Few, perhaps, are more sensible of the advantage of pious teachers, than myself:  and, whenever it is possible, I would have no others in a school.  How is it to be expected that a teacher, careless—­at least comparatively so—­about the salvation of his own soul, can faithfully and earnestly enforce the duty of salvation upon his young charge:  and yet this is the principal design of Sabbath-schools.  It is not so much to teach the children to read,—­though this is a great object,—­nor even to give them a superficial acquaintance with the Bible; but to lay before, and as it were rivet upon, their minds the practical duties of Christianity.  How can one who loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, successfully enforce the duty of love to God with the whole heart, and soul, and mind, and strength?  How can one who knows nothing of the saving faith of the gospel, successfully exhort his children to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?  For, as he does not feel the necessity of these and kindred truths himself, he cannot enforce them so as to win the affections, and touch the hearts of the children.  But of the privilege of pious teachers, M——­ Sunday-school was deprived.

The superintendent was a man well known and much respected, and was eminently qualified for his arduous task.  With the exception of the senior female teacher, he was the only decided person in the school.  He had much to contend with:  and I am sure, from my own observation, had many been situated as he was, the school would have been speedily abandoned.  He resided about a mile and a half from the chapel, but morning and afternoon, winter and summer, wet or dry, he was at his post!  The numbers which attended the school might have been about seventy.  The teachers, considering that they were not members of society, were pretty attentive for a year or two; but after that they began to fall off, and frequently was the superintendent obliged, in addition to his regular duties, to place the senior boys of the first class over the lower ones, and take the remainder, with the second class, under his own care.  Laboring under so many disadvantages, it cannot be expected that M——­ Sunday-school should in any respect be very prosperous:  yet this I may say, that though I have been connected with Sabbath-schools for some years, and have had an opportunity of examining several, I have rarely ever met with a more orderly set of children, or a better conducted school.

But who, from such a school as this, would have expected anything like success? and yet the sequel will show, that, even under such unfavorable circumstances as these, God did not fail to work for his honor and glory!