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have class-books for schools, the greater part neighbour as ourselves, cultivating heavenly of which is selected from plays, novels, farces, desires and affections, &c. Selections addressed and Pagan historians and moralists. And to the taste and imagination-embodying the why should we not have a text-book selected beauties of history, poetry, and eloquence, from the oracles of inspiration, which contain which are profusedly scattered throughout the a greater variety of sublime and important sacred writings. Selections of biography, inmatter than is to be found in any other source cluding the lives of Jacob, Joseph, Moses, of information? Such a text-book might Elijah, Hezekiah, Daniel, John the Baptist, comprise selections on such topics as the the Apostle Paul, &c. These, along with following:-Subjects which tend to expand our selections on various other subjects, might be intellectual views of the Deity, and of the uni- illustrated with critical remarks, extracts from verse he has created-comprising descriptions works on Eastern manners and customs, of the Majesty and Supremacy of Jehovah, descriptions of modern Palestine, and the the eternity of his existence, his universal adjacent countries, the accomplishments of presence and agency, his love, faithfulness, and immutability, his unbounded goodness, the wisdom and rectitude of his moral government, and the care he exercises over every order of his creatures-the existence of angels, and the offices they perform under the Divine administration-the immortal destiny of man, and the prospects opened to the righteous of eternal felicity in the future world. Selections in reference to the affections and the duties incumbent upon persons in the different relations of life. In this department those duties and affections which are peculiarly christian, should stand prominent, such as humility, lowliness of mind, love to enemies, doing good to those who hate us, striving against sin, loving our

Scripture prophecies, as recorded in history, anecdotes of young persons, the lives of true Christians, the judgments which have befallen persecutors and apostates, the progress of Christianity through the world, and the benign effects it has produced on the state of society. Such a work, if judiciously arranged and executed, and studied with care, could not but produce a beneficial influence on the taste and affections of the young, and lead them to admire and venerate the oracles of heaven. It is, doubtless, one cause of the low state of Christianity, and of the influence of Pagan maxims in general society, that such text-books have never yet been introduced into our seminaries of education.

CHAPTER VIII.
Sabbath Schools.

Of late years these institutions have rapidly increased, both in Great Britain and in the United States of America, and, if properly conducted, are calculated to produce a highly beneficial effect on the religious improvement of the rising generation. In a preceding part of this volume I offered a few strictures on the mode in which some of these institutions were formerly conducted; and, although the evils there complained of still exist to a certain extent, I am happy to say, that in many of these schools a more rational and efficient system is now beginning to be adopted. The teachers, many of whom are men of piety and intelligence, are now convinced of the futility of mere memorial exercises, and are beginning to address the understanding and the affections of their pupils, so that they may be enabled to enter into the spirit and meaning of the truths inculcated. Still, however, I am decidedly of opinion, from all that I have ever witnessed in these institutions, that the system of religious instruction is far from having reached its highest pitch of improvement, and that it is susceptible of being carried to a

degree of perfection which it has never yet attained. The evils and defects which adhere to the system as it exists in most of our Sabbath school institutions, are such as the following:-1. The memory is still too much exercised and burdened with the retention of words, while a corresponding degree of attention is not paid to the exercise of the rational faculty. 2. Religious instruction is too much confined as to the range of its objects and illustrations. Instead of confining it chiefly to a few propositions in regard to what are termed the fundamental doctrines of the gospel, it should extend to the whole range of objects comprised within the compass of Divine Revelation, and to all the illustrations of those objects which can be derived from history, geography, the sciences, and the works of nature. 3. Discussions on systematic theology too frequently usurp the place of pointed moral instructions addressed to the affections and the conscience. 4. Catechisms and other human formularies are too frequently set in competition with the instructions to be derived directly from the Scriptures

5. Many of the teachers, however pious and well intentioned, are deficient in that degree of biblical and general knowledge which all religious instructors ought to possess. This last circumstance I consider as one of the greatest deficiencies in our Sabbath school arrangements, and therefore shall offer a few remarks on the subject.

ing the range of thought possessed by his pupils-of adapting his instructions to that range of thought-and of rendering the ideas they have already acquired subservient for increasing their number, and for opening a wider field of intellectual vision. For this purpose, his imagination must roam over the whole circle of his own knowledge, to select objects, events, scenes, circumstances, and similes, adapted to the comprehension of his pupils, and calculated to expand their views, and to illustrate the particular subject to which their attention is directed. He must sometimes extend his views to the histories of ancient times, both sacred and profane, to the circumstances which attended the accomplishment of ancient prophecies, and to the doctrines, maxims, and precepts of the Bible

It is generally admitted, that a professor of any science, such as chemistry, ought to be acquainted not only with all its principles and facts, but with those subjects, such as natural history, experimental philosophy, and physiology, with which it stands connected. It is also admitted, that the religious instruction of the adult population, in order to be respectable and efficient, requires that the ministers of religion be trained to all those branches of knowledge which tend to prepare sometimes to the knowledge he has acquired them for their office, and that they may be of the earth, the ocean, or the atmosphere, the men not only of piety, but of talent and animal and vegetable creation, or the glories intelligence, and found qualified by their of the heavens-and sometimes to the state superiors for the duties they undertake. And of barbarous nations, the persecutions of the can we suppose, that either the literary or the church, the lives of good men, the progress religious tuition of the young, can be intelli- of the gospel among unenlightened tribes, the gently or efficiently conducted by men who scenes of domestic life, or the wars and revoare comparatively ignorant, and who have lutions of nations. Circumstances, incidents, undergone no previous training for such an anecdotes, descriptions, and similes, derived office? On the contrary, I have no hesita- from such sources, he will find expedient, and tion in asserting, that instructors of youth in some cases necessary, to be brought forward ought to have as much information on every for explaining and illustrating many portions subject as is usually judged necessary for a of Divine Revelation. And therefore, were it respectable minister of the gospel, and even possible for a teacher to be a man of universal more than many of this class actually possess. knowledge, so much the more qualified would Besides, they ought to possess not only clear he be for imparting religious instruction, proconceptions of every portion of knowledge they vided he had the art of simplifying his knowwish to impart, but also of the best modes in ledge, and rendering it subservient to moral which it may be communicated with effect to improvement. If religious instruction, indeed, the juvenile mind. It requires even more consisted in nothing more than prescribing information and greater powers of mind to tasks, and hearing children recite catechisms, simplify knowledge, and render it perspicuous psalms, hymns, and passages of Scripture, to the opening intellect, than to convey it to any man, however ignorant, who had been the understandings of those who are advanced instructed in the art of reading, might be conin years. The man who wishes to act as an sidered as qualified for such an office;—and intellectual and religious instructor, should, hence, I have seen men, pious and wellif possible, acquire a comprehensive view of meaning perhaps, but ignorant of almost the whole of the revelations of Heaven, and every branch of knowledge, and without any of the collateral subjects with which they are clear ideas on the subject of religion, appointed connected-of the leading facts of ancient as Sabbath school teachers, who did nothing and modern history-of the scenery of nature more than take the Psalm-book or Catechism in all its varied aspects of the operations of into their hands, and put on their spectacles the Creator which are displayed in the "firma- to see that the youngsters repeated their prement of his power," and of human nature as scribed tasks with tolerable correctness. exhibited in all the scenes and relations of if the great object of religious instruction is, social life. For it is from these, and similar or ought to be, the communication of clear sources, that he is to derive his illustrations ideas respecting the attributes of God, the of divine subjects; and unless such subjects principles of his moral government, the vabe illustrated by sensible scenes and objects, riety and immensity of his works, the history no clear and distinct ideas can be communi- of his providential dispensations, the plan of cated to the young, nor any deep impressions his redemption, and the way in which its made upon their hearts. The instructor of blessings are to be obtained, the principles of the young must have the faculty of ascertain- moral action, and the rules of duty he has

But

DEPARTMENTS OF SACRED KNOWLEDGE.

prescribed, and whatever tends to display the riches of his grace and the glories of his universal kingdom-in so far as such subjects can be imparted to the youthful mind-then it is evident, that a religious instructor ought to be a person endowed with as much general and Biblical knowledge as he can possibly acquire.

In throwing out the above remarks it is by no means intended to insinuate, that no good has been effected in Sabbath schools where the teachers were comparatively ignorant; as I believe many good impressions have been made upon the youthful mind by pious and well-meaning men whose range of information was extremely limited. But it is evident, at the same time, that were such instructors more enlightened than they have generally been, a much greater degree of important instruction would be communicated, and a more powerful moral impression made upon the

heart.

It is consistent with the dictates of reason and the general practice of mankind, that every man should be trained for the profession he adopts, and be found qualified for any office before he enter on the performance of its duties. And is the religious instruction of the young a matter of so trivial importance, that such a rule should be set aside in appointing teachers to Sabbath schools? If not, then every one who wishes to devote himself to the religious tuition of the rising race, should be regularly trained in all those branches of sacred knowledge which are requisite for rendering his instructions fully efficient for the purpose intended. It should likewise be ascertained whether he be of a communicative turn of mind, and has acquired a facility of imparting ideas to the youthful understanding; and for this purpose his qualifications should be tried by experiment, by placing under his superintendence, for a few days, the instructions of a religious seminary. Every one found duly qualified for the office should receive a pecuniary compensation, as well as the teachers of other seminaries, provided he chooses to accept it. Hitherto our Sabbath schools have generally been taught gratis by the benevolent individuals who have devoted themselves to this service, and if duly qualified instructors can be found who will give their services without remuneration, no objection, of course, can be brought against such labours of love; but it is nothing more than equitable, that every man who devotes his time and the energies of his mind to any object, should receive a fair compensation for his exertions, especially when he is under obligation to cultivate his intellectual powers, and to pass through a course of training for this purpose.

The departments of knowledge to which

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religious instructors should devote their atten-
tion are such as the following:-1. Sacred
History, or, in other words, the Records of
the Divine dispensations, as contained in the
Old and New Testaments. For elucidating
certain portions of this history, unravelling
difficulties, answering objections, and explain-
ing various circumstances connected with the
Jewish worship and economy, the perusal of
such works as Horne's "Introduction to the
study of the Bible," Shuckford's "Connection
of Sacred and Profane History," and Stack-
house's "History of the Bible," particularly
the last, will be found of great utility in ex-
panding our views of the revelations of Hea-
ven, and of the facts connected with the moral
government of God. For illustrating the his-
tory of the Jews and surrounding nations,
from the time of the prophet Malachi to the
birth of Christ-a period of more than four
hundred years, during which many of Daniel's
prophecies were accomplished-the First Book
of "The Maccabees," Josephus" "Antiquities,"
and his "History of the Wars of the Jews,"
and Prideaux's "Connection of the History
of the Old and New Testament," will be
found particularly useful.-2. Ancient History
and Geography. The history of such nations
as the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians,
Medes and Persians, is so interwoven with
the sacred history and the predictions of the
prophets, that a knowledge of it is, in many
instances, necessary for understanding the de-
scriptions and allusions of the inspired writers.
Millot's" Elements of General History," part
i., and "Rollin's Historical Works," particu-
larly his "Ancient History," will afford the
most satisfactory information on this subject.
In connection with the history of ancient na-
tions, ancient geography should be particularly
studied, for the purpose of acquiring clear
ideas of the boundaries and divisions of the
Land of Palestine, and of the relative posi-
tions of the countries that lie adjacent to it,
which are so frequently alluded to in the
history both of the Old and New Testaments.
Without some knowledge of this subject we
can have no clear conceptions of many inter-
esting circumstances recorded in the writings
of the Prophets and Evangelists, and must
frequently read their narratives without ideas.
Maps, on a large scale, of the countries to
which I allude, are of course indispensably
requisite, when engaging in this study; and
such maps should be hung up in every Sab-
bath school, and referred to for illustrating
the narratives of the sacred historians. Wells'
"Sacred Geography," and his "Set of Maps
of Ancient Geography," and similar works,
will afford the requisite information on this
subject.-3. The circumstances connected with
the fulfilment of ancient prophecies. The ac

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complishment of prophecy is recorded either in the sacred history itself, in the annals of civil and ecclesiastical history, in the present state of the nations and the events passing under our daily observation,-or it is to be looked forward to in the prospects which will open on future generations. Hence the necessity of being acquainted with the history of the Church and of the nations, and with the political and religious movements now going forward throughout the world, if we wish to trace the faithfulness of God in the accomplishment of the predictions of his word. Such works as Newton's "Dissertations on the Prophecies," and Keith's "Fulfilment of Prophecy," and his "Signs of the Times," will direct the mind to many interesting views on this subject.

4. Another subject which deserves the attention of religious instructors, is, Biblical Criticism and interpretation. As the Scriptures form the groundwork of all religious knowledge, it is of importance to ascertain that the copy or edition which we use approaches as nearly as possible to the original; and when we are satisfied on this point, it is equally important to determine the rules by which the different portions of the Bible are to be interpreted, according to the subjects on which they treat. This includes an inquiry into the literal meaning of words, and the figurative sense in which they are frequently used the scope of the writer-the parallel passages the sources of poetic imagery, or the objects whence the sacred writers derive their figurative representations-the principles of symbolical language-and a knowledge of the localities in which the writers were placed, and the historical circumstances to which they allude. On this subject many voluminous works have been written; but the general reader may, perhaps, be sufficiently gratified by the perusal of such volumes as Carpenter's "Scripture Difficulties," and his "Popular Lectures on Biblical Criticism and Interpretation."-5. The manners and customs of the Eastern nations. The manners, customs, arts, and sciences of the Hebrews, and the natural and artificial scenery with which they were surrounded, exerted a powerful influence upon their literary productions-even upon those which were dictated by inspiration. Without a knowledge of these it is impossible, in many instances, to unravel the sense of the inspired writers, to perceive the beauty and emphasis of their compositions, or to feel the full force of their narratives and allusions. For the elucidation of this subject we are now furnished with a variety of interesting works, of which the following are specimens:-Paxton's "Illustrations of Scripture;" Harmer's "Observations on certain passages of Scripture;"

Taylor's "Fragmenta," appended to Calmet's Dictionary; Burder's "Oriental Customs;" Carpenter's "Scripture Natural History;" and the reports of certain modern travellers, such as Burckhardt, Buckingham, Legh, Dr. Jowet, and the American Missionaries. In the first six volumes of "The Modern Traveller," compiled by Dr. Conder, almost every thing will be found requisite for the illustration of the physical geography, climate, seasons, &c. of Judea, and the surrounding countries. An occasional reference to such subjects for the elucidation of Scripture, could not fail of exciting the attention and improving the understandings of the young.

6. The study of the system of Nature, or the material works of God, as displayed throughout the earth and the starry firmament. To these works the inspired writers, on numerous occasions, direct our attention, as evidences of the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of Jehovah, and of his superintending Providence. They should therefore be studied with care, and contemplated with an eye of intelligence, as illustrative of the perfections of the Deity, and of the declarations of his word. There is nothing to which young people listen with more attention than to familiar discourses upon the wonders of creation, when they are delivered in a clear and distinct manner, and made level to their capacities; and when the works of God are brought into immediate connection with the truths of his word, a more powerful impression of these truths, on the principle of association, will be made upon the mind. For example, when we describe the immense mass of water in the caverns of the ocean; the lofty ranges of mountains; the flaming volcanoes; the magnitude of our globe; the rapid motion with which it flies through the voids of space; or the immense number and size of the celestial orbs-and bring these objects in connection with such passages as these: "He holdeth the ocean in the hollow of his hand; he hangeth the earth upon nothing; he meteth out the heavens with a span; and taketh up the isles as a very little thing-Great is our Lord, and of great power, his understanding is infinite-Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty:" &c.-when these passages are at any time recalled to mind, the objects which illustrate them will naturally occur; and, when the objects themselves are directly contemplated, the mind will revert to the dictates of inspiration with which they were formerly associated. For the purpose of acquiring some general knowledge on this subject, religious instructors should peruse some of the popular works which have been lately published on the subjects of Natural History, Geography, Astronomy, Experimen

al Philosophy, and Chemistry, such as those formerly recommended, and particularly those works which treat of Natural Theology, and the connection of science with religion."Besides the above departments, the Sabbath school teacher should study with particular attention human nature in all its varieties and modes of operation. He should learn to contemplate, with the eye of a Christian philosopher, the dispositions of mankind, as displayed in their social intercourses, the scenes of public and domestic life, the various modes in which the principle of evil operates, and the practices, whether good or bad, which prevail either in Christian or in general society. From such sources he will derive many home illustrations of the effects of sin, and of the manner in which Christian principle should operate in all the ramifications of human society. He should likewise study some of the best works on the "Evidences of Christianity" -a system of Divinity such as "Dwight's Theology"-and, above all other branches of knowledge, he should study with the utmost care the discourses of our Saviour, as reported in the Evangelists, and the practical parts of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, which, in religious instructions, are too frequently thrown into the shade.

In teaching Sabbath schools, a practice which is not uncommon should be carefully avoided-and that is, addressing long-winded discourses to young people, most part of which they do not understand. I lately visited a school in a neighboring town, containing from 80 to 100 catechumens. Among these were about 20 young persons, chiefly females, from the age of 16 to the age of 24; the rest were children from 7 to 12 years of age. After the repetition of texts, psalms, catechisms, and passages of Scripture, more than an hour was consumed in some crude dissertations, in a preaching style, on the meaning and references of some passages in the prophecies of Isaiah, which none of the younger persons could possibly understand; and only about a dozen general questions, for the sake of form, were put to the younger class, to which the answers, "yes," or "no," were chiefly required. It seemed as if the chief aim of the teacher had been to recommend himself to the attention of the adult part of his audience, while the children were sitting in a state of apathy, playing with their fingers, and eagerly wishing to be gone. Such a conduct is quite preposterous, and tends to frustrate the great object of such institutions. No address to young people should be continued beyond five or ten minutes at a time, unless the subject be extremely interesting and the attention exclusively fixed upon it. The method of teaching * See p. 140.

by Interrogatories, and interspersing occasional remarks on the different topics, will be found in general the best mode for keeping alive the attention of the young.

Sabbath schools should not be considered as confined to the children of the poor, or of those who are inattentive to the spiritual interests of their offspring, but as embracing the instruction of all classes of society. It is indeed a duty, from which no parent can be exempted, to impart instruction to his children in the principles of religion, and "to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." But, without neglecting this duty in private, their children might derive important additional instruction by attending a public religious seminary. If the system of religious instruction were once improved, and carried to that pitch of perfection of which it is susceptible; and, if that superior intelligence and wisdom, which we hope ere long to see displayed in the department of religion, were to pervade all the details of juvenile instruction, I have no hesitation in asserting that the children of the most learned and intelligent of the community would derive much advantage from attending such seminaries of instruction. Nor should such seminaries be confined to young persons under 12 or 14 years of age, as they too frequently are; but schools should be organized, adapted to persons from the age of 15 to the age of 20, and upwards, in which they may be trained in the higher branches of knowledge connected with religion, and thus be enabled to take more expansive views of the revelations of Heaven, that they may be "thoroughly furnished for the performance of every good work." For the instruction and superintendence of such schools, the study of those departments of sacred knowledge referred to above, will be found an indispensable qualification. In order that properly qualified teachers may be obtained for such seminaries, colleges or academies might be established for their instruction. Evening lectures on the different branches of sacred knowledge and popular science, accompanied with various other mental exercises, might be delivered two or three times every week, to which all might have access who wish to devote themselves to the religious instruction of the young. Various discussions might likewise be entered into relative to the best modes of communicating knowledge and impressing divine truths upon the heart; and experiments in the art of instruction might be occasionally tried by collecting a number of children for this purpose, and observing the effects which different instructors and different modes of teaching produce upon their affections and understandings. In the meantime, before such systems of instruction be established, it might be expedient

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