"How are they, whose idea of God is that he is like a man-of heaven that it is not hell, that it is merely a place of rest from pain and suffering-of prayer, that it is the repetition of perhaps some Catholic legends-how are such persons qualified to understand the instruction commonly given from the pulpit?" From this remark, the writer takes occasion to show the importance of using great plainness of speech, and adds this excellent advice: "Endeavour to throw yourself into their minds; converse with them, and by questions attempt to make them think, and to draw out their ideas."

But still an objection presents itself. We can point to parishes where this course has been adopted to no inconsiderable extent; and by men, too, whose humility, experience, and zeal were well calculated to ensure a favourable result; and yet the continued prevalence of ignorance and vice has been most lamentable, and the waut of ministerial success most deeply to be deplored.

And now, Sir, in proceeding to offer a few remarks on this subject, we are aware of no small difficulty in the outset. "Before honour is humility;" and it may almost seem as if we conceived ourselves equal to the solution of a problem, in attempting which we charge wiser and holier men with failure.

It will, however, soon appear that this is not altogether the case. We pretend to no extraordinary discovery; but we conceive, that in an inquiry like the present, the humblest individual may lawfully throw in his mite to the common stock of observation.

We beg, then, in the first instance, to express our cordial acquiescence, to a very considerable extent, in the views of those who have suggested the three causes which we have noticed to account for the want of ministerial success.

undoubtedly sometimes pleased not to crown with desired prosperity the labours of his most faithful servants. "Israel is not gathered," yet "their witness is in heaven, and their record on high." Their prayers also return into their own bosom.

Again, the Lord will be inquired at by his servants to do that for them which they desire. And, as Dr. Owen observes, "the duty of the church now immediately respects the Spirit of God, who acts towards it in the name of the Father and of the Son *" and therefore it is obvious, that we can have no just grounds to expect, that the walls of the spiritual temple will arise if we wait not diligently upon the Lord, in earnest supplication for the outpouring of the Spirit's influences on ourselves and our people.

But, further, though in themselves MEANS are nothing, yet as instruments in the bands of God, it is the utmost presumption in us to neglect or disregard them.

"The Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him [the Lord Jesus Christ] shall not be ashamed." "And how," asks St. Paul, "shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard?" It might be answered, "though they do hear, it is only the power of God which can enable them to believe; and the same power which can give faith can give the knowledge of the object of faith. But this is just diametrically opposite to the scriptural method of procedure. The Bible gives no encouragement to this sort of presumption. It is our duty to use the appointed means; and therefore the Apostle adds, "How shall they hear without a preacher?" God can instruct by miraculous voices from heaven; but it is his holy will

* Discourse on the Holy Spirit, 80. edit. p. 36.

not to do so; and therefore a neglect of wise, and judicious, and scriptural means on our part is highly criminal.

On these grounds, we enter most cordially into those views of your correspondent to which we have already alluded; fully convinced, that to abstain from privately visiting our people, or to neglect preaching in an intelligible language to them in public, is doing the work of the Lord deceitfully.

But whilst we thoroughly approve of his remarks, so far as we have quoted them, we could have wished that he had unfolded his opinions a little more fully, in reference to the use of means in the promotion of the moral and religious improvement of our parishes. Does he not either carry his exertions much farther than he has intimated? or does he not find that there is much less of improvement amongst his flock than he has long earnestly desired?

Let us, for the purpose of rendering our remarks more obvious, take by way of illustration the case of a pious clergyman going forth to the work of faith and labour of love, in one of our neglected country parishes. In what condition does he find his flock? We shall not draw too dark a picture. Our purpose will be answered, without transgressing such bounds as few will hesitate to acknowledge just.

The mass, then, of his people he must number among the unconverted. Of the adults, he will be happy if he find one half who are able to read in a manner either intelligible to others or themselves. In reference to the young, he may hope to meet with a national school, or some similar institution, in which they may be educated either gratuitously or at a trifling expense. Without taking into account the difficulties with which

* That this description is not overcharged will perhaps be more fully acknowledged by contrasting it with the

he may have to contend, from avowed enemies to vital Christianity

from the influence of persons immediately connected with that ordinary source of lamentation to a pious minister, the public house— or the evils which have been attributed whether correctly or incorrectly, to the poor-rate systemwithout taking these at all into account, how is he to proceed, on the supposition of such a population as we have described, in the manner best calculated to promote their present and eternal welfare? In other words, how is he so to act, that in case of want of success in his ministerial labours, that want of success is not to be attributed to a neglect of proper scriptural means.

His first step undoubtedly will be to cast all his care upon God, knowing that he careth for him ; and to this he will add earnest and constant prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit into his own heart, upon his labours, and amongst his people: and seeking a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, he will then go forth to save himself and those that hear him; (1 Tim. iv. 16). To effect this, "he throws himself into the minds of his flock, converses with them, questions them;" and uses in the pulpit great plainness of speech. But, alas! month after month he goes on, and finds that comparatively nothing is effected; the ground gained falls vastly short

darker, but in our opinion more just picture of a highly respectable publication:

"Drunkenness and swearing, illegitimate connexions, sabbath-breaking, an almost general abandonment of the Holy Sacrament, a disregard of Scripture, and in many cases an open and undissembled denial of its truth, and all this coupled

with, fostered, and perpetuated by ignorance the grossest and most impenetrable; these are the fruits of our present system;

these are the scenes which the eye of the lover of God and of his country is forced to contemplate in those villages celebrated by poets and orators as the abodes of simplicity, and purity, and loveliness.-Christian Observer for September 1821, p. 565.

of what he conceived rational and sober anticipation. He labours on, and leaves his parish to his successor, improved indeed, but so little improved, that he may well mourn over his want of success.

And yet, are these sufficient grounds to excite just surprize? May not all which we have mentioned be done, and has it not been done, whilst, notwithstanding, many judicious and scriptural means calculated to be effectual in awakening the ungodly and instructing the ignorant have not been used? And (if the parish be populous) the mass of the population has been unpenetrated altogether.

In the first instance, to the male part of the labouring classes, the minister, unless it be during a small part of the Lord's day, has little or no access but in times of sickness. And as it regards the female part of the same families, what is the measure of instruction which in a parish of a thousand or twelve hundred souls, they can receive from a minister who has the preparation of his public discourses, the visiting the sick, and the duties of his own house, to attend to? It does not appear to us, that could a minister even pay a short private visit once every week to each house in his parish, he would have any very substantial ground to hope, that any material change would be wrought by these cursory exertions; and it is worth observing, that in a parish of a thousand inhabitants, allowing five to each house, this, exclusive of all other duties, would amount to upwards of eight and twenty visits every day.

To us the ignorant adults seem to stand as much in need of daily instruction, as the ignorant children, especially as the time which they can allot to this purpose must necessarily, except on the Lord's day, be very short. And in reference to those who are not in the lowest depths of ignorance-espe

cially the male population of the labouring classes-frequent instruction seems necessary in the evening, after their return from labour, and during the latter part of the sabbath.

Much, very much, may be taught us in reference to these matters, by the system pursued by our missionaries; for, after all, the distinction may not be so great between the ignorant English peasant, and the ignorant African Hottentot as is sometimes imagined.

It may be replied to these remarks, "Let adult schools be formed, and your difficulties will at once be put to flight."

The reflecting reader will not, we are persuaded, so hastily reach a conclusion. We have the highest respect for adult schools; and conceive, conceive, - that amongst other means they are calculated greatly to promote the moral and spiritual welfare of our parishes; and should these remarks be of no further use than to excite some, who have hitherto neglected this means, to establish them in their parishes, they will not have been penned in vain. But it is obvious, that the mere instruction of ignorant adults in reading is but a first step in the work of moral and spiritual renovation.

Perhaps we cannot find any remark better calculated to throw light on the whole subject, than the following of Archdeacon Paley: "After men became Christians, much of their time was spent in prayer and devotion, in religious meetings, in celebrating the eucharist, in conferences, in exhortations, in preaching, in an affectionate intercourse with one another, and correspondence with other societies * ."

It is true, that the alteration of times and circumstances may, and

* Paley's Evidences, Eleventh Edition, vol. 1. 35.