"I will tell you," meekly replied the old man, and thus went on :"When the power of a horse is under restraint the animal is useful in bearing burdens, drawing loads, and carrying his master; but when that power is unrestrained the horse breaks his bridle, dashes the carriage that he draws to pieces, or throws his rider."

"I see! I see!" said the little man.

"When the water of a large pond is properly conducted by trenches it renders the fields around fertile; but when it bursts through its banks it sweeps every thing before it, and destroys the produce of the field."

"I see! I see!" said the little man, "I see!"

'When a ship is steered aright the sail that she hoists up enables her the sooner to get into port; but if steered wrong the more sail she carries the further will she go out of her course."

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'I see! I see!" said the little man, “I see clearly.”

Well, then," continued the old man, if you see these things so clearly I hope you can see, too, that knowledge, to be a good thing, must be rightly applied. God's grace in the heart will render the knowledge of the head a blessing; but, without this, it may prove to us no better than a curse."

"I see! I see!" said the little man, "I see!"

To impart not only secular instruction, but the knowledge that sanctifies, is the especial aim of Sabbath-schools. Hence it is essential that every one who teaches in such institutions should form right views of the work in which he has engaged. He should feel that it is not the mere teaching children to read, and, for that purpose, using the Bible as a text book, because suited to the sanctity of the day set apart for instruction; but it is to increase the number of converts to the Saviour; to raise up instruments for the universal diffusion of the Gospel, and the salvation of the world. The great work assigned to the Church of Christ is the conversion of the world. It is for this that every christian should live-for this that he should ceaselessly plan, and labour, and pray; it is for this that some devote themselves especially to prayer, and the ministry of the word; it is for this that the missionaries of the cross have gone into distant lands, and there act as the agents of the Church in spreading the Gospel; and it is for this that every Sabbath-school teacher should consider himself as labouring. He gathers his class around him Sabbath after Sabbath, and though he cannot himself go and preach to the perishing he may be raising up those who shall do this at some future time, and do it more effectually than he could, were he now employed in that work. He should not, therefore, be satisfied till every child in his class is truly converted to God. Some teachers seem as if they dare not hope for present fruit from their labours. They trust that at some distant time the truth now presented to the mind will make an impression; but why not seek for that impression now? Is not the bare idea of expecting future rather than present results sufficient to prevent the attainment of them? Is not the conscience more tender in childhood than at any future period of life? And has not God promised that they who seek him early shall find him? Think not then, teacher, that your task is done when the child can read the Scriptures, and has a good head knowledge of their contents. It is not complete until that child has yielded his heart to the Saviour. In the Sabbath-schools connected with our Churches there are reported to be upwards of twenty thousand children. What a wide field is

here afforded to teachers for the extension of the Connexion, and securing both its permanence and enlargement through successive generations.

Where comprehensive and worthy views are entertained of the teacher's work there will be a conviction that it must require corresponding qualifications and anxiety to know whether these are possessed by ourselves. Personal piety is a requisite of the first importance for a Sabbath-school teacher. How can they who are themselves strangers to converting grace feel as they ought about the conversion of the children? or how, uninfluenced by christian principles, can they submit to the incessant labour and self-denial that are essential to the faithful discharge of such an office? But does it follow that they who are already engaged as teachers, and yet have no evidence of their spiritual aptitude for the work, should give it up? By no

means.

Our language to such would be:-You are blind leaders of the blind. You profess to teach that which you do not understand. Your business is to show your scholars that religion is the great concern of life, while you are indifferent to it yourselves. You ought not longer to act so inconsistently, but at once it behoves you to carry the matter before God, confess your sins with a broken and contrite heart, seek mercy through Jesus Christ, implore the influences of the Holy Spirit to enlighten your minds and renew your hearts. Then may you with comfort meet your youthful charge; you may deal faithfully by them, and with a good hope of success pursue your onerous duties.

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The habit of constant self-improvement with a view to teaching is requisite in a Sabbath-school teacher. Set apart a small portion of every day for this object. Study well the Bible, and other religious books that may help to throw light upon it. Digest what you read, and make it your own by the habit of reflection; for, without this, however abundant your stores may be, they will be together in such confusion as to be of little service when needed. It would in many instances greatly encourage and help the teachers, and thereby promote the efficiency of the school, if the pastor of the Church could meet with them once in the week, and instruct them in the lesson of the following Sabbath. Ought not the minister to meet his teachers once a week as a father; feel that they are colleagues with him in aiding him to take care of the lambs; instruct them in the lesson which they are to teach the ensuing Sabbath, giving them his warm sympathy and co-operation? Ought not the Sabbath-school to be made an integral, and an important part of his pastoral charge, so that the minister shall feel that he is to be the guide of the teachers, and that he is to keep the Church awake, and alive to the interests of the school, that he is to do what he can to create an interest in the parents, in the congregation, and in all classes of his charge, so that it shall be cherished by all as the dearest boon committed to the Church? If it is said that he has not time for all this, I answer, it may be true; but he must take time. There is no part of his work that is more important than this. He had better have fewer weekly meetings, make fewer pastoral visits, than to neglect the school.”* If, after all, a weekly meeting be found impracticable, a plan for mutual improvement, suggested by a correspondent of the Teacher's Magazine, might in every case be adopted. He writes, our minister is the president of the school, and our practice is to meet at his house on the second Wednesday evening in every month for the purpose of talking over the Scripture lesson

* Todd.

appointed for the ensuing Sunday, preparatory to which meeting each teacher writes out twelve such questions on the subject as he would propose to his class, with those texts in support of the answer that he intends to refer them to. These are read over in rotation, the passages of Scripture adduced as proofs, are examined, and the teachers are at liberty to make inquiries of their pastor upon any difficult point which may arise relative to the lesson under investigation. The information thus obtained is often truly valuable. If time permitted we should go through the whole of the Scripture portions for the month; but, even as it is, the teachers are directed as to the best mode of preparing for their important charge.

Habits of perseverance and punctuality are requisite in teachers. Many are fickle, changeable, and easily discouraged. One really persevering teacher in a school is worth more than a hundred of such. "I am not sanguine," writes Todd, "that new principles will be developed, or very great improvement made in the modes of communicating instruction. This is not what is needed; but the advanced position to be taken should rather consist in new, and deeper, and more abiding impressions of the importance and value of the system-the responsibility of the teacher-in the influence of the system to save the world, and the necessity of deeper piety, more pure, elevated, persevering aims, in those who labour in this cause. You must not expect to see the mind of each scholar shoot up, and mature at onceto see old habits at once thrown off-the effects of a bad training at once counteracted. It will require time, and persevering labour." Punctuality is not less essential than steady perseverance. No one can be a good teacher who is not a punctual one. If the teacher be not punctual the children will become negligent in their attendance; the school will be necessarily thrown into disorder; besides, there is reason to conclude, that teacher does not love his work who is absent from his post at the appointed time.

Combined with all the exertions of the teacher there must be incessant personal and united prayer. Grace to help in the performance of his work, and the blessing to crown his labours with success, can only come from God. Independently of this no one can ever accomplish any thing in which his heart is not engaged, and it is a sure sign that this is not the case where the closet is neglected, and where meetings for united prayer are undervalued.

We

Many other remarks might be made of a practical tendency, and many considerations adduced to stimulate and encourage the Sabbath-school teacher to the faithful and diligent discharge of his arduous duties. But our paper is full. Enough has been said to direct their attention to the subject, a peculiar and prominent part of whose generation-work in these times is to instruct the rising race in the knowledge and fear of God. close in the stirring language of Dr. Cox. "Hail to the self-denying teacher ! He possesses a far superior character to the worldly statesman, for in a nobler sense he lives for his country. To sway an empire and to convert a soul admit of no comparison. He gives a portion of his best time on earth to the service of the poor and ignorant; he endures their waywardness that he may instruct their minds; he teaches them to read the word of God, and explains in brief words the meaning of many passages they learn; he talks of Jesus and the resurrection; tells them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come; he gives them line upon line, and precept upon precept; reproves, warns, encourages-reads, and prays with

them. They dislike the truth, and perhaps the teacher-they laugh, and turn away. He persists. They are brought back to school by the returning Sabbath, and yet another, and another, with little or no effect, till now, one, and then a second, and then a third, is humbled and sanctified by the truth. Behold that little girl growing up, received into the Church of Christ, and becoming a mother in Israel; and the boy-yes, that boy, once a cold, hardened, wayward boy-now, a penitent, and a believer-rejoices in the light, advances to manhood, becomes the very patriarch of his family, sends his own children to school, is the parent of a thousand blessed influences in his vicinity, and sends along the line of future existence innumerable impulses that are felt by the generations to come; thus affecting the interests and the happiness of distant ages." JOHN KNOX.

AN ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE INTERMENT OF THE REV T. STEVENSON, OF LOUGHBORO.' JULY 18, 1841.

[The following address is inserted at the earnest request of some judicious friends who heard it. The painful and protracted illness of the esteemed brother by whom it was delivered (the Rev. A. Smith, of Quorndon) has hitherto prevented attention to this request. While our readers will rejoice to learn that there is good hope Mr. Smith will be able in a short time to resume his labours, we doubt not that all will peruse with pleasure the very appropriate sentiments uttered over the grave of one so well known and esteemed as the late Rev. Thos. Stevenson.-ED.]

THE solemn and affecting scene presented before us this morning cannot fail to produce a deep impression on all our hearts. We are assembled to perform the last office for the dead, and to commit the mortal remains of a dear and honoured minister of the Lord Jesus to the " house appointed for all living." Death is a subject upon which we should frequently and profoundly meditate, for "we must needs die, and be as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered." Effects the most salutary arise from the serious contemplation of our own mortality. Here we discover the emptiness of all worldly good, "Verily, every, man at his best state is altogether vanity." Never does religion appear so transcendantly important as when viewed in connexion with our approaching end. Hence the prayer

of the psalmist was, "Lord make me to know mine end; and the measure of my days what it is, that I may know how frail I am." Death is an event of awful solemnity, because of the effect it produces on the state of its victim. It dissolves the connection which before subsisted between the body and the soul. While life continues, the body and the spirit are joined together in close and mysterious union. The spirit then pervades every part of this delicate and wonderful structure; gives fire to the eyes, expression to the countenance, and vigour and activity to all the members. But how great a change does death produce! It deprives the body of its life-giving occupant, and leaves it a desolation and a ruin; then "the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." Death is awfully solemn because it comes by the appointment of God Almighty. And why, O why, has our great Creator made such a decree? Can he take pleasure in the destruction of his creatures? Is life too great a boon? Why does he mar and spoil the beauty of his own works? O my brethren, the cause is sin! Hence death derived its origin, "For by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." This is the only satisfactory

account that can be given of the origin and prevalance of death. How unutterably awful then! It is the penalty of transgression; for the wages of sin is death.

But is there nothing to relieve the sombre gloom which is thrown around the king of terrors? Does the Book of God cast no ray of light and hope across this dismal and terrific scene? Yes, blessed be God, there is hope, and good hope through grace. The Gospel tells us of one who is "the resurrection and the life," and concerning whom it is predicted, that he shall swallow up death in victory," "for he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet: the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." As believers in the Son of God, therefore, we have the positive assurance that he "will raise us up in the last day," "For he shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." This is our consolation when called to attend the funeral of our christian friends. "Moreover, brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." Such are the sentiments it becomes us to cherish in the station we are this moment called to occupy. There lies all that is mortal of a good man, and of an eminent minister of the Glorious gospel. He has yielded for a while to the powers of death, but his emancipated spirit bas already entered to the joy of his Lord; and "we commit his body to the ground in sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection to eternal life." "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours and their works shall follow them." It would be improper in me to enter upon a lengthened detail of the revered and distinguished minister around whose grave we are now assembled. That task has been well assigned to a man of grey hairs, a venerable father in the ministry, whose voice (God willing) you will hear this evening. But I cannot go away from the grave of my beloved tutor without bearing my humble and feeble testimony to the virtues which adorned his character. As a man he possessed strong natural powers of mind, an inextinguishable thirst for knowledge-a thirst that could not be allayed by the streams which flowed through his native language, but which impelled him to the ancient classic fountains. Here, with almost no assistance, and without a guide, he came off victorious. The hill of science stood out before him, and the difficulties which would have deterred others, only increased in him the ardour of pursuit, and he never stopped till he had gained the summit. There was a warmth in his friendship, and an urbanity in his manners, the force of which was resistless and overpowering.

As a christian he was remarkable for devotion and for deep humiliation in the presence of his Maker. The atonement of the Son of God was the ground of his hope, and he could say with the apostle, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." The last time I saw him, which was about a fortnight before his death, he said, with a feeble and faltering voice, "Nothing has any interest to me now but Christ and him crucified." I said, "I hope, my dear Sir, you feel resigned and happy in your mind." He said "I do." He knew whom he had believed, and was persuaded he was able to keep that which he had committed unto him against that day.