acceptance, entreating and exhorting all by the tender mercies of God not to receive the grace of God in vain.

And so there cannot be a doubt that means ought to be put in operation for making known to all men-villagers as well as citizens-that gospel which is a proclamation of goodwill to men-to men as such, independently of all providential distinctions that may subsist between them.

Of course we are not to be understood as meaning that the stations in the cities ought to be neglected or abandoned. Far from it. Cities have been in all times and in all countries the centres and the foci for the collection and the dispersion of good or of evil. That they are most frequently the centre of evil is universally admitted. That they may be, and have been, and are well fitted to be the centres from which good may be with most advantage disseminated will as little be questioned. Indeed we have proof that it was so in the early days of the Christian Church; and the very name "Pagans" as applied to heathens gives evidence that the cities of the empire had assumed a Christian aspect before the villages had abandoned the practice of idolatry. On this point all the members of the conference were agreed. But while the stations in the cities are to be most sedulously attended to, we have no right to neglect the millions who spend their days far from the bustle and vice of towns. Beside all waters we are to sow. every creature we are to preach the gospel.

To

It might be an interesting question, but it would be a very difficult one, to inquire whether more good may be expected to be done by a frequent repetition of the truths of the gospel in ever varied forms in the ears of the same people, or by the proclamation of these truths once or twice or half a dozen times to a great number of different people; whether, since by feeble man both cannot be combined, the Missionary ought to seek more after intensiveness or extensiveness in his work. This, however, we take it, is a question we are not called upon to solve. The leadings of providence, and the peculiar gifts vouchsafed by the Divine Spirit, must regulate every individual in the direction of his efforts; and since both objects are evidently desirable, we cannot doubt that God has made provision in His church for the accomplishment of both. In all other departments of human exertion the division of labour is found to be profitable; and in this, the highest department, there is the strongest reason to believe that the principle should be adopted. While we hold it to be of great moment that some natives (as many as possible) should be furnished with all knowledge that Missionaries can communicate and they receive, that they may in due time become Masters and

Fathers in Israel, care ought to be taken that no individual throughout the land shall go down to the dead without hearing the wondrous story of the Saviour's love.

In India there are peculiar facilities for this mode of introducing the gospel. Whatever may be the powers of the Native mind, it seems undoubted, that the natives generally are fond of religious discussions. It was stated in the conference by Mr. Morton, and confirmed by other brethren, and indeed we believe is well known to all who are acquainted with the habits of the people, that arguments and discussions between pandits, regarding questions of religion and philosophy, generally form part of the entertainments when public occasions call multitudes of people together. Hence it quite coincides with their views and feelings that the missionaries should go and request to be heard, and set forth what they know to be truth, in opposition to the errors that have so long prevailed in this unhappy land. The physical structure of Bengal is not, we think, upon the whole unfavourable; although it must be admitted that the intense heat throughout one season, and the incessant rains during another are obstacles in the way. The absence of mountains, and the intersection of the whole country by rivers and creeks, probably do more than counter-balance these disadvantages*. So far as we know, travelling is not cheaper or easier in any country in the world than in this, although in many it may be pleasanter. As to the obstacles just alluded to they are probably, during certain portions of the year, insurmountable. Mr. Lacroix stated that during one-half of the year, from October to April-itinerancy is practicable; and he is of opinion that during these months, a large proportion -say a fifth, a fourth, or even a third part of the whole body of missionaries, ought in ordinary circumstances to be so employed. Perhaps, when we take into account the number who are absolutely required to superintend the work which must by no means be intermitted at the stations, even the lowest of these proportions is too high. But this must of course in every case be left to the Christian judgment of the parties.

As to those who ought to engage in this work, there seemed to be a universal agreement that all who are qualified by a thorough knowledge of the language and habits of the people,

We may here notice a suggestion made by Mr. Macdonald, which seemed to many of the members to be very valuable; that each Missionary body ought to possess at least one Bhauleah, which should be at all times at the command of the Missionaries. By this means, it was believed some expense and much trouble would be avoided, and the work of itinerancy materially facilitated.

and who are not providentially restrained, ought more or less to engage in this department of the work. That it requires such qualifications is obvious. Further, as in all branches of the work, so in a high measure in this, there is need of a harmonious blending of the apostolical qualities, the wisdom of the serpent, and the harmlessness of the dove. When the parties to be addressed are, in most cases, those who know literally and absolutely nothing of the subject on which they are to be spoken to, it is clear that such a familiarity with their language and modes of thinking, is required, and such an acquaintance with all their habits of life, as none of our missionaries can be supposed to possess, except those who have been long in the country. But as this familiarity is best attained in the course of itinerating, it were well that each of these veterans, in all cases where it is possible, should be accompanied by a younger man, who might be expected by the blessing of God at once to do much good and to gain much good. As to the good he would do, we have it all comprehended in the reason which without doubt was our Saviour's guide in sending out the primitive missionaries "by two and two"-a reason which has commended itself to all who have deliberately thought of the subject. As to the good that he would gain, it is equally obvious that it might be much. A man is not deemed fit to be entrusted with the sharpening of our knives or the mending of our shoes till he has been instructed in the "art, trade and mystery," by a competent master. And although preaching is far, far more than a mere art, yet in part it is an art, and the most difficult of all arts. It was suggested that it might be well, when it can be so arranged, that the individuals composing the several pairs thus going out should belong to different denominations: and it does seem that this might silence those objectors who reproach the missionaries with the unhappy dissensions that separate the several divisions of the Christian Church. In all cases there ought to be associated with the European Missionaries one or more native catechists. These would be on many accounts of the greatest service to the Missionaries. As our readers know how highly we estimate the services of well-qualified native agents, we need not dilate upon this point. A pious catechist, moreover, could not fail to derive spiritual profit from such a tour.

As to the extent of territory that ought to be embraced in a plan of itinerancy, it is not easy to speak very definitely. There are probably not nearly so many Missionaries in Bengal that their visits could be repeated with sufficient frequency were they to comprehend the whole country in their scheme. Yet by a well-defined plan, and by complete co-operation, it is

impossible to say how much might be done. While it is an awfully solemn thought, that so many thousands are living and dying without having once heard the name of the living God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, it is not to be forgotten that a frequent repetition of applications is in the highest degree desirable. And the example of the apostles points out to us how important they deemed it, that no good impressions should be lost for want of being promptly repeated and renewed. Hence it is that they often followed each other in their wanderings, and that they ever and anon returned by the same track, "confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith." This is just another form of the question as to extensiveness and intensiveness, to which we have already alluded, and which must be left to the decision of Christian wisdom for every particular case.

While co-operation is absolutely essential; and while in order to effective co-operation, a due attention to method is requisite; we conceive that an itinerant ought never to be so bound down to the previously arranged plan of his route, that he cannot, when providence seems clearly to dictate, make any deviation from it. He ought to be able to stay a day or a week longer in a place than before his arrival he had supposed would be advisable; to go thirty or forty miles out of the track he had intended to follow;-in a word, he should consider himself as completely at the disposal of God, and act from day to day according to the dictates of the wisdom given him in answer to his daily prayers. Thus did the apostles.

As to the particular duties of an Itinerant Missionary, they are in substance just the same with those of one who is stationary. To preach the gospel to all who will listen to him, to distribute tracts, books, and especially portions of the Scriptures, to visit and examine schools and colleges, to engage in temperate discussion with pandits and others, and in fact, to embrace every opportunity that presents itself of doing his Master's work, and to make opportunities if none should present themselves. In order to do this with effect, it is manifest that the itinerant has need of all his physical and mental energies; and thus it appears that in this part of India the system has never had a fair trial. With perhaps a solitary exception, it has never been engaged in as a matter of duty, but simply, as a work of second-rate importance, has been casually taken up by those who have been obliged to leave their stations in pursuit of health. In the case of the exception referred to, the late Rev. Mr. Chamberlain, the results were in every way most satisfactory. The importance of the work certainly justifies, as the difficulty of it as certainly requires, the devotion to it of the best energies of our best men.

It is thought desirable that an itinerating party be furnished with as many letters as can be procured to the principal men, native and European, of the district they are to pass through. Even if the individuals to whom the letters are addressed should not be particularly favorable to the cause of Christianity, they will generally account it both their duty and their honour to facilitate the operations of those who come to them with recommendations from their metropolitan friends. Thus "the earth helpeth the woman." And such may, in the persons of the Missionaries, entertain angels unawares, and salvation may come to those houses which have been opened merely for the exercise of common hospitality.

As no situation in life is attended with unmingled good, so there may be peculiar trials and temptations to be encountered by the Missionary who is perpetually removing from place to place. As for example, there is unquestionably some danger of his interests and sensibilities being somewhat blunted by their being called forth so perpetually by a rapid succession of objects, on none of which they can be allowed for any considerable time to rest. It will not now be questioned, since the natural results of the principles of the French illuminati are matter of history, that the man who loves his species most is the man that is most warmly attached to his kindred and friends; and we earnestly trust that the experiment will never again be tried of teaching a man to love the whole human race by first teaching him to love none of the individuals of that race. It ought not then to be concealed, that when a man is continually having his sympathies directed to different objects, it will be difficult for him to retain that lively interest in the well-being of every individual which is so necessary to a Missionary's success. But prayer and watchfulness will counteract this and every other danger, so that they ought not for a moment to deter any one from entering "He that observeth the wind shall not sow, upon the work. and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap."

And in the prayerful heart not only shall these evils be averted, but positive good shall be communicated. All his graces will be called into exercise, and will be strengthened by the exercise. "He who watereth shall be watered also himself." The itinerant will not fail also to gain more knowledge of the people with whom he has to deal-an exceedingly valuable kind of knowledge-than he who remains fixed in the same station. Heathenism is a Protean monster. Though in all cases essentially the same, it can assume a thousand different aspects. With these the itinerant will have the best opportunities of becoming acquainted. Divine truth also,