Measures were taken in 1823 for the forming of a national society which should extend the benefit of Sunday-schools to all parts of the country; and, accordingly, the American Sunday-school Union was instituted; an association composed of excellent men of all evangelical denominations, but in which no particular denomination is represented as such. It has now been diffusing its blessings for more than nineteen years. The board of managers is composed of intelligent and zealous laymen of the various evangelical denominations, the greater part residing in Philadelphia and its vicinity, as that is the centre of the society's operations.

infant schools, &c., it has published about 450 volumes of books for libraries, a complete set of which, well bound, costs seventy-five dollars. It has published, likewise, a selection from these as a library for common schools. Among its publications may be mentioned its admirable manuals or aids for studying the Bible; namely, a Geography of the Bible, Natural History of the Bible, Dictionary of the Bible, Antiquities of the Bible, Scriptural Biographies, Maps of the Holy Land, and Books of Questions, in several volumes, on almost all parts of the Bible, for the use of children and teachers. While all these publications are thoroughly Protestant in Its grand object is twofold: to promote their character, they contain nothing rethe establishment of Sunday-schools where pugnant to the doctrines of any of the required, and to prepare and publish suita- evangelical denominations, so that there ble books, some to be employed as manu- is nothing to forbid their being used in the als in the schools, and others for libraries, Sunday-schools of any of the Protestant intended to furnish the children with suit-churches. This is a great advantage, and able reading at home. In both depart- enables the society to establish hundreds ments much good has been done. In the former, Sunday-school missionaries, commonly ministers of the Gospel, and sometimes capable laymen, have been employed in visiting almost all parts of the country. They hold public meetings in every district or neighbourhood where they have any prospect of success, endeavour to interest the people in the subject, and to establish a school. Time and care are re-and gazettes for children. quired for such a work. The nature of a Sunday-school must be well explained; fit persons must be engaged as teachers; these must have their duties pointed out to them, and the motives that ought to prompt them to undertake the office presented and enforced; and money must be collected for the purchase of books.

of schools in places where various religious bodies intermingle, and where none of them is strong enough to support a school by itself. The society publishes also a very valuable journal, which appears once in a fortnight. It is replete with interesting and instructive matter, and adapted alike to scholars, teachers, and parents. It also publishes small monthly magazines

But besides this great society, which stands ready to promote the cause anywhere, and on the most catholic principles, there are other Sunday-school societies, not less efficient in their respective spheres. The Episcopalians have theirs, the Baptists theirs, the Episcopal Methodists theirs, the Lutherans theirs, and so forth. The Presbyterians, strictly speaking, have no Sunday-school society of their own, but by their Publication Board they publish

In 1830, the society resolved to establish a Sunday-school in every neighbourhood that was without one, throughout the Western States or Valley of the Missis-books for Sunday-school libraries. Indeed, sippi, wherever practicable. Three years all the denominational Sunday-school sothereafter it adopted a like resolution with cieties publish books for their own schools, respect to the Southern States. Both, but and in these they set forth and defend the particularly the former of these resolu- peculiar views they hold respectively, on tions, called forth much effort. Large points of doctrine or discipline, to such an sums were collected, and a great many extent as they deem proper. This is not schools were established. Every year unnatural, for each school is mainly attendsince its commencement the society has ed by the children of parents attached to employed a number of agents and mission-churches of the same denomination with aries; in some years as many as twenty, thirty, forty, and even fifty such. These traverse the country throughout its vast extent, resuscitate decaying schools, establish new ones, and encourage all.

that of the society that supports the school. Not that all the publications of a denominational Sunday-school society are of what may be termed a sectarian character. This is by no means the case, and, besides, these In its other department the society has more limited societies buy from the Amerrendered great services to the cause of re-ican Sunday-school Union whatever books ligion, and, I may add, to that of literature upon its list they may think proper to add also. Exclusive of the Scriptures, spelling- to their own. books, primers, catechisms, maps, cards for Bethune, Esq., who published at his own expense a number of little books for the instruction of youth in Sunday-schools.

It is impossible to calculate the extent to which the Sunday-school libraries, composed as they are of most interesting books on almost all subjects of a moral and reli

gious character, are fostering a taste for, attached to a farmhouse in the State of reading among the rising youth, and the New-Jersey.

adult population, also, of the country. The The hours of meeting are very various. scholars receive from them one or two In the cities and large towns they comvolumes each, according to the size, ev-monly meet twice in the day; at eight or ery Sabbath, to read in the course of the week, and return on the Sabbath following, and these volumes thus pass into the hands of older brothers and sisters, parents, and other members of the household. The proceeds of the sales of books by the American Sunday-school Union amounted last year (1843) to $55,895. If we add to this the value of those sold by the denominational Sunday-school societies, we should find it rise to at least $100,000. And if we farther add the cost of Sunday-school books purchased from the booksellers, we shall have a total far exceeding the last amount as the value of books bought in one year for the use of Sunday-schools, and mainly for the libraries attached to them.

nine o'clock in the morning, according to the season, and at two o'clock in the afternoon, for about an hour and a half each time. In the villages and country churches they usually meet for two hours, once a day, immediately before, or immediately after, the public services. In some cases I have known a pastor, with a parish extending many miles in all directions from the church, meet, during an hour before his public service, with nearly all the adult part of his flock in a Bible-class, and go over with them the portion of Scripture given out to his Sunday-schools for that day; and then, instead of having service in the afternoon, he would in the latter part of the day visit one or other, in their Besides the series of 450 volumes pub- order, of the ten or twelve schools held by lished by the American Sunday-school his people in as many different neighbourUnion, a far greater number have been hoods. On these occasions he would adpublished by the denominational societies.* dress, not only the children and teachers, Neither pains nor money have been spared but also the parents and others who crowdin the preparation, improvement, and pub- ed to hear him. And how could a pastor lication of these volumes, and in this re-instruct his people more effectually ?* spect, I am inclined to think that the American Sunday-school Union has outstripped every similar institution in other countries. Much, notwithstanding, remains to be done in order to render these Sunday-school books all that they ought to be. It is no easy task to write books for children well. Much talent has been bestowed upon it of late years in the United States, and such has been the demand for children's books, created by the Sunday-schools, that the booksellers have found it for their advantage to publish such books for those schools. Many of these are good, but many, too, are worthless enough, as may readily be supposed where there is no intelligent committee rigorously to examine-composed usually of six or eight perthem previous to publication, and to determine what should go forth to the public and what should not.

Sunday-schools are held in various places; sometimes in churches, or in the lecture-rooms attached to many of our large churches, or in rooms fitted up expressly for the purpose in the basement story of many of our city churches; sometimes in the schoolhouses, which are very numerous; and, especially in the new settlements, in private houses. In summer they sometimes meet in barns; and I once superintended a Sunday-school myself which met for many months in a large kitchen

*The series published by the Methodist "Book Concern" exceeds 250; that of the American Baptist Publication and Sunday-school Society 170; while those of the Protestant Episcopal, the Protestant Methodist, the Lutheran, the Free-Will Baptists, and several local societies, are considerable.

A word or two may not be amiss on the manner of conducting our Sunday-schools. Each is under a superintendent-a gentleman where there are scholars of both sexes, but usually a lady where there are only girls. The scholars are divided into classes, according to their age and capacity. All the reading classes learn the same part of Scripture, going through a certain book in order. Suppose, for instance, the fifteenth chapter of Luke, from the eleventh verse to the end. It is the parable of the prodigal son. As soon as the school is opened the scholars take their places. The service begins with prayer by the superintendent or some other person. Each class

sons-has its teacher, to whom the scholars repeat the lesson in the Scriptures for the day. When that is done the teacher takes the book of Bible Questions (a copy of which each scholar should have), and asks the questions in it relating to the passage which the class, in common with the others, have learned. The answers to these questions the pupils must find out through their own efforts, or with help from their parents, during the week. The teacher asks, also, such other questions as he may think useful, and calculated to lead to a more perfect understanding of the subject. An hour, perhaps, is spent in this exercise. After that the scholars return the books which they had received from the librarian on the preceding Sabbath,

* In some of the large cities Sunday-schools are held at night, especially for the benefit of the coloured people.

and obtain others. Then the superintend-, aiding them in their toils. And it is not ent, or pastor, if he be present, addresses uncommon to find some of those who hold a few words to the whole school on the the very highest offices in the State or passage which they have learned, and en- General Government, spending a portion deavours to impress upon their minds the of their Sabbaths in giving instruction to importance of the truths which it teaches. a class of young persons in a SundayA hymn is sung, and a prayer offered up, school. I have known several governors and the school closes. and their ladies, members of Congress, and of the Legislatures of the states, judges, eminent lawyers, mayors of cities, &c., who were, and who are at the present time, Sabbath-school teachers, and who have felt it no degradation to be thus employed. The present distinguished Chancellor of the University of New-York was the superintendent of a Sunday-school, even when he held the office of attorney-general of his native State, and afterward, when he was a senator in the Congress of the United States; he is a Sabbath-school teacher still, and delights to associate himself with the youngest teachers engaged in that heavenly employment.

If there be any children that cannot read, they are arranged in classes by themselves, and taught that important acquirement. In many of the schools there is a considable number of such, and persons beyond the years of childhood, who have had no opportunities of learning to read before, sometimes make the attainment in the course of a few months at a Sunday-school. In all the free states, and in such of the slaveholding ones as permit the slaves to be taught, there are Sunday-schools for the coloured people.* In these schools thousands and tens of thousands of them have learned to read the sacred Scriptures, and have made much progress in divine knowledge.

The superintendents of the Sundayschools are sometimes elders and deacons of the churches; sometimes they are pious lawyers, and other intelligent gentlemen; and in the vicinity of our colleges and theological seminaries they are often students of religious character,.who may be prosecuting their studies with a view to the ministry. The teachers are, for the most part, young people of both sexes belonging to the churches and congregations. Wherever truly pious persons can be found willing to be thus employed, they are preferred; but where this is not the case, seriously-disposed and moral persons, who desire to be engaged in this benevolent work, are taken, and almost invariably it happens that, in teaching others, they themselves become instructed out of the "law of God." It is to be regretted that most of the ladies, after they become wives and mothers, have too many domestic cares and duties to allow them to continue as teachers in the Sabbath-school. Some, however, there are who persevere in this blessed employment, their zeal triumphing over every obstacle.

As to gentlemen, many more of them may continue in the work after they have become heads of families. Hence we often find men of age and experience among Sunday-school teachers, encouraging and

* There are Sunday-schools held by some pious slaveholders in Georgia, South Carolina, and perhaps some other states, in which portions of Scrip; ture are often repeated to the assembled slaves, and remarked upon until they have committed much of them to memory. Prayer and singing are added to these exercises. Such schools no laws can well hinder, no more than they can the preaching of the Gospel to the slaves. These schools have only been commenced within a few years, and are spreading in several places.

The Hon. Benjamin F. Butler was a Sabbath-school teacher, even while holding the distinguished office of attorneygeneral to the United States. The late Chief-justice Marshall, and the late Judge Washington, both of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the former of whom, it is admitted, was the most distinguished jurist the country has ever produced, were warm friends and patrons of Sunday-schools. Both were, in their day, vice-presidents of the American Sabbathschool Union. Within five years of his death, I saw Chief-justice Marshall march through the city of Richmond, in Virginia, where he resided, at the head of the Sunday-schools on the occasion of a celebration. And, finally, the late President Harrison, who in his youth had been a rough and far from religious soldier, but towards the close of his life became interested in the things that concerned his everlasting peace, taught for several years a class of young persons in an humble Sunday-school on the banks of the Ohio; and the Sabbath before he left his home for Washington, there to become his country's Chiet Magistrate — and, alas! within a month thereafter to die-he met, as usual, his Bible-class.

I have dwelt the longer on this subject because of its great importance. A Sabbath-school is so simple an affair that it may be begun wherever two or three persons are found disposed to undertake it. I have known even a single individual keep one himself, and spend several hours every Sabbath in instructing some dozen or twenty poor youth, who came around him to learn to read and understand the Word of God. I have known a lady, who, as her health did not permit her to go to a Sunday-school, received a class of young ladies in her parlour every Sabbath for years.

Why, then, should not Sabbath-schools be established in every city, town, hamlet, and neighbourhood, where there are only two or three persons with hearts to love the kingdom of God, and hands to promote it? Were such a spirit to prevail in all lands professedly Christian, how soon would they show a very different aspect from what they do at present?

attend; a practice feasible only where the population is compact, and the flock within an easy distance of the place of meeting. In country churches, these classes often hold their meetings in church before the regular service commences, or in the interval between the morning and afternoon services. This is convenient, but is apt to produce fatigue.

I have known pastors in country churches who had no fewer than 500 persons in one Bible-class, if I can call it so, which met in the afternoon instead of the regular service; and others, whose Bible-classes included the whole adult part of their

service, or in the interval between that and the afternoon service.

It is impossible to state with accuracy the present number of Sunday-schools in the United States. They were reckoned seven years ago at 16,000; the teachers at 130,000 or 140,000; and the scholars, comprising, it was supposed, 100,000 adults, at 1,000,000! These numbers must be much | flocks, and met previous to the forenoon greater now. Who can estimate the amount of good resulting from 1,000,000 of minds being brought into contact every Sabbath with the word of Him who hath said that His "word shall not return unto him void?" Thousands and tens of thousands, both teachers and scholars, are known to have become enlightened and saved, by means of the lessons given and received at Sundayschools. But a whole volume would not suffice to unfold all the benefits conferred by this blessed institution, to which may be emphatically applied the words of the celebrated Adam Smith, in speaking of popular education in general, that it is "the cheap defence of nations."

HAPTER XV.

BIBLE-CLASSES.

In conducting these classes, the common method is to go through some particular book of the sacred volume in course, and some system of Bible questions is generally pursued. Upon this plan, all who have time and inclination for the task, prepare themselves, by reading and study, for answering the questions to be found in the book of questions that is used.* But it is not the practice of any well-informed pastor to confine himself to the questions contained in the book. These he employs as he sees fit; by the questions he puts he assists in sustaining the attention of the people; and he takes occasion to give a great amount of scriptural instruction.

To conduct a Bible-class in a manner at once interesting and profitable requires no little preparation; and, when well done, few methods of instruction are more edify

AKIN to Sunday-schools are Bible-class-ing, either to the people or to the minister es. Indeed, the former, conducted as at present in America, are little more than an assemblage of the latter.

What are commonly called Bible-classes are composed of a comparatively large number of persons, all taught by the pastor of the church, or some other individual whom he engages to act for him. To preside over a Bible-class of from twenty to some hundreds of persons, the greater number, if not all, of whom are adults, and some of them, perhaps, remarkably intelligent and well informed, requires far higher qualifications than simply to teach a small class in a Sunday-school.

himself. The divine blessing has rested
most remarkably upon it. Nor could we
expect that it should be otherwise. What
more likely to secure the divine benediction
than to bring the mind to the study of that
which God himself hath spoken?
entrance of thy words giveth light; it giv-
eth understanding to the simple."
"Sanc-
tify them by thy truth; thy word is truth."

CHAPTER XVI.

MATERNAL SOCIETIES.

"The

I MUST not omit, among the means which there is reason to believe that God has greatly blessed to the advancing of his kingdom in the United States, the Maternal Societies—institutions that have not been

These Bible-classes are generally conducted by the pastors, and so highly are they valued as a means and occasion of good, that few settled ministers have not one or more among their flocks. In some cases, one for each sex is held once in the week-that for gentlemen in the evening, have written systems of Bible Questions, among * Several excellent clergymen of the United States that for ladies during the day. They meet whom may be mentioned the Rev. Drs. M'Dowaccording to circumstances, in the church, ell, Tyng, Barnes, Professor Holdich, and the Rev. lecture-room, vestry-room, schoolroom, or Messrs. Covel, J. Longking, and Newcomb. The Biin some private house. The pastor some-school Union are good, as are, also, several of those ble Questions published by the American Sundaytimes devotes his Sabbath nights to a Bib- printed by the denominational Sunday-school socielical service, for the benefit of all who can ties.