is one of the most awful sights under the whole heaven, to see a great mass of mankind assembled, Sabbath after Sabbath, and yet not knowing wherefore they are come together. When the fire of divine grace is thus forgotten to be invoked from above, the fire of divine wrath will most certainly fall on such people, and destroy them with a terrible destruction. Hence, when we have heard men at Missionary meetings speak of so many congregations being formed, as if this were every thing, we have felt ashamed and grieved. Surely such congregations collected are only means, and not the end. If they be not spiritually profited by the Gospel which they hear, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, in the day of judgment, than for them. Let no Missionary Society stop so far short of the great end. Let them not keep the minds of their members and friends in so grovelling an attitude, or they will disgrace the cause they design to promot If ministers at home, too, are contented with the respectful and regular attendance of their people, without expecting the power of God to be manifested amongst them, they may rest assured the blood of souls will be required at their hands, as unfaithful watchmen of the house of Israel.

III. Nor is it the design of Missions merely to afford knowledge on the subjects of religion. Here, too, the heathen have much need of improvement. They know not God; but, instead of him, they worship the works of their own hands. They know not their own state, but glory in their shame, and boast themselves in those abominations for which they should abhor themselves, and repent in dust and ashes. They know not Jesus Christ, being total strangers to that revelation that testifies of him. They know not their own destination; but either sink into the grave, in despair respecting future felicity, or promise themselves an happiness consisting of sensual and devilish indulgence.

But, while the heathen thus need information, and the Gospel effectually gives light to those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death, yet mere illumination of the understanding, even on the important subjects already mentioned, comes far short of the high and holy object of Missions. Men may possess correct knowledge on the subjects of divinity, and yet be total strangers to practical godliness. They may know the Master's will, and not do it, and therefore be beaten with many stripes. Hence, it had been well for many of our noisy professors of knowledge, who are living and acting inconsist ently with what they know, if they had been born heathens;

and it had been better for them still, if they had never been born at all.

IV. What, then, is the real object of Missions? It is to bring lost sinners to Christ-to Holiness-and to Heaven.

Missions find men in a lost state, as sinners. The wrath of God is upon them, for that wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Rom. i. 18. The ruin of eternity awaits them, for the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalm ix. 17. They sound an alarm in their ears, saying, awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead. And when sinners in Zion become afraid, and, in trembling anxiety, inquire, what must we do to be saved? they point them, with undeviating aim, to the Friend of Sinners, saying-"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." They try to compel them to come to Christ, both by the influence of hope and of fear. To excite hope, they say, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And they address fear, saying, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Nor do Missions ever secure their object, till men love Christ and are found in him, even as the design of the ark was never accomplished, till Noah and his family were safely lodged in it. Without Christ, men must be without hope in the world; for only through Christ can their iniquities be forgiven and their sins covered; only to those who are in him, there is no condemnation. Rom. viii. 1.

Again, Missions are designed to bring men to holiness. The first important step in this holiness, is conversion. This goes far beyond reformation. It is a real, radical change of the heart. It is called, the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus iii. 5. This is a noble object, indeed, for it assimilates man to his Maker. The converted soul is renewed in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after the image of Him who created him. Let this object be ever kept in view by Ministers, Missionaries, and Missionary Societies; and let them be satisfied with nothing short of sound conversions in those to whom they address the Gospel. If they stop short of this, their efforts may indeed promote,in some measure, the temporal advantage of men; but they will never conduct them to heaven-for except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt. xviii. 2.

Holiness goes forward in increasing conformity to the divine image-in deadness to the world, and in active devoted

ness to the will of God. Missions, in promoting it, dignify the human character, and do a work which no other instrumentality has been able in the slightest degree to effect.

Lastly, the object of Missions is to bring men to heaven. There, is unspeakable and eternal blessedness; for eye has not seen, ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God has prepared for those who love him. This glory was forfeited by sin, but it has been purchased anew by the atoning blood of Christ, and is promised to those who are in Christ, and, as such, are new creatures, and are thus fitted for the heavenly inheritance. It matters not what clime they have inhabited, what colour of skin they have inherited, or what complexion of character they have once exhibited ; for there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all, and gives to them all eternal life. Col. iii. 11.

Now, is not this bringing of so many sons and daughters to glory, from such a state of degradation, through such a purifying process, to such exalted society, and such holy enjoyments, an object eminently worthy of our contributions, our efforts, and our prayers. What are Education Societies compared with this, when the education given is only intended to prepare them to act their part in time, but the education here given prepares them for Eternity! What are hospitals to relieve the suffering patients, and restore the body to health, compared with the curing of the diseases of the immortal soul, and preparing it to live in unfading blessedness! What are expeditions to introduce the manufactures and the arts of civilized life to savage hordes, or to draw from their favoured lands the gold, and silver, and precious things they possess! These are all earth, earth, only earth. Their advantages are confined to the few short years that man is to be an inhabitant of mortality; but the interests secured by Missions are incorruptible, undefiled, and never fade away.

Come, then, ye neglecters of Missions, contemplate the subject with seriousness, and be ashamed and confounded that ye have stood aloof from so god-like a work. Surely ye cannot have been convinced of the value of your own souls, when you so neglect the souls of others. Surely you cannot have been convinced of the deadly consequences of your own sins, or you could not look, unconcerned, on the multitudes that are posting, in their sins, to everlasting destruction. Surely Christ has never become precious to you, from a knowledge of his excellencies, and an enjoyment of his blood-bought blessings,

else you could not be so indifferent to efforts made by Missions, to proclaim his great salvation to the end of the earth. If you are uninterested in Missions, you have need of a mission to yourself, to point out to you your danger, and to direct you to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.

May the Spirit of God speedily convert your own soul, and then the conversion of sinners, at home and abroad, must become to you an object of the deepest interest.

And, ye friends of Missions, see, in the object exhibited in this paper, how little reason you have to be ashamed of your Missionary exertions. The carnal and ungodly may sneer at your zeal, and talk of your efforts, as frivolous and extravagant.

But they are the fools whose souls will, by and by, be required of them, and, then, where will all those things be which they have provided? If ye be ashamed, ye friends of Missions, let it be, that ye have entered so late into the field, and have done so little, ever since you engaged on the Lord's side. Keep before you constantly the grand object of Missions—not mere civilization--not mere formation of congregations-not mere speculative knowledge-but the ingathering of sinners to a Saviour, to holiness, and to heaven. Pursue this grand object with increasing zeal and energy. Your efforts will be blessed; your own souls will be prospered in the work; and you will have no reason to regret your exertions, in the day when Christ will make up his jewels.

But, remember, it is being in Christ, acting under the grace of Christ, and in pursuing the glory of Christ, that your own souls shall prosper and be in health, and your zeal be kept vigorous, in the great and good cause in which you have embarked.

J.

SCRIPTURAL EDUCATION.

[WE insert the following communication, as conveying important infor mation, and holding out good encouragement to the friends of Scripture education in these trying times.]

THE sudden and uncalled for withdrawal of Parliamentary aid from all Scriptural schools, in Ireland, has been the cause of serious injury to the general cause of Education amongst the poor of our country. Several of these valuable schools have altogether ceased to exist. From many of them the poorer class of children have been compelled to discontinue their attendance, their parents being unable to pay the usual rates and

wages to the teachers. In many cases, also, the teachers have been compelled to throw up their situations, to emigrate, or seek, in some other occupation, means of subsistence, which the schools could no longer supply. The places of these men cannot be so well filled again;— -an inferior class of teachers must necessarily occupy the schools, and an inferior system of education be the result.

It is a melancholy reflection, that these great national evilsfor such all men must admit them to be-should have been inflicted for no other cause, than that the free use of the Holy Scriptures, for all denominations of children attending these schools, was the ruling principle upon which they were conducted.

It is, however, consolatory to find, that, in many parts of Ireland, a vigorous effort has been successfully made to preserve the remaining schools from an abandonment of Scriptural principles, by a junction with an institution that forbids the free use of the Bible; and that the example is likely to be imitated all over the kingdom. It is, indeed, cause for gratitude to the Almighty, that He has raised up friends to His word, in this time of adversity, and that "out of evil cometh good."

To the zeal of his Grace the Archbishop of Tuam, the public stands indebted for the establishment of the" Ardagh Diocesan Education Society," which appears to have been the first institution of the kind; and as all those which have since sprung up appear to have adopted similar plans and principles, a brief outline of them may be necessary in this place.

All the schools in the diocese, deprived of Parliamentary aid, and all other Scriptural schools in want of aid, were placed under the direction of a Committee, composed of the Clergy of the Established Church of the diocese. It was not, however, necessary that such schools as were in connexion with any of the public institutions should break off that connexion, or make any change in their fundamental rules. If they were bona fide "Scriptural" schools, they were thought worthy the support of the Association, and they received it.

Applications were then made, by the Committee, to the landed proprietors, for pecuniary assistance, and, annually, charity sermons were preached in the Churches, and contributions thus raised to further the objects of the Association.

The Archbishop of Tuam set the example, by an annual subscription of £100; the Dowager Countess of Rosse, £50 per annum ;-so that from the last report of the Association,