Let our

ado about it?" Allow me to ask you, Do you stop there? and, if so, why? We may presume that almost all "know well enough" that they ought to labour for eternity now, but do they do it? That is the question. watchword be, know and Do! Another reason, in support of my proposition, is, that on our labours now in the Sunday-school, the future position of our section of the Church, in a great measure, depends. We want our scholars soundly converted, and to become men of God, and thorough Wesleyan Methodists. We ought to instruct them more carefully in the leading principles of Methodism. There are some Wesleyan Methodists who, if asked by an outsider why they are such, would scarcely know what answer to give. They might say that they were made very happy, and got much good to their souls by being Wesleyans; but that would not satisfy an interrogator who might want to know on what ecclesiastical grounds a Wesleyan preferred the church with which he had associated himself. Now, the Wesleyan Sunday-school teacher should endeavour to instil into the minds of his scholars the principles of Wesleyan Methodism, and reasons why they would do well to be Methodists.

Let those teachers who are not fully informed on this important subject, become so. And why? For this reason, among others, that many who are now scholars in our Sunday-schools will have to take no slight part in the conflict of opinion and practice which already disturbs the churches, and threatens to become more severe and decisive. Methodist teachers ought to do all they can to prepare and predispose young people to take the right side; and, as Methodists, to uphold both those doctrines of Christianity which we know to be so true and precious, and that system of ecclesiastical polity,

mutual intercourse, and of diligent labour which has heretofore produced, under God, such beneficial results.

Who will not, then, set to work afresh for Methodism and for Christ? Let us shake off the shackles of that curse of our day-indifference; and awake from our lethargy, from our cold, selfish, drowsiness; awake to live; live to work; and work that perishing souls may be saved.

O! fellow-workers! let us through the year on which we have now entered, fully-not partially-dedicate ourselves, body and soul, to this labour in the Gospel. We may fancy that, if we do not do it, somebody else will; but that is one of the "wiles of the devil." It may be reasonably presumed that another person will not do the work that we neglect, in the same way, or with the same result or success with ourselves; besides, there is a special satisfaction arising from seeing the work prospering in our own hands. And, if we want to see it prosper, we must work heartily, seriously, and determinedly, now, trusting in the Triune God for success and benediction.

G. B.

SEVEN RULES FOR A TEACHER. 1. NEVER attempt to teach what you do not understand.

2. Never tell a child what he can tell you.

3. Never give information without asking for it again.

4. Never use a hard word, without explaining it, and never use one that does not convey a meaning to the child. 5. Never begin a lesson without having a clear view of its end.

6. Never give an unnecessary command, nor one you cannot expect to be obeyed.

7. Never permit a child to remain in the class without giving him something to do, and a motive for doing it.

-J. G. Fitch.

"TEACHER SAYS, GOD SEES

ME EVERYWHERE."

I FEAR that we Sunday school teachers are not always sufficiently impressed with the real practical usefulness of the lessons imparted by us to our classes. We too often repeat important truths in an indifferent, cold way; simply as a part of our duty, and not with a burning desire that they may influence the words, actions, and lives of the children. If we, who profess to be walking in the path of Christian duty, and to have happily experienced the pleasures of the Christian life, speak of, and teach, such matters carelessly, how can we expect from our little hearers either the interest, or the earnestness, without which the truths we inculcate cannot be understood, and will not be practised? O for a more careful and prayerful scattering of the seed in the hearts of our scholars, that there may be more of the fruit of our teaching in their everyday life! Children's hearts are very tender, very impressible either for good or for evil. Let us, then, endeavour to guide them aright; let our teaching, both in our words and in our actions, be such as to reflect credit on Our profession, and glorify our own heavenly Teacher.

The above remarks were suggested to my mind by a little incident, the relation of which, I hope, may prove as interesting and useful to others as the sight of it was to myself. I was in Liverpool for the first time, some time since, and made the best use I could of my eyes and ears. Among other places, I went to the "market; and was for some time almost bewildered by the strange medley of people, stalls, flowers, fruit, meat, and vegetables. After a few minutes, however, I became accustomed to the noise, and was beginning to feel tired of the place,

I

when my attention was attracted by a little ragged girl, who was walking about in a listless manner without, as I thought, object or interest in anything. She was a very tiny child, with a thin, pale face, and unnaturally large eyes, having that wistful, hungry glare in them which is only seen in the very poor. Her dress was torn and dirty, and altogether she was a very pitiable object to look upon: one that made me feel almost ashamed to be so well-dressed and comfortable. was led to watch her, by seeing her suddenly stoop down, pick up a lovely yellow pear, which I saw fall from a stall near which she stood, and, hiding it in her dress, hurry off in another direction. I followed her quickly, without her perceiving me, for I wanted to see what she would do. She ran on a little way, and then, stopping suddenly, stood with her eyes fixed, evidently in deep thought; then she took the pear in her hand, (for she was out of the owner's sight,) and looked at it with such longing eyes, that she nearly drew tears out of mine. She then wiped it carefully with her dress, and again held it up admiringly. She sighed, ran back a few paces, (as though to return it,) then retracing her steps, she again stood still, and, hiding the pear once more, seemed to feel the temptation to be too great for her childish nature to resist. I, too, stood still near her, but not where she could

see me.

I watched her with breathless anxiety. Forgetting myself and my surroundings, I lost sight of the busy crowd of purchasers; noticed not the tempting wares nor their plausible venders; all my attention was centred in that spot, where I knew one of the most critical events in human life was transpiring, the conflict between good and evil in the soul.

I saw the little emaciated form, with her scanty dress grasped closely in her tiny hands, the luscious pear being hidden in its folds; I saw the wavering glance, the uncertain expression on her pale face; then, too, imagination planted on either side of her the conflicting powers. I saw, on one side, the Arch-deceiver, and heard his insidious suggestion: "How sweet it must be, and you are so thirsty; I'd eat it!" And on the other the whiterobed form of some good angel, with clear voice, uttering the plain truth, "It will be a sin; don't do it!"

The child shuddered; the conflict was over. She loosened her grasp of her dress; the beautiful pear was held in her open hand; she looked neither to the right nor left, but went straight to the stall, and, touching the owner's elbow, held it up, with her face flushed with the excitement of her victory, and her voice ringing with a consciousness of right-doing, as she said, “This pear fell from your stall; take it."

The woman took it without comment, for she had not seen the temptation endured, the struggle and the victory achieved by that little heroine; but when that pear was returned to its owner, methinks there was joy in heaven over the victory of that little soldier of Christ.

She was walking quickly away; but I went up to her, and, laying my hand on her shoulder, arrested her attention. She seemed frightened at first; but soon got over that, when she saw that I did not look cross at her.

"Child," I said, "why did you hide that pear, and run away with it?"

"O, Ma'am, I've given it back!" "Yes, I know; but why did you take it at all ?"

"I couldn't help it, indeed, Ma'am ; it looked so very ripe."

"Well, then, child, why did you not eat it ?"

member anything you say? "O ye of little faith," here is a reproof,-here is encouragement for "Teacher says you: God sees me everywhere!”

Perhaps those words were spoken by a teacher who felt her own weakness, and had as little faith in the child's appreciation of the lesson taught as you have; yet see the result of her teaching, a soul kept back from sin! Take courage, then. You feel your responsibility deeply, perhaps. Well, to teach and care for seven or eight little ones so that they may bring forth fruit to the glory of God, is a great trust; but the Master who confided it to you is almighty and omnipresent, and He will help you. If you carefully sow good, sound seed in those children's hearts, not chance - grains merely, picked up whilst in the school, but seed carefully chosen during the six days of the week,-if you water that grain with earnest and believing prayer, you may leave the rest of the work to God: He will give "the increase." Let us do our duty, not lazily or indifferently, but with true earnestness, and a real interest in the salvation of our scholars' souls, and we shall find that there will not be any cause for discouragement in the result of our labours.

M. E. HUMPHREYS.

"Our Father,"

By right of creation,

By merit of mercy,
By bountiful Providence.

"Which art in heaven,"

The seat of Thy Majesty,
The home of Thy children,
The kingdom of bliss.

"Hallowed be Thy name,"

By the thoughts of our hearts,
By the words of our mouths,
By the works of our hands.

"Thy kingdom come,” –

Of grace to inspire us,
Of power to defend us,
Of glory to crown us.

"Thy will be done,”

In weal, and in woe,
In fulness, and want,
In life, and in death.

"In earth as in heaven,"

In us as in angels,

Willingly, readily, faithfully,
Without murmur, let, deceit.

"Give us this day our daily bread,”—
For the nourishing of our bodies,
For the feeding of our souls,
For the relief of our necessities.

"And forgive us our debts,"

Whereby Thou art dishonoured,
Our neighbours wronged,
Ourselves endangered.

"As we forgive our debtors,"

Who have hurt us in our bodies, Hindered us in our goods, Wronged us in our good name. "Lead us not into temptation,”– Of the wicked world, Of the enticing flesh, Of the envious devil. "But deliver us from evil," Forgive that is past, Reprove that is present, Prevent what is to come. "For Thine is the kingdom,"To rule and to govern all, To command to do all, In all, by all, all in all. "Now and for ever,”

At this present;
In this world;

In the world to come.

"Amen,"

As Thou sayest, so is it.
As Thou promisest, it shall be.
As we pray, so be it, Lord.

HOW ONE SENTENCE OF A SERMON PREVENTED SUICIDE.

DR. MARSH, during his ministry at St. Lawrence, preached a course of sermons on the Commandments. It happened once that, owing to heavy rain, his congregation consisted only of the boys of the National School. The subject for that morning, "Thou shalt do no murder," the preacher felt to be most unsuited to his audience; but, as

it came in the natural order, he proceeded with it. One passage in the sermon had reference to the crime of suicide, and contained the following sentence: "If any man, in the full possession of his senses, take away his own life, his last act is an act of sin."

Many years passed away, and Dr. Marsh was walking in the streets of Weymouth, when he was stopped by a man of respectable appearance, who looked earnestly in his face for a

moment, and then said, "Thank you, and bless you, Sir, for saving my life." "I think there must be some mistake," he replied, " for I do not remember having ever seen you before."

"But I have seen you," said the stranger, "and never can forget you. I was one of the boys in the National School at Reading, and heard you preach on the sixth Commandment. A single sentence of that sermon was all that remained in my mind. I commenced business in this town; but, after some years of prosperity, I was brought, owing to unfortunate circumstances, to the brink of ruin. In my despair I resolved to drown myself; but, as I stood on the breakwater, about to throw myself into the sea, the words which I had heard fifteen years before, 'If any man, in the full possession of his senses, take away his own life, his last act is an act of sin,' flashed upon my memory, and with all my heart I said, "By the help of God, my last act shall not be an act of sin.' I returned to my home, and found comfort in the Bible and in prayer, and that evening I heard a sermon in one of the churches, which led me to seek and find peace with God. The next day's post brought me a letter from an uncle, enclosing a cheque for my present relief, and from that time my circumstances gradually improved until they became prosperous, as they have continued to this time. This has been a great mercy; but the salvation of my soul, when I was on the brink of destroying it for ever, is infinitely greater, and I owe it, under God, to you."

A COLPORTEUR'S GIFT TO A

SOLDIER.

A REGIMENT of French soldiers, on their march to the Crimea, halted for some days at Toulon. While there, a colporteur came among them. A young soldier, pretending to be much moved

by the good man's exhortations, asked for a copy of the New Testament, which was given to him. The soldier and his comrades roared with laughter, telling the colporteur that it was all a joke; but the soldier refused to return the Book, saying, "It would do to light his pipe with." The colporteur replied, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Fifteen months after, the same colporteur stopped for a night at an inn more than three hundred miles from Toulon. The landlady was in great distress, having just lost her son, of whom she spoke in terms of most tender affection. Having conversed with her for a few moments, she brought a little Book, which her deceased son had left to her as his precious legacy.

It was much mutilated, many pages having been torn out; but on the inside of the cover, in large letters, was the following inscription :-"Received at Toulon, on the -- 1855. Despised at first, and badly used; but afterwards read, believed, and made the instrument of my salvation.-J. L., Fusilier of the 4th Company of the-Regiment of the Line."

It was plain that the young soldier had made use of the missing leaves to light his pipe, as he had boasted he should; but, as he related to his mother, this work of destruction was stopped on the evening before a battle, in which his regiment was to occupy the perilous post of the advanced guard. He stated that at this juncture serious thoughts came into his mind in a very strange manner; and the words of the man from whom he had by deception obtained the Book, came suddenly to his recollection, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" "If," said he to himself, "I should fall into His hands!"

This thought haunted him, he said, without intermission, the whole of the night; and, as soon as it became light