We call our children together once a week only, for one hour, our object being not to withdraw them from domestic care, but rather to encourage this, and make it more systematic. The hour which we

choose, is at the close of the afternoon service. Aiming to find profitable employment for their Sundays, we give them from week to week an exercise which we think sufficient to employ them during those earlier hours of that day which they pass at home, to be the subject of their conference at its close, with their instructers.

We use manuals, though not, I hope, slavishly. It has appeared to us that a teacher who is incapable of avoiding a servile adherence to a manual, is still more incapable of getting along without one, and that those who might dispense with them with the least disadvantage, are qualified to derive the greatest advantage from their use. We use manuals not to charge the memory with language, but to suggest subjects distinctly to the consideration of the mind, which we believe nothing will do so well as carefully weighed printed words. To prepare the child for the most profitable conversation with his instructer, we think that he should come to it with his curiosity excited, and his mind already exercised on the subject, and with some perception of the points which belong to it; and this object is accomplished by the lesson, (if I am so to call it,) which we give him to be attended to in his retirement, and, (as will naturally be the case,) conversed upon with his friends at home. The lesson also determines from week to week the subject of the teacher's inquiries and reflections, keeping him from

losing his time in indecision as to a choice. And the use of books, if well selected, secures this great point, that in the complete course of Sunday instruction, all the topics the most suitable to it, will have been gone over with each child, and that in a proper succession.

We are very tenacious of what system we have, designed to prevent confusion, and interference, and comparison of the children with one another; though, so far from thinking it best to multiply rules of discipline, we do not even ask any questions of a child who has absented himself, thinking it better not to have his attendance than to have it without his good will. And our experience has fully justified this course. On the first Sunday of each year, we receive a new class of boys, and another of girls, then in their seventh year, admitting none under six years of age. These classes remain, as thus formed, and without change of teachers, unless necessary, through the whole course of nine years; except that half of a class is given to a new teacher, whenever by subsequent additions of persons of its own age, it comes to exceed seven in number. The studies are as follows:

First year.

Channing's Catechism, six months. Carpenter's Catechism, six months.

Second year. Worcester Catechism, six months. One quarter of Turner's Abstract of Sacred History, six months.

Third year. Turner's Abstract, finished.

Fourth year. Fifty-two sets of Questions on Sacred History.

Fifth year. Worcester's Sacred Geography, six months. Geneva Catechism, part I, six months.

Sixth year.

months.

months.

Enfield's Natural Theology, three Adams' Letters on the Gospels, nine

Seventh year. Field's Questions on the Gospels, to

part VI.

Eight year.

and Acts, finished.

Field's Questions on the Gospels

Ninth year. Geneva Catechism, part III.

The books which direct the studies of the early years, are very brief and simple, though they suggest topics which may be enlarged upon to any extent. Thus the child's attention is not tasked in preparing for an exercise, and the teacher is thrown upon his own resources for almost every thing except the choice of a subject. Sacred history is gone over in three different forms; this having been found an effectual way to impress the facts upon the mind, and make scripture familiar for reference; and the history, in each successive review, affording the most favorable opportunities for religious admonition and explanatory comment. The studies of the early years give a preparation, both to instructer and pupil, for those of the three or four last, in which a diligent teacher, skilful in the work, will be able to convey most valuable information upon the leading questions of christian faith and duty..

It has been our practice to put into the hands of all the children manuals of devotion, suited to their growing age, such as the Young Child's, Child's, and Youth's Prayer books, and Wellbeloved's Devotions, and to recommend the use of these in private, without however making the inquiry whether our advice was followed.

If of many, who, by the present, from time to time, of such books, are reminded of the duty of secret prayer, a small portion only are led to observe it, a vast amount of good has been done.

On leaving our school in their sixteenth year, the pupils have been invited to meet the pastor for an hour each week, in a course of exercises extending through four years, designed still to direct their Sunday reading, and embracing a view of, first, Sacred History and Geography, examined more thoroughly than before; secondly, Ecclesiastical History and Evidences of Revealed Religion; thirdly, Christian Doctrines; and fourthly, Christian Morals; the second and third parts of the Geneva Catechism being used as text books in the two latter departments. Here the subjects of each year are distinct, and, with the pupil's previous preparation, it is of no great consequence in what order they are pursued; so that the class which comes into this course from year to year can, without embarrassment, go on with those which have preceded it, remaining till it has completed the round of subjects, wherever taken up.

This brings the young people to their twentieth year. For adults has been provided, in addition, a course of weekly expository lectures, continued through four years, on the books of the Old and New Testaments, in order.

Upon this plan a young person has aid offered to him in the prosecution of religious studies, and particularly in the useful employment of the leisure of Sunday, (which for want of method and connexion in reading, is often, by the best intentioned, most wofully

misspent,) from his seventh to his twenty-fourth year. It ensures that his whole childhood and youth shall be traversed by a vein of religious thought, and with the most imperfect management of it, or of anything like it, his mind and heart can scarcely fail to be both benefitted.

I do not say, Messrs Editors, that a much better plan than this, to the same effect, might not be devised. But if this, or some other resembling it, may do its measure of good, the arrangement of it is for any minister a perfectly practicable thing. The only difficulty, the providing of competent instructers, is one which a little time will dispose of, after a beginning is made; but which no time will remove, till that has been done. If I were about to enter on the ministry, I would immediately distribute those children who might be placed under my care, into six classes, of each sex, give them the books of the six first classes specified above, and then set them to finish that course, receiving afterwards into the school a new class every year. For teachers, I would engage the best I could find, not expecting them generally to be at first very skilful; but assured, that if the mind and inclination were good, they would be continually improving, and that, if the plan went on, it would, in a very few years, take care of itself; the pupils becoming, in their turn, precisely the instructers who would be needed. The young persons of the society, above the age at which the school was expected to dismiss its pupils, I would also immediately invite to meet me for an hour each week, in a course of exercises like that described in the first paragraph of the last page. Some of