Almost the whole of the heathen and pagan world has thrown open the door of access and is in readiness for missionary laborers. The Churches have signified by increased benevolence their willingness to sustain all who will go forth to preach to the destitute. But why with such resources are the desolations multiplying? May not one of the reasons be the unwillingness of young men to relinquish their worldly prospects to become ministers of the gospel of Christ? Whilst the heralds of the cross are so few and the wants of the world so great, it is truly painful to notice that so many pious young men enter secular employments. What an immense amount of mind is now employed in the common operations of commerce and merchandise, agriculture and the arts, which if educated and devoted to the service of God in the gospel, would bless many nations with light and salvation! It should be impressed upon the minds of pious young men seriously to inquire whether it is not their duty to become qualified to preach the gospel. If the general command of Christ, strengthened as it is by the present condition of the world, by the amazing openings of providence, and by the unprecedented facilities for doing his blessed will with other attendant circumstances, do not constitute a call to the ministry, what can? "The harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few." The millions of our fellow men for whom Christ died, are perishing for the lack of the preached gospel. Pious young men possess that gospel and can preach it to them. What call can be plainer? What can be more solemn and more urgent? This call may not be disregarded. It must and will have an answer. This single question, Does not the Lord call me to the ministry of the gospel? is the most momentous and solemn which any pious young man can undertake to answer. The destiny of multitudes of immortal souls may hang upon the decision which he may make. Who can tell the loss that would have been sustained by the church had David Brainerd, or Henry Martyn, or Elias Cornelius decided not to enter the ministry. This subject urges with a solemnity which cannot be uttered. Obligation most fearful presses upon pious young men. A voice speaks out mild, persuasive, yet firm and with authority, "go preach my gospel-go teach all nations." It is recorded that young Napoleon when dying, grasped the sword of his father and lamented that he should die so young and without glory, when that sword caused all Europe to tremble. And is there no hallowed

spirit of enterprise among the thousands and tens of thousands of young men consecrated to Jesus Christ. Shall our youth die inglorious, when not a continent, but a world is to be won to God?

CONCLUSION.

The signs of the times are distinct and full of hope. They assure us that a new era has commenced. The apathy which paralyzed exertion is broken. The darkness which for many centuries covered the earth is receding. The church is beginning to feel responsibility, respecting the spiritual interests of the human family. So rapid are the revolutions which transpire among nations preparing the way for the spread of the everlasting gospel, so decidedly are the systems of old and false religions exhibiting the evidences of decrepitude and decay, so manifest is it that despotism is giving place to more liberal and genial sentiments, and so singularly has the commerce of the world been thrown into the control of the two nations, speaking the same language, and to whom is given the same spirit of missions, that we cannot doubt that a great work of conquest is speedily to be accomplished for Christ. It cannot be long ere the company of the publishers of the word shall be great, and the voice of universal triumph be heard, "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings of good-that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion thy God reigneth."

Before this consummation is realized, a work of untiring zeal and self-denial must be performed. Multitudes must be gathered, and vast treasures expended, until the voice of the faithful ambassador is never silent as it sounds invitingly round the globe. That this world is to be converted-to be brought into obedience to the gospel through the instrumentality of men, moved and guided by the Holy Ghost, is admitted as clearly set forth in the Bible. Yet how far are the feeling and action of the present day below what the Bible and the condition of a perishing world demand. far below the examples which apostles and martyrs and primitive Christians have left us. Every candid mind must admit that there was in the primitive church, a holy and expansive benevolence which withheld neither treasures nor men, but which does not now actuate the church of Christ. In the sacred Scriptures no limitation is set, as to the time when the selfdenial imposed on primitive Christians was to be in force, nor are

How

they silent as to the principle which carried these holy men triumphant through the most appalling difficulties, made them patient and firm amid the most terrific and desolating scenes, and which in the space of a single generation, spread the gospel through the known world. It was a deep sense of personal responsibility. It was the cheerful and unreserved dedication of body and spiritof time, talent and influence,-of property, liberty and life to the service of God.

The wants of our country and of the world, together with the means we have to supply those wants, must convince every one that there never was a time when Christians were so loudly called upon to enlarge their exertions, and if need be, by great sacrifices to educate young men for the ministry. Does not the Saviour in the signs of the times speak as plainly as though he stood here in person and said: I have heard your prayers that my kingdom might come. I have prepared the way among many nations, I have poured out my Spirit upon your young men, brought multitudes of them to a saving knowledge of the truthand I have bestowed upon this generation more wealth than was ever at any one time before trusted to my church, and now I require you to pray for the Spirit to sanctify these young men to the work of the ministry, and to use your worldly substance that they may be thoroughly educated for my service.

If the enterprise which at present characterizes the United States, shall continue unabated for ten years, and the tide of wealth and of population shall swell in upon us with accumulating force, the demand for ministers for our new settlements will be immense. One thousand foreign missionaries are already needed, while the work of missions is but in its infancy, and while the nations are but beginning to be opened for evangelical influence. If changes in the moral aspects of the globe shall for the next ten years take place with no greater rapidity than for the last five, every nation and tongue and people under the whole heaven will be in readiness to receive the gospel of Christ. Even now, God is at work. The hidden fires are burning deeper and stronger. The throes of dissolving empires are felt all over the eastern continent. God will overturn and overturn, till every obstacle is taken away — till every opposing power is dashed and broken-till the way is prepared for the full and rapid publication of the gospel. How immense then the demand for present effort? How unanswerable

the argument for greatly increased exertion on the part of Education Societies, that the men may be in readiness when God shall have thus prepared the way.

We cannot be true to the trust committed to us, unless we throw our thoughts far ahead and look into the years that are to come. At this anniversary, we should fix our eyes upon the world as it will be in 1850. To-day we should write down the twenty thous and ministers demanded for the towns and villages and cities which at that time shall have burst into being from amid the wildernesses of the West. To-day we should record the wonderful revolutions which shall have swept away every system of idolatry and false religion-which shall have broken the sceptre of tyranny, which shall have removed every hindrance out of the way, and thrown open to the missionary of the cross every nation of the globe, and then count up the thousands and tens of thousands of devoted men who shall be needed. It may do for Missionary Societies to wait until the cry shall come from the destitute, from heathen lands, but not so with us. The foundations must be laid earlier than the superstructure. If in ten or twenty years, China shall burst her chains and throw all her gates wide open, and her three hundred and sixty millions cry with empassioned emphasis for the atoning Saviour; if all India and the islands of her oceans shall be convinced of the vanity and falsehood of idol worship, and shall call for the servants of the true God; if Africa, deeply degraded, and not less deeply injured, shall be prepared to receive the gospel; if the Angel having the everlasting gospel to publish, shall then hover over every continent and every island,-what time have we to lose? We have not a moment to throw away. The conscription for many thousands of the choicest of our young men must be made now, the wealth which flows into the possession of Christians must be consecrated now. For iron they must bring silver, and for brass they must bring gold, that there be no want in all the treasury of the Lord's house. We must not only begin now, but press on with renewed vigor and increased determination. The times call for men-for men of great fortitude, ready to encounter a world, and armed for death. Let us without delay take hold on God, for the fullness of his Spirit is not exhausted; and he shall yet sanctify to himself a noble army of Christian Ministers.

Clerk hire and Rent of the Rooms, and Tax for the year,
Secretary and Treasurer's Salaries and travelling expenses, to-
gether with the expenses of Agents employed in the service of
Branch Societies and of the Parent Society,

Life Subscriptions, from Associations and individuals,
not included in receipts of Auxiliary Societies,
Interest on Permanent Scholarships and other Funds,
Refunded by Beneficiaries,