justly brought against the Doctrine as actually held, for millenniums past as well as now, by the vast majority of the 200 millions of Hindus, our fellow-creatures, and nearly all of them our fellow-subjects. In conclusion, I can only express the hope, that any mistake in fact of which I may have been guilty may be brought to my notice, any want of candour or tenderness may be forgiven, and whatever I have said that is true and good may be used by Him Who uses our poor efforts, and overrules our errors, for His own glory, to the overthrow of untruth, and the establishment of His Truth throughout this land.

These words are spoken of the Apostle Paul when he had reached the vicinity of the city of Rome. He had now come to the end of one period of his life and ministry and was about to begin another. He looked back on his past his travels, his perils, his persecutions, his danger only recently passed of shipwreck-upon the manifestation of God's grace and power in all his past labours; and he thanked God, God had been true and faithful, the grace of the Lord Jesus had been sufficient for him according to the promise. And he looked forward. It was natural that he should do so. We all try to do so—often in vain, for the future is dark to mortals. In the usual sense it was as dark to the Apostle as to others, but for light which shone on his way as it shines on the way of faithful and loyal servants of the Master. The light came from the past, it was lighted by his thankfulness, as he thanked God for all the past, and for the present cheering of his heart in the meeting with the brethren who had come out to greet him from the city of Rome. He could look into the future-he did not know much-but he could see something, and he took courage. He knew there was still work to be done, toil to be endured, dangers to be met, but he could not be dismayed. The same God who had helped in the past would help him in the future. If God were for him what cause had he to fear?

We have been speaking of this year as the Centenary of Modern Missions, that is, of Protestant Missions-of Protestant Missions as carried on by British and American churches-and this seems a fitting time for us to look back and to look forward even as the Apostle Paul did, to look back with thankfulness, and to look forward with courage. This I ask you to do.

1.

Let us look back and see what cause we have for thankfulness to God.

A hundred years ago the British churches were doing nothing to give the light of the Gospel to the nations of the earth. They were busy largely about their own concerns, which no doubt demanded earnest and constant watchfulness and care. Many of them were sinking into an almost lifeless condition. The large divine purpose of God in giving the Gospel of His Son had been lost sight of. The people of God cared for themselves and not for others. But God had not forgotten His purpose and He wrought a change in the hearts of His people. It is interesting to note some of the preparatory steps leading to the stirring of Christian hearts with something of missionary enthusiasm. Of course, we think of what took place in 1792; but the Spirit of God was working before that time. The missionary spirit is largely aroused by hymns. Now, years before the formation of the Missionary Society, some of our most stimulating missionary hymns were written by men whom I think God taught, and their words express the beginning of indistinct but true desire for the extension of Christ's Kingdom among men.

In 1696 Tate and Brady sung and taught the saints of the Church of England to sing-

"Let differing nations join

To celebrate Thy fame,

Let all the world, O Lord, combine

To praise Thy glorious name."

Then in 1768 Mr. Bruce wrote with glad hope

"Behold the mountain of the Lord

In latter days shall rise,

On mountain tops above the hills,
And draw the wondering eyes."

And in 1772 was written the hymn beginning

"O'er the gloomy hills of darkness

Look my soul, be still and gaze;

All the promises do travail

With a glorious day of grace,
Blessed Jubilee !

Let thy glorious morning dawn.”

These and similar devout utterances shew how the Spirit of God was working in many minds, teaching them to understand more fully the divine will. Then in 1784 the celebrated Jonathan Edwards sent forth to the churches of America and Great Britain his memorable call to prayer for the extension of the Kingdom of Christ; this call led to the establishment

of the monthly missionary prayer meeting which continues to this day among many of the churches of the home lands.

It was at about this time that there began, what Andrew Fuller called, "the workings of brother Carey's mind" which bore fruit in the establishment of the Baptist Missionary Society. Missionary work, so far as our English churches are concerned began with William Carey. And in this there is to be noticed the wonderful choice of God, of whom the Apostle says (I. Cor. i. 27 and following verses):-"God hath chosen the weak things of the world, and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised hath God chosen, that no flesh might glory in His presence." God made choice of William Carey. Think of that poor, hardworking, shoemaking lad, starting life with but an elementary education, bound down to grinding poverty for years. He was a quiet gentle wellbehaved lad, with nothing striking to ordinary observers about him. He was from the first curious about many subjects, observant, studious and thoughtful. The grace of God touched him when yet a youth, moved him, renewed him, and he became devout, prayerful and earnest as a believer in Jesus. He soon began to preach in cottages and small village chapels to people with as little education as himself, many of whom were simple God-fearing men who appreciated his humble ministry.

He still makes shoes and preaches the Gospel; this preaching stimulates his mental nature and he becomes more studious than before, especially of God's Word, and strives to fit himself for the work of preaching. Hence he tries to learn Greek and Hebrew that he may read the Word in the original for himself. There is one department of knowledge which had a special attraction for him, that is, what we term geography. The school manuals of to-day were not in existence, and he had few helps, but such as came in his way he took advantage of; books of travel had a great charm for him. That which interested him chiefly was not the physical features of the countries of which he read, their mountains and valleys and plains, the rivers and lakes, nor even the varied productions of these countries, but he considered the people, their condition of civilization and their religions. He had learnt to do the ordinary work of stitching mechanically, and found that he could, by fixing the book in front of the seat on which he sat, read and work at the same time. Then he prepared for himself a map of the world and placed that before him. Thus there was brought home to his mind a vivid representation of the varied languages of the world and of the ignorance and sin of its people, and at the same time there was borne in upon him a revelation of the far-reaching cove of God, and that the Gospel which saved and gladdened his heart was

for the world. And the momentous question arose in his heart, "Ought not Christians to do something to make known the Gospel among those who are ignorant of it?" This question he answered for himself in the affirmative, and then he propounded it to his brethren. To his question he received many answers; some had doubts, others had objections, and some met his question with a scornful "No ?" But he persisted in putting his question. A fire was burning in his heart, a Divine fire, which could not be quenched. This fire spread, some other hearts kindled and burnt also. He had meantime attained the position of a recognised minister of a Church of Baptised believers, and thus commanded a little more attention to his proposals. He then published as a pamphlet his remarkable treatise entitled "An enquiry into the obligations of Christians to use means for the conversion of the heathens." Soon after, he preached his memorable sermon before many of his ministerial brethren and other Christians with the two heads of his discourse, which read to-day like the inspired words of God-"Expect great things for God, and attempt great things for God." Six months after the preaching of this sermon twelve men met in a private house at Kettering, and, after prayer and gifts, formed the first Missionary Society in the British Isles.

The beginning was small, the first subscription amounting to £13-2-6. Just then Dr. John Thomas, who had been to India in the service of the God had been speaking to

East India Company, appeared on the scene. him also. And his heart was moved with compassion for those who knew not the way of salvation. After some delay he and Carey started together for India: the mission thus became an accomplished fact.

Andrew Fuller, the first Secretary of the new society and others, travelled among the churches of England and Setland, urging the claims of the nations of the earth on all Christian hearts, and met with a liberal response from many Christian men and women of all denominations. Yet to many, even good men, this idea of missions to the heathen seemed Utopian. Good men held back and hesitated. Politicians had fears and apprehensions of trouble in India as the result of efforts to convert the people of this land. The East India Company was opposed to the enterprise. The literary classes, when they condescended to give heed to what a few feeble Christians proposed to do, wrote and spoke strongly against the mission. One spoke of Carey as "the consecrated cobbler," and thought he had said a smart thing. Some of those who followed were designated as "apostates from the anvil and the loom." But this thing was of God; neither the scorn and contempt of worldly men, nor the coldness and doubt of Christian men, nor the opposition of rulers, could hinder its progress.