(50 far as is consistent with the children intelligently joining in it), in order that it may be a training for attenddance at church, and that there may not be the slightest fear of the children mistaking it for, or comparing it with a Dissenting Service. I would, therefore, on no account allow the introduction of extempore prayer, unless very sparingly, to simplify a few of the less easily understood petitions. I cannot see the necessity for it, and all the arguments in favour of a form of prayer seem to me to apply with increased force to a service for children; added to which I feel sure that in the case of nine teachers out of ten (particularly as they have no special training for the work), the extempore prayer would be less intelligible to the children than those of our most beautiful Liturgy. There is much, too, as we have before remarked, in the association of ideas, and it is well, therefore, to familiarize their minds from earliest infancy with the Liturgy of the Church to which we wish them, as they grow older, to be attached; and the better to accustom them to the various parts of the Prayer Book, and to form an agreeable variety, the selection of prayers mentioned above might be alternated with the Litany. There would then be very little that would be new or strange to them when old enough to attend church; and to enable them to join more intelligently in the service, both now and hereafter, portions of it might with advantage be taken occasionally as the subject of the sermon or address. Whichever form of service be adopted, attendance at church should always be held out as something pleasant in the future, and as a reward of good conduct. They will thus, more than in any other way, be led to be anxious to attend it. It is a good plan to encourage those parents who like their children to go to church with them to call for them on their way; while, as soon as the superintendent thinks he can trust any child by itself, he or she should be allowed to go to church and sit with the rest of the congregation. In all services for children, of whatever nature, and equally whether conducted by a clergyman or layman, one great difficulty is the sermon or address. There is no doubt that to most people it is not easy to speak attractively and profitably to young children. Agreed; but study and experience of the characters and natures of children, persevering diligence in preparation, and constant endeavours to enter into and realise the feelings of the little ones, will overcome the difficulty. Considerable care is requisite, both in the selection of the text or subject and in its treatment. Its general subject should be founded on, or illustrated by, the chapter read as the lesson. It is not necessary (although it is better) to have a text, and, by all means, let it be short. It is well, after a brief introduction, to make all the children repeat the text several times; but with this exception, and perhaps occasionally, but very rarely, a simple question, the children should be quite silent, as much like what they should be at church as possible. The address should be short (never exceeding twenty minutes), and simple, and thoroughly earnest. This last is vitally essential. None see so quickly as children whether one is in earnest or not, and they will be impressed accordingly. By all means let the subject be clearly arranged and divided, and well garnished with anecdotes, or, better still, illustrations, especially homely ones, drawn from everyday life, or from other and well-known parts of Scripture, and carefully kept down to the level of the children's understandings. The last few minutes should be employed in the direct personal application of the subject to their hearts and consciences. In conclusion, let us always keep in mind what is the object of these separate services-to afford to the little ones of Christ's flock a service of prayer and praise, in which they can take part intelligently; to remove them from a position which too often inspires a dislike for Church; and to train them for the services of the Sanctuary, when they shall be old enough to enter into and understand them, the ultimate end of all being the salvation and growth in grace of their young but immortal souls, and the glory of their and our Creator and Father. T. A. P. Sunday School Institute. QUARTERLY RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS. THE first of the Meetings at the Rooms of the Institute during the past quarter was the DEVOTIONAL MEETING, on the 2nd of October, when Mr. HARTNELL conducted the proceedings, on behalf of the Committee, in the absence of the Rev. E. AURIOL. A SOCIAL MEETING, held on Thursday evening, the 27th of November, was very numerously attended, 125 members being present, and the whole available space occupied. After tea, the chair was taken by the Rev. E. SPOONER, Vicar of Heston, who, after appropriate prayer, spoke of the advantage of social gatherings conducted on right principles, and especially to teachers, for they assured them that they are not working single-handed, but that each is only one of many, of a large company sharing the same diffi. culties and seeking the same great end. He pointed out the necessity of those who teach feeling the living power of the Gospel themselves; for religion is not simply a light to eternity, but a new and real life now. Mr. SANDBY spoke of the various ways in which teachers could express active sympathy towards their fellow. teachers, the children in their schools, to the Institute in its work, and to those afar off, now specially needing their help the distressed teachers and scholars in Lancashire and the North. The last-named subject led to a general conversation as to the mode in which such collections as those proposed by the Institute could be made, and Messrs. Hart, Heald, Hartnell, Reid, Norton, and others, took part in the discussion, and also in commending the Meetings and Publications of the Institute to the especial notice of the members. A SUPERINTENDENTS' MEETING was held on the 18th of December, when, after taking tea, those present were consulted as to any new methods by which the Society could be made more useful to the Sunday schools belonging to the Church. TRAINING LESSONS, by members of the Institute, have been given in various parts of the Metropolis and its suburbs. In conconnexion with the Young Men's Society, three were delivered at St. George's, Bloomsbury, as follow: Oct. 21,-Testament Class, by Mr. HEALD-Luke xvii. Nov. 18,-Bible Class, by Mr. NORTON -Isaiah lv. Dec. 16,-Elementary Class, by Mr. REID-"The woman of Canaan." Also for the same Society at Islington, on Nov. 25, by Mr. REID, to a Testament Class, on The Transfiguration." Three Training Lessons have also been given at Holy Trinity, Kentish Town, under the presidency of the Rev. C. LEE, as follow: Nov. 14,-to a Bible Class, by Mr. S. B. POWER-Lev. xvi. Nov. 21,-to a Testament Class, by Mr. H.A. MAUDE-Luke xiv. Nov. 28,-to an Elementary Class, by Mr. HEALD "The Sabbath." Also at Penge, on Oct. 5, by Mr. J. F. REID, to an Elementary Class; At Kilburn, on Nov. 12, by Mr. NORTON, to a Bible Class; At Kennington, on Dec. 16, by Mr. NORTON, to a Bible Class; and At Christ Church, Hampstead, on Dec. 17, by Mr. NORTON, to a Testament Class. DEPUTATIONS from the Institute (in addition to that which proceeded to Ireland, fully reported elsewhere), have attended the Meeting of the South London Association at Brixton, on the 14th of Oct. at which Messrs. Sandby and Hartnell were present; the first meeting of the Shoreditch Church Sunday School Association, on the 24th of October, in which Messrs. Fleet and Sandby took part; at Boston, Lincolnshire (the Rev. G. B. Blenkin in the chair), where Mr. Fleet spoke on behalf of the Institute; at Ryde, Isle of Wight, where Mr. Norton attended the Meeting held in the Town Hall (Rev. H. Ewbank in the chair); the Conference of clergy and teachers at St. Matthew's, Brixton, on the 20th of November, under the presidency of the Ven. Archdeacon Utterton, at which Mr. Fleet was present, who also attended the meeting of teachers, on the 8th of December, at Christ Church, Streatham. THE NEW YEAR'S PUBLICATIONS have been prepared, and are now ready. They consist of Three Addresses;-to Teachers, entitled, "Continuance in well doing;" to Scholars,-"Following Jesus;" and to Parents,-"The Right Place for the Children." Also an Almanac for Scholars, containing, besides their School and Church Lessons, a Text for every day in the year. THE NEW YEAR'S COMMUNION will (D.V.) be held at St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet Street, on New Year's Day, the service to commence at seven o'clock, after which a Sermon to Teachers will be preached by the Rev C. D. MARSTON, M.A., Rector of St. Mary's, Marylebone, prior to the administration of the Holy Communion. At the request of several Superintendents of schools, in and around the metropolis, the Committee have arranged that the Meetings, &c., at the Institute, shall be held alternately on Thursday and Tuesday evenings, to suit the convenience of Teachers who may have a fixed engagement on either evening. The following are already decided upon, in addition to the New Year's Service :-those to follow (it is hoped weekly) have not yet been arranged : 1863. Thursday, Jan. 8. At the Institute: Training Lesson, Mr. N. HARTNELLMatt. xix. 16. SUNDAY SCHOOL AID FOR LANCASHIRE. REPRESENTATIONS from many quarters having reached the Committee, in regard to the distress prevailing among Sunday school teachers and Sunday scholars belonging to the Church of England, in the Cotton Districts in the North; and they being also desirous to show their own sympathy with those so closely associated with them in their holy work, in this their hour of need, and to obtain for them some real expres sion of Christian love from others similarly engaged, the Committee have addressed a letter to the Clergy and Superintendents of schools, in connec tion with the Institute, asking them kindly to co-operate with them in lay. ing the case before those Teachers and Sunday scholars who are not exposed to this sad calamity, inviting them to help other teachers and scholars at a time when they are threatened with starvation, by giving what they can spare from Sunday to Sunday; and an Address has been prepared (copies of which can be obtained free, on appli cation at the Institute, 41, Ludgate Hill) to the scholars in Church Sunday schools on the subject. Whatever sums are thus collected, will be remitted, free of all expense, to clergymen in the various parishes in the North, where the distress most prevails, that they may dispense these contributions among the necessitous members of their Sunday schools, as tokens of the brotherly love of their fellow teachers and scholars. Various sums have been received on behalf of this Fund. The Committee had great pleasure in finding that collections had been arranged in many Schools, previous to the issue of their appeal. The Committee acknowledge the receipt of various amounts from the following Sunday Schools : Christ Chapel, Maida Hill. St. Jude's, Mildmay Park, St. Mark's, Kennington. Remittances have been sent to Whitfield Sunday School. Crooke near Wigan. St. Thomas's. St. Michael's. St. James's, Heywood, &c. &c. The need for assistance still exists, and our exertions on this behalf should not be relaxed. DEPUTATION TO BELFAST. (Abridged from the Belfast News-Letter, October 24th, 1862.) YESTERDAY evening, a public meeting was held in the Ulster Hall, Belfast, for the purpose of receiving and hearing a deputation from the United Church of England and Ireland Sunday school Institute, a Society having their offices at 41, Ludgate Hill, London. The deputation from London consisted of Messrs. Norton and Reid. For a long past, many of the Irish clergy and Sunday school superintendents have been anxious to receive aid from the Church of England Sunday School Institute. Several parties applied to the members of the Institute, inviting them to pay a visit to Ireland. Accor G | dingly, the deputation arrived in Belfast last week. They held meetings in Ballymena, Newry, and other towns; and a morning meeting was held yesterday, in Christ Church Mission Room, when Dr. PURDON presided. At the evening meeting, in the Ulster Hall, a large number of teachers and friends of Sunday schools was present, the hall being filled. Amongst those present were:-The Rev. Dr. Drew, the Very Rev. Dean of Dromore, Rev. Dr. Miller, Vicar of Belfast; Rev. R. J. Hobson, Rev. F. Dobbs, Prebendary of Connor; Rev. A. Bullick, Rector of Ardquin; Rev. W. Eade, Rev. Dr. |