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have been implanted by education habits of regularity, self-control, subordination, submission to the powers that be, reverence and love for his pastor, and a systematic attention to the means of grace; then, by the help of the Holy Spirit, we may hope to introduce to future life useful and humble-minded Christians, and loyal subjects. But if the minds of children imbibe only a theoretical knowledge of these varied duties, they grow up with a correct knowledge of right and wrong; but wholly unprepared, by a well disciplined mind, to discharge aright the requirements of their station. Precept must be followed by example, or what kind of impression will be made by talking of order, attention, punctuality, if a Teacher is frequently late, or altogether absent? What weight will be attached to remarks on the Scriptural duties of contentment, and submission to the laws of our country, if Teachers solicit for friends, or frequent the meetings of those, who under the cloke of more enlightened religious knowledge, habitually arouse and inflame the passions of their dependents and neighbours, by harangues about oppression and persecution; and many a poor man is thus prevented enjoying the comforts of his own happy home, or rejoicing in the thought, that no country under heaven breathes a purer spirit of liberty than his own? A Teacher ought to be able to inculcate respect and confidence in his pastor; but how can he do so, if his vacant place at church, without sufficient reason, bespeak his neglect of duty and indifference to instruction. Teachers should especially guard against idle curiosity and a wandering taste. It is as injurious to themselves as their class, and a sure sign that the heart is not right with God. I have known promising young people, bidding fair to be fellow-workers with their minister, and faithful members of the invisible Church, sink into a painful state of indifference and carelessness to the growth of grace in the heart-the natural result of associating with the religious demagogue. Again, how can a Teacher talk of the impropriety and danger of a love of dress, unaccompanied with a modest and becoming attire? If our girls, ripening into womanhood, are to be attracted by a dis

play of ribbons, feathers, and flowers, it is not likely they can be prevailed upon to dress as women professing godliness, or to lay up of their earnings for a time of need. No, they will copy their Teachers; and who can wonder?

Sunday-school Teachers are not worthy the name they bear, if they cannot deny themselves for the sake of their youthful charge. This is the most efficient method of leading children to be exemplary members of our own Church; living stones of the spiritual Zion; and consistent, sober-minded members of society. The existing evils of the present day appear especially calculated to act up the immature judgment of youth; and it is only by sound religious education they can be saved from the snares which are laid for them.

M. N.

ON MISSIONS.

THE following remarks are as applicable to all objects of doing good as to missions.

They may prove a word in season to teachers in their important work. And who knows but that they may kindle a desire in some teacher's heart to devote himself

to Missionary labour. There is no class of persons to whom we may more hopefully work for Missionaries than the Teachers of our land, And truly "the harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few."

The religion of the gospel is pre-eminently one of benevolence to mankind, and of self-denial to its followers. The corner-stone of the great church temple is Jesus Christ, whose life on earth was one of suffering and self-denial, whose object was the relief of sinful, degraded humanity. If we are Christ's, we are like him; we have a self-denying spirit; we are willing to spend and be spent in advancing the good of mankind and the glory of God. If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. The test of our discipleship is our willingness to be a living sacrifice to God. Let us apply these remarks to the subject of missions, and enquire,

with St. Paul, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Let us ascertain, if possible, whether every private Christian has a duty to perform in evangelizing the world, or whether the responsibility of this great enterprise rests upon ministers and a few zealous and wealthy Christians. This is an important question. Either we have a duty to perform, for the neglect of which the great Head of the Church will hold us accountable, or the responsibility belongs somewhere else, and we have nothing to do with it. To whom, then, was the command given, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"? To the apostles as private individuals? Most surely not; but as servants and representatives of the Church. Therefore, the accompanying promise extends to the end of time. The Church, then, bears the responsibility. But who are the Church? the ministers or the wealthy? They are but as one in the Church to a thousand. Their responsibility then is small, in comparison to the great whole. All the Church bears the responsibility, and each member has something to do. But evidently it is not the duty of every Christian to leave his home, and go to a foreign land; though I am inclined to think even this is the duty of many among What then is the duty of every member of Christ's Church? First, to settle the question, is it my duty to be a missionary? If not, how large a portion of my property ought I to devote to send others into the missionary field? Before settling this question, we must lay aside the rules and maxims by which the children of this world are influenced. We must relinquish our conformity to the fashions of the world, and compare the work to be achieved with the paucity of instruments employed, and the scarceness of means for carrying it on. Perhaps we may be assisted in our investigation of duty, by referring to the opinion of primitive Christians. Did they esteem it too great a sacrifice to give up the pleasures and luxuries of this world, that they might extend the Redeemer's kingdom? O, no. Not the pleasures and luxuries only, but what we call the comforts and necessaries of life, they gladly resigned, that they might help to renovate an ungodly world. Nor was this all, or

us.

nearly all; for often they were called to sufferings and distresses of which we, in this refined age, can form but a faint conception. Even their own lives they counted not dear unto themselves, but rather considered it an honour to die for Christ. They were in perils often, in weariness and painfulness; they endured hunger and thirst, fasting, cold, and nakedness; they were persecuted, afflicted, tormented; yet they called all these but light afflictions. And were they wrong in this? Did they suffer more than was needful? Did they estimate too highly the duties to which they were called? Would less exertion have answered the purpose? No. The world was to be converted by their agency; and a feeble exertion would have been unavailing. Nothing less than the self-sacrificing spirit of the religion of Jesus Christ could have accomplished the work; and nothing less than the same self-sacrificing spirit will evangelize the world It is because we have fallen so far behind the zeal and faith of the apostles and primitive Christians, that we look with such wonder upon their efforts and their results. They were not too zealous; but we are too cold. They had not too high a standard of duty; but ours is too low. O, could we divest ourselves of that worldliness which enters into all our plans and enterprises, we might form some just estimate of our individual responsibilities! God grant us grace so to understand our duty, that at the last we shall not appear before him condemned.

now.

POPISH EFFORTS.

OUR School Teachers had need be on the alert, as well as the parochial Clergy, and all lovers of the truth, against the varied and unceasing workings of Popery. I had a clerical friend staying with me out of Hertfordshire lately, who stated that the emissaries from a Popish institution in his neighbourhood are busily engaged in distributing tracts. And one plan they adopt is as follows: they leave a catechism in a cottage, and with soft and enticing words, beg that the children may learn a certain portion by heart against their next visit.

Happily there are school-masters and mistresses who have their eye upon this movement, and do not fail to expose the mischief, and get the tracts destroyed. Yet how many unwary and unstable souls may be caught! The nominal proselytism to Popery, around that institution, is frightfully extensive. Oh, that the faithful may be more than ever on their watch-tower, and doing all that in them lies to guard our Zion against the approach of antichrist. Wherever we turn we hear of his fearful and desperate struggle. The following account from America will be read with painful interest:

SPREAD OF POPERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

We have cause for alarm at the rapidity with which Popery has spread in this country. Fifty years ago there was but one Papal Bishop in this country; now there are twenty-one Bishops and Archbishops. Fifty years ago there were only twenty-five priests; now there are nearly one thousand. Fifty years ago they had but few churches; now they have seven hundred churches, and five hundred missionary stations. Now they have forty-eight academies; tweny-one ecclesiastical seminaries; thirty-six houses for religious women, and twentysix orphan asylums. The subjects of the Pope now form about one twelfth part of our population. Already Romanism interferes with our elections; attempts to control our politics; seeks the overthrow of our common school system; makes a bonfire of the Bible, and votes only for such men as will advocate its claims.

IS THERE NOT CAUSE FOR ALARM?

There are now in Europe several effective organizations, acting under the name of missionary societies, the real object of whose labours is the overthrow of our government. The most prominent of the societies are the De Propaganda Fide of Rome; the Leopold Foundation, in Austria; and another society at Lyons, in France. These societies, and others of a similar design, contribute for the spread of Romanism in this country, a sum about equal to the whole amount contributed by all the evangelical churches in America for missions. Is there nothing to fear from such efforts?

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