These must never be given at random; and the questions should be asked till all understand them.

swers.

III. Of the Separation of the Doctrines.

16. Pupils should be made to separate the doctrines in the answers, before they number them, embodying each doctrine in a complete sentence.

17. As a truth or doctrine may be collaterally attached to, or contained in, another, the pupil may sometimes be correct, although his number of doctrines does not correspond with that in the Key. In such a case, the same rule applies as in No. 14.

18. When the pupils correctly perceive all the doctrines in an answer, they are then to separate and number them as in the Key, and should afterwards extract them by these numbers, out of the regular order, as No. 5, then No. 2, then No. 4, &c. &c.

IV. Explanations and Illustrations.

19. Pupils should always collect the explanation of a word or phrase from the context, rather than from a dictionary. Each pupil should give his own meaning, and the best should at last be chosen.

20. Each person giving a meaning, should be made to substitute it in the answer for the word or phrase explained, in the manner of the Paraphrase in Exercise X.

21. When the "Exercises" are used by the pupils, they must never learn the explanations by rote; but, making themselves master of the meaning only, should give it in their own words, however rude these may at first be.

V. Of Proving the Doctrines. "

22. The doctrines should again be separated, as in No. 18, and then proved one by one, with the use of the book. 23. When the proof is read by the pupil, he should be catechised upon it, and made to point out its connection with, and how it proves, the doctrine.

24. Pupils should be encouraged to collect additional proofs for the doctrines, in their religious reading, conversation, hearing of sermons, and especially in reading the Scriptures.

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25. When pupils have been once through this exercise, they should frequently, in reading a portion of Scripture, go over it verse by verse, and select every passage which proves any of the doctrines, in the manner exemplified in the " Help to the Acts." This is the original and natural way of using Scripture in establishing doctrines.

VI.-Lessons from the Doctrines.

26. The parent or teacher having made the upmost pupil separate one of the doctrines and state it, asks "What do you learn from that?" or, "What does that doctrine teach you?" The pupil should then give a lesson, either extempore, or from his memory, or from a paper. Each pupil is, in like manner, called upon to give one from the same doctrine.

27. When a good lesson is given by one pupil, all the others should be called upon to take notice of it, that they may afterwards insert it in a book, which each should have for the purpose.

28. When a pupil draws a collateral lesson, or one not directly from the doctrine, he must be made to explain the view he has taken of the subject, and the process in his own mind by which he has arrived at the lesson. This will sometimes be exceedingly instructive.

29. The pupils, when they have drawn a lesson, should frequently be made to turn it into the form of a petition, as in Exercise IX.

30. When lessons have been drawn from all the doctrines in an answer, the parent or teacher should take several doctrines out of their natural order, and make the pupils give their lessons consecutively, till all become familiar.

31. When all the lessons are, in the minds of the pupils, familiarly associated with their respective doctrines, a few of the advanced pupils should be made mentally to separate the doctrines, by looking on their books, and, at the same time, audibly to repeat their several lessons.

VII. Application of the Lessons.

32. The design of these applications, which may be either general or special, is to associate the lessons, previously drawn from a doctrine or section of Scripture,

with the common occurrences of life; so that the pupils shall always have a light within to guide them.

33. Special applications of the lessons should refer to particular circumstances in which the pupil may, at some future period, be placed, and which is to be supposed by the parent or teacher, according to the nature of the lesson, or the condition of the child. The examples in the Key are necessarily general, and a few special applications, will be found in the notes *.

34. When the lesson has been correctly given, the pupil should always be made to refer to the source from whence it is derived, by the parent or teacher enquiring, "Where did you get that lesson ?" If he cannot do this, much of the benefit is lost.

35. As the education of the pupil advances, he should be taught to bring applications from all sources, particularly from the "First" and "Second Steps," the "Helps," &c. By this means, the field of a pupil's practical knowledge will daily extend, till there shall soon be no circumstance in his life, which shall not call up numerous corresponding lessons from Scripture, to point out to him the line of conduct which he ought to pursue.

*The "First" and "Second Steps," with the sections in the several "Helps," being historical, and the "Third Initiatory" being purely practical, are better adapted to special application than any doctrinal catechism, such as the "Second Initiatory," can be.-The following Examples, however, on Propriety of Conduct, direct duty,-and religious feelings, will be quite sufficient to shew how this may be done. The figures refer to the doctrines from which the Lessons are drawn.

As to Propriety of Conduct, a teacher might ask, "Whom should you choose for your companions?" (See lesson from doctrine 204.)-" How should you conduct yourself towards your companions?" (167, 170.)-"What should you do for the good of your companions?" (210, 235, 210.)-" How should you spend your time?" (226, 229.)" How should you behave were you bidden to a baptism?" (173, &c.)

As to Direct Duties, a teacher might, in applying the lessons, ask, "Were your parents to bid you do something which was contrary to your own inclinations, what should you do?" (162, 155, 160.)—" Were you making a bargain with some person more stupid or ignorant than yourself, what should you do?" (168, 169, 170.)- Were your master or mistress to send you a message, or give you a certain piece of work to perform, what should you do?" (166, 165.) The Application of the Lessons in the Second Initiatory Catechism, with regard to religious state and feelings, necessarily presents a much wider field. We shall give only a few specimens as regards a state of indifference, of doubt, and the fear of death. "If you felt yourself at any time indifferent to religion, and careless about your soul and eternity, what should you do? (57, 59, 133, 129, 242, 134, 195, 202.)-"Should any of your friends or companions appear to be indifferent about religion, what should you do?" (127, 126, 125, 141, 128.)-" Were you, or any of your friends or companions in doubt about the state of your souls, what should you do?" (203, 139, 249, 142, 146, 231, 211.) Were you, or any of your friends or companions apparently nigh to, and afraid of death, what should you do?" (48, 96, 213, 214, 215, 251, 148.)

VIII. Devotional Exercise from the Answer.

36. To train the pupils to adapt doctrines and passages of Scripture to prayer, is the design of this exercise; and is accomplished, as exemplified in the Key, by a slight change in the words of the passage.

37. The first thing to do, is to ascertain to what part of prayer any answer or passage is best adapted. To those who have learned, or carefully read, the "Questions on Prayer," this will be easy, and to those who have not, we refer to the note for directions.

*

38. When facility has been acquired in this exercise, the pupils should be directed to select parts from several answers, and thus to construct a complete prayer; taking a portion from one answer adapted to adoration, from another to confession, &c. and should end the whole with the plea, "Grant these requests, O God, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." This should be done frequently, and in different ways, till it can be done well.

39. The pupil should afterwards extend the principle of this exercise to every part of his religious reading and education: First to the proofs for the doctrines, then to selected passages of Scripture, pious apostrophes, and lastly, perhaps, to the paraphrase, or its concomitants, as illustrated under Exercise X.

The following general hints as to the several parts of Prayer will greatly assist the Teacher in the above exercise.

Of Adoration.-Those answers, or "passages of Scripture which relate to God, to his character, his perfections, or to his doings, are well adapted to the adoration part of Prayer;"-and are to be made a part of Prayer, by prefacing them with the words, "Thou art," &c. and by turning all the pronouns which reiate to God into the second person.-(See Example in Q. 1, 3, &c.)

Of Confession. Those answers, or "passages of Scripture which relate to the fallen condition of man, to his actual sins, to his misery, or to his deserts, are well adapted to confession in Prayer;"-and are to be made a part of prayer, by prefacing them with the words, "We confess," &c.-and by using the pronouns in the first person.-(See Q. 5, 6, &c.)

Of Thanksgiving.-Those answers and "passages of Scripture which relate to God's sparing mercy, to the plan of salvation by Jesus Christ, to our present blessings, or to our future hopes, are well calculated to be used in thanksgiving;-and are made parts of prayer, by prefacing them with the words, "We thank thee," or "We bless thee," &c. (See Q. 9, 10, &c.)

Of Petition.-This is the most important of all the parts of Prayer, and should be most assiduously cultivated.-All those answers, or " passages of Scripture, among others, which record an example to be imitated or shunned, -a command or duty to be observed,-a good to be realized,-an evil to be averted, or a temptation or sin to be avoided,-are well adapted to petition in prayer;"-and are to be prefaced, according to their nature, with the words, Give, grant, or bestow upon us,"-" Enable us,”-Keep us,”—“ Preserve us from,"-" May we," &c.

See "Questions on Prayer," where this duty, in its nature and exercise, is fully explained, and brought within the reach of every capacity.

IX. Devotional Exercise from the Lessons.

40. The effects of this exercise are important, and will be found useful in every succeeding department of the pupil's education. It trains him to the complete command of every subject which he understands, and to that clear perception of its several parts, and that instantaneous classification and choice of words in expressing it, which constitutes the essence of extemporaneous speaking; and, as applied to prayer, never fails to give ease, fluency, and confidence in that duty.

41. The process, described No. 31, is here to be repeated; after which, when become familiar, the parent or teacher is to select two doctrines, the lessons of which the pupil is to recollect, and join together as two petitions; then three, or more, till he can do them all correctly.

42. The pupil should then be made, of himself, with his catechism in his hand, mentally to separate the doctrines in their order, recollect their several lessons, and audibly to express and join them together, in a continuous prayer, as in the Key, but in his own words.

43. When this can be accomplished readily, the same thing should be done with sections of Scripture, passages in history, biographical sketches, and even common occurrences in providence; from all which, lessons for the purpose should be previously drawn.

44. The principle of this exercise, which, the reader will perceive, consists in training the pupils by degrees, rapidly to form, and to manage in their own minds, a long concatenated chain of ideas, at the moment they are expressing them, should be assiduously cultivated, and extensively applied in every stage of a pupil's advance; from the re-constructing of a sentence for bad grammar, to the elucidation of an involved theorem in the higher branches of mathematics.

X.-Of the formation of the Paraphrase.

45. This exercise is designed principally to commence and forward the pupil in English Composition. For this purpose, as soon as he can form his letters into words, and write half-text, he should be made to transcribe an answer, taking care of the spelling, the capi