spirit. Thus moved, I gave notice that I would publish the discourse, and give the proceeds of the sale into her hands.

When again I came to meditate upon

late their conduct in that particular mission to which they were immediately going forth; or were they intended to apply to all their future. undertakings? And if intended to regulate their subsequent undertak

This statement indicates somewhat less prudence and consideration than might have been anticipated; but the result of all Mr. Irving's deliberations is the publication of the first part of a work, entitled "For Missionaries after the Apostolical School;" and which is intended to contain The Doctrine, The Experiment, The Argument, and The Duty;-the whole founded on our Lord's instructions to his disciples, Matt. x. 5-42, which Mr. Irving calls The Missionary Charter. The part now published (that is, The Doctrine), consists of an Introduction, Three Orations, and a Conclusion. In these Mr. Irving considers, from the words of his text, Messiah's Constitution for the Missionary Estate, and endeavours to demonstrate the perpetuity of this Missionary constitution, from the document itself, and from the analogy of the Christian faith and discipline. We think he has failed in both these particulars; and, ac. cordingly, we find that in the Conclusion he has made allowances and concessions which fairly evince that he himself entertains but feeble hopes of ever finding such Missionaries as he has attempted to describe.

the

We may inquire, Were the directions given in Matt. x. to twelve disciples, intended to regu

charter, or a directory, for all future Missionaries? Mr. Irving denies that those directions were confined to that particular mission, and maintains that they were binding upon the Apostles, and upon all succeeding Missionaries, to the end of time. On the contrary, it has generally been considered, that several of the directions here given were solely applicable to that particular service, though, at the same time, information and instructions were annexed with reference to future and more extended missions.

Mr. Irving's idea of an Apostolical Missionary appears to be, that of a man's going forth, or being sent forth, without any provision for temporal wants; without any change of raiment; without weapons of defence; and, as far as appears, without any previous instruction in languages, or ascertained aptitude for acquiring them. Arriving at the place of his destination, he is to sit down among savages; relying simply on their kindness for food and shelter, and trusting to the interposition of Divine Providence for the supply of every want. If received by the people, he is to continue there; if rejected, he is to shake off the dust from his feet, and to depart else where.This is, in Mr. Irving's idea, the perfection of a Christian Missionary. He allows that many cannot come up to tl:is standard ;— that, even by those inferior beings, good has been done; that, there fore, they are not to be rejected; but that still they are Missionaries of a lower form.

Now we see nothing in Scripture to justify these ideas. We may, perhaps, be numbered with those

whom Mr. Irving apostrophizes as "foolish men! vain, ignorant, and foolish men!" and against whom he profanely launches forth an anathema. But his arguments and his vituperations have still left us unconvinced. We concede that some parts of the instructions given to the twelve Apostles are of perpetual application; that a careful attention to this chapter would have prevented many mistakes, obviated many difficulties, and provided against many failures, which have disappointed and distressed the Christian church. But, still, there are important particulars in the passage before us which refer only to the special mission on which the Apostles were then sent; which were inapplicable to the future scenes of their labours, and still more inapplicable, nay, in some respects absolutely impracticable, in the case of modern missions. Mr. Irving has felt some of these difficulties, and has endeavoured to obviate them; but, with all his special pleading, they still remain, and only shew how embarrassing it is to apply his system to ever-varying

circumstances.

en

This first mission of the Apostles differed from their succeeding missions, in that they were sent solely to their own countrymen: they were confined to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" they were especially restrained from "going into the way of the Gentiles," or tering into any city of the Samaritans. They were to travel in a country where hospitality generally prevailed; where some, in almost every city, were accounted "worthy," and who had possibly acquired this distinction by not forgetting to "entertain strangers ;"-and, what is of immense importance, they were not instructed to preach on this occasion, what doubtless formed the most offensive feature in all their future ministrations, namely, the doctrine of CHRIST CRUCIFIED for Gentiles as well as Jews.

Before the Saviour's crucifixion, however, the Apostles received (in Luke xxii. 35) intimations of more extended service, and directions to provide against greater dangers and difficulties. Mr. Irving endeavours to confine this striking passage to the short interval of time between the crucifixion and the day of Pentecost; and is sure that he is right in so doing. But we are here again compelled to differ from him. We are no crusaders, nor prepared to contend for a literal sword: but we find no hesitation on the part of an Apostle to avail himself of the protection of laws and magistrates; and hence conclude, that he was satisfied miraculous interpositions were not to be expected when ordinary means might suffice.

In all

Indeed, the conduct of the Apostles, after the day of Pentecost, convinces us that they were very far from understanding some particulars of those instructions as literally applying to themselves. On their first mission, they were to have neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, in their purses; no scrip for their journey; neither two coats; nor shoes; nor yet staves. their subsequent wanderings they entered into the spirit of the precept-they were holy, self-denying, disinterested men: they abhorred the very idea of prostituting their talents for sordid purposes;-but, still, they evidently did not feel themselves tied down to the literal meaning of the passage. When Paul departed from Melita, the historian states that those who had been healed "honoured us with many honours, and, when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary." Nor is this a solitary instance: the saints at Philippi send "once and again" relief to the Apostle he "robs other churches, and takes wages of them, to do the Corinthians service;" and, when he is in want, "his own hands minister to his necessities, and those who were with him." Our minds natu

rally recur to "the carriages"— the packages-of St. Paul and his companions; to the "cloak left at Carpus ;" and to the “helping forward of the saints in their way after a godly sort:" and the impression produced on our minds is, that these passages do fairly, and legitimately, imply a degree of foresight and provision, not only inconsistent with Mr. Irving's views, but with the primary commands of our Lord when he sent forth his twelve disciples.

But, whatever difference might exist between the primary and later missions of the Apostles, how amazing is the discrepancy between the Apostles themselves and all succeeding Missionaries! In various respects the Apostles had no successors. Where are now the gifts of tongues? the miraculous powers? the discerning of spirits? the special and infallible direction of the Holy Spirit? That the Apostles did not work miracles to relieve their own wants, we concede; but the exertion of their miraculous powers-their healing of the sick especially-was in many cases the instrumental cause in the hands of Almighty God of supplying their various necessities. We are doubtless to imitate the Apostles, as far as circumstances will admit; but we have no reason to expect that the extraordinary powers they possessed will be given to us, and must therefore act by ordinary rules.

In point of fact, the case of modern Missionaries is one of which no example is to be found in sacred Scripture. The obligation is still binding on the Christian church, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature;" but we have no instance on record which may direct either the Missionary or the Society under which he acts, as to the specific line which he is to adopt, in West Africa, or among the Hottentots, or at Otaheite, or New Zealand, &c.

The travels of the Apostles were, as far as Scripture history extends, confined to what we may fairly call civilized countries. St. Paul was, it is true, "a debtor to the Greeks and to the Barbarians;” but the term barbarians applies to foreigners, rather than savages. The “barbarous people" of Melita, were, at the time of the Apostle's shipwreck, under Roman authority, and the inhabitants were therefore placed under the restraints of law and government; and, however it may be conjectured that some of the Apostles might visit Gaul, or Britain, or other literally savage lands, we have no Scriptural evidence on the subject. In a very large proportion of instances, their first addresses were delivered in the synagogues of Jews, who were then widely dispersed throughout the world; and they travelled, principally at least, in mild and healthy climates, where they would not be exposed to any very sudden or distressing changes of temperature.

Now, contrast with this a modern Missionary going forth from a highly civilized country, where even the middling classes of society are from their birth habituated to comforts and luxuries which ill adapt them for the privations of a foreign clime:-see him wafted, in a few weeks or months, to the frozen shores of Labrador or Hudson's Bay, on the one hand; or to the burning climes of the East and the pestilential vapours of the West Indies, or Western Africa:- see him necessarily, from his very colour, and from the wretched conduct of his countrymen, the object of jealousy and suspicion; employing weeks, and months, and years, in acquiring an imperfect acquaintance with an imperfect vocabulary of a scanty and barbarous and dissonant language; and attempting, while his head is racked with fever, or he is almost perishing with cold, to fix the attention and communicate instruction to a set of listless

savages, who have no ideas upon religion, and scarcely words in their language by which such ideas can be communicated;-and then, we ask, is it conceivable that the same instructions are literally applicable in one case as in the other?

The true Missionary will indeed, by serious study, by careful examination of Scriptural principles, and by a diligent observing and reasoning on the results of experience, endeavour to determine the path he should go; but he must ever feel that he has not Apostolical gifts and powers, and must therefore, to a very considerable extent, walk by a different rule. He will feel that he must be a devoted character, a child of Providence; prepared for habitual self-denial; cultivating holy deadness to the world; willing to partake of the meanest fare; disposed to make allowances, in case he receive less supplies than he had previously been led to expect; desirous of being as little chargeable as may be to the funds of Christian benevolence ;-but, still, he will feel, and we think ought to feel, and to expect, that his Christian brethren should communicate those supplies which may, as much as possible, render the Gospel without charge to those who must be ready, from various causes, to suspect mercenary motives.

That Missionaries should be thus men of self-denial and devotion; of faith, and prayer, and dependence on God's providence; men of few wants and easily satisfied, is no new doctrine; and had Mr. Irving, in his retirement in the country, turned over a few pages of the Proceedings of the Church, the London, the Moravian, Baptist, or other Missionary societies, he would have found those very ideas had long since been pressed on the attention of the Christian world. We think it is one of Mr. Irving's defects, that he confines himself too much to abstract study and speculation, and does not sufficiently strive to ascer

tain the important results exhibited by experience.

But we must go further. Supposing a Missionary, or a body of Missionaries, should be found, willing at once to go forth without purse, without scrip; with simple dependence on God's providence, and reliance on his teaching, to sit down among savages, and teach them the Gospel of Christ; we ask, would Missionary Societies be, generally speaking, justified in sending them forth, without some previous arrangement and preparation, and without taking all prudent means to secure for them countenance and provision? We think they would

not.

Was it no reproach and disgrace to the Achaian churches, that they neglected to provide for the wants of St. Paul? Was it no honour to the Philippians, that they sent once and again to minister to his necessities? We feel that every thing which can be done, to smooth the Missionary's path, ought to be done. He will still have many sacrifices to make,sacrifices which will require an eminent degree of Christian fortitude and holy self-denial: and, to whatever pitch of devotedness he may be exalted, it appears to us a gross dereliction of Christian duty and charity, to let him go forth without doing all we can to lighten the burden he must sustain, and to strengthen his hands in the good work in which he has engaged.

We may indeed do too much : we may adopt means which may counteract the very end we have in view. The Missionary may be so rich, in tools, and weapons, and treasures, that savage chiefs may proclaim war in order to receive so rich a prize and the history of the Missions at Otaheite and New Zealand shew that this is not entirely conjectural. But we may also do too little and we scruple not to affirm, that the conductors of any Missionary Society who should now send forth Missionaries to the

Torrid Zone, to India, and especially to West Africa, without en deavouring to provide them with comfortable habitations and with competent provision, would be guilty of as gross a dereliction of duty as if they sent them forth in a leaky vessel, or with scanty water and provisions. Time was when the dangers of exposure to the sun, or rains, or over-fatigue, was rated too low; when anxiety of mind about worldly circumstances was added to other trials; and when, in consequence, the lives of valuable men were endangered, if not sacrificed, for want of suitable precautions; but experience has taught all Missionary Societies the necessity of sending out at once better educated men, and placing them, in various respects, on a more liberal footing. We are not prepared to adopt the sentiment of one, whose experience yet entitles all his opinions to serious consideration, and who has asserted that Missionary appointments ought to be rendered desirable, even by pecuniary recommendations; but we do say, that, however ready and willing a Missionary may be to encounter the utmost hardships and privations, it is still a disgrace to a Christian Society to send him forth with scantier appointments, and worse temporal prospects, than the clerks or servants who go forth

to

our foreign factories. They ought to be devoted men, willing to live and die at their posts; but, at the same time, we feel that they have a right to expect such moderate provision as may enable them, after a reasonable period of service, to return and visit their friends, to recruit their health in their native country, and to encourage others by the relation of what God hath wrought among the Gentiles by

their means.

We intended illustrating our sentiments by various references to the interesting Report of the Church Missionary Society which has recently appeared; but our limits

Prayers for Families; selected and altered from various Authors. By Thomas Webster, M. A., Vicar of Oakington, &c. Pp. xii, and 220. Price 2s. 6d. Seeley.

THIS selection comprises Prayers from the writings of Bishops Kenn, Patrick, Taylor, and Wilson; from Drs. Doddridge, Horneck, Scott, and Watts; and from Messrs. Baxter, Grove, Henry, Jenks, Mason, Scott, Toplady, Willison, and Venn, and also from the end of an old Book of Common Prayer. One or two appear to be original, though not marked as such. In some cases considerable alterations appear to have been made; and the selection contains a considerable variety both as to length and style,

The volume is introduced by a short preface inculcating the general duty of family worship, from which the following is an extract:

Its advantages (that is, the advantages of family worship) are perceived by its obvious tendency to produce, in the members of the same family, a spirit of love and peace; to lead them to the knowledge and practice of true religion; to impress upon them line upon line, and precept upon precept; to awaken their consciences by a continually recurring call; the evil of sin, of their need of pardoning to produce in them a daily conviction of

mercy, of the value of the soul, of the Saviour's love, of the Father's grace, and of the Holy Spirit's influence, and thus to lead them to pray earnestly for spiritual blessings upon themselves. It produces a deep and habitual, and abiding feeling; a feeling which often recurs to the mind