Art. 1.This Sabbath-school is connected with the —— Church, or shall be called the —— Sabbath-school.Art. 2.It shall consist of a Superintendent, a Secretary, a Librarian, and as many teachers and scholars as may be duly received and appointed. The usual duties will be assigned to the different officers of the school.Art. 3.This school shall open at —— o'clock in the morning,and —— o'clock in the afternoon, and each session shall continue one hour and ——.Art. 4.On the first —— of January, or July ——, the terms for which all the officers are elected each year shall expire, and the teachers shall proceed by ballot, at such time, to elect new officers, or to re-elect the old ones.Art. 5.Strict order shall be observed, and all the rules conformed to, by every one connected with the school, and no one shall leave the room until the close of the school, without permission.Art. 6.The annual meeting, or anniversary, shall be held in the month of ——, at which time reports for the year shall be made, and an address by the pastor, or some other person who may be invited. Quarterly meetings for business, and weekly meetings for mutual assistance and counsel, and for the study of the lesson, shall be held by the teachers and officers.Art. 7.This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, and By-Laws may be made or amended at any quarterly meeting, by a majority of all the teachers.The By-Laws should define when and where teachers' meetings, missionary meetings, temperance or boys' meetings, or social Christian gatherings, may be held; and also what penalty, if any, for absence from teachers' meetings, etc.; also any other necessary objects may be included in the specifications of the By-Laws.
Art. 1.This Sabbath-school is connected with the —— Church, or shall be called the —— Sabbath-school.
Art. 2.It shall consist of a Superintendent, a Secretary, a Librarian, and as many teachers and scholars as may be duly received and appointed. The usual duties will be assigned to the different officers of the school.
Art. 3.This school shall open at —— o'clock in the morning,and —— o'clock in the afternoon, and each session shall continue one hour and ——.
Art. 4.On the first —— of January, or July ——, the terms for which all the officers are elected each year shall expire, and the teachers shall proceed by ballot, at such time, to elect new officers, or to re-elect the old ones.
Art. 5.Strict order shall be observed, and all the rules conformed to, by every one connected with the school, and no one shall leave the room until the close of the school, without permission.
Art. 6.The annual meeting, or anniversary, shall be held in the month of ——, at which time reports for the year shall be made, and an address by the pastor, or some other person who may be invited. Quarterly meetings for business, and weekly meetings for mutual assistance and counsel, and for the study of the lesson, shall be held by the teachers and officers.
Art. 7.This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting, and By-Laws may be made or amended at any quarterly meeting, by a majority of all the teachers.
The By-Laws should define when and where teachers' meetings, missionary meetings, temperance or boys' meetings, or social Christian gatherings, may be held; and also what penalty, if any, for absence from teachers' meetings, etc.; also any other necessary objects may be included in the specifications of the By-Laws.
PARENTS are the divinely appointed guardians of their children. There is no shrinking from their responsibility except by unfaithfulness, and no evading it without guilt. In a few short, fleeting hours parents hold a position of honor and responsibility unparalleled in the duties of any human being.
In the case of Christian parents we believe that God has given them the power to paralyze the influence of the best Sabbath-school teacher or pastor in the land. If they give the cold shoulder to the Sabbath-school, they ought to understand that they will generally destroy its entire influence for good upon their children. Therefore they ought actively and heartily to co-operate with the Sabbath-school teacher and pastor in this work with the young. Parents who are not Christians cannot present so mighty a barrier; but every parent holds an important relation to the teachers and the school.
Parents should watch over the school, often visitit, and manifest a deep interest in it. They should also notice and kindly check any tendency to error in doctrine or practice. They may counsel and suggest in every appropriate way whatever will advance its best interests, and they should personally know and kindly recognize the teacher as the friend of their children, and welcome and aid him in his visits to their homes. They should also contribute liberally and cheerfully to the support of the school, and particularly to the library. They should see that their children punctually attend school, commit their lessons to memory, and thus co-operate with the voluntary unpaid teacher, in giving their children the best and most valuable of all knowledge, and by God's blessing leading them to Christ for salvation.
Parents, accept the teachers to supplement and aid your efforts to save your offspring, but never, in any case, allow anything to supersede or lessen your obligations or spiritual labors for your own children.
We are fully convinced that our Sabbath-schools will never rise to what they ought to be until our pastors become the well-instructed leaders in this great work. We laymen are not in all cases sufficiently reliable nor fitted to be the leaders. We should take the place assigned to us by the Rev. Dr. Kirk, of Boston, in the State Sunday-School Convention of Massachusetts, when he said he "loved to recognize Sabbath-school teachers as lieutenantsin the great army in which Christ Jesus has made him one of the captains."
Our Sabbath-schools, churches and ministers must all rise together. They should always keep closely together. It is here that Christians find a good working field under the training of the pastor, who is the pastor of the Sunday-school as well as of the church. It is here that the Church finds a great field of labor and her largest additions. Some pastors simply give their Sunday-schools their patronage and approbation. This is not sufficient. Much more is needed. Active co-operative service and direction are wanted. Sometimes pastors must needs act as superintendent of their own Sabbath-schools, and conduct their own teachers' meeting for a time, until they can train brethren and fit them to be superintendents. It is not lecturing, or preaching to, on the subject that we so much need as how to superintend, how to prepare the lesson, how to visit, what to teach, how to teach and lead to Christ, and how to conduct teachers' meetings.
The Sabbath-school enfolds the lambs of the flock. The pastor should, of course, watch over it very carefully and very tenderly. Every Sabbath he should at least walk through the school to encourage, by his presence, the weary teachers and scholars in their work of faith and labor of love. Many of the best pastors in our land make this an invariable rule. The teachers need their pastor's counsels and assistance in the school, the teachers' meetings and concerts ofprayer, as well as in the pulpit. Here he will find his true working men and women, and if any of the church have especial claims upon him, they surely do have.
We need our pastors' presence and counsel in all our conventions and gatherings of teachers. They areex-officiomembers of all. We also need their help in calling out the membership of the churches; in model sermons and model scriptural addresses, and teachings to children for instruction and for example. In fact, we feel that we must rely upon our ministers to raise up and make our Sunday-schools what they ought to be—the great training-schools of the Church, and the fitting field of labor for her large membership. As a matter of necessity, and as a matter of propriety, we throw ourselves as Sabbath-school workers upon the pastors, and call earnestly upon them for personal aid and comfort, in the strong assurance that our appeal will receive a warm and favorable response.
The Church of Christ is the grand centre and radiating point of all our Christian efforts. The Sabbath-school is simply the Church of Christitselfputting forth its legitimateaction. Says Dr. Baldwin: "It is theworkshopof the Church for all working Christians." Here she trains her members for personal service and leads the lambs into the true fold. The nearer in sympathy our Sunday-schoolsare kept to the churches the better it will be for all; and if superintendents and teachers wish to give their labors a permanently successful character, they cannot make too short work in leading their pupils to the Church of Christ; at first, perhaps, as only attending, hearing members, then believing, obeying members. The outer, or mission-schools, are stepping-stones to churches. If mission-churches are established with those schools, as is often the case, the Church will be on convenient ground. Sunday-schools, Bible, and tract mission efforts should be superintended and sustained by the churches. Especially should the churches stand by the Sunday-schools—the nurseries of the Church—and see that they want no good thing. Rooms, seats, books, and all appliances, should be freely provided for the school; for the future hopes of Zion are there. By far the greater number of her additions from the world come through the Sabbath-school.
Not one-half of the children of our land, or scarcely of any State in our land, can be found on the Lord's day in any of our Sabbath-schools.
The churches ought, without delay, to supply this lack. Surely we can ask no less of them. The churches are abundantly able to do this. They have never trained and sent forth as Sabbath-school teachers as many as fifteen per cent. of their great membership, and not half the children are yet taught. Let the churches train and send forth thirty per cent. of their members, and the neglected are allreached and the work is done. Therefore the question is one of disposition, will—not ability.
The community has a deep personal interest in the Sunday-school, and has corresponding duties. Thousands of youth are every year saved from prison and from crime by this institution. The three hundred and fifty or four hundred thousand voluntary Sunday-school teachers of our land comprise a moral police, to which the community are immensely indebted, whether they are sensible of it or not. It recently cost New York city more than twenty-five thousand dollars to convict one murderer, who had been neglected from a child. That sum of money would have paid his board for sixty years, or sustained twenty thousand children in mission-schools for a whole year. The Sabbath-school is a cheap and simple agency to give the gospel to the millions. It is the cheapest civilizer extant.
Thousands of the best patriots, statesmen, and Christians of our own and other lands love to acknowledge their immense obligations to the Sabbath-school, for what they are, and what they hope to be. Said the Bishop of London: "The Sunday-school hassavedthe manufacturing districts." And the Earl of Shaftesbury declared: "To you, Sunday-school teachers, is entrusted the future of the British empire."
Many thousands of parents in our land, who are entirely neglecting the religious instruction of theirchildren, can bring them to the Sabbath-schools, where four hundred thousand voluntary teachers stand cheerfully ready to teach them, without money and without price. Like the waters of the river of life, this stream runs free. Let parents see to it that their children are regularly there. The community should do all they can to help forward this beneficent voluntary scheme of public education, acknowledge their real obligation to the teachers, offer them rooms in their public school buildings, and by the pressure of a sound public sentiment, increase the uniform attendance, particularly from the ignorant and neglected classes.
THE Sabbath-school teacher in his work finds it convenient to do incidentally a vast amount of good. He distributes copies of the Bible and Testament, tracts and good reading, helps the needy to a place for work, relief, etc., etc. Among other means the opening of neighborhood prayer-meetings has been greatly blessed. A score or two of friends and neighbors meet on a week-day evening in a tenant-room or house convenient, and there two or three of the Sabbath-school teachers conduct a familiar religious service, which, if appropriate and interesting, often results in conversions and bringing individuals into Christian associations and influences, and sometimes leads to the reformation of a whole neighborhood. Our young women teachers sometimes conduct these meetings with great success and profit.
A good mission-school of teachers has sometimes sustained a dozen weekly neighborhood prayer-meetings.All these plans are equally adapted to cities or country villages.
Of late years the employment of pious and discreet women as Bible readers has accomplished the most blessed results. These constant visitors penetrate many a dark alley and cellar, and rescue from intemperance, starvation, destitution and crime those who would not otherwise be reached. They also comfort, and instruct, and aid multitudes of poor ignorant mothers who really know not what to do, and sustain many neighborhood prayer-meetings and mothers' meetings. Sometimes they are supported by the Bible Society, and in other cases by the City Mission, but oftener by the mission or church Sabbath-schools and churches.
Young women who are adapted to the work leave their sewing and other labor, and receive a salary sufficient for their support in this service. Some of the poor ignorant, reclaimed women make, when trained for it, most excellent Bible readers.
Industrial schools are usually for girls from the streets, who are picked up, washed, supplied with a dinner, taught to read, to sew, and other useful employments; besides, good manners and good dispositions are carefully cultivated. They are also taught to sing our choicest Sabbath-school hymns, and receivemuch valuable counsel and sound Christian instruction from their kind teachers and friends. These schools are doing a most excellent work. They are held every day in institutions. In Sunday-schools they are generally held only on Saturday afternoons, and a score of ladies volunteer to come and teach them. In either form they are very useful.
This is a modern thing, but it grew out of the warm, earnest sympathy of excellent Christians for the worst class of street-boys of New York. They were attracted by the fine music taught them, the interest and kindness manifested toward them, and the stirring, pointed, interesting stories in which religious truth was clothed as it was spoken to them; and the energy and capability which first started those meetings could sustain them now on the same basis. Latterly, they assume more the general form of young people's meetings, being composed of a majority of boys and girls from Christian families, or at least Sunday-schools, and most of them contain but a few of the rough street-boys. They are a stepping-stone to a good Sunday-school. Youths' attractive papers are circulated at the close. Interesting popular lectures, made very familiar and plain, on practical subjects, are sometimes enjoyed on the week-day evenings.
AMONG the modern improvements in our Sabbath-school meetings the "Question Box," or "Drawer," is worthy of particular mention. Slips of paper are placed in the hands of the members of the Convention or Institute, who are requested to write upon them any question which may be suggested to their minds, and on which they would like to gain the opinions of others. These questions are, from time to time, dropped into a box provided, and left at the door or on the platform. Otherwise, they are collected by a committee and handed up to the conductor, who, at the proper time, either answers them himself or designates some other person or persons to answer them. In this way a vast amount of clear and correct information is often gained, and that of a kind exactly adapted to present wants. No exercise in an Institute is more directly profitable than the question box often proves to be.
It of course depends entirely upon the correct knowledge and grasp of the persons who essay toanswer; for either truth or error are alike rapidly propagated in this way. Therefore the greatest care should be taken that no one be allowed to answer questions in this way, who cannot, as the result of mature and deliberate observation or experience, comprehensively look on all sides of the question, and be careful to do justice to all its points. No "snap" judgment should be taken, no witticism indulged in, and no dogmatic answers allowed. On the contrary, the utmost fairness and candor is indispensable.
For illustration of this subject, the following examples of questions and answers will suffice:
1. How can we obtain good teachers?Answer.Train them up in your Bible-classes and teachers' meetings. Be on the lookout for suitable persons and excite their interest by conversations on the value, the details, and working of the Sabbath-school.
2. Would you recommend the grading of Sabbath-schools?Answer.We like the wordadaptationbetter, for there must bethatin all good teaching; there must be, also, advancement and thorough Bible instruction. But we fear that an attempt to grade Sunday-schools would stiffen and injure them, for we have but one hour in a week, while the public schools have six hours per day and five days in a week, with a dozen grades of text-books, and paid, disciplined teachers. Besides, we have never found a successful Sabbath-school with more than the threeregular gradations; viz., the infant-classes, the intermediate classes, and the young men and women's classes.
3. Would you ever employ unconverted teachers?Answer.Get thebestteachers you can; the most pious, the best skilled and regular. When you have taken thebestyou can get, you have done all your duty, and God does not require any more, for he accepts according to what we have. In some remote sections it is simply a question between accepting moral and upright young people or no teachers. They can teach the elemental truths of religion, and God has repeatedly employed the most unworthy persons to deliver his most solemn messages. Therefore get thebestteachers you can. It is the message, not the messenger.
4. Do you approve of one uniform lesson for the whole school?Answer.Yes, by all means; and then concentrate all the exercises, the prayers, the hymns, the addresses, as well as all the teaching, directly upon that one portion, so that it will be impressed upon all, as it was upon a little boy who walked up to the blackboard and pointed to the drawing of an altar and the bleeding lamb upon it, saying, "It wasthatall day, wasn't it, Jimmy?" Let the infant-class have the central verse for their lesson.
5. Would you expel a bad boy?Answer.I never did, and never would do so, except as a last resort, after trying every available resource.
6. How can we get the parents, pastors, etc., interested in the Sabbath-school?Answer.Go to them and respectfully ask their counsel and advice about the Sabbath-school. Get them to investigate and inquire, give them hints and information, and thus excite their interest.
7. Is it consistent for a Sabbath-school teacher to play at cards, dance, etc.?Answer.Cards are gamblers' tools, and we should beware of them. Besides, the teacher's time is too precious. I have never danced since I first became a Sabbath teacher, nearly forty years ago. It will lessen Christian influence. "If meat make my brother to offend," says Paul, "I will eat no flesh while the world standeth."
8. What is the best way to get rid of inefficient teachers?Answer.Treat them with the most tender consideration. Call upon them and give them some hints about a verse in the lesson, which they can use with this or that scholar in their class. I have always found it better to make poor teachers over, than to look up and train new ones.
9. How can you restore order in a disorderly class?Answer.The teacher mast first be in the most perfect order and control himself, and he will soon control the class, if his patience holds out.
10. What is the pastor's position in the Sabbath-school?Answer.He is the pastor of the lambs in the Sabbath-school as well as of the church.
11. Is it best to reprove scholars or teachers in presence of the class or classes?Answer.Never.
12. Who are to elect the superintendent?Answer.In most cases he should be elected by the teachers, not by the scholars.
13. Who appoints the teachers?Answer.They are generally appointed by the superintendent.
14. How long ought a lesson to be?Answer.Six to ten verses, and forty minutes' time for the teacher.
15. What is the best way of training teachers?Answer.Get for themThe Sunday-School Times, and attract them into the regular weekly teachers' meeting.
16. How shall we retain young men and women?Answer.Get a teacher who loves, honors, and respects them and can understand young people, and does not forget that he was once young. Then elevate the Sabbath-school, so that the young people will not be belittled in attending it.
17. Is there not danger that the Sabbath-school will induce a disrelish for the preaching service?Answer.We must certainly guard against such a result. The Sabbath-school must cling close to the Church of God.
18. How much money should be expended annually on a large mission-school?Answer.A fair Christian economy isbest. I know of mission-schools, of four hundred scholars, sustained at an expense of less than four hundred dollars, including rent, that are better every way, they are more regular and successful, than some similar schools which expendfrom one thousand to twelve hundred dollars per year.
19. How many children are there in all our Sabbath-schools?Answer.If the question refers to the United States, I think we may safely say that now we have, in Sabbath-schools, about four million children and youth, with about four hundred thousand teachers. A quarter of a century ago or so, the numbers were estimated at two million five hundred thousand, but this was when the great Western States were in their comparative infancy. The number rapidly increased to three millions, and then to three million five hundred thousand, and now our returns and estimates reach four millions. Great Britain has about the same number, both of teachers and scholars; but we do not think all other countries can raise the full number of Sabbath-school children quite up toten millions, or the number of Sabbath-school teachers to a grand army ofone millionstrong. The census of 1860 gave the number of persons in the United States, between the ages of five and sixteen, at nine millions (or only a few thousands less). As a consequence, we have the great aggregate offive millions! of unreached and uncared-for children and youth in our land. What an immense and hopeful missionary field here lies open at our doors! There is scarcely a State in our whole Union or a city which can truly reportone-halfof her children in any kind of a Sabbath-school on any given day. And yet some of our greatStates are working very energetically and systematically. Witness the State of Illinois, which has organized every one of its one hundred and two counties during the past two or three years, by the voluntary and Sunday-school missionary labors of its Sunday-School Association, aided by other agencies. What this State has done, other States, if they will, can do, and the immense work before us, when systematically undertaken, is by no means a hopeless task.
Nearly allied to the question box is the answer box. It consists in this: At an appropriate time in an Institute, the conductor writes an important question on the blackboard—blank papers are distributed and all the members are requested to write their answers. For instance, all are requested to write upon the question, What is the great want of our Sabbath-schools? One writes, "The Holy Spirit, praying teachers, aim at conversions," etc. Another writes, "Good superintendents, devoted pastors and parents." Another writes, "Clear teaching, good order, and devout singing." Others, "The Bible needs to be exalted and applied;" "Make the Bible attractive to the children;" "Living, earnest teachers who love the children;" "Aim at salvation and Christian training." Or if the question should be, "How to prepare a Bible lesson?" one answers "1. Pray. 2. Read it over carefully. 3. Thinkand pray. 4. Look up the parallel passages. 5. Examine Commentaries, Dictionaries, etc. 6. Search out illustrations for each pupil. 7. How to apply truth to each and all." Another writes: "1. Fix on the subject early in the week, keep it constantly before the mind, trying to find illustrations anywhere and everywhere. 2. Endeavor to make it simple, yet interesting and practical. 3. Constantly seek divine direction."
At the close of a recess of ten minutes for writing and receiving the answers, they are taken up and read by the conductor, and then referred to a committee of three to digest and report upon at a future meeting. We get at the heart of the people in this way.
IT is a mistake to suppose that meretalkis teaching.
It is a mistake to think that hearing a Bible lesson recited, or the reading of questions from a book, or telling stories, is good Sabbath-school teaching.
It is a mistake to think that one who in manner and temper is impatient, dogmatic, overbearing, slow, heavy or dull, can be a good Sabbath-school teacher.
It is a mistake to suppose that one who is not understood, or is misunderstood, is a good teacher.
It is a mistake to suppose he who gossips with his class is a good teacher.
It is a mistake to suppose, because we have a general idea beforehand, that we shall be able to supply the details and illustrations as we go along.
It is a great mistake to underrate oral teaching, and overrate merely reading and reciting from the Bible.
It is a great mistake to think that our scholars are too young to appreciate a well-prepared lesson or a well-governed school.
It is a mistake of teachers to expect attention from motives of duty, or the sacredness of the day or importance of subject—nothing but real interest will secure it.
It is a mistake to teach as if all young children had the sametastes.
It is a great mistake to fail to arouse curiosity and awaken interest.
It is a mistake to suppose that we shall be understood without careful simplicity of language.
It is a mistake not to recall by questions the last Sabbath's lesson, and to treat lessons as if they were isolated; by all means connect them.
It is a great mistake for teachers to think that giving good advice or exhortation to children is as good as "breaking down" Bible truths with questions and answers.
It is a mistake to suppose that many common terms, such as "Providence," "grace," repentance, justification, etc., convey any meaning to children, ordinarily.
It is a mistake to attempt to purchase affection or attention by frequent gifts to children; neither by threats nor punishments.
It is a great mistake of Sabbath-school teachers to suppose that their work is that of a mere philanthropist—or a moral educator, or a mere promoter ofsocial good order, or raising up of good citizens and children.
It is a mistake of teachers to expect a cold reception from parents.
It is a mistake of teachers to suppose that their manner and habits are unobserved by the children.
It is a mistake to avoid repetition with children—simplify and repeat.
It is a mistake to teach our children, that if they will be good and read the Bible, pray and join the Church, they will thereby go to heaven. Nothing but repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will secure that.
It is a great mistake for Sabbath-school teachers ever to teach Bible truth without being really inearnest—calmly, cheerfully, seriously inearnest.
EVERY thorough workman ought to have the best of tools to work with, and the teacher should be furnished with all needful helps. Theindispensablebooks for a Sabbath-school teacher are—1st. A complete reference Bible—your own Bible. 2d. A Concordance. 3d. A good Bible Dictionary. Add to these, accurate and careful observation to see in the opening flower, the falling leaf, the events of the day and the providence of God, rich and apt lessons for youthful hearts. On opening my library door I notice upon the shelves most of the following books, which, with others that are now out of print, have accumulated to meet my real wants as a Sabbath-school worker, and none of which I would be willing to part with:
Bibles.Family Bible, with Notes and Instructions.Annotated Paragraph Bible, 2 vols.Reference Bible, with Index and Maps.Dictionaries, Cyclopædias and Commentaries.Dictionary of the Bible. 1 or 3 vols.—Smith.Dictionary of the Holy Bible.—Robinson.Biblical Cyclopædia. 3 vols.—Kitto.Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature.—McClintock and Strong.Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge.—Brown.Daily Bible Illustrations. 8 vols.—Kitto.Comprehensive Commentary. 6 vols.—Jenks.Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical Commentary.—Lange.Expository Thoughts on the Gospels.—Ryle.Studies in the Gospels.—Trench.Notes on the New Testament. 11 vols.—Barnes.The Gospel Treasury.—Mimpriss.A Year with St. Paul.—Knox.The Parables.—Guthrie.Notes on the Miracles.—Trench.Introduction to the Study of the Holy Scriptures.—Horne.Notes on the Old Testament. 5 vols.—Barnes.Notes on the Bible. 8 vols.—Bush.Books of Reference.Complete Concordance.—Cruden.The Bible Hand-Book.—Angus.The Treasury of Bible Knowledge.—Ayre.Bible Months.—Groser.Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures.—Nicholls.Biblical Antiquities.—Nevin.Scripture Text-Book and Treasury.English Synonyms.—Crabbe.Works of Flavius Josephus.The Steps of Jesus.—Mimpriss.A Theological Dictionary.—Buck.Bible Geography and Travel.Historical Text-Book and Atlas.—Coleman.Biblical Researches in Palestine. 3 vols.—Robinson.The Land and the Book. 2 vols.—Thomson.Geography of Palestine.—Groser.Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels.—Jones.Little Foot-Prints in Bible Lands.—Vincent.Bible Atlas and Gazetteer.Hand-Books of Instruction.The American Sunday-School and its Adjuncts.—Alexander.Forty Years' Experience in Sunday Schools.—Tyng.Thoughts on Sabbath-Schools.—Hart.The Good Teacher.—Henderson.The Sabbath-School.—Inglis.The Christian Teacher in Sunday-Schools.—Steel.Rise and Progress of Sunday-Schools.—Power.The Teacher Taught.—Packard.The Sabbath-School Teacher.—Todd.Our Sunday-School.—Abbot.Sunday-School Photographs.—Taylor.The Teacher Teaching.—Packard.Nature's Normal School.—Gall.The Infant Class.—Reed.The Young Men's Class.—Blacket.End and Essence of Sabbath-School Teaching.—Gall.The Sabbath-School Concert.—Trumbull.Hours with the Youngest. 2 vols.—Gill.Helpful Hints for the Sunday-School Teacher.—Vincent.Our Work.—Groser.Teacher's Model and Model Teacher.—Groser.The Use of Illustration.—Freeman.Art of Questioning.—Fitch.Illustrative Teaching.—Groser.Model Sabbath-School Lesson.—Wells.Art of Attention.—Fitch.Introductory Class.—Groser.Diamonds in the Dust.—Reed.On Memory.—Fitch.Training-Classes.—Groser.Sunday-School Teaching.—Whately.Teacher's Keys.—Reed.Pictorial Teaching.—Hartley.Bible Training.—Stow.How to Teach.—Groser.Senior Classes.—Watson.Early and Infant-School Education.—Currie.The Child and the Man.—Greenwood.Our Material.—Groser.Sabbaths with My Class.—Green.Anecdote and Illustration.The Biblical Treasury.Illustrative Gatherings. 2 vols.—Bowes.Pilgrim's Progress.—Bunyan.The Power of Illustration.—Dowling.Illustrations of the Commandments.—Cross.The Young Christian.—Abbott.Anecdotes on the Old and New Testaments.Moral Lessons.—Cowdery.Bible Blessings.—Newton.Bible Jewels.—Newton.Lectures to Children, 2 vols.—Todd.Great Pilot.—Newton.Grapes from the Great Vine.—Breed.Safe Compass.—Newton.Truth made Simple.—Todd.Rills from the Fountain of Life.—Newton.Addresses to Children.—Green.The Child's Bible Stories. 4 vols.—Kelly.Children and Jesus.—Hammond.Peep of Day.Line upon Line.Precept upon Precept.Little Crowns, and How to Win Them.—Collier.General Education.Theory and Practice of Teaching.—Page.Methods of Instruction.—Wickersham.Outlines of Object-Teaching.—Hailman.The Student's Manual.—Todd.Home Education.—Isaac Taylor.Primary Object Lessons.—Calkins.The Elements of Moral Science.—Wayland.The Observing Faculties.—Burton.The Teacher.—Abbott.Periodicals for Teachers.The Sunday-School Times.—Weekly.—Philadelphia.The Sunday-School Teacher.—Monthly.—Chicago.The Sunday-School Teachers' Journal.—Monthly.—New York.The Sunday-School World.—Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Sunday Teachers' Treasury.—Monthly.—London.The Sunday-School Teacher.—Monthly.—London.Scottish Teachers' Magazine.—Monthly.—Edinburgh.Periodicals for Youth.The Wellspring.—Weekly.—Boston.The Youth's Evangelist.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.Sunday-School Advocate.—Semi-Monthly.—New York.The Sabbath-School Visitor.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Child's World.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Young Reaper.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Child's Paper.—Monthly.—New York.The Child at Home.—Monthly.—Boston.The Children's Hour.—Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Carrier Dove.—Monthly.—New York.The Child's Treasury.—Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Youth's Temperance Banner.—Monthly.—New York.Kind Words.—Monthly.—Greenville, South Carolina.
Family Bible, with Notes and Instructions.Annotated Paragraph Bible, 2 vols.Reference Bible, with Index and Maps.
Dictionary of the Bible. 1 or 3 vols.—Smith.Dictionary of the Holy Bible.—Robinson.Biblical Cyclopædia. 3 vols.—Kitto.Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature.—McClintock and Strong.Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge.—Brown.Daily Bible Illustrations. 8 vols.—Kitto.Comprehensive Commentary. 6 vols.—Jenks.Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical Commentary.—Lange.Expository Thoughts on the Gospels.—Ryle.Studies in the Gospels.—Trench.Notes on the New Testament. 11 vols.—Barnes.The Gospel Treasury.—Mimpriss.A Year with St. Paul.—Knox.The Parables.—Guthrie.Notes on the Miracles.—Trench.Introduction to the Study of the Holy Scriptures.—Horne.Notes on the Old Testament. 5 vols.—Barnes.Notes on the Bible. 8 vols.—Bush.
Complete Concordance.—Cruden.The Bible Hand-Book.—Angus.The Treasury of Bible Knowledge.—Ayre.Bible Months.—Groser.Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures.—Nicholls.Biblical Antiquities.—Nevin.Scripture Text-Book and Treasury.English Synonyms.—Crabbe.Works of Flavius Josephus.The Steps of Jesus.—Mimpriss.A Theological Dictionary.—Buck.
Historical Text-Book and Atlas.—Coleman.Biblical Researches in Palestine. 3 vols.—Robinson.The Land and the Book. 2 vols.—Thomson.Geography of Palestine.—Groser.Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels.—Jones.Little Foot-Prints in Bible Lands.—Vincent.Bible Atlas and Gazetteer.
The American Sunday-School and its Adjuncts.—Alexander.Forty Years' Experience in Sunday Schools.—Tyng.Thoughts on Sabbath-Schools.—Hart.The Good Teacher.—Henderson.The Sabbath-School.—Inglis.The Christian Teacher in Sunday-Schools.—Steel.Rise and Progress of Sunday-Schools.—Power.The Teacher Taught.—Packard.The Sabbath-School Teacher.—Todd.Our Sunday-School.—Abbot.Sunday-School Photographs.—Taylor.The Teacher Teaching.—Packard.Nature's Normal School.—Gall.The Infant Class.—Reed.The Young Men's Class.—Blacket.End and Essence of Sabbath-School Teaching.—Gall.The Sabbath-School Concert.—Trumbull.Hours with the Youngest. 2 vols.—Gill.Helpful Hints for the Sunday-School Teacher.—Vincent.Our Work.—Groser.Teacher's Model and Model Teacher.—Groser.The Use of Illustration.—Freeman.Art of Questioning.—Fitch.Illustrative Teaching.—Groser.Model Sabbath-School Lesson.—Wells.Art of Attention.—Fitch.Introductory Class.—Groser.Diamonds in the Dust.—Reed.On Memory.—Fitch.Training-Classes.—Groser.Sunday-School Teaching.—Whately.Teacher's Keys.—Reed.Pictorial Teaching.—Hartley.Bible Training.—Stow.How to Teach.—Groser.Senior Classes.—Watson.Early and Infant-School Education.—Currie.The Child and the Man.—Greenwood.Our Material.—Groser.Sabbaths with My Class.—Green.
The Biblical Treasury.Illustrative Gatherings. 2 vols.—Bowes.Pilgrim's Progress.—Bunyan.The Power of Illustration.—Dowling.Illustrations of the Commandments.—Cross.The Young Christian.—Abbott.Anecdotes on the Old and New Testaments.Moral Lessons.—Cowdery.Bible Blessings.—Newton.Bible Jewels.—Newton.Lectures to Children, 2 vols.—Todd.Great Pilot.—Newton.Grapes from the Great Vine.—Breed.Safe Compass.—Newton.Truth made Simple.—Todd.Rills from the Fountain of Life.—Newton.Addresses to Children.—Green.The Child's Bible Stories. 4 vols.—Kelly.Children and Jesus.—Hammond.Peep of Day.Line upon Line.Precept upon Precept.Little Crowns, and How to Win Them.—Collier.
Theory and Practice of Teaching.—Page.Methods of Instruction.—Wickersham.Outlines of Object-Teaching.—Hailman.The Student's Manual.—Todd.Home Education.—Isaac Taylor.Primary Object Lessons.—Calkins.The Elements of Moral Science.—Wayland.The Observing Faculties.—Burton.The Teacher.—Abbott.
The Sunday-School Times.—Weekly.—Philadelphia.The Sunday-School Teacher.—Monthly.—Chicago.The Sunday-School Teachers' Journal.—Monthly.—New York.The Sunday-School World.—Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Sunday Teachers' Treasury.—Monthly.—London.The Sunday-School Teacher.—Monthly.—London.Scottish Teachers' Magazine.—Monthly.—Edinburgh.
The Wellspring.—Weekly.—Boston.The Youth's Evangelist.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.Sunday-School Advocate.—Semi-Monthly.—New York.The Sabbath-School Visitor.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Child's World.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Young Reaper.—Semi-Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Child's Paper.—Monthly.—New York.The Child at Home.—Monthly.—Boston.The Children's Hour.—Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Carrier Dove.—Monthly.—New York.The Child's Treasury.—Monthly.—Philadelphia.The Youth's Temperance Banner.—Monthly.—New York.Kind Words.—Monthly.—Greenville, South Carolina.
Impressed with the serious nature of the charge, will the faithful Sabbath-school teacher enter into a written engagement with his Saviour, in words somewhat like the following?—
1.I promiseto be in my place punctually every Sabbath, at the time appointed, unless prevented by sickness, or some other cause so urgent that it would in like manner keep me from important worldly business.2.I promise, in every such case of unnecessary absence, that I will use my utmost diligence to secure a suitable substitute, whom I will instruct in the character of the class and the nature of the duties to be performed.3.I promiseto study carefully beforehand the lesson to be recited by the scholars, and to have the subject in my mind during the week, so that I shall be likely to lay hold of, and lay up for use, anything that I may meet with in my reading or experience that will illustrate or enforce the lesson of the approaching Sabbath.4.I promiseto be diligent in informing myself about the books in the library, so that I can guide my scholars in selecting such books as will interest and profit them; also in becoming acquainted with other good books and tracts, so that I can always be prepared, as opportunities may occur, to lead their minds into right channels of thought.5.I promise, whenever a scholar is absent from the class on the Sabbath, that I will visit that scholar before the next Sabbath, unless prevented by sickness, or by some other hindrance so grave that it would, under like circumstances, keep me from attending to important worldly interests.6.I promiseto visit statedlyallmy scholars, that I may become acquainted with their families, their occupations, and modes of living and thinking, their temptations, theirdifficulties, and the various means of reaching their hearts and consciences.7.I promise, if any of my scholars or their parents do not attend statedly any place of worship, that I will make the case known to the superintendent and pastor, and that I will use continued efforts to induce such children and their parents to go to church regularly.8.I promisethat every day, in my hour of secret prayer, I will pray distinctly, by name, for each one of my scholars, for their conversion, if they are still out of Christ; for their sanctification and growth in grace, if they are already converted.9.I promisethat I will seek an early opportunity of praying with each scholar privately, either at his house or mine, or in some other convenient place that may be found, and of asking him in a serious and affectionate manner to become a Christian.10.I promise, when I have thus prayed and conversed with each scholar once, that I will begin and go through the class again, not omitting any, and not discontinuing my attempts, but going on faithfully, week by week, month by month, and year by year.Signed,____________________.THE END.
1.I promiseto be in my place punctually every Sabbath, at the time appointed, unless prevented by sickness, or some other cause so urgent that it would in like manner keep me from important worldly business.
2.I promise, in every such case of unnecessary absence, that I will use my utmost diligence to secure a suitable substitute, whom I will instruct in the character of the class and the nature of the duties to be performed.
3.I promiseto study carefully beforehand the lesson to be recited by the scholars, and to have the subject in my mind during the week, so that I shall be likely to lay hold of, and lay up for use, anything that I may meet with in my reading or experience that will illustrate or enforce the lesson of the approaching Sabbath.
4.I promiseto be diligent in informing myself about the books in the library, so that I can guide my scholars in selecting such books as will interest and profit them; also in becoming acquainted with other good books and tracts, so that I can always be prepared, as opportunities may occur, to lead their minds into right channels of thought.
5.I promise, whenever a scholar is absent from the class on the Sabbath, that I will visit that scholar before the next Sabbath, unless prevented by sickness, or by some other hindrance so grave that it would, under like circumstances, keep me from attending to important worldly interests.
6.I promiseto visit statedlyallmy scholars, that I may become acquainted with their families, their occupations, and modes of living and thinking, their temptations, theirdifficulties, and the various means of reaching their hearts and consciences.
7.I promise, if any of my scholars or their parents do not attend statedly any place of worship, that I will make the case known to the superintendent and pastor, and that I will use continued efforts to induce such children and their parents to go to church regularly.
8.I promisethat every day, in my hour of secret prayer, I will pray distinctly, by name, for each one of my scholars, for their conversion, if they are still out of Christ; for their sanctification and growth in grace, if they are already converted.
9.I promisethat I will seek an early opportunity of praying with each scholar privately, either at his house or mine, or in some other convenient place that may be found, and of asking him in a serious and affectionate manner to become a Christian.
10.I promise, when I have thus prayed and conversed with each scholar once, that I will begin and go through the class again, not omitting any, and not discontinuing my attempts, but going on faithfully, week by week, month by month, and year by year.
Signed,
____________________.
THE END.