justice to the question under consideration, had the origin of hell been made clear, and had it been shown that man alone brought hell into existence, and that it is not God who casts man, but man who casts himself into hell, viz. through his wilful violation of the fixed laws of eternal order.

But certainly to look at these seven positions in the main, I think that all receivers of the doctrines of the New Church cannot but regard Mr. Beecher's statements in relation to them as affording a very valuable contribution towards the setting up of a much more rational and serviceable system of theology than that which is responsible for the opinions they contravene. The old landmarks in theological thought are plainly being removed, to give way to something broader and better, which shall justify the ways of God to men far more admirably than heretofore. May we all welcome the new influx of Truth which in these days is being communicated. "He that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. xxi. 5). And this work under His Divine direction will assuredly proceed, until everything base and hideous vanishes from religious thought, and "the earth is full of the" pure and genuine "knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. xi. 9). LAURENCE ALLBUTT.

EDUCATION IN NEW CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

IN the work on The Earths in the Universe, we are informed that the inhabitants of "the earth or planet Jupiter" make their greatest concern to be the education of their children," and it needs but little thought to see that this must be the greatest concern of any earth which desires prosperity and happiness.

When we remember that at birth man's mind is a perfect blank, a clear page, that unlike the beasts who are born into the knowledges requisite for the proper performance of all matters relating to their lives, we are born without any connate knowledges, yea that at birth "man is (by nature) viler than a beast," since from himself he does not know the laws of order and of society,-when we remember these things, we shall see the great importance which is attached to the subject of edu

cation. That man is not born with any knowledge in him, we learn from the following passages:-"Man is not born into any truth, not even into any natural truth, as that he should not steal, that he should not kill, that he should not commit adultery, and the like; still less is he born into any spiritual truth, as that there is a God, that he has an internal principle which will live after death." "A man is born into no knowledge, still less into any intelligence and wisdom, but only into the faculty of receiving and imbibing them."

Hence then the need and importance of education, for upon his education a man depends as to whether he shall become useful, happy, and wise, or miserable and ignorant; for we learn further, "Man is not born into any truth, but has all to learn, and this by an external way, viz. that of hearing, and of seeing, whereby truth ought to be insinuated, and to be implanted in his memory."

But before any one can engage in the work of education, it is necessary that he should properly understand the mental constitution of those he would educate in order that at all times he may be prepared to meet the exact requirements of their changing needs.

For with increasing years our scholars and children need even greater changes in their mental diet than they do in that food which sustains their physical frames, and he or she will be the most successful teacher who most fully realizes this fact and most completely meets it. As to his educational requirements, man's life in the Writings is divided into three parts. From infancy to about the fifth year, we have the sensual age; from this time to the age of youth, we have the natural age; and from youth to maturity and onwards, we have the rational age.

Each of these periods makes special demands upon the teacher's thought and care. But before entering upon the important work of giving education to our children, it is well that we should remember that we are not the only instruments in the hands of our great Creator in this especial and choice field of usefulness. We have unseen fellow-workers in those angels who wait upon the little ones, and whose delight it is to arrange the matters entering into the little minds so as to make them of the greatest use to them. The angels indeed

forestall us in their holy offices, for their ministrations, even as to instruction, commence even before the child is seen by mortal eyes.

The especial work of angels is to watch over, under the superintendence of the Lord, the development of the good of remains, in the child and youth, to assist in bringing down the higher principles and influence which are the Lord's in them, into those lower matters which they learn, "by an external way, viz. that of hearing and seeing," and with which lower matters it is the duty of earthly teachers to supply them. Thus, as teachers in the Sunday schools, it is our privilege to furnish the children with those ultimate vessels of spiritual knowledge into which the higher influences of their souls may flow, receive form, to be moulded into useful, wise, and prosperous characters.

It is in our infant classes that this great work commences, and the work here is of the utmost moment, though unfortunately not always considered as such. It is too often considered that any one possessing firmness will do for teachers in our infant classes. No greater mistake could be made. The beginning must be good, and wise, and orderly, if we would have the progress prosperous, and the end entirely successful.

In conformity with heavenly order, none but females should attempt the position of teachers to our children in the first days of their sensual or external-natural age.

In C. L. 174 and 175, we learn that it is the duty of wives to superintend the education of infants of both sexes, and of girls even till they are of an age to be married. In H. and H. 332 and 334, we further learn that when infants enter the other life, they are committed to the care of angels of the female sex who instruct and tend them, and that it is not until they have passed through their first state, which in this world extends to the fifth or seventh year, that they are transplanted to another heaven, and placed under the care of

masters.

In this first period of their existence when our children may properly be called infants, the outermost degree of their minds is developing, and it is developed by sensual ideas, by that which is seen, and best by images and pictures.

This is not the memory age, and it is the greatest mistake possible to commence to force their memories by inducing them to learn different things "by heart," even though it be the catechism, at this early stage. At this time the memory is better left to itself, to be cultivated in its turn, and the teacher will best exert himself in giving interesting and simple lessons, illustrating the tiny truths taught by pleasant and familiar objects, having, if possible, those objects, or pictures of those objects, before the class when giving her lesson.

This orderly system of instruction for this age is recognised outside our Sunday schools by those who practise the systems instituted by Froebel and Pestalozzi, which are generally known by the German name of "Kindergarten," and it will be better for our scholars if it is universally adopted in our Sabbath schools.

That this system of object-teaching for children up to five or seven years of age is the correct one, we learn from the following passages from the Writings:-" All infants in the spiritual world are introduced into angelic wisdom, and by it into heavenly love, by delights and pleasantnesses from the Lord; first by beautiful objects in houses, and pleasant things in gardens; then by representatives of spiritual things, which affect the interiors of their minds with pleasure."

Again, "At first, such things are insinuated into them as appear before their eyes, and are delightful."

And again, "Infants are instructed especially by representatives adequate and suitable to their genius; the great beauty and interior wisdom of which can scarcely be credited in the world." (H. H. 335, see also A. C. 5126.)

As to the nature of the truths we should first give to children or infants, we learn in A. C. 1434 that they should all have reference to the great fact, which may be explained in "all the such a manner as that the infant can grasp it, that objects of the earth and the world" are created by God, all for some special end, and all bear" some resemblance of the kingdom of God." And we learn further, "The things which a man, like an infant in its earliest age, eagerly seizes upon or believes ... are principally these,-that there is a God, and that He is one; that He has created all things; that He rewards those

who do well, and punishes those who do evils; that there is a life after death, and that the wicked go into hell, and the good into heaven; thus that there are a hell and a heaven; that the life after death is eternal, also that we ought to pray daily, and this with humility, that the Sabbath day is to be accounted holy, that parents are to be honoured, and that we are not to commit adultery, to kill, or to steal, and several like things."

But passing on to the second period in the lives of those who attend our Sunday schools for instruction, we deal with those who are above five years of age, but who have not reached the age of youth or juvenile manhood. At this time the internal-sensual degree is developed, the imagination comes into active play, and the memory is fully exercised, and filled with knowledges or scientifics.

This is the age for committing portions of the Divine Word to heart, to learn the Catechism with all the proofs of its statements, and towards its close to become familiar with a knowledge of the Science of Correspondences.

It is at this period that the teacher should get every scholar to commit to memory week by week as much as possible of the letter of the Word, especially those portions of the letter where the inner meaning is apparent and uncovered as the face and hands; for as the scholars increase in age, and enter the inevitable shadows of temptation, when tempted by evil, if their memories are richly stored with passages and portions of Holy Scripture, they will be enabled to follow the example of their Saviour, and with an "It is written," they will be enabled to banish the tempter, conquering by means of the Word written in their memory.

It is an error with those at this age, to press them on too quickly into a knowledge of the inner sense of the word and the doctrines of the Church. Let them first become thoroughly acquainted with the letter of Holy Writ, and all its associations, know well its histories, be familiar with its leading events, and well up in its narratives, and this will form the best possible groundwork upon which shall rest their future knowledge of doctrine in their next period; for having this necessary but too frequently wanted knowledge, they will the more readily know and more completely understand those doctrines which are drawn out of the letter, and are confirmed thereby.