To

business of his life, a most solemn and impartial investigation of his motives ought to be made, as in the sight of God, before he advances a single step; as if he is not, in his own conscience, fully satisfied that his motives are such as God will approve, he should relinquish the design, whatever his talents or qualifications in other respects may be. A physician, or lawyer, need have no scruples about the exercise of his respective functions, although he may not be conscious that a disinterested desire to promote the good of his patients or clients prompts him to serve them to the utmost of his ability. If he perform his duty, he is worthy of his reward. obtain his living may be the ultimate end of his exercising his profession, and he may honorably and consistently avow it to be so. But if a minister of the Gospel is not influenced by a love to the souls of men, and a zeal for the glory of God in their salvation, he is disqualified in the most essential particular for his office. On this account it is, that young men, whose minds are inclining to the ministry, should be directed to give this point their most attentive consideration; and if they obtain proper satisfaction of mind in regard to purity of motive, it will, in most cases, go far towards determining their call to the work.

Most young persons, whose rank in life is such that they must think of devoting themselves to a profession, find their minds leaning towards some particular employment, which is generally such as their connections or circumstances render desirable or expedient; and, consequently, the choice is made, and the matter proceeded in. But many young men of piety, who have not yet made choice of a profession for life, are apt to look

upon all secular professions with equal indifference, or even aversion; and others, whose minds have been brought under the power of religion, after their pursuits for life have been entered upon, become dissatisfied with the employment to which they found themselves bound. They derive no pleasure from the performance of the duties required of them, and long for the moment when they can disengage their hands and their head from the irksome, daily routine of their calling; happy only when they can bid a short farewell to it, and enjoy the society of kindred minds, or taste the sweets of retirement, and indulge in their favorite exercises, undisturbed and unknown. Such persons are apt to look upon ministers as the happiest of human beings. They have little to do with the things of the world; their duties must be their delight, for they consist in studying the word and the works of God, and speaking of them to their people. Their leisure for study, their opportunities of acquiring knowledge, their advantages for self-improvement, all appear most desirable; and the pious young man, thus speculating upon the office of the ministry says with a sigh of longing desire, "O that I were a minister!" Now all this is a speculation of selfishness, and there does not enter into it a particle of the true motive that ought to actuate the breast of a servant of Christ. There may be nothing inconsistent with the love of souls and the glory of God; but when views of personal enjoyment fix the choice, and take the place of higher considerations as principles of action, what must follow when experience shall have taught that these selfish ends cannot be gratified? What shall bear up a man in the actual discharge of duties, which in reality will be found, many of

them at least, very different as to personal gratification from the fancy picture the young aspirant to the sacred office drew for himself? In a word, what shall he do when his principles of action fail him? But, perhaps, if he makes self-gratification the end of his ministry, he may have his reward.

But I must come to the point I have more immediately in view, in bringing forward these remarks at present.

As an individual, actuated in the manner above described, will seek for himself a station in the church squaring as much as possible with his love of ease, literary leisure, &c.; so, on the other hand, one whose heart is truly devoted to the work of his lord and master, will prefer that station where he has the best prospects of real laborious usefulness, where he may do most good to souls, and most extend the Redeemer's kingdom among

men.

In what light, then, ought the several claims of the heathen abroad and the Christian community at home, to appear to the mind of a pious student of divinity, or one who wishes to become a student with a view to the ministry? and what are we to make of the fact, that there are many hundreds of young men of this description, studying with a view to the pastoral office in. Great Britain, while scarcely one individual is coming forward to offer himself as a missionary?

Is it that they have adopted the opinion combated in another letter, that persons of mean talents are good enough for missionaries? Is it that the young men who crowd our academies and universities, the nurseries of the church, think their abilities too good to be thrown away upon the heathen? Do they modestly leave it to less.

gifted brethren, who give no favorable augury of becoming good preachers, to occupy a sphere abroad, where their deficiencies may be less felt by themselves, and less observed by their hearers? I should be glad to find a more favorable explanation of the fact; and I can indeed make a more charitable supposition in the case of a few: but how to account for the great bulk of aspirants to the ministry preferring home service, more honorably to their principles and motives, I confess myself at a loss. It this moment occurs to me, that some may shelter themselves behind the example of the race of ministers of the last century, who seem to have thought very little of the duty of practically and generally seeking the conversion of the heathen. But without attempting to defend or to criminate the ministers of a former period, it is most manifest that those of the present have had their attention drawn to the subject in a way unprecedented, at least in modern times. The claims of the heathen have been so pressed on their notice, the actual state of the heathen so clearly brought to light, the practicability of attempting and effecting their conversion proved, the facilities so increased, that they who neglect them now, are utterly without excuse.

SO

Do students for the ministry really think that their services are so much needed at home, that to go abroad would be, at the best, a very questionable course? I doubt whether they can think so. Let me suppose a case for the sake of illustration. Suppose the state of a certain empire to be follows:-The rightful sovereign in part of his dominions is generally acknowledged, his laws are respected, and the great body of the people professing allegiance to his govern

as

one

ment, and instructed and ruled by faithful servants of the king, enjoy peace and prosperity. But the rest of the empire, all the foreign possessions of the crown, all the distant provinces, are in a state of disaffection or open rebellion; multitudes of the people have utterly thrown off their allegiance, have chosen leaders for themselves, and trample on the authority of their prince. The king, therefore, desirous of reducing these misguided subjects to obedience, issues a proclamation, inviting his faithful and devoted servants to exert themselves to repress the spirit of rebellion wherever it may be found; to bring back the rebellious to their duty; and not to relax in their efforts till tranquillity be universally restored, and the honor of the king and government be every where acknowledged and supported. The king, however, depending on the fidelity and attachment of those who own his sway, accepts the services of volunteers only, and invites them to enrol themselves in his name. Many do so, accordingly, professing ardent zeal for their king, and compassion for their undutiful fellow subjects; but they decline foreign service, where they are most wanted, preferring to parade at home, leaving the honors and dangers of the field, where the rebels are in arms, the field of actual war, to such, forsooth, as may not be able to make a respectable figure in their home establishment. There is a numerous well appointed corps stationed where all is quiet, but where the mass of the population is in a state of avowed shameless hostility to their rightful king, there is scarcely a single man to stand up for him and his cause; and few or none of his volunteer corps at home have the courage, or the self-denial, or the love to their