"Now, Jesus, now Thy love impart;
Encourage each devoted heart
To make Thy glories known.
Where'er Thy providence shall lead,
With cheerfulness may we proceed,
And God our labours own,'

after which the Rev. HUGH ALLEN engaged in prayer.

The CHAIRMAN said, he took the chair with very great pleasure, and that it was with great interest he had attended two or three of the meetings of the Convention. He had been a Sunday school teacher for more than thirty years, and he now came there to listen and learn. He was a Sunday school teacher only, and had nothing to do with arrangements. Like a very old friend of his, who said he was a volunteer sixty years ago, and was now, as he had been then, only a full private, so, although he (the Chairman) had been a Sunday school teacher for a very long time, he had never been a superintendent. But he had noticed a very great difference between their agencies and their internal arrangements and collateral matters, and though it would never do to place these in comparison with their great motives, yet they had very great weight. There was no doubt that God provided that the instrumentalities should move in proportion with His great design and plan. All the machinery, on the right hand and on the left, was intended to operate on the mainspring, and then, instead of the mainspring working inauspiciously, it worked with commanding efficiency. There were many and dark agencies ever at work, but if they were wise in setting their real motives and objects before them, they would take care, not only that the great motive was right, but that all that was collateral should be made, not to hinder, but to help the work. He mentioned these things, in order that they might not under-rate or over-rate the subject for discussion, because, though it was an important one, yet it was not so much so as some of those matters which had already occupied their attention.

Mr. J. A. COOPER, F.R.S.L., of Birmingham, then read the following paper,

"THE INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS AND COLLATERAL AGENCIES OF

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL."

In rising at this, the last session of the Convention, to introduce a topic which must of necessity present more minute and multiform details than any which have yet received your consideration, I feel it right at the onset to throw myself upon your kind indulgence, and to crave your calm and continuous attention. Fortunately, or unfortunately for me, it does not fall to my lot to discourse on those fundamental principles which are involved in such subjects as, "The great object of Sunday school teaching," or "The qualifications of an efficient Sunday school teacher;" nor indeed, to discuss such broad practical subjects as "Sunday school classifi

cation," or "The training of Sunday school teachers for their work;" I have a much humbler task to perform in introducing to your notice, and in endeavouring to excite your interest in, "The Internal Arrangements and Collateral Agencies of the Sunday School."

Let it not be supposed that I offer these remarks by way of apologizing for my subject. I do not; for I am convinced that, however humble it may be in its character, it is very important in its practical bearing upon all our schools. It is not enough in any trade or profession merely to be familiar with its great underlying principles, but we must understand the right application of those principles to its minutest details. Even the visitor to any of the great manufactories in the midland or northern districts of our country would not be satisfied with being taken only into the engine-house to hear a discourse on the wonders of the steam-engine, or the properties of steam; he would naturally desire to see this great motive power brought into connection with the varied machinery throughout the works, and see it applied to the production of minute articles, and the weaving of delicate as well as of coarser fabrics. Now I maintain that it is precisely the same in Sunday school matters, and that therefore the promoters of this Convention did well to arrange in their programme for the consideration of those numerous agencies and auxiliaries which group themselves around the topic I have now the honour to bring before you.

"The internal arrangements of the Sunday school" may be understood as referring to the buildings themselves, or to the organizations within them. Respecting our school-rooms, little more need be said than that they should be sufficiently large, light, and lofty-warm in winter, well ventilated in summer, and cheerful in their aspect at all times. I may, however, be permitted to express my deep conviction of the great importance of the much more extensive use of separate class-rooms than we have been accustomed to see. My ideal of a model school-house is, that it should contain one large central room, well lighted from the roof, or from each end; and that on both sides of the room there should be a row of half-glass doors opening into as many separate class-rooms. In the large room the whole school-excepting, perhaps, the infant class-should assemble for the opening exercises, after which the senior and the elementary classes should adjourn with their teachers into the class-rooms, to return again for the general closing exercises. The great advantages of this separate class-room system would be that an efficient teacher could take charge of a larger number of scholars than at present, while better order might be secured in the operations of the class; that the teacher's influence might be brought more powerfully to bear upon his scholars, as they would be entirely under his own control, and as he would enjoy facilities for special prayer and other exercises with his own class; that the ignorant scholars in the elementary classes might be instructed, on the simultaneous

system, without annoyance to others, while the elder scholars would have their principal excuse for not continuing at school removed, as they would not be compelled to mix with young children. The greatest objection to this proposal will, I apprehend, be found in the enlarged space which our school-rooms would occupy, and the augmented expense of their erection; but whatever this might be, I feel sure it would be more than compensated for by the increased facilities we should gain for the efficient prosecution of our work; and when I contemplate some of our noble school edifices-especially some in the northern counties of England-and call to mind that munificent generosity which has enabled friends at Ashtonunder-Lyne to erect school-rooms at a cost of £10,000, I do not despair of the arrival of the day, when the desirable in these matters will generally become the actual. "God speed that time!" must be the ardent wish of all. But while thus sighing for the possibilities of the future, we would not close our eyes to the realities of the present, nor forget that many an earnest teacher has now to labour in the heated atmosphere of some dark, drearylooking room, or within the high enclosure of some village chapel pew, or, worse still, at the giddy elevation of some third-storied gallery. To all such I would say, Be thankful that God has put it in your hearts to work for Him, and has, by His grace, enabled you to continue working under such unfavourable circumstances; and remember, that he who teaches in any place is more than the place itself, "because," to use the words of another, "to the right man the very desert becomes bright with glory, the stone block becomes a Bethel, rich with blessings, and bright with heavenly memories, though it might have been called Luz at the first."

This thought naturally leads us to the consideration of the internal arrangements of the Sunday school, as they have reference to the scholars and teachers themselves. But as we have at previous sessions of this Convention discussed the question of classification of scholars, and laid down plans for the training of teachers, this part of our subject may be considered wellnigh exhausted. But permit me to remind you, that, however efficient any body of teachers may become, great judgment will be needed in the selection from amongst them of those who are to occupy the arduous but honourable positions which have respect to the general control and management of the whole school. It will be necessary for one of the most experienced and influential of their number to assume the office of guide, guardian, or superintendent of the whole; and this he will do only at the solicitation of his fellow-teachers, and not at the request of some extraneous committee, unless that request be accompanied by the earnest entreaties of those with whom he has been accustomed to labour. The duties devolving upon such a one will be very varied, but all highly important; and his spirit and conduct will exert a moulding influence upon the general character and reputation of the school. He should be one fitted, both by constitution and training, to rule, and "rule

by love;" and he must possess in a more than ordinary degree that prerequisite for controlling others, the ability to control himself. He should be a man possessing a passion for his work, and an aptitude for its every detail his earnest desire being the efficiency of the teachers, and the spiritual improvement of the scholars. It follows, therefore, that he should not only make a profession of religion, but be a man of earnest prayer and pre-eminent piety-a man who loves the work because he loves the Master; and therefore considers no sacrifice too great, and no effort too small for Him, in trying to secure the salvation of souls, and in promoting the glory of God. My fellow-superintendents, let us remind each other this day of how much, under God, depends upon our own spirit, and zeal, and self-devotion; how it is possible for both teachers and scholars to derive a healthy impetus from our example, or receive a deadly blight; how we may lead them on to honour and immortality, or chill them into moral coldness, and hush them into spiritual sleep. I have often thought that when we rise to conduct, in simple but fervent language, the devotions of the school, or endeavour in an attractive, but impressive manner, to fix the attention of our scholars upon some portion of God's truth, it is as though we stood in some great hall of mirrors, where our forms are reflected on every side; but in this case it is not merely our forms, but our moral natures that are reflected, while our spiritual characters are photographed with more or less distinctness on the living hearts of those around us. Brethren, if these things are so, "what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" How deeply ought we to feel our responsibility, how earnestly ought we to yearn for divine help and guidance, and how gladly ought we to seize every opportunity of promoting the best interests of those committed to our care!

There is another important officer in our schools, on whom many of their internal arrangements depend—I mean the secretary. He should be not merely a person having "the pen of a ready writer," but a man of method, and one who can look beyond the mechanism of his work to its great ultimate issues. I think we often err in placing in this office men of undecided character, who consequently perform their duties in a secular spirit, and frequently lapse into irregularity or inconsistency.

In these brief remarks respecting our principal officers, I have spoken of a superintendent and of a secretary as being necessary for each school, and I have used the singular form of speech advisedly, for I believe that more than one such officer in a school is, as a rule, undesirable; and that in this instance, strangely as it may sound, one is better than two, and a great deal better than half a dozen !

There is yet another Sunday school officer who should be noticed here, viz., the librarian, but as the nature of his duties is indicated by his title, and as we may have occasion hereafter to refer to the library itself, 1 may, perhaps, be allowed to leave its guardian with this passing recognition.

We come now to speak of the “collateral agencies of the Sunday school;" and here, at the onset, I am free to confess that I do not like these terms of designation—and yet, perhaps, they are correct, as comprehending all those agencies which range themselves side by side with the Sunday school; although I maintain that they ought not to be merely collateral agencies, but auxiliaries or subsidiary means of usefulness. My views on this subject may be expressed in a few words. I regard the great ultimate object of all Sunday school effort as the conversion of the scholars, and I therefore think that all our agencies ought to be not merely subordinate, but subservient to this object, and be estimated just in proportion as they tend to its realization. A great end may be secured by the united action of a variety of means.

"For many things, having full reference
To one consent, may work contrariously:
As many arrows, loosed several ways,
Fly to one mark';

As many several ways meet in one town;
As many fresh streams run to one self sea;
As many lines close in the dial's centre;
So many a thousand motions, once afoot,
End in one purpose.”

Even thus, I conceive, all our Sunday school agencies should end in that purpose which lies warm in the heart of every faithful teacher, and has ever stimulated the energies of the church of the living God.

In discussing the character and claims of our various Sunday school auxiliaries, we at once meet a grave difficulty, arising from their number and diversity. To attempt to describe them with anything like fulness would be too much for the patience of this assembly, while merely to enumerate their titles would be as uninteresting as the consecutive perusal of "a catalogue of second-hand books, to be sold at greatly reduced prices." I shall therefore endeavour to divide them into a few general classes, and offer a brief remark or two upon each. Although "the name of these agencies having reference to the scholars "is legion," I think all may be included under the following heads :-I. Those established for the supply of temporal wants. II. Those which seek to promote social enjoyment and improvement. III. Those which are of a purely educational character. IV. Those which aim directly at spiritual results; and, V. Those which promote the exercise of christian benevolence.

I. We have to consider those Sunday school agencies which are established for the supply of the temporal wants of the scholars. Under this head we may class the shoe club, the clothing club, the saving club, and the sick club. The three first-named institutions, though very unpretending in their character, are of great value in schools which are situate in destitute localities, or largely attended by the children of the poorer classes. In proof of this, I may mention the fact, that in connection with a large