It

exhibit the genuine feelings of his heart, without any affectation, and he will exemplify what we mean by sincerity of manner. may be partially imitated, but when the artifice is discovered, as it often is, the hearer is no longer edified, but disgusted. A sincere manner is not, therefore, a mere external accomplishment, which we are to acquire by study or practice, but a grace, to be attained and improved by the cultivation of our hearts. If by divine aid, we gain a complete ascendency over all unbelief, and deliver our message with as much assurance of faith, as though we received it directly from God, our manner will correspond with these inward feelings; and "our preaching will be with demonstration of the spirit, and with power."

4. Once more, a preacher must be earnest, if he would be successful in his ministry. Earnestness is allied to sincerity, though the two are not identical. We cannot feel what we do not believe. But feeling has its degrees. Earnestness consists in that intense feeling which arises from sincere belief, accompanied by a deep conviction. of the importance of what is believed, and a lively personal interest in sustaining our views. Its importance cannot be too highly appreciated. Says the distinguished Dr. Guthrie: "However highly gifted he may otherwise be, it is a valid objection to a preacher, that he does not feel what he says; that spoils more than his oratory. An obscure man rose up to address the French Convention. At the close of his oration, Mirabeau, the giant genius of the Revolution, turned round to his neighbour, and eagerly asked, 'Who is that?' The other, who had been in no way interested by the address, wondered at Mirabeau's curiosity. Whereupon the other said, That man will yet act a great part;' and, being asked to explain himself, added, "He speaks as one who believes every word he says.' Much of pulpit power, under God, depends on that-admits of that explanation, or one allied to it. They make others feel who feel themselves."

Earnestness in preaching the Gospel requires a prayerful spirit. When Isaiah's lips were touched with a live coal from the altar, he was prepared to engage zealously in his official work as a prophet. So in the case of a Gospel minister. But it would be preposterous to expect this divine unction without frequent and earnest prayer. Hence there was much significancy in the inquiry made by one of our most eloquent preachers, now in glory. After listening to a popular discourse, delivered by a young licentiate, and expressing admiration of his pulpit talents, he closed his remarks by asking, "Do you think he can pray down the Holy Spirit?" The reason for this interrogatory will be readily comprehended by those who have noticed the difference in the impression made by mere oratory, both upon the preacher and his hearers, and that which is the fruit of intimate communion with God. He who prays earnestly will be an earnest and effective preacher.

In connection with prayer, we should endeavour to have an abiding

"We

sense of our accountability to God for the manner we preach. watch for souls," says Paul, "as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief." This consideration doubtless contributed no little to the Apostle's earnestness. He possessed also a still further element of earnestness, viz., ardent love to Christ and the souls of men; which must be felt by us, if we would preach with power and success. "Whether we be beside ourselves," says he, "it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us: because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." If natural fervour impresses the hearts of those whom we address, how much more that fervour which is produced by the threefold influence of a prayerful spirit, a feeling of accountability to God, and a glowing love for Christ and the souls of men.

Among the most earnest and successful preachers of the last century, was the Rev. Samuel Davies. No one can peruse his sermons without perceiving that his feelings were most deeply and tenderly affected by the great truths upon which he discoursed. How he attained this earnestness, may be learned from his own words, in a letter to a friend: "It is an easy thing," says he, "to make a noise in the world, to flourish and harangue, to dazzle the crowd, and set them all agape; but deeply to imbibe the spirit of Christianity, to maintain a secret walk with God, to be holy as he is holy, this is the labour, this the work. I beg the assistance of your prayers, in so grand and important an enterprise. The difficulty of the ministerial work seems to grow upon my hands. Perhaps once, in three or four months, I preach in some measure as I could wish; that is, I preach as in the sight of God, and as if I were to step from the pulpit to the supreme tribunal. I feel my subject. I melt into tears, or I shudder with horror, when I denounce the terrors of the Lord. I glow, I soar in sacred ecstasies, when the love of Jesus is my theme; and as Mr. Baxter was wont to express it, in lines more striking to me than all the fine poetry in the world,

"I preach as if I ne'er should preach again,
And as a dying man to dying men.'"

Dr. Edward Payson, the fruits of whose ministry are still visible in some sections of our country, was an earnest preacher. And none will be surprised at this, after reading the testimony of a pious lawyer concerning his power in prayer. "I was a boy, and sat in the gallery. I felt no special interest in religious things. But when that man of God stood up in his place, and poured out his soul in earnest supplication,-so filial and reverent, so tender and fervent, so solemn and spiritual,-I was entirely overwhelmed with emotion. My blood started quicker in my veins, and my whole spirit was stirred within me. Dr. Payson brought down so much of the pre

sence and power of God into that house, that it was truly dreadful to be there. It was none other than the house of God, and the gate of heaven." Such a man's preaching would necessarily be earnest. His spirit of fervent prayer, while it evinced his great solicitude for the salvation of souls, served to increase it, and also to strengthen his conviction of duty to labour for this result, as one who must render an account to God. On the other hand, his sense of accountability and his desire for the salvation of souls, quickened his devotions and rendered him increasingly earnest in prayer; while these several elements exerted their combined influence to make him earnest and powerful in his preaching. His zeal continued to burn with undiminished ardour till death. Before his decease, he requested that text of Scripture, "Remember the words which I have spoken unto you, while I was yet present with you," to be attached conspicuously to his breast, that through this admonitory passage he, though dead, might speak to those who should read it as they looked on his corpse. He thus, as it were, preached over again, in silent, but impressive language, all the earnest and solemn discourses he had delivered during his ministry.

In conclusion, we would remind candidates for the ministry, for whom this article is chiefly intended, that a careful attention to all we have said with regard to the manner of preaching, will not compensate for erroneous or defective matter. Though truth may lose much of its force by being presented in a dull and inanimate manner, a discourse which is not evangelical, or which omits important points of doctrine, cannot be rendered truly powerful and effective by any extraneous or factitious arts. We recently became acquainted with an interesting young man, a native of Ireland, who came to this country a Roman Catholic. He went to hear Protestant preaching. Arminian preachers were sufficiently bold and earnest; apparently sincere, and often tender; but their preaching made no impression on his mind, because, as he said, it was so much like the preaching he had formerly heard from Roman Catholic priests; differing, indeed, in many particulars, but having this general resemblance, that both convey the idea that our salvation depends very considerably on good works. Hearing a Calvinistic minister preach on regeneration, his attention was deeply arrested. For the first time in his life, he heard it asserted that man is totally depraved, and must be saved, if saved at all, by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, changing and renewing his heart. Though he at first felt a hostility to these statements, his conscience became in due time convinced of sin, and he was brought, as he trusted, to a saving knowledge of Christ. He is now a candidate for the Gospel ministry.

It is a remarkable fact, that the abettors of error are generally zealous; and the more erroneous they become, the greater is their zeal. Their adherents, also, are often as zealous as their leaders. The advocates of truth should imitate their example in this particular. If the zeal of the former, though directed to objects which are

not only without value, but hurtful and ruinous, is nevertheless ardent and untiring, how active and constant should be that of the latter, which has in view the highest interests of mankind, the advancement of Christ's kingdom in the world, and the honour and glory of the supreme and adorable Ruler of the universe! Many of these deceitful and deceived leaders compass sea and land to make proselytes to their several systems of religion; and they often have a degree of success that is astonishing. What exertions and sacrifices should not the true ministers of Christ be willing to make, to save souls, and bring a revenue of glory to Jehovah! Let us out-preach them, outpray them, and out-live them; be more diligent, more devout, and more holy. Like Paul, let us preach publicly, and from house to house. Let us pray without ceasing. Let us seek to be holy as God is holy. We shall thus show forth his praise, and be instrumental, with his blessing, in bringing many sons and daughters to glory.

ARTICLE XIV.

THE CHURCH'S CARE OF THE MINISTRY.*

BY THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

OUR blessed Lord exercised much personal concern in the perpetuation of the Christian ministry. He himself called the Apostles, trained them for their work, shared with them its toils and duties, and encouraged them with the promise of His presence "to the end of the world." The ministry is His own ordained agency for bringing mankind to the knowledge of the truth. The Church, for whose advancement the ministry has been constituted, is, from the nature of the case, under the most solemn obligations to do all in her power to maintain the ministry in its purity and efficiency, and to use all Scriptural means for the increase of its numbers. The Presbyterian Church in this country, true to her standards, her character, her history, her spiritual interests, and the honour of her King, has exercised an affectionate and godly concern in this great department of her ecclesiastical work-a concern, which, if deficient in quality and in degree, has been sincere and dutiful in its aims.

I. The care of the Presbyterian Church, in the perpetuation of the ministry, is seen in her views of THE NATURE OF A CALL TO THE

SACRED OFFICE.

A misconception of the doctrines and polity of the Presbyterian Church on the subject of a call to the ministry, has led occasionally to the insinuation that our candidates were educated for the ministry,

*Part of the Annual Report of the Board of Education to the General Assembly, in May, 1855.

rather than called of God into it. Probably no Church on earth, more than our own, exalts the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, or lays more stress on the spiritual, above the merely moral or formal. The tendency of all our doctrines, from that of the divine sovereignty to man's inability and depravity, is to impress upon the souls of our candidates their entire dependence upon God. "No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." The call must come from God. This is the first position, fundamental to the superstructure of a spiritual and useful ministry. Jesus Christ, when He was upon the earth, claimed and exercised the power of appointing his Apostles and Evangelists. His disciples were directed to "pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest.' And the whole tenor of the instruction of the Scriptures establishes the great truth that the Holy Spirit not only calls out of the world into the Church the elect of God, but designates by the same sovereign authority all public officers to their ecclesiastical functions. "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administration, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations; but it is the same God which worketh all in all." Where the ministry is sought from unworthy motives, or where entrance upon its sacred functions, instead of being referred to the decision of God, is practically thrown open to the unrenewed and careless, the Spirit will not give the promise and the scals of His presence. The necessity of a divine designation to the office of the ministry, is the great idea of the Scriptures upon the subject.

2. Another point, illustrative of the nature of a call to this office, is, that the individual must have satisfactory evidences in his own consciousness and gracious experience that he is called to devote himself to the work. Fanaticism has no scope amidst the sobrieties of sound Presbyterian doctrines and practices. To a person appointed to the ministerial office under the authority of the Spirit, the rational evidences of such designation will appear in the workings of his mind, and heart, and conscience. On this principle, our Book of Discipline propounds to the candidate for ordination, the question, "Have you been induced, as far as you know your own heart, to seek the office of the holy ministry from love to God, and a sincere desire to promote his glory in the Gospel of his Son?" The spiritual affections, proper to the vocation, must be in lively exercise. Ignorance deludes itself with high and presumptuous visions, and formalism brings its dead works to the altar of the sanctuary; but God requires an intelligent conviction of the understanding, the outgoing of gracious affections, and the appropriate fruits of a self-denying and devoted life. No one is expected to become a minister in our Church, without an enlightened persuasion that it is the will of God that he should preach the Gospel of his Son, just as no one is expected to join the communion of the Church, who is destitute of the evidences of his being a Christian. The Spirit calls to the ministry; but the