Chapter IV: A Sprig of Evergreen, broken off, may teach us to abide in (1)

Christ.

V. _Salt_, as a grand _preservative_. A _Rotten Apple_, influence and decay.

VI. _Flowers_, so beautiful and frail. A pansy may teach _humility_, a daisy, _cheerfulness_, a rose, _goodness and virtue_, a lily, _purity_, etc.

XIV.

THE BLACKBOARD.

We would not undertake to conduct a Sabbath-school without a good blackboard. The great object of it is to direct, to concentrate, and to _fix_ the attention, sympathies, and prayers of the whole school upon that portion of the word of God which is embodied in the great practical thought of the lesson. It is affectingly interesting to see a whole school, teachers and scholars, banishing their worldly thoughts, and raising their eyes and hearts apparently up to the great warm thought of God, as they cross the threshold of the school-room, and see, in clear, distinct letters on the blackboard, the key-note of the lesson for the day; as, "My son, give me thy heart." "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard." "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." "I will arise and go to my father." "Have faith in God." "All waiting for Jesus." "Flee from the wrath to come." "About my Father's business." "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." "Founded on a rock," etc.

Blackboards have long been used in public schools with great advantage, but have only been adopted in Sunday-schools during the last decade of years. They, however, prove to be so well adapted and useful that they are meeting with universal approval, and are fast coming into general use. We think a blackboard should be used in every Sabbath-school, on every Sabbath, by every superintendent, and on every lesson; for the dullest superintendent, in city or country, can plainly write or print one thought from the word of God on the blackboard, and thus fix the eye and concentrate the thought and heart of the otherwise careless, upon the lesson.

We have often seen the noisiest boys of the city calmed by this means into thoughtfulness and interest in the lesson. Sometimes colored crayons are used to attract as well as to impress. The names of the Deity are sometimes carefully written in crayon of one color, while wrath, sin, etc., may be put in another color, say _red_.

A map, drawn by the superintendent or pastor on the blackboard in the presence of the school, will have many times the effect that it will have, if we point to a regular map. A cross of two rough marks made by a teacher on a slip of paper, to illustrate the lesson, will interest a child more than will a jewelled cross,--it was made by teacher.

Frequently the superintendent or teacher will write down the answer, or the main word of the _answers_ of the children on the blackboard, and this will interest them greatly. A teacher can use a piece of white paper to write or draw on for the scholars of a private class. A few points must be heeded--

1. Do not put any but well-digested, important words, thoughts, and objects on the blackboard.

2. Write or draw as plainly, neatly, and correctly as possible. Do not write too much.

3. Let all the exercises of the school bear directly towards the one great thought of the lesson.

Thus let the freshest and most prominent object in the school-room aid the teacher and superintendent, through the use of the eye, in their great work.

A word of caution is needed, however, concerning the use of the blackboard. Sometimes it has been made to appear quite ridiculous by a fanciful and perverted use of it. The only justifiable use of the blackboard in a Sabbath-school is in order to make Bible truths more clear and attractive in the eyes of teachers and scholars. Men of good taste, as well as those having tact and ingenuity, can and do use the blackboard with power in various ways. For instance, some years ago I saw a lesson taught in Ralph Wells's school--and many of my examples originated with him--from the text in Matt. v. 16: "Let your light so shine," etc. This was plainly written on the board, while on one side was drawn a figure of a light-house, with the rays of light shining forth from the lamp. The superintendent in a review pressed the question, "_How_ are we to let our light shine, according to the lesson, 'So shine?'"--and very soon the children said they were to let their light shine by "being pure," "meek," "merciful," etc., and soon the beatitudes were each written on the separate rays from the light-house lamp.

At another time I noticed the text, "Founded on a rock," together with the figure of a house firm on a rock, and another house crumbling and falling down "on the sand." See to the foundation.

A catechism lesson on the question, "What is sin?" was placed on the board "_My sin._"

_Examples of Blackboard Exercises._

The following examples are given as suggestive of several different lines of use to which the blackboard may be put:

The substance of a lesson in the 6th chapter of Matthew was once put upon the board in two words, "Outside" and "Inside," the children being asked to examine the chapter and tell what to write on the blackboard; at the end of the address the board appeared as follows, each specification having been vividly illustrated by an incident:

_Outside._ _Inside._
Alms. Alms.
Prayer. Prayer.
Fasting. Fasting.
Treasures. Treasures.

Another good lesson on the board is to take one of the commandments, for instance, the "Third Commandment." Raise three questions and get the children to fill out the answers as follows:

_The Third Commandment._

_How broken._ _Why broken._ _Why not._

Swearing. Get mad. 'Tain't right.
Oh gracious! Don't think. No use.
Make fun of the Bible. Think its big. Bible says we mustn't.
Praying careless. Careless. Mean.
Singing and not thinking. Wicked. Ungentlemanly.

The following lesson has been successfully given by the Rev. Mr. Ostrander, of Albany:

THOU
shalt
call
His
name
BELIEVE on | | Christ and thou
| Jesus |
The Lord | | shalt be SAVED.
for He
shall
save
His
people
from
their
SINS.

Where ought Jesus to be? _Ans._ In the heart.

Where did he get his name? _Ans._ From the angel. (Matt. i. 21.)

Why was this name given? _Ans._ (Matt. i. 22.)

How does he save from sin? _Ans._ "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

Other points of instruction and application may be derived from the careful study of the above arrangement.

The following, by E. D. Jones, of St. Louis, teaches a lesson from the text, John xii. 32: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." _First_, Notice the influences God uses to draw men: 1. The Holy Spirit. 2. The Bible. 3. The Churches. _Secondly_, Look at their relations: 1. As a Helper. 2. As a Teacher. 3. As a Trainer. _Thirdly_, Look at the chief work of these agents: 1. To Reveal. 2. To Believe. 3. To Know. 4. To Train. At the close of the address or lesson the blackboard will appear as follows:

Two hearts, one bad, the other good, make an instructive lesson. Get the children to tell you what to write in them as below:

_Bad Heart._ _Good Heart._

Anger. Hate. Love. Hope.
Selfishness. Joy. Humility.
Covetousness. Industry.
Hypocrisy. Honesty.
Lying. Peace.
Sin.

Still another is the following: "Jesus is your friend." What qualities do you want in a friend? _Answer._ He must be TRUE. Write the word TRUE on the board, and then by questioning draw out of the scholars four different and prominent characteristics of Jesus as a friend, each answering to one of the letters of the word _True_, as follows:

_Jesus is your Friend._
T--ried.
R--ich.
U--seful.
E--verlasting.

The Parable of the Sower may be taught by the following arrangement in three columns and twelve words or particulars. The children give the words to fill the columns:

The Soil. What became of the Seed. Represented what Hearers.

Wayside. The Devil seized it. Careless.
Stony. The sun scorched it. Superficial.
Thorny. Tares choked it. Worldly.
Good. Fruit. Pious.

The lesson, "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard," may be thus arranged:

Who?--"Son,
What?--go work
When?--to-day
Where?--in my vineyard."

How work? _Answer:_ W--illingly.
O--rderly.
R--egularly.
K--indly.

The next three examples are from Rev. J. H. Vincent's blackboard exercises:

_History of Joseph._

1. Bo (rn 1745 B.C. 2. So (ld 17 years old. 3. Imp (risoned 9 years in slavery. 4. Rel (eased 4 years--in prison. 5. Ber (eaved 29 years--loses his father. 6. Di (ed 51 years. --- 110 years old.

_The Seven Principal Journeys of Christ._

1. Bethlehem to Jerusalem, 6 miles north.
2. J. to B. 6 miles south.
3. B. to Eg. 250 miles S.W.
4. E. to Naz. 350 miles N.E.
5. Naz. to J. 65 miles south.
6. J. to N. 65 miles north.
7. N. to Jer. 50 miles S.E.

_Seven Golden Rules of Sabbath-School Order._

1st s, for silence.
2d s, for system.
1st v, for vigilance.
2d v, for variety.
1st c, for charity.
2d c, for concentration.
central C for CHRIST.

A more elaborate lesson, illustrating the parable of the Pharisee and Publican, and showing the characteristics of three kinds of prayer and their results, can be portrayed thus:

PRAYER.

-harisee prayed proudly. -ublican prayed penitently. -oor widow prayed perseveringly.

-roud prayer proved worthless. -enitent prayer procured peace. -ersevering prayer prevailed.

Another still is to write a part of the test and fill it up with the answers of the scholars, thus:

{ Repent.
{ Pray.
"At thy word I will { Believe.
{ Love.
{ Obey.
{ Suffer."

A lesson on the _Beggars that cried to Jesus_, as found in Matt. xx. 30-34, may thus be placed:

What the { cried in distress. beggars { cried with importunity. did. { cried with faith. { cried with humility.

What { stood still.
Jesus { asked what they wanted.
did. { had compassion.
{ touched them.

Result. { He healed them.
{ They followed him.

_Map Drawing.--Palestine._

Another use for the blackboard in the Sunday-school is the drawing of maps and outlines of the location of sacred places. Teachers have found it difficult, however, if not impossible, to draw maps of the proper proportions and rightly to locate the places. The following simple plan, used by Ritter and Guyot, has been extensively used in our Sunday-school Conventions the last year or two, and found to be useful. It is called the "Relative Measurement" method. One line, say from A to B (see diagram on page 123), is taken as the unit of measurement. This line is 40 miles in length. Having drawn this line at the top or northern boundary of Palestine, next dot off five times forty miles south, and number it in proper proportions, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Then run three times forty miles west, and number 6, 7, and 8. Then draw a line from A, sloping to the figure 8, for the coast-line, and you have the general outline of Palestine. Then run another dotted line from A to 6, and you have the Jordan line. The River Jordan rises opposite 1. The Sea of Galilee lies opposite No. 2. The Dead Sea opposite 4 and 5. The principal mountains are designated as /\ H. for Hermon, etc. Cities by * and letters, as Jer. for Jerusalem, C. for Cæsarea, etc. (See table.)

The great divisions are made by drawing a curved line from Mount Carmel to the Jordan, midway between 2 and 3. Then equidistant between 3 and 4 draw a circular line to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The length of the Holy Land is about 180 miles and the width from 25 to 70 miles.

The Sea of Galilee is 12 miles long by 6 broad, and the Dead Sea is about 50 miles long. The following outline, which appeared in part in _The Sunday-School Teacher_, of Chicago, is a good illustration:

_Table of Localities._
(_See Map._)

/\ _Mountains._ * _Cities._

H-ermon. H-ebron.
G-ilead. B-ethlehem.
T-abor. Jer-usalem.
P-isgah. J-ericho.
C-armel. Jop-pa.
E-bal. C-æsarea.
G-erizim. Ca-pernaum.
N-azareth.
S-idon.
T-yre.

The foregoing are samples each of several classes of blackboard exercises, which I have selected as being the most practical. Other more fanciful ones are omitted, for it should ever be remembered that the true, legitimate use of the blackboard does not necessarily involve any of these ingenious devices: simply the plain Word of God, plainly written, is all.

XV.

THE INFANT-SCHOOL.

There is no department of the Sabbath-school work of greater importance and interest than this. We have known marked cases of hopeful conversion of children from four to seven years of age to result from the first hour of Bible instruction in the youngest infant classes. Often the character and habits of scholars as such are formed at the very first interview with their teacher, who thus meets them at the very entering in of "the gates of life." It is well known that some of our most distinguished divines, as well as active Christian ladies, date their conversion back to the early age of four, five, or six years. Therefore take measures in every Sabbath-school to organize and sustain a first-class infant-school department.

1. Get a light, warm, airy room. A lean-to added to your chapel for the purpose, or the use of the next-door neighbor's dining-room for an hour a week, will answer. Give the children a room by themselves if possible, to rise and sing, talk, recite, and pray. Furnish the room with a good blackboard and crayons, and such Scripture prints and cards and maps as you can obtain for the walls and for use. Provide for them small, comfortable seats.

2. Select and call to the charge of this class the most pious, bright, cheerful, patient, loving, gentle, winning teacher for children there is to be found in the whole church, with a like assistant. Generally the teacher will be a lady, although some men greatly excel as infant-class teachers, so that the complaining remark of the little girl to her mother, that she "hadn't any teacher to-day--it was only a _man_," was quite too severe to be just. The little ones are greatly blessed in their love for their teachers, for they want a large share of demonstrative, life-like sympathy, expressed by a soft, loving voice and a gentle manner--hands that will speak in all their gestures, and a patience that endureth and a heart that loves to teach them for Christ's sake. If the teacher feels the need of learning how to do this good work, let him visit good week-day infant-schools, and gather up suggestions and lessons, as well as confidence and inspiration, for the great work.

3. Visit and gather in all the children from the ages of three or four to seven years, whose parents are willing to send them, and at once teach them habits of punctuality, order, regularity, and pleasant worship. When they become well drilled and instructed, so that they can clearly read the Bible, then transfer them to older classes, unless there are good reasons to the contrary. Although they are little, they are very precious, and amply worth all the painstaking effort you can make for them.

4. Let the teacher of such a class ponder and consider the characteristics of his precious charge. 1. _Activity._--Says Mr. Hassell, "A healthful child abhors quietude," and rightly so, as much as nature does a vacuum. Every mother knows that her little ones, if in health, "cannot bear to be still for a minute." 2. _Curiosity._--Archbishop Whately says: "Curiosity is the parent of attention." 3. _Inquisitiveness._--Happy is that child who is blest with a mother or teacher who will "bide patiently all the endless questionings of the little one, and will not rudely crush the rising spirit of free inquiry with an impatient nod or a frown." Rather see in their many questions but the untutored pleadings of the little ones for care and cultivation. Oh, how much they want and deserve to have their inquisitiveness satisfied by a kind, considerate answer to all their questions! 4. _Fear._--Oh, how much children suffer from this cause! Their natural timidity should be respected, and not cruelly wrought upon. 5. Then, too, children have _wonder_, and like to talk and hear of "wonderful things." 6. They have also a proper love of approbation, and they should be cheered and encouraged when they try to do well.

Now let the teacher take up the first of these well-known characteristics, and act upon it. An excellent teacher of an infant class, some years ago, was accustomed to gain order by appealing to their _love of activity_. She would stand quietly at the desk and ask the children: "Children, will you please tell me what the gods of the heathen are like?" This was always a pleasing request to them, and every form would stand erect, with every hand by their sides, and they would together begin the part of the 115th Psalm which answers that question. They would repeat all together, "Eyes have they, but they see not," and every pair of little hands would go with the teacher's, pointing to, and resting upon, their eyes. In like manner, "mouths have they," "noses," "ears," "feet," "hands," etc., always suiting the action to the word. All are in perfect order, and the next step for the teacher would naturally be to talk a little about the gods of the heathen, and then sing a verse about "bowing down to gods of wood and stone." The transition is then natural and easy to "Our God" in heaven, where angels, saints, parents, and children too, are; and they sing the hymn to which all leads, viz.: "Around the throne of God in heaven, Thousands of children stand," etc., etc.

Another mode of conducting an infant-school is to place the children in little classes, of six scholars, with a teacher for each, and proceed with singing, repeating commandments, singing, recitation for ten minutes, study of emblems, a ten-minute address, and prayers, having a verse or two of singing between every exercise, and no exercise longer than ten minutes. Thus an excellent system of infant-class instruction proceeds, while the lady who has charge gives the address and superintends the teachers, etc., for the hour devoted to the school.

Another way is to take the two central verses of the regular lesson for the whole school and bring it out on the blackboard, and question, instruct, and pray and sing about the same thought of God in the lesson; as, "Who formed you, child, and made you live?" _Ans._ "God did my life and spirit give," etc., with singing and prayer.

Another infant-class teacher has a different plan, as follows: She has arranged with a gentleman, who teaches a large class of young ladies of sixteen to twenty years of age, to come in with his class and conduct the opening exercises of the infant-school. He then goes into another room and instructs his class for thirty minutes, and the lady instructs the children for the same time. Then the Bible-class, with their teacher, return, and the infant-school is divided into classes, in which the young ladies teach the same lesson which they have just received from their teacher. In this way practice in teaching, and variety are gained, and the lady teacher in the infant-school is relieved of a part of her burden.

I have never found two infant-class teachers who conducted their schools exactly alike. Each one has some peculiarity in his or her mode. There is no standard mode of infant-class instruction. Adaptation according to circumstances is the rule. The children should be received with great care into the infant-school, and be given to understand that it is a place for the holy worship of God, and to learn of him. The children should always be greeted by the teacher with a loving smile, that is free from every trace of giddiness, and with words of sincere, respectful welcome. Great evil is done if the teacher is cold, morose, or fretful in spirit or manner. The teacher should pray with, as well as for, the children. They may repeat the words of the prayer after the teacher; and it is well to prepare them for the act, by some such remark as, "Children, we want to thank God this morning for this holy Sabbath, for the Sabbath-school, for kind teachers, for the blessed Bible, for our God and Saviour Jesus Christ," and so on, mentioning the different objects of desire. Let the prayers always be short and simple, and sing but one, two or three verses at a time. The addresses should always be clear and suited to the children. An excellent model of scriptural talks to infant-class children will be found in "Peep of Day," "Line upon Line," and "Precept upon Precept." "The Tract Primer" and "Child's Scripture Question Book" have also some good things to work up for infant-classes. There are various other helps from which good suggestions can be gathered.

The children should recite their verse or verses simultaneously; then by benches, or classes, and then by a few individual scholars called upon, so as to ascertain if all have learned it. The time cannot be wasted by hearing each scholar recite in turn where there are only one or two teachers. Care should be taken not to burden the young mind. A small, bright, clear, pleasant Bible truth is best. As the good Dr. Ryland used to say, "Simplify and repeat: Simplify and repeat," remembering that simplicity is not poverty of expression. Learn, also, how to carry thoughts _into_ a child's mind, and not leave them, as many do, at the doorway. Aim at Christ and salvation. Let no hymn be sung which you are not, beforehand, careful to see that the children really understand. Make every truth clear and simple, and let them act the lesson out with appropriate gesticulations and motions. When speaking of God, let them do it reverently, and perhaps by all pointing their little fingers upward.

Bible stories and anecdotes are generally best and most interesting for infant-classes. Use the blackboard freely with words and appropriate figures, for such little ones learn best that which they learn through the eye. Teach little at a time, but teach that little well and thoroughly, is a grand motto for the infant-class teacher.

It is of great importance that the children should always feel that their teachers are the best and happiest persons they ever saw, and that they are always so very bright and happy because the religion of Jesus makes them so full of love and joy, and they cannot help its overflow; and that they consider it the greatest privilege of life thus to tell their scholars of Jesus, and lead the little children cheerfully along Zion's road towards the heavenly Canaan.

_Examples of Infant-class Lessons._

_Example No. 1._

The following lesson was publicly taught by Ralph Wells before the Philadelphia Sunday-School Teachers' Institute, in September, 1867. and phonographically reported for the columns of _The Sunday-School Times_. The class was composed of some twenty children:

_The Lesson._

TEACHER.--Look around just for a moment, children, and see how many people are looking at us. I want you to have one good look, and then to give me all the rest of your attention. After you have had your look, I want you to sing a little with me. [The children face the audience for a moment, smiling, parents and teachers returning their gaze with fond affection, and shall we not say, with many prayers that the lesson might be abundantly blessed?]

Now let me see how exactly you can repeat the hymn after me. I will speak first, and you will follow me:

"Jesus loves me, this I know,"

[Children repeat, in earnest harmony.]

"For the Bible tells me so."

[Children repeat thus, after the teacher, the first stanza.]

TEACHER.--"Jesus loves me." Let us look at this a moment. We think that praying and reading the Bible, and saying the lesson are worshipping God; and so they are; but we often forget that in reading and singing these beautiful Sabbath-school hymns we are worshipping God, too.

"Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so."

[After the hymn was sweetly sung, the teacher talked very pleasantly about the beautiful Letter which our dear heavenly Father has sent to us.] That Letter is the blessed Bible. We are going to have a lesson out of it to-night. But we cannot understand it unless our Father sends some one to open our hearts to understand it. We have sung a verse to him: now we will look to him in prayer and ask him to be our Teacher. [The class close their eyes, fold their hands, and repeat the prayer after their teacher.]

Dear Lord Jesus!--We thank thee for the Bible--we thank thee that it tells us--that God loves us--that he sent Jesus to die for us.--We thank thee--for all its promises;--that it tells us--if we love Jesus--and trust in him--we shall go to heaven;--that if we love Jesus--and trust in him--he will never leave us.--To-night, dear Father--send the blessed Spirit--to make us attentive--to help us to find Jesus--and what he would have us to do--and how we can get to heaven.--O dear Saviour!--sometimes when we try--we find it very hard--to do right.--Let us never be discouraged--but whenever we sin--go to Jesus and tell him all--and get his help.--Dear Jesus--help us to live for thee--to do good while we live--to be a blessing to all around us--and to show that we love thee--in our homes--to little brothers and sisters--and to all our companions--at home--at school--and everywhere.--May we so live--that everybody shall see--that we are Jesus' little lambs.--Hear our prayer--and come to-night and be our Teacher--and may our little hearts--to-night--be given away to Jesus--to love and serve him--as long as we live.--We ask for Jesus' sake.--Amen.

[This simple petition was offered by the children, as with one voice, the tone and accentuation of the leader being caught up and carried by them with affecting earnestness of pleading. One could not but feel that the exercise was _real_, with both teacher and class.]

TEACHER.--Now sing with me one verse more, children, and we will take a Bible lesson together. It is new to you, but we sung it over once this afternoon, and I guess you can sing it now. I will sing one verse for you, because it is new to you, and then we will sing it together. It begins with

"Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord!"

Let me sing it for you. [Teacher sings.]

"Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord,
Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord,
Oh, I must be a lover of the Lord,
Or I can't go to heaven when I die."

[The children then sing it with Mr. Wells, and finally by themselves, clearly, loudly and accurately.]

There is a little sentence of only four words, children, that has been more precious to me than any other in the world. I wrote it on a piece of paper years ago, and put it in my pocket-book--here it is, with little flowers around it--[Producing it and holding it up to the class.] Would you like me to give you these four words? _Yes, sir!_ Well, I will write them on the board. [Writes:]

_Christ died for me._

I do not know whether you can read--[the children, quickly interrupting, read "_Christ died for me_".] Yes, if ever this world loves Jesus, it will be because these four little words get into everybody's heart. Try and remember them.

I am now going to read a verse out of our Father's Letter. It is a sad story. After I read it, I am going to tell it to you in my way; and after I have told it to you, I am going to ask you, to see if you can tell me all about it. Then I am going to tell you the meaning; then the lesson--three things: the story, the meaning, the lesson. Can you give them to me? First, the--_story_, next, the--_meaning_, and last, the--_lesson_, [the children say.] Once more, give them to me.--_Story, meaning, lesson._

I will read it first out of the Bible, for I always want to give you God's word first; then I will tell it to you. It is in the twelfth chapter of the Book of Exodus. "Exodus" means the "going out." When you leave this room you "go out" of it--it is your "Exodus" of the room. So, in the Bible story, God's people went out. Let me read to you:

"Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you."

And it happened just as God said. Now, I do not want to tell you anything that you can tell me. In the first place, we want to find out where this took place. Can any of you tell me the name of the country? [_Egypt!_ shout three or four little voices--to the surprise even of the teacher, who, as well as the audience, was repeatedly astonished at the accuracy, promptness, and clearness of the children's answers.]

The Israelites, or God's people, are spoken of in the lesson. They are now in Egypt. Let me mark it on the board. Here is _Egypt_, [drawing a rough outline of the Red Sea, river Nile, and the Mediterranean; and, proceeding northerly, of Palestine.] Pointing to the latter, the teacher said, Here is--_Canaan_, one child replied. Yes! that little girl has it. And what city is this? [making a dot near the corner of the Dead Sea.] Je-_rusalem!_ [a little boy finishes the word.] God's people had been dwelling in Canaan; how did they come to be in Egypt, where we find them in our lesson? Who first went down to get corn? _Joseph._ Yes. There was no corn in the land. What do you call it when there is nothing to eat? _Famine!_ a bright boy replies. Very well, indeed. Who, then, went first to buy corn? _Joseph._ And who followed him? _His brethren._ What did they go for?--to keep them from--_Starving!_ That is it, exactly. I like to hear children answer so well. Can any of you tell me how many Israelites or Jews there were in Egypt? How many is that? [Writing the figures 2,000,000 on the board.] _Two million!_ [eagerly responded a little fellow, who certainly did credit to his week-day instructors.] Yes, there were probably two million--men, women, and children. What was the name of the king of Egypt? It begins with P.--_Pharaoh._ Yes, God said to him, "Let my people--_go_." but Pharaoh said, "I--_won't_!" Then God said, "I will show him what I will do. My people shall go, that they may serve me." So God told his people to get ready that night, when our lesson begins.

What should you think this was? [Drawing a rough figure of the face of a clock.] _A clock._ Yes. What hour is the hand pointing to? _Twelve o'clock._ What time of night do you call that? _Midnight._ Yes, at midnight God said he would go from house to house in the land of Egypt, and every house where he did not see something on the door he would go in and kill the first-born. Let us make a door, now. [Drawing the outline of a door.] We won't take time to draw it very nicely. "Every house where I see something on the door," God said. What was it he must see on the door? _Blood!_ _blood!_ [Taking the red crayon, spots of red are dotted here and there over the white door-posts, representing blood.] Yes; wherever I see the blood of a little killed lamb on the door, I will not go in and slay the first-born.

This blood must first be in a--[Drawing an outline of a bowl or basin,]--_Basin_, the children reply. Yes; and how are you to get the blood on the door? [Taking the green chalk, and drawing a bush.] Here is a little bush, called hyssop, something like a huckleberry bush, and the people were to take that and dip it in the basin, into the blood, and do what? _Sprinkle it on the door!_ Yes. What part of the door? (A pause.) L-i-n-t-e-l; what does that spell? _Lintel._

Then, "when I see the--_blood_--on the--_lintel_--and on the two--_side-posts_--I will not go in and--_kill the first-born_!" Yes. That was what God said.

I have sometimes thought I could see an Egyptian soldier that night with his armor on, going up to one of the Israelites and asking, "What is that you are putting on the door?" "It is some lamb's blood." "What are you putting it on for?" "Because my God has told me to." Then with a strut he has turned on his heel and walked away, muttering to himself, "What a big fool that Jew is!"

But see! the hands on the clock begin to get around. It is now pointing to--_midnight_. Yes, pretty soon it strikes one--two--three, up to--_twelve_. And then! Oh! the angel of death went from one house to another, and in every one that didn't have--_the blood_--on it, the first-born was--_killed_. Yes! And one wail of woe went up from Egypt that night. Fathers and mothers, from Pharaoh in his beautiful palace, to his poorest servant, were weeping and wailing and lamenting their first-born, slain by the hand of the angel of God.

But some houses escaped. The ones with the--_blood_ on. Had there been any death in those houses? _No, sir._ Think. What had died? _A little lamb._ Yes; a little lamb had been killed and his blood put in--_a basin_. And then--suppose the basin had been set behind the door, would that have done? _No, sir._ The blood must be sprinkled on the--_door_, and it most be sprinkled by a bunch of--_hyssop_. Yes; it must all be done exactly as God had said. Then the door that had the blood upon it was passed over by the angel, was it? _Yes, sir._ And what was done to the house where there was no blood? What did the angel do? _Went in._ Yes, and--_slew the first-born_. [Mr. Wells then called a little boy up to the board, drew a rough sketch of three or four door-frames, on two of which he used the red chalk, making marks to represent blood. The boy was then asked, with the class, to point out which houses the angel would enter, and which pass over, thus drilling the fact impressively and perfectly into the scholars' minds, as also the reason for the angel's choice--the _blood_ of the lamb.]

How do you think I got here? _On the cars._ What drew the cars? _An engine._ Did you ever see an engine? _Yes, sir!_ (with emphasis). This summer, where I live, at Tarrytown, a gentleman said to me, "Don't you want to go down on the track and see the express train go by to-night?" I said yes: so we went. By-and-by I heard a rumble: it seemed to come nearer and nearer, and got louder and louder. What was coming? _The express train._ Yes, it was going to rush by us at thirty miles an hour. Could we have held out our hands and stopped it? _No, sir!_ (emphatically, and incredulously). Suppose we had had you to help us, could we then? _No, sir!_ Well, suppose all the people in this house had caught hold of the cars?--what then? _It would have pulled them to pieces!_ [a little girl says]. Well, in a minute or two I heard a sharp _toot! toot!_--what was that? _The whistle._ Yes, and the man on the engine put his hand on a little iron bar and pushed it, and the cars began to go slower and slower and slower until they stopped. The man put his hand on the right place, the place of power, the place that made the engine go or stop. Now, what does Jesus say to us? "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Can you tell me at what door Jesus knocks? _Our hearts._ "If any man," or child, "will hear my voice, and open--_the door_--I will come in and--_sup with him_." Yes, "and he with me;" and we shall be saved. But there must be something on the door, or we cannot be saved, any more than the Jews, if they forgot, or would not, put the blood on the doors of their houses. What must we have on the door? _Blood_. Yes. Well, will it do if you cut your finger, and sprinkle the blood on your house? _No, sir._ Suppose you kill a little lamb, and put the blood on your front door, will that save you? _No, sir, no, sir!_ What must the blood be on? _Our hearts!_ Yes, the blood must be put upon the right place, the place where Jesus knocks, the place of power. Our hearts then are--_the door_. And what must be sprinkled on the door? _Blood._

Why did our soldiers go off to the war? _To fight_; yes, and to shed their--_blood_--for their country. And what does shedding their blood mean? _They died_--[a little girl answers]. Right; they shed their blood, they died for our country. Jesus shed his blood, That means the same as Jesus--_died_; yes; how? _On the cross._ He hung there for you, did he? _Yes, sir._ And for me? _Yes, sir_; and for us all? A little girl in a mission-school, named Mary, sat on the front seat, and when the superintendent was telling about how they hanged Jesus on the cross, the tears came to her eyes, and when he got to where they took the hammer and the nails to nail him, little Mary could not stand it any longer, but she had to get up and go out. In the afternoon she came back smiling, and the superintendent asked her, "Mary, where did you go this morning?" and she said, "Oh, teacher, I could not stand it when you spoke to us about Jesus being nailed on the cross, for I felt just as if I helped to pound the nails in, and I went off a little piece from the school, and got down on my knees and told Jesus that my sins helped to hang him on the cross, and I asked him to please forgive me for helping to kill him--that I was so sorry; but now I feel so happy." Jesus forgave her, and to-day Mary is a little Christian girl.

I have something in my pocket (drawing out a roll) that I want you to see. Years ago I went thousands of miles away, and I sent on to Washington and got this paper, It is called a "passport." There is the great seal of the United States on it, and here is the Secretary's signature at the bottom. And when I was away, in strange countries, where I could not speak the language, all I had to do was to show this paper, and they said, "Let him pass," or something that meant that, and I was allowed to go on. If I had not had this passport, I could not have got through. The blood of Jesus must be our passport. When God sees this blood sprinkled on the door of our hearts, he will say, "Let him pass," and we will be allowed to go through this life in safety, and get to heaven when we die. But oh, how many times we have to use this passport! How often we sin and need to come to Jesus for forgiveness, and to point to his precious blood sprinkled on our hearts!

The teacher further continued the lesson, illustrating by pointed and affecting incidents, briefly recapitulating, and closing with a short prayer, in which the little ones feelingly joined. The above is all that need be quoted to give an idea of the style of this successful teacher of the children.

_Example No. 2._

The following lesson was kindly forwarded to the author, in manuscript, from London, by the young lady teacher, "S. E. A.," who has been remarkably successful in public exercises of teaching very young children.

_A Lesson upon Forgiveness._

Harry and Fred went to school. They had to cross a road to get to it. A boy used to stand at the crossing with a broom in his hand to sweep it with; this boy was very rude to Harry and Fred: he used to try and keep them from crossing the road. Once he took away Fred's books and splashed him with mud. When the boy saw Harry and Fred running and making haste, lest they should be late at school, he would be sure to stop them. In the winter-time he made them walk upon the snow. Sometimes he held up his broom before their faces and cried out, "Can't come across, can't come across; you'll be late, you'll have the stick." Then, again, when they were very early, he would tell them they were late, and so make them run. At last, one day all the children of the school to which Harry and Fred went were going to take flowers to their teacher, as it was her birthday. Henry said that he would bring a beautiful nosegay, for his papa's gardener was going to cut him a large one from the green-house for him to take to school. Well, the morning of the birthday came: the school-children brought a great many beautiful flowers; Harry and Fred did not come with the rest; the children wondered where they could be. At last though, in they came, but no nosegay: they made a bow, said "Good-morning," and then both looked down on the ground. "Where's your nosegay?" said a little girl to Harry. "I have not got one," he answered. How could that have happened? The gardener had cut them a beautiful large nosegay, and when they left home in the morning for school they had it with them--what had become of it? Had the boy taken it away? I will tell you all about it. As they were running along very fast to get to school in time, all at once they left off running and began to walk slowly. They were near the crossing, and they felt afraid of the boy; they need not have been frightened, for the boy was sitting down on a doorstep crying, with his head resting upon his knees, and took no notice of them. As they were going past him, Harry said, "Oh, he will not hurt us; let us stop; I wonder what he is crying for?" "What is the matter?" said Fred to him. "Mind your own business," answered the boy; "go on to school." So on they went, but as they turned away the boy saw the nosegay, and called after them to come back. "Don't go." said Fred: "he's a wicked boy; we can't help him." Well, they were going on when Harry looked again and saw him crying; so he and Fred turned back: then the boy told them that he was very hungry, that his mother and grandmother were both at home very hungry and ill, that a policeman had turned him away from his crossing, and he had not earned any money for three days. Harry said, "Poor fellow!" and he wished he had a penny to give the poor boy. Then Harry and Fred looked at their flowers; the boy looked too. "He can't have our flowers, you know," said Fred; "we want them for our teacher, she is so kind, and I want to show how much I love her." So they walked off slowly, and the boy looked after them and the nosegay as if he would like very much to have it. "I say he does not deserve to be helped," said Fred. "So do I," said Harry; "and then these flowers are too good to give to him." However, they did not feel quite comfortable, and then they remembered a text they had learned at school the day before--"_If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses._" That is, dear children, if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. So Harry said, "Here, Fred! take the flowers to him." Fred took the flowers, went up to the boy, put them in his hand, and then ran away. A gentleman soon after gave the boy a shilling for the nosegay, and I dare say you can guess what he did with it. When Harry and Fred gave the nosegay to the boy, it made them feel very happy--more happy than if they had given it to their teacher; and it did the boy good too: their kindness made all his rudeness go away, and always after this day he did all he could to please Harry and Fred.

_Tell_ me the names of the boys I have spoken to you about? _How_ did the crossing-sweeper behave to them? _What_ were they going to take to school one day? _Why_? _Did_ Harry and Fred take their nosegay to school? _What_ did they do with it? _Did_ the boy deserve to have it? _Why_ did they give it to him then? Yes, they gave it to him to show that they had forgiven him. Sometimes people are unkind to you; perhaps one day a boy went up to you James, and stole your marbles; perhaps your big sister one day gave you a slap, Mary. Now, if she ever slaps you again, or if the boy takes away James's marbles again, are you to hit them and call them hard names, or to forgive them? _Why?_ Yes, you should forgive them because God wishes you to do so; because it will be acting like Jesus to do so; because God will not forgive you if you do not forgive. Let us think a little about Jesus. You know that one evening when he was praying in a quiet garden, some wicked men came and dragged him away; you remember how the soldiers mocked him, took off his clothes, put on him an old robe, a make-believe crown made of thorns--dared to be so filthy as to spit in his face, beat him; and then they put great nails through his hands and through his feet, and nailed him to a cross of wood, put it up and let him hang there. How the nails most have torn his hands!--what great pain they must have given him! You know if a pin were put through your flesh how the pain would make you cry out; what then must have been the pain of the nails! And then he did not deserve this cruel treatment: he had gone about doing good. If any persons deserved to be punished, those who put Jesus, the kind, loving Saviour, to death, deserved to be; and Jesus could have punished them if he had chosen, for he was God's dear Son; but no, he did not punish them. Instead of that, he prayed for them: he said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" Let us ask God, the Holy Spirit, to give us a forgiving spirit, and so make as like Jesus.

Here is a story which Jesus once told, that he might teach us to forgive others: A king once had a servant who owed him ten thousand pieces of money. When the king called the servant that he might pay back the money, the servant had nothing to pay: not even one piece of money could he pay back, and he owed--ten thousand. Then the king ordered that the servant and his wife and children should be sold as slaves, and work until there was enough money to pay back the ten thousand pieces. When the servant heard this he fell down on his face before the king, and said, "Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;" in other words, "Do wait a little longer and I will pay back all the money." Suppose Alfred's mother owes the baker for a great many loaves, and he was to come to her house one day and say, "I must have my money; I won't go away till you pay it to me;" and then your mother were to cry, and tell him how sorry she was she had no money, but that the children had been ill, and that she had had to give all her money to the doctor, but that if he would wait a week longer she would get the money and pay him. Well, suppose the baker was to feel quite sorry for your mother, and should say, "Well, I won't ask you for the money: you need not pay me at all. I will give you the bread you've had." Now, that is what this king did. The servant said, "Wait a little longer and I will pay you." The king said, "You need not pay me at all: I forgive you it all." The servant went away. As he was going away he met a man who owed him a hundred pennies: he went up to him, laid hold of him very rudely by the throat, and said, "Pay me what you owe me!" The man fell down at his feet, and said, "Have patience with me, and I will pay you all." _How_ much money had the king just forgiven the servant? _How_ much did this man owe the servant? _What_ ought he to have done? But he did not forgive him, but had him put in prison directly. Some servants were standing by and saw what this unkind servant had done, so they went to the king and told him all about it. He ordered the servant to be brought back before him, and then the king said to him, "O you wicked servant I forgave you all that debt: ought you not to have forgiven the poor man what he owed you?" The king was very angry with him, and had him put in prison until he paid the very last farthing. Then Jesus told the people to whom he was speaking that so their heavenly Father would not forgive them if they would not forgive one another.

_How_ many pieces of money did the servant owe his lord? _Had_ he any money to pay back with? _What_ did the king order to be done to him and his wife and children? _What_ did the servant then say? _Did_ the king give him a little longer time? _How_ much did a man owe this servant? _Tell_ me how he treated the man? _Who_ went and told the king all about it? _What_ did the king _say_ to the servant? _What_ did he _do_ to him? _Who_ was it prayed for those who treated him so cruelly? _Now_, when you go home, I want you to tell your mothers and fathers about the lesson. Repeat it. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. Try and remember three things--about Harry and Fred; the king and the servant; the Lord Jesus.

XVI.

YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN'S BIBLE-CLASSES.

We can hardly find words to convey our impression of the surpassing importance of these classes. To train teachers, to train mothers and fathers, to restrain from doubtful company, and to furnish good companions and Christian associations, reading, habits, impulses to the young men and women of this generation, is a work worthy of the highest aspirations of the best and noblest of our race. If we look at the census, we cannot fail to notice the striking fact that a little more than _one-third_ of the entire population of New York are young men and women over fifteen and under thirty years of age, while more than one-half of our population is under twenty years of age.