the great difficulty of ensuring regular attendance, are more sensibly felt than in towns. Indeed the enforcement of attendance is in many cases scarcely just or expedient; as the absence of the children is occasioned often by their early training to agricultural work; the earnings of which are a necessary component part of their livelihood. Yet as the licence is frequently abused by indolence (either on the part of the children or parents), the inducement of some trifling reward to regular attendance at the end of the quarter, would prove a useful distinction between necessary and unnecessary absence. The children's payment of a penny (more or less) connected with this system of rewards, by giving a personal interest in the School, would contribute to ensure regularity. It is obvious, how much depends upon effective superintendence. Undoubted piety, firmness, judgment, regularity, alacrity, strict probity, and real love for the employment, are requisites, which every Minister would desire to see combined in the Master or Mistress of the Weekly School. They should gain the respect, in order to secure the obedience, of the children. Yet it is not desirable, that they should be vested with much discretionary power. The parents are better satisfied, when they are bound by a regular course marked out for them by authority. The assistance of visitors concurring with the rules of the School, and maintaining the regularity of all its minute arrangements, may be thankfully received. The value of rewards is of far less moment, than their just distribution; so that the children may be assured that they will be connected proportionably with their conduct and exertion. In punishments, certainty is much more to be considered than severity. In general, disgrace or forfeiture of reward, will supply the place of corporal punishment; which at least ought not to be resorted to, until milder measures have been ineffectually tried. In the circulating classes, (a method first adopted in the Islington Schools) the circles gained by the children may be of a given value, and be periodically redeemed for books, or clothes, or other articles of reward-accurate registers being kept of the progress and conduct of the children. This system excites the natural impetus of advancement; while it possesses the high advantage of repressing personal emulation. The child's attention is not engaged in taking the place of another; but only in securing a place for himself. Each may exert himself to the utmost, and be rewarded accordingly. Eight or ten in the same class may receive the same reward, and in every respect be considered equal. On the former plan, the children were taught to consider the top place in the class as the highest station of honorary distinction, and the last place as the lowest point of degradation. But on this system, all places, considered as places, are alike honourable; and the movement is unlimited according to merit. The child is perpetually rising or retrograding. If attentive, he finds an unceasing motive to exertion and diligence; while even the dull are enlivened, in not standing at the bottom of the class in hopeless despondency.1 It is very necessary for the keeping up the interest of the children, that their occupations should be varied, taking care, however, that the order of their employments should on no account be dispensed with. Equally necessary is it, that, as far as possible, they should be made to understand every thing which they learn or read. Plans should be adopted to ensure a system 1 For a full description, see a small work published by John Stoat, Master of the Islington Parochial School. Rivingtons. of minute questioning on all their lessons, under the vigilant superintendence of the Minister, or some delegated and competent inspector. The religious instruction however, constitutes the main power of the system; without which, even under the most orderly regulations, it is a lifeless mechanism. This is far too important to be left to the Master. He may be competent for the official arrangements; and yet, either from utter ignorance of religion, want of spiritual apprehensions, or intelligent and affectionate mode of communication, he may be wholly incapacitated for this primary course of instruction. To make it the employment of the first hour, may serve to impress the children's minds with a sense of its pre-eminent importance; Catechism, Scripture, or Hymns, may be learnt by word of mouth from the teacher, before the other books are distributed; and this plan (where it can be adopted) would spread an atmosphere over the whole subsequent course. So powerful a machinery as schools, requires in every part the control of the principles of the Gospel, to render them efficient to the desired ends. SECTION IV. THE TREATMENT OF THE YOUNG IN A HOPEFUL STATE OF IMPRESSION. WITH the exception of special cases in the Visitation of the Sick, this may be considered as the most difficult part of the Pastoral office. No peculiar talent, originality, or Ministerial fluency, is requisite ; but the " spirit of power and of love," combined with the spirit of a sound mind." These youthful 1 2 Tim. i. 7. recipients of instruction are readily melted by the power of affectionate address; while too often their conduct proves their consciences to be unawakened, and their hearts unimpressed. Their very susceptibility of religious impressions has a strong influence to foster self-deception; mistaking mere natural impulse for the exercise of the spiritual life, conviction of sin for conversion of heart, feeling for principle, attachment to their Minister for love to their Saviour, interest in the mechanical form of instruction for interest in the Gospel. Hence the desire for comfort is often independent of any vigour or even principle of holiness, and connected with the debilitated exercise of spiritual affections. We must be equally careful therefore to instruct as to impress, and to strengthen the judgment with a tone of manly and intelligent seriousness, which may control any irregular exercise of the feelings. Much caution is also required, in placing Christian experience before them, for the purpose of conviction (lest, almost unconsciously, we form their character either to hypocrisy or selfdelusion); much close personal application of the Gospel to their several cases is needed; together with a clear separation between natural and spiritual excitement; and a watchfulness against the subtle influence of all excitement, that does not distinctly act upon the conscience. Even the exhibition of the love of Christ should be set forth in its glory and sublimity, as well as in its inexpressible tenderness and endearment; that, while the wax is warmed and softened by the lively glow of feeling, a deep, complete, and permanent impression may be made; and the judgment, conscience, and habits may be powerfully influenced. Not that we would deprecate that legitimate excitement, which may often, under God, awaken the exercise of spiritual affections, producing, in their turn, a most important reaction. But let not the character or progress be measured by excitement. If it arise from the exercise of the feelings rather than from deep views of Scriptural truth, it is delusion— not edification. This impulse may move without moulding the heart. It may be the effect of sympathy, wrought upon by a kindly earnestness of address, or (as in the history of Joseph, or the sufferings of Christ) by the touching simplicity and tenderness of Divine truths, without any spiritual principle, perception, or practical influence. There may even be considerable influence upon the mind, conscience, and conversation, without the radical change of heart. The will-the sovereign power in the soul-though disturbed and restrained by the light of the mind and the working of the conscience-may still shew its natural bias to sin. There may also be a work of illumination without spiritual light, complacency, rest, or transformation. 1 The conscience may be awakened by natural conviction to a greater quickness and sensibility, without that penitent abhorrence of sin, that turns to the blood of Christ, that it might be "purged from dead works to serve the living God." 2 The affections may be also touched, yet not fixed, nor filled with the things of God. The impression therefore is transient and uninfluential.3 The love of the world is not wholly thrust out; nor is its place filled with spiritual love and delight; so that, though "the house is swept and garnished" with much outward reformation, it is "empty" of Christ, and, being 2 Ibid. ix. 14. 1 See Heb. vi. 4, 5. |