and Apollos, yea, and all the Apostles who, of old time, being "scattered abroad, went every where preaching the Word.""

This is what we chiefly need: and surely it is not too much to hope that this may be granted to us. Our institutions here signally favour such ventures of Christian love. We have fellowships actually held on the condition of such service. Why should not some of those who are here fitting themselves for the Christian ministry resolve to give themselves, at least for a time, to such labours; to face their harder trials at least for some years? In worldly professions men undertake such tasks; why should they do less in the service of Christ? Great on all sides would be the blessings which would flow from such sacrifices. Missionary labour, from its very nature, gives room for, and therefore requires the fullest exercise of the highest powers of soul and intellect. And surely we might look for God's larger blessing, where greater sacrifices were laid humbly on His altar. From such a course, therefore, we might reasonably look for great results in the direct spread of the Gospel. Nor need we, with all our home necessities, grudge these labourers to the Heathen world. For we should share largely in their blessing. It is an universal law of God's Providence

"Acts viii. 4.

and Grace, that in blessing others we are blest ourselves. "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth." The Church which put forth such labourers would, through many channels, receive back again Her sure return of blessings. She would escape many dangers which have peculiarly tried ourselves. For it is to a great degree in matters spiritual, as it is in civil. God has bestowed His gifts on men in measures, and by laws so diverse, that he who in one position suffers himself, and injures others, might, in another, use for the eminent advantage of all these, very powers which now make him mischievous and miserable. And there are within our body, men for whom we need such vents of Christian daring-men in whose souls mighty currents are stirring; whom God is indeed calling by an inward voice to some act of great devotion to His service-but who from not simply obeying that inward voice grow restless, dark, and dissatisfied first with themselves, and then with all around them-who perhaps at last impetuously turn into some worldly channel the energies which might have made them Saints of God; or who sink weakly down into triflers, or who are soured and turn Cynics, or who under the cravings of that morbid appetite for some greater stimulus

* Proverbs xi. xxiv.

which belongs to such a state, give themselves: with a full swing of soul to that superstitious and corrupt communion of the papacy, which ever lies in wait, and alas, often too successfully, for such dissatisfied and restless spirits.

But this deliverance from actual danger, is far from all the blessings we should gain from thrusting forth into the ripening field of the expectant earth our due share of labourers. Even as the planting of a vigorous colony strengthens by a reflex action the mother nation, so does the planting of a daughter Church return of God's mercy in unnumbered blessings into the bosom of her Mother. In the widened communion of her prayers, in the fuller assertion of her principles, in the mutual interchange of loving offices, in the mutual stirring up of zeal and faith, and simplicity of doctrine, in these and a thousand other ways is such a work for God rewarded. Nor is this all: for each one who so goes forth trusting simply in the pure word of God, and with earnest love to Him in whose cleansing blood is all his hope, leaves, irrespective of his ultimate success, a track of light behind him, which allures many more to follow in his course. Who can doubt-to mention no living men, even though their honoured names rush upon our lips,-who can doubt but that

when the Sister University sent forth to foreign lands the ripened intellect, the simple faith, and burning holiness of Henry Martyn, she did more for herself, yea, and for the whole Church, in holding up to others the brightness of his saintly life, than she would have done if for any lapse of years she had selfishly monopolized his labours.

And for themselves, surely, with all their sacrifices, such men make a blessed choice. Who ever served Christ in vain? Who ever left for Him houses or lands, or brethren or sisters, or wife or children, and did not surely find himself even in this life most richly overpaid? Is not He better than all His gifts? Who that has ever heard, indeed, His voice, would not quit all so that he might more closely follow Him? Who has ever tasted of His love, and knows not that He can and does sustain with such bounties as this dull earth knows not, every one who will go forth into the wilderness, trusting unto Him? Oh, blessed venture! Oh, sure and abundant recompense! Of such is all that goodly company, of whom we now make mention, who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Penitents, Saints, Confessors, Martyrs, Apostles, this note is on them all. "Out of weakness," they "were made strong;" from weak resolutions; through many a strife with sin and

with themselves-in prayers, in watchings, and in self denial; by a deepening sense of evil in themselves; by a more earnest crying for His power to last it out; by a quickened thirst for Holiness, with a more single eye to Him-by a meeker, humbler, more trusting love He drew them to Himself, and as He drew them they were "made strong." In His strength they wrought out their day of service; and when that short day was quickly spent, of His mere mercy, they received from the hand which saved them the "crown of glory which fadeth not away."

1 Peter v. 4.