The strength that God gives to the souls of those who love and serve Him, is invisible; but it is also invincible-it cannot be conquered. Would you like this strength to be

given you? Trust in God, believe in Jesus Christ, and "Ask, and ye shall receive,;" for Jesus said, "whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." (John xiv. 13.)

WORK.

1. Be deeply impressed with the importance of your work.—If a person is to do anything well, he requires to feel that it deserves to be so performed; and a man's greatness and title to honour rest not so much upon the position he holds as upon the manner in which it is filled; but when high position and great performance are united, who can refuse the tribute of respect and admiration? Now, there are many considerations which make apparent the dignity and importance of your position as teachers in our Sabbath schools.

The book you use is from God; the lessons you teach are from heaven. In the Bible you have the wisdom of God as adapted to the human intellect and heart. You have the beautiful and gradual unfolding of the plan of redemption.

If Moses wrote a history altogether unique, and the most ancient and intensely interesting in man's possession; if David composed psalms yet unsurpassed in sacred fervour and melody; if Solomon framed maxims

which embody the best results of human wisdom, which are, indeed, laws from heaven; if Isaiah, Habakkuk and other prophets uttered rapturous prophetic odes which rise in grandeur and sublimity above the best efforts of uninspired intellect; if Paul has left us specimens of argumentation and eloquence which instruct our statesmen and senators; if John, in sublime apocalyptic visions, sketched the future history of the church; and, above all, if Jesus Christ has surpassed all the best lessons of man, and spake as never man spake; if, in one word, by divine inspiration such rich treasures as these are contained in the Bible-in your text-book-the importance of your work in presenting these riches to the youthful intellect and heart is very obvious.

But there is another consideration which greatly enhances the importance of your work,-you deal with immortal spirits. You are workers upon that which is so costly that it could not be purchased by such corruptible things as silver and gold; nothing less valuable than the blood of God's Son bought these spirits you seek to instruct. These are

Further, you are moulding these young minds for the service of the church, of the nation, and of eternity. Here are the future evangelists, merchants, legislators, and rulers of our land. Here are agents, already most potent in society-no man knows how much he is ruled by his child. Erskine was asked for the secret of his success as an advocate; and he answered truly, that he pleaded with power, because he felt, while urging his plea, his infant child pulling at his gown.

HOPEFULNESS OF THE TEACHER'S

WORK.

2. Be impressed with the hopefulness of your work. A physician may ply his books, and study his doings, but his is essentially a hopeless task. He may, indeed, brace up the tottering earthly frame for a season -he may afford much aid and ease for a time, but the fabric he supports is destined to break and fall to pieces in his hands. He works upon the mortal part, you upon the immortal part of human nature; his is an anxious, doubtful cause; yours is full of hope. You are engaged with a being of permanent existence, and capable of indefinite improvement, a being, too, in a period of most rapidly increasing capabilities.

The faculties of children are not benumbed by sin and old age. All their powers invite instruction. Their memories possess a power of retention by which they can treasure up the elements of our vernacular language in a few years, their imaginations have an elasticity and boldness by which they form pictures unknown in riper years, their consciences have a vitality and tenderness which render them most susceptible of moral impressions. These things render your task hopeful. Add to these the charming assurance of divine assistance. God's most striking and inspiring promises are addressed to children-"Those that seek me early shall find me;" "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth;" "Seek first," in point of time and by way of eminence, "the kingdom of God and His righteousness." And Jesus says, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." God has most clearly shown in the case of Samuel, who was a prophet in boyhood; in the case of John the Baptist, who was sanctified from the womb; and in the case of Timothy, who knew the truth from infancy, that children are capable of experiencing the deepest work of divine grace; and there have not been lacking in later times instances and facts to establish the same truth. The sainted McCheyne speaks of such; and the gifted and godly Jonathan Edwards, in his "Narratives of Surprising Conversions," particularly delineates instances of remarkable conversions among children; and we know that such oc

teacher sent from God." Every soul you effectually instruct by the aid of the Spirit in the knowledge of salvation, adds new lustre to the Redeemer's diadem. Those are the pearls of great price for which He gave His blood and His life. Every child, so instructed, swells the joy and the song of heaven. You influence the hearts of angels and the high felicities of eternity by your doings in the Sabbath school. Each soul you properly instruct becomes a new sinew in the body of Christ, which is the church- becomes a burning light becomes a living epistle. So Mr. Edwards tells us in the narratives already mentioned, and so our own observation attests, that new converts, when in childhood

truly brought to Christ, become a vital and mighty power in the bosom of the church.

HOW THE TEACHER IS ΤΟ BE

PREPARED.

But how, you will ask, are we to come to this work? I answer :

1. Come with renewed hearts. If you would have comfort and success in the work of the Lord, have Christ in your heart. We do not say but that a croaking raven may feed a prophet; and the withered, cold hand of a dead man may hold up the

lamp of life to others; but usually it is the vital warm heart through which the pulse of life flows, that acts favourably upon others; and always it is the cold, cruel, dead heart that speedily grows weary in welldoing, and in the end finds the tasks of the school and of the sanctuary irksome and impossible. Come, then, with renewed hearts to God's holy work.

2. Come with constant consideration and preparation. I mean that the appointed lesson is to be anxiously, carefully, prayerfully examined. The proper test of a man's knowledge lies in this, that he is able to communicate to others what he has learned. I have but little faith in that person's attainments who says, "I know this or that, but cannot tell you what I know." A man may affirm that he has read many books; ask him what they contain, and if unable to tell you bid him read them again. In teaching the Bible to children you need more than a general knowledge of its contents, you require to be able to simplify and adapt its sublime lessons to their capacity. You may know a passage sufficiently well for doctrinal and devotional purposes on your own part, but are you ready, by clear analysis and arrangement, and by proper, chaste, and elevating illustrations, to lodge its sacred meaning and practical lessons in the child's mind. A schoolmaster may be deeply skilled in the science of numbers, but suppose a child should ask him why we begin to add at the right hand rather than at the left, and he should make this pompous answer, "because figures increase

from right to left in a decimal ratio," how much wiser would his pupil become? The answer is true and undeniable, but it is a truth not expressed in proper form for the child's intellect. That none of your lessons may be so marred, conscientiously study how to present them.

3. Come to your work with unfailing regularity. This is a common and simple, but most important remark. I know of few greater misfortunes that can befall a school than to be filled with careless and irregular teachers; and how much, on the other hand, is the success of a school promoted by conscientious teachers, who are in their places, not simply when the sun shines, but also when the clouds are black and breaking over their heads?

4. Come to your work with faith and prayer. Believe that God is with you, and, that the latent influence of divine truth shall, in due time, burst forth in power and glory. Aim and pray for the conversion of your pupils. You may not witness this in a few weeks or years, yet the prayer of faith shall not be unanswered, and the seed of God's word may, after many days,

The

become fruitful. Thus it was in New England and Northampton during the revival of 1740. doctrines of God's word were faithfully expounded in that town, first by Mr. Mather, after him by Mr. Stoddard, for nearly sixty years, and then during the pastorate of Jonathan Edwards the seed began to spring up and a most gracious and memorable season was enjoyed. Pray and believe that similar fruits may more speedily appear from the truth you teach.

A WORD TO PARENTS.

There is now no time left to speak to parents. Let me only say in a single sentence, seek to realize fully all your relations to the Sabbath school. The children that are taught in its classes are in your hands, and with you it rests to send or bring them regularly to school. You can do much to cheer and encourage the hearts of superintendents and teachers by being frequently present to witness them engaged in their labour of love. You can do much by your wealth, your sympathy, and your prayers to carry forward this part of the work of God.

Question 1. What is dancing? Answer. It is described in the dictionary as a motion of the body and feet, adjusted by art to the measure or tune of an instrument or the voice.

Q. 2. Is there any evil in dancing itself?

A. Not in itself; indeed possibly of itself it may be a simple, engaging exercise and diversion, and in past ages, and in other lands of manners differing from our own, dancing has been employed as an expression of rejoicing on some special religious occasions.-See 2 Samuel vi. 14.