children followed my example, they saw me going in the paths of sin, and followed after; and I, who ought to have been their spiritual father, have now to bear their curses and imprecations. Oh, when you get back to earth, bid those I left behind, take warning by my example, lest they also come to this place of torment.” Glad was I to get from that place, and again look through the glass. My guide now bid me look upwards, and I saw the throne of God, surrounded by countless legions of immortal spirits; but I noticed one more bright than any, with a sweeter voice, and a harp that sent forth more melodious sounds than any, and a troop of little ones were dancing by his side, and shouting "Glory, glory, glory," and in him I recognised the earnest teacher. I should have gazed long, but my guide took the glass from my hand, and again flew with me back to earth. On this I awoke, and found myself still lying on my couch, and lo, 'twas but a dream.

Teacher, which is thy character? art thou the earnest worker, glorifying thy father which is in heaven? or art thou an idler, disgracing thy God, and heaping up wrath againgst the day of wrath? Art thou earnestly endeavouring to teach thy scholars the way to that better land, where all are earnest? or dost thou go to the school to gain the name of a self-denying man? or art thou ashamed to give up the work having been engaged in it so long? Which is it? Read the two pictures, and at each one ask thyself "Is it I?" Thou mayest cheat others, but thou canst not cheat thine own soul, nor cloak and dissemble yourself before the face of your heavenly father. Art thou a wicked and slothful servant? What! ten children's souls to answer for and idle? What! the blood of ten immortal spirits on thine hands and not striving to wipe it off? What! is not thine own soul burdened enough with sin as it is? and wilt thou add their sins to thine? For thus saith the Lord, "their blood will I require at thine hand." What! thou never comest to the prayer meeting, and canst thou expect to do any good? Thou never breathest a prayer for thy superintendent, and canst thou wonder if his heart is heavy, if his hands hang down, if his knees become feeble? Thou slothful servant, arise from the lethargy in which thou hast enveloped thyself; "quit you like men, be strong," "be an earnest worker for Him," and "verily thou shalt not lose thy reward."

Uppingham.

ARCHBISHOP FENELON'S PRAYER.

S. G.

O Lord, take my heart, for I cannot give it; and when thou hast it, oh keep it, for I cannot keep it for thee; and save me in spite of myself, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE "ALTERNATE" SYSTEM
OF TEACHING.

In the infantile days of the Sunday School Institution, serious imperfections were necessarily tolerated, and many of them even undetected. But in every year that has been added to its age, improved plans of organization, more successful methods of management, and more efficiency in the teaching agency are observed, and are urgently called for. Among the quarters needing reform in many schools, we should make a serious omission if we overlooked the teachers themselves. At our last quarterly social meeting, we were occupied some time in considering the importance of having well prepared teachers. We have now the pleasure of directing attention to an improvement which many teachers can make for their own, and the school's advantage, viz.: by giving up the alternate system of teaching, and becoming regular and constant teachers; that is, the whole Sabbath, and every Sabbath.

It is readily believed that teachers are most anxious to increase their amount of usefulness, and with this as their motive, we offer a few suggestions and recommend for their adoption-the plan of having ONE teacher only to each class.

The teacher's work is one of such importance that it is deserving of his best and constant attention, and demands unremitting effort. It is important, because of the momentous consequences depending upon it. The spiritual interests of the scholars are to a great extent entrusted to him, and his constant care and attention are demanded in order that he may spiritually benefit them. The sculptor gives a thousand gentle touches with his chisel, before he fashions the unshapen marble into the beautiful statue; and so we would argue, that without diligent and regular application on the part of the teachers, scholars may pass from under their care, without any spiritual form or shape; in other words, without any deep and lasting impressions having been made upon their minds.

The teacher's work is difficult, because the most regular teacher sees his scholars but seldom, while teachers of evil who counteract his work, exert their influence over them every day.

Home example and influence are often against the teacher, for we must remember, that the greater part of our scholars cannot be called the children of Christian parents. Street companions may often be een leading our scholars away, and the dispositions of many lead them to prefer evil rather than good, and they too often yield to the temptations of their street associates.

The teacher's opportunities are so few and short for gaining his scholars' affections, for becoming acquainted with their habits and

dispositions, and for making good impressions upon their minds, that no opportunity should be lost.

Again, the art of teaching WELL can only be acquired by long and earnest practice. The irregular teacher is like the half-day scholar from a mill, whom the school-master cannot push on in his learning as the others. Whatever improvement the alternate teacher makes in the art of teaching one Sabbath, is partly lost by the intermissive nature of his work; thus efficiency is seldom attained.

In considering the disadvantage of the alternate system, we will, firstly, name those which bear upon the school as a whole.

As a rule, the alternate teacher cannot have that interest in his school, and in his scholars, which would prompt him to constant attendance.

Knowing he is only half a teacher, he has not strong motives to regularity, and the alternate teacher is often one of the absent teachers. This remark was supported with sad force by statistics of teachers' attendance during the past quarter, read at the same meeting.

This occasional absence has a very injurious effect upon the order of the school, and the improvement of the particular class.

Such a teacher knows less of the superintendent's plans and government, and thus, instead of aiding, he often thwarts his attempts to improve the discipline of the school. The example of such a teacher has not a good influence on scholars; they infer a want of earnestness and attention, and are sooner drawn away when companions entice. The class under two teachers cannot be so orderly, or very seldom is, Let us consider the disadvantages to the teacher himself.

He has less interest, less pleasure in the work, than the regular teacher. If he is a teacher from a sense of Christian duty, he is justified in adopting such method as gives him the greatest pleasure in his work; and constancy of attendance is one thing that certainly will make him more at home in his labour of duty.

If he is a teacher because it is to him a " labour of love," why, then he is sure to be amongst the constant teachers, unless the utmost necessity prevents him; and, therefore, my remarks do not apply to such as cannot, by any means, be constant teachers.

The alternate teacher has less control and authority in his class, because every teacher has different ideas and methods of governing; therefore they often class and counteract each other. He feels less his personal responsibility as a teacher when that responsibility is divided. The responsibility is there, but he feels it less, and this is a serious disadvantage.

In concluding, we may remark, that we have not been theorizing merely in attributing greater success to the constant than to the alternate system of teaching.

In schools where the constant system is adopted, it is found to work far best.

We might refer you to schools that have come under our notice, where the superintendents say that their schools were never in so good a condition until the change now recommended was effected.

The teacher whose love for the work does not prompt to constant attendance, is not likely to be the old teacher, or the successful teacher. We would say that the exception to the general rule, should be only the absolutely necessitous cases. There are perhaps in every school many who are willing to be teachers, who possess superior abilities for the office; men of decided piety, and apt to teach, but who could not possibly teach the whole Sabbath day, nor every succeeding Sabbath. We would by no means reject the services of such teachers; but we seek so many advantages accruing both to teachers and to scholars under the constant plan, that we earnestly advise all who can to become at once whole day and every-day teachers.

Though regularity of attendance has so much to do with the success and progressive improvement of our schools, it is but one of the requi sites that go to make up the efficient teacher.

Let it, however, be the habit of all who cherish an earnest desire, so to addict themselves to fervent prayer, that they may be the happy instruments in the hands of God, of "winning souls" to Christ. Skipton, Yorkshire.

THE SELF-INTERESTED TEACHER.

"The Self-interested Teacher, eh?" I imagine some one exclaiming in a mystified tone: "Of all places in the world, how could self be benefited (except in a spiritual and good sense) in a Sunday school! What worldly benefits would ever be sought or gained there? I know of nought but wearisome and unrequited toil in connexion with the work, and can think of no temporal advantages whatever; at least I never found any."

"The Self-interested Teacher!" indignantly cries another: "Well, that is a curiosity I have yet to discover. For my part, I do not believe any one could be base and hypocritical enough to go to such a place actuated by selfish motives, were there a possibility of carrying them out. Not a single teacher I know would I suspect of such meanness." Certainly you would do wrong to judge any one's motives, or to regard any of your fellow labourers suspiciously.

Could all see the shades of selfishness, and the approaches to that evil, too often at work in the heart, and did all feel as really indignant at the sight as you and they express, dear warm-hearted teacher, it might be better to say no more. But it is not so. There are some languid, lukewarm, dolittle, care-little sort of workers in this as in all other fields of labour. They have not love, nor zeal, nor gratitude warming their hearts and stimulating their heads and hands to action, No, their pulses beat too

feebly over the affair; they creep or shuffle through their work tardily, distastefully.

But why do such appear as teachers at all, occupying, half unwillingly, the ground and tools which others might use with far better effect? The motive sometimes rises beyond the surface, and then all are ready to perceive and denounce it; but more frequently the springs which feed this sluggish action are latent-perhaps in some cases unknown even to the possessor. Were we to probe our hearts deep enough, some form of selfinterest, vanity, or personal gratification would, alas! too often be found as the ruling power. The operation may be a painful one, very mortifying to our much-loved selves, but very necessary to the health and vigour of our souls. Let us not, then, shrink from the task, but look and look again, and seek diligently for help to root out each unhallowed motive.

"Oh, 'tis Sunday morning! says a professional teacher; "how much earlier one is obliged to rise than he likes, and hurry over breakfast to get to, and open that school in time. I am sure I have hard work and trouble enough with the boys for five days in the week, without taking them on the seventh. If it were not for that, I could sometimes make a long holiday, from Friday night till Monday morning; but, as it is, this is quite out of the question. I would not have all the worry, and the long walk in all weathers, marching those children through the street, and keeping them quiet in church, only I should lose 101. a-year from my salary did I not."

Well, it is only natural that you would prefer a quiet Sunday after teaching all the week; the employ may seem more monotonous to you than to the mere Sunday-school teacher; and if the only constraining power be the £. s. d., rest assured you have your reward, and all you may ever expect to have.

Then there is the self interested son, clerk, or assistant, &c. The first goes to the Sunday-school merely to secure the approbation of parents, or the good opinion of friends; and because there is a certain degree of respectability connected with the office, The last two, perhaps, vote it a bore"-would far rather take a stroll, or a nap; but the "family" all go, and they would appear odd ones, and would certainly fall many degrees in the estimation of society did they not attend.

"By their fruits ye shall know them." What seed do they sow? What fruit does it bear.

Another phase of this same self-interest is vanity. Some people like to be dressed early and well on the Lord's day. They go to the early meeting, to the Sunday school each time, to all the services. This seems good and proper enough, did you not know the amount of pains and thought, bestowed on their appearance, and did not hear the after remarks on the appearance and actions of all present.

To see and to be seen" is their object; and this they accomplish. Even the Sunday school furnishes them with its meed of admiration. Others are attracted by self-gratification. Some people cannot be idlethey must engage themselves in one way or another. Now, Sunday school teaching can be made to acquire a nice degree of bustle and eclat which just suits them. They are active and intelligent; and such qualities will