heart, for the office of Co-Pastor, and give him favour with the Church at large. To such a Minister we believe we have been directed by guidance from above.

The Rev. George Thomson was first introduced to our Pastor by his beloved and honoured friend, the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw; and the recommendation was expressed in terms which could not fail to produce on the Church a favourable impression.

Hearing that he was about to leave Aberdeen, he was engaged by Dr. Burder to pay us a visit. Having been favoured with his pulpit services for four successive Sabbaths, a meeting of the Church was convened, at which, on the recommendation of the Pastor and the Deacons, (of whom there are now eleven,) it was resolved, without one dissentient vote, that Mr. Thomson's acceptable services should be requested for two additional Sabbaths, and that a Church meeting should then be held, to ascertain, by ballot, whether the Church were prepared to unite in giving Mr. Thomson an invitation to accept the office of Co-Pastor. The ballot was accordingly taken; and, with the exception of two negative votes and a few who remained neutral, the Church united in giving an earnest and cordial invitation to Mr. Thomson to enter on the co-pastorate. In resolving on this invitation, it was no small increase of pleasure to the Church, and of gratitude to God, that they received from their Pastor the expression of his entire satisfaction in their choice, and the assurance that he cherished towards Mr. Thomson the most affectionate esteem and confidence.

It now only remains for me to entreat, in the name of the Pastor, the Deacons, and the Church, the earnest prayers of the Ministers and Christian brethren now present, that the unction of the Holy One may richly descend on both the Pastors, and on the entire Church and Congregation; and that the ministration of the truth of the

Gospel among us may be, to a glorious extent, the power of God unto salvation.

I thank you, my dear sir, said Mr. Hunt, in the name of this large assembly, for a detail of circumstances so interesting, and so connected with all that bears upon your spiritual prosperity, and with all that is dear to the Saviour's heart.

In the Divine dispensations, circumstances often occur which in themselves are apparently trivial; but as the small links of a chain are essential to form the length required for its intended purpose, so these connect a series of events which bring about the purposes and accomplish the design of the Head of the Church. Such appear to be the incidents which connected Mr. Thomson's first visit to the metropolis with my personal acquaintance with him, and with his first interview with Dr. Burder. I have now great pleasure in asking you, my dear brother, to favour us with a statement of the considerations which have induced you to resign your pastoral charge at Aberdeen, and to accept of the invitation of this Church?

:

The Rev. GEORGE THOMSON replied as follows :

That the pastoral relation is one of great and solemn moment-not to be lightly entered on or lightly brokenis evidently implied in the question which has been proposed to me. And having a full and growing persuasion of the great importance of that truth, both to the comfortable and efficient discharge of the duties of the ministry, and to the prosperity, and increase, and influence of the Churches of the Redeemer, I am happy to be able to give a reply which will convince any one that my present position is in no degree indicative of disregard or forgetfulness of the sacred and abiding character of the pastoral relation.

My connexion with the Church in Blackfriars-street

Chapel, Aberdeen-which was of very short durationwas, from its commencement, avowedly conditional. When invited to take the pastoral oversight of that Church, I doubted very much whether the climate of Aberdeen. might not prove unsuitable to the comparatively feeble health of my partner. My fears were, to some extent, overborne by medical and other opinions; still I felt constrained to couple my acceptance of the call of the Church with a condition, which was thus expressed: "It may be found, on trial, that the fears I entertained were not without foundation; in which case I will fully count on your ready and cordial acquiescence in my endeavours to effect a removal." In the course of a very few weeks, it appeared that my apprehensions were but too well founded. Serious and protracted illness overtook my wife; and the unprompted and unasked opinion of our medical adviser was repeatedly and strongly expressed, to the effect, that her restoration could not reasonably be counted on in such a climate. In these circumstances I had no alternative conscience and feeling alike demanded my speedy removal. And it affords me unmingled satisfaction to say, that while the Church in Aberdeen did express deep regret at the dissolution of our brief union, they, in the most kind and honourable manner, acted up to the letter and spirit of the condition adverted to. A whisper of blame or of dissatisfaction, public or private, I do not know to have been breathed. On this point, therefore, generally the most painfully perplexing in such a case, I had no room for hesitancy. I felt deeply, and I feel still, for the beloved friends and brethren who have been thus bereft a second time within one short year of a pastor-a trial of severe and disastrous character in any circumstances, and peculiarly so in theirs, from the very high and affectionate esteem with which the public generally regarded my friend and predecessor, Mr. Kennedy, and

from the almost idolatrous love with which, after years of harmonious and prosperous intercourse, the Church who had the best opportunities of knowing his worth regarded him. I have, however, the full persuasion that the thing is from the Lord; and so confidently and prayerfully anticipate such an issue for that Church as shall lead them gratefully to say, "He hath done all things well."

With regard to my acceptance of the invitation of this Church, my statement shall be equally explicit. My necessary removal from Aberdeen did not excite a doubt as to my continuance in the ministry. My obligations and my wishes were what they had been. My sphere only was to be changed for some other-and that He who had called me into His service was alone entitled to decide. It was my wish and prayer to be kept from all undue regard to inclination or interest in ascertaining duty, and to be wholly guided by His will. And that He has led me in this case, and not man, is my firm and satisfactory conviction. There was nothing of scheme or of contrivance on my part or on the part of any friend, so far as I am aware, to obtain introduction to the notice of the Church before whom I stand. The name and the reputation of my revered friend and father in the ministry I had long and well known. But that a Co-Pastor had been or was contemplated, I had not the slightest idea; nor, so far as I knew or yet know, had the esteemed friend to whose kindness I owe my introduction to Dr. Burder. In fulfilment of a promise made when I had neither the wish nor the prospect of soon revisiting England, I acquainted Dr. Burder with the position in which, in the gracious providence of God, I found myself placed. This led to my subsequent engagements in the Church, and to the invitation consequent on these engagements to become CoPastor. The providential character of my introduction to this sphere, the cordiality of the invitation addressed to

me, and the affectionate and kindly expressed concurrence of Dr. Burder in that invitation-these considerations, coupled with the fact that the attainment of the object of my removal from a northern to a more genial climate might be most reasonably expected in Hackney, seemed to afford as explicit and unmistakeable indications of the will of God in the matter as could reasonably be looked for. Whether one's ability to contemplate an offered sphere of duty with cordial satisfaction be in any case a safe subsidiary indication of the course to be pursued, I shall not very positively affirm. But if it be, to the other considerations I might have added this; as the character and spiritual prosperity of the Church, and the prospect of being associated with one in whose example and fellowship I promised myself much that would profit and encourage, did create, and increasingly as my opportunities of observation and of prayerful reflection increased, a readiness and desire to comply with the Church's invitation.

Having in these observations endeavoured distinctly to answer the important question which you proposed to me, I might have presumed on your indulgence had I sat down, and allowed the other parts of this evening's service to be proceeded with. It has occurred to me, however, that, while not improper in itself, it may be satisfactory to the brethren who take part in these solemnities, or who afford us their countenance in them, to hear from me a brief statement of my views as to the grand object of the Christian ministry, and the means to be employed to secure it. On these points, therefore, I shall, without allowing myself to go into detail, offer a few observations.

The all-comprehensive object of the Gospel ministry I believe to be coincident with that of the mission and death of the Son of God-THE SALVATION OF SOULS. Salvation includes three cardinal blessings. There is justification,