256 Are you a Sabbath School Teacher ? [Nov. school. Every passing year furnishes evidences of the great value of Sabbath school instruction to the rising generation. Especially has its happy influences been seen on many who have been called away by death. In past years, we have been permitted to witness many instances of happy and triumphant deaths among those who have been connected with our school. During the past year, we have been called to part with two of our number, of the ages of 7 and 8, both of whom, during their sickness, talked much of the Saviour." ARE YOU A SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER? We fear the following extract from an article under this head, in the September number of the London S. S. Teachers' Magazine, deserves the very special attention of some members of our churches. Will all church members give it an attentive perusal ? Perhaps you say, "There are enough of others to teach in the Sabbath school." There would not be enough-there would not be any, if all were like you. But this is a mistake; there are not enough of others. You are wanted. Some five or six children, of whom Christ has said, "Suffer them to come to me," may grow up without either learning or religion, unless you become a teacher. Are all the children in the place where you live gathered into the Sabbath school? Are there none that still wander on the Lord's day, illiterate and irreligious? Is there a competent number of teachers in the existing schools, so that more would rather be in the way than otherwise? I do not know how it is where you live, but where I live, there are boys and girls enough, ay too many, who go to no Sabbath school. It is only for a teacher to go out on the Sabbath, and he readily collects a class. of children willing to attend; and where I reside, there are not teachers enough for the scholars already collected.Some classes are without a teacher; and presently the children stay away, because they say they come to school, and there is no one to attend to them. He who said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not," knows this; and he knows who of "his sacramental host" might take charge of these children, and do not. They say every communion season, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" and the Lord replies, "Suffer the little children to come to me"-and there the matter ends. I visited recently an interesting school, composed of adults and children. It is languishing now for want of teachers. There were present some twenty-five or thirty females, and only two female teachers. I wondered to see no more than two there, especially of those who were last at the cross and first at the sepulchre. PROMINENT DEFICIENCIES AMONG TEACHERS. [CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 226.] A want of suitable preparation for their duties, on the part of teachers, is another evil resulting from the same cause. If Sabbath school teachers have incorrect or inadequate views of the dignity and importance of the station they occupy; if they do not realize in some good degree the vast influence they may exert upon the character and destiny of the youth committed to their charge, they cannot be expected to labor as they should to become suitably prepared in mind and heart for the faithful discharge of the high and holy duties devolving upon them. That many individuals engaged in Sabbath school instruction are greatly deficient in these respects, cannot be denied. We have ourselves witnessed in too many of the schools, proofs of incompetency and want of interest in those filling the station of teachers, too palpable and strong to allow us to doubt the fact. The lateness of the hour at which they arrive at the school-not unfrequently from fifteen minutes to half an hour after the time for its meeting their very manner of entering the room-their lookstheir conduct before their class-in short, their whole deport22* VOL. III. 258 The Poet's Answer. [Nov. ment is sufficient evidence that they are not interested in their occupation; that they do not delight in the study of the Bible, or in communicating its truths to the young. While so many teachers retain this character, the moral and intellectual improvement of the children in our schools must necessarily be slow, and the institution must leave much of the work which it ought to accomplish, uncompleted. Such are some of the evils resulting from the want of the proper qualifications in teachers. THE POET'S ANSWER TO A LADY'S QUESTION RESPECTING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS MOST DESIRABLE IN AN INSTRUCTRESS OF CHILDREN. O'er wayward children wouldst thou hold firm rule, For, as old Atlas, on his broad neck places But Love is subtle; and will proof derive, And the soft murmurs of the mother dove, Wooes back the fleeting spirit, and half supplies: Thus Love repays to Hope what Hope first gave to Love! When, over-tasked at length, Both Love and Hope beneath the load give way, COLERIDGE. FAITHFUL LABORS WILL NOT LOSE A REWARD. It is of the highest importance, that parents and Sabbath school teachers should persevere in their efforts to promote, the intellectual and spiritual improvement, and salvation of their children and those under their instruction. And they may be assured, if faithful, that their labor will not be in vain, but that in due time they will reap, if they faint not. Both the promises of God, and their fulfilment, afford the greatest encouragement to expect that sooner or later the blessing will be granted. God may hear and answer their prayers, and bless their efforts immediately. Some years since, a very pious woman had a young female living with her. One morning, these words, "Feed my lambs," were forcibly brought to her mind. She thought them appropriate to herself in relation to this young person. Though much engaged in her work, she left it, took this youth with her to her chamber, prayed with her, and exhorted her to give her heart to Christ. She became much impressed. These efforts she continued for several hours, till the youth expressed a hope that she had submitted to Christ, and she afterwards gave evidence that her heart was then renewed. Though seed lie buried long in dust, It sha'nt deceive their hope; The precious grain can ne'er be lost, For grace insures the crop. It may spring up after the sower is laid in the grave, and is sleeping in the dust. In a revival of religion, a woman more than ninety years of age, was hopefully converted, who was awakened by recollecting something said to her by her mother when she was a child. C. "While parents are interesting their children in the salvation of the heathen, they are doing one of the best things they can do to lead those children to become Christians." 260 Prayer answered after Death. PRAYER ANSWERED AFTER DEATH. [Nov. The mother of the late Mrs. Wight, of Scituate, as we learned from a recent conversation with Rev. Mr. W., died, leaving her husband and all her eight children, impenitent. She was a devotedly pious woman, and her frequent and earnest prayers for her family, bore testimony to her deep anxiety for their spiritual welfare. Her prayers for her children were also accompanied with their faithful instruction. These prayers that anxious wife and mother did not live to see answered; but they were strikingly answered after her death. Within a few years from that event, her husband and seven out of the eight children were hopefully converted, and united with orthodox churches; and three grand-children also, became pious. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF BOOKS AND RENEWED APPLICATION. A missionary in Johnson county, Missouri, under date Sept. 16, 1846, acknowledges a box of seven libraries, from the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, and applies for a new donation. He heard of the arrival of the box about the last of April. He had seventeen appointments in each month, which left him but little time for his Sabbath school arrangements. And yet he was enabled to finish the organization of six schools, by the last of May! He says, "I have done what I could'. to put the donations of our Christian friends in the way of doing good. In the six schools now in operation, there are 533 volumes of bound books, and 377 numbers of the WellSpring in constant reading. I desire through you, to render my sincere thanks to the MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY, for the confidence they have placed in me, as their agent in distributing |