ers. They lack the love that is necessary to engage one in this labor of love. They have no heart for the work.

10. Do you attend the Monthly Concert?

I would like to have this piece read, though I know very well that many of those I ask to read it, could themselves write a better article on the same subject. I am a little afraid that some who do not attend the Monthly Concert, will read the heading of the article and then turn to something else, presumed to be more interesting. As that, however, will look very much like a desire to evade the light, and an unwillingness to hear why we should attend the Concert, I hope they will, through dread of that imputation, conclude to read the whole article. I cannot doubt they have their reasons for not attending, and I promise that if they will have them printed, I will carefully read them, provided they will read my reasons in favor of attendance.

I put a question. I put it not to every body. I ask it not of the world, for the world is the object of the Concert, and cannot be expected therefore to join in it. I put it to the professor of religion-the reputed disciple of Christ.

I ask him if he attends

the Monthly Concert? He knows what I mean by that phrase the meeting for prayer attended by Christians on the first Monday in each month, in which they offer their social supplications for the success of missions, the spread of the Gospel, and the conversion of the world to God.

All the mem

The half do

bers of the church do not attend it. not. No. The Concert has not yet secured the majority of the church. Even "the sacramental host" are not as yet in favor of the conversion of the world, if attendance on the Monthly Concert may be made the test, as I think with the utmost propriety it may; for surely he cannot have much of a desire for the world's conversion who will not meet once a month to express it in concert with other Christians. And this, I suppose, is the principal reason why the world is not converted, because the prayer-meetings of the church bear testimony that even she is not heartily in favor of it. O, when will the question, "Shall the world be converted?" be put to the church, and carried in the affirmative? There will be joy in heaven when that result is reported there; and then the work of the world's conversion will go rapidly forward, and nations be born in a day. Now, do you join in the concert, or are you one of those who make discord?

Many professors can say they do attend. I am glad so many can say it. You attend, but let me ask, do you love to attend? O! if you leave your

hearts at home, that is bad. We want the heart at the Monthly Concert. It spoils all if we have not the heart there to send up to heaven its sincere desires. "Prayer," you know, "is the heart's sincere desire." You attend, but do you attend habitually; or is it only occasionally that you go? Do you attend twelve times a year, if Providence interpose no obstacle? It is a Monthly Concert. It is intended that Christians should meet and pray together at least once a month. There are professors of religion who attend the Concert sometimes, perhaps on an average once in three months, and they think that is doing tolerably well. But what if others should do so! Then it would be no Monthly Concert, but a Quarterly Concert; and such it should be now to suit the practice of too many of the church. But I think once a month, or twelve times a year, is not too often for Christians to meet together to pray,

Our Father........thy kingdom come." As a Christian, I feel that it is not too often, and I think, if I was a heathen, and knew all that is involved in being a heathen, I should feel like being prayed for by Christians at least once a month. O! it is not too often, either for us who pray, or for those for whom we pray. Then, fellow Christians, let us attend every month, bringing along with us each one a heart touched with gratitude, melted into pity, fervent with love, full of faith, and as sure as we live, we shall bless and be blessed.

"But they say it is not an interesting meeting." I don't know why it should be uninteresting to Christians. Is it because it is a prayer meeting; or because it is a prayer meeting for others? Does it lack interest because there is no preaching, and the very prayers are not for ourselves? Will the disciple of Jesus make this confession? Will he acknowledge that it takes away the interest of a meeting, when its character is so devotional, and its object so benevolent? It has been asked, "How shall we contrive to make the Monthly Concert interesting to the people?" It is only the people themselves that can make it interesting. Let them come to it. Let the members of the church appear in their places on that evening. Let conscience bring them, if inclination does not, and let him who is to preside in the meeting be cheered by the aspect of a full assembly, and the interest of the Monthly Concert is secured without the laying down of rules and observance of minute directions. Who ever found a well attended concert for prayer uninteresting? But, one says, it sometimes rains, and I cannot attend. I know it sometimes rains, but do you never go out in the rain for any purpose? O Christian, if for anything you ever go through the rain, go through the rain to the Monthly Concert. I suspect the rain does not hinder you from fulfilling an important engagement with a fellow creature. Now, I know that you have not specifically engaged to

Are

meet God at the Monthly Concert; but there are vows on you which, I am sure, include this. you not one of those who say, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" waiting for his answer? His answer comprehends many things, and among them is this. Indeed, I think the duty of attending the Monthly Concert is included in the general obliga"into all the world," and teach all nation to go tions;" ." and you consented to it when you made the full surrender. Therefore let not trifles detain you at home on the evening of the church's concert of prayer for the world. But if by necessity detainedif you go not, because on such a night you would go out for no purpose whatever, you can spend the hour in the closet praying for the world. That you will not fail to do. The closet is accessible in all weather. If you cannot go out to the prayer meeting, yet you can "enter into thy closet," and though your prayer will be a solo, it will be as grateful to God as the concert of others.

But some professors of religion never attend the Monthly Concert! What I propose to say to them I must reserve for another article.