writings of the Apostles). The miraculous gifts, whether external or internal, have brought themselves to an end; but the use and purpose of these offices as surely remain as the use and purpose of the evangelical minister and the faithful pastor remain. And if our Churches were in full possession of the Spirit of Christ, they would order themselves and their operations after these five divisions of the Christian ministry. Indeed, they are beginning to do so imperceptibly. Every Church and body of dissenters have already reconstituted the apostolic office in the Missionary; the office of the preacher or prophet is also beginning to separate from the office of pastor in our great cities (pity that it were at the expense of the latter), and the office of evangelist is well sustained by what are called the evangelical clergy (pity that they did not address themselves also to the pastoral and prophetic offices); the doctors should be in the universities and schools of learning, as is well set forth in the fifth chapter of the second book of Discipline; and, for pastors, they are to be found, still in ancient simplicity and faithfulness, in many parishes of the North. Whether it be possible for one man to discharge these four offices of the Church, I know not; but this I know, that any one of them is a sufficient field for the faculties and energies of the most able and active man. Into these matters of ecclesiastical polity it may be thought out of place to have entered here, but it is important to have communicated in this short and simple way the leading idea of this discourse concerning doctrine, which is intended to bring back the Missionary to the Apostolical office, to restore the GospelMessenger to his dignity of place, to give him back his charter and prerogative, to deliver him into the liberty of his office out of the hands of whomsoever would enthral it, to make him the servant of our common Lord, the dependent of our common Father, the mouth and voice of our common Spirit, subordinate to nothing upon the earth save the authority of the Church which ordained him, and the law of the Gospel verity. Though published separately, in order to redeem my pledge to the public and gratify the feeling out of which the pledge was given, it contains a full developement of the Missionary Constitution and a demonstration of its perpetuity, and therefore is complete in itself, though only a fragment of the whole discourse; which I shall be the better able to address to the conditions of the present time, when I shall have gathered the judgment of the Churches upon the doctrine, through their several public organs of opinion. Now, if the members and managers of Missionary Societies think that I entertain towards them any feelings but those of brotherhood in the work in which they labour, they deceive themselves and disbelieve my declarations. It is amongst the pleasantest recollections of my carly years, that in my youth their cause was the subject of my prayers and the end of my secret savings; that many years before I reached man's estate, I was chosen the manager of one of the country Bible Societies, and one of the country Missionary Societies of Scotland; that I afterwards filled the office of secretary to the two chief Societies in the most populous city. of Scotland; in all which offices I had the approbation of the Societies entered on their minutes. And it is now a continual subject of regret to me, that the duties of the ministerial and pastoral office, to which I am ordained, leave me no time for serving their most noble cause, otherwise than by the silent and secret meditation of these unworthy thoughts. That I consider their plans imperfect and immature, is, I trust, no more than they do themselves. That I search the Scriptures for light, is, I trust, no more than they do themselves. That I make known to others the knowledge which is revealed unto my mind, is no more than they do in every one of their publications. Therefore, let them take me to be, as indeed I am, a true friend to the work in which they are engaged; and let them judge,me in the spirit of love, not of bitterness or strife. My desire and prayer for every Missionary Society which is embodied, for every Mission which is undertaken, for every Missionary who adventures from the bosom of his home, for the sake of the Gospel of Christ and the salvation of the unbelieving nations, is, that they may prosper to the ends of the earth. If I forget them in my prayers, private and public, may my right hand forget her cunning; if I fail to contribute my mite to their support, may the Lord's providence cease to provide for me and mine. Nay, but more, I will think for their sake, and meditate my inmost thoughts for their success. My mind, as well as my soul belongeth to Christ, my Creator and Redeemer, and unto his cause they are due and are devoted. And in this spirit I do |