this scholar's absence. When the boy returned home, his mother said to him, “A—, your teacher has been here to see why you were not at the Sabbath school." He stopped a moment, as if astonished, and then said, "Why, mother, I think that must be one of the best Sabbath schools and the best teacher in the world, or she would not have thought of coming to see me so soon; for I have been to the other school eight years, and my teacher never visited me once!"

I mention these cases not to censure teachers, but merely to show that their visits are, in most instances, well received and that they may prove the means of a blessing, not only to their respective classes, but also to others with whom they are connected.

A PROFANE FATHER REPROVED.

One good which has resulted from our school is this; it has been the means of breaking many of the practice of using profane language. A little girl, whose parents are both profane, was heard, a short time since, to reprove her father for swearing, "Father," said she, "do you not know that the Bible says that God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain?" "Where

do you learn such stuff as that?" said her father. The child answered, "I learn it at Sabbath school." And were it not for this Sabbath school, this little child would not have been taught this truth; for her parents neither enter the house of God themselves nor suffer their child to enter.

All the above schools continue through the winter, and most of them observe the monthly concert, hold teachers' meetings and take collections for benevolent purposes.

The reports from the Howard street school, Salem, and Sandy Bay, must be deferred till next month.

It is estimated that there are, in the United States, 3,500,000 children, between the ages of four and sixteen years, and that 600,000 of the number do not enjoy a common school education.

"Health is the poor man's capital, from which he can draw twenty, thirty, or even forty years, and the income is sure,"

This is the title of an English book which the Society is now reprinting. It will contain twenty-one handsome engravings. The above representation of a Jewish vineyard accompanies the parable in Matt. 21: 33-44. We give a short extract from the practical remarks which follow the explanation of the 43d verse.

Now, my youthful readers, I dare say you think that the Jews, with their rulers, acted very foolishly, and that God punished them no more than they deserved. But let me remind you, that you have even more and greater advantages than they had; and, if you do not render the fruits in their season, God can as easily take away your opportunities of religious instruction as he did theirs. You may become sick or lane, and unable to go out of the house. Your pious parents or teachers may be removed by death, and you may be left with no one to care for your souls. Or you may remove to some distant place, where you will hear nothing about the way of salvation. Perhaps you are accustomed to trifle with instruction, or to think, "what a weariness is it!" But would you trifle, if you were sure that you were hearing the last sermon you should ever hear? if you knew that your affectionate parents were addressing you for the last time? Yet you can never be sure that such is not the case. Nay, even now, while you are reading this little book, it may be the last time your attention shall ever be called to divine things.

VOL. VII.

20*

Facts respecting Infant Baptism.

The pastor of the Congregational church in

−, N. H., has collected the following facts respecting the influence of infant baptism in his town.

There are three churches in

a Congregational, a Baptist,

and a small Methodist. The latter is of recent origin; the two former were established about sixty years ago. These two societies have embraced about an equal proportion of the inhabitants and enjoyed about equal external privileges. During the last sixteen years, not more than one-fifth of the children in town have been baptized in infancy; and yet about four-fifths of all the additions to the Congregational church, and at least one-third of all the additions to the other two churches,-including some of the most prominent members,—have been from among those one-fifth who had received the seal of the covenant in infancy. And only three have been admitted to the Congregational church who were educated in families belonging to the other churches. So that the Congregational church has obtained four-fifths of all her own members and furnished one-third of all the members of the other two churches, from her own children,-those who have been dedicated to God in the ordinance of baptism.

The Congregational church has been peculiarly the mother church in New England. A large proportion of all the churches, in this section of the country, has sprung up from this parent stock. The early education of the members of these churches was conducted by this faithful parent. And the readiness with which those who have been educated thus are received into all other churches, and the high estimate placed on the acquisition of such members, is quite a tribute of praise to the fidelity with which this early training has been conducted. As it has been said of New Hampshire, so it may be said of the Congregational church, or we would rather say, churches of New England, "They are good churches to emigrate from," i. e., individuals trained in these churches, when they emigrate into other churches, are found to rank among their most enterprising, intelligent, benevolent and best members.

Let our church be encouraged, then, to dedicate her children to God and faithfully to train them up for his service, for her labors will not be lost. Should they not enlarge her own numbers, or even should they prove unnatural, and strangely and ungratefully refuse to acknowledge their obligations to her for their early training, still she may have the pleasure of seeing them among the brightest ornaments and most valued members of other churches. And if they will only labor faithfully for God, though it be not in our ranks, and though we lose the credit of our labors,-yet we ought to rejoice; yea, and we will rejoice.

A Teacher's Meeting.

The teacher's meeting is not designed to supersede personal study of the lesson. Its design is to aid the teachers, after they have thoroughly investigated the lesson by themselves,in settling difficult points, in promoting uniformity of views, so as to secure harmony in their instructions, &c. If the teacher leaves his lesson unstudied till he reaches the teacher's meeting, he loses almost wholly all mental discipline in its investigation. He may, indeed, obtain a correct knowledge of the lesson, by this mutual investigation, so as to be able to explain it to his class; but he will not feel half the interest in obtaining that knowledge in this way that he would in obtaining it from his own personal study and researches. We are always most in

terested in what we learn ourselves.

A few Sabbaths since, we attended a teacher's meeting conducted on a plan that cannot fail to be profitable to the teachers and happy in its influence on the scholars. This plan,-which was suggested by the pastor, and has but recently been adopted, .-is this. The lessons are to be so thoroughly studied by each teacher at home, that no book, excepting those used by the superintendent, is to be brought to the meeting. At the meeting referred to above, most of the teachers came without a Question Book or even a Bible; and never have we heard answers and proof-texts given more readily or with more correctness. There was a spirit and almost an enthusiasm manifested in the exercise. All were interested.

We need not say a word to show that this plan must be

favorable to intellectual improvement, and must greatly aid those teachers in communicating instruction to their classes. Another great advantage of this plan, is, that it will encourage the pupils to make thorough preparation for the Sabbath school. The teacher's example in this, as in all other respects, is very great. Let the pupils see, by their teacher's perfect familiarity with the lesson, and by his interest in it, that he has studied and pondered it, and they will be stimulated to do the same. An eminent teacher of an academy once told us that, for the sake of his example, to show his pupils that he was willing to study himself as well as to require it of them,-he used to conduct all his recitations without a book. The influence of this practice was most happy. We hope no teacher will reject the above plan till he has seen it in practice.

Christian Love and Union.

Every careful reader of the New Testament, must have been struck with the variety and impressiveness of the illustrations employed to describe the love and union which subsists among Christians.

They are branches of the same vine,-deriving life and nourishment from the same root. They are sheep of the same fold, -pastured and protected by the same great Shepherd. They are fellow-heirs to the same immortal inheritance. They are the bride, the Lamb's wife. They are the children of the same God and Father, members of the same household,—yea, members of the same body;—and members one of another,—all united in Christ, the common Head.

The most tender, the most intimate, the most endearing relations of life and in nature, are here employed to set forth the oneness existing among the disciples of Christ. So perfectly one are they in interests, in aim, in affection and in feeling, that "whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or if one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it." Where can we look for love so unalloyed; for sympathy so unaffected, as we may reasonably expect to see among the 'members of Christ's body, of his flesh, and of his bones?" Surely, “no man ever yet hated his own flesh.”