to counteract their mischievous tendency, she gave some powerful nos- 120 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. . Visiting should be done regularly. A caution. trum soon after taking the medicine, as an antidote. It is just so with many children. Their parents are constantly neutralizing all that you do on the Sab- bath. This evil can be met and removed only by your visiting the family. I would recommend that you visit regularly once a month, every child in your class, — even if your call is but short. It should make no difference with you whether the parents are rich or poor, — high or low. All who are willing to com- mit their children to you will be glad to see you, and will be grateful for the interest you take in the welfare of their children. In addition to this, you ought to call upon every child who is absent, beforfc the Sabbath following. The child may be sick, and in that case he will be- glad to see you. He may have fallen into bad company, and in that case you ought at once to see him. He may have deceived his parents, and in that case they ought to know it. I have never known other than a good school, where the rule was invariably practised, that every child who is absent from the school, shall be visited during the following week. I cannot too strenuously urge its importance. But be careful not to have these calls to inquire after delinquencies, seem like duns, as a creditor calls upon a debtor, when the visit is disagreeable to both parties. Let there be so much of heart in all your intercourse with parents, that they shall see that you seek only the real weir fare of their child. If possible, always have some- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 121 Plea of not having time,— considered. Get the good-will of the family. thing on your mind interesting to communicate, and let all your conversation, if practicable, be in the presence of the children. After one or two visits, you will never feel at a loss how to make your visjt interesting. For the convenience of these visits, the Superintendent ought to have regard to the propriety of having the same class dwell in the same part of the parish, as nearly as possible. Unless you are really conscientious in all that you do, you will be in danger of neglecting this system of visiting under the plea that you have not time. In nine cases out of ten, this plea will not be received by the Great Head of the church. A Superintend- ent, speaking of his school, says, " visiting, in many instances, is faithfully attended to ; but in a few in- stances, almost entirely neglected. One teacher, who is an apprentice, and has to labor till nine o'clock every evening, manages to visit nine scholars a week, — while others, who are not half so much confined, plead that they have no time to do so. Need I say he has a full and interesting class 1 Oh ! that there were more whose hearts were as much in the work ! We should no longer hear of empty seats and droop- ing schools." Were all our teachers equally prompt and faithful, what a spectacle would our schools pre- sent ! But does each, on an average, atfbrd one such teacher 1 On making these visits, the first thing desirable, is to get the good-will of the parents. This you will 11 122 the: sabbath school teacher. Invite parents into the school. Admirable features. invariably do, if you are kind and courteous, if you are mild, and above all, if you are sincere, and with- out guile. In these visits, from time to time, you will give such hints as will aid the parents in co-operating with you for the good of their child. I would respect- fully, but earnestly urge the parents to visit the school. If you can get them to come and see the school once in three or four months, you will find that such visits will increase their interest in the school more than any thing else which you can do. They will see the system, — see the children happy, — see all the teachers interested and laboring for their good. It will do the children good ; for every child loves the approbation of his parents, and their manifestation of interest in his welfare will ever stimulate him to greater effort. The highest motive which a child can have, before his heart is renewed by the Spirit of God, to do well, is the approbation of his parents. Some of those parents whom you thus invite to see the school, are praying people ; and they will pray more fervently for you in consequence of every such visit ; some of them have never attended to the sub- ject of religion, and they will here see it in active operation. The teachers, the scholars, the parents, will all be benefited by such visits of the parents. One of the most admirable features in the Sabbath School system is, that it gives the teacher such super- vision over the moral education of each scholar ; and through the child, opens such a wide field for influence THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 123 Second means of doing good,— Library. First use of the Library. upon the family in which the child lives. Let no pressure of business, no calls of pleasure, no plead- ings for ease, lead you to neglect this most important part of your duties and privileges. 2. Making a proper use of the Library. There seem to me to be three points in regard to the Library of a Sabbath School, which ought briefly to be noticed : viz. its necessity, — materials^of ivhich it is composed, — and the best method of using it. Upon each of these points I feel bound to say a few words. 1. The necessity of a Library. Sabbath Schools have been established without Libraries, and by proper effort, may do good; but they soon drag heavily, and droop. Others have very poor Libraries, and the teachers cannot see the need of having them made good and complete. Let me tell you what a good Library, properly managed, will generally do. (a.) It will create a taste for reading. You go into some families, and the parents will tell you that their children " do not love books, — do not take to books,— or do not take to learning :" in other words, their children have no taste for books. The parents think it is a kind of destiny. Their children are doomed to be comparatively ignorant, while some families which they can name, are growing up fond of books. Now all the destiny there is about this, is, that the children do not have suitable books. Any 124 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Creates a taste for reading. Second use,— supplies the destitute. child and every child will love books, if you will put suitable books into its hands before it leaves the cra- dle. But many families have no such books, — feel as if it was money thrown away to buy them. The child sees nothing but the big Bible, perhaps a volume of Sermons, an old Geography, or a few Newspapers, — these constitute the library of the house, and is it any wonder that there is no taste for reading '( Any wonder that every association connected with a book, is gloomy, and almost painful I Now the Library of the Sabbath School meets this very difficulty; — it furnishes reading suited to the child's capacity, — deepens the impression by cuts and pictures, — and" creates, gradually, in him, a confidence that even he can master the contents of a book ; and when this is once done, the child has acquired a taste for reading. This acquisition, I hardly need say, will be a treasure to him. The happiness, the respectability, and I had almost said, the salvation of a child, are near being insured, when once he has acquired a decided taste for reading. Every Library should be selected with this in view. (b.) It will supply those with books who otherwise would never have them. I speak not of those destitute parts of the world, such as new settlements, and nations emerging from heathenism, where a book is a rarity ; — but of our most favored portions of country. Every parish and every school will contain families too poor, or too THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 125 Third use,— occupies vacant hours. Fourth use,— creates and develops genius. ignorant, or too parsimonious, to procure books for their children. Thousands and thousands are now reading the books of the Sabbath School, who would otherwise be entirely destitute. A Library owned by a Sabbath School, answers almost as good a purpose as having each family own it ; — and in cases where filth and ignorance prevail, even better. It carries light to all, — quenches the thirst of all, and goes where nothing else can go. (c.) A Library occupies the vacant hours of chil- dren. I have already said so much on the importance of habits, that I am almost afraid to use the word again ; and yet when the question comes, what shall be done with the leisure moments, and fragments of time, which the children of every family have, I cannot but again allude to it, and say that the habit of read- ing during this leisure is unspeakably important. Put suitable books, attractive books, into the hands of children, and they will, insensibly to themselves, form the habit of occupying these seasons with read- ing. These habits will abide through life, and will be an increasing blessing. (d.) A Library will create taste and draw out genius. All who remember their childhood, — and who does not remember it ? — can look back and see that this or that bias was given to their character, — this and that lasting impression was made by such and such 11* 126 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fifth use, — elevates intercourse of parents and children. books which they read. A few years ago, and the reading for children was of the most preposterous kind, the most unreal scenes, the most foolish stories, the most frightful inventions were the companions of the nursery. These made impressions which lasted through life. Thanks be to God, this rubbish and trash is passing away. Minds of the first order are now engaged in preparing books for the young. Genius feels honored, in being allowed to cater for the mind, destined to be immortal, when it com- mences its existence. And though we have accounts of ministers, and missionaries who have been raised up in the Sabbath School, yet I do not believe these are all who have become great and good by means of this institution. And I believe there are minds forming there, and taste creating there, and genius growing there, which will hereafter wield the pen, and pour out the thought which will affect the earth. It is not to be a long time before the taste, the litera- ture, and the genius of the earth, will be, to a great degree, nurtured in the Sabbath School. The Li- braries will help to do the work. (e.) A Library will refine and elevate the inter- course between parents and children, and between the children themselves. Much that is foolish, and much that is vulgar, in the intercourse between families, and between chil- dren, arises from the vacuity of the mind. They have no ideas — nothing to talk about. Not so when THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 127 Will carry reproofs where needed. Sixth use,— attacli scholars to the school. that family have access to a Library, and once acquire the habit of reading. The conversation among children is soon perceived to be more refined ; the intercourse between the parents and the children is gradually softened, more gentle, and more amiable. There is a tendency in books to refine and soften character, which is irresistible. A vulgar man, either in words or in thoughts, cannot be a man who reads. How many hints will parents receive from these books which they will gradually incorporate into their system of family management ! how many rebukes will they receive, without the mortification usually connected with reproofs! — how many impressions will they receive, which will gradually but certainly modify their character ! And how many impressions — for it must be remembered that it is impressions which form the character of children, — will children receive from these books, which will make them more kind and dutiful at home — more docile and modest abroad — more free from that boisterous impudence which is so common an attendant upon a bad educa- tion ! Every family-circle into which the books of the Sabbath School Library are admitted, will be soft- ened and refined. Of this, from what T have seen, I have not a doubt (f.) The Library will attach the scholars to the school. Every human mind wants something towards which it can look forward. If the child has nothing else to 128 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Seventh use,— reach whe*re nothing else can. do, but to go and recite his lesson and hear the re- marks of his teacher, he will soon become weary. But he looks forward. At the close of the next Sab- bath, he will receive a new book. It is his property — entrusted solely to him for a whole fortnight. The trust is pleasant. The prospect of pleasure to be derived from reading is cheering ; the curiosity awakened as to the book which he will receive, is a stimulus. But in addition to this, he knows that- his parents are delighted with the books, — his home is rendered more pleasant, — new books will be added every year, and shortly, he will have a larger book, and then a larger, till he has read them all, and is master of all they contain. These pleasures, these hopes, this stimulus, will hold the child to the Sab- bath School, year after year, till the great design of the system has been realized in his case. (g.) The Library will do good where nothing else can. You know of a family in which profaneness, for example, is indulged ; you cannot yourself reprove it successfully; you cannot send the tract which will meet the case. Suspicion would awake. But you can aid the child to select, and encourage him to read aloud at home, the book which will be a mirror in which that family may see their likeness. So of in- temperance, or of any other known sin. There are books prepared to meet all these cases ; and they are generally so well aimed that they will hit the game. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 129 The sling and stone. Eighth use,— converting and saving the soul. Many a family have been drawn to the house of God, and have become permanent worshippers in consequence of the arrows which they received from these books. The child with the sling and the stone from the brook, has been made to do what a sword could not The heart arrays itself, whenever you reprove it, — the pride rises up whenever you try to persuade men to do directly the contrary to what they are doing ; but when the pages of a little book speak, this pride and vanity are not aroused. The conscience can awake and speak, because the pas- sions do not raise their stormy voice and drown her admonitions. (h.) The Library is a powerful means of convert- ing the soul, and building it up in holiness. There are, probably, but few families which do not contain more or less, who have no evidence of having passed from death unto life ; and there are few families in which the books of the Sabbath School Library are not read. By this means, old and deep impressions have frequently been revived ; — new convictions have been awakened — new fears created, till the soul has arisen, like the prodigal, and gone to its Father for bread. If these books do not directly lead the soul to God, they frequently do it by leading to the house of God, or to a conversation with some faithful friend, such as the teacher, or to the word of God and prayer, till it is finally brought into the fold of Christ. I suppose half a volume 130 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The widowed mother. . Materials of which the Library is composed. might now be written, containing authentic accounts of the good done to the souls of men, by means of libraries, and doubtless the day of Judgment will reveal thousands more. But in the waste places of Zion, where the sound of the " church-going bell" is never heard, how has the aching heart of the widowed mother been made to rejoice, when her smiling boy returned through the little foot-path of the forest from the distant school, bringing the book which some sanctified, gifted mind has penned, and which will aid her in growing in holiness, and in guiding her babes to the Lamb of God ! Her child shall receive impressions from these books, which will make him a staff and a comfort in the evening of her days, — and these books will leave impressions on the minds of all the family which will abide forever. These, in short, are some of the most obvious benefits of the Sabbath School Library, which, in my view, render it absolutely indispensable to the success of the school. Of course, the more complete and perfect it is, the better it is adapted to the ends contemplated. I proceed — 2. To speak of the selection, or the materials of which the Lib? % ary should be composed. Great care should be exercised in the selection of a Library ; for a book, like a companion, may make deep impressions on the child, and give him a bias THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Vi 1 Care necessary. Patronage of a Judge. First hint,-*-Library to be increased. which can never be changed. Formerly it was very difficult to get books, which, to any great extent an- swered the purposes of a Juvenile Library, and men frequently undertook the selection who were wholly ignorant of their duties. I once knew a Judge, who, on being elected to the presidency of a Sabbath School Society, and feeling that his station required him to be a kind of patron, actually purchased and presented to the school some dozen or two of Cummings's largest Geography, as the foundation of the Library. Books are now so multiplied, that the greatest difficulty seems to be, to make the best selection. Some are almost destitute of character ; others are too indefin- ite; and others still, are above the comprehension of children. Two or three hints seem desirable here. (a.) A Library should be steadily increased. This is usually done once every year ; and it ought to be done by the subscription or contribution of the whole congregation with which the school is con- nected. Great pains should be taken to give every family an opportunity to contribute, — and for these reasons, — first, the larger the increase the more val- uable will the Library become, and the greater will be its good influence upon the school, and upon the whole community. All are partakers of its benefits, and all should be urged to aid in its increase ; second, the teachers are much encouraged and aided by an increase of good books. They are almost sure to find some book which will encourage and benefit 132 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER Who should bear the expanses. Second hint,— old books not uninteresting. them; and thirdly, in proportion as a congregation contribute for the library, in that proportion will they take an interest in the books, will read them, will be careful to see that their children are regu- larly at school, in order to draw out books. At the return of every year, be sure, then, to make as large a collection as possible to add to the Library. Get the new books as they are published, keep up with the times, and the school will feel the effects of the measure. Do not be afraid of asking the church and congregation for money. There is no way in which they can possibly invest money by which they will be able to receive so great returns. (b.) A book is none the less valuable for being old. There is a feeling in many, and I fear it is an in- creasing one, that all books must be considered ephemeral. Like almanacs, they are good for this year, and then they are to be laid aside. This feel- ing arises, in part, from the peculiar state of things in this country, and is, perhaps, peculiar to this land. Every thing here is changing, — a year alters the face of every thing ; and we are in danger of thinking that principles, and truths, and thought, must all change and pass away. In some Libraries, conse- quently, you can hardly get a book read which has been on hand more than a year. What is added this year, is current ; but nothing else is fit to read. This impression or feeling should at once be cor- rected. A good book will be equally valuable, THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 133 Examples. Wrong impressions. (with rare exceptions,) as long as the English language is used. Such books as came from the pens of Dod- dridge, Baxter, Edwards, and Richmond, can never decrease in value, or interest. Who will ever hope to surpass the Pilgrim's Progress? When will the time come when " Little Henry and his Bearer," and " the Dairyman's Daughter," will not draw tears from the eyes of the reader ? In selecting a Library, do not feel, that because a book was written before you were born, it is therefore destitute of interest or wis- dom. Do not say to the child, " here now is a beau- tiful new book, just written, and one which will de- light you greatly," while you say to another, as you hand him one of the most valuable books ever penned, " I am sorry I have not a new book for you, but they are all out ; you must take this old one now, and I will try next time to get you a new and an interesting work." Truth is imperishable ; and she gains nothing by coming out every few years in a new dress. And it seems to me that the teacher would be careful about making the impression that nothing can be valuable unless it be new, if he would only consider the mischiefs resulting from it. There is, of course, a freshness about a new book which communicates itself in a degree to the reader ; but let the child be taught that a great and a good thought is something that must live eternally, wherever he finds it, and that those who lived many years ago, dug as deep, to say the least, as any writers of our day, and you 12 134 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Works of fiction,— axe they to be used ? Difficulties attending the question. will not be troubled by the constant demand for new books. In other words, the Library will become a thing not to be worn out, and every good book will become a permanent blessing. What shall be said of works of fiction, — shall they be excluded from the Sabbath School ? A very important and a very difficult question to answer, — and difficult, like all questions of the kind, because there is no great and permanent principle on which to rest the judgment. My reply is, that the question must be answered by the particular charac- ter of each book, and it can be answered in no other way. If you say that fiction ought in all cases to be excluded, then I ask what you say to the story of Nathan to David, of the story of the good Samaritan by Christ, of the Pilgrim's Progress by Bunyan, — of Parley the Porter by Hannah More, and a multitude of similar works ? Who would wish to exclude such fictions as these ? If, on the other hand, you decide that fiction may be allowed, you throw open the door to such works as Dunallan, Lady of the Manor by Mrs. Sherwood, and all the religious novels, as they are called, which the times have created. Great complaint has already been made that the books of the Sabbath School Libraries contain too much fic- tion ; that the child glances over the pages merely for the sake of the story, without getting or trying to get the instruction designed to be conveyed. I am fully satisfied from watching children, that there are THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 135 Fiction not necessary. Why it is so much relished. some grounds for this complaint, but a little care on the part of parents and teachers will remedy the evil. Any book has too much of fiction about it, when the instruction is so much covered up that the story only dwells upon the memory. But I shall be asked, is it not better to read fiction, and books of fiction for the sake of the story, than not to read at all ? Possibly it may be so ; but that is not the question with us. We have not now to determine whether we had bet- ter have improper books, or none at all; but to choose between proper and improper books. A book for children and youth may have no fiction, and yet it may be so written that it will be sure to be read. I am glad to see that those who are preparing books for Sabbath Schools, and who are catering for the mind of the young, are beginning to take the right ground on this subject. Story will never be excluded from the world, nor from the religious part of the world ; but it should be so written as never to be mis- taken for truth, — and as the philosophy of our love for story, is, that it presents human nature in some new position above that of poor every-day human nature, the less we use it in training up our Sabbath Schools, the better. It is impossible to make it ac- ceptable, unless you describe men and children as what they should be, rather than what they really are. A word or two on the biographies of children which are so abundant. While I fully believe in the 136 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Biographies of children. An impropriety in them. early conversion of children, and think I have seen many such conversions, I have never yet seen one that I should have dared to publish, had the child been ta- ken away. They certainly do make wrong impressions, and I have no doubt, that through the undesigned partialities of parental fondness, the child is often drawn in more beautiful colors than justice allows. For example, you seldom read of one of these chil- dren, who had not a " large, speaking eye, and beau- tiful, curly hair ;" and it was with great point that two children, in different parts of our country, asked the two following questions, — " do all good children die?" and, "do all the good little girls that die have beautiful curly hair V* I was once at the house of a friend, who said he had just received a visit from a gentleman and lady and their child, and was grieved to see that child very uncommonly ill-behaved, and disobedient to its parents. Judge of my surprise a few months after, to read a biography of that child, in which it was described as a paragon of all that is excellent, — as having been most dutiful and pious for a year or two, — all of which was accompanied with a steel-engraved likeness, showing the " beauti- ful head of curly hair." I do not say that the child was not really a convert to Christ. I believe it was. But I as fully believe that if an impartial stranger had drawn up the memoir, much, if not all, that now interests, would be gone. This is true of much that is given in the shape of biography of children. The THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 137 Curious testimony of a child. Janeway's Token. little reader is led to feel that all good children must die while children, and that none but very beautiful children become good. The following is the testimony of a child nine years of age. " She was very little acquainted with religious story books ; in fact her mind had imbibed a love for the Holy Scriptures, which rendered such auxiliaries quite unnecessary ; at six years old she read the Scriptures with refer- ences, and devoted to that all her leisure moments. She kept a Bible always under her pillow, that she might read it in the morning before she dressed ; and when her parents happened to spend an evening from home, she always requested to have a candle in the parlor for the purpose of reading in preference to playing in the nursery with her brother and sister. A Christian friend brought her one day, " Janeway's Token for Children," — a beautiful collection of nar- ratives, detailing the happy deaths and extraordinary experience of very young children. She had not read long, when she laid down the book with a look ne perplexity, and sat still, evidently deeply (1 in thinking: her mother at length inquired !k liked the new book? She answered, " I like i I don't like it." When asked to explain, id it was very interesting indeed, and very use- ful to parents to read, because it would encourage them to begin religious instruction early; "but I don't think it lit for children." "Why so?" her mother inquii kid she "thought it calculated to teach 12* 138 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Publishing Societies. children to talk like parrots, and say fine things which they did not feeL I know I will not read it any longer, for fear I would soon not know whether I was thinking my own thoughts, or only trying to persuade myself that I was one of the wonderful little children" While, then, I would neither condemn nor exclude biographies of children from the Library, I would beg those who write them, to do it with care ; and those who put them, into the hands of the child, to be care- ful to make the impression that the imitation of the feelings and character described, is not at all desirable. There are, at this day, a multitude of minds cater- ing for the literature of our Sabbath Schools, and no books are probably more eagerly published. But I think there is also, at the same time, a growing anxiety arising in the minds of parents, teachers, and pastors, in regard to the character of the issues ; that the feel- ing is wide and strong, that the desire for story books, and it may be, the mutual competition, has led to a multiplicity of books, little and great, which are so entirely or so nearly fiction, that they are received for the sake of the story ; that they are so destitute of deep thought and solemn truth, that many mothers forbid them to come into their houses, because they THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 139 Best method of using a Library. deem their influence decidedly unhealthy. It may be that my reader will say, " Physician, heal thyself." I am by no means sure that the stricture would be wholly unjust. At any rate, this fear must be re- cognized, when there is a shrinking from taking any one catalogue and selecting from it ; and when libra- ries are actually discarded from the schools of some of our best and most respectable churches, because of the impression that great and fundamental doctrines are wholly left out, or so emasculated as to have neither point nor force, it is time to examine the sub- ject. We cannot make men without proper aliment ; and what I am especially anxious for at this time, is, that all who prepare books for Sabbath Schools, especially those societies whose great object is to create and issue such a literature, should most care- fully weigh this subject. It will be a disastrous result to have our most judicious churches banish libraries from their schools in order to get rid of fiction. A collection of butterflies may be beautiful, but we can- not with it instruct in the great principles of anatomy. :$. The best method of using the Library, in order to make it useful. far as the duties of the Librarian are con- cerned, — and they are so important that he should 140 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Two errors. be excused from all other duties, they should be exe- cuted with great dispatch, promptness, accuracy, and silence. Were I a Librarian, I should unhesitatingly adopt the plan invented in Albany, and now used there, and in the city of Boston. For simplicity, dis- patch, silence and economy of the time of teachers, I have seen nothing equal to this.* In using books, children commit two errors. They do not fully and thoroughly understand the book which they return, and they are anxious to take out large books, — those which are above their comprehen- sion. To remedy these, is the duty of the teacher. And so far as his time and circumstances will per- mit, it would be most desirable for him to be ac- quainted with the books, and have a short examina- tion of each scholar as he returns his book. Does he understand the general scope of the book 1 Does he understand all the words used in it ? Does he un- derstand its moral bearings — and in any measure feel them ? Perhaps the book was designed to show the effects of falsehood. Does he see and feel the truths? By this examination, you can aid him in fixing, deepening impressions upon his heart and con- science. You can give variety to your instructions ; — you can throw light and thought into the mind through new channels. By all means advise with and for your class, as to the books which they had * See Sunday School Journal, November 4, 1835. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 141 Teacher should read. A principle in human nature to be studied. better read, not permitting them to take those which are above their comprehension, and not permitting them to take them faster than they read and under- stand. Encourage the children to read the books to their parents ; and if they can give you a good ac- count of the influence of the book in the family, do not be backward in manifesting your approbation. The teacher will need to use the books himself, — not merely for his own benefit, but as an example to his class. Give them an account of what you read, as a specimen of what you want them to do. There is a principle in human nature, to which I wish here to make a brief allusion. The reader can probably remember how, when a child, he listened to his mother or father as he took him up on his knee and told him the simple stories of the Bible, such as the murder of Abel, the flood, the story of Joseph, of Moses, Samuel, of David, and of Christ. How interesting ! And my reader will remember too, that when he became able to read those stories for himself, how much more he was interested than if he had never heard any thing about them before ! The reason is, we love to have our knowledge of any par- ticular thing increased ; we derive more pleasure in getting a new thought or new light upon what we have already obtained some knowledge, than we do in getting the same thought or light upon a subject of which we know nothing. I need not stop to ana- lyze the feeling. Perhaps it may be traced back to 142 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. This principle is in nature. May classes be taught at your house ? pride, — as there is undoubtedly a pain in first con- templating a subject of which we are entirely igno- rant. I throw out this hint that the teacher may seize upon it, and make it of some use, — nay, it may be made of great use. If in your power, give the child some account of the book before he reads it,-r- of the subject of which it treats. Is not this nature 1 Does not the mother tell her child the name, the res- idence, and something of the character and habits of the visiter whom she expects, and in whom she wishes to interest her child 1 Do you not enjoy a book more, about which you have heard remarks, and of which you have obtained some little know- ledge previously to reading? Bear it in mind, then, that our interest in any thing is increased, when we are conscious that we already know something about that subject. In talking with children, allow to them all the knowledge which they do possess, and let them feel that all that they obtain is only an addi- tion to their stock. I must turn from the Library to one or two other points. The teacher will find it very beneficial now and then to invite his class to his house. These inter- views may be rather more social than on the Sab- bath, but still, I would have them maintain the char- acter of religious meetings. They should in no sense be considered in the light of a reward. Their object should be the increase of the teacher's means of doing good, of gaining their confidence and good will. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 143 Answer to this question. The question has sometimes been asked me by "teachers, why they may not take their class home, and instruct them by themselves ; that it would free them from interruptions, and they could advance faster and more pleasantly. My reply is, three-fold ; first, that though it might be for the good of your particular class, yet it would not be for the good of the whole school. All teachers are not qualified to take this independent course, — they need the influ- ence and stimulus of others, that they may move along with the rest. Secondly, that the teacher is never to ask what would be most pleasant, but what is most useful. All experiments in education have been tried, from that of having a tutor or half a dozen tutors shut up with a single child, to that of having a thousand pupils brought together at the university. The result is, that the mind is best educated in con- tact with other minds; it is stimulated, quickened, cheered, and strengthened. I cannot doubt but an hundred scholars brought together and properly taught, will do better than the same number divided into ten classes, and taught separately. Thirdly, that the checks and interruptions in the school-room are a part of the mental and moral discipline of the school, — such as they must meet with at every step through life, and such as they should be trained to expect from childhood. The teacher, then, who feels like withdrawing his class, and feels that it would be more pleasant to be separated from the school, will 144 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Last hint,— aid the Pastor. Let the Pastor co-operate with you. recollect that in doing it, he must, to a very great extent, set aside the interests of the school. The last hint which I wish to give in this chapter is, that the teacher should try to make it a part of his means of usefulness to increase the usefulness and influence of his Pastor. It is easy for the teachers to ruin the influence of the Pastor upon the Sabbath School ; and I am sorry to say that I know of a few instances in which they have effectually done this. The Pastor is shut out, as if the school were altogether in other hands, and as if there were danger of his usurping power, were it possible. By a refined, but sure process, he is cut off from all sympathy with the school. When he goes in, he is treated like 1 '! sTranger, and the conse- quence is, he does not often go there. Just the reverse of this should be the course pursued. This school is his flock, and the teachers are his helpers in instructing and feeding that flock. You should, therefore, be very careful not to destroy, or weaken the sympathy between your Pastor and the school. It need not be done, and it never will be done, un- less by design. You must remember that he is preaching for your mind, and the mind of the most intelligent and gifted in the congregation. Instead, therefore, of finding fault, and complaining that he does not adapt every sermon to the capacity of chil- dren, you must take the thoughts of that discourse, and in simple language give them to your class. In- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 145 Teach the cwldren to respect the office. Love reciprocal. stead of standing off, and feeling that you occupy one field and your minister another, encourage him to visit the school as often as he possibly can, — to ex- amine your classes, and to talk to and with the chil- dren. Make him acquainted with the particular traits of character which you discover in different individuals, that he may know how to drop a word now and then, which will be " as a nail in a sure place." Strive to make the children love, and re- spect the office of the minister, — not for the sake of the poor " dust and ashes" which now fills it, but for the sake of having the admonitions, the instructions «tnd the prayers of the minister fall with more weight. In another place, I shall speak of his duties ; t)ut I cannot forbear fcj '**ge upon the teachers the necessity of making T our minister happy in your cir- cle, happy in your ixbool, and happy in your confi- dence and love. It will all be returned to you; for while there is no man who more needs your respect and confidence and love, than your minister, there is no heart which will more quickly appreciate these, nor more quickly and warmly reciprocate them. He relies upon his teachers more than on any others, — per- haps all others, for aid, sympathy, and love ; let him never be chilled, by finding he is leaning upon a reed which will pierce his very heart with sorrows. 13 CHAPTER V. ACQUIRING INFORMATION IN ORDER TO TEACH. The teacher who enters upon the duties of his station for the first time, is often, if not usually at a loss what and how to do. He knows in general, that a particular lesson is to be taught, but he has no way of coming at it. He feels his wants, but can neither describe nor supply them. How much would he value a friend who had been over all the ground, and felt his way out through the dark, who could now give him just the information needed ! Sometimes it is a great relief even to have a friend aid him in the examination of a single lesson. Let me endeavor to give you some hints which will, I trust, aid you to stand on that firm ground, on which you can help yourself. 1. Make the Bible your constant study. The Bible is the great store-house of light and knowledge on spiritual subjects. Other books are the ladders and the scaffolding; this is the temple of 146 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 147 First direction,— study the Bible constantly. truth. The rules which many give for the study of the Bible seem to me, too frequently to overlook one grand characteristic of the word of God ; — viz., that as it required supernatural aid to write it, so it does also to understand it. The Spirit which dictated it, is necessary to understand it ; and the Bible . cannot be understood, and its true spirit apprehended, except by the mind which is led and sanctified by the Spirit of God. You must have the aid of this Spirit, or you open the word of God in vain. The letter killeth : the spirit only maketh alive. In all your attempts, then, to understand the Bible, be sure to invoke the aid of heaven. Ask, that in God's light, you may see light. Some look upon the Bible as a garden of spices, in which you may walk, and at your leisure pluck the flowers, and gather the fruits of the Eden of God. But this does not accord with my experience. I have found it more like a mine, in which you must dig and labor, — the wealth of which is not to be obtained without labor ; a mine, rich in gold and precious things, but it must be wrought day and night in order to produce them. You must have times and rules marked out, in which and by which you will dig this mine, remembering, that all that you bring out will be your own, and will be invaluable to you as a teacher. In studying the Bible with a view to teach, you have a great advantage over other teachers of reli- gion. A minister of the Gospel has to meet hearers 48 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Great advantage possessed by the teacher. One grand aim in the Bible. who are, not unlikely, full of their own opinions, full of pride of intellect, full of prejudices, and full of the creations of their own imaginations : they come to hear, demanding that their taste be pleased and gratified, that their preconceived opinions be met, their strong points enforced, their criticisms all allowed, and after all these demands are met, if per- fectly convenient to apply some little part to them- selves, they will do it. Consequently, the preacher has to arm himself at all points, prepare himself to meet objections in every possible shape, whether clothed in language, or only conceived in thoughts. Not so with the Sabbath School teacher. He has to fit himself only to teach truth, — not to meet error, in its ten thousand shapes and forms. He need not study to see what a portion of the Bible may possibly be made to mean, but what it does mean ; not what a perverted taste and a corrupted heart may make it mean, but simply, what is its meaning. It is never well, nor is it necessary for him to make any other inquiry, nor to make any suggestions, except the real and true import of the lesson under consideration. Do not get the children in the habit of feeling wise to pry and enquire and cavil and conjecture about new meanings. This is not teaching: it is spoiling through vain philosophy. Keep it ever in your mind, also, that the Bible has one grand end, and only one; — viz., the single purpose of recovering men from the ruins of sin, by the death and mediation of THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 149 This great aim to be kept in mind. Look at the Bible as a whole. the Son of God. From this purpose it never wan- ders. All the emblems and figures look to this. To this all the prophets point, and stand like so many stars, ushering in the king of day. There is no book, no history, no chapter or portion of the Bible, that does not keep this great end in view. This is the key that unlocks all the dealings of God, all that mystery which lay hid in God alone, till the incar- nation of Jesus Christ. The question is not, what is the simple meaning of each portion, were it a sepa- rated revelation from God ; but what does it mean as a part of that great system of truth which opens the character of God, as dealing with a race of sinners, whom he is reconciling to himself, by a method new and astonishing in the eyes of the universe. I dwell upon this the more, because I have seen teachers too frequently conning over a lesson, which was to them dry, and almost unmeaning, but which would have been full of interest on the plan now suggested. " No scripture is of private interpretation :" i. e. as I un- derstand it, the different parts of the Bible are not to be interpreted standing alone, but in connexion with other parts, and with reference to the whole. If you take one ray of the rainbow and call it light, you may say that light is red, or green, or orange ; but if you look at each ray in connexion with all the rest, you will say that light is not one of these, but consists in the combination of the whole. Most of the parables will teach error, unless you keep this in 13* 150 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second direction, — acquire comprehensive views. view ; and always bear in mind that a parable is not explained by " cirumbling it in pieces," but by keep- ing it together and examining it as a whole. Do not be afraid of knowing too much about the Bible, — of making it too exclusively the great school-master which is to fit you to instruct your class.* 2. Strive to acquire great and comprehensive vieivs of the character and government of God. All that pertains to the character of God is ele- vating, ennobling, enlightening, and purifying to the soul. It is about him and his government that you are to instruct. The picture which you form in the young mind of his character, and the impressions you give of his government, will probably abide through life, and shape the destiny of the soul in eternity. Suppose you are a skilful mechanic. You have a large establishment, furnaces for casting, engines for working all manner of iron and brass. The design of the establishment is to manufacture steam-engines. You have no workmen, but are now about to intro- duce a number whom you have to instruct. Some are to do the castings; — some to make the small wheels ; — some the nuts and screws ; — : some to pol- ish, &c. You wish to teach them to do every part with great perfection. The question now is, ought * The hints given in Chap. IX. of the Student's Manual on the Manner of studying the Bible, contain all that my ex- perience suggests at present. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 151 Illustrated by a machine shop. Mistake of errorists. you not to have a perfect and a clear understanding of all this machinery as a whole ? Ought you not to know where every wheel is to go, — how it is to play, what power to sustain ? Must you not know what relations each part bears to the other parts, and to the whole ? This must be so. And you are not fit to superintend such a shop, unless you have all this comprehensive knowledge. Suppose one workman insists that his wheel is the most important, and that upon it all depends. Another says his wheel is of no consequence, and it may be left out, or poorly made. Another insists that the great balance-wheel is of no kind of use but to consume power to keep it in mo- tion. Are these correct ? Do you not need a know- ledge of the whole, so that at a single glance you may know the relative importance of each part ? Now the- great mistake of errorists and bigoted people, is, that all have some particular wheel at which they work, and insist upon it that this wheel is the most important in the whole engine, if, indeed, it do not constitute the engine itself! It were easy to give illustrations ; but I fear they would be so plain that they would create sensitiveness, and thus defeat the very object which I have in view. We grant that every wheel is essential, and may not be left out; but it must be obvious to all, that some are very small, and it is as unwise to say that they arc the whole machine, as it would be to insist that they may be entirely left out 152 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Points of knowledge for the teacher. t Suggestion of a correspondent. The teacher ought to know who wrote the Bible, — the character which the Holy Spirit made use of in writing each part, — the circumstances which modified this or that character and event. He should know- how and why a particular part of the revelation of God came to be given when it was given. He should understand that the word of God is not a collection of little histories, of dark and figurative prophesyings, of gatherings of poetry, and scraps* and hints con- cerning the character of God. He must look at it a& a whole, — understand it as a whole ; and while he must of necessity take it in portions to teach the class, just as the machinist would put one wheel into the hands of one man, he himself must be able to un- derstand where that portion belongs, and what part of the revelation of God it occupies. One of my valued correspondents writes, and urges me to prepare a course of simple lessons which shall give the child a bird's-eye view of the whole subject of revelation, — holding up Christ as the Alpha and the Omega, " of whom wrote all the prophets, — of whom the types, and shadows, and ceremonies of the Mosaic economy spoke, — that this grand, controlling, amazing subject, may be earnestly and mildly placed before the children's attention, in a simple and unique manner." But can such a bird's-eye view be given to the child, when our teachers, for the most part, are wholly ignorant of it themselves 1 Such a course of lessons would do great good ; and I hope THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 153 Illustration by ministers. Third direction,— acquire clear and definite views. some able pen will present it shortly ; but the point which I now wish to press is, that the teachers should have these wide, comprehensive views; and they may rest assured that they will be continually walk- ing in the dark, unless they do have them. Such views will always add to your own comfort while teaching, while reading any particular portion of the Bible. Every part will seem to harmonize with other parts, and illustrate them. Every ray of light will aid you, not merely in seeing what you are now study- ing, but will be equally useful for all other parts. There is a fulness, an apparent greatness and richness about the preaching and the prayers of some ministers, which add a charm to their instructions : perhaps it may be attributed rather to the kind of study here recommended, than to any one thing besides. These enlarged views cannot be acquired at once, — they cannot be obtained without meditation and thought, and frequent comparisons of the word of God with itself; but they can be obtained by every teacher. Let them not shrink from study, from meditation, from thought. They cannot be fitted to teach the word of God without these. They will be superficial, lean, cold or hot, according to their feelings. 3. Obtain clear and definite views of all you intend to teach. Set it down as almost invariably true, that the mind which conceives clearly, can make any other mind see and feel its conceptions. Some men are 154 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The thoughts must be clear. Names and dates. Felix NefTs testimony. called deep men ; but it is generally, as Robert Hall says, ' because when they dive so deep, they bring up nothing but mud.' When you hear a man talk, or when you follow his pen, and find yourself puzzled to Know what he means, and when you hear him frequently begging " not to be misunderstood," you may be sure he is foggy in his own mind. A clear mind is under no apprehension of being misunder- stood. It cannot well be misunderstood. If you can- not clearly see the thought which you wish to con- vey to the child, do not make the attempt to convey it. The child will at once be puzzled, and though he cannot tell what the difficulty is, he will feel it. It will therefore be best to study your lesson in the manner, and in the order, in which you propose to teach it. You will then be going over the ground in the same path, and will be more likely to see it clearly. Every thought should be so plain in your own mind, that you have no fear of not being able to make the child understand it. You will find it of immense advantage also, to have accurate knowledge of dates, and places. You ought to be perfectly at home in the Geography of the Bible. Felix NefF tells us that he found that when he came to introduce some simple maps among his people who are scattered up and down the Alps, it gave them a more definite idea of places than they had before. They felt more interest in reading the Bible, more interest in sending the Gospel to the THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 155 Illustrated by case of Melchizedec. places pointed out on the maps ; and that it put a new face on things among them. This is good phi- losophy. The human mind demands to know dates, and places ; and God has adapted his revelation to this demand, by giving it at particular times, in defin- ite places, and has thus put it into our power to lo- cate all that is described in his book. There is scarcely any part of the Bible which is not rendered more interesting by definite knowledge of the Geogra- phy of the country. Let any one, for example, open the Psalms and read, * as the hills are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is about those that fear him,' and then let him look at the map of Jerusalem, and see the clustering hills all round it, defending it from storms, from winds, and from war, and he will see the beauty and force of the comparison. Take a plain case. How often has the sneer of Tom Paine about the parentage of Melchizedec been repeated ! And the Christian, when gravely asked to point out who his parents were, has found himself in a kind of maze, almost wondering what kind of a being he must have been — to have been born " without father or mother !" Now if you accustom yourself to obtain clear and definite views of all that you study, all such shadows will be gone. The argument of the Apostle is this : The priesthood of Aaron was not designed to be per- manent ; Christ was predicted to be a Priest, after the order of Melchizedec, and not after the order of Aaron. Now we know nothing about the gencal- 156 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fourth direction, — obtain clear and interesting illustrations. ogy of Melchizedec, not even who his parents were, — (not meaning that he had none !) of course, if Christ was to resemble him, he also would spring from some other tribe than that of Levi, — since his priesthood would continue forever. Nothing can be more simple, and definite, and clear. 4. In preparing yourself to teach, be sure to get illustrations which shall be clear and interesting. This is one great perfection of all teaching. It makes the subject clear, it impresses it on the memo- ry where it abides, and it leaves pleasant associations in the mind. This was Christ's method of teaching. He took the lily, the grass, the tree, the sower, the net, any thing and every thing on which the eye rested, and pressed it into the service of illustrating, adorning, and enforcing truth. Almost every event will aid you, and every paper you read, and every day you live, will add to your stock. The anxious and attentive teacher will seize upon any event, and make it aid him in his work. I give you an example. A teacher was trying to show a little girl that she did not love God. The child could not see it, or would not admit it. The subject was apparently dropped, and suffered to fade from the memory of the child. After conversing with others on other points, asking here and there a question, the teacher again turned to the child. " Maria, how long has your Father been gone V u Seven months last week, on Thursdav." THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 157 Example,— dialogue with a child. " Do you know the reason, now, why you mention- ed the very day, Thursday? "Yes, — because he said he would try to be at home in just nine months to a day, — that's one rea- son ; and the other, — because it seems so long since he went." " Does he write often V 9 " He writes to mother every week, and to Sarah and me once every month. We have seven long letters of our own." " Do you know when to expect your letter ?' " Oh ! yes, — the last Thursday in every month, and Sarah and I always run to the top of Janner's hill to watch the stage, and sometimes wait there an hour or two before we see it come in sight. And when it does come, then we hurry off to the Post-Office, and hurry Mrs. Meigs for the letter, and then run all the way home to have mother read it aloud. Oh ! we are so glad !" " I should think by what you say that you are very fond of your father." " Indeed we are, Miss B. ; and when father comes home, because he will come in the eastern stage, and in the night, we are going to sit up till almost mid- night to see him. It will be a great time with us all !" " Maria, I am glad to see that you love your father. He is worthy of your love. You have answered my questions very frankly. Will you answer me one more as frankly ?" 14 158 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Impressiou by this dialogue. Illustrate great principles from Scripture. " Yes— I— will." " Well, can you not now see that you do not love God ? He writes letters to you in this book ; you do not feel so eager to read them as you do those from your earthly father. He offers to meet you and con- verse with you. Instead of sitting up till midnight to meet him, is it not a task for you to meet him in prayer at all ? You say your father has been gone seven months, and you want him to come back. God has been absent from you, my dear child, much longer; do you feel as anxious to have him return and to see his face 1 You know, too, that God is more worthy and deserving of love than any human father, — has done, and is doing thousands of times more for you, and offers to do a thousand times more for you than any human being can. Do you love him accordingly? Do you now say, Maria, that you love God V* " Oh ! no, Miss B.," said the child, with her eyes streaming with tears. All great principles of religion ought to be illus- trated as far as is practicable by examples from Scripture. This was Christ's method. He taught the sovereignty of God so clearly, that " they were filled with indignation ;" and how did he do it ? By telling his hearers that in the days of Elisha there were many lepers in Israel ; but God, in his sove- reignty, left them all, and healed none, except Naaman the Syrian. There were many suffering widows in Israel during the famine, but God in his sovereignty THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 159 Beautiful example of Thomas Scott. relieved none, except one poor woman in a distant heathen village ! All the teaching in the world could not make this plainer; and every illustration of Scripture gives the child the habit of inquiring what great principle the various examples and incidents of the Bible are designed to illustrate. As an example of this kind of teaching, I cannot but recommend you to read the beautiful account of his little daughter, who died at the age of four and a half years, winch Thomas Scott gives, in a few pages inserted at the close of the Memoir of his Life. " On my return home one evening, my wife told me that her daughter had be- haved very ill, and been so rebellious and obstinate, that she had been constrained to correct her. In con- sequence I took her between my knees and began to talk to her. I told her she had often "heard that she was a sinner against God ; that sin was breaking the commandments of God ; that he had commanded her to honor and obey her father and mother : but that she had disobeyed her mother, and thus sinned against God, and made him angry at her, — far more angry than her mother had been ; that she had also often heard that she must have a new heart or disposi- tion ; that if her heart or disposition were not wicked, she would not thus want a new one ; but that her obstinate, rebellious conduct to her mother, (with some other instances which I mentioned,) showed that her heart was wicked; that she therefore wanted both forgiveness of sins, and a new heart, without 160 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The results of parental faithfulness. which she could not be happy in another world after death. I went on to talk with her, in language suited to her age, concerning the love, and mercy, and grace of Christ, in a manner which I cannot particularly describe; but my heart was much en- gaged, and out of the abundance of my heart my mouth spoke ; and I concluded with pressing it upon her constantly to pray to Jesus Christ to forgive her sins ; to give her a new heart, and not to let her die till he had indeed done so. I have good ground to believe that from that time to her death, no day passed in which she did not, alone, more than once, and with apparent earnest- ness, pray to Jesus Christ to this effect ; adding peti- tions for her father, mother, and brothers, and for her nurse, — to whom she was much attached. At times we overheard her in her little room to which she used to retire; and on some occasions her prayers were accompanied with sobs and tears. Once she was guilty of an untruth ; and I reasoned and ex- postulated with her on the wickedness of lying. I almost seem now to hear her subsequent confessions in her retirements, — her cries for forgiveness, — her prayers for a new and a better heart, and that " she might not die before her new heart came." In short, there was every thing in miniature, which I ever witnessed or read of in an adult penitent ; and cer- tainly there were fruits meet for repentance, — for THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 161 Use of illustrations. Fifth direction,— teacher must furnish thoughts nothing reprehensible afterward occurred in her conduct." One great use of familiar illustrations, in addition to that of explaining a principle, is, that they aid you in enforcing truth upon the conscience. The youngest child will be careful not to take any truth home to his own conscience any further than it is pressed there by his teacher ; and the teacher will not do this with any effect, if he do not first apply it to his own conscience. Children think and talk in figures and in natural illustrations. The parents of some children in Wales, on one stormy sabbath, were gone to their place of worship, and the children, all under eight years of age, were left alone. They spent their time in what they there call, an Infant's prayer-meeting. Among other simple expressions made use of in their little prayers, was the prayer that " God Almighty would rock them in his own cradle." I have known teachers aided in enforcing the truths contained in their lessons by a selection of one or more of the anecdotes of Whitecross' Pleasing Expositor. 5. Remember that the teacher must study to fur- nish new thoughts, as well as enforce impressions already received. The process of acquiring new thoughts, and of storing the mind with new materials, will be tedious, or pleasant, according to your habits and circum- stances. Application of the mind under any circum- 14* 162 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Peculiar characteristics of mind displayed in the city and country. stances is no easy matter ; but under some, it is pe- culiarly unpleasant. To show clearly what I mean, let me briefly state a few marks of difference be- tween Sabbath School teachers who live in the city, and those who live in the country ; for all who have noticed the difference, must have seen that it is very striking. The mind in the city is awake, susceptible, and ready to receive any impression which is desired ; but the waves roll on, and the next tide washes it all away. The river runs so rapidly, that it cannot be salted. The mind will receive, but will not retain impressions. In the country, there is nothing to efface impressions ; but the difficulty is, to make them. The mind seems to receive impressions most slowly, when the most calm. In the city, we are in danger of carrying our business-habits into every thing, religion as well as other things. We take up religion, teach- ing, doing good, just as we go to the bank, when the hour is come. It is no self-denial to do the business pertaining to religion. In the country, the danger is of not doing it at all. In the city, we are in danger of doing every thing superficially, — of making our feelings the standard of duty ; in the country, we are in danger of sleeping away life for the want of feel- ing. In the city, we are in danger of acting too hastily — in the country, of not acting at all, or at least, not soon enough. In the city, we trust, that our Christian character will stand the test of the THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 163 Inference from this comparison. Judgment, because we do so many good things; in the country, we trust it will stand the test, because we do so few things that are bad. In the city, we seize upon floating information, and make men and passing events our books ; in the country, we read and think more, but are a great while in coming to results. In the city, we go by the fashions, the public voice, and the opinions of others ; in the country, we go by self-interest, and are little affected by what is passing without ourselves. In the one case, the fire seems to kindle quick, but wants kindling often ; in the other, it burns longer, but is harder to kindle. If in the city we think less, it is true, we think quicker, and we are somewhat excusable for not having thoughts abide, because there is so much to efface them ; if in the country, we think more, it is partly owing to the fact, that the mind must turn to itself for employment and amusement. In the one case, the teacher will need to go to books for ideas and thoughts, and will need to study longer for new thoughts ; in the other, he will need to go often to books, to give him correct views, definite views, and to recal thoughts and impressions which are constantly fading away. In the one case, imagination, spright- liness will be in danger of being neglected ; in the other, clear and definite views will be wanting. Whether, therefore, the teacher has the habits of the city or of the country, he will have deficiencies 164 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Must not substitute vnrds for thoughts. Enforce one point. which nothing but the obtaining new thoughts from books will supply. Some teachers fill the heads of their classes with words, instead of thoughts. In every lesson, which you study with a view of teaching, you will need to ask yourself, what have I, and what have the chil- dren under my care to do with this passage ? How am I to explain this and that expression? How illustrate this and that truth contained in the lesson ? What new thoughts, — thoughts which I wish them to remember as long as they live, shall I communi- cate in connexion with this lesson? How shall I gain the attention at the very beginning of the school, so that I can keep it, and deepen it through the exercise 1 What one point in this lesson can I illustrate and enforce in a way that will reach the conscience, fix itself upon the memory, become moulded into the character, and abide through life ? Probably it will be wiser to attempt to fasten one single point in the lesson upon the minds of all your class, than to attempt more. One nail may be driven home. If you attempt more, you drive them wrong. If we try to enforce too many thoughts on the mind at once, they will, as Rowland Hill says, ' batter upon the mind,' without entering it, — a mistake into which many teachers fall, and one which is, as it were, ne- cessary, from their not making it an object to acquire new thoughts, and to bring them to bear on a single point. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 165 Avoid being abstract. Delightful examples in the Scriptures. The great difficulty with which we meet in pre- paring ourselves to instruct children, is, that we find it difficult to conceive of things and describe things in simplicity, without being abstract. All have noticed how eagerly a child will read Bunyan's Pil- grim's Progress. The reason is, that it is all addressed to the eye and the senses. You can see the sinner under conviction ; you can hear his groans and com- plaints ; you can watch his progress, trials and diffi- culties. There is no other possible way in which the experience of the converted sinner could have been given, which would have been so interesting, and so useful. Ask a child if he knows what whiteness is ? He tells you no. Ask him if he knows what a white wall, or white paper is, and he knows at once. Ask him what redness is. He cannot tell you. But speak of a red cloud, or a red rose, and he under- stands you. Talk about hardness, and he cannot un- derstand you. Talk about hard wood, a hard hand, or a hard apple, and he understands it all. The Old Testament, in the infancy of the world, when there was comparatively no reading and no writing, used to address men through the senses, and in this way alone. If God would speak, he came down in the shape of a man, — he called from the burning bush. Would he teach his perpetual presence 1 He hung over Israel in the cloud and in the pillar of fire. Would he teach that he is a king, and ruler, he has the tabernacle or tent pitched as the palace of the 166 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Interesting experiment. The watch taken in pieces. invisible King, and appoints the High Priest to be the officer who alone might come and receive the com- mands of the king. Men were then children, and all the Old Testament teaches them in this way. We must follow this method in teaching children. They cannot conceive of any thing abstractly. The fifteenth chapter of Luke is a most beautiful speci- men of teaching through the senses. I once saw a preacher trying to teach the children that the soul would live after they were dead. They listened, but evidently did not understand it. He was too abstract. Snatching his watch from his pocket he says, " James, what is this I hold in my hand ?" " A watch, sir ;" — " a little clock," says another. " Do you all see it V* " Yes, Sir." " How do you know it is a watch ?" " It ticks, Sir." "Very well, can any of you hear it tick? All listen now." After a pause — " Yes, Sir, we hear it." He then took off the case, and held the case in one hand, and the watch in the other. "Now, children, which is the watch? — you see there are two which look like watches ?" " The littlest one — in your right hand, Sir." " Very well ; but how do you know that this is the watch?" " Because it ticks." " Very well again ; now I will lay the case aside, — THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 167 Obtain very definite illustrations. put it away there down in my hat. Now let us see if you can hear the watch tick ?" • Yes, Sir, we hear it" — exclaimed several voices. " Well, the watch can tick, and go, and keep time you see, when the case is taken off and put away in my hat. The watch goes just as well. So it is with you, children. Your body is nothing but the case ; the soul is inside. The case, — the body may be taken off and buried up in the ground, and the soul will live and think, just as well as this watch will go, as you see, when the case is off." This made it plain, and even the youngest went home and told his mother that his "little thought would tick after he was dead." Many can make no impression upon the mind of the child because they are so general in their de- scriptions. In preparing yourself to teach, be careful to get the mind filled with particular and minute parts of all you undertake to describe. Suppose you wish to teach your class, * that what they now learn, and all that they now see, and feel, and do, will abide with them through life.' You wish to illustrate, to enforce, and make them remember this particular thought. You do it by telling a simple story, and you tell it as minutely as possible, something in this way. ' Children, you know that lions and tigers, and such wild creatures live far off in the great woods. Men sometimes go after them, and when they find a young lion, or a young tiger, — not much bigger than a cat, 168 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The old negro and the lion. The power of early associations. they catch them, and shut them up in a cage made of iron wire, and when they are grown up, they carry them round in carts to show them. Well, a number of years ago, a large red lion, with long hair on his neck, called the mane, and with bright, fiery eyes, was brought along in a great iron cage, to show. The cage was iron, — so that he need not break out and kill people. It was taken out of the cart, and put in the middle of a great barn on the floor. A great many men and children went to see the lion. Some wanted to see him eat, some wanted to hear him roar, and some wanted to see him strike his sides with his long tail ; and some wanted to see the man who kept him, put his hand in his mouth. At last an old negro man came. He was a tall, old man, with white, woolly hair, and he carried a great cane in his hand. When he came, he walked slowly, and softly, and came up and looked at the lion. After looking a moment, he began to cry. The tears ran down his large, black face ; and then he began to sing, and jump, and dance all round the barn ! People thought he must be crazy. But after he had danced awhile in this way, he began to cry again. Now what do you think made him feel so ? Can any of you guess 1 I will tell you. — Lions live in Africa, — a place which is a great way off from us. There are plenty of woods there, and the lions live in them. This poor old negro was born in Africa ; and when he was a young man, some wicked people THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 169 Stories used should be true. Sixth direction,— must have helps. came and caught him and brought him away from his home and his friends, and sold him as a slave. He had never gone back, — never seen any of his friends. He had not seen a lion since he came from Africa ; and now when he came to see one, it made him think of his home, — his home, where he used to see lions when a boy ! It made him think of his boyhood, and called up his parents and friends to his mind, and it seemed to carry him back to his own home of child- hood. These thoughts made him jump and cry and act so ! Do you not now see, children, how that what you do, and say, and learn noiv, while you are children, will be remembered as long as you live? This is what makes me so anxious to teach you good things. Now I want you all to remember this story of the lion, and the old gray-headed negro ; and re- member too why I told it to you, — to show you that what we learn when we are children, will be re- membered when we are old people, if we should live so long. Don't forget it* I may be thought to be tediously minute; but those for whom I write will not be unwilling that I illustrate my thoughts by examples, when I am urging them to do the same to their classes. Almost any simple story will answer your purpose, — always supposing it to be true. 6. The teacher must provide himself with some helps to aid him in preparing to teach. Most schools use Questions of some kind or other, 15 170 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Aids suggested. Necessity of reading. and in the present state of Sabbath School teaching, I have no doubt that this is wise. But this of itself cannot make a good teacher. He should have a Bible with References, — which he should feel is to be the great interpreter, in connexion with a Con- cordance, so far as obtaining a knowledge of the Bible is concerned. In addition to this, he will find other helps, such as maps, diagrams, Geographies, Natural History, Antiquities of the Bible, and the like, of great use. Were I to select a commentary, I should decidedly place Henry first on the list. For obtaining interesting and rich views of the Scriptures, I think it decidedly the best in the English language. No man can read it daily, without becoming wiser and better. To the teacher, it is almost invalua- ble. I recollect when I first commenced the ministry and was teaching a Bible class, I rode on horse-back through deep mud, eight miles to get Henry, long enough to examine one single chapter, and thought myself abundantly compensated for time and trouble. For a single book, I know of nothing so useful to the teacher as " The Encyclopaedia of Religious Know- ledge," — a book of nearly thirteen hundred pages, and as a whole, of great and permanent value. It contains what would cost ten times its own price, if the separate books, containing all its information were to be purchased. Let me beg of the teacher to read some, — even if it be but little, every day. No man can live, and forget as much as every man THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 171 Seventh direction,— attend the teachers' meeting punctually. must, and keep up with the times, without reading and filling up the mind. We love a modest man. We have confidence in such men. The reason is, that they are usually modest in consequence of read- ing, comparing their views with others, and obtaining knowledge which is the result of experience ; — while a man who does not read, is in danger of throwing out half-formed notions, crude opinions, and theories which are based upon a false philosophy. A man who does not read, can have no confidence in himself any longer than he is associated with minds similar to his own. Besides all this, a mind that is not im- proved by reading will soon have used up all it pos- sesses ; and when the man finds that his stock is com- pletely exhausted, he is in danger of retiring in discontent, and mourning over the stupidity and degeneracy of the times. The reading of which I am speaking, has direct reference to the lessons to be taught That reading is always the most valuable which has an immediate end directly in view. 7. The teachers' meeting should be punctually attended, and made useful in preparing to teach. Since a kind providence has placed me in the min- istry, there has been no part of my congregation in which I have taken a deeper interest than the Sab- bath School. If I have in any measure been useful to it, — and God has been pleased to bless it abun- dantly in converting its members, — it has been prin- cipally through the teachers. Our method has been 172 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. How teachers' meeting to be managed. Example of a teachers' meeting. this. We had a long room fitted up, and a table in the shape of a T, capable of holding fifty teachers. At the head of this table I have been accustomed to meet my teachers once every week. The Superin- tendent always sat at my right hand. On this table were laid Reference-Bibles, maps, dictionaries, &c, as each one chose to bring, — always having a good Map of Palestine present. I have then requested the teacher nearest me to read a verse of the lesson; asked him questions, and talked with him about it, just as if in a parlor. If he could not readily answer the question, I say, " can any of the teachers answer this question V 9 Any one answers, who pleases. Or if he gives an answer not quite satisfactory, or not quite full enough, I ask, < has any teacher a different opinion,' or, \ would any teacher add any thing to this answer V Sometimes these questions lead us into long and deeply interesting conversations ; for after I have put the questions relating to each verse, all have permission to question me. And at the end of the lesson, I ask, ' has any teacher any question to ask, which has not been satisfactorily answered V I have met hundreds of teachers in these meetings, have never seen a meeting which was not deeply in- teresting, have never seen any thing occur which was painful, disrespectful, or otherwise than pleasant. I can truly say, that some of the brightest hours of my life have been spent with teachers in the Teachers' Meeting. I have never seen any disagreement among THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 173 Eighth direction,— prayer indispensable. themselves. Each one should come to these meetings endeavouring to bring a teachable, kind spirit; to bring his share of intellectual food which is to make up the feast, and to feel that he is doing all that he can to make the meeting profitable and interesting. A lesson talked over in this way will be taught with great pleasure and profit I have sometimes been delighted with the illustrations which they have brought in ; and sometimes have felt that I was aid- ing them when they ask, " how, Sir, would you illus- trate this and that truth contained in this lesson, to a child of six years V The minister and the teachers who have been unacquainted with the pleasures of these meetings, are ignorant of what will always cheer, encourage, enlighten, and warm the heart. 8. Prayer is indispensable to him who would ac- quire knowledge in order to be a teacher. Were the question to be asked how you could make even fine linen whiter, the answer undoubtedly would be, wash it in pure water ; and the purer the water, the whiter would be the linen. So if you would have the mind clear, and pure, there is nothing like washing it in the pure waters of life. It needs daily and constant washing, too, for sin daily defiles it Nothing will purify the mind like bringing it into contact with God in prayer ; nothing will render it clear like this, — nothing will enlarge and strengthen it like this. It is the testimony of all such men as Payson, that they succeeded in obtaining knowledge 15* 174 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Need of the Holy Spirit. Habitual spirit of prayer needed. vastly more rapidly, in consequence of communing with God in prayer. There is another thought which should not be left out of mind. The Scriptures were given by the in- spiration of the Holy Spirit. He is their author. In order, then, to understand them aright, you must go to the same Spirit for light and teaching. He can guide into all truth, and make you wise to lead others to salvation. Your own comfort as a Christian must droop and die, your hopes become faint and darkened, your faith weak and unproductive, and your love to the souls of men will wax cold indeed, unless you keep your heart warm at the throne of grace. I do entreat my reader never to attempt to get a lesson, — never to go to the teachers' meeting, — never to go to your class, unless you have first earnestly sought the blessing of God upon your soul in secret prayer. All meetings of teachers should be opened and closed with prayer. All attempts to do good must be founded on prayer. Were I to say what I deem the greatest deficiency among teachers, — among Christians, — among all who are engaged in building up the king- dom of Jesus Christ, I should say, the want of an habitual spirit of prayer. The mouth that speaks in God's name in the pulpit, — the hand that holds the pen which writes for the good of others, — the lips that pour instruction into the mind of the child, — all, all need to be daily sanctified by prayer. This would shield us in the hour of temptation ; this would sus- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 175 Conclusion. tain us when the horizon looks dark and gloomy, — this would strengthen us when the heart feels ignor- ant and desponding, — and this would give us the arm of Omnipotence for our aid, the wisdom of the Infi- nite One for our light, and the sweet communion of the blessed Spirit to aid, guide, and reward us. The seed sown in the freshness of the morning, and that which is scattered in the dews of evening, would alike take root, and bring forth fruit, thirty, sixty, and an hundred fold. CHAPTER VI. COMMUNICATING RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. No one can feel the responsibility of making the first, the deepest impressions, on an immortal spirit on the subject of religion, without great anxiety. It is difficult to know when we are in the right way ; still more difficult to know that we do as well as we are able. The few hints, which, in this Chap- ter, I propose to throw out in regard to the best method of communicating religious instruction, will be, I fear, as far from being satisfactory to the reader as they are to myself: that they will be more unsatis- factory, I have no fear. Do not begin the work of teaching with a radical mistake ; viz. that it requires very uncommon talents to teach children. • There are many most valuable men both in our churches and in the ministry, who never make any attempts at teaching children, because they think they have no faculty for it ; — that this is a gift of na- 176 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 177 A caution,— great talents not necessary. A mistake as to singing. ture which has been denied them, and therefore they can never exercise it. So far is this from being the case, that I believe it to be no more the gift of nature than the talent to express your thoughts to adults. By attention and long practice you can communicate your thoughts to old, or middle-aged people ; and by practice you can just as well communicate them to children. And yet how often do we hear the thought expressed, that it requires "0 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Results of experience. Duty of teachers who cannot sing. dren, but it tends to dissipate the mind from the more important work before them, and I do not think that any good was ever produced by it. Teaching with- out notes is sufficient, and best for a Sabbath School." As to the number of times singing shall be intro- duced into the school, each set of teachers will decide for themselves. If the Superintendent can conduct it, he, by all means, should do it ; if he cannot, let him be careful to obtain the proper man to do it, and in every practicable way assist and encourage him. But there will be some teachers who are not sing- ers, — who cannot aid in this exercise; what shall they do 1 How can they be expected to aid in pro- moting singing 1 I ask such if they do not wish they could sing? — if they would grudge any expense if they could, by it, only purchase the power of singing] Do they not regret that no one taught them during their childhood ? Let them recollect that the blessing whose loss they so deeply mourn, may now be com- municated to the children. Let them spare no efforts to have all the children possess this high enjoyment. No efforts will result in greater effects. Children, when once taught, love to sing. Hardly any thing can add more to the enjoyment of a being, made up of affections and reason, as men are. One thing more. Some seem to feel that singing God's praises is beneath them ; that this part of divine worship may be left to hearts destitute of grace, and to lips never sanctified by prayer. I cannot but pro- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 2(J1 A common feeling which is wrong. test against this feeling. Let the theatre and the opera be under the control of the wicked, — let the songs of revelry and folly pass through the lips of the profane; — but shall the Christian, — the redeemed sinner, who hopes to sing the praises of redeeming love to all eternity in heaven, shall he refuse to sing of that love here on earth ? The glorious church in heaven sing God's praises before the universe, and angels join in the songs, even ten thousand times ten thousand, — and shall it be, that Christians are above singing these praises here on earth 1 Shame, shame to a love so cold a gratitude so dumb ! CHAPTER IX. CONNEXION OF THE MISSIONARY CAUSE WITH THE SABBATH SCHOOL. How far the Sabbath School should be made a Missionary Society, or be used to aid the cause of missions, is an important, but a difficult question to answer. There are difficulties connected with it, unseen at the first glance. My own views can be briefly expressed, though I fear they will not be satis- factory to many whom I respect, and who may differ from me. I begin by saying that I do not think it advisable to organize our Sabbath Schools into regular mission- ary societies, temperance societies, education societies, &c. I am acquainted with some schools which have all these, with the addition of anti-slavery and colo- nization societies; and if the Christian community should be further divided into parties, would doubt- less have every party represented. It seems to me that the great object of the Institution is the Sabbath THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 263 One great principle to be observed. Reasons of this principle. School, and I should tremble to be the one who should turn it, or begin to turn it from its appropriate work. The object is to take children of all ages, conditions, habits, prejudices, and influences, to teach them the word of God, and to form their characters upon that word. There can be but one predominant object before a school, — and the rest must, of course, be subordinate. That predominant object should be to teach the Bible, and to lead the souls of the children to God. It must never be lost sight of. For example, if I am teaching my class to-day, the parable of the ten virgins, I wish no other object to come before the mind. I wish to teach that particular thing, so plainly, so clearly, and so forcibly, that it shall never be forgotten. My work for the day is to do this. Now I cannot do it, if the attention of the school is to be diverted, and if a part of the time they are to act as a missionary, a tract, a temperance, or any other society. Every teacher must feel that his object is nothing less than to see each of his pupils embracing Christ, and growing up in holiness. If a school be- comes a missionary society, and takes that character, that object becomes the predominant object, is more thought of, talked of, calculated upon, than any other object Is this best 1 Another thing. A Sabbath School whose great object is to be a missionary society, must be a small one ; because comparatively few parents feel an in- terest in missions. They are not willing that their 264 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Broad ground to be maintained. Spirit of missions in the Sabbath School. children should be different from the rest of the school, and yet are not willing to aid them in contrib- uting. The result is, they either keep their children at home, or send them to some other Sabbath School. Sabbath Schools can fulfil the great object at which they aim, in no way so rapidly, surely, and pleasantly, as by keeping to their great object. By doing this, the world, the indifferent, the irreligious, and the profane, will entrust their children to their care. They will do less to counteract your instructions ; and the only cavil which the heart of malice can invent is, that you teach them the Bible. The institution is a broad one. It is to embrace all denominations, — frequently in the same school, and it must stand on broad ground. From this high position I would never have the insti- tution descend. I make these remarks with the more emphasis, lest those which are to follow shall have undue influence. But I would have the spirit of Missions always in the Sabbath School room. The very employment of the teachers is that of being domestic missionaries. They act in character only as they have the mission- ary spirit. They are laboring for the conversion of the world, and from this they can never turn aside ; — this they can never forget. They must, and they will, then, create more or less of the missionary at- mosphere around them. They will, and they ought to introduce the same spirit into the school, — ever bearing in mind,, that none but a regenerated heart THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 265 General views to be introduced. First view. can truly and deeply enter into the great work of converting the world to Christ How far, then, should the subject be introduced, and what ground should it occupy 1 It is evident at the very first view, that only gene- ral views, and the great subject of converting the world can be introduced ; for if you are to bring in each wheel of the machinery, and try to interest the school in sending missionaries abroad, sending Bibles and tracts, raising up ministers, and feeding the desti- tute with the bread of life, you have all the time consumed. I reply, then, 1. That the school should be taught on the subject of missions, in connexion with the Bible. The Bible predicts a day in which the earth shall be converted to God. Prophets, apostles, and mar- tyrs prayed, rejoiced, suffered and died in view of such a day. The church of God at the present time expects it ; she prays for it ; the Lord's prayer anti- cipates it ; — and the church universal is now begin- ning to labor for this great object. She will not be disappointed, — the heathen will be given to Christ for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. The school should be taught this from the Bible, — so plainly and clearly, that every child may see that we stand on right ground, and on an immovable position, when we labor and pray for the salvation of the earth. Let them be taught that we do not run without being sent ; that we go by 23 266 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. To be introduced in connexion with the Bible. Several hints. command, by direction, by the aid, the countenance, the promises, and the blessing of God. We cannot, shall not be disappointed. The millennial day will come. I feel that it is very important that this light be poured into the mind in early life ; that the child, as he grows up, may understand the great principles of action which govern the church of God, — that he may know how to defend them ; — that his confidence in them may be deep and unshaken, and that his sympathies, as far as possible, may be enlisted. How often such a lesson should be given out, each school will determine for itself. Perhaps once in two months will be sufficiently often. These recitations should always be in connexion with the Bible, and might be classified something in this way. (a.) How does the description of the Bible in re- gard to the heathen, correspond with their state at the present day ; and how does this state compare with that created by the full light and influence of the Gospel ! (b.) What does the Bible say is the only remedy for the condition of the world ; — and how does this correspond with the experience of men ? (c.) What were the results of the missions in the days of the Apostles, as they went among the hea- then ; and how do these results correspond with the effects produced by missionaries in our days 1 (d.) What trials attended the preaching of the Gos- pel among the heathen in the apostolic days, and THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 267 These questions may be increased. Influence of such teaching. what trials in these times? What trials and difficul- ties will always have to be encountered'? What inferences to be drawn in regard to our prayers and sympathies for those who are engaged in this work ? (e.) What part have children taken in the cause of religion, as mentioned in the Bible, and what have they to do in the w r ork now before the church? (f.) What sacrifices does the Bible require of us in the work of converting the world to Christ, before we have done our duty ? Questions like these, to any extent, may be raised, and all founded on recitations in the Bible. They w 7 ill be answered by a complete knowledge of what the church is doing at the present time for the salva- tion of the world. This plan, or something like it, will give the teacher a most admirable opportunity to contrast the condition of the heathen, and especially heathen children, with those who have the Gospel ; — to show the superiority and the divinity of the Gos- pel, and to impress the heart with a sense of obliga- tion and gratitude. The responsibility of the child who is born in the land of the Gospel, can be urged upon him with great force and power. 'It can, I have no doubt, be made a powerful auxiliary in leading the soul to submission, and conversion. 2. The information communicated respecting modern missions, should be as definite as possible. " A mission in an unknown country has no local habitation for the mind to fix upon. It can awaken 268 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second view. The mind demands instruction to be definite. only a vague, uninteresting, transient perception : and the church will never enter heartily into a plan for Christianizing all nations, until it becomes acquainted with the geography of the world." If, for example, you have occasion to give an illus- tration of the principles of missions, — and there are some most admirable illustrations in it, — from the his- tory of the Greenland Mission, try as far as possible to make the child understand the Geography of the country, the climate, natural features, and all those deep shades of the picture which the hand of nature has put on. Let all the information be of this definite kind. It is impossible for the mind to be interested in any other way. It might be well, too, to have a committee, consisting of a few of the teachers, and as many of the older scholars, to correspond with some one or more missionary stations, to make inqui- ries respecting their school, their children, and their wants. I have seen a school thrilled by the reading of one such letter from a missionary station. There might be, if thought best, a special meeting of the school to hear the letters read ; and be sure to read the letters sent from the school, as well as the answers received, at the same time. May we not, if we have the true missionary spirit ourselves, do much towards creating and perpetuating a missionary spirit in our Sabbath Schools, and that, too, without an organization so distinct that it shall create prejudices in the minds of worldly people ? Shall we not, also, go on the THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 269 Corresponding with missions. Third view. Suggestions and hints. principle, that our children are to become Christians, and ministers, and missionaries, and thus lead them to begin the work of sympathizing with the fallen world from their childhood ? I have no doubt but all this can, and might, and ought to be done ; and I pray that the spirit which baptized apostles, and all the " sacramental host of God's elect," may baptize the children of our Sabbath Schools. 3. There ought to be a system of contributions for the spreading of the Gospel, introduced into every school. The object of introducing such a system is three- fold ; — to raise money by which to carry on the plans of the church, — very considerable sums, too, might easily be raised in our Sabbath Schools ; — to teach the children how to exercise benevolence, and of con- sequence, to acquire the habit of it, as every exercise will strengthen the habit, — and to teach the child to exercise self-denial in obtaining the money which he contributes. Every thing of this kind should be regu- lar and periodical ; and perhaps the plan of having a contribution brought in once every month, will be a good one. As far as possible, encourage the chil- dren to give the money which they have earned by some labor or self-denial. Show that you are inter- ested in their little contributions, and encourage them to feel that the smallest sum, given from right motives, is neither overlooked nor forgotten by the great Re- deemer. At the same time avoid making the impres- 23* 270 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. A certain principle to be acted on. sion that giving in this way is piety, — because a child may bring his pennies, and yet carry the heart of a little Pharisee. Avoid, also, casting blame or censure upon a child who does not contribute, — at least till you know the reason. His parents may be too poor, — he may have no parents, or they may be unwilling to furnish the child with money, and he knows not how to earn any himself. I have known children make very great sacrifices to earn money, — others to endure great self-denial to obtain it, in order to contribute ; and I have known others whose feelings were cruelly and unnecessarily wounded when they could not con- tribute. Some teachers who have so far acquired the confidence of the class as to know the real situa- tion and disposition of each one, have hired such children as were unable otherwise to obtain money, to do little jobs for them, for which they have paid them, and thus the contributions of the teacher passed through the hands of his poor scholars. But every school should have regular, stated sea- sons of contributing, and an object to which the char- ity is applied so definite, and so tangible, that they can all see that the little stream of charity which takes its rise in their schools, does, indeed, flow into the great river, and swell its tide, and cause the waters to reach those who are perishing with thirst. As to the precise mode of doing this, every school will choose to have its own way and method. Go on the principle, — it is always safe and sure, never yet THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 271 Conclusion. been known to fail, — that God will never be indebted to his creatures for the smallest gifts to him ; he will reward them all, and return the cup full and running over ; and while I do not believe that a school or a child can do any thing like purchasing his own salva- tion with his contributions, I do, at the same time, believe that he is more likely to receive salvation, in consequence of such charity. Let them begin life, as if the service of God was to be the object of life, and see that it is the object of your life ; let them feel that in this life, we only begin to enter upon a service so glorious that the angel feels honored in being a ser- vant in its cause, — a service which brings peace of conscience here, — a support which is stronger than hope as we pass from time into eternity, and that it will lead to what more than tills the measure of our hopes, and more than satisfies the highest desires of the souL CHAPTER X. DUTY OF THE CHURCH AND PASTOR TO THE SABBATH SCHOOL. I begin the remarks which I am about to offer on this subject by taking it for granted that every church will wish to have a Sabbath School under her immediate care, sympathy, and direction, and that she would be glad to know what her duties are, that she may perform them to the best advantage. Every church ought to know when she has performed her duties to the Sabbath School, and I shall esteem it no small happiness if I may be able to lay them plainly before her. There are certain errors which prevail extensively among our churches in connexion with the cause of Sabbath Schools, — errors which discourage the teacher, and frequently destroy not a little of the good which would otherwise flow from his labors. I wish briefly to specify some of these errors. 879 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 273 First error, — instruction at home, not needed. First error ; that children who go to the Sabbath School do not need so careful instruction at home. It is far from being improbable that the day of Judgment will reveal the names of many who with the lips favored Sabbath Schools, and sent their chil- dren to them for the very purpose of throwing off the trouble and responsibility of religiously instruct- ing them at home. ' I need not talk with my child on the Sabbath on the subject of religion ; I need not try to bring his conscience under the light of the Bible ; I need not endeavor to gain his roving atten- tion with the view of fixing his thoughts on God and eternal things ; — especially I need not give him the opportunity to say by his looks, " my father, I do not see you bearing this holiness and showing it in your life, though you urge it upon me and profess it your- self;" — I need not take him alone and pray for him, and over him, — because — he goes to the Sabbath School. I am careful to have him go constantly, and he is there instructed in religion. If I also teach him, he will hear so much about religion, that he will be disgusted.' Such is the language of the heart, while the child is turned away from the father's table, and sent to find bread at the hand of strangers. Alas! for such cruelty. God has laid duties upon parents which they can neither throw off, nor dele- gate to others. The Sabbath School was designed to co-operate with parents, to aid them in training their children up for the service of God on earth, and 274 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Parents cannot delegate instruction. for the rewards of this service in heaven. It cannot so take the place of parental instruction as to excuse the father or the mother from doing their duty. You can never know, till the light of eternity reveals it, how cruel it is to push the child from the bosom of his parent; and if he lives after that parent is gone, memory can never lead him to the spot, — the chamber in which his parents used to pray with him and teach him. The cultivation of the heart of the child will draw it out with love and reverence. That poor child who has no parents, finds in the Sabbath School a substitute for the kind and tender admonitions of parents ; and that child who has parents will find it an additional blessing. But the head of the family is the priest whom God hath placed there to minister to the temporal and spiritual wants of the little con- gregation, and woe to the family and woe to the church, when the Sabbath School shall supersede the religious instructions of the fire-side. When it shall be left to the teacher in the School to do the work of praying for the children and of instructing them, one of the most glorious ends of the family relation will have been lost sight of, and one of the dearest privileges of the child will be destroyed, — that of be- ing led to God by his own parents. * Many seem to think that the responsibility is transferred from themselves to the teachers. When their children are committed to the school, their duty seems done. They hope and believe it is well THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 275 Second error, — throwing all the responsibility upon teachers. with their children, since they are enjoying Sabbath School instruction, — with what kind of fidelity or appropriateness they are unable to tell. But they indolently conclude, since they patronize the school, and their children are there, all is well. But no parent ought to be satisfied with this. He ought to have a personal acquaintance with this important business. He should be their principal instructor himself. Let every kind and every reasonable degree of in- fluence be thrown into the Sabbath School, but do not intrust to others the exclusive care of immortal minds. Burnish these precious jewels with your own hands. Transfer the responsibility of training them up for God to no mortal. None have a parent's heart to feel, — none a parent's account to render. And none, if they are what they ought to be, can do this work so well.' Second error ; throwing all the responsibility of the school upon the teachers. Some churches will do so much as to select and vote for a certain number of men and women to be teachers once a year. Others will not even do as much as this. All is left in the hands of the teachers. If the Pastor, amid all this apathy, is disposed to take hold and lift and aid the teachers, it is very well ; but if he is not so disposed, it is just as well. Are the teachers in your school faithful ? The church does not know; she only knows that they have all the 276 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The church ought to know all about the school. work to do. Are the teachers qualified 1 The church does not know; she hardly knows who they are. Do they study the lesson and understand the Bible, or do they come, and yawn over the lesson, impa- tiently waiting to have the long hour of recitation over? The church does not know. Do the teachers meet and pray together for grace, and patience, and the qualifications which the Holy Spirit only can impart ? Do they read, — do they keep up with the times, — are the books in the Library such that they can re- ceive benefit from them ? The church does not know. She never attends the meetings of the teachers, — never unites with them in prayer, and has only a general impression as to the popularity of the school. When asked to contribute, she feels that all that she does by way of giving money, is a kind of bounty to the teachers, and not for the benefit of the children, and the families of the whole congregation. This is a criminal course in a church. The interests, the immortal, undying interests of your children ought not thus to be put out of your hands and away from your knowledge. The whole church ought to meet with the teachers, to pray with them, to sympathize with them, and to share their burdens, and their dis- couragements. There is neither justice, nor mercy, nor the spirit of the Gospel in thus rolling oflf the burden upon the teachers, — a burden which no set of teachers whom I have ever seen, are competent to bear. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 277 Third error,— inadequate views, &c. Sometimes a church will send a committee into the Sabbath School to examine it. This is a very little better than nothing ; but the whole church ought to be so well acquainted with it, that no committee can add to her information. Third error ; an inadequate sense of the import- ance of having good teachers. When teachers are to be selected, it is frequently the case, that the church look around to see, — not who is qualified, — but who will do, taking the lowest possible standard by which to decide the question. One will be selected, not because he is the proper person, but because his father may think it strange if he be omitted ; another, because she belongs to a very respectable family, and it would be a pity not to have the influence of such families ; and a third, because he seems to sit so loosely upon his seat in this church that it becomes necessary to tie him by making him a teacher, lest he go somewhere else. Can a school be expected to flourish when its teachers are selected on such principles ? Blessed will that day be, when our young men and our young females shall make it a part of their edu- cation and thoughts while studying, to prepare them- selves to become Sabbath School teachers ; — and when a generation shall rise up who know how to reach the mind of children, because they were taught in the Sabbath School, and thus obtained their qualifications. As things now are, we are wofully 24 278 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Teachers must be trained up. deficient in good teachers. I speak this, not to re- proach, nor to blame any who are teachers. They shall have great credit for what they are doing ; but I know they are not so vain as not to be sensible that I am speaking nothing but the plain truth, when I say that our teachers, as a whole, are far from being properly qualified. Perhaps most of them have done the best they could, — we are thankful to them, and we regret that they are not better furnished. But why are they not abundantly qualified 1 I put the question to every church, why are they not qualified 1 And why are first-rate teachers so scarce I I reply, because the church has never yet felt this subject, nor attended to it. Heretofore, if a father gave his son any education, it was to enable him to read, and write, and keep his accounts, and thus get through the world. Perhaps he gave education sufficient to qualify him to teach a district school, or to enter a store as a clerk. But how few fathers and mothers have thought and planned and prayed over the edu- cation of their child, because they were anxious, that by this education, that child might be well qualified to be a Sabbath School teacher ! How common to have a committee selected who must carefully and thoroughly examine the man who proposes to teach a day-school, and yet, when the same children, who compose this week-day school, are gathered into the Sabbath School, and are to be instructed in the great concerns of religion, they may fall into the hands of THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 279 Fourth error,— inadequate views of the aids of the Sabbath School. any who may happen to be willing to take them. They may be Christians or not, they may be such as the child could not be entrusted with in a school on other days, or not. Is this right 1 No, no, it is not. Teachers must be raised up in the bosom of the church. They ought to be pious, holy, devoted, patient, untiring, disinterested men. And the church can never do her duty to the Sabbath School, till she prays over this subject, makes it one object in the education of her sons and her daughters, to qualify them to become teachers in the Sabbath School. Fourth error : that of having inadequate views of the aid which a family receive from the Sabbath School, in training up their children. It may be that the early education of the pa- rents, their acquired habits, or their circumstances put it out of their power to teach their children to be punctual. And yet it is of unspeakable importance to the child that he have these habits. He is sent to the Sabbath School, and there he learns what punctuality is, and conforms to it. The machinery is put in motion at such a moment, and it closes at a particular moment, and multitudes of children have not only here obtained their first ideas of punctuality, but have here acquired the invaluable habit of being punctual. Is it of great consequence that your child have the spirit and the habit of subordination ? Perhaps there 280 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The influences of the Sabbath School in forming character. is far too little of family government under your roof. But your child can never govern himself, unless he be taught to obey now, while a child. In the Sab- bath School he has this discipline. Every week he submits his will to the will of his teacher, submits to restraints and to government. This is a great bless- ing to a child who is not sufficiently governed at home. And what is better than all, is, that children in the Sabbath School are subdued by the law of kindness. It is well known that a savage is softened by being taken and dressed up and for a few times introduced into genteel society. And can kindness and love, — disinterested love ever be brought to bear on a human being, and that being a child, without softening him 1 Never. And every week your child is chained down by the bonds of love. Do you wish to have your child disciplined, — I mean, to have his atten- tion arrested and frequently riveted, till he can hold his mind down to a single point ? The Sabbath School does this, and is a very powerful instrument by which to cultivate the power of attention. Do you wish to have the memory of your child strengthened and cultivated, so that he can compare and reflect, till he can, by himself, draw conclusions and correct in- ferences 1 If well and properly taught, he learns to do this in the Sabbath School. You wish your child to have the power of manly and rational conversa- tion, so that when he talks, it shall be with propriety, without diffidence, or impudence. He learns how to THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 281 Duties of the church. First duty,— understand the system. do this at the Sabbath School. You wish him to have a conscience that is cultivated, that he may do his duty to man, and his duty to God, and thus walk in the path that leads to eternal life and glory. You would have him learn " what is the chief end of man," that his soul may at last be saved, and shine in the everlasting kingdom of God as the sun in the firma- ment forever and ever. The Sabbath School is pledged to aid you in all this. The better teachers that church brings into the school, the more prayer she throws around it, the more intense interest she takes in this young garden of the Lord, the more is she doing to aid every family in training up their children for the honors and rewards of heaven. And the father who understands the subject, will see that it is a most wise and wonderful instrument by which he may be aided in the great work of leading his children to God. Every effort of his will be seconded, every impression which he makes will be deepened, and every prayer which he offers for the salvation of his child will find a response from the teacher. I must now turn to the consideration of the duties which the church owes to the Sabbath School. 1. The system ought to be thoroughly understood by every church. Let me lean to the side of charity ; and I think I can do that while I say that many who patronize the Sabbath School, and who speak well of it, seem to feel as if it were something in which they have little 24* 282 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Responsibility in this respect. or no interest. It is a kind of appendix to the Sab- bath, — a very good thing indeed, since it keeps the children from being at play, or relieves them from the wearisomeness of the Sabbath, and it furnishes the teachers with something by which to occupy their thoughts and their time. I am not sure that many might not be found even in the ranks of teachers whose views of the subject are such, that they would draw back the hand at once, were it not that they can do the work on the Sabbath, and thus not lose any time which is so precious to devote to business or to the world. Would it not be so, that but few of these schools would be kept in operation, even if all the children would attend them, were the teachers under the necessity of doing the work on any other day ? Is this a true and correct estimate of the value of the system 1 All allow that before Sabbath Schools were so multiplied, it was a good thing in the minister to meet, catechise, and instruct the children under his charge : all allow too, that the Sabbath School is a much more valuable way of educating the rising generation for God, inasmuch as a whole church can do more for her children than a single mind can do. It follows, then, that if Sabbath Schools could not be held on the Sabbath, they ought to be held some day during the week, and the church ought to do the work. But have our churches such views of this subject ? Do they feel, and try to make all around THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 233 Peculiar benefits of the Sabbath School hardly appreciated. feel, that it is, next to the ministry, by far the mightiest lever put into the hands of God's people, by which to raise the world ? Some will praise the system, perhaps contribute a part of a dollar annually for its benefit, perhaps now and then step into it ; but they do not understand its design, its power, or its usefulness. They do not know how it is a grand im- provement upon the old system of education, when the children of the church were suffered to grow up almost without religious instruction and religious im- pression ; and when the field ought to have been bring- ing forth fruit, it was found to be full of tares. Weep- ing parents often bent over their unconverted children in anguish, and cried, " an enemy hath done this ;" but they overlooked the grand secret, that the ground must be preoccupied. ' It is now beginning to be found that it is easier and wiser to preoccupy than to dislodge ; that it is infinitely important that the soul should hear the voice of God, before the syren song of the great deceiver.' This system gives the child the solemn voice of a powerful guardian, and thus hushes the voice of temptation, and breaks the charms that would delude and seduce. It holds a brazen shield over the immortal being even from his child- hood, against the fiery darts of the wicked one. It holds the misguided youth even when driven by the winds of temptation from rushing oflf the precipice into the gulf of despair. 284 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second duty, — speaking well of teachers. 2. The church ought to be careful to speak respect- fully and affectionately of the teachers. You send your child to the Sabbath School. He watches you to know why you send him, and what you think of the school. Perhaps, as parents, you give your approbation to the school ; but it is that languid, heartless approbation, which is worse than silence. ' They are friendly to the cause. They can use freely the language of approbation ; but the heart is not in it. There is no deep emotion on the subject The head is indeed near the equator, but the heart is at the poles. A man's tongue may be loose, while his soul is ice-bound. The lack is not that of praise, but of self-denying energy. They are not prepared to encounter the obstacles in bringing the influence of the Sabbath School over their children. If suita- ble apparel is not provided, no pains are taken to fur- nish it. If a little reluctance is manifested by the children, the question of their staying at home is easily settled in their favor. They are not strongly and earnestly urged to this duty. This languor and indifference are imbibed by the children : their attend ance on the Sabbath becomes a mere whim. They are their own masters. There is no steady, strong, decisive parental influence. The children, when they come to the school, have the family likeness, and are as cold and uninterested there, as are their friends at home. Thus do parents multiply the sorrows of the THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 285 Great care needed on this point. faithful teacher, and thus do they lay up a fearful account to be rendered at last for the consequences.' You know a teacher in the school, perhaps more than one, of whom you do not think very highly. He is not qualified for his station. But whose fault is it ? The church have put the best in the office to be found ; and till you have done all within your power to raise up good teachers, you ought not to complain. Now will you destroy the whole influence of that school over your child, by your prejudices, your un- kind remarks, — by your uncharitable insinuations, by your unmanly, as well as unchristian thrusts? No child goes to the Sabbath School without knowing precisely what his parents think of the school, and of his teacher in particular. A few words incau- tiously dropped, a few improper remarks, may coun- teract all that can be done for your child at school, and perhaps ruin his soul forever. What shall you do? Would I have you speak well of a teacher, when you do not think well of him, and thus play the hypocrite before your child ? No. But I would have you think well of the teacher, believe that he does the best he can; and remember that if the teachers are not qualified, it is a matter of humilia- tion to you that you have not labored and prayed more to raise up good teachers. Besides, the teacher is doing the work of the pa- rent, — he is doing the hardest, most difficult and responsible work of the parents every week ; he is 286 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Third duty,— aiding the child to get the lesson. Examples of discouragement. trying to aid you without fee or reward, and will you, can you throw so much responsibility upon him, and then add insult to ingratitude, and do all that you can to crush his hopes of usefulness, and destroy all his means of doing good to your child t 3. The child ought to have the assistance of his parents at home in understanding the Sabbath School lesson. The lesson of the Sabbath School is, or ought to be, short. It is almost uniformly on some interesting, useful, instructive, and practical part of the Bible. Every member of the church ought to study so much of the word of God every week, as to obtain a full, clear, and thorough knowledge of this single lesson. No man can hope to grow in a knowledge of the Scriptures, who does not do as much as that. For their own improvement, then, every man, woman, and child, ought to study the lesson of the Sabbath School. But what is the fact ] Excepting those who are compelled to study in consequence of being teachers, how few even try to keep up with the chil- dren in the Sabbath School ! Your child comes into the room with his Bible in his hand to get his lesson ; he has no helps but his question-book. He soon comes to a question which he cannot answer. He looks up. His mother is too busy to give him her eye. He asks a question, and is told, in a cold, indifferent tone, * I don't know any thing about it,' — or, ' don't trouble me now,'— -or, * I THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 287 Example of a family who do right. wish you would go into your room, and study your les- sons by yourself,' or, ' you must ask your teacher, it is not my business to teach you the lesson,' — or, * you will have it all explained to you, I presume, on the Sabbath.' That child must be very remarkable in- deed, who, under such circumstances, can help feeling discouraged. On the contrary, let the child see that his parents know, that his parents honor the lesson, that they will study it with him, and will aid him to understand it, and he stands on very different ground. The following beautiful picture of what I could wish every family to be, is so appropriate, that I do not think my reader will regret to see it. It is a true narrative. * It was Saturday evening when 1 arrived at the house of my friend, in a retired village in Massachu- setts. The family had just risen from the table, and the little ones were retiring to rest, when one of the elder children requested their mother's permission to attend the teacher's meeting that evening.' " The rain will prevent a meeting to night," replied her mother, " but we will not be denied the privilege of studying the lesson." Accordingly, the table was soon covered with books, and surrounded by the happy family. " This is our usual custom," said the mother, " when the weather deprives us of the assistance of our min- ister, whose kind instructions have for many years 288 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER, Illustration continued greatly assisted the teachers in their benevolent work." I declined an invitation to join the interesting cir- cle, but was a highly gratified spectator. Here were the father and mother, with three lovely children, together with a modest young woman residing in the family, with their Bibles open. Each one was ques- tioned in turn, references were found and impressively read, maps consulted, and the Bible Dictionary often referred to. The intelligent and unrestrained ques- tions of the children, clearly manifested that it was no new employment. The Bible seemed to them not only a familiar, but a beloved book. While looking at this animated scene, my mind unconsciously glanced back over a period of sixteen years, which I have been permitted to spend as a Sabbath School teacher, and I could not but reflect, oh ! had I thus been aided by Christian parents, cheerful and effectual had been my labors, where now, I fear, they were lost ! After the lesson was concluded, family prayer offered, and the children had retired, the following conversation took place. " I am delighted to find your children engage with so much pleasure in studying the Bible. How have you managed to make it so agreeable V 9 " We have never found any difficulty in making the word of God a pleasant study. In the first place, my little children are taught many of its stories be- fore they can read. And as soon as they become THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER 289 Illustration continued. Sabbath scholars, we make it a point to study the lesson with them. I believe they were never sent away to get it by themselves ; this would seem too much like a task. Either one or both of us always take the lesson and show them that we cannot be denied the privilege. We ask, and in our turn an- swer the question, talk over the scene, imagine our- selves in the very spot, and endeavour as much as possible to interest and impress our young scholars. This is done on Saturday evening, or Sabbath morn- ing. But there is another method adopted by their mother, which I think still better. Every morning during the week after family prayer and breakfast, the children have always been accustomed to read with her a chapter, which is talked over in the same way. Questions are continually arising while it is read, and thus the habit is formed, of daily reading the word of God with pleasure and attention." " Your method is certainly a very simple one, and how easily might every Christian parent adopt it !" " Yes, for although the Holy Spirit alone can take of the things of God and show them to our dear children, yet I am confident that parents can do much to render this blessed volume a precious book to their children. If with a countenance beaming with plea- sure, they would say, * come, let us read it together, my children,' instead of assigning it as a daily task to be run over alone, the time might not be distant when it would be to both better than "gold, even fine gold, 25 290 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fourth duty,— give countenance. sweeter than honey and the honey-comb;" and I think it would essentially aid you, who are Sabbath School teachers, for I know you must have your trials as well as your pleasures, and many of the trials must arise from the negligence of parents. God forbid that such negligence be laid to Christian pa- rents, and yet is it not a sad truth, that the children of many of them have not learned to esteem this holy book as their necessary food V Alas ! why is it that many parents prefer that the teacher explain the lesson to their children, or that the minister explain it from the pulpit, or that it go unexplained, to becoming scholars themselves and aiding their children to understand it? Let those of my readers who are parents, pursue the course followed by the parents, as described above, only for a single term of three months, and if at the end of that period they do not feel that they and their children are abundantly benefited, then I will neither venture to prophesy again, nor be a troublesome reprover of their negligence, and criminal neglect of their offspring. 4. It is the duty of the church to give her counte- nance, support, and interest to the school ; and if possible, every member should have something to do with it, either as a teacher or a scholar. The Library should be revised, enlarged by new books, and the church ought to do it cheerfully and abundantly. The parents ought to take particular THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 291 Whole congregation to be brought in. pains to read the books of the Library, for their own improvement, for an example to their children, and in order to be able to talk with their children about the books which they read. Many occasions in reading these books would undoubtedly arise, by which deep and lasting impressions might be made on the memory and on the heart. Truths might be pressed upon the conscience under circumstances which would cause them to abide in consequence of the associations with which they are indissolubly con- nected. Besides, if the church were to do her duty, almost all of the congregation would be connected with the Sabbath School in some relation or other. In some of our congregations this is already the case. I could mention several village-congregations in New Eng- land in which the Sabbath School numbers between five and six hundred, or nearly all of the congrega- tion. These are the most interesting schools I have ever seen. I have seen a class of old ladies, — pro- bably all over fifty years of age, who sat down to the recitation of the lesson with as much interest as any class of children could. I do not intend to say that all, without exception, can do so. Mothers with young children cannot, and fathers sometimes cannot be connected with the Sabbath School. But these cases are exceptions to the rule, when I say, that the church and congregation can profitably belong to the school How often do we hear people lamenting that 292 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Objections to this course considered. they could not have enjoyed the benefits of the Sab- bath School when they were children ! Do they for- get that they can now go, and enjoy all these bene- fits ! Do they forget that the Sabbath School would actually do them more good now than when they were children? But it is hard to begin now, they cannot bring themselves up to the point of doing it. I ask, if it be so hard for you, who profess to love the Bible, who love religion, who feel your need of light and instruction, if it be so hard for you to study the Bible, what must your children suffer in doing it 1 They do not profess to love the Bible : they do not feel their need of its light and instructions, — and yet you feel that it is their duty to go to the Sabbath School. May I ask a plain question 1 Is it not pride which prevents you from belonging to the Sabbath School ? I ask it, because I have known many who wished the privilege of being at the teachers' meet- ing with a view of hearing the lesson explained, who could not be induced to belong to the School itself. It is impossible for any mind, not absolutely un- balanced by disease, not to be benefited by studying and talking about the word of God. I could wish to see all our congregations belonging to the Sabbath School. Good rooms should be provided, and the adult classes, by all means, should be separated from the children. It is from negligence of this simple rule that so many attempts to induce the whole con- gregation to unite in the Sabbath School have failed. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 293 Conveniences needed for this plan. Example of bad influence of church. It is in vain to try to have all in the same room. But different rooms can be provided, the adult classes can each select their own teacher, and the object so de- sirable can be accomplished. In the Tabernacle in New- York, they have a room for each adult class separate from the rest, — an admirable plan. But you can never expect a congregation to come into the system, if the church stands aloof. They cannot be induced to give up their conversations, and their rest- ing seasons, if the people of God refuse to do it. Few have any conception of the sins which are committed on the Sabbath by the tongue. I was once acquainted with a devoted Superintendent who had one of the fullest and most prosperous schools. One Sabbath morning he went out to get in the wandering, strag- gling boys who did not come into their several classes. He found two groups of boys standing under different horse-sheds, listening to the conversation of two groups of professors of religion. On coming up he found them in quite animated conversation, the one discussing the price of wood, and the other computing the prices of rye, in a season in which the crops had fallen short! These were members of the church talking together, and the children had run away from their Sabbath School to listen to them ! When the Superintendent kindly stated these facts to the church, though no names were called, these individuals were highly offended. Can any faithfulness on the part of the Superintendent or teacher cause the children 25* 294 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fifth duty, — to pray for conversion of school. to love the school, so long as members of the church do thus ? 5. It is the duty of the church to pray and labor for the immediate conversion of the children in the Sabbath School. Perhaps it is sometimes the case that the church feel that if the teachers were Judges, Rulers, or Minis- ters of the Gospel, or were filling some high and re- sponsible station, they should be made the objects of prayer ; but as it is, they are only teachers in the Sabbath School, and it is of little consequence. But do not forget that every prayer that you offer for the teacher, is a prayer for the salvation of your child placed under his care ; that the truth of God may impress his heart, and that thereby he may be made wise unto eternal life. You wish that your child may drink in the pure truth and in right proportions ; then ask God that the teacher may have wisdom so to teach him. Pray that he may be a pious man, a holy man. Arguments from the wants and condition of your child press you to add your prayers with those of the teacher, and that too daily, in the closet, at the family-altar, and especially on the morning of the holy Sabbath. The Bible and our own observation abundantly show us that children can be converted at a very early age. Multitudes of such cases might be ad- duced. The most eminent men who have ever lived for God and for the salvation of the world, have THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 21)5 Piety in the young beautiful. been converted in the morning of life. Children may thus early be brought in, — they ought to be. The church ought to pray for it, — to labor for it. I have more than once had the pleasure of welcoming to the table of Jesus Christ, those who were under twelve years of age. They were like the early, small stars of evening, — very small, but pure and bright and beautiful. They held on their way too, gloriously. I have not half the fears that a converted child will dishonour religion, that I have that the aged sinner, who has lived in the iron habits of sin for half a century, will do it. With him it is the work of life and death to break off those old habits. His thoughts, wicked and vile, will, ever and anon, flow back into the old, deep-worn channels. But piety in the child gushes up like the breaking out of a new spring, making its own new channel, growing, and widening, and beautifying as it flows. The Bible has promised that the time shall come, when the child shall die an hundred years old. It can be brought about Every church must aim to bring it about in regard to the children committed to her, whom she places in the Sabbath School. Most stupid, negligent, and guilty will she be, if she does not gird herself to this work. Oh ! were I to take my choice for helpers in the labors of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, I would rather have a church com- mitted to me, made up of converted children from the Sabbath School, and thus trained up for the ser- 296 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Sixtli duty,— duties of the minister. vice of God, than to have a church of a thousand members, formal, stiff, cold and barren as the aged oak. Blessed is the man who shall be the instrument of the conversion of a single child ; he adds a bright star to the moral heavens. Here must we raise up our pillars, here our polished stones, here our strong men, and here those who, on seraph- wing, will hasten to declare the name and love of Christ to the very- ends of the earth. 6. The ministers of the Gospel should make the Sabbath School an important part of their pastoral charge. Ministers have done much to rear up and sustain the institution of the Sabbath School. That they have not done more, and all that might be reasona- bly expected of them, I impute in part to the pres- sure which this age brings upon them, and partly to the fact that they have never examined to see pre- cisely on what ground they should stand in regard to it. I do not believe any deficiencies on their part which might be pointed out, are the result of de- sign. Almost every Sabbath School contains hundreds of children, in the morning of their being, open to the best impressions, and rapidly forming characters which will abide with them forever. These hundreds of immortal beings are placed in the hands of some thirty or forty teachers, — the best probably to be ob- tained : but all the minister is supposed to know of THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 297 Reasons for minister to make it a part of pastoral duties. them is, that they are members of his church, and are people of common abilities. 1 ask now, if he would be willing to have as many adults taken from his pastoral charge, and once a week instructed in religion by those of whom he knows nothing, except that they are professors of religion ? Would he be wise, or safe, judicious or justifiable in so doing 1 I think not But are not these children as liable to be led wrong, biassed wrong by any want of judgment or piety on the part of the teachers, as the adult part of the congregation would be ? It seems to me that the Pastor ought to know, intimately know who and what the teachers are, how they teach, what they teach, and what impressions they are making. Each teacher has some six or eight children com- mitted to him, and he can teach them and form their characters as no other human being can. Ministers may preach well, eloquently, learnedly, and power- fully ; but in the pulpit, they reach not the child. All goes over him. But the teacher can reach him and make impressions and aid in forming his character every Sabbath. Were it only for the safety of the individual church, the minister ought to become deep- ly interested in the Sabbath School. But more. Let the teachers be neglected, let them pick up know- ledge as they are able here and there, let them teach error and feed from the vine of Sodom, and pluck clusters from the vineyard of Gomorrah, and we have a power growing up which is irresistible. 298 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Teachers need and wish the aid of ministers. Our churches are already in the hands of Sabbath School teachers. They give character and create the fashions and feelings of our churches. Let them believe and go wrong, and we cherish an infant Her- cules whose club will shortly be used in beating and killing his own mother. Teachers must be taught, indoctrinated, that they may feel that the ground on which they tread is firm, and that their path is through light and under sunshine. If our teachers are not held responsible for what they do and what they teach, to the Pastor and to the church, woe be to the hopes of stability in the walls of our Zion. In order to meet the case, the minister must not be cold, formal, indifferent, but his heart must warm over the school as over his own children. The safety of our churches, their stability, permanency, order, purity, knowledge, all, under God, depend upon the charac- ter of our Sabbath Schools. That character cannot be what it should and must be, if there is any defi- ciency on the part of our ministers. Teachers are men, — good men, I will suppose, — but men who want improving, enlightening, and in- structing. They are ready to admit this. Left to themselves, they grow discouraged, and droop. They do as well as they can. The minister and the church stand off, they receive no countenance, no encourage- ment, no sympathy. They bring such explanations of Scripture as their limited means will allow, and thus each one explaining and teaching in his own THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 299 Can have time. way, they plod on from year to year. Is this right 1 Ought not the minister to meet his teachers once a week as a father, — feel that they are colleagues with him in aiding him to take care of the lambs, — in- struct them in the lesson which they are to teach the ensuing Sabbath, giving them his warm sympathy and co-operation \ Ought not the Sabbath School to be made an integral and an important part of his pastoral charge, so that the minister shall feel that he is to be the guide of the teachers, and that he is to keep the church awake and alive to the interests of the school, — that he is to do what he can, to create an interest in the parents, in the congregation, and in all classes of his charge, so that it shall be cherished by all as the dearest boon committed to the church ! If it is said that he has not time for all this, I answer, it be true ; — but he must take time. There is no part of his work that is more important than this. He had better have fewer weekly meet- ings, make fewer pastoral visits, than to neglect the School. I cannot dismiss this topic without once more urging that the Pastor meet his teachers once a week, and instruct them in the lesson. They would gladly have him the fountain whence they draw their knowledge, and by him they are willing to have their opinions shaped. They feel, too, their need of mental discipline, their poverty of thought or illustration, and especially, they feel their inability to obtain and grasp those 300 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Ministers should meet teachers weekly. great principles and views of the whole plan of re- demption which are so desirable, and which, once obtained, give a religious teacher such power. Min- isters do not get this great system fully before the mind till after years of study. Is it any wonder that teachers cannot? The doctrines of the Bible, the great foundation-stones of the moral temple, are what they want to measure and examine, to lay their hands upon, to rest their hopes upon, and by which they wish to teach better. The Pastor only can thus instruct them. By meeting the teachers weekly, too, the minister would preach better ! And how ? Because he would be continually studying to simplify truth, and thought, and language, so that the children may understand what is taught them. In this way he will preach with more simplicity, more nature, more ease, more directness, and more illustration. So great a part of his instructions will not go over the heads of his hearers. I plead for this close connexion between Pastor and school, once more, because it will create a strong, a sweet, and a delightful tie between the Pastor and his flock. The children will feel that their privileges are great, because the minister of God is so frequently present, and takes so deep an interest in the school. The teachers feel that they labor not in vain ; and that however discouraging their prospects may be, there is one heart that will never grow cold, never lose THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 301 Conclusion. its sympathy for them. The parents will feel that the piety and the intelligence of the church are enlisted in behalf of their children, and will be encouraged to co-operate. The church will feel that she must go with her leader, and will gather her sympathies around the vineyard of the Lord ; and the minister himself will feel that when no success attends his labors, he has a cohort in his church, who, by experience, have learned what it is to labor in vain, and who will not be backward to sympathise with him. And when the holy man of God dies, there will be tears from the eyes of those in the Sabbath School room who have looked upon him as their best friend. 26 CHAPTER XL ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITHFULNESS. Discouragements are inseparable from every at- tempt at being useful. I had thought of devoting this chapter to the consideration of those which attend the faithful teacher in the Sabbath School. But they need not be pointed out, nor dwelt upon. They will come of their own accord ; but the wisest way is to think as little of them as possible, and to resolve that they shall never retard or stop our efforts. The world is at war with the kingdom of holiness, and in whatever shape effort is made to reclaim it from the dominion of the prince of the power of the air, there will be obstacles and difficulties. Ever since the first promise that the seed of the woman should crush the serpent's head, it has been so. It is a part of the moral discipline through which the people of God must pass. No class of active, de- voted Christians has ever met with so much opposi- tion, as did the Apostles and early Christians. But 302 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 303 Persecution of the Apostles. they neither stopped nor turned aside for such oppo- sition. " About one hundred and twenty disciples, after the death of their master, were gathered together for prayer, and the Holy Spirit descended upon them ; and then they all spake with tongues, and preached the Gospel to the people of many different languages. The consequence was a great excitement : a crowd collected ; some mocked, and then Peter preached to them a sermon, with an application, and three thou- sand were converted. Then they had time enough for prayer and religious duties, and money enough for benevolent purposes ; for each " sold his possessions, and parted them to all men as every man had need, and continued daily with one accord in the temple." Then the lame man was healed ; a crowd collected ; Peter preached another sermon with an application, and five thousand were converted. The High Priest and nobles are alarmed and indignant at all this ex- citement ; they seize Peter and John, and demand of them by what authority they did so ; and then Peter preached the Gospel faithfully to the High Priest and nobles. The Apostles are commanded to hold their peace, are threatened and dismissed ; and they imme- diately return to their work of preaching to the peo- ple. Again they are seized and imprisoned ; but an angel releases them, and they continue to preach. A third time they are taken and beaten ; but they re- joice that they are counted worthy to suffer ; and 304 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER, Supposed consultation. without delay resume their work. The excitement spreads and increases, Jerusalem is filled with their doctrine, the opposers are in great perplexity what measures to take to stop it; till at length, in a paroxysm of popular fury, Stephen is seized and stoned to death. Here we may suppose there was a pause. The disciples probably met to consider what should be done, and to pray for divine guidance. Imagine them assembled, many countenances indicating anxiety and alarm. At length one speaks : ' Oh ! the torrents of ridicule with which we are assailed ! How shall we ever stand before it ? Another remarks, ' I can bear the ridicule very well ; but they tell such falsehoods about us, they will utterly ruin our reputation, and destroy all our influence among the people !' A third feels it most deeply that they should be hated for the good which they were doing, and that these false- hoods are invented to make them odious on account of their usefulness. A fourth cannot bear the thought of being charged with wrong motives, and having all his efforts charged to the desire of building up a party. A fifth feels himself disheartened because their success is principally confined to the poor, that none of the great, and the rich, the priests and nobles, lend them their name and influence, but do all in their power to crowd them down. A sixth is disturbed that there should be so much noise and excitement, such a tumult that there can be no living in the city, if THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 305 The true spirit of primitive Christianity. Reasons for faithfulness. these efforts should go on. Another regrets the dis- union of families occasioned by their preaching, and another points to the blood of Stephen, and hints at a little more prudence, lest they should all be massa- cred together. Now what shall they do in all this trouble ? They kneel down and pray together; they continue for some time earnestly engaged in the exercise ; and the clouds begin to clear away, the heaviness is removed from their heart, they are in an entirely different atmosphere. Now one and another begin to recol- lect the words of Christ, how he had foretold that all this would happen in just this manner ; — how he had commanded, warned, and encouraged them; pro- mised them a mansion in his Father's house ; he had gone to prepare a place for them, and send the Com- forter to be with them till his return. And now they have only to do their duty, and leave the conse- quences with their Master. They see things in an entirely different light, their despondency is all gone ; they go again to their work with more resolution and earnestness than ever. Such was the spirit of primitive Christianity ; this is the spirit that should animate us in all our well- directed efforts for the salvation of the soul." Let those who engage in teaching and raising up Sabbath Schools, meet opposition, and discourage- ments in this way, and the cause of Jesus Christ can never suffer from the efforts of men. 26* 306 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. First reason,— personal benefit of teachers. I must now proceed, briefly to mention a few mo- tives which God, in his providence, holds out to the Sabbath School teacher to be faithful and untiring in the cause in which he has engaged. 1. The teacher will himself receive benefit in pro- portion to his faithfulness. The providence of God seems to design the Sab- bath School to be the place where the teacher shall have all his Christian graces continually called out and exercised. The man who is faithful in his sta- tion as a Sabbath School teacher, can hardly fail of having his Christian character improved. Are you naturally proud ? Who is not ? You must here associate with ignorance, stupidity, prejudice, and it may be, with filth. Like your Master, you must associate with the poor. Your intellect must be exercised by coming down to the capacity of the child. You must visit the poor, listen to their tales of sorrow, sympathize with their condition, put your- self, in some measure, on their level, and encounter any prejudices, however vulgar, which they may en- tertain. Can this be done without calling the grace of humility somewhat into exercise ? Are you naturally selfish ? You must go to your school, and visit the families, at the time appointed, let the weather be what it may, your own ease and comfort making what demands they may ; you must enter the dwellings of sorrow, of woe, of wretched- ness: you must forego seasons of visiting, social THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 307 Traits of character cultivated by teaching. interviews with friends, leisure for reading, thinking, and on the Sabbath especially, even a part of your hours of secret meditation and devotion in the closet. It is a constant call for self-denial ; and you cannot be happy without its exercise. Do you in any measure lack patience ? You will meet with the stupid and the dull, whom you must instruct ; with the stiff necked and the stubborn, with whom you must bear and forbear ; with ingratitude which at times seems too much for poor human nature to bear. You will have to follow your scholars from week to week — sometimes discovering that they are wearied with your teachings, sometimes that they would gladly get away if they could. Can you do all this, and endure all this, without a patience constantly increasing 1 'Are condescension, affability, meekness, gentle- ness, goodness, long-suffering, Christian love that hopeth all things, endureth all things, required? They are all called into daily exercise, and all, if asked of the Giver of all goodness, will freely be given, and abundantly strengthened and increased, by the blessed spirit of consolation, until every pre- cious stone in the diadem of Christian graces be set in its place, and burnished, and made fit, for Christ's sake, to be added to those which evermore shall burn and blaze around the throne, and brighten and brighten, throughout eternity, in the pure and holy splendors of the glory of God and of the Lamb.' THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Second reason,— thanks of the scholars in after life. Thus, they " that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to right- eousness, as the stars forever and ever." 2. The faithful teacher will have the thanks of his scholars in after life. Few teachers are aware how long they are re- membered, and, if faithful, with how much affection, by their scholars. More than twenty years ago, a lady, in a destitute neighborhood, opened in her own house, what she called a Sabbath School. The Bible and the catechism were recited by quite a number of children who united in the school. This teacher was a mother, and often has been known to hear thirty or forty recitations with an infant in her arms. These self-denying labors were not overlooked by the Great Head of the church. Those who attended her school grew up altogether unlike others in the same neighborhood, who did not attend. The mould- ing of their minds and the forming of their charac- ters seem to have been done by her, and that too, in some instances, when the almost omnipotent example of parents was directly opposed to her influence. Three of her scholars were the daughters of profane and intemperate parents. Such was the hold which this devoted teacher obtained over their affections and confidence, that she rescued them from the ruinous influence of these parents, and trained them to be ornaments in society. They were respectably settled in life. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 309 Interesting case of a solitary teacher. Several of her scholars who had removed to other places, and who had grown out of her recollection, have been known to return and extend the warm hand of greeting, and hail her as their former teacher and friend. One of her pupils who had taken up her residence in a new and remote section of the State, was in- duced, by a remembrance of the example and in- fluence of this teacher, to go and do likewise. She also collected children around her, and taught them the things which pertain to their eternal welfare. One scholar while on her death-bed sent a mes- senger from the town in which she was residing, to request this teacher to come and see her. She was unable to go ; but just as the young lady was going into eternity, leaning upon the staff of the Redeemer, she left a special message for her teacher : " Tell her that her instructions in that little Sabbath School were blessed to the salvation of my soul." Such was the influence of one teacher, and she a mother at the head of a family ! Such were the rewards which she lived to receive. All may not see the results of their labors so clearly. Sometimes, for wise reasons, the teacher will not be permitted to see the results, and to hear the offerings of the grateful scholar in this life. But the word of God shall not return to him void. The seed may seem to die ; but it will, in God's own time, spring up, and bear fruit unto eter- nal life. As an illustration of this, I have often been 310 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Henry Marty n. affected at an incident connected with Henry Mar- tyn. If I mistake not, my reader will be also. Some years since an English gentleman spent several weeks at Shiraz, Persia. He attended a public dinner with a party of Persians, among whom was one who took but little part in the conversation. He was below middle-age, serious, and mild in counte- nance. His name was Mahomed Rahem. In the course of a religious conversation, the Englishman expressed himself with some levity ; at which Ma- homed fixed his eyes upon him with such a look of surprise, regret, and reproof, as reached his very soul. Upon inquiry, the gentleman found that he had been educated as a Mollah, (Priest,) though he had never officiated ; that he was much respected, was learned, retired in his habits, and was drawn out to attend that party only by the expectation of meeting an Englishman — to whose nation and language he was much attached. In a subsequent interview, Mahomed Rahem declared himself a Christian, and gave the following account of the happy change in his views and feelings. " In the year 1223 (of the Hejira) there came to this city an Englishman, who taught the religion of Christ with a boldness hitherto unparalleled in Per- sia, in the midst of much scorn and ill-treatment from our Mollahs, as well as the rabble. He was a beard- less youth, and evidently enfeebled by disease. He dwelt among us for more than a year. I was then a THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 311 The Persian Mollah's conversion. decided enemy to Infidels, as the Christians are termed by the followers of Mahomet; and I visited this teacher of the despised sect, with the declared object of treating him with scorn, and exposing his doctrines to contempt. Although I persevered for some time in this behavior toward him, I found that every in- terview not only increased my respect for the indi- vidual, but diminished my confidence in the faith in which I was educated. His extreme forbearance towards his opponents, — the calm and yet convincing manner in which he exposed the fallacies and sophis- tries by which he was assailed, (for he spoke Persian excellently,) gradually inclined me to listen to his arguments, to enquire dispassionately into the subject of them, and finally to read a tract which he had written in reply to a defence of Islamism by our Chief Mollahs. Need I detain you longer? The result of my examination was a conviction that the young disputant was right. Shame, or rather fear, withheld me from avowing this opinion. I even avoided the society of the Christian teacher, though he remained in the city so long. Just before he quit- ted Shiraz, I could not refrain from paying him a farewell visit Our conversation — the memory of it will never fade from the tablet of my mind — sealed my conversion. He gave me a book — it has ever been my constant companion — the study of it has formed my most delightful occupation — its contents have often consoled' me." Upon this, he put into 312 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Third reason,— bestow mercy upon the needy. his hands a copy of the New Testament in Persian. On one of the blank leaves was written — " There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. — Henry Martyn." 3. The faithful teacher will have the consciousness of carrying light, and hope, and mercy into many families where they would otherwise he excluded. The faithful teacher will be a blessing to all, — the rich as well as the poor. But the greater part of this world are poor ; and the Gospel is emphatically- designed for the poor. Every ray of light which you carry into the dark bosom, cheers, elevates, and blesses. Every family with whom you come in con- tact, you can aid, you can cheer, you can comfort. And mercy too, the richest mercy of God, can by you be conveyed to the heart over which none that is mere- ly earthly can shed her beams. Let a few teachers meet, who have been faithful a few years, and let them tell over the scenes through which they have passed, and your heart would not only ache over the misery which sin every where produces, but it would also rejoice at the power which the teacher has of doing good. I should like to mention examples, did circum- stances allow it ; but I may be allowed to select a single instance of the results of the system, out of scores of examples at hand, all of which are equally interesting. This little scene took place in Europe. " At the foot of a lofty hill, crowned to the sum- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 313 Affecting scene in Europe. mit with the richest verdure, peeped out from among encircling bush-wood and straggling elms, a miserable mud cabin. A streak of smoke rolling up through the green trees, was the only sign that met my eye of its being inhabited. The sun was up, and over the deep blue heavens the thin cloud lay sleeping. It was the hour between sunrise and the full blaze of day. A stillness seemed to lie around the spot, and I felt an indescribable sensation creep over me as I drew near the house of mourning. I paused at the entrance. A low, murmuring kind of sound stole upon my ear, and again all was hushed. The apart- ment on the threshold of which I now stood was one of the meanest construction. It was without a single piece of furniture that deserved the name. In one corner of it a dead body lay stretched out, very slightly covered with a tattered coat, and a cold kind of horrible feeling crept through my very soul, and I should probably have shrunk away from any further investigation, if I had not been suddenly arrested by a soft, sweet voice, mingled with a low groan, some- what like a death-rattle, that seemed to issue from the same apartment. I turned my head around and beheld a sight that chained me, as if by magic, to the ground. It was heart-thrilling to behold it. On a bundle of straw, a woman somewhat in years lay apparently in the agonies of death. Near her head hung, reclining in deep sorrow, a beautiful little half- naked child. On one side a lovely girl, about thir 27 314 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Fourth reason,— the system will benefit the world teen years of age, knelt ; — a Bible clasped in her thin, slender hands, with which she was endeavoring to comfort her dying mother! I instantly recognized them, — two of my Sabbath School children ! The meeting was affecting. They had been without food for some days. The mother died the next day in the triumphs of that faith which her little daughter taught her out of the Bible. The girls grew up to be respectable members of society, and one of them has been a teacher in a Sabbath School for a num- ber of years." 4. It is an encouragement to be faithful, that you are engaged in a system of usefulness by which the ivhole world is to be benefited. There is something disheartening to work alone, and to feel that you have not any one to sympathize in your trials and difficulties. It is not thus with the Sabbath School teacher. He can hardly go to any part of the wide world, without finding fellow-laborers. And the system, improved by the experience and the prayers of God's people, will yet reach every tribe of men under heaven, and become one of the most efficient means in the hands of the church by which to fill the earth with the salvation of the Gospel. How soon would the Sabbath School cause the Sab- bath to be sanctified and hallowed through the world ! How soon would it do that for slavery which nothing has as yet done, or is soon likely to do, in this land ! How soon would it redeem a community so that our THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 315 Examination of Sabbath Schools in the Society Islands. prisons would be almost entirely empty ! Mark the following testimony of the Chaplain to the great State Prison at Sing-Sing, (New York.) " I have lately made pretty thorough inquiry among the convicts here, for the purpose of learning who, and how many, have ever enjoyed the advantages of a Sabbath School. The result is, that out of more than jive hundred convicts, not one has been found who has ever been, for any considerable time, a regular mem- ber of a Sabbath School ; and not more than two or three, who have ever attended such a school at all." Most of the missionaries of the present day were faithful and indefatigable teachers in the Sabbath School at home. The consequence has been that they have uniformly introduced the system into the heathen countries where they have gone. Those from London early introduced it into the Society Islands. It is the testimony of Mr. Ellis, that the Sabbath School is a vital principle in their system of operations, and that God has so abundantly blessed them, that their schools are now almost wholly taught by those who were formerly scholars. ' Often has my heart rejoiced to see, early on the Sabbath morn- ing, the little Islanders running to school at the sound of the iron suspended from a cocoa-nut tree, and struck by a stone, which told them that the hour for instruction had come, — often when the second sum- mons from this substitute for a bell intimated that public worship was about to commence, have I heard 316 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The premium. their voices mingling in sweet melody to the Savior's praise, — then arranged to attend the several places of worship, with their clean cheerful faces, their neat attire, made from the products of the islands, each with a little basket in one hand, and in the other their books, — when the service began I have observed them quiet in prayer, — attentive to the discourse, and ready on their return to school to meet the questions of their teachers from the sermon just heard, with intelligent -and appropriate answers, I have been un- feignedly thankful to God, and delighted with the in- fluence of these nurseries for his church. Here also they hold their Sunday School Anniver- saries. When a deputation from the Missionary So- ciety were there, (Huahine,) more than 1200 adults and 350 children were present on such an occasion ; — the scholars were examined, and indications of in- tellect were afforded which showed, not that mind, but cultivation was required. They acquitted them- selves most creditably, and showed their acquaintance with the principles of the Christian religion to the surprise and gratification of all. Nor could their neat appearance escape notice. After whole chapters, portions of catechism, and various hymns, had been recited, some books as rewards were distributed, which added not a little to the interest of the occa- sion. Particularly in the instance of one scholar, a boy, who, for his diligence and good conduct, received the Gospel of St. Matthew bound in morocco. From THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 317 The poor mother's sorrow. Fifth reason, — scholars will soon be fellow-laborers. amidst the admiring multitude stepped forth this child: with beating heart and smiling face, he reached forth his hand to take the book, put it into his bosom, and could hardly return to his seat, his little heart was so full of joy. It was a scene in which it was hard to tell whether children or parents shared the most pleasure; — but there was one present, — a mother, — in whose sad countenance was depicted the deepest grief, now suppressed by covering her face with a cloth, and wringing her hands amidst heavy sighing and sobbing, till overcome by the emotions of her soul, it burst forth in touching exclamations. "Oh, that God had sooner taken away our hard hearts ! Oh, that the light of his word had sooner come to these islands, — then my poor, poor child had not been gone, — she too might have been here to- day !" This woman once had a daughter, and had offered her as a sacrifice to the idols of the islands, previous to the Gospel being made known to them by the missionaries." 5. You are encouraged to be faithful, because in a short time those whom you instruct will become fellow-laborers with you in the cause of Jesus Christ. The best teachers in our schools are those who were educated in the Sabbath School. They proba- bly remember their own modes of conceiving of truth, tin ir difficulties and perplexities, besides, they have a kind of tact which a long acquaintance would natural- ly give them. We hope the time is near when we shall 27* 318 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Interesting narrative. have no teachers but those of this description. But what is peculiarly encouraging, we do not have to wait till the child is matured sufficiently to become a teacher. As soon as he is converted to God, he at once becomes a little laborer in the vineyard. I have marked a multitude of instances which might be ad- duced to illustrate this point, — instances, in which a child had been the means of leading parents, friends, and companions, to a knowledge of the Savior. In looking over these cases, — all of which are well authenticated, — I am at a loss which to select. I can take but a single case, — one that was pointed out to me by a most esteemed friend, who, as I suppose, was the writer of the interesting narrative. Should my conjecture be right, I shall have the strongest assu- rance that there is nothing like exaggeration in the account. Perhaps every reader could recite narra- tives of the labors of these young disciples of Christ, equally interesting, and equally a reproof to those who have a name to live, while they are dead. 1 Some years since a Superintendent was walking out at the edge of evening, in one of the pleasant villages of Massachusetts. By some providence he turned out of his accustomed walk, and was accosted by a child, who inquired if he were not a Sabbath School teacher. On being told that he was, she sighed, and said that she had long been wishing to go to the school, but that her parents forbade her. On being asked the reason of their objections, she wept THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 310 The cruel father. Little Jane's parents. profusely, said that her father was intemperate, and her mother so wicked, that when she asked to go to the Sabbath School, they would chastise her for it, and make her work all the Sabbath. " Oh ! if my parents were willing, how glad I should be !" " Will you direct me, my child, to your home 1 I will have some conversation with your parents re- specting your coming to the school." " O yes, and will thank you too." On entering this dwelling, I breathed forth a prayer to God that my visit to this family might be long re- membered by me, and by them. The child intro- duced me as one of the Sabbath School teachers, who wished to have some conversation with her father on the subject of his permitting her to attend the school. " You wretch !" he exclaimed to his child, u have I not forbid your going to such places V 9 He then called for the rod to chastise her. I felt that I was in a delicate position, and at first stood amazed at such unnatural cruelty. I remarked that I hoped he would not punish the child, particularly as on this occasion I had been the cause of exciting his anger. " Your little daughter is kind, Sir, and obedient, is she not?" " Yes. But who are you ?" 820 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Jane becomes a scholar. " I am your friend, and wish to have a little con- versation with you, if you please." " Well, talk on." ** I hope you will not correct your child on account of my calling to see you, as I was pleased on meeting her, with the simplicity of her conversation, and thought I should be pleased to see her father." " Sir, I will take your advice : Jane, you will at- tend to your evening's business." After conversing with this man for nearly two hours on the subject of Sabbath Schools, and the propriety of his sending Jane, he partially promised that she might go. " What say you, mother, to our Jane 's going to the Sunday School I" The mother refused with an oath ! My heart began to despair, for I thought I had succeeded, and was now disap- pointed from a quarter which I did not expect. I continued my entreaties for a short time to no purpose, and promised that I would call again. On the day following I called again, and after three hours of painful and laborious conversation, gained the consent of these parents that Jane might come to our Sabbath School. The next Sabbath, with gratitude to God, I had the pleasure of introducing Jane into the Sabbath School. After supplying her with books, I placed her under the care of Miss D , one of the most faith- ful teachers in our school. Jane had not been .long with us, before it was plain that she had serious THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 321 Her account of her own feelings. thoughts and feelings ; and in a few Sabbaths after, her countenance indicated that a change too pleasing and too visible to be concealed, had taken place. At the close of the school one Sabbath, Miss D. requested me to remain, that I might have some par- ticular conversation with Jane. We tarried after the school was closed, and I turned to the little girl, who said, — * Oh, Mr. , you are the kindest of friends in this world : you have, by bringing me into this school, taught me how to worship God. Before I came here I used to feel bad, but could not help it. Miss D. has told me that sin is the cause of all our bad feelings, — that we are all sinners in the sight of God. I have also learned in this school that we must pray to God that he would forgive us our sins. Oh, Sir, a few Sabbaths since I felt that there was no peace to my poor soul, and saw, that if I should then die, I must go to hell with the wicked. On leaving the school, I resolved to pray God that he would give me a heart to love and serve him ; a heart to fear and obey my parents ; a heart to love everybody. And, you cannot know what a weight my sins were to me : I could get no sleep on account of my sins. But I have longed for the last few days to see you. I have had such new feelings, — my load is removed, — I could hardly wait for the Sabbath to come, that I might tell you what a Savior I have found. I trust I have given myself entirely to God. I feel that 322 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. The father becomes sick ; — effects of the sickness there is something in my heart which I cannot ex- press. O how thankful to God I am for your care and attention, — for the instructions of Miss D., — for ever coming to the Sahbath School ; — for here I have found the Savior who loves me, and who hath said to me, Seek me early, — seek me now, and you shall find me ! Oh ! will you pray for me, — pray for my father, mother, brothers, and sisters; — I have prayed for them, — I will continue to pray for them.' This account, which I have related in her own language as nearly as possible, was almost too much for me. She was then only thirteen years of age. She was not only happy herself now in the enjoy- ment of religion, but it was her heart's desire that all her father's family might enjoy the same religion. While she did not forget to pray for them, she often introduced topics in conversation, to interest them in religion. From continued dissipation, the father induced a disease, which brought him near the gates of death. One morning, on Jane's visiting him, while very weak and low, he asked her if she thought he would get well? She replied, with tears, that she hoped he would, — ' but if it is God's will, dear father, that you should soon die, where will your soul be when you enter upon eternity V He gazed at her in silence : she then asked if he wished to have the good Sab- bath School teacher call to see him ? — he will pray for and with you. He then said, ' oh ! my child, will THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 323 The result. you pray for me V and do you think God would hear prayer for such a wicked man as I am ? The weep- ing child knelt by the bed-side of her sick father, and breathed out her soul to God in prayer, that he would pardon her dear father's sins, and prepare him for the events of the future. The unkind father was melted into contrition, on hearing such importunity to God, to bestow blessings from the throne of his grace upon such a sinner as he had been. The old man now prayed, — felt the efficacy of prayer, — felt that he was a sinner against God, — yes, the aged sinner prayed; and his prayer, we believe, was heard. Under God, Jane was the instrument of her father's conversion. God in mercy restored him to health, a new man, — an humble Christian. On his recovery, he was soon seen in the Sabbath School which he had so long opposed, where he then confessed, before teachers and scholars, how much he then felt on ac- count of his past conduct to the school. He asked the forgiveness of all. He is now an active teacher, in the fifty-eighth year of his age, in the Sabbath School. The mother soon became serious, her brothers and one sister were also anxious for the salvation of their souls, and to make their peace with God. In a few months from the time that Jane entered our school, she came for- ward with her father, mother, four brothers, and a sister, who all joined the church of God ! Thus she was instrumental, in one short summer, in the con- ?24 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Suggestions by the narrative. Sixth reason,— ■prepares pupils for blessedness. version of seven immortal souls, and all of her own family. Where formerly oaths were daily heard, now morning and evening prayer is offered, and the bless- ing of God supplicated to rest upon Sabbath Schools, to which, through the goodness of God, eight undying souls ascribe their conversion.' I cannot leave this beautiful narrative without re- minding teachers of two suggestions which arise on reading it. One is, that teachers should not value a little time when necessary to meet prejudice, combat error, or persuade obstinacy. A few hours of faithful labor may save a whole family. The other sugges- tion is, that when we have once led those who are opposed, to become friends, they are among our warmest friends, and labor with a zeal and an ear- nestness corresponding to their previous prejudices and opposition. 6. The faithful teacher will be the means of pre- paring many for an immortality of blessedness. A beloved member of my church once came to me with a discouraged heart. She had, I believe, twelve young ladies in her class; she had taught them, she had prayed for them, and had apparently done all for them that she could. Not one was savingly converted, not one was anxious, or even se- rious ; what could she do more ? I recollect saying what little I could to encourage her, — which was not much, for I have too often had the same feelings in regard to my ministry, not to be aware that no hu- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 325 Illustration. man sympathy can reach the case. But she continued faithfully to instruct them. In a little while God poured out his Spirit upon us, and that teacher has since sat down at the table of Christ, with every one of that class, — celebrating the love that redeemed them. Who would not prefer the rewards which a faithful teacher will at last receive from the great Redeemer, to all the honors which this world can bestow '? To lead one soul to the Lamb of God, — to be the benefactor of one immortal mind, will cause you to shine as the sun in the firmament forever and ever. But the faithful teacher will do more than this ; he will lead several to the waters of life, and to the river of God. There are no situations in which the teacher may not, and should not labor faithfully, devotedly, and prayerfully ; for there are none in which his labors will not do good. I introduce the following narrative to illustrate the point, that a single teacher, under the most unfavorable circumstances, may be a worker together with God. I trust, too, that the reader will think as I do on this point, after having read it.* * Perhaps this narrative may have met the eye of the reader before. It has frequently been published as the production of a pen in England. I have three several copies now before me, each ascribing it to different English periodicals, in each of which, it was inserted as original. The author begs leave to say, that the facts were communicated to him some years 28 326 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. A few years since, a man and his wife arrived in the town of M , N. Y., as permanent residents. They were young, lately married, and their prospects for the future were bright and cheering. They pur- chased a farm in M , which was then a new country, — and nad happily spent two or three years in this situation, when, by a mysterious providence, the young man was called from this world. — With his surviving widow, he left two lovely twin infants, to deplore a loss which time could not retrieve. The widow sought comfort in vain from the limited circle of her acquaintance. There was no minister of the Gospel in that region to direct her to the great source of comfort, nor was there a pious friend who could direct her trembling footsteps to the cross of Jesus. But she went to her Bible, and by the assistance of the Spirit of truth, found that consolation which a selfish world can neither bestow nor taste. She mourned indeed a husband who was no more, but she was cheered by the hope that God would protect her and hers. She wept over her innocent babes, and resolved that while she lived, they should never need a mother's care. As they grew up, she endeavored to teach them the first principles of religion, but they received only her instructions. One week after an- other rolled away, — one Sabbath aftei another since, while on a journey in the State of New York, and that it first came from his pen. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER- 337 Narrative continued. dawned upon the wilderness, but they brought none of its privilege. The wilderness had never echoed with the sound of the church-going bell. The soli- tary places had never been gladdened by the sound of the footsteps of him who proclaims glad tidings of great joy. The feeling mother clasped her little boys to her aching bosom, and sighed and wept for the opportunity of taking them by the hand, and leading them up to the courts of God. In the days of her childhood she had possessed great advantages, and she now mourned that her babes could only re- ceive instruction from her lips. Alas ! no man of God came to instruct, — to cheer, — to gladden the bosom of her, who, for years, had never heard the whispers of love from the servants of her Savior. When the little boys were five years old, and before they were old enough to be sensible of their loss, a consumption had fastened upon their tender parent, and she was soon encircled in the cold arms of death. She steadily watched the certain issue of her disease, and even in her last moments, commended her children to Him who is " a Father to the fatherless." A few moments before she expired, she kissed her little boys, who wept, almost without knowing why, on feeling the last grasp of the clay-cold hand of their mother. " It is hard," said she to a neighbor who was present, "it is hard for a mother to leave two such helpless babes without friends, and without any one to pro- tect them ; but I leave them in the hands of God, THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Narrative continued. and I do believe he will protect them. My last prayer shall be for my poor, destitute orphans." After the death of their mother they were received into the house of a neighbor, — -a poor widow. In less than a year, one of them was stretched beside his mother beneath the sods. About this time a pious young lady arrived in the place. She too was an orphan, but was not comfort- less. It was her first inquiry how she could do good to the spiritually destitute villagers around her. In the course of one of her afternoon walks, she met a little boy straggling by the side of the road. There was a something in his countenance which excited interest at once, though he was exceedingly- ragged. The young lady was struck with his appear- ance, and immediately entered into conversation with him. "What is your name, my little boy?" said she, gently. " James." " Where do you live ?" "With widow Parker, just in the edge of the wood, there, in that little log-house; can't you see it?" " I see it ; but is widow Parker your mother ?" " No : I had a mother last year, and she loved me. She used to take care of me and of my brother John. She made our clothes, and taught us to say our prayers and catechisms. Oh ! she was a most good mother." THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 329 Narrative continued. " But where is your mother V* said the lady, as soothingly as possible. " Oh, madam, she is dead ! Do you see that grave- yard yonder ?" " Yes"— " And the great maple-tree which stands in the further corner of it V 1 •« Yes, I see it" " Well, my poor mother was buried under that tree, and my brother John lies there too. They were both buried deep in the ground, though my mother's grave was the deepest I shall never see them again, never, never, as long as I live. Will you go with me and see the graves?" continued he, looking at the lady with great earnestness and simplicity. The short account which the little boy gave of himself awakened the best feelings of the young lady, and she had been devising some plan by which to do him good. For the present, she declined visiting the grave, but continued to converse with him, and to gain his confidence. She found him very ignorant, having never been at school, and the instructions of his pious mother, not having her to repeat and enforce them by precept and example, were nearly forgotten. A Sabbath School had never been established in the place, and whether it was practicable to establish one, was doubtful, — but she was determined to make the experiment Accordingly, she visited every little cottage in the village, and urged that the children 28* 330 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Narrative continued. might be assembled on the next Lord's day, and a school formed. A proposal of this kind was new, was from a new-comer, and was unpopular. All the old women in the place entered their protest against such innovations. For the first three Sabbaths, the young lady had no other scholar besides her little James. But she had already been taught, that how- ever faint our prospects of doing good at first may be, we should not be discouraged. Our labor may not be lost, though the first blow may not produce much effect. She was sorry that she had so few scholars, but she bent all her energies to the instruc- tion of her little boy, and afterwards felt that Provi- dence had ordered it wisely. But in a few weeks the prejudices of the people began to wear away, and before the summer closed, this school embraced every child whose age would allow it to attend. It was the second summer after the establishment of this school, and after little James had become well acquainted with his Testament and catechism, that his health also began to fail. This good young lady beheld his gradual decay with anxiety, visited him frequently, and always wept after having left him. She used often to walk out with him, and to endeavor to cheer him by her conversation. One pleasant afternoon she led him out by the hand, and at his request visited the spot where lay his mother and little brother. Their graves were THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 331 Narrative continued. both covered with grass, and on the smaller grave were some beautiful flowerets. It was in the cool of a serene summer's day, as they sat by the graves in silence ; neither of them feeling like speaking. The lady gazed at the pale countenance of the little boy, upon whose system a lingering disease was preying, while he looked at her with an eye that seemed to say, * I have not long to enjoy your society.' Without saying a word, he cut a small stick, and measured the exact length of his little brother's grave, and again seated himself by the lady. She appeared sad while he calmly addressed her. " You see, Miss S , that this little grave is shorter than mine will be." She pressed his little, bony hand within her own, and he continued — " You know not how much I love you, — how much I thank you. Before you taught me, I knew nothing of death, — nothing about heaven, or God, or angels, — I was a very wicked boy till you met me. I love you much, very much, but I would say — something else"— " And what would you say, James ?" inquired the lady, trying to compose her own feelings. " Do you think I shall ever get well 1" " Indeed I hope you will ; but why ask that ques- tion V* " Because I feel I shall not live long, — I believe I shall soon die, — I shall then be laid beside my poor &32 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER.- Narrative continued. mother, — and she will then have her two little boys, — one on each side of her. But do not cry, Miss S., I am not afraid to die. You told me, and the Testa- ment tells me, that Christ will suffer little children to come unto him, and though I know I am a very sin- ful little boy, yet I think I shall be happy, for I love this Savior who can save such a wicked boy as I am. And I sometimes think I shall soon meet mother and little brother in happiness. I know you will come too, won't you 1 When I am dead I wish you to tell the Sabbath scholars how much I loved them all, — tell them they must all die, and may die soon, and tell them to come and measure the grave of little James ; and then prepare to die." The young lady wept, and could not answer him at that time. But she was enabled to converse- with him many times afterwards on the grounds of his hope, and was satisfied that this little lamb was in- deed of the fold of Jesus. She was sitting at his bed-side, and with her own trembling hand, closed his lovely eyes as they shut in the slumbers of death. He fell asleep with a smile, — without a struggle. The lady was the only sincere mourner who followed the remains of the child to the grave, and while she shed many tears over that grave, which concealed his lovely form, she could not but rejoice in the be- lief that God had permitted her to be the feeble in- strument of preparing an immortal spirit for a man- THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 333 Seventh reason,— will add to the eternal happiness of the teacher. sion in the skies, where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest. 7. Once more, — the teacher is urged to faithfulness, because it will add to his own eternal blessedness. The death-beds of many of the most active and devoted servants of Jesus Christ within a few years have proved to us, that the spirit and the consolations of the Apostolic times have come down to us. The days of martyrdom, for the present, have gone by; but the labors of martyrs, and the dying triumphs of martyrs are still left A host of bright stars have set upon this land within a few years, — and they went down growing brighter as they set. The light of eternity came through the gloom of the grave, and threw glories even into the dominions of death. The song of angels was heard even here, and the tongue began to unite in these songs before it became silent. These men have gone to their rest. In their lives and deaths, God has seemed to say that he will honor those who honor him. But the work of con- verting the world to God, is yet to be done. One agent and another is raised up, and then removed, and yet the plans of the Infinite One still move onward. They will go on, let men be faithful or otherwise. Teacher ! your day will soon be over. The night cometh, in which no man can work. You will soon be called away to pass beyond the shores of time ; that which will then press your conscience will be, — 334 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Future meetings with scholars. not how much of this world you have gotten in any shape, — but how much have you been a co-worker with God ! If faithful in your sphere, however hum- ble, you will be acknowledged as a co-worker. You will go into eternity conscious that you have served Jesus Christ, and that you have been laboring to bring souls to his cross. He will welcome you, he will crown you, he will own you as his dear friend in the day when he shall come in the glory of the Father. On the hill of Zion above, you will, too, see a glo- rious sight. That bright one who shall accompany 'your wearied spirit even from the bed of death, who shall lead you up to the regions of everlasting blessed- ness, may be the redeemed spirit of that dear scholar whom you taught in the school, whose soul you led to Jesus, and whose body you followed to the grave. You had almost forgotten his name, — but you had not been forgotten ; and he was the sweet messenger sent down to guide your soul from earth to heaven. As you see that glorious spirit, as you hear his song of redeeming love, will you ever regret your labors, prayers, tears 1 And when your feet have become familiar with the golden streets of the New Jerusalem, you may hereafter hail one and another whom you instructed in the Sabbath School, but whom you left on the earth completing their day of probation. They will come, and with you, forever become learners in that glorious school of Christ above. THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. 335 The author's motives in writing. There will be gathered, converts, a great mul- titude, ministers who have been most faithful and laborious and successful, and churches who have been lights in the world, all of which may be traced back to the little class which you once taught ; and to ages untold, you will see the results of your labors here on earth. Reader ! before rising from my chair, I expect to write the last paragraph of this book, — a book which has cost me much labor, many fears, and much deep anxiety. A book may be written for reputation, for pecuniary profit, or to gratify earthly feelings. I do believe I have not been led to write from either of these motives. If motives as pure as our sinful hearts will permit us to feel, could secure me from having said what would make bad impressions, or lead to any other than good results, I should lay down my pen with more satisfaction than I now do. If in any remarks I have exhibited any other than the kindest feelings, I beg my reader to believe that it was wholly unintentional. I have not felt any other. In very many cases the reader will doubtless dissent from what I say. Let him do so, feeling that his experience may have been different from my own, or that I have been laying down general rules, while his was an exception. I have been on ground new, and to a great degree, unexplored ; and if the reader feels that he discovers great deficiencies, or great de- 336 THE SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER. Conclusion. fects, he will remember that I have had great diffi- culties to encounter. Many unknown friends will read these pages, upon whom this will be the first and the last im- pression which I can ever make. May I not hope that they will at least gather one hint, and one im- pression from this little volume which will quicken them in duty, make them more devoted to their work, more laborious and more faithful in their Mas- ter's service I The writer and the reader are both passing to the grave. The providence of God which- has brought their minds into contact by means of these pages, lays them both under new and heavier responsibilities to be devoted to the salvation of men. Those of the reader cannot be small : those of the writer immeasur- ably great. May we sow beside all waters ; in the morning scattering the seed upon the earth fresh with the dews of heaven, in the evening withholding not the hand, — for we know not whether the one or the other shall prosper. And when the toils and anxieties of this life shall be over, may we rejoice together with the ten thousand times ten thousand, who with- out ceasing day or night, praise God and the Lamb forever and ever ! THE END. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW Books not returned on time are subject to a fine of 50c r>er volume after the third day overdue, increasing to $1.00 per volume after the sixth day. Books not in demand may be renewed if application is made before expiration of loan period. JUL 29 1926 fc V*^M ■*»,» l^J km^itJ 2 7'64-8PM 4? 0EC 231976 4 t Jgkm M217T 5 De'5?KC ' SEP 2 1 1979 REC'D t-D .« 9 * 79 j ' \ \9&1 .** BB. J* 1O Jun , 64M0j *0V 4 t98t 0£C I 7 198, - 50m-7,'16 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY