seems drawing near; but yon puny sickly child must outlive them all. When heaven and earth shall have passed away, he will stand alone before the Judge of quick and dead, and the issue of the struggle will be, whether another immortal being is to suffer for ever beneath the agonies of the fire that is never quenched, and the worm that never dies, or whether another happy spirit is to join that countless multitude who sing their Saviour's praises to all eternity, and mingle in that triumphant strain, the distant echo of which fell on St. John's ear like the sound of many waters, and the voice of mighty thunderings. Go, teacher, to your humble labours, and let worldy men sneer at your enthusiasm in spending time and labour on half-a-dozen inattentive and uninteresting scholars, but the still small voice of Scripture sounds in your ears, telling you that now "he that winneth souls is wise," and hereafter, "they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars, for ever and ever." I might well spur you on to active industry in the pursuit of science or objects of temporal usefulness, by many a noble example among men of times past and present, but I set before you a far higher end, a far more glorious model "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

I pass on to speak of the foe-the object of the fool's laugh, and the wise man's watchful dread. Your work as a teacher (if faithfully performed) is a direct attack on his territory, and can you think that he will stand quietly by, to see you wrest another, and another captive from his grasp? No! burning with hatred to all that bears the semblance of that good from which he fell-practised in temptations by the awful experience of thousands of years-maddened by many a defeat-trembling at the wrath to come, and at the same time gloating in horrid malignity over many a lost and ruined soul, he will meet you at every turn! Often when earnest appeals have arrested your little pupils for a moment, some idle, sinful jest or play, will break the charm. Often when the words of eternal truth seem to be passing beyond the ear, and sinking into the heart, some casual noise or interruption will set the eyes and thoughts wandering again. Often when the chains of heavenly influences seem gathering thickly around the object of your care, and it needs as you hope but one more link to bind him for ever to his Saviour, some evil companion, some wicked book, some ungodly example, some unforeseen snare, will throw him back into (as you may well fear) deeper gulfs of sin. Often have I felt at such times as though the veil that separates us from the unseen world of spirits, were well nigh raised, and one could see the fulfilment of the description in the parable, "Then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved."

Look again at the unceasing nature af the struggle. I do not mean that the teacher is never slothful and careless. Happy indeed were it if such a testimony could be borne? But as long as a scholar remains under instruction, even if the teacher be careless, and fail in his duty, the boy is subject to influences and sympathies which tend to draw him (it may be feebly, it may be strongly) into the right way. The sacredness of the day; the solemnity of its services; the motives of the teachers; the Scripture lesson; the prayers; the hymn, and perhaps the early piety of a classmate—all these have, as it were, a voice for ever calling on the Sunday scholar to give his heart to God. Alas! the enemy too, is ever on the watch. The influence of wicked companions, especially "the scornful;" the example of godless parents and neighbours; the sights and sounds of sin which pollute the daily path of the humble and the poor; the cheap theatres (those dens of untold abominations)—and last, not least, the pennyworths of infidel literature which darken the moral atmosphere like the plague of locusts, all these are for ever plying the soul with allurements to sin, so strong and so unceasing, that it shines out as a miracle of redeeming grace, when we find (as God be praised, we sometimes do find) a child turning to his Saviour, and holding onwards in the Christian course.

From such a struggle, with such a foe, we might well shrink, and perhaps some young teacher, trembling at his own weakness, may be ready to exclaim, "There is no hope, no!" But, my dear young friend, remember, I entreat you, that not against the murderer alone will his brother's blood cry from the ground. How many a dying hour has been clouded with the agonies of self-reproach, and the mournful recollection that a class of Sunday school boys, were sent to wander in the streets, and tread the broad way of destruction, because their teacher despaired of doing them any good, and left his post. What would not that unfaithful teacher then give for one hour in the Sunday school, that he might deliver at least his own soul? Ezek. iii. 18 to 21. Again and again has the blessing of God on the simple, but faithful instructions of the Sunday school teacher, proved that such a labour of love is one of his instruments in turning sinners from the error of their ways, and yet Christian men, professing to be servants and followers of Him who went about doing good, sit out hour after hour of the Sabbath, in their own comfortable homes, and leave the overtasked teacher to droop beneath his work, whilst thousands of children are unvisited and untaught! They bow to one's appeals like reeds shaken by the wind; but, like them too, the moment the breath has passed, they return to their position. Oh, for a prophet's voice to sound in their ears until we sent them forth on this message of mercy," To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is SIN."

We have spoken of the Foe, but we too have a Leader, the Captain of our salvation. The crown of victory is already on his brow-against Him the enemy has done his utmost, and in vain. And now that risen Saviour is with his people always to the end of the world. He is ever ready to succour us, with infinite wisdom, Almighty power, and a love that passeth knowledge-and in that He himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted. Here, fellow-labourers, is our strength, here our consolation. From the armoury which he hath bequeathed to us, (see Ephes. vi. 14, to 18) we may draw the pure motive; the burning zeal; the patient perseverance; the unwavering faith; the fervent love which our work demands, and just so long as we trust only in Him, "the weapons of our warfare are mighty, through God." Gladly would I linger here, but commending this part of my subject to your thoughts, I hasten on to notice two points of the teacher's duty thus brought before us.

The use of our weapons must be studied.-When David was going to meet Goliath, he refused Saul's armour, and why? simply because he had not proved it. He took a weapon which had long been familiar to him, and so he fought and conquered. In after years, when practised in warfare, how eagerly he grasped Goliath's sword, exclaiming "There is none like it!" Woe to the teacher who, confounding faith with presumption, thinks that David's sling is better than Goliath's sword, and that both alike may be used without being first proved. We are but slowly awaking to the great secret, that teaching must be studied, and that such study is as essential to success, as it is necessary that the artisan and the philosopher should be thoroughly acquainted with their work, and trained to the pursuit of it. A teacher complains that he cannot interest his class. Listen to his teaching. He lets a class of intelligent lads read on, verse after verse, without a question or rėmark, unless perhaps he thinks to arouse a lad of fifteen by asking him, "Who made all things?" He has not applied his mind to the lessons which may be drawn from the chapter, and each half-formed idea of an instructive point is driven from his mind by another, to be in its turn dismissed unused, because the boys go on reading, wondering all the while that their teacher has nothing to say. Nor is it a common place remark, here and there, that will interest intelligent boys and girls; they require material well thought out, and brought ready for use, and if their teacher's head is empty at lesson time, they will first cease to be attracted, and then they will desert the school altogether, Take another fault; a teacher with a class of young children, for want of studying simplicity of language, overwhelms them with words of five or six syllables, and then wonders that they look puzzled, and soon begin to play. I have known a good well-meaning man waste his time in

dinning into the ears of an infant school, the truth that "the soul is an immaterial principle, incapable of annihilation." Poor little dears, what did they know of annihilation? What idea would such a lesson give them, except that knowledge was a puzzling thing? No! the lesson must be studied, the language must be studied, the illustrations, the action, (a teacher should not sit with his arms pinned to his side) even the tones of the voice should all be studied, and the teacher who is above all this is high indeed, for his head is in the clouds, and he may as well spend his time in a balloon as in the Sunday school, for aught of good that he is likely to do there.

Again-The peculiarities of the ground must be studied.-Reading lately an account of one of Marlborough's great victories, I came to a passage in which was described a broken contest, which took place at one part of the battle, and the historian says, every bush and tree, every ditch, and hedge, and wall, became the object of a struggle❞—and who does not remember the blood-stained garden wall of La Haye Sainte, at Waterloo, or the gentle rising ground which sheltered the English guards till the decisive moment when they rose to confound and scatter the advancing French column. Even so must a teacher study the individual character of each child in his class. To look on a schoolroom full of children, as containing only one species of character, which too many superficial observers do, is a fatal mistake for a teacher. Each little heart has its own qualities, each its own entrances, through which alone it can be won; and if a teacher desire to win that little heart for Christ, (alas! that the indifference of so many should compel me to write that "if") he will not rest satisfied till he has found out the right point of attack. In a young child's character there are comparatively few traits so decidedly ungodly, that they need to be uprooted. Many of them are capable of being used on either side. To revert to my illustration; yonder hedge or garden wall, behind which the enemy securely defies your attack, may form as good a shelter for you when once gained— yonder little fort, bristling with artillery, seize it, and turn its guns against the foe. For instance, one boy in your class may be excesssively fond of reading, and this taste may at first take the injurious course of feeding eagerly on the low cheap literature which is so prevalent, but try and turn it to good advantage; lend the boy some books, as like the Pilgrim's Progress as may be, containing pure and powerful truth, with matter of interest for his mind and his imagination; guide his choice in the school library, and help him to turn his reading to account. If this does not tend to his conversion, you at least have secured a powerful auxiliary, which will keep him above the temptations of idle dissolute company. Another boy may be very quick and shrewd, and proportionately volatile. Try to shew him

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that the Scriptures furnish occupation for the most active mind, and tempt him with the riches of this glorious treasury:-he may be a bright scholar in heavenly things. Another boy may be very reserved, seldom entering into conversation with his school-fellows; but under this exterior you will often find a deeply affectionate heart, and if he do but learn to love his Saviour, that love will be so bright a flame, that even you and many others may rekindle your lamps there. Suppose another, whose energy and strength of character have led to his being looked up to as a kind of leader among his companions, he may be the source and fountain of many bitter waters, the evil spirit of many a storm; but once converted, how powerfully will his influence work for good, how evidently will his example weigh with his school-fellows, and give a tone even to the whole school.

I might speak of many such shades of character, but these are enough to illustrate my meaning, and I pass on to one most solemn consideration connected with my subject.

We know not when the struggle may end. The field on which we contend, is claimed by another master, even Death, the King of Terrors, and we cannot tell how soon he may be permitted to seize his prey. The first footstep that sin planted on the human heart was the brand of death's ownership, the seal of a covenant that gave the body to the grave, and the soul to endless misery. Blessed be God, deliverance was at hand, and our great Redeemer ransomed both soul and body; the former to be gradually renewed in His image, the latter too to enter on a new creation, but through the dark valley of the shadow of death.

Look round your class; you may not see in one of those children a trace or shadow of coming disease; all may be life and uncontrollable activity-but you know, for such things are but too well known, that to-morrow may find the brightest and liveliest of them all, a silent lifeless corpse; nay, even to-night the spirit may return to God that gave it. Were a still more fearful visitation to take place, and the work of teaching were suddenly arrested by the hand of death, if yonder healthful, spirited boy, were suddenly struck down before your eyes, passing through the last struggle of departing life amidst his very classmates, a thrill of startled dread would run through the whole assembly, but none could say that such a fearful stroke had never yet been known. Men, women, and children, are thus cut down at a moment's warning. Think of this, Teachers! and let the solemn thought have its full weight with you. Think of this! you will not seize every trifling excuse to absent yourselves from a place where souls may be lost or won. Think of this! you will not waste your precious time in the Sunday school with lessons on natural history or geography, nor look with eager impatience at the clock as it moves