ing up the envy on which the pride is nourished. And thus he is the bitterest enemy of the spiritual, who, whether rich or poor, feels an anxiety for, or pays a reverence to, the mere possession of wealth. And especially does that rich man, on the other hand, give a noble service to society and the individual soul, who neither boasts of, nor concerns himself greatly in, this life's adornments, but devotes himself with unspeakable love to the interests of the life everlasting. Did the rich, as a class, manifest this temper, as some individuals do, the cry of Agrarianism, which has kindled such passion, and excited such alarm, would die away forever; men would care little for the mechanical divisions of the soil beneath their feet as they should press onwards to their inheritance in the land of promise!

It remains only to describe the influence of the Ministry at large upon the Rich in one more particular. It not only gives a true idea of the great object, and inspires them with the living sentiment prompting to the pursuit of this object, but engages their personal endeavors in a practical manifestation of the thought of the mind and the feeling of the heart. Thus it seems to be the instrument of a complete education,-acting rightly, first, on the understanding; secondly, on the affections, and lastly on the will.

I will here speak of only one Chapel reserving some remarks of a more general kind to the next article. Many are actively engaged in this Chapel ministering to the Poor by teaching their children in a large Sunday School having two sessions every Sabbath, and in a sewing school which meets every week, and at which frequently 150 little girls are present and instructed in the use of the needle. The articles made are sold for the cost of the material, chiefly to the Poor. Many of these teachers are also accustomed to visit among the Poor and to aid those more particularly set apart to the work, in opening the light of Christian Truth and Hope into the abodes of darkness and woe. Giving great joy to others, and receiving great joy in return, they have no inclination to grow weary of well doing.

Were I permitted to give their cases as directly as I

have given those of the Poor,-and trace the growth of their feelings from the time when they began to watch over the feeble plant that has since risen into a great tree, I might present descriptions of the spiritual life as moving as any that have been offered. But I will speak only of their joy, and say they feel it is too precious to be confined to themselves and to those who, in other departments, are engaged in the same work. The conditions of this joy are not as yet by any means monopo-. lized or exhausted. Still, as when the Savior spoke, 'the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.' Oh,—when we see in our streets many a fair and noble brow, the symbol of intellectual power and great capacities for good, how strong the desire to enter into the inward spirit, and whisper one entreaty to the secret thought. There is a degree of power among us, with those who have leisure, whose spiritual application would regenerate our City. We implore its exertion. We pray that the spirit of all Grace may waken it to the recognition and discharge of duty.

And, as I have already said, the happy laborers already at work invite this power not to a task merely, but to a joy they would not appropriate entirely to themselves. 'Oh how,'-cried some one several years since to a certain venerable man,-'Oh how can you be content thus, early and late, to go from garret to cellar, and cellar to garret?' He could not answer the question in full,— simply because the delight he took in so doing was unspeakable. Often in his walks through the haunts of poverty, as he saw the better prospects opening on that poverty, he has felt a thrill of the holiest delight that ever blest a human creature.' Others could add their testimony, that, since their interest in the work, they have known no desponding hours, but even in the most trying scenes and severest efforts, the angel, Cheerfulness has smiled ever upon them in benediction. No dark-winged spirit has encountered their souls in the gloomy lanes they have trod or in the filthy huts to which they have gone. Is there a victim of Ennui? Let that victim fly to these lanes and huts, and the ill-boding spectre will not dare to follow. Again, then, I repeat it, our breth

ren are invited to partake of our joy. I have read of a rich man, who was wandering about sick of life. A child in rags besought his mercy upon a wretched family. He went into the house, saw the misery, threw down his purse, for their bodily comfort, and rushed away, his soul flooded with self-reproach, that he had thought there was nothing left to live for. But what was his happiness compared with that of the man, who feels that he has been an instrument in raising one neglected soul to Immortal Glory!

VISITING.

The last remarks trench on the ground to be occupied under this head. I have endeavored to speak truly,yet some ears may have caught a breath of enthusiasm in the tone of what has been said. And perhaps it may be well to proceed from the general strain of remark on this topic to its more special treatment,-to state more soberly the existing want, and to indicate more clearly the sources and mode of its supply.

Why then should the Rich come in greater numbers to this effort and visiting among the Poor? I will try to answer the question calmly and from conviction. And I say, they should come, first, because there is more work than the persons already engaged in it can accomplish. All the spirituality that needs to be conveyed to the many Poor cannot reach them through a few small channels. More conducting material is called for. A few little wires are melted and destroyed in the heavy thunder-cloud's discharge. The healthy equilibrium of feeling cannot be secured without a freer, wider communication. Its full establishment will require hundreds of sympathising souls --thousands of ever-repeated, daily acts of kindness, and spiritual counsels and admonitions without number. say that the Rich must either visit themselves or provide those who will visit, does not touch the whole necessity of the case. So far as their ability reaches they are bound to do both. The mere giving of money is a great good, but

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can never atone for the omission of that personal, holy effort which money can never create or pay for. The idea that a man's conscience may be relieved in this matter by his stepping to the contribution-box, rests on a narrow view of the whole subject,-such a view as the following.

Well, it sad to behold these dead masses of ignorance and vice. It is mournful to see society resting on such rotten foundations. We must indeed do something in this dreadful necessity, or the upper palace-rooms of the social structure in which we live, will soon fall crashing to the dust. Let us then pour out our treasures to provide the needful props which may prevent the catastrophe and save us from ruin.

This, I say, is a narrow view. For there is something more to be said about this state of things, than that it presents a dreadful necessity. Extreme want is sad to behold, especially spiritual want. But it is not an entire, unmitigated evil, fruitless of good, and to be got rid of in any way, no matter how. Its removal should be sought by a course of affectionate, conscientious toil. And this brings me to my other reason why the Rich should come in greater numbers to active effort and personal visiting among the Poor. It is because that thus they will themselves gain the best of benefits, and have a blessed work wrought out in their own souls. Even moral deadness, then, is not merely a thing to weep over. It is not altogether unrelated to our own living interests. The want existing in one place is correlative to a want existing in another place,-and the supply of these wants must be simultaneous or not at all. It would be a sad view indeed to take, that the condition of society is such, that those who labor for its regeneration must wear out their nerves without reward or benefit. Providence treats us far better than this comes to. High examples show us that such a state of things is never to be feared. The apostles, from their sorest toils, and even from the torments of persecution, and the flames of martyrdom, looked upward to an eternal weight of glory as the end and crown of their faithfulness. Our blessed Lord himself was made perfect through suffering.'

Friends, brothers and sisters, stay not behind then yourselves, because you have sent another in your stead. Be not willing to place one man in the stead of a host. In the carnage of war would you calmly see a few men and women overwhelmed in the rush of serried ranks, and trampled down by the hoofs of the war-horse?

I have tried to answer the question, why should there be more visiting. The next inquiry is, who shall visit? It would of course be folly to say the duty lies in equal proportions upon all. It would be folly to say there are not many other occupations and very absorbing ones, which are necessary to be carried on, not only to support the animal system of society, but also to nourish its spiritual life. And yet it can hardly happen that any one should be so engrossed in active pursuits as never to have time to look after the comfort or brighten the hope of a poor family. It would be a serious question whether any body has a right to be so engrossed. But let us look around and try to count up the hundreds among the Rich who cannot plead this perpetual devotion to any serious business, who use a considerable portion of their time in matters, if not of questionable utility, surely of inferior importance to the one in question. I would attribute this not to bad motives, not even to want of good motives. That thirst for action, God has so kindly given us all, will operate in the formation of habits hard to be broken, and whose character is in part determined by the suggestions of circumstances. A great deal that we condemn in fashionable life no doubt springs as much from this cause as from any want of high purpose. But if there be many who are conscious that, with all their busy cares, they manage to turn a great deal of their time to very little account, will they not make an effort to break the chains of custom, when new and nobler modes of activity are suggested? I have that faith in human nature and that knowledge of human excellence which persuade me they will. If they do, no doubt the ways of social life will in some respects be changed. Many a dress will be less costly, many an entertainment less luxurious, many an article of furniture less adorned. Many a call of mere ceremony will be omitted, as also many a visit to the