To render habits of extemporaneous preaching easy and natural, it will only be necessary that the student address himself to the attainment of the art simultaneously with the commencement of his other studies; and pursue it as he pursues them, with a systematic and untiring diligence, and he will have maturity in it when he has maturity in them. Thus the error will be avoided of making room for this habit by breaking down the established dominion of older ones, and of sacrificing to its feeble existence the concord and fellowship which should always exist among them. Let students then not shun, as they sometimes do, but let them court the drilling of professional skill, to secure to them this most important and useful acquisition. After they have once entered the field of their labours, they will never regret any sacrifices of time or patience which they have made to acquire it.

Finally: To give an efficient and sacred unction to our ministry, it will be necessary to accompany it continually with prayer. God is the source, and the only source, whence an influence adequate to this purpose can be derived. A holy fervour in his work is the result of an internal anointing of his Spirit. The flame must be kindled at the altar of prayer, and there alone can it be kept burning. He who begins, continues, and ends his labours in prayer, shall assuredly have occasion to rejoice in the last day, that he has neither run in vain nor

laboured in vain. God will own his ministry, and clothe it with power and salvation.

The Theological Institution established in this place, was founded for the purpose of giving to the church such a ministry as we have now imperfectly described, and under the supervision of its experienced Faculty, has done all hitherto, which learning, piety, and the most indefatigable industry could accomplish. Some of its graduates are now occupying posts of the highest responsibility in the church at home; some are traversing the wide wilderness in our country, preaching the gospel of the kingdom to its scattered and fainting population; and others still are toiling on heathen shores, breaking the bread of life to them that sit in darkness and in the region and shadow of death. Were the institution from this moment to cease its operations and pass out of existence, both the church on earth and the church in heaven would have occasion for ever to render grateful praise to that beneficent Providence which brought it into being.

But the task of sustaining its interests and of discharging the difficult and complicated duties connected with its internal management, has been hitherto toilsome and onerous to a degree that has loudly called for relief. The venerable men who have shouldered this burden, have borne it without repining, but not without great sacrifices of health and comfort.

The present occasion should therefore be one of lively interest and of joyful congratulation to all the friends of Zion, not only as it gives to one of her most eminent and venerable institutions, an accession of talent, learning, and experience, which cannot fail to deepen the channels through which its refreshing streams are flowing out to the church, but as it brings relief to the men who have, so to speak, for her sake, jeoparded their lives in the high places of the field.

We meet on this occasion, solemnly and officially to induct into office, one who has been chosen by the competent authority to fill the chair of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theology in this seminary of sacred science. He brings with him the experience of a long and successful ministry, exercised on one of the lofty and beauteous eminences of Zion; and, associated with the talent and experience and piety of his distinguished colleagues, will contribute, we trust, to swell that mighty river of salvation, the streams whereof are making glad the city of our God.

The post to which he is called is a responsible one, as it gives in special charge to him to mould and train the practical and preaching talent of our youth. God grant him a fresh and copious anointing of the Spirit, that distant places and distant times may have occasion to bless that Providence which led him to unite his destinies with those of this sacred institution.

Brethren in the ministry and members of the churches:

This institution will need and must have our patronage and our prayers. The smiles of Divine Providence are indeed beaming sweetly upon it now, but they will not long continue to do so, unless its interests be embalmed in the affections and nurtured by the prayers of the church. Whatever talent, or learning, or piety, or zeal, may fill its chairs of instruction and of internal police, it will certainly never prosper independently of God's blessing and the patronage of the church. The relations therefore which we hold to it are solemn and responsible. Shall it languish on our hands? When a cry for the labours of the heralds of the cross is borne to our ears on every breeze, and whole nations are dying in utter ignorance of the way of salvation, shall this institution be suffered to wane and falter for want of our patronage and our prayers? God forbid. Let us not cease then to bear its interests to the throne of grace; and let us by every means labour to enlarge the sphere of its usefulness, and may God grant that its influence may be felt through all time, to the joy of millions of immortal minds, redeemed and saved through its instrumentality.

SERMON III.

THE SANCTUARY BUILT.

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord."-HAGGAI 1: 7, 8.

It is vain to pretend that there exists an exact correspondence between the Jewish and the Christian church. Although the latter is only a continuation of the former, yet it exists under circumstances so different in respect of its external organization, its government, privileges, and obligations, that the two appear, to the superficial observer, to have but very little affinity. Yet, as they were constituted and ruled by the same authority, and for the same great ends, the history of the former cannot be otherwise than pregnant with instructions suited to the condition and wants of the latter. The principles of truth and righteousness are immutable—the same in one age that they are in another -and what of homage and reverence and love were due from the Jew to God, are equally due from the Christian.

These remarks are applicable to that passage of Jewish history which we have just read. It refers to a period of time subsequent to that of the cap