Answers to Correspondents.

Aliquis.-For teachers, but not for children. Do you not keep your libraries apart? Children cannot relish teachers' books, nor can teachers profit much by the children's publications; and yet, having them all in one cupboard, how can there be a distinction made?

In

An Old Scholar. Yes, it looks well; but it is ever dangerous to toe the line of demarcation. Those meetings ought not to have greater charms than the house of God.

G. T. J. H.-The facts shall not be lost sight of.

Our want of space must form our apology for not inserting the very complimen tary address to No. I. of our New Series. Our Manchester friend has our best thanks.

For the same reason we are compelled to postpone the publication of several other articles, and among them some pro

Esther laments the abrogation of the reward system in her school. She means the tickets and marks, not the truest and purest reward-an approving smile, and a word of well-timed commendation. our judgment, if the effect of the system has been such, that "her class cannot be held together without them," we should rather mourn its, existence than its abro-mised to appear. gation. The fault of our reward system too frequently is, that it appeals to the lower motives of the heart, and creates jealousies, discontents, ill-tempers, and heartburnings, among the dear children we seek to train. Let Esther try the new plan for a twelvemonth; and if she is not ready to rejoice, then let us hear from her again.

Inquirer. - The New Testament is, strictly, the new covenant, or a book containing the terms of the new covenant between God and man; but the primitive Christians have always construed it as a will the unspeakable gifts that in the gospel are given, or bequeathed to us.

As late as the fifth century the original text was not divided into words. We give one passage in the continuous form:

NOWWHENHEHADENDEDALLHIS

SAYINGSINTHEAUDIENCEOFTHE

PEOPLEHEENTEREDINTOCAPERN

IUMANDACERTAINCENTURIONSS

ERVANTWHOWASDEARUNTOHIM
WASSICKANDREADYTODIE

How thankful should we be that we are
not called to wander amidst the intricacies
of such a maze!

Maria, Jer., W., and Ernestus, are thanked for their contributions, of which use shall be made, though in a somewhat different dress.

Lewellyn Owen.-We have nothing to do with it; let him write to the Secretary of the Sunday-school Union, and his wishes will meet with every attention.

Alfred. We shall be glad if he will do so every month. Our friends would also serve us by sending any strictly educational news.

E. D., Truro, must remember the bundle of sticks-perseverantia omnia vincit.

E. F. Allen, Berbice.-The copies shall be continued; and information is always welcome.

To Beta, Emma, Onesimus, and others. -We again repeat, we must have corres pondence early in the month, if for insertion.

An Advocate for Separate Services, for young children, will find that we deal with the question next month. Objections are fast vanishing away, and the plan is being adopted in all quarters with the greatest success. Four schools in Brigh ton have just commenced the service.

L. Murray-We have not yet received the book. Let it be sent to the publishers.

F. B.-We are not aware of any such arrangement.

E. D.-Deputations are not sent to branch schools. Apply to your own union, or the nearest auxiliary.

N.-The sermons by the same authori will be continued, occasionally varied by the introduction of others.

James Harriss.-Mrs. Hooker's Works, published in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh, X. Y.-He is now a Presby terian minister in London.

B. B. Festina lente, (make haste slowly,) argue and reason the matter. It does not do to assume a right, or to dictate. The Christian teacher must carry the Christian into the Committee-room as wel as the class, and we have no advice but to learn wisdom.

Received with thanks.-Facts and Sentiments-Thomas and Lucy-E. A. E. Norwich-E. R.-J. De K. W.--Revs. S. Dunn-J. Horsley-Dr. Munro-Noble Shepherd, Sligo-T. C. Ashley-W. F. M... Liverpool-T. Witherow-J. Cobbin-J. Curwen.

EARLY CONVERSION THE CHURCH'S WANT.

BY THE REV. JOHN CURWEN, OF PLAISTOW.

IN a former paper (p. 35 of this volume) it was shown that even the youngest children are capable of "acceptable worship and true service" before God, and that at their earliest age they become "responsible," according to their degree, in the sight of the Just and Holy One. But have the church of God made early conversion their aim?-their object of labour and prayer? Has it not been regarded as an "interesting" thing "pleasant" to think upon, instead of the felt demand of our age, the thing of chiefest concern, of most immediate necessity? Let us trace a few simple views of its importance.

We believe that the prophecies will be accomplished, that the day is coming when "all shall know the Lord, from the least even to the greatest." We believe, moreover, that the children of God on earth are the appointed instruments of the Gospel's triumph: "This people have I formed for myself. They shall show forth my praise.' They, by the Spirit's blessing, are to break the chains of error, to spread the gospel everywhere, to overthrow the kingdoms of Satan, to fulfil the designs of the Saviour's grace. But is this their employment now? Are the present generation of Christians girded for the glorious work? Have they the lofty faith, the selfdenying zeal, the holiness of life and heart, the baptism of power from on high, which such a work demands? Oh! no: we, alas! have proved too clearly that we are unprepared for the greatness of the task. The yearly number of conversions to the kingdom of Christ is far from equal to the yearly increase of the earth's inhabitants. The church is not gaining on the world. Our liberality and devotedness are not seen to rise with the great occasions which Providence brings before us: "The world is ready; the Spirit is ready; all things are ready; but we are not ready." Whence comes this sad deficiency? Where lies our point of weakness? Is it not here?-that the most of us were grown up into youth, and many into mature age, before we felt the power of Christian motives?-that the choicest of our time is lost?-the freshness of our strength is gone? Yes; worldly desires have struck deep root into the soul: worldly habits have held a long dominion there. And when religion does win entrance into our hearts, it finds palaces of pride to cast down, haunts of selfishness to lay bare, and corruptions to destroy, which have grown with our growth, and strengthened with our strength. The first elements, too, of Christian truth and Christian temper, have yet to be learned: and the first essays of Christian labour have yet to be made. Thus does it come to pass, that at the very age at which we should be going forth with pride subdued-temper trained-faith firm and high-in the prime of our spiritual strength, to do great things for

the love of Christ,-behold! we are struggling in the conflict which should long have been won, and toiling at the lessons which our childhood should have learned.

We are too late in the vineyard. It is true that the Lord may, to magnify his grace the more, use even such slothful and unskilful hands as ours in some noble service; but it is not his wont to employ them on his greatest and his choicest works. The earlyconverted among his servants are those whom he chiefly delights to honour. He brings them through early discipline, crucifies their false affections, deeply humbles their heart, teaches them to say, "Thy will be done!" constrains them by the love of Christ, and commits to them his most glorious works, and those of chiefest concernment to his kingdom. Was it not thus with the saints of old? with Joseph? with Moses? with Samuel? with David? Was it not thus with the great reformers? with Luther, and Calvin, and Knox? Were not Providence, and conscience, and grace, at work with them in their youngest years? and did they not all give early tokens of obedience to the truth? Look at the long list of names endeared amongst us by years of lengthened usefulness and signal successpillars of the church in this present age. Were they not, nearly, every one early converted? Consider the men whose writings have been honoured next to the word of Inspiration itself; supplying a stream of instruction and consolation, and revival to many generations of the children of God. Do they not form, with but a few striking exceptions, just sufficient to show that the Spirit of the Lord is not bound; do they not form a glorious band of the earlyconverted? And who are they in our churches now, that are the slowest to take offence, and the readiest to forgive-the most generous in gifts, the most constant in labour, the most steadfast in faith and hope the very life and joy of every Christian community? Mark their character; study their history; are they not uniformly men of Christian experience, who were early converted? These are the men whom the Lord blesses. Why should not the church be full of them? "If parents did their duty," says Richard Baxter,

race-a

Let us

"adult conversion would be as rare as it is now common." all do our duty, and then shall arise, to follow us, a new and a nobler people well instructed in the laws of the kingdom, trained from childhood in the holy warfare, whose strength has grown robust in the practice of duty, whose first habits have been moulded to obey the truth, and whose affections are wont to feel quickly the appeals of the Saviour's love.

have a

When such piety as this shall prevail, springing up in childhood, and growing to vigour in "the morning days," then shall the Lord people prepared for his praise," who shall usher in the blessed days to come, and fulfil the golden prophecies. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power," says the Psalmist; and whom shall that day of power call forth to the wondrous work? The

strength of the church-the early converted: "From the womb of the morning "shall they spring, "in the beauties of holiness." Like the dew" shall arise that glorious "youth."—"Who is this that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" It is the regenerated church-the church of the early-converted!

We see, then, the work of the present age: to train up “a geǹeration to serve the Lord!" Let this be our noble task-our business of life.

We give ourselves to patient labour, to ceaseless attention, to earnest prayer. The finger of Providence points out the path: the light of prophecy invites us on: "Let thy work appear unto thy servants, O Lord, and thy glory unto their children. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it!"

LECTURE TO SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHERS. Delivered for the Sunday-school Union, in Falcon-square Chapel, by the Rev. J. DE KEWER WILLIAMS.

PART I.

MAN was made for progress. Advancement is a law of his being; disobedience to which entails degeneracy as its sure penalty. Many times and in many ways will the still but clear, the small but powerful voice of the Creator fall upon the attentive ear, saying, "Go forward." Onward and upward—should be the motto of intelligent and immortal man, which should be pronounced most emphatically by every young man ; each action speaking it out more loudly than any words. Not calling any man master, but Christ only; every Christian, especially in youth, should take Paul the aged for his model: for it was a right manly voice, and godly heart too, that said, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect be thus minded." That then is the rule;-that you should be always growing, always running, always mounting,-like the cedar, like the racer, like the flaming fire or the soaring eagle. But now I stand here to reverse that rule; to call to your remembrance those that are behind, and urge you to come down to them. Yet it will appear that I provoke you not to an inconsistency. After the manner of the inspired apostle I say to you, my brethern in the faith and labour of the gospel; in learning be men, strong to perceive and to retain the truth; how beit in teaching be children, in love speaking the truth you love. The theme for our meditation is,

The Christian becoming a little child to win children to Christ. And what a pleasant picture is wrapped up in that sentence, full of soft touches, touching as the holy melody of the sweet singer, or the heavenly visions of the seer of Patmos, if only the speaker were able