ceremonies, or forms of church government." And again; "As I am convinced that the Almighty has not limited his creatures to any particular and strictly-defined modes of church government, I cannot be under much temptation to partiality."-(Vol. i. p. 376.) After reading such declarations as these, who would expect to see the spirit of sectarianism very prominent in this otherwise valuable work? Who would expect the author to watch every opportunity of introducing his own peculiar opinions and partialities as a churchman, with a vigilance that never goes to sleep? Who would expect from him such a defence of ecclesiastical establishments as will support those that are Popish as well as those that are Protestant? Or who would expect to see various reasons urged in proof of the expediency of those establishments, when the whole course of his history demonstrates their injurious influence, and their mischievous operation? How much may a wise and a good man be mistaken about himself! and even to such how often may it be said, "Ye know not what spirit ye are of."

Cyprian, from his arrogant and foolish notions about the power and prerogatives of bishops, and the dampable nature of schism, is held the great apostle of high church; but he does not seem very likely to be a favourite with an historian who tells us that it is not of much importance to what external church real Christians belong. He is, however, ardently eulogized; his history is written more largely than that of any other man in the primitive ages, though his Christian life continued only thirteen years; and he is even "recommended as a model to all pastors, and particularly to those of rank and dignity."—(Vol. i. p. 468.)

The SPIRIT OF CHURCHISM, quite as much as conformity to

as

his plan, has made our author superficial and indistinct in marking the rise and progress of ecclesiastical domination; and tender and indulgent towards some of the innovations and corruptions of the bishops of Rome. It has made him hesitate in his opinion of the earliest protestant martyrs, though he doubted whether the state of the church of Rome was then bad enough to justify their separation from it, and to vindicate them from the charge of schism. It has made him so zealous in praise of such a lord over God's heritage as Pope Gregory the first, and such a saint as Bernard; and so lukewarm in the praise of such a reformer as Wickliffe. And it has made him ascribe to Luther, among other distinguishing qualities, exemplary spirit of submission to legal and established authorities, and a profound veneration them."-(Vol. iv. p. 409.) This is passing strange from an historian who informs his reader of Luther's unsparing censures Duke George of Saxony, of his contemptuous book against King Henry the Eighth, and that Henry reproached him with "sparing no dignity, divine or human, civil or ecclesiastic."-(Vol. v. p. 358.)

an

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It is marvellous in the extreme to read of Luther's profound veneration, and exemplary submission to legal and established authorities, in the same work which relates that he charged the princes of Germany with "intolerable oppression of the poor peasants"-(Vol. v. p. 221.)-that he accused bishops, kings, and princes of "an insane outrageous conspiracy against the rising light of the Gospel"—(Vol. v. p. 180.)-that he praised "all persons who spend their lives and fortunes, and every faculty they possess, in endeavouring to overturn and extinguish the present dia. bolical constitution and government of the bishops"-(Vol. v. p. 93)" that he carried his rebellion

against the sovereign pontiff to the highest pitch, and affronted the majesty of the pope with the gross est instances of contempt and defiance."-(Vol. iv. p. 499.) It seems utterly unaccountable that the same writer would transcribe these passages, and many more such like, and yet could say, that " Luther was always distinguished by a spirit of respect and obedience towards its superiors, whether in church or state."-(Vol. iv. p. 392.) After all the pains which churchmen have taken to assimilate this eminent reformer to themselves, it is palpably evident that he was distinguished by all the characteristics of a dissenter of the old school.

The admirers of this history of the church of Christ say, that it has superseded Mosheim's; but the plans on which they are written are so different, that there is little interference. Each may supply the defects of the other, and they may be very advantageously read together. FABIUS.

FURTHER REMARKS ON THE NUMBER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS,

GENTLEMEN-I was exceedingly pleased with the article of Vigil in your number for May, on the present supply of candidates for the Christian ministry. He speaks out on a subject which has occupied the anxious attention of many of your readers for some time, who have not ventured to give publicity to their opinions. Now the subject is brought forward, I sincerely hope it will be fully and candidly considered. When the supply of any article exceeds the demand, the invariable consequence is a dimunition of its value. If ministers should increase in a much greater ratio than the necessities of the churches require, the inevitable consequence will be a degradation of the ministerial character. If, instead of being sought after, they N. S. No. 30.

are compelled to go from place to place, and exert all their influence with their friends to obtain a situation, their respectability, and consequently their usefulness, will be necessarily diminished. The tendency of this state of things must be to increase the fastidiousness and captiousness of congregations, and to produce dejection and discouragement in the ministers of Christ.

But it will be said in opposition to the remarks of Vigil, that the supply of candidates for the Christian ministry does not exceed the demand. From the reports of our theological institutions, we hear, almost every year, of their inadequacy to supply the congregations that are looking to them for Christian pastors. Where an institution of this kind is established, its tutors and managers, for obvious reasons, are anxious that the numbers of the students should not diminish but increase. May not this anxiety lead them sometimes to make out a stronger case in their reports than the real state of things would justify? Besides, they who preside over these institutions are deceived as to the demand there exists for ministers by the conduct of our churches. When a congregation, from any cause, becomes destitute of a minister, the almost invariable practice is to make immediate application to an academy for a student. This is the known source of supply. Here they understand their application will speedily be attended to. To this source, therefore, they repair, while ministers more advanced in years, and who are destitute of situations, are passed over unnoticed. The frequency of these direct applications to academies keep up the idea in their supporters that ministers are greatly wanted, and therefore efforts are made to send them forth, while respectable men, who might be met. with in other directions, are compelled to engage in secular busi2 Q

GENTLEMEN -Your correspondent Vigil has touched a very delicate string, but as the subject is one of considerable importance to the honour and efficiency of our religious community, I may be permitted a few words in reply. That Vigil has not intentionally concealed from himself or his readers any facts, which relieve the dismal picture he has drawn, I readily own; but can scarcely believe that his ingenuity was displayed, for any other purpose than to give the worst features of the case. For assuming that the exact number of our churches is 1072, and that our direct academic supply for 28 years is 1162 ministers, and even conceding that the indirect resources are yet more abundant than Vigil would represent, it would even then be found that the ordinary demands of an increasing population would more than consume the ordinary supply which Vigil calculates our colleges to yield. The memoirs of any considerable number of ministers will clearly prove, that 28 years is a very high average for the period of ministerial labour. I will, however, allow even thirty years as a fair average of ministerial existence, and then I will contend, that our existing colleges are not adequate to the supply of British churches

alone. For, in the first place, your list of churches is avowedly, and, for the present year, unavoidably incomplete; and, secondly, from the face of that very list, it is evident that a lamentable destitution of ministers exists, and that years must elapse before the actual supply of our colleges can repair the present deficiency. And then there remains in England alonè much land to be possessed. A few years will show, I trust, that our denomination is at present but in the infancy of its proportions.

It may be a fact," that there are many ministers of irreproachable character at this time unable to obtain pastoral engagements," but it is not true that this difficulty arises from the actual repletion of our churches. Many stations, exceedingly interesting and important, are suffering incalculably from the want of ministers; and nothing, perhaps, operates more powerfully to prevent the immediate settlement of such ministers and churches, than their mutual poverty.

Were accurate returns of destitute churches and disengaged ministers forthwith to be made, the number of churches would greatly preponderate. Such lists, on various accounts, would be valuable, if they could be constantly filed at some honourable but accessible depository. In addition to these considerations, Vigil cannot be ignorant that many students and ministers, educated for British service, have become missionaries, and from the properly increased conviction of the magnitude of missionary operations, it would seem that this direction of rising talent will often occur. And here, Gentlemen, allow me for a moment to advert to the illiberal policy of the committees of some of our dissenting colleges, who demand that the expense of a student's board and education be refunded, if he prefer missionary to British labours. I call the

policy illiberal, because it assumes that a national or geographical limit must bound the labours of students, while, in fact, reason and Christianity alike condemn distinctions so arbitrary. Happy should I be if this notice should prevent the repetition of those exorbitant demands which HAVE been made on the private purse of the individual, or the public funds of the Missionary Society. But to the point in hand; and it will be necessary only to advert to Vigil's queries to educe all that the subject further requires.

Query 1st. Whether a new establishment in a midland county be necessary? I reply, no; and my reasons are, first, our present houses are not filled. An institution, within ten miles of both the counties of Derby and Nottingham, and which, of course, could answer every purpose necessary for the midland counties, at this very hour contains ten students less than it is calculated to accommodate; and therefore, secondly, till our existing establishments, which are under the direction of men of distinguished talent and worth, are properly supplied, it would be highly indecorous and extravagant to found new colleges. Let justice be done to others, and then one of the midland counties might be selected with admirable effect to the interests of religion for a new college.

Query 2d. Whether pastors should not be more cautious in recommending candidates to the colleges?

I thank Vigil most cordially for this hint, for the evil implied is deeply to be deplored. Nothing surely can be more cruel than to send young men to enter on studies, for which, in some cases, as I know, they are morally, physically, and mentally disqualified. Nothing can palliate the conduct of some ministers on this head.

It is inconsiderate to the young men, and is an imposition on public time and property.

Query 3d. Whether tutors and collegiate committees ought not to reduce the number of students under their patronage? Certainly not; unless, as a Christian denomination, we are anxious to relinquish our present stations, to forego the widely extending opportunities, which annually occur, of establishing churches at home, or to withdraw from the mighty conflict in which we are engaged with the powers of darkness in every nation under heaven. If we wish to maintain these objects with the vigour and success they demand, then ought we immediately and almost indefinitely to increase the number of our students. The nations of the earth are directing their attention to us; we have awakened their inquiries, and woe be to us if we mock their spiritual wants. No possibility of a surplus ministry can ever occur; but I am serious when I say, that we ought to dread a famine of the word of God. Our existing colleges experience painful neglect, and exhibit the sad reverse of those evidences of a revival of religion, which the biographer of Dwight asserts have always occurred in the United States. If the number of rising ministers, and the extensive support of collegiate establishments be the index of religious feeling, then, surely, is that feeling exceedingly low. Let Vigil, then, and every man of influence and respectability, draw the attention of our congregations to the present state of affairs, and let each ask whether more ample and regular support cannot be given to our colleges, and whether, especially, no method can be devised to increase the number and efficiency of our religious academies for pious youth.

The present state of society and

GENTLEMEN,-In regarding the moral and spiritual condition of society in general, I have hitherto been induced to consider that a full exemplification is afforded of the scriptural declaration; "the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few ;" and have prayed therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth more labourers. I find, however, in your last number, that the lucubrations of a vigilant correspondent have set the matter in a new light, and that he would persuade us that there are now too many labourers. May I be allowed to say, in reference to the statements and calculations adduced, that I consider them to be entirely fallacious. The number of Congregational Churches, as taken from the list which you have furnished in your Supplement, is 1,072, of these, I find about 80 are marked as being destitute of pastors, besides others, which are supplied jointly with neighbouring societies. Now the number of Theological Students in the different Academies, which your correspondent has enumerated, is 166; of whom, considering the term of academic instruction to be four years, 41 will be prepared in the course of the year to meet the demand made upon them by these 80 churches, leaving half the number still destitute. If, in addition to this, we consider the average term of ministerial labour to be 28 years, we must expect that from these 1,072 churches, a further demand will arise, in the course of the year, for 38 pastors, so that, unless some

additional means are supplied, it is to be calculated, that at the end of the year, there will yet remain nearly 80 churches without pastors. The demand will still farther increase, if the zeal of former years does not abate in the erection of new places of worship; for it is gratifying to find in the reports of the several academical institutions, that of the number of students who yearly finish their course of preparatory education, many go forth to supply fresh stations, and to plant new churches. And I presume, when the state of society is considered, and the vast number of persons who are necessarily living without the means of Christian instruction is contemplated, your correspondent will not think that the number of Congregational Churches has attained to its desired maximum. We are told, however, that there are many ministers of irreproachable character, at this time unable to obtain pastoral engagements; this, I doubt not, is very true; but this may, in many instances, (I do not say in all,) have resulted from irreproachable character having been almost exclusively considered as the qualification for the Christian ministry, whilst the possession of an aptitude to teach, and the necessary talents for the discharge of ministerial labours have not been sufficiently regarded. I rejoice, however, to know, that though this mistake may have been made formerly by the managers of our Theological Seminaries, an important improvement has recently taken place, and whilst piety is regarded as it ever should, as a sine qua non, examination is also made as to the gifts as well as the graces possessed by the applicant for admission.

With regard, then, to the questions with which your correspondent concludes, I would answer the first by saying, let our churches