£ s. d. 23 12 0 per J. Risk, Esq. Gunn, W. jun. 0 Macindoe, Mrs. Mudie, R. Esq. Shawe, Esq. 2 0 0 Auchterarder Relief Ch. 2 Major Moore.... 300 48/. 12s. 5 4 Rev. Edward Moore Quay Meeting-house 20 18 Collection at County Meeting........ Woodbridge, Beaumont Chapel For the Chinese Mis. 20 Meeting............. Wrentham For the Chinese Mis. Less expenses Mr. and Mrs. Adam, and friends, for Fem. 0 Moffat Secession Church, for the Chinese Mission 3 2 0 G. Yule, Esq.- 0 8 0 1 0 0 6 17 4 6 0 0 8 10 0 26 18 3 100 1385 16 1 27 3 Walls, Shetland 101. 138. the Chinese Mission- 0 2 0 0 For Educa. at Benares East Relief Church...... Mr. Mirrielees, St.Pe United Secession Public 2 2 0 tersburg, for Mary and Meeting. 4 8 Surrey. Frances Eliz. Mir Mrs Campbell.....(D.) 0 5 Mr.T. Bishop's Sabbath Miss Cullen, for Jas. 3 school, Glasgow, for Chinese Mission Contributions in aid of the Society will be thankfully received by Rev. John Arundel, Home Secretary, at the Mission House, Blomfield-street, Finsbury, London; by G. Yule, Esq., Broughton Hall, Edinburgh; J. Risk, Esq., Cochran-street, Glasgow; and by Rev. John Hands, Society House, 1, Lower Abbey-street, Dublin. Tyler & Reed, Printers, 5, Bolt-court, London, THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE, AND MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. FOR SEPTEMBER, 1843. THE GOOD MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST, AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE LIFE, LABOURS, AND DEATH OF THE LATE REV. HENRY BLUNT, M.A., RECTOR OF STREATHAM, SURREY, AND FORMERLY OF UPPER CHELSEA. BY J. MORISON, D.D. "A good minister of Jesus Christ."—1 Tim. iv. 6. THIS is assuredly one of the noblest distinctions that can exist on this side eternity. And, happily for the world in which we live, it is a distinction which has not been confined to any particular age. In all periods of the church's history, there have been men answering to this description; men who have been faithful witnesses for the truth of Christ, who have lived and laboured for the good of souls, and upon whose tomb may be inscribed the most honourable of all epitaphs, "A good minister of Jesus Christ." Little is that man to be envied whose denominational attachments blind him to the many excellences which exist beyond the pale of his own church. To a mind imbued with the Spirit of Christ, it will ever be a source of unmingled satisfaction to recognise the signs of genuine Christianity wherever they exist, and to fall into the spirit of that apostolic benediction, "Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth." We may prefer, and even ardently love, the Christian fellowship to which we belong, while, at the same time, we may regard the tie of a common Christianity connecting us with the whole household of faith. Some of our purest enjoyments on earth may be derived from the intercourses of those who belong to other sections of the visible church, but with whom we feel ourselves to be "one in Christ Jesus." If there be those who would isolate and divide the children of God, this will be far from those who remember 2 N that Christ's church is one, and who know and feel that amidst all the existing diversities to be found in the present imperfect state of the Christian commonwealth, there is but "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all." When mem bers of various churches meet in heaven, it will surely be no matter of regret to them that they fraternized with each other while on earth, and thus recognised their oneness in Christ before they were received into "the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy." When I first heard the mournful tidings of the death of my late beloved and honoured friend, the Rev. Henry Blunt, Rector of Streatham, and formerly of Upper Chelsea, I could not help rejoicing, that we had acted towards each other, while permitted to mingle on earth, so as to render the prospect of a meeting before the throne inexpressibly delightful and joyous. During the whole period of his ministry, in an adjoining parish, at a time when the full tide of popularity set in upon him, I must bear this testimony to him, now that he has passed from this world of shadows, that he ever acted towards me as a faithful brother in Christ, inviting both my confidence and respect, and proving, beyond the possibility of doubt, that he fully recognised me as a pastor of the flock of Christ, equally commissioned with himself to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. However warm his attachments to that particular form of church government in which he had been trained, and of which he was a distinguished ornament, he was accustomed to look beyond his own pale, and to honour and respect the image of Christ wherever he found it. 66 And what, brethren, is the genuine spirit which must animate the "good minister of Jesus Christ ?" Is it not the unequivocal and fervent love of that Divine Master, whom he professes to serve with his spirit in the gospel?" Can any thing short of "the love of Christ constrain" him to the faithful discharge of that awful trust, which consists in " watching for souls as one that must give account" in the great and terrible day of the Lord? Does it not commend itself to the reason of mankind, that he, whose unceas ing aim it must be to "save souls, and to hide a multitude of sins," who must ever be striving to convert his hearers from the error of their ways, must himself be a child of God, a subject of true conversion, a partaker of that grace of saving faith, by which we become "accepted in the Beloved ?" Of all the calamities which can befall the world, or afflict the church, an unconverted ministry is beyond doubt the most formidable. How many millions of immortal souls has it hardened to final and irrecoverable impenitence! What hosts of sceptics and infidels has it spread over the face of society! What scorn and contempt has it brought upon that religion which came down from heaven! What low standards of piety has it set up in the very sanctuary of God! How lamentably has it brought down every thing in the Christian church to the level of the world! How fearfully has it retard |