land, in some healthy climate, might easily be procured, at a trifling expense. Matters might be so arranged, that the settlement thus about to be formed, should be subject to such scriptural regulations as at once to secure the fullest liberty of conscience, and yet to exclude immorality.

"A body of serious persons thus going out together, and fixing near each other, would possess advantages of various kinds, too obvious to be enumerated in your columns. Religious worship, education, friendly intercourse, &c. would easily be brought within the reach of all, and most of the circumstances which make emigration formidable might thus be provided against. Some experienced individuals might go out first to select the situation, and arrange every thing against the arrival of the body of settlers, so that every facility might be in readiness to forward them to their place of destination immediately on landing.

"Were such a plan undertaken wisely, and in the fear of God, the good to be anticipated seems incalculable. If the design is thought to deserve encouragement, let it be put into execution without an hour's unnecessary delay. Let a few persons of piety, experience, character, and some property, form themselves into a committee, either with a view to their own emigration, or the encouragement and direction of others. Such a committee might collect information from the Secretary of State for the

British Colonies, from the conductors and histories of Moravian and other settlements of a religious character. Cotton Mather's account of the first settlers in New England, would furnish many valuable hints, if culled out from the strange mass of matter he has furnished. The minds of many are at this moment simultaneously directed to the object proposed. The thing need only to be begun in a truly humble, prayerful spirit, and it will, I trust, go on and prosper beyond expectation. The writer is willing to communicate, through the Editors, with those who think with himself, that the project de

serves attention."

I trust I shall not be regarded as wandering from the object of these remarks on the "New Model," by the introduction of this topic. In discussing the division of labour in the management of Christian Missions, I think it right to show the kind of division which may be most advantageously prosecuted; and to call the attention of the christian public to some means which it has yet in its power to employ, and which the providence of God seems to demand.

The following passage in the "New Model" I think objectionable, and calculated to convey far too strong a view of the inadequacy or ununsuitableness of the means which we are at present employing. After commending the well

meant zeal and philanthropy of the conductors of missions, the author remarks:

"Nevertheless it may still be true that the modern system of missionary exertion, taken as a whole, is fundamentally defective, and such as can never, unless miracle comes to its aid, achieve an extensive conquest for christianity. Nothing less than the exalted virtues and admirable temper of the founders and principal supporters of the modern Missionary Societies could have hidden so long from our eyes the capital error on which we have been acting. We have been putting contempt, not only upon the requirements of christianity, but upon those universal maxims which the experience of mankind has proved to be indispensable to success wherever human agency is concerned. Our error is so great, and the good sense of the age so efficacious, when once set in movement, that reform cannot be distant. The elements of christian zeal must presently be dissolved, and recomposed upon a new model." P. 8.

If the system we are pursuing be indeed fundamentally defective, then, of course, little good is to be expected from it, and the sooner it is overthrown the better. Miracles themselves, I conceive, would do little to remedy a fundamentally defective system of operation. They were not intended to remedy or supplement such deficiences at first, and, of course,

could not do so were they now restored. But I submit that only one of two things can render a system of missionary operation fundamentally defective—a deficient or erroneous system of christianity, as the thing propagated, or the employment of unchristian or unworthy instruments in its propagation. Other errors may affect the degree of success abroad, or the degree of efficiency and comfort in the administration at home; but these evils alone can affect the whole plan, and render it finally abortive. The impression which the cited paragraph is calculated to make, therefore, is mischievous; though, I am sure, the author had no mischievous intention in framing it. For, suppose that he does not succeed in "dissolving the present elements of christian zeal," and in recomposing them upon the "New Model"-which it does not require prophetic augury to foresee that he will not-it will then follow that the whole christian world is engaged in the fruitless prosecution of a scheme which is radically and fundamentally wrong. A more discouraging view of matters, or one more likely to paralyze exertion, it is not possible to present.

Such a new modelling as the author proposes, I believe to be impracticable, to be undesirable, and to be unnecessary. It is impracticable

without creating a degree of confusion, and involving an extent of mischief, which, I am sure, even the author of the "New Model" would find it difficult to prevent, and impossible to contemplate without dismay. He must be aware of the difficulty of convincing the thousands of persons at home, of the necessity of such a reformation as he proposes, without whose concurrence it could not be carried into effect. He must also know that we cannot re-model the hundreds of agents abroad at our will and pleasure, many of whom would plead conscience (the most unmanageable of all things by human legislation), in bar of our proceedings, and who, if it were resolved to enforce them, would move heaven and earth by their outcries against our unjust and irreligious proceedings. The author will perceive that I am now referring particularly to one part, and that a leading one, of his plan. To begin a new scheme is one thing, to melt down and re-cast what already exists, and which is the more difficult to touch the longer it is in operation, is a very different affair.

I think such an attempt exceedingly undesirable. Its success is very doubtful-its failure would be certain ruin. Experiments, where there is great hazard, are generally inexpedient,