whom it is their duty to obey. Oh! let not the instructors of youth make such a mistake as to imagine that their authority cannot be maintained by other means than a chilling reserve, a repulsive harshness, and a spirit of incessant fault-finding. These may command the cold obedience of fear; they will never procure for us the cheerful, willing obedience of love. Whatever may be in other respects the talents of the teacher, if he cannot obtain the confidence and affection of his charge, he is incompetent to act as their instructor. We may venture to assert, that if he possessed every other qualification, and failed in attaining that which we may rest assured is a vital one-namely, a cordial sympathy between himself and his pupils-the failure must operate extensively and injuriously both as regards mind and manner. If he cannot secure an efficient hold on the ardent feelings of the youthful heart, he is useless as a moral governor of the young. Instructors of youth! you who have devoted yourselves to the responsible but happy employment of cultivating minds, act only in a spirit of love, and you shall reap a rich reward. The youthful objects of your solicitude will not fail to love you in return, the sweet waters of affection shall gush forth clear, bright, and sparkling from the fountain of the young child's heart, to cheer and refresh you in your arduous and important duties. And fear not even when I called on to rebuke and condemn. Your calm, temperate, and loving reproof, will never alienate, in the smallest degree, the affections of your charge; though they may suffer from your decisions, they will be ready to acknowledge the pain you inflict to be of necessity and not of choice; and you will soon perceive that those are the effectual admonitions which fall from the lips of a tender and familiar friend. Be firm as you please in measures; but, as you value that influence which you may and ought to obtain, let your manner and language be gentle, familiar, and kind. In short, love your children, and they will soon love you. You must not only appear to feel, but you must in reality feel a deep concern for their happiness; you must take a strong interest in their pursuits and enjoyments; you must feel the warmest pleasure in their society; under all circum stances you must be their friend. There must be the soft language of entreaty, rather than the stern voice of authority-the mild persuasive tone, and the gentle, loving words issuing from a heart overflowing with affection for the young and oftentimes erring being who is placed under the control of a superior and more matured mind. And underneath this gentleness and love, remember there must be authority the most unlimited, the calm, decided, unbending determination to enforce that obedience which the well-qualified instructor will indeed ordinarily cause to be a willing obedience, but which must be obtained if we would hope either for the present or the future well-being of the child. The whole language of the Bible is, "Obey;" and, therefore, that system of education which is not founded on obedience cannot but be a very defective one. There must be firmness the most unwavering, truth the most perfect, justice the most exact, vigilance the most unceasing, patience the most unwearied, rising far above the troubled waters of irritation, and only seeing in the waywardness and misapprehensions of childhood fresh cause for the exercise of the most tender forbearance. And here we pause. More might be added, far more. Much more than all this is requisite in those to whom we intrust the moral, religious, and intellectual training of the young. And who is sufficient for these things? Does not the conscientious teacher, how skilful and talented soever he may be, fear and tremble when he reflects on the duties he has to perform? When he remembers how much, humanly speaking, depends on his teaching and training—when he recollects the power he possesses in the formation of character, second only, we are persuaded, to that of parents themselves—would he not be cast down under the weight of responsibility which he incurs before God and man, were he not to remember there is One who has said, "My grace is sufficient for thee"? Our great Example commanded with authority, and yet was meek and lowly, patient and forgiving. He has promised to them that seek it, his own spirit of gentleness, firmness, humility, and love; and if God be for us, who or what can be against us? MARY. MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER FOR MORNING. ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, thou hast made us thy creatures by thy power, and dost govern all things by thy wisdom. Thou art the author of all our blessings, by day and by night. We give thanks to thee that thou hast kept us safe through the past week, and that thus far we are spared to see another holy Sabbath. Thy beloved Son has said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not;" we therefore humbly pray that thou wouldest condescend to be present with us at this time, and to regard with thy special favour this Sunday-school. Do thou bless our labours with increase. May the instruction imparted in this place from time to time, be based upon the Gospel of thy dear Son; and may the young to whom it is imparted be not only readers and hearers of thy word, but doers. May they be enlightened by thy word, and strengthened by thy Spirit, that being trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, established in the true faith, and rooted and built up in Christ, they may walk in the knowledge and obedience of thy commandments, and thus become not forgetful hearers of thy word, but doers. May they search the Scriptures daily. May they all become wise unto salvation. May each from this day cry unto thee, "My Father, thou art the guide of my youth." May they all be diligent and attentive, and learn to do thy will on earth, that they may become the disciples of the Lord Jesus; so that when this life is ended, and the body of each is consigned to its long home, the soul of each may wing its way to the mansions of never-ending bliss, and be for ever with thee, its God. O heavenly Father, we also pray thee to look upon us thy unworthy servants, who instruct these children. Grant, that in teaching others we may be taught of thee. May our own vineyards flourish, whilst we cultivate those of others. May we drink at that stream to which we are privileged to direct the "lambs" of thy flock; and when our work on earth is ended, and we are called to stand before our Judge, may it be our happy lot to appear with joyful confidence, and say, "Here, Lord, am I, and the children whom thou hast given me." We further entreat thee, O holy Saviour, to bless our ministers, who shall this day deliver unto us the Gospel of truth. Give them wisdom from above, that they may preach with boldness and faithfulness Jesus Christ and him crucified; and do thou prepare our hearts, and the hearts of every hearer, by thy grace, that the good seed of thy word may take deep root in them, and bring forth fruit abundantly, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. "Our Father," &c. EVENING. O Lord our heavenly Father, we here present the imperfect services of this day to thee, earnestly imploring thy pardon and thy blessing. All that has been wrong is ours; if anything has been right, it is all of thee. To thee be all the glory. Let those portions of thy holy word, which have been read and explained in these schools to-day, sink deep into the hearts of these young persons now before thee. May they be led to serious thought. Grant that many a young heart may be saying, “What must I do to be saved?" Let both the teachers and the taught leave this room with increased solemnity of mind, and more earnest desires for thy glory. Let the remainder of this holy day be devoted to thee. Let none go home and lose the good impressions that have been made, by foolish conversation or idle visits; but may all seriously meditate on thy word, and endeavour to bring down a blessing on the instruction of this day, so that we may all go forth to our employment, through the week, with renewed strength to resist temptation, and to walk in the straight and narrow road that leadeth unto everlasting life. We ask all for thy dear Son's sake, and conclude our imperfect petitions in the words which he hath taught us: "Our Father," &c. "The grace of our Lord," &c. JOB xxviii. 14. "It is not in me." SCIENCE has made rapid advances, but it has not yet learned how to soothe a troubled conscience, or to lift the burden of remorse from an aching heart. Thousands of years ago, in one of the most ancient of books, the question was asked, "Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?" and in the many works that have been written since, men have tried, in one way or another, to answer it. The thoughtful patriarch who proposed it sought in vain from all the wisdom and knowledge of his time for a reply that would give peace to his restless spirit. And if we turn to the more mature science of our own day, and repeat the question, "Whence, then, cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?" what is the answer? Even as it was ages ago. The geologist drills and bores through stratum after stratum, and digs and delves far "deeper than plummet ever sounded," only to return and tell that the depth saith, "It is not in me." The voyager covers the sea with ships. With sail, and paddle-wheel, and Archimedes' screw, they speed north and south, and east and west, and round about the pendant globe. Many run to and fro, and knowledge increases. What the foamcrested waves will not tell, the abyss may reveal, and with net, and dredge, and diving-bell, the " dark unfathomed caves of ocean" are searched through and gazed into, and "gems of purest ray," and monsters who never saw the sun, are brought into the light of common day. But, above all the stir and strife of man's endeavour, the murmuring billows lift their voices, and the sea saith, "It is not with me." The chemist gathers together every object which has shape, or weight, or volume, living or dead, and with fire and furnace, and potent agent and electric battery, tests and assays it; but when "victorious analysis" has done its best, he replies, "It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the' precious onyx or sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it. The price of wisdom is above rubies." The naturalist |