EDITOR'S REMARKS. In the January No. of the Visiter, there are twenty or thirty ways given, by the scholars of a certain Sabbath school, how we may violate the Sabbath day. One of these children says, ' I violate the Sabbath when I black my shoes or boots on that day.' Now can it be more improper to black shoes or boots on the Sabbath, than it is to red the hearth, on that day? We think, with ' B. C,' that those of our readers who do such things on the Sabbath, are NOT keeping it holy. • Playthings suitable for the Sabbath.' Many parents find it difficult to fix upon a plan by which they can secure the quiet of their smaller children, on the Sabbath, withou ̧making the day a burden to them. If we mistake not, a plan has somewhere been proposed, like the following. All the usual playthings of the week day, are to be laid aside on Saturday evening, not to be seen again till Monday morning. Instead of these, the attention of the child is to be occupied with what are called, (but as we think a very unfortunate name) 'playthings suitable for the Sabbath.' These are to consist of cards, blocks, &c. of various Scripture representatious, all designed to direct the attention to the Bible and such subjects as are proper to be contemplated on the Sabbath. We know not how extensively this plan has been tried; or what has been the results where it has been introduced; or whether the mother, who spoke of playthings suitable for the Sabbath,' had in mind such as these. Were these things given to a child under the direction of a parent or older brother or sister, who would explain them to the understanding of the infantile mind, the result would, doubtless, be happy. But if the child is to have them merely as playthings, he might as well, for aught we can see, have his whip and horse, so far as any good moral influence is concerned. A FAMILY IN MAINE. We were personally acquainted with a family in Maine, in which a pious sister was accustomed to spend an hour, after tea on the Sabbah, in exhibiting to her younger brothers, a Bible picture and relating to them the story which it illustrated, accompanied with such remarks as she chose to make. It was a delightful and improving exercise for these youth; they hung npon the word of their sister with the greatest interest. This plan operated on their mind as a powerful motive to be quiet and pleasant during the hours of the Sabbath, as those only whose behavior was good, would be allowed to see the picture and hear the story. POWER OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. I SAW no class in Scotland whose condition seemed to have so much improved, since I left the country 40 years ago, as that of the fisher-women. I was told that it was mainly owing to the introduction among them of Sunday Schools. It is rather remarkable, that those vain philosophers, who have been writing for centuries and searching for plans whereby to improve the condition of man, thought not of this. The experiment never yet has failed, (where there lived a community who obeyed not God nor feared man; but who lived in filth, rags, and drunkenness,) but as soon as you introduce among them the order of the Sabbath, the sober decencies of religion, they are temperate, clean, clothed, and sitting in their right mind, hearing his word, Grant Thorburn's Journal. LETTER VIII. TO THE CHILDREN IN THE EAST PARISH SABBATH SCHOOL, BOSCAWEN, N. H. Dear Children,-I have been trying to inquire what kind of a boy you would think Charles was before he repented. And I have thought that perhaps some of you may suppose, after all I have said, "that if he needed to repent, he must have been worse than other children; or, at least, more wicked than you are. Now I should be very sorry to have you make this mistake, because, then, my letters would do you no good. I wish, therefore, to tell you what I think about it. I remember you all very well. I know what pleasant children you are, and I love you all very much. And yet I suppose that, unless you have begun to love God, there is not a more affectionate and amiable child in your Sabbath school, than Charles was before he repented. He loved his parents, and his teacher, and was a very pleasant child. And yet he needed to repent. And so do you. After he repented, however, he was more lovely than he was before. One thing that made him more lovely was, HE TRIED TO PLEASE GOD. He would often ask, very earnestly, those who talked with him, "What can a little boy like me do to please God?" In the school which he attended, a verse from the Bible was repeated every morning. Charles was too young to read, but he was never satisfied till he could repeat the verse. And when he had learned it, he did'nt forget it again as soon as it was repeated, but used to think about it very often during the day. He always wished to have it explained so that he could understand it. And when he was told what it meant, he would sometimes ask, "Can little boys like me do so?" Or, "must I mind that, Aunt M-?" And, then, during the day he would be very careful to do just as the Bible told him to do. He of ten said that he wished to be good, so that he might please God. At one time, after singing the Lord's Prayer, which he sung very often, he was told that in the lines "Keep us from temptation "From weakness and sin." He prayed that God would make him a good boy, and he must try to be good; his eyes filled with tears, and he said, I will try to be good Aunt M. When the other children were at play, he would often come to his mother, and talk with her about God, and about sin. He seemed to be very sorry he had ever been so wicked as to tell lies, or be angry, or complain; and he was very anxious, as all who love God are, to know what he must do, and what he must not do, to please God. Do you know how the good child feels towards his parent? He is very anxious not to do, or neglect to do, any thing that will grieve his parent. Well so Charles seemed to feel towards God. Now, dear children, I must close this letter. I have heard that the Spirit of God has been in your Sabbath school. If so, I have no doubt he has been telling you that you ought to repent and love God. Remember, then, if you refuse or neglect to repent, you will grieve this Spirit; you will offend God. YOUR FRIEND, C. B. K. TO BE READ AT THE CONCERT. THE object of all remarks made at the Concert, or of communications read, should be, to awaken an interest among those who are present, and give a direction to the prayers that may be offered. We hope the follow ing paragraphs will secure this object. The first is designed especially to interest children and youth, the second teachers and the third parents. CONTRAST BETWEEN SABBATH SCHOOL AND HEATHEN CHILdren. Mr. Kincard, missionary to Burmah, gives the following narrative of the state of children in heathen countries. 'Visited one of the largest Kyongs north of the city. Before ascending the steps I heard a confusion of voices, as if a hundred were speaking at once. On entering the great open area in the centre of the building, I saw 60 or 70 boys, all decently clad, on their knees, the palms of their hands placed together, and raised to the forehead, occasionally bowing so as to touch the floor, and uttering prayers with as much rapidity as possible. Before this assembly of little Pagans, at one end of the area, on a wide plank, elevated above seven feet from the floor, stood fourteen golden images of Gaudama, about one foot and a half in height. I could not help contrasting this assembly of little immortals with the Sabbath schools of America. My mind turned inadvertently to the schools I had visited in Boston, New York and Philidelphia. I thought, could those children stand with me and gaze a few moments at this affecting scene, they would know how to sing, more sweet than ever, Thou dear Redeemer, dying Lamb, We love to hear of thee; No music's like thy charming name, There are more than six millions of children in Burmah, and they are all bowing down to idols; and in the world there are three hundred millions of heathen children who are ignorant of the true God and the way of salvation by a Savior. THE REWARD OF A FAITHFUL TEACHER. A correspondent in Ohio has furnished us with the following account of the happy influence of a teacher's persevering labors. 'As I was walking near a village, on a delightful spring day, when every thing seemed vocal with the praises of God, I passed a group of children at play. Upon the same verdant hill-side I had beforeseen a large collection of youth engaged in amusement on "God's holy Sabbath." Then I felt grieved; but now it was a pleasant sight to see this group; for they looked so happy and seemed so innocent in their amusements. It reminded me of many a happy hour I enjoyd with my own brothers and sisters. On passing this little company, I heard one of the girls inquire, 'Supposing our little baby dies, where do you think she'll go? Knowing something of that neighborhood by fame and actual observation, an oath from that child would not have been so unexpected as that iuquiry. I passed on thinking what could have been the cause of such a question. Soon, however, I recollected that a Sabbath school teacher had spent the last summer in that place, and where others had been repulsed, he had won his way by kindness and perseverance. He collected a large number of children and youth. As there was no place of worship or school house, they assembled beneath the shade of the deep-green locust and there sung praises to their Maker. They learned to read, and understand and value the Bible. Rather than lose a Sabbath's instruction, in unpleasant weather, they met in an old barn. I have walked by the side of that teacher, when his pupils have met him, and seen their countenances brighten as he addressed them with all the sympathy and tenderness of a brother. O, the reward of a faithful Sabbath school teacher RESPONSIBILITIES OF PIOUS MOTHERS. THE following paragraphs we copied from the report of the Education Society, connected with the Essex South Conference. It was read at the meeting of that Conference, held at Topsfield, on the 8th of July scenes, 'Christian parents should dedicate their sons to the special service of Christ, offering the constant and fervent prayer, that they may be sanctified in early life, that they may be moulded for the Master's use, and become the heralds of salvation to dying men.-Here is a field especially for pious Mothers. Here is room for the exercise of all their tender feelings, and for all their Christian efforts.-In an account of a recent revival, in one of our Western Colleges, it is stated, that almost all of the subjects of this work, students and others, were blessed with religious parents, especially Mothers. If this statement should meet the eye of any parent who has a son at college, estranged from God, impenitent and unimpressed amid such will not that parent think, and feel, and weep, and agonize in prayer for his conversion to God? The mothers of Samuel and Timothy, of Doddridge and Newton, of Dwight and Payson, of Parsons and Mills, were eminently pious mothers. Their infant sons they brought before the altar of God and consecrated them to his service. These sons became men of distinguished piety and they were instrumental of turning many to righteousness. Is there no Christian mother now present, who is ready to imtiate such bright examples? The conversion of the world to Christ is dependent, in no small measure, on the instrumentality of Christian mothers, on their fidelity in training up their beloved offspring for the service of the Church Will they not be excited by such considerations, to devise new means and to employ new efforts for the salvation of their children? May they not be made to feel their responsibility; may they not become mutual helpers in this great work, by uniting themselves in Maternal Associations, where they may bow together before the eternal throne, commending their beloved offspring to Him who will take care of the lambs of the flock?' DUTIES OF PARENTS. THIS is the title of a Tract, published by the Doctrinal Tract Society.' Hoping to promote its circulation among Parents, we give a very brief outline of the Tract. Its design is to lay before parents some considerations |