this kingdom of God is at hand. To the saints who have lived in the foregoing ages, and in the early part of this generation, it has often been a matter of wonder, what method Divine providence would employ, for sending his word to the darkened nations of the earth. Sensible of the indispensable necessity of their enjoying the Scriptures, in order to their spiritual illumination, and to their turning to God; and convinced of the difficulty of their obtaining the sacred oracles, they have often been disposed to say, How can this be accomplished? By bringing into operation the Bible Societies which have been established, both at home and abroad, God, in his overruling providence, has answered this perplexing question, and has overcome those seemingly insurmountable difficulties. If we consider the object, the exertions, the extent, the success, and the co-operation of Bible Societies, we will see in them a sign that the kingdom of God is at hand. The object of those societies is to furnish Christians and Jews, Mahometans and Pagans, with the Holy Scriptures in their own language, without note or comment. May we not stand still and wonder at this object! Can any object be conceived, that has a tendency more directly to promote the glory of God, and the spiritual and eternal salvation of his rational creatures? To send to spiritually dead sinners the word of life; to give to the darkened nations that which God has revealed for a lamp to the feet and a light to the path of mankind, for guiding them infallibly to the knowledge, the service, and the enjoyment of God, must be an object of the highest importance. We may wonder also at the magnitude of this object. To furnish all nations with this precious word, is a work which is not more remarkable for its utility, than it is for its

grandeur. The exertions that are made for effecting this object make a part of this sign. How many are now actively employed in translating the Scriptures, in printing them, and dispersing the sacred volumet among the nations? We have every reason to believe that their number is great; that their diligence is unwearied; that their faithfulness is conscientious, and their labor is unremitting. The assiduous study, the fatiguing travail, and the daily labor of many persons, are employed to accomplish this object. The extent of those exertions is truly astonishing. In Europe, Asia, Africa and America, these societies have greatly increased, and are still increasing. They have been erected in all parts of the earth, excepting those which are so remote that they have not yet heard of them, or so ignorant as not to understand their object, or so interested in keeping men in ignorance, idolary and error, and in a state of corporeal and mental slavery to the power of men, as to give this grand object, the illumination of mankind, a most malignant opposition. The success of those societies is also most encouraging. How many thousands and tens of thousands of copies of God's word, either in whole or in part, have been distributed among the nations! Into a very great number of languages, and dialects of the same language, the Holy Scriptures have been translated, printed and published in the earth, since the erection of the radical Bible Society at London, in 1804. The co-operation of those societies is also worthy of our notice. Though they are established in parts of the earth which are very distant from one another, and among people of very different dispositions, yet there is such an unity of object among them all; such friendly communications maintained among them, and such mutual assistance given to one an

other, as to cause their exertions to bear as directly on the same grand design, as if all their operations were guided by the wisdom and energy of one mind. Now, since it is the word of God that must enlighten men in the knowledge of the way of salvation; since it is the mean by which the systems of darkness shall be removed from the earth; since it is the instrument of erecting Christ's kingdom in the world; and since God, in his wise and powerful providence, has begun and so far carried on this blessed scheme, have we not reason to conclude that the kingdom of God, which this word is appointed to promote, is at hand? Can we suppose that the Lord will withhold his blessing from those means which are so eminently calculated to promote his glory, and the salvation of men? We may, therefore, believe, that as the morning dawn indicates the approach of the ruler of the day, so the spreading of the Divine word among the nations, is a harbinger of the rise of the Sun of Righteousness on them, with healing in his wings, and that the kingdom of God is at hand.

2. The extraordinary endeavors that are now made to publish the glad tidings of salvation to the nations, by preaching the Gospel to them, are also a sign that the Millennial state of the Church is at hand. It is long, since Christians in different nations attempted to spread the knowledge of the Gospel among some of the heathens; but the endeavours that have been made for this purpose, during the last twenty years, are truly extraordinary. A great number of powerful societies have been established in these lands, and in other nations, which have it as their object to send forth evangelical missions to the most distant parts of the earth, that they may preach the Gospel to the benighted inhabitants. These societies occupy dif

ferent fields, and some of them send their laborers to different parts of the earth. Societies have also been formed, and have been for some time in active operation, for sending persons, duly qualified, to preach the Gospel to the darkened parts of the nations to which we belong. Many men who appear to be actuated by a concern for the glory of God, the honor of Christ, the propagation of the Gospel, and the salvation of immortal souls, are now actively employed in almost every nation of the earth, in preaching the Gospel to the heathen world. The word of God is not only given to the nations, but persons are sent to preach its doctrines, to explain and to apply that word to the consciences of men. As Jesus, at one time, sent forth the twelve Apostles, and at another time, sent forth seventy disciples to preach in Judea, the doctrines of the kingdom of God; as the Church of Jerusalem sent Barnabas to visit the Gentiles who had received the word of God; and as the Church at Antioch, by the command of the Spirit, sent forth Paul and Barnabas to go to the Gentiles, who had not yet heard of Christ's name; so the duty of sending forth persons who are properly qualified, to preach the Gospel to the heathen, must be of indispensable obligation on Christians. Those men who from a conscientious regard to the glory of God, and the good of immortal souls, forsake their relations, endure privations, encounter difficulties and danger, and suffer fatigue and trouble, that they may publish the doctrines of salvation to a perishing world, ought to be esteemed among the most useful servants of Jesus Christ. As great success attended the first publication of the Gospel to the nations, so we are encouraged to hope, that if these endeavors are conscientiously made and continued, that the same suc

cess shall attend them, till, by the blessing of the Spirit, the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. Since God in his holy Providence, has excited Christians to form societies for this important purpose; since so many who appear, in some good degree, to be qualified for this work, have devoted themselves to it, and have voluntarily engaged in it; and since some comfortable effects have been produced in many parts of the earth, we may consider this as a sign that the kingdom of God is at hand. Can we suppose that God's own ordinance, for the conversion of the heathen, will be put in operation among them, and that he will refuse to work with it, and with them who dispense it? May we not rather conclude, that in his own time, as well as by his own power, he will make it effectual for completely evangelizing the darkened parts of the earth? As this is one of the means of accomplishing this change, and as it is now applied in a far more remarkable manner, than at any former period, we may contemplate it as one of the signs that the kingdom of God is approaching.

3. The efforts that are now made to promote the rapid and universal education of mankind, and to circulate among them evangelic catechisms and tracts, are a sign that the kingdom of God is at hand. The education of men is an object of the highest importance, Those nations whose population are blessed with education, excel other nations in knowledge, in religion, in morality, in wealth, in liberty, and in the useful arts, to an inconceivable degree. Those nations, therefore, who make the most extensive and wise provision for the education of their population, do best promote the honor of God, the happiness of posterity, and their own good. Those parents and