of their minds, is the strongest possible reason to be jealous of it and strict in examining it, and this is in one word the sum and scope of the reiterated admonitions scattered over these pages.

I am, &c.

LETTER III.

MISSIONARY QUALIFICATIONS.

My dear Friend,

How shall I speak of the qualifications of missionaries. It would be easy to string together a number of epithets, such as pious, zealous, persevering, self denied, overflowing with love to God and man, &c. and so dress up a character of unqualified christian perfection, unlike any specimen of human nature ever beheld. Upon any one who might be desiring the office of a missionary, and who might attempt with fear and trembling to compare his own attainments with such a picture of an ideal missionary, the contemplation of it could have no other effect than to drive him to despair; unless he ventured to question the skill or the authority of the painter who formed an abstraction of his own, instead of copying from the life. While upon the mind of another aspirant to missionary service, a young man made up of self-ignorance and presumption, the opposite effect would be produced; for in beholding this portrait of a missionary, he

would fancy he was looking in a mirror and beholding the image of himself.*

I shall endeavour to avoid the evil referred to, and exhibit the missionary as a man.

That man must in the first place be a Christian, a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. But the converse of the proposition will not hold. Every missionary must be a christian, but every christian is not fit to be a missionary. This obvious remark opens to us a very important view of the missionary character. The missionary must be a christian distinguished by certain qualifications not possessed by all, and in fact which few possess in an eminent degree.

He ought to be a superior man, both morally and intellectually; one whom the God of nature has adorned with superior gifts; upon whom the God of salvation has bestowed a rich measure of grace. But I must descend to particulars.

In attempting to delineate the character of one who bids fair to become a useful missionary, I shall do it under the idea that he is a young man--not that this is essential, but because it will better accord with the generality of cases that occur.

In a circle of religious young men, is there one distinguished among his fellows for deep and fer

*Care must be taken, however, to exhibit the character in question, as something more than what may suit a common every-day profession of Christianity. If the missionary is not all perfection, neither is he all defect.

vent piety, one who has learned under the Divine Teacher much of his Bible and much of his own heart, and who is still sitting with humility and love at the same Teacher's feet? This is the individual upon whom we are to fix our eyes, and if upon further examination other requisites be found in him, he will be the missionary. We proceed to inquire then, Does his character brightly reflect the image of Christ? Has he decidedly come out from the world? Are the people of God his chosen associates? Does he, before all, firmly and consistently avow his christian profession, shewing that he loves Christ more than father or mother, sister or brother; yet does he with all the meekness and gentleness of Christ, behave towards them as a dutiful and loving son and brother? Is he the foremost among his companions in devising and executing plans of usefulness, and yet willing to take the meanest place, proving that he is seeking more to do good than to be known as the doer of it? Does he shine more in the eyes of others than in his own? Do truth and goodness and love appear to form his unaffected character-not the dress he assumes on particular occasions, but his every day ordinary apparel-and for blamelessness, sobriety, and all that even the world esteems pure, lovely, and of good report, has he the testimony of them that are without? If these things be so, if the streams be so pure and sweet, we may infer that the fountain whence they flow

has been cleansed. But this is not to be taken for granted-we must examine the state of the fountain that feeds these streams.

It is especially necessary, that he who is to be a teacher of others should be sound in the faith himself. I shall not attempt to draw up a scheme of the truths of revelation, the belief of which I consider as constituting soundness in the faith; for in that case I should be merely presenting you with my own theological system. Upon points of indifference, and matters wrapt in a veil of obscurity, there have been, and probably will be to the end, differences of opinion; but all who are "taught of God," hold substantially the same views of the great fundamental truths of revelation. These our young probationer must understand, and believe, and feel in their heavenly and transforming influence. We have supposed his character to be adorned with the lovely fruits of righteousness; here we see the cause of his fruitfulness.. He is a tree planted by the rivers of water;-his root is nourished in secret by the river of the water of life; he is sanctified by the truth which he believes and delights in;-he derives from it motive and direction, will and ability. The life he lives in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him. He has fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. In him the virtues and charities that command the approbation of all who witness