CHAPTER XIX.

CONCLUSION.

CONY

NVINCED by long and painful experience that scholars in many of our Sunday Schools, as well as our youth generally, need something more in their early training than they at present have, either in their schools or homes; that home and parental help must be embraced in any system that would remedy the existing evils; that it is not talking nor personal appeal that children so much need as real teaching, and intellectual enlightenment in the great things of God as revealed in the Scriptures, and as to their individual concern in them, as best taught by the aid of the little books published in this volume; that very few persons are sufficiently acquainted with them; and that none can teach the Bible so effectively without them as with them, -with these convictions I have kept, in these "Helps," as closely as possible to the subject of practical teaching, assured that if parents and teachers diligently and faithfully deposit in the minds and memories of children the essential truths contained in these Catechisms and the texts of Scripture referred to by them, the Holy Spirit, whose sole prerogative it is to regenerate, will not fail to bless His own word and make it effectual according to the good pleasure of His will.

The necessity for some simple and definite matter and method of religious teaching will also further appear when we remember that in a very short time the Bible as a lessonbook is likely to be banished from our public schools,

leaving only the Sabbath, and domestic and parental training, for the soul and eternity.

I propose in this closing Chapter, at the risk of further repetition, to touch upon a few points showing both the desirableness of the plan developed in the preceding Chapters, and how it can be adapted, by various agencies, to the religious instruction of ADULTS as well as the training of CHILDREN.

I. Loss of precious time in the Sabbath School, from various causes, and which in some is very considerable. This demands attention.

1. Of the whole school, arising from unpunctuality in commencing; officers and teachers forgetting that every minute thus wasted, with 60 children present, is an hour lost; with 120, two hours; with 180, three hours; and not only lost, but passed injuriously to the scholars, and farther increased by scholars' want of interest in opening and closing services. This might have been devoted to the most interesting and happy purposes possible. Then of the various Classes.

2. Infant Class time during opening of school is often sadly wasted. Also (1.) By the Teacher being late; (2.) By want of proper help,-40, 50, or 60 children being left to one Teacher, perhaps very young; (3.) By lessons not suited to the children's wants-some text set up on the letter-box lid, of little present or permanent service to them, and moreover set up in school time; and then, what with children playing, falling off the forms, and coming in late and going out, scarcely twenty minutes are devoted to real work, and the precious season is lost. This Class, if large, should have, at least, two, if not three, Teachers, so that the undivided attention of one or the other can always be given to teaching; and if, under the new system, one were to teach the reading of Hymns and Singing, and the other the Catechism, Prayers,

Graces, &c., much freshness and efficiency would be gained thereby.

3. Time in the Bible Classes is often further lost from (1.) Late attendance of Teachers; (2.) Waiting for Classbooks or loan Bibles; (3.) Scholars saying hymns and portions one at a time, all the others doing nothing; (4.) Reading in the same manner, only one engaged; (5.) Inattention of scholars while Teachers talk, and think they are teaching; (6.) Teachers reading books and telling tales to the children; (7.) Favouritism, one or two scholars having all the Teacher's time, smiles, and gifts, to the misery and envy of the rest; and in many other ways that, doubtless, could be named. The same with the youths in the Upper Bible Classes, who need to have opening exercises of their own.

4. Superintendents, sometimes, from a low estimate of their duties, fritter away their time on trifles, and so waste the time of the whole school. I have seen a Superintendent (an earnest, plodding, devoted man of God, with an experienced body of teachers, working well and happily together) doing little things in the school that the youngest scholar in the Bible Classes could have done, and half an hour of the whole school, with 100 children present, allowed to pass unimproved, through his supposing that he must do everything. Far better to initiate some youths in the Senior Class in miscellaneous and routine duties, so that the minds of officers may be free for more important work.

II. Difficulties connected with the change of system.―These are sure to attend the introduction of any new system of teaching, and they may present themselves with this, where least anticipated. Old-established habits and preferences may be expected to bias the minds of Teachers, especially of those who have not had the advantage of this Catechism-training

and therefore cannot know its worth; but surely no difficulties can so much grieve and discourage devoted Teachers as the unsatisfactory state of many of our schools, as well as of thousands who once were scholars. (See Chap. II., p. 15). But, allowing that some difficulty may attend the introduction of this plan, surely settled system, more defined, suitable, and traceable matter, and more certain teaching, affording reasonable hope of better results, will fully justify the trial, and make amends for all.

For the benefit of all, but especially of those Teachers and Parents who have not been favoured to know the little books, they are printed verbatim in the various departments, with Outlines of Lessons and Suggestions for teaching them within a given time.

III. Ragged Schools, perhaps more than any other, may be helped by the teaching here suggested; nothing better for their scholars to know, written in so few words, and to be had at so low a price. The Divine Songs, containing every subject necessary for children, with the First Catechism, which is a complete body of Divinity, are together sufficient to show any sinner the way of salvation from the wrath to come by our Lord Jesus Christ. Besides, what is more distressing than for a Teacher to sit for one hour in his Class without teaching anything, or even gaining the attention of scholars. And yet this is, alas! too often the case.

The matter and method here given will render this quite unnecessary. Every scholar with a book, Teachers helping them to find the Hymn or Scripture portion, carefully waiting till all are quite ready, then leader reading one line, all repeating that after the leader has stopped; the same or another Teacher reading the second line-all repeating that; third and fourth the same; and then all read together the

whole verse; and so on with each verse through the whole hymn, when all may rise, re-read the first verse and sing it, and the same to the end. There will be no disorder.

The same with Scripture: the first line over slowly, sentence by sentence, all repeating each; then the whole verse before going to the next; and so on, through the entire portion, marking all the stops with care. All can thus be read by each scholar, even by bad readers, without shaming them; and in a small space of time committed to memory, and by repetition, in whole or in part, at the next time of meeting be revived and retained. And so the Hymns and Tunes by singing, and the Catechism by repetition of Questions and Answers, will become constant teachers of the scholars all the week wherever they may be, enlightening the mind and influencing the whole current of thought, restraining both the will and the desires by a true fear of God, until the Holy Spirit shall make it effectual to salvation, perhaps by the ministry of the Word, or possibly in some time of sorrow, suffering, or punishment, when, like Manasseh, they shall cry for pardon to Him of whom they have learned, and who alone is able to forgive and save, even Jesus.

These scholars, who know how to trade so largely on so small a capital, should be entreated to tell what they know, and thoroughly teach it to others; and, rough as they are, they would be glad to do it, and so make it sure to themselves. Ragged Schools specially need this.

IV. Teachers of Private Schools will also find the "Helps a saving of time to them. The lessons being sketched out, by taking the one Hymn for the week, and one Answer each day for the four days-in a few minutes each day the Infant Class lessons may all be kept in memory, and will be the best