Entelligence.

The Sunday-School Union.

Answers to Correspondents.

Received with thanks. - Order-A Su-| Ellen-A Ragged School teacher-An 015 perintendent, Dudley-M. R.-E. R. Scholar-W. A. G.-W. H. Rule -J. H W. G.-J. Witherow-J. Curwen-Anne R.-J. Dresser-H. M'C.-Tola, Bristol Gilbert-Samuel Martin-A Manchester-C. C., Leeds-W. Cooke-J. C. Jones. Superintendent-F. W. A.-J. M Phun

CCUSTOMED as we are in England to a plentiful supply of water, e can form only an imperfect notion of the importance attached wells in eastern countries; we may glean something, however, om the frequency with which they are spoken of in Scripture. By far the most interesting record is that in which "Jesus eing wearied with his journey, sat" and talked with the woman f Samaria, of that "living water," of which if a man drink he shall ever thirst again, but which "shall be in him a well of water pringing up into eternal life."

In the journeyings of the children of Israel, we have frequent mention of wells of water, "They came to Elim, where were twelve fells of water, and they encamped there by the waters." At Beer hey came to "the well whereof the Lord spake to Moses, and there sang their song of praise:

hey

66

Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

The princes digged the well,

The nobles of the people digged it,

By the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves."

If I and

When asking permission to pass through Edom, they especially romised not to drink of the water of the wells, and said, ny people drink of thy water, then will I pay for it." In most parts of the East, every drop of water required for donestic purposes, has to be carried from the well, frequently a long listance. Females are usually employed in this service, and they etch the water in leathern bags or bottles.

[For the above engraving, we are indebted to the proprietor of "The Penny Illustrated Edition of Matthew Henry's Commentary," a work aboundng with good illustrations ]

NEW SERIES.]

SEPARATE SERVICES FOR SUNDAY-SCHOOL CHILDREN.

BY THE REV. SAMUEL MARTIN.

(Continued from page 137.)

WE think that we have shown that the attendance of children on services adapted chiefly to adults is not desirable; and that there would be propriety and advantage in establishing an order of worship and ministration suited to the juvenile mind. We proceed to inquire,-Is the establishment of Separate Services possible? We are not forgetful of the fact, that the Christian labourer has frequently to endure a present evil, and is often required quietly to wait for what appears desirable and advantageous. Remembering this, what must be said to separate

services?

Before proceeding to this part of our subject, let us endeavour to prevent misconception on one or two important points :

First. We do not deny that some children are, to a limited extent, interested and benefited by the ordinary ministrations of the house of instruction and prayer. There are cases, doubtless, of children attending services directed to adults, in whom there is melody of heart, the spirit of prayer, and an ear for the truth; but we say these are the few, not the multitude,-and in our Sabbath-school arrangements, we ought to legislate for the masses. But of the few who are interested and benefited, we affirm that they would worship with more soul, and hear to greater advantage, if the services were adapted to the juvenile mind.

Secondly. We also assume that the case of Sabbath-scholars is not generally the condition of children whose parents themselves attend public worship. Attendance on domestic worship and religious instruction at home, blended with the influence which parental example and counsel may be expected to exert on the deportment of children at public worship, are circumstances favourable to the securing of some good influence from our ordinary services; but the mass of our Sabbath-school children never hear the voice of prayer at home-they have no good example in their parents-and their habits during six days tend to make exceedingly difficult even a quiet posture in the house of prayer. We are not at all convinced, however, of the good effect generally of ordinary services even upon children who sit with their parents, and who have every domestic advantage. Referring to the acknowledged inattention, even of such children, we may say, "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Who has not been disturbed and annoyed by the restlessness and inattention of the best trained children in public worship?

Thirdly. We assume that children and adults cannot, on account of the wide diversity which difference of years involves, be contemplated together in our ordinary services-that the thing is impracticable to ministers, and if attempted would sacrifice the spiritual advantage of those in riper years. The case of domestic worship will surely not be pleaded against us. In that service there is no sermon; and the reading of the Scriptures to a household, and worship in a family may clearly be made to meet the condition of the juvenile mind without sacrificing

the devotion and profit of the adult. We fully admit, moreover, that systems are not to be condemned by the failures of those who work them out, neither should plans of operation be exploded because of the evil circumstances which may accidentally attend them. But this we say we think the system of requiring children to attend services conducted for adults, is essentially chargeable with the evils which we have named.

Fourthly. We do not affirm that a service would be efficient merely because children only were congregated to attend upon it. The worship and the teaching to be effective must be adapted. It would be possible to do more harm, and more completely to fail of good by a distinct service, than by an ordinary service. If the prayers, confessions, and thanksgivings did not breathe, in children's words, a child's desires and emotions-if the teaching did not utter, in words intelligible to children, truths within a child's sphere-then, on several grounds, the present system should be retained. But we plead for the separation of children from adults, in order to secure adaptation,

For

To

We return from our digression. Is the establishment of a distinct order of worship and ministration possible; and by what means? such services we need, first, a ministry. This, we believe, our Sabbathschool staff and the communion of our churches would supply. We require, in each school, one or more Christian men, who are gifted for this work, and who are willing to stir up the gift that is in them. commit this work to teachers indiscriminately, calling on persons in rotation to conduct the service merely because they are teachers, would at once secure ruin to the project. No person must attempt this service who is not qualified, or who is unwilling to extend his ability by careful cultivation. In some cases it may be desirable to divide a school, committing the girls to some qualified Christian woman; and even to subdivide, placing the infants under a separate ministration. And is not such a ministry to be found in our churches??-or if not there at present, would not a demand for such instrumentality at length create it, and call it out? Two or three helpers in the preservation of order would, in most cases, be necessary; but the attendance of the body of teachers would in no instance be required. The form and mode of ministration would necessarily vary with the condition of the children, and with the gifts of the teacher. The exercises usually included in worship, and the particular ministration involved in preaching, should in all cases be conducted; but the degree, order, and duration, must be left to individual cases. Perhaps it would be desirable to imitate, generally, the nature and order of services for adults, and occasionally to reverse or otherwise disturb that order, so as to prevent formality and monotony. For such services a separate building is most desirable, if not essential. By taking the children of a school from one building to another, the idea of school is broken up, and the notion of a place of worship is suggested. In a building constructed for such an assembly, the floor may be so raised, and the seats so contrived, as that the entire congregation of children may come under the eye of the minister-an effect which cannot be secured by our school-rooms, which, on an even floor, furnish accommodation for separate classes. The form and arrangements of an amphitheatre, in which the seats are semicircular, rising

from the floor to the ceiling, is, perhaps, the best plan. Where a separate building cannot be procured, the school-room, with clever management, might be constructed to answer both purposes; but on many grounds we advocate a separate building. Where children are taught in the place of worship, or in rooms so contiguous as that every sound is heard in the church or chapel, of course a distinct building is essential. And cannot separate buildings be obtained? We believe in many cases that an attempt to procure children's churches or chapels would be attended with immediate success.

A ministry and a building are, we repeat, the means required; and these means we believe to be within the reach of a large majority of Sabbath-schools. The only question is one of time. Can it be done immediately, or are several years necessary to collect funds and to train individuals for this particular service? That some difficulties are in the path of this greatly-needed reformation, we hesitate not to admit. But impediments in any career are surely not to prevent our entrance upon it. Nothing worth reaching has ever yet been gained by a smooth path; and the delay which difficulties occasion should quicken our desire to attain the end; while, by eliciting our powers and resources, obstacles should make the attainment of our object doubly sure. principle involved in separate services is already acknowledged in the existence of school hymn-books, and in the adaptation of school addresses to the case of the scholars ;-all we seem to need is, to give a principle already adopted, a clear course.

The

To such as are doubting on the subject of separate services, and to those who decide that they cannot be established and ought not to be tried, we say-OBSERVE, INQUIRE, THINK. Notice a school of children in a place of worship-search into the effect of their attendance therecheck your own opinions and impressions by the testimony of others, and then decide. But do not incur the disgrace of forming a judgment without inquiry and observation.

To such as are convinced that separate services are desirable, we suggest:-Be patient with those your fellow-labourers who have not reached your conclusion; and patient in waiting, if needful, an opportunity to introduce the change which your own convictions suggest. But send forth the feet of the or as well as the feet of the ass. Be persevering in the use of legitimate means to attain your end, while you are patient in waiting for it. Converse with your pastors. Introduce he subject to the attention of the parents of the children. Hold out the prospect to the children themselves. And thus sowing beside all waters you will assuredly be blessed in reaping the result which such exertions are directed to secure.

One thing is certain :-If our Sabbath-schools are to abide, we must build not with wood, hay, stubble; but with gold, and silver, and precious stones. Already the fire of earnest scrutiny is trying every man's work of what sort it is. Or to return to a figure already employed, and to trace effect to cause, the fan is even now in the hand of Heaven's husbandman, and he will thoroughly purge his floor.

Fear not, ye faithful, earnest labourers! Some of your plans, modes, and instruments may be removed and consumed; but your holy principles will abide your best motives will abide-your object will abide