Having seen such means made use of in Sabbath Schools, having serious doubts as to any lasting good effects arising from their use, and fearing the evil consequences of such a mode of instruction, I, as one less experienced in teaching than some others, would be highly gratified by a judicious answer from some one of your correspondents.

Your's, sincerely,

A SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER.

BEST METHOD OF CONDUCTING A CLASS.

[To the Editor of the American S. S. Teacher's Magazine.]

New-York, January 24, 1824.

SIR,-In the school to which I am attached there is no defined plan for the duties of a teacher. I feel but little confidence in that I have adopted; and am desirous to avail myself of the experience of my fellow-labourers in this delightful field of duty; and would ask, through the medium of your useful Magazine, what is the best method of instructing a class of boys in reading in the Bible; the best plan to pursue for their moral and religious improvement; and, at the same time, to attach them to the school?

I am, &c.

A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.

WANT OF INSTRUCTION IN OHIO.

The Editor has seen a letter, dated the 12th of December last, written to a respectable merchant of this city, from a friend of his in Ohio, which describes, in such an affecting manner, the truly lamentable condition of the rising generation in a part of that state, that, with a view to excite some benevolent feelings in its behalf he inserts the following extracts, in the language of the writer; and is authorized to give a farther description to any benevolent inquirer :

"Before I was taken ill I had commenced a Sabbath School in a little log cabin, just below my log house, (which is two miles below the village of W- where we now live) with a view of instructing the small children of the district in the Scriptures, and at the same time of drawing them from their idle, and at times, worse than idle habits on the Sabbath, as we had no preaching. I gave out information, and the children collected to the number of thirty or forty, and I felt quite elated at the idea of a profitable time. But you can easily conceive of my disappointment when but three or four Testaments, and one or two Bibles were all that could be had to read in.

"Continuing the school about four or five weeks numbers were added; and my embarrassment for want of books and other appendages, as Tracts, &c. increased. I then borrowed as many as I could out of the school, and we were making rapid strides, I assure you, when I, and some of my principal scholars, were taken sick, and unable to continue the school; and the season being far advanced, it was discontinued.

"I want Bibles, Testamsnts, Tracts, and other school books. We are not only destitute of these, but of a preached gospel, and have been many years. Many are here from the eastern states who feel sensibly these privations. They are unable to support a minister handsomely, and no missionaries stop here. At times we have a sermon from a transient person, and that is all. We are as sheep without a shepherd. Our Sabbaths are spent in idleness, or what is worse, roving and rambling over our fields, or perhaps, hunting or fishing, and our children are growing up in vice and idleness-could we have a godly, pious. and exemplary missionary in this part of the state, for one or two years, I do think his labours would be more blessed than that of forty or fifty among the Indians or Hindoos. There are thousands of souls who, I fear, are annually lost in the state of Ohio for want of a preached gospel!

"What a vast population of men, and oh, how few ministers of

the gospel!

"I know if we could have a preacher here one year steadily, we should find means to support him ever after.

"Will you, my dear sir, (I know you will,) use your influence in obtaining for us a few Bibles, Testaments, Tracts, or other school books, such as are used in your Sabbath Schools, for our poor destitute school? I design, if God permit, on the receipt of them, to commence our school again; and I do hope it will be the means of bringing many poor little children near the kingdom of heaven and could you excite the sympathies of your young men's Missionary Society, (of which I was once a member,) to send a person to us who could be content with doing good, rather than gaining wealth, I am sure hundreds in my neighbourhood would flock to the standard of Christ, that now are following after false gods; becoming Deists, Atheists, &c.

:

EXTRACT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Extract from the Speech of His Excellency Joseph C. Yates, Governor of the State of New-York, dated Albany, 6th January, 1824.

"It is a subject of great felicitation to observe so general a sentiment prevailing in the state in favour of the dissemination of useful knowledge. The advantages afforded in the establishment of common schools have been embraced in almost every part of the state; and independent of many charitable. institutions, meritorious citizens have, in many places, extended their benevolence to the children of indigent parents, by the means of Sunday Schools; and the adoption of these humane and truly laudable measures have induced numbers to exchange their accustomed habits of indolence and dissipation on that day for the more profitable pursuit of obtaining a common education. The prevalence of such enlightened sentiments and generous feelings will essentially contribute to secure to the public the benefit of the talents of many useful and virtuous members of society, otherwise allowed to remain in obscurity; and will have a direct tendency to afford permanent and substantial advantages to a government where the sovereignty rests. altogether with the people."

11

The Annual Report of the superintendent of common schools, represents the progress of education in this state in the most satisfactory manner. There are now 7382 common schools, in which are taught 400,534 children; 25,81 more children were educated in 1823 than in 1822.-Within the last year 331 new school districts were formed. $182,805 25 of public moneys were last year expended for the support of common schools; and it is estimated that in addition to this $850,000 were appropriated in like manner, from the private funds of individuals, making more than a million of dollars! This is exclusive of public and private appropriations and benefactions for the support of colleges and academies.

These facts demonstrate the signal success which has attended the exertions made, from time to time, by the legislature to disseminate useful knowledge among every class of the community and it must be gratifying to perceive, that some other states, animated with a like zeal for ameliorating the condition of society, are introducing and supporting among them similar institutions. The New-England states have long done this, and Connecticut in particular, it is well known, returns more to her favoured inhabitants for the purposes of education than the collects from them in taxes. The old world does not produce a paodel. England, the most enlightened part of it, (great and glong as she is in her exertions for promoting moral and religions etruction,) had, three years ago, only 18,449 endowed and unendowed schools, in which were instructed 644,282 children; and in Scotland, the whole number of schools was, at the same time, only 3556, containing 176,303 pupils.-In Connecticut, one sixth; in England, one fifteenth ; in Scotland, one tenth of their respective population every year attend their schools. In this state, more than one fourth part of her entire population is receiving instruction annually, in common schools alone. If, as has been asserted, by one of the greatest literary ornaments the world ever produced, knowledge is power, who can set bounds to the liberal and enlightened projects for the public good, which may be produced by these intellectual resources, and the moral energies of the people of this new world.

PALESTINE MISSION.

Extract of a letter from the Rev. Pliny Fisk, American Missionary at Jerusalem, to Dr. Porter of Andover, dated 28th April, 1823.

"I have now spent four days in the city where David lived and reigned, and where David's Lord and King redeemed the world. The house I inhabit stands on Mount Calvary; my little room has but one small window, and this opens towards Mount Olivet. I have walked around Zion; I have walked over Calvary; I have passed through the valley of Hinnom; drank of the waters of Siloam; crossed the brook Kedron; and have been in the garden of Gethsemane. The next day after my arrival I made my first visit to the tomb of our Lord. The church [built over it] was full of people; but though surrounded by them, I could not suppress my feelings. I looked at the dome which covers the tomb; thought of the death and resurrection of our Lord, and burst into tears. I entered and kneeled by the marble which is supposed to cover the spot where the body lay. My tears flowed freely: it was for us he bled and died. Shall we not then live to him? He died to save us from sin shall we not then avoid sin in all its forms? He died to save us: can we then be unwilling to make efforts, and endure privations to save others? We have sold and distributed about seventy Testaments and Psalters, and more than three hundred Tracts; and brother Wolff is engaged day and night in preaching to the Jews, and disputing with their Rabbins. We are surrounded by dangers, and tremble at every step; yet the Lord our Redeemer protects us, and, I hope, `will protect us."

Description of Jerusalem.

From Dr. Edward D. Clarke, [a late traveller.]

"Instead of a wretched and ruined town by some described, as the desolated remnant of Jerusalem, we beheld, on our approach to the city, a flourishing and stately metropolis, presenting a magnificent assemblage of domes, towers, palaces,