d^Jo 
 
 ^^ PRINCETON, N. J. *% 
 
 Presented b7^^'2,a\ C>. e.^\^a\W O r 
 
 BV 1537 .R43 1860 
 Reed, Charles, 1819-1881. 
 The infant class in the 
 Sunday School 
 
THE INFANT CLASS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL. 
 
 TO WHICH THE COMMITTEE OF THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL VXION" 
 ADJUDGED THE FIRST PRIZE IX 1851. 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES REED. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, 
 
 56, OLD BAILEY. 
 
 M.DCCC.LX. 
 
ORIGINAL PREFACE. 
 
 ' ' IN idl tlie dvtlrkU, greed nundjers of chUdreii who had 
 been in regular attendance on Sunday ncf tools for a period 
 of from five to nine years, were found, on examination, to 
 he not only altogether ignorant of Christian principles, doc- 
 trine, and i/recepts, hui tliey knew nothing whatever of any 
 of the events of Scripture History, nor anything even of tht- 
 names trutst commonly occurring in the Scriptures.''^ 
 
 This passage occurs in a Government Report, published a 
 few years since. I do not quote it, as a believer in its truth, 
 for my l>elief respecting this sweeping declaration is, that it 
 is most untrue ; it is a libel on the noble and self-sacrificing 
 exertions of my fellow-labourers in this department of 
 service, the Sunday School Teachers of Great Britain, to 
 whom I reiqjectfully dedicate this little volume. 
 
 I have, however, another object in view in placing it at 
 the head of these prefatory remarks, for my conviction is, 
 that though false as a whole, the assertion may have some 
 truth in it, and if this be so, it were well that we shouhl 
 seek to profit by it. 
 
 That the Sunday School system is not [»erfect, no one 
 will venture to deny, and that in much it has failed, we are 
 all prepared, in deep humility, to admit. If there be failure, 
 there must be some adequate cause. What is this cause 'i 
 This is a question which in the present day eminently con- 
 cerns us. 
 
 In the midst of conflicting opinions, I may perhaps be 
 allowed to ask, whether we have not committed a great 
 mistake in limiting the invitation to our Sunday schools to 
 children of seven or eight years of age. For my own part, 
 I am inclined to Ijelieve, that the want of power and effi- 
 ciency, pointed out in bitter tones by our enemies, and 
 more or less deplored by us all, may be traced very much 
 
 a2 
 
IV ORIGITTAL PEEJACE. 
 
 to this prevailing custom. Now, supposing this to be the 
 case, will the reader permit me to suggest a few queries 
 for consideration. 
 
 Is it a fact, that with redundant school accommodation, 
 infants have been excluded, almost as a rule ? 
 
 Is it a fact, that as the result of this exclusion, little 
 childi*en, among the poor especially, have been left without 
 adequate provision on the Sabbath for their religious 
 instruction ? 
 
 Is it a fact, that by far the larger proportion of such 
 cliildren, on coming to the Sunday school, are kept in 
 alphabet or spelling classes for a lengthened period ? 
 
 Is it a fact, that these elementary classes, as a rule, are 
 under the care of mere monitorial agency ? 
 
 Is it a fact, that a large ntmiber of our children are not 
 attached to any single school, but give themselves to a 
 roving career, passing in and out of many schools, and 
 finally quitting the means of instruction altogether ? 
 
 Is it a fact, that we have great difficulty in holding our 
 children as senior scholars, and that the church and con- 
 gregation present but a poor representation of the numbers 
 we enrol in our books ? 
 
 What shall we say to these things ? I fear there is too 
 much reason to believe that, in all our schools, we suffer to 
 some extent in these particidars, and to those who agree in 
 my opinion, I commend these pages, which are given to the 
 press rather with a view to assist in the solution of an 
 admitted difficulty, than from any idea that they contain 
 much that is novel or specially instructive. 
 
 I wish to add, that, while in giving my idea of The 
 WORK, AND HOW TO DO IT, I have sought to confine my 
 remarks to practical points, upon which little diversity of 
 judgment exists ; I alone am responsible for the opinions 
 expressed in the course of its discussion. 
 
 Charles Reed. 
 Hackney, Dec. 1, 1851. 
 
PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION. 
 
 Within the tea yeara since this Essay was first put before 
 the public, no question hais attracted more attention among 
 Sunday School Teachers than that of "our Infant Classes." 
 Where they did exist, they are improved and strengthened ; 
 where they were not, they are now found ; and it is now 
 — 80 far as our large towns are concerned — the rvde, rather 
 than the exception, to have an Infant Class in each school. 
 The admission of the youngest childi'en — the ahnost entire 
 abandonment of alphabet and si^eUing teaching — the sub- 
 stitution of efficient teachers in the Infant Classes for moni- 
 tors — the introduction of the collective methods of instruc- 
 tion, in place of the individual or rotatory mode — are all 
 changes, which are the result of careful thought, and free 
 discussion, in our schools, oiu- magazines, and our con- 
 ferences. 
 
 If this Essay has contributed in any degree to these 
 important ends, the highest desire of the writer has been 
 accomplished ; and he takes this opportunity of acknow- 
 ledgmg the kindness of niunerous readers, who have favoured 
 him with many queries, which have frequently residted in 
 most interesting and profitable correspondence. If the 
 Census of 1861 should embrace the educational retiurns of 
 the country, as in 1851, it is quite certain that one of the 
 most gratifying results will be the proof of the wonderfid 
 advance of the Sunday School in its primary and elemen- 
 tary departments. 
 
 Charles Reed. 
 Hackney, May 1, 1860. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF INFANT CLASSES. 
 
 1. Tlie position of the Sunday School. 2. Institution of Infant Day 
 Schools. 3. Want of pro vision for Infants on the Sabbath. 4. Ob- 
 jections to the admission of Infants into Sunday Schools con- 
 sidered Page 1—12 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE REASONABLENESS AND IMPORTANCE OF THE 
 ESTABLISHMENT OF INFANT CLASSES. 
 
 1. The success of the Infant Day School a potent argument. 2. In- 
 fancy the best period for creating good impressions. 3. Sympathy 
 of numbers. 4. Capacity of young children to realize the leading 
 doctrines of rehgion. 5. The incompleteness of the Sunday 
 School without the Infant Class 1.3— 23 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE FORMATION OF AN INFANT 
 CLASS . 
 
 1. The Children — how to keep them — their age — their reception— the 
 mixture of gi-ades. 2. Separation of sexes. 3. Number in a 
 class. 4. The class room— where or what it should be. 5. The 
 Teacher— whether more than one— male or female — age — qualifi- 
 cations—duties. 6. The preparation required 24 — o7 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HOW TO CONDUCT THE CLASS. 
 
 What to teach — not reading as an art, but religion in its practice 
 2. What Bible-training is. 3. Conversion the aim of the Teacher. 
 4. Cultivation of the heart. 5. Formation of good habits — obe- 
 dience — trvithfulness- justice — benevolence — forgiveness — atten- 
 tion. 6. General principles — value of system — regularity — cir- 
 cumspection. 7. The study of mind. 8. The thing to aim at. 
 9. Not to teach too much — nor too long 58 — 73 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE APPARATUS REQUIRED. 
 
 1. The Gallery. 2. The Letter Box. 3. Pictures and Maps. 4. The 
 Blackboard. 5. The Class roll and Card. 6. The Books. 7. The 
 Library 74—80 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE TEACHER AT WORK. 
 
 The day's proceedings. 1. Morning exercises. 2. The separate ser- 
 vice. 3. Afternoon engagements. 4. Outline of Addresses suited 
 for these occasions 81—114 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SPECIAL MEANS OF USEFULNESS. 
 
 1. The Missionary Afternoon. 2. The Pence Bank. 3. Occasional 
 Meetings. 4. Visitation— by the Teacher— by appointed Visitors. 
 
 115—118 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DISCIPLINE. 
 
 1. Obedience to authority. 2. Punishments. 3. Modes of reproof. 
 4. Eewards — the Ticket system 119 — 127 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES NEEDING SPECIAL ATTENTION. 
 
 1. Infant Piety — its evidences— how to treat it. 2. Removals— hew- 
 to bear them. 3. Former scholars— how to retain influence over 
 them. 4. Ourselves— how to calculate success 128—133 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE RELATIONS SUSTAINED BY THE INFANT CLASS. 
 
 1. To the Sunday School. 2. To the Day School. 3. To Parents. 4. 
 To the Ministry and the Church of Christ. 5. Reasons for en- 
 couragement in review of the whole question .... 134—140 
 
THE INFANT CLASS 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL. 
 
 3>«^C 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 ITS ORIGIN AND PROGRESS. 
 
 1. The Position of the Sunday School. 2. Institution of 
 Infant Day Schools. 3. Want of provision for I nfanU 
 on the Sabbath. 4. Objections urged against the admis- 
 sion of Infants to the Sunday School considered. 
 
 1. The history of the Sunday School has yet to 
 be written, and a noble record it will be of deeds 
 of pious zeal, and self-denying toil. Already, the 
 poUtical and social writers of our day assign to it 
 a prominent place among the institutions of the 
 land; and he who, at the close of the present 
 century, inscribes the annals of Britain, will have 
 to testify to the fact, that while of recent origin and 
 very humble pretensions, it has exerted an influence 
 for good, altogether unparalleled in the history of 
 modern times. " We have seen the Sunday school 
 
2i P0SITI0:N^ of the SUNDAY SCHOOL. 
 
 institution spring up from nothing, till it comprises 
 250,000 teachers, and 2,000,000 scholars, with an 
 average of five years' schooling for each child."* 
 Scarcely suited to the impatient demands of the 
 present day, its calm and safe progression is not 
 calculated to satisfy the craving for excitement 
 which has of late extended its influence, even into 
 the religious world. In the midst of majestic 
 enterprises, and imposing schemes, its course lies 
 along an humble path. Its dwelling is amongst the 
 poor ; its objects are chiefly the children of neglect 
 and ignorance. Its machinery is no curious eftort 
 of skill ; its conductors shine not in the ranks of 
 science and wealth. It has indeed a grandeur, but 
 it is the grandeur of simplicity. Divested of every 
 worldly attraction, it still possesses many features 
 of interest to the Christian. It associates itself 
 with childhood, around which seems to cling all 
 that is left of loveliness in our sin-defaced nature. 
 It marks the expanding intellect, and seeks to 
 direct the early aspirations of the mind to the 
 purest elements of truth. Its present position is 
 remarkable. It stands a monument of voluntary 
 and devoted effort, the wonder and astonishment of 
 its friends, while its very enemies are constrained to 
 offer the tribute of public gratitude, admitting that, 
 in times of national crisis and threatened convulsion, 
 " the Sabbath school system has been the salvation 
 
 * "Lecture on the Progress and Efficiency of the Volun- 
 tary Principle." By Edward Baines, Esq., M.P, 
 
SUCCESS OF INFANT SCHOOLS. 3 
 
 of this empire ; " and thus, triumphing over igno- 
 rance and prejudice, the sneer of ridicule with wliich 
 it was once assailed is changed into a meed of well- 
 merited praise. We must allow, that at first the 
 system was rude and imperfect ; its plans were ill 
 adapted, and the whole scheme little comprehended. 
 A gradual development has, however, by degrees, 
 brought it much nearer perfection ; and in common 
 with its truest friends, looking for better things 
 than have yet been seen, we claim for it a position 
 as immeasurably superior in public opinion to that 
 which it now occupies, as the present is an advance 
 upon its lowly origin. It is a home mission, pos- 
 sessed of every element of power, catholicity, and 
 expansive effort. 
 
 2. England was, we believe, the first to apply 
 the principles of Infant day school training. Ame- 
 rica caught the idea, and connected it with the 
 Sunday school. The philosophy of the plan was 
 apparent to those who looked into it. The results 
 of the experiment were most satisfactory. England 
 and Scotland in their turn adopted the idea, and, 
 in connexion with a considerable number of our 
 Sunday schools, infant classes have at length been 
 formed. It was a new thing. Many looked on 
 with considerable misgiving, or undisguised alarm, 
 but more with lively interest ; while there were not 
 wanting some who, animated by the steady faith of 
 the good Cranfield, were bold enough, with him, to 
 predict " a larger harvest from this infant training 
 
4 WANT OF SUNDAY INFANT CLASSES. 
 
 than from any other branch of effort in relation to 
 the young." 
 
 3. It is calculated that one-fourth of the children 
 in our Sunday schools are unable to read, and that 
 there are considerably above 200,000 infants, be- 
 tween the ages of two and five, out of a population 
 of 2,918,345 children of the working classes alone, 
 who attend the day school, but a large majority 
 of whom are not foimd in the Sunday school, and 
 there is little doubt that the Census of 1851 will 
 show a largely augmented number.* 
 
 The usual practice has been to exclude from the 
 Sunday school, children under five years of age. 
 Against them the rule has been framed, and the door 
 barred. If a little intruder, fall of curiosity, has 
 come with an elder brother for once, "just to see," 
 he has been tolerated rather than, welcomed. He 
 has confirmed the belief that children of this age 
 are fretful, because it is natural that tears should 
 flow where children see not the face of love, and 
 restlessness will prevail where ingenuity finds not 
 out a plan to fix attention, and interest the mind. 
 A, B, C, and a-h, ah, wiU never be an attractive 
 lesson, and in an infant Sabbath class we hold it 
 to be an unnecessary one. But let this be as it 
 may, here are 200,000 children of tenderest years, 
 either coming already, or willing to enter our doors 
 when opened, with hearts warm with confiding love, 
 
 * This was tlie fact, the return being two hundred and 
 eighty-four thousand and seventy-two. 
 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 5 
 
 and prepared to receive from us their earliest 
 impressions of religious truth. 
 
 4. It would be difficult to enumerate all the rea- 
 sons why the movement in favour of the establish- 
 ment of infant classes has been so long delayed and 
 undervalued. They have been very numerous, and 
 in instancing a few we only present a specimen of 
 the many still left unadduced. And surely, when 
 all good efforts have had to struggle through many 
 conflicts, battling with crude prejudices and igno- 
 rant opposition, it is no wonder that there should 
 in this case have been obstacles and discourage- 
 ments. 
 
 First, then, we hear of the cruelty of separating 
 parent and child, a fallacy long since exploded in 
 the case of the infant day schools ; and yet the 
 allegation against the infant Sabbath class i^ 
 that it is an invasion of the parent's prerogative. 
 There is, however, a more perfect parallelism in the 
 two cases than the objectors are disposed to admit. 
 " The one," they say, " is for secular teaching, the 
 other for religious. Parents may devolve the one 
 on the teacher, but not the other." Why not? 
 They do it on the Monday because their occupa- 
 tions prevent attention, and because their own in- 
 ability pleads excuse. And are there not weightier 
 reasons why they should, for the few Sabbath hours 
 infancy allows, place their little ones under efficient 
 religious training and holy influences ? Looking at 
 the great proportion of the parents of our Sunday 
 
6 OBJECTIONS COFSIDEEED. 
 
 school children, (who, in England, belong not so 
 much to the congregation as to the street,) who will 
 say that they are fit to be instructors of the young ? 
 
 We admit, to the fullest extent, the parental obli- 
 gation (which nothing can absolve) to train up 
 children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; 
 but we still believe that, " when the day school shall 
 have performed its functions, when all parents, to 
 the best of their ability, shall have discharged their 
 obligations, enough will always remain for the 
 utmost effort of the Sunday school. It is easy to 
 conceive of a time when institutions for the support 
 of foreign missions will expire, and also when home 
 missionary establishments will be no longer called 
 for. There is a point, up to which ministers and 
 edifices for God may be so multiplied, as to render 
 ;8uch institutions almost superfluous ; but the labours 
 of the Sunday school can never be dispensed with. 
 Its necessity is founded on the permanent wants of 
 human nature." 
 
 Ours has been too much a redeeming influence, 
 it is true, but this only proves that we have had to 
 do what should have been done in infancy at home ; 
 and if it be not done there, why should not the in- 
 fant school anticipate the want ? Erom the moment 
 the infant crawls to the doorway, — is subject to the 
 influences of the street, hears the voice of profanity, 
 looks on at the Sabbath-breaking of its own parents, 
 or their neighbours, and begins to long for the 
 pleasures of sin in their fascinating forms, — let us 
 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 7 
 
 claim the child. Let us go to the too often un- 
 happy home, and gather the little ones to our retreat 
 — scatter the flowers of affection about their path, 
 and make happy the otherwise dreary or broken 
 hours of the Sabbath. And if the parents have a 
 love of good things, and are walking in the way 
 they should go, tlie fact of their having knowledge 
 does not insure their fitness to communicate it. 
 This accounts for the fact that even pious parents 
 speak but little to their own children ; and how 
 frequently, when it is done, it is the mere formal 
 teaching, so different to that which is intended in 
 the Divine command. Still, we do believe that 
 thousands desire for their children that which they 
 have but little power to teach. 
 
 " The poorest poor 
 Long for some moments, in a weary life, 
 When they can know and feel that they have been 
 Themselves, the fathers and the dealers ont 
 Of some small blessings." 
 
 Then, we are told, infants do come under the 
 present system — they are not shut out. Yes, some 
 do, and their punishment is to sit upon the un- 
 steady form with children twice their own age, 
 with their little feet swinging in the air, till weari- 
 ness and pain cause restlessness and noise, and the 
 little culprits are sent home with a wholesome 
 warning, not to come again till they are old enough. 
 Or they are put into "alphabet classes," beneath 
 the severe discipline of monitorial care; where 
 
8 OBJECTIOIfS COI^SIDEEED. 
 
 they readily learn to dislike instruction, the hard, 
 symbols of which they see pointed out by the same 
 weapon which administers ceaseless reproof. 
 
 Or, ^''tliey are too young to he taught''' "Poor 
 little innocents! how unfit to make them learn 
 at such a tender age." Innocents! how apt 
 we are to forget ! In the heart of the youngest 
 reigns the giant evil Sin, and it will rule for ever 
 there if it be not overthrown. Age does not afiect 
 the value of the soul. The gentle, open, simple 
 little child is yet a child of wrath, a child of sin 
 and sorrow, a moral and accountable creature. We 
 would have all to be " lambs of the fold," but they 
 must be brought in. 
 
 Then "they are too young physically. The 
 infant brain will be over-excited and forced to 
 undue exertion." This may be, but it ouglit not 
 to be. The present mode of teaching (without 
 understanding) letters, words, primers, and cate- 
 chisms, may induce such weakness ; but the culti- . 
 vation of the senses, the impartation of ideas, and 
 formation of habits, will never tend to such results. 
 Never let it be supposed that intellectual and theo- 
 logical cramming is to be the thing aimed at. This 
 were a grand and fundamental error, the perversion 
 and abuse of the thing for which we pleads We 
 agree with no such empiricism. Mr. Dunn says,* 
 " The religion of little children ought eminently to 
 be an affection of the heart, grounded, indeed, 
 
 * "Normal School Manual." 
 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDEEED. 9 
 
 upon Scripture truth, the elements of which are 
 iiitelh'n^ible to a little child, but not ramified into 
 all the doctrinal discussions and mental develop- 
 ments which we sometimes 'survey with wonder." 
 Religion and knowledge must be united ; but what 
 we seek is not dogmatic theology, but that the 
 sanctions and principles of religion should be mani- 
 fest in the instructions and example of the teacher, 
 — everything finding its end in Grod. 
 
 The ignorance of infants is assigned as a reason 
 why they should not attend our schools. Are they 
 ignorant ? Of what ? Of good things ? Tet their 
 minds are so active that they are always learning 
 evil. Education is intended to rectify this. Its 
 effort is remedial. Here is its legitimate scope for 
 action. Are they doing notliing at home ? It is not 
 that they are too ignorant, but too learned. They 
 are in training from life's very threshold. It is vain 
 to say that, because they cannot read or spell, they 
 are too ignorant for religious training. 
 
 Then we are told that " it is wrong to hias the 
 mind by religious instruction." This is what is 
 termed a philosophical objection. It would have 
 no training prior to the power of exercising judg- 
 ment. It says, " The child's religion cannot be a 
 reasonable service ; wait ; suspend your opera- 
 tions." We cannot comply. No mind can be left 
 empty till the years of discretion come. If truth 
 do not enter in, falsehood will. It is an infidel 
 proposal, whether it ask for delay in teaching reli- 
 
10 OBJECTIONS CONSIDEEED. 
 
 gion, or its exclusion altogether, as in the present 
 day the manner of some is. These are tlie men 
 who hate our training, since it is the inclusive 
 term, and involves religious culture, while they cry 
 out for instruction, forgetting that in weaving the 
 glorious fabric on which we are engaged, the warp 
 needs a woof before the rich tapestry can be per- 
 fect. The same philosophy applied to other things 
 would prove its utter futility. Practical education 
 and moral training begin with the first dawn of 
 consciousness. Trained in infancy children must 
 be. It is for us to decide how and where, whether 
 by chance, or by a system adapted to their natural 
 constitution. 
 
 There are many other objections. Some demur 
 to our making ""Q.jplaif of teaching; a designation 
 which they give to the ingenious devices of zealous 
 teachers, who allow a little unbending of the tight- 
 ened bow. Wolsey was wise in his generation, 
 when he advocated the system here objected to. 
 "At intervals," he says, "attention should be 
 relaxed. Even with his studies, pleasure should be 
 so intimately blended, that a child may think it 
 rather a game at learning than a task:" while 
 Boger Ascham urges the teacher of children not to 
 chide hastily, " for," says he,* " thou shalt both dull 
 his wit, and discourage his diligence ; but monish 
 him gently. Love is better than fear, gentleness 
 than beatings : but some teachers rather break 
 
 * ' ' Letter to tlie Master of the Ipswich School. " 
 
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 11 
 
 than bend, and mar sooner than mend.'* We should 
 object to levity, or even to the introduction of all 
 the plans of the vreek-day school, but variety of 
 exercise, change of posture and prevailing cheer- 
 fulness, must ever be upheld. With us difficult 
 tasks and close confinement are discarded, and the 
 powers of observation and reasoning cultivated. 
 We call that " learning made easy," which by some 
 is termed " cheating into knowledge." 
 
 Some again affirm that our attempts have proved 
 ** a failure," and others look doubtingly upon the 
 " new invented scheme." In the present day men 
 are not accustomed to condemn upon such grounds. 
 We ask for that which all generous minds will give, 
 a fair trial, that the results may be made to appear. 
 
 It is true there are but few thoroughly efficient 
 infant classes at present ; * many of them are far 
 from perfect, but it is too precipitate to talk of 
 failure in the face of Wilderspin and Stow, and too 
 early to return a verdict upon that which as yet 
 afibrds incomplete evidence. 
 
 Thus we have in some measure traced the reasons 
 why the movement in favour of the establishment 
 of infant classes has been so long delayed, and 
 undervalued. It has rather been the result of hesi- 
 tation, fear, and prejudice on the part of those on 
 
 * Writing in 1859, we must say that all over the land the 
 advance of the infant class, as a section of school organi- 
 zation, is most encouraging. 
 
12 OBJECTIONS CONSIDEEED. 
 
 wliom the duty of their formation has devolved, 
 than any want of good will and readiness on the 
 part of parents and children, who provide and form 
 the materials. 
 
ARGUMENTS TX ITS FATOUB. 13 
 
 CHAPTEE II. 
 
 THE REASONABLENESS AND IMPORTANCE OF THE ESTAB- 
 LISHMENT OF AN INFANT CLASS IN EVERY SUNDAY 
 SCHOOL. 
 
 1 . The Success of the Infant Day School a 2)otent argument. 
 
 2. Infancy the bed j)criod for creating good ivvpressions. 
 
 3. Sympathy of Numbei's, a vahuihle auxiliary in good 
 training. 4. The capacity of Young Children to realize 
 the leading Doctrines of Religion. 5. The incomplete- 
 ness of the Sunday School mit/wut tlie Infant Class. 
 
 1. This would appear to another class to be a 
 self-evident proposition. Their usual, and often 
 only difficulty, is to see a clear way to it. The 
 existence of the infant day school, and its complete 
 success, might supply a sufficient argument for 
 them. The same children who go to the one on 
 Saturday would come to the other on Sunday, if 
 allowed. Many, whose age permits, do so already. 
 Why not all ? The mother, relieved in the hours 
 of week-day toil by the day school, would fain go 
 to the house of Grod on the Sabbath. She cannot, 
 unless you relieve her of the charge of her little 
 ones. She tells you they are good and obedient 
 all the week with their teacher ; why should they 
 not be so in your class ? Are the rules against it ? 
 
14 YALUE OF EAELT IMPEESSIOK^S. 
 
 Ee-consider your decision, and prepare the way for 
 the entrance of a new order of mind. Do you wait 
 to know the result ? Take one infant ; watch it 
 through a training of four years, and then see it 
 draughted into the main school. It is seven years 
 old. What have those four years done ? See the 
 wide difference between what that child is, and 
 what, in all probability, it would have been, had it 
 not gained admission to your school till now. Let 
 us be consistent, and not deny on the Sabbatb 
 that which we readily grant on the other days of 
 the week. 
 
 2. Who will doubt the value of early training, or 
 that infancy/ is the best time for creating good im- 
 pressions ? Wolsey leaves on record his judgment 
 when he says, " The hope of the whole state rests 
 on this stage of life, as that of the harvest on the 
 blade of corn : " and that profound thinker, Locke, 
 remarks, " The little or almost insensible impres- 
 sions on our tender infancies have very important 
 and lasting consequences, and then it is, as it is in 
 the fountains of some rivers, when a gentle appli- 
 cation of the hand turns the flexible waters into 
 channels that make them take quite contrary courses, 
 and by this little direction given them at first in 
 the source, they receive difterent tendencies and 
 arrive at last at very remote and distant places ;" * 
 while President Edwards says, " Infancy is the 
 
 * "Thoughts on Education." 
 
VALUE or EAULT IMPKESSIONS. 15 
 
 season of impression ; then the feelings are tender, 
 beyond any other time of life ; then the memory is 
 most susceptible, and, at the same time, most tena- 
 cious ; then the conscience is not seared, and so 
 soon as Divine truth can be introduced, it knows 
 the voice of God." And we may add, that while at 
 every age God's grace alone can save the soid, at 
 this, if we may so speak. Divine power is less re- 
 sisted, and Divine truth more kindly entertained. 
 
 Who can calculate the value of early years ? The 
 dog and the horse are accustomed early to prepara- 
 tory exercises, their temper and character is the 
 subject of early thought, and they are checked and 
 guided in a thousand ways, with a view to their 
 future utility. The tree grows as the twig is bent. 
 The muscles and joints of the child who is to be 
 prepared for athletic or gymnastic feats, are put into 
 systematic training while in their most supple state. 
 The foot of the Chinese is bound in infancy. The 
 husbandman scarce waits the birth of spring ere 
 he prevents the dawn of the morning by breaking 
 up the furrow for his seed. Are we not instructed 
 by these things ? Does not the analogy hold good 
 as respects the training of mind ? Nay, have we 
 not the highest authority to make our eflbrts tell 
 upon the earliest years in training children in the 
 way they should go ? Are we to allow children to 
 grow up ill, and expect that as men they will be 
 good ? " God forbid that it should be impos- 
 sible for men to recollect themselves, and reform at 
 
16 TALUE OF EAELT IMPEESSIONS. 
 
 an advanced age ; but it is in no sort in the power 
 of others to gain upon them — to turn them away 
 from what is wrong, and enforce upon them what 
 is right at that season of their lives, in the manner 
 we might have done in early childhood."* A dis- 
 tinguished wi'itert says, "The moral training of a 
 juvenile school is less effective by far than that of 
 the infant, and for this plain reason, that the 
 younger the child is, the fewer bad habits has the 
 trainer to undo and eradicate." 
 
 Men of the world admit the value of our agency. 
 Politicians are constrained to admire, and those in 
 highest station are read}^ to acknowledge, that " to 
 the safety and regeneration of a people, a correct 
 state of religious opinion and practice is essential, 
 which can only be effected by proper attention to 
 the early nurture of the mind." So true is it that 
 the training of infancy will have an inconceivable 
 influence upon the welfare of the nation. 
 
 Our dominion is over the fountain ; let ns seek to 
 purify it, and keep it -pxiie. Let us believe that we 
 may impress upon the mental tablet of our charge, 
 traces which, made in the first years of life, deepen 
 in their lines, and are seldom really effaced by the 
 rough influence of opposing events in the vicissi- 
 tudes of life. John Newton's mother died when 
 he was seven years old, but he testified that to 
 her care he owed that bias to religion which, 
 
 * Bishop Butler. f Stow. 
 
SYMPATHY OF NUMBERS. 17 
 
 with the co-operating grace of God, reclaimed and 
 brought him back to the paths of peace. Dr. 
 Johnson relates that he never could forget the 
 pious injunctions of his mother, given when he was 
 too young to remember anything else. And we 
 ourselves can all testify, and some with special 
 feeling, that it was so with us. The morning dew 
 is not more fleeting than this plastic period of the 
 mind, on which we desire to operate. The moment 
 the clay, soft and ductile, is on the wheel, that 
 moment the potter commences his skilful manipu- 
 lations. So let us put our hand to the work, and 
 '' leave our mark on the next generation." 
 
 It is the more necessary, as we cannot tell how 
 long a time ice may have to do the work. This is 
 a thing beyond our control, and yet the wise 
 mother who looks forward to a course of length- 
 ened training begins in the beginning. We, how- 
 ever, are likely to lose our opportunity in a much 
 briefer space, and ours, be it remembered, is only a 
 Sabbath privilege. 
 
 3. ]Mr. Stow says that the great secret of train- 
 ing is to create the sympathy ofnumlers. It is not 
 found in the family, but it is pro\dded in the infant 
 class, giving to it an advantage which home teach- 
 m^l seldom realises : hence while it should not be a 
 substitute, it may be a valuable auxiliary. By it 
 the powers of emotion are strengthened. Love 
 begets love, and th6 little child, knowing that he is 
 the object of love, spreads out the arms of his 
 
 c 
 
18 SYMPATHY OF NUMBEES. 
 
 truest affection in return. His heart is quite open 
 to our influence and to truth. 
 
 Then, at this age, moral feelings respond easily 
 to any call made upon them, and if wisely nur- 
 tured, the fine and noble qualities would become 
 daily more influential, and at length give their 
 rightful ascendancy. Dr. Combe says, respecting 
 the moral feelings, " If children were not so per- 
 plexed by the contrast between the precepts and 
 conduct of those around them, they would natu- 
 rally become stronger and purer;" and the same 
 remarks are true as regards religious feelings. In 
 fact, early impression is the true key to the philo- 
 sophy of infancy and right training. "Why was the 
 son of Napoleon put into the ranks as a common 
 soldier, at seven years of age ? Why, at the age of 
 nine, did Hamilcar swear yomig Hannibal to an 
 eternal enmity to Eome ? And why did the poor 
 Swedish clergyman place his only son in the garden, 
 to cultivate flowers at six years of age, but that he 
 might be, as Linnaeus undoubtedly was, the first 
 botanist of his race. And so, since Educatiok 
 BEGINS WITH LIFE, let US cousccrate the early 
 years of childhood 
 
 " To nature's sweet affections and to God," 
 
 and forget not how true is the classical figure 
 applied to the mind of a little child, — 
 
 ' ' The odours of the vine that first shall stain 
 The virgin vessel, it will long retain." 
 
INFANTILE CAPACITT. 19 
 
 4. The capacity of an iulant to receive general 
 instruction we suppose no one will seriously ques- 
 tion. The division of opinion is rather as to the 
 mode and time of imparting it. There are not a 
 few, however, who doubt the capacity of a child to 
 realise the leading doctrines of religion. Some one 
 says, "■ The knowledge of earthly things a child 
 acquires is a highway, along which he may be led to 
 things heavenly and divine." Let us make use of 
 it. " Let the first lesson of earth breathe the 
 spirit of heaven, and when the high gifts of thought 
 and speech are given to children, point them to 
 lliin who caused the sun to shine, the plant ^to 
 grow, and the chirping bird to be joyful in its nest. 
 Teach them that they are loved of this great Being, 
 that they may love him in return. Mingle the 
 majesty of His goodness with the elements of their 
 thought. You will be surprised to see how soon 
 the lisping lip may learn communion with the 
 Father of mercies."- All we say is, a child may 
 give his heart to Grod, and man can do no more. This 
 is the religious faith we want, and this willing obe- 
 dience childi-en can offer with acceptance. Light 
 and sound appear to create little or no impression 
 upon the new-born babe ; but they are soon watched, 
 and as they gratify, or awaken fear, distinct and 
 living impressions are conveyed to the mind. The 
 hand of the mother may shade off the too bright 
 
 * Mrs. Sigonmey. 
 
20 EELIGION A THITs^G TOR CHILDREN". 
 
 rays of liglit, but by degrees her aim is to accustom 
 the eye to meet it with joy ; and just as physical 
 powers are developed, so are the intellectual, moral, 
 and religious faculties of man. Keep distant ob- 
 jects out of view, and the eye becomes short- 
 sighted ; so would we ever train the inward vision 
 of infancy to the wider range, where the act of ob- 
 servation adds strength to strength. It is not the 
 want of capacity in the child, but the want of faith 
 in ourselves, that leads us to impart distinct notions 
 of other things so much earlier than we implant 
 the seeds of religious truth. 
 
 Eeligion is not to be put before the eye of the 
 child as a bundle of abstract truths, nor in the 
 form of chronological history, overwhelming the 
 mind with facts and dates, so remote as to be 
 beyond infantile conception. We must put a limit 
 upon our direct religious instruction, but this cir- 
 cumscription can never shut out the distinctive 
 features and first principles of Grospel truth. Nor 
 do we find these hidden among theological techni- 
 calities, or in verbose disquisitions. The simplicity 
 of Gospel truth is proverbial. It is not so high 
 that we cannot attain unto it. 
 
 "0, how unlike the complex Avorks of man, 
 Heaven's easy, artless, unencumbered plan ! " 
 
 We find it blended in the lucid language of history 
 and biography, narrative and parable, and nowhere 
 more beautifully portrayed than in the life and 
 teaching of Him who " spake as never man spake," 
 
RELIGION A TniNG FOR CHILDREN, 21 
 
 adapting his gentle tones to the ear and capacity of 
 the little child. Hearing these, the heart of infancy 
 is always attracted by the charms of the narration, 
 seldom dead to impression and appeal, and often 
 ready to receive " truths that wake to perish 
 never." Tlie little one, pondering tlie love of the 
 Saviour, grasps, with infant foith, the stretched-out 
 hand of Him who said, " Suffer the little children 
 to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such 
 is the kingdom of God ; " into which none shall 
 enter who do not receive the kingdom even as a 
 little child. 
 
 "0 say not, dream not, heavenly notes 
 
 To childish ears are vain, 
 That the young mind at random floats, 
 
 And cannot reach the strain. 
 Dim or uiiheanl, the words may fall, 
 
 And yet the heaven-taught mind 
 May learn the sacred air, and all 
 
 The harmony imwind." 
 
 Richard Baxter, Bishop Jebb, and others, all 
 enforce this principle, so well explained by an in- 
 telligent writer in one of oiu' own periodicals, who 
 says : " In infant classes this higher order of educa- 
 tion should be pursued, and the mental and moral 
 faculties of children may readily be trained, so as 
 agreeably to excite the human will to choose that 
 which is right, and refuse that which is \vrong — to 
 follow that which is good, and avoid that which is 
 evil; and under such teaching and training, even 
 
22 AIT INFANT CLASS 
 
 infants are capable of knowing and loving Grod as 
 their heavenly Father, of believing in Christ Jesus 
 as their Saviour, and of praying to, and trusting in, 
 the Holy Spirit as their Sanctifier. From these 
 early efforts to train the mind to think correctly 
 and pleasantly, and the heart to feel properly and 
 agreeably, concerning the truths of Christianity, 
 — and by such methods of intellectual and moral 
 culture, repeated every Sunday, and repeated in 
 every lesson, the little children may have their 
 knowledge habitually pervaded with religion, and 
 their feelings animated by religion, so as to consti- 
 tute an influence ever present to control their 
 minds and hearts, to guide their lives, and shape 
 their conduct, for their own real benefit, the incal- 
 culable advantage of their fellow-beings, and the 
 honour of their Creator, Eedeemer, and Sanctifier." * 
 
 A young prince asked his tutor, " Teach me to 
 pray, — teach me religion." "You are too young," 
 was the answer. " Am I ? " inquired the thoughtful 
 child. "I have been to the burying-ground. I 
 have measured the graves. There are some much 
 shorter than mine would be." Teacher, if in the 
 churchyard through which you pass there is one 
 . short grave — the grave of infancy, be this a lesson 
 to you to instruct little children in religious truth. 
 
 5. Without an infant class we hold the organisa- 
 tion of a Sunday school to be incomplete. The 
 
 * " Infant Classes in SimcLay Sahools, " Teachers' 
 Magazine, vol. ii. p. 395. 
 
MAKES A SCHOOL COMrLETE. 23 
 
 school is the centre, the wings shonld be for the 
 adult and senior — the juvenile and infant classes ; 
 separate and distinct in constituency and manage- 
 ment, but parts of one whole. Then the chain is 
 complete. It is a place for all ; it excludes none. 
 The infant, peeping through the half-open door, 
 may enter in, and the adult is welcomed there. If 
 our work is worth the doing, it is worth the doing 
 well ; and, as we before remarked, the philosophy of 
 all training is to begin at the beginning. And 
 again we reiterate, in the language of experience 
 greater than our own, " There may be an infant 
 class in connexion with every school in the land. 
 It ought to be so ; and why is it not so ? Is it not 
 because we have considered these little ones too 
 young? Some thirty years ago, our churches 
 thought that every one must serve the devil till he 
 was twenty-one, and the consequence was, that few 
 under that age entered the church ; and shall we 
 let Satan have the best part of life, with which 
 to take possession of the soul ? 'No, it must not 
 be."* 
 
 * Todd. 
 
24 HOW TO i'OEM A CLASS. 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE FORMATION OF AN INFANT 
 
 1. The Children, — how to get them — their age — their recep- 
 tion — the mixture of grades. 2. Separation of Sexes. 
 3. Number in a Class. 4. The. Class Room, — where 
 and what it should he. 5. The Teacher, — whether more 
 than one — male or female — age — qualifications — duties. 
 6. The preparation required. 
 
 1. Sow tlien should such a class he formed ? As to 
 the cliildren, how are they to he ohtained? No man 
 can work without material, any more than without 
 tools. The materials are to he found. The teacher 
 will serve his own cause hy seeking them himself. 
 Parents will generally welcome him. Children, 
 scrutinising his looks, will reflect them hack to him. 
 If he looks kind, then, like a polished mirror, they 
 will show kind looks in return. There is no lack of 
 infants ; they are ready to our hands. They have 
 been turned away ; try them now with an invitation, 
 and you will not find it lahour in vain. " Tak 'em 
 as they are, and yur welcome," said a Yorkshire 
 mother, of some children, poorly clad, " I've ower 
 mony o' 'em, and hope y'uU do 'em gud." " What 
 wiU you give?" asked an avaricious father, who, 
 
WHO ahe infants ? 26 
 
 though we bargained not with money, allowed his 
 children to come. "AVhisht, it's a IVlissionary," 
 said a woman, who saw a teacher at the door, about 
 to enter the room in which her Sabbath-breaking 
 neighbours kept her company, "an' he wants t' bairns 
 to go to t' school — Never !^^ shutting the door 
 against him. But the next Sabbath, she sent the 
 little ones " to be out of the wayT These, and 
 such as these, are the people the teacher has some- 
 times to encounter ; but if the parents are sometimes 
 rough and obstinate, we generally get the children, 
 and through the child, the way to the parent's 
 heart may often be found. 
 
 By infants, we mean children of three years of 
 age, and in no case would we admit any above 
 seven, for at this age, untaught and illiterate 
 children present themselves, and they are totally 
 ilnfit for this class. Mr. Stow says, " If we take 
 the effects of the training system upon a child of 
 nine years of age, who is brought under its influ- 
 ence for the first time as one, at six years of age 
 it will be as four, and at three years of age as six- 
 teen.'" It is decidedly a harder thing to train a 
 child at five than it is at three, and at seven than 
 at four. The difficulty of mixing even the extremes 
 of these ages is felt, in the want of complete sym- 
 pathy between such children. In some schools we 
 find them divided into two departments, thus — from 
 three to five, and from five to seven ; the younger 
 being called the babies' class. Whatever the 
 
26 SEPAEATIO^f or SEXES. 
 
 plan be, let the class be strictly an infant class. 
 All children above the age indicated mnst go to the 
 juvenile school, to vs^hich the infant class is attached ; 
 as Mr. "Watkins says in his admirable report,* " An 
 infant class must be attached to a juvenile school as 
 a tender to an engine ;" and if it is not so, the 
 effort must prove abortive. 
 
 Whenever the children come, let the reception 
 be a kind one. We invite, they accept the invita- 
 tion. Our infant class should be as a happy home. 
 The first hour is important ; our first actions are 
 judged, before words are comprehended, by the 
 little stranger standing at the desk, waiting to be 
 received. 
 
 The infant class should be open to all, neglected 
 children especially, but not solely. Why should 
 we not seek at the threshold of life to bring grades 
 together, instead of teaching children, as their first 
 lesson, the humbling distinction between rich and 
 poor ? Even where parents are able and willing to 
 educate their own little ones, there are cases in 
 which the collective training of the school is most 
 beneficial. Cleanliness and decency of attire must 
 of course be insisted on, and then the children of 
 the poor being gathered in, bring in also the 
 children of the congregation. 
 
 2. Save tJiem altogether^ not boys and girls 
 apart. Why not preserve the beautiful arrange- 
 
 * "Government Keport on Education." 
 
HOW MANY IN A CLASS. 27 
 
 ment of the family ? There is no reason for sepa- 
 ration. By it we break the perfect chain of training. 
 The energy of boys, their acute though slower 
 inquiries into truths, should be met by the quicker 
 percepticms and softened feelings of girls. The 
 boisterous spirit of the one will be modified by the 
 natural gentleness of the other, and the chances of 
 good order will be much increased. Speaking of 
 this reciprocal influence, Mrs. Da\'ids remarks, with 
 great force, "In proportion as this mysterious 
 influence is withheld during childhood, hoth sexes 
 suffer ; coarseness, impurity, and mutual ill-treat- 
 ment, mark and defiice the character, while a 
 mental sluggishness, never to be subdued in after 
 years, is more or less induced by the absence of so 
 mighty, so beautiful a stimulus as that involunta- 
 rily exercised by boys on girls, and girls on boys : 
 and in proportion as they are allowed freely to 
 associate, taught and trained together, is the cha- 
 racter refined, elevated, and strengthened." * In a 
 large and well-ordered school in Northampton, this 
 plan is carried out among the elder children, and 
 the classes are taught indiscriminately by male and 
 female teachers, and the system has, for some years, 
 been attended with great success. 
 
 3. The nwnher introduced into the class should 
 depend upon the wish of the teacher. Some will 
 readily undertake 150, others can with difficulty 
 
 • "The Sunday School," p 149. 
 
28 WHAT KIND OF CLASS EOOM. 
 
 contemplate any addition to threescore. The class 
 should grow in numbers, and a good teacher, grow- 
 ing in ability at the same time, will easily command 
 the attention and obedience of a hundred children, 
 either alone, or aided by a junior in course of train- 
 ing. But let him feel his way. A practised 
 teacher will soon find the vast power there is in 
 the sympathy of numbers. One of ten, a child is 
 not sensible of this influence as it would if it were 
 one of a hundred. In the latter case, it sees many 
 others feeling and acting, and the strong propensity 
 of its little nature is to do the same. Mr. Curwen 
 calls it the love of " togetherness," and we know no 
 better name. 
 
 4. Where are they to he taught ? By all means 
 in a separate place, and, if possible, in a separate 
 room. Let our ingenuity contrive the plan. Classes 
 are to be found in different parts of the country, 
 with very diversified accommodation. Sometimes 
 they are held in the chapel gallery, (pews are 
 awkward places, but they are better than nothing,) 
 or in the minister's vestry, or in some neighbour's 
 house, or in a rented upper room. We have seen 
 the little ones, in the summer time, grouped around 
 their teacher under the shadow of a wide-spread 
 tree ; — in a boat, hauled up upon the beach, by a 
 village on the Northern coast ; — in the country 
 Squire's kitchen; and in the stable loft; and one 
 may now be found by going up the steep winding 
 stair of well-worn steps, almost to the top of the 
 
WHAT KIND OF CLASS ROOir. 29 
 
 ancient tower, from wliieh the bells of Christ- 
 eliLiivh rin<; out their merry peal. 
 
 '* Necessity is the mother of invention." The best 
 place is one made for the purpose ; but a green 
 curtain thro^vn across a corner of the school-room 
 will do. An unoccupied week-day school-room (of 
 which, alas, too many are to be found), and better 
 still, an infant school-room, already fitted with 
 gallery and boards, and other apparatus. There is 
 a great charm to the children in ^" our own room," 
 and by affording it, the church only does its duty to 
 the experiment, and to the teacher. Still, let no 
 one abandon the plan because an infant class-room 
 cannot be erected. Earn the aid of friends by your 
 unassisted eflbrts, and it will be doubly valuable 
 when it comes, nor will it be long ere it is 
 proffered. 
 
 Let the place be where you can secure liglit and 
 air. It is of tlie utmost moment both for teacher 
 and taught. Not less important is it that your 
 place be cheerful. The hours of childhood are 
 "golden and bright." Let those spent in the 
 infant class be such. Let the eye be pleased. 
 Childhood is in a measure free from anxiety, care, 
 and sorrow. Let us not cast a shadow over it. 
 The cheerfulness of the room adds much to the 
 lightness of the heart ; and school, to be a profit- 
 able place, must be a pleasant one. Knock out the 
 brick ; put in the ventilator ; set traps to catch 
 the sunshine. 
 
30 WHO IS TO TEACH ? 
 
 5. Who is to teach ? This is the question, too 
 often the difficulty, and one not easy of solution. 
 The brief compass proposed for this paper makes 
 it requisite that we should restrict our remarks to 
 practical points, and first, — 
 
 In the Sunday school it is an undoubted fact, 
 that the great body of our teachers, comprising a 
 large proportion of the best of them, belong to the 
 humbler classes of society. To their praise be it 
 spoken, thousands of church members, who toil 
 hard six days in the week, teach twice on the 
 Sabbath, and twice attend the house of Grod. They 
 have the great qualification, but we should desire 
 to see the teaching power of our schools of a higher 
 and more cultivated character. The infant class 
 requires it, and for want of such prepared persons, 
 many of them droop and fall to decay. The ques- 
 tion, therefore, is of the utmost importance. 
 
 Is more than one teacher required ? The manage- 
 ment of the class must rest in one person — that 
 person, the teacher. There may be assistants in 
 course of training, but we deprecate the employ- 
 ment of monitors. They seldom help, and often 
 embarrass. It is bad for themselves. They are far 
 better in the senior class than distracting, by inter- 
 ference, the attention of children, and irritating, by 
 a petty domineering authority. A good teacher 
 needs no one to help, but if he prefer it, let it be a 
 pupil teacher. With the room to himself he can 
 deal more closely, and speak more freely with his 
 
WHO IS TO TEACH ? 31 
 
 children, who in their turn will concentrate their 
 undivided attention upon him. 
 
 For such a mixed class should there be a male or 
 a female teacher ? AVoman is without doubt pre- 
 eminently fitted for the work which nature calls 
 "her own." In the family, the mother's influence 
 and training are supreme, during the period of 
 infancy, and an active teacher can perform all the 
 routine duties of the class without allowing the 
 cessation of employment. In fact, it is well that 
 the teacher should accustom herself to move about 
 among the children, rather than maintain the dig- 
 nity of the rostrum, and so gain the valuable 
 power of preserving order, even when the eye is 
 removed. In Sunday schools, also, the female 
 teachers are found in larger numbers, and are more 
 constant in attendance than those of the other sex. 
 Eaikes's first teacliers were women. The first 
 Sunday school in America was commenced by 
 ladies ; and some of our best infant-school teachers, 
 now, are females. They naturally possess higb 
 qualifications. With them tenderness dwells, and 
 placidity, and patience — sterling vii'tues. Their 
 characters, habits, and feelings, are wonderfully 
 adapted to childhood's wants and capacities. And 
 yet there are qualifications to which we shall have 
 occasion to advert, which, we think, the mind of 
 manhood alone possesses, except in some remark- 
 able and exceptional cases. One of these is the 
 power of controlling numbers. Far be it from us 
 
32 CHOOSE THE BEST TEACHER. 
 
 to balance tlie diversity of gifts. What is most 
 needed is piety, aptitude, and physical strength, 
 with love, firmness, and decision. Mr. Stow and 
 Mrs. Davids respectively assume the teacher to be 
 of their own sex, without discussing the question ; 
 while Mrs. Davids allows that for the " little boy 
 class" a "female teacher rarely has sufficient 
 bodily strength and energy to command them." 
 
 It has been remarked that " there is a tendency 
 in females to address the feelings and the heart, 
 more than the reason, and to urge and persuade, 
 rather than prove and convince ; and that, with 
 their gentleness of character, they do not suffer 
 themselves to realise the dreadful condition of un- 
 converted children, and steel their minds to the 
 painful duty of plain speaking." Such facts and 
 warnings, however, may, and ought to be commu- 
 nicated fully, though in tender accents, to the little 
 child. The want of physical energy appears to us 
 to be the great drawback to female agency in this 
 department. It is a service of unremitting fatigue 
 and toil. A female writer remarks, " Efforts, which 
 to one in robust health are like dew-drops shaken 
 from an eagle's wings, seem to others like the 
 ascent of the Alps, or like heaping Pelion upon 
 Ossa." " The spirit is " often " willing," when " the 
 flesh is weak." Then, in proportion to the age of 
 the children, if disobedient, they are more difficult 
 to rule, often too much so for female discipline. 
 Babies, we should naturally yield to female care ; 
 
CnOOSE THE BEST TEACnER. . 33 
 
 elder children we should place, guided very much 
 by age, under the care of a man. But in the infant 
 class we have a mixed company, and the balance in 
 our minds lies so even, that the question of phy- 
 sical ability would turn it. The great danger is one 
 against which we warn the promoters of infant 
 classes, viz. — that of coming too early to a decision 
 on this point. Let the class be formed, and then 
 take the most suitable person of either sex, whose 
 heart is willing for the work, or better still, who 
 has been trained for it. Many a class has been 
 abandoned because decision on this point at the 
 outset has limited the selection. 
 
 The age of the teacher is another consideration. 
 We want experience, but this may be found coupled 
 with youthfulness ; we do not mean mere youth, 
 but its maturity. We agree to the full with an able 
 writer in one of our periodicals, who says, " Look- 
 ing at the great end in view, it becomes question- 
 able, whether a very young person is best adapted 
 to take the charge of an infant class ; a higher 
 degree of social development is required than is 
 usually possessed by persons before the age of man- 
 hood. It is in such a field as this that youth — 
 crude, unripe, inexperienced youth— is, under present 
 arrangement, usually employed, while manhood 
 stands by and criticises the failure." An active 
 mind and sprightly manner are all-important ; and 
 while grey hairs are ever a crown of glory, sym- 
 pathy lies closer between the hearts of infancy and 
 
34 WILL ANY ONE DO TOR THE INFANTS ? 
 
 youth, than between infancy and age. But all 
 other things being equal, this is not a weighty 
 consideration. 
 
 The teacher of the infant class must be, not only 
 a good teacher, hut tJie best that can he had. No 
 pains or trouble must be spared to secure this. It 
 is a vital question. We never yet knew the plan to 
 fail but from an error of choice here. It is the 
 key- stone to the arch. The common practice is the 
 very reverse, and, owing to it, individual teaching is 
 persisted in, and children are dragged up into 
 knowledge. " Any one will do for the little ones." 
 Never was there a more profound mistake. There 
 are but few who are at once prepared for the 
 responsible post, but there are very many who, 
 with a little self-training, would be exactly fitted. 
 Many think the infant class an inferior post, and 
 to them the excellent author of the " Teacher's 
 Companion" addresses himself, when he says, " If, 
 therefore, you have the charge of the infant class, 
 do not imagine that you occupy an inferior, and 
 consequently a less responsible, station in the 
 school ; the task demanded of you may be more 
 tedious and self-denying than the duties required 
 from the teacher of a Scripture class, but your 
 post is neither inferior nor uninterestiug. The 
 importance of your station does not arise from the 
 ages of your scholars, but from the power which 
 you can exert upon their untutored minds." 
 
 It has been well said by an experienced instructor, 
 
AN ILLUSTHATION. 35 
 
 " Give me such boys (as scholars) as have been 
 blessed with the instruction of pious mothers. 
 Truths thus instilled are interwoven with the fibres 
 of the soul ; " and we may say with equal emphasis, 
 Grive us for teachers such yoimg men and women 
 as have in early years been trained by holy mo- 
 thers, and, in the recollection and sympathies of 
 former days, they will find pleasiu-e and success in 
 teaching little children, as they were taught them- 
 selves. How often do we hear the half-despairing 
 cry, " Where shall we find a teacher ? Children, 
 place, apparatus, everything we have but the great 
 thing, the prime mover. The machinery stands 
 ready; who will touch the spring ?" The difficulty 
 might soon be overcome. It is one which has been 
 felt wherever the system has .been proposed, 
 and hundreds of classes are now possessed of 
 teachers, many of whom were the first to exclaim, 
 " Who is sufficient for these things ? " and many of 
 whom no one ever dreamed of asking. We have 
 a case in point in our recollection, one that can 
 never be forgotten, and it will serve to some extent 
 as an illustration of the qualifications necessary. 
 
 A school meeting was held in a certain country 
 village, for the purpose of discussing the point, 
 " Whether an infant class shall be formed ? " The 
 minister and teachers took up the question with 
 spirit, — all admitted its importance, — difficulties 
 were started, — but one by one they were all set at 
 rest, save and except this — " Who is to be the 
 
36 THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH. 
 
 teacher P " Over and over the question was put. 
 One name after another was suggested, but " all 
 with one consent began to make excuse." The 
 failure of the plan seemed imminent, and the dis- 
 cussion was on the point of being postponed, sine 
 die, when up rose a man in one corner of the chapel, 
 who, unobserved, had been sitting, musing, till the 
 " fire burned." His words were few, but earnest. 
 " Sooner than them little ones sha'n't have no 
 teacher. Sir, I'll try it." All eyes were turned 
 upon the volunteer. He w^as a tall, dark visaged, 
 ill-conditioned looking man, and people stood 
 amazed as they recognised in him the village black- 
 smith. Of all men he seemed the least likely to 
 attract children. His voice was harsh, and his 
 countenance au^d manner rough, and almost un- 
 pleasing. No one could believe it possible that he 
 was in earnest. But he was, and though the 
 smile went round, and the sceptical whispered 
 their doubts, that man went home resolved — to try. 
 He did try, and for months, while every one sup- 
 posed the work abandoned, this teacher was train- 
 ing. He felt his difficulties. He had to learn a 
 new language. He borrowed of a lady some chil- 
 dren's books, and, taking Mrs. Hooker's " Bible 
 Stories," he set himself to work. He read and 
 thought ; — shutting the book, he tried to write the 
 stories out in his own words. Early and late he 
 toiled at these appointed tasks. Often he failed, 
 but at last, like Bruce's spider, he succeeded. He 
 
THE FIRST ATTEMPT. 37 
 
 had learnt the secret. He had acquired simplicity 
 of thought and expression. He had brought down 
 his mind to the level of a little child's mind. 
 
 It was now time to begin. He was a wise man. 
 Not parading his triumph, but humbly watching his 
 opportunity, he made his first attempt. In the 
 dusky afternoon of a November day, some little 
 ones stood at his smithy door, watching the bright 
 sparks shooting out from the glowing embers of 
 the blacksmith's forge, as they were now being 
 quickened into a blazing fire. These children had 
 often wandered there before, to feast their eyes on 
 this wondrous scene, and to listen to the roar of the 
 mighty bellows ; but sometimes the man had spoken 
 roughly to them, and even now, as they looked, they 
 seemed undecided as to whether they dared to stay. 
 But this time, the blacksmith's face, seen by the 
 reflection of the fitful flame, wore a difi'erent aspect ; 
 and, as he turned his eyes on them, the children felt 
 more confidence. Edging nearer to the door, they 
 gathered courage, and gradually ventured in. The 
 smith spoke. His very voice, no longer gruff and 
 harsh, was kind and pleasant, and now he spoke to 
 them, not at them, as before. They listened as he 
 talked. His heart was encoiu'aged, and their little 
 hearts warmed with strange liking to the altered 
 man. He drew the heated bar from the fire, and 
 laying it on the anvil, the swarthy blacksmith made 
 it the subject of his first lesson to his new infant 
 class, and the first school-room was the village forge. 
 
38 WE wajN't pious teachers. 
 
 That man has now one of the best infant classes in 
 England, and a hundred little ones rejoice to call 
 him friend and teacher. 
 
 "WTiat were his qualifications ? He was pious. 
 Piety is essential. Do not let us deceive ourselves 
 on this head. It is a question vs^ith some, whether 
 unconverted teachers may not be employed with 
 advantage to themselves, and profit to the school. 
 We do not enter into the discussion here. All we 
 have to say is, place them where you will, if you 
 resolve to admit them, but not in the infant class. 
 We hold, with the good Eichard Baxter, that " it 
 is awful to see dead preachers speaking to dead 
 hearers, the living truths of the living^ (rod." It is 
 a solemn question. "We may not trifle with it ; we 
 peril the eternal interests of little children if we do. 
 " Unsanctified agency in the propagation of Divine 
 truth has, in all ages, been the calamity and bane of 
 the church of God."* The point has been fuUy set 
 forth in Scripture, " I have not sent these prophets, 
 yet they ran ; I have not spoken to them, yet they 
 prophesied: " and again, "Unto the wicked, God 
 saith. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, 
 or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy 
 mouth ? seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest 
 my words behind thee." 
 
 Some teachers may be converted in the discharge 
 of their work, but we have no right to risk the soul 
 of a child for the sake of a teacher. There may be 
 
 * Dr. Campbell. 
 
WE WANT PIOUS TEACHERS. 39 
 
 a benevolent interest, and other amiable qualities, 
 but their religion is not a thing of the heart ; it is 
 a rude abstract idea, and, as such, the primary quali- 
 fication is wanting. "We might as well urge that 
 unconverted men should be put in the pulpit, in 
 the hope that while they were preaching to others, 
 their work might be a blessing to themselves. No ; 
 the teachers of infants must have learned Christ, to 
 teach Christ — must have found the heavenly way 
 themselves, to enable them to be as shining lights 
 in the dark places, guiding the feet of little wan- 
 derers in the paths of peace. They must have tasted 
 of the good things which they have to handle, and 
 dispense to others, and their hearts must burn 
 with desire to win souls. The alphabet and spell- 
 ing book, indeed, may be taught by an irreligious 
 person, though we would rather not entrust any 
 branch of education to such ; but when the Bible is 
 the lesson book, and the salvation of souls the ob- 
 ject, the teacher must have clear perceptions of the 
 way of salvation, and be able to say, " Come with 
 me^' rather than, " That is the way ;" or, to use the 
 well-known illustration, the teacher must not be 
 like the sign-post, ever pointing to the inquiring 
 traveller, but never advancing to the place to which 
 it points. The practice of the teacher must accord 
 with his motto, " Come, ye children, hearken unto 
 me ; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." 
 
 The village blacksmith had not a high degree of 
 intellectual attainment^ — it would have been well if 
 
40 LOVE rOR CHILDEEN. 
 
 he had ; but he was endowed with fine moral quali- 
 fications, and his motives were exalted and pure. 
 His furniture was scanty, indeed, to begin with, but 
 he spends a happy life in making daily acquisitions, 
 cultivating his intellect by the exercise of its powers. 
 
 He had a natural love for children. It scarcely 
 showed itself through his rough exterior, but it was 
 in the heart all the while, and, when called upon, 
 its ready voice responded. " I love God and every 
 little child," was the simple yet sublime sentiment 
 of Richter, and Lavater leaves a warning to us to 
 " beware of him who hates the laugh of a child." The 
 feelings implanted in our very nature prompt to the 
 love of children, and God teaches it, — " Of such is 
 the kingdom of heaven." 
 
 What is required is more than mere benevolence ; 
 it must be an enthusiastic affection, warming the 
 heart to energy and untiring eff'ort, and bearing it 
 through countless difficulties. " 'Tis ours to feed 
 the lambs — blessed occupation." They come to us 
 from the mother's home ; it may be the abode of 
 love, or it may be the home of sorrow and conten- 
 tion. Our love will be as the maternal tenderness 
 to those who know its hallowed influences, and the 
 sunshine of their life to those who live amidst 
 clouds and darkness. 
 
 He had 2i good temper ; he w&b patient. Infancy 
 must be treated with more than ordinary tender- 
 ness. The education we give is meant to have a 
 powerful influence over temper. If we speak im- 
 
HOW TO GET THE TEACHING TALENT. 41 
 
 patiently, or are put out — if our conduct is subject 
 to variations — if under provocation we lose our 
 self-control, — we shall find the same tendencies in 
 our children. "We educate corresponding passions 
 to our own. Infant intellect may be feeble, but 
 infantile capacity is keen enough to detect incon- 
 sistency, and imitate example. It is said of a 
 Friend, who was naturally quick and passionate, 
 that he cured himself entirely by speaking in a low 
 tone, commanding tone and temper at the same 
 time. Let us seek eqiianimity , ever remembering 
 Locke's maxim, that "Whenever trepidation is 
 produced in a child, and his thoughts have received 
 disturbance from without, no further instruction 
 can do good." It is as impossible to draw fair 
 and regular characters on a trembling mind, as on 
 a shaking paper. 
 
 He had talent for teaching. Long hidden, but 
 only Jiidden; just as the removed grass-plat at 
 Hampton Court disclosed but yesterday to the 
 astonished beholder the seeds of a past century, 
 now greeting the light of heaven, and bursting from 
 their long imprisonment, to gladden the regal par.- 
 terre with beauty. The teacher of infants must 
 have this talent. "We all know what it is. Some 
 call it tact, others art, or Ivuack, as best pleases 
 them. This talent, — is it a gift, or an acquirement ? 
 People wish they had the power : did they ever try 
 to find it ? Have they ever studied the art of 
 teaching ? Did they ever feel the value of a pains- 
 
42 HOW TO GET THE TEACHING TALENT. 
 
 taking effort to acquire it ? Have they ever done 
 as the blaci? smith did ? Let them learn to teach 
 as he did, and they will soon find the talent, and we 
 all know that the most practised are usually the 
 most skilful. How many a mind is marred in the 
 moulding, by unskilful hands. 
 
 He had perseverance. By hours of toil he pre- 
 pared, through years of work he persevered, and 
 does so still. So must we act. Paith in the work 
 is essential ; without it, we have no heart to battle 
 on, amidst difficulties and gloomy forebodings, which 
 often shut out from view the bright harbingers of 
 success. It is God's work, not ours. We may fail, 
 but it must succeed. Kwe trust Him, and believe 
 in the appointed way, we do our duty. The fruit 
 may not appear, but the seed is sown. Too often 
 like the little girl, who dropped in her precious 
 seeds over night, and wept that the morning sun 
 shone not upon the golden flowers, we look for the 
 fruit ere the leaves have begun to sprout. "Wait 
 God's time. Spring, coming, meets the sower; 
 autumn sends the reaper forth. Others may gather, 
 but the promise shall be fulfilled : so let us 
 
 "Learn to labour, and to wait." 
 
 These qualifications, then, are essential to the 
 right discharge of the office of Teacher. The duties 
 themselves are as follows : — to implant, to train, 
 and to exercise. The physical, the intellectual, and 
 the moral natures are to be alike under his con- 
 
now TO PREPARE. 43 
 
 trol. His work is to train the whole being for 
 eternity. He must seek a thorough knowledge 
 of each child, in person and mind, and upon 
 this intimate knowledge of individual character 
 ground his guiding principle of action. He must 
 prepare with care, and present with discretion, 
 food suitable to the capacity of infancy. 
 
 "We shall have to dwell upon these points at 
 some length, in considering the practical details 
 of the teacher's work ; and standing first in order 
 is the question, 
 
 6. How to prepare. None can be independent 
 of this claim. To some, it involves hard and labo- 
 rious study, first how to fit the mind for teaching, 
 and then how to furnish it. Some readily take 
 hold of truth, and fashion it out with a facihty 
 which is really wonderful ; others require careful 
 self-training. Isocrates caused to be written, in 
 golden letters, over the entry of his school, this 
 golden sentence, in Grreek, " If thou love learning, 
 thou shalt attain to much learning." 
 
 There is no better place for such earnest, prac- 
 tical learning, than the week-day Infant School. 
 Go there, and take your lesson. Get hold of the 
 philosophy and spirit of the system. Study your 
 own mind and character. Cultivate your own 
 heart. Commune with it. " The retiring of the 
 mind into itself," said a man of wisdom, " is the 
 state most susceptible of Divine impressions." See 
 that the " fire is in the furnace." EeaHze in your- 
 
44 STUDY THE AET OE TEACHINa. 
 
 self the truth of Lord Byron's infidel sneer, when 
 he said of religionists, "These people are fired with 
 the heroic passion." So strive to catch the high 
 tone and spirit of your work, and become, as the 
 teacher of infants should be, an enthusiast. 
 
 Study the art of teaching. Few do this, though 
 they love the practice. Some do without it, and 
 they think they succeed. But they do best who 
 make it a study, as men of genius or science do 
 with their pursuits. There is a mystery, which 
 can only be cleared up by thinking deeply, and 
 searching after principles. This exercise will teach 
 them that simplicity is not poverty of expression, — 
 that adaptation lies not in the perfection of plan, 
 but in the fitness of the teacher. They will know 
 how to carry thoughts into a child's mind ; not 
 leaving them, as so many do, at the doorway. They 
 will learn not to sow the seed, without, at the same 
 time, giving great care to the process by which it 
 must be incorporated with the mould, remembering 
 the adage, " To overload a field with seed, is but 
 to feed the fowls." They will learn what is most 
 suitable to children's tastes and comprehensions, 
 and where to get the material with which to 
 prepare the food. And this is a most important 
 matter for consideration, for a large number of 
 our teachers, so far as we can judge, have very 
 little idea of the amount of furniture necessary for 
 the fulfilment of their work. 
 
 The following books are recommended by various 
 
PREPARE DAILY AND ETERTWHERE. 45 
 
 teachers: " Sfoio's T^^aining System,'''' ^^ Lessons on 
 Scrijyture JPrints,*^ " Sermons for the Infanfs 
 Class, ^^ "^ Model Lessons fur Infant ScJiool Teach,- 
 ers''' " Glasgow Infant Magazine^'' " Infant Edu- 
 cation ; " and we could add many others equally well 
 known. 
 
 Prepare daily and everywhere. The best lessons 
 may be obtained thus. A rich store of treasure 
 lies before us and around. If we observe, consider, 
 and classify, we shall be able to select and employ. 
 Facts of recent occurrence, and things we ourselves 
 have seen, and can describe, form the most interest- 
 ing and vivid pictures to a little child. They are the 
 best pegs upon which to hang our moral lessons, 
 and the best subjects from which to draw our 
 pointed appeals. Let the works of nature be 
 studied more, and books of mere amusement less. 
 Let the eye rest, as we pass through the streets, 
 upon striking objects. Children at play, — acts of 
 benevolence, — virtuous deeds, — the blind beggar's 
 dog, — the captured thiei^ — the falling leaf, and a 
 himdred other things, carefully noted at the time, 
 may be brought into use, at no cost to ourselves, 
 but delighting our little charge with ever fresh and 
 varied illustrations, best suited to our requirements. 
 
 For this purpose, we should say to the teacher, 
 put yourself in the way of seeing objects of 
 special interest. Gro to the court of justice, and to 
 the prison, — to the convict ship, and the emigrant 
 vessel; the workhouse, — the infirmary, — and the 
 
46 HOW TO COMMUNICATE. 
 
 ragged school; visit the glass blower's, — the 
 printer's, — the paper maker's, — and the pottery.* 
 Seek to understand early science, and its wonderful 
 adaptations ; examine the steam engine, and the 
 electric telegraph ; and so gather your materials ; 
 wisely careful, nevertheless, to select so as not to 
 present too many new objects in succession. So 
 shall you be enabled to gain, and keep the riveted 
 attention of your class of little ones, ignorant and 
 young though they may seem ; and thus, the curi- 
 osity aroused, the exertions quickened, and the 
 heart opened, you shall, with ready skill, seize the 
 golden opportunity to drop in the good and fruitful 
 seed. In all this we must remember that the ac- 
 quisition of knowledge is of little worth, without 
 the power of retention, by the cultivation of the 
 memory, and without facility in calling it forth 
 at will, and producing it, for the purpose of 
 communication. 
 
 How to commimicate. There is but one way, 
 but it is no royal road.. It is an axiom, that no 
 lesson is given until it is received. This is the 
 great object of all teaching, to carry right into the 
 minds of our pupils the seed we desire to implant 
 there. " Knowledge," says Lord Bacon, " is an 
 
 * The wonders of the Great Exhibition of the Industry 
 of all Nations were not developed when this paper was 
 written ; but what teacher could traverse those splendid 
 compartments, rich with the precious things of earth, 
 without tilling a note-book with valuable illustrations. 
 
now TO COXIMUNICATE. 47 
 
 impression of pleasure ; " and if we wish to win a 
 way for it, we must let it be in an agreeable form. 
 Our thoughts, even religions ones, must not be 
 clothed in mourning. Our Saviour did not teach 
 thus. He dressed truth in living illustration, and 
 parable ; and children must have it, not as the 
 shadowy theory, but in the substance of fact, some- 
 thing that thev can take hold of The vine, — the 
 fig-tree, — the sower, — the steward, — the prodigal, 
 — the leaven, — national customs, and occupations, 
 all afforded illustrations to the Great Teacher, and 
 in them he wrapped up, as it were, his own precious 
 truths. His way is best. He showed Christianity 
 to be a spirit, subduing, by possessing the will, and 
 educating, by inducing and fostering the sweet 
 sympathies of religious love. Thus should it be 
 taught to the child, with such earnestness and 
 gentleness, and in so skilful and judicious a manner, 
 that he should love to learn. The matter may be 
 very good, and yet the manner of presenting it de- 
 fective. Whitfield's most successful sermons show- 
 how much more they depended upon manner than 
 matter. " There are many manuals," says a recent 
 writer, " to lead the infant mind from nature up 
 to nature's Grod ; but teachers rather need manuals 
 to teach them how to treat their children." It must 
 be in the spirit and in the dialect of love ; souls 
 are not fashioned by geometric rules ; religious 
 teaching must be the expression of the mind of 
 love, inspiring by example. 
 
48 LIVELINESS IS ESSENTIAL. 
 
 Liveliness and vivacity are almost essentials in 
 the mode of teaching. " Childhood's birthright is 
 its innocent joy, and no restraint should forfeit its 
 beautiful heritage of young delight. The joyous 
 freshness of their young natures should be pre- 
 served, while they learn the duties that fit them 
 for this life and the next. Wipe away their tears. 
 Cherish their smiles. Let them learn to draw 
 happiness from all surrounding objects." 
 
 Childhood requires liveliness. "Without it, stolid 
 indifference and sleepy weariness overcomp the 
 little creatures ; — with it, the very appearance of 
 the child is brightened. An open and sprightly 
 countenance, with intellectual vigour and enjoy- 
 ment, is the sure result of a lively manner, con- 
 nected with skilful adaptation. All this, however, 
 must be natural. Teeling cannot be put on suc- 
 cessfully, any more than earnestness can be assumed, 
 and all must be at a distant remove from anything 
 like levity. 
 
 "He that negotiates between God and man, 
 As God's ambassador, the grand concerns 
 Of judgment and of mercy, should beware 
 Of lightness in his speech. 'Tis pitiful 
 To court a grin, where you should woo a soul ; 
 And to address the skittish fancy with facetious tales, 
 When sent with God's commission to the heart." * 
 
 Liveliness is not levity. Children see through 
 that quickly ; they read the countenance, and deci- 
 
 * Cowper. 
 
STUDY SIirrLICITT. 49 
 
 pher the charm of a cheerful spirit. While, there- 
 fore, we seek to avoid a severe or austere manner, 
 let us not put on constrained smiles and gestures. 
 A deaf and dumb child selected from among many 
 sisters, one who had golden locks, and a beaming, 
 radiant countenance. He used to say to her, "My 
 heart is warm when I look at you." 
 
 Thus, as the chief aim of teaching is to instil the 
 love of what is good and pleasant, so such love and 
 pleasantness should be the prominent feature in 
 the characters with which children come in contact. 
 Let us, therefore, ever be as the apostle Paul, and 
 his associates, who said, " We were gentle among 
 you, even as a nurse cherish eth her children." We 
 need not say that the very lineaments of cheerful- 
 ness are important, — tHe pleasant voice and the 
 bright brow, the "very tread" having "life and 
 gladness in it ; " remembering the words of the 
 poet Coleridge : 
 
 "O'er wayAvard childhood wouldst thou hold firm rule, 
 And sun thee in the light of happy faces ? 
 Love, hope, and patience, these must be thy graces, 
 And in thine own heart let them fu-st keep school." 
 
 Be simple. This is the highest attainment of 
 the teacher of infants. Simplicity has no fixed 
 character; its secret lies in its co-existence with 
 adaptation. It does not mean foolishness, any more 
 than shallowness. K barren mind cannot afford 
 to be simple, the poverty would be discovered ; but 
 while we avoid what they cannot understand, let us 
 
 E 
 
50 STUDY SIMPLICITY. 
 
 lead our cliildren to compreliend difficult things 
 with pleasure, like blind Euler, the mathematician, 
 who made even algebra attractive to children. 
 They dislike mystery, and their infantile percep- 
 tions require aiding to the acquisition of knowledge. 
 The way to bring them up to our standard of 
 excellence is, to go down and fetch them. We are 
 on the mound in the centre of the labyrinth ; they 
 are at the very entrance, with many turnings around 
 them on every side. They seek the right one. 
 We must not beckon them to us, but joining them, 
 take them by the hand, and lead them with us, 
 step by step together. 
 
 jS'or must we object to tJieir simplicity. Our 
 object is to preserve them from evil, not from 
 childishness. We must become one with them in 
 feeling and action, revert^ to the language and 
 thoughts of childhood, try to hear and see, and 
 think with them as they are, and take the children 
 themselves as our standard. Great truths may be 
 illustrated by small words ; acting on this principle, 
 give them a Bible lesson, and ask for it back again. 
 Mark the points they remember, and the words they 
 use, and so see where you have overshot your mark, 
 and what are their own ways of expressing what 
 they have understood. You will probably find that 
 your figure may not be comprehended by those who 
 could have followed the illustration of the Saviour, 
 " Even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her 
 wings." Mrs. H. More says, " Speaking so as 
 
HOW TO COMMUNICATE. 51 
 
 not to be understood, and writing so as not to be 
 read, are among the minor immoralities." Bead 
 children's books, learn their language, get hold of 
 their phrases, for they are pass-words which will 
 be invaluable in gaining you an entrance into their 
 hearts. Let the children not only talk to you, but 
 listen to them as they converse with others. Their 
 conversation is rich in this charm. Two little ones, 
 ere they fall asleep, talk together. Listen to the 
 story, watch the power of thought, and the flow of 
 words. See how everything is simplified. What 
 lessons may we thus learn of the wonders of that 
 adaptation and simplicity which unlocks the heart 
 so quietly, and, seeming to have nothing, possesseth 
 all things ! 
 
 Variety is essential. The natural restlessness 
 and impatience of infancy, when we attempt to fix 
 it for a long time on one train of feeling, are proofs 
 of the necessity of varied action and employment. 
 The development of the faculties of both mind and 
 body are gradual. The child observes long before 
 it compares, and compares before it reasons. "We 
 appeal to a child's reason, and it is a difiicult pro- 
 cess. It should not be urged too far. 
 
 Madame Necker says, " Never let a child be 
 weary; ennui is the lethargy of the soul." To 
 walk too long on any road is wearisome ; but of 
 all roads, the level and straight one induces weari- 
 ness soonest. Where all is set, smooth, and 
 mechanical, the spirit soon flags. " Children are 
 
52 THE ART OF PICTUEING OUT. 
 
 not formed for monotony and fixedness ; their 
 nervous systems will not bear it with impunity, 
 and even their very bones are intolerant of the 
 erect position for any length of time."* Short 
 exercises, and diversified, keep up the attention. 
 This is one of the great secrets of infant training, 
 physical, mental, and moral. Variety is not incon- 
 sistent or incompatible with system. It should be 
 in unison with it. How are we to secure this 
 variety? Fortunately, tlie act of communication 
 provides for the thing it requires, as we shall see in 
 considering the various methods of teaching. 
 
 The pictorial principle — one of the main features 
 of the infant day school system — is deservedly one 
 of the most popular, and happily the infant Sabbath 
 class need not repudiate it. Its lesson book, the 
 Bible, is full of pictures. Children love to look at 
 pictures, and they can do it in two ways. The way 
 denoted here is what is termed picturing out, or 
 presenting a picture to the m.ind of a child through 
 the medium of the human voice. Such a representa- 
 tion, carefully made, serves to fix impression better 
 than if it were in colours, or on canvas. Pestalozzi 
 introduced the use of pictures and objects. His 
 instruction was limited, of course, to the things 
 represented, whereas the picturing out in words is 
 most expansive. It is an art to be diligently culti- 
 VAted. Hearing is pleasanter to children than read- 
 
 * Dr. Moore. 
 
THE AET OP PICTUEITTG OUT. 53 
 
 ing, and at this, the earlier age, of course reading 
 is out of the question. 
 
 The principle is, " the picturing out of every term, 
 and every subject, in words representing objects ;"* 
 and it must be borne in mind, that every word in 
 the English language either represents an object, or 
 the combination of objects, or may be pictured out 
 in words representing objects. Illustrations of tJie 
 value of this principle need not be given— they are 
 abundant. Care must be taken to present a bold 
 and. clear outline. The filling up is a secondary 
 matter. It will be done progressively, just as the 
 child fits in the parts of its puzzle map, — first the 
 sea-coast, and then the inland counties. The chil- 
 dren must draw the picture with the teacher, and 
 make it their own, understanding it as they go on. 
 There must be as much of vividness of conception 
 and truthfulness of delineation as possible. By 
 masterly touches, every point must be brought out. 
 Completeness and finish are essential. Minuteness 
 on our part will insure accuracy. Children love 
 detail. Every such representation should have its 
 lesson or point. Let nothing lead to the sacrifice 
 of this appeal. We are to seek to profit through 
 pleasing, but not to gratify at the expense of 
 profiting. 
 
 Illustrations should be used plentifully. Here 
 the daily preparation comes in. We gather them 
 
 * Stow. 
 
54 THE COLLECTIYE METHOD. 
 
 easily on every hand, when we make it our business, 
 and in the common walks of every-day life; and 
 these, well selected, can be thrown in with great 
 effect, in an apt and lively manner. Let there be no 
 seeming effort, no bungling in the fitting, no forcing 
 in the application. "We do not plead for the mar- 
 vellous, but the ordinary ; neither farfetched, nor 
 extravagant, coarse or foolish, but suited for the 
 purpose. Children are not fond of mere stories 
 strung together, nor do they like teachers who, 
 unprepared with better food, bring nothing but 
 anecdotes to the repast. These may excite curiosity 
 and fancy at first, but lose their power, and soon 
 cloy the taste when over-done. A good anecdote is 
 a good thing, but should only be used when wanted, 
 in the way of illustration. 
 
 The individual method of teaching has, we trust, 
 had its day. It is a most extravagant plan, 
 wasting time, means, and power; doing and un- 
 doing at the same time. How is it that, in so 
 many schools, this exploded practice, abandoned 
 by most thinking men, is still retained ? It must 
 go. It might do for the age of alphabets and 
 primers, when children were called up one by one 
 to read, and, counting forward the verses, waited 
 with ill- concealed indifference till their turn came 
 round again ; but now all are engaged at once, and 
 upon the same subject. 
 
 This collective method is invaluable. PrugaKty 
 of time and influence is obtained, and the whole 
 
, THE SIMULTANEOUS METHOD. 55 
 
 class is engaged with the teacher during the whole 
 time. Their attention is directed to the same 
 point, and their united energies bent upon its 
 elucidation. Questioning is, of course, introduced, 
 and much of the instruction is of a didactic cha- 
 racter. Where the question was put to a par- 
 ticular child, it is now addressed to all, and in- 
 fants love the "togetherness" of instruction, and the 
 active doing connected with it. The JSTotes of the 
 Sunday School Union are prepared for this system, 
 and are admirably adapted to it. G-reat interest 
 attaches to this method, and its value is felt by 
 both teacher and taught. 
 
 The simultaneous system is pre-eminently fitted 
 for the infant class. Oneness can be better ob- 
 tained by it than any other method. It presents a 
 domestic character, and a sociability, which chil- 
 dren love intensely. The whole class is instructed 
 at the same time, and the children answer alto- 
 gether, as vdth one voice. The system has been 
 termed "uproarious." If so, it is the abuse of it. 
 There may be noise, but it is orderly noise, very 
 difierent from the disorderly idleness of the indivi- 
 dual system. The irregular shuffle of a score of 
 ploughboys makes more confusion than the firm 
 and even tread of the military column, 
 
 "We entirely demur to the assertion, that it is 
 " a system which may please aU, but impresses 
 none." No one would act on the simultaneous, 
 any more than the interrogatory system, all the 
 
56 THE INTEREOGATORT METHOD. 
 
 time. In the infant class, the teacher uses all 
 these methods in their place, and thus secures the 
 variety for which we have contended. The advan- 
 tage of the simultaneous system lies in this, — that 
 the power of imitation and sympathy is so strong 
 in infancy, that some childi'en will do together 
 what they would fear to attempt alone, and thus 
 in singing, reading, repeating, and answering, the 
 benefit is apparent. 
 
 The interrogatory and elliptical methods should 
 be united. Stow says, "The question sets the 
 mind astir ; the ellipsis directs what is set moving.'* 
 Neither will do well alone. Questioning is most 
 important, but it requires great discretion. Our 
 questions must be such as will incite to mental 
 activity, but not such as will over-task the mind. 
 The elliptical is a very favourite method, and 
 should be much esteemed with yoang children. It 
 constrains thought, and often demands the search- 
 ing after hidden treasure. To miss the word gives 
 the child occupation in watching, selecting, and 
 putting it in. We drop a link, he picks it up, and 
 so a complete narrative may be presented by the 
 teacher taking the whole class * along with him, in 
 evident delight. 
 
 We might also refer to the analytic, or " taking 
 to pieces" method — the synthetic, or "putting 
 together" the parts of a subject, and the deductive, 
 which must conclude all such exercises, to make 
 them practical. Thus may each be duly used, at 
 
TEACH BY EXAMPLE. 57 
 
 the discretion of the teacher. They are tools 
 which he may employ in his garden at pleasure ; 
 sometimes the spade, at others the hoe, but all 
 have their useful properties. 
 
 There is yet another method by which we teach, 
 and that perhaps more powerful than any other. 
 We refer to exarnple. " Maxima dehetur puero 
 reverentia,'''' is a saying as trite as it is true, and 
 the conduct of the infant class teacher must be 
 governed by this principle. It is a great mistake 
 to suppose that we may do anything in the pre- 
 sence of little children. Our example is all- 
 powerfid. They judge from trifles, and we are 
 the objects of their scrutiny. Every eye watches, 
 every look records. Example speaks louder than 
 words. Teaching, without practising, is worse 
 than doing nothing ; but the argument of the life 
 is irresistible. 
 
58 HOW TO CONDUCT THE CLASS. 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 HOW TO CONDUCT THE CLASS. 
 
 1. What to teach — 7iot Reading as an art, hut Religion in its 
 practice. 2. What Bible training is. 3. Conversion 
 the aim of the Teacher, 4. Cultivation of the heart. 
 5. The formation of good habits — obedience — truthfulness 
 — ju^stice — benevolence— forgiveness — attention. 6. Gene- 
 ral Principles — value of system — regularity — dream- 
 sjyection. 7. The study of mind. 8. The thing to aim 
 at. 9. Teach neither too much, nor too long. 
 
 1. The primary question is, what are we to teach ? 
 
 Let us answer this by first considering what we 
 are not to teach. 
 
 heading is not within our province. It belongs 
 to the secular school. It is a mechanical, technical 
 exercise. This doctrine may be called " stern mo- 
 rality," but, while we admit reading to be a good 
 thing, and that it would not be wrong to teach it 
 on the Sunday, we still maintain that children 
 ought to learn during the week, and, happily, they 
 can. Ours are Sabbath hours, and our argument 
 is, that they are too few, and too precious, to be 
 relinquished for such a purpose. Much may be 
 learnt indirectly in the way of reading well, by 
 the use of the letter-box, but even that should not 
 
THE " LOOK AND SAT " SYSTEM. 59 
 
 be employed to teach letters, or syllables, or words, 
 as sucb. A practical writer says, " He [the teacher] 
 cannot proceed well without an habitual and due 
 regard to the mode in which young children natu- 
 rally acquire knowledge. Most children who oc- 
 cupy an infant class are not only illiterate, but 
 ignorant. Their language, composed of phrases 
 instead of sentences, evinces that their minds are 
 occupied mth notions, in place of ideas. The 
 mode by which childi'en of tender years acquire 
 language, is an obvious proof that they are crea- 
 tures of imitation. An infant learns to speak by 
 imitating sounds." 
 
 Children will remember words when they see 
 them again, under this "look and say system " of 
 training, which connects ideas with them. The let- 
 ter and syllable mean nothing to them, but the word 
 is a picture, and is understood, A correspondent 
 of one of our magazines says, " I only have recourse 
 to this [spelling] exercise to while away time." One 
 cannot help regretting, that in such a school other 
 duties are so tedious and wearying, that spelling 
 becomes so recreating an exercise. Such teachers 
 as this, fond of crutches, supply themselves with 
 an abundance of works, professing to aid in re- 
 ligious instruction, and children go home, singing, 
 to the tune of "Adeste Fideles,'' or '^Fortugal New''' 
 the following Scripture alphabet : — 
 
 A is an Angel, who praises the Lord ; 
 B is for Bible, God's holy word ; 
 
60 TEACH IDEAS, NOT WOEDS. 
 
 C is for Chiirch, where tlie righteous resort ; 
 D is for Devil, who wishes our hurt ; 
 
 and so on, concluding — 
 
 U is for Uzzah, who died for his sin ; 
 
 V is for Vashti, the hard-fated queen ; 
 W 's for Whale, to Jonah a dread ; 
 
 X is for Cross, upon which Jesus bled ; 
 
 Y is for Yoke, 'tis the badge of a slave ; 
 Z 's for Zaccheus, whom Jesus did save. 
 
 "When a little advanced in the power of articulating 
 these hard and unmeaning words, children of three 
 years old are taught the following : — 
 
 G is for Goshen, a rich and good land ; 
 H is for Horeb, where Moses did stand ; 
 I is Italy, where Rome stands so fair ; 
 J is for Joppa, and Peter lodged there ; 
 K is for Kadesh, where Miriam died ; 
 L is for Lebanon, can't be denied. * 
 
 Mere word teaching, and education, are not sy- 
 nonymous ; for education requires not the teaching 
 of words so much as ideas, or consecutive thoughts. 
 "Words are utterly barren, and mere reading, vdthout 
 reflection, is a dangerous thing. Dugald Stewart 
 says, " Nothing has such a tendency to weaken the 
 powers of invention and intellect." It is an attain- 
 ment fathers and mothers like children to acquire, 
 but often sacrifice much to obtain. "What is the 
 use of repeating words which the understanding 
 cannot comprehend ? It is the mere recollection 
 
 * " Infant Teachers' Assistant." 
 
• TEACn EELIGION. 61 
 
 of certain sounds. We want what the Germans 
 call thing knowledge. Let our children recollect 
 thoughts, instead of sounds, or both together, as is 
 natural they should. All ideas should be connected 
 with facts ; mere abstract forms of catechetical 
 exercise, therefore, are not suitable for little chil- 
 dren to learn. The memory may retain the answers, 
 but ideas and facts wanting, the understanding is 
 clouded, and the heart closed. We shall never 
 reach a child's mind by mere lessons, or produce 
 conviction there by forcing words upon his memory. 
 If we attempt to do so, we transgress all the laws 
 of nature and experience. 
 
 What, then, are ive to teach ? We answer, unhe- 
 sitatingly, EELiGiO]sr. " A religious and moral 
 education is the first want of a people."* Beligion 
 is the foundation of all true education, and we desire 
 to lay a good foundation. Be sure you understand 
 in what religion consists. Mrs. Sigoiirney says of 
 children, " Their religion should be eminently that 
 of the heart, a love of their Father in heaven, a love 
 of all that he has made, an obedience to all his com- 
 mands, a dread of his displeasure, a continual refer- 
 ence to him for aid, renovation, and forgiveness 
 through the Saviour, and a consciousness that every 
 deed, however secret, is open to his eye, — every word, 
 every motive, to be brought into judgment. This 
 foundation will bear a broad superstructure, when 
 years expand the lineaments of character, and 
 
 * Victor Cousin. 
 
62 TEACH THE WHOLE TIIUTH. 
 
 time's trials teach self-knowledge, humility, and 
 reliance on omnipotent strength." 
 
 Let us be as wise master builders. Let us fix 
 the first principles of Grod's truth in the mind, as 
 the massive stones upon which the edifice shall stand, 
 and so secure a safe and permanent basis. We 
 are dealing with that which is immortal, so let re- 
 ligion give to our eftbrts a noble tendency and a 
 divine bias. And as this is a sentiment much ob- 
 jected to by some, who claim that children should 
 choose for tliemselves, let us remember the severe 
 reproof of Coleridge, who showed one of these wise 
 ones his garden, full of weeds, saying, " I am leaving 
 it without bias, and letting it choose for itself." 
 
 On the subject of teaching the true character of 
 God, Mr. Todd makes the following valuable re- 
 marks : — 
 
 " 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 sin, — a re- 
 presentation 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 representation of that awf id 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 beau.tiful illustrations of this and that duty. What 
 need of this? Why is the character of God an object of 
 aversion to every imrenewed heart, whether in a child or 
 in the fidl-grown man ? I answer, that when the mind. 
 
BIBLE TRAINING. 63 
 
 fully sees the greatness of God, it receives the full impres- 
 sion of his awful and holy nature, — of his unchangeable- 
 ness, — of his power and right to govern and command us, 
 — of our consciousness that we have sinned, and are daily 
 sinning against hun ; — and the sold 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 almightiness 
 may be used to crush him, — and he is afraid. Tell him 
 that God sees hun and knows all things, and therefore will 
 for ever shield him from injustice, and he knows that this 
 very knowledge has counted up his sins, and will bring 
 everything into judgment. Tell him to rejoice, for 'the 
 Lord God omnipotent reign eth,' and he cannot do it, — 
 for he knows that his government extends over Mm, and 
 will to eternity bind him to obedience. 
 
 ' ' Now what shall be done ? Shall we avoid leading the 
 child to contemplate the character of God, because it is 
 mipleasant to him ? By no means. Take every possible 
 method to make the child understand the whole and the 
 true character of God ; — his eternity is time and years 
 continued for ever ; his skill is seen in the painting of the 
 rainbow, and in every limb of the child ; his power is seen 
 in all creation, — the flood, the mountain, the ocean, the 
 wind ; his hohness is seen in the Red Sea becoming the 
 grave of Egyjrt, the wilderness becoming the grave of all 
 one generation 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 preserving 
 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 
 govermnent. If he trembles and is mihappy 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."* 
 
 * " Sunday School Teacher." 
 
64 THE BIBLE A BOOK TO BE LOYED. 
 
 2. Let the training of the infant be Bible training, 
 — the Word of Grod the lesson book, and its sacred 
 truths the texts ; let the little ones be fed on the 
 " sincere milk of the word.'* The soul feeds on 
 knowledge. It knows no other aliment. Do not 
 deprive it of its birthright. All is not fit ; food 
 convenient is to be presented. This food is in the 
 Bible. Moreover, it is God's book, and bears 
 authority with it. A celebrated writer has said, " The 
 way of religious truth leads direct to the Bible, and 
 the belief in the truth of the Bible is the corner 
 stone of our faith." 
 
 " Bible knowledge is the knowledge which we are 
 most desirous may increase. Bible truth is the 
 truth whose promotion we principally implore. This 
 alone can save. Like some great principle of nature, 
 incredibly simple and certain, it is only so much the 
 more sublime, that it serves where all else fails, and 
 achieves that of which everything else despairs."* 
 
 Where is the book so full of interest to children 
 as the Bible. Eenelon advises, that we should not 
 only tell children that we think it interesting, but 
 make them feel it to be so. This they will do, if 
 in training, " line upon line, here a little, and there 
 a little," we bring to bear upon the conscience and 
 understanding the simple truths of Christianity, by 
 the aid of facts in the form of narrative, precept, 
 promise, and threatening, or otherwise. 
 
 * Dr. R. W. Hamilton. 
 
ARE CATECHISMS TO BE TATJGHT ? G5 
 
 not be repressed. Let it search out, and let us 
 guide the investigations. Other knowledge is use- 
 ful ; that which is in the Bible is saving. Our 
 childi-en mil find the tree of knowledge anywhere ; 
 in the infant class let them be sure to find Jesus, 
 the tree of Life. In the world they will find the 
 books of men ; in the school let them ever find the 
 blessed book of God. Let it be the object of 
 simple and unprejudiced study ; not only explained, 
 but enforced. 
 
 Still it may be said, Do you discard catechisms ? 
 "We agree with Todd, that even " catechisms may 
 be made bewitchingly interesting," and his own 
 lectures aff"ord evidence of this. But the ele- 
 mentary classes are not the places for them. The 
 catechism in our schools has been abused ; it has 
 become the task and lesson-book, rather than the 
 text-book for oral instruction. We cannot conceive 
 any possible objection to its introduction in the 
 other sections of the school, in advance of the infant 
 class, but it must be the text, and not the lesson. 
 
 3. Conversion is the aim of the infant class 
 teacher. All else is inferior and secondary. The 
 supreme and ever-present object, with regard to 
 these little ones, is to lead them gently on, and 
 place them at the feet of Jesus. The truth of Grod 
 alone can do this. It teaches of ruin, redemption, 
 and regeneration. Children can exercise a clear 
 faith as well as men. It is common to both, rest- 
 ing upon the one Eoundation. Whatever religious 
 
GQ SEEK COIfVERSIOI^S. 
 
 knowledge is necessary for one human being is 
 essential to all. The little child who explained to 
 her brother how their infant prayer reached the 
 ear of the Almighty with acceptance, said of the 
 blessed Saviour, " He takes our prayers and puts 
 them to rights, dear, and then gives them to our 
 Pather in heaven." How striking a lesson to 
 many who have been long inquiring into the 
 "manner of prayer." 
 
 Some look to conversion as the ultimate end of 
 teaching. Let us believe it to be possible now, 
 and so labour, and so pray. "The object should 
 be the conversion of the child, and this, not to be 
 realised in years to come, but now. The great 
 means to this end should be the distinct pre- 
 sentation of the wonderful facts of our redemption, 
 clothed in the earnest solicitude of the teacher."* 
 
 4. To this end, we must cultivate the heart. 
 The affections must be Grod's, yielded up as a 
 willing sacrifice. "We wish our children to have 
 tenderness of conscience, to refuse the evil and 
 choose the good, to love the way in which they 
 should go. This implies an attempt to fix prin- 
 ciples of truth in their minds, which shall exercise 
 so benign an influence, that the temper, feelings, 
 and conduct shall all bear witness. And this is 
 w^hat is called Bihle training, and practical religion. 
 The ordinary teacher has for his single object, to 
 
 * Dr. Reed's ' ' Advancement of Religion. " 
 
FORM GOOD HABITS. 67 
 
 teacli his science effectually ; but he who seeks to 
 educate or train, must take a higher view, and 
 pursue an end accordingly far more complicated. 
 He must consider every part of his pupil's nature, 
 physical, intellectual, and moral, regarding the 
 cultivation of the last as paramount to any of 
 the others. This is what Stow calls, " Godly up- 
 bringing." 
 
 5. We must seek to form good Jiabits. Habits 
 are formed by repeated actings. All our instruc- 
 tion must regard an end, that is — the practice. 
 Here continued practice is needed, — indeed, it is 
 involved in real education, and thus habits are 
 formed. How true it is that we are the children 
 of habit. Early formed within us, habits are very 
 powerful, and if we wish them to be potent for 
 good in. our children, we must form them early. 
 When once moulded, it is hard to contravene or 
 overcome them. "Eor good or evil, if not re- 
 sisted," says St. Augustine, "they become neces- 
 sity." The up-grown oak is not more sturdy than 
 early -formed habit. It is second nature. " It 
 ought never to be forgotten, that right habits are 
 indispensably necessary to enable a man to meet 
 and resist temptation. Piety and courage were 
 prominent in the character of Daniel; but after 
 all, I should tremble to place any man in his cir- 
 cumstances, with the lions' den before him, who 
 had not Daniel's habit of daily prayer."* 
 * Todd. 
 
68 FORM GOOD HAEITS. 
 
 Teachers should educate the will as much as 
 the understanding, and when it is urged that there 
 is not time for moral training, we say there is the 
 same opportunity as for the intellectual. Stow 
 illustrates this by showing that we are called upon 
 to " add to virtue, knowledge." So that virtue is 
 a science claiming the first place in our consi- 
 deration. To be intelligent is a great thing, but 
 how immeasurably more important it is to be 
 virtuously so. Let us 
 
 " Guard the first springs of thought and will," 
 
 and cultivate good habits which, " though they 
 seem to be but as the filmy line of the spider, 
 trembling in the breeze, may prove links of tem- 
 pered steel, binding a deathless being to eternal 
 felicity. Let us, during the whole process of edu- 
 cation, feel and fear the omnipotence of habit. Eor 
 if the toiling atom beneath the waters is able to 
 construct a reef, which may make the proudest 
 ship a wreck, shall we dare to look upon the 
 slightest evil habit, and say it is harmless ? Though 
 its work may have been done secretly, as under 
 a flood, yet the cry of lost souls may be its 
 herald at the judgment. The most certain mode 
 for you to fix habits is, the silent ministry of 
 example."* 
 
 Obedience must be inculcated, — a reasonable 
 obedience, — prompt and cheerful ; not questioning 
 
 * " Sigourney's Letters. " 
 
TEACH THE CARDINAL VIRTUES. 69 
 
 or hesitating, but instant. This habit, formed in 
 our children, will be of incalculable service in the 
 prosecution of our duties. Teach liow to obey. 
 Let it not be " Do as I say," but " Do as I do." It is 
 well said, " Obedience, to the mind in its waxen 
 state, is like the silken thread by which a plant is 
 dra-svTi towards the prop ; enforced too late it is 
 like the lasso, with which the wild horse is en- 
 chained, requiring dexterity to throw, and strength 
 to manage." 
 
 Truthfulness — transparency of conduct — an out- 
 spoken candour — is a cardinal virtue ; nurture it 
 kindly. All is not untruthful that is erroneous. 
 Children often make mistakes without deceit or 
 guile. We must carefully distinguish. Johnson 
 says, " It is more from carelessness about truth, 
 than intentional lying, that there is so much false- 
 hood in the world;" and this is emphatically true 
 of children. 
 
 Justice is the life of all good government. In- 
 culcate its principles in infancy, and teach it by 
 practising thorough impartiality. Children have 
 rights, and they know it. Their freedom, their 
 property, their feelings, must be respected. Our 
 power ought not to take advantage of their help- 
 lessness, and the law of justice, to be acted upon 
 by them, must not be infringed by us. 
 
 Generosity and benevolence. The pity of a child 
 is one of its strongest emotions. It often over- 
 comes other feelings, as when the child wept for 
 
70 HAYE A SYSTEM. 
 
 Adam and Eve, that God should be so unkind as 
 to turn them out of the beautiful garden ! he pitied 
 their sorrow, while he forgot their siu. Taking hold 
 of this tendency, it is easy to train children to acts 
 of kindness, before selfishness takes hold of the 
 heart. "What is done should be voluntary. Eorced 
 giving is no more generosity than the giving that 
 costs nothing. True benevolence is seen in self- 
 denial. 
 
 Forgiveness — cheerful, hearty, loving. Who does 
 not covet a forgiving spirit ! How lovely in man, 
 but how difficult the exercise ! Yet childhood is 
 always forgiving. Let us seek to preserve the same 
 gentle spirit in them and in ourselves as years 
 run on. 
 
 Habits of attention and tJiouglit are referred to 
 elsewhere, as deserving our careful cultivation. 
 
 6. There are some general principles which the 
 teacher of an infant class woi^ld do well to lay down 
 and observe. AVe suggest a few. 
 
 The object, as we have seen, is to train the whole 
 being by exercising faculties, even more than by 
 the impartation of knowledge. To do this, we say 
 to the teacher. 
 
 Save a plan, and icorh hy it. We do not advise 
 a precipitate selection, or the slavish adoption of 
 any system. Hannah More says, " Method is the 
 hinge of business ; it is like packing things in a box : 
 a good packer will get in half as much more as a 
 bad one." A plan saves time, and if it allows free- 
 dom and adaptation, it insures variety. 
 
NO ALTEEI^^ATE TEACHING. 71 
 
 Be regular and constant. Never absent, ever 
 punctual. The infant class, of all classes, admits of 
 no alternate teaching — a system injurious every- 
 where, but most so here. It is your class. Let no 
 one divide the responsibility or the reward. Be 
 you tlie teacher. 
 
 Be circumspect and consistent. Remember your 
 example. " It is impossible," says Adam Clarke, 
 of a minister, " that he should ever be a ^private 
 man. He is always living under the observation of 
 mankind, and he who is always observed should 
 never venture on dubious conduct." How true this 
 of the teacher ! Tou paint your own picture on 
 the minds of the children. Never let them see 
 vacillation : be cautious in what you decide to do, 
 be consistent in carrying out your decision. One 
 rule to-day and another to-morrow will not serve 
 your purpose. Tou will establish no rule at all. 
 Foster says, " "VYhen a decisive spirit is recognised, 
 it is singular to see how the space clears round a 
 man, and leaves him room and freedom to act upon 
 an equitable and enlightened system," 
 
 7. Study the constitution of mind ; not by poring 
 over books, but by looking deeply into minds them- 
 selves, remembering the words of the poet, 
 " The proper study of mankind is man." 
 You want to influence the child's character ; — seek 
 to understand the child's nature. Try to compre- 
 hend your children, — what is in them, to what 
 influences they are most susceptible, what is the 
 bent of the disposition, and what the motives that 
 
72 AIM AT PERFECTION-. 
 
 impel them. See where virtue, weak and flagging, 
 needs support; and where undeveloped intellect 
 requires aid. It is difficult in so large a company, 
 but the work is worth the doing ; and by aflording 
 the means of skilful adaptation, you will have your 
 reward. 
 
 8. Be diligent, and aim at 'perfection. We have 
 the Divine command, " Thou shalt teach them dili- 
 gently," and this is the only way to arrive at any 
 measure of efficiency. Perfection is ever far off, 
 but we are encouraged to aspire to it. To do this 
 we must " follow on." He who aims high, strikes 
 high. A friend of Michael Angelo seeing a 
 statue in his studio still unfinished, asked him, 
 "Have you not been idle?" "No!" was the 
 reply, " I have been diligent in little things, a touch 
 here, and a polish there ; this is all, but trifles make 
 perfection." A sculptor upon his dead marble 
 ought not to surpass in patience those who fashion 
 the living image, and whose work is upon the 
 "fleshly tables of the heart." 
 
 9. Do not attempt to teach too onuch. It is a 
 great art to know when to have done. Let the 
 exercise, whatever it may be, be brought to a close 
 before attention has ceased. Too long continuance 
 is opposed to the principle of doing well what we 
 do. Some teachers dig too deep, illustrating the 
 remark of E^obert Hall, who said, " These, diving 
 too deep, bring up nothing but mud." Some 
 enforce too many thoughts at once, which, as Eow- 
 
AYOID OVEELOADTNG. 73 
 
 laud Hill says, " batter upon the miud without 
 entering it." We would say, have plenty of mate- 
 rials ready, and know how to use them. Be as 
 Elihu, with a mind well furnished : " For I am full 
 of matter, the spirit within me constraineth ma ; I 
 will speak that I may be refreshed."* An old 
 author says, " In all your instructions avoid tedious 
 prolixity. Nothing more disgusts a child's spirit 
 than long discourses. Make up for shortness by 
 frequency — a drop now and a drop then, as you 
 pour water into a narrow-mouthed bottle. As you 
 do when you begin to feed their bodies with a 
 spoon, so must you do when you first begin to 
 feed the souls of children with instruction." Let 
 the first coat of paint dry before you again apply 
 the brush. 
 
 * Job xxxii. 18, 20. 
 
74 THE GALLERY. 
 
 CHAPTEE Y. 
 
 THE APPARATUS REQUIEED. 
 
 1. The Gallery. 2. Letter Box. 3. Pictures and Maps. 
 4. Black Board. 5. Class Roll and Card. 6. Books. 
 7. The Library. 
 
 We pass now to the requirements of the infant 
 class in the way of apparatus. It is a serious 
 mistake to suppose that great appearances are ne- 
 cessary. Let us be sure that as there may he 
 large numbers and a great array of apparatus, even 
 where there is little prosperity or improvement, so, 
 on the other hand, there may, to the unpractised 
 eye of the observer, appear few indications of 
 movement while there is a real and regular ad- 
 vance. There is the noiseless progress of perfect 
 order, as well as the hurried bustle of fruitless zeal. 
 The class requisites are simple and inexpensive. 
 Every part of the apparatus must be well fitted, 
 but the machine itself is not complicate. 
 
 1. A gallery should be procured, after the model 
 of the Grlasgow plan. It gives an elevation most 
 desirable for seeing and hearing, both to teacher 
 and children. Eaised seats will do if this cannot 
 be obtained. To prevent disorder, space should be 
 left at the sides for passing up and down, but none 
 in the centre is needed, though some teachers 
 
THE GALLERY. 
 
 75 
 
 prefer it, as some ministers prefer an aisle in front 
 of the pulpit. In the accompanying cut it will be 
 seen that there are no side passages, and conse- 
 quently the centre one is useful ; and this may he 
 best for galleries on so small a scale. 
 Fo7' 40 Sch'jlars. 
 With hacks to the seats, and side rails. 
 
 i/^^o 
 
 Where large ones are required, seven rows in each, 
 rising from 6 to 10 inches high, will probably be 
 found ample. Twelve children to each row will 
 give 84. And as little bodies get wearied before 
 the spirit tires, foot-boards and backs should be 
 supplied, with ample space for the feet. 
 
 The class requisites are few. Supposing space 
 enough to be left for the teacher in front of the 
 gallery, he must have in his room his box of move- 
 able letters on a stand ; a stool, a few pictures, a 
 black board, a piece of chalk and a wet sponge, a 
 record book, a Bible, a hymn-book, a little library, 
 a wdnter fire ; and this is all. 
 
 2. The letter box is a great treasure. It consists 
 
76 
 
 THE LETTER BOX. 
 
 of a case, with compartments for letters printed 
 and pasted on wood, and arranged much upon the 
 plan of the printer's case, with capitals, italic 
 letters, punctuation marks, and figures. 
 
 These boxes may be had in London at a small cost, 
 and for much less tlian a carpenter could make a 
 single one for. Still they may be made in rough 
 fashion very inexpensively. "We have seen them 
 of all sorts and shapes. 
 
 The box, however, does not work by itself, — by 
 magic, or miracle. The secret of success lies in 
 using it well. A spade requires well handling, 
 and a box will be like a mere spelling-book, if the 
 only object is to teach to read. 
 
THE RECOEDS. 77 
 
 3. Pictures, prints, and maps. The picturing out 
 of which we have spoken requires no such help, 
 but a reference to a print often assists in giving 
 point to an explanation, and in deepening impres- 
 sions. Lamartine says, " The sight of those Bible 
 pictures inspired me, from most tender infancy, with 
 a relish for good things." It is one way of train- 
 ing the eye, and if these pictorial illustrations are 
 faithfully delineated, they will be very useful. 
 The great danger is of impressing false and exag- 
 gerated notions, by reason of their want of truth ; 
 and next, that by their too frequent use they may 
 beget mental indolence. A child will listlessly 
 look on at a print, without the mind being exer- 
 cised in the shghtest degree. 
 
 4. A hlach board is very useful, and a simple 
 piece of chalk has a wonderful power of fascination 
 when skilfully used. The teacher, with a slight 
 knowledge of drawing and perspective, may often 
 aid his mental picturing by this means. The 
 board may be hung against the wall, or placed on 
 an easel. 
 
 5. The register-hook. But little time need be 
 spent in making the daily records, yet they must 
 be punctually kept. A IN'umerical Eegister, or 
 Class Boll, should be kept ; and for all these 
 things the teacher would do well to consult the 
 " Book of Directions," published by the Sunday 
 School Union. 
 
78 
 
 THE CLASS EOLL. 
 
 
 
 NUMERICAL REGISTER. 
 
 
 
 Date. 
 
 No. 
 
 Scholars' 
 Names 
 in full. 
 
 Age 
 
 Parent or 
 Guardian. 
 
 Residence. 
 
 Dates on which 
 the Scholars are 
 placed in the 
 main School. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 
 Re- 
 
 moved. 
 
 
 1849. 
 
 Julyl 
 
 „ 8 
 
 445 
 446 
 
 Brook, Thomas 
 Smith, Caroline 
 
 .3 
 
 5 
 
 Brook, J. 
 Smith, C. 
 
 7, Church-st. 
 13, George-st. 
 
 1854. 
 Aug. 5, 
 
 
 There should be an alphabetical index, contain- 
 ing the name and register number of each scholar, 
 according to the annexed form : — 
 
 Scholars' Names. 
 
 Brook, Thomas 
 Butler, Edward 
 
 Register No. 
 
 445 
 469 
 
 In addition to this, we should recommend a tin 
 case, in which attendance cards ruled with 20 lines 
 should be placed, bearing the name and full address 
 of each child, together with the father's name and 
 occupation. They can be marked with a pencil, 
 and when the results are posted at the end of the 
 year, the secretary may clean and issue them 
 again. 
 
 The advantage will be found in connexion with a 
 plan of visitation,* which we shall notice under its 
 proper head. 
 
 See "Visitation," page 117. 
 
THE BOOKS KEQUIRED. 
 
 79 
 
 Register No. 69. District 3. 
 
 HENRY EDWARDS, 
 
 Son of William Edwards, Grocer, 
 3, Newmarket Place, Whitecluipel. 
 
 CAUSE OF ABSEXCE. 
 
 The teacher should have a poclcet-looh, not to be 
 locked up and left at school, but to be taken home 
 and carried about. To do his duty in the week he 
 will often have need of it. The " Class Eegister 
 and Diary" of the Union is admirably suited for 
 this purpose. 
 
 A Bible with marginal references, (the Pictorial 
 Bible, if it could be afforded,) and a Hymn-book, 
 are the only books needful. The latter must be 
 chosen for its simplicity and careful selection, and 
 every child able to read at all, should be encouraged 
 to have one. The Scholars' Hymn Book is not 
 suitable ; the Infant Hymn Book, specially prepared 
 
80 THE LIBEAEY. 
 
 by the Union for this object, and Mr. Curwen's, 
 may be suggested as the most appropriate. 
 
 "We have found in use, in some schools, books 
 which profess to teach tune and truth together, 
 but surely it is time we abandoned such a mode of 
 teaching as the following : — 
 
 " The woman's seed shall surely tread, 
 Though wounded, on the serj^ent's head : 
 In Abram's, Isaac's, Jacob's seed, 
 Shall all the earth be bless'd indeed. 
 
 " Judah's sceptre shall not cease 
 Till Shiloh come, the Prince of Peace : 
 His 2)lace of birth, his line, his tribe, 
 The i)rophets carefully describe. 
 
 " Born of a virgin he shall be, 
 Immanuel, God with us, is He : 
 These records, in the hands of Jews, 
 Prove the Messiah they refuse. " * 
 
 7. A little library for the elder children will be 
 of great value. Though suitable books are few, 
 they are rapidly increasing with the demand ; and 
 the few there are, are highly prized and give great 
 delight. t Children at this age like to be confided 
 in, and they may safely be trusted. 
 
 * "Infant Teacher's Assistant," p. 16. 
 
 t "This provision may be made by a grant from the 
 sdhool committee, or by a small fimd specially raised for 
 the purpose. Where the pecuniary resources of the school 
 render it necessary, application may be made to the Sunday 
 School Union, for a grant of library books at half the 
 
THE TEACIIEE AT WOKK. 81 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 THE TEACHER AT WORK. 
 
 The day's proceedings. — 1. Morning exei^cises. — 2. The 
 separate service. — 3. Afternoon engagements. 
 
 It may be desirable to gather up into a practical 
 shape what has now been noticed in reference to 
 plans and agencies, by sketching out, in imagina- 
 
 selling prices. For this purpose, a printed list of books, 
 and form of application, can be procured from the Deposi- 
 tary d? the Union in London ; which form is to be filled up, 
 and reconmiended by the Committee of an Auxiliary, or a 
 Country Sunday School Union. 
 
 ' ' The application is, in all cases, to be transmitted to the 
 Committee in London. As an inducement to make frequent 
 additions to the library, all schools in connexion with the 
 London Auxiliaries or Country Unions may purchase library 
 books, selected from the Simday School Union Catalogue, 
 at the reduced prices, annually, in amounts of not less 
 than £2, and not exceeding £8, retail prices, upon the 
 application being recommended by the Committee of the 
 Union with which such schools are connected. 
 
 "To preserve these books, and to facilitate their dis- 
 tribution, a bookcase is to be fixed in the school or library 
 room, fitted up with shelves, six inches deep, at distances 
 to correspond with the height of the l^ooks. All the books 
 «hoidd be covered with strong cartridge, or other suitable 
 paper." 
 
 a 
 
82 THE DAT*S PROCEEDINGS. 
 
 tion, how such a class should be worked, upon the 
 model we have presented. 
 
 THE day's proceedings. 
 
 1. "We suppose a room has been prepared, 
 planned, and fitted, that all the essentials are there, 
 with a full attendance of children, and a model 
 teacher. The children have perhaps assembled 
 with the main school, and have been present at the 
 opening exercises, as it is well they should be, once 
 in the day, if convenient. They come in in order, 
 and therefore quietly, and passing up the right or 
 left aisle of the gallery, take their own appointed 
 seats without delay ; the teacher taking his place 
 in front. Having marked the attendance, he calls 
 for the verses of last Sunday's lesson, explained 
 then, and voluntarily learnt during the week. He 
 blames none because they have not committed them 
 to memory, for it is a thing done of their own 
 accord. He opens his Bible and reads, the chil- 
 dren repeating, clause by clause, after him. The 
 portion read contains the subject of the collective 
 lesson for the day. With a stored mind, and a 
 happy manner, he works out his subject, reducing 
 it to its simplest elements, breaking it up, and 
 meting it out to the weakest capacity. He attracts 
 the senses, and captivates the feelings ; he throws 
 in variety by the discreet use of illustration, ques- 
 tion, and ellipsis ; he draws his lesson, and presents 
 his appeal. His work is done. There is no sign 
 
MOENIKG EXEECISES. 83 
 
 of weariness, — all eyes are on him ; he has dropped 
 the seed quietly, but at the right moment, and, he 
 hopes, into prepared ground. 
 
 The pause is broken. A well-known verse is 
 mentioned, the children rise and sing, if in an 
 apartment within the school, softly, or, as it may 
 be termed, " singing in a whisper," which children 
 are very fond of doing. The Bible lesson for the 
 afternoon is then set up in the lid of the letter-box. 
 Tlie children, knowing what it is, help, as they can 
 in this interesting process, not with their hands, 
 but orally, by suggesting the component parts of 
 the sentence. It is at last completed, and read 
 through. Every word needing it is explained, 
 and this need is ascertained by questions on the 
 separate words, which, if necessary, are pictured 
 out. The Bible lesson is reserved for the after- 
 noon. A' few verses are sung, and a brief prayer 
 offered ; — the morning exercise is closed. 
 
 2. Tlie separate service is, in some sense, a new 
 invention, though really it is but the adaptation of 
 a principle long since recognised. The proposal is 
 but an advanced step in the great movement which 
 we have been wont to denominate ^grogression ; and 
 the development of this new feature in our Sunday- 
 school history, is but the natural result of the 
 adoption of plans, the wisdom of which was once 
 much questioned by great and wise men, who pre- 
 dicted, as some do now, the most disastrous 
 results. 
 
84 WHAT IS WOESHIP? 
 
 Since the institution of tlie Sunday-school 
 system, what wonderful changes has this progres- 
 sive principle wrought! The school-room, once 
 the scene of mere discipline, is now the seat of 
 learning, — a stipendiary agency, hired for a shilling 
 a day, is now superseded by a noble band of gra- 
 tuitous instructors, — pious teachers have taken the 
 place of unconverted monitors, and the door once 
 barred against the little child is open now to the 
 infant of tenderest years. All these changes we 
 owe to this same principle, which now, in this age 
 of earnest thought, advances with steady step, 
 and asks, as a matter of consistency^ a separate 
 SERVICE for young children ; and as a matter of 
 convenience and economy, in some places, a Chil- 
 dbed's Chapel.* 
 
 Worship is an act of the heart, and consequently, 
 if the heart be not engaged, there can be no wor- 
 ship. It is notorious, that the heart of infancy is 
 not engaged in the worship of the sanctuary, as at 
 present conducted ; nor can it be, for neither the 
 singing, the reading of the scriptures, the prayers, 
 and more especially the sermon, are suitable, and 
 our own experience tells us how little this can be 
 entered into by a childish capacity. 
 
 * The ' author of this book has collected from all the 
 principal towns in England and Wales the statistics upon 
 this subject, the result of which is to prove, that almost 
 everywhere objections have been overcome, and the expe- 
 riment having been successful, the new scheme of infant 
 service has become a fixed institution in every school. 
 
OUR PRESENT SYSTEM. 85 
 
 What is tlie present system ? Suppose the school 
 assembled in the crowded gallery, the teachers at 
 their post, and the minister in the pulpit. A hymn 
 is given out, — it is not in the scholar's hymn-book. 
 He listens, but he cannot remember the " lining 
 out" of a whole verse, or perhaps it is sung 
 through without being " given out," and his voice 
 is dumb. Eut say the child has a book ; the hymn 
 selected is not calculated to awaken his devotional 
 sentiment; he may sing, but he does not feel — 
 he does not understand. Now there is, in the 
 simple vocal melody of children, themselves being 
 the melodists, an incitement to cheerfulness, and 
 that which disposes them to pleasurable feelings at 
 the very opening of the service. To insure this, 
 the hymns should be of the very simplest devo- 
 tional character, in language and sentiment within 
 their comprehension, and the tune should be well 
 known, sprightly and cheerful. But for the want 
 of all this, that very portion of the public service 
 best adapted to win the attention of the little 
 child, has not only no charm, but is wearisome and 
 tedious. 
 
 The ivord of God is read, — but here again the 
 child is at fault ; for though he may have his Bible, 
 he is not prepared to follow the continuous reading 
 of the minister. The good old day of expounding 
 has gone by ; and while the little, active, inquisi- 
 tive mind would suggest its many questions, and 
 start its numberless difficulties, the lesson for the 
 
86 DOES THE PEEACHING PEOEIT ? 
 
 day lias been read, but, perhaps, witbout one word 
 of comment, — the book is closed, and the congre- 
 gation are engaged in prayer. 
 
 Tlie oninister offers prayer, and the children stand; 
 but the thoughts, the phraseology, the petitions, 
 are those of the matured Christian mind. The 
 wants of childhood are not expressed, the heart of 
 infancy is not engaged. How can it be ? 
 
 The minister preaches. Nothing can be more 
 improving than the beautiful precepts of Chris- 
 tianity, exemplified by the actions and words of 
 Christ, and the illustrations he has left us for our 
 example, imitation, and warning; yet there is a 
 Scripture knowledge too high for these little ones, 
 and pLilpit instruction cannot be equally adapted 
 to the two great sections of the congregation. 
 Ministers everywhere confess and deplore it. 
 
 It is the Sabbath morning. The minister speaks 
 to the people of God. He discourses; doctrinal 
 questions, metaphysical subtleties, prophetical 
 speculations engage his mind. He is argumenta- 
 tive, spiritual, and intellectual, — he speaks, to 
 whom? The children? Certainly not. They need to 
 be taught the first principles of the oracles of Grod ; 
 they are such as have need of milk, and not of 
 strong meat. Simplicity, beautiful everywhere, is 
 indispensable in the matter of Sunday-school in- 
 struction, the very essence of its excellence. But 
 if children cannot understand, why have them in 
 that gallery ? " That they may be under the 
 
CAN ATTENTION BE SECURED ? 87 
 
 weekly observation of the church and congrega- 
 tion ! "* Siu-ely this would not be deemed a suffi- 
 cient reason. 
 
 Children may go and remain, but they do not 
 worship. They sit in the appointed place, and for 
 the prescribed time, but it is a constraint and 
 weariness to be there, and they are glad to make 
 their escape. Children uninterested will be unruly. 
 We require that they shall be idle and quiet at the 
 same time. It is a thing impossible; and any 
 enforcement of such a law renders the state of the 
 child one of complete misery. 
 
 And what is the position of the teachers set to 
 keep order ? If they be tender-hearted and reason- 
 able, they relax the code of discipline ; but if not, 
 then a fierce warfare goes on, in which children, 
 unoccupied, and uncomfortable, restless, fretful, 
 and obstinate, use every expedient to while away 
 the time, and teachers, irritated and defied, distri- 
 bute at discretion, and too often with anger, 
 
 " ?7wapostoHc knocks aud blows " 
 
 upon the heads of their little prisoners. Poor 
 children ! every whisper checked ; deprived of the 
 book dexterously hidden in the cap ; the pencil 
 and paper taken away; even the solace of sleep 
 denied; is not their position likely to excite the 
 sympathetic pity of the congregation ? If it does 
 
 * "Evangelical Magazine," 1849. Article, " Sej)arate 
 Services." 
 
88 IS SUNDAY A HAPPY DAY ? 
 
 not, it is because these things are not inquired 
 into. Yet, do the occupants of the pew never 
 witness those scenes of contention? Did they 
 never hear the buzz of undisguised delight when 
 the minister closed the book, in token of the near 
 approach of the hour of liberation ? 
 
 "We do not intend to enter into the argument 
 here, for we have not space to do so, but we ven- 
 ture to lay it down as a principle, that infants can- 
 not greatly profit by the services of the sanctuary, 
 adapted, as they are in all respects, for the adult 
 mind ; and that in forcing their attendance, we deal 
 unwisely, for while we profess to form good habits, 
 we most certainly induce, in this case, a bad one, 
 too often creating and fostering dislike of all reli- 
 gious services in after years. It is in consequence 
 of this dislike that the discrepancy between our 
 morning and afternoon attendance is often found, 
 and hence arises the abandonment of many morning 
 infant classes. A child ought always to be light- 
 hearted ; but here all the tendencies are to depress 
 and to provoke unholy temper. At his tender age 
 he is unprepared for deep and protracted mental 
 excitement or effort ; and yet we reprove him in 
 the morning for a weariness he cannot overcome, 
 and in the afternoon discourse upon the pleasures 
 of religious service. How natural the remark of 
 the little girl, who having said, "I would rather 
 not go to heaven," was asked the reason, and re- 
 plied, " Nurse says, it will be alimys Sunday there." 
 
AVIIAT IS THE CHILDEEN S SERYICE ? 89 
 
 Her Sabbaths had been dull and heavy days. "Were 
 it not AveU to implant in these dear lambs a love 
 of religious exercise, and the sacred duties of the 
 Lord's-day ? 
 
 It is scarcely fitting that blame should rest on 
 the minister, because he fails to fix the wandering 
 thoughts of careless listeners ; or that the failure 
 should be attributed to a want of diligence on the 
 part of the teacher in the school-room. It lies on 
 the system which perpetuates so irrational a plan. 
 It is not the want of more discipline or more obe- 
 dience : its cause is to be found in the entire want 
 of adaptation ; and because of this, and this alone, 
 do we desire to see the system altered. 
 
 Besides, where are the good results of this sys- 
 tem ? What are our own recollections of sermons 
 heard in childhood ? Does it result in a good 
 habit of coming to Grod's house, and attending 
 while there ? Where are the thousands who have 
 passed through our schools and from our influence 
 into the world ? When allowed to choose for 
 themselves, does the will constrain them to come 
 to the sanctuary H On the contrary, it is stated to 
 be a well-ascertained fact, that we retain only Jive 
 out of every hundred of our scholars in our congre- 
 gations.* Where are the proofs of early conver- 
 sion ? When they do occur, is it ascribable to the 
 direct ministrations from t\\e pulpit, or to the close, 
 
 * See also Mr. Horace Mann's Census returns of 1851. 
 
90 THE childeen's seryice. 
 
 urgent, and convincing appeals of the parent, tlie 
 pastor, or the teacher ? 
 
 The separate service is instituted solely with a 
 view of counteracting this admitted difficulty, by 
 teaching little children in their own way, and lead- 
 ing them to understand and appreciate in future 
 life the ministrations of the pastor. It is con- 
 ducted much as follows : The elder children having 
 gone to the chapel, and the school-room being un- 
 occupied, the infants, and other children under ten 
 years of age, are assembled in the larger space. 
 They have but one teacher, taken in turn from 
 three or four, thoroughly qualified and prepared to 
 take the service in rotation. No monitors — no 
 rods — no rewards — none are needed. 
 
 The service commences. The little company are 
 on their knees; the teacher repeats the Lord's 
 Prayer ; and the little voices repeat it too. A 
 hymn is selected, it is in the "Infant's Hymn 
 Book," and sung to one of the few chaste and 
 simple tunes fit for children ; they join in praise, 
 with a spirit and life that would give a lesson to 
 many congregations. And what a wondrous charm 
 lies in music, as says Sir Philip Sydney, " It holdeth 
 children from their play, and old men from their 
 chimney corner;" and "these sweet words of 
 sweetly uttered knowledge " are delightful as the 
 act of intelligent interest. 
 
 The principle of the training system, as we have 
 already seen, is that children use no words which 
 
HOW TO CONDUCT IT. 91 
 
 they do not understand, and therefore, in singing 
 as in reading, they are questioned and informed, 
 so that, thenceforward, the language may be em- 
 ployed intelligently. 
 
 The Bible is the only book used, and from this a 
 portion is read in a clear and audible tone, the 
 children repeating, clause by clause ; — a parable, a 
 psalm, or a narrative, is thus read; then the teacher 
 questions the children, and the children question 
 him ; a few minutes only are occupied, and again 
 the little congregation kneels in prayer. 
 
 Prayer is offered, not by the teacher for the 
 children, but with them. He who prays thus, fol- 
 lowed word by word in all he says, must study the 
 language he has to use, as much as he who teaches 
 the deaf and dumb. Doing this, he cannot fail to 
 enlist the sympathies of the children ; so much so, 
 that in many cases requests come from these little 
 ones, that a sick mother, a brother gone to sea, or 
 some one in whose want and woe they feel a tender 
 interest, may be prayed for. Thus a teacher lite- 
 rally gathers up the petitions, and, accompanied by 
 the children, presents them at the throne of grace. 
 
 The exercise lasts but a few minutes, and again 
 the song is raised. Another hymnj one well known, 
 is sung without being given out ; or, if needs be, 
 different children are called upon to give the verses 
 for the sake of those who do not remember. So, 
 at intervals, breaking into the subsequent service, 
 the signal is given, the position changed, the verse 
 
92 THE SEEMOIT. 
 
 simg, and again the children, refreshed and full of 
 animation, are listening to the voice of the teacher. 
 
 The sermon comes next. The effort is by no 
 means a preaching one, in the ordinary acceptation 
 of the term. The art of sermonizing is to make 
 truth simple and easy to the comprehension of the 
 auditory, and to apply it to their hearts. So here, 
 a subject is given ; it may be a word or a sentence, 
 a verse or a parable, the object is to render it plain, 
 and for this purpose it is pictured out, and the 
 lesson it contains impressively enforced. The 
 teacher labours for this, and is only satisfied as he 
 feels his success. He adopts the infant class 
 methods, transfuses his ideas into the thoughts of 
 childhood, availing himself of suitable illustrations, 
 and the box of letters, as in the Bible lesson. 
 
 Let an experienced teacher speak to us in her 
 own language. " Speak of the dove that winged 
 its way back to the ark, and of the good man who 
 put forth his hand and dre^v her in through the 
 window, to gladden her sorrowing mate. Tell how 
 the wide wasting waters swept over a disobedient 
 world. Describe the lonely ark upon the mighty 
 deep, bearing in safety the righteous family, while 
 all the ungodly 6f the earth were drowned. Speak 
 of the brow of Ararat rising above the dark main, 
 of the exultation of the rescued animals, the warb- 
 ling song of the birds let loose from their prison, 
 and the higher joy of Noah, and his beloved ones, 
 who knew how to pray and praise their almighty 
 
NOT PEEACITING, BUT TEACHING. 93 
 
 Deliverer. One sacred story, thus broken into 
 parts, is sufficient for many feelings of the infant 
 mind. Be careful not to surfeit it, nor yet too 
 much to indulge the curiosity of the ear to hear, 
 without awakening the understanding to extract 
 some useful aliment. In the broad range of sacred 
 story, give a prominent place to the life and teach- 
 ings of our Saviour, to the many forms in which 
 his compassions wrought among the sick, the hun- 
 gering, and the blind, the tempest-tost, the dying, 
 and the dead ; how he loved little children, and 
 drew them to his bosom, and blessed them, when 
 sterner souls forbade their approach. 
 
 " Xot only by the volume of Inspiration, but by 
 their daily intercourse with the animal creation, 
 and from the ever open page of nature, guide them 
 to duty and to God. Teach their little feet to 
 turn aside from the worm, and spare to trample 
 the nest of the toiling ant. Point out the bird, 
 ' laying the beams of its chambers ' among the 
 green leaves, or the thick grass, and make them 
 shudder at the cruelty which could rifle its trea- 
 sures. Inspire them with love for all innocent 
 creatures, with admiration for every beautiful 
 thing ; for it is sweet to see the principles of love 
 and beauty leading the new-born soul to its Maker, 
 
 " As you explain to the young child the pro- 
 perties of the flower that he holds in his hand, 
 speak with a smile of Him, whose ' touch perfumes 
 It, and whose pencil paints.' Make the voice of 
 
94 IS IT A WEARISOME TASK? 
 
 the first brook as it murmurs beneath the snow, 
 and the gesture of the waving corn, and the icicle 
 with its pen sharpened by frost, and the sleeted 
 pane with its fantastic tracery, and the nod of the 
 awful forest, and the fixed star on its burning 
 throne, adjuncts in teaching your child the wonder- 
 ful works of the Almighty."* 
 
 Often the teacher is asked questions. Often ob- 
 jections are started, but these, instead of hindering, 
 serve to keep up an unwearied interest. If atten- 
 tion flags, a verse is thrown in, the posture changed 
 while singing, and all is right again. 
 
 The sermon, thus broken up in its delivery, oc- 
 cupies the largest portion of the time. "When 
 finished, thoughts may be fixed by a recurrence to 
 the principal points, closing the service vdth sing- 
 ing, and the benediction. 
 
 The tax upon the mind is not great. The atten- 
 tion is not kept up too long on any one subject. 
 It is not the length of time, but want of employ- 
 ment, with which the child finds fault ; and cheer- 
 fulness, variety, and an earnest manner, tend to 
 render the exercise pleasing and profitable. The 
 service has been spread over an hour and a half, 
 and yet few signs of weariness are visible, and de- 
 lighted parents come from the chapel to take their 
 happy little ones by the hand, and conduct them 
 safely home. 
 
 If this can be done, is it not well ? The argu- 
 * Sigourney. 
 
VmO MAY COXDL'CT THE SEIiVICE. 95 
 
 ment against the plan is that it is an innovation, 
 and not a di^TQely-appointed agency. But these 
 grounds are surely no more tenable than they are 
 reasonable. The school is not of Divine appoint- 
 ment, and if the teacher is in his place there, 
 teaching religion in the infant class, so certainly is 
 he well appointed to take the separate service, and 
 teach the same religion there.* If one-sixth part 
 of the population are infants, ought there not to be 
 some suitable provision made for their wants ? 
 Besides, is not the Sunday school the place for 
 conversion. It is set forth as a conclusion not 
 lightly arrived at, '• that nineteen-twentieths of the 
 British ^lissionaries, and a large proportion of the 
 evangelical ministers of Great Britain, became 
 pious, or received their first permanent religious im- 
 pressions, while connected with a Sunday school." 
 And a most useful London minister says, '• I deli- 
 berately affirm, that a very large proportion of 
 those whom it has been my privilege to deal with, 
 in the capacity of candidates for Christian feUow- 
 
 * "The teacher occupies a position midway between the 
 fireside and the pulpit. The teachers are the pastor's 
 assistants ia the work of God. They aim at the same 
 object as himself. They are pastors in miniature, they are 
 feeding the future flocks in embryo, they are moulding 
 the generation to come. They are the pastor's right 
 arm. Without them and their labours, how stiii)en- 
 dous however his abilities, and whatever his industry, he 
 must always come immeasurably short of the results other- 
 wise attainable."' — CaraphelTs Letters. 
 
96 THE ciiildhen's chapel. 
 
 ship, have dated their first serious impressions to 
 the Sunday school." 
 
 The object we have in view is to make the 
 Sabbath a delight, and that the tvliole of it may be 
 so, this substitute for the ordinary public worship 
 is proposed. So popular is this separate service, 
 that elder children beg hard to stay. On every 
 hand the prejudice against it is giving way, and 
 many ministers are not only consenting to its 
 adoption, but taking their turn in its performance, 
 becoming, like the venerable Charles of Bala, as 
 " children for the children's sake ; " or as the 
 tender-hearted Doddridge, who said, " I am not 
 ashamed of these little services, for 1 had rather 
 feed the lambs of Christ than rule a kingdom." 
 
 The proposal for establishing a Children's 
 Chapel has been made very much to meet the dif- 
 ficulty arising from a deficiency of suitable teachers ; 
 for it was thought, and very justly, that if in a town 
 there were three or four schools willing to unite, 
 it would be more desirable to have one service than 
 four, occupying the time of four teachers. This is 
 held in some large room or vacant chapel, the 
 children coming from their various schools. Thus, 
 there is an adjournment to the cliapel. It is a 
 separate place ; is " a real chapel " perhaps, with all 
 " the idea of the sanctuary " attached to it. As a 
 matter of convenience and economy of means, this 
 is a most desirable plan. 
 
 The great argument against the whole scheme 
 
ARGUMENTS FOR A SEPATIATE SEEVICE. 97 
 
 appears to be kept out of view ; but though mighty 
 and stubborn, it is always the final obstacle. It 
 stands in the way of all improvement, and cries 
 out lustily whenever we venture near its privileged 
 boimdary. Custom, however, though almost in- 
 vincible, is not eternal. 
 
 If then it be true, that there is little advantage 
 to children from these adult services, beyond the 
 impression of solemnity likely to be made on the 
 young mind by the act of witnessing the worship 
 of the great congregation, how great must be the 
 loss ! It is well known that those schools flourish 
 best which give the longest time to the teacher for 
 direct intercourse with his class ; but here we lose 
 a moiety of the little space allowed us. We desire 
 to have the whole time for this great object ; and 
 in doing so, we only ask an extension of that in- 
 fluence already allowed. And ii pious teachers are 
 appointed with the full approval of the pastor and 
 his church, if they are trained by him, and earnest 
 in their work, ought they not to be worthy of such 
 a trust? Do they " infringe the prerogative" of 
 the minister ? Already they are the pastors of 
 the- little flock. "Why debar them from this in- 
 teresting service ? 'Wh}'- not permit them thus to 
 feed the lambs ? 
 
 In leaving this subject, we must refer our readers, 
 for a fuller insight into this important discussion, 
 to Mrs. Davids's Prize Essay, " The Sunday 
 School;" a lengthened correspondence of recent 
 
 H 
 
98 AllGUMETfTS TOR A SEPARATE SERVICE. 
 
 date in the " Evangelical" and other magazines, and 
 the admirable lectures delivered for the Sunday- 
 School Union, by the Eev. Samuel Martin, of 
 "Westminster, from which we make the following 
 extracts : — 
 
 Mr. Martin says, " The pubhc services of most Christian 
 congregations consist in worship a-nd preaching. Those 
 who conduct these services contemplate, chiefly if not ex- 
 clusively, the minds and hearts of adults. In the majority 
 of instances children are a minority in the congregation ; 
 but even if children be the majority, these services are not 
 instituted for them. The minister has been called on these 
 particular occasions to lead the devotions of adults, and to 
 preach to adults. On these occasions the case of the adult 
 is the more important ; and no man, in our judgment, can 
 at the same time successfully minister to persons of widely 
 distant years. 
 
 "If the Bible contained any lav) upon the subject of 
 children's attendance on Divine worship, we need but to 
 direct every Sabbath-school teacher to that book of statutes, 
 and ask ' What readest thou ? ' But we have found no 
 precept concerning this matter. If instances of children 
 attending general worship were recorded in the New Testa- 
 ment, we might refer to the authority of precedent. But 
 we are not aware that the Bible records such cases. The 
 Hebrew male children from twelve years old were required 
 to go up with their fathers three times a year to Jerusalem ; 
 but in this is neither law nor j)recedent on the question before 
 us. We are left to judge by what appears wise and likely 
 to be useful. And thus judging, we are prepared to ad- 
 vise — ' Appoint and conduct separate services for Sabbath- 
 school children, ' Ovu' reasons for this advice are as follow : — 
 
 "First. Services adapted to children can alone be ex- 
 pected to beget among the young the habit of attending 
 public worship. It is said, 'hereby you form the habit 
 
ARGUMENTS FOR A SEPABATE SERVICE. 99 
 
 of attending God's house.' From this we entirely dissent. 
 Is it in the character of our ordinary services to interest 
 children ? and can it be ? But where interest is not felt 
 habit is not formed ; or, if habit be formed, it is destitute 
 of the element of intelligence and of conscience. Without 
 appealing to facts, therefore, we affirm, that the habit of 
 attending public worship cannot be formed by children 
 attending services not adapted to their case. The habits 
 of listlessness, wandering of the eyes, restlessness, playing, 
 talking, wishing for the final Amen, longing for the time 
 when they can spend their Sabbath as they please, and 
 such like, are formed ; and regarding our Sabbath-school 
 children en tnasse^ we know of no other. 
 
 "Secondly. Separate services can alone speak with 
 children to God, or speak for God to childi'en. 
 
 "Thirdly. Separate services can alone be expected in 
 any large measure to be the means of the conversion of 
 children. In what does > converting power abide, or with 
 what is it connected? There is no Adrtue in the place of 
 Christian assembly : ' The heart alone can make divine 
 rehgion's spot.' There is no abstract and absolute God's 
 house. God's house is that spot or structure which to our 
 hearts is a meeting-place with God. The building which 
 is ' amiable ' to the Chidstian through associations of God's 
 presence therewith, is not lovely to the mind that has not 
 connected M'ith it corresponding thoughts. 
 
 "Fourthly. The objects for which Sabbath- school children 
 are conducted to public worship can only be extensively 
 reahsed in separate services. We have stated that wor- 
 ship and ministration specially adapted to children, can 
 alone be expected to engender a devotional taste and to 
 form a devotional habit — ^that in such services alone can 
 the fellowship and attention of children be reasonably 
 looked for — and that we cannot hope for conversions among 
 children as the result of ordinary ministration. We know 
 of no other object for which children are conducted to our 
 houses of instruction and prayer; and it would hence ap- 
 
100 ARGUMENTS FOE A SEPARATE SERVICE. 
 
 pear that lituidreds of thousands of cliilclren are assembled 
 every Lord's-day in our places of jiublic worship without au 
 object or end. 
 
 ' ' Fifthly . We do not hesitate to assert that injuiy is 
 inflicted by the attendance of children on ordinary public 
 services. 
 
 "We proceed to inquire, — is the estabUshment of sepa- 
 rate services possible ? For such services we need, first, a 
 ministry. ' This we believe our Sabbath- school staff and 
 the communion of our churches would supply. We require, 
 in each school, one or more Christian men who are gifted 
 for this work, and who are willing to stir up the gift that 
 is in them. To commit this work to teachers indiscrimi- 
 nately, calling on persons in rotation to conduct the service, 
 merely because they are teachers, would at once secure ruin 
 to the project. No person must attempt this service who is 
 not qualified, or who is unwilling to extend his ability by 
 careful cultivation. 
 
 "For such services a separate building is most desirable, 
 if not essential. By taking the children of a school from 
 one building to another, the idea of school is broken uj), 
 and the notion of a place of worship is suggested. 
 
 "A ministry and a building are, we repeat, the means 
 required ; and these means we believe to be within the 
 reach of a large majority of Sabbath schools. The only 
 question is one of time. Can it be done immediately, or are 
 several years necessary to collect funds and to traia indivi- 
 duals for this particidar service ? That some difficulties are 
 in the path of this greatly- needed reformation, we hesitate 
 not to admit. But impediments in any career are surely 
 not to prevent our entrance upon it. Nothing worth reach- 
 ing has ever yet been gained by a smooth path ; and the 
 dela}^ which diiiiculties occasion shoidd quicken our desire 
 to attain the end; while, by eliciting our powers and 
 resources, obstacles should make the attainment of our 
 oliject doubly sure. The principle involved in separate 
 services is already acknowledged in the existence of school 
 
THE AFTERNOON ENGAGEMENTS. 101 
 
 liymn-books, and in the adaptation of school addresses to 
 the case of the scholars ; all we seem to need is, to give a 
 principle already adopted, a dear course. 
 
 "To such as are doubting on the subject of separate 
 services, and to those who decide that they cannot be es- 
 tabhshed and ought not to be tried, we say — Obseeve, 
 INQUIRE, THINK. Noticc a school of children in a place 
 of worship) — search into the effect of their attendance there 
 — check your own opinions and impressions by the testi- 
 mony of others, and then decide. But do not incur the 
 disgrace of forming a judgment vsdthout inquiry and ob- 
 servation. 
 
 "To such as are convinced that separate services are 
 desirable, we suggest : — Be patient with those, your fellow- 
 labourers, who have not reached your conclusion ; and 
 patient in waiting, if needful, an opportunity to introduce 
 the change which your own convictions siiggest. But send 
 forth the feet of the ox as well as the feet of the ass. Be 
 persevering in the use of legitimate means to attain your 
 end, while you are patient in waiting for it. Converse 
 with your pastors. Introduce the subject to the attention 
 of the parents of the children. Hold out the prospect to 
 the children themselves. And thus sowing beside all 
 waters you will assuredly be blessed in reaping the result 
 which such exertions are directed to secure. " 
 
 3. The afternoon exercises stretch over a longer 
 period, and are, therefore, the chief object of the 
 day ; the Bible lesson is reserved till then. There 
 is also, ordinarily, a better and more punctual at- 
 tendance, and the teacher is therefore not so likely 
 to be disturbed. The visitors attend at the open- 
 ing hour, to take av^ay the cards of the absentees, 
 and the record of attendance is marked. A hymn 
 is sung, prayer is offered, questions are put as to 
 
102 THE ArTERNOOT^" ENGAGEMENTS. 
 
 the explanation of the words of the lesson given 
 the previous Sabbath, and then the teacher com- 
 mences. He selects a narrative, a parable, or an 
 emblem, involving doctrine and precept, and em- 
 bodying gospel truth. He brings every appliance 
 to his aid ; — v^ith copious information, and enriching 
 by illustration, he draws the bold outline of his 
 picture, then gradually fills up the parts with mi- 
 nuteness and precision, till the lights and shadows 
 are distinctly brought out, and the work is graphi- 
 cally portrayed in the minds of his audience. He 
 breaks in upon the lesson by singing, and again 
 he recurs to it, and having secured feeling, he seeks 
 to impress truth upon the conscience and heart. 
 By pointed appeals, tender solicitations, urgent 
 warnings, he strives to lead his little ones to feel a 
 sense of sin, a need of pardon, and to rejoice in the 
 promise of a free salvation through the merits of 
 Jesus Christ. His manner is earnest, his heart is 
 warm with the work. It has spoken with the 
 hearts of his children. He has implanted some 
 fine moral sentiment, and the truths of tlie gospel, 
 clothed in the simple imagery of nature, have been 
 lodged in their proper resting-place. He feels that 
 his labour is not in vain — he thanks Grod, and 
 takes courage. The subject of the next Sabbath 
 morning's lesson is given, explained, and then re- 
 peated. If time allow, a hymn or portion of Scrip- 
 ture is then taught by dictation. Prayer is ofiered, 
 the absentee cards are received from the visitors, 
 
THE ADDRESS. 103 
 
 and tlie children are dismissed, marcliing out in 
 order, as they sing their parting hymn. 
 
 Thus we have endeavoured to sketch the outline 
 of a day's proceedings. 
 
 The following is presented as a specimen of the 
 morning address. It is by Mrs. Hooker. 
 
 CREATION or THE WOULD. 
 
 " My- dear children, you live in a pleasant world. How 
 happy it makes you to walk out in the fields, and to look 
 at all the beautiful things that God has made and given to 
 you. There is the glorious sun which sheds such a blaze 
 of liglit that your eyes can hardly bear to look at it. Have 
 you never seen it when it rises in the morning, and shines 
 ui)on the steeples and the windows, and makes the drops of 
 dew on the grass to glitter like the diamond in a lady's 
 ring ' Do you not love to look upon it when it sets in the 
 evening, with purple, and red, and golden clouds all around 
 it ? If it were not for the sun it would be always dark, 
 and we could not read or work without a candle. And if 
 we were to walk out, we coidd not see the colour of 
 the grass, or flowers, or houses, or trees ; everything woidd 
 look black. How thankful you shoidd be to God, who 
 has made the smi to give us light ! 
 
 " Then there is the moon, that rises in the evening, and 
 sends such a pleasant, soft light into your chamber win- 
 dows. And the many, many stars that twinkle every 
 clear night, all over the heavens. Do you not thank God 
 for making the bright moon, and beautifiil stars ? 
 
 "Sometimes your parents, or your elder brothers or 
 sisters, take you into the orchards and groves where you 
 can gather fruit and flowers, and hear the bird.s sing, and 
 see the little fishes swimming about in the clear rivulets. 
 Do you know who made all these things, which it makes 
 you so happy to see and hear ? Yes, you know, for your 
 parents have told you that God made them. Do you wish 
 
104 THE ADDRESS. 
 
 to learn how lie made them ? I will try to tell you out of 
 the Bible. Six thousand years ago — I do not know but 
 these are more years than some of you can count, but it 
 was a very great while ago — the great God who lives in 
 heaven above began to make this world. And he made 
 it in six days. This world is sometimes called the earth. 
 It was not difficult for God to create the earth. It was 
 very easy. He coidd have created it in a moment. But 
 he chose that it should be six days before it was finished, 
 and he rested on the seventh day. I will tell you presently 
 v)hy he rested on the seventh day. 
 
 "In the place where God chose to make the world, it was 
 very dark and gloomy. Tliere was no land to tread upon, 
 and no clear sky. And God said, Let there be light, and 
 the fight mstantly began to shine. And he divided the 
 light from the darkness, and when the light shined he 
 called it day, and when the darkness came he called it 
 night. This was the first day. 
 
 "The next day, God made the air which is all around 
 the earth. Do you know what the air is ? You cannot see 
 it, but every time you breathe you draw it into your 
 nostrils, and it goes into your body and keeps you alive. 
 And sometimes you can feel it blow upon your cheek. 
 When you see the leaves on the trees move, it is the air 
 that shakes the leaves. Do you remember, when it was 
 winter, how you drew your chairs close to the fire, and 
 heard the wind whistle, as it blew around the house and 
 through the trees ? That was the air that you heard, for 
 the wind is only the air moving very fast. The air helps 
 the plants to grow. How good God was to make the air, 
 that men and animals might breathe, and that the grass, 
 and trees, and flowers, might grow up all over the earth. 
 
 " The tloird day, the earth was aU covered with the waters. 
 And God commanded the waters to flow away from the 
 high places on the earth, and to run into the deej) places 
 which he had made for them. And the high places were 
 left dry and hard, and were called land, and the waters 
 
A SPECIMENS'. 105 
 
 were called seas and rivers. Now there was nothing to be 
 seen on the land but the brown earth, with the rocks and 
 stones scattered about upon it. And God commanded the 
 grass and trees to grow, and the earth was, in an instant, 
 covered with a beautifid green carpet of grass, and the tall 
 trees grew up in thick groves upon the hills, and the fruit 
 trees were loaded with fruit in the valleys, and the sweet 
 flowers opened their tender blossoms. 
 
 " On the fom-th day, God said, Let there be lights in the 
 heavens to divide the day from the night, so that we may 
 count the days, and the seasons, and the years. So God 
 made two great lights : the greater light, which was the 
 Sim, to shine by day ; and the lesser light, which was the 
 moon, to shine by night. He made the stars also, and set 
 them in their places in the heavens. And now the fourth 
 day ended, and the world was finished. You may think 
 how fresh and beautiful it was. But though it was so beau- 
 tifid, it was very still ; for there were no living creatm'es 
 upon it. There were no birds to sing in the branches of 
 the thick woods. There were no fishes to play in the 
 waters. There were no cattle to eat grass in the meadows. 
 God saw the earth when it was made, and said that it was 
 good ; but there were no men and women to see and admire 
 it, and praise God for his great works. The sun went down 
 that night on a silent world. 
 
 "On the fifth day, God began to create animals. He 
 spoke, and the fishes and fowls lived. Then all at once, 
 the waters were covered with fowls of every kind, which 
 sprang out of the waters, and flew away into the air. There 
 was the noble eagle, which is called the king of birds, 
 because he is larger and stronger than most birds, and he 
 can fly higher than any other bird. If you had been there, 
 you woidd have seen him rising out of the water, and 
 flying up towards the sun, which he loves very much to 
 look upon. And the pretty peacock alighted upon the 
 grass, and shook the drops of water from his bright feathers, 
 that are covered all over with spots like stars. The little 
 
106 THE ADDRESS. 
 
 birds flew into the woods, and began to build their nests 
 among the leaves of the trees. And while they were at 
 work they simg for joy. And there were a great many 
 others that I have not time to tell you about. 
 
 " But we must not forget the fishes which had just begun 
 to move about in the waters. The sea was almost filled 
 with them. Some of them have fins that help them to 
 swim very fast. Some of them are covered with a thin 
 coat of shell. These creep about on the sand, or hide in 
 the rocks at the bottom of the sea. Some of them lie quite 
 still in their shell houses. Others have wings, and can fly 
 a little way into the air ; and others live in a boat of shell, 
 and when they choose they can rise to the top of the water, 
 and put up a little sail that grows upon their bodies, and 
 the wind blows them along, just as it does ships. This is 
 all that was done on the fifth day. 
 
 " The sixth and last day was now come. And God com- 
 manded the earth to bring forth all the animals that walk 
 or creep upon the earth. And as soon as God had spoken, 
 beasts of every kind came up out of the ground. Oh ! how 
 many of them there w'ere. We cannot think of them all 
 at once, there were so many. The great elephant was there, 
 and the cunning fox, and the generous horse, and the faith- 
 ful dog, and the timid sheep. And all sorts of beasts, and 
 serpents, and insects, were there. They were very different 
 from each other. Some of them could run very swiftly. 
 Others were very strong and large. Some of them had teeth 
 and claws which were very sharp. Some of them knew a 
 great many things, and others were very ignorant and stupid. 
 Some of them chose to live alone, and they went away into 
 the mountains, and caves, and lonely places. Others, like 
 the cattle and sheep, were fond of company, and they went 
 about together, in flocks and herds. 
 
 "And now all the beasts, and birds, and fishes were 
 created, and had begim to find out their places to live in, 
 and to enjoy themselves in the way they liked best. Can 
 you think of anything else that was wanting to make this 
 world complete? Yes, there was something wanting. 
 
A SPECIMEN. 107 
 
 God had made a great many , curious animals, but not one 
 among them knew that Goct made him, or coidd under- 
 stand anything about God. And if they could not under- 
 stand anything about God, they could not love and obey 
 him. They could not pray to him. They could not thank 
 him for his goodness in making them so happy. A dog 
 knows more than other animals. You can teach your dog 
 many things. You can teach him to love you, and follow 
 you about, and to thank you when you give him food. You 
 can teach him to find your handlcerchief, if you have lost 
 it. You can teach him to watch by your house at night, 
 and keep away the thieves who wish to come in and steal. 
 He will be very sony when you are sick ; or when you 
 have fallen down and hiu-t yourself. But you cannot teach 
 him that God made him. Oh no ! If you were to tell him 
 this, he would not understand you. You love your dog for 
 being so grateful and obedient ; and you do not blame him. 
 for not thinking about God, because you knov/ he cannot 
 imderstand such things. 
 
 "So God determined to create a man and woman; and 
 to give them reason, that they might know something 
 about God, and love him, and obey him. And God made 
 Adam and Eve, and placed them in the garden of Eden. 
 It was a very fine garden, which God had made on purpose 
 for them to live in. And God told Adam and Eve that 
 they might rule over all the animals ; and he said that all 
 the animals must obey Adam and Eve. And God made 
 all the beasts, and fowls, and every living creature, to go 
 to Adam ; and Adam gave them names ; and they were 
 afterwards called by the names which Adam had given 
 them." 
 
 This should be followed by an earnest appeal to 
 the children to love this great Grod, who, when man 
 had sinned, did not spare His only Son, but gave 
 Him up, that He might become our Saviour from 
 eternal death. 
 
108 THE CHILDREN S SEEMON. 
 
 We next present a specimen of a little sermon. 
 
 THE MAN, CHRIST JESUS. 
 
 '■' BeJiold ! a Man.'" — Isa. xxxii. 1, 2. 
 
 ' ' Perhaps you will wonder, dear children, what our 
 subject is to be to-day, and what lesson we can learn from 
 this strange text. You know, that when you are told to 
 behold anything, it means that you should look attentively. 
 When the Israelites were dying from the sting of the fiery 
 serpents in the wilderness, Moses lifted up a serpent of 
 brass upon a pole, that every one might behold it, and if 
 they beheld they lived ; and when John saw Jesus walking 
 he pointed to him, and said to those who w-ere with him, 
 " 5e/ioM the Lamb of God!" he meant that they should 
 consider and think about him. And what did John's dis- 
 ciples see ? not a lamb really, but a man like themselves. 
 John called him the Lamb of God because he had come to 
 be the sacrifice for sin ; and you know that in this way the 
 lamb was a ty^e of Christ. 
 
 "Now I want to show you something; what do you 
 think it is ? a Man, yes, a wonderful Man ; and whilst I 
 try to show him to yovi, what must you do ? behold ; how 
 can you do this ? not with the eye of yo\\r body, for there 
 is no man here, and no picture to be seen, but with the eye 
 of your mind. You must give attention to what I say, for 
 I wish you to know this wonderful Man, and there are four 
 ways in which I shall describe him. 
 
 " I. He is like a liiding-place from the wind. Who likes 
 to be out in a rough blowing wind ? it is very unpleasant, 
 and sometimes very dangerous. A little while since there 
 was a gale of wind for several days, and the people who 
 lived near the sea were obliged to keep their shutters closed, 
 or the windows would have been broken. I was told of a 
 little boy, who was trying to turn the corner of a street, 
 when the strong wind met him and dashed him first against 
 the wall, and then lifted him up with its power and threw 
 him into the middle of the road. The poor child tried to 
 
A SPECIMEN. 109 
 
 stand against it, but it was no use, and he wished that he 
 was safe at home, away from the fury of the wind. This 
 was very bad, but in the country where the Jews lived the 
 wind is far more terrible ; there it comes in a whirlwind, 
 rocks are rent in pieces, strong trees are torn up by the 
 roots, houses are thrown down, and people are killed ; and 
 in the sandy desert there is a scorching furious wind, of 
 which travellers are always afraid. It comes suddenly, 
 and overtakes them perhaps in the middle of some barren 
 l)lain. The clouds of sand roll quickly on, and threaten 
 to smother them ; and the blast of the A^-ind is like fire, 
 bm-ning them by its touch. They look aroimd in search 
 of help. Oh, what woidd these poor travellers give for a 
 hiding-place ! They urge the camels onwards, and run to 
 escape the danger ; but the wmd is swifter than they are, 
 it overtakes them, and they are buried ahve. 
 
 "This wonderful Man is a hiding-place from such a wind 
 as this : he has power to say Peace ! and its fury is hushed 
 and over. A company of fishermen were tossing in a little 
 boat upon the water, when suddenly the wind arose, dark 
 clouds gathered quickly and spread themselves over the 
 sky, the sea lashed and foamed, and the vessel on the 
 waves was nearly uj)set. What could these fishermen do ? 
 Down at the side of the boat their friend was sleeping : 
 they went to him and cried, " Lord, save, we perish ;" and 
 he arose and rebuked the wind and waves, and there was 
 a calm. It was but a word he spoke, dear children, but 
 even the wind heard and obeyed. You know that in the 
 Bible, when people who are wicked and sinfid are spoken 
 of, they are compared to chaff" (they are like the chaff 
 which the wind driveth away). This is the useless part of 
 the corn : but the wheat is the precious part, and that is 
 gathered safely into the barn, where no wind can blow; 
 that is its hiding-place. 
 
 "Do you want a refuge, dear child? if you think you do, 
 come, and I will show you one. Behold ! a Man — Jesus ; 
 he is our hiding-place if we put our trust in him ; and 
 
110 THE childre:n^'s seemo:n'. 
 
 when the wind blows, and the wicked are driven away, if 
 you are close to the Savioui', a-nd keep fast hold upon him, 
 you are safe. 
 
 "11. He is like a covert from the tempest — There were 
 two boys who lived at home with their father and mother ; 
 it was a comfortable, pleasant home, and their parents 
 were kind, and did all they could to make these children 
 happy. But as they grew older, one boy became very dis- 
 contented and disobedient, he wished to be his own master, 
 and do as he pleased ; and at last he left his nice home, 
 and became a wanderer. He thought that he should enjoy 
 going into the coimtry, and he expected to be very happy, 
 visiting places he had never seen before. He did not miss 
 his home at first ; but presently black clouds gathered in 
 the sky, the thunder roUed, the lightning came with vivid 
 flashes, and the rain and hail poured down. The boy crept 
 under the trees to cover himself, but this was not safe, for 
 the lightning struck the tree, and he was nearly killed. 
 He could not stay there ; he looked around, hoping to see 
 some house where he could find shelter, but there was none. 
 All his feeling of pleasiu-e was gone ; he was wet, and cold, 
 and frightened, and he longed to be at home. He had 
 often heard the thunder, and seen the tempest, but he had 
 never been afraid, because then he was at hoine, and he 
 knew that his father was near ; but now he could bear it 
 no longer, he resolved to turn back and seek his home 
 again. The tempest had taught him a good lesson about 
 the value of home. 
 
 " This boy is like us, — in a world of sin ; we are wander- 
 ers because we like to leave our Father's house, and go in 
 our own ways. Soon the tempest will come — that is, 
 trouble and sorrow in ou.r hearts, like a storm, and what 
 shall we do then ? 
 
 "Dear children, behold a Man ! Jesus is a covert from 
 the tempest of sin and sorrov/ ; he is waiting for you to 
 return to him, and as soon as he sees you coming he will 
 meet you and take yo\i safely into his home. 
 
A SPECIMEN". Ill 
 
 " III. He is lilie rivers of water in a dry lilace. — 
 A sandy desert is the driest place of ■which we know ; 
 tliere the traveller journeys on day after day and finds 
 no water ; all that he has carried in his leathern bottles is 
 gone, and he longs for a cooling fountain where he may 
 slake his thirst. There are few plants or shrubs that will 
 grow in this barren soil, but presently the traveller comes 
 to one at which he stops ; there is a curious flower upon it 
 like a cup with a lid fitting to the top, it is the famous 
 pitcher-plant, made to grow in desert lands. When the 
 rain pours down, this flower lifts up its Hd, and lets the 
 di'ops fall in until the cup is full, then the Hd shuts down, 
 and the water is ready for the first thirsty traveller ; but 
 there is not much, it is soon emptied, and very often it 
 makes you long for water more even than you did before. 
 
 "Through those sandy deserts there once travelled a 
 large company of people. There were men, women, and 
 children journeying in parties together ; some rode on 
 camels, and others walked, and they carried with them 
 many poles and sticks to form their tents, and cloths to 
 stretch over them to be their shelter when they rested. 
 But presently they stop ; are they going to pitch their tents ? 
 No : some are fallen down by the road side ; they are 
 fainting— the dryness of the sandy desert, and the scorching- 
 heat of the Sim, have taken away all their strength ; and 
 there is a cry from all that company, ' Water, water ! give 
 us water, or we shall die.' There is a leader for these 
 people, but what can he do? — can he make water spring 
 up in a desert? No; biit God can, and by his command 
 this leader strikes the hard, dry rock, and out of it instantly 
 there gushes a river of water, which rmis down by the side 
 of the thirsty people, and all can drink. What a change 
 is made in the desert ! a few minutes before they were 
 fainting, and lying down to die ; but now they are refreshed 
 by the water, and their strength has come to them again ; 
 the desert seems a pleasant place, and all are happy again. 
 
 "Dear children, when we want anything there is a feel- 
 
112 THE CHILDEEN's SERMO]!f. 
 
 ing like thirst in oiir soiils. David says, ' As tlie hart 
 panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after 
 thee, God.' When we have what we want, we are 
 satisfied and happy ; l)ut we must not expect to be hapj)y 
 with the pleasures which this world can give : they are 
 like the cup of water in the pitcher- plants, which the 
 traveller drinks and then wishes for more. 
 
 ^^ Behold! a Man. He is like rivers of water in a dry- 
 place. Jesus says that peace shall flow like a river for his 
 children, and he promises to be in them like a well of water 
 springing up imto everlasting life. Have you a thirsting 
 feeling in your heart, dear child ? go to this Saviour, and 
 ask him to give you hving water — that is, real, lasting 
 happiness. 
 
 ' ' Now we come to the f omi/h thing which this wonderful 
 Man is like. 
 
 "IV. The shadoio of a (jreat rock in a iveary land. — 
 It is morning, and the shepherd is leading his flock into 
 the dewy fields where they may take their morning meal ; 
 then he guides them to the streams where refreshing waters 
 nm ; and whilst the day is cool, the little lambs sport about 
 and are happy : but presently the sun mounts up into the 
 sky, it is clear and hot, and no clouds are there to give a 
 pleasant shade. The glittering dew is gone, the grass is 
 scorched and burnt, and the flowers droop and hang their 
 heads ; everything looks tired, and the sheep wish for some 
 shady place where they may lie down to rest. They cannot 
 find it themselves ; but the shepherd does not forget their 
 wants. He calls them by name, and bids them follow 
 whilst he carries the young lambs, and gently leads the 
 rest out of that hot weary laud, down under the shadow of 
 the tall rocks where they may sleep and rest, and be safe 
 from the burning heat. Oh, how glad the sheep are when 
 they come into this pleasant shelter, and they love to get as 
 near under the rock as possible, that they may find the 
 coolest place. 
 
 "Dear children, we are like that flock, and sometimes 
 
A SPECIMETf. 113 
 
 we feel tired and weary in our hearts ; then we wish to 
 have rest, we think we should like to be comforted. Beltold ! 
 a Man; Jesus is like the shadow of a rock, — he gives ease 
 and comfort to those who are tired, and he never forgets 
 the lambs. 
 
 "Let me lead you into this shady resting-place. There 
 is a beautiful hymn of Dr. Watts' s about this text ;— I will 
 tell you one verse : 
 
 ' Where is the shadow of that rock, 
 Which from the sun defends thy floe k 
 Fain would I dwell among thy sheep. 
 Among them feed, among them sleep. ' 
 "Behold this wonderful Man, dear children, a hiding- 
 plax^e, a covert, a river, a rock, — and tell me what do you 
 
 think of Jesus ? Can any one else do so much for you ? 
 
 woidd you not like to speak to him and ask him to be your 
 Saviour and your friend ? I wish you to do so now, because 
 I know he will listen to your prayer, and you will be happy 
 children. " * 
 
 The afternoon address might be upon the plan 
 of the following sketch of a Bible lesson by Mr. 
 Curwen. 
 
 HOW TO STUDY — EMBLEMS. 
 
 Thoroughly to appreciate the force and beauty of an 
 emblem— what does a child require ? Let us consider ; for 
 whatever the child's feeble understanding and mitrained 
 reason may require, that have we to provide. He requires 
 to have on his mind — 
 
 1st, a picture of the thing which is shown as an emblem. 
 
 2ndly, a i^icture of the object which it represents, and 
 
 Srdly, the two pictures shown together, and compared. 
 
 His mind, then, in vivid possession of this "image gf 
 truth," is ready to feel its personal application, which the 
 teacher may make by question, anecdote, warning, or 
 entreaty. 
 
 * " Seraions for my Infant Class." 
 
 I 
 
114 THE BIBLE LESSOK. 
 
 Let these simple rules be remembered, and the teacber 
 need never be at a loss — how to deal vdth an emhlem. The 
 following is the outline of a lesson prepared upon this plan. 
 The words in italics are supposed to be "put in" by the 
 children. 
 
 " We all do fade as a leaf.^^ 
 
 I. Picture : — the leaf — on the tree — in summer, green, 
 spreading out, strong— the stalk holds it firmly to the 
 branch — the winds cannot blow it off : — in autumn it grows 
 brown — shrivels up — the stalk is weak — a little breeze 
 comes — the stalk breaks — the withered leaf is tossed about 
 in the air — soon it lies on the damp ground, and you have 
 passed through a place where the faded leaves lie, and you 
 have kicked them about and trampled them under foot. 
 
 II. Picture : — I have seen a little child — playing in the 
 wind— strong and ruddy like any of you — I heard his loud 
 and cheerful voice — next day he was taken ill — I saw him 
 — pale — thin— weak — not able to lift his hand — his eye had 
 lost its light — he could only speak in a whisper — soon he 
 (jied — I saw the funeral go along the street — his body was 
 laid in the grave — ^worms fed on it. 
 
 III. That little child was once like the... Zm/ on the... 
 tree. It spreads itself out. It was... green a-nd... strong, 
 and the winds coidd not... blow it off. But soon the little 
 boy was ill Sind... 2Mle and... weak, and then he was like the 
 leaf when it grew... brown and... shrivelled. And soon he 
 ...died and was... &m Wed That was like the leaf when the 
 ...wind came, and it fell and you trampled it imder. . .yoMr 
 
 feet. We all do fade as a leaf. 
 
 IV. The ap2ylication. — How strong you look now ! Per- 
 haps you will soon fade like that little boy, and like the 
 leaf. Where will your sovds be when your bodies are laid 
 in the ground ? Ask Jesus to take care of your sotds when 
 your bodies fade. Your sovds wiU never fade. You cannot 
 tell which leaf of the tree will fall first. Which of you, 
 dear children, will be the first to die ? 
 
THE MISSIONAET AFTEENOON. 115 
 
 CHAPTEE yil. 
 
 SPKCIAL MEANS OF USEFULNESS. 
 
 1. Tlie Missionary Afternoon. 2. The Pence Bank. 3. 
 Week Meetings loith Parents. 4. Visitation — by Teachers 
 — by Special Visitors. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be well to suggest a few plans 
 of a special character, which have been adopted in 
 some infant classes with considerable success. 
 
 1. The missionary afternoon. This is the devo- 
 tion of an entire afternoon once a quarter, to the 
 subject of missions, taking each time a different 
 place on the map, and thus visiting the various 
 stations of the missionary field. 
 
 Children should be encouraged to love this holy 
 enterprise, to offer prayer for its success, and to 
 contribute to its funds, but what they give should 
 be given with a knowledge of the work which is 
 being done, and without the slightest urging. The 
 appeals for money should not be too frequent. 
 Parents and children alike object to it, and the 
 feelings such applications arouse are not favourable 
 to the cause. Pew children have money of their 
 own, and many cannot possibly obtain it, yet none 
 like to be behind their fellows. We have known 
 many a poverty-stricken child weep bitter tears, 
 not because he could not aid the cause of missions, 
 but because he could not do as others did. It is a 
 
116 THE PENCE BANK. 
 
 good thing to devote the money the class eon- 
 tributes to something specific. They like to see, 
 and their little thoughts go out with, as their 
 prayers often follow, the things sent ; while 
 nothing delights them so much as having "an 
 answer back," Thus, some classes expend the col- 
 lection upon the purchase of scripture maps and 
 pictures, for the use of infant schools at mission- 
 ary stations, or for the support of a native teacher. 
 An afternoon thus spent affords a pleasant 
 variety, and if any objects of interest can be ex- 
 hibited, or a missionary be present to tell his own 
 simple tale, so much the better. It afi"ords one of 
 the best kinds of reward for children. It is re- 
 garded as a treat, and looked forward to with eager 
 expectation. 
 
 2. The Fence Bank. This may be established 
 for the elder children, and in connexion with the 
 junior classes of the main school. It forms no part 
 of the Sunday plan, but should be open on the 
 Monday, or some other day. Conducted with re- 
 gularity, it will cherish habits of providence, and 
 little children of four years of age will present 
 their weekly penny with aU the decorum of adult 
 depositors.* 
 
 3. Week Meetings. The teacher's work does not 
 
 * The first institution of this kind estabHshed in London, 
 was commenced by the minister of WycHffe Chapel, many 
 years ago, and has succeeded far beyond the expectation of 
 its founder. 
 
WEEK MEETITfGS. 117 
 
 close with the Sabbath. It is an every- day duty ; 
 and to make parents feel that we care for their 
 children, and love them, we must show it by in- 
 teresting ourselves in their home concerns. Invi- 
 tations *(by sections) to the children and parents to 
 occasional meetings are highly prized. They afford 
 the opportunity of obtaining a closer insight into 
 character, and give us a ready passport at all times 
 to the humble dwellings of the poor. 
 
 4. Visitation. This is a work belonging to the 
 teacher, and, to be useful, must be systematically 
 attended to. It is far too much neglected, and 
 little do we know the amount of moral power we 
 are deprived of, by not availing ourselves of the 
 privilege. Happy is the teacher who knows his 
 children at home, who acquaints himself with the 
 concerns of their every-day life. The very assur- 
 ance by the child, that the teacher knows his 
 parents, is, in point of discipline, a fulcrum upon 
 which the lever may be placed with the utmost 
 advantage, and the appeal is conclusive. 
 
 But there is another kind of visitation, for which 
 a special agency is needed. We refer to that which 
 should be made on the Sabbath, during the unex- 
 plained absence of children. It will be apparent 
 that the teacher cannot do this. Supplemental aid 
 is demanded, and he must look to the church to 
 afford it. Such visitors will take the cards of ab- 
 sentees * in the morning, and noting the cause of 
 * See remarks on "Class Requisites," page 76. 
 
118 YISITATIOK OF ABSENTEES. 
 
 abscDce in eacli case, will return them before the 
 close of the afternoon school. Pacts which would 
 otherwise be unknown, are thus brought to the 
 knowledge of the teacher,* and in cases of illness, 
 he is made aware of the necessity of his own at- 
 tendance. Surely there are some in every church, 
 who, though unable from physical causes to endure 
 the confinement of the school, would gladly under- 
 take this most unexceptionable and useful post of 
 duty. 
 
 * George Roberts, a boy of nine years old, had been 
 very irregidar, but he always pleaded that his mother did 
 not get him ready, and so he could not come to school in the 
 morning. A visitor called one Sunday morning :— "Good 
 morning; where's George?" "Why, gone to school." 
 " But he is not there ! " "Not there ! — he went with Joe 
 Fletcher, over the way there." "But he is not there 
 either," said the visitor. "Well, you 'maze me, sir, I send 
 him reg'lar." "But you see," said the visitor, showing 
 the attendance list, "that he does not come." A new 
 light breaks in upon the mother's mind. Her boy is de- 
 ceiving her ; he has done so long — it is a habit, and no one 
 has told her. George comes home at one o'clock. "Well 
 lad, and where's thou been ?" The boy does as he has done 
 a score times before ; he lies, and braves it out, ' ' telling 
 the text" as glibly as if he had heard it, and that with 
 interest. The poor mother undeceives him, and shows him 
 his sin. We were to blame that she did not know before. 
 Is it likely the boy will jilay truant again ? No, he knows 
 that the visitor will be down upon him at the yery time of 
 his absence. 
 
THE LAW OF LOVE MUST EFLE. 119 
 
 CHAPTER yill. 
 
 DISCIPLINE. 
 
 1. Authority must be enforced. 2. Punishments. 3. Mode 
 of reproof. 4. Rewards — tM ticket systemi, 
 
 1. Theee are few subjects, perhaps, less studied 
 by the teacher than that of discipline, and yet it 
 requires, in such a work as this, prominent notice. 
 As " order is heaven's first law," so authority is the 
 chief instrument in education. Obedience is the 
 first step towards religion. And if an infant class 
 is to be well conducted, there must be the most 
 uncompromising authority ; not power injudiciously 
 employed, but that wholesome discipline of which 
 the poet speaks, when he says, 
 
 ' ' Such autliority 
 Is but the graver countenance of love." 
 
 Lax discipline engenders self-indulgence and ob- 
 stinaoy, — severity, mutiny, and rebellion ; while as 
 Dr. Johnson says, " severe treatment may be the 
 way to govern children, but it is not the way to 
 mend them." 
 
 "We have known teachers, under very false im- 
 pressions on this subject, lecture, threaten, punish, 
 and take every way but the right one, to correct 
 
120 CRTIKG NOT ALWAYS AK OrFEiffCE. 
 
 disobedience, and of course in vain. If tlie teacTier 
 is as we have described him, he will know of how 
 little value are knocks and blows, and how potent 
 is the firmness of love. Have we not seen the 
 contrast in our schools ? There is one child whose 
 spirit has been cowed, broken, and depressed by- 
 severe measures, trembling at the teacher's pre- 
 sence, fearing to meet his look. Another, open 
 and frank, cheerfully awaits his teacher's coming, 
 and holds out the hand to welcome him. From 
 which do we get the obedience we seek ? This is 
 the question for the teacher of infants. Then, 
 again, a child's cry may express one of two things : 
 it may betoken uneasiness or pain, or it may be 
 the result of a desire to have its " own way." It 
 were folly not to distinguish between an appeal 
 for help, and an outbreak of passion, and yet some 
 teachers make crying of itself a punishable offence. 
 
 Authority does not require a harsh or angry 
 tone. A teacher loses all his dignity and influence 
 the moment he loses self-control, and betrays 
 temper in his voice. A calm and decided tone is 
 the dictate of affection. Austerity will drive our 
 children from the class. Their attendance there 
 is voluntary, and as the instruction of a severe 
 teacher cannot be very attractive, his discipline, 
 will soon deprive him of the presence of his audi- 
 tory. 
 
 2. "We perfectly concur vtdth the fair authoress 
 of the Prize Essay on Sunday Schools, in her re- 
 
THE VALUE OE ELOGQING AEEIEMED. 121 
 
 marks upon rewards, but with the utmost deference 
 for her experience, we entirely dissent from her 
 views upon the subject oi punishments, as fou5id in 
 the following passage : 
 
 " Corporeal punishment and expulsion are both some- 
 times necessary. There are many who object to the use 
 of stripes at any time. Our appeal is to the Scriptm'es ; 
 we take the word of God, and find there, ' Thou shalt 
 beat him with the rod, and so save his soul from hell.' 
 'He that spareth the rod, hateth his son.' 'Withhold 
 not correction from thy son ; if thou beat him with the rod, 
 he shall not die.' Can language be plainer? Have we 
 any right to alter it so as to suit oiu- preconceived notions ? 
 Corj)oreal pimisliment is often effectual in sa^dng a child 
 when everything else fails. To prevent mistakes, we must 
 define what we mean by the term : not a rap on the head ; 
 not shaking or pulling, pushing or struggling; not blows 
 or kicks ; not punishment with the rod when the super- 
 intendent is angry ; but calm, deliberate flogging, so 
 severely inflicted as to make a child really suffer. A little 
 girl, about six, whose mother was a thorough profligate, 
 committed such indecencies, and used language so revolt- 
 ing, that it was deemed impossible to retain her in the 
 school. Every means but flogging was resorted to, and 
 entirely failed in effecting the least improvement. The 
 superintendent said she was too young for expulsion to 
 benefit her ; and though flogging was against the rules of 
 the school, he determined to try it. Little miss soon gave 
 him an opportunity ; he solemnly led her into the vestry 
 by herself, and inflicted a very severe chastisement ; then 
 left her alone for about half an hour. On returning he sat 
 down by her, and with tears of kindness talked to her 
 about God, sin, hell, and Jesus, till her httle heart was 
 melted ; and from that hour she was an altered child. 
 
 "Corporeal punishment, with us, includes all the accom- 
 paniments here mentioned. The younger the child, the 
 
122 IS IT so? 
 
 more valuable this mode of correction. Little children of 
 three or four will sometimes, whoa offended, throw them- 
 selve^nto violent passions, kicking and screaming. In all 
 such cases, when the fit of anger has subsided, moderate 
 infliction of bodily pain is the best punishment. We have 
 seen superintendents allow themselves to be governed by- 
 children of three or four years of age, permitting them, 
 instead of going to their class, to sit or walk with their 
 brother or sister. This is highly injiirious to the formation 
 of the child's moral character! 
 
 "A superintendent's greatest difficulty often arises from 
 the misconduct of the scholars at public worship. A few 
 strokes with a cane inflicted on the hand of every naughty 
 child, immediately after the conclusion of the service, will 
 effect a material change for the better. We do not recom- 
 mend this plan ; it is the best we know, but we do not like 
 it, for a cane should not be in daily use. Flogging is re- 
 commended to be impartially tried in all cases of direct 
 wilful disobedience on the part of little children, persisted 
 on in the face of the whole school. It will be found that 
 when the infant classes are taught separately, corporeal 
 punishment is wholly unnecessary. " * 
 
 Notwithstanding the plea of scripture authority, 
 we cannot consent to the introduction of that 
 " calm deliberate flogging, so severely inflicted as 
 to make a child really suffer," and to its becoming 
 part of the code of the infant class on the ground 
 that the younger the child, the more valuable is 
 this mode of correction ; " nor can we see how the 
 force of the argument is altered by the fact of the 
 infant class being " taught separately," if it be true 
 that " little children of three and four " ought to 
 be thus punished. If "love is to be the atmo- 
 * Mrs. David's "Prize Essay" (ch. vi. p. 203). 
 
BANISH THE SCOXIEGE. 123 
 
 sphere of the class," * let rods and canes be for 
 ever put aside. No teacher who is qualified need 
 ever, in our judgment, resort to physical fbrce. 
 Not a touch, not a blow — no hand need be raised 
 to chastise where a loving heart exerts its benign 
 influence. This system may humble and crush, but 
 such chastening does not amend. Let us have no 
 appeals to fear, unless we wish to reduce our pupils 
 to bondage, but let us claim the higher privilege of 
 pleading at a nobler tribunal. Our appeal is to 
 principles and to parental authority. The scourge 
 has no place in the infant class. It may beget a 
 slavish and servile obedience, but this is not the 
 obedience of the Bible. The child's idea of punish- 
 ment, when thus administered, is that it gratifies 
 the teacher. " Do you punish me because you 
 love me?" said a little girl. "Most certainly," 
 replied her teacher ; " did you think it was a plea- 
 sant thing to punish ? " " Why, when I teaze my 
 little brothers, it makes me glad to see them un- 
 comfortable, and I thought perhaps grown-up 
 people feel the same when they punish us." 
 
 "Wolsey, in his letter to a schoolmaster, says, — 
 " One point that we think proper to be noticed as 
 of first importance is, that the tender age of youth 
 be never urged with severe blows, or harsh threats, 
 or, indeed, any sort of tyranny. For by this in- 
 judicious treatment, all sprightliness of genius either 
 is destroyed, or it is at any rate considerably 
 * "Prize Essay, "p, 198. 
 
124 HOW TO PUIs^ISH. 
 
 damped." An experienced inlant teacher, whose 
 class numbers above 150 little ones, says, — " In my 
 own school there has never been punishment further 
 than the detention of a child for the purpose of a 
 little quiet talk about a fault, or a refusal to shake 
 hands at parting. This has been enough for 
 children of all temperaments and characters. 
 Severer methods may produce a greater appearance 
 of order, but I cannot believe that they ever put 
 the child upon the way to govern himself, and cer- 
 tainly they do not tend to what we chiefly want, 
 the conversion of the heart." Stow says, " corporeal 
 punishment in schools tends to harden the heart or 
 break the spirit." We may rest assured, the best 
 discipline is based upon freedom, mildness, sym- 
 pathy, and affection ; and, with Eoger Ascham, we 
 believe it true, that " children are sooner allured 
 by love, than driven by beating ;" and if so in the 
 classical school, how much more in the Sabbath 
 school, and the infant class. Locke admits that 
 rigour is needed in early years, where tenderness is 
 usually displayed, but he opposes all corporeal 
 punishment. " Such sort of slavish discipline," he 
 says, "makes a slavish temper." Ingenuous shame, 
 and the apprehension of displeasure, are the only 
 true or necessary restraints. 
 
 3. If we were asked what modes of reproof ^hovXdi 
 be adopted, we should say. Let the punishment be 
 as mild as the nature of the case will permit, and 
 such as will have an improving influence, taking 
 
TET TUE POWER OF GEIfTLEJfESS. 125 
 
 care that while we gain ascendancy over the mind, 
 
 we keep a firm hold of the affections of the heart. 
 
 " Speak kindly to the little child, 
 Lest from his heart you drive away 
 The light of love;" 
 
 Employ no severe reproaches, or cutting satire, nor 
 bring him in front of the gallery for public and 
 ignominious exposure, seeing that shame will never 
 effectually deter children from doing what is ^Tong ; 
 and if it do, it is the fear of man, and not the fear 
 of Grod, that is before their eyes. N^either fines 
 nor tasks are needed. We firmly believe that the 
 eye of the teacher, and his mild reproving voice, 
 will work far more wonderful results than any 
 instrument of bodily torture. Removal from the 
 seat, detention after school, expostulation and 
 prayer, are more effectual than any punishment we 
 know; and sure we are, from some experience 
 ourselves, and from the accumulated testhnony of 
 others, that the power of gentleness is irresistible. 
 
 Therefore we say, that while obedience must be 
 enforced, we must exercise great care and discri- 
 mination in what we require, for the thing ordered 
 must he done. " Make but few laws, and see that 
 they are well obeyed when made." A child must 
 never be suffered to have its own way. The contest 
 may be long and painful, but firmness will gain the 
 victory, and once for all. The teacher's Avord once 
 passed, must not be broken, any more in his 
 requirements of the children, than in his praise or 
 
126 HOW TO EEWAED. 
 
 blame of their efforts. Health, temper, constitu- 
 tional weakness, all have a decided effect upon the 
 conduct and mental powers, and allowance must be 
 made accordingly. Pretfulness may usually be 
 traced to physical causes, and also timidity and 
 nervousness. Listlessness, or apparent laziness, 
 often arises from high imaginative powers, which 
 leave a child dreaming iipon some point that has 
 caught his fancy, long after the subject has been 
 disposed of. 
 
 Discipline may be carried on most effectually 
 without any outward acts. Constant surveillance 
 is the best system. Not a suspicious, but a watchful 
 eye, ever upon our children, will anticipate and 
 prevent evils, which an occasional look finds out 
 only when the deed is done. After all, let us strive 
 to keep our children well employed, aU at work, 
 and all interested, remembering the wise couplet, 
 
 "Satan finds some mischief still 
 For idle hands to do." 
 
 4. If the dispensation of punishments is difficult, 
 the distribution of rewards is scarcely less so. 
 Grreat discrimination is needed, and the most inti- 
 mate acquaintance with the character and tempera- 
 ment of our children. Locke speaks of " a nice 
 study of children's tempers," before punishment is 
 decided on, and the same thing must be said of 
 natural ahilifies in the case of rewards. 
 
 'For this reason we see serious objections to the 
 ticket system, especially in the infant class. Infants 
 
THE TICKET SYSTEM. 127 
 
 have not the control of their own time. It does 
 not depend on themselves, generally speaking, 
 whether they come early or not. Neither have all 
 children the same capacity for committing to me- 
 mory or receiving instruction. One may have tried 
 all the week long to remember the verse, and fail — 
 another, without an effort, repeats it. The reward 
 should rather be giv.en to the former than the latter, 
 and yet we do not so adjudge it. "VYe reward 
 intellectual, at the expense of moral qualities. 
 
 As the highest style of punishment ought to be 
 the disapprobation of the teacher, so self-approval 
 and the teacher's love should be the greatest reward. 
 Let us give praise and encouragement, but not gifts 
 and tickets. We believe the system fosters envy, 
 hatred, and uncharitableness, to a great degree. 
 The tickets are looked upon too often as money, 
 and have a currency of their own. Elder children 
 purchase or steal them from the little ones, and 
 bartering and trafficking are carried on to a fearful 
 extent. If rewards are given, let it be to the whole 
 class, — a book for each, adapted to the capacity 
 of each, and only withheld in cases of grave delin- 
 quency. 
 
128 INFANT PIETY — HOW TO DEAL WITH IT. 
 
 CHAPTEE IX. 
 
 SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES NEEDING SPECIAL ATTENTION. 
 
 1. Infant Piety. 2. Removals. 3. Eetention of Influence. 
 4. How success is to he calculated. 
 
 INFANT PIETY. 
 
 1. Let not a teaclier be surprised to hear a child 
 say, " Teacher, what must I do to be saved ? " 
 Are we prepared for such an inquiry, are we 
 earnestly looking out for it? And yet this we 
 have a right to look for, for to this the needle of 
 our compass always points. "We have seen that it 
 is reasonable to expect to see the simple faith of a 
 little child, looking to Grod for mercy and pardon 
 through Jesus Christ, and we are at fault if our 
 attention is ever diverted from this our avowed 
 object. Let the influence of our class-room be 
 like that of the dwelling of Tenelon, where an 
 infidel was residing for a brief space, but long 
 enough to force him to exclaim, " Let me go from 
 this house, or I shall be a Christian." Would 
 that our influence were of such a constraining 
 character. Nevertheless, the greatest caution is 
 necessary in ascertaining what are the evidences of 
 a child's piety, and whether, at so early an age, he 
 should be encouraged to make a public profession 
 
LOOK FOE DECISION. 129 
 
 of his faith. How should we treat a child, the 
 subject of such serious impressions ? The practice 
 too often has been either to discourage and keep 
 back, or to precipitate a decision. Is there no 
 middle course ? Let us adopt it. Not too hopeful, 
 not too credulous, quietly waiting, carefully ob- 
 serving. If fruit appear, examine it, and do not 
 take it to be good without the scrutiny. Todd 
 says, — " The judgment day wiU doubtless show mul- 
 titudes of cases in which a child was led to the 
 foot of Calvary, and so near the cross, that he 
 could almost touch it, but who from that point 
 turned back to sin and ruin in consequence of not 
 having a teacher who kept the conversion of his 
 soul constantly before him." If this be true, and 
 who can doubt it, what fear should we entertain 
 lest Ave incur so great a responsibility ! 
 
 Let the utmost freedom of access be given for 
 earnest conversation and prayer. The child will 
 talk to his teacher about his difficulties and doubts, 
 more readily than to his relations. We must 
 search after motives, and look to the conflict 
 within, not placing so much dependence upon 
 words, as upon character and habits. A devotional 
 frame of mind, a love of truth, and a spirit of self- 
 sacrifice, are the sure tokens of a work of grace 
 within. " Oh," said a little girl, " if people want to 
 go to heaven, why don't they get ready?" In- 
 fancy is the best time for this preparation. Let 
 us look for piety in our infant classes. 
 
130 HOW TO BEAE EEMOYALS. 
 
 "We need to correct an error. Many children 
 are led to a decision by a fear of death that takes 
 possession of them. Teachers must beware of this. 
 The ignorant and the guilty stand in awe of death, 
 but the heart of the little cbild should be familiar 
 with it. At the very threshold, it seems hard to 
 talk of the end of the journey ; but since that 
 journey may be short, it is wise to look to the end. 
 Not with the tone of sadness, or with the brow of 
 gloom, — faith, hope, and joy, require not these; 
 but at the grave of infancy, in the place of tombs, 
 we would have children become conversant with 
 death, and learn how God giveth his beloved sleep. 
 The transplanted flower, the victor's palm, the 
 crown of glory, the heavenly home, these are the 
 themes for our discourse, as we 
 
 "Walk thoughtful on the silent solemn shore, 
 Of that vast ocean we must sail so soon. " 
 
 EEMOYALS. 
 
 2. "WTien solid food is required, the teeth appear, 
 adapted in kind and number to the wants of the 
 body. Thus it is with the mind, and taking into 
 consideration the time that a child has been in the 
 class, and his character, a teacher may soon judge 
 when is the fitting season for transferring him to 
 the main school, and usually this will occur about 
 the eighth year. After such a course of training, 
 this separation will be a severe trial, but it is a 
 bounden duty, and no teacher, by giving way to 
 
HOW TO RETAIN INFLUENCE. 131 
 
 his own feeling, ought to ohstruet the interests of 
 any child. His aftection entwines round the heart 
 of the teacher, and it would be a cruel thing to cut 
 down the clinging tendrils. Happily, this is not 
 necessary, and the removal by no means precludes 
 the continuance of that intercourse which has been 
 so beneficial. 
 
 RETENTION OF INFLUENCE. 
 
 3. Children should leave us reluctantly. It 
 would be a bad sign if there were no regrets at 
 parting. Usually, the feelings are overwhelmed, 
 and this is a proof of the deep interest the child 
 has in his teacher. Such interest gives influence, 
 and we must hold fast the clue to the heart, 
 wherever it goes, determined, as far as we can, to 
 aid it in achieving the rugged paths and steep 
 ascents of future life. AYhat becomes of our chil- 
 dren ? Alas ! we lose them in the general crowd. 
 It ought not so to be, for if we were w4se, we 
 should bind them by a magic power, not irksome, 
 but pleasant. 
 
 Individual teaching we object to, but this indi- 
 vidual dealing we heartily commend. We should 
 stiU visit their houses, as far as we are able. We 
 should hold their names in our pocket-books, as of 
 old. "We should keep up communication with 
 their new teachers, for just as the medical man 
 who has had our health in his care from infancy, 
 know more of us than any other, so, without 
 
132 HOW TO CALCULATE SUCCESS. 
 
 interfering, we can give advice and suggestions of 
 the most valuable kind. 
 
 By all means, let us encourage a continuance of 
 the corresvondence. Letters can reach where our 
 voice cannot be heard, and beyond the reach of our 
 vision, our influence may stretch far and wide, an 
 electric telegraph of love. The letter thus written, 
 neglected though it be, is yet seed sown, and that 
 such seed is not lost, the lives of Harlan Page, 
 Cranfield, and others, abundantly testify. Ah, 
 from what depths of misery might we rescue many 
 a fallen one, did we only know their case, — misery 
 from which, if this intercourse had been kept up, 
 they might have been preserved! "How do you 
 manage these great boys ?" said a London visitor to 
 the lady who superintended a large school, which 
 no one else could control. Her open desk dis- 
 played the instruments of talismanic power. 
 Bundles of letters took the place of the canes and 
 rods. She corresponded with the boys, and held 
 her surprising influence by this means; for, as 
 truly as we say, " Litera scripta manet," may we 
 aver that this class of influence is undying. 
 
 HOW TO CALCULATE SUCCESS. 
 
 4. The optician makes his compass, he does his 
 best, and leaves it. The watchmaker constructs 
 his chronometer, the author writes his book. They 
 each complete a work, but how seldom do they 
 know the results ! Did that needle, pointing to the 
 
HOW TO CALCULATE SUCCESS. 133 
 
 pole, guide any wanderer across the ocean to the 
 desired haven? Does that watch, passing from 
 clime to clime in the possession of its owner, still 
 maintain its original precision? Has that book 
 led men to think correctly, to act righteously, and 
 to teach others so to do ? Who can tell, and of 
 whom is the teacher to learn the results of his 
 labours ? . They do appear at times, as solitary 
 instances, they would oftener present their testi- 
 mony were he more diligent in his inquiries, but 
 the fruits of faithfulness do not generally gladden 
 our eye. Let the patience of hope cheer the heart. 
 The record is on hi^h ! 
 
134 IKFLUEITCES FOR GOOD. 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 THE RELATIONS SUSTAINED BY THE INFANT CLASS. 
 
 1. To the Sunday ScJwol 2. To the Day Schdol. 3. To 
 Pa7-ents. 4. To the Ministry atid the Church of Christy 
 5. Reasons for encouragement. 
 
 1. To the Sunday school. The relation of the 
 infant class to the Sunday school is a subject of 
 some importance, and while we cannot discuss the 
 question here at length, we would strongly urge 
 the necessity of a separate management, that is, that 
 the teacher, in his plans and operations, should be 
 his own master, unfettered by any but the general 
 rules of the school. Since the best teacher is se- 
 lected for the work, and seeing that his plans are 
 of necessity peculiar and diversified, the fullest 
 confidence should be reposed in him. 
 
 The benefits derived by the main school are 
 incalculable. The children who are to fill the 
 classes, come to them already trained in habits of 
 order, obedience, and attention. Able to read the 
 Scriptures, and to understand what they read, they 
 are intelligent scholars. The school becomes a 
 different place. The teachers find their work full 
 of interest and reward ; the superintendent sees the 
 
ON THE STJNDAT SCHOOL. 135 
 
 results of the infant training, wherever he casts his 
 eye, and nowhere more than in the senior classes, 
 for it is a fact, that those who come earliest abide 
 the longest. The influence upon the whole school, 
 is like leaven in the meal ; it is indeed, almost 
 miraculous.* 
 
 2. To the day school. In this day, when these 
 two institutions ought to be so united as to be one 
 in sympathy and effort, the reciprocal advantages 
 are of the highest order. Por the sake of free and 
 religious education, how do we glory in the noble 
 advance of our Sunday-school institution ; and for 
 the sake of the Sunday schools, how delightful is it 
 to see the wide-spread efforts now making to elevate 
 the character and increase the efficiency of our day 
 schools. The day school must be pervaded by the 
 
 * The Report of the Wyeliffe Chapel Sunday Schools 
 for 1846 gives the following valuable information : — "This 
 school was one of the first in the metroj)olis where the 
 infant- class system was adopted, and there is no body of 
 teachers in the kingdom who owe more to its introduction. 
 Its value and efficiency will be seen in the following fact. 
 The school, as a whole, is divided into two parts, the Bible 
 classes, 53 in niunber, with 429 children ; and the Infant 
 class, comprising 281 infants, from 2 to 8 years of age. 
 That the main school is benefited, is fully demonstrated 
 by the fact, that for the most part, the children have 
 passed thi-ough this elementary course, and that they come 
 prepared intelligently to receive instruction in the upper 
 classes of the school, and the fact is, that every child in 
 the main school (429 in number), with the exception of four 
 boys recently admitted, can read the Bible." 
 
136 INFLUENCES FOE GOOD. 
 
 religious element ; and in this sense, things secular 
 cannot be separated from things sacred. Educa- 
 tion, wherever given, must be religious to be worthy 
 of the name, and while this is the case, the day 
 school and the Sunday school stand inseparably 
 connected, and their efforts in behalf of infancy 
 must be consentaneous. The type of the latter has 
 predetermined the character of the former, and 
 laid the foundations of public education for the 
 poor deeply in the religious organization of the 
 country. 
 
 3. To parents. The influence of children is always 
 great, but at no period of life is it stronger than in 
 infancy. A little child will be heard and answered, 
 and will gain access to the rugged heart of the 
 father, even in the hour of deepest abstraction, 
 when all other influences would fail. " How can I 
 forget that my children go to the infant school?" 
 said a good mother, " they are always talking about 
 it." If it were only a missionary effort, it would 
 be a noble one, to send forth these little messengers, 
 deeply imbued with the spirit of our teaching, and 
 carrying home the atmosphere of the class. As we 
 have seen, the parents are relieved and comforted 
 in many ways, Eude, ignorant, and rebellious 
 children, are transformed into mild, loving, gentle 
 spirits ; the discipline at home, often that of mere 
 force, is modified and coupled with affection. The 
 parents' hearts are gladdened, and their anxieties 
 diminished, and by this feeble instrumentality, not 
 
O^' THE CHURCH. 137 
 
 uufrequently, under God's blessiog, througli Christj, 
 their souls are saved. 
 
 4. To tlie ministry and the clmrcli of Christ. An 
 honoured and deceased minister leaves his dying 
 testimony to the fact, that "the Sabbath school 
 generally supplies the sanctuary with its most 
 intelligent hearers," and says, " the Christian mi- 
 nistry would be maimed of its best instrument, of 
 its right arm, were this specific co-operation 
 abolished, and the church would suffer no less than 
 the ministry."* If it be so now, what would the 
 result be if all those children who come beneath 
 such influences had been trained in infancy ? 
 Taught in the class to understand, in the separate 
 service to worship, with their minds stored with 
 Bible knowledge, and the picture we present of the 
 whole school being true, then the little one would 
 become a thousand, and instead of our churches 
 languishing, and needing constant efforts for revival^ 
 we should attain to that which is far more desirable 
 — healthy, regular, and accelerating progression. 
 The infant class is the foundation of the school, and 
 the school is the hope and life of the Christian 
 church, for from thence shall come, trained from 
 very infancy, the " sacramental host of God's elect," 
 the soldiers of the cross. 
 
 REASONS EOR ENCOUEAGEMENT. 
 
 5. To such as are earnestly and conscientiously 
 
 * "Institutions of Popular Education," by Rev. Dr. R. 
 W. Hamilton. 
 
138 GROUNDS rOE ENCOURAGEMENT. 
 
 committed to this work, there is the most solid 
 ground for encouragement. Eor, looking at the 
 educational enterprise in which they are enlisted, 
 history and experience yield abundant hope. On 
 all hands, testimony concurs in favour of religious 
 training, and few are found to resist the application 
 of the principle to infancy. "We have seen how 
 natural and successful a process it is, how readily 
 teachers may prepare themselves, how easily accom- 
 modation and apparatus may be supplied, how eager 
 children are to come, and how willing parents are 
 that they should do so, how marked are the results 
 upon the children themselves, and through them 
 upon the school, the family, the church, and the 
 world; and we have gathered encouragements as 
 we have gone along, enough to " lift up" the heart 
 of any teacher, and to stimulate the efforts of all 
 who are engaged in the work. Surely this were 
 enough, imperfectly as it is presented, to lead to 
 increased vigour — where the system is adopted, 
 inquiry — where it is not, and earnest prayer every- 
 where, for the success of our high mission. 
 
 It is computed that " scarcely one Sunday school 
 in twenty, throughout the country, has an infant 
 class, and that in England alone at least one Jiundred 
 thousand childen might at once be added to our 
 numbers were an infant class, in connexion with 
 every school, established forthwith."* What more 
 inducement do we need to prosecute this work, 
 * "Teacher's Magazine," vol. hi. jx 72. 
 
YOICES OF WARlS^INa. 139 
 
 which were worth the doing, if even it were to teach 
 but one little child to ^^ hold fast tliat wliich is 
 good,''' saving a soul from death, and hiding a mul- 
 titude of sins. Let us see to it, that the first steps 
 of theii' pilgrimage are wisely taken, and our 
 children shall be led on "to the everlasting hills." 
 
 Again we repeat, the Sunday school is not com- 
 plete without an infant class, and who shall venture 
 to stand opposed to the effort in favour of its 
 establishment ? We would urge such a one to 
 consider well the responsibility he incurs. Were 
 it permitted us to trace the countless thousands of 
 children who have received instruction in our 
 schools, we should find, with something to cheer 
 us, abundant cause for regret and deep sorrow. 
 Wreathing the cypress with the laurel, let us listen 
 to the voice of instruction in the warnings which 
 rise and reach our eye on every side. Erom the 
 grave, where sleep many of our elder scholars — 
 from heaven, where dwell many redeemed ones, 
 brought to Jesus through our care — from the busy 
 scenes of human life, where many toil on through 
 trial and temptation — from the church of Christ, 
 of which some form the ornament and strength, — 
 and, alas ! from the haunts of sin, the unpictured 
 scenes of darkness and pollution, frequented, we 
 fear, by many who once sat as scholars in our 
 classes — and from hell itself, there comes a voice, 
 miugled and powerful, that bids us seize and apply 
 the scriptural, yet newly-adopted truth, that infancy 
 
140 BE STEDFAST. HOPE TO THE END. 
 
 is the season of impression. If we do not train 
 infants for heaven, their straying feet will quickly 
 tread the paths of the destroyer. 
 
 Time is short, age is ripening, the cares of the 
 world press on. Let the work to be done, be done 
 at once, and well done, — done as to Him who did 
 and suffered all for us, and in the spirit of earnest 
 and believing prayer. Early in life, gather in the 
 lambs of the fold, gently deal with and kindly lead 
 them on their way ; — while beneath your eye watch 
 for their precious souls, knowing that you have to 
 give account ; and when removed from your care, 
 follow them with admonition and entreaty ; and if 
 the moving, crowd of human beings should shut 
 them out from view, let your prayers still rise on 
 their behalf to Him who ever marks their way. 
 Tour influence may extend where your eye fails in 
 vision ; and some whom the billows have driven 
 far aside, may yet meet you in the haven of eternal 
 rest 
 
 Loiidou : Reed aud Pardon, Printers, Paternoster Row.