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VI. ON THE DEATH OF A TEACHER. 1. The Superintendent to the School.

A mournful duty is given me to perform to-day-to announce the death of one of the teachers of this Sabbath school. Many of you doubtless have already heard that hath departed this life; and all of us should lay to heart this afflictive providence;· "lay it to heart," not to make life a sad and gloomy thing, but that we may more deeply be impressed with the brevity of life, and the wisdom of rightly improving it. In no place is it better for death to find us than in the ranks of the Sabbath school; and they who are teaching others of the blessed Gospel of immortality, must surely be preparing their own minds to enter upon its joy. May God sanctify this death to our school, and make the memory of our friend dear to us all!

II. SCRIPTURE READING. 2 Cor. iv. 13-18; v. 1.

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our out

ward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know, that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

III. RESPONSES.

S. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul;
T. Therefore will I hope in him;

S. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him,
C. To the soul that seeketh him.

S. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

T. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

S. He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.

C. For the Lord will not cast off forever,

S. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion,

All. According to the multitude of his mercies.

IV. PRAYER.

Source of all life and hope! to thee, O Father, do we pray. Thou hast bereaved us, and no more is a beloved teacher in the place of instruction and prayer. Sanctify this loss to us all. Though dead, the teacher may still speak. O, to every heart let this death speak, impressing us with the value of the Gospel, that alone opens eternity as the great school of spirits trained to God's glory in a sinless life. May the scholars who have received truth and wisdom from their departed teacher, cherish sacredly the memory of what they have received of kindness and attention; and may this whole school be impressed with the brevity and uncertainty of mortal life, and be ready for their own departure, by a good life and a glorious hope. O, forgive us all our sins; and may we, and all to whom this death has come with

afflicting power, be led to live nearer to thee, and more in accordance with the example of the Redeemer, through whom we offer our prayer. Amen.

V. HYMN. S. M.

!

Companion! thou hast gone!
Rest from thy loved employ,-
The glorious victory thou hast won,
Enter thy Master's joy.

The pains of death are past;

Labor and sorrow cease;
Life's pilgrimage is closed at last,
The soul is found in peace.

Teacher in Christ! well done!
Praise be thy new employ ;
And while eternal ages run,
Rest in thy Saviour's joy.

And we, who linger here -
God give us hearts to be
Devoted in the Teacher's sphere,
And winning souls like thee.

VII. DEATH OF A MALE SCHOLAR.

I. The Superintendent to the School.

We are called to-day to speak of the death of a scholar of this Sabbath school. has left us, and we can no more see his face in the flesh. May God sanctify this bereavement to this school, and impress all our hearts with the uncertainty of all our promises of mortal life. It is our duty to kindly recall the departed to our memory, and learn the lessons which Providence gives us in their lives and characters. May we wisely improve this bereavement, and so live that, when we are dead, our name may be remembered with love and esteem.

II. SCRIPTURE READING. 2 Sam. xii. 15-23. And Nathan departed unto his house; and the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David

fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice; how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped; then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

III. PRAYER.

God of life's changes and of death! to thee do we look for comfort and for hope amid our bereavement. Thou givest and thou takest, and thy love is the same. O, lead us to feel that wise are thy doings, and kind is thy purpose, when thou takest those dear to us away. We mourn to-day the death of a scholar beloved. We weep that we shall see him here no more. May we strive to wisely use whatever we remember of his conduct and example; speaking tenderly of his faults, if we recall any, and copying what was good and kind in his character. Comfort those who, with us, are afflicted by his death, and may they find comfort in the everlasting consolation and good hope of the Gospel. Sanctify this death to this school. May we all remember, that as he has gone, so must we all, sooner or later, depart from the earth; — O, may it be with a strong faith in God and a blissful immortality, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

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VIII. ON THE DEATH OF A FEMALE
SCHOLAR.

I. The Superintendent to the School.

Our present service refers to the death of

a beloved member of this Sabbath school. Our last deed or word of kindness for her sake has been done or spoken, and all that is now left for us to do is to be profited by her memory. For this purpose we engage in the solemn service now before us; and O, may our hearts be impressed with this early departure, and our prayer be that we may so learn and live as to be ready, fully, to meet the summons that may call us away, and leave a good name behind us.

O, not where burial prayers are said,

The life of life departs;

The body in the grave is laid,

Its beauty in our hearts.

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Let us read of the interest Christ had when on earth in a similar bereavement to that which has come to us; for the story will betoken the interest he still has in the dear spirit that has gone from our midst.

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