and Atterbury, and Warburton, and Baxter, and Doddridge, and Jeremy Taylor, and many more.

Beside the knowledge gained on the Sabbath by reading, much is gained from attendance on preaching. I have heard it said that the taste of a people is often like that of their pastor. I see no reason why this should not be so, as well as that the taste of George, and Charles, and Susan should resemble that of their father or mother. What we

hear or see often, we are very apt to imitate. And I have no doubt that people will imitate, more or less, the manners and tones of voice, and expressions of their minister, as really as that children will imitate these same things in their parents.

I have seen the statement that you could distinguish the members of a certain parish, where there had not been any minister for a great many years, by the tones of their voice and the manner of their pronunciation.

Think, too, how it will sharpen the intellect, to listen so often to sermons which are well arranged, and full of sound and logical argument. I love to look at the house of worship, as a place where the mind is strengthened and disciplined by the same services which purify the heart and fit the soul for heaven. It is a common school. From this school none need be excluded. The poor and the rich are all in the same class-are all taught the same lesson, and may all make the same progress. We shall

see the value of this school, if we reflect that in some countries a large part of the people have no opportunity of getting knowledge, except on the Sabbath.

EVENING IX.

SABBATH NECESSARY FOR SOCIETY,

Mrs. M. I began to show you, my dear children, in our last conversation, that the Sabbath is fitted to promote intelligence in the community. We will converse about the same subject a few minutes this evening.

There would be no Sabbath-schools, without the Sabbath. Children go to these schools chiefly to learn their duty to God and the way to heaven. But besides this, the scholars learn a great deal about the history, geography, and manners and customs of ancient nations mentioned in the Bible.

Many children, even in this country, would never know how to read, if they were not taught in a Sabbath-school. Their parents feel unable to clothe them and send them to the common schools-or

else they are ignorant, and do not know the value of knowledge. These unfortunate children often live far away from villages and churches, in poor cottages on the mountains, or in the distant valleys. But they are sought out by the kind and benevolent teacher. They are clothed, they are supplied with books, they are taught to read, and they soon feel that they may become respectable and useful.

I know a young lady who watches the children and youth in the galleries of the church, to see if there are any that do not go to the Sabbath-school. When she notices any such, she finds out their names, and invites them to join the school. Not long ago, she found in this way a female seventeen or eighteen years old, who could not read even a letter. She persuaded her to go to the Sabbathschool, and promised to give her a Bible. For a few weeks, the family with whom the scholar lived were obliged to read the lesson to her, and she remembered as much of it as she could. But she was so anxious to learn the lesson without aid, that she studied diligently, and before a great while, could read a chapter in the Bible very well. And then she could read the books in the Sabbath-school library; for the poor can get books from the Sabbath-school libraries, which are useful and profitable to read during the week, as well as to study on the Sabbath.

In this, and in many other ways, the Sabbath

tends to level the distinctions among men. It tends to unite the rich and the poor. It tends to keep the rich from being proud and insolent, and the poor from being ignorant, and from hating the rich. It binds society together in love and harmony.

There are many such cases in this country as that I have just mentioned, and more, I suppose, in England and Ireland. Not many years ago, a ragged, ignorant, wicked boy was wandering about the streets of London on the Sabbath. He was persuaded, by some kind teacher, to go to the Sabbath-school. At first he was not a very promising scholar, but the teacher was patient. I suppose the teacher remembered that God bears long with us all, and does not quickly cast us off as though we should never become any better. Young Milne, for that was his name, at last began to love his lesson, then he began to love his Saviour, and soon he began to love the heathen. He wanted to do them good, and to teach them to love the Saviour, and be fitted for heaven. So he went to China, and afterwards to Malacca, and was one of the most devoted and successful missionaries in modern times.

Charles. I think, mother, the books in the Sabbath-school library are very interesting, and I love to read them very much.

Mrs. M. There were but few such books when I was at your age, Charles. I should have been very glad to get almost any of the excellent little

books which you bring home from the Sabbathschool. I knew scarcely any thing about the geography of the Bible when I was young. I used to read about Jerusalem, and Samaria, and Gaza, and Beer-sheba, but I did not know where these places were situated. I knew they were somewhere in Asia, but I could not point them out on the map, as Susan can. Indeed, I did not have any map to show the situation of places mentioned in the Bible; and I suppose I might never have had any, but for the American Sunday-school Union. I fear, my children, that you will not value as you ought the privileges you enjoy, because they are so many, and so easy to be obtained.

Susan. Did you not always know, mother, where Jerusalem is? I am sure I always knew; for I cannot remember when I did not know where it is.

Mrs. M. Think, my child, of what the Bible says, "Unto whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required."

But men must be governed as well as educated. And the Sabbath is fitted to aid in governing men who live together in society. If they cast off the fear of God and love to one another, and are not willing to do what is right, how will you govern them? Charles. I would make laws, and then threaten to punish them severely if they broke the laws.

Mrs. M. You cannot govern men in this way, if they do not fear God and love one another, and are