planting, his faithfulness is pledged to sustain and give it influence. 'How certainly, and how much more does this obligation rest upon families whose hearts are bound together not only by the purest of all earthly love, but by the common bond of that love which is heavenborn and unearthly? He who "sets the solitary in families and makes their children like olive plants round about their table," may peradventure claim some one of those he has given you for the ministry of his Son. It may be that the "Lord hath need of him." Is there not one among them all whom you can cheerfully consecrate to him for this self-denying and high service? and of whom you can say, with Hannah, when she stood praying in the temple, "He shall be lent to the Lord, as long as he liveth?" Are they more ambitious views that you are indulging, and a more lofty station that you are looking for on behalf of the son of your vows? For one I cannot sympathize with you in such views. Had I a son, qualified for this high service, self-denying as I know it to be, I would rather see him an humble, and faithful minister of the ever blessed Gospel, than at the head of the bar, or the most distinguished professor of the healing art, or at the head of the most successful mercantile house in the land. It is incumbent on Christian families deliberately to look at this

grave subject. The Church of God is dear to him as the apple of his eye; yet how few are "there to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth: how few to take her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up!" God may not accept your offering; yet go, in the humility of faith, and in the strength of dependence on his grace, make the offering at his throne. Nor let your child long remain ignorant of these secret transactions between you and your Maker. Let him know that if he breaks away from God, and refuses to enter the ministry of his Son, he countervails your most ardent expectations and vows. Often remind him that he is "lent to the Lord;" educate him in his fear; and who shall say that he will not abundantly bless your offering, and in "filling his poor with bread" through your instrumentality, also fill your own heart with joy.

CHAPTER XIX.

[SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.]

MINISTRY COMPARED WITH OTHER PROFESSIONS.

A THIRD Source of supply for the Christian ministry, must be found in those young men of piety and talent, who are already educated, or in a course of education for the other learned professions. When God commanded Moses to deliver his message to Pharaoh, Moses replied, "O my Lord, send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send;" but by this answer the anger of God was kindled against his timid and reluctant servant. We have no desire to see every pious and well-educated man employed in the ministry of the Gospel, nor is every such man qualified for the service. Such men are needed elsewhere, as well as in the sacred ministry. Yet ought the question to be deliberately presented to the mind of every well-qualified young man, Whether he can the better serve God and his generation by engaging in some one of the other learned pro

fessions, or in the ministry of his Son? This is the only question which a conscientious man will look at. Private interests must be laid aside, and this single question considered, in the light of God's truth, God's providence, and the realities of eternity.

There is no miraculous call at this age of the world, to the work of the ministry. Whether one is called to it, is neither more nor less, than whether, upon a full view of the subject, it is his duty to enter it. Like every other question of duty, this is to be decided by those leadings of Divine Providence, which indicate to an ingenuous and obedient mind, what his Heavenly Father would have him to do. What are these indications? Are they not a heart sincerely devoted to the service of God,-an honest purpose of living to his glory, a willingness to be devoted to him, in that way in which we may probably perform the most essential service, together with those natural talents and opportunities and means, that fit us for this employment. To be conscious of these things, or to have a prevailing consciousness of them, must go very far toward producing the conviction in every honest mind, that the best service he can perform, is to honor his Maker by preaching the Gospel of his Son. It will be very difficult to keep such a man out of the ministry; his conscience calls him to it;

his heart calls him to it; God calls him to it; and unless obstacles which cannot be surmounted obstruct his path, he must obey the call. Yet is this conviction not the creature of mere impulse; a mere impression, produced by supposed supernatural influences. It is just the deliberate conviction of a devout mind, adopted in full view of all the light it can obtain, after having sought counsel of God and man, and after no small schooling and self-discipline. Many a young man has entered the ministry under the influence of mere impulse, whom a little experience has taught that he is not fitted for this laborious employment. It may be with reluctance and some mortification that he abandons it; but if he perseveres in a service to which God has not called him, it must be with a discouraged heart. What the Saviour said to those who followed him without anticipating the sacrifice of so doing, may with stronger propriety and greater emphasis, be said to every young man who is directing his thoughts toward the Gospel ministry."Which one of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost?"

These remarks may not be turned to good account by all who read them. The object of them is not to discourage young men from entering the sacred office; but rather to encourage. The unhappiness is, that they may pre