"OUR GIFT" has been prepared as a token of affection for our Sunday
school Pupils, and it is hoped that it may serve a similar purpose in
the hands of other teachers. It has been said, that "_He who gives his
thought, gives a part of himself_." It was this idea that suggested the
offering we now bring. We do not claim for it especial excellence. We
are aware that its pages have not uniform merit. When we state that they
are from the pens of twenty-five different teachers, few of whom are
accustomed to write for the public eye, we offer the only apology for
the imperfections of the work, which, in our judgment, the circumstances
of the case demand. If this explanation shall not cause the critic to
throw the work aside, we would welcome him to whatever pleasure he may
find in its perusal. Of the defects which it contains, we prefer to
share jointly the responsibility; and have, therefore, omitted to attach
signatures to the several articles. The shorter paragraphs, scattered
through the work, embody ideas from several contributions which have
been excluded by its narrow limits. Such as it is, we present it to the
public generally, and especially to our pupils, as a slight token of the
ardent love we bear them, humbly praying that the moral lessons it
contains may find a place in their hearts, and contribute to the
formation of such a character as involves within itself the highest form
of blessing.