of persons, with all its benign influences, are in our possession. Our press, our schools and elementary books, our science, our literature-christianized, or greatly modified by Christianity-our literary and humane institutions, are means for improving the condition of men of which primitive missionaries had no thought.

These circumstances impose on the modern missionary a vastly greater and more varied work, than was required of the apostles. While they aimed almost exclusively to present Christianity so far as to sanctify and save individuals, we must aim to make such a developement of it, with all its accompaniments, as to improve the whole social body, and transform ignorant, debased, and wretched heathen tribes into intelligent, thrifty, happy christian communities.

men as the apostles did. Under all circum- || patterns after which to copy in introducing stances, to secure the conversion of men to useful institutions and arts. The means for God and their preparation for heaven, should || bringing Christianity to bear on all classes be the primary and chief object of every missionary. Still, if this should not be effected, it is a truly philanthropical and christian work to raise the heathen from their extreme debasement and wretchedness, to reform their morals, to enlighten their minds, to introduce among them the arts and comforts of civilized life, and in every practicable manner to improve their intellectual and social condition. And if he should accomplish only this, he would, considering how appalling the degradation and misery of the heathen are, greatly diminish the amount of human wo, and augment the amount of human happiness; nor is it beneath him or his office to labor for this. So far as the state of things in their day permitted, both Christ and his apostles sympathised with men in their wretchedness and applied relief. Most of their miracles were wrought for this purpose. But the nations generally to whom the apostles ministered were in a far better condition than are most of the unevangelized nations of the present day. They were, indeed, the most enlightened, the most moral, and the most improved in their social condition of all nations in the known world. There was no knowledge, or art, or useful institution, or mode of life any where existing, by the introduction of which they would be seriously benefitted. Since that day, christian nations have been improving as to their intellectual and social condition, while those without Christianity have been deteriorating, till the contrast has become so wide, that now, if the mental culture, the civilization, and the social happiness of Britain and the United States, regardless of Christianity, could be introduced and established among the Asiatic nations, it would be, in the estimation of every true philanthropist, worth all the expense and labor which ever has been or is likely to be given to the propagation of the gospel.

Here we have many advantages over the apostles. The tendencies of Christianity to promote human welfare in every respect have, by actual experiment, become much more fully developed, though still but very imperfectly exemplified or understood. In civilized and christian nations we have the

6. The modern missionary need not, in all cases, aim so exclusively at immediate results, as the apostles seem to have done. If they did not secure immediate results in turning men from idolatry to the knowledge and service of God they accomplished nothing. They must proclaim the christian doctrines and attack idolatrous systems directly and at once, for their circumstances did not admit of any other method of procedure. There was no introductory work which they could do; they could not establish schools, or distribute books, or introduce any of the useful arts of life; and thus by their labor to promote the welfare of those to whom they went, overcome prejudice, inspire confidence in the goodness of their character and motives, and gradually prepare the way for direct and open preaching of the word. Nor could they confine themselves at first to laying a foundation on which they might subsequently erect a more spacious edifice; nor to opening channels through which christian truth might flow out to the people more copiously and widely. They were almost confined to simply unfolding the doctrines and duties of Christianity over the small space to which their voice could reach; and to make their message known widely, they must in every place enter upon it at once, speedily dispatch their work, and pass on to other cities. Who can tell how much

less opposition Paul would have met with, is, moreover, of divine appointment, and

and how much more he might have accomplished at Iconium, or Athens, or Rome, had he possessed the facilities for gradually arresting attention and introducing christian knowledge, which are possessed by the modern missionary.

Open preaching of the gospel, or attack on the established systems of idolatry and error are contrary to the known law and policy of many nations at the present day;" and any direct attempt to introduce Christianity would undoubtedly be followed by banishment or death. In such a crisis the instruction of Christ to his disciples was, "When they persecute you in one city, flee unto another." The modern missionary may sit down within such a country, or on its borders, and there acquire the language; there prepare elementary school-books, and establish schools; there translate and print the sacred Scriptures, and all the while, without much publicity, by his holy example, his kindness and beneficence, and his daily conversation, be breaking down barriers and opening the way for the public proclamation of the whole truth of God. If the missionary is not permitted to do all which he could wish, he must do what he can.

In other nations, where open and direct preaching would be permitted, the pioneers who enter the field may see pretty clearly that to expend most of their time and strength for a series of years, not in public preaching, but in laying, by a course similar to that described above, a broad foundation, will prepare them ultimately to exert a far wider and more enduring influence, and open the way for Christianity to flow over the land like the waves of the sea. And indeed, though individual converts might at the outset be far less numerous, the whole nation might in this manner be christianized much earlier, than if the first missionaries had poured out their lives like water in journeyings and preaching.

The public preaching of the word must not, however, be put in the back ground. In all ages it has been the most important means in propagating the christian faith. It

*Whether the missionary should preach the gospel

to a people, contrary to the explicit and known law of the rulers, is a question worthy of much consideration; but one which cannot be fully discussed here.

must never cease to hold the prominent place it did with the apostles, except where the providence of God clearly forbids it, or indicates that some other means may be used for a time more advantageously. Still preaching the gospel-publishing it—may as really be done in the school-room, in the family visit, or by the Bible or tract distributor, as in the public Sabbath assembly. Nothing here said must be understood as implying that the missionary abroad or the minister at home is not to expect that his exhibition of christian truth will be followed, without great delay, by the conversion of his hearers; or that the truths of the gospel are to be kept out of sight, to avoid offending those who dislike them; or that the missionary should practise any concealment of his doctrines and designs, when a full avowal of them is called for.

The apostolical spirit,

Study then, dear brethren, the writings of the apostles, and the specimens of their preaching which the New Testament records. Imbibe and cherish their spirit; and every where, and at all times, do just what you suppose that missionaries of their spirit, of their zeal, of their courage, would do in your circumstances. having at command the facilities for disseminating and establishing Christianity possess||ed by missionaries of the present day, is that which shall convert the world. The missionaries of the primitive church were in character and zeal admirably adapted to their work; but they had not the means requisite to give their doctrines full and permanent effect among the nations, God having in his providence "reserved some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." When their spirit shall descend on all candidates for the ministry, and they shall go forth like Paul, counting all things but loss for Christ, warning every man night and day with tears; and when the churches at home, adorning the doctrine of God their Savior in all things, striving together in their prayers that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, shall amply furnish the great company of preachers with all the means requisite to give vigor and permanence to their exertions, then know that the redemption of the world draweth nigh. The green leaf on the

fig-tree is not a surer indication of approach- || ing summer. Then shall the light go forth more rapidly and widely than on the morning of the primitive church, to be succeeded by no night like that which then came on so sudden and dark, for this shall be the day of millennial glory.

EMBARKATION OF MISSIONARIES.

The letter is from a gentleman in Richmond, Virginia.

At the monthly concert for prayer, last evening in the first church, in this city, the subject to which your Committee have called the attention of the churches, to wit, "That sixty missionaries had offered their services to go and preach the everlasting gospel to the heathen, and that they were detained from their labor of love, for the want of means, and that the Prudential Ox Sabbath evening, January 1st, a meet- Committee needed $50,000 to enable them ing was held at the Rev. Mr. Langstroth's to employ the missionaries whose services had been accepted"-and after much prayer, meeting-house, in Andover, Ms., when the when the blessing was about to be proinstructions of the Prudential Committee nounced, the Spirit of the Lord put it in the were delivered by one of the Secretaries to heart of a worthy brother to ask the conthe Rev. Messrs. Albert L. Holladay and gregation to pause a moment, when, after George W. Leyburn, and Mr. William R. making a few appropriate remarks, a motion was made and agreed to, that instead Stocking, and their wives, preparatory to of the usual collection at the door, each and their entering on the missionary service un- every one present should be allowed the der the patronage of the Board. Prayers privilege of going to the table and subscribing as much as he pleased, with a view of were offered by Rev. Dr. Edwards and Mr. raising, in the two Presbyterian churches in Armstrong, and Rev. Mr. Bird, recently this city, the entire sum of $1,000 as our from the Syrian mission, delivered an ad-quota of the $50,000 necessary, and that dress. Messrs. Holladay and Leyburn have two gentlemen from each church be a committee to wait upon the absent members for recently completed their theological studies their contributions immediately. The conat the Union Theological Seminary in Vir- cert meeting was not a very full one, as ginia, and both themselves and their wives many brethren are out of town, but $560 were subscribed at the concert, and the comare natives of that State; the former is exmittee is out on duty this morning; and I pected to join the mission among the Nestohave no doubt at least $1,000 will be raised rians in the province of Oormiah in Persia, before next Lord's day; indeed I was diand the latter the mission in Scio, a Greek rected by the meeting last night, to address you on the subject and to say, the two island near the gulf of Smyrna. Mr. and churches in Richmond will place in my Mrs. Stocking are from Middletown, Con- hands the sum of $1,000, to be remitted to necticut, and accompany Mr. Holladay as your Treasurer, and I shall no doubt have teachers to the Nestorians. On the 7th of the pleasure of doing so in less than ten days. I feel some desire, to let all our January they all embarked on board the churches throughout this wide and prosperous brig Banian, captain Inglee, bound for land, know what we have done, not that we Sinyrua. have done so much; but that they might see how very easy it is to raise double the amount called for by the Prudential Committee, if we would all wake up and put forth our strength-a willing mind and the thing is done.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

THE extract which follows, made from a letter received by the Secretaries of the Board within the last few months, requires no further introduction than the remark that it was written soon after, and in consequence of the address to the patrons of the Board respecting the existing deficiency in the funds, published in the religious newspapers about the close of the last summer. It indicates the spirit existing in the christian community from which it proceeded, and which has been manifested in many other places, where the subject has been distinctly and urgently presented.

I most sincerely hope that before you receive this, the churches from the north, south, east, and west, shall have responded spirit, far exceeding any effort that we have to your appeal to them, in an enlarged or can make, and that, sixty times sixty faithful laborers may be speedily raised up, qualified and sent forth to reap the harvest.

It was stated in the number for December, that if the monthly receipts should fall much below the sum then acknowledged, ($30,000) the embarrassments of the Board must continue. It is hoped that this will be borne in mind.