original and inspired missionarieswere plainly so attended. Nor, when missionaries go forth by families, or companies, is there any transgression of female delicacy or decorum, if unmarried women accompany them. Often they are still under the guardianship of fathers, or brothers, and always under the protection of men of the fairest and purest character. The services of unmarried women may be, as they have often been, of the very highest importance, in missionary operations.

At home, Christian women may, with entire propriety, not only contribute to missionary funds, when founded by others, but form associations of their own, for raising funds, to be appropriated by themselves, to such objects as they may find themselves most disposed to favour. To deny them this privilege, would be to manifest such injustice as requires no words to expose.

Even Female Missionary Societies have been formed in our country, and conducted with unimpeachable propriety and undeniable utility. While so conducted, who will censure them? Who will not rather countenance them, and bid them God speed? By the intervention and aid of ministers of the Gospel, and of pious and discreet laymen, their missionaries may be selected, and missionary services may be assigned and inspected, without any trespass on the rights of men, or the delicacy of women.

7. Bible Societies, Tract Societies, Education Societies, Jews Societies, Charity Schools, Orphan Asylums, Widows' Asylums, and all institutions of a similar character to these, present to Christian women objects and opportunities for manifesting their love to their Saviour and his cause, which they may seize and improve, with the greatest freedom and advantage. And truly they have, in our day, seized and improved them, with an

activity, and to an extent, which are worthy of the highest praise. In several instances, within the knowledge of the speaker, the energy, perseverance, and success of Christian women, in cultivating these fields of pious usefulness, have reproved the more sluggish efforts of men. It was reserved for the age in which we live, and it is among the indications, as we hope, of a better age approaching, that female agency should be called on, to take part in almost every plan and effort for extending the Gospel, or for abating the sufferings, or meliorating the condition of mankind. The effect has been wonderful; and it seems scarcely less wonderful, that such efficient aid was never brought into action before.

But among all the benevolent associations that have been mentioned, and to which it seems as if every one who loves either God or man, must cordially wish success, there is not one, that is, in my view, more worthy of the special attention of Christian women-not one that more appropriately belongs to them

than such societies, as that whose anniversary we this day celebrate. Consider its object. It is to deliver one half of the human species, in the most populous region of the earth, from a state of the deepest and most complete abjection.From a state which exhibits them as mere animals; not worthy to be considered as reasonable and immortal beings; not the fit subjects of intellectual improvement, and of religious happiness and hope; not the companions of men, on the footing of intelligence, or of any approximation to equality; but only as his slaves, and the instruments but I cannot proceed in the description of their state. It is not of a nature to be described before this audience; nor even to be thought on by one's self, but at the expense of every species of painful and sickening emotions. I solemnly ask then, if there can be a louder

call for humane, for benevolent, for Christian exertion, from every one in whose bosom the feelings of humanity, benevolence, and Christian compassion, are not "twice dead, plucked up by the roots"-than that which is here made, to lend a helping hand, in lifting up these millions on millions of the human family, from this state of absolute bestial ignorance, degradation and servility, to a state of rationality, intelligence, happiness, dignity, and the hope of heaven? And if this may be asked of every man, who has the soul of a man, what shall be said to women, to Christian women, in behalf of their own sex; whose feelings they must best know, and in whose wretchedness and sorrows they can best sympathize? Do they occupy themselves in other works of kindness and charity? And can they neglect this? Ought not this to be their peculiar, their favourite object? Ought not the women of the whole civilized world, to make common cause, in rescuing more than one half of their common nature, from the condition of brutes? Ought not all Christian women to do this? Yes, they ought and bear with me, if you cannot think and feel as I do, when I say that I have wondered, and do wonder, that the known condition of women in India, and in other regions where Heathenism and Mahomedanism prevail, has not operated with an electrick force, on the whole enlightened part-and especially on the Christian partof the sex, to rouse them to the most vigorous action, and to unite them in a concentration of effort, to bring out female nature from this horrible abyss of reproach and infamy; and to raise it to the standing for which it was formed and intended by the Great Author of our being. Heathens and Mahomedans all together, male as well as female, are, we know, in a state of awful ignorance and wretchedness: but there is a speciality in the case of

women among them; and it is of this I am now speaking-Women are debased far below their lords and masters, who are themselves debased. They are, of wretched and degraded tyrants, the more wretched and degraded slaves and drudges; or the mere instruments of their base sensuality. In the deep of Heathen and Mahomedan abominations, there, is "a lower deep; and there it is, that the whole female sex with them is found. Thanks to God, that those who are trying to bring them relief, have some encouraging indications of success. A considerable number of the poor natives of India, have surrendered their female children for education, to the thrice blessed missionaries; to the heavenly minded men and women who began, and who are still engaged in this Godlike work, of restoring them to the rights of human nature, and the prospect of eternal felicity. To have made this good beginning, is to have done much. Let but the happy effects of female education be once visible, although it be on a small scale-let but a few well educated females, from among the lower casts in India, go forth into life, and make their superiority to degraded men, as well as to degraded women, to be seen and feltthe certain consequence will be, that the desire of female education will become general and ardent; and the great object in view, will be in a train to be reached, as speedily as the nature of the case will permit. To furnish these specimens of well educated womenand we hope they will be Christian women too-in the various parts of India, will indeed require funds and exertions, a thousand times greater than any of which at present we have the knowledge. But still, the work has been commenced, and is in progress; and we believe it to be God's work, and that, under his smiles and benediction, it will go on and prosper.

Thus, my respected female friends, I have endeavoured to perform, in the best manner I could, the service to which you have called me on this occasion. It is a time at which, as has been said, women are taking part in almost all that is done, in the holy cause of religion and humanity. For this, you suffer unsparing censure from some of my sex, and from some of your own. By this censure, some among you have been intimidated; and others, I question not, have been made honestly to doubt, in what manner they ought to act. Instead, therefore, of confining myself, in this service, to a single point, or of indulging in general declamation, I have rather chosen to show, as far as my limits and my ability would permit, what Christian women may do, and what they may not do, in expressing their love to the Saviour, and manifesting their desire to promote his religion. The sneer of the infidel we look for, and are prepared to disregard it; but what is Christian duty, is for us a most serious inquiry. In pursuing this inquiry, I have taken the word of God for my guide-In its letter, where I found its letter explicit; and in its spirit, as far as I could ascertain that spirit, in all that I have said.

As to the special purpose for which your association has been formed, I shall add but little, to what you have already heard. It is your high praise, that while too many have been, and still are, negligent of their duty, and as it seems to me, sealed up in apathy and stupor, in regard to the great object of your society-you, like Mary, have done what you could. Go on, Christian sisters. "Be not weary in well doing, for in due time you shall reap, if you faint not." Often think of the number of immortal souls, that are every day and every hour passing into eternity, from the multitudinous population of In

dia-vicious, polluted throughout, and totally ignorant of that Saviour, whose blood alone "cleanseth from all sin." Often think on your special obligations to "God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." Often think on the distinguishing and merciful allotment of his providence, in giving you birth and education, in a Christian, instead of a heathen or Mahomedan land. And while you perceive, as you cannot fail to perceive, that women have a peculiar interest in the propagation of revealed truthsince the influence of that alone has ever raised them to their proper rank in society, and sustained them in it-feel that you are under peculiar obligations to extend the knowledge of that truth, by all the means in your power; to extend it for the benefit of all, but especially for the benefit, both temporal and eternal, of your own sex. Never was there greater encouragement to proceed with animation and energy in a good work, than that which you have already received. The cheering intelligence has reached you, within the year past, that on the schools of Ceylon, the very schools to which you afford your aid, God has most remarkably poured out his Holy Spirit. Under his sacred influence, those schools have become Bochims and Bethels

places of weeping and houses of prayer; houses in which daughters, as well as sons, have, we trust, been born to God and glory. In this most joyous event, remember that your prayers, and your alms, have had a happy instrumentality. Go on, then, to pray earnestly and to give cheerfully, for God is with you: and before the throne of God and of the Lamb, many of the female children of India, shall yet meet you, and bless you, and rejoice with you, through eternal ages.

Men and brethren, who hear me on this occasion. Be reminded that there is a divine injunction laid on

THE VOICE OF THE NEW YEAR.

We think the following extract from the expository works of Archbishop Leighton, may, with peculiar propriety, receive the title we have placed at the head of this article.

1 PETER, iv. 3.

"For the time past of our life may suffice us, to have wrought the will of the Gentiles."

The past may suffice; there is a figure in that, meaning much more than the words express: It is enough, Oh! too much, to have lived, so long, so miserable a life.

Now, says the Christian, "Oh! corrupt lusts and deluding world! look for no more, I have served you too long. The rest, whatsoever it is, must be to my Lord; to live to him by whom I live; and ashamed and grieved I am, I was so long in beginning. So much past,-it may be the most of my short race past,-before I took notice of God, or looked towards him. Oh! how have I lost, and worse than lost, all my by-past days? Now, had I the advantages and abilities of many men, and were I to live many ages, all should be to live to my God and honour him. And what strength I have, and what time I shall have, through his grace, shall be wholly his." And when any Christian hath thus resolved, his intended life being so imperfect, and the time so short, the poorness of the offer would break his heart, were there not an eternity before him, wherein he shall live to his God, and in him, without blemish and without end.

Spiritual things being once discerned by a spiritual light, the whole soul is carried after them; and the ways of holiness are never truly sweet till they be thoroughly embraced, with a full renunciation of all that is contrary to them.

All his former ways of wandering from God are very hateful to a Christian, who is indeed returned and brought home; and those most of all hateful, wherein he hath most wandered and most delighted. A sight of Christ gains the heart, makes it break from all entanglements of its own lusts, and of the profane world about it. And these are the two things the apostle here aims at, exhorting Christians to the study of newness of life, and showing the necessity of it. He intimates that they cannot be Christians without it; he opposes their new estate and engagement, to the old customs of their former

Called in the schools, Liptote.

condition, and to the continuing custom and conceit of the ungodly world; that against both they may maintain that rank and dignity to which now they are called, the redeemed of the Lord. Their own and, in a holy disdain of both, walk as former custom he speaks to, ver. ii. iii.

and to the custom and opinion of the world, ver. iv. and both these will set strong upon a man, especially while he is yet weak, and newly entered into that new estate.

1. His old acquaintance, his wonted lusts, will not fail to bestir themselves, to accost him in their most obliging familiar way, and represent their long continued friendship. But the Christian, following the principles of his new being, will not entertain any long discourse with them, but cut them short; tell them that the change he hath made he avows, and finds it so happy, that these former delights may put off hopes of regaining him. No, though they dress themselves in their best array, and put on all their ornaments, and say, in the known word of a certain courtesan, I am the same I was, the Christian will answer, as she was answered, but I am not the same I was. And not only thus will he turn off the plea of former acquaintance that sin makes, but turn it back upon it, as, in his present thoughts, making much against it. "The longer I was so deluded, the more reason now that I be wiser; the more time so misspent, the more pressing necessity of redeeming it. Oh! I have too long lived in that vile slavery. All was but husks I fed on; I was laying out my money for that which was no bread, and my labour for that which satisfied not, Isa. lv. ii. Now I am on the pursuit of a good that I am sure will satisfy, will fill the largest desires of my soul; and shall I be sparing and slack, or shall any thing call me off from it? Let it not be. I that took so much pains, early and late, to serve and sacrifice to so base a god; shall I not now live more to my new Lord, the living God, and sacrifice my time and strength, and my whole self, to him?”

And this is still the regret of the sensible Christian, that he cannot attain to that unwearied diligence, and that strong bent of affection, in seeking communion with God, and living to him, that sometimes he had for the service of sin; he wonders that it should be thus with him, not to equal that which it were so reasonable that he should so far exceed.

It is, beyond expression, a thing to be lamented, that so small a number of men regard God, the author of their being, that so few live to Him in whom they live; returning that being and life they have, and all their enjoyments, as is due, to him from whom they all flow. And then,