are taught duly to estimate their work, not only as pioneers, whose office it is to clear away all dust and rubbish from the temple of truth, that it may appear beautiful without and glorious within, but as master builders, whose chief employment should be to raise human souls to heaven, by building their hopes on that sure foundation, whose chief corner-stone is Christ.

And now, Sir, may I be permitted to say a few words in reference to the extraordinary kindness and attention which the Irish students from this body have invariably experienced from Dr. Chalmers. I am sure that I express the heartfelt sentiments of my dear friend and brother, ordained this day, when I say, that in a strange land we found his house an hospitable home, and we felt his watchfulness and affection to be the rich reward of days and nights of studies which acquired new charms and attractiveness from the commanding genius which directed them, and the splendid eloquence which enforced so persuasively the truths of salvation, and all the high and holy responsibilities of the ministerial character.

And now that we are separated far, but we hope not for ever, from him whom we still regard and reverence as our father and our friend, do we look back with fond delight to the period when, safe and secluded from the ten thousand annoyances of human life, we often gave upon occasions like the present, and still oftener felt the inspiring sentiment, "Dr. Chalmers and the Church of Scotland." I may be accused of the undue partialities of friendship, when in this respectable company I deliver my honest sentiments concerning the individual who has been this day set apart to the ministerial office by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. I complain of injustice, gross and manifest in this suspicion, for who can know and tell so well the excellencies and defects of the character as he, if no flatterer, (and I scorn the imputation,) who has been for years the bosom friend and companion of the person whose moral image he now delineates, and for the fidelity of which he holds himself strictly responsible. I believe your pastor, Mr. Gibson, is a man whose worth and merits need no eulogium, at least of mine. His talents and eloquence speak for themselves; you, Sir, and the congregation you represent, have felt this commanding power; and you have likewise given very substantial proofs of the admiration and respect you entertain for one, permit me to say, as distinguished by his genius, his high honourable feelings, and elevated sentiments, as by the Christian devotedness of his character and

conversation. I have ever found him among the best and the steadiest and most true-hearted of my early friends; and I feel confident that you too, Sir, on more close and intimate acquaintance, will find him to be a true and faithful watchman on the walls of Zion, and a blessing to that portion of our church with which he has been this day so solemnly connected. In conclusion, I do trust and pray, that the union between pastor and people which has been formed here after many strange but providential vicissitudes, shall be preserved inviolate in the holy bonds of mutual sympathy and affection, until the Great Master of assemblies shall call his servant home.

The next subject proposed was, "The revival of practical godliness, and the restoration of Presbyterian discipline in the Synod of Ulster," to which the Rev. John Barnett spoke as follows:

It has been justly said, Sir, that whatever praise may be ascribed to individuals for their exertions in working out a great and salutary change in the condition of the church to which we have the honour to belong, yet our thanksgivings must be presented to the King of Zion himself, for all the good that has been accomplished. What has been done, indeed, can only be regarded as a commencement and a basis of still further efforts at reformation. For it is quite possible that a church may have a name to live, and yet in reality be dead; and that notwithstanding all her advances in Christian doctrine, in many respects she may be an object of disapprobation to her great and glorious Head. While, therefore, I would thankfully acknowledge that it is to the good hand of our God upon us that we are indebted for all our present and past attainments, I cannot but give expression to my honest sentiments, and say, that much is yet to be effected, for the ways of Zion mourn because her solemn ordinances have been desecrated, and unworthy members have often wantonly intruded into the sanctuary of the Lord. In order to consummate that reformation which has been so happily begun, and to promote a true revival of religion among our people, nothing, I am convinced, would be more effectual than the restoration of efficient and wholesome discipline. When our Lord Jesus Christ sent forth his Apostles to preach the everlasting Gospel, he told them to observe all things that he had commanded, thus limiting the promise: of success to the very terms of the commission; so that no minister need expect success, who does not faithfully enforce the laws, as well as preach the doctrines that are enjoined.

With the purity and preservation of its discipline is connected the glory of the church's Head and the edification of the members, as well as the conversion of those who are without, and have but a profession of the faith. In every point of view, indeed, sound discipline is of the utmost importance; and though the enforcement of it may expose an individual to much misrepresentation and reproach, yet I hope the necessity of its adoption will become daily more apparent, and that the whole church will vindicate its character in this respect, and stand apart as a select society, and, as its name imports, be separated from the world. And, Sir, if we are truly anxious that the revival of practical godliness should go forward, let each take the sentiment home to himself, and resolve, in the strength of divine grace, that, so far as he is concerned, a revival shall take place in his own heart, in his own family, and in his own congregation. Not that our exertions should be circumscribed by mere local circumstances or connexions, for we are bound to use every means at our disposal for the dissemination of divine truth throughout the world. But a revival must begin with the church-it must originate in the closets and the hearts of God's people. Again I say, then, let us commence the work immediately with ourselves; let us be faithful in the maintenance of Presbyterian discipline and order, and thus endeavour to preserve the purity of Christian communion, that every vessel of the sanctuary may be cleansed of its defilement, and that glorious things may again be spoken of Zion, the city of our God.

An expression of thanks to those ministers who, though not members of Committee, were present on the occasion, was then conveyed through the chair, and acknowledged by the Rev. John Arnold in handsome terms; after which, the chairman said, that he was now about to announce the concluding sentiment of the evening. As he stated at the commencement, the subjects introduced had an especial reference to the Presbyterian Church, its present character and prospects. That church, as it had been beautifully expressed, had been the nursing mother of us all, and many of our earliest and fondest recollections were entwined around it. No wonder, then, that we should feel interested in its welfare, and that, as in former times, we mourned over its declension, we should now contemplate with delight the appearances of better and more prosperous days. But Presbyterians as we were, and were determined to remain, we felt an interest also in all our fellow-christians, of whatever name, and rejoiced in the ex

tension of religion, by whatever instrumentality. It was a pleasing circumstance that good men of all persuasions were more united now, than at almost any former period. He hoped that something good would flow from it, and accordingly looked forward to the time when all the members of the church, though now separated into different communions, would be not only really, but visibly incorporated in one body, whose only head would be Christ Jesus. Believing that, from the sentiments already expressed, a spirit of good will and cordiality to other sections of the church prevailed among them, he accordingly proposed, "The Church of Christ throughout the world, and evangelical Christians of all denominations.'

The Rev. W. D. Killen then made a number of excellent observations in connexion with this topic; but the length of this report precludes the possibility of their insertion.

Having thus spent the evening in perfect unison with the previous proceedings of the day, the meeting separated at a very early hour, having first engaged in prayer, and having sung the following verses of the 122d Psalm :

"Pray that Jerusalem may have
Peace and felicity;

Let them that love thee and thy peace,
Have still prosperity.

Therefore I wish that peace may still

Within thy walls remain ;
And ever may thy palaces
Prosperity retain,”

PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN. SIR,

IT has for some time been my desire that you would more frequently occupy a page or two of your excellent Periodical with remarks upon the importance and progress of "the Presbyterian Missionary Society for Ireland." It is an important Society, whether we consider the good which it may do directly, in offering the Gospel to our countrymen-or that which it may effect indirectly, by infusing a spirit of holy and of healthful activity into those churches which take an interest in its prosperity. We have of late been hearing much of Reform," and of the great results which are to be effected by its agency among this world's temporalities. I am not al

together an anti-reformer, nor yet an ultra one. I look back with peculiar pleasure and, Í trust, thankfulness to God, upon the gradual developement of a reform in our church, steadily advancing and becoming more marked for the last thirteen or fourteen years. During that period, we have come, by God's help, through much troubled water. In purging out the old leaven that was in us, we were not over-careful to conceal to what extent it had wrought in our ecclesiastical body. Many of our members were alarmed at what was exposed to the public view, some were literally angry, and others rejoiced with weeping. I rejoice in bearing testimony, that among the latter number were a goodly number of our pastors who were guided by the Spirit of God, by whom, I trust, they were called to the ministry, and who were assisted in their struggles by the zeal and cordial co-operation of the majority of the eldership. They felt it to be their duty, and they acted upon the feeling, to speak out boldly and say, "be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." Perhaps I should have dated the commencement of our reformation further back, but I speak only of those things to which I myself can bear testimony. Among the evidences of what, at the period I allude to, it behoved us to get rid of, I adduce the vote of the Synod at Strabane, in the year 1825, when, from an overstrained desire to keep well with all men, the Synod refused to change the committee of the then "Home Missionary Society," though composed at the time of a most heterogeneous mass of Arianism and Orthodoxy. This vote I am far from considering as holding up, even then, the real opinions of the Synod-it was an attempt at conciliation-it was in fact expediency. The result was the formation of a new society, called, "The Presbyterian Society for Ireland." To the exertions made by that society, under the blessing of God, many now owe it, that they are enjoying the ordinances of the Gospel free from the errors of Arianism. A short period so cleared the Synod of the enemies of the truth, that a union with the Synod's Home Mission Society was deemed advisable, under the apellation of" the Presbyterian Missionary Society for Ireland ;" and this apellation I would, by the way, wish all our friends to remember and use. For this society the Synod has expressly enjoined all the congregations under its care to have an annual collection; and the injunction has, I believe, been pretty generally attended to. The society, however, as yet, has to regret, that the total amount collected in this way has been so small, when compared with the work which the Directors wish to engage in,