soul. His heavenly character become ours.

The Chris

tian virtues witnessing to our fidelity to him. These, it is, which inspire the hope of glory. When we have the same mind that was in Christ, he may indeed be said to be in us; and no longer than that spirit is our spirit can we have one hope of glory, which will not make ashamed or be confounded when God shall take us from the world.

AN ESSAY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING THE SUBJECT OF RELIGION. Addressed particularly to men of Education. By John Foster, author of Essays on Decision of Character, &c. S. H. Parker, and Crocker & Brewster. Boston, 1827. pp. 172.

INFIRMITY of purpose, an unsettled state of opinion and feeling, and all the forms in which aversion to religion appears, have in this book a salutary corrective. The author takes his place beside you, as one who wishes to share your confidence, but has no design to act the part of a mere adviser. He comes to converse with you on terms of perfect equality, about a subject in which he and you are alike concerned. He is no master, but seeks to be acknowledged as a friend. He knows you are not what you ought to be, and tells you so, but in a way that shows you he is thinking only of your welfare, not of his own imagined superiority. Enlightened, liberal, wise, but solemn, uncompromising and urgent, he reasons closely, pleads heartily, and fixes in the mind a conviction that all he demands is right, and makes you own that it were most happy for you never to have rejected such counsel, if you have had it before, and most unpardonable, if it be now addressed for the first time to you, should you not be faithful in the application.

We have never met with a book in which serious admonition was conveyed in language so perfectly suitable, and more free from what is called rant. You detect here no extravagant statements, no disposition to show hatred to sin by abusing the sinner, no complaining without cause, no tedious prosing about common-place things. Religion is represented only as it must always appear to us when conscience is true, and christianity is our guide. It is shown to be man's highest and most indispensable concern ;—and is it not? Duty to God is raised above each mortal interest, and enforced as what must be attended to, without any more delay or remissness;-ought it not to be? Man's bliss or wo are here assumed to be the product of his own dispositions, desires, and conduct;-are they not? Eternal interests are exhibited in sure dependance on confirmed character; -and dare he whose guilt has here been his ruin, hope that hereafter it may prove less an obstacle to his happiness?

The Essay on Decision of Character, has been very generally admired. This work is marked by the same qualities of style and thought. Deeply imbued with a pious spirit, it is clear from all phraseology, which an unfortunate association may have rendered revolting. He who cannot read this appeal without being offended, must not blame the writer's taste, but his own heart.

The excellence of this book consists in its adaptation to the case of such as, from any cause, have not yet "yielded themselves unto God," nor have formed their plans of living upon christian principles, recognised by a deep conviction, and unreservedly applied to the heart, conversation, and pursuits, in every particular. Could

we but persuade them, seriously to read that which this eloquent and pious writer has furnished for them, from the stores of a thorough knowledge of human nature, the world, and the Sacred Word, and which he has impressed with the seal of a charity so pure, and gentle, and forgiving, we shall have done them an unspeakable favor.

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS SOUVENIR. 1828. Boston. N. S. Simpkins & Co.

Ir is a happy device to mark the first day of a new year by something intellectual, by gifts which address the taste, the imagination, and the heart, instead of such as are attractive to the senses only, or minister to the "pride of life." We cannot but rejoice in the importation of these mental luxuries, and are not sorry that our own writers and artists have so finely imitated the sumptuous works from abroad. But it needed only a glance at some of these last, to be convinced that beneath so much beauty and taste, lurked some things "not good for food," and others which might even cause disease to the mind which was captivated by their charming show. We esteem it therefore very fortunate that such volumes as the one before us, and the Juvenile Souvenir, are thus early thrown in among the rest, and doubt not that they will exert a salutary influence, at the moment of conferring a pleasure not inferior to that we could derive from any similar sources. The pieces are selected with great care, are as various as could be wished, and are presented in a neat and beautiful form. We hope these unobtrusive moral remembrancers will not fail to be as widely distributed as those which now shine so temptingly on every

counter, and adorn with their splendor the parlors of the rich, the toilet of the fair, and the library of the man of letters.

[For the Unitarian Advocate.]

"GRIEVE NOT THY FATHER AS LONG AS HE LIVETH."

97

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

DUTIES OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.

BEFORE we engage in any undertaking, it is necessary to understand the duties that will devolve upon us, in order to perform them with fidelity and correctness. The teachers in Sunday schools are frequently disheartened by failures which cannot be attributed to a want of zeal on their part, or of a desire to improve on that of their pupils. It is our intention to point out some of those duties, the failure of performing which occasionally, or an imperfect knowledge respecting them, may have contributed in a degree to this discouragement.

In the first place he who proposes to become a Sunday school teacher, should commence with clearly understanding what he is about to take upon himself. It is to impart religious instruction to the young. An important and interesting task. He should enter, therefore, on its performance with religious feeling, with a due sense of its importance, and of the ultimate end of his labors. He must begin by interesting his pupils and gaining their affection. He is to present religion and religious subjects in their true and proper light as far as he is able, and teach them to make it the governing principle of their lives. He is to consider himself not only their instructer on the Sabbath, but their friend and counsellor on all occasions and at all times; not merely to discover an interest in their happiness and improvement, during one day of the week, but to inspire them with the feeling of his constant, watchful care.