done what they could."* Still, it is not denied that there may have been a deficiency of vigilance and anxiety in some cases; and that in others, charity, and kindness, and friendship may have prevented the exercise of impartial judgment, and of a due concern for the welfare of the church of God, and that several have thus gained admission into the pastoral office, against whom the door ought to have been closed; and whose exclusion would have been an act of kindness to themselves, as well as a benefit to the cause of religion. It is possible, too, that for want of attention and caution, some may have been discouraged by the neglect which they experienced, and by the obstacles which were thrown in their way, who ought to have been "thrust out as labourers into the vineyard."

It must also be taken into the account that pastors and churches are sometimes placed in difficult circumstances by the specious appearances and professions, the pertinacity and determination of candidates for admission into our colleges, and by the partiality and influence of their friends; and, in other cases, by the prejudices of those who would always prevent a prophet from having any honour in his own country, and, therefore, by the danger of giving offence, and disturbing the peace of the church.

It is evident, also, that the first step in this business is the most important; it is extremely desirable, that respecting it a correct judgment should be formed. When it is once taken, when a young man has been admitted into any of our theological institutions, the difficulty and the delicacy of preventing him from proceeding are much increased, and they are augmented at every succeeding stage of the progress. Business may have been given up. Encouraging prospects of success in secular pursuits may have been disregarded, considerable expense may have been incurred, and great exertions made, to procure preparatory instruction. Flattering hopes may have been indulged and even avowed, the disappointment of which may cause much pain and mortification. Retreat may be viewed as synonymous with disgrace. All these things, and others which might be mentioned, render it supremely desirable, that every prudent and eligible precaution should be used, before any young brethren are encouraged to present themselves for admission into our schools of the prophets. This, it may be hoped, would, by the blessing of God, prevent some painful, and, it may be added, some disgraceful failures, as well as economise those

*They have generally, perhaps I may say always, endeavoured to select the best of those of whom Jesus Christ, in the dispensations of his providence, and by the instrumentality of his churches, has given them the choice, and this is all they can do in time to come. There has never, as far as I know, been a great superabundance of ministers amongst the Independents; and, perhaps, it would be difficult to find an instance in which any who were superior in intellect and piety, have been superseded by those who were inferior.

funds which are furnished by the liberality of our churches for the. support of our colleges, the raising of which funds requires the most laborious and self-denying exertions.

What plan, then, can be devised to avoid the evils which have been mentioned, and to prevent, as far as possible, the admission of incompetent persons into the office of pastors and teachers, as well as to bring forward the most eligible that our religious societies can furnish; and thus to raise the character of the dissenting ministry, and to subserve the cause of Independency, and especially of pure and undefiled religion? Our entire dependence on the guidance and blessing of the great Head of the church, is explicitly and solemnly owned. He alone can qualify saints for the work of the ministry, by bestowing the requisite natural and spiritual endowments. He communicates the right disposition, including a cordial love of the work of the preacher and pastor, and a preference of it to all others. He opens the door, in the course of his providence, by which all who would be faithful undershepherds must enter. To Him, therefore, constant and fervent prayer ought to be made by all the churches, as well as by individual Christians-(prayer much more fervent and importunate than is offered— how seldom do we hear our colleges, or the furnishing of suitable candidates for the ministerial office, mentioned in the devotions of the sanctuary or of the family!)-that He would furnish the church with pastors after his own heart. Do not facts prove a deficiency of intelligent, real concern here? But he raises up his ministers by the instrumentality of his churches and their pastors; and, therefore, it is incumbent on them to lay hands suddenly on no man, and to put in requisition the greatest care and prudence, that they may commit the work of the ministry only to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

The most eligible plan, in addition to the means that are already employed, for accomplishing the object under consideration, and, indeed, almost the only feasible or practicable one that suggests itself to the writer of this paper, is, that the ministers and churches of each locality should associate together for mutual assistance in this important matter. For this purpose, the whole Independent community might be divided into convenient districts, each containing from four or five to eight or ten churches, according to circumstances and facilities of intercourse. Let their pastors, with other gentlemen, if it were thought necessary, chosen by the churches, associate for the purpose of ascertaining the character and examining the claims of candidates for the Gospel ministry, by exercising a kind, and fraternal, yet vigilant inspection over them; by making such inquiries respecting their tempers and general conduct as might be deemed necessary; by testing their abilities for public speaking and for the acquisition of learning; by observing the way in which they acquit themselves at prayer-meetings, and in delivering addresses in Sabbath-schools, and by requiring

from them written essays on various subjects; and whenever it might be deemed necessary, by placing them under the care of a minister, in order to have his report respecting both their character and abilities. It is to be wished, that this could be done much more extensively than it ever has been. At the same time, one fact must not be concealed or overlooked, with which all are acquainted who have had any experience in the matter, that when young men know that their admission into a college depends almost entirely on the report of a tutor, they will conceal tempers which afterwards, when they feel that they are more independent, they indulge, and manifest an amiableness and docility, and even a degree of seriousness, which present an humbling contrast to their future conduct; so that their teachers have not so good an opportunity of judging respecting their tempers and piety, whatever may be the case with regard to ability, as might be imagined. Let the recommendation of these district associations be a sine qua non, except in extraordinary cases, for recommendations to the committees of our colleges. The plan recommended would afford an opportunity of testing the earnestness and temper of the candidates, and the ordeal which it would render necessary might prevent applications from those who had any cause to fear detection; and indeed from all but those who were conscious that their motives were pure, and whose hearts were in the work to which they were looking forward. The districts, in some cases, might comprise all the churches in a town. When the towns were large, and the churches numerous, it might be deemed advisable to divide them into two or more districts, and to associate with them some churches in the vicinity. In the country, regard must be had to the number of societies in the different localities, and the facility of intercourse.*

* Objections on various grounds, have been made to these associations or committees. Some have said, there would be in them a division of the responsibility, and consequently it would be less deeply felt, than it otherwise would have been by each individual, and especially by the church and pastor of the candidate: to this it may be replied,―The responsibility would still be sufficiently weighty; and the plan suggested might, nay, I apprehend would, render all more sensible of their responsibility, by attaching greater importance than is now done, to the selection of candidates, and directing more attention to this important affair. I am sure, I have never had to recommend a young man for admission into a college, when I would not have been glad of the assistance of other ministers and churches. I must entirely and decidedly dissent from those who think that the choice of candidates for the ministry should be left to the pastor himself, and that with it the churches have nothing to do. They have as good a right to be consulted in this matter, as in the choice of their pastors, and they have often a better opportunity of gaining an acquaintance with the real character of those candidates than ministers can have; and in the present state of things amongst us, on the churches the support of the schools of the prophets, and therefore of those who enjoy the privileges which they afford, must devolve.

It might also be well for these associations not to confine their attention to such as solicit admission into our colleges, but to look around them in order to find out those who are most eminent for piety and talent in their various congregations, and to suggest to them the propriety of devoting themselves to the preaching of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, and in some instances to urge them to consecrate themselves to it, though it might cost them some pecuniary sacrifices. The apostle exhorted the church at Jerusalem to look out men of good report, whom they might appoint to the office of deacons. And why should not our churches look out the most eligible young brethren, in order to introduce them to the pastoral office? Facts prove that some who have felt an earnest desire to be ministers of the Gospel, and who have even thought themselves moved by the Holy Ghost to enter the ministry, were never called to its work nor qualified for its duties, and that others who were at first reluctant to take it upon them, have conscientiously discharged all its offices and labours, and have been eminently blessed by God to the accomplishment of its sacred purposes. Has not the selection of pastors and teachers been left too much to the feelings and wishes of the individuals themselves, and to the partialities of friends or relatives? Have sanctified judgment and concern for the honour of God and the success of the Redeemer's cause, had their due influence in this important work? Some have suggested, and others maintained the propriety, in order to prevent applications from unqualified persons, or on their behalf, the requisition of a certain sum, (say £10 or £15 annually,) during the term of continuance in the college from the individuals themselves, or from the churches by whom they were recommended. This, it is thought, would render both the one and the other more cautious than they sometimes are, and cause them to count the cost in every point of view. And it is hoped by many, that the plan adopted by our friends at Manchester, of requiring from every student the sum of £30 per annum for his board, will operate very beneficially in this respect as well as in some others. The objection to this plan, and the fear which it excites in the breast of several are, that it may discourage some, and throw insuperable obstacles in their way, who would be most eligible candidates, but could not raise or procure the required sum,-some, whose qualifications might be solid, but not of such an order as to attract much notice, or to induce others to afford them pecuniary assistance. There have been, perhaps, not a few acceptable and highly useful ministers, and probably there are some at present, who never could have procured the requisite education, and never would have separated themselves to the Gospel of God (to use the expression of the apostle Paul,) had it not been for the gratuitous education afforded them by our colleges. To this it may be replied, that the formation of such local district committees as have been recommended, might be the means of securing to

all who needed it, and where in every respect eligible, the requisite pecuniary assistance; because they would not then be dependent for recommendation and support on any one church, but would have the attention of several directed to their claims, and might expect assistance from many. Indeed, one advantage of the proposed plan would be, that it would direct the attention of our churches more than has hitherto been done to the important subject of colleges for the education of the rising ministry, and to their own duty in respect to them; and it might thus cause many prayers and thanksgivings to God on their behalf, and lead to combined and successful efforts to furnish them with the best candidates that could be procured for the advantages which they afford. Perhaps, however, too much has sometimes been said respecting the eleemosynary character of our colleges, and the importance of raising them above it. None of those who enter them, were previously paupers, and none who are fit to enter them, desire to be put "into the priest's office that they may eat a piece of bread." They all leave employments by which they could honourably and usefully support themselves; and, in several cases, by which they might have risen to opulence; and they frequently do so in compliance with the suggestions and wishes of their ministers and churches. Jesus Christ has ordained that "they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." Does he not expect then that those who are preparing to preach it, will be, as far as necessary, supported in their preparatory studies? This is a point which deserves more attention than it has yet received.

HINTS RESPECTING THE PENNY PERIODICAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL MAGAZINE.

SIR, I have observed with great pleasure the resolution come to, at the meeting of the Congregational Union at Manchester, to set on foot "A Penny Monthly Magazine," and think that the design reaches the acme of utility, in the department of minor religious publications.

It puts, in various ways, the power of widely disseminating Divine truth in the hands of all who are willing to employ it, and may be made, by a little attention and care on their part, to insure its being rendered availing. The copies will be given instead of being lent; so that the donor, in giving each new number, may becomingly ask if the former one has been used.

My particular object, however, is to suggest to heads of families, the habit of giving a copy to each of his or her servants, with the recommendation to read them, which, by the inquiry above suggested, and in other incidental ways, may be ascertained.

The cost so small-the object so important-the number of distributors so vast-and of readers so incalculable-to what an extent the diffusion if zealously entered upon may be carried-who can tell? certainly beyond that of any other prior production of the press.

A SOWER.