of that character in Great Britain at this day, than there were in Judea, in the time of our Saviour. This is sufficiently evident from the Evangelic History. You ought to be at no loss, then, to find fit instruments of the Light.

But, in regard to such instruments, there are two important subjects of inquiry at this period of the Church :-first, what degree of Learning they ought to possess; and, secondly, whether they ought to be invested with the Sacred Character before they proceed on their mission. 1. Our first inquiry respects the DEGREE OF LEARNING, which Christian Missionaries ought to possess.

The preachers, whom our Saviour sent forth, were men of humble condition, and destitute of human learning. This was ordained, that the divine power of his Gospel might be made manifest, by the apparently inadequate means employed in its promulgation, All learning, however, of whatever kind, which was necessary for their ministry, was imparted to them supernaturally,

But the Apostle PAUL-the "chosen vessel"who was ordained to preach to the Gentiles, was not destitute of human learning, naturally acquired. And we are taught by his Epistles, that we may avail ourselves of every human

aid to dispense the blessings of the Gospel; such as rank, wealth, eloquence and learning. For all these are blessings of God; and are means of persuading men, as much as speech itself. Has it ever been imagined, that a man could preach the Gospel without the gift of speech, by signs alone? All these human aids, I say, are valuable gifts of God; and only cease to be blessings by the abuse of them. It is true, that the Gospel may be preached with great energy by Ministers possessing inconsiderable attainments in literature. It sometimes happens, that the most successful ministrations are conducted by men of very moderate acquirements. And, indeed, the character of the Gospel seems to require, that, in most cases (where the true doctrine is preached) it should give more honour to zeal and diligence, than to genius and learning. But it is also true, that God is pleased to make himself known by the use of MEANS, And, when these means are used in subordination to his grace, he will HONOUR the means. This has been the experience of every eminent preacher of the Gospel, in the history of Christianity, from the time of the Apostle Paul, down to your late pious, eloquent, and honoured Pastor, who so long and so successfully ministered in this church.*

*The Rev. William Romaine.

It is expedient, then, that those who

go forth as preachers to the Gentiles at this day, should, like the FIRST GREAT PREACHER, have a competent degree of knowledge; that they may be able to meet the arguments of the more learned among the Heathen.

I have sometimes been ashamed to see the Christian Missionary put to silence by the intelligent Brahmin, in some point relating to the history of Eastern nations, or to the present state of mankind. I have felt anxious for the credit of Christianity, if I may so speak, on such occasions: for the argument from fact, and from the existing state of the world, is strong ground, both for the Christian and his adversary, in all discussions relating to a revelation from God. This is well illustrated in the history of St. Paul, who disputed with the learned at Athens on their own principles; and quoted their poets in defence of the Gospel.

Let us then honour human learning. Every branch of knowledge which a good man possesses, he may apply to some good purpose. If he possessed the knowledge of an archangel, he might employ it all to the advantage of men, and the glory of God.

Some portion of learning is, therefore, indispensable to insure even a tolerable degree of

success, in preaching to the Heathen World. But let us rightly understand what the nature of this learning is. It is not an acquaintance with mathematical or classical literature that is chiefly required. The chief use of natural science to a preacher, is to illustrate moral and spiritual subjects: but if other men be not acquainted with the scientific facts which he adduces, these facts no longer serve as illustrations to them. Neither is a knowledge of the classics requisite. For those Missionaries, indeed, who are to translate the Scriptures, a knowledge of the original languages is indispensable; but for Missionaries in general, who preach to uncivilized nations, classical erudition is not necessary.

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The proper learning of the Christian Preacher, goes forth to the Gentiles, is an accurate knowledge of the BIBLE, and a general knowledge of the HISTORY of the world. It was reported to me, as a saying of the venerable SWARTZ, that the foundation of extensive usefulness among the Heathen is " a knowledge "of the Scriptures in the vernacular language, " and an acquaintance with the history of "nations in any language." This seems to be the testimony of truth. The History of the World illustrates the Word of God; and the

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Book of Providence, when devoutly studied, becomes a commentary on the Book of Revelation. But if the preacher be ignorant of the great events of the world, "the word of prophecy" is in a manner lost in his ministry; particularly in relation to the revolutions in Eastern Nations: for, in this respect, the East has an importance greater than that of the West; for the East is the country of the first generations of men.

To conclude this part of our subject. The Missionaries of this day find by experience the importance of human learning in the present circumstances of the world; and some of them, by painful study in their old age, have acquired a competent degree of knowledge while resident in a foreign land.

2. We now come to the second point of enquiry:-Whether the Christian Missionary ought to be invested with the SACRED CHARACTER, before he leaves our own shores.

To preach the glad tidings of salvation to a lost world, is the most honourable office that can be assigned to man. The office of Kings and Legislators is not so exalted. Angels alone, we should naturally think, are qualified to do justice to the heavenly theme; and to appear before