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who successfully aim at this, preach better at home. than abroad;-a most desirable excellence, and a sure pledge of much usefulness!

But the skill of making every sermon appropriate, can never be acquired or preserved by a minister in his study. It is gained only by frequent and familiar intercourse with his people. Many a fine sermon is thrown away upon a drowsy congregation, simply because it is unseasonable; and it is unseasonable because the preacher is ignorant of the state of his flock, and wrote it without any specific aim, or object. In order to make the most of your preaching then, brethren, you must be active pastors. You must learn from week to week, by personal intercourse with your people, what they most need at the time; what their spiritual health and safety immediately require.

Nor is this all. It is by pastoral intercourse; by free and affectionate conversation with individuals, in regard to their spiritual interests, that a minister often does more good than he can in the desk. A parishioner easily escapes in a crowd, and hears for others rather than himself; but when he is personally addressed, he cannot help feeling that every word is intended for him. Indeed, it is affectionate pastoral intercourse, more than any thing else, which, by gaining the hearts of the people, fills the sanctuary on the Lord's day, and prepares them to "receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save their souls."

In regard to the mode of conducting pastoral vis

its, permit me to suggest, that something like a plan or system, has many advantages. If you content yourself with forming a general resolution to visit your people as their spiritual teacher and pastor, whenever it shall be convenient, you will make but little progress. The convenient season will rarely come. Nor, judging from my own experience, will you find it easy in all cases to introduce the subject of religion, without letting it be known before hand, that this will be the sole object of your visit. Otherwise, some will have so many kind inquiries to make about your health, and your family, and your garden, and your last journey; and so much to say about the heat, or the cold, the debating and fighting in Congress, or the last news from Greece, or South America, that the hour will pass away, and the main object of the visit will be entirely frustrated.

Now I will not say, that a minister may never converse with his people upon the ordinary concerns of life, or the current topics of the day-but only, that this kind of intercourse is not pastoral, in the proper sense of the word; and that some other mode must be adopted to carry religion into all the families of your charge. They must in some way be informed, that you intend to devote certain days in the week to this great object, so as to have it understood that no other topic is to be introduced. Or you may privately make your appointments for particular districts, or neighbourhoods. Or you may on the sabbath publicly announce your intention to

visit certain families on given days of the ensuing week. This last method has been often adopted with good success; and it has the advantage of convincing a congregation, where they hear the appointments made from week to week, and month to month, that it is no trifling task to visit every family in a parish.

These remarks are intended chiefly for the younger class of my brethren in the ministry; and with this explanation, I hope I shall be indulged in more freedom and familiarity of remark, than it would be proper for me to use in addressing my seniors in age and office.

I scarcely need remind you, my dear young brethren, that Sabbath schools and Bible classes will claim your very particular pastoral regards. Who can estimate the amount of good, which a minister may do to the children and youth of his congregation, by devoting a part of his time to these blessed institutions? But if I may be permitted to lay any stress upon my own experience, you will find a great advantage, in occasionally varying your plans, and methods of teaching, so as to keep alive that interest, which in young minds is apt to flag, under any uniform system however excellent. And though both sexes may be taught at the same time, and in the same class, there are obvious advantages in meeting them separately, each requiring much appropriate instruction and advice, which cannot be given with perfect freedom and propriety in presence of the other. Indeed, I am in favour of carrying the

system of pastoral instruction by classes, much farther than it has been generally attempted. For while mankind inherit one common nature, and have many common wants, trials, dangers, and temptations, in many other respects, their circumstances are widely dissimilar; and of all these, a pastor may avail himself, to the abundant increase of his usefulness, by taking the several clases as he finds them in his congregation:-the aged, the young, the fathers, the mothers, the men in active and prosperous business, old professors, and young christians. I have, for example, known the best effects from a separate meeting for the old and grey-headed, of about the same standing, who were not professors of religion of another for men deeply immersed in cares and gainful business-and of another for mothers of young families. And I will venture to say, that any minister, who shall adopt and pursue the method of pastoral instruction which is here recommended, will be surprised at the number and importance of the topics, which, as he passes from one class to another, will suggest themselves to his mind.

But whatever method you adopt, pass by none of your flock. Feed Christ's sheep. Feed his lambs: and if possible bring all the straying back to his fold. In your manner of address be plain, be affectionate, be serious, be faithful. Never continue an exercise longer than you can command attention. Never permit yourself to wander into regions of unprofitable speculation. Never lose sight of Jesus Christ and him crucified.

The poor you will have with you always, and they will have a right to a full share of your time and attention. Visit them often in their lowly habitations. Accept of their plain hospitality in such a way, as to convince them, that you value it more than the sumptuous banquet. Kindly inquire into their circumstances, and encourage them to entrust you with their necessities. Inculcate upon them the graces of contentment and resignation. When they are virtuous and pious, esteem it a high privilege to help them forward in their journey to the promised land. When they are vicious and improvident, use every argument and motive to reclaim them. Never give over, till you bring them to the sanctuary and to the cross of Christ. Thus you will secure their confidence, awaken their gratitude, elevate their views, and by the grace of God, save them from going down to the pit. Take much notice of their children. See that they attend the schools of the parish, as well as the Sabbath School and Bible Class; and afford all the aid in your power, to bring them up in habits of industry and sobriety; but above all "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

In your intercourse with the rich, be on your guard, for you will always be in danger. Not so often, however, from their want of friendship, as from their kindness. Go not often to their feasts. By so doing, many have been "snared and taken.” It will, moreover, swallow up too much of your precious time. What other labourer can afford to sit

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