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6. In what lessons would you employ objects, and what is their use ?

7. What country would you begin with, in teaching Geography; and give reasons for your preference?

8. What do you consider the chief advantages in your school; what are its defects? and where do you feel yourselves to be most deficient?

9. Explain as you would to a class in your school the meaning of the words contrast and comparison.

10. What talents and dispositions should be most earnestly culti vated by a person who is preparing for the office of an elementary teacher?

11. What are the advantages of teaching Arithmetic from principles, instead of rules?

12. How would you endeavour to acquire or strengthen the power of rapid questioning?

13. What differences of manner would you adopt in giving a Bible lesson, and one upon Geography, Arithmetic, or other secular subject?

14. Compose a routine for eighty children, arranged in four classes.

15. If you had a school of your own, which part of the instruction in the lower classes would you take, and why?

16. Classify all the faults you have discovered in the boys of your school, and say what kind of punishment you think should be inflicted upon each.

17. Can you suggest to the master any alterations in the routine or general management of the school, which you think would increase its efficiency, or make your own labour more useful?

18. Give an opinion upon the different description of rewards that may be introduced into a national school, having strict regard to economy and propriety.

19. In what way may discipline, that is over-strict, interfere with the useful working of a school? and say something about schools that are too quiet.

20. What difficulties are you prepared to encounter, when you become a national schoolmaster?

SCRIPTURE LESSONS.

EASTER SUNDAY.

THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT.

MATT. xviii. 21-35.

21. Till seven times.-This question was occasioned by the directions given in V. 15.; the tradition of the Rabbins, which they got from misunderstanding Amos i. 3., was, that a man should be forgiven for a third, but not for a fourth offence. Peter may have supposed himself to have gone very far in extending it to the seventh.

22. Seventy times seven-or any imaginable number.

24. Talents.—The value of the talent is variously computed ; but, at the lowest calculation, this debt would amount to nearly two millions sterling, a sum which it would be clearly impossible for the man ever to have paid. And most exactly does this represent the state of the sinner who has broken God's holy law, not in one point only, but in every point, and has gone on doing so all the days of his life.

25. To be sold.—The law of Moses permitted this, and it was not unfrequently practised among the Jews. (Ex. xxi. 2. Lev. xxv. 39. 2 Kings iv. 1. Neh. v. 5. Is. l. 1.)

26. Worshipped him.—Margin, "besought him.” Doubtless falling down at his feet, as was customary in Eastern countries, in token of respect and submission; but not offering to him divine honours. So the word, "Lord," is different from that applied to God, and answers to our use of the word when we address a nobleman as 'My Lord."

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28. An hundred pence.-This, at the same rate, would be a little more than three pounds.

29. Have patience.-The very same words of entreaty which he had used himself, and which might have been expected to bring to his mind the forgiveness he had sought and obtained.

34. The tormentors.-The officers of justice, who not only imprisoned, but often ill-treated those committed to their charge. (Acts xvi. 23, 24. xxii. 24, 25.)

SUMMARY.

On Peter's enquiring how often pardon should be extended to an offending brother, our Lord answers by a parable, in which he shows that those who profess to have been forgiven by God should ever be ready to forgive the far smaller injuries they receive from their fellow-men.

LESSONS.

I. The largest ideas which men form of duty, or of charity, are often infinitely below the truth, as it is seen by God. V. 21, 22. (Is. lv. 8, 9.)

II. How vast is the debt we owe to God, and how far beyond our power to make any amends for our past offences! V. 24. (Ps. xl. 12.)

III. The most severe punishment which we could suffer is no more than we deserve. V. 25. (Ps. li. 4.)

IV. The Lord is ready to forgive even the deepest guilt. V. 27. (2 Sam. xii. 13.)

V. All the injuries we can receive from our fellow-men are but

small indeed when compared with our sins against God. V. 28. (Ps. li. 4.)

VI. It is exceedingly hateful in the sight of God and man to witness a resentful and unforgiving spirit in one who professes to have obtained mercy himself. V. 31, 32. (Rom. xii. 17-21. 2 Cor. vi. 7, 8.)

VII. The man who does not freely and heartily forgive others, neither is nor can be forgiven by God. V. 34, 35. (Matthew vi. 14, 15).

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

JESUS AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
JOHN vii. 1-30.

1. Jewry-or Judea.

2. Feast of tabernacles.-There were three feasts yearly held, at which all the Jews were required to go up to Jerusalem; the feasts of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles; at the feast of tabernacles, they lived in tabernacles, or booths, made of boughs, on the flat roofs of their houses, to remind them of their living in tents during their journey in the wilderness. It was also called the feast of ingathering, as it was celebrated at the end of the harvest, when all the fruits of the earth were gathered in. (See Ex. xxiii. 15-17. Lev. xxiii. 34-43.)

3. His brethren-or kinsmen. (See Matt. xiii. 55.) They seem to have said this tauntingly, not yet believing that he was the Messiah.

11. Sought him at the feast.-As he was accustomed to attend all the feasts, strictly observing the law of Moses.

15. How knoweth this man letters?-How is it that he is able to speak and teach like an educated man, though he has never had an opportunity of being instructed by any of the great Rabbins ?

17. Will do his will.-If any one is prepared honestly to receive, and act upon what he knows, God will not leave him in the dark. The reason why the Jews did not receive Christ, was because they were prejudiced against him, and unwilling fairly to weigh the evidence afforded them.

19. Why go ye about to kill me?—Their very hatred to him was breaking one of the commandments of the law for which they professed to be so zealous.

21. One work.-Referring to the miracle wrought at the pool of Bethesda, (ch. v. 9, 10.) on account of which they accused him of breaking the Sabbath, and sought to put him to death.

23. On the Sabbath Day.-They strictly observed the law which enjoined that every male child should be circumcised on the eighth

day after his birth, even though this day fell on the Sabbath; and if it were right to perform an external ceremony, it must be right also to do good on the Sabbath Day.

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26. The very Christ-Can it be that our rulers are convinced that this is the true Messiah?

28. Ye both know me, or “Do ye both know me, and whence I am?" Surely, ye are mistaken in this.

SUMMARY.

Our Lord goes down from Galilee to the feast of Tabernacles, not going with his friends, but following them; during the feast he teaches in the temple, and excites much astonishment and discussion amongst those assembled there.

LESSONS.

I. Our Lord did not unnecessarily expose himself to the malice of his enemies; and in this he is an example of Christian discretion. V. 1-6. (Matt. x. 16.)

II. Jesus had to suffer opposition from those nearly related to him, and can feel with those who are called to endure the same. V. 3-5. (Heb. iv. 15.)

III. Jesus strictly observed every ordinance of divine appointment, and he would have us follow him in this. V. 10. (Matt. iii. 15.)

IV. Jesus himself had much evil thought of him, and spoken against him; his disciples need not be surprised at being treated in the same manner. V. 12. (John xv. 20.)

V. The best preparation for receiving the truth is an honest determination to follow it when known. V. 17. (Ps. lxxxvi. 11.) VI. When any give way to prejudice, it sadly blinds their eyes. V. 24. (1 Thess. v. 21.)

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

THE OFFICER'S REPORT.
JOHN vii. 31-53.

31. When Christ cometh.-The prophets had foretold that the Messiah should work many miracles; (Is. xxxv. 4-7.) but they saw such wonderful miracles performed by Jesus, that they could hardly conceive of any one doing greater.

34. Ye shall seek me.-The Jews to this day are seeking the Messiah, and seeking him in vain.

35. Dispersed among the Gentiles.-(Compare James i. 1.) Referring probably to the ten tribes who had already been scattered abroad.

37. That great day of the feast.-The eighth day was "a holy

convocation." (Lev. xxiii. 36.) It was a custom among the Jews on that day to draw and pour out water before the Lord, to which ceremony our Lord seems here to have alluded.

38. As the Scripture hath said.—Referring to Is. lviii. 11. and similar passages.

$ 39. Not yet glorified.—It was the appointment of God that the Holy Spirit should not be fully poured out upon the church till after Jesus had ascended into heaven. (See ch. xvi. 7.)

42. Hath not the Scripture said?-(Ps. cxxxii. 11. Is. xi. 1. Jer. xxiii. 5. Micah v. 2.) They little thought that Jesus was really of the seed of David, and the town of Bethlehem; but since he had lived so long at Nazareth, they supposed him to be a native of that place.

48. Have any of the rulers.-They were looking as the men of this world naturally do, to the wise and learned, as most likely to discover the truth; and viewing the multitude, who were comparatively uninstructed, with utter contempt; but God is pleased sometimes to make known to the poor and simple-minded what is hidden from the wise ones of this world: (Matt. xi. 25, 26.) though even here they were mistaken, as they soon found, in supposing that none of their own number believed him to be the Messiah.

51. Doth our law.-A mild and cautious rebuke; but yet it showed that he had gained courage to say even this.

SUMMARY.

Jesus continues to address the people, who listen with varied feelings; in the meanwhile, some officers are sent by the Pharisees to apprehend him, who, after hearing him, return without doing any thing, and are blamed by the Pharisees, but defended by Nicodemus.

LESSONS.

I. The day of grace is quickly passing away. V. 33. (John xii. 35.)

II. If we do not seek Christ while he is willing to bless us, we shall seek him in vain afterwards. V. 34. (Prov. i. 24-28.)

III. Every one who really longs for the gift of the Spirit, may freely receive it from Christ. V. 37-39. (Rev. xxi. 17.)

IV. When the word is beginning to affect the heart, Satan will suggest doubts and difficulties to prevent its doing good. V. 41, 42. (John i. 47.)

V. We shall be more likely to be right if we search for ourselves, than if we depend too much on the opinions of others. V. 47, 48. (Acts xvii. 11.)

VI. God often makes known to the simple-minded what is

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