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day School Teachers, to make it a matter of serious deliberation in their counsels, what is the best method of keeping the several records, required in the course of the duties of Sunday Schools. In order to supply some useful hints, and as a farther facility for them, we present the following plan, nearly similar to the specimen above alluded to, as taken from the Sunday School minute book for it is necessary that a daily minute book be kept of the transactions of each Sabbath; and the following we deem a very simple and useful manner of stating such records :

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We have given this plan in preference to any we have yet seen, on account of its plainness, and because it exhibits at all times a precise account of the numerical state of the school; for it is always desirable to expose as many particulars as possible concerning the school at one view; and while touching upon this important subject, we feel inclined to extend our remarks, and would urge upon all the conductors of our Sunday Schools, if they,

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have not yet attended to a part of their duty, so useful and so
connected with their prosperity, that they now commence to
keep a methodical account of their proceedings, and they will
not be long without a testimony of the truth of the observations
we have here made. "Order is heaven's first law :" it is the
direction of God for His church, and all His works of creation
present one universal pattern of system and order. So instructed
let teachers set their schools in order, and success will be more
likely to accompany their efforts. We will not omit here to re-
mark, that too little pains and expense are taken to furnish rooms
for instruction; but it will be found that such expenses are not,
as is usually thought, superfluous. A school room well fur-
nished and arranged with order and cleanliness, is no small help
in restraining careless and improper conduct in the classes.
is something of this influence that gives respect to a well dressed
person, more than to the slovenly and ill bred; and the same
influence can be traced in the lower orders of society on entering
a handsomely furnished room. If you can excite a virtuous
pride in the minds of the children for their teacher, their books
and their school, an important advantage is gained. And to give
a new argument in favour of a point we would strenuously ad-
vocate, there is an influence of sympathy exercised over us by
the beauty and order of the objects that surround us. A man of
talents and worth, and of most methodical habits, once said, "he
believed he could not die in peace without all things being in
order." It forcibly expresses the idea we would convey to
our readers, and we will be yet better understood by such as re-
member how agreeable an influence is exercised over the minds
of the sick, by order and cleanliness; and on the contrary how
offensive and irritating the absence of either proves. The
idea is excellently and pointedly expressed by the poet Thom-
son, in the following lines, in his "Seasons".

"Even from the body's purity, the mind
Receives a secret, sympathetic aid."

The following anecdote, communicated by a teacher, practically illustrates some of the above remarks:

"A new class book and new books, (testaments) were procured for my class: each book was labelled with the scholar's name on the cover; also his number in large characters. I soon observed that the whole

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class felt an interest in the new box, on the outside of which my own name, and the name and number of each scholar was marked. I appointed my monitor as usual, and was pleased to notice the unusual gratification he evinced on receiving the charge, and I secretly remarked that much of the importance of the office then lay in the care of the new box, and in a few Sundays I was fully convinced of it, when, on entering the school room unnoticed by my pupil, I found him alone with great earnestness, arranging the books, squaring them in the box, dusting the form, and rubbing the covers with his handkerchief, and then setting the box on the desk, he stepped occasionally back to survey its appearance, doubtless with something of that glowing ambition that an artist surveys the new touches of his pencil. I was delighted with the complacency evinced by him, as he sat down in his seat with silence and decorum; and in the afternoon was more firmly convinced of the utility of order and neatness, in the arrangement of my class, when on one of the books being missing, he with diligence and anxiety searched the school room; and every class box, reluctant to put his own away without No. 12. It was gratifying to me to reflect that this moral influence would, at least, keep my boys from base conduct and low company, and win them the more to habits of receiving bible instruction, which with the blessing of God, might be rendered profitable to them for this life," and that which is to come."

Thus it is discoverable that method and neatness in the records and arrangements of a class, will be followed by order and attention among the scholars. This anecdote needs no comment of ours, but is the best argument we have given for order and neatness in the arrangement of Sunday School records, papers, and school furniture; and we will only add our admonitory application to the conductors of all schools--" Go and de likewise."

A PLAN OF RENDERING INSTRUCTION AMUSING.

"With the education as has been already stated, are combined amusements and recreations; and the result of the whole will be to render the children intelligent, active, industrious, well-informed, virtuous, and happy."-tract from the Report of an Education Society, formed in Guilford-stret Est Spafields, England.)

NOTE.--Nothing is

rvient to the advancement of the mind in knowledge th omote a healthful and vigorous elasticity of its faculties by due proportion of recreation and amusement; to use a hackneyed proverb, the "bow that is always bent looses its spring:" but we would hint to preceptors that a decided advantage will be gained if those amusements can be made otherwise subservient to the ends of wisdom, by instructing by recreation. Some of our schools are in the habit of convening the individual classes at the homes of their teach

ers, or alternately at the scholar's homes, for the purpose of reading to them amusing histories, bible stories,, illustrated by plates; and natural history, illustrated in the same manner: and in one of the Sunday School departments of Philadelphia, a farther improvement has been, we understand successfully attempted, by the illustration of scripture stories, with the magic lantern. We highly approve of these plans, and think that simple and philosophical experiments, illustrating the common phenomena of nature may lead the young mind from nature up to nature's God; and when combined with an amusing elucidation of history, either scriptural, general, or natural, would, it must be readily allowed, in the language of the above extract; "render the children intelligent, well-informed, virtuous, and happy."

INTELLIGENCE.

Proposed union of the S. Schools, in the neighbouring towns and counties, with the Utica Union S. S. Society."

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In the last number of "the Sabbath School Visitant," it is communicated that this subject will be proposed at the approaching meeting of this Society in September. We cannot better express our feelings on this proposed plan, and our cordial approbation of it, than in the terms of that publication, which we sincerely do, with the alteration of a single word"this is a proposal we rejoice to see, and we trust it will create a new era in the history of the Sabbath Schools of OUR WESTERN WORLD. Let the energies of the faithful BE COMBINED, and with the blessing of Heaven, what may we not accomplish?" say "Sabbath Schools of the western world," as we hope that this happy precedent will be followed by all other counties in this state, where there are Sunday Schools; and the example, by every other state in the Union; so that we shall have a Sunday School Union in every county; and those county Unions combined in a state Union; and that state Union with the AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. Then indeed we may adopt the expressive motto by which the article is prefaced in the Visitant Union is power"-Yes-we trust in this case, a "power unto salvation," through the teaching of the scriptures, by Sunday Schools, to the peace and happiness of the sons of these United States, "who shall be free indeed”—when "the TRUTH shall make them free."

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POETRY.

(Original.)

[From the Port Folio of a Sunday School Teacher.]

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REFLECTIONS ON SUNSET.

Thy sun shall no more go down."-Isiah lx. 20.
DOWNWARD sinks the orb of day,
Brightening every parting ray-
Ardent glows the western sky,
And now-it fades-it fades away.
Glimmering still, now parted quite,
And silent fall the shades of night;
And now-upon the nether world,
He breaks! he breaks with orient light!
Tho' sinners dread the hour of death,
In joy departs the pious soul;

'Tis power divine that gilds the scene,
Towards its everlasting goal!

Now, now its purest rays are shed;

Now dark the shades of death are spread,

O'er what was mortal.-But the ethereal soul
To realms of light and bliss has flown!

(Selected.)

THE LAST LINES OF THE POET COWPER.

TO JESUS, the crown of my hope-
My soul is in haste to be gone;
O, bear me, ye cherubim, up;

And waft me away to HIS THRone.

My Saviour! whom absent I love;
Whom, not having seen, I adore,
Whose name is exalted above
All glory, dominion, and power:

Dissolve thou the bands that detain
My soul from her portion in Thee;
O strike off the adamant chain,
And make me eternally free.

Then that happy era begins,

When arrayed in thy glory I shine;
And no longer pierce with my sins,
The bosom in which I recline.

The above stanzas are said to be the last that Cowper ever wrote.

For acknowledgments, notices, &c. to correspondents and subscri

ders, and notice of the Association of Teachers, see cover.

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