21. "I have left off subscribing to schools. The poor are overtaught. They were better men, better subjects, and better Christians, when not one in fifty could read even the New Testament."

22. "One cannot always be subscribing to every thing. I prefer one or two charities well worked out; not a whole cycle of Bible, missionary, educational institutions, which only puzzle and divide the interest one feels in each."

23. "Your rules would admit of * * * Now I object to that ob

ject."

24. "You are too conservative." 25. "You concede too much; there is danger in concessions, especially in days like these."

address to the King and both Houses of Parliament, I will draw it up for you. Plenty of friends would come forward to bear the expense."

21. "I have given up subscribing to schools. The poor are not half taught in them. If you will teach geography, astronomy, philosophy, and political economy, I will say something to you."

22. "It is of no use taking up an insulated charity here and there: if you take up one, you should take up the whole circle, and unite Bible, missionary, and education institutions, so as to reflect light and warmth upon each other."

EXTRACT FROM DR. ALEXANDER'S SERMON BEFORE THE ALUMNI OF THE PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

Having read with great pleasure this very excellent sermon, and determined to gratify our readers with a portion of it, we found ourselves at some loss, where all was attractive, in making a selection. Our choice has fallen on the 2d particular, in which the speaker explains and enforces the duty of feeding the sheep of Christ-omitting the part, at the close, which relates to the subject of discipline. The Dr. observes to his young brethren and former pupils, that the limits to which he was confined did not permit him to give more than "a mere outline, which—he adds—each of you is capable of filling up, and which I trust you do fill up, not merely in theoretical knowledge, but in the daily practice of the duties of your office." We did wish, however, that in speaking of Sunday Schools, he had, a little more distinctly than in a single word, urged the importance of teaching our Shorter Catechism, in all these schools, when formed in Presbyterian congregations. By this catechism, especially when taught with the Scripture proofs, divine truth, in its essential parts, is systematised, and the minds of learners are furnished with the best guards against being "carried about with every wind of doctrine."

2d. Next, let us consider the manner in which the sheep, when gathered into the fold, should be fed. The word of God is, in general, the food

with which his people must be fed. The knowledge of the truth is the proper nutriment of the spiritual life.

Now, to feed the flock of God, the pastor must understand the Scriptures. And he must feel in his own soul the experience of the efficacy of the truth. "For if the blind lead the blind, will not both fall into the ditch?" A guide of the children of God, ought to have a deep and rich experience of the manifold grace of God; and should be well acquainted with the various cases of conscience, which are common among the sheep of his pasture. His very soul should be imbued with the spirit of the Gospel. And he should be of a very tender and compassionate disposition, towards all persons labouring under trouble of mind.

To feed the church of God, it is necessary that the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL be preached. Error can never nourish the soul. Error, even when mingled with truth, is like poison in our food. It is a thing much to be dreaded and avoided, to preach what is not true; or, what God has never commanded us to teach. The pastors of Christ's flock have the strongest motives to induce them to take heed to themselves and to their doctrine." They should be exceedingly solicitous to know what the truth is, not only for their own sakes, but for the sake of the people; and when they do know the revealed will of God, wo be unto them, if they do not preach it faithfully.

The whole counsel of God should be declared. Nothing that can be profitable should be kept back. The scribe well instructed in the kingdom of God, brings out of his treasure things new and old. The Old Testament and the New; the law and the gospel; the promises and the precepts; the predictions and the histories; the justice and the grace of God;-in short, every thing which the Scriptures have it as their object to reveal, we must preach. Yet, as in every system, while all parts are necessary in their place, some are more absolutely essential, and occupy a more central, and more prominent place; so, in the system of Scriptural doctrines, some truths must be made more conspicuous than others; and must be more frequently and earnestly inculcated, because on the knowledge of these, salvation is suspended. But every part of divine revelation should receive proper attention. The people need to be instructed in all that God has revealed for the edification of his church.

The word of God must be exhibited in its genuine simplicity. The babes of Christ grow and thrive only by the "sincere," (i. e. untainted, unmixed,) "milk of the word." This celestial nutriment will not bear to be mixed with human inventions and philosophy, without great injury. There should be no adulteration of the truth. No diluting of it. No combination of it with things foreign to its nature. Clear, sound, simple expositions of divine truth, should form the basis of the pastor's instructions from the pulpit.

The truth should be preached in a discriminating manner, with adaptation to the state and capacities of the particular flock to which it is addressed, and with seasonable and powerful application.

A mere general exhibition of the truth, without skilfully dividing it, so as to give every one his proper portion, is such a method of feeding the sheep of Christ, as will bring shame on him who thus dispenses the word. What should we think of the skill and fidelity of a physician, who should mix up good medicines and dispense them indiscriminately to all the patients in a hospital? Very much like this is the conduct of the preacher who deals out the word of God, without regard to the Ch. Adv.-VOL. XII.

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different characters of his hearers. Careless sinners must be awakened and persuaded, by having the terrors of the Lord set before them. The watchman must not fail to sound the alarm, and testify against the sins of the people. "He should cry aloud and spare not." For if he fail of being faithful, their blood will be required at his hands. (Ezek. iii. 17-21.)

Gainsayers must be convinced, and their mouths stopped with solid argument. And yet we must instruct those who oppose themselves, with meekness. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." "The servant of the Lord must not strive," but yet he must "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints." The ignorant must be instructed. The babes in Christ must be fed with milk; the mature believer with strong meat.

The mourner must be comforted, and the weak and faint supported and refreshed, with an application of the free and gracious promises of God.

But in order to adapt his instructions to the various classes of persons in his charge, and to meet the various exigencies of the people, the pastor must descend from the pulpit; he must follow his flock to their homes. He must teach not only "publicly," but also “from house to house." He must find out, by personal acquaintance, the wants and diseases of mind under which they suffer. He must patiently, assiduously, and perseveringly, set himself to feed the sheep of Christ; and not to overlook the "lambs," who are first mentioned in our Lord's charge to Peter. It matters not whether by these we understand the weak in faith, or those of tender age; both must be carefully nourished. The youth form the most interesting part of the flock of every pastor. On them rest the hopes of the church. They must soon stand in the places of their fathers. They will very shortly have the whole concerns of the church of Christ in their hands. How important is it then, that they be trained up in the way they should go; "brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Among all the " signs of the times" which are encouraging, there is no one more calculated to inspire hope, than the attention paid to youth in Sabbath schools, and in catechetical and Bible classes.

This is, indeed, to begin to build on a good foundation. If we would have the tree to grow straight, we must attend to it when young and tender. Let these efforts then be continued and multiplied. This is so far a compliance with the command of Christ, "feed my lambs."

By means of Sunday schools, now so widely extended over the church, the faithful pastor is furnished with a troop of auxiliaries, in the faithful discharge of his duty, unknown to our fathers, and which should be appreciated as one of the distinguishing blessings which God has granted to his church in our days. That pastor who does not cherish and patronise this catholic institution, manifests an ignorance or indifference in regard to the welfare of the lambs of his flock, little consistent with sincere love and fidelity to the great Shepherd. The superintendence of these schools, within the bounds of his charge, properly belongs to the pastor, and his assisting elders; and when the actual duties are transferred to other competent hands, the direction and government should remain with him. But I must not omit, what has long been with me a favourite opinion, that the Sunday schools should include persons of all ages: all your people, even though greyheaded, should be in a course of regular instruction. The truth is, that most adults need to have the same lessons inculcated, which are

given to the children. This, moreover, is no impracticable theory. The experiment has been tried, in a number of congregations in Massachusetts, and the result, as far as is known, is delightful. It is not necessary for adult men and women to be catechised as children are, but they might be formed into classes; might appoint a leader, or take this office in turn, and might prepare a certain number of chapters, on the contents of which they might freely converse, for an hour or two; and such as desired it, might be permitted to propose questions, to be answered on the spot, or to be reserved until the next meeting. We are, in fact, all children, while in this world, and need to learn something from God's word every day; and such an employment would fill up the vacant hours, and enliven the spirits of the aged, when they are so apt to become torpid, for want of interesting objects of attention. And I verily believe, that it would be the means of preserving their powers from sinking into dotage.

And if parents could be induced to co-operate more zealously in this work; if mothers, especially, would be persuaded to be more earnest and assiduous in instilling divine truth into the infant mind, who can tell what a reformation might be wrought in one age? And I cannot but hope, that maternal affection, which is one of the strongest as well as tenderest feelings implanted in the human constitution, begins already to be directed into its appropriate channel. The existence and success of "Maternal Associations," intended for the mutual assistance of pious mothers, encourages me to believe, that this powerful and inextinguishable yearning of the maternal heart, the nature and force of which mothers only can appreciate, is about to be sanctified to the great object of promoting early piety, and sowing the seed which may ripen into religion in mature age, when this effect fails in earlier life. If I were called on to declare what means of conversion, beside public preaching, had been most blessed of God, I should unhesitatingly an

swer, MATERNAL INSTRUCTION.

The pastor of a flock may well be compared to the physician of a hospital. It is important for him, as far as possible, to know the case of each individual under his charge; and especially to search out such as are labouring under peculiar maladies. He must not only be ready to visit his people, but prompt to enter into religious conversation with them. Not merely of a general and uninteresting kind, but relative to their own state, their various spiritual troubles, conflicts and temptations; and having learned the cases of spiritual disease, he should study them with care, and bring them specially and individually before the throne of grace; and should not cease to visit such persons, however weak and erroneous their views may be. And even if they seem to derive no benefit from his conversation, he must not forsake or neglect them. Like a kind physician, he must show his sympathy, when he can apply no effectual remedy.

The sick, also, he must visit, and deal with them faithfully, skilfully and tenderly, according to their respective characters and states of mind.

The poor of the flock must never be forgotten by the faithful pastor. Many of the most precious of Christ's sheep and lambs, are found in this class. "God hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom." It was a distinguishing proof that Jesus was the true Messiah, "that the poor had the gospel preached unto them." And when the other apostles had no other instruction to give Paul, they earnestly requested, that he would "remember the poor."

"The same," says he, "which I also was forward to do." Religious influence is said rather to ascend than descend. It is, I believe, a fact, that a pastor's influence over the higher classes of society, will be greater, if he pays chief attention to the poor, than if he assiduously courted the rich. The poor are much more accessible than the rich, who are fenced round by so many forms of etiquette, that to address them personally and pointedly, is considered as a want of good manners; but, generally, the poor can be approached without danger of giving offence; and they consider the attentions of a minister as a condescension and favour. They also need religious instruction more than others, because their time is commonly completely occupied and their education defective. It is of high importance to guard the poor against habits of idleness and intemperance. These vices are the source of most others. To which may be added, the spending of the Lord's day in an improper manner. No evil is more threatening in free countries than the increase of pauperism: unless a check can be put to it in England, the country must be ruined; and its progress here is alarming. Pastors have more in their power, in regard to this branch of political economy, than any other class of men. Experience has fully shown the inefficacy of legal provision for the poor. The true remedy can only be found in raising their character, by instilling into their minds sound religious instruction. There is a culpable negligence, in most of our churches, in making suitable provision for the accommodation of the poor. In most Protestant churches in our large cities, you see very few of the poorest of the people. They have no place, and they are ashamed to appear in such gay assemblies, with their tattered garments. It is said, that in no country in the world, is there such an exhibition of gay clothing in the house of God, as in these United States. Does not this, in connexion with what has been said, deserve the attention of the pastor? I consider unbounded luxury, in dress, furniture, and equipage, as one of our crying sins.

THE BIBLE FOR THE WORLD.

It is probably known to most of our readers that the American Bible Society have adopted a resolution, to endeavour, in reliance on the aid of the God of the Bible, to put his Holy Book, within the period of twenty years, into the hands of the reading population of the world -in the vernacular languages of those who form this population, and who shall be found willing to accept the invaluable treasure.

The magnitude of this undertaking may appear at first sight to be appalling. Yet it is capable of demonstration, that the means to accomplish it are fairly within our power, if a disposition zealously to use them shall not be wanting-The pecuniary means necessary to accomplish this enterprise would be largely furnished, by applying to it only the sums whish have heretofore been expended to ruin the souls and bodies of our citizens, in making drunkards by the purchase and use of spirituous liquors.

It has been justly remarked, that we live in an age in which we ought "to expect great things, and attempt great things." The object now in contemplation is truly a great thing-the greatest, beyond a question, in the compassing of which human agency can ever be employed; and in this it must and will be employed; for we are not to