GLEANINGS. constant employment. Any other means of grace than this, which is yet the most profitable of all, is rather chosen. But, as it is written, "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force;" so in nothing do we offer violence to our evil nature more than in studying God's holy word, and earnestly praying that the divine truth it teaches may sink deep into our hearts, work mightily, and produce all those gracious effects for which it was of old written by inspiration of the Holy Ghost." A WORD TO TEACHERs. Nothing is so important to a Teacher's success, as to find the avenue to the confidence and love of his class. There is a key that will unlock this door, and only one. A Teacher who has a warm heart will invariably find it. He must not only love his class, but he must convince them of his love. To do so he must have much of the spirit of his Master. His soul must be warmed by the fire of the Holy Ghost. He must go from his Bethel to his class; and when he speaks, it should be evident to them that he has "been with Jesus." They should be able to see that his heart throbs with love to the Saviour, and that he has met them because he is yearning with a desire to do them good. O how worthless are the labours of a cold-hearted Teacher! He will freeze up the young hearts around him, though glowing with all the ardour of childhood. Sabbath-school Teacher! get thee a warm heart. Thou wilt else be little better than a sine-in the normal schools are qualicure in God's nursery. fied subsequently to be distributed among the primary and secondary schools; and when all this is done, and done properly, the "darkness of ignorance" of which the Sultan speaks so feelingly, will be replaced by the light of science and general knowledge. People even here now no longer believe that every thing worth knowing is contained in the Koran, and that consequently all other books should be destroyed, as useless. PROGRESS OF EDUCATION IN TURKEY.-Constantinople.The board of education has commenced its career of activity. Measures have already been far advanced towards the establishment of normal schools in the four grand divisions of the empire, viz., Constantinople, Rumelia, Anatolia, and Arabia, all which are subsequently to have universities founded on European principles. The tutors prepared A RECIPE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. I hope you read your Bible with much prayer. I can give you a never-failing recipe to make a complete Christian and an heir of glory. You will find the medicine described in the 19th Psalm, 7-11; and the method of taking it in Prov. ii. 1-6. By the use of this medicine, and this method, you will as certainly improve and grow in grace, as any sensible, diligent boy ever got any knowledge at school. This is our condemnation; and,pendence consists in being altoalas! this is the real cause of our being so weak in faith, so cold in our love, so confused in our notions; the Bible and prayer over it for the true understanding of it, is not our exercise and INDEPENDENCE.-Real inde gether dependent upon God, and thereby virtually independent of all else. PREPARATION FOR DEATH.To "die daily" is the only way to be ready for the day of death. ON CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP. O BLESSED bond! all bonds above! The world's cold friendships melt away, The chilling grasp of Death's cold hand; But Christian friendship, found in God, HUMAN LIFE. BY BERNARD BARTON. I WALKED the fields at morning's prime, "And thus," I cried, "the ardent boy, I wandered forth at noon:-alas! And thus, I thought with many a sigh, Like flowers, which blossom but to die, Once more at eve, abroad I strayed, Through lonely hay-fields musing: While every breeze that round me played, Rich fragrance was diffusing. The perfumed air, the hush of eve, O'er thoughts perchance too prone to grieve, For thus "the actions of the just," When Memory hath enshrined them, E'en from the dark and silent dust REV. SIR,-I hoped that some of your readers would have made some remarks on the subject of "Christian Earnestness," mentioned in the May number of the "Teacher's Visitor," but as no further notice appears to have been taken, perhaps I may be allowed a few lines in your very instructive periodical upon this most important subject. And while I mention one or two plans, which I think ought to be more generally adopted, I would remind all who read this, not to engage in the work, in their own strength, but remember the great end they ought to have in view-the saving of immortal souls; and moreover, not to undertake or continue anything without frequent and repeated supplications at the throne of grace, without which we cannot expect a blessing upon our labours. It is well known that nothing that we undertake can prosper, unless we have an interest in it; and the greater that interest, the more likely is our undertaking to succeed. Then surely every person desiring the eternal welfare of our rising generation, ought at least to lend a hand to the great work of leading the young to the knowledge of the Saviour, and those young persons who have commenced the good work ought to remember the command, "whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might." I would that every teacher were to ask himself whether he has obeyed this command, or even if he feels as much interest in his class at the Sunday-school as he does about any of his secular occupations. There are very few school-rooms but would hold many more children than generally attend on a Sabbath; now what is the reason of this? because teachers in general are not so earnest in the work as they ought to be. Let them visit their absentees, and they would find a much more regular attendance; this might be done in an hour, or even less, every week. Another very good way of getting a larger attendance, and one which succeeds well in towns, is, that each Teacher in a school (who may not have time during the week) set apart half an hour every Sabbath afternoon to go round a portion of the district and deliver tracts at the houses, by which means they would be enabled to persuade many parents to send their children to the school. I know a school conducted by some pious young men connected with the Methodists, which was opened only last Christmas, and they have now a regular attendance of 160 children every Sunday, chiefly persuaded to attend by the above system; and, moreover, these young men deliver 1,200 tracts every Sabbath afternoon. In conclusion, perhaps I may be permitted to mention a fact which came to my knowledge the other day; a teacher in a Baptist school, a few Sundays back, was passing a house at the door of which was standing an interesting little boy, to whom he spoke, and obtained the sanction of his mother to allow him to accompany him to the school, where he continued to attend for several Sundays; but his father being a Churchman, removed him to the school in which I have the privilege of being a teacher; so that if it had not been for this young man's anxiety for the welfare of his fellowcreature, this child would most likely not have entered a Sundayschool to this day. And is it to be said that the young men of the Established Church are behind in the great work of endeavouring to bring the stray sheep into the fold? Are we to see the young men of all denomina tions of Christians around us up and doing their utmost, and we look on with apathy? No, this must not be; then I say, let us arise, and remember what our hand findeth to do, we must do it with all our might; that we may not be weighed in the balance and found wanting. I remain, Rev. Sir, Yours, faithfully, Liverpool, 12th June, 1846. H. B. ON LOOKING FOR PRESENT BLESSING. REV. SIR,-I was glad to see in a late number of your "Teacher's Visitor" a remark to this effect, "that instructors of children should be more anxious for a present blessing on their labours-instead of, as is generally the case, going forth to their work with the feeling that they must not now look for fruit, but that perhaps after many years have rolled away, it may be, God will permit the seed to spring up." I desire to press this still farther on the minds of all who are called to the interesting but deeply responsible office of teaching children. Our God has said, "According to your faith be it unto you." If then we go to our classes, believing that only after the seed has lain long beneath the surface, it will spring up and bear fruit, is not this as though we would say, "Lord, I do not expect a blessing now, but some time hence I trust thou wilt water the seed and cause it to grow"? We turn from such thoughts when they are expressed in words, and marvel at our unbelief and hardness of heart. Well then, my dear fellow-labourers, let us strive to go forth expecting great things, and may our hopes be realized by our obtaining present blessings. Let us go forth saying, first, "Lord quicken us," and then add, "Lord, look down on these children, even now, and bless them; gather these lambs with thine arm, and carry them in thy bosom; may they remember thee now in the days of their youth, and find shelter in the fold of the good Shepherd." Did not our blessed Lord when he was on earth say, "Suffer the little children to come unto me"? And is he not the same condescending Saviour now? and has he not the same heart of love, now that he is in heaven? Oh yes, for he is still the man Christ Jesus, as well as "God over all blessed for ever." His heart still yearns over the little ones of his flock, and I believe he would be as dissatisfied if one of those lambs, for whom his blood was spilt, were left out of his kingdom, as if the strongest believer were found wanting when he makes up his jewels. Let us then seek for more simple faith whilst we labour in this part of our Lord's vineyard. |