test, a criterion of christian character, and when no sophistry will shelter the man who closes his bowels of compassion against the perishing heathen, and more especially against the thousands and tens of thousands of his own countrymen who are destitute of the means of grace, from the charge of practical rebellion against Him whose name he bears.

This subject-the subject of motives, viewed in all its latitude of application, and in its relation, not only to the extension of the Gospel abroad, but to the soundness and healthfulness of spiritual religion at home, deserves far more attention than has yet been given to it. Is there no reason to apprehend unfavourable results to ourselves from the too prevalent habit of overlooking those high considerations which were the unquestionable stimulus of apostolic zeal, and which are as permanent in their nature as they are universal in their application? Why should we at any time dissociate even in imagination the missionary enterprize in all its varied features from the other recognized forms of christian obedience? Why should there be even a tacit and virtual acquiescence in a principle that we should tremble to avow, namely, that our submission to the authority of Christ would be equally entire and unequivocal, although we were never to think of the last injunction that fell from his sacred lips? The revealed will of God-the express command of Christ, form the basis upon which must be reared the superstructure of christian motives and christian exertions for the salvation of our fellow men, and these, taken in conjunction with the cries of a groaning creation, travailing in pain under the curse of sin, constitute some of the peculiar claims of missions upon that class of persons whose sympathies, prayers, and energies I am most anxious to engage in an attempt to evangelize the world. The several Societies you have adopted embrace the whole extent of the missionary field, and whilst I cannot but rejoice as a Christian Minister that you have not overlooked, in your scheme of benevolence," the dispersed of Judah" and the millions of the perishing heathen, it is with a peculiar degree of satisfaction that I regard your Christian concern for the ignorant who dwell within our own borders, and for those of our countrymen who have left our shores to settle in distant lands.

The bread we cast upon the waters will be found again, though it may not be until after many days. The heavenly

seed that we sow here will spring up and ripen, though we may not see or know it. But when the harvest of the earth is ripe for the garner of heaven, and the Son of man thrusts in his sharp sickle upon the earth, we shall reap many a golden sheaf from many a green spot in the wide desert of the world that we knew not of, and from many a silent valley which we never knew was watered by streams from the river of everlasting life. It is not always we shall trace in others the good results of our labour of love, but there is one thing certain, that a blessing will ever return upon ourselves, and that we can never extend christian benefits without receiving correspondent advantages. Thus, in advancing the objects of these Societies, we are securing to ourselves the spiritual benefits we are so desirous to extend to others. Love to God is always evidenced by love to man; it is a test, indeed, of christian character. Love to man increases our love towards God, and displays itself in works of kindness towards our fellow man, and in earnest endeavours for the promotion of his happiness hereafter. Every view of our own heart must make us more acquainted with its deep depravity, and while we endeavour, with fear and trembling, to work out the salvation of our own souls, we shall be anxious to rescue our fellow sinners from perishing. He who guides others in the way to heaven will find his own feet made more sure in that narrow path. He who leads the burdened sinner to the cross of Christ will feel his own load lightened. He who points others to the Son of God-the Lamb without spot, slain before the foundation of the world, as the only sacrifice for sin, will have his own assurance strengthened that he himself is a participator in the blessings secured by the sprinkling of the blood of the covenant. He who points to Christ crucified as man's only hope, his only refuge from the wrath to come, will feel his own faith increased, and will value more highly the everlasting salvation thus wrought out.

I have thus endeavoured concisely to place before you the origin of the British colonies-their dependence upon the mother country-their moral state, and their spiritual destitution. I have considered their darkness-their want, and the many dangers that beset them, and I trust that I have succeeded in proving the urgent claims they have upon our christian love, our prayers, and our untiring exertions for their everlasting welfare. It is not a matter of Time but a matter of Eternity,

and as every man values the salvation of his own soul, so will he value that of others. If the love of God dwells not in the man who sees his brother in temporal want and does not supply his need, how much less must it dwell in the heart of him upon whose ear the cry of perishing souls produces no effect! The cup of water given in the Saviour's name shall have its reward; surely, then, the endeavour to rescue the guilty sinner from everlasting destruction shall receive a never-ending recompense. As, then, we would wish to receive these heavenly blessings hereafter, let us show our faith and love by individual and collective efforts to promote the one great end for which Christ came into the world, for which He suffered the ignominious death of the cross, and for which He now pleads incessantly at the right hand of the throne of God.

A LECTURE,

BY THE REV. WILLIAM SHORT, M.A.

It seemed almost presumptuous at the commencement of the year to enter into an engagement to deliver a Lecture after the lapse of twelve months; yet it has pleased Almighty God to enable me to fulfil my promise; and I am sure you will join with me in recording, at this concluding meeting, our thankfulness for the mercies vouchsafed to us during that period. Now though I may naturally feel that the selection of an advocate for the cause of missions might have fallen on many others, who from the extent of their information, were much better qualified than myself to address you, yet there are many circumstances which render it at present a pleasing task. The existence of such associations as that which I have the satisfaction of addressing this evening, must be a subject of great thankfulness to all sincere Christians. The desire of intellectual improvement is in itself commendable, and were your Association merely based on such a desire, you might justly demand the co-operation and assistance of those, who from their age might give weight to the Society, even if you did not stand in need of their experience, or of the information which their greater opportunities of study may have given them the means of obtaining: but when the end proposed in the formation of this Society is the furtherance of the kingdom of the Redeemer, both in the conversion of the heathen, and in the dissemination of divine truth among our neglected population, I cannot but feel the greatest thankfulness to Almighty God that He has put it into your hearts to join in this labour of love; and I would pray the Giver of every good gift to shower down his mercies on

this Association, that it may be preserved free from error, and be made the instrument of much good to yourselves and others.

In looking over the list of subjects on which you have requested the different neighbouring clergymen to address you; I cannot but feel gratified by the selection of the topic for the elucidation of which you have invited me to meet you this evening. The avocations of a London parish are so numerous, and the calls for attendance on the charities of the metropolis take up so much of the time, which, were we to follow our own inclinations, we should gladly give to deeper researches than we can at present pursue, that had you requested me to address you on a subject which demanded much investigation, I should have been obliged to decline the undertaking, however reluctant to appear indifferent either to your wishes, or to the general well-being of the Association. But as the topic is one of general import, and demands a general view of the wants of our church both at home and abroad, and of the best means of supplying those deficiencies, together with the consideration of the blessings arising from a co-operation in such exertions, while I feel my inability to do justice to the subject, I could not decline to comply with your request. It is one which has often occupied my thoughts; I will therefore gladly lay before you, the reasons which induce me to believe, that, humanly speaking, not only the safety of our church is in her becoming a missionary church-in her training in the ways of God her neglected children at home, and carrying forth among her numerous dependencies, the unsearchable riches of Christ-but that the best means which an individual can use under the guidance of the Spirit of God for the preservation of himself in the faith, is active exertion in furthering the cause of missions.

But not to detain you longer with these preliminary observations, I would at once proceed to the object of our meeting this evening. It would be impossible to assign every reason which might lead us to anticipate a blessing as likely to result from a faithful co-operation in missionary labours; whatever divisions of the subject may be made, they are of two kinds, 1st. That the guidance of Providence is such as to lead us to suppose that it is the will of God that we should be thus engaged; and 2nd. That the nature of the work itself is such as to be in accordance to the secret operations of that