Let such as are thus drooping, and inclined to fall off, remember that we are to work as well as walk "by faith, and not by sight." Let them remember, that it is a high proof of Christian life to live and move in the belief of that which they cannot see, and that in this our work, as in all other labours for Christ, faith is but a temporary substitute for sight; the eye shall sooner or later be gladdened and the ear be struck by the sights and sounds for which we waited in faith and hope, and we shall eat bread from the hard soil we plough, and drink wine from the unfruitful vineyard that we tend. P. B. P.

DUTY BEFORE INCLINATION.

We all remember the inspiriting address of our great naval Commander, and its thrilling effect, "England expects every man to do his duty." A volume of instruction lies in that sentence. It is applicable to every relation of life, and never so closely applicable as when used by our ministers of religion, for it then assumes a deeper train of instruction than attaches to it for the every-day business of life. For the one set of circumstances, it is but the moral precept founded on human experience, that if those in office do their duty, trouble will be saved, difficulties cleared away, and success almost inevitably follow. But for the other set of circumstances, those which relate to our duty towards God, and which flow on in certain streams, until lost in the vast ocean of eternity, it is the precept more than moral, derived from the truth of God's Inspired Word, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," and again, "Be diligent in business," and again, "Be instant, in season and out of season."

But there is within us an opposing principle, namely:-Inclination. The natural propensity of our hearts is to "do that which is right in our own eyes," that which is agreeable to our dispositions of selfindulgence, self-enjoyment, ease, dislike of trouble, restlessness under discouragements, and weariness in well-doing; and this is called Inclination.

Now, in our profession of religion it cannot be denied, that Inclination is not to be our first study. If we call ourselves Christians, we profess to have counted the cost, and to have taken up the cross, to follow Him amongst whose ranks we have enlisted ourselves. See then how close the comparison. Soldiers or sailors do not consult their inclinations. They look to the orders given them. It is possible, (and with all well disciplined servants, it is always the

case,) that their inclinations fall in with the dictates of their leaders; but if it should not be so, they know their duty must be done, and that unless it is, no victory must be looked for; and they know moreover, that the more cheerfully and readily they comply with those dictates, the more triumphantly for them will the contest progress. Oh! that Christian soldiers would act upon this principle more, and then the Philistines, with Goliath at their head, would far more easily be vanquished.

Perhaps this Christian maxim, Duty before Inclination, applies with more force to Sunday school teachers than to any. Their office is peculiarly a free-will offering of their services to God, for they are unpaid labourers, have no regular commission as Evangelists ordained and put in trust of the Gospel; but go forth to their portion in the Lord's vineyard, from disinterested motives. But after they have been engaged some time in the service, and have tasted the trials of evil conduct among their little band, ingratitude, insolence, unkind behaviour, inattention and idleness, and a seeming utter ignorance, after continued and unwearied efforts, then comes the whisper of Inclination-" Give up; the burden and heat of the day are great, and no adequate reward; why waste so much time on that which appears to be lost labour ?" There is a balancing of the scale, and oftentimes the beam is weighed down by inclination; and then comes indifference to the progress of the class, next, occasional absence from the post, and at last entire withdrawal; the same plea, just sufficient to save open censure just enough to quiet the reproaches of a conscience gradually trained to the point of compliance with the wrong dictation; but not enough to pronounce approval of such a course, according to the principles of the vocation wherewith we are called.

Let the writer exhort his fellow-teachers to guard against this snare. It is granted that our path of duty in this particular is not always smooth. We are happy indeed if we have a class of pupils who love us, and only study how they can best fulfil our wishes. Then inclination itself would precede the requirement of duty. But even where we ourselves may be really in earnest, and proceeding to our task with hearts full of love, and with fervent zeal,-the great trials of disobedient children-of children requiring continual sharpness to get from them even the common Rote Lessons, and of that uneven disparity of ability which tempts us to devote all our attention to the quick and ready pupil, passing by with impatience the slower efforts of the less gifted, or the stagnant attempts of stupidity, backed by idleness, we say, even where we have really started forth on our course from right motives, these things cause us sometimes to flag,

and almost to wish we had never begun that which seems so difficult of accomplishment. When such a feeling comes into our minds, let us remember we are "expected to do our Duty." And by whom?

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First, by Him who for our sakes "pleased not Himself," and who has called us into his service, and has bestowed on us the privilege of being fellow-workers with Him. How often is He saying to us "What, can ye not watch with Me one hour ?" How often is He urging us, "Work while it is day, for the night cometh wherein no man can work." How often is He telling us, "If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet."

Next, the Church of God expects us to do our duty. The followers of Jesus where we are, look to us to give them the " 'right hand of fellowship," to "remember the poor" with the forwardness which they strive to manifest-to encourage them in their efforts to lend, if only a finger, in the important work of bringing souls to Christ, upon which their hearts are set.

Shall Inclination, then, put aside the sacred call of Duty? Rather let us ask, can it, if we see that this duty is a privilege? Surely if we look at the matter in this, its proper light, we shall not be able to permit ourselves to be swayed by our own feelings of impotence, or slothfulness.

Let us then be stirred up afresh, remembering what it is we are engaged upon in Sunday school work, even teaching the name of Jesus to "babes and sucklings," or explaining the wisdom and happiness of his precious Gospel to those more able to comprehend them; and so labouring, (with what success is not our present consideration) to add to the number of those redeemed by the blood of the Saviour; thus to be the instruments in cutting out the "lively stones" for his vast edifice of glory hereafter, and to be polishing such for the corner of his temple. What can we say for our love to Him, what for our zeal, if-believing this to be our mission as Sunday school teachers-we let our Inclination be easily biassed to check us in, or turn us from the path of Duty?

And these exhortations apply with equal force to those who have not yet joined us in the honoured business of Sabbath instruction. Your Duty calls you, but your Inclination throws obstacles in the way; you would have to exercise some self-denial, to put aside some self-indulgences, and to bring into active service those energies hitherto slumbering, and talents now smothered in the napkin, or buried in the ground. Oh, cast away such hindrances and backwardness, and come into the battle field, to honour your Master there, to do good in your generation, to honour Christ, to dedicate yourselves to God: and in the end, though in common with many of your new

companions, you will have to go forth weeping, yet, bearing and scattering the precious seed of the Gospel in dependence upon the presence and help of the Holy Spirit, you shall " doubtless" by and bye "Come again with rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you." R, H. D.

Lavenham.

"WHY DO I FAIL?"

I HAVE been much struck lately with the thought, whether, amid all the machinery of our Sunday schools, there is not some one thing wanting which would make them, in a much greater degree, a blessing to our land. I do not know the number of children in our Sunday schools throughout the united kingdom, it must be a very large number; if we could imagine them all brought under a saving influence, so that religious motives actuated their conduct, then surely some effect would be visible. Every teacher, if asked, would admit that this is the end proposed in Sunday school instruction, but how few realize it is shown in the way they perform their voluntary labours.

How few make a conscience of instructing the hearts of their children! They are perhaps anxious to store their heads, but if this knowledge is not brought to bear upon their daily duties, what advantage is it? I have lately had some intercourse with one talented in the art of imparting knowledge, but I thought there was more anxiety that the children should be able to give a correct sketch of the life and doings of all the most important characters in the Bible, than that their hearts should be affected with their own position, as those who would have one day to give an account to God of the use they had made of this knowledge. Oh! if, when we enter our school, we could only realize the thought that each child has an immortal soul, for which Christ died, this would stir us up to a more prayerful and zealous performance of our labour of love. It is not an easy task; weariness and disappointment will assail us, but we must cast our bread upon the waters, in faith: in the morning sow our seed, and in the evening withhold not our hand; and then, if only it be good seed, it will surely, some day, bring forth fruit.

Another thing which perhaps prevents some of us doing as well as we might, is-discontentment with our position. Now we cannot all teach the highest class, and those who wish most to do so, are perhaps not aware that there is as much labour as in the bottom class, only of another sort. Can that teacher have a right estimate of his situa

tion who thinks it is a lowering of his dignity to teach the little ones? Did not our Saviour take them up in his arms and bless them ? If the little ones were well trained, it would lessen the labour of the upper teachers; I don't mean there would be less left to teach them, but they would have learnt lessons of obedience and attention.

Let us then, one and all, awake to our true position. A great responbility is on us, "Occupy till I come;" a great privilege is granted us, "we are fellow-workers with God;" a great work is committed to us, "Feed my lambs." Let us be much in prayer that God would make us active, faithful shepherds. If we look forward, as many do, to a time of trial and warfare for the Church of God in our own much loved country, let us be as the watchmen upon the walls of Jerusalem. May God make us all a band of faithful teachers, who shall rally round her on the Lord's side, holding fast the faithful Word, and by our light and example, leading others to do the same.

P. G.