in all departments of public speaking, are justly considered the very soul of eloquence.

We should be almost ashamed of having said so much on the duty of diligent preparation for the pulpit, did we not conscientiously feel that it is a duty very commonly neglected, and that the fallacies above noticed have really in many cases exerted a most pernicious influence. Were it not for this, it would be assuredly sufficient to remind preachers of the gospel that hard labour is the universal condition of all human success; and that preachers of the gospel are not exempted from it. We see that even the divinest genius in every department of science or art is still subject to it: genius may render labour more successful, but the labour must be submitted to, and the success is usually in a ratio to it." In the sweat of our brow must we eat our bread"-and he who has imposed the law graciously follows its observance with a recompence.

We are well aware, of course, of the difficulty of reclaiming sufficient time for study in an age of activity like the present. In this respect, the ministers of our day labour under a disadvantage which our recluse fathers knew little of. The multiform modes of action which Christian philanthropy has assumed impose upon the modern pastor duties almost unknown to the old. There are local, and district, and more general societies, in the management, or to the advocacy of which, his services are perpetually solicited; and what with engagements of this nature, pastoral visitation, and week-evening services, it must be confessed that his time for study is seriously abridged. It has frequently been our lot to hear ministers complain that every evening in the week has been occupied-not a single quiet hour reclaimed for study. "Things ought not so to be." There can be no question that the adequate discharge of his pulpit functions is his principal duty, and for this, therefore, he ought sacredly to secure sufficient time. He ought no more to trespass upon the time which may be necessary for this purpose, merely because the object which solicits him is a religious one, than a medical man or a lawyer, who takes an interest in some benevolent society, ought, for its sake, to break in upon the time demanded by his professional avocations. The claims of the pulpit, the minister must meet; others, however excellent the object, he can be expected to attend to only so far as his remaining time will permit. Nor do we at all apprehend, that if each individual would only take as much of extra duty as he can efficiently discharge, the societies which depend upon this species of agency would suffer; on the contrary, we believe that they would be great gainers. For such a practice, if general, would immediately lead to (what has been much neglected in the management of religious societies) a proper distribution of labour. Instead of everybody's

attending to everything, having his name on half a dozen committees, and taking a part in as many societies, the very multiplicity of which engagements prevents his methodical, punctual attention to any, each would take only so much work as he knows he can get through. The consequence would be, that his portion would be better done, and that without infringing on the time allotted to his proper duties. These observations apply more particularly, of course, to such societies as are not immediately connected with any particular congregation, but have a more general object. The former must depend principally on the pastor, as the prime mover; though even here we may remark, that we have known many cases where a judicious choice and combination of subordinate agencies have secured every object, and saved to the pastor all his time, except that required for an effective general superintendency.

It is of paramount importance, for another cogent reason, that the minister should set limits to the amount of his extra engagements, and firmly resolve, that whatever else he does or leaves undone, the pulpit shall have his proper share of attention. Though he may at first complain that his time is so occupied, and his thoughts so distracted by public business, custom will unhappily reconcile him to it. His mind will become dissipated, and the study to which he would at one time have gladly repaired, will, for want of habits of regular and strenuous application, become distasteful to him. His only element will be public business and the excitement and bustle of active life. Let this be once the case, and whatever else he may do, the great, the immediate object of his office is practically neglected. Much as we rejoice at the Christian zeal which has formed so many societies, we fear it has not seldom led to this incidental evil. Let a minister, then, look with jealousy upon the very first indications he discovers that his study is no longer his delight, and that to turn to his books is becoming irksome.

It will be observed, that nearly all the conditions of a more efficient ministry, on which we have insisted so much, depend more or less on the state of our collegiate institutions, on the ability with which they are conducted and the liberality with which they are supported: on them depends in a great measure the sort of men who shall be encouraged to assume the functions of the ministry-the preliminary discipline to which they must be subjected the kind and amount of knowledge, both general and theological, with which they enter upon their office, and correct and worthy views of the principles on which the duties of the Christian preacher and pastor are to be performed. And even in relation to the last point on which we have spoken-the necessity of giving more time and labour to the preparation of sermons in the ordinary discharge of ministerial duties-much, very much,

depends on the degree and species of discipline to which the mind has been subjected at college. On the habits there formed will depend, almost wholly depend, a satisfactory answer to the questions, "Will he give sufficient time to this object? and if he cannot always give so much time as he would, will he be able and willing to make the most of what he can get? Will he have those habits of confirmed industry which shall render hard thinking, instead of being irksome, easy and pleasant?-that ready control of his faculties which will enable him to turn his thoughts, even in those intervals of time which the more indolent let pass as useless, to any subject that may require them?-those habits of prompt and vigorous application which may enable him to make more out of such fragments than the undisciplined could make out of their whole time?—and that love of study, the result of discipline, which shall shield him from the dissipating effects of almost perpetual public engagements, and render the exercise of his faculties and the acquisition of knowledge delightful, even to his life's end?" The answer to all these questions greatly depends on the sort of preparatory training to which the youthful minister has been subjected. Is it possible, then, to exaggerate the claims of our collegiate institutions on public support?

To us it appears, that while our colleges have been rapidly improving during the few past years, while they have been extending the term or the courses of study, while their committees and managers have taken a deeper interest in them, and have sought to render them more efficient, the public has not been proportionately appealed to in their support. The consequence is, that most of them are complaining of straitened funds. In our opinion, the remedy is soon discovered. Let but the same principles be applied to these institutions which are applied to our missionary and tract societies, (we are far from saying to the same extent, for that is not necessary,) and the difficulty is removed at once. In other words, let our men of wealth make it as much a point to subscribe to one or other of these institutions, as to the Missionary Society, and let every congregation make an annual collection (be it much or be it little) for the same object. This last step we earnestly recommended two years ago, in the article to which we have already made repeated reference. Our words were these:-" When we reflect that upon these institutions the character of our rising ministry depends-that from these a supply, at once permanent and effective, must be secured-that it is the object of every church, not only to support its own minister, but to perpetuate the ministry, we scarcely think that our congregations have as yet been roused to a due sense of what is required of them. We think that in every congregation of any considerable magnitude or wealth, there should be an annual collection for this object.

Surely these institutions have as strong a claim upon our contributions as very many others which are far more frequently put forward."

Our opinions on the propriety of this step have only been confirmed by further consideration of the subject; nor is there any way of shewing that the view we have taken is a wrong one, except by shewing that the object is not as worthy of general support as that of the societies already mentioned. We think it may be made to appear otherwise, for it may easily be proved that the degree of energy in all our religious societies ultimately depends on the condition of our colleges. Our great religious societies are dependent upon the number, the magnitude, and zeal of our churches; and none will deny that these will depend on the efficiency of the ministry. It appears to us, therefore, altogether unwise to expend so little upon our colleges, and to allow our great religious societies to monopolize our liberality. This point is fairly put in an address recently issued by the committee of Spring Hill College, to the churches and congregations of the midland counties, to which that institution of course principally looks for support.

The "Address" particularly presses the proposal of an annual collection, (by way of experiment for a term of years;) and we rejoice to be able to say that no less than three associations, those of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Northamptonshire, have already responded to it. Should this appeal lead to a general adoption of the plan, all our colleges, and churches too, will have reason to feel obliged to the enterprising gentlemen who compose the committee of Spring Hill College.

"CHRISTIAN BRETHREN,-We venture to solicit your earnest and devout attention to the following statement. It relates to a subject, than which, we conscientiously believe, none more important could be submitted to you.

"It has long been felt by many, and is now, we rejoice to say, beginning to be acknowledged by all, that the COLLEGIATE INSTITUTIONS, on which, under God, the maintenance and diffusion of the gospel, both at home and abroad, so vitally depend, have never been adequately supported amongst us. Yet it seems to us almost impossible to overstate their claims on public patronage. The prosperity of existing churches, and the formation of new ones, depend mainly on the character of our ministers. But on what does that depend? Plainly on the efficiency of the institutions which educate them for their work. Nor is this all those great societies which, happily in our time, the Christian church has organized for the propagation of Divine truth, are ultimately dependent on the state of our colleges, and will flourish or decay just as those institutions prosper or decline. We say this advisedly; for none will deny that the funds of our Bible and missionary societies are determined by the number, magnitude, and zeal

of our churches and congregations, and these, as already said, are manifestly determined by the quality of that ministry by which they are formed and nurtured. Each well-instructed, thoroughly-furnished' minister, is, in fact, a purveyor to our great religious societies. With his success, and in proportion to it, will their revenues be augmented; with his failure, and still in proportion to it, will they be diminished. As is the fountain, so will be the streams, and if the one fail the other must soon be dry.

"Should not common sense, then, teach us, that whatever else we do or leave undone, we should take heed that our colleges receive liberal support? That the shortest, as well as most efficient, method of supporting those great societies which, at present, almost monopolize our Christian liberality, would be to cherish carefully the institutions on which so much of their revenues ultimately depends? Yet, what is the fact? Of the multitudes who are annual subscribers to our Bible and missionary societies, scarcely a tenth part subscribe a shilling to the support of our colleges; and while there are no congregations of any magnitude which do not afford an annual collection in behalf of missions, there are very few. which grant even an occasional collection to our colleges, and scarcely one (so far as we have heard), which makes such collection annually! Brethren, we ask you in all seriousness-Ought these things so to be?'

"Even if the cause of our colleges could be wholly detached from that of missionary and other religious societies, are our colleges so unimportant as to justify such disproportion in our efforts? But when we further reflect that the latter are so intimately connected with the former, is not such conduct unwise, as well as unjust? To neglect these, while we expend our benevolence on the objects to which they are so immediately and vitally subservient, is like tending the branches while the root is uncared for, or widening and deepening the channel while the fountain itself is scantily fed. We say not-God forbid ! that we ought to have done less for missions-would that we could do ten times as much!—but we do say that we ought to have done more for our colleges.

"We hope, we expect a better state of things; and that you, by your energetic support of that institution for which we plead, and wHICH IS PECULIARLY YOUR OWN, will both set a noble example to the religious public generally, and encourage those who have the management of similar establishments to make a like appeal to other portions of the country.

"The local position of any such institution, and the relations which are inevitably established between it and the surrounding districts, must determine the constituency to which it will chiefly appeal for support. The situation of Spring Hill College necessarily throws it on the support of the midland counties. Placed, as it is, in the very centre of those counties, and within a few hours' ride by rail-road of even the most distant of your churches, you naturally look to it for the occasional supply of your pulpits, and will ultimately expect it to furnish you with your stated ministers. As the metropolitan colleges have a natural claim upon the liberality of the metropolis itself and of the suburban