him from the continent to elsewhere that our father saw fit." This shows that the presbyter Wesley held that he had power over the superintendents even to their removal from the superintendency..

The preachers do not appear to have disputed this power, but before it could be exerted in the case of Asbury they rescinded the agreement which had been adopted by the Conference which organized the Church. Whatever may be said as to the consistency of the American preachers in this matter, it was well that American Methodism should be entirely independent, for as Asbury said it was not wise to have a government which was three thousand miles away. History, indeed, may repeat itself, and missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church in foreign countries may likewise conclude to govern themselves rather than be under a government thousands of miles away, and if they should so decide they would have a precedent in the act of the American Conference in 1787.

Having gone contrary to Wesley's wishes, and having annulled the agreement, the Conference ordered a letter expressing their filial regard to be sent to Mr. Wesley. Nevertheless Wesley felt that he had been slighted, and in 1789 the Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States restored his name to the Minutes in this fashion:

"Ques. Who are the persons that exercise the episcopal office in the Methodist Church in Europe and America?

"Ans. John Wesley, Thomas Coke, and Francis Asbury, by regular order and succession."

So at the head they placed Wesley, a presbyter superintendent, who had never been consecrated by any formal service to anything higher than the order of a presbyter

or elder, and recognized that nevertheless he exercised "the episcopal office" and was before Coke and Asbury "by regular order and succession."

A University Sunday School Class.

ANY passage of Scripture may tax the knowledge and analytical powers of the profoundest scholars and at the same time the surface facts may deeply interest and strongly attract a little child. So the same passage may be studied at the same time by all the members of a family-the parents, the oldest son just from college, the older daughter who is in the high school, and the little children who are in the primary and secondary schools.

That is the principle of the uniform passage of Scripture for the different ages and several grades in the Sunday school. It is the same passage of Scripture for all who can read, but there is a different treatment and hence practically a different lesson study for each grade. Consequently we may find it advisable to discard the title Uniform Lesson System and speak of the uniform Scripture with different lessons thereon for the different grades in the school.

That the regular International uniform selection of Scripture is adapted to the advanced school, including adults and even highly educated persons, has been demonstrated in thousands of schools. One notable instance and illustration is found in a university Sunday school class connected with the Methodist Episcopal church at Madison, Wis., and informally related to the University of Wisconsin, though not an organic part of the university.

This class, which is conducted by Frank Hall, Esq., a prominent lawyer of Madison, is composed mainly of students from the uni

versity and is recognized as a university class, though not in an official sense, by the university authorities. In it are found students of many denominations, and some of no denomination who would hardly enter a church at all were it not for such a class associated with their university.

Mr. J. E. Hanzlik, of Baraboo, Wis., gives us an insight into the workings of the class in the following statement:

The subject of study is the regular lesson of the International series. The method of teaching is much the same as that used in the daily classes of the university, not omitting the "quizzes," for Mr. Hall is past master in the art of questioning. Many of the members put as much thought and painstaking effort into the preparation of these lessons as they would give to any of the studies which occupy the routine of their college course. Indeed, some of them feel the time thus spent surpasses in results the same amount of time devoted to their regular studies, and that this work has really been of greater value to them than the purely mental culture of the university. They enjoy these hours of meditation upon higher things, and look back to them as among the pleasantest and most precious memories of college life.

Such an instance as this proves that the regular Scripture selection in the International series is well adapted to advanced scholars, and if properly handled will prove exceedingly profitable. Such university classes should be established in every university or college town for the study of the International Lessons. Such a class will be a great blessing to the college men, and they in turn will be a great help to the Church.

Memorizing Scripture.

YEARS ago the memorization of passages of Scripture by Sunday school scholars was more common than it is to-day. More time in the class was devoted to the recitation of

that which had been memorized, and, in the general management of the school, this feature of Bible study was given greater prominence.

A record was kept of the number of verses each scholar committed to memory, prizes were offered to stimulate the pupil to perform this kind of work, and rewards were given at stated periods, and these occasions were notable events in the school year.

This was the expected thing, and the scholar was led to feel that this kind of work was expected, until it was taken as a matter of course that it would be done by everyone.

Many mature and elderly people to-day are grateful for the fact that such was the usage in their early days, for the portions of the Bible which they most distinctly remember and most easily quote are the passages they committed to memory in their early years when they were pupils in the Sunday school. It may seem more difficult to have this done to-day, but it is not impossible. One difficulty is found in securing time enough to hear the recitations. In the olden time the teaching of the lesson of the day had to give way to these recitations, and usually the lesson was not taken up until all had an opportunity to recite what had been memorized.

In this way the lesson itself probably suffered. It is very desirable that the work of memorization and recitation shall be resumed. Few will object to this, but the practical question is how it may be done and how it may be done without interfering with other things.

As a partial solution we present one suggestion, namely, have each scholar during the week memorize the passage included in the lesson for the next Sunday. The scholar should be shown how this may easily be done. Some time after the Sunday school

session the pupil may read over the lesson for the next Sunday two or three times. Suppose there are ten verses in the passage, he might memorize the first and second verses. On Monday he might review the first and second verses and then memorize the third and again repeat the three; on Tuesday, memorize the fourth and repeat; on Wednesday, the fifth and repeat; on Thursday, the sixth and repeat; on Friday, the seventh and repeat; on Saturday (not having secular school) he might memorize three and repeat; on Sunday, before going to Sunday school, repeat all. Then in Sunday school instead of reading from the book repeat in concert.

Errors of the Enemy.

THE enemies of the International Uniform Lessons must realize that their cause is hopeless when they resort to personal and unjustifiable attacks and to misrepresentations which grow out of prejudice or ignorance of the facts. Especially desperate must be supposedly religious editors of professedly religious papers who, after printing false or distorted statements and personal attacks of an un-Christly character, refuse to print the reply of the person they have wrongfully attacked. Even if they thought they were correct in their statements, the spirit of fair play should induce them to publish the answer. Their effort to make it appear that something was done that was not done, and to create an issue that was not raised, shows a consciousness of defeat or a narrowness that does not fit them for leadership in the movements of the Sunday school.

Keep Them Alive.

STARTING a new Sunday school is starting an additional agency for the moral and religious education of a community. Saving a

Sunday school from extinction is perpetuating a moral and religious influence.

Now and then there is lack of appreciation of a small Sunday school in a needy locality, and here and there small schools are abandoned because relatively they seem insignificant. While, however, they may seem small as compared with very large schools, nevertheless, in view of the needs of the community where they are located, they are exceedingly important.

Instead of abandoning such schools they should be strengthened and their number multiplied. So many in our churches do so little that it would be a blessing for them to start a little school and put the idle ones at work. To abandon such a school in order to concentrate in a big school may be supreme selfishness and the abandonment of a neighborhood. Keep the schools alive, and start new schools where they will do good, is the true policy.

Not the Juniors.

Do not call the grade above the Primary Department the Junior. Junior leads to Senior, and the right place for the title Junior is for the grade immediately below the Senior. The educational order would be from Primary to Secondary. So the grade above the Primary would logically be the Secondary. It might, however, be called the Intermediate, if the title Intermediate is to be used anywhere, for the scholars are intermediate between the little folks in the Primary and the young folks of the main school. As the grade above the Primary is made up of scholars from nine, or possibly eight, to twelve, it might be called the Boys and Girls' grade.

Try to increase the subscriptions for the Sunday School Journal and Bible Student's Magazine. Have it taken by persons outside the school.

Contributed.

Cell by Cell.

BY ALICE MAY DOUGLAS.

"TIS cell by cell his universe God rears,

In its development perfecting each,

Until its place appointed it shall reachThus he each part unto himself endears.

"Tis thought by thought the poet builds his song,
Polishing each, finding for it such place
That it his great creation best may grace,
That earth his masterpiece may cherish long.

"Tis stroke by stroke the soul carves out its future,

Yielding each one with its most studied care And granting unto each most constant prayer, Prayer faith-wrought for the soul's eternal

nurture.

Bath, Maine.

The Understanding Opened.

RY THE REV. S. M. VERNON, D.D.

A ROSEBUD not yet open has no beauty or fragrance, but when opened it throws a double charm over everyone that comes near. The mind and soul also have an experience of "opening" when the real life begins in beauty and strength. A closed mind is practically dead, that is, inoperative for all the higher functions of life; while an open mind receives and gives out life-giving truth. This came to the assembled disciples at the Master's appearance to them after his resurrection. "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures."

Such an opening of the understanding may require an entire change in the direction of thought. Some men cannot see the truth because they look in the wrong direction for it. If we search the north heavens for a star that is in the south we shall not find it, and may even presume to say, "There is no such star." The man who in his youth found a penny in the road, and all the rest of his life kept his eyes fixed on the ground hoping to find more, might have stoutly denied that there were any such things as stars, for in forty years of real life with good eyesight he had not seen one. He had seen dust, mud, worms, bugs, lizards, snakes, and many creeping things, but never a star or a comet. Men are looking at matter,

trying to find God in rocks, trees, living things, and they complain that they cannot see him; but they must lift their eyes to the spiritual heavens, and when the eye of faith discovers him, then even nature will be flushed with a light that will enable them to see him there also.

That was the trouble with the disciples; they were looking in the wrong direction for a MesIsiah to drive out the Romans, and found a national kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital and themselves as ministers of state; that was Israel's Messianic hope. Their understandings were opened by changing the direction of their thought and revealing to them a world-wide spiritual kingdom instead, as the work of the Messiah. This new view glorified his sufferings, changed the cross into a crown, his death into a coronation, their seeming failure into the greatest success of history, and themselves from ministers of state into apostles of God for all humanity.

The understanding may be opened by receiving a broader view of things. Narrowness, springing from selfishness, was the cause of failure in these disciples, as it still is with many men. A persistent effort to construe all things with reference to our temporal advantage, and to translate the great truths of religion into worldly betterments, is a fruitful source of error. These disciples had for three years walked by the side of the purest and loftiest spirit of the ages, the simplest and wisest teacher of all times, but they saw not the light that was in him, nor understood of what spirit he was; the prospect of national glory and their share in it chained their minds to the dungeon they were in. Angels filled with song the sky over the Babe of Bethlehem; strange sights and sounds attended the Jordan baptism; angels ministered to the Master in temptation, in the agony of the garden, and in the resurrection, but they never rose to the apprehension of what it all might mean; they tenaciously held to their one narrow idea of driving out the hated Romans and getting the kingdom for themselves. The miracles, parables, and all the wonderful incidents of his life were construed by them as indicating fitness and power in him for this one great achievement. When his death removed the possibility of that they gave up all hope in him.

Narrow and stupid as they were, much of the thinking of this age on religious themes is no better, and men's minds are still closed against the truth by a narrow selfishness that will not admit it. Still intent on a kingdom here, on worldly prosperity and temporal good, we fail