in the cause of Christ, without which, the most eloquent appeals from the pulpit often prove unavailing.

The faithful training in the doctrines, principles, and operations of the Presbyterian Church, which we recommend to be introduced into all our regularly organized Sabbath schools, comprehends every scriptural effort for the salvation of the scholar; and secures the highest spiritual interest of both scholar and teacher. It embraces thorough study of the word of God, and requires constant approach to the throne of grace. While, therefore, by adopting this suggestion our Sabbath schools would become more denominational, it is not to be apprehended that they would become, in any degree, less spiritual and evangelical.

To accomplish the proposed change in the character of our Sabbath schools, it will be necessary to discontinue the use of all books of instruction from which are excluded the distinctive views of Presbyterianism. The publications, from which all denominational views are excluded, so extensively used at present, though in many respects excellent, are especially suited for temporary use, on missionary ground, or in mixed schools, in which several denominations are associated with equal authority to teach; and who have agreed, for the time, to teach nothing offensive to the parties so united. There is no such union, however, in a Sabbath school attached to a fully established Presbyterian congregation; and in such a school, there are no sectarian preferences to be respected but our own. Except, therefore, in the case of "union schools proper," neither expediency, nor necessity, requires the continued use of such books of instruction. For we have nearly all the books our schools need, on sale by the Board of Publication. With the exception of a full set of Scripture Questions, the Board have issued a complete course of Sabbath school Text Books of a superior character, and precisely adapted to the purpose in question. And the volumes wanting to complete the set will, no doubt, be provided, as soon as the demand for them exists. The books published by the Board have the sanction of our Church, and the introduction of them into our schools is required, both by the general obligation to sustain her institutions, and by the best interests of the schools themselves.

The objections to un-Presbyterian class-books, lie with nearly equal weight against Sabbath school libraries of the same description; they do not meet all the wants of our schools. So important an educational instrumentality, as the religious reading of our youth, should neither lie unemployed, nor be abandoned to a negative influence. From books read, as well as from living example, and from oral instruction, a deep impression of good, or of evil, is often received upon the mind, and thence transmitted to the external life. As upon the quality of the aliment received and assimilated, depend the health and physical development of the animal; so upon the character of the mental food, depend the life

and vigour of the spiritual being. If we desire, in the education of our children, to secure the full development of Christian character according to the model of Presbyterianism, we must place in their hands a literature adapted to that end. But a Sabbathlibrary, from which all discussion of the history, genius, and tendency of Presbyterianism is omitted, cannot accomplish the object desired. Libraries of this general character may be well adapted to the purpose for which they are designed: namely, the providing of a juvenile religious literature, which, all denominational views being excluded, shall exhibit only the principles which are common to all evangelical denominations. Without, therefore, questioning the suitableness of such publications for the purpose intended, we must nevertheless, regard them as insufficient to supply all the wants of Presbyterian Sabbath schools.

If it be thought desirable to supply our Sabbath schools with libraries of this general character, we think it well; but no Presbyterian Sabbath school should delay to procure the library which has been provided for the purpose now under consideration, by the Board of Publication. The catalogue already published, affords evidence of what may be expected from this enterprise, were it properly sustained, in furnishing for our youth and our Church a Presbyterian literature. We would greatly rejoice to see this Board receive the universal countenance and patronage of our ministers and people; for upon its labours must we mainly depend for the true history of our principles, and the faithful biography of those who, acting out those principles, have adorned the profession of the gospel; and thus to provide the corrective for the injustice which our system has received from nearly all that have professed to write history for the instruction or entertainment of the young. Not to mention the flood of pestilential issues from the corrupt secular press which, by the constancy of the inundation, tends to sweep away all faith and all morality in many of the secular schools which are patronized by Presbyterian parents; authors are used as text-books in history, in which, if Calvinism is at all alluded to, it is mentioned with derision and contempt; or held forth to the youthful mind in horrid caricature. This fact, though properly belonging to the subject of "books for Parochial schools," is mentioned here, as a reason for providing our children a literature that shall exhibit the faith of their fathers in its true light.

3d. We regard the care and management of Sabbath schools as an important and interesting part of the oversight committed to the pastors and eldership. Although there is generally an individual who holds the place of superintendent of the Sabbath school, yet the existence of such an office does not preclude, but rather invite, the attention and counsel of the pastor and session. The pastor of the church should be emphatically the pastor of the Sabbath school, ever manifesting an interest in its progress and spiritual welfare. Every teacher and child in the school should VOL. I.-No. 11.

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518 Influence of defective Training on the Marriage Relation. [Nov.

be well acquainted with their minister, as their spiritual guide and friend. They will thus be encouraged to seek his counsel, and to yield themselves to an influence, which they must perceive to be exercised for the great purpose of bringing them to Christ, and of promoting their experimental acquaintance with divine things. This pastoral attention to the Sabbath school will, by the divine blessing, secure accessions to the Church of the most valuable character; and when the members of a school so watched over, are, in providence, separated from each other, pursuing their respective avocations in the world, they will remember, to the latest period of life, the delightful and profitable Sabbath hours spent in imparting and receiving instruction in the things which make wise unto salvation. J. P. C.

Bousehold Choughts.

INFLUENCE OF DEFECTIVE TRAINING ON THE MARRIAGE RELATION.

Is not the fact forced upon our attention, that the deficiencies which disclose themselves in the marriage relation must be ascribed mainly to an inadequate and improper training? If our children were educated as they should be, would they so often prove unfit to enter other families? It can excite no wonder, that young persons who have grown up without restraint-allowed to treat their parents with disrespect indulged in all their whims and caprices accustomed only to flattery and adulation-should be found very troublesome inmates in another household. It would be contrary to all reason to expect a perverse son to make a dutiful son-in-law, an unfeeling daughter to make an affectionate daughter-in-law, a selfish brother to make a generous brother-in-law, an envious sister to make a fond, confiding sister-in-law. There is no talismanic power in wedlock to work such transformations as these. In all ordinary cases, the bad tempers and bad habits which have characterized our children at home, they will carry with them to their adopted homes; indeed, it will be well if they do not become exaggerated as soon as the restraints to which they have been subjected are withdrawn.

It is due, therefore, not only to our own flesh and blood, but to society at large, that we employ every means to educate our children to intelligence and virtue, and to prepare them to fill with honour and usefulness any station to which Providence may appoint them. It is not for yourselves alone that you are rearing that group in your

nursery. There are other families that have a vital stake in the wisdom and fidelity with which you fulfil this trust. If you knew where they were, and they knew of the ties which the intermarriage of your children with theirs would one day constitute between you, with what solicitude would they watch the administration of your domestic affairs! How anxious would they be to see whether in their future son-in-law or daughter-in-law, you were preparing for them a blessing or a scourge! And if they saw that you were getting ready a scourge nurturing a Jezebel for one of their sons, or a Nabal for a beloved daughter, they would feel that they had a right to remonstrate with you against the rank unkindness and injustice of your conduct. And is it any mitigation of this flagrant wrong, that the families into which your spoiled children are to marry are unknown to you? Is the owner of a menagerie to turn one of his tigers loose in the street, and then, when you complain that the ferocious beast has snapped up one of your children, to shelter himself behind the plea that he had no thought of his seizing a child of yours? There is a moral certainty that some family will suffer, if you are grossly unfaithful to your parental duties; and a sheer sense of justice, not to speak of the delicate sensibility inspired by true religion, should keep any parent from so educating his children as to fit them to become the tormentors of other families. "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." If we try to bring up our children as we should wish to have those young persons trained who may at some future period become members of our own families, we shall not, probably, fail very seriously in our aims. Although to compass so difficult an end, we shall greatly need the help of God, as we shall require to make his word our text-book.*

MY CHILDREN STILL.

A young preacher recently called upon an eminent divine, and in the course of conversation, asked him how many children he had. "Four sir," was the reply. At the supper table, the visitor perceived two beautiful children seated by the side of the mother. Turning to the divine, he said, "I thought you had four children, sir; where are the other two?" Lifting his eyes, the holy man of God pointed upwards, while a sweet smile broke over his countenance- "They are in heaven," he repeated slowly and calmly, "yet my children still-not dead, but gone before."

From Dr. H. A. Boardman's excellent work, just published, "THE BIBLE IN THE FAMILY."

LITTLE MARY'S DREAM-PRAYER.

THE following beautiful lines were addressed to a little girl, an only child-in the city of New York, who in her sleep repeated a passage of the prayer she was accustomed to utter before closing her eyes: "God bless me and make me a good girl. Amen." The lines are extracted from that excellent paper, now discontinued, "The New York American."

The prayers which children are taught to repeat in youth, and the habits of reverence then formed, have an important influence on their future character. If a prayer, breathed forth in a dream is beautiful, how much more so when expressed in a life of fragrant piety.