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COLLECTION

FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS.

GOD, OUR CREATOR, PReserver, reDEEMER, AND

JUDGE.

GOD is our Creator, and he has created us to serve, to glorify, and to enjoy him. How thankful should we be that he has given us rational and immortal souls! How anxiously should we labour to fulfil the great purposes of our being! And with what care should we devote all the powers of our nature to their best and noblest ends !-God is our Preserver. He gives us food, and raiment, and dwellings, and friends, and every thing that contributes to our preservation and our comfort. Surely it becomes us to be grateful to him for the care and the kindness of his providence, to re member our constant dependence upon him, to trace his hand in every thing which befalls us, and to spend the life which he is continually supporting, in doing what is agreeable to his will.-God is our Redeemer Though we have sinned against him, and on that account deserve his displeasure, he has had compassion on us, and has sent his own Son to save us from guilt and misery. And can we think of this without praising him with our whole heart for his wonderful mercy Can we refuse the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he has appointed to deliver and to bless us? Can we fail to pray most earnestly for pardon, and all the other benefits, which he has so graciously held out to us in the Gospel? And can we ever cease to love him supremely, B

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A GOOD SCHOLAR.

and to shew our love by a course of cheerful and unreserved obedience to all his holy commandments?. God is our judge. To him we must at length give an account, and from him we are to receive that sentence which will fix us either in happiness or misery for ever. Let us always live under the impression of this great truth. Let us never forget that he who is to judge us, is the constant witness of our thoughts, and words, and actions. Let us be faithful in discharging all the duties that we owe to him as our Creator, our Preserver, and our Redeemer. Let us beware of doing any thing that may provoke his anger. Let us take the Bible as the only rule of our faith and practice, and conform ourselves strictly to its sacred directions. And as none of us, whether old or young, know how soon we may die and appear before him in judgment, let us all be diligent in preparing for these solemn events, and beseech our Heavenly Father that he would enable us so to live here, as that it may be well with us hereafter.

A GOOD SCHOLAR.

A GOOD Scholar is known by his obedience to the rules of the school, and to the directions of his teacher. He does not give his teacher the trouble of telling him the same thing over and over again; but says or does immediately whatever he is desired. His attendance at the proper time of school is always punctual. Fearful of being too late, as soon as the hour of meeting approaches, he hastens to the school, takes his place quietly, and instantly attends to his lesson.-He is remarkable for his diligence and attention. He reads no other book than that which he is desired to read by his master. He studies no lessons but those which are appointed for the day. He takes no toys from his pocket to amuse himself or others; he has no fruit to eat-no sweetmeats to give away.-If any of his companions attempt to take off his eye or his mind from his lesson, he does not give heed to them. If they still try to make him idle, he bids them let him alone, and

A GOOD SCHOLAR.

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do their own duties. And if, after this, they go on to disturb and vex him, he informs the teacher that, both for their sake and for his own, he may interfere, and by a wise reproof prevent the continuance of such improper and hurtful conduct. When strangers enter the school, he does not stare rudely in their faces; but is as attentive to his lesson, as if no one were present but the master. If they speak to him, he answers with modesty and respect. When the scholars in his class are reading, spelling, or repeating any thing, he is very attentive, and studies to learn by listening to them. His great desire is to improve, and therefore he is never idle, not even when he might be so, and yet escape detection and punishment. He minds his business as well when his teacher is out of sight, as when he is standing near him, or looking at him. If possible, he is more diligent when his teacher happens for a little to be away from him, that he may shew "all good fidelity" in this, as in every thing else. He is desirous of adding to the knowledge he has already gained, of learning something useful every day. And he is not satisfied if a day passes, without making him wiser than he was before, in those things which will be of real benefit to him. When he has a difficult lesson to learn or a hard task to perform, he does not fret or murmur at it. He knows that his master would not have prescribed it to him, unless he had thought that he was able for it, and that it would do him good. He therefore sets about it readily; and he encourages himself with such thoughts as these: "My parents will be very glad when they hear that I have learned this difficult lesson, and performed this hard task. My teacher also will be pleased with me for my diligence. And I myself shall be comfortable and happy when the exercise is finished. The sooner and the more heartily I apply myself to it, the sooner and the better it will be done.". When he reads, his words are pronounced so distinctly, that you can easily hear and understand him. His copy book is fairly written, and free from blots and scrawls. His letters are clear and full, and his strokes broad and fine. His figures are well made, accurately cast up, neatly put down in their regular order; and

ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY.

his accounts are in general free from mistakes. He not only improves himself, but he rejoices in the improvement of others. He loves to hear them commended, and to see them rewarded. "If I do well," he says, "I shall be commended and rewarded too; and if all did well, what a happy school would ours be! We ourselves would be much more comfortable; and our master would have a great deal less trouble and distress than he has, on account of the idleness and inattention of which too many of us are guilty."-His books he is careful to preserve from every thing that might injure them. Having finished his lesson, he puts them in their proper place, and does not leave them to be tossed about, and by that means torn and dirtied.- He never forgets to pray for the blessing of God on himself, on his school-fellows, and on his teacher; for he knows that the blessing of God is necessary to make his education truly useful to him both in this life, and in that which is to come. And finally, it is his constant enIdeavour to behave well when he is out of school as well as when he is in it. He remembers that the eye of God is ever upon him, and that he must at last give an account of himself to the great Judge of all. And therefore he studies to practise at all times the religious and moral lessons that he receives from his master, or that he reads in the Bible, or that he meets with in the other books that are given him to peruse; and to "walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless."

ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PIETY.

HAPPY the child, whose tender years
Receive instructions well;

Who hates the sinner's path, and fears
The road that leads to hell.

When we devote our youth to God,
'Tis pleasing in his eyes;

A flow'r, when offer'd in the bud,
Is no vain sacrifice.

EXPLANATION OF FAITH.

'Tis easier work, if we begin

To fear the Lord betimes;
While sinners, who grow old in sin,
Are harden'd in their crimes.

'Twill save us from a thousand snares,
To mind religion young;
Grace will preserve our following years,
And make our virtue strong.

To thee, Almighty God! to thee
Our childhood we resign;
'Twill please us to look back and see
That our whole lives were thine.

Let the sweet work of pray'r and praise
Employ my youngest breath;
Thus I'm prepar'd for longer days,
Or fit for early death.

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EXPLANATION OF FAITH.

CHILDREN, says the Reverend Mr. Cecil, are very early capable of impression. I imprinted on my daughter the idea of Faith, at a very early age. She was playing one day with a few beads, which seemed to delight her wonderfully. Her whole soul was absorbed in her beads. I said, " My dear, you have some pretty beads there.". "Yes father!"" And you seem to be vastly pleased with them."-" Yes father." -"Well now, throw them behind the fire." The tears started into her eyes. She looked earnestly at me, as though she ought to have a reason for such a cruel sacrifice. "Well, my dear, do as you please; but you know I never told you to do any thing which I did not think would be good for you." She looked at me a few moments longer; and then summoning up all her fortitude, her breast heaving with the effort, she dashed them into the fire." Well," said I, "there let them lie; you shall hear more about them another time, but say no more about them now." Some days after, I

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