he may devour," and that sometimes, in order the better to overcome us, he will make himself appear as "an angel of light." It speaks of him as one who "deceiveth the whole world," and who tempts the youngest child, as well as the oldest man. We are told that while he may pretend to be our best friend, he is in fact our greatest foe, and that whatever he may say, we are not to believe him, for that he was a liar from the beginning, and that "there is no truth in him." It assures us, that whatever he may promise, he cannot and will not perform, and it advises us to beware of his "snares," to "resist" him continually, for that he is ever seeking our ruin, even when we least suspect it. It speaks of very many who are under his power, whom he leads "captive at his will," whose eyes he has so blinded that they care not to be freed from his bondage, who will at last have to endure with him "everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord."

There are a great many ways in which this enemy tempts us to turn from the right path. Very often he puts evil thoughts into our hearts. Some of you may think that this is a very little thing for him to do; and that it is of very little consequence what our thoughts are; but it is not so. Little things lead to great things.

"Little drops of water, little grains of sand,

Make the mighty ocean, and the beauteous land;
And the little moments, humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages of eternity."

A spark is a very little thing. You may drop it from a candle, and take no more notice of it. The spark may smoulder, and set alight to something else; and, by and by, when you have retired to rest, you may be awoke by the cry of fire; the house may be burned down, and-what is worse still-perhaps you, or some of your friends, so happy and cheerful the evening before, be burnt to death, and all through such a little thing as a spark. "Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth," and just in the same way, if the evil thoughts in your heart remain unchecked, evil actions will follow. Achan thought in his heart, as he saw among the spoils taken from Jericho the beautiful Babylonish garment, and the silver and the gold with them, "Oh, how I should like them! Oh, if they were only mine!" He suffered that sinful thought to remain in his heart. There it lay, smouldering like a spark of fire. You can all tell me what he did. He took them-the evil action followed. And you know what followed that, at the command of God, the people of Israel stoned him with stones, and burned him with fire. And often, dear boys and girls, is it so,

that

"One thought of evil leads the soul away,
From the paths of virtue, far in sin to stray."

Take care then what your thoughts are.

Do not let Satan get

possession of them. "Watch and pray." Ask God to help you, for He will hear you if you call upon Him; and say to Him as David did, "Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

There is another way in which Satan may tempt you to forsake the right path, and that is, By promising you greater happiness if you walk in another path. He may tell you that religion is a very gloomy thing, only fit for you when you get old; and that while you are young, you should enjoy the pleasures of the world. He may tell you that in the path in which he would have you walk, there are no difficulties to overcome, that there are pleasant companions to walk with-all gay and cheerful, that along its sides are flowers of the most beautiful descrip tion, and trees bearing all manner of fruits, which may be yours if you will only pluck them.

But if I was going on a long journey, and had made up my mind to travel in a certain way, and some one were to tell me of a much pleasanter way, do you not think that I should ask those who had tried it, who knew all about the way, who knew which was the best way?

Now there are many who have tried the path in which Satan would have you go, who have happily found their way back into the right one, and they have warned all travellers who were likely to be led astray. They tell us that over its entrance gate, though unheeded by the crowd, is written as with the finger of God, "The way which leadeth to destruction." They tell us that the fruit which looks so inviting by its side, and which some one has rightly called, "the pleasures of sin," does not satisfy, but crumbles to pieces at the touch. They tell us that those who have kept in the narrow way, far from finding religion gloomy, have found its ways "ways of pleasantness," and its paths, "paths of peace;" but that those who have journeyed in the broad way, though indeed they do just as they like, yet they are far from being happy. When they lie down to rest on their journey, very often they cannot sleep, but seem as if they heard a strange voice within them, warning them of judgment; and that, though they do all they can to silence that voice, yet at times it speaks so loud, that it makes them tremble like a leaf of the forest. And, oh, they tell us more! They tell us that they have heard of some who got right to the end of the way. Poor, deluded travellers, they found all their pleasure ended then! The enemy to which they had listened, deceived them. He promised them happiness, but they had got for their toil nothing but misery. The paths they had walked in led to-hell!

Dear boys and girls, take the lesson these travellers give. "Ponder the path of thy feet." If Satan "entice thee, consent thou not." "Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation."

There are many other ways in which Satan may tempt you to wander from the path "which leadeth unto life," but I have not time to tell you them now. I want before I close to give you a word of caution.

Do not, oh, do not think that you are so strong that this enemy cannot overcome you. Many, very many, who once thought so, have fallen a victim to his snares. "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."

If you should ever wander by the sea shore, you may see sticking to the rocks a little shell fish, called the limpet.

"At distance viewed, it seems to lie,"

On its rough bed so carelessly,
That it would an infant's hand obey,
Stretch'd forth to seize it in its play."

But touch it, try to move it from that rock, you cannot. The waves may beat against it, but it is there still. Whence its strength? Its strength is not so much in itself. It is strong because it holds fast to the rock, yes, because it holds fast to the rock.

Jesus Christ is that rock, you are like the limpet. You are weakin Christ, in Christ only, is your strength. "We have not an highpriest which cannot be touched with our infirmities;" for "He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin; "He is able to succour them that are tempted."

"He knows what sore temptations mean,

For He has felt the same."

The rock may be removed out of its place, and the limpet that clung to it perish; but Jesus is the "Rock of Ages;" in Him "is everlasting strength."

Begin, dear boys and girls, this journey to the "better country," and begin this journey to-day. You will find it all the easier if you only begin it young. Oh, happy will you be, if you take Jesus for your Saviour, for trusting in Him you will be able to overcome every enemy in the pathway to heaven.

Far, far away, in yon bright world, could you but see them, there are " a number which no man can number," arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands, they stand before the throne of God. Once they were here on earth, exposed to the temptations of Satan, but they believed in Jesus, and they overcame because they trusted in Him.

Would you join them? Follow in the path they trod. Then at last their happiness shall be yours. Heaven shall be your home for ever. "There you all shall sing with joy,

And eternity employ,

In praising Christ the Lord."

Albany, Regent's Park.

W. H. W.

ON THE PROPRIETY OF PLEASURE EXCURSIONS IN

CONNEXION WITH SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

The increasing tendency of our Sunday school system, towards close identification with pleasure excursions and picnic parties, treats for children, and treats for teachers, in the summer; and social tea-parties and other gatherings in the winter, is one of the significant signs of the times. No attentive observer, no ardent lover of Sunday schools, can have failed to mark these things. Concerning their immediate influence, and ultimate tendency, different views will probably be formed, and contrary opinions of necessity be maintained. Prepared as we are for this, it is obvious that for good or evil this state of things must be potent, and ultimately with more or less distinctness must declare itself, It is in no sense a small matter, nor an uninfluential thing; argument must surely be unnecessary to prove, that what is rapidly becoming a habit of the system, must demand careful scrutiny as to its sanitary character, or injurious influence, from all who love earnestly, and would serve faithfully, the rising race.

To this question I would, by your kind permission, now address myself. Before doing so, however, I would, in anticipation of much misconstruction and opposition, guard my position by a prefatory remark. I have no pet theory to maintain-no fancied chimera to encounter. I am to deal with facts as facts, and speak of tendencies and results only as the modesty of uncertainty demands. I am in earnest, for I love Sunday schools; I would be candid and sincere, for I love the teachers. If, therefore, anything is advanced, that may from misconception seem harsh or severe, it shall have its origin in nothing more criminal than zeal, nor more defective than mistake. “I speak as unto wise men, judge ye what I say.”

I have two propositions to maintain.

1st. That singleness of purpose, and concentration of effort, are essential to the success of our Sunday school institutions.

2nd. That the pursuit of pleasure, apart from the work, however innocent in itself, by those who are banded together for one special and holy purpose, is liable to unfavorable construction, to the deterioration of usefulness, and the lasting harm of that system, to which it is a graft foreign and unfruitful.

It may, therefore, be Self-denial, so constantly

On the first of these all will be agreed. treated with much brevity and conciseness. demanded of the followers of Christ, is peculiarly required of the Christian teacher. Much as he may and does love his work, he has to forego much, to undergo much, to mortify flesh and spirit oftentimes, that he may win souls. Most superintendents know those amongst their teachers, whose punctual attendance, and sedulous dis

charge of duty, is often effected by sacrifices that amount to Christian heroism, unknown it may be by man, but recognised and approved of God. Personal pleasure or gratification, therefore, can be recognised by the genuine teacher neither as means nor end; his work is teaching-winning souls. For that he prays, strives, and watches. If discipline is necessary to this end, he studies discipline, and enforces it; if personal influence, he neglects no means to enhance the same; if personal contact with the home-influences of his charge be deemed imperative, again self is sacrificed, and the effort is made. Personal gratification to such a teacher must be shewn to be essential to the children's good, before he can recognise its claim on him. In his class the singleness of purpose of the teacher is apparent, and generally successful, but he may not isolate himself from his fellow-laborers in the school-here concentration of effort is indispensable. One teacher has more experience, another more tact, a third more influence, information, or opportunity; these all need as largely as possible to be made mutually available;-they can all help in prayer, and are bound to do so. Hence the teachers' meeting, and the prayer meeting, are the life of the school, even as the closet and the study are the life of the teacher. I include here the humblest of our brethren; the chambers of the heart may be the only closet; God's blessed Book the only one in the study, but both must be worked, and being worked, we may leave the result with the teachers' and the children's Almighty Friend. Surely the highest degree of efficiency may be looked for from that school, where singleness of purpose, and concentration of effort, are thus combined; where one object rules all-one hope cheers all-one system includes all. Union here is indeed strength, for all are united for the same object, not pursuing the same object for the sake of the union. But this brings us to our second proposition.

The advocates of pleasure are ever ready to maintain its innocence. "Innocent recreation," "harmless amusement," are amongst the phrases of the day. They are too often the palliatives of consciencethe concealment of declension. Nothing is innocent relatively, which hinders good absolutely; and whatever absolute harmlessness a pleasure may possess, it is an evil more dangerous on that very ground, when it impedes usefulness, or engenders lukewarmness. It is innocent to eat an apple-it lost us Eden! Sleep is innocent-but while the five slept, the Bridegroom came, and the gates were shut.

We have then to attempt to shew that the system of personal enjoyment and social gratification, which has so largely extended amongst us, is a graft unfruitful (of good fruit), and unworthy of the high vocation of Christ's ambassadors to the young.

This conclusion may perhaps best be reached by an analysis of the arguments urged in defence of the practices under consideration. We