1846.] Sabbath School Concert. 5 dismissed to meet again in the afternoon. At the close of the afternoon service, the school re-assembled. Its exercises consisted in reciting hymns and the catechism; and here. again the quantity recited met with its due reward. No question was ever asked to fathom our real ignorance or knowledge of the lesson; no comments or explanations of difficult passages were ever vouchsafed; no remarks were ever made upon the great truths which the lesson contained; like the system of instruction in the secular schools, reciting largest lessons perfectly, was the main point, and who will' deny that perfect recitations is a great point to be secured in Sabbath school teaching? But that it is all, we cannot, now-a-days, admit. The great truths which the lesson embraces, must be evolved, illustrated, and impressed with serious earnestness by the teacher, upon the conscience of the child; they must be fastened there, like seed hidden in the ground, that in due time they may germinate, spring up and bear fruit. The school draws near its close; a bell is rung, and it reassembles in the great room. The superintendent holds in his hand a book, from which he reads a story, sometimes merely moral, sometimes religious, but an entertaining story, full of incident, and to every scholar it was the most interesting exercise of the day, at least to all whose memory failed to secure a ticket. That book, with marble paper covers and red morocco back! that dear delightful story-book, how we longed to possess it! to hold it in our very hands, to explore its pages, and linger at will over its good girls and bad boys! How eagerly did we watch its egress from the desk, how greedily listen, how mournfully behold it closed, when the superintendent suddenly stopped, as he sometimes did in the midst of his story, and changing his tone, declare it was quite time to dismiss the school. What disappointment followed as we went away, longing for the the next Sabbath, and 1* VOL. III. why? O, to hear how this story turned out,—we were sure to come. The book I have never met since; and though, in later times, many of those old scholars have often discussed its merits as a Sabbath school book, we remain ignorant of its name or birth, and the old superintendent is not now here to reveal it. No minister ever visited the school, nor did the church pray for its welfare. No little child was taken by the hand and led to Jesus. No library was formed to supply the children with instructive and interesting books. No missionary intelligence was ever communicated, and no missionary. offerings were ever heard of. Such was our Sabbath school a long while ago. The account of the present condition of our school must be deferred to the next concert. EXHORTATION TO SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHERS. THE superintendent of a Sabbath school in this city, in his new year's address to his school, gives the following impressive exhortation to the teachers : "How exalted is your station, how honored your position! Men will toil long, and spend fortunes, that they may occupy a chair of state; but how inferior such a post, compared with yours! God has sent a message of peace to man,-that message you bear, and God has sent you as his messengers to your scholars, to teach that message to them. How important, how responsible a duty! Think of it: God is the author of that message,-it points out the only way of PEACE: you are sent by God to inform your scholars of that way. It is important you should know well that way yourselves; that you should clearly and faithfully point it out to your pupils, 1846.] Exhortation to Sabbath School Teachers. 7 and entreat them, in Christ's name, to walk therein. Remember that God, that Christ, that all the holy angels and redeemed spirits are looking on with anxious eyes, to witness your faithfulness in delivering that message. Your office is by no means an unmeaning one; you cannot attach too much importance to it. Heaven and its glorious throng, are moved at its importance. They look with indifference upon the rise and fall of a nation; but upon a faithful Sabbath school teacher they look with the deepest interest. They hover over you in your hours of preparation and prayer for your classes, and they rejoice with great joy when you so impress upon the minds of your scholars the truths of that message, as to lead even one soul to cry "My God, permit my tongue This joy, to call thee mine; Remember you are dealing with souls which are to live. eternally; that they are now like the melted silver, capable of receiving impressions which will last for ever. Then, stamp upon them the image of Christ; and though it may show but faintly now, God will bless your faithful, prayerful labor, and bring out that image to shine as a star in glory. Remember that Christ, the Great Teacher, is your pattern, and, that in order to be a faithful teacher, pleasing God, you must be like him. Like him in prayer.-The stillness of night and early morn witnessed his earnest supplications for his disciples. Like him in teaching.-The hearts of his hearers burned within them, and their souls were quickened at his words. Like him in spirit.—Peaceful, meek, humble, and pure in heart. Like him by the way.-Ever uttering words of comfort and kindness to all who came to him troubled. Like him at all times.-Doing the will of your Father in heaven. Like him in knowledge.-Possessing the knowledge of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. A faithful teacher will study and ponder much over God's word. Knowledge drops not into the sluggard's mouth, but comes as hidden treasures from much toil. How can you direct others, if you know but imperfectly the ways of peace yourselves? Be faithful,-be intelligent,-be active,-be prayerful teachers; and God will crown your labors with the salvation of souls. Shrink not from your work because there are arduous labors and great responsibilities in your path. Let not the question be, How dare I assume these labors and responsibilities?-but rather, How dare I refuse them? Christ expects fruit from each and all of his followers; and he would have no barren fig-trees in his paths, no idle servants; but have them all, those who came early and those who came late, enter, and labor in his vineyard, and receive a full reward." ON FAMILY GOVERNMENT.---NO. II. THE END OF PARENTAL GOVERNMENT. GOVERNMENT is of God. Parental government does not depend upon the whim or the caprice of parents. God gives them certain duties, and enforces them with high sanctions. The end of government in a family is to secure obedience to wholesome laws, submission to just restraints. The duty of a parent to provide food sufficient for a child, and to fit him, by education, for usefulness in life, is not more binding than is the obligation to secure the respect and obedience of that child. The good of the child and the stability of all social excellence demand it. That parental authority be enforced is the especial and 1846.] Family Government. 9 repeated command of God. The fifth command, with promise, is this: "Honor thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." This Paul interprets when he says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right." (Eph. 6: 1, 2.) Among other qualifications that Abraham possessed, which led the Almighty to select him as the "father of all those that believe," and conferred upon him the distinguished title, of the "friend of God," was the authority he would exercise over his household. "I know him that he will command his children and his household after him; and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." (Gen. 18: 19.) The curse of God which fell upon Eli, the high priest, which curse could not be removed "with sacrifice nor offering," originated in the neglect of his authority as a parent. "I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." (1 Sam. 3: 13, 14.) Provision was made in the law of God for the punishment of rebellious children, whom the parents could not control. "If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them, then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he die. So shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear and fear." (Deut. 21: 18-21.) So heinous and awful in the sight of God was disobedience to parents! Eli was cursed because he did not restrain his sons. The parents under the law could not avail themselves of the provision made for disobedient children, until they had done |