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funds; a hope which is being already realized. But permit me to say, that the defect lies deeper than in a casual or temporary falling off of the funds of this excellent institution; it originates in the inadequate views too generally entertained throughout the Christian church, of the Gospel as a dispensation essentially missionary. Our American brethren have recently appointed what they call missionary bishop," expressly for home missionary objects; and are about to appoint a second; and are considering the propriety of appointing one for foreign missions; but the very circumstance of the novelty of such appointments, or the necessity for them, proves that the Christian church has lost something of its first love, when, as we see exemplified in the Acts of the Apostles, the whole system was pervaded by a spirit of aggressive zeal and affection.

The Christian religion is, in its very essence, a missionary scheme; the Christian church a missionary institution. The Great Author of that religion was himself a missionary from heaven to earth: the Great Founder of that church constituted it a missionary society by the very charter of its incorporation, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." And the body thus incorporated-the Christian church, all whose true members are members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven,"has failed in the great end of its institution, and has, consequently, forfeited those privileges and immunities which were conferred upon it for the attainment of that end, all of which are comprised in that one clause of its charter, "And, lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world;" when it has ceased to fulfil the obligation which the preceding clause imposes, "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

The grand difference between Judaism and Christianity lies in two particulars-the extent of the sphere of each respectively, and the sanctifying efficacy of the means which it furnishes to its disciples. Justification by faith is popularly viewed as the peculiar of Christianity whereas, all that essentially belongs to justification, Christianity has only in common with Judaism. The ground of justification in both dispensations is one-the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world the extent of the benefit in both is one-pardon of all sin the mode of apprehending and appropriating that salvation in both is one-faith. It is true that the Paschal lamb, and other typical ordinances of the one system, carried the eye of faith forward—the sacramental elements of the other system, backward; but it was to the same Saviour. "Abraham," not less than Paul, was justified by faith." And the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews contains a long catalogue of saints of old, who "obtained a good report through faith," yet "received not the promise "—that which our Lord himself emphatically calls "the promise of the Father," namely, the Holy Spirit, in evangelical power.

But while all that was essential to justification was common, the sanctifying efficacy of the two dispensations widely differed. Christ indeed was common to both, but not so the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did not at all belong, by covenant, to the Jewish dispensation; and though, doubtless, given, uncovenanted, to all its saints-for the Holy Spirit is the sanctifying energy of Godhead—yet it was with an

influence so constrained, in comparison with that fulness of power in which it proceeded from the crucified and risen Saviour, as could justify the Evangelist in declaring that "the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Contrast the characters and spirit of the saints under the two dispensations. Contrast an Abraham, a David, a Jeremiah, with a Paul, a Peter, a John, and it will immediately appear that the gospel has brought with it a degreeperhaps I should say a kind--not merely of light and knowledge, but also of assurance, of holiness, of peace, of joy, unknown to the former dispensation; and that while, under that dispensation, "eye had not seen, nor ear heard, neither had it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God has prepared for them that love Him," "God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit;" and that what kings and prophets, under that dispensation, in vain desired to see, has been seen by the least in the kingdom of heaven.

The other great difference between Judaism and Christianity lies in the extent of the moral waste which they were designed, respectively, to cultivate the one confined to a single family, isolated and hedged in from contact with the surrounding nations by the excluding pale of ceremonial ordinances and pollutions: the other adapted to universal diffusion, and yearning to embrace, in its comprehensive arms of holy love, every child of man.

The motives for the exclusiveness of the Jewish dispensation were wise and gracious. Omniscience saw that this debased and dark world was unprepared, not only for the meridian lustre of the gospelday, but even for that obscure dawn of truth which was let in upon the Jews; and which, even among them, it was necessary to maintain, not merely by a standing miracle, but also by occasional, and not unfrequent, manifest interpositions of the Divine arm. He knew that if the hedge which enclosed his vineyard were broken down, the wild boar out of the wood would root it up, and the wild beasts of the field devour it. He knew that if the surrounding ocean of heathenism were let in upon his church, the floods of ungodliness would soon drown it; and that if the heaven-descended fire which burned upon the altar of Jehovah alone, and still maintained for him an habitation among the children of men, were not guarded and concentred, it would soon be desecrated to idol worship; and thus, the last hope and last light of this ruined world would speedily go out in the blackness of darkness for ever. But this exclusiveness was not optional, but necessary, in that sense in which alone such a term can be applied to the Divine administration; and, when the causes in which it originated had passed away, gave place to the Catholic religion of the gospel. "When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son." When the entire of the then known world was subdued to the sway of a single sceptre; when conquest, and civilization, and commerce, and universal peace had opened accessible avenues for the truth to its remotest regions; when mature philosophy, enthroned and worshipped, had put to full proof her skill at detecting imposture, and her impotency to conduct even her own votaries into the paths of virtue, much less into the temple of the living God; when prophecy had long published her assertions, had become the subject of historic record, and men anxiously looked for events to confirm or confute her; when this, "the fulness of time was come," the wall of partition was broken down," the vail of the temple was rent in twain

from the top to the bottom," a new and living way was consecrated into the holiest through the blood of Jesus, and the door of faith was opened unto the Gentiles," God sent forth his Son," the Great Missionary, to be a light to lighten the Gentiles; to furnish a living model of the spirit, the work, and the reception of those who should be privileged to succeed him in this glorious office; to select from the church suitable agents for carrying forward this blessed and most important work; warning them that their sufficiency was not of themselves, but of God; that even in this work of charity, this self-immolating labour of love, they were not to run before they were Divinely furnished and sent, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high;" and that they should neither neglect the home field, on the one hand, nor confine to it all their care and cultivation, on the other; but that, " beginning at Jerusa lem," they should gradually enlarge the sphere of their labours, as Providence opened or closed the door, by persecutions in one city, and invitations from another, "Come over and help us ;" until they had become witnesses unto Christ, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth; and, by, as far as in them lay, going into all the world, and preaching the gospel to every creature, had done their part in hastening on that blessed æra when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of the Lord, and of his Christ, and He shall reign for ever and

ever.

But is the call, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," addressed to the Apostles only? Assuredly not, To limit to the Apostles this command-which it was physically impossible that they could completely fulfil, and which, not only from the reason of the case, but by the very promise annexed to it, was extended to the end of the world-were as false theology as to confine to them any other precept of the gospel, of which they, as the representatives of the church, were made the depositaries. We might, with as much reason, join in withholding the cup from the laity, because they to whom it was originally given were, as is said, priests: or we might, with still more consistency, discontinue altogether both the sacraments, as if intended for the Apostles alone, because to them only the precepts of institution were directly spoken; and hence, not only cease to "Do this in remembrance of Christ," but even to "baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And if it be said, that the practice of the early church furnishes a perpetuating comment on the precepts of sacramental institution, I may surely answer, that the practice of the early church furnishes a perpetuating comment, not less strong, on the precept of missionary institution; and, by its example, enforces, upon every nation to which the gospel is made known, that command by which this blessing was conferred upon it, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Nor should a Missionary Society be contemplated merely in the blessings which it is designed to confer upon the heathen, but also in the accommodation, not to speak here of any higher benefits, which it confers upon the Christian. Assuming it to be the bounden duty of every believer, according to his several ability and opportunity, to preach the gospel to every creature, the object of a Missionary Society is, by a division of labour, to facilitate the discharge of this duty to

all, enabling those to go by deputy, who cannot, from whatever cause, - go in person to heathen lands: and, as the harvest truly is plenteous, and the labourers are few, there is no limit to the extent of missionary operations, except in the deficiency of prayer to the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into his harvest, and in the deficiency of funds thrown in by Christians into the offerings of God to equip the missionary, that he may go forth on his self-immolating labour of love, "taking nothing of the Gentiles." There is no limit to the success of missionary operations, except in the restraint of that effectual fervent prayer of the righteous which availeth much.

What, then, is our part, individually, in this important work? And have we performed it? That every member of the Christian church is not called to go forth, in person, as a missionary to heathen lands, is, I think, evident: but it is equally certain that all are called, every man according to his several ability and opportunity, to promote that which is in so peculiar a manner the work of God; for which His blessed Son lived, and suffered, and died among us; and for the accomplishment of which this world continues in existence. Co-operation with some missionary institution, not constrained and languid, but cordial and efficient,-in fact, co-operation to the full extent of our means, is not optional but imperative. What then have we done? Have our efforts been duly, or in any conceivable degree, proportioned to the urgency of the call? And what is that call? Three fourths of the inhabitants of this earth-that is, at the very lowest computation, six hundred millions of immortal souls—are perpetually moving forward on the broad road which leadeth to destruction, with a course rapid and uninterrupted as the sun's apparent course throughout the heavens. Each second of time, a soul, destined, in the original intention of its creation, for glory, honour, and immortality, sinks, unwarned and unprepared, into a dark and unfathomable abyss. What dam have the zeal and charity of Christians thrown up to stem this desolating torrent? What is the numerical amount

of that missionary array which loyalty to Christ has levied? How many missionaries has the love of God and man, among us, equipped and commissioned to go forth against the common adversary of God and man, at the head of his triumphant host of six hundred millions of deluded and oppressed slaves? I do not pretend to state with accuracy the precise number of Christian missionaries to heathen lands; but all know the broad and general features of the case; and surely it would exceed the truth to say, that Christians have provided ONE missionary for EACH MILLION of perishing souls! And if, in our dense and easily accessible population, five hundred souls are considered an abundant charge for one pastor, what must be the spiritual destitution of those scattered, uncivilized, ignorant wanderers who, under every conceivable disadvantage for the reception of religious truth, are committed a million to a single teacher? Has then this awful, this astounding fact ever made its due impression on your mind? and when conscience, as you contemplate this appalling spectacle, with accusing voice demands, What hast thou done? does a responding voice, in the inner sanctuary of the heart, which conscience acknowledges to be the voice of Him who justifies the honest and faithful, though feeble, efforts of his believing people, testify, He hath done what he could?

But it is with this as with every other precept of the Gospel: few

are found to systematically dispute its meaning or application: while, alas! too many are found to practically reject it. In advocating missionary objects, the grand desideratum, therefore, is not to convince the understanding, but to convert the heart; not to remove honest objections and conscientious scruples, but to awaken attention and engage the affections. In an appeal to this effect, I might enter upon a lengthened review of the interesting proceedings of the Missionary Society, as it steadily marches forward, conquering and to conquer; as it advances to revolutionize the kingdoms of the prince of this world, to dethrone his idols, and to plant on his fortresses the standard of the cross. I might appropriate, from its records, detailed instances of the social, moral, and religious improvement of the objects of its solicitude. I might, for instance, tell of the West Indian, upon whom a brighter day has commenced to dawn; but who, even while doomed to hopeless slavery, had been taught to look for consolation beyond the grave; and, amid the miseries of his wretched condition, to rejoice in a hope full of immortality. I might tell of the West African, enfranchized, civilized, and evangelized, in the city of refuge provided for him on his native shore: or of the Hindoo female gradually emerging from the depths of that degradation into which centuries of superstition had plunged her, as the mere appendage to some tyrant master; asserting her independent existence, and her due station in social life, and enjoying the privileges of a cultivated intellect, and the rights and feelings of humanity. I might tell of the fierce New Zealander, tamed by the moral energy of Christian virtue, as exhibited in the missionary character; and suddenly transformed, from the pirate and the murderer, into the protector and the friend.

These, and numberless instances of a similar nature, might be detailed as tracing the missionary path. But these facts in the moral history of the world, and which mark as an epoch the present day, are already the property of the public. They are widely disseminated by missionary publications and addresses, and have already made their powerful appeal, to convince the judgment, and to elicit the sympathies of all to whom the happiness of their fellow men is an object of interest. Into a statement of such facts I shall therefore forbear to enter, and proceed to offer a few brief remarks on the obligations, of a more general nature, which the object and principle of the Church Missionary Society enforce and upon the common theatre of Christian benevolence to which it summons every denomination of Christians-I mean all those whose only ground of salvation and hope of glory is Christ crucified-whose principle is religious liberty of conscience; and whose supreme standard, whether of faith or conduct, is the revealed and written Word of God.

To the member of the Established Church, the Church Missionary Society makes a paramount and unanswerable appeal. To him it affords an opportunity of contributing to extend to heathen lands, not only those essential truths of Christianity upon which he has himself staked his hopes of eternal life, but also that ecclesiastical discipline, and that simply sublime, that calmly devout, liturgy which he believes to be purely Scriptural, and therefore conscientiously prefers as the best and safest vehicle, in the congregation, of his supplications and intercessions, his prayers, and praises, and thanksgivings; and both of which are closely interwoven with his religious habits and tastes,