ligious convictions and eminent spirituality of character seem often to fulfil all necessary conditions; these natural qualities are sometimes so developed and become so conspicuous under the increasing influence of Divine grace upon the heart and the stimulus of a lofty spiritual aim, that they may appear to have sprung up or to have been conferred as new endowments where they were quite wanting before, therefore there is always ground for hope that even the most unpromising of those admitted to Holy Orders may be useful. But nevertheless the general truth of my declarations is so unquestionable that in making them I should have thought myself uttering mere truisms, were it not that the considerations which I have urged are in fact so commonly overlooked by those who have before them the question of entering the ministry, or who are called upon to advise and direct others in the determination of that question. Is it too broad an assertion that parents or personal friends will often advise a young man to seek the ministry only or chiefly because the well-meaning and pious, but rather sluggish or sickly or unaspiring and feeblewitted youth seems unlikely to succeed in another vocation? Just as other parents often exercise their influence and even their authority to deter a son, vigorous, active, intelligent, from entering the ministry, although the Spirit of God has disposed and inclined his heart thereto, because wealth cannot be accumulated, nor a wordly ambition gratified in that vocation. If we condemn the latter for wickedly resisting God, we should condemn the former also for their folly and cruelty.

Even Bishops, under the pressure of a great need for more colaborers or too easily yielding to the wishes of an applicant or too distrustful of their own judgment, suffer those to become candidates for Holy Orders, and finally ordain them, who have exhibited but few of the qualities which would promise success in another calling. And what is the result? Why just what we see, that nearly every Bishop has or has had within his jurisdiction clergy, and not superannuated clergy or men of sullied or questionable reputation or imbecile or self-seeking but; men whom he would acknowledge, and in his inmost heart feel, to be worthier than himself before God, able and willing to work, of competent learning, of marked ability or attainment, it may be,

in some direction, yet for whom and with whom he can do nothing. He has sought in every possible way to serve them, and the Church through them; he has commended them to this and that parish; he has placed them in various missions, but always with the one result of dissatisfaction to the people, and vexation to himself. He has been slow to believe that the fault is in the unfortunate clergymen, his sympathies are strongly enlisted for them, he feels in a manner responsible for them. He sees plainly enough that if the people had higher views of the sacred office, and a fuller appreciation of the benefits which the humblest minister of Christ, whatever his defects as a man, can bring them, the difficulty would be removed. But this change he cannot accomplish for the emergency, and therefore he is forced to the conclusion that letters dimissory and a parting benediction are the best that he can bestow upon his worthy brethren.

Now what is the secret of this sad career? It is unquestionably in the failure or refusal to recognize the fact that neither a divine commission, nor the promise of supernatural assistance, nor the truth that the end to be sought in the work of the ministry is unattainable by mere human means and methods, exempt him who undertakes that work from the necessity of fulfilling the ordinary condition of success, or supply the lack of those mental or moral qualities in which lies the power to fulfill those conditions. It is a strange notion, leading to strange courses, and very undesirable results, that these conditions may be disregarded and that success in the ministry is quite independent of them, or that the ambassador of Christ is not bound to heed them.

The minister of Christ is indeed restrained by every consideration, (and by none more strongly than the certainty of defeating thereby the very end which he seeks), from resorting to those means and methods whereby unscrupulous men of the world often seek to accomplish their unworthy purposes. Simplicity and godly sincerity, an ardent love of the truth, unswerving rectitude, unselfishness, meekness, all those virtues which go to make up the distinct character of a Christian man, these must be cherished, cultivated, exhibited, and all that opposes, tarnishes, or is inconsistent with them must be shunned and abhorred by him who would labor successfully to bring men to Christ, or to build

them up in Him. And as the minister of the Church is held by the necessity of being himself what he would have others become, of "taking heed to himself as well as to the doctrine," so he is also restricted in his mode and sphere of operation by the positive laws and regulations of the Church; and that not only because of his vow of obedience, but by the consideration, which should have equal weight with him, that those laws and regulations represent the collective wisdom of the Church and the experience of many generations. But, if the young minister has energy, force of will, some insight into the motives of human action, a sympathetic temperament, social tastes and cultivation, some practical knowledge of affairs, sound reasoning powers, readiness and persuasiveness of speech, and above all, what I am tempted to designate as the supreme endowment, since it seems to be the rarest among the clergy-common sense-he has great cause for thankfulness and will find abundant and legitimate use for this part of his equipment in the work which lies before him.

And let this be added: That as the duty of praying for our daily bread, and of acknowledging that it is God's gift, does not remove or even lessen the necessity of laboring for it, and as every man must work as well as pray for his own salvation, so the man of God, praying incessantly for the salvation of those entrusted to his spiritual oversight, and giving God the glory for every blade and leaf and ripened ear, must not only labor, but labor as if all depended upon the strength of his mere human arm, upon his own unaided judgment, watchfulness and diligence. In his teaching he should not only teach the truth, but so teach it as if it rested with him alone, in the strength of his arguments, in the persuasiveness of his accents, in the earnestness of his appeals to win men to its acceptance, and bend their wills into conformity with its demands. In pastoral work he should so seek to gain the confidence of his people and thereby an influence over them, should be so mindful of their individual needs, so studiously observant of their individual traits, so tender and cautious in admonition, so ready to recognize and encourage earnestness of effort, so patient with ignorance, prejudice, misjudgment, as if the whole moulding of their spiritual character were to be effected only by such means. God will bless such a faithful use of ordinary means, for

thus it is His will to accomplish his gracious and wondrous purpose in the salvation of men. But it is vain to look for and entreat His blessing, and it is folly to expect it, if we use them not.

When the Lord appeared to the youthful Solomon, in a dream by night, and said, "Ask what I shall give thee?" His answer was, "O Lord, my God, thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my father and I am but a little child, I know not how to go out or come in, and thy servant is in the midst of a great people which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be counted for multitude. Give, therefore, thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy so great a people. And it pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment, behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee." Wisdom was conferred, because wisdom was asked. The supernatural gift was bestowed to supplement the natural endowment already exhibited. The very prayer of Solomon indicated the possession of that wise discernment which, above all else, is needed in the administration of a kingdom. By this he saw what he needed, and seeing, he prayed to the "author and giver of every good and perfect gift," and praying, received in overflowing measure. Never was the wisdom of Solomon more conspicuous, by no other token could it more evidently have appeared that he was called of God to be a King than in the choice which he made for himself among the proffered gifts of God on his assumption of that office.

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A more tremendous responsibility is imposed upon the humblest minister of Christ than Solomon was called to assume; is charged with a higher trust, and for the due discharge of it he needs especially and in large measure, the gift of practical, administrative wisdom. Therefore, when the Apostles would ordain the first Deacons, their bidding to the company of believers was, "Look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full

of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business."

If we are wise enough to appreciate the importance of this gift for the work which lies before us, and humble enough to perceive that we lack it, and can ask "in faith, nothing wavering," of Him "who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not," it shall be given us, in accordance with that law "Unto Him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." But if we think either that it may be dispensed with, or that we have it already in sufficient measure, or that it is to be sought only or chiefly in the counsels of those as little experienced as ourselves, our administration in the Kingdom of Christ and its results will probably be more like those of Rehoboam than those of Solomon.

Consider once more what the minister of Christ has to do. Not only to proclaim the truth, but to persuade meu to accept and live by it; and to effect this not only with those who are already disposed to receive and welcome it, but with those who are indifferent or even gainsayers and opposers. Not only to instruct those who recognize his authority and willingly submit themselves to his guidance, but by some means to gain the recognition and win the confidence of those who will at the outset scoff at his claim of authority and regard his most earnest and affectionate pleadings for the cause of truth and of their own eternal interests, as mere professional efforts. Consider that he is to seek to bring to the consideration and desire of hearing Divine things those who are now completely engrossed by earthly objects, as well as to lead on to a higher and fuller knowledge of Divine mysteries, those whose affections are already set on the things which are above. Consider well with how many different classes and conditions of persons he has to deal in a single flock, different in temperament, in character, in education, in social standing, yet all having an equal claim upon his care-none of them to be overlooked-and each requiring some distinct treatment. There are many causes external and internal to keep them apart, to create jealousies, alienations, or indifference, but it is the minister's part and duty to bring them to recognize and love cach other as brethren, to work together for Christ and His Church, to engage in the hearty and harmo nious exercise of their various gifts for the edification of the