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have it said of them, "the people had a mind to work." A glance at their labours, and the success which they obtained, will shew that there was with them united action. Perhaps their unanimity resulted in a great measure from the fact that each individual was heartily engaged at his own employment. There was, doubtless, a consciousness that all their efforts tended to one great end, and therefore it became them to act in concert. Every one had something to do, and did it well, so that there was no time or inclination to disagree. There was no discord in their camp. Peace reigned, and the wall went on, for

"the people had a mind to work.”

When this testimony can be honestly borne concerning any band of Sunday school teachers, we may safely conclude that a delightful spirit of union prevails throughout their ranks. Where each labourer receives an allotted task, and gives himself heartily to fulfil it, there will be no room found for "strife and debate." See how these teachers love one another. Behold their ardent attachment to their sacred calling. What zeal inspires all their efforts. What peace and concord reigns in their midst. I love to linger over the contemplation of such a scene. Would there were more of them to gaze upon in this desert world! Truly this great enterprise cannot be too highly extolled. What immense interest surrounds the occupation of only one teacher who is in all respects fulfilling his important mission. Training the tender minds of his scholars for usefulness here: feeding them with knowledge that will make them wise unto salvation; and leading them to Him, who says, "Suffer little children to come unto ME, and forbid them not." No employment on earth can be more exalted; none so worthy to receive the best and noblest services it is ours to give.

Hounslow.

"Laborious task! What zeal is needful here!

What patience meek its duties to fulfil!
What kindness sweet to soften truth severe !
What heavenly wisdom, too, to train with skill

The budding thought! to guide the wayward will.

And, oh, what constancy of love sincere!

Yet know that gifts are nothing,-understand

That ye are weapons only, weakness still,

The chosen instruments, but not the wielding hand."

REWARD GIVING IN SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

"A Working Teacher" (Magazine for April, page 191) is not favorable to reward giving in Sunday schools. This is the conclusion at which he has arrived after eight or more years' experience. With this conclusion I cannot concur. That the result that might be

reasonably expected from the working of the system has not been realised, I freely admit, but I contend that that is no fault of the system. The failure, comparatively, so far, is to be attributed, I think, to the careless and indiscriminate manner in which it is endeavored to be carried out, and to the paltry prizes generally given. No doubt "A Working Teacher" tells us of a school where it has been discontinued to advantage, but I could tell him of one in which it has been carried out well, and where it proved to be of the utmost importance; and from its operation in this instance, I feel convinced that it has only to be fairly tried, for the result to be highly satisfactory.

"A Working Teacher" says, that impressing upon the young the evil consequent upon improper conduct, will do more real good than rewards. I am not aware that it ever was intended to substitute rewards for this all important part of education. I think the intention has been to attract the young to the institutions established for teaching them their duty to God and man, and stimulating them to overcome every difficulty hindering their progress in knowledge. The successful teacher must aim at making learning as pleasing and attractive as possible. His own humour, intelligence, and aptness to teach, will very much contribute towards this object; and rewards, when judiciously distributed, will be found to be an excellent auxiliary. John Pounds found the simple reward of a roasted potatoe to the Irish boys on the street, to be very useful in bringing them to his workshop to receive instruction. Generally, it will be found that reward giving will enforce good attendance and proper conduct, which is absolutely necessary to successful teaching. But "A Working Teacher" says "it is unfair to give rewards. By giving them to the best scholars it may be unfair, as all cannot attain to that distinction if they were inclined." But all can behave themselves in school; they can be industrious and punctual in their place, and those that thus act are worthy of rewards; not because they are payment for good conduct, but because they are marks of distinction which will please the recipients, and be an inducement to the unruly to reform and merit the reward of industry and good conduct. I do not think, when an entry is made in the class book every time a ticket is given, and the teacher of the class, or a visiting teacher, makes enquiry at the home of the absentee respecting his absence, that the system will be putting a temptation to deceit in the way of the pupil.

Every time the school meets, a ticket should be given to every one present for punctuality, and every time it closes, another should be given for attention and good behaviour. These tickets should be collected every three months, and checked with the class book, to see that what each produces agrees with what is represented by the class book. They should be divided into three classes. The first class having the most tickets should receive the best prizes, and the second the second

best, and the third nothing at all. In this way, by strict discipline, the system of prizes will be found to be of great assistance to the teacher. I cannot look upon it as mercenary any more than the labor requisite to enforce and apply it to the best purposes. If the young are worthy of the labor bestowed upon them, which but few will deny, the helps to be obtained from judicious prize-giving will be such as recommends it to every well conducted institution.

Rugby.

D. M.

"THE PRAISE OF THE PEOPLE."

A REVIVAL SONG.

"Sing unto the Lord."

LIFT the voice of praise and gladness; Zion from her bondage free,
Wakes to deeds of glorious conquest, from the mountains to the sea.

Lo, the fiery cloud and pillar move at the Divine command,
And the tramp of mighty marching sounds triumphant through the land.
Zion's banners float victorious, while the Hosts of hell retreat,
Rebels throw their weapons down and fall submissive at His feet.

Rivers flash the joy and bear the hallelujah far along,
Mountain echoes catch the chorus, swell aloud the thrilling song.

Air and ocean, isle and woodland, blend all harmonies of praise;
Let the shout of Israel's triumph ring as in the ancient days.
Ring aloud, as when rejoicing from Egyptian bondage free,
Miriam's timbrel-notes were wafted o'er the dark, tumultuous sea.
Sing, as when with burning thirst the murmuring people saw delight
In the clustering groves of palms, and wells of Elim bubbling bright.
Sing, as when the rock in Horeb gushed with clear and full supply,
And the sound of purling waters mingled with the shoutings nigh.

Sing, as when the tide of Jordan parted in its onward flow;
Shout, as when with blast of trumpets fell the walls of Jericho.

Shout, as when the prophet, pleading, turned to heaven his suppliant eye,
And the flood of flame descending drank the watered trenches dry.

Higher still and louder, clearer, let the notes of triumph rise,
Emulate the songs of angels, hovering 'neath Judean skies.

Glory to the Lord's anointed! peace on earth, good will to men ;
Zion's gates are filled with praise, and ransomed souls are "born again."

-Baltimore American.

Y

APPEAL TO SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND THEIR FRIENDS ON THE PRESENT CRISIS.

BRETHREN and fellow-labourers in the church of Christ! War is again proclaimed in Europe. It has commenced; but who will declare its termination? Before the fierce rage of human passions, and the conflict for masterdom by violence have ended, many souls will be driven to their final account, and many homes will be embittered by bereavement. The disciples of Sardinia, who have been studying the gospel of peace, meeting in humble homes to teach the young to pray and read the word of God, will find in this conflict temptation for baser passions; and miseries not to be described in language, will make them, more than they have lately been, the objects of your pity, and the claimants of your prayers. Forget them not-they have laboured, and they now must suffer, in the place of former martyrdom. Their fathers were heroes for the truth of God, when our forefathers worshipped stocks and stones.

interests and their hopes are identical with our own. Let no sympathy be suppressed; but let the profoundest wisdom guide its

exercise.

While the malignant errors which infect Europe are, in their open and concealed agencies, repeating the ancient policy of fighting nation with nation, till all are weakened and debased, for spiritual slavery, God, in His gracious providence has, by the proclamation of our beloved Queen, made a strict neutrality the privilege and duty of British Christians. May God preserve her gracious Majesty and may He preserve for her the ripest and the richest fruits of the neutrality which has been proclaimed.

No fear is entertained, brethren, of your disagreement with the aim of the wise and royal proclamation. Teachers of mercy must be averse to woe; but temptation awaits the young. The call for rifle clubs, and rifle practice, as preparations for the coming storm, is put forth with so much speciousness and spirit, that not the ungodly only, the teachers and elder scholars of our sabbath schools become endangered by the delusion. Penetrated with this fear, these lines are written to put them on their guard. Patriotic as it may seem to study the use of arms, let every youth remember that this use of arms is worthless, except in the actual shedding of human blood. The rifle is a deadly instrument, and its use is found only in the taking away of life. In the study of its use, the mind is trained to the habit of deliberately aiming to kill. He that would not kill, therefore, but, like the Saviour, whom our teachers love and serve, long to save the souls of men from death, had better never study the

rifle practice at all. Why should they waste their precious time in studying an art which they do not mean to follow out into practice?

On the abstract question whether war, in any case, be allowable or not, no argument will be here advanced. But it is desired that our young men, both teachers and scholars, be warned to consider whether it be not better for them to let it quite alone.

If the governments of earth will have soldiers, and know not how to rule without them, let the governments train their own victims to their own use.

For sabbath school teachers and scholars, the study of such an art is attended with a double expense, which every victim of this growing delusion ought to consider.

First. It is expensive in moral character. The old volunteers of England have left a terrible remembrance of their influence upon the minds of those familiar with their effects. Youths of hopeful piety who entered them seldom or ever returned untainted to their homes. More perished by the vice they contracted in the days of meeting and of exercise. It is scarcely possible that the rifle clubs should be less dangerous to young men at the present time; and therefore nothing could be more unfortunate for our schools than that the youth should be allured to such voluntary risk of personal piety, which is, and must be, the strength and life of our Sunday schools.

Secondly. The work of Sunday schools is now no longer a problem. Many individual cases of failure call for improvement, while they occasion grief. But, taken as a whole, our sabbath schools, and the christian churches which support them, have done more than any earthly social agency whatsoever to preserve the peace of England, and to give her the eminent superiority which she enjoys over all the nations. Rifle clubs, how numerous soever, or how perfect soever, will never supply the place of sabbath schools, in peace or war. Penetrated with the influence of divine truth taught and learned in these schools, men have suffered patiently and heroically, who, if skilled in the use of arms, and filled with the war spirit, would have lived through all subjection, and have hazarded, as the suffering population of other countries have in our own time hazarded, the very existence of the throne. Sabbath school teachers and scholars have a trust and a treasure too sacred to be thrown away on rifle practice and rifle clubs. The war which has commenced may convulse the entire social system of Europe; but if England, by her christian schools, churches, and personal religion, can maintain the strict neutrality which has been proclaimed, she will, when the hurricane has spent itself, like a lifeboat on a troubled ocean, be precious to every one and to every thing that survives the

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