saints, and to plant the standard of the cross on the battlements of paganism; when they themselves had fallen by the sword of persecution. Accordingly, the apostles and first christians established schools of sacred learning in several places; where those destined to the ministry, might be properly educated for this work. The apostle John erected such a school at Ephesus. Another of the same kind was founded by Polycarp at Smryna. Others of equal or surpassing fame were established at Selucia and Antioch. But none of the christian schools were in greater repute than the one at Alexandria, supposed to be founded by Mark, the evangelist. It was renowned for raising up a succession of learned and able defenders of christianity. Pantænus, Clemens of Alexandria, and Origen, stood successively at the head of this school, and made it famous by their "varied learning" and sound piety. The apostles and evangelists who established these nurseries of learning in the church, it will be remembered, were the extraordinary ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ, and were guided by the Holy Ghost in all they did, agreeably to his promises in the 14th of John. We cannot, therefore, avoid the conclusion, that they acted agreeably to the will of God, while thus laying the foundation for a learned ministry in the church. Nor can we avoid the conclusion, that it is agreeable to the will for God, that his religion should be explained to the understanding of men by a learned ministry, as well as enforced upon their hearts by u devoted one.

And here we feel the highest satisfaction in contemplating that class of benevolent operations, in our own, and other christian lands, whose object is to

raise up for the church a learned and faithful ministry. It is evidence that the pure light of christianity is breaking through the darkness of ages; that the church is returning to her primitive purity; that the streams of christian benevolence, after a perversion of sixteen hundred years, are beginning again to flow in those sacred channels, marked out for them by Christ and his apostles.

Having now finished what I designed to say on the qualifications of a minister, I shall make some remarks on the manner in which faithfulness requires him to discharge the responsible duties of his office. Faithfulness to his office, as well as reverence for God and his word, requires a minister to draw the chief materials for his public discourses from the bible. There is always danger perhaps, that the youthful pastor, who is a lover of literature, will spend too much of his time amidst the productions of human learning. He should never forget, that he is not to seek fame in the literary world. That the energies of his mind and the feelings of his heart must not be exhausted in study. A large portion must be kept in reserve, to animate his public discourses; to enable him to devise plans of usefulness for his people and the church; and in private conversation, to press home the momentous concerns of the soul. From the fountains of divine truth, however, he must drink deep, not of Pyærian, but of heavenly springs. The doctrines and duties which he inculcates, he should be mainly anxious to prove from the scriptures; knowing that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. If he can handle this sword of the Spirit skilfully, he is a workman that needeth not to

be ashamed; though he is not familiar with all the ancient books on theology, and has but a slight acquaintance with the literature or politics of the day. The great business to which he has devoted his life, is to exhibit the being and attributes of God, to portray the moral deformities of man, and to preach salvation by Christ to a dying world. In whatever pertains to these things, the bible is like the sun, shining in majesty and strength; while systems of theology and moral discussions are often no more than stars, which twinkle through the mists of night. Nor is it necessary that the faithful pastor should go beyond the bible, in order to come at the original sources of information; to find well-drawn characters to guide his pen; history to instruct, or poetry to inspire and charm. There is wisdom enough in the book of God. Whoever learned the history of the creation, or the deluge; the origin of moral evil; the rise of the different languages of the earth; or the beginning of the ancient nations, except from the bible? Whoever became acquainted with the true character of God or man; with the Father of the church; or the dispensations of grace to a guilty world, except from the sacred oracles? Here also is the great storehouse of political wisdom, from which the ablest statesmen have drawn their best maxims. Here is unfolded the secret causes of the prosperity and decline of nations. Nor is there any want of history to instruct; or of well-drawn events to impart fertility to the imagination, or interest to the heart. Among the mighty works of Jehovah, the nations of the earth are as a drop of the bucket. They are thrown upon the sacred page, and disappear like the rapid and

brilliant meteors of night. How insignificant are the stories of the novelist, or the empty and hard-wrought fictions of the poet, compared with the history of Abraham's family; the discovery of Joseph to his brethren; the passage of the Red Sea, and the triumphal song of Miriam, when Pharaoh and his host sunk as lead in the mighty waters. No characters are so worthy to be studied and exhibited, as those drawn on the sacred pages. In none, are there blended so much wisdom and truth. The legislators, and heroes, and philosophers of modern fiction or fact, shrink into insignificance, when placed by the side of Moses and David and Solomon. What personage of history or romance ever stood forth like the Christ of the evangelists? The subject of prophecy for two thousand years; descending from heaven to earth to fulfil the purposes of infinite love; his birth announced by myriads of angels; in his life, pure and holy; perfect in wisdom, goodness, and power; healing the sick, raising the dead, commanding the stormy seas to silence; dying to redeem a world; and at last, returning to heaven from whence he came, on clouds and chariots of fire; the light and life and glory of the world. Nor is there any want of poetry to inspire and charm. It was the soft, the pensive, and the heart-melting strains of David, that taught the christian poet how to sing his delightful task. No fallen hero was ever made to sing the dirge of his misfortunes in language at once so simple and elevated, so touching and so true to nature as Job. The simplicity and fire of Homer, the sublimity and strength of Milton, cease to charm, when compared with the lofty and soul-stirring songs of Isaiah.

Faithfulness requires a minister to instruct his hearers in the fundamental doctrines of the bible. I well know that a great prejudice has gone abroad against doctrinal preaching. This has arisen, in part perhaps, from ignorance, but still more from the enemies of the truth. In consequence of it, even some good men think it prudent to waive the frequent discussion of doctrinal subjects in the pulpit. This however is being wise above what is written. It is following neither the instructions, nor the example of Christ and his apostles. It is a vain attempt to make the offence of the cross to cease. If the religion of Jesus is any thing more than "an oriental fiction," it is a system of doctrines, which must be believed; and a system of duties, which must be practiced. The doctrines of the bible against which so much prejudice exists, are nothing more than a divinely authorized statement of facts. Some of these facts relate to the character and government of God; some to the way of salvation by Christ; and others to the moral character, duties, and destiny of man. The object of doctrinal preaching is, to instruct the hearers respecting these things. The character of God, the character of man, the way of salvation, the duty of repentance and faith, and the doctrines involved in them, are subjects which men must be made to understand, or they will be taught nothing to any purpose. The man who from any cause avoids the discussion of these subjects in the pulpit, forfeits the high character of an ambassador of heaven, and will fail to accomplish the great end of the christian ministry. It is the fundamental doctrines of the bible, which give permanency to the faith and hopes of the chris