The heart and feelings are most likely to be influenced in retirement before God; and the teacher, in his private devotions, is thus most likely to feel his best affections drawn, as it were, by a power which it is quite beyond his capacity to explain.

Thirdly, retired prayer is of importance to the teacher, because it enables him to plead for his class, both collectively and individually before Almighty God. It is impossible to estimate the advantages which flow from the private supplications of a teacher. His secret labours may be as fruitful as his public ones; and the real value of those hours of retirement, spent in the immediate presence of Jehovah, may at a future time be proved. The teacher then is not speaking to his class, but he is speaking to God, on behalf of his class; and as child after child passes through his mind, we cannot venture to speculate upon the invaluable blessing that God may be pleased to bestow. The prayers of a righteous man, we are assured, avail much; and surely we may be led to believe thus far of the pri vate devotions of a Sunday-school teacher.

And lastly, retirement to the teacher is sweet. It recruits his own energies, and prepares him for renewed acts of self-denial, and works of love. Communion with his heavenly Father is sweet to his soul; and the consciousness of being in the presence of God, stamps the hour of retirement as most precious to the Sunday-school teacher. The sweetness of it to one who has tasted of the heavenly gift, and who is sincere in his works, cannot be described. It is an hour in which heaven, as it were, is opened before his eyes, and he feels himself influenced by heavenly motions of inestimable value. It is sweet to him, because he can, without let or hindrance, contemplate the cross on which his dear Redeemer died; and thereby considerably enhance his earnest desires. Oh! the sweetness of the hour cannot be expressed. It far surpasses the richest enjoyments which the world can confer.

Such, my dear fellow labourers in Christ, are the blessings which flow from the hour of retirement for prayer, and the study of God's word. The more we go to God, and the more we rely upon him, the greater will be the blessing which will result from our instruction. Let me, in the spirit of deep humility, beseech you to seek God in retirement, more and more. Let me lead you, if it be possible, more constantly to the throne of grace in private. Let me entreat you to spend more time in your closet with your heavenly Father. Let me earnestly supplicate of you to hold more and more communion with your Father in secret, and that Father beholding you in secret shall reward you openly.

W. D.

SUNDAY SCHOOL HAPPINESS.

SUNDAY SCHOOL HAPPINESS? If we are to see with the eyes of Dean Close, there is no such thing to be discovered. "The last feather that breaks the camel's back" can be no source of pleasure; and if his theory of Sunday schools be true we must expect to find the school-room filled with unhappy and woe-begone faces, the owners of which are martyrs to a rare, and most delightful, filial, or pastoral obedience. We are bold enough to hold a contrary opinion, and to believe that Scripture is much more interesting than Arithmetic, or Botany-and that Sunday school teachers may even be as popular as the most learned certificated masters, in spite of the overwhelming attainments of the latter. From such comparisons, however, we turn aside, declining to put the day and the Sunday schools in competition with each other. "Suum Cuique:" only let discontented deans and dignitaries let us alone, if they don't like us: they are a very small minority amongst their clerical brethren.

Sunday-school Happiness! We have seen much of it, in our experience, and trust to see a vast deal more. Indeed, amongst the many Sunday schools we have visited, of very unequal degrees of efficiency, we do not remember one that the children themselves, as a body, would have closed, if they had possessed the power. Some of the scholars, it is true, may come (as certainly they do on week days) from compulsion, some from mere habit, some for want of better employment-but in every tolerable school there is sure to be a body of happy and willing scholars-and some amount of true sun

shine.

It is worth while to ask, then what are the elements of Sunday school happiness? How may we contribute our share to the moral sunshine? how help to throw an air of attractiveness over the scene?

Now first let us bargain for SINCERITY: we mean that the teacher should never assume a manner not natural. If we unhappily feel out of tone, and tune, and unable to enter into the work in that spirit, the remedy is to be found in prayer, not in pretension. The possession of a happy, sunny spirit of genial sympathy is as lawful a subject of prayer as intellectual power, or influence; and indeed, many would join us in thinking such a spirit one of God's choicest gifts, bestowed for some of the noblest ends. They who know the delight of passing from the heavy clouded atmosphere of the metropolis, into the pure free air of the country, will appreciate the illustration as applied to the relief of coming into contact with such peo

ple. We feel at ease, assured that they will never betray us, nor deceive us, that any friendship they may evince is real, and that if we have won their affection, it will be our own fault if we lose it.

This is a phase of character that children will es pecially enjoy. They know, almost by instinct, the difference between an affected and patronising air, and the heart-felt sympathy we now speak of; and that their teacher really cares for them is one of the chief elements of their Sunday School happiness. Without denying, for a moment, the existence of much pure and dis interested friendship amongst their own class in life, we yet count as an extra source of pleasure to them the affectionate care and assistance of one above them not only in social rank, but also in knowledge and power.

Our next point, for we can but bestow a few suggestive remarks on each, is a widely different one, but eq ually important-CONTROL. Man is not made, or fitted to be uncontrolled in any conceivable thing, and a rational reception of this truth is essential to his happiness. The Christian's freedom, so dearly purchased, so highly prized, is freedom not from law, but from lawless transgression: and they are the happiest whose lives are most perfectly controlled by the will of God. We may safely apply this rule to children. It has even been said by a sound writer that an authority partaking sometimes of harshness was far preferable to none at all: that children would be happier when even occasionally tyrannised over than when left to the uncontrolled exercise of their own will. Sternness is an evil of the opposite character, and as fatal to happiness--but when the teacher possesses the sincere affection we have just before stated to be requisite, then, the more the class is under control, the better for their happiness. And it is scarcely needful to point out how much the general comfort and happiness of the school at large depends on the way in which each class is controlled. One disorderly class disturbs the pleasure of all.

This

Another important part of the happiness is-PROGRESS. may not be so universally true as the previous points, but generally speaking, children that are worth anything, rejoice to feel that they are getting on; and to them, accordingly every good lesson, explanatory or practical, is a source of pleasure. And if, by God's grace and teaching, the eyes of their understanding are indeed opened, and they see the truth as it is in Jesus, who shall estimate the happiness either of teacher or scholar, as the riches of the Scripture are Sunday after Sunday unrolled, whilst the experience of daily life, as it were confirms the lessons of the BOOK? Thank God, even of this high happiness there is much to be found in our Sunday Schools. Many a teacher has cause to be grateful for such a cheering result,and learns

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to labour on, amidst many discouragements, hoping, nay believing, that yet more fruit will appear in God's good time, and content to trust Him that He will at last bring both teachers and taught to rejoice together, and heighten each other's happiness.

We might go on to speak of some minor sources of happiness, such as the sympathy of numbers, the ties of class friendships,―or even the treats, the library, the social intercourse, all valuable, but our subject has insensibly passed to the higher ground from which we do not like to descend: so here we leave it, commending it to our readers, as a profitable topic for thought. "Do I find pleasure in my work? Is that pleasure of a high and pure character? Do I give pleasure? Are my children happy? Is the school any the better or happier for me?" These are home questions; may they lead us to think of and to follow Him, who, in seeking the happiness of others, not pleasing Himself, yet found in such a life the highest, noblest happiness for Himself, and for the objects of His love.

I. G. J..

CHRIST'S JEWELS.

THERE are certain portions of God's Word which no earnest Christian can read without feeling his heart melt within him; the 16th and 17th verses of the 3rd chapter in the book of the prophet Malachi, form one of these "pleasant songs." It is not necessary, in these enlightened days of our happy country, to preach against solitary life, or this short passage might be brought forward as a strong argument in favour of Christian communion; still there are some who seek to serve the Lord while they habitually maintain as much reserve, even towards their brethren in Christ, as though they were either ashamed of their profession, or labouring under the same delusion as Elijah, when he thought none but himself served the Lord.

Exceeding blessing invariably follows every form of Christian intercourse, whether public or private; we may search our never failing testimony, the Bible, in confirmation of this fact. 2 Chron. v. 2, to vii. 18, and Acts ii., are chapters which strikingly illustrate it; but we may find another instance, more thrilling though less awful than these, if we turn to Luke xxiv. 13-36. Here we do not indeed see Christian communion honoured by the visible glory

of Jehovah, as was manifested in Solomon's temple; nor by the mighty appearance of the Holy Ghost, as on the day of Pentecost; but we read, that while two lowly followers of the Saviour were journeying together and conversing on the all-important topic of the supposed Messiah," Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them "-the presence of the Eternal Three was there, for " in Jesus dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." This was the first evidence of the fulfilment of the promise recorded in Matt. xviii. 20: is it also the last? Who, amongst all the multitude of God's people, has not felt the blessedness of Christian intercourse! It has been the powerful means used by our Heavenly Father to knit the hearts of many more closely to Himself-nay, I may venture to assert (without fear of diverging one fraction from the truth) that not one of God's children has passed his or her life-time without being benefitted by the strengthening influence of fellowship.

What refreshment is found by many weary, thirsting souls, in the very act of public worship! more especially, perhaps, by those Christians, whose appointed weekly labour obliges them to live among such as fear not God. I have marvelled at, and felt deep reverence for, the pure delight evinced by some on the return of the day of rest, which affords them again and again, the privilege of joining with others in prayer and praise, and of hearing God's ministers discourse on the theme they most love.

Much, however, as a child of God is blessed, by uniting with congregations in holy services, still more do rays of heavenly light. appear to descend upon all who, in their private life, seek fellowship with those who love the Lord, or proffer sympathy to struggling brothers and sisters, whose feeble faith might sink unfostered; for even on earth rich recompense follows such intercourse,-Christians strengthen each others' hands; he that watereth shall himself be watered; and when two or three agree on earth, touching anything they desire of God, He has promised to grant it; no tie is so strong nor so lasting as the pure bond of friendship which has been founded on mutual love to Christ; lastly, to quote the inspired verses before us: "they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

Now let us analyse these precious words, "They that feared the Lord spake often one to another." Notice especially the fact that true believers make no parade of their faith; they are silent on the