large occupation of the mind by worldly business stands in the way of the best use of the powers possessed. The public understand this; and they accept these good men accordingly. Secular knowledge, and discussions of secular things, are not expected from them. The one thing expected and desired, is the communication of that knowledge of sacred things which they have gathered from the holy Scriptures, from the Spirit's work on their own heart, and from the application of Christian principle and teaching to their ways of life; with religious observation on men and things. They are not expected to know everything in the Bible; (who does know everything there, even if it were expected?) nor, indeed, to deal with any of its more difficult parts, which may admit of exposition; nor to try to communicate what they do not themselves understand: but to teach, and illustrate, and apply those few plain yet great truths which they do know; which have been written "not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God," in the "fleshy tables" of their hearts. It is this "epistle of Christ” which they are desired to "minister," and nothing more; and to minister it with such wisdom and such utterance as the Holy Ghost may give, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. One half of the audience (whether in church or class) know beforehand all that can be said; and the whole edification turns on the mode, tone, pathos, grace, with which it shall be put at the bottom of all which lies (as the base of excellence) sIMPLICITY. Without simplicity, there will be none of these; and without these, no edification, so far as that instrumentality is concerned. What have we in the most profitable means of grace, but the new presentation of old truths to hungry souls, which nourish and strengthen them, and revive in them the sense of life and joy, as really as bread-" daily bread "-is acceptable to a renewed appetite, and nourishes and strengthens the physical system? There is no more loathing in the former case, than in the latter. The manna is from heaven-the bread of God!—wholesome food that will nourish weary souls through a wandering of forty, seventy, or a hundred years. They who most frequently and ably handle these old truths, now and then produce something new; (yet not queer, nor fanciful, nor farfetched, but sober and profitable ;) and thus we have things both " new and old." Yet, even then, we often say, after the first surprise, "The old is better."

When the vast extent of the agency throughout Methodism is considered, (comprising, in addition to Ministers, Class-Leaders, Local Preachers, and Prayer-Leaders,) the presence or absence of simplicity and unaffected earnestness must appear most material to the general prosperity. How is their presence likely to encourage the active co-operation of the Holy Spirit! their absence, not only to stay that blessing, but to drive away from the ordinances those who should receive it! People are driven away. The gay and frivolous inwardly laugh and mock, and say, "That sort of preaching would never convert me; he is preaching to show off himself, not to do me good :" and, after coming a time or two more, they think it not worth while to come again, even for amusement. But what is most to

be regretted is, that they come not again (in many instances) to hear those whose ministry would command their respect, and might be rendered the means of saving their souls. They turn away from the ministry as from something without point or force,-once earnest and powerful, now worn down to a common and commonplace performance; an affair of oratory, of display, of self-estimation; but not an affair to their taste, or calculated for their benefit.

On the other hand, conceive how this noble simplicity and thoroughgoing honesty affect for good everything else in a man's character, and in his doings. They enter into all the workings of his mind, and influence the whole style and nature of his preparations for the pulpit. They guide his selection of subjects, determine his mode of treatment, fix his objects, strengthen his mind, and fill him with a holy courage. He is free and at liberty; free from that troublesome personage, self, along with whom fall out of all consideration more than half the things that would otherwise distract the mind. Having put " his own things" out of the question, he is at liberty to occupy himself, (first in the study, and then in the pulpit,) with "the things of others,"-of Christ and redeemed souls. The very tone of such a man's mind is half a sermon. It throws its breath of fire over all his thoughts and words; makes much of a little, and supplies amplifications and discursions which are better than the "subject-matter." The Holy Spirit is with such a man; with his heart, and with his mouth. He is a polished shaft; an arrow taken out of the Divine quiver by the Spirit of God; a "vessel of honour," and "fit for the Master's use." And that sacred unction which rests on the man, rests also on his hearers, and prepares them to receive the engrafted word. It is good to be there: Christ is there; and where He is, is heaven!

Suppose then this tone (with less or more of other ministerial qualification, as the case may be) spread over the wide field of Methodist preaching and teaching; imparting its honest pathos to ten thousand congregations, -congregations varying from three thousand auditors to three hundred, and from three hundred to thirty; thrilling alike, with its heavenly inspiration, house, and barn, and village-chapel, and town and city temple; and echoing the words of Incarnate Mercy always and everywhere, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." What blessing, what SUCCESS, may not be confidently expected to crown such ministrations?

Let nothing here said give offence. The Methodist ministry is not more open to censure, on the point of simplicity, than other ministries; but the agency of the Body is unexampled in extent and diversity. The truth must be, nevertheless, spoken. Anything like self-exhibition in the most holy place is not to be endured: it is most highly prejudicial to the general prosperity. Even if it were not injurious, it is not to be tolerated that this Divine machinery shall be seized on, and used for personal and secular ends. No pity, no charity, no grace, calls for tenderness, much less for silence, in respect to such a matter. This paper may be accepted as a

faithful mirror, which any individual may at his pleasure take up and use without being observed. Should the reflection not be flattering, it may yet be instructive and profitable, if well and patiently examined. Blemishes and excrescences may be quietly removed, to the great advantage of the general appearance. But if, under an impulse of indignation, the observer should be ready to break forth into loud complaints, there is danger lest the first person whose sympathy he seeks should say, (and think, if not say,)" Thou art the man." The remarks made (so far as there is truth or justice in them) will probably give relief to numbers of hearers, who never could get their plaints into the ears of those they might benefit. Not a few will hope that this silent and unknown instructer may have a favourable attention; and those public teachers who are most free from the faults exposed will give their sympathy to the writer, and not to the complainer. Our humble suggestion is, that an uneasy reader will best be quiet-say nothing, but think much, and calmly, and candidly; remembering always that his uneasiness does not arise from the writer's presuming to say anything to him, but from an intelligent, wakesome, and plain-spoken friend of his own-called conscience-who takes up what is said to people in general, and applies it to him in particular.

To another point the reader's attention is invited; since it is desirable for once to put together, as far as may be, whatever aids or retards the general prosperity. For the prosperity of a communion is not so greatly affected either way by one or two things, as by the concurrence and co-operation of several. The practice of announcing or advertising subjects of discourse in the house of God has long been common in some denominations; but, happily, (as we think,) it has been but sparingly adopted among the Methodists. Ministers have been named for special services, and occasionally (though rarely) the text or the topic of discussion has been given. Yet, so far as we have observed, this has been done anong ourselves with becoming gravity and simplicity. We have been eager to bring wandering sinners within hearing of the word, and to see our churches, built with so much pains and cost, filled with devout hearers; we have visited from house to house, have distributed tracts, and preached in the open air: but we have not resorted to mean and petty shifts to gain auditors. We have used no "catchwords," no phrases or forms of speech drawn from trade, or commerce, or war, still less any vulgar slang gathered up in the public streets,-to describe subjects of sacred discourse; thinking, by the oddness, or whim, or daring peculiarity of the announcement, to fix the popular attention and draw a crowd. Nor have we attempted to coax or cajole the multitude. Yet we have been thought by our brethren of other denominations not to be overdone with taste, any more than with learning; and, however passable as instructers of the common people, scarcely worthy to speak to ears polite. A word may be said, however, on the other side. Though we cannot profess to defend on its merits everything said or done among us, yet, for the most part, where we differ from other Christian brethren or

churches, we do it not carelessly, not ignorantly; nor because we are unacquainted with their "superior" modes of teaching or general procedure. We do not mean to say that we differ for the sake of differing, (far be that from us,) but that the difference which happens to exist has, to our apprehension, good and sufficient grounds. Even on this point of taste, we are not afraid of being called on to defend our own modes and usages. But we should by no means choose to be responsible for those of some of our neighbours. It would be indeed the most ungracious thing to say what we think of many of their elaborate proceedings, considered as matters of taste and propriety, and viewed in the light of their associations and bearings. This, however, we say for ourselves,-not that as yet we are not "up" to this clap-trap way of catching mankind, but that we have not yet descended so low as to adopt it. To say nothing of what we think becoming in Ministers of religion, we think better of the common people of our race than to believe that such expedients will succeed with them. They may smile, and respond to these invitations a time or two, on the principle of hearing what this "babbler" will say but the worldliness, vulgarity, and transparent artifice of these announcements undermine that reverence and docility which are the very first aids to success. The ground of the heart is thus hardened against receiving the seed to be sown. The hearer comes as a critic and a master, to see how the Preacher will square his discourse with his announcement, so as to make a sermon of it. And he must be indeed a grave, earnest, spiritual, and powerful Preacher, who will dissipate all this, and so bring the truth home, that the hearer, forgetting why he came and what brought him, shall be wholly taken up with himself—his sinfulness, his danger, his need of Christ, of pardon and salvation. But are they such Preachers, who put forth such announcements?

Here is a specimen of the better sort of these announcements, from a placard distributed in Islington in March last: (The sermons were to occupy the Sunday afternoons of that month; "Servants and the Working Classes" being "specially invited :")—" PROFITABLE LABOUR," "SAFE BANK OF DEPOSIT." "SALVAGE FROM THE FIRE." "THE TWO DEBTORS." The first and last of these may, perhaps, be allowed; but the two intervening are such as, one would think, a wise and sober-minded Minister would scarcely be responsible for. All readers of the daily press, but especially of the daily advertisements, will know whence they come.

But what is to be said, or rather thought, (for it is impossible to express all that is suggested,) of such as follow?" LIMITED LIABILITY." "GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE." "TAKE CARE." "POSITIVELY THE LAST NIGHT." "ODDS OR EVENS." "THE GREAT BOTTLE TRICK." "THE FREE AND EASY."-Alas! and is preaching-the grand and pre-eminent instrument ordained of God for the awakening and recovery of a lost world—is the preaching of "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God" come to this? Has it fallen so low in attractiveness and power, and become an object of such derision and contempt, even in a Christian country, that it must ally itself

with "the works of the devil," in order, under their name and mask, to insinuate itself into a hearing from mankind? Are they so "earthly, sensual, devilish," that the very "wisdom" which seeks to win them must assume this garb to gain attention? Truly, an Apostle tells us that Satan, for his purposes, does occasionally transform himself into "an angel of light" but where are Christ's Ministers authorized, for any purpose, however good, to transform themselves into angels of darkness? to set forth the works and wares of wickedness as an enticement to inveigle men into hearing of the love and wonderful works of God? This is, surely, a very different "foolishness of preaching" from that which St. Paul declared to be "the wisdom of God," and "the power of God." This is the real foolishness; man's foolishness, not "the foolishness of God." And it will be well if such preaching, which begins in folly, (though well intended,) end in nothing worse, as regards the hearers, than foolishness. What if they become more hardened, more trifling, more contemptuous of all Divine and sacred things? What if they say that the chapel approximates to the theatre, the Gospel's pantomime to the world's? Imagine the feelings by which "Servants and the Working Classes" must be actuated as they forego an afternoon's stroll, or a public-house treat, (things they value,) caught by such baits as "THE GREAT BOTTLE TRICK "—"GIVE the Devil HIS DUE," &c. They do not forego their intended amusement without the expectation of greater "fun;" and the Minister (CHRIST's Minister !) must begin with his catchword. If there were not some inexplicable confusion of mind, if the speaker were not caught in the mazes of Satan, one would think his right emotions would rush into his face, and blush their meaning as he announced his text of sacred writ, side by side with his "GREAT BOTTLE TRICK," (the real text,) or his other words, which already too much defile our paper. And, pray, what is the illustration he is to give of these baits? one which he can by no means omit or evade, if he is to please the audience they have collected. Is he to go into the low and vulgar details that these catchwords represent; and then, still worse, to drag the divinest truths, and the holiest appeals to the heart and conscience, through the filthy and disgusting labyrinth of this symbolism? We suppose it must be so; or else, he must tickle the vitiated palate, and meet the expectation created, by expounding the profane text first, and the sacred one afterwards. O horrible! to think that-after the lecturer has disposed of his wretched preamble amid the smiles, jeers, and ill-controlled merriment of his audience, and won a questionable sort of admiration for his vulgar wisdom, his ingenuity, and his comic talent-he shall turn at once to the guilt of sin, the compassion of Christ, His yearning pity for mankind, His agony and bloody sweat, His cross and passion, His precious death, His glorious resurrection and ascension; to the offered mercy of God for contrite sinners, the sacred comfort of the pardoned, the aids and consolations of realized religion, the joys of heaven, and the dread woe of hell awaiting all disregarders of the heavenly message; and shall press home these sacred things on the giddy triflers whom but just now he has