asked the master about him. He replied, "That boy is the most unmanageable one in the school; he is clever, but very passionate. He has kicked my legs (happily he has no shoes); he has pelted me with mud in the streets. I have dismissed him from the school, but allowed him to come again on his earnest entreaty and promise of good conduct. If I had struck that lad when he was so irritated, or spoken harshly and angrily to him, his fury would have been quite ungovernable, but he can't withstand a word of kindness.'"-Archdeacon Allen. "Minutes," 1846, pp. 139, 140.

LITTLE CHILDREN NEGLECTED.

No one has yet attempted to say that the value of the soul depends on the age of the individual. In our Sabbath-schools, however, it would appear as if this opinion was sometimes acted upon, nay, carried often so far as to excite in the breasts of those that reflect upon it much surprise and regret. We refer to the manner in which young children, from four years of age and upwards, are treated when they come in the capacity of scholars. With a few honourable exceptions, it is still a common practice to do some of these three things: 1st, To keep yout or even put out little children, lest they should disturb the school or the teacher; or 2nd, To receive them in, and then pay them scarcely any attention—a pat on the head being sometimes considered sufficient; or 3rd, To turn them over, very injudiciously of course, to the youngest and least experienced teacher in the school. This is done, perhaps, most frequently from the superLintendent or other teachers not knowing what to do with the poor little things, and considering any kind of teaching better than none; in other cases, they are given to a teacher newly joined as being the easiest duty, any one who has tried it being fully aware that it is by far the most difficult. The consequences of this are soon obvious. If the teacher has not determined perseverance, he either as soon as possible exchanges his little scholars for others

farther advanced, turning over his late charge to the next new comer; or he gets discouraged, and finding after some weeks' trial that he can make nothing of little children, he ceases to bend his energies to the task, and looking less carefully after them, their names are suffered silently to drop from the roll. Perhaps, in both cases referred to, the teacher is really not so very much to blame, for it is plain he had entered on a task ignorant of its nature, and the duties of which he was not qualified to perform. No doubt, we may say he should be aware of these things; but still we blame the teachers that are already engaged, much more than their new fellow-labourers, for many of the evils that follow this mode of procedure, such as the incessant shifting of little children from one untried teacher to another, from whose labours they experience scarcely any benefit; or, the new teacher being employed for such a short time in this way, he is not able to make much improvement before being removed, or removing himself, to another department.

As we are not yet in such an advanced state as to expect previous training for every department of Sabbathschool instruction, we shall only suggest, to the more experienced teachers, the propriety of giving as many hints and as much encouragement to the new teachers as possible, in order to help them to persevere until they overcome their difficulties. To the teachers of the little children we would say, that though theirs is the most difficult department, yet perseverance and untiring ingenuity will be amply rewarded in the course of a few months' teaching, by the visible power which they will be able to exercise over their little flock. This, however, is only to be acquired by slow and almost imperceptible degrees, and will be composed of a gentle and loving manner to them in the school and at home, besides that derived from keeping them in order and giving them religious instruction. Complete, speedy, and sure success in these matters depends, of course, in the first place, on the peculiar talent of the individual; but it is surprising how much may be done, both in improving the mind and understanding, by one who, though not

very well qualified, yet sets his mind a-thinking on the subject. And therefore we entreat you, dear fellowteacher, to set yourself earnestly to this work, not allowing the difficulty of it to daunt you easily. Give your affections to your little ones, and let the sight of their innocent-looking faces plead with you that they are, after all, sinful and dying, needing the blood of Jesus as much as any; and could you leave them thus? We leave their case in your hands, praying that you may be led to persevere, and enabled to encourage others to do so, that so these young ones may obtain their full share of your Christian exertions, knowing that they, equally with those that are older, are “precious in God's sight." -Scottish Sabbath-school Teachers' Magazine.

ON IMPERCEPTIBLE INFLUENCES.

It is wonderful to observe throughout God's system, how vast a disproportion often exists, in respect of visible importance and power, between the effect which is produced and the cause which produces it. The light comes to the earth so silently each morning that no ear catches the rushing of its waves; and yet each day, and week, and season, it new creates the world. The acorn seems perishable and insignificant, yet folds within itself the planks and ribs of the world-famous ship. The spring is little and unnoticed—a stone will obstruct its waters; yet in it and in its equally tiny neighbours lie the head waters of mightiest currents that shall, if need be, bear navies upon their bosom, and shall sweep to the sea through broad estuaries.

In the spiritual world-the world of feeling, and thought, and sensitive mind-this fact becomes more obvious still, and more impressive. An influence there exerted partakes of the immortality of the soul which feels it. It changes or quickens the states of feeling. It implants or eradicates the germs of principle. It sends the currents of desire and hope in one course or another. And so it affects for ever the history of the

soul. Invisibly though it enters, it exists there as a guiding or modifying power. It may not be itself distinctly perceptible thereafter; but if not, it will certainly combine with other elements of character and activity, and shape them differently, and through them shape the life. So it is that a chance word has sometimes decided the course of a soul that was wavering and undecided. So it is that whole systems of belief have grown up in some minds, from a single remark, or text of Scripture, heard and pondered. So it is that revolutions which have shaken the earth, as though a falling planet had dashed its bulk against it, have had their origin, under God's providence, at moments and in agencies the least to be suspected; in some advice of parental piety; in some well-considered precept of a revered instructor; or, on the other hand, in some rash and exciting appeal of the misguided and discontented.

We never enter a Sunday-school without thinking of this, or without feeling that we are standing in the midst of a spiritual seed-field, under a silent shower of influences, the fruits from which are to be reaped hereafterin public engagements faithfully or carelessly performed -in domestic scenes of enjoyment or bitterness-in characters of beauty or characters of shame-in heaven or in hell. And it certainly seems to us, that if Christians felt this as they ought, they would often remember such schools in their prayers, would oftener be in them themselves to work effectually for the church; and that if Teachers felt it, they would prepare sedulously for their vocation, and count it among the noblest to be found on earth.-Christian Treasury.

PLAIN DUTIES OF TEACHERS.

THE existing plan of a school, so long as it obtains, should be carried out to the letter; and every teacher should conscientiously contribute his quota of service towards the full triumph of law, order, and discipline. One teacher who, from ignorance, conceit, or self-will,

does not fall in with the prescribed regulations of his school, is a serious obstacle to the comfort of his fellowteachers, to the harmony and efficiency of the institution, and to the reasonable and legitimate influence of the superintendent.

If this be correct, it must follow, that no such teacher, after suitable means have been employed for securing submission to legitimate rule, should be retained in any of our schools: nor is it less obvious that the first duty of every Sunday-school teacher, in entering on his work, is to make himself thoroughly acquainted with it; to understand all the existing rules and regulations of the school; to conform himself to them with an exact precision; and to throw his whole influence into the scale of order and good government.

I have heard it sometimes hinted that, as all Sundayschool teachers are voluntary and even gratuitous agents, it will not do to be as strict with them as if they held office upon a different tenure. I entirely differ from this opinion. There is no hardship, no curtailment of proper liberty, in submitting to rule; and the teacher who consults his own happiness, the comfort of others, and the prosperity of the cause, will be as rigid a disciplinarian upon himself, as if the permanent well-being of the school depended upon himself. He will seek to do everything as efficiently as possible; and for this purpose he will constantly be aiming at self-improvement. All his duties will be discharged with intelligence and energy. He will be invariably interested himself in what he is doing, because he understands it, and feels its importance; and the result will be, that his class will be interested too; for you rarely see a teacher who takes pains with his mind and methods of teaching, who has the mortification of addressing himself to a listless class. In going round the classes in a school, I would engage to report, from the very look of things, what number of efficient teachers are engaged in the work.-American Sunday-school Journal.