We have seldom heard a more eloquent eulogium on the Catechism, than was elicited in this discussion. All seemed ready and anxious to speak in its praise. We can give only a few disconnected sentences from our

notes.

What is the Catechism? An epitome of all the great truths and distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel. He who learns that, has the substance of the Old and New Testaments. No book, except the Bible, is so near perfection. Those who have done most to bless the world, have loved the doctrines just as they are taught in this Catechism. The Puritans came to these shores to cherish these doctrines. But,' says one, 'it is no use to teach children what they cannot understand.' All past experience shows that this is not true. They must be taught things which they cannot understand.I owe more, said the speaker, to my knowledge of these doctrines, as taught in that manual, than to my three years' study in the Theological Seminary. There is a great deal of thought in the Catechism; more than in some of our libraries.

I was once, said another speaker, taught the Catechism, and I never think of these truths without the tenderest recollections of my parents, now in heaven.

I have reason to bless the God of heaven, (said the moderator, probably the oldest minister present,) that I was taught that system of doctrine, while I was almost in the arms of my mother. When I grew up so as to compare it with the Bible, I found there was a unison. My old minister used to teach it at the close of our common school. Then we were called orthodox. That man is now sleeping with his fathers. A new set of ministers have arisen, who have discarded the Catechism, and now but few can be found in that place, who hold the doctrines as there taught.

An account was given of what has been done, by the Mass. S. S. Society, for the introduction of the Catechism into Sabbath schools, and of the increasing and widening interest that exists, respecting the revival of the study of this long neglected book.

All the speakers were in favor of having the Catechism, as prepared by the Mass. S. S. Society, used in our Sabbath schools, as a monthly exercise, or so frequently, and in such a manner, as the directors of schools might think best. The congregation unanimously arose to give their vote in favor of a resolution to this effect.

5. How can the co-operation of parents and the attendance of adults, generally, be secured?

Remarks on this and the third question were somewhat similar.

Some obstacles were first specified. 1. They are burdened with the care of families, so that husband and wife can seldom attend on the same Sabbath. Constant attendance is requisite to awaken lively and permanent interest. 2. Past neglect to study the Bible and ignorance are obstacles.Many adults are ignorant of the operation of the Sabbath school. Some never visit the school, and consequently know but little of its advantages. How many, by a single visit by which they have seen and heard for themselves, have been induced to enroll their names among its members. Again, many are ignorant of the Bible, and there is the shame of having it known.

Were you to go through the Churches, how many would you find who can defend the doctrines? How many can take up a single book of the Bible, and give you an epitome of what it contains? Again, it is thought, by many, to be a small business to attend the Sabbath school. A small business to study the Bible! Ashamed to sit down at the feet of Jesus, and hear his words! Did Lock and Boyle and Addison and Newton, think so?

Means to secure attendance. 1. A library for the benefit of adults. 2. A-course of study that shall interest them. 3. The responsibilities of individuals, as that of parents, &c. should be preached from the pulpit. Who are the parents that feel the most interest in the Sabbath school? Those who feel most respecting the religious instruction of their children. Let pastors instruct parents on this subject, and they will secure their attendance at the Sabbath school.

6. What are the peculiar and appropriate qualifications of teachers; and what are their most prominent deficiencies ?

Remarks were confined mostly to the first part of the question. 1. Strong desire to do good. 2. A willingness to make sacrifice to do good. 3. Aptness to teach. Something more than having the power to communicate easily; that aptness which will enable him so to understand the mind, that he can adapt truth to the minds of his scholars. 4. Punetuality. 5. Deep sense of responsibleness. In times of revival you will find teachers asking to be excused from the work. When asked why they wish to be excused, the answer is, "Why, I feel such a weight of responsibility I dare not open my mouth." 6. Thorough investigation of the lesson. Teachers' meetings were regarded as an evil, if teachers were led to make them the sole preparation for their classes. They ought to investigate the lesson themselves, alone. 7. Confidence that what is communicated will affect the mind. 3. Confidence that the word may savingly affect the mind now. It is a want of this confidence that children are not born into the kingdom of God. Children may know enough, and understand enough to love God, and be converted. God wishes the child to give his heart to him with the capacities which he possesses. If the teacher does not labor for the child's conversion now, so far as his instrumentality is concerned, he defers the salvation of the child, notwithstanding his liability, at any moment, to die in his sins, to the future time when he thinks he will be old. enough to be converted! One of the great secrets of the success which attended the labors of Harlan Page, was, he labored with the hope of an im mediate blessing, now. 9. He must be personal and direct in his instructions. This scholars expect, and they will never be satisfied with any thing short of this.

The following gentlemen took part in the discussions. Rev. Messrs. Tracy, Grosvenor, Wilde, Hojman, Phinney, Burdett, Wood, Boardman, and Bullard, and Messrs. Brigham, March, and Leland.

After some practical remarks and exhortations to the different classes of persons present, the convention was adjourned without day; and, we trust, we all returned to our homes, saying in our hearts, "it was good to be there."

JUVENILE MUSIC.

Furnished for this work by LOWELL MASON, Professor in the Boston Academy of Music.

'Thou God of the sky.’

1. Thou God of the sky, Who rulest on high, Yet gavest thine

gotten to die! Our ransom and peace, Our

surety he is, And never on earth was there sorrows like his.

2

Thou, Lord, in the day

Of vengeance did lay

Our sins on the Lamb, and he bore them away:

He died to atone

For sins not his own,

The work of redemption our Saviour hath done.
3

SABBATH SCHOOL VISITER.

VOL. IV.

NOVEMBER, 1836.

NO. 11.

CURIO THE MILANESE REFORMER.

Curio was born at Turin in 1503. At an early age he received from his father, a present of a beautiful Bible. It must be remembered that Bibles were not as numerous then as they are now; it was a very rare thing for an inhabitant of Italy to possess the Bible, chiefly for the reason, that the Roman Church prohibited its circulation by severe laws and penalties.The perusal of this Bible led Curio to a knowledge of the truth. Some of the writings of the reformers fell in his way, and inflamed him with a desire to visit them in Germany. His design of so doing became suspected, and he was arrested while on his journey, by the agents of the bishop of Nice, and thrown into prison. He was, however, soon released, through the intercession of his relatives. A cardinal who presided over the priory of St. Beniquo, was pleased with his talents, and endeavored to win him over to his party, by giving him assistance in pursuing his studies. He received him into the institution over which he presided, and made provision for all his expenses. But Curio was not to be turned aside from the truth. He exerted himself to enlighten the monks that were around him, and to free their minds from the influence of superstition.

On the altar of the chapel there was a box which contained relics, the object of superstitious reverence. These he one day removed from the box, and placed a Bible in their stead On the Bible was written the following sentence, "This is the ark of the covenant, which contains the oracles of God, the true relics of the Saints." On the next solemn festival, when the box was opened for the relics, this was discovered. Curio was suspected and obliged to flee. He escaped safely to Milan. Here, after some time, he married a distinguished lady, and devoted himself to teaching, by which he gained a high reputation. When, at length, Milan became the seat of war he left it, and dwelt for a number of years at Casale.

He next visited his native country with a view of recovering his patrimony. He found it had been seized by one of his sisters and her husband, who charged him with being a heretic, in order that he might be obliged to flee and leave them undisturbed in their possessions. He accordingly retired to a village in the territories of the Duke of Savoy, and again employed himself in teaching. Here he one day went to hear a Dominican Monk preach a sermon respecting the reformers. He asserted a great

many falsehoods, and in proof, gave false quotations from one of Luther's works. It so happened that Curio had the very book in question with him. After the sermon, and before the audience were dismissed, he went up to the friar, and producing the book, read correctly the passages that had been misquoted. The audience, indignant at the falsehood of the monk, drove him in disgrace from the town. For this he was ere long arrested and carried a prisoner to his native city. Here his attempted journey to Germany and his removing the relics, were remembered against him. The ecclesiastical powers were determined that he should be condemned to die.

As his friends were known to be powerful, great care was taken to prevent his escape or rescue. He was confined in the inner room of the prison, and his feet were made fast in the stocks.

SINGULAR ESCAPE.

He, however, escaped from prison in a very curious manner. His feet being swollen by confinement, he prevailed on his keeper to allow him to have his right foot loosed for a day or two. By means of his shoe, together with a reed, and a quantity of rags which lay within his reach, he formed an artificial leg which he fastened to his right knee, in such a manner as that he could move it with ease. Having obtained permission to have his other foot relieved, he inserted the artificial limb into the stocks. Both his feet being thus at liberty, he, during the following night, forced the door of his apartment, felt his way through the dark passages, dropt from a window, and having scaled the walls of his prison with difficulty, made his escape. As he had taken the artificial leg to pieces before he left the prison, his persecutors could not account for his escape, and circulated a report that he had effected it by magic. Upon this he published an account of the whole affair in the form of a dialogue, in which he made very severe reinarks on some of the popish errors.

Some time after this he became a lecturer in the University of Paria.— Here he remained for three years, during which he was protected from the fury of his persecutors by a body-guard of the students, and the favor of the inhabitants. At length, the Pope threatened to pronounce a sentence of excommunication against the town in consequence of the protection that was afforded Curio. He therefore thought best to retire, at first to Venice; but finally he quitted Italy, and fixed his residence at Lausanne.

On his return from this place for his wife and children, he again narrowly escaped his persecutors. The servants of the Inquisition, who were scattered all over the country, discovered his route and prepared to seize him. One day when he was seated at dinner in an inn, the captain of a band of the Pope's soldiers, entered the room and commanded him, in the Pope's name, to yield himself a prisoner. Curio, despairing of escape, rose to deliver himself up, retaining unconsciously in his hand, the knife with which he had been carving his food. The captain seeing a strong man approaching him with a large knife, was seized with a sudden panic, and retreated to a corner of the room. Upon this, Curio, who possessed great presence of mind, walked deliberately out of the room, and passed without interruption through the midst of the armed men who were placed at the door, and taking his horse from the stable, made good his flight.

From Lausanne he removed to the University of Basle. His reputation was so great that he was often invited by Dukes and Emperors to reside in their dominions; but he continued in this place till he died in peace, at the age of sixty-six-an end that was granted to few of the Italian reformHow thankful ought we to be, that our lot has been cast in a land of Bibles, where the terrible power of the Inquisition is known only as matter of history; where, if we are faithful to our trust, the "Man of Sin" shall never be able to shed the blood of saints.

ers.

THE INFANT IN HEAVEN.

J.

By the " pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal," and beneath the shadow of the "tree of life," were seated three beautiful children. The seal of Jesus' love was on their foreheads. They were clothed with a