INTRODUCTION.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL is too often regarded as comprising only the few or many scholars who may be in attendance, say about one-third of those on the books in the morning, and two-thirds in the afternoon, according to present statistics. (See "Sunday School Union Report," 1868.) Two-thirds not being there in the morning, and a third always absent, makes a statistical average of only half of the scholars present on the Sabbath day.

Absentees are nevertheless part of the school, and instead of their absence exonerating us from the duty of teaching them, are we not rather bound to find some means of meeting their case, though it be beyond the limits of the schoolroom, the hour and a-half devoted to teaching, or the labours of the teachers altogether? Their numbers are very important, but the probable disadvantages of many of them constitute a special claim upon our attention and sympathy, and no difficulty should deter from the attempt to help both them and their parents. Hence, a COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF TEACHING BY THE AID OF CATECHISMS is suggested and supplied, enabling Parents and others to co-operate at home during the week. Also, an outline of School Routine and Régime for both morning and afternoon, requiring scholars to take part in all school engagements, so as to render school no longer tedious and irksome, but, on the contrary, so interesting and enjoyable as to be desired by them, and thus to induce a better morning and general attendance.

Definite design also will be found prominent, to render more effective the whole of the class-teaching and school exercises, attainment in one department always being preparatory and conditional to the next above it, but especially that of fitting them for and inspiring in them early the hope of becoming teachers, thus supplying a healthy stimulus to all scholars.

The necessity for the teaching of the Holy Spirit in reading, hearing and searching the Scriptures, as well as His regenerating and sanctifying operations upon the mind and heart, having been too much overlooked, special attention is directed to this important subject.

Finally, practical utility is the design of this volume, as a manual of suggestion for permanent use in all departments of Sunday School work,-for the Superintendent in the desk; for the Teacher in the class, whether Infant, Bible, Intermediate, Senior, or Servants'; for the Parents at home; for Servants in their important spheres; for Old Scholars in all after-life; and possibly for the Minister in his pastoral duties, visits, and oversight of the Sunday School.

The arrangement of the work is as follows, viz. :—

The Necessity for the Sunday School-Signs of Inefficiency in its working, and some of the probable Causes which have led to it-then, from the matter and method of the Saviour's teaching, define what is the proper object of the Sunday School; suggest an Outline for the several ages, of what and how to teach; and, finally, call into exercise Agency adapted to these various necessities, not only on the Sabbath, but also through the entire week.

PREFACE.

In the year 1855, while superintending a large school in London, the practice of lending Bibles came with great force to my mind as a serious hindrance to the scholar, to the school generally, and to all right home influence during the week; and on the first Sunday in 1856 three hundred and twelve new Bibles were distributed, the scholars paying twothirds of the cost,‚—a friend, now gone to his rest, paying the difference; and never shall I forget the impression then made upon my mind of the desirableness of each scholar possessing his or her own Bible.

In 1862, my attention was further called to the subject by writing a paper entitled "Some Important Preliminaries to an Easy Study of the Bible." (See Appendix No. 2.)

In the year 1866, in consequence of a Good Friday Conference Committee being disappointed of a paper, I was requested to read one on the following subject, “Ought Catechisms to be taught in our Sunday Schools ?" (See Appendix No. 3.)

Preparation for this demanded the closest inspection of Sunday Schools, in order to ascertain what was being taught, and with what results. This led to constant visitation, without notice to the schools (so as to see them in their usual working), and has been continued, Sabbath after Sabbath, in both town and country, in order thoroughly to learn what appeared to be the wants, difficulties, and discouragements under which some teachers labour, and the advantages,

facilities, excellencies, and successes which cheer and sustain others. More than 500 visits have been paid to schools, including all denominations; many conferences with teachers have been held; their complaints, difficulties, and discouragements elicited and discussed ;—and these, together, have led to the conviction that a paper, or volume, comprising these discoveries, pointing out mistakes, and suggesting helps and improvements, was really needed, and would be both appreciated by teachers and helpful to them in their arduous work.

Experience has proved this conviction to be well grounded. Already a paper, containing portions of the system, has been read to officers and teachers of several schools, and, although in the crudest possible state, its suggestions have been approved and partly adopted, with pleasing and hopeful results, and many have expressed a desire to possess a copy, in order more thoroughly to understand them and more effectively to put them into practice.

To meet this desire and need, while conscious of abounding imperfections, with a humble hope that, through the hearty co-operation of parents and help of this system in the schools, the servants of God may be encouraged, the scholars in the schools cheered on in real learning, and the Divine Lord thereby honoured and glorified, beyond the possible visits of the writer, and even after his labours on earth shall have ended, in a much enlarged and more complete state, he now submits these "Hints and Helps" to the TEACHERS AND PARENTS OF ENGLAND.

LONDON, November, 1869.