Thirdly. Nor does the mischief end here. The teachers themselves are apt by these means to lose the simplicity of their aim and the spirituality of their mind. Their attention is drawn off from the spiritual part of the institution, and their ambition considerably directed to the object of making such an exhibition as shall secure applause.

As the practice of anniversary sermons, however, cannot wholly be dispensed with, nor all public exhibition of the children prevented, all that remains for us to do is to be careful that they be attended with as little dissipation, and attended with as much devotional decorum as possible. But as for the practice of making them occasions for a grand musical performance, it is a custom replete with mischief, both to the children and their teachers;-a custom which is hastening to corrupt the simplicity of christian worship, and undermine the sanctity of the christian sabbath;—a custom which converts the temple of God into a concert room, and employs the pulpit to hallow, if possible, the performance. It is quite time for some voice to be raised against the practice, or at least to suggest to the ma

nagers of the school, to enquire how far it can be justified.

No. 2.

On Public Exhibitions of any kind that have a tendency to draw upon the children admiration and applause.

A principle of just and laudable emulation may be implanted and cherished, without transforming and degrading it into a thirst for admiration, which is almost sure to be the case, where the children are called upon to make a display of their talents in public. Praise will ever be found injurious in proportion to these two circumstances. First, The publicity with which it is given: and secondly, The ignorance of the person on whom it is conferred. If this be correct the children of a Sunday School should be exposed as little as possible to public applause. A love of display is very soon produced and with great difficulty destroyed. Nor is the mischief confined to those who are the subjects of public distinction. The rest of the children instead of directing their attention to improvement on its own account, begin to regard it and pursue it only as the road to admiration and distinction,

Let either pride or vanity be pretty generally cherished among the laboring classes, and the worst consequences may be expected to accrue to society. The evils which were once predicted would result from the instruction of the poor, were the mere chimeras of a disordered fancy: not so the apprehensions which rest upon injudicious efforts, to force the growth of their understanding, by corrupting the simplicity of their hearts. There is not a single vice to which the human soul is subject, that is a more effectual obstacle in the way of its salvation, than pride. "How can ye believe," said our glorious Redeemer to the Pharisees, "which receive honor, one of another."

No. 3.

On teaching to write, upon the sabbath. AS this is a controverted point, and the practice is adopted by many, who have the spiritual welfare of the children as much at heart as I possibly can, I would state my views with the greatest deference, and in the most dispassionate manner, without presuming to condemn those who may happen to differ from me in opinion.

I beg to assume, what I think cannot be

I

denied, that moral and religious habits are the ultimate end of Sunday School instruction. also take for granted the sanctity of the christim sabbath, by which I mean, that all works are to be abstained from on that day, but those of devotion, of mercy, and absolute necessity.

Try the practice by this test. No one I suppose will contend for it as a work of devotion. Is it then a work of necessity? Necessary for what? Not certainly for their moral and religious benefit: for they may be trained up in the fear of God as well without writing as with it. It can but just be classed even with the feeblest auxiliaries of virtue or religion. The circumstance of their writing texts of scripture for copies, can scarcely be said to render it a moral exercise, since the children think little upon the sentiment they are writing, and are almost exclusively intent upon producing a good copy. Every one knows that nothing is less likely to impress the heart, than a sentiment written by à child into his copy book. As to his thus storing his memory with passages of God's word, it may be observed that the same time which is employed in filling a page with the repetition of one

short sentence, would be sufficient for him to learn five, and to be made by a judicious teacher, to comprehend their meaning.

Besides, if the single circumstance of writing texts of scripture, be admitted to justify the practice, would not the same argument allow a girl to work a sampler, provided she wrought upon the canvas a passage of holy writ?

Nor is it absolutely necessary for their temporal interests, because the poor may acquire nearly all the advantages and comforts of their station, without being able to write. Not that I think it a superfluous labor to teach the poor to write. Far, very far from it. As a means of improving their worldly condition, I would not only communicate to them this art, but also every kind and every measure of useful knowledge which their circumstances would admit of. Provided moral instruction keep pace, the poor cannot possess too much knowledge. I cannot yield assent to an opinion so truly unphilosophical, that to improve the understanding is the way to corrupt the heart. I am now only contending that writing is not necessary, either to the spiritual or temporal interests of the poor. Besides admitting that the art of writing were necessary, still this does not jus