to missionary exertion, as well as to collect from other sources all the information possible upon this interesting subject, and to pray more earnestly than I have yet done, for direction in this particular matter. I thus hope, by the conclusion of the winter, so far to have made up my mind as may enable me either to offer my services to the Missionary Society, or to apply for admission to some Dissenting Academy. May the Lord direct me! I think you may perceive that my visit to this place has not been to no purpose. There is much general information that I have obtained, which the narrow limits of a single letter do not permit me to communicate; and much more which is of such a nature that it is not very easy to communicate by writing at all; and, on account of which chiefly, a personal visit seemed advisable.

Dr. Morrison generously presented him with his dictionary; and the papers which he left behind, sufficiently evince how ardently he entered into the study of that difficult language. He appears to have mastered some of its peculiarities; committed a number of its radicals to memory; and to have translated as Mr. Adam states, the whole of the first chapter of John.

It was during this session that Dr. Chalmers committed to his charge the sabbath school, which met in his own house; and I am sure it will not give offence to that respected individual, to find a record in these pages, of the gratitude and affection of his late pupil, for the attentions which were so kindly shown him.

My dear Father;

St. Andrew's, December 6, 1825.

Things are going on this session remarkably well. We miss many of our companions of last winter, some of whom were among the most active supporters of whatever was good or excellent; but their places have been in part made up, and we hope may be so, more fully, when some, who seem well disposed, but are yet little known at college, may have stepped more decidedly forward. I need not tell you that I find, in William Alexander, a much more congenial_associate, than in my quondam fellow-lodger. I am glad to find him very decided in his religious sentiments and practice, although he has not yet joined himself to any christian society. He has begun a sabbath school here, and seems to engage in this, and other such employments, with great earnestness and zeal. I trust he will be very useful to us in our exertions for the glory of God, and the best interests of our fellows.

The first general meeting of our University Missionary Society was held yesterday. This institution seems now, under the blessing of God, to have weathered all the opposition that threatened at first to crush it, and promises fair to be established on a secure basis, and to extend the field of its usefulness. The dignitaries of our college profess to have quite changed their opinion with regard to it. Dr. Nicol confesses, that the Reports we sent him, gave him information that was quite new to him. Last year, we were refused a room in the college, and could scarcely obtain a place of meeting in the town; now Dr. Haldane

or any other place which his influence can command. This offer we did not accept, as we had already obtained the old episcopal chapel, as a place of meeting, which is more comfortable and convenient for our purpose, than any other place we could obtain. Our two principals have not given us fair words merely, but have testified their sincerity, by sending us a donation of a guinea each, with the promise of more on the part of Dr. Nicol. These are triumphs, which the most sanguine advocates of the cause would, a few years ago, have thought it not only ridiculous to expect, but almost foolish even to wish for. With God, however, all things are possible; and it is because we expect so little, and desire so little, and pray for so little on the faith of his promises, that these promises are not more speedily and more triumphantly accomplished.

I think I mentioned, in my letter to my mother, that I had engaged to teach Dr. Chalmers's sabbath school during the winter: my school at Denino, in consequence, is left destitute. I have heard that the children are desirous that it should be begun again. Mr. Adam has commenced his operations, and I have been giving him some assistance. I think it advisable, with my present prospects, that I should engage rather more prominently in such employments, than otherwise I would be inclined to do.

Dr. Chalmers has been more than kind to me this year: indeed, I feel almost oppressed by his attention. As my school is held in his house, I generally sup with him on Sunday evening, when I enjoy much more of his conversation than at set parties, as he and Mrs. Chalmers are then generally alone. I was very much gratified, by a walk I had with Dr. Chalmers, to visit the parents of

the children who attend his school. The people in some of the houses, seemed to recognize him familiarly, so that he is probably often engaged in the same labors of love. He thinks such exercises as visiting the poor and the sick, the best introduction to ministerial labor. "This," he said, as we were going along, "is what I call preaching the gospel to every creature; that cannot be done by setting yourself up in a pulpit, as a centre of attraction, but by going forth and making aggressive movements upon the community, and by preaching from house to house." I mention these remarks more freely, as I think this is a duty by far too much neglected among our dissenting ministers.

The sabbath school which he engaged to teach this winter, in the house of his respected Professor, from whom he experienced invariable kindness, appears to have occupied his attention very closely. In a book now before me, is contained a list of the names of the young persons, with their places of residence. A list of tracts then follows, which belonged to the school library, with Dr. Chalmers's remarks on the character of each. Then a list of tracts, and small books, read by himself, with his own account of their nature and tendency. He has also written out, very fully, some of the school exercises on the Scriptures, which do great credit to his knowledge of the Scriptures, and his tact for communicating that knowledge.

This winter he entered the natural philosophy class; and, likewise, attended the Hebrew class. In this language he had before made considerable

I had put into his hands. He likewise, as appears from his papers, studied hard at the Chinese for some time; and only gave it up from the greater urgency of some other objects.

His mind was now completely absorbed in the contemplation of future missionary labor; and to this object, all his pursuits became subservient. The letter of his friend Adam, shows how much he studied it. The paper book, containing the arrangement of the plan of investigating the subject remains, and contains many extracts from the Scriptures, and from various books, on the subject of missions, and numerous references, which prove how very fully he had examined the matter. It would be very desirable, indeed, if those who offer themselves for this service, were found generally to possess such a knowledge of the work which they profess to undertake. Almost all his letters and papers, from this time, bear upon this subject, and display at once the depth of his piety, the ardor of his zeal, and the large portion of good sense with which he contemplated the service of Christ.

Desirous of obtaining advice, and engaging the prayers of his friends on his behalf, he applied to those in whose judgment and piety he placed confidence, to assist him. The following is a letter of this kind.

My dear and much respected Friend;

It is now about eleven o'clock on Sunday evening, and I have been engaged almost the whole of the day in public exercises, so that you will be disposed to excuse a hurried letter. I write these lines chiefly to renew my request, that you would