can bring ultimate happiness and prosperity to the individual, and that therefore God has said, "Thou shalt not steal." By doing this he does two things; he takes away the motive for wrong doing, and supplies a motive for well-doing. He does more; he shows that God's commands are given in love for us, and are not the merely arbitrary commands they are often thought to be. By demonstration such as this, he uses a means for exciting veneration and love for God, and for begetting a cheerful, implicit trust in and obedience to him, compared with which, the usual Biblical and catechetical method is too inferior even to admit of comparison.

"Then with regard to filial love and obedience; by reminding the children of the constant care they required in a state of infancy, of the continued care they require of their parents in sickness and in health, to supply their many wants, besides the anxious thought that is given for their future welfare, and of the many little instances of self-denial that are made almost daily by their parents on their account, and how freely all are given, the secular teacher furnishes the best possible reasons for love to parents; while by reminding them of their parents' superior wisdom, and the right to command which their parental care gives them, he takes a far surer course of gaining the willing, unquestioning obedience of the children to their parents, than does the teacher who simply reiterates, ad nauseam, the command, Honor and obey your parents.'

"Again; the moral training of the children is to be such as will be of use to them here.' The moral qualities of truthfulness, honesty, punctuality, industry, economy, sobriety, loyalty, love and obedience to God and parents, kindness, self-respect, self-reliance, and self-restraint, which have been already enumerated, cannot fail to be so; inasmuch as they will tend to promote their happiness and prosperity, as well as those of others. But to these we may add patience, perseverance, cleanliness, love of order, and good manners; and then we have as complete a course of moral training as can be given, and far more complete than is given in nine-tenths of the schools in the country. Such a course of direct moral training, with all its important adjuncts of a clean, orderly, cheerful school room, and an excellent moral tone pervading the whole, is being given every day, it is believed, in the Birbeck' Schools, and in the Manchester Model Secular School.

"Lastly; the children's moral culture is to be of such a character as will 'tend to their welfare hereafter.' If man's future state is to any extent to be determined or affected by his present conduct, then a training which teaches children to be honest and truthful in all their dealings,loving and obedient to God and their parents,-kind hearted and useful,which leads them to feel pleasure in doing good,-to control their passions, -and which enlarges their capacity for pure enjoyments, must be such a training as will tend to their welfare hereafter."

"This kind of training fulfills every condition of moral culture that is 'favorable to the good order of society,' necessary to the children for the right 'performance of their duties,' that can 'be of use to them here, and tend to their welfare hereafter;' which is all that the advocates of direct Biblical instruction demand, apart from the method of communicating it. It is the whole of practical Protestant religion, except, perhaps, the devotional part; and there appears to be no sufficient reason why the secular teacher may not enjoin even that upon his pupils, by encouraging them to put a loving trust in God, founded on a deep sense of their constant depend

ence on him, and his great goodness. So far then, it is a moral training of the best description; one which, per se, is acceptable to all, and one which, though easily proved wanting in some respects, is as easily proved to be as complete as can be included in any national educational scheme, without giving needless offence to Jews, Catholics, and Unitarians. Such a course of moral culture the State can easily prescribe and provide for, without offending any but those who are to be satisfied with nothing short of their own systems in all their completeness, to whom the State can with propriety say, 'Supply the alleged deficiency for yourselves; it is your duty, not that of society.'

Having thus admirably stated the thing to be done as regards ethical teaching, Mr. Templar says

"He would put the following questions. Taking into consideration the schoolmaster's many other duties, is not such a course of moral training sufficient to demand of him?" [Quite.] "Is it not far more than most teachers prove themselves competent to give?" [Doubtless.] "Is it not quite as much as most children are able to comprehend? If so, why endanger both the moral and secular training, by imposing upon the day school teacher more than experience proves him capable of bearing?"

The one thing more we would impose on him is the text book for all this moral instruction. Simply that which will enable the teacher to impart tenfold more easily and with immeasurably more effect and fruit than without it. The New Testament is to moral conduct as the life blood is to the body, as the muscles are to the members of the body. Mr. Templar talks about the needlessness of "authority." Why his system is based infinitely more on authority than the Biblical teaching of morals. His is a set of dogmas based on what he (the teacher) tells the child is reason. The morals of the Testament flow not as the axioms of cold abstract reason, but from the outpouring of infinite love for man, and speak directly to his affections and his sympathies. They flow from the cross and are a passport to the inmost heart. One which divine sacrifice for human salvation has fraught with claims to our love of which the loftiest wisdom of men is utterly devoid.

The authority exists in either case: in the one it is the dictum of a man: for the child is thrown on that as the first oracle of what is just in the abstract: in the other it is the authority of God, attested by Christ's blood, quickened by his sanction, and made a reality by his life and example. The distinction is between the Saviour and the schoolmaster.

All that the latter teaches well in morals, he must borrow from the former. If so, why need he not own his authority? On what conceivable ground tenable by a Christian for a single moment is he to withhold it?

How perfectly-without the least intending it-does Mr. Vincent by showing how religion teaches secular morals, answer Mr. Templar:

"Truly brethren (he says) if the school teacher will live and learn, and learn and live, as well as teach, he will find the Bible lesson a holy and happy hour-shedding a soothing, sanctifying influence over the day's duties. Thus to be earnest in religion and unsecular in religious instruction, will tend much to lead both the teacher and the taught to be religious in the world's work, and to act as Christians amidst the day's duties.

"It is to this second part of our subject to which I must now very briefly advert, viz. that it is the special province of true education to train

the young to be Christians not only in sacred exercises, but also in secular duties; to glorify God in their bodies as well as in their spirits.

"Sound education is not merely the communication of useful knowledge; nay, nor even of the facts of Scripture history, of Gospel truth, of Church principles; but rather it is (under the Spirit's guidance) to show the young how they may be Christian witnesses in a wicked world-how they may practice Christian truth-how they may love Christ and be like Christserving Him-doing all in His name.

"Therefore, Christian education cannot be confined to direct religious instruction, but must be carried on through that whole system by which you seek to touch the conscience, cultivate the affections, draw forth and train the mental powers, correct the conduct, and guide the life of your scholars.

"Teach them, therefore, that religion is not to be put by upon the shelf with the Bible at the close of the Scripture lesson; that it is not something for Sunday and sacred services alone; but something to make them wiser, and holier, and happier, and more useful on every day, and in every duty. Teach them Christian motives for diligence, faithfulness, and cheerfulness in their secular tasks-those tasks which belong to the station in which God has placed them, and which they may so perform as to glorify Him. Teach them that the value of time is so vast, not because you or their parents or employers require in it a certain amount of work, but because God has bidden them "redeem" it-because it is a precious talent which He has lent to them-because it is entrusted to them that in it they may continually glorify God in their bodies and in their spirits, and because it is to them the period of probation and preparation for an eternal condition of purity, perfection and joy.

"Let them discover that they are not sent to school merely that you may impart to them so much knowledge, and restrain them in order and obedience whilst within the walls of the school-room, but that you haveand they ought to have a higher object; that your desire and continual aim is to teach them religion in school, so that they may know how to practice it out of school; that you seek so to train them that, by God's grace, they may become Christian men and women on earth, and through Christ's merits, may be saints in heaven.

"The Christian educator will watch for, and will often find, opportunities of teaching his scholars that in school they learn the science, but out of school-in the play-ground and in the field, at home and by the way— they are to practice the art of Christ's religion. He will look for the fruits of his labors and the answers to his prayers not merely in the order and discipline, nor even the moral tone of his school, but also, and chiefly, in the Christian character of his scholars when at home-out of his sight -beyond the reach of his immediate influence. He will reap his best reward for all his toil and anxiety when he hears of them as walking in truth, love and humility, following in the steps of Christ's example, and whilst not slothful in business, as being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

"Thus to teach how extended should be the influence and how universal should be the practice of true religion; thus to set forth Christianity as a golden cord running through each day's duties, affording the mightiest and purest motives to action in common life, being evermore a soothing balm to sanctify and bless each day's toils and troubles; thus to shew that

the Gospel of Christ is designed to make men useful and holy and happy on earth, and glorious in heaven; this, I apprehend, constitutes the true idea, and forms the peculiar province of Christian education.

"And surely, brethren, if we are to train the young, (whether our own, or the children of others), to be Christians in common life, to be religious in secular duties, we must ourselves as teachers and parents exemplify the Christian character. Your religion must not be merely professional, it must be personal, practical piety. You must be true Christian men, if you would be efficient educators. You must live under the abiding influence of the Holy Spirit, if you would aright train the young for duty on earth and life in glory. Shew them by your own example how common work may be done to God's glory, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Let your scholars, their parents, your neighbours, your friends, learn what they as Christians ought to be, by seeing what you as Christians are.

“And for all this-for thus teaching practical religion to others, for personal piety in ourselves-how strong is the motive presented to us in the text! Ye are not your own-ye are bought with a price.' The body with all its diversified adaptations for action; the mind with its wondrous powers of thought and reason; the soul with all its spiritual faculties, have been ransomed from sin, and Satan, and hell. The costly price has been paid. Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, * but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.'

*

"We must take no lower ground for being earnest in religion and religious in secular duty than this, that the capability for the one and the powers for the other belong not to ourselves, but are the rightful possessions by creation, redemption, and sanctification-of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. As far as Christ is concerned, the purchase has been confirmed and completed by the shedding of His own precious blood. By that He has established for Himself, and the Father and the Spirit as One with Him, a full binding and endearing claim to the love of our hearts and the services of our bodies and spirits. As faithful Christians we must admit of no less noble motive for a Christian life than this-' Christ's love to us and our love to him.' The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again.' 'We love him who first loved us.'

"If this, indeed, be education, to teach the young how they may be better Christians, as well as useful members of the society in which God has placed them; if, together with the communication of useful human knowledge, it be to teach that which is the beginning of wisdom, that charity which edifieth, that knowledge which is life eternal; if it be to show how school tasks and hard work may be done to God's glory; if it be to impart the sanctifying influence of religion to human knowledge and earthly work; if it be to teach how all and each may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things-then we need not fear, but truly rejoice at the advance and extension of education. Then, as some lofty mountain top, which catches the bright beams of the rising sun, reflects them upon the dark lake in the valley beneath,-so will true Christian education cast the reflected, cheering, life-giving rays of the sun of righteousness upon the human intellect, otherwise dark, and upon human knowledge, otherwise

barren and cheerless. Then will education afford men larger powers and more extended opportunities for glorifying God. It will give them more to dedicate to their Saviour's service-more to lay, in humble love and gratitude, at their Saviour's feet."

Of the Christian teaching of morals, Christ's word is the hand-book: and it is the life-blood of moral practice. We heartily thank Mr. Vincent for the service he has done to Christian and, at the same time, to practical education by his noble sermon.

Many a poor child has no other opportunity in life of gaining an insight into God's word, and access to its priceless stores of mercy, peace, and solace. This alone is a crushing answer to the whole argument in favor of Secular Schools.

S.

Men

APHORISMS.-Men of genius without endurance cannot succeed. who start in one kind of business may find it impossible to continue therein all their days. Ill health may demand a change. New and wider fields of enterprize and success may be opened to them; new elements of character may be developed. Men may have a positive distaste for some pursuits, and success may demand a change. None of these cases fall within the general rule. Men may have rare talents, but if they "are everything by turns, and nothing long," they must not expect to prosper. No form of business is free from vexations; each man knows the spot on which his own harness chafes; but he cannot know how much his neighbour suffers. It is said that a Yankee can splice a rope in many different ways; an English sailor knows but one method, but in that method he does his work well. Life is not long enough to allow any one to be really master of but one pursuit.-Michigan Journal of Education.