that he that would not plough by reason of cold, shall beg and have nothing; in the judgment day, he that would not "work out his salvation" with "fear and trembling," shall cry, "Lord! Lord!" but in vain. Harvest is a sad season to that man who neglected to sow his seed in spring; the day of judg ment will be an awful day to the man that neglected his soul's salvation! O! may we all "sow to the Spirit," and by and bye "reap life everlasting." Amen.

J. TOLL.

RELIGIOUS ZEAL.

Since attending the last Conference and hearing the discussion on the spiritual state of the Church of Christ, my mind has been deeply affected, and inspired with fresh zeal for the glory of God in the work of saving souls from death. Whatever remarks may be made against revivals, we must have them, or the Church of Christ will cease to exist; and ministers must take the lead in this work. "How much more would a few good and fervent men effect in the ministry, than a multitude of lukewarm ones ?" Such was the remark of one who had been taught by experience, and who has recorded that experience for the benefit of other churches and other days.* Zeal is opposed to lukewarmness; zeal is a fire, animating all the emotions of the man who hath it, and giving them all the worth and weight of vehemence. A soul animated with zeal cannot see without sorrow the insults offered by sinners to his God. See David, Psa. cxix. 139; "My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.' The mere multiplying of men, calling themselves Ministers of Christ, will avail little; they may be but cumberers of the ground. 66 What

man on earth is so pernicious a drone as an idle minister ?" said Cecil; and Fletcher well remarked, that, Lukewarm Pastors made careless Christians." It has been

Ecolampadius, the Swiss Reformer.

said of Baxter and Orton, that Baxter would have set the world on fire while Orton was lighting a match. These two individuals represent two classes in the church of Christ in every age. It was through Baxter's religious zeal that he was blessed with such amazing success. We must act like men dealing with realities; this is one of the secrets of a minister's success. If religion is worth anything, it is worth everything; if it calls for any measure of zeal and warmth, it will justify the utmost degrees of these. Men may dislike, detest, scoff at, and persecute such holy zeal; but I would much rather have the scoffs of men than the displeasure of God. Nothinggood or great in religion, or in any other department,can be effected withoutvery great zeal. The greater part of the good that has ever been done in the world, has been done by those who are called fanatics and enthusiasts, by cold, calculating, timid, heartless people. Let us, both ministers and people, cultivate this holy zeal;

Let

let us keep the fire of God's love burning in the soul, and lay all upon the altar for God. us preach and pray in the Holy Ghost; live and breathe in God; it will make us like the blessed Saviour, and the good old Puritans who were "clad with zeal as with a cloak;" it will make us like the best and holiest men that ever lived in the world, and enable us to win souls as they did; and at the next Conference we shall not have to mourn over the want of success, but to rejoice over the hundreds converted to God. How many souls have been lost for want of greater earnestness, zeal, and sympathy, in the hearts of those who preach the glorious gospel to others! But Ministers are not required to accomplish all the work themselves; they are like the officers in an army, instead of doing all the fighting themselves, they direct the energies of others. Ministers are the officers in Christ's

great army, who are fighting against sin, and seeking to win dominion for their Master. We take it for granted that the object of

the Christian Ministry is to convert sinners, and to edify the church of Christ. No faithful minister can possibly rest short of this. Applause, popularity, honour, wealth, all these are vain if souls are not won-if saints are not quickened. The question we must strive to answer to our own consciences is, Has it been the end of my ministry, has it been the burning desire of my heart, to save the lost? Is it my aim, in every address I give, in every visit I pay? Is it under this feeling that I live, walk, and speak? Is it for this I pray, fast, and weep? Is it for this I spend and would gladly be spent or die, to be the honoured instrument of saving others? or, have I seen no fruits of my labour? Nothing short of positive success can satisfy a true minister of Christ. His many plans and external machinery may work steadily, but without actual fruit in the saving of souls, he counts these as nothing! His desire is, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you;" and it is this holy, religious zeal, which makes him succesful in winning souls.

May we, as ambassadors of the King of kings, as Ministers of the new covenant; and you, elders and members of Christ's church, who are associated with us in the work of the ministry; may God animate us with the zeal of his house. God grant we may take for our model the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, that after we have preached to others we may not be cast away. O that this year may be to us all an acceptable year, a preparation for eternity! Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation." May we "turn many to righteousness," that we may "shine as the stars for ever and ever."

S. CROCKER.

Being called upon to attend an association of churches during the past week, I was painfully affected by the fact, that out of more than twenty churches, only four could report an increase of numbers during the last twelve months, and that increase was small. Yet, in every church the Gospel is preached, and in most, if not all, prayermeetings are held. What is to become of the world, thought I, if things go on thus ? What will become of our beloved land? The population is increasing, souls by millions are perishing, and the gospel seems to have lost its power.

The churches decrease. What a solemn, what an alarming fact! About three thousand sermons had been preached, about three thousand children had been taught in the Sabbath-schools, a great number of Bibles, tracts, and religious periodicals had been circulated, and yet the majority of the churches had decreased. Surely this is enough to make one weep, lie low before God, and ask, Shew us wherefore thou contendest with us"? Three questions arose in my mind, and have been exercising my thoughts since; let me invite you, my fellow christians, to attend to them with me.

First, "Is there not a cause ?" Surely we cannot ascribe our present condition wholly to the Sovereignty of God. In Old Testament times the Lord laid the blame on his people, and asked, "Hast thou not procured this unto thyself? See thy way in the valley ?" And again, by another prophet, "Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? Are these his doings? Doth not my

word do good to him that walketh uprightly ?" Many similar portions may be remembered by the reader, if he is familiar with the Scriptures. In the New Testament, the apostle James tells us, "Ye have not, because ye ask not," or because "ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it on your lusts." Surely there is some worm at the root, that causes the plant of God's right hand planting to wither. There is some wedge of gold and Babylonish garment hidden in some Achan's tent, which causes Israel to turn their backs on their enemies. Yes, there must be a cause. We have the same Gospel to preach which the apostles had. We have the same promises of success. We have the same kind of persons to address. Yet they were successful; they turned the world upside-down; they triumphed in Christ, and spread abroad the savour of his knowledge in every place. But what do we? Where are our triumphs? We decrease. Let us then inquire,

It

Secondly, Can we ascertain the cause? Methinks we may, if we are hearty in our desire, and are willing to go deep enough. does not seem to lie on the surface; let us therefore plough up the fallow ground, and look lower. God said that he would search Jerusalem as with candles, and punish the men that were settled on their lees. Let us who preach, look at our preaching, and ask, Do I preach Christ enough? Is Christ crucified, and Christ glorified, constantly kept before the people? Do I, in my ministry, exalt and extol him? Is it my delight to proclaim Him, in the glory of his person, in the merit of his blood, in the perfection of His righteousness, in the tenderness of His heart, and in the riches of His grace? Do I present Him to my people as the only Saviour to be trusted, and the great example to be copied? Do I preach Christ plainly, with deep feeling, and with a hearty desire that my hearers may believe in him and live? Do I aim at the immediate conversion of every soul that hears me, tra

vailing in birth for souls, until Christ is formed in them? Do I honour the Holy Spirit in his Divine personality, office, character, and gracious work? Do I preach, impressed with the thought that except the Holy Spirit accompany the word with His power, no dead sinner will be quickened, no undecided hearer will yield to Jesus, nor will the Lord's people be revived or comforted? Do I realize that it is personal, heartfelt, believing prayer, that brings down the power of the Spirit, which alone can render the word effectual? And do I in private, among my people, in the pulpit, and even while preaching, endeavour to bring down the Spirit by such prayer? Do I strive to impress upon my people the necessity of incessant prayer for this invaluable blessing, and set them an example by cultivating such a spirit of prayer? Am I an example to my people of deadness to the world, zeal for the Lord's glory, devotedness to the Lord's work, and burning desire to bring souls to God?

And let the brethren who are hearers examine themselves on this point. Brethren, much depends on you. A praying, zealous, lively, working church, must be successful. We fear that many of you do not realize the value of the immortal souls around you as you should. You do not pray, plead, and wrestle with God for their sal vation as you should. You do not aim constantly at bringing souls to God, as if it was the first and grand object of your life. Souls are dropping into hell all around you, but where is your feeling? Souls are hardening in sin under the preaching of the gospel, but where is your concern? You know that though Paul preached, yet without the power of the Spirit of God no saving effect would be produced, and yet you hear sermon after sermon, without pleading with God for his Spirit to come down. You hear of the low state of the church, you talk of the low state of the church, but where are your tears? Where are your wrestlings with God? Where is your deep and

heart-affecting concern? How few of you feel as if you could not live if the cause of God did not prosper? And yet, this is how every one of us should feel. Ah! my brethen, I think a little examination will lead us to discover how we have grieved the Spirit, and why our churches are in the state they are? There is a cause, let us search it out, and then let us inquire,

Let

Thirdly, Can we remove it? Are we willing to make the effort? Are we right-heartily desirous to witness the change? If we are, let us try to ascertain what part we have had in causing the Spirit to withdraw. What sins do we indulge? What duty do we omit? What wrong motives do we cherish? What improper principles do we hold? What unhallowed spirit or temper do we give way to ? There is some special thing in every one, though there may be a general cause spreading over the whole church. Let, then, our pastors, elders, deacons, and private members, commence the work of self'examination at once, and let us be impartial in the work, sparing no sin, tampering with no lust, listening to no temptation. But let us make thorough work of it. every sin we detect, be confessed over the blood of atonement; let us deplore it, grieve over it, seek the pardon of it, and pray for grace at once to depart from it. Let us humble ourselves before God. The guilty should confess, and the confession of guilt should lead to deep humiliation before God. Brethren let us lie low. Let us abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes. O for humbling grace from God, for I fear most of us think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Let us plead with God in earnest prayer for deeper sanctification, for greater spirituality, that, like Jesus, our beloved Master, it may be our meat and drink to do the will of God. How little do we resemble Him, who left us an example that we should tread in his steps! A worldly church can never be really a prosperous church. As our land, in a spiritu

al sense, is like what Israel's land was once in a literal sense, when for three years and six months there had been no rain, so that dearth and death were the characteristics of the country, let us, like Elijah, go up to the top of Carmel, and like him, determine never to quit our post until the Lord sends rain upon the earth. He is saying to us, Ask ye of the Lord rain,

66

in the time of the latter rain, so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field." (Zech. x 1, with Isai. xliv 3-5). Remember, O remember, that the energetic prayer of the righteous man availeth much! Who shall say how much? God is still love. We have His promise. He is on the throne of His grace. He bids us come to it boldly. He asks us to prove him, by penitence, reformation, and prayer, ( Mal. iii. 10-12) He is true to his word. He will show himself faithful. He never

did say to the seed of Jacob, "Seek ye me in vain," and he never will. It is still true that every one that asketh, aright, receiveth; he that seeketh in faith, findeth, and to him that knocketh, with importunity, the door of heaven's storehouse is opened. Let us so ask, seek, and knock, then, that our joy may be full.

O that I could write something that would touch the hearts of the Lord's people, and stir them up! O that the Lord would use my pen to awaken concern, quicken desire, and lead to hearty wrestling for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Nothing will do but this. Without it, we are like Samson, who lost his locks on Delilah's lap; we may go out and shake ourselves, we may make a stir, but we shall accomplish nothing, There can be no substitute found for the presence and power of the Holy Ghost in the church. He is the giver of life. He is the efficient teacher of the ignorant. He is the earnest of our inheritance. He is the life of the church. O that God, even our own God, would at onco give us anew this great blessing, that so we may see a great and glorious

revival of pure and undefiled religion! O to see thousands pricked in the heart, led to the Saviour, and introduced into the church! O to hear the dear name of Jesus sounded forth by the tongues of millions of ransomed sinners, brought by the promised Comforter to know, love, and serve him! Lord Jesus, send us the ever blessed Spirit, to sanctify the church, to gather together into one thy scattered people, and fulfil the largest promises of the everlasting covenant! Amen.

"On thy church thy Spirit breathe,
Say, the Holy Ghost receive!'
Void of this we ne'er shall see
Days of sweet prosperity.

Signs and wonders in thy name,
Now display, exalted Lamb;
Raise the dead, the captive free,
Send, O Lord, prosperity."

A DYING INFIDEL SAILOR.

Mr. Statham, in his Indian Recollections,' says 'I one night visited the chief mate of a ship who was dying in great agony of mind. When he knew who I was he eagerly stretched forth his hand, and, grasping mine with great strength, said, "Dear Sir, pray for me, pray for me.' I begged him to be calm, and said, "I will pray for but let me beseech you not you, to waste your breath in vain excla. mations and lamentations-pray for yourself; I will offer prayer, you must join with me." "Oh no, Sir, I cannot pray. My God! I never have prayed. No, Sir, I never shall pray. I feel I cannot-I cannot

cannot-I cannot-I am lost-I am lost-oh that I had never been born!" I entreated him not to indulge in such a strain. I pointed out the value of the atoning blood of Christ; told him of the willing ness of Christ to save the vilest of the vile; told him of the dying thief: but he would still cry out "Sir, this is not for me! I am lost! My father is in heaven. My mother will be there. I broke my father's heart. I despised their prayers, their counsels, and their entreaties, and now I cannot pray, I cannot hope." I began to read the Seriptures. He stopped me,

saying "Pray for me directly." I prayed; but alas! every petition for mercy seemed only to aggravate his misery, and I could not proceed for his groans and cries.

'In this awful state he continued till about three o'clock in the morning, when he appeared to be more calm for about five minutes, during which period he seemed to listen very attentively to my words; but, just as I was kneeling down to pray, again he started up in his cot, and, looking fearfully around, grasp; ed my hand with all the energy and convulsive power of a drowning man, and wildly shrieking and falling backwards, in indescribable agony expired.

I spoke seriously to all present on the vast importance of being prepared to die; and exhorted them to take warning how they despised the word of God.

Just as I was leaving the ship, the captain who had been sent for from some distance, arrived. From him I learned that the deceased was the son of pious persons and pos sessed great talents, but unhappily had in his youth become acquainted with a company of rich profligates; and, by keeping pace with them in their extravagance, had brought his parents nearly to ruin; and this had so preyed upon the mind of his father that he died quite broken hearted. The Captain thought the infidel principles the son had im bibed were the great source of his father's sorrow, rather than the loss of property which he had sustained.'-Pictorial Tracts.