=We have no Authoritative Teaching.=—We have no teaching by authoritative utterance strong in the majesty of virtue. We work out no schemes of ethical teaching in marble; we paint no scale of virtues on our walls, and no repellent vices. Our poets speak for us, it is true; but the moral aphorisms, set like jewels though they be on the fore-finger of time, are scattered here and there, and we leave it serenely to happy chance whether our children shall or shall not light upon the couple of lines which should fire them with the impulse to virtuous living. It may be said that we neglect all additional ethical teaching because we have the Bible; but how far and _how_ do we use it? Here we have indeed the most perfect ethical system, the most inspiring and heart-enthralling, that the world has ever possessed; but it is questionable whether we attempt to set a noble child’s heart beating with the thought that he is required to be perfect as his Father which is in Heaven is perfect. =High Ideals.=—It is time we set ourselves seriously to this work of moral education which is to be done, most of all, by presenting the children with high ideals. ‘Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime,’ and the study of the lives of great men and of the great moments in the lives of smaller men is most wonderfully inspiring to children, especially when they perceive the strenuousness of the childhood out of which a noble manhood has evolved itself. As one grows older no truth strikes one more than that ‘the child is father to the man.’ It is amazing how many people of one’s own acquaintance have fulfilled the dreams of their childhood and early youth, and have had their days indeed ‘bound each to each in natural piety.’