come. The views of God, of his ways, and of divine things generally, will be more extended and enrapturing. Stronger will be the emotions of gratitude; louder will the anthem of praise be sung. Such spirits as Baxter, Owen, Watts, Doddridge, Edwards and Scott, will strike some of the highest notes in the song of Moses, the servant of God, and in the song of the Lamb. Very great then is the encouragement to become religious in youth, and to progress in religious attainments.

III. Who are to take part in the religious education of children, or in training them up in the way they should go?

1. Parents and guardians should take a very active part in this important work. God has laid them under solemn and indispensable obligations to do this. He has committed children to their care, and given instruction to train them up in the way they should go-for himself and heaven. His directions are, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." "Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth." And, "Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." In commendation of the father of the faithful, it is remarked, "I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." Hence, were there no pleasure nor profit resulting from the performance of this duty, it would be incumbent on those who have the charge of children, to perform it. It is a duty which may not be omitted without incurring a high degree of criminality. The trust reposed in parents is of infinite responsibility. The consequence of faithfulness or unfaithfulness to it,

will be most glorious or awful. By a right discharge of duty in this respect, parents may be instrumental of securing for their children a happy life, a joyful death, and a blessed immortality. But should they betray their trust, they will finally weep for the irregularities of their offspring, and exclaim in the bitterness of their soul, as did David, "O Absalom, my son, my son." Of the future consequences, I forbear to attempt a description. Eternity will disclose them in all their vivid realities. Parents, then, by the worth of the precious souls of their dear children, should teach them early to seek the God of their fathers, and to serve him with a perfect heart, and a willing mind.

2. The ministers of the gospel are bound to do all in their power religiously to instruct those children to whom they may have access. They should view them as the lambs of the flock, and, in a spiritual sense, gather them in their arms, and carry them in their bosoms. They should instruct them in the doctrines, duties and graces of religion-in those things which belong to their everlasting peace. They should exhort them to early piety-teach them to "remember their Creator in the days of their youth." Were ministers to meet the children of their respective parishes as often as once or twice every month, particularly to converse and pray with them, and also to establish theological classes for the special benefit of youth, the result of such efforts would undoubtedly be most happy.

3. Instructers, also, should take a part in training up children and youth in the way they should go.

This duty seems peculiarly to devolve upon them, by virtue of their office. They should, therefore, attend to it with alacrity and fidelity. Much depends upon the manner in which children are educated.

"Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclin'd."

Every possible effort, therefore, should be made to curb their passions, direct their habits, and infuse into their minds the principles of piety. Those who instruct children and youth, or take a leading part in their education, should feel their responsibility, and endeavor faithfully to acquit themselves before God. Presidents and professors of colleges, preceptors of academies, and instructers of common schools, should possess correct moral and religious principles, and be ardently desirous to infuse such into the youthful minds of their pupils. It is a cause of thanksgiving to God that the community are awaking to this subjectthat most of the colleges in the land are under the direction of those, who hold the truth as it is in Jesusthat this is true to a very considerable extent, in regard to the academies and high schools of our country—that quite a large portion of the females of the land enjoy superior literary advantages, and that these advantages are sanctified by the word of God and prayer' that from present presages the time is rapidly approaching, when on all the instructers of youth shall be inscribed "Holiness unto the Lord." This will be emphatically so as the latter day glory of the church advances, when " our sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth, and our daughters as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace."

But I would here speak particularly of those who have the charge of our Sabbath Schools. They are subalterns in the army of the great Captain of salvation, and have an important part to perform in training up

"The sacramental host of God's elect."

These schools will be nurseries for the church-nurseries from which multitudes will be transplanted into the garden of the Lord. It was a true observation of Calvin, "If we would have the church flourish, we must begin in the good

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instruction of children." Too much exertion, therefore, cannot be made to instil into the minds of the rising generation the truths of Christianity. How vastly important the system of Sabbath Schools, and kindred institutions, as Bible and Theological Classes! Praised be God that he moved the heart of the benevolent Raikes, and made him the instrument of giving the first impulse to this mighty engine. Wherever Sabbath Schools are known, the memory of Robert Raikes will be fondly cherished, and held sacred as the founder of these institutions. Could he now be permitted to revisit this earth, with what astonishment and delight would he see the immense amount of good that has been effected by this benevolent scheme! While we surrender to the preached word the first rank among the many means of doing good now in operation, we must claim for Sabbath Schools the second; and we feel confident, that if properly encouraged and patronised, nothing, with the exception above named, will take the precedence of this system in the power of doing good. Here will be trained up the Brainerds, Buchanans, Careys, and Martyns of future ages, who shall preach the gospel on the banks of the Ganges, on the shores of the Pacific, and in the islands of the seas. The Sabbath School Society is not an isolated institution. It is a part "of one stupendous whole." In connection with the other benevolent enterprizes of the day, it is working wonders. Some of its glorious effects may be learned from a statement of facts collected by the late Rev. Dr. Wisner of Boston, and published in his sermon on the "Benefits and claims of Sabbath Schools." He says, "Not long since, one of the Justices of the Police Court in this city stated, at an anniversary meeting of the Boston Sunday School Society, that there are more juvenile delinquents brought before that Court on Monday, than on any other day in the week; and that he was happy to

say, that no Sabbath School scholar was ever found among their number.' In a report of the Massachusetts Sabbath School Union, is the following statement: "In the reports of thirty-five schools it is definitely stated, that no individual from their number has ever been arraigned before a civil tribunal for immoral conduct; while only two from all our schools, are mentioned, who have been arrested; and these attended the Sabbath School irregularly for a very short time." A few years since, "it was stated before a committee of the English House of Commons, by persons who had been much concerned in Sabbath Schools, that they had never known one of their pupils to become a common beggar." Mr. Raikes, the founder of the Sabbath School system, stated, that, "during twenty years among 3,000 persons who had been instructed in these institutions, he had, after strict inquiry and diligent search, heard of but one who had been committed to prison as a criminal." Of the influence of these institutions in promoting vital religion among their teachers and pupils, we have such statements, from authentic sources, as the following: "During the first year after the organization of the New York Female Sunday School Union, twenty-four of the scholars made a profession of religion; and many others, by their seriousness, gave reason for the hope that they were not far from the kingdom of God." And the report of the same Society for 1828 states, that "during the preceding year, sixty-six of their teachers, and eighteen of their scholars, and during the seven preceding years of the existence of their Society, 418 teachers and scholars, had made a profession of religion." "In Philadelphia, when Sunday Schools were first established, out of the number who were employed as teachers, there were sixty-five who gave no indication of decided piety. But, in two years, out of this number, fifty had made a public profession of religion." From 1818 to 1824, in one of the Unions in