VOL. IV.

NO. IV.

Long ago there lived in the city of Padua, a happy little child whose name was Antonio. He loved birds and flowers and all beautiful things, and he was so gentle to every body and every thing, that the white swans sailing on the water would follow at his call; the robins and swallows would come from their homes in the trees to eat out of his hand, and the lambkins in the meadows would even leave the mother sheep to play with the little Antonio.

As he grew older Antonio became a very studious boy, and I think his parents and teachers must have thought that his name was well chosen-for Antonio or Anthony, (as we should say), means "worthy of praise." The book this little scholar loved best of all, was the one that tells the story of the dear Lord, who made the sun to shine, the birds to sing, and the trees and plants to grow for His children.

When Antonio became a man, he went far from his home to a country where the people were rough and fierce, to try to teach them to be wiser and more gentle in their way of living with each. other.

Antonio himself, was so patient in his teaching, so brave and loving in all his

work for them, that the people, rude as they were, would always listen to him gladly, and it was not long before many of them had learned a great many lessons of love from him, and they grew wiser too. When he was tired and sad because of all the cruel things he saw, and the cross words that he heard, Antonio would go alone to the shore of the great sea, and there he would talk to the Heavenly Father, and ask him to make the people better. One story tells that the tones of Antonio's voice were so sweet and strong that when he prayed by the seaside, the fishes would come in crowds to the shore, just as the birds used to come to him when he was a little boy, and then Antonio would talk to them about the One who made them.

One day as he kneeled by his table to pray, dressed in the coarse gown that he always wore, a most beautiful picture seemed to be opened out before him. He seemed to see the Lord Jesus coming to him in the form of a little naked baby. All around the Holy Child, floated and hovered a host of baby Angels; but the Christ-child walked on the bright clouds as if he were treading on the earth.

Looking up, waiting and hoping, Antonio stretched out his arms-when,

wonder of wonders! the Holy Baby seemed to come down into the good man's arms, and nestle close in his bosom.

Birds flew about the room, pecking at the tall white lilies which Antonio loved to have near him; the little troop of cherubs came and went, but still the Child stayed with the man who loved him so much, until it seemed to Antonio, that the Mother Mary came from the the clouds and beckoned to her son,

and then the vision faded and Antonio was alone again.

But never, through his whole life could he forget the clasp of that baby's arms as they twined about his neck; and he longed more than ever to have the people about him know of the Loving One, who really did come down to the earth one Christmas day to be near his children. ALICE H. PUTNAM. Chicago.

Education and religion have come down the years, hand in hand, each leading and assisting the other. This mutual companionship has prevented the one from straying into the byway of barren intellectuality, and kept the other from drifting into sentimental creedishness. The same principle underlying both has heretofore demanded the maintenance of an equilibrium. They have now come together to an age which manifests conflicting opinions as to the relation of church to school. From some comes a strong demand that the two move on independently of each other. Others make most urgent appeals for non-sectarian and non-religious schools. The church mourns the ascendency of an intellect cultivation which weans her most potent exponents from their religious leadings. The public questions the use of the Bible in its school system, and the parochial schools demand freedom to inculcate Catholicism. Church and school are being discussed as two opposing factors, when heretofore they have held equal fellowship in progress.

Every internal struggle precedes a clearance of the old to make way for the

new, and history has taught us to watch through the night for the rising star. We scan the cloudy sky and behold, a rift of light breaks through the darkness. A dawning promise has come with the so-called "new education." Even now it rises into full-orbed ascendency.

It would solve the problem in making education truly Christian and religion wholly educative. Its mission is to bring both together on a stronger, broader, basis. It means to reach the two extremes such as poor fishermen of Galilee, who, ignorant of the learned mysteries of the Sanhedrim, are yet able to read the wonders of revelation; and the stern philosopher, who, searching for Truth, has lost the child-mind which alone can know wisdom.

Educational psychology recognizes an All-Mind controlling and directing the universe and man, and so establishes itself on religious principle. Pestalozzi accepted this basis, but builded higher, taking the same idea of spiritual law on into educational detail:-If mind guides and directs, he says, my teaching of these children must be unto righteousFriedrich Froebel took up the

ness.

same premise and demonstrated true Christianity to be the only secure abiding place for education. A pedagogue, meaning one who "leads a child on," implies that this onwardness must lead toward an ever higher, better thought, the ultimate of which must be man's truest conception of divinity.

It is so frequently stated, the Kindergarten system as designed by Froebel, is based on broad, impersonal truth, and the educational world at large is reaching out after it more eagerly each day. The multitude to-day as of old follow after the truth in its every form, and as of old, Pharisees and scribes cast stones at its representatives. Meanwhile, that divine impetus to progressive development, like leaven in the meal, is daily declaring God's presence to the human family. This is that spiritual nature which every man grants to each of his fellow-men, and which the little child. manifests in the strongest and most convincing degree. Learning to let the leaven work, this is education.

The activity of nature is this "working" unimpeded and unreserved. The same activity is in man and has called out incessantly for release to come to its full expression. The Christ in man is ever active and leads him out of the bondage of passivity into truth and conviction. The passivity of Buddha has in a century of centuries proven itself uneducative, and only with the coming

When teachers and parents realize this, they will again behold the child grow, wax strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God will be upon him. Then will the very presence of the teacher or parent become the education, and there will be imparted to those under their charge, that sweet sense of security and confidence and substance which the babe feels in its mother's arms.

Like a seer, Froebel has looked into the future and pictured out the process of true education. We know full well the moral influence of the Kindergarten and of education, let us practice the Christianity of it, and abide full of the conviction that there is no other than religious education.

Actuated by the true impulses of such individual conviction both teachers and parents will become, as Froebel says they should be, the representatives of Truth and Christlikeness to their children, and establish to them the reality of an ever present God.

Buffalo, N. Y

AMALIE HOFER.

Her petticoat's of russet gray With just a tinge of green, Then a white and cloudy veil Falls in fleecy flounces pale, Fit for any fairy queen.

With lace for trimmings, fine as frost,
And pearls like frozen drops,
And crystal fringes sparkling quite
Like rows of icicles in the light-

Did she get them in the shops?

LOVE IN ACTION.

things glorify' or praise our Father-the trees, the flowers, the bees; we, too, glorify Him when we try to help others. To-day I want to tell you a story—a very beautiful story of a time when our Father was glorified, and His love was told of, more than at any other time. I have brought this picture to help me tell the story. What do you see, children?" "Sheep," comes from several voices. Yes, sheep are there-anything else?" "I see some men," says Percy. 'We can all see the men, can't we? And now, do you see what the sheep are doing? They are fast asleepit is night time, I think, and it is such a warm night they don't need to go into a shed, or barn, to sleep. And the men, what are they doing, children?" "Taking care of the sheep," answer several. "Yes, keeping watch, just like you watch the baby at home sometimes. They did n't want anything to hurt the sheep, and as they watched, they talked together. Just then a bright light shone round about them, and when they saw it they were afraid. But an angel came and said, 'Don't be afraid, I have come to bring you good tidings of great joy. I think, children, that meant, I have come to tell you something very nice. something that will make you and everybody else glad.' Then the angel said. 'a little baby has come-the most good and the most beautiful baby who ever came. It is Jesus. You may find the babe not very far away.'

"And just as the angel told the Shepherds the way to go, they heard some singing-beautiful singing, for a great many angels had come to tell the good

news, and this is what they sang:" (Miss Ethel sits down at the piano and sings a Christmas Carol, beginning "Glory to God in the Highest.") "You see the angels had come to praise our Father, and they wanted every one else to praise Him, too. When the angels had gone back to Heaven the shepherds said to each other, 'Let us go and see.' And so they journeyed in a hurry until they came to the place where the babe was, with his mother. They did not find Jesus in a large, fine house; there was no room for him in the beautiful houses, but he was in a place where the horses and the donkeys were kept, and his cradle was a manger. But the shepherds were so glad to find Jesus, they did n't care where it was. Do you know, children, this was the very first Christmastime?""Christmas is coming soon, is n't it, Miss Ethel?" says Eddie. "Yes, we have Christmas every year because it is Jesus' birthday. Now," adds Miss Ethel, "I think you would like to hear the story from the piano, would n't you?" Of course there is a ready assent. The children are always eager for Miss Ethel to sing. They listen to the song. "Shepherds sat upon the ground, Fleecy flocks were scattered 'round, When the brightness filled the sky, And a song was heard on high,

On the Christmas morning.
Angels sang a loud, sweet song,
For a holy babe was born;
Down on earth to live with men,
Jesus, our dear Saviour came

On the Christmas morning." ("Songs for the Little Ones," Gertrude Walker, p. 71, verses 3, 4.)

SECOND SUNDAY.

'You know, children," says Miss Ethel, we talked last Sunday of how the

baby Jesus came on the first Christmas day; of how the angels brought the news to the shepherds, and sang that sweet song, telling of gladness everywhere because Jesus had come. To-day we will sing the story, just as I did then."

Less time is spent on the general exercises and more in the singing of this Christmas hymn. "First the piano shall tell it all alone." The tune is played very softly, then Miss Ethel says, "Now, we will tell it with the piano by humming softly, and all those who can, sing the story with me." The verses of last Sunday are sung two or three times. First, by all the children, then by a few, and again another few, who are called to the piano to be the choir." Miss Ethel is now anxious to have reverent attention, so she says, "When every one is very quiet, I will show you a picture of the little babe with his mother." After a moment or two, she takes out a photographed copy of the "Nativity" by Correggio.

While Miss Ethel sees the interest and admiration deepen in the children's faces, as she passes the picture about among them, she says very softly," This is a picture of the best and greatest Gift our Father ever sent. For Jesus came to tell us all how much our Father loved us, and to show us how to love. He did n't come to live for himself but for you and for me.

There were other people who came to find Jesus, besides the shepherds. On the night the angels sang their song, some great and wise men, in a country far away, saw the bright light in the sky. It seemed to them like a beautiful star, and as they looked, they saw it move on and on and on, until it seemed to be showing them just the way to go.