Year: 1865




ened.


When we consider what Is taught and
how IL is taught, we shall see e.another Pc
culiar excelency Of the Sabbath School.
Gods Word is taught in all its manifold
and far.reaching wisdom and its wonder.
full grace. And it is taught, not to pro.
miscuous assembly, as in preaching, but
to the individual. 1t is the peculiar ad.
vantage OF the Sabbath school teacher
that he has but few to teach and hence
upon these be may, as it were, coneen.
trate his instructions.


Consider, too, the organization Of the
Sabbath School. On the one hand are
the scholars to be taught, on the other the
corps Of teachers. The scholars are di.
vided into distinct portions, and the teach
ers are distributed ssverally 10 these por.
tions and, for the whole, there ia q su.
perintending, managing head. Thus
there is variety for adaptation and inter-
est. copjoined with unity for com pactness
and force.


We have thus given a hasty glance
though but too long---at what may be
called the erternals Of the Sabbath School.
Let US now consider its soul, in which we
may see its true character, tendency and
end. For, If ever we fall short OF the
heart Of anything, we fail to understand
the thing. 1t is the superintendent and
teachers who must im2art the anima!i
spirit to the school the scholars are bdt
as passive in their hands. With what
heart. then, should these engage in the
discharge OF their duties in the school I?
There are various human motives and
feelings: by which, If any, Of these
should they be ac,uated? By pride and
ambition ? Then the success of the
school may consist in certain outward
prosperity, in a grand seeming. The
machinery Of the school may be perfect,
and may work we'll; and the school
itself may seem to be a fine thing, Of
which all are proud. Or shall the spirit
which shall animate and give character
10 any Sabbath School be mere natural
desire for knowledge There may then
come to be familiar. thorough knowledge
of the letter of the Scriptures. But what
is the true eEd to be sought in the Sab.
bath School? Or, in palmer terms, what
is the end TO be sought in the study OF
the Word Of God ? for the study Of Gods
Word is the one immediate end Of the
Sabbath School. Is it anything more or
less than the gaming Of saving knowis
edge Of Christ? This, then, is to be the
end, never lost sight Of by every teacher
in his instructions that his pupils may
each receive Christ, if they have not al
ready done so, as their Savior from sin
and death. And the same should bs the
supreme end Of every superintendent in
all his management Of the school,. But,
while the responsibility of the superin.
tendent is more general, that of the
teacher is more particular. And now
what is that spirit which, animating
superintendent and teachers, shall serve
to make Christ known as the living
Savior in the actual salvation Of souls !?
The love of CArist in the heart must be
the one impelling motive which shall lead
superintendent and teachers to make
Christ known. For this heart.love of
Christ is at once a knowledge and an
impulse, light and power. II makes
Christ known in the soul, is the inward
revelation Of his mind and heart. The
love Of Christ is Christ's will in the SOUL
as it were its own. In all our efforts for
the propagation ol true religion, we must
60 back to- this. Nor can we ever get
beyond it. No machinery, and no expe-
dients, however we'll they may seem to
work, can avail, without this, to bring
about the proper end. And this is in
itself sufficient, for, having all this, all
proper means will be sought, and they
will be so used as to be made Efficient
Nothing is 90 effectual as q teachers
love and, il teacher love bis pupils
with the love Of Christ, he will teach
them ss Christ would he will teach them
OF Christ. This is the true spirit which
must give proper efficiency to any Sab.
bath school.


Do we not, then, TO make US efficient
laborers in the Sabbath School, need q
revival Of the love Of Christ in our hearts?
This, as nothing else can, will give US q
heart for the Sabbath School. This will
give us heart to gather into the Sabbath
School all that We can Of every age, that
we may make them acquainted with
Christ as their Savior. II will also incite
us to seek to open the way for the intro
duclion of the Gospel where it 10 not pro.
claimed, by the establishment OF branch
schools. And it will lead US to desire to
have the children Of the Sabbath School
enjoy the ministrations of the Word, for
which their instruction in it has prepared
their minds and hearts.


And now let US turn aside to glance a
little at the mutual relation of teaching
and preaching Gods Word. Should
they not match precisely together 4? And
this they will do if in both Christ be pre-.