portant, that there is no duty whatever from which he may not with profit take time, to give that time to prayer; nor will the duty really suffer any loss by this, for whilst a minister is praying, he is performing all duties in one. The writer is now so fully established in this truth, that he recalls to mind with something like astonishment the hesitation he at first felt in following the leading of God when he called him away at Charlinch from other duties, one after another, to devote the time that had been spent in these to prayer, until at length he literally for a season, did little else all day than pray. It is contrary to reason to pray so much: the minister who takes time from other duties to give the more to prayer is not observed by himself and others to be doing much; and, in these days of doing, this is trying. The truth is, however, he is doing a great deal, for he is doing that which alone makes other doings truly effectual; and he is, moreover, moving the hand and heart of Him who, after all, is He who really does the whole. If the reader finds himself inwardly drawn to take time from other duties that he may give the more to prayer, he is entreated to follow it without fear or hesitation. In addition to private prayer, united prayer is to be noticed. If there be any divine blessing which calls more decidedly for united prayer than another, it is that of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. It is particularly noticed in Scripture, that when the Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost, the disciples were all with one accord in one place.' Besides general prayer meetings open to all, it will prove a peculiar help to the minister, if he can get those in whom he has full confidence as converted, or any number of them, to meet together once or twice on the Sabbath, and two or three times statedly in the week, to plead for the outpouring of the Spirit. The writer remembers with gratitude and affection the dear people who used thus to meet and pray for himself at Charlinch; nor can he readily forget the strength and comfort it afforded him. If the parties have their hearts engaged they will not mind the time and inconvenience. The writer recollects that some of his own dear people who regularly attended such meetings, would, after working all the day, walk two or three miles to be present at them; and this they did throughout the winter, and often in such weather as almost any one would think sufficient to deter them."-Pp. 74-76.

A few sentences after he gives us what might answer well as a motto to be written over the study door of every minister, "THE BEST PREPARATION FOR PREACHING IS MUCH PRAYING." He next adverts to the manner in which many profess to be using diligently all means, and yet are contented without success; and especially he condemns the way in which many impute their want of success to the mere sovereignty of God.

"The language we have been accustomed to adopt is this, we must use the means, and leave the event to God, we can do no more than employ the means: this is our duty, and, having done this, we must leave the rest to Him who is the disposer of all things. Such language sounds well, for it seems to be an acknowledgment of our own nothingness, and to savour of submission to God's sovereignty: but it is only sound; it has not really any substance in it, for though there is truth stamped on the face of it, there is falsehood at the root of it. To talk of submission to God's sovereignty is one thing; but really to submit to it is another, and quite a different thing. Really to submit to God's sovereign disposal, does always necessarily involve the deep renunciation of our own will in the matter concerned; and such a renunciation of the will can never be effected, without a soul being brought through very severe and trying exercises of an inward and most humbling nature. Therefore, if, whilst we are quietly satisfied in using the means without obtaining the end, and this costs us no such painful inward exercises and deep humbling as that alluded to, we think that we are leaving the affair to God's disposal, we deceive ourselves, and the truth (in this matter) is not in us. No; really to give up anything to

God, implies that the will, which is emphatically the heart, has been set on that thing; and if the heart has indeed been set on the salvation of sinners, as the end to be answered by the means we use, we cannot possibly give up that end, without, as was before observed, the heart being severely exercised and deeply pained by the renunciation of the will involved in it. When, therefore, we can be quietly content to use the means for saving souls, without seeing them saved thereby, it is because there is no renunciation of the will, that is, no real giving up to God in the affair: the fact is, the will, that is, the heart, had never really been set upon this end: if it had, it could not possibly give up such an end without being broken by the sacrifice. When we can thus be satisfied to use the means without obtaining the end, and speak of it as though we were submitting to the Lord's disposal, we use a truth to hide a falsehood, exactly in the same way that those formalists in religion do, who continue in forms and duties without going beyond them, though they know they will not save them, and who, when they are warned of their danger, and earnestly entreated to seek the Lord with all the heart, reply by telling us they know they must repent and believe, but that they cannot do either the one or the other of themselves, and that they must wait till God gives them grace to do so. Now, this is a truth, absolutely considered, yet most of us can see that they are using it as a falsehood to cover and excuse a secret insincerity of heart. We can readily perceive that if their hearts were really set upon salvation they could not rest satisfied without it. Their contentedness is the result, not of heart submission to God, but in reality, of heart indifference to the salvation of their own souls. Exactly so it is with us as ministers: when we can rest satisfied with using the means for saving souls without seeing them really saved, or we ourselves being broken-hearted by it, and at the same time quietly talk of leaving the event to God's disposal, we make use of a truth to cover and excuse a falsehood; for our ability to leave the matter thus is not, as we imagine, the result of heart submission to God, but to heart indifference to the salvation of the souls we deal with. No, truly; if the heart is really set on such an end it must gain that end, or break in losing it. Whether a minister ought to be satisfied with using the means to save souls, without seeing them actually saved is certainly a question,-a question too, that can be answered only by referring to the word of God. Now, an examination of Scripture will plainly show, that it is not the mind of God a minister should be satisfied without seeing the fruit of His labour.”—Pp. 78–80.

One paragraph more we add, and then hand the narrative over to our readers. "No; if his heart be really set upon that end he will not be satisfied without it. How express is the promise of success made to Timothy, and in him to every minister of Christ! Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all;-or, in all things;-take heed unto thyself; and unto the doctrine; for, in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee, 1 Tim. iv. 15, 16. This Scripture warrants every faithful minister to expect success; and where success, that is, the conversion of sinners, does not attend our ministry, it furnishes a clue to the discovery of what prevents it. Let such a minister inquire of God and his own heart, whether he do really give himself wholly to these things. Let him consider how much is implied in that word wholly: the question is not whether he give himself partly, or even a great deal to these things; but whether he do give himself wholly to them, so as to give himself to nothing else. Is the edification of his own soul, and the salvation of his hearers, the only thing he is concerned about; or, at least, is his concern about these so genuine as to swallow up, and utterly absorb his concern about all other things? Does he give himself so wholly to these things as to make every thing give way to them? Does he really and truly drown all regard for his own personal ease, prosperity, domestic comfort, and convenience, his family and friends, in the absorbing

desire and concern for the salvation of his hearers? Are friends, family, fortune, health, comfort, reputation, all, laid down at the feet of Christ, and actually offered as a sacrifice upon the altar of the name of Jesus? In a word, does be in truth count not his life dear unto himself so that he may finish his course with joy, and the ministry he has received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God? If it be not thus with him, can it with truth be said that he gives himself wholly to these things?"-Pp. 84, 85.

There are some statements as to the mode of dealing with the awakened, and the particular truths pressed upon them, on which we might be disposed to raise some questions; but we must forego these. We are afraid that some of the incidental statements might tend to give an anxious soul the impression that he had something to do, or feel, or wait for, before coming to Christ,some preparatory process to pass through, during which "patience, meekness, and humility" (p. 26) are exercised. Now we are sure that our author believes as cordially as we do, that there can be neither humility nor meekness, nor any grace, till the soul has come to Christ and tasted his forgiving love; but such an expression as that we have referred to is apt to convey a different impression. On this, however, we must not dwell, farther than by quoting a sentence of Fuller in his " Gospel Worthy of all Acceptation," when, in speaking of the duty of sinners immediately to believe on Christ, he remarks most truly, "it is at our peril to exhort them to any thing short of it, or which does not involve or imply it."

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

UNION FOR PRAYER.-The memorial upon this subject, we published in our last, and we again advert to it, because the period suggested in that address, as the season for united prayer among all Christians throughout the world, is now just at hand. We would most earnestly press this solemn matter upon the attention of our readers, and especially upon the ministers of Christ, who have flocks to feed and souls to care for. We cannot, indeed, expect those who "feed themselves and not the flock," to concern themselves much about this proposal. But those who have felt the weight of ministerial responsibility, who remember the awful vows of ordination, who are longing for some fruits of their ministry, who sigh and cry for the abominations that are done in the midst of us,—will rejoice to be thus again summoned together, to unite with God's 's praying remnant in every region of this prayerless world, for supplication and intercession at the mercy-seat. To them, we may say, we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of the Lord, and by our gathering together unto him," that ye continue instant with one accord in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, not only like Elijah on mount Carmel, until seven times, but until seventy times seven, knowing that in due season, ye shall reap if ye faint not. To those who are indifferent about the subject, who are content to go through the weekly routine of duty, unmindful and undesirous of the promised blessing, we say as the mariners of Tarshish did to the sleeping prophet, "what meanest thou, O sleeper! arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think on us. Is this a time to fold the arms in sleep when the enemy is coming in like a flood, and the armies of the aliens are mustering and arraying for the final and universal conflict? Is it a time to sleep when the souls that you have vowed to watch and feed are dying unsaved around you? Is the battle fought with sheathed weapons? Do sleep and ease become the watchmen on the walls of Zion? Are the people to perish in their iniquities, unwarned, unintreated, unprayed for, even by those who, Sabbath after Sabbath, stood up

before them as professed ambassadors for Christ,-shepherds of the bloodbought flock, and heralds of the everlasting gospel?

Let us, then, distinctly remind our readers of the proposal to which we refer. We give it in the words of the memorial itself."

IT IS PROPOSED, God willing, that the space of time bETWEEN THE EIGHTH AND SEVENTEEnth October, INCLUSIVE, be set apart for UNITED PRAYER AMONG THE PEOPLE Of God throughout the WORLD; AND IT IS UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED THAT THE HOUR BETWIXT EIGHT AND NINE IN THE MORNING, AND EIGHT AND NINE IN THE EVENING, OR AS NEAR THAT AS POSSIBLE, SHALL EACH DAY BE GIVEN TO PRAYER FOR THE OBJECTS MENTIONED IN THE ADDRESS. Let us add to this a few hints of our own.

1. We trust that every Christian, and especially every minister, will use their utmost efforts to make the above proposal fully and distinctly known. This is of the more consequence, because this year the memorial has been later of being published, and there does not as yet appear to be the same interest excited as there was upon the former occasion. It is not enough that when the period arrives, the matter be intimated from the pulpit; let care be taken beforehand to call the people's attention to it, and to awaken them to a sense of its vast importance and solemn interest.

2. Measures should be adopted, and plans formed, for congregational meetings during the period specified. These should be, at least every evening; and if possible should not be at the time agreed upon for private prayer. The evening meeting, for instance, should be from seven to eight, and not protracted beyond that, in order that after assembling themselves in the sanctuary, and there joining together in united public supplications, they may retire at the appointed hour, each to his own closet, to renew their intercessions there.

3. There should be a regular series of subjects brought before the people at these meetings; one or more on each evening, so that while part of the supplications may be made of a general nature, there should be one subject prominently presented for prayer at each meeting. Without presuming to fix the order or to set forth the following subjects as any thing like a complete enumeration, we might yet be permitted to suggest such a series as the following. First, Solemn confession of sin-sins of the land, the church, the town, the parish, the congregation,-sins of ministers, elders, communicants, churchcourts,sins of parents, children, masters, servants, relatives, friends, neighbours, &c., accompanied with pleadings for pardon, and fervent intercession in behalf of all whose sins are confessed. Thus purging out the old leaven, and cleansing our consciences from dead works to serve the living God,―let us proceed to supplication for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit;-then for the coming of Christ, and the hastening of his kingdom,-then for the success of the gospel at home and abroad, especially among the children of Israel, taking, perhaps, the home and the foreign cause on two separate evenings,—then for the destruction of antichrist, and all idolatry, infidelity, and false religion: then for the raising up and anointing of faithful men for the ministry of the word, as well as for the conversion of all unconverted and unfaithful ministers :— then the purification and union of all true churches of Christ. It would be well also if special prayer were made on such topics as these;-the conversion of our large towns, which are the strongholds of Satan,-the sanctifying of the Sabbath, and that God would interpose and make ungodly men know that he is Lord of the Sabbath,-also for especial boldness and faithfulness to ministers in these days of trial and blasphemy,-greater success in preaching the gospel, that so many sermons may not be preached in vain. These we suggest merely

.

Why has not a circular been sent round at least to every minister in England, Scotland, and Ireland.

as general heads, under which many subordinate points will naturally fall under the notice of those who may observe this solemn time.

4. Christians should be looking forward to it and preparing for it beforehand. Many who complain that on account of business they will not be able to join so fully in this proposal as they could wish, might, by anticipating the time, and setting things in order beforehand, be able to secure more time when the season arrives. We should also be entreating God that he would so order all matters and events, that we may be free from interruptions aud unnecessary bustle. If Christians always remembered to ask God to allot their time for them, and save them from annoyances, they would have more blessed and unbroken hours of prayer.

5. There should be great expectancy amongst Christians. There need be no feverish excitement, but there should be eager and thirsty expectation. Otherwise the season may prove, if not altogether unprofitable, at least flat and uninteresting. Besides, it is thus that the spirit of prayer will be kindled up and kept alive. Nor ought we to forget to ask of God such genial and favourable weather as may best suit the assembling of the people. This is too much overlooked-too little remembered in prayer. Last year the weather was peculiarly unpropitious, whether God were sifting the people, that all but the really earnest might be kept away, or that Satan were raising the elements to mar the plan, or break up the mighty union,-we say not. One thing only we say, that so far as man can judge, it is most desirable that such a season should be favoured with genial weather; and to this surely ought our requests also to be turned.

May God grant us a season of much blessing; "a time of refreshing from his presence," as an earnest of the times of refreshing at the coming of the Lord! CALL UNTO ME AND I WILL ANSWER THEE, And shew thee GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT." Jerem. xxxiii. 3.

MINISTERIAL PRAYER MEETINGS.-We subjoin the following deeply interesting statement with regard to a meeting which took place among some devoted young ministers of the Church of England, who had been drawn into christian fellowship from their college companionships at Lampeter:

The brethren from St David's College, Lampeter, having appointed Wednesday and Thursday, July 20th and 21st, as the days on which they should meet together for godly edification and loving intercourse; and Wednesday, July 13th, having been solemnly set apart by them in fasting and prayer for entreating the special blessing of God, and the peculiar presence of the Holy Ghost, to attend their meeting,-they met, according to the will of God, fourteen in number, in Swansea, and continued together three hours in the morning and afternoon of each of those days.

Truly it was a "solemn assembly," a "holy convocation." The Holy Ghost was present in much power. He made known His power, however, chiefly as a " Spirit of judgment," searching the hearts and trying the reins of the dear brethren so deeply as to discover to them their real condition before God. He made them feel sensibly that their state was a very bad state in the sight of God, though they had been thought highly of by men; and that -taking the word of God, and not the state of the church, as their standard, -they were living at a very low rate in religion. He brought this before them so repeatedly, and pressed it on them so closely, that the dear brethren were thoroughly ashamed of themselves, and not a little humbled in their own eyes and in the eyes of each other.

The Holy Ghost discovered to the dear brethren the badness of their state, both in respect to their own souls and to their ministry.

First, In respect to their own souls. The Holy Ghost convinced us of the following faults particularly:

VOL. XV. NO. III.

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