TWILIGHT ON SABBATH EVE. I LOVE the Sabbath twilight, when a hush, All Sabbath hours are hallowed, but when shades Then God comes down, and in His garden walks, As friend and friend hold mutual converse sweet. Now one by one the stars begin to shed A lustre fairer than earth's richest gems, All tell of Him whose presence makes them bright, Of a pure realm unvisited by night, Where neither toil, nor care, nor sin betides. Thus sweetly closes in the day of rest, And as we near the busy world again, In silence hearts grow rich. The gentle showers And so our God His sacred Spirit pours, Our waiting souls to cheer and sanctify. Thus outer shadows deepen; but within, There beams and brightens into "perfect day," A radiance of celestial origin, Cloudless, serene, that shall not fade away! ION. MAKE YOUR HOME PLEASANT. A CHILD may as easily be led to associate pleasure with home ideas as to think of it in connection with the home of his playmates. Certainly, if allowed to do so, he can as readily connect happiness with parents, brothers, and sisters, as with those of other kin. And a child will do so unless happiness and pleasure when he calls for them under the parental roof, respond "Not at home!" All home pictures should be bright ones. The domestic hearth. should be clean and joyous. If home life is well-ordered, the children having, according to age, work-time, play-time, books, games, and household sympathies, they will love and find pleasure there. Give the little ones slates and pencils, and encourage their attempts to make pictures. Drawing will amuse them when noisy plays have lost their zest or are unseasonable, and the art will be useful to them in all the business of after life. Have them read to each other stories and paragraphs of your selection, and save the funny things and the pleasant ones you see in papers and books, to read them at your leisure. You cannot imagine how much it will please them, and how it will bind them to you. But choose well for them, for the impression made on their minds now will last when the hills crumble. Have them sing together, and sing with them, teaching them songs and hymns. Let them sing all day, like the birds, at all proper times. Have them mutually interested in the same things, amusements, and occupations, having specified times for each, so that their habits will be orderly. Let them work together-knitting and sewing-both boys and girls. They enjoy it equally unless the boys are taught that it is unmanly to understand girls' work. They should know how to do it, and practically, too, as thereby they may avoid much discomfort in future life. Let them work together in the garden-boys and girls-both need outof-door work. Together let them enjoy their games, riddles, all their plays, books, and work, while the parents' eyes direct and sympathize, and blend in loving accord. Have the children do some little things, daily, for your personal comfort; let them see that it gives you pleasure, and that you depend on them for the service. This will attach them to you more strongly; and if they feel responsibility, even in matters of themselves trivial, and are sure of your sympathy, their affections and joys will cluster around the home hearth. Children like to be useful; it makes them happy. So give them work-time as well as play-time. But, in any case, and in all cases give them sympathy. Express love for them. More than building showy mansions, More than dress and fine array, More than domes and lofty steeples, More than lofty, swelling titles, By surroundings pure and bright- Seek to make your home most lovely; Where, in sweet contentment resting, Where the flowers and trees are waving Make your home a little Eden; Let a neat and simple cottage Stand among bright trees and flowers; Here a simple vine-clad arbour Brightens through each summer day. There each heart will rest contented, Memories of that pleasant home. Such a home makes man the better, Pure and lasting its control; Home, with pure and bright surroundings, Leaves its impress on the soul. -Fireside Monthly. SELECT CLASSES. A Paper read by Mr. ADAM WOOD of Sheffield, at the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Teachers' Conference, held at Doncaster, on Good Friday, 1863. By Select Classes, we mean 'all classes in the Sunday school consisting of persons of more than sixteen years of age, who have been connected with the school for some time. Many of these classes, so far as regards the age of the members are adult classes; but from the fact that the persons composing them, after having passed through several classes in the school, become members of the select class, that name is properly applied to them to distinguish them from the classes which are composed of. persons who have wasted their youth, but who have been induced to place themselves under the teaching of benevolent Christians after they have arrived at adult age. We would call classes composed of such persons, adult classes. In some districts there are schools consisting of what are called "neglected men and women," which are known as adult schools; the claims of which on the sympathy of the churches would be an interesting subject for a separate paper. The subject of select classes has occupied the attention of Sunday school teachers for some years. Books have been written advocating the claims of these classes, they have been the topic of many discussions, yet there are difficulties connected with the working of them which remain unsolved. The opposition which was raised by some persons to the formation of these classes a few years ago, has now subsided, so that it would be difficult to find a man, who would state, that to take our youth who have attained the age of sixteen years, and form them into a class, would be to pamper their pride, and to spoil them by filling them with self-conceit. It is also universally admitted, that however efficient a select class may be where it forms a part of the general school, a separate room would be an unspeakable advantage to both the teacher and the class; and where such a room is provided, that every thing which can make it attractive should be procured, and that money thus expended is most wisely invested, and will bring in large returns in the form of success. These remarks appear so selfevident, that we shall not waste time in supporting them by argument. In this and in many, if not in all parts of the country, rooms have been provided and furnished, scarcely a school of any impor tance can be found without its select class; yet our young men and women leave us, so that with increased appliances Sunday schools are not effecting their proper results in the retention of our elder scholars. That Sunday schools have produced, and are producing much good in all classes of society, the enemies of Christianity are compelled to admit. But we want to see, and have a right to expect more direct success. There is a large amount of effort wasted in our Sunday schools, all of which is so much mental and spiritual capital, which ought to be most carefully worked,-we do not hold firmly enough the truth, that God's promised blessing always accompanies the wisely directed efforts of His people when associated with faith and prayer. It is in no unthankful spirit that the above remarks are made, and it is with a heart overflowing with gratitude for the success which God has given to us as Sunday school teachers, that we ask, ought we not to look for much greater results in the future than have cheered us in the past? Of the religious agencies by which we would seek the increase of the church, and endeavour to elevate all classes of society, we claim for the Sunday school a place in the first rank. The Sunday school teacher is a co-worker with the minister, indeed, many ministers do not hesitate to call the Sunday school teacher their right arm. We think that no minister, who has any knowledge of Sunday school teaching, will object to this relationship; few will have any fear of the Sunday school teacher so magnifying his office as to forget his relation to his pastor and the church. It is far better to have a high opinion of our calling than a low one, if we associate with that opinion proportionate responsibility. All Sunday school work is of first importance. The select class derives its importance from the fact, that it is the culminating point of the Sunday school system. The members composing it are the elder scholars, whose connection with the school has extended over some years. These youths or young women will have much Bible information, and will be ready for well-prepared Scripture lessons. They will require matter as food for the mind, far in advance of the ordinary class. To meet this demand, it has been recommended that the teacher of such a class should be well educated, and that he have all the accompaniments of polite bearing and general refinement in manners. The addition of all the accompaniments of a liberal education to the essential qualifications of a select class teacher, would have a most salutary effect on the young of both sexes; but that education and piety should be the only requirements necessary to place a |