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should be assigned. The plan had answered pretty well, and had been the means of promoting order in the school. They had, therefore, in addition to the three divisions he had mentioned, this preparatory class.

REV. J. H. VINCENT, of Illinois, United States, one of the delegates from the Methodist Episcopal Sunday School Union, said,—The purpose of the paper just read I understand to be the presentation of an ideal school. The writer has presented such a classification as he thinks will secure that. But it occurs to me there are demands in connection with the institution which his classification does not meet. Here are the infant scholars, and for these he has the infant division; here are the elementary scholars, and for these he has a division; so with the Scripture and senior divisions. But each sabbath school should provide in some way for its own supply of teachers. Where is the normal or training division? To teach the Bible effectually, there should be a careful study of Bible archæology and geography, in a systematic way, but this cannot be done on the sabbath day without interfering with the religious and practical part of teaching. Some schools in America have an archæological division, and week-day meetings. I have one in my school, and call it the "Palestine Class." Then we want to bring the children and youth to the Saviour, and bring them under direct pastoral influence. There ought, in every church, to be an "inquirers' division," a probationers' or converts' class. This is the better and more perfect division,-Infant, elementary, Scripture, senior, normal, archæological, and inquirers' divisions.

Rev. L. ZUCKER, of Westerham, was obliged to Mr. Collins for having invested so dry a subject with so much interest. He warned teachers against the use of hard words in their classes, and from attempting to play the orator among their scholars. As to the removal of children, he would prefer it being left in the hands of the teachers.

Mr. EDWARDS, of Huddersfield, said there was one question now occupy. ing the attention of one of the largest schools in his union, upon which he would like the opinion of some gentlemen present. Mr. Collins had remarked that he should not think it advisable for every class to meet in a separate room. The school of which he (Mr. Edwards) spoke had had for some years eleven separate rooms for classes. They were now going to build a new school, in which they would have twenty-five rooms, so as to allow each class to meet separately. The question he wished to hear an opinion upon was, Whether it was generally deemed advisable that, during the hours of teaching, each class should thus meet separately? He had visited many schools in England and America, and had always found that those schools which were not divided did best. He referred to a school in Brooklyn, where the senior boys' classes were sometimes entrusted to female teachers, and the girls to male teachers, with considerable success. He mentioned also a school at Liverpool, where a class of young men, which had been found unmanageable by several gentlemen, was brought into

perfect order on a lady being placed in charge of it, and where in course of time every scholar became a member of the church.

Mr. WOODRUFF, of New York, inquired whether the writer of the paper, Mr. Collins, would not consider in his closing remarks the question, Whether classes assembled in parlours or private houses, and separated entirely from the attractions and sympathy of the sabbath schoolroom, would be desirable? Mr. Woodruff thought the time might come when this could be safely done; but that we have not yet sufficiently educated the church to aggressive action, and to the art of teaching, to make it certain that such classes would have the excitement of good singing and pleasant association, which the school-room supplies. Like brands of fire removed from the burning pile, they separately might smoke awhile and die out. There would be danger not only of their detracting from the interest of the sabbath school as it now exists, but they would also be apt to scatter by change of teachers, &c. This method certainly ought to be adopted when there is not a sufficient community to organize a regular sabbath school within a reasonable distance.

Mr. G. WHITE, of Woolwich, said, he quite approved of the adoption of a simpler classification than had been hitherto adopted, and he thought the basis of it should be intellectual and moral capacity. He felt that Sunday school teachers had erred, because they had founded their institutions after the model of day schools in too great a degree. If they were to keep before them four distinct groups, they would be able to manage better than if they had a larger number. Of course, if they were well supplied with teachers, they could make subdivisions in each group, although, if the teacher was equal to the task, he was persuaded a large group was better than a small one. It would be a mistake to separate all the classes at the present time, but probably hereafter, when their operations were more ripened, it might be well to conduct large classes in separate rooms under the care of one teacher, who would perform all the duties now performed in the school. He recommended that the bulk of the scholars should be in one room, and the infant, senior, and teachers' preparatory classes in others. He also insisted on the importance of employing none but converted men as teachers.

Rev. A. W. HERITAGE said, the school in connection with his congregation had a class for training teachers. Those of the senior scholars, and others who desired to be engaged in the work of the school, were admitted to this class under the care of an experienced teacher, who had been in the school for forty years. They were there trained for their duties, and draughted off into the school as opportunities occurred for their employment. By this means they kept up a good supply of teachers, and did not lose their senior scholars. With reference to some previous remarks, he said he thought Mr. Collins had been somewhat misunderstood. It was not recommended, he believed, that the Sunday school devotional services

should be got rid of, but that the classes, after those services were over, should be instructed in separate rooms.

Mr. POLLARD, of Heckmondwike, did not see how Mr. Collins's plan of changing the books, in preference to removing the children from one class to another, would answer in practice, because of the great diversity in the abilities of the scholars, which caused some always to be behind others, even though commencing any particular study at the same time. As a superintendent, he recommended that all removals should be made only after consultation of the superintendent with the teacher, the teacher being so much more likely to form a correct judgment on the subject. Then as to the classification of teachers; it was a very necessary thing; but were they to be classified according to their own ideas, or those of others in the school? He did not agree in the remarks made by Mr. Collins as to the want of success being attributable to some neglect on the part of teachers. Let it be remembered that the Sunday school had the oversight and instruction of the children on one day only, and that the evil influence of the whole of the week was against them. Let them not be discouraged at want of success in the past; at the same time, let them seriously look to it that no hindrance to that success was to be found in themselves. Whatever classification they had, until they could instil into the minds of teachers correct ideas of their work, and the necessity for prayerful perseverance, they would fail; whereas, even with an imperfect classification, if they but laboured earnestly in dependence upon God, they would be able to accomplish great results.

Mr. RIDLEY, of Newcastle, said, in his schools they entirely discarded tickets, believing them to be useless and mischievous. Instead of expending money upon them, they employed the funds in increasing the library, of which all the children had the benefit.

Rev. J. KEED, of Cambridge, asked Mr. Collins to explain a point upon which there was evidently some misunderstanding. It seemed to be thought that in the paper it was asserted, that the only reason why the children continued undecided arose from the imperfections of the teacher.

Mr. COLLINS said, he should know but little of theology if he had made such a statement. What he stated was, that when a child was not converted, instead of looking about for all sorts of reasons, the teacher should see to it that the cause did not rest with himself. Referring to other observations made upon his paper, he remarked that his statements were general, and not directed to schools where 700 or 800 children attended. He did not suggest, as was supposed, that the new scholars should be classified after two or three minutes' consideration. Let the superintendent take three months, if he liked. The plan he adopted was temporarily to place new scholars in those classes which, upon a rough glance, appeared to him the most suitable, under the care of his best and most experienced teachers; and afterwards to fix them in classes as a better

judgment could be formed. And in this case, as in respect to removals, he would not dream of making changes without consultation with the teachers. The "probationary class" was a good idea, but upon the whole he preferred the course he had suggested. He was not an advocate for ministerial superintendence, not because he thought ministers could not do better than many teachers, but simply because they could not possibly give the time that was essential to the thorough and efficient superintendence of a school. If a superintendent properly performed his duty, he could have no time for anything else. He not only must give himself entirely to the work, but must get from the teachers and the officers of the school all the assistance they could render. With reference to the question put by Mr. Edwards, he did not like to give an off-hand opinion as to any particular school. He had given a brief but decided general statement on the subject ; and he might add that the elder scholars should assemble with the general school for the opening service; and now and then-not very often, say when the minister or any particular person came to give the address-be brought in to join in the closing service. He would let them have all the sympathy and blessedness connected with a large school, and then let them go into their own separate rooms for their own special devotional exercises, and the direct religious instruction suited to them.

Mr. HADLAND said, from his experience in connection with a large school, his belief was, that where the children were taught separately, they did not prize so highly their connection with the Sunday school. After singing a hymn, the proceedings closed.

PUBLIC MEETING AT THE MANSION HOUSE.

ON THE STATE AND PROSPECTS OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS ABROAD. ON Tuesday evening, by special permission of the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House was thrown open for a public meeting, to hear addresses upon the state and prospects of Sunday schools abroad. Mr. Alderman ABBISS presided, and there was a very large attendance of ladies and gentlemen.

After singing the following hymn,—

"Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

"To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His name, like sweet perfume, shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

"People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.

"Let every creature rise, and bring
Peculiar honours to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud Amen!"

the Rev. W. CUTHBERTSON, B. A., of Sidney, offered prayer.

The CHAIRMAN then addressed the meeting. He said,-Mr. Mayor, deputies, delegates, ladies and gentlemen, friends of sabbath schools, I esteem it a very great honour to preside over you this day. I have been connected with Sunday schools from my earliest childhood, and they are very near and very dear to my heart. But while I have very much pleasure in standing before you, I cannot help also expressing regret that your Treasurer, Mr. Alderman Challis, having been called out of town, is unable to occupy the place which I shall so unworthily fill. When we look at this great city, with its teeming population-when we consider the crime, the sabbath-breaking, the infidelity, which abound-we cannot but feel how important is the agency by which it is sought to ameliorate the moral condition of the people. Nor can we help imagining what would be the condition of things but for the institution of the sabbath school. I believe that much-very much-of the evangelical Christianity in the world, is attributable to their influence, and that they are amongst the greatest preventatives of crime in this country. They have done much to bring us out of that ignorance which was so well depicted by my friend Mr. Watson last night. A hundred years ago, the time was when the general want of religious instruction was most appalling-it was what our eloquent friend Mr. Binney would denominate, "the age of universal ignorance." But I am surrounded to-day by representatives from most parts of the world, who have come to tell us of the work and progress of Sunday schools in their country. We have friends from France, and America, and Germany, and Switzerland, and Italy, and Australia, and all parts of the United Kingdom; and the Committee of the Sunday School Union are delighted at the opportunity afforded them of holding an International Sunday School Convention. As Englishmen, we give all our foreign friends a hearty welcome, and feel the utmost pleasure in meeting them as brother Sunday school teachers; and that pleasure is enhanced by the kindness and politeness of the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, and the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee, in cheerfully granting the use of this beautiful hall for the occasion. The hall in which the great and the noble, the brave and the good, the defenders of their country, and the benefactors of mankind, have often been welcomed with acclamation by the citizens of this great nation, is a fitting place to receive that band of earnest men and women whom I see before me-whose one great object is to benefit

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