been all handed around, Mr. Eisenbrown said that one of the bags had the name of Mary-on it. This little girl told him to give it to an orphan of the name of Mary, if such there was in the Home. "If there is such a one here, she will please hold up her hand," and quick as thought up went a little hand, and this Mary rejoiced over the bag of chestnuts which the Mary afar off gathered and sewed up in a bag for her unknown friend.

A worthy pastor has just told us: "I am delighted with the Lesson Leaves for the use of Sunday-schools. The Questions are simple and to the point, and exceedingly well adapted for the biblical instruction of the scholars. The Catechism Lesson for the Sunday, at the foot of the page is an excellent feature. This morning, to my agreeable surprise, I overheard our little Harry (a lad less than eight years of age) reciting the lesson for the first Sunday, to his sister in an adjoining room. The dear little fellow had accurately committed to memory the three answers of this lesson, even the long one to the first question. It did my heart good to hear him repeat these answers." This is the right plan. Let parents get their children to commit these catechism lessons at home, at an early age, when it will be comparatively easy for them to do it. One lesson a week, will enable them to treasure up the whole precious Catechism in their memories in the course of one year. This will make the future catechization of the children by the pastor comparatively easy.

The LAMMERHIRTE, the German Sunday-school paper of the Reformed

the best grass was. Sometimes it happened that even then a fun-loving lamb would hop about, and often such a one would turn the whole flock into an unruly rabble for awhile. Through the mischief of one little one much fine pasture would be trodden under foot and ruined. The unruly lambs themselves helped to destroy it.

"Since then I have become a shepherd of another kind of lambs. Although I have but a little flock, one or two among the small number are full of mischief, and have repeatedly reminded me of my irrational lambs in the old country. It is true, those that I now have do not butt with their heads, as the others did, but with their hands. They do not hop about as those did, but their eyes gad about the whole school and their thoughts are everywhere, only not with their teacher and the lesson. Pray tell me what to do with such inattentive, mischievous scholars?"

The Sunday-school of the First Reformed Church of Reading, places a copy of the Guardian into the hands of each teacher. Those teachers who may not have the means to spare to get it, will be furnished with the necessary money out of the treasury of the school. This is done for two reasons: 1) To give all the teachers an equal opportunity to prepare the Lessons, and have the benefit of other useful reading. 2) In order to benefit the scholars by assisting the teachers to instruct them in an entertaining and profitable way. This is a good plan and shows the right kind of a spirit.

BY J. O. J.

Church, recently contained a letter from "A Little Child shall Lead Them." a teacher of the Sunday-school of the Second Reformed Church (German) of Dayton, Ohio, in which he complains of the fractious, frisking members of his class, in the following wise: "I used to be a shepherd in the old country. I had a fine lot of lambs. I can still see them, as I led them out of the stable, how they would dance and skip after me. But as soon as I reached the pasture field with my flock the lambs stopped their playful antics, and each tried to be foremost in getting where

When I was a little boy studying the Sunday-school Question Book, I often looked with a great deal of wonder upon a picture which it contained. In the foreground was a little boy, and back of him and around him, were the wolf and the lamb, and the leopard and the kid, and the young lion and the fatling. He was standing in the attitude of one about to go forward; and underneath

were the words: "And a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah xi. 6.) My boyish curiosity was excited, and greatly did I wonder who that little child might be. All the while there was within me a secret feeling: "perhaps I may be that little child." Certainly my wish that it might be so was strong, though never expressed to any one. I longed to question my mother in regard to this wonderful child who should be able to have "dominion over the beasts of the field," but was restrained from doing so by the fear that she would at once detect the secret which I cherished. Vain fear! I can well see now; for my mother knew my anything but saint-like boyhood too well, to think for a moment that her son would ever be able to tame and lead wild beasts, or subdue the untamed passions of men, (for the “dreamer" was himself impatient of restraint.) But had I questioned her, or any one else, and betrayed the secret aspirations of my heart, it might have been asked of me, as it was of the youthful Joseph when he "dreamed that the sun and the moon and the eleven stars did obeisance to him:" "Shall I and thy father and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?" Shame and fear kept me from betraying, even to mother, the budding "hope," which did, however, in this case, "make ashamed" afterwards.

Finally, I ventured to ask a friend who the child might be, trying to assume a careless look, and speak in an unconcerned manner; but I was deeply concerned in the answer he would return. When, lo! I received such a reply as forever cast down all my hopes of obtaining the coveted power and dignity of the little child." "I do not know who is meant; but it will never be you, unless you soon turn out to be a better boy!" Thereupon I disclaimed all the hopes which had arisen, and felt perplexed. Had he detected my secret, or did he merely make the remark in the way of reproof of my general naughtiness? I never had courage to ask. Nor did I broach the subject to any one else.

How often I think of that foolish fancy of my childhood. And yet it is very much like the fancy which many ambitious young men have, that they

will some day be leaders, whilst they have never yet passed through the needed discipline of being led.

Well, I have learned since that the prophet, as every reader of the “GUARDIAN knows, referred to the Child of Mary, whose name is "Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God."

"A little child shall lead them." Leaving out of view the reference of these words to the Saviour, how true they are, and how constantly do we see them fulfilled in the actual life of men and women. They set forth the power and influence of childhood.

Childhood! How sweet the word. It speaks of Innocence, of Mirth and of Joy! Its power and influence are felt everywhere. In every family which is so happy as to have a child among its members, there is set up a throne, there is a king and there are loyal and devoted subjects. "The king of the cradle," is your real sovereign, and before his sceptre all must bow. What a willing service the parents pay to his majesty! How ready to run and do his bidding. And yet never was there a more capricious and arbitrary sovereign. He demands your services at all hours, and does not consult your convenience. He will make you rise from your warm couch and shiver in the cold night air, simply to give his "high mightiness a sip of water. No sooner have you ministered to this want and again plunged up to the ears under the covers, than he discovers that a little paregoric or fœniculum might minister to his ease and comfort. Expostulation is vain. "Go and get it," he cries, and away you go, his obedient servant, and search through the medicine chest in the cold room for the bottle labeled "paregoric." You protest? You will renounce your allegiance ? You will rebel against his imperious capriceship? To-morrow morning you will be bowing before him, performing numerous acts of homage, and offering him every glittering object within your reach, for the rich reward of one smile from the little monarch. The "little child will lead" you.

Philosophers tell us "the child is father of the man." Very likely. He is, at least, the master spirit of the family. (Perhaps it is for this reason that he is called, during the period of his minority, "Master Augustus," and

when he grows to be a man, only plain | and Church? They are waiting for you "Meister Jones.") to "lead them."

is the meeting-point of all the members The Government of Sunday-schools. of the household. The father, returning from his daily occupation, seeks this royal presence; the mother finds many opportunities to run and pay her homage at all hours of the day; the children, (and servants too, if there be any in the house,) all gather around this throne and its occupant. Perhaps we had better call it a "shrine." Verily, "the little child leads them."

of the attendance of the Teachers and Scholars, giving the names of the former.

It shall be his duty to receive and keep School, and pay the same to the Treasurer, an account of all monies collected by the taking the receipt therefor.

SEC. 6. The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary, and in his absence take charge of the Secretary's books.

SEC. 7. The Treasurer shall receive all

monies belonging to the School, and pay of Control, and render a quarterly report all orders drawn upon him by the Board

is, in a serious sense, responsible to God In some cases the school is a rival organization to the congregation, aside of instead of in it, and as occasion offers, will become an annoying agent to foment strife, and become a scourge to the pastor and his flock. A perfectly organized Sunday-school, whose parts are all well adjusted and in harmonious working order, is rarely found. As there is a felt want in this respect, throughout the Church, we submit the following form of, a Sunday-school constitution, for the inspection of our friends. This has been used in our own school for nearly two years. Even with its admitted defects, it is a great improvement on all that we had pre-assist the Librarian in the discharge of his viously tried. We are seeking the light, and shall be thankful for anything better that can be offered. This is a vital question. Let us seek to solve it.

Constitution of the Sunday school of

Reformed Church,

ART. I.-Name.-This Sunday school shall be called the Sunday-school of

Reformed Church of

ART. II.-Government.-This School shall be under the control of a Board of Control, composed of seven members to be chosen of and by the Consistory, and six members of and by the Teachers.

ART. III.-Officers.-SECTION 1. The Officers of the School shall consist of a President, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian, four Assistant Librarians, two Directresses and two Ushers

SEC. 2. The Pastor shall always be the President, who shall preside at all the sessions of the Sunday-school and install the Officers and Teachers.

SEC. 3. The Superintendent shall assist the President in conducting the School and preside in his absence. He shall visit every male Teacher who shall be absent two successive Sundays without sending an

excuse.

SEC. 4. The Assistant Superintendent shall preside over the Infant Department of the School, and otherwise assist the Superintendent.

SEC. 5. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all meetings held by the School, and a complete roll of the Officers, Teachers and Scholars, noting the names of all absentees of the two former each Sunday.

to the same.

SEC. 8. The Librarian shall have charge of the Library, distribute the books and papers, as the School may direct, and at the end of the Sunday-school year render a full report of the condition of the same. SEC. 9. The Assistant Librarians shall

duties.

SEC. 10. The Directresses shall assist the

Superintendent in classifying the School, supplying Teachers for vacant classes, and in such other duties as he may assign them. They shall visit every female Teacher who shall be absent two successive Sundays without sending an excuse.

SEC. 11. The Ushers shall attend to the doors, wait upon v sitors, and place new Scholars in the hands of the Directresses.

ART. IV. Elections -SEC. 1. The Officers to be voted for shall be nominated by the Board of Control, and shall be elected at a joint meeting of the Consistory, Board of Control and Teachers.

SEC. 2. The annual election for officers shall be held on the last Sunday in June of each year.

ART. V.-Teachers.-SEC. 1. All Teachers of this Sunday-school shall be elected by the Board of Control.

SEC. 2. No one shall be a Teacher who is not a regular communicant member of Reformed Church, and in good repute for Christian character.

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of Teachers to prepare their lessons, visit their scholars when irregular, or absent more than two successive Sundays, and maintain good order in their respective classes.

SEC. 4. Any Teacher absent three Sundays in succession, without a reasonable excuse, shall be reported by the Secretary of the School to the Board of Control for discipline.

ART. VI.-Collections.-All monies conributed by the School the first six months of the year shall be used, if necessary, for the current expenses, and the monies contributed during the second six months, for Benevolent purposes, as may be directed by the Board of Control.

ART. VII.-Discipline.-SEC. 1. Any He shall present at every quarterly Officer or Teacher charged with unchriseeting of the Board of Control a report | tian conduct shall be arraigned and tried