old. She explained it in so practical a manner, that I perfectly understood it, and so pleased was I with the principles it contained, that I resolved to adopt it for my motto for a year, and if I found it to be useful to myself, and felt assured that I could do no better than to adopt it for my motto for life. My mother, as was ever the case, was my confidant, and her counsels strengthened me in my resolution to adopt it, and I begged her to remind me of it, if at any time I appeared to forget it. This she did not promise to do, fearing I would depend on her; but advised me to write it down, and place it where I could always find it. As a child I applied it to all my plays, and what was duty was to be paramount to my inclination. The morning after I formed this resolution, it rained so that I thought of not going to school. My father had the day before purchased me a top, and I was very desirous to stay at home and play with it. My mother, as was sometimes her custom, left me to decide whether or not to go. She said it would not be imprudent, but as it was unpleasant, I might do as I thought best. There was quite a struggle between duty and inclination. I did not think the rain would hurt me, ought I to regard my feelings? It was my duty to improve my time, and the advantages my parents gave me. I went up stairs to my trunk, took out a piece of paper on which I had printed my motto, and which probably no one would have read but myself, and sat down to reflect. Now, thought I, is my first opportunity for practicing my motto. I jumped up and ran down to my mother: "O mother," said I, "it won't hurt me to go, and you know now my inclination must yield to my duty!"

She kissed me very affectionately, and said, "My dear boy, never forget that God sees you, and that he loves those that seek to do their duty."

That kiss and that look repaid me for the sacrifice, and I scampered off to school happier than if I were to play with my top a week.

M. C. E.

IT has been wisely observed that he who is not able to leave his mark upon a pupil, never ought to have one." Christian mother! have you placed your child under the influence of a teacher whose mark you wish it to receive ? Have you endeavored to acquaint yourself with the peculiarities of her mind; with her natural and acquired abilities; with her views of education, its relative importance, its object, and the manner in which that object is to be attained; with her views of natural and revealed truth, especially of the latter? Is she a lover of the Bible,well versed in its history, and familiar with its precepts? Has she an eye to see, and a tongue to dwell on its beauties? Does she give it a prominent place in the daily course of instruction? Has she clear and correct views of the moral government of God, of its principles, designs, and ultimate tendency; of personal responsibility; of the office and work of the Holy Spirit? Has she a deep and tender solicitude for the early conversion of her pupils? Have you reason to believe that the renovation of their hearts is an object which lies very near her own, and to this end all her efforts will have a direct tendency till it is accomplished, unless, in the providence of God, they are removed from under her care? If you have found a teacher for your child, whose intellectual capacity and attainments qualify her for her office, and whose views of moral truth are in harmony with your own, and drawn immediately from the fountain of all wisdom, you have reason to bless God for what she is, and to esteem her very highly in love, for her work's sake.

I write particularly for those who have not formed a sufficient acquaintance with their teachers, to answer the foregoing queries; and were I not supported by facts, I should not presume to suppose such ignorance of character, where such interests are at stake. As a necessary consequence of this unjustifiable indifference, it has come to pass that "who will may teach, and what they will." A nation's treasure, and the hope of the church, is deliberately consigned to

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any one who is willing to assume the trust; the accomplished and faithfe! teacher is estimated at an unworthy price; her motives often misjudged: her conduct impugned; and perhaps, after months of unceasing effort, some dissatisfaction on the part of the child, or some parental freak, removes a promising pupil from her care, and places it under new influence, where, if no other injury is sustained, the same work is to be done over again, and much invaluable time is lost.

Many circumstances have conspired to keep parents and teachers at a distance from each other. Their spheres of operation have been supposed to be widely separated, and there has been no common ground on which they could meet. Parents have held themselves responsible for the physical comfort and temporal interests of their children. Their education or intellectual culture, they have committed to teachers, the care of their souls to their pastor or the Sabbath school.

The work of training an immortal being has thus been unhappily divided, as also its responsibilities. The latter has been thrown from one to the other, and evaded by all, or subdivided until its particles have become invisible; and instead of being workers together for God, helpers of each other's joy, they have, at least, counteracted each other's influence, and left their errors indeli bly marked on their unhappy subjects.

A redeeming principle is now manifesting itself, and here and there public sentiment begins to be corrected. We have discovered that neither can do the work independent of the other; that our responsibilities are both relative and personal; and this like a magnetic influence, is drawing us together. It would not be difficult to multiply reasons why parents and teachers should be acquainted with each other; but as "a word to the wise is sufficient," I shall be brief.

If it is true that mind acting on mind necessarily produces an impression, parents are deeply interested in knowing what impressions a teacher intends to make on the minds of her pupils. When the lines of intellectual and moral character are strongly marked, neither effort nor time can save them. They may be rendered less legible, but they are there still, and will be developed under every variety of circumstance, and in every stage of life. In drawing these lines of character, the facilities possessed by teachers are much greater than has been generally supposed. If I wished to change the moral character of a nation, I would assemble together the teachers of its primary schools, and engage them in my interests. They are, or they ought to be, well acquainted with mind, the laws of its constitution, the powers and susceptibilities by which it acts, and is acted upon. They know how to touch the secret springs of thought and feeling, and hold a controlling influence over mind, during that period in which it is most easily affected. They will cherish impressions, and write sentiments on the heart, which will be felt and read when the books shall be opened, and the Judge shall determine the future destiny of your children, according to the characters they have formed under their present influences.

Another reason for this intimate acquaintance between parents and teachers is, that without it there can be no foundation on which to rest a hope of success. Mind, in its onward march, is approaching a fearful crisis. It has learned

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to despise government, to be uneasy under restraint, and to maintain an unhallowed independence of God and man. The moral ligaments, by which society has been bound together, are greatly weakened, and confidence in general character has suffered a proportionate diminution. The infinitely wise providence of God has cast our lot in these latter days, in which errors abound; and most unhappily for us, we are more exposed from enemies within the sacred enclosure of the church, than from those who openly avow their hostility. Many who maintain an amiable and correct external deportment, are drawn away from the simplicity of the "truth as it is in Jesus." There is a growing tendency, on the part of the lovers of natural science, to lose sight of God, to place him without the precincts of his own material universe, and to account for every phenomenon, whether supported by evidence or not, without a recog nition of the invisible agency which designs and produces all.

By some, there is a strong propensity to materialize spiritual things; and in others to spiritualize material things; and the tendency of all this is to lead the youthful mind to indulge a specious and unsuspected infidelity. An enlightened confidence must be the result of personal knowledge and esteem of character. This must be based on an acquaintance with the feelings and sentiments of its subject.

Again, without such confidence, there can be little co-operation in effort, or sympathy under trial. Every faithful teacher has at some time been the subject of what may be called a professional despondency. In view of their high responsibilities, the magnitude of their work, and the obstacles in the way of its accomplishment, teachers feel that they are incompetent to the performance of the one, or the removal of the other. That their sufficiency is of God, affords the only real relief to a mind thus alive to its duty, and sensible of its weakness. If we can go to the strong for strength, and to the wise for wisdom, we need not fear. He who has placed us in our office, will sustain us in the discharge of its duties, and have compassion on our infirmities; but we still need that participation of feeling which we can expect only from those whose servants we are for Jesus' sake. The most successful not unfrequently find occasion to mourn that they have labored in vain, and spent their strength for nought. Their efforts have been ineffectual, and their reasonable expectations disappointed, for want of certain parental co-operation. A teacher may discover a moral defect in the character of a pupil, and direct all her efforts to its correction. It may escape the vigilance of parental observation, and, by indulgence at home, gather strength to resist the opposing influence at school. The hopelessness of such a case is too evident to need illustration. Yet such occurrences are common; and because they are so, we pass them by in silence, or lay them up in the secret recesses of our sorrows. Union is strength; and without united effort, no important object can be gained. In order to form the minds of the rising generation, with reference to the great moral changes which they will probably witness, and in which we hope they will bear a part, we must have one definite object, and pursue it by at least similar means. The course of instruction and system of discipline adopted by the teacher, should be known and approved by the parent. Should there

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be any difference of opinion, it should be freely discussed, without the knowledge of the child. Only let a child know that its parent doubts the propriety of the course adopted by the teacher, and her usefulness to that child is at an end. Confidence is destroyed, and they cannot separate too soon. We ought frequently to meet, to compare notes, to talk over difficulties, to advise with each other relative to the best means of attaining some definite end, to strengthen each other's hands, and, as far as possible, to amalgamate our views and interests. Such an intercourse would give us another opportunity of gaining the affection of our pupils. We should then meet them occasionally, not as teachers, but as friends. It would encourage us in our work, by giving us the best assurances that we are not laboring alone; that our hands are held up by parental co-operation; and that in all the trials incident to our important duties, we share the sympathies, and are sustained by the prayers of those for whom we labor.

New York, August 31, 1833.

For the Mother's Magazine.

CULTIVATION OF THE AFFECTIONS.

IOTA.

An interesting writer, in one of the early volumes of the Christian Spectator, in a review of Babington on Education, has made the following remarks: "It [education] implants and gives energy to correct principles; establishes the dominion of good habits. It softens and refines the affections, moderates the desires, eradicates prejudice, and reduces to submission the rebellious passions. The subject of this benign discipline is thus rendered more placid, cheerful and happy in himself, and of course more disposed to give, as well as more capable of giving, happiness to those about him."

Is the present system of female education calculated to produce such favorable results? Our daughters are becoming more intellectual than their mothers; are they in other respects fitting for the sphere for which Providence has designed them, a "help meet for man"? Thus has our all wise Creator pointed out the station we are to occupy. I rejoice in that improved state of education, by which woman is prepared for intellectual companionship with the gifted of the other sex. Too long was she withheld from that rank among minds, which was hers by "divine right," by her inferior cultivation. But her duties are peculiar and appropriate; something besides the understanding must receive careful culture. The affections must be softened and refined!

Look at the darling of the nursery; how her every whim is gratified! How she is satiated with dainties! How gaily dressed; how studiously amused! Already she is the tyrant of her little sphere; her lip curls with pride; her commands are uttered with an authoritative tone, that would become an admiral. When is she to begin to learn submission? How can she be taught self-denying kindness? Emancipated from the nursery, the half spoiled pet is sent to school. Her mental culture assumes order and efficiency. Meantime, who cultivates the affections? Who calls forth her activity in "the sweet charities of life"? Is she constantly encouraged to render those offices of