Sunday-school times

              THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL TIMES.
VOLUME IV.
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT ONE DOLLAR A YEAR-PHILADELPHIA, JANUARY 25, 1862.
NUMBER 4.
THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOI.  TIMES,
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Address,
Thi Stoday-Sohooi, Titus,
148 South Fourth street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Subscriptions are also taken by
A. D. P. Randolph, 683 Broadway, New York.
Henbt Hoyt, 9 Cornhill, Boston.
For the Sunday-School Times.
Bishop Potter and Sunday-Schools.
AN INTERESTING MEETING.
DEAR TIMES:—At the call ofthe senior
Bishop of this Diocese, a number of the
clergy, and several hundred others (chiefly
Sunday-school teachers) assembled at St.
John's church, in Brown street, below Third,
on Monday evening, 13th inst., at 7 -J- o'clock,
to consider the question—HWhat is the best
or the most successful mode of teaching Sunday-
school?"
As this question is one of deep personal
interest to a great many of your readers, and
its discussion is especially appropriate to
your paper, permit me to give you a brief
account of the addresses delivered on that
occasion, as I feel sure that they must prove
profitable to every one who will duly consider
them.
Bishop Potthr opened by referring to the
generous self-denial which had been exhibited
by many ladies and gentlemen in their devo¬
tion to this Sunday work after a week of
domestic and professional toil. He thought
that they were more than remunerated by the
good that they had actually accomplished, to
say nothing of the reward that they would
meet hereafter. While Sunday-school teachers
had done a very great work, he thought that
they might do much more, they should ever
aspire higher, and still higher, even unto per¬
fection.
The speaker made some general remarks
upon the whole subject of teaching, the out¬
ward manner of the teacher, and the interest
which he should manifest in his work, and
continued by saying:
1. The Uzcher should have a high conception of
hie work.
He thought that there was no work more
honorable, more noble, more responsible,
more useful than that of the Sunday-school
teacher. Men in the highest positions of tbis
world, clergymen and bishops not excepted,
might well sit at the feet of the successful
Sunday-school teacher and learn of him, and
acknowledge the power and influence of his
mission. He who has the moral education of
the children committed to his care, holds the
destinies of the future generation in his
grasp.
2. There should be more training ef the mind.
The children should be taught to  think.
Their minds should not be simply filled with
words or ideas, not their own, but they
should be disciplined to thought—taught to
reflect upon the Scriptures—to seek profit
from them in every possible way. He sug¬
gested that abstract ideas should seldom be
used—that it was far better to draw pictures
and scenes from the word of God, by which
the subject before them would have a fresh¬
ness and life imparted to it. This point was
beautifully illustrated by a discussion of the
gospel for the previous Sunday (Luke 2:
41, &c). We should remember that Chris¬
tianity is a life—it is manifested by our daily
actions. We should not be contented until
we find our children partaking of the spirit
of Christ, and making Christ their constant
example. It is not enough to tell them their
duty, but we should see that they do it. We
should set them the example of loving obe¬
dience to Christ.
3. There should be thorough preparation on
the part of the teacher.
He should read over the lesson to be taught
on Sunday, in the beginning ofthe week. He
should have it ever before bis mind, and
endeavor to have it impressed upon his heart.
He must become interested in the lesson be¬
fore he can hope to interest his scholar?.
Without interest, there can be no successful
teaching.
The Bishop thought question books gener¬
ally were to be almost " loathed." They take
from the teacher the necessity of thinking
out the lesson, of thoroughly mastering it,
and they cannot possibly be adapted to the
various characters in a class. A good Bible
Dictionary, (that of the American Tract
Society) good maps of Judea and Asia, will
generally enable any studious teacher to pre¬
pare his questions much better than anybody
else can prepare them for him.
4. The teacher should not become discouraged
and give up his work because he is not successful
at once.
Many feel that they are incompetent. This
is well, for you thereby acknowledge your
weakness and infirmity, and are prepared for
counsel. While man is the only animal that
makes mistakes, he is the only one that can
be improved by them. Let no one excuse
himself on the ground of incompetence
Men of very little education, but of earnest
and diligent spirit, often make the best
teachers. Men of no skill, tact or talent for
teaching, will acquire it by practice.
Get some good book on teaching. Todd's
Manual, The Teacher Taught, or The Teacher
Teaching, and study them well.
See that you understand your lesson. See
that you are deeply interested in it.   See that
you know your scholars intimately, and are
duly interested in their eternal welfare See
that your great desire ia to fit them for useful,
happy and holy living on earth, and for the
enjoyment of their Saviour's presence in
heaven. See that you pray much over your
lesson and over your class, and you need
never fear your success. I regret that I can¬
not recall more of this address, which was
filled with most valuable practical suggestions,
and listened to with profound attention.
The next speaker was the Bev. Edwabd A.
Foggo, of Christ church. This gentleman
confined his remarks to the spirit of the teacher.
1. The teacher should be animated by love to
Christ.
He should ardently desire to bring the chil¬
dren and youth to the cross, to see them meek
and lowly disciples of him who suffered and
died for them. He thought it presumption for
any one to endeavor to teach that which he
had not himself learned by experience. If a
man knows not the love of Christ, how can
he hope successfully to commend it to others?
The scholars will detect the deception where
the mouth does not speak from the fulness of
the heart. They will inwardly ask why does
not the teacher love and serve Jesus if he be¬
lieves this to be our all important duty and
high privilege ? A mechanic or professional
man never sets himself up as a workman or
practitioner, unless he has learned his trade
or profession. Neither should any one pre¬
sume to lead children to Christ (and this, I
think, is the great object of all proper Sunday-
school instruction,) unless he has become his
disciple. First give yourselves to the Lord,
and then to the Lord's work, and you will
both save yourselves and them that hear you.
2. The teacher should cultivate a social spirit.
He should know every child under his care
very intimately. He should visit him fre¬
quently. He should learn his trials and
temptations, his weaknesses and failings, his
inner thoughts and feelings, and exhibit in¬
terest in his studies and plays, in short he
should become his best friend, and endeavor
to secure his confidence, and let him and his
parents see that he really seeks his present
and his eternal welfare.
3. The teacher should cultivate a spirit of
prayer.
No teacher will succeed without much
prayer, and no teacher will fail with prayer.
Pray often, earnestly and faithfully. Let your
scholars know that you pray for them. Prayer
will interest God in your class, warm up your
own heart, and quicken a new life in your
children.
This address was delivered with much
energy, unction and power, and our only
regret concerning it was its brevity.
The Rev. Robert C. MatIjACk, of the Church
of the Nativity, made the closing address.
He said that he could not presume to instruct
the superintendents and teachers before him
in his individual capacity, as many of them
had been connected with the blessed work of
Sunday-school teaching so much longer than
he, and were so much more capable of giving
instruction than himself. He hoped that it
would be borne in mind, therefore, that he
addressed them as the representative of the
convocation of the clergy and superintendents
who had had along and free discussion during
the afternoon, and that it would be his pro¬
vince to touch upon a few pointS that were
there suggested and developed. The speaker
confi ned himself to the mode of instruction, and
illustrated his points by several happy inci¬
dents, which we cannot give in full at present.
1. The lesson should be short.
It is much better to learn one verse of Scrip¬
ture thoroughly than to run over, or even to
commit to memory a dozen.
Short lessons would necessarily require the
teacher to think and study in order to have
material enough to interest his children for
the allotted time devoted to instruction.
Never take a longer lesson than you can mas¬
ter thoroughly, and every child can learn
perfectly.
2. The instruction should be simple.
The speaker here drew a fine picture of a
cold, stiff, dignified teacher, who sits straight
up in his chair and delivers theological lec¬
tures and philosophical disquisitions to his
pupils, and seems more desirous of impressing
them with a sense of his own learning and
importance than of the value of their souls
and the preciousness of Jesus. We must come
down, bend a little, if we would teach suc¬
cessfully. Let us be simple in manner and in
expression, not light or silly. Let us use no
big words, and have no fear of great thoughts
if they are clearly set forth. Never compel a
child to lose a thought by his effort to get at
the meaning of your words. A good pane of
glass is one that transmits the light without
obstruction—one that is not observed ; so a
good style of expression is one that is so
simple, plain, clear, that it never attracts at¬
tention. Examine the Saviour's most im¬
portant teachings. The Golden Rule has not
a long word in it. The Lord's prayer, and the
two great commandments which sum up "the
law and the prophets," are given in the sim¬
plest words which could have been used.
Never speak of the attributes of deity, but
God's characteristics or points of character,
his way of thinking, feeling, and appearing
towards us. Never use the Latin names of
these characteristics, omnipotent, omniscient,
omnipresent, but speak of the all powerful,
the all seeing, the every-where-present, &c
The late Dr. Bedell's simplicity in preaching
was referred to, and a beautiful incident was
told concerning it.
3. The instruction shotdd be thorough and
comprehensive.
When you have dismissed a verse of the
Bible, your scholar should be able to answer
every conceivable questioa which can be
asked about it. The manners and customs of
the people, their food and raiment, mode of
traveling, Ac, will all be interesting and pro¬
fitable, and serve to fasten the text npon the
memory. Some quite amusing incidents
touching defectiveness in this particular were
given as the result of the speaker's experience
in visiting Sunday-schools.
4. The instruction should be illustrative.
Incidents should be gathered from every¬
day life. The common objects which sur¬
round us may be made to serve the cause of
truth. Self-denial, self-control, &c, can bet¬
ter be taught by telling a true story in point
than by any generalizing. The speaker did
not wish to be understood to suggest the toll¬
ing of stories frequently, or at length, to
entertain and amuse the scholars. He thought
that they should only be used to convey the
truth more readily. This point was illus¬
trated by an apt mode of giving some notion
of the vastness of eternity as followed by the
speaker's teacher many years ago.
5. The instruction should be conversational.
You should not lecture or preach to the
children, but talk with them. Get them close
around you; let your eye meet theirs; be easy,
and familiar in your conversation; ask many
questions; give them their time to answer;
make reference to texts to aid them; give
them opportunity to question you in turn.
6. The instruction should be affectionate.
Love should rule in Sunday- school if any¬
where on earth. A kind manner, prompted
by a warm heart, cannot fail in subduing the
most obstinate boy. If a boy is very perverse,
do not scold bim, or get out of humor with
him, or lose your patience. Certainly not
in the school. Rather let him see that
his conduct grieves, pains and saddens you.
Detain him when the class is dismissed,
or go to his home, or best of all, invite him to
call and see you in a friendly way. Then take
him into your private room, tell him how
much you are troubled about him, how you
have prayed for him, how you are disap¬
pointed in him. Tell him that you fear that
he will not make the man you would like to
see him, that you fear he will reflect no credit
upon you, upon the school, upon his parents
and friends. Pray with him. Few boys can
resist such an appeal.
In closing, the speaker recalled his points,
and urged the teachers to go forth in faith
and prayer, fearing nothing. He reminded
them that God had promised to give them
everything that they could pessibly need to
qualify them for their work, and he wanted to
be gracious unto all who would ask Ever keep
before you the great object of teaching, to
prepare yourself and your scholars for heaven!
A Subscbibeb.
January 15, 1862.
For the Sunday-School Times.
TRUE COURAGE.,
SOMETIMES it requires a great deal of
courage to perform one right action. The
child who kneels to pray in the presence of
strangers shows moral courage. The young
girl who is not ashamed of Jesus among her
gay young companions, shows true courage.
So does the youth, when for the first time
freed from the pleasant restraints of a father's
house, he dares to read his Bible before
strangers who may laugh and sneer.
Not long since, I heard a young man ex¬
cuse himself from staying late in a pleasant
social circle. Bright eyes and smiling lips
were urging him to stay, but with true man¬
liness he replied, "I cannot remain, my mother
will wait for me." Beautiful courage, which
shows itself in devotion to a mother! Beau¬
tiful devotion, a crown of glory on the brow
of manhood! Who would not honor the
youth who could place first in his thoughts
and life the mother whose care has ever
watched over him? Who would not trust
the character of him who, with firmness and
alacrity, could leave the festive halls of plea¬
sure for the quiet room at home, where a mo¬
ther awaited him?
The time has gone by when it is considered
by any one a test of manliness to treat a mo¬
ther slightingly. Rather is he most honored
who most honors his mother.
Precious mother love! The most unsel¬
fish, the most devoted, the nearest to Christ-
love, of any in this earth. All other loves
seek a return, and expect to take back in
some measure what they give. But the ma¬
ternal love watches and waits through many
a day and night, ere the helpless object can
return its affection. No sickness wearies it,
no coldness chills it, no forgetfulness inter¬
rupts it. So Christ loved us before the foun¬
dation of the world ; so we love him because
he first loved us. M. E. M.
Brooklyn.
.
For the Snnday-School Times.
GOD WON'T ENOW YOU THEN.
WE were showing a very bright little girl
arag-babyrepresentinganold"sweepo,"
and at the same time were telling one of the
ladies how the face and hands were made
black, when the child looked np and said,
" Why don't you make your face black, too,
like him ?"
"Oh," was the reply, "God did not want
my face black, or he would have made me so."
For a moment the child was silent, then
looking up said, "No, it wouldn't do to make
your face black, because if you do God won't
know you then when you go up to heaven,
if he didn't make you black: he knew how
to make you."
Alas, how many make the heart black by
the indulgence of evil passions, without once
thinking that they are defacing God's work;
that he won't know them when they knock
for admission at the portals of bliss. And
since all by sin have lost the bright image of
the Father's glory, how eagerly should all of
us crowd to the fountain of cleansing, that
the dark stains may be removed, and we,
clothed in the new robe of Christ's righteous¬
ness, stand before the Father, known unto
him and accepted in the beloved. M.
Little drops of rain brighten the meadows,
and little acts of kindness brighten the world.
MANY-SIDED KNOWLEDGE.
AVOID the mistake of limiting too strictly
your studies to your own specialty, or
your intercourse to your own particular seGt
or caste. There are some advantages un¬
doubtedly in exclusivism. The man who all
his life does nothing but make pinheads, by
limiting his faculties exclusively to that one
thing, will doubtless learn to make pinheads
better and cheaper than the man who divides
his attention among several branches of in¬
dustry. It is mainly through the minute sub¬
division of labor, and the confinement of each
operative so far as practicable to single pro¬
cesses, that the great modern improvements
in the mechanic arts have been -effected. So
also in the higher walks of intellectual in¬
dustry. In order to make new discoveries in
science, or to follow out investigations in any
direction to ultimate results, there must be
subdivision of labor, and a just limit to one's
inquiries. Such is the admitted doctrine,
which you have all heard. I accept it in all
its length and breadth, and shall say nothing
that can be construed into any disparage¬
ment of its importance. Nor do I underrate
the folly and danger of frittering away one's
energies among a variety of pursuits. But of
that danger you have often heard. It is a
common topic of remark. There is danger,
however, on the other side, not so great or
serious perhaps, yet real and worthy of con¬
sideration, and all the more so because it is
less frequently touched upon. That is the
danger against which I warn you.
Man dwarfs himself, if he pushes too far
the doctrine of the subdivision of labor.   He
may, perhaps, render himself worth more as
a maker of pinheads, but he is worth less as
a man.    Every one ought to be, and is, some¬
thing more than a mere factor in some grand
formula of social or economical science.   He
has a perfection of his own, in himself, which
is his chief concern.    The first question with
every man is, not what he can do, but what
he is, morally, mentally, physically.     This
excessive one-sidedness has a tendency to
merge the individual in the general, to make
a man a mere isolated point, a mere ccg or
pulley in some great machine.   In the case
of the mechanic, it reduces him to a state of
of most   humiliating dependence.    In   the
case of those   engaged in intellectual and
scientific pursuits, it leads to what Bacon
calls  the idola specus, the mistakes  of the
man who sees things only as they appear
when looking at them from one's own par¬
ticular cave or den.    It makes a man in
church matters a bigot, in society a boo/, in
the household a pest.   Every man, in order
to his own individual perfection as a man,
needs at times to travel out of the circle of
himself and of his own peculiar ideas, and to
come into contact with others, and those un¬
like himself in age, sex, occupation, tastes,
and opinions.    It was the everlasting same¬
ness, the dull, leaden monotony of the monas¬
tic life, which gave to its chief power in de¬
forming its devotees.   When men of the same
age and class herd together exclusively, they
always degenerate.     It is   the   same with
nations.   It is by mingling freely with those
different from ourselves, that we get our pre¬
judices rubbed off. When you go into society,
then, do not single out persons of exactly
your own age and calling to talk with.   This
is only to carry the shop or office into the
parlor.    Talk   rather with those   older or
younger than yourself, with those that know
more or that know less, with those that think
differently from you, with those of a different
calling or   business.     Improvement   comes
mainly by comparison.   Perfection is a many-
sided jewel.     The highest development of
human character takes place only where there
is this kindly mingling and fusion of things
and persons essentially diverse.     God  who
made us, and who knows best what is needed
for human-'perfection, has himself given us,
in the family, the divine model of what so¬
ciety should be.   In the family we have three,
sometimes four generations under the same
roof, the old, the young, both sexes, boys and
girls,   men   and   women,   young   men   and
maidens, an infinite diversity indeed of tastes
and dispositions, yet all harmoniously blend¬
ing, like concordant notes in  music.    How
much   more would Christians   of  different
churches love one another, how much would
they gain in perfection of Christian character,
if they came together more.    So too of in¬
tellectual progress.   Perfection in knowledge
forbids too great a limitation of the vision.
All truth is affiliated.    If you would know
any one thing perfectly, you must know par¬
tially many other things.   A man does not
become perfect in EDglish Grammar by study¬
ing nothing but English Grammar.    He must
study collaterally other grammars and other
languages, before he can become intelligently
master of his own.   So too he must general¬
ise the principles of Arithmetic by studying
Algebra, before   he   can  become a perfect
arithmetician.   So of every human art and
pursuit.   Nothing is isolated.    While you do
well to give your main attention to what you
have selected as your specialty, do not neglect
collateral studies, do not exclude studies even
the most remote  from your ordinary uses.
Whatever can make you more accomplished
and complete in yourself, as a man, is worthy
of your attention, and will in the end make
you more proficient in your particular calling.
This habitual intercourse with men and wo¬
men and thoughts and things outside of your
own little circle, is the true generator of com¬
mon sense.   How often do we see men of great
ability and prodigious learning, become, for the
want of a few grains of common sense, mere
ciphers in the community.    You see a Pro¬
fessor in the lecture room, whose knowledge
in his department is of the very first order,
yet utterly powerless in discipline, and con¬
sequently utterly useless as an  instructor.
He has no common sense, no tact. His talents
consequently are all thrown away. His pupils
learn from him nothing, but the habit of in¬
subordination, and skill in the arts of un¬
manly annoyance. We want among us, un¬
doubtedly, profound scholarship,—that origi¬
nal, independent knowledge, which comes
only from patient, protracted stndy in par¬
ticular lines of investigation. But we do not
want men of merely one idea. We do not
want the mere book-worm.—Mr. Hart's Get¬
tysburg Address, ^Mistakes of Educated Men."
For the Sunday-School Timet.
THE LIBRARY.
I   NOTICE an  article in your  paper   of
January 4th, giving a relation of some of
the troubles and vexations of the " Library."
I do not doubt that you will have abundance
of advice from many correspondents. Please
allow me to have my share, at least in filling
your waste basket.
The two main difficulties in your experi¬
ence are the procuring proper books and the
selection for reading.
I think that if our schools will always buy
their libraries from one of the depositories or
regular publishers of Sunday-school books,
your first difficulty is avoided. An approach
to removing your other trouble is to have,
lst, the catalogue classified, viz.: a division
for books suitable for small children, one
for children from seven to ten years old,
then divide up the balance according to
the contents, such as "Interesting Tales,"
"Memoirs," "Missions," "Allegories," "His¬
tory, Science, and Arts," &c, &c, so that
tbe place in the catalogue and the title
given will be an index to the character of the
book. 2d. Have a distinct purpose in num
bering your books, so that supposing your
library" to have 500 volumes, then all under
150 will be small thin books, from 150 to 300,
medium thickness, 300 to 400, thick books,
400 to 500, the very largest. Then the num¬
ber will be an index to the size of the book
It would be advisable if your library have
500 volumes, to have the numbers as high as
1,000, leaving considerable space of number
between the different thicknesses, so that
when additions are made there will be plenty
of room left to number the new books accord
ing to their size.   m
All the other difficulties can be avoided as
far as it is possible to do bo, by having a com
petent librarian. No one who is not compe
tent to keep a set of books correctly for a
business bouse will ever make a librarian
In keeping his accounts he ought to be as
exact as though there was a certain amount
of goods sold on credit and charged to the
customer, for which payment is demanded at
maturity. This may seem severe, but it is
just, harms no one, and protects the interests
of the school. Besides it will always be found
that the officer who is strict but polite and
impartial, will command the esteem and
favor of those he deals with, while the "slack
twisted" man, be he never so indulgent,
is always liable to complaint. Every librarian
has his " rules for the library," among whieh
should always be, " No scholar has any busi¬
ness at the library," and if he be discreet, he
will manage to discourage the visits of any¬
body else but himself and assistants. Put tbe
library in a corner, place the table in front like
a bank counter, and guard the single entrance
to all. If the superintendent has any business
there, he will apply at the " counter," and be
politely served as any one else would be.
I have been a librarian, "off and on," during
twenty-five years, and have finally adopted
my own plan, for it suits me best, which is
mainly as follows: Having arranged the
library and catalogue as before stated, and
arranged my library rules, I open my book,
which is a common sized blank book, each
page being ruled, so as to contain 3 classes of
12 scholars each, and lasts for 13 Sundays (I
enclose a page to you). The first name is
always the teacher's; the divisions between
classes are marked by red double horizontal
lines. By these means I charge each book to
the scholar who has it, in the column for the
day, and each class is separate. Also, I can
thus prevent any scholar having two books,
or getting another book before the first is re¬
turned. I close the library on the last day
of each quarter,, and send around to the
teachers <!my bill" for all unreturned books.
I also have tickets, one of which I enclose.
This blank ticket, with the teacher's name
written on it, is presented to each teacher at
or before the opening of the school. Imme¬
diately after school is opened, the teachers
receive the returned books from the scholars,
writing each one's name down, putting first
the number of the returned book, and next
three numbers for selection for each; this
ticket, with the returned books, is placed in
the corner of the seat next to the aisle, and
then the time is undisturbed for the lessons.
The assistant librarian, without any noise or
conversation, picks up the books and carries
them to the library, and also brings back the
ne w ones selected, and places the pile in the
same corner. The teacher distributes them
after the lesson is over. Thus seldom do the
library books tako up more than 10 minutes
time to each teacher, and that before the les¬
son is commenced, leaving the rest of the
time undisturbed by any confusion, vexation,
or chattering about books.
The school I am now in averages in atten¬
dance, about 150, with one session a day. 45
minutes is the average time occupied each
day. In my report last Sunday for the pre¬
vious year, there were but 8 books reported
as being " out"  for more than 3 months.
0.
[The blanks referred to by C. may be seen
at this office.    They are very good.—Ed.~\
True friendship increases as life's end ap¬
proaches, just as the shadow lengthens every
degree the sun declines toward setting,
Sobbow is never more reasonable than
when there is sin in tbe case.
For the Snnday-School Timet.
Pray Without Ceasing.  Taws. §: n,
" Oh! never cease to pray:
When friends thy path surround,
When all seems bright and gay,
In humble prayer be found;
Seek him from whom these blessings flow.
So shall his presence with thee go.
Oh ! never cease to pray:
In times of deepest grief,
When earthly hopes decay,
In prayer find sweet relief;
The Lord is ever near to bless
The soul that seeks him in distils.
Oh! never cease to pray:
Whate'er thy lot may be,
If clouds obscure thy way,
And hope and comfort flee:
Then he who ever giveth light,
Will guide thy doubtful steps aright.
Oh! never cease to pray :
Seek wisdom from on high,
On each succeeding day
Obtain a fresh supply;
At every time, in every place,
Be constant at the throne of grace.
Oh! never oease to pray :
Though tired and tempted here,
Thy great High-priest obey,
And cast on him thy care;
Oar sins and sorrows he hath borne,
And he shall comfort all that mourn.
Oh! never cease to pray:
Sinoe Jesus pleads above,
He will not say thee nay,
Then never slight his love;
But let thy prayers with faith ascend,
Through him, thy Saviour, Brother, Friend.
        S. A.
For the Sunday-School Time*.
BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS.
Arranged for Every Day in the Year.
Twenty-Eighth Week.
Sunday.—And at the ninth hour, Jesus
cried with a loud voice saying: My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark 15:
34. It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he
hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make
his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his
seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and*
shall be satisfied.   Is. 53: 10, 11.
Monday.—Again the high priest asked him,
and said unto him : Art thou the Christ, the
Son of the Blessed ? And Jesus said, I am ;
and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on
the right hand of power, and coming in the
clouds of heaven.    Mark 14 : 61, 62.
Tuesday.—Who shall roll us away the
stone from the door of the sepulchre ? Mark
16:3. And when they looked, they saw that
the stone was rolled away; for it was very
great. Mark 16: 4. These things saith he
that is holy, he that is true; he that hath the
key of David, he that openeth, and no man
shutteth ; and shutteth, and no man openeth.
Rev. 3:7.
Wednksday.—Wist ye not that I must be
about my Father's business. Luke 2: 49.
Jesus saith unto them : My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his
work. John 4: 34. I must work the works
of him that hath sent me, while it is day; the
night cometh when no man can werk. John
9: 4.
Thttbsday.—Can the blind lead the blind?
shall they not both fall into the ditch ? Luke
6: 39. In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto
them.    2 Cor. 4 : 4.
Pbiday.—Why call ye me Lord, and do not
the things which I say? Luke 6: 46. Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but
he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven.   Matt. 7: 21.
Satubday.—Whereunto then shall I liken
the men of this generation, and to what are
they like? Luke 7: 31. They are like unto
children sitting in the market place, and call¬
ing one to another, and saying: We have
piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we
have mourned unto you, and ye have not
wept.   Luke 7: 32.
Satubday Evening Question.—Who hath
despised the day of small things? Zech.
4: 10. A. S. K.
The Chinese say there is a well of wisdom
at the root of every gray hair.
For the Sunday-School Times.
THE  RIGHT   SPIRIT.
AN agent for foreign missions, preached in
a certain town, and on the next day
called in company on the people to receive
their contributions. They came to a very
poor hut, in which dwelt a mother in Israel.
They called, but did not expect to receive a
contribution. The old lady was over seventy
years of age : she was bent nearly doublo by
age and infirmities. She supported herself
and a helpless daughter by spinning flax. She
said to the visitors, " I am glad you h*:ve
come. I was afraid you would not: and last
night I lay awake and prayed that God would
send, and now you are here."
She handed them seventy five cents which
she had that morning procured. The agent
declined taking it, thinking that she needed
it herself. She insisted on his taking it. He
wrote her name on the subscription paper and
put seventy-five cents opposite, and told her
he would pay if, and that she should keep her
money for herself and daughter. She burst
into tears and said, " What have I done that
you won't let me give this money. I have
prayed for forty years lor the h<;iii.L;en, and
yesterday you told us the time had come for
us to give as well as pray, and I was glad of
it, and now you won't let me give this
money—it is very bard."
The agent took the money. Would that all
Christians had the spirit of that woman !
A. B,