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account, visiting the churches to see how they do and that mind must be strangely constituted which is not thrown back on the retrospect of pastoral duty, and that fails to look forward from these visitations to the appearing of the Chief Shepherd, when our stewardship must be fully accounted for, and the final award be made.'

The candid expression of his own deep-felt sense of insufficiency, which follows, is affecting to the Christian mind, and can scarcely fail to do away with the feeling, among his hearers, of anything like hortatory superiority assumed by the preacher :

'If in aiming to discharge what seems to be my duty on this occasion, I appear to turn this day into a day of rebuke and sadness of heart, bear with me, my Reverend Brethren. Believe me, I address you with a full and unhesitating sympathy. I stand here on no vantage ground, buoyed up with the confidence of superior success. There is not a sad reflection on the past to which I am not ready to respond. There is scarcely a feeling of dissatisfaction with pastoral attainment in which I cannot accord.'

From a sermon, delivered in such a spirit, we may reasonably look for valuable instruction and advice, on that most important subject on which it treats. Our author proceeds :—

'Let us come then to the point. And may the good Lord grant us grace to look fairly and honestly at our position, in such a manner as may not drive us to reckless indifference and sceptical despondency, but rather to more fervent prayer, that we may have increasing light to perceive and know what things we ought to do, and increasing power faithfully to fulfil the same.'

He then considers the case of God's people of old, to whom the words of the text had primary reference. Having treated of the 'essential features of a godly character,' he says:

'If it be asked what it is to be a faithful, godly man? I answer that it is to be a partaker of Enoch's walking with God: of the faith of Abraham, and the patience of Job: of the meekness of Moses, and the devotion of David of the constancy of Daniel, and, if it be the Lord's will, of the ready martyrdom of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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And this is the soul's health. This is the true vital godliness of the bible.' In contrast to these, the author speaks of too much which is to be seen, in the present day, in highly favoured England. We are by no means sure, however, that he does not form too high an estimate of our fellow-creatures in olden times.

'But who among us dare bring the mass of our parishioners into comparison with those of ancient days? or into juxta-position with the law as a rule of life? I need not enter into the sickening and disheartening details of pastoral experience. You know, beloved brethren, what it is that makes the rivers of tears to flow down your eyes: what it is that makes you tremble for the faithfulness of your stewardship. You know how many are the positive violators of the letter of the law and you know how many want the unequivocal evidences of that godly principle which is its distinctive character.

'And yet this is the soul's health-the law exemplified.'

Our author then comes down to the times of the New Testament, and traces, in the character and exhortations of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles, the same line of conduct prescribed, as that in which vital godliness consists. He then refers to many pleasing cases of persons in the lives and deaths of whom, the same mighty efficacy of divine grace is seen illustrated. One passage is too beautiful to be withheld from our readers. It is as follows:

'Go to the chamber of sickness. All do not die "like a lamb," with the

senselessness and ignorance of the beasts that perish-all do not sink into eternity tearless and impenitent, and unblest by a Saviour's pardoning grace and mercy. We have seen, not merely the worn out and feeble, the aged with whom life has lost its charms, but the young on whose path the sun shone brightly, and whose way seemed filled with flowers of fragrance—we have seen the young allured by a still small voice, and led by some silken cord, the drawings of a Saviour's love-far, far away from the attractions of earth, amidst such sweet and blessed manifestations of grace to the soul, and such bright and assuring prospects of an inheritance in the regions of bliss, as have neutralized all the fearfulness of dying, and converted the bed of languishing into the gate of heaven.

And all this, under no romantic spell, or visionary self-deception, but carried forward in the sure and safe track of Scripture guidance and authority: heaven not caught at under the sudden impulse of its beauty, or wished for merely as the best of two alternatives: but heaven lawfully gained-the first step taken in tears, under the discovery of sins, negligences, and ignorances: the next, hastening with their heavy burden to Calvary, and then the feet thus shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, discovering an easy and triumphant way into the inheritance of glory.

Blessed be God, we speak that we do know and testify that we have seen. The death-beds we have witnessed tell us, that there is indeed balm in Gilead, and indeed a Physician there. Nor can we possibly conclude, that because the effects of the remedy are not more extensive, there is therefore no reality in the remedy itself.'

This strain of thought naturally leads to the inquiry,

Then how shall we answer such an appeal as that in our text? If we are assured that there is balm in Gilead, and a Physician there, how is it that the health of God's people is not recovered?

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And here I am reminded of the observation once made to me by an eminent instructor of youth, that if things went wrong in his school, the first step he took was to consider whether there was not some defect in himself inducing the mischief.'

Mr. W. then proceeds to dwell on several practical reasons that may be suggested for that 'want of ministerial success,' which he so justly laments. For the striking manner in which he illustrates and explains his inquiries and suggestions, we must refer to the Sermon itself, since our limits only admit of our giving the general divisions or heads on which he so forcibly expatiates, with occasional brief extracts.

'I. Do we, as the constituted depositaries of Gospel truth, and the pastoral guides and directors of our people, really set before them the glorious gospel of our salvation in all its fulness and freeness: and fully convinced ourselves that neither is there salvation in any other, do we continually warn our people against all other dependencies.'

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Under this head he inquires,

Now, beloved brethren, are we all verily clear of our brother's blood in this respect? Can we say that we have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God? Have we determined to know nothing among our flocks but Jesus Christ and him crucified.'

A passing allusion is here made to one of the fundamental errors of the Tractarian heresy,-viz., Reserve in preaching the doctrine of

the atonement.

'I do not believe that any amongst us, my Brethren, have been misled by the soul-destroying heresy of the day, and would for a moment allow, upon principle and system, of a reserve in proclaiming the grand doctrine of Redemption in the fulness of its blessings; but we shall do well to examine, and that with much prayer and self-distrust, whether our pastoral instruction

has been free from all hurtful leaven, and pointed, and full in holding forth the grand truth of an all-sufficient, and all-willing Saviour for needy and ruined sinners.'

The second of our author's inquiries touches a subject of surpassing interest and importance, on which space forbids us in any adequate manner to dwell.

'Bear with me while I suggest, further, whether we have held forth the great Physician to the people with the feeling and the heartiness of those who have themselves experienced his skill.'

We cannot withhold the following brief passages under this head ;

The minister, to be successful, must be one that tells not of another's sin, without making it evident that he knows and laments the plague of his own heart. He must be one who has himself been with Jesus: who has known what it is to take the burden of discovered guilt to the cross of the Redeemer, and leave it there in faith. He must be one who has tasted that the Lord is gracious-one who feels and knows Christ to be precious. Christ must be to him the pearl of great price, for the sake of which he has gladly parted with all his other goodly pearls. And thus out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak effectually.

"A minister to be successful, must not only be like the guide-post directing to the city of refuge, but like an angel of mercy, laying hold of the lingerer and dragging him out of the city of destruction into the place of safety."

The third head treats on what our author styles a fearful consideration on which we dare not be silent, and that is the influence of example.' This seems intimately connected with, and springing out of the last. Its importance cannot easily be overrated; but for the development of it we must refer to the discourse itself.

His fourth head is thus enunciated :—

'IV. But I come to another point of consideration to which I wish most particularly to draw your attention. We shall do well to enquire, how far the want of spiritual health amongst our people, may be owing to our neglect in praying for the influences of the Holy Spirit.'

We are well convinced that there are few, if any, who must not feel their deficiency in this respect; and surely none who have sought with full purpose of heart to discharge the work of the ministry, can have failed to arrive at a deep-felt sense of their own utter insufficiency to produce the smallest good effect, independent of the Holy Spirit's influences; and while from their inmost souls they exclaim, "Not unto

us, O Lord: not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory;" their constant observation and experience confirm to them the declaration of the Almighty, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

With Mr. W's. implied interpretation of Rom. ix. 5., under this head, we cannot concur, though our limits do not allow of our discussing it on this occasion. It is nearly the only remark, throughout the course of this excellent Sermon, with which we do not fully agree.

The fifth and last head turns on the present educational movement throughout the land;' and our author very justly expresses the fear, 'lest in our active provision for the young we yield to a spirit of reckless despondency, and consequent neglect, as it regards the old.' With a striking passage on this subject, we must conclude these remarks, which the importance of the Sermon has induced us to prolong beyond our wonted limits.

'Will not the Holy Comforter deign to extend his offices even to those who

are afar off? and have we not seen confirmed ungodliness yielding to his hallowing influences? I have seen, and doubtless you have done the same, even the gray-headed mourn and weep bitter tears over discovered sin, and at the thought of a Redeemer's grace and mercy yet in reach. I have seen the man whose ignorance and inveterate habits of evil seemed impracticable, yet yield to the light of heaven, and become a new creature in Christ Jesus. No, my brethren, like the husbandman, we must have long patience, and our dependance must be, not on our skill in sowing, but on the early and latter rain. We know the sad consequences of neglected privileges, but it is not for us to pass judgment on the hopelessness of any.'

We are happy to add that the Sermon is published in a cheap form; and we strongly recommend it to the perusal of the clergy and laity, to both of whom it is well calculated for usefulness.

RELIEVO MAP OF ARABIA PETRÆEA and IDUMEA, illustrating the Prophetical Scriptures, Wanderings of the Israelites, &c. Size, 23 inches by 18 inches. Scale, 15 miles to an inch. London: Dobbs, Bailey and Co. 1844.

NOTHING can be uninteresting to the christian public, whose object is to illustrate and impress upon the mind the testimony of Holy Writ with regard to that nation so highly favoured of the Almighty. The melancholy but instructive lessons to be learned from their protracted wanderings in the wilderness, are forcibly brought home to our minds while we gaze upon the lively picture which is presented to us, in the remarkable and accurate portraiture, afforded by this Map, of the scene of their forty years' pilgrimage. The appearance of it is novel, curious, and striking. Its design is thus stated by the publishers. It is,

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An attempt to condense into a new Map the researches of the numerous intelligent travellers, whose investigations have latterly thrown so much light on Biblical Geography. The combining of this varied information with an effective mode of representing the mountain ridges in their relative proportions, will doubtless therefore render a RELIEVO MAP of Arabia Petræa peculiarly valuable both to the scientific Geographer, and the diligent student of scripture.

'The route and stations of the Israelites from Rameses to Sinai, thence through "the great and terrible wilderness" to the Promised Land, have in many instances been indubitably traced, by careful consideration of peculiar local features and Arab traditions.'

A considerable quantity of useful information is given in the margin and other parts of the Map, especially with reference to the various stations at which the Israelites encamped, the meanings of the names, and the places where they occur in Scripture. No doubt the whole will be highly interesting and instructive to every student of Holy Writ, and particularly so to the younger portion of the community.

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Entelligence.

THE UNITED BRETHREN'S MISSIONS.

THE Synodal Committee, in their last Annual Account of their proceedings, give the following

Survey of the Missions for the Year 1843.

The year 1843 has been distinguished by several remarkable occurrences both of a mournful and cheering character, in all of which, however, we recognise the hand of our gracious Lord, who, even where he smites and chastens, has the good of His children, and the advancement of His Kingdom in view.

'We would first notice the dreadful earthquake on the 8th of February. Its chief ravages were felt in the French Island of Guadaloupe, but the shock extended in one direction to Jamaica, in the other to the interior of Surinam. It was a wonderful providence, that, while so many buildings were thrown down, the only loss of life among the 15,000 Negroes belonging to our 10 Missionary Stations, was that of four school-children at Lebanon, while few sustained any bodily injury. This fearful visitation, so impressively teaching man's nothingness and God's omnipotence, had a salutary effect on the minds of the population generally. Not only were the Fast-days appointed by Government, in reference to this event, observed with universal seriousness and apparent humiliation before God, but the churches also were subsequently more diligently and more generally attended.

6 Another visitation was the frequent and fatal illnesses among our Missionaries in the West Indies and Surinam. In six months, four Brethren and five Sisters, all in their prime, and some at the very commencement of their service, were unexpectedly called home to the Lord. Brother Jacob Zorn entered upon his labours in the year 1828, in Jamaica, and for the last nine years superintended the spiritual and temporal concerns of that Mission with singular faithfulness, wisdom, and activity, which were evidently blessed by God. He had nearly completed his fortieth year. Another was Br.

W. Reichel, who for a year and a half had served with much acceptance as warden of the Antigua Mission, and was in his thirty-third year. We must not expatiate on the pain occasioned us by these bereavements, and the perplexity attending the supply of so many vacancies in our widening Mission Field, while the want of faithful and qualified Labourers is so severely felt at home; nor dare we say to the Lord, What doest thou? We would rather learn not to place our confidence in men, however gifted or devoted, but in Him alone. And while we cannot but bewail the loss of these faithful Labourers, we can raise our eyes to heaven and congratulate them on the felicity which they enjoy, among the mighty host of those who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and who loved not their lives unto the death.

Among the proofs of the wonderful help of the Lord, we mention, first, the willingness which He has put into the hearts of the friends and promoters of our Missionary Work, to aid us in meeting the financial difficulties of 1840. We were then burdened with a debt of nearly £7500. In our last year's statement, we expressed our gratitude, for a diminution of about £1000 in its amount; and now, our statement for the year 1842 has announced its reduction to less than £900, which may be considered as already covered by recent contributions. We beg to repeat our cordial thanks to all the friends in and out of our own communion, who have so kindly assisted us on this occasion, as likewise with reference to the damage inflicted by the earthquake. May the Lord recompence them by the bestowment of spiritual and heavenly blessings!

South Africa-At the close of the preceding year, half a century had elapsed since our mission among the Hottentots of South Africa was renewed, by the arrival of the three Brethren, Marsveld, Schwinn, and Kühnel, at Bavianskloof, the present

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