VALUABLE, most valuable as are the services already described, which ministers may render to missions; such services would be comparatively inefficient without some well-adjusted and wellworked system of organization. If this be wanting, much of the labour employed in interesting the people and increasing their zeal will, so far at least as it regards personal and pecuniary aid to missions, be spent in vain. The convictions, excitement, and purposes produced by the pulpit, the platform, and the prayer meeting, may be a power, which, skilfully applied to well-regulated machinery, would do much to move the world. But independently of such application, a large amount of the force thus generated and brought within our reach, will dissolve in thin air, will expend itself in vacuity, or explode in some loud ebullition of applause, and die out in unproductive impressions, and unavailing regrets. No minister, perhaps, now has such hydrophobic dread of excitement, as to shrink back even from the waters of the sanctuary, when their generally too placid surface is covered with ripples, or even raised into waves, like the worthy brother, who, at the close of a missionary service, which he considered too stimulating, postponed the collection until his flock could calmly reflect in cooler moments, lest they should contribute too largely. But yet meetings may be made, and

some have become nearly as unavailing as this, simply because there was no organization to turn the sacred emotions, and the good purposes then formed, to practical effect. Fountains of generous feeling were unsealed; but, as no channel had been cut through which the living stream might flow to the heathen, it has welled up to the surface only to spread out upon, or again to sink beneath it.

But before proceeding further, we must answer the inquiry, What is intended by the term organization? In its widest latitude, it must, of course, comprehend county and district auxiliaries, whose committee and officers make the anniversary arrangements, and transmit the contributions of the several congregations in their localities to the parent society. Now organizations of this kind are always of great value, and, in general, they are indispensable to the permanent support of the missionary cause. This is peculiarly the case in certain districts: without some centralization of this kind,-the order it secures, and the impulse it imparts,many isolated congregations, now cooperating in a common movement, would contribute far less than they do, and that moreover with irregularity. And, in some parts of the country, it is very gratifying to know, that these arrangements are so far complete as to admit of no essential improvement. Thanks to honoured and laborious friends of

missions, who have devoted to this service thought and time, and business habits, and earnest zeal, little remains, so far as it regards the structure and working of the auxiliaries they superintend, to be done, or desired. But this is the case only in some localities. In a far larger number, valuable, and indeed vital improvements are obviously necessary, and urgently called for. Nor will British churches yield their full increase to the cause of the world's salvation, until every county, or extended district, has its missionary committee, officered by men of tact and energy, who, in right earnest, and upon a well-considered plan, will give their best efforts to render their respective localities as productive as possible to this high enterprise.

But the term organization is frequently used in a more restricted signification, and merely describes congregational associations, and other systematic means for raising funds. And to arrangements of this order we shall now more specifically refer. Now it must be obvious that no rigid and stereotyped scheme can be framed that will equally adapt itself to every church and every locality. Different methods, or, speaking more accurately, different modifications of the same general plan, may, in different circumstances, work equally well. Thus, in some cases, there are not only the associations, ladies', juvenile, Sunday school, &c., with a treasurer and secretary to each, but, in addition, a general committee of superintendence. Now, in many instances, this committee may be dispensed with, though its assistance is more frequently to be desired, inasmuch as it may render much good service to the cause of Christ by the regularity it commands, and the spirit it infuses into the auxiliary; by its attention to the list of annual subscribers, and the means which it periodically employs to add to it; by encouraging, counselling, and, when necessary, assisting the collectors and

associations; by making orderly and efficient arrangements for the anniversary, and by efforts to interest all classes in the work they superintend. If then such a committee does not exist, it must be obvious that the cause will suffer detriment, unless their place is supplied, and their functions performed by others. Now this duty devolves, partly upon the secretary or treasurer of the congregational auxiliary, and, in general, if their watchful care and earnest efforts are wisely directed towards the means of swelling the contributions, those contributions will rarely sink, and almost certainly rise. But, whether they are faithful or not, it is certain that ministerial co-operation must be had, or the springs of the machinery will want that power, and the wheels that impetus, which is necessary to its working and productiveness. If he has good fellow-workers in this cause, his help will materially aid them; if not, it is absolutely essential. In such cases, indeed, and some others, it may be necessary for him to perform duties which should have been discharged by others; but where this labour is not imposed, it is still desirable that he should aid by his counsel, cheer by his smile, and promote in every possible way the formation and regular operation of the missionary associations of his flock.

Now the value of these associations is unquestionable. In some congregations, they constitute almost the body and soul of the auxiliary. And even where this cannot be said concerning them, it may yet be affirmed that they are the main roots of the missionary tree, striking deep into the soil, insinuating themselves, and spreading out their fibres on every side, laying all classes under contribution, and thus deriving support from rich and poor, youth and age, individuals and families. Such an agency it is scarcely possible to estimate too highly. Whether for counterworking the selfishness of our

nature; for spreading the spirit of sacred love and loyalty; for enlisting "train bands," upon whose steady fidelity, and well-formed habits of active service in every department of usefulness the pastor may confidently rely; or for raising the necessary means of carrying on God's work, these associations possess incalculable worth. But important as they may be for all the purposes we have named, as a means of augmenting the contributions of a congregation they are almost indispensable. And their great value in this respect appears in every case where they exist in anything approaching to efficacy. Few can adequately estimate their productiveness, who have not watched their proceedings, but all who have, need no further proof of their value. In many instances, a large proportion of the total sum contributed by a congregation is thus obtained; in some to the extent of one-half, and even two thirds. And these successful cases are sufficiently numerous, and, in their circumstances, sufficiently diversified to demonstrate the general adaptation and the great excellence of this most available method of aiding the missionary cause. And the writer will now adduce some facts in confirmation of this statement, which will demonstrate its truth, and should convince the ministers of Christ that, while this method of extending his cause among the heathen is most effective, it is one which they can easily and efficaciously employ.

The few facts now to be presented are selected from a much larger number equally conclusive; and there are no peculiarities, it is believed, in the congregations of whose operations they form a part, to place those congregations out of a common category, and to account for the success of their missionary organizations upon any special grounds.

The first cases are those of small, two or three of them very small, congregations. Such congregations are too

commonly neglected, or, if not entirely passed by, an appeal is made to them but once a year. As might have been expected, such an appeal is not very productive, but yet its pecuniary result is taken as the measure of the people's ability. But this is a great mistake; and, were the right means employed, an amount manifold greater might be just as easily obtained. Organization, which is necessary in every congregation, is especially so where, as in some small towns and villages, it consists almost entirely of labourers and operatives who receive weekly wages. Out of these wages, they could, without difficulty, give a small sum, were it periodically collected, but at no time during the year could they conveniently contribute four or six times the amount; the weekly penny would be scarcely felt, but the annual shilling would be severely. To expect, therefore, contributors of this class to drop four shillings and four pence into the plate at an anniversary service would be preposterous; but few things would be more easy than to obtain from them that sum by means of a missionary association.

Now this is not theory. Its correctness has been verified in a multitude of cases. The following may suffice. In some instances there was no auxiliary, and nothing had been contributed to the cause of missions. But organization has produced in two of these from £3 to £4 per annum; in two more from £5 to £6; in others, £7, £8, £9, £10, and £11. All these were outlying patches of waste land, but, by enclosure and cultivation, it became evident immediately that the soil was not barren. There is another class of congregations, and they are more numerous than those which produced nothing, from which, owing to the same cause, the contributions were small and very inadequate. In such cases also the experiment of organization wherever fairly tried, and duly encou raged by the minister, has brought a large return. Of these there are several

in which a newly-formed association has, at once, added from £5 to £10 per annum to their contributions. Thus, within a limited district, in one small town, a juvenile association raised the total from £8 to £14; in another, from £7 to £15; in a third, from £5 to £15; and, in a fourth, from £5 to £22. In a different locality similar means have been followed by similar results. Thus to the contributions of one congregation, whose maximum had been £30, there were added £9 the first year, and £18 the second. In two others similarly circumstanced the amount was raised from £20 to £30, and from £30 to £40; and, in two more, which had previously sent to the parent society about £40 per annum, an association of collectors swelled the total in one case to £55; and in another to £56. A Sunday school association, in a moderate sized congregation, added £26 to the £50 previously contributed; and, in a congregation of the same class, which raised £30, a female association doubled the amount in the first year of its existence, and nearly trebled it in the second.

These facts relate to small or moderatesized country congregations,most of them in villages or towns the population of which does not exceed five thousand. And they are important, not merely as showing the effect of organization in special cases, but its general adaptation and efficiency. It might, indeed, be easy to extend this enumeration by adducing instances in which larger congregations have most successfully tried the experiment. Such are to be found in our more populous towns and districts; but none of them would evince this more clearly than some of those in the metropolis. The fact that London contributes one-third of the home income of the Society is not to be explained merely by the number or wealth of its metropolitan friends, but, to some considerable extent, by their superior organization. This remark, indeed, must be guarded, because there are several of

these congregations which are but imperfectly organized, and which, in consequence, are comparatively unproductive; and it is almost demonstrable that, were all the admirable plans and energetic working of some extended to all, the metropolitan returns might be made to reach a much higher point. Let any person look through the London lists in the annual report, and in each case where the items are given, compare the amount obtained by Associations with the respective totals, and they will not only be satisfied of the truth of the assertion just made, but impressed with the value of organization. Now this difference must be ascribed, in some degree, and, perhaps, almost entirely, to the minister, as is evident to those who know the churches of London, and have watched the movements of the men who preside over them. And with, perhaps, a single exception, the most convincing proofs of the efficacy of the plan are found, not in the largest, but amongst the smaller and poorer congregations. One of these, when the present minister undertook the charge, was contributing less than £40 a-year to foreign missions, but it now raises for that object £180. Now this congregation cannot boast of its wealth, and consequently there are no large subscribers. Two, indeed, give £2 annually, but nearly £120 are obtained by organization. It is in the long and most instructive list of collectors that we discover the secret of this success, the source of this sacred stream. One of these obtains above £4, seven collect above £2, thirty above £1, and sixty-nine, or two-thirds of the whole, less than that sum. This is a noble specimen of organization, and shows its prodigious power for good even in a congregation of moderate extent and very limited resources, when vigorously worked by a devoted pastor. It is a striking and most instructive case, and one which, while it may shame and sadden some excellent men who gather far less for the world's evangelization

from a wider field and a richer soil, will show to all ministers how much, even in the most disadvantageous position, may be effected by wisdom and vigour, system and superintendence. This will be evident when it is said that the secret of this successful attempt is simply in obtaining many collectors, and bringing them together at quarterly meetings.

In another case, in which the congregation is perhaps rather smaller, and the resources of the people rather, though not much greater, similar plans have been attended with similar success. The pastor shall himself supply the history of his own proceedings:-" Our cause," he writes, "has been identified with the London Missionary Society almost from its commencement, but, up to 1841, bad only a Ladies' Auxiliary. I then formed a Juvenile Association, which set the elder branch a little more upon the qui vive. To keep up and perpetuate the interest of the young people, I set before them, as a definite object, the support of two native teachers, for each of which not less than £15 a-year was to be raised. This they regularly obtain, and sometimes more.

"To maintain and increase our list, which, by constant removals and deaths, is always changing, I have printed a small account of our chapel institutions, setting forth the claims of each, income, sphere of operations, &c. This is given to new comers, that they may see what our movements are, and what they will be expected, as far as they are able, to assist in.

"My juvenile collectors I meet at my house to tea once every quarter, to pay in their collections, when I read any letters or communications I may have received from the native teachers, or any missionaries I know, with whom I keep up, for my young people's sake, as well as for my own, a correspondence.

"Besides these movements to obtain money, we have organized a Working Society among the young people, who,

by the proceeds of fancy and useful work, support, or help to support, a native school in India. The things last year realised £30.

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My experience teaches me that every thing depends upon the minister. He must set before the people the legitimate principles of action, give the keynote to the whole chorus of harmonious movements, and when they get flat, have skill enough, and nerve and energy enough, to restore, re-arouse and encou rage the whole performing band."

Other instances as instructive as the two now given might be easily added did space permit, and should the Editor of The Evangelical Magazine favour his readers with the history and results of his own proceedings as a pastor in promoting the missionary cause, it will strongly sustain all that has been advanced in favour of organization.

But, while the proof is complete that this means of augmenting the missionary income is both facile and effective, adapted to congregations of every class, and never fairly employed in vain, it is a fact, and a ground both of surprise and lamentation, that in cases not a few, nothing worthy to be called an associa tion can be found; while, in others, where such an organization is said or supposed to exist, it is little more than a forma thing without life or power. In proof of this, we have only to take a number of congregations in any district and to compare the proportions which the amounts raised by collectors bear to their total contributions. Such a comparison will show that, whilst in those congregations where the ladies and young people are associated, and receive the cordial countenance of their minister, one-half, or even more of the total sum raised for missions is gathered in small subscriptions by their agency; in others, with equal capability of acting and giving, not more than a fifteenth or a twentieth part of the whole is derived from the same productive source.

Now this difference is the result of