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I 
BY
WALDO ABBOT.
WITH
A N I 1 T R O D U a T I O NI
BY JOIHN S. C. ABBOTT.
BOSTON:
H F EN BY  HIOY T,
NO. 9 CORNhiILL.
\ ;'3 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by
HENRY HOYT,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.
:.i 
INTRODUCTION.
By Rev. John S. 0. Abbott.
IHE   Sabbath School has proved  itself
to be emphatically the nursery of the
church.   Wherever  there  is  a  well
conducted Sabbath  School  with its sys     tem of  Bible classes, there one invariably finds the organized church in a flourishing
condition. There seems to be here developed
almost as regular a progression of cause and
effect, as in any of the works of nature.
God shows himself as ready to co-operate,
with his  divine  blessing,,  in  this  sowing of
the seed and gathering in of the harvest of
spiritual husbandry, as in any of the more
material labors in which men may engage.
The skillful superintendence of a Sabbath 
iv                 INTRODUCTION.
School is an art of difficult attainment. It is
a gift rather than an art. As Horace said of
the poet, the superintendent is born such, not
made. Some men have the innate capacity to
superintend affairs. With comprehensive grasp
they can embrace the totality of the School,
with all its diversified interests, while, at the
same time, not the minutest details of duty can
escape their eagle  glance.   With  tact, which
God has given, they move, amidst their multifarious duties, unembarrassed, instinctively deciding, in every emergency, just what is to be
done. As Coesar chose his generals, always
getting the right man for the right place, so
they, by the unerring light of an inward consciousness, decide  who  shall  take  the infant
class, who a class of refined and cultivated
young ladies, and who shall tame a set of
coarse, vulgar, unruly boys, and who shall
guide the mature and thoughtful minds of
Christian adults in the highest branches of
iv 
INTRODUCTION.                 V
theology. They know how to classify the pupils, so that congenial and harmonious characters shall be together.
Not a ragged boy can peep in at the door
of such a school but he finds himself lured to
the very class to which he naturally belongs,
and to the care of a teacher who will not allow him to slip from his grasp.   If there is
a teacher absent, the eye of such a superintendent instantly discerns the fact, and the
defect  is  promptly  rectified.   Or  rather,  a
skillful superintendent inspires liis corps of
teachers with such zeal, that almost'never is
a teacher absent from his post without providing a suitable supply.
As  the efficiency  of an army depends mainly upon its general, so does the efficiency of
a Sabbath School depend almost entirely upon
its superintendent. The first thing to be done
in organizing a Sabbath School is to get a
good Superintendent.   When  Marshal Ney, in 
vi                INTRODUCTION.
the  retreat from  Moscow,  performed  a wonderful feat of heroism, in which he rescued a
division of the army from apparently inevitable destruction, Napoleon grasped him by the
hand, exclaiming, "An army of deer, led by
a lion, is better than an army of lions led by
a deer."
As an able general will inspire all his subordinate officers and soldiers with heroism,
throwing, as it were his own enthusiastic spirit
into their bosoms,  so an  efficient  superintendent, by the energies of his own mind, can
inspire a whole school with that ardor which
glows and burns in his own heart. Fortunately the free institutions of our land, our noble
system of common schools, and the elevating
influence of labor, as combined in our manufactories, has developed, in every village of
our country, men equal to these responsibilities. Any man who would make a good general, a good colonel of a regiment, a good 
INTRODUCTION.                vii
superintendent of a factory, a good merchant
having twenty clerks in his employ, possesses
the intellectual qualifications requisite for a
good  superintendent.   He  needs  only  piety
and zeal to fit him fully for the office.
William Cowper, the poet, as superintendent
of the Lee Avenue Sabbath School, in Brook13m, with its two thousand pupils, would run
that magnificent institution into remediless
ruin in less than six weeks. But you might
search Christendom in vain for a more admirable teacher than he for a Bible Class of refined
and highly cultivated young  ladies.   The reformed and regenerated pugilist, fresh from
the ale house and the prize ring, who has
just learned to sing the songs of Zion, placed
over  such  a  class  of  young  ladies,  woulddrive them out of the church by the second
Sabbath.  But it is doubtful if one could find
a more desirable teacher, for an untamed  class
of vagabond boys, from any of the streets of
our great cities. 
Vill              INTRODUCTION.
Our Sabbath Schools are no10W attracting the
attention and enlisting the energies of our
ablest men.   The  future  hope of the  nation
is greatly centering in these nurseries of piety.
It  is very  important  that the  teachers,  in
these Sabbath schools, should be familiar with
the plans adopted, and with the results of
experiments in other  schools.   The writer of
the following treatise has  had  facilities, such
as few  have enjoyed, to  visit schools  widely
throughout our land, and particularly to study
the organization and the routine of the most
celebrated   and   successful  Schools   existing
among us. The suggestions contained in this
volume are so eminently practical, and have
proved so successful in actual operation, and
they cover so widely all the wants of the
Sabbath School, that it may safely be asserted
that the book will prove of great value
wherever read. The thoughts which are here
preset ted  are  not  visionary  theories.   The
viii 
INTRODUCTION.                 ix
book is founded on the Baconian philosophy,
giving facts, and the results of actual experiments.
All that is here suggested may not perhaps
wisely be introduced into any one school. Each
superintendent has his own peculiar characteristics, his own modes of action, and he cannot pursue any administrative policy in a line
antagonistic to his own nature.. But he cannot fail to find, in these pages, so rich in
the record of the results of the labors of others,
much to animate him, and to sulggest to him
that variety of thoughts and plans essential
to the success of the Sabbath School.
The writer of this little treatise has, for
some time, been the superintendent of a Sabbath School in New Haven, composed mainly
of children from the most neglected classes in
the community.   In this school the principles
contained in these pages, have been carried
into action, with a degree of success which is 
x                   INTRODUCTION.
quite wonderful,  and  which  effectually invests
this book  with the  character  of  a  safe and
practical guide.
JOHN S. C. ABBOTT.
New Haven, Conn., June, 1863. 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
CHAPTER I.
ON ORGANIZING A SCHOOL.
T a Sunday School  meeting  a short dis       tance from  New  Haven,  a clergyman
lately addressed  the children  as  fol      lows:
"Look  at nearly all the  great  and
good men for the last two or three hundred
years.  They received their early religious culture in the Sunday School."
It is unfortunate that this excellent example cannot be supported by facts. But as not
quite a hundred years have passed since the
first conception of a modern Sunday School,
the gentleman was unwittingly a false teacher.
9 
10             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS
At the first organization of the Christian
church, it is supposed that a certain degree
of instruction was afforded to children, as a
work called "The Church and House Book,"
composed by the early Christians, contained
directions for their culture. The children were
called " catechumens," and were, after a three
years course of religious instruction, baptized
and received into the church, as a matter of
course. These schools existed until the eighth
century, when they appear to have been discontinued. In 1527, Martin Luther organized several schools in Germany, which were,
however, more secular, although they were
instituted that the children "might thereby
be better able to read the Holy Scriptures."
In the latter part of the sixteenth century,
Cardinal Borromeo organized a Sunday School
in the Cathedral at Milan, and about the
same time (1674,) one was established at Roxbury, Mass. 
ON ORGANIZING A SCHOOL.     11
In 1763, there was in Catterick, Yorkshire,
a good  and pious curate, named T. Lindsey,
who was rather a fanatic, and thought that
children of  the poor might be taught  something.   He  therefore met them in the church
an hour before afternoon service, and instructed them in morals, while his wife had two
classes which she taught reading and writing,
as well as virtue. About the same time, a
friend of theirs, a Miss Harrison, who had
seen the school, started one in her own kitchen
at Bedale.   She proved so popular  a teacher
that  the  room  could  not  accommodate  the
scholars, and she was obliged to have a suecession of classes, lasting nearly the whole
day, save during church hours. She instructed them in Watts's shorter catechism, and
taught them hymns. Still these services were
more like lectures to the young than our
present school.
At the same time, Sunday Schools for the 
12            ovUR SUNDAY SCIOOLS.
secular study of reading,  writing, arithmetic,
drawing, &c., were established in Paris, Vienna
and Rome, for those whose occupations prevented their attending week-day schools. In
these places, however, the Sunday School proper, has never flourished.
The modern Sunday School is usually ascribed to Robert Raikes, of Gloucester, England, an editor of some note. In 1781, he
was struck with the miserable appearance of
the children in the  streets.   Released from
work  and  day-school,  they were the pest of
the neighborhood. HIe engaged several women
who kept schools near by, to receive such
children as he should send, and instruct them
in reading and the catechism, for which he paid
them a shilling a day.   It was  pretty much
as one of the teachers said, "It is buit little
they pays me, and it's but little I teaches
them." He became interested in the children,
and his genial manners made him a great 
ON ORGANIZING A SCHOOL           13
favorite with them.  The good fruits were seen,
and other schools sprang up all over England,
the teachers of which were paid for their
services. An article on the subject by Mr.
Raikes, in 1783, in his Journal, brought  the
matter before the worldcl, and was the real
commencement  of the  Sunday  School  movement.  Among the  most. prominent followers
of Mr. Raikes, was a Quaker by the name of
Joseph Lancaster, who, when  eighteen years of
age,  established  a  school,  and  had  ninety
scholars whom he instructed  himself.   He devoted his life to educational objects, and was
the means of establishing the Lancasterian
schools still existing in  England.   In  1812,
he came to the United States, where he died
in 1838. In 1785, William Fox, merchant, of
London, organized the "Society for Promoting
Sunday  Schools  in the  British  Dominions,"
and in 1786, it was estimated that there were
250,000 children of Great Britain in the Sunday Schools. 
14.         OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
In the same year, Bishop Asbury, of Virginia, established a school on Mr. Raikes' plan,
and in 1791, the first school of any kind, was
established in Philadelphia.   It is stated that
in 1793, a poor African woman, named  Katy
Ferguson, knowing nothing of Robert RPaikes,
or  Sunday Schools, started  the  first  one in
XNew  York  City.*   The  first exclusively religious school ini Massachusetts, was opened
by a  young  lady,  afterwards  3Irs. Ebenezer
Everett, at Beverly, in  1805.  This lady was
for life an energetic and successful teacher,
and died a few years since in Brunswick,
Maine.
The first school in connection with any
church,  was  Pittsburg, Pen-.,  in  1809.   In
most of these schools the teachers were hired,
by which means a portion of their benefits were
lost.  Also  the  schools  were  merely for the
degraded  aindl pauper children.   The  change
*Appletonl's Enc. Art. Sunday Schools. 
ON- OGA>-'IZL-'[   A SCIIOOL.      15
from  salaried  to  vol.ultary  teachers  was  effected  in the United States, in 1809.
In  1816,  the  icew   York   Sunday  School
Union was established, and in 1824, the Amnercan Sundclay School Union. In 180a, there were
in Great Britain and Ireand, 3,600,000 pupils,
and 340,000 teachers in the various schools.
In the same  year it is estimated that there
were in the TUnitedcl States, 3,000,000 pupils.
At the present day, there are doubtless nearly
t,000,000  childrein  in  our  Sunday  Schools,
and 400,000 teachers.
In  France  the  Sunday  School  has  never
prospered.    3Iany have been established, but
have failed or degenerated into the mere secular instruction of artisans and others, unable
to attend school  on other days.
Our ow-n beloved couintry, thanks to the energy of John Wesley and his followers, to whom
we  are  more indebted than  to any others, is
now  becoming  well  supplied with  the  little
Sunday School. That noble, self-denying band 
16             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
of pioneer Mlethodist ministers,  are leaving the
traces of their labors at every frontier hut
and clearing. Religion and progress are walking hand in hand, and the Sunday School will
soon be, as the common school now is, our
pride, strength and boast.
The Rev. Dr. William Adlams, of New York,
in a recent sermon, made an allusion to the
death of his father, Rev. John L. Adams,
LL. D., who was for many years the principal
of Phillips Academy, at Andover. When over
seventy years of age, after he had finished
what was regarded as his life-work, and having
settled down amidst the enjoyments  and quiet
of domestic life, his strength was renewed by
a new form of Christian activity. By his own
personal exertions, he organized in the State
of Illinois, more than five hundred Sabbath
Schools, in connection with which numerous
Christian Churches now  exist.
All know how wonderfully the Schools have 
ON OPRGA.NIZING A SCOOL.          17
spread, antd one can hardly walk any of the
streets of our cities, without hearing some
dirty-faced, bare-footed child singing, "I want
to be an angel." Still the matter is in its infancy, and requires the careful attention of able
men. A few years since, the writing of children's books was deemed fit occupation for
very young ladies and weak-minded men.
Now, some of the ablest and most vigorous intellects are devoted to children.   But lately a
man who  was  good for nothing,  was deemed
amply competent for a schoolmaster. Now, the
children demand the wisest and most learned.
Our Sunday School teachers are a little behind
the times, not in zeal, but in the knowledge
how to proceed, and a realization of the amount
of  preparation necessary for  success in their
undertaking.
The writer has visited schools from Canada
to Texas; from the humble beginning in an
attic, cramped by want of means, to the gath 
18             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ering from the avenues, where the vast and
much-to-be-desired  power  of money  has  lent
her aid to form, as far as possible, a "royal
road  to heaven."   From  what  I  have  thus
gathered, I propose to offer some brief practical  advice  on  organizing and  sustaining  a
Sunday School.
Each school must be distinctive in its general mode  of conduct, as the  children differ
in age, intelligence, character, wealth, etc. In
establishing a school, it is necessary to determine first, what class of children are likely to attend, whether rich or poor, intelligent
or ignorant.  If it be the regular school connected with the church, the establishment is
comparatively simple, as the whole power of
the church can be drawn upon for teachers
and moral support.
After  providing  your  room,  obtain  your
teachers. If possible, always have one more
teacher present  than  you  have  classes  for. 
ON OIZGA'TIZING A SCHOOL.          19
It always has a very bad effect to allow a
class to wait  for  a teacher.   They will  not
do nothing.   Unless  they can do  something
good, they will certainly learn a long lesson
in mischief.   One or two paper balls thrown
by boys waiting for a teacher, will often breed
an insurrection, that several Sundays' bombardment with the catechism will not quell. A
teacher by a single day's absence  may do  incalculable injury to his class.
An old story is told of two Irishmen who
went to fish a kettle from a river. MIike was
to  low-er himself  and hold on to the bridge
with his hands, while Pat was to hang on to
his legs with one hand, and hook up the kettle with a pole.   Just  as Pat  had  got his
pole into the water, Mike called out:
" Houldl on, a bit, Pat, till I spit on me
hands!"
The result can be demonstrated to any who
may not at once see it. 
20             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
There is often a moral to a joke, and not
a whit more wise than Alike is a teacher who
unnecessarily leaves his scholars for a session.
He has lost part of his hold on them. The
children are left to coin mischief, worry neighboring classes, and to feel that their teacher
is tired of them. Or, if a substitute is provided,  they dislike him, and are not bashful
about showing it; or if they fancy him, it is
so much of the teacher's power over them
lost.
A superintendent must determine to give the
same energy, care, and labor in building up a
Sunday School, that he would in establishing
any new business. Two hours' work on Sunday will never accomplish it.  He must think
of all sorts of novel plans for entertaining
the children and drawing them in. Relicgion
to most children is a pill, which they will
not take unless it is sugar-coated.
For  a  Mission School,  a room  should be 
ON ORGANIZING A SCHOOL.           21
provided as pleasant and comfortable as possible. If I were to have a hundred dollars
to fit up a room, or to purchase a library, I
would expend every dollar in painting the walls
a pleasant tint, in providing comfortable cushions, and procuring such things as would make
the Sunday School pleasanter and more cheerful than their homes.   Make it a little heaven
for them.   If possible, get some of the worse
boys in the neighborhood to help you  fit up.
This will make them feel an ownership in the
property, and prevent their destroying it. They
will deem it " our school,"  and woe  to  the
fellow who touches their property.   There are
no police-officers so vigilant as half-civilized
boys, who have had one good point cultivated. They can tell by the looks of a jacklmife whether it is intended to rip open a cushion, or to carve a'" Ileenan" on the wall;
and are not diffident about requesting its proprietor to give up the game or the knife. 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
In entertaining company, a luxuriant easy
chair, by a glowing fire, in a cozy, pretty
room,  will do  wonders.    Though  you  may
hardly open your lips, save to give welcome,
your guest pronounces yours a most delight ful place to visit.   So  a pleasant,  comforta ble school - room will accomplish mnar-els in
drawing and keeping scholars; and what is
more, the threat of expulsion will give great
power in discipline.
Various methods are employed to draw in
scholars.   The  best way is to make the exercises entertaining, and there will usually be
no  difficulty in  filling the  room.   Pour  out
the  molasses.  and the flies will find  it.  In
small places, or where  there are strong  influences  to keep  children  away,  such as  in a
Roman  Catholic neighborhood,  it is well  to
have recourse to extraneous inducements.   The
most common is, to have a gingerbread supper on some week-daty evening   an  attraction
22 
ON ORGANIZTNG A SCHOOL.           23
so powerful that the children will attend in
spite of a bull from the Pope himself.   The
children are to have so good a time that they
will come to the school on Sunday from gratitude, or a desire for more good things.  But
woe unto you, if the next Sunday School is
not a pleasant  one.   The  childrens' imaginations are strung up, and the reaction from a
dull season will be so great that you will
see them no mnore.
Some years  ago, T was  walking down  one
of the avenues  in N,ew-York,  in  quest of a
new Sunday School.   Hearing some singing, I
went up stairs and into a room beautifully furnished as a chapel.   In the pulpit was a gentlemnan I had frequently seen wielding the auctiolneer's mallet,  and  who, to  say  the  least,
was  an  exceedingly eccentric  person.   The
singing ceased, and he took a text, from which
he proceeded to preach a sermon, compensating in quantity for its lack in quality.   His
23 
24            OUR SUNDAY SClEOOLS.
audience consisted merely of three boys and
myself.   Occasionally he would pause to ejaculate,
"You big boy, stop that now," or "you little boy, with a blue jacket, move to the end
of the bench, and quit playing while I'm
preaching."
At the close of the service, I remained,
and congratulated him on his beautiful room,
expressing some surprise that it was not bet
ter filled. It was the prettiest little Sunday
School room I have  ever  seen.   The gentleman seemed quite disheartened at his ill success, and wanted sympathy.   I gave him what
I could, and he showed me about the premises.
"I furnished the room at my own expense,"
said he, "and have worked hard to build up
a school, but it does not please the Lord to
grant me success."
" Well, sir, would it not be better to have
your exercises more adapted to children's minds;
make them more entertaining, and —-" 
)N ORGANIZING A SCHOOL.            25
"Ah,  sir, there you  have fallen  into the
great error of the times.   All mankind  seem
to be mad on'entertaining' children. Preachers  preach'entertaining' sermons.   It is the
infidelity of the age sir; yes sir, the infidelity of the age. It is doing vast injury. You
must preach and teach'Christ and him cru cified,' and that alone."
"True," said I, trying to recall sundry editorials I had read on the subject, "but we
must  present  the  subject  in  an  interesting
manner, or people will not listen."
"Sir,  we  must  not interest  people;  why,
they would come to Church and Sunday School
merely to be interested.   The  Sabbath is too
,holy a  day, to  occupy in'interesting' peoplie.   Now  here, every month or two, we have
a fine supper of good things for the children,
with addresses, etc.,  and sometimes  we have
three hundred children present," and his face
lighted up at  the  thought; "why, the roomn
.4 
26B~ OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL!.
is crowded  full.  But  then,  it is true  that
they do not turn out very well on Sunday.
I suspect it is the Central Park that keeps
them away."
After some more such conversation, I left.
A few months after, I was passing, and took
a look in through a small crack in the door.
He was preaching " Christ and him crucified"
still, and his audience had increased to nearly a dozen.   I went on my way rejoicing at
his success
Children that run the streets will go where
they have the best time.   If they do not enjoy themselves at Sunday School, they will
go  skating or  robbing  orchards.   Of course,
where parental authority is exercised they will
attend, as they  would go to a dentist's, and
if their hearts are  not engaged,  it is doubt.
ful which place would benefit them most.
I once heard of a gentleman who gave an
exhibition  of  a  magic  lantern,  intending to 
ON OPGANIZT!G A SCHOOL.            27
have Scripture  scenes,  and give  little  moral
plumns with each picture.
I am unwilling  to use  such all exhibition
on Siunday,  as a Sabbath School lesson,  but
as a week-dclay amiusemenit, find it one of the
most  popular  of  entertainments.    A   school
must be under very  perfect  control, however,
to render it safe to darken the room.   I have
seen such  confusion  occasioned  by it, as  to
counterbalance any good the exhibition might
Cdo.
I have thoughlt a good way would be to have
a  room  pleasantly  furnished  with  some fine
engravings, such  as the exquisite series of the
" Voyage of Life," or the " Cartoons of Raphael."   Then beogin by  explainingi the pictures
to the children.  Show  but  one or two  new
onles each time, givinig a practical application
of the moral.   As  the number  of pupils  increases, divide them into classes, and let the
teachier explain the pictures.   By easy  transi 
28 d       OUR SUNDAY SCHIOOLS.
tion from studying the picture of the "Transfiguration," the class can be led to read the
account of it from the Testament, and before
they know it, they are at the purgatory of
children- school.
It is well to present to the children, particularly the smaller ones, some little gift,
such as  a picture  or a verse  card.   It will
occasion more talk on the subject, and lead
others in to  obtain some for themselves.   It
is surprising to notice how early the bump of
acquisitiveness is developed.
By all means avoid bribing the children to
attend, by promising any extra inducement;
that is, by offering an individual any more
than all the pupils can have.   I have known
of money being offered to attract children.
The gentleman who tried it realized his folly,
on being stopped in the street by a little fel.
low, who said:
"I say, Mr., if ye'll give me six cents, I'll
go to your Sunday School for a month."
28 
ON ORGANIZING A SCHOOL.            29
Even in having entertainments, allow only
the regular members  of the school to be pres ent; and then announce that at a certain
time in the future, you will have another fes tival, to which all who join the school imme diately, will be  invited.   Otherwise  you will
have a large roll of pupils  who  will  attend
merely for the loaves and fishes.   Thus make
your gifts rewards for work done, rather than
bribes. Never pay in advance. It makes the
children think that they confer a favor bn the
teachers by joining  the school.
It is only by carefully watching the children, and being ready with something new,
as soon as they are tired of the old, that a
Sabbath School can be successfully conducted.
There is a peculiar fascination in holding the
wheel of  a vessel,  and  feeling that our will
can compel the huge mass to visit Canton or
Liverpool, to bow to the ice-bergs, or nod to
the equator.   It is the  charm  of influencing 
30            OUR. SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
matter, of command, of  seeing the result  of
our own power.   But there is a sweeter pleasure ill moulding the minds of unruly  boys, of
seeing the slow but  certain change from  animals to men, guiding them so delicately that
they shall not feel the curb, and in feeling
not  only that  they  are  growing  better,  but
that they are  better - and it is " our handiwork." 
CHAPTER II.
THlE MECHANICAL PART OF A SOHOOL.
N  entering a large manufactory, one of
the  noticeable  features  is the  perfect
order and regularity which prevails:
Everything runs by system.  Each op       erator is but a part of the great machine.   The huge driving-wheel of the engine
moves not more according to rule, than the
hundreds of workmen who throng the building.
The superintendent has apparently nothing to
do. The machine is "perpetual motion," and
has  received  its  start.   But let a cog in a
wheel be broken, and the superintendent knows
it.  Quietly he sees that it is repaired  not
merely orders it done, but attends to it. The
ability of such an officer consists in so per
31 
82             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
fecting details that his own services, to a casual observer, appear almost unnecessary.
A Sunday School requires the same perfect
mechanism as a factory. Without it no school
can be very prosperous or efficient. -iany superintendents have an indefinite idea that they
should be bustling about continually, to remind all that there is such an officer. The
more a school can be made to run smoothly
of itself the better. The superintendent should,
as it were, go quietly around, oiling the
joints, touching the springs, and learning the
characteristics of teachers and scholars; willing  the while  to be unnoticed.   lie who  can
do this is in no danger of oblivion. If pos.
sible, call every one by name. It will give
a great power to be able thus to designate the
children. It pleases the good ones, and causes
the bad to imagine that you know  all about
them.
In selecting a superintendent, great care 
THE MECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.         33
should be exercised to obtain one of administrative ability, and who does not wear squeaky
boots. It is not always wisest to select the
most cultivated, or the one usually deemed
the most devotional.   Not that I would cast
the slightest slur on the importance of both
these qualities. But he who is quick, ready,
self-confident, with a clear head,  and the ability to arrange and classify, with some imagination for devising novelties,- is the man for
the post. As between A, a foreman in a large
printing,-office, and B, a village physician, or
a retired minister, I would select A; for the
reason that his regular business has accustomed him to habits of command, in planning
the proper division of labor, and in working
through others. The physician's and minister's
ordinary occupation has not been of such a
character as to develop these traits. Neither
is much  of What is termed  "book-learning"
necessary. The superintendent should never 
34             OUP SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
take a class, and therefore his defects in this
respect  will  not  be  noticed.    Be  sure  and
select a successful man: one who takes hold
of an impossibility and creates a fact out of it.
Never appoint one of these real good, pleasant, inefficient men, who can help every one but themselves. They are not the men to drive. They are
capital teachers, but poor directors. A good
superintendent is exceedingly difficult to find.
He requires a rare combination of energy,
good nature, and perseverance. To manage a
large school is work -hard, steady work -
requiring a man to do it, and one who does
not talk too much.
I think it is seldom or never the duty of
the pastor to take charge of the school. A
faithful minister has enough to perform in the
proper care of his church. What more he does
is at the expense of these primary duties.
Invidious comparisons are sometimes drawn
between the sermons of the clergy, and the 
THE MECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.       35
literary productions of the lecturer, or the
elaborate appeals of the advocate. It should
be remembered, however, that the lawyer may
occupy a month in preparing an eloquent and
convincing address which renders him  famous.
The lyceum lecture is usually the fruit of
half a year's thought, while the clergyman has
to prepare two or three sermons a week. His
mind has to exhale in  driblets.   He has  no
time for that mature elaborating and revising
of his addresses which usually give them vitality. Hle must visit the sick, bury the dead,
prepare for the prayer meeting, comfort the
sorrowing, and above all, worry his life long,
how to make both sides of his ledger balance.
A  man who  can dclo  these, and  yet  prepare
two fresh, instructive, living sermons a week,
cannot be deemed mediocre.  He is doing well,
a great nTic~t's work.  I am  not a clergyman,
and therefore I can say that I know  of  no
profession where the standard of ability is so 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
high, or where, considering these impediments,
there are so many examples of transcendent
genius.
Do not, therefore, lay another burden upon your pastor's shoulders, or allow him to
assume it. What interest he can manifest by
his occasional presence, his influence, and his
kindly  word, he  should,  and he  will always
do.  If you ask more, you are weakening his
:sermons- skimming the milk which you desire
and need, for your own nutrition.
I speak earnestly, for I read many articles
calling on ministers to lead the teachers'
meetings, conduct Bible classes, and even to
superirntend the  school.  If  you want him  to
perform merely the pastoral duties of a missionary, this may do.  If you desire a preacher,
with a mind  to guide  and  instruct  you;  to
enable you to be useful in the Sunday School,
then allow him leisure to replenish a brain
already far too often drawn upon.
36 
THIE MIECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.     37
Probably the best government, were all men
honest, would be a large legislative power,
and a one man administrative power. Certainly in a Sunday school this is indispensable.
I was once connected with a large school,
where a noble man was spoiled into a poor
superintendent.   He  was  so kind-hearted  that
I believe he would have deemed it cruel to
kick a football.    He  was  so careful  of the
feelings of others, that it was difficult to learn
what he desired the teachers to do. It was
a five minutes' labor for him to persuade and
coax the children into semi-silence.  He  would
jingle his bell and talk to them imploringly,
and finally, in a voice intended to be terrible, threaten to "attend to those boys who
weire kicking their feet on the  benches."  At
this all laughed, until it became too stale even
for a joke.
Boys like promptness and military precision. 
OUR  SUNDAY SCHIOOLS.
Give a boy an order in a pleasant, but prompt,
distinct, curt manner, and he is twice as likely to obey, as when it is given in a slipshod,  half-beseeching  air.   A  horse  will  at
once tell who is afraid of him. Surely a boy
has  more  intelligence.   Often the form of a
command will betray the conviction that it will
be disobeyed.
Not long since I was in a mission-school
where usually there was excellent order. The
superintendent was away, and the assistant
took his place.   Chaos reigned supreme,  and
the bell was continually jingling. At the close
of school, the acting superintendent said:
1"Now, boys, I want  you to go out in  your
usual  orderly  manner.   Your  superintendent
will be pleased to hear you have done so well
to-day.   Now  go quietly, girls  first."   Habit
restrained the boys for a moment, but when
the girls got fairly into the aisles, they broke,
and leaping over benches in perfect confusion,
38 
THE MECHANICAL PART O} A SCHOOL.        3
made for the door. A few got out, when a
stranger, a small, light-built young man, stepped before the door, and gently laid his hands
on two of the nearest boys. He merely called out  "boys,"  loud  enough  to  attract attention, and shook  his  head  slightly.   They
knew what he meant, and instantly order was
restored. The girls passed out, and the boys
followed quietly. There is much in the strange
magnetic influence,  which  some  persons possess.
A horse that has once run away with you
cannot be depended on. Never allow a school
to break. You cannot regain your power.
The children must be trained to obey quickly
and perfectly. The lesson of obedience is one
of the most important that children can be
taught anywhere.   It can be  easily done-if
you only know  how.   It is as  simple as to
set up Columbus' egg.
In calling the attention of the school, ring
39 
40             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
the bell loud enough for all to hear, but on
no  account ring it more than once.   If you
do, the next time the children will anticipate
a second bell, and continue their conversation
accordingly.    If a scholar persists in conversation or noise, call his name, or so designate
him  as to attract  attention to  him.   Rarely
will one require to be thus reproved twice.
The superintendent should seldom address the
children, except on matters connected with the
business of the school. They must know that
when he speaks, it is to give- orders which are
to be obeyed.  Mloreover, his turn of mind becomes too familiar to the children, and they
desire a change.  Unless  he  can devote more
attention to preparing his remarks than most
men do, under the same circumstances, they
will become  stale, and  encourage among  the
children habits of inattention to his voice, prejudicial to his influence.
I place most of the government on the su 
THE MECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.        41
perintendent, for the number of persons who
are disciplinarians are extremely few. In most
Sunday schools, not more than three or four
have this ability.  It is so rare in the world,
that it is a wonder, not that so many chil dren are ruined, but that so many blunder
into the right path. A superintendent who
expects each teacher to enforce order in his
class, will have a. noisy school.   All teachers
who can keep order should do so, but they
are few.  Many who can impart knowledge admirably, hardly know how to compel a boy to
remove his cap.
Where the school is large, it is well to call
the  roll of the teachers.   The  assistant  superintendent will call it, and the  suprintendent will answer for the lady teachers, who
may dislike to reply in a sufficiently loud voice
to be heard across the room. This custom will
prove a great check upon tardiness and absence.   If a teacher is away and has provided 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
a substitute, it is well to say, " Miss Jones,
absent; has provided a substitute." If a teacher is detained by illness, it is wise to state it.
The superintendent should, if possible, let
others lead in prayer, that his attention may
still be directed to keeping perfect order. It
is seldom or never that a school is so well
drilled that some will not be in mischief when
the superintendent's and teachers' eyes are
closed. He should let all know that his eyes
are open and upon them.
At  prayer  all the  teachers  and  scholars
should take some uniform position, either inclining forward, or rising and folding the
hands. For small children the latter is preferable, as it keeps their hands out of mischief. In any case the teachers should take
the same position as the scholars, to show
that the posture is  not  inconsistent with the
dignity of a gentleman or lady.  The teachers
should be prompt to observe all such general
42 
THE MECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.        43
forms. It is, I believe, a maxim even of
our theology, that men are more easily taught
by example than by precept. The teachers can
induce their pupils to do almost anything, if
they will only do it first.
In the class, the teacher should be left as
nearly supreme as the general interests of the
school will allow.   If he much prefer, let him
select his own lessons, and manage in his owI1
way. The superintendent should carefully refrain from worrying a teacher, and from giving
any orders to the class save through him.
For instance, if he wants two boys to take
part in the Sunday School Concert, instead of
speaking to them personally, request the teacher to do so. It weakens a teacher's influence
to have any one appear to be above him in
authority over  his own  class.   The  teacher,
also, should be very careful always to support
the authority of the superintendent. If the boys
are inclined to laugh at any little weakness 
~~44       OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
he may have, stop it at once, and, if possible,
present his foibles in a light to make them
virtues. These are little matters, but they
constitute the smooth finish of a school's mechanism.
After the opening exercises, the first duty
of the superintendent will be,  to supply  unprovided classes with teachers.  Usually he has
to take any one who happens to be present.
Where there is any choice, give the I)est teacher to the worse class.   Where no teacher can
be obtained, if the children of the class are
reliable, let them hear each other's lessons,
and then read part of a certain chapter in
the Bible.   Frequently a class of girls can be
so managed for some time, pleasantly to themselves, and cause no trouble to any one. If the
class be of boys, rather boiling over with full
and  spirits,  separate them.   If you think of
nothing better, tell them you want their help.
Send two  to the  librarian, who  will manage
44 
THE MECHIIANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.     45
to keep them employed.   Tell the others you
want to know  how many  are present.   Give
each a pencil  and paper,  and  let them  walk
very quietly dlown the aisles-each taking cne
-counting the  teachers and scholars.   Have
them write the result neatly on paper, in as
fernal a manner  as possible.   This will effectually separate the class, and be a great delight to the boys, who  always like to "help'
when it is a little public in manner.   If they
finish too soon, tell them you wish it very
accurate, and they had better go over it again
to verify it.  They will give great assurance
of its correctness, but the next count will
p:.oluce such a different result, that they will
have sufficient employment for the hour. Receive the report with many thanks, and ostentatiously put it in a very secure place.  Boys
-re in the  main good,  only they must have
something  to  do.   They prefer to be useful,
but if they cannot have a chance, they will
take up mischief. 
46             OUR SUNDAY SCIOOLS.
Some care should be exercised in arrange ing the classes.   Usually the only system is
in having the girls on one side of the room,
and the boys on the other. A capital method
of making trouble.   I never could understand
why it is so proper for ladies and gentlemen
to mingle at home, in company, at public
meetings, and at church, yet so often in the
prayer-meeting and Sunday School they are
separated, like the sheep and the goats, be fore their time.   Being among  the  goats, it
has always suggested unpleasant emotions.
The classes should be so arranged as to
bring those most troublesome, near the super intendent, where he can easily see them. Place
the Bible Classes, and those with efficient teach ers, farthest away.   Do not have  two  classes
of boys about the same age within speaking
distance.   Neither  would I  advise  having  a
class of young, young ladies, side by side, with
one of juvenile young men, lest they might agree 
THE MECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL.        i:
with Mr. Pope,  that  "the  proper  study  of
manlind  is man," and  pursue that study to
the detriment of others.
Unless necessary,  do not have  more  than
six pupils to one teacher.   It is as many as
most can manage  and instruct.   In the Bible
classes there can be as many as can easily
hear the teacher's voice.
Every class should be numbered, for ease in
reference.   In  many  schools the children are
numberedl also, for purposes hereafter explained.
Each teacher should keep a class-book, well
and punctually written up.   It is a somewhat
difficult matter to have attended to, and therefore most  superintendents  let it go.   Never
let an,t7ing  be  done in  a  slip-shod manner.
Either abolish the rule, or enforce it.  When
the bcoks are well kept, they are of great
assistance, and will repay the slight trouble of
looking after them.
The most important duty of the superintend
47 
48             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ent is, in smoothing the path for the teachers, and encouraging them when disheartened.
All teachers will at times become discouraged,
and feel inclined to abandon their labors.   It
is truly hard to work month after month, with
no apparent fruits; to feel that they are accomplishing nothing, and perhaps are only doing an injury.   A  superintendent should carefully watch for these symptoms, and be ready
with a kind and inspiriting word; notice their
classes frequently, with a word of commendation; refer to any good points they exhibit,
either in order or recitation; keep their spirits up, and show himself willing to be a personal friend, yet with great care to avoid intruding  himself.   Here  all the  delicacy  and
Christian refinement he possesses should be
brought into action, influenced by the divinest
attribute given to man - LovF,. 
CHAPTER III.
THE FORMAL EXERCISES OF A SCHOOL.
T is a great blessing to the Sunday School
that the old strong feeling of denomi      nationalism has so greatly diminished
~;   a feeling which but  lately caused one
sect to believe that a custom introduced by another, from that very fact, must be
the device of the devil.   The better the custom, the more sure were its opponents that
none but Satan could contrive such a cunning
invention to  tempt the unwary from  the true
church.   Unfortunately, however,  we  are not
all saints yet,  and a little of this " original
sin" remains hidden, to come  out onl especial
occasions. Some one has said:
"It is well that we are not all perfect; if
49 
50            OU  SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
we were, we should be so intolerably proud
of it, that there would be  no getting  along
with us."
A short time since. I was on a Committee
for decorating our church at Christmas. As it
was a Congregational Society, it occasioned a
little talk, as to its orthodoxy. It would have
been perfectly correct to have sent artists to
paint the wreaths and festoons in fresco; but
being too poor for that,  we were obliged to
supply the handiwork of God, prepared by
willing hands, to ornament the house of their
Maker.
We designed to have a moss-covered cross
back of the pulpit, with a stuffed dove de scending on it.  Around the walls were to be
evergreen stars, etc.   Of course, the congregation dropped in during the week, to see how
the work progressed. One good manl, a retired minister, earnestly remonstrated against having  the cross.   "It will  not do, sir.  It is 
THE FORMAL EXERCISES OF A SCHIIOOL.
imitating  Popery."   Another  brother  buttonholed me, to protest against having the dove.
It was an insult to the Holy Spirit.   A  third
liked the design all but the stars, which were
"out of place just now, reminding one of the
'Star Spangled Banner,' and  all that sort of
thing."   To the credit of both the church and
the gentlemen, a little pleasant conversation
caused them to waive their objections, and acquiesce in the arrangements.
The  plans suggested  in  this  chapter  will
doubtless be exceedingly disapproved of by
many.   They are the best I have yet thought
of, and objectors can easily disregard them. I
ask, however, that we take any form, ceremomy, sermon, hymn, or tune, which is likely
to assist in the saving of souls, from any sect
or source, and appropriate it to our use, without any regard to its origin.   Anl infidel, Voltaire, originated the first Tract Society. Surely, we should not object to draw forms and
51 
52            OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
ceremonies from Christian denominations merely because we prefer our own creed.
"Seek truth where'er it may be found,
Among thy friends, among thy foes;
On Christian or on heathen ground,
The flower's divine, where'er it blows."
In the formal exercises of a school, children
can only be kept interested by taking an active part themselves.   It is not children  only
who prefer talking to listening to the discourse
of others. I think a very short service, adapted
to children's minds, and somewhat after the Episcopal form, if really ably prepared, would be a
desideratum.   Let there be a plenty of movement and singing.   I know many think that
such a course would tend to make mere formalists of them.  I see no reason for such a suppositionl; but if the  exercise will interest the
children more, bring them into the Sunday
School, and tend to their conversion, is it
not better to run some risk of this in making 
THE FORImAL EXERCISES OF A SCHOOL.       5
the  more  Christians?   We  must  have  some
form, and why not a pleasant one, interest ing and instructive to the children?
A Quaker met an acquaintance in whose
church had recently been placed a superior organ.   The  Quaker  congratulated  him on  its
fine quality.   His acquaintance expressed surprise that he could congratulate him for an
act that he deemed wrong.
"1Why, friend, if thou dost worship thy God
by machinery, it is well that thou dost have
a fine instrument."
If we are to have ally machinery, any
forms, any ceremony, in our schools, let us
have them all of first class.   Children require
different  things  to  interest  and  affect  them
firom men, just as they require different clothes.
A  very short but diversified formula,  with living, breathing prayers, is the best.   For myself, I prefer the simple, dignified, unpretending service of the "meeting-house."   For chil
53 
54             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
dren, I prefer a certain degree of pomp and
ceremony.
Pending the production of such a service, a
programme as follows, is good:
1st. Call the roll of teachers.
2d.  Sing.  Singing should be frequent, and
only one or two verses- seldom more than
two at a time. The children should always
rise and stand in singing.
3d. Let the superintendent read a portion
from the Scriptures, the children reading the alternate verses, led by the assistant, who should
stand at the further end of the room. Though
this may injure the effect of some of the passages, yet it will keep the attention of the
school, which is more important. Care should
be taken in selecting the passages to have them
adapted to their comprehension- such as the
history of the creation, the lives of Daniel,
Noah, Joseph, the parables of Christ, etc. The
same subject can be continued from Sabbath to 
THE FORMIAL EXER-CISES OF A SCHOOL.       55
Sabbath, when  too  long for one reading.   A
story that inculcates virtue is more  likely to
produce an impression than a mere command
to be virtuous. From fifteen to twenty verses
should be read at a time, which will occupy
about two minutes.
41h. Sing.
5th. A prayer of not more than three minutes, concluding with the Lord's Prayer, repeated by the school in concert.   When  a stranger leads in prayer, if he omit the Lord's
Prayer at his conclusion, the assistant should
instantly  commence  it.   The  children anticipating it, there will be no confusion after the
first time. They should have some uniform
position. If old enough, let them incline their
heads forward.   If not, let them stand.
6th. Sing.
7. Repeat the ten commandments in concert, all standing.   If the exercises  are carried off promptly, this introductory service will
occupy about twenty minutes. 
56             OURt SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
8th. The study of the lessons. About three
minutes  before time to  close, strike the bell
as a warning, that the teachers may have
time to conclude their remarks. At the moment  for  closing,  strike the bell again, and
conversation must instantly cease.   A  teacher
should stop even in the middle of a sentence.
9th. Sing two verses.
10th. Close with one or two choice texts,
repeated in concert, all standing.   It is well
to  have  the  same  daily, that  they may  be
learned and recited  by all, whether they can
redcl or not.   Such passages as the following
are good:
" Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight,
O  Lord,  my  strength  and  my  Redeemer."
Psalmn xix.
"The Lord watch between nme and thee
when we are absent one from another."Gen. xxxi. 49. 
THE FORPMAL EXERCISES OF A SCHOOL.     57
There should be a moment's perfect silence,
and then the school, at the tap of the bell,
can be dismissed.
Uniless many  of the children are unable  to
read, do not read more than the first two lines
of the hymn.   In fact, at any time, it is a
useless custom which it would be wise to
abolish in the Sunday School, as only familiar hymns are sung.   It is comparatively seldclom that a hymn  is so read as to be of any
pleasure  or  profit.   These  exercises  can be
varied so as to occupy what time may be
desired.
There should be a door-keeper, to prevent
children running in during the exercises, interrupting the prayers and music.  It is sin
gular that no serviee can be made so interesting that people will not turn around to see
who  comes in late.
One  Sunday in February, I was sitting on
the piazza of an hotel in Texas, and amused 
58             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
myself telling stories to the children I had
gathered around me.   I told them that where
I came from, there were one or two feet of
snow on the ground, and that the rivers were
all frozen so that men and horses could Walk
over on the ice.
"Well, I reckon ye can't come none of ye'r
yankee stories over us," exclaimed the oldest,
a boy of fourteen, with his hands perpetually
in his pockets. All my efforts could not overcome  their  incredulity.   They  had  not seen
the wonder, and would not believe it.
But after all, most of us are as sceptical.
Few will believe what personal experience has
not proven.   I ask you, however, to make  a
trial of this plan before you entirely condemn
its working. 
CHAPTER IV.
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.
EACHERS  are often perplexed  about
the best mode  of  instructing  and in   teresting their  classes;  what  question
Aid  book,  if any,  should  be  used;  and
how  to occupy  the time after hearing
the lesson.
The  burden  of  this book is,  "Make  the
Sunday  School  interesting."   So  the  lessons
must be made  iuterest-ing, or the children will
derive but little benefit.
A  story is told of a boy who said that on
Sunday his  glrandmother  used  to tie him  to
the  bed-post,  to  keep  him  out  of  mischief
while she was at church, and set him learning tl-e hymn, "Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord,
59 
60             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
I love." This mode of stimulating love cannot be commended as popular;
The mode of  entertaining a class must, of
course, differ according to circumstances. One
class is of sober, thoughtful, intelligent children, who can be interested in the solemn
truths of the Bible.  They can appreciate, to
a certain extent, the love of Clhist, the beauty
of his life, the grandeur of the plan of salvation. These facts move them. Their hearts
are warm with love to men and to God —
only they do not know it.  They merely want
the love of Christ brought before them; his
mercy and sufferings.   These feed their souls
and supply the cravings of their hearts.  They
want no amusing stories told them -a tear
over Calvary is sweeter than all the jokes of
Hloodl.  There  are  some  few  who  seem  born
with so little "original sin," that it is invisible to the naked eye.
But here is a class of rough, brutalized 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.           61
boys, picked up from the dens of New York,
dirty and foul of soul as of shirt. What can
they understand about the "beauty of holinless," the teachings of Christ's life. Their ediication is such  that they would  despise him
for surrendering himself without showing fight.
They cannot appreciate the grandeur of the
sacrifice. How will they be benefitted or interested in learning  "What is the chief end
of  man?"   Theirs is  a life of action; they
cannot  think.   The  art of  thinking  has to
be  learned  as  much  as the  art of  talking.
They find it impossible to  follow a finished
essay on "justification by faith," and hardly
can the Christian virtues be made  comprehensible to them.
Of course these two  classes must be treated differenltly, yet we find one person advocating having a good, jolly time in Sunday
Schools, and another arguing that not a smile
should be allowed in the room. 
02X  ~     OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Each teacher must study his class.  If  the
scholars are low in the moral scale, he must
appeal to and instruct their lower natures.  A
missionary on going to a heathen land, would
probably preach in favor of wearing pantaloons
before he explained the distinction between
Calvinism and Arminianism, or even the advantages  of  Old  or  New-Schoolism.   So  a
teacher should at first work away at the grosser
sins, to try to stimulate the healthy action of
the moral system.
The  old  mode of resuscitating,- or rather
of killing -a half-drowned man, was  by the
counter-irritant method of hanging him up by
the heels to let the water run out of him.
Now, however, to the joy of all patients, the
treatment is to lay the body flat and rub the
extremities briskly, warming them well with
hot bricks  and  blankets.   What is this for?
To stimulate the circulation.
Now  these rough  boys are "dead in sin."
02 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES. 
We cannot pour it out of them. We must
stimulate the moral  circulation, and  get them
in a healthy state.  Begin by rubbing the extremities, viz., preach temperance, virtue,  and
truth, appealing not only to the Bible to prove
the necessity of these qualities, -for they virtually do not believe the Bible, -but to facts
which  they  know, and  to  the  teacher's  own
experience, which at first they will believe
before the Bible. This is but teaching morality, it is true, but morality is better than
vice.
Some say, "Why stop to lop off the branches one by one. Cut down the whole tree of
sin at once.  Teach them to'love the  Lord
their God,' and it is done."
True, but often there is a dense underbrush
to be cleared away before you can swing your
ax at the trunk.  In breaking a colt, it would
be shorter to break himn at once in a carriage, so as to have the whole thing quickly
63 
64              OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
finished. The only trouble is, that it can't be
done. You have first to break to halter, then
to harness, then under the saddle, and, last
of all, to the carriage.  So with boys:  break
off their evil habits, and then there is a chance
of making them Christians.
"An absence of sin is no more religion
than an absence of weeds is harvest."
The teacher must work his way into the
hearts of these boys, and a long, hard, sickening work it is. He must teach them who
God is, and what he requires, before asking
them to accept him. He meets the masked
batteries of ignorance, selfishness, and pride,
all well manned, at every step. It will not do
to meet them with " glittering generalities,"
telling them to be good, and to do good.
The boys  wont  stand it.   He  must  address
them with force, bring up facts to prove, and
interesting stories to illustrate. His diamonds
need not be polished, but they must be gen 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.           66
uine.  Keep their attention fixed  by good re lig,ious instruction, if possible: but if not, tell
them anything which will accustom their minds
to concentration on any one subject.
I once told my  class the story of Aladin's
Lamp as a Sunday School lesson, imitating
the original narrator and the popular story paper in breaking off  at exciting points  and
promising to continue.   I mentioned  the fact
at the teachers' meeting, and noticed some
sober faces, expressive of dislike of radical
fanatics;  but  the  result  has  confirmed  my
opinion that in this case it was the best course
I knew how to pursue.  It cemented the class,
which  was on  the  point of disbanding,  and
got them in the habit of  regular attendance.
At first it was merely to hear the story, but
soon I was enabled to advance a step higher,
and get them interested in Bible stories. Such
boys must be interested. It is better to gather them together to read Punch7t, than to let
them hang around grog-shops. 
66            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
I do not advise bringing fun into the Sunday  School.   Every teacher  must  take  that
course which he believes right and best.
''Tis with our judgment as our watches,
none go just alike, yet each believes his own."
If possible, the exercises should be solemn
and impressive' yet there are probably only
about a dozen people in the country who can
so conduct them, and interest the whole school.
Most people have not this power, and must
resort to poorer methods to accomplish their
ends. I therefore say, interest your class and
keep their attention by a direct teaching of
the Gospel of Christ if you can: but with no
fear of doing wrong if you have to cause a
religious  smile,  or  even  a  genuine  honest
laugh. It is something to teach a boy to laugh
honestly.
The teacher should prepare his lesson care fully. He who is unwilling to take this trouble
in his Master's service is unfit for the post. 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES. 
Hie should plan his lesson, arrange his illustrations, and think over attentively what he
will say. Let him select some one in his class,
and arrange his lesson so that it shall be a
personal appeal to him to repent of his sins.
Hie should resolve to try to convert them that
day- not next month or year, but that day,
and strive with the energy that a belief of
success inspires.   He  may  not have  success,
but it may be that he will have planted
the seed which will grow long after he has
forgotten it.   We  never see the  sprouting  of
a seed.   HIe  should  throw  himnself into  the
spirit of  the lesson, and let his  whole  soul
strive for the end. It is hardly necessary to
add, that no lesson is properly prepared without a fervent prayer for a divine blessing upon it.   Yet  how  seldom it receives  this indispensable  attention.   Haydn   wrote,  "When
I was occupied on the'Creation,' always before I sat down to the piano, I prayed to God
67 
~68       ~OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
with earnestness that he would enable me to
praise him worthily."
I believe that the reason why female teachers are, as a general rule, the most successful, and that girls are more frequently conVerted than boys, is to be attributed to the
fact that they are more devotional than men.
A  lady teacher seldom forgets to ask a blessing
on her labors, and she receives corresponding
fruit.
It is no small task to prepare a lesson
properly, to  plan  everything  so that it will
pass off smoothly.   It will  not  do  to  have
poor, stupid religious truisms.   "Pious trash
is demoralizing."
A few weeks since, I heard a very superior,
teacher talking to her class. She was suddenly seized  with  a  desire  to make  some  remarks on commencing the new year; but not
having bestowed upon the subject her customary
attention, the boys were restless, and thinking 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.          69
of other matters.   She was reminded of her
failure in one of her most impressive periods
by Jimmy's exclaiming:
"Oh,  Mliss Laura, if you cut your nails on
Friday, you wont have the toothache."
Certainly her exhortation was wasted, unless
the remedy it suggested should prove infallible.
If the teacher expects to accomplish anything,
he  must  expect  to  work.   Usually,  in the
same proportion as we sow, will be the harvest.
It is the general opinion that question-books
are a great assistance to the teacher. In learning directly from the Bible, children are apt
to commit the words by rote, and have but
little conception of the sentiment. One can
easily ascertain this by requesting a boy to
give the ideas of a verse in his own language.
It will usually prove an effectnal mode of
procuring  silence.   Some,  however,  pref(er  to
originate the questions to suit their class. For 
70             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
an able teacher, who will devote sufficient time
to the subject, this may be better. The book
is a great aid to those of limited time, and
as these questions are prepared for different
grades of children, almost any class can be
suited.
When a class can learn more than the regular lesson, it is well to vary the exercise by
letting them commit to memory some hymn appropriate to the subject, or some brief sentiment
worth knowing, such as:
" Little attentions, a minute consultation of
the wants and wishes, tastes and tempers, of
others, -these are the  little things that outshine a thousand acts of showy heroism."
By having all commit the same piece, they
can recite in concert, and thus occupy but little time.  I know a teacher who writes a short
story nearly every Sunday to read to her class.
This shows the children that their teacher
thinks of them during the week, and it pleases 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.           71
them. Every regular lesson should be perfectly learned and recited before any other exercises are taken up. This is essential. Habits
of accuracy are important, and after a few
trials it will be as easy for the majority to
have a perfect as an imperfect recitation.
If possible have the exercises such that all
are kept employed, as it secures their attention and keeps them out of mischief.
I)o not  try to teach too much.   It is unnecessary to convert the class into a theological seminary.   The  great  object is the  conversion of their souls, not  the cultivation of
their intellects. The culture is the means, not
the end.   It is  on the  practical Christianity
of everyday life that they want  instructionto know how to act when a boy steals their
sled or pulls their hair, and in all the minor
mosquito annoyances of life, which cause even
children of a larger growth to forget themselves.  As  Mr.  Beecher  renmarked:
I 
72             OrR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
" There are many men who would make admirable martyrs at the stake, who fall very
low over a cup of cold coffee for breakfast."
It is against the everyday sins that the
teacher must try to shield his pupils. The
chance of their being called on to refute infidel
arguments is exceedingly small, but they certainly will be tempted with anger, intemperance, lying and stealing. Guard them against
these, and you will do well.  After they grow
to manhood, living up to these teachings, their
lives alone will be argument sufficient for themselves in favor of a God.
"The most convincing argument in favor of
Christianity, is the life of a meek and humble
disciple of Jesus."
A teacher should not admit any one to
his class without the knowledge of the superintendent.   The  classes  must be so arranged
as to have those of the same capabilities and
tone of mind together, that all may be interested in the same things. 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.          73
IHabits of punctuality must be inculcated,
the teacher setting the example. It is very annoying to have teachers and scholars dropping
in during the devotional exercises. The teacher's class-book should be kept written up, marking the children exactly what they deserve,
and not through mistaken kindness, marking an
imperfect recitation  with the highest number.
Children soon see the injustice, and despise it.
I have  frequently heard children  sneering at
teachers  for this.   They know  that  on  that
system  a perfect  mark  means  nothing,  save
that the scholar succeeded in teasing the teacher to write a lie.
The teacher must see that all sing. The
effect of Sabbath School music depends much
upon the volume of sound. Children are at
times a little bashful about singing, and require encouragement.   It should be impressed
upon  them that it is as much their  duty  to
assist in  this exercise as to  recite their les 
OUR SUNDAY SCIlOOLS.
son.   It is a duty as well as a pleasure.  The
teacher must see that all the exercises are attended to and rules are complied with.
There is one duty of the teacher, which,
though not exactly coming under the subject of
lessons and classes, may yet be made a valuable auxiliary to his instructions. Each teacher
should occasionally visit his pupils, especially
the poorer ones. It will repay a hundred-fold
all the trouble it causes.  No  paymaster is so
liberal as God. A very little done for Him or
His, Ile  rewards abundantly.    Many  are  the
touching stories told of visits upon the poor
children. The delight with which the little ones
receive their own especial caller; the dignity with
which he is introduced to mamma and sisters;
the rapidity with which the good womanl's apron
dlusts a chair; the voluminous apologies for,
and wonders why, on this particular day the
dirt of years has mysteriously appeared in the
room, just because "the master" was coming;
74 
ON LESSONS AND CLASSES.           75
the smoothing of the place where once there
was a collar - all show how his visit is appreciated. The poor and the lonely know how
to appreciate sympathy. Be bright and cheerful.  Tuck in a sunbeam here and there, and
raise a hearty laugh, where laughter seldom
sounds, to cause momentary forgetfulness of the
wearying, worrying,  sickening  poverty around
them. Do not tell them they are lost sinners,
or even put the question, "'What is the state
of your soul?" but put a little life and light
into the darkened room and sorrow-stricken occupants. Stir them up and encourage them.
Remind them of the blessings of life and
health which they still enjoy, and show them
in what respects they are getting the best
in the fight for life. Do not let them stagnate.
Don't let them tell their troubles. Listen to
their hopes and joys, but do not talk of hard
times and rheumatism, and, above all, don't
whine. Leave something for them to think of, 
76             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
if it be only a tract- but let it be a cheerful
one on the joys of heaven, not on the horrors
of hell. Mlake the visit so bright that they will
almost believe that God sent an angel to rejuvenate them. When you return home think it
over, balance the account, and see who received
the most benefit. See if you have been well
paid, and forget it not. 
CHAPTER V.
ON MUSIC.
FEW  words as to the music, that apple
of contention, which in some churches
seems to be productive of more dis
cord than harmony. Like a thistle, it
is rather a delicate subject to handle.
One trembles at the thought of meddling, with
this theme, yet it is one of the most important instrumentalities of the Sabbath School.
Many  Sunday  School  tunes  are  mere trash.
From a very laudable desire to avoid the
ponderous solemnity of Windham and Balerma,
we have baptized Trankadillo and Old Dog
Tray, and received them into the Sunday
School.
Music, to be sprightly and cheerful, need
not be flippant.   Neither  is it indispensable
77 
78             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
that children's songs should be so very simple.
Boys will learn to whistle Dixie about as
quickly and correctly as Greenville. Children
can learn  to sing anythting in the way of a,
psalm tune, and it is unfortunate that so
much  rubbish  is inflicted  upon  them.   The
most popular tunes are not the simplest in the
collection. There are some good tunes in all
the books, but sufficient attention has not yet
been given  to  the subject.   Children's music
is in about the same stage of advancement
that children's story books were seventy years
ago. I do not mean to condemn any particular
books, for all are good in their way, and of
very great assistance   They  are pioneers in
the right direction, and are constantly inproving.   I wish but to call the attention of
our able  and popular  composers  to the field
open for a really superior work.
I do not think it necessarily wrong to use
secular tunes re-arranged, but if equally good 
ON MUSIC.                  79
ones can be obtained, without such associations,  it will be preferable.   Select  first our
good tunes already tested, and then, if better
cannot be written, apply to the ballads.
Every school should have an able precentor,
a good musician, with a strong, decided voice.
If possible, have a good melodeon, or if the
school is held in the church where there is
an  organ, use  that.   Do  not  feel that it is
too much bother. Do not let the children
see that you are getting along with as little
trouble as possible, but let them feel that every exertion is made  for  them.   If the  organist is unable to attend, some one in the
congregation will be found able to play the
simple tunes.   Some think that children  cannot sing with the organ, but the introduction
of congregational music has settled that they
can.   If the  organ  is  used,  the  precentor
should stand before the children and lead their
voices in a brisk,  decided way.  Considerable 
8s            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
instruction  can  be imparted  at odd times
for instance, occasionally show them the difference between a musical sound and a scream;
tell them how to sing with expression, and
how to avoid the nasal twang, etc. If the
precentor is a thorough musician, however, he
will require no directions on this point. Music is one of the most powerful aids to the
Sunday School, and a good precentor is second only to the superintendent.
It is unnecessary to have a very large variety of tunes.   If the children sing five each
Sabbath, it will be two hundred and sixty a
year. They can sing the same as often as
once a month, if they are good ones, thus requiring but about twenty-two tunes for the year.
Children prefer to sing often the pretty tunes
that they know well, to having a variety of
half learned pieces.   Twenty-five are about as
many as most schools can remember, for as
new ones are added, old ones are lost. 
ON MUSIC.                   81
It is well for the precentor to select a dozen
or fifteen of the best voices, and meet them
occasionally to give them instruction. Let them
be the choir, and on festal occasions have a
prominent seat to lead the music.  Teach new
pieces to them first, and it will aid the school
greatly in learning them. At the Sunday School
concerts let them sit in the choir-seats, and
sing the solos, while the school joins in the
chorus, which will form a pretty effect, and
give a variety.
The whole school should occasionally meet to
practice new tunes, at which times some serviceable  instruction  should  be  given  them,
principally in the management of their voices,
rather than in the science of music.
I think childlren prefer to  sing two or three
verses often, rather than to sing a less number of tunes with an increase of stanzas. It
is also well to practice singing before the
opening of school, that the children may conle 
OUR SUNDAY SCHIOOLS.
early, and may find employment as soon as
they arrive.   The best way to keep them out
of mischief is, to give them something to do.
" It is good enough for childclren," is a common saying.   But think not so of them - the
very elect of God; naturally so loving and
loveable, so pure and simple, that art can find
no better model for the angels; who are almost holy until contaminated by men. Think
not so to treat those whom Christ has especially welcomed near him, taken upon his knee,
and set as an example  for all men.   Think
rather that nothing is too good for children,
no labor too great to shield them, no sacrifice too costly  to  save them.   Let choicest
music, penned by the ablest of masters, 4lend
her refinement to purify the heart; let art
wield her pencil and brush with enthusiasm,
to cultivate  a pure and delicate taste.  Let
gold be lavished upon the noblest work that
gold knows how to perform, and men and
82 
ON MUSIC. 
women bring their experience, culture and
time, to guide and direct the neglected and
forgotten children.
83 
CHAPTER VI.
ON LIBRARIES.
spoken as follows:
"When  men  go  fishing  for  trout,
they take a light tapering pole, with a
fine silken line  attached, and  a sharp
hook with a sweet morsel of worm on the
end. They noiselessly drop the line on the
water, and let it float to the fish, who nibbles,
and by a slight twitch is landed safely on the
bank.
"But when  some men go fishing for souls,
they tie a cable on to a stick of timber, and
an anchor is the hook. On it a great junk of
bait is stuck, and with this pondrous machine
grasped in both hands, they walk up and
84 
ON LIBRARIES. 
down, thrashing the water, and bellowing at
the top of their voices,'Bite, or be damned.'.
There is much of truth in the idea that
more skill might be employed in enticing peo ple to accept salvation.   Both in the  church
and the Sunday School, he is usually the most
successful angler who pays the most attention
to the minutiae of his tackle, and exercises the
greatest skill in throwing his hook. To continue
the metaphor, the library is the bait in most
schools to draw in the scholars, and, as in
angling, much  depends on the nature of  the
attraction. The books must be interesting and
entertaining.   The  more  instruction, both  relig(ious and general, that can be introduced in
them the better. They must differ in character
according to the class of pupils.
Some statistics have recently been given
concerning the factory operatives in Manchester, England.    Among  those  who  had been
85 
86             OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
placed in the poor house and various asylums,
fifty-five per cent. were familiar with the histories of Jack  Ketch, Dick Turpin, and that
class of notorieties, while about the same number were utterly ignorant of the name of our
Saviour. While we can proudly say that no
such statistics could be given by any institution in our country, yet there is a degree
of popular ignorance far beyond what most
people imagine.
Of course it is often no use to present a
volume of "Religious Tracts" to such persons.
They will prefer to read the Sunday papers.
For them, books of a lively, exciting nature,
with some moral, inculcating  temperance,  virtue, honesty, etc., should be provided, as they
will be more likely to read them, and therefore
to receive benefit. It is useless to put in ordinary Sunday School libraries such works as
Doddridge's Rise and Progress, and Baxter's
Saint's Rest.   I  have frequently seen  them, 
ON LIBRARIES.                87
and always they were in an excellent state of
preservation, and invariably to be found in
their place. Some Schools provide them for
the teachers, but generally teachers desire more
entertaining  works  as well  as  the  children.
Occasionally a few individuals  may  be found
who will read such books, but as they can
be obtained  elsewhere, it is probably not wise
to invest much money in them for the school.
The Sunday School must have the books of
the age, and not old musty works, valuable
in their time, and not to be despised now,
but without the necessary sparkle for children's
palates.    There are many  such  "standard"
works, which every one praises, many own,
and  few read.*   We  treat  them  as  Sterne
*I would not be understood as attempting to cast odium on
these works. There are still found a few young people who
read them with delight and profit.  One of our most eminc:nt
living authoresses remarked that there were no books she more
ce.,erly devoured, when a child.  Such cases, however, are
exceptional, and it is hardly worth while to provide for them. 
88             OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
says le do great men,  "learn their titles and
then brag of their acquaintance."
The question is often raised as to whether
any books should be placed in the library
which are not usually deemed devotional in
their character. My experience has led me to
advise great liberality in the selection of libraries, particularly those for ordinary city schools.
One object of the library is to provide wholesome  enjoyment for the  children  during  the
week, to keep  them  out of  the streets,  and
at the same time to convey some useful iinformation.  If a book will accomplish  this, and
is of a high moral character, even though it
may not be strictly devotional in its teachings,
I would admit it. The good it will do during
the week in raising the standard of honor alnd
morality, will more than counterbalance the
possibility of any harm its reading on Sunday
may occasion.
Some years ago, my father was the pastor of 
ON LIBRARIES.               89
the Congregational Church on the island of
Nantucket.   It was customary for the church
to place on every whale-ship leaving the island,
a library for the  use  of the  crew.   " The
Evangelical Family Library," published by the
American Tract Society, was selected, and it
looked finely in the annual report of the Society
to state, "We  have  placed fifty sets of the
Evangelical Family Library on whale-ships during the past year," and a nice little speech
could be made about the old fathers of the
church preaching to the sailors when tossed
upon the mighty deep, etc., etc.
The captain on the first Sunday out would
bring the books on deck and tell the sailors
to help themselves. With awkward hands they
would open a volume to "The Call to the Unconverted," and slowly spell out a page, and
then, laying down the book for a fresh quid
of  tobacco,  would forget to resume it.  The
books would return almost untouched, glued 
OURi SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
together with the damp and brine gathered by
a four years' cruise.
It was deemed best to cast aside these
books  and  send  in  their  place  "Sargent's
Temperance Tales." They were read and reread, until leaves and covers obtained a divorce. None ever reached Nantucket again.
Captains have stated that two ships meeting
in the cold fishing regions of the North, a
boat from one would board the other, and almost the first question would be, " Iave you
any  of  Sargent's  books  to  spare?"   They
would circulate from ship to ship as long as
a story could l)e found complete.
The popular newspapers of the present
day, containing the  exciting stories of  "The
Bloody Tomahawk, a tale of love, beauty, and
dlaring," are accessible to the poorest.   Chil
dren find such trash under their eyes continually, and will rea(i it unless something as
entertaining is provided. The Sunday School
I
00 
ON LIBRARIES.               91
has to compete with it, and it will not answer
to furnish old sermons, flavored with a cen tury's bottling. The Sunday School Societies
have noticed  and  acted on this.   They have
generally given a good set of books, without
which it would be difficult to furnish a Sunday school library. Still, many of the books
are but little novelettes with morals dropped
in here and there- which the children always
skip. They are very good and highly moral,
only they convey scarcely any useful information. I deem a good child's history, giving
real practical instruction, in a readable manner,
of higher moral and religious tendency, than a
sentimental memoir of a good little girl who
never did any thing wrong, and who consequently, was  cut off  from  her sinful  fellowcreatures at the early age of ten.   We  want
more books to teach us how to live in a strong,
healthy, moral manner as a preparation to
learning how to die. 
92            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
I would have all of Harpers' story books,
many of Miss Edgeworth's works, some of
Peter Parley's, Harpers' Abbott's Histories, and
many such works not usually deemed entirely
religious. This would be an expensive library,
as the books would be read, and consequently would  not last so long.   It would,  however, be a working library, and accomplish its
purpose.
But do not hold me responsible for these
opinions unless you link with them the following: Each teacher should glance at every
book he gives to his pupils that he may
know its character. A book that would be
well for one scholar to read, would be unadvisible for another. One child dislikes reading,
and is full of fire and steam, and is playing and
fighting continually. Give him almost anything
to create an interest in books.   Lend  him  a
Robinson Crusoe kind of book. Another has
had his head turned by sentimental love stories. 
ON LIBRARIES.                93
Try to turn him  back with  an exciting  his tory which will teach him something manly and
noble.   Another is in such a state of  mind
that, with careful management he may be led
to the Saviour.   Give  him  books tending  di rectly that way; of a devotional character,
yet interesting and full of life. A girl will
often require a different book from a boy. In
the present organization of society the one is
the passive  and  the  other  the active.   The
girl must be taught to endure, the boy to
act. Age will vary the requirements, and a
teacher must not feel that every book inl the
library  is  suitable  for  every scholar.   It is
putting an undue responsibility on the library
committee. It is well frequently to question
the pupils on the books they have read, to
judge of the influence on their minds.
It has usually been deemed unprofitable to
have libraries for the lower class of Mission
Schools, as the transient members will take 
94            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
books, and when they disappear the books will
accompany them.   In  my  own school,  (one
of this character) I had opposed a library,
until a teacher suggested that merely the members of the "Legion of Honor,"* should have
access  to the  library.   They  being  regular
attendants, the loss of books would not be
very serious, and the privileges of the library
would be an additional stimulant for the children to join the "Legion." The plan works
well, and exerts a great power over the pupils. If they misbehave, they lose their books
for the month.
The  best  method  of preserving the books
has puzzled the librarians exceedingly. The
Sunday School has been a very efficient colporter in circulating books of a good class
throughout  the country.   It is impossible  to
devise any plan which will prevent all loss.
*The "' Legion of Honor" is described in chapter 8. Discipline and Incentives. 
ON LIBRARIES.
']'he following is an economical method for a
large school, and on the whole works the best
that I have yet seen.
In the first place have two boards painted
as follows:
To 100.       To 200.
1      2      1       2
3      4       3      4
and   so on   and   so on
to    100     to    200
There should be as many columns of one
hundred numbers each as may be required. In
the centre of each number there should be a
hook or brad. One board should have as
many numbers as there are pupils in the school,
and the other as many as there are books
in the library. On the hooks of the library
board, there should be round pieces of tin, with
a hole punched in them to hang by.   These
tins must have numbers stamped on them corresponding with their numbers on the board.
95 
96           OUR  SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Each scholar has a number by which he is
designated instead of a name.   For instance,
James Fox is numbered 36.  He desires book
No. 48, which is given him, and the librarian
removes the tin check from No. 48 on the library board, and places it on No. 36 on the
scholars' board. This shows that boy No. 36
has volume No. 48. The next Sunday No. 36
desires another book, but forgets to return the
one he already has. The librarian glances at
his number, and seeing it covered, refuses to
supply the volume  until No. 48 is returned.
By this method the librarian keeps the wholo
record and the teacher has no trouble.
The numbers on the board should be arranged in double columns of one hundred, as
in the diagram,  with  the odd  numbers  on
the left, and even onl the right, for ease in
finding a given number. By having them in
coltumns of one hundred, it is unneccesary to
repeat the third figure, and therefore larger 
ON LIBRARIES.                97
figires can be painted in the same space.
The boards might be made cheaply, by cutting the numbers from paper and pasting
them on, afterwards varnishing the whole to
render them secure, or by writing them on a
painted board, with a coarse pen.
In calling for the books, the teachers will
write on a small strip of paper as follows:
Class No. 16.
36 148, 210, 8, 5, 12.
214 24, 19, 27, 153, 440.
The left hand figures tell what scholar to
charge the books to, and those on the right
show that he desires one of the five volumes
selected. Several are designated, so that if
some are out, one can pretty surely be found
in.
In returning the books, a similar paper
should be sent, only instead of the five nurmbers to the right, there should be only tb6
number of  the book  returned.   The librarian
will compare the returned books and the state 
~98    ~ OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ment, and if correct, remove the check from
No. 36, scholars' board, and replace it on 48'
library board.
For very small schools all this machinery is
unnecessary, but where there are over a hun
dred and fifty pupils, this method is the easiest,
safest, and best.
The Sunday school Union have prepared
another  plan as  follows:
printed in blank, thus:
Teacher's ATame.-JOHN NOBLE.                Class No. 6.
Date.!Date. Date. Date. Date. Date.
Pupil's Name.      Feb.
9.
36
14
J. Fox.................... 48
28
19
W. True.................. 13
Etc.
The scholars select three or four numbers
of the books they desire, and write them on
A large card is 
ON LIBRARIES.                 99'
the  card  as in  the  diagram.   The  librarian
selects the first one that is in, and draws his
pencil  through  the  other  figures,  so the one
left  untouched  is  the  one  charged  to  the
scholar.   The  theory is, that the teacher will
copy this number into the class-book and see
that it is returned, but the practice is to take
no  further  notice of  it.  The card  soon becomes thoroughly covered with pencil marks,
and the record is lost in the mass of carbon.
In the board plan the check  can hang  on the
scholars' number as many months as the book
may be out.
A third plan shown me by a librarian, which
is successful in small schools, is for the librarian to have the names of the scholars arranged in classes, and written on a large stiff
card, as follows: 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
JANUARY.
4   11  18  25
Class 1.-John Bagshaw,.. 33 36
Andrew Clark, &c. A 90
Class 2.-William Mack,..   A   18
Michael Dorsey, &e. 2$ 17
As the books are distributed, they can be
charged on the card, and crossed when returned. A glance will show whether the last
book is restored.   The card should be large,
to allow a plenty of room for figures, and to
enable the librarian to hold it while marking
the numbers. A fresh card should be prepared monthly, and the outstanding books transferred.   If the card is retained long, the pencil marks will become rubbed and confused.
Where there are more than ten classes, there
should be two cards, so that an assistant librariaia:t.-: e:ployed.
.:.  *.:
100 
ON LIBRARIES.               1
There should be a printed catalogue of the
books, with their numbers, from which the childclren, under the guidance of their teacher, can
select. Of course, frequently, they will be
dissatisfied with their choice, but it must be
a rule that no book can be exchanged, or
the  hour  will  be occupied in  suiting  them.
If the book is morally unsuitable, the teacher
must manage to have it changed, even breaking the rule, though if he has an appropriate
one at his own house, it would be better to
lend it to the scholar in place of the library
book.
When the Sunday School is held in the body
of the church, the library can be placed at
the end of one of the galleries.   There it is
out of the way, and the movements of the
librarians will not attract the attention of the
scholars from their lessons.
In following the plans suggested in this chapter, some money will be required, which al
101 
102            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
most always seems to be grudged the Sunday
School. Usually the unnecessary loss of books
in an ill-regulated library is much more than
will serve to provide the necessary safeguards,
yet we often find churches  possessed of such
" great hunks of wisdom," that they often approve of this mode of economizing.
When boys do not fancy a book, in order
to persuade the teacher to change it, they
will often falsely profess to have read it. It
is so common a lie that they hardly deem it
wrong.  It is like the ladies' "not at home."
Boys who are commonly truthful will commit
this sin.
If a book has been out three weeks, the librarian should write the fact on a slip of paper
and hand it to the teacher, who should see
that it is returned.   If the  book is lost, or
the pupil sick, he should report the fact to the
librarian. It will also be stated in the teacher's monthly report to the superintendent, as
explained in Chapter IX. 
ON LIBRARIES.               103
The library must be under the charge ef a
smart, active, business man. Considerable ability and labor is required to keep the books
of a large school in proper order.  The books
should all be covered with heavy brown paper,
and the Sunday School label pasted on the
outside cover as well as the inside, or many
books will creep into other libraries. The librarian must  be a man of  good nature,  and
patience, for both will be considerably taxed.
A Sunday School to be successful, should have
three enterprising, energetic, hard-working men
- a superintendent, a precentor, and a librarian.
With these, any school can be made to run
smoothly and efficiently.   Not  a little of its
success depends upon the good arrangement
and management of the librarian. 
CHAPTER VII.
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS AND MONTHLY CONCERTS.
T is customary in many Sunday Schools
to  observe  the  first  Sunday  in the
month  as  "BMissionary  Sunday."   In
the wealthier schools, the children con      tribute some  money  for the support of
a missionary who usually writes a letter to
them  every  month in return.  This letter is
read to the school, from which circumstance
the name of Missionary Sunday is acquired.
A contribution is taken up for missionary purposes, and speeches, singing, etc., occupy the
time usually devoted to the lessons.
Many schools have also, on the evening of
the  second Sabbath  in the month,  a special
104 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, ETC.           105
service, usually held in the church, where the
parents and friends are present with  the chil dren. The exercises are similar to those of
the Missionary Sunday, only no particular reference is made to the missionary field.
I think it is unwise to have both these
services. Where the evening service can be
held, the Usual lessons should proceed in the
day-school regularly from Sabbath to Sabbath.
Any interruption to the ordinary course of instruction  has  an  injurious  influence.   If the
services are not entertaining, the time is lost.
If they are, the children on the next Sunday
will be restless, and comparing the two sessions.
If the evening service is held, it is an extra affair, and will be regarded as such. The
children's services should be much earlier than
those for adults, so as not to keep them iup
late. If they commence at half past six, and
continue an hour and a half, it will not in 
105           OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
jure the health of the children, coming as they
do but once a month.   Therefore, I very much
prefer merging the Missionary Sunday into the
Sunday School Concert, and bringing the whole
force to bear on making it a grand occasion.
It is a considerable tax to secure first-class
speakers for two consecutive Sundays. There
must be several, as the children demand a
variety. Also the children prefer the evening
service, if for nothing else, the novelty of sitting up late.   There are many children who
would agree with Sammy, when he complained that   " My mother always makes me go to bed
before I get tired, and get up before I am
rested."
The brightly-lighted, crowded house; the or
gan playing just the same as for " grown folks,"
and the presence of friends and relatives, all
give them enthusiastic delight, and put them
in a humor to be pleased with anything. They 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, ETC.         107
will take part with great earnestness and zeal.
I have often known boys who were too proud
to take any active part in the Missionary
meeting, to be so roused by the enthusiasm
of the evening concert, as to place themselves
in prominent positions to show that they were
connected with the school.
The missionary news can be as well communicated then as at any time, and many
adults being present, the collection is somewhat increased.   Not the least advantage,  is
the fact that this plan keeps the school more
directly in  the  notice  of the  church.   The
progress, state, and requirements of the school
are seen, and more interest in its prosperity,
is inspired.
In a Milission School, it is peculiarly advisable to especially invite parents and friends of
the pupils to be present at these general meetings. Many will attend them who would not
enter a church, and much good may be done. 
108           OUR  SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Attention should be given to the subject of
the  charities  of children.   It is very useful
to collect the little offerings from hundreds of
Sunday Schools for the support of some missionary cause. But is this course, on the whole,
the most beneficial to the pupils, and, in the
end, to the cause of missions?   The primary
object of the children's contributions is to foster benevolence, and that course should be
pursued which will most clearly teach them the
nature and habit of true  charity.   Giving is
not always charity.
"His lavished stores speak not the generous mind,
But the disease of giving. "
The contribution is taken, and sent off in a
manner utterly incomprehensible to the younger children. After a while, in some cases, a
letter is received from a missionary, who, in
language totally beyond children's intellect, tells
what  good  the  cash  has  accomplished.    It 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, rTC.         109
seems to me that pains should be taken to
let the children see more clearly the relation
between the act of giving and the consequent
benefit  to  the  giver.   The  benefit  may  be
merely  the  satisfaction  derived  from  a consciousness of having done good, but still it
is a direct and consequent result of the charity. We must cultivate in them a taste for
charity, and let them  see that they can derive more personal gratification by doing good
with their pennies, than by spending them for
candy.
A  noble  Sunday School in Brooklyn  was
having a new  chapel  erected for its use.   It
is stated  that the  superintendent  (also  the
chief contributor of the funds,) made a calculation of what each brick would cost, and annoiunced that each scholar might present a
brick to the building by paying two cents.
Those. who gave a certain number received a
certificate. Almost every child gave a brick, 
110            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
and many gave a cart-load each. Thus they
saw in the chapel the direct result of their
generosity, and tasted the pleasure of giving.
By  purchasing  the  brick,  they saw  exactly
how their coppers were invested, and the walls
were a standing monument to them. They
possessed an ownership in the building which
prevented their defacing it, and increased their
interest in the school.
All schools should be Mission Schools, admitting the rich and poor alike to their benefits. There are many who are unable to attend for want of proper clothing. Boys, with
a very commendable spirit of self-respect, will
not go into a school of well-dressed children
in  their  shirt-sleeves.   The  children  of  the
school should  be formed into a  "Benevolent
Association," and their contributions be used
to supply such articles as may be required
by the destitute children in the neighborhood,
to  enable  them  to  attend.    This  must  be 
I 
4
Ifif                                    
................... 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, ETC.         111
managed  with  care,  that  they  may  not be
taunted as "charity children."
The Lee-Avenue school, in Brooklyn, which
is under the direction of Jeremiah Johnson, jr.,
a name that thousands of children will bless
for his liberality and care, and who has es tablished probably the very best working school
in America, has provided a lot in the Ceme tery of the Evergreens, for those of the school
who  may  die  otherwise  unprovided  with  a
pleasant  resting-place.   There it is proposed
to erect a suitable monument, which will be a
perpetual sermon to the children.
These plans will bring the subject of charity directly home to the children, so that they
will understand it, and see its practical working.   I have  frequently known  of gentlemen
trying to ascertain from children what they
understood by giving to the missionaries. Invariably their only idea was, that they sent
the money to the heathen; but why, or for
what, was a mystery. 
112            OUw  SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
Let  the children purchase  the music-books,
and they will be more carefully handled.  Let
them purchase something for the school, and
if it is only a picture that can be afforded,
it will teach a more direct  lesson of  charity
than the ordinary method.  Nor will the publie charities  suffer, for the  children  will be
trained to those habits of  giving  which  will
last them  during life.  Thus  the  ultimate  resuit will be beneficial in every respect.
Whether this last statement is true or not,
every school should first take good care of
itself, and keep in good running order. Money
is a power not to be despised in doing good.
Few schools have too much expended on
them, and all that can be raised within themselves, can usually be wisely expended in im
proving their own means of usefulness. Men
are apt to think that they must go out of their
way to do good.  Many a minister has neglects
ed his own children to preach the Gospel to 
MISSIONArPY SUNDAYS, ETC.         113
strangers.  So frequently money is given away
by schools to missions which had much better be devoted to their own improvement.
The  exercises of the monthly concert should
be planned exclusively for the pleasure and
benefit of the children. No one should be invited to address  the  meeting  merely  out  of
compliment.   If a speaker cannot interest the
children, he should not address them.  Speeches
should seldom be over ten minutes in length,
and five minutes will be better.  This is about
as long a time as the children can be induced to listen to any one.  Let the  singing
be frequent, and only two verses at a time.
One very good and common exercise is
to have a subject announced to the school:
"love,"  for  instance.   Then  have  all,  or a
certain part, of the chlildren find some text in
the Bible relating to love; and at the concert,
on being called on by the superintendent, one
by one rise and recite the texts they have se. 
114            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
lected. As a little improvement, the superintendent sometimes prepares a series of written  questions  and  answers.   A  duplicate  of
each one he gives to the children, who learn
the  answers.   He  then  reads  the  question,
"What is God?"   A  little girl in class  10,
who  has received that question  and  prepared
the answer, rises and recites, " God is love."
"H Iow  does God  love this  world?"   Boy in
class 4 responds, "God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son, etc."
This plan incites the children to learn some
texts, and many of them are much interested
in reciting. Little hymns and dialogues may
be learned and repeated by classes and individuals.
Passages of Scripture may be learned by
several classes, and repeated in concert.
Tile proceedings must be conducted briskly.
Not  a  moment's  interval  should  be  allowed
between one exercise and the next, that the 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, ETc.           115
childrenl's attention may not be diverted.  Mlake
all the exercises animated, that the children
may  enjoy them.  Haydn  was once asked how
it was that his music was all so bright and
cheerful. He replied
" I  cannot make  it otherwise.   I write according to the thoughts I feel. When I think
upon God, my heart is so full of joy that
the notes dance  and leap from  my  pen."
So should all religious exercises, particular
ly for young persons, be sparkling, that their
thoughts of religious matters may be joyous.
The following programme for a concert will
explain what I would suggest:
1it.  Singing  by  the  school..   occupying 4 minutes
2d.   Prayer, concluding with  the Lord's
Prayer, by the school                    "      4    "
3d.   Singing by  the School...    c          4    "
4th.  Repeating the Ten Commandments in
concert..........4    "
5th.  Ieciting Scripture questions..    "              " 
6th.  Opening address by a large boy.  4 
7th.  Singing solo by a little girl..             8 
8th.  Address by an invited guest..    "          8    " 
116                 OUR  SUNDIAY  SCROOLS.
9th.  Singing; a duet by two girls.. occupying 4 minutes.
10th. Reciting Scripture questions..         "       5    "
11th. Poetry recited by a very small boy          "      2    "
12th. Poetry recited by a very small girl         "       2    "
13th. Singing  by  the  School...    "          4    #
14th. Reciting Scripture questions..             "       C 
15th. Reciting Psalm by two classes in con      cert..........               "   5    "
16th. Address by a gentleman...             "      8    "
17th. Singing solo by choir; chorus by the
School........    "       6     "5
18th. Address by a gentleman...    "            8    "
19th  Singing  by  the  School...    "         4 
20th. Closing exercises, as in article on the
formal  exercises of a  school..    "         2    "
Total.............               "     90    C
This is as long a time as it is well to
continue  the  exercises.   They must  be  con
tinually altered, that the children may not tire
of them. It will be found much easier to get
the children into school than to keep them
there  regularly.   The  novelty often  attracts
children, who will certainly leave when the
novelty wears off.   You must keep your eyes
open for new  and popular speakers.   If you
can make no other change, hang up a large 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, ETC.          117
map or picture where it can be plainly seen,
and have some  one tell a story of  a certain
place which he points out on the map. A
very slight change and o(ddity gives freshness
and life to the exercises.  lMost of the children understand and are interested more in
what they see than in what they hear.
A few weeks since I heard a most admirable  Sunday School speech.   On  the whole it
was better adapted to children than any other
I have listened to. It was fresh, entertaining,
healthy, and  to  the point.   The  speaker  at
one time was alluding to persons shutting
their ears, and as a gesture, put his fingers
up to his own ears.   As  I left the church  I
met a very bright, intelligent little girl of
six years.
"Well, Lottie, how  did  you like the meeting?"
"First-rate, sir; it was real nice."
"Whose speech did  you like best?" 
118            OUR   sUrDAY sCfoGLS.
" ir. Ml.'s. sir; it was the best  I think."
"What  part  of  the  speech  did  you  like
best?"
"Oh, I  liked it where  he put his fingers
up to his ears.   It was so funny  I laughed
right out. Oh, MIr. MI. is so nice."
She had forgotten nearly all the moral,
most of the illustrations she could not recall
definitely, and only some such significant ac tions were particularly impressed upon her
mind.
I  refer to  this to  show  the  necessity of
having all the exercises extremely simple, and
have  such a  variety that  the youngest, who
cannot by any possibility comprehend the most
of the remarks, may enjoy as it were, the
panoramic effect of the scene.
We  must remember that while the Sabbath
School  aims  high, and  all the exercises  are
designed to secure the salvation of each child.
yet this cannot  always  be successful.   Some 
MISSIONARY SUNDAYS, ETC.         119
persons seem to believe in salvation or nothing
-either make the children Christians, or aban
don them.  But we must strive to make  them
moralists  if nothing  more.   This is a good
work, and even this is hard enough. At first
we go to work with zeal, determined to, and
believing we can convert them. Soon we begin to feel that we should be satisfied could
we see some moral improvement, and finally,
losing all confidence in our own power, we
despair, and cry to God to take our classes.
Then, somnetimes, we begin to see a litttle improvement.   But  the  true, humble,  Christian
teacher will have little success compared with
the numbers in school, even though God is
working  with him.   It may be that he  will
grant us success in inspiring morality, when we
cannot lead them to Christ. Therefore I would
have this point  not lost sight of.  Strive to
make all the exercises and meetings pleasing,
not only to those interested in religious truth, 
120            OUr SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
but also  to  those  who  are  utterly  careless.
Let them be entertained, to cultivate in them
a taste for highler and more improving pleasures
than street rowdyism.
I cannot conclude this article better than
by using the words of the " Country Parson,"
whose healthy, manly, touching article on the
" Sorrows of Childhood" adorns the pages of
the March Atlantic 2Monthly.
"Let me say to every reader who has it
in his power, directlv or indirectly, to do so,
Oh! do what you can to make children happy; oh, seek to give them that great en
during blessing of a happy youth.   Whatever
after life may prove, let there be something
bright to look back upon in the horizon of
their early time.   Let us try to make  every
little child happy." 
CHAPTER VIII.
TO TEACHERS.
E usually like to do those things that
we  can do  well.   MIen are able to
- accomplish  a  marvellous  amount  of
labor, if they can only feel that they
are doing, it satisfactorily to themselves;
and the consciousness of doing it well, increases  its  accuracy.   But  if we  are  struggling
along, not exactly sure whether we are doing
right or wrong, it is wearing and disheartening in the extreme.   It is not work that kills
a man, but worry.   Such a one is likened by
Mr. Beecher, to  "a candle in a hot candlestick, which burns up at one end, and melts
down at the other."
Sunday School work will be extremely irk.
121 
122           OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
some and tedious, unless you learn just how
to do it.  No matter how monotonous or simple is an occupation, those who can do it better
than any one else, usually enjoy it.   A  singular illustration  occurred recently.   A  lady,
who for many years had been in humble circumstances, remarked that she could hardly be
happy in heaven, unless she could do her
sweeping  and  dusting.   She had  become so
accustomed to it, and could do it so easily
and well, that she enjoyed it.
I knew of a man that could drive nails exquisitely - this is the right word- and appeared to enjoy the practice as keenly as Morphy
does his game of chess. One would suppose
this to be as monotonous an employment as
any, yet his skill in performing it, made it
pleasant.
I never knew a teacher who came to his class
without suitable preparation, to enjoy teaching; and I never knew one who was  aiways 
TO TEACInEPs.              123
prepared, to dislike it.  It is unnecessary to
talk about the dignity of the employment, all
know  it.  But  whether  dignified or  not, if
you wish to enjoy your labor, do it well. Do
not shrink from the work.   You are " soldiers
of the cross," officers in God's army, and have
a  heavy  responsibility  upon you.   Make  all
the preparation you can; do your work as well
as you can, and then your responsibility is at
an encld.
It is unwl'se  to tease a teacher into  the
school. If he does not come cheerfully, and
with a desire for the work, he will accomplish nothing.   Some  may  be  of a  retiring
disposition, distrustful of their own powers,
and may need encouragement, but one must
enter with his  whole  heart into anything in
which he would prosper.
There are some little matters, the knowledge
of which may  save you some annoyance.  In
pleasing children, some almost ludicrous  triv 
124            OUr SUNDAYr SCIIOOLS.
ialities may turn the balance for or against
you.   I remember that a teacher in a Mission
School found her class growing very large,
and finally it became necessary to place some
of the children in  another class.   When  the
superintendent  came to ask them  to make the
change, they all stoutly refused.   At last one
secret of her popularity was revealed in one
of the little girl's saying:
" Well, our teacher's got the prettiest bonnet
in school, and if I can't stay in her class,
I'll go home."
Frequently it is thought kinder not to appear
among the poor in handsome dresses; but the
poor like to see beauty, even though they cannot  possess  it.   When  we  go  to  see  the
Queen of England, we desire to see her in full
dress, though we should not attempt to imitate
the crown-jewels on our own person.  Let youi
class see that you take as much care in preparing for them  as for "grown folks," and it
will soothe their pride. 
TO TEAcnERS.               125
Do not find fault with any of the school
arrangements  before  your pupils.   They will
grumble at the library; show them that it is
large and good  enough for their use.   They
will insist that the prayers are too long; quiet
them if possible. They will dislike the tunes;
remind them that as they run in their heads
all the week,  they cannot be very bad.   In
short, point out the silver lining to every
cloud that may  arise.  Slake the best of circumstances as they are, yet keep on the watch
to improve them if you can.
Teach with animation and spirit, though be
careful not to speak louder than necessary, as
so many talking makes very much noise. Show
the children that you are thoroughly awake.
There is a contagion in enthusiasm which can
easily be extended to children.   They dislike
ponderous solemnity in manner and prairie-like
sameness in matter.
A  boy  who  had  visited  an  exhibition of
statuary, was asked how he fancied it. 
126            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
" Not  much,"  said he,  "I never did like
stone gals."
Do not be " stone gals," cold and chilling,
wrapped up in formality and stiffness, but
" condescend to men  of  low  estate."   Listen
occasionally to the children's stories, and take
an interest in their concerns.
Teach by illustration. There is a little work
entitled, " Illustrative Teaching," by W. H.
Groser, of the London Sunday School Union,
which is republished by Randolph, of New-York.
It contains many useful hints on this subject
worth knowing.
A truth in a mere didactic form is almost
sure to be forgotten: but if linked to a fable, a picture, or a good story, the illustration being remembered, the sentiment has to
go with it.   The skill  with  which  preachers
and lecturers introduce appropriate illustrations,
often determines their relative success and
popularity. Even our Lord, in his addresses, 
TO TEACHERS.               127
made great use of illustration to fix his truths
in the minds of his hearers, by linking them
to parables; so the evangelist says, " Without
a parable spake he not unto them." The state
of society, the mental ignorance of the disciples concerning the mission of Christ, made
the relation of our Saviour toward them very
much like that of the teacher toward his
class.
Illustration is not merely a decorative art.
It is a useful, working, an active agent.   It
will often render clear, passages and truths,
which no simplicity of language could otherwise explain to the children.   Tupper wrote:
" Precepts and rules are repulsive to a child,
but happy illustration winne-h him.   In vain
shalt thou preach of industry and prudence,
till he learn of the bee and the ant. Dimly
will he think of his soul, till the acorn and
chrysalis have taught himn.  HIe will fear God
in thunder, and worship his loveliness in flow 
128            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ers.   And  parables  shall  charm  his  heart,
while doctrines seem dead mystery."
But illustration, to be useful, must be practical and to the point: teaching something in
itself. A teacher should not promise the reward of a story if the children will listen to
some stale, stupid sermonizing - a lump of
sugar  after  a  pill.   This  disconnects  religion from enjoyment, whereas they should be
synonymous. The illustrations should be mingled with the truths of the lesson, to give
force to them, and to act as chariots to carry
away the sentiments. They must all be brought
to bear on the one point of the lesson, as the
solar system revolves around one common sun
-receiving their heat and brilliancy from the
one grand truth.
In illustrating to young children the stories
may be fuller and fewer, as they delight in
details, and their minds act slowly in receiviog the point.   For older children less detail 
TO TEACHERS.               1Z2
is required, as they will sooner catch at the
conclusion.
Let the illustrations be of a high order, beautiful in themselves, if possible, and worth remembering.
"Always encourage the beautiful, for the
useful will encourage itself."
Anything that will tend to raise the standard of thought is a direct step in the direction of godliness.   The illustrations should be
judiciously distributed throughout the lesson,
to keep a uniform interest and attention.
It is well to have the illustrations drawn
from the scenes around them, or so connected
with familiar things as to have the moral constantly suggested by the sight of them. For
instance, in speaking of truthfulness, you tell
your class of the boy in AIilwaukee, who  was
flogged to death by a brutal father, because he
would not confess an act which he had not colnmited; who preferred to die rather than tell a
129 
130            OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
falsehood.   You  speak  of the marble monu'
ment which the Sunday School children have
reared above his remains, and tell them how
it resembles a certain monument in the neighboring church-yard.   Thus, whenever they see
it, they will remember the story and the sentiment it illustrated. Strive to make the rocks
and the trees, the common, everyday things
of life, all preach to them of virtue and the
love of Christ. Teach them to find
"Sermons in stones, and books in running brooks."
Practice will enable you to secure any nuimber of illustrations.   The  little  incidents  of
daily occurrence are of interest, if rightly introduced.  You  find  your  class  restless  and
inclined to play. You say:
"Y Why, children, you remind me of something my little black pussy cat did yesterday."
"At  the words, "pussy cat," every eye is
oil yours, and the children  cluster around to 
TO TEACHERS.              131
hear the anecdote. It is unnecessary to make
a long story.  You merely add:
"Pussy had been asleep all the morning;
but just as I sat down to knit some stockings
for  the  soldiers, she  woke  and jumped  up
in my lap.  I would have let her stay there
for I am never cross to my pussy, and never
tease her, so that she is very tame. But she
wanted  to play, andi  so  rolled  my  ball  of
yarn out of the basket on to the floor, and
then jumped down to play that it was a great
big rat which she had caught. Now, how do
you think you are like the pussy cat?"
Charley says,  "I guess it's cos we  bother
you."
"I rather think it must be so; for while I
am  finding  the place for the lesson, you commence to frolic like pussy, which disturbs me.
Now, while I am finding the lesson, I want you
to imagine you are all pussies, and that I am
a mouse which you are watching. You must 
132            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
keep very still or mouse will run away. Some
time you can come to my house, and then I
will play mouse again, and you can try to
catch me."
This will attract their attention, put them
in good humor, and keep them quiet for a few
mnoments.  It is not necessary to have  a well
planned story, with its introduction, plot, and
deducement. Many persons think it is a very
serious and laborious work to tell a story,
but nothing is more simple. Begin anywhere.
For instance:
" Children, I broke the nose off my tea-pot
last night."
"Did  you!   What  kind of a tea-pot was
it?" says one.
"Was  it smashed bad?" says another, and
so on. You can interest a class of small children for half an hour, by telling about that
broken tea-pot nose. This is the lowest class
of illustration, but one can soon improve so 
TO TEACIIERS.                 1;J
as to make the incidents beautiful and instructive.
You will find great assistance by associating
with the other teachers, in the teachers' meetings,  which  shall  be  held weekly.   This is
especially necessary in small villages, where
there is not much life and novelty. These
meetings should be opened with prayer, and
any questions relating to the school discussed.
Such questions as the following will arise:
"The  best mode of interesting the chursh in
the Sunday School;"  "The best mode of discipline;"   "ShalL teachers  be  employed  who
are not church members?"   Let each teacher
who has any such question present it, and
then the meeting can decide which one to discuss first. Let all present, young and old
gentlemen and ladies, express their opinions
on the  subject.   These  should  be  perfectly
free, and unbiased by the wishes of others.
Many  usefuil  hints  will  thus be acquired, as
133 
134            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
each question secures the result of the thought
and experience of all the meeting.
When there are no questions to discuss,
the lesson for the next Sabbath can be looked over, or an especial Bible-class instituted.
But the most important element is the social
reunion. All should mingle as equals. As far
as possible, the forms and( stiffening etiquette
of society should be suspended.
It is stated that once upon a time a woman's-rights meeting was held, at which no
men  were  admitted.   A  reporter  for a daily
paper concealed himself in the hall, in order
to present the speeches in the morning edition.   But finally the proceeding became  too
funny even for his professional dignity, and the
representative of the press was discovered by
his loud  peal of laughter.   Mrs.  Presidentess
said:
" Sister Stubbs, will you turn that man
out?" 
TO TEACnIERS.               135
"No,  I wont,"  responded  the sister,  tonergetically, " He's never been introduced."
In the teachers' meetings this rigidity of introdluctions may be mnodified. For the evening,
all should be acquainted, though no one should
presume on it to press the acquaintance further, unless it is expressly intimated that it
will be agreeable
In a previous chapter I have referred to the
teacher's duty of visiting his scholars.   Your
influence out of school may be considerable. If
the Sunday School lesson is on humility, do
not illustrate your precepts during the week
by being too proud to notice your pupils in
their working  dress,  even  though  they  are
taking home a bundle.  Rev.  Mr.  Cecil says:
" MIy people look at me six days in the
week to see what I mean on the Sabbath."
Be particular to greet new comers cordially,
and make the first Sunday in the class pleassant. Much will depend on their irst impressions. 
139  ~     OUr- SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
In one of the lake cities of New York resides a Rev. Dr. L., whose cordial, genial
manner has won the heart of every child
who has seen him.  Hle never passes one in
the street without a bright, kind word. One
day a little girl came dancing in high glee
to her mother, and exclaimed,
" Oh, mother, what do you think! I almost
met Dr. L!"
This is the kind of affection you must inspire, if you expect to have much influence.
You must be the children's idol.
You must be careful not to teach anything
which a conscientious parent disapproves. For
instance, since these articles were commenced,
I received a letter from a strong temperance
lady, who stated that the teacher of her little daughter took her home one Sunday and
gave her  cake  and  wine.   Such an act can
hardly  be too severely  censured.   Respect a
parent's scruples highly. Nothing can be taught
136 
TO TEACHERS.               137
so valuable as to compensate for a child's
contempt for the parent's strict ideas of right
and wrong.
In schools which are not sectarian, it is, in
my  judgment,  unwise to teach  controverted
doctrinal  points.   There  are  enough general
truths on which all evangelical Christians agree,
to afford ample scope for the teachers.   Particularly in Mission Schools is it unwise. In
Germany and Prussia, the technicalities of
Christian sects are prohibited by a special
statute from being taught in Sunday Schools.
You must be prepared for a long, hard
work, with but little apparent success to encourage you.   Often  your labors  will appear
useless, yet do not be discouraged.   Not sel
dom the child you expect least from, and who
seems utterly untouched by all your appeals,
will unexpectedly show that your labors have
not been in vain.   Since these  articles were
commenced, a lady told me that she was utter. 
138            ouR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ly discouraged because she could see 11o good
result from her teaching.   The very next Sun day her most troublesome boy stopped her
after school, and told her in boyish language,
that he was an orphan, and in the spring
would be bound out to a farmer, and he should
like to have Jesus go with him as a friend,
just as she had said he would.   How  should
he get  him?  He  is now  attending  all the
religious meetings, and it is to be hoped that
he has experienced a change of heart.
The saving of a soul is worth a life-time
of  labor.   MIany  a faithful  missionary  and
minister has worked during a long life and
seen not one gathered in as the fruits of his
teaching. I remember a noble and inlteresting
minister, who told a friend that in twentyeight years' preaching, God had not let him
see one redeemed soul that should bless him.
Not a week after. he told this friend that he
was satisfied and happy, for since the conver. 
TO TEACHERS.                139
Bation  one  young  man  had  written  to him
and called him his earthly saviour.   He  was
content.  HIis life was  a success,  for he had
saved one soul.
I have just heard the following passage from
the letter of a young minister, which, without
permission, I transcribe, as it exactly expresses
the feelings which should  actuate  the faithful
teacher.
"  ithin the last few weeks my feelings have
entirely changed in reference to my duties  as
a minister.   There is more  of  the  Spirit in
miy heart,  and I feel  great  pleasure  in  my
labors from the thought that I work, not for
self, for fame, or for my people, but for Jesus,
my  Lord and Saviour.  I am  His minister, not
the church's."
' Aith this spirit, and with energy, what
teacher  could  but  succeed.   We  are far too
apt to deem it our duty to convert the class.
It is a mistake. It is only our duty to try
to save them. 
~140       OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Teachers are often like boys who plant
peach-stones, and then sit down to see them
sprout up. The man that buries an acorn sel dom sits under the branches of the oak, yet
the tree is planted and grows. Teachers must
" learn to labor and to wait."
It is obvious that a teacher should have a
care not to neglect the spiritual culture of
his own children, in his zeal for his class
Yet it is by no means a rare error.   I know
of some earnest teachers, who entrust the culture of their own children almost entirely to
others, while they labor patiently for the children  of  strangers.   Indeed  the  adage  that
"the minister's son and deacon's daughter, are
the worst children in town," too often has
proved true.
Act with gentleness and forbearance with
the  children,  and  you surely must do good.
Converse with each in private on the subject
of religion with a spirit of kindness and love. 
TO TEACHERS.                141
Kindness opens the heart as the sun does the
flower.   The flower bathes in the warmth, and
the sun dances for  joy at the beauty it has
caused. So the recipient of sympathy blesses
the friend, and the giver is warmed by the
fire he has kindled. 
CHAPTER IX.
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.
T  is said that so long as one  can face
a wild beast, and keep  his eye fixed
upon his, the animal will not venture
to attack  him.   Whether  true or  not,
the will of a person able to stare a
growling lion out of countenance, must have
great  power.   To  a greater  or  less degree,
all animals have the ability to distinguish instinctively between their master and their servant. Children know whether it is father or
mother that is to be obeyed, even before
they can call them by name. Discipline is
not enforcing order by punishment, but in securing obedience without it.  He  is the better
142 
ON DISCIPLI:'E AND IXCENTIVES.      143
disciplinarian who can accomplish his end solely by force of character and will.
A person may, perhaps, deter a ch.ld from
committing a specific act, by the threat of a
flogging, but  this is not  at all the principle
of  discipline.   It is to  educate  a  child to
avoid doing wrong, first because it is displeasing to its friend, and afterwards from the
nobler motive of disliking the sin of the act.
Flogging never  stimulated the working of this
higher nature.   A  dog is careful not to bite
his master, less because he is afraid of a
whipping, than because he loves him. Whipping has done incalculable mischief in  teaching children to tell falsehoods.   It has made
ten  liars and  hypocrites  where  it has cured
one.   There is something so barbaric and disgusting in a whipping, that few children have
the moral courage to confess a fault which
they believe will be so punished.
A proverbial liar was discussing the propri 
144            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ety of corporeal punishment as a means of disc
cipline.   " I can remember being whipped only
once, and that was for telling the truth,"
said he.
" It cured you of it, didn't it?" observed a
listener.
Corporeal punishment may be very necessary in some few cases, being a kind of dentist's turnkey, to extract sins that every other
instrument fails to move; and one should be
used about  as  often  as  the  other.   As the
world progresses  in civilization, the  severity
of punishment is being changed to a milder
yet more even  and certain  discipline.   Even
animals are treated better.   Rarey enforces as
strict and prompt obedience as the old cowhide flourishers ever attained, and all humanity rejoices.   The army and  navy found that
abolishing the lash was almost the abolishing
of the cause for its use.   South Carolina still
retains the " cat," as a State punishment for 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.
male and female malefactors of all colors, and
we  see what the barbarism which has allowed
her to retain this savage custom has brought
her to.   But the world is slowly learning to
rule by kindness, to imitate Christ's example,
and lead by love, more  than by fear.
Not a little has the Sunday School, quietly
and unnoticed, contributed to this reform.  A
few years since, not a district school was without
its birch rod and fool's-cap ostentatiously exhlibited.   Now  they are abolished, or put out of
sight, to be used on very rare occasions.   It
was formerly one of the first lessons for a
country schoolmaster to learn how to pummel
the big boys.   To  a certain extent this was
necessary, as they were accustomed to the
same inhuman treatment at home, and would
respect only  a physical master.   Old Samuel
Johnson  said,  "The  only way  to get Latin
into a boy is by flogging it in." Every true
man should hate him with a righteous indigo
145 
146          OUR  SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
nation, for the degradation he would inflict on
one, "created in the image of God, but little
lower than the angels."   I remember how my
face flushed at the thought, and how my fists
would clench as I  neglected  my  Latin verbs
to plan a campaign of school-boys against the
crusty old great man. I hated him then, and
I despise the sentiment now.
A  Sunday School teacher asked Tommy who
made him, but he could not tell.  She asked
Willie, who gave the correct answer. She reproved Tommy for his ignorance, and was
surprised that he should allow Willie, who
was three years younger, to outstrip him in
knowledge.
"Poob!" exclaimed Tommy, "Bill hasn't
been made near so long as I, and of course
ought to remember better."
So, I have not been so long made a man
as to forget how I was influenced as a boy;
what boys liked and disliked; how they were 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.
influenced by different treatment;  and how  a
pleasant man, with a kind word for all, could
mnanage us as a potter his clay.
The Sunday School is a living example of
the  power  of kindness  and  love.   Without
any formal  authority over  the children, they
obey well.   Not even able to compel attendance, children  are as punctual  as it is their
iatures to be - full as  much  so,  as at dayschool.   The  schools are often established in
the  most  c-egrraded  neighborhoods, where the
vicious andl ignorant are gathered in by hundreds.   Very soon  they  learn  the new  and
wonderful means of discipline, and instinctively obey it.  The  3Iission School enforces  as
good order as  any  schlool,  and  the children
love instead  of hate  it.  The building is as
little injured by vandalism as the school-house;
and in every respect the obedience is equally
good.   Certainly,  the children learn as much
during  the  hour as  during any  hour at the
147 
OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
(lay-school. I know not where we can find
a more striking example of the beneficial working of Christ's law of love.
I am a firm believer in strict discipline;
in securing prompt  obedience.   No  class can
be successful which is not under the perfect
control of the teacher. But obedience can be
secured  in a  way to  let the  boys feel that
are forced to it by fear of punishment, or
they can,  by pleasant, good-natured firmness,
imagine  they have  no  desire  to  do  wrong.
Have a care to avoid all fretfulness, impatienlce  and  anger.   An  exhibition  of either,
will seriously damage your moral power. Scoldimg  is seldom  advisable,  as  it is rare that
telling a boy he is bad will cause him to
resolve to be good.   Prove to him that he is
wrong,  and  persuade  him  to  admit  it, and
then there is a chance.   Keep the boys goodlatured if possible, even when punished,  and
after punishment, do not leave them until you
148 
ON DISCIPLINE ANp INCENTIVES.       149
have talked  to  them,  or romped  them  into
good-nature  again.   If necessary,  take them
home, and do almost anything to make them
leave you with friendly feelings.  Three  quarters of the benefit of punishment is lost, if
it is allowed to rankle in the heart of the
offender.   Make  the  child  submit, whatever
effort may be required, and then pet and caress
it into loving you better than ever.  Put down
the first indications of a rebellion before it
has fairly broken out.  At all hazards  maintain your authority, even though it may be
necessary to call in an officer and arrest the
offender.
The ground-work of a teacher's power must
be in making his class the pleasantest place for
the children.  He can usually punish them only
by a deprivation of enjoyment. Therefore, all
sorts of expedients must be devised for giving the class pleasures, so that expulsion will
be a real privation.  Let him occasionally in 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
vite the children  to his house, and entertain
them with a romp.   A  cheap excursion now
and then will be  serviceable,  and  a visit to
a panorama  will  bind  them  securely.   Continue your authority over them at such times,
that they may acquire the habit of obedience.
NXever let your orders be  disobeyed wilfully,
in the slightest matter, and having thus to
stand up to your directions, be careful that
they are exactly right before you give them.
A  few weeks since I witnessed a very good
example of what I mean. A lady requested
her class to repeat a lesson in concert.   For
some reason one of the boys refused.   As this
was the first insurrection, it was necessary to
make  an example of it.  After trying in vain
to persuade him to do his duty, she told all to
1la3 aside their books and keep perfect silence.
She informed the offender that he had publicly
insulted her, and that he must make public
reparation.  It was  necessary that all should
150 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.       151
obey her, and he must either recite the les.
son or leave the class. lie was to have three
minutes to decide whether he would obey or
have the superintendent called to place him
in another class.  Watch in hand, she waited
in perfect silence, and at the time asked his
decision. He hesitated an instant, and then
replied that he would obey.   The lesson was
recited, and  the exercises  went on as usual.
The trouble was instantly over, and no other
boy would dare to question her authority.  At
home, he would probably have received a
flogging  for  the  same  offence, which  would
have rankled  in his breast,  and led him to
vow that he would thrash his father as soon
as he was big enough. Hlere the punishment
was much more severe in some respects, yet
not so irritating. The severity of the punishment usually has less influence in deterring
from evil than the certainty of its infliction.
One of the best modes of securing obedience, 
152            OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
is by  example.    A  teacher  should  at once
obey all the directions of the superintendent.
That is, when the school is told to rise, the
teachers should be the first to start. When
order  is  called,  a teacher  should  drop  her
story or remark immediately, andcl give attention. Thus your scholars will see that it is
not degrading to obey, and insensibly follow
the example. I deem this very important.
Do  not demand too much.   Discretion and
order are the fruits of much patient care. Do
not attempt to draw the rein too tight at first.
Keep  it firm, and gradually draw in.  After
all, boys have to be managed much as trout.
If you do not let them run a little now and
then,  they will  snap  their  lines.   Don't let
them have any slack, but you must let them
run.
An admirable and successful superintendent
told me that in his Mission School there was
as Irish boy, about fourteen years old, whom 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.        153
no one could  manage.   He  was full of  fun
and steam, and could not possibly resist the
temptation to perpetrate a joke, which was sure
to  upset  the  gravity of the  class,  and not
unfrequently that of the teachers.  The superiniitelndent  therefore  told  him,  confidentially,
that he had considerable ability, and by study,
milght make a first-rate teacher. He gave him
a class of small boys, and showed him how
to conduct it.  Pat put all his soul and ener.
gy into the work. HIe would prowl the streets
after boys who did not attend any school, and
almost drag  them  in,  until he had  a large
class.  He ruled them with a rod of iron, and
exacted  military  obedience, making  the little
fellows toe the mark exactly.  But he was so
full of  enthusiasm,  quaint  humor,  and  tact,
that he made them like him, and roused them
to work well.   On  the whole,  as far as mere
discipline and management is concerned, it was
one of the most successful classes in school. 
154            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
The following plan has received the ap proval of a teachers' meeting, but I have never
seen how it works; yet I have conlfidence in
its operation.   Let the superintendent give a
notice, with a little flourish  and  considerable
enthusiasm, somewhat as follows:
It is proposed to formn a society composed
only of the noblest and best members of this
school.   It will be called the "Legion of Honor," and it will truly be an honor for any
one  to belong  to  it.  It is in  the  power
of any scholar to be appointed, by conlforming to these rules:
1. He must have been punctual at each Sunday School for the four weeks before Missionary Sunday.
2. He must have preserved a good deportment in his class, and whenever in church.
3. He must have returned all his library
books, save the one taken on Missionary Sunday. 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.       155
Each teacher will keep a record of these
facts, and before the opening exercises on
Missionary Sunday, will give the superintendent a list of all in his class who have complied with these rules.
On each Missionary Sunday (or monthly
concert) the superintendent will make an honorable mention of them, and as their names
are called they will gather around the superintendcent's  desk.   The superintendent,  or
some one whom he will invite, will address
them a few words of congratulation, and declare
them  for one month, members of the LEGION
OF HONOR.
The members being all faithful and trustworthy, not requiring watching by their teachers, as a mark of confidence in them, they
will be ushered  into the front seats reserved
for them. They will set an example of good
manners and polite deportment worthy of the
high distinction they have received. 
OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
A list of the members will be posted in the
vestibule  of  the church.   At  all celebrations
and  festivals  the  "Legion  of  Honor"  will
receive with especial respect, the positions of
trust  and  distinction.   They are to feel that
they are honored for their virtues, and any
rudeness  or  unbecoming   behavior  will  be
much worse, coming from them, than from
those who are not members, and will disgrace
not only the individuals but the school.
The  success  of  this  plan will depend  entirely upon  how it is managed.   It must be
treated as a grand affair, and carried through
with enthusiasm. At first the boys will laugh
at it, but after one or two speakers have referred to it in glowing terms, and all see the
ceremony, etc., they will conclude that it is
something after all. Teachers must be honest
in their reports, or it will kill the whole affair.
It is well to have the membership last but
156 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.       157
one month, so that the scholars can have the
pleasure of hearing the names frequently called.   Otherwise  they will become  accustomed
to the society and backslide.
It will also be necessary to continually devise novelties  for the Legion, to keep  up the
interest. In my school I only invite these to
our  festivals  and  little gatherings.   If  the
children find they obtain more privileges when
iii the Legion, they are very zealous to join,
and soon nearly the whole school will be
members. I harve known the plan to fail for
want  of  change.    Children  quickly  tire  of
sameness.
The exercises will occupy some time, but
probably the children will be more interested
in them than in most of the speeches they
will listen to, and as the meeting is expressly
for their benefit, anything that pleases them is
best.
The superintendent of a large school should 
158            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
require from the teachers a monthly report,
that  he  may keep  the run of  affairs.   The
attendance and character of each pupil comes
under his notice, and this fact being known
to the scholars, has a very beneficial effect. It
is well to have A little form prepared somewhat
as follows:
IMONTlHILY REPORT FOR FEBRUARY, 1863.
Teacher-James Smith.    Present, 3 Sundays.   Class, No. 64.
>.    )      ~~Deor  Pupils.  No. of Sundays Books  Deport         Remarks.
present.     out.   ment.
A. Brown...      Four.      None.   Good.
C. Downs.. First and Third No. 861 Hard  to Should be changed
manage.   into a higher class.
Has lost book No.
861.
Etc.
DIRECTIONS.-If any pupil is sick, please state it.  Also, mention
whether any one has called; if so, who.
Henry Sims was sickfor two weeks.  My wife called.  He expects
to be at school next Sunday.                                 J. S.
In preparing any forms, have them as sim
ple as possible, that they may occupy but lit
tle of the  teacher's time in  filling up.   In
deed, some strips of paper, cut of a uniform 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.
size for convenience in handling, and distributedl to the teachers, would accomplish the
purpose.   Still, the  printed  form saves  time
and  secures accuracy.   Most of the  information is taken from the teacher's class-book,
and can be quickly written.
The  superintendent should  examine  the reports, and occasionally speak to the pupils
individually about  their marks.   Especially if
he can praise a scholar, let him dclo it. Some
people are exceedingly afraid about giving any
commendation;  but  more  children have been
injured by  scoldlig than by flattery.
Sulkiness in a scholar is the most difficult
thing for a teacher to manage, and the most
trying to  the patience.   Scolding does not a
particle  of good.   Reasoning is utterly lost,
and if ever a whipping is of service, it is
here.   But a teacher cannot apply that,  and
therefore,  good nature  must come  into play.
Tell the funniest stories you can think of,
159 
1       6      OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
not directly at the patient, lest it attract attention and rouse his pride to hold out; ap pear not to notice it, and, if possible, do not
do anything to bring it to a climax, where
your own dignity will require you to compel
the pupil's submission.   Get him into a laugh,
and all is right. It is better even to sacrifice the whole lesson in telling stories, than
to get into a contest.  It will spoil the hour
for yourself and  the class at any rate.   Almost always a good romp, with a little tickling and merriment, will shake the sulks out
of any boy; and it is vastly better to romp it
out than to flog it out.   This cannot be conveniently done in the Sunday School, but try
a mental romp, with all the fun at your disposal.   Don't lecture him while the fit is on,
but when it is all over; the next day, perhaps, give him a serious talk. Ten to one,
he will express his regrets.
The teacher must work into the affections 
ON DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES.        161
of his scholars, that they may rely on him
as a friend.   Always notice them in the street
with a polite cordial bow. Not with a nod, as
one would hail an omnibus, but with a pleasant
smile, to show you are pleased to see them.
Don't be afraid to touch your hat occasionally.
Our nation is not particularly noted for its politeness, and this act of courtesy is fast becoming resigned to  the  " gentlemen of  the  old
school." Our modern contemptuous nods would
make  the ghost  of  Chesterfield shudder.   A
young man in a New-England village, who
happens to have habits of refined politeness, is
branded with that intensely Yankeefied sobriquet, " stuck up."   But politeness is a power
as  well  as  an  accomplishment.    Be  polite
to your class, and they will be so to you.
If the boys are large, call them " Mr."; if
from  twelve  to  fifteen,  call  them  "Master"
John or James. They will laugh at first, but
it will  please  them.   Some  of these  little 
162            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
formalities will enable you to be more familiar
in other matters without their presuming on
it. In short, practice that politeness "which
is a natural, genial, manly deference: with a
natural delicacy in  dealing  with the  feelincgs
of others, and without hypocricy, sycophancy,
or  obtrusion;"  a politeness  which is always
acquired by following the precepts of the
Golden Rule. 
CHAPTER X.
ON SPEAKING TO CHILDREN.
HE superintendent of a Sunday School
was questioning his pupils concerning
the addresses made to them  during the
previous session.
O      "Children, what did Mr. Phonny tell
you this morning?"
No answer was made.
"Can't any one tell me what he said?  Susie, can't you remember?"
Susie, a bright little one of seven years,
arose, and with one finger in her mouth, bashfully lisped out:
"Pleathe, thir, he talked and he talked, and
he thed ath how he loved uth, and he talked
- and- anld — we all thought he wath a-goin'
to thay thumthing, but he din't thay nothing."
163 
16*  ~     OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
This would be a very correct criticism of
very many a Sunday School speech- and possibly of some others. There seems to be an
idea prevalent that anything will do for chilchden. Speeches are too often vague, indefinite remarks, about being unprepared, little to
say, loving children, happy to see them, and
then- nothing.   This  mode  of address  has
become rather old to the children.   It is like
presenting a Bible to your pastor- a very
pretty gift, and appropriate, though another
might be smore acceptable, as probably he already possesses a copy of the Scriptures.
There is hardly any kind of speaking which
demands more originality, and a certain kind
of knowledge of human nature, than effective
Sunday School addresses. There are comparatively few really telling Sunday School speakers. One reason is, that men often try to
speak for effect.   They  are ashamed  to bring
themselves down to children's level, forget
164 
ON SPEAKING TO CHILDREN.            165
ting that it is not an inferior character, but
merely a different one. We instinctively desire that our friends should be pleased with
our remarks, and speak of ours as a fine
speech. Many caTrry this perfectly proper ambition to the extent of speaking for fame,
rather than to do  good.   They therefore try
to adapt their remarks to both children and
adults, consequently sharing the usual fate
of compromisers, displeasing both. A speaker
must adapt his remarks entirely to the smaller children, and if successful in interesting
them, he will pretty surely entertain the older
ones.   It is a singular, though a well-known
fact, that a first-class speech or book which
interests children, will please adults. The Pilgrim's Progress is the usual example cited for
this. Interesting to youth, age has read and
re-read it with delight. So let the speaker
devote his efforts to making a capital childrezi's speech, and if he succeeds, he will be 
166            OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
appreciated by adults.   He  who works  mere
ly for fame, seldom secures more than noto.
riety.   He  who  presses  forward in the path
of duty, to do good, is very apt to wake up
and find himself famous.
Always have one direct practical truth to
enforce, and only one.   Children  can  receive
but a single idea at a time. All the illustrations must point to  it.  In  the words  of
another, " illustrate and repeat, simplify and
illustrate." The story that strikes the attention of some will not bring the point home
to others.   Therefore  much repetition of  the
illustrations is necessary, until the subject is
made  clear and impressed upon the minds of
all.
If possible, speak of some special sins which
you know the scholars are guilty of. Be definite and practical.   Do  not  merely tell the
children to be  good, but show  them  7tow  to
be good. Take some common fault and show 
ON SPEAR ING TO qHILDREN.          167
its evil, degradation, and contemptibleness.
Use simple language that all can understand.
It is said that a certain theological professor in New-York, whose studies among the
dead past, had rather unfitted him for attracting the new, fresh minds of youth, commenced a Sunday School speech as follows:
" 31y dear little children, I want to give
you a summary  of the Bible.   But, perhaps,
my dclear little children, you do not know exactly what a summary means. I will tell you.
Summary is a- a synonym of synopsis."
]Iany persons cause their own failure by
attempting an argumentative disquisition, with
its points,  sequences  and conclusions.   They
instinctively feel that if the subject is simple
and the words easy, the process of demonstration may l)e somewhat complicated. Others
again, to avoid this fault, fall into stupid truisms  expressed  very simply.   Their  remarks
are all, "I am glad to see you; I love you: 
168           OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
you must be good children; obey your teach ers, and love God."
Children can  grasp one grand idea, which
can be made clear by illustration, while they
cannot  comprehend  a  syllogism.   Thus  very
young children can acquire a definite idea of
the power and grandeur of God, while they
could not at all comprehend the mystery of
the Triune Godhead, (though perhaps this inability is not entirely confined to children.
Most of us believe while we do not understand.)
Children not only can take the one grand
idea, but they require one, and a good strong
one at that, but it must be of such a character as to be illustrated by word-pictures
rather than demonstrated by algebraical problems. It must be exhibited, rather than proven
to them.
Therefore, do not make assertions at first,
which are to be proven and applied at last.
They cannot remember the premises. Let the 
ON SPEAKING TO CHILI)REN.         169
address be a narrative, rather than a syllogism.   Children  are  naturally credulous, and
will believe the speaker as readily as they will
demonstrative proof.   It is unwise, therefore,
to attempt to prove a fact to the children
except  through  illustration.   If you  confuse
their minds, all is lost.
Speak in an animated manner, to excite
them, and keep them wide awake. Children
cannot endure a slow, sleepy, sing-song manner. They want brisk, active life. They are
all fire, and must be fought with fire.
A speech must be adapted to the class of
scholars you address. If they are from educated families, the remarks may be well polished, and what is termed refined. This class
will notice errors of style quicker than those
of statement. They are accustomed to believe
what is told them, nd are therefore more
credulous. In the mission gatherings of newsboys and the like, the speech must possess 
1 V uOUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
more originality and force, though less polish
is necessary.   These children  are  sharp  and
keen, accustomed to doubt everything, and
ever on their guard against fraud. They will
detect a weak spot in your statements more
readily than the children 9f luxury, though
defects in manner and diction  will be  disregarded.   City and  country children  will not
always understand the same illustrations.
A gentleman informed me that he one day
took a class of seven girls in a Mission
School in iNew  York city.  They were of German  parentage, and their  ages  ranged  from
fourteen  to  eighteen  years.   They  were  respectably dressed, could read pretty well, and
were tolerably intelligent for their station in
life. Yet not one in the class knew what a
mountain or a wave was.  They had lived all
their lives in the city, and, though they had
read  the  words  frequently,  and  pronounced
them perfectly, they were ignorant of their
170 
ON SPEAKING TO CHILDREN.           171
significations. They had not seen the mountain and wave, and therefore the knoweledge
of them had not been acquired. The words
being so simple, no teacher had explained
them.  Sea-side children will often be ignorant
concerning backwoods life, and inland children
will have  no  definite idea of  a ship.   It is
well to remember this in adapting illustrations
to the understanding of the audience.
In relation to the use of illustrations, I
would refer to the chapter entitled " To Teachers."
Speeches  should  be  brief.   Length  is not
strength.  Few persons can hold the attention
of children for more than ten minutes. Mere
attention on their part, or even their assertion
that they understand a subject, is not at all
reliable.  They will often stupidly listen, without interest or not grasping a single idea.
Ask them if they comprehend what is said,
and they will say "Yes."  Question them, and
you will say "No." 
172            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
It is very common to ask children questions
during the remarks, to keep their attention.
This is a good plan, though in some respects
dangerous, unless you are familiar with the
school. You may sometimes receive answers
not anticipated, which will probably alter the
effect you were intending to produce.
A gentleman was addressing the children of
a Mission School, in a very solemn manner,
and asked them what God fuirst made. A ragged
urchin, who  had not  a  due  regard  for propriety, shouted out, "Cats."  Whether the remainder of the address was impressive or not,
it is certain that it required serious effort to
preserve proper sobriety.
This is not quite so unfortunate as the experiences of a clergyman in Maine, who was
opposed to having any mirth in Sunday School.
He thought it injurious to all, and unnecessary
for the entertainment of the children.   H]e  offered to address the school, and show that 
ON SPEAKING TO CHILDREN.           173
they could be  well  entertained  seriously.   I
am credibly assured that the following dialogue
ensued:
" Children, I am going to tell you about
Peter. WVho knows who Peter was?"
No answer was made.
"Cannot  any one-those large girls-tell me
who Peter was?"
Still no reply.
"Can  any little  boy  or  girl in the school
tell me who Peter was?"
"I can," said a little fellow in the further
corner.
"Ah,  that's a good boy.   Now  you come
up on the platform by my side, and stand
up in this chair, and tell those large girls
who  Peter was."
Jimmy did as he was bid, and in the shrill
voice of childhood repeated:
"Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife and couldn't keep her, 
174            OUR SUNDAY SclaOOLS.
At this stage he was stopped, but not before
the full point was taken by the school, and
2lother Goose's poem appreciated.
It is dangerous asking questions of children.
They are what we Yankees call "cute," and
will often throw an inexperienced speaker into
confusion. Still, if one is sure of his audience,
or is so ready as to be able easily to turn
any mal  ad propos remark to account, it sometimes helps keep their attention to let them
do part of the talking.
No person has a right to make a stupid
address to children, if he can, by preparation
make a good one.   Whether it be  humorous
or  solemn,  it  must  be  good.   "A  solemn
nothing is as wicked as a witty nothing."
Every dry address is a positive injury to them,
ibr mankind are but too ready to connect
stupidity with religion.   There is usually but
little excuse for not interesting children, for,
while it may require superior and varied pow 
ON SPEAKING TO CHILDREN.          175
ers to blend instruction with entertainment,
to move on children's hearts so as to produce
a lasting effect, it is comparatively easy to
merely interest them. Almost any one who
has read or heard a good story, can retail
it to the children so as to please  them.   If
amateur speakers would be willing to be more
simple and attempt a less grand affair, they
would oftener succeed in interesting the audience. Whenever you see an appropriate story
in a paper, cut it out, and put it away for
future  use.   If you  hear an anecdote, write
down enough to recall it to you.  If you will
merely tell two or three stories, tending to
one moral, and  tell them  well, your  speech
will be voted a success, and be very likely
to do good. One who would draw from a
cask, must fill it. He who would present an
effective address, must first prepare it. It can
easily be done at odd times otherwise lostduring those spare moments which " are the
gold-dust of time." 
OUR SUNDAY SCIHOOLS.
Usually it is unwise to have the regular
lessons of the Sabbath School interfered with
by speeches.   It is particularly dangerous to
allow gentlemen to address the school whose
abilities you are unacquainted with. It breaks
into and effects the influence of the lesson.
Regularity is all-important in dealing with
numbers. The superintendent's own judgment
must determine when this rule shall be suspended.
Speakers must not count too much on doing
a vast deal of good all at once. They must
not be disgusted if they cannot move the
audience to tears.  It is not likely that they
will have many dating their conversion from
the day of the speaker's maiden effort. Stulldcay School workers must be willing to labor
without  any  present  reward.   This  is their
honor; it is for this that they deserve their
credit. They will see but little success, and
will often be discouraged.
176 
ON SPEAKIING TO CIIILDItEN.      177
We have read calculations of the number of
pounds weight of lead and iron in battle expended to kill each man, and have been astonished at the quantity wasted-utterly lost.
If it takes so much labor to kill a man, what
must be required to save him! Think of the
number of sermons preached, and the few conversions. What a list of apparently wasted sermons would be exhibited in a calculation of the
number delivered to each convert.   We  must
not count on doing much-that is, influencing
many. One of our shots may tell, and penetrating some  iron-clad heart,  compensate for
all the useless  ones.   But our guns are not
of heavy calibre, and we are inexperienced
artillerists.   We  will keep up  the fire, however, as long we have a round of ammunition
left and can reach the enemy.   But we must
not be disappointed if we merely check his
advance.  There are many "I!lerrimac" hearts
and but few " Ionitors" to meet them.   We 
178            OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
are to do our work, trusting to Providence
for its effect. "We are put here, not to date
God's works, but to prepare for their forthcoming." 
CHAPTER XI.
THE INFANT CLASS.
HE  infant class should be to the Sun         day School what  the Sunday  School
is to the church- a  preparation  for
something higher.   It is the nursery
where gentle encouragement and moral
pastime          inspire  a fondness  for religion.   But
little, save the most simple and general ideas
of right and wrong, can be taught. The great
ends to be attained are to instil habits of attention, attendance at school, and to provide
suitable Sunday entertainment with a very littl      e      instruction. I   sometimes  think  the  less
instruction by means of study, the betterfor children's brains are enough stimulated
during the week without the pressure of Sun                    179 
1SOU  ~    OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
day School.   I have never fancied infant phenomenons, as they are apt to ripen into adult
imbeciles.   Therefore, the class should be but
as a Sunday play-room with Sunday amusements.
There is a Scotch proverb, that "an ounce
of mother is worth a pound of preacher."  The
teacher must aim to assume the familiar nursery conversation and instruction of a faithful
parent.   The nearer he can come to this, the
more decided will be the success.
The scholars in this department should be
from three to six years old, or even older if
they cannot read. N'o one who reads with
any degree of fluency should be retained.
First and foremost, make the little ones
comfortable.   Don't  perch  them  up  on high
seats where their little legs and feet will
stick out straight like a yard-stick across a
counter.
If possible, have a separate room for this
class, where the seats can be adapted espe
ISO 
TIlE INFANT CLASS.            181
cially for them.   The  scats should be so inclined that all may be distinctly seen by the
teacher, and  each pupil  have the  same seat
firom week to week.   By  having them  arranged to suit the children, a large number can
be accommodated in a  very small space.   A
room sixteen by twenty-four feet, will seat 150
children.  Further directions for the  arrangement of the Infant Class room, will be found
in the chapter on " Sunday School Seats."
WAVe all talk about the importance of ventilation, scold at the universal negligence, and
then take but little trouble to remedy the
evil.   I have been into schools where  the air
was so foul, that, though I refrained from  the
expression of my feelings, I fear that I was
like the Dutch boy who was whipped because,
as his father said, "You tink vunl swear joost
so loud as you  can holler."   It is about  as
hard to inculcate purity in such an atmosphere, as to " do up" laces in Mississippi
181 
182           OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
river water; the more they are soaked, the
dirtier they become.
Having made their bodies comfortable, set
their minds at ease. Receive every new scholar
pleasantly and cordially, and make him feel
at home.   I had the misfortune once to overdo my suavity. A little girl came in, and I
put on my blandest smile to receive her, when
she began to cry. I was astonished, and was
astounded when she exclaimed to her mother,
who brought her:
".Ia! that  old  ugly man  is laughing at
me."
-    I  could never  make friends with her, and
cannot say that her criticism added to my
regret when a few weeks after she left the
school.   This  shows  the  importance  of first
impressions.
There should be both a gentleman and lady
superintendent for a large infant school. The
children will require almost the constant per. 
THE INFANT CLASS.             183
sonal attention of one, while the other is conducting the exercises. A gentleman and wife,
or brother and sister, will work well together.
Where it is feasible, it is pleasanter to
have all the school meet in the general room
for the opening exercises, as the music is improved by the greater volume of sound. The
infant class can sit together, and march out
to their own room as soon as the school is
opened.   Where this cannot be, and there is
merely a lady superintendent, some gentleman
should be present to conduct the opening devotions. Adults are often present as visitors,
and it is extremely disconcerting for a sensitive lady to offer a prayer before them. I
have always been opposed to any such publicity of conduct which tends to mar that exquisite modesty and refinement which is the
peculiar charm of woman. I have known ladies to refuse to take the infant class, lest
they should be subject to this embarrassment. 
184            ouR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
Where no gentleman can conveniently be spared, let the class with folded hands and bowed
heads, repeat the Lord's prayer.
A few verses should be read, and so explained as to convey a distinct and clear idcea
of their meaning -not necessarily all their
meaning,  but one clear idea.
A story is told of a worthy but uneducated
brother. who was conducting a prayer-meeting.
Not  having  previously  prepared  himself,  he
opened the Bible at random and commenced
to read. Unfortunately, the chapter contained
many hard words, which he blundered over,
until finally he was stopped by a huge polysyllable.   WVith perspiration upon his brow, he
hastily turned to another place, and said,
" Brethren, we will turn to an easier chap
ter."
Havte  a  care  that the  passages you  read
may  be  so simple that the children will not
be inclined to repeat this brother's remark. 
THE INFANT CLASS.             185
The wisest course of instruction is difficult
to determinle.  Almost any mode becomes stale
ill time, and it is perplexing to devise a sufficienlt variety in the programme to keep the
exercises fresh.   One  thing should be remembered-the  class  is to be  considered  a Sunday play-room rather  than a school.   American  children  have  enough stimulus  six days
of the w-eek.  SulndLay must be a day of rest.
Any  study or instruction  which  can be pursued without violating  this theory is  allowable, but do  not excite  the little ones so as
to put their brains into a ferment.
The greater part of the exercises will be
composed of music, to aid in which a small
melodeon  will be  a  great  acquisition.   The
children require no books, as they sing only
familiar  tunes.   Silng one  or two  verses every five or ten minutes,  and have the words
so simple that all can understand them.   They
need not be especially devotional in their char 
186            OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
acter, if they only inculcate the great comn.
mandments  on which  "hang the law and  the
prophets."
One of the most successful infant class
teachers in New-York, puts almost everything
into rhyme, and sings it, composing the words
on the spot, adapting  them to some  familiar
tune.   For  instance,  a boy is restless, and
finally manages to tumble off the seat, disturbing the whole school.   Instead of administering a scolding, or applying the popular
punishment of sitting the culprit down hard,
he scribbles off the following:
Johnny, keep upon the seat,
And do not tumble off,
For if you do, most truly you
Will make the children laugh.
(The reader is informed that this is the
author's first and only poem in print, therefore there is no danger of a new volume of
fugitive pieces.) 
TIE I'.\AXT CLASS.             187
The children sing it over two or three times,
laugh at it, and  are  careful for the  rest of
the clday.
The teacher must remember such young
children cannot  sit still for an hour.   If the
benches are so that the little ones can seat
themselves, and the aisles are conveniently
arranged, it is well to let them march  around
once or twice during the session, to rest them,
they singing some lively tune.  A little practice
in this way will have a good effect in teaching
them to move out of meetings without crowding and confusion.  All these little things are
worth  knowing, and  they  are  not, for them,
improper Sunday employments.
It is well to let the children learn verses
of  Scripture  during the  week,  to  recite  in
school. Care should be exercised not to stimulate those whose brains are already over-excited, but to repress those, while spurring on
the  indolent.  IHave  each  child  who  recites 
1 to           oUr, SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
rise  and  speak  in a distinct  voice.   Insist
upon this. HIave a word of commendation for
those who  do well, or  try to do  wel, while
those who will not exert themselves pass over
in silence.   The  thirst  for  praise  will  soon
lead them to reform.   After every few answers
make  some  very brief remarks,  to keep  the
attention of the school, or ask them all to
repeat a good text in concert, or ask some
question you are sure they can answer, or
tell a  story which  the text suggests.   These
remarks must be very brief, but a word or
two will keep  the  attention.   For  instance,
Eddie Kellogg says, " little children love one
another." You say:
Children, do you hear that?  Christ says,
'love one another.' I knew a boy once who
recited his verses in Sunday School, and as
soon as he got into the street he pulled off
a boy's cap and threw it over the fence.
Was this' loving one another?' No, of course
188 
TIIE INFANT CLASS.             18S
not.  Now  it is just these teasing things that
Christ Jesus tells you not to do.   Will you
remember this? Now, Willie, what good thing
have you to tell us?"
"Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it
holy."
" Oh  yes! that's very good.   I am going to
talk to  you about that  some  day.   Johnny,
have  you as good a text as Willie?"
Thus, for the sake of hearing what you
have to say, they will listen to the recitations.
Generally children prefer to recite  themselves
rather than to hear others, but they are always
ready to listen to stories from an adult.
It is unnecessary to have every child recite
its verse every Sunday.   Go  as  far  as  you
can, and( begin next week where you left off.
When  the time to close arrives, tell them you
are very sorry that more could not recite,
but if they will all come early next Sunday
you will try to commence sooner, so that more
can repeat their verses. 
190            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Picture teaching will also be found exceedingly effective. The pictures should be large
and well defined, so that all can easily see
them. Show not more than one each session,
lest  the  scholars  become  satiated.   Explain
the scene elaborately, with as much detail and
incidental anecdote as possible. So successful
is this course of instruction, that the Sunday
School Union have issued a sort of panorama
of pictures, so contrived that they can be
unrolled one at a time.   It is  an  excellent
contrivance.
At a recent lecture, ]Ir. R. G. Pardee, of
New-York,  gave  some  very  good  advice in
regard to teaching the infant class.   Healthy
children abhor quietude.   Perpetual motion is
their normal state.  All instruction should be
conducted in accordance with this law, and
suitable exercise should  accompany  all study,
or it will be irksome to them.
For instance, in reading the Bible, it will
be well to select such passages as Psalm cxv., 
THE INFANT CLASS.            191
verse 4:  "Their  idols  are  silver and gold,
the work of men's hands.  Tlhey have mouths,
but they speak not; eyes have they but they
see not; they have ears but they hear not;
noses have they, but they smell not," etc.
At the word eyes, let the children all touch
their eyes; at the word ears, touch their own;
at the word God, point above, and so on.
This will entertain them, keep their attention,
and they will learn the passage very quickly.
There are some little books published with
acting songs, which are very useful. As long
as you can keep up a variety of action among
the children, so long the exercises will not
become irksome to them.   I mean, of course,
during a reasonable time.
MIr. Pardee  thinks that  nearly all that is
told very small children is utterly lost.   We
can hardly realize how few words they understand.   The first few years they learn almost
entirely by sight, and therefore we must work 
19X   ~    OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
through this faculty.   He mentioned a school
where they had a number  of plaster casts, of
various subjects. Among others there was one
of a dog.  Hie inquired its use.
" Why,"  said the  superintendent, " that is
one of my most useful sermons.   That is Fido,
or the faithful. I illustrate the whole nature
of obedience, fidelity, love to his master, etc.,
by Fidclo's character. He preaches such sermons to their young minds, as I am unable
to. The children will often understand a story
about this  dog,  which  they  can  see,  when
they would hardly grasp a single idea without having the tangible object before themThere you see a pair of doves, with their
bills touching each other- not very beautiful
or natural,  but very useful.   I have  stopped
all pushing and punching among the scholars,
with  those  doves.   Their object  is to  teach
love and kindness to each other."
I am not in favor of giving out library
192 
THE  INFANT CLASS.
books to children  who  cannot  read.   Many
will be lost.   Those which are preserved will
cause  parents  the  trouble  of  looking  after
them. The parents, not the children, will return them.   The  children  will be obliged to
have some one read to them, if the books are
used at all, and parents or  friends  who will
take this trouble,  will, in this day of  cheap
publications, obtain books in other ways. As
a general rule, I have found parents opposed to
their  young  children  taking  books.   When
any parent  especially desires a book,  it can
be supplied from  thie general  library.   Much
time  will be  spent  in  supplying the books,
and, in vulgar parlance, they are " more bother
than they are worth."
If the school can afford it, it will be well
to give the  children  picture-cards or  papers.
One pretty caird or paper a month, as a gift,
will be more prized than a volume loaned.
There is no position in the Sunday School
193 
1 vJ4         OUR SU:,DAY SCIIOOLS.
more pleasant than the superintendence of
the infant class, for one who is successful.
The children are at Just the age when they
are easily managed, and full of childish origilnality. A volume might be filled with touching and amusing incidents of such children
Last winter, a little boy who was deaf, and
talked  only  as he  dlid  when  he  was  three
years old, with the peculiar devotional character so frequently found in such unfortunates,
had been praying every night for snow. At
last it came. As soon as he saw it, he rushed into his sister's room, shouting:
"I so very happy indeed.   All  up in the
sky work so  very  hard.   Papa  in the  sky,
(his name for God) brother John, little sister, all work so very hard indeed all night,
makling snow for Gorham," and he fell on
his knees exclaiming, "Thank you, Papa in
the sky, thank you for snow."
194 
CHAPTER XII.
THE BIBLE CLASS.
OLERIDGE  once remarked  that of all
vices,  adcl-vice  was the  worse.   Cer~~'~'tainly it is easier to proffer advice
~~   than to profit by;  to tell how  to act,
than  to  accomplish  one's  own  plans.
It is not with a spirit of fault-finding that I
speak of the room for improvement in the
Bible-Classes.   They  are  generally  well  conducted.    I  merely  detail  the  hints  I  have
ga'-hered  in  visitilng  many  schools,  and  suggestilng  such  addLitional  thillngTs  as may  telnd
to make the duties of the Biblc-class  teacher
easier and more successful.   A  teachler,  however, who merely follows the plans  "laid downl
in the books,"  will be  as  often  defeated as
would  a  general of like  habits.   Those  are
195 
196            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
successful who can originate new maanceuvres
for new exigencies, who have, what we term,
" genius," to step out of the beaten track,
wt'ere  a  new is better,  and  lead their class
through  fresh  scenes.   Yet  a care  must  be
exercised not to carry novelty so far as to
forget the grand object of the labors, viz.: to
save souls.
That many of our Sunday Schools are sadly lacking in adult Bible-classes, is not the
result of neglect deserving censure. Probably
no subject connected with the school has received more thought  or has been  surrounded
with more difficulties.    It is exceedingly  important that persons from fourteen to twenty
years  of  age, should  be  retained  in school,
yet how to keep a hold on them is perplexing.  Just at the most critical portion of their
lives, a feeling  of pride leads  them  to deem
the school a mere children's affair, unsuitable
for young men and young ladies. It is of no 
TmE BIBLE CLASS.             197
use openly to combat this pride, for opposition only develops it.
" He who wrestles with us, strengthens our
muscles."
We can only ignore it, work around it, and
undermine it. Frequently where a person has
one set, determined prejudice, he is so intent on
watching for a direct attack on his hobby,
that he will not notice an attempt to outflank
him, and may be bound hand and foot by an
approach in any direction save over that particular rampart of pride.
Dr. Todd, in his most admirable work, entitled the " Sabbath School Teacher," proposes
to have every scholar, who leaves the school,
given a certificate of honorable dismission. By
this means the superintendent can usually learn
who are intending to leave,. and why. Some
management and care, will ordinarily induce
those to remain, who only leave on account
of age.   I think this plan feasible. 
19 Ud      OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Sometimes adults can be induced to join a
Bible class if it is held separate from the
Sunday School; where no one can confound
them with the "children."  It is better to go
directly forward without this circumlocution
where we can; but he who attempts, under all
circumstances, to "walk straight onward, turning neither to the right nor the left," will be
likely to experience an unpleasant collision.
We must manceuvre to win souls if we cannot save them otherwise.
A friend was trout-fishing on the sides of
"Old Saddleback," a mountain in the interior
of Elaine, a hundred miles from the coast.
Supposing himself ten miles from any village,
and half as far from a house, he was surprised
by hearing the blows of an ax. Soon he came
to a small clearing, where the proprietor of
the ax surveyed him with some curiosity.
"Hallo, stranger! " said he.
"How  are you, sir?" 
198 
THE BIBLE CLASS.             199
" Well, now, stranger, where be ye from?"
" I'm from New-York."
"From  New-York!   Why,  I should  think
you'd hate to live so fur off."
Now, even though we may not believe that
we live d;rectly on the universal hub, still we
all have our pet prejudices and foolish pride,
which no argument can reason out of us.
There is no use of telling a boy how foolish
it is to be ashamed to go to Sunday School.
Humor his pride for a while, and let him attend what you call a "Bible History Circle."
As  soon as  he becomes  interested, his pride
on that point will evaporate.
In selecting a teacher, not always are the
most learned the best adapted to impart knowledge to the class.   I sometimes think that a
person but a few degrees above the class in
culture- if a growing man- is about as likely to be successful as any, for the reason
that, being near their own standard, he is 
200            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
interested in about the same things as his
pupils,  and  understands  their  calibre.    He
must have some tact in managing to avoid
the appearance of a school-master's authority,
so as not to frighten them away by the fancy that  they are treated  like  children.   lie
must understand what the " Country Parson"
calls the "Art of putting things."
In gathering a Bible Class, be careful, as
far as possible, to have all of the same general
turn of mind together-that is, those who can
all be interested in the same subject.   Some
are mathematical and precise, wishing the doctrines of the Gospels demonstrated. They are
lovers of creeds and denominationalism, placing much importance on the literal observance
of a literal translation.  They delight, so  to
speak, in the exquisite mechanism of the Gospel.   They  admire  the symmetrical  order  of
the "plan of salvation," and are never tired
of examining and discussing its completeness. 
TiE BIBLE CLASS.              201
Others go to the opposite extreme, and while
they admit that some attention to creeds and
doctrines is necessary, yet they are not to
them pleasing studies. They are as dry husks.
The  life and character of Christ, his promises
of love and assurances of care, supply food
for their minds. They are emotional, and desire to  be  affected through  the heart  rather
than the intellect.   Perhaps these  exhibitions
of truth produce similar effects in minds differently constituted: the one influenced by demonstration, and the other by illustration.
Whether the ultimate effect in the two dispositions is or is not the same, the modes of
operating are so antagonistic that they cannot be  blended.   It  would  not  be  well  to
unite in  a  select social circle of Hoods  and
Jerrolds a certain lady who  could  not appreciate a facetious  remark.   Her husband  once
remarked to her with some vexation:
"Why,  wife,  I don't believe you'd take  a 
202            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
joke if it was pitched at you from a fifteeninch Dahlgren!"
" Now,  John,  how foolish,"  said she, with
charming simplicity, "you know they can't fire
jokes from a gun."
I do not object to a certain degree of diversity of opinion in regard to facts and conclusions. It is necessary to give spice to the
exercises.   I would not repress them, except
when they are of such a character as to prevent  a  common  interest.   I would not have
the mathematical, cold and calculating, united
with the poetic, warm, emotional. Both would
be dissatisfied, and unable to blend.   I have
known of classes being wrecked on this rock
of internal discord. They could not agree in
any course of study.   There must  be harmony in all important chords, though there may
be accidentals and musical discords introduced
for effect.
I have in my mind now a class that con 
THE BIBLE CLASS.              203
tains eight young men from fifteen to eighteen
years of age.   Three of them  are wild as unbroken colts, and care about as much for religion.   They just tolerate the school, but will
not listen to any serious conversation. They
will not study the lesson or make any prepartion. Two are indifferent but respectful. They
could, possibly, be interested by a competent
teacher in the pure Bible  study.   Three  are
serious, studious,  and  longing to  learn more
of the Bible- one almost persuaded to become
a Christian, ripe, waiting only to be  picked.
This class  is paralyzed.   A  teacher -that
is, nine hundred and ninety-nine out of a thousand - cannot interest all by the same course
of instruction.   For the wild ones, he has to
deal in anecdote and pleasing illustration to
keep their attention, while the three furthest
advanced receive comparatively little benefitthey have  grown beyond  that  stage.   If he
attempts to satisfy the cravings of the advanc                                    ~. 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ed ones, the others are restless and dissatis fied.   It is like feeding a new-born babe with
roast-beef and plum-pudding. They can't bear
it.  It is impossible for any ordinary teacher
to benefit in any great degree either portion
of the class when  united.   He  merely enter tains the advanced, or drives away the back ward.  This  is entirely owing  to the want of
classification, and ten minutes attention of the
superintendent in removing one or the other
portion of the class, would probably result in
the conversion of one and moral improvement
of the  others.   Classification  is  one  of  the
most important duties of the superintendent.
Where a class starts uninterested and care  less, attending merely because they are sent
by their parents, I would advise that, for a
time at least, they should not be required
to commit any lesson; perhaps it would be
well merely to request that the lesson be
read over during the week.   Ask each  pupil
' *    *.:.
204 
THE BIBLE CLASS.              205
individually every Sabbath, if he has done
this, as the personal question has great influence. I would make the lesson somewhat of
a moral lecture, illustrated with anecdotes and
incidents- which any good weekly religious
paper will supply.   Strive, however, in every
possible way to induce the pupils to express
their own views in their own language.   One
has a clearer idea of a subject when he has
expressed that idea to another. Ask questions,
start objections- often so simple that the
least cultured can detect their fallacy- and
thus  inspire  discussion.   Evade  giving  your
own opinion until you can obtain the sentiment of all in the class. Never tell a pupil
what you can induce the pupil to tell you.
Perhaps a real example will best show my
meaning on this  point.   At  a very  skilfully
conducted Bible class, the subject of Christ
driving the money changers out of the temple
came up.   The  teacher  asked  of  each  his 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
opinion  as  to  what  the  "scourge of  small
cords" was, and how Christ obtained it, etc.
One thought  literally that it was  a kind  of
whip or cat-o'-nine tails, which he had brought
on  purpose.   Another  thought  that  it  was
merely something that he had taken from the
ground to use as a sort of wand, and he did
not actually apply it to the backs of the flee
ing  brokers.   Another  thought  it  a  rope,
which he used veritably and with success.
Another amplified, by stating that as the cattle brought for burnt offerings were in the
temple, some pieces of rope used in fastening
them were lying around, one of which Jesus
picked up to give emphasis to his commands.
Thus they got inquiring into the matter, each
hunting  up corroborative  passages, discussing
the evidences of its being a miracle, etc., and
occupied profitably and entertainingly nearly
the whole hour over that one passage.
Sometimes it is well to illustrate the les
206 
THE BIBLE CLASS.              207
son with any curiosities you  may  be able to
obtain relating to Bible matters, such as idols,
coins, papyrus rolls, relics from ancient cities,
etc. Do anything of this nature to make the
lesson interesting, for without interest nothing
can be accomplished.
As  a general  rule  perhaps  it  is  a better
plan not to require much to be committed to
memory, but to have the time spent in studying into  the  meaning  and  teachings of  the
lesson, its parallel statements, history, effects,
etc. I say perhaps, for it is a mooted question, upon which I am not at all satisfied.
There are many advantages in having the
mind stored with Scripture texts, and yet it
is more entertaining to study into the character rather, than to commit  the words.   This
point, individual experience must decide.
When practicable, in cases where a class is
truly interested and desirous to learn, it is
well for each pupil to have a commentary. 
208            OUR SUNDAY SCIIOOLS.
For instance, a class of eight have respective
ly Clarke's, Scott's, and Olshausen's commentaries,  Kitto's,  Barnes's,   Alexander's,   and
Hodge's notes, and  the  Annotated  Paragraph
Bible, by the London Religious Tract Society,
(republished by Sheldon & Co., New York.) It
will be even better to have two pupils to examine each volume, so that double the number of scholars  can be  supplied.   Study the
lesson in the  class, each  number  giving the
opinion of his commentator on the obscure
passages. This will prove a very entertaining
and instructive exercise, and affords ample
scope for te teacher's ability, in explaining
many little things which no commentary will
treat of, and in summing up the testimony of
all. This will be a somewhat expensive plan,
as commentaries  are  costly.   The  " Notes"
and the  "Annotated Bible"  are cheap, however; and those not thus supplied, could have
Bibles to turn to the reference passages. On 
TIHE BIBLE CLASS.            209
the  whole,  I think this to be the most sure
of success and easy of accomplishment of any
plan I know.
There was a class of ladies connected with
the late church of Dr. Scott, in New Orleans,
on somewhat the same plan, which was conducted  by  M1r. M., a lawyer  of  that city.
The lesson was usually the history of some
Bible personage, and its relations to the truths
and doctrines of the Bible. Each pupil would
study the lesson at home, with some commentary, and at the class would be  questioned as to the facts or teachings. These would,
of course, usually be answered according to
the  opinion  of  their  commentator.   Those
having  different  views  would  suggest  their
opinions, until the sentiment of the class was
obtained.  The teacher, with adroit skill, would
draw out as much  as possible  the individual
thought and belief.   The success of the plan
in interesting the class, is shown by the fact 
21             OUR SUN,DAY SCIOOLS.
that, while it commenced with nine ladies, it
increased during the season to ninety-three,
and contained all ages, from seventeen to
seventy.   It was  found  inconvenient to hold
the class on Sunday, and it was transferred to,
and continued on Friday afternoons, the session lasting two hours.
Occasionally it may be well to let the class
prepare written essays on certain subjects,
such as the Sunday question, use of wine,
theatre-going, etc., in which they can express
their views, and the reasons therefor. But endeavor to discourage all cant and meaningless
expressions, so often introduced by young people, because they have heard others do so.
Lead  them to  debate  religious  matters in a
manly, direct, forcible way, as they would
political economy, without interspersing it with
pious sniffles, to conceal their lack of force.
Then, let the class discuss the essay, and
decide whether the views of the writer are 
THE BIBLE CLASS.
correct.   The teacher  should, at the close of
the session, state his own opinion, and  strive
to impress it upon the hearts of the pupils.
No  matter how much  life and vivacity there
may be during the exercises and there should
be much- the general tone and influence of
the lesson, particularly at the close, should
be impressive and subduing.
There is another little plan for interesting
the class.   Hlave a place where  any member
of the class can drop a written question.
For instance, each young man writes one, of
such a character as, "Do you think the'latter days'  are  near  at  hand?"   " Are  the
present American troubles foretold in prophecy?"   "Is  it ever  right  for  a  non-church
member  to  partake  of  the sacrament?"  or
perhaps they may be of a personal character,
intended merely for the teacher's eye, speaking
of  private doubts  and  trouble.    Either  the
pupils can each select a question - the author
211 
212             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ship unknown - to answer in a three-minute
essay, or  the  teacher  may  reply to  such of
them as are worthy, before the class or to the
writer privately, as may seem best.   It is not
necessary that the pupils should be competent
to write these replies If they are competent
to try, it is sufficient. The object is to induce
study, and inspire interest, not to prepare articles for the press.*
I think many parents are not sufficiently inclined to urge the attendance of their older
children upon the Bible Class. They seldom
visit the school, usually speak of it as a very
nice children's affair, which saves them some
trouble in educating their boys  and girls, and
in every possible way treat it as beneath the
*Since this plan was suggested in a religious paper, I
have learned of its having been adopted in several classes
with  marked  success.   Ladies, particularly,  who  were
timid about arguing points, have been ready to defend
or assail theories, with their pen, and thus, finally, have
been led to express their views viva voce. 
TiE BIBLE CLASS.              213
serious attention of adults.   Of course, as the
children  grow  into  long  dresses  and  frock
coats, they follow their parents' example.   It
is difficult to secure cheerful obedience when
we say, " Go and do," but easy when we
beckon,  "Come  with me."
Parents, it is hard for the superintendent
and teachers to do all the work for your children alone, when you, by your example, hold
them  back.   They  ask  not  much  from  you.
They ask merely that you will lend your influence in their attempts to bring your family,
unbroken, safely to their home in heaven. They
ask of you, 0 father, merely that you will
help them restore to you in paradise, the
mischievous little curly head you are now
stroking. They ask of you, 0, mother, merely that you will help them secure to you,
your manlly, bright-eyed, youngest boy, that
you love unLtil tears almost rise at the intensi 
OURI SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
ty of your affection.   Do they ask too much?
It is your children they would save.
"A mother's love may prove a snare:
The child she loves so well
Her hand may lead with gentlest care,
Down the steep road to Hell."
214 
CHAPTER XIII.
SUNDAY SCHOOL SEATS.
VERY important feature in the Sunday
School  is  a  suitable  form  of seat.
~ l uInch of the restlessness of children
is  occasioned  by  the   uncomfortable
position in which they are placed.
Creature comfort is, after all, very desirable,
and it is impossible to expect the mind to be
at ease, while the body is suffering.
Where the school is held in the church, of
course no alteration of the seats can be made.
If it meets in the lecture-room, where there
are benches or pews, I would have broad,
heavy crickets running the whole length of
the pew, and forming as it were a false floor.
These should be graduated in height to ac                     215 
216            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
commodate the size of the pupils in each
class. Two of the larger boys will remove
them after school, so that they need not interfere with the use of the room lby adults.
Where  the lecture-room has not yet been finished, I would recommend that the seat, which,
not knowing any other name, I shall designate  the "Booth  seat,"  be  introduced.   By
these seats nearly as many can be seated as
by pews, and the room is admirably adapted
to the Sunday School. Full directions in regard  to  this seat are given in a few pages
later.
One other, and common form for vestrys,
is to have the backs of the seats reversible,
like those of the railroad cars, so that in the
Sunday School two seats may be caused to
face each other.   This accommodates the class
very well, although half of the school have to
sit  with  their  backs  to  the  superintendent,
which is, of course, undesirable. 
SUNDAY SCHOOL SEATS.            217
M3any buildings, however, are now being erected fcr the exclusive use of the Sunday School,
and in these, regard can be paid to the peculiar  object to  which  it is devoted.  There
seem to be three points to be considered:
1st. An economical seat. 2d. A seat which
shall accommodate the pupils with the utmost
saving of room, and, 3d. A seat which shall
enable all to see the superintendent, and yet
allow each class to face, and be within reach
of, the teacher.
The most common form, is the semi-circle.
These seats are made of various degrees of
the arch.   They  are being gradually lessened
in curve, to avoid causing the pupils to twist
their backs or necks, in facing the superintendent. The Lee-Avenue school, of Brooklyn,
has probably succeeded, as near as is possible,
with these seats, in attaining the true porportions.
The engraving on page 223 shows the general
form. 
218            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
The inside circumference of the seat is ten
feet.   Depth of arch from the chord, two feet
eight inches.   Height  of seat fifteen  and a
half inches.   Breadth of seat ten and a half
inches.   Height  of back fifteen inches,  with
two  back  rails.   These  seats  can  probably
be packed more advantageously in saving
room than any others possessing similar advantages.   Mr. Johnson,  the  superintendent  of
the Lee-Avenue school, has given considerable
attention to the subject, and prefers these to
any yet introduced.   His seats are very expensively made of black walnut.   Of  course,
it is only the form of the seat which it will
be necessary to imitate.
There is another, comparatively new seat
which is growing very popular. It was designed by Mr. Samuel Booth, superintendent
of the Hanson Place Methodist Sunday School,
Brooklyn, where it is introduced. This is one
of the largest and best appointed schools in 
SUN\-PAY SCIOOL SEATS.
our country, having a membership of over
eight hundred scholars.
THE BOOTH  SEAT.
The above cut gives an accurate view of
the form of the seats.   They have also been
introduced into the Plymouth Church Sunday
School, and its superintendent, MIr. George A.
Bell, speaks in the highest terms of them.
Their  dimensions  are  as  follows:   Height
of seat sixteen  and  a  half inches.   (This
height  is for the lcerge class  seats.)  Height
of back fourteen inches, with only one rail
to the back.   Breadth of seat twelve inches.
219 
''220          OU'R SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The seat is made of a two inch plank, with
half an inch hollowed out of the rear of the
seat, and gradually rising towards the front,
as in the diagram on page 223,which adds greatly
to its comfort.
These benches will accommodate seven boys,
and occupy a space six feet four inches by four
feet two inches; one can calculate that he can
seat seven scholars in every thirty-one square
feet in his school.   This  estimate allows  also
for the aisles.
The features of,-1st. proximity of teachers
and pupils; 2d. ability of all to face the superintendent,  and  3d. reasonable  economy in
room, seem to be thoroughly met by this bench.
Care must, however,  be  exercised  in  placing
the  seats, not allowing two classes to sit back
to back, as thus all the advantages of this seat
will be lost.  The superintelndent's desk should
be the point of sight to which all should tend.
Usually it is well to have an aisle in the centre
of the room, and the seats radiate from it. 
SUNDAY SCIIOOL S,EATS.         221
In  both  the  Lee-Avenue,  and  the  Booth
seats, under one end there is a neat little
locker, large  enough to hold  the Bibles  and
llymnl books,  &c., of the class.   It is well to
have a shelf divide  the  interior into an upper and lower apartment. In both these seats,
the teacher occupies a chair, facing the class,
in such a position that he can touch each
pupil without moving his position.
Mr. Booth  strongly condemns  tight  board
backs to seats for small children, as the spinal
column, that position of the body most sensitive to  atmospheric changes, becomes heated.
It perspires, and when suddenly exposed to
the cool air out of doors, is apt to produce
serious  consequences.   The back should be a
single rail  constructed  as  lightly as is consistent with strength, and if placed in exactly
the right position, will prove as comfortable
a support as any.   In  the. arrangement of a
room, everything should be as light and open
221 
222             OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
as possible.   In painting, a light graining is
preferable.   Dark  colors,  and  everything like
monastic gloom, should be avoided.
He thinks that two and a half feet in width
for the centre, and two feet for the side
aisles, is enough, where there is an aisle for
each tier of benches. This will allow sufficient
space for the children to pass out by single
file, and certainly it is better to have several
narrow,  than  one  broad  aisle.   Of  course,
where there is sufficient room, more space is
preferable.
For the teachers, some kind of a chair is
desirable.    In  the   Lee-Avenue  School  the
chair is fastened to an iron pedestal secured
to the floor.   The  top, an  arm  chair, turns
on a pivot, so that the teacher can face the
superintendent, or the class. Where ordinary
chairs are used, and the floor of the room  is
uncarpeted, it is well to glue a thin piece of
India  rubber  on  to  the  bottom of the legs.
This will prevent much noise in moving them. 
223
Ir 12in.!
LOCKER 
F BOR:
3  BOOKS. l
:~3 i
i
SECTIONAL VIEW OF TIlE BOOTH SEAT.
_l~             -j
THE SEMII-CIRCLE SEAT. 
224
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SUNDAY SCHOOL SEATS.
INFANT CLASS SEATS.
The only infant class room I have seen
which exactly suited me, is that of the Hanson  Place  Methodist  Sabbath  School.    In
beauty, arrangement, ventilation and yet simplicity, it is apparently perfect.   As I am unable to detect an inconvenience or suggest an
improvement, I shall merely give a plan  and
description of it.
It will be seen that it is in the form of a
theatre.   The  first  form  is  raised  sixteen
inches from the floor, so that the children are
not required to tire their necks in looking up
at the teacher. From this each tier rises just
enough, (say six inches) to allow those in
the rear to see over the heads of those in
front.   The following sectional view will give
the dimensions necessary for constructing them.
Where the theatre form cannot be used, the
same style and size of bench will be applicable
to the straight line of seats.
225 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
1st~e~p.9~    1 3
13
102 1
12
_  L FLOOR
SECTIONAL VIEW OF INFANT CLASS SEATS.
The figures on the plan show the dimensions
in inches.
If the back of the seat is hollowed out, as
described in the Booth seat, it will very much
add to their comfort. Where a special room
cannot be devoted to the infant class, be sure
and have some arrangement of crickets like
that descibed in the first part of this chapter.
It is impossible to have a sucessful infant class
unless the children are made comfortable.
226
3: 
CHAPTER XIV.
STRAY HINTS.
IAN  has a locomotive engine which is
finely finished, and  securely housed.
Now and then he oils it, and paints it,
and rubs up the brasses until they shine
again.  Once or twice a year he takes
it from its shed, and lets it run for a few
miles. But the pistons have not worn smooth,
while the axles are yet rough, and the rust,
in spite of all his attention, has formed in unnoticed crevices, and the machine is rheumatic
and stiff. It does not run easily.
Supposing the owner comes to you with
groans and sighs, asking what more he can do
to his engine to make it run? He has watched
227 
228            OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
over it with tender solicitude; never let it out
on a damp day, and never after dark; but still
it will not run as fast as the old, travel-stain ed public engines. You would tell him to run
his engine in fair weather and foul, and it will
work itself into good condition without further
trouble on his part.
Now many young Christians are like such
engines. They are stiff and rusty. They are
much  prayed  over-which  is good,  and  at
which I do not cast a slur; but they are not
worked enough to keep their moral joints in
order. There are more swords that rust out,
than are broken in the strife of battle. There
are many young converts who are stunted by
lack of healthy exercise. The Sunday school
is just the course for them to run on, to acquire this moral strength.
The Sunday school should be used more as
a gymnasium for the development of moral
muscle among the young. One reason why in 
STRAY HINTS.               2Y
great revivals so many backslide, is that they
are received into the church with considerable
commotion,  amidst  many  prayers,  and some
excitement. Then, among the multitude, some
are forgotten. But little care or attention is
given them, and they suffer a relapse. The
physician's work is not over when he pronounces his fever patient out of danger. The hours
of convalescence are fraught with peril. An
unnoticed draught, or too long visit from a
friend, or a sudden excitement, may undo all
the good. So a young convert must be carefully watched. He must have tender nursing,
nutritious food, and gentle exercise, to acquire
health.  He must do samething, and in this way
" work out his own salvation."
The  widow's cruse is still in existence.  No
one can try to benefit his fellow-men without
receiving tenfold more than he gave- though
not from man. A faithful teacher in the Sunday So hool learns more than he imparts. 
230            ouR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The Sunday School, therefore, is exactly the
place in whichi to put people to work. Chris tians should see that its vast benefits in this
respect are secured for the improvement of the
church. Start the young men either as students
in Bible classes or as teachers. If as students,
let them occasionally lead in prayer, or have
some active duties, in visiting the scholars or
in gathering in pupils. If they are competent,
give them a class. Let them feel the re sponsibility of their position as teachers. Urge
them to attend all the meetings, that they may
be surrounded by a religious atmosphere. As
in spring-time tender plants are started under
cover, surrounded by glass  and warmth, until
they are strong enough to endure the chance
frosts of out-door existence; so the young convert should be encouraged, shielded, and
strengthened by all the power of the church
until he can withstand the temptations of
daily life. This is the object of the church
organization. 
STRAY HINTS.               231
Thus the church and the school are one,
and should be more clearly united in the
minds of the congregation. The school is not
a parasite, but an  important  member.   The
church-members should be kept informed of the
condition of the school, and assume the responsibility of it. This is not a useless truism,
for it is seldom that the congregation visit the
school to see how it is conducted. Parents
frequently - even generally - send their children year after year, without putting foot into
the school to see what or how they are taught.
A story went the rounds of the papers some
years ago, of a man who was raising a pair of
colts.  HIe boarded them at a farmer's, some
two miles distant, who was charged to take
the best of care of them, as they were of a
fine breed, and if properly trained would make
a valuable span. Every week the owner drove
around to see that they were well cared for,
and often took friends with him to show them
what a magnificent span he would soon have.
231 
23L   ~    OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOL.
This gentleman was the father of two bright
boys, whom he sent to school for two years
within half a mile of his house.  But he had
never sufficient time to call at the school, had
never conversed with the teacher concerning
them, and, indeed, was entirely  ignorant  of
his children's course of instruction.
HIow many readers have done better in regard to their children at the Sunday School?
We all neglect our duties, but have a vague
i'dea that others do better. Pastors should
force the Sunday School on the attention of the
church. HIave parents and friends frequently
invited from the pulpit to attend as spectators.
Preach upon it, use it in illustrations, and
show that it is not an inferior, but merely a
different branch of the church.
John Wesley, who established many Sunday
Schools in his day, wrote in his diary July
18, 1784, " I find these schools springing up
wherever I go. Perhaps God may have a
232 
STRAY HINTS.               233
deeper end therein than men are aware of.
Who knows but some of these schools may become nurseries for children?"
They have long outstripped Wesley's fondest
dreams,  and are  yet  but  in  their  infancy.
Those  who  have given their attention to  the
subject are fast becoming convinced that Godcl's
plans with them  are far beyond what has been
conceived. They have already begun to be the
parents of churches,  instead of the  offspring.
If the salvation of the world is to be attained
chiefly by any one agency, the Sunday School
is the strongest arm yet raised for its accomplishment.
Hence, what are the duties of the church to
the Sunday School? What present difficulties
can she alleviate?
In the first place, there should be a more
systematic provision for the pecuniary  wants
of the school. The minister's salary is definitely set, and, theoretically at least, properly 
23~4        OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL.
raised. The music has a certain sum appropriated for it, and the sexton knows what he is
to receive. But the Sunday School is an unprovided-for child, only too frequently cut off
with a shilling.   Let it be treated as a dutiful
child should be, and in the amount to be raised for the year, let its necessities be consideredl. Appropriate what the school will require, or what the church can give. if it is
only one dollar that can be spared, appropriate it, and let the superintendent and teachers be allowed to decide how it shall be expended. Thus they will feel that they are not
forgotten. In most churches, after long waiting, the teachers, with great humility, as
though asking a personal gift, sue for a collection.
"Touch a man's pocket, and you prick his heart."
Teachers know that the collection yields
about half enough to pay existing debts, and
they have to supply the deficiency. Teachers
234 
STRAY HINTS.               235
are not usually from the wealthier part of
the congregation, yet they ordinarily have to
support the school. It is a shame that the
efficiency of our schools should so often be
cramped for want of means. Let the heathen
go barefooted a little longer, if necessary,
that the Christian heathen may be taught at
least morality. You who are piously praying
for the Sunday School, and the spread of the
Gospel, see to it that your right hand seconds your prayers. We find in " Life-Thoughts"
that
"It is not well to pray cream, and live skim milk."
It is well to have a semi-annual Sunday
School meeting, at which a report from  the
school will be presented to the church. It
keeps up an interest in the school, inspires
anew the teachers, and shows the children
that the church really takes a thought for
their prosperity.
235 
236            OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOL.
In large and wealthy churches, I am inclined to think it would be wise  to have the
entire services of a competent man as superintendent,  or  rather  as  children's pastorpaying him, if necessary, a suitable salary.
The minister would find him a most useful
colleague, and the labors of an energetic man
could be well employed in attendilng to the duties of a city school.
Last  Sunday  I visited  a school  in  New
York, where the superintendent told me that
for seven years, at every communion Sabbath
but  one,  there  had  been  members  of the
school who united with the church. Once
there were twenty-four, and frequently there
were seven  and eight.  How  many ministers
have been as highly blessed? This glorious
result is due, under God, to the superintendent. HIis piety, zeal, and ability in gathering, interesting, and instructing the young,
and his  skill in  selecting  teachers  and  in 
STRAY IIINTS.               337
spiring them to persevere, have made him
God's instrument in accomplishing the work.
IMe accepts no teachers who will not pledge
themselves to attend the teachers' meetings.
I-Ie interests  the  church  in the  schlool, and
makes  them  co-workers.   Such  a course  requires force of character, skill, labor, and
time.  Few  can devote so much  attention to
the object gratuitously, and consequently the
fruits are proportionately less.  This matter is
worthy of serious consideration.
In  this  connection  a  few  words  on  the
tenure  of the  superintendent's office may  be
useful.  It is not unfrequent that some  very
noble man, but inefficient administrator, holds
some responsible office in the school. I-Ie may
not realize his imperfections sufficiently to resign at the  proper  time;  for, as  has  been
observed,  "resignation  is  not a common virtue of office holders." It would break his
heart to be ejected, and probably lead to a 
2,S            OUr SUI,AY SC-IIOOL.
church quarrel of years  dLuratioti.  No  one is
willing to incur  the odium  of opening  hostilities, and therefore the matter goes on,
the interest of the school suffering according
ly.
The school should be an organized society,
with  its constitution  and  by-laws.  All  the
offices should be filled for merely one year.
No officer should be elected for the same
post for a second term, on less than a twothird vote, and should not be elected for more
than  five  successive  terms.  After  one  has
been in such an  office for five years, he is
very apt to have constructed, as it were, a
railroad of conduct  on which  he  runs  with
unvarying  sameness.   A   year's recess  will
grie tie  i alnd  opportunity to  look  up  new
plans  and  improvements,  and  to  see  the
workingi  of his  successor's  method.  I think
this a very important matter,  as  it is often
only in some such way, that a faithful but 
STPRAY HIIINTS.            23
injudicious officer, can be laid aside or trans ferred to a more appropriate position, and
only by this yearly election, that a really
able officer can be assured of his popularity.
All schools should be Mlission Schools,
where the poor and rich meet together. A
celebrated  New  York  school  has  the  poor
children meet in a separate room.  It is so
skilfully managed that the school do not realize it, but the system is bad. This is obvious. It is not necessary for a mistress
and her maid to be in the same class, but
each should hold an equal position in the
school.
Sunday School duties do not cease with the
Sabbath any more than do the pastoral obligations.   Keep  a  careful  watch  over  the
scholars during the week. I have known of
teachers who  made their  exercises  so  interesting that they were able to draw together
the class on Wednesday evening.  Sometimes
239 
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL
one can collect a class on a week-day which
cannot  be  gathered  on  Sunday.   Keep   a
watch for such opportunities. The harder you
work, the more interested  you  will become,
and the easier will be the labor.
A visitor should at once be made to feel at
home, and urged to attend frequently. This,
however, is so universally done, that it does
not require enlarging upon.  I have found that
in a Mission School, a good way to inculcate
habits of politeness, is to appoint one of the
larger boys as an usher, to escort visitors to
their seats, and supply them with singing
books. The usher is considered and treated
as one of the officers of the school. It may
be well to observe the "rule of rotation in
office."
In these days of hurry and bustle, when
books of advice have to be written with al.
most telegraphic terseness, if they are to be
240 
STRAY nirNTS.              24t
read, it is impossible to devote much space
to discussing contested points of policy. In
this series of essays I have given merely what
has seemed to me, to be the best  course to
pulrsue. I have received many letters, some
opposing my views.   As  I  carefully  review
these pages for publication, I do not see the
necessity of any essential modifications.  They
are  but  the  guide  which  controls my  own
course of conduct week after week in the management of my  iIission School, and  so  far,
I have founld them  sufficient.  Still, they are
but a single individual's opinion, from  which
each reader can accept or reject what seems
best.
If I  can but induce teachers  to  expend
more thought and labor in preparing for their
classes; if I can remind them not to neglect
their pupils during the  week;  if I can help
them over a few rough places, or bestow a
little encouragement where before was despondency, I shall be satisfied. 
OUR SUNDAY SCHIIOOLS.
And you, parents, who are relying so much
on the Sunday School for the moral culture
of your children, help its prosperity by your
own exertions in influence, labor, and money,
and thus hasten that glad day when  " They shall teach no more every man his
neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know  the Lord, for they shall all know  me
from the least of them to the greatest of
them."
242 
I ND EX.
ABSENCE, Injurious results of,..........................  19
ADAMS, (Rev. J. L.) labors o f,...................... 16
ADDRESSES, how long they should be...................113
character of....................................117
criticism on.................................... 1 6 4
directions for,............................... 166
errors of,....................................... 167
adaptation of,.................................... 169
brevity in,.....................................1 7 1
asking questions in,.............................. 172
easy to acquire ability to make....................174
injury of stupid.................................174
AISLES, dimensions of the.........................222
ANECVOTES, "culture of great men,".................. 9
of Rev. J. L. Adams..........................1....1
" Mike and his kettle,".......................... 19
of a New York school............................23
of mission school,................................ 38
"the quaker and the organ,"..................... 53
of Texas boys,................................. 57 
INDrEX.
ANECDOTE (continued) of the child's Sunday............. 59
"Dr. Bellamy on fishing,"....................... 84
of Hlaydn...................................i 115
of MIr. 3iI.'s speech.......................... 117
"stone Gals,"...................................126
"the woman's rights meeting,"...................134
of 11ev. Dr. L,.................................136
"who made you ".............................. 146
Susie's criticism "........................... 163
"synonym of synopsis,"...................... 167
of cats.........................................172
"who was Peter?"..............................173
"the easier chapter,"............................... 184
"thank you for snow,"..................... 194
"Fur off,"......................................199
"shooting jokes,"...............................201
ATTENTION, how to gain the, of the class............... 65
ATTRACTIONS, v:-rious................................. 26
BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, formation of................110
BIBLE CLASSES, chapter on,.............................. 195
lack of adult.....................................196
how to secure,...................................197
teachers for the,.................................199
classification of the..............................200
divers modes of instructing....................... 203
BOOKS. See "LIBRARIES."
CATALOGUE of books...................................101
CATECHU3IENS, the..................................... 10
CHARITIES, how to award........................110
244 
CHILDREN, treatment of degraded......................62
our duty towards...............................82
on making them happy,......................... 120
how to quiet small................................ 131
CHOIR, formation of the children's...................81
CHuRCH, how to interest the, in the school,...........107
duties of the, towards the school,...............233
Cuss Booes, use of,.................I..............47
CLASSES, arrangement of,.............................. 46
size o    f.........................................47
chapter on....................................59
two kinds of.....................................60
use of question books in the.....................69
a mode of entertaining the....................... 70
what to teach the............................... 71
how to admit pupils to the......................72
SEE ALSO " INFANT CLASS."
CLASSIFICATION of the Bible class........................ 200
COMIME,NTARIES, use of, in Bible clasees,................208
CONTRInUTIONS, those of the children....................108
best mode of using the............................ 109
how to stimulate,.................................. 109
vague idea of the children concerning............. 111
DI)SCIPLINE, requisite.................................. 40
the Superintendent's duty,..................... 41
chapter on...................................... 141
theory of.......................................142
corporial punishment.............................144
power of love in,.................................147
INDEX.
245 
246                     INDEX.
DISCIPLINE, (continued) the "Legion oIHonor,"......... 154
how to cure the sulks,............................. 159
the poetical,.....................................186
I)ISCOURAGEIEMENT, concerning teacher's................... 119
no necessity for,................................ 137
DOCTRINAL POINTS, on teaching,......................... 137
DOORKEEPER, necessity of a............................ 57
ENTERTAINMENT, when to attempt....................... 66
EssAys, use of, in the Bible class,......................... 10
EXAMPLE, power of....................................135
power of........................................ 213
EXERCISES, order of.................................... 54
in infant class...................................185
EXHIBITION, that of the magic lantern,..................  26
FESTIVAL, the gingerbread............................. 22
FORMS, for library boards,............................. 95
for library cards,..................................98
for teachers' reports.............................158
GERMANY, first schools in,..............................  10
GIFTS, how to regulate,............................... 28
to the infant class,...............................193
GOVERNMENT-see "DISCIPLINE,".....................
tINTS, chapter of.....................................227
HISTORY, of the rise of Sunday schools,................. 10
HYMNs, how to give out...............................  57
ILLINOIS, libors of Dr. Adams in,.......................  16
ILLUSTRATIONS, teach by...............................126
how to use......................................128 
INDEX.                    247
ILLUSTTRATIONS, (continued) nature of the............... 128
how to originate...............................130
use of models in,................................190
INFANT CLASS, chapter on,..........................179
character of the.................................. 179
scholars in the.................................... 180
room for the..............................180
superintendent of,.............................. 182
opening exercises of............................. 183
mode of instructing,.............................185
restlessness in the,..........................187
use of models in the,.............................192
library book in the,.......................... 193
plan of,.................................... 224
INTRODUCTION, the...................................... 3
JOHN WESLEY, labors of,.............................. 15
KINDNESS3 power of..................................141
LANCASTER, (Joseph) labors of........................ 13
LEE AVENUE SCHOOL, benevolent plans of the,................111
LEGION OF HONOR, to have books........................ 94
formation of the,...............................154
LEssoNs, chapter on,................................... 59
two modes of conducting,........................ 60
preparation of the,............................... 67
use of question books in the,                 69
have them thoroughly learned,....................    71
nature of,........................................71
the infant class,.................................... 187
LJBB&N, man required for a,........................103 
INDEX.
LIBRARIES, chapter on,...............................84
use of.........................................85
nature of the books in the....................... 83
how to use t h e,.................................. 92
how to preserve................................. 94
plans for keeping the account of,................ 95
catalogue of,....................................101
rules of the,................................102
LINDSEY, (T.) institutes schools in Catterick,......11
MARTIN LUTHER, institutes a school.................... 10
MASSACHIIUSETTS, first school in,......................... 14
MECHANICAL PART OF A SCHOOL,.................... 31
METHODISTS, activity of the............................ 16
MISCHIEF, how to prevent.............................. 44
MIssION SCHOOLS, room for,..................... 20
libraries for..................................... 93
MISSIONARY SUNDAY, chapter on......................104
MODELS, use of in infant classes........................192
MONTHLY CONCERT, chapter on,..................... 104
advantages of..................................105
evening sessions.................................106
in mission schools,................................ 107
exercises of the,.................................113
addresses at,............................... 113
programme for...................................115
length of,.......................................116
MORALITY, when to teach,.............................. 63
MusIc, all must join in the...........................73
chapter on...................................... 77
character of Sunday school........................77
248 
INDEX.
MUSIC BOOKS, the children purchase.................... 112
NEW YORK, first school in,..............................  14
OBEDIENCE, the first lesson............................ 39
necessity of prompt,.............................148
how to secure,..................................149
power of example in securing,....................... 151
ORDERS, how they should be given.................... 37
PARIS, schools in,................................  12
PARENTS, duties of, toward the Bible class,............ 212
what is asked of,............................... 213
PASTOR, duties of the, towards the school.................34
general labors of t he,............................ 35
a children's for the Sunday school................236
PICTURE TEACR HING, remarks on........................ 190
PITTSBURG, first school in.............................. 41
POLIT.ENESS, our modern,..............................161
our aim....................................162
PRAYER, by whom to be offered........................ 42
at the opening of school........................ 95
duty of,....................................... 68
PRECENTOR, duties of the,.............................. 79
PREPARATION of the lessons............................ 67
PUNiSIIMENT, the practical,..........................186
see " DISCIPLINE,"
PUNICTUALITY, necessity of,............................ 73
QUESTION BOOKS, the subjects of........................ 69
QUESTIONS, on asking..................................172
for the Bible Class................................205
249 
INDEX.
REPORTS, on library books out,.......................... 102
form for monthly,................................158
RESTLESSNESS, how to prevent........................187
REWARDS, how to regulate........................... 28
ROBERT RAIIES, originates a Sunday shool,.............. 12
ROLL. calling the...................................... 41
ROME, schools in,...................................... 12
ROXUBRY, the first school at,.......................... 10
SCRIPTURE, how to read th-in school,.................. 54
selection of,..................................... 54
passages of, for closing school.................. 57
reciting,......................................... 114
selections of passages of..........................184
SCHOLARS, how low ones must be appealed to,...........62
what to teach,................................... 71
how to admit them to the class,...............72
must be urged to sing,........................73
must be visited,.................................. 74
what books to provide them with,................ 93
how to receive................................... 182
honorable dismission of,.......................197
SEATS, chapter on....................................215
false floors for,................................... 215
the rail road,....................................216
desideratum in,..................................217
circular.........................................217
engraving of circular,...........................  223
the Booth seat,..................................218
engraving of the Booth,........................... 219
250
I 
INDEX.
SEATS, (continued) how to construct the backs of......... 221
noiseless chairs..................................... 222
infant class,...................................... 225
plan of.........................................226
SERVICE, form of, for children........................... 52
SIMPLICITY, necessity of, in teaching,...................... 171
SOCIETY for promoting S. S. organization of,...........     13
SPEAKING TO CHILDREN, chapter on..................... 163
see also "ADDRESSES,"
STORIES, see " ILLUSTRATIONS,.........................
cULKINESS, how to eradicate,............................159
SUNDAY SCHOOLS, origin of............................ 10
European,..................................... 10
numbers in the,.................................. 15
distinctive character o f.......................... 18
how to prevent damage to the....................21
buildings o    f.................................... 21
how to draw children to the....................... 22
necessity of making them entertaining,...........26
variety required in the,........................   29
mechanism of the,...............................32
duties of the pastor towards the.................. 34
administrative power in the,..................   37
calling them to order..............................40
formal exercises of the....................... 49
general atmosphere of the....................... 66
how to interest the church in the................. 112
money required for the,...................... 112
their use as gymnasiums,......................... 228
should be united to the church,.................... 231
251 
INDEX.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS, (continued) pecuniary provisions for, 233
should be organized societies,..................... 238
should be mission schools,......................... 239
see also "MISSION SCHOOLS-."
SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, organization of the American,.... 15
organization of the New York,.................  15
SUPERINTENDENT, labors of the,..................... 20
regulating duties of the,...................... 31
administrative ability in the,...................... 33
his duties in discip ine,........................... 41
how he supplies classes,........................... 44
duties of the, towards teachers,................... 48
what may be accomplished by a,................... 236
tenure of his office.................................337
TARDINESS of teachers,............................. 41
TEACHERS, number of, required......................... 18
effects of the absence of,.......................... 19
example of the,................................ 42
rights of, in their classes,...................... 43
must study their classes,.........................62
must gain the affection of their classes............ 64
their preparation ofthe lesson.................... 66
female, the most successful...................... 68
their duty to be punctual,........................ 73
must see that all sin........................... 73
must visit their pupils........................... 74
chapter to,...................................... 121
should not be urged to join the school............123
one reason for popularity.........................124
manners of.................................... 153
202 
INDEX.
TEACHERS, how to teach..................................136
must regard a parent's scruples................... 136
must inspire affection,........................136
must not expect much success....................137
feelings which should actuate.................... 139
mustnotneglect theirown children..............146
notice the children in the streets................161
duties of, - not confined to Sunday.................239
TEFACHERS' MEETINGS, use of..........................133
rules at,.........................................1 3 4
TODD, (Dr.) his work on Sunday schools,....................197
TREATMENT, of degraded children,..................... 62
USHERS, use of,........................................240
ViSITORS, reception of,.................................240
VISITING, manner of,.................................. 75
VIENNA, schools in,................................12
VENTILATION, remarks on,.............................181
VARIETY, necessity of,.................................29
remarks on,....................................116
VANDALISM, how to prevent............................. 21
WESLEY, his predictions about the Sunday school,....... 232
253