First to Isaiah vi. 5; Jeremiah i. 6. Here are examples of conscious sinfulness and incapacity in those who were called to make known the Word of God; and the painful sense of such inability to speak wisely or well, the deeper grief of conscious defilement must have been the portion of many teachers; yet may we not confidently trust, that He who gave to these his servants grace and strength sufficient for their work, will not now withhold from those who seek it, a full measure of such gifts, according to their need? The trial of ungodliness around was known to the prophet Isaiah, he knew that he dwelt in the midst of a people of unclean lips; but there was given to him a strong consolation under all discouragements, in the assurance of Isaiah vi. 7, and such comfort may abundantly be ours who have in Jesus Christ the righteous, an all-sufficient Advocate and propitiation. Secondly, St. James sets before us the example of suffering affliction, and of patience in the prophets, Jas. v. 7, 8, 10, 11. If suffering affliction was the portion of the prophets, surely we who follow afar off, should not shrink from bearing such burden, in the sorrows that may attend our work-in being thereby called to mourn over those we had not otherwise known or cared for-in enduring unkindness or misconduct, that, but for our office, had never been manifested toward us-in the pressure of labours, cares, and anxieties, which we have taken to ourselves in this work! We should not murmur if called to exercise long endurance. The illustration of the husbandman's patience is one that conveys much definite instruction; the time of the seed being cast into the ground is one that presents no single token of fruitfulness; it is entirely a period of toil, and faith, and hope; in aspect, one of barrenness and desolation; but the husbandman has long patience, for he knows that the frosts and snows of winter must pass over the land to mellow and prepare it, and that sunshine and rain must come, once and again, to stimulate the vitality of the seed sown in autumn, and produce the promise of the spring-time and the harvest of summer. In due season the seed springs up, not all that has been sown, but an appointed portion, a rich recompense; and so in many a Sunday scholar, the seed may lie apparently dead for a time, yet the experience of after life, its losses and sorrows, its crosses and cares, may prepare the heart to receive the quickening influences of the Spirit of grace, which descending on knowledge stored in memory, though for a time neglected, may cause it at last to bring forth fruit abundantly, to the glory of God, though the teacher's eye may not in this life be gladdened with the sight. Such a hope may cheer his heart through long labours and protracted watchings; such hopes and prayers may follow the scholar to the unknown and distant lands, whither the currents of this wandering age may bear him. Thirdly, the teacher may not even hope that his love will be appreciated, or his work received, or remembered with gratitude. The work of St. Paul, accompanied as it was by peculiar demonstration of the Spirit and by power, commended by affectionate earnestness and holy love, beyond the ordinary mark of men, brought to him but the experience, that the more abundantly he loved the less he was loved by some of those, for whom he would gladly spend and be spent, 2 Cor. xii. 15. Let not a teacher then be discouraged, though Is. vi. 6, be his conscious character and position; though his present portion be as that of the prophets described James v. 10; and his earthly recompense only that of St. Paul 2 Cor. xii. 15. Even our Master herein was partaker of the afflictions of his people, and that too, in a point which seemed most remote from the position of Him who was one with God. Matt. ix. 36-38. . INFLUENCE. The power of influence is recognised throughout creation; the ocean's rise and fall are in obedience to the "sweet influences of planetary laws; the warm and glowing sunshine brings to the surface of the earth the germinating seed, which early showers entice to spread forth into bud, and blossom. The wintry air covers the limpid stream with a hard, unyielding garment of solid ice. See, too, how the noxious vapour spreads sterility and desolation, far as its health-destroying breath extends. And if the material world is thus acted upon by influential agency, how much more the moral; then with what deep and trembling interest should this power be exercised, and guarded lest it minister to evil! The influences of the natural world are unfailing in their effects, because unceasing; and they are at the same time unobtrusive, although felt and evidenced by the matter on which they act: so should be the power of moral influence, diffusive of good to all within its range. God has given to every individual a post of responsibility in the world, as regards their neighbour or fellow-creature, of which St. Paul has taken occasion to remind us, in these words, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Alas! we know not now perhaps, but we shall know hereafter, how many opportunities have been within our reach, of influencing others for their "good to edification," but which influence has been allowed to lie like "fallow ground," unattended to, unimproved, or, worse still, used as a snare to cause them to err. Soon will the season of usefulness be over; a little while, and the time for employing the "talent" committed to our care, will be spent: how important, then, the directing aright that power possessed by all, in a greater or less degree, of influencing those around them: not shut up in selfish inactivity, but considering "one another to provoke unto love and to good works"! HYMN. Jesus! thou knowest all my wants How should my soul with praise o'erflow, O give the impulse of thy grace, To wake my dull and slumbering zeal; I long thy holy steps to trace, Thy love's constraining power to feel. Then strengthen'd with thy Spirit's might, My soul shall press her upward way, To leave the shades of earthly night, And pass to heaven's eternal day. R. H. D. SUNDAY SCHOOL ANECDOTES. THOMAS F., a little fellow, the child of Irish parents, Romanists, was admitted into C-. school when very young. I was greatly encouraged in visiting this child's home, by what I was led to elicit from his lips, viz., some of the precious truths I had striven to impart to his childish mind. My reason for doing this was, that he might become the young but spiritual instructor of his parents, and that by him, as a means, the best blessings might come into this poor family. I first enquired of the father, if he was not a Roman Catholic; he replied that he was, but did'nt stick to his religion. He told me that he could not read, but thought the Catholic (so he called it,) Church must be the true church, for his father was a Catholic; but for his own part, he knew very little about religion, either Protestant or Catholic. “Well,” I said, "did you ever ask your little Tom what I taught him on this important subject, for I can assure you, I try to fill his mind with many nice things from the Word of God, and I am certain he could tell you, if you were to ask him." "Oh! no," he replied, "not I, indeed, for he could'nt tell me a bit, not he, boy." "But," I said, "you ought to try him, and find out what I teach him, for he will surely become a Protestant if he remains with me. I think if you were to listen to his young tongue, something comforting would fall from it. Now! listen," I said, "while I ask him a few questions." Tommy was ready in a moment, and apparently delighted at the proposition. My first question was, "Which is the best book in the world ?" "The Bible," was the reply. "What does it tell us we are ?" "Sinners." "But who must teach us to feel that truth ?" "The Holy Spirit." "What does the Holy Spirit do ?" "Makes us feel that we are sinners." "Then the Holy Spirit leads us; but whom does He lead us to ?" Christ." "What is it Jesus does for us ?" "Saves us." "By His precious blood." "What does that blood do?" us from all sin." "Can any one but Jesus do this ?" "What! cannot the Virgin Mary, Jesus' mother ?" "No." "Why not ?" "Because she is only a woman." "But how are we to get the Holy Spirit?" "By praying." "What must we do?" "Pray." "To whom ?" "God." "But in whose name, or through whom ?" "Through Jesus." "Jesus "How ?" "Cleanseth "No." This boy is now in the Romanists' school; I imagine, in a very unsettled state of mind; frequently absenting himself, and spending much of the time which he should devote to study under the direction of his new master, in peeping through the windows of his old school house. A short time since, some of the boys of this school enquired of him, if he did not pray to the Virgin Mary, now he was in a Romanist school; he replied, "I am obliged to say my prayers with my lips to her, but I'll take care I don't say them with my heart!" W. C. B. In the winter of 1850, a Sunday scholar, five years of age, took her seat in the class, eating a sweetmeat, which she had bought on Her teacher gently reasoned with her on the sin of buying anything, however small it might be, on the Sabbath, and repeated and explained the fourth commandment. The child's mind appeared to be deeply impressed, and she said, "I will never do so again." For a few weeks this sweet child did not fail to greet her teacher each Sabbath with, "I don't go to a shop now on Sunday, teacher." Five months elapsed, when the child again remarked, "Teacher, I've never bought anything on Sunday, since you talked to me so; because Jesus would not love me if I did." Not many days after she was taken ill, and suddenly removed, to dwell for ever, there is every reason to hope, with that Saviour on whose love and favour she set so high a value. On Sunday week, the following conversation took place in a class of little children, when a change of hymn books was made throughout the school. "Be "Teacher, why do we have our hymn books changed ?" cause it is thought these are more like the Bible than the old ones." "The Bible will never want changing, teacher." "Why not ?" "Because it is the Word of God." Another child then remarked, "The Word of the Lord endureth for ever." THE TEACHER WHO TAUGHT STRANGE THINGS. You would never guess what they were; indeed, I believe that he scarcely knew himself what he was teaching; and I am sure that he never meant to teach what he did, far less could he give a good reason for it. Am I writing riddles ? A little patience, and you will see it all; but first let me puzzle you still further by saying that he not only taught what he never meant to teach, but that he taught many more persons than he dreamed of, many more than were allotted to him as his class. "Well, but perhaps he was a Superintendent ?" No, he taught the Superintendent. "Then he must be the Minister." No, he taught the Minister. Clergyman, Superintendent, Teachers, Children, he taught them all! Well, I must tell you how. And first, how did he teach his Minister ? The school was in want of Teachers, and the Clergyman, after some knowledge of him, and a little conversation, asked him to come to the Sunday school, and-scarcely able to give a reason for it-he consented, and for a few Sundays all went on regularly. But soon, too soon, there was a change. The eye of his Minister rested sadly on the irregular, unpunctual, careless Teacher, and he felt that he had learned a lesson; and what was that? That a promise, and the fulfilment of a promise were two very different things-the first very very easy, the latter difficult and uncertain, wherever resolute faithfulness is wanting. |