PEACEFUL DEATH OF A TEACHER.

On the 16th of September last, one of our devoted fellowlabourers, Mr. John Munsey, of Cambridge, was called to resign his work of love here, and to enter into the rest of heaven, there to enjoy the presence of that Saviour whom it was his delight to love and serve on earth, and whose power and freeness to save it was his joy to tell to others. Religion had an early influence upon his mind, and, like Timothy, "from a child" he knew the holy scriptures; and, throughout his life, was not merely a bible-reader, but a bible-searcher, richly storing his mind with the truths and promises of the gospel; so that, although placed in comparatively humble circumstances, he was rendered acceptable and efficient in the discharge of his duties both as a Sunday school teacher and as a village preacher. On his recovery from an illness, about eight years since, he united himself to the people of God under the pastoral care of the late Rev. Robert Roff, whose ministry was greatly blessed in building him up on the sure foundation. In all the relations of his life the spirit and temper of his mind were consistent with the christian character. He was a man of prayer; and one who knew him best can bear witness how constantly he wrestled with God for a blessing on his Sunday school class; and even while engaged in the labours of the week, his mind was ever directed towards the welfare of the souls of his scholars. His death was occasioned by what appeared to be, at the time, a very slight accident, but which terminated in lock-jaw. When informed of his danger, he calmly replied, "It must be as it pleaseth my Father in heaven." The fatal disease made rapid progress, and the sufferings of the body seemed to be intensified to the greatest degree; but, notwithstanding all this, his soul was kept in perfect peace, absorbed in the unutterable joys of the world to come; and, as these seemed to fill his heart, so were expressive portions of scripture and hymns constantly on his tongue. Amidst mortal agonies, which made him exclaim, "My tongue cleaveth to the roof of my mouth," he could also add, "But Jesus is precious; he is all my salvation and all my desire; oh, what should I do without a Saviour now! his rod and staff support me.

646 'Jesus, thy blood and righteousness,
My beauty are, my glorious dress;

Midst flaming worlds, in these array'd,
With joy shall I lift up my head.'"

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His Sunday school class was not forgotten during his illness, and, from the very verge of heaven, a message was sent them, exhorting them to "avoid bad company." I charge them,” he said, “by the death I die, to awake to righteousness, and sin not." And then, taking a solemn leave of his sorrowing wife and their little child, he said, "Now I am ready." His sight now failed him; and one, standing at his side, remarked that his eye-strings were broken; he replied,— "And when ye hear my heart-string break,

How sweet my minutes roll!

A mortal paleness on my cheek,

But glory in my soul."

A few more sighs and pains, and the unfettered spirit had entered through the gate into the city.

Fellow-teachers! what but the Christian's faith could produce such holy joy-such perfect peace? May we not be encouraged from the testimony of our brother, to continue our labours of love? Have we ever heard of a dying teacher regretting that he had undertaken the office? Oh, no! but rather grieving that his efforts had not been characterized by more earnest devotedness. Let us then, while giving thanks to God that our companion in labour was so graciously sustained while crossing the dark valley, gird on afresh our armour, and, with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God in our hands, strive more than ever to win the hearts of the little ones to Jesus. H. J. W.

Cambridge.

WHAT IS HEAVEN?

I ASK'D yon radiant Orb among the spheres,
Shining resplendent o'er his bright compeers;
He pour'd a flood of glory o'er my sight,
And told my wondering spirit, "Heaven is light!"

I ask'd the Morn, exulting o'er the plains,
While hill and dale re-echoed the glad strains;
The Morning deign'd its language to employ,
And told my thrilling spirit, "Heaven is joy!"

I ask'd the Night, when all was calm around,
And nothing earthly broke the still profound;
Night bade the tumult of my bosom cease,
And whisper'd to my spirit, "Heaven is peace!"
I ask'd the Harmony pervading all

The beauteous spheres round this terrestrial ball;
The universal voice, beneath, above,

Told my enraptur'd spirit, "Heaven is love!"

ON PROCURING EMPLOYMENT FOR SCHOLARS.

MANY teachers can think wisely, and teach intelligently; in the class you would think them models of prudent zeal; but out of the class, in their dealings with scholars at home, or in their endeavours to procure situations for them, they destroy much good, injure their scholars, and shut against themselves doors of usefulness.

Different suggestions, of course, in matters of detail, it would be necessary to give in different circumstances. Yet, as far as the teacher is concerned, there are several general principles applicable to all circumstances, and some of these we will shortly refer to.

Do not, we would first of all advise, recommend any young person to an employer, without having some considerable knowledge of the youth you recommend. Some people have a very free and easy way of recommending, even urgently, young persons, whom, after all, they know very little about. We could mention some curious facts to show the danger of doing this. "I will take no more servants at the recommendation of sabbath school teachers," said a lady to a friend of ours. "I only did so once, and the girl turned out to be a young thief." We take on ourselves a considerable responsibility, when we are the means of sending into a family a young person whom we have not a considerable knowledge of.

And do not be satisfied with merely a school knowledge of a scholar whom you recommend for a situation. "That boy you got for me," said a master once to us, "might be good at psalms and catechisms, but he is known in my workshop as an intolerable liar." Many a simpering girl, who seems to give outward marks in the school of having put on the meekness and gentleness of Christ, is a plague and torment at home. She may be saucy and impertinent to her parents, a terror to her brothers and sisters; one, in short, whose farewell to her home would be a relief to everybody in it. Now, a teacher who knows only the school habits of his scholars, will run a great risk of recommending such a person as a servant; and one such mistake will do much to weaken his hands and destroy his influence. By intercourse with the homes of your pupils, you will be better able to judge of the suitableness of scholars for situations, or of particular situations

for particular scholars, than by any acquaintance in the class or sabbath school. There may be cases where a scholar is at home suffering wrongfully for conscience' sake; but depend upon it generally, that the girl who does not seek to make her mother's home happy, will not be likely to make the home of her mistress happy; while, on the other hand, a girl who is affectionate, tidy, cleanly, active, and considerate in her mother's house, will be very likely to make a good servant. Sabbath school teachers being chiefly bent on their scholars' spiritual good, are in some danger of underestimating the commonplace virtues and duties of social life, and are apt to forget that the young person who goes to a situation, does not go to be a scholar, but a servant, and must be able and willing to do the duties of that sphere. Young teachers are apt to overlook this. Some time ago, a lady wanted a laundrymaid; she was applied to by a teacher, who urged her to engage as such a young woman whose christian character was undoubted, but who knew nothing of the work. "I should like to have a Christian in my service," was the lady's very proper answer, "but I must also have a good laundrymaid."

Again, we would particularly urge on teachers, that they satisfy themselves as to the master or mistress under whose charge they place a scholar. We hear many complaints about there being so few good servants. We fear it may be with as much truth alleged that there are few good masters or mistresses. Not to speak of those who neither care, nor profess to care, for the things of God, there are many who profess to be children of the light, and to walk in the light, whose candles give no light to them that are in the house, who do not command their children and their household after them, but, on the contrary, exhibit a gross caricature of the life and conversation of a believer. It has been remarked, "Nothing shows the deep depravity of the human heart so much as the believer's goodness." Even at the best, few christian people can stand the test of that daily and hourly acquaintance that servants possess of their master or mistress. It is a good old saying, that if we want to know the best of a man, we should ask his friends; if the worst, we should ask his enemies; but if we would know the reality, we will get it from his servants. Now, we would prefer to place a scholar in a household whose christian profession was not high, but whose practice was as high as their profession, rather than in one of higher profession and lower consistency. Every teacher must have observed the damaging effect on a servant of being sent into a family where she was led to expect she would see christian character exemplified, but where there was worldliness tolerated, or bad temper unstruggled against. And we would add, let teachers see that the master or mistress has common sense as well as good principle. Many a scholar has been spoiled on first going to a situation; perhaps a great ado made about her, and she foolishly told, all that the teacher had been saying in her praise. Many kind and good people have so little sense, that they would, if they could, in their

foolish though well-meaning kindness, destroy the seeds of grace in a scholar's heart. Let teachers, then, try to get their scholars planted in a household where true godliness, consistency, and common sense prevail.

And look after the companionship your scholar is likely to have in the family or workshop. However much an apprentice may be in his master's company, he is still more in that of his fellow-workmen. All a master's advices, or influence of character, will tell with little effect, if your scholar is seated the livelong day with a cunning, dishonest, or profligate companion. We have known the hopeful lad who has for many years attended a sabbath class with growing interest and profit, ruined in two months, and that, too, in the workshop of a man who personally showed a good example. If we know that in such a place there is one of the men of good principle, who is willing to look after the lad, it will be a most desirable thing to engage his co-operation. With female servants, who possess peculiar opportunities of improving or poisoning each other's minds, we should be equally careful. We remember of one hopeful girl who entered a family where the cook, though a loud professor, was a deep hypocrite, and regularly in the habit of purloining articles belonging to the family. She gradually entrapped this simple girl, who, on first being made aware of such doings, had neither the courage nor sense to inform against her fellow-servant. The result was, that from connivance, she was drawn into participation in the guilt, and in three or four months the girl, who had with such good prospects entered this christian family, was sent home to her parents a convicted thief. Truly "one sinner destroyeth much good."

In your recommendation of scholars to employers, be sure rather to keep below the mark than go above it. Depend upon it, you see the best of them as they see the best of you, and you are likely to feel such deep interest in their welfare, that you may be tempted unconsciously to exaggerate their good qualities. Above all, never represent a scholar's piety, even though you are fully assured of it, to be of a peculiarly high order. This will do no good, for if it be so, it will soon be shown by appropriate fruits; very likely, however, your own evil heart prompted the high recommendation for the purpose of getting a reflex compliment to itself.

When your scholar is about to enter a situation, of course it is important that you should see him privately, and give him special advices suited to his circumstances. Besides praying with and for him, you can give him useful hints as to practical matters, such as wages, dress, company, books, &c., on which subjects you cannot go too much into detail, or be too plain spoken. A present of a Bible at such a time, with a good many texts or passages marked, might supply both a link of interest, and a means of usefulness, when you and your scholar were far from each other.

And, in conclusion, it is of importance that you should never lose sight of them. If they cannot continue to attend your class, you may occa