enlarge and strengthen with their increasing years. From all these considerations, it appears abundantly manifest, that however benevolent were the motives which prompted individuals to prescribe the Shorter Catechism as the first task book of religious instruction, a more certain method could not have been devised to prevent children from ever receiving those advantages which it is so admirably calculated to afford, and which these persons were so desirous should be conveyed.

In order then to teach this Catechism with advantage, the children must be made to understand it. From the above observations, it is obvious, that two things are indispensibly necessary to accomplish this end: Ist, That the child's mind be somewhat expanded and strengthened before he commences learning it: and, 2d, That, when he does commence, the Catechism be so amplified and evolved, as to strip it as much as possible of its compendious nature, and thus reduce it to its simple elements.

To attain the former of these objects, the most successful way will be to make the children undergo a course of previous training by means of some simpler catechism. Several years experience has proved, that the INITIATORY CATECHISMS are, by the assistance of their Keys, admirably adapted to effect this most desirable end. In these small books the first principles of religion are embodied in a simpler and more elementary form, and the whole so constructed

and arranged, that, by going through the course of exercise prescribed in their Keys, the capacities of the child are elicited and improved, his 'mind stored with distinct and well understood ideas, and the valuable habit acquired of searching on all occasions for the meaning, instead of being contented with the mere learning of the words. After the teacher is convinced that the child is sufficiently master of these Catechisms, thoroughly skilled in the nature of their exercises, and well acquainted with the doctrines which they contain, he ought then, and not till then, to introduce him to the Shorter Catechism. At this period, the second requisite for understanding this Catechism, and that with which we have more immediately to do at present, namely, its being dissected into parts, becomes necessary.

To secure this object is the professed design of the KEY TO THE SHORTER CATECHISM, particularly of those parts which are called the EXERCISES, and the EXPLANATIONS and PARAPHRASE. These are intended to amplify and illustrate its concise meaning, to explain its sententious and comprehensive expressions, and to enable the children clearly to perceive, and thoroughly to understand, its doctrines, in their full extent and bearing; and thus, it is hoped, that children will, by these means, acquire an accurate knowledge of the doctrines taught in the Shorter Catechism.— The following suggestions on the design and

use of these several parts, will assist Teachers in submitting them to the test of experience

On the use of the Exercises in the Teacher's Shortar Catechism, and in the Key.

The object which the Exercises are intended to accomplish, will be most effectually secured by adopting the following plan of using them

At the end of each evening when the question is prescribed to the children, the Teacher should require them to read it carefully over, and then proceed to examine them upon it by means of the Exercise. In doing so, he should read aloud the first clause of the question; and while he catechises upon it, let the children be enjoined to answer him from their books. When that clause is properly understood, the second should be treated in the same manner, and so on successively, till all the clauses are mastered by the children. After this is done, it will be advisable for the Teacher to commence the Exercise again, but without reading the ques tion, and continue the process of catechising, until he is persuaded that the children have acquired a tolerably accurate knowledge of the meaning.

This plan will be productive of many beneficial effects. It will cultivate the judgment or the children, and train them to the inestimable practice of investigating the import of every passage which comes under their observation, because in this Exercise a mental process of in

vestigating and juaging must be performed, before they can venture to answer any of the questions. It will also greatly abridge their labour in committing the question to memory during the following week; and, by imparting a general idea of its meaning, it will render this task at once pleasant and instructive, besides securing distinct and enlightened answers when formally examined upon it.

Next evening when the children repeat this question as their task, they should in the same manner be again catechised upon it more fully; with this difference, however, that they then give their answers entirely from memory.Though they will, by this time, be able to answer the questions of the Exercise very readily, yet the Teacher ought not in that case to co tent himself with once going over it, but should dwell upon it for a considerable time, in or◄ der to impress the whole permanently upon

their minds.

The mode of procedure each evening, then, should be as follows. The children repeat the question, which they have learned during the previous week, and are catechised upon it; a few of the preceding questions are then revised, and, if there be time, one of the general or more partial divisions of the connecting exercises in the Appendix to the Key, should be added; and last of all, the question for next evening is prescribed, and catechised upon in the manner already specified.

As the children, however, will not understand many of the words of the question, they will of course, be unable to attain a full and accurate idea of its meaning, while these are unexplained. But the Exercise will teach them what is predicated concerning these terms, and will prepare their minds for receiving and applying the EXPLANATIONS.

On the use of the Explanations and Paraphrase on the Shorter Catechism.

These should uniformly be taught in three distinct courses. In the first course, the children should, after repeating the answer, be made to explain the words printed in Italics, from the Explanations in the following manner, taking the 35th Question as an example.

Teacher. What is meant by "work." Scholar." Gradual and progressive operation." Teacher. What is meant by "renewed." Scholar." Changed, or made new." &c. &c. When all the terms printed in italics have been gone over, and explained one by one, the Teacher should then proceed to the second course.

In this course, the words which are printed in italics should be dropped from the answer, and the Explanations successively substituted, in this manner.

Teacher. Repeat the question.

Scholar. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man, &c. Teacher.What is meant by "work."

Scholar." Gradual and progressive operation." Teacher. Repeat the answer, leaving out "work," and putting in the Explanation.