heart, as in other cases, by means of the truth. There is a constant tendency in the human mind, when looking for divine direction, to expect it in some remarkable manner. So it was, in the case of Naaman the Syrian, so it is with impenitent sinners in every age: and Christians themselves are liable to fall into the same error: and the more so, in proportion to the magnitude and responsibility of the case under consideration. Now in relation to the question of duty to the heathen, are there not many who deem it amply sufficient, simply to ask the Lord to guide them by his Spirit; believing that if it be their duty to go, it will then be made known to them somehow, without further trouble on their part? Thus many think it unnecessary, or at least neglect entirely, to make a full investigation of the subject, because they do not feel a strong desire, or any premonition that duty leads that way: and others, who once had some anxiety, and, it may be, prayed frequently over the subject, are discouraged, because their desires for the work grow weaker, or at least, are stationary; and their views do not grow clearer as they expected. Now, it is not enough occasionally to pray for divine direction, and then fold our arms in half careless expectation. No; we must read much upon the subject-we must investigate it deeply and thoroughly, just as though we were at last dependant on our own resources; and then, with humble prayer that God would aid us by his Spirit-would bless the truth we have acquired, and through it, influence our hearts to choose the way of duty, we may, almost infallibly, determine what that duty is.

A third remark is, that we should not take the absence of a strong desire for the work of Missions, as conclusive evidence that it is not the mind of the Spirit that we should go to the heathen. This indeed flows necessarily from the preceding remarks;

for a man cannot know what the will of God respecting him is, unless he is diligent in the use of all the means, by which he may arrive at that knowledge.

The truth of this proposition, however, may be demonstrated by facts. Moses and Jonah both refused, at first, to discharge the commission, with which they were entrusted by the Lord of Hosts. The former, meek and submissive as he was, held back until "the anger of the Lord was kindled against him:" and the latter, by his presumptuous disobedience, drew upon himself the severe judgments of the Almighty.

Again: that the Church has failed in the discharge of her high responsibilities, must be evident to every one, who inspects for a moment the broad command of the Saviour: and yet, doubtless, she has acted according to her inclinations. Surely, in her case, the want of a desire to do her duty to the heathen, cannot be construed into an expression of the mind of the Spirit of God. In Scotland alone there are at present not less than one thousand educated ministers without charges,-many of them employed as farmers, and many of them as common parish schoolmasters, waiting for the removal of the present incumbents, that they may succeed to their livings. Can it be possible, that not a single one of this vast number of now useless ministers, should go and point. the heathen to the way, which leads to everlasting life and glory? And though one stirring appeal after another has been made, by the Scottish Missionary Society, for labourers in the Lord's vineyard, yet not one, of this class, has volunteered. Let no one, therefore, conclude, simply because he has not an ardent desire for the work, that the question is settled that it cannot be his duty to go. It may, or it may not be so. There is very great danger in making our feelings, and our desires, a test of our duty; especially in a service which requires much self-denial.

This must

be perfectly obvious to every one, who is experimentally acquainted with the deceitful workings of the heart. It is demonstrated, by the history of the church ever since the days of the Apostles.

By far the most obvious reason of this failure in duty, on the part of Christians, is that they have approached the examination of the subject, if they examined it at all, with a strong bias in favour of home. Indeed this is notoriously the fact. Now if there has been actual error on this point heretofore, is there not at least great danger of error at present.

It is admitted, indeed, that no man ought ever to enter the foreign field, without an ardent desire for the work. But it is a desire, springing from supreme love to the Saviour-burning zeal for the salvation of sinners, and an earnest wish, to labour where there is the widest prospect of usefulness. Now it is plain, that this desire the only one necessary-is consequent upon a decided conviction of the judgment, after a thorough, impartial, and prayerful examination, that the wants of the foreign are more urgent than those of the domestic field, and the call from abroad, louder than at home. But what Christian, in these circumstances, would not have this desire. It is nothing mysterious, or uncommon-nothing but the feelings common to every pious heart, directed by a judgment under the influence of truth, and the Spirit of God, strongly drawn out toward the heathen by their wretched, helpless, perishing condition. This is the true, much talked of, but much mistaken, missionary spirit.

We contend, moreover, that a similar desire springing from the same source, and the result of an equally firm conviction of the judgment, that the domestic field most needs our labours, is equally important, before we determine to remain at home. Let every one, therefore, who intends to remain, examine and see if his determination springs from supreme love to the Redeemer, and an ardent wish to do the greatest possible amount of good.

If so, well: but if not, let him examine anew the whole question of duty.

In order to a correct decision, therefore, a thorough examination is absolutely necessary: and previous to this, no bias either way ought generally to be expected. And, indeed, if it do exist, it ought to be narrowly examined, lest it may have originated from some unworthy source-either from adventurous or romantic feelings, on the one hand; or a love of ease, respectability, and influence, on the other. And this close scrutiny manifestly becomes the more necessary, if the desire, or inclination be to a course of conduct, requiring little or no self-denial. Do we thus jealously analyze our motives: or do we not often think it unnecessary rigidly to investigate the subject, taking it for granted, that as a matter of course, we are to labour at home, unless we have some special call to go to the heathen? But why should we require all the evidence on one side? Who does not see, that with these views and feelings, it is impossible to investigate and decide the question, with entire impartiality; because, when the mind has once adopted an opinion, it requires far more evidence to change it, if erroneous, than to direct it to the truth, had the judgment been suspended. But why, we ask again, is it necessary to have a special call to India, or Burmah, or the Sandwich Islands, or any foreign station, rather than to the West of our own country? "The field is the world." The foreign and domestic are but departments of the same grand field. Then why this distinction? Can the simple fact of our being born in one, change our relations, or release us from our responsibilities to the other? Surely not. It is true, indeed, that a Missionary must have patience and perseverance, and a spirit of self-denial. But our blessed Master has told us, that if a man have not this, he is not worthy to be his disciple at all. It is true, also, that there are Missionary stations of very great difficulty. But all are not equally

so.

Such is their diversity, that persons of nearly every variety of disposition, and every grade of intellect, may find stations suited to their capacities. In some places are required men, with all the piety, learning, and talents of Martyn, while in others, men whose acquirements little exceed those of a common Sabbath School teacher, united with ardent piety, and untiring zeal, and a disposition to be familiar with the lower classes, would be eminently useful.

Therefore, no man who may be desirous to obey the last command of his ascending Saviour, by lending his aid to this glorious cause, need object that his abilities are too small. "It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord."

Slowness in acquiring languages is a serious difficulty with many. But it is a fact worthy of notice, that however great this difficulty may have appeared in prospect, no one has ever complained of incompetency, after being awhile in the field. Among the Moravian Missionaries there must be many of quite ordinary talents; yet they all easily acquire the language of the people, among whom they labour. So it is with foreigners, who come into our own country; though a vast majority of them are men of very inferior intellect, yet they soon acquire a tolerable acquaintance with our language, which is said to be peculiarly difficult to foreigners. These facts clearly demonstrate, that the difficulty so much dreaded in prospect, will be very much diminished in the experiment. It is no hard thing to acquire the language of those, with whom we daily and hourly have intercourse, on the ordinary business, and interesting incidents of real life. How different is this, from spending a few hours of each day, in poring over the uninteresting details of authors in the dead languages, for the purpose of discovering the grammatical construction of their sentences, and other such minutiæ, intricate, unin