Teachers' Bibles.

"We have no hesitation in saying that, all things considered, the OXFORD TEACHERS' BIBLES are better for the Sunday-school teacher than any other with which we are familiar."-Sunday-School Times.

"All things considered, we prefer the OXFORD TEACHERS' BIBLES to the London-and it is between these two that the choice is commonly to be made."Sunday-School Times, September 25, 1880.

"It is only fair to state that, in the light of later examination, we have seen no reason to change our expressed opinion that the OXFORD TEACHER'S BIBLE is the most serviceable for the use of the ordinary Sunday-school teacher."-Sunday-School Times, February 24, 1883.

"The OXFORD TEACHER'S BIBLE, the invaluable companion for the working teacher which it now is."Sunday-School Times, February 7, 1885.

Be sure the "Oxford" imprint is on each book, thus:
OXFORD:

PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS,
LONDON: HENRY FROWDE.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE,
AMEN CORNER.

NEW YORK: 42 BLEECKER STREET.

Full particulars and Catalogues on application. THOMAS NELSON & SONS, 42 Bleecker St., N. Y.

NEW

Of Music, Boston, Mass.

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For

INFANTS AND INVALIDS

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For Young or Delicate Children.

A Sure Preventive of

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WEBSTER'S

Unabridged Dictionary.

W

"A LIBRARY IN ITSELF." The Latest includes a Pronouncing Gazetteer of the World, over 25,000 titles; Biographical Dictionary, 9700 noted persons; 3000 Illustrations; 118,000 Words in its vocabulary, being 3000 more than found in any other American Dietionary. Comes with or without Patent Index. "Invaluable in every School and at every Fireside."

G. & C. MERRIAM & CO., Pub'rs, Springfield, Mass.

20

NEW SERIES.

The Saloon and the Sunday-School. WE place these two together, not because of resemblance, but by reason of contrast. They represent two opposing forces in the community. The way of the one leads to self-indulgence, law-breaking, misery, death; the way of the other leads to self-denial, observance of law, happiness, life. The doors of both are open to the young, though it is to be feared that in many places the saloon has far more visitors than the Sunday-school.

The reader will readily perceive by this time what sort of a "saloon" we mean. That word, innocent

enough in itself, has conie to mean in most parts of our land a gathering place for those who desire to indulge their appetite for intoxicating liquors. It is made attractive in appearance by means of plateglass, polished woods, shining mirrors, ornamental metal-work, painting, and gilding.

Aside from the fact that every Sunday-school ought to have a place for its grown-up scholars, there should be positive and direct teaching on the saloon question. Our scholars should be taught the doctrine of the Methodist Episcopal Church, that total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors as a beverage is one of the pressing duties of the hour.

The skillful teacher will not find it necessary to wait until there is a special "temperance lesson." He will find in many lessons, if he wishes, an opportunity of illustrating and enforcing this great duty. To do it in a mere perfunctory way is to

make his teaching dry and inefficient. This the wise teacher avoids. He watches his opportunity, and without announcement or parade, he makes his impression.

If the power of the saloon is ever to be broken in our land, the Sunday-school must do its full share of the work, for there is the place where public

eration is a question worthy of serious consideration. Sometimes, alas! the frequenters of the saloon are recruited from the Sunday-school. When a Sunday-school is conducted on the principle that it is merely a place for children, when no adults are ever seen there as scholars, where is the young fellow to go, when he feels in every throbbing pulse that he is no longer a child, and when every heart-beat impels him on to manhood? He is virtually thrust out of the Sunday-school because he is becoming manly. The saloon opens its doors for him for the same reason, and bids him welcome.

It is easy enough to say that if he has profited by the teaching of the Sunday-school the saloon will have no attraction for him. True enough, and there are thousands of our Sunday-school boys who never dream of going to the saloon. But what about the rest? Though in a very small minority, as let us hope they are, how can we save them?

VOL. XVIII - 9

place. Let the tens of thousands of our youths grow up to adult life in our Sunday-schools with a horror and a hatred of the evil influences of the saloon, and we shall have a growing public opinion against the evil, which will be no small factor in its final abolition.

Softly! Softly!

THE habit of speaking in a low tone is worthy of cultivation. By a low tone we do not mean indistinctly. Whatever we say should be said with distinctness, though it need not be said noisily. Sometimes, in a Sunday-school, a teacher becomes so deeply engaged in the lesson as to forget that any one else is around, and he lets his voice out in a startling tone that can be heard all over the room. Where there are several teachers of this sort the din becomes astounding, and as it bursts upon the ear of the visitor when he opens the door he might im

agine himself in a bedlam did he not know that the place was only a peaceable Sunday-school.

There are some preachers who set a bad example in this direction, not only by unnecessary loudness of voice in the pulpit, but in every place where they happen to be. And it occurs to us as possible that preachers and teachers may be more inclined to this habit than some others by reason of their profession, which sometimes demands a loud tone of voice.

vivid story-and God will make it in the fires of consecration an offering that shall bring glory to his name and saving to souls.

Union Sunday-Schools.

In some parts of the country it is quite commo to organize what are called "Union Sundayschools." Such is the perversity of poor human nature that in many instances what begins in harmony ends in discord. Experience shows, we think, that it is better as a rule to have the Sunday-school under the care of some denomination whose pastors and members can be responsible for its existence than to have it a kind of joint-stock concern, belong

In a Sunday-school the teacher need not speak loud enough to be heard across the room in order to get and to hold the attention of the scholars. There is a power in low, soft tones, and if all teachers will cultivate them the order of the Sunday-school will be greatly improved. Therefore we say, Softly, brothers, softly!

At Home Once More.

You are at home once more, and are you glad to meet your class? That may depend on the question whether we have brought back any thing with us. The true teacher is always glad to communicate. The sun loves to shine and give out light, heat, and life. Have you not something to give away, a ray to send out for another's guidance? Did you get some new hint of God while you were away in the vacation? Did you hear his voice in the cataract or feel his presence on the bare mountain-top when all the earth seemed to lie at your feet? You may have seen nothing so startling, and yet in a shrinking grass-blade or humble cloverblossom you may have traced the finger-prints o your Father's skill.

Share with your class what you have found. It may be of lesser interest, some experience in vacation-traveling, some new pleasure in sight-seeing. Thrust your hand into the treasure-bag of your memories, and take out for your scholars' entertainment and profit. The enthusiastic teacher is a miser in saving for his scholars, but a spendthrift in scattering his treasures before them. Have you nothing to give, nothing? Give to your scholars of the new strength that you took from the breezes on hill-slope and sea-shore. Let it be felt in a new enthusiasm, in a freshly kindled purpose to do more for your scholars than ever before. O you have brought back something-new strength if not a

is practical "union," and need never breed discord. As a Methodist we would rather teach in a Presbyterian, a Congregational, or a Baptist Sunday-school than in one that is simply known as "Union." We want somebody to own it, somebody to be responsible for it in the community. Those who teach in it or help it in any way know then precisely what they are doing.

On the other hand, where a so-called "union school" is established, it often happens that by the time it gets into good working order it is turned over to the denomination to which some leading officer or teacher belongs, very much to the straining of brotherly love, if not to its actual rupture.

A Congregational minister in the West who has had some experience in this matter wrote to the Advance a few months ago as follows:

"A few schools connected with Congregational churches report themselves as 'Union;' there is a grand idea in that word, but if it means in these cases what it frequently does, schools that ought to be closely related to some particular Church, but are controlled, officered, and run by members of three or four other Churches, and of no consequent value to the Church that makes all the sacrifices for it, even to furnishing the children and the cash, it would be well to reorganize and have a school that means some definite results.

"Our efforts at union work in this region usually result in this: the denomination that has furnished the men who become most deeply interested in this movement finally has to sustain it or it dies. Call it depravity if you will, but people every-where seem to accomplish the most for the Master through their own denominational channels.

"When we plant a Sunday-school now, we do it with the expectation of nourishing it into a church as soon as possible. Why plant a crop that you never expect to harvest? And where can you har vest the Sunday-school crop except in the organized Church?"

This is good common sense, and we doubt not that some of our Methodist preachers could tell an experience similar to the above. We have heard of instances in which Methodists have been lured into helping "union" schools only to find them turned into denominational schools as soon as they became strong. We can help schools that are connected with some Church, even though it happens not to be our Church. We know exactly what we are doing then; but when we help a "union" school we are in a state of uncertainty not always pleasant to think of.

"If We Hadn't!"

WHAT an interesting little epitaph to write above the graves of so many speeches and deeds buried in the past: "If we hadn't!" O if we hadn't said this or hadn't done that! What fools we were in our hotspur-haste! We all appreciate the value of self-control. The inflammable word that is flashed out will only kindle a fire on the other side. The hasty, unjust act only arouses the spirit we would subdue. "O, if we hadn't!"

How envied is the man who can gag his own mouth! How fortunate the castle-lord who can shut mouth-gate on the mob of indignant feelings crowding forward to raise an outside shout, and can thus show to the world a calm, dignified front! How can we close that gate? There is comfort in the thought that every time we do shut it another time it will not open so easily. The less often a gate is used, the rustier grow the hinges. That is the human side of this subject. Then we must let Christ keep the gate, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. The best way to control self is through the rectification of self by the Spirit of Jesus. When he fills the soul, not only will the gate be occupied, but no mob of indignant feelings will be raised within clamorous to rush out in heat and injustice.

On the Way.

A journey, whether long or short, lies between two points. The point of departure and the point of arrival may seem so important as to occupy the traveler's mind to the exclusion of every thing intermediate. He may persistently shut out every thing else from his thoughts, and become absolutely deaf, dumb, and blind to whatever lies between these two stations.

We have met persons of this sort who seem to regard themselves as part of the Lord's postal service, stamped on earth, signed and sealed, and transmitted for safe delivery in the celestial kingdom.

They forget that the whole interest of the journey lies in the incidents to be met with on the way. Trivial things may be turned to account. Bits of landscape that are unattractive on near ac

quaintance fit admirably into the world's panorama; and distant prospects that have no alluring phase reveal most charming surprises on a near approach.

Some persons are always on the watch for adventure. They will see more and learn more in a short walk than less observing people acquire by a year's travel. If they have an errand that takes them through the words, though their mind is intent on the object in view, they lose no opportunity for adding to their stock of information. They observe the different varieties of trees, the peculiarities of soil, the habits of birds and insects, the beauty of light and shade, the diversity in the structure of mosses, and a host of other things "too numerous to mention." For the leaves of nature's volume are so closely bound together that if one page is turned another is sure to be lifted. And though the book is old, it is new to every fresh student, and may be found in every free circulating library.

What a world of wonders lies between the two stations-life and death! What a field of labor! What space for the exercise of all the gifts with which mortals are endowed! What shall we do on the way? "Eat, drink, and be merry?" What a preparation for an entrance into a heavenly kingdom! What a return for benefits conferred!

If we improve our time-gaining and giving as we have opportunity-if we labor for souls and commend ourselves as Christians-if we accept his guidance who is our only safety, and feed ourselves and others from the Gospel granary-then will the way be made light for us, and the journey be sweet to life's end.

Good Tidings Day for 1886. THE Boards of Managers of the Sunday-School Union and of the Tract Society again unite in recommending to the pastors and churches the observance of the third Sunday in October as Good Tidings Day. Last year was the first in which the day was observed, and the result of the experiment was so satisfactory that it is thought desirable to continue it.

The most of the pastors who observed the day last year unite in speaking of the increased interest aroused among the people in the work of the two societies. The beautiful service prepared for the occasion was a great help to the success of the day. The succinct statement of facts connected with the work gave to many people a new idea of what has been accomplished, and thus prepared them to give for these societies in an intelligent manner.

There is special propriety in the day selected, because it is the day which for a number of years has been observed as a day of prayer for Sundayschools throughout the world. On this day when prayer is offered for the success of Sunday-schools,