Biblical criticism. I ought to name "The Biblical Museum," by James Comper Gray, which has been prepared for the special use of teachers, and with which an ordinary teacher may regard himself as pretty well set up with helps of the kind. An eminent authority says of it, "it is surpassingly useful, sententious and sensible ;" and, he adds, "buy the work at once." That is easier said than done in the case of some, as there are thirteen volumes at four shillings and sixpence each. I refrain from naming other excellent expository works, simply because the riches would become embarrassing.

If you want a book to help you to illustrate the Bible, and ask me "Which is the best?" I answer again, that depends on what kind of illustrations you mean. If you wish to explain and illustrate Eastern manners and customs, Kitto's "Pictorial Bible" will be of great service to you; so will Thompson's "The Land and the Book;" so will Jamieson's "Eastern Manners Illustrative of Bible-history; and so, very emphatically, will "The Biblical Treasury," issued monthly by the Sunday School Union, and supplying the best illustrations from the best writers. If you wish help to illustrate doctrines and duties and privileges, indeed Gospel truth in general, I would confidently recommend you to supply yourselves with "Illustrative Gatherings," in two volumes, by Bowes. I have seen a good many books of the kind, but never any so brief, fresh, and really excellent as these. There is scarcely a point you can think of but these "Illustrative Gatherings" will help you to adorn and make interesting and impressive. Of course, the best way is to make your own book of illustrations by observing nature, noting daily incidents, and reading books treating of science or recording travels.

All this assumes that you wish to make your own lessons; but I do not forget that there are lessons ready made to your hand, the meaning explained, and the illustrations supplied. In "The Sunday School Chronicle," for a penny a week, you will find very suggestive and refreshing help; in "The Notes on the Lessons," for a penny a month, you will find sober and reliable help; and in the "Hive," for a halfpenny a month, you will find a rich supply of something sweeter than honey.

After all, I strongly recommend you to do independent reading, and to beg, borrow, anything but steal, some of the book-helps I have mentioned. If you do borrow books, be sure to return them to their owner. "The wicked borroweth and payeth not again." Some

of us can feelingly say with Sir Walter Scott, that if our friends are poor accountants they are good book-keepers.

Teachers in council

Next to books I place HELPS FROM FRIENDS. with each other about their work should surely be mutually helpful. If teachers were to talk with each other by the way about the points of their forthcoming lesson, they might give each other trains of thought that would render preparation-work easy and interesting. The teachers' preparation-class is an invaluable institution. There the whole subject of the lesson is ventilated; there every teacher contributes his or her share of the light that illumines the lesson; and there you can ask questions that perplex you, and get the united wisdom of the teachers to answer them. The preparation-class is to the Sunday-school what the prayer-meeting is to the church; and the evening that is set apart for it should be kept sacred to that purpose. From personal observation I have an impression that those who need the help of the class least prize it most, while those who need it most do not prize it at all, at any rate do not avail themselves of it. Every school should have such a class; but, failing this, a class in which the teachers of several schools might unite is most desirable. Determine, if possible, to attend such a class; and determine not to be silent members of the class. Speak, if only to ask a question or to suggest a difficulty. In such a class "the mouth of the righteous is a well of life." There are many empty wells; there are numerous sealed wells; there are some spring wells. Aim to be spring wells. Let thought and feeling flow, and you will "be fellow-helpers to the truth."

Between books and friends I place HELPS FROM NATURE. I do not mean here from human nature, although, as Pope says, "the proper study of mankind is man." And it is a most helpful thing to be able to read human nature. You need never see a fellow-creature from whom you cannot learn something. Even a fool may prove an instructive book to read from. And without the study of childnature, no teacher is thoroughly furnished for his work.

But you will find it helpful to study physical nature. If you keep your eyes open, and your minds awake, nature will supply you with illustrations of the best and most memorable kind; you will find "tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in every thing." There are people who have travelled all over the world, and, to hear them speaking, you would think they

had kept their eyes and ears closed all the time. There are other people who have never left their native country, and they speak as if nature, in all her moods, were as familiar to them as the letters of the alphabet. Eyes and No Eyes," is the title of a book. "Eyes and No Eyes" declares the difference between two persons who move amid the same scenes, and have the same opportunities of gathering hints and helps from nature. When the snow falls you may find one class of illustrations, and when the ice forins you may find quite another class; when the flowers appear, you may convert them into fragrant preachers, and when the birds sing you may catch an inspiration from their music. Rocks, and trees, and rivers, everything, or anything says, "I am waiting to serve you; pray make use of me." You cannot possibly look upon the sea in any of her moods without pressing her into your service as a teacher; and it would be strange if you could walk through some lonely glen without gleaning illustrative hints to be used in some way.

Above books, and friends, and nature, I place HELPS FROM GOD. Books, and friends, and nature are all helps from God, to be sure but there is a direct help from Him without which all the others will be like the altar and the wood without the enkindling fire, or like the carriages and the engine without the steam to move them. Philip Henry found this in his study. He says, "I forgot, when I began, explicitly and expressly to crave help from God; and the chariot-wheels drove accordingly. Lord, forgive my omissions, and keep me in the way of duty." God's Spirit is the best commentator; and if you are full of joy and of the Holy Ghost you will have such clear glad views of truth as no teacher's helps can give you. The key of prayer has a wonderful fitness for opening the lock of truth. Learning tries to force the lock, and it will not move; love applies the key of promise with the hand of prayer, and lo it opens, and the great temple of truth is bright and shining with the teaching of a present God! Where, think you, did John Bunyan get his marvellous insight into the meaning of God's Word? Not from his learning, for he had little; not from his books, for he had but few; but from his love, for his heart was full of eyes. Let every lesson be prepared with prayer, and delivered with prayer, and followed with prayer, and you will find that God is the light of your mind, and the strength of your heart, and the joy of your spirit, and that the nearest way to the hearts of your scholars is round by the throne of God.

Some time ago I sat in a great hall in which there was a magnificent organ. There it stood in its grand proportions; but it was silent as the grave, dumb as death. By-and-by the air was breathed into it, a masterhand touched the keys, and there came from it strains majestic in their grandeur, melting in their sweetness, and uplifting in their influence upon mind and heart. Apart from spiritual influences, we are, at best, only like the silent organ, richly gifted perhaps, but making no music to inspire human souls. And, therefore, the earnest teacher should cry: O Lord, play upon the keys of my nature, breathe into me the breath of Thine own life, draw out from me Thine own music; and make my being, my doing, and my suffering, make my thinking, my praying, and my teaching, a psalm of praise to Thee, and a song to cheer and draw my scholars, that they, too, may sing in the ways of the Lord! R. P. MACMASTER.

A Pastoral Letter.

BY THE LATE REV. W. ALLEN, OF OXFORD.

Y DEAR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,—At one time I hoped to be able to be present at your social tea-meeting this evening, and to enjoy your company for an hour or so; but the continuance of cold easterly wind forbids me to venture

out. I therefore gladly avail myself of the opportunity of expressing, by a short written address, all the greetings of Christian affection I should enjoy giving you by my hand and voice. Grace and peace be with you, brethren, and may every indication of our Lord's most loving presence rejoice your hearts and bless your meeting!

For my own part I am with you in considerable cheerfulness of spirit. I have much to be thankful for; first, to Him who healeth all our diseases and restores our life, that He has granted me so much progress toward health and strength that I can say I daily increase in tone and vigour; then to you for your sympathy and affection, shown in so many ways, during this time and former times of weakness; and, also, that you "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It is my great anxiety and earnest hope that these painful interruptions of my ministerial labours may ultimately con

duce to the more perfect sanctification and greater usefulness of both pastor and people.

You remember, brethren, how that, in the joyful excitement and irrepressible thankfulness of the first society of believers in Jerusalem, they had all things common, and all earthly distinctions disappeared under the tide of brotherly love. Oneness in Christ, and oneness in privilege and hope, made them of one heart and soul in everything besides. Now, although such community of goods was only temporary in the Church at Jerusalem, never was enjoined on other Churches, and, so far as we know, was never practised by any other Church, it was only an extreme expression of that brotherly love which the Saviour so fervently prayed might be the distinguishing social passion of His people; that brotherly love which the Apostles describe as a natural affection in spiritual men, and which they are taught of God. But although the Apostles nowhere commended Communism to any Church, nor sought to interfere with existing social relations, they endeavoured, by frequent meetings of the brethren, of a much less formal character than modern public worship, and subsequently, by agapa or love-feasts, to develop such fraternal affection and interest as to make every one feel at home in the household of faith; and as would, if the need for it were to arise, once more lead to having all things common. The perils of a sharp persecution would find a refuge, food, and clothing for a hunted brother in the house of every brother in the Lord.

The agape were feasts of charity, held mostly in the evening, when liberal contributions were made by the rich to feed the poor. St. Chrysostom says, "On certain days, after partaking of the Lord's Supper, they met at a common feast: the rich bringing provisions, and the poor, who had nothing, being invited." From the first down to the present day the Church has felt the importance of cherishing high social feeling, and, indeed, family feeling in the holy brotherhood. Then, constituted as we are, the feast, however simple and frugal, is at once both the evidence and the cause of growing oneness of heart and soul. From the wild Indian who offers the pipe of peace, the Arab who offers the shelter of his tent, the barbarian who pledges friendship in the pinch of salt, to the modern philanthropists who support hospitals and orphanages by luxurious dinners, homage is done to the fact that companionship in the bounties of the table promotes cordiality and friendship.