The Letter Bor. LETTER TO A YOUNG MAN, Who longed to be employed in Missionary Work, on the Essential Qualifications for that Work. cause. MY DEAR FRIEND, I received piety, zeal, a good share of mental your letter on Saturday evening, capacity, aptness to teach, and some upon a subject which has long been considerable knowledge of the Holy dear to my heart,-the missionary Scriptures, all of which appear to I did not know that you me to be essential to every well quawere at Surrey Chapel last Tuesday; lified teacher of religion; besides but now I do know it, I cannot won- these, I say, a person fitted to go der that what you heard and wit- forth and "preach among the heanessed there should have raised the then the unsearchable riches of spark of missionary zeal within your Christ," must possess a sound conbreast to such a flame that you have stitution, an aptitude for the acquino longer been able to refrain from sition of languages, a competent giving vent to it. stock of general information, together with some natural courage, and much Christian fortitude, meekness, self-denial, and perseverance. I hardly need say that your letter gave me much pleasure; and I now take the earliest opportunity of answering it. Before doing so, I thought it desirable to consult my pastor on the subject, which accordingly I did last evening; and by the conversation I have had with him, I am perhaps somewhat better prepared to give you the advice which you need, and which you ask for, respecting the very important matter that now occupies your mind. It was a remark made by my pastor, last night, in which I fully coincide, that, as every pious man is not qualified to become a minister, so neither is every minister fit to be a missionary. The missionary work, in which, my dear friend, you have so great a desire, if it is the will of God, to engage, is a work that requires peculiar endowments, beyond those that are requisite in the work of the Gospel at home. I will just mention a few of these. Besides I have neither time nor room here to enlarge upon the first class of requisites mentioned above, nor do I consider it necessary, inasmuch as, although my acquaintance with you has not been of long standing, I be lieve you to be, in a good degree possessed of them all. I therefore at once, to the second class of requisites. come, The first of these that I have mentioned is, soundness of bodily constitution. This, I understand, is invariably made a matter of particular inquiry by the London Missionary Society, as, I doubt not, it is also by other Missionary Societies. And the propriety of this is obvious, on the slightest consideration. The expense necessarily incurred in the education, outfit, and conveyance of a missionary to his appointed station is so great, that it would be folly indeed to send out a sickly person, however well qualified in other respects, or to encourage any one to think of entering upon so arduous an undertaking, whose constitution or state of health should render it probable that he would soon either be obliged to return or fall a victim to the climate. Then, again, with regard to capability of acquiring the languages of the heathen. I should suppose that a person endued with a moderate share of natural talent, and animated by an ardent desire to speak unto the people to whom he is sent, "in their own tongue, the wonderful works of God," and to make known unto them the way of salvation, would seldom fail, with the Divine blessing, to attain his end. This, however, certainly claims a previous and distinct consideration; since, without such a capability, he could not hope to accomplish the great object of his mission; and because, in case of failure in this particular, he would be of little use. The next thing I have suggested, as more especially needful in a missionary to the heathen, is, a competent stock of general information. The necessity of this arises partly from his own circumstances when in a heathen land, and partly from the condition of those amongst whom he is called to labour. In many cases these are mere savages; or, what is little better, those who are just emerging from a state of gross idolatry and comparative barbarism; and they consequently require information upon almost every subject. And then the missionary himself, being so far removed from his native land, can no longer have recourse to the wisdom and experience of others for aid or advice in every emergency, or avail himself of the various helps which he was accustomed, when at home, to find always at hand; but must, in a great measure, depend upon the resources of his own mind and the stores of his own memory. If these, then, be not well furnished, how materially are both his comfort and his usefulness likely to be impeded! I have hinted, further, that some degree of natural courage and firmness of nerve is another qualification highly desirable in a missionary candidate. He must be prepared to encounter many difficulties and dangers, and must not "count" even "his life dear unto him," so that he may fulfil his high commission, "to testify" to his perishing fellow men "the Gospel of the grace of God," Acts xx. 24. And, to crown all (for I find I must not enlarge), there should be in his character and disposition, a happy combination of Christ-like fortitude and meekness, patient self-denial and laborious perseverance; for the exercise of which he may expect to meet with many a call in the course of his missionary career. These few brief considerations, my dear friend, which are the result of much serious thought, I offer with a view to assist you in determining what is to you at present the path of duty. I am not yet sufficiently acquainted with your circumstances to be able to give you any decided opinion as to the step. you should next take. One thing, however, I will venture to suggest,-that, before 1 you make application to the Mis-ters over together much more easily sionary Society, it is proper you and satisfactorily than we can do with should fulfil the term of your ap- pen and paper at a distance; and prenticeship, which I understand is upon a clearer understanding of cirnot yet expired; unless under very cumstances, I may feel myself more peculiar circumstances. And the at liberty to give you my advice. time that shall thus elapse, need In the meantime, my dear friend, not, and I am persuaded will not, be "continue in prayer, and watch in lost, inasmuch as your leisure hours the same with thanksgiving," Col. may be profitably occupied in such iv. 2. Let" Lord, what wilt thou have studies and pursuits as have an im- me to do?" be your unceasing inmediate bearing upon your great quiry at the throne of grace; and it object. will not long remain unanswered. Farewell, for the present; and "the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit," 2 Tim. iv. 22. J. B. Essex. I shall be glad to have a personal interview with you upon the subject, as soon as you can find opportunity. We shall then be able to talk mat The Conansel Chamber. HINT TO FAMILIES. MANY times since coming here have I had cause to lament that Christian parents, and brothers and sisters, so neglect to do what they can to keep their wandering sons and brothers in the path of rectitude; and thinking they may not be aware how much they can do for them, I now write to tell them. Any young man coming to a land like this, must be well grounded in virtuous principles and in faith, or ten to one he will in a short time throw off almost all moral restraint, and indulge in the most vicious practices. The moral atmosphere of the place is corrupt. Vice is popular; even those who occupy the most influential stations are often patterns of drunkenness and licentiousness, while the few who have the love of Christ in them are not bold soldiers, as they ought to be, and the weight of Christian influence is very small. If, then, a young man is to live a virtuous life, he must be well grounded in virtue when he comes, and must be plied with the best influences while here. And among all these influences, I know of none more powerful than that which absent friends can exert by means of their kind and earnest letters. Sabbath influences here are quite insufficient. Very likely the young man engages in some business that confines him from worship one or both parts of the day. Or if not, the lassitude he feels here will often detain him at home. And again, there are other young men, sons of pious parents too, who will ridicule him for going, and lay plans to engage him in some sinful amusement on that day. And all the while he is separated from the whole circle of hallowed influences that at home bound him to the path of virtue, and is compelled to withstand the whole tide of evil alone, and he is almost certain to fall. The pastor watches every opportunity to encourage him to right action; but he is alone in the effort, while many are drawing the other way. In such circumstances, I have sometimes been astonished to see how much a letter from home nerves the young man to right action again. | And I have been much grieved, on the other hand, at witnessing the sad effects of the decline of such correspondence. A case is now in mind. There is walking these streets daily, a young man of fine personal appearance, of amiable disposition, and good business capacities, who is going fast to destruction. His friends are very respectable, and I believe pious. When he first came here he was punctual in his attendance on Sabbath services, and also the prayer meeting; but of late he has almost entirely forsaken both.-An Emigrant. THE THEATRE RUINS How many ruined young men date their first steps in ruin from the time when they began to frequent the theatre! They were at first comparatively pure and free from open or decided vice; but play-going completely altered their habits of thinking and acting. The victims of imagination all day, the victims of fascination all night, their minds have become intoxicated, debilitated, and unfitted for the active duties of life. This vitiated state of mind prepares them to become the prey of the toper, the scoffer, the harlot, the gambler, the embezzler, the gentlemanly beggar who lives by constant borrowing, and the gentlemanly friend who lives by constant lending. The youth becomes intimate with the swearer, the Sabbath-breaker, the infidel, and the liar; with these he meets, and spends his hours of rest, and money more than his own. Midnight hours, restless slumbers, noon-day stimulants, a weakened body, a jaded mind, neglected work, a doubted character, suspected honour unpaid debts, offended friends, a lost situation, all come in the train of the play-house, where first he learned to laugh at sin, to take pleasure in the imitative representations of human iniquity. This fact is so well known, that no merchant would appoint as a confidential money-clerk a youth whom he knew to be ad- It is told of an ingenuous youth, "PIT!" There Go, ask the merchants of London about these things, and let their counting-houses and banks be our witnesses. If "saints and Methodists" are not to be believed, go ask the world!-John Macdonald. THE CHIEF END OF MAN. I asked a crowd, "What is the chief end of man?" The contentious man said, "To contradict my neighbour, and wrangle for ever." The noisy demagogue said, "To please my party, decry others, and hold my place for ever." The lazy man said, "To do as I please, and especially to do nothing, and trifle for ever." A wise child said, " To glorify God, and enjoy him for ever." Che Fragment Basket. A NOBLE EXAMPLE OF BENEVOLENCE. it their duty to honour old age."Starling's Noble Deeds of Women. ONLY A TRIFLE. "Hard enough, sir, hard enough; and I am glad to help her, though what I give her don't cost much; only a trifle, sir." "How often does she come?" 'Only three times a week. I told her to come oftener if she needed to, but she says three loaves are a plenty for her and her little one, with what she gets by sewing." "And have you any more such customers, Simpkins?" Michael Schappach, a Swiss doctor of the last century, obtained by "That's right," said I to my his skill in wonderful cures so great friend Simpkins, the baker, as the a celebrity, that he was often visited sickly-looking widow of Harry Watby people of distinction and fortune. kins went out of his shop-door with There were once assembled in Mi-a loaf of bread he had given her. chael Schappach's laboratory many "That's right, Simpkins; I am glad distinguished persons from all parts you are helping the poor creature, of the world, partly to consult him, for she has a hard time of it since and partly from curiosity. Among Harry died and her own health them were many French ladies and failed her." gentlemen, and a Russian prince, with a daughter of singular beauty. A young French marquis attempted, for the amusement of the ladies, to display his wit on the miraculous doctor. During this conversation, there entered an old peasant, meanly dressed, with a snow-white beard, a neighbour of Schappach's. The doctor turned away directly from his great company to prepare the necessary medicine for his neighbour's wife, without paying much attention to his more exalted guests, whose business he did not consider so pressing. The marquis, deprived of one subject of his wit, turned his jokes against the poor man, who was waiting for his medicine. After many silly observations on his long, white beard, he offered a wager of twelve louis-d'ors that none of the ladies would kiss the dirty old fellow. The Russian princess, hearing these words, made a sign to her attendant, who brought her a plate. The princess pu twelve louis-d'ors on it, and had it carried to the marquis, who, of course, could not decline putting twelve others. Then the fair Russian went up to the old peasant with the long beard, and said, "Permit me, venerable father, to salute you after the fashion of my country." Saying this, she embraced him, and gave him a kiss. She then presented him with the gold on the plate, with these words, "Take this as a remembrance of me, and as a sign that the Russian girls think "Only two or three, sir." "Only two or three; why, it must be quite a tax upon your profits." "Oh, no, not so much as you suppose; altogether it amounts to only a trifle." I could not but smile as my friend repeated these words; but after I left him I fell to thinking how much good he is doing with only a trifle. He supplies three or four families with the bread they eat from day to day; and though the actual cost for a year shows but a small sum in £. s. d., the benefit conferred is by no means a small one. A sixpence to a man who has plenty to eat and drink, and wherewithal to be clothed," is nothing, but is something to one on the verge of starvation. And we know not how much good we are doing when we give only a trifle to a good object. NOVEL-READING. 66 I was extremely sorry to perceive that the Americans exceed us as a novel-reading people. At every pub |