The Necessity of Perspicuity in S. S. School Teachers. 211

"Joshua rose up early in the morning."—(Josh. iii. 1.) "Job rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings, according to the number of his sons."—(Jobi.. 5.)

“Thus did Job continually.”—(Job i. 5.).

The pious Psalmist says, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and look up ; and again, thou art God, early will I seek thee." (Psalms 5. 3. & 63. 1.)

[To the Editor of the S. S. T. Magazine.]

Baltimore, May 1st.

Dear Sir-The task of S. S. Teachers has been, generally speaking, but little respected; since, however, the difficulty and importance of such a task have been made known, and suitable preparation in those engaged in the work is acknowledged and regarded with the attention it deserves it has risen in public estimation, and as the means of acquiring useful knowledge relative to plans of government, and instruction, have greatly increased, we may flatter ourselves with the assurance of ulti

mate success.

I know of no means more likely to be useful in disseminating this information than your Magazine: should the following remark throw any light upon a subject that has engaged my attention please to give them a place.

0.

THE NECESSITY OF PERSPICUITY IN S. S. TEACHERS.

The first instructions given to young people may be considered as a primary kind of preaching, more difficult than is generally imagined, and oftentimes more useful than the brightest and most laboured discourses. The effect of perspicuity does not consist in making ourselves understood, but in speaking in such a manner that we cannot be misunderstood. The S. S. Teacher who teaches children the first elements of religion, cannot be too clear and intelligible. No thought or expression should

fall from him above their capacities. Every thing ought to be adapted to their strength, or rather I might say to their weakness. They must say but few things to them, express them clearly, and repeat them often: they should not speak hastily,or with rapidity, but pronounce every syllable distinctly; give them short and clear definitions, and always in the same words; make the several truths evident to them by known example, and familiar comparisons; speak little to them, and make them speak a great deal, which is one of the most essential duties of a teacher of youth, and the least practised.

We must call to mind the happy saying of Quintillian" that a child's mind is like a vessel with a narrow neck, in which no water will enter, if poured abundantly into it, whereas, it fills insensibly, if the liquid be poured gently, or even by drops." The teacher must proceed gradually from these easy steps to something bolder and more elevated, according to the children; but he must always take care to adapt himself to their capacity, and to descend to them, because they are not in a condition to raise themselves to him. This task, thus to teach the young who very often want either capacity or attention, the first principles of religion, there is nothing more tedious or distasteful to a teacher of genius, who may have a great deal of vivacity. But did not that great apostle of the Gentiles, St. Paul, in imitation of our God, manifested in the flesh-(1 Cor. ix. 22.)—make himself weak with the weak, in order to gain the weak; and must not others have had the same patience with us, when they taught us the alphabet and catechism, &c. Is it agreeable to a father to stammer out half words with his infant son, in order to teach him to speak; yet this gives him pleasure. Call to mind the tenderness of a hen, who covers her young ones with her extended wings; and hearing their feeble cries, calls them with a tremulous note, in order to shelter them from the bird of ргеу, who, unrelentingly, snatches away such as do not fly for safety to their mother's wings. Lastly, the love and charity of Christ who vouchsafed to apply this comparison to himself, has been infinitely more extensive-(Math. xxiii. 37.)

This is what we must represent, says St. Austin,* to ourselves, when we are weary of descending to the puerility and weakness of children, and repeat incessantly to them the most trite things, run them over one hundred times.† It often hap

pens, continues the same father, "that we take a singular pleasure, on showing friends newly arrived at the city we live in, whatever is beautiful, uncommon or curious; and the sweetness of friendship diffuses a sacred charm over things which would otherwise appear exceedingly tiresome; and gives them, as to ourselves, all the graces of novelty." Why should not charity produce the same effects in us that friendship does, especially when the thing proposed tends towards making God himself known to men, who ought to be the end of all our knowledge, and all our studies?

EXTRACT FROM WARDLOW ON ECCLESIASTES.

Eccles. 7. 16, 17-" Be not righteous over-much; neither make thyself over-wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?" "Be not over-much wicked; neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?"

This seems to be an instance of serious and impressive Irony; ‡ of which the subject is, the line of conduct most prudent to be pursued; supposing the end in view to be the securing of favour, honour, and prosperity in the world. Religion is a matter in which the world is fond of moderation: beware then of assuming an appearance of sanctity greater than they approve of. So do not assume an appearance of too much wickedness: prudently.

Deal

The 17th verse must be ironical: it cannot possibly mean that we may be wicked if we keep within bounds.

*St. Austin's admirable treatise upon the method of instructing cate. chumens, ought to be read by all who have the tuition of the young at heart.

+ Scripturally illustrated. "line upon line; precept upon precept. here a little and there a little."-Isaiah xxviii. 10. 13. (Ed.)

* Irony-(from Ironie, French) a mode of speech in which the meaning is contrary to words.

SWIFT.

Ironical-Expressing one thing, and meaning another-speaking by

contraries.

BROWN.

Read ch. 11. v. 9, 10, as an instance of Irony. (Rejoice, O young man in thy youth, &c.) and read 1 Kings, ch. 18. Elijah's Irony.

And to show the impossibility of being" righteous over much" read 2 Cor. 5. 17.-1 John 11. 3.-Phill. 3. 13, 14.-Col. 3, 4. -Rom. 12. 1, 2.-Gal. 5. 24.-1 John 2. 15-Matt. 6. 24.James 4. 4.- -2. Cor. 7. 1.-2 Pet. 1. 5. 7.-Rom. 14. 7, 8.

Wardlow. Can a man love God too much; be too spiritually minded— too benevolent?

SUNDAY SCHOOL FACTS AND ANECDOTES.

The beautiful effects of that 66 grace and truth that came by the Son of man, and that has appeared unto all men, teaching them to deny themselves all ungodliness, and to follow peace and holiness," is predicted in terms most simple and expressive by the prophet Isaiah-" the wilderness and solitary place shall be glad—it shall blossom as the rose, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree." "The spirit that is from above, is pure and peaceable," and while it adorns, brightens and purifies the soul-it directs the child of God in all things to adorn the grace and doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "The lion and the lamb lie down together, and a little child leads them." An angry Saul becomes full of compassion; and love and mercy possess the soul that was before agitated with storms of passionthe demoniac sets at the feet of wisdom,"clothed and in his right mind;" thus it is, that the grace of God working in his children to do his will, leads them to be "pleasant and lovely in their lives." "The Ethiopian changes his skin, and the leopard his spots;" old things pass away, and behold all things become new; and in the language ofthe Psalmist-" The Lord takes the poor, the abject and the despised, that he may set them among the princes of the people." This pleasing renovation is often discernable in the walks of the S. S. Teacher; his toils are sometimes rewarded with beholding the children of his tender care

'growing up as olive plants, and bringing forth fruit in their season," but how worthy our admiration, and love, when we see this delightful change take place in those who have been hitherto despised and rejected of man, considered often as the offscourings of the earth" fellow-men-yet often considered such as the world would "disdain to set among the dogs of their flock," but the thoughts of God are not as the thoughts of man, and often do we behold many of the oppressed sons of Africa, partaking of "the glorious liberty of the son's of God." Many interesting circumstances occur in the schools for coloured adults: the following is of recent occurrence :

THE AGED SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR.

A visiter noticed an aged negro conning over the holy page with the most ardent and diligent devotion; "what, do you think to learn to read, old man ?" said the visiter: he replied "O yes, massa, me soon learn to read now." "But do you know any thing about the Bible ?" "Yes, massa I know-God teach me himself long before, and make me love de truth-but I do so want to read this blessed book before I die !" Hope, prayer and praise was in his look as he said it; and he again turned to his lesson as a little child. What a commentary on the gospel preceptpress forward toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus and what are the pious desires thus expressed by the poor and ignorant negro, but the very thoughts of the Psalmist: "O how I love thy law !-it is my meditation all the day-how sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"-(Psalm cxix, 103.)

THE PIOUS STAGE DRIVER.

A traveller taking the outside seat of the coach, and next the driver, an honest looking negro, of sober demeanour, and neat apparel, soon perceived from the tenor of his remarks, that he was piously inclined, and though strangers before, they soon rejoiced together, seeing they were fellow travellers on the high and holy way of Zion. Near thirty years this poor negro had been walking in the truth, and yet in the bond of slavery, and though, in his own words," he was slave now, his massa no set him free when he die;" yet a Heavenly Master had died and set him free forever from a harder slavery" the bonds of