the expression, did we ever see men, in any considerable numbers, reconciled unto God, where the ambassador of Jesus did not appear to propose the overtures of reconciliation? On the other hand, have we seen religion languish to any alarming degree, in its power, or form, where an able, evangelical, laborious ministry was enjoyed? How suddenly have the interests of godliness revived in an age, or city, or village, upon the establishment of a man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and how suddenly has its glory withered, and even its form vanished, under the incumbrance of a man erroneous in principle, immoral in practice, or indolent and unfaithful in the discharge of the duties of his trust, who intruded himself under the mask of a minister of Christ! Israel, during the former dispensation, did not degenerate to any affecting degree, while their priests and the prophets combined their influence in stemming the torrent; while these messengers of the Lord of Hosts, regardless of popular flattery or frown, dared to lift up their voices like a trumpet, exposing the iniquities which abounded; but how soon did the contagion become universal, when these, as rotten carcases, rolled along with the stream of corruption! At the introduction of the Christian economy, the labours of Apostles, and the limits of the Church, were nearly co-extensive; the triumphs of the cross were usually multiplied only where the soldier of Jesus extended his march, and, with the armour of God, nade his invasion upon the empire of darkness. The disciples went forth, says the sacred historian, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. The importance of the living min

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seals of the covenant, these badges of Christian, char acter, and these mediums of Christian comfort and support, to be dispensed; in short, without the living ministry, how is the visible church to be organized, for its privileges perpetuated, on the earth? This challenge is confidently made, because it is founded on the Bible itself, and confirmed by the general history of Zion. It hath pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Again, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Inword of God Nay, so important, so indispensable is othe ministry of reconciliation to the advancement of 14he Saviour's kingdom on the earth, that the Apostle asks, as he looks abroad on the benighted mations, How, shall they believe on him of whom they thave not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher? There is much instruction in the followuing declaration of our Lord, This Gospel of the king& dom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; that is, shall be propagated by preaching, and the New Testament prophet, in foreseeing and foretelling the glory of the millennial day, also foresaw, and foretold the preaching of the cross, as the great; means, by which this glory should be ushered upon the world. I saw, he asserts, I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to Devery nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

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These declarations of Scripture, are illustrated and supported by the history of the church in all past ages. Did we ever see the Gospel making any considerable progress beyond the sphere actually occupied by the preacher of righteousness? Or, to vary

the expression, did we ever see men, in any considerable numbers, reconciled unto God, where the ambassador of Jesus did not appear to propose the overtures of reconciliation? On the other hand, have we seen religion languish to any alarming degree, in its power, or form, where an able, evangelical, laborious ministry was enjoyed? How suddenly have the interests of godliness revived in an age, or city, or village, upon the establishment of a man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and how suddenly has its glory withered, and even its form vanished, under the incumbrance of a man erroneous in principle, immoral in practice, or indolent and unfaithful in the discharge of the duties of his trust, who intruded himself under the mask of a minister of Christ! Israel, during the former dispensation, did not degenerate to any affecting degree, while their priests and the prophets combined their influence in stemming the torrent; while these messengers of the Lord of Hosts, regardless of popular flattery or frown, dared to lift up their voices like a trumpet, exposing the iniquities which abounded; but how soon did the contagion become universal, when these, as rotten carcases, rolled along with the stream of corruption! At the introduction of the Christian economy, the labours of Apostles, and the limits of the Church, were nearly co-extensive; the triumphs of the cross were usually multiplied only where the soldier of Jesus extended his march, and, with the armour of God, made his invasion upon the empire of darkness. The disciples went forth, says the sacred historian, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. The importance of the living min

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istry for the success of Christiauity, is no less obvious from the history of the Reformation. A Wickliff in England, a Zuinglius in Germany, a Jerome in Prague, were instrumental, by their instructions and examples, in the partial illumination of the regions, where they respectively arose; and humanly speaking it wanted only the increase and succession of such which lights, to have dissipated that sullen darkness, which had so long enveloped the world; but in their age, in the following ages, where was there a reformation in religion, without the exertions of some adventurous, zealous reformer? and I am fully persuaded, that all our success in attempting to evangelize the heathen will depend, under God, on the number, the ability, the prudence, and patience, and perseverance, of our missionaries. As a friend to the prosperity of my Master's cause, and to the souls of those unnumbered millions, who are perishing without vision, I long to see a host of 'scribes well instructed in the mys teries of the kingdom, coming forward to be employed as Evangelists, men who are humble, and holy; mortified to themselves; mortified also to the world, in its gain, and gratifications, and glory; who are ready to endure any difficulty, to encounter any danger, and to resist any temptation, which the flesh, or the devil, or the world, may offer for the purpose of alluring or appalling them; men' to whom the honour of Jesus, and the salvation of fellow immortals, are dearer, beyond comparison, than houses, or lands, or father, or mother, or sisters, or brethren; men who need not be sought after by missionary societies, but, fired by a zeal too ardent to be repressed, or extinguished, like apostles offer themselves spontaneously to the work.

Are there none such in this large, and highly cultivated, and Christian assembly? Is there not one, are there not ten, are there not twenty generous youth, willing to offer in sacrifice every secular interest on the altar of love to the Saviour, and in compassion to miserable pagans; and to go forth as the first fruits of this Board, to some region hitherto unexplored by the spiritual pioneer? Look for a moment, beloved youth, ye who were early devoted to Jesus in baptism, whose intellectual powers have been improved by the advantages of education, and on whom the Holy Ghost has savingly descended, regenerating, and expanding, and purifying; look abroad, and behold the countless multitudes of fellow mortals and immortals, who have never seen a Bible; who have never entered the peaceful sanctuary; who have never heard of the redemption of the cross; whose consciences are often cloven with a sense of guilt, but know nothing of that crimson laver, which speaks pardon and peace; who are stripped of that robe of innocence, which once adorned the nature of man, but remain ignorant of that garment of salvation, which the friend of sinners has provided; who have forfeited by the disobedience of the first Adam, their title to the inheritance of heaven, but have never enjoyed the offer of an unalienable title to a nobler inheritance, through the obedience and blood of the second Adam, the Lord from heaven. What! is there bread to spare in the spiritual family, and shall these our brethren be permitted, through our neglect, to perish with hunger? Is there balm in Gilead, is there a remedy provided in the Gospel, and shall we suffer them to languish and die an eternal prey to the disease of sin! Is there