benighted tribes of that long abused and bloodstained quarter of the world? What barriers, but those of everlasting winter, are there, to prevent her visiting either pole, with the Bible in her hand, and the accents of salvation upon her tongue? "Lift up your eyes round about and see." Burmah is open, and all India is open, from Persia to China, from Cape Cormorin to the Himalay mountains. Indeed, with the exception of the boasted "Celestial Empire," and Japan, which must now be regarded as the capital of Satan's empire, and perhaps Madagascar, where his incarnation is scarcely less fierce and terrible, what part of the heathen world is not open to the heralds of peace and salvation? Nay, why do I except China even, when so many millions of her people are accessible along her southern borders, and when the great wall, which has so long kept out pure Christianity, seems ready to fall down, even before the seventh blast of the gospel trumpet?

As for Turkey and its dependencies, so long desolated by the locusts of the Apocalypse, who does not see, that the crescent is on the wane? Even now the Moslem power is broken, and the sultan holds his capital by Russian sufferance. Nor is there less encouragement, when we look at the decay of the Romish power, which so long

held the most enlightened parts of the world in cruel bondage. How wonderful the change, since the Pontiff set his foot upon the necks of the most powerful kings, and "exalted himself above all that is called God, and is worshipped." How tottering is his throne, even in the "Eternal City," and how tattered is his scarlet colored robe! Who now trembles at the thunders of the Vatican? What petty prince is there, who might not, if he chose, roll them back, and batter down its tottering walls? Where are the Jesuits?—where the ghostly tormentors of the inquisition? France is open to protestant missionaries? Spain and Portugal cannot long remain shut; and who can doubt, that the same burning zeal which fired the breasts of the apostles and other primitive missionaries, would soon find some door of entrance into Rome itself?

But we have still surer indications that the time, yea the set time to favor Zion is come, and that the millennium is near at hand, in the fact, that the servants of the Lord "take pleasure in her stones and favor the dust thereof." Although the church, as a body, is not even now more than half awake to the spiritual wants of the world, and her hand is but half opened to supply them, she has never, since the days of the apostles, felt so much, nor prayed so much, nor done so much, as within

the last few years. These are among the most animating signs of the times. In all other cases, we judge of what may be reasonably hoped for and expected from men's undertakings, by the scale of their preparations, the instruments employed, and the manner in which they commence and prosecute their enterprises. Thus, when large companies are formed for internal improvements, in a new state or territory, and engineers are abroad examining the face of the country, and surveying the most practicable routes for rail-roads and canals, and we see great quantities of materials collected, and the work here and there begun, all along these lines of communication, we say that a new era has dawned upon the wilderness, and look forward with confidence to the completion of works so auspiciously begun.

What, then, may we not expect, when we hear so many holy prophets rejoicing over the conversion of the world, and look at the preparations which are now making, in obedience to the command of Christ, and under the smiles of a favoring Providence, for the universal spread of the gospel. Missionary societies, Bible societies, and other kindred benevolent associations, are certainly among the brightest glories of the age in which we live. With what extraordinary zeal and success, under

the auspices of these heaven-born institutions, have heathen countries lately been surveyed, with reference to immediate occupation. How many hundreds of devoted missionaries have been sent out to the east and the west, the north and the south. In how many places have these indefatigable laborers already broken ground, along every line of communication that has been explored, and how many watch-fires have they kindled up, on the frowning promontories and head-lands of pagan continents and islands. How many christian schools and churches have they actually planted, around the temples of Moloch, and even upon the ruins of his blood-stained altars. Into how many heathen languages have the Scriptures been translated, and what multitudes, especially of children in the schools, are beginning to "read the wonderful works of God, in their own tongues wherein they were born." It is true, and it is painful to think of it, that but few, in comparison with the whole population of the heathen countries over which christian missionaries are scattered, have as yet been savingly converted to God; but the work is auspiciously begun at hundreds of important stations; and, while looking at the dark side of the picture, we ought not to forget how much of the time and expense, which are requisite for the ac

complishment of all great enterprises, are necessarily absorbed in mere preparations. Before a vast wilderness can be turned into fruitful fields, the trees must be cut down with great labor, the ground must be broken up and mellowed, the good seed must be sown, and then the husbandman must wait patiently for the harvest. Before a fortress, strong by nature, and made almost impregnable by art, can be taken, munitions must be collected for the seige, a powerful battering train must be brought up and planted, before a cannon ball is fired; and when all things are ready, and a few inconsiderable out-posts are got possession of, and the trenches are opened, more that tells upon the destinies of a nation may be effected in the bombardment of a week, or a day, than whole years of costly preparation had accomplished.

So in the system of means which God has ordained, and has for these many years been bringing into action, to "subdue all things unto himself,” when the funds are provided, and the sacramental host is once fairly in the field, we may consider the conquest of the world as half achieved. Looking at the subject in this light; considering, too, how the all but miraculous agency of steam, and of other kindred improvements and inventions, is moving all the continents and islands of the