tion. In short, if there was not something in their heads, the children could not possibly get anything out of them. Naturally there was nothing in any of their heads, and therefore they must put something in them, or else they could never get it out. Now, the only way of putting anything into the head was by the old dogged plan-namely, by the dint of hard thinking. They must exert the muscles of their minds with the utmost diligence if they wished to acquire knowledge, for it could not be procured in any other way; and if they were unable to give sound information to the children confided to them, it would be much better for the children that they remained at home. He had often heard of persons who had listened to a dull sermon, saying on their return from church, "What a profitless discourse I have heard to-day-I have been able to carry nothing useful away;" and on the other hand, he had heard of persons who remembered a good sermon for many months. This was to be attributed to the superior information of one preacher over another. They might always test the value of a sermon by the amount of instruction they received from it, because whenever there was anything really profitable and good in a sermon it was sure to stick. On the same principle the teachers must impart something that was really useful to the children placed under their charge, or their labours would be wholly expended in vain. The hearts of children were wondrously pliable-much more so indeed than those of full-grown people-and they could make almost any impression they pleased upon them, either for good or for ill; and what then must they think of those teachers who attended their schools on each successive Sabbath to teach the children frequenting them, without having prepared themselves for the sacred duties they had undertaken. Every teacher ought to have his class before him just like a hen with a brood of chickens around her, but they should be careful to teach as many only as they could conveniently manage, and not one more. Again, it was expected of ministers like himself that they should not only teach them something in their sermons, but that they should endeavour to create amongst their congregations something like a commotion. Now, he thought the Sundayschool teacher should likewise endeavour to interest the minds of his class at the same time that he was instructing them, for it was of the utmost importance that people should be pleased with what they heard. Knowledge was delightful to the human mind, and nowhere could they find such a useful and varied fund of knowledge as in the Holy Scriptures; and he therefore thought that every person who undertook the task of inculcating Scriptural knowledge ought to endeavour not only to teach, but likewise to please and move the minds of those he taught. In this, however, it was impossible for them to succeed unless they (the teachers) read, and thought, and prayed; and even after expending their utmost efforts, the grand end of their teaching must utterly fail unless they had received the divine benediction. But the teachers should also take care that the children paid a proper attention to what they said, and he would recommend them not to have all the talk to themselves so as to convert their class into mere listeners. When they took up a text of Scripture to expound, they ought to confine their remarks strictly to that text. There was a wonderful richness in the texts of Scripture, and the more they kept to their text the greater would be the amount of instruction they imparted; and he begged to re

mind them that whenever a preacher was in the habit of running away from his text, his congregation generally ran away from his church. Some men ran away from their text, and others ran round it, but the proper way was to keep to the text; for he could, from his own experience, venture to say, that the more the mind was concentrated on the text, the more the heart of the minister himself and those of his congregation would be warmed and instructed.

A FEW TEXTS FROM SCRIPTURE OPPOSED

ERRORS OF ROME.
Intercession of the Virgin
Mary, &c.

"THE DEATH OF MY CHILD."

A SUPERINTENDENT'S ADDRESS.

To you, my young friends, an infant voice from the cold and silent grave speaks, and tells you that you are not too young to die. May the same blessed Spirit bless you who hath blessed him! May you, if removed to an early tomb, lisp in heaven the praises of redeeming love; if spared, may you live unto the Lord, manifesting to all that you are his children.

My dear little boy sat upon that form two Sundays ago, and he is now in the silent tomb. How often do we permit the funeral to pass by unheeded! How often do we pass an opened grave without ever heeding the solemn thought that the next may be our own! Does not the voice of death cry out to us all, "Be ye also ready. Prepare to meet your God"?

Death has been here: death has taken one of your number. Which of you may not be the next? How solemn to think that one of you is no more! His body is in the dust-his soul is with the Lord. We may go to him, but he cannot return to to us.

"He was but a flower to bud in time,
And blossom in eternity."

How his early death should lead us to reflect! for we know not who shall be the next. Death may have this day received his commission for some of you. Think of your privileges in having a school to come to, teachers to speak to you about Jesus the Lamb of God, how he loved you, and came to pay your ransom with his precious blood.

You, my dear fellow-labourers, and I, have received a message in this visitation from Him who hath loved us, and sent us to work in this vineyard; and who, for our comfort, hath promised that our work of faith and labour of love shall not be in vain in the Lord. We are sowing seed for eternity here. Do we each of us pray that the good Spirit may prepare the hearts of our respective classes? Let us be as earnest each Sabbath as if it were to be our last. These precious souls are in

our care; what a valuable treasure! Their salvation the whole world cannot purchase. Are we speaking to them as immortal beings? are we telling them of a Saviour's love, of a happy heaven, and a dreadful hell? And are you, my young friends, listening for eternity, as you would desire that you had done when, like that little boy, you come to die? For many weeks before these schools were opened did he speak of them: they were a source of delight which he was not permitted long to enjoy. He was taken ill, and, by the blessing of the Lord, he recovered, though but for a short time. He was permitted to meet with us two Sundays ago, and now he is gone. Like unto the fruit which falls from the tree when it is ripe, so his precious soul has departed from the earthly fold into the heavenly. Are you affectionate to your parents? do you love them? Do you think how your fathers toil and work to provide you with food and raiment, and a home in which to dwell?

Do you think of your kind and affectionate mothers, how they watch over you? When sickness rests upon you, who is it that attends to your cry? When you are in pain, who is it that gives you medicine to relieve that pain? Who is it that loses her rest for you when she should be sleeping? Who is it that moistens your mouth when your tongue is parched and your lips dry? It is your fathers and your affectionate mothers. Should you not love them when they suffer so much for your comfort? How you should love them!

I remember one afternoon when I was reading the life of the Rev. C. Simeon, while my little boy was playing with his toys, my mind was affected with the account of the last hours of that dear man of God, and tears silently trickled down from my eyes; suddenly my hand was arrested by my dear boy, who had observed me, though I was not conscious of it: he said, "Poor da, poor da," and lifted his little pinafore and wiped my eyes, giving me a kiss, and doing all that he could to comfort me, as he thought I was in trouble. Was not this a proof of his affection-leaving his toys to comfort his father, beautifully fulfulling that passage, "Weep with them that weep"? Are you as affectionate? I

pray that you may be so. If you knew how tenderly your fathers and mothers loved you, you would love them.

Are you thankful to your heavenly Father for your daily bread? Do you remember that it is God who gives your parents health that they may work for your support? Do you pray for them? The little boy, now departed, often impressed upon my heart how thankful we should be for the mercies we enjoy. He, at all times, before taking his food, would say, "Thank God, for good pobbies," "good dinner," or tea." He was taught that all we receive comes from God.

On one occasion, when his grandmother and mother were about to take their tea, his mother said, "Jacob, put up your hands while we ask a blessing." He said,

No, no." She replied, "Will you be a naughty boy?" He said, "No, no, mamma.' He asked for a piece of cake, which was given to him. He looked at his mother, then at the cake, burst into tears, and put up his hands to ask a blessing, feeling that he had done wrong in not doing as he was desired. He sobbed for many minutes with his head in his hands. May we all be mindful, when we offend our heavenly Father, to seek his pardon, by praying through Jesus!

Do you, ere you retire to your little beds for sleep, do you ever think that some night you may be taken off by death? Then do you pray for safety, as we desired to teach this little boy to do? On one occasion, his sister forgot her prayers, and retired to rest. He looked at her, saying, "Jane, come:" and he then knelt down by the bed-side. She arose, and joined him. Afterwards they got into bed satisfied. Do not, my dear young friends, forget this; and go and do likewise. When he was sick, and had mustard plasters and hot poultices applied-and medicine to take, which had a disagreeable taste-did he complain, as was the case with his sister? no; he submitted to all with such willingness as surprised many of his dear friends.

On the Thursday before he died, he sung that little hymn

"Mothers and children there will meet

Will meet to part no more-to part no more."