are admired and caressed by the higher classes of society, the fashionable, and the gay, while the poor remain unnoticed and unknown. It is one evidence of fidelity in a minister of the gospel, and denotes one point of resemblance to his divine Master, when the common people hear him gladly. What if he is deserted by the great, and wise, and rich men of this world-happy is he, if he can collect around him a congregation of humble poor. He never need be ashamed of a congregation like that to which his Saviour ministered. Let ministers of Jesus then be exhorted from our subject, to be more faithful, diligent and persevering in preaching the gospel to the poor.

But, is the whole of this interesting and important duty confined to them? Who are to furnish the facilities for carrying into effect this benevolent object? The poor it is obvious cannot, the ministers of Jesus cannot, for they most frequently resemble their divine Master in his poverty, and they cannot, like him, render the fish and the sea tributary to the supply of their wants. They who preach the gospel, now that miracles have ceased, must live by the gospel; and, if they would preach the gospel to the poor, as their Saviour did, they must be assisted in their labors of love by those upon

whom the Lord has more liberally bestowed the means. Hence we perceive the duty of Christians in general to use all the means in their power that the gospel may be preached to the poor. The poor, said Jesus, ye have always with you, and whenever you will you can do them good. We need not go far to find suitable objects for this important charity. The poor are to be found in our smallest villages-but in cities and large towns they form no inconsiderable part of the community.

Impressed with the necessity of adopting efficient measures for extending to the numerous poor of this metropolis the advantages of moral and religious instruction, the society was instituted, whose anniversary we this evening celebrate, and in whose behalf I now address you. In pleading their cause, I have the satisfaction of addressing an audience distinguished for their liberality to benevolent institutions. To you, the numerous societies, which have for their object the relief of the temporal and bodily necessities of your fellow creatures, have never appealed in vain; and shall a society, whose object is to save the souls of men from death-to extend to the suffering poor the inestimable blessings of the gospel-to bring contentment to the poor man's

home-to administer consolation to the afflicted, comfort to the sick, and hope to the dying-shall such a society in vain solicit the benevolent aid of the Christian public? No-it cannot be. It has only to make its necessities known, and the hand of charity immediately will be extended to its relief.

But why should I detain you any longer from carrying your benevolent purposes into operation? I will only say, that there is a circumstance in the history of this society which, while it awakens both pleasing and painful emotions in my own bosom, cannot but be deeply interesting to those who usually worship in this consecrated temple. -It is the memory of its early and constant friend and president, the ever lamented, ever beloved HUNTINGTON. If his pure spirit is permitted to concern itself in the affairs of mortals, may we not indulge the pleasing thought, that it is hovering over this assembly, and regarding with peculiar complacency, the society which, when living, was so near his heart.-And how can you, my Christian friends, better express your regard for his memory, than by contributing this evening, as God has blessed you, to aid the funds of the Boston Society for the Moral and Religious Instruction of the Poor.'

189

SERMON VIII.

THE CLAIMS OF THE FATHERLESS AND WIDOW.

DEUTERONOMY xiv. 29.

The fatherless and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied.

ONE of the strongest proofs of the theocratical government of the Hebrew nation is the provision that was so amply made for the relief of the suffering poor. In no human government that ever existed, can be found any statutes for the relief of human misery, that can be compared with the merciful and abundant provision made in the Jewish polity, for the children of want and sorrow. The stranger within the gates, the debtor and prisoner, and above all the fatherless and widow, as well as the ministers of the altar, are

the objects of the special regard of the almighty Lawgiver, and for them the most liberal provision is distinctly made by special statutes, enacted in the court of heaven.

It is the benevolence of the Jewish code, its adaptation to the wants and the relief of suffering humanity, that furnishes one of the most powerful arguments in favor of its divine origin. The ceremonial and national part of the Jewish economy has ceased to be binding upon man, and is superseded by the more simple and less onerous dispensation of the gospel; but all that is strictly moral in the Hebrew ritual, can never cease to be obligatory upon those who profess to receive the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the only standard of faith and practice.

And what part of the morality of the Old Testament comes home to the consciences and bosoms of men with more thrilling interest, than the positive injunctions contained, not only in our text, but in numerous other parts of the law of Moses, to provide for the poor and needy? What heart is so callous, so hardened to all the feelings of humanity, as can resist a claim like this? He that cannot feel for the fatherless and widow, let him go from the habitations of men, and herd with the beasts of the forest. He is not fit to dwell