means are abundant, no deduction must be made from them, lest God could not dispense with their aid! To solve the mystery of sentiments so contradictory being held by the same individual, we have only to remark, that in the one case the welfare of others only is at stake; in the other case his own. The selfishness of human nature explains many a moral enigma: it gives edge to arguments or blunts them ad libitum; and “makes the worse seem the better reason."

When I look at the moral mass of the world, my eye is attracted by the light that shines in a little spot called Great Britain. There I observe the means of christian instruction comparatively abundant; I see its ten thousand churches, and tens of thousands of schools, and tens of thousands of christian ministers and teachers, and thousands more preparing for the work and eager for employment within the precincts of the beloved island. I then turn my eye to other countries of Europe, and see some of them approximating to Britain in privilege and not far behind in practice; but other regions I see bedimmed with Roman Catholic superstition. I next take a wider range of observation, and see skirting the western shores of the Atlantic" a goodly land," which already vies with the foremost of the civilized states of the whole world in all that is good and promising; and she too is blessed with a numerous body of christian teachers, and her schools and colleges are

yearly sending out more labourers to the American vineyard. But I cannot be detained longer by the contemplation of these brighter scenes, and here and there a spot of light and moral fertility. I turn to the black and dreary shades of all the chief portions of the rest of the globe, and see that "darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people." And seeing this I cannot question the propriety of inviting others to consider it; but if they should be unwilling to do so, what must be done? would it be wrong" to use sharpness?" I have no desire for such an office, nor must any thing I have said be construed as if I had usurped it; I leave it to those who can fill it with a better grace.

LETTER XVIII.

REMARKS ON A SENTIMENT OF DOCTOR

BUCHANAN.

My dear Friend,

MISSIONS to the heathen are either deserving of more general and decided support from all classes of the christian community, both in the way of furnishing men and money, than they have hitherto obtained-or they are not. If they are not deserving of greatly enlarged encouragement, the subject, as treated in these letters, has been unduly magnified. Enthusiasm has exaggerated the proportions of that part of the spiritual temple not yet built, and truth refuses to sanction the misrepresentation.

But if christian missions are deserving of so much more liberal support and universal countenance, how is it that they have not received it?

Among other causes, I am sorry to particularize one which has been pressed upon my notice by the perusal of the sermon of the late Dr. Buchanan, preached before the Church (of England) Missionary Society, in 1810. When I allude to this

yearly sending out more vineyard. But I cannot contemplation of these 1 and there a spot of light a to the black and dreary portions of the rest of t "darkness covers the earth people." And seeing this propriety of inviting others they should be unwilling to done? would it be wrong have no desire for such an thing I have said be constru it; I leave it to those who c grace.

te contact with Missionary Soagents. I know that many most racters, both at home and abroad, selves to be above this prejudice, d prejudice assuredly it is,) but I omewhat surprised to find Dr. g this false sentiment, or at least e truth, in such a passage as the you look around, you may obthe rich or learned of any society ever small, and however zealous nity, are disposed to go forth as it is true, that if the rich and ey could not assimilate with the among the heathen, so easily as ferior station. They could not heir poverty, nor tolerate their

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