Sunday School Success. By Amos R. Wells. (The Sunday School
Union.)—The author of this volume describes it as "a book of practical methods for Sunday-school teachers and others," but among hie " methods " he does not mention a gift of strictly American humour, which, however, the visits of Messrs. Moody and Sankey and other evangelists to this country have proved to be not inconsistent with very pronounced seriousness. This humour, like most from the same quarter, is instinct with the spirit of utility. Thus we read in a chapter bearing the title of "Trigger Teaching" such remarks as "The hard-working Sunday-school teacher picks up his cartridge, proudly carries it to the desired destination, and there explodes it. The shrewd Sun- day-school teacher uses the scholar as a rifle, and simply pulls the trigger. Some teachers, that is, consider themselves as big guns. Other and better teachers seek to make practical working guns of their scholars." There is more than a touch of specially American ingenuity in some of the devices for stimulating energy and enterprise which are suggested or have actually been put in practice. For example, "Enforce punctuality by a large placard hung in front of the school and reading 'You are early.' When the school opens the card is turned and now reads in staring Letters, You are late ! ' " The book, which is written with great clearness and in almost too " nervous " American-English, sup- plies perhaps the most remarkable testimony that has yet been borne to the amount of voluntary labour and enthusiasm that has been thrown into Sunday-school work.
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