TEACHING CHILDREN ERROR.

PERHAPS every Christian pastor has been surprised and pained to find that, notwithstanding his earnest efforts to make plain the way of salvation, nearly all who desire to enter that way have need that one teach them again" which be the first principles of the oracles of God." Instead of a prompt and joyful acceptance of the Gospel, inquirers, as a rule, pass through a season of anxiety and gloom before they obtain peace in believing. If asked why they do not at once receive the good news, as did the man of Ethiopia and the Philippian jailer, they reply that they are not good enough, or they do not feel enough, or they do not repent enough, or they have not faith enough, or they are afraid they will not be able to hold out in the divine life, thus shewing that their thoughts are occupied with themselves, in place of being wholly occupied with Christ.

The cause of this lamentable failure to lay hold immediately of the truth as it is in Jesus, can nearly always be traced to the erroneous instructions which these inquirers have received in their childhood. Our readers would be astonished to learn how many parents, and even Sunday school teachers, are in the habit of saying to the little ones committed to their care, God does not love naughty children;" or, "If you are not good you cannot go to heaven when you die." Now, these little ones know that they are often naughty, as are grown people, and conscience tells them, at a much earlier age probably than we think, that they are not good; and hence such instructions are calculated to make of the glorious God a dreadful hobgoblin, to frighten into a reluctant obedience, and plant in their minds false views of His character that are apt to last through life.

Having thus been taught that God will not love them if they are naughty, and that He will be sure to punish them unless they are good, we discover, as a natural and unavoidable result, that when they come to maturer years, and begin to feel concern about the salvation of their souls, they go to work trying to make themselves good, instead of believing that their sins have been put away by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. They have been deceived by the trick which the devil played so successfully upon our first parents in Eden, when he led them to entertain erroneous conceptions of the Divine Being, and which above all else calls for repentance, that is, a change of mind about God, and His feelings toward us.

Who is authorized, a parent, or preacher, or teacher, to say that God does not love naughty children? Surely not that blessed Word which contains the glad tidings that He loved sinners, yea, the chief of them, and sent His Son to redeem them from the curse of His broken law. It is true that God does not love the naughtiness of children; but it is not true that He does not love naughty children; "for God so loved the world -a lost and ruined world, including naughty children-that He His gave only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 'For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly;" and "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Such

are the people whom God loves, and for whom Christ died, even those without strength, the ungodly and sinners; and without doubt, children, although naughty and not good, are included in the gracious purpose of His love.

Let parents and teachers, therefore, take heed how they preach to children another gospel than that contained in the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever. Let them not say, as they value the souls of the little ones, that God does not love naughty children; but let them say that God does love, and has sent His Son to die for them. Let them not say that they must be good before God will save them; but let them say that, although they are not good, the moment they believe in Jesus they are freely and fully and for ever saved. The writer asked a little girl, not long ago, what she must do to be saved. She replied, "I must be dood (good), and trust in Jesus," thus proving how deeply implanted in the soul is this mischievous self-righteousness or legality which parents and teachers are unconsciously fosteriug by the use of such expressions as I have quoted, instead of explaining from the very beginning the way of salvation by the blood of Jesus, and by that alone.-Rev. J. H. Brookes, D.D., in "The Sunday School Worker."

THE BLACKBOARD.

SOME persons look upon the use of the blackboard in the Sunday school as a doubtful experiment. There may be some reasons for this impression. It should not, however, exist in the mind of any one. The blackboard is used with great advantage in our public schools. Grammar, Geography. Philosophy, the Languages, to say nothing of Mathematics, are all more efficiently taught by the use of it; and the teacher who fails in its use is considered behind the age, and unfitted for his position. This free and successful use of the blackboard in our public schools has led our Sunday school workers to use it for religious instruction. We think it a wise step. We do not, however, approve of all the uses of the blackboard in our Sunday schools. Some use it to make a display of their skill in drawing. This we could condemn. Let the great thoughts of the lesson attract and impress, rather than the skilful use of the board. This should be the prominent use. Do not make a show of the blackboard, and feel compelled, every Sabbath, to bring it before the school, with no thought to impress upon the mind. Make no use of it unless you have something to teach. When you do use it let all understand that the central thought of the lesson may be seen plainly written on the board-the scholars will then see as well as hear. In its use be simple and plain, so that the least may understand. Many lessons are too elaborate and difficult. Make the lesson so simple that the little ones can digest it. By making such a use of the blackboard all may use it to advantage. Not one need be discouraged. You can write upon the board such mottoes as these; Love Jesus; Come to Jesus; or the place of the lesson, number of the hymn, or even a part of the hymn,-The Sunday School Blackboard.

VOICES AT SEA.

Ir is remarkable how far sounds may be carried over the quiet sea, when the breezes are favourable. A ship's crew, a hundred miles from the shores of Chili, were once surprised by the clear ringing of bells. They were thought to be ghostly voices by the superstitious mariners, but afterwards proved to be the ringing of the bells of Valparaiso for a service at that hour.

A young sailor, in a clear, starlight morning, was slowly pacing fore and aft, when he was startled by a clear, distinct sound of voices singing a tune quite frequent in the Bethel prayer-meetings. It was too distant to hear the words, but the familiar melody, with its hallowed associations, caused his heart to thrill with joy. A moment before he had thought himself alone with his ship's company. They were more than two thousand miles from land, and, as far as we know, equally distant from any other vessel. But now, within hearing, was a little company gathered for morning devotions. Oh! what a joy to feel, that though unknown and unseen, they could yet meet by faith

"Around one common mercy-seat."

To a true Christian, away among strangers, or in a strange land, there is hardly a greater joy than to meet with one who loves the Lord. The impenitent, and even the scoffing, in hours of need or terror, are equally glad to find themselves in the company of praying ones. The sceptical traveller found all his anxious fears dispelled, in the lonesome frontier cabin, when his rough host took down his well-worn Bible, and gathered his family for evening worship. Let us shew by our holy walk and conversation that we are Christians, wherever we may be. We do not know the help and cheer it will be to many lonely burdened hearts, who thought themselves alone on the world's ocean.

YOUNG TEACHERS.-Young teachers need sympathy and encouragement. Few realize, unless they retain a vivid remembrance of their own experience, with what secret misgivings and embarrassment the young Sunday school teacher not unfrequently accepts, from a sense of duty, the charge of a class, confided to his or her care. The Sunday school system, in its present development, does not furnish teachers trained for their work, as our Normal schools do in the interests of our common schools. Such material and capacity as can be obtained, must be made use of. Nevertheless, where sincere Christian experience is made the basis of qualification, great good may be expected, and is constantly wrought. Be gentle and considerate with the young teachers. The want of training, which is to be regretted in view of the harmonious action of the Sunday school forces, is no less personally regretted by the teacher who, for the first time, assumes the responsibility of a class. Be chary of criticism, whether toward one of your own family or another who has lately accepted this unwonted charge. We have known a young teacher who was really attaining excellence, hurt to the quick by a remark uncharitably made regarding a want of judgment on some minor matter of class arrangement.

THE BOY WITH THE FIVE LOAVES.

"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?"-JOHN Vi. 9.

WHAT time the Saviour spread His feast
For thousands on the mountain side
One of the last and least

The abundant store supplied.

Haply, the wonders to behold,
A boy 'mid other boys he came;
A lamb of Jesus' fold,

Though now unknown by name.

Or, for his sweet obedient ways,
The apostles brought him near, to share
Their Lord's laborious days,
His frugal basket bear.

Or, might it be his duteous heart
That led him sacrifice to bring,
For his own simple part,

To the world's hidden King?

Well may I guess how glowed his cheek,
How, he looked down, half pride, half fear;
Far off he saw one speak

Of him in Jesus' ear.

"There is a lad-five loaves hath he
And fishes twain: but what are they
Where hungry thousands be?"
Nay-Christ will find a way!

In order, on the fresh green hill,
The mighty Shepherd ranks His sheep
By tens and fifties, still

As clouds when breezes sleep.

Oh! who can tell the trembling joy,
Who paint the grave endearing look,
When from that favoured boy
The wondrous pledge he took?

Keep thou, dear child, His loving word;
Bring Him thy best: who knows but He,
For His eternal board,

May take some gift of thee?

Lyra Innocentium.

THE SHEEP. That soft and harmless creature, that clothes civilized man everywhere in the colder latitudes with its fleece,-that feeds him with its flesh, that gives its bowels to be spun into the cat-gut with which he refits his musical instruments,-whose horns he has learned to fashion into a thousand useful trinkets,—and whose skin, converted into parchment, served to convey to later times the thinking of the first full blow of the human intellect across the dreary gulf of the middle ages.-Hugh Miller.

DO NOT STOP TEACHING.

(By Rev. Henry M. Simpson, A.M.)

THE want of culture, and the want of grace in the teacher, are the greatest discouragements in teaching. Every ordinary Sunday afternoon's work makes the deficiency more apparent and more oppressive to the candid teacher. The new methods of our church have revealed the difficulty more fully than ever before. The Convention, the Institute, and the Normal Class, are the lenses under the magnifying power of which the microscopic imperfections of the teachers have in their own eyes grown into such proportions as to dishearten them. How many teachers have been heard to say, at the close of an Institute faithfully attended, "I am not fit to teach. I cannot do that. If that is the way to teach, then I have never taught." “I must give up my class at the next teachers' meeting.” This is a legitimate result. The Institute is a splendid success that bears such fruit as this. Often the better the teacher, the deeper the conviction of unfitness. But it must not end here. Do not give up. Improve. Work. Pray. Teachers, we are in for the work now. We must make it succeed, and make Sunday school teaching more immediately useful than it has ever been before. Do not fly from the responsibility. It is the teacher who never feels the responsibility painfully that is not fit to be a teacher. God helps those who do feel it. In Paris many houses are built of a kind of stone so soft and so easily cut as that often great shafts of it, rough and unfinished, are put into position, and while the whole weight of a lofty building rests upon it, the sculptor will carve them into exquisite forms, and shape the graceful statue, or the column of the beautiful Doric or Corinthian order of architecture. And God will sometimes improve the heart and mould the character of the parent or teacher, even while working under a sense of immense responsibility, until he becomes not only fit to be a teacher on earth, but a seraph in heaven. And then the want of grace is a reason no better for giving up than the want of gifts. Seek for grace. A Sunday school teacher came to me not long ago, and said, “I want to give up my class." "Why?' "Because they ask such questions." "Do they? Then you can prepare, you can study; here are books and maps; we will help you." But you do not understand. The questions are not about the Bible. My scholars are too small to puzzle me so; but they ask me so often whether I am a Christian, and whether I love Jesus. I cannot teach them. I must stop if I cannot have another class." Who would not say to such a teacher, "You must get grace, be converted, learn to love Jesus? Of course, you are not fit to teach; but you must not stop teaching; but seek first the kingdom of God." All the Sunday school teachers must come to Jesus. -Sunday School Journal.

INCIDENT OF THE WAR.-I saw three Prussians killed, with their hands folded in prayer, and two of them had a little pocket Bible lying by their side. The regimental preacher, who drew my attention to one of these, told me that he had been one of the merriest and most boisterous men in the regiment, but that in such hours as these the soul turns as by instinct to the higher things.-Newspaper Correspondent.