OUR AIM.

Mr. Patterson DuBois tells us that over the entrance gate to a certain playground established for the benefit of the London poor is this motto, "No adults allowed to enter unless accompanied by children." That is the man whom the editors always have in their vision. Never the adult alone, nor the child alone, but the teacher with his class. No adults allowed to enter into their ideal unless accompanied by children. This aim modifies all their work.

The emphasis of each lesson is always laid upon the character-forming truths of the Bible. The object is to bring the best things, which the best scholarship and literary skill have made known, so far as they bear upon this purpose, to be within the reach of the average teachers in our Sunday schools.

EXTENSION WORK BY REFERENCES TO LITERATURE.

The limitations of space compel us to omit many things that are very helpful in illustrating the lesson, especially to children, and also fuller discussions of subjects which the adults would like to pursue farther. For this reason we not only present as full a list as we can of books upon the general subject of our lessons in the following Bibliography, but bring to the notice of teachers sidelights, literary illustrations, poetic references, and every other help we can find that comes within the limits of the space at our command. These may not only recall familiar passages of literature to the teacher's mind, but may also suggest others; for every treasure and every gem points to the mine from which it came; every flower, to the gardens where a thousand more are growing. Every suggestion is fertile in other suggestions, like the famous Oriental fountain into whose waters a good angel infused such power that a new fountain sprang up wherever a drop of its waters fell.

FOCUSSING THE HELPS.

"One

The publisher of the World's Evangel once published two companion pictures. shows a man in the midst of a pile of books, hunting through two hundred of them for information on a given subject. The other shows the student seated at a table with a glass which focusses rays of light from all the shelves of the library on to the subject or text. Now this is just what a twentieth century teacher must have a focussing glass." This volume is just such a glass. It does not supersede thought, but stimulates thought. It no more presents "predigested foods" or leads the teacher to a "cramming process" than does every sermon or volume or lecture to class by a professor.

On the contrary, it opens doors to further investigation and study far beyond any other, while at the same time it furnishes the best and choicest aids, in the best form for teaching, to the great mass of Sunday school teachers who are "business men and busy women and who must have such aid or do poorer work as teachers.

A BOOK FOR ALL GRADES.

This book is for the teachers of all grades in the Sunday school, from the student's adult classes to the smallest primary. Its purpose is to furnish the knowledge and the practical applications which must underlie all good teaching, even of the youngest classes. It is the basis of correct interpretation, of knowledge of the facts, of statement of principles, of legitimate inferences, on which the teacher may securely stand, and adapt his instruction to the particular grade he is teaching.

THE ADULT Class MovemenT is making very rapid progress, and looms large on the Sunday school horizon. Never were there so many organized adult classes as to-day, nor such a large ratio of development in numbers and in quality; and the movement gives promise of enormous usefulness.

THE SELECT NOTES keeps pace with this movement, and will be found peculiarly adapted for use in such classes, even when they do not follow the exact program of the International lessons. During the past six years all the more interesting parts of Scripture have been covered, and it is not easy for any class or teacher to find better helps than the SELECT NOTES on the portions studied, not only because of what they teach on different points, but also on account of the references to literature and to works upon the Bible, here given more fully than in any other book.

For the same reason the SELECT NOTES will be found to be the greatest available help for the teaching of any or all the schemes of Sunday school lessons.